and most auncient Church had but two Sacraments How the other fiue crept into the Church That the Masse by their owne confession was made by diuers Bishops of Rome long after the Apostles That it tendeth to the vtter dissoluing of the whole Harmony of the Scriptures both Propheticall and Apostolicall the ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion and the casting mens mindes into a doubtfull wauering of their saluation 10 That the words of Christ touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud as also his other words concerning the sacrament are but figuratiue speeches 11 That wee ought to pray to God alone and not to Saints And to worship God alone and not Saints That none can be mediatour betweene God and man but onely he that is partaker of the natures both of God and man 12 That the originall authours of the doctrine of Purgatory were the Heathen Philosophers How it doth confound the iudgement of the Popish writers and how it doth deny the bloud of Christ to be sufficient for the purging of sinne The Chapter of Conclusion sheweth that we are iustified in the sight of God by faith onely without workes That we possesse Heauen only by the meanes of faith and being there the fruits thereof are rewarded with the degrees of glorie That the high way to damnation is to seeke saluation by merites The Popes deadly wound Tending to resolue all Men in the chiefe and principall Points now in controuersie betweene the Papists and Vs. CHAPTER I. This Chapter tendeth to resolue all men that notwithstanding both Protestants and Papists professe but one God one Faith one Baptisme and one Lord Iesus Christ that yet there is so great a difference in the manner of their profession that it is not possible that they should be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ 1 IT hath beene imagined Christian Reader that forasmuch as the Papists and wee professe one and the same God c. there might well be an vnion betweene vs and them to make one and the same Vniuersall Church but I trust through the helpe of Gods spirit it shall be made manifest to the whole Church of God that it is no more possible then by mixing with the puritie of the Gospell the Abomination of desolation by which Saint Hierome saith a Hierome in his booke vpon thâ— 24. of Saint Matth. w. We may vnderstand all manner of peruerse and false doctrine there can bee made one and the same true Christian Religion True it is that many notable Heretikes of former times haue professed one and the same God with the Church and as Saint Chrysostome saith * Chrysostome of the Worke vpon Matth. Had gotten the notes and markes of the true Church to wit sayth he Churches the Scriptures of God Bishops and other orders of Clarkes and likewise Baptisme and the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing and to conclude Christ himselfe but yet as he sheweth that the true Church of Christ would not admit them into the fellowship thereof nor take them for true members of the same The reason was for that with their profession they mingled such erronious opinions of God as made him no God according to that which Saint Hilary saith b Hilary in Ps 1. To deuise fancies of God is as horrible as to say there is no God 2 For wee beleeue and professe but one diuine God according to Deuter. 4.35 and one mediatour betweene God and man Euen the man Christ Iesus according to Saint Paul 1. Tim. 2.5 The Papists professe that the Lord he is God but not God onely and that Christ is mediatour but neither wholly nor only as this first Chapter shall plainly demonstrate from their owne Doctors for one writeth thus c Fel. in cap. ego N. de iureiur The Pope hath the place vpon earth not of a pure man but of a true God The Bishop of Aeix saith d Contr Bassinet vt Hist. Gallica Our holy Father the Pope is an vndoubted and true God on earth In their Extrauagants he is termed e Extra coment in glossa Our Lord God the Pope besides their Councell of Trident f Trident. in sexto de lect decreed him to be God In the Councell of Lateraine one saluted the Pope with this title g Latr. sess 4. Thou art another God on earth which the Pope accepted as his due euen as Pope Nicholas seeking authority whereby he might claime that dignitie found these words treasured vp in the Popes Library * Nicholas Dist. 96. satis euidenter It is well knowne that the Pope of the godly Prince Constantine was called God To which words Augustine Steuche the keeper of the Popes Librarie added h Steuche libr. Donat. Constant. pag. 141. Dost thou not heare that the highest Bishop was called of Constantine God and that he was taken for God and worshipped as God with diuine honour Whereby it plainely appeareth that this title is not giuen him of flatterers against his will neyther fell it out of their fingers rashly or by chance but with good consideration and therefore they ascribe also vnto him the great power and authority not of a terrestiall God but euen of a celestiall and that in foure respects 3 First in graunting to him as large commaund as to God himselfe for thus they write i Extrauag De translat-Episcopi Quinto Hostin Sinne excepted the Pope in a manner may doe all that God may doe Againe k Counsel Lat. Leo. 10. In the Pope there is all manner of power aboue all power as well of heauen as of earth Also l Extrauag De Constitu lib. Statuta The Pope hath power ouer the Angells both good and bad And m Agrippa de vanitat Scient The Pope hath power to command the Angells and hath power ouer the dead Againe n Baldus in li. Barbarius De officio praetoris The Pope is all and aboue all Furthermore o L. Sacrilegij c. de crim sacril ind c. Ecclesia vt tit pend It is sacriledge to doubt of the Popes power * for he is the cause of causes therefore we must make no question about his power seeing there is no cause of the first cause Lastly p In Bull. Clem. 6. in Ant. Flo. The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in hell that he may deliuer by his Indulgences place in the heauen and habitation of the blessed as many Soules as he will So that in his power of commaunding hee is made equall with God as if hee might be bold to say with our Sauiour Matth. 28. All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth 4 Secondly they match him with God in giuing him priuiledge and exemption from all censure saying q Dist. Satis lib. Don. Constant. pag. 141. The Pope cannot at all be eyther bound or loosed by the Secular power
Pope notwithstanding I haue forbidden it I beseech your holinesse doe so no more Againe if the Title had been a lawfull Title why did he call Iohn Bishop of Constantinople m Gregory lib. 6. Epist 30. The fore-runner of Antichrist for seeking to bring it into the Church And say n Gregory lib. 4. Epist 34. By this pride of his what else is signified but that the time of Antichrist is at hand o Gregory lib. 4. Epist 34. The King of pride is at hand and an Army of Priests is prepared which is a lamentable thing to be spoken Yea and why to make all men to know him by that Title did hee thus describe him saying p Gregory lib. 4. Epist 38. He is Antichrist that shall claime to be called vniuersall Bishop and shall haue a guard of Priests to attend vpon him And also to seeke to cleare all his Predecessours to Peters time from euer claiming that Antichristian Title saying q Gregory lib. 4. Epist 32.36 None of my Predecessours Bishops of Rome euer consented to vse that vngodly name no Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him that name of singularitie And further to shew what an vnlawfull Title it was to be called the vniuersall head of Christs Church and the danger that might ensue said r Gregory lib. 4. Epist 32. If we haue but one head the fall of that head is the fall of the whole Church If any man presume to take vpon him the name of vniuersall Bishop the whole Church falleth downe from her estate when hee falleth which is called vniuersall but farre may that name of blasphemy be from all Christian mindes By which it appeareth plainely that the Romish that is now which hath an vniuersall Pope for her Husband and head is not the Church of Saint Peter but the Church of Saint Antichrist And therefore to say that the Romish Church which Saint Peter first planted in Rome was one and the same that the Church of Rome is now is most horrible blasphemie and a meanes to bring a great scandall vpon that part of the Primitiue Church For if she was the same then was shee that Whore of Babylon mentioned by the Angell in the 17. Chapter of the Reuelation For so saith Ioacham Abbas of the Popish Church Å¿ Joacham on the 17. chapter of the Reuelation The very Text it selfe doth teach saith he how that the woman beguiled with gold and which committeth pirituall fornication with the Princes of the earth is the very Church of Rome which Babylon-like playeth spiritually the Whore with stockes and stones Againe if that first Church of Rome was the same that this Church vnder vniuersall Popes is then was shee the same which the Angell in the 18. Chapter of the Reuelation saith Is falne and become the habitation of Diuels for so their Saint Katharine of Siene saith the Church vnder the Popes is t Katharine in a prayer for the reformation Selling saith she through Symony the grace of the holy Ghost abusing ecclesiasticall matters corrupting and killing the soules which Christ hath redeemed with his blood c. O Tabernacle but of the Diuell And of which Ioacham also saith v Ioacham vpon the 1. and 2. chapters of Jeâ—emy This is the Synagogue of Sathan and his seate Therefore to say that this second Church of Rome is the same that Saint Peter first planted in Rome is most damnable blasphemie And thus much for the conclusion of all that which wee haue hitherto intreated of Now let vs proceede CHAP. IX Tending to resolue all men that the Popish Church cannot be the true and most auncient Catholique Church because the most auncient Apostolike Church was knowne by hauing onely two Sacraments and theirs hath seauen which iust number as they can not bee found in Scriptures so can they not be found once named by any of the foure first generall Councels or any Prouinciall Councell or any of the auncient Fathers till after the rising of the great Antichrist in Rome Also that their Masse was inuented by man and not the ordinance of Christ and his Apostles That it tendeth to the ouerthrow of the power of Christs Sacrifice on the Crosse casteth mens mindes into a doubtfull wauering of their saluation and finally dissolueth the whole harmony of the Scriptures both Propheticall and Apostolicall 1 THE Papists haue wonderfully deluded the multitude in making them to beleeue that the most auncient Catholique Church receiued from the institution of Christ and the ordinance of the Apostles these seauen Sacraments The first the Sacrament of Baptisme The second the Sacrament of Confirmation The third the Sacrament of the Altar The fourth the Sacrament of Matrimony The fift the Sacrament of Orders The sixt the Sacrament of Penance The seauenth the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction But because they cannot proue by any one place of Scripture these seauen to be Sacraments nor the number of seauen to come from the institution of Christ or the ordinance of the Apostles some of them would proue it by this reason The books in the Apocalypse haue seauen Seales The seauen Angels haue their seauen Trumpets Christ hath in his right hand seauen Starres Christ walketh in the middes of seauen golden Candlestickes Zacharie saw seauen Eyes vpon a stone There were seauen Candlestickes in the Tabernacle Now if this manner of reasoning will serue to proue that in the true Church of Christ there must needs be seauen Sacraments then will this manner of reasoning proue there must needes be but two First for that the first Church consisted onely but of two persons Adam and Heuah Secondly for that the first publike places wherein God appoynted himselfe to be serued was in number but two the Tabernacle and the Temple Thirdly for that God gaue his Law to the Church in two Tables Fourthly for that the whole tenure of the Doctrine wherein God would haue his Church instructed is contained in two testaments Old and New Fiftly for that the witnesses of those testaments are said to be two Sixtly for that the supreame gouernours which God set ouer his Church were but two Moses and Aaron Lastly because the whole duety of all Church-gouernours are included in these two words Vrim and Thummim there must be but two Sacraments in the Church of Christ But their Doctour M. Harding well perceiuing that this manner of proofe will not serue the turne he taketh a better course as he thinketh for he will proue his fiue added Ceremonies to be Sacraments because they were called Sacraments by some of the auncient Fathers as indeede wee graunt they were but what of this seeing we can proue that they called not onely fiue other Ceremonies Sacraments but many moe as for example Tertullian called the generall state of the Christian Faith The Sacrament of Christian Religion a Tertull. contra Marcionem li. 4. Saint Hierome called Martyrdome a Sacrament b Hierome ad Oceanum Saint Augustine
called the forme of the Crosse a Sacrament c Aug. in Serm. De Sanctis 19. Leo called the Vowe of Virginitie a Sacrament d Leo inter Decreta Leonis cap. 14. Saint Bernard hee called the washing of feete The Sacrament of daily sinnes e Bern. in Serm. de Coena Dom. And yet besides these other fiue were many moe called Sacraments Saint Hillarie f Hilar. in Mat. Cannon 11.12 23. in diuers places of his writings calleth Prayer a Sacrament Fasting a Sacrament Weeping a Sacrament and the whole tenure of the Scriptures a Sacrament For as the Iewes before the comming of Christ had brought into a custome to call their Oblations and whatsoeuer tended to the worship and seruice of God Sacrifices So after the comming of Christ had the Christians brought into a custome to call almost all whatsoeuer tended to the worship and seruice of Christ Sacraments Saint Augustine speaking of these and other such new deuices which were then crept into the Church saith g August in his 219. Epistle Albeit they be not against the faith yet with seruile burdens they so oppresse our very religion which God of his mercy would haue to be free vnder few and most manifest Sacraments of diuine seruice that the state of the Iewes is much more tolerable for the Iewes notwithstanding they knew the time of libertie yet were they subiect onely to the pacts and burdens of the Law of God and not to the deuices of men Againe hee saith h In his third Booke of Christian Doctrine 6. cap. Our Lord and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a few Sacraments instead of many and the same in doing most easie in signification most excellent in obseruation most reuerend as is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the celebration of the Body and Bloud of our Lord. Againe in another place hee saith i De Symbolo ad Catechumenos These be the two Sacraments of the Church If these two then not Scauen 2 Furthermore that it may plainely appeare that the true Christian Church is to be knowne onely by hauing two Sacraments and not Seauen Let vs heare what Saint Chrysostome saith his words be these k Chrysost of the Workâ— vpon Matth. hom 49. All those things which appertained to Christ indeede haue the Heretikes in their Schismes Churches the Scriptures of God Bishops and other order of Clerkes likewise Baptisme and the Sacrament of thankesgiuing and to conclude Christ himselfe So that hereby we see it plainly proued that to Saint Chrysostomes time which was about two hundred yeeres before the Papists had a Church the true Church of Christ was knowne by hauing two Sacraments and not Seauen and therefore the Popish Church by retaining seauen Sacraments is apparently knowne to be not the true Church of Christ That man of God Martin Luther which before had beene a Papist speaking of this matter saith thus l Luth. Babilonicall Captin In proper speach those we call Sacraments which are promises with signes annexed the rest that haue no signes are bare promises wherefore speaking hereof precisely and strictly there are onely two Sacraments in the Church of God Baptisme and the Bread forasmuch as in these onely we find the signes ordayned of God and also the promise of remission of sinnes But here because it may be they will obiect and say that Luther was but of a latter hatch and but of lesse then one hundred yeers standing let them heare what he saith that liued but in one age next after the Apostles Tertullian by name thus he wrote against Martion the Heretike m Tertull. lib. 4. against Marti How doest thou breake marriage neither coupling the man and the woman together nor being coupled otherwise admitting them to the Sacrament of Baptisme and thankesgiuing Note saith the Translatour how he striketh away fiue of the Popish Sacraments which of their owne heads they haue deuised Yea and let them heare what hee saith that liued in the next age after that S. Cyprian by name thus hee saith n Cypr. lib. 2. Epist 1. ad Stephan Then may they be throughly sanctified and become the children of God if they be new borne by both the Sacraments Now in that hee saith both it is cleare that hee acknowledged but onely two Sacraments But why should wee trouble the Reader any longer about this matter seeing the question is resolued by these two Writers of their owne Bessarion and Paschasius Bessarion saith o Bessa of the Euchar. We reade that these onely two Sacraments were deliuered vs plainely in the Gospell Paschasius saith p Pascha of the Supper of our Lord. These be the Sacraments of Christ in the Catholique Church Baptisme and the Body and Bloud of our Lord. Therefore forasmuch as by Scripture they cannot proue their fiue ceremonies to be Sacraments nor by the auncient Fathers before the rising of Antichrist the number of Seauen onely and that we haue proued that for foure hundred yeeres next after Christ there was but onely our two Sacraments in the Christian Church that must needes be a counterfeit Christian Church and of a latter hatch that will be knowne to be the true Catholique Church by retaining more then two nay then three times two Sacraments And that indeed it may more plainely appeare that by retaining more then two it is not the true Church one of the Popes owne Pen men describing the true Church by her owne notes and markes saith thus * Nicol. Cusanus De potestate Ecclesiae Romanae Epist. 1. In this sensible world that is heere beneath wee must learne by sensible Tokens to know the very Church of Christ for otherwise we are not able to reach the truth And a little after This Church standeth of them that declare by sensible and outward tokens that they be partakers of Christ as they be that confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God And therefore this Church hath certaine holy Tokens or Sacraments ordained to that end that thereby wee may know them that be of Christ so farre forth as by such Tokens coniecturall knowledge may be gathered Therefore I say That this Church of Christ by this coniecturall iudgement is counted holy notwithstanding wicked men and Hypocrites couer themselues vnder the same outward tokens And what those tokens are he expresseth in these words following And receiue Baptisme and the Lords Supper as well as the Godly And thus much for this point Now let vs see what wee can say to the Sacrament of the Altar or Masse 3 Their Masse they would beare the world in hand was the ordinance of Christ and formed and framed by the Apostles and that Saint Peter said their Masse at Rome and Saint Iames at Ierusalem But how true this is these words of their Iohannes Boemos will plainly demonstrate q Iohan. Bohem. In his Booke of the beginning of things cap. 1â— The Masse saith hee so call they the Sacrifice was
euen Christ himselfe seemeth to giue place to these and these mens rules and orders be preferred aboue the Gospell Dominike say they h Anth. bishop of Florence in hiâ—â— Par. 3. tit 23. 24. shead his bloud daily both for those that were conuersant in earth and for those that are in Purgatory and therefore it is that they also say their church singeth thus of Dominike i Pag 187. O wonderfull hope that thou hast giuen Of Frances thus k Conformities Frances whom typicall Iesus wee call the Captaine and Ruler of Minorities all graunt vs in heauen places perpetuall And they say that whereas Christ endured the torment of nayles in hands and feete but a few houres hee endured nailes in his hands and feete for vs full two yeares Of Becket thus l Becket in a prayer booke By the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend make vs O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend Of Swithen they say m In Liturgy By him our sinnes are done away 12 Thus doe they make many mediatours of Redemption vnto whom may be added their faith in the Pope and his pardons For he whosoeuer for the time being is in the second ranke or order of whom they write and beleeue that he is a Sauiour as Simon Begnius Bishop of Modrusia sayd thus to Pope Leo n Concil Later Sect. 6. pag. 601. O blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour Neither is this pressed vpon him but willingly receiued as his due as may appeare in that the Pope himselfe suffered the Ambassador of Cicilia to lie prostrate on the ground before him and to pray o Paulus Aemilius lib. 7. O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs Thou that takest away the sinnes of the world giue vs peace And to proue that the Pope is of sufficient power to saue an other writeth thus p Bull of Clement the 6. and Anthon. of Fleâ— The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in Hell that hee may deliuer by his Indulgences and place in heauen as many soules as he will Thus they avowe not onely that euery soule must be saued vnder the Pope but that the Pope must be their Sauiour Neither hee himselfe alone but those also that he will authorize For as one saith q Cardinall Allen in Fulby answere to a false catholike p. 71. The chiefe and principall Pastors by their soueraigne authority may wholly discharge offenders from all paines to come And yet further that Christ might bee quite shut out and there might be many Aberrations they haue set vp for Mediatours and helpers vnto saluation Images prayers to Images Dirges Almes-deedes and Purgatory Vnto the Image of the Crosse thus they pray Å¿ In a prayer booke All haile O Crosse our onely hope in this time of thy passion in faithfull people grace increase and graunt of sinne remission 13 Also notwithstanding hee whom they faine to be their Founder 1. Pet. 1.18 Saint Peter sayth Wee are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold but with the pretious blood of Christ Directly contrary they teach and say t Allen in Fulke pa. 202. 174. By almes we may redeeme our sinnes and theirs that are in Purgatory also And againe u In thâ— same booke pa. 239. Good workes cleanseth before hand deliuereth the soule from death and lifteth it vp to eternall life And lastly * Ibidem Regard not the iangler that will say good works do not purge sin and winne heauen 14 Last of all to the intent that we should finde more sufficiencie else-where then in Christ they further write x Allen in Fulke pag. 202. The Sacrifices done by vs that are aliue do wipe away the sins of those that be dead Againe y The Popish Doctors The sacrifice of the Masse doth take away the sinnes of the quicke and dead And againe z Allen in Fulke 92. Purgatory paynes doth not onely serue Gods iustice for the punishment of sinne but also cleanseth and quallifieth the soule of man defiled Moreouer a Allen pag. 133 In Purgatory we must be holden from life and libertie till we haue payed the vtmost farthing the toleration of which bonds shall recompence the debt And to knit vp all in a word to the Image of Christ they haue intituled a prayer beginning thus b In a prayer booke O Maker of heauen and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords which of nothing diddest make mee to thine owne similitude and likenesse and diddest redeeme mee with thy owne bloud whom I a sinner am not worthy to call vpon I desire thee c. And so forwards for all things needefull both for soule and body 15 Wherefore then if the doctrine of the Church of Rome be true namely that Christ by his death and bloudshedding saued vs but from the guilt of that one sinne of Adam and that wee are saued from the malediction of the multitude of all our transgressions by the Popes and their principall Pastours and by the infinite number of true and false Saints and so many names of other means How doe they truely hold that which Saint Peter saith Acts 4.12 Acts 4.12 That among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued but onely by the name of Iesus Or which the Prophet Esay in the person of Christ saith 63.3 Esay 63.3 I haue troden the Wine-presse alone and of all people there is none with me Or if Christ cannot or doth not saue without all other or other helpes why then said the Authour to the Hebrews 1.3 Hee hath purged our sinnes by himselfe Hebr. 1.3 Acts 13.39 Or why said Saint Paul thus of Christ Acts 13.39 By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Or why did the Angell commaund the Virgine to call her Sonne Iesus but because as he said Math. 1.21 Matth. 1.21 He should saue his people from their sinnes If he then he alone and why then should wee seeke for so many he and she Sauiours Wherefore howsoeuer they seeme in the outward letter of the Scriptures to confesse Christ to be the onely Sauiour yet wee see it is none otherwise then they confesse God to bee the onely God which is instead of one to haue many To conclude it is a true consequent that so many Sauiours so many Christs so many Christs so many faiths so many faiths so many baptismes Therefore whether professing one God one Lord Iesus Christ one Faith and one Baptisme after this Antichristian manner be to hold the foundation sound or not soundly and vtterly to ouerthrow the foundation let the Christian Reader iudge as also whether there bee so neere a coniunction in our profession that they and we may be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ as also whether this be
not fully sufficient to proue the Pope that great Antichrist foretolde by Saint Hierome c Hierome ad Algasia Quest 11. that should sit in the Church as if hee were Christ the Sauiour But for asmuch as they deny it and that the whole Church of Rome at this day dependeth vpon Bellarmines iudgement out of whose workes as it is verily supposed Parsons hath published to the view of the world and deluding of many tenne seueral Obiections for the clearing the Pope from being Antichrist it resteth that in the next Chapter we answere those obiections that so all doubts may be remoued And heerein as the originall Authour I will vse onely the name of Bellarmine In the meane time I demaund what hope of comfort we can looke to haue at these Popish Gods and Sauiours seeing their owne Saint Bridget whom Boniface the ninth Pope of that name canonized saith d Bridget in her first booke c. 41 All their followers and fauourers shal be cut off dis-ioynted and pulled in pieces like vnto a wall that is a casting downe where is not left one stone standing vpon an other neyther shall my loue and mercie euer warme them nor build them vp againe into eternall mansion And as we see the question resolued what will be the end of those that depend vpon these Gods and Sauiors so shall wee see heereafter what will bee the end of those Gods and Sauiours CHAP. II. Contayning tenne seuerall Obiections for the clearing if it had beene possible the Pope from being Antichrist set forth vnder the letters N. D. with answeres thereunto THou shalt vnderstand Christian Reader that whom Saint Iohn in his first Epistle chap. 1 Iohn 2.22 2. called Antichrists in the 22. verse hee declared to haue meant certaine Disciples which were fallen from the fellowship of the Apostles and others that by their meanes went abroad teaching doctrine whereby Christ was denyed to be the true Messias So that because such Antichristian teachers were then crept into the church by whom the great mystery of iniquity was begunne which when the great Antichrist should come should be fully perfected hee did not sticke to say but that Antichrist was then come whereas notwithstanding the great Antichrist was not then come 2 Thess 2.7 For as Saint Paul declared to the Thessalonians Epist 2. cha 2. there was then an impediment that did stay his comming which said He shall let till hee be taken out of the way Which as Tertullian Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome expoundeth was the Roman Emperor and likewise Saint Hierome in these words a Hierome to Algasia The Romaine Emperour which now keepeth all Nations in subiection must first be ouerthrowne and then shall Antichrist come the fountaine of iniquity By which it is cleare that by Saint Iohns Antichrists we cannot vnderstand the great Antichrist therefore the question is who the great Antichrist should be we say he is the Pope of Rome they say he shall be a Iew of Ierusalem but this is but our yea and their nay and how then shall it be tried who is in the right Bellarmine supposed in his Wardword the answere to Sir Francis Hastings Watchword page 91.92 hath set downe tenne seuerall Obiections to prooue him a Iew which God willing by these our Answeres shall be proued a Gentile THE FIRST OBIECTION 2 First then saith Bellarmine That the Popes of Rome be Antichrist or the man of sinne whereof the Prophet Daniel our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles do speake and that Rome is Babylon in that sense that these good fellowes doe meane that is Rome christened is a meere iest For that as the true Christ was one singular man so shall the true Antichrist be one singular man also and not a succession of men one after another as the Popes of Rome are And this is euidently gathered by the auncient Fathers out of the words of holy Scriptures namely Daniel 7. and 11. Iohn 5.2 2 Thessalonians 2. 1 Iohn 2. Apocal 13. and 17. THE ANSWERE 3 Heere Christian Reader seemeth a very great likelihood that by the great Antichrist should be meant onely one person seeing he produceth no lesse then seauen places of Scripture to testifie the same But it is a wonder to see that a man learned and seeming deuout should so apparently wrest the Scriptures For it is without all contradiction that not any one of his places doe proue his assertion The likeliest place is the 2. 2. Thess 2.3 Thessal 2. in which Saint Paul calleth Antichrist The man of sinne but doth it therefore follow that he meant onely one man no no more then by calling him in the same chapter The sonne of perdition he meant one person For in the Scriptures it is very apparant that by such like titles are not alwayes meant one singular person Esay 43.27 seeing we finde in the 43. chapter of Esay 27. verse is meant a great number of men included in the name Father Exod. 4.23 Rom. 9.27 Dan. 11. And in Exodus the 4. chap. 23. verse all the Israelites whose number Saint Paul saith Rom. 9.27 are as the sandâ— of the Sea are included in the title of a Sonne And in Daniell 11. the whole succession of Kings in their seuerall kingdomes are included in the person of one King And therefore seeing that vnder the title of a Man or a Sonne is included more thousands then the Popes are hundreds Bellarmines ignorance in the manner phrase of the Scriptures is laid open and his mouth stopped for accusing vs of ignorance in including all the Popes in the person of the man of sinne or Sonne of perdition And the rather because they themselues ordinarily vse also the like phrase of speech as when they call the whole succession of Popes that one head of Christs Church Therefore if the Scriptures had not taught vs so to speake we might yet haue learned of them how to call the whole succession of Popes that one head of Antichrists church 4 And whereas to dazle the eies of the ignorant he produceth the Fathers vpon his places of Scriptures as though they by Antichrist had meant one proper person Let him heare therefore how they haue vsed to speake of him Saint Hierome said b Hierome in his booke vpon Matth. 24. The abomination of desolation shall stand in the Church vntill the consummation of time and shew himselfe as God Now it is cleare he could not meane this of one particular person for that he knew as well as we no one man could liue to the consummation and end of time Also that auncient Writer Eusebius speaketh of Antichrist in the plurall number thus c Eusebius in his 7. book of Preparation This is a token not that he but that they hate God for that they will haue themselues called by the name of God Againe their Saint Bridget saith that she was commanded in a vision to signifie to d Bridget in her
may be called before the comming of Christ to iudgement yet all men may see plainely that Antichrist is alreadie come and that the Pope and euerie Pope in his time and place is hee Yea this is the Luciferiall aspiring fellow of whose rise and fall their Paracelsus saith * Parasel in his twelfth figured Prediâ—â— on directed to the Pope Oftentimes one doth place himselfe well but it is in vaine except his seat be such as cannot fall together with him that sitteth thereon And behold thou hast lifted vp thy selfe on high but it is not thy place neyther shalt thou abide aboue for thou are a yoake and a burthen vnfit to be borne hence it is holy Father S.P. that thou fallest Thou hast placed thy selfe aboue God and hee shall returne vnto thee the reward thou hast sought to wit worldly glorie and praise which thou hast greedily heaped vpon thine head but as all worldly things doe so shalt thou perish So that who seeth not but that Antichrist is come THE FOVRTH OBIECTION 11 The proper Antichrist by all reason and likelihood must be a Iewe borne and circumcised and will professe at least for a while to keepe the Iewes Sabbath and other Ceremonies of the olde Lawe to draw them after him and they shall accept of him for their Messias as before hath beene shewed out of Christs owne words which they would neuer doe except he were a Iewe both by generation and profession which two things can neyther bee verified of the Popes of Rome to wit that they are eyther Iewes by birth or doe professe the Iewes Doctrine THE ANSWERE 12 Here Christian Reader is a long circumstance including many properties of Antichrist but not so much as any one Scripture or Father to confirme any one point therefore I may sufficiently answere him by bare denying all that he affirmeth and thereupon conclude that by all reason and likelihood Antichrist shall neither bee a Iew by birth nor yet by profession but a Gentile and a Romane Howbeit for as much as bare negatiues no more disprooue any thing then bare affirmatiues prooue any thing of eyther side the matter shall not so passe First then as concerning Iewish Ceremonies who knoweth not how full of them their Church is as abstenance from certaine meates washings purifyings and sacrificing for sinne As also the retayning certaine ceremoniall garments as the Myter the Cope the Ephod sensing the Priests with Incense holy Oyle holy Bread the Wafer-kake Arons Bell and to many such like too tedious to repeate and for Iewish Doctrine in the maine poynt for the ouerthrow of manssaluation they rightly agree with them who held of iustification by the workes of the Law as they doe Secondly whereas he saith that Antichrist shall be a Iew both by generation and profession it is neither his yea nor my nay that shall serue but wee will haue indifferent Iudges betweene both and who shall these be euen S. Ireneus who they may not refuse and their Abbot Ioacham who they cannot refuse Ireneus out of the number of the Letters Apoccalips 13. saith x Jreneus in his fift Booke and Epistles of Antichrist Antichrist is Zatinos a Roman y Ioacham Abbas Ioacham saith Antichrist long since was borne in Rome and shall be higher aduanced in the Apostolicke Sea So then Antichrist shall be a Romane not a Iew and the same that shall bee exalted into Peters Chaire which he cannot deny to bee the Pope onely therefore he cannot denie the Pope onely to bee the great Antichrist THE FIFT OBIECTION 13 Antichrist when he commeth shall pitch his Kingdome in the Citie of Ierusalem and goe about to restore the Temple of Salomon as is plainely gathered out of Saint Iohns words Apocal. 11. where he saith that the bodies of Henoch and Elias that shall be slaine by him shall lie vnburied in the streetes of the great Citie where their Lord was crucified And the same is deduced out of the same Booke cap. 17. and out of Saint Paules wordes 2. Thessal 2. and by many ancient Writers And how then can the Popes of Rome be Antichrist THE ANSWERE 14 Here now to induce vs not to looke for Antichrist in Rome he telleth vs he shal pitch his kingdome in Ierusalem and for proofe he citeth three places of Scripture the first out of the 8. verse of the 11. chap. of the Reuela which hee abuseth most damnably For all men may see by the Text that the Holy Ghost purposely to preserue the sense put in the middle of the verse these words Which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt Which words hee hath left out and cunningly closed vp both ends of the verse together in Roman Letters as though those words had not beene in the originall Tongue which caused mee to haue the Greeke Coppies searched and also to see their owne translation in the Remish Testament in both which these words are extant So that it appeareth that because he saw that neither according to the expresse words of the Text as the Holy Ghost had set them downe nor yet according to the sense the place would proue Ierusalem properly to be the seate of Antichrist he therfore fraudulently omitted those words to frame the rest for his purpose which if he had done the like in the 17. chap. these words A mysterie great Babylon And also these words The seuen heads are seuen Mountaines whereon the woman sitteth all the Diuines in the World could neuer haue found out the great Antichrist nor his seate But the case is cleare that forasmuch as the place where Christ was crucified is there noted to be the seate of Antichrist but in a spirituall signification the Holy Ghost did not meane Ierusalem but Rome because Rome then raigning ouer Ierusalem Christ was put to death in her iurisdiction and by her onely authoritie Iohn 18.31 for Pilate Romes deputie was his Iudge who finding Christ guiltlesse would faine haue shuffeled him off into the Iewes hands to haue condemned him but they refusing said Wee haue no authoritie to put any man to death Whereupon Pilate proceeded and gaue sentence of death vpon him therefore Rome may well be said to be the place where Christ was crucified and the Citie where the Holy Ghost meaneth Antichrist should pitch his Kingdome But they say no and who then shall be Iudge betweene vs that shall that notable Diuine Erasmus who saith thus of Rome z Erasmus vpon the 11. chap. of the Reuela This Citie is in sigure and similitude the Citie of Ierusalem 15 Secondly Sect. 2 out of the same verse he would proue that Antichrist should goe about to build againe the Temple of Ierusalem in which there is not any one word to be found that doth proue it But this glosse also he setteth vpon the Text to blind the eyes of the ignorant and to make them beleeue that that should be the Temple of God in which S Paul 2 Thessal
wrought Ergo c. THE ANSWERE 20 Heere hee noteth out Antichrist by three speciall miracles which he saith he shall worke which because no Pope hitherto hath wrought they cannot be Antichrist Touching the first namely that he shall make fire descend from heauen wee say That forasmuch as there is no time set downe when that miracle shall be wrought and that there remayneth a Pope and how many shall succeede him who can tell all which make the great Antichrist therefore till the full end and terme of their reigne and that it can be proued that not any one Pope euer wrought that miracle none of the predecessours are cleared from being Antichrist for we find throughout the whole Scriptures that whatsoeuer is done by any one of them is imputed vnto all 21 But as touching the true sense of those words diuers of the Learned doe conclude that by making fire descend from heauen is meant that he should doe such miracles and so great wonders as should as greatly preuaile to draw the people from God to himselfe as the fire that came downe from heauen at the prayer of Elias did preuaile to draw the people from Baall to God 1. Kings 18â—â— 38.39 and that it is no more meant that Antichrist should cause fire really to descend from heauen then in the eleuenth chapter that materiall fire should proceede out of the two witnesses mouthes and destroy their enemies or in the ninth chapter that out of horses mouthes should issue fire smoake and brimstone to deuoure men 22 Secondly he saith that Antichrist shall make the Image of a beast to speake We answere The text saith not of a beast but of The beast That is as the verse going before saith The Image of the beast which had the wound of a sword and did liue Which as Erasmus expoundeth was the Heathenish domination vnder the Heathenish Emperours of Rome Whose heathenishnesse was almost stricken cleane dead by the sword of the Spirit which Saint Paul Ephes 6. Ephes 6.17 calleth the Word of God which wound was afterwards salued but fully healed by that spirituall beast which the 11. and 12. verses of the 13. chapter of the Reuclation declareth rose vp in the Roman kingdome resembling Christ the Lambe for as the Text saith He did all that the first beast could doe before him Whereby hee brought the latter Domination so liuely to resemble the former as any picture or image could possibly be made to resemble any beast therefore by the second Domination vnder the Popes is meant that image which Antichrist should make to speake that is should cause to publish and proclaime that as many as would not be conformable to all the heathenish ordinances thereof as in the former Domination should be killed By which means it came to passe as who so will reade the latter end of the thirteenth chapter shall see that all were brought to be subiect to his Lore Now therefore whether we may vnderstand this great worke to be accomplished by a painted picture or carued image and that by that same image which Antichrist should make to speake should be meant the image of some carnall beast or whether this be not a meer carnall interpretation of theirs let the discreete Reader iudge 23 Thirdly he saith Antichrist shall faine himselfe to die and rise agayne which thing if any one of his places doe proue I doe heere promise to recant Wherefore as the Popes not working those three miracles actually are not thereby cleared from being Antichrist so do not these miracles proue Bellarmines Iew to worke them to proue him to be Antichrist Therefore let vs come to some further triall with them for the better finding out of Antichrist by the miracles which he shal work in which no better course can be taken then by searching out the place where he shal worke them for if he shall worke them in that one City or Nation of the Iewes then it is likely he shall be a Iew but if all the world ouer in the Cities and Nations of the Gentiles then it is more likely he shall not be a Iew but a Gentile Now as the 13. verse of the 13. chapter of the Reuel Reu. 13.13 saith of Antichrist Hee made fire come downe from heauen so the next verse saith By the signes which were permitted for him to doe hee deceiued them that dwell on the earth By which it is most apparent that Antichrist shall not worke his wonders in that one City of Ierusalem nor yet in that one nation of the Iewes but ouer a great part of the whole earth among the Gentiles therefore this proueth he shall not be a lew but a Gentile Againe Saint Iohn in his 16. chapter of the same Booke speaking of Antichrist and his miracle-monger and the place where they should worke their miracles saith And I saw three vncleane spirits like frogges Reu. 16.13 come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of diuels working miracles to goe vnto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world Also in the eighteenth chapter that Angell speaking there of Babylon the seate of Antichrist saith With thine inchantments were deceiued all Nations By which then wee see that the case standeth cleare that Antichrists miracles shall not be wrought in that corner of the world among the Iewes but all the world ouer among the Gentiles therefore Antichrist shall not bee a Iew but a Gentile Also seeing wee our selues in this our age doe see how the Papists euery where incline themselues to miracles and that the Pope doth daily send his Seminaries abroad to worke his wonders all the world ouer by plaine experience wee may be bolde to say the Pope is that Gentile But they say no and who then shall decide the matter that shall hee whom they confesse to bâ—e indifferent betweene both Erasmus who hath thus written vpon the same place of the Reuelation k Erasmus What wonderfull tokens sayth hee haue beene wrought in the Papacie and to what end Christ himselfe did prophecie long agoe vnto his Disciples and gaue them warning of them Againe touching those three vncleane spirits which should deceiue the Kings of the earth and the greatest part of the world by their miracles he sayth l Erasmus vpon the 16. chap. The first is the diuellish Dragon the second is the beast at Rome the very right Antichrist the third is the false Prophet not one person but a whole order and multitude of Bishops and religious persons Monks Friers c. And a little after These are three such foule and vncleane spirits as none can be found more vncleane and yet do they worke miracles Wherefore then seeing that Antichrists great miracles are wrought in the Papacie the Sea of Rome and else where by the authority of the father of Perdition the Dragon of
Athanasius Zambadas Leontius Marcus  Hermon Eudoxius Iulius  Matarius Anianus Liberius  Maximus Meletus Damasus  Cyriâ—â—ius Euzoius Siricus  Herenius Dorotheus Anastatius  Herenius Paulinus Innocentius  Heraclius Euagrius Zozimus  Hilarius Dorothus Bonifacius  Cyrillius Meletus Calestinus  Iohn Flauianas Xistus  Nepos Prophirus Leo.  Prayllius Alexander Hilarius  Iuuenalis Theodotius Simplicius  Polychronius Iohn Felix  Theodosius Domnus Boniface  Anastasius Maximus Iohn  Martrius Martyrus Agapetus  Salustius Iulianus Siluerius  Helias Basilius Vigilius  Petrus Peter Pelagius  Marcari Steuen Iohn  Eustochius Martirus Benedict  Iohn Calandio Pelagius   Petrus Gregorie the   Cnapheus Great   Palladius    Flauianus    Seuerus    Paulus    Euphremius    Domnus    Maximus   Yet he proueth Rome to be but one of the foure Patriarkdomes and but the third in antiquitie and consequently the Bishop of Rome but one of foure equals and therefore no singular supreame vniuersall head ouer all Wherefore how vainely doe they stand vpon Ireneus his numbering the Bishops of Rome to his time and Saint Augustine to his time to proue the succession of Popes from Peters time seeing neither of them gaue them the name of Popes but Bishops and Priestes Number the Priests from Peters seat saith S. Augustine * August in Psal contra partem Donati and see who succeeded one another in that rowe of Fathers And elswhere he gaue them the name of Bishops but neuer the name Popes therefore to his time which was about foure hundred yeares after Christ those that Ireneus and he two hundred yeares after numbered were not Popes as the Popes of Rome are now but such Bishops as we haue now Also with small credit can they stand vpon the succession of vniuersall Popes seeing their Prophetesse Saint Bridgit saith of Boniface the first vniuersall Pope x Bridgit in her 27. chap. of her third Booke Hee did mount vp to fit in the Chaire of pride Which sheweth the Popes Chaire not to bee the Chaire of Peter Also their Paâ—acelsus in a Prophesie of his said thus to the Pope y Paracelsus in his 12. figured Prediction Behold thou hast lifted vp thy selfe on high but it is not thy place neither shalt thou abide aboue for thou art a yoake and a burthen too heauie to be borne hence it is holy Father S. P. that thou fallest Thou hast placed thy selfe aboue God and hee shall returne vnto thee the reward thou hast sought Againe in vaine doe the Popes themselues boast to be of that sort of Bishops which succeeded the Apostle Saint Peter seeing their Saint Elizabeth saith thus vnto them in the person of Christ z Elizabeth against the Church of Rome lib. 3. cap. 14. They swallow vp the carnall and temporall things of my people and doe not minister vnto them spirituall things and euen they that doe walke vnder my name doe not feare to persecute mee in my members Behold and consider saith to her the Angel of her vision how the soueraigne high Priest the Lord Iesus in the dayes of his obedience walked in the middest of his Disciples not in the height and haughtinesse of a Lord but in the humilitie of a seruant c. Behold his blessed seede the ministers of your spirituall vocation the holy Apostles and their successors of whose societie yee doe glorie c. Consider if their waies were like yours doe not beleeue that they were for their waies were faire and streight but yours are disordered filthie and foule They did not walke in the haughtinesse of their hearts nor in the tumultuousnesse of a proud traine nor in couetousnesse of worldly wealth nor in the costlinesse of clothing c. Neyther was there running after Hawkes and Hounds but in all sinceritie they traced the footsteps of the great Pastor c. Behold the head of the Church crieth but his members are dead for the Apostolicall Sea is beset with pride and auarice and is filled with iniquities and wickednesse They scandalize my sheepe and make my people to erre Againe their Saint Bridgit in the person of Christ expostulating the matter with Pope Gregorie the eleuenth saith thus vnto him a Bridgit lib. c. â—ap 142. Why doest thou hate me so much and wherefore is thy boldnesse and presumption so great against me for thy worldly Court marreth and spoyleth mine that is heauenly and thou presumptiously robbest me of my Sheepe Moreouer thou pluckest from me violently innumerable soules and sendeth to Hell fire almost all that come to thy Court because thou doest not giue diligent heed to those things that belong to my Court. Therefore how can we beleeue that these Popes are of the same ranke of Bishops which succeeded the Apostle Saint Peter or what credit doth the Church of Rome gaine by the succession of her Popes 9 Againe They are neuer able to proue that Peter was euer called by the Popes titles or that Peter euer called the Church his Spouse how can we beleeue that the Popes are the successours of Saint Peter seeing they are neuer able to proue that Peter or any of those Bishops which next succeeded him was euer called by any of the Popes titles For in what booke or Chapter of the Scriptures doe they find that Peter was euer called Our Lord God the Pope An vndoubted and true God on earth Not a pure man but a true God as we proued in our first Chapter and second Section the Pope is called Or where find they that any one of all the Apostles euer called Peter Lord of Lords and King of Kings Or Supreame head of the vniuersall Church or that Peter euer called the Church his Spouse as the Pope doth If they cannot shew so much as any one place to proue it what reason haue we to beleeue it Therefore forasmuch as we finde vniuersall Popes not to be the successours of S. Peter but of Boniface the first vniuersall Pope made and established in the yeare of Christ 607. And that they all hold that without an vniuersall Pope to be head there can be no Church it is without all contradiction that for the first sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ the Papists had no Church For as no head no body no husband no wife so no vniuersall Popes no vniuersall spouse of the Popes By which wee see that plainely condemned for a meere illusion of Antichrist which is so common among them namely that the Popish Church was the most ancient mother of all Christian Churches And as we see it not to bee true so shall we further see also that neither was that first Church which Saint Peter planted in Rome the most ancient and mother Church For as both Ierome b Jerom. catalog eccles Scrip. and Eusebius testifieth c
they erred Christ himselfe sheweth Verse 64. and the manner wherein they failed hee declared in the 64. verse was because they did not eate him spiritually by faith For said he But there are some of you which beleeue not 4 Thus then we may be fully resolued that the manner of eating which Christ meant was spiritually by faith which hee made plaine vnto them not onely in that 64. verse but almost throughout the whole Chapter for wee may there see that whensoeuer he spake of eating still hee added beleeuing onely to manifest vnto them that by eating Eating and beleeuing is both but one thing he meant beleeuing Also that they might the more plainely haue vnderstood that by eating and beleeuing he meant but one and one onely thing he expounded it vnto them by that one onely effect which he declared both eating and beleeuing hath For as in the 54. verse he said Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day So in the 40. verse he said This is the will of him that sent me that whosoeuer seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Wherefore seeing he shewed them so plainely that the effect of eating and beleeuing was but one and the same thing they might the more easily haue vnderstood that by eating and beleeuing he meant but onely one and the same thing and so consequently that they should eate him spiritually by faith and not after a carnall and corporall manner 5 And thus Christian Reader haue we found out the true meaning of those words of Christ touching the eating and feeding on him euen by conferring place with place and verse with verse which is doubtlesse the most surest way for the bringing the truth to light euen by expounding one Scripture by another For as Saint Chrisostome saith a Chrisost in his 12. Hom. Genesis The holy Scripture expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the Reader to erre And as Saint Augustine saith b August in his Bocke of questions 83. the 69. quest The circumstances of the Scriptures is wont to giue light and to open the meaning As also in another place c 3. Booke 29. Chap. of Christian doctrine Darke places are to be expounded by more plaine places The surest way of expounding the Scripture is to expound one Scripture by another But the Papists refusing to take this course haue most grossely erred in the true vnderstanding of Christ and also most ignorantly charged vs to hold that heresie of those obstinate and blind Capernaites whereas indeede themselues hold the heresie For their heresie was as we see that Christ meant a corporall kinde of eating euen as they hold but we hold cleane contrary and therefore not we but they are of the fellowship of those first Authors of that heresie who as the Text declareth did therein so fall from Christ as that they forsooke his company Wherefore all that will wilfully fall away from Christ let them with those cauilling Capernaites hypocriticall Disciples and our counterfait Catholiques hold that heresie 6 But now forasmuch as it is an vsuall thing with them whensoeuer they see themselues conuicted by Scripture to tell vs that no Scripture is of any priuate interpretation and therefore vnlesse we can shew them that the same Scripture is so expounded by the ancient Fathers they will not admit it be the sense made neuer so plaine Let them therefore heare how the ancient Fathers testimonies doe expound those words of Christ 7 Saint Origine writing vpon those words Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you saith d Origen in his 7. Hom. vpon Leuiticus Consider that these things written in Gods Booke are figures and therefore examine and vnderstand them as spirituall and not as carnall men for if you vnderstand them as carnall men they hurt you for euen in the Gospell there is found a letter that killeth for if you follow the letter or words of this that Christ said Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud this letter killeth Againe Origine vpon the same words saith e Orig. in his 7. Booke vpon Leuiticus This letter killeth but if thou take it spiritually it killeth not but in it is a quickning spirit vnderstand therefore spiritually those things that be spoken Also Saint Augustine vpon the same words saith f Augustine in his 3. Booke of Christian doctrine Now this saying of Christ Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you seemeth to command a haynous and a wicked thing therefore it is a figure Againe writing vpon those words It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing thus he expoundeth them g Vpon the 98. Psalme Ye shall not eate this body that ye see neither shall ye drinke that bloud that they shall shed which crucifie me I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacrament being spiritually vnderstood it will giue you life Againe h In his 27. Treatise vpon Iohn When you shall see the Sonne of man ascend vp where he was before then shall you vnderstand that he giueth not his body in such sort as ye imagine neither that he is to be consumed by bits and morsels Also fully to resolue all true Christians that Christ meant that none could eate him effectually vnto saluation but such onely as eate him spiritually he saith i In his 26 treatise vpon Iohn He that eateth inwardly not that eateth outwardly he that eateth in heart not that presseth with the teeth to beleeue in Christ that is the eating the bread of life prepare not your mouthes prepare your hearts And againe he saith k In his 26 treatise vpon Iohn Our Lord called himselfe the bread that came downe from heanen exhorting vs to beleeue in him for to beleeue in him that is the eating the bread of life he eateth that beleeueth in him Also in reprouing all those in particular that would eate Christ carnally he saith l In his Booke against the Iewes 9 cap. Why doest thou prepare thy belly and thy teeth beleeue and thou hast eaten Therefore saith Saint Chrisostome m Chrisostome in his 46. Hom. vpon Iohn If any man vnderstand those words of Christ carnally he shall surely profit nothing thereby for what meane these words The flesh profiteth nothing he meant not his flesh God forbid but hee meant of all these that fleshly and carnally vnderstand those things which Christ spake and what is carnall vnderstanding else but to vnderstand them as they be spoken And therefore it is which in another place he saith n In his 14. Hom. vpon Iohn God will not that we vnderstand the words of holy Scripture simply and plainely as they lie but with great
wisedome and discretion And that indeed it may more plainely appeare that by retaining more then two it is not the true Church one of the Popes owne Pen-men describing the true Church by her owne notes and markes saith thus * In Ioh. Hom. 39. In this sensible world that is here beneath we must learne by sensible tokens to know the very Church of Christ * Nicol. Cusaenus De potestate Ecclesiae Romana Epist 1. For otherwise we are not able to reach the truth And a little after This Church standeth of them that declare by sensible and outward tokens that they be partakers of Christ as they be that confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God And therefore this Church hath certaine holy tokens or Sacraments ordained to that end that thereby we may know them that be of Christ so farre forth as by such tokens coniectured knowledge may be gathered Therefore I say That this Church of Christ by this coniecturall iudgement is counted holy notwithstanding wicked men and hypocrites couer themselues vnder the same outward tokens And what those tokens are he expresseth in these words following And receiue Baptisme and the Lords Supper as well as the godly And thus much for this point Now let vs see what we can say to the Sacrament of the Altar or Masse And thus we see that those words of Christ are spiritually to be vnderstood and not carnally as the Papists vnderstand them neither doe I see how they can properly apply those words to the Sacrament for that we see the scope and drift of Christ was onely there to draw them to the knowledge of him as he then was to wit both God and man and that he being God was become man to satisfie the wrath and iustice of God for man in the same flesh that man had offended in that so they might haue beleeued that he was the same Messias and Sauiour foretold by Moses on whom they did relie but no one word of the Sacrament therefore it seemeth to me those words doe not directly concerne the Sacrament or Sacramentall eating And the rather also may they be of my minde for that these of their owne side haue thus written Michael vehe o Michael vehe contra Lutherum of eating the Sacrament Christ in the sixt Chapter of Saint Iohn spake nothing And this he there proueth Their Doctor Doring saith p Doring in Psal 110. That saying hath no foundation or warrant in the words written by Saint Iohn Therefore to speake of the receiuing of the Sacrament in true vnderstanding it hath no force And a little after For this was spoken long before the Sacrament was ordained Therefore out of those words they can make no good proofe touching the communion of the Sacrament seeing the Sacrament at that time had no being Wherefore let vs now come to the words which properly and directly appertaineth to the Sacrament or Sacramentall eating Which when Christ deliuered the Sacrament to his Apostles were these 1 Cor. 11.24 Take eate this is my body which is giuen for you or as Saint Paul saith Which is broken for you 8 Now touching these words Christian Reader which they would haue also litterally to be taken and not figuratiuely to be vnderstood it will plainely appeare that they are but figuratiue speeches First for that when as Christ deliuered the bread and said Take eate this is my body which is broken for you his body was not then broken but was broken the next day after Secondly for that it was his very bodie that deliuered the bread which he called his body and it is certaine he had not two bodies therefore in calling the bread his body and the wine his bloud they were onely such figuratiue speeches as he vsed at other times as when he called himselfe a doore Iohn 10.7 Iohn 15.1 Iohn 10.11 Apoc. 5.5 Apoc. 14.1 Gen. 33.20 Iudg. 6.24 Rom. 4.17 a vine a shepheard c. and where he is called a Lyon a Lambe c. And as are vsed in many other places of the Scriptures as Genesis 33. Where Iacob called the Altar which he had set vp The mighty God And likewise in Iudges the 6. where Gideon called his Altar Iehouah which were none of them so but figuratiuely And therefore it is which Saint Paul saith Romans 4. God calleth those things which be not as though they were euen as himselfe also did when he called the stonie Rocke Christ which as Saint Augustine saith q August in his 57. question vpon Leuit. Gen. 17.10 Was not Christ by substance but by signification And as God himselfe did Genesis 17. where he called circumcision which was but the Sacrament or signe of his couenant The Couenant Therefore it is certaine that those words of Christ in calling bread his body and wine his bloud were but the like figuratiue speeches And that the Reader may be the more fully resolued that they were indeede but figuratiue speeches let him diligently obserue these testimonies of the auncient Fathers 9 Tertullian saith r In his Booke against Martion Iesus tooke bread and giuing it among his Disciples made it his body saying This is my body that is to say saith he a figure of my body Saint Ambrose saith Å¿ Ambrose 4. Booke 5. Cha. of Sacraments The Priest saith Make vnto vs this oblation to be acceptable which is the figure of the body and bloud of Christ Theodoret saith t Theodoret in his 1. Dialogue It is cleare that they are the figures of those things whereof they beare the name So that howsoeuer as Saint Cyprian saith u Cyprian de vnction Chrismatis Christ in his last Supper gaue to his Apostles with his owne hands Bread and Wine which he called his Body and Bloud yet on the Crosse he gaue his very body to be wounded with the hands of Souldiers that the Apostles might declare to the World how and in what manner bread and wine may be the flesh and bloud of Christ and the manner hee straight wayes declareth thus that those things which doe signifie and those things which are signified by them may be both called by one name And therefore it is also which Saint Augustine saith * August 57. question vpon Leuit. A thing which signifieth is wont to be called by the name of the thing which it signifieth And in another place x In his 23. Epistle to Benifacius For if Sacraments had not some similitudes or likenesse of those things whereof they be Sacraments then they should be no Sacraments at all but for their similitude and likenesse commonly they haue the names of those things whereof they be Sacraments Therefore saith he after a certaine manner of speech the Sacrament of Christs body is Christs body the Sacrament of Christs bloud is Christs bloud And in another place thus y In his 18. Book 48. Cha. of the City of God All signes and tokens seeme in
liuing that they know not what we doe euen as our care is for the dead that wee know not what they doe And therefore it is which in another place he saith b In his Booke of free-will We are not commanded to goe to any creature that we might be made blessed but to the Creator and maker of all things of whom if wee be perswaded otherwise then the truth is we are deceiued with a damnable errour Saint Chrisostome likewise hauing to deale with the same kinde of heretikes that supposed they could not come to GOD but by the meanes and mediation of Saints thus reproued their errour saying c Chrysost in his Serm. of going forward of the Gospell There is no neede of a Porter or Mediatour say onely Lord haue mercy vpon me we haue no neede of an Aduocate with God nor of any running or gadding about for to speake saire vnto others for although thou be alone and without an Aduocate and pray vnto God by thy selfe thou shalt obtaine thy petition For God doth not so easily heare vs when others pray for vs as when wee pray our selues although we be full of much euill and vnrighteousnesse And yet to proue that we are indeede sooner heard when we pray our selues then when others pray for vs he bringeth the example of the woman of Canaan of whom he saith vnto vs thus d In his 2. Hom. of the woman of Canaan Thou seest how Christ denied and put her backe when other men prayed for her meaning the Apostles but as soone as shee cried for her boone and gift he granted it Behold saith he the wisedome of the woman shee prayeth not to Iames shee intreateth not Iohn shee goeth not to Peter shee did not get her selfe to the company of the Apostles shee sought for no Mediatour By which he giueth vs to vnderstand that the most surest way for the obtaining our requests is to pray to God our selues and not to trust to spokesmen for as Saint Ambrose saith e Ambrose in his Book vpon the 1. Chap. t. the Romans To obtaine Gods fauour from whom nothing is secret as knowing what euery man is meete to haue we neede no spokesman but a deuout minde for wheresoeuer such a man speaketh to God God will heare him By which we see how vaine a thing it is to say We cannot come to God but by the mediation of Saints Yea the same Father in the words going before doth proue such speeches but vaine and to proceede out of the mouthes not onely of vaine men but of a peruerse Sect past shame For saith he f Ibidem Men through shame vse accustomably euery where this miserable excuse why they neglect to come to God saying that by them we goe to God as by Noble men we goe vnto a King Ambrose accounted it treason to God to make Saints intercessours vnto him for vs. And then flouting them for their foolery he thus finisheth vp his speech saying Well said is there any man so mad or so vnmindfull of his health to giue vnto a Noble man the honour due vnto a King onely for that if any in such sort behaue themselues they are iustly condemned as guilty of treason And saith he shall these men not thinke themselues guilty which giue the honour of the name of God vnto a creature and forsaking their Lord doe worship their fellow seruant as though there were any thing greater then God to whom a man might doe seruice For therefore saith he doe we goe to a King by tribunes and Noble men because the King is a man and knoweth not whom he may be sure to trust And indeed for diuers causes it is not meete that euery man should haue free accesse into the Kings priuy Chamber and chiefly for feare of treason against his person as experience doth plainely teach vs and as no doubt it would soone be seene if our inuocators of Saints might haue free passage Neuerthelesse where is there any such decree made that no man may speake to the King but by some Noble man Doth not the King allow any man or woman to deliuer their Petitions vnto him with their owne hands wheresoeuer they meete him and is there any other decree made by God to debar any from deliuering their Petitions vnto him by their mouth Therefore what ground of truth haue they to debarre men from going to God without hauing some one Saint or other to be their Aduocate Mediatour or intercessour 4 All the Principles of Popish Religion Christian Reader they say they hold by antiquity The antiquity of this heresie of which this is one for we see it was sprung vp twelue hundred yeeres agoe and therefore no maruell though they claime it by antiquity Neuerthelesse it was not so ancient but that as we see it was as anciently confuted and condemned for sacriledge and treason to Gods owne person both by the Scriptures and Fathers No Patriarke Prophet or Apostle euer prayed one to another Neither yet was it so ancient as that they can proue that any one Patriarke Prophet or Apostle euer prayed one to another which if they had done we see they had beene condemned by the ancient Fathers for theeues and traytors to God as they condemned those heretikes of their time and the counterfet Catholiques of our time who most peruersely withstand the manifest truth of the Scriptures which allow no more Aduocates Mediatours or Intercessours then there are Gods which is but one and hee onely which is partaker of the natures both of God and man as we shall now see euidently proued Saint Paul 1 Timothie 1 Tim. 2.5 2 Chapter saith For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and man the Man Christ Iesus Vpon which words Saint Augustine wrote thus g August lib. 2. cap. 8. to Paermeni Paul saith he maketh not himselfe a mediatour betweene God and the people but willeth them to pray one for another Also in another place to shew that none can be Mediatour betweene God and man but he that is both God and man he saith h Vpon the 134. Psalm Thou O man couldest not come to God vntill God became man that thou being a man mayest come to God and he was made Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Againe in another place he faith i In his Hom. of Sheepe the 12. Chap. One Mediatour betweene God and man c. and he was God with the Father and was man with men The manhood is no Mediatour without the God-head And in another place thus k In his Enchiridion to Laurence the 108 Chap. We could neuer haue beene deliuered by that onely mediatour of God and man the Man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene God also So that who seeth not but that he that is not both God and man is not allowed to be Mediatour betweene God and man And thus much out of the words of Saint
not write soundly For albeit the Law of Nature by the wonders of heauen and earth did teach them that he that was the Authour of them was mightie and to be loued and feared aboue all yet were they ignorant how to loue and feare him aright Also notwithstanding they had learned by the Law of Nature that for those that did loue and feare him he had prepared a place of eternall ioy and for those that did nor a place of perpetual paine and that the pures could neuer ascend into his glorious presence vntill they were made purer by some kinde of purifying yet for want of true knowledge they conceiued of these things but imperfectly and did but meerely coniecture For howsoeuer it be true that God hath prepared a place of ioy for those that loue and feare him and also a place of punishment for those that doe not and that the best and purest can neuer come into his presence vntill they be made purer by a more perfect purging yet they beeing ignorant of the bloud of Christ by which we should be purified dreamed of a third place in which we should be purged 2 Now the chiefe of these Authours as Tertullian writeth a Tertullian in his Booke De praescriptionibus aduersus haereses and in his booke De anima were Pythagoras Empedocles and Plato Hence it was as Irenaeus testifieth b Jrenaeus lib. 1. cap. 24. that Carpocrates hauing learned out of Plato his Philosophie that mens soules after death must be purified inuented a kinde of Purgatory and out of the opinion of Pythagoras sought to proue it by these words of Christ Matth. 5. Thou shalt not come forth till thou haue paid the vtmost farthing By which we see who were the first founders of Purgatory and also the first place of Scripture that was brought to confirme the Doctrine and to proue a third place for the purifying of soules from sinne Now let vs try out the true sense of that Scripture to see if by it such a place can be proued 3 Our Sauiour said Thou shalt not come forth till c. Matth. 5.26 Vpon which word till because the Papists also inferre that Christ meant that in time he should pay the vtmost farthing and then come forth wee will by another like place shew the word till doth not alwaies import a time following wherein the contrary may be affirmed As when the Lord said to Iaakoh Gen. 28.15 Gen. 28. I will not forsake thee till I haue performed that I haue promised thee Now if this word till doth alwaies intimate a time after wherein a contrary may be concluded then after the Lord had performed his promise to Iaacob he forsooke him But as the Scriptures declare God did neuer forsake him so Christs word till doth not import a time when the debter should pay the vtmost farthing and then come forth but that because he could neuer be able to pay it hee should neuer come forth For if Christ had meant that men could pay the vtmost farthing due for sinne and so release their soules this had beene against himselfe for then what need had any of his paying any one farthing for them Therefore it is cleare that by paying the vtmost farthing Christ meant the euerlasting punishment that should neuer be paid And this is it which Saint Hierome vpon the same Scripture saith c Hierome in his first booke chap. 1. vpon the Lamentation of Ieremy Christs meaning is that hee shall neuer come out for that hee must euermore pay the vtmost farthing whilest he suffereth euerlasting punishment And thus Christian Reader thou seest that by the true sense of those words of Christ they cannot proue a third place Howbeit euen after this manner doe they also wrest diuers other places of Scripture to proue if it were possible a third place euen to the confounding of the whole harmony of the Scriptures which by the expresse names of heauen and hell do assigne but two places and by not any where naming Purgatory deny any such purging place to be 4 In the sixteenth Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospel Luke 16.22.23 our Sauiour Christ speaking of the rich Glutton and of the poore Beggar saith And it was so that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and beeing in Hell in torments hee lift vp his eyes and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome By which words wee see there is but onely two places into which the soules doe passe presently after death namely either into hell or into Abrahams Bosome which is a resting place in heauen for the soules of the faithfull and not a place of pleasure in hell as the Papists dreame Matth. 8.11 For as Christ himselfe saith Matth. 8. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heauen Now if Abraham be in heauen Abrahams Bosome must needes bee in heauen Abrahams bosome Therefore there is but onely two places heauen and hell And this is manifestly proued also by these words of Salomon the Wise which saith Eccle. 11. Eccle. 11.3 If the tree fall towards the South or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth there shall it be To wit abide for euer Now as by trees the learned doe agree is meant people so doe they conclude that by South and North is meant heauen and hell therefore there is but two places Wherefore howsoeuer the iudgement of some of the ancient Fathers was confounded in this Heathenish Doctrine of Purgatory and that Saint Augustine himselfe had doubted of a third place yet by these his owne words he sheweth to all men it was but his errour for saith hee d Augustine in his Sermon of time the 232. Sermon Let no man deceiue himselfe there are but two places as for any third there is none at all he that raigneth not with Christ shall perish with the Deuill without any doubt Againe hee saith e In his 18. Sermon of the words of the Apostle There be two habitations or dwelling-places the one in the fire euerlasting the other in the Kingdome of heauen that neuer shall haue end Againe he saith f In his 5. book Hipognostichon The first place the Catholique faith by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the Kingdome of heauen The second place the same Catholique faith beleeueth to bee hell where all runnagates and whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall taste euerlasting punishment as for any third place wee vtterly know none neither shall we finde in the holy Scriptures that there is any such So then by this we see the case is very cleare there is no third place and consequently no Purgatory 5 Secondly to proue yet a third place Reuelation 6.9 they obiect those words of Saint Iohn in his sixt Chapter of the Reuelation where he saith
of the matter and the meanes saith * Ambrose vpon 1 Cor. first Chap. In Christ Iesus is grace giuen for as much as this with GOD is decreed that who so beleeueth in Christ is saued sola fide by faith onely without workes receiuing freely forgiuenesse of sinnes And thus wee see the case to stand cleare that faith without workes is the onely meanes of iustification and saluation 18 Now then Christian Reader this doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ without workes being so easie and clearely to bee proued the truth is it not a Worlds wonder to see that so many wise and learned men should impugne it And that a Cardinall one of the Popes Pen-men Master Allen should ascribe so much vnto good workes as to say x In D. Fulkes answere Page 239. They cleanse before hand stayeth the soule from death and lifteth it vp vnto eternall life Regard not the iangler that will say mens workes doe not purge sinne and winne heauen Which doctrine being true what is it but that wee are iustified and saued by the workes of the Law whereby not onely all those testimonies of the ancient Fathers are proued false but also all those Scriptures which before we cited are confounded and these that follow which shew that we are iustified and saued onely by faith in Christ without workes are to no purpose 19 Saint Paul Ephesians 2. saith Ephes 2.8 For by grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should glorie in himselfe Also Galatians 2. he saith We which are Iewes by nature Galat. 2.15.16 and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and not by the workes of the Law Galat. 3.23.24.25.26 because that by the workes of the Law no flesh shall be iustified And chap. 3. he saith Before faith came wee were kept vnder the Lawe and shut vp vnto the faith which should afterwards be reuealed wherefore the Law was our Schoolemaister to bring vs to Christ that wee might be made righteous by faith But after that faith is come wee are no longer vnder a Schoolemaister for ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And therefore as he saith Romans 4. Roman 4. If they which are of the Law bee heires faith is made voyde and the promise of God is made of none effect And yet as he saith Galatians 2. I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnesse be by the Law then Christ died without a cause So that by the doctrine of the Romish Church we see plainely that faith is made voyde the promise of God made of none effect the death of Christ needlesse and the whole matter of our iustification and saluation to consist onely in our owne deseruings And indeede to the very same effect are these words of their Cardinall Allen y Allen in Fulke pag. 154 The death of Christ doth not discharge vs of satisfaction for our sinnes nor of any other good worke whereby a man may procure his owne saluation Also the Pope saith thus in Bernardine Rosetus * Bernard We can demerite eternall life with works Therefore we ought to presume and hold for a certaintie that after this life wee shall assuredly haue eternall life for the reward of good workes And in the Summary de Grat. Sanct. Good workes demerite three things namely eternall life increase of grace and remission of sinnes 20 Truely I cannot but admire to see that men which would faine be saued will either be saued by that onely meanes whereby they shall be damned or else they will not be saued For by the workes of the Law wee see they will procure their owne saluation purge their soules from sinne deliuer them from death and lift them vp into euerlasting life And therefore as they depend vpon the Law so they must looke to haue the reward of the Law which is the curse and condemnation of it For as Saint Paul sayth Galat. 3.10 Galatians 3. As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law Galat. 5.4 to doe them And chapter the fift he sayth Yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Rom. 9.30.31 And Romans 9. he sheweth this to be the cause of the condemnation of the Iewes For sayth he What shall wee say then that the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse 32. haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnesse which is of faith but Israel which followed the Lawe of righteousnesse could not attaine to the Law of righteousnesse Wherefore sayth hee because they sought it not by faith 33. but as it were by the workes of the Law for they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rocke to make men fall and euery one that beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed But therefore the same iudgement is fallen vpon them Iohn 9.39 which Christ sheweth Iohn 9. himselfe came to inflict vpon those obstinate Iewes and Scribes and Pharises who sought saluation by the workes of the Law and not by faith in him I am come sayd he vnto iudgement into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blinde And this blindnesse we see to be now in the Papists For notwithstanding the Apostle Saint Paul saith plainely thus of Christ 2 Corinth 5. God made him to be sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him they cannot see how this righteousnesse should serue the turne For as their Cardinall Allen sayth y In the said booke pag. 154 The death of Christ doth not discharge vs of satisfaction for our sinnes nor of any other good worke whereby a man may procure his owne saluation And further for those that cannot attaine vnto satisfaction the second part of our first Chapter doth shew that the want that is in them is made out by the ouer-plus of the righteousnesse of others For as the sayd Cardinall saith z In the said book pag. 239. The Church of God hath instructed thee that all workes whereby man may procure helpe to himselfe or others be the workes of the faithfull And thus we see that the same iudgement which Christ laid vpon the Iewes Scribes and Pharises he hath laid vpon them that they so little accounting of him should trust to be made righteous by themselues and others that so they might be depriued of his righteousnesse 21 Againe the Apostle Saint Paul 1.
the sinnes of others Thirdly to stay their soules from death Fourthly to purchase Heauen And lastly to lift vp and place their soules in Heauen They will haue all by their owne deseruings or they will haue none all by merits or else no bargaine therefore let vs see what wee can say further vnto them touching this point 25 Our Sauiour Christ Matthew 5. saith Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Now this word Poore is a metaphor taken from a man that is so very poore as that hee hath not wherewith to sustaine his owne life but is faine to seeke to others for succour And such are they which finde themselues so greatly destitute of soules sustenance as that they are glad to seeke to others for reliefe euen to God for his mercy and to Christ for his merites 26 Such a blessed poore man was Saint Basil as may appeare by these his words h Basil vpon the 32. Psalm He that trusteth not in his owne good deeds nor hopeth to be iustified by his workes hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercies of God Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Augustine as appeareth by these his words i Aug. vpon the 142. Psal Lord for thy name sake shalt thou quicken mee in thy righteousnesse Not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast mercy on me Also such a blessed poore man was Saint Hierome as appeareth by these his words k Hier. 64. of Esay If we behold our owne merits wee shall be driuen to desperation Yea and notwithstanding Saint Bernard acknowledgeth himselfe also to be one of these poore Publicans in that he saith of himselfe l Ber. vpon the Psal qui habitat My merites is the mercy of God yet they will rather be condemned with the proud Pharises then be iuslified with the poore Publicans To be briefe whereas their Master Harding saith m D. Harding in his booke A direction of sundry soule errours lies c. in fol. 357. Wee are iustified freely without workes that may deserue the grace that God giueth Here he hath condemned their doctrine of iustification by workes to be most false and erroneous but in that that hee includeth that workes may deserue the grace that God giueth he hath proued himselfe a notable heretique For as Saint Augustine saith n Aug. in his 46. Epistle Vnderstand that the forenamed Epistle to Sixtus an Elder of the Church of Rome is written against the Pelagians the new heretiques which affirme the grace of God to be giuen according to merits that he that glorieth should not glorie in the Lord but in himselfe that is in man and not in the Lord. And therefore in another place hee saith o In the same Epistle Let no man say that for the merits of his workes or for the merits of his prayers or for the merit of his faith the grace of God is giuen vnto him And so that which those heretiques say be counted true namely that according to our merits the grace of God is giuen then the which nothing can be more false But as he saith in another place p In his booke of predestination of Saints chap. 9. They that glorie should not glorie in their owne merits which they perceiue to be like vnto the merits of them that shall be damned but should glorie in the Lord. Whereupon saith Saint Ambrose q Ambrose in his 1. booke and 5. chapter of the calling of the Gentiles Like as there is none so detestable outragious as can restraine the free gift of grace so can there be no worke so excellent that this which is freely giuen should be due vnto them by action of debt for then the redemption of Christ should in deed be no thing worth neither should the worthinesse of mans workes be inferiour to the mercie of God Whereupon their Writer Waldensis saith r Walden in his booke against Wilelesse I take him therefore to be the sounder Diuine the faithfuller Catholique and more agreeable to the holy Scriptures that vtterly denieth all such kinde of merits And thus much for the conclusion of the twelue Chapters referring the whole matter to be iudged by all that shall reade them Whether they can possibly be true Catholique Christians which in stead of one God will haue hundreds as appeareth in our first Chapter and in stead of one Sauiour to haue many thousands as appeareth in the same Chapter That will haue the Pope to be the very Vicar of Christ whom in our second Chapter wee proued to be that great Antichrist shewed by Saint Paul 2 Thessa 2. to be the Arch-enemie of Christ and all true Christians That will haue Rome to be the Mother of all Christian Churches which in our third Chapter we proued to be that Babylon which the Angel in the seauenteenth Chapter of the Reuelation calleth The mother of Whordomes and abhominations of the earth That will haue his Church as it is now Christian to be the true Church of Christ Which in our fourth Chapter we proued to be the same idolatrous Church professing Christ mentioned by the Angell in the 13. Chapter and 17. Chapter of the Reuelation That will haue their Church to be the most auncient Apostolique and Catholique Church which in our fifth Chapter we proued had no being at all for the space of sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ That will haue the succession of Vniuersall Popes to descend from Saint Peter which we proued in our sixth Chapter to descend but from Boniface the third Bishop of Rome of that name made Vniuersal Pope by that Murtherer Phocas â—he Emperour in the yeare of Christ 607. In which yeare the first Vniuersall Pope being made the Popish Church must needes first begin For as before Christ was there could be no Christian Church so before there was an Vniuersall Pope there could be no Popish Church Therefore their Church hauing her first beginning but sixe hundred and seauen yeares after Christ the antiquity thereof is ouerthrowne our Church proued to be more ancient by sixe hundred and sixe yeares That will haue the Popes supreame title and dignitie approued of by generall consent of Councells and Fathers which in our seauenth Chapter we proued to be gain said and withstood by Councells and Fathers till the yeare of Christ 607. That will haue Peter to be made supreame Head of all the Apostles by Christ himselfe the contrary whereof wee proued in our eighth Chapter by Christs expresse Commaundement and therefore the Pope cannot claime his Supremacie from Peter That will haue the true Church knowne by retaining seauen Sacraments which in our ninth Chapter we proued that to Saint Chrisostomes time which was about foure hundred yeares after Christs Incarnation it was knowne by retaining onely two Sacraments and afterwards no Christian Church knowne by the iust number of seauen till Antichrist was borne in Rome That will haue the idolatrous Masse to be the ordinance of Christ which in the same Chapter we proued cannot be because it tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion as also because it was not begun to be framed till about one hundred and nineteene yeares after Christ and not finished of more then sixe hundred yeares after And confessed by their Iohannes Boemos to be inuented by certaine Bishoppes of Rome whose names wee haue produced in the same Chapter as himselfe nominated them That will haue those words in the sixt chapter of Saint Iohns Cospel touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud to bee meant of a corporall kinde of eating which heresie wee proued in our tenth Chapter Christ reproued the carnall Capernaites for As also will haue those words in the sixe and twentieth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospel Take eate this is my Body to be literally vnderstood that they might worship the bread for Christ and make an Idoll of it That will haue Saints prayed vnto and worshipped which as we proued in our eleuenth Chapter is to robbe God of two speciall parts of his glory Lastly that will haue men to make a better satisfaction for sinne then Christ hath made for them be better purged from their sinne in the fire of Purgatory then Christ hath by his bloud or be holden from life and libertie for euer which as we proued in our twelfth Chapter tendeth to the vtter ouerthrow of all that Christ hath done for the saluation of man kinde To conclude we see in this Chapter of Conclusion they will haue men to seeke iustification by the workes of the Law that so they might be brought vnder the curse and condemnation of it for not fulfilling all that the Law requireth They will haue men to purchase heauen by their owne deseruing thereby to proue his death to be needlesse and faith in him of none effect And notwithstanding that case to stand cleare that these be paâ—â— of those Antichristian lies wherewith Saint Paul 2 Thess 2. shewed the great Antichrist should deceiue those that loued not the truth But had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse They bash not to say The Pope cannot be holden with any Religion of a lie FINIS
horrible blasphemer that will call it The most auncient true and holy Catholique religion Againe forasmuch as the Apostle Saint Paul 2. Thessalon 2. declareth that the comming of Antichrist shall be with great signes and wonders yea so great and wonderfull that as our Sauiour Christ saith Matthew 24. If it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect. Hee therefore that will say the Church of Rome must needes be the true Church because shee worketh miracles is a most horrible blasphemer Miracles are wrought in the Church of Rome by the spirits of Diuels as appeareth in the 16. chapter and 14. verse of the Reuelation Therefore miracles are not alwayes a true note of the true Church And this appeareth also in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy where we may see that a most vile kinde of people euen such as God abhorred wrought miracles to draw others to their religion And Saint Paul also declareth 2. Thessalon 2. verse 10. that Antichrist shall worke his miracles among them that perish therefore miracles are not alwayes a true note of the true Church Againe our Sauiour Christ Matthew 7.22 declareth that at the day of Iudgement certaine Christian Ministers that were wont to confirme their doctrine by miracles when they shall see themselues cast out to be damned with reprobates they will admire and say thus to Christ Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Diuels and done many great workes And then saith Christ I will professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie Popish Ministers worke miracles our Ministers worke none they themselues therefore shall be iudges in this case to which of these sort of Ministers this Scripture may iustly be applyed Certainely the greatest iudgement that God doth lay vpon men in this life is to blinde their vnderstanding with Poperie for then they are willing to receiue any errour and to reiect the truth to be marked with the marke of the Beast and to receiue the print of his name and to perish with the Beast and the false Prophet as it is most certaine they shall For thus it is written in the nineteenth chapter of the Reuelation verse 20. But the Beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him whereby he deceiued them that receiued the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his image These both were aliue cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Therefore to conclude this I say to all those that haue receiued the marke of the Beast in their forehead or on their hand that is they that haue outwardly professed with their mouthes and gestures and those also that haue defended by Armes written Bookes wrought Miracles or any way laid to their helping hand to do any thing whereby the Popes kingdome and state is maintained Damnation shall be their end For as the Angell of God in the foureteenth chapter of the same booke 9.10 and 11. verses saith If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or on their hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the Cup of his wrath and he shal be termented in fire and brimstone before the holie Angells and before the Lambe and the smoake of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the Beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name That is whosoeuer is content to be called by any such name as whereby he may be knowne to be the Popes faithfull subiect Therefore I aduertise them all in the name of God that they receiue his fatherly admonitions and call to minde how louingly the Lord in the fourth verse of the eighteenth chapter of the same Booke calleth his Elect out of Babylon that they be not partakers of her sinnes lest they should also receiue of her plagues As for those that regard not this louing fauour of God but will notwithstanding abide in her still and goe on with her in her abhominations let them goe and doe what they will He that is vniust saith the Lord in the 22. chapter let him be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthie still and hee that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still And behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue to euery man as his worke shall be ¶ The Titles demonstrating the seuerall points contained in each of the Chapters 1 CErtaine Chapters contayning the summe and substance of the Christian Churches confutations of the Popish or Antichristian Churches errours heresies and blasphemies The first whereof tendeth to resolue all men that notwithstanding both Papists and Protestants professe but one God one faith one Baptisme and one Lord Iesus Christ that yet there is so great a difference in the manner of their profession that it is not possible that they both should be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ 2 An answere to tenne seuerall Obiections for the clearing the Pope from being Antichrist whereof Bellarmine is supposed to be the originall authour 3 That Christian Rome now in her latter dayes is that Babylon the seate of Antichrist which the Angell in the 17 chapter of the Reuelation calleth the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth And which the other Angel in the 18. chapter saith is fallen and become the habitation of Diuels and holde of all fowle spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird and out of which the Lord from Heauen calleth all his Elect lest they should be partakers of her sinnes and consequently of her plagues 4 That the Popish Church is the same idolatrous Church yet professing Christ which Saint Iohn in his 13. and 17. chapters of the Reuelation sheweth to be the Church of Antichrist 5 That for the first sixe hundred and sixe yeares next after Christ there was no Popish Church neither could be because there was not as yet an vniuersall Pope established in Rome to make it a Popish Church Therefore as no Husband no Wife so no vniuersall Pope no vniuersall spouse of the Popes 6 That in the yeare of Christ 607. the Church of Poperie and the succession of vniuersall Popes first began From whence our Church had her first beginning before Luther and how our Protestant Bishops and Ministers which they haue ordayned haue lawfull callings 7 Their generall Consent ouerthrowne by generall consent of Councels and Fathers 8 That the Apostle Saint Peters authoritie was but the same that the other Apostles were and therefore the Pope cannot iustly claime from him to be called Vniuersall head of all Christian Bishops That the title of Vniuersall Father is forbidden by Christ to be giuen to any but to his owne Father 9 That the true