him nor parts of his true body p Ephes 1. 22. 23. which is his Church Vse Labour we therefore to get this faith and to nourish it by all good meanes and to hold fast the confession thereof vnto the end that so we may receiue the crowne of righteousnesse and be made pertakers of Peters blessednesse Epaminondas a Captaine in an hot skirmish being stricken downe sore wounded and taken vp for dead assoone as he came to himselfe first asked if his Target were safe fearing and being loath his enemies should get that so let vs looke to the shield of our faith least our enemie the Diuell which often woundeth vs dispossesse vs of that Target for without it thou maist be in the Church but not of the Church and extra ecclesiam nulla salus a desperate case where all out of Noahs Arke perish and are drowned in Gods wrathfull deluge Obiect Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church The Papists lay hold on this place as theeues doe on true mens goods endeauouring to proue hereby that Peter was chiefe of the Apostles and the head and foundation of the Church Sol. I Answer this prerogatiue was not pronounced or giuen vnto Peter alone but to him and the other Apostles for as Peter made this confession in the name of all so Christ made this protestation to him in the name of all and when hee said thou art Peter c. he alludeth only vnto his name importing that hee should be a principall pillar in the Church q Reu. 21. 14. Ephes 2. 20. as were also the rest of the Apostles which had like calling like graces like promises and like prerogatiues and meant not that Peter should bee the Apostle of the Apostles or haue any primacie ouer the Church Let the Reasons bee these Arg. 1 First if Christ had heereby made Peter the chiefe of the Apostles and the head and foundation of the Church thē should the Church haue had a weake fraile and ruinous foundation and vnfit to support so weighty a burden for if we search the Scriptures wee shall find that Peter was subiect to many infirmities and had many and more grieuous falls then any of the elect Apostles and was himselfe supported by Christ the foundation and onely Head of the Church and it seemeth that the Holy Ghost fore-seeing what these men would ascribe to Peter more then the allowance of Christ hath more particularly and at large set forth in the Gospell Peters infirmities in quality and number more then any of the other Apostles as if Almightie God foreknowing the superstitious inclination of the Jewes and all men most apt and prone to Idolatry would preuent their ouer much aduauncing of holy men which are and ought to be Sainted onely by God that they should place them in Gods throne to bee adored as Gods whom his Word of truth hath deciphered to be weake and sinfull men which mischiefe Peter himselfe in his life time found experience of and with all his might and power withstood this madnesse of the multitude who hauing seene the great myracle wrought by him vpon the poore Creeple in Salomons Porch gazed vpon him and flocked about him as if he had beene a God which Peter perceiuing cast away that opinion with both hands r Acts 32 7 10 11 12 13 both vilifying himselfe as a man full of infirmities an◠magnifying the name of Jesu◠by whose name and power th◠myracle was wrought and no◠by his owne power and godlinesse as the people supposed and in like case when the Centurion Cornelius directed by an Angell in a vision to send to Ioppe for this Apostle and of him to heare words whereby he and his houshold might attaine saluation he by and by conceiued such eminent opinion of Peters worth and worthynesse that when he came vnto him he prostrated himselfe at Peters feete and would haue worshipped him which excessiue dignitie offered to him being an indignitie against God whom hee taught to bee only adored ſ Acts 105 6 25 26. hee pronounceth himselfe to bee but a man that is an infirme creature seruant to the mighty God whose glory alone hee would haue preferred alone in all things and the like accident and course of proceeding happened vnto Paul and Barnabas who likewise had cured a creeple at Lystra in the word and name of Iesus but the idolatrous people would needs adore them for Gods and styled them and as they thought enobled them with the titles of their Gods calling Barnabas Iupiter and Paul Mercurius and would haue done sacrifice vnto them till Paul mightily refused and reprooued their errour t Acts 14. 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16. proclaiming themselues men subiect to infirmities as the people were and magnifying God for the myracle wrought in the name of his Sonne Iesus who is onely to be honoured so Almightie God himselfe wel knowing the prone disposition of the Iewish people to Idolatry concealed from them the body of Moses u Deu. 32 49 50 and 34. 5 6. whom he had secretly buried in Mount Nebo much against the Deuils proiects w Iude 9. who would haue made an Idoll of him but Michael euen Christ our Prince resisted him in that impious proiect So they made an Idol of the brazen Serpent being but a figure of Christ for that by that Sacrament x Num. 21. 8 9. they were healed of the stingings of the fiery Serpents in the wildernesse representing the spirituall healing of our sinfull soules from the deadly stings of that old Serpent Satan by Christ nayled on the Crosse y Iohn 3. 14 15 the most wise holy and heauenly Serpent as himselfe hath also interpreted it in so much that Hezekiah to represse the idolatrous madnesse of the multitude which began to idolatrize to the Brazen Serpent and to burne incense to it brake it in pieces burnt it to powder and made the people to drinke it z 2 Kings 18. 4. and called it Nehushtan an vnprositable piece of brasse But to come more precisely to our present purpose if our Romanists would beleeue the Scriptures or Peter himselfe they shall finde that neither Christ nor himselfe had any purpose to build a primacy vpon this infirme Rock which in very many particulars is noted a man full of passions and infirmities more then any other of the elect Apostles as is aforesaid First what ignorant presumption was it to a Math. 18. 21 prescribe forgiuenesse vnto his offending brother but to seauen times when his Master the God of charitie requireth endlesse charitie in forgiueing of offences b Verse 22. euen seauenty times seauen times c Luc. 17. 4 yea seauen times a day Secondly how carnall was his conceit in heauenly reuelations which would haue Christ d Math. 17. 4 Luc. 9. 33 to build Tabernatles of rest and pleasure vpon earth forgetting the felicitie of the heauenly Paradise which farre exceedeth in glory Thirdly obserue
4. 7 12 21. He that loueth God must loue his brother also according to his commaundement and these two bee commonly if not alwayes conioyned as twinnes of one birth t Colloss 1. 4 Philem. 5 vers 1 Thes 1. 3. Faith towards God and Loue towards the Brethren 3. Text. My Church By Church here is vnderstood that Societie and communion of Saints u 1 Cor. 12. 11 12 27. which are knit together by faith in Christ and fellowship amongst themselues w Eph. 4. 12 13. by participation of Gods diuine Word and Sacraments which are the soule and sinewes of this body and are quickened by his Spirit x Deut. 14. 2. the voyce and word of God is the outward meanes whereby wee are called and gathered into an holy body y Exod. 19. 5 6. Rom. 4. 11. and we receiue the Sacraments as Seales of the grace and couenant betweene God and vs whereby he assureth vs z Deut. 26. 18 19. that hee will bee our God and we thereby bind our selues to be his people and to liue vnder his obedience and lawes a 1 Pet. 1. 15. Luke 1. 75. in holinesse and righteousnesse whereunto wee are called and Saint Paul writing to the Romanes doth not call them the Church but elegantly and significantly implyeth them to bee members of it when hee saith b Rom. 1. 6 7. They are the called of Iesus Christ and called to be Saints For that is The VVord and Sacraments are the infallible markes of the true Church the end of our vocation that we being chosen and called out of the world by the voice of Gods Word should bee an holy and precious people vnto him Ecclesia is therefore deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee chosen or called out of one Societie into another out of the kingdome of darknesse into light out of the world into the seruice of God and are seperated vnto that end that we might no more serue sinne in the lustes of our former ignorance but by faith to serue Christ as our Head that hath called vs as also to serue one another as mutuall members of the same body so the faithfull of the Iewes and Gentiles being conuerted by the preaching of Peter and the other Apostles c Acts 13 14 2. 38. to 42. Acts 5. 11 12 13 Became a Primitiu◠Church liued together in one place continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in common prayers in breaking of Bread that is communicating Gods holy Sacraments and this Saint Luke calleth the Church saying d Acts 2. 41 There was daily added to the Church such as should be saued These markes of the Church are euidently and euery where described and set foorth in the Scriptures but the markes of the Romish Church are not there to be found First their pretended Antiquitie cannot warrant the later Nouelties of their Churches inuentions Secondly their Vniuersalitie is too straightly restrained and pinned vp within the limits of their Citie and Territories Thirdly their Visibilitie fayleth when it falleth out that Elijah cannot see any face of a Church but crieth out that e 1. Kin. 19 10. Rom. 11 ◠4. he is left alone when yet God had a great people knowne to himselfe howsoeuer inuisible to the Prophet Augustine that learned Father and worthy Disputer durst affirme against their Visibilitie of the Church Quod aliquando Ecclesia fuit in solo Abraham c. That sometimes the Church visible was onely in Abraham Noah Lot Elijah c. Fourthly and for that marke of Succession of Bishops no way grounded on the Scriptures is as hardly to bee prooued otherwise then as Annas and Caiphas were Aarons successors in a broken and interrupted disorder neither called nor practising Gods Religion as Aaron but Simonists Sectaries prophane hypocries mis-interpreters corrupters of Gods Word and bloody murderers as likewise haue succeeded in Peters pretended Chaire at Rome Sadducees Monothelites Heretikes Sodomites and such disordered Chaire-masters as poynteth them out rather to bee the succeessors of Simon Magus for their Simonies then of Simon Peter for his singlenesse and sinceritie Let the Romanistes then returne from their pontificall portlinesse to the paterne of Peters pietie let them surcease f 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. to rule as Lords ouer Gods heritage feed the flocke of Christ of a willing mind and not for filthy lucre that we may find and acknowledge some similitude of their succession in the Apostolicall Chaire when we shall finde the Word of God there sounding out and his Sacraments worthily and without humane additions duely administred otherwise if they misse these markes we shall be so farre from acknowledging their Sea of Rome to be the Catholike or Vniuersall Church that wee shall doubt whether they be any particular Church of Christ or members of that mysticall body whereof hee is the onely Head and their false Prophet that teacheth lyes shall be but the g Isai 9 15 taile as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh which being out of conformitie with the body is a deformity to the whole body striuing to be another head with Christ produceth a monstrous and mishapen body of the Church with two heads as indeed they carry like Ianus two faces vnder one hood a shewe of holinesse in their mouthes but hollownesse and hypocrisie in their hearts and the woe denounced against the Pharises and Hypocrites by Christ himselfe shall fall vpon them for their merited portion for they h Matt. 23. say and doe not lay heauy burthens on other mens shoulders but will not touch them with one of their fingers doe all things to be seene of men garnish their garments with representations of holinesse loue the chiefest seates in Synagogues and assemblies and will be called and accounted the only Rabbies Doctors and Fathers of the Church they take away the Key of knowledge and shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen neither entring themselues nor suffering those that would deuouring Widdowes houses vnder colour of long prayers blinde guides and leaders of the blind professing blind ignorance for the mother of their Deuotion straine at a gnat and swallow downe a Camel make more account of a fasting day or holy-day than to commit murther of Princes and grosse Idolatry painted Sepulchers which haue all thinges outwardly beautifull make cleane Cuppes and Pottes but inwardly are full of briberie excesse rottennesse and corruption garnishing the Tombes of the Apostles and Martyres and haue martyred many that would haue imitated the doctrine and doings of Christ and his Apostles by these Emblemes Christ hath already decyphered them by these Markes wee shall vndoubtedly know them to bee the successors of the Pharises and indeede if Peter now could see his pretended successors hee might say as once Almighty God in derision said of Adam after his transgression i Gen 2. 22. Behold how the man is become as one of vs or Simia quam similis turpissima bestia
were held of Christ are not the misdeemings or misreports of enemies or persons euil affected either towards his person or Doctrine but such as had religious thoughts of him and esteemed him no lesse then a Prophet Doct. So as wee may see what a cloud of darknesse had ouerwhelmed all Iudea at that time till Christ shined as a light from aboue to illuminate their minds in the vnderstanding of their Prophesies which were read amongst them and that as malice had mufled the mouthes of many that they would not so the vaile of ignorance had blinded the more and better part that they could not see the Sunne which so clearely shined vnto them as at noone day Some wee know were enemies l Math. 26. 4. and fought to kill him some said m Iohn 8. 48. hee was a Samaritanâ— and had a Deuill some reproached him for a n Math. 11. 19. Glutton a drinkeâ— of wine and a friend vnto Publicans and sinners Yea the Rulerâ— of the people accused him for â— troubler of the State seditious and an enemy vnto Casar Some spake more blasphemously accounting him no better then a Coniurer or a Witch o Math. 12. 24. that cast out the weaker Deuils through Beelzchub the Prince of Deuils The Disciples I say spake not of these but of the better sort of people which thought and spake honourably of Christ and yet you see how these are diuided some of one opinion some of another and not one of a right iudgement Vse 1 To teach vs not to maruell if amongst Professors of any Religion there fall out many times differences in opinion neither ought it to be any cause to make Christians to doubt of or to depart from the truth It were exâ—reame folly to forsake the truth of God and our profession of Religion till all parties disagreeing were reconciled if Corâ—elius and other Disciples had so â—ayd and so stayed till all the Sects and Professors of the Iewish Religion had consented in all poynts they should haue stayed long enough irrelegious Vse 2 And therefore wee may safely reprooue and condemne the Neuters of our age whereof there are not a small number but the greatest part who because there are some differences amongst Professors doe thereby take occasion to professe no Religion at all and so become meerely Academicall Atheists especially our Popelings stumble much at this stone or rather at this straw and yet swallow greater Camels Obiect They challenge vs to be of diuers Sects and Opinions some Caluinists others Lutherans some Zwinglians and others Hughgonites yea they lay vnto our charge fayned disagreements without any difference except it be in this that euery one striueth to come furthest from their Popery and trumperies Sol. 1 But admit there were some differences of opinion amongst some of our Protestant professors was it not so in Christes time as heere wee see and in the Apostles time when one said p 1 Cor. 3. 4. hee held of Paul another of Cephas another of Apollos And yet they did not teach or hold any diuersities of doctrines q Gal. 2. 11. though Paul reprooued Peter to his face for dissimulation in his course of proceeding from true Religion How were the Doctours of the Primitiue Church diuided the East against the West about the matter of Leauened Bread and the celebration of Easter In euery Councell almost alteration of Decrees Creedes and Confessions and yet none of them erring in any materiall poynts of Faith but beggerly Traditions which the Romish Bishops chiefly contend for Sol. 2 But to bee short let the Papistes forbeare to complaine of our disagreements till they come to a better concord among themselues whereof they are witnesses which are any way acquainted with their Schoole-mens Disputes How doe the followers of Scotus and Thomas Aquinas differ about merit of Congruitie and Condignitie as also concerning Originall sinne in the Virgin Mary How differ the Canonistes and the Schoole-men about Auricular Confession these holding it to be the Ordinance of God they onely the Tradition of men How farre doth Pigghyus differ from Cajetan Thomas from Lumbart Scotus from Thomas Occam from Scotus Aliensis from Occam the Nominalls from the Realls What differences shall we finde amongst their Fryers and Monkes some placing holinesse in eating Fish others Hearbes some in a Linnen garment some in a Woollen some will bee of the Order of Preaching some of the disorder of Begging Fryers some Shod some Barefoot some White some Blacke some Gray Fryers What Orders of Augustines Dominicans Franciscans Carmelites and Iacobines Let them bethinke themselues how they differ in the matter of that high Mysterie of the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it some thinke the Body of Christ is naturally and really in the Sacrament others deny it some say it may bee eaten in the hoast by Ratts and Mice and therefore dispute what shall bee done with them when they are taken others are ashamed of that absurdity and as flatly deny it Thus if the Papistes duely considered the differences amongst vs they shall find them fewer in number and smaller in qualitie then are the differences amongst their owne Popish professors at this day I confesse there may bee and haue beene alwayes some differences in the purest Churches and the Lord will thereby haue vs tryed that the truth may be the better knowne Wheat and Darnell may grow both in one field and so may errours spring vp together with the Gospell Christ was the only signe of peace and concord yet when hee came amongst the Iewes there were diuersities of opinions concerning him for some said he was Iohn Baptist some Elias c. it followeth in the next verse Hee said vnto them But whom say ye that I am Verse 15. The Context was layd downe before from whence many profitable instructions arise to bee considered of as first the difference that Christ maketh and is generally to bee made of the diuersities of his Auditors and their distractions for whatsoeuer the vulgar and multitude spake of Christ hee stayeth not vpon them but conuerteth his speech to the Apostles which had beene alwayes conuersant with him and trained vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures and Prophesies and of them especially hee requireth a more setled Iudgement and solid Account of knowledge r Luke 12. 48 For vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall bee much required and to whom men commit much the more of him will they aske And though there bee many Gods and many Faiths in the world as then there was yet to vs there is but one true God and one Faith into which we are all baptized the Rule therefore is true and certaine Doct. That euery mans hope of Saluation consisteth in his owne implicit and not an others implicit Faith according to that of our Sauiour Å¿ Mark 9. 50. Haue Salt in your selues And as we may not thinke it safe or excusable for vs to
the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ u 1 Cor. 3. 12. in whom only consisteth the whole strength of the building though weake wood and timber be built thereupon so as looking into our selues and the examples of Gods best beloued Children yea Peter himselfe after this promise how foulely they haue falne we may euer finde cause of feare and distrust but lifting vp our eyes vnto God the stablenesse of his counsels and certaintie of his promises we may rest safely in confidence of his word which hath said w Ios 1. 5. I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee x Iohn 5. 24. hee that beleeueth in him shall not perish for euer He it is that doth nourish the holy fire in vs and keepes vs vnto the end y Iohn 13. 1. for whom hee loueth he loueth euerlastingly z 1 Ioh. 3. 9. and the seede of God abideth in the elect that being borne of God they sinne not vnto condemnation a Rom. 8. 1. for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Christ prayed for b Luke 22 31. Peter and he prayed also for vs c Ioh 17. 2. 12. 20 24. and for all that should beleeue in his name that none of his might be lost neither is any able to take them out of his Fathers hand which is stronger and greater then all and loueth vs in Christ as hee loued him before the foundations of the world were laid against these the gates of Hell cannot preuaile for they haue the Lords priuie Seale not seene nor knowne to men but d 2. Tim. 2. 19 the Lord knoweth his Vse 2 Secondly this Doctrine iustly impugneth that error of the Romanists holding opinion that the visible Church and the pretended successors of Peter cannot erre whereas the contrary is apparantly verified in the Scriptures that Peter himselfe did erre and therefore though it bee true that the inuisible Church that is the elect of GOD cannot erre finally yet the visible Church consisting both of good and bad may erre as appeareth through the whole History of the Bible and in the primatiue times particular Churches haue erred witnesse Corinth Galatia Philadelphia Pergamus c yea the Church of Rome it selfe whether wee regard the Head or the Body hath grieuously erred First as touching the Head Romish Bishops haue erred and diuers of them became Heretickes Scismaticks Antipopes Negromancers Sodomites and what not Marcellinus sacrificed to the Idols of the Gentiles Leberius was an Arrian Nicholas changed the decrees of Iohn the two and twentieth Gregory of Pelagius Innocentius of Gregory yea in those things which belong to faith Cardinall Ragusanus proueth that the Pope may erre and did in the great Schisme at Rome Cardinall Cusanus affirmeth the Pope may fall from the faith the Councell of Basill auoucheth that the priuiledge of not erring belongeth not to the Popes more then other Bishops Secondly and as for generall Councels which haue a more liuely representation of the whole Church and where the Bishops of Rome haue been present may yea they haue erred one repealed the Actes and Decrees of another and there can bee no correction without errour the Councell of Nice defended Images that of Constantinople was against them the third Councel of Carthage saith that he is Antichrist that calleth himselfe an vniuersall Bishop the Councell of Rome and Trent say and maintaine the contrary therefore except there be more Truths then one Councels may erre and the Pope may erre and consequently the whole visible Church may erre and the truth is e Isa 9 17. many hypocrites making a great shew of godlinesse haue fallen away from grace and the truth of the Gospell become Apostatates in faith and Satanists in conuersation and yet the Church standeth For f Rom 3. 4. Psal 116. 1â— Titus 1. 2. Hebr 6. 18. let God be true and all men lyers in his truth it standeth and Satan a lyer from the beginning cannot ouerthrow it g 2 Thess 2. 9. Antichrists deceiueable delusions and lying wonders cannot preuaile against it Verse 19. And I wil giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Vpon such a sure and grounded confession of Peter proceedeth a twofold promise of Christ 1. as is formerly laid down that hereupon he will lay an vnmoueable foundation of his Church that the gates of hâ—ll should not bee able to preuaile against it 2. that he would for the gouernment thereof commit to his Apostles and Ministers the Spirituall keyes of the kingdome of heauen with a power to bind and loose in such manner as he would ratifie in heauen their proceedings in earth according to the tenure of his Commission wherby hee had so authorized them to execute his power in his Church In these wordes obserue two things First Datum The donation wherein consider 1. who is the giuer 2. to whom 3. what was giuen Secondly Applicaum The Application in these wordes whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth c. Doct. Concerning the first in as much as hee saith I will giue it teacheth vs That Christ is the giuer of the keyes who onely had this power from heauen as the heire of God the Messiah and Mediatour betwixt man and God who h Heb. 2. 3. Psal 8 6. 1 Cor. 15. 27. Iohn 17. 2. Phil. 2. 9 10. put all thinges in subiection vnder him in heauen and earth and so the Apostle affirmeth that Christ first receiued this power from God his Father to bee made the head of his Church and onely had right to giue and communicate such power vnto his Church thus Christ expresseth it in the Gospel i Math. 11. 27. 28. 18 19. All power saith he is giuen me in heauen and in earth and thereupon he groundeth his commission to send his Apostles into all the world this point is not onely verified by apparant and plentifull texts of holy Scriptures but euen our aduersaries in words not greatly contradict it howsoeuer in their practice and in effect they haue paralelled sundry of the Saints with him as the Turkes and Infidels haue wholly dethroned him and placed their false prophet and abominable idole Mahomet before him and aboue him but because they deny the principles of faith and religion wee will not contend nor spend much time in disputing with them but willingly acknowledge and subscribe to the Soueraignty and absolute power of Christ as disposer of all things in heauen and earth Vse And let the true Church and Spouse of Christ heare and obey his voyce and deriue her subordinate power from him alone which hee then promised and afterward gaue vnto her to execute for him for wee must note that he then instantly gaue not Note 1 but speaking in the future
their constancie and bold resolution to suffer Martyrdome for Christ and his Gospell hee stayed his course and returning to the Emperour offers to obey passiuely but not actiuely relating vnto him what he had heard and seene And heereupon the Emperour was appeased and stayed his hand from further persecution Whereupon Augustine reporteth truely of them Ligabantur saith hee includebantur torquebantur tamen multiplicabantur They were fettered imprisoned tormented and yet they multiplyed Plentifull and pregnant are the proofes of holy Scripture of the power and vertue of these Keyes to open our knowledge to y 1 Cor. 4. 15. Phile ver 10 Iames 1. 18. Gal. 3. 6. and 4. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 23. beget vs Gods children to regenerate our willes to assist vs in afflictions to minister consolation to our consciences and to keepe vs from the pit of destruction If the Glutton will not haue his brethren come into that place of torment Abraham will direct him to z Luke 16 27 29 to 31. heare Moses and the Prophets hee will not send Lazarus nor any other from the dead vnto them for they would not beleeue Lazarus nor Christ which raised him from the dead but a Iohn 12. 10 11 would againe haue put that Lazarus to death because for his sake many beleeued on Christ Vse 1 What shall wee more say but search for these Keyes finde them and vse them to vnlocke Heauen and shut vp Hell gates vnto vs. Vse 2 For Confutation of the Romane Catholiques Peters pretended Successors which seeke for the Key of Primacie and hauing gotten the Popedome they build not Tabernacles but Palaces of pleasure sumptuous and glorious put on pontificall Robes which are rich and precious prouide their Kitchens like Diues dayly Dyet both rare and delicious are attended with Traines magnificent and pompous they haue turned their spirituall Armour into weapons of worldly Warfare to ouerthrowe Townes and Towres Cities and Seigniories not wicked thoughts and deeds but walls and Bulwarks In a word they haue changed Peters Keyes into Pauls Sword or rather into Peters Sword drawne out against Gods Forbid Their owne Italian Stories verefie this of Pope Iulius Secundus that he lay in the Campe with his Souldiers at the siege of Mirandula hauing nothing like a Bishop except it were his name and some attire of a Prelate When shall the World or the Flesh or the Deuill bee ouercome and subdued by their gluttonous Dyet gorgeous Attire painted Pictures Musicall Instruments sweet Perfumes goblets of Wine and courtly Curtezans the best of which can no more comfort or conuince the Conscience than Holy-water terrifie the Deuill In their holyest Exercises the simplicity of Christ is despised their pallats cannot rellish other Sacramentall Bread then Sugred Wafers mixed Wines charmed Holy Waters exorcised Oyles Prayers pattered vpon Pearles and perfumed Beades and for these haue they taken away the Key of knowledge which our blessed Sauiour commended and committed to his Church Ministers and people Let Master Harding in his blasphemous and popish Paradoxes seeke to maintaine that the Scripture is but a spirituall dumbnesse a dead Letter and an vnprofitable thing for the people yet wee will hold and maintaine that which Christ Peter Paul and all the Apostles taught and practised viz. b Iohn 5. 39. Actes 17. 11. Luke 4. 16 c Deut. 6. 7. Ioshua 1. 8. Psalm 1. 2. Act 13. 14 15 27. To haue the Scriptures read and interpreted euery Sabboth day Saint Jerome was of opinion and affirmeth that all the Maidens about the Elect Lady Paula to whom Saint Iohn wrote his second Epistle were dayly set to reade yea to bee conuersant in reading of the Scriptures Augustine is of the same mind saying Nec solum sufficiat quod in Ecclesia diuinas Lectiones auditis sed etiam in domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legemes requirite It is not sufficient to heare what is publikely read in the Church but also that you reade or heare others reade in your priuate houses The Nicene Councell decreed that no house should be without a Bible which was a matter chargeable and difficult in those dayes before there was any vse of Printing which now may be had at the tenth penny Origen saith Vtinam omnes faceremus quod scriptum est serutamini Scripturas Would to God that wee all did as it is written c Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures Chrysostome accordeth thereunto and cryeth out to the Laitie Comparate vobis Biblia animarum pharmaca seculares Prouide you Bibles you Seculer men the Physicke of your soules How contrary to all these is the profession and practise of the Popish Synagogue which like cruell Saul will deny Gods people to taste of this d Psal 19. 7 8 119. 103. hony and hony-combe but as the Ape ath her owne young ones in â—dmiration aboue all other the â—ost beautifull beasts and birds â—o they doate vpon their owne â—nuentions Decrees Decreâ—als Canons Constitutions Liâ—urgies and Legends not onely permitting them to bee read and practised of all their Spirituall â—nd Secular Disciples but exâ—oll them for vse aboue the Caâ—onicall Scriptures commend â—hem and commaund them vnto â—heir Catholikes whereas the â—he Word of God is like the forbidden fruit e Gen. 2. 17. that no man may touch or taste without danger of death f Gen. 3. 24. that Tree of life is kept with a flaming Sword not by an Angell but by the Deuill that no man may come at it to eate and liue for euer O vanitie of vanities Popish dregges shall describe vs Cathotholiques and the Euangelicall Doctrine shall proscribe vs Heretiques giue me leaue to shoot an Arrowe against them out oâ— an oâ—hers Bow which hath hiâ— the marke long before me Tales regunt Petri Naues Tales gerunt Petri Claues Mr. Gostickâ— in the Anatomy of Ana. Sâ—ph Sacriledge Et ligandi potentiam Hi nos docent sed indocti Hi nos ducunt sic nox nocti Indicat scientiam Such Peters Ship do stere guide Such Peters keyes to them haue tidâ— To loose and to bind These must teach vs which lacke sight These must leade vs in darkenight Which are selfe blind Yet we will not cease to tell them what God hath threatned by Moses g Deut 17. 18. Cursed are they that lead the blinde out of the way and h Math. 15. 14. Luke 6. 39. If the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch euen the pit of perdition They deale with the people as the desperate mad ones mentioned by the Prophet Amos saying Tace ne recorderis nominis Domini i Amos 6. 10. hold your peace and remember not nor speak vnto vs in the name of the Lord and especially such as were guilty of grosse Idolatry as the Papists are could at no hand abide the Word of God that was so contrary to their abominable superstitions and therefore they said