of images into cities they emptied cities of the feare of GOD and filled them with errour If a short description of some vanitie of images could exonere men from the blame of Idolatrie then might the Gentiles also be freed from the vile imputation of Idolatrie The Idolatrie of the Jewes fraughted not onely with vanitie but also with vnthankfulnesse and a contempt of the lawe of GOD proclaimed from mount Sinai doth leade vs vnto a deeper consideration of the vilenesse of Idolatrie The golden Calfe which they worshipped in the wildernesse and the staire of Remphan declare that the nature of man is so prone and bent to Idolatrie that we are bent to follow the sinnes of those people who hath beene most hatefull enemies vnto vs. The Aegyptians were grieuous oppressors of GODS people neuerthelesse the Iewes followed their Idolatrie in worshipping the Calfe On the other part the Moabites and Ammanites hired Balaam to curse them Notwithstanding of all this they tooke vp in the wilnernesse the tabernacle of Moloch and the starre of Rempham figures which they made to worship them It is an vnsupportable mischiefe and a remeadilesse maladie lurking in our corrupt nature when we are bent to follow the sinnes of people who hate vs and wishes all kinde of harme to vs both in soule and body so that learned men vpon great considerations had called Idolatrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the madde bentnesse vpon Idoles When the Apostle PAVL is making a particulare enumeration of the sinnes which the Iewes committed in the wildernesse namely Idolatrie fornication tempting of Christ and murmuring remember that Idolatrie is set in the first place as the very fountaine of all apostacie and defection from GOD. For like as in a matrimoniall contract betwixt man and woman when the principall heade of the contract is broken and a woman hath giuen her affection and body to anotherman all the rest of the points of the contract which are subordinate to this will easily be dissolued euen so if Idolatrie once take place in our heartes so that wee giue the glory of God to creatures all other defection will easily ensue and follow Therefore in the dayes of Iosua when the people were zealous for the glory of God they could not abide any kinde of appearance of defection from the true worship of God but alas it fareth with zeale as it doth with a teare that is soone dried vp so doth the zeale to the glory of God hastely euanish from amongst the children of men Moreouer it is diligently to be marked that the Lord is very strict and precise in the matter of his worshipping not onely forbidding to worship the gods of the Canaanites but also forbidding to worship the true God after the forme of theâ—… bad worshipping but only according to the rule of his own blessed Commandement And for this cause the ten Tribes of Israel because they worshipped not God in Ierusalem but offered sacrifices vpon the altars of Bethel Gilgal and Bâ—…sheba they are counted of God as prophane Aethiopians people who were strangers from the couenant of God Therefore in the matter of diuine worship let these two rules continually be set before our eyes First to worshippe God alanerly and not his creatures secondly to worshippe him according to the râ—…le of his owne Commandement alanerly Finally amongst the rest of the vnhappie manners of the nation of the Jewes it is to be noted that when outward Idolatrie seemed to bee forsaken amongst them so that they were content rather to sacrifice their liues than to suffer the Images of the Romane Emperours to bee set vp in their Temple At this same time I say they were defiled with inward Idolatrie which is moste abominable of all other Idolatries For the Idole of all Idoles is this when a man maketh an Idole of himselfe preferring himselfe to God his own will to the CoÌ„mandement of God his owne wisdome to the misdome of God manisested to the world by his owne deare Sonne Iesus Christ but so it is that the nation of the Iewes at that same time when they fo sooke the worshipping of Idoles made with mens handes they forsooke also the Shepheard of their soules euen the true MESSIAS preferred a murtherer to him VVhereof this conâ—…lusion may bâ—…e iustly inferred that Idolatrie is not rightly fortaken except all idoles both outward and inward be laid aside Many wâ—…rnings the people of the Iewes gote to beware of Idolatâ—…ie yea the LORD threatned them that incace they would prouoke the LORD to anger by thinges that were not Gods 〈◊〉 LORD also would prouoke them to angeâ—… by a people that was not a people But when no warning could auaile the LORD cast them off into a reprobate minde and receiued the Gâ—…ntiles to be his peculiar people But at our very first entrie we haue this warning to be humble and obedient lest hee who spared not the naturall branches how much lesse will hee spare vs if we make defection In the last head I haue to intreat concerning the Images of the Romane Church which in the sixt Centurie were receiued into places of adoration yea and a litle after were adored and worshipped finally the adoration of Images gote allowance in generall Councills Now seeing I am not intreating of Images made for ornament or for memorie of ciuile actions but onely of adoration and the in-bringing of them into places of adoration Let vs remember that the Apostles were faithfull dispensators of those things which they receiued from CHRIST whether it was for the feeding of the bodies or of the soules of CHRISTS people when they receiued barlie loaues blessed by CHRISTS mouth and miraculously multiplied they distributed vnto the people that same bread and none other which they receiued out of Christs hands In like maner they were faithfull dispensatoâ—…s of that spirituall food which they receiued from CHRIST to feed the soules of his people vnto eternall life Now we neuer read that CHRIST taught his Apostles by pictures images in the knowledge of his eternall trueth neither that the Apostles taught any others to know GOD and to follow the vertuous footsteps of the Saintes by presenting dum be images vnto their sight therefore this forme of teaching smelleth of noueltie and came not from CHRIST and his Apostles for the Apostles receiued commandement from CHRIST to preach his worde and to minister his Sâ—…cramentes but not to present dumbe images to the sight of the people iustly called by the Prophet HABACCVK doctors of lies Secondly places of holy Scripture both in the Olde and New Testament doe so manisestly damne adoration of images that the moste obstinate desenders of worshipping of Images were compelled to leaue Scripture and take them to the authoritie of vnwritten traditions and Damascene expresly calleth the worshipping of images 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee forgetteth not to remember the brasen
manifested to the world by his owne deare Sonne Iesus Christ but so it is that the nation of the Iewes at that same time when they forsooke the worshipping of Idoles made with mens handes they forsooke also the Shepheard of their soules euen the true MESSIAS prâ—…ferred a murtherer to him VVhereof this conclusion may bâ—…e iustly inferted that Idolatrie is not rightly forsaken except all idoles both outward and inward be laid aside Many wâ—…rnings the people of the Iewes gote to beware of Idolat ie yea the LORD threatned them that incace they would prouoâ—…e the LORD to anger by thinges that were not Gods the LORD also would prouoke them to anger by a people that was not a people But when no warning could auaile the LORD cast them off into a reprobate minde and receiued the Gentiles to be his peculiar people But at our very first entrie we haue this warning to be humble and obedient lest hee who spared not the naturall branches how much lesse will hee spare vs if we make defection In the last head I haue to intreat concerning the Images of the Romane Church which in the sixt Centurie were receiued into places of adoration yea and a litle after were adored and worshipped finally the adoration of Images gote allowance in generall Councills Now seeing I am not intreating of Images made for ornament or for memorie of ciuile actions but onely of adoration and the in-bringing of them into places of adoration Let vs remember that the Apostles were faithfull dispensators of those things which they receiued from CHRIST whether it was for the feeding of the bodies or of the soules of CHRISTS people when they receiued barlie loaues blessed by CHRISTS mouth and miraculously multiplied they distributed vnto the people that same bread and none other which they receiued out of Christs hands In like maner they were faithfull dispensatoâ—…s of that spirituall food which they receiued from CHRIST to feed the soules of his people vnto eternall life Now we neuer read that CHRIST taught his Apostles by pictures images in the knowledge of his eternall trueth neither that the Apostles taught any others to know GOD and to follow the vertuous footsteps of the Saintes by presenting dum be images vnto their sight therefore this forme of teaching smelleâ—…h of noueltie and came not from CHRIST and his Apostles for the Apostles receiued commandement from CHRIST to preach his worde and to minister his Sacramentes but not to present dumbe images to the sight of the people iustly called by the Prophet HABACCVK doctors of lies Secondly places of holy Scripture both in the Olde and New Testament doe so manifestly damne adoration of images that the moste obstinate defenders of worshipping of Images were compelled to leaue Scripture and take them to the authoritie of vnwritten traditions and Damascene expresly calleth the worshipping of images 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee forgetteth not to remember the brasen Serpent and the Cherubims as the Papists of our dayes doe continually yet his conscience compelled him to acknowledge that these similitudes were made for signification and not for imitation or adoration els how could he flie from Scripture to the naked warrant of vnwritten tradition I knowe the lie is no lesse repugnant to it selfe than it is vnto the trueth and all the shifting businesse of Damascene to shroud the adoration of images vnder some testimonies of Scripture are vndone by that plaine confession that it is an vnwritten tradition els hee would haue saide it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is both a written and vnwritten tradition The fables of Damascene wheâ—…eby hâ—…e would prooue the adoration of images are in absurditie beyond the fabils of Poets euen in their metamorphosis For who can abide to read the hunting of Placidas and the speaking of the beast that was hunted with a crosse betwixt his hornes shining in brightnesse farre beyond the splendor of the Sunne with such vanities and lies must the infirmitie of a false doctrine be supported But Iohn Patriarch of Iâ—…rusalem who writteth Damascenes life hee writâ—…th that Damascens hande was cut off by the Prince of the Saracens and was miracuâ—…sly restored healed againe by inuocation of the image of the Virgine MARIE It is not likely that Damascene who writeth the miracle of Placidas hunting for confirmation of worshipping of imâ—…ges that hee could haue pretermitted so great a miracle wrought for the restitution of a member of his owne body obteâ—…ed by worshipping of an image if it had beene a miracle wrought indeed But now to leaue Damascene the Patriarch of Ierusalem the writer of the historie of Damascenes life who hath added vnto the multiplied number of Damascenes lies an heape laid aboue to the ende that his 3. orations pro Imaginibus may be like vnto a measure full ouerrunning And to conuert me to councils wherein as in victuall houses and in barnes all store of Arguments are laide vp that can serue for the apparent allowance of Images I superside at this time to speake much of the Council gathered by Constantius Copronymus at Constantinople An. 755. whereinto 338. bishoppes vtterly damned the adoration of Images and the setting of them vp in places where GOD was worshipped and that for three principall causes First because the making and bowing downe to Images is expresly forbiden in Scripture namely in the 2. Commandement of the Decalogue Secondly because the picturing of CHRIST who is both God and man and representing of him by a similitude is a diuiding of his two natures so farre as in vs lieth because his diuine nature cannot be pictured and his humane narure should not be separated from his diuine nature Thirdly because the writings of holy and ancient farhers damned the worshipping of Images such as Epiphanius Nazianzenus Chrysostomus Athanasius Amphilochius Theodorus bishop of Ancyra and Eusebius Pamphili whose graue sentences all damning adoration of Images are most worthie to be read In the rest of this Treatise I shall set downe Godwilling two opposite Councills the one allowing the adoration of Images the other disallowing it The second Councill of Nice vnder the Empresse Irene ann 789. gaue full allowance to the adoration of Images out of Asia and Graecia and some other parts with the ambassadours of Adrian bishop of Rome were assembled 350. bishoppes On the other part vnder the reigne of Carolus Magnus Emperour of the VVest ann 794. a great Councill was assembled at Francford de maine wherein the adoration of Images was vtterly disallowed and the arguments alleadged in the second Councill of Nice for adoration of Images are clearely refuted in presence of Charles King of France and Emperour of the VVest and Theophilactus and Stephanus ambassadours of the bishoppe of Rome In these two opposite Councills let the iudicious Reader marke the great prouidence of GOD who hath appointed that there should bee contradiction to the lying
Canon containing a rehearsal of the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture it declareth the book to be supposititious wherein the 3. bookes of Maccabees are comprehended as bookes of the old Testament And againe among the bookes of the new Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note the preeminent dignitie it reckoneth the two epistles of CLEMENT and his precepts giuen to Bishops comprehended into 8. bookes which were not to be published to all men in respect they contained some secret mysteries Canon Apost cap. 84. Is then the epistles of CLEMENT the 8. bookes of his precepts written to Bishops the actes of the Apostles written by him Canonicke Scripture books of the new Testament equall to the writings of the Apostles yet dited for the most part as secret mysteries to Bâ—…shops to be concealed and hid from the people when as the Apostle PAVL by the contrarie writing to TIMOTHIE and TITVS writeth vnto them wholsome precepts to be communicat to the people And the Apostle IOHN writeth to the Angels of the seuen Churches of Asia nothing but wholesome precepts to be imparted and communicat to the 7. Churches Apoc. 2. 3. such a candle that shall be hid vnder a bushel and not set vpon a candlesticke to giue light vnto the houshold of God I dare not imagine that either the holy Apostles or yet CLEMENT one of the Apostles faithfull successours did euer light such a candle The allowance which these Canons of the Apostles got in the sixt generall Councill Anno 681. whereof GREGORIVS HOLOANDER the conuerter of them out of Greeke into Latin glorieth so much was vpon an occasion whereof the Romaine Church hath cause to blush and to be ashamed rather then to glorie much First because in that generall Councill HONORIVS 1. sometime Bishop of Rome was condemned of heresie Secondly because in that Council the Bishop of Constantinople was ordained to be in equall authoritie with the Bishop of Rome And thirdly because the constitutions of the Latin Church forbidding men who were in ecclesiasticall offices to marie these constitutions I say were vtterly disallowed and the 5. chapter of the Canons of the Apostles gote better allowance because in it it was statute and ordained that the Bishop Elder or Deacon who repudiateth his own wife vnder pretence of religion shall be excommunicat and if he continue so doing he should be deposed Now this generall Councill making in so many principall points against them and onely gracing the supposititious booke of the Canons of the Apostles of purpose to disgrace the constitutions of the Romaine Church if HOLOANDER had remembred what he had bene doing he had bene more sparing in alledging the authoritie therof The shortnes of the treatise wil not permit me to make plaine to the reader how the Council gathered by CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS and the fathers of that same Councill gathered againe by IVSTINIAVNS 2. to perfite the worke they had immediatly afore begun both constitute but one generall Councill Alwayes if any thing seeme to be made vp against vs by the alledgance of a testimonie out of the booke of the Canons of the Apostles remember in what time this testimonie is alledged namely in the 68 1 yeere of our Lord. If IVSTINVS MARTYR or IRENEVS or any ancient father neere vnto the Apostles dayes had cited a testimonie out of this supposititious booke it had bene more likly that the Apostles had giuen command to CLEMENT Bishop of Rome to write that booke As touching the third maske of antiquitie to wit the decretall epistles in the first Tome of Councils and the distinctions of GRATIAN falsly ascribed to the ancient Bishops of Rome I hope in the mercy of God to remember a few of them specially in the 3. Centurie but not to the honour of impudent and vnlearned fellowes who haue forged these decretall epistles as if the world in all ages could produce no broods of better spirits then the asses compositours of these decretall epistles As concerning the accurate speculations of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA who was neuer rauished vp vnto the third heauen as PAVL was neither sawe things that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is things that cannot be spoken and which are not possible for any man to vtter as PAVL did 2. Cor. 12. ver 4. I say of him onely two things First if he had beene so ancient a writer as Papistes speake and the disciple whom PAVL conuerted by his preaching in Mars street Acts 17 then ancient writers had made mention of him such as IVSTINVS IRENEVS and CYPRIAN and such others but of his writings no mention is made in the greatest antiquitie Secondly I say with that reuerent Doctour of our own nation Mr THOMAS SMETON that the books giuen out vnder the name of old DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA sunt prorsus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are altogether fecklesse impertinent frivolous books Of Heresie EPIPHANIVS Bishop of Cyprus when hee writeth against Heretiques he intituleth his booke Panarium that is a medicinable boxe or shrine whereinto are contained sauing medicaments against the venome oflying doctrine albeit heresie be a poysonable and hurtfull thing yet treatises of heresie haue bene compiled not to hurt any man but to giue warning to eschewe the pernicious snares of the deuil Like as learned men who haue written of the nature of herbes haue not onely written of such herbes as are meete for food and of such as haue a medicinable vertue to cure diseases but of those also that are venemous and poysonable to the end that men beeing warned of the perill that is in eating of them they may escape danger and be kept in safetie In all ages wicked men haue bene like vnto IVDAS when hee entred into the garden of Gethsemane where Christ was praying and sweating bloodie teares for the saluation of mankinde he stepped in into the garden only of purpose to betray his master so doe wicked men in our daies read the holy Scriptures diligently walking as it were in the middes of the garden of God but onely of intention to betray Christ Iesus and to gainsay his euerlasting trueth On the other side it becommeth vs well when we are driuen either by necessity or by some honest occasioÌ„ to be in places where Satan hath set vp his throne to be walking as it were through the garden that Satan hath planted then let vs mark diligently the abominatioÌ„s of the deuill the multitude of serpents and vipers that are lurking there and giue warning to poore soules who are intangled with error to leaue that habitation of Dragons to come forth out of that comfortlesse den to the end their soules may be refreshed with the delectable flowres of the garden of God I hope in the mercy of God so to speake of heresy as I shal moue no man to be an Heretique And as concerning the rayling words of the aduersaries of the truth who haue with opeÌ„ mouth proclaimed vnto the world that we are Heretiques
my couenant With you saith the Lord my Spirit which is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede saith the Lord from henceforth and for euer Isa. 59. ver 21 But the Anabaptists in our dayes brag of the reuelations of the spirit which reuelations notwithstanding agree not with the written word of God and therfore it is certaine that their reuelations are but fantasies and toyes of brain-sicke men This written word of God is to be read in the bookes of MOSES and the Prophets of whome Christ said Search the Scriptures for they beare testimonie of me Ioh. 5. And in the bookes written by the Apostles and Euangelists whome Christ commanded to tarie at Jerusalem vntill they were endued with power from aboue Actes 1. ver 8. This power wherewith they were endued from aboue was double First a power to knowe the sense and meaning of the Scriptures of God Secondly power to vtter boldly and couragiously in all languages and to all nations the trueth which they knewe This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguisheth the writings of the Prophets and Apostles from all other writings as THEODORETVS prudently hath noted de principio Serm. 2. The will of God saith hee is not to be sought in the bookes of PLATO who like as he knewe litle in matters concerning God so likewise hee was timorous and durst not vtter vnto the worlde boldly that litle sponke of knowledge which he had Hee knew there was onely one God but in his letters written to DIONYSIVS if they were serious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the beginning of the letter thâ—…t is oâ—…e God but if the letter was not serious nor dited froÌ„ the â—…ound of his heart then the beginning of the letter was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pluralitie of gods Who can giue vndoubted credite in maters pertaining to God to such men as know but a litle and the litle thing that they know they dare not presume to tell it to others But the Apostles were indued with strength from aboue they were taught by the Spirit of Christ in al trueth Iohn 16. they were not dashed with feare of the countenances of men Acts 4. but couragiously preached the truth of God to the great admiration of their hatefull aduersaries The word of God written by MOSES was so perfitly written that it was not lawfull to adde any thing vnto it nor to paire any thing from it Deut. 4. 12. Neither did the Prophets or Apostles adde any thing vnto the writings of MOSES but they were faithfull interpreters of MOSES bookes and vttered that same thing more clearely which was somewhat darkly shadowed into the ceremonies of the Law For like as a marchant man who hath fine cloth rolled vp in his shop if he shall lay it out in breadth and length vpon a table it remaineth the selfe same cloth it was before but it is better seene and knowne then it was before euen so the Apostles haue vttered the mysteries of the Kingdome of God more clearely then MOSES did but they haue said no more anent the saluation of man then MOSES saide before them This pure and perfite word of God should not be mixed with humane traditions for by this mixture three injuries are done to the written worde of God First by this meane the reuerence due vnto the written worde of God is impared and diminished Secondly traditions by time are equalled vnto the written worde of God and thirdly traditions are preferred vnto the written word of God And this beeing the last period whereunto the reuerence of humaine traditions tendeth to make the writâ—…n commandementes of God of none effect by their traditions as Christ clearely testifieth Mat. 15 ver 6. humane traditions are the lesse to bee regarded of all true hearted Christians to the end the written word of God may haue the owne due honour and reuerence Many false imputations against sacred Scriptures are forged by Papistes to transport the hearts of people from the perfite reuerence of scripture calling it imperfite vnsufficient and that it is obscure and that it is perillous to Laicke people to reade it lest they fall into errour The first accusation of Scripture is the vnsufficiencie of it The Bishop of Enereux that blasphemous man was bold to write a booke of the vnsufficiencie of Scripture and the greatest argument hee vseth if it were granted yet prooueth it not his purpose for he thinketh that wee haue not sufficiently by Scripture conuicted the Anabaptists who deny that children should be baptized till they be of perfite yeeres to giue a confession of their owne faith Wee suppone that all this were true yet it prooueth not vnsufficiencie in scripture but rather insufficiencie in vs to whome the mysteries of the booke of God are not sufficiently knowne There is a place of Scripture Exod 3. I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. In this place I say is an argument secretly latent and prooning the resurrection as Christ clearely declareth disputing against the Sadduces Mat. 22 ver 31. 32. yet no man before the manifestation of Christ himselfe euer perceiued that this argument was lurking in these words shall it be saide this argument was not in scripture because it was not perceiued by weake men to bee in scripture Truely it were good for this Bishop to follow the example of the Iudges that are in this Isle of Britaine when an act of Parliament is made and ratified the Iudges of our countrie decerne all causes according to the Acts but giue not out rash sentence against the Actes but when the Couenant of God is made and ratified by the bloode of Christe it were better to judge according to it then to giue out rash sentence against it Let vs consider what is written of the three bookes that shall be opened at the day of Iudgement and whereby the worlde shall be judged One of the three bookes is expresly nominat to wit the booke of life Apocal chap. 20. ver 10 the other two no man can denie to bee the Booke of the Lawe and the booke of the conscience because the Booke of the Lawe declareth all that wee should haue done and the booke of the conscience beeing opened manifesteth all that wee haue done whereupon the righteous Iudge of the worlde groundeth a just sentence of condemnation against vngodly men in this maner The booke of the Lawe manifesteth what yee should haue done the booke of your owne conscience manifesteth that yee haue done the contrarie and moreouer also your names are not found written in the Booke of life Therefore departe from mee into the fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels Nowe I demaund of Papistes concerning these three bookes that shall bee opened is any of them imperfite Is there any elect person whose name is not written in the booke of
owne infirmitie but onely for our sake who are sheepe of the sheepfold of Christe to guide vs by it to correct our wandering wayes and to holde vs in decent order Therefore of all things in the worlde let vs count Scripture a thing most pertinent to vs according to the saying of MOSES the secret thinges belong vnto the Lorde our God but the things reueiled belong to vs and our children for euer that wee may doe all the wordes of this Lawe Deut. 29. ver 29. to wit the Lawe written as is clearely declared Deut. 27. ver 2 and 3. When thou shalt passe ouer Iorden into the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shtli set up great stones and plaster them with plaster and Shelt witte upon them all the wordes of this Lawe c. Now if the writteÌ„ word be that very portion that belonged properly to our fathers to vs to our children we should sticke as fast to it as euer NABOTH did to his vineyarde remeÌ„bring euer these words of MOSES Things that are reuei led to wit in writ pertaine to vs to our children for euer According to the patterne of this written word were al reformations of religion made not according to the vncertaine report of traditions IOSIAS made reformation according to the booke of the couenant that was founde in the house of the Lord 2. Reg. cap. 23. ver 2. And therefore this worde of God ought diligently to be kept as the very patterne of all true reformation in religion if any abuse fall out at any time In our natiue countrie men are not so careful by diligent custodie to keep other measures as the measure whereby all other measures in the lande are measured one towne hath the weightes another hath the jug the third hath the furlot another hath the el-wand these are diligently kept because that bythem all faulty measures are corrected and reformed so aboue all things in this worlde the holy Scriptures should be most diligently kept Now before I speake of humane traditions the very end wherefore the Apostles committed to write the summe of their wholesome doctrine is a sore prejudice to tradition For some persons who hearde the Apostles preach went from Ierusalem to Antiochia and troubled the hearts of the Gentiles saying that they behooued to be circumcised and keepe the Law of MOSES to whome the Apostles gaue no such commandement Actes 15. Therefore the Apostles tooke occasion to put in write the summe of their doctrine Nowe if tradition was not a faithfull keeper of the Apostolicke doctrine in the very dayes of the Apostles and in the mouthes of them who heard the Apostles preach with their owne eares howe shall wee leane vnto the vncertaintie of traditions after the issue of sixteene hundreth yeeres The generalitie of the worde tradition is an occasion of errour to many for so soone as this word soundeth in their eares incontinent they thinke that all things necessarie vnto eternall life is not contained in Scripture but the want of Scripture must be supplied by traditions yet the Apostle calleth the very articles of our faith traditions namely that Christ died for our sinnes that he was buried and that he rose the third day againe 1. Cor. 15 ver 3. The Papistes take good heede to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say here mention is made of tradition but they obserue not so diligently the subsequent wordes albeit they be twise repeated by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Scriptures If they will needs obtrude vnto vs traditions at the least let them be agreable vnto Scriptures and then the controuersie will cease For I may boldly speake of Popish traditions that which CLEMENS speaketh of the Philosophie of the Grecians comparing it vnto a nut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all the nut is not meet to be caten the kirnell is for eating but the hard shels whereinto the kirnell is enclosed are not nourishing food euen so saith CLEMENS not all the Grecian Philosophie is to bee embraced and credited The like I say of Romaine traditions that we must not glut ouer their traditions shels and kirnell altogether but those that are agreable to Scriptures we receiue but traditions repugnant to Scripture such as worshipping of images which DAMASCENE granteth to be an vnwritten tradition we vtterly detest and abhorre The place of PAVLS Epistles that seemeth to fauour vnwritten tradition is this Therefore brethren stand sast keep the instruction which yee haue beene taught either by worde or by our epistle 2. Thess 2 ver 15. Heere I affirme that like as they who rehearsed Christs wordes and wrested the true sense and meaning of them they are called false witnesses against Christ Math. 26. ver 61. Christ spake these words indeede Destroy this Temple and within three dayes I wâ—…ll build it vp againe but not in that sense that the false witnesses reported Euen so they who cite a testimonie out of the Epistles of PAVL in another sense then PAVL writeth it they are false witnesses against PAVL for PAVLS tongue in preaching was guided by the holy Ghost and PAVLS hand and pen in writting was guided by the holyGhost that same selfe trueth he preached that same selfe trueth he committed to write to the ende that the faith of the Thessalonians might be the better confirmed and strengthened If they will obstinatly contend that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is disjunctiue I will constantly affirme with the most learned ANTONIVS SADEEL that in this place it is copulatiue in this sense Keepe that instruction which yee haue receiued both by word and epistle And in the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken 1. Cor. 13. ver 8. Whether prophecying shall be abolished or tongues shall cease that is both prophecying shall be abolished and tongues shall cease Stand fast and keepe the instruction 2. Thess. 2. ver 15 It is not the purpose of the Apostle in these wordes to exhort any man to wilfulnes and obstinacie but vnto constant adherence vnto the veritie of God For the Apostle PETER describing the qualities of false teachers calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men presumptuous standingon their own conceits 2. Pet. 2. ver 10. Wherfore a difference is to be noted betwene obstinat men constaÌ„t men It is obstinacie when a man walketh in his own wayes will not be corrected by the wisdome of God but it is constancie when a man walketh in the wayes of God and will not depart out of them for the fauour or feare of men CAIN was obstinat Gen 4. PETER and IOHN were constant Also to keepe fast the doctrine whereby they were taught both by word and Epistle is not onely to keepe it in memorie and to keepe the volume wherein scriptures are written but to keepe it indeede by the obedience of faith For men are thrise
to be counted of according to the greatnes of the promises annexed to the succession as namely the succession of DAVID of whom God said His seede also will I make to endure for euer his throne as the dayes of heauen Psal. 89. 29 againe ver 35. 36. I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not faile Dauid saying his seede shal endure for euer and his throne shall be as the Sunne before me Here are ample promises to DAVID his succession confirmed by the Lordes oath by the Sun Moone as faithfull witnesses in heauen And that which was more then all the rest this succession of DAVID was a line leading to the great King Christ Iesus who should sit in the throne of his father DAVID of his kingdome there should be none end Luc. 1. for all these causes the succession of DAVID was greatly regarded Yet it is to be marked that all the promises othes testimonies honors did not carie with them a necessity that euery successour of DAVID should be in faith and religion like vnto DAVID but rather God foreseeing the contrarie faith If his ch◅ldren forsake my Law and walke not in my Judgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my ordinances then w◅ll I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitte with strokes ibid ver 30. 31. 32. I suppone that no succession euer had more glorious and ample promises then the succession of DAVID yet these promises inferred no necessitie that euery king sitting on the throne of DAVID should bee heire also of the religion and faith of DAVID as well as of his kingdome And therfore to inferre vpon this ground that ample promises are made to the Apostles their successours that euery one who succeedeth to the Apostolick chaire shall keepe the true faith of the Apostles it is but a foolish and impertinent conclusion If any man shall replie that this was a succession of ciuill gouernours but the question now contrauerted is anent succession of Bishops and men in a spirituall calling True it is that DAVIDS successors succeeded to a ciuill gouernment yet seeing this succession was ratified by the oath of God and led also to Christ who is soueraine Lorde both of soule and body whatsoeuer priuiledge of standing in a good estate can be alledged in any succession the patterne of it is to be found in the succession of DAVID But this priuiledge that the successors of DAVID cannot erre in the true faith is not found no not in the great succession of DAVID Now to come to ecclesiasticall succession The priesthood of AARON was institute by God Numb 17. ver 5. It was confirmed by the miracle of the budding rodde ibid. ver 23. The vsarpers of AARONS office without a calling were also miraculously destroyed by fire that came downe from heauen Numb 16. Others were debarred from it euen in the dayes of NEHEMIAH Nehem. 7. ver 64. This succession of AARON was personall the son succeeding to the father in the Priesthood except some mutilation of a member or impotencie did hinder or any such like cause After AARON ELEAZAR and his son PHINEAS ABISHVA PHINEAS son and BVKKI HVZZI ZERACHIA MERAIOTH AMARIA ACHITVB ZADOK AHIMAAZ 1. Chron. 6. ver 50. 51. 52. 53. Many others after them were Priests of the stock of AARON yet did not all keepe fast the faith and religion of AARON yea some Priestes of AARONS stocke were notable Idolaters men-pleasers such as VRIAH in the dayes of AHAZ king of Juda who set vp an altar at the kings commandement according to the similitude of the altar of Damascus and offered sacrifices thereon 2. Reg. 16. Anent the succession of the Prophets euen when one good man succeeded to another good man the historie of scripture clearely declareth that men pointed out by God himselfe successours to an office yet by this are they not made succ◅ssours to their giftes for ELIZEVS was pointed out by God as successor to ELIAS in his prophetical office 1. Reg. 19. ver 16. yet by this was he not successor to his gifts as ELIZEVS petition of a double measure of the spirit of ELIAS clearely declareth 2. Reg. 2 ver 9 If the gift did necessarly accompany the succession what needed ELIZEVS to be carefull of the gift seeing he was sure of the succession The holy Apostles of Christ haue had a successiō shal haue vnto the end of the world to whō belōgeth the promise of Christ Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20 But who are to be called true successors of the Apostles we haue declared already in the 1. Centurie taking our groūd out of scripture Act. 20 29. And out of Nazian in laudem Athanasii that darknes succeeding to light is not counted the true successor of lignt for the dissimilitude that is betweene darknes light But heere the question ariseth whether or not al Churches keeping the holy Apostolicke doctrine are bound to shew in write their succession from the Apostles◅ as the Priestes of the stocke of AARON after the captiuitie produced in write their lineal descent from AARON Nehem. 7. To this Tertul answereth lib. de pres◅ript adversus baret that Churches truely keeping the Apostolicke doctrine albeit they could not shew in write their succession from the Apostles yet are they to be counted Apostolicke Churches propter consang uinitatem doctrinae that is for their consanguinitie of doctrine But to come neerer and to examine whether the Romaine church hath kept Apostolicke doctrine in their succession without all spot of heresie as they affirme or not And first the chaire of Rome was not free of the heresie of EVTYCHES as clearly appeareth by the sixt generall Councill which was the third of those Councils which were gathered at Constantinople in the 12. yeere of the empire of CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS Ann. 681. Buco◅ In this Councill MACARIVS Patriarch of Antiochia and STEPHANVS his disciple stood vp pertinaciously defended the error of EVTYCHES were excommunicate by the Councill yet they had defended their opinion by the Synodicke letter of HONORIVS sometime B. of Rome written to SERGIVS B. of Constantinople Wherein it was clearely knowne that HONORIVS was infected with the errour of EVTYCHES for the which cause HONORIVS B. of Rome after his death in the sixt generall Councill was also excommunicat as an Heretique Tom Concil hist. Magdeb. This is not vnknown to some writers who notwithstanding defend this opinion that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in maters of ◅aith ONVPHRIVS saith that the Acts of the sixt generall Councill containing a condemnatory sentence against HONORIVS Bishop of Rome were corrupted by the Grecians and that the Canons of this Councill as they are set foorth are supposititious and false Forsooth ONVPHRIVS is a worthy aduocate to pleade such a bad and reprobat cause The faith of the Romanists leaning vpon two
that terrible pit whereinto there is not one drop of consolation soChrist hath found out to vs by his suffering foresaid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle saith Heb. 9. ver 12 that is euerlasting redemption This is the true sense of that place for scripture conferred with scripture will find out the right meaning of scripture but the wresting of scripture to the conceits of our minde is a perpetuall deteining of vs in blindnesse and ignorance To this agreeth wel the exposition of August decivit Dei lib. 18. cap. 35. and Theodoret in Zach. cap. 9. In like maner in the prophecie of Malach. Behold I will send my messinger and he shall prepare the way before mee and the Lord whome yee seeke shall speedely come to his temple euen the messinger of the couenant whome ye desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hostes But who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when he appeareth for he is like a purging fire and like fullers sope And hee shall sit downe to trie fine the siluer he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde and situer that they may bring offerings vnto the Lord in righteousnesse Malac. 3. ver 1. 2. 3. If we credite the holy Euangelists this is spoken of Christs first comming and of IOHN Baptist his forerunner and of the effectuall ministrie of the Gospel in purging sinne Mat 11. ver 10. Marc. 1. ver 2 Luc. 1. ver 76. But Papistes not conferring scripture with scripture whersoeuer they find fire or darknesse or a deepe pit and dungeon or a terrible tempest there they thinke mention is made of Purgatorie as I could easily prooue by many other places but let these suffice for examples of the old Testament wrested and abused In the new Testament it is said And whosoeuer shall speake a wâ—…d against the Son of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer shall speake against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12. ver 32. Ofthese words it is inferred that some faults shal be forgiuen in the world to come albeit the finne against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen The true sense and meaning of these words is set down by the Euangelist MARKE in these words But he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but is culpable of eternall damnation Marc. 3. ver 29. What needeth further requisition when the spirit of God hath interpreted his owne meaning Againe it is is said in the new Testament For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Icsus Christ And if any man build on this foundation golde siluer pretious stones timber hay or stubble Euery mans worke shall bee made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall bee reueiled by the fire and the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is If any mans worke that he hath built upon abide he shall receiue wages If any mans woâ—…keburne hee shall lose but he shall be saued himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by the fire 1. Cor. 3. ver 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. The last of these verses is brought foorth as a testimonie of scripture proouing Purgatorie fire so much the rather because S. AMBROSE doeth so expone the foresaide verse Let vs therefore with AMBROSE agree vpon all the rest and contrauert onely vpon the last verse The foundation of Christ the golde siluer and precious stones is true and solide doctrine the timber hay and stubble is friuolous doctrine the triall by day and fire is a triall by the worde of God full of light as the day and mightie in operation as the fire In this triall hee whose doctrine is authorized and not ouerthrowne by the worde hee hath double vantage first his worke standeth next himselfe shall be rewarded as a good builder But if in the triall a mans doctrine be found friuolous albeit not hereticall hee shall sustaine double losse First hee shall see his doctrine ouerthrowne by the light and fire that is by the worde of God next albeit himselfe shall be saued because hee adhereth by faith to the foundation yet because hee hath beene a slouthfull teacher in teaching friuolous things with a glorious shewe of eloquence of in steade of solide and necessarie things hee shall bee saued by fire that is as wee say hee shall be cast into the fornace of temporal troubles to learne repentance and amendement in this life wherein onely is time and place of repentance But the Papistes thinke that men after their death shall bee cast into the fire of Purgatorie there to satisfie for their fault and after satisfaction to be purged and saued Here first note that the Apostle vttering by a continuated allegorie the estate of those who build vpon the right foundation any kinde of doctrine either solide or friuolous in the end he perfiteth his allegorie comparing the chastisements of God sent for our amendement vnto a fire This agreeth better then to interpret all the rest allegorically and the last words into a simple meaning without any figure to father that opinion vpon PAVL whereof neither hee nor any other Apostle maketh mention in their writings Next consider that they would seeme to be followers of the interpretation of AMBROSE when as their conscience I meane of those that are learned amongst them knoweth the contrarie that AMBROSE meaneth of that fire at the latter day whereof ORIGEN writeth but not of that Purgatorie fire immediatly after the issue of this life whereof the Papistes speake Indeed if Purgatorie fire should be set forth as an article of Christian faith it should bee grounded not vpon allegories or obscure places of scripture but vpon cleare and plaine places as all the ancient fathers in one voyce doe consent but this place of scripture is an allegorie and an obscure place ORIGEN and AMBROSE take it in one sense the Papistes take it in another sense we take it in the third sense and some of their owne scholasticke doctors are so dashed with the varietie of diuerse interpretations that they dare determine nothing certainely but say that either with the fire of Purgatorie or with the fire of tribulation or with the fire that goeth before the face of the great Iudge men who haue committed veniall sinnes shall be purged and saued THOMAS AQVINAS in 1. Cor. 3. When their owne scholasticke Doctours are in such doubts there was no time to step forwarde and to make it an article of their faith The chiefe place cited out of Apocrypha bookes is Macab 2. cha 12. froÌ„ the 40 ver to the end of the cha in these words Now vnder the coates of euerte one that was slâ—…ine they found jewels that had bene consecrated to the idvles of the Famnites which thing is forbidden the Jewes by the Law Then euerie man
his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeeme all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shâ—…d in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD nâ—…uer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Ieweâ—… in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed grâ—…at abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood The chiefe questions betwixt vs the Romane Church anent Originall sinne are two First whether or no concupiscence which remaineth in the godly after their baptisme be in a proper acception called sinne or not for the Romane Church saith that it is called sinne by the Apostle because it came of sinne and it tendeth to sinne but not because it is sinne is a proper acception And the Council of Trent pronounceth an anathema against them who thinke otherwise than they haue determined The second controuersie is whether or no the naturall concupiscence mouing vs to euill can be called a sinne before wee giue the consent of our mind to it The Romane Church thinketh it no sinne vntill we yeeld the consent of our hearts vnto it The third question anent sinnes coÌ„mitted before after baptisme what way they are remitted because this question pertaineth more properly to another treatise I shal oueâ—…passe it at this time Now anent the first question I affirme that the Apostle Paul when he calleth concupiscence sin hee calleth it sin in a proper acception of the word sin Many names are giuen to sin in Scripture which expresseth what it is properly but especially these 3. names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a transgression of the Law as the Apostle manifestlly witnesseth when he sayeth I had not knowne lust except the Law had saide Thou shalt not lust therefore concupiscence is sinne in a proper acception In like manner concupiscence or originall sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and in exprâ—…sse wordes the Apostle speaking of Originall sinne sayeth Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned c. In this place concupiscence is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration from the Commandement of GOD and consequently a sinne in a proper acception of the worde sinne Remember also that the Apostle is speaking of all men yea and of himselfe also in the estate whereinto hee was presently when he wrote this epistle that is after he was baptized Then let vs marke the third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a snappering and a falling to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and this word also is attributed vnto Originall sinne in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through the offence of one man many bee dead so that all these three wordes concurring in one doe declare that concupiscence euen after baptisme in a proper sense is sin because it is a breaking of the Lawe an aberration from the Lawe and a falling from the Lawe Nowe the curses of the Councill of Trent which they cast out so prodigally against vs are not worthie one figge because they are not grounded in reason but are expresly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. The second question is this whether or no is concupiscence a sinne before we yeeld the consent of our heart vnto it To this I answere that if they vnderstood by concupiscence a bad inclination it is sinne euen in infants who doe not knowe what it is to consent either to good or euill but if they meane of the first motion or cogitation of sinne presented vnto the soule apparently this question belongeth rather to actuall than to originall sinne but whether it belongeth to the root of sinne or to the branches of sinne I shall produce three reasons wherfore the first motion of sinne is sinne euen before we yeeld vnto it the consent of our heart First because a consent is an indifferent thing called good or euill according to the nature of that thing whereunto we giue our consent and consequently the consent is euill because that motion of sinne whereunto wee consented was euill and if it had not beene euill in it selfe the consent of our heart giuen vnto it had neuer beene called euill Secondly Fathers from whome Papistes haue learned this Theologie that in them who are regenerated concupiscence is not to bee counted a sinne vntill a man giue the consent of his heart vnto it these same Fathers I say after they had pierced deeper into this question they corrected themselues as clearely appeareth by the wordes of Augustine against Iulâ—…anus a Pelagian saying Desiderium mali malum est etiamsi ci non consentiatur donec co perveniamus ubi nec habeatur that is the desire of euill is euill albeit consent be not giuen vnto it vntill wee attaine vnto that estate whereinto we shall be free of it Thirdly the Apostle IAMES when he damneth actuall sin he agreageth it by three circumstances to wit by the conception of it the birth of it and the punishment of it the conception of it is by concupiscence and this the Apostle setteth downe as the first circumstance of the amplification of sinne and not as a thing indifferent vntill wee giue consent vnto it how beit it is true that actuall sinne is not committed vntill consent be giuen to concupiscence yet in it selfe it is a sinne and the conception and root of sinne as the Apostle speaketh It is no point of wisdome to extenuate or to obscure and hide our sinnes for GOD can set them all in order before our face as the psalmist speaketh and if this bee all the gaine and aduantage wee haue by denying and obscuring a part of our sinnes it were better to lay all open before the great Phisitian of our soules to the end that in due time we may be cured by his medicinall plasters Augustine maketh rehearsall of three medicinall cures against concupiscence in these wordes In corpore mortis
like maner I say to Papistes that their naked assertions not confirmed by testimonies of holy Scripture are nothing to vs but wee may lay them aside with as great libertie as they are prodigall in allcadging them Wee will answere to such arguments as seeme to be countenanced with some appearance of Scripture Now they say that the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently vsed in Scripture importeth the merite of our good workes because GOD vouchsafeth vpon them a rewarde To this I answere that if Scripture be conserred with Scripture that same thing which in one place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a reward in another place it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an heritage in these wordes Come yee blessed of my father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world When that thing which properly is an inheritance is called a reward it is spoken metaphorically in respect it is giuen in the end of the world as an hire is giuen to a feruant in the end of the day The second argument proouing the merite of mens works and consequently Iustification by workes in a part is this that some men in Scripture are called worthie as when it is saide to the Angell of the Church of Sardis Thou hast a few names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments and they shall walke with me in white for they are worthie To this I answere the godly are called worthie not in themselues but in Christ who hath made them Kings and Priestes vnto GOD. In themselues they are called vnworthie as when it is said No man was found wortbie to open and to read the booke And in another place it is saide that the afflictions of this present time are not Wortlne of the glorie that it to be shewed vnto vs. Nowe it is knowne that patient suffering of euill for Christes sake is a degree of greater obedience than willing doing of good and if the suffering of the Sainctes be not worthie of the glory that is to be reueiled how much lesse can our doings bee worthie of that glorious inheritance The third argument is taken from the nature of a conditionall couenant bound vp betwixt two parties which doe import that condition should bee keeped but so it is that GOD hath couenanted with such as liue a godly life that they shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God therefore by vertue of this Couenant men who ieades a good life are worthie to dwel in heauen To this I answere that this couenant foresaid is either Legal or Euangelicall if it be Legall we cannot fulfill the condition thereof because the Law requireth a perfect obedience which we cannot attaine vnto If it bee an Euangelicall couenant the Mediator of the newe couenant IESVS Christ is present at the couenant making for whose sake I grant that GOD promiseth vnto vs a dwelling place in heauen and for his sake also he performeth his promise giueth vnto vs a resting place in his holy Mountaine and in all this haue we no cause to reioyce in our selues but in the mercies of our GOD. Concerning our satisfactions whereby the Romane Church saith That sinnes committed after baptisme should be pardoned This belongeth to another Treatise of Indulgences and satisfactions for the present I ouerpasse this point of mens merites with silence The Romane Church that Mistresse of errour hath not onely learned vs to leane vpon our owne merites but also to leane vpon the merites of other men such as holy Prophets Apostâ—…es and Martyres because some of them haue not onely fulfilled the Commandements of GOD but also haue done more than the Law of GOD commanded For example the Lawe of GOD forbiddeth to commit adulterie fornication and all kind of vncleannesse but many of the Apostles Prophets Martyres not only abstained from all kind of whordome but also from mariage such workes are called in the Romane Church workes of supererogation these doe come into the treasure of the Bishop of Rome as the Vicar of Christ and he is a dispensator of them to such as haue need O deepenesse of errours forged by Sathan repugnant vnto it selfe If abstinence from mariage bee a worke of supererogation then either must mariage euen in men hauing a spirituall calling bee counted a thing lawfull and agreable to GODS holy Law or else the abstinence from it cannot bee called a worke of supererogation I grant that some fathers counted abstinence from mariage a worke of Evangelicall perfection like as the selling of all their possessions and distributing them to the poore but it entred not in their hearts to call such workes of Evangelicall perfection workes of supererogation to bee sent to the treasure of the bishop of Rome that he might bee a dispensator of them to such as had neede But nowe suppone that any such workes had beene in the Sainctes of GOD howe can they bee imperted and communicated to others Can the oyle of the wise Virgines bee distributed to the foolish Virgines It cannot be because it cannot suffice them both Likewise when wee compeare before the iudge of the worlde wee must compeare clad with the innocencie of CHRIST and not with the merites of his Sainctes for the Apostle saith Put on the Lord Iesus but hee saith not Put on the merites of the Sainctes Moreouer wee must bee acceptable as the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyres were acceptable but so it is that they were acceptable to GOD onely in Christ as the Apostle saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Here none exception is made of Prophets Apostles Martyres but all must be acceptable to GOD for Christs sake allanerly Finally the holymen of God when they die they rest from their labours and their workes follow them If the soules of the holy fathers doe goe to heauen to the bosome of ABRAHAM to the paradise of GOD howe can wee thinke that their workes doe goe to the treasure of the bishop of Rome except they would say that the soules of all the holy fathers are gone to the treasure of the bishop of Rome also and their works and merites following them are altogether lighted in his treasure But lest I should anticipate the treatise of Indulgences I referre all farder discourse vnto the owne place Intreating the Lord Iesus of his vnspeakable fauour to remooue the mistie cloud of ignorance from our soules that our heartes bee not transported from the loue of the Creator to the loue of the creatures but that we may seeke saluation in Christ in whom only it may be found to whom be praise for euer AMEN FINIS A SHORT COMPEND of the grouth of the ROMANE ANTICHRIST Comprised in the VII VIII and IX CENTURIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADDED TREATISES CLEARLY declaring the noueltie of POPISH RELIGION EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ANDRO HART ANNO 1616. TO THE
the death of Heraclius reigned his son Constantine 4. moneths was made out of the way by poison giueÌ„ vnto him by Martina his fathers second wife to the end that Heracleonas her son might reâ—…gn But God suffered not this wickednes to be vnpuâ—…ished for Martina Heraclconas were taken by the Senators of Constantinople her tongue was cut out his nose cut off lest either her flaâ—…ering speaches or his beauty comlines should haue moued the people to compassioÌ„ they were both banished About this time the Saracenes had taken Caesarea in Palestina after they had besieged it seuen yeeres and they slew in it seuen thousand Christians CONSTANS AFter the banishment of Martina Heraclâ—…onas her son reigned Constans the son of ConstaÌ„rine 27. yeeres in religion he followed the footsteps of Heraclius was infected with the heresie of the Monothâ—…lites persecuted Martinus 1. bish of Rome because he had gathered a Synode in Rome damned the heresie of the Monothelues whom also he caused to be brought in bands to Consiantinople cut out his tongue cut off his right haÌ„d banished him to Chersonâ—…sus in Pontus where hee ended his life Hee faught also against the Saracenes in sea-warre-fare was ouer-come by them like as interpreters of dreames had fore-tol le him for he dreamed that he was dwelling in Thessalonica the interpreters said it portended no good but that others should ouer-come him as if the word Thessalonica did import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is render victory to another Constans was sâ—…aine by one of his owne seruants as he was washing himselfe in the bathe-houses of Siracuse CONSTANTINUS POGONATUS Constans being slâ—…ine in Sicile the army in those paâ—…ts appointed Mezentius a man of incomparable beauty to be Emp. but Constantinus the eldest son of Constans sailed to Sicile with a great nauie slew Mezentius the murtherers of his father and recouered his fathers dominion to himselfe Hee was called Pogonatus because his face was not bare voide of haiâ—…e when hee returned from Sicile as it was wheÌ„ he sailed thithâ—…r from Byzans but his face was rough couered with haire He had 2. brethreÌ„ whome the people reuerenced with equall honour as they did him therfore he disfigurated their faces by cutting off their nose reâ—…gned himself alone 17. yeeres In religioÌ„ he was not like vnto his predicessors who had bin fauourers of heretiques but he assembled a generall CouÌ„cell at Constantinople vulgarly called the sixt Oâ—…cumenick Councell whereinto the heresie of the Monothelites was vtterly damned as in the owne place shall be declared God willing Likewise the estate of the Emp. was more peaceab'e than it had bene in time of his predicâ—…ssors for the Saracens were compelled to seeke conditions of peace from him and to offer yeeâ—…ely paimenâ—… of 3000. pound weight of gold vnto him with other tribâ—…tes of horse seruâ—…nts and prisoners IUSTINIANUS the second LEO NTIUS and ABSIMARUS AFter the death of Constantine reigned his sonne Iustinian the second sixteene yeeres to wit tenne yeeres before his banishment and sixe yeeres after his banishment His gouernement was cruell and bloodie by perswasion of Stephanus and Theodoâ—…us whose counsell hee followed euen till the purpose of exstirpation of all the Citizens of Constantinoâ—…le But Leontius a man of noble birth pitying the Citie tooke Iustinian the Emperour cut off his nose and banished him to Chersonesus ponti where hee remained in great miserie tenne yeeres Steâ—…hanus and Theodorus his bad counsellâ—…rs receiued a condigne punishment for they were burnt quicke in the bellie of an hot brasen bull After this banishment of Iustinian the second Leontius reigned three yeeres The flâ—…xible mindes of vnconstant people and souldâ—…ers choosed Absimarus to bee their Emperour who dealt with Leontius as hee had dealt with Iustinian and cut off his nose and thrust him into a Monasterie where hee remained seuen yeeres to wit all the time of Absimarus gouernement In ende Iustinian after tenne yeeres banishment recouered his Emperâ—…all dignitie againe by the helpe of Terbellis Prince of Bulgaria Hee caused Leontius and Absimarus to bee brought vnto him whome hee tramped vnder his feete and after commanded that they should bee beheaded The crueltie thaâ—… hee vsed against the Citizens of Constantinople and against the â—…habitants of Cheâ—…sonesus Ponti is almost vnspeakeable He was hated of all men Philippicus conspired against him and hee was slaine by one named Elias his owne 〈◊〉 CHAP. II. OF POPES BISHOPS PASTORS AND DOCTORS AFTER Sabinianus succeeded Bonifacius the third and continued onelie nine moneth in his Popedome finding oportunitie of time by the disliking that the Emperour Phocas had of the Patriarch of Constantinople Bonifacius insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the Emperour and obtained at his hands that the Church of Rome should bee called the supreme head of all other Churches To him succeeded Bonifacius the fourth and gouerned sixe yeeres eight monethes and thirteene dayes He obtained from Phocas a Temple of olde builded to the honour of all the gods of the Gentiles called Pantheon this he purged from the abominations of Heathen people and dedicated it to the Virgine Marie and the Saincts Likewise he instituted a Festiuall day to be kept in honour of all the Saincts in which day the Bishop of Rome himselfe should say Masse Thus wee see at what time the Bishop of Rome vsurped gouernement ouer all Churches At this same time the chaire of Rome fell awaye from the worshipping of the liuing God to the worshipping of dead creatures Hâ—…e esteemed much of the Monastike life and gaue vnto the Monkes equall honour with the Cleargie in priueledge of prâ—…aching ministring the Sacraments binding and loosing c. so were the Monks associated into the tribe of the Priâ—…sts After him succeeded Theodatus otherwayes called Deus dedit and gouerned three yeeres and three dayes He made an ordinance that no man should marrie the woman to whome or with whom he had beene witnesse in Baptisme because this was counted Spirituall consanguinitie This was an vndoubted note of the Antichrist to make lawes in the matter of marriage not agrâ—…eable to the law of God Manie doe write that hee cured a leprous man with a kisse But from this time forward let vs beware to giue hastie credite to miracles which are brought in for none other cause but onâ—…ie to confirme a lying doctrine and in holy Scripture they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is miracles of lyes To him succeeded Bâ—…nifacius the fift and ruled fiue yeeres and ten monethes he made a constitution that no man who ranne for safeâ—…e to a religious place should be drawne out of it by violence how grieuous soeuer his offence had beene A lawe Antichristian indeede and much impairing the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate Honorius the fiâ—…st succeeded to Bonifacius the fift and ruled 12. yeeres 11. monethes and
me Luc 1 ver 43. So might old customes speake to olde commandements Whéce coÌ„meth this to me that coÌ„mandement my mistresse Lady wil tolerat me to be within the doores of the house of God wherein she hath such soueraignitie and swey In the fourth heade we are to intreate by what meanes ancient errours may be distinguished from ancient veritie And first veritie is not in all pointes like vnto an olde man whose strength is dayly abated by debilitie and weaknesse till at length the old man die goe to the graue yea rather veritie the older it be the vertue strength and vigour of it is the better knowne but errours when they waxe old they become weake they die and euanish and are vile as a filthy and stinking carion so as if any man in our dayes should open the graue of ARRIVS and renue his vngodly opinion he should see all Christians shake their heades stop their eares and grip after a maner their noses with their handes that the abominable flewer of that filthie carion should not be felt but by the contrarie the sweete smell of the ancient Veritie of Christ is like a precious oyntment powred out filling the house of God with no lesse delite now then it did of old when it was first preached by the Apostles in Ierusale Acts 2. And as the house of DAVID dayly waxed stronger the house of ISHBOSHETH dayly waxed weaker 2. Sam. 3. 1. such like is the estate of the Veritie and the lie Secondly veritie and errour are best distinguished when they are riped vp into the very ground and frivolous superficiall trialls are laide aside As NEHEMIA did when hee tried after the captiuitie who had a right of Priesthood to stand at the altar to offer sacrifices he commanded them to produce their writes and genealogies and make good their lineal descent from the loynes of AARON which right â—…ey who could not find out were put from the Priesthood Nehem. 7. ver 64 Euen so they who pretend veritie of ancient doctrine let them verifie clearely by the written word that this their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ his holy Apostles For as the procreation of AARON gaue a right to stand at the altar so also the doctrine that came froÌ„ the mouth of Christ and his Apostles hath an vndoubted right to be sounded in the Church of God Remember now that wise NEHEMIAH was not superficiall in his triall The sons of HABAIAH the sons of HAKKOZ the sons of BARZILLAI could haue shewed in write that they were come of the descent of LEVI and of the familie of COAH but that which was of greatest moment of all that they were descended from that branche of the familie of COAH which was separated to the scruice of the altar to wit from AARON Numb 16. ver 40. that they could not proue So the Papistes of our time can prooue that their doctrine hath had place sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeeres and more also before our dayes but that which is of greatest weight to wit that their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ and his holy Apostles in that probation they succumbe Thirdly let vs trie and discerne the lie from the veritie as AVGVSTVS CAESAR discerned him who falsly called himselfe ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD and the sonne in law of ARCHELAVS King of Cappadocia and husband of GLAPHYRA Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap 14. This ALEXANDER son of HEROD the great with his brother ARISTOBVLVS were both executed to the death by the commandement of their father But after the death of ALEXANDER an artificer bearing that same name and in stature beauty lineaments and all agreeing proportion so neerely resembled the very similitude of ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD that they who best knew HERODS son did most confidently affirme that this same artificer was he indeede and he himselfe affirmed that he was HERODS sonne and had escaped death by the fauour of the executioner Alwayes when he was brought to Rome to the Emperour AVGVSTVS would not be deceiued with the liklyhood of his face but groped his hand and found it to be hard like to the hand of an artificer and discerned him to be a deceiuing fellow and punished him This I grant may be applyed more properly to Christ then to vs. For albeit we be easily deceiued seduced with lies yet the great King of heauen Christ Iesus cannot be deceiued hee will not regard the brasen face of the lie calling it selfe trueth but he will wisely grope the hand of the lie examine what operations it hath wrought among the people it hath blinded mens vnderstanding it hath har dened their heartes it hath learned them to be proud obstinat contemners of the trueth of God finally it hath learned theÌ„ to honour creatures with impairing of the glory of the Creator Then wil the great King say O full of al deceit thy hand and thy operations that thou hast wrought amongst men testifieth that thou art not of God Neuerthelesse the members of Christ also in some meane measure may be groping the hand of the lie finding it to be hard dric voyde of all sap moysture of spirituall grace we may say in our harts O doctrine of lies barren withered within thy selfe and communicating no grace vnto thy hearers the Lord separat vs from thee thee from vs that we may adhere firmly vnto our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus vnto the end Finally when wee haue done all that we can doe to discerne the lie from the veritie yet let vs not liue in securitie as though wee could neuer be deceiued IOSVA that holy man of God was deceiued with old garments old bottels of wine old bread and shoes because he consulted not with the mouth of God Ios. 9. ver 14. Then aboue all things we should seeke counsell at the mouth of God by earnest prayer diligent reading of the written word attentiue hearing of godly sermons and if we seeke we shall finde and if wee knocke it shall be opened vnto vs. And the Lorde direct vs both in seeking and finding with the gratious conduct of his holy Spirit Heere I purposed to haue finished my treatise of antiquitie but when I remember with whome I haue to doe and that they will say I haue purposely passed by the principall demonstration of antiquitie in the Romaine Church therefore I haue subjoyned the foure forged fained and counterfaite maskes of antiquitie in Poperie which will neuer proue them to be an ancient church The false interpretation of Scriptures the booke of the Canons of the Apostles the decretall epistles falsly ascribed to the fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord and the booke of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA Anent the false interpretation of Scriptures Godwilling I shall speake in the treatise of heresie Anent the booke of the Canons of the Apostles if there were no more but onely the last
to him in these wordes Sic igitur corum peccata compesce ut sint quos poeniteat peccasse that is to say Therefore so subdue their faultes that they may be afore hand to repent that they haue faulted Epist. 127. But in another Epistle written to GLORIVS and ELEVSIVS he thinketh that Schismatikes and Heretiques such as the Donatists were deserued greater punishment then Idolaters themselues for hee saith Qui fecerunt idolum usitata gladii morte perempti sunt qui verò sâ—…hisma facere voluerunt hiatu terrae principes devorati turba consentiensigne consumpta est that is These who made an idole were staine with the accustomed death of the sword but these who endeuoured to make a schisme their princes were deuoured by the gap of the earth and the people that consented to them were consumed by fire Epist. 162. In these two foresaide Epistles AVGVSTINE in the one is very gentle in the other very rigorous Nowe heare the thirde opinion ofâ—… AVGVSTINE in these wordes Non solùm mansuete verùm uiam utiliser salubritérque plectantur habent enim quod corpore incolumes vivunt hubent unde vivunt habent unde male rivunt duo prima salva sint ut quos poeniteat sint hoc optamus hoc quantum in nobis est impensa opera instamus Tertium vero si Dominus voluerit tanquam putre noxiúmquc resecare valde misericorditer puniet that is Let them be punished not onely meekely but also profitably and wholsomely they haue whereupon their bodies are healthfully intertained they haue whereupon they liue they haue also whereupon they liue wickedly Let these two former partes safely remaine vnto them that penitent men may be to the fore this we wish and wee earnestly endeuoure so farre as in vs lyeth that it may be brought to passe but the third part as rotten and hurtfull if it were cutted away they were very gently punished Epist. 254 this epistle is written to NECTARIVS Wherin it is euident that AVGVSTINE himselfe was not setled in one constant opinion howe Heretiques should be punished by magistrats But what shall we say When Nilus and Danube haue wandred long in end they powre their waters into the sea and when AVGVSTINE hath beene sometimes in one opinion and sometimes in another in ende hee is compelled to say Amen to that which God hath said in his worde that is that a false prophet should be slaine Deut. 13. I speake of deceiuing teachers but not of deceiued people As touching the people the weaker they are the wiser they should bee not exponing their weakenesse to the hazard of strong tentations but following the counsell of the Apostle writing to the elect Lady ver 10. 11. If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bidde him God speede for he that biddeth him God speede is partaker of his euill deedes But seeing a blinde man may bee shoueled out of the way and poore simple people may bee soone bewitched Galat. 3. therefore it is expedient for the people to acquaint themselues well with the 12. Articles of their faith and so firmly to adhere to them that in no case they sufferthem selues to be miscaried from that short summe of Christian faith For EPIPHANIVS when he had written a Catalogue of heresies that sprang vp before his own time he thought it expedient also to write another booke called Anchoratus which booke containeth a declaration of the true and right faith according to the writings of holy Scripture which faith if it bee firmely kept it shall bee like vnto an ancre that stablisheth a ship that it bee not drowned in the tempest of the raging sea euen so the fast gripping to the heades of our faith and right vnderstanding of them saueth vs that wee bee not miscaried with the tempest of hereticall doctrine Also the counsell of AVGVSTINE is not to be misregarded In reading of Scripture if wee can not take vp the very genuine sense and meaning of the place at least let vs not expone that place of Scripture in a sense repugning to the analogie of faith So shall we be like to a man who hath aberred from the direct way yet he wandereth in the fieldes leading to the towne whereat he would be Augustin de doctrina Christiana lib. 1. cap. 37. Aboue all things let not the people hearken to those teachers who would inforce the wordes of Scripture and wrest them to a sense flatly repugnant to the principall purpose intreated in that passage of Scripture for wordes are inuented for to expresse the purpose but the purpose is not deuised for the wordes A cleare example we haue in the sixt of IOHN his Gospell Our master Christ is speaking in that Chapter to a carnall fleshly hearted people who were offended at his doctrine for remedie wherof our Lorde teacheth them that his doctrine was spirituall and consequently was not to be receiued with fleshly eares and heartes saying vnto them It is the Spirit that quickneth the flâ—…sh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you are spâ—…rit and life Ioh. 6. ver 63. That is as S. AVGVSTINE writing vpon this place doeth expound my words should be spiritually vnderstood Nowe therefore whosoeuer will expone the words of Christ spoken in the sixt of IOHN except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yo haue no life in you ver 53. into a corporall and carnall sense I say people ought to beware of such a teacher because he wrests Christs wordes to a sense flat repugnant to the purpose that Christ hath in hand at that time And the counsell giuen by the Apostle to TITVS although it be giuen to Bishoppes yet it is necessarie also for people in these words Holding fast the faithfull word according to doctrine Tit. 1. ver 9. Marke well the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not onely an adherence but also a firme adherence The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so generall that we are tolerated to haue many things but in such way as wee had them not 1. Cor. 7. but the compound words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to possesse firmly to keep are to be restrained only to Christ who is our portion and to his faithfull word wher vnto we ought so firmly to adhere that we will rather be separated from our liues then from that faithfull word And to this faithfull worde ALAMANDARVS Prince of Saracens vnseparably adhering deluded the Eutychian Bishops sent from SEVERVS Anno 512. So I conclude that there is nothing so expedient for Gods people as clearely to know the summe of their faith and firmly to adhere vnto the same Of the foundation of the Church SEeing that the Church is counted the Lordes citie builded vpon his holy mountaine Psal. 87. ver 1. And that house that is builded on a rock so firmly that
mariage and affirmed that PAVI gaue libertie to widowes to marie because hee knewe the will of God but onely in a part August Index hâ—…eres Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 14 16. I purposely passe ouer that rable of obscure Heretiques whome I compared in the treatise of heresies to abortiue births such as Opbitae Caiani Sethiani and such like of whom notwithstanding EPIPHANIVS vouchsafeth to writ at leÌ„gth no doubt to manifest the corruption of mans nature stouping sometimes so basely that not onely they hearken to the counsel of the old serpent the deuil but also they wor ship the very instrument of the Deuil viz. the serpent as these Ophitae did Againe some Heretiques magnified CAIN and called him their father And others gaue to SETH the honour due to Christ. So it commeth to passe that men destitute of the grace of God that commeth from aboue are like vnto drunkards staggering on the right hande and on the left hande and falling on their faces and beating out their owne braines Sometimes they extoll wicked men like vnto CAIN and fall at the left hande at other times they praise good men like vnto SETH with excessiue prayses with derogation of the glory of Christ and fall at the right hand And at sometimes are so benummed that they spare not to set the very deuill and his instruments in the chaire of God and fall like drunken fooles on their faces and knocke out their owne braines Let no man maruell wherefore the names of AQVILA a man of Pontus and THEODOSION of Ephesus are not reckened in the rolle of Heretiques in this age True it is that they once professed the faith of Christ made defection againe but this defection made not a diuision into the Church which is the body of Christe because they joyned themselues to the vnbeleeuing Iewes who vtterly denied the diuinitie of Christ and therefore of Christians became infidels rather then Heretiques Like as no man calleth the Emperour IVLIAN an Heretique but an apostate so AQVILA and THEODOSION were notable apostats from the faith of Christ. Howe they laboured to peruert by sinistrous translations of places of Scripture giuing cleare testimonie to Christ who was borne of a virgin EVSEBIVS declareth lib. 5. cap. 8. The translation of the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Behold a virgin shall conceiue Isa. 7. was translated by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold a young woman shall conceiue But this bad translation of Apostat christians and Proselites of the Iewes so well liked of the Iewish nation could neuer take place in the Church of Christ because the Prophet ISAIAH in that chapter is speaking of a miraculous signe which God will giue vnto his people to confirme their faith such as is the birth of a maide which indeede is a mitaculous worke but the birth of a young woman clad with an husband is no miracle Of Scripture and Tradition IN the first Centurie PAPIAS deceiued by tradition sell into the errour of the Chiliasts In the second Centurie CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS stumbling at the same stone fell into diuerse errours as hath bene alreadie spoken This presenteth vnto vs manifest occasion to speake of the certaintie of Scripture and the vncertaintie of tradition Scripture dited by diuine inspiration as the Apostle speaketh of it 2. Tim 3. is such a sacred and holy thing that to doubt of the perfection puritie vtilitie and operatiue vertue of it is notable blasphemie and a manifest contradiction to the spirit of God speaking by his seruant DAVID Ps. 19. from the 7. verse to the 11. verse So that these barking dogges who speake vnreuerently of the Scripture are more worthy of a whip wherewith dogs are driuen out of Churches then of an answere This is the incorruptible seede wherby we are begotten to be Gods children 1 Pet. 1. the sincere milke whereby we are nourished in Gods house 1 Pet. 2. this is the wine and milke that God hath giuen vs without money Isa. 55. ver 1 wine fine and purified Isa. 25. ver 6. This is a mirrour wherein we see the glorious image of Christ into the which we should be transformed 2 Cor. 3. ver 18. This is a lanterne to our feet a light to our pathes Psal. 119. ver 105. and a very diademe to the heade of the woman that trauaileth in birth to bring forth children to God Apoc. 12. The holy Scriptures are like vnto the authour of holy Scriptures of whome MOSES saith that God is fearefull in praises Exod 15. ver 11 When wee prayse a mortall man it is to be feared lest wee giue too much honour vnto him but when wee praise the immortall God it is to bee feared lest wee holde backe a part of his due honour And truely the worde of God in this point is like vnto God himselfe When a man entreth into a commendation of the Scriptures of God he hath nothing to feare but this one thing that he speake not so reuerently of it as becommeth him to doe It is the witnesse of Christ Iohn 5. It is the candle of God shining in a darke place 2. Pet 1. It is the sword that the spirit furnisheth vs to fight against spiritual wickednesse Ephes. 6. ver 17. In a word let vs be wise like men who finde precious stones they goe to the Lapidars to trie the value vertue of the stones that are found for euery man hath not skill to judge of such precious things so let vs consider diligently what the Prophets and Apostles the very pen-men of the holy Ghoste haue spoken anent the written Worde of God and wee shall finde it a pearle of infinite value Matt. 13. This volume of the booke of the Worde is one of the two principall bookes wherein wee learne to knowe God as the Prophet declareth Psal. 19. In the booke of the workes we know the power diuinitie of God Rom. 1. but in the booke of the written worde of God we know the will of God and his fauour toward vs in Christ lesus and therfore the Prophet saith that the statutes of the Lord rejoyce the heart Psal. 19 ver 8. Satan knowing what profitc commeth to men by joyning these two volumes together hath laboured to separat them to the ende that men seeing the beautie of the creature should worship it in stead of the Creator And like as a ship that is spoiled of a prudent Pilot or shipmaster it is drowned in the sea euen so the worde of God when it directeth not the knowledge that men haue by the looking vpon the creature then men mal e shipwracke of their saluation and worshippe the creature in place of God the Creator of all things Another artifice of Satan is to separat the word and the Spirit which God hath joyned together as two vnseparable meanes to set vp the Kingdome of God in our hearts as the Prophet ISAIAS saith And I will make this
life Is there any euill that wee haue done that is not written with a penne of Yron and with the point of a Diamond in the booke of the conscience Ierem. 17. ver I These two bookes are perfite Ho but the thirde booke of the Lawe and written Worde of God is not perfite In the day of the Lordes blessed appearance wee shall finde it perfite containing all that wee should haue either done or beleeued Secondly they say that the Scriptures are difficill to be vnderstand and therefore should not bee reade by common people And indeede the Apostle PETER granteth that some places of the Epistles of PAVL are hard to bee vnderstood 2. Pet. 3. but hee biddeth no man for this abstaine from the reading of PAVLS Epistles To ouercome difficulties there are better remedies The blessed virgine the mother of our Lord when she vnderstood not Christes wordes she kept and pondered them in her heart Luc. 2. IVSTINVS MARTYR was admonished by an ancient and reuerent Christian to joyne prayer with reading that God would please to open the ports of light and vnderstanding that he might conceiue the true sense meaning of that he read Iustin dialog Tryphen CHRYSOSTOM in his preface vpon the Epist. to the Romanes declareth that if a man would acquaint himself familiarly with the scriptur by continuall exercise of reading he should the more easily vnderstand Scripture as he who is familiarly acquainted with his friend wil know by his nod or becken what is his meaning AVGVSTINE likewise saith that as there is difficill places in Scripture to exercise the vnderstanding of the strong so likewise there is plaine and easie passages of Scripture as pleasant medowes whereinto babes may securely walke August Aboue all the rest our master Christ Iesus hath taught vs by his owne example to confer Scripture with Scripture Math. 4. to the end we be not deceiued by Satans false glosses and commentaries vpon Scripture This is better then vpon occasion of difficultie to reject and cast away from vs a thing so necessarie Thirdly they say that the reading of Scriptures is dangerous to simple people because they may easily fall into an errour for fault of vnderstanding the right meaning of that which is reade I might answere compendiously that by this argument no man should reade sacred scripture neither learned nor vnlearned men For many learned men by reading Scripture and not vnderstanding it aright haue beene patrons of heresie such as ARRIVS MACEDONIVS NESTORIVS EVTHICHES and diuers others Also the very Monkes whose solitarie life and continuall exercise in reading and praying might seeme to exeeme them more then others from errour and heresie yet by mistaking the places of Scripture that spake of the eyes the nostrels the face of God the breath of God the arme of God they supponed God to bee fashioned according to the likenesse of a man And so both learned and vnlearned Priestes and people men liuing in townes and lurking in cottages of the wildernes haue erred through misvnderstanding of Scriptures Yet Scriptures must be reade by all true Christians and our meditation night and day must be vpon the Lawe of God Psal. 1. ver 2. Let vs here consider that some things are not necessarie vnto eternall life and when they are abused it is not amisse that they bee remooued and put out of the way such as the brasen serpent which HEZEKIAS brake in pieces and called it Nebustan 2 Reg. cap. 18. ver 4. But other things are so necessarie vnto eternall life that albeit they were a thousand times abused yet they cannot be forsaken such as is that foode that feedeth our soules vnto eternall life Ioh 6. for the which we are commanded continually to labour And like as when many thousands are poysoned in meate or drinke as it fell out in the armie of CONRADVS 3. yet necessitie compelleth men to cate and drinke cuen so we must reade and meditate vpon the written worde albeit infinit numbers of people haue beene miscatied by not taking vp the right sense and meaning of Scripture Now the cause wherefore so many accusations are forged against Scripture is this because it is the powerfull instrument of God whereby teachers of lying doctrine are conuicted and confounded Places of holy Scripture are like vnto the smooth stones that DAVID tooke out of the brooke and fastened one of them into the head of GOLIAH 1 Sam. 17. ver 49. Euen so Heretiques are so confounded by the testimonies of Scripture that aboue all things they hate Scripture This IRENEVS toucheth shortly spealing of Heretiques in these words Cùm ex Scripturis arguuntur in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum Scripturarum lib. 3. cap. 2. that is When they to wit Heretiques are argued by Scriptures they turne themselues to the accusation of Scrip tures Thieues do hate the light and traitours the face of a ludge and Heretiques hate Scripture the very axe that is laid to the root of their tree that it may be hewed down cast into the fire and vtterly abolished Notwithstanding of all these false accusations let vs fast adhere to the written Word The fathers that liued in the time of these ten persecutions counted the volume of holy Scripture so precious a treasure that they could willingly offer their bodies to bee burned with fire for the faith of Christ but they would not giue one page of the holy Scripture to be burned and if any man did it he was called proditor that is a betrayer and was counted a companion to the traitour IVDAS who betrayed his master which custome was the ground of that great and long-lasting controuersie betwene CECILIANVS B. of Carthage the Donatists For the Donatists alledged that he had admitted to an ecclesiasti cke office a man who in time of persecution had bene proditor had deliuered a volume of holy Scripture to be burned If we will not followe the zeale of ancient Christians I will set downe a more familiar example of an ancient and honourable Lady of blessed memorie My eares heard her call the Scripture the charter of our heauenly inheritance because we haue no right to heauen but only by the promises contained in the Scriptures of God No man wil be content to haue their charter rest out of their hande If any difficil question arise by reading of it they will send for a wise Lawier and seeke resolution at him but they will assuredly keepe and reade their owne charter Euen so saith the foresaid nobleLady Gods people should not haue bene debarred from reading the holy Scriptures of God the very true charter of their heauenly inheritance This written word is the shepherds staffe of Christ wherby we are comforted in our life vpholden euen when wee walke through the shadowe of death Psal. 23. ver 4. Which staffe Christe holdeth in his hande not for his owne sake as other shepherdes doe to rest vpon it and to relieue their
miserable to keepe in their bosomes the testimonies of their owne condemnation as the Jewes did who kept the bookes of MOSES and of the Prophets which beare testimonie of Christ Ioh. 5. yet they beleeued not in Christ they kept them indeede to our great profite but to their own just condemnation because they neither beleeued the promises of the worde neither were terrified with the threatnings of that same booke which they kept I pray God we may be better keepers of holy writings then the reprobate Jewes were In this controuersie to defend vnwritten traditions the bookes of ancient fathers are sifted and raked and infinite paines are taken to holde vp this maine and yet dayly decaying pillar of their kingdome It is not my purpose neither to defend nor to excuse euery thing that fathers haue written Onely I say in good conscience that great injurie is done to some of them by the Papistes namely to the most ancient father IRENEVS B. of Lions Hee striueth against VALENTINVS an Heretique and conuicteth him by tradition of the Churches which were thought in his time to be Apostolicke but the heades that he proueth by tradition are the principall articles of our faith That there is one God maker of heauen and earth and that Christ was borne of a virgin and suffered under Pontius Pslate and rose againe and was receiued into the brightnesse of glory and that hee shall come againe to saue such as are to be saued and to judge such as are to be judged c And such sort of traditions as are altogether agreable to holy Scriptures we contrauert not vpon Secondly IRENEVS had a conflict with Heretiques who regarded not scripture but saide they were ambiguous and doubtsome had no authority that tradition was more ancient then scripture and therefore necessitie compelled IRENEVS to fight against him with his owne weapons as PAVL did against the Athenians with testimonies of Poets Acts 17. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 2. cap. 3. Yet was it not IRENEVS purpose to prooue any thing repugnant to scripture The traditions which they reade of in other fathers if any be bound to keepe them it is they themselues who leane vnto them as a necessarie supplement of the want that is in scripture but they themselues will not be bound to the obseruation of them all but haue let many of them goe out of vse such as praying betweene Easter and Whitsonday not vpon their knees but standing on their feete to put them in remembrance of Christes resurrection such like three dippings in water whereof wee spake in the heade of antiquitie And after Baptisme the taste of a temper of milke and honie to signifie their spirituall infancie and many other traditions they haue suffcred to euanish and go out of vse so that we are the lesse bound to them To drawe vnto an ende of this treatise It may be demanded Was not tradition at some time in honourable regard in the house of God and how it commeth to passe that now in the last age of the world we wil bring al traditions vnto the balance of the written word counting light all these traditions that are not agreable to the Scriptures For answere vnto this question we shall distinguish the worlde into three ages and speake of the force of tradition in euery age Godwilling In the first age of the world from ADAM to the flood of NOE tradition had the greater place because the Worde ' of God was not as yet written but God spake by Oracles to ADAM and that which the Lorde spake to him hee deliuered it by faithfull tradition to his postēritie Nowe in this first age it cannot be denied but tradition had great place and to the ende the faith of the posteritie should not leane vpon the naked report of their fathers as vpon an vncertaine ground it pleasedGod to bestow vpō these fathers of the first age two great priuiledges First they were indued with the spirite of prophecie for ADAM prophecied of secret things that were done when hee was sleeping Gen. 2 ver 23 And HENOCH the seuinth from ADAM prophecied in the first age of the world of things that are to be done in the last age of the world Epist. Iud ver 14. 15. And LAMECH prophecied of his sonne NOAH Gen. 5. Beside this God bestowed vpon these fathers long life so that ADAM liued vntill he deliuered the Oracle of God spoken vnto him to HENOCH and HENOCH liued till he deliuered the same to LAMECH and LAMECH to NOE so that NOE needed not to bee in doubte whether the reporte of his fathers concerning the Oracle spoken to ADAM was true or not because it was conueied to him by the handes of faithfull witnesses of vnsuspect credite yea holie Prophets deliuered the holie Oracle of GOD to NOE and holie Prophct of GOD also as they were In the second age of the world it pleased God to register his blessed will in write in the dayes of MOSES and then tradition was nothing else but a page and handmaide to the written worde of God For true it is that God commanded fathers to tell their posteritie the wonderful works of God in slaying the first borne of Egypt and sparing the first borne of the I ewes Exod. 13. ver 8. yet this tradition of fathers to their children was agreable to the word of God written by MOSES in so far that the posteritie beleeued not the writings of MOSES because they were agreable to the report of their fathers but rather the reporte of their fathers because it was agreable to the worde of God written by MOSES and so tradition in this age was a page and handmaide to the written worde of God neither doe wee reade after the worde was written that God commanded fathers to tell anything to their children that was not expresly contained in the written word of God In the last age of the world we should be more attentiuely addicted to the written worde and lesse to tradition in regard the Apostles were moued to put the summe of their most wholesome doctrine in write because their doctrine was not rightly reported euen by those who heard the Apostles teach as said is And if the writing of the summe of their wholesome doctrine was a remedie deuised by the Apostles themselues against false traditions wrong reports of Apostolicke doctrine what injurie doe we to the Romaine Church when we examine al their traditions by the rule of the writtē word that which is not agreable to the written word wee reject it as a doctrine neither catholicke nor Apostolicke because that it is found light when it is weighed in the just balance of the written word of God Now consider howe damnable an inclination is in this our corrupt nature When God reueiled his blessed will by tradition men were not attentiue to it but preferred their lust vnto the will of God reueiled by tradition for the sonnes of
God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and tooke wiues vnto themselues whome they liked Gen 6. ver 2. And on the other parte when God will needes reueile his blessed will by the written word then will wee flie to vn writteÌ„ traditions euen to such as be repugnaÌ„t to the writteÌ„ word And so men become like to a shadow wheÌ„ the sun shineth in the East the shadow goeth toward the West when the sunne goeth down in the West the shadow inclineth to the East so do men obstinatly repine against the wil ofGod Beside this wee are to consider what great detriment hath ensued vpon those who leauing the certaintie of the written worde leaned vpon the vncertaintie of Apostolicke traditions Beside PAPIAS B. of Hicrapolis who fell into the errour of the Chiliasts CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS trauailed through many nations but tooke better heed to tradition then to the written word of God whereby it came to passe that he filled his bookes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with most vngodly and foolish opinions as hath bene declared in the historie of his life When we haue said all that we can say that place of the second epistle to the The ssalonians cap. 2. ver 15. ringeth so lowd in their eares that they can heare nothing that soundeth to the contraric wherefore we are to consider the illatiue words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is therefore which coupleth this verse with the preceeding text wherinto the Apostle admonished the Thessalonians of the comming of the Antichrist whose comming is after the working of Satan in all power and signes and lying wonders ver 9. And his comming shall be so strengthened by the hand of the deuil that he cannot be borne downe but by the breath of the mouth of God and brightnesse of his comming Now to the ende that the poore handful of the sheepe of Christ may be saued from the deceite of the Antichrist hee exhorteth them to adhere fast vnto the Apostolicke doctrine which they had receiued both by word and write Scripture is abused when it is wrested to another sense different froÌ„ the meaning of the writer but it is more abused when it is drawen to the cleane contrarie sense This place is set downe to teach vs to beware of the deceit of the Antichrist by fast adhering to the Apostolick doctrine but the Papists abuse it to make vs beleeue that their traditions repugnant to the word of God should haue alike authoritie with the writren word of God which is the ready way to fall into the snare of the Antichrist and not to be fred from his deceits To conclude like as DAVID did great honour to ABISHAI when as in great matters of weight importance hee tooke him to be his follower to viewe the host of SAVL 1. Sam. 26. ver 7. euen so God doth great honour to his holy scriptures when he vseth them as an instrument to doe his great works by them Christ reigneth as a King and he hath made his word to be the scepter of his kingdome Psal. 110. Christ is the shepheard of our soules the word is his shepheards staffe Ps. 23. Christ is the builder of his fathers house the word is the measuring line of the building Christ is our Sauiour and the word of God is the power of God to saluation toeuery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. ver 16. Seeing Christ hath done so great honour to the scriptures what are we that we should regard any thing spoken in the contrary God graunt wee may conforme our selues to the will of Christ Amen Of the doctrine of Deuils THe Heretiques called Gnostici disallowed mariage allowed fornication and the Heretiques called Encratite damned the eating of flesh and drinking of wine as a sinne and abhorred the Epistles of PAVL as hath beene declared in the historie and the Romanists themselues acknowledge that Gnostici and Encratitae were Heretiques and taught a doctrine of deuils as likewise the Manicheis of whome we shall speake in the next Centurie Godwilling but the doctrine of the Romaine church concerning prohibition of mariage and meates is different from the doctrine of Gnostici Encratitae and Manichaei True it is there is some difference concerning persons times some other circumstances For the Heretiques called Gnostici damned mariage in all persons the Romaine church damneth it only in the person of Priests men hauing church orders Likewise Eucratitae damned at all times the eating of flesh drinking of wine but the church of Rime only prohibits the eating of flesh at certaine seasons and vpon certaine dayes such as in Lent and vpon Fryday c and that without prohition of drinking of wine moderatly Thirdly the Manicheis counted the good creatures of God flâ—…sh and wine to be in themselues polluted and vncleane but the Romaine church thinketh not so but for memorie of the Lordes suffering for mortification of the flesh for preparation to receiue the sacraments and for testimonie of obedience to the vicar of Christ successor of PETER it is necessary to abstaine in maner abouewritten This difference is cast in to exeeme the Romaine church from the imputation of the doctrine of deuils yet is not the difference very great for the Romaine church forbiddeth mariage meats to some men at all times and to all men at sometimes but consider againe that differences of magis and minus that is of more and lesse doe declare a communion rather then a contrarietie as IRENEVS speaketh Plu. minus non de his dicitur quae inverse communionem non habent sunt contrariae naturae pugnant aduersus se sed de his quae sunt ejusdem substantiae communicant secum solum autem altitudine magnitudine differunt lib. 4. cap. 22. As a litle water and a litle fire differeth from a great water and a great fire not in substance but in quantitie euen so the Papistes differ from the Manicheis not in substance but in the discrepance of Plus and Minus The wordes of the Apostle are the ground whereupon all this treatise is founded Nowe the Spirite speaketh euidâ—…ntly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing beede vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of deuils speaking lies in hypocrisie hauing their conscience seared with an hote yrone forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiuâ—…d with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue and kâ—…ow the trueth for euery creature of God is good and nothing to bee refusâ—…d if it be receiued with thankâ—…sgiuing 1. Tim. 1. 2. 3 4. In these words the Popish church will grant that the Mam. hets and other forenamed Heretiques are damned but they denie that these predictions of the holy Apostle doe damne the doctrine of the Romaine church anent forbidding of mariage to some persons and meates at some times as a doctrine of deuils crying out that it is not to be
after many torments was in end laid vpon the altar whereupon they vsed to offer sacrifice to idols while there was yet some streÌ„gth in his hande they put franckincense into his right hande thinking that he would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and sacrificed but he endured the torment patiently saying the words of the Psalme 145. Blessed be the Lord who teacheth mine hands to fight In end LICINIVS made warre against CONSTANTINE and being diuerse times ouercome both by sea and land he yeelded himselfe at length and was sent to Thessalia to liue a priuate life where he was slaine by the souldiers SO CONSTANTINE obtained the whole empire alone Here ende the ten persecutions CENT III. Cap. 2. TO VICTOR succeeded ZEPHYRINVS the 14. Bishop of Rome who liued in that charge 8. yeres 7. months 10. dayes Platin. EVSEBIVS attributeth vnto him 18. yeeres Euseb. lib 6 cap. 21. so vncertaine is the computation of the yeeres of the gouernement of the Bishops of Rome EVSEBIVS writeth nothing of his decretall epistles and these that are forged by late writers are foolish and ridiculous Consecration of the holy cuppe in a vessel of glasse alanerly A Bishop to bee accused before honest Iudges twelue in number whome the Bishop himselfe shall chuse if neede bee honest and vnspotted witnesses to bee heard in his cause no fewer then 72. conforme and aboue the number of these 70. disciples whome Christ adjoyned as fellow-labourers in preaching with his Apostles And finally that no definitiue sentence should bee pronounced against a Bishop vntill the time his cause were heard of the Patriarch of Rome This is but a mocking of the Church of God to attribut such swelling pride such vnaccustomed formes of judicatorie such defensiue armour fencing and gwarding vnrighteous men against just deserued punishment vnto the simplicitie of an ancient Church humbled vnder the crosse and sighing vnder the yocke of heauie and long-lasting afflictions These false and forged decretall epistles altogether vnknowne to the fathers who liued before the dayes of CONSTANTINE will procure one day a decreete and sentence of wrath against these who haue giuen out new inuented lies vnder the names of ancient and holy fathers The canons of the Apostles albeita booke falsly attributed to the Apostles doe agree better with scripture then the constitution of ZEPHYRINVS For the Scripture saith that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shall bee confirmed Matt. 18 ver 16. The Canons of the Apostles say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let not an Heretique be admitted to beare witnesse against a Bishoppe neither yet one witnesse alanerly albeit hee bee faithfull because that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shall be confirmed Canon Apost cap. 74. The writer of the Canons of the Apostles had some remembrance of the words of Scripture but the forger of the decretall epistles of ZEPHYRINVS is like vnto a ship-man who hath hoised vp his saile and auanced his ship so far into the sea that hee hath tint the sight of lande and townes as the Poet speaketh Provehimur Pelago terraeque vâ—…besque recedunt Surely this lying fellowe who euer hee hath bene that hath written this supposititious decretall epistle of ZEPHYRINVS hee hath hoised vp his saile and is so bent to lie that he hath tint both sight and remembrance of the words of holy scripture CALLISTVS the 15. Bishop of Rome continued in his charge 5. yeeres Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 6. cap. 21. PLATINA saith 6 yeeres 10. months 10. dayes The fable of Pope DAMASVS who affirmeth that CALLISTVS builed a Church to the honour of the virgine MARIE beyond Tyber is rejected by PLATINA himselfe because the historie of the time clearely prooueth that in the daies of SEVERVS and his sonnes the conuentions of the Christians could not haue bene in magnificke temples but rather in obscure chappels or subterraneall places so that the multiplied number of lies written of the Bishops of Rome who liued in this age and the decretall epistles falsly attributed vnto them plainely proue that the garment of antiquitie vnder the lap whereof Papistes would so faine lurke is altogether inlacking to them VRBANVS 1. was the 16. Bishoppe of Rome He continued in his office eight yeeres saith Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 22. PLATINA foure yeeres ten months twelue dayes Of his martyrdome EVS EBIVS maketh no mention Others who record his martyrdome are not certaine in what Emperours dayes hee was martyred Iproceede to his successour PONTIANVS the 17. B. of Rome He continued in his charge 9. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes Platin Euseb. saith 6. yeeres He was banished to the Isle Sardinia where he died Of the two decretall epistles ascribed vnto him the second is generall written to al men who feare and loue God the very first words of it prooue it to be false forged Pontianus sanctae uniuersalis Ecclesiae Episcopus c. that is PONTIANVS Bâ—…shop of the holy vniuersall Church to all them who feare loue God wisheth welfare Tom. 1. Concil Such magnificke stiles as these were not as yet in vse and when they crept in into the Church afterward they were giuen by persons who admired the vertues of some singulare and rare men such as CYPRIAN and ATHANASIVS and EVSEBIVS but no man did vsurpe such proud and arrogant titles of dignitie in his owne writings direct to other Christians and therefore the learned reject this epistle as composed by some late vnlearned and flattering fellowe After PONTIANVS succeeded ANTERVS the 18 B. of Rome to whome EVSEBIVS assigneth but one mouth of continuance in his ministrie lib. 6. cap. 29. DAMASVS assigneth to him 12. yeeres PLATINA 11. yeeres 1 month 12. dayes and this diuersitie of counting cannot be reconciled Next to ANTERVS succeeded FABIANVS the 19. Bishop of Rome vpon whose head a doue lighted when the people were coÌ„sulting anent the election of a Bishop therfore with full consent of the wholeCongregation he was declared to be theirBishop The people at this time were so far from beeing secluded froÌ„ giuing their consent to the electioÌ„ of him who should be ordained their Pastour that the consent of the people had the principall swey in the election of Pastours Func Chron Commentar He suffered martyrdome vnder the reigne of DECIVS the 7 great persecuter after hee had continued in his office 14. yeeres 11. months 11. dayes Platin de vit Many constitutions made by him are cited by GRATIANVS insert Tom 1. Concil One of them I cannot pâ—…sse by We constitute that vpon euery Lordes day the oblation of the altar shall be made by euery man and Woman both of bread and wine to the end that by these oblations they may be deliuerea from the heapes of their sinnes First marke in this constitution that the bread and wine which the people brought with them vpon the Lords day for
an vncleane thing it might haue debarred men from entering into holy offices but if it be a cleane thing it cannot exclude them after they haue entered The other decreet alledged out of Gratian dist 79. Oportebat ut haec c. that by the constitution of PETER and his successours it was ordained that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome no other Such stiles of preeminence are vnknowne to scripture and to the antiquitie of this time XISTVS or SIXTVS the 2. of that name and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to STEPHANVS and gouerned 2. yeeres 10 months 23. dayes Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 27. And Func Chron 11. yeeres such vncertaintie is in counting the yeeres of their administration The chaire of Rome through the vehemencie of persecution was vacant without a successour one yere 11 months 15. dayes as DAMASVS granteth and ONVPHRIVS the corrector of PLATINA cannot denie If the Bishop of Rome be the head of the Church then was the Church headlesse almost for the space of two yeeres To XISTVS 2. succeeded DIONYSIVS the 24 Bishop of Rome and continued in his ministration 9. yeere according to the computation of EVSEBIVS DAMASVS assigneth vnto him 6. yeeres 2. months MARIANVS 6. yeeres 5. months such certaintie is in the maine and principall ground of the Romaine faith anent the succession of the Romaine Bishops that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde anent the time of their succession To DIONYSIVS succeeded FELIX 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome gouerned 5. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. Hee liued in the dayes of AVRELIAN the 9. persecuter and obtained the honour of martyrdome Platin. In the three supposititious decretall epistles assigned to him the second epistle written to the Bishops of the Prouinces of France very sollicitously careth for Bishops that they be not accused by secular men but with so many caueats as in effect exeemeth them from all accusation The language whereinto the epistle is dited cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age he being a Romaine borne as PLATINA writeth Pustquam ipse ab its charitativè conventus fuerit Adsummos primates causa ejus canonicè deferatar Concilium regularâ—…ter convocare debâ—…bunt c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that PETER was a man of Galile Mat. 26. ver 73. then the first of these three phrases manifesteth that the foresaide epistle was compiled into a time of great barbaritie EVTYCHIANVS the 26. B. of Rome followed after FELIX 1. He continued scarce ten months in his ministrie Euseb lib. 7. cap. 32. CAIVS the 27. B. of Rome succeeded to EVTYCHIANVS continued 15. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. Func Chron He liued in the dayes of the persecution of DIOCLETIAN lurked for a time in subterraneall places In end he was found out by the persecuters and put to death and with him his brother GABINIVS his brothers daughter SVSANNA suffered martyrdome Platin de vit Here it is to be marked that many martyres died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of DIOCLETIANS reigne For MARCELLINVS succeeded to CAIVS Ann 298. Func but the cruel edicts of the persecutioÌ„ of DIOCLETIAN were not set forth before the 308. yere of our Lord. Wherby it appeareth euidently that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour DIOCLETIAN So hard was the outward estate of Christians that they were put to death vpon the warrant of the edicts of VALEPIAN AVRELIAN before the edicts of DIOCLETIAN MAXIMIAN came forth To CAIVS is attributed the constitutioÌ„ of ecclesiasticall orders degrees by which men must mount vp to the dignitie of a Bishop First he must be Ostiarius next Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acoluthus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter last of all Episcopus Platin decret Caii ex lib. Pontif. Damasi This order of ascending by degrees to the dignitie of a Bishop is confidently referred to the constitution of the Apostles but I say Beatus quinon crediâ—… that is happie is he who beleeneth it not Like as within scripture there is no lie so likewise without scripture there is no trueth in matters of faith ordering of maners appointing of ecclesiastical offices al that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God But nowe to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie and to let euery man see what vnlearned Asses they haue bene who haue set foorth the fained decretall epistles of the fathers of this age In the epistle written by CAIVS to the Bishop FELIX aboue-mentioned he saith If any man of what dignitie so euer he be delate such persons viz. Bishops Elders Deacons for faultes that cannot bee prooued let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution he shall be counted infamous This constitution hath three partes First that no ecclesiasticall person should be accused before a secular Iudge Secondly if any accusation be intended against Bishop Elder of Deacon it should be qualified by sufficient probation Thirdly if the accuser succumbe in probation he should be counted infamous how eminent so euer his dignitie and estate shall be The compiler of this supposititious decretall epistle had no consideration of the time whereinto CAIVS liued It was a time of persecution Christian Bishops were continually drawne before seculare Iudges accused of odious crimes wherof they were most innocent CAIVS himself was compelled to lurke a long time in a subterraneal caue At this time to bring in CAIVS as it were sitting in a throne coÌ„manding that no B should be accused before a secular Iudge c. what is this else but profusion of words without judgement and vnderstanding If this decretall epistle had beene attributed to BONIFACIVS 8. GREGORIVS 7. ALEXANDER 3. it had bene a more competent time and the constitution had seemed more probable to the reader Moreouer the language is like vnto the matter it selfe Intelligat jactur am infamiae se sustinere in place of jacturam famae MARCELLINVS the 28. B. of Rome succeeded to CAIVS ruled 9. yeeres Platin Func Chron he fainted in time of the persecution of DIOCLETIAN and sacrificed to idoles but afterward he repented as PETER did gaue his life for the testimonie of Christ. He who accuseth himselfe closeth all other mens mouths from accusation of him hee who truly repenteth by his repentance is restored to all the dignities of the children of God which were lost by sinne hee who suffered martyrdome for Christ and he whose body lacked the honour of buriall for the space of 30. dayes for the cause of Christ alanerly this man I say his name should be kept in reuerent remembrance as if he had not fallen After MARCELLINVS succeeded MARCELLVS
entred into the land of Canaan the Iewes might say that their Church was holier then all the Churches in our daies if holines be esteemed according to the multitude of reliques Let vs now set forward and declare when this corruption of worshipping of reliques crept in into the Church of God In the Apostles dayes no such thing In time of the ten persecutions was burying of Martyrs and celebration of Natalitia Martyrum as hath bene declared From the three hundreth yeere of our Lord till the foure hundreth almost till the fiue hundreth yere there was some transporting of holy mens bones to be buried in a more honorable place as said is but not worshipping There were torches and waxe candles caried to the sepulchres of the martyrs which custome was disallowed by some and excused by others there was also banquetting at the sepulchres of the Martyrs which custome hath not great allowance of AVGVSTINE de moribus ecclesiae catholicae cap. 34. for he thought that some of them who banquetted in such places buried themselues aboue buried men Yet all this time no worshipping of reliques But after the fiue hundreth yeere of our Lord in the daies of ANASTASIVS IVSTINVS the elder IVSTINIAN IVSTINVS the yonger TIBERIVS MAVRITIVS PHOCAS c. superstition began to abound and reliques were worshipped and the very pens of ecclesiasticall writers who wrote the historie of that time such as EVAGRIVS smell of superstition We reade that the crosse of Christ was caried through Apamia worshipped Euag. lib 4. cap. 26. The reliques of S. SEBASTIAN were caried out of Rome to Ticinum laid vpon an altar for staying of the deuouring plague PAVLVS DIACONVS de gestis Longobard lib. 6. cap 2. SERGIOPOLIS is saide to bce preserued from the furie of COSROES king of Persia by the vertue and holinesse of the reliques of the martyre SERGIVS gEuagr lib. 4 cap. 28. Yea the blind guides of this time were not content to fill the world with the reliques of the Saints but also to ground this opinion in the peoples hearts that these reliques ought to be worshipped they found out a thousand lieing miracles so that it was fulfilled that was spoken by the Apostle PAVL that the comming of the Antichrist should be by the operation of Satan in all power and sigâ—…es and Wonders of lying 2 Thess. 2. ver 9 Surely at this time the fore-runners of the Antichrist were ryding poste and busilie preparing the way to that man of sin and child of perdition and therefore lying miracles were neuer more frequent then at this time The miracle wrought at Apamia in the bearing about of the crosse by THOMAS Bishop of Apamia is more regarded then many other miracles because EVAGRIVS witnesseth that he himselfe was present in the town and that he saw the bearing about of the crosse Likewise that he saw a fire compassing the crosse and the Bishop THOMAS whithersoeuer he went and that this sight was more miraculous that this fire had a shining vertue to encrease light but not a consuming power to offend the Bishop that bare the crosse And the sight of this miracle so mooued the heart of EVACRIVS that he himselfe fell down worshipped the crosse that was in the hands of THOMAS Bishop of Apamia To this I giue these answers First that EVAGRIVS in describing the deliuerie of Apamia from the expected siege of COSROES King of Persia and the miraculous deliuerance of SERGIOPOLIS and EDESSA two townes besieged indeed is so fabulous that he deserueth no more credit in this narration then in the description of the life of BARS ANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke of whom EVAGRIVS writeth that he inclosed himselfe within a shop beside Gaza fiftie yeeres seene of no man and vsing no kind of earthly thing that is neither meat drinke raiment nor any other refreshment of earthly things Euagr. lib. 4. cap. 33. He who can excuse this ouersight of EVAGRIVS let him accuse me that I giue not credite to all that EVAGRIVS writeth Secondly the authority of THOMAS Bishop of Apamia EVAGRIVS an ecclesiastical writer are both nothing in comparisoÌ„ of the authoritie of AMBROSE who was nerer vnto the Apostles dayes tooke better attendance to the scriptures of God then EVAGRIVS did he writeth of HELENA the mother of CONSTANTINE who is saide to haue found out the crosse wheron Iesus suffered yet he saith of her Regem adoravit non lignum that is shâ—… worshipped the king not the tree for that had bene saith he the error of Ethnickes the vanitie of vngodly people Ambros. de obitu Theodosu Thirdly I affirme that in scripture is set downe two sortes of lying miracles both are to be misregarded alike 1. false miracles wherein the senses of men only are deluded but nothing wroght neither contrarie to nature nor aboue nature such as were the miracles wrought by the sorcerers of Egypt Exod. 7. 8 9. Other miracles are called lying miracles not because the senses of men are deluded but because they are brought forth by the operatioÌ„ of Satan to coÌ„firme a lying doctrine Deut. 13. 1. 23 And in 2. Thess. cap. 2. 9. they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are both wrought and alledged to confirme a doctrine of lies In this rancke let vs eount the miracle cited by EVAGRIVS Finally I say that if the coÌ„fidence in the crosse was so powerful as to stay COSROES king of Persia froÌ„ besieging Apamia why was it not also as powerful the people remaining no lesse superstitious theÌ„ they were afore to saue Apamia froÌ„ the siege of ADAARMANES the captain of the armie of COSROES who afterward tooke the towne of Apamia set it on fire Euagr. lib. 5. cap. 10. Notwithstanding of their confidence in the crosse this superstitioÌ„ was no defence vnto them but rather fuell to augment the flame of the wrath and indignation of God against them And thus I leaue EVAGRIVS sporting himselfe with his own conceits wherof what account I make I haue already declared In end Satan counting the ignorance of mankinde to be his gaining brought in false reliques into the world which were worshipped with no lesse reuerence and deuotion then the true reliques were And Satan vsed the world as the Philistimâ—… vsed SAMSON Iudg. 16. First they bound him secondly they pulled out his eyes thirdly they compelled him to grind in their mil and last of all they made a play-soole of him But when they were at the hight of their contempt then suddenly came their destruction Euen so after that Satan had bound the world with the bands of idolatrie and blindfolded them and made them to serue in vile and filthy offices in end with false and forged reliques he would mak a playfoole of the world but then in the mercie of God the kingdome of the deuill began to be shaken and ouerturned The coat of Christ his purple garment his
dâ—…liuered not the subscriptions foresaide yet hee constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emp. both admired and commended his constancie Barses bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the reigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose trauailes GOD wonderfullie blâ—…ssed to the conuersion of many soules to the kingdome of GOD Theodulus bishop of Trianopolis Amphilochius bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia Pelagius Laodicenus whose name is the more famous for his insolent fact for he maried a young woman the first night after her mariage hee perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sone of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposition of the hands of an Arrian bishop Leâ—…oius bishop of Meletina in Arâ—…enia who brunt the Monastrees or rather as Theodoretus writes the Dennes of theeues whereinto the Heretiques called Massaliani had their abiding Ephem Syrus a man borne in Nisibis brought vp in the wildernesse was counted a famous Writer in the Syriah language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in companie with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because hee maried a young woman procreated three children with her and in end left her and entered into a Manastrie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebennius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine reuelation the places were manifested whereinto the bodies of the Prophets Habacâ—…k and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers already become that the searching out of thinges nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascriued to diuine reuelations The judicious reader will pardon mee that I write not in particulare of the liues of aâ—…l the fore-mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short COMPEND cannot permit it to bee done Bishops and Doctors in Africke IN Africke ouer and besides the Bishops of Alexandria was Didymus a Doctor of the schoole of Alexandria who through occasion of a dolour that fell into his eyes became blind from his very youth Yet by continuall exercise of his minde hee became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all thinges the exact knowledge of diuine SCRIPTURES made him a terrour to the Arrians Manie doe write that the verie last period of time whereinto Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was reuealed to Didymus in a dreame and that hee againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the reigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward hee became a Christian and craued to bee baptized Christian Bishops linguered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had bene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet hee freede himselfe from all suspition of Paganisme by writing bookes wherein hee confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our LORD 330. Anent the suffering of our LORD hee writes verie judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne beames cannot bee cutted Euen so in the suffering of CHRIST the diuine Nature suffered noe paine Lactantius Firmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Maister yet it is thought that hee impugned errours with greater dexteritie then hee confirmed the Doctrine of the Trueth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his penne against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurde assertion hee clearelie refutes First whereas the Donatistes affirmed that the CHURCH of CHRIST was onely to bee founde in a corner of Africke Hee refutes it by Scripture wherein it is written Aske of mee and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the endes of the worldâ—… for thy possession This place proues the CHURCH to bee Catholicke Also whereas they saide that Baptisme was not auaileable except some of their sect had beene present at the administration thereof hee answereth That when GOD first created the Element of water the presence of the Trinitie was powerfull in operation to create water albeit none of the Donatistes were then present Euen so the Trinitie can worke effectually in Baptisme albeit none of the Donatistes bee present Yea and that it was GOD the author of Baptisme and not the Minister that did sanctifie according as it is written Wash mee and I shall bee whiter then the snowe c. Bishops and Doctors of Europe ACHOLIUS Bishop of Thessalonica baptized the Emperour Theodosius after here returned from the slaughter of Maximus The Emp. fell sicke by the way before hee came to Constantinople and was desirous to be baptized Neuerthelesse he would not suffer Acholius to baptize him vntill he was assured that Acholius was not spotted with the Airian Heresie After baptisme the Emperour recouered his health againe Acholius was brought vp in Monastries like as Epiphanius many other worthie men were brought vp Hilarius Bishop of Poitiers in FRANCE liued vnder the reigne of Constantius a man in Religion constant in maners meeke and courteous Hee was banished immediately after the Councill of Millane to Phrygia as some suppose Theodoretus writeth that hee was banished to Thebaida and relieued againe from banishment vnder Iulian. But it is more apparent that hee remained in Phrygia vntill the Councill of Seleucia vnto which Councill he was brought from banishment not by any speciall commandement from the Emp. but by a generall commandement giuen to his deputie Leonas to assemble together the Bishops of the East Vnder pretence of obeying this commandement Hilarius beeing banished in the East was brought to the Councill of Seleucia from Seleucia he went to Constantinople The Emp. refused to heare him reason with the Arrians in the matters of Faith but gaue him liberty to returne to his owne countrey againe Hee tooke great paines to purge the countrey of FRANCE from the poison of Arrian heresie and he preuailed so farre that Ierom compares him to Deucalion who both sawe the flood of waters ouer-flowing Thessalia and the abating of them also Euen so Hilarius sawe both the growth and decay of Arrianisme in FRANCE Hee liued sixe yeeres after his returning from banishment and concluded his life vnder the reigne of Valentinian Ambrose the sonne of Symmachus was a man of noble parentage vnder the Emp. Valentinian he was gouernour of Liguria At this time Auxentius bishop of Millane an Arrian died Great sedition was in the towne for the election of a newe bishop euery man contending to haue a bishop chosen of that faith which he himselfe best liked Ambrose fearing the vndoing of the towne by this intestine contention exhorted them to unitie and concord with words and reasons so perswasiue that
Malachie who saieth Cursed bee the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the LORD a corrupt thing This grounde being first laide that the principall purpose where â—…t the Prophet aimeth is not vnknowne it is the more eâ—…sie to step toâ—… to the wordes The Prophet bringes in the Lord saying Call vpon mee in the dry of thy trouble c This presupponeth that wee shall bee exercised with manifolde troubles as our maister CHRIST IESUS was crowned with thornes before hee was crowned with glorie yea and that wee shall bee so dashed with the vehement tempest of troubles that except wee bee well taught in the Schoole of GOD wee shall not know what hand to turne vs vnto as the ship-man did who sailed with Jonas euery man prayed to his owne GOD onely Ionas who was taught in the right Schoole directed his prayers to the liuing GOD who made the Heauen the Earth and was heard when he prayed out of the Whales bellie Nowe seeing that GOD inuiteth vs to bee his Disciples and hee will teach vs to whom and in what maner wee should pray in time of our troubles let vs lend our eare to our great School-maister not be ashamed to opeÌ„ our eâ—…re and to bind vp our mouth with silence when the LORD speaketh and count all the speeches of Fathers that repugne vnto this great Oracle of GOD to be like vnto eares of corne withered thinne and blasted with the East wind wherein there is no nourishing food In the second part of this Treatise it is to bee proued that Prayer is a spirituall sacrifice onely to bee offered to GOD and to none other neither in Heauen nor in earth for three principall reasons First in Scripture wee are taught to pray to him onely in whom wee trust and consequently to pray onelie to GOD. The Apostle Paul saith But howe shall they call on him in whom they haue not belâ—…eued Yea and the Prophet Ieremie saith Cursed bee hee that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his ariâ—…e and with-dr weth his heart from the LORD GOD is the just proprietare and owner of our soules for hee hath bought and purchased them with his owne blood and the LORD wil part stakes with no man neither can hee admit a corriual in points of his honour as the naturall mother coulde not abide to see her sonne diuided because hee appertained totally and wholly vnto her selfe so can not GOD abide that his glory be giuen vnto another or yet that any part of that thing that is once dedicated to GOD should bee conuerted to another use In holy Scripture wee reade of three moste abominable Altars to wit of the Aâ—…tar of Damascus and the Altar of Bethel and the Altar at Athens to the vnknowne GOD. The Altar of Damascus was abominable because it was builded to the worship of a false god The Altar of Bethel was abominable because on it the true GOD was worshipped in a forbidden maner And the Altar of Athens to the vnknowne GOD was abominable because they neither knew whom they worshipped nor yet the right maner of his worshipping Therefore in the matter of the worshipping of GOD let vs set our compasse right lest a little aberration procure a great ship-wracke and in the matter of Prayer let vs call vpon him onely in whome wee trust as wee are taught by the holy Apostle And let vs offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to GOD through IESUS CHRIST The seconde argument whereby I proue that our prayers should bee made onely to GOD is this Wee should pray only to him who is Omnipotent and can support vs in al our distresses ergo wee ought to pray onely to GOD. The antecedent of this argument is euident by the latter part of that short prayer indited by CHRIST to his Disciples For thine is the Kingdome and the Power and the Glory for euer In that short forme of perfect prayer the first words leadeth vs to a consideration of the loue of GOD toward vs who is content to be our Father in IESUS CHRIST In the last wordes his power is described to bee infinite such as becommeth him who is King of Heauen and Earth who like as hee hath made all thinges so likewise hath hee an absolute Souereignitie ouer all thinges both in Heauen and in Earth Now that Omnipotencie is an attribute onely belonging to the diuine nature the very Gentiles could not denie it who attributed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onlie to God And it is certaine that all the Angels of Heauen could not haue supported the disasterous estate of man after his fall if God himselfe had not put hande to worke who onely knew the way howe his justice and mercy coulde kisse one another in the person of the Mediator Therefore seeing God onely is Omnipotent and none but hee what fooles are wee to put our trust vnder the shadow of the bramble as the Sichemites did and not to dwell in the secrete of the moste High and abide in the shadow of the Almightie I doe no wrong to the Angels in Heauen when I compare them to brambles in comparison of the eternall God their power is finite and bounded thâ—…ir prouident care ouer vs hath a beginning namely the time of their employment whereinto GOD appointed them to attend vpon vs but the power of GOD is infinite in his prouident care he appointed a kingdome for vs before the foundation of the worlde was laide Let vs therefore trust vnder this shadow of the Almighty and call vpon him in whom we trust Thirdly it may bee proued that wee should pray to GOD onely and to none other because their is neither commandemeÌ„t nor example nor promise to be heard in Scripture except that prayers bee made to the Creator onely and not vnto the creatures of GOD. And in this argument I find that some learned Papists giue ouer reasoning in the contrary and they render reasons wherefore there is no example in the old or new Testament of Inuocation of Saints namely this that in the old Testament the-Patriarchs and Prophets who departed this life went not presently to Heauen and had not the fruition of the presence of GOD incontinent but they went to Limbus patrum where their soules remained vntill CHRIST died and arose againe from death and then hee carried their soules to Heauen And this is the cause say they wherefore there is no example found in the old Testament of Inuocation of Saintes Likewise they say concerning the new Testament that if the Apostles had set downe any precept concerning Inuocation of Saintes it woulde haue seemed vnto the people that they were desirous that this honour should bee done vnto themselues after their death These are the foolish conjectures of Eccius Neuertheles the places that Papists cite out of Scripture to proue inuocation of Saints declare with what
conscience a great number of them entrea◅e this argument In like maner the factes and wordes of ancient Fathers are miserably abused When Papistes reade in the Epistles of Augustine that the Emperour went vnto the tombe of the Apostle Peter sometime a fisher and laide aside his Emperiall Diademe and humbly bowed his knees and prayed at the sepulchre of P◅ter they clap their handes and shout for joy as if their cause were wonne But such transparent visardes will blind no mans eyes except onely the eyes of simple ignorant people and the eyes of those who are wilfully blinded because the praying at the sepulchre of Peter will not proue that the Emperour prayed vnto Peter but onely to GOD. And this custome was the more tolerable because Christians for the space of three hundreth yeeres were accustomed to heare GODS worde preached to receiue the Sacramentes yea and to pray in such places whereinto Martyres had glorified GOD by patient suffering of death for CHRISTES sake In all these actions they worshipped GOD whose worde they hearde preached in that place whose blessed Sacraments they receiued also in that place and they bowed their knees and prayed to GOD and not to the Martyres in that place yea and when the persecution ceased and Temples were builded there was a reuerent commemoration of the names of the Martyres without any inuocation and praying vnto them as Augustine expresly declareth Nowe let this grounde bee deepely setled and rooted in our heartes that GOD is the onely Fountaine and giuer of all good giftes who also knoweth all our miseries and is Omnipotent and can support them at such time as his Majestie knoweth to be expedient For the vision of GOD as saith the Prophet hath the owne appointed time and at the last it shall speake and not lie though it tarie Waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay And so much the more let vs with patient expectation awaite vpon the support that commeth from the throne of the grace of GOD because the LORD neuer commeth to vs with an emptie hande and neuer visiteth vs out of season as earthlie Phisitions doe oft times but euen when hee findeth vs lying in our graues and rotting in the stinke of a tab◅rnacle forsaken by the ghost who was wont to dwell into it then can hee raise vs out of graues as hee did LAZARUS This grounde beeing deepely fixed in our heartes I proceede to the n◅xt heade to declare that no man can approach neere to GOD without a MEDIATOR and that CHRIST is the onely MEDIATOR both of our Redemption and also of our Intercession and none other except hee onelie As concerning the first assertion that wee haue neede of a MEDIATOR there is no man so voide of vnderstanding who will denie it Like as in the fabricke of the worlde fire and water are elementes of so discrepant qualities that the Lord would not set them contiguouslie together lest the one should haue comsumed the other Therefore the Lord in his vnspeakeable wisedome hath set an element of a mid nature betwixt them to wit the Aire In the vppermoste parte of it not abhorring from the qualities of the fire and in the lower region of it conforming to the qualities of the water Euen so there can bee no fellowship betweene the holy God and sinnefull man without a Mediator And it was well said by Iosua Yee cannot serue the Lord for hee is an holy God he will not pardon your iniquitie nor your sins Therefore necessitie driueth vs in the Treatise of Inuocation to speake of the Mediator I will not paine my selfe to proue the thing that is not denied Papistes themselues grant two thinges First that Christ is the onely Mediator of our redemption Secondly that Christ is the onely Mediator of intercession betwixt God and vs. But herewithall they affirme that the Saints are mediators betwixt Christ vs. Of that which is fully grāted that Christ is the only Mediator of our redemption I infer according to the grounds of holy Scripture that Christ is also the onely Mediator of intercession For these two are vnseparably lincked together and he who hath the one honour hath both In the Epist. to the H◅brues it is said that Christ is the onely Mediator of our redemption and hereof it is inferred that hee is the onely Mediator of our intercession the wordes of the Apostle are these speaking of Christ But this man because hee indure◅h for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood In these wordes Christ is set downe as the onely Mediator of our redemption Now marke that which followeth as a necessary consequence vpon the fore-mentioned grounde Wherefore hee is able also perfectly to saue them that come to GOD by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Heere Christ is pronounced to bee the onely Mediator of our intercession and this conclusion is gathered vpon this ground because hee hath saued vs by his euerlasting sacrifice which is as much as to say because hee is the Mediator of our redemption Againe holie Scripture will inuert this order and set intercession in the first place and vpon this ground that Christ is the only Mediator of our intercession will conclude that Christ is also the onlie Mediator of our redemption Marke the words of the holy Apostle My babes these thinges write I vnto you that yee sinne not and if any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father IESUS CHRIST the Iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the Whole Worlde In these wordes Christ is first called our Aduocate and hereof is inferred that hee is our propitiation which is all one as if hee had saide CHRIST is the onely Mediator of our redemption In the Law of Moses the high Priest was only but a type of the true Mediator of intercession yet while hee was presenting the blood of the sacrifice of propitiation into the most holy place all the people stood without and neither Priest nor people remained within the court where the Altar of brunt offering was vntill the high Priest came foorth out of the moste holy place Now seeing our Lord Iesus hath offered a sacrifice for our sins ◅nd hath caried the blood of the euer lasting Couenant vnto the moste holy place that is vnto Heauen and is actually performing the office of our great Aduocate and making intercession for vs let no man presume to step to the Alt◅r and to take vpon him to bee a Mediator of redemption or intercession our high Priest is doing that worke in his owne person tarie vntill hee come foorth out of the moste holy place and then there shall bee no more disputation anent Mediators of interc◅ssion Augustine vtterly excludeth Peter and Paul from this honour to bee counted Mediators of our intercession because like as they prayed for others euen so in like maner
they craued that others shoulde make supplications to God for them But hee who is Mediator of intercession he prayeth for vs and hath no neede that any man should pray for him In like maner Châ—…ysostome writing vppon these wordes of the Apostle For there is one GOD and one Mediator of GOD and man the man CHRIST IESUS plainely affirmeth that the Mediator of our intercession must bee partaker both of the diuine and humane nature And consequently there is no Mediator of intercession except Christ onely who is both God and man In like maner speaking of the Cananâ—…tisb woman hee saith that shee went not to Peter nor to Iames nor to â—…ohn but shee went directly to Christ bringing with her repentance as an aduocate and beeing moued with vnspeakeable admiration of the goodnesse of Christ hee saith O admirandares sursum tremor Deorsum fiducia miserere mei non opus habeo mediatore that is O admirable thing there is trembling aboue and confidence belowe haue mercie vpon mee I haue no neede of a mediator to wit betwixt Christ and mee Thus wee see that when ancient Fathers spake of a mediator of intercession they spake of a mediator betwixt God and vs and not betwixt Christ and vs. But now let vs take vp out of groundes of holy Scripture a true description of the mediator of intercession Out of two principal places of Scripture the description shal be grounded In the Gospell of Matthew it is saide This is my Well-beloued Sonne in whom I am Well pleased And in the Epistle of Peter we are warned to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Of these two places of Scripture I gather a description of a mediator of intercession in this maner Hee for whose sake onely our persons are in fauour with God and for whose merites onely our prayers are acceptable to God hee is the onelie mediator of our intercession But so it is that in Christ onelie God is pleased with our persons and for his sake onelie God accepteth our prayers ergo Christ is the onely mediator of our intercession The similitude that is vsed by Papistes in stead of an argument is to bee discussed Like as subjectes should not step rudelie to the King but by mediate persons who are in fauoure and credite present their sutes vnto his Highnesse Euâ—…n so say they wee shoulde not bee so bolde as to present our prayers to Christ at the first instant without the intercession of Saints To this similitude Origen himselfe albeit the first inuenter of the seminarie of this error hee answereth by another similitude That like as the shadow doeth follow the bodie in moste absolute maner so that if the bodie be moued the shadow also moueth and if the bodie rest the shadow also resteth Euen so if 2 man can bee in fauour with the eternall God then shall he also be in friendship with all the creatures of God And this agreeth well with the wordes of holy Scripture That the stones in the fielde shall bee in league with us and the beastes of the fielde shall bee at peace with vs to wit when wee are reconciled to our GOD. To this same similitude both used of olde by some and rejected by the learned S. Ambrose giueth this answere writing vpon the words of Pâ—…l They serued the creature forsaking the Creator who is blessed for euer Vpon these wordes hee writeth that men who haue neglected praying to GOD they defende themselues with a miserable excuse saying that by Saintes they may haue accesse to GOD like as by noble Courteours accesse vnto the King is purchased but go toe saith hee is any man so foolish or so vnmindfull of his owne safetie that he dare giue vnto the fore-saide noble Courteour that honour which is due to the King for if any man bee found trafficking about such businesse hee will bee justly condemned of treason Yet these men count them not guiltie who giue the honour due to GOD vâ—…to a creature and forsaking GOD they worship their owne fellow-seruantes as if there were anie greater seruice that coulde bee exhibited to GOD to wit then Inuocation of his blessed NAME For this cause saieth hee men procure accesse to the King by Nobles and Tribunes because the King is but a man and knoweth not to whom hee shoulde concredite the affaires of the kingdome but to purchase the fauour of GOD to whom nothing is vnknowne because hee knoweth the deseruinges of all men there is no neede of suffragantes but of a deuote minde And in his booke written of Isaac and the soule he writeth of CHRIST very holily and according to Scripture CHRIST is oâ—…r mouth by whom wee talke with the Father hee is our eye by whom wee see the Father he is our right hand by whom wee offer our selues vnto the Father who if hee intercide not for vs neither wee nor the Saints haue any thing to do with GOD. Albeit it may bee sufficiently prouâ—…d that euen Ambrose himselfe was somewhat intangled with the errour uniuersally ouer-spred amongst the common people for they were so fonde vpon Inuocation of Saintes that learned Preachers yeelded somewhat to the madnesse of an â—…uill disposed people as Aaron did to the carnall Iâ—…wes when they worshipped the golden Calfe Neuerthelesse any man who readeth the fore-mentioned places of Ambrose may perceiue that in heart and mind hee disliked the Inuocation of Saints The more particularly that wee descend into this argumentâ—… the trueth shall bee the more clearely manifested Let vs therefore search out whether or no it was counted lawfull of olde to pray to the Angels to worship the Virgine Marie and to inâ—…ocate the Saintes In holy Scripture wee find that vnder colour of humilitie some did worship the Angels and pray vnto them But the holie Apostle Paul who was taught immediately by CHRIST calleth this forme of deuotion rashnesse and the conceit of an heart puffed vp with a fleshly minde There is no pride comparable to the pride of a foole hee will speake of thinges hee neuer saw nor heard and of thinges whereof he can render no reason The Angell who reuealed great mysteries to the Apostle Iohn woulde not bee content to bee worshipped by him but rebuked him at two diuerse times for presuming to worship him said at both times he should worship GOD. And the Council of Laodicea damned the worshipping of Angels as Idolatrie and a forsaking of CHRIST The Angell who blessed Iaakob was not one of the ministring Spirites but the great Angell of the Couenant of GOD euen CHRIST IESUS to whom all knee should bee bowed Concerning the adoration of the blessed Virgine the mother of our LORD it is grounded vpon the fabulous narratâ—…on of her assumption written by Nicephorus whereunto the lesse credite is to be giuen because in it the glory onely due to CHRIST is giuen to the Virgine Marie namely
word of GOD and therefore their ordinances were worthie to bee obeyed because the warrand of the Holy Spirit and the warrand of the Holy Scripture and Apostolicke authoâ—…itie all concurring together gaue a full grace to the Councill of Hierusâ—…lem For this cause in the famous Councill of Nice all their constitutions haue not a like reuerence the sentence pronounced against Arrius was well confirmed by testimonies of holâ—…e Scripture but in appointing Patriarches in attributing vnto them jurisdiction and power to conuocate Councils within thâ—…ir owne bounds for timous suppressing of Heresies they bring no testimonie of Scripture but in stead of Scripture they set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let ancient customes haue place The Councill of Nice in this point did as Iosua did who 〈◊〉 a couenant with the Gibeoniâ—…es but consulted not wâ—…th thâ—…m 〈◊〉 of the LORD Euen so the Counâ—…ill of Nice in 〈◊〉 â—…o gâ—…eat preâ—…eminence to a few men they consulted not with Holy Scripture which warnâ—…th Pastors to feede the flocke of GOD which â—…ependeth vpon them And the issue declared that Gâ—…D gaue not such a blessing to the constituting of Patriarchâ—…s as hee gaue to the condemnatour sentence pronounced against Aâ—…rius For whereas they imagined that these Patriarches 〈◊〉 great authoritie shoulde timously gather Synodes and suppresse Hâ—…reticall doctrine it fell ouâ—… by the contrary that the Patriarches were the chiefe Hereâ—…iques themselues and chiefe defenders of Heresie such as Macedonius and Nestorius Patriarches of Constantinoâ—…le both damned for Heresie the one in the Counciâ—…l of Constantinople the other in the Council of Ephesus In like maner Honorius Patriarch of Rome Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia with Sergius Pyrhuâ—… and Paulus Paâ—…riarches of Constantinople were al condemned of Heresie in the sixt Generall Councill holden at Constantinoâ—…le ANNO 681. Oâ—… this that I haue already spoken it is euident that the best way whereby Generall or Nationall Councils may maintaine tâ—…eir authoritie and bee reuerently regarded is this if in all tâ—…eir determinations they set before them the bookes of Holie Scripture and conforme all their definitiue sentences to the wisedome which they haue learned out of the volume of those holy bookes following the example of the Church of Antiochia who remitted the decision of harde questions wherewith they were troubled to the mouthes of the Apostles of IESUS CHRIST And seeing wee haue not the Prophets and Apostles personallie present in our time the next is to haue recourse vnto the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles whereby the LORD speaketh nowe to vs as hee spake of olde time by the personall presence of the Prophets and Apostles to our Fathers And it is certaine that these of Antiochia went vp vnto Hierusalem not for any prerogatiue the towne had but because the Apostles were in Hierusalem And wheresoeuer wee see the Apostolicke doctrine vnuiolably obserued in that place let vs seeke resolution of all our doubtes and if the Apostolicke doctrine be departed from Hierusalem it selfe it is but a denne of theeues as CHRIST saieth Matth. 21. 13. and if it bee departed from Rome then is Rome it selfe spirituall Babylon it is an habitation of Deuils and the Hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane hatefull bird and the constitutions that come from Rome are not to bee regarded Notwithstanding of this the Councils that hath casten the Apostolicke doctrine behinde their backe they haue guarded themselues with another kind of armour and they indeuour to haue credite and reuerence by the multitude of Princes people and learned Doctors assenting to the determinations of their Councils by the multitude of Anathemaes more in number then those that were pronounced out of mount Eball whereby they deliuer to the Deuill and that in most prodigall forme all those that will not assent vnto their Decretes By these meanes I say such like they purchase authoritie reuerence and credite to their late Councils Neuerthelesse there is one curse in Holy Scripture more to bee feared then all the curses of the Councill of Trent namely that which Paul pronounceth in these wordes But though that wee or an Angell from Heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed And like as Aarons rod deuoured the Serpents of the Sorcerers of Aegypt albeit in number they were many euen so this one curse swalloweth vp all their curses pronounced against innocent people because they will not depart in a jot from the rule of wholsome Apostolicke doctrine In like maner it is said by Moses Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Lawe to doe them Consequently blessed are they who firmely adhereth vnto the Law of GOD. And by no authoritie of Princes Nations Councils or Doctors will bee withdrawne from the Law of GOD. And this BULLINGER hath wisely obserued in these wordes Tametsi caeat totus hic mundus minime tamen potest creatura quâ—…quam contra verbum creator is statuere neque decreta DEI aeterni abrogare Neque valet hic eruditio aut multitudo aut sanctitas aut ulla denique authoritas nam loquente DOMINO DEO universorum merito conticescit omniâ—… caro SAMUEL certe dicebat loquere DOMINE quoniam audit servus tuâ—…s that is albeit all the uniuersitie of this worlde shoulde bee assembled together yet the creature can ordaine nothing against the worde of the Creator neither can they abrogate the Decretes of the Eternall GOD neither can learning multitude holynesse or anie kinde of authoritie auaile in this matter for when the GOD of all creatures speaketh then justly all flesh shoulde keepe silence SAMUEL indeede saide Speake LORD for thy seruant heareth Likewise hee bringeth in a worthie sentence of PANORMITANE a famous Iurist saying that greater credite shoulde bee giuen to a Laike-man speaking the trueth according to Holie Scripture then to a whole Generall Councill speaking a lye contrarie to Scripture Moreouer albeit there were worthie Assemblies holden in SILO MISPAH and CARMEL in the dayes of the Prophets yet the Prophets are verie sparing to use argumentes tâ—…ken from the authoritie of these Assemblies but the Prophets leade the people continuallie to the Lawe of GOD as to the right grounde and Fountaine of all lawfull Councils so that their ordinarie speach is this This saieth the LORD and not this saieth the Assemblie gathered at MISPAH SILO or CARMEL they were so farre from equalling Councils to the Lawe of GOD that whensoeuer they did desire reformation of the people then they laide before them the Law of GOD but not the authority of Councils whose authority is nothing els but borrowed from the Law of GOD and therefore whosoeuer aduancâ—…th Câ—…uncils so high that they would equall Councils to Holy Scripture in my opinion they are not well acquainted with the Scriptures of GOD. In the new Testament mention is
of Constantinople left his charge entred into a Monastrie and lamented that he had consented to the abolishing of Images Gregorius B of Neocesarea one of the chiefe disallowers of Images in the Councill holden at Constantinople gaue in his supplicant bill in the second Councill of Nice confessed his error and subscribed to the decreet of that vnhappie Councill by whose example the bishops of Nice Hierapolis of the Isles of Rhodes and Carpathus were mooued to doe the like Let this bee a warning to them who are in eminent places that they fall not from the trueth of GOD lest by their fall they procure a great ruining and desolation to the house of GOD. The LORD keepe vs from defection to whome bee praise and glory for euer AMEN A TREATISE Of Satisfaction and Indulgences SATISFACTION of olde was publicke repentance made for grieuous faultes such as murther adulterie apostasie And this publicke humiliation made in sight of the people with fasting teares basenesse of apparrell and such other tokens of an humbled minde with a sense of sorrow for by-past offences it was called satisfactio as Augustine writeth quia satisfiebat Ecclesiâ—… that is because the Church was satisfied yea and the slander was remooued This humiliation foresaide in the Greeke Church was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a punishment because it was inflicted as a punishment in Church discipline to terrifie others from committing the like offences Now seeing this Ecclesiasticall discipline was very rigorous and indured many yeeres as the Canons of Councils clearely declare It pleased the Church vpon weightie considerations to relent somewhat of the severitie of the first prescribed discipline yea and the people ofâ—… times intreated the Pastor by earnest requests that the time of publicke repentance might be shortned because they saw great tokeâ—…s of vnfained repentance in the offender This dispensation with the rigour of olde discipline was called indulgentia but in Poperie which was beginning in this Centurie to haue great vpper hand the abuse of these two words hath vtterly vndone the ancient puritie of religion and discipline The word satisfaction which of old was referred to the people now in Poperie is referred to God in this maner They teach the people that the sinnes committed before Baptisme are abolished in Baptisme but sinnes committed after Baptisme wee must obteine pardon for them by our own satisfactions namely by fasting praying almesdeedes pilgrimages and such other workes done by our selues And to maâ—…e this doctrine the more plausible vnto the people they bring in the similitude of a man sailing in a ship if he fall out of it into the sea the ship say they goeth away without recouerie and incace he find not another vessell to support his distressed estate and to bring him to land he must needes perish and drowne euen so say they if after baptisme we commit any transgression we must either be supported by our owne satisfactions els wee must perish in our sinnes No similitude can be more repugnant to Scripture than this For albeit there bee many vessels whereinto mens bodies may bee preserued from the danger of drowning yet is there not many vessels whereinto our soules can bee saued from damnation but â—…ee are saued onely by our spirituall Baptisme whereby the filth of our soules is washen away in the blood of Christ. And like as God commanded not NOE to make two arkes but one alanerly for the safetie of a fewe so hath GOD appointed only one way for safetie of our soales so that if wee sinne after Baptisme wee must haue refuge to the sweete promises of remissiion of sinnes made to vs in Baptisme In what sense indulgentia was taken of old I haue already declared In the Romane Church Indulgences and Pardones are a dispensation of the merites of Christ and his Saintes to the vtilitie of sinners This presupponeth that the merites of Christ and his Saintes are put in the custodie of the bishop of Rome and that his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeâ—…me all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shed in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD neuer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Iewes in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed great abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood Nothing is more repugnant to holy Scripture conteined in the old and new Testament than this that the dispensation and application of Christs blood should be committed vnto a mortall man In the old Testament the high Priest who entred once in the yeere into the moste holy place sprinckled the blood of the sacrifice with his own fingers vpon the Arke euen so the blood of the euerlasting Couenant which Christ caried vp to heauen is sprinckled on the Saints of God on the earth but by whom only by the fingers of our high Priest the Lord Iesus In the new Testament wee see that albeit many things were committed to the dispensation of the holy Apostles yet some things were reserued to the Lords owne dispensation allanerly Christ gaue power to his disciples to wish peace to euery house which receiued them but the dispensation and application of this peace Christ reserued vnto himselfe because hee alone and not his disciples knew who was the true Childe of peace In like manner power of preaching the Gospel was committed to the Apostles but the conferring of the gift of faith which is wrought by hearing belongeth onely to CHRISTS euen so the preaching of saluation by the merites of CHRISTES blood is committed to many but the application of that precious blood to the safetie of our soules is onely proper to Christ himselfe who shed that blessed blood for our saluation The merites of the Saintes also that is the workes of supererogation are thought to enter into the Popes treasurie and to be at his dispensation Of this we haue spoken somewhat alreadie But what presumption is this that they dare mixe together the blood of the Saints and Christs blood and the merits of Saintes with the merite of Christ and cast all in ore heape and treasure The verses of Praxilla
with extraordinarie giftes of working miraculous workes hee indued them the departure of Valerius he was B. of Hippo his vncessant trauels in teaching GODS people and in stopping the mouthes of Heretiques and gainsayers of the trueth of GOD specially Donatists Pelagians and Manichean Heretiques his learned writings doe testifie When hee had liued 76. yeeres he rested from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in time of Augustines sicknesse they had besieged In this Centurie flourished worthie preachers in France such as Eutherius B. of Lions Saluianus B. of Marseill who liued at that time when the nation of the Gothes oppressed France and many beganne to doubt of the prouidence of GOD in respect that wicked men had so great vpper-hand Salvianus in his godly and learned bookes doeth declare that it is a iust thing with GOD to punish men who knowes their dutie best with greatest punishments in respect that oft times they are most negligent doers of it Claudianus Mammertus B. of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue coÌ„mendations as if all the graces of Ierom Augustine Basilius Nazianzenus and many other fathers had beene in corporated into his person Hilarius first bishop of Arls and afterward as appeareth of Vienne opponed himselfe directly to Leo B. of Rome and would acknowledge no iurisdiction nor domination of the B. of Rome ouer the Churches of France for this cause Leo accused him as an vsurper of supremacie onely because hee would not stoupe vnder his feete but Hâ—…larius came to Rome nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane bishop and in his face affirmed that neither did CHRIST appoint Peter to bee hâ—…ad of the rest of the Apostles neither had the B. of Rome a soueraignitie ouer the Churches of France All the grandure of Leo his speaches who doth talke of those few words Tues Petrus super hac petra c. that is thou art PETER and vpon this rocke c. as if CHRIST had breathed vpon him and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit so confidently did hee affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the bishops of Rome the successors of PETER But this grandure I say of his proud conceats vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinently to stoup vndâ—…r the feet of a proud Prelat Vincentius Lirinensis a mighty impugner of herâ—…sies PROSPER AQVITANICVS SIDONIVS Bishop in some part of Ouerme MARTINVS TVRONENSIS is commended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands He compared virginitie marriage and fornication to a medow a part where of was eaten by the pastoring of beastes another part was holled by the rudenes of wourting swine and the third part was vntouched but flourishing in the perfect growth of grasse neere to mowing time Fornication hee compared to the part of the medow that was holled and misfassioned with swine Mariage to that part of the medow that was pâ—…stored so that the herbes had their rootes but wanted the beautie of their flowres but virginitie is like vnto that part of the medow that is vntouched flourishing with roote blade flowre and all kinde of perfection In counting mariage good but virginitie better hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle PAVL Reon gius B. of Rhemes by whom Clodoueus the first Christian king of France was baptized the whole countrie of France was purged from Paganisme and Arrianisme whereby it was miserably polluted by the Gothes and Vandales was a man of great account Concerning Aurelius and the bishops of Carthage Memnon and the bishops of Ephesus some occasion will bee offered to speake of them in the head of Councils neither will the nature of a Compend and breuitie whereunto I studie permit me to write of euery worthie man of whom I read in this Centurie CHAP III. Of Heretiques PELAGIVâ—… BRITO and his followers IVLIANVS and Coelestius maintained damnable heresies in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius their pernicious heresies may be easily knowne by the learned writings of Augustine who directly impugneth the Pelagians by the Councils of Arausio in France Milevitanum in Numidia which damned the error of the Pelagians They affirmed that men by nature were able to fulfill the whole Law of GOD howbeit more easily better if they were supported by the grace of GOD. They denied Originall sinne and said the posteritie of ADAM were sinners by imitation of ADAMS sinne but had not receiued sinne by carnal propagation They said moreouer that children had not need to be baptized for remission of sinnes and that godly fathers in Scripture when they confessed their sinnes they did it rather for example of humilitie than for necessitie and guiltinesse of sinne This pestilent heresie was spread abroad in many places but chiefly in the Isle of Britaine because Pelagius being driuen from Rome came to the Isle foresaid and infected it with his errour but by the diligent trauelles of Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent from Coelestinus B. of Rome both England and Scotland were freed from that errour Nestorius B. of Constantinople liued in the dayes of Theodosius 2. He was an eloquent man but his head lacked braines when he spake against the personall vnion of the divine and humane Nature in CHRIST He denied that the Virgine MARIE could becalled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Deipara that is the mother of GOD but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of CHRIST He was damned as an hereticke in the Councill of Ephesus and banished by the Emp. Theodosius to the wildernes of Thebaida was plagued by GOD with extraordinare iudgements as other heretiques had bene before for his blasphemous tongue was consumed with wormes rotted in his mouth and so he ended his wretched life most miserablie Eutyches was an abbot in Constantinople he fell into an errour farre different from the heresie of Nestorius for Nestorius would not grant the personall vnion of two natures in Christ but Eutyches confounded the natures and would haue the humane nature so swallowed vp by the immensitie of the diuine nature in CHRIST that there was not two natures in CHRIST but one alanerly to wit the diuine nature Hee was damned in the Council of Chalcedon as wil be decla ed hereafter Godwilling This heresie much perturbed and troubled the Church in respect of the fautors and fauourers thereof both in policie and Church Chrysapbius a principal ruler in the Court of Theodâ—…sius 2. Basiliscus and Anastatius Emperours were fauourers of this heresie and of bishops not a few such as Dâ—…scorus B of Alexandria Timotheus Aelurus who entered into the chaire of Alexandria like vnto a Wolfe with shedding the blood of Proterius the true shepheard and Petrus Moggus B. of Alexandria and Petrus Gnapheus B. of Antiochia all these maintained the heresie of Eutyches a long time And now appeareth the fruit
doctrine so that they who loue the trueth of GOD haue no neede to follow a false doctrine in regarde there is no man that dare gainesay it For I dare say to the commendation of the Councill of Francford that the Ibides of Aegypt were neuer more readie to deuoure the flying Serpents of Arabia so that they would not suffer them to light in the coastes of Aegypt than the Councill of Francford was readie to vndoe all the foolish arguments of the second Councill of Nice proouing the adoration of Images Before I set these Councills in opposite tearmes of contradiction the one to the other the preludie of the Councill is worthie to bee marked Adrian bishop of Rome sent a letter to the second Councill of Nice fraughted with lies and affirming that the Emperour Constantine was a leper that hee endeuourâ—…d to cure his disease by shedding of innocent babes blood that PETER and PAVL appeared to him in a vision by night and bade him goe and bee baptized by SILVESTER and his disease should bee healed and that in remembrance of this benefite CONSTANTINE builded Churches in Rome and adorned them with the Images of PETER and PAVL The groundes of this letter conteineth a masse of impudent lies CONSTANTINE was not a leper but a man gifted in soule beautifull in body and furnished with great giftes both of soule and body and meete for great workes as EVSEBIVS witneâ—…seth who liued in CONSTANTINES time and was familiarly acquainted with him Neither was hee baptized by SILVESTER in Rome but by EVSEBIVS in Nicomedia For SILVESTER and MARCVS his successour were both deade before that CONSTANTINE was baptized The rest of his letter is like vnto the sandie ground and fabulous narration whereupon it is grounded The arguments of the second Councill of Nice prouing adoration of Images may be distributed into foure rancks Some are taken out of Scripture others out of Fathers the third rancke from common reason the fourth from miracles If I propound their arguments into an intelligible order and likewise the â—…nsweres to them I doe a benefite to the Reader The Cherubims and the brasen Serpent were made by Gods commandement and the Cherubimes were seated in the place of adoration ergo Images may bee brought into the places of adoration There is a threefolde difference betwixt Images set vp in Churches to bee worshipped and the Cherubimes in the Temple First the Cherubimes are made by the expresse commandement of GOD but the images set vp in Temples are made expresse contrare to the Commandement of GOD. Secondly the Cherubimes and brasen Serpent were represâ—…ntations of diuine mysteries Thirdly neither the Cherubimes nor brasen Serpent were made for adoration as images are that are set vp in Temples If any man bee not fully resolued with these answeres let him vnderstand that the Law-giuer hath absolute authoritie to make exceptions from his owne Lawe but it is not lawfull to others without warrant of GODS commandement to doe the like Example in ABRAHAM who had a warrant to kill his owne sonne The people of Israel had a warrant to borrow from the Aegyptians vessels of siluer gold and costly rayment and Moses had a warrant to make Cheâ—…ubimes and a brasen Serpent but those thinges are not lawfull to others who want the like warrant The next Argument borrowed from Scripture is this IACOâ—… worshipped the top of IOSEPHS staffe therefoâ—…e it is lâ—…wfull to worship Images The Councill of Francford answereth to this Argument that like as there is no such wordes in the Hâ—…brew text euen so the words of the Apost in the Epistle to the Hâ—…brewes cap 11 vers 21 conteineth no such thing where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hee worshipped leaning aboue the top of hiâ—… scepter but he worshipped not his Scepter And Augustine in his questions vpon Genesis affirmeth that he worshipped GOD and not the staffe of IOSEPH The third Argument taken out of Scripture is out of the booke of the Psalmes O Lord I haue loued the beautie of thy house Of this they concluded that images should be loued worshipped seeing they are the beautie and ornament of GODS house To this argument it is answered by the Councill of Francford that this argument is grounded vpon a wrong interpretation of Scripture for by the house of GOD is not meant a materiall Temple and the ornament of GODS house is not Images but spirituall vertues Many other places of Scripture are filthily abused but I will haue some regarde to the Reader that he be not wearied in reading an heape of friuolous arguments Many arguments are taken out of the writings of Fathers to proue the adoration of Images but these following are the chiefe and principall First they say that Bâ—…silius Magâ—…us affirmeth that the honour done to the Image redoundeâ—…h to him whose image it is This he â—…peaketh of Christ who is the Imâ—…ge of the inuisible God Coloss. 1. vers 5. And who is the brightnesse of his glory and the ingrauen forme of his person Heb. 1. vers 3. but heâ—… is not speaking of Images formed by the hands of men The testimonie of Gregorius Nyssenus is cited who writeth that when he passed by the image of Abraham viuely pictured with the knife drawne readie to kill his sonne he could not abstaine from shedding of teares This argument is counted friuolous albeit Gregorius Nyssenus wept yet he bowed not his knee to worship the image of Abraham Moreouer the Councill of Franckford alleadged that the bookes of Gregorius Nyssenus were not extant Amongst argumenâ—…es taken from naturall reason to prooue adoration of Images this is the chiefe The Emperours Image is honoured therefore the Image of Christ should be honoured To this argument the Council of Francford 〈◊〉 this answere that GOD is not like vnto a mortall King locally circumscribed so that wheÌ„ he is in one place he cannot be at that same selfe time in another place Therefore to intertaine a reuâ—…rence in the peoples hearts towards their Prince this custome of honouring the Kings image was found out But God who is euery where present whom no place can conteine he is not to bee sought in Images neâ—…ther was that forme of worshipping either commanded or allowed by GOD. The argument inuented of later dayes to prooue adoration of Images is sophisticall the dishonour done to the Image of CHRIST redoundeth to himselfe â—…go the honour done to the Image of Christ redoundeth also to Christ is an honouring of Christ himselfe The antecedent is prooued by the fact of Julian the apostate in breaking in pieces the Image of Christ in Caesarea Philippi To this it may bee answered that the breaking downe of the brasen Image in Caesarea Philipps was not a dishonouring of Christ in respect of the fact that Iulian did but in respect of the intention of the doer but when this is
castiganda in morte corporis resolvenda in corporis resurrectione morte mortis sananda that is in the body of death it is to bee chastised in the death of the body it is to bee resolued and in the resurrection and in the death of death it is to be healed Therefore let vs not despare because wee are heauily loadned with sinne both originall and actuall buâ—…let vs haue esperance of healing because wee haue a gratious and a louing Phisitian Hee restored PETER with a fauourable looke hee saued one of the crucified theeues with a mercifull remembrance he cured the woman that was diseased with a bloodie issue with one touching the Centurions seruant with speaking one worde Now he who is mightie to saue loose vs in his owne appointed time from all the bands of our manifold sinnes to whome bee praise and glory for euer AMEN A TREATISE Of Justification by faith only THE defenders of mans free-will in all ages haue beene also enemies to the doctrine of grace and therefore this treatise doth adhere to the formâ—…r with a pertinent coherence The order I mind to follow by the Lords assistance in this question Whether we be iustified only by faith or partly by faith and partly by workes is this First shortly to intreat a place of Scripture whereinto this question is clearely discussed Next to speake of the difference of Iustification and Sanctification and of the Law and the Gospell And thirdly to declare that wee can not bee saued neither by our owne merites nor by the merites of other men but only by the merites of the suffering of Christ. The place of Scripture which I shall lay downe for a ground is this Beholde hee that lifâ—…eth up himselfe his minde is not upright in him but the inst shall liue by faith The purpose of the Prophet in this verse is to comfort GODS people who were to be transported captiues and prisoners to Babylon The Prophet would exhort them with patient expectation to waite vpon their promised deliuerance whereby it should come to passe that they should bee in better estate than the Babylonians their enemies for the Babylonians reioyced in their owne strength sacrificed vnto their owne net leaned vpon a staffe that could not hold them vp but GODS people albeit afflicted for a time if by faith they should take hold of the promise of GOD they should see in GODS appointed time a comfortableissue of all their troubles The Prophet in the worde Beholde would reduce them to a consideration of thinges they had seene with their eyes and heard with their eares to wit that their fathers who trusted more in the horses of Aegypt than in the quiet rest of the promises of GOD they found the helpe of Aegypt to be their confufion This one example which they saw with their owne eyes might haue taught them to leane at all times vpon the staffe of GOD and to forsake all vaine confidence either in themselues or others In the next wordes he who is pufâ—… vp in himselfe The Prophet expresly pointeth out the persons of whom he is speaking namely of them who leanes not vnto their own strength or wisdome Truely GODS people should bee like vnto mount Sion faire in situation and the glory of the whole earth yet not reioycing in it selfe but in the goodnes of GOD who pleased to dwell in the palaces thereof who laid the foundations of it in the holy mountaines and who loued the gates of Sion more than all the habitations of IACOB Let Caucasus Olympus Parnassus and Atlas reioyce in their bignesse and height but Sion reioyceth in this that it is the mountaine which GOD hath chosen to bee the place whereupon his holy Sanctuary should bee builded So do the Elect of God reioyce in the Lords goodnes but others are lift vp in themselues as the Prophet speaketh In the wordes following his heart is not vpright in him the Prophet declareth the inconuenience that followeth vpon the leaning to our owne strength to wit wee are vtterly disapointed of our expectation and whereas we looked for rest tranquillitie to our consciences the contrare falleth out that wee are like vnto men out of their right wits wauering minded so tossed with doubting that they knowe not whar course to take because their minde is not solidly settled nor vpright within them This is the iust Iudgement of GOD punishing the contempt of that quiet and peaceable harbery that is to bee found in the bosome of the compassions of GOD in his Sonne CHRIST IESVS they who despise this sure harbery are worthy to be tossed with mighty stormes and to bee in hazard and ieopardie of their lifes as the Centurion was who despised the wholsome counsell of PAVL at Candie Followeth in the wordes of the Prophet but the iust man shall liue by faith Like as they who leane vpon their own strength can find no tranquillitie and rest vnto their consciences euen so on the other part these who by constant faith leane vpon the promises of GOD they shall finde rest to their soules but the Prophet chooseth rather to say that the iust man shall liue by faith to declare that by leaning to the sweete promises of GOD worde wee snall not onely finde rest vnto our soules but also spirituall life which is the fountaine of true rest and tranquillite so are we in this cace not vnlike vnto SAVL who in seeking his fathers asses found a kingdome and we in seeking of rest we haue found life the true fountaine of our rest The last wordes of the verse by his oene faith are to be considered for by them wee perceiue that the promises of GOD must bee particularly applied to our soules and that wee must not bee wauering and doubtsome in our faith but firme and stable forasmuch as thinges necessarie to the maintenance of this present life haue also neede to bee particularly applied such as food rayment and medicine Euen so in things necessarie vnto eternall life our soules haue great neede of particular application of comfort wee must haue the blood of the Lambe sprinckled vpon the posts of our owne houses else can wee not bee saued from the sworde of the destroying Angell wee must also receiue the Angels of GOD vnder our owne roofe with LOT else can wee not bee saued from the flame of fire which destroyeth vngodly cities And finally wee must bee like vnto the vessels of the LORDES tabernacle which were all particularly anointed with holy oyle in time of the dedication of the Tabernacle else we shall not be counted holy vessels in the house of our GOD. But because the Apostle BAVL citeth this place of Scripture to confirme that wee are iustified onely by faith consider howe firme and sute this argument standeth Wee are iustified by that same thing whereby our soules doe liue but so it is that our soules doe onely liue by faith therefore we
fauoured Theodorus others promoued Paschalis and neither of the parties would yeeld to the other In end the people thought expedient to reject them both and to choose some third person to the Popedome So they elected Sergius the first and carried him vpon their shoulders to the Church of Laterane In his time Iustinian the second gathered a Councell at Constantinople to perfect and finish the worke which his father had begunne Sergius refused to subscribe the Acts of the sixt generall Councell albeit his Ambassadour who was present at the Councell had subscribed them Of the consecrated Hostie hee ordained one part to be put into the Chalice to represent the bodie of Christ which was risen from death another part to be eaten to represent the bodie of Christ walking vpon the earth the third part to bee laide vpon the Altar vntill the ende of the Masse to represent the bodie of Christ lying in the Sepulchre He gou◅rned thirteene yeeres eight monethes and 24. dayes COncerning the Patriarches of Constantinople in this Centurie little mention is made of them because for the most part they kept not the right Faith but were intangled with heresie After Cyriacus Thomas and Ioannes and constantinus succeeded whose faith as vnspotted with anie blame of heresie hath an honest testimonie in Church rolles called Sacra diptytha Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus were miserablie infected with the heresie of the Monothelites Pyrrhus once recanted his heresie and was absolued from excommunication by pope Theodorus but hee returned incontinent againe as a dog to his vomite Pope Theodorus whē he excōmunicated him the second time vsed a new insolent forme of doing the like wherof was neuer heard at any time before for he infused some drops of the consecrated cup into inke writ a sentence of cursing against Pyrrhus Paulus also obtained at the hands of the Em. Constans edicts to be affixed in diuerse places whereby all men should be compelled to subscribe the errour of the Monothelites After them Petrus Theodorus albeit they maintained not the fore-mentioned heresie with so high and proude attempts as others had done yet they were addicted vnto it Georgius successor to Thcodorus in the 6. generall Councell had defended the errour of the Monoth but when he was clearly refuted by testimonies of Scripture by places cited out of the Fathers he yeelded embraced the true faith Callyni◅us ministred vnder the reigne of Iustinian 2. who demolished a Church neare approching to his palace builded an house of presence wherein the people might cherish the Em. Callinycus was compelled to consecrate the house by prayer but in regard he was enforced against his heart to pray he made his prayer short in this maner Giorie be to God who patiently comporteth with vs both now for euer Am◅n For this cause Iustinian hated Callynichus whē he returned back again from his 10. yeeres banishment he caused the eyes of Callyn to be put out sēt him to Rome there to remain in banishmēt IN Alexandria before the Saracenes vnder the conduct of Mahomet conquered the countrey of Aegypt few of note marke were to be found in that chaire After Eulogius Ioannes scribo continued in office only 2. yeeres After him Ioannes Eleemosynarius is highly commended for his liberalitie toward the poore Cyrus his successour was an her◅tique following the errour of the Monothelues He payed tribute to the Saracenes but when the Em. Heraclius wearied of the payment of tribute then all the countrey of Aegypt was possessed by the Saracenes which incursion of the Mahumetans albeit it cutted not off the personall succession of the patriarches of Alexandria yet it obscureth the cleare notice of their succession vnto vs who are farre distant from them IN Antiochia Anastasius Sinaita is found to haue beene bishop of Antiochia in the dayes of the Emperour Phocas Hee obtained this name to bee called Sinaita because hee had macerated himselfe with long fasting and with hard exercises of an heremiticall life vpon mount Sina anno 610. hee was slaine in a seditious commotion stirred vp by the Iewes who dwelt at Antiochia who slewe manie other Christians but they vttered great crueltie joyned with vile inhumanitie against Anastasius in whose mouth they cast the verie excrements of his owne bodie as the MAGDEBVRG historie recordeth citing the testimonie of Nicephorus After him another of that same name called likewise Anastatius succeeded was B. of Antiochia he was a Syrian a man of a subtile spirit who circumuened the Em. Heraclius for at the Em. command he subscribed the decrees of the Councell of Chalcedon only simulately for desire of preferment but after he had subscribed that two natures personally vnited were to be acknowledged in Christ he demanded of the Em. what he thought of the will operation of Christ whether was two willes operations in Christ or one will and one operation only The Em. troubled with the nou◅lty of the question consulted with Sergius B. of Constantinople who returned this answere to the Em. that one will one operation was to be acknowledged in Christ. The Em. Heraclius being circumuened by false deceitfull teachers was ashamed to forsake that opinion which hee had once condiscended vnto So this heresie of the Monothelites tooke deepe roote in the East vntill the time that God punishing the contempt of his truth suffered the Saracenes with their blasphemous Mahometon doctrine to be vniuersally ouer-spred in the East To Anastatius succeeded Macarius a most obstinate defender of the heresie of the Monothelites for the which cause he was both excommunicated and deposed in the sixt generall Councell and Theophanius an Abbor in Sicile was made bishop of Antiochia After him are reckoned Petrus Thomas and Ioannes without anie further discourse except a bare commemoration of their names THE Church of Ierusalem in this age was pitifullie defaced as lying nearest to the incursions of strong enemies both Persians and Sa◅cenes Zacharias Bishop of Ierusalem was carried captiue by Cosroes king of Persia and remained a prisoner for the space of fourteene yeeres In ende he was restored to his former dignitie at that time when the Emperour Heraclius ouercame Cosroes in warre-fare and recouered the Crosse of Christ againe which the Persians had spoyled and taken out of Ierusalem This came to passe in the yeere of our Lord 624. To Zacharias succeeded Sophronius of a Monke He was made Patriarch of ◅erusalem Hee lacked not his owne commendation in the sixt generall Counce◅l as one who kept the true Faith inuiolablie Hee was present in Ierusalem when Haumar Prince of Saracenes entered into the Towne and Temple and he was a beholder of the last desolation of the Church in that Towne OF OTHER PASTORS AND DOCTORS IN this CENTVRIE there is great scarsitie of learned men yet that which was inlacking in l◅arning it must bee supplied one way or other Some were
of the holy resurrectioÌ„ might be expected with coÌ„secrated lights Such voluntary seruice inuented by the braine of man had great sway at this time That in the daylie Church-seruice the Lordes prayer vulgarly called Pater noster should be rehearsed because it is vsually called Oratio quotidiana that is a daylie prayer That Alleluiah bee not sung in time of Lent because it is a time of mourning and humiliation vntill the dayes of resurrection be celebrated which is a time of joye and gladnesse That after the Epistle a part of the Gospell shoulde bee read That Hymnes and spirituall songes not contained in holie Scripture may be sung in the Church The song of the three children shall be sung in all the Churches of Spaine and Gallicia In the ende of Spirituall songes it shall not bee simplie saide Glorie to the Father to the Son c. but Glorie and honour to the Father and to the Son to the H. Spirit to the end that hymnes sung in earth may bee correspondent to the song of Elders in Heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 4. 11. In Responsories if it be a matter of gladnesse the ende shall be Gloria c. and if it bee a matter of sadnesse the ende shall be Principium c. The booke of the APOCALYPS of Sainct Iohn is declared to bee a booke of Canonicke Scripture and to bee preached in open audience of the CHVRCH betwixt EASTER and WHITSONDAY It is forbidden that the holy Communion should be celebrated immediately after the saying of the Lordes Prayer but let the blessing bee first giuen and then let the Priestes and Leuites communicate before the Altar the Clergie within the Quiere and the people without the Quiere No man shall bee promoted to the honour of Priesthood who is infamous who hath bene baptized in heresie who hath gelded himselfe who hath married the second wife or a widow who hath had concubines who is in a seruile condition who is vnknowne Neophycus or a Laike who is giuen to warre-fare or an attender in Court who is vnlearned or hath not attained to the age of thirtie yeeres who hath not proceeded to honour by ascending degrees who by ambition or bribes hath presumed to honour who hath beene elected by his predicessor who hath not beene elected by the Clergie and people of his owne citie He who is approued shall bee consecrated on the Lordes day by all the comprouinciall bishops at least by three of them Let Leuites bee of the age of 25. yeeres before their admission and presbyters of 30. Let bishops bee vnreproueable according to the precept of the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. Let bishops not onely haue the testimonie of a good conscience in the sight of God but also the testimonie of an vnreproueable conuersation amongst men Presbyters and Leuites whom infirmitie of olde age permitteth not to abide in their secrete chambers yet let them haue witnesses of their honest conuersation in their shoppes and remaining places Youthhood is prone and bent to euill therefore let them who are young be all brought vp in one conclaue vnder the instruction and gouernement of some well approued Senior But they who shall be found lasciuious and incorâ—…igible let them be thrust into a Monasterie to the end that stricter discipline may correct the proud minds of insolent youthes Seeing that ignorance is the mother of all errours it becommeth presbyters who haue vndertaken the office of teaching continually to meditate vpon holy Scripture according to the wordes of the Apostle Tâ—…ke hâ—…ede to reading exhortation and doctrine 1. Tim. 4. for by meditation of holy Scripture and the Canons of the Church men are made able to instruct others in knowledge and in precepts of good maners Presbyters shall receiue from their owne bishops an officiall booke to the ende that through ignorance they doe nothing amisse neither in celebration of the Sacramentes nor in their Letanies nor in their forme of comming to Councels When presbyters and deacons are admitted to their offices they must vowe chastitie and binde themselues to their bishops to leade a continent life and after such profession let them retaine the discipline of an holy life A bishop presbyter or deacon who shall happen to bee vnjustly deposed if they be found innocent by the triall of the Synode let them bee restored to their former dignities before the Altar by the hands of bishops in this manner If he be a bishop let him be restored to his Orarium with Staffe and Ring If hee be a presbyter to his Orarium and Planeta If he be a deacon to his Orarium and Alba If hee bee a sub-deacon to his Plate and Chalice and other orders let them receiue in their restitution that which was giuen vnto them in their ordination If anie of the Clergie be found to haue consulted with diuiners and sorcerers let him be deposed from his dignitie and be thrust into a Monasterie to make continuall pennance for his sacrilâ—…dge Church-men who dwell in the borders coÌ„fining to a nation that is vnder hostilitie with their owne countrey let them neither receiue from the enemies of the countrey nor direct anie secret message vnto the enemies If anie Church-man sit in judgement or bee judge in a sentence of blood let him be depriued of his dignitie in the Church Let bishops haue a care of such as are oppressed to reprooue the mightie men who oppresse them and if the word of wholesome reproofe profite nothing let them complaine to the king to the ende that by regall authoritie impietie may be subdued Seeing auarice is the roote of all euill let bishops so gouerne their dioceses that they spoyle them not of their rightes but according to the determination of anteriour Councels let them haue the thirde part of Oblations Tithes Tributes and Cornes the rest let it remaine vnto the Paroches free and vntouched That thing which one bishop possesseth without interpellation for the space of thirtie yeeres let no man in that same Prouince be heard in an action of repetition But as concerning them who dwell in diucrse Prouinces the case standeth otherwise lest while Dioceses are defended the boundes of Prouinces be confounded A Church newlie builded shall appertaine vnto that bisshop in whose diosie it is knowne that spirituall conuentions haue beene kept A Bishop shall visit yeerelie all the paroches of his diosie and incase hee been impeded by infirmitie or by weightie businesse hee shall appoint faithfull Presbyters and Deacons to take inspection of the fabricke of the Churches and of their rentes Whatsoeuer rewarde a Prelate promiseth to a man who vnder-taketh anie worke tending to the vtilitie of the Church let him faithfully performe his promise Seeing that a part of Church-rentes is bestowed vpon sustentation of strangers and of poore and indigent people if it
let Seniors louingly cherish the younger sort and present vnto them profitable examples of a good conuersation The 14. and 15. Can. intreate of the reward due to them who are found faithfull seruants to the King in whatsoeuer estate especially in the Church and that rentes and landes bestowed vpon the Church shall abide firmely in their possession without reuocation In the 16. 17. 18. and 19. Canons there is a commemoration of the bountifull kindnesse of king Chintilla toward the Church aprouision that no Church-man should bee allured by no deceitfull perswasion to take a course against the King A protestation before God his Angels Prophets Apostles Martyrs and whole Church That no man shoulde enterprise any attempt against the King and his Noble estate And they who shall presume to doe in the contrarie are appointed to eternall damnation In ende prayers are made to God to giue a good successe to their meeting and thankes are giuen to the King by whose authoritie they were assembled So it is manifest that by the authoritie of Princes Nationall Assemblies were conueened at this time IN the yeere of our Lord 662. as Functius reckoneth and in the 6. yeere of Chindasuvindus king of Spaine the 7. Councell of Toledo was assembled consisting of 4. Arch-bishops 30. bisshops and a great number of presbyters and me engers from them who could not bee present The occasion of this meeting was Theodisclus bishop of Hispalâ—…s a Graecian borne Hee had corrupted the bookes of Isidorus and dispersed many errours in his Church and hee contended for supremacie with the bishop of Toledo In this Councell Theodisclus was remooued from his office The prioritie of dignitie was conferred to the bishop of Toledo In the second Tom of Councels 6. Canons are referred to this meeting First Laikes and men also in spirituall office are forbid den to attempt anie thing against the estate of their countrey either by sedition or treason Secondlie it is statuted and ordained That incase anie man ministring the Sacrament of the Lords holy Supper be hindred by any superuenient sicknesse that another shall be readie to finish the worke which he hath begunne Thirdly That the presbyters and the whole Clergie shall be present at the funerall of a bishop Fourthly it is forbiddeÌ„ that bishops in their visitation should extorse or oppresse the Churches which they visite Fiftly That men inclosed into a Monasterie should first receiue instruction in their Monasteries before they presume to teach others Sixtly a commandement is giuen That the bishops in neare adjacent places shoulde bee obedient to the bishop of Toledo and at his commaundement they shoulde compeare into the towne of Toledo CAbillonum vulgarlie called Chalon is a towne in Burgunnie not farre distant from Matiscone In this towne by the commandement of Clodoucus king of France conueened 44 bisshops Gandericus bishop of Lions was President and Landilenus bishop of Vienne Theodorus bishop of Arls because hee refused to compeare before the Councell was suspended from his office vntill the next Councell In this Synode the Canons of the Councell of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two bishops shoulde bee ordained in one towne That no man shoulde sell a Christian seruant to a Iew And that two Abbots shoulde not bee chosen to gouerne one Monasterie That no labouring of the ground or other secular worke should bee done on the Lordes day with manie other canons coincident with the Canons of other Councels IN the dayes of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and vnder the Popedome of Agatho a Councell was gathered at Rome about the question of the willes and operations of Christ wherein it was decerned by the suffrages of 125. Bisshops of Italie France Lombardie of the nation of the Gothes of Britanes and Sclauonians That two willes and two operations were to bee acknowledged in Christ And the opinions of Theodorus Cyrus Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites was damned The vaunting wordes of the letter of Agatho written to the sixt generall Councell wherein hee braggeth that the bishops of Rome neuer erred in matters of Faith I lay them aside at this time for they are false and vntrue as I haue alreadie prooued and shall prooue hereafter if it please the Lord. IN the yeere of our Lord 671. and in the fift yeere of Recesuvindus King of Gothes the eight Councell of Toledo was conuened To this Assemblic resorted two and fiftie bishops Great disputation was in this Councell concerning perjurie In ende it was resolued That no necessitie bindeth a man to performe an vnlawfull oath For Herod and Iphtah sinned in making vnlawfull oathes but they sinned more grieuouslie in performing vnlawfull oathes Marriage is vtterlie forbidden to Bishops and places of SCRIPTVRE are miserablie abused to confirme this interdiction of marriage Bee yee holie as I am holie 1. Pet. 1. 16. And in another place Mortifie your members which are on the earth Coloss. 3. 5. Miserable ignorance in this age counteth marriage to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vncleanenesse a member of the bodie of sinne which the Apostle commaundeth to mortifie Yea and the sub-deacons who pleaded for retaining of their wiues in regarde that in their admission no such condition was required of them are in moste seuere manner interdited from the companie of their wiues or else to bee thrust into a Monasterie to suffâ—…r pennance vntill the last period of their liues Vnlearned men are not to bee admitted to the celebration of diuine mysteries especially such as are not well acquainted with the Psalter Eating of flesh is forbidden in Lent for three principall causes First Because the fourtie dayes of Lent are the tithes of all the dayes of the yeere and the tithes shoulde bee consecrâ—…ted to GOD Secondlie because that CHRIST by fasting fourtie dayes expiated the sinnes of mankinde Thirdly because it is conuenient that a man made of the 4. elementes for breaking the ten precepts of the decalogue should afflict his bodie foure times ten dayes Beholde the firme argumentes whereupon the doctrine of deuils in prohibition of meates doe leane 1. Tim. 4. In the 10. Canon the vertues wherewith the king shall be indewed who shall be chosen to reigne in Spaine are rehearsed In the last Canon the ordinances of preceeding Councels are to bee obeyed and the Iewes are to bee dealt with according to the actes of the 4. Councell of Toledo Can. 56. 57. 58. 59. and 60. c. IN the yeere of our Lord 673. and in the 7. yeere of the reigne of Rocesuindus king of the Gothes by the commandement of the King 16 bishops conueened in Toledo and made these ordinances following First That founders of Churches and bestowers of rentes vpon the Church and their posteritie should haue a sollicitous care that Church rents be not abused which misorder if it shall happen to fall
and saith shee hath committed none iniquitie ambition so blindeth her eyes that vnconstancie is counted no fault and taking deepe roote in her heart hideth from the eyes of her mind the sight of heauen and all heauenly vertues such as humilitie modestie constancie and vprightnesse of a siable and vnwauering heart The preheminence that God licenciateth to bee sought ouer brethren is like to the preheminence of Moses ouer the Elders he ascended higher vpon the mountaine of God than they did and when he came downe againe from the mountaine of God his face shined with greater splendor of celestiall glorie than the faces of others did Would God Pastors could striue to attaine to such preheminence for the striuing for prerogatiue of places hath bred many vnnecessary and vnfruitfull contentions in the Church as an ancient Father hath well marked This supremacie aforesaid so vnhonestly sought was vsed tyrannously vnrighteously Pope Bonifacius the fourth dedicated the Temple called Pantheon wherein all the Gentile gods were worshipped this Temple I say he dedicated to the Virgine Marie and to all the Martyrs rather changing than correcting the vile abomination of Idolatrie Honorius the first in the sixt generall Councell was found to haue bene an Eutychian heretique The Popes Martinus the first and Eugenius the first Vitalianus and Adeodatus were so puft vp in pride that they counted the Bishops of Râ—…uenna heretiques onely for this because they receiued not their ordination from the Bishops of Rome were not subject to their authoritie And this heresie they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pope Sergius 1. obstinately refused to subscribe the decrees of the sixt generall Councell partlie because in it the doctrine and lawes of prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall functions was damned and partlie also because the Bishop of Constantinople was equalled in honour with the bishop of Rome Constantinus the first and Gregorius the second were the first open and auowed traitors against the Emperours the one of them rased the name of the Emperour Philippicâ—…s out of charters the other assoyled the subjects of Italie from the oath of all edgeance to the Emperour Leo Isaurus because these two Emperours dâ—…tested the worshipping of Images What villanie was in Pope Stephanus the thirde who perswaded CAROLVS MAGNVS king of FRANCE to repudiate his wife BERTHA the daughter of DESIDERIVS king of LOMBARDIS abusing in moste impudent manner the wordes of holie Scripture What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse 2. Coriâ—…t chap. 6. vers 14. In that place the Apostle is giuing counsell to Christians who are disposed to marrie not to couple themselues in matrimoniall band with infideles but the counsell of the Apostle to them who are alreadie married euen with infideles is this If any brother haue a wife that beleeueth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not for sake her 1. Cor. 7. 12. So that albeit Bertha the daughter of Desiderius had bene an infidell shee beeing willing to cohabite with her husband there was no reason to repudiate her But now the bishops of Rome are become wiser than the Apostles of Christ and they bid repudiat the wife with whome the Apostle Paul in expresse wordes biddeth a Christian man cohabite It is more intolerable that Suphanus the third calleth Bertha an infidell was she not baptised in the name of Christe was not her father Desiderius before him Aistulphus partakers of the Lordes holie Sacramentes was not Rachis the brother of Aislulphus so deuout according to the superstitious forme at that time commended in the Romane Church that hee forsooke his kingdome and entered into a Monasterie there to leade his life But the bishops of Rome are become so prodigall of their reproachfull speaches that all persons are counted Infideles who followe not absolutely all the conceites of their changeable mindes Pope Adrian the first with aduise of a great Councell ordained that no man should bee consecrated bishop of Rome before hee had receiued investment by staffe and ring by the Emperour but Gregorius 7. by the contrarie cursed them who receiued inuestment from the Emperour anno 1073. These two popes speak contradictory things yet they must be counted holy Fathers who cannot erre Pope Leo the third tooke vpon him boldnesse to change the Empire and to proclaime Charles the Great king of FRANCE to be Emperour in the West And Baronius the moste inâ—…pt expounder of Scriptures of anie learned men of late dayes defendeth this doing of Lâ—…o by a place of Scripture The moste High beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whome hee will Dan. 4. 22. Daniel in that place speaketh of the Eternall GOD who indeede is moste high and giueth the kingdomes of the worlde to whome hee pleaseth but Baronius applieth this to the bishop of Rome as if hee were moste high and had the kingdomes of the worlde at his owne dispensation to giue them to whome he pleased So saide the Deuill of himselfe Luke 4. 6. but hee lied for hee had no such power and Baronius attributing this power vnto the Pope lieth as impudentlie as the Deuill did sergius the second with his brother Benedictus for gaining vanta e vnto themselues were not ashamed to sell bishoprickes and to preferre men to spirituall offices not for the worthinesse of their giftes but for the weight of their numbered money and so the chaire of ROME was filthilie spotted with simonic Yea it came to passe that the pridâ—… and simonicall auarice of the bishops of ROME brangled their late vsurped authoritie so that AVGVIBERTVS bishop of MILLANE with allowance of many bishops of ITALIE disclaimed the authority of the bishop of ROME and with great difficultie after the issue of two hundreth yeeres was the chaire of MILLANE reduced againe to the obedience of the bishop of ROME in the dayes of Pope Stephanus the ninth It grieued the bishops of ROME that they were bound by the constitution of Adrian the first to haue the allowance of the Emperour to their election and therefore by degrees they endeuoured to shake off that yoke of bondage Stephanus the fourth was elected without the fore-knowledge of Ludovicus ' Pius but he pacified the Emperours wrath by his comming to FRANCE Pascalis the first in like manner was chosen bishop of Rome without the foreknowledge of the Emperour Neuerthelesse by his letters sent to the Emperour Ludouicus he excused himselfe and ratified the constitution of Adrian In like manner Leo the fourth following the example of his predecessors was admitted without the fore-knowledge of Lotharius hee likewise excused himselfe to the Emperours sonne Ludouicus pretending that the sudden incursion of the Saracenes was the cause mouing the people to precipitate his election and hindering himselfe to make due aduertisement to the Emperour Lotharius in whose time he was elected But the issue after following declared that all these excuses
contende with hatefull malice euerie one against the fame of another and laying aside diuine worship they follow the lusts of their owne hearts the more securelie because their is no man to restraine their inordinate desires This Platina writeth of them in the life of Sergius the third The moste part of them were like vnto Monsters whose natiuitie like as it breedeth sorow in the harts of their verie parents so in like manner it is some mitigation of their heartes griefe when the Monster hastily dieth This second comfort God g◅ue vnto the world Few of these ambitious auaritious and libidinous Monsters continued long in the popedome I will not anticipate the Historie but shortly I hope thus farre hath beene declared that the Romane Church sought this preheminence vnhonestly and abused it vilely by simonie idolatrie heres◅ treason tyrannie schisme and all kinde of inhumanitie which one of them could practise against another And that they haue casten behinde their backe that holie forme of preparation for entering into spirituall functions vsed of olde to wit that their spirituall senses were well exercised with seeing of Heauenlie sightes with hearing of Angelicall hymnes with feeling the opetatiue vertue of the coale taking from the Altar of God and touching their lippes and so being well prepared and furnished with celestiall grace they entered into spirituall callings assisted with the grace of God that commeth from aboue But now the preparation is turned to riches and money where with if a man be well surnished albeit he were like vnto Ioannes the thirteenth that is a man who is perjure the verie childe of the d◅uill the brother of Iudas and a man whose name will remaine in perpetual execration yet such a man furnished as said is with riches and money may bee promoted to the popedome Now is leuen eaten in time of the passeouer and hee who calleth himselfe the Vicare of Christ hee climbeth to that office by the leuen of sin And truely like as the types and figures of good thinges cannot equall in goodnesse the thinges that are figurated by them euen so the figures of euill things were not so much to bee abhorred as the euill things themselues represented by types figures He who commanded to purge the olde leuen to the end that wee might bee an holie lumpe hath vtterly forbidden vs to enter into holy callings by vile and vnhonest meanes NOw followeth the third head of this TREATISE as a preparation to the TREATISE following to prooue that the chaire wherein the Uniuersall Bishop sitteth is the chaire of the Antichrist which I prooue by this argument The chaire that extolleth it selfe aboue Christ is the chaire of the Antichrist but so it is that the chaire wherein the Uniuersall Bishop sitteth extolleth it selfe aboue Christ Ergo it is the chaire of the Antichrist The first part of the argument is proued by the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians The second part of the argument I prooue by this reason That chaire which taketh vpon it power to dispense against the lawe of God extolleth it selfe aboue Christ but so it is the chaire of the Uniuersall Bishop arrogateth power to dispense against the lawe of God as namely in the matter of Marriage licentiating a man to marrie his brothers wife and others to marrie women of their nearest consanguinitie Ergo the chaire of the Uniuersall Bishop is the chaire of the Antichrist Heere let vs remember that no lawe can bee dispensed withall but either by the same authoritie by which it is made or by a greater But the lawe of God is manifestly annulled in many points corrected and dispensations giuē against it by the chaire of ROME as shall bee declared heereafter GOD willing what can bee saide of it then but that it is become the seate of the Antichrist Concerning the stile of the Antichrist which I minde to attribute to the bishop of Rome especially since the yeere of our Lord 666. I admonish the Reader that hee bee not deceiued with the generalitie of the worde Antichrist which albeit it may be attributed to Infideles Heretiques and to all them who obstinately contende against the doctrine of the person or office of Christ yet doeth this name most properly belong to the principall ring-leaders and authors of that great defection from the faith fore-tolde by the Apostle Paul 1. Tim. 4. For like as when Moses in Holy Scripture is called a Prophet and faithfull Pastors are called Angels this hindereth not Christ from being called the Great Prophet the Angell of the Couenant Euen so when Heretiques who gainsay the diuinitie of Christ or veritie of His humane nature are called Antichrists this hindereth not but the chaire which hath chiefely blinded the world with errours and hath poysoned kings and people with the cuppe of her fornications to bee called the seate of the Antichrist Nazianzenus in a generall sense counteth Arrius whom hee pointeth out by the stile of a recent Apostate and Nestorius by whose opinion the natures of Christ were diuided to be Antichrists But Chrysostome in a proper sense supposeth him to bee Antichrist who should treade vnder foote the Romane Empire like as the Romanes had subdued the kingdome of the Macedonians and ◅he Macedonians had subdued the kingdome of the Persians and the Persians had vndone the kingdome of the Babylonians Euen so saith Chrysostome the Antichrist shall vndoe the dominion of the Romanes and in ende the Antichrist shall bee consumed by the Spirit of Christs mouth and shall be abolished with the brightnesse of His comming Many thinges are written of the Antichrist who deceaueth people in errour so that they misknowe the Antichrist when hee is come no lesse than the nation of the lewes misknew CHRIST when He was manifested in the flesh They write that he should bee of the Tribe of DAN that hee shoulde bee borne in BABYLON and hee shoulde bee brought vp in CORASIM and BETHSAIDA that SATHAN shoulde ouer-shaddowe his mother and poss◅sse her that hee should re-edifie the Temple of HIERVSALEM and that the people of the IEWES should adher◅ vnto him But all these opinions are grounded partlie vpon a wrong interpr◅tation of Scripture and manie of them are sh◅owded ◅alselie vnder the name of AVGVSTINE Bisshop of HIPPO but it is knowne that RABANVS Archbishop of MENTZ was the compiler of that foolishe TREATISE De Antichristo whereinto the fore-mentioned opinions are contained and not AVGVSTINE More-ouer they say that the Antichrist shoulde bee one particulare man opposite to Christ whose continuance in fighting against the Saincts shoulde not exceede the space of three yeeres and an halfe But what madnesse is it to referre the secrete beginning the open tyrannie the reuelation and destruction of the Antichrist to the person of one singulare man which is a worke working from the dayes of the Apostles vntill the second comming of Christ The argument whereby some
were possible they shoulde deceiue the verie Elect. The mindes of people in all ages haue beene mightilie transported with signes and wonders in so much that the GENTILES firmelie beleeued that there was a diuine power in IVPPITER because the LORD permitted the Deuill to raise a mightie storme of winde and to ouer-blowe with sande the armie of CAMBYSES which went to PENTAPOLIS of purpose to spoyle the Temple of IVPPITER AMMONIVS The GRECIANS likewise beleeued that there was diuinitie in APOLLO because GOD permitted the Deuill to shake the mountaine of PARNASSVS and to destroye a great number of the armie of ZERXES who came to spoyle the Temple of DELPHVS Heathen people were rauished with admiration of workes which seemed miraculous But Christians to whome the written worde of GOD belongeth they shoulde regarde no miracle which leadeth them from the forme of true worshipping set downe in the written worde of GOD DEVTRONOM CHAP. XIII for all such miracles are called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is miracles of falsehood or miracles confirming a false doctrine Nowe blessed bee our GOD who by the breath of His owne mouth hath begunne to remooue the mistie cloude of horrible darknesse and who hath made the beames of His trueth to shine vpon vs. And the LORD establishe our soules with His sauing Grace vnto the ende and in the ende Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrifice of the Masse THE soule of the Antichristes kingdome is the Masse which beeing abolished the Antichristes kingdome cannot consist Now therefore it followeth by due order that I shoulde speake of the Sacrifice of the Masse keeping this method first to search out if it bee an auncient Seruice in the Church of God secondly to search out the definition of the Masse and thirdly to declare the absurdities of the Masse To prooue the Masse to bee an auncient Sacrifice vsed and approoued in the Primitiue Church they alleadge the liturgie of Sainct Iames the bookes of Abdias bishop of Babylon the bookes of Martialis bishop of Burdeaux and one of the seuentie Disciples the bookes of Clement and of Sainct Dionyse the liturgies of Basill and Chrysostome a booke founde in Verona a towne of Italâ—…e set foorth vnder the name of Amphâ—…lochius bishop of Iconium the head citie of Lycaonia which describeth the life and miracles of Sainct Basill But now it is time to bee ashamed of their supposititious bookes and legendes of lies wherewith they were accustomed to deceiue simple people These bookes for the moste part are so vnknowne to Antiquitie that there is no mention made of them in ancient Authors The liturgie of Chrysostome is a booke falsely shrowded vnder his name because in that liturgie there is a prayer conceiued for the prosperitie and well-fare of Nicolaus the first vniuersall bishop And it is knowne that Nicolaus the first was not borne three hundreth yeere and more after the death of Chrysostome And in the booke set foorth vnder the name of Amphilochius a description of the life of Thomas Bekket bishop of Canterburie is set downe who was at least seuen hundreth yeeres posteriour to the dayes of Aâ—…philochius Such legendes of lies doe verie well agree with the kingdome of the Antichrist Moreouer the forme of Church-discipline vsed of olde will proue that there was no such Church-seruice as the Masse for these who had committed great sinnes by the strict discipline of the Church were debarred some from hearing of Sermons others from the Prayers and some from the Communion but wee reade of no man for the space of fiue hundreth yeeres who was debarred from the sight of the Sacrifice of the Masse because there was no such Seruice in the Church for the space aforesaide For mine owne part I found nothing in the Historie that once seemed to countenance the Popish Masse before the sixe hundreth yeere of our Lord at what time the bishop of Centum-celle made a fabulous narration to Gregorie the first of a man tormented in purgatorie who requested a Church-man to offer to God consecrated hosties for his reliefe out of paines but this fable cannot prooue the Masse to bee an auncient Church-seruice Chrysostome clearly declareth the forme of approaching to dinine mysteries in his time After Sermon a deacon stoode vp and cried with a loude voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Holy thinges doe appertaine vnto holie persons by which wordes hee inuiteth holy men and such as are duely prepared to draw neare to the participation of holy mysteries others who in conscience sound not themselues purged from the filthinesse of their sinnes hee exhorteth to single out themselues and not to approach to the holy Table This hee amplifieth by a dissimilitude of the Olympiak playes and the holy Supper In the Olympiak playes saieth Chrysostome an harolde stoode vp and after hee had pointed out a mans name who offered to giue a proofe of his valour in the Olympiak exercises then the harolde cried with a loude voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Doeth aniâ—… bodie accuse this man can anie bodie accuse him of theft of lewde manners of a base and seruile condition whereby he may be found vncapable of this high honouâ—… But when a man is disposed to approach vnto the holy mysteries the Church deacon calleth not vpon others to accuse him but sendeth him to the secrete parlour of of his own heart to accuse himselfe and to trie if he be absolued from his sinne and if hee bee refreshed with thè earnest-pennie of the Holy Spirite and made rich in good workes This was the forme of communicating in Chrysostomes dayes If there was besides this forme of communicating a sacrifice also wherein a Priest stoode at the Altar and he only did eate and drinke and the rest were onely spectators and beholders of the sacriâ—…ce then let them produce testimonies of Scripture or ancient Fathers whereby it may bee prooued that such forme of seruice was in vse in the Church Master Harding foolishly singing the triumph before the victorie citeth a place of Chrysostome as a full and perfect confirmation of the Antiquitie of the Masse Chrysostome when hee was a fellow-labourer with Flauianus bishop of Antiochia hee complained of the slownesse of the people in approaching to the holy Communion in these wordes I see saieth hee great inequalitie of thinges amongst you At other times When as for the moste part yee are in cleane life yee come not to wit to the Communion but at Easter though yee haue done something amisse yet yee come O what custome is this O what presumption is this the daylie sacrifice is offered in vaine Wee stand at the Altar for nought there is not one that will communicate The verie purpose whereat Chrysostome aimeth should make him ashamed to cite this place as a defence of the Masse for Châ—…ysostome is reprehending the people for resorting at so fewe times and in so small companies vnto the holie Supper
of the blood that was brought within the moste Holie place Notwithstanding of all these differences betwixt the Leuiticall priesthood and the priesthood of Christ yet there was some agreement betwixt them namely this that both of them were instituted by God But the sacrifice of the Masse ouer and besides all other differences whereby it is distinguished from Christes sacrifice it is not the institution of God but a foolishe inuention of the braine of man The next part of the definition that Christes bodie is offered vnder the accidents of bread and wine agreeth not well with the glorie whereinto Christ entered by his ascension for like as the resurrection of Christ hath glorious priueledges he beeing ra sed from death death hath no more dominion ouer him Euen so the ascension of Christ to Heauen hath glorious priueledges for he who ascended to Heauen he sitteth at the right hand of the power of God and will come againe in the cloudes of Heauen and it repugneth as farre to the glorie of his ascension to appeare againe in a base similitude as it repugneth to the glorie of his resurrection to die againe But so it is that the accidentes of bread and wine are a base similitude to the blessed and glorified bodie of Christ to put on yea and baser than the shape of a seruant wherewith he was cloathed before his ascension Concerning the sacrifice of Melchisedek and their confident assertion that in the sacrifice of the Masse Christ is offered without suffering I remit these questions vnto the last head of this TREATISE The last part of the definition of the Masse containeth that it is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead If it bee that selfe same sacrifice which Christ offered vpon the crosse not different from it in substance but only in forme of offering then behooued it to bee of infinite valour as the sacrifice offered vpon the crosse was But the multitude of Masses saide for the relieuing of one soule out of purgatorie declareth that there is not infinite and perfect valour in the sacrifice of the Masse Ergo it is not that same sacrifice in substance which Christ offered vpon the crosse Euen as a Physition who adhibiteth a plaster vnto a wound hauing full vertue to cure the wound by once applying it hee will not applie it the second time because the wounde is perfectly healed by one sole application Euen so if the Masse had perfect valour to saue as the sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse had what neede were it to say manie Masses for the reliefe of one sou'e out of purgatorie More-ouer if they offer a sacrifice for the dead it is not for them who hath died in infidelitie mis-beliefe for their soules are buried in Hell and there is no redemption out of that euerlasting prison But they offer sacrifice for weake Christians of whome notwithstanding holy Scripture saieth that they die in the Lord they rest from their labours and their works follow them so weake Christians when they die their soules are not carried to purgatorie to bee tormented but vnto the place of rest and refreshment and retribution of all the good thinges which they haue done like as the Lord hath freely forgiuen them all euill which they did in their life time because they haue repented and beleeued in Christ their Sauiour The offering of sacrifice for the dead doe not only presuppone purgatorie but also that some helpe may bee procured by them who are aliue to shortē or to mitigate the paines of them who are departed this life This opinion also repugneth to Holie Scripture which admonisheth vs to seeke the Lord in a time when he may be found that is to seeke the Lord in our life time for it is vntimous seeking of the Lord after the soule be separated from the bodie Some men seeke the Lord in a wrong place some seeke him in a wrong manner and some seeke him in a wrong time as the foolish Virgines did But of all sort of seekers of the Lord they are most vnfortunate who seeke him in a time when he cannot be found and when the doore of his wedding chamber is shut and locked For others who haue sought the Lord in wrong places that is in the synagogue of Sathan where nothing was taught but a doctrine of lies and they haue sought God in a wrong manner inuocating Sainctes and worshipping Images yet afterward when they haue receiued better instruction they haue sought the Lord in a right place and in a right manner and haue found the Lord but they who seeke the Lord in a wrong time shall neuer find him IN the last head of this Treatise I promised to speake of the absurdities of the Masse which albeit they be many in number yet I shall reduce them vnto a few heads First I begin at the blasphemous Canon of the Masse whereunto the Councell of Trent hath giuen such a glorious testimonie that it is perfect absolute voyde of all errour and therefore not to bee changed or abrogated I call the Canon of the Masse that rule which prescribeth what shoulde bee saide or sung in the Popish liturgie or Masse It is not a worke composed by one author but rather a rapsodie patched vp by many authors and especially by Popes Celestinus deuised the preamble or introit to the Masse Gregorius added kyrie eleson Telesphorus gloria in excelsis Deo Gelatius the first the Collations Pelagius a commemoration of the dead Leo the third added incense Innocentius the first added the paxe Sergius the first ordained agnus Dei to bee sung other partes and members of the Masse are assigned to their seuerall authors and inuentors In it the Priest is commanded to bowe himselfe before the hostie say I worship thee I glorisie thee I praise thee Can there bee any Idolattie more monstrous than this for like as GOD hath appointed some creatures to leade vs to our God in so far as he is our Creator euen so he hath appointed other creatures to leade vs to our God in so far as he is our Redeamer Now like as it is Idolatrie to subsist in the Sunne Moone and starres and to worship them because they are but creatures leading vs to the knowledge of God our Creator Euen so it is horrible Idolatrie to worship the bread and wine in the Sacrament because they are but creatures appointed by God to leade vs to the knowledge of God our Redeamer More-ouer in the Canon of the Masse the Priest is commanded to praye such prayers as import that Hee is a Mediator betwixt Christ and his Father for hee beseecheth GOD to receiue the oblation which he offereth and in all things to make it blessed Nowe the oblation which he offereth as they affirme is the bodie of Christ. And shall a sinfull Priest be a mediator betwixt Christ and his Father Heere they forget the doctrine of Augustine who
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wee offer in remembrane of his death and this which wee offer is a type to wit commemoratiue of that which he offered But because they hing by an haire and if any ancient Father cast out one worde albeit it were hyperbolically spokeÌ„ they fasten their gripes vpon it as if it made altogether for them Now Chrysostome saieth This Sacrifice which we offer is one and the selfe same Sacrifice which Christ offered Is it not good reason hee haue libertie to expounde the meaning of his owne words and so he doeth Our Sacrifice and Christs Sacrifice is one because we celebrate a remembrance of that Sacrifice once offered vpon the Crosse and of none other But that Sacrifice which Christ offered vpon the Crosse hath no neede to be reiterated saith Chrysostome in that same Homilie because it is like vnto a medicine which beeing once applyed hath a perfect vertue to saue vs from all our sinnes Hitherto I haue declared that the words of Consecration if they bee expounded as auncient Fathers expounded them they make nothing to proue the doctrine of Transsubstantiation Nowe let vs proceede further to see howe this definition of Transsubstantiation agreeth with the doctrine of the Apostles and of other auncient Fathers The Scriptures of God neither acknowledge an euanishing of the substance of bread and wine neither yet a chaunge of their substance into the substance of Christs bodie and blood For as much as the Apostle Paul speaking of the sacred elementes of the Lordes Supper at that time when they seale vp our conjunction with Christ which is not before the blessing breaking and distribution but after these holy actions the Apostle calleth the eating of the blessed bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the drinking of the blessed Cuppe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a communion of the Lords bodie and blood not excluding the substance of the elementes but expressely pointing out the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the bread and the cuppe The moste ancient Fathers are moste vnacquainted with this Noueltie of Transsubstantiation for they all in one voyce for the space of 500. yeeres doe consent that the substance of bread and wine remaineth in the Sacrament after the wordes of Consecration albeit the vse of the elementes bee changed Iustinus Martyr saith that the elementes in the Sacrament of the Supper are made the flesh and the blood of Iesus in that same forme that the eternall worde of God was made flesh but so it is that the substance of the diuine nature neither euanished nor yet was changed into the substance of flesh And in like manner the bread is made the body of Christ neither by the euanishing of the substance thereof nor yet by changing the substance thereof into another substance In like manner Ireneus when he saith that the holy Eucharist consisteth of things earthly and of thinges celestiall by mentioning of earthly things hee would declare that the substance of the bread and wine remaineth after the consecration And lest any man by shifting wordes shoulde saye that Ireneus meaneth not by earthly thinges the substance of bread and wine but rather the accidents hee expresseth his owne meaning in the 32. chap. that he is speaking of the bread and the cuppe Ambrose speaking of the operatiue vertue of the Lords word in the Sacrament he saith that the elementes remaine that same thing which they were they are changed into another thing because the substance of the elements remaineth and their vse is changed Like as a regenerated man in substance both of soule and body is that same man that hee was before yet in qualities and conditions there is a great change And who can interprete the words of Ambrose better than hee himselfe doeth illustrate them by the foresaide similitude Theodoretus in his first Dialogue saith that God hath honoured the elements in the Sacrament with the name of His bodie blood not by changing of their nature but by adding grace vnto nature And in his second Dialogue he saith that after the wordes of consecration the elementes remaine in their former substance shape and forme The wordes of Theodoretus are not more effectual to instruct vs in the right judgement concerning the nature of the Sacrament than the very purpose whereat hee aimeth in those his Dialogues They are written of purpose to refute the heresie of Eutyches who affirmed that after the diuine nature assumed the humane nature all became diuinitie and there was not two distinct natures in Christ but one only Theodoretus for refutation of this heresie bringeth a comparison taken from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the which the bread in substance remaining bread assumeth a name and vse that it had not before by diuine institution to be called the bodie of the Lord Euen so the diuine nature of Christ assumed the humane nature without any change of the one natuâ—…e into the other Moreouer he proueth the veritie of Christs humane nature by this That the elements in the Sacrament of the Supper are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is signes types and figures of the bodie and blood of Christ. And incase he had not a true body how could the elements in the Sacrament be figures of his bodie These speaches of Theodoretus doe import two thinges First that the elementes in the Sacrament of the Supper remaine still in their owne substance and their substance is neither changed nor euanished Secondly that in the holy Sacrament of the Supper there are signes not accidentall but the elementes in their owne substance remaining are signes of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. And howe these two things can agree with the doctrine of Transsubstantiation let the judicious Reader consider Augustine in like manner is so farre from imagining that the substance of the bread is euanished or turned into another substance that he putteth a difference betwixt Sacramentum and res Sacramenti counting the elementes Sacramentum and the bodie blood of Christ res sacramenti Now concerning the elements that is the bread and the wine he affirmeth that some doe eate them vnto saluation others doe eate them vnto damnation but as concerning the body and blood of Christ which Augustine calleth res sacramenti in expresse tearmes he saith No man receiueth them but onely to eternall life Of this it is euident that Augustine calleth that Sacramentum which is eaten either worthily or vnworthily either to saluation or to damnation And he is speaking of the substance of bread and wine which can bee eaten drunkeÌ„ and not of accidents which no man can eat or drinke But wherefore doe I spende time to cite testimonies of Fathers to prooue that after the wordes of blessing the elements in the holy Supper neither change their substance nor yet doeth their
as obeye the injunctions of the Priest What haue we to doe with such foolish and babbling speaches which are not grounded in Scripture For the Apostles who preached repentance and remission of sinnes after Christes ascention to heauen they ledde the people expressely to the promises made to the Patriarches and Prophets concerning the comming of Christ and of remission of sinnes in him heereby acknowledging no difference in substance betwixt repentance vnder the olde Testament and vnder the new Testamēt because both they and wee are ledde to one fountaine of the house of Dauid there to be washen and to be cleansed from all spotte of sinne Truely the doctrine of repentance taught in holy Scripture declareth that it is a worke wrought in vs by the Lord himself according as Christ our Lord witnesseth saying No man commeth vnto mee except my Father who sent me draw him The meanes whereby this worke is wrought in vs is by the fearefull trumpet of the law and by the sweet promises of the Gospell The instrumentes which GOD vseth in this worke are the Prophets Apostles their successors None of these things can be denied for the Apostle saieth God was in Christ and reconciled the Worlde vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed vnto vs the worde of reconciliation no we then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs sleade to beereconciled vnto God In these fore-mentioned places of Scripture three thinges are set downe First God is counted the efficient worker of repentance Secondly the promises of the Gospell whereunto the terroures of the lawe prepare an open doore are the meanes alluring vs to repentance Thirdly the Ministers of the Worde are the instrumentes to carrie the message of reconciliation vnto vs. The very law it selfe and the Gospell cannot haue the honour due to God who is the efficient worker of repentance because both law and Gospell was preached to reprobate Iewes but they were not conuerted by repentance to the trueth of God in regarde the Lord who is the efficient worker of repentance wrought not inwardly in their hearts As concerning the Preachers of the doctrine of reconciliation they receiue their honour from their Ambassadrie and they giue no honour vnto it except by accident in respect of the people who carry the greater reuerēce to an holy message when they see the Ambassadour who carrietith to bee an holy man But now let vs consider God in the worke of repentance as the head the message of reconciliation as the stomacke the preachers of the word who carrieth this message as the feete whose feete albeit they bee called beautifull in regarde of the sweete message which they carry yet the feete must neither haue the honour of the head nor of the stomack But the Romane church by giuing this honour to a priest that hee conferreth exopere operato remission of sinnes to the person who confesseth in particular all his faults vnto him they giue the honour of the head to the feete Like as in all their Religion their principall drift seemeth to bee this to leade the people from the Creator who is blessed for euer to an excessiue confidence in the creatures of God The grounde of the Sacrament of Pennance is a conceite of satisfaction which men can make for their own sinnes committed after Baptisme as if the promise of remission of sinnes made in Baptisme did extende onely to sinnes preceeding Baptisme What is this else but directly to contradict the words of Christ spoken to his Apostles Hee who beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued Can any man be saued by an absolution from a part of his sinnes and not from all his sinnes This doctrine of the Romane Church bringeth in Christ as a Sauiour and not a Sauiour deliuering vs from the debt of by-past sinnes and setting vs once without the prison doore but knowing assuredly that wee shall be thrust into the prison againe there to remaine vntill wee satisfie for our own sins cōmitted after Baptisme And they make vs to be our owne sauiours rather than Christ for he who deliuereth a man from his last and greatest trouble is rather to bee counted his deliuerer than he who deliuered him from his first trouble The particular thinges required in the Sacrament of Pennance they say are foure to wit Contrition in the heart Confession in the mouth Satisfaction in the deede and Absolution of the Priest If these things were rightly conceiued in repentance all these thinges are necessarily required But as they are in the Romane Church all are meere abominations and displeasing vnto God First concerning the Contrition of the heart the Psalmist speaketh The sacrifices of God are a contrit◅ spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise But in the Romane Church when a Poenitentiare commeth to his father Confessor and discouereth a sinne not such as he hath already committed and for the which he is pearced with sore displeasure as Dauid was but rather hee discouereth to his father Confessor a treasonable attempt which he is minded to practise with obstinate purpose of an incorrigible heart shall such a man bee counted to haue a contrite and a broken heart Yet in our dayes no man is more welcome to a father Confessor than such a man as discouereth to him horrible treasons plotted against Noble Princes Yea and no confessions are more secretly buried in the mindes of father Confessors than those confessions are Is this a contrite spirite and a broken heart wherein the Lord delighteth Or can there bee a greater abuse of the doctrine of Contrition than to count them contrite in heart who are bent obstinately to runne forward in the course of vngodlinesse Popish Contrition is not vnlike vnto the fighting of Marcus Crassus both father and sonne against the Parthians Crassus the elder in his Oration made to encourage his army to fight valiantly his voyce failed him Marcus Crassus his sonne in his first out-going out of the house he stumbled Both these things were counted euill presages of the vnprosperous successe of the battell which after followed And what esperance can wee haue of this new found out Sacrament of Popish Pennance when as they judge so boldly of the first point thereof that is of Contrition counting traitors to bee men of a contrite spirit whome God hath appointed for the flames of euerlasting burning except they repent The forme of Confession vsed in the Romane Church hath neither warrand nor example in the Scripture of God that anie person should bee bound in particulare to confesse all his secret sinnes to the Priest The place of Scripture vildly abused Acknowledge your faultes one to another and praye one for another that yee may be healed c. it should bee expounded by another place of Scripture wherein a man who hath offended his neighbour is
commanded to confesse his faults to his neighbour whome hee hath offended Luke 17. 4 And it belongeth nothing to auricular confession except Popish Priestes would confesse in particular all their sinnes to the people like as the people confesseth all their secret sinnes in particular to the Priestes And our Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee receiued a particular confession of secret sinnes from the Samaritan woman hee sent away his Disciples to Samaria to the ende the weakenesse of a poore penitent sinner should not bee troubled by a particular confession of secret sinnes before them who knewe not thinges which were done in secret But let vs confesse secret sinnes to God who knoweth things that are done in secret But sinnes whereby the Church of God is openly slandered let them also bee openlie confessed Seeing that auricular confession hath no testimonie in Scripture it followeth to search out by diligent examination whether or no it had place after the dayes of the Apostles in the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord. Wee reade of the first Christned Emperour Philippus who slewe Gordianus and was slaine by the Emperour Decius anno 250 that hee was desirous about Easter time to bee admitted vnto the participation of the holy Sacrament but this benefit was refused vnto him vntill the time that he made his publicke repentance and vntill hee stood in the place where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were accustomed to stand They were so called because they were demaunded concerning the sinnes which they had committed and the sense and feeling of griefe that God had wrought in their heartes for their preceeding offences This was not a secret and auricular confession but an open confession of publike sins in sight open audience of the people So we see that for the space of two hundreth and fiftie yeeres after the Lords ascension auricular and secret confession of sinnes to the Bishop or Presbyter was vnknowne in the Church Nowe if at any time open confession of sinnes shoulde haue ceassed and giuen place to secrete and auricular confession it was in time of the tenne Persecutions because that Christians were drawne continually before the judgement seates of vnbeleeuing Iudges from whom the weaknesse and faultes of Christians might haue beene obscured if auricular confession had beene in vse at that time But the Fathers who liued in that age were so carefull to purge the Church from slander that they preferred the puritie of the Church vnto their owne liues True it is that euen before the ten Persecutions had an ende some good Christians woulde consult with their Pastors wâ—…ether it was expedient to confesse their sinnes openly before the people to the edification and good of the Church or secretly onely to God But this secrete consulting with the Pastor what was most needfull to bee done was not an auricular confession to him of all secret sinnes but rather an aduisement concerning some sinnes whether the sinner himselfe and the Church might receiue greater benefite by open confession before the people or by secret confession to God onely The wordes of Origen very pertinently cited by Chemnisius are these Consider circumspectly to whom thou shouldest confesse thy sinne Trie first thy Physition if hee vnderstand and fore-see thy disease to bee such as should bee confessed in the Congregation of the whole Church and so be cured whereby possibly others may be edified and thou thy selfe may bee easily healed then saieth hee make haste to vse the counsell of thy Phisition If the custome of the Primitiue Church were proponed in simplicitie and sinceritie it shoulde bee founde that the newe toye of auricular confession cannot bee shrowded vnder the vaile of great Antiquitie Whatsoeuer a fewe men wounded more deepely with a sense of sinne than others they did voluntarily in powring out their sinnes in the bosome of their Pastors albeit they had neither sacrificed vnto Idoles nor yet giuen vp their names in the Romane deputies rolles promising conformitie but only they confessed other faults of lesse moment to their Pastors with dejected and humbled mindes seeking comfort to their afflicted soules This is a matter rarely contingent wherewith wee are acquainted in our dayes as familiarly as Cyprian was in his time Yet was there no mandate and Church commandement ordaining people so to doe in Cyprians dayes And people likewise who powreth out the dolour of their wounded coÌ„sciences for secret sinnes in our bosome they doe it voluntarily and vncoacted hoping for some mitigation of their griefe through vnburthening of their heart by confession as Nazianzenus writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is some medicinall cure of heart griefe to powre out our words into the verie aire After the three hundreth yeere of our Lord and after the tenne Persecutions ceassed the discipline of making open repentance for open sinnes continued in the Church as is euident by the Act of the Councell of Nice in the 11. Canon in the which a forme of Publicke satisfaction is prescribed vnto them who in time of the Persecution of Licinius had sacrificed to Idoles But concerning a particulare confession of secrete sinnes to the Pastor there is no mention in the Councell of Nice The Historie hath declared that auricular confession had place in the East Churches in the dayes of Nectarius bishop of Constantinople whose Ministerie was vnder the reigne of the Emperour Theodosius Here two thinges are to bee noted First that the discipline of the East and West Churches was different and in the West Church there remained a publicke confession of notorious and publicke sinnes in so much that the Emperour Theodosius himselfe confessed his fault openly and in sight of the people at Millane for the slaughter of the innocent people of Thessalonica Secondly it is to bee marked that Nectarius in abolishing the custome of auticular confession he acknowledged it to bee but an humane and not a diuine constitution for who dare abolishe either in doctrine or discipline the constitutions and ordinances of God Lindanus a man in the Latine Language more eloquent than godly cannot suffer that it shall be thought that Nectarius abolished auriculare confession but rather that hee abolished the custome then in vse that one shoulde onely bee Presbyter Poenitentiarius to whome secrete sinnes shoulde bee confessed and that in time to come a man should make choise of any presbyter whom he pleased to be his father Confessor But let the historie bee judge Socrates saith that Eudaemon gaue councell to Nectarius to abrogate presbyter poenitentiarius to remit euery man to the triall of his owne conscience when he approached to the participation of holy mysteries Satisfaction in the Romane Church is an obedience to the injunctions of the Priest by performance wherof they are in hope to obtaine forgiuenesse at the handes of God for sinnes committed after Baptisme But besides the Nouelâ—…y that is in Popish Satisfaction it is also a blasphemous opinion
other parts make seruice in his Church without letters of recommendation 14. Let a Pres byter leauing a lowe place and presuming to an higher incurre that same punishment which a Bishop deprehended in the like fault should incurre 15. A Presbyter who attaineth to a Church by giuing money for it let him be deposed 16. Let tythes bestowed vpon Churches by aduise of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poore by the Presbyters 17. The families of Bishops shall bee instructed in the summe of the true faith In the knowledge of the retribution to be giuen to good men and the condemnation of vngodly people and of the resurrection and last judgement and by what kinde of workes eternall life may bee promerited and that the Homelies containing these instructions shall bee translated into Rusticke Latine language to the end that euery person may vnderstand them Marke in what estimation the Latine language hath bene at this time that instructions in Rusticke and Barbarous Latine are counted better than instructions in good French Language 18. It is the duetie of the Bishop to instruct his Presbyters concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme what it is that they should desire the people baptized to renounce namely they should renounce the deuill all his works his pomps Now the works of the Deuill are murther fornication adulterie drunkennesse and other such like faultes But the pompes of the Deuill are pride ostentation swelling conceites vaine glory lostinesse and such other faultes as spring vp from such groundes 19. Presbyters are precisely to bee admonished that when they say the Masse and doe communicate they doe not distribute the Lords bodie indiscretely to children and to all persons who happen to bee present who if they bee entangled with great sinnes they procure vnto themselues rather damnation than any remedie to their soules according to the saying of the Apostle Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cuppe vnWorthilie hee shall bee guiltie of the bodie and blood of the LORD Let a man therefore trie himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cuppe By this let the judicious Reader marke that euen in the dayes of Carolus Magnus priuate Masses had no place but they who were duely prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrisme to be touched by euery man 21. Presbyters shall not resort to Tavernes to eate or drinke 22. Bishops and presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who haue confessed their sines pennance discretly according to the weightinesse of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in Cities let them eate in one Closter and sleepe vnder one roofe to the ende they may bee readie to celebrate their Canonicall houres From the 24. Can. vnto the 32. are contained Constitutions concerning Monkes and Nunnes which I ouer-passe with silence fearing to bee prolixt Can. 32. All men should studie to peace and concorde but especially Christians forsaking hatred discorde and enuie 33. Lordes and Iudges should bee obedient to the wholsome admonitions of their bishops and bishops on the other part should reuerentlie regarde them to the ende they may bee mutually supported euery one with the consolations of another 34. Lordes and Iudges are to bee admonished that they admitte not vile and naughtie persons to beare witnesse in their judicatories because there are manie who for a contemptible price are readie to make shipwracke of a good conscience 35. Let no man for his decreet receiue a rewarde for diuine Scripture in manie places for biddeth this as a thing that blindeth the eyes of the wise 36. Let euerie man bee carefull to support indigent persons of his owne familie and kinred for it is an impious and abominable thing in the sight of God that men abounding in riches should neglect their owne 37. Christians when they make supplications to God let them in humble manner bowe downe their knees following the example of the Martyr Steuen and of the Apostle Paul Except vpon the Lordes daye and other solemne dayes on the which the vniuersall Church keepeth a memoriall of the Lordes resurrection and at such times they are accustomed to stand and pray 38. Faithfull people must be admonished not to enter into the Church with tumult and dinne and in time of Prayer and celebration of the Masse not to be occupied in vaine confabulations and idle speaches but euen to abstaine from wicked cogitations 39. Let not the Consistories and Iudgement seates of secular Iudges bee in the Church or portches thereof in any time to come because the house of God shoulde bee an house of Prayer as our Lord Iesus Christ saieth 40. Let it bee forbidden that Merchandize be vsed vpon the Lordes daye or Iustice Courtes because all men should abstaine from seruile laboures to the ende this day may bee spent in praysing and thanking God from Morne till Euen 41. Incestuous persons parracides and murtherers are found who will not hearken to the wholsome admonitions of Church men but perseuere in their vitious conuersation who must bee reduced to order by the discipline of the secular power 42. Let the people bee admonished to abstaine from Magicall Artes which can bring no support and helpe to the infirmities of men and beastes but they are the deceitfull snares of the Deuill whereby hee deceiueth mankind 43. A frequent custome of swearing is forbidden wherein men vpon euery light occasion willing to purchase credite to that which they speake they take God to bee witnesse of the veritie of their speaches 44. Manie frie subjectes by the oppression of their Masters aro-redacted to extreame pouertie whose causes if our clement Soueraigne please to examine hee shall finde that they are vnjustlie redacted to extreame indigence 45. A false measure and a false ballance is an abomination vnto the Lord as Salomon recordeth The 46. Canon containeth a regrate that tythes were not duely payed to the Church notwithstanding that the Church had giuen in their complaint to the ciuill Magistrate whereby it came to passe that not onely Lightes in the Church and steependes to the Clergie beganne to inlacke but also the very Paroch Churches became ruinous 47. When generall Fastinges are appointed for any impendent calamitie let no man neglect the fellowship of the humbled Church for desire to fearce his bellie with delicate foode 48. Drunkennesse and surfetting are forbiddē as offensiue both to soule and and bodie and the ground of many other sinnes 49. Lords and Masters are to bee admonished not to deale cruelly and vnmercifully with their subjectes yea and not to seeke that which is due vnto themselues with excessiue rigour 50. Let Laicke people communicate at least thrise in the yeere vnlesse they bee impeded by some hainous sinnes committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were disherited by the donation of landes which their fathers and friends had bestowed
ordaine that such woman as either negligently or fraudulently present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation they shall be compelled to do pennance all the dayes of their life neither shall they in anie wise be separated from their husbandes 32. Let a sinner confesse vnto his Father Confessor all his sinnes which hee hath committed either in thought worde or deede because that hatred enuye and pride are such pestilentious bot◅hes of the soule and the more secretly that they are couched the more periculously they hurt 33. Sinnes shoulde not onely bee confessed to GOD according to the example of DAVID who saieth I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the LORD and thou for gauest the punishment of my sinne Psal. 32. vers 5. But also wee shoulde confesse our sinnes to our Father Confessor according to the precept of the Apostle Acknowledge your faultes one to another and pray one for another that yee may bee healed Iac. 5. 16. 34. In prescribing of pennance let fauour and hatred of any person bee laide aside and let the injunctions be giuen according to the rule of H. Scripture according to the canōs custome of the Church following the example of the physitions of the body who without exception of persons doe adhibit cuttings burnings vehemēt remedies to perilous diseases 35. Many in doing of pennance are not so desirous of remission of sinnes as of the accomplishment of the prescribed time of their humiliation and beeing forbidden to eate fleshe or drinke wine they haue the greater desire of other delicate meates and drinkes but spirituall abstinence which should bee in penitent persons excludeth all bodily delightes 36. Let no man sinne of purpose to the ende hee maye abolishe his sinnes by Almes deedes for that is all one as if a man should hy◅e God to grant vnto him a libertie to sinne 37. Seeing all Canons of Councels are to be diligently read in speciall such as appertaine vnto faith and reformation of manners shoulde bee moste frequently perused 38. Bookes called Libelli Poenitentiales are to bee abolished because the erroures of these bookes are certaine how beit the authors of them bee vncertaine and they prepare pillowes to laye vnder the heads of them who are slecping in sinne 39. In the solemnities of the Masse Prayers are to bee made for the soules of them who are departed as well as for them who are aliue 40. Presbyters who are degraded and liue like seculare neglecting repentance whereby they might procure restitution to their office let them bee excommunicated 41. A Presbyter who transporteth himselfe from his owne place shall not bee receiued in any other Church except hee prooue both with witnesses and letters sealed with lead and containing the name of the Bishop and of the Citie which hee liued in that hee hath liued innocently in his owne Church and had a just cause of transportation 42. Let no Church bee committed to a Presbyter without consent of the Bishop 43. In some places are founde Scots men who call themselues Bishops and they ordaine Presbyters and Deacons whose ordination wee altogether disallowe 44. Presbyters must not drinke in Tavernes wander in Markets nor goe to visite Cities without aduise of their Bishop 45. Many both of the Clergie and Laickes goe to holy places such as Rome and Turon imagining that by the sight of these places their sinnes are remitted and not attending to the sentence of Ierome It is a more commendable thing to liue well in Hierusalem than to haue seene Hierusalem 46. In receiuing the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ great discretion is to bee vsed Neither let the taking of it bee long differred because Christ saieth Except yee eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you Neither let vs come without due preparation because the Apostle saieth Hee who eateth and drinketh vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 47. The Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ which in one daye is accustomed to bee receiued of all Christians let no man neglect to receiue it except some grieuous crime doe hinder him from receiuing of it 48. According to the precept of the Apostle Iames Weake persons shoulde bee annointed with oyle by the Elders which oyle is blessed by the Bishop these wordes inclosed in a parenthesi are added to the Text for hee saieth Is anie man siecke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if hee haue committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen him Iam. cap. 5. vers 14. 15. Such a medicine as cureth both bodily and spirituall maledies is not to bee neglected 49. In the Councell of Laodicea it was forbidden that Masses should bee saide and Oblations offered by Bisshops or Presbyters in priuate houses This questiō also was disputed in this Councell 50. The authoritie of the Emperour is to bee interponed for reuerent keeping of the Lordes daye 51. Because the Church is constituted of persons of dine se conditions some are Noble others are ignoble some are seruantes vassalles strangers c. It becommeth them who are in eminent rowmes to deale mercifully with their inferioures knowing that they are their brethren because God is one common Father to both and the Church is one common mother to both From the 52. Canon vnto the 66. are contained precepts of chaste and honest liuing prescribed to Prioresses and Nunnes which I ouer-passe as I haue done in the preceeding Councels 66. It is ordained that prayers and supplications shall bee made for the Emperour and his children and for their well-fare both in soule and bodie 67. These things haue wee touched shortly to bee exhibited to our Soueraigne lord the Emperour Hee who desireth a more ample declaration of all vertues to bee followed and vices to be eschewed l◅t him reade the volume of the holy Scriptures of God IN the same yeere of our LORDE wherein the preceeding foure Councels were conuened and by the mandate of the Emperour Charles the Great another Councell was conuened at Arles The Canons of this Councell were in number 26. 1. They sette downe a Confession of their Faith 2. They ordaine That Prayers shall bee made for the Emperour and his children 3. They admonish Bishops and Pastors diligently to reade the bookes of holy Scripture To teach the Lordes people in all trueth and To administrate the Sacramentes rightly 4. Laick people are admonished not to remooue their Presbyters from their Churches without consent of their Bishoppes 5. That Presbyters bee not admitted for rewardes 6. It is ordained That Bishops shall attende that euery person liue ordinately that is according to a prescribed rule The 7. 8. Canons belong to the ordering of Monkes and Nunnes The 9. Can. pertaineth to the
yeere of Tiberius The Senat of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ. Pilat killeth himselfe Caius would be counted a god The Iewes abhorred the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple The petition of Agrippa The bloodie letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputie The hypocrisie of Agrippa Contention betweene the Iewes and Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter The famine foretold by Agabus The Council of Jerusalem ANNO 48. Romaine deputies The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God The first persecution ANNO Chr. 65 The martyrdome of Peter Paul Romain Deputies Contention betweene Agrippa and the Iewes The martyrdom of Iames surnamed Iustus The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes Foreranning tâ—…kens of the destruction of Ierusalem The destruction of Ierusalem ANNO Chr. 71. The flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem types of the great iudgement to come The second persecution AN. Chr. 96. The banishment of the Apostle John Domitian afraide by rumors of the Kingdome of Christ. Apostles Euangelists The true successours of the Apostles Bishops of Rome Linus Ignatius Papias Heretiques Simon Magus Menander Ebion Cerinthus Nicolaitansâ—… A Treatise of antiquitie Antiquitie of veritie Antiquitie of errour Antiquitie of custome Where veritie is to be â—…ound The power of the veritie The reue rence that should be câ—…ried to the veritie The more the veritie is despised in the world the more ardently it should be loued Antiquitie is no honoar to errour Errour in religion an execrable thing Errour repugneth to itselfe Both ancient and late errours magnifie creatures With the diminution of the glory of the Creator The trueth is not to be judged by outward appearance Antiquitie of custome differeth from antiquitie of commandement How ancient truth may be discerned from ancient lies Foure counterfaite masks of antiquitie in Poperie Wicked men reade holy Scripture of intention to gainesay the trueth of God †Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Confident speaking without a sure ground is not to be regarded What the word heresie doth signifie The grounâ—… of heresie Similitudeâ—… Pride accompanying ignorance The propagation of herâ—…sie Heresie strengthened by the arme of manalanerly The curse of God vpon Heretiques heresies and places of their meetings How Heretiques should be dealt with by the Pastours HAV the magistrate should deale with Heretiques Similitude How the people should deale with Heretiques The word foundation taken properly 〈◊〉 oâ—…ly to Christ. Take heede to the demonstrations of God and beware of Satans demonstrations The similttude of a stone frequently vsedin Scripture The seconâ—… comfort An wholsom admonition In what sense the doctrine of the Prophets c. is called the foundation â—…imilitude Faith is called afoundation The offices of Christ declare that he is a true foundation Christ is a liuing fâ—…undation Similitude The contempt of men cannot impaire the glory of Christ. Similitude We drawe nere to Christ by faith Of Emporours The thirde persecution ANNO Chr. 108 The martyrdome of Simon the son of Cleopas The letter of Plinie 2. written to Traian Gregorieâ—… prayed for the soule of Traian Barcochebas a false prophet seduced the nation of the lewes Adrianus his intention to builde a Church for the honour of Christ. The fourth persecution ANN. Ch. 168. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus Slanderous speeches against Christians The Romain armie supported by the prayers of the Christians Contrarie lâ—…wes Bishops of Rome Martyre Mâ—…tyre Maâ—…tyre Martyre The rashnes of Victor Of other Doctours and Preachâ—… Agrippas Castor Hegesippus Melito Iustinus Martyr Polycarpus Ireneus Clemens Alexandrinus Of Heretiques Gnostici Valentinuâ—… Marcus Cerdon Marcion Tatianus Encratitae Montanus Cataphryges Aquila and Theodosion rathâ—…r Apostatstben Heretiques Sacred scripture cannot be sufficiently commended Similitude It is perillous to separat the booke of the worde from the booke of the workes Similitude The spirit the word are not to be separated The Word of God is to bee found in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Prophets and Apostlâ—…s added nothing to Moses Similitude Three inturies done to the Written Word by reueiencing of traditions False accusations of holy Scripture Vnsufficiencie Difficultie Perill Things necessarte are to be kept al-beit they be abused Similitude Why Heretiques doe hate the Scripture Similitude The care of Christians of olde to keepe the scripture from burning A remarkable speech of an old honorable Lady Scriptures belong to the sheepe of Christ as their proper treasure Reformation of religion made according to the Written word The cause wherfore the Apostles put in write the summe of their doctrin Be not deceiued with the generalitie of the word tradition Similitude The true meaning of the words of Paul 2. Thess. 2. 15. Constancie differeth froÌ„ wilfulnesse The testimome of Ireneus abused Papists will not binde themselues in all points to old traditions The value of tradition in the fâ—… age In the Second age In the last age The word therefore to be considered 2. Thess. 2. ver 15. Christ doth great honour to the Scriptures Defection in the visible Chuâ—…ch no new thing Differences betweene the ancient fathers and Papists of our time con cerningmeats and mariage The Council of Ancyra Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria a maried man The Council of Gangra The probibition of meats and mariage is an apostasie from the faub. Our seruice to God should be a reasonable seruice The Popish church speak lies in hypocrisie rather then old Heretiques What is meant by a consâ—…ence seared with an hote yron Forbidding and biddâ—…ng wordes of authoritie We ought to hearken vnto the voyce that commeth downe from heauen Similitude Great arrogancie in prohibition of meates Arrogancie mixed with foolishnesse Similitude Similitude The last age of the worlde more senslesse then the first Similitude Both blasphemie and hypocrisie in the matter of mariage and meats is condemned by the Apostle The Papistes more subtle â—…en the Manicheis were The grace of thanksgiuing witnesseth that we enjoy both the gift and the giuer We ougâ—…t 〈◊〉 be ruled by Gods word iâ—… all things both corporat spirisuali The conscience is subject to the yocke of God The cause wherefore the succession of Romam Bishops was magnified of old The succession of Dauid The succession of Aaron The succession of the Prophets The succession of the Apostles The alledged succession of the Romaine Church spotted with heresie schisme and idolatry The heresie of the Collyridians renued increased by the chaire of Rome Eugenius 4. B. of Rome a notable schismatick The chaire of Rome defiled with idolatrie Lkeerrours haue like grounds The Romain church like to the successours of Aaron What inconuenients follow if the promise made to the Aposâ—…les successors be absolute The Apostles had calling gâ—…es prerogatiues extraordinarie The fist persecution ANN. Ch. 205. Leonides the father of Origen Alexander fellow laboureâ—… with Naâ—…cislus Rhais a mar tyre hrunt before she
a Poetesse of Scycion were abhorred by the Gentiles because in her verses shee brought in Adonis matching Cucumbers and Aples with the sunne yet is it a more tolerable thing to match an earthly creature with a heauenly creature than to match creatures with the Creator who is blessed for euer After that this opinion of Indulgences and Pardons in a newe and Romane sense once tooke place it is a wonderfull thing to heare what progresse it made from euill to worse Some thought that by Pardones might bee obtained a reliefe from temporall punishments or at least a permutation of eternall punishments into temporall but others running as it were to the supeâ—…latiue excesse of all spirituall madnesse affirmed that by vertue of Popes 〈◊〉 men were absolued both from fault and punishment aâ—… 〈◊〉 Pardones were called Plenissima Indulgentiae Of this sort was the Pardone that BONIFACIVS the eight proclaimed to such as would come to Rome in time of his appointed Iubile and visite the Church of Lateran ann 1399. Of this which I haue alreadie spoken it is euident that the Papistes in the wordes of Satisfaction and Indulgences deceiue both themselues and others for what auaileth it to keepe the ancient wordes vsed in the primitiue Church and to vse them into a newe sense vnknowne to Fathers who spake of Satisfaction and Indulgences Did not the Athenians of olde weare the badge of the golden Grashopper in token they were not extraneers but they were inhabitants in that lande whereinto both their predecessors and themselues were borne but when they were conquessed by the Romanes and their golden libertie was lost what auailed the badge of the golden Grashopper Euen so when substance of ancient words is lost what auaileth it to talke of Satisfaction and Indulgences as ancient things In the rest of this Treatise God willing I shall declare the absurditie of Popish Satisfactions and Indulgences The Councill of Trent in the 12. Canon deoperibus Satisfactionis they write If any man says that the whole punishment and fault is continuallie remitted by GOD and that the Satisfaction of penitent persons is no other thing but faith whereby they apprehend that CHRIST hath satisfied for them let him bee accursed This Act of the Councill of Trent in all the parts of it is flatly repugant to the Scriptures of God There we are taught that in Satisfaction two thinges are principally required First a perfect obedience to the Lawe of GOD. Secondly a perfect sacrifice for the sinne committed by man both these things are to bee found in CHRIST alone who by his obedience hath abolished the sinnewhich came in by the disobedience of ADAM and by one oblation hath consecrated for euer them who are sanctified Nowe to pronounce a curse against all them who leanes vnto the obedience and sacrifice of CHRIST as vnto their onely Satisfaction to the Iustice of GOD is all one as if they would pronounce a curse against all the true disciples of CHRIST who beleeues according as they are taught in the holy Scriptures of GOD. If at any time ancient Fathers speake roundly in this matter it is ourparte to doe that fauour to them which is done to all men to wit to giue them libertie to interprete the meaning of their owne wordes So when AMBROSE writteth that teares washes away sinnes hee declareth in what sense hee spake this to wit not to count the teares of PETER to bee a satisfaction for his threefolde deniall but rather that his teares was a testimonie that hee was one of the Elect for whose sinnes CHRIST had satisfied The wordes of S. AMBROSE are these Legi quidem Petri lachrymas sed satisfactionem non lego that is to say I haue reade of the teares of PETER but of his satisfaction I reade not The Romanists in our dayes are like vnto men who haue benetrauelled vpon the Sea and in end they arriue to the harberie and when they set their foot on shore they thinke that the ground is running about them in a circulare reuolution This is nothing els but the conceates of their troubled braines euen so when Papistes reades in holy Scripture many exhortations to Fasting Prayer Almesdeedes they imagine that Scripture is speaking of Satisfactions for sinne But holy Scripture is like vnto the solide globe of the earth which is not vnder a continuall agitation but is euer like vnto it selfe and sendes vs continuallie in the matter of Satisfaction to that one oblation which hath consecrated for euer them who are sanctified Yea the false teachers of our dayes are like vnto the Edomites who were more cruell than the Babylonians who contented themselues with slaying of some and carying of others captiues and setting the towne on fire but the children of Edâ—…m câ—…ied out that the very foundations of the citie should be razed to the end it should neuer be a citie againe euen so they who sends vs to our owne satisfactions they would vndoe our sâ—…luation from the very ground as if Christ had beene manifested in our nature in vaine to make satisfaction for our sinnes for which wee must make satisfaction in our owne persons and by our owne workes our selues The principall argument whereby they endeuoure to prooue humane satisfactions by Scripture is in the wordes of the counsell of DANIEL giuen to NABVCHADNESER Wherefore O King let my counsell be acceptable unto thee and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore Loe let there be an healing of thine errour What is conteined in this most wholesome counsell of DANIEL but an exhortation to leaue off the course of doing euill and to doe good to the ende that the change of his conuersation might be a testimonie that GOD had forgiuen him his sinnes and accepted him in fauour The like wholesome counsell the Apost PAVL giueth to them who had sometimes bene theeues Let him that stole steale no more but let him rather labour and worke with his handes the thing which is good that hee may haue to giue vnto him that needeth Is there anything heere but an exhortation to desist from wonted vngodlinesse and to leade a newe and holy conuersation but the Apostle is speaking nothing of humane satisfactions yea that the holy Spirit who filled his mind with celestiall knowledge sanctified also his memorie that hee should speake nothing repugnant vnto that hee writeth vnto the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is By one oblation hee hath consecrated for euer them who are sanctified And the Apostle IOHN writing to to them who were already baptized and counted the children of GOD he sayeth My babes these things I write vnto you that yee sinne not and if any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust. So that this new Theologie of our owne satisfactions for faultes committed after Baptisme came not from CHRIST and his Apostles but it is an inucntion of
the braine of man Likewise Christ in holy Scripture is called the Lambe of God who taketh away the sinnes of the world It is great obliuion in men to magnifie the finger which pointed out Christ so much as to count it incorruptible that the fire hath no power to burne it and it is an holy relique in the Romane Church and on the other part to bee so forgetfull of the golden sentence which hee vttered at the pointing foorth of his finger namely that CHRIST was the Lambe of GOD that is the onely propitiatorie sacrifice for our sinnes for that Lambe which was offered in the morning and the euening in the olde TESTAMENT did not represent our satisfactions but only the propitiatorie sacrifice which CHRIST offered vpon the Crosse for our sinnes The doctrine of Augustine agreeing with Scripture was this That CHRIST taketh away our sinnes three maner of wayes First by forgiuing the sinnes wee haue committed Secondly by supporting vs with his grace that wee should not commit the like in time to come and thirdly by bringing vs vnto eternall life where wee shall be free from committing of sinne Finally the writings of the Prophets and Apostles anent the doctrine of Satisfaction pointeth out CHRIST alanerly by whome wee obteine forgiuenesse of our sinnes as the Apostle PETER speaketh to CORNELIVS in these words To him also giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name all that beleene in him shall receiue remission of sinnes If this bee the summe of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apoâ—…es they who contend so seriously to prooue mens satisfactions for faultes committed after Baptisme they striue against the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles As concerning the worde Indulgentia what it did signifie of olde in the primitiue Church I haue already declared to wit a mitigation of the strict discipline vsed against great offenders but this matter will bee better vnderstood if it bee deduced froÌ„ the very first ground In time of the ten great persecutions many were found weake who fell away from the open profession of the trueth and sacrificed to Idoles The dayly increasing number of back-sliders from the trueth compelleâ—… the Church to enter into a deepe consideration howe this defection might bee stayed Novatus was in this opinion that they who made defection in the time of the ten persecutions should not bee admitted againe to the fellowship of the Church albeit they did repent This opinion was too rigorous and repugnant to Scripture Others thought it more expedient to institute Sermoâ—…s to bee preached at solemne times such as Natalitia MartyruÌ„ whereby the great coÌ„mendation of the constant Faith sufferings of the Martyres euen vnto the death might make these timorous backsliders ashamed of their defection on the other part if any of them craued to bee receiued againe into the bosome of the Church that they should testifie their repentance by publicke Satisfaction so many yeeres as was prescribed vnto them by Church discipline the mitigation of the rigour of this discipline was called Indulgentia In our dayes it is taken in another sense for an absolution from fault and punishment at the least from one of them and a dispensation of the merites of CHRIST and his Sainctes to offenders This abuse of ancient wordes to the noueltie of a new fact vnknown to Fathers makes Popish Religion iustly suspect to such as considereth their aberration from antiquitie albeit they bragge of it continually in so much that it may bee saide of them which Philip King of Maccdone spake of a Iudge who dyed his haire that he who was false in a matter of haire would ncuer bee true in a matter of Iudgement so the miserable abuse of the worde Indulgentia prognosticateth horrible abuse in the matter it selfe If any man demand howe doth this Treatise of Indulgences belong vnto this Centurie seeing that Indulgences and Pardones against which I write were not as yet in vse in the Romane Church yea we read not of Plenissimae Indulgentiae à poena à culpa before the 1200. yeere of our Lord. To this I answere that in this Centurie they were opening a passage to that which after followed As Iulian the Apostate when hee cutted a parcell of ground hee opened a passage to Euphrates to runne into Tigris and so procured that his shippes should arriue at Ctesiphon a towne situated vpon Tigris and not vpon Euphrates euen so in this Centurie the bishoppes of Rome were inlarging the power of their keyes which power they extended so amplie that they durst excommunicate Emperours at their pleasure and the posteritie following them finding the power to bee ample they tooke vpon them authoritie to absolue in earth from fault and paine persons whome GOD promised not to absolue in heauen because they were not penitent The two greatest absurdities in late Pardones are these First an absolution from fault punishment vnder another condition than is contained in the written worde of GOD. For there it is expresly written When the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse that hee hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right hee shall saue his soule aliue But the Pardone of Pope BONIFACIVS the eight containeth a full absolution from fault and punishment vpon condition that men trauell to Rome in time of Iubile and visite the Church of Lateran If an Officer to whom the Kings letters are concredite did proclame his Highnes letters another way than they were first conceiued and stamped with the Kings signet hee would be counted a false messenger and would bee remooued from his office but hee who dare presume to alter the message of the great King to promise forgiuenesse to him to whom GOD hath not promised it in his owne written worde hee is a false teacher Promising liberue to others when as himselfe is a seruant of corruption as the Apostle speakes Before this great sinne was amended another greater sinne was added vnto it and Pardones were solde for money by which doing the bishoppes of Rome ceased from beeing the successours of SIMON PETER and became successours of SIMON MAGVS The Apostle commendeth in the Corinthians before they absolued the incestuous Adulterer godly sorrowe care a clearing of themselues holie indignation feare zeale and punishment amongst other thinges hee commendeth in them an earnest desire to wit of the conuersion of him who had fallen into an hainous transgression The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Apostle is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say an earnest desire of money but rather an carnest desire of the repentance of him who had offended The horrible abuse of Pardones solde for money were knowne to all Nations in Europe especially to the Countrie of Germanie to whome Pardones were sent both for sinnes by-past and for sinnes to come with Ticelius an eloquent Orator but Pardones at that time were come to the height and could consist no
signe of subjection vnto him that is a thing no lesse reprooueable than the fact of Samson Wee reade of CONDALVS Gouernour of LYCIA vnder MAVSOLVS King of CARIA that hee gained infinite summes of Golde and Siluer for suffering the people of LYCIA to weare their haire as an ornament of their bodies wherein they much delighted But it is otherwise with the shauelinges of the ROMANE Church whose expectation of gaine beginneth not vntill their heads bee shauen then they gette some benefice by ascending degrees their estate is aduanced vntill they become companions to Princes LINDANVS according to his accustomed manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye Serious in trifles hee will needes haue this custome of shauing the heads of Church-men to bee referred vnto the APOSTLE PETER whose head saieth hee the enemies of the GOSPELL did shaue before they executed him vnto the death And this rebuke of CHRIST the CHVRCH conuerted it into an honourable rite of shauing the heads of Church men after the similitude of the shauing of Simon Peters head But if the ROMANE Church had beene verie sollicitous to haue kept the doctrine of the true faith of CHRIST iâ—… puritie as it was deliuered by SIMON PETER and the rest of the APOSTLES they had not beene so serious in matters of haire ANOTHER custome in the ROMANE Church is to annoint with oyle all them who are admitted to Church Orders Where haue they learned this custome from the sonnes of AARON who were annointed with oyle LEVIT CAP. 8. vers 30. and consecrated to the worke of their ministration Maye it not justlie bee spoken of them which was spoken of olde vnto him who was too loftie in his vaunting speaches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye Either encrease your strength or diminishe your loftinesse Euen so I saye to the Chaplens of the ROMANE Church That they shoulde either bee liker vnto CHRIST who was a Priest according to the order of MELCHISEDECK or else they shoulde bragge lesse of the ceremonies of the LEVITICALL Lawe seeing that the Priesthood of Melchisedeck is farre different from the Priesthood of Aaron To grace this Sacrament of Order all these seuen Orders afore-saide are attributed vnto CHRIST himselfe Hee was a Doore-keeper saye they when He cast out the buyers and sellers out of the TEMPLE IOANN CAP. 2. VERS 15. Hee was a Reader when Hee read the place of ISAIAS in the Synagogue of NAZARETH saying The Spirite of the LORD is vpon mee c. LVKE CAP. 4. vers 17. Hee did the office of an Exorcist when Hee cured a man possessed with a Deuill LVKE CAP. 4. vers 33. Hee practised the office of Acoluthus when Hee saide Hee who followeth Mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of Life Ioann Cap. 8. vers 12. The office of a sub-Deacon when Hee washed His Disciples feete Ioann Cap. 13. vers 4. The office of a Deacon when Hee distributed Bread and Wine to His Disciples Matth. Cap. 26. vers 26. And finallie Hee executed His Priestlie office when Hee offered Himselfe vpon the Crosse a Sacrifice for our sinnes Matth. cap. 27. vers 50. Who can bee so babishe ignorant but hee maye vnderstande that CHRIST in working sauing miracles Hee declared Himselfe the promised MESSIAS and Sauiour In reforming the abuses of the Temple Hee declared Himselfe to bee both King and Priest to whome reformation of abuses in the Church belongeth In reading Holie Scripture and opening the sense and meaning thereof to the people Hee declared Himselfe to bee the Great Prophet whom GOD promised to sende into the worlde DEVTER XVIII And when CHRIST saieth Hee who followeth Mâ—…e shall not walke in darkenesse c. these wordes doe import That wee who followe CHRIST are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not that CHRIST himselfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who could once imagine that the hearts of men coulde bee ouer-casten with such horrible darkenesse as to attribute to the Lorde of the House of GOD the basest rowme in all the House and to make a Doore-keeper of him for a time NOwe the Ceremonies which are vsed in the Consecration of them who are admitted to inferiour Orders are these The Doore-keepers are admitted with the signe of deliuering the keyes of the Church-doore vnto them The Readers by deliuering vnto them the Holie Bible The Exorcistes by deliuering vnto them certaine formes of adjuration of persons possessed with Deuils or transported with madnesse And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by deliuering vnto them Tapers of waxe with a little water potte Are these elementes instituted by GOD and hath GOD annexed vnto Keyes Bookes Adjurations and Tapers of waxe a promise of spirituall grace If these two thinges cannot bee prooued by Holy Scripture then no Sacrament can bee acknowledged in these Orders especiallie since the administration of these offices is committed to boyes to ignorant fellowes and to men who haue no extraordinarie gift of casting out of Deuils as the Exorcistes of the Primitiue Church had of olde The like I speake of superiour Orders The signes and Ceremonies which are vsed in admitting of Presbyters whome now they call Priestes are the presenting vnto them a platter in the which consecrated Hosties are contained to declare that they are called to stande at the Altar to consecrate the elementes and to offer vp the bodie and blood of CHRIST as a propâ—…tiatorie Sacrifice to the Father Howe blasphemous this opinion is I haue alreadie declared in the TREATISâ—… Of the Sacrifice of the Masse but for the present this I saye That if the auncient Ceremonie of Imposition of handes had beene kept in admission of Presbyters yet it coulde not haue beene called a Sacrament of the Newe Testament because a Sacrament is a visible signe of the inuisible grace of GOD and belonging to all them to whome the Couenant of GOD belongeth Onelie this obserued that euerie Sacrament must bee applied in its owne time as GOD hath ordained The Ceremonie of breathing vpon them who are admitted Priestes conjoyned with these wordes Receaue the Holie Spirite Ioann Cap. 20. vers 22. it is a preposterous counterfeiting of CHRIST whome wee aught to followe in such thinges as Hee hath sette downe to bee followed but not to presume to doe all thinges which Hee did for demonstration of His diuine power The Deacons in the Romane Church are ordained by a Bisshop who cloatheth them with their Stoles and their Oraria vpon their left shoulders and putteth into their handes the Booke of the Euangell whereof they shoulde bee Preachers Their office is to attende vpon the Presbyters when they minister the Sacramentes to laye the Hosties vpon the Altar to prepare and to couer the LORDES Table to carrie the Crosse and to preach and sing the Gospell and the Epistle to the people In the ordination of Deacons there is neither a regarde of the first institution of Deacons appointed by CHRISTES Apostles Acts 6. neither is there anie similitude
or resemblance of a SACRAMENT therein The office of a sab-Deacon is not mentioned in Holie Scripture and their seruice in carrying the Challice and the Paxe and the potte with water to washe the handes of them who minister at the Altar and the Towell they are such a masse of friuolous toyes inuented by the braine of man that I will leaue of to speake anie further of them remembring alwayes this auncient saying That which Scripture hath not commaunded maye bee as easilie rejected as it maye bee furtherlie obtruded NOwe seeing I haue remembred in all my preceeding Treatises to speake of Antiquitie I shall not ouer-passe with silence this poinct GOD willing in this Treatise also Albeit the Hierarchie of the Romane Church were founde to bee auncient yet it sufficeth for this Treatise to declare that of olde these Orders were not called a Sacrament And there is no ancient Writer whome I haue read who reckoneth Church Orders in the number of Sacramentes As for the wordes of Cyprian and Pope Leo cited by Lindanus they are not worthie of refutation because in a generall signification manie thinges maye bee called Sacramentes But to call Order a Sacrament in a strict signification it is a newe inuention founde out by the Scholasticke Doctors who behooued to bee serious in some thing after they had lost the substance of Religion But I will set forwarde and declare that the Hierarchy it selfe is not so auncient as they affirme it to bee True it is that about the yeere of our LORD 250. Cornelius Bishop of Rome abhorring the arrogancie of Nouaius describeth the Hierarchie of the Romane Church in the which there was one Bishop fourtie and sixe Presbyters seuen Deacons and seuen sub-Deacons fourtie and two Acoluthi of Exorcistes Readers and Ianitors fiftie two of Widowes afflicted people aboue a thousande and fiue hundreth persons who were all sustained by the liberalitie and goodnesse of GOD in the Romane Church Heereof it appeareth that ouer and beside offices instituted by the Apostles to continue ordinarilie in the Church other offices crept in into the Church by humane institution hauing no such warrand as Elders and Deacons had And after the time of the promotion of the Bishop of Rome to the honour of Vniuersall Bishop the number of Church offices encreassed and to Presbyters were added Arch-priestes and to Deacons were added Arch-deacons And Lindanus lamenteth that other inferiour offices which were inuented by men had ceassed in the Church such as Fossores Syngeli Copiatae When the liberalitie of the people bestowed superfluitie of riches vpon the Church then newe offices behooued to bee founde out to the ende that all which was bestowed might seeme too litle because manie Church offices were to bee sustained the prouerbe spoken of olde of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A woman is naturally sumptuous nowe it might bee justly transferred to the Church Hierarchie that it was a sumptuous and costly thing About the yeere of our Lord 308 and vnder the reigne of Dioclesian a constitution is attributed to Caius Bishop of Rome that men should bee promoted to superiour Orders by degrees ascending from inferiour Orders And all the fore-mentioned Orders are reckoned in that Decretall of Caius to wit Ostiarius Lector Exorcista Acoluthus Sub-diaconus Diaconus Presbyter and Episcopus But the Epistle of Leo the fourth written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credite to all the decretall Epistles written before the dayes of Pope Siricius except onelie to the decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So that argumentes taken from decretall Epistles preceeding the 384. yeere of our Lord hath the lesse credite amongst vs because they cannot obtaine credite at the handes of their owne Popes But seeing nothing is to beee called auncient which hath not flowed from the mouth of Christ and His Apostles lest they should seeme to be discountenanced in this poinct they cite the booke of the Canons of the Apostles to prooue that the degrees afore-saide were Apostolicke constitutions This booke is not onely supposititious but also moste impertinently cited by Papistes because in the Councell of Trent De Sacramento ordinis cap. 2. Anathema is pronounced against them who acknowledgeth not all their Orders both superiour and inferiour But the booke of the Canons of the Apostles acknowledgeth onely fiue Orders namely Bishops Presbyters Deacons Readers and Psalmists or Chantors but no mention is made of Exorcistes and Sub-deacons Therefore it were good for them either to bragge lesse of Antiquitie or to prooue better that their Hierarchie is auncient Ambrose in cap. 4. ad Ephes. reckoneth fiue Orders to wit Bishops Presbyters Deacons Readers and Exorcistes making no mention of Subdeacons and Acoluthi The Canonistes recken nine Orders adding to the seuen aboue mentioned Bishops and Psalmists This diuersitie of opinions concerning Church Orders declareth two thinges First that of olde there was no Sacrament of Orders Secondlie that there was no setled opinion in the Church about Orders but one Church vsed one forme and another Church another forme as is customably obserued in thinges indifferent insomuch that when it was thought expedient that all house-holde seruantes in Bishops houses shoulde bee Clergie men then the number of Church offices were multiplied according to the number of Oecumenicke offices accustomed to bee in Noble mens houses Would God that in matters of faith of manners and Church Discipline men had fixed the eyes of their minds as attentiuelie vpon the written worde of GOD as Ship-men doe vpon their Compasse then had there beene lesse aberration and lesse disputation and lesse diuersitie of opinions The LORD worke this in His owne time to whome bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euer and euer worlde without ende Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Matrimonie IN the TREATISE of the Sacrament of MATRIMONIE the inconstancie obliuion contradiction and head-strong insolencie of the Romane Church maketh mee vncertaine whereat to beginne For who coulde once imagine that they who call Marriage a worke of the fleshe and an estate of liuing vncompetent to them who are called to holie Orders forgetting what they had spoken they woulde make of it an holie Sacrament as if the Ministers of GOD should bee debarred from the holie Sacramentes of GOD. If they saye that they debarre men in spirituall offices onelie from copulation with women yet in this they debarre them from the Sacrament forasmuch as they debarre them from the externall signe whereby the spirituall grace is represented Can anie man bee partaker of Baptisme and not washen in water Or can anie man bee partaker of the LORDES Super and not be permitted to eat and drinke at the holie Table And how is a man admitted to the Sacrament of Matrimonie and debarred from copulation which they themselues graunt to bee the externall signe of the Sacrament But let vs marke the fraudulent dealing of the ROMANâ—… Church who hath made Marriage to bee a Sacrament albeit all the members