the stormie tempests of windes floods and raine cannot procure the fall of it Mat. 7. This house I say is vndoubtedly the building ofGod Let vs therfore seek out the true foundation of it which beeing found out let euery one of vs endeuour to be a liuing stone adhering by faith to the true foundation The worde foundation is sometime properly taken sometime vnproperly Properly 1. Cor. 3. ver 11. in these words For another foundation can no man lay then that is laide which is Christ. Vnproperly the doctrin of the Prophets and Apostles is called a foundation because it leadeth to Christ the very true foundation Ephes. 2. yer 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles In like maner faith that coupleth vs to the true foundation figuratiuely beareth this name Epist Iud. Build your selfe in your most holy faith ver 20. These figuratiue speaches should offend no man no more then if a man dwelling in Rhegium or Syracuse were demanded where is Icrusalem and hee should point out his finger toward the East and say there it is his meaning is there is the way leading to Jerusalem euen so when wee say that the Apostles doctrine is the foundation of the Church our meaning is that Apostolicke doctrine is a lanterne leading to Christ the true foundation The Prophet ISAI speaking of Christ in a proper sense writeth Therefore thus saith the Lord. Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation and he that beleeueth shall not make haste Isa. 28. ver 16. Many Metaphores are here I grant and if any man list to be contentious he may affirme that in the very worde foundation there is not inlacking a piece of figuratiue speach Yet this standeth certaine that nothing is properly called the foundation of the house of God except Christ Iesus alanerly In this description of the true foundation of the Church we haue two great comforts and one wholesome admonition The first comfort is this that he who knoweth all our infirmities and by what remedies they may be best supported he hath sent his owne Sonne in our nature to beare our burthens as a foundation beareth the weight of the whole house He commanded MOSES to make a brasen serpent in the wildernesse by the sight whereof the people bitten with fierie serpents were cured Numb 21. 8. And the Lord knewe best to what foundation his poore Church leaning might finde surest safetie and sweetest refreshment Therefore O people stinged with serpents be not afraid to looke vp vnto the brasen serpent because it is the remedie prepared by God himselfe to support your wounded bodies And O weake afflicted and persecuted Church take boldnesse to adhere to Christ the precious and sure foundation appointed by God himselfe for the support of your distressed estate And the Prophet to mooue the Church to serious and diligent attendance vseth the word Behold As if the Lord were pointing out a comfort with his owne finger to wearie sinners and saying O sinner that art wearie with that burthen that hangeth on thy backe so fast presseth thee downe so sore come I will shewe thee a resting place euen the stone that I haue laid in Sion goe to it beholde I haue laide it there my selfe and that stone will beare all thy burthens refresh thee in al thy tentations On the other part marke that Satan that great deceiuer when he would most subtilly deceiue people hee will needes counterfaite God and point out his finger also and make demonstrations and say Beholde Christ is in the dâ—…sert or beholde Christ is in the secret place Mat. 24. ver 26 beleeue it not saith Christ. When God saith beholde wee will take diligent attendance what is it that the Lorde hath pointed out vnto vs. But when Satan putteth out his finger also and saith behold Christ is euen here presently really corporally in the boxe caried by the Priest then beware of the deuils demonstrations for he is an olde subtle serpent and hath deceiued many The Papistes taking aduantage of demonstratiue wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou seest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looke throughly into it they take the boldenesse to affirme that the body of Christ is corporally present in the holy Sacrament which body wee not onely see but also wee touch and wee not onely touch but also wee eate it and not onely doe wee eate it but also wee carie it home vnto our houses Vpon this place of CHRYSOSTOME they haue grounded such vndoubted assurance that Christe is corporallie present in the Sacrament that the Papistes in the Northerne partes of Scotland sâ—…nt a letter to Sterling to M. P. S. to resolue the Marquesse of Huntley in the matter of the Sacrament because CHRYSOSTOME apparently condescendeth to corporall presence ofChrists body in the Sacrament When I read the letter I said and as yet doe say that they needed not to haue taken so much paines to seeke for resolution of that question either for them or for others but reade forward the words of CHRYSOSTOME that follow where hee maketh his owne meaning plaine saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to lay Therefore clenge thy soule and prepare thy minde for the receiuing of these mysteries Can there be a more cuident declaration of his meaning then this First where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou seest him not in the crib but vpon the altar But I pray you with what cye see we Christ vpon the altar or table for both are one thing as the learned know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith CHRYSOSTOME that is with the eye of our soule and minde Againe he saith that wee touch that blessed body of Iesus But with what finger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the finger of our soule minde Againe he saith that we eat that blessed body but with what mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the mouth of our soule our mindc lastly he saith that we carie him home but in what stomacke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the stomack of our soul mind For this cause he exhorteth vs to clense prepare our soule mind for the participation of diuine mysteries Prepare the eye of our mind to see Christ the finger of faith to touch him the mouth of faith to eatc him and the stomacke of our soule to keepe the Lorde Icsus Chrysost. in 1. Cor cap. 10. Homil. 24. Is there in these words one syllable that soundeth to corporall and carnal manducation of the flesh of Christ I hauc cast in this short digression to let our Northerne Papists vnderstand that the arguments which they supponed to be inuincible may be easily answered The comparison of Christ to a stone is so frequently vsed in Scripture that the very prophecie of Christs natiuitie death and latter comming to judge the world are illustrate by this
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
it that is vile and filthie as hee did vnto the Priests of the succession of AARON If any man wil obstinatly contend that the promise made to the Apostles and their successours was absolute and not conditionall consider the inconuenients that will follow Seeing this promise was not made to PETER onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their successours then as none of the Romaine Bishops can erre in religion because they are the successours of PETER as they alledge so in like maner the Bishops of Ierusalem Alexandria Antiochia Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica Corinth diuerse other places are all exeemed from errour because the Apostles and Euangelists preached and constitute Churches in all-these places they are successours to the Apostles in that same sense that the Bishops of Rome are successours to PETER And if none of all these can erre what priuiledge hath the church of Rome aboue all other Churches Or how can that be performed which was foretolde by the Apostle concerning apostasie that should fall out the reuelation of the man of sinne childe of perdition 2. Thess. 2 For all the successours of the Apostles beeing exeemed from error what place could be giuen to the Antichrist or what doore could haue bene opened to MAHOMET by whose delusions the Orientall Church hath bene so miserably abused But seeing the Apostles had some extraordinarie things such as calling gifts and prerogatiues They were called immediatly by Christ and were taught immediatly by his Spirit and mouth Gal. 1. They receiued from heauen the gift of tongues and languages to vtter this celestiall knowledge to all tongues nations Act. 2. They had power by imposition of hands to conferre to others the gift of the holy Spirit Act 8 With these extraordinarie giftes they had also extraordinarie prerogatiues that in teaching the doctrine receiued from Christ they should not erre Now these who cal themselues successors to the Apostles they dare not clame to the Apostles immediat calling nor yet to their extraordinarie gifts but that which of all the rest was most extraordinarie to the Apostles viz. to be exeemed from errour in teaching and writing that is so fast adhered vnto that it is one of the principal grounds of the Romaine faith in our dayes that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith and religion Yea so infortunate are the Bishoppes of Rome of late dayes that they would climme vp to the highest top and preeminence of Apostolicke dignitie to be exeemed from errour when as in things of lesse importance they cannot attaine as we speak to the Apostles garters This proud conceit of Apostolick succession with power of binding and loosing exemption from errour made some of the Bishops of Rome so high minded so vaine and ridiculous that learned fathers conueened together in Councils thought their pride more worthie to be receiued with scoffing wordes then with prolixe refutations Example whereof wee haue in a Councill gathered at Rome in the time of the Emperour OTTO the first about the yeere of our Lord 956. In which Councill IOHN 13. Others write Pope IOHN the 12. hee fled for feare of the Emperour OTTO Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against him such as incest murther saeriledge playing at dice and drinking to the deuill admitting of boyes to be Bishops for money with many other villanous things ouâ—…r and beside his perfidie in assisting BERENGARIVS and his sonne ALBERTVS against the Emperour OTTO contrarie to his promise and oath made before to the Emperour Libertie being granted to Pope IOHN to compeare without feare to answere to the accusations objected against him he beeing conuict in conscience would not compeare but he sent a short letter to the Council bearing that he was PETERS successor and had power of binding loosing by vertue of this power hee band them vnder paine of cursing that they should not proceede to his deposition To this proud letter the Councill gathered at Rome returned this answere that Christ gaue power of binding loosing to all his disciples as well as to PETER but one of them to wit IVDAS by abusing his power lost his power only he retained some power of binding to wit he had libertie to binde his owne necke to the gallous In which wordes they call him IVDAS and biddes this vile beast goe and hang himselfe if he lift Hist. Magdeb urg Cent. 10. cap. 9. PLATINA callâ—…th IOHN 13. homo sceleratissinus a most wicked man ONVPHRIVS the aduocate of all wicked causes blusheth and dare not stand at the barre to pleade the cause of IOHN 12. the predecessour of LEO the eight for both are one man he whom PLATINA calleth 13. and he whome ONVPHRIVS counteth 12. The Bishops of Rome might haue bene admonished by this one example if there were no mo not to be high minded not to cum to the supreame top of Apostolicke preeminence In a worde the Bishops of Rome of late yeeres are moâ—…e like to the successours of CAIAPHAS who would needes haue Christe to stand before his judgement seat judge of Christ his doctrine disciples Ioh. 18 ver 19. then they are like to the successours of PETER for I can see no inexcusable boldnes in CAIAPHAS damning Christs doctrine but I grope the like in the Romaine church that vsurpeth authoritie ouer the written word ouer Councils and consequently ouer Christ himselfe To conclude this treatise I will compare succession wherof the Romaine church braggeth so much to the way that lay betweene Samaria and Jerusalem this way led the people of Ephraim Manasse Jssachar Zabulon Nephthali and Aser to Jerusalem when they set their face Southward when they went vpward but the same way againe led them from Jerusalem when they turned their faces Northward when they went downward Euen so if a man set his face toward heauenly Ierusalem he shal finde a number of holy successors of the Apostles in puritie of doctrine honestie of conuersation patience in suffering that shall leade him to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem but againe it is as certaine if a man will set his face Northward to defection to backsliding and to preferre the traditions of men to the ordinances of God there shall not inlacke a number of guiders in the roll of personall successours as they call it to the Apostles who shall lead him from Jerusalem to Samaria from the mountaine of God to the valley of Benhinnon Therefore while we are in the way take heed what way our faces are set whether to Ierusalem or to Samaria and if they be set to Ierusalem let vs followe these sure guides who were true successours to the Apostles and they shall indeede leade vs to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem and to the glory which in heart and minde we waite for whereunto God lead vs for his Christs sake Amen CENTVRIE III. Chap. 1. Seuerus AFter PERTINAX and IVLIAN SEVERVS gouerned 17 yeeres 8. months
who are not guiltie of the faultes that were in the Novatians if they be vndeseruedly charged with this name giuen of olde to Heretiques let them say with humble heartes that in one sense they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are purged from sinne in the fountaine of the blood of Christ I Iohn 1. ver 7. But in no other sense meaning can true Christians be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except onely in this because their sinnes are freely forgiuen in Christ and God hath begun the worke of sanctification in them to be a testimonie that they are planted in the stocke of Christ. In this sense speaketh the Euangelist IOHN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Nowe are yee cleane through the word that I haue spoken vnto you Ioh. 15. ver 3. The heresie of SABELLIVS began to shew it selfe vnto the world about the yeere of our Lord 257. vnder the reigne of GALLVS It was first fet foorth by NOETVS in Ptolemaida afterward by HERMOGENES and PRAZEAS and last it was propagated by SABFLLIVS the disciple of NOETVS Alwayes the heresie rather taketh the name from the disciple then from the master They confessed that there was but one God alanerly but they denied that there were three distinct persons in this one Godhead viz. The Father Sonne and holy Ghost By this their opinion they confounded the two Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there wer no difference betweene them No man dare presume to say that in God there are three distinct substances therefore SABELLIVS and his adherents saide that there were not three distinct subsistences or persons in the Godhead but the three names of Father Sonne and holy Ghost were giuen to one person allanerly but pointed not out distinction of persons or subsistences in the Godhead Ruffin hist. lib. 1. cap. 29. By this opinion they were compelled to grant that it was the Father who clad himselfe with our nature and died for our sinnes and therefore they were called Patrispassiani because their opinion imported that the Father suffered In the reigne of GALLIENVS and about the yeere of our Lord 264 a certaine Bishop in Egypt called NEPOS beganne to affirme that at the latter day the godly should rise before the wicked and should liue with Christ heere in the earth a thousand yeeres in aboundance of all kinde of delicate earthly pleasures The ground of this errour was the misunderstanding of the wordes of the Reuelation of IOHN chap. 20. ver 5. 6. In refuting of this heresie DIONYSIVS Bishoppe of Alexandria bestowed his trauels with good successe for hee disputed against CORACION a man professing this errour in Arsenoitis a place of Egypt whome hee refuted in presence of many brethren who were auditours of that disputation for the space of three dayes from morning till euening So that in end CORACION yeelded and promised that hee should not maintaine any such opinion in time to come Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 24. About that same time that is in the time of the reigne of GALLIENVS CLAVDIVS and AVRELIANVS PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS Bishop of Antiochia 'a pestilent fellowe denied the diuinitie of the Sonne of God and affirmed that Christ obtained the name of the Sonne of God through his vertuous behauiour patient suffering but he was not naturally truly the Son of God begotten of the substance of the father His life correspondent to his doctrine was wicked and profane Hee was accustomed to walke through the streetes of Antiochia accompanied with a number of flattering friendes and seruants some going before him and others following after him and hee himselse in the mids reading or meditating letters to his secretaries Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. Which forme of presumptuous and stately behauiour was offensiue to the people who thought that pompe and pride was not beseeming to Bishops who were preachers of the humilitie meekenesse and patient sufferings of Christ. But if the men of Antiochia saith PLATINA had beene in his dayes and had seene the stately traine of the Bishop of Rome his Cardinals accompanied with so many seruants clothed in silke and sumptuous apparell and riding vpon gallant and lustie horses richly deckt with gold costly foot-mantles of diuerse collours they would haue beene more offended and would haue said that such pride had nothing to doe with the simplicitie and humilitie of Christ. Platin. in vit Sixt. 2. But to returne againe to PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS he was so couetous of vaine glory that he built vnto himselfe in the Church a glorious seate according to the similitud of a princely throne frō this seat he spake vnto the people whome he was accustomed to reproue with sharp words if they had not receiued his words with cheerefull acclamations and shoutings such as were wont to be vsed in stage places Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. The Psalmes also that were sung in the Church to the praise of God hee abrogated and was not ashamed to hire women to sing his owne praises in the Congregation of the Lordes people For this his damnable doctrine and lewd life he was most justly deposed by the Councill conueened at Antiochia and excommunicated by all Christian Churches in the whole world and was so detested by all good men that FIRMILIANVS Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS who for his olde age might not trauell and bee present at the Councill of Antiochia yet they both damned the Heretique SAMOSATENVS by their letters sent to the Congregation of Antiochia but not to the Bishop thereof because hee was not worthy that any man should salute him either by worde or write Euseb. ibid MANES a Persian otherwise called MANICHEVS a man furious and madde answering well vnto his name set foorth the venome of his heresie in the time of the reigne of DIOCLETIAN Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 31. a man both in speech and maners rude and barbarous in inclination deuihsh yet he durst presume to cal himselfe the holy spirit as MONTANVS had done before and to represent Christes actions in chusing vnto him 12. disciples whome he sent forth to propagat his errours into diuerse parts of the world Eufeb ibid. His heresie contained a masse or venemous composition of olde extinguished errours which he renued and massed together such as the errour of CERDON and MARCION concerning two beginnings The error of Encratitae in prohibition of meates which God hath appointed for the vse of man with thanksgiuing specially flesh and wine He vtterly rejected the olde Testament as many other Heretiques had done before him He ascribed not sinne to the free wil of man and his voluntarie defection from the estate of his first creation but to necessitie because mans body was made of the substance of the prince of darkenesse This was that heresie wherewith AVGVSTINE was infected before his conuersion but the Lord who brought foorth light out of darknes made PAVL sometime a persecnter to be a preacher
followed the opinion of ORIGEN without examining it in the balance of holy scripture Ambros. in Psal. 118. saith that all men must goe through the fire at the latter day euen IOHN himselfe the belooued disciple of Christ of whose death also some doubted yet no man can doubt of his passing through the fire Thus AMBROSE suffered this opinion of ORIGEN to sincke into his heart as though it had beene the vndoubted Oracle of God which no man should call in question HILARIVS maketh no exception of the blessed Virgine the mother of our Lord in Psa. 118 but she must also go through this fire at the latter day And this is a foolish thing to followe any man further then he doth follow Christ the warrant of the written word of God 1. Cor. 11. And therefore the first generall Councill Ann. 551. as wise behind the hand was compelled to examine the bookes of ORIGEN to excōmunicat himself albeit dead long afore to damne his books and vaine opinions specially anent his Purgatorie This Origenian errour before it was seriously impugned it was changed to the worse and grew neerer to the originall of PLATOES Phlegeton againe for ORIGEN AMBROSE and HILARIVS spake of a fire that should burne at the latter day which al men behooued to passe through before they could enter into the place of refreshment but PLATO in his dialogue Phedo spake of a flood of fire whereinto men behoued to bee tried and purged immediatly after their soules were separated from their bodies and what soules I pray you Not the soules of the best men which went to heauen nor the worst men for they went to hell but the soules of men that were not into a mid rancke neither very good nor very euill This opinion I say somewhat neerer to the opinion of PLATO then to the opinion of ORIGEN beganne to take place about the foure hundreth yeere of our Lord as the distinctions of AVGVSTINE clearely witnesse Valde bom valde mali non valde mali Augustin enchiridion ad Laurent Idem de octo Dulcitii quaest Thus wandering errours once taking place became like vnto a fretting canker euery day worse worse If any man think strange that so vile an error neither agreable to scripture neither yet to it self but changing the similitude of it as the Chameleon doth his collour it preuailed wonderfully and was so fastened into the peoples hearrts that scarcely can it be rooted out of their mindes in our dayes To this I answere that besides the authoritie of the fathers aboue specified who were entangled with errour euen they also who found out the opinion of Purgatorie fire to be erroneous and repugnant to scripture yet did they not fully and in all points impugne this false and lying doctrine but onely in a parte As namely AVGVSTINE refuteth that part of CLEMENS and ORIGENS opinion wherein they thought that the deuils and wicked men after suffering of long tormentes may possibly be forgiuen and finde mercy By one place of scripture he vtterly vndoeth that opinion Depart'vnto the cuerlasting fire prepared for Sathan and his angels Mat. 25. ver 4 And in the booke of the Reuelation And they shall bee tormented night and day for euer and euer Apoc. 20 August lib. 20. 21. de civit Dei Yet the other parte of the errour that tooke deepe root in his dayes AVGVSTINE knewe it better then he impugned it lest he should gain-say the receiued opinion among all the people who thought that the soules of many men after their death were tormented with fire for a while vntill a full satisfaction were made for the faultes that men committed in their life-time Against this opinion AVGVTINE speaketh but softly Non valde coarguo for sitan verum est that is I doe not greatly reprooue it possibly it is true August De civit De◅lib 21. cap. 26. This was also some strengthening of errour that it was not fully in all points clearely refuted by godly fathers whose comporting with the weakenesse of the people in a parte CHEMNIICIVS himselfe calleth prudence and wisdome but serious impugning of erroneous doctrine had beene more agreable to the will of God Alwayes AVGVSTINE in his doubtsome speach giueth no ground to Papists to make vp a newe article of faith anent Purgatorie For like as Constantinople was a great citie yet when it was shaken with an earthquake three dayes and three nights no man taried in that great towne to builde a new house during that time euen so AVGVSTINE is a great doctour yet when hee taketh him to forsitan or per◅aps this is not a sure ground to leane vpon This vnhappie conceit of Purgatorie fire had many handmaids waiting vpon her some going before and others following after her Before the conceit of Purgatorie goeth an opinion of our owne satisfactions For the faultes committed by vs after Baptisme if we do not perfitly satisfie for them before our death it resteth that in Purgatorie fire we should absolue the rest of our pennance that is vnfulsilled How much this first handmaide derogateth from the glory of Christ the Apostle witnesseth when he saith The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne I. Ioh. I. making no exception ofsinnes after Baptisme committed The other handmaide preceeding the conceit of Purgatorie is praier for the dead albeit in all the old and new Testament there be not one example of praying for the deade or yet offering of sacrifice for the dead Pardon 's followed sometimes called indulgences in another sense then now they are these pardons I say are the handmaids following Purgatorie by which the B. of Rome as absolut commander of Purgatorie hath made vnto himselfe infinite gaine Before I proceede any further I exhort all true Christians as they detest Paganisme euen so to detest all Ethnick errours when they are creeping in into the sanctuarie of God The golden Eagle of the Romanes was more abominable when it was set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by HEROD Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 1. cap. 21. then when it was set vp in the Capitoll of Rome And the image of CAIVS CALIGVLA sent to PETRONIVS his Deputie to be set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem made all the Iewes agast and they were more willing to die then to see their Temple so filthily abused with idolatrie Ioseph antiq lib. 18 cap. 11. It is more seemely then that the golden Eagle and image of CAIVS remaine at Rome where they were first fashioned then to bee brought to the Temple of Ierusalem And it is more seemly also that the opiniō of Purgatory remaine in the schoole of PLATO at Athens or in the schoole of CLEMENS at Alex andria rather then to send it abroade through all Christian Congregations to bee beleeued For Christians ought to be like to the forlorne sonne after he returned home againe to his father Luc. 15. Hee was so well fed and
Constantine The Arrians finding themselues to be vtterly rejected by Athanasius they addressed themselues to Constantinople vnder the conduct of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia and threatned Alexander that incase hee woulde not voluntarily receiue Arrius into the fellowship of the Church then they should bring him in authorized with the Emperours commande to the grieuance of his heart Alexander clothed himselfe with the armour of GOD and all the night long prayed in this sence LORD if Arrius be to be receiued to morrow into the communione of thy CHURCH then let thy seruant depart in peace and destroy not the just with the wicked but LORD if thou wilt spare thy CHURCH whereunto I am assured thou wilt be fauourable then LORD turne thine eyes toward the wordes of the Eusebians and giue not thine inheritance to a desolation and reproach and cut of Arrius lest while he entreth into the CHURCH his heresie also seeme to enter with him and so no difference seeme to bee betwixt Pietie and Jmpietie The day next following the prayer of Alexander Eusebius bisshop of Nicomedia with his retinue came with great confidence pompe to performe all which they had threatned they would doe But Arrius was compelled to goe to a secret place whereinto his bowels gusihed out and hee concluded his wretched life with ignominie and shame To Alexander succeeded Paulus His lot was to gouerne this Church vnder the reigne of an Arrian Emperour Constantius who rejected him and seated Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia in his place But this great parrone of the Arrian Heresie scarcely was placed in Constantinople when he ended his life The Homousians receiued againe Paulus to bee their bishop The Arrians choosed Macedonius This was the câ—…use of great debate in Constantinople and the people diuided in factions hatefully inuaded one another The Emperour hearing of the tumult sent Hermogenes the generall commander of his horsâ—…-men to remoue Paulus from Constantinople Hermogenes was very ready to execute the Emperours commandement but the people being affectioned toward their Pastor arose vp with popâ—…re tumult compassed the house of Hermogenes set it on 〈◊〉 slâ—…w himselfe and fastned a corde to his legges and trailed him along the streetes For this cause the Emper. Constantius willing to punish the authors of this tumult hastened to come to Constantinople The people went foorth to meete him and with reares confessed their fault and craued pardon The Emperour absteined from punishing them vnto the death but he cutted off the one halfe of the victuall which the liberalitie of his father had bestowed vpon Constantinople to bee payed yeerely out of the tributes of Aegypt He banished Paulus the second time and seated Macedoâ—…ius in Coâ—…stantinople not without effusion of blood Paulus was againe restored by the meanes of the Emp. Constans but after the death of Constans he was banishâ—…d to Cucusus a towne of Armenia where he was strangled by the bloody Arrians The Church of Constantinople was miserably troubled with Arrianisâ—…ne vnder the reignes of Constantius Valens The reignes of Graiianus and Theodosius was a breathing time to the professors of the true Faith At this time Nazianzenus a constant defender of the Faith was chosen Bishop of Constantinople who notwithstanding voluntarily left the great Citie in regarde the Bishops assembled in the second generall Councill gaue not a full and uniuersâ—…ll consent to his admission Yet gaue they all without hesitation their consent to Nectarius a man of noble birth of the countrey of Cilicia at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who had receiued no ecclesiastical preferment before that time This man I say they made Bishop of Constantinople with full consâ—…nt and allowance both of the Councill and people ouerpassing Nazianzenus so fraile are the cogitations of men euen in generall Councils that they are oft times more ruled with affection then reason Nectarius continued in that office vntill the third yeere of the reigne of Arcadius that is vntill the yeere of our LORD 401. In his time the confession of sinnes done in secrete to presbyter poenitentiarius was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople vpon this occasion as Socrates writeth A certaine noble woman was confessing in secret her sinnes to presbyter poenitentiarius and shee confessed adultery committed with one of the Church Deacons Eudaemon this was the name of the father confessor gaue counsell to Nectarius to abrogate this custome of auricular and secrete confession because the Church was like to bee slandered and euill spoken of by these meanes Socrates can scarse giue allowance to this fact of Nectarius in respect that by abrogation of this custome the vnfruitfull works of darknesse were lesse coargued and reproued But Socrates considered not that CHRIST when hee talked with the Samaritane woman at the Well sent away his disciples to buy bread to the ende the poore Samaritane sinner might more freely poure out her secrete sinnes in the bosome of CHRIST who knew all thinges that were done in secrete It is not my purpose to contend with Socrates he is writing an historie I am writing but a short Compend of an historie hee taketh libertie to declare his judgement concerning this fact of Nectarius in abrogating confession of secrete sinnes to pres byter poenitentiarius No man can blame mee to write my judgement concerning auricular confession It is in our dayes not like vnto the mantle where with Sem and Iapheth couered the nakednesse of their Father Noe but it is in very deed a lap of the mantle of the deuill couering the nakednesse of his children that is the horrible treasons that are plotted in secrete by the children of the deuill against Christian Magistrates Nowe is auriculare consession for greater causes to bee abrogated then of olde presbyter poenitentiarius was discharged by Nectarius Bishops of Hierusalem TO Thermon succeeded Macarius anno 318. about the 7. yeere of the reigne of Constantine In his time it is thought that Helena the mother of Constantine founde the Crosse of CHRIST but Ambrose writes that shee worshipped it not for that saith he had beene Gentilis error vanitas impioram that is an errour of Pagans and vanitie of vngodly people But now to lay aside the inexcusable fault of adoration of the tree wherevpon our LORD suffered What necessity had Helena to bee so serious to seeke out this tree and to commit it to the custodie of all posterities seeing that Ioseph of Arimathea who sought the body of IESUS at the hands of Pilate to the end he might burie it honourably yet sought he not the tree whereon CHRIST was crucified which with little adoe might haue bene obtained Secondly during the time that the Crosse was easie to bee found and eâ—…sie to haue bene discerned from other crosses How could the blessed virgine the mother of the LORD and holy Apostles haue committed such an ouersight in not keeping
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
is clearlie witnessed in another place in those wordes Nowe the Spirit speaketh euidentlie that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith c. Defection in manners is so vsuall a thing that where the word of God is preached in most powerfull manner there also corruption in manners doeth abound arguing the euill inclination of our nature which taketh occasion by the commandement and worketh in vs all kinde of concupiscence so that the corruption of our nature is like vnto a gutter of water the passage whereof is hindered it gorgeth swelleth and setteth forwarde its owne accustomed waye more impetuouslie than euer it did before But the Apostle is speaking of a deeper mysterie and of a thing more rarely contingent to wit of an apostasie from the faith This is the sharpest of all punishments which GOD inflicted vpon mankinde for the contempt of his trueth to cast off a people into a reprobate minde whether wee looke to the actions of God who rejecteth or to the miseries of them who are rejected The actions of God who rejecteth are set downe by the Prophet Zacharie The Lord will not feede that people yea he will breake his shepheards staffe to wit the staffe called beautifull the staffe called bandes The miseries of them who are rejected are set downe by the Prophet Esai in these wordes Yee shall heare indeede but yee shall not vnderstand yee shall plainelie see and not perceiue make the heart of this people fatte c. So it commeth to passe when this heauie judgement is inflicted there is no comfort to bee founde neither in Heauen aboue nor in the Earth beneath When wee looke vp vnto God hee will feede vs no longer when wee looke downe to our selues wee receiue no comfort by the externall ministerie of the worde it is to vs the sauour of death yea and wee are in so desolate a case as the Prophet speaketh That that dieth let it die and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant euerie one eate the flesh of another Of this vnsupportable and remedilesse euill that there should bee a defection from the faith neither could the Church of the Iewes of olde nor the visible Church of late euer be content patiently to heare because it seemed to bee repugnant to the euerlasting couenant of God made with Abraham and his seede Neuerthelesse that same blessed mouth which made the couenant with Abraham and his seede fore-tolde also that they should bee cast off into a reprobate sense and that the Great Shephearde would feede them no longer Now both these things being vttered by the blessed mouth of God it is certaine that there is infallible truth in both it is better more agreeable with the honour of God to search out what way both these thinges can consist without impeachment one of another than so to talke of the couenant that wee shoulde gainsay the prophesie of the defection of the Church of the Iewes And the Apostle Paul hath wiselie obserued that the couenant of God is not annulled by the defection of the most part of the I◅wes in respect that a remnant are saued through the electiō of grace The Romane Church in like manner casteth vp that God hath promised that the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church And the same God by the mouth of his holie Apostle hath fore-tolde that there shoulde bee a defection from the Faith Both these Prophesies must bee true neither doeth the apostasie of the great multitude presuppose that the Church of Christ is perished or the promise of God made of none effect but in the middest of this apostasie a remnant are saued according to the election of grace Ioseph in the yeeres of famine was prouident and kept corne asore-hand both for foode to men and beastes and for seede to the ground But Christ is more prouident in the yeeres of horrible apostasie from the faith to keepe afore-hand a saued hand-full as seede for the propagation of the Church Wherefore let no man conclude of the long lasting apostasie of the Iewes or yet of the Popish Church that the couenant of God is of none effect and that the Church is perished The Antichrist of whom the Apostle speakeeh is not one particular man opposite to the kingdome of Christ as manie doe thinke but rather a kingdome hauing fore-runners hauing a growth and hinderers of the growth hauing aduancers admirers worshippers followers discouerers against whom warres are intended y◅a long lasting warres vntill this kingdome be drunken with the blood of the Saincts and finally for this kingdome God hath ordained a fall whereat all her followers shall be sadde and lament for her sudden and vnexpected desolation but the Saincts in Heauen shall rejoyce All these thinges cannot bee done in one mans age Therefore I take the worde Antichrist for a kingdome opposite to the Kingdome of Christ hee is called the man of sinne emphaticklie because in multitude ripenesse and superlatiue excesse of all kinde of sinnes and abominations this kingdome goeth beyonde all other king◅omes lewder in manners more corrupt in doctrine more blasphemous in opinion more deceitfull in carriage more proude in attemptes euen against them who are in authoritie than anie societie of people hath beene before setting their mouthes against the Heauen commanding the Angels of God to carrie soules to Heauen because their armour was crossed their feete were in the waye leading to the Holy Land their intention was to fight against the Saracenes This did Pope Clemens the sixt in his Bull giuen to the crossed souldiours Nowe whether their soules haue bene purged by faith in the fountaine of Christes blood or not it is no matter it is enough that they died in that journey the Ang◅ls must bee obedient to the Romane Antichrist to carrie their soules foorthwith to Heauen after their death Notwithstanding of all this the man of sinne must bee counted so complete and perfect that hee cannot erre in matters of faith and to bee in such high preheminence that albeit hee carrie innumerable soules headlongs to Hell no man should demand of him wherefore hee did so Yea and further horrible sinnes such as promise breaking to Infideles and Heretiques and vile treasons against Christian Princes haue open allowance in the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist and therefore he may justly be called the man of sinne Moreouer the Antichrist is called the childe of perdition in two respects to wit actiuely and passiuely actiuely because hee is a ring-leader to those who walke in the way of perdition passiuely because hee is ordained for destruction and to be consumed by the breath of the mouth of Christ. In both these respectes Iudas seemeth to haue beene the type of the Antichrist first he was a ring-leader to the band of souldiours which came from the High Priest and the Rulers to take Christ secondlie he was appointed to destruction and of
chap. 8. vers 3. For euerie high Priest is appointed to offer giftes and sacrifices wherefore it is necessarie that this man haue somewhat also to offer What is in this place that countenanceth the sacrifice of the Masse Like as euerie priest was furnished with an offering euen so the High priest and Bisshop of our soules CHRISTIESVS hee had an offering to wit his blessed bodie which hee offered for our sinnes But papists referre this place to an offering which euerie priest must offer presently so long as hee enjoyeth the honour of his priesthood and therefore saye they seeing CHRIST offereth no externall sacrifice in Heauen he must doe it in earth by the sacrifice of the Masse But the verie Grammer refuteth them for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a worde of the preterit and not of the present tense and importeth that CHRIST hath alreadie offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath no neede to bee iterated because it hath perpetuall vertue to saue them that beleeue Another place of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13. vers 10. they abuse wherein it is saide Wee haue an altar whereof they haue no power to eat who serue in the tabernacle Here say they mention is made of an altar therfore in the Church there must not only bee a Communion table but also an altar in a proper sense to offer CHRISTES bodie vpon it To this I answere That in the newe Testament like as there is but one high priest and one propitiatorie sacrifice so in like manner there is but one altar euen Iesus Christ who is in Heauen and in whom our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable vnto God as the Apostle Peter saieth Bee you made a spirituall house an holie priesthoode to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. 1. Pet. chap. 2. vers 5. Of this Altar to wit Christ the Iewes who were miserablie addicted to the ceremoniall lawe they could not be partakers for by adhering to shaddowes they neglected to embrace the veritie represented by those shaddowes after it was indeede exhibited vnto the worlde In the booke of the Reuelation wee reade of an Altar in Heauen vnder which the soules of them who were slaine for the worde of GOD doe repose Apocal. chap. 6. vers 9. This is not a materiall altar because it is in Heauen but this Altar is Christ vnder whose shaddow the soules of the Godlie finde comfortable refreshment And Ireneus in expresse wordes saieth Est ergo Altare in Coelis illue enim preces nostrae diriguntur that is Therefore our Altar is in Heauen for thithertoe our prayers are directed The Romane Church woulde deceiue vs in this point as Zebul of olde deceiued Gaal the sonne of Ebed when Gaal sawe men comming from the mountaines Zebul answered The shaddowe of the mountaines seeme men vnto thee IVD CHAP. IX VERS XXXVI Euen so when holy Scripture speake of Christ the true Altar they would perswade vs that Scripture is speaking of a materiall altar such as is among them The fift absurditie of the Masse is a contradiction to it selfe In the description of the Masse there are two manifest contradictions First it is called a sacrifice propitiatorie and vnbloodie which two thinges are so opposite that they cannot consist together because the Apostle in the ninth chap. to the Hebrewes and the 22. verse saieth Without shedding of bloode there is no remission of sinnes Secondlie they saye that in the Masse the body of Christ is offered without suffering these two things also are so flatte contradictorie one to another that the Apostle continuallie joyneth suffering with offering in so much that hee saieth If Christ had offered himselfe often hee behooued also to haue suffered often Heb. chap. 9. vers 25. and 26. The sixt absurditie is a foolishe multiplication of vnprofitable ceremonies both before the Masse and in the celebration thereof with neglecting the essentiall rites of the Sacrament instituted by CHRIST himselfe such as breaking distributing eating c. for in their sacrifice that which they brake in three pieces to represent the threefolde estate of Christs bodie dead buried and risen againe from death by the ordinance of Pope Sergius the first this bread I saye which they breake they distribute not and the bread which they distribute in the Sacrament to the people they breake it not These essentiall rites beeing laide aside they haue inuented manie vnprofitable ceremonies as namelie before the celebration of the Masse Vestmentes Altars Altar-clothes Corporasses Paxes Torches and Candles and manie other preparations In the verie action and celebration of the Masse are diuerse histâ—…ionicall gestures of the Priest to lift vp his eyes and cast them downe againe to spreade abroade his handes and to close them againe to warble with his fingers to bow downe to bende vp to turne from the right hand to the left and from the left hand to the right with manie other vnnecessarie ceremonies All these they count ceremonies of signification representing viuelie the passion of CHRIST But it appertaineth vnto GOD to institute ceremonies of signification who can seale vp by them some inwarde grace in mens heartes The Church maye content themselues with ceremonies of order as the Apostle writeth in his first Epistle to the CORINTHIANS in the fourteenth chapter and fourtieth verse thereof where hee saieth Let all thinges bee done honestlie and by order The seuenth last absurditie is the vnhappie consequences of the Masse Albeit they bee manie yet at this time I reduce them to three heads First prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices is a consequent of the Masse for albeit in the Councell of NICE this matter was seriouslie vâ—…ged and IEROME in the furie of his disoutation against IOVINIAN speaketh not so reuerentlie of marriage as became him yet this prohibition preuailed not fullie vntill the sacrifice of the Masse was receiued and established Then it was thought meete that like as married persons for prayer and fasting I. CORINTH CHAPTER VII VERSE V. shoulde abstaine for a short time from matrimoniall fellowship In like manner these who are called to a continuall exercise of praying and sacrificing they shoulde also continuallie abstaine from the bed of marriage So that prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices attended the Masse as a Page doeth his master And Popes such as SIRICIVS CALIXTVS GREGORIVS the seuenth c. did vrge prohibition of marriage with no lesse vehemencie than they did the establishing of the Masse The seconde consequence of the Masse is a miserable abusing of the people of GOD because by this sacrifice for the moste part the people were bereaued of the preaching of the Worde and the ministration of the Sacramentes the verie ordinarie meanes whereby the Kingdome of GOD is builded amongst them The Worde was seldome preached and in verie vnfruitfull manner and mixed with fables and lying miracles borrowed out of legendes not worthie to bee read
was receiued for that is a Noueltie not hearde of before the 1200 yeere of our Lord at which time the Scholasticke Doctors who peruerted all Theologie woulde needes forge Sacramentes in number agreeing with the number of seuen principall vertues to wit FAITH HOPE CHARITIE IVSTICE PERSEVERANCE PRVDENCIE and TEMPERANCE So that Baptisme should answere to Faith Confirmation to Hope the holy Supper to Charitie the Sacrament of Pennance to Iustice extreame Unction to Perseuerance the Sacrament of Ordor to Prudencie and the Sacrament of Marriage to Temperancie These were the idle speculations of Scholasticke Doctors whereof the Romane Church in our dayes are almoste ashamed because if the number of Sacraments be numbered according to the number of principall vertues who seeth not that the number of Sacramentes in the olde and newe Testament must bee equall and neither moe nor fewer to the ende they may proportionally agree with the number of principall vertues But Augustino saieth that our Sacraments are fewer in number more easie to bee done and more significatiuely expressing the grace of God than the Sacramēts of the olde Testament Seeing the principall purpose of my TREATISES is to manifest the Noueltie of Popish Religion therefore in this TREATISE I affirme that the number of seuen Sacramentes was not mentioned by any Father preceeding this time Therefore the Councell of Trent in the prodigalitie of their Anathems and Cursings against all them who will acknowledge either moe or fewer Sacraments of the new Testament than seuen hath pronounced very vnaduisedly like as Aedipus slewe his father Laius king of Thebans in time of a sedition hauing no intention to slaye him Euen so the Councell of Trent willing to deliuer vs vnto the Deuill they are not aware that they haue deliuered Iustinus Martyr Ireneus Tertullian Ambrose Augustine and many other auncient Fathers to the Deuill who neuer acknowledged the number of 7. Sacraments as the Councell of Trent hath done Nowe a good ord◅r required that a definition of the Sacrament of P◅nnance should be set downe that we should search and inquire when it had a beginning and finally inquire what are the parts thereof and what things are necessarily required in it First concerning the definition of the Sacrament of Pennance all learned writers whome I haue read haue justly blamed the Scholasticke Doctors for this that they haue confidently affirmed that the Sacramentes are seuen in number yet haue not set foorth a definition which did agree with euerie one of the Sacramentes which they haue added to Baptisme and to the Lords Supper Concerning the time whereinto it had its beginning they are more particular namely that it had a beginning after that Christ arose from death and breathed vpon his Disciples and said R◅ceiue the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. Before this time say they there was no sacrament of Pennance neither in the olde Testament nor in the Baptisme of IHON nor in the Preaching of CHRIST when Hee preached the doctrine of Repentance And when the cause is demaunded wherefore there was no Sacrament of Pennance when men confessed their sinnes with a contrite heart and were baptized by IHON and brought foorth the fruits of amendement of life Wee can heare no answere except this that men confessed their sinnes in generall before they were baptized of IHON But in the Sacrament of Pennance a particular confession of sinnes is required And in this they discouer their owne weaknesse for in the action of repentance instituted by GOD it is enough that all things be present which God requireth But in the Sacrament of Pennance instituted by man not by God if any thing be inlaking which humane cogitation hath founde out the doctrine of Ihon Baptist the contrition consession and satisfaction of the people together with Ihon Baptists absolution all is nothing There is yee one new piece inlacking which the Romane Church hath sowed to an olde garment and when that new clout is absent which they haue imagined themselues all is naught Now seeing that in the olde Testament there are found m◅nie testimonies of true repentance the heart the mouth and conuersation all witnessing that the penitent sinner was vn◅ainedly conuerted vnto God How commeth it to passe that the Romane Church ouer-giueth the old Testamēt as a time whereinto the Sacrament of Pennance had no place because it was not as yet instituted by Christ But they count it a Sacrament of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ after his resurrection The Apostle Paul is not so vncouth in his speaches who attributeth Baptisme to the Iewes and Circumcision to vs 1. Cor. 10. Phil. 3. in regarde their Sacramentes differed from our Sacramentes rather in the signe than in the thing signified But the Romane Church is so disgusted of the olde Testament that they cannot admit that the Sacrament of Pennance had place at that time Notwithstanding whatsoeuer can bee spoken of the repentance of Marie Magdalene and Zaccheus in the newe Testament the like may be spoken of the repentance of Dauid in the olde Testament 2. Sam. 12. 13. God mollified his heart and it was pearced with a deepe sense of his sinne God lowsed his tongue and he confessed his iniquitie against himselfe Psal. 32. 5. hee patiently endured the fatherly chastisementes of GOD inflicted vpon him for his sinne and the Prophet NATHAN pronounced forgiuenesse from GOD. Heere no man can deny but true repentance is founde in DAVID consisting in contrition of the heart confession of the mouth satisfaction in his deedes and absolution by the mouth of the Prophet And what more is requisite in Popishe Pennance Yet because DAVID consessed his sinnes vnto GOD and not to the Priest and hee patientlie sustained the chastisementes of GOD but not the pennance injoyned to him by the Priest All that DAVID did appertaineth nothing to the holy Sacramēt of Pennance which now is in vse in the Romane Church The Romane Church in this case is not vnlike vnto an herde of cattell possessed a long time into a folde if any vncouth beast enter in amongst them they will rudely putte at it because it is vncouth none of their fellowship Euen so when we speake of the repentance of Dauid which hath allowance in the holy Scripture of God of the repentance of Miriam whose satisfaction I meane to remooue the slander shee gaue to Gods people it was prescribed by Gods owne mouth and the repehtance of Ionas sealed vp by a miraculous worke of his deliuerance from the Whales belly All this is nothing to them for albeit here be founde repentance and absolution yet saye they not such as is founde in the Sacrament of Pennance in the Romane Church For in the olde Testament there is but a prediction that GOD will forgiue their sinnes prouiding that they repēt But in their Sacrament there is an actuall conferring of remission of sinnes ex opere operato to such
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
bee the sonnes of God except they bee borne againe by both the Sacraments to wit by the lauacre of water in the word and the anointment of Chrisme True it is that Cyprian calleth the anointment of oyle after baptisme a Sacrament different from the dipping in water but his meaning is that the anointing with oyle is an element different from the element of water and Augustine long after Cyprian calleth the externall signe of the Sacrament a Sacrament and the thing represented by it res sacramenti Nowe what vantadge hath the Romane Church when they take holde of the wordes utroque Sacramento that is both the Sacraments and in the meane time they neither take heede to the sandie grounde whereupon Cyprian leaneth to wit the opinion of Tertullian neither yet take they heede in what sense Cyprian calleth anointing with oyle a Sacrament to wit because it is one of the elementes whereby our spirituall birth is represented The reuerence that was carried toward the ceremonies of signification in the law of Moses hath made a patent doore vnder the Gospell to receiue many legall ceremonies such as consecration by oyle the linnen Ephod the lightes shining all the night long and many other ceremonies which are the more easily embraced because in Poprie the substance of godlinesse is vtterly forsaken and vaine ceremonies are adhered vnto euen such as are ceassed because they had their performance in Christ. And like as it is a follie to take the huskes of the wine grapes after the liquor is pressed out of them and to cast them into the wine-presse againe Euen so it is a foolishe conceite to returne the ceremonies of signification which haue had their performance in Christ and are abolished to haue place againe in the Church of God Therefore let the Romane Church bragge of Antiquitie as much as they please in their Sacrament of Confirmation no antiquitie shall bee founde and that for three causes First because the anointing with oyle whereof the Fathers doe speake is not a different sacrament from baptisme but a ceremonie Preceeding and following Baptisme Secondly the oyle wherewith persons baptized were anointed was not mixed with Balsome And thirdly after baptisme anointing with oyle and imposition of hands followed immediately but in the Sacrament of Confirmation when it began to take place in the Church of God anointing with oyle mixed with Balsome followed not immediately vpō the necke of baptisme as a continuate action but it was ministred 12. or 15. yeere after baptisme so that it is a deluding of the world and a peruerting of those who are weak in vnderstanding to proue that the Sacrament of Confirmation is an auncient Sacrament in the Church because it was an auncient custome to anoint with oyle those who were baptized as if Baptisme and Confirmation were both one thing which they vtterly denie Let the judicious Reader vnderstand that the purpose of the Romane Church to aduaunce their Sacrament of Confirmation with impairing of the dignitie of Baptisme is but a new Popish inuention For the writers after the dayes of the Apostles the more auncient they are the more they magnifie the holy Sacrament of Baptisme by which saieth Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee are enlightened wee receiue the adoption of children wee are made perfect wee are made immortall What affinitie hath the doctrine of the Romane Church with Antiquitie who counteth the Sacrament of Baptisme onelie a preparation to the Sacrament of Confirmation Whereas auncient Writers haue attributed to Baptisme receiued truelie and with singlenesse of heart such perfection as leadeth vs vnto immortallitie and eternall life Lindanus pineth himselfe much as a woman trauelling in birth to bring foorth her childe so doeth hee endeuour with all his might to prooue that CHRIST instituted the Sacrament of Confirmation and that the Chrisme shoulde bee renewed from yeere to yeere and that this custome hath beene continuallie in vse since the dayes of the Apostles not onelie in the Church of ROME but also in the Churches of ANTIOCHIA HIERVSALEM and EPHESVS This is a verie confident assertion if hee coulde make it good And for proofe of all this geare is brought foorth asupposititious letter of Fabian bishop of Rome The cause is weake that is founded vpon such sandie grounde as Decretall Epistles doe falselie attribute to a great number of the bishops of Rome The olde prouerbe hath place in Lindanus as much as in anie Writer Parturiunt Montes nascetur ridiculus Mus that is The Mountaines are trauailing in birth and aridiculous Mouse shall bee brought foorth Fabianus testimonie written in a Legende of lies that is in Decretall Epistles vnknown to Antiquitie is no sure ground to any man to leane his Faith vpon it Moreouer he fetcheth a compasse to draw this Sacrament of Confirmation out of Scripture one way or other and hee saith that Christ commaunded his Apostles who were already baptized to remain at Ierusalē vntill they were endewed with strēgth from aboue Act. 1 in the day of Penticost the H. Ghost descēded vpon them in the similitude of fiery clouen tongs Act. 2 again the disciples at Samaria who were already baptized yet by imposition of the handes of the Apostles they receiued the gift of the H. Spirit Act 8. 17 What can Lindanus inferre vpon these groundes Christ bestowed vpon Christians who were already baptized a more ample grace than they had at the beginning whē they were baptized Christ added a signe in time of Confirmation somtimes fiery tongues somtimes imposition of hands ergo Confirmation is a Sacrament of the new Testamēt it followeth not for God in ordinary sacraments like as he maketh promises appertaining to al the beleeuers euen so in like maner he sealeth vp these promises by signes appertaining to all the members of the Church of God but promises belonging to a small number sealed vp with signs cōferred vnto a few cānot bee the ground of a sacrament which is a seale of the couenant of God belonging to all true professors and beleeuers And when Lindanus hath troubled himselfe with much businesse in end he granteth that Chrisming is an vnwritten tradition and hath no authoritie in the written word of God citing the testimonie of Basilius Magnus to this effect God confirmeth and strengtheneth them who are baptized in his name to bring his owne worke begunne in them to a perfection but not to institute a newe SACRAMENT And like as the GENTILES of olde who worshipped the SVNNE they worshipped it not onely for the glory and splendor that was in it but also for the benefite that it did communicate vnto the earth by warming it and making it fruitfull Euen so wee doe magnifie God our Creator and maker not onely for his owne most excellent and incomprehensible glorie but also because he daylie refresheth our soules with his goodnesse strengtheneth our weaknesse with the power of his sauing grace
awake after a manner out of their sleepe and they will seeme to grounde their doctrine vpon Scripture which they so miserablie abuse that they are in no better case but rather in a worse than when they misregarded Scripture layed it aside and counted the Decretalles of Popes to bee of as great authoritie as the holie Scriptures of GOD. True it is that about the yeere of our LORD 520. Chemnisius reckoneth the yeere of our LORD 528. Foelix the fourth the successour of Ioannes the first and predecessour of Bonifacius the seconde hee ordained That Christians before they departed this life shoulde bee annointed with oyle And this is the true originall of Extreame Unction yet in such manner that in the dayes of Pope Foelix the fourth it had not the name of a Sacrament But seeing the Councell of TRENT referreth it vnto a more auncient beginning let vs examine the places of SCRIPTVRE whereupon they grounde this their opinion The wordes of the APOSTLE IAMES are these Is anie sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them praye 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 Iacob Chap. 5. vers 14. 15. For better vnderstanding of this place of SCRIPTVRE let vs consider these three thinges to wit That when the Gospell was first preached for the propagation and aduan cement thereof GOD appointed extraordinarie offices EPHES. 4. which were not to continue in the Church such as the office of Apostles Euangelistes and of Prophets Likewise hee endued them and some other beleeuers with extraordinarie giftes such as the gift of tongues of prophesie and working of miraculous workes And like as the extraordinarie offices continued not in the Church euen so the extraordinarie giftes continued not long in the Church for they were giuen to open a doore to the Gospell which beeing once opened Christians must content themselues with ordinarie offices and gifts Secondlie let vs consider that persons who had receiued a gift of GOD to cure diseases miraculouslie they vsed not at all times the selfe same signes and ceremonies in curing of diseases but sometimes they sent hand-kirches to the diseased persons ACT. CAP. 19. vers 11. sometimes they ouerlayed the dead and restored them to life ACT. CAP. 20. vers 10. and sometimes they annointed them with oyle MARC CAP. 6. vers 13. Which diuersitie of signes had not beene lawfull to vse if Extreame Unction had beene an ordinarie Sacrament in the Church For like as it is not lawfull to baptize with anie other liquor except water because Baptisme is a Sacrament instituted by GOD Euen so in curing the diseased it had not beene lawfull to vse anie other signe and ceremonie but annointing with oyle if so bee it had beene an ordinarie Sacrament Thirdlie it is to bee considered that when signes and ceremonies doe accompanie extraordinarie giftes incase the gift doe cease it is a foolishe thing to keepe in vse the signe and ceremonie except it were to bee a memoriall of a thing done of olde as the people of GVIDVS dedicated the shelles of the Fishe Remora to VENVS GVIDEA for a memoriall of their deliuerance But wee reade not of anie Prophet to whome GOD gaue not the gift of working miraculous workes who counterseited HELISEVS by sending their staffe to raise the dead 2. REG. CAP. 4. vers 2â—… or directing anieâ—…eprous person to washe his bodie seuen times in the waters of Iordane as HELISEVS directed NAAMAN the Syrian to doe 2. REG. CAP. 5. vers 10. For in vaine is the outward signe adhibited when the gift of miraculous he ling of diseases is ceassed Yea and the Priestes in the Romane Church conuicted in conscience that by annointing with oyle they cannot restore a diseased person to health they delaye to applie Extreame Unction vntill all hope of recouerie bee vtterlie past But nowe lest it shoulde seeme that their Extreame Unction is altogether vneffectuallie applied the verie wordes vsed in the application thereof testifieth that they belieue that remission of sinnes shall bee conferred with to the diseased person by vertue of Extreame Unction for these are their wordes Peristam sanctam Unctionem piissimam suam misericordiam indulgeat tibi DEVS quicquid peccasti per visum per auditumodoratum tactum gustum that is to saye By this moste holie Unction let GOD bestowe vpon thee his mercie for all sinnes thou hast committed by seeing hearing smelling touching or tasting Heere remember that the benefite which the APOSTLE saieth is chieselie obtained by prayer they referre it vnto annointing with oyle Next they take not heâ—…de to whome the APOSTLE directeth this exhortation namelie to the faithfull members of CHRIST whome in the twelfth verse hee calleth his brethren and in the soureteenth and fifâ—…eenth verses hee speaketh to such as reuerenced the order of Church-gouernement Nowe it is certaine that faithfull men are so taught in the schoole of GOD and perswaded that other mens prayers can auaile them nothing except there bee faith in their owne heartes for the prayer of SAMVEL coulde benefite King SAVL nothing in respect of his reprobate and vnbeleeuing heart 1. SAM CHAP. 16. vers 2. But these men of whome Sainct IAMES speaketh were faithfull men penitent sinners obedient to the ordinances of GOD And when the Seniors of the Church prayed for such men their sinnes were forgiuen them GOD hauing regarde to their owne faith and to the prayers of the Elders of the Church for them In this they glorie much that Extreame Unction may be called a Sacrament of the newe Testament in a proper sense forasmuch as in it there is a signe instituted by CHRIST Marâ—… cap. 6. and vnto the signe there is added a promise to wit the healing of the diseased person if the LORD thinke it expedient at least a promise of remission of sinnes But all this is nothing except the thirde circumstance bee added to wit that CHRIST hath giuen vnto vs this signe to bee vsed and hath annexed the promises afore-saide as belonging vnto vs for who can denie but in circumcision there was a signe instituted by GOD whereunto a diuine promise was annexed Neuerthelesse both the signe and promise appertained vnto them who liued vnder the olde Couenant GALATH. CAP. 5. vers 3. and not to vs euen so the signe and the promise aforesaide appertained vnto that time onelie in the which extraordinarie giftes had place in the CHVRCH of GOD and not to vs. Nowe to the ende that this their Sacrament of Extreame Unction might bee holden in the greater reuerence they haue founde out manie circumstances not mentioned in holie SCRIPTVRE as namelie that it shall bee made onelie by a Bishop It shall bee saluted with bowing of knees and nine congratulations in this manner It shall bee saide thrise Aue sanctum
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
I am the lesse moued with their speaches because it is the custome of lamed creeple men to be mounted vp on horsebacke an euil cause supporteth the own infirmitie by the loude trumpet of rayling wordes yet haue they not cleared to the world that wee maintaine obstinatly any point of doctrine repugnant vnto the articles of true faith and vnto the principall grounds of Christian religion preached by Christ and committed to write by the holy Apostles Let them be as prodigall in their curses as they please crying out against vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I answere with simplicitie of a humble mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a thing hanged vp in the Lordes Temple and dedicat to God Haue we not seene with our owne eyes deepe woundes made in the flesh of man that haue beene needled by skilfull Chirurgians and in end cured and healed and the skinne of man cutted in twaine by the sword vnited againe by the needle medicinable plasters That doctrine which endenoureth to needle the wounded world and to vnite it againe vnto that holy doctrine taught by the Apostles and Euangelistes and professed in the first hundreth yeere of our Lord shall we call it hereticall Shall we be so babish that wee cannot discerne the sword from the needle conjunction from separation healing from hurting welfare from woe If we knew Christ Iesus and the power of God working by his word we had not so rashly condemned the trueth of God The Iewes spake as confidently against Christ as euer the Councill of Trent hath spokeÌ„ against vs We hâ—…ue a law according to our lawe hee ought to de because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God Ioh. 19. ver 7 Vnder pretence of zealous keeping of the Law made against blasphemers Leuit 24. 15. they condemned the holy One of God as a blasphemer But his father by loosing the sorowes of death receiuing him into heauen placing him at his owne right hand annulled ipso facto that rash sentence giuen out in earth against the innocent Lamb of God Euen so the Lord in his owne appointed time by receiuing our soules into those celestiall mansions prepared for his owne Saintes shall vndoe the rash decreetes that are giuen out against vs in the earth In all ages this matter hath bene contrauerted and Heretiques haue obstinatly maintained their bad and reprobat opinions and as obstinatly refused the odious and vile name of Heretiques and this question in our dayes is like to a flame of fire which no aboundance of water can sloken The definition of an heresie we haue alreadie set downe in the 3 chap resteth nowe in this treatise to ponder the name it selfe to consider the ground of heresie the propagation and preuailing power of it at sometimes the greater and more preuailing power of the curse of God making heresie in end to wither as the figge tree did that was cursed by Christ And finally to declare what should be the cariage both of Pastours magistrats and people toward Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the Greeke language and very ample in signification for it signifieth a choosing Now it is certaine that it is no fault to a man to take a choise when God doth offer it vnto him as when it was offered to SALOMON to aske what hee liked best he choosed rather to craue wisdome then riches from God 1. Reg. 3. and when DAVID choosed rather to fall into the hands of God then of man 2. Sam. 24 ver 14. DAVID in choosing the pest rather then the sworde or famine tooke a choice which was offered vnto him by God And the pondering of the generalitie of the worde may declare that in things indifferent wherinto God hath granted vnto men a libertie free choice such as eating of flesh or abstinence from it marying or not marying a man may take his choice in these things at such times as he findeth it granted by God as well as DAVID and SALOMON and a man is not to be called an Heretique because he marieth because God hath giuen him libertie to marie or not to marie as a man listeth best prouiding alwayes he seeke counsell of God to dispose him in such indifferent things that way whereby he shall be most meete and able to glorifie God For true it is that the Euangelist writeth No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God who is in the bosome of his Father he hath reueiled him Ioh. 1 which words plainly doe testifie that in matters of faith God hath not giuen vnto a man a free choice to embrace what opinion he pleaseth but God hath tied bound vs in matters of faith to the mouth of his deare Sonne to the ende we should thinke no other thing of God then Iesus Christ hath reueiled vnto vs. Now anent the ground of heresie I followe the opinion of AVGVSTINE in his booke of exposition of some places of the epistie to the Galathian wherein hee compareth Heretiques to the sonnes of KETVRA whome ABRAHAM maried after the death of SARA Gen. 25. These children were procreated of an old father and of a yong mother euen so Heretiques pretending antiquitie of Scripture but forging vnto them a new yong sense whereinto Scripture was not written they become defenders of a false opinion The words of S. AVGVSTINE are these Ex occasione antiquaeveritatâ—…s in novitio temporalique nati sunt mendacio that is through occasion of antiquitie of the trueth they are borne into the noveltie of a temporall lie so that AVGVSTINE his judgement soundeth to this that Heretiques pretend antiquitie of scripture for their father but they are more like to KETVRA then ABRAHAM following rather the noueltie of error then the antiquitie of veritie In this maner IRENEVS thinkèth that heresies do spring vp of a false vnderstanding of holy Scriptures vsing the comparison of men who breake the golden image of the king after it is molten againe fashion it according to the similitude of a Foxe now it can not be called the kings image any longer albeit it be composed of that selfe same golde whereof the kings image was made euen so when wordes of Scripture are drawen to a new false hereticall sense count that new sense heresie not Scripture Iren adversus Ualent lib. 1. cap. 1. Now these opinions of IRENEVS and AVGVSTINE concerning the originall ground of heresie do well agree with the word of Christ himselfe written in holy Scripture Are ye not therefore deceiued because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Marc 12. 24. The Sadduces knew wel eneugh the wordes of scripture but not the right sense and meaning of them And therfore it is great wisdome to mixe our reading with prayer to the ende that the Lorde who guided the
pen of Prophets in writing may guide also our hearts in reading With this ignorance of the meaning and true sense of holy Scripture is joyned an vnspeakable and deuilish pride for they make no account of any body vnder heauen but of themselues alanerly and hypocrites haue their owne opinions in so wonderfull admiration that they stop their eares from hearing all wholesome admonition which pertinacie and pride is the cause wherefore the Apostle PAVL calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is condemned of themselues Titus 3. For like as there are some persons so bent to destroy their owne bodies that it is not possible to the vigilant attendance of friendes to keepe them from mischiefe and harme the experience whereof kythed in PORCIA the daughter of CATO and wife of BRVTVS euen so there are a number of men caried so headlong to hell that no wholesome doctrine or admonition can be heard because like to the Gadarenes swine the swift pace of their race cannot be stayed vntill they be drowned in the lake Of this cause of heresie NAZIANZEN writeth ad Cledonium that the heretique APOLLINARIS counted of his owne songs as we count of the olde and newe Testament euen so his associates counted his songs and rhymes to be the third testament In like maner the heretique MARCION was a patterne of incorrigible pride who came to Rome after the death of HYGINVS and when he heard that he was not admitted to an ecclesiasticall office hee demanded of the preaching Elders there what was the meaning of Christes words when hee saide That no man pieceth an olde garment with a piece of new clothe for that that should fill it vp taketh away from the garment and the breach is worse Mat. cap. 9. ver 16. 17. In their answere they declared the true meaning of Christes words But the proud stomacke of an head-strong Heretique applyed the parable to himselfe and auouched that he should make a remedilesse breach among them because they had refused to receiue him into their fellowship Epiphan contra hareses which thing he endeuoured to performe vntill his last breath Heresie was propagated and increased rather in the Halcyon dayes of CONSTANTINE VALENTINIAN THEODOSTVS and MARTIANVS then in the wofull dayes of NERO DOMITIAN TRAIAN ANTONINVS SEVERVS MAXIMINVS DECIVS VALERIAN AVRELIAN DIOCLETIAN through the wise prouidence and wisdome of God who would not at one time ouercharge his Church with vnsupportable burthens neither would he suffer his Saints to be tempted aboue their strength For if heresies had bene in number as many and in power as strong before the daies of CONSTANTINE as they wer after his dayes it had bene hard till haue borne foorth so many mightie assaultes but our mercifull Lord would haue the faith and patience of his Saints to be tried by persecuting tyrants in some ages and againe the knowledge of the Church to be tried mightily by Heretiques in other ages So that wee shall finde moe heresies springing vp in the 4. Centurie then in all the preceeding 3. Centuries yea if it had pleased that godly father AVGVSTINE to haue abridged his abridgement of heresies written ad Quod vultdeum the number of heresies in the first 300. yeeres should not be found great But AVGVSTINE diuiding these Heretiques who were called Gnostici in three bandes to wit in Saturniniani Carpocratiani and Basilidiani who all were but one rancke of Herctiques he maketh the number to seeme greater then it was And in like maner dâ—…iding the Moâ—…tanists in Pepuziani Cataphâ—…yges Prisâ—…lliani and Montanistae maketh also the number to seeme great how beit all these foure are but one heresie receiuing sometimes a name from the author MONTANVS sometime froÌ„ the countrie of Phrygia whereinto this heresie was bred soâ—…time froÌ„ the town of Phrygia called Pepuzum where they dwelt sometimes from the false prophetesse PRISCILLA who propagated the error of MONTANVS In like manerthere were many obscure heresies who could finde few or no followers because it seemeth that the heresie died as soone as the Heretique such as Helcâ—…saitae Caiani Scâ—…hiani And there is no great necessitie to discourse of such abortiue birthes as incontinent died before they came to any kinde of ripenesse EVSEBIVS saith haeresis helce saitarum simul etiam at que coepit extincta est That is the heresie of Helcesaitae mmediatly after it was begun it was quenched Euseb lib. 6. cap. 38. And finaily AVGSTINE reckoneth among Heretiques of the first 300 yeeres Tessaresâ—…aidecataitae in the Latin Quaterdecimani who maintained no opinion repugnant to the grounds of faith but onely kept Easter vpon another day then the Romaine Church did obserue it But albeit heresies sprang vp in the dayes of good Emperours yet were they not fostered and nourished by them but by all possible meanes were abandoned but God punishing the contempt of the truth and the loue of false and lying doctrine suffered an euill Emperour to rise after a good such as CONSTANTIVS after CONSTANTINE and ANASTASIVS after MARTIANVS and these euill Emperours by their own profession countenance authoritie strengthened the heresies of ARRIVS and EVTYCHES which were bred in the dayes of the good Emperours forenamed so that the strength of an heresie was borne out by the arme of man allanerly and it was not a plantation that our heauenly father had planted and therefore in end behooued to be rooted out Then marke the power of the wrath of God against Heretiques heresies and sometimes against the very places of their meetings It is knowne that ARRIVS brast asunder as IVDAS did and that his bowels gushed out a just recompense of his troubling of the intestine peace and bowels of the Church of God MONTANVS and his two mad prophetesses PRISCILLA and MAXIMILLA hanged themselues as IEROM doth write citing APOLLONIVS for his authour Ierom. catal script PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS a man leper both in soule and body was excommunicat in all Churches professing Christ in the whole world and by the authoritie of the Emperour as shall be declared Godwilling with shame and ignominie was driuen from his vsurped chaire in Antiochia MANES was excoriat by the king of Persia. The bad fortune of the priests of BAAL contending against HELIAS and slaine at the brooke Kâ—…shon 1. Reg. 18. ver 40. The most infortunate condition of AMAZIA the priest of Bethel whose wife became an harlot in the citie and his sonnes and daughters fell by the sword and his lande was diuided by line and himselfe died in a polluted land Amos 7. ver 17 All these examples I say declare that terrible is the wrath that the Lorde will powre out against false prophets and false teachers In like manet the heresie of ARRIVS when it was at the very height beganne to shed it selfe into three contrarie opinions as a kingdome diuided in it selfe and could no longer stand some were still called Arrianes and vtterly denied that the Sonne of God was 〈◊〉