Maiestie as d Euseb in orat de laudibus Constantini Eusebius did of Constantine the Great that whereas he alone is impugned by all false gods he alone of all Princes may most deseruedly be reputed the sonne of the true God who said by his Prophet e 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee I will honour and them that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Of Supplication 2. Of Supplication or most humble and dayly Praier that God in his great mercy towards vs his poore people would most firmely corroborate and strengthen the Arme of His most puissant Maiestie against all enemies whatsoeuer for the timely destruction of the wicked of the Land that he may with f Psal 101.10 holy Dauid cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. For saith Salomon g Prou. 25.5.6 Take away the drosse from the siluer and there shall come foorth a vessell for the Finer take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established with righteousnesse because as Lampridius h Aelius Lampridius in Alexandro Seuero deliuereth of the Common-wealth it is safer if the Prince be euill rather then that his friends be euill For he is but one and may bee reclaymed by good aduice whereas they are but as so many Waspes or Vipers that not onely may hurt the head but infect the whole body And therefore i Apud Euripidem in Scirone one said well That it was a good duty to punish badde liuers for that as k Apud Stobaeum Ser. 44. Isaeus thought thereby is prohibited all iniurie from others Of Obedience and due obseruance of that most wholsome counsell which S. Paul l Rom. 16.17 gaue the Romanes 3. Of Obedience saying Marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyd them For that marking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth sharpenesse of wit this auoyding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prooueth vprightnesse of will and both of them most behoofefull in dispatch of these duties seeing Heresie lyeth secret like Snakes in greene grasse very hardly to be discerned by bleared eyes or dull pates and Heretikes are craftie like their Master the Deuill able to seduce and withdraw the most constant from their settled true course if they doe not beware First therfore as the Foxes m Plutarch de solertia animaliuÌ„ of Thrace by Plutarchs report doe not runne or passe ouer any Ice whereof that Countrey hath plenty in Winter before they haue layd their eares thereunto to finde either the water vnderneath running or the bottome soundly frozen so we in this wary wisedome of Foxes as of n Math. 10.16 Serpents are not to imbrace any doctrine deliuered vnto vs by any man whosoeuer before wee haue well tryed the soundnesse thereof both in matter and forme whether it be o 1. Cor. 3.13 as Gold Siluer and precious Stone or as Timber Hay and Stubble For the p Ioh 32.3 eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meate Secondly as by sensuall memory the Beast will shunne the pit into which he hath either formerly â—alne to his hurt or is likely to fall in by the very like danger so we men by reason and Christians by grace must carefully eschew those whom we haue found Heretikes or any way resembling them and that euen both in conceit and company as S. Iohn q Ioh. Ep. 2.10 gaue counsell saying If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house neither bid him God speede First bid him not God speede by any inward approbation either of his learning or of his life of his learning for Quid me melior si non iustior said r Plutarch in Apopâ—thegmatis Lacoricis Agesilaus of the King of Persia What is he better then I if he be not more iust then I am And so may wee enquire of any mans learning let him bee neuer so great a Doctor what is he better learned then another man if hee be not more orthodox He surely in my iudgement is the best Scholler that is first Å¿ Esay 54.13 6. Iohn 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and then t 1. Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach other what himselfe had well learned as therefore the Apostles although u Act. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnlettered men yet were better seene in all x Luke 21.15 true learning then any of the Iewish Rabbines and so was y Epiphan haer 64. Methodius before Origen Malchion z Euseb lib. 7. histor Eccle. c. 23 the Priest before the Bishoppe Paulus Samosatenus onely for that they held and maintayned what God taught them out of the holy Scriptures For as there a Origen homil 3. in Leuiticum was no Gold either put in or bestowed vpon the Tabernacle which was not weighed with the shekell of the Sanctuarie so no kind of Learning is fit to build vp the Church of Christ but that which being weighed in the ballance of Gods Word is found to be Orthodoxe by true agreement with the proportion of Faith since b 1. Cor. 8.2 Knowledge puffeth vp and c Act. 26.25 much Learning will make a man mad if it be not found in the words of truth and sobernesse as therefore Iustine Martyr d Iustin Martyr in Exhortat ad Gentes accounted those to be the Teachers of our Religion who taught vs not according to their owne humane opinion but only from the gift giuen vnto them from aboue by God Of his life for Heretikes cannot bee honest men because they haue forsaken the ground of Honestie which is Truth as Gregory said e Gregor lib. 18. moral cap. 2. well Profectò ab aequitate discrepat quicquid à veritate discordat Truely that doth disagree from equitie which differeth from veritie Beware saith f Math. 7.16 our Sauiour of the rauening Wolues in the Sheepes clothing And therefore secondly receiue him not into your house for any priuate conuersement at all lest when hee is warmely setled he fill the house with Heresie as Aesops g Aesop de rustica serpente Snake is said to doe with hissing and so prooue no better then the base h Iudg. 17.8 18.6 Leuite did to rich Micah first a flattering Seducer and then a false Traytour as I feare me many Noble and Worshipfull Houses in England find by wofull experience in their too kind and bountifull entertainment of Iesuites or Seminarie Priests of Schismatikes or other Sectaries For as the Greeke Poet i Theognis said well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Thou shalt learne good things from the best With bad thy soule to death is prest Haue k Ephes 5.11 then no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprooue them For your wits by the Scriptures are
neere at hand although euery z Deut. 19.19 man blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of mine heart to adde Drunkennesse to thirst as if a Esay 28.15 they had made a couenant with death and with hell were at an agreement But certainly when b 1. Thes 5.3 they shall say Peace and safetie then sudden destruction commeth vpon them as trauaile vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape For c Prou. 16.5 euery one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord though hand ioyne in hand he shall not bee vnpunished Thirdly concerning the Reuelation of Antichrist we shall hereafter in this Discourse find him painted out in his colours by the Spirit of God In the meane time wee may obserue the neerenesse of the last end by the complement of the fourth signe to wit the Conuersion and restoring of the Iewish Nation vnto the faith of Christ For although in the iudgement of many d Zegedin loc comm pa. 36. Bucan Instit loc 38. q. 15. godly and learned men it is not yet knowne when and how this Conuersion of the Iewes shall be accomplished because it is not reuealed in the Word of God whether it shall be a Conuersion visible or inuisible totall or partiall made all at once or by succession yet is this certaine that many thousand Iewes by Iames his e Act. 21.20 report in the time of the Apostles beleeued and f Vid. Act. Monument pag. 886. that in euery age of the Church some of them haue bin baptized into Christ g Vid. Marlar in Rom. 11.25 that vnto the end of the World some of them shall daily be conuerted that so our Sauiour might fulfill in due time that his Prophesie h Ioh. 10.16 Other sheepe I haue which are not of this sold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one Folde and one Shepheard Neuerat eos in turba furentium praeuidebat eos in pace credentium saith i August Tract 47. in Ioh. Saint AVGVSTINE hee knew them in the company of the madly roging and foresaw them in the peace of the godly beleeuing For howsoeuer their moderne Synagogues be most Satanicall and deadly Aduersaries to the truth of Christianitie as appeareth by their doctrine and customes discouered by the learned man k Buxtorf in Synagog Iudaic. Buxtorfius yet some may be true Israelites and in their time also bee truely conuerted vnto the faith of Christ since as Petrus l Galat. lib. 1. de arcanis sid Cathol cap. 4. Galatinus hath well distinguished the condition of the Iewes after Christs Resurrection some of them follow Christ fide opere both in saith and in worke as old m Act. 5.39 Gamaliel in the Talmud famous and the great Rabbi Haccanas Nehumiae filius other some cleaue to him fide nō opere by faith not by work because they are zealous of the Law withall as the Iewes in the n Act. 21.20 Acts and the Historian Iosephus but others will not follow Christ nec side nec opere neither by faith nor by worke although they cannot deny the Truth which they seeing to bee fulfilled will yet in the obstinacie of their hearts conceale And may not some of these last sort returne Lodouicus Carettus Iohannes Isaacus Immanuel Tremellius and diuers other most famous Conuerts of the Iewish Nation are euident proofes of a present reconciliation of Israel vnto Christ euen in these last dayes wherein the Gentile fulnesse is past since Mahomets Musulmans doe now possesse the middest true Christians being extruded into the outmost parts of this our Hemisphere as is plaine by the o Apud Petr. Plaut Io. Magin in Tabul Ptolom de Asia Africa Maps both of the Turkish and Persian Kingdomes But howsoeuer this Conuersion of the Iewes shall be the end is neere since the first signes are past and the second sort begin to approch in the first of them that now wee may daily looke for the complement of the two last to wit the amazement of the Reprobates and wrapping vp of the visible Heauens for our happy deliuerance out of this miserie that we may bee partakers of the onely blessed Kingdome in greatest glory as p Titus Bostre in Luc. 21. Aquin in Caten ibid. one said well Ipse aduentus Domini climinans omnium principatum potestatem praeparat Regno Dei The comming of Christ destroying the rule or chiefedome of all others prepareth a power for the Kingdome of God § VII Wherefore hence I conclude with the Apostle Saint Peter that now q 1. Pet. 4.7 since the end of all things is at hand we therefore must bee sober and watch vnto Prayer For this is the double vse of the Doctrines proposed first for Sobrietie and secondly The first vse of the two former doctrines and the first part of it for Watchfulnesse For Sobrietie both in opinion and life In opinion and iudgement as the Apostle doth warne that r Rom. 1◠3 No man thinke of himselfe more highly then he ought to thinke but that hee thinke soberly according as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith For as Salt seasoneth euery thing and therefore by the ſ Leuit 2.13 Law they were to season with Salt euery Oblation of the meate Offering euen so a sober discretion in iudgement is the most wholesome condiment to all our Meditations since it maketh the minde peaceable and the tongue seasonable as therefore our Sauiour speaketh for the former Haue t Mark 9.50 Salt in your selues and haue peace one with another and Saint Paul for the latter u Coloss 4.7 Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with Salt that yee may know how yee ought to answere euery man For as x Bernard Ser. 3. de Circumcis Dom. Bernard sayth well The light of discretion is the Mother of Vertues and the consummation of perfection when according to the y Horat. de Arte poetic Poets rule Singula quaeque locum teneant sortita decenter Every thing keepeth his owne proper place in a comely sort as z Prou. 16.23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips For that we may apply these things vnto this very particular a question is made when our Sauiour shall come at the end of the World but omnino importunè altogether vnseasonably saith Saint a August lib. 18 de Cim Dei c. 53 Augustine because if it had beene expedient for vs to haue knowne it of whom should it haue beene spoken better then of God himselfe the Master to his Disciples demanding the question since he plainly professed vnto his Disciples that b Ioh 15.15 because they were his friends all things that he had heard of his Father he had made knowne vnto
ANTICHRIST ARRAIGNED In a Sermon at Pauls Crosse the third Sunday after Epiphanie WITH THE TRYALL OF GVIDES On the fourth Sunday after TRINITIE By THOMAS THOMPSON Bachelour in Diuinitie and Preacher of Gods WORD PHILIP 3.2 Beware of Dogges beware of euill workers HILAR lib. contra Arianos Aurentium Lusit quidem ille verbis quibus possit fellere Electos sed patet impietatis tantae professio LONDON Printed by William Stansby for RICHARD MEIGHEN and are to be sold at his Shop at Saint Clements Church ouer-against Essex House and at Westminster Hall 1618. To the High Noble and most vertuous CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall Earle of Chester and Heire Apparant to the Crowne and Monarchie of Great BRITTAINE his Gracious LORD All happie increase of Grace and Glorie heauenly and earthly from GOD the FATHER and from our Lord IESVS CHRIST MOst Gracious and most hopefully Puissant Prince Place may yeeld much preiudice against the personall performance of any good actions to those mens conceits who make custome a vertue with the blinde Pharises thus taunting at NICODEMVS a John 7.52 Art thou also of Galilee search and looke for out of Galiee ariseth no Prophet But such sinister thoughts God in his prouidence so graciously preuenteth that as the Sunne shineth in euery Climate and fruits are there found proportionable to the measure of celestiall influence shed downe by the Spheres-orbicular motions and light to the same place so Christ is preached euery where and pious plants are there discouered answerable to that measure of sauing Grace which God in his mercie by the vniformely working motions of his free Spirit and light of his Truth vouchsafeth to send them as Peter said in his Sermon to CORNELIVS b Act. 10.34.35 Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in euerie Nation hee that feareth GOD and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him My hearts true comfort is then well setled by a full assurance of right good acceptance in offering to your Gracious Highnesse this small reward of a poore Prophet since the place whence it commeth is priuiledged from preiudice it being your Highnesse owne Principalitie of Wales For albeit some c Iohn Penrie against the vnlearned Ministers in Wales to the Right Honourable Lord Henrie Earle of Pembroke Lord President of the Marches of Wales Schismatically-rash Censurers in times past layd an heauie aspersion of a Galilaean barrennesse vpon this Countrie for want of Prophets and Prophets Children therein yet God bee thanked their complaint was causelesse since not to rifle vp any olde Rowles and Registers of the Ancient Brittaines great endeuours and good proceedings in all holy Learning and deepe Literature God no sooner sent the beames of his Gospell to shine vpon this Hemisphere of the Reformed Church of Great Brittaine but presently Wales was as well as other places of this Kingdome comforted with the warmth of this heauenly Light conueyed thereinto euen through the hard stormes of those Antichristian Persecutions in former times by the faithfull Ministerie of blessed d Bishop Farrar Rawlins White and other at Glocester Worcester c. burnt Martyrs and glorious Confessors and now continued yea and mightily encreased by the faithfull paines of zealous Pastors our Right Reuerend Fathers and pious Presbyters who e Iohn 5.35 like shining and burning Candles haue so cleered these Coasts of the Clouds of Popish Ignorance that Wales is like Galilee in the dayes of Christ Iesus The f Mat. 4.16.17 people which sate in darknesse seeing great light A full proofe whereof your Graces Highnesse daily findeth by the growth of godlinesse in Persons of all sorts by the loyall obedience of all true-hearted Subiects and by the constant obseruance of all good Orders set downe most intirely by those most Honourable Godly and Prudent Sages of his Maiesties Councell within these Marches of whose sincere Gouernment and Guidance of this your Highnesse Principalitie I must needes say as I finde the Lord the Searcher of all hearts knowing that I lye not in the wordes of EVRIPIDES g Euripid. in Antiope apud Tholosanum lib. 〈◊〉 de Rep. cap. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the sentence of these men the Cities are well inhabited and so is the House also they are helpfull to Warlike affaires For these fiue yeeres together I being called through Gods meere Prouidence by the sole care and fauour of a most Worthie h Sir Edward Herbert Knight of the Bath Personage for all deepe Learning and truely tryed valour to his immortall honour into this parcell of GODS true Vineyard can testifie with all boldnesse the happie successe of those true paines which God hath in his mercy blessed to the comfort of vs his poore Seruants that we labour not in vaine i Iohn 4.36 reaping and receiving wages and gathering fruit vnto life eternall The liuely strength of which great encouragements hath and doth animate me Gods poore Creature to spend all spare time from the ordinarie execution of my necessarie Function in preaching GODS Word vpon the Lords Day and at other fit seasons in writing out and publishing such of my Sermons as are iudged by my Hearers to bee most profitable that what was lost in hearing may by reading be recouered and what was well heard might better bee holden by the Example of the olde k Vid. Danaeum cap. 20. Prolegom in Mâ—nor Prophetas Prophets and the Apostles of Christ who preaching much yet penned no more then what Gods Spirit thought fit and profitable for the present and to future Ages And so vpon this settled resolution which I trust in God good men will iudge truely honest I fastened my Studies for some time vpon this Sermon preached long since yet freshly desired to bee published for their benefit by diuers godly Learned especially for that our Antichristian Aduersaries seemed much discontented that their Pope should be arraigned and adiudged to bee that Great Antichrist and themselues to be prooued so plainly Antichristian euen open Rebels to Christ and Christian Princes whereas as they thinke in the Theorique part Andreas Eudaemon hath answered our obiections and for the practique their loyaltie is approoued in the sight of GOD and Man Indeed this Argument is the very roote of all the differences betweene them and vs vpon which after so many Great Learned Men I doe not presume to deliuer more then hath beene said but only to refresh the Memories of the Learned with a new Method of olde matters both replying vpon Eudaemon where he seemeth to presse and explayning the miserie of our enslaued Countrymen vnder the Pope Al which I most humbly present to your Highnesse as to whom the execution of most things here mentioned may chiefly belong for the rooting out of Antichrist and vtter extirpation of the Romish Babylon since what God hath begunne by the Gracious hand of our most Learned Wise Godly and Puissant Soueraigne for
the detection of that Man of Sinne Your Graces Highnesse in Hereditarie imitation may finish in due time to the Glory of God in maintenance of Truth and your owne eternall Honour by settling Gods people in this happy healthfull and orderly peace The God of Power and Grace so blesse your Excellencies Highnes with all the rich Endowments of his holy Spirit that with the full encrease of all true Honour your Grace may passe many many good dayes here on Earth in all Peace and Godlinesse with the sealed assurance of endlesse Happinesse in the heauenly Ierusalem with the general Assembly and Church of the First-borne in Iesus Christ Amen Your Highnesse most humbly deuoted daily Oratour THOMAS THOMPSON TO ALL THAT HATE ANTICHRIST Light in sauing knowledge and perseuerance in holynesse through IESVS CHRIST GOod Christian Reader I must bee bolde to aduertise thee concerning some passages in this tripled Treatise wherin thou shalt find three maine points of Theologie handled as plainely and as fully as I could The first part is define Saeculi of the end of the World an Argument apt for the Atheists to muse of both in the Doctrine informing their mischieuously misse-led vnderstandings and in the vses reforming their manners The second part of Antichrist whom I prooue to bee the Pope both by artificiall demonstration and by testimonie of Ancient Fathers and of later Writers digested into a pannelled Iurie to cast the Pope What either Sanders Bellarmine Pererius Viegas or Eudaemon haue obiected in any point of the Controuersie I haue to my power satisfied vsing the helpe of our owne good Writers as Bishop Iewel Doctor Whitakers Doctor Abbats Doctor Willet Doctor Sharpe Tilenus Peter du Moulin Gabriel Powel and Master Brightman with other more ancient strong men of our Israel that I might as neere as possibly I could abridge their large Volumes into a Manuell Only I wish thee well to marke the vses of this point the former of which will notifie the miserie of our English Papists together with the Villanies of the Trayterous Iesuites and Seminarie Priests the latter will informe thee of what course God in his most Gracious Prouidence tooke to bring in this happie Reformation of Religion professed in this Church of Great Brittaine together with an answere to all those exceptions which Papists haue vsed to scandalize our Profession of truth The last is of Heretikes going before and following after Antichrist briefly discouered in the forme of a short motion to Princes Prelates and other Peeres for an order against them The second part is the largest and so giueth title to the whole Discourse which I seriously commend to the blessing of God for the helpe of his Elect in knowledge and holinesse and withall prefixe for their readier finding out of the particulars this Catalogue or Table of the seuerall Contents expressed in euery Section thus The first part §. I. 1. WHy IAMES IOHN were called Boanerges Sonnes of Thunder 2. The distinction of Saint IOHN his Writings 3. Why the first Epistle was called Catholica §. II. 1. The scope and summe of what the Text yeeldeth obseruable §. III. 1. The Diuision of the whole Text into seuerall parts §. IIII. 1. Why Time is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an houre 2. What is meant by the last houre 3. The six periods of the worlds age 4. PAVL and IOHN reconciled about the last day §. V. 1. There shall be an end of time 2. How the world is said to be established for euer 3. The world not of long continuance 4. The change of the world according to two opinions 5. The manner of this change is an hidden secret §. VI. 1. The end is euen at hand 2. The signes of the last end set downe in Scripture 3. The complement of those signes in these latter dayes §. VII 1. The first vse of this Doctrine is for sobrietie in opinion and life 2. Why the time of the last day is not reuealed 3. Mans presumption therein 4. ELIAS and NAPIER iustly corrected §. VIII 1. Sobrietie of life 2. We must not make haste to be rich 3. Rich mens miserie 4. We must be sober in expences 5. The absurd change in liuing by Gentlemen Citizens §. IX 1. The Second vse is to watch and pray 2. What watching is 3. Good Rulers are to watch ouer their Charge The second part §. X. 1. THe Prophecies of Antichrist set downe in Scripture 2. The causes of these Prophecies 3. The order and method of this discourse §. XI 1. The litteral name of Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. BELLARMINE and EVDAEMON confuted §. XII 1. The mysticall name of Antichrist in these letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666. 2. The sundry applications of these letters to diuers names 3. The absurd dealing of Papists in this name 4. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 5. The nominall description of Antichrist §. XIII 1. The efficient cause of Antichrist principall and lesse principall §. XIIII 1. The materiall cause of Antichrist 2. Whether Antichrist bee one onely person or a succession of Apostates 3. Our reasons prouing a succession in Antichrist 4. The Rhemists make for vs. 5. EVDAEMONS exception fully answered 6. IRENAEVS and AVGVSTINE are on our side 7. MALDONATVS also for vs in the meaning of IOH. 5.43 8. Antichrist no Iew nor of the Tribe of DAN §. XV. 1. The former cause of Antichrist 2. Antichrist an Heretike denyeth all the Creede 3. Antichrist most wickedly breaketh all the commandements 4. Antichrist his character couetously imprinted 5. Antichrist his false myracles 6. Antichrist his cruell warres against the Saints 7. Antichrist in the middest of the Church visibly militant 8. Antichrist his residencie in the Citie of Rome 9. Antichrist his beginning and growth till sixe hundred yeeres after Christ 10. Antichrist must continue in some sort till Christs comming §. XVI 1. The finall cause of Antichrist §. XVII 1. The Reall and causall definition of Antichrist §. XVIII 1. MAHOMET is not Antichrist by BELLARMINE proued against IODOCVS CLICHTHOVEVS §. XIX 1. The Pope of Rome is that Great Antichrist before defined 2. The litterall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing to the Pope 3. The mysticall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly applied to VITALIANVS c. 4. The course of edifying the Church was changed by VITALIANVS his bringing in of the Latine seruice §. XX. 1. The Pope is all one with that Antichrist in the cause efficient 2. CONSTANTINE his Donation forged §. XXI 1. The Pope agreeth with Antichrist in the materiall cause 2. The hollow Chayre and Pope IOAN proued 3. How the succession of Popes is to be taken §. XXII 1. The Pope is that Antichrist in the formall cause 2. The Pope is an Heretike denying the Creede 3. Instances of his Heresies deliuered for doctrines è Cathedrà against euery Article of the Creede truely proued from the testimonie of their owne Writers and rightly reprooued by the holy
as yet are subiect to this ambitious Antichrist and on their hands for working since neither Prince nor Priest must now adaies practise the seuerall duties of Magistracy or Ministery without an Oath of Fealtie first made vnto the Pope not Prince since he f Clement lib. 2. tiâ— 9. cap. 1. in princip is so coÌ„manded to secure his Kingdome from the Pope vnto him by the bond of an Oath the former whereof is diuersly set down but all to this purpose That the Emperour must bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome as it was taken Gratian â—ist 63. can 30. by Lewis the Sonne of Charles the Great vnto Paschalis the First by h Grat. dist 63 can 33. Otho the First to Iohn the twelfth by i Platina in Gregor 7. Henry the Fourth to Gregorie the Seuenth by k Lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccle. sect 5. cap. 2. Fredericke the Third to Nicholas the Fifth by Charles the Fifth to Clement the Seuenth yea and by King Iohn m Math. Parisiens in Ioh. pag. 217. of England to Innocent the Fourth all this truly verifying the words of SALOMON l Coâ—nâ—l Agrippa in historia de Coronat Caroli 5 â—ononiae tom â— Oâ—er n Eccles 10.6 I haue seene seruants vpon Horses and Princes walking as seruants vpon the earth For this seruant of seruants is by this Oath promoted aboue his elder Brethren in Christendome Kings and Princes not Priest since his tonsure or shauing his Chrisme or anoynting giuen by the Pope and Popelings onely o Henriquez lib. 10. Moral theolog cap. 34. §. 2. in textu are ratified by an Oath of subiection vnto the Pope to bee taken in the Chapter-House before he enter the Possession of the Temporalities belonging to his Bishopricke or other like Benefice as p Idem ibidem in margine Gregory the Thirteenth of late set out the forme and whereof we find a Copie registred in the q I. Fox Martyrolog lib. 4 pa. 208. lib. 7. pag. 961. Acts and Monuments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayse iust dealing but yet bee thou set wholly vpon gaining r Sophocles in Aiac said one in the Poet whom the Pope fitly followeth in requiring these Oathes of Magistrates and Ministers vnder the colourable pretence of maintaining true Vnitie and Vniformity in Church and Common Weale but in truth as the euent sheweth for a readie occasion and sound cause vpon which hee may gather money both of Princes who before they were admitted vnto their places by this Oath as by a posterne gate or a window did solemnely promise some one speciall Temporalitie of Earldome c. for a thankefull Beneuolence to holy Church as Caelestine Å¿ Roger Houeden in Ioh. the Third peremptorily vrged it to Henry the sixth Emperour and of Priests who if they were Archbishops were to t Vid. lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccles sect 10. cap. vlt. pay a great masse of monie for their Pall if Bishops according to the rate of their Liuing Abbots Priors Deanes or any way Beneficed men u Fox Martyr lib. 4. pag. 322. were to send their first Fruits of all their Liuings vnto the Pope who was not ashamed by his Legate Otho x Math. Paris in Henr. 3. p. 316 to require out of England besides this bridle of bondage in the mouthes of the Clergie from euery Cathedrall Church two Prebends one from the Bishop and another from the Chapter from euery Abbey and Couent two Portions yea y Idem pag. 677 and many times reseruing Benefices for Strangers amongst many other grieuances and heauie burdens by the Pope in times before layd vpon this flourishing Kingdome of England which the Pope in respect of the Peter-Pence Annales Pensions Prouisions and other gainefull Iniunctions brought from hence to Rome might well terme truely z Idem pag. 683 his Garden of Delights his Bottomlesse Poole out of which since many things abound there many things from many may well be extorted euen thereby verifying of his Court at Rome both what the Fox in the Poet said of the Lions Denne a Horat. Ep. 1. lib. 1. quia me vestigia terrent Omniate aduersum spectantia nulla retrorsum I feare to goe thither being affrighted by the footings of all other Beasts looking towardes but not returning backe from this Denne of Men worse then Lions yea euen of Deuils whose Court is b Scaliger de â—tâ—litate exercitat 52. like the Sea at Paria and the Iles of Maidegascar euer flowing in but neuer ebbing out and that of old when Rome was in her Ruffe as one well rimed with reason from a strange yet true Deriuation of the word Roma thus c Ioh. Monachi apud Gowlart in Catalog test Veritat â—om â— lib. 14 pag. 494. 2. Of coozenâ—ge in his miracles Roma manus rodit quod rodere non valet odit Dante 's exaudit non dantibus ostia claudit Now to couer this Couetousnesse hee flyeth to the Coozening course of Quacksaluers in the fraudulent vse of lying Miracles the glory d Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles Militant cap. 14. whereof is made a marke of their Church in which euen now adayes e Vid. Binderi Scâ—olasticam theolog cap. 10. they must haue a Miracle done to make a good doctrine warrantable no other wayes as may appeare in that f Bellar. in locis de Purgatorio Sanct. Eucharist Iesuicall custome of proouing their Conclusions by the vncertaine report of lying Wonders For what truth can be authentike by Miracles without Scripture Miracles may bee done g Mat. 7.20 24.24 2. Thess 2.7 by the Deuill and his Ministers being true in the act through Gods permission though false in the end which is to deceiue And yet wee doubt of the truth of their Miracles seeing Lyra reporteth h Lyra in cap. 14. Dan. great deceiuing of the people to be wrought in the Church by lying Miracles done by Priests and their Adherentâ— for temporall gaine and i Canus lib. 11. loc Com. cap. 6. Canus their owne Champion censureth Beda his English Historie Gregories Dialogues Vincentius his Speculum Antoninus his Historicall and the Leaden not the Golden Legend for vncertain Records of many idle reports concerning Miracles done by some Saints which not onely wise men but euen common people dare not beleeue k Horat. de Arte poetic Pictoribus atque Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poets and Popish pardoners haue all the like priuiledge to lye for an aduantage But loe what a blocke is here layd in our way Ob. Antichrist saith the l Bellar. lib. de Pontif. ca. 15. Sanders demons 25. Eudaemon lib. 3. contra D. Abbat pag. 244. Cardinall must doe these three miracles first cause fire come downe from heauen secondly make the Image of the beast to speake thirdly faine himselfe to dye and to rise againe But the Pope doth
Synechdoche for all the knowne World by its habitation since euen through all the habitable World then knowne to Geographers the sound of the Gospell hath passed by z Rom. 10.18 the Apostles after their dispersion abroad from Hierusalem if we may relye vpon the report of a Euseb lib. 3. Eccles hist cap. 1 Nicephor lib. 2. per totum ancient and b Genebrard lib. 3 Chronolog Bisciola ad Anaâ—â— Christ 44. late Historians or truely and plainely for the whole World indeed which although it now doth not professe the faith of Christ scarce in c M. Edw. Brierwood in his Enquiries touching Languages and Religions cap. 14. the sixth part for it is neere the ending when faith will bee growne very scant vpon the earth yet might haue had and holden this word of faith long before this time d Luke â—8 8 since it is not ouer-clouded in e Hieronym in Math. 24. any part thereof with inuincible ignorance God being so kinde and mercifull to all men as to send them some light of Truth either by the works of Nature ordinary and extraordinary or by the word of grace preached f Vid. Witaker in resp ad 5. demonsh at Sanderi qu. 5. de Pontif. Rom. ca. 2 euen in China and in the Indians by those three who were called Thomas so much praysed and celebrated for their generall preaching of the Word throughout the World by that great learned man Mr. Doctor Stapleton in his Booke De tribus THOMAS Secondly Part. 2 wee answere vnto their latter part of the Minor that the name of the Romane Empire is yet remayning but the Kingdome is abolished and quite defaced since first there is not scarce one Acre of ground which properly and absolutely belongeth to the Emperour as hee is called Emperour of the Romanes because what he now hath in possession in Hungarie Bohemia Carinthia Silesia c. g Vid. Sleidan lib. 5. 6. Commentar is by right of inheritance from his most illustrious Progenitors of Austria and Hungaria yee and the free Cities in Germanie are not subiect to the Emperours absolutely but according to certaine conditions and couenants expressed and contayned in their seuerall Charters h Vid. Onuphr lib. 3. Rom. Antiquitat qui est de Jmper Romano most of them being situated without the Ancient Pale of the Romane Empire vnder which they continued but a small time being the last conquered and the first recouered Secondly there is not now a Romane Emperour by our Aduersaries owne report for till the Pope i Aurea bulla Caroli Quarti cap. 2. crowne him who is by the seuen Princes Electors chosen and called King of the Romanes they might more truely say of the Germanes they k Clementin li. 2. tit 9. de Iuram lib. 1. Câ—rem Rom. Eccles §. 5. cap. 1. â—ellar lib. 3. de translat Iâ—â—erâ— ca. â— 3 c. account him no Emperour Now since CHARLES the Fifth the Pope hath not set the Crowne Imperiall vpon any mans head neither is it likely that either hee will or shall since there is a barre betweene Germanie and Rome which is not passable by the Emperours Forces euen the power of the Venetians and the King of Spayne in Italie who with the great Duke of Tuscia and other petty Potentates haue vsurped vpon the Rights of the Empire so long a time that they l Iuxta leges Imperiales ss de diuers tâ—mâ—or possess l. 3. longae Cod. lib. 7. tit 31. l. 1. may now prescribe against the right owner Wherefore the wise Bononians m Apud Cornel. Agripp in historâ—aÌ„ de duptici Caesaris Coronat cap. 5. might very well ominate by the breach of that Bridge vpon which Charles the Fifth entred into the great Church there vnto his coronation that not any man euer after should be crowned for Emperour yea and Lypsius n J. Lipsius in praefat lib. de magnitudine Rom. Imperij might very truely hold that all what remaines of the Romane Empire standeth onely vnder the Pope whose Imperiall both Seate and Senate is at Rome So that their former doubt opposed against our Demonstration is so throughly cleered that we may notwithstanding their wrangling allegations of the Gospell not published throughout the World and the present state of the Germane Empire well conclude the Pope to bee that great Antichrist § XXVI The latter exception against our demonstration But now the later scruple is of greater difficultie and indeede very much preiudiciall to our assertion since it is as some thinke contrarie to the iudgement of some of our best and deepest Protestant Diuines such as o Zanchius lib. 2. Miscellan Zanchius and others who deny the Pope to bee that great Antichrist described in Scripture Our answere yet I must needs say againe that since these great and good men be worthy of all true and most reuerent respect for their profound learning and sincere life they are not to be brought forth as opposites to that truth which p Luther lâ—b de Captiuit Babylon Caluin lib 4. Iustit cap. 7.15 Hâ—shâ—sius lib. de sâ—xcentis Papistorum error ca. 23 others of as great learning and sound iudgement haue deliuered out of the most sacred Scriptures especially for that they deliuer nothing against vs demonstratiuely but vpon meere probabilities as q Zanch. vbi supra in Confessione themselues confesse while they professe plainely that this is their opinion concerning Antichrist to wit 1. That the Pope is Antichrist and his Kingdome Antichristian 2. That this hindreth not but that there may come in the end of the world some one notorious Antichrist who may doe Miracles and other such great things as are probably collected from the Scriptures and firmely asserted by the ancient Fathers A graue and good sentence agreeable to the Truth if we respect the matter howsoeuer in the manner of the reuealing of this Antichrist they seeme to runne into Popish Tents onely vpon a peaceable minde and zealous affection towards some of the Ancient Fathers especially for the Greekes r Damascen li. 4. Orthodox sid cap. 27. DAMASCENE and for the Latines Å¿ August lib. 20 de Ciuitate Dei per totum AVGVSTINE who liuing before the sixe hundredth yeere after Christ defined this matter onely vpon coniectures according to that tradition which is recorded in t Hyppolyt Orat de consummat saec Antichristo tom 2. Biblioth sanct Patrum Hyppolitus his Oration concerning Antichrist an Author most iustly u Sixtus Senens lib. 4. Bibli suspected to be counterfeited and yet if hee were true he is no sound warrant for vs to build our faith vpon concerning Antichrist For although the authoritie of ancient Fathers bee of great force in the litterall exposition of the Scriptures out of which wee haue most fully declared the former question What is that great Antichrist yet haue
haue an open Verdict seuerally deliuered by euery Iuror where according to our p Idem ibidem cap. 28. custome also we will demand sentence first of those who are of least account with the Pope beginning first with Princes then proceeding to the Bishops but lastly striking all downe flat with the Monkes of the Westerne Orders who q Reuel 9.11 are the Popes owne creatures and greatest Dearelings being sworne Slaues to their King The first Man the Angell of the bottomlesse pit And now to the businesse The first Man of the Princes is Fredericke the Second Emperour of Rome who in iust execration of Popish Tyrannie plainely auouched that r In Epist ad Ordin Germaniae apud Auentin lib. 7. Annal. Boâ—or pag. 542. edit Basil there were many Antichrists amongst those Romane Bishops neither were there any other hurt to Christian Religion but onely they as their Workes doe shew For saith he Å¿ In Epist ad Wenceslaum Regem Bohemiae apud Auen ibid. The second man in another place they who sit ouer the Temple of God at Babylon that is at Rome affectate Diuinitie The second is Otto at that time Duke of Bauaria who confesseth t In Orat. ad Episâ— Germaniae apud Auentinâ— pag. 550. The third man his assent vnto the Bishops who affirmed that the Pope was Antichrist and ratifieth his settled iudgement by his iust reproofe of their inconstancie The third is Menardus that thrice Noble Earle of Tyrolis who in his u Apud Auentinum ibid. p 577 Apologie against the vniust dealing of Pope NICHOLAS the Fourth saith plainely that the Popes are nothing else but Antichrist The fourth man The fourth and the last Prince is Lodouicus Quartus Bauarus Emperour of the Romanes who in the Decree x Apud Auentinum pag. 616. made and divulged by a Councell gathered of all the States in the Empire at Rome plainely auoweth of the Pope then being Iohn the two and twentieth that as hee was a counterfeite Shepheard so he was the Mysticall Antichrist So haue the Princes giuen their Verdict Now call in the Bishops The fifth man and the first that speaketh here is a certaine Arch-Bishop of Florence who vsed y Platina in Pasâ—hali 2. to affirme in his Sermons and other his speeches that Antichrist was borne I need not for I cannot tell his name Pope Paschal the Second proceeded against him by vniust prosecution euen vnto Deposall The sixth man The second Bishop dealeth more plainely and boldly being President of a Synode called by the King of France then Hugo Capet and holden at Rhemes by all the Bishops of that Kingdome in the yeere of our Lord nine hundred ninetie and second howsoeuer Baronius z Baron tom 10 Annal. ad annuÌ„ 992. Bisciola ibâ—d and a Binnius tom 3. part 2. sub Ioh. 15. Binnius would haue the truth thereof suppressed by a short relation of partiall Eginaldus against the true report and large narration of all things there passing made by b Magdiburgensis Centur. 10 cap 9. Gowlart tom 2. Catalog â—est veritat lib. 15. cap. de Synodiâ— Gerbertus after that called Pope Syluester the Second c Platina in Syluestro 2. thought to bee a Magician but defended by d Onuphrius in Annâ—tat in Platinam vbi supra Onuphrius for an honest man and this Bishops name is Arnulphus of Orleance who thus speaketh of the Pope then Iohn the Fifteenth e Jn oratione apud praedict D. Mornaeum in Mysterio Iniquit ad ann 992. The seuenth Man O Reuerend Fathers what thinke yee him to bee who sitteth in the high Seate shining in a Purple and Golden Garment Surely because hee is void of Charitie and puffed vp and extolled onely by knowledge hee is Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and shewing himselfe as if he were God c. The third of the Bishops is Eberardus Bishop of Salzburge who in f Apud Auentinum l. 7. AnnaliuÌ„ Boior pag. 547. an Oration deliuered to the Bishops of Germanie then assembled in a Councell at Ratissone mightily inueigheth against the Pope applying vnto him all the foresaid Prophecies of Daniel Saint Paul and Saint Iohn in the Reuelation plainly auouching that Hildebrand first layd the foundation of Antichrist his Kingdome vnder a colour of Religion and that the Pope is vsually called Antichrist of whom the SYBILS olde HYDASPES and others did prophecie The eight man The fourth and the last Bishop but not of the least learning is Robert Grosthead the good Bishop of Lincolne who a little before his death in the yeere of our LORD one thousand two hundred and fiftieth euen when this Realme of England was most of all oppressed with Popish Tyrannie did demonstrate g Apud Math. Parificusem in Henrico 3. pag. 847.848 the Pope to be the Great Antichrist by that heauie destruction which the Pope brought vpon many Christian soules concluding all with these words against that Monster Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuriae Meretrix non sufficit omnis that is Not all the World can well suffice His greedy hearts desire Nor all the Worlds Harlots quench His lustfull burning fire Well the Bishops haue dealt plainely and truely to the discharge of a good Conscience Let the Monkes be produced The first is Ioachim Abbas The ninth man that most famous Clerke who h Roger. Houeden in Richardo primo in conference with Richard the First then King of England going in his iournie towards Hierusalem said plainely that Antichrist was then borne in the Citie of Rome and should bee set vp in the Apostolike See The second is Nodbertus The tenth man or Norebertus the i Hospinian lib. 6. de Orig. Monach cap. 11. superstitious Founder of the Praemonstratenses who about the yeere of our Lord one thousand one hundreth and nineteenth affirmed euen to * Trithem in Chron. Hirsaâ—giensi anno 1125. the face of Pope Honorius the Second and vnto k Bernardus Epi. 56. ad Gaufridum Carnotentem The eleuenth man Saint Bernard that Antichrist was neere and in that very Generation to be reuealed and that he should liue to see the generall persecution of the Church which indeed he being aduanced to the Dignitie of the Arch-Bishopricke of Magdeburge afterward saw inflicted by the Pope vpon the good Waldenses and Albigenses The third is one Hay-abalus a Monke who taught l Henricus de Erphordia ad annum 1345. Gowlart in Catalog test Verit. lib. 18. publikely at Auimon that he was bound to preach this Doctrine to the World that Rome was Babylon and the Pope with his Cardinals were the Great Antichrist for which his Doctrine howsoeuer most true he was put into Prison by the commandement of Pope Clement the Sixth and there most cruelly murdered The twelfth man The fourth and the last and yet of greatest authoritie and renowne amongst all Popelings
is Saint Bernard the worthy Abbot of Clarae-vallis who feared not to write m Ber. Epi. 125. thus vnto one GERARDVS DE LORITORIO The Beast in the Reuelation to which is giuen a mouth speaking Blasphemies and making Warre with the Saints possesseth PETERS Chaire as a Lyon readie to the prey And thus hath the Iurie giuen their verdict against which The supply against exception by a Decem tales if the Prisoner at the barre make exception by disliking of any of them as too too partiall and so worthily to be challenged we haue a Decem tales others void of exception readie vpon the call to appeare The first as amongst the Princes Fredericke Barbarossa Emperour who writing to the Cardinalls said n Albert. CraÌ„tzius in Metropoli lib. 7. cap. 53. that the authority of the Romane See had loosed the reines of boldnesse and replying vnto Hadrian the fourth protesteth o Hen. Mutius l. 18. rerum Germanic ex Chronâ—co HirsaugieÌ„s The second that hee would prouide for the peace of the Church since he seeth that the detestable beast of pride hath crept vp into Peters chaire and Lewes the Twelfth king of Fraunce who in the heroicall spirit of his most illustrious Progenitor Philip the faire p Naucler tom 2. Generat 44. Platina in Bonisac 8. the famous suppressour of that Raging Tyrant Boniface the eight caused q E Chron. Gal. apud Pet. Molin de Monarchiâ temporali Pontific Rom. ca. 15. his coyne of Gold to be stamped on the inside with these words Perdam nomen Babylonis I will destroy the name of Babylon meaning Rome the seate of Pope Iulius the second his deadly enemie and lastly our most Puissant Princes and Kings of England r Vide in horvitis Chron. Anglicana praecipuè Mat. Paris Roger. Houeden Holinshed Stow l. Fox in Martyrologio King Iohn King Edward the third King Henrie the eight King Edward the sixth blessed Queene Elizabeth all of them to their power renouncing the Pope as the very Antichrist but especially our most Gracious Soueraigne King Iames concerning whose most Å¿ Apolog. cum praef Medita in Apocalyps 20 Diuine Discourses of this argument well knowne to all the world yea and carped at by t Bell. Parsons Suarez Coquaeus Schioppius c. Popelings but not corrected admired at but not answered we may most truely take vp that prouerbe u Prou. 31.29 The fourth c Many haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all Secondly amongst the Bishops x Nilus Thessalonic li. 2. de primatu Papae Nilus of Thessalonica pulling downe the Popish Primacie and y Apud Auent lib. 7 p. 573. Probus Tullenses shewing the Popes Legats to be Antichrists seruants and Honorius z Hono. Angustod dial de praedest et l. arbitrio Augustodunensis auouching the seate of the beast to be in the Pope and Cardinalls yea and all a CoÌ„cil Turonensi sub Lodouico 12. the Bishops of Fraunce in the dayes of Lewes the twelfth and of England in the Raigne of Henrie b Vid. Fox Mart. sub Hen. 8 Edwar. 6. The eight c. the eight and Edward the sixth renouncing the Pope Lastly amongst the Monks Henrie c Petrus CluniaceÌ„s l. 1. Ep. 1. 2 the Scholler of Petrus de Bruis calling Rome Sodome and Babylon and d Rob. Gallus l. de vaticinijs apud Posseuinum to 2. Apparatus Robertus Gallus a Dominican describing the Pope for Antichrist vnder the figure of a Serpent and e Guido Carmelâ—t Bern. de Luzenburg in Catalog haeres Bell. in ChroÌ„ ad annum 1191. Petrus Iohannis Bitterensis a Franciscan in his Postills vpon the Reuelation prouing the Pope to be that Antichrist to conclude if all this thicke cloud of witnesses will not cast him we can produce whole Churches as f Catalog test verit lib. 3. at Leodium whole Synods as those g Ap. AueÌ„ l. 7. c of Rome vnder Otho Fredericke and Lewes Bauarus and a great many such Councels holdeÌ„ in h Sub Philippo Pulchro Lodouico 12. France yea whole peoples in Countreys who euer reiected the bondage of this Antichrist as in England those faithfull ones whome i Fox Martyrolog â—ub Rich. 2. Henrie 5. they wickedly nickenamed for Lollords in France k Reinerius de Waldensiâ—us the Waldenses in Italie the l Naueler tom 2. Gen. 44. Fratricellians in Bohemia m Iacob Misnensis de aduent Antichr apud Catalogum test Ver. lib. 1â— the Melitzians all before Iohn Wickleffs time yea and in the Mountaines of Rhetia aboue Sauoy the n Ioh. Nicho's his Recantation Mornaeus de Mysterio Iniquitatis pa. 730. An exception against these truely answered faithfull Inhabitants of Vallis and Telina who had from their first conuersion to Christ alwayes their owne true Pastors neuer subiect to the bondage of Babylon and Antichrist Rome and the Pope But me thinks I heare some Papists except against all these voyces as giuen by their enemies and by Heretikes condemned by the Catholique Church But to these men I cannot make a better reply then such as that of o Reg. 18.13 Elijah vnto wicked Ahab proudly demaunding Art thou he that troubleth Israel when he said I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim For none of these were otherwaies their enemies but as true men are to theeues neither did the Catholike Church their Mother at any time condemne them for Heretikes who mainteined no doctrine contrary to Scripture neither followed other discipline then at that time was vsed Indeed the Pope and his adherents in hatred of that truth which God reuealed by them to the world did enterprise to condemne them and persecute them with Fire and Faggot sword and desolation onely to fulfill the Prophecies giuen out concerning the crueltie of the wicked Antichrist But yet their cause is neuer the worse since the great side doth many times ouersway the better neither is the credit of their verdict thereby any whit impaired in the iudgement of the wisest and most godly since time hath brought that truth to light which in that Darke world yet these faithfull saw clearely Three specialties enforcing good Men vnto this sharpe censure of the Pope to bee that Antichrist and the Pope hath proued their words to be true by three sundry specialties of most liuely proofe which enforced not onely the forenamed witnesses but euen the Popes owne deare dearlings and best friends to confesse that Antichrist was euen then come and amongst them The first The first specialtie was his pride in vsurping vpon the secular power by the deposing of Princes first p Vid. Bellar. cap. 1. in Barklae Reuerend D. Roffensem Episc in Bellar. lib. 1. cap. 2. attempted by Pope Hildebrand Gregorie the
conceit of meritorious actions as if they could climbe vp to Heauen alone of themselues when the Apostle doth teach vs that it ſ Ephes 2.8.9 is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast himselfe Miserable Fathers which giue vnto your hunger-starued Children for Bread t Mat. 7.9.10 Stones for Fish Scorpions But who are they Surely your Iaylors sent by the Man of sinne Of their Iaylors eyther from Rome or Rhemes Salamanca Vallidolid Conimbricum or some such other strong Towre of Iebus where stand u 2. Sam. 5.6 the Blind and Lame in as high respect as was the x Pompon Laetus in Constantino Magno Palladium in the Castle of Troy Men I say of monstrous shape furnished by their Teachers such as y Quodlib Watson pag. 108.109 236. c good Robin Cowbucke aliâs Parsons with all Craft and Crueltie Craft to deceiue both vs and you vs by word and deed only to escape vs like the Saepia and the Polypus For z Ouid. in Halientico Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. as the Saepia lest hee should be caught casteth out a blacke Inke to darken the water so these men to escape the hands of Iustice vnder words of a double meaning collude with their Examiners as a Epistola Campiani ad Mercurialem Generalem Iesuitarum Campian did with the Maior of Douer and Garnet in the b Vid Acts of H. Garnets Arraignment whole course of his Examination when Gods Word wisheth vs c Ephes 4.24 not to lye lest they d Wisd 1.11 destroy their Soules for e Iohn 8.44 lying is the Deuils Art But what care they for that For who else is their Master but the dissembling Deuill that teacheth them to counterfeit euery shape of mē in the world contrary to the Apostle his rule who f Rom. 12.2 will not haue vs to be conformed to this world For as the g Ouid. Plin. vbi supra Polypus to auoyd the hands of fishers will turne himselfe into the colour of euery thing he lyeth next so these dissembling wretches to shun the danger of apprehension take vpon them any whatsoeuer habit of men in the world as now they will goe h Boast Bishop Gerard Dudley and other such Renegado disguised doe proue this true like swaggering Gentlemen now like Pedanticall Schoole-masters now like officious Seruing-men now like a rich Farmer now like a poore begger Rat-catcher Glasse-man Pedlar or in other such disguisement both contrarie to their zeale of their falsly so called Catholique faith which at i Allens Apologie of the English Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes their admission into their Seminaries and dismission backe againe into England they sweare to preach without feare publiquely in all places wheresoeuer they come and repugnant to their vow k Bell. lib. 2. de Monach. ca. 4. of Regular obedience wherein they are bound by solemne oath to keepe and not to change the habit of their order I know l Tortus p. 366. Ob. their Great Cardinall would here excuse thē by the example of Eusebius Samosatenus who m Tripart hist lib. 7. cap. 16. in the Arian-persecution went about through Phaenicia Syria Sol. and other places in a souldiers habit to teach Gods people the Catholique truth But one example is no generall warrant especially to them who are bound by vow where he was free who n Tortura Torti ibid. teach falsehood where he spake truth who vnder a colour of Catholique doctrine infuse the poyson of treasonable Designes into the heads hearts of their hearers where hee was in all things carefull to obey superiour Powers so farre as they commanded things not repugnant to the Word of God Yet all this their secret packing is onely say o Tortus vbi supra they to deceiue such as with whom they are not to keepe any faith or promise Indeed so was it taught in the Councell p Concil Constant sess 15. of Constance against all truth both of Religion and of ciuill honestie But alas whom doe they hood-winke Not vs who know them too well but you poore soules whom they entangle by auricular Confession and sensuall Absolution their prettie ginne for Gentlewomen that they may be enriched by your possessions either kept or sold as you well find by the cunning dealing of one Man onely Iohn Gerrard by name whose knauerie discouered by the Author of those venemous q Wats Quod. lib. p. 89.90 c. Quodlibets doth sufficiently assure vs of the like way taken not onely by the Iesuites but also euen by the Secular Priests who are as iealous r Gal. 4.18 ouer you as the false apostles were ouer the Galatians that you might onely loue them excluding all others Their Craft can no longer bee concealed for their Crueltie practised vpon you and intended against vs. For doe not you find by their haunt vnto your Houses a bondage in your soules to vnnecessary obseruations of Fasting and other Abstinences a butchering of your bodies by Flagellations and other Exercises an emptinesse in your Purses by ordinarie Pensions and extraordinary Contributions for the pretended furtherance of the Catholike Cause How many Nobles how many Gentlemen and others of Note haue beene brought as we say to a Staffe and a Wallet euen to begge of others what they had of their owne I need not recount the Countrie is ful of such Dilapidatiōs occasion'd only by their own too simple gentlenesse and these Cormorants too vnsatiable greedinesse whereby they make as great a prey of their poore seduced simple and besotted Followers as Kites doe of Carkasses torne piece-meale amongst them And yet they will not be accounted cruell although to saue themselues they thrust you out into desperate designes of deepest danger as to murder your Soueraigne to ransacke your Countrie to neglect your kinred not ſ Catesbies conceite for the Catholike cause to care for your friends so your enemies perish with them Surely I cannot but feare and quake to thinke of the mischiefe intended against this flourishing Kingdome of England by Pope and Papists set on fire by Hellish Iesuites and Seminarie Priests How eager were they against blessed t Quodlibet p. 260.261 c. Queene Elizabeth first to procure an Excommunication of Pius Quintus renewed by Sixtus Quintus then to conspire against her Sacred Person by open Rebellions in the North and priuie Treasons of Parrie and others thirdly to poyson her best Nobles and Friends by Lopez fourthly to procure an Inuasion by Spaniards in the yeere 1588. fifthly to intitle the Infanta to this Crowne sixthly to procure Breeues from Rome to hinder His Maiestie when time should serue seuenthly to enter into Conspiracie by Secular Priests as Watson c. at the very first Inte of his Maiesties happie Raigne eightly to plot the Powder Treason a Designe beyond all example for hainousnesse since which how they haue
as their great zeale in embracing and maintayning wil-worship did euidently demonstrate Thirdly that at the time of their death they of their owne meere good will for the settling of their troubled consciences in the sweet repose of the peace of God abiured renounced all those proud points of puffing vp Doctrine concerning the strength of mans free-will and the validitie of mans merit and the corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament and the helpe of other mens Suffrages after death with other such like onely then resting and relying themselues vpon the sole merite of Iesus Christ as I could instance in very many of them but that I am eased of this labour by n Illyric Catal. test verit tom 1. soll Illyricus first gathering o S. Gowlart tom 3. art 4. Gowlartius well marshalling into their seuerall Ranks and Orders the witnesses of truth liuing and dying before the dayes of Martin Luther Yet can I not omit the most liuely obedience oâ— these two in their times reputed for great Men the former is S. Bernard who while he liued in the middest of darknesse about the yeere p Bellar. Chronolog of our Lord one thousand one hundred and fortie was a principall Patron of many Superstitions imposed to the simple vpon the pretence of meriting heauen which carnall conceit hee at the very point of death thus plainely confuted when hee humbly beseeched the hearty prayers of his Brother Arnaldus q Lib. 5. de vit S. Bernard cap. 2. in tom 2. Oper. Be carefull to strengthen by your prayers me the very heele calcaneum or lowest member of the body of Christ voyd of all merits that hee who lyeth in waite may not finde where to fasten his tooth and to inflict a wound the latter is Doctor r Fox Martyrolog pag. 1238. Redman a good man in his time and a great Scholler who albeit in his former dayes hee politikely tooke part with the Popish side yet vpon his death-bed hee freely renounced his former tenents concerning the Reall bodily presence and Purgatorie and Iustification by Works and such other like For so strong is Truth that although some Politikes may smother it in their life time yet at the houre of their death it will breake forth either vnto comfort vpon their true repentance as it well appeareth in the former good examples or else vnto condemnation through the torment of conscience arising vpon their retchlesse resistance made against a known truth whose strength is such as compelleth them in spite of their proud hearts to yeeld an assent to that veritie which before they wilfully oppugned against their conscience euen as we read of that proud Beast Å¿ Fox Martyrolog pag. 1623. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who vpon his death-bed hearing Doctor Day Bishop of Chichester speake of free Iustification in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour sayd What my Lord will you open that gappe now then farewell altogether To me and such others in my case you may speake it but open this window vnto the people then farewell altogether t Prou. 19.21 There are many deuices in a mans heart neuerthelesse the Counsell of the Lord it shall stand For God neuer wanted a Witnesse of his Truth but eyther a Friend to his owne saluation or an Enemie against his will confessed the same to his owne condemnation the Gospell being then as now and euer to some u 2. Cor. 2.16 the sauour of life vnto life to others the sauour of death vnto death How our fore-Fathers stood towards God in these darke dayes of Antichrist we are not to iudge peremptorily x Rom. 14.5 they standing or falling vnto their owne Masters But yet if they did as truely beleeue as they pithily penned their true confession of their faith in God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost if they did as heartily pray as they powerfully prepared themselues thereunto especially vpon their Death-bed according to the rules of comfort y In Manuali Catholicorum edit â— Guil. Crashaw in 16. Ann. Dom. 1611 ascribed to Anselmus and Iohn Gerson then surely we cannot but deeme so well of them as z Mal. 2.15 of shining lights in the middest of a crooked and peruerse Nation wherein they liued as a Gene. 12.14 Abraham in Aegypt b Gene. 19.6 LOT in Sodome c Psal 120.5 DAVID in Meshec the d 1. Reg. 19.13 seuen thousand in Israel and e Reuel 7.3 the sealed Saints in the middest of the earth from whom the Papists can haue no more allowance then the wicked f Ioh. 4.12 Samaritanes could finde from their pretended Father Iacob since if our fore-Fathers had seene but halfe so much of the Popish tyrannie superstition and abominations they would haue abhorred them with faire greater detestation then euer we haue yet done albeit we see them as openly manifested as the g Esay 3.7 The Conclusion applicatorie sinnes of Sodome And therefore now it is our onely duty to supply their defect in knowledge by a better zeale in practice for the rooting out and expulsion of Pope and Papists Generall to all if not out of our Country wherein they bee inuolued as Moths yet out of our conceits as men of a most massacring minde declared by their Powder-plot no way to bee pittied or approued of vs whose vtter subuersion and ruine they seeke as the h Psal 137.6 children of Edom cryed against Hierusalem Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground For is it not a Law made against the worshippers of any strange god that i Deut. 13.8.9 we must not consent to them neyther let our eyes pitie them Is it not a practice ratified by DAVID k Psal 139.21 to hate them that hate God as if they were our enemies And is it not the Rule of Christs Gospell l Math. 12.30 that he who is not with vs is against vs and he that gathereth not with Christ scattereth Experience doth teach vs that as Nettles doe not sting vs but vpon a light touch onely so euils increase not but vpon forbearance according to that axiome giuen by S. AMBROSE m Ambros Ser. 8. in Psal 119. Facilitas veniae incentiuum tribuit delinquenti Easinesse of pardoning giueth encouragement to Offenders So that seeing it is most certaine that n Prou. 20.8 a King and so any other Magistrate that ruleth vnder him sitting vpon the Throne of Iustice chaseth away all euill with his eyes because as he o Psal 101.8 is carefull to cut off from the Citie of God the workers of iniquitie so the wicked in the p Prou. 28.1 guiltinesse of their consciences will slye from the face of good Iustice which as the q Prou. 25.23 Northren winde the raine so scattereth abroad the backbiting tongue and since vpon the bad behauiour of these wicked wights many good and wholsome Lawes to restraine their pride and represse their
their manner of life was the only speciall helpe and meanes for the speedier growth and rising of Antichrist who put downe their names but tooke to him their nature extinguished the Heretike but aduanced the Heresie so farre as it made any way for his best aduantage For marke him in his height from Bonifacius the Third for the space of nine hundred yeeres together vntill Leo the Tenth and see if vpon any * Legant Pontificij aut Mornaeum de Myster Iniquitatis aut Osiandri Centurias controuersie of faith arising in the Church and discussed in a Councell the Truth it selfe was not most commonly either adiudged for Heresie or filthily mingled with many idle matters belonging nothing thereunto Their Councels were most commonly but Conuenticles of Coozeners their 's Canons then enacted but as Lesbian rules appliable only to the Popes owne pleasure who not content with the ouer-worne Blasphemies of the ancient Heretikes hath stamped out a great deale of new matter falsly coyned from his owne brest and braine as if time would serue I could easily demonstrate by a bagfull of base Mettall wherewith their Canon Law their Missall their Breuiarie their Officium Mariae their Iesus Psalter their Manuell their Councell and Catechismes of Trent and Rome and other their Libels set out with x Iussu Pij Quinti Gregor 13. Popes priuiledge to the shame of Christianitie are wholly stuffed But why should we rake vp a stinking kennell we haue opened to the World enough before concerning his Heresie euen out of these Monuments y Ouid. 1. Fasto Octo pedis frustra quaeruntur brachia Cancri Praeceps occiduas ille subibit aquas said the Poet of the setting of Cancer vpon the third of Ianuarie being neere the beginning of the olde Romane yeere as wee may in like sort speake of this crabbed Antichrist who going backward through Apostasie setteth forward by his fall into hellish Damnation For the arch of his eleuation hath not beene so large aboue our Hemisphere these last hundred yeeres almost Gods Name therefore be praysed as it was in times before now it is shortned by his Cosmicall setting through the rising of the Sunne of Righteousnesse vpon this Westerne Reformed halfe-side of the Christian World in which yet this Antichrist hath left behind him some thicke and grosse mists of diuers deepe Errours as yet to bee tossed vp and tumbled out of our Skies by the neerer ascent of our bright Sunne to our Verticall I cannot denie what all the World knoweth heartily z Iudg. 5.16 grieuing at the Diuisions of Reuben I would a 1. Pet. 4.8 in charitie couer those spots wherewith some haue besmeared the face of their Assemblies in all other points so farre as I can finde by their seuerall b Vide Harmon Confess per Belgas Corpus Confess per Gasp Laurentiū Confessions right truely Orthodoxall But alas they are too openly discouered by c L. Osiander sil in 2. part Enchirid Controuersiarum Eckardis in suo Compendio controuersicum Calumianis some who take paines to put d Matth. 19.6 those asunder whom God would haue to ioyne e Ephes 4.2 together in vnitie against the Great Antichrist that daily getteth ground vpon our dissentions And therefore I must needs tell out what I finde in my poore iudgement to bee the base Relikes of Antichristian and Popish Opinions as yet maintained by some particular Teachers in some Reformed Churches onely to giue warning of a Snake in the grasse of a f Act. 28.3 Viper in the bundle of stickes which commeth sorth of the heate that is flyeth the tryall of the inlightning Spirit and fasteneth vpon PAVLS hand that is maketh seyzure vpon the doctrine which Saint Paul taught euen to puffe vp and kill those vpon whom it settleth if they doe not quickly shake it off into the fire in which vpon g 1. Cor. 3.13 tryall it will quickly burne The first Relike is that h Vid. Hatterum in explic lib. de Concordiâ art 7. 8. Consubstantiation together with his necessarie adherent Vbiquitie both wholly depending vpon that grosse i Iohn 6.52 Capernaite k Concil Lateran 4. sub innocent 3. cap. 1. Lateran l Concil Trid. sess 13. can 1. Popish conceit of the Reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist The second is that Monster m Vid. Hannium in cap. 6. Ioh. Hemingium de Vniuersali gratia Sueca Arminium c. of vniuersall Election Redemption and Vocation together with those their Consequents the vncertaintie of Saluation and deniall of Perseuerance vnto the Saints all flowing from that n Stobaeus lib. 2 Eclogarum cap. 7 Heathenish o August de haeres cap. 88 Pelagian p Concil Trident sess 6. can 5 Popish maintayning of Free-will to good in man corrupted The third and last but not the least to endanger the Church in regard of her Gouernment is that q Vid Bezam de Presbyter Excomminat explicat Ecclesiast Discipl per Trauers High and transcendent Consistorian authoritie of Pastor with Lay Elders aspiring to a Primacie aboue Kings and Princes vnder the plausible pretence of perfect Reformation but indeed with the proud mind of the Spartan r Plutarch in Agide Cleom. Ephori who to keepe one King in compasse reared vp aboue him fiue Thrones farre higher and of greater Soueraigntie as these ſ Bullinger Gwa ther haec scribunt apud D. Bancrofts discouerie cap. 35. deluded Disciplinarians in purposing to pull one downe set vp many Popes So cunningly can the Deuill play the Serpent t Plin. lib. 8. nat histor cap. 30. Amphisbena in going forward at both ends at once and so like u Aelian de histor animalium lib. 6. cap. 14. to the Hyena is wicked Heresie that whom it catcheth by the counterfeite voyce of a reasonable man it first doth infatuate and lull them asleepe by the soft touch of a sopiferous hand and smooth discourse but afterward deuoureth with a cruel tooth as the wise King said x Prou. 16.29 A violent man enticeth his Neighbour and leadeth him into the way that is not good and as the blessed y Ephes 4.14 Apostle noteth the trickes of Heretikes that by slight and cunning craftinesse they lye in waite to deceiue the simple Ob. But it may bee some will aske why such bad opinions and so vilely erroneous doctrines and practices are suffered or maintained amongst men liuing in Reformed Churches Sol. To whom I answere first that z Math. 18.7 offences must needs come howbeit woe to that man by whom they come secondly that the true Church of Christ is exercised by these faults which although some doe stiffely maintaine vpon their owne priuate motion to their owne destruction yet are cast out of the Church of Christ by her faithfull Pastors teaching and her godly Princes fighting for the Truth of
generall Councell directed by Gods Spirit the explanation of the will of God to which all and euery Christian is to agree and as good Saint Augustine e August lib. 1. de Baptis contra Donatist cap. 18. tearmed the sentence of a generall Councell to be the consent of the whole Church 2. Meanes But to passe forward lest this good gift of discerning spirits might bee or seeme to bee a delusion therefore a second meanes is added hereunto which is the written Word of God comprised in Canonicall Scriptures For this is a most sanctified soueraigne meanes thus ratified by the Prophet f Esay 8.20 To the law to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them thus reckoned of by the Apostle g 1. Tim. 3.15.16.17 the holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus for all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable see the vses thereof for doctrine to wit of truth for reproofe of error for correction of a bad life for instruction in righteousnesse vnto a good life that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes For the old and new Testament is as sayth h Basil de rectâ fide Basill the treasure of the Church the holy books of diuine Scriptures are as saith i Isidor Pelusiot lib. 1. Ep. â—69 Isidorus Pelusiota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very ladders by which we climbe vp to God because k August tom 4 lib. de bâ—no viduitat cap. 1. the holy Scripture hath fastned a rule vnto our doctrine lest we should presume to vnderstand more then it behooueth vs to vnderstand but that as he saith we may vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith therefore it is not my part to teach you any other thing but to expound vnto you the words of the Teacher and to dispute of those things as God hath giuen Ob. But here againe Doctor Stapleton is l Stapleton vbi supra carping against this meanes also granting what we say to be true yet adding three things first that the Word of God is not the Scripture only secondly that the common sort of the faithfull doth not vnderstand this Word of God so exactâ—y as that they can iudge of euery new doctrine by the same Word of God and in the causes and grounds thereof thirdly that the proportion of faith which ruleth against new doctrine is the now approued and receiued faith of the Church Sol. All which exceptions are but beggerly crauings of what will not be granted neither to him nor to any Papist now liuing in the world For the first point is most false and a flat derogation to the sufficiencie of the Canonicall Scriptures which only conteine the whole reuealed will and Word of God as besides the Scripture it selfe which m Deut. 4.2 Reuel 2â— 18 curseth those that adde thereunto and Fathers alleadged by n Morn in praefat de Eucharist Polan cap. 1. symboâ— Theolog. c. our side and yet not answered by any of their Wranglers euen o Aquin. 1. p. Aquinas and Catetane their owne great Rabbies haue plainely auouched hee saying that our faith relyeth vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who writ the Canonicall bookes but not vpon the reuelation if any be made to any other Doctors this p Caietan in 2. Tim. 3.16 expounding the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diuine inspiration as the speciall difference betweene Gods written Word and all humane inuentions And the second point is no better being an vncharitable debasement of Gods children who may be as S. Paul was q 2. Cor. 11.6 rude in speech but not in knowledge For since Gods Spirit r Iohn 16.13 which is the Spirit of Truth leading into all truth may be in Amos as wel as Esay may be in vnlettered Idiots as well as in a learned Rabbie we cannot with any godly reason debar simple men from the knowledge of the Scriptures which are not the Å¿ Esay 13.12 sealed booke but t Habbac 2.1 written so plaine that a man may runne and read them And therefore albeit they cannot out of Scripture exactly decide like a learned Schooleman a point of Controuersie yet may they by Gods enlightning grace attaine to so much knowledge of godlinesse out of the reading and hearing of the holy Scriptures as may through Gods acceptance suffice for their saluation according to their measure as the Apostle exhorteth u Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously For hereby saith x Hieronym in 3. Coloss Hierome is declared that Lay men must haue the Word of Christ not onely sufficiently but abundantly and so teach and warne themselues mutually But thirdly where he seemeth to tye the proportion of faith to the Church not to the tenor of the Scriptures I maruell how hee dare so swarue from the Scriptures which y Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. August lib. 2. contra Cresconium Grammatic all the Fathers call The Ecclesiasticall Rule both of faith and manners For what is this analogie or proportion of faith but z Vid. Hyperium lib. 2. de Theol cap. 35. the true agreement which one part of the Scriptures hath with another to make vp one faith Fides a Tertull. lib. de praescript aduer hâ—r cap. 14. saith TERTVLLIAN in regula posita est Faith is placed vnder a rule to wit of Law and Gospell that it should not depend vpon Man but vpon God and that it should be made knowne by it owne onely principles which are the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures the onely best and Authentique b Iohn 5.39 Witnesses of Iesus Christ the c Heb. 12.2 Authour and finisher of our faith As then the Law-giuer is the best Interpreter of himselfe so let God in the Scriptures haue the place both of Text and of glosse d Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 that he may be iustified in his sayings and cleere when he is iudged For e Irenaeus lib. 3 aduers haer c. 12. ostensiones quae sunt in Scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex ipsis Scripturis saith IRENIE Doctrines in Scriptures cannot be declared but out of the Scriptures Whereupon f Tertull. lib. de veland virginib cap. 3. Tertullian thus cutting off all customes or prescriptions which seeme vpon pretence of antiquitie to derogate from truth cryeth out Exurge Veritas Arise vp Truth quasi de patientiâ erumpe and breake forth out of thy patience nullam volo consuetudinem defendas I will not haue thee to maintaine any custome Ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare quas consuetudo non nouit Doe thou interpret thy Scriptures which custome hath not knowne si enim nosset nunquaÌ„ esset for if it
Fathers whom wee are to reade that from them we may fully perceiue what was the tenour of the Faith in the Primitiue Church and examine how these Teachers agree thereunto For remooue not l Prou. 22.28 saith SALOMON the ancient Land-marke which thy Fathers haue set that is as m Apud Hieron in appendice BEDA n Tomo 2. Ortho dograph SALONIVS and o Lauater Morcer Remus Wilcockes c. all our Interpreters doe expresse the Allegorie transgresse not the limits of faith which the Catholike Doctors haue set downe from the beginning because no p Luke 5.39 man hauing drunke olde Wine straight-wayes desireth new for he saith The olde is better But this meanes is common and challenged by the Papists as making most for them Ob. who seeme to hold most of the ancient Fathers whom they vsually alledge for maintenance of whatsoeuer they hold yea compiling whole Volumes only stuffed with sayings of ancient Doctors as q In Aug. Confessione Torrensis r Canis in Catechismo M. Canisius and Å¿ Cocc in Catholicismo Coccius haue gathered Therefore to cleere the points of this prescription Sol. it shall not bee amisse for any who will try the Truth by the testimonies of ancient Fathers as did that most Reuerend Father and strong Man of Israel t In his Sermon at Pauls Crosse in 26. Articl Bishop Iewel to take these three Rules for his direction in iudgement of Fathers The first is that the Father alleaged 1. Regula bee no Bastard that is no counterfeite Worke foysted into amongst his other Bookes by some coozening Babylonish Marchant that vnder the name of such a good â—ather it may bee more saleable and of better admittance For how many false Writs haue come forth oâ— this kind and are alleaged by craking Coccius I neede not goe farre to finde their owne u Sixt. Senens lib. 2. Biblioth Sixtus Senensis x Baronius passin in Annal. Baronius and y Bellar. lib. de illustr scriptorib Bellarmine discouering more falsehood in this tricke falshood in counterfeiting of Authours then I list to rippe vp seeing two helpes wee haue to discerne true Fathers from bastardly Brats viz. z Hieronym lib. descriptor illust in Minulio Felice August Epist 48. Hyper lib. 4. Theolog cap. 9. obseruat 3. first phrase or stile secondly matter or argument agreeing to their age and time For euery Age of the Church had their seuerall Controuersies which ministred occasion of writing to the Learned accordingly 2. Regula The second Rule is that wee must looke to the Edition of the Fathers Workes that they bee not corrupted and wrested to say more or lesse then they say For how wickedly the Papists haue of late yeeres and yet doe abuse the Writings of the ancient Fathers their Index Expurgatorius and their Copijsts as Azorius calleth them doe too too manifestly demonstrate that a Vid Tho. Iames p. 4 cap. Mysteries of â—ndex Exâ—urgator being but a Table made by the Inquisitors of what they will haue put in or taken out of any Authour as appeareth by those fiue seuerall Editions in Rome Naples Lisbone Madril and Antwerpe now of late to their vtter shame discouered these b Vid. Azâ—rium tom â— Institution lib. 1. cap. 2â— being certaine skilfull Writers of olde hands set in the Vatican to copie out olde Manuscripts into any hand as neere the olde hand as may bee by the direction of the Master of the Palace or the Cardinals of the Congregation in truth thereby as it is iustly feared to make the Vatican Librarie which before-times was accounted a Treasurie of true Bookes now a shop of shamelesse shifts whiles for olde good Monuments wee shall finde foysted into their seuerall Deskes a masse of new base Miniments But be the Fathers true and truely printed as the oldest print is best and most voide of villanie Yet here wee haue a third Rule 3. Regula to examine the wordes of any Father alleaged by these three seuerall Touchstones the first whereof is the Word of God for c Galat. 1.8 If any man preach any other Gospell vnto you then that ye haue receiued let him be accursed the second is the Orthodoxie or right iudgement in faith of the former Fathers For that saith d Tertullian de praescript cap. 31 TERTVLLIAN is the Lords and true which is first deliuered but that is strange and false which is afterward intruded the third is himselfe For e Ausonius in Catonis distichis Conueniet nulli qui secum dissidet ipsi Hee will not agree with any who varieth with himselfe A great assurance then it must needs bee of credit to that Father who is constant in his tenent being agreeable to Scripture and his Predecessors where f Iames 1.8 a wauering minded man is vnstable in all his wayes So that let them now boast as much as they please of the Fathers on their side all their wordes are but winde their Fathers being either Counterfeits or corrupted or not well agreeing to Scripture to their Ancients or vnto themselues as if wee would examine all Coccius his Conclusions wee could now prooue as much as the most famous Thomas g Vid. Doctiss pijss D. Morton his Encounter lib. 1. cap. 12. Morton hath declared against Parsons in the question of Purgatorie 5. Meanes The fift and the last meanes of trying out good Ministers is conference with good men concerning those things which we either heare spoken or see done by Ministers For it is no tricke of a Busie-body or Whisperer but a godly care arising from zeale lest wee should be through a light beliefe seduced into error cunningly couched vnder soft and smooth tearmes as h 1. Cor. 14.35 Women are to aske their Husbands at home if they will learne any thing and the Spouse in the Canticles is thus admonished i Cantic 1.7 If thou knowest not O fayrest among women goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke and feede thy Kids besides the Shepheards Tents For this generall good counsell giuen to the Church by Christ is sit as say k Gregor Nyssen orat 2. in Canticâ— Nysseene and l Psellus apud Theodoretum in Cantic Psellus for euery good soule in the Church which being ignorant of her owne estate albeit by the m 1. Iohn 1.7 Marke bloud of Christ being clensed from all her sinnes she is made of a black a comely creature must follow the counsell of Gods faithfull Children who are n Psal 100.3 his flock sheep of his pasture walking o Psal 84.7 from strength to strength in this vayle of miserie till they meete with God in Zion because as saith p Gregor Magnus in 1. Cantic GREGORIE Whiles shee neglecteth to imitate euery wise man shee followeth reprobate acquaintance whom foolishnesse hath made like vnto brute beasts Wherefore to helpe out of this
of Beades in an Heathenish d Matth. 6.7 Battologie Pharisaically e Matth. 23.14 deuouring Widdowes houses vnder colour of long Prayers So cunningly can they collogue and vnder sheepes clothing hide woluish rauenousnesse For loe both Craft and Crueltie in Papists Craft first in compassing a Nouice seduced to bee a Recusant from our Christian Communion by setting him in the fore-front of some dangerous Schisme such as the f Vid Watsons Quodlibets q. 2. art 6. Iesuits had of late against the Secular Priests to their owne deserued ouerthrow as g Matth. 12.25 an House or Kingdome deuided against it selfe cannot stand for Babels confusion h Gene. 11.11 must bee by diuision secondly in keeping him in the desperate course of Hereticall obstinacie by the iniunction of that exercise which * Vid. Watsons Quodlibets q 3. artic 10. Iesuites haue inuented to the vtter vndoing of many silly soules and simple Gentles who thinking all sooth that such men say set Houses Lands Goods and all yea euen their Alleageance vnto their Soueraigne at sixe and seuen i Catalog test Verit. p. 2. lib. 20 pag. 31. De vitio in vitium de flammâ transit in ignem Crueltie first in bereauing their Disciples of all true vnderstanding k Matth. 23.15 by hiding the key of Knowledge that is l Concil Trid. Sess Clem. 8. in Append. ad 4. in Indice lib. prohibitorum by keeping the Scripture in an vnknowne language forbidding all whatsoeuer Translations into vulgar Tongues and so by necessary consequence the Rhemish Translation whereas m Esay 45.23 Rom. 14.11 Euerie tongue must confesse Christ secondly in captiuating their wils by enforcing vpon their Consciences a consent to their doctrine whatsoeuer it be n Bellar. lib. 1. de Iustifiâ— cap. 7. through implicit faith that so they only may be the men of Learning and Truth whereas CHRIST willeth vs o Iohn 5.39 to search the Scriptures in which we shall not only find Christ but also the Church p August Ep. 166. as Saint Augustine thinketh And therefore seeing the outside seemeth so faire and the inside is so filthie we may conclude of a Popish Rabbie or Doctor as of an vncased Hypocrite q Esay 32.5 The vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the Churle said to bee bountifull For their acts discouer their habit too plainely as appeareth first by their cunning conueyances to compasse wickednesse happily still discouered to their owne confusion as their r Vid vitam R. Elizabethae often defeated Conspiracies against Christian Princes especially the blessed Queene ELIZABETH and our most gracious Å¿ In Powder Treason Lord King IAMES and godly Ministers as t Vid. Act. Monuments Bezam de vit Caluin Master Luther Master Caluin and diuers others doe verifie what Eliphaz said of Gods great working he u Iob 5.12 disappointeth the deuices of the craftie so that their hands cannot performe their enterprize Secondly by their ends and scope well found out to their shame in their euident issues to bee First the maintenance of their pompous pride For why else did the Pope so mainely still resist the Emperour his Soueraigne as sometime to depose him as Hildebrand x Platin. in Gregor 7. did Henrie the Fourth sometimes to treade him vnder his foote as Alexander y H. Mutius lib. 18. rerum Germaniâ— the Third did Fredericke Barbarossa Secondly the embondaging and keeping vnder of all the World as appeareth by their crueltie exercised both against their enemies the godly z Vid. Act. Monuments passâ—m lac Vsserium de Eccles Occidental cap. 8.9 c. Albigenses Waldenses and the faithfull of Reformed Churches which to their power they would vtterly subuert and vpon their friends whom they tye to as great obseruance as Adonibesech a Iudg 1.7 did the seuentie Kings first lamed then fed vnder his table For they cut short their power and iurisdiction b Vid. Breuia Paul 5. ad Anglo-Papistas by their Popes Supremacie and feede c Vid. Missale c. Catechism Vaux c. them with the crummes of superstitious Rites to their small comfort either of soule so vnsettled by diuersitie of opinions or of bodie so brought low by violent and strict vsage Thirdly the fulfilling of their filthy lusts and pleasures too well knowne to the World by their keeping of d Platin. in Alexand 6. Mantuan lib. 3. Calamitatum Ariost in 7. satyr Concubines nourishing of Bastardie vnder the name of Nephewes keeping of Stewes in Rome and other places yea vsing of Ganymeds and Catamits and all such like Sodomitrie whereof their owne Fauourites are the most liuely Witnesses especially Ariosto in his excellent Satyres Wherefore deare Brethren since by this direct application of the marks before giuen to all false teachers and blind guides wee finde that Prouerbe prooued vpon Popish Prelates and Preachers which c Athen. lib. 7. cap 33. Athenaeus hath * Perca sequitur saepiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like will to like as the Deuill said to the Collyer We here for our part haue good cause first to reioyce and prayse our good God for f Reuel 19.2 thus iudging the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornications For g Matth. 4.16 now the people which sate in darknesse seeth great light and to them which sate in the region and shaddow of death Light is risen euen such as many h Math. 13.17 Prophets and righteous Men desired to see and did not see God i Heb. 11.40 in Truth prouiding better things for vs that they without vs should not bee made perfect Secondly to lament the miserable estate of our Brethren in the flesh whose diuisions cannot but bee to euery good man as Reubens was to other Tribes k Iudg. 5.15 great thoughts of heart because this Schisme is not only a weakning of the whole bodie Ecclesiasticall and Politicall in this flourishing Empire but also a most necessarie cause of certaine ruine and vtter vndoing of the parts disioyned be they neuer so strong seeing they are vnperfect by themselues and drawne by Deluders out l Prou. 27.8 of their owne place as a Bird from her nest being in a snare m 2. Tim. 2.26 led captiue by the Deuill at his will Thirdly to endeuour a reconciliation of them to their Mother-Church from whom they are â—ent like vnnaturall Bastards to sucke the brests of the Babylonish Whore For it is the Law of Charitie to pull out of the ditch n Exod. 23.5 a loden Asse such as all those are who o Psal 32.9 haue no vnderstanding being blinded in Poperie and whose mouthes must be held with bit and bridle lest they come neere vs to hurt vs either by secret Trecherie or open Rebellion Therefore as a good Physician first gently prepareth by some moderate Potion before
full like the Sunne euer shining like the Sea alwayes flowing like the Fountaine euerlasting h Horat. ad Carn sedul beâ—tâ— pleno copia cornu a blessed plentie from the i Psal 132.16 budâ—ing horne of saluâ—tion k Luke 1 6â— raised vp by the mightie God of Israel for vs in the house of his seruant Dauid Reason drawne from the proportion of faith enforceth our consent vnto this truth because in this Supremacie there cannot be either a fellow equall or a deputie substituted to our Sauiour Christ For he alone is first in respect of his person the l Iohn 1.14 only begotten Sonne of God both as God in the forme m Phil. 2.6 of God thinking it no robberie to be equall with God with whom n Iohn 17.5 before the world was he had that glorie o Esay 42.8 which he will not giue vnto another no creature being capeable of that glorie since p Exod. 33.20 no man can see God and liue and as Man only coÌ„ceiued q Luke 1.35 by the ouershaddowing of the Holy Ghost onely r Matth. 1.23 borne of the pure Virgin Mary only receiuing Å¿ Iohn 3 34. the Spirit without measure only like to t Heb. 4.15 man in all things sinne only excepted secondly in regard of his office as he is the u Heb. 9.15 Mediator of the New Testament both for Redemption since x Esay 63.2 hee hath trodden the Winâ—-presse alone and for Intercession since he y Rom. 8.35 alone sitteth at the right hand of God making continuall Intercession for vs. For this his Office of a Mediatour he himselfe alone performeth First as he is the only Prophet who z Iohn 6.68 hath the words of eternall life being the only a 1. Pet. 5.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe of the Sheepe Secondly as hee is the only Priest of the New Testament after the b Psal 110.4 order of MELCHISEDECH c Heb. 7.24 continuing for euer in an vnchangeable Priesthood in that first d Heb. 10.14 by one offering once offered hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified and then e Heb. 7.25 liueth for euer to make intercession for vs. Thirdly as he is a King who for f Psal 93.1 euer raigneth alone g Reuel 17.14 King of Kings they h Prou. 8.14 raigning by him and Lord of Lords who for him decree iudgement i Lucan lib. 1. Pharsal Nulla fides regni socijs omnisque potestas Impatiens consortis erit Kings will haue no Copartners The Heauen k Plutarch in Apophthegmat said ALEXANDER hath but one Sunne to shine and the Church yea and the World hath but one l 1. Cor. 8.6 God who is Father of all and one Christ who is Lord of all So that well might the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church 3. Regula vpon these good grounds assent vnto this Truth As first for the Greek Church three namely Clement of Alexandria m Clement Alex lib. 3. Paed. cap. 12. who plainely auoucheth that Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The onely Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good Counsell of the good Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The proper true Wisedome the sanctification of our knowledge n Origen lib. 6. contr Celsum tom 2. p. 762. Origen who from the same great Schoole disputing against Celsus aptly resembleth the Church to a Body Christ the Sonne of God to the Soule and all the faithfull to the members of this vniuersall Body because as the soule quickneth and mooueth the body which of it selfe hath no liuely motion so That Word stirring vp the body by a wonderfull force vnto those things which it ought to doe mooueth altogether euery member of the Church doing nothing without reason And Gregorie Nyssen who expounding that sentence in the Canticles His o Cantic 5.11 head is as the most fine gold concludeth it p Gregor Nyssen in Cantic or 13. to be Christ not as God only but also as Man the Branch of virginitie without blot of sinne since the Head of the body the Church and the first fruits of all our nature is pure gold and farre from all mixture of vitiousnesse Secondly for the Latine Church three other as good and great men as the former to wit Cypâ—ian q Cyprian in Concil Carthaginensi thus speaking in the Councell of Carthage of the paritie of Bishops concludeth Let vs all expect the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who one alone hath power both to preferre vs in the gouernment of the Church and to iudge of our actions Ambrose who discoursing vpon that place in the Prouerbs The r Prou. 8.28 Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old thus reasoneth By this Å¿ Ambros lib. 3. de sid cap. 4. Christ proueth himselfe to be God eternall because he is the beginning of all things and the Authour of euery vertue because hee is the Head of the Church And lastly Saint Augustine next vnder t Vid Kemnit in orat de Lecti Patrum Christ and his holy Apostles amongst the Doctors of the Church the greatest Pillar of Christianitie who many times sweetly redoubleth vpon this point saying Quia u August conâ— 3. in Psal 37. caput nostrum Christus est corpus capitis illius nos sumus Because Christ is our Head we are the Body of that Head Omnes qui ab initio saeculi fuerunt iusti caput Christum habent All the righteous who haue liued euer since the World began haue Christ for their Head And in another place thus x Idem in Psal 139. If Christ be an Head Christ is the Head of some Body the Body of that Head is the holy Church in whose members we are if we loue our Head But against this truth some may oppose these words of S. Paul Ob. y 1. Cor. 3.9.10 Wee are labourers together with God yee are Gods husbandry yee are Gods building according to the grace of God which is giuen vnto mee as a wise Master-builder I haue layd the foundation and another buildeth thereon For here it seemeth that Christ hath the Apostles both for his fellow-labourers and to be Master-builders as well as he But yet Christ is all in all and the Apostles Sol. with other his faithfull Seruants rightly called first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fellow-labourers secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Master-builders For first they are z Vid. Keckerman lib. 1. syst Log. cap. 15. pag. 135. Fellow-labourers onely as they are Instrumenta animata Liuely Instruments as Seruants to their Master Souldiers to their Captaine moouing onely of themselues as they are directed by their first moouer according as all other second causes mooue not vnlesse they be mooued by an higher cause as the a Aristotel lib. 8 Physic cap. 5. Philosophers axiome is
by the Spirit when they fight so much against the true working thereof by denying those Truthes which the Spirit doth testifie in the Word and deluding those Workes which the Holy Ghost effecteth in the conscience for comfort by strengthening the assurance of life eternall But why doe I vrge Grace to those who either refuse it or receiue it in vaine their hearts and consciences being hardened and feared They doe not onely grieue the Spirit The ninth Article infringed 1. By false members of the Church but abuse the Bride that is the holy Catholike Church and the Communion of Saints the subiect of the ninth Article first by accounting both x Bell. lib. 3. de Eccles Militante cap. 4. Heretikes and Reprobates to bee members thereof when my Text saith plainely y 1. Iohn 2.19 They were not of vs and our Sauiour himselfe saith z Iohn 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned For as Saints are the members of Christ so are the wicked the members of the Deuill saith a Am. in Psal 37 Ambrose secondly 2. By holding the Church to bee onely visible by b Bell. lib. 3. de Eccle. Milit. c. 11 making the Catholike Church to bee visible onely when Dauid saith that c Psal 45.16 the Kings Daughter is all glorious within and our * Luke 17.24 Sauiour that the Kingdome of God is within you For because one part of this Catholike Congregation is Triumphant now in the Heauen of the Blessed secluded from our eyes and the other part scattered into a warfare here vpon Earth some secretly amongst Iewes Turkes and Heathen others openly in a visible particular Church wherein yet the best part are the fewest and knowne to God onely therefore the good men d Interrelig Caesariana c. 9. apud L. Osiand in Epitome hist Eccles Centur. 16. tom 1. lib. 2. cap. 68. of that Deuillishly-deuised Interim or hotch-potch religion penned and published by the sole Commandement of Charles the fifth ingeniously confesse that the Church as it consisteth of those members which liue according to Charitie is onely belonging vnto the Saints 3. In affirming that the Church cannot erre and in that respect spirituall and inuisible thirdly in holding that a particular visible Church such as e Bell. vbi supra they call the Church of Rome can neither erre in faith nor faile in state when yet experience sheweth what the Prophet f Esay 1.20.21 said of Ierusalem and the Church of the Iewes the holy Citie is become an Harlot it was full of iudgement righteousnesse lodged in it but now Murtherers thy siluer is become drosse thy wine mixt with water to bee fulfilled not onely in most of the Greeke Churches g Vid. Brierw Enquiries and Knollâ— his Turkish Historie both corrupted with the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches and now subuerted vtterly almost by the furie of the Turkes but also in the Church of Rome it selfe by the iudgement h Apud Gowlaâ—tium in Catalog tâ—st Veritat of Petrarch who alluding to the Prouerbe in Samnio nihil Samnij said Et Româ Romae nil reperi mediâ I found nothing of Rome in Rome For the i Mat. 13.38 Deuill is alwaies ready to sow his Tares of Heresie and Iniquitie and the Church through the allurements of the flesh and the World very apt to retaine them whereupon GOD in iudgement many times remooues the k Reuel 2 4. Candlesticke out of his place that as the Moone which receiueth her Light from the Sunne sometimes shineth cleerely when the Sunne-beames are not hindred and sometimes is eclipsed and darkened in the shadow of the Earth interposed betweene the two bright bodies of the Sunne and Moone it is a similitude vsed by good l Sadeel lib. de legitima Ministorum vocatione D. Whitaker de Eccles q 3. cap. 3. arg vltimo learned men borrowing it of m Ambros lib. 4 Hexan cap. 7. August Ep. 80. ad Hesych some Ancient Fathers so the Church which receiueth all her light of Truth from the Sunne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ sometimes flourisheth in the bright Profession of the Truth not hindered or crossed by the Cloudes of Errour and sometimes lyeth desolate vnder the darke shaddow of Hereticall Opinions interposed by the Deuill betweene Christ and his Chosen Congregation visible which when it once came vnto Christian Princes became greater in Power and Riches saith n Hieronym in vita Malchi 4. By wrong marking the Church with vnproper Notes Hierome but lesse in Vertue fourthly by assigning such notes and markes to the Church as marre her but marke her not some being false markes as the o Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles mil. cap. 14. power of Miracles for p Tharasius in Concil Nic. 2. Actione 4. ex 1. Cor. 14.22 Signes are done for Vnbeleeuers q Math. 7.21 Autor oper Impers hom 19. many times by such some true but not fitly agreeing to the particular but to the generall onely as Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie for this is the right Catholicisme r Ex regula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Aristot lib. 1. Poster cap. 4. of the whole Church from the beginning of the World lastly others being both true and fit to a particular visible Congregation but not well vnderstood as Succession which Å¿ Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles mil. cap. 8. they take to bee personall whereas it is the succession of Doctrine that t Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haer cap. 21. prooueth a Church to be Apostolicall But what need I so strictly examine their markes They u Vid. D. Whitaker q 5. de Eccles cap. 1. B. Keck rm system theolog lib. 3. cap. 6. make indeed so many that a reasonable man may well thinke that they haue not one true marke amongst them some reckoning foure as Costerus some sixe as Sanders some twelue as Cunerus some fifteene as Bellarmine and some full twentie as Socolouius whereas if this bee a true rule which all the x Hieronym in Psa 133. August lib. 11. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 1. Albert. Magnus Comment in Luc. 13. best Diuines allow for a maxime in Theologie that nothing marketh out a Church but that which maketh vp a Church the Church shall haue but one onely proper and essentiall marke to wit the Word of God effectually preached vnto which if we adde the true administration of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Eucharist as Seales to an Indenture we haue the full marke of a particular visible Congregation of Christ if besides diuers Ancients wee stand to the iudgement of y Apud T.M. celeber Doctor p 1. Apolâ—g lib. 2. cap. 28.39 c. learned Papists who conuicted in conscience subscribe to this truth deliuered in the z Interrelig Caesarian
cap. 11 Interim that the signes of a true Church are sound doctrine and the right vse of the Sacraments I am weary of wading thorow these puddles of pollution wherewith Pope and Papists doe pester the Church of Christ The tenth Article denied and therefore I will not speake of their denying the absolute and free remission of sinnes mentioned in the tenth article by their a Bellar. lib. 1. de Amiss grat lib. Arbitr cap. 1. 2. distinction of sinne into veniall and mortall and their tenent grounded thereupon b Idem lib. 1. de Purgator cap. 11. rat 2. that the punishment eternall of both is fully remitted in Christ but the temporall punishment for the veniall sinne is to be satisfied for by our selues either here or in Purgatorie whereas Scripture telleth vs that c Rom. 6.23 the wages of sinne is death and d Ephes 1.7 Hebr. 9.22 1. Iohn 1.7 that there is no remission of sinne but by Christ in his blood and that e Psal 49.7 Ephes â— 8 no man of vs can redeeme his owne soule and that f Eccles 9.4 Reuel 14 13. after this life there is no place either for repentance or remission and that g Luke 17.10 The eleuenth Article denied when we haue done all that we can doe we are but vnprofitable seruants neither will I trouble you with recounting the Atheisme of Iohn the 23. condemned and deposed by the Councell of Constance h Concil Constant sess 11. art penultimo sess 12. tom 3. Concil apud Binnium for denying the immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the dead specified in the eleuenth article because peraduenture i Canus lib. 6. loc Comm. cap. 8. ad 11. arg they will say that it was not è cathedra although k Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. cap. 5. he then was Pope certaine not vncertaine for else he needed not to haue been so solemnely depriued and another ordayned to be his true successor Lastly The twelfth Article misunderstood I wil not now touch at large that most presumptuous and sawcie doctrine deliuered in their l Aquinat appendix q. 96. art 1. 4. Schooles without all text of Scripture or witnesse of ancient Fathers de aureolis that is of a further crowne and reward then perfect and essentiall happinesse such as they assigne to Virgins Martyrs and the more learned For although m Danaeus Isagog Christ p. 4. lib. 6. cap. 8. Bucanus loc 36. quaest 14. we deny not the degrees of glory there proportioned by God according to the seuerall measures of grace as n Gregor in Psal 7 poenitent ss 142. Gregory well obserued God to giue rewards in heauen not per but secundum according to our workes done here vpon earth Yet can not we here know eyther to whom in particular the greatest degree of glory shall be giuen there or whether this litle crowne which they will haue to be added to the great one differ from essentiall happinesse since o 1. Cor. 2.9 eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Where p 2. Cor. 12.3 S. Paul professeth ignorance I will not search to know since secrets q Deut. 29.29 are Gods who concealeth the measure of future glory to further our endeuours vnto the highest degree thereof by faith hope and loue Many are their errors and mightie their bad opinions conceiued against the right vnderstanding of the Sacraments and the Lords Prayer all the grounds of the Catechisme which because other r Fr. Gomarus inresp ad F. Coster p. 1 M. Perkins Aduertisement M. D. Abbots in Bishop G. Powel godly and learned men haue fully discouered I will not relate hauing I hope layd open so plainely to the view of the world the Popes deniall of the Christian faith that no man can otherwise iudge of him then of an Å¿ Tit. 3.10 Heretike iustly to be cast off after so many admonitions seeing that as the t Grat. caus 24 q. 3. can 28. Canon law out of S. u August lib. de vti iâ—ate credendi cap. 1. Augustine defineth an Heretike so the Pope and Papists haue proued themselues to be An Heretique is he who for temporall profit and especially for glory and principalitie either forgeth first or followeth after false and new opinions and he who beleeueth such men is a man illuded by a certaine imagination of truth and godlinesse Yet is he not so hereticall Of the Popes Iniquitie against the ten Commandements as most villanously wicked and wickedly repugnant to all Gods Commaundements deliuered in the Decalogue as shall be demonstrated by many notorious and crying sinnes of seuerall Popes whereof some one way and some another way haue to make vp the monstrous body of sinfull Antichrist broken Gods Commaundements in word or in deede by doctrine or by life For now to make instance in euery particular against the first Commaundement Against the first Commandement as Antichrist was an Atheist and a coniurer so finde we in good histories that such were diuers Popes Atheists as he euen x Stella Balaeus Valera in vita Leonis 10. Leo decimus who said to Cardinall Petrus Bembus the great Scholler of his time citing a place out of the Gospell What profit this fable of Christ hath brought to vs and our company all the world knoweth Coniurers as y Benno Cardinalis de vit gestis Hildebran apud Gâ—wâ—art in Catalâ—go test Veritat tom â— lib. 13. pag. 383. Gregory the seuenth commonly called Hildebrand following the steps of eighteene together of his sweete predecessors euen to Syluester the second who z Platina in Syluestro z. gaue himselfe to the Deuill that hee might attaine to the greatest honours like as a Hieronym Marius in Eusebio C. Valera in Alexand. 6. Alexander the sixth did that hee might bee Pope I maruaile how these Beasts ouer whom the b Mat. 16.18 gates of Hell haue so farre preuailed could be Peters successours eyther in person or in doctrine since not onely Gods c Deut. 18.12 Law casteth out such hel-hounds from amongst Gods people but also their owne corrupted d Gratian. c. 26 q. 5. ca. 11.12.13 Canon law together with the rascall rabble of all their e Nauarrus Enchir. cap. 11. num 28. Tolet. lib. 4. Instruct cap. 14. Iacob à Graphijs p. 1. lib. 2 cap. 6. Azor tom 1. lib. 9. Instit cap. 13.14 c. Against the second Commandement 1. By Idolatry coozening Casuists denounce against such Monsters of the true blacke gard the great Excommunication as a sure seale of the second death reserued for such vile Non-repentants But see how he sinneth against the second Commandement by Idolatry and Superstition to shew himselfe truely Antichrist For if