CHAP. 1. Wherein is shewed: first that we come to know the true re­ligion by the true knowledge of God, 2. That there is one God, and that he is the onely law-giuer. 3. There­fore there is but one Catholike and vnchangeable reli­gion, whereof God is author and maintainer. 4. For this cause Christ and his Apostles teach the same reli­gion, which is in the olde Testament, and the gentils are adopted to be Children vnto Abraham. 5. Here is taken away the obiection which might arise by the dif­ference, which seemeth to be in the three times, before the law, vnder the law, and after the law: that is, vnder the Gospell, that although there was a difference in ce­remonies and maner of gouernment, yet the religion al one in faith and loue. 6. Here is opened how faith and loue are substancial and perpetual, and ceremonies and maner of gouernment changeable. 7. And that al­though ceremonies and maner of gouernment are not of the vnchangeable substance of religion, yet are they to be reuerently vsed and not violated during the time of Gods assignment and prescription, as necessary due­ties in the worship, seruice, and obedience, which wee owe vnto God.

TO know the true, ancient, catho­like annd vnchangeable religion (that is, the vndeceiuable way of saluation and perfect rule of vpright liuing) we must get the knowledge of the true & liuing God. For in theEph. 4.17. Tit. 3.3. 2. Pet. 1.3. ignorance of God, is the estate of the wicked & the cause of dam­nation: [Page 2] and whosoeuer knoweth God aright, he hath by the diuine gift of Christ, all things pertaining to life and godlines. Therefore our blessed Sauiour, speaking to his father the almightie and glorious God, constantly affirmeth.Ioh. 17. ver. 3 This is eternal life, to know thee to be the onely verie God, and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. So the Prophets foretell, that the happie estate of the word should be then; whenEsai 11.9. The earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, & Hier 31.31.32. the people know God from the least to the greatest. Such was the glad ti­dings of the Gospel which maketh bewtiful the feet of him which declareth and hublisheth peace, saying vnto Syon (that is to the church) Thy Esai 52.6. God reigneth, and the same vnto all nations is proclaimed by the name of the great1. Tim. 3.16. misterie of godlines: God mani­fested in the flesh. And the effect of the gospell prea­ched agreeth thereunto, for those nationsGal. 4.8. 1. Thes. 1.9. who be­ing led by the impotent and beggerly rudiments of the world knew not God, and did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods, by the hearing of the gospel preached, did know God, & turned from dumbe idols to serue the liuing and true God. Here­of the almightie giueth sentence by his holy seruant Hieromie saying:Hier. 9.23. Let not the wiseman glorie in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, neither the rich man glorie in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me &c. And according to this frame, is the last iudgement literally described, namly that2. Thes. 1.7. the Lord Iesus should shew himselfe from heauen, with his mighty angels in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not know God &c.

[Page 3]2. And herein we shall find that he which know­eth God is instructed in two things. First that God is one and that there is no other God beside him, euen as Moses saithDeut. 6.4. Here O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord onely, and how is he one? namelyEsai 44.6. the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, which is, which was and is to come,Maluch. 3.6. he neuer changeth nor hath so much as aIacob. 1.17. shadow of turning. Therefore saith the Psalmist:Psal. 90.2. Before the mountaines were made and be­fore thou haddest formed the earth and the worlde, euen from euerlasting to euerlasting, thou art God. Second­lie that God is theIacob. 4.12. onely law-giuer and teacher of righteousnes & saluation, as saithPsal. 94.10. Micas. 6.8. Psal. 98.2. the Prophets: He teacheth man knowledge, shewing him what is good, and what the Lord requireth of him, he declareth his saluation & his righteousnes he reueileth in the sight of the nations.

3. Now in the true and perfect vnderstanding of these true things, we shall clerely see, that there is but one true & catholike religion, from the beginning of the world to thend thereof, fitly proportioned to the nature of the only God, the author, foūdor, & main­tainer therof. For as Christ teacheth becauseIoh. 4.24. God is a spirit, he must be worshipped in spirit and truth: So the nature of God being one & vnchangeable, & his supreme authority, to be the only lawgiuer, there can no religion please him, but onlie one which varieth not, whereof himselfe is the author. For this cause in one part of our religion which is our iustification & saluatiō, S. Paul reasoneth thus.Rom. 3.29. God is hee the God of the Iewes only, & not of the gentils also? for it is one God, who shall iustifie circumcision of faith, & vncircumcision thorow faith. Thereby shewing that as God is one, [Page 4] namely, as wel ouer the Gentils, as ouer the Iews: so he will iustifie, circumcision, (which are the Iewes) & vncircumcision (which are the gentils, that is, al o­ther nations) by one way of religion, that is to say, thorough faith and beleefe in his sonne Iesus Christ. For which cause this religion is called theTit. 1.1. faith of Gods elect: because al the elect are but of one religi­on, and therefore saint IudeIud. ver. 3. wisheth vs to contend for the faith which was once giuen to the saints: af­firming that in writing thereof, hee writeth of the common saluation. And it is called in the former place of saint Paul. The knowledge of the truth accor­ding to Godlines, vnder the hope of eternall life, shewing what is the matter of this religion, and lastly to shew the author, he saith which God that cannot lye, hath pro­mised before the world began, & hath made manifest in his times &c. To which sence are these words in the Epistle to the Hebrewes:Heb. 13.8. Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day and the same is for euer: where speaking before of the word of God and faith, and after admonish­ing them not to bee caried about with diuers and strange doctrins: he meaneth by Iesus Christ, (put­ting the cause for the effect) the doctrin and religion whereof he is the founder, that as he in regard of his Godhead, is without change, beginning and ending, so he is eternally the foundation of the church: and that doctrine and religion, which he teacheth, is the truth euerlasting, infallible and not to be altered, as it seemeth to be expounded in the epistle to the Ephe­sians.Ephe. 4.4. There is one bodie, and one spirit, euen as you are called in one hope of your vocation: there is one Lord, one faith, one baptisme, one God and father of all, which is a­boue [Page 5] all, and thorow all, & in you all. And for this cause saintEpist. 2. ver. 9. Iohn is bold to say: whosoeuer transgresseth & abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. Hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the father and the sonne.

4 For the more plaine euidence of this matter we may obserue in the new Testament two thinges. First that Christ and his apostles, professed & taught no new religion, but the same which the scriptures of the old testament did before instruct: and second­ly that in it the gentils were made and adopted chil­dren vnto Abraham. The former Christ sheweth where he saith,Matt. 5.17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I am not come to destroy them but to fulfil them, and againe.Ioh. 5.39. Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternal life, & they are they which testifie of me. And saint Peter affirmeth, thatAct. 10.43. To him giue all the prophets witnes, that through his name all that beleeue in him, shal receiue remission of sinnes, and saint Paul saith that he spake,Cap. 26.22. no other thinges then those which the Prophets & Moses did say should come, and Rom. 16.26. that the Gospell and reuelation of the misery of Ie­sus Christ, is opened and published among all nations by the scripture of the prophets at the commandement of the euerlasting God for the obedience of faith. Therefore Christ and his Apostles taught no new thing diffe­ring from the old Testament, the writings of Moses and the prophets. Now for the second Christ saith:Matt. 8.12. Many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit downe with Abraham, Isaacke and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen. Heare he spake of the calling of the gentils, insinuating that they must bee saued by [Page 6] the same faith and religion, by which Abraham was, and for this cause, entring into the house of Zacheus a gentile and finding faith in the promise made to Abraham he saith.Luk. 19.9. This day saluation is come into this house, for asmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abra­ham; and it is shadowed in that phrase of Christ, where hee saith that Lazarus was in Abrahams bo­some.Cap 16. But it is made more plaine by the Apostle say­ing.Gal. 3.29. If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seede, and heires by promise: So then the gospel adopteth vs into Abraham to be his children, and the same religion, faith, & way of saluation, which the new Testament teacheth, is the summe of the law and prophets and of the fathers before the law, & namely of Abraham, who is theRom. 4.16. father of vs all.

5. But it may bee obiected, that the religion of Gods church did differ and alter; namely that before the law, from that which was after & that of the law, from that which is now vnder the gospel: For the first age had not the law of Moses; the second were altogether subiect to that law: and we after the law, are ruled by the gospel & are free from that law. For the ease of which scruple, we are to consider, that as in material things, there are somthings of the substās & essence, which cannot be altered, except the thing it selfe perish, & somthings are adioined, & as it were hanging vpon the thing, as moueable properties, ac­cidents or ornaments, as in a man the bodie & soule vnited are so farre off the substance, that if these, or either of these faile he is not a man: there be also ioined to a man his outward countenance, apparel, stature & age, & these make a man in outward shew, [Page 7] to differ much from himselfe, yet is he one and the same man stil: So is it in the case of religion there are som things of the same nature, that if they be absent, there can be no religion at all; such is faith and loue: some thinges are seruants and dependances vpon these as ceremonies and manner of gouernment; and these differ according to the time, and change not the nature of religion. For as a childe is a true naturall man, though hee haue not the same stature or countenance of face, as when hee is olde and growne vp; and howsoeuer hee change his appa­rell, yeeres, stature, or countenance, yet is hee the same verie man, hee was before. So in religion; ce­remonies and maner of gouernment, haue altered in their times, and yet make no alteration or change of religion, but doe further garnishe and beutifie it, more or lesse according to their seasons; which similitude I vse because the holie ghost hath the like comparison Gal. 4.1. shewing the state of religion vnder the law, to be as a child, that although he be heire yet is vnder tutors &c. So God appointed the fulnes of time vnder the gospell, when hee woulde beutifie religion which such ornaments, that it shold be like the freedome of an heire, when he enioyeth the possession of his inheritance, the like wee finde in an other place where he compareth this life vnto the life to come, by these wordes,1. Cor. 13.11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I vnderstood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. And hee expoundeth this case where hee saith:Gal. 3.17. The lawe which was 430. yeeres after cannot disanull the couenaunt, that was confirmed before [Page 8] of God in respect of Christ, that it shoulde make the pro­mise of none effect. Whereby he sheweth that the law came not as a new religion, faith, or doctrin of salua­tion; that the religion before the law should be abo­lished, & the law as a new, come in the roome therof; But that it had some other vse, as an accidentarie or­nament or seruant to that former religion which God had taught Abraham shold belong vnto all na­tions, as after he sheweth that the law was added be­cause16. ver. 19.23.24. of transgressions, & we were shut vp vnder the law, and the law was our schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ, that we might be made righteous thorow faith, wherby it appeareth that the giuing of the law altered not the religion, faith and doctrin of saluati­on, but was as an helping seruant to further the same; as a prison or schoolemaster to driue vs to the true and pure religion of Abraham, that by faith in the promise concerning Christ, we are iustified and sa­ued as Abraham was.

6 But that you may the better vnderstand what is now in hand, I will open vnto you what I meane by faith and loue, and what by ceremonies and maner of gouernment. By faith, I vnderstād the doctrin of the couenant of mercy and grace, which is so called, because it is apprehended by faith, as in these words.Gal. 3.2. Receiued ye the spirit by the workes of the law, or by the hearing of faith. In which doctrine wee beleeue the trinitie and vnitie of God, the person and office of Christ, the creation and fall of man, his corruption, redemption, iustification, resurrection of the dead, eternall life and such like. For all these depende one vpon an other, as in the first eleuen chapters to the [Page 9] Romanes, to the discreete and attentiue reader may appeare. By loue I vnderstand all the duties in the morall law both to God and man, as they are the fruites of faith: and as it is expounded by our Saui­our Christ saying:Math. 22.37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, with al thine hart, with all thy soule, & with al thy mind: this is the first and greatest commandement, and the se­cond is like vnto this: thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. By ceremonies and maner of gouernment I vnderstand all outward rites and ordinances, with the manifestation of the spirite, which serue for the furtherance, beautifying and more fit expressing and exercise of these two aforesaid. And ceremonies I find to be of two sorts: some which are for the time, maine parts of Gods worshippe: and such are all Sa­craments, as the sacrifices and circumcision before the law, the passeouer & al sacrifices commanded by the law, by signes and figures of Christ to come, & such are Baptisme and the Lords supper now vnder the gospel: The other ceremonies concerne the time and place of the Church meeting, and the maner & order in the decent vsage of all the partes of Gods worshippe, which before the law is saidGen. 21.33. to bee in groues, and as for other circumstances there is little mention, as matters of no great moment: vnder the law theyLuc. 4.16. Act. 15.21. had sinagogues, and appointed ministers for the same, and the reading of the law with prea­ching euerie Saboath day: in the gospell touching all such thinges wee haue this rule1. Cor. 14.4.: Let all things be done honestly and in order. The ordinaunces with the manifestation of the spirit, be conteined in the per­sons, their offices, degrees, and dignities, their ex­cellencie [Page 10] and power in their giftes, and the order of adiministration. As before the law theGen. 12.7. & cap. 17.23. father of the family,Exod. 24.5. Numb. 3.40. or the first borne, was the person, by whom the word & holy thinges of God were administred. Their degrees, dignities, &c. are not much spokē of, saue only they are caldGen. 20.7. cap. 49 1. prophets, & did tel of things to come, & ordred the church in the families, as they were2. Pet. 1.21. Gen. 15. & 17. & 21. &c. guided by the spirite of God in prophesie, or receiued commandement by vision or dreame from God. Vnder the law there is theThis is taught in Exo­dus, Numbers, & Leuiticus, & expounded in Deuteronomy & all the pro­phets. priesthood in the house of Aaron, & the Leuites vnder thē, attend vp­on the holy administration, by diuers orders and or­dināces, keeping the people vnder the pure religion of faith & loue. Vnder the gospel there be also diuers1. Cor. 12.4.5.6. &c. Mat. 28.19. Ephes. 4.11. Rom. 15.18.19. administrations, giftes and works set in the church to rule and feede the flocke of Christ, to make them obedient to the faith in worde and deed. And theMath. 13.17. cap. 11.11. & 2. Cor. 3. manifestation of the spirit is more excellent & abundant in the latter times then in the former. Now in these three times you may see, touching these ceremonies and maner of gouernment, great difference, and that the word of God doth not e­steeme of these outward thinges as of the substance of religion vnchangeable, as he doth of the inward and spirituall, namely faith and loue. And first, as touching the time before the law, Christ teacheth that the Iewes could not be Abrahams children:Ioh. 8.39. because they did not the works of Abraham: which workes are not in ceremonies and maner of gouern­ment, for they were two curious in those things, and therefore Christ saith in another place:Math. 9.13. Go and learne what this meaneth, I will haue mercie and not sa­crifice. [Page 11] Thereby declaring the morall duties of loue, to be substantiall in a religious profession, & not ce­remonies as sacrifice, washing, tithinge &c. And S. Paul on the other side saith thus:Rom. 4.10.11.12. Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteousnes, before hee was cir­cumcised, and that after he receiued the signe of circum­cision, as the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised, that he should bee the father of all them that beleeue. Where hee sheweth that Abrahams religion whereby hee was iust be­fore God, was his faith, and that was before hee was circumcised and without circumcision: then his circumcision was onely a signe and a seale to strengthen his faith, in sealing vp of his righteous­nesse, but not of the matter or substaunce of his righteousnesse. Secondly, that this was so deui­ded, that the gentilles which were not circumci­sed might bee iustified through the same faith without the obseruing of the lawe, and the Iewes though circumcised, were not iustified except they walked in the steppes of Abrahams faith: So that herein consisteth Abrahams religion, euen in his faith and walking in the steppes thereof, the ceremonies were onely ornamentes and outward helpes to the same. After which manner the pro­phetes also do interprete the law. For when the peo­ple preferred the ceremonies and maner of gouern­ment before the morall dueties and faith. Esay saith vnto them:Esai. 1.10. Heare the word of the Lord, O princes of So­dom, herken vnto the law of our God, O people of Gomor­rah: What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacri­fices, saith the Lord &c. Where he calleth thē frō the [Page 12] foolish and curious obseruation of ceremonies and maner of gouernmentvers. 16. Repentance and the fruites thereof according to loue, and of faith in the con­sent and obedience to Gods word and mercy.vers. 19. And in another place he saith thatcap. 66.1.2. God esteemeth neither temple nor sacrifice, but the humble and contrite heart, who trembleth at his word. Hereof Hieremie: Hier. 7.3.4. Amend your waies and your works, & I will let you dwell in this place, trust not in lying wordes saying the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord &c. For this cause the Psalmist sheweth that the endPsal. 78.5.7. why God gaue Isra­el his law, that they should teach it there posteritie, was this: That they might set their hope on God, and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements. And the cause of all the plagues was not in regard of ceremonies or maner of gouernment (for he saithPsal. 50.8. I wil not reproue thee for thy sacrifices) but for their falling away from faith as it is written:Psal. 106.13.14.24. They forgat his workes & waited not for his counsell, but lusted with concupiscence &c. and beleeued not his worde: And therefore it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes.Heb. 3.2. The word that they heard profited not them, because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it. So like­wise in the whole tenor of the gospell, what is the principall aime of the holy Ghost, to make men re­ligious? are not these two namely faith and loue? is not the summe of the gospel in these two:Marc. 1.15. Repent & beleeue the gospell. Did not Paul say, that when he taught the Ephesians all the counsell of God, that he taught themAct. 20.20.21.: Repentance towardes God, & faith in Iesus Christ: and what is this els, but that wee should leaue the wickednesse of our heartes and liues, and [Page 13] walke in all dueties of loue to God and man, and hold fast his holy couenant by a true & liuely faith: Therefore he saith els where, thatGal. 5.6. in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision auaileth any thing, neither vncir­cumcision, but faith which worketh by loue. Where by circumcision he meaneth the ceremonies, and ma­ner of gouernment of the law as hee expoundeth it, verse 3. and so contrarily vncircumcision signifieth the order and maner of the gentils. Therefore these outward thinges are not the maine substance but onely faith and loue. Hereof it is that the spirite of God commendeth theEph. 1.15. Coloss. 1.4. 1. Thes. 1.3. churches for their faith and loue, hope and patience: and Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sheweth how hee became a religious Christian, saying:1. Tim. 2.13. Before I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an oppressor, but I was receiued to mercie &c. but the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and loue, which is in Christ Iesus. Whereby you see that a wicked life and vnbeliefe, make a pro­phane and irreligious person, but faith and loue a true and religious Christian. And hereof followeth the difference, betweene an hipocrite and a true Christian: the one is altogether superstitious in out­ward thinges,Mat. 23.5. labouring by such obseruations to appeare righteous & religious vnto men, but with­in is full of hipocrisie and iniquitie: the other hath1. Tim. 1.5. loue out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience & of faith vnfained. And this is the cause that the Corin­thians1. Cor. 10.1.2 3.4.5.6.7. &c. are threatened with the feareful examples of the Israelites in their abode in the wildernesse, that hauing the word of God and his holy sacramentes, they walked not faithfully with God, and therefore [Page 14] were punished; So the Corinthians ought not to put their trust in their sacramentes and liue contrarie to faith and loue, for thē they are like to be punished as the Israelits were. So thē you see what is substātial & perpetual, & what is changeable according to times.

7 Howbeit here is to be vnderstood, that those ce­remonies & outward things in the maner of gouern­ment are necessarie and in their times religiously to bee obserued, though not so highly esteemed as the parts of the vnchangeable substance of religion: but being the cōmandemēts of God by which he wold for the time be outwardly worshipped, or els teach & seal his couenant to his people, that they might be steadie & increase in faith & loue, & that all things in the vse, profession & exercise of their faith might be done comely, seemly, orderly & cōmendably accor­ding to his worde: whosoeuer offended in any of these were subiect to punishment, not onely that he whichHeb. 10.28. Deut. 19.17. dispised Moses law should die without mer­cy vnder two or three witnesses: butHeb. 2.2. also euery trās­gression & disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward.Leuit. 10.1. As Nadab & Abihu the sons of Aaron, for offering strange fire, (that is such as God had not appointed) were deuoured with fire which came frō the Lord.2. Sam. 6. Vzzah was smitten with sodain death for holding the Arke, vnto which he had no office & calling:2. Cron. 26.19. And Vzziah king of Iudah was striken with a leprosie, for vsurping the priests office. Ther­fore in their times, and during so long time as God appointed these ceremonies and maner of gouern­ment to be vsed in his church they were to be obser­ued with all care & conscience, because of the com­mandmēt of God: only taking heed, that no affiance [Page 15] should be put in thē aboue their proper vse, but only make them helpes and ornamentes to the more sub­stantiall pillars of faith & loue. And when the time was come that they should bee abolished, then was the church free from such ordinances, for they were as the holy GhostHeb. 9.9. saith, figures for the time present vntil the time of reformation, Cap. 10.11. they were shadowes of good things to come, & not the very image (or substāce) of the things themselues. Namely in as much as Christ by the oath of God became a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck, to make perfect that which the Leuiticall priesthood could neuer accomplish: the priesthood of Aaron & al the law of Moses were changed, and the seruant gaue place to him that was Lord of the house, as is at large disputed in theCap. 3.7.8.9.10. epi­stle to the Hebrewes. Hereof it came to passe, that all the sacrifices before the law, & circumcision which were of the fathers, and all the ministerie of Moses gaue place at the comming of this great high priest, the sonne of God the Lord & head of the Church, Iesus Christ. And heDan. 9.27. confirmed the couenant, and caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease, heEph. 2.14.15. brake the stop of the partitiō wall, abrogating through his flesh the law of cōmandemēts standing in ordināces, that aswell gentils as Iewes might haue accesse vnto God by his spirit,Gal. 5.1.2.3. he hath set vs at liberty frō the yoke of bondage which was by the low: so that nowIoh. 4.21. we are not tied to Hierusalē, to worship the father: but that we1. Tim. 2.8. may pray euery where lifting vp pure handes. AndAct. 15.9. God putteth no difference betweene men, for these ceremonies and maner of gouernment when their heartes are purified by faith: yet is it not his diuine wisedome and goodnesse, that we should be [Page 16] altogether without ceremonies & gouernment: For in stead of the priestes & Leuites, he hath1. Cor. 12.18. Eph. 4.11. set in his church, Apostles, Prophets, Euangelists, pastors, and teachers, to teach vs & guide vs in the pure religiō of faith & knowledge of the son of God, & for our fur­ther help, we haue in stead of all sacrifices before and vnder the law, the sweet preaching of Christ only sa­crifice (by which they were ended & accōplished) to assure our consciences, that he isHeb. 7.25. ca. 9.28. & 10.18. able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him, and that by one sacrifice once made, hee did so fully take away sin, that there is now no more offering for sin. And1. Cor. 5.7. & cap. 11.23. in steade of the passeouer which was a figure of Christ to come, wee haue the holy supper of the Lord to shew forth his death til he come again. AndColos. 2.11. Tit. 3.5. & Math. 28.19. for circumcision, which signified the putting of the sinfull flesh by the bloude of Christ which was to come: now Christ is come, wee haue baptisme for the washing of the new birth, & renuing of the holy Ghost, to enter vs into his holy church. And gene­rally, we are taught by the gospell1. Cor. 14.26.33. to doe all things in the church vnto edification & without confusiō. And all those euangelicall ordinancesIbi. ver. 37. & 1. Tim 6.13.14 are the com­mandements of God to be kept vnblameable & vn­changeable vntill the comming of Christ.

CHAP. 2. How God hath gouerned his church in one religion in all ages, which is declared before and after the fall of Adam. 2. And by the dispensation of times, since the promise of Christ first giuen to Adam, which is in three sorts, the fathers before the law, the Iewes vnder the law & the Gentils vnder the gospel. 3. In all these three times was there a differēce in the outward face of gouern­ment but not in substance of religion. 4. Which by Gods iudgements & ma­nifestation of his spirit hath bene alwaies maintained & preserued. 5. And this will be a witnes of our religion now professed in England, against all Atheistes, Papistes, and other wicked men in the day of Christ Iesus.

[Page 17] NOw this foundation being layed: because my purpose is to shew, that God alwaies set foorth and allowed but one faith and religion, I will in the next place briefly shew howe God hath administred his church from the beginning of the world, namely in what order he hath gouerned his people,Psal. 37.12. & 48.3. Hier 10.25. Whom hee chose to himselfe to know him, and call vpon his name. First we are to remember that the world hath bin in two estates, and a third we looke for. For before the fall of Adam, when mans hart was vpright, being made after the image of God in knowledge, holines, and righteousnes; his religion was pure and his faith in God, and his loue towards God, & al creatures were righteous: & his estate happy, enioying the presence & glory of God. But this estate indured not long: for the diuel enuying mans happines, allured the womā Euah to eat of the forbiddē fruit of the tree of know­ledge of good and euill, and by her Adam was par­taker of the same transgression:Ep. 2.1.2.12. Tit. 3.3. Gen. 6.5. so man fell cleane from al religion and became the vassal of Satan, dead in sinne, lost that holie image so far, that both mind, will, and affections were onely euill: and by his very nature he was the child of wrath, and without God in the world, that is to say, he was of no religion: and in this estate he was most miserable, cursed, and dam­nable. Here our most gracious and mercifull God, pitying our most wofull condition,Gen. 3. calleth man to an accompt, chastiseth him, condemneth the serpent and teacheth him againe the true religion by giuing him the promise, that The seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents head: that is, that by Christ hee [Page 18] would ouer throw the power of the diuell. Vpon which promise he buildeth his church of such of the sons of Adam, as heEph. 1.4.5. in his eternal counsel had cho­sen to be adopted to himselfe in Christ Iesus:Eph. 1.4.5. Ro. 9.18.22. lea­uing all others vnto themselues, to remaine in their sins, for their iust cōdemnation. And these his elect he restoreth to that former happy estate wherin they were created; which thing hee doth (during this world) byMath. 28.19. Eph. 4.11. instructing them in the true & pure reli­gion, which is the faith of Christ & the fruits thereof in true repentāce & amendement of life, by the loue of God & of his neighbor, which two things haue their measure and are vnperfect in this life, but they shalbe perfect in the life to come. Faith is vnperfect because our1. Cor. 13.9. knowledge is vnperfect, yet because it is fixed in Christ the son of God, it is aEph. 6.16. shield to quēch the fiery darts of the diuel, so that by it weRom. 5.1. are righ­teous in gods sight, & haue peace with God thorow Iesus Christ: but when in the life to come wee shall haue aPsal. 17.15. 1. Io. 3.2. perfect sight of God, & see him as he is, then that which is vnferfect shall be done away: our loue in this life is much more weake because it answereth notIacob. 3.2. to the perfection of the law moral or Gods ho­ly image, and therefore vnles by the shield of faith in Christ we were defended we should neuer recouer our former estate of happines: but by faith there is giuen vnto vs theRom. 8.23. Eph. 1.13. first fruits of the spirit, and an ear­nest of our saluation euen in this our pilgrimage, but afterward the same also shalbe made perfect, when1. Cor. 15.54 our corruption shal put on incorruption & our mor­tality shalbe swalowed vp of life: & enioying the glo­rious liberty of the sons of God, we2. Tim. 4.8. shall be crow­ned with the crowne of righteousnes, which is laid [Page 19] vp in store for all them which loue the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ.

2. And here is to be noted, that between this time of mans innocencie & the time of the glory of Gods elect, is theEph. 1.10. dispēsation of times wherin God gathe­reth his elect, and nurtureth his church in one certain kind of religion, holy right, pure & catholike, so far as by his gracious gift in this life his people are made capable: therby sanctifying them & seperating them from this present euil world, &Colos. 1.13. translating thē out of the power of darknesse into the kingdome of his deer son. And this we find to be in iij. sorts in regard of the maner of gouernment, in the dispensation of iij. diuersities of times, & yet but in one rule of faith & religion. The times were these. 1. From the pro­mise of God made to Adam, vntil the giuing of the law in mount Sinay or Horeb, during the space of 2513. yeres. 2. From the giuing of the law vntil the preaching of Io. Bap. and sending of the Apostles to preach to all the world about some 1445. yeres. 3. From thatThat is 30. yeres after Christ birth. time to our daies som 1569. yeres, & this is to continue till the end of the world, when Christ shal come again to iudge the quick and dead. In the first the maner of gouernment in regard of the per­sons, ouer whom it was extended: they were the fa­thers of the first world & al the whole world of al na­tions & languages, & in regard of the things then in vse,Read Gen. 3.4.6.8.9.12. Rom. 3.1.9.4.5 they had not the law of God nor any part of his word written, but were taught & cōmanded by visi­ons & dreams from heauen, & many were endewed with the spirit of prophesie. In the second the man­ner of gouernment touching the persons was this: [Page 20] they were one nation called lastly Iews, first Israelits and somtime Hebrewes, and in regard of the things, they had Moses law written and so preserued in bookes for the perpetual vse of the church; and this law was in three sorts, the morall written in two ta­bles, shewing in ten words all dueties to God and man: the ceremonial law consisting in ordinances of rites, sacrifices and the leuiticall priesthood, by which order it pleased God in those daies to be out­wardly worshipped: & the iudicial law which were ciuil lawes and statutes, for the punishment of euill doers and ordering of the common wealth of that people, as was most fit for the time, for the true and holie religion. And vnder these three they were go­uerned vntill the comming of Christ. And because they often times fell away vnto idolatrie, God raised vp prophets, to bring them to repentance, who in­structed them according to the law, & shewed them alway the true faith and religion, with the right or­der and maner of gouernment. NowEph. 2.11.12. while that the church was in this one nation of the Iewes, the gen­tils (which are all the nations and languages of the worlde beside) were left out from being the people of God, & of his visible church, which thing began at the circumcision of Abraham, in that God ordai­ning it, did call it the couenant, that is a signe of the couenant, namly that Abraham and his seed should be the people or church of God, and they that were not circumcised shold be none of his church, which being some 400. yeres before the giuing of the law, in that space the sin of the gentils came to their per­fection; and so the Iewes were then and thenceforth [Page 21] distinctly knowen to bee of a differing religion and faith concerning God, from all people vnder heauen whatsoeuer.Rom. 1.1.2.3.4. The third sort in regard of the persons are the gentils that is all nations and languages after the comming of Christ, and in regard of the things, they had the gospel, which Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD being made man of the virgin Marie, did preach, ordaine, and commit to writing, to be preser­ued for the euerlasting benefit of the church which being preached by the Apostles of Christ, as well to the Iewes as to the Gentils, at his commaundement and by his commission: the Iewes for their vnbelefe fel away, and being left to the hardnes of their hart, were reiected, and ceased to be the visible church of God, & remaine scattered ouer the face of the whole earth vntill this day; and the gentils hearing and re­ceiuing the gospell and submitting them selues by faith vnto the doctrin of Christ, became Gods peo­ple againe, and his visible church, and so the true re­ligion hath remained among the gentils in one place or other vntil this day, and of this number are we of the church of Englande one happie part: The Lord our God, and merciful father in Iesus Christ be prai­sed therefore.

3. Now in all these times, notwithstanding that the outward face of the church, by the ceremonies and maner of gouernment, did verie much differ: yet in all these was but one substance of religion, con­sisting in the knowledg of one true and liuing God, and in the worship of his diuine maiestie, by faith in the holy promise of Iesus Christ: which promise was made vnto Adam, Abraham, and Dauid, declared [Page 22] by the prophets & preached to the gentils in the gos­pel. For so AdamGen. 4.1.2.3 trained vp his sons by sacrifice to worship God, arguing their expectation of the Mes­sias or seed of the woman to come. And therforeHeb. 11.2.3.4. A­bel, Enoch, Noe, & Abraham are wel reported of, for their faith and to haue pleased God. Vnto1. Pe. 3.10.11 Noe the ark, & vnto Abraham circumcision, being types and figures of Christ, were helpes in this faith & religi­on: so in the law all the priestes, & their sacrifices and seruice, yea al the law,Rom. 10.4. Gal. 3.22. ponited out Christ, as thend therof and concluded all vnder sin, that the promise, by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue. And the prophets which best vnder­stood the law, shew the maine substance of their reli­gion to be in faith, when they say.Esai 26.16. He that beleeueth in him (meaning Christ) shal not make hast. Aaback. 2.4. The iust shal liue by faith. Psal. 34.8. Tast and see how gracious the Lord is, blessed is the mā that trusteth in him. Which thing wit­nesseth the Apostle saying.Rom. 15.4. Whatsoeuer things are written afore time, are written for our learning, that we thorow patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope, and that the 2. Tim. 3.15. scriptures (speaking of the law and prophets) are able to make one wise vnto saluation thorow faith in Iesus Christ: And lastly touching the gospell, it is most cleare, that byGal. 3.26. Act. 24.14. beleefe in Christ wee are made Gods people, & in this beleef we worship and serue God, as in one true & pure religion. Therefore they which are taughtMath 28.19. Act. 2.38. cap. 16.31. Iacob. 1.6. Heb. 11.6. are baptized, when they be­leeue and so receaued into the church: such are said to be saued, such are said to pray aright, and generally such are said to please God.

4. Now to conclude this place we may obserue, the wonderful administration of God, in vphold­ing [Page 23] of this one true religion & faith of Christ in all ages of the world; and that in two things. First in his iudgments, and secondly in the diuers manifestation of his spirit: as concerning the first, the ould world falling into a most horrible apostasie,Gen. 6. by prophane and vnequal yoking of the children of God, with the children of men, God stirred vp Noe the preacher of righteousnes & in his family, preserued the true faith when all the whole world was fallen away, & there­fore drowned by waters. Then after the floud som 400. yeres, when idolatry had ouercrept the world in the posterity of Noe, namely after the confoun­ding of the languages, and that they were become many nations: GodGen. 12. Ioshuah. 24.2. called Abraham and taught him the faith and pure religion of Christ, when hee gaue him the promise. That in his seede all the fami­lies of the earth should be blessed, and in his posteritie namly of his sonGen. 17.19. Act. 14.16. Isaak, when all the nations of the world were left to their own waies the same was preserued: and althogh the IsraelitsPs. 78. & 106 many times depar­ted from the true God, to follow the maners & fashi­ons of the gentils, yet he reduced thē home again, by his plagues & punishments, & somtimes by his1. Kin. 18.3 [...]. Esai 6.13. pro­phets, and somtimes destroying the multitude reser­ued a smal remnant, as a seed plot, among whom he preserued the true faith and religion. And last of all, when they had many times prouoked God by their vnbeleefe and rebellion, he cast them vtterly off and ingrafted the gentils; & although among these there hath bin greatThe first 300. yeres after Christ. persecution, & a most horrible apo­stasy both byMahomet and the Pope. east and west, yet hath he alwaies had his witnesses, who keeping the faith, haue professed the true religion of Christ, and nowe according [Page 24] to his^e word, the same is renewed and taketh hold a­gaine in the open eyes of all the world, amonge the elect of God & his chosen people, whō he calleth by his gospel. A thing verily, fore prophesied byGen. 9.27. Gen. 12.3. Deut. 32.21. Esai 49.6. Rom. 15.18. Noe, taught and promised to Abraham, threatned by Mo­ses, plainely foretold by the prophets, and fully ac­complished by Christ, and of these things we haue now had 1602. yeres triall & experience, the Lords most holy name be praised. But as touching the ma­nifestation of the spirit, marke with me, that the same promise, which to Adam was generallGen. 3. cap. 12. cap. 49.10. Esai 9.6.7. Matth. 1. in the seede of the woman, was more speciall to Abraham to be in his seede, and in his posteritie more certaine in Iu­da, and yet in Iuda more particuler in the house and linage of Dauid, and yet more plainly and neerly by the prophets that he should be borne ofEsai 7.14. a virgin; yea hee is also so thoroughly described in the pro­phets, that there is scarse any action of Christ, or ac­cident befalling him, which Matthew the euange­list, in his historie doth not confirme by some pro­phet or other: Yet is Iohn Baptist more cleere then they all, when he could point out his verie person, saying,Ioh. 1.36. Behold the lambe of God, Howbeit that grace of reuelation which was in the Apostles, excelled all the rest, for the verie1. Pet. 1.12. Ephe. 3.10. Angels admire the manifolde wisedom of God, as it is now taught in the church of God by their doctrin, and therefore in comparison of the clere manifestation of the gospel, now in these last times, to the more obscure reuelation of the for­mer ages, it is calledColos. 1.26. Eph. 1.8. a mistery had since the worlde began and from al ages, but now is made manifest to his saints, and this most abundantly in all wisedome [Page 25] and vnderstanding. And this was of such power that neither the malicious gainesaying and tumultuous resisting of the Iewes, nor the furious & outragious persecutions of the gentils, for 300. yeares, nor the subtill vndermining of wilie hereticks, nor the smo­king darkenes of Antechrist, could stand before the wisedome of the spirit, but that the idols of the hea­then and the foolish rudimentes of the world, were scattered before the preaching of the faith and reli­gion of Christ, as the smoke or clouds are driuen be­fore the wind. And when all theDan. 3.35.44. 1. Pet. 2.6. monarkes of the world were broken & became like the chaffe of the sommer flowers, whom the winds carieth away, this Iesus Christ, as a stone cut without hands, although he were refused of the builders is not onely become the heade of the corner, but also filleth the whole earth, and groweth to a kingdome, that neuer shall haue end, so long as Sun & Moone endureth. And as this religion, so the ceremonies and maner of go­uernment, ordeyned by Christ are to remaine vntill the end of the world: for so saith Christ, when hee gaue cōmission forMath. 28.19.20. the preaching, baptizing & tea­ching of all his cōmandements: Loe I am with you al­way vnto the end of the world: & the Apostle affirmeth that the Lordes supper is to1. Cor. 11.26 shewe the Lordes death till hee come,Eph. 4.12.13. and his ministers are to gather together the saintes, till we all meete in the vnitie of faith, and he must1. Cor. 15.24.25. raigne till all his enemies bee put vnder his feete, and in the ende deliuer vp his kingdome to his father, and then God shall bee all in all.

5 All which things if the Atheistes of our time, [Page 26] and such as bee of no religion, or of the popish and hereticall superstition, could see and consider, they would come home to vs, and cast themselues downe before Christ and say: God is with you of a truth. But this continuance of one vnchangeable truth in reli­gion, by the administration of Gods iudgements & manifestation of the spirit, being found with vs in this realme of England (as hereafter in this treatise doth euidently appeare) shalbe a witnesse against all such in the day of iudgement, when they should re­member, that they in their liues time, willingly wold not know, nor obey the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse. I pray God open our eyes, that while the light is among vs, we may beleeue it, loue it, and walke in it, as the children of light, to the glo­rie of God and our owne comfort & euerlasting sal­uation, in Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CAP. III. Heere is more largely shewed, the vnitie of faith in all ages, & that the religion openly professed at this present in England, is the same ancient & onely Ca­tholike faith of Abraham, Moses & the prophets, & which Christ and his Apostles preached and taught. Where 1. is declared that Abraham receiued it of God, both for the Iewes & also for all other nations. 2. The particulers are compared in 15. seuerall articles of the most waightie points of doctrine.

[Page 27] HAuing entred thus far, that the Chri­stian reader may as in a glasse: in some reasonable sort behold in his consci­ence, that from the beginning of the world, there hath beene but one reli­gion in which a man could euer be saued, one law of faith, one law of loue, taught and allowed by God in his Church catholike and vniuersall, for all places & times, to remaine vnchangeable vnto the worlds end. Now will I (through the mercifull assistance of the same my gracious God) more largely and par­ticularly shew the verie same thinges: and that the same is the religion, which in this our time, is now by publike authoritie professed, preached, taught, & defended in this realme of England, by and vnder the most happie raigne, golden dayes, and peaceable gouernment of the Lordes annointed and blessed handmaid and seruant, our dread soueraigne, deare nurse-mother, faithfull and elect Ladie and Queene Elizabeth: for whose heauenly ioy, Christian ho­nour, long and prosperous life in wealth and god­linesse, all true hearted Christians and faithfull sub­iectes, continually and instantly do pray. Here thou shalt see (God willing) what God taught Abraham what Moyses sent of God taught Israel, what the prophetes inspired of God taught in Iudah, what Christ & his Apostles taught the primitiue Church, and that all these differ not in the doctrine of faith and loue, but being all one and the same way of sal­uation, the same true and vndeceiuable religion, the same euerlasting God and Sauiour: And thou shalt plainely and clearely see, that the verie same and [Page 28] none other, hath our most louing God, of his free and kind mercie, now aboue fortie yeares together taught vs English men; and his heauenly wisedome in our streetes, and high places and assemblies, by his faithfull ministers hath called vs thereunto. So that we, to the stirring vp of our thankfull hearts, to praise our good God, may say with the PsalmistPsal. 147.20. He hath not dealt so with euerie nation, neither haue they knowne his iudgements. And in this treatise concerning the first of the three times of the world, which was of the fathers before the lawe or any part of Gods worde was written, I make speciall choise of Abraham for two causes. First because that in the historie of the fathers before his time, which containeth some 2083. yeares, the holy Ghost is verie briefe, and therefore not so full and plaine in diuers pointes, as after in the story of Abraham. Howbeit thou shalt find in the same, the doctrine of one God, the trini­tie, promise of Christ, and saluation to come by faith in him, Baptisme, of the arke & sacrifices for the lat­ter sacrament, seales of the couenant, and of dueties, diuers examples in Abell, Sheth, Enoch, Noe, and great punishments for the contrarie, so that the sub­stance is one and the same, though that it be after more largely and particularly taught in the storie of Abraham. But because my purpose is to shew, that the particular partes of the doctrine of our religion bee most auncient and catholike, I finde it more fitte to take the patterne from Abraham, in whose storie I may gather these thinges more plainely, and also many moe seuerall braunches [Page 29] thereof. But my second cause is more speciall and of greater wayght, namely that God made choise of Abraham in calling of him, to bee the father of all belieuers, and that the same faith which hee receyued of God, should bee the religion of all nations wherein and whereby they should bee saued to the end of the world. Which thing Saint Paule teacheth when hee saith,Gal. 3.8. The scripture fore­seeing that God woulde iustifie the gentilles through faith, preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham say­ing, In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed. Where we learne that the gospell which teacheth this re­ligion, that men should bee iustified by faith was preached to Abraham, and namely for the vse of the gentilles, that they should bee made of the same religion with Abraham, and with him by faith onely bee iustified: as hee saith in the next verse:Vers. 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham. This did GOD signifie vnto Abraham, when hee chaunged his name saying,Gen. 17.45. Behold I make my couenant with thee and thou shalt bee a father of many nations, neither shall thy name any more be called Abraham, but thy name shall bee A­braham, for a father of many nations haue I made thee. Hereof the Apostle teacheth that Abrahams seede is twofoldRom. 4.16. not onely of the law (which is meant of the Iewes) but also that which is of the faith of Abraham (that is the gentilles, who not ha­uing the lawe, are yet his seed through faith) and therfore he addeth, He is father of vs all (that is both of Iew & gentil which belieue) alleadging this place [Page 30] for proofe saying as it is written, I haue made thee a father of manie nations &c. Whereby it is preg­nantly proued, that Abraham is made, in regard of faith and religion, a father both to Iewes and Gen­tils. The Iewes are first admitted to be his children, to walke in his religion and steppes of faith: & after we succeed in their roome to walk in the same steps of faith & religion of Abraham: they as the Apostle els wherecap. 11.17.18. saith being naturall braunches, for vn­beliefe were cut off: But we though braunches of the wild Oliue are grafted in by faith. Now because it is here manifest, that Abraham receiued the coue­nant for vs, and the whole religion of God, as well for vs as for the Iewes, and that God wold not haue the Iews to haue one religiō & the gentils an other, the one to be saued by one faith, & the other by ano­ther; but both to be of that faith and religion which was taught and found in Abraham: and that Christ comming of his seed, should bee sauiour both of Iewes and gentils,Luc. 2.32. A light to be reuealed to the gentils & the glorie of Israel: religion then being one, & the same one being the same only which was taught A­braham, I thought it best to choose him and his sto­rie, because that neither the law nor the gospel could or ought to differ in religion and faith, from that of Abraham: that if our religion in Englande a­gree with that of Abraham, then it might bee kno­wen to be the true auncient and catholike religion and faith, & no new broached religion or doctrine, such as that is of the Church of Rome, as in the pro­cesse of this booke shall be seene. But for thy better help good Christian reader, I will follow this order: [Page 31] I will shew the seuerall points of religion, which are most materiall, one after an other, as they are in na­ture first & second, and then in euerie part or article, Abrahams faith first: And secondly, (except some special reason draw me to alter this order) I wil shew how our religion agreeth with his faith, and lastly how Moyses, the prophets and the new testament confirme the same. And thus they follow.

CHAP. IIII. Where is declared: First that antiquitie, vniuersalitie and visible succession, is no perfect marke of the church, much lesse of the popish Synagogue, which is but of ye­sterday: 2. The measure & order of the visible succes­sion of the Church from Christs time forward, is shew­ed by the Scripture. 3. Therefore the papists do prooue themselues to be no church, when they ground them­selues on this false principle, the church cannot erre: 4. How the true religion hath shewed it selfe by ma­nie witnesses from the Apostles time euen vnto our dayes.

[Page 133]THE Synagogue of Rome, claimeth antiquitie, vniuersality and succession visible from the time of Christs Apostles, to be vndoubted markes of the church of God, and so of the pure religion: addinge thereunto, as it were the sinewes and ioints, to make them all holde together, the faithfull and constant grace of the church visible, vnder the ghospell, nam­ly (this false principle) that, It cannot erre. And ther­fore when they are convicted, to haue fallen from the true christian religion, and find themselues open­ly bewraied, being tried, by the perfect touchstone of Gods holie written woord, to be lately vpstart and of a new deuised religion, doctrine and faith, brought forth into the world, by the fanatical and superstiti­ous humor of heretical prauitie and humaine follie, and begotten by the cunning insinuations and cou­lorable suggestions of him, which vseth all spirituall craftines and profoundnes of wisedom, to bruse the heele of the womans seede, and to darken the glori­ous light of the heauenlie faith of Gods chosen (least happely they should not be found, the very true An­techrist, after the maner of him, that trāsformeth him selfe into an angel of light (they would beare downe the world, with the vaine titles and goodly shew, of antiquitie, vniuersalitie & visible succession, & of the vnerring and vnchangeable persistance of the visible church in the truth: and leaue out altogether (that which is indeede, the very nature and foundation of the church) the true religion, faith and doctrine of Apostles and Prophets of God. But alas, these are but the figge leaues of Adam, which cannot couer their shame: for as all men knowe, that the serpent [Page 134] cannot proue himselfe a man, by his auncient conti­nuance and remaining in the world, vnlesse hee had those essential properties of bodie and soule, where­of euery man doth naturally consist: So, for so much as all these things, antiquitie, vniuersalitie &c. are such as heretikes & Ethnikes, did and could claime, from Caine and Cham or Iaphet; as wel as Christi­ans from Seth and Shem: and that the true nature of the church cōsisteth in the fellowship of the true re­ligion, doctrine and faith: the sygnogoge of Rome, vnlesse it hold the true faith and religion, cannot for these things be the true visible church of God. For no antiquitie, vniuersalitie or succession, can make the whore of Babel to be the true and chast spouse of Christ. And who knoweth not that Caine was be­fore Sheth and that their two posterities, were the two churches one which is of Caine called the chil­dren of men; because their religion came of a runna­gate man: & the other was called the childrē of God, because their religion was giuen and taught them of God. Likewise in the Apostasie of the time of A­braham, the nations were almost setled vpon the dregges of their filthie idolatry, when Abraham was now but newly called. Ismael and Esaue, which fell out of the church and house of Abraham, became goodly states and monarkes before Iacob was esta­blished and the people of Israell were gathered into a knowen and visible floorishing forme of a church, which was 430. yeeres after the calling of Abraham. Lastlie the gentils, continued in that apostasie and idolatrie ouerspreading all the world, from the time of Abraham vntil Christ, eighteene hundred yeeres, [Page 135] when the Church was but in a little corner of the world, the land of Canaan, and of that a great space in the territories of Iuda and Hierusalem onely. Be­cause Caine, Ismael, and Esaie calling antiquitie and visible succession before Sheth and Isaack and Iacob, is their religion the true religion? or were they the true church? or shall the Gentils iustifie thē selues, to be the true worshippers of God, or to haue the true God, because they can brag ouer the Iewes & christiās, with al these termes of antiquity, vniuer­sality, succession, visible, &c. therfore he that readeth the stories shall find, how they scoffe at the Iewes & christians, euen as the papist do at vs: because that al­though they haue no truth on their side, yet they thinke these painted paper walles, and leaden wea­pons of long continuance and open appearance and flowrishing in the world, doth sufficiently couer and defende their filthie follie. Whereas they foolishlie know not and consider not, or at the least, thorough maliciousnes and hardnes of hart, wil not know, that an ill thing, the more vniuersall, the longer, the lar­ger, the stronger, the more in custome, vse authoritie and open familiaritie of men, the more dangerous, infectious, incurable and deadly it is. And this gen­tilisme and poperie, are so much the more stronge in dilusion, for the damnation of soules, by howe much they being void of godlines and truth, are and haue been ancient; vniuersal, visible, &c. And there­fore it hah cost the more sweat and bloud vnto the faithfull seruants of Christ, to cure the infected peo­ple, and to bring them againe into the bosom of A­braham and arcke of Noe, the folde and church of [Page 136] Christ. We may then boldlie say, that such ministers are to be obeied who (as anIan. lib. 4. cap. 43. auncient father saith) together with the succession of their Bishopricks ac­cording to the good will of God the father, haue re­ceaued the certaine gift of the truth, which while the church of Rome, that now is, hath not done, because they doo not beleeue in those things which are, they are fallen into those things which are not; & hauing forsaken, the pure and chast nature and beutifull or­naments of the true spouse of Christ, which is the sincere doctrine of holie scripture, they are faine to array themselues in the counterfait and comon who­rish apparel of al the filthy idolaters of the world, the vaine pretence of antiquitie, vniuersalitie &c. But yet this suit of apparel will not serue them, no more then that can fit a childe borne yesterday, which is large and wide for a man of a great and full stature. For how doo these termes agree to that apostalical sea of Rome which is one of the last & lowest borne chil­dren of superstition begotten of the diuell in this last furie of his old age, euen now he knoweth his time is verie short. For as it shall appeare in the latter part of this booke, (through Gods gracious assistance) the synagogue of Rome wil want at the least 4500. yeres of that antiquitie, vniuersality, and visible succession, which I haue here, already shewed to appertaine, to the true auncient catholike religion of Gods most holie & vndoubted church founded in Adams pro­mise, seperated in Abrahams posterity, published & offered to all the world by Christs most blessed A­postles. For an introduction into which matter I will in this Chapter (through my Lord Christes fauour [Page 137] and grace) shew vnto thee (good Christian reader) how this religion of ours, now professed and open­ly maintayned in Englande (which is manifestly proued alreadie in the Chapter going before, to be the ancient true faith, from the beginning of the world, and namely and especially from our father Abraham) now in these latter daies hath descended and continued by succession visible in the worlde, from the Apostles time vnto ours. For although wee bragge not of antiquitie and vniuersalitie, yet wee doe humblie thanke our louing God, and mercifull father in Iesus Christ, that vnto vs the pure doctrine and true Christian religion is come and is fruitfull, as euer it hath bin in any part of the world, and we are made the children of Abraham through faith in Iesus Christ.

2 And that you may vnderstand this the better, you are to know the measure hereof by the holy scriptures of God, which as a line being gone o­uer all the worlde doth shew the tract and foote­steppes of religion, among the gentilles vnto the ende of the worlde. In the 24. of Mathew, the 17. and 21. of Luke, and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn, is fore described, the treading vnder feete of Hierusalem and the Iewes, vntill the times of the gentils bee fulfilled, and that in these times should arise false prophets and false Christes and deceiue many, yea great chaunges and alteration in religi­on should be in all the Christian world. The kings and princes of the earth should obey the will of the least, and this obedience should be so vniuersall, that [Page 138] no man should be permitted to buy or sell, with­out his marke in their foreheades: the prophetes and witnesses of Christ should bee slaine, and there should bee the patience and triall of the Saintes. Smoke comming out of the bottomlesse pitte coue­reth the aire, and hideth the Sun Moone and stars. What doth this shew but that the world should bee found a continuall enemie to the true religion, and that the faith of Christ should not alway be vniuer­sally professed and maintained, but that the Chri­stian Churches should fall into errors: and that the true religious and faithfull people of God, should passe through the furnace of the fierie triall, and bee as it were heere and there certayne scattered stones of a building, that is witnesses standing vp for the truth, testifying that there is a pure religion ordained and accepted of God: And not that the Church shoulde bee alway a beautifull pauilion and goodly temple wherein the King dwelleth, seene and admired, and honoured of all men. Ac­cording to that of Christ:Math. 24.13. Because iniquitie shall abound, the loue of many shall waxe colde. And this coldnesse shall bee so great and so vniuersall, that the true professors of Gods true religionVers. 9. shall be hated of all men, and menIoh. 16.1.2 shal thinke they do God seruice, when they kill any of them. And the ground of this Saint Paul sheweth saying:2. Tim. 4.3. The time will come when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine &c. And yet it seemeth to be more fully opened where hee foretelleth, that there must bee an2. Thess. 2.3. Apostasie or falling from the faith, before the world could haue [Page 139] an ende, and the man of sinne disclosed, 4 which is an ad­uersarie, and exalteth himselfe against that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he doth sitte as God in the temple of God. And a little after:7 For the misterie of ini­quitie doth alreadie worke &c. Wherein hee teacheth plainely foure thinges. First, that there should be a generall decay of religion in the Church. Second­ly, that it should be by such an aduersarie of Christ as should raigne in the Church. Thirdly, that he should bee reuealed in his time. And fourthly, that this was an hidde and secret thing, which did beginne to worke secretely, euen in the Apostles time. By which wee may perceiue the succession and vniuersalitie of the Church, in the visible shew and flourishing of the true religion, is not to bee found nor looked for in all the times of the gospell after the Apostles daies, but that by little and lit­tle it should bee darkened corrupted and hidden. For howe can that bee saide to bee the true vi­sible Church of Christ, where his aduersarie dwel­leth, and beareth all the rule aduauncing himselfe as God? And whereas touching the true faith the people are fallen into an Apostasie? And the rea­son he giueth, confirmeth it directly, that it should vndoubtedly fall out and so come to passe: for hee afterward affirmeth that it commeth of the righte­ous iudgement of God vpon the reprobate saying: God shall sende them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lies, that all they might bee damned, Vers. 12.12. which belee­ued not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse: which thing if it be wel seen into & vprightly waied, it will cōuince the church of Rome, to be of the false [Page 140] religion and antechristian church: and their braue­rie of profession, their antiquitie vniuersalitie and vi­sible succession, to be the sitting of the man of sinne in the temple of God, that is the plague and run­ning soare of the Church, the damnation of many soules, and that now within these few yeares, the gospel teaching the true Christian religion, hath re­uealed their Apostasie: and that so openly & clearly, as euerie man may see it, if he doe not wilfully blind his owne eyes.

3 Now if they say that the Church cannot erre, and thereupon build their antiquitie, vniuersalitie, succession &c. Namely, that they must needes bee the true Church being so actiuely and vniuersally visible in their continued succession: because it be­longeth to the Church vnder the gospell (as they say) to bee as the Moone that neuer is ecclipsed, nor couered vnder a cloud, but alwaies appeareth glori­ous and beautifull vnto the world: then doe they e­uidently declare, and proue themselues to bee the false sinagogue of Sathan, and their religion to bee his delusions and lies. Because the worde of God doth so manifestly say there shall bee an Apostasie and falling away in religion and that the enemie of Christ should raigne in the place of Gods temple. And least happily wee should bee deceiued in thus iudging: euen in this one point of their religion that they hold that the church cannot erre, they cōuince themselues to be Antechrist, many wayes; especial­ly in that they make the authoritie of the Church a­boue the scriptures, that they might be iudges of it and not of them. What do they herein more truely [Page 141] then professe to all the worlde, that there sitteth amongst them the aduersarie, that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God: for what is there in the whole world, by which God is knowen or can bee knowen truely and rightly to bee God, and by which God is exalted, and all his honour, truth and word magnified, and his will wisedome and good­nesse glorified and worshipped, but onely the inspi­red writinges of the blessed booke of God? If they hauing no truth on their side to maintayne them­selues to bee the Church of God, they will foist in with a brasen face, contrarie to euident scripture this vntruth, that the church cannot erre, and thereup­on vsurpe authoritie ouer this booke of God, and after it to haue no authoritie, but such as they al­low, and to haue no other meaning or sence, but such as they giue: and so God and his holy law, must looke for no other name, credite and dignitie, but as it pleaseth them being men to giue. And so againe, God and his word should not bee builders and describers of the Church, but the Church builders and describers of God and his word, doth it not then necessarily follow, that they are verie Antechrist and the seate of Apostasie. Moreouer, if Christ say this Apostasie should bee so great, that if it were possibleMath. 24.24. the verie elect should bee decey­ued. Are not they verie Antechrist, to make the Church alwaies visible, and not able to erre? And let the godly Christian reader consider what vse there is of these rules & precepts.Math. 7. 1. Ioh. 4.1.2. 2. Ioh. vers. 9. Beware of false prophets, beleeue not euerie spirit &c. hereby shall you know the [Page 142] spirit of God, that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doc­trine of Christ hath not God, &c. Againe there is pro­phesied of a woman whose name is,Reuelat. 17. & 18. A misterie, great Babilon, the mother of whordoms & abominations of the earth, which is a great citie, which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth, and all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: And God saith to vs, Go out of her my people, &c. If the true vse of these scriptures teach vs two things, first that we must trie and iudge the false prophets, the spirits and whosoeuer may cal themselues the Church, by the doctrine of Christ expressed in the scriptures, and that vnder the time of the gospell, a citie by false doctrine should poyson all nations, and we ought to go out of that citie: how can any man iudge the Citie of Rome, which cal­leth her selfe the mother of all Churches, and vsur­peth ouer all nations, seeing that it hath forsaken the truth, and yet claimeth vniuersalitie & perpetual succession visible, & refuseth to be tried by the holy oracles of God, these rules and Canons of holy scriptures, how I say can any man iudge otherwise, but that it is the verie seat of Antechrist? And in this that it would bee maintained, by saying it cannot erre, it erreth most apparantly. And therefore that onely is the true Church and house of God, whe­ther visible or inuisible,Heb. 3.6. Math. 18.20. which holdeth fast the true faith, where two or three are gathered together in Christes name, and not that which pretendeth visi­ble succession, and saith it cannot erre.

4 Howbeit in all this time it was not, as the church [Page 143] of Rome would beare vs in hand, that our religion which is that auncient religion of Abraham, had such an ecclipse, that it cannot bee traced in these 1600. yeares after Christ: for as before the com­ming of Christ, it lay hidde in comparison of the vniuersalitie of the whole world, in the house and posteritie of Abraham, and sometime more then o­ther appearing and shining forth, when God made his glorious truth to cast the beames of light far and wide, at such times as he made his saintes glorious by deliuerance as out of Egipt and Babilon: And in subduing the Cananites, in prospering, Dauid, So­lomon, Iehoshaphat, Ezekiah, and Ioshiah. So in this time of Christianitie among the Gentils, there hath beene as it were an ebbing and flowing, and as I may say, a morning and an euening. For the gospell beginning with small degrees, and like a grayne of mustard seede, was persecuted by the v­niuersall world at the first. And yet preuailed migh­tely through all those bitter and intollerable per­secutions of the first three hundred yeares, in so much as in the first Christian Emperours dayes, namely Constantine the great, when hee summo­ned the first generall Councell of Nice, for the cause of Arrius, there came 318. Bishops, and these were from all partes of the worlde, West as farre as Spaine, and North in a manner at the verie North Pole. So that all the worlde stoode amased, at the glorious shining of the sonne of righteousnesse in those happie daies. Yet men knowe that reade the stories of the church, what whiles that blasphemous hereticke did worke, how many friends & abettors [Page 144] he had, what great afflictions that good Catholike Bishop Athanasius, had, & what persecution for ma­ny yeares together, the true beleeuers endured after the death of that good Emperour, by the ouersprea­ding of the Arrians and their followers. Howbeit although that persecution much afflicted the faith­full, and darkned the beautie of the Church, and many heretickes inuaded them very sore, and diuers liuing in wildernesse and solitarie places, deuised strange formes and seruices of God: yet for the space of sixe hundred yeares and more, the vniuer­sall Church was not so much tainted; but God ray­sed vp notable pillars of truth and lightes of his church, by whom the truth of faith and found reli­gion had all that time a most excellent witnesse. For the Apostles ended at the death of Iohn the Euan­gelist, Anno 99. Ignatius liued about Anno 110. ha­uing beene Iohns disciple, and Bishop of Antioch. Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, and Iustinus martyr at Rome, Anno 140. Iraeneus Bishop of Lions in France Anno 175. Tertullian in Africke flourished about Anno 190. Origin of Alexandria about An­no 210. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Anno 255. Arnobius, 310. Lactantius Firmianus 325. Athana­sius Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt 340. Hilarius B. of Pictauia in Aquitania, 360. Basilius B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia, 370. Gregorius B. of Nazanzen. E­piphanius B. of Cyprus, Ambrose B. of Millain. Hie­ronymus Stridonensis, Augustine B. of Hippo, Iohn Chrisostom B. of Constantinop. Possidonius, Pros­per, Fulgentin Casiodonus, Gregorius first of that name B. of Rome. These & verie many more verie [Page 145] good writers, beside infinite others liued in that first 600. yeres and som after by whom the light of Gods truth and the pure religion, was defended against diuers and sundrie sorts of heretikes, and declared by sermons and godly interpretations of holie scrip­ture, which may euidently appeare, euen vnto him that can but read the English toonge, if hee per­use the writings of our reuerend Bishops and teach­ers of this lande. First the challenge was made by master Iewel, in a Sermon preached at Paules crosse, Anno 1560. the Sonday before Easter, that for 600. yeeres after Christ our religion might be defended by the writings of fathers and counsels: secondlie the defence was most truelie and fullie performed, by the same master Iewell against Harding, by ma­ster Horne against Fecknam, master Pilkington a­gainst the man of Chester, master Punet against Th. Martin, as also by master Noel against Dorman, ma­ster Edward Deering to Hardings reioinder, master Calfils answer to Marshals defence of the crosse, ma­ster Fulke against Allin, Sanders, Bristow &c. and by the conference in the Tower with Campion, and that of master Reinolds with Hart. In these and di­uers others very notable english bookes, all points of our Christian faith, are not onely maintayned by the writinges of the foresayde auncient Fa­thers and Counsels of the first sixe hundred yeeres: but also by diuers other wrighters and Counsels followinge in other ages, yea by diuers Papistes as the Schoolemen, popishe decrees, decretals and historiographers. But wee doo frankely confesse that sixe hundred yeeres after Christ beeing past, [Page 146] the visible church not so well seasoned, nor the true faith so openly vniuersally & faithfully maintained, but more and more decaied, obscured and darkned: vntill the reuelation of Antechrist, which hath been since Luther. Neither doo we take it to be any dero­gation to the truth, seeing that these last nine hun­dreth yeres, were the daies of darknes, and the time of the punishment of God, that they which regar­ded not to know God, should be giuen ouer to lyes and fables, as is before manifestly prooued by the scriptures. Notwithstanding in all this time, it was not so obscure & hidden, but that the stories of these mystie daies, doe affoord vs sufficient matter and markes, whereby we may find, where, how and in what sort, the true faith and religion stroue with the foolish and vnthankfull hart of man, offering him in all this declining and apostatical generations, the ioi­full light of truth and the right way of peace and sal­uation, but they would not, but they fought against it: and herein I will not stande to rehearse all parti­culers (which would aske a great volume) but one­ly mention that which is most generall and notori­ously knowne, vntill this 600. yeeres the churches by east and west were in vnitie and the christian faith continued, his vniuersall and visible succession, but shortlie after, by reason that Bonifacius the thirde, obtained the supremacy ouer all Bishops & brought it into the sea of Rome, there grew discontentments, which continued vp and downe, vntill Hildebrande came vp about An. 1237. all which time the Greeke church eastwarde, held the auncient catholike faith, as we now doo; but by meanes that the Greeks con­discended [Page 147] not to the vnmeasurable pride of the popes, there was made a seperation, and so the faith was found onely in the Grecians, amongst whom it also remained, as it may appeare by this that in the time of the counsell of Basill, about An. 1440. Enge­nious the fourth in a priuate conuocation at Flo­rence, laboured the grecians to condescende to the latin church to allow of purgatorie, of the popes su­premacie, of vnleauened bread in the communion and of transubstantiation, so that the east churches, which containe not only Grecia, but also the Ethio­pians, Syrians, and many other great nations, did in some good measure hold out the true faith vntill this time. Now in the west parts, there were certain men called Waldenses or Albigences, and Pauperes de Lugduno, who first at Lions in France, and after in diuers other places, as Meridoll and Cabriers and in many townes of the countrie of Piemont, in great numbers shewed themselues, from An. 1160. till the time of Luther, Iohn Wickliefe and his fellowes, and with them the good christians called Lollards did shew themselues in England in the time of Edwarde the third about the yere 1371. and thenceforth and in the time of Richard the second whereof followed great persecution many yeres. Iohn Husse and Hie­rom of Prage, with the countrie of Bohemia, were famous for the true religion, at the counsell of Con­stance about, Anno 1413. and many yeres after; So that when Luther came vp, he found not the gospell and true religion without witnesse in diuers places. Therefore (leauing out Berthramus in France, Iohn Scotus in England, and verie many notable men in [Page 148] diuers countries, whom God stirred vp heere and there, euen in these euil daies of darknes, som by wri­ting, some by preaching, some by suffering and by death, to giue testimonie, in these west parts, and vn­der the Popes nose) I may boldlie conclude this Chapter with humble and hartie thankes to God, that the religion, which wee holde and professe in Englande, is the onely true auncient catholike and vniuersall religion, wherein and whereby God hath been truely serued and worshipped, his elect saued and the true faith confessed from the beginning of the world and namely from Abraham, euen vnto our daies, which is now 5528. yeeres, and the gates of hell could never preuaile against it, no power of men subdue it, no heresies ouerthrow it, no wisdom or learning confute it, no persecutions destroy it, no pollicie nor crueltie subuert it, no tract of time weare it out, no changes or subuersions of kingdoms, coun­tries or states ouer whelme it, no lawes, edicts, coun­sels, canons, cursses, decrees or decretals, put it down or banishe it. Magna est veritas & preualet: Great is the truth and preuaileth, Blessed be the God of truth: And herein is fulfilled, that which the prophet saith,Psal. 19.9. & 102.27.28. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endure for euer: And thou, O God, art the same, and thy yeeres faile not, the children of thy seruants shall continue, and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight.

CHAP. I. How the Romish superstition disagreeth with the true auncient catholike religion and faith of Gods elect, where is declared, 1. How manie waies in this sort, disagreement is to bee founde, 2. And that in all the former fifteene articles they disagree very greatly.

THere are two things, which doo euidently ar­gue, the new and late begetting and birth of Romish heresie. The Ante-christianitie or disa­greement it hath, with the pure holie and old faith, which God hath once giuen to the Saints, and the conformitie and agreement it hath with all heretical prauitie. For seeing that all men know and the pa­pists themselues must needs confesse, that it is come foorth, within these last times of the world (for the face thereof neuer sawe the sonne before) if it agree not with the wholsome truth of the inspired scrip­tures of God, and so not of the auncient catholike faith of Gods chosen; but resembleth and beareth the expresse and indeleble charecter, of filthie new borne heresie: it must needs leese those dainty terms of vnitie, antiquitie, vniuersalitie, visible succession and of the olde and catholike religion. And so the truth is: For as then the Popes of Rome, became most loftie and proud and aduanced themselues aboue all estates, when they vsed in their stile, the lowlie termes of seruus seruorum, Seruant of Ser­uants: so seased they then to bee truely and in deed [Page 150] Catholike or vniuersall, when cutting of themselues from the true vniuersall church and religion, they tyed the name and honor of Catholicke church to one place, calling it, contrarie to the holie creed: The catholike church of Rome. Therefore as I haue in the former part shewed the auncient and vnchangeable religion, what it is and how it hath continued vnto this our age, so now I doubt not but that it shall ap­peare, through Gods grace to euerie honest consci­ence of any reasonable capacitie, not forestalled with the preiudice of willful blindnes; that the church of Rome and the religion thereof is not of the same ge­neration, & hath no affinitie with God and his truth; but is altogether, earthly, sensual and diuelish. And first of the disagreement it hath with the true faith: that is, what it is not: & then of the agreement, with heresie, that is, what it is. In the first part the reader is to vnderstand that disagreement is in diuers sortes: sometime direct and plaine contrarie, as light and darkenes: sometime contradictorie, where one say­ing is the destruction of an other, as to say: A man is a reasonable creature, and to say: a man is not a reasona­ble creature. Sometime they disagree by hauing a differing nature, though not so directly set on a­gainst an other, as a stone, an egge, and a tree differ from a man, sometime the disagreement is hidden, and vnderhand, when there is a shewe to maintaine the truth in words, and yet in deeds, comming in by some hidden and closely carried circumstance, men ouerthrew the same truth.2. Sam. 3.27. As Ioab spake with his mouth peaceable vnto Abner, and with his hand he smote him vnder the fift ribbe, that hee died. And [Page 151] there is yet an other difference which is expresly na­med in holie scripture, that is, whē in a matter taught in the scripture definitiuely, men either take awaie something and make it too short or too little, or else adde something and make it too long or too great. Wheresoeuer there is any of these disagreements, they cannot be said to be one and the same, and so the church of Rome, in all points of Christian reli­gion, differing in some one of these kindes, cannot be said to bee of the true catholicke religion. As in the first kinde, the true religion1. Tim. 4.1.2.3. saith; It is the spirit of er­rors and doctrine of diuels, to forbid mariage and to ab­staine from meats. The sea of Rome say directly con­trarie: that by the holie ghost and spirit of truth, they forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats. In the se­cond kind the true religion saith:Rom. 3.28. A man is iustified by faith without workes: they say, A man is not iustified by faith without workes. In the thirde kind the true re­ligion saith:Heb. 1.3. Iesus Christ hath by himselfe purged our sins: they say we are purged also, by satisfaction, pur­gatorie, indulgences and diuers other things. In the fourth kinde the true religion saith: thatIacob 1.21. the woorde of God is able to saue our soules. The synagogue of Rome do so say also in words, but in deed they cut the throat of Gods word, by equalling or preferring of traditions, canons, decrees, decre [...]als and humaine customes, euen as ChristMatth. 15.6. speaketh of the pharisees (who also in woords pretended Gods woord) that they make the woord of God of no effect or authoritie by their tradition. But as touching the last disagreement, that shameles whoore of Babilon, diminisheth and taketh from Gods word, when they keepe the cup [Page 152] from the comon people: and adde vnto Gods word, when they cause the sacrament to be lifted vp and a­dored: and verie many such things they doo. There­fore if I shew that in al parts of religion they disagree from the truth in one of these kinds: it will be suffici­ent, to prooue, that their abhominations are nothing sauouring, of the true auncient religion.

2. And this I will do (God willing) in two sorts: First in this Chapter, by shewing how they disagree with the articles taught out of Gods word in the for­mer part; and secondly in the next Chapter, howe dissent, from the doctrin of S. Paul, & S. Peter, (whō they say to haue bin at Rome and to bee planters of that church) & in this first I must desire the reader, to looke vpon euerie article as before cap. 2. and he shal easilie see the disagreement, for I wil but a little open and briefely point out their error, and the disagree­ment will bee manifest of it selfe. Marke therefore (good Reader) what I say, and be not partiall. And first of all they seeme to be neerest the truth in (that which I haue placed for the first article) the faith and doctrine of the trinitie, and in words speake verie di­stinctly both in Canons, decrees, decretals, and also in other writings: So that some notable learned men hold them sound in this matter; and others goe fur­ther, that by this and one or two more, they would draw them into the holie communion of Saints. But if in these they are (as Ioab onely in words, and that their hands strike through this doctrine, so that in the harts of men this doctrine cannot liue; because they are taught and beleeue and doo such things as ouer­throw the same; then are they not to bee helde and [Page 153] reputed sound in this article. And first touching the the vnitie in the godhead, whosoeuer giueth that to any other thing, which is natural and essentiall vnto god, he maketh that other thing to be god; & so con­sequently if the sea of Rome do so to any creature, they make mo gods then one. But that they ascribe to creatures that which is proper & essential to God, may be seen in three things. First in the virgin Marie & the Saints, first theyHone in laud. beat. vir. Mar. ad vsum Rom. cal her the Queen of heauen. Mater gratiae, mater misericordiae, mother of grace and mother of mercie, domina angelorum lady or mistres ouer the angels; princeps mundi & regina, prince and Queen of the world; & they say vnto her. Virgo singu­laris inter omnes, malis nos culpis solutos, mites fac & castos &c. O virgin singuler amōg al, make vs being freed from al faults, gentle & chast, giue vs a pure life, prepare vs a safe way, that seeing Christ we may alway reioice to­gether, & vnto her & Io. theuangelist they pray. Vobis duobus ego miserimus peccator &c. vnto you two I a most miserable sinner comēd this day my body & my soul, that at al houres & momēts you wold vouchsafe to be my sure keepers & deuout intercessors vnto god, vnto Peter they say.Miscate Ro­man. S. Aug. S. Pet. ad vin­cent Alleluia. Solue iubente deo terrarū, Petro, catenus &c. loose O Peter by Gods cūmand the chains of the earth, who ope­nest the heauenly kingdoms to the blessed of Frances the minorite they say;Lib. confor. mit. Franc. ad vitam xli. lib. 1. sunct 4. & lib. 2. funct. 3. cordiū vidit arcana, he saw the secrets of the harts, al things created were obediēt vnto him: they which hold the leading of blessed Frāces cannot be ruled by the darknes of error, & by the light infused grāted him of god, men are so enlightned that the cōscience of one man is naked to an other. Now if it be properly apertaining to theuerlasting being & al sufficiēcy of god, as his word [Page 134] teacheth, to be gouernor of the world, Lord of an­gels father of mercie and grace, to make a man gentil, chast and pure in life, to be euery moment keeper of bodie and soule, to open heauen, to know the harts, to whom all creatures are obedient; Then it follow­eth, that seeing by their custome of praier and other­wise they giue these things to the virgin Marie and to Saints they vnderhand ouerthrow the doctrine of one God, and make many Gods. And when they makeTest. Rein. Reuel. cap. 2. ver. 22. Compendium cor terta. D. Ioh. Bunder. tit. 23. Arti. 11. Non visit quis dinum Iob, vt scabie careat. Saints patrons of countries (as Peter & Paul ouer Rome) and healers of disseases, (as Iob to cure the scabbe) what other thing do they, but (as the hea­then did) make seuerall Gods for seuerall offices. Se­condly this making of many Gods may be seene in the Pope. For of him they sayGratian. de­cret. pars 2. caus. 17. quest. 4. cap. Si quis & ne­mini. Greg. decre­tal. lib. 1. de translat. Episc. tit. 7. cap. 3. Gloss. 16. De iudicio summi pon­tificis disputare non licet: it is not lawful to dispute of the iudgement of the hiest Bishop. ^c Non homo sed Deus seperat quos R.P. not man but God seperateth, whom the Bishop of Rome seperateth &c. which is declared by the glose that hereof he is said, Habere ce­leste arbitrium, & ideo etiam naturam rerum immutat &c. to haue an heauenly iudgement, and therefore also he changeth the nature of things, applying the substantial of one thing vnto an other; he can make of nothing somthing, and the sentence which is no­thing he maketh somthing, in those things he wil, his will is to him in steed of reason, neither is there any man that can say vnto him, why dost thou so? for he can dispense aboue law, he can make iustice of in­iustice by correcting the lawes and changing them, and he hath the fulnes of power. But I will not load the reader with that which here might bee alleaged [Page 155] onely, I desire him to consider, whether the Pope doo not herein arrogate the power and maiestie of God. For what can be said more of God, then that we may not dispute of his iudgement, that hee hath the heauenlie iudgement & power to giue sentence to change the nature of things to make nothing som­thing, to make iniustice iustice, to dispence with law, and to haue such fulnes of power that his wil is lawe and reason and no man can say why dost thou so? is such a thing the gift of God to any man? doo they not make the Pope another God, or els a fourth per­son in the Trinitie? The third thing is the sacrament, wherin this blasphemie of making pluralitie of gods is also to be seene. For when they say Cstrists bodie in the sacrament, consecrated, at one time in a thou­sand places, or if it should happen ouer all the world, that then in all those places is one, & the same Christs bodie, & that realie trulie and wholy, & yet the scrip­ture teacheth he is truly, really & wholie at the right hand of his father in heauen, let wise & learned men consider, wheather this be not to make a new God of the manhood or body of Christ to giue that to his manhood, which belongeth to his Godhead, of which it is said:Psal. 139.7. He is in the heauens, he is in hell, and he is in the vtmost part of the sea. Againe when they say of the priest in consecrating (when they speake best) that he maketh the bodie and blood of Christ, do they not giue vnto him more then the power of a creature. And yet being not content with this they feare not to adde and to say:Sermon. discip. ser. 111. Sacerdos est altior regi­bus, faelicior angelis, creator creatoris. The preest is hier then kings, happier then angels, and creator of his [Page 156] creator. Tel me if this be not to make the priest God, & more then God: for greater is he that maketh the creator, then he that maketh the creature. If any man mislike this collectiō, let him in his conscience only waie this whither that by this transubstantiation, they do not make a bable or a toy in steed of God, when they can make him at their pleasure with the intēt of the church: which will be as much against this arti­cle as can be, for verely if they beleeued there were a God, and considered what belongeth to his glorious maiestie, they would not thus presume & exalt them selues and thinke him or his manhood at their com­mandement. As touching the trinitie, in words they say:Greg. decre­tal. tit. 1. cap. 1. firmiter credi­mus. Firmiter credimus & simpliciter confitemur &c. we firmely beleeue and confesse, that there is one one­lie true God, euerlasting, infinit vnchangeable, incompre­hensible, omnipotent & ineffable the father, son and holy ghost, three in person, but one in essence &c. this holy tri­nitie, according to the comune nature is vndeuided, & ac­cording to the personal properties distinct. All this soun­deth wel; but alas it is but as saint Paul saith:Tit. 1.16. They professe they know God but by their works they deny him. For in setting vp the rood and crosse in the churches and in glasse windowes to be crowched vnto, where they make God the father like an old man, and God the son like a yong mā, & the holy ghost like a doue: by their deeds they ouerthrow that which they say they firmly beleeue: For if they beleeued that God were exceeding all measure, in comprehensible and vnspeakable: then would they not dare, to draw him out and set him forth by an engrauen image, which can in no part represent his deuine & infiniteRom. 1.23. glory. [Page 157] Againe how can the common people, or almost any the staydest man in the world (especially if he come with deuotion to worship that image) but that in be­holding the same, he shal haue in his mind, an inpres­sion, of an earthly and visible shape and likenes to be in God. and when he seuerally seeth these three pic­tures & images, how can he auoid the imagination, that these three persons in the godhead, are as three seperate persons of men among vs, as of Peter, Iames and Iohn, which is contrary to their sayings, that this trinity in regard of the comon nature vndeuided, as we may say in nūber to be one & the same. And this is vtterly cōtrary to the catholike religiō, to haue such a vile imaginatiō of god & of his inuisible & vnspeak­able power as you may read in the olde testament in these words:Deut. 4.15.16. take good heed to your selues: for ye saw no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire, that yee corrupt not your selues, & make you a grauen image, or representation of any figure, whether it be the likenes of male or female &c. & in the new testamēt:Act. 27.29. For as much as we are the generation of God, we ought not to thinke that the godhead, is like vnto gold or siluer, or stone grauen by art & inuention of man. In the second article the disagreement is, that they of the sea of Rome, make not God the cause of causes; but tyeth him to second causes, and that hisTest. Rhem. a note, Rom. 9. ver. 11. eternal coūsel respected mens works, & determined accord­ing to works forseene: andNic. Dorbet distinct 41. Artic. 2. would haue al men to be saued, quantum in se est, as much as lyeth in him, and they say, Sicut presciuit & predestinauit quae ipse fecit &c. Gratian pars 2 caus. 23. Q. 4 ca. Nabucho. As he foreknew and predestinated the things he did, and gaue vs to doo: so hee foreknew onely and did not [Page 158] predestinate, the things which neither himselfe did, nei­ther required that we should doo &c. without doubt all thinges which God forknoweth shall be, shalbe done in deed, but some certaine of them proceed from free will. In which you may see all these points contrarie to the true faith: First, free will is made authour of some things and God onely forknoweth it: 2. Gods wil is debarred to haue to do in those things he comman­deth not: 3. That hee decreeth onely the elect, and onely forseeth touching the reprobate: Lastly that his wil was to saue all men as much as in him was, as if they should say, if he had been able. All these do li­mit the hie and vnsearchable counsell of him which is the cause of all causes, and setteh the wil of man in the foresight of God to be his instructor; most con­trariant to the holie religion of Gods elect, which humbly confesse vnto God, in the olde Testament, thus:Hier. 10.23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in him selfe, neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps, and in the new, thus:Reuel. 4.11. Thou art woorthie O Lord, to re­ceaue glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy will sake they are and haue been crea­ted. Touching the third article, the conspiracie of Rome do accurse the true religion: namelyConcil. tri­dent sess. 6. canon 4. If any man say that mans free will, being mooued and stirred by God, doth nothing at all, worke together, by ascenting to God, as he stirreth and calleth, whereby he doth frame & prepare himselfe to obtaine the grace of iustification: and againe,Canon 7. If any man say, all woorkes which are done be­fore iustification, whowsoeuer they be done, to be truly sin, and deserue the hatred of God, and therefore they say thatTest. Rhem. in Math. 12. It is in mans owne free wil & election to be a good [Page 159] tree or an ill tree, and againe.ver. 33. in marg. & in Act. 10. ver. 2. Such works as are done be­fore iustification, though they suffice to saluation, yet bee acceptable preparatiues to the grace of iustification, and such as mooue God to mercie, and againe:Nich. Deor­hel distinct 41. sent. 1. Artic. 1. Cum pec­cator facit quod in se est, meretur de congruo iustifi­cari &c. When a sinner doth that which in him is, he de­serueth of congruitie to be iustified, or after a sort, by the Condosentia diuinae libera­litatis. beseeming or becoming of the diuine liberalitie. Heere thou seest three thinges of Poperie contrarie to the christian veritie: First that mans hart is not altoge­ther & vniuersally corrupted by Adams fal: Second­ly that Gods grace doth but stir vp and mooue mans free will, and thridlie by congruitie the workes be­fore faith diserue and prepare vnto grace and please God. And they haue yet a fourth namely that;Concil. tri­dent. sess. 5. Apendix. The virgin Marie was not conceiued in sinne. Certes al these are contrarie to the true religion; which in the olde Testament saith:Gen. 6.5. All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans hart are onely euil continually: and in the new;2. Cor. 3.5. we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a­nie thing as of our selues, but our sufficiency is of God.

As touching the fourth article, howe we are deli­uered from the corruption & damnable estate, wher­into we fell by Adams transgression: There be many waies and religions forged, in the great cage of Ante­christ, ful of vnclean birds: out of which, as out of the botomles pit, come great swarmes of locustes, bring­ing with them a mist and cloud of darknes, which hi­deth all godlines and true religion. But to leaue out verie many deuises till another place, I onely wishe the reader, to cal to mind, the holie Eremits, Munks, Friers, and Nuns, and namly amongst the manifold [Page 160] broods, one Frances, and an other Dominick. This latter bread the religion of the obseruant preaching black friers, & the former the deuout host of the beg­gerly minorites, and out of these two many seckes of diuers rules & names of religions, who by their vow and streight obseruation, by them deuised, set downe diuers rules to subdue this corruption and to obtain eternall life, therefore they are by an excellency of speech called by the nameGratian de­cret. pars 2. caus. 19. Quest. 3. Bonauentur. de profectu re­ligios. Antho. de Rampegol. fig. Biblia. Ca­tholicon a Iohan. de Ia­nua. in virgo. of religion or religions, & al other are called seculer, because they renounce the world, and by fulfilling of three perfections, which they obserue, that is to say. Pouertie, chastity, and obedi­ence, (by which they are compared vnto angels) the blessed crown, which is giuen vnto such (as they say) they shal obtaine, euen the special reward of the lear­ned, being presented vnto Christ in the heauenlie kingdom. And the opinion & deuotion of these reli­gions grew to be so highly esteemed of men, & their life to be so angelical, that in steed of christ & his me­rits, men would leaue al things whatsoeuer to follow them; ye the very coule & garment of Frances, was thought to be of such vertue, that someIoh. Sleiden lib. 12. noble men, som very learned of those times, haue taken order to be buried in them, yea & they are not afraidIere. Bouch. in his confor­mities. to com­pare him with Christ in al things. Therfore you may perceiue they had forgotten the true religion & way of saluation which is in christ;Gen. 12.3. in the old testamēt is called the seed of Abrahā, in whom al the families of the earth were appointed to be blessed, and in the new testa­ment he is called,Ioh. 14.6. the way, the truth, & the life; and the rule of this religion is, thatcap. 3.16. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life. Therefore [Page 161] here is no agreement betweene these popish religi­ons, and the true ancient and catholike religion, see­ing they teach many other waies to heauen, beside that which God hath taught vs to be the onely way for all the families of the earth to be blessed.

Concerning the fift article, these bastardly coun­terfeites of Rome are more like the strange beast of Arabia and Ethiopia, then the obseruers of the true religion. For they greatly wound the doctrine of Christes person vnder a colour of honouring him, and they ouerthrow his mediatorship by pretence of deuotion. For while they giue godly honour to his bodie in the sacrament, and make him to be a ve­rie man vnder the formes of bread and wine, inuisi­ble & in all places where the priest doth consecrate, doe they not make him a man in fansie, to haue an heauenly bodie, in no part to bee like a true naturall man? doe they not hereby make him to haue but one nature which is God, or els that the manhood is swallowed vp or confounded with the Godhead? for it is the nature of God and not of man to bee in­uisible, incircumscriptible, and in many places at once: therefore in stead of the seede and sonne of Dauid and Abraham, they teach vs to beleeue they cannot tell what. But as touching his office, all men know, how many mediators and intercessors they call vpon beside Christ, (Though 1. Tim. 2.5. Gods word say there is but one mediator) Marie, Peter, Paul, all the Apostles, martirs and foolishly canonized Saintes, are made medi­ators. Then against Christs sacrifice (by whose per­fection all sacrifice should cease asHeb. 10.18. God teacheth) they haue a new deuised sacrifice for quicke & dead, [Page 162] they haue masses, diriges, pilgrimage, shrift, penance, purgatorie, indulgencies, satisfaction, merite, de­uout obseruations, numbring of prayers, Auema­ries, creedes, fastes, almes, workes of supereroga­tion, vowes, vestementes, crosses, tapers, relickes, shrines, ointinges, coniurings, and I know not what other trumperie, and beggerly rudimentes of this world, by which they wold make perfect the works of Christes mediation, for our redemption righte­ousnesse and saluation. Which the more they be a­boundant and ouerflowing, the greater is their dis­agreement with the true religion of God: which teacheth in the old testament, thus:Esai. 53.5.6. God laide vpon Christ the iniquitie of vs all, namely, that hee was woun­ded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was vpon him, and with his stripes we are healed. And in the new testament, thus:1. Ioh. 1.7. The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne. Now if Christ bloud cleanse vs from all sinne, and by his stripes wee bee healed; alas what neede we make so much adoe? why doe we for­sake theIoh. 1.24. Esai. 55.1.2.3 lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the worlde with the sure mercies of Dauid, and seeke after vaine thinges in which there is no helpe? why should we commit theseHier. 2.23. two euils to forsake God the fountaine of liuing waters, and to digge vnto our selues pittes, euen broken pittes, which will hold no water?

In the sixt Article, the opposition is plaine and apparant, for although they whom Christ teacheth say, that allPhilip. 3.4. righteousnesse taught by workes is but dunge in comparison of the doctrine of righteous­nesse [Page 163] which is by faith onely: yet they of this whoo­rish Babilon deny it, andAntidigma Coloniens. cap. de iustificat. & per quas causas. Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 6. make faith with hope and loue the formall cause of our righteousnesse, they make an inherent righteousnesse: And affirme directly, that a man is not iustified by faith onely, but also by workes. Is not this a verie great disagreement, where as the true religion teacheth the Church of God to say: as in the olde testament, thus;Psal. 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified. And in the new testament thus,Rom. 3.23.24. There is no difference for all haue sinned, and are depri­ued of the glorie of God: and are iustified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus: 25. whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud &c.

In the seuenth Article, there are three contradic­tories of the lying & erring multitude of Rome, vn­to the true religion. For theyConcil. Tri­dent. sessi. 5. & sess. 6. canon. 18. & 25. say that Concupiscence in the regenerate after baptisme is no sinne, although they confesse Saint Paule calleth it sinne. 2. That there is nothing in him displeasing God, but he is pure, innocent and immaculate. 3. A iustified man can keepe all Gods commaundements. If these men had learned and beleeued the true religion, they would not dare to speake so directly contrarie to truth, see­ing God teacheth far otherwise. First in the old testa­ment where the church is directed to sayEsai. 64.6.: Wee haue bin all as an vncleane thing, & all our righteousnes as filthy clouts. And in the new testament,1. Ioh. 1.8. If we say we haue no sin, wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Which two places being spoken of the people being by the sacrament of initiation (or Baptisme) entred [Page 164] into the Church, do shew plainely that original cor­ruption is a sinfull matter in the flesh of the regene­rate, by which they are made vnable to doe any one worke perfect, much lesse to doe all Gods comman­dements at all times, in thought word and deede, a thing which euerie mans owne conscience doth te­stifie, if he bee not too much besotted with the loo­king vpon his fruitlesse peacockes taile. In the eight Article they make additaments, namely thatConcil. Trid. sess. 6. canon 24. 33. 20. good workes are also causes of the encreasing of iustifi­cation, and truely deserue eternall life and encrease of glorie, and that the obseruing of the commandements of God and the Church, are the condition of the promise of eternall life, to which the iustified man is bound if he will be saued. By which while they robbe Christ of his merits, and giue more honour to the corrupt life of man, and lesse to the redeemer, and lay an other bur­then vpon Christians, then that which God layeth, and such as no man can beare: they leade themselues so farre from religion, that either by a vaine hope of that which is not, they forsake their owne saluation: or els by a greeuous desperate downe-fall, finding themselues (as the truth is) vnable to fulfill the con­dition, they lay themselues open to euerlasting per­dition. But God alloweth no such additamentes, where he teacheth vs in the old testament to say vn­to him:Psal. 16.2. Thou art my Lord, my well doing extendeth not to thee. And in the new,Luc. 17.10. When ye haue done all those things, which are commanded you, say wee are vn­profitable seruants &c. And the condition of fulfil­ling the commandements, is calledAct. 15.10. a yoke which nei­ther we nor our fathers were able to beare: and if it were [Page 165] possible to doe the commandements, yet the holie Ghost te [...]eth vs, thatGal. 2.21. if righteousnesse bee by the lawe, then Christ died without a cause.

Against the ninth Article the Romists do diuers­ly oppose themselues, shewing themselues to bee of no religion. For first they adde the commandement of the church, making it equall vnto Gods written worde, saying:Gret. decre [...]. pars 1. dist. 20. cap. de libellis. They which receiue not indifferently their Canons, they profitablie effectually and to purpose holde or beleeue, neither the catholike faith, nor the foure holy Euangelistes. They adde moreouer, thatDistinct. 19. all the decretals & constitutions of that sea, yea though it decree things scarce to bee borne, yet must they bee borne with a godly deuotion, though there bee (asDecret. ab­breuiat. in ver­sibus. they say in one booke of decrees) aboue 3000. Againe, they say thatConcil. Tri­dent. sess. 4. decret. 1. pari pietatis affectu & reue­rentia. Traditions pertaine to faith and maners, and that they doe receiue and embrace them with equall godly deuoti­on and reuerence, as they doe the holy scriptures. Lastly they set the Church before the scriptures, as that byTest. Rhem. note vpon. Gal. 2. vers. 2. & 6. D. Smith briefe treatise. cap 2. & 3. it the scriptures are so farre made knowen to all Chri­stians, as they are not bound so to take them, vnlesse by the authoritie of the Church they knew them. And that the authoritie of holy scripture dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersall or catholike church, and that there are many vnwritten verities left by Christ and his Apostles to be beleeued and obeyed vnder paine of damnation. Here is the mouth of blasphemie, if wee may beleeue the vndoubted word of God, how hee teacheth vs to esteeme of the holy scriptures and of the Church: for in the olde Testament hee saith:Esai. 8.20. To the law and to the testimonie, if they speake not accor­ding to this word, it is because there is no light in them. [Page 166] And in the new:2. Tim. 3.13 The holy scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation &c. Let then euery wise man iudge, that if the scriptures bee able to make a man wise vnto saluation, and that there is no light (that is to say knowledge of truth and godlinesse) in them, which agree not to the holy scriptures, what canons, decrees, decretals, traditions, or vnwritten verities, can haue any authoritie, vnlesse they agree to the written word of God? or that they can containe in them any thing not written in the scripture, which is of necessitie to saluation, or which not to doe or beleeue is damnation. Againe, how can the scrip­tures take their authoritie from the church, seeing that the church is of no light, vnlesse it bee found a­greeable to the scriptures: and therefore no church except it bee approued by the scriptures, and so the scripture is iudge ouer the church and not contrarie. And if (I say) the scriptures can make a man wise vn­to saluation: it is the greatest follie in the world to clogge the people of God with so many thousand of needles, canons, decrees, decretals, traditions, and vnwritten (falsely called) verities, and so make the light and easie yoke of Iesus Christ most heauie and burdenous. If these diuilish blasphemies were true, alas who could be saued? For who was euer found that did or could doe all the foresaid Canons and traditions? Therefore in them is fulfilled which is said by the Lord of Hypocrites,Math. 23.4. They bind heauie & greeuous burthens not to be borne, and lay them on mens sholders: but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers. Let vs abandon therefore these pain­ted sepulchers and enemies of all true godlinesse, [Page 167] which burden Gods house with such great volumes of new laws made by men, contrary to the true faith & religion: when God telleth vs expressely that hisPsal. 19.7. Deut. 4. law written in his word, is perfect and conuerteth the soule, and that to it nothing is to be added or taken away.

In the tenth Article, the contradiction is manifest to the whole worlde; for all men see that they re­straine the worde Catholike to one place, and that the whole Church should be ruled by her square, & the whole vniuersall worlde made catholike by one citie: wheras one city cannot be the vniuersal church of the whole world, which containeth the meanest and smallest part of the whole. Besides this, they doe not hold & professe the onely true & catholike faith, but do most earnestly, fearsely and cruelly persecute Christ & his members, & stand only vpon vain titles of antiquitie, vniuersalitie, visible succession, & other false grounds, which are common to all the wicked & pagans, & which notwithstanding their brags, can not be found in their sinagogue and profession. And as is their faith, such is their preaching, mans traditi­ons and deuises, altogether strangers from the life of God: & their sacraments (as they handle the matter) are not only ful of vnclean mixtures, but also peruer­ted & without authority from God. All which, to him that considereth, will bee found true, in the exa­mination of the articles going afore & following af­ter: namely that they haue nothing (in doctrine or practise) of the nature of the true Church of God, nor yet those visible marks which do indeed & true­ly shew, discerne and make knowne the true church and chast spouse of Christ.

[Page 168]In the eleuenth Article there need but few words, for when they worship the Roode and other idols, relickes of Saints and the sacrament, and when they pray to the virgine Marie, to the Apostles, and all canonized Saints of that sea: euerie man may by & by perceiue that they worship not God onely. And if they would shift vs off with their blind distinction of Latine doulia & hyperdoulia, it is not the daliance of termes that can helpe the matter, except the word of God made such a difference. Againe, they them­seluesPreceptoriū Nider. precept. 1. cap. 6. Latria idem est quod seruitus Deo exhibita &c. teach, that latria, which themselues say is a worship due and proper to God alone, may be done and might lawfully be done to these: namely, to the trinitie of the persons diuine, to the three Angels whom Abraham saw, to the done appearing vpon Christ, to the voice of the father, to the wordes of the holy scripture, in as much as they proceede from God, to the manhoode of Christ vnited to his Godhead, to the crosse of Christ, to the image of Christ, to the sacrament of the Eucharist, to the garments, nailes and speare of Christ. If here the pro­per honour and worship of God bee not giuen to creatures, and that these things be not disagreeing to the holy and ancient religion, allowed by God: I know not what is. Let it be tried by that which God saith in the old testament:Psal. 50.15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. And in the new Christ speaketh in the minde and meaning of the old:Math. 4.10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serue.

In the twelfth Article there are many disagree­mentes of Romish superstition and idolatrie, from the true catholike religion. First in the generall na­ture [Page 169] of a sacrament they add a further power, name­ly that the sacraments containe grace, & giue grace, and Concil tri­dent ses. 7. that of the worke wrought, yea and this alway and vnto all, on the part of God; and that without them, or the vow of them a man doth not receiue of God the grace of Iustifi­cation, and that the intent of the Minister is required, at least according to the generall intent of the Church. In which are two manifest cut-throats of the nature of a Sacrament: for by conteyning grace &c, vnder­standing that grace is in the outward signe, and so by the only outward ministerie, as it is wrought by the Minister grace is giuen: this maketh it more then a signe and a seale of the couenant, and giueth that to the outward signe & worke wrought of man, which is due to the spirit of God. And secondly the neces­sity of the Priests intention is made an efficient, bear­ding & outfacing the institution of God: as though that the being of the Sacrament, depended not onlie and wholly vpon Gods ordaining and institution, but that it must haue the intent of the minister, to make it a Sacrament. And here they are to be vnder­stood of the Sacraments of the new testament: ther­fore let vs heare how God in the new law of the gospel doth teach the contrarie. For he applyeth the vertue of both Sacraments to the spirit saying:1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are wee all baptized into one body, whether wee be Iewes or Grecians, whether wee be bound or free, and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit: therefore the power is not in the outward signe or worke, but onlie in the spirit, because that,Ver. 4. &. 11. the diuersities of gifts come of the same spirit, and he distributeth them to euerie one seuerallie as he will. And as for the Priests intent, [Page 170] he saith in the same chapter.Ver. 6. There are diuersities of operations, but God is the same which worketh all in all. If then God worke all, where is the ground of the Priests intent, and if the spirit distribute as hee will, where is the worke wrought, &c? There is yet a third addition, namely that they lay vpon these sa­craments, the grace of iustification, which God saith euidently, is imputed to faith without any workes, euen asRom. 4.1.2.3 11. &c. Gal. 3.6. Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnes. Secondly, for the number: the presuming sea addeth fiue, matrimonie, orders, con­firmation, penance, & extreame vnction, not one of them hauing the true nature of a sacrament, for they are no where ordeined and commaunded of God to any such purpose, except we would childishly say as they doe, namelyManipul. cu­rat. cap. 1. de instit. sacra. that hee ordained confirmation, when he laid his hands vpon children, and said, suffer little children to come vnto me, and orders when he said: Doe this in remembrance of me, & penance when he said to leapers: Go shew your selues to the Priest, and extreame vnction; when hee sent his Apostles to a­noint and heale the sicke, & that he made matrimo­ny a sacrament when in the wombe of the virgin M. he would ioyne our nature to the diuine, in the vni­ty of person, &c? So might wee make a multitude of sacraments, making of clay to heale the blind, his stooping downe to the ground to write, washing his Disciples feet, and many such like. Thus might we play the fooles with Guilhermus Durandus in his rationale diuinorum, turning all things into mysteries, & make trifling and prophane sport, with the schoole men, turning vp­side downe the true sence of holy scripture, by alle­goricall, [Page 171] morall and anagogicall interpretations, and when we haue done; come as neere the meaning of God, as the east is to the west. But if they be sacra­ments ordayned of God for his Church, they ought to bring forth the commaundement of God, such as is for Baptisme:Math. 28.19. 1. Cor. 11.23. Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost: and for the Lords supper. Do this in remembrance of me. Secondly, let thē shew out of Gods booke, the signe in penance, and the rest that they pertaine, to the generall couenant of grace and promise of Christ. As that matrimonie is anie more but a similitude or allegorie, or that confirma­tion was any more but the taking of the children vn­to him at one time, to blesse them particulerlie, or that orders is any more but for the grace of the estate of the ministrie: & their vnction was but for the bo­die that they might liue, and not for the soule at the very point of death: therfore here is great presump­tion to father vpon God, their owne beastly inuenti­ons. Thirdly, in that which is speciall in either of the two sacraments they commit very great absurdities, by most ridiculous & idolatrous additaments. First, in Baptisme, they thrust in a strangeLooke Ma­nipul. curat. c. 8. de Anex. Bapt. Catechising & a filthy exorcising. In the first they put the finger in his eare, to signifie that his eare should be apt to heare Gods word, and spit in his mouth, that hee may be prompt to speake of faith. 2. He crosseth him in his breast, that in breast & mouth he confesse the faith of Christ, & crosse him in the forehead, that he be not a­shamed of the faith of Christ. 3. He putteth salt in his mouth, signifying wisdom. His filthy exorcisme is to coniure the diuell that he depart frō the soule of the party to be baptized, & giue place to the holy ghost. [Page 172] And in baptizing they make three other crosses in declaring whereof, I am lost to defile this paper, they are so foolish & so greatly derogatorie to Christs ho­ly institution: for on the one side they dash baptisme out of countenance, with so many goodly shewes & vses: and secondly they blaspheme God to coniure, especially in the place & time of Gods worship: but one bable I may not omit, that theyIb. cap. 7. Godfather & Godmother may not mar­ry together by Poperie. giue baptisme such a power to make a spirituall cosonage, namelie, that it hindreth matrimonie & breaketh a contract. See here if Antechrist presume not as God, nay a­boue God: for they make that vnlawfull,Heb. 13.4. Math. 19.6. which God hath made honorable among al men, & put asun­der thē whom God hath coupled together. But yet there are more abhominations, & heretical presumptions. For in the sacrament of the Eucharist, they amende the signe, and put water to the wine: secondly, they take away one of the signes from all the communi­cants sauing him that maketh the sacrament: thirdly, they driue away both the signes altogether by their fiction of transubstantiation, & set in the roome ther­of (if we may beleeue them) the body, soule, & God­head of Christ, that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary, & crucified vnder Pontious Pilate, and so being chaunged they giue godly honor vnto it, they lift it vp and carrie it in procession, and hold it forth to be publikely worshipped of all men, they of­fer it vp for a sacrifice for the quicke & the dead, and keepe it very deuoutly in the pix, to be readie at all times to comfort them that need. Surely it should seeme that Christ & his Apostles were but children vnto those, both in wisdome and in power. For they [Page 173] neuer once dreamed of these things, and being mat­ters of very great importance, it is meruaile they ne­uer had leisure to commit at the least, some of them vnto writing, that it might be found in holy scrip­ture: but being not found there, they haue their ho­lie traditions of equall reuerence with Gods word, or els the plenarie power of their Apostaticall sea, sufficientlie to warrant whatsoeuer, to them whom God hath giuen ouer to beleeue lies. This is the pro­foundnes of Sathan, good Lord God, and mercifull father, keepe it euer out of this land, that it neuer de­ceiue thy people any more. First the mingling of wa­with the wine isConcil. tri­dent ses. 6. ca. 7. brought in vpon three goodllie reasons. 1. Christ is thought to haue done so: 2. water came out of his side: 3. water in the Apocalips signi­fieth people, therefore it sheweth the misterie of vni­on of the faithfull people with Christ. Loe here a forgerie of a new misterie, why might they not put in nailes or stakes, that might signifie the fastning of Christ to his people, because theEccl. 12.11. preacher speaketh of such a misticall fastening. If men may add thus vpon coniectures, and set Anathema and a curse (as they doe) vpon all that consent not; how shall wee finde the measure of truth? or how shall they a­uoide the curse of God, which saith:Reuel. 22. cursed is he that addeth to this booke. But alasse poore men how little effect this deuise hath brought forth? For by and by, as soone as it is a sacrament, (for before the words of consecration, as they call them, it is no sacrament) the wine is cleane gone (they say) where is thē their new misterie? How can they represent, which haue no being in rerum natura, in the world. Againe, how [Page 174] can it signifie this to the people, when they keepe it from them, and blesse them with the emptie cup. This is a second presumption against the expresse commandement of Christ, which saith:Math. 29.27. Mark. 14.23. drinke yee all of this, and they dranke all of it. Thirdlie in transub­stantiation, see how many monsters they feed. First wee must beleeue there is no wine or bread though wee see them and taste them, though they haue the same quantities and qualities, and effects they had before, though they corrupt and putrifie as before, and we must beleeue that Christ, God, and Man, is vnder those formes, quantities and qualities, though wee can see, heare, or feele no forme, quantitie, or qualitie of a true or naturall bodie or man. Here is a monsterous mā, which if you look vpon him is all o­uer couered with a little roūd peece of starch not sur­mounting the greatnes of a mans hād. Here be al the properties of bread and wine, and their naturall ope­rations, but they are not bread nor wine, but a man; here one subiect hath accidents, and essentiall quali­ties of an other subiect. And accidents are and haue a being, without their true substance & proper and naturall subiect. A bodie which is a thing circūscrip­tible, and by the diuine law of Gods creation & pro­uidence is alway, and can be but in one place at one time; is here made and set in diuers places, & yet still one & the same, and that at one time: in heauen and earth, at Constantinople, at Ierusalem, at Rome, at Car­thage, & euery where. But how cā they shift here, the making of God to assume these formes (as they call thē) into the vnity of his person, that so God & man & the formes of bread & wine make not one Christ; [Page 175] for by their doctrine these formes haue no being, but in Christ, & Christ is vnder thē. I quake to write it, yet say they, we must beleeue this chāge, for nothing is vnpossible to God. They must not so blinde our eies: for it is vnpossible to God, to haue already done that which he neuer did, nor neuer will doe, such is this transubstantiation of theirs. It is impossible for God to deny himself, such is this transubstātiation, it is impossible for God to lie: such is this transubstāti­ation. Againe, how can this be a sacrament when the outward signes be gone, and a remembrance of him that is present? but rather that himself is the signe of himself, & a remembrance of himself present, neither yet is this so: for we cannot see him, feele nor vnder­stand, how he is present, that he might be a signe or a remēbrance of himselfe, but a third thing is present, the accidents or forms of bread & wine, this is a new learning to teach Christ and his Apostles to goe to schoole, nay this is the monster of all mōsters. Teach we the Indians that this is the God of the christians, may they not think rather, the sunne or moone more likely to be God, & to haue a more expresse maiestie of a God? may not the diuel laugh in himself, that he hath so far passing measure, bewitched the wise and graue learned mē, to beleeue that which a child may easily perceiue to be meere folly. Infinit is the blood that hath bin shed to maintaine this fansie: and who would not willingly spend all the blood in his heart, rather thē to yeeld to such blasphemie. But the diuel is not herewithal content, but that he might lead thē euery way as slaues, in triumph against God and his Christ: he maketh thē to worship these formes and [Page 176] host (as they call it) and carrie it about in procession, that all men might adore it as God. And thisConcil. tri­dent. Ses. 6. Septemb. 17. 1562. Cap. 1. ses. 3. canon. 5. they build vpon these words of Christ. Doe this in re­membrance of mee: for by them (as they say) the Priest hath power, to make a sacrifice propitiatorie, and then being turned into God (they say) it is meet and fit that hee should be worshipped, whom God bringing into the world, commaunded the Angels to adore: But herein first they gainesay the Scrip­ture, which teacheth the end of all sacrifices by the Priesthood of Christ, as is by many arguments pro­ued from the sixt till the eleuenth Chapter of the E­pistle to the Hebrewes; Secondlie, when they cause it to be worshipped, and yet God instituted it to be taken and eaten onelie; what doe they but peruert the ordinance of God? and they say wee must wor­ship the sacrament, or els Christ in the sacrament. If they say the sacrament then they cannot say Christ, because he is not the sacrament, but the sacrament is a signe of him; or els the sacrament is no sacrament. I so they say in the sacrament, thē they say no thing; because that by their doctrine, there is no such thing; but only the formes of bread and wine, for the bread and wine, is turned into Christs body and blood (as they say) and so there is nothing left to be the sacra­ment. Yet if it were so as they say: what man can ap­point a new forme of worship, to be performed vn­to God, without his expresse commandement or au­thoritie?Math. 15. Looke in the Masse booke ordinarium Missae. For Christ saith that all such worship as is by the precept of men is in vaine. And lastly consi­der how this can agree, when they offer the sacri­fice, they desire God to accept that sacrifice, againe, [Page 177] when they shew it the people, they cause them to worship it, a strange and new kind of God, that must be prayed for, and praied to. But howsoeuer, it is a manifest thing, that the popish sacrament and sa­crifice, is not the same which Christ instituted, and therefore not of the exercises of the true Catholike religion. For if Saint Paul, when there was among the Corinthians but a little abuse, in the mixture of eating,1. Cor. 11.20. in the congregation at the time of the cele­bration of the Lords supper, whereupon there was discontentment betweene rich and poore: if I say hereupon hee called them to the plaine and simple institution, saying: I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you &c. And therein ad­deth nothing to that which is written in Mathew, Marke and Luke: what doth he inferre, but that it should be obserued without all additions: and ther­fore vpon this ground forbiddeth their eating in the church. What would he haue done, if he had seene such swelling boiles & filthy bunches, standing vp so abhominablie, as these Romish additaments, which altogether take away the verie forme of Christes in­stitution? This sheweth how little these men haue of the gospell of Christ: the teachers whereof are enioyned to teach the church to doe,Mat. 28.19. 1. Tim. 6.4. whatsoeuer he commaunded. And to keepe this commandement, without spot and vnrebukeable, vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ. And therefore wee are not bound to1. Cor. 11.1. follow them any otherwise, but as they follow Christ.

In the thirteenth Article the sea of Rome is di­rectly contradictory, to the christian religion. For [Page 178] they say:Concil. Tri­dent. de sacris ling. peregrin. cap. 8. Et si missa contineat populi fidelis eruditio­nem &c. Although the masse containe great instruc­tion of the faithfull people, yet it seemed not conue­nient to the fathers, that it should be celebrated eue­rie where in the vulgar tongue: And their masse booke, which containeth prayers, celebration of sa­craments, reading of holy scriptures, &c. is set forth to bee vsed in the latine tongue: But saithManip. curat. cap. 10. de rit. quo deb. miss. celebra. one of that side: Sciendum quod missa tribus linguis &c. It is to be vnderstoode, that the masse is celebrated in three languages, that is to say, Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine. For Alleluya, Amen, Osanna, Sabaoth, are ta­ken of the Hebrew. Kyrie eleeson Christe eleeson are taken of the Greeke, all the rest are Latin. The masse is said in these three manners, because the title of Christ hanging on the crosse, was written in He­brew, Greeke, and Latine. Where you may see three strange thinges to bee done of these holy fathers, first to celebrate that in an vnknowne tongue, which containeth great instruction to the faithfull people: as if it were meete in their eies, that the meate which was good, and appointed for them, ought to bee kept out of their sight. Secondly, that this order must be learned of Pontius Pilate, who put Christ to death a verie good an Apostle, for an Aposta­ticall Church. Thirdly, this is expressely repug­nant to holy scripture, which saith,1. Cor. 14.26.28. Let all things be done to edification: and that, hee which speaketh in a strange tongue should keepe silence in the Church.

In the foureteenth Article they bee also contra­dictorie to the truth. And first touching matrimo­ny, they haue three degrees of contradiction.Concil. trid. sess. 8. canon. 9. First [Page 179] absolutely forbidding all preestes and ecclesiasticall persons to marie.Canon 11. Secondly, they forbidde mari­age certaine times in the yeare, as in Lent, &c. AndCanon 3. thirdly take vpon thē to dispence with the order of GodCap. 18. in Leuiticus touching the degrees of kindred prohibited, & also to adde and ordaine moe degrees to be prohibited, which God hath not forbidden: And whosoeuer doth maintain the Christian liber­tie herein, they pronounce him Anathema, accursed. Forgetting whatAct. 10.15. Reuelat. 3.7. God said to Peter, That God hath purified, pollute thou not: and that Christ the head of his Church hath the keye of Dauid, that openeth and no man shutteth &c. Wherefore seeing that Christ hath madeHeb. 13.4. Tit. 1.15. mariage honourable for all men: and that by his ordinance, To the cleane all things are cleane: doe they not herein bewray their apostatical presumpti­on to challenge authoritie more then euer Peter durst euen aboue Christ: when they make mariage dishonourable in certayne times and persons: and dispence by giuing libertie, where Christ forbid­deth: and making restraint where hee giueth liber­tie. Now in the authoritie of the magistrate, how vnlike the Pope is vnto Peter euerie man seeth: For cleane contrarie to all religion and honestie hee taketh vppon him not onely to bee vniuer­sall Bishoppe aboue all Bishoppes: but also vni­uersall ministeriall head in earth, aboue all power and potentates, kinges and Emperours, that is a­boue all that is calledPsal. 82.1. The Pope a­boue all called God. God. Therefore we need not vse many wordes in this place: seeing the Pope vsurpeth that which Christ himselfe neuer did in his owne person, neyther gaue to any other af­ter [Page 180] him. For he meekely submitted himselfe to the ciuill power, saying directly,Ioh. 18.36. Mark. 10.43. My kingdome is not of this world: and forbidding others he saith, It shall not be so among you.

In the fifteenth Article the disagreement by addi­tion, that where the true religion by holie scripture haue this hope of the bodies rising at the last day. The sea of Rome teach another arising: namely of the soule out of Limbus Patrum, out of purgatorie, and out of Hell, before that great day of iudgement come. As first thatTest Rhem. annot. Luc. 16.22.26. Dorbel. di­stinct. 2 sent. 4. In miss. quotid. pro defund. offert. Christ descended into Hell, & deliuered the fathers some out of Limbus, some out of purgatorie, which had lien there till that time. And that in hell a man may suffer part of his tempo­rall penance, which being ended hee is free from thence: and therefore they pray in their Masse: Do­mine Iesu &c. O Lord Iesu Christ deliuer the soules departed &c. Which dreaming additament of hope concerning the dead bewrayeth it selfe, to disagree from the Christian religion: in as much as God doth teach men, that after death the faith­full doe onely rest, till the last day. First in the olde testament, thus:Esa. 57.2. Dan 12.13. He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds. Thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot at the end of the daies. And in the new Testament:Reuelat. 14.13. Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord: euen so saith the spirit, for they rest from their labours. If they rest, and that till they stand vp: then no transla­tion out of Limbus, Purgatorie, or Hell. And if they rest, then no penance in hell or purgatorie for the faithfull. Therefore I may conclude in this place, that the popish superstition hath verie little or no af­finitie [Page 181] with the true ancient and catholike religion, but it hath verie many great & intollerable disagree­ments from the same.

CAP. II. Of the disagreement, that popish superstition, now taught in Rome, hath with the religion which Saint Paul taught the Romans, and with the doctrine Saint Peter taught the Iewes.

IT will also appeare how new the supersti­tion of poperie is, if we find they keep not the doctrine of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christs Church, Saint Paule and Saint Peter: vpon which two they father all their authoritie and doings, and call them founders and protectors, and patrons of the church of Rome. If then they be fallē from the faith, which these two holy Apostles taught by the spirit of truth, they must needs be accounted vpstarts & of an apostatical new borne generation. Marke therefore (good Reader) and consider. Saint Paul taught the Romanes, that it was an hethenish wickednes,Rom. 1.23. to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of a corruptible man. The sea of Rome that now is, cleane contra­rie to that doctrine, doth make images to represent the Trinitie, and to represent God the father, by the likenesse of an olde corruptible man. The doctrine which Saint Peter taught the Iews, saith thatAct. 2.23. Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknow­ledge of God, to bee crucified and slaine, by the handes of wicked men. The sea of Rome that now is doth say: [Page 182] that God did onely foresee, but not determine or or­daine any thing which he commandeth not: and it is certaine he commanded not the Iewes to crucifie Christ, therefore in these two points they agree not with Paul & Peters doctrine. S. Paul taught the an­cient Romanes, thatRom. 8.7. The wisedome of the flesh (that is to say, the knowledge and will of man as it is infec­ted by original corruption, before we be regenerate) is enmitie against God, and that it is not subiect to the law of God, neither in deed can bee. And the doctrine of Peter to the Iewes is, that wee1. Pet. 1.22.23. cap. 2. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 3.5. are borne againe as new borne babes, shewing that without the spirit of God we haue not one good thought: But these new Romistes say, that mans will onely stirred vp by the grace of God, can prepare it selfe to the grace of iu­stification, and doeth workes of congruitie plea­sing God, and worketh together with the grace of God vnto merit and deseruing of saluation, S. Paul taught the Romanes, thatRom. 8.8. they which are in the flesh (that is the vnregenerate) can not please God. And a­gain,Cap. 3.12. They haue all gone out of the way, they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable, there is none that doth good no not one. And he openeth himselfe els where say­ing:Eph. 4.17.18. The Gentils walke in the vanitie of their mind, ha­uing their cogitation darkened, being straungers from the life of God, through the ignoraunce that is in them &c. that is to say, their ignoraunce is so great that they cannot doe any thing but sinne, which he con­firmeth by this maxime to the same Romans:Rom. 14.23. What­soeuer is not of faith is sinne. Therefore his doctrine to them is this that, by their exceeding ignoraunce the vnregenerate did nothing but such as was sinne in [Page 183] Gods eye-sight. These late Romistes doeConcil. tri­dent. Ses. 6. canon. 7. accurse this doctrine of Saint Paule, and all them that say, that all the workes of the vnregenerate to bee true­ly sinne. Saint Peter taught the Iewes,Act. 4.12. That there is saluation in none other (meaning none other but Christ) for that there is giuen none other name vn­der heauen, whereby we must be saued. These dege­nerate pretenders of Peter, place saluation in o­thers, as in merites, satisfaction, and workes of supererogation: and say there bee other names by which wee must bee saued, as diriges, religious orders and vowes, pilgrimage, pardons, relickes, and many other names by them deuised. Saint Paule taught the auncient Romanes, thatRom. 4.25. & 8.33.34. Christ dyed for our sinnes, and rose to make vs righteous, and be­ing hereby iustified of God, nothing can bee layed to our charge, nor condemne vs. By which it appea­reth that the obedience and suffering of Chryst, was the perfect working of our saluation. These bastarde Romanes doe saye, that wee yet neede the sacrifice of the Masse for quicke and deade, and that the doing and fulfilling of Gods com­maundementes and the Church, is the condition on our part. S. Peters doctrine saith that all the faith­ful1. Pet. 2.5.9. are an holy priesthood, To offer vp spiritual sacri­fices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. These counterfet successors of Peter, adde a new deuise, saying: that their priests haue an especial office, to offer vp sacri­fice, namely their Hoste. S. Paul taught the old Ro­manes, thatRom. 8.34. Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, to make intercession for vs. These declined Romistes say, that the virgin Marie, Peter and Paul, and the Saints [Page 184] are intercessors for vs. Saint Peter taught the Iewes: that he the said1. Pet. 5.1.2 Peter was an elder as other elders & ministers of Christ, and that such elders should not be Lordes ouer Gods heritage, but that Christ was the chiefe shepheard. These stately prelates make themselues Lords of sea and land: disdaining at the low estate of the Apostles and elders of the primi­tiue church. Saint Paule taught the Christian Ro­manes, thatRom. 3.28. A man is iustified by faith without workes. These Antechristian Romanes say: that by doing good workes a man is iust and iustified, and not by faith alone. Saint Paul taught the Christian Romans that,Rom. 7.7. Concupiscence in the regenerate was sinne, and though he did will that which was good, yet hee could not performe it. These Antechristian Romanes do say, that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate af­ter Baptisme, but onely left for the spirituall battell to bee resisted. Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith, That we must doe good workes 1. Pet. 2.12.15. to shew forth the vertues of God, and to glorifie him, and to put to silence the ignoraunce of foolish men. The new learning of these men is, that we must do good workes, that we might winne heauen thereby. Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith,1. Pet. 1.23. & 2.1. & epist. 2. cap. 3.1.15. That the Gospell is the word of God by which we are borne again, that it is sincere milke, and commendeth vnto them his owne and also S. Paules epistles. And S. Paule taught the faithfull Romanes:Rom. 1.2. & 16.26. That God promised the gospell before by his prophetes in the holy scriptures, and that God commaunded that it should bee taught all nations by the scriptures of the pro­phets. These Romanes of the new learning, do say: that theReade Mar­tin Peresius Aila de tradi­tionibus. scripture can not teach all the gospell, but [Page 185] we must learne somewhat touching faith and salua­tion by tradition, canons, and the magisteriall power of the Church, and equall these with holy scripture, to teach that which cannot be found and learned in the written word of God. Saint Paul taught the Ro­mans the vniuersalitie of the Church, when he said,Rom. 10.12. there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian; for hee that is Lord ouer all, is right vnto all that call vpon him, & S. Peters doctrine agreeth there­unto, where he saith:Act. 10.34.35. God is no accepter of persons, but in euery nation hee that feareth him and worketh righte­ousnes, is accepted with him. These late builders place the Church in the citie of Rome, and call it the Ca­tholike Church of Rome. S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes, saith,1. Pet. 1.3. & 2 5.17. that he prayed and blessed God, and that the Christians should feare God, and offer spi­rituall sacrifices vnto God. And S. PaulRom. 1. & 10 & 15. & 16. taught the beleeuing Romanes, by his own ensample in diuers prayers, and by a generall example of the Church in these words: whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord, &c. that they should worship and pray to God one­ly: These new deuisers giue this honour of God, to Saints, relickes, and images, and teach men to serue, worship, and pray to them. S. Paul taught the Ro­manes of the Primatiue Church, that afterRom. 4.11. iustifica­tion by faith, the sacraments are signes to seale the righteousnes of faith: and S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith, that1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs, but not by the outward washing away of the filth of the flesh, but by the spirit working in our hearts a good conscience to God. 21. These new forgers of doctrine and sacraments, make the sacraments in the worke wrought to containe & [Page 186] to conferre grace, and to iustifie together with faith, and that without baptisme there happeneth no iusti­fication. Saint Paul and S. Peter, wrote both in the Greeke tongue, which was fittest for all nations to learne Gods word, and wheresoeuer they gaue in­structions,This appea­reth Act. 2. & all the whole storie follow­ing. they did it in that language which might best be vnderstood of the people: but these new re­ligion makers, deliuer instructions, & teach men prai­ers in an vnknowne tongue, & giue them images to be their bookes. Saint Peters doctrine touching ma­riage appeareth, that he being2. Cor. 9.5. 1. Pet. 5.2. an Elder, had a wife, as the other Apostles, & laid no other burden vpon Elders but to feed the flocke of God: and yet these new law makers forbid mariage, to the which Peter called elders. S. Paul taught the Romans thatRom. 13.1. 1. Pet. 2.13. euery soule should be subiect to the higher powers, and S. Peter commaundeth submission, to all maner ordinance of man. But these proude vsurpers, take vpon them to dispence, with the oth & obedience of subiects, brin­ging all superiour power vnder their seruant, the Pope of Rome. S. Peter taught1. Pet. 5.9. to resist the diuell stedfast in faith: these afterwitted men teach vs to do it by coniuring, by crosses and by holie water. Saint Paul taught the first childe of the Romanes, thatRom. 14.2.3.4. in meate and dayes, men should not iudge and condemne one another: these men vnder the name of the Church, forbid and commaund, iudge and condemne men, in meates and in dayes, and that vn­der paine of damnation. S. Peter taught the Iewes,1. Pet. 1.5. that wee are kept by the power of God, thorough faith vnto saluation: these mē say, that faith without hope & charity cannot performe it. S.2. Pet. 3.18. 1. Pet. 3.15. Peter would [Page 187] haue euery man grow in the knowledge of our lord Iesus Christ, and to be so far instructed in the gospel, that hee might be able to giue a reason of his faith. These Antipetrians would haue men to content thēselues with ignorance, & to beleeue as the church beleeueth, & by this colour that ignorāce is the mo­ther of deuotion, they kepe the common people frō knowledge of the scriptures. S. Peters doctrine doth sayAct. 3.2. that the heauens must containe Christ, vntil the time that al things be restored: & S. Paul taught the Romanes,Rom. 8.24. that Christ is at the right hand of God: yet say these shameles forgers, that Iesus Christ, very God, and very man is really & locally, (by the inten­tion of a Priest vttering certaine wordes, which they call cōsecration) is in the sacrament (as they cal it) of the Aulter. Saint Peter taught the Iewes, that it wasActs. 15.10. a tempting of God, to binde Gods people to keepe the law, because it is a yoke that neyther we nor our fathers were able to beare. These presumptuous backesliders doe say, that it is a condition of our sal­uation and righteousnesse, to doe the commaunde­ments of God and the Church, & that a man is able to fulfill the commaundements of God. Saint PeterAct. 10.25.26 Math. 17.24. forbad Cornelius a Captaine of a band, when he fell downe at his feete, and worshipped him, say­ing, that hee himselfe was a man, and being di­rected and commaunded by our Sauiour Christ, hee paide tribute and pollemonie vnto Caesar. But the Pope the counterfeit successour of Peter, refuseth no kinde of honour euen to the kis­sing of his feete, done by Kinges or Empe­rours: and taketh tolle and tribute out of all lands [Page 188] whom he can make his vassals and vnderlings. SaintAct. 3.12. Peter in the good works which he did, renounced in plaine tearmes, his owne power and godlinesse, and laboured by all meanes to set forth the name of Christ, that Christ onely might be glorified. These filthie changelings haue no end in aduancing the power of Peter, and therein of the name, authoritie, and glorie of the Pope. Saint Peter neitherAct. 8. & 11. & 15. hauing nor taking vpon him any soueraigntie aboue other Apostles, or aboue any estate, was sent by the A­postles at Ierusalem, to doe some Apostolicall worke in his ministrie, and S. Iohn equallie with him, and he obeyed his bretheren, submitted himselfe to giue an account of his doings, for his going to the Gen­tils, and gaue place to Iames to determine the con­trouersie, touching circumcision, and the law of Mo­ses to be imposed vpon the Gentils, & had no grea­ter title in the counsell, nor in any place of scripture, then Simeon, Peter, or Cephas, seruant and Apostle of Iesus Christ, or Elder. Also heeGal. 2.7.8.9.11. acknowledged the same authoritie in Paul ouer the Gentils, which he had ouer the Iewes: and therefore hee meekelie suffered reproofe, for his weakenesse, at the hands of Paul, andAct. 5.40.41. with all patience and ioyfulnesse tooke stripes, with the rest of the Apostles for the name of Christ. The Pope his pretended successor taketh vp­on him farre otherwise, namely the Primacie aboue all Bishops and Patriarkes, aboue all Princes & Ma­gistrates, and maketh Cardinals and Archbishops his Embassadors and Legattes, disdaineth to giue an account of any thing, and taketh vpon him to con­firme all counsels, and to annihilate, whatsoeuer is [Page 189] concluded without his consent and authoritie, enti­tuling himselfe Bishop of Bishops, cheefe Pastour & head of the vniuersall Church of Christ. He is so far from being reprooued, that hee will iudge all men, but himself be iudged of no man, and that his deter­minations must not be reasoned nor disputed vpon: and not onely ouer the Iewes, but also ouer all nati­ons he vsurpeth authoritie, and is so farre from meek bearing of reproof or stripes for the name of Christ, that he raiseth vp sedition, rebellion and cruell wars against the lawfull superiour, & putteth downe Em­perours and Kings for his owne name sake, & main­tenance of his owne pride and vsurped iurisdiction. In all the storie which is in the new testament con­cerning Paul and Peter, we haue not one word, that Peter should be head of the Apostles, much lesse head of the vniuersall Church, or ouer Princes: nei­ther is there any direct, or indirect collection to be made out of holy scripture: that if Christ had giuen him such authority, the same should haue descended and gone to his successors. And if to his successors, yet it would be doubtfull, whether Babilon, or Sa­maria, or Ioppa, or Ierusalem, might not be the place of succession: for at these places, it is expreslie said, hee was and remained. And as for Rome, there is great reason to thinke, that hee was neuer there, or at the least some verie little while, and if he were there at all, yet neuer was hee Bishop of Rome. First, it is cleare that S. Peter kept at Ierusalem till the conuer­sion of Saint Paul:Act. 8. & 9. & 10. & 15. which was sometime after the Apostles had begun the planting of the Church of Ierusalem, and the Martyrdome of Steuen the Dea­con. [Page 190] ThenGal. 1.18. three yeeres after Paul visited Peter at Ierusalem, andGal. 2.1. fourteene yeeres after that he com­municated with Peter, Iames and Iohn at Ierusalem; and then after thisAct. 12.1.2.3. was Peter cast into prison by He­rode, after the martirdom of Iames the brother of Iohn, afterAct. 24.17. which time Paul met with Peter at An­tiochia. NowAct. 24.17. many yeeres after it was before that Paul was taken at Ierusalem and sent to Rome; whe­ther when he came, theAct. 28. holy storie maketh men­tion of the brethren, that came to meete Paul, hea­ring of his comming neere vnto Rome: and that Paul being committed to a Souldior to keepe, com­muned with the Iewes, and for two yeeres space re­mained in an house hyred for himselfe, and receiued all that came vnto him and preached the kingdome of God: where there is no mention of Peter, who being so woorthie a person, no doubt it is likely, that in all this space the Euangelist would haue said som­what of him if he had been at Rome. Now if as the stories say he and Peter died, the 14. or 12. yeere of Nero which was about the yeere of Christ ascenti­on 70. there might be as some calculate 37. yeeres of Paules preaching, from which diduct some 18. yeeres before he went to conferre with Peter, Iames, and Iohn, and adde the time that Iames was slaine at Ierusalem by Herod, and after that the time that Peter was at Antioch; and lastly those many yeeres before Paul was taken and brought to Rome, and his being there two yeres, all which may easily make vp the other yeeres, and way there withall, that as some thinke his comming captiue to Rome Acts 28. was the eleuenth yeere of Nero, then ioine here­unto, [Page 191] that he wrote from thence as some thinke, the Epistle to the Galathians and to the Ephesians, mak­ing no mention of Peters being at Rome. But in the Epistles to theCap. 4. Colossians, andCap. 1. & 2. & 4. Philippians, where it appeareth plainely that Paule was at Rome in bondes, and had Aristarchus his prison fellowe, hee maketh mention of Caesars hoshold, Tychicus, One­simus, Marcus, Luke and diuers others, & there is no word of Peter. Again hisCap. 4. second epistle to Timothy was written from Rome, when he was now ready to be offered, and the time of his departure (out of this life) at hand and he had finished his course: he shew­eth that no man assisted him in his answering, and there he maketh mention of Linus, Eubulus and Pu­deus and diuers others, and telleth that Demas had forsaken him, and Luke only was with him. If a man ought to preferre the credit of the holy writings of God, before other stories, we may here plainely ga­ther, that rather Peter was neuer at Rome, or else it was a verie little while: For doubtles if Peter had suf­fered with him, he had either been his prison fellow, or else some way with him as Luke, and not Luke onely, and he would as well haue assisted Paul as re­sisted Simon Magus: therfore it is not without great reason to thinke that Peter was neuer at Rome. Moreouer adde hereunto, that he being an Apostle ouer the circumcision that is to the Iewes, and Paul to the Gentils: and then staying so longe at Hie­rusalem, and after at Antioch, and last of all as himselfe testifieth beeing at1. Pet. 1. & 5. Babilon, hee wrote to the straungers, that is, to the Iewes in Pon­tus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithinia, [Page 192] And in hisCap. 1. second Epistle, when hee knew his time at hand, to lay downe his tabernacle (that is his life) seeing that in all this there is no mention of the Ro­manes, nor scarce of the Gentils, so that he seemed preciselie to attend vpon his Apostleship ouer the Circumcision, there can hardly be any good reason to proue he euer was at Rome: but that hee was Bi­shop of Rome no reason at all. For seeing his A­postleship was ouer the Circumcision they offer vi­olence, that will draw him to be Bishop of Rome, considering that one may trace him in the scrip­tures, vntill the time almost of his death, and no mention made of his being at Rome, nor of his care ouer the Romanes: his abode & his Epistles are di­rected to the Iewes. Further, if we consider how vn­fitting it is for an Apostle to be a Bishop of one citie, who wasMat. 28.19. equallie to go to all places, and to preach in all places (as indeed he trauailed to many places) to1. Cor. 3.10. Eph. 2.20. lay the foundation, with the other Apostles, of Christs Church, and secondly how vnlikely it is that such should haue successors, to whom it belonged to1. Cor. 9.1. see Christ, to be calledGal. 1.1. onely and immediatly by Christ, from whom onely the commandements of Christ should be taught to al nations, to whose wor­king it was adioyned to1. Thes. 4.2. 2. Pet. 3.2. doe wonders, & to speake with strange tongues, & whose worke especially was to lay the foundation.Act. 2. & 8. If the Pope can shew such markes of his succession, hee were the more to be borne withall. But seeing the holy Ghost hath alto­gether neglected that sea, and hidden the life of Pe­ter from appearing in Rome, vnder the light of his inspired writings: it seemeth vnto me, and I am veri­ly [Page 193] perswaded, especially vpon the consideration of the doctrine before examined and compared, that the good spirit of God would in no wise be accessa­rie to this great folly and Antechristian and diuilish apostasie, of the papall pride and new deuised and vsurped primacie of the sinagogue of Rome that now is, and hath bene in a consumption euen foure­score yeares. Praised be God, who hath withdrawne our shoulders from that most greeuous burden.

CAP. III. Of the agreement of Popish doctrine with all kind of here­sie, where it is compared, how the popish heresie, resem­bleth the anciēt heresies of the primitiue age of Christs Church.

HAuing shewed the newnes of poperie, in that it disagreeth with the ancient religiō of God, his prophets and Apostles: and namely with that which Paul taught to the Romanes and Peter to the Iewes. It will bee an other euidence of their late arising and breeding, if it be made apparant, how they agree with the here­sies, which sprang vp in the Apostles times, and in those few ages following, which came neerest to the Apostles, both in yeares and doctrine. And this is in two arguments: First in the matter and forme of doctrine, and secondly in the order and course of time. For if they haue no better matter or forme of doctrine then heretickes, and rise vp in the later times as heretickes did: then it must needes fol­low that they are not of the true auncient catholicke [Page 194] religion, but of a new vpstart, hereticall prauitie and superstition. And first let vs see in this Chapter, their agreement in the forme and matter of doctrine. Andiani heretickes about Anno 338. began to bee knowne, and after them Anthropomorphitae, creapt out of Monkish rudenesse: affirming that God was like vnto the image of a corruptible man, hauing armes, feete, and eares, and other members like to a man. And there is another heresie opposed vnto Sabellius, which some call Tritheitae or Triformia­ni, Anno 370. which make the three persons in the trinitie three Gods, like as wee account and know, Robert, Richard, and Nicholas to be three men. So the Papistes not in wordes, but in deedes do the ve­rie same: for in their roode, crosses and glasse win­dowes, they engraue or paint the likenesse of God, like the image of a man, and the three persons like two seuerall men, an old and a yong, and like a doue. And when theyHore in laud. beat. virg. Mar. giue the virgine Marie power to make men gentle, chaste, and of a pure life, they haue too much resemblance vnto the heretickes cal­led Melchisedechiani, who thought that Melchise­deck was the power of God. And what odds in sub­stance of matter is there betweene them, and the Si­monians who hold Simon Magus for a God, or as it is in the Actes of the Apostles,Act. 8. the great power of God. For theyTest. Rhem. annot. in Luk. cap. 15.10. & Math. 22.10. say, that our harts and inward re­pentance, be open to the Saintes, and that they can heare our prayers and helpe vs, be they neere or afarre of. Which to doe doubtles is not of any creature but onely of God. Now when they make saints, patrons of people and countries. What doe they els but as [Page 195] the Tetratheitae, make many Gods? As Mahomet the hereticke ordained that it should be death, if a­ny man disputed against his pestilent lawes: So the Popes canons forbid any man to iudge or dispute of the decrees of their (falsely called) Apostolicall sea. The Pelagians denie predestination altogether and the papists denie it in regard of the reprobate. The heretickes Basilidiani tie predestination, to workes foreseene: and so do the papistes. The Pris­cilianistes tie mens actions to the gouernment of the starres, and the Maniches make two beginnings, one good and another bad: vnto which two heresies the papists seeme to leane, indeed (though not in word) when they shut out Gods decree from ordaining, & his prouidence from administring and ordering any thing which he cōmandeth not: & that God regar­ded what mans free wil would chuse in such things. For either they make mans wil a first cause or chance or the stars, or that euil beginning. And so by their assertion there will bee some thing of equall power with God, as an other beginning & first cause of euil things, wherin God medleth not. Touching free wil & original sin, Pelagius said, that grace is giuen vnto men, that they might the more easily fulfill by grace those things which they are cōmāded to do by their free wil: so the papistes say, that free will is but mo­ued & stirred vp by the grace of God, & worketh to­gether with his grace. The Pelagians say that a man without grace may doe all the commandementes of God: and the Papistes say that it isTest. Rhem. in Math. 12. vers. 11. in margin. in mans owne freewill to bee a good tree or a badde. The Pela­gians say, that the grace of God, by which wee are deliuered, is giuen vnto vs, according to our [Page 196] merites, so the Papistes say: when the sinner doth that which is in him, hee deserueth of congruitie to be iustified. As touching the recouerie of man out of the damnable estate of sinne, all heretickes had their seuerall heresie, wherein they put their trust, and despised all other, and the true way of saluation which is by Christ. So the church of Rome as com­pact of all heresies, hath diuers new meanes of reco­uerie out of damnation, and many religions, as of friers monkes and Heremites. The Turkish Maho­met had his Alcoran, and the papistes haue their ca­nons, decrees and decretalles of the church vnder paine of damnation. There were certaine hereticks called Messaliani & Euchetae, who attributed all the power of the saluation of their soules vnto praier & supplications. So haue you with the papistes, cer­taine praiers, Auemaries, creedes and psalmes to be numbred vp, for the soules both of quicke and dead. And an other sort of heretickes called Hera­cleonitae, are said to redeeme their fellowes and asso­ciates by oyle, balme, water and prayers. So these Romistes haue holy water to fright spirits, and as theirSet forth by Pius 5. ordo ad faciend' aquā benedictam. masse booke saith: they exorcise (or coniure) the salt (which is put into the water) for the saluati­on of beleeuers and that it should be to all who take it health of soule & bodie. They haue also extreame vnction, where with ointing & praier they promise the very like vnto a man, that is at the point of death, which the Euchatae did. The Simonians called Si­mon Christ, the Sethians Seth. The Ophilae and Maniches, the serpent, Elcesaitae made two Christs, and many more are to be found of like heresie: So [Page 197] the papistes haue many mediators or Christes: The virgine Marie, the Apostles, and I cannot tell how many Martirs and Saints, to whom they flie as vnto mediators. There were heretickes called Artotyritae so called of their offering: For they offered vp bread and cheese. So the papistes haue the host of bread, which they cal the forme of bread, which they offer vp for a sacrifice. The heretickes called Ebionites, Cathari, Donatists, Pelagians & diuers others held iustification by workes, and not by faith onely, and so do the papists most earnestly. Heretickes called Hierarchitae said that little children pertaine not to the kingdom of heauen, because there is not in them any merite of the combate or striuing, by which vi­ces should be ouercome. So the papistes hold that concupiscence is left for the combate to striue with­all, that their actions might bee the more meritori­ous, and they pronounce damnable sentence vpon children vnbaptised. The heretickes called Iouia­nistes (as Saint Austen saith in his yonger daies) did hold, that a man could not sin hauing receiued the lauer of regeneration, (that is to say Baptisme.) So the papists say, that after Baptisme, concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne, and that there is nothing in him displeasing God. The donatistes affirme of themselues that they liue a perfect, righteous, and angelicall life. So the papistes say a regenerate man may do all Gods commandements, and their religi­ous men liue a seraphicall and angelicall life in their orders. Concerning the worde of God,Euseb. lib. 5. cap 13. there were heretickes called Appellitae, which blamed the holy scriptures, with verie painfull and earnest reprehen­sion. [Page 198] So doe the papistes call the scriptures a thing without life & dumbe,Iohn Sleid. coment. lib. 23. Literi Clemē ­tis de sinodo Trident. colli­gend. and like a nose of waxe, that may bee drawne euery way, hauing no certaintie without the iudgement of the church. The hereticks called Pepusiani, made Christ author of their filthy reuelations. So the papists make him author of their vnwritten verities. And as the Tacians, Maniches, & Mahomet, equall their deuises & traditions vnto the holy scriptures, so do papists. And as papists prefer the authority of their Church before the holy scrip­ture, so these allow so much and so far of holy scrip­ture, as serueth for their purpose & deuised wicked­nesse. And as the heretikes called Nazarai, did con­firme their dotages by reuelations & false miracles: so traditions & much ragged stuffe in poperie, bee made warrantable by miraculous operations & ap­peritions. The heretikes aforenamed Pepuziani do send al men to a city in vpper Phrigia called Pepuza, naming it the celestiall Ierusalem, & the citie where­of the prophets spake, as though there were no other heauen. So the papists cal vs to the church of Rome, as though the vniuersall Church were tyed to one place, out of which there is no saluation or way to heauen. As concerning the worship of God, Simon Magus the root of heretikes, caused his owne image and of his harlot to bee worshipped of his disciples. So the papistes set vp images of their canonized Saints to be adored. Angelici were heretikes which worshipped Angels. So the papists haue aMissa votina de Angelis. speciall masse of the Angels, & pray vnto Angels. Marcelli­na companion of these heretikes, called Carpocraci­ans, worshipped the images of Christ and Paul, &c. [Page 199] So do the papists. Collyridiani worshipped the vir­gin Marie the Sethians worshipped Seth. The Abe­lonites worshippe Abell, and diuers others doe the like according to their sect. So the papistes accor­ding to their sect, praye vnto all their canonized Saints and worship them. The heretikes Armenij worshipped the crosse of Christ, and so doe the pa­pistes.

Concerning the sacraments, the heretickes called Donatistes, measure the power and effect of the sa­craments, by the dignitie, holinesse, and hand of the minister. So the papists assigne the power of the sa­craments to the worke wrought of the priest, and that the intent of the minister is necessarie to make it a religious action. And as the papists permit weo­men to baptize, cloistering their holy and religious nunnes. So their progenitors the heretickes Pepu­ziani, admitted weomen to the ecclesiasticall mini­sterie: and the Marcionites taught that weomen might baptise. The heretikes called Messalians say, that the force of baptisme pertayneth onely to the signes: and so do the Papistes. And as the papists in Baptisme, haue salte, spittle, crossing, and other annexed ceremonies with coniuration, by which it is as it were chaunged into a new thing. So did the Simonians and Marcitae olde heretickes their naturall fathers, defile and in a manner blot out bap­tisme. In the Lordes Supper the heretikes Aquarij were not content with the two outwarde signes of bread and wine, but added also water. So do the papists mingle water with the wine in the cup. And the Marcitae aforesaid professed that by words and [Page 200] incantations, they changed the wine in the cup, into the bloud, and bring the grace of God into the same cuppe: so the papists professe that the sacrament is changed by their words of consecration and coniu­ring into the verie bodie & bloud of Christ, and that grace is contained in the sacraments. And here they resemble the Apollinarians which made Christes bodie to bee heauenly and not earthly: for the pa­pistes say, that it is the bodie of Christ, though it be not seene felt nor heard: and they are like the Mar­cionistes which accounted Christes bodie fantasti­call: so these will haue men beleeue the sacrament to bee his body, though it haue no quantities nor qua­lities of a bodie. And they are like the Timotheans, which confound the two natures of Christ: and the Euticheans, who affirme the humane to be swallow­ed vp of the deuine: and to the Nestorians, who make his manhood equall to his Godhead. For the papistes say, that the same bodie or man is in heauen and in earth, and that in as many places of the world at one and the same time, as it is or may bee at once consecrated & made by their priest, which propertie of being in many places at once is not of the nature of man, but of God: therefore herein they are neere in affinitie with these heretickes? The heresie of Vincentius Victor, hath this amongst others, that the sacrifice of Christians (that is the sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ) is to be offered for them, which being not baptised, are departed out of the bodie: So the papistes haue their sacrifice for the dead. The Maniches refuse the olde testament, and partly mangle and curtoll, and partly cast away the [Page 201] new: So the papist, though in woordes they ac­knowledge both, yet in truth they refuse both kee­ping them from Gods people and reading them in a strange toong, that the people cannot vnderstande, which vnto them, is as good as if they were cast a­way. The Heracleonites, make a superstitious calling vpon God, with strange and vnusuall words, espe­cially to driue away diuels: such is the masse of the papistes all in a strange toong, and their exorcismes are of the same fashion. The heretikes called Tacia­ni, Origeniani, Hierarchita, Saturniani, and diuers o­thers, make mariage an vnholie and vncleane thing, and of the diuel, and shut it out of their congrega­tion: So the papists not onely preferre a single life before mariage: but also with such like tearmes, make it as an vncleane thing not meete for their priestes; and allure both men and weomen to the vowe of chastitie, as a purer and holier life, then matrimonie, and therein they are also like the Eu­stachians who despised the maried priestes. And as the papistes haue their Friers, Monckes, and Nunnes of a straunge and differing habite from o­ther men and weomen, and that seruants vpon a vowe may leaue their Masters, and some of these vowed persons, professe the renouncing of worldlie ritches, and worldly dooings, to walke a more neere course to heauen: so these heretikes the Eustachi­ans, had their differing habite from other men, seruauntes by this habite despised their Masters, and ritche men which did not renounce all which they possessed, were accounted without hope to­wardes God, also these heretikes counted the ea­ting [Page 202] of flesh vnlawfull euen as the papistes doo. And as the papistes forbid flesh and as they call it white meat, so their graundfathers the Maniches abstained from fleshe egges and milke. And there were here­tikes which put religion in going barefoot and ther­fore called of some Nudipedants: so are the francis­cans and others amongst the papistes of such religi­on. The donatistes denie the magistrates authoritie in matters of religion, and namely in punishing of heretikes: So the papistes shut out the magistrate in causes ecclesiasticall: and as the papist giue the pope the primacie aboue the magistrates in all causes, and at their pleasure put them downe with their great curse: so these their predecessours the heretikes cal­led donatistes, doo most vilelie raile against magi­strates, & beate them downe with menacing words. These donatistes had manie vile thinges in them, wherein they fitly father the papistes, they were cir­cumcellions and counterfaited an austere life, like the popish monkes, heremites and friers, liuing in caues and selles. They ran vpon christians whom they met or came by, euen as wee read of rhe papist in France in our daies, most cruelly murdering Gods beloued Saints. And as the papists haue their coniurations of their holy waters and Agnus dei and exorcismes in Baptisme: so these wicked donatistes with those abominable heretikes called Basilidians and Eunomians, had their enchantments and con­iurations: These filthie heretikes the donatistes, to­gether with that horrible heresie of Arius, did so far account themselues the holie and catholike church, that they would baptise againe them which were of [Page 203] the true church, making thēselues only the catholike church: And there were other heretiks called Aposto­lici, that is apostolike, which so termed thēselues, be­cause they thoght thēselues more apostolike then o­thers, & namly because they receaued not into their cōmunion, maried persōs & such as possessed goods proper to them selues. So find we among the papists these vnmaried persons & religious without proprie­tie of goods: & the papists call themselues the holie mother church of Rome, the Catholike and aposto­like church: and are in deed verie like their fathers these heretikes, hauing in deed no more but the name of the holie catholike and apostolike church: banishing from them, and by fire and sword perse­cuting the true religion and doctrine and faithfull members of the holy catholike & apostolike church. But what should I endeuour to shewe all the popish stocke, linage and kindred? what neere affinitie they haue with Iudaisme, in plentie and maner of cere­monies, traditions of elders, meritorious righteous­nes, and fained holines? what bastardlie conformi­tie they haue with all pagainisme, in innumerable idols, and sorts of religions and in sundrie patrons of saints and Gods of countries and nations? what perfect consanguinitie they haue with Mahumetis­me, making vp (as it were) one entire bodie of Ante­christ: engendred bread compact and compound of all heresies, religions, superstitions and rudiments of this world whatsoeuer: by east and by west, raysing vp wars, seditions and all maner of vilaines, to put downe the glorious and blessed name and gospell of Christ, by their owne Alcorans, lawes, decrees and [Page 200] [...] [Page 201] [...] [Page 202] [...] [Page 203] [...] [Page 204] decretals with innumerable forgeries; that they them selues may raigne as the chiefe prophets of GOD and head of his church? Only this one thing would be remembred, that after Anno domini 600. these two monstrous twins, began to come foorth into the o­pen sight and light of the world, and to shew them selues blasphemous against God and his Christ, be­ing engendred with the cursed seed of Sathan, and of a long breeding in those former heretikes, euen from the Apostles times, of which times and gene­ration it is said by Saint Paul, the blessed seruant of Christ:2. Thess. 2. The mysterie of iniquitie doth alreadie woorke. Therfore one of their owne popes, Gregorie (whom they call) the great, the first of that name and Pe­lagius his predecessor, resisted most mightelie Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople: for presuming to take vnto him the name of vniuersall patriarke, priest of priestes, or Bishop of Bishops: affirming that hee which so did, was the forerunner of Antechrist. And so indeed it fell out, for it was not long after, that Mahomet came forth in the East and began to sup­plant the church of Christ, with his abominations. And pope Boniface the 3. (which in a few yeres af­ter this Gregorie) got this vniuersall title of Bishop of Bishops, and so began Antechrists first birth, in the open eies of the world. And these two brothers, haue since growen to their perfection; and the more they haue growen, the lesse hath been the honour and name of Christ, and the knowledge of his gos­pell amongst the sons of men. Till now it hath plea­sed God of his gracious goodnes and free fauour, to make them knowen what they are, and by the [Page 205] breath of his mouth to consume thē; Now the glory of Christ crucified and the truth of his gospel begin­neth like the morning light, to take holde on the corners of the earth. The Lord our God and merci­ful father, be blessed and praised therefore. Amen.

CHAP. IIII. Of the original of poperie. Wherein is declared, 1. that by the precedent Chapters it may appeare to be of a late birth. 2. That neither the difference os calculation in stories, nor forging of wri­tinges nor managing of good authors doo hinder the knowledge of their new birth. 3. Their owne toongs and traditions proue poperie new. 4. Many particu­lers are rehearsed out of popish authors, and the former counsels. 5. Fiue foundamentall points more large­lie examined by antiquitie. 6. The latter ouergrow­ing, and lopping, and dailie now sprowting of poperie. 7. That popery is not yet a perfect bodie of his fulshape proportion and members.

NOw am I come to the arising of poperie, how it therein agreeth with heresie. For if it may be plainly and directly shewed, how poperie had his beginning (both in regard of the author thereof, and of the time where­in it bread and came forth) diuerse and a disagreeing and seperate from the true religion, whose authoritie and time came from God: & that it is of a later gene­ration and off-spring: then euerie wise christian, will readily see and acknowledge, that it is borne in these [Page 206] last times, with other filthie heresies, and that it can­not be the true ancient & catholike religion: but new borne and late vpstarted superstitious and counter­feit like as1. King. 3.16. she that pleded for her selfe to be mother of the liue child, was foūd by wise Salomon, to be in deed the mother of the dead child. And this by gods grace I doubt not but to make manifest, to euery ho­nest man, who wil not wilfully blind his eies against the knowne truth. And this I may so much the more boldlie affirme, because that vnto him that marketh it well, it doth alreadie sufficientlie and plainely ap­peare, by that which is written before. And that by foure arguments of great demonstration, in my con­science. First because that the true religion is the same which is now in England, and this is proued to haue beene from the beginning of the worlde by Gods ordinance set foorth in holie Scripture, and because by the learned men of this lande it is eui­dently taught and defended in the chiefe and maine heads thereof, out of the fathers for 600. yeeres af­ter Christes incarnation, and by historie knowne to haue remained in the greeke church, and in diuers partes of the west till our time. Secondly because the religion of Rome is directly contrarie and disagree­ing thereunto. And thirdly that they follow not the doctrine, taught by Saint Paul and Peter, and lastlie that they agree with the heretikes of the primatiue Church, and be as it were compact of many here­sies which sprang vp in the first 600. yeeres, which foure thinges being apparant in the former Chap­ters of this booke, there needeth no more to proue, the new learning of popish superstition, to bee of a [Page 207] late off-spring and generation.

2. Howbeit I wil here adde a fift argument, which is this, that popery may be shewed how it is risen vp, without Gods authoritie, by men, how, where, and when since the pure times of the blessed Apostles, and founders of Christes church and religion; yea and that in most of the particulers. Wherin my pur­pose is not, to enter so farre as might be spoken; (for I cannot make in so short a roome, an exact treatise) but onely as briefely as I can conueniently, so far to shew the christian reader, as he may sufficiently see and perceiue, that poperie hath his originall from men and not from God, & that it came vp since and vnder the Christian religion; like vnto the Iuie that commeth vp after the oke and taketh holde thereon, and by little and little so ouerspreadeth it, and coue­reth it from the sight of men, that wee can scarse see or discerne the oke.Histories differ in setting downe [...] times. And here I am to aduertise the reader, that historie writers and reporters of anti­quitie differ much in these causes about the times: so as the cronologie writers finde themselues encom­bred, howe to set downe the certaintie in manie things: yet notwithstanding though the authors dis­agree about the certaine time, yet the matter is made vndoubted, when they all agree that it is found out, to come in after the Apostles times. Wherein I make choise, to take our testimony from hartie and vnfai­ned papists, that the truth of this cause, may the more appeare when themselues cannot but yeeld, vnto vs sufficient warrant and proofe of their new borne su­perstition.Two deuises to hide the newnes of poperie. They haue two great helpes to maintaine the antiquitie of their follie. First the authorising of [Page 208] counterfait writinges, such as are the decretall Epi­stles of Clemens, Anacletus and others of the pri­matiue Church, which not onely disagreeing in stile and matter from the times they pretende, but also telling of those thinges and persons, which were many yeres after, doo very much argue, that when the papists, are faine to runne vnder the shadowe of such muddie and vnsetled Wales of forged authori­tie, their foundation is not so deepe, in their owne conscience, as they would beare the worlde in hand. Their second helpe is; that they proine, pare, and loppe, and engraft the writings of auncient fathers and others, teaching them by a newe deuise called Index Expurgatorius, hatched in the late Counsell of Trent,Anno 1571. to speake as they thinke best, for there sea of sinne, and to holde their peace where they like not of their sayinges. If they may thus authorise false witnesses to speake for their purpose as they list, and gagge the toonges of the true witnesses, they can speake no further, but as they giue them leaue: then may euerie simple man see in them, that an euill conscience, findinge themselues to haue no antiquitie of trueth, doth cause them to inuent shiftes to colour and cloake their wicked for­geries and newe deuises: by which they haue ma­nie yeeres abused Gods people. But GGD bee thanked (who bringeth the hidden and secreate thinges of the wicked vnto light) he hath confoun­ded their wisedom, that all this doth not hide their filthie and earthlie generation. For the prophesie of Saint Paul concerning such peruerse and cursed speakers, which haue a shewe of godlinesse, but [Page 209] haue denied the power thereof, is now in the eyes and knowledge of all men come to passe: For he2. Tim. 3.9▪ saith: They shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shalbe euident to all men.

3. And this verily is brought to passe by the righ­teous iudgements of God, causing their owne tongs to take them, and making the counsell of the wicked to bee foolishnesse. Marke therefore and consider how they confound the glorie of their inuentions ad deuises. Martinus Peresius Aiala, a Bishop and a verie zealous papist, seeming to haue taken great paines in reading of antiquities, writeth aPrinted at Paris 1549. booke of traditions, dedicated to Phillip king of Spain, where heeIn his pre­face. nisi attra­mento mortuo in sacris codi­cibus expressū. calleth the inspired scriptures of the worde of God: Dead incke in the holy bookes: and affirmeth that if we should follow onely the holy scriptures (which he calleth a pestiferous opinion) Christian religion and ecclesiasticall pollicie should vtterly be destroied: auouching beside the canonical scriptures another kind of doctrine, called Tradition, the head & seed plot (as he saith) of almost all controuersies betweene vs, and if herein wee agreede, all dis­cord now in religion would quickly cease. And in this booke he maketh3. pars. asser­tio 6. fol. 6. Diuina autho­ritas, magiste­rium apostoli­cum. Episcop. maxime Ro­manorum a Deo con­cessa authori­tas. three fountains of traditions. First they call diuine authority, that is, such as Christ (in their deuise) instituted & deliuered which were not laid vp in the scriptures: the second fountaine they call the Apostolicall mastership, where they haue traditions, some in the canons Apostolicall, & some in holy mens writings: the last fountaine is the mastership & authoritie of the Bishops & most of all of the Roman Bishops, which they also cal thepars 2. assert. 5. fol. 44. ma­stership [Page 210] of the church. Wherein is a power as they say to iudge and determine what is canonicall scrip­ture and to make diuers lawes and ecclesiasticall dis­cipline. And this last giueth power to all the rest: for here (as they say) wee know which is the true worde of God, heere the authoritie of decretalles is made firme, and this being a gift and priuiledge, that cannot erre, is of that autenticall authoritie (if we beleeue them) that no man must once reason a­gainst it. Out of these fountaines they drawe their traditions, of the rites of Baptisme, of confirmation au­ricular confession and penitentiall satisfaction, the tradi­tion of order and his rites, the fearefull sacrifice of the al­ter transubstantiation, praier for the dead, communion vnder one kind, purgatorie, extreame vnction, worship and intercession of Saints, worship of relickes, images ex­orcismes, Lent, fastes, single life, vowes of chastitie and such like. In handling of which traditions hePostulat. 3. fol. aut quia le­gi Dei repug­nant & proxi­mae sunt occa­siones peccan­di &c. giueth vs a rule, to discerne humane traditions from diuine saying: Traditions which are not good, are either contra­rie to the law of God, and are verie neere occasions to sin; or derogate to the glorie of Christ; or they are friuolous, burdensome and of no profit. If it be lawfull for vs to follow these three rules, we shal easily proue popery to be no good tradition, but a meere humane inuen­tion of their owne. For the first rule: I hauing be­fore shewed that all their popish religion, is contrary to the religion which God taught Abraham, Moses and the Prophets taught the Iewes, and Christ and his Apostles taught all nations, and contrarie to the doctrine which Paule taught the auncient Ro­manes, [Page 211] and which Peter taught the Iewes: it must needes follow, that these traditions, being (as they confesse, not found in holy scriptures) cannot bee good: if the first part of their rule be true. Secondly, if it be of the nature of the scripture (as we haue pro­ued) to containe all things necessarie to saluation, and some of these, as their dreadfull sacrifice of the masse, rites in baptisme, confirmation, purgatorie, prayers for the dead &c. are (by popish doctrine) necessarie to saluation, and yet are not to be found in holy scriptures, then it followeth that they are contrarie to the law of God, when they stand vp to shew themselues auaileable to saluation: because they falsely accuse the scripture, not to containe all thinges necssarie to saluation: yea they accuse the scripture of a lie: when it saith,2. Tim. 3.15.16.17. They are able to make thee wise vnto saluation, and that the man of God may bee perfect and absolute vnto euerie good worke. But what can bee more contrarie to the law of God then to make his inspired word written to tell a lie? Here then by their owne rule fall downe their tra­ditions, forged vpon Christ and his Apostles, and presumed by their Church, and if the scripture bee true there can and ought to bee no such thing: and therefore of necessitie by their owne doctrine, these are but deuises of men & traditions not good. Now for the second part of this first braunch of their rule, where they say that the naughtie traditions, are verie neere occasions of sinne. These traditions breake that rule also. For beside that they are all sinne, in that God neuer commaunded them, and come vnder that checke:Math. 15.2. In vaine they worship mee, teaching for [Page 212] doctrines mans precepts: they can neuer denie by any good reason, but that by these traditions they giue occasions of sinne many waies. As in Baptisme, men cannot discerne the true worke of Baptisme for the multitude of ceremonies, vnto which are giuen the verie power and operation of Baptisme, by the sacri­fice of the masse, relickes, images and praying to Saintes they are ledde vnto sinne, being directly against that commandement, which saith,Math. 4.10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue. And their vowes of chastitie and single life giue occasion of all filthinesse, buggery, and murder, and sodomitrie. But if in these traditions there be a direct and particular contradiction to holy scrip­ture, then where is their foundation? as for exam­ple, the holy scripture saith,Heb. 18. There remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne: they say the sacrifice of the masse is for the quicke and the dead: the holy scrip­ture saith it is1. Tim. 4.1. a doctrine of deuils, to forbidde meates and mariage. These traditions make priesthoode, vowes and holding the childe at Baptisme to hin­der marrige, and that Lent and ember daies must not see any flesh and that for conscience sake. The scripture saith thouPrecep. 2. Exod. 20. shalt make no image nor wor­shippe them, and they say thou mayest and ought­est to worship them. And there are a great many more, as is before apparant to bee seene, whereof I thought good to giue the reader a taste, that hee might the better remember what hath beene before written. For the second part of the rule, to knowe a naughtie tradition, to be of men, and not of God: they say it is naught, if it bee derogatorie to the [Page 213] glorie of Christ: I pray you looke vpon all and eue­rie of these traditions, and you shall find that they are set forth for merite and remission of sinnes, for satisfaction and iustification. All which as is before proued, are the glorie of Christ, because there isAct. 4.12. no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby a man may bee saued. These being newe names challenging that which belongeth to him, cause men to giue his glo­rie vnto others. And therefore by this rule, seeing they derogate from the glorie of Christ, they are no good traditions, but meere inuentions of men, not sufferable in the Church of God. Lastly, they are friuolous and burdenous &c. which is the third part of their rule to know traditions to be of man, do but looke vpon the number. IfGratians de­crees. one booke can shew vs 3090. decrees, whereof most of them be of these tra­ditions: and that there be besides these in decretall and extrauagants, I cannot tell how many thousand more, then how can they auoid the name of bur­den. And as for their profite if wee may iudge by holy scriptures, which teacheth thatHeb. 1.3. Christ by him­selfe purgeth our sins. What profit can there be in any or all of these? except we may say, that Christ hath not purged our sinnes. But their owne conscience telleth them, there is no need of them. As for exam­ple, when they canManipul. cu­rat. cap. 8. de annex. bapt. say of all the rites of tradition in Baptisme, that they are not of the essence of Baptisme, because that without them Baptisme may bee well giuen in case of necessitie: which hauing as great a warrant as any of the rest, wee may ve­rily conclude, that they are all but friuolous, and superfluous, ouerspreading outslippes of mens de­uises. [Page 214] What shall we then determine of this goodly popish trash? but that they cannot be ancient & au­tentical after Gods word seeing they cannot agree to their owne rules, whereby they would proue them to be of God. Therefore that is most blasphemous, that they call the worde of God, as it is in the holy bookes, dead incke in comparison of their tradition, vnlesse it be warranted by tradition, and vnderstood in the sence of the mastership of their church. Wee are then come thus farre that poperie is a tradition, not written with dead incke in Gods holy bookes; but some other kinde of doctrine, which by their owne rules cannot bee found worthy the name of a good tradition: and therefore a meere deuise of mans foolishnesse, that is to say, verie fables much displeasing and abhominable in the holy eyes of al­mightie God.

4 Now let vs looke into the particulers. Heere come theAntididag­ma printed at Louan. 1544. reuerend Canons of Colen, who in the generall ioyning with this great clearke Peresius, in many things crie with him: Traditum est, or tradi­tum tenemus, that is, it is a tradition, or wee hold it a tradition. And this they doe, where they are to shewe their originall: and in deede it is an ea­sie matter to maintayne any foolish or wicked thing by such a deuise, yet are these learned men of Co­lon content to tell vs one or two originalles. FirstPag. 70. they say, It is true that Christ gaue the Sacra­ment to his Apostles vnder both kindes of breade and wine, and that the church obserued that order a long time after: therefore they teach vs that to keep the cup from the common people is but new lear­ning. [Page 215] So also theyPag. 143. say their holy daies reckning by name 22. to haue beene celebrated aboue a thousand yeares, which yet they cannot say to bee enioyned the Church, but by a counsell of Lions which they can hardly shewe, or by Gregorie the ninth about the yeare of the Lord 1210.

There is another verie learned man deuoutly gi­uen to the sea of Rome, called Iohannes Stephanus Durantus, who hauing taken great paynes in aPrinted at Rom. 1591. booke Deritibus ecclesiae, dedicated to Pope Grego­rie the 14. doth mightily labour to shew the ancient originall of the popish worship and seruice of God, searching authorities both olde and new, yet is hee faine to sing the same song with others of Traditum est, and to alledge many corrupt and partial authors. Howbeit he is an helpe to vs in many thinges: that we may know by their confession, that they worship God in many things by the precept of men. Name­ly that inLib. 1. Sap. 1. Sectio. 8. the gospell, and vnto the time of Irenaeus priests were called Presbyteri & patres, that is, elders, and fathers. Secondly he can tell vs, thatCap. 8. sect. 5. Lactantius lib. 6. cap. 2. and after him the counsell Elibert cap. 37. And Hierome against Vigilantius, haue taught men to deride the vse of candles in the church, namely, that they taught, that to light candles for the honour of martirs, appertaineth vnto the igno­raunce and simplicitie of seculer men, and of religi­ous women, which haue indeed a zeale, but not ac­cording to knowledge. Hee would haue vs know thatCap. 11. sect. 2. Zepherinus the 16. Pope ordained a dish of glasse to say masse in, and that Vrbanus the 18. Pope made them of gold. And theCap. 12.3. corporall to bee of [Page 216] linnen to wrap the bodie of Christ, he will haue vs thinke to bee ordained by Eusebius. And as for theCap. 16.9.10. reseruing of the hoste, hee woulde haue vs to beleeue the late Counsell of Trent, to haue good cause to affirme, that the custome is auncient, rea­ching to the Councell of Nice: though himselfe cannot find it in the councell, nor in Gratian but on­ly in Rufinus. As for baptisme he confessethCap. 19.2. that in the beginning it was vsed simply in riuers or foun­taines: but processe of time bringing foorth more honour to religion these goodly fontes and cere­monies, now vsed in the Church of Rome, by de­grees came vp. Also notwithstanding this he would haue vs thinke thatCap. 21.2. Alexander the fift Pope from Peter, did command water sprinkled with salt to be blessed, to sprinkle the Christian people withall. This man would haue vs fet theCap. 22.6. hallowing of bels at the Synode of Colon vnder Pope Iulius the first, Anno 338. that the deuill might bee made afeard by the noise of belles, calling Christians to praiers. The worthieLib. 2. ca. 1. 6. name of the masse hee telleth vs out of Burchades decretals, to bee verie auncient, euen from Euaristus the third Pope of Rome. Concer­ning theCap. 2.2. sacrifice of the masse, the first strength he would haue vs take out of the Canons, falsely tear­med the Apostles, and out of the councell of Nice, and of diuers fathers, because they make mention of offeringes and sacrifice: Who in deed haue no such meaning, but onely vse these termes by allusion to the old law, to signifie our thanksgiuing and memo­rie of Christes sacrifice in which sence it may be cal­led an offering or sacrifice: but you should not find [Page 217] them say that their priest did really and truely offer vp vnto God his son or the whole man Christ, vnder the formes of bread and wine for the quick & dead: therfore this is but a new deuise of their own. How­beit his firstCap. 4.1.4. inuention of publike masse hee layeth vpon the counsel of Carthage about Anno 389. and the priuate masse as they now vse it, when the priest alone doth communicate, he would haue vs thinke (though he shew no reason) to belong before Gre­gories time that is An. 606. yet if men beleeue him, this masse publicke and priuate is but new learning, as he teacheth it, whereof neither Christ nor his A­postles can be prooued authors, but men who liued after their time. Hereof it is, that although he boldly affirme, many patches of the masse to be auncient e­uen from the Apostles time (which no man that reuerenceth the holie Scriptures as hee ought, can doo in such maner as hee doth) yet is hee willing to teach vs the beginning of some of them. Name­lie that the confession,Cap. 12.4. which is made in the be­ginning of the masse is of a doubtfull parentage, whether of Damasus or Pontianus. ButCap. 14.1. Gloria in ex­celsis he saith Talesphorus 7. Pope from Peter to haue ordained:Cap. 21.1. of the tract hee careth not, if we beleeue Gelasius to be the author, or els Celestinus, and that hee made the gradnale.Cap. 27.1. Alexander the fifth hee sayth appointed wine mingled with water, and theCap. 28.6. washing of handes in the masse, hee teacheth out of Thomas Aquinas a newe writer, to bee as it were instituted of the Church, as a certaine conuenient thinge. TheCap. 32.1. & 37.1. Canon of the masse, which hee saith is the lawfull and reguler making of [Page 218] the sacrament, he coniectureth to be long before S. Gregorie, because that S. Ambrose (as he saith) ma­keth mention of Benedicta ascripta, rata, rationabilis &c. so that he teacheth that before Ambrose time, there is no proofe of any vnlawfull and reguler mak­ing of their sacrament, and therefore it is not of God but of man: especially seeing that to a reasonable man this is but a streined proofe of antiquitie, Am­brose mentioneth these termes, therefore the Canon was in his time before Gregories time, which being so I meruaile howCap. 38.1. Alexander the first being fift pope, could (as he saith) adde that part of the Canon. Quipridie, when the auncient Canon was long after him: yet he gesseth thatCap. 38.6. the cōsecrating of the bread round like a penie is not new, because he findeth in Gregorie oblationum coronas, the crownes of the offe­rings, and such like sandie foundations.Cap. 42.9. Leo the first he saith addeth this particle Sanctum sacrificium im­maculatam hostiam. TheCap. 43.2. memorie of the dead in the masse, he warranteth by the second prouincial coun­sell called Concilium Arelatense, holden vnder pope Siluester, Anno 320. TheCap. 47.1. preface before the Lords praier, Oremus preceptis salutaribus moniti, hath his te­stimonie from the ancient time of Charles the great, Anno 880. This man thinketh thatCap. 51.8. Albertus was deceaued, to thinke that Sergius ordained the break­ing of the host, he would haue us looke hyer, but so as we may see it was of some man.53. 1. Pacis osculum in the masse, he sendeth vnto Leo the second or Inno­cent the first as fathers perhaps thereof. ThatCap. 55.18. for the holie singuler reuerence of the mysterie, the lay peo­ple should not touch with their hand; the Eucharist, [Page 219] but the priest should thrust it into the mouth of him that eateth it, he saith the church ordained in an odd counsell of Rhotomag, As for thelib. 3. cap. 2. 7. canonical howers,Roane he would not haue vs to beleeue Polidor and others which refer them to Hierom, or to Pelagius 1. or 2. but he hath found them out (as he saith) in Clement Ba­sill and other fathers; but wee looked to be shewen them in the oracles of God. TheCap. 4.2. vigils hee would fasten vpon Tertullian: and theCap. 17.4. Antiphonae, that is, singing or saying by turnes and courses he fathereth vpon Ambrose. So that the pope allowing this mans writing, wee may beleeue, all their worshipping of God, masse, sacrifice, and canon, to be mans deuise, earthly and diuelish: a verie new learning in com­parison of the true worshipping of God, taught by Christ and his Apostles.

Pope Grigorie the 13. hath holpen vs to the know­ledg of somthing, by hisPrinted at Antwerpe 1589. new Martyrolege, restored (as it is intituled) to the truth of the ecclesiastical sto­rie. For there is toldIan 1. pag. 2. that Odilo abbot of Clunia first commanded in his monasterie, the commemoration of the faithfull being dead, to be the first day after the feast of all Saints, which rite afterwardes the whole church receauing did allowe, and this man died as they say, Anno 1048. And this booke dothQuint id. Maij pag. 212. ascribe vnto Mammertius B. of Vienna, the daies of letanies, that is the rogations before ascention, and after him, the church vniuersal allowed it, he liued about Anno 460. yea this legendePrid. id. Maij pag. 217. doth father vpon Pachomius an Abbot of Aegypt (who died as they say) Anno 406.) the rule of Munkes,Quam angelo dictante didi­cerat. & that we may know these trumperies came of the diuell they say, that he lear­ned [Page 220] it at the mouth of an Angell. For so the Apostle Saint Paul teaching righteousnes and saluation one­ly by beleefe in Christ, chargeth vs to hold him or an angell accursed, that teacheth otherwise, therefore these things come not of God.

But Polydor virgill, a verie zealous patron of Ro­mish superstition; For the honor of that sea, searched many antiquities, therefore byIn his booke De inuentori­bus rerum. him we may be en­formed of the birth of much of this new found doc­trine, and seruice papistical, heLib. 6. cap. 1. Auriculer cō ­fession. affirmeth that Inno­centius the 3. who liued about An. 1200. did first or­daine auriculer confession, to be at the least once in the yere. But he would haue vs thinke thatLib. 5. cap. 3. Extreame vn­ction. Faelix the 3. being pope An. 526. commanded that men dy­ing, shold be annointed: that is extreme vnctiō. And as touching mariage of priests he sheweth how inLib. 5. cap. 4. Priests single life. the west, it began to cease, namely first that Syricius being pope about an. 387. forbad mariage vnto priest and deacons, and that Pelagius the seconde cōming almost 300. yeres after decreed that subdeacons shold put away their wiues. But Gregory the first who suc­ceeded him, thought that to be wicked, and therfore he bound the subdeacon, to promise chastitie before he were made subdeacon, after them many lawes & decrees were made about this matter, yet did it ne­uer preuaile, to be generally put in execution, till a­bout An. 1074. when Gregory the 7. by great violēce & labor, brought it to passe. And this is a verie plaine thing in all stories, that the Bishops after this time la­boured mightely with their priests, to make them put away their wiues, and so by little and little one coun­trie after an other, yelded to this slauerie (as Polydor [Page 221] termeth it) of constrained chastity, which he auow­cheth to be a shamefull blot: thinking it very good that the right of matrimony might one day, be resto­red againe vnto priests. This man can tell vs thatLib. 5. cap. 11 Many parts of the masse. in the beginning among the Apostles, all things were naked, and the mysteries simplie and plainly deliue­red of Christ, all the order of ceremonies was naked, hauing more godlines then outward shew or deck­ing. But after them other increased this holie myste­ries, and diuers men in diuers ages added diuers things. Clestinus made introitam missae, Gregorie the saying of Curie nine times, and diuers other thinges, Leo the 3. that frankinsence should be burnt on the alter, after the maner of the Iewes & heathen, & ma­ny other such things he rehearseth by their first pa­rents (much like as is before said by Durantus.) Ther­fore he affirmeth that the canon was neither made al of one man, neither digested into the same forme that it is now, vnto which if we adde that of late, the masse is restored by the decree of the Counsell of Trent, & set foorth by Pope Pius the fift, we shal see that this kinde of massing, which is vsed in the po­pish Synagogue is a deuise of man, and of a newe and variable composition. This Polydor telleth vs that,Lib. 4. cap. 7. that Caius being Pope about Anno 284. did first distinguish the orders of porters, readers, exor­cistes, acoluthes, subdeacons, deacons, priestes, and Bishops, by which as by certaine steps they should ascende to a Bishopricke. Also hee sheweth thatLib. 4. cap. 9. Cardinals. Cardinalles, were first certaine selected Priestes to burie and Baptise, therefore called Cardinall be­cause they had more speciall charge then others, like [Page 222] as we call the foure windes great or cardinall winds,About Anno. 610. but after that Bonifacius the third obtained of Pho­cas to haue the prerogatiue aboue all Bishops this name of Cardinal became more honourable, when such as were of that companie were of the popes as­sistance and senate. And by little and little through the contention of the Emperors and people about the creating of the Pope, they got the prerogatiue and right of the choosing of the pope, and so about Anno 1244. Pope Innocent the third decreed they should ride vpon an horse, with a red hat, and so they came to their great dignitie, and grew more & more famous and attained that glorious estate they nowe take vpon them:lib. 5. cap. 8. He maketh Alexander the first, pope of Rome, author of holie water to driue away diuels:lib. 6. cap. 12. And Stephen the first to haue ordained holy garments, and couerings after the maner of the He­brewes, where as before they clad themselues with­in with vertues, and tooke no care for outwarde ve­stures in their holie ministration. But when this man speaketh of Monkes, Nuns, and Friers, which as new religions are lately sprong vp in this bastardly king­dome of Abaddon, in many families, like swarmes of locustes filling the Chistian world, he verie honest­lie affirmethlib. 7. cap. 1. Nouus & va­rius viuendi modus. that they are not of the gospellike and apostolike life, but a newe and variable maner of li­uing. And hee cuts off 400. yeeres auouching, that Paulus, Antonius, Hilarion, Basilius, Hieronymus, and manie others in those primatiue ages, had nothing like the popish monkes and friers. They were free, and tyed to no certaine rule of life,Vestimentum honc stum. after the cere­monies that now Monkes obserue, their garmentes [Page 223] were comely as to euerie man was fit: they had no bande of vowes, and were free to goe anie wheather and might leaue that order of life, if at any time they repented: and if saith he this kinde of Monkes might haue remayned vnuiolated, by the lawes of men: we should haue had at all times verie holie Monkes, and these were giuen to prayers, fastinges, watching, and studie of learning, they liued hardly and excercising themselues with their handes, gaue an example of well liuing to their posteritie. But after growing in­to manie families, and euerie of them prescribing a rule of life, it came to passe that the Christian peo­ple, which embraced one law and one religion, was deuided into diuers sectes and kindes of religion, and this came to passe (as he saith) because the mo­nasticall lawes being humane, did not continue long vncorrupted:Cap. 2. First out of Benedick, which was an hundred threescore and sixe yeres after Antho­nie, the Monkes of the order called Claniacensis in Burgandie came vp, Anno domini 916. Secondlie the order called vallis vmbrensis in Apenninum, An­no 1060. and the Montolinetensis, Anno 1407. & Cister­cienses, Anno 1098. ThenCap. 3. he telleth of rising of the Hieronymians, Canonick regulars, Augustinians, Catu­sians, Carmelites &c. Cap. 4. After he speaketh of two new fountaines of friers: Dominicke and Frauncis, one begetting the preaching and the other begging mi­norites Friers whose first appearing was in the time of Innocent the third, about Anno 1215. but what swarmes following there came out of these, he doth signifie saying: that the common people being asto­nied, suspected that godlines was not so much be­loued [Page 224] of manie as ease and idlenes. But of these reli­gons I need not to speake much: seeing the papist themselues doo frankely acknowledge that they are new, & we can out of them shew how they rent the vnseamed coat of Christs holy religion, into so many peeces, cullers and changes of religion, that it would require a great volume to handle their story & seue­ral descriptions, rules, habits, dissentions, rising & fal­lings. Yet let vs learnelib. 8. cap. 1. The yere of Iubilie, and pardons. of him the yeere of Iubilie, wherin the pope, giueth his indulgencies, ful remissi­on of sins both from paine & guilt, vnto those that vi­sit the holy places of the Apostles at Rome, he teach­eth that Boniface the 8. Anno 1300. did first of al set forth the Iubily to be euery 100. yere; but fiftie yere after pope Clemēt the 6. established the Iubily to be celebrated euery 50. yere, seeing the age of a man would scarse attain to the Iubily of an 100. yeres; and lastly Sixtus the 4. brought the Iubilie to be euery 25. yeres, and this was Anno 1475. and thus then the vse of pardon, which they cal indulgencies began to be of great fame. Howbeit he would haue vs think, that their originall came from Gregory, but being not certain by any good antiquitie: he maketh Iohn B. of Rochester in a worke against Luther, to speake for him on this maner. Parauenture it moueth many not to turst so much to these indulgēces, because their vse in the church seemeth somewhat new, and very late­ly found out among Christians: to whom I answere, It is not certaine of whom they first began to be gi­uen, but there was some vse of them as they say a­mong the Romains in ancient times, which may be vnderstood by the stations, and he after saith. Truely [Page 225] no catholike doubteth whether there be purgatorie,Purgatory not among the an­cient fathers. of which notwithstanding among the auncient fa­thers there was none or verie rare mention, and also the Grecians beleeue it not to this day. For as long as there was no care of purgatorie, no man sought for indulgencies, for of it dependeth all the estimati­on of pardons, if you take away purgatorie, to what vse serue indulgencies; therefore pardons or indul­gencies beganne after men trembled a little while at the tormentes of purgatorie. So much the Bishop.Quae tu forte, cum tanti sint momenti, vt magis certa ex ore Dei expec­tabas. Now here saith Polydor to his reader these things: by which things thou peraduenture, seeing they are of so great waight, didst looke for as things more cer­taine out of the mouth of God. Here wee may see, that these papistes when they speake truth as their conscience beareth them witnesse, they can tell vs that purgatorie is but a new inuention, and hath no certaine originall, and that these indulgencies and Iubilies and their after birth, are new borne bables, neuer comming out of the mouth of God. Which as the same Polydor further saith, being as greene corne grew by little and little after Gregorie, but ve­ry many sometimes gather no small haruest thereof, as especially Boniface the 9. in whose times such pardons like other merchandise euery day were sold all abroad. So farre Polydor, in whose writinges thou mayest reade a great many more of popish de­uotions, to bee new deuised toyes: some taken from the Iewes, and some from the heathen idola­ters: wherein they forsake the auncient religion taught by the holie wrytings of GOD, and fol­lowe late vpstarte superstition of mans deuising. [Page 226] Now let vs go to another. Platina as zealous for po­perie as who in his time was most, liuing in Rome, & in office vnder Pope Pius the second, about Anno 1460. in the verie earnest deuotion he hath to pope­rie,In his booke De vitis pon­tificum. sheweth vs most of the foresaid inuentions to haue risen since the time of Pelagius the secōd, who liued about Anno 600. in the time of Mauritius the Emperour, out of whom some few thinges I wil ob­serue ouer and aboue the former. And first this Pla­tina reckoneth vp many things in the masse deuised by Gregorie the first,In vita Gre­gorij. Pope next after Pelagius. And that he made the large supplications called the Leta­nies, and the stations of Rome, and namely them of Saint Peter, the day of the natiuitie of our Lord, the daies of the kinges the first sunday of the passion, & of the ascension, of Pentecost, of the natiuitie of the Apostle, the day of Saint Andrew, the day of the chaire of Saint Peter, when they say the great Leta­nies &c. yea he saith he made so many workes that one cannot reckon them. And if wee may beleeue him, in this time was found out the gowne of Iesus Christ, which fell by lot vnto one of the soldiers, when Christ was crucified, in a village called Za­phat. For wee must suppose that Christ woare du­rable cloathing, which woulde not waste in 600. yeares, and that the soldier kept it as some holy re­licke, and gaue it or sold it to some Christian. But I will not trouble the reader with such bables, onely let him obserue and marke that here ignoraunce and blind deuotion began to spring, and to draw men a­way from the pure truth of the gospell. This Platina tels vs that Theodatus ordained, that the sonne of [Page 227] the godfather,Godfathers not to marie. should not marie the daughter which his father held at the font: this is a new kindred. Bo­niface the 5.Sanctuarie for offendors. ordained that one shold not be drawen out of the church by force, but the church shold bee a place of refuge for offenders.Organs & musicke in the church. The pax. Vitalianus ordayned organs in the church, and musicall instruments. Leo the second founded the Pax, to be giuen the people in the masse time.A strange chaire. This Platina telleth of a new and strange chaire at Rome, called Sedes Stercorea, wher­in the new created Pope sitteth and vnderneath the last deacon trieth him whether he be a man, which newly came vp by this occasion, that Pope Iohn 8.Anno 855. as he went to the Church of Lateran,Masse for the dead. was deliuered of a child, and therefore the Popes after that going to that Church passe not that way, & are thus tried. Benedict 3. ordained that the priestes, deacons, and the Pope, should bee present at the funerall of a Bi­shop, to giue honor to the corps, and to pray for the dead mans soule, and commanded all priests to say masse when the Pope died. In the time of Formo­sus, which was about Anno 890. Hee saith,The Emperors & Popes holi­nesse lost at one time. that (he could not tell for what cause) in one time, the truth of the Emperours and of the Popes & their holines was lost and abolished. Steuen the sixt brought vp this new custome, that one Pope did vndo and an­nihillate the doings and decrees of his predecessors, wherein the Christian reader by the way may con­sider that wee are to beleeue them when they make the Popes decrees equall with the scripture, seeing themselues can so easily put downe such authentical doings. And here is not to bee omitted how grie­uously PlatinaIn the life of Sargius, and of diuers others. complaineth in rehearsing the liues [Page 228] of many wicked popes about this time, calling them cursed and bastardes from the vertues of the good Popes. Of Iohn the 16. he saith, that hee conuerted the goods of the Church to the vse of his kindred, brothers, parentes, and carnall friendes, and of that sprang a custome, which the Popes comming after did obserue and keepe, that not for the faith and de­uotion of Christianitie, but for the treasures of the Church, the Popes sought that honour, namely to enrich themselues and their friends, brothers, sisters, cosens, nephewes, &c. About which timeBooke 6. Anno 990. Poly­dor Virgill in his storie of England obserueth, that the Monkes degenerated and the priestes into tyran­ny, by meanes of their riches. This Platina can tell you that Syluester the second came to his popedom by negromancie, and that Benedick the 8. after his death appeared vpon a blacke horse, for hiding vp money that was giuen for the poore. And Benedick the 9. sold his Popedome, and so also after his death appeared like a monster & horrible idoll. Syluester the third through mony became Pope,Anno 1000. & also Gre­gorie the 6. for at this time this new learning was ru­led by money and friendes. Damasus the second occupied that roome by force without the consent of the people and cleargie: so the custome was, that the ambitious obtained the papacie. This Platina commendeth Gregorie the seuenth, although for that he telleth of him, hee might rightly bee called Hellbrand, for his presumption ouer his Lord the Emperor, & for his hellish and blasphemous bulles, wherein he maketh Peter his God, saying: O glorious Peter, prince of the Apostles, incline thine eare & heare [Page 229] thy seruant, whom thou hast nourished vp from his infan­cie, & preserued & kept from the hands of his enemies, vnto this present time &c. And in his statutes, (a little after) he describeth the man that doth as appertay­neth to a Christian, by this: To feare God & S. Peter. To feare God and S. Peter. And in another curse he saith to Peter & Paul: I haue not chosen you, but you haue chosen me, & laid this most greeuous burden vpon my shoulders, &c. By these and such like he vttereth wordes of great dishonour to God, & maketh Peter in vertue & power & worship equal to God & Christ, which are new broached er­rors, & fearefull in the eares of true Christians. And such as Peter would earnestly haue detested, if hee were aliueAct. 10. Cap. 14. who rebuked Cornelius in a lesse mat­ter. And Paul would haue rent his cloathes & said: O men why doe you these things, we also are men subiect to the like passions as you are? He can tell vs also of Vr­ban the second, that he began the wares against the Sarasines and Turkes. And that from thencefoorth the cheefest labours of Popes, haue beene in wars for Peters patrimony, deposing kinges and Empe­rours, and translating of kingdomes and dignities. Out of which goodly roote there sprang vp the bloudie factions of the Guelphes, and Gibellins, Florentines, Venetians, Genenois, Cecilians, &c. TheAnno 1260. Romanes refuse to obey Vrban the 4. And these garboiles grew so strong, that the Popes were faine to bee nonresidents for seuentie & foure yeres, beginning atAnno 1310. Clement the fifth, vntill Gregorie the eleuenth. Then out of this engendred an o­ther newe thinge,1380. a scisme of nine and thirtie yeares, wherein were someime two sometime three [Page 230] Popes at once, till the councell of Constance. And so this time in warres canonizing of Saints, breeding and enlarging of pardons and many other trumpe­ries continued vntil the time of Luther. Here I ouer­skip Boniface the 8. with his two swordes, and his angels be set in the night to perswade Celestinus to surrender his pope seate, and Iohn 23. a deuisor of new thinges, he would make and vnmake, Bishops of Abbots, and Abbots of Bishops, new canons & dignities in the church, and by and by in another fa­shion. And thus haue they handled the religion of Christ. Like vnto a potter, turning his wheele, who maketh the clay now of one fashion and now of an other, that no certainty of truth and ancient godli­nesse can be found in that sea. But as the Prophet E­say saith,Cap. 29.19. Your turning deuises shall it not bee as the potters clay? If we reade the warres, sedition, tumults, bonefires, massacres, rebellions, treasons, murders, and all manner of hurly burly: betweene Pope and pope Cardinall and Cardinall, betweene pope and Cardinals, Emperors, kinges and people, betweene citie and citie, subiect against their Lords, and one nation against another. From the first arising of Hil­debrands fire which he brought from hell vntill our time, which haue beene raised, procured, maintay­ned and continued by that wicked generation, wee may well say of them as the prophete Esay speaketh of the wickedCap. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging sea, that cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire and dirt.

But he that would reade Clemangis, Sigebert, Ae­neas Siluius, Sigonius, Mathie Parrisius, and other such writers which liued in those times, shall find a [Page 231] great many more monsters, new borne in the church of Rome, then in this shorte treatise I am able to set downe: yet for the further helpe of the reader I will leade him a worde or twaine from these storie writers to the Counsels. If happely wee may finde some of this new broode of poperie by them. TheCanon. 6. Anno 330. The primacie of Bishops. Nice councel, summoned by Constantin the great, consisting of 318. Bishops out of all the parts of the world ordained (according to the custome of the church in those daies) that the Patriarch of Alexan­dria and of Antioch, shold haue the like authority in their Bishoprickes as the Bishops of Rome in his. This was as Gratian saith the first generall coun­sell. Therefore when the pope is gotten to an higher presumption, he is in this respect of a new religion. About this time the counsell of AncyraCanon. 14. eating of flesh. condem­ned those ministers, that did account flesh vncleane and abominable. And the counsell ofCanon 2. Gangrena a little after calleth them Anathema acursed, which condemne a man for eating flesh in faith. But this late counsell of Trent and Synagogue of Rome, doe commaund abstinence from flesh vpon rewarde or vengeance of God, and their practise of seueritie in punishing such for heretickes, as eat flesh in daies by them deuised and canonized, we well know and re­member. The same councell of GangrenaCanon 4. & 9 & 10. single life. doth accurse whomsoeuer, that put difference between a maried prieste or any other touching the ser­uice in the ministerie: and also such as for virgini­tie sake iudge mariage abhominable. But all men know that the Romish Harlot is of a new learning, putting more holinesse in single life and vowes of [Page 232] chastity, especially in their priests, then in honest and honorable wedlock. A counsel at Antioch somwhat afterCanon 2. the sole com­munion. ordained, such to bee cast out of the Church, which entred the Church and heard the scriptures, and did not tarrie to receiue the communion with the rest of the people. And the like you may finde to be the order of the church in ancient time,Anno 480. Canon 18. in the counsell of Agatha, a citie of Fraunce. But now our new sinagogue hath deuised a priuate masse, that the priest should blesse the people with the cup, & make them to worship his idoll, and he himselfe eate all a­lone. A councell at Laodicea,An. 368. Canon 16. & 59. iudged that the gospels and other scriptures were to bee read on the Sabbaoth daies; and that of the vnlearned there ought not to be said in the Church,Canonicall scriptures only to be read in the church. psalmes made and vulgar (which as I iudge were balads) neither to reade books which are out of the canon, but one­ly the canonicall bookes of the old and new testa­ment, and there they reckon vp the bookes which we hold for canonicall. But wee know that the Ro­mish Apostasie hath afterward brought in legends and other Apocrypha writings, to iustle out the ho­ly scriptures of God, keeping them secret in an vn­knowen tongue. The 4. counsell of Carthage saith: Mulieres baptizare &c. Let not women presume to bap­tize. Women bapt. But we know by what deuise the sea of Rome haue brought in women to baptise. In the sixt coun­sell of Carthage,Anno 430. Appeales to Rome. wherein was S. Augustine Bishop of Yppo, and Legate of the prouince of Numidia, it was tried and found out, that it was not (as Boni­facius Bishop of Rome would haue vsurped) lawful by the councell of Nice to appeale to Rome, out of [Page 233] other Bishops prouinces,Epist. Concil. Africk ad & lestinum. but that they saw most wiselie and iustly, that all busines was to bee ended, where it was begun, neither should the grace of the holie spirit be wanting to any prouince whereby e­quitie might be wisely seene of Christs priests and constantly holden. And after that the Mileintane counsellCanon 22. forbad all people to appeale ouer the sea out of their prouince, but only to the counsel of A­frick & the primates of their prouinces: and who so did otherwise shold not be receiued to the cōmuni­on in al Africk. But we know that since that time, the pride of that wicked whore of Rome hath vsurped iurisdiction, ouer al lāds, that by any means they cold bring vnder their feet, & receiue appeals from whom soeuer; insomuch that wePolydor, hist. Ang. li. 20 Rich. 2. read of a Synode in Eng­land, An. 1391. which because many were vexed for causes which could not be knowen at Rome, ordai­ned that the authority of the pope of Rome, should stretch no farther then to the Ocean sea: & that who so appealed to Rome; beside excōmunication, shold be punished with losse of all their goods & perpetual imprisonment. In the same counsel of Mileintane,Anno 420. Canon 5.6.7 It was decreed against Pelagius: that without the grace of Christ we can do nothing, and that euerie man should know he hath sin in him,Free will and iurisdiction by workes. as saith Saint Iohn Epist. 1. cap. 1. and that in many things wee sin all, and that we must confesse with the Psalme, enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shal no mā liuing be iustified which thing is opened, by anEpist. 72. Epistle of Aurelius B. of Carthage, vnto the Bishops of the prouince of Bizanzena, and Arzig­nitanta, where hauing shewed the error of Pelagius [Page 234] he declareth the faith of the Catholikes to be thus. Sixtly to confesse, the grace of God and his helpe to be giuen vnto all singuler acts, and the same not ac­cording to our merits that it may be true grace, that is, freely giuē by his mercie, who said I wil haue mer­cie, on whom I will haue mercie &c. And ninthlie to confesse, when wee fight against tentations and vn­lawfull concupiscences, although we haue there e­uen our owne will, yet not by that, but by the mercie of God we haue our saluation: because otherwise it shall not be true, which the Apostle saith; it is not of the willer, nor of the runner, but that we be saued, it is of God which hath mercie. Tenthly to confesse that pardon, is geuen to them that aske, according to the grace and mercie of God, not according to their merites; seeing the Apostle sayth: that repen­tance it selfe is the gift of God, where he saith of cer­taine men, least God should giue them repentance: which catholike faith is contrary to the new religion of Rome in those things. First for the preparation vnto grace and workes of condignitie: for they say then grace were no grace: Secondly for the concur­rence of free will, to worke with the grace of God, & so to merite, for they giue all to Gods grace, and all pardon and saluation to Gods free mercie. Loe here christian reader) thou seest, that the papists can tell vs of the particuler originall of the most part of their trumperie, & that the old christian churches in their counsels & determinations were protestants touch­ing the authoritie of Bishops and prouinces, touch­ing mariage, eating of flesh, priuate masse, and recei­uing the communion; touching the holie scriptures [Page 235] and the reading of them; touching weomens Bap­tisme and appeales to Rome, and touching the grace of God, freewill and merite: therefore the heresie of the church of Rome, being gathered since those pri­matiue times, must needs be of a new generation, & lately sprong vp and come abroad into the worlde.

5, And that thou maist, yet further see,Poperie hath lost the life & breath of chri­stianitie. how they haue lost the verie life and breath of all religion, and so are cleane fallen away, from being any member in Christs church, and to haue no part in the com­munion of Saints, as in any sort to be called Gods vi­sible people; I wil shew thee fiue other points which are fundamentall, and so farre of the foundation of christian religion, that without them, no man can be a mēber visible nor inuisible of the catholike church: wherein thou shalt see that the protestant was the an­cient true primatiue christian church of God:Fiue funda­mental points of christianity rased by po­perie. & the papist a verie apostata, comming in deed of a contra­rie race euen of the very stocke of antechrist. The first is of adoring God only: the second of the condition of the couenant with God on our behalfe: the third of the seales of the couenant: the fourth of the writ­ings of the couenant: the fift of the soueraigntie and headship of Christ ouer his church. And that these are foundamental, consider with me, that in the2. Idolatrie. first they breake the spiritual wedlocke with God, which giue his worship and honor to idols and images: as thou mayst see God, inCap. 16. Ezechiel complaining and saying. Thou hast taken thy faire Iewels of my gold and of my siluer, which I had giuen thee, and madest to thy self images of men, and diddest commit whooredom with thē &c. Merits of workes 2. In the second when they ioine workes and the [Page 236] fulfilling of the commandements, with faith: for they shut themselues from the righteousnes in the coue­nant, whereby they should reioice with God: as the Apostle saith:Rom. 4.2. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioice but not with God: yea they a­brogate the grace of God, and make Christ die in vaine, as the same Apostle teacheth saying,Gal. 2.21. I doo not abrogate the grace of God, for if righteousnes be by the law, then Christ died without a cause. 3. Sacramēts. In the third they annihilate and ouerthrow Christs institution in the seales of the couenant, by their transubstantiation and vnbloudie sacrifice adored, and make but a fa­natical body of Christ and an imaginatie manhood: where as Christ saith,1. Cor. 11.24.25.26. Doe this in remembrance of me, and Saint Paul expoundeth it saying: As often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lords death till he come. For if he bee contained in heauen (as Saint PeterAct. 3. & 21. saith) till the restoring of al things: and that this sacrament is to remember and shewe his death till hee come: what is it but a newe insti­tution, when they say it is turned into his person and adore him as present? and what can that bodie or manhood, which is in heauen, bee in the sacra­ment really and corporally, any otherwise, but in fansie and imagination, seeing in the same, (till he come to iudgement) he is in heauen? In the4. Scriptures. fourth they blot out the writinges of the couenant, when as ChristMat. 15. sayth: They make the lawe of God of none effect by their traditions, while they equall their own deuises with the written word of God, & make it in sufficient to saluation, and set the church which shoulde bee ruled by it and obedient to it, to be a­boue [Page 237] it; the people aboue the lawe and the ladie vnder the handmaide.5. Supremacy Lastlie they commit trea­son against the person of Christ when they set the pope in his place, without his assignement, that a mortall man shoulde bee head of the vniuersall Church and bodie of Christ. For Christ onely is called:Eph. 1.22.28 1. Cor. 3.11. The head in all thinges ouer his Church: and the foundation thereof excluding all other. Nowe then, seeing that there can bee no foundation of Christianitie, nor Church of God, where the co­uenant is broken by spirituall whooredome, and where there is no reioicing with God: and the grace of God and Christ death is made vaine: and where the seales of Gods letters patentes, and his glorious image which is Christ is defaced, and his holie writinges blotted and abased: and man aduanced in the chaire of the son of God and office of Christ: it must needes followe that they being guiltie in these thinges there cannot bee any part of the visi­ble Church of Christ amongest them. I thinke it therefore good to take some more paines in these fiue points, that thou maist see, howe that in the first primatiue ages, the Catholike truth was to be founde, amonge the Christian protestants, and that the popishe heresie in these pointes, came vppe afterwardes to bee openlie seene, and close­lie grewe vnder them. Consider therefore (good Christian reader) what I say, and the Lord giue thee the spirit of true discretion and wisedome in all that thou readest. First in the question of ado­ring God: the papist thinke they doo not commit [Page 238] fornication; because they haue a fine shift to say, they doe not adore the image, as to account it their God, to put their trust in it, but onely reuerence it as a representation of God, by bowing before it, kissing it, praying before it &c. they adore him which the image representeth. And they thinke themselues ve­rie wel discharged from idolatry, seeing their images are not dedicated vnto diuels and false Gods, but vn­to the true God, Christ and his Saints. But this is ve­relie, but a meere sleight of Sathan: for the truth of christian religion is not so, neither was it so reputed in the primatiue ages of the church: but that to make such images to God and Christ was abominable, & the worshipping in that sort idolatrous. For to omit what Christ sayth: thatIoh. 4.24. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth, and that of Saint Paul: Act. 17.29. For as much as wee are the genera­tion of God, we ought not to thinke that the godhead is like vnto golde or siluer, or stone grauen by art and the inuention of man. Thereby teaching that both matter and forme in this cause is wicked and vnlawfull: what shall then the worship bee, but plaine idola­trie? Let vs here the first fathers speake. Irenaeus (who liued about Anno 170. being scholler to Polycarpus who was Saint Iohns disciple:)Aduers. he­res. lib. 1. cap. 24. condemneth the heretikes who called them selues Gnostici, hauing certaine images painted, and certaine also made of other matter saying that the forme of Christ was made by Pilate, and also heCap. 23. taxeth the heretike Ba­silides, for vsing images and incantations and inuo­cations: and hee calleth them Parerga: that is to say nothing to the matter: euen as the prophet saith:Esai 44.10. [Page 239] Who hath made a God, or molten an image, that is profi­table for nothing. But Origen which came somewhat after, namely about Anno 270.lib. 7. contra celsum. is more plaine and full in this matter. For hauing to doo with one Cel­sus who reprooued the Christians (as the papistes doo vs) because they tollerated no images in Gods worship, accusing them to be like, the most barba­rous nations, the Scythians, Lybians, and Syrians, which were without God; and the Persians he shew­eth that these nations might doo so, either because they feared the diuels might lurke in such places, and matter so framed and shaped, or for some other cause: but saith he: Christians and also Iewes, when they heare: Dominum deum tuum timebis &c. thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue, and thou shalt haue no strange Gods, neither shalt thou make to thy selfe an idoll, nor the likenes of any thing &c. doo not onely abhorre the temples, and alters and images of the Gods: but if need be they do come more readelie e­uen vnto death, least by any excesse and wickednes they should defile, that which they doo verie well and rightlie thinke concerning God: Then a little after he blameth Celsus, for the same (which papist pretende) that they doo not beleeue the images to bee God: be­cause the common people, by their example, whom they thought to be wise, did worship them as God, beleeuing them to bee Gods, which all men reue­rence: so that they will not abide, to heare that any man shoulde denie that to bee God, which is wor­shipped by it selfe. And where as Celsus affirmed that the images were not counted Gods, but dedi­cated to the Gods: hee aunswereth that to do and [Page 240] affirme such a thing, is verie plainely apparant, to belong vnto men, which erre concerning the God­head. But wee doo not so much as account those images to bee of the diuine likenesse; because that wee forme (or can forme) no image of God, who as hee is inuisible so he is without bodie. And last of all hee taketh away the obiection, that God made man after his owne image, shewing that, that is vnderstood in regarde of the vertues of the soule: Whereby you may per­ceiue that the doctrine of the Christians in those daies was, that no man could make any image and likenes of God, and therefore to make such images of representation, howsoeuer thereby to honour God, was farre from Christians: not onely left the people should haue a godlie opinion of those ima­ges, by wise mens example: but also that they might not defile their faith, in the knowledge of the inui­sible and incorporall God, the maker of all thinges: they were then, many degrees distant from our po­pish idolatrie and new refined imagerie, who would not so much as permit any such images to bee made at all, least they should bee defiled: The like we finde inDe orig. er­ror. [...] lib. 2, cap. 2. Lactantius Firmianus, who liued about Anno 335. For hee sheweth, that when the Chri­stians blamed the gentils, because they feared their workes of their owne handes: the aunswere of the Gentils was readie (euen the same of the Pa­pistes) that they feared not those images which they made, but them vnto whose likenesse they were made, and to whose names they were consecrated. Hereupon hee confuteth this popish shift, by these reasons [Page 241] following. First, that God being in heauen they should lift vp their eies to heauen. Secondly, God being alwaies present euerie where, and the images seruing naturally to remember the absent, they should not worship images, then God being alwaies liuing, such dead and insensible thinges, can not bee his image: and lastly, that cannot bee the image of God which is framed with the fingers of men, out of stone, brasse, or other matter, but man himselfe. But what neede I to rehearse many particulars, see­ing the papistes themselues confesse the antiquitie of the primatiue church to bee against them. First Polydor VirgillDe inuent. rerum. lib. 6. cap. 13. Omnes ferme veteres sancti patres dam­nabant, &c. saith that Hierome testifyeth, That not onely they were voide of our religion, but almost all the olde holy fathers, did condemne the worship of images, for feare of idolatrie, then which there can be no wicked­nesse more execrable. For seeing no man at any time saw God, as Iohn saith, what forme shall we giue vnto him, &c. And so he disputeth out of Moses and others a­gainst such images: which testimony of Polydor is confirmed by Erasmus Roterodamus (whom Al­phonsus de Castro, writing of heretickes, would by no meanes leaue out of the Romish fellowshippe, but bringeth the facultie Theologicall of Paris to speake for him,) for heIn Catechis. saith, Vsque ad aetatem Hie­ronimi &c. vnto the time of Hierome there were men of an approued religion, who suffered no images in the churches, neither painted, nor engrauen, nor wouen, no not so much as Christs image, as I thinke because of the Anthropomorphites, yet by little and little the vse of ima­ges crept into Churches. This Hierom liued about An­no 430. And to him ioyned Augustine, who liued as some thinke till An. 385. And after him liued Da­mascenus [Page 242] about An. 455. Of these two Steuen Du­rantus, writing from RomeDe ritibus ecclesiae. lib. 1. cap. 5. sect. 2. can tel. First that S. Au­gust. de fid. & symbol. cap. 7. saith: that wee must not thinke that God the father is circumscriptible with any humane forme. And againe: It is wickednesse to place such an image vnto God in a Christian church. And Damasc. lib. 4. Orthod. fid. cap. 7. Who is there which can make the image of God, who is inuisible, & without body & circumscription, & without figure? therefore it is ex­treme madnesse, to counterfeit & fashion the deuine po­wer. Guillermus Durandi helpeth vs a little further, vntill An. 480.De rational. diuin. lib. 1. de pictur. affirming that the councell of Aga­tha forbad pictures to bee made in the church, and that, that should bee painted in the wales which is worshipped & adored. Now this16. Durandi &De rit. eccles. lib. 1. cap. 4. sect. 1. Du­rantus, with old father Gratian,De conse­crat. distinct. 3. cap. perlatum. do patiently abide and beare, that these images had little entertainment into the churches of Christians vntill An. 600. But then they are bold to bring forth Gregorie, liuing a­bout that time, that they might shew the first origi­nall & decree of their error. Namely, that about this time there were images crept into the church, to bee lay mens bookes, but not to be adored. For this Gre­gorieLib. 7. epist. 109. reproueth one Serenus Bishop of Massilia, for breaking images in the church whē he saw them worshipped: but yet he commendeth him, that hee would not haue the people to worship them, wish­ing to teach the people not to sinne by worshipping them, and yet to learne the storie in the wales, which they could not reade in bookes. So that it can not be found, that vnto this time of 600. yeares images got any further honour: but to stand or to be painted in the church, as bookes to teach the rude people: and [Page 243] then they began about that time, to forget the scrip­tures of God, which saith:Hier. 10.15. Aback. 2. 19. They are vanitie and the worke thereof errors: there is no profite in them, but they are teachers of lies. But this Romish and hethe­nish idolatrous worship, which is now among the papistes, had so many enemies of godly Christians, that from time to time it suffered the repulse, till a­bout the yeare 785. And then in the second counsel of Nice it was hatched, hardened & made bolde, to come abroad into open light, and to beard & to face downe the pure adoration and seruice of God with this pretyBy these two verses Nam Deus est quod imago docet, sed non Deus ipsa. Hanc videas, sed mente co­las, quod cer­nis in ipsa. deuise and colour to hide their idolatrie, that they honor not the image it selfe, but in it, they worship him, whom the image doth represent. A thing so manifestly condemned by the auncient Christians, that this is the greatest and the strongest antiquity which the papists haue, for the grounding and first full birth of their idolatrie: as thou shalt ve­rie well perceiue, if thou reade the aforesaid authors of this matter, and the Antididagma of the reue­rende canons of Colen, and B. Boner vpon the 10. commandements, and the counsell of Trent or any other, that declare faithfully the true storie of anti­quitie. Therefore let the Christian reader iudge if this bee not of a newe and late generation: and whether such daintie cloakes of humane folly will shrowde them well, and safely agaynst the pow­ring showers of the fierie wrath of God, whichEsai. 45.23. hath once sworne by himselfe: saying, Euerie knee shall bow vnto mee, and euerie tongue shall sweare by mee. And againe hee saith:Cap. 42.8. I am the Lorde, this is my name, and my glorie will I not giue vnto an [Page 244] other, 2. Faith onely iustifieth. neither my praise vnto grauen images. The se­cond foundation is of the condition on our part of the couenant with God: wherein because the gos­pell requireth no other condition, but onely faith in Iesus Christ, therfore the catholike religion, holdeth this principle: Faith in Iesus Christ, onely, & without workes doth iustifie. Which to be the ancient catho­like beliefe of Christians: Eusebius Pamphilus, a very learned diuine of the primitiue age doth testi­fie, he liued about Anno 325. who writing the storie of the primitiue Church, sheweth that this was the faith of the Christians, from the Apostles vnto that age. For speaking of the heresie of the Hebionites, (whose beginning was in the verie first age of Chri­stianitie) he calleth them poore (alluding to their name) in the knowledge of the glorie of Christ,Histor. eccles. lib. 3. cap. 27. and he telleth, that they were reputed erronious in this, that they held, that the obseruation of the law was to be kept, and that faith onely in Christ was not sufficient to saluation. Which is confirmed by Irenaeus whoAduers. he­res. lib. 1. ca. 26 saith that Ebion refused Paul, calling him an Apo­stata from the law. Now if it were not the common and vniuersall faith of the Church, that faith onely iustifieth, how could Ebion all that 300. yeares bee accounted an hereticke for holding the contrarie? But this will more appeare, if we heare the auncient fathers and elder protestants, (both before and after Eusebius time) to speake and vtter their profession. CyprianAnno 255. before EusebiusEpist. 3. Caecilio. saith thus: Si Abra­ham Deo credidit &c. If Abraham beleeued God, & it was imputed to him for righteousnes, truely whoseouer beleeueth God and liueth by faith, is found righteous. [Page 245] OriginAnno. 235. a little before him speaketh thus, (vpon the words of S. Paul Rom. 3. vers. 27.28.)In epist. ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. He saith, the iustification of faith onely to suffice: So that whosoeuer beleeueth onely is iustified, although hee fulfill no part of workes. And to proue this he bringeth the example of the thiefe on the crosse, namely: That no whit of good workes is declared to bee done by him in the gospell, but for his faith onely Iesus said vnto him, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Hilarius345. liued much a­bout that time, or not long after Eusebius, andCap. sine Canon. 8. hee saith vpon Mathew: Fide sola iustificat, He iustifieth onely by faith. Basilius Magnus as it wereAnno 370. presently after him saith: The de humilitate Apostle saith, let him that glori­eth glory in the Lord, where he said that Christ is made of God vnto vs, wisedome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, that as it is written, let him that glori­eth glorie in the Lord: for that is perfect & euerie way glorying in the Lord, when a man is not extolled for his owne righteousnesse, but acknowledgeth himselfe indeed void of true righteousnesse, and to bee iustified by onely faith in Christ. Ambrose was not long380. after, when heEpist. 71. wrote to one Irenaeus saying: Let no man glorie in his works, because no man is iustified by his doings, but he that is iust hath it giuen him, because that after the wa­shing he is iustified: therfore it is faith, which deliuereth by the bloud of Christ, because he is blessed whose sinne is remitted & pardoned. Hierome390. ioyneth close vnto him andVpon Rom. 4. saith: God iustifieth by faith onely the wic­ked man, when he conuerteth, and not workes which hee hath not. And againe vponVpon Gal. 3. these wordes, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteous­nesse, (he saith) so also vnto you, onely faith is sufficient [Page 246] vnto righteousnesse. And a little after, Because that in the law &c. because no man keepeth it, therefore it is said that by faith onely the beleeuers are iustified. S. AugustinAnno 400. homil. 6. Vpon these words, loue your enemies. standeth vp as it were with him, and protesteth: No man is made iust but of a sinner, as wee haue often song: blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen, hee said not: blessed are they which not committed sinne, but blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen them. For if thou aske who hath not committed, thou shalt find no man. Where­by then shall any man be blessed, vnlesse he bee pardoned that he hath done, and couered that hee hath committed. And a little after: Thinke not that by thy merites thou art made such an one, because the grace of God hath made thee such an one. The Milenitane councell doethAnno 420. close vp this faith, when it will haue nothing giuen to mans will or workes, but ascribeth all to the mer­cie & grace of God, as is shewed but a little before.Anno 450. sermo 30. Petrus Chrysologus expoūdeth this matter by the cause, where he saith: Non veni vocare iustos, (I came not to call the righteous but sinners) he putteth not backe the iust, but because that without Christ no man is coun­ted iust in the earth: (I came not to call the righteous but sinners) in so saying, hee putteth not backe the righteous, but because hee findeth all men sinners: har­ken to the Psalmist: The Lord looked downe from hea­uen vpon the sonnes of men, that hee might see if there were any that vnderstood or sought after God: all haue gone out of the way &c. Let vs bee brethren, let vs be sinners by our owne confession, that by the pardon of Christ, we may not be sinners. Theophilact. commethAnno 760. some pretie while after, and yeeldeth to this veri­tie saying, vponVpon 3. vers. 11. these wordes, And that no man [Page 232] is iustified by the law in the sight of God &c. he hath therefore shewed that men are made accursed by the law, and are vnder the curse: but the blessinges are heaped vp by faith: Now he doth plainely shew, that ve­rie faith, yea euen alone, hath in it selfe the vertue of iu­stifying &c. The ordinarie glosse vpon the bible, ioyned with Lyra, being ofLyra wrote about 1320. later and more cor­rupted time, by euidence of truth is drawne to the same confessionVpon Rom. 3 & 4. saying: Workes follow him that is iustified, but do not go before him that is to bee iustified: but by onely faith without workes going before, a man is made iust. And againe: Vnto him who hath not time to worke, if he beleeue, onely faith is sufficient to righteous­nesse. BernardBernardus Clarenallensis liued in Anno 1120. liuing some good time before this, finding the same truth in Gods booke, giueth like witnesseVpon Cantic. sermon. 22. saying: Quisquis propeccatis compunctus e­surit &c. Whosoeuer being pricked for his sinnes doth hunger and thirst for righteousnesse, let him beleeue in thee, who dost iustifie the wicked: & being iustified, one­ly by faith, he shall haue peace with God. Here the Chri­stian reader may see, that protestantes flourished in the primitiue church, and that the ages after did not want witnesses of this truth. Now if I be asked how the opinion of righteousnesse by workes came into the Christian societie, and corrupted it, I desire the reader to cast his eies vpon the matter it selfe, & con­sider with me, that the way of saluation is Christ on­ly, & he is made ours by faith, for vnlesse wee learne & beleeue in Christ we can not be saued. The deuill therfore by all meanes hath laboured to keepe men from the knowledge of Christ: & first he drew away the wise & learned of al nations many ages together, [Page 248] that they thought themselues happie, by their wis­dome, vertue, lawes & works, with other deuises, but knew not the true God and the righteousnes & sal­uation which is by Christ: yet God hauing an eye to his elect whom he called, maugre the malice of sa­than, this was otherwise in the church of God. And God called and taught AbrahamGal. 3.8. the gospel, name­ly that men should be righteous by faith onely. Here the Deuil hath a new worke, and in processe of time vnder colour of the righteousnes of the law, he cau­sed the church of the Iewes to fall from God, by for­saking faith and seeking to bee iust by their workes: for as Saint Paul witnesseth,Rom. 9.31. Israel which followed the law of righteousnesse, could not attaine vnto the law of righteousnesse. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the workes of the law. Heere God resisted Sathan, and opened the way of life vn­to all nations. For in the fulnesse of time, when the promise of the gospell vnto Abraham, of iustifying the gentiles through faith was now to be accompli­shed, God sent forth his sonne to be the light of the world, and he & his Apostles preached repentance to all nations, and taught them righteousnesse & sal­uation by faith in Christ onely. And then as S. Paul also teacheth:Vers. 30. The gentils which followed not righte­ousnesse attained vnto righteousnes, euen the righteous­nesse which is of faith. Here the Deuil bestirreth him­selfe, and first euen in the Apostles time, hee raiseth vp the Iewes, who beingAct. 21.20. zealous for Moses, fight eagerly for the law,Gal. 3.1.2.3 and that the workes of Gods commandements be ioyned vnto faith,1. Thess. 2.14 15.16. or to bee aduanced aboue faith. Against which Saint Paule [Page 249] laboureth and writeth to the Romains and Galathi­ans, most strongly proouing, that onely faith in Ie­sus Christ doth iustifie, & that God had so decreed it by his word:Act. 15. and the Apostles by a counsell deter­mine that the Gentils are free from the law of Mo­ses. Afterward the diuel prepared diuers heretikes to this battaile who in diuers sortes assayled this faith: some fighting against the person of Christ, as Simon Magus and Arius and their followers: some stroue for their owne perfection and righte­ousnes: as Ebion, Pelagious, Donatus, Cathari, and such like. Against all which God stirred vp learned, vali­ant and faithful men, who defended and maintained the faith, by the sword of the spirit and kept it found many yeres, so that the heretickes preuailed not. But in this verie time, and that vnawares, a thing that Christian men suspected not, the diuell had vnder hande a more cunning and sure way to ouerthrow the faith: namelie he draue men into the wilder­nesse and solitarie places, which partlie happened by persecution, and partlie by a blinde deuotion, and so sowed the seeds of munkerie in the Church of Christ, which as farre as I canPolydor vir­gil. de inuent. rerum. lib. 7. cap. 1. & cap. 3. Histor Eccle­siast. tripertit lib. 1. cap. 11. About Anno 300. read first ^e be­gan in the deserts of Aegyt. These men gaue them selues to holie meditation and religious contempla­tion of Gods workes, and leauing the perfect booke of God written in the holy scriptures they read in an other booke, like the heathen, as nature and rea­son which is blinde in Gods causes, did lead them, and made a newe Philosophie, hauing this prin­ciple, Veram beatitudinem in cultura dei & legum eius obseruatione, that is: True happinesse to consist [Page 250] in the seruice of God and keeping his commandements: which while men perceiued not, howe it beat vpon the foundation, they began to cast their eies vpon themselues, and by little and little (because by nature we are prone to thinke too wel of our selues, and as men fond of their owne children, we admire our de­uises) christians fel in loue with this new trade of life, & the pearcing reflex of the glittering beams of their great and rare holines, and new religious deuotion, daseled the eies of all sorts of men. Insomuch as very excellent men and great clearkes, Basilius magnus, Hierom, and Augustine, & diuers other, leaned toward this new religion, and began to make rules for the same. And so the diuel comming as an angel of light, made his first entrance and their priuelie stale in this iustifying by workes vn espied. For these and other godly fathers in plaine and euident places of scrip­ture being by their conscience constrained, they frankly acknowledge the truth of Christ Iesus and auow it against heretikes: yet oftentimes their eies looking backwarde (like the peacocke) vpon their owne goodly rules and obseruations, doe with the left hand robbe Christ of that, which they so thank­fully ascribe vnto him with the right. Yet this meri­ting by workes was not so bolde and brauely attired in the first six hundred yeres, to assume and take such open authority and hie glory in the church; as it was afterwarde; when peace and wealth made men by wantonnes to seeke many deuises. Some (as the cli­ming popes) set vp decrees and decretals and made themselues men of renown, some by the knowledge of lawes and canons stroue for the lawrell crowne [Page 251] of glory; some by schoole learning made themselues admirable, who drawing in Aristle and Philosophie, to make grounds in diuinitie, taught the reasonable way of righteousnes by workes and the congruitie and condignitie of freewil: some as fryers and cloy­sters by rules and orders made new religions and waies of saluation; here commeth vp purgatorie, pardons, pilgrimage, praiers for the dead, and a thou­sand new things of rare holines & meritorious deuo­tion. By all these did the diuel make vnto him selfe many mightie legions of resolute warriers, to face & wearie out Christ, that he might leaue the church, that he by his eldest sonne Antechrist, might raigne and rule alone, and so he easily thrust out faith onely for righteousnes, and the true way of saluation. And brought in infinit traditions, vnwritten verities, ob­seruations, customes, mysteries, deuotions and reue­lations. If you would read Guillerimus Durandi rati­onale diuinorum, with Guido manipulus curatorum, Bo­nauentura de profectu religiosorum, Hieremias Bu­chius of the conformities of S. Frauncis with Christ, with such like and ioine there vnto the counsell of Trent, with their masse, and all the bookes appen­dents in seruice to their Ladie and Saints and heape vnto them the thousands of commandements of the church in decrees, decretals and canons, brought in by popes, scholemen, canonists & ciuilians, it would make a mans hart to bleed, to think how little regard is had of Christ, and of his righteousnes, wisedome, sanctification, redemption, name & glorie. And that the christian reader may the better perceiue these things; let him marke but this one thing which is yet [Page 252] fresh in memorie. When Luther stoode vp for the gospell, and tooke into his hand the spiritual sword of Gods word, and stroke and hewed at one of the last growing sproutes of this new way of righteous­nes, namely pardons and indulgencies, and finding great resistance by the warriers before named, hee began to arme himselfe with the armor of God, and by little and little both learning and teaching, the ar­ticle of iustification by faith onely in Christ, by and by all this braue baggage and counterfeit galantnes and earthlie glorie of righteous by mens doeings, like a thicke mystie cloud couering the aire, did va­nish away in the conscience of many thousands, by the bright shining power of the true sunne of righte­ousnes Iesus Christ in and by faith alone. And of this we haue had almost one hundred yeres expe­rience, that as1. Sam. 5. Dagon of the Philistims could not stand before the arke of God: So all the whoorish deuises of Romish Babilon could not stande before the doctrine of faith onely in Iesus Christ, the Lord be praised.3. of the Sacra­ments. Now looke we on the third point of the sacraments and seales of the couenant of mercie, and let vs here whether the auncient fathers of the pri­matiue church were not protestants. First Tertullian offereth him selfe, a verieHe liued a­bout Anno 230. auncient father, hee tel­leth vsContra Mar­tiō lib. 4. onely of two sacraments, and of the Lordes supperlib. 1. hee saith: Non reprobauit panem quo ipsum corpus suum representat, he refuseth not bread whereby he representeth his bodie. Loe Tertullian an auncient protestant in the matter of the sacraments. Cyprian likewise sheweth him selfe a protestant,De caena domini. saying. Mansio nostra in ipso &c. our abiding in him is eat­ing [Page 254] and drinking, and as it were a certaine incor­poration &c. and a little after. That which meat is to the flesh, this faith is vnto the soule; that which is meat to the bodie, that is the woord to the spirit: and in his conclusion hee addeth. As oft as wee doo these thinges, wee doo not wheat our teeth to byte, but with a sincere faith, wee breake the holie bread and deuide it, while wee distinguish and seperate that which is de­uine, and that which is humaine &c. Origen steppeth in betweene them both and protesteth with vs,vpon leuit. homil. 7. saying: There is also in the newe Testament a letter which killeth him, who marketh not those thinges which are spoken spiritually. For if thou according to the letter, followe this same which is said (vnlesse you eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud) this letter killeth. Saint Augustine followeth after and sheweth him selfe a protestant in diuers places about this mat­ter, denying transubstantiation with all the holie martyrs which suffered in Queene Maries time, saying:Vpon Ps. 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis &c. yee shall not eate this bodie which you see, and drinke that bloud which they shall shead, which shall crucifie mee, I haue commended vnto you a certaine mysterie: which beeing spiritually vnderstoode, shall quicken you, and againe:De ciuitate dei lib. 21. cap. 20. Non solo sa­cramento, sed re ipsa mandu­cauerunt cor­pus Christi, in ipso eius cor­pore cōstituti. They eate not in the Sacrament alone, but in ve­rie deede the bodie of Christ, beeing set in his verie bodie, shewing thereby that there is no way of eatinge Christ, but spirituallie, and that the wicked eate the Sacrament of Christs bodie, but not Christs bodie indeede, hauing no faith to bee set in him: and as hee knewe no reall presence in [Page 254] the sacrament, so he knew no adoration nor sacrifice but a memoriall of thanksgiuing, as where heAd. P. dia­conum. saith: In this sacrifice there is thanksgiuing and a remembrance of the flesh of Christ, which he offered for vs: and againe,Contra Fau­stum Mani­cheum per victimas simi­litudinum. the flesh and bloud of this sacrifice before the comming of Christ was promised by the sacrifices of resemblances: in the sacrifice of Christ by the truth of the same: after the ascention of Christ it is celebrated by the sacrament of re­membrance, what a merueilous protestant was hee, whose sacrifice was a remembrance, his adoring was thankesgiuing and transubstantiation in a mysterie and not in deed. But me thinketh father Barnard wil be a protestant also, for heDe diligend. Deo. saith that these woords (qui manducat carnem meam &c. hee which eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud hath life eternal) is as much as to say: who so doth meditate vpon my death and by my example mortifie his members, which are vpon the earth, hath eternall life, that is, if you suffer together you shall raigne together. Transubstan­tiation came vp as yesterday But here I need not so much to trou­ble thee with fathers seeing this deuise of transub­stantiation was hatched lesse then 400. yeres a goe, and thatAnno 1215. Read the acts of the counsel and decreet all lib. 3. tit. 41. cap. 5. in a counsell of Lateran vnder pope Inno­cent the 3. there you shall finde Francis and Domi­nicke the head springs of two religions, to be great helpe to the pope, there shalt thou find auriculer cō ­fession, and mysterium fidei thrust into the institution in the masse. Hereupon Honorius the 3. espying (in looking vpon this new glasse of transubstantion) that Christ was made to come out of heauen into the sa­crament, thought it reason to giue him reuerence; therefore he16. cap. 10. deuised and ordained the Eucharist, should be lifted vp and adored and reserued in reuerent [Page 255] maner. But it is to be merueiled, that Honorius was so hastie, before it was perfectly resolued, whether the water were transubstantiated with the wine. For the forsaid Innocent the third16. cap. 6. illa probabilior iudicatur, quae asserit aquam cum vino in sanguinem transmutari. doth but probablie coniecture that it is so, and he saith the schoolemen agree not whether it be so or no. But howsoeuer, it is apparant by these testimonies, that this filthie and abominable idoll of transubstantiation, with his a­doration, is a new borne monster, adored by them which turne the glorie of God into things corrupti­ble. Therefore God giueth them ouer into a repro­bate sense, to beleeue lies, because they receiued not the loue of the truth, & to trust in those things, which if they could see, they would be a feard of, their very table is made a snare and their prosperity their ruine. The fourth foundamentall point is of the writings of the couenant,4. Of the scriptures. namely the Holie scriptures inspi­red by Gods spirit. Let vs heere what the auncient protestantes professed in the primatiue flower of the christian Churches among the Gentils. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France a verie auncient prote­stant:Aduers. he­res. lib. 2. ca. 47 protesteth that the Scriptures are perfect, for they are spoken by the woord of God and by his spirit: and againe:lib. 3. cap. 12. The thinges which the Scriptures shewe (or teach,) cannot bee shewed but by the Scriptures. And hee teacheth thatlib. 5. No small punishment belong­eth to them which adde or take away from the Scriptures. And lastlie heelib. 3. cap. 2. sheweth that it is a shift of the he­retikes, when they are conuinced by the Scriptures to accuse the Scriptures, and to say that by the Scriptures the truth cannot bee found of them which [Page 256] know not the tradition. Heere you see that Irenaeus maketh these boasting papistes heretikes, who vn­der colour of the insufficiencie of Scripture do foist in their traditions, affirming that they ought not to interpret the scriptures by their sence or magisteri­all power, but by the declaration of scripture it selfe, and lastlie that they are to bee punished for adding vnwritten verities, traditions canons and decrees and such like tumperie to the perfect Scriptures. In the next age of protestants commeth vp that great scholer Origen, and heIn Ezech. homil. 7. protesteth against the po­pish doctrin thus: They which teare the Scriptures, sow­ing those things, doe rent the words from the words and make feined points of doctrine, doo serue idols &c. and a little after. Let vs follow no man, and if we wil follow a­nie, Iesus Christ is set before vs, to be followed, the acts of the Apostles are described and we know the doings of the prophets by the holy volums (or writings) that patterne is sure, that example is sound, which who so desireth to fol­low doth walke without danger. In the next age of pro­testants standeth vp Basilius Magnus, and with open mouth denouncethDe vera ac pia fide. against the arrogant pride of Rome: If the Lord be faithful in all his words, and all his cōmandements faithful, established for euer & euer, done in equitie and truth: without doubt, this wilbe a most ma­nifest argumēt of infidelity, & a most certain sign of prid, if any man wil reiect any of those things which are writtē, or bring in any of those things which are not written. Se­ing our Lord Iesus Christ hath said my sheep here my voice & a little before the same said, they wil not follow a strā ­ger, but wil flie from him, because they know not the voice [Page 257] of strangers. In the next age Chrysostome steppeth forth & protesteth for the sufficiēcy of the holy scrip­turesVpon Ioh. cap. 8. saying: If we would diligētly search the scriptures, wee might be able to attaine saluation. But Saint Au­gustine a little before him beateth down all writings of Bishops, prouinces, and generall counsels, as vn­certain and vnperfect, and such as may be amended; but lifteth vp the scriptures and writings of the new and olde testament, as the onely sure and sufficient truthDe baptism. contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. saying: Who knoweth not that the holy scripture as well of the olde as of the new testament, is contained within certaine boundes, and the same to be preferred be­fore all the letters of the bishops comming after? as that there can be no doubt & dispute of (or about) it. But the letters of Bishops, which haue bin written after the con­firming of the Canon, or are now written, may be repre­hended, both by the speech (perauenture more wise) of a­ny man more wise in the same thing, and by the grauer authoritie of other Bishops, & prudencie of learned men and by counsels, if perauenture any thing in them do erre frō the truth. Also counsels, which are holden in seuerall regions or prouinces are to giue place without any stagge­ring, to the authoritie of fuller counsels, which are holden of all the Christian world, and those verie fuller councels, often the former may be amended by the latter, when as by any experience of things, that is made knowne which was hidden. Cyrillus in that verie age sheweth him­selfe in this matter a verie true protestantVpon Ioh. 20. cap. 68. saying: All things which the Lord hath done are not written, but those things which the writers haue thought sufficient, as well for maners as doctrine, that shining in a right faith and workes and vertue, we may come to the kingdome of [Page 258] heauen through our Lord Iesus Christ. And Theophi­lact one of the later writers of the Greekes condes­cendeth to this doctrine,Vpon 2. Tim. 3. and saith: Nihil est quod nequeat scripturis dissolut, There is nothing, which can­not bee assoiled by the scriptures. Here the Christian reader may see, that the auncient Christian religion was the same of protestants, holding the scripture for the onely Canon of faith, the rule of righteousnesse containing all thinges necessarie to saluation, most certaine and sure to discerne all truth, and able to as­soile all dobts and questions, and that wee ought to follow no man, because Bishops letters, & the most generall and fullest councels may be amended, and that it is onely the holy scripture whereof there can bee no doubt or dispute: so that it followeth that it is a new doctrine to say, that the Churches authori­tie is aboue the scripture, or that the Church iud­geth the scripture, and not the scripture the Church, or that wee neede and must accept with equall re­uerence traditions or vnwritten verities and canons of the church, without disputing, and such like blas­phemies. Gratian also the compiler of the decrees whoAbout Ann. 1160. liued in the chiefest growth of corruption, did publish to all the world, as an ecclesiasticall decree, the soueraigntie of holy scripture. For speaking of deuine lawes, he sheweth the determination of an­cient fathers, to set the holy scriptures aboue all other lawes whatsoeuer. And first aboue all cu­stomes inDistinct. 8. ca. Si solus Chri­stus. these wordes. If Christ onely bee to bee hearde, wee are not to regarde what any man before vs thought meete to bee done: but what Christ who is before all hath first done. For wee must not follow [Page 259] the custome of men, but the truth of God, seeing God speaketh by Esai the prophet and saith, in vaine doe they worshippe mee, teaching the commandements and doc­trines of men. Secondly, that it is proper and pecu­lier to the Canonicall scripturesFor so the glosse interpre­teth the Ca­nons of the distinction fol­lowing. of the olde and new Testament onely, not to erre,Distinct. 9. cap. Ego solit. saying: I haue learned to giue vnto those writinges onely which now are called Canonicall this reuerence and honour, that I beleeue that none of them haue erred. And againe,Cap. Noli frater. Doe not desire (brother) to gather out of the writings of Bishoppes, cauils against so many, so excellent and vndoubted testimonies deuine &c. Whether they bee ours or Hillarius, or Cyprian, and Agrippinus, before the part of Donatus was seperated. And first this kind of letters is to bee distinguished from the authoritie of the Canons, for they are not so reade, as though a te­stimonie were so brought out of them, that it is not law­full to thinke contrarie, if in any place they vnderstood otherwise then the truth doeth require. And againe, Neither ought wee to account the disputations of any men whatsoeuer, although Catholicke and reuerende men like vnto the Canonicall Scriptures, that it shoulde not bee lawfull for vs, sauing the reuerence due vnto these men, to improoue some thing in their wrytinges, and to reiecte it, if happely wee shall finde that they thinke or imagine otherwise then the truth hath.

In the next age after Gratian I finde Bonauen­tura a Franciscan, a man of great account inDe profect [...] religiosorū. cap. 6. He liued about Ann. 1280. his time, with cleare tearmes to teach the doctrine of protestantes in these wordes: Nam quod ratio no­stra lippa facta est &c. Whereas our reason is become [Page 260] as bleare eied, & our vnderstanding darkened through sinne, that wee cannot finde the truth of our selues; God came downe vnto vs, least we should bee in error, and gaue vs the knowledge of the truth in the scriptures which he would haue vs beleeue, where we might find suf­ficiently and truely all thinges necessarie for vs vnto sal­uation, that in them we should not follow our sence, but humblie submit our sence vnto the rule of faith, if we will not erre. Nicholas Lyra in the1315. next age protesteth for the scripture in like manerVpon the Prouerb. ca. 31. saying: Sacra scrip­tura continet firmam &c. The holy scripture containeth the firme and inuiolable truth, as in a merchants shippe are caried diuers thinges necessarie for mans life, so in scripture are contained all things necessarie to saluation.

But that I ouercloy not the reader with many testimonies for the authority of holy scriptures, I wil now turne to the other side, to trace the footsteps of the popish doctrine, how it came vp, that the scrip­tures hath lost their first authority and honour. Sure­ly by the witnesse of the papistes themselues not in 400. or 600. yeares after Christ. For then saith the glosse vponVpon distinct 9. cap. noli me 15. Gratian, that about the times of Augu­stine: Augustina scripta & aliorū sanctorū patrum non erant autentica &c. The writings of Augustine and of o­ther holy fathers were not autenticall, but that is about Anno 1200. now they are commanded to be holdē to the vtmost Iod. And this Gra­tianDistinct. 15. cap. sancta Romana. sendeth vs to Gelasius for the first founder of the authoritie of councels, fathers and decretals, epi­stles, so that by the papistes owne account and con­fession the holy scriptures raigned alone many ages together after Christs ascention as Lady & Queene, to bee the onely law to rule iudge and know the [Page 261] Church and whatsoeuer necessarie to saluation. And the Church presumed not ouer the scriptures, but was squared & ordered by them. This Gratian sheweth vsDistinct 16. Cap. Canons. that the Canons of the Apostles were pronounced byHe liued Anno 530. Isidorus, not to haue bene receiued of the Church, nor of the holy fathers, because they were knowne to be made of heretikes vnder the name of the A­postles. After heDistinct. 19. cap. Si Roma­nor. Ann. 865. telleth vs, that Pope Nicholas giueth autenticall authoritie to the decretall Epistles of his pre­decessors. And thatDistinct. 19. cap. sic omnes Anno. 680. Pope Agatha first breathed out this blasphemie, that all sanctions of the Apostolicall sea, are to be receiued, as confirmed by the deuine voice of Peter. AndDistinct. 20. cap. de libellis. Anno 850. Leo the 4. followed him in the same rebellion of Gods word, pronouncing, that they who do not receiue al their canons indifferently do not beleeue the Apostolicall faith and the foure Euangelists effectually as they should. And here the maker of the glosse is touched in conscience for the East churches that did not receiue these decretalles all this while, whether they were not heretikes. Much about this time came in the Legenda aurea, which isBernard. de Girard, hist. Franc. lib. 4. Albert. Krant. Saxonia lib. 2. fathered vpon Ca­rolus Magnus. And after this, others in these things kept on this new deuotion and presumption. But the battell was not full and strong, till Gratian him­selfeAnno. 1160. came vp and set them in aray by compiling the booke of decrees, containing more then halfe a legion; the Ciuilians and Canonistes muster them­selues to make the first squadrant, then Lombardus his brother bringeth forth a second in foure bookes of sentences, and in the reare warde marchAnno 1270 Tho­mas Aquinas, andAnn. 1295. Scotus Duns, with many Fran­ciscans and Dominicans, and make a strong battell [Page 242] of distinctions, questions, philosophie, Aristotelians, and all the forces of reason,Anno 1230. Gregorie the 9. bring­eth forth his barbed horsemen of decretall, as flanc­kers & to make incursions in fiue troopes or bookes well armed with Apostaticall ordinaunce: and Bo­niface the eight added a sixth. Then come in the light horsemen of Clementines and extrauagantes readie for many seruices: amongst whome there commeth in a monstrous hugeSeruice in a strange tonge came in after the adoring of Eucharist. Anno 1220. read Lyra vpō 1. Cor. 14. beast, to make way for the rest called Lingua Latina seu peregrina, that is, seruice and scriptures in an vnknowen tongue, which casteth such a mist into the eyes of Gods people that they are brought vnder the antechristian bondage, and from the glorious lawe of libertie, which is the gospell of Christ Iesus before they be aware. By all these there came vp such great and vniuersall studie of the Canon and Ciuill lawes, and such honour of schoole learning amongst all the learned and wise men on the one side: and such palpable ignorance in the common people, that it was impossible, that the worde of God could haue his primatiue digni­tie, witnesse the councell of Trent,Reade Caesar Baron. vpon the Martyro­log. Non Martij. who often clapped handes, and gaue great applause to Tho­mas Aquinas. And that when Luther beganne to preach the gospell, his greatest aduersaries fought against him, eyther by Canons decrees of some scholasticall conclusion, and witnesse the consci­ence and knowledge of all men that haue looked into the estate of religion. Thus is it easie to see what a strong force the deuill had by this meanes to bring the holie scriptures of God into a base and low re­membraunce, and how in tracte of time hee hath [Page 263] made his owne lawes, traditions, decrees and coun­sels, not onely equall, but far aboue them: And as iustly complaineth Anthonius de Rampegolis (a man of their owne side, who as Tritte thenDe scriptori­bus ecclesiasti­cis. writeth flourished personally in the counsel of ConstanceFigurae bi­bliae. cap. de sacra scriptura. Sacram scrip­turam in hono­rantes trahunt in obsequium philosophiae, faciunt ancillā dominam & de domina ancillam.) many dishonoured the holy scripture and made it obedient to philosophie, causing the handmaid to be mistresse, and the mistresse to be handmaid, and thus was fulfilled that which Hilarius wisely obser­uing didAduersus A­rianos. Et facta est fi­des temporum potius quā E­uangeliorum. say in his time: When the vse of writing & innouating of faith beganne to bee in vre, after it did rather beginne to make new thinges, then keepe that which it had receiued: it neither maintained the old, nor confirmed the newe, and so faith became to bee of the times, rather then of the gospels. That is to say, men leauing that which they receiued and learned by the scriptures, and writing themselues opinions and decrees of their owne, it came to passe in time, that the faith of the Church was not that which the Gospell of Christ teacheth: but such as liked men of the seuerall ages and times, such as counselles decreed, and Bishoppes ordained. Which thing Erasmus being a great Scholler did see to be hap­pened vnto the Church of Rome, and thereof giueth admonition to a great Bishoppe, and a­mongst other thinges touching humane constitu­tionsad Christoph. Episcop. Basil. de interdicto esu carmum, &c. he saith: Haec primum obrepant honesti spe­cie &c. These thinges first creepe in by a colour of ho­nestie; after they ouerflow more aboundantly then af­ter a while, being confirmed by vse, they raigne as ty­rants &c.

[Page 264] 5. Of the su­premacie.Now let vs come to the last foundation of popery and banishing of Christ and his lawes. Namely, the royal primacie of the Pope, clyming into the seat of Christ, and aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God. And let vs examine whether it be Euangelicall and of the Christian religion and ancient profession of the pri­matiue Church. First it is manifest and cleare, that the first sixe hundred yeare neuer knew him, but they were all protestants allowing no vniuersall Bi­shop, but Christ onely: and honouring the Empe­rors and kinges where they liued as Lordes and su­preame gouernors ouer all persons ecclesiasticall & ciuill, euen as they had learned of Saint Paule, who did commaundRom. 13.1. euerie soule to bee subiect to the higher power: and of Saint Peter,1. Pet. 2.13. who would haue them submit themselues to the king, as the superior. And herein I will call for the papistes themselues to be my witnesses. First GratianDistinct. 21. cap. cleros. telleth vs out of Isi­dorus, that among the auncient fathers a priest and a Bishop were all one. And the same thing heDistinct. 93. cap. legimus. affirmeth out of Hierome, with many reasons drawne from holy scripture, and he sheweth that the first rising of one Bishop ouer another, was deuised for a remedie against schisme. And as concerning the prehemi­nenc of the citie of Rome, he addeth: Si authoritas quaereretur, &c. if authoritie be sought for, the authori­tie of the world is greater then that of one citie: where­soeuer there is a Bishop, at Rome, or at Engubium, or at Constantinople, or at Rhegium, or Alexandria, or at Thebes, or at Guarmatia, it is of the same merit, it is of the same priesthood: which the glosse there doth in­terpret, that discreete learned and wisemen esteeme all [Page 265] alike; but ideots and the comon people despise a Bishop of a smale or litle citie. And a litle after Distinct 95. cap. olim. he saith. As the el­ders (or priestes) knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him which is set ouer them: So let the Bishops know, that they are greater then the prists, rather by custome then by the truth of Gods ordinance, and that they ought to rule in comon. Cesar Baronius, by the cō ­mandement of pope Gregory the 13. making a new legend called Martyrologiums after the order of their new callender, in his notes vpon that booke,Ian. 20. pag. 22. at the let­ter c. teach­eth vs that this word Papa (pope) was first accounted to come of the greeke word Pappas, signifying a fa­ther, and in the same sence came to be a name of dig­nitie, that the reuerend clerkes (or clergie men) were called by that name: Afterward the same name be­gan to be peculiar vnto Bishops that they were called Papae, that is popes or fathers, vntil An. 850. & then it began to grow & to fasten only vpon the head of the pope of Rome, & at the length pope Grerory the 7. An. 1071. in a synod ordained, that there should be but one name of Pope in all the Christian world. This man alsoQuint. ad April pag. 160. & 161. witnesseth that it was in times past the old cu­stome of the church, that the Bishops were not one­lie called Pontifices, prelates: but also summi pontifi­ces, chiefe or hiest prelates: because that the office of a Bishop was called the chiefe priesthood, this hee proueth by expresse examples vntill the 6. counselAbout An. 645. of Toletane, and he bringeth in Saint Augustin say­ing those wordes: what is a Bishop, but the first el­der, that is the hyest priest? briefely hee calleth them no otherwise then fellowe Elders and his fellow priestes. But after Baronius addeth that the latter custome ob­tained, [Page 266] that the Bishop of Rome should bee called summus & maximus pontifex, the hiest and greatest pre­late or Bishop. Polydor vergill De inuentor­rer. lib. 4. ca. 10. telleth vs that the first honour, that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome, was this, that he might change his name, when he is crea­ted Pope, if his name be not handsome, and the au­thor of this deuise was Sergius, whose name was cal­led os porci, that is, the mouth of an hogge. But more neere to our matter: Platina In vita pela­gij & deinceps sheweth, that the com­mandement of the Emperour, did sway all the mat­ter in the choise of the pope vntill the time of * Pela­gius the second.About Anno 600. So that when by the extreame fall of waters, they could not go to the Emperor, the pope was faine to send Gregorious to make his excuse, be­cause the election was nothing woorth without the Emperors approbatiō. And after him in the election of Gregorious, the clergie & people, desired the Em­peror that it would please him, to cōfirme the electi­on which was made concerning Gregorius. And where as Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople, obtai­ned by a Synod the title Ecromenicus, that is, of vni­uersall Bishop. Gregorie resisted him, not because (as Platina saith, it belongeth to Peters sea, (as they falsly call Rome) but because it was a new and blas­phemous name; and such as none before them did euer allow of, or take vnto him selfe. As Gregorious himselfe in diuers letters both to the Emperor, the Empresse, to diuers Bishops, to Iohn himselfe doth write, whereof you shal heare some part. First to the Emperour he among other thingsEpist. lib. 4. cap. 29. Mauritio Au­gust. Epist. 32. saith. Quis est iste &c: who is this! that against the statutes of the gospel, against the decrees of the canons, presumeth [Page 267] to vsurpe to himselfe a new name? Would to God that without the diminishing of others there were one which desireth to be called vniuersall: and a little after. But be it far from the harts of Christians, this blasphemus name, wherein the honour of all priests is taken away, while it is madly arrogated of one vnto himselfe. AndConstantie August. Epist. 34. to the Em­presse. It is a verie heauie thing, that it should be patiently born, that al being despised, my foresaid brother & fellow-bishop, goeth about to be called Bishop alone: but in this his pride what other thing is shewed, but onely that the times of antechrist be at hand. And vnto Epist. 36. Eulogius Bishop of A­lexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antioch: None of my predecessors haue euer consented to vse this so prophane a terme or word. Because forsooth, if one be called vniuer­sal patriarch, the name of patriarch is taken from others: vnto which if you ioine that of the sixt counsell of Carthage: That all matters should be ended in the pro­uince where they began. And that of the Milenitane counsell: that no appeale should be made out of the pro­uince ouer the sea, you may easilie & plainly perceiue that vnto this 600. yeres after Christ it doth so far ap­peare, that the Pope had no supremacy ouer kings or Emperors, that his authoritie was not so much as o­uer any minister, or priuate man out of his owne dio­cesse or prouince, and that to claime any such title as to be vniuersall Bishop, was new, blasphemous, the ouerthrow of priesthood, not sufferable and a fore­running of Antechrist.How the pope brought vnder the ciuill power by growing ouer the ecclesiasti­call. And here thou maist obserue that in all this time, there was not yet any question of superioritie, ouer the superior ciuil magistrate, but ouer the Bishops them selues. But how they came to crow ouer the ciuill magistrate, the storie of the time [Page 268] following doth declare, wherin I might spend much time of the seed of these things, as the aduancing of the honor of Peter (cunningly pretended to draw on the primacy vpon the pope of Rome his counterfeit successor) & Constantine forged donation; but I shal not need to rip vp euery circumstance. For if neither these nor any other were able to cōpasse this infernal primacy in 600. yeres, we must looke further for it, & to the diuels principal instrument: namely that after this time the emperor made the pope of Rome, high priest ouer al the Bishops of the world: and the pope in tract of time by this very authority of being aecu­menical Bishop giuen them by the Emperor, rewar­ded him with this blessing and kindnes, to make the Emperor to kisse his feet and to wait vpon him as his vassal. The dignity of Bishops at this time was in iiij. patriarkes, till after the death of this Gregory, then presently there arose a new cōtention, between Cō ­stantinople & Rome, which would be chiefe, & here Boniface the 3. by some sweate & labor obtained of Phocas (whose hāds were yet blody with the slaugh­ter of his L. Mauritius) to be this soueraigne & chiefe Bishop of Bishops, & thenPlatina in vita Bonif. 3. came into the popes stile. We wil and command, and the next pope Boniface the 4. got of the Emperor the temple called Pantheon, & there made a church for the virgin Mary & al Saints, most liuely shewing that now they fell from God to al foule spirits, as the sequele after declared. For these were the beginnings of all maner of corruptions, yet all this while, the honor of the Emperor stood still, the first step to pull of the Emperors crowne after this, was: that Constantinus then Emperour graun­ted [Page 269] toAbout Anno 685. Benedick the second, that whom soeuer the people and clergie chose, should thence foorth be pope. AfterAnno 755. him Stephanus the 2. of rare loue was caried vpon the shoulders of the people, and so the Bishops of Rome began to take that honour vnto them. AndAnno 710. Iustinianus a wicked Emperor, to flat­ter the pope was the first that kissed his feete, name­lie of pope Constantine the first. Yet were not the popes aboue the Emperors, all this while. For after this the Empire of Constantinople, being weak and not able to defend the pope, and leauing them to the spoile of the Lombards, they fled for succour vnto France: First to Carolus Martellus and Pipine, and after to Carolus MagnusAnno 801. first Emperor of the west: to whom some said the pope gaue the power of cho­sing & confirming the pope: butBarnard. Gi­rard. Tom. 1. lib. 4. Lois le papes nauoient au­cune puiscana in authoritie en le ville de Rome &c. the french Chro­nicle saith he wan it as he did the imperiall dignitie, by his sword and law of armes. For then the popes had no power or authority in the citie of Rome, but medled only in the affaires of religiō, of ceremonies of the church & things pertaining to the soul. Ther­fore saith Polydor that the successors of Charles the great did vse to confirme the election of popes.De inuenter lib. 4. cap. 10. But last of allAnno 1059. Pope Nicholas the second brought the e­lection from Emperor, people, and Clergie to the Cardinals onely, and so the pope of Rome became head of the church (as he saith) by consent of all na­nations. And here indeed he began to treade downe the Empire, ForAn. 1080. Hildebrand being called Pope Gregory the 7. depriued Henry the 4. of his imperial crowne. Then did the Emperors begin to learn new maners, as to a light from his horse, and to do honor [Page 270] to the pope as to the vicar of Christ, as didAnno 1155. Frederick to pope Adrian the 4. and being vnaccustomed to such seruice (asAlber. Krant. Saxon. lib. 6. cap. 16. some say) was blamed for holding the stirrop on the wrong side when the pope aligh­ted from his horse. And the consuls of Rome lear­ned to sweare fealtie to the pope as toAnno 1165. Alexander the 3. Then could the Pope allowe who should bee Emperor, asAnno 1200. Decretal. lib. 1. tit. 6. cap. 34. Innocent the 3. did Otho, andAnno 1230. mak­eth it as a law, that the right and authority to examine a person elected to be king and to be promoted to the Em­pire pertaineth to the pope, who doth annoint him, conse­crate and crowne him. Then could the popes make the people crosse themselues to fight against their liege Lord the Emperour, as if it were against the Turke, vnder promise of eternal life. AsAnno 1230. Gregorie the 9. a­gainst Freodorick the 2. And pope Innocent by de­cree and his counsell depriued him of his kingdome of Sicile, and so was established the authority of popes to depose Emperors, Kings, and Potentates. But for the better enthronising of the pope in this fresh and new shining primacie, herewithallRead Poly­dor de inuent. lib. 4. cap. 9. & lib. 8. cap. 2. Platina in vita Bonif. 8. & so forward: and Boniface 13. and his succes­sors, & Krant. Saxon lib. 5. & 6. & Aeneus Syluius de moribus Ger­manorum ad Martin Meyr. came vp the red hats and gay palfries and royall maiestie and senate of Cardinals, the colledge of scribes and other officers (which Polydor for their rauening calleth Harpeis) and other annats and yerely scottes, peter pence, buls, prices of pals, pardons, aduowsons, dispensations, appeales, cases papall, reseruations, comendums, prerogatiues, and I cannot tell how in­finite iurisdiction in heauen, in earth, in purgatorie, & hell, they changed, inuented, renewed, put downe and lifted vp whom, what, and when they woulde. And so the estate of the pope became an imperiall [Page 271] maiestie, far aboue all earthly monarkes and princi­palities, and thrones, and dominions. Now therefore good christian reader thou maist here obserue that the order of this supremacie came vp by degrees through the climing pride of the cleargie and had many yeeres in growing. First contending for high­nes in dignitie among themselues, and namly Con­stantinople against Rome, and secondly, when the Emperour had granted the title of vniuersall Bishop to the pope of Rome, then he shifted the Emperors by little and little out of all dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters, as namely and principally in the elections of Popes, and from this it grew to soueraigne authority ouer all, euen as a bramble, it tooke hold and grewe vp ouer the hyest ceders of Libanon and a fire came out of this bramble and consumed the imperial glo­rie of the kingdom, and ouer grew the maiesty of the temporall power. Here shalt thou see a verie great change: Gregorie the first proclaimeth the title of vniuersall Bishop, to be blasphemus and not suffera­ble. Boniface the 3. and all his successors take it vpon them, and make it their principall strength and glo­rie:Anno 801. Antonius Archb. of Flo­rens, histor. pars 2. tit. 14. cap. 2. Adrian with a Synod of an hundred fiftie and three Bishops gaue vnto Charles the great (as the papists say) the right and power to choose the pope: and graunted him the Apostolicall sea and dignitie of Senatorship, moreouer hee desired that Archbi­shops and Bishops through euery prouince shoulde receaue of him their inuesting, and vnles the Bishop be inuested of the King: he should be consecrated of no man, and this decree was established with a curse & confiscatiō of goods,18. tit. 16. ca. 1. An. 1070. Gregory 7. hauing shuffled [Page 272] away the emperor in the election of popes: by a con­trarie Synode of an hundred and ten Bishops did ac­curse all ecclesiastical persons which receiued their inuesting by the hand of any seculer person.Platina in vi­ta Pascalis &c. An. 820. Pascal the first being chosen pope without the Emperours consent humblie excused himselfe and craued par­don: And Gregorie the 4. as Platina saith was of so great prudency, and modestie, that he would not oc­cupie the pontificall dignitie although he were cho­sen of all, vntill he were confirmed by the Emperor which was then Lodouicus king of France. But in aAnno 865. while after pope Nicholas the first obtained of an other Emperour, that no seculer Prince or Em­perour should thencefoorth be present in the coun­sell of the Church vnlesse in question of the Chri­stian faith: AndAnno 1115. Alber. Krant. Saxon. lib. 5. cap. 37.38. in time it came to passe that Pope Paschal the 2. was faine to excuse himselfe from the staine of heresie for graunting by constraint, to the Emperor Henry the 5. his right in this cause. In this verie time god stirred vp the eloquent & learned pen of Bernhard to admonish the Pope how far he was fallen from God, amongst many other things with these wordes, (where speaking of wealth, ritches, and goods hee sayth to theAd engeniū pontif. maxi­mi de conside­ratione. About Anno 1149. Pope) vsus tamen ho­rum bonus &c. yet the vse of those things is good, the abuse euill: the care worse, and the gaine more dishonest, be it that thou maist challenge these things by any other way or reason whatsoeuer; but not by the apostolicall right. For hee could not giue vnto thee that which hee had not; that which hee had, that he gaue, euen the care as I said ouer the Churches. What did hee giue Lordship? heare him selfe speake; not being Lords, (hee [Page 273] saith) in Gods heritage, but being made an ensample to the flocke: and least thou shouldst thinke it spoken onely for humilitie, and not also for truth; there is the voice of the Lord in the gospel. The kings of the nations do raigne ouer them, and they which haue rule ouer them are called gracious Lordes, and hee doth inferre, but you shall not be so. It is plaine, that the Apostles are, forbidden Lordship. Go thou then & dare thou to vsurpe to thy selfe either a Lordly Apostleship or an Apostolicall lordship. Thou art plainely forbidden both, if thou wouldest haue both alike, thou shalt loose both: otherwise thinke not thy selfe ex­empted from the number of them of whom God complai­neth: They haue raigned & not by me, they were princes and I knew them not. Now if it please thee to raigne with­out God: thou hast glorie, but not with God. And the addition vponVpon Reue­lat. cap. 13. Lyra not a few yeares after affirmeth, that it is manifest, that in the primatiue Church from the time of the Apostles vnto the time of Syluester the Pope, when the faithfull had no worldly power: then did the Church flourish most of all in spirituall thinges. And a little after: But when in processe of time the faithfull ob­tained great secular power, these vertues, (meaning faith hope, and charitie) and if by the mercie of God they did not wholy decay, yet are they not commonly found to haue the same power as they had in the primatiue. But be­hold a maruellous chaungeDe moribus Germaniae. Aeneas Syluius affir­ming: Power, riches, and strength to bee farre better in the Apostolical sea then in any other seculer throne what­soeuer. And he calleth the Pope of Rome as Empe­rour of the Christian armie, and a wise king, & saith, That the Senate of the Cardinals doe beare the roome of the world. And again he saith: Christ appeared poore & [Page 274] humble, not that wee should bee poore did he it, but that by that meanes hee might redeeme vs &c. And a little after, Now the prelates of Rome ought to be rich men & potentates. after the same maner for our saluation: ther­fore hee is bolde to set foorth the earthly maiestie of the Pope, aboue the glorie of all princes saying: And if thou didst see the Bishop of Rome to celebrate or to heare the diuine seruice, thou wouldest truely confesse, that there is no state, nor glorie and maiestie, but onely the Bishop of Rome, when thou seest the Pope sitting on high in his throne; the Cardinalles sitting at the right hand, the great Prelates, Bishoppes and Abbots, and protonotaries standing at the left hand, and the Orators of kings haue their place, & the great states theirs. There the Iudges and heere the Clearkes of the chamber: there the deputies of the states, and heere the Subdeacons and Accoluthes, and the other multitude doe sitte on the ground. Truely thou wouldst say the court of Rome to bee like an heauenly Hierarchie, where all thinges are honourable, and all thinges set in order, by a prescribed and setled manner. Loe heere thou seest a glorious throne, but not of God. For which Steuen the fift prouideth a square stone whereon it might bee set, when he ordained,Anno 890. Gratian. de­cret. distinct. 19. cap. enim­uero. That the lawes and decrees of the Church of Rome, should be for euer and without dispute to bee obserued. Anno 1300. Reade Iohn Baleus de act. Rom. Pontif. Clement the fift prouideth a stay for this throne, in that hee decreeth that, they which were dissigned in Germanie to bee Caesars, although they had the name of the King of the Romanes, yet shoulde they receiue of the Pope, the right and name of the Em­pire. AndAnno 1338. Platina & Ba­laeus. Benedict the twelfth prepareth both mat­ter and money: for on the one side, he challengeth [Page 275] the Emperiall power, in the vacancie of the Empe­rour till a new bee chosen, and on the other side vsurpeth to himselfe and his successours the bee stowing of Bishoprickes prelacies and benefi­cies.

6. But see there ouergrowinges: for heere they stay not. For they make the Grat. distinct. 12 cap. non de­cet & cap. pre­ceptis. Church of Rome mother and head of all Churches, and confirmer of all religions: and vnder this powerPars 2. causa. 12. Quest. 1. Cap. dilexissi. Allow mens wiues to bee com­mon. And are not ashamed of this blasphemie: as by decree to say,Distinct. 40. cap. Si papa. Though the Pope draw with him in­numerable soules into hell, no mortall man may presume to reprooue him, who is iudge of all men, and to be iudged of no man. Decret. Greg. lib. 1. tit. 33. cap. 6. So much difference as there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone, so much is there betweene the King and the pope Gratian di­stinct. 34. cap. lector. in gl. distinct. 82. cap. presbit. in gl. caus. 15. quest. 6. cap. authoritatem in gl. the pope dispenseth against the lawe of nature and against the Apostle Distinct. 96. cap. satis eui­denter. the Pope can not bee loosed at all nor bound by the seculer power, see­ing he is called God, and it is manifest that God cannot bee iudged of men. And theyDecretal. Greg. lib. 1. de elect. tit. 6. cap. 4. arrogate that no coun­sell should set a law vnto the Romish Church, seeing (as they say) all counsels are both made and receiue strength after the authoritie of the Romish church, and in their sta­tutes the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome is particular­ly excepted. Where the wise Christian reader may see a maruellous ouerspreading growth, euen the image of Antechrist, made equall with God and set farre aboue all power amongst men, aduauncing it selfe aboue all that is called God. The noysomnesse of which ouer ranck and shadowing braunches kee­ping the earth bare, and the Sunne from shining, the papistes themselues found to bee most grieuous [Page 276] and intollerable, and therefore they are faine to lop & top it, and to pare away many vntimely boughes and shaddowing boughes. For (that I speake no­thing of the imperiall, English or Frence lawes) if you reade the counsels ofAnn. 1413. Constance, and ofAnno. 1431. Ba­sill, thou shalt find many proynings and cuttinges of this monstrous bryer: First three Popes at once as vnprofitable heades chopped of and cast by. The papall dignitie made to stoope vnder the generall counsell, translations, procurations, exemptions, v­nions, fruit gathering, simony, dispensations, tenthes, and other burdens of the Church, excommunicati­ons, interdictions, appeales, annuattes, possessions, reseruations, and collaions of benefices, with the number and qualitie of Cardinalles, partly lopped, partly proined, & partly set in order & limited, as the wisedome of that erring generation, being by much vexation and miserie compelled, did thinke, for their owne peace and worldly safetie, to be most conue­nient. But all this did but little hinder his monstrous ouerspreading, for by and byAnno 1455. Calixtus the 3. ma­keth a law, that no man appeale from the Pope to the general counsel. AndAnno 1470. Paulus the second sprow­teth out this new sprig of blasphemie, that in the chest of his breast all right and law did rest, to ordaine and a­bolish decrees as he listed. About Ann. 1512. And Pope Iulius the second, and Leo the 10. in a counsell held at Lateranum, vn­do al again, and set this brier to his climing. And that we may plainely see that this is the verie apostasie of which the scripture speaketh:Reade Baleus de act. pontif. This Iulius being a great warrier and going out of the citie with his ar­mie cast the keye of Peter into the riuer Tiber, with [Page 277] these words. Because the keye of Saint Peter is no more of worth, let the sword of Paul preuaile. And this Leo the tenth being put in mind of the gospell of Christ by a certaine Cardinall called Bembus, answered according to his place, and said: How much that fa­ble of Christ hath profited vs and our fellowship, it is suf­ficiently knowen to all ages. What Iew, what Turke, what Heathen, what Atheist could euer haue beene more blasphemous? But here God ariseth to main­taine his owne cause, and by Luther, Melancthon, and many others, hee bloweth and blasteth, consu­meth and beateth downe the beautie and blossomes of this presuming bramble, with the powerfull and pearcing breath of his own mouth, which is his gos­pell contained in the holy scriptures of the old and new testament. Wherein wee may see the deuine prouidence of our most wise and gracious God, ta­king the matter into his owne hand in a fitte and ne­cessarie time: for now when they began like the to­wer of Babilon to reach vp vnto heauen, then did he confound them, & make their madnes openly seene to all the worlde, whereof Erasmus giueth a verie good aduertisement, who liuing himself in the same time affirmeth saying:Annotat. E­rasm. vpon 1. Pet. 5. Now the common sort of Bi­shops heareth nothing of their learned flatterers, but lord­ships, dominions, swordes, keyes, powers, and hereof the statelinesse of some is more then of a king, and their cruel­tie more then tyranicall. Now wee flatter the bishop of Rome with great volumes, giuing vnto him a power equal to Christ, whereby it commeth to passe, that the Christian world one day will scarce abide the rule and ruffling, and scarce suffice the couetousnesse of him and his Cardinals. [Page 278] And this Erasmus (although the papistes hold him as their owne)Vpon 1. Tim. 1. complaineth not a little of the ouer­spreading of this newe learning. For hee sheweth that they spent their whole time, in friuolous and vnnecessarie which were more pertaining to lear­ning to bee vnknowen then knowen: For the Diuines of those times made great adooe about both friuolous and wicked questions. Friuolous, as whether the grace wherewith God doth loue and draw vs, and wherewith wee loue him againe, be the same grace. And how it can be, that the fier wherewithall the soules of the wicked shalbe tormented seeing it is materi­all, can worke vpon a thing without bodie. And wicked questions touching God, and touching the Pope: touching God, whether God can command euerie euill thing, e­uen the hatred of himselfe, and forbid euerie good thing, euen the loue and worshippe of himselfe. Whether hee can in acte bring foorth an infinite thing according to euerie dimension. Whether hee could from euerlasting make this worlde better then hee hath made it. Whe­ther hee could bring foorth a man, who by no meanes could sinne. Whether God in any thing from himselfe distinct, be one. Whether this proposition be possible, God the father hateth God the sonne; Whether the soule of Christ might bee deceaued: and many such like &c. Now of the power of the bishop of Rome, men dispute (hee saith) in a maner more busily then of the power of God. While they doe enquire of his double power, and whether he bee the vniuersall head of the whole Church, and whe- he be aboue the generall counsell, and whether he may abrogate that which is decreed in the Apostles writings. Whether he may ordaine any thinge contrarie to the doc­trine [Page 279] of the gospell: whether he may make a new Article in the creede. Whether he haue greater power then Peter or equall. Whether he may command the Angels; whe­ther he may take away purgatorie (as they call it) alto­gether. Whether he be a simple man or as God, or parti­cipate both natures with Christ. Whether hee bee more mercifull then Christ was, seeing that hee is not read to haue called any man out of the paines of purgatorie. Sixe hundred things (saith Erasmus) of that sort are disputed in great published volumes, and that by great diuines, e­specially famous men for profession of religion, with these things are the schooles of diuines earnestly occupi­ed. Mark heere good reader, and consider what an vgly and fearefull monster this would haue beene, if God had not come downe and cut him off with this two edged sword of his holy worde. For beside all these before, how many other new thinges came forth in the same generation? First because Iohn Husse was put to death by the counsel of Constance against and contrarie to the Emperours letters pat­tentes of safe conduit: there came foorth this new head of blasphemy: Fides non seruanda haereticis, pro­mise is not to be kept with an hereticke. And no mar­uell, forPlatina. Pope Alexander the sixt, hauing by three Cardinals in Latine, French, & Italian, giuen full re­mission of sinnes to all the army of the French vnder Charles the 8. comming into Italie for the recouerie of Naples: against their returne did way-lay them to haue cut them off with Maximilian K. of the Ro­mans, Ferdinand K. of Aragon, & Lodouich Sforce duke of Millan. Secondly, P. Pius the 2. made a new order of Scribes Abreuiators. Paul the 2. made a law [Page 280] that none should weare scarlet bonets but the Car­dinals, and gaue euerie Cardinall a peece of scarlet to couer their Mules. And he wold haue made their hattes of redde silke, but that some sage Cardinals shewed him, that the encrease of the pompe of the Church destroyed the Christian faith. Sixtus the 4. ordained and increased many feastes. The concepti­on of the virgin Mary, and the presentation, the feast of Anna the mother of Marie, the feast of S. Ioseph, and of S. Francis.Baleus in vi­ta Clementis octaui. Nicholas Egmundanus, master of Louen and a Carmelite did teach and write, that the Pope was Lord of all thinges, in heauen, in earth and vnder the earth. And Paul the third Pope of that name, being an old man found out a new kind of re­ligion, to the encrease of Gods worship he consecra­ted a little bowle of wood with his Popall blessing, to gratifie a noble matron, that she might carrie it, hanged it on her necke against diuers griefs. The late counsell of Trent hath hatched many new thinges. First that theSess. 4. de­cret. 2. vulgar translation in publike readings, disputations, preachings, and expositions to bee au­tenticall, whereofPreface of Test. Rhem. ariseth great disputation against the Greeke and Hebrew text, contrarie to the anci­ent decree whichDistinct. 9. cap. vt veterū. Gratian auowcheth: That the truth of the old Testament should be examined by the He­brew, and of the new, by the Greeke. AndSess. 7. with an hea­uie and pittifull curse they establish these schoole trickes: 1. That the Sacraments of the new Testament conferre grace. 2. By Baptisme, Confirmation, and or­ders a Charecter is imprinted in the soule. 3. The in­tention of the priest is required to the making of the Sa­crament. 4. Iohns Baptisme hath lesse vertue then that [Page 281] which Christ commanded his Apostles and such like: out of this forge commeth the newe forging of thePrinted at Paris Anno 1577. masse booke, set foorth by Pius the 5. and aPrinted at Paris An. 1583 newe Callender which was done by pope Gregorie the 13. wherein the times of the yere, and of the feastes, and the course of the Sunne is set in his right order that we may know nothing in heauen and in earth to be safe from the presumption and proud arrogan­cie of this triple crowned beast, and this holie pre­late hath made aPrinted at Antwerpe An. 1589. new Martyrologe or Legend ac­cording to this new Callender. And for the better garding and keeping of their high tower of confu­sion, they haue a set watch called Index expurgato­rius to charme all writers both newe and olde, and to fray them that they lift not vp their voice so much as one woord against their superstitious follie, andRead Martin Remnicius ex amen concili. Triden. parti 1. pag. 1. and his booke cal­led doctrinae Iesui tarum pag. 1. &c. Ba­leaeus in vita Paul. 4. here withal sprang vp a new religion of armed soul­diers to fight their battails, breeding secretly about Anno 1536. but shewe themselues openly in their colledge at Rome Anno 1553. and since in diuerse places, and they goe into all nations to stirre vp the kings of the earth, the princes and people to make warre against the Saints our Englishe soile hath been assayled by this newe broode vnder the name of Iesuits and Seminarie priests. But as the groweth of this monster is strange and fearefull, and that in it newe religions haue risen vp sodainly like pad­stooles) asDe inuentor. rerū lib. 7. ca. 3. Polydor virgill saith) so from 600. yeres after Christ vntill our time, it could not come to his full groweth, yea although the Trident Councell, seemeth to licke him and shape him as the beare doth his whealps to some handsome forme of perfection. For there are many things which are not yet come [Page 282] to their birth and many which stay at the verie birth and are not yet deliuered. As namely: first those 14. controuersies of those two woorthie doctors of their popish Apostasie, that is to say: the angelicall doctor Thomas of Aquine and the subtil doctor Scotus the Duns. For one saith: God is vnto vs an end super natu­ral, and the other saith: God is vnto vs an end Natural. The one saith that Blessednes is meerely an effect, super natural, and cannot naturally be had. The other saith, that Blessednes may be had naturally, and that it is natu­rall, and such like. WhichF. Constantius Saruanus cōciliatio &c. printed at Rome 1589. a verie worshipful Cardi­nall laboureth to reconcile, vntil the churches deter­mination and minde may be knowen. And this verie Cardinall addeth a very great encrease of this newe spawne, called directorium theologicum, which hath many worthie conceits of Logick and Philosophie, which perhaps one day may take life & being by their ma­gisteriall power. There are in these scholes deuines infinite and verie deepe questions, which their mo­ther church hath not yet by determination brought forth and acknowledged as her children: as namely such as this is,Petri Tarta­reti reportata quest. 2. di­stinct. 10. & de­inceps. whether Christ being verie man, in the Ost or sacrament in one place, can see him selfe when he is made, being the verie same Christ and man, in many other places, and whether that so many thousands made at one instant in many places might not be an armie of men to meete and fight a battaile in one field &c. Don Iohn a Bononia professor of diuinitie in hisPrinted at Louan Anno 1554. booke of pre­destination and reprobation, dedicated to Charles the Emperor and king of Spaine, telleth vs that the church hath not set downe what is to be beleeued or receiued of all Christians, touching that doctrine, [Page 283] For there are many things which are not yet come which he thinketh it ought:Quo plus quā reliquis con­scientiae no­strae perpetuo exagitantur. (being a point where­with our consciences are continually troubled, more then with other things) yet he doubteth not, but the masters of the church, (when their determination shal be hatched) will embrace his opinion or some such like. But I cannot a little merueile, that when in the same counsell of Trent, this mother Church brought foorth so many goodly impes, that it for­slowed the trauaile of so iolie a babe, as a verie Zea­lousIo. Sleidan Com. lib. 23. Franciscan did bring to the verie birth before them all, when in his preaching amongst them and bitterly enueying against Luther, he did openly say to be S. Pauls meaning vpon the second to the Ro­mains. Namely: that they who haue had no knowledge of Christ, and otherwise haue liued honestly haue obtained saluation. Heere commeth Durandi with his ratio­nale diuinorum, Guidonius with his Manipulus cura­torum, Guiliermus parisiensis de septem sacramentis, tis, and infinite others both schoolemen, doctors and friers, (whose new learning I must needs confesse I haue not, neither haue I knowne the deepnes of Sa­than) and these haue offered a merueilous great and goodly accesse and increase to his tale spreading mo­ther of popish blasphemie, but they hange in the birth, neither borne nor buried, waiting the good hower, when the churches determination (without whose midwifeship they cannnot be autentical chil­dren) shal acknowledge them & make them of their holie generation. Alfonsus de Castro, a learned mino­ritie, doth open vnto vs the reason of this matter namely:Aduersus hareses lib. 1. cap. 2. that we know many things now, which of the [Page 284] first fathers were either doubted or altogether vnknowen: by the change of things doth spring the change and vary­ing of decrees: that the same which in times past was lawfull is now vnlawfull, but these innouations of de­crees commeth not of the newnesse of the things, but of the new knowledge of those things, which being found, the church taught by the spirit of God doth define, which de­finition being geuen, it is not lawfull to doubt of that, where of it was before lawfull to doubt: and hee she­weth an example saying in ^a an other place:Cap. 8. Some men say that the deuine persons are set in a personall beeing (as they speake) respectiuely: others affirme that they are set absolutelie, others againe say that they are not set by any waie, but to be them selues persons to them selues. Now saith hee: who seeth not, some one of these to erre, when yet euerie one of them sticke to his owne opinion without punishment or note of here­sie, and a little after: yet if the Church taught by the holie gost shall define of that thing, without all doubt, the Church by her definition woulde not bring to passe that the persons shoulde bee so or so set: but would teach vs, that which although from euerlasting it were true, yet did not wee knowe it; After which definition of the Church, it shall not bee lawfull to affirme which before was lawfull: To whom accorde the wise RhemistTest. Rhem. Annota. vpon Act. 15. saying: It is to bee noted that the Bishops so gathered in counsel represent the whole church, haue the authoritie of the whole church, & the spirit of God to protect thē from error as the whole church, and these make it a Maxime or ruled case: that all good christians rest vpon the determi­nation of a general Councel. Now gentle reader, if we may beleeue these great learned clarks, it must needs [Page 285] follow that Lombardus the father and all his children the schoolemen, and all other learned mens propo­sitions, questions, and disputations, are no further autenticall poperie, then as the Church of Rome hath all readie determined: and wee vnlesse they tell vs what is the Churches determination cannot tell what to beleeue, to bee of their religion. And this determination is harde to bee founde out, and verie doubtfull, whom to beleeue, that shall de­clare vs the same. For it is not yet fully agreed a­mongst them, weather the pope or the Councell bee the hyest, that we might certainly know where this determination resteth. The counsels of Con­stance and Basill take authoritie aboue the papall dignitie, whereby we might thinke with the Rhe­mistes and diuers others, that the determination is of the counsels. Pope Pius the second, although he haue taken much paines for the honor and authoritie of the Councell of Basill, yet hath hee sett foorth a Bull, with the greatest cursse, forbidde and barre all appeales from the Pope to the generall Coun­cels, as though the pope were aboue the Coun­cels: and the Rhemistes do helpe himVpon Act. 15. ver. 7. where they make the Councell to bee of no authoritie, which is not confirmed by the pope, and theyVpon Luke 22. ver. 31. say that the Pope cannot erre iudiciallie, although Alphon­sus saie hee may erre in matters of faith, and Pla­tina sheweth that those Bastarde Popes who came after Formosus, and altered by a newe and euill custome the decrees of one another, did this by counsell iudicially: If a man marke well this con­tradiction, hee will hardely knowe where to finde [Page 286] their churches determination. Againe the counsell of Basil,Platina in vi­ta Eugenij Alber. Krant. Saxon. lib. cap. 20.21. &c. would not be put downe by Pope Eugeni­us, but constrained him for feare to confirme their authoritie; and after for his contumacie deposed him, and verie orderly as Eneus Syluius saith chose Faelix in his roome, but this Eugenius would not o­bey them, and so the scisme of two popes continued til Nicholas the fift: so that here was no obedience of the pope to the counsell, nor of the counsell to the Pope, what shall we thinke of their determination, where trow you. it may be found: may we not doo as the Germaine newters did: who neither followed the Pope nor the counsell, but appealed as they thought to an higher and more certain determinati­on. And whereas the Rhemist and Alfonsus with others affirme, that the holie ghost teaching the coū ­sell (which is in steed of the whole church) their de­finition is the determination of the church, to which men ought to stand, we are yet more in doubt, vpon other further waightie reasons and considerations. First because this is spoken but by priuate men; And theHist. pars 3. tit. 22. cap. 10. §. 4. Archbishop of Florence is not a feard to tearme the counsell of Basill a conuenticle and a synagogue of Sathan: Thirdly the last counsell of Trident can­not be found to be aBaleus in vi­ta Marcelli 2. free general counsell, because diuers men for speaking freely were thrust out, andIoh. Sleidan Com. lib. 22. the holie ghost that guided all their definitions, was brought in a portmanteau from Rome, namely that as they had instructions from Rome, so were their decrees framed and ordained. Beside this, all these latter counsels, haue not beene made with vniuersall consent, but the church hath been deuided into two [Page 287] parts East and West, vntill the time of this counsell of Basill, and then it was sewed together with rot­ten threed, and presently rent in peeces againe as it were in a moment, and there was one counsel at Ba­sill, and an other set against it a Florence. Now I say seeing these counsels of Constance, Basil & Trident, (in which the most part and chiefest of Popery hath been in the most generall maner determined & pub­lished for the acts and determination of the church) were but a verie smale part of the vniuersall church: Namely of the Westerne parts, I know not howe they can assure vs, that in them we haue the churches determination; except they could proue these coun­sels ecumenical and vniuersall of all Christian chur­ches: as was the first general counsell of Nice vnder Constantine the great. Againe the counsels for sixe hundred yeeres after Christ, did not decree as they haue done since: and the faith of the church was not the determination of the Church, but the sentence of holie scriptures: and many points of faith haue been since determined, not by, but without holie Scriptures; what should wee esteeme, the auncient primatiue Churches to haue erred in faith? or that they knew not, or held not the true faith, because that in verie many articles they lacked the ecclesiasti­cal determination. Lastly seeing that euerie day they bring foorth new deuises and sanctions, and the lat­ter many times contrarie to the former, who can tell when he is in the truth or out of the truth, or when the Church hath made her true and right determi­nation? Hee that readeth ouer Gracian and the Tomes of the counsels, with the histories of the liues [Page 288] of the Popes, or doo but well marke and consider that little which I haue penned out of them in this Chapter, shall easilie perceiue, that they are euer learning, but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth, they dote about questions which are endles and strife of woords, there is no certaintie in their religion, little trueth and vncessant innouation. Therefore I may conclude, that as this monster is of a later generation, and a new continuall concep­tion: so no mortall man can tell, when hee will come to his full birth, and bee a perfect bodie, or when he will haue his certaine determination, right shape and proportion, and finall growth and com­pleate stature. I will leaue him therefore to the high Iudge and Lord of all flesh, vntill that great and fearefull day,Reuel. 19.20. When the beast shall bee taken and with him the false prophet, and they both cast aliue into the lake of fire which burneth with brimstone. Come Lord Iesus come quickly.

CHAP. V. Heere is shewed that all men ought to flie poperie. First, because of the exceeding daunger it bringeth to them selues, to their seede and countrie. Secondlie, It is of all heresies and Apostasies the most pernitious. Third­lie, It is not tollerable, or to bee wincked at, in any Christian common wealth. Fourthly, We of England haue great cause to praise God, that we haue nothing to do with it.

[Page 289] NO sooner had my penne concluded the former Chapter, but that me thought I hearde the great comaunder of all the worlde, calling vnto all Christians, con­cerning the Romish religion and sayingEsai. 52.11. Departe, depart, go out from thence and touch no vncleane thing. For seeing that poperie is so directly and manifold, differing from the true ancient and catholike religi­on, so agreeing with all filthie heresies, and lately sprung vp out of the vncleane brood of humane in­uention and diabolicall suggestion, bearing downe all puritie of faith and true holy worship of God, & that hereby the Romish Church is certainly found to approue it selfe to bee that great Babilon, which is become the habitations of deuils, and the hold of foule spirits, and a cage of euerie vncleane and hate­full bird: I can no otherwise vnderstand the duetie of all Christians, but that they bee obedient to that heauenly voice, which els where calleth vs out of that prophane sinagogue of Rome, saying:Reuelat. 18.4. Go out of her my people, that ye bee not partakers in her sinnes, that ye receiue not of her plagues. It behoueth therefore euerie soule to consider wisely of this thing, because of the daunger that may happen to himselfe, to his seed, and to his countrie. For as it was no pleasant thing to Noe, to liue among those proud and cruell people of the first worlde, whose destruction hee knew to be most certainly approching: and as Lot dwelling at the gate of Sodom, vexed his righteous soule in hearing and seeing their vnlawfull deeds, & his verie life was hazarded in the destruction of the wicked, if God had not beene singularly mercifull [Page 290] vnto him: So all men that feare God, cannot but know, that such wicked and filthie heresie, as pope­rie is, must needes bee as a canker that fretteth euen vnto destruction of the soule. For it not onely draw­eth vs vnto many noysome and hereticall praui­ties, but also to most abhominable idolatrie, and the verie ouerthrow of the couenaunt of grace and true faith; by which we stand in the fauour of God and haue the hope of eternall life by Iesus Christ. They which speake most fauourablie for papists, & seeme willing to haue them in some sort of the visi­ble Christian Church: doe endeuour the same by making their apostasie to bee no greater then the a­postasie of the ten tribes of Israel, after their falling away from the house of Dauid, vnder the hand of Hieroboam. At which time they left the temple at Hierusalem, and the pure worship & word of God, and made them calues in Dan and Bethel, and wor­shipped God as it pleased the kinges of Israel. But if men would consider the1. King. 2. 2. Cron. 18. & 19. storie of that good king Iehoshaphat, when hee ioyned affinitie with Ahab, they might easily see this thing, how neere hee was to leese his life for such fellowship: what losse hee had of shippes, and how God rebuked him saying: Wouldest thou helpe the wicked, and loue them that hate the Lord? therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is vppon thee. Loe heere the Israelites are counted wicked & the haters of God; and such as for whose fellowship, Gods wrath commeth vppon his chil­dren. Therefore seeing the papistes are (much more) worse, it must needs bee verie daungerous to haue any fellowshippe with them. And if the [Page 291] soule bee farre, more precious then the bodie, then is the hazarde the greater. And doubtlesse no man is able to expresse the greatnesse of the mischiefe which that wicked broode may bring vpon a man, for so much as they transgresse the worde of God, and follow not the doctrine of Christ, and haue chosen their owne waies, and their soule delighteth in their owne abhominations: For it is written:2. Iohn. vers. 9. Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. And againe:Esai. 5.24. As the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble, and as the chaffe is consu­med of the flame: so their roote shall bee rottennesse, and the budde shall rise vp like dust, because they haue cast off the law of the Lord of hostes, and contemned the worde of the holy one of Israel. If then it be a perillous thing and a miserie to bee without God, and to bee as a rotten roote and a budde turned into dust, to be de­uoured like stubble of the flaming fire: and that this commeth by forsaking the word of God: then woe and twise woe vnto all them, that seperate not themselues, from poperie and papistes, whose foundation is the forsaking of Gods worde, to fol­low the magisteriall power of men, and humane traditions and inuentions. Againe, what soule is there that hath learned Christ, who doth not see, what a mischiefe and inconuenience this bringeth on his posteritie. And if you forget it, or consider it not, remember1. King. 11. & cap. 12. & cap. 14. Salomon the wise, who was called Iedidiah, that is beloued of the Lord. Be­hold what a breach his idolatrie made in his king­dome & glorie: which befell in his son Rehoboams daies, & cōtinued in his posterity for euer: he lost the [Page 292] ten tribes of Israel, and his golde was turned into brasse.2. King. 8 18. And of Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat it is said, that he walked in the waies of the kings of Isràel as did the house of Ahab, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife, & he did euil in the sight of the Lord.Cap. 9. & 10. And whē God stirred vp Iehu to root out the house of Ahab. For his abhominable idolatrie and blud­die crueltie: by this affinitie which came through Iehoshaphates folly, Ahaziah king of Iudah, sonne of Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat being found in the company was slaine with Iehoram king of Is­rael wicked Ahabs sonne, and fortie and two of A­hazias brethren comming to visite the sonnes of the wicked. Therefore all wisemen considering these and such like iudgements, vpon the houses of Gods children for their fellowship with the wicked, will know very well, that it behooueth them to take heed as of a poisoned serpent, and to bee warie of these Scorpion-like popish Locustes: whose sting being in their tailes, do bring such great wrath of God vp­on all that are infected with their heresie: For they know who hath said:Eph. 5.11. Haue no fellowship with the vn­fruitful works of darknes, but euen reproue them rather: 2. Ioh. ver. 10 If there come any vnto you & bring not this doctrine, re­ceiue him not to house, neither bid him God speed. Heb. 12.15 Take heede that no man fall away from the grace of God: let no roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble you, lest thereby many be defiled. Now as for a mans countrie consider onely the storieIudg. 17. & 18 of Micah. Into whose house by his mothers superstition, when images had entred: it was an occasion & meanes of the corrupting of the whole tribe of Dan with idolatrie. And that of^g [Page 293] Gideon.Cap. 8.24.25.26. Who of the earings and iewels that were giuen him of the spoiles of Midian, making a Ephod (a small thing in comparison of popish imagerie) and putting it in Ophrah his city, brought a maruel­lous inconuenience and corruption to the whole land, and to his owne house, as may appeare by this that it is said: All Israel went a whooring after it, Verse 27. which was the destruction of Gideon and his house.

2 But if you marke it well this is not all. For of all heresies & apostasies, which haue happened from the beginning of the world, this poperie is the most pernicious. For all other haue contented themselues to leade the people from God to idolatrie, and by continuance of sinne haue drawne the fierce wrath of God, vpon countries & nations, and in fine great desolations and ouerthrowes. But poperie as it is e­quall at the least in all these euils, with all other wic­kednesse and abhominations whatsoeuer: so it hath a certaine excellencie in doing euill, aboue all other infections. Namely, that it ouerturneth the verie course of nature. For wee reade in all stories of Assi­rians, Chaldeans, Meades, and Persians, Grecians, & Romanes, that their superstitions did make them straungers from God indeed, & worthely deserued they & suffered they his heauie iudgements: yet the ciuill magistrate was honorable among them, and the beautie of the common weales, was the freedom to punish wickednesse, as murder and vncleannesse: & the people might liue in some reasonable libertie, vnder the pure and honest obedience of their Lords kings or Emperours. But the Church of Rome ta­keth away all authoritie and power from the ciuill [Page 294] estate & translateth it to the ecclesiasticall, vpon eue­rie trifle dischargeth the people of their obedience to the ciuill sword, and keepeth them in most straite slauerie to themselues, openeth the way to all wic­kednesse, murders, and vncleannesse, and vtterly weakeneth the estate of all princes, coningly making them vassals and slaues to all folly & dishonour. All this the Christian reader may see (before I proceed) if he call to mind the latter part of the last Chapter. How be it I will helpe him a little, that he may the more plainly discerne what I say and the true effect thereof. Three thinges I obserue in a flourishing common wealth: 1. The good vertuous and com­mendable liuing of the people. 2. The wealth and peace of the countrie. 3. The honour and safetie of the prince and ciuill state. Where these three are taken away, there the common wealth must needes be turned vpside downe: and this doth the verie na­ture of poperie bring to passe, as it were the verie bane of the ciuill state and common wealth. First looke wee vpon their single life of their priestes,Single life the cause of many euils. Munkes, Friers, and Nunnes, and see what this doth bring to passe. These doe naturally diminish the number of people, when so many men and women are kept from mariage, and these being priuiled­ged persons are exempted from ciuil seruice: so that it weakneth the strength of the realme: as Solomon saith:Prouerb. 14.28. In the multitude of the people is the honour of the king, and for the want of people commeth the de­struction of the prince. Secondly, these haue brought foorth most horrible vncleannesse, not to bee na­med amongst Christians, and infinite murders of [Page 295] poore innocents, such as I am ashamed to explane as it deserueth: onely I will shew the reader as it were through a lattise, some part of this euill and chiefly what the papistes themselues say: namely that the inconuenience of this single life was such, that when the priestes by Gregory the seuenth were forbidden mariage,Antoninus histor. pars. 3. tit. 16. pap. 1. § 21. there neuer was a greater scisme in the Church in the time of any heresie, few men keeping themselues chaste, some feyning continen­cie for gaine and boasting, and many encreasing their incontinencie with periurie and diuers sortes of adulterie.Balaeus de Act. Rom. Pont. de Greg. Christianis. It is recorded that Gregorie the first, did among the first commaunde single life vnto priests: but after finding that they did commit fil­thinesse secretly, & that thereof many children con­ceiued were murdred, he did abrogate that commā ­dement and said, it was better to marry then to giue cause of slaughter. For when on a time, hee sent to fish in a ponde, there were found in the same sixe thousand heades of drowned children, which hee seeing to come of this constrained single life, mour­ning and sighting from the depth of his heart, did forthwith reuoke his decree. Hee that readeth the liues of popes, if it were onely in popish writers or could trauell and learne the guise of Rome, or could but vnderstand what the commishioners of King Henry the eight of noble memorie, found and saw in putting downe of Abbies, hee would easily in this point beleeue the papistMetropol. lib. 9. cap. 34. Krantius, where hee saith: That in the cittie of Rome Continencie is more rare then a white Swanne among seculer men. And [Page 296] this soare is growne grieuous, that euerie where it is complained of. So that theirCampegius reade Ioh. Sleid. coment. lib. 4. verie champions and defenders are forced to confesse, that the popish bi­shops doe not onely wincke at the beastly filthinesse of their priestes: but also take money to suffer such wickednesse: yea they are not ashamed to face it out, with this whoorish boldnesse as to say:Shrift foster fa­ther of filthi­nesse. It is a much more grieuous sinne for a priest to haue a wife, then to keepe many whoores at home. This sinne of vnclean­nesse shall you also finde to bee nourished by shrift. For beside many other things, weHistor. tri­part. lib. 9. cap. 35. reade that Nec­tarius Bishop of Constantinople, finding by experi­ence, how apt this confessing to a priest, was to breed and nourish whoordome, tooke it vtterly away in those Greeke Churches. But in the Latine churches remaining still, one example may suffice to shew what a rich and fatte dunging vnto a single life this shrift hath beene and is, to bring forth such vncleane and beastly fruit. WeDiscouerie of the holy in­quisition of Spaine printed at Londō 1569 reade of the Spanish inqui­sition, that on a time it pleased the Lords inquisitors of the holy house, to cause proclamation to bee so­lempnly pronounced in the prouince of Siuill, that whosoeuer knew of their certaine knowledge or by report, that any Monks or other religious or spiritu­all persons had abused their holy sacrament of con­fession to any such abhominable vse, or that any ghostly father had dealt in any such sort with their shrift children; they shall signifie it to the house of inquisition. But this proued to be so great and plen­tifull an haruest to that holy house: (for so many, so sundrie women of all sortes, yea of the grauer ma­trons, [Page 297] were touched in conscience to enforme the holie fathers as obedient children) that they were faine for verie shame to leaue it of as they began, and secreatly to hang vp these holie men which heard confession, by their purses, whom they durst not for the multitude call into open question for their adulterous and filthie liuing. But this shrieft,The greatest policie in the world did the pope compasse by the setling of auriculer confession. if you marke it is not onely naturally fit to foster this kinde of filthinesse, but also all treasons and sediti­on and all licence to euerie kinde of wickednes noi­some to the common wealth. For howe thinke you was the Pope able to wrestle with the Empe­rours and Kings of the worlde, if hee had not all the ghostlie fathers at commaundement, who vn­der Benedicite might and did lead the people whi­ther they list: and who is it, that being so easilie (as by confession) pardoned of all his sins, which would not be encouraged to run after the like or greater ex­ces. Moreouer what thing could be kept secreat from his beastlie holines, when his seruants were the prin­ces confessors & councellors? To maintain theeues,Sanctuaries for mainte­nance of euill doers. murderers, and traitors, they haue sanctuaries, cloi­sters and monasteries, to hide & keep them from the ciuil power. Their imagery & keeping their seruice in an vnknowen tong, with conceiling of holy scrip­tures, kept the people in such awe and motherly de­uotion, that they might easily carie the people not onely against their liege Lords on earth: but euen against the Lord God of heauen. Their holie daies and fasting daies grewe to such numbers, that the meaner people could not tell howe to liue. Their [Page 298] merites, praiers for the dead, oblations, sacrifice of the masse and such like superstitions, stale away the ritches of the comminaltie, and made manie good heires begge a crust at their religious monasteries. Of all these things not onely stories and experience,Polydor verg. hist. Angl. li. 7. Lex ad Manu­mortua. but also the Lawyers can certifie, by the statutes that haue been made against incest, buggerie, appeales, holie daies and dead mens deuotions. But the thing that I will specially stand vpon is this: that beside all these, which doo naturally in that religion afflickt and keepe vnder, the comely and honorable estate of the common wealth, there are other things in the lordlynesse and spirituall preheminence, of the pre­lacie, and especially of the Pope, that make the ci­uill state as no state, except as a meere slaue: and they tread vnder foote all earthlie kingdoms. First I obserue the popish doctrine as it was suffered by the Emperour,Poperie ouer­threw the east Empire. by his ouergrowing to haue wayed downe the imperiall authoritie, namely by graunt­ing to Boniface the third, the title of vniuersall Bi­shop, he lost his authoritie ouer the pope and clear­gie, as is before at large declared. And when in the second Councell of Nice, the Empire condescen­ded to images, it was presently so weake that it had no more power to holde out in Italie: And lastlie when the Greekes agreed more generallie vnto po­perie at the Councell of Basill: The Turke by and by ouercame Constantinople; and so the Empire of the East was vtterly abolished. Secondly though Charles the great rose vp about that time Emperour in the West, and so from thencefoorth, the Pope [Page 299] hath seemed to allow and maintaine an Empire in the west: yet all men knowe that the warres raysed against the Emperours by the Popes, for the Pri­macie, in their inuesting of Prelates and such like, hath made it a verie poore thing, for that it was in the daies of the said Charles. For though poperie vse the ciuill sworde for her defence, yet it suffereth not the glorie and power of the ciuill magistrate, to haue any further strength, then as the Pope and his Prelates may well rule: that they may alway haue them at their commaunde. And this is done by con­tention, auarice and her daughter extortion,Popery nurse of contention. to keepe them alwaies weake and poore: and by falshood and pride, whereby they are spoiled and subdued, and their authoritie made captiue, and as it were slaine and buried. For contention read Krantius Metro­polis; and you shall finde,lib. 6. cap. 6. that Bishoprickes were gouerned by armes,lib. 2. cap. 20. they stroue for their bounds and limittes,lib. 1. cap. 40. they ioyned in conspiracie with the sonne against the father, yea when no cause was,Platina in vita Greg. 7. Rodolphus taketh armes to depriue his Lord of his Empire, andKrant. Saxon lib. 5. cap. 7. & 18. &c. Henrie the fift wageth warre against his owne father: of which came all maner of euill, murders, rapins, burninges, spoiling of Towne and countrie, Anno 1184. TheKrant Saxon lib. 6. 2 ap. 46. Emperour Freoderick making a mariage for his sonne: when in procession on Pentecosts day, he had the archbishop of Mentes on his right hande, and the Archbishop of Collen on his left. The Abbot of Fulda, striuing to haue one of their places did so trouble the company: that if the Emperour had not wisely ordered the matter there had been warre and bloudshed vpon the same. [Page 300] But what miserable troubles, these contentions haue been to the kings of England, he that onely readeth the elections of the Bishop of Caunterbury shall see sufficient: that I speake nothing of munkes against seculer priests, abbots against their munkes, friers a­gainst friers and such like deadly fewds: which hath caused great adoe in many places. Nay if I shoulde speake of the Saxons and Almains, of the Guelphes, and Gibellins, Florentines, Venetians and people of Millaine; and I know not how many other cities and nations, which vpon popish iars haue been brought, by factions and deuisions into a formal war & conti­nual steame of slaughter & butcherie one vpon an o­ther: I might make a great volume. And it filleth my soule with restles sorrow, to thinke: that the vnthank­fulnes of men, not beleeuing the truth of God, but harkening to foolish fables, should prouoke the hea­uie wrath of GOD, to heape such infinite and vn­speakeable miseries vpon them. Now for their aua­rice and exactions how naturally,Popish extor­tions and aua­rice. they lie in their re­ligion, and how they keepe vnder the people and na­tions, and preserue their diabolical supremacie; only let me rehearse the stories what they say: First one saithKrāt. Metro­pol. lib. 10. cap. 34. Multae & magnae concertationes doctorum &c. Many and great discentions were there of learned & good men, and if they had bridled auarice, they might haue easi­lie found a measure or end: and againe.Cap. 47. Exorbitabat eo tempore supra modum Romana curia in exhauriendo pro­uincias auro &c. At that time the court of Rome went out of square aboue measure in robbing the prouinces of their gold, through the bestowing of indulgences not heard of, and graces incredible. And the apostolical Courtiers or [Page 301] sutors which obtained, were miserablie tossed: they stroue or sued before the Auditor or iudge: two iudgements wer giuen for one partie. In the thirde instance the Iudge is commaunded, that hee put the one partie to perpetuall si­lence, Dato quod so­naret & fulge­ret. 1398. neither needed letters to bee dispatched by the Chauncerie: there was a shorter way hy the chamber, by giuing that which sounded and shined. A thing at that time new, but in our age well waxen olde, that, that age might be thought to haue found out that which this our age doth now vse. But we complaine of these things in vaine. So complained Albertus Krantius being himselfe a papist, whose story endeth An. 1501. And in another place shewing how a youth of 17. yeares of age ob­tained a bishopricke of the pope, he saith:Lib. 12. ca. 29 The Apo­stolicall sea sheweth it selfe liberall to sutors, chaunging lead for gold: which being spoken in the olde world, how much that liberalitie hath growen vnto this day, they doe easily vnderstand who haue doings in things. So doth anMathew Pa­tis hist. Hen. 1. An. 1103. other papist tell vs, that when Anselmus the Arch­bishop intreated the Lord Pope, for certain Bishops and Abbots of England, who were degraded: That the same most gratious sea, which neuer faileth any man (so as some white or red thing be mediator) restored the same bishops & Abbots to their dignities. And anPolydor. Verg. de inuē ­tor. lib. 8. ca. 2. o­ther papist can tel you of their instruments & buls, & of the colledge of Catchpoles or Harpies (that is to say) scribes & notaries of the Apostolicall treasures, which could skil how to make an office, which at the first was sold for 500. crownes, to be at a thousand or two or three thousand: and how the annuates and yearely fruites, palles and appeales, haue soaked vp many countries, and made the pontificall sea of great power. The effecte of which Apostaticall [Page 302] deuises of these lordly Popes, may appeare by the complaints of all nations, which thing may clerely be seene vnto all men, that shall read the councel of Basill, which made many prouisions by decrees a­gainst the rauening of the Popes court, by reserua­tions, appeales, instances, annates, collations, and ma­ny such like:Read Iohn Sleid. Com. lib. 22. pag. 819. 820. 821. which decree the King of Fraunce Charles the 7. Anno 1438. did confirme, by an e­dict commonly cailed Pragmatica Sanctio, Which when pope Pius the 2. laboured with Lewes the 7. to vndoe: the Senate of Paris declare vnto the king, what great prosperitie the Realme was in by that Edick, in the daies of many his forefathers, and what great affliction it was now fallen into by such exac­tions, that thereby France would be bare of people and emptie of money, and vnlesse he did holde fast the sanction of his father, euerie yeere there would goe out of France vnto Rome, ten hundred thou­sand crownes, beside diuers waies that they had to impouerish his kingdome.Math. paris hist. Angl. Hen. 3. One Iohn Rufus the popes legate at one time wrested out of the poore Irish mens deuotions 8000. markes. The Germains amongst other greeuances, require three thinges to be amended.Iohn Sleid. Com. lib. 4. First, that they hindred the princes in their right; 2. That they pulled and made Germany wast and without wealth and riches. 3. And bondmen with great bondage. But speaking sparing of other coun­tries: by the patterne of Englande our owne coun­trie, you shall gesse verie much, what spoile and ha­uock they made of al lands.Math. Paris hist. Angl. Hen. 3. pag. 927. 928. The greeuances of Eng­land haue been these. First by complaint in a parlia­ment there are seauen things mentioned, to weaken [Page 303] and empouirish the state of the land. The Pope was not content with his subsidie of Peter pence but ex­acteth most greeuous contributions, more and more of the cleargie, and that without the kings consent and assent, the Patrons cannot giue the benefices, but they are wrested out of their hands and giuen to Romains, who know not our language and by trans­porting of money greatly empouerish our land, by prouisions in pensions, by triall of causes they are drawen out of the kingdome by apostolical authori­tie, against the statutes and lawes of the Realme, by manifolde comming of that infamous messenger, Non obstante, by whom the reuerence of an oth, the auncient customes the vertue of Scriptures, the au­thoritie of graunts and the statutes, lawes, and priui­ledges are weakened and made void &c.Pag. 932. Also they caused the prelates to find them souldiers, some ten, some fiue, some fifteen well furnished with horse & armor, and that one whole yeere.Pag. 484. 485 They haue had such extreame exactions of paiments, that they haue been faine to sell or to lay to pawne their chalices, and other holy vessels to feed the popes desires.Pag. 303. Al­so he exacted the fift part of all the goods of the reue­nues of the cleargie of Englande.Pag. 1145. The Bishop of Lincolne being astonished at the coueteousnes of the Romains, caused the reuenues of strangers to be counted, and found that they had 70000. markes, when the meere reuenues of the king was not estee­med to the third part. And that which of all is most past shame and coulour of honestie:Pag. 1017. the pope sent for his factors, certaine friers dominickes and mino­rites, who preaching among the people and pro­claiming [Page 304] pardons: did signe with the crosse all sorts of people, men women, & children, old, yong, sick & whole, and by and by after for a peece of money did absolue thē of the vow of their peregrination. Thus you see that the church of Rome had many waies to draw out the wealth of all the world into their cof­fers, and keepe the kings and people in low estate & great slauerie. For which cause as other nations had their sanctions which they called Pragmaticke, soPolnd. Verg. hist. Angl. lib. 14. Edw. 3. Falshood in Poperie by dispensations. England garded themselues with the law of proui­sion commonly called de Praemuniri. Touching fals­hood; this Romish religion is thereof naturally such a nurse, that no common wealth can promise them­selues safetie, where that heresie raigneth, or where it can come neere to haue any medling: for if they maintaine all traitors against magistrates, and by dis­pensations make men shamelesse in forswearing and breaking promise: what thinke you is the domage of all Christian kingdomes, or what is the priuiledge of the popish kingdomes? LetLooke the booke called Execution of iustice, printed 1583. & E. Me­teranus hist. Belg. lib. 3. pag. 83. Pope Pius Quintus bull sent against our Queenes most excellent Maie­stie, to stirre vp all her subiectes against her: and the manifold practises out of Italie, & Spaine, from time to time, against both Ireland and England, testifie: yea theMercuri. Gallob. lib. 4. 8000. foot, 4000. horsmē. supplies which he sent of soldiers to helpe the Duke du Meine, and the traitors of France against their liege Lord and king; as alsoId. lib. 2. with mutabilitie of France, printed at London. 1597. cap. 25. the murderous and bloudie knife of Iames Clement of the order of the Dominicke friers, being blessed for good speed by Pagorola the Popes legate, wherewith the late FrenchHenricus Valesius. King being a Papiste, was traiterously killed, by the conspiracie and instigation of many [Page 305] and great popish traitors: may be instead of a thou­sand witnesses.Hist. Belg. E. Meteran. lib. 3. pag. 81. Duke Alba 1569. by a publike e­dict forbiddeth trafficke in the low countries vnto English men: that no man vnder paine of confisca­tion, bring in or out merchandise: and that it might be the more sharply executed, he appointed search­ers and informers, who should haue the one halfe of that which was confiscated. Now all these were English fugitiues papistes, and amongst them the chiefest one William Parkins had Doctor Storie for his deputie: marke heere what witnesse this is that papistes are naturally traitors, most sharpe against there natiue countrie of England, by the very nature of their religion. And beside thisMercurius. Gallobelg. lib. 4. pag. 344. their seminaries are erected at Rome and at Rhemes, and at Valle­soletum in Spain, out of which the traiterous priests and Iesuites are sent by dosens in diuers and disgised attire to seduce the Queenes Maiesties subiects from their obedience, and to disturbe the peace of this Realme. Yet see a little further how this naturall po­pish falshood in dispensations hath hurt the verie o­bedient children.Albert Krant. Metropol. lib. 2 cap. 23. Lewes the third being Emperor, warred against one Aldalgisus, which was of the remnant of the Lombards, and by ambush being ta­ken was bound by oath neuer to beare armes against him any more. From this oath Iohn the 8. absolued Lewes, who being caught againe in like manner, for the same cause lost his eies, and in his absence in Ita­lie the Hungarians wasted Bauaria, Sueuia, Saxo­nia, and caried a verie great multitude of people captiue especially out of Saxonia. An other time the [Page 306] Aeneas Syl­uius hist. de Europ. cap. 5. Hungarians being Christians, hauing a goodly vic­tory against the Turkes, graunted to a truce of tenne yeares, vpon the Turkes suite and vpon the know­ledge of their owne strength, finding it better to get strength in peace, then to waste all by conti­nuall warre: and this truce was confirmed by oath on both sides. But the Pope Eugenius taking it grie­uously, neuer left both by intreatie and threatning, till he had caused the truce to bee broken by his dis­pensation and apostolicall authority. But what came of this periurie. The war was renewed, and God re­warded this papall Romish falshood, with a most la­mentable effusion of Christian bloud, by a shame­full foile and ouerthrow by the same Turke.Pride in pope­rie by the su­premacie. Now let vs go a little higher, and consider of their pride and Seraphicall tyranny. What if herein wee looke but vpon our own countrie of England? Into what slauerie and bondage thinke you, hath the stately primacie of Rome brought this realme vnto. First let the reader bee put in mind, that HenrieMath. Paris. hist. Angl. Hen. 2. pa. 127. the se­cond, raigning in England about Anno 1154. being desirous to annexe the realme of Ireland vnto the imperiall crowne of England, sent solemne embas­sage to Rome to Pope Adrian, that by his licence & fauour hee might enter that Iland in hostile maner, that he might subdue it and bring those beastly peo­ple to the faith and obedience of truth. Vnto which the Pope by a speciall bull gaue him licence, proui­ded that of euery house be paid vnto Peter the yere­ly pension of a pennie, and the foundation of this graunt in the said bull is builded vpon this, that the [Page 307] Pope therein most arrogantly, without any authori­tie from God, challengeth saying: Sane omnes insu­las &c. Surely, all Ilands, vpon whom the sunne of righ­teousnesse shineth, & haue receiued the doctrine of the Christian faith, without doubt doth appertain to the right of S. Peter & of the holy church of Rome. Behold a wō ­derfull arrogancie, & a maruellous awe of a king to a proud prelate. And not onely was he thus in awe of the pope (a thing abhorrent from a free kingdome) but alsoPag. 134. & so forward. Thomas Archb. of Canterbury, being one of his own subiects, did verie greatly curbe him. For beside many other crosse dealing, whereas An. 1164. the Archbish. Bishops, Abbots, priors, the cleargie, Earles, Barons, and all the nobilitie, did sweare and firmely promise, in the word of truth, to keepe and obserue to the king & his heires in good sooth, with­out any ill meaning for euer, sixteene points of cu­stomes or liberties, recognised and acknowledged to be to him, and namely of the auncestors of the king, for the auoiding of dissentions and discord often ari­sing betweene the cleargie and the Iustices of the Lord the king and the peeres of the Realme which were as touching aduowsons, and presentations of Churches, of Clearkes accused, or conuicted, of the going of Archbishops, Bishops, &c. out of the land without the kinges licence, of excommunicati­on and of lay men accused to be done by lawful and honest accusers and witnesses: that such as helde of the king should not bee excommunicated, or in­terdicted without the kinges knowledge, that ap­peales should not go further then the Archbishop, [Page 308] without the kinges consent: that Archbish. Bishops and all persons, holding lands of the king in Capite, should haue their possession as a baron and doe ser­uice therein, as other Barons accustomablie did and such like. This Thomas after his solemne oath, re­penting himselfe without the kings licence or know­ledge, trauelleth and maketh suite to the Pope of Rome, not onely to be discharged of his oath, but to ouerthrow the whole libertie of the realme, and that against both the king, nobles, prelates, and the whole state of the land: and of them he excommunicateth many, & causeth verie great disturbance to the king and all the realme. Thereof are many appeales, di­uers meetings, of cleargie, states, sometime of Car­dinals, sometime of the French king, to compound or determine the cause. At length by the meanes of the French king, the matter being taken vp, & Tho­mas sent peaceablie home, was no sooner warme in his seate, but by bulles from the Pope hee fell to ex­communicate and curse the other Bishoppes and o­thers who had offended him. Whereupon there was kindled such indignation and wrath in the heart of certaine resolute persons, that because hee remai­ned obstinate in his former crossing of the king, as they tooke it, laid violent hands vpon him, as vpon the kings enemie, and slew him. The king hearing thereof, being much greeued, did humble himselfe in sackcloth and ashes, protesting by solemne oath, his ignorance and innocencie of the fact, sending Embassadors to Rome of his defence & submission to the order of the Church, which had such strange [Page 309] entertainment, that neither the first nor second mes­sengers could come into the popes sight, and had much adoe to keep the land from interdicting, but at the length by swearing that the king would stand to the iudgement of the Pope & his Cardinals, that great curse was auoided. Howbeit the king although by oath he sware earnestly that he was not priuy nor acquainted with the fact, yet because in his anger he had spoken some wordes vnaduisedly, and had brought vp such wicked soldiers as would be reuen­ged vpon the kinges traitor the Archbishop, and so slew him: therefore the king for remission of his sins was enioyned by the Pope, to giue so much money as would maintaine 200. soldiers a yeare, and suffer appeales, and let go all his customes and liberties of his ancestors, before spoken of, and recognised by oath of all his subiects. And after this (a thing not be seeming any Christian, much lesse a king) retur­ning into England, and comming neere to the cittie of Canterburie, he alighted from his horse, and put­ting off all kingly maiestie, barefoote like a pilgrim penitent and supplyant with sighes, groanes, and teares, he commeth to the tombe of this Thomas, & casting himselfe downe in all his bodie, & spreading his hands to heauen, remained in praiers, and after o­ther popish ceremonies, because of his vnaduised words, he tooke vpon him this penance: hee asked absolution of the Bishops then and there present, & laying open his naked skin to the discipline of rods, he receiued of euerie religious man, whereof there was a great multitude, three or fiue ierkes. Let any wise man knowing the word of God, consider whe­ther [Page 310] this were not a shamefull slauerie both of body, soule, king and kingdome.Math. Paris. hist. Ang. pag. 254. The king ap­pealeth from his subiect. King Richard the first, going about to fortefie the out borders of his coun­trie in Normandie, was maruellously confounded and ouerstreightned, by the Archb. of Roan his sub­iect: Who therefore interdicted all the countrie, so that mens bodies being dead, lay vnburied in the streetes of the cities and villages, very greatly annoy­ing the liuing with their stinch: yet had the king no way to relieue himselfe, but by appeale to the court of Rome (loe here the king appealeth from his sub­iect) by whom it was ordered, that by exchange of so much for so much, as belonged to the Archb. & chapter of Roan the interdiction was staied, and the Archbishop appeased toward the king. And who hath not heard of the vnspeakeable thraldome that king Iohn was wrapped in, because hee allowed not the choise of an Archbishop made by the pope without his consent, but vsed his royall authoritie against them which agreed to such choise, wherein his Maiestie was excluded. First his land was accur­sed so that no Churches opened to their manner of seruice. Secondly he was excommunicated and lastly deposed of his kingdome, and his kingdome giuen to the French King to winne from him by force of armes. And by this he was driuen to com­mit himselfe to the Popes pleasure, and to resigne his crowne and kingdome into the Popes hands, & re­ceiued it againe in fee, and vnder homage, paying a thousand markes yearely, & swearing himselfe the Popes vassall for euer. What a lamentable case was it in England, whenMathew Pa­ris. histor. Ang. pag. 703. king Henrie the third, being [Page 311] humblie moued by his subiectes, to stand vpon his priuiledge, that his people should not bee made a pray to the Romish exactions: did answere directly and say: Neither will I, neither dare I gainsay the Pope in any thing. But most wofull is that which isPag. 10.15. repor­ted of Fredericke the Emperour, being so outragi­ously tossed, and turmoiled by the Pope, that hee did most comfortlesse lament, most plentifully and bitterly weepe and his eyes did runne with teares, which was a miserable sight in a man of so great au­thoritie and age: who bewailing and wringing his hands he said: Woe bee vnto me, against whom mine owne bowels doe fight: Peter whom I beleeued to bee the rocke and the halfe of my soule, hath prepared for mee the snares of death. Behold the Lord Pope, whom the Em­pire vnder my noble auncestors hath created and enriched of nothing, goeth about to pull downe the same, & deui­seth the destruction of mee, who am ruler of the same Empire now readie to fall. Whom shall I trust? where may I bee safe, where ioyfull hereafter? &c. And thus did that angelicall pride, so batter and bring downe the ciuill power and dominion in all places, that it is a most manifest thing, that in the time of Luther (Reade Iohn Sleid. coment. lib. 14. as he verie wisely and truely noteth) the doctrine of the magistrates office and his authoritie, was as it were dead and buried: and all power and domi­nion stole from them by this most horrible Apo­staticall sea of Rome. And that no maruell, for it is ^e said of Pope Boniface the eight,Albert. Krant. Metropol. lib. 2. cap. 2. that the round worlde was not bigge inough for his mind, who put on his head, the pontificiall and imperiall myter, [Page 312] testifying that both swords were in his hands. What shall we say then? If that poperie be naturally such a nurse and mother of all kind of sinne, fornication, whoredome and all filthinesse, treacherie, rebellion, contention, war, murder, oppression, and all kind of crueltie: if it weaken all common wealthes, by exac­tions, extortions, vsurpation, and arrogancie, and o­pen the gate to all villanie and falshood, by dispen­sations and sanctuaries, and make all authority of the ciuill magistrate of most vile estimation, and with­out reputation, vse and profit to Gods people: lea­ding all sorts of men into most vile slauerie of filthie idolatrie and humane inconstancie, let their owne mouth be iudge against themselues. For thus Pope pius the second saith,Aeneas Syluius ex histor. Bo­hemica. Vana est religio quae sceleri locum facit: Vaine is that religion, which is a maintainer of wic­kednesse: which if all papistes would consider, how it agreeth with poperie (whereof I haue giuen them heere a little light) they would quickly forsake that house of vanities & tower of confusion.

3 I would then demand of any honest man and wise Christian, who feared God and beleeued in Ie­sus Christ, and did looke for his appearing and the last iudgement, how that wee of the true religion, now publikely taught and professed in England, could bee made to like of the popish seruice, to bee tollerated or winked at in our countrie, or that wee could find a way to reconcile both religions? whe­ther it were not, as if one imagine, that life & death, water and fire, light and darknesse, hell, and heauen, might reioyce and comfort each other. For it is not possible for a true Christian protestant to haue peace [Page 313] ioy or comfort, in the fellowship of a true hereticall papist: they are in all things as is aforesaid so contra­rie. What mixture is there of the feet that are partly Iron and partly earth: so is the euerlasting, most an­cient and vnchangeable faith of Gods elect profes­sed in England, likely to agree with the earthly new borne superstition of the Romish sinagogue. Set me the beleeuer and the infidell, the true Christian and the hereticke in one fraternitie, how will they agree? Euen as Cain was kind to Abell, & Ismael honored Isaack, & Esau sought the safetie of Iacob, and Saul loued Daued, so will the papists be kind and faithful vnto vs. And let all men know, that when God hath said, I will put enmitie betweene the seed of the woman, & the seed of the serpent. There can bee no peace nor reconciliation betweene vs. It had need bee a verie fine wit, (but certesse no wise man) who can shewe how these may agree: one saith thou art Antechrist, and the other answereth, thou art an hereticke: this man saith, thou art an idolater; the other saith to him againe, thou art a schismaticke: the one abhorreth all images, pardons, purgatories, merites, sacrifices, monkerie, latine seruice &c. The other hath all his hartes delight in them, and careth not what murder he commit, to maintain such trumperie. Can these a­gree or bee reconciled? The persecutions, prisons, burnings, war, murders, massacries, villanies, and cru­elties, which now haue continued & daily be prac­tised by that sea of Rome, in all ages and countries, do warrant a miserable peace & reconciliation. They may lye, sweare, and forsweare, kill and rebel, and do any thing for aduantage, and yet by absolution, par­don [Page 314] or dispensation be holy children. They may dis­semble & pretend contentment and obedience (as they are not ashamed to professe) vntill they bee strong inough to ouercome, & for aduantage, breake promise & catch at all occasions: in what case are we if we should trust them to assemble together? Think we that if they might haue but the least entrance or tolleration, that they would not quickly frame some great mischiefe, which now continually labour with such plots of treacherie to vndermine the state: not­withstanding that lawes are in some measure (God be thanked) pressed vpon them: and the eyes of ma­ny wise counsellors watch ouer them and preuent them. Ciuil men and politicians know, that it is dan­gerous to haue a naturall enemie neere thee, and that leagues and agreement amongst enemies and with the wicked, are but baites, snares and nettes to de­stroy thee: so much more is it impossible that a Chri­stian common wealth can haue any good by tollera­ting of Antechristian obseruations or doctrine, ex­cept to make them to be goads in their sides, & pricks in their eyes, alwaies readie to rise vp against them vnto mischiefe: as the Cananites were vnto Israel. As a Wolfe will play with a lambe, and a Foxe with a Goose, and a Lion with a Kidde: so may all they which feare God, & beleeue to bee saued by onely faith in Christ, abhorring idols and louing the right and iust authoritie of the magistrate, find fauour and peace at the handes of papistes, if once they wincke at their religion. For (though I say nothing of Gods hand, which is alway heauie against his Church, when they are friends with idolaters) wee haue too [Page 315] many hundred yeares experience, what this new re­ligion of poperie hath brought into this world, and how solitarie it hath made the tents of Gods Saints. I verily thinke, that no Christian prince, knowing his owne right from God, and the vncertainty of his standing vnder that scarlet whore: that (if he haue a­ny courage or power in his handes) will giue any countenance to such as hee vndoubtedly knoweth will neuer bee faithfull, but alway vndermine his e­state, & bring his life in hazard.

4 And sithence we haue had now aboue fortie yeares triall of the sound truth of the Gospell, and of Gods notable hand in protecting and defending the state of this land receiuing and embracing the same all this while, against most strong force, & verie ma­ny maruellous cunning treasons: how wonderfully he hath blessed vs with peace and prosperitie, and made vs so much the more happie, by how much our enemies haue laboured most wisely & strongly against vs: he hath made the windes and seas to fight for vs: & the Popes curse hath he manifoldly turned vpon his owne heade, and his abettors haue neuer prospered: and in all things the Lord declared him­selfe to bee our God, by multiplying our peace and the daies of our gracious prince, in all perils standing by her as his deare handmaide: wee may boldly say that the more we bee estranged from poperie: the neerer we are & the dearer vnto the Lord our God, and the lesse agreement we haue with the popish a­postasie, the more his grace, mercies, goodnes, and shielding power doth watch ouer vs to feed, to fo­ster, to keepe & deliuer vs. Therefore we Christians, [Page 316] who haue bin begotten with the pure seed of Gods holy word, and felt & found most sweet and sound nourishment by that sincere milke, vnder the most gracious happie and prosperous raigne of the Lords blessed annointed seruant Elizabeth our liege Ladie and Queene, and knowing what occasions to godli­nesse, aboundance of peace and wealth, and ioyfull libertie of bodie and soule, wee haue had and enioy­ed, cannot cease night nor day to praise God for his blessing and mercie, which wee haue had in and by her most constant faith and godly raigne: continu­ally praying his diuine goodnes, to encrease his bles­sings and graces vpon her both bodily and ghostly, to strengthen and enlarge her heart, in all Christian vertues, princely wisedome and courage, to defend her against all her enemies: and prolong her daies more and more, in all ioy, honour, wealth prosperity and heauenly comfort in Christ: to his owne glory & the dailie good of his Church and this realme of England: euen for Ie­sus Christes sake: To whom be praise & glory for euer, Amen.