ATheisme and Irreligion was euer od [...] ­ous euen amonge the Heathen them­selues: insomuch as that Protagoras for that he doubted whether there were any God or no, was by the Athenians vani­shed out of their Country. Diagoras was such a no­torious Infidell that he helde there was no God; him and all such like Atheists the very Heathens haue ab­horred and detested, as being more like rude beastes than reasonable men: For Cicero the Heathen Phi­losopher doth condemne them all, and further saith,Cice. [...] de natur. that there was neuer any Nation so sauadge, or peo­ple so barbarous, but alwaies confessed there was a God: whereunto they were led euen by the light of Nature, and naturall instinct. For the very same is confirmed by the common vse of all Heathens,Tertull in Apolog. in lifting vp their eyes and handes to heauen, in any so­daine distresse that commeth vpon them. Yea, by ex­perience of all ages it hath beene prooued that Atheists themselues, that is, such as in their health and prospe­ritie [Page] for more libertie of sinning, would striue against the being of a God, when they came to die or fall into any great miserie, they of all other would shew them­selues most fearefull of this God,Seneca lib. 1, de ira. as Seneca himselfe declareth: Insomuch as Zeno the Philosopher was woont to say, that it see [...]ned to him a more substantiall proofe of this matter, to heare an Atheist at his dying day, preach God (when he asked God & all the world forgiuenes) then to heare all the Philosophers in the worlde dispute the point: For that at this instant of death and miserie, it is like that such doe speake in ear­nest and sobrietie of spirite, who before in the wanton­nes impugned God. It is remembred of Caius Cali­gula, (that wicked and incestuous Emperour) that he was a notable scorner and contemner of God,Sueton in calig. 1.51▪ Dion in caligula. & made no reckoning of any other to be God but himselfe, yet this abhominable and wicked Atheist, as God left him not vnpunished (for by his iust iudgement hee was slaine by some of his owne officers) so whilest he liued he was woont (as the Historiographers report of him) at the terrible thundering and lightning, not onely to couer his head, but also to get himselfe vnder his bed, and there to hide himselfe for feare. Whence I praie [...]ame this feare vpon him? but that his own conscience did tell him (howsoeuer in words perchance hee would not affirme so much) that there was a God in heauen, able to quaile and cast down his pride and all the Em­perours of the world if hee listed, whose thunderboltes were so terrible, as that iustly by his owne example he shewed, hee was to bee feared of all the world. And heereof it is that some say, that God is called Deus, of the Greeke word Theos, which signifieth feare, because the feare of him is planted and engraffed in the verie natures and conscience of all reasonable creatures, yea [Page] euen in the conscience of the greatest contemners, and ra [...]kest Atheists of the world, who say what they list, and doe what they list, yet shall they neuer bee able to root out this impression: namely, that there is a God, whose feare is engrauen in the hearts of all men. And whence I pray you commeth shame in men after an offence committed? Or why should men (by naturall distinct) put a difference betwéene vertue and vice, good and euill, if there were not a God, who because hee lo­ueth the one, and hateth the other, hath written that difference in euery mans heart? Therefore conclude, that euery mans knowledge, conscience, and féeling, is in stead of a thousand witnesses to conuince him (who­soeuer he be) that there is a God which is to be feared, which hateth iniquitie and wicked waies, and which in time of trouble and déepe distresse is to be sought vn­to for refuge and reliefe (as the acts of the very heathen themselues do plainely demonstrate.

2 Moreouer, as God is to bee felt sensible in euerie mans conscience, so is he to be séene visibly (if I may so speake) in the creation of the world, and of all thinges therein contained: for that this world had a beginning as all the excellent Philosophers that euer were haue agréeed, except Aristotle for a time, who helde a fancie,Vide Plu­tarch de placit phi­los. Aristotle. Lib. 8. Aristotle. lib de mū ­do & vide Plotin. lib. de mundo, Iustine in Apolog. that this world had no beginning, but was from all e­ternity: but at last in his old age, he confessed and held, the contrary in his booke de mundo, which hee wrote to King Alexander, (which booke Iustin Martyr estée­med greatly, and called it the Epitome of all Aristotles true Philosophy.) This then being so, that the worlde had a beginning, it must néeds follow, that it had an ef­ficient cause or maker thereof. I demaund then who it was that made it? If you say it made it selfe, it is ab­surd, for how could it make it selfe before it selfe was, [Page] and when it had no being at all? If you say that some­thing within the worlde made the world, that is, tha [...] some one part of the worlde made the whole, that is more absurd: for it is as much as if a man should say, that the finger (and this before it was a finger or part of the bodie) did make the whole bodie. Wherefore it may bee confessed by force of this argument (which is plainely demonstratiue) that a greater and more excel­lent thing than is the whole world put togeather, yea, that some thing which was before heauen and earth were made, was and must needes be the maker thereof and framer of this worlde, and this can be nothing else but God the Creator of all things, who was before all his Creatures, and is termed in the sacred writings Alpha and Omega the first and the last: For that hee onely was without beginning himselfe, and shall be and remaine without ending. For he is eternall be­ing the Primus Motor, and the onely Almightie Creator of all thinges: So true is it which Paul the Apostle doth testifie,Rom 1.20. when he saith, that the inuisible things of God (that is his eternall power and diuine Essence) are perfectly seene in the creation of the world, being perceiued by his workes which he hath made. If therefore men would but cast vp their eyes to heauen, and from thence looke downe againe vppon the earth and so beholde the excellent beauty and buil­ding of this worlde, he cannot be so sottish or dull con­ceited, but hee must knowe there was and is a God which was the maker of them, and be mo [...]ued in some sort to glorifie so incomparable and excellent a Crea­tor. Yea, the Poets and others haue affirmed of God that he is Pater hominum, the Father of men, to show that men haue their originall and creation from him, so that if we should draw our eyes from the beholding [Page] of the great world, and consider but Man: (who for his beauty & excellencie is called in Greeke Michocosmos, the litle world) still we shall be enforced to acknowledge God the Author of vs, the Father and Creator of vs. So true is it that which Paul the Apostle noteth out of the Poet Aratus which saith,Act. 17. [...]. [...] that Eius progenies sumus We are the issue or offspring of God. And as true it is, which he further saith in that place, that in him we liue, moue, and haue our being. And therfore we owe all duetifull obedience and subiection vnto him, which duety and nature commands vs to performe, in regard of our Creation. For the sonne honoureth his father by naturall duety, and all men are naturally carried to be gratefull to their founders to whom they are speci­ally bound, and whom they ought not to forget, neither will, except they be extreame vnthankefull and disso­lute.

3 Not onely the Creation of the worlde, and of all things therein contained, doth proclaim that there is a God who is to be honoured for his infinite extended authoritie and almighty power (for he made all things of nothing,Heb. 11.2 Gen. 1. onely he spake the word and they were cre­ated) but his daily blessinges and benefites sent downe vppon the earth doe show also there is a God (which is prouident and hath care of men, and therefore of men to be praised, thanked, and glorified for euer.) For true it is which saint Paul saith in this behalfe,Act. 14.17 that God left not himselfe without witnes, when he bestowed benefits from heauen, giuing vnto vs raine and seaso­nable weather, and filling our harts with meate and gladnes. By meanes of these and all other his bles­sings, men might, and still may daily be induced not on­ly to beléeue that there is a God from whome they re­ceiue all these, but also to acknowledge and attribute [Page] all praise and thankesgiuing vnto him, as to their first principall and speciall benefactor. For the Oxe doth know his owne, and the Asse his Master, féeder, and maintainer. And therefore how can it bee but reaso­nable men should much more knowe God, not onely their first founder and Creator, but their daily féeder, preseruer, kéeper, and vpholder. For so of [...] as they thinke vpon these thinges, and sée and haue them, they cannot choose but bee put in minde of God the sender and Author of them all, and be mooued with a gratefull minde towards him. And hereof is it that hee is called Deus, à dando, Of giuing: And in english wee call God,Mat. 19.17 Iam. 1.17. quasi good, because hee is onely and perfectly good of himselfe alone, and the giuer of all goodnes, and of all good gifts and blessings vnto others, from whom as from the fountaine al benefits whatsoeuer do come,Rom. 1.8.19. descend, ffow and be deriued vnto them.

4 I might heere shew how God is also knowen to the world by his iudgements vpon wicked and vnrigh­teous people, who diuers times hee maketh visible ex­amples of his seueritie and iustice (if men did well con­sider them) for heereby also hath God ministred him­selfe, as Paule the Apostle teacheth. These promises I trust may suffice, (if there were no more to bee said) for by them we may easily sée and prooue, that there is a God which created the world, and all things therein: which preserueth & vpholdeth the same with his migh­tie puissaunce, which supporteth the earth, and all the creatures thereof with his prouidence and helping hand: yea, behind the heauens and the earth, which are the worke of his hands. Euery mans owne conscience doth plentifully teach (as I said before) that there is a God which is to bee feared. For howsoeuer many a man that hath spent his life in a wicked way, and most [Page] damnabl [...] course, could wish in his heart there were no God, because hee seeth God no otherwise than in his vengeaunce: yea, hows [...]euer many a wicked person doth ssooth himselfe in his wickednes,Psa. 14.1. and flatteringlie say vnto himselfe (like the foole in the Psalmes) There is no God: yet at other times his own conscience wil so prouoke him, and enforce this matter (that there is a God) that with the horror and dread of him, it will make him quake, feare, and tremble, for the feare of him is so deepely printed in the natures of all men, as that it is impossible to shake it off. And (which is more) a kinde of deuotion to worship him being the Creator and preseruer of men, and of all things els, and the pro­uident father of all is planted, and inseparably fixed in the harts of al men: though al men of all nations know not how to worship him aright, and in such sort as he requireth. This is manifest by the examples of all na­tions and people in the world, who all haue some one kinde of religion or other, though all finde not the right religion. All be deuoted to the worship of God howsoeuer all doe not finde out the true God, nor his right name of worship, but worship him according to the deuises of their owne braine. Considering then that there is no Nation vnder the sunne so barberous (nor eu [...]r was) but aymed at the worshippe of God, and either worshipped him or some thing els in his place. It appeareth to be a most vaine and foolish con­ceit which Atheists sometimes vtter: namely, that re­ligion is nothing els but a matter of pollicie, or a po­liticke deuise of humane Inuention: For it is euident that a religious a [...]ection to worship God is natural­lie sealed (and euer was) in the harts of all men: And the conscience of euery man, euen of the greatest scor­ner and contemner of God, which sometimes tremb­leth [Page] before his iudgment seate, doth aboundantlie te­stifie that a religious deuotion of feare toward, God is bred and borne with euery man, and therefore there cannot be any pollicie of humane Inuention: in as much as if there were no lawes of men, yet this reli­gious affection to worship God, and the feare of him, would & doth remaine written by the finger of God, in the harts and consciences of all men liuing, howe rude sauage or barberous soeuer they be. What law of men I pray was there to make Caligula the Em­perour when hee heard the tirrible thundering in the aire and sawe the flashing flames of lightning about him, to runne vnder his bed and to hide himselfe for feare of this tirrible and great God? Or what ma­keth the rankest Atheist in the worlde in the like case & at the like tempest to do the like? Or what made the heathen in any dangerous or sodaine distres to lift vp their eies or hands to heauen, mightily to feare and to be astonished? None can say it is the law of men for no law of men doth enforce this attempt. But it is a na­turall instinct of the Feare of God (whome hee hath offended, and whose vengeance he dreadeth) and from whome he thinketh succour may come, seated in all mens harts euen from their Natiuitie, which doth make him to feare, and cause him to seeke to God for refuge. Let this therefore remaine firme and most vndoubted, that the feare of the great God and a Re­ligious disposition to worship the same God, is not enforced by lawes of men, but naturaly sowen in the harts of all men, though all finde not out nor obserue the right religion. Let vs therefore nowe seeke and serch out which is the true Religion, which is accep­table to God, and which without wauering & doub­ting is t [...] ▪ be obserued of men. For all nations & people [Page] haue a kinde of religion (as I said before) but all haue not the true and right religion.

IN auntient times all the world was de­uided and distinguished into Iewes, and Gentiles, and this distinction doth and may still remaine among vs: If there­fore I canne proue the truth of this our Christian Religion against both Iewes, & Gentiles: I shall then proue it against all the worlde. In this Chapter I will first proue it against the Iewes, and in the next against the Gentiles. Concerning the Iewes they will easily graunt our Religion to be the true Religion, if we can proue Iesus Christ (whome we beléeue) to be that Messias which was foretold by their prophets, being the true and vndoubted pro­phets of God. And this we are sure may easily be pro­ued, and therefore in vaine doe the Iewes looke for a­ny other Messias than he that is already come, name­ly Iesus Christ our Mediator, Sauiour, and Redee­mer, in whome God his Father is well pleased, and for whose sake (if we beleeue in him,) he will not be offended with vs but be reconciled to vs & saue vs. Whatsoeuer was foretold to belong vnto their Me­ssias, is fullie performed and perfectly accomplished in our Iesus Christ and in no other: And therefore our Iesus was, and, is the true Messias and no other. Let vs herein consider the markes of the Messias where­by he might be knowne. And so shal I we see that our [Page] Sauiour Iesus Christ is the onely true Messias & none but he.

1 One marke for vs to know the Messias by,Psal. 118 22 Esay. 6. Deu. 28. Esay. 65. Esay. 53. Dan. 9. is that when hee came, hee should not be knowne or ac­knowledged to be the Messias, but should be reiected and refused of the Iewish Nation, to the end he might be put to death amongst them according to the fore-apointment and determinate counsell of God: for had they receaued him for the Messias they would neuer haue vsed him so shamefully as they did, neither shuld he then haue bin slaine amongst them as was foretold he should. This then being one marke of the Messias that he should be refused for the Messias of the Iew­ish Nation, and of the chiefest rulers amongst them, is a great confirmation of our faith in as much as it is found fully performed in our Sauiour Iesus Christ, whome they scorned, reiected, condemned, and put to death. And therefore as if the Iewish Nation had re­ceaued our Iesus for the Messias, It had bin an vn­doubted argument that he had not bin the right Mes­sias, so on the other side because they did refuse him; It is a very strong perswasion to vs that he was and is the very true Messias indeede. In vaine therefore it is if any do looke for such a Messias as should be who­lie receaued of the Iewish Nation for none such was promised, yea it was foretold (contrarie wise) that hee should be refused of them▪ As our Iesus was: that so he might be made an offering for sinne, according to the preordination of God.

2 It was foretold of the Messias that he should be borne of a Virgin, Esay. 7. ver. 14. That the place of his byrth should be Bethlem. Mich. 5. ver. 1. That at his byrth all the Infantes rounde about Bethlem should be slaine for his sake Ier. 31. ver. 15. That the [Page] King of the earth should come and adore him, and of­fer gold and other gifts vnto him. Psal. 71.10. That he should be presented in the temple of Ierusalem for the greater glorie of that second temple. Mat. 3. ver. 1. That he should fly into Egypt and be recalled thence againe. Osc. 11.2. That a starre should appeare at his byrth to notifie his comming into the worlde. Num. 2. That Iohn Baptist (who came in the spirite and power of Elias, and therefore was called Elias. Luk. 1.17. Mat. 11.10.14.) should be the messenger to goe before him, and to prepare the waie and to crie in the desert. Mal. 3.1. Mal. 4.1. Esa. 40.3. After this: that he should begin his owne preaching with al humilitie, quietnes, & clemencie of spirit. Esay. 42.2. That he should be poore, abiect, and of no reputation in this world. Esa. 53 Dan. 9. Zacha. 9. Ier. 14. That he should doe strange miracles, and heale all diseases. Esay. 29.8.6. ε 5.91. That he should die and be slaine for the sinnes of his people. Dan. 9. Esay. 53. That he should bee betrayed by one that put his hande in the dish with him, which was his own Deciple. Psa 40. ver. 14.54. & Psa. 18. ver. 8. That he should be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer. Zacha. 11. ver. 12. That with those thirtie peeces there should be bought after­wards, a field of potsheards. Ier. 30. That hee should ride into Ierusalem vpon an Asse before his passion. Zacha. 9.9. That the Iewes should beate and buffet his face, and defile the same with spitting vpon it. Esa. 50.6. That they should whip his bodie before they put him to death. Esa. 53.2. Psal. 37.18. That they should put him to death among sheeues and malefac­tors. Esay, 53.12. That they should giue him Vine­ger to drinke, deuide his apparrell, and cast lots for his vpper garment. Psal. 68.22. & Psal. 22.18. [Page] That the manner of his death should be crucifixtion, that is nailing of his hanes & his feete vnto the crosse. Psal. 22.16. Zacha. 12. That his side should be [...]ser­ced, and that they should looke vppon him when they had so pierced him. Zacha. 12. That hee should rise againe from death the third day. Psal. 16.10. Ose. 6.3. That hee should ascend into Heauen and sitte at the right hand of his Father (in glorie and loyaltie, & like a conquering potentate ouerruling all.) Psal. 110.1.2. All these things, and whatsoeuer els belonging to the Messias are found perfectly fullfilled in Iesus Christ and in no other: And therefore hee alone and no other is the true Messias.

3 Hitherto haue I spoken of such circomstances and accidents, as did belong vnto the Messias, concer­ning his incarnation, byrth, life, death, buriall, re­surrection, and assention into heauen, and there sit­ting at the right hand of his Father: and also of his reiection by the Iewes and Iewish Nation: which things albeit they be very wonderfull and sufficient to establishe any mans beliefe in Christ Iesus our Lord, in whom only they are found faithfull: yet if we shall consider withall, the time of the Messias his a­pearing, & when he should come into the worlde our faith wilbee so much the more confirmed towards him.

Daniell the prophet of God (who liued in the time of the first Monarchy,Dan. 2.39.44.) foretold that there should hée thrée Monarchies more, & the last of these fowre Mo­narchies greatest of all: And that in the daies of this fourth and last Monarchy (which was the Romayne Monarchy or Empyre:) The eternall King or Messi­as should come & build vp Gods kingdome thorugh­out al the world. And this hapned accordingly, for Ie­sus [Page] came & was borne in the fourth Monarchy, which was the Romaine) namely in the daies of Augustus the Romaine Emperour. But yet let vs goe more strictly to the matter.

The Temple of Ierusalem (as all men knowe) was builded twise, First by king Salomon which la­sted about 440 yeares, & then was destroyed by Na­buchodonozor King of Babilō: Wherefore about 70. yeares after it was builded againe by Zorobabell, who reduced the Iewes from their Captiuitie.1. Esd. 3. Agge. 2.4. But this second Temple for pompe and riches of the ma­teriall building was nothing like vnto the first (which the old men in the booke of Esdras doe testifie by their weeping, when they sawe this second and remembe­red the first) (and which Aggeus the prophet doth ex­pressely testifie.Agge. 2.5.6.7.8.9.10. And yet sayth God by his prophet Aggeus in the same place that after a while, the DESI­RED OF AL NATIONS shall come, and then should that second house or Temple be filled with glorie, and that greater should bee the glorie of this last house than of the first: Which prophecie was fulfilled by the comming of our Sauiour Iesus Christ into this second Temple, which being personally done, was farre greater dignitie and more glorie thereunto, than any dignitie whatsoeuer was found in the first Tem­ple builded by Salomon. It is therefore manifest that the Desired of al Nations, that is the Messias should come whilst the second temple stood.Dan. 9.26. And so doth Daniel also shew that the second Temple (after the rebinding thereof) should not be destroyed vntill the Messias were first come and slaine.Mal. 3.1. And Malachy the Prophet doth also most plainely testefie that hee should come during the second Temple. And so in­déede he did: for Christ Iesus came into the world du­ring [Page] that second Temple, and did himselfe likewise foretell the destruction thereof, ere that generation passed, which came to passe accordingly: for it was destroyed about 46. yeares after the ascention of our Sauiour into heauen, by Titus Sonne to Ʋespasian the Romane Emperour. Most vainely therefore doo the Iewes or any other expect for a Messias to come after the destruction of that second Temple.

Let vs yet moreouer consider the prophecie of old Iacob concerning the particular time of the Messias his appearing. Come hither my children (saith hee) that I may tell you the thinges that are to happen in the latter dayes, Gen. 49. &c. The scepter shall not depart from Iudah vntill Shilo come, which is the expecta­tion of the Gentiles. By Shilo is meant the Messias (as both Iewes and Christians expound it.) This prophecie so long fortold, was performed at the birth of Iesus Christ, in the dayes of Herode king of Iew­rie. For from the time that the scepter was giuen to king Dauid (who was the first king of the Tribe of Iudah) it did not depart from that Tribe, but remay­ned alwayes in it vntill the dayes of king Herode, in whose time, and not vntill whose time all gouerne­ment was taken away, and cleane departed from the Tribe of Iudah, and committed to a straunger: and therefore in the time of Herode was the Messias to bée borne, and neither before nor after his time. That the scepter or gouernement was not cleane taken a­way or departed from the house of Iudah (after it was once setled in it in the person of King Dauid) euen till the dayes of Herode the King, is euident: for from Dauid (who was the first king of that Tribe) vnto Zedechias that died in the captiuitie of Babylon, the Scripture sheweth how all the Kinges descended of [Page] the house of Iudah:Talo [...], in tract. Sanhed, ca. Dinei Man mouth. Rab. Mo­ses Egyp. in praef. Maimonim Eld. lib. 1. cap. 1.2.3. Mac. lib. 1. cap. 2.3. Rab. Kim­hi com. in Agg. Ioseph. lib. 13. & 14. Antiq. And during the time of theyr captiuitie in Babylon (which was seuentie yeares) the Iewes were alwayes permitted to chuse vnto themselues a gouernour of the house of Iudah (whom they called RESCHGALVTA.) And after their de­liuerie from Babylon, Zorobabel was their gouernor of the same Tribe, and so others after him vntill you come to the Machabees, who were both gouernors and Priestes, for that they were by the mothers side of the Tribe of Iudah, and by the fathers side of the Tribe of Leui (as Rabbi Kimbi affirmeth) and so from these men downe to Hircanus King of Iewrie, who was the last King which was lineally descen­ded of the house of Dauid, and of the Tribe of Iu­dah.

For after Hircanus came the afore-named He­rode, a meere straunger, whose Father (as Iosephus (who well knew) reporteth) was called Antipater, and came out of Idumaea: hée came into acquain­taunce and sauour with the Romanes, partly by his sayde Fathers meanes (who was (as Iosephus sayth) a well monyed man, industrious, and fa­ctious) and partly by his owne diligence and ambi­tion, béeing of himselfe both wittie, beautifull, and of most excellent and rare qualities: by which com­mendations hée came at length to marrie the daugh­ter of Hircanus aforesayde King of Iewrie, and by this marriage obtayned of his Father in lawe to bée chiefe gouernour and ruler of the prouince and land of Galilee vnder him. But Hircanus afterwardes in a battaile against the Parthians, fell into theyr handes, and was taken and carryed prisoner into Parthia.

Herode then tooke his iourney to Rome, and there [Page] hée obtained to bée created king of Iurie without any title or Interest in the worlde: for that not onely his father in Law Hircanus was then liuing in Parthya, but also his yonger brother Aristobulus and three of his sonnes (viz. Antigonus, Alexander, and Ari­stobulus) with diuers others of the blood Royall in Iurie were aliue also.

Ioseph. lib. 15. Antiqu. Herode then hauing procured by this meanes to be king of Iurie, procured first to haue in his hands the king Hircanus & so put him to death. He brought also to the same end his yonger brother Aristobulus and his thrée sonnes likewise. Hée put to death also his owne wife Mariamnes which was king Hirca­nus daughter, as also Alexandra hir mother, & soone after two of his owne Sonnes which hee had by the same Mariamnes, for that they were of the blood roy­all of Iuda: And a little after that againe, hée put to death his third sonne named Antipater: Hée caused also to be slaine forty of the chiefest Noble men of the tribe of Iudah. Philo. lib. de temp. And as Philo the Iew (who liued at the same time with him) writeth, Hee put to death all the Sanhedrin, that is, the twenty seauen Sena­tors or Elders of the tribe of Iudah that ruled the people. Hée killed the chiefe of the Sectt of the Pha­risées. Hée burned the Genealogies of all the kings and Princes of the house of Iudah, and caused one Nicolaus Damascenus, an Historiographer, that was his seruaunt, to drawe [...]ut a petigrée for him and his line, as though hée had descended from the auntient kinges of Iudah. Hée translated the Priesthoode and sold it to strangers. And finally, hée so razed, disper­sed, and mangled the house of Iudah, in such sort, as no one iote of gouernement or principalitie, remained therein. Now then in the daies of this king Herode [Page] and not till then, was the Scepter (that is) the go­uernement departed from Iudah, and therefore then and not till then was the Messias to appeare accor­ding to that prophecie of Iacob, and so it came to passe accordingly: For Christ Iesus the very true & vndoubted Messias was then borne, viz. in the time of Herode king of Iurie. In vaine therefore doe the Iewes or any other looke for any other Messias to come after the daies of that Herode, in whose time (and not before) was the Scepter and all principality and gouernement departed vtterly from the house of Iudah, and therefore in his time, and neither before nor after was the Messias to appeare and come ac­cording to Iacobs prophecie.

Daniell the Prophet yet goeth néerer to worke, and foresheweth euen the very day and time of the day when the Messias should bée slaine for the sinnes of his people, for in the first yeare of Darius sonne of Ahasuerus king of the Medes, about the time of the euening oblation he prayed to his God for the people and their deliuerance, inasmuch, as then hée perceiued that the seauentie yeares of their captiuitie (foretolde by Ieremy) were now come to an ende. So Daniel thus praying, about that time of the euening Oblati­on God sent his Angell Gabriel to signifie and show vnto him, that at the very beginning of his Suppli­cations, the commaundement came foorth for the re­turne of the people from their captiuitie, and to build againe Ierusalem, and sheweth likewise that as the people had nowe béene in the captiuitie of Babylon seauentie yeares and then were deliuered from that their earthly bondage: So it should come to passe, that within seauentie wéekes of yeares, the Messi [...]s should come, who should finish wickednes, seale vp [Page] sinnes, blot out iniquitie, and bring in euerlasting righteousnes, and bée a deliuerer not onely from the outward but from the spirituall Babylon, and hellish Aegypt.

The wordes of the Angell bée these following: At the very beginning of thy Supplications, the com­mandement came forth: And I am come to shewe thee, Dan. 9. for thou art greatly beloued: Therefore vn­derstand the matter and consider the vision. Sea­uentie weekes are determined ouer thy people, and ouer thy holy Citie to finish wickednesse, and to seale vp sinnes, and to blot out iniquitie, and to bring in euerlasting righteousnes, to seale vp vision and Prophesie, and to annoint the HOLY OF HOLYES, or the MOST HOLY. Know therefore and vnderstand, that from the going forth of the commandement to bring againe the people, and to builde Hierusalem vnto MESSIAH THE PRINCE, there shall bee seauen weeks and three score and two weekes, &c. After these three score and two weekes shall MESSIAH be slaine, and not for himselfe, &c. Hee shall con­firme the couenant with many for one weeke, and in the middest of the weeke hee shall cause the Sa­crifice and the Oblation to cease. For the bet­ter vnderstanding of which wordes, it must bée re­membred, that this worde Hebdomada signif [...]yng a weeke, or seauen, is sometimes taken for a wéeke of daies, that is, seauen daies, and then is it called Heb­domada dierum, a wéeke of daies, as in this prophecy of Daniel hee sayth of himselfe, that he did mourne three weekes of daies: But at other times it signi­fieth the space of seauen yeares,Dan 10.2. and then is it called He [...]domada Annorum, A weeke of yeares, as in [Page] Leuiticus, where it is said, Thou shalt number vnto thee seauen weekes of yeares, that is,Leuit. 25.8 & cap. 23. & alibi po­stea. seauen times seauen yeares, which make fortie and nine yeares.

Nowe it is most certaine that these seauentie wéekes are to bée vnderstoode wéekes of yeares and not of daies (for that euen by the Iewes owne con­fession, as also by the bookes of Esdras it is manifest that the Temple and Hierusalem were many yeares in building before they were finished. These sea­uentie wéekes of yeares therefore are seauen times seauentie yeares, which make in a summe totall foure hundred and ninetie yeares: within which time the Messias should bée slaine: for from the go­ing forth of the commaundement to bring the people backe againe, and to builte Hierusalem (which com­maundement went foorth at the beginning of his supplications which were the first yeare of Darius, as the Text sheweth) vnto the time that Messiah the Prince was annointed to preach the kingdome of God (which was after his baptisme when hée began to bée about thirty yeares of age) there must be sea­uen wéekes, and thrée score and two wéekes, that is, fortie and nine wéekes, which make foure hundred foure score and thrée yeares: which number of yeares béeing rightly accounted from that time of Darius, wherein the commaundement went foorth, are fully accomplished in the fiftéenth yeare of Tibe­rius Caesar, at which time, Christ Iesus was bapti­zed and annoynted by the spirite of GOD descending downe vppon him in the forme of a Doue, A voyce also béeing heard from heauen saying: This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased.

[Page]Yet is there one wéeke more to make vp the num­ber of seauenty, in the middest of which wéeke the Messiah should bée slaine, which came to passe accor­dingly: for in the midst of that wéeke, that is, about three yeres and a halfe after Christs baptisme, Christ Iesus the true Messias was put to death, and dyed for our sinnes, which was in the eighteenth yeare of Ty­berius Caesar: In vaine therefore doo the Iewes or a­ny other looke for an other Messias to come after the dayes of that Tyberius Caesar the Romane Empe­rour.

4 The Scriptures doo shewe that the Messias should come of the seede of Dauid, Psal. [...]. 2. King. 7. 1. Chro. 22. according to the words of God, I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant, I will prepare thy seede for euer, and will build vp thy seate to all generations: Which cannot bée ap­plyed to king Salomon his sonne (as the latter Iewes apply it) for these wordes, that his kingdome shall stand for euer, and for all eternitie, cannot be verified in Salomon, whose earthly kingdome was rent and torne in pieces straight after his death by Ier [...]boam, and not long after as it were extinguished: neither can they bee vnderstoode of any terrestiall king, but they must néedes bée vnderstoode of an eternall king, which should come of Dauids séede: The promise then made to Dauid for Christ to come of his séede is againe repeated after his death by many prophets and confirmed by God as in Ieremie, where God v­seth these wordes,Ier. 23.6. &c. & 33.16. Behold the daies come on, that I will raise vp to Dauid a iust seede, and hee shall raise a King, and shall bee wise, and shall doe iudgement and Iustice vpon earth, and in his daies shall Iuda be saued, and Israell shall dwell confidently, and this is the name that men shall call him, Our iust God. All [Page] this was spoken of Dauid aboue foure hundred yéers after Dauid was deade, which proueth manifestlie that the promises and spéeches were not made vnto King Dauid, for Salomon his sonne, nor for any other temporall King of Dauids lyne, but for Christ, who was particularly called the Sonne of Dauid, for that Dauid was the first King of the tribe of Iudah, and not onely was Christs progenitor in the flesh, but al­so did beare his tipe & figure in many other thinges. For which cause likewise in Ezechiel (who liued a­bout the same time that Ieremie did) the Messias is called by the name of Dauid himselfe: for thus sayth God at that time to Ezechiel: I will saue my flocke, Ezech. 34. [...]. &c. neyther shall they any longer bee left to the spoyle, I will set ouer them a shepheard, and he shal feede them, euen Dauid my seruant, he shall feede them, and he shall be their shepheard, and I will bee their God, and my seruaunt Dauid shall be their Prince. In which words not onely wée that are Christians, but the latter Iewes also themselues doo confesse in the Thalmud, that their Messias is called Dauid, for that he was to descend of his seed.

Now then lette vs sée whether Iesus Christ our Lord did come of the séed of Dauid, as was foretolde the Messias should. It is plaine that he did, for neuer any man doubted or denyed but that Iesus was dire­ctly of the tribe of Iudah, and descended lineally by his mother of the onely house of Dauid (as was foretolde hée shoulde) which is confirmed most clearely by the two genealogies and petigrees set downe by Saint Mathew and saint Luke, Luke. [...]. Math. 1. of the blessed virgins whole discent from Dauid to Ioseph, that was of the same tribe and kinred with her: for according to the lawe of the Iewes, they vsed to marry in their owne tribe. [Page] And therefore the Euangeliste s shewing the lyne of Ioseph, doe thereby also declare the lynage and stocke of Marie (the mother of Iesus) as béeing a thing then sufficiently knowne vnto all, though they speake no more.

Secondly, it is confirmed by their repayring vnto Bethleem (when commaundement was giuen by Augustus Caesar, Luk. 2.1.2.3.4.5. that euerie one shoulde repayre to the head Cittie of their Tribe and familie, to bée tax­ed or sessed for their tribute) for by their going thither it is shewed, that they were both of the lynage of Da­uid, in as much as Bethleem was the proper Cittie onely of them that were of the house and linage of Dauid, for that king Dauid was borne therein.

Thirdly, it may appéere by this, for that the Iews who sought out all exceptions they could agaynst him, yet neuer excepted this, nor alleadged agaynst him that hee was not of the house of Iuda, nor of the house of Dauid, which they would neuer haue omit­ted if they might haue done it with anie colour, for such a spéech (if it could truly haue béen spoken) would easilie haue conuinced our Iesus not to bée the true Messias. But it appeared they neuer doubted of this. Yea I adde further, that it remaineth registred in the Iewes Thalmud it selfe,Thal. tract. Sanh. cap. Higmar. that Iesus of Naza­reth crucified was of the bloud royall, from Zoroha­bel of the house of Dauid. Wherewith agréeth that saying of Paule the Apostle, where hée testifieth thus: Iesus Christ was borne of the seede of Dauid ac­cording vnto the flesh, Rom. 1.3.4 though hee were also the Sonne of God in power, according to the spirite of sanctification.

5 That the mother of Iesus was a Virgin, is plentifully testified by the Euangelists, & that so the [Page] Messias mother shuld be, the scripture of the Iews do sufficiently shew. For in Esay. 7.14. it is tolde as a strange thing to king Achas (and so it is in déede) that a virgin should conceaue and bring foorth a Son (and they should call his name Emmanuel, that is, God with vs.) Which could not be strange, if the Hebrew word in that place did signifie onely a yoong woman (as some later Rabbins doe affirme) for that is no strange or new thing, but common and ordinarie for yong women to conceaue and beare children: wher­fore the Septuagints doe rightly translate the worde Parthenos, which properly and fully signifieth a Vir­gin, and so did also the Elder Iewes vnderstand it,Rab. Sim. [...]. Bea. Iohar. in cap. 2. Gen. Rab. Moses Hadars. in Psal. 14. as Rabbi Simeon well noteth. And Rabbi Moses Hada­san (of singular credit among the Iewes) vpon these words of the Psalme, Truth shall bud foorth of the earth, saith, that it is not said, Truth shall be ingen­dred of the earth, but Truth shall bud forth, to signi­fie thereby that the Messias (who is meant by the word Truth) shall not bee begotten as other men in carnall copulation:Rab. Mos. Had. in Ge. 25. he also citeth Rabb [...] Berechias to bée of the same opinion: and finally Rabbi Hacadosch proueth by art Cabalisticall out of many places of Scripture,Rab. Hacad ad quaest. 3. in ba. cap. 9 Rab. Hacad in Esay. 9. not onely that the mother of the Messias shall be a virgin, but also that her name shall be Ma­rie. Like as also the same Rabbi Hacadosch proueth by the same art out of many textes of Scripture, that the Messias name at his comming shall be Iesus. And that the mother of the Messias should be a virgin may further appeare in the prophecie of Ieremie, where God saith: I will worke a new thing vpon earth, Ier. 31.22. A woman shall enuiron or inclose a man: which were no new thing, but vsuall and wanted, except it be vn­derstood of a virgin that should beare a child.

[Page]6 Now because Ch [...]ist Iesus by the wonderfull works and surpassing myracles which hée did, béeing such as no man could doo (if hée had béene but a bare man) as also by his heauenly doctrine, wordes, and déedes, did declare himselfe to bée the Sonne of God, sent from the bosome of his Father, let vs also sée as we haue found the Messias to be man, so search whe­ther he ought not to bee God also. The sacred scrip­ture of the Iewes giue answer [...], that hée ought to bée God also, and so to bee both God and man. Which thing is signified by the Prophet Esay, when he saith: They shall call his name Emmanuel, Esay. 7.14. which is by in­terpretation, God with vs. Againe the same Esay te­stifieth, that the [...] shal call his name wonderful coun­sellor, Esay. 9.6. the mightie God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of peace. Esay. 4.2. Againe by Esay hee is called The is­sue of the Lord, and also the fruite of the earth, to signifie him to bee both the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man. And Ieremie the Prophet doth testifie of him,Iere. 23.6. & 33.16. that hée shall bée called The righteous God, or God our righteousnes. And God himselfe saith of him,Psal. 2.7. Thou art my Sonne, this day haue I begotten thee. And Dauid proueth him plainely to be the Son of God, for though hée knewe hée should come of his s [...]ede as touching the flesh, yet doth hee also call him his Lord, Psal. 110.1. saying thus: The Lord said vnto my Lord, sit thou at my right hande vntill I make thine ene­mies thy foote-stoole. Sith Dauid calleth him his Lord, it is manifest that hee taketh him not onely to bée man, but God also, euen the Sonne of God, the second person in the Trinitie. This matter is testifi­ed almost euerie where in the scripture of the Iewes, and therefore I néed not further to amplifie.

7. Yet because the Iewes doo looke for the Messias [Page] to be a terrestriall king which should raigne in Iew­rie, and subdue all their enemies with his terrestriall power and force, wherein how grossely they erre, as the premisse [...] doo partly shew so is it not impertinent héere to speake some what to conuince their so grosse an opinion. For first the time is past long ago wher­in the Messias should come, and yet no such terrestri­all King as they dreame of, hath béene raigning in Iewrie: and therefore very experience and know­ledge of the times might teach them to abandon so foolish a conceit. Daniel calleth him the Eternal king: Dan. 2.44. Mich. 4.5. Micheas saith he shall raigne for euer: which can­not bée supposed of an earthly kingdome. Againe, Aske of me (saith God to his sonne) the Messias, Psal. 2. and I will giue vnto thee the heathen for thine inheri­tance, and the vttermost parts of the world for thy possession. Which word [...] do shew, that the Messias should bée an vniuersall king, to rule not onely euer the Iewes, but ouer the Gentiles also,Psal. 71. [...] euen ouer all the world. Againe it is said, that he shal endure with the Sunne, and before the Moone from generation to generation, he shall raigne from Sea to Sea vnto the end of the world: All kings shall adore him, & all nations shal serue him, all tribes of the earth shal be blessed in him, and all nations shal magnifie him. Gen. 18. And it was tolde Abraham, that in his séede (that is in the Messias which should come of his séede) all na­tions of the earth should be blessed. How then should hee ouerthrowe any nations for the Iewes sake (as they dreame) when all nations were to receiue their blessing from him. In the prophecie of Es [...]y, the com­mission of God his father vnto him is thus set down.Esay. 49.6. It is too little that thou be vnto me a seruant to raise vp the tribes of Iacob, and to conuert vnto mee the [Page] dregs of Israel, beho [...]d I haue appeared vnto thee al­so to be a light vnto the Gentiles, that thou be my saluation vnto the vttermost parts of the earth. E­uerie where almost it is testified, that the Gentiles should haue euery way as much interest in the Mes­sias as the Iewes, and should bee as beneficial [...] vnto them. The Messias therefore, though hee be tearmed a king, and is so indéed, yet is to be supposed a spiritu­all and eternall king (as the Prophets declare him) for it is too childish and fond to imagine him to bée an earthly king, which should raigne only in Iudea, and be a great & mightie terrestriall conqueror. Doth not Zachary (as touching his state in this world) shewe,Zachar. 9. that he should come poorely riding vpon an Asse? doth not Esay say,Esay. 53. that in this world hee should bee a man despised,Dan. 9. abiect, and of no reputation? doth not Daniel expresly say, that he should come to be slain, that with his sa [...]rifice he might take away sinne, and cease al o­ther sacrifices?Zachar. 12. doth not Zachary say, that they shuld look vpon him after they had pierced or cru [...]ified him? And doth not the Prophet Esay say of him, that hee gaue his soule an offering for sin,Esay. 53. and that hee should be lead as a shéepe to the slaughter, and as a lamb [...] dumb before his shearer, so opened not he his mouth? Where then is his pompe, when he was to be poore? Where was his earthly honor, when hee was to bee abiect and of no reputation? Where was his world­ly conquest, when he was himself to be slain: Where should his fles [...]ly resistance [...]ee, when hee was not so much as to offer it, yea when his enemies were to lead [...]im to death as the shéepe to the slaughter, and as a lambe dumbe before his shearer, not opening his m [...]ut [...] to saue himselfe? yea, how should the Iewes thinke (if they would throughly consider) that the [Page] Messias should be such a one as they dream of, when they were the men that should pursue him to death, and whome they should looke vppon when they had pierced him.

These things which haue béene spoken (though in very briefe and plaine sort) are I trust sufficient to conuince the Iewes, that our Lord and Sauiour Ie­sus Christ is that séede of the woman which shoulde breake the Serpents head, which deceiued Adam and Eue our first parents, and hee in whom all the Nati­ons of the earth should be blessed, and is in all points the verie, true, certainè, and vndoubted Messias, which was fore-promised and fore-told by their pro­phets: for all thinges which were fore-tolde of the Messias, doo fitly, fully, and onely agrée to him, and to no other. And therefore I conclude against them, that the Christian Religion (which wee professe, & which we hold deriued to vs from that Christ the true Mes­sias, the author thereof) is the onely true Religion which is acceptable to God.

THat there is a God the heathen haue e­uermore confessed, and that there is but one God (as the Christian religi­on holdeth) all the learned sort of the heathen philosophers haue acknow­ledged: for howsoeuer they dissembled at some times, & applied themselues outwardly to the errour of the vulgar sort in naming of gods, yet surely they neuer [Page] spake of mo than of one God. Which thing may ap­peare by Plato in an Epistle which hée writeth vnto Dionisius king of Sicilie,Plato epist 13. ad Dy­onis. Plotin. En­neae. 1. lib. 8 1.2. & En. 6. lib. 4. cap 12.3.4. Porph. lib. 2. de Abst. & lib. de occa. cap. 2. Procl. in Theolog. Platon. & lib. de Ani­ma & daem 1.31.42.55. wherein hee giueth him a signe when hee spake in ieast, and when in earnest. Hinc disces tu scribam ego seriò, nec ne cum seriò or­dior [...] pistolam ab vno Deo: cum secus, a pluribus: here­by ( [...] he) shall you know whether I write in ear­nest or not, for when I write in earnest, I begin my letter with one God: and when I write not in ear­nest, I doo beginne my letter in the name of manie Gods. And three of the most learned that euer profes­sed the Platonicke Sect, Plotinus, Porphyrius, & Pro­clus, doo all testifie and proue in diuers partes of their workes (béeing themselues but Heathens) that both themselues, and their Maister Plato, neuer beleeued indéede but one God.

Aristotle that insued Plato, Arist. lib. de mundo. and began the sect of the Per [...]pateticks, though he were a man so much gi­uen to the search of nature, as that sometime hée see­med to forget God the author of nature, yet in his old age, when hee wrote the booke of the world, hee resol­ueth the matter more clearely, acknowledging also one God, and saith moreouer in the same place, that the multitude of Gods was inuented to expresse the power of this one God by the multitude of his mini­sters, whereby dooth appeare, that belike the foolish­er sort of heathens did imagine of God as of earthlie Princes, for they sawe that euery earthly Prince had a great manie men ministers, otherwise called seruantes, and attendantes vppon him, thereby to declare and shewe his power, his magnificence, and high honor, and therefore they thought likewise that the great & high God could not be sufficiently concei­ued of, except it were supposed that hée had a greate [Page] number of inferiour gods waiting and attending vpon him, in like sort to shew his greatnes and mag­nificence. This opinion of their Master concer­ning One God, Theophrastus and Aphrodiseus, Theoph. in Metaph. Alex. A­phro. lib. de prouid. two principal Peripateticks doo confirme at large.

Zeno the chiefe and father of all the Stoicks was wont to say (as Aristotle himselfe reporteth) that either one God, or no God. Which opinion of One God, is auerred euery where by Plutarch and Seneca, two most excellent writers, and great admi­rers of the Stoicke seueritie: And before them by Epictetus, a man of singuler account in that sect, whose wordes were estéemed Oracles, Dicondum ante omnia vnum esse Deum, omnia negere, omnibus prouidere, Before all thinges (sayth hee) wee must af­firme that there is one God, and that this God go­uerneth all, and hath prouidence ouer all.

As for the Academickes although their vsage was to doubt and dispute euery thing as Cicero sée­meth to doo in his discoerse concerning the gods,Cicero. lib. de natura De. Apuleius. Aleg. & Laert. in vita Socra. yet at last he concludeth in this point with the Stoicks, who beléeued One God. And as for Socrates who was the father and founder of the Academicke Sect (and who was iudged by the Oracle of Apollo to bée the wisest man in all Gréece) the worlde doth know that hée was put to death for [...]easting at the multitude of gods among the Gentiles.

All these foure Se [...]s of Philosophers then (who in their time ba [...]e the credit of learning) made (as we sée) profession of one God,Vide apud Plutarch. De placit Philos. Trismeg. paeman. in [...] Ascl. & [...] when they came to speake as they thought. And yet if wée will ascend vp higher to the daies before these sects began, that is, to Pythagoras, and Archytas, Tarentinus, and before them againe to Mercurius, Trismegistus that was [Page] the first Parent of Philosophy to the Aegyptians wée shall finde them so plaine and resolute herein, as none can bée more. It is true that the Heathen did honour such men as were famous either for their valiant actes, their singuler inuention in matters, their good turnes to others, or their owne rare gifts and quallities aboue others) with their titled gods, but yet they beléeued not that those men were gods: yea, they knewe them to bée no other than mortall men, which thing Trismegistus sheweth, when hée sayth,Trisme. in paeman. ca. 2.3.4.5. &c in Asclep. ca. 2.6. &c. Deos non natura ratione, sed honor is causa no­minamus: Wee name them Gods not in respect of their natures, but for honours sake. That is, wée call them gods not for that we thinke them to be so, but because vnder that title, we would honour some famous acts, or rare parts and quallities which were in them.Cicero his opinion concerning the gods of the Pai­nyms. Cicero likewise testifieth the same in these words: The life of man (sayth hée) and common cu­stome haue now receaued to lift vp to heauen by fame and good will, such men as for their good turnes are accounted excellent. And hereof it commeth that Hercules, Perseus his opiniō. Herod li. 1 Castor, and Pollux, Aesculapius, and Liber, (which were but men) are not reckoned for gods. Persons likewise Zenoes scholler testifieth the same: And therefore did the Gretians truly thinke, who (as Herodotis reporteth) thought that their gods (whom they so called) were no other at first than mortall men, and so is the common opinion of all. And when men and women that were famous, excellent, and surpassing others dyed, because the memory of them should not dye with them, but remaine as presidents to follow, or as persons to be admired at, those that were liuing coulde not bée content to honour them with the title of gods and goddesses,The begin­ning of Idolatry. but also woulde [Page] néeds haue their pictures or Images drawen, and s [...]t vp some where for posterity [...] behold: Her of it ame that they after a while began (as mans naturall cor­rupt inclination is too prone that way) to giue honour and to doo reuerence vnto them [...] and not so contented, they procéeded further and builded Altars and Tem­ples vnto them, and at length consecrated Priestes and appointed certaine rites, ceremonies, and sacrifi­ces to be done there: The Diuell hereupon taking occasion and fit oportunity (purposing alwaies to se­duce the world, and to hold them in error so far forth as he might) entred at last into those Altars (which were dedicated to those men) and vnder the names of those men, made a way to haue himselfe worshipped, (in st [...]ede of the true God.) For true it is which the sacred Psalme witnesseth, That the Gentiles sacri­ficed their Sonnes and their Daughters vnto Di­uels: And which Paul saith,Psal. 105. 1. Cor. 10, 20. that whatsoeuer the Gentiles offer, they offer vnto Diuels, and not to God. For the diuels being entred into those altars re­ceiued their sacrifices offred to them, being glad they had them in such a predicament, and because their de­lusion shoulde bée the stronger, vnder the names [...] those men they would yéeld forth [...] is to such as came to demaund any questions of them, and those their answers were written by their Priestes, and called Oracles, and with such fights those diuellish spirits bewitched the world and deceiues them: Of which their Oracles, more shall bee spoken here­after: But here first I make this Argument against them.

They which (howsoeuer ignorantly) worshippe Diuels, are far from the true Religion: this is plaine.

But the Gentiles worshipped Diuels: Ergo, &c.

[Page]That the Gentiles worshipped Diuels (not God) may appeare, first by this reason, for that those their Gods allowed (yea required) not beasts but men to to be sacrificed vnto them, delighting themselues in such infinite murders and manslaughters, as were most cruell and vnnaturall, signifiyng themselues to bee thereby appeased, wherin God is most displea­sed.Polid. de Inuen. li. 5. cap. 8. For (as Polydore Virgill hath collected) the people of Rhodes sacrificed a man to Saturne: In the Iland Salamis, a man was acci [...]ced to Agrauala: To Diomedes in the Temple of Pallas, a man was offred, who being thrise led about the Altar by yong men, was at last by the Priest runne through with a speare and put into the fire and burnt: Among the people of Cyprus, Teucrus sacrificed humane sacri­fice vnto Iupiter, and left the same to posteritie to fol­low: To Diana likewise humane sacrifices were offred: The like was done to Hesus and Teutate [...]t Amongst the Aegyptians three men a day which were sought out (if they were cleane) were sacrificed to Iuno:: Amongst the Lacedemonians they were wont to sacrifice a man to Mars: The Phenicians in the calamitous times of warre and pestilence, were wont to sacrifice vnto Saturne their déerest friends: The people called Curetae sacrificed children vnto Saturne: At Laodicia a virgin was sacrificed to Pallas: And amongst the Arabians, euery yeare a child was sacrificed and buried vnder the Altar▪ Also the Thracians, Scythians, the Carthaginian [...], and almost all the Grecians (especially when they were to goe to warre) sacrificed a man: All barbarous Nations haue doné the like: yea, the Frenchmen and Germanes: yea, the Romanes themselues did the like sacrifice, as namely to Saturne in Italy a [Page] man was Sacrifice [...] at the Altar: and not onely so, but he was also to bée cast downe from a bridge into the riuer Tyher:Dionyl. Halicar. 1. Antiqui. Diony sius Halicarnesseus writeth, that Iupiter and Apollo were [...] angry, for that the tenth part of men were not sacrificed vnto them, and therefore sought they reuenge vpon Italy: Diodorus reporteth, that the Carthaginians when they were ouercome of Agathocles king of the Sicilians thought their Gods to bée angry with them, and therefore to appease them, sacrificed vnto them two hundred of the Noble mens sonnes at a time. Omonstrous cruelty! Who then can possibly be perswaded otherwise, but that these gods of the Gentiles (which they thus worshipped and sa­crificed vnto) were méere Diuels, considering that such monstrous vnkinde and vnnaturall slaughters at men (which must néedes offende God the more) were the appeasements of their anger and wrath?

Againe these gods of the Gentiles were not only well pleased with the sacrifices of the blood of men, but also well liked and allowed of fornications, adulteries, and all vncleannes: For at Alexandria the Image of Saturne was most deuoutly worship­ped, whose Priest Tyna [...]us by name,Ruffin. li. [...] Eccles. hist. brought cer­taine Matrons of the Citie, which he had selected out vnto that image, or idoll, as being sent for by their god, and there when the lights were put out had to doo with them in the name of that their god. Also among the Nasamones it was the custome that the Bride the first night after her marriage should lie with all the guests,Polid. de Inuent. lib. 5. cap. 8. in honour [...]f the [...]oddesse Venus. I therefore conclude, that those gods of the Gentiles which delighted in the slaughters of men, and like­wise in their filthines and vncleannes, must néeds be [Page] diuels: for the kind and righteous God ran abide none of these things (as any mans owne reason, sense, and vnderstanding may teach him.)

2 An other [...]ument to prooue that the gods of the gentiles were diuels, is this: because the oracles which they gaue foorth in matters méerely contin­gent, were either false, or els so ambiguous and vn­certaine,Porphyr. lib. de re­spons. & oracul. as that they were deceitfull, and thereforé could not come from God, but from the diuell. This falshood and deceitfulnes of their Oracles Porphyry himselfe, the great patron of Paganisms testifieth in a speciall booke of the answers of the gods, wherein he professeth, that he hath gathered truely without addition or detraction, the Oracles that were most famous before his time, with the false and vncertaine euent thereof: in consideration of which euent, he set­teth downe his owne iudgement of their power in predictions after this manner. The gods doe fore­tell some naturall things to come, for that they ob­serue the order of their naturall causes: But in things which are contingent, or doe depend vppon mans will, they haue but coniectures, onely in that by their subtiltie and celeritie they preuent vs: But yet they oftentimes lie, and deceaue vs in both kindes, for that as naturall thinges are variable, so mans will is much more mutable. Thus far Por­phyry, of the prophecies of his gods: whereunto a­gréeth another Heathen among the Grecians na­med Oenomaus, Oenomaus de falsitatis oraculorū & de artifi­cibus ma­leficiis. who for that he had béene much de­lighted with Oracles, and more deceaued, wrote also a speciall booke in the ende of their falshood and lies, and yet sheweth that in many thinges wherein they deceiued, it was not easie to conuince them of open falshood, for that (cunningly) they would in [...]olue their [Page] answers (of purpose) with such obscurities, Acquino­tations, Amphibologies, and doubtfulnes, as that al­waies they would leaue themselues a corner where­in to saue their credits. As for example, when Craesus that famous and rich king of Lydia, consulted with the Oracle of Apollo, whether he should make warre against the Persians, and thereby obtaine their Empire, the Oracle gaue aunswere thus: If Craesus without feare shall passe ouer Halys, (which was a riuer that lay betwéene him and Per­sia) hee shall bring to confusion a great rich king­dome. Upon which wordes Craesus passed ouer his Armie in hope to get Persia, but he lost Lydia his owne Kingdome, and so was deceaued by that vncer­taine Oracle.

Like answer gaue the Oracle of Apollo to Pyr­rus king of Epirus, demaunding whether he shoulde prosper in the warre against the Romanes, for it was deliuered in these words. Aio te Aeacid [...] Romanos vincere posse: I say that the Sonne of Aeacus, the Romanes may ouercome. Uppon which Oracle, Pyrrus the sonne of Aeacus thinking to be the Conqueror, was himselfe vanquisht by the Romanes.

A number more such Oracles there were where­with the world was deceiued, that trusted them, but I néede not recite them, for (as it appeareth) the O­racles and answers which their wicked spirits gaue forth in matters future and méerely contingent, were such as might be taken and construed two waies, and therefore their worshippers (if they had béene wise to haue noted their cunning and deceitfull answers, con­containing no certainety at all) they had béene as good neuér to come at them to inquire of any matter [Page] future, for they had such ambiguous answers, as whereby they might remaine as doubtfully, and as vnresolued as they were at first, and so depart home as wise as they came, or rather more fooles than when they went. But what might be the reason why these diuels or diuellish spirites, gaue no cer­t [...]er aunsweres to their worshippers in these mat­ters future whereof they were demanded?

The reason is manifest, for no doubt they would if they could, that so their credit might haue beene the more: But it was a thing not in their power, but onely reserued vnto God to knowe and foretell cer­tainely the thinges that are to come, for here in God prouoketh all the gods of the gentiles to make triall and experience of their power in these words: De­clare vnto vs (saith hée) what shall ensue hereafter, Esay. 41, 23 and thereby wee shall know that yee are Gods in­deede. Which sheweth that the certaine foretel­ling of things future, doth manifest a diuine power, whereof these diuellish spirits are not pertakers, for had these wicked spirits such a power in them, as cer­tainely to know and foretell such thinges as were to come, out of all doubt they would then haue giuen such certaine, plaine, and vndoubted Oracles and an­swers in this behalfe, as would haue purchased them euerlasting credit in all the world: but now the fals­hood and vncertainty and deceitfulnes of them, haue got them iustly perpetuall discredit in all the world, and manifested them to be no better than lying spi­rits, whose worshippers were miserably deluded by them (as euen the Heathen themselues haue testified.

Hauing thus briefly, yet I trust sufficiently, dis­prooued the religion of the gentiles, as being a cruell, wicked, false, lying, and deceitfull religion hauing [Page] in it no certaintie at all, whereupon men might relye or assure themselues, it remaineth now that I shewe and proue against them the truth of the Christian re­ligion, which we profasse. Where in the first Argu­ment, to shewe the powerfull and vndoubted trueth thereof shall bée this: namely, the confession of the gods of the Gentiles, that is, of Diuels and hellish spirits themselues, who haue giuen testimonie there­of, euen to their owne worshippers, especially when the time of Christ his appearing in the worlde (who should bée the light of the Gentiles) drew néere an [...] approched: for the manifestation whereof, two Ora­cles of Apollo may su [...]ice, the one whereof was to a Priest of his owne that demaunded him of true Reli­gion, and of God: to whome hee aunswered thus in Gréeke. O thou vnhappy Priest, Suidus in Thulis, & Porphyr. & Plut. de oraculis. why dost thou aske mee of God, that is the Father of all thinges, and of this most renowned kings deare and onely Sonne, and of the spirit that conteyneth all, &c. Alas that spirit will enforce mee shortly to leaue this habita­tion and place of Oracles. The other Oracle was to Augustus Caesar, euen about the very time that Christ was readie to appeare in the flesh: for the said Emperour now drawing to age, would néedes go to Delph [...]s, and there learne of Apollo who shuld raigne after him, and what should become of things when he was dead? Apollo for a great [...] would make no aunswere, notwithstanding Augustus had béene very liberall in making the great sacrifice called Hecatom­be: but in the end, when the Emperour began to ite­rate his sacrifice, and to bée instant for an aunswere, Apollo (as it were enforced to speake) vttered these strange wordes vnto him:Suida [...] in vita Augu­sti. An Hebrew childe that ruleth ouer the blessed gods, commaundeth mee to [Page] leeue this habitation, and out of hand to get mee to hell. Niceph. li. [...]. hist. c. 17. But yet doe thou departe in silence from our Altars. Thus it appeareth, that this Hebrew childe (which is our Christ Iesus) hath power ouer the gods of the Gentiles, to command them vnto hell from whence they came, to inioyne them silence, and to remoue them from their habitations. And therfore the religion of this powerful Iesus (whereof he is the author) must needes, euen by the acknowledgement of the Diuels themselues (whom he doth command) be the true religion.

3 Another Argument of the diuinitie and trueth therof is this: namely, that it hath remoued by the puissant force thereof, all the gods of the Gentiles in despite of them, ceased their oracles, and driuen them cleane out of the earth, so that now they are no where to be found.Ioph-2. And so it was fore-told by the Prophets, that Christ (when he came) Attennuabit omnes deos terrae, shall weare out all the gods of the earth. The trueth whereof all the world doth now sée clearely to be certaine and vndoubted by the euent.

The Oracles and aunsweres of of these gods,Cicero lib. de diuin. 2. euen in Ciceroes time (as Cicero himselfe witnesseth, who syued somewhat before the comming of Christ) be­gan to cease: and at last by little and little they cea­sed altogether,Polid. lib. 5. cap. 8. and were vtterly extinct. It is re­ported that in Egypt (when Christ was there with Ioseph and his mother Marie) all the Adals of that foolish and superstitious Nation fell downe of theyr owne accord. Afterwardes, in the time of the Em­perour Adrian, all sacrifices vnto those gods ceased, as also the Oracle of Apollo, and all other Oracles became d [...]nube.luuenad. Wherefore Iunenal sayth, Cessant oracula Delphis, that is, The oracles cease at Del­phos. [Page] And another Poet sayth:

that is, All the gods whereby this Empire stoode, haue depar­ted from their Temples, and left their Altars and place of their habitation. Plutarch affirmeth the like,Plutarch de defectus oraculorū, and is much busied to search out the cause & rea­son of the ceasing of their Oracles, who being a hea­then was much troubled heerewith, gessing at the matter, and vainly deuising fond conceits in his brain not able indéede to pierce into the very cause thereof. But Porphiry (euen that great patron of Paganisme, and enemie of Christian Religion) can teach him or any other the true cause thereof, shewing them that since the comming of Iesus their gods are dumbe, & can doo them no good, but are all gone and departed from them. His words bee these, Nune vero mirantur (inquis) fi tam multos annos ciuit as peste vexetur, Porphyr. [...] aduers. rel. Christ. cum & Aesculopius & alii dii longe absint ab ea: postea e­nim quam IESVS colitur, nihil vtilitatis adiìs conse­sequì possumus. Now (saith he) they maruell why this citie is so many yeares vexed with pestilence, when as (indeed) Aesculapius and other gods bee far gone and departed from it: for since the time that Iesus is worshipped, all our gods haue beene vnprofitable to vs. Considering then that Iesus (the author of the christian religion) hath silenced & utterly destroied the gods of the Gentiles (as histories & the visible event them, his religion must needs be the only true religiō.

4 What should I say more & euen the Gentiles themselues, the most ancient, & the best, haue testified of Iesus Christ, & of the truth of his religion: for in as much as Christ was appointed before the creation of the worlde, to worke the redemption both of the [Page] Iew and Gentile, and to make them both one people in the seruice of his Father: héere-hence it is that hée was fore-tolde, and not altogether vnknowne or vn­heard of to both these Nations, and therefore diuers fore-warnings and significations of him were leste, aswell amongst the Gentiles as the Iewes, to stirre them vp to expect his comming. For first by the con­sent of writers it is agréed, that in those ancient times there were thrée famous men that liued together: namely Abraham (who descending from Heber, Euseb. in Chron. was the father or beginner of the Hebrews, who were af­terwards called the Iewes) and with him Iob & Zoro­astres, that were not of that Iynage of Heber, but (as wée call them for distinations sake) heathens or Gen­tiles.Iob. 19.25.26.27. Iob (wee knowe) testifieth of Christ, calling him the Redeemer, and was most assured to sée him one day with his owne eyes, and none other for him, al­though wormes should destroy that body of his (as he himselfe testifieth.) Zoroastres liuing thus in Abra­hams time also, might (by account of scriptures) see or speake with Noe, for Abraham was borne 60 yéers before Noe deceased: and héere of it is, that in the wri­tings of Zoroastres, Clem, A­lex. lib. 1. Strom. & Orig. lib. 6. contra Cel sum, & Procl. lib. 2, & 3 Parm, Plato. which are yet extant, or recorded by other Authors in his name, there bée founde verie manie plaine spéeches of the Sonne of God, whome hée calleth Sucundam mentem, the second mind: but much more is to bee seene in the writings of Hermes Trismegestus (who receiued his learning from this Zoroastres) h [...] whome appeareth, that these first hea­then philosophers had manifest vnderstanding of this second person in Trinitie: whom Hermes calleth the first begotten Sonne of God:Herm. in Paeman. cap. 1. & deinceps. his onely Sonne: his deare, eternall, immutable, and incorruptible Son, whose sacred name is ineffable. [...] are his wordes. [Page] And after him againe amongst the Grecians, were Orpheus, Hesiodus, and others, that vttéred the lyke speeches of the Sonne of God, as also did the Plate­niffs, whose words and sentences were too long to re­peate. Moreouer the Gentiles must remember, that they had also some Prophets among them:Nam. 24. for Bala­am was a Prophet among the Gentiles, and a Gen­tile, and hee is such a one as testified of Christ, & of the Starre that should appears at his birth, by means of whose prophecie (it shoulde séeme) the wise men in the East séeing that Starre, were assured that Christ was borne, and therefore came a long iourney to Iudea to sée him (as one Gospell sheweth.) The same Starre is mentioned by diuers heathen writers,Plin. lib. [...]. cap. 25. as by Plini [...] vnder the name of a Comet (for so they tearme all extraordinarie Starres) which appeared in the latter dayes of Augustus Caesar, and was farre different from all other that euer appeared. And Pliny saith of it, Is comet a vnus tote orbe colitur, that onely Comet is worshipped throughout all the worlde. Calcidius a Platonicke doth say,Calcid. a­pud martil. vicin. tract. de stella mag. Lact. con­tra gent. that the Chaldean Astronomers did gather by contemplation of this Starre, that some God descended from heauen to the benefite of mankind.

The Gentiles also had certaine women called Si­bylla, which were Prophetesses, who béeing endued with a certaine spirit of prophecie, vttered most won­derfull particularities of Christ to come: one of them beginning her Gréeke m [...]eter in these very wordes. Know thy God, which is the Sonne of God. Ano­ther of them maketh a whole discourse in Gréek verse called Accresticki, expressely affirming therein, that Christ Iesus (by name) should be the Sauiour, & that he was the Sonne of God, & expressely saying that he [Page] should bée incarnate of a virgin, that he should suffer death for our sinnes, and that hee should bee crucified, that he should rise againe and be exalted into the glo­rious heauens, and from thence (at the time appoyn­ted) and at the day of the resurrection of all flesh come againe to the last iudgement. Of these Sybils there were ten in number,Sibyl. Sa­mia apud Betu [...]. & talking of his first comming into the world, they also say, that Rutilans cum fidus monstrabit, A blazing Starre shal declare him. These Sybils speake so plainly of Christ Iesus, as the Pro­phets among the Iewes did, yea more plainely, and as plainely as may bée, and in a manner as fully as our Gospell speaketh: and therefore if the Gentiles will beléeue their own Prophets, they must likewise beléeue the Christian religion (wherof Iesus Christ is the author, of whome they aboundantly testifie.) Now least it might bée thought by some suspitious heades, that Christians haue deuised and inuented these thinges, as also that it may yet more fully ap­peare, that Christ before his comming was notified ouer the world, by meanes of those verses of the Sy­bils, Varro lib. de reb. di­uin. ad Caesarem. Font. Max. it must be remembred, that Marcus Varro a lear­ned Romane (who liued almost a hundred yéeres be­fore Christ) maketh mention at large of the Sybils, (who in number, he saith, were ten) and of their wri­tings, countries, and ages, as also of the writers and authors that before his time had left memorie of thē: and both he & Fenestella (another heathen) do affirme,Fenest. cap. de 15. viris that the writings of the Sybils were gathered by the Romanes,See the o­ration of Constant, in Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 32. de vita Const. from all partes of the world where they might be heard of, & laid vp with great diligence and reuerence in the Capitol. Sybilla Erithraea, who made the former accrostoick verses, testifieth of her selfe (as Constantine the Emperour doth record) that shee ly­ued [Page] about fire hundred yeares after the floud of Na [...]: And her countryman Apollidorus, Erithraeus & Ʋar­ro doo report that she liued before the warre of Troy, and prophecied to the Grecians that went to that warre, that Troy should be destroied: (as it came to passe) which was more then a thousand yéeres before Christ was born. Cicero also (that died more than 40 yeares before Christ was borne) translated into latin the former accrosticke verses (as Constantine sayth) which translation was to be séen in his works, when Constantine wrote that his oration: sée Cicero of these accresticke verses of Sybilla, lib. 2. de diuinatione. Cice. lib. 2 de diuin. Sueton. Tranq, cap, 3. de vita And finally Suetonius an heathen recordeth, that Augu­stus Caesar (before our Sauiour Christ was borne) had such speciall regard of the sayinges of the Sybils, that hée laide them vp in more straighter order than before vnder the Altar of Apollo in the hil Palatine, where no man might haue the sight of them but by speciall licence. And so much for the credit of the Sy­bils, who gaue full testimonie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ (by name) and therefore if the Gentiles wil be­léeue them (who were their owne Prophets, & highly reuerenced of all the world) they must also beleue our Gospell, and the Christian religion to bée the onelie true religion. Lastly, the Gentils might haue the vn­derstanding of Christ the Messias by the Hebrew scriptures, which were in the Gréek language diuers ages before Christ was borne. For Ptolomy king of Egipt, which had the famous library, was studiously inquisitiue to search out the originall of all nations & religions, & he found that the people of the Iews was the most ancient, and that they onely had the most certaine and vndoubted historie of the creation of the world, & therfore he sent vnto them to send to him frō [Page] Ierusalem seuentie men, by whose helpe the sacred Bible might bée translated out of Hebrew into their tongue, which was doone accordingly: as also the Gentiles might haue knowledge of this Messias, ey­ther by accesse into the Iewish cuntry, or by the access of the Iewes into their country: as namely by their long bondage in Egypt, as also their long captiuitie in Babylon, &c. But I conclude this matter thus: Sith the Prophets of both Iewes and Gentiles (that is to say, the Prophets of all the worlde) haue giuen full, plaine, & euident testimonie of Iesus Christ the sonne of God, that therefore his religion is the onelie true religion, and all other to be reiected and detested.

5 That religion which is most ancient is the true religion (for truth was first, insomuch as error is no­thing else but the corruption of truth, or wandering from truth:) but the religion whereof Christ is the author is the most ancient (in as much as Christ the author thereof is the most ancient of dayes, béeing the Sonne of God, as also because hée is testified of by the Hebrew records, which are the most ancient wri­tings in the world:) Ergo the Christian religion is that which must néedes bée the onely true religion in the world.Tertul. contra Pra [...]. For it is a true saying of Tertullian, Ʋe­rum quod primum, quod posterius adulterinum est: that is true whatsoeuer is first, & that is adulterate which is not the first. That the Hebrew records doo testifie and foreshew Christ to come, is declared before in the second Chapter, and none can denie it. For hee was promised to Adam the first man that euer God made, vnder the name of the séede of the woman, that should breake the Serpents head: hée was fore-tolde to A­braham that hée should come of his séede, in whom all the Nations of the earth should bée blessed.

[Page] Iacob fore-tolde of him, calling him Shilo, and that hée should bée the expectation of the Gentiles. God telleth Moses of him, and fore-sheweth to him that he should be the Prophet whose voice all should heare and obey, &c. Considering then that hée is come, and that hee is the very same that was fore-tolde by the writings of Moses, and by the Hebrew records, which are the most ancient recordes of the worlde, I conclude, that his religion (whereof hée is the author) is the onely true religion.

The antiquitie of the Hebrew historie to bée long before al other, is acknowledged by the heathen them selues, and therefore I néed not to proue it: only this I say, that Eupolonius and Eusebius also doe say,Euseb. lib. 10. de prae­par. Euang that letters (which are the beginning of words that should bée written) were first found out by Moses, & by him deliuered to the Iewes, and that the Iewes taught them to the Phenicians, and that lastly the Grecians receiued them of the Phenicians: and therefore the Hebrews most néedes bée they, amongst whome the first and most ancient records of the world were to be found, as Ptolemy also king of Egypt did find, and af­firme, and therefore made much of the Hebrew scrip­tures. Now then for as much as the Hebrew wry­tings and histories bée the most ancient, they must al­so néedes bée supposed true, in as much as in them­selues they all agrée in a swéet harmony, and no other records are able to disproue them: yea, if men will be so incredulous as to doubt of Moses historie (because it is so ancient) why may they not (with as good rea­son also) doubt of any other historie which is ancient, and long before their times? But because some are of so little beléefe (although the historie doo sufficiently giue credite to it selfe) yet for better setling of their [Page] minds in this behalfe, I will briefly shew, that euen the heathen historiographers & writers doo confirme the same, that so the credite and reuerence due vnto Moses may be reserued, & wicked tongues that barke against him may bée stopped. The verie heathen and prophane writers themselues that speake of Moses, speake of him most reuerently,Treb. Pol. in Claud. insomuch that Trebel­lius Pollio speaking of Moses, Solum Dei familiarem vocet, doth call him the onely man with whom God was familiar. Tacit. An­nal, lib. 21. Cornelius Tacitus although he speaketh what hee can against the religion of the Iewes, yet cannot discredit Moses historie, but is inforced to con­fesse (according to the historie written by Moses) that after there were botches and swelling, sores sent into the land of Egypt, which were noysome both to men & beastes, the king of Egypt then tooke order that the people of the Hebrews should go out of his land, and depart whither they should be directed. Procopius also mentioneth Iosuah the sonne of Nun, Moses successor, and saith that the people of Phenicia, for feare of Io­suah and of the Israelites, left their owne country, & departed into Affrike, he mentioneth likewise the Ie­husites, Gergesites, & the other people named in the sacred Bible. Orpheus one of the most ancient wry­ters next to Moses, and an heathen, doth mention the two Tables of stone wherein the lawe of God was written, and wisheth moreouer all such as he studious of vertue, to learn out of his verses diuine knowledge, whereby (saith he) they shall vnderstand and knowe the author of the worlde, which is one God which created all things, cherisheth all things, nourisheth all things, who is not seene with humane eyes, but is perceiued only by the mind, which doth no hurt to mortal men, insomuch as hee is the causer & pro­curer [Page] of all good things, Furthermore he addeth that no man mortall hath seene God at any time, except onely a certaine most godly olde man that came of the Chaldeans (vz. Moses.) At last hee concludeth with this saying, that hee had learned these thinges out of the monuments which God in times past had deliuered in two Tables of stone, Linus also saith that God created all thinges, & in the seuenth day had finished all things. Homer also & Hesiodus testifie the same, the one saying that the seuenth day did perfect & finish al things, the other, septimam lucem fuisse sanctā & praefulgidam, that the seuenth day was most holy & bright. How the earth was without forme before it was fashioned by God; Ouid testifieth, calling it a Chaos, which is rudus indigesta (que) moles, a rude & vn­fashioned heape: which Homer & Hesiodus also testi­fie, calling it Hyle, a certaine vnshapen & rude matter, which God afterwards brought into good forme & fa­shion. These haue testified we sée of the creation of the world (which is the great maruaile of maruels) affir­ming in a manner the very words of Moses which he writeth in Genesis, the wing that the world had a be­ginning, & that God treated heauen & earth▪ & at ther­in in seuen dayes, and that the seuenth day was holie vnto the Lord.Vide Plut de placit, philos. And this truth of Moses historie con­cerning the creation of the worlde; all the chiefe & best learned Philosophers amongst the heathen did also firmly beléeue. The floud that drowned the worlde, which we cal the floud of Noe, Ioseph. li. de anti (que) Iud. Euseb. lib. [...]. de praep▪ Euang, not only Ouid testifieth in his Metamorphosis, but also diuers ancient heathē writers, namely Berosus, Chaldaeus, Ieronimus Egipti­us, Nicholaus Damascenus, Abydenus, & others (accor­ding as both Iosephus and Eusebius doo proue.)

Concerning the tower of Babylon, and institution [Page] of tongue [...] [...] which Moses recordeth Gen. [...] [...] testimo [...] [...] [...]en by A [...]ydenus that liued abo [...] king [...] ▪ [...]useb. li. 9. de praep. [...]. 4. the word [...] of [...] of Sennar where [...] was [...]: and these Gentiles doo shew by reason, that [...] there had not béene [...] such myracle in the din [...]on of tongues, no doubt but that all tongues be­ing deriued from one (as all men are of one Father) would still haue reteyned the same [...] which we sée and was séene long, not to bee the worlde: the difference of languages in the world is a proose of that confusion of tongues.

Of the long life of the first Patriarchs, not onelie, the fore-named Baerosus, Chaldeus, Ieronimus Aegip­tius, Nicholaus Damascenus, Abydenus, but also Ma­nethus, that gathered the historie of the Egyptians, Molus Hestians that wrote the actes of the Phen [...] ­ans, Hesiodus, Hecatenus, Abd [...]rica, H [...]lamicus, A­cusilans, and Epherus doo testifie, that these first inha­bitants of the world did liue so long. And they alledge the reason thereof to bée for the multiplication of peo­ple, and for the bringing of all sciences to perfection, especially Astronomie and Astrologie, which (as they write) could not be brought to any sufficient perfecti­on by any one man that had liued lesse than sixe hun­dred yeares, in which space the great yeare (as they call it) returneth about.Alex. Po­ly hist. lib. de Indaica historia.

Of Abraham and his affaires I haue alleadged some heathen writers before, as Barosus H [...]cataus, & Nicholaus Damasc [...]nus: but of all others Polyhistor alleadgeth Eupol [...]mus most at large of Abrahams be­ing in Egypt, of his fight and victorie in the behalfe of Lot, of his entertainment by king Melchisede [...]h, of his wife and sister Sara, and of other his dooinges, [Page] especially of the sacrifice of his sonne Isaac. To [...]ehem agréeth Melo in his books written against the Iews, and Artabanus, of the strange lake whereinto So­doine and Gomorrha were turned, by their destruc­tion called Mare m [...]rtuum, the dead Sea, where no­thing can liue: both Galen, Pausanius, Galen de simpli. Paul, in Eliae. Solin. in Poly hist. Tacit. lib. vlt. trift. Solinus, Taci­tus, and Strabo, doo testifie and shewe the particular wonders thereof.

From Abraham downe to Moses, writeth very particularly the said Alexander Polyhistor, albeit he mingleth sometime certaine fables: whereby appea­reth that he tooke not his storie wholie out of the Bi­ble. And he alledgeth one Leodemus who (as he saith) liued with Moses, & wrote the selfe same things that Moses did: and with these also doo cancurre Theodo­rus a most ancient Poet, Artabanus & Philon Gen­tiles. And therefore it is manifest that Moses history, (as also all the rest of the sacred and canonicall scrip­tures) is no fable or feined matter (as the deuil would make vs beléeue) but a true; certaine, & most vndoub­ted historie in all points. All which matters be suffi­ciently and substantially shewed also euen by the hea­thens writings, which are too tedious to hée héere re­hearsed.

But the great wonders and miracles which Mo­ses did, béeing acknowledged to bée doone not by his owne power, but by the power of God, doo sufficient­ly giue credit vnto him: of whom and of whose actes doo beare witnesse, not onely the fore-named (especial­ly Artabanus in his booke of the Iewes) but manie o­thers also (especially Eupolemus) out of whome Poly­histor reciteth very long narrations of the wonderful and strange things done by Moses in Egypt. Yea the myracles done by him, the greatest enemies that [Page] euer he had in the world,Appion li. 4. contra Iudaeos. Porph. lib. 4. aduersus Christian. that is Appion in the fourth booke against the Iewes, and Porphiry in his fourth booke against the Christians doo confesse. And Por­phiry adioineth more for proofe thereof, namely, that hée found the same thinges confirmed by the storie of one Sacontathon a Gentile, who liued (as hée saith) at the same time with Moses: but all those myracles (say those two his great enemies) were doone by Art Magicke, and not by the power of God. But first where could Moses a simple shepheard learne so much magicke? or why could not then the great Magitians of Egypt either doo the like, or at least wise deliuer themselues from those plagues that were in Egypt, (especially since their study was in Art Magick from their infancie) yea why did they crie out The finger of God is heere, Exod. 8.18 when they could not doo as hée did? or let them aunswere why Pharao king of Egypt did speake to Moses and Aaron, Exod. 8.9.10.11, &c. saying: Pray yee vnto the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from mee and from my people. His great Magitians belike could not doo it, yea hee signifieth in that spéech that none can doo it but God, yea and that neither Moses nor Aaron could doo it any otherwise than by praying vnto God. And indéede Moses and Aaron did by prai­er vnto God effect it, at the very same time that the king did appoint it to be done: that he & all the world might knowe, that there was not anie like vnto the God of Israell.

Where did you euer heare of such workes done by Art Magicke as Moses did? when hée diuided the great and mightie redde Sea, that the people of Isra­ell might goe through on drie lande?Exod. [...]4. when the wa­ters came together agayne vppon Pharao and all his host, and drowned them and all theyr glorie in the [Page] Sea?Exod, 16. when hee called so manie Quailes vppon the sodayne into the Campe, as suffised to feede sixe hun­dred thousand men, beside women and children?Exod, 17. when hee made a verie Rocke by smiting it, to yéelde foorth abundance of water, sufficient for the whole compa­nie of Israell?Num, 16. when hee caused the ground to open and swallowe downe aliue thrée of the greatest of his Armie, Corah, Dathan, and Abyram together, with their tabernacles, bagges and baggages?

Beside, what wondrous workes or myracles soe­uer Moses did, hee alwayes acknowledged to come from God, reiecting vtterly all glorie from him­selfe, and attributing and yéelding all the glorie vnto God. Agayne,Deut. 32. Gen. 49. Num. 12. Deut. 14. in his writinges hee dooth not ex­cuse nor conceale his owne sinne, nor the sinne of his people, no not the sinne of Aaron his owne brother, nor of Marie his sister, nor of Leui his grandfather, nor of anie other of his lynage and kinred: neyther did hee once séeke or goe about (although hee were in place of power and authoritie to doo it) to bring in a­nie of his owne Sonnes into the rule and gouerne­ment after his decease (although hee had manie) but left the onely rule and gouernement vnto a stranger named Iosuah, as God commanded.Deut. 3. Num. 37.

All which thinges doo shewe (and many more too tedious to rehearse) that Moses both in his writings, in his wordes, and in his works, was no man of am­bition, or of worldly spirite, but of a méeke, humble, dutifull, obedient, and faithfull seruant of God in all matters.

The historie of Moses therefore béeing the most ancient, and the same béeing most vndoubted and certaine true, insomuch as he and his history do plen­tifully testifie of Christ, which was to come, & should [Page] bée heard in all that he should say and teach, it remai­neth that his religion which hée hath taught vnto the world, is the onely true religion, and all other religi­ons (not grounded of the like antiquity and truth) to bée abandoned.

6 None can discredit Moses, nor the Psalms, nor any of the Prophets amongst the Iewes, but they must withall discredit Christ: for Christ saith thus of himselfe,Luk. 24.44 that All must be fulfilled which were writ­ten of him in Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalmes. And againe hée sendeth such as would knowe of him whether hée were the true Messias, to the scriptures of the Iewes, saying thus: Search the Scriptures, for they are they that testifie of me. So that Christ, Moses, Iohn. 5.39. the Psalmes, and the Prophets, and in a word the whole canonicall scriptures of the Iewes doo got arme in arme, and bée linked together like insepara­ble friends that will not bée sundred: and therfore the one is alwayes a proofe for the other, as likewise a dis­proofe of the truth of the one, is a disproofe of the other: and therefore is it that though the incredulous Iews be so false in friendship, as that they will not (through vnbeléefe) take part with the Christiās, yet the Chri­stians bée more firme, and will holde with the Scrip­tures of the Iewes to the death. Now if there were no more to proue the diuinitie of Christ, but the great and wonderfull miracles which he did (some wherof were such, as neuer any did before, nor could doe but God onely) it were sufficient to proue him to bee the S [...]nne of God, and that hée came from the bosome of his Father. The great and many myracles that hee did (béeing famous not onely in Iudea, but in all the Romane Empire, and so ouer all the worlde) are and were such as none of the heathen dare doo, or can de­nie, [Page] but all acknowledge. And therefore I conclude, that the Christian religion, procéeding from so diuine a power, and from one whose workes and wonders is aboue all the world, is the most vndoubted true re­ligion.

7 Christ did neuer any hurt on earth, but hee did maruellous much good, hée healed all manner of disea­ses, he caused the dumbe to speake, the halt to goe, the blind to sée, and the deafe to heare: hée stilled the ra­ging of the windes and seas, gaue sight to him that was borne blind; raised the deade to life againe, cast out deuils, knew mens thoughts, and did such works as no man could doo except God with him, yea except himselfe were God. Moreouer his life was such, as none was able to accuse him of any sinne, so pure and vnreproouable was he. Againe, the doctrine he taught was farre from a worldly spirit, béeing most heauen­ly, most innocent, and most diuine, for neuer any man spake as hee spake, nor with such authoritie. Agayne, hée alwaies pronounced that he sought not his owne glorie (which deceiuers are wont to doo) but the glory of his Father, and as hée spake so it was indeede. The whole course of his life and death, resurrection, and ascention doth shewe the same: for when the Iewes would haue made him an earthly king, hee would none of it, but conueyed himselfe away. Iohn. 6.15. teaching his Ministers to doo the like also. Luk. 22.25 26. for hée proclaimed that his kingdome was not of this world. Iob. 18.36. but that hée came to doo the wil of his Father. Ouer and aboue all this, hée was the greatest Prophet that euer was, and fore-told diuers things (as namely, that hee should bée crucified of the Iewes, and the third day rise againe: that Ierusalem and the Temple should bée destroyed ere that gene­ration [Page] passed: that after his Ascention the holy Ghost shoulde come downe vppon his Disciples assembled at Ierusalem, and diuers others) all which the world doth knowe came to passe accordingly. And nothing which hée hath spoken but it shall bée performed, for there was neuer any fraud within his lippes, or fal­shood within his tongue. And therefore I conclude, that the Religion of him (who was most holy in his life, most harmlesse towardes others, most beautifull towardes all, most wonderfull in his workes, most true in his propecies, most heauenly in his doctrine, not sauouring of any carnall delight or worldly af­fection, nor by any way or meanes séeking his owne glorie, but the glorie of God, and to doo the will of his Father) is and must néedes bée the onelie true Reli­gion.

8 An other argument I frame thus: that Reli­gion which procéedeth vndoubtedly from God, is the true Religion: But the Christian Religion procee­deth vndoubtedly from God: Ergo &c. that it procée­deth vndoubtedly from God, I proue thus. Either it must procéed from God, or from the Deuill, or from men: But it is too holie to procéede either from men or Deuilles, for it ouerthroweth the workes and kingdome of the one, and forbiddeth the reuenging spirite of the other (commaunding men to loue theyr enemies, to doo good to them that hate them and per­secute them) it condemneth their wanton eye, and the adulterous thoughts of their harts, and their co­uetous humour, admitting no vncleannes or impu­ritie, and forbidding all iniquitie and wickednes bee it neuer so secrete or close: Sith therefore it is so op­posite and contrary to mens affections, wherewith naturally they bee carryed, and that it commandeth [Page] to bée holie, euen as God is holie, it is manifest, that it can neither bee of mans deuising, nor of the deuils inuention, it remayneth therefore, that it must néedes bée of God, and consequently the onelie true Religion.

9 An other Argument is this: that Religion which respecteth onely the glorie of God, is and must néedes bée the onely true Religion. But such is the Christian Religion: for it alloweth not anie man to glorie in himselfe, but sheweth that whatsoeuer gloryeth should glorie in the Lorde. 1. Cor. 1.30.31. Rom. 4.2. Therfore the Christian Religion is the on­lie true Religion.

10 Lastly, the spreading and preuailing of the Gospell of Christ ouer the vniuersall world, when as all the worlde (both Iewes and Gentiles) were sette and opposed against it, doth demonstrate plentifully and effectually, that the Christian Religion procée­ded from God, and that God is the author thereof: for if it had not had a God to protect and patronage it, and to make it passe currantly through the world, it must needes haue béene vtterly suppressed and cho­ked euen in the springing and first rising thereof. For after the ascention of Christ Iesus into heauen, what were his few Apostles (in the iudgement of reasona­ble men) able to doo, for the spreading and preuailing thereof, against the force and power of all the world, which was then readie bent with all both furie and fraud, violence and vengeance, & with all their deuises which they could inuent to suppresse it? or what elo­quence had his few Apostles to perswade the worlde, or any therein, to the receiuing and imbracing of that Christian Religion which they were appointed to preach: they (as al men know) were reputed & known [Page] to bée vnlearned men, but only that they were taught and instructed by the spirit of God, which (according to the promise of Christ their maister) at the time ap­pointed descended downe vpon them, béeing assemb­led at Ierusalem, by which spirite they were enabled to speake all languages, and imboldned to preach his Gospell and religion, in such sort and with such puis­sant and diuine wisedome, as none should bée able to resist that spirit they spake by, howsoeuer their per­sons might bée hindered, molested, vexed, and persecu­ted.

This, euen this is a wonder of wonders, and an infallible demonstration of the diuine vertue of the Christian religion, that it hauing so few to publish it, and such as they were, and beeing encountred by all the Princes and Potentates of the worlde, it shoulde notwithstanding so strangely preuaile, as within a short time to bée vniuersally spread ouer the face of the whole earth. Who can now say but that it was protected and preuailed by the power of God: for the power of all the world was against it: and if the Christian religion had béene no better protected by God than by men, alas it had perished long ago, yea, it had neuer liued vntill this day, but it had béene cho­ked euen at the first vprising, & as it were in the cra­dle or infancie thereof. Let all wittes therefore throw downe themselues, and let all tongues fréely confesse the diuine vertue of the Christian religion, which could not bée stopped or suppressed, but was so migh­tie, as that the power of all the worlde, and of all the deuils in hel ioyning with them, was not able to stay the course and passage thereof, but that it did preuaile, and that within short space ouer all the earth. And therefore the Christian religion (without al doubt) is [Page] the onely true religion, which came downe from hea­uen, béeing brought by Iesus Christ the true Messi­as, from the bosome of God his father. Of which (ha­uing so many and so infallible arguments to prooue to euery mans sence the truth thereof) none can doubt except hée will also doubt whether the eye dooth see, the eare doth heare, and the heart dooth vnderstand: the euidence thereof is so cleare and manifest, as that it is able, if not to conuert, yet to conuince all gayne-sayers whosoeuer, and to make vs that alreadie pro­fesse, firmely to hold the same, knowing for certayne, that the Christian Religion is the onely true religion in the world, and that saluation is no where els to be sought. For run ouer all the religions of the worlde, and where shall you finde any so pure, so diuine, so powerfull, so miraculous? It hath all the signes, to­kens, argumentes, and proofes that may bée, for the splendent truth thereof, and to demonstrate that vn­doubtedly it came from God.

IF I shall speake some thing of the Ma­hometish Religion, I thinke the truth of the Christian Religion will appéere so much the more: for when blacke and white are laid together, the white carrieth the greater estimation and glorie with it. And beside, Mahomet himselfe testifieth of Christ to be a great Prophet of God,Math. Pa­ris. hist. A [...] ­ [...]n H [...]. 3. and a great worker of mi­racles, And that the same Iesus Christ was Borne of the Virgin Marie, that he liued without sin among [Page] men, that hee was a Prophet, and more than a Pro­phet, and that hee ascended into the heauens: and therefore he reproued the Iewes, for that they would not beléeue him to bée borne of a Uirgin. But on the other side, because he would not haue Christ to beare credit aboue him, hee disliked that hee should be called or reputed the Sonne of God. But beside the testimo­nie of all the former Prophetes of the worlde, both Iewes and Gentiles (as is before shewed) who all do teach,Suidas. that hee should bée the Sonne of God, Suidas doth moreouer confute this false Prophet, who repor­teth in his historie, that the Pharisées at Ierusalem called a Councell to finde out the Father of Iesus. They enioyned certaine women to search his mo­ther: the women affirmed they found her a Virgin. Then was it recorded in the famous register booke of the Temple, Iesus the Sonne of God, and of Marie the Virgin. This proueth, not onely that the mother of Iesus was a Uirgin (which Mahomet truely held) but also that Iesus was the Son of God (which Ma­homet allowed not.) And indeed Mahomets Religion is a patched religion, mixt partly with Iudaism, part­ly with Gentilism, partly with Papisme, partly with Christianisme, béeing subtilly contriued for the erec­ting of the same, and to bring followers after him, whereof shall be spoken more hereafter.

The beginning of Mahomets vprising, and of his Sect,Mathaeus Palm. Mathaeus Chro. li. 13 Drenchsle­ [...]r. chro. de Saracen. & Turc. orig. was thus: Many hundred yéeres after Christ, namely, in the yéere of our Lord, 597. & in the raigne of Mauricius the Emperour, when as Gregorius magnus was Byshop of Rome, this Mahomet was borne, béeing of the lyne of Ismael the Sonne of A­braham, by Agar the bond-woman, hauing vnto his Father one Abdara, and vnto his Mother▪ one [Page] Emma, béeing verie obscure and base parentes, in Mecha a Cittie of Arabia: his parents deceased, and left him a verie yoong Orphan, who in short time by misaduenture was taken captiue. This béeing once knowne vnto his kindred,Volat. Ge­ogr. lib. 12. one Abdemonapl [...]s (sayth Ʋolateran) and Israelite, bearing him good will, for his fauour and forwardnes of wit, payde his raun­some, and made him seruant and factor in all his mer­chandize.

Not long after his maister died without issue, and his seruant Mahomet matched with his mistresse, a widowe of fiftie yéeres of age, called Eadigam, and (saith Paulus Diaconus) his owne kinswoman: so that his maister béeing of credite and substance,Paul. Dia [...] ­rer. Rom. lib. 18. and his mistresse (afterwards his wife) of no lesse account, and also shortly after departing this life, hée succéedeth them both in credit, and al their substance, and by this meanes grew of great power and estimation.

Diaconus further sayth, that this Mahomet for the space of tenne yéeres gaue himself secretly by per­swasion to bewitch the people, and other tenne yéeres after, with Rogues and vagabonds that repayred vn­to him, with force of Armes, with sworde, and shed­ding of bloud, hée spent in subduing of Countryes: And lastly, nine yéeres hée openly and manifestly en­ioyed as a deceiuer, a false Prophet, and a king ouer those whome hée had already infected throughout A­rabia.

Sabellicus writeth,Sabel. Ae­nead. 8. li. 8 that Mahomets Father was an Heathen, and his Mother an Ismaelite, wherby it came to passe, that whilest his Mother taught some­what of the religion of the Hebrews, and his Father on the other side the religion of the Gentiles, Maho­met (like a dutifull child, but not like a discréete sonne) [Page] obeyed both, and that was some cause of his mirt and patched religion. Hee had the falling sicknesse, which tooke him extremely, so that hée groueled along the ground, and fumed piteously at the mouth. His wis­béeing of great honour and substance, bewayled her hard hap in matching with a beggerly rascall, and a diseased creature: but hée (with his wilie compani­ons) hauing taught a Doue to féed at his eare, wher­in he had put graines of corne, perswaded his wife to be content, and that he was another manner of man than she tooke him to be: namely, that he was a Pro­phet, that the spirit of God tell vpon him, and that the Angell Gabriel in the forme of a Doue came to his eare, and reuealed him secretes from God, whose pre­sence he was not able to abide: and therefore was it that hee so prostrated himselfe, and lay in a traunce. His wife béeing herewith satisfied, shee began to that the same amongst her Gossips, saying: Say nothing, my husband is a Prophet. The women after theyr manner (wherof some of them all can kéepe no coun­sell) blazed abroad that Mahomet was a Prophet, & so from women it came to men.

This béeing once noysed, they flocked vnto him from all parts of Arabia. He béeing throughly instru­cted in Satans schoole, and well séene in Magicke, ob­serued the present opportunitie.Auentin. Annal. li. 3. The Romanes and Persians then warred together, Mahomet with his Arabians want, & first tooke part with the Romanes, but afterwardes serued them a life touch, and forsooke them,Zonaras Annal. Tom. 3. and thereby weakened that side. In a while af­ter he espyed the Persians goe to wracke, and hauing despised the Romans, he setteth lesse by the Persians, and then setteth foorth himselfe with might and main with his Captaines and Lieutenants (called Ami­rai) [Page] to subdue Nations, and to destroy the Christians, to th [...] end that he might e [...]tablish that false religion, deuised by himselfe and his wicked confederates: hée preuailed wonderfully, and in short time after his de­cease (in the time of Ebubezer and Haumar, that suc­cessiuely raigned after him in Arabia) there were got and subdued to the Arabians, the Region of Gaza, the Citie Bostra in Arabia, Damascus Phenicia, E­gypt, Palestina, the Citie Ierusalem, all Syria, An­tioch, Edessa, Mesopotamia, all Persia, yea, and in a manner all Asia: But I may not forget the ende of Mahomet, who in an euening fitting vp late in his pallace, and hauing taken his fill of wine, wherein one of his companions had powred some poyson, felt his wonted sicknesse approching and made hast forth, saying hée mu [...]t néedes depart to conferre with the Angell Gabriel, and goe aside, least his glorious pre­sence should bée an occasion of their deathes: forth he went, and remembring that a soft place was best for his falling sicknes, downe hee fell vppon a dunghill, groueling along with great paine, fuming at the mouth, and gnashing his teeth. The Swine came a­bout the dunghill, fell vppon him, wounded him sore, and had eaten him vp▪ had not his wife and others of his house heard the noyse of the hogges, and rescued the false Prophet. Antoninus reporteth,Antonin. chro. part. a. tit. 13. ca. [...] that hee was not without sundry diseases, which his intemperate dyet brought him: namely, the Plurifie, and a kinde of Lithargie, for oftentimes his sences seemed to bee taken from him. He continued drooping the space of fourtéene daies, at length he departed this life, his bel­lie had such a swelling that it séemed readie to burst, & his little finger bowed backwards. In the time of his sicknes, he commanded them that were about him [Page] that when breath departed his bodie, they should not straightway burie him, for he saide, that within thrée dayes hée would ascen [...] into heauen: but hereby ap­peared that he was a false Prophet, for they kept him aboue the ground the third and fourth day, yea (as Flores historiarum testifieth) the space of thirtie daies, in great hope hee would rise and ascend according to promise, but they saw nothing, sauing that they felte an intollerable stinch, so that in great disdayne (sayth Antoninus) Eum longe à domibus proiecerunt, they cast him farre from houses. But his companions (such as consulted with him, and concealed his false­hoode and trecherie) remembring themselues, & iudg­inge that the disdayne of Mahomet woulde bee their discredit, and his fall their foyle and shame, they fetch him agayne,Sabel. Ene­ad. lib. 6. Naucl. Gene. 22. they chest him in an iron coffin, (saith Sabellicus and Nauclerus) they bring him vn­to the famous Temple of Mecha (in which Citie hée was borne) with great solemnitie, as if hee had ne­uer béene seared vpon the dunghill with swine: they conuey to the roofe of the Temple mighty loadstones, they lift vp the iron Coffin, where the loadstones ac­cording to their nature drawe to them the iron, and holde it vp, and there hangs Mahomet▪ on high.

Anton. Chro. part. [...]. cap. 5. Volfgang. Drenchsle­ [...]er Chron. Naucler. Gen. 22. Sabel. Ene­ad. 8, lib. 6.Those that imbrace the Religion of Mahomet, are called Saracens, for it was the pride of Mahomet to haue them so called, to aduaunce his owne doctrine and profession, because he knew himselfe lineally des­cended of Ismael the sonne of Agar the bondwoman: therefore to auoide this reproch, he bare the worlde in hand that hée came of Sara the frée-woman, the wife of Abraham, and called himselfe and his followers Saracens. Sabellicus writeth, that the Grecians of spite are wont to cal the Saracens, Agarens: for that [Page] they came not of Sara, but of Agar.

This Mahomet while he liued vsed the companie of Christians, Iewes, and Infidels.Sabel. Ene­ad. 3. lib. 6 Et vt popularior esset eius lex, ex omnium gentium sectis aliquid assump­sit, & to the end his law might be the more fauored, he borrowed some thing of euery sect. Fascicul. Temp. Satan fur­nished him with thrée instruments, as helys to bring his mischéeuous intent about. The first was a Iew, a great Astronomer, & a Magitian, who opened to him at large the Iewish follies: the second, one Iohn of Antioch: the third, one Sergius a Monke, both abho­minable heretikes. Euery one plaid his part. To slat­ter the Christians, he was content to be baptized of Sergius, Sabel. Ene­ad. 8. lib. 6. & of these heretiks he learned with the Sabel­lians to denie the Trinitie, with the Manichees to e­stablish two beginnings, with Eunomius to denie the equal power of the Father and the Sonne, with Ma­cedonius to call the holy Ghost a creature, and with the Nicolaites to allow many wiues, & wanton lust.Ant. Chro. part. 2. tit. 15. cap. 2. Sergius the Monke also perswaded Mahomet in his Alcoran (so is the booke of his lawe tearmed) to com­mend the humilitie of Christian Monks & Priests, he made him also deliuer the Saracens a Monkes coule, which they vse to this day. Also instar Monachorum multos genuflexiones, many duckings & crouchings like the Monke. Matthias â Michou addeth,Mathias a Michou de Sarmat. Asian. lib. 1. lib. 7. that they vse shauing: & this no doubt was the Monks do­ctrine. They commend the blessed virgin Mary, con­fesse God to be the gouernor of al things, & that Iesus Christ was the Apostle of God, begottē by the Angel Gabriel on Mary the virgin, who neuer knew man,Laonic. de Turc. lib. 3. & that he was greater & worthier than man: they al­low the miracles that Christ did, & the Gospell (so far forth as it agréeth with the Alcoran) and Moses, Sabel. Ene­ad. 8. lib. 6. and [Page] the old Testament, correcting therein (so presumptu­ous is the spirit) certaine errors. Hee called himselfe a Prophet, and that hee was sent of God to supplie the imperfections of all lawes, hee forbad his followers all pictures and images in their Temples, hee forbad the eating of swines flesh, he commanded purifiyngs and washings, and similitudinem Iudaeorum, after the manner of the Iewes. The Christians haue Sunday for their Sabaoth, the Iewes Saturday, and Maho­met Friday, to dissent from the Hebrewes and Chri­stians: or as Antoninus writeth, in the honour of Venus the Goddesse of Arabia, thereby the rather to winne that country people: and thus it pleased him to deuise a Religion mixt of all these, to the ende hee might haue of all religions some to build vp his king­dome. And indéede Mahomet tooke the aduantage of the time, for that time was a time of dissentiō among Princes, and of diuision amongst those which called themselues Christians. Heraclius the Emperour, & Chosdroes King of Persia were at deadly enmity, one warring against an other. The Scithian Nation were of neither side, but at last against both, raising a power of themselues, hauing Mahomet their ring­leader. The Church was troubled with diuers sectes and heresies, as with Nestorians, Iacobites, Mono­thelites, &c. And then was there contention amongst the Bishops, who should haue the proud title of vni­uersall Bishop. God was highly displeased with this wickednes, and suffered Nations to rise as a rodde or scourge to whippe his people: for where the hedge is broken; there it is easie for the beastes of the field to enter and spoile. Now the vanitie and falshood of this Religion may be proued thus.

1 First by the newnes of it, for it is but of late [Page] yéers begun, and there was neuer anie prophecie that did allow of such a Prophet, or of the doctrine of such a one. And therefore he commeth in his owne name, and so consequently not to be receiued.

2 Secondly, hee did no myracle at his comming,Math. Paris. hist. An. in Hen. 3. and therefore no reason that any should beléeue on him. Hee spake vnto the Saracens of himselfe, Non sum miraculis aut iudiciis ad vos missus, I am not sent vnto you with miracles and signes. There was no diuine power shewed in all his practise.Flor. hist.

3 Thirdly, it is manifest that Mahomet was a false Prophet, because he said that within thrée dayes after his death he should ascend into heauen, which was notoriously false, as before appeareth.Iacob de Vorag. le­gend. 1 [...]7. Laonic. de reb. Turc. lib. 3.

4 Fourthly, the Religion of Mahomet is fleshly, consisting in natural delights and corporal pleasures, which shew that man, & not the diuine spirite of God, is the author therof: for it is permitted the Saracens by that his lawe to haue foure wiues (though these be of nigh kinne) yea fiue, marrying them virgins, and to take beside as many of them which they haue bought and taken captiues,Ant. Chro. as their abilitie will serue to maintaine. The paradise likewise promised to his followers is this, namely, they shall haue garmentes of silke, with all sorts of colours, bracelets of gold and Amber, parlours and banqueting houses vpon flouds and riuers, vessels of golde and siluer, Angels seruing them bringing in gold, mylke, siluer, wine, lodginges furnished, cushions, pillowes, and downe-beds, most beautifull women to accompany them, maydens and virgins with twinkling eyes, gardens and orchyards with harbors, fountaines, springs, and all manner of pleasant fruit, riuers of milke, honie, and spiced wine, all manner of swéete odours, perfumes, and fragrant [Page] sentes, and to be short, whatsoeuer the flesh that desire to eate. Thus fleshly people haue a fleshly religion, & a fleshly paradise to inhabite. But like Prophet like people, and like religion: for Mahomet himselfe was such a fleshly fellow, as that though modest eares are both to heare, yet because the filthines of this Pro­phet may not bée concealed, I must vtter it: hée com­mitted buggerie with an Asse,Bonsin. lib. 8. Decad. Berna d. in Rosar. part 1. serm. 14. Ant. Chro. part. 2. tit. 15. cap. 2. Caelius. Nichol. Clen. 1. epi. Anton. Chro. part. 2. cap. 5. Auicenna metaphys. Bonfinius writeth it. A­gaine, hee committed adulterie with an other mans wife, that vppon displeasure was from her husband, and when hée perceiued the murmur of the people, he feigned that hée had receiued a paper from heauen, wherein it was permitted him so to doe, to the ende hee might beget Prophets and worthie men. Againe Mahomet (as Caelius reporteth) had fortie wiues, and further he gloryed of himselfe, that it was giuen him from aboue to excéede tenne men (saith Cleonard) fif­tie men (saith Antoninus) in carnall lust and venery. Auicenna one of Mahomets owne sect, is himselfe brought in disliking of this Religion, for this reason: Because Mahomet (saith hee) hath giuen vs a lawe, which sheweth the perfection of felicitie to consist in those thinges which concerne the body, whereas the wise and sages of old had a greater desire to ex­presse the felicitie of the soule than of the bodie, as for the bodily felicitie though it were g [...]nted them yet they regarded not, neither esteemed it in com­parison of the felicity which the soule requireth: his paradise & doctrine is such, as there séemeth smal diffe­rence betwéen Epicurism, Atheisme, & Mahometisme.

5 Mahomets law is a tyrannical law, for he made it death to dispute of it,Ant. chro. part. 2. tit. 13. cap. 5. and if any man speake against it (saith hée) Proditoriè occidatur, Let him bee traite­rously put to death: and again, sine audientia occida­tur, [Page] Let him bee put to death without comming to his answere. Sabel. Aenead. 8. li. Qua sanctione (saith Sabellicus) palā fecit [...]ihil sinceri in ea lege esse, &c. By which decree hee manifested, that there is nothing sincere in that law, &c. Moreouer hee wrote in the Arabian tongue,Math. Paris hist. Ang. in Hen. 3. and taught his followers, that his religion, A gladio cepit per gladium tenetur, & in gladio terminatur, began by the sword, is holden by the sword, and is finished or ended in the sword: which sheweth that the sword & arme of flesh is all the author and protector that his religion hath. Againe, Mahomet made this lawe a­mongst them, saying: He that slayeth his enemie, Paul. Olac. rer. Rom. lib. 18. or is slaine of his enemie, let him enter & possesse pa­radise: he spake like a man, with a carnal spirit, teach­ing reuenge to the vttermost, & pr [...]mising paradise to such: but no proofe of a diuine spirit appeareth in him.

6 As Mahomets religion is defended by force of sword and fraud, insomuch as hée made it death to cal it into question: so likewise did it begin, as by force of sword, so likewise by notable fraud, & was establi­shed through wiles, deceit, subtiltie, and lyes: for first he hauing the falling sicknes, perswaded his wife and others, that it was the power of God▪ & the presence of the Angell Gabriel that caused him to fall downe. Sergius the hereticall Monke was at hande, and bare false witnes to the same (saith Zonaras. Zonaras Annal. Tom. 3.) He told them that the same Deue which hee taught to féede at his care, was sometime an Angell, and sometime the ho­ly Ghost. He had thrée companions all of a confedera­cie, to deuise and face out lyes with him. When hee perceiued that men gaue eare to him, he feigned that the Angell Gabriel had carryed him to Ierusalem, & thence to haue lifted him vp to heauen, and there to haue learned his law.

[Page] Antonio. chro. part. 2. tit. 13. ca. 5Hee made the Saracens beléeue, that before God made the world, there was written in the throne of God, There is no God but the God of Mahomet. When hee had framed his Alcoran, and bound it vp faire, he caused secretly a wilde asse to bée taken, and the booke to be bound about his necke, and as he prea­ched vnto the people, vpon a sodaine hée stood amazed as if some great secrecie were reuealed to him from a­boue, he brake out and tolde the people: Behold, God hath sent you a lawe from heauen, goe to such a de­sert, there yee shall find an Asse, and a booke tyed about his necke. The people ran in great hast, they found it so as hee had saide, they take the Asse, they bring the booke,Auierus li. 2. cap. 12. Iohn Leo. lib. 3. ca. 23 Aph [...]c. they honour the Prophet. Touching diuorced and separated wiues, hée tolde the Saracens he had receiued a paper from heauen. He vsed sooth-saying and diuination, the which at Fessa, a Cittie of Mauritania,Bernard. in Rosar. part 1. serm. 10. vnto this day is called Zarragia. He per­swaded his followers, that at the end of the world hée should bée transformed into the forme of a mightie Ramme, full of lacks and long fléeces of wooll: & that all that held of his lawe, should bée as fleas shrouding themselues in his fléeces, and that he would iumpe in­to heauen, and so conuey them all thither. These and such like were his sleightes, to beguile a foolish, rude, and barbarous country people: the foolerie, pride, and vanitie of whose religion, I trust euery one doth suf­ficiently perceiue.

7 Mahomets Religion is no true Religion, but a méere deuise of his owne, and of thrée others his false conspirators: for hée hath patched together his Alco­ran of the doctrine of Heathens, Indians, and Arabi­ans, of superstitious Iewes, of Rechabites, of false Christians and Heretikes, as Nestorians, Sabelli­ans, [Page] Manichées, Arrians, Cerinthians, Macedonians Eunomians, and Nicholaits, of illusions, and inuen­tions of their owne: and lastly (for further credit) hée borrowed some out of the old and new Testament. But God will not thus bée serued: for hée deliuered his mind of old vnto Israell, and hée is not chaunged, but continueth the same God still.Deut. 12 [...] Ye shall not (saith God) doe euerie man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes: Whatsoeuer I command you, take heed you doe it, thou shalt put nothing thereto, nor take ought there from. Satan béeing coniured to deliuer the truth of the Alcoran of Mahomet, said,Fascicul. Temp. that there­in were comprised twelue thousand lyes, and the rest was truth: by all likelyhood verie little. And therfore I conclude, that there is no euidence to proue Maho­met a true Prophet, many to proue him to bée a false Prophet, and blasphemous, and presumptuous, and his Religion to bée a wicked, carnall, absurd, and false Religion, procéeding from a proud spirit, and humane subtill, and corrupt inuention, and euen from the de­uill, the craftie father of lies, a murderer, and mankil­ler from the beginning. And so much héereof may suffise.

I Am nowe entring into that great con­trouersie betwéene the Protestantes & the Papistes, whether of them should bée the true Church, and true worship­pers of God in Christ: for they both [Page] acknowledge God and Christ his son, and all the sa­cred and canonicall books of the scriptures they confes▪ to come from God, & from his diuine spirit, as indéede they could come from no other. But whiles they both confesse this booke, it is good reason that they shoulde both stand to the arbitrement and iudgement of these bookes, for the trial of the true Church: which if they doo (as indéed they must) this controuersie is at an end and not worthy to be made a question, or to be doub­ted of: for by the sacred & canonicall writinges it shal by and by be manifest, that the Church of Rome can­not bee the true Church possibly. But first let vs hear what it saith for it selfe, & what good groundes it hath for the fortification thereof. For if it bee not builded vpon a good foundation, and vpon such sure groundes as will holde, the whole building is like to lie in the dust, and to come to ruine.

1 They hold very stiffely (but not so strongly) that the Church of God militant here vpon earth, is euer visible to the outward eye, and may bee pointed out by the finger at al times, in such sort as that any one may know thither to resort, as to the congregation of Gods people, there to ioine himselfe vnto them, & to praise and pray vnto God with them, and to do those things which he requireth at their hands. But al this gain of profit them,Visibilitie [...]sol. n [...]len [...] of the [...]urch in [...]tward [...], is no [...] or [...] ma [...]e of the tru [...] Church. nor hurt vs: for as in the Primi­tiue Churches persecuted by those tyrannicall & hea­then Emperors, there was a Church of God (though not seem of them) who had their meetings & assem­blies amongst themselues (though secretly because of their enemies:) so likewise in the dayes of Quéene Marie, as also in all other times of the persecution of our Church by the Romish Bishops and their par­takers, our Church no doubt was and might be, and [Page] they likewise haue their méetinges, and assemblies, though both they and the place of their resort were vnknowne to those their persecutors.

In the time of Dioclesian the Emperour (especial­ly) Christians were so wasted, as to the iudgement of men none were remaining, theyr bookes were bur­ned, the Churches destroyed, and themselues put to death: in the end when this great hauock was made, and crueltie had wasted and destroyed all that could be found, where was then the visible church? It must néedes then bée enforced to hide it selfe, and so it was, and the glorie thereof so eclipsed, that for a w [...]yl [...] it shined no where. And therefore the Church is not al­waies visible and seene to the outward eye, nor splen­dent in the faces and sight of men, & yet a true church notwithstanding, as then it was: for it is the Sum [...]e though it bee sometimes ouerwhelmed with a cloud, and it is fire still, though it bée sometime raked vp in Embers: and so the true Church is and may bee, al­though not séene or known to the worlde, yea though it séeme ouerwhelmed with tyrannicall malice, and hide it selfe as though it were cleane extinct.

2 Let them tell mée where the Church was visi­ble, when béeing assembled at Ierusalem,Acts. 8.1. there arose a great persecution against it, insomuch as they were all dispersed and scattered as the Text sheweth? Or let them tell mee where or how the Church was vi­sible, when Christ was smitten, and all the rest were scattered and hid, and concealed themselues:Mar. 12.27 the face of the visible Church was then not in Christ & his Apo­stles, but in the Iewes among the Scribes & Phari­sées: and therefore it visibility bee such a marke of the true Church, then these (who crucified Christ) were the true church, and not Iesus Christ & his Apostles. [Page] Which who dare affirme? yea, who will not denie yea, when the shepheard was smitten, and the shéep scattered, and yet a true Church, who can denie b [...] that a true Church may bée, though it bée not appa­rantly visible and séene to the world? What should I say more? Doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation testifie expressely,Reu. 12.6, 7 That the Church of Christ (signified there by a woman) fugit in solitudinem, fled into a desert or wildernes, where shee had a place prepared for her of God, and where she could not for a certaine season bée found of her persecutors? Let them further shew mée how the Church was visibly in the time of Elias the Prophet, when he complained that himselfe was left alone?1. King. 19.11. &c. O Lord (saith he) they haue forsaken thy couenant, they haue destroyed thine Altar, & slaine thy Prophets with the sword: and I am left alone. Elias did not thinke himselfe to be solus Propheta re­lictus (as Campion answered in the Tower) I say hee spake not of himselfe onely in that respect: but in this respect, that hée tooke him to bee the onely true wor­shipper that was left in Israell, which is manifest by the answere which God gaue him: namely, that be­side him he had seuen thousand true worshippers yet remaining, which had not bowed their knée to Baall. I demand of the Papists, when Elias knew no other true worshippers of God but himself, how the church was visible, for whither hee should go to finde a true worshipper he knew not. Againe it is written in 2. King. 16. 2. King, 16. that vnder the raigne of Achas there was taken a patterne of the Altar of the Idolaters of Da­mas [...]us, and that Ʋrias the high Priest remooued the Altar of the Lorde, whereby it appeareth, that the Priesthood was corrupted, the Altar remoued, & con­sequently the sacrifices ceased, &c. What visibilitie of [Page] the true Church could there be in those daies, either of Achas, Manasses, and other kings being Idolaters, when the Temple it selfe (where onely by the law of God, the Iewes were to offer the sacrifices) was polluted and defiled with heathenish Idolatry? What Church or Congregation could any man (in this case) haue resorted vnto to haue performed a true and acceptable sacrifice vnto God in those times, when the Temple of Ierusalem (which was the place to worship at) would admit no true worship­pers, but onely Idolaters? It is therefore manifest, that a true Church may be, though they know not a congregation of God to resort to, yea though it bée close and not séene or knowne one to the other, nor yet to the world. And consequently visibility (which the Papists make a marke of the Church) is no perpetuall marke thereof. Yea, if such visibility should be a marke of the true Church, then were the Idolatrous people in the time of Elias, in the time of Achas, Manasses, and many other kings of Israell that were Idolaters, the true Church, who indéede were the false Church: And then were Elias and all other the true worshippers of God, who had in those times no places left to sacrifice in, the false Church, which is absurde. Chrysostom saith,Chrysost. in Mat. 24. that in the times of the abhomination of desolation (spoken of by Christ Iesus in Math. 24.) that is, in the time of wicked heresie which is the armie of Anti­christ (as he expoundeth it) Nulla probatio potest esse Christianitatis, neque effugium potest esse Christiano­rum aliud volentium cognoscere fidei veritatem nis [...] scripturae diuinae: No proofe can be made of Chri­stianitie, neither can there bee any other refuge for Christians which are desirous to knowe the tru [...] [Page] faith, but onely the diuine Scriptures. And there­fore I conclude (which is apparant) that the true Church sometime is in such a state, as that visiblenes cannot discerne or proue it, but only the diuine scrip­tures must demonstrate & declare it: And consequent­ly, it is demonstratiuely manifest, that it is no true position of the Papists, that the Church of God is alwaies and euermore visible, seene, and splendent, to the outward eye and view of the world. Where­fore the Papists do vs great iniury, and bewray their owne ignorance, when they would haue vs to shewe our Church in all times & ages (which notwithstan­ding perhaps may bée done) for our Church was al­waies, though it were not seene or knowne to them, but lay bid and kept it selfe close from their fury and tyranny, as the first and primitiue Churches did from their bloody persecutors. Our Church was then perse­cuted in those times when it could not be séene, & ma­ny then like constant Martyrs, endured the tyranny of that Romish religion, so that some were banished, others fled into other Nations, some indured Mar­tyrdome at home, some other hid themselues, but the whole Church generally was vexed, and oppressed. And therefore when our Church was thus persecu­ted, it is a good argument (I thinke) to say, Wée had our Church then and alwaies, though a persecuted Church, though a Church chased and pursued, though a Church scattered, though a Church not séene or visi­ble to them, yea, though in it selfe it were inlightened from God many ages together. Namely, till the tyr­ranny e [...] Antichrist were ouerpast.

Secondly, Another erronious position, whereby they are miserably deceaued is this: They hold the Church cannot erre:2. Thess. 2, 3, 4. And therefore suppose because [Page] the Church of Rome was once the true Church of God, therefore it is so now and euermore. As though there might not be an Apostacie in the Church, which Saint Paul affirmeth there should. Or as though a perticular Church (for the Church of Rome is but a perticular Church) could not erre? Yea, as though general Counsels (which represent the whole Church) could not erre? for so they affirme, but how truely let the world iudge. And if it may be shewed that generall Counsels haue erred, or may erre, then they yéeld their cause in this behalfe. I wish they would for their owne sakes: for false Iesuits & Semi­naries doo but deceaue themselues & others to their owne confusion in this world, and except they repent in the world to come. That generall Counsels may erre, is manifest by Augustine, who plainly teacheth that only the Scriptures cannot erre, al other writers may erre, Prouinciall Counsels may erre, lastly, hée saith, Concilia quae fiunt ex vniuerso orbe Christiano, August. Tom. 6. li. 2 contra Do­natist. priora posterioribus sape emendari; cum aliquo experi­mento rerum aperitur quod clausum erat, & cognosci­tur quod latebat: That generall Councels which are gathered of all the Christian worlde, are often cor­rected, the former by the latter, when by any triall of things, that is opened which was shut, and that is knowen which was hidden. A generall Councell may be corrected (saith Augustine) Ergo, it may erre. And therfore Augustine speaketh plainly to Maximi­nian the Bishop of the Arrians,August. contra Maximin. lib. 3. cap. 4 Neither ought I to alledge the Councel of Nice, nor thou the Councel of Arrimine, to take aduantage thereby; for nei­ther am I bound, nor held by the authoritie of this, nor thou of that; Set matter with matter, cause with cause, or reason with reason, trie the matter by [Page] the authoritie of Scriptures, not proper witnesses to any of vs, but indifferent witnesses to vs both.

In the time of Constantine that Christian Empe­rour,Theodor. lib. 2. ca. 18. was the first and last Counsell of Nice, wherin according to our Créede was decréed, that Christ was God as well as man. In the time of Constantius (Constantinus sonne) fauouring the errour of the Ar­rians; it was decréed in the Counsell of Arimine, that Christ was not God but onely man. This Counsell of Arimine did erre, (and that grosely in a matter of faith) Ergo, it is palpable that a generall Counsel may erre, euen in matters of faith.

Againe, generall Counsels haue béene contrary one to the other, and that in matters of faith: as the Counsell of Constantinople condemned the setting vp of Images in the Church: and the Counsell of Nice afterward allowed Images. One of their (be­ing contrary) must néeds be errours: Ergo, A generall Counsell may erre.Consil. Tom. 1. de ord. celeb. cons [...]l.

The generall Counsell confesseth of it selfe that it may erre: For the whole Counsell prayeth in the end of a generall Counsell (in a set forme of praier that i [...] appointed to bée saide after euery Counsell) namely, that God would Ignorantiae ipsorum parcere, & errori indulgere. Spare their ignorance, and par­don their errour. Ergo, a generall Counsell may erre.

The Pope of Rome (whom the Papists holde for head of their Church) may erre: Ergo, their whole Church may erre.Lib. 2. ad Bonif. con­tra epist. Pelag. ca. 4 Augustine proueth it erres, Beatae memoria Innocentius Papa, sine baptismo Christi, & sine participatione corporis & sanguinis Christi vitam non babere paruulos docet. Behold Pope Innocenti­us of blessed memory doth teach that yong childrē cannot be saued, except they receiue the baptisme [Page] of Christ, and also the communion of the body and blood of Christ.

But this is taxed for an errour, Ergo the Pope of Rome can erre, and consequently the whole Church vnder him, except perchaunce members haue a priui­ledge aboue the head.Part. 1. di­stin. 40▪ ca. But what shall I néed to stand hereupon, their owne Cannon law (as is euident in the decrées) doth say expressely, that if the Pope bee found negligent of his owne and his brethrens salua­tion, yea thogh he lead innumerable people by heaps to the deuill of hell, no mortall man may presume to reproue him: because he himselfe béeing to iudge all, is to bée iudged of none, nisi deprehendatur a fide deui­us, except he be found erring from the faith: wher­by it appeareth, that they thought hee might erre in matters of faith, or else that exception was put in in vaine. But the Pope is no other than a man, as also all the members of his Church bée, and humanum est errare, all men are subiect to errour. Let euery man take héed how he trusteth the Pope or any man mor­tall, for it is written Iere. 17. Maledictus homo qui in homine confidit, Cursed is that man that putteth his trust in man. And why? because (as the kingly Pro­phet Dauid saith Psa. 116.) All men are liers in their wordes, and sinners in their works. But when the doctrine of that man of Rome and of his Church is in diuers things cl [...]ane contrary to the expresse word of God, who can denie but it is an apparant erring Church?

As when it stablished ignorance to bée the mother of deuotion, which Christ calleth the mother of er­rour, saying, Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures, Math. 22. [...]9. Who can chuse but think that it hath no good meaning in it, but purposed onely to build vy [Page] the pride of the Pope, of his Cardinals, Bishoppes, Priests, Monkes, and other their ecclesiasticall men. Christ biddeth the people, to search the Scriptures: Iohn. 5.39. [...]is Antichrist forbiddeth them, saying, it is per [...]lous, it causeth schismes, sectes, and heresies, as though they were wiser than Christ. Againe, the Apostle Paule commandeth, That the word of God should dwell plenteously in the people, whereby they might teach themselues. Collos. 3.16. But the Pope of Rome and his Church, alloweth not plenti­f [...]l knowledge of the word in them, yea ignorance is the knowledge that hee would desire them to haue. Who would not iustly suspect such a Church, & such a Religion, yea condemne it, when to maintaine and continue their Church in errours, they would haue none of the people to search any scriptures, whereby they might bée discouered. Thus the sillie Papistes (whom I pittie) are lead like blind men they knowe not whither, and with their implicita fides (which is to beléeue (for their part) they know not what) are la­mentably seduced. It is good themselues should sée & know what they beléeue, and that their faith and be­léefe be right, least at last they be (through euer much trust of their teachers) extremely deceiued. The peo­ple of Berca were highly commended, and it is noted to their praise, that they searched the scriptures, to sée whether those thinges were true or no which Paule himselfe teached. Acts 17. For whosoeuer he bee, yea though it were an Angell from heauen, if hée teach matters contrary to the doctrine of the holy & cano­nical scriptures, we are to held him accursed, yea and accursed againe, as the Apostle of Christ Iesus S. Paule commandeth. Gal. 1.8.9.

Againe, the Church of Rome when it taught and [Page] holdeth, that the Scriptures were to bee made vnto the people or congregation in an vnknowne tongue, what were the people the wiser? Saint Paule would haue all thinges owne to ediffyng in the Church. For sayth Saint Paeule, Is qui supplet locum indoctiquo­modo dicturus est Amen ad tuam gratiarum actio­nem, qua [...] do quidem quid dicas nescit? How shall hee that supplyeth the place of an vnlearned man saye Amen to thy thankes giuing, when hee vnderstan­deth not what thou sayest? 1. Corinth. 14. And in that whole Chapter bee vtterly disliketh seruice in an vnknowne tongue. And therefore if the Church of Rome will not confesse their errour heerein, she is past all shame, and hath the impudent and shamelesse face of an harlot.

They haue all deuised and defende a place of Pur­gatorie, wherein all that depart this life bée put, and there punished (béeing a punishing fire) vntill they helpe to fetch them out with theyr Masses, and other their inuentions and deuises: which they wil not do, nor thinke they haue reason to doe, except they haue good currant coyne for the same.

And therefore it may bee well and iustly called Purgatorie pickepurse: and it is manifestly apparant héereby, that wealth and great riches of the Clergie was the onely marke they ayu [...]ed at. For it hath no warrant in the Canonicall bookes of the scriptures: yea the Canonicall bookes of the scriptures shew the contrary, and so do the ancient Fathers. Christ in the Gospel, Luk. 16. sheweth only but two places, name­ly, heauen and hell, saying, that the rich mans soule (which was vnmercifull to Lazarus) went after his death to hell, & there was tormented, & that Lazarus soule (béeing dead) was caried into Abrahams bosom, [Page] a place of ioy and comfort. To the Théefe which was executed at the passion and suffering of Christ; and beléeued in him, Christ answered, Hodi [...] eris mocum in paradiso, This day shalt thou bee with mee in pa­radise. Luk. 23.43. Which sheweth that the soules of the faithfull neuer come in Purgatorie fire to be boy­led and punished, for all their sinne is forgiuen, and consequently the punishment incident to the same is forgiuen also, and their soules passe from death to life and into paradise, a place of comfort, delectablenes, & all swéetnes: namely heauen where Christ is. Ve­rely verely I say vnto you (saith Christ) he that hea­reth my word, & beleeueth him that sent me, hath eternall life, and commeth not into condemnation, but passeth from death to life. Iohn. 5.25. What is become then of this Purgatorie▪ Saint Paule sayth, I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. shewing thereby, that presently after his disso­lution he was to bée with Christ in glorie. For wee know (saith hée) that when this earthly tabernacle of ours is dissolued, wee shall bee a building not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. 2. Cor. 5.1. Saint Iohn in his Reuelation saith, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde, from henceforth they rest from their labours, and their workes followe them. Reu. 14.13. If from the time of their death they haue blessednes and rest (as he sheweth) then are they not in any Purgatorie fire to bée scortched and mole­sted. Saint Peter telleth the Saints and children of God, and assureth them of it, That the ende of their faith is the saluation of their soules. 1. Pet. 1.9. If saluation of their soules begin at the end of their faith which lasteth vnto the end of their life (and no longer for then they haue the fruition and possession of that [Page] which they beleeue and hope for,Amb. lib. 2▪ de bono mortis. then is it manifest there is no Purgatorie. Ambrose saith, Qui hic non receperit remissionem peccatorum, illic non erit is in coe­lo: quia remissio peccatorum vita aeterna est: He that heere in this life receiueth not remission of sinnes, shall neuer come in the kingdome of heauen, for life eternall is remission of sinnes. Cyprian saith,Cyprian contra De­met. tract▪ [...] Quando [...]stine excessum fuerit, nullus iam locus poenitentiae, nul­lus satisfactionis effectus: hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur: hic saluti aeternae cultu Dei & fructu proui­detur. And againe by and by he saith: Tu sub ipso licet exitu & vitae temporalis occasu pro delictis Deum ro­ges, quiverus & vnus est, venia datur confitenti, & credenti indulgentia salutaris, & ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur. That is: when men are once departed hence, there is then no more place of re­pentance, no effect of satisfaction: heere life is ey­ther lost or kept: heere prouision is made for eter­nall saluation by the worship of God & fruits. And th [...]refore saith he: Doe thou call vpon God, though it be at thy last gaspe, and departure of this thy tem­porall life, but call vpon that God which is one and true, pardon is giuen thee if thou confesse thy sins, and sauing forgiuenes if thou beleeue: and from death presently thou shalt passe to immortalitie. Ierome saith,Ierom. in Gal. cap. 6. that the time of sowing their sáede for Christians is this present life, & that as soone as this life is ended, they reape euerlasting life.August. li. hypog. 5. Augustine saith, Primum fides catholicorum diuina authoritate regnum esse crescit calorum: secundum gehennam, vbi omnis Apostata, vel a Christi fide alienus, supplicia ex­peritur: Tertium peni [...]us ignoramus, nec esse in scrip­turis sanctis reperimus. The first place (saith hee) the faith of Catholickes doth (by diuine authoritie) be­leeue [Page] to bee the kingdome of heauen: the second, hell: a third place we are vtterly ignorant of, ney­ther can we find any such in the holy scripturs. And the same Augustine writeth in another place,Aug. En­chir. ad L [...]rent. cap, 67. That they which beleeue a purgatory fi [...]e are much de­ceiued, and that through an humane conceit. How then can the Papistes be the true Catholicks, which beléeue not the faith of the Catholicks, which Augu­stine doth affirme?

They also hold that a man since the fall of Adam, batl, frée will of himselfe & of his own power to c [...]me vnto God, and to do things acceptable & wel pleasing in his sight. Whereas God saith after that time, that the imaginations of mens harts are onely euil euery day. Gen. 6. If they be onely euill, then haue they of themselues no affection to goodnes acceptable to him. And Christ saith, no man can come vnto me, except my Father draw him. Iohn. 6.44.65. If her must bee drawne before he can come, hee hath no procliuitie or willingnes of himself to come. And therfore is it that the Prophet saith, Conuert thou me, and I shall bee conuerted. Ier. 7. shewing that hee hath no power in himselfe to be conuerted. And S. Paule sheweth, that till God giue grace, there is none that doth good, no not one. Rom. 3.10. &c. For all the philosophicall vertues & good deeds which men doe before they haue faith (which is the gift of God) are sinne, & not accep­table to God. Iohn. 6.29. For the Apostle witnesseth that without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11.6. and that whatsoeuer is not of [...]aith is sin. Rom. 14.23. Christ himself again saith, that except men be ingraf [...] into him, they can bring foorth no fruit. Iohn. 15.1.2. &c. Paule often teacheth that wee must be new men, & cast off the olde man. Rom. 1.2. [...]. [Page] And againe hee biddeth to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. 1. Cor. 2.14. And moreouer hee saith, that the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of God, neither can he: for they are spiritually discer­ned. And againe, that it is God that worketh the wil & the deed. Phil. 2.13. And he plainly confesseth of himselfe, & of all others, that we are not able of our selues so much as to thinke a good thought: and that all our sufficiencie is of God. 2. Cor. 3.5. Which premisses do shew that our vnderstanding is blind, & our will per­uerse in any diuine matter, or acceptable seruice vnto God, till God do enlighten the one, & draw and moue the other vnto himself. Thus hath God ordered mat­ters, to the end himselfe might haue all the glorie as­cribed to him, as good reason he should. For what is a man since his fall in Adam, but an abiect and runna­way from God, of himself séeking by-paths & crooked out-waies, leading from God, and from his worship: except he bee assisted from aboue? (which is signified by Adams hiding himselfe from the presence of God after his fall.) And therefore Augustine saith well & truly, Hominem libero arbitrio male vsum, August. ad Arasf. epi [...] 44. & En­ch [...]r. ad [...] aur. cap [...] 30. & lib. [...] cap. 7. & a [...] Boni [...] cap. 8. & 3. & a lib. pas [...] & se & il­lud per didisse, That man hauing ill vsed his free will that hee had, hath now both lost himselfe and that. And againe, Liberum arbitrium captiuatum ne quid possit ad iustitiam, that free wl [...] is taken captiue, that it can do nothing towards righteousnes. And again▪ Hominis non libera, sed a Deo liberata volunt as obse­quitur. Not the free will, but the freed will of man, (which is set free by God) doth obey & yeeld obei­sance: & again, Liberum non fore quod Des [...]ratia non liberauerit, that the wil is bound & not free, til God deliuer it and set it at liberty. Cyprian (which S. Au­gust. so oft citeth) saith, De nullo gloriandū, &c, many [Page] must glory of nothing, Lib. de praede [...]. sanct. i [...]m ad Bonifa. lib. 4. in Gen. Ho­mil. 1. bicause nothing is curs, ther­fore euerie man annihilating his owne power, must learne wholy to depend vpon God. And Chrisostom saith, that Omnis homo non modo naturaliter peccator sed totus peccatum est. Euery man is not onely sinful naturally, but is altogether sinne. And therefore S. Paule sheweth, that till a man be regenerate or born anew, & vntil he be renewed in the spirit of his mind, he hath in him nothing else but concupiscentias erro­ris, lustes and affections after errour, Eph. 4.23.24. saying likewise, that by nature wee are the sonnes of wrath, Ephe. 2. [...]. Which also Christ himselfe testifi­eth to Nicodemus ▪ saying: that that which is borne of the flesh is flesh, and that which is borne of the spirite is spirit, and that except a man be born anew by that spirite, hee can neuer so much as sée the kingdome of God, Iohn. 3.3. &c. And therefore S. Paule telleth, that there must bée a new creature, whosoeuer wil be in Christ Iesus, and a renewing and Metamorpho­sis of the minde (he vseth the verie worde) before men can finde out the good and acceptable will of God, and what pleaseth him. Rom. 12.2. I therefore conclude, that the Papistes are farre wide, and knowe not the miserie and thraldome of men whereinto they are fallen by that great sinne an [...] disobedience of Adam, whilest they stande to defende frée will in naturall men: indéede it appeareth to bée frée and too free vnto euill, but it is so bound and fast tyed from desire of a­nie diuine duties, that God must first drawe it out of that seruitude wherein it is, and set it at libertie, and mooue it to come before it will shewe any readines that way. I trust therefore they sée that their Church not onely may erre, but erreth most grossely in many points.

[Page]They holde that in the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper, it is lawfull to debar the people of the Cup: And so they vse, which is contrarie to the institution of Christ, Bibite ex hoc omnes, Drinke ye all of this, Math. 26.27. And as well, and by as good authori­tie may they take the bread from the people likewise: And it is contrarie to the expresse doctrine of Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 11.23.28. (who as himselfe testifieth, deliuered the Institution of Christ) for he saith, Let a man examine himselfe, Et sic edat, & bibat, And so let him eate of this Bread, and drinke of this Cup. So that he must drinke as well as he must eate. And that the people should bée pertakers, and receiue in both kindes, was obserued many hundred yeares in the Church after Christ. Insomuch, as Pope Gelasius decréed, that all they should be excommunicate,C. compe­rimus de confera di­stinct. which would receaue but in one kinde. But Rome that now is, is not Rome that then was, but with her Councell of Constance, is not ashamed to go against all Antiquitie, and all Diuinitie.

But they holde (which is a maruellous grosse er­rour also) Transubstantion in the Sacrament, name­ly, that after the words of Consecration, the Breade and Wine are changed into the very substance of the Body and Blood of Christ: And this they woulde séeme to ground vppon these wordes, Hoc est Corpus m [...]um, This is my Bodie, Math. 26.26. which they will haue to bée expounded literally. But why then doo they not expound the other wordes of Christ lite­rally also, concerning the Cup: For the Text saith, in the 27. & 28. verses, That he tooke the Cup, &c. and said, This is my blood. I am sure they will not say, that the cup was the blood of Christ (as the words bée) but they will graunt a figure in those wordes: [Page] namely, Contineus pro continent [...], that by the cup is meant the wine in it. If then they wil admit a figure in this, why may there not bee a figure in the other? namely fignatum pro figno, that these wordes, This is my body, should bee vnderstood thus: This bread is a signe of my body (which was broken for you.) If wée looke into the olde Sacramantes of the Iewes, namely, Circumcision, and the Paschall lambe, we [...] shall find the phrase of spéech obserued. For Circum­cision was called the Lords couenant, when indéed it was not the couenant (as all men doo knowe) but a signe and seale of the couenant: for the couenant was this to Abraham, Ero Deus tuus, & seminis tui, &c. I will bee thy God, and the God of thy seede, &c. Gen. 17. Rom. 4.11. So likewise the Paschall Lambe is called the Passeouer, when indéed it was but a sign of their passe-ouer, or passing ouer or through the red Sea (which was a mightie and most wonderfull de­liuerance, Pharao and all his host béeing in the Sea, when they passed through as on dry land.) Insomuch therefore as it is vsuall in Sacraments so to speake, it is not against reason, but standeth with verie good reason to thinke, that Christ Iesus in instituting this Sacrament, which to the Christians is the same that the Paschall Lambe was to the Iewes, did likewise call the bread his bodie, in such sort as the Paschall Lambe was the Passeouer: that is to say figuratiue­ly, that as the Paschall Lambe was called the Passe­ouer, and yet was but a signe and remembraunce of their Passeouer, so the bread was called his bodie, and yet it was but a signe and remembraunce of his bodie.

And that this is the right exposition, may appéere by the wordes of Christ, where hee sayth, Doe this [Page] in remembrance of mee. Tertul. contr. Mar. [...]iod. lib. 4. Luke. 22.19. Tertullian like­wise doth so expound them: for hee saith, Christ said, Hoc est corpus meum, id est, figura corporis me [...], This is my body, that is, a figure of my bodie.August. in Psal. 8.Augustine likewise saith, Christi miranda patientia adhibuit Iu­dam ad conuinium in quo corporis & sanguinis sui fi­guram discipulis tradidit [...], The admirable patience of Christ admitted Iudas to the banquet, wherein he deliuered to his Disciples a figure of his body & bloud. And againe hee saith,August. i [...] Tom. 6. contra A­damant. [...] Non dubitauit Dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum, eum daret fignum corporis sui, The Lord doubted not to say this is my bodie, when he gaue but the signe of his bodie. And this exposition must néedes bée true, for Saint Paule saith plainely and expressely, 1. Cor. 11.26.28. That the Communicant doth eate breade, Ergo it remaineth bread after the wordes of consecration. For if it were transubstantiance into the body of Christ, then were there no bread to eate, but the bodie of Christ is the thing that should bée eaten. But none doo eate the ve­rie bodie of Christ: for if euerie Communicant did eate the verie bodie of Christ naturally, carnally, and really (as they grossely suppose) Christ should haue a number of bodies, which inpalpably absurd and mon­strous: and beside then euerie Communicant should bée saued; yet, euen Iudas himselfe (which is knowne to bée the ch [...] of p [...]rdition:) for Christ saith, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud, hath eter­nall life: Iohn. 6.54. Indéede the elect and godly do eat Christ, and drinke Christ, but how? not carnally, but spiritually, and by a true faith, apprehending Christ, and applying Christ with all his benefites as firmly vnto their soules, as the bread and wine is applyed to their bodies.

[Page]B [...]des, if Christ gaue his body to bée eaten real­ly by his Disciples, at the time of the Institution of this Sacrament, what was it that did hang on the crosse on the morrow? Moreouer Saint Peter saith, Act. 3.21. that as touching the bodie of Christ, the Heauens must conteine him vnto the ende of the world: If his bodie bée in heauen, and that hée hath a true bodie (as all men know he hath) how can it be that hée should be both in heauen and in earth, as tou­ching his bodie at one time. For though hée haue a glorified bodie, yet hée reteineth the nature and pro­pertie of a true bodie still, which can bée but in one place at once: August. 2. Iohan. tract. 3. And so saith Augustine, saying, Cor­pus Domini in quo resurrexit vno tantum loce esse po­test: The bodie of the Lorde wherein hee rose a­gaine, can bee but in one place onely. But the Pa­pists to helpe themselues, are driuen to this, to say that there is a miracle in the Sacrament, and that Christ is there miraculouslie: Whereto I answere, that if the breade bée turned into the verie bodie of Christ by a miracle, then should it appeare visibly so, for the nature of euerie miracle is to be visible to the outward eie and senses: as when Christ turned wa­ter into wine, it was visibly wine: When Moses rod was turned into a Serpent, it was visibly a Ser­pent: And so if the breade bée turned into the verie bodie of Christ, it is visibly his bodie, if you will hold a miracle to be wrought therein. But Augustine answereth there is no miracle in the Sacrament,Augustine Tom. 3. de [...] Trinit. lib. 3. cap. 10. say­ing thus: Honorem tanquam Religiosa poscunt ha­bere stuporem tanquam mira non poscunt: The Sacra­ments may haue honour as thinges religious, but they are not to be admired at as miracles. Theodo­ret also is most expressed against Transubstantiati­on,Theodor. Dialog. 2. [Page] for thus he saith: Neque enim signa [...]istica post sanctificationem recedunt à natura sua manent enim in priore substantia, figura & forma, & videri, & tangi possunt sicut prius. That is, The mysticall signes after consecration, doe not depart from their nature, for they abide stil in their former substance, figure and forme, and may be both seene and felt as before.

Gelasius a Pope himselfe, doth say most plaine­ly, that there is no transubstantiation in the Sacra­ment: his words be these, Non desinit substantia vel natura panis & viui, & certe Imago, Gelas. contra Eurich. & similitude cor­poris & sanguinis, Christiin actione miseriorum cor­poris Christi celebratur. The substance or nature of bread and wine doth not cease, and verily there is the image and similitude of the bodie and blood of Christ celebrated in the action of the misteries of the bodie of Christ. And therefore I conclude, that the Church of Rome which now is, is not the same which it was in former times, but it is become degenerate and reuolted from that former puri [...] which once was in it: And conseq [...]ntly it is ex­pressely manifest, that that Church both may and doth erre.

The Church of Rome doth further holde, that their Pope hath authoritie to depose kinges and Princes: But by what Title? It is cleare that in his either so dooing, or attempting to doo hée is both a notable Traitour vnto God whose authoritie hée doth claime and arrogate [...], and vnto Princes to whome hée should bée subiect. For the raising and pulling downe, of Princes God hath reserued to himselfe alone and in his power: For it is hee (not the Pope) that deposeth the mightie from their [Page] seates, and exalteth them that are of lowe degree, Luke, 1. It is hee (not the Pope) that putteth downe Kings, and giueth Kingdomes to whomsoeuer hee will. And it is hee that testifieth of himselfe, saying: Per me Reges regnant, & principes dominantur, By mee Kinges raigne, and Princes beare dominion, Dan. 2.20. & cap. 4.14. & 22. Séeing therefore, It is God that hath this high authoritie proper to himselfe which way can the Pope claime it, without iniurie and treason vnto God? Will hée claime it by reason of his keyes, and in his Apostolicall right? That hée cannot doo: For hée must remember that the keies giuen, were the keies of the kingdome of heauen, Math. 16.19. And therefore by authoritie of the keies h [...] cannot meddle with terrestriall kingdomes to open an entrance for any into them, or to shut out or exclude any that bée in them. And beside Saint Paul the Apostle doth say expressely both of himselfe, and of the rest of the Apostles, that how great au­thoritie soeuer they haue for the ouerthrowing of [...]ang holds (that is, of rebellious thoughts, and proude cence [...], and stiffenecked opinions seated in mens harts against God, as himselfe expoundeth in the same place) that all their power and meanes to conuert men is onely by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, and by the power of the keyes committed to them. In all which their authority, giuen vnto them from Christ, hée confesseth plaine­ly, 2. Cor. 10.4. That the weapons of their warfare, are not carnall, but mighty through God, that is, spirituall: Which words doo demonstrate, that by their ecclesiasticall ministerie, they haue cléerely no ciuill authoritie committed to them.

And moreouer it is manifest, by the practise of the [Page] Apostles and all their precepts (commaunding all Christians to obay their Rulers, their Kinges and Princes, yea, though they were persecutors) that the Apostles neuer had any such authoritie committed to them, Rom. 13.1.2.3.4. 1. Pet. 2.13. Tit. 3.1. And therefore it is vndoubtedly true, that the Pope of Rome cannot claime it by any such authoritie. A­gaine, the Bishop of Rome can claime no more au­thoritie by the power of the keies, or of binding and loosing, than any other Bishop elsewhere may doo, for the keyes, that is to say, the power of opening and shutting, and of binding and loosing, Iohn, 20.22.23. were giuen to all the rest of the Apostles as well as to Peter: And consequently for any Minister of the Gospell thereby to claim [...] authoritie aboue another is absurd: For they bée all indifferently ioined in one commission, and therefore haue al equall authoritie, & therefore the Bishop of Rome by vertue of the keies hath no more authority than any other Bishop hath: That is to say, none at all to depose Princes, their duetie is rather to practise obedience themselues to them, and to teach the same obedience to others as the Apostles of Christ did. Yea, Christ himselfe said, his kingdome was not of this world, Ioh. 18.36. Himself likewise refused to bée made a king, Ioh. 6.15. Himselfe paid tribute vnto Caesar, and commaunded others to giue the same, and all other dueties of sub­iection and obedience vnto Caesar, Math. 22.21. If hée were subiect to Caesar, it is a shame for the Bishop of Rome to exalt himselfe aboue Caesar.

But perchaunce the Bishop of Rome, will challenge this his Soueraigne Authoritie ouer Princes by donation from Constantine, or some o­ther Christian Emperour: Indéede such Fables [Page] sometimes hée is not ashamed to vtter, but let it bée the strongest way for him if you will, that some Christian Emperour was so foolish as to giue him his Empyre (which is neither likely nor credible) yet s [...]y I, it was neither lawfull nor tollerable for him to take it, if hee will bée a Minister of the Gos­pell, or a Successour of the Apostles. For Christ hath expressely forbidden his Apostles, and in them all the Ministers of his Gospell, all such dominion, and ciuill iurisdiction, saying thus vnto them, The Kings of Nations raigne ouer them, and they that be great amongst them, beare rule or dominion: But it shall not bee so with you. Matthew, 20, 25.26. Marke, 10.42.45. Luke, 22.25. and 26. verses.

Which wordes bée most prohibitorie, and shewe that they may not raigne like kings of Nations, nor beare rule as great men in those Nations doo: But they must serue in the Church, and bée diligent to dis­charge that great charge in the Church which their Master Christ Iesus hath laide vppon them: And therefore euery way the Pope of Rome hath no title, but is herein an vsurper, and an intruder, and a noto­rious and odious Traitor both to God and Princes. And besides, all the auntient Churches haue affirmed and acknowledged the supreame authoritie of Prin­ces, aboue and ouer all both Priests and people: And therefore saith Tertullian, Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem à Deo secundum, Tertullian ad Scapu­lam. & solo Deo minorem: VVe honour the Emperour as the next man to God, and inferiour to God onelie. And againe hée saith, that Princes are A Deo secundi, Tertul. in Apologet. [...] post cum primi, ante om­nes, & super omnes. The second to God, the first next after God, and before and ouer all men.

[Page] Optatus in like sort saith,Optatus contr. Par­men. lib. 1 [...] Chrysost. ad populū Antioch. homil. 2. Gregor. e­pist. lib. 3. cap. 100. & cap. 103. Super Imperatorem non est, nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem, There is none aboue the Emperour, but God onelie which made the Emperour. And Chrysostome saith, Parem vllum super terram non habet [...] He hath no equall on earth. And Gregory Bishop of Rome himselfelf affir­meth, That power is giuen to Princes from heauen, not onely ouer souldiers, but priests. And therefore I conclude, that the Church of Rome which now is, is not the Church which once it was, but is wonder­fully fallen into corruption, and growne into pride, both against God and his annointed Prince, and con­sequently not onely may erre, but dooth erre, and that most detestably and abhominably in the highest degrée.

The Bishop of Rome dooth further holde, that hee hath authoritie from God to forgiue sinnes: & there­vpon hee sendeth foorth his Charters of pardon, his Buls and Indulgences, to such as hée meaneth to as­soyle. The Scribes in the Gospell could say, None can forgiue sinnes but God. Mar. 2.7. Iob, 14.4. E­say. 43.25. If therefore the Pope of Rome will take vpon him to forgiue sinnes (in that sort hée dooth) hée must proue himselfe to bée God, otherwise his acti­ons will not bée warranted: how often in the Scrip­tures is it said of God that hée forgiueth iniquity and transgressions? ascribing that authority only to God and to no other.

I néed not recite any particular places, the whole booke of God is plentifull héerein. I doo not denie, but Ministers of the Gospell haue power to binde and to loose sinners (as Christ himselfe sheweth, Math. 16.) but how, and whome? They can neither iustifie the vnrighteous whom God abhorreth, nor yet condemn [Page] the godly and faithfull, whome God dearely loueth: In as much therefore as they cannot pardon such as God condemneth, nor yet condemn such whom God acquiteth, Rom. 8.33.34. it is manifest that al their power of binding and loosing sinners, is limited and bounded within the compasse of Gods word, which they may not passe: for if they doo, they goe beyond their warrant, and so all that they doo will bée of no force. The incredulous and obstinately wicked per­sons, they may by warrant of Gods word pronounce condemnation against, except they doo repent, and to the assuredly faithfull repentant and godly persons, whose centinuall care is to please God and walke in his waies, they may pronounce the sentence of vn­doubted and certaine saluation, because the worde of God doth affirme as much: and this all the binding and loosing of sinners which they haue. For in all their pronunciations of pardons, and forgiuenesse of sinnes, they must bée sure they speak not in their own names, nor their owne wils and pleasures, but they must doo it in the name of God, béeing first assured that it is his word, will, & pleasure which they vtter. But the Bishop of Rome obserueth not the rule of Gods word to sqare & measure his pardō by: but par­doneth whom he lift, & as hee list, as if he were a God himselfe, hauing absolute power in himselfe (without respect of Gods word or will) to doo what he list. In­somuch as Traitors & rebels against God and their lawfull Princes, he will not only pardon without ex­ception, but he will abette them in their deuilish deui­sed, and perswade them forward in their damnable courses, till at last (when it is too late for them to re­pent) they will (if they take not good héed in time) féele the [...]art of it in hell tormentes together for euer. [Page] What the religon of Rome is, may appéere by this, that any man for monie may get a pardō for his sins: & then what sin néed rich men feare to commit, when a Popes pardon will saiue all▪ or how can it be other­wise than a religion of licentiousnes, when for mony a man may haue a licence of dispensation against any sin whatsoeuer. These things be such open blottes to the Romish religion, as that worthily euery good and godly minde hath it in detestation, & doth iustly con­demne it. Yet further will I prooue, that the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church possibly.

1 The Church of Rome doth hold, that the diuine and sacred Scriptures doo not containe all things ne­cessarie to saluation: but their vnwritten traditions must (forsooth) all bée receiued with equall and lyke authoritie, for so hath theyr Councell of Trent deter­mined.Councel, Trent. 1. decree. 4. Session. Distin. 20. cap. in li­bellis. Distin in cap. in ca­nonicis. Distin. 19. cap. sic om­nes. And Pope Le [...] the fourth feareth not to pro­nounce with a loud voice, That hee that receyueth not without difference the Popish Cannons as well as the foure Gospels, beleeueth not aright, nor hol­deth the Catholike faith effectually. The decretall Epistles also they number with the Canonical scrip­tures. And Pope Agathe saith, that all the sanctions and decrées of their Romish Sea are to bee taken as stablished by the diuine voice. Which blasphemies who can abyde▪ For heereby they make both the Scriptures imperfect, and not so content, doe further adde vnto those Scriptures.

Wherein they commit two notable sinnes, first accusing the sacred and canonical scriptures that they containe not al matters necessary to saluation: which is directly contrary to the testimonie of S. Iohn, who saith, that these things are written that ye may be­leeue, & that in beleuing ye may haue life eternal: [Page] and cleane contrary to the testimonie of Saint Paul, who saith, That the Scriptures (giuen by diuine in­spiration) are profitable to reproue, to teach, to cor­rect, to instruct, and perfect the man of God. 2. Tim 3.15. Ergo the Scriptures or word of God written, is a true, sound, and perfect whole doctrine, contai­ning in it selfe fully all things néedfull for our salua­tion. Yea Saint Paule saith expressely to Timothie, That the Scriptures are able to make him wise vn­to saluation. 2. Tim. 3.13. And therefore the Church of Rome béeing cleane contradictorie, dooth maruei­lously erre: and therefore also we néed none of theyr vnwritten traditions.

And againe, how should we bée assured that those traditions which they call Apostolicall, be Apostoli­call, considering them not written by the Apostles? Augustine speaking hereof, saith thus: Si qua reti­nuit Iesus Christus, August. in epist ad Ianuar. quis nostrum dicet hoc vel illud esse? Et si quis hoc dicat, quomodo probabit? That is, If Iesus Christ haue kept any thing close, which of vs shall say that it is this or that? And if anie say it is this, how wil [...] hee proue it? For all the errors of the Church of Rome, shrowd themselues vnder the har­bour of traditions. And Chrysostom saith flatly, what­soeuer is requisite for our saluation, Chrysost. in Math. 24. hom. 4: Chrys. in 2. Thes. 2. is conteined in the Scriptures. And againe hee saith, All thinges bee cleare and plaine in the Scriptures, and whatsoeuer thinges be needfull be manifest there. And Ierome in the prologue of the Bible to Paulyne, after hée had recited the bookes of the new Testament and the old, saith thus:Ierom in his prolog of the Bi­ble. I pray thee (deare brother) among these liue, muse vpon these, know nothing else, seeke for none other thing. And againe vpon the bookes of the olde and new Testament: These writings be holie, [Page] these bookes bee sound, there is none other to bee compared to these, whatsoeuer is beside these, may in no wise bee receaued amongst these holy things. Iero. vpon Agge, 2. And againe hée saith, All other thinges which they seeke out or inuent at their pleasure, without the authority & testimony of the Scriptures (as though they were the traditions of the Apostles) the word of God cutteth off. Let vs therefore stand fast to the written word of God, and as for their traditions, which they cannot prooue but obtrude vnto vs with­out testimonie of Scriptures, let vs contemne them.Athana [...], contra gentiles▪ For as Athanasius saith, the holy Scriptures inspi­red from God, are sufficient to all instruction of the truth. And as for the other point of the Papists in equalling and adding of their traditions, their decre­tall Epistles and Canons, to the pure and diuine word of God, it is a blasphemy intollerable, and who can indure it? For doth not God say thus,Deu. 4. Yee shall put nothing to the word which I commaunde you, neither take ought there from.Deu. 12.Deut. 4. And againe he saith, whatsoeuer I commaund you, that take heede yee doe onely to the Lord, put nothing thereto not take ought therefrom. And doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation,Reue. 22. say that if any man adde to this thinge God shall adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke and shall take away his part out of the booke of life. I conclude there­fore that the Church of Rome which doth not con­tent hir selfe with the sacred and Holie Scripture (which the chast spouse of Christ euermore doth) is not the true Church of God: for there she sheweth hir selfe to beare the marke of a strumpet. But when shée procéedeth and addeth hir owne traditions, De­cretall Epistles, and Cannons to the word written: [Page] and maketh them to be of as good and equall authori­tie as the Canonicall and sacred Scriptures them­selues, What greater pride could haue bin shewed, or what higher blasphemie? But these are the right notes of an adulteresse, to equall hirself with her hus­band. Yea, What should I say more? They holde that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the Scrip­tures, which sheweth fullie the notable pride and spi­rituall whoredome of their Church.

2 The Church of Rome is Idolatrous, and ther­fore it is not the true Church. They fall downe be­fore Idolls and Images as the heathen did, and ther­fore commit Idollatrie as the heathen did: I speake for the manner of their worship, for the heathen how soeuer they worshipped not the true God, yet they thought they worshiped the true God, and their mea­ning was to worship the the true God in the Image or Idoll, as the Papists likewise doo meane: for they say, they be not such fooles as to thinke or beléeue that an Image or Idoll (made of wood or stone) could bée God: neither were the heathen so foolish as to thinke or beléeue that their Idolles or Images were God, (for they knew they were made of wood or stone or such like) but (as they tooke it) they worshipped God in the Image, as the Papists say they doo: and there­fore the case for the manner of worship is all one: A­gaine if the Papistes doo not worshippe the Idoll or Image, why doe they bowe downe vnto it? God commaundeth saying: Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image, Exod. 20. so that the verie making of Images to represent God withall (who is a spi­rit eternall and invisible) is Idollatry. Againe hée saith: Thou shalt not bowe downe to them, nor worship them, &c. So that to bowe downe vnto [Page] them (though they bée supposed to represent God) [...] Idollatrie, for God must be worshipped in such sort as himselfe hath prescribed, and not otherwise: and that it is flat Idollatrie to worshippe God in any I­mage, is expresse and manifest by the Children of Is­raell, when they made the golden Calfe to bee a re­presentation of God,Exod. 32. for the Tert sheweth that it was Idollatrie, for which many of them were pla­gued & punished, and yet their meaning was to wor­ship the true God in the Calfe: for they were not so simple as to thinke or beléeue that that dead Idoll or Image was God, and therefore the Idollatrie of the church of Rome is as grosse and wicked as theirs was. Neyther can the Papists helpe themselues in their wonted distinction of [...] and [...] affirming that they giue to Images but Duliam that is seruice and to God Latriam that is worship,2. Cor. 6.15.16. shewing there­by that both they worship God and serue Images: But how agreeth the temple of God with Images, saith Paull: or what warrant haue they to serue I­mages beside God? When Christ him selfe saith (it is written:) Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, Math 4.10 Deu. 9.13. & 10.20. and him onely shalt thou serue.

And Paull the Apostle doth likewise perswade ex­pressly: that men shuld turne from Idolls or Images to serue the liuing God, (where the word Dulia is v­sed) whereby the Apostle doth shew that there is such an opposition betwéene Images and the seruice of God, that he that serueth the one, cannot serue the o­ther. God himselfe disliketh Idolles and Images vt­terly,Abac. 1. saying by his Prophet that they are so farre from being Lay-mens Bookes (as the Papistes tearme them) that they are no better than teachers of lies. And Saint Iohn himselfe commaundeth all [Page] Christians to kéepe themselues from Idols:1. Ioh, 5.21. Besides it is Idollatry to praye vnto any but God: For Christ hiddeth when men pray, not to call vppon the Uirgin Mary, nor any other Saint departed this life but vpon God onely: When yée pray (saith hée) say thus. Math. 6. Our Father whinh art in heauen &c. Againe Saint Paull saith, howe shall they call vppon him on whom they haue not beleeued? Rom. 10.14 declaring ther­by that faith and prayer goe together. Wee can call vpon none but we must consequently also beleeue on him: But we are to beléeue none but God, therefore wee may pray to none but God; and therefore the Church of Rome calling vpon Saints departed, com­mitteth grosse Idollatry, for the Scripture sheweth that God onely is to be prayed vnto. Besides, They that in their Idolatrous Masse or Sacrament of the altar (as they tearme them) after a certaine mumb­ling of wordes by the Priest, there is no bread nor wine remaining but the very bodie & blood of Christ, and that péece of bread which is showed (for bread it still appeareth to be, for al their magicall mourning) they commanded to bée adored and worshipped. To adore or worship any creature (such as bread is) is I­dolatrie: the Papisticall Church doth the same: Ergo it is Idolatrous. I haue proued it before, that it remai­neth bread after consecration, and that Christ cannot possiblie bee there as touching the bodilie substance because in that respecte he is ascended vp into heauen and there sitteth on the right hand of God his Fa­ther, vntill he come to iudge the quicke and the dead, & if they will not beléeue Diuine testimonies there­in: Yet the authority of Cicero a heathen man might somewhat moue them, for in one place he saith: Quē tam Amentemesse putas qui illum quo vescator De­um credat esse? That is,Cicero. lib de natura. Whome doe you thinke so [Page] mad as to beleeue that which he eateth to be God. Insomuch therefore as the Church of Rome doth worship bread, as if it were God, It is manifest they be grosse Idollaters. And consequently their Church cannot be the true Church of God on earth.

3 The Papistes doe not denie Christ in wordes, but if we examine them by perticulars we shall finde that in déede they doe: as for example, we know that the right faith beléeueth Christ Iesus to be both God and man, which the Church of Rome in wordes will so affirme: But vrge them in this point of the Sa­crament, and then they bewray themselues, that they beléeue not Christ to haue a true bodie: for when they are preassed with this, that the bodie of Christ cannot be both in heauen and in earth at once, and the selfe same time, because it is against the nature of a true bodie so to bée: then they become vbiquitaries and say, that because the Godhead of Christ is euerie where, therefore his humanitie is euerie where. But this is no good consequent, for the Godhead and hu­manitie are of seuerall nature. And if his bodie and flesh were euerie where as his Godhead is: howe is that true which the Angell spake saying surrexit non est hic. He is risen he is not here. For these wordes sheweth that his bodie and flesh is not euery where.Mat 28.6. Againe if he were euery where in respecte of his hu­manitie, how is it true that he ascended into heauen? For that word ascention doth shew that his bodilie presence did remoue from one place to another, and then was it not in that place from whence it did re­moue.

Lastly it is the propertie of a Diuine nature to be euerie where, and therefore whilest they defend this vbiquitie of the flesh of Christ: It is as much as if [Page] they should say that the flesh of Christ is turned into God (which is a groosse Herisie. And thus it appea­reth, that the Papists doe with the Eutichians, deny that Christ hath a true bodie when they holde that (contrarie to the nature of a true bodie) it may be in diuers places at once: yea, euerie where: and therefore denying Christ to haue a true bodie, they are not the true Church: and somuch for their error concerning the person of Christ.

4 Now for the office of Christ, (for his person & his office bee two chiefe thinges which we are all to regard.) The Papists will yéeld with vs that it con­sisteth in these thrée points, namely: that he is both a Prophet, a Priest, and a king. This I say in words they will acknowledge, but in déedes and veritie they doe not, for in respect that Christ is our Prophet which should and did reueale his Fathers will vnto the world, wee ought to bee content with his voice, and search no further then hée hath reuealed in his Scriptures. But the Papists are not so contented, but they holde that their vnwritten traditions and Popish Cannons, must also bee receaued vpon like perill of damnation, as before it shewed concerning the Priesthood of Christ. It consisteth in two things, namely the offering vp of himselfe once for a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice: And his intercession with his Father, which yet remaineth also and shall doe to the worlds end. Both these the Papists anni­hilates as I will proue. First concerning the Sacri­fice and Oblation of Christ, there is noe doubt but béeing once done vpon the Crosse, it was a most full, perfect and satisf [...]ctorie Sacrifice to deliuer both a cul­pa & pana: from the guiltines and the punishment incident to that guiltines: for otherwise how should [Page] Christ bée Iesus, that is a Sauiour,Mat. 1. [...]1 [...] if he did not deli­uer vs from the punishment, as well as from the sin. But the Papists hold that Christ hath obtained by his passion, remission for our sins going before Bap­tisme: but sinnes committed after Baptisme, that his passion hath taken away only the guiltines, but that the punishment remaineth notwithstanding, which is to be paide in purgatorie (as they say) and to be redéemed by our owne satisfactions, and so they make the punishment due to sinne (which is indéed e­ternall in hell) to bee but temporarie in purgatorie vpon satisfactions (as they haue deuised). But what can a man giue for the ransome of his soule? And it appeareth before, euen by the reporte of Augustine that the Catholicke faith beléeueth in Purgatorie, such as they haue inuented.1. Ioh. 1, 6 [...] ▪ For as Saint Iohn saith the blood of Christ is that which purgeth vs from all sinne, and that his most pretious blood is the one­lie Purgatorie wée holde, and doth deliuer his peo­ple from the punishement due to sinnes, aswell as from sinnes: for our punishment was laide vp­pon him and with his stripes are wee healed,Esay. 53. as the Prophet Esay speaketh: Againe the Papists doe saye they offer vp Christ in their Masse, which Masse they saye is propitiatorie, both for the liuing and the dead: First for the dead it cannot bee pro­pitiatorie nor doe good vnto, for as the tree falleth,Eccle. 1 [...]. so it lieth: and as a man is found to die, so bee goeth ei­ther to heauen or to hell. A third place which the Papists call purgatorie there is not. And if any bee in heauen their Masses can doo them no good: for they inioy all good alreadie: And if any bee in Hell,Luk▪ 1 [...]. wee know that Ex inferno nulla redemptio, from hell there is no redemption. And therefore for the dead [Page] it canot be propitiatory, nor any thing els availeable: And for the liuing it cannot be propitiatorie. Yea it is blasphemo us & derogatorie to the passion of Christ once for all, for in asmuch as he is a Priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedeck, he is to die but once which he did vpon the Crosse: whose obligation bée­ing perfect (as the Author to the Hebrews speaketh:Heb. 5. & 6.7. & 8, & 9,) néedeth not any other helpe (as of maske or whatso­euer els) to make it perfect: yea it is wicked, grosse, blasphemous, and damnable to suppose any imper­fection in the sacrifice and ablation of Iesus Christ, for God twice cried with a voice from heauen saying, This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well plea­sed. Math. 3.17 Math, 17.8

5 As touching the other part of his Priesthood: namely,Rom. 8.34. Heb, 7.25. his intercession with his father, whereby he maketh request vnto God for vs, although the Pa­pists ascribe them chiefly vnto Christ, yet what doo they else but cleane robbe him of it, when they asso­ciate others with him. As namely the virgin Mary, They call her the Queene of heauen; the gate of Paradise; their life and sweetenes; the Treasurer of Grace; the refuge of sinners; and the Media­trix of men. I pray what doo they nowe leaue to Christ: Yea when they say thus to her,

O felix puerpera nostra pians scelera, iure matris impera Redemptori, that is, O happy mother satisfieng for our sinnes, by thy motherly authority commaund the Redeemer.

What greater blasphemy to Christ coulde they haue vttered? It is cleare that saint Paul saith there is but one God, and one Mediatour betwéene; God [Page] and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 1. Tim. 2.5. But the Papists bée not content with him, but will haue many Mediatours. Saint Paul saith moreouer, that by him wée haue b [...]ldnes and accesse vnto God, Eph. 3.12. And therefore what foolish feare is it of the Papists to appoint to themselues other Mediatours? Sith therefore the Church of Rome doth not repute the once Oblation of Jesus Christ, and his Interces­sion to bee perfect, but accuse them of imperfection (as appeareth by their doctrines) it cannot possibly be the true Church. Christ himselfe biddeth to aske in no other name than in his, and promiseth that whatsoe­uer shall bée asked in his name, it shall bée done, Ioh. 14.13.14. Chrysostome, Chrisose. homil. 12. de Cana [...] ­neae. speaking of the woman of Canaan, who though shée were a sinner was hold to come vnto Christ, saith thus, En prudentiam huius mulieris non precatur Iacobum non supplicat Iohanem, non adit ad Petrum, nec Apostolorum caesum respicit, aut vllum eorum requirit, sed pro his omnibus peniten­tiam sibi comitem adiungit & ad ipsum fontem pro­greditur. Behold the wisedome of this woman. She doth not pray Iames, shee doth not beseech Iohn, shee goeth not to Peter, shee looketh not to the companie of the Apostles, neither doth request a­ny of them, but for all this shee taketh repentance for hir companion, Iadem [...] ­mil. and goeth to the verie fountaine it selfe. And againe he saith, that to haue accesse vnto God, Nihil opus est atriensi seruo vel interces­sore, sed dic miserere mei Deus, is enim te audit quo­cun (que) sis loco & vndecunque innocetur. VV haue no need of any Courtly attendant or intercessor, but say, haue mercie vpon me O God, for hee heareth thee in what place so euer thou art, and from what place soeuer thou callest vpon him. Ambrose like­wise [Page] answeareth the carnall reason of the Papists,Ambro. in Rom, 1. solent (saith he) misera vti excusatione dicentes, per istos posse ire ad Deum sicut per comites itur ad reges, ideo ad regum per tribunos & comites itur quia homo vtique est rex: ad deum autem, quem vtique nihil la­tet, suffragatore non est opus sed mente deuota. Ʋbi­cunque enim lelis locutus fuerit & respondebit illi. That is, They are wont to vse a pityfull excuse say­ing, by these (Saints.) They may haue accesse vn­to God, as by Earles there is accesse to Kings, Ther­fore is it that by Officers and Earles accesse is made to the King, because the King himselfe is a man. But to come to God (from whom nothing is hid) there is no neede of a spokesman, but of a deuout minde: for wheresoeuer such a one speaketh to him, he wil answeare him. The Church of Rome therefore which accounteth not of the sufficiencie & perfection of that one Oblation of Christ, nor of his continuall intercession: cannot possiblie be the true Church.

6 The Papists in words will not denie but Christ is a King, which hath all power in heauen and in earth: But indéed it appeareth they doe exile and ba­nish him out of his kingdome, or at least leaue him but a small portion or rather none at all: for in re­spect that hee is a spirituall King and the King of his Church,Iam. 4.12. he is also (as Saint Iames speaketh) the on­ly law giuer thereunto, and therefore-by his lawes only, the Church is to be gouerned, which they can­not abide, for they adde their Popish cannons, consti­tutions, and customes, whereby they will haue the Church gouerned: yea they wil haue these take place though they vtterly displace the word of God, for the maintenance of them. Secondly Christ onely is to raigne in the consciences of men, and yet the Pope [Page] claimeth power to binde mens consciences by his lawes, statutes, and decrees. Thirdly hee claimeth most traiterously to be the head of the whole vniuer­sall Church, which title by way of prerogatiue is gi­uen and attributed onely to Iesus Christ (to whome it onely appertaineth.Ephe. 1.22.) But before I procéed anye further herein, I demaund of the Pope and Papists: when & by what right he their proud Pope taketh vp on him this title to be head of the Church or vniuer­sall Bishop ouer all the Christian world (by vertue of which title he taketh vpon him to rule as he list, & to doe what he list.) First to claime it as successor to Peter, is impossible for that Peter the Apostle, ne­uer had any such title, prehemince, or authoritie ouer the rest of the Apostles.Mat. 16.18.

It is true that Christ sayd to Peter (after hée had confessed Christ to be that Christ the sonn of the liuing God.) Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church. These wordes hitherto giue no superioritie to Peter aboue the rest: only they shew that the Church is builded non super Petrum sed super Petram: not vpon the person of Peter but vpon the rocke: and vpon what rocke? namely vp­pon that Christ Jesus whom Peter confesseth to bée the sonne of the liuing God. For that confession of Peter concerning Iesus to bée that Christ the sonne of the liuing God, is the rocke whereupon the Church is builded: for (as Saint Paull expoundeth and affirmeth.) Other foundations can no man lay, 1. Cor. 3.11 but that which is laid already, namely Iesus Christ: And in another place hée saith expressely:1. Cor. 10.4 that that rocke was Christ: And Christ himselfe affirmeth likewise,Mat. 7.24. that he that heareth his wordes and doth them is likened to one that buildeth his house vpon [Page] a rocke, shewing thereby that he, and his words, & Doctrine be the rocke, against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile. Agreeably whereunto speaketh Saint Paull againe,Eph. 2.20 when hee saieth that the Church is builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Christ Iesus himselfe beeing the head stone in the corner. Where then shall wee finde that Peter was made Prince of the Apostles to rule ouer all the rest,Mat. 16.19 as the Pope now doth: The Papists answeare that in the next wordes, when Christ gaue vnto Peter by speaciall name, the keyes of binding & loosing, he thereby made Peter the P [...]ince & vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church. But here­unto I say, that Christ therein gaue no authoritye more to Peter than to the rest, that is at this time: The keyes were not giuen to him nor to the rest, on­ly there was a promise that they should be giuen: for the wordes be not in the present tense, Do tibi I giue vnto thee: But in the future tense, Dabo tibi I will giue vnto thee, which promise of Christ was after­ward truely performed, and when it was performed, the keyes,Ioh. 20.22.23. that is the power of binding and loosing sinners, was giuen not onely to Peter, but to Peter and all the rest together, as Saint Iohn in his Gos­pell cléerely declareth and avoucheth. Now because Peter was the man that gaue answeare for himselfe and the rest, and so both Cyprian and Augustine doe expound and declare it: And therefore neither in the promise of the keyes, nor yet in the receit of the keyes, by Peter did he receaue any more authoritie or supe­rioritye than the rest of the Apostles did. I grant he was called Primus because he was of the first that was called to the Apostleship, or because hee was the first of all the Apostles that confessed Christ to be the [Page] Messias and Sonne of the liuing God, or because hée was readiest alwaies to speake and answere. But all this, doth not proue that hee had authoritie ouer the rest, or a larger Commission than the rest: Yea the words of their Commission doe shew the contra­rie, namely that they had all equall authoritie, for it was thus made vnto them all indifferently, & with­out putting a difference, namely, Goe ye and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Fa­ther, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, tea­ching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you, Math. 28.19.20. Runne ouer all that remaineth written and you shall finde that Peter was one of the twelue equall with the rest, and their fellow but not their Lord: Where was Peters superiority, when Paul reprooued him to his fate? Gallathians, the second Chapter, and the elea­uenth verse, when béeing accused, hée pleadeth no priuiledge, but for the clearing of himselfe, and satis­faction of others, hée aunswereth to that accusati­on?

Where was Peters authority ouer the rest, when the rest sent him and Iohn into Samaria? Acts, the eleauenth Chapter, the third and fourth verses: and also in Acts, the eighth Chapter, and the fourtéenth verse. In that hée went at their sending, hée plainely sheweth that hée had no principalitie ouer them.

Where was his preheminence or authority, when in a Councell held at Ierusalem, where the Apostles were, yet not Peter, but Iames, ruled the action, and according to his sentence was the Decrée made, Luke, 22.25.26. &c.

Yea, I say moreouer, that when there was con­tention [Page] amongst the Apostles, who should bée chiefe amongst the, Christ told them plainely, that kings of Nations might beare rule ouer their people, and that great men vnder those kinges might likewise exercise authoritie ouer other, but so might not they doe one ouer another, Luke 25.26. &c. But the greatest amongst them should be as the least, & as a seruant: yea, should bee the least, and should be a seruant, as it is declared in Matthew, 20.25, 26 and in Marke, 10.42, 43.

If the greatest must be as the least, what authori­tie hath hée aboue the least? For then hath the least as great authoritie as the greatest: That is, they bene all equall authoritie. I meruaile therefore what the Pope and Papists meane, contrary to the tenour of the Commission of Christ, contrary to the practise of Peter himselfe, and contrary to this decrée made by Christ of their equallity, to say notwithstanding that Peter was Prince of the Apostles, and had au­thoritie ouer them all, when as indéede, it is manifest by all the Scriptures and course of his life, he neither claimed nor had any authoritie ouer the rest, more than the rest had ouer him, and consequentlye the Pope of Rome can neuer claime that as successour to Peter, which was neuer in Peter his supposed pre­decessour.

The Papists perceauing that the scriptures make nothing for them, but against them, (because they would haue the matter coloured with some Antiqui­tie, or shew of Antiquitie at the least:) haue deuised some counterfet and forged Authors, (as Amacle­tus, and Amissetus and such like) to speake some­thinge for them. But the falsehood of all those, is dis­couered by other writers (if they bee well marked.) [Page] In Cyprians time it was déemed a matter odious for any to take vpon him to be a Bishop of Bishops, as appeareth by that voice which he cryed in the Coun­saile of Carthage. It was likewise decréed in the Af­fricans Counsell that none should be called Prieste of Priests, or Archpriest, or any such like. The Coun­sel of Nice did decrée that the Bishop of Rome should kéepe himselfe within the compasse of his prouince and not excéed his bounds, as likewise the Bishop of Antioch, Ierusalem, and Constantinople were [...] doo the like. Other Councells did affirme as much, (which because they are sufficiently knowne I néede not to recite. But they all shewe that at those times the Bishop of Rome had no greater Jurisdiction than within his owne Prouince, and that hée coulde not meddle within the Prouinces of other Bishops. And Ierome of his time sayth,Hierome ad Euagri­um. that the Bishoppe of Engubium, or any other the least Sea, is equall to the Bishop of Rome. The Title of Uniuersall Bi­shop, was much desired of John Bishop of Constan­tinople, and much contention there was about it. But it was neuer obtained of the Bishop of Rome vntill the time of Boniface the third, who procured that Title of Phocas that wicked Emperour of Rome: after which, the Bishops of Rome neuer cea­sed still to augment their dignitie, and increase the pride of their Romish Sea: And euen at that very first time when John Bishop of Constantinople, sought to get that Title of Uniuersall Bishop to his Sea, Gregorie then Bishoppe of Rome,vide Greg. lib. 4. epist. 32.34, 36, 38.39. & lib. 6. epist. 24.28.29, 30. did himselfe stand against it mightily, and affirmed that hée could bée no lesse than Antichrist whosoeuer did take vnto him that Title. First therefore it is manifest, that vntill the time of Gregorie Bishop of Rome, an vni­uersall [Page] Bishop was not heard of in the Church, and Boniface the thirde was the first Bishop of Rome that got this title which was aboue 600. yeares after Christ. And besides how will the Bishop of Rome that now is, avoid himselfe to be Antichrist, Sith by the expresse determination of Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome his predecessour, hée is condemned for Anti­christ, in as much as hée hath this Title, and is not ashamed thereof. For what is this else, but to come in the place of Christ, and consequently to bee Anti­christ, vsurping the prerogatiue Title of Christ Je­sus? But the Pope saith, that though hée claime thus to bee the heade of the Church, yet hee doth not name hims [...]lfe to bee otherwise than a Ministeriall head, & to bée Christs Vicar on earth. But why will he be so arrogant as to challenge this Title without [...]full [...]onueyance made vnto him from Christ, which hee cannot show. For who dare take vppon him to bée a [...]i [...]uetenant to an earthly Prince with­out S [...]st [...]rs Pattents first had from the Prince. A­gaine, the Church of Christ on earth, being as a chast Spowse to her Husband and head Christ Iesus: nei­ther can or ought to acknowledge any other for her head, than that her husband to whom shée hath pligh­ted her troth. Lastly, there can bee no successour but when the Predecessour is gone and absent, but Christ is alwaies presente with his Church accor­ding to his owne words, Beholde I am with you to the ende of the world, Matthew, 28.20. And there­for hée can haue neither Successour nor Vicar to re­present his person, or to guide his Church: For his spirit (since his bodily ascention) is the guide and go­uernesse of the Church in his roome, Iohn, 14. & 15. & 16. For no man mortall is appointed thereunto.

[Page]I conclude therefore that for all these causes the Church of Rome can not possibly be the true Church.

7 The Church of Rome doth not ascribe Justifi­cation to faith in Christ Iesus onely, but saith that mens works be meritorious, and to them partly is Iustification to bée ascribed, and so they make mens imperfect works to be causes of saluation, which is a grosse errour euen in the foundation or fundamental point. Saint Paul saith, That all are iustified freely by his grace, Rom. 3.24. If they be Iustified gratis, freely, (as hée affirmeth) then are they Iustified withoot any desert of theirs. And Saint Paul setteth downe the Axiome in the Conclusion, VVee holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law, Rom. 3.28. And the Apostle in very many places (whereof mention shall hée made here­after) doth expressely exclude Weekes from being a­ny causes of our Iustification: [...] indéede they are the effects thereof: And therefore it appeareth to bée a true position, that Faith onely doth Iustifie, in as much as Iustification is (in the sight of God) impu­ted to our Faith, not to our Workes: For Abra­ham beléeued God, and that was imputed to him for righteousnes, as Paul speaketh Rom. 4.8. And hée sheweth that Abraham was not iustified by Works before God, for if Abraham were iustified by works, then should hée haue wherein to glory, but not before God, and because hée had not wherein to glory be­fore God, therefore hée was not iustified in the sight of God. I graunt that saint Iames in his seconde Chapter doth say that Abraham was iustified by his Works, when hée offered vp his Son Isaac at Gods commaundement: And likewise that hée saith, that a [Page] man is iustified by Works, and not by Faith onely: But before whom is hée iustified by Works? Not before God, but before men, that is to say, his works doo declare vnto men that saith whereby hée is iusti­fied before God: And that this is the meaning of saint Iames may appeare by that his saying, where he saith, Shew vnto me thy Faith by thy VVorks, thou saiest thou hast faith, that is not inough, thy words doth not proue it, thy works will, therefore (saith hee shew me thy faith by thy workes. This word (Shew mee) doth manifest what manner of iu­stification hée speaketh off, namely, that he speaketh of a iustification before men. For it is God that re­specteth the faith of a man, whereby onely hée is iu­stified in his sight: And it is men which respect the workes, whereby indéede they testifie vnto the world their faith to be good before God. For (as saint Iames saith truely) faith without works is but a dead faith, and not good, nor found, nor auaileable. But faith and works must goe together, and indéede where a true faith is, there good works will shew themselues as the fruits thereof. And thus Paul and Iames are to bee reconciled, which thing Thomas Aquinas a schooleman of the Papists doth himselfe plainely testi­fie saying, that Christ Iesus doth iustifie effectiuè ef­fectually: Faith doth iustifie apprehensiuè, by taking hold of Christ: and good works doo iustifie declara­tiuè, that is, doo declare vnto men their iustification before God: And so it is cleare, that howsoeuer, a true faith cannot bee without workes, as fire cannot bee without light and heate, yet our iustification be­fore God is to bee imputed to our faith, not to our works: as warmth is to bee imputed to the heate of the fire, not to the light of the fire. For so saith saint [Page] Paul expressely, That God imputeth righteousnes without works, Rom. 4.6. And againe, That it is by grace not of workes, Rom. 11.6. And againe, Not of workes, Rom. 9.11. Againe, saint Paul telleth the Saints at Ephesus, that God hath ordained men to walke in good workes, yet he saith that they may not trust to be saued by them, for he affirmeth, and assu­reth them, That they are saued by grace, and not by their works, Eph. 28.9.10. Againe, he speaketh in the person of himselfe, & of all the children of God, and saith, that wee are saued not by workes, but by his predestination and grace,Hilláry in Mat. cap. 82. Tim: 1.9. And againe, God is our Sauiour, not for any-workes which wee haue done, but according to his owne mercie hee hath saued vs, Tit. 3.5. And diuers other like places bée: Wherefore saint Hillary hath these very words (which we hold) Sola fides iustificat, Faith only doth iustifie. Amb. in Rom. 3. And Ambrose among other sentences hath this, Non iustificàri hominem apud Deum nisi per fi­dem, That a man is not iustified before God but by Faith. Which is as much, as Faith onely doth iustifie before God. Saint Basil doth say, that this is perfect and sound reioycing in God, when a man doth not boast of his owne righteousnes, but knoweth that he wanteth in himselfe true righteousnes, and that he is iustified by faith onely. And Gregory Nazianzen saith, that to beléeue onely, is righteousnes. And ther­fore it is euident both by the expresse testimony of the Scriptures, and of the Fathers, that wee holde the truth in this behalfe, and that the Church of Rome is in a maruellous errour. It is true which is written, that euery man shall bee rewarded according to his works: because the faith of men is estéemed and esti­mated by their workes, as the frée is knowne by the [Page] trust: But there is no Text of scripture to shewe, that any man is saued propter merita, for his works or merits, but many Texts of scripture to the contra­ry, as before appeareth. For when we haue done all that we can, yet we must say (as Christ commaun­deth) Wee are vnprofitable seruaunts, Luke, 17.10. And therefore the Papists which teach workes meri­torious, yea workes of supererogation availeable to saluation, as well for others as for themselues, holde not the right faith, and consequently are not the true Church.

8 But if I should shew all the corruptions of the Ró­mish Church, I should be infinite, neither am I able to number them. I will therefore conclude all this discourse onely with this argument following. The Pope of Rome being the head of that Church, is that famous Antichrist that was foretold by Paull the A­postle, and that is presignified in the reuelation of Saint Iohn, Ergo it is impossible that the Church of Rome, should be the true Church, for the Church of Antichrist (though it boast neuer so much) cannot bée the true Church though it would faine bee so accoun­ted, as many an harlot desireth to bee reputed an ho­nest woman, one marke of that Antichrist, Paull sheweth to be this: 2. Thes. 2.8. that he should exalt him selfe aboue euerie one that is called God: hee doth not say aboue God, but aboue euery one that is called God: Iohn. 10.34. Nowe those whome the Scriptures calleth God we know to be such as be the Iudges & Magistrates of the earth, Psa. 81.6. who for that they bee in the place of God and his Lieu­tenants, are vouchsafed (in Scripture) this high and Honourable title is to bee called Gods. That the Pope of Rome is such a one as doth exalt himselfe a­boue [Page] any such God of the Earth, namely aboue all Princes and Magistrates is a thinge so well knowne as I néede not to prooue it: himselfe by his wicked practises, and his Iesuits Seminaries, and Patrons doe in their bookes manifest the same vnto the world.

2 An other marke of Antichrist Paul setteth downe to be this, namely: 2. Thes. 2.4. that hee should sit in the Temple of God as God, shewing himselfe to be God. And I pray what doth the Pope els but sit in the Temple of God as God: When claiming the Apostolike Sea, he taketh vpon him to bee the head of the Church and to rule it as he list: to erect Prin­ces, and to depose them againe from their thrones: that hee cannot erre: that hee can forgiue sinnes: matters that belong peculiarly to God and to no o­ther? What doth hee els but by these demonstrati­ons shew himselfe to be God, insomuch as hee arro­gateth to himselfe most proudly the authority of God himselfe: which things the Sixt booke of the Decre­tals, the Clemantines, and the Extrauagants doe a­bundantly testifie. For these men were not content with that which Angelicus wrote in his Poetry (the beginning whereof is, Papa stupor mundi, the Pope is the wonder of the world. Nec Deus es, nec homo, sed neuter, & inter vtrumque. Thou art not God, ne art thou man: But neuter mixt of both. But these Popes were bold to take vnto themselues the verie name of God, and to accept it giuen of others, accor­ding as Pope Sixtus the fourth, when he should first enter into Rome in his dignitie papall, had made for him a Pageant of Triumph, cunningly fixed vpon that gate of the Citie he should enter at, hauing writ­ten vpon it this Blaspemous verse, dedicated vnto him.

Yea shall I say more? The Pope (if any man in the world) doth take vpon him such more than Lucife­rian pride (howsoeuer to deceaue the worlde with wordes, he calleth himselfe seruus seruorum Dei, a ser­uant of the seruants of God) that he exalteth himselfe aboue God himselfe and his worship: for hee taketh vpon him to bée aboue the Scriptures and to dispense with them at his pleasure, and to allow matters con­trarie vnto them: which God himselfe (whose will is immutable and reuealed therein) will not doe: for he and his worde will not be contrarie. Againe héere­by it is manifest that he exalteth himself aboue God, inasmuch as there is lesse danger and punishment, for any that breaketh any of Gods lawes, than for one that breaketh any the least constitution of the Pope. Moreouer, He claimeth authoritie in three places: Heauen, Earth, and Purgatorie, and that is the reason he weareth a triple Crowne: so that by this account and claime, he hath more and larger ex­tended authoritie than God himselfe: for such a third place as purgatorie is, hee knoweth not of. And what do these things but manifest him to exalt him­selfe euen aboue God and all that is worshipped?

3 Antichrist is described to bee such done as should come in lying signes and false miracls, and wonders 2. Thes. 2.9. (whereby, if it were possible, he would [Page] deceaue the verie elect.) And that this is verified in the Pope and Popish Church, as all men knowe that haue béene acquainted with their knaueries, de­ceits, and fraudes, so let their Aurea Legenda and booke of Trophes testifie to the whole world.

4 S. Paul 2. Thes. 2.8. Sheweth by his name that he that he speaketh of should be O'anomos, that is, a lawles person, or one subiect to no law which is also manifestly verified in the Pope, for no lawes will hold him, neither diuine nor humane, for he claimeth to bée aboue them all, and to change and alter what he list, and when he list, and to whome he list: which the glose vpon the decretalls doth testifie, saying thus of the Papists, Legi non subiacet vlli, that is, He is not subiect to any law. What is this els but to bée O'anomos, a lawles person euen the very same whom Saint Paull speaketh of.

5 Saint Iohn in his Reuelations doth portraye Antichrist & his seat by the name of the great whore, with whome haue committed fornication the kings of the Earth, & the Inhabitants of the Earth haue bin drunke with the wine of hir fornication. This woman is that great Citie which hath dominion o­uer the kinges of the earth at the time of this Re­uelation as Saint Iohn expressely affirmeth. Reuela. 17.18. It is well knowne that there was then no other Cittie which raigned ouer the kings of the earth but only Rome: And therefore Rome onely is and must néeds bée the Sea of Antichrist, for no other can bée by this euident & plaine description of Saint Iohn, for Rome was the onely Citie of the worlde, that raigned ouer the kings of earth, the head where­of was then the Emperour, but now the Pope: for the condition of the first beast (namely of the Ro­maine [Page] Empire ciuill) is altred and changed into an Ecclesiasticall and Romaine Empire.

6 Saint Iohn in his Reue. 13.1 [...]. saw a beast ri­sing out of the Earth which had two Houres like the Lambe: but he spake like the Dragon, & then all that is spoken of this beast doth fitly and onely agrée to that man of Rome the Pope, who though in shew he were the Lambe, for what is more milde or hum­ble than to call himselfe, the seruant of the seruants of God? Yet indéed he plaieth the part of the Dra­gon or Deuill, hauing learned this cunning of Sa­than, who though he bée neuer so bad a spirit: yet will transforme himselfe into an Angell of light to deceaue soules, 2. Cor. 11.14. as the Apostle shew­eth. But héere is wisdome saith Saint Iohn in that Reuelation: Let him that hath any wit count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, & his number is 666. Now because the number of this wicked beast containeth sixe hundreth sixty & sixe Ire­neus thinketh that this Antichristian beast should be [...] that is a man of Italie, for the number of the beast is set downe in great letters, and this Gréeke word (Lateines) doth make it vp the iust number of 666. which is the number of the beasts name. If any doe thinke, that though this Reuelation were written in Gréeke, as being the more knowne and common language, yet that it was vttered to Saint Iohn in Hebrew, because the Hebrew tongue is the Holy tongue: & that Iohn himselfe was an Hebrew or Iew by nation, and that likewise diuers Hebrew words are found in the Reuelation: Whose opinion is not vnlikely but very probable, then let him séeke out an Hebrew worde which containeth that iust number, and herein be néedeth not to search far or to [Page] studie much vpon the matter, for the Hebrew worde [...] (that is Romanus a man of Rome, in Eng­lish) doth in those Hebrew letters containe the iust number of 666. which is the number of the name of that Antichristian beast. And so by the number of the name to be accounted, either by Gréeke letters, or by Hebrew letters, it is perfectly agreeing to that man of Rome the Pope: all the markes agréeing to Antichrist (whatsoeuer they be) are found fully and onely accomplished in the Pope, and therefore there is no doubt but he is that notable Antichrist, of whō Paull and Saint Iohn in his Reuelation do testifie, & consequently the Church of Rome, being not the true Church of Christ, but contrarywise, the visible Church of Antichrist is iustly forsaken, and for euer to be forsaken of all Christians as they tender their saluation in Iesus Christ, to whom onely they haue betrathed themselues, and to whome they must re­maine constant for euermore, which God graunt vs all to doe. Amen.

MAny there bée who of a godly and zea­lous minde, do in good sort séeke for Re­formation and for that Church gouer­ment, which Christ himselfe hath insti­tuted in his Church, whome I neither dare, nor do remoue: others there bée, that séeke Re­formation amisse, with venemous and [...] tongues, railing, and reuiling against those which with stand it, which thinges doe neither grace them­selues, nor yet the cause which they would preferre, [Page] other some there bée, who to make the cause of refor­mation odious, do say that it abolisheth hir Maiesties supreme gouerment & authoritie in causes ecclesiasti­call: I would wish all men to speake the truth, and to séeke the preferment of Gods truth in a dutifull, peac­able, & charitable sort, let the cause be made no worse than it is, for my part I desire no more, then euery Christian ought, namely that the truth of God should carrie the preheminence (whatsoeuer it bee.

And I would to God that all malice and contenti­on) all of all parts would grow more charitablye af­fected both in their words and in their writings, one towardes another: for so would this controuersie sooner come to an end, and the more speedily bée deci­ded. Others there bée (who for that in so long time they cannot sée their desired discipline and Church go­uerment to bée established, runne from our Church, and make a schisme and seperation from vs, erecting Disciplne by their owne authoritie, condemning our Church to bée no Church, that they may make their detestable Scisme the more allowable: these are the Brownists and Barrowists, who will not staye the chiefe Magistrates pleasure for the establishing thereof, nor yet allow vnto vs any Church in Eng­land, but themselues, But they (for against them I deale) you must vnderstand that a Church may bée, yea a true Church may bée and is, though it haue neither Elders, nor Deacons, nor Disciplines in it. For wée reade in Act. 2. ver. 41.42.43.47. of an ass [...]mblie of people of Ierusalem, that receaued the word of God and beléeued, and which are expres­ly called a Church, (and who can or dare deny them to be the true Church of God, sith the Holy Ghost doth so testefie of them? & yet at that time no Dea­cons [Page] were chosen, nor consistories of Elders erected. For they were not erected till afterward. And there­fore a true Church of God may bee: though as yet it haue not these, for this desired Discipline is not an essentiall part of the Church, for it doth but resem­ble the wall of a Citie, or an hedg or ditch about a vineyeard, and it is a Citie though the wall be wan­ting, and it is a vineyeard though the hedg or ditch be wanting: though so much the lesse fortified I grant. In asmuch therefore as wee haue the preaching of Gode holy word, and the right administration of the Sacraments (which bee the essentiall markes of the true Church.) None ought to forsake our Church for any other defect, corruption, or imperfection. For there may bée corruptions both in Doctrine and Discipline some, and yet the Church where they be, the true Church of God. Admit (if they will) that Ministers in the Church of England bee not rightly created and brought into the Church, will they there­fore count they be no Ministers? By as good an ar­gument they may say [...] that hee that is brought and borne into the world not according to the right course or order of nature, but otherwise (as by ripping of his Mothers belly) is no man, for the one commeth as vnorderly into the world as the other doth into the Church, I am sure the corrupt ordination of a Mini­ster doth not proue him to bée no Minster: Neither doth any other corruption in our Church take away the life and béeing of a Church: for if a man bee dis­eased and full of corruptions, Will any man there­fore say he is no man? They say wée doe not onely want the right Discipline; but wee haue also put a wrong Discipline in the place thereof. But what of thi [...]: The error then I confesse is great, but yet not [Page] such as doth make a Nullitie of our Church, so long as it holdeth Christ Iesus, the life and soule of his Church, and is ready to reforme hir errour, when­soeuer by good proofe it shall bee manifested vnto hir. In the meane time their argument is nothing worth, for if a man loose a legge or arme; yet none will deny him to bée a man, for all this blemish or defect, yea though hee put a wodden legge instéede of his legge which hée wanteth, yet he remaineth a man still, be­cause his principall parts remaine. So though wée want that Discipline, yet wée haue the principall parts of the Church, namely the right preaching of the word of God and administration of Sacraments & therefore a true Church of God vndoubtedly. And if we haue a true Church, though not a perfect church let the Brownists & Barrowists consider from whence they are fallen, for if the Church of Christ bée the bo­dy of Christ, as Saint Paull affirmeth: ▪ what [...] they els but by their schisme and seperation sent thē ­selues from the body of Christ? and then let them re­member whose members they be vntil they be [...]ni­sed. Let them no longer for sh [...]e charge ou [...] Church with Idolatry, except they were better able to prooue it, which neither they nor all the wor [...] shall [...]. To say (as they say) that a set forme of prayer vsed in the Church and exhibited vnto God, the prayer being framed according to the rule of Gods word is Idolat­ry: is detestable. For by as good reason they may condemne al prayer made vnto God by the Preacher or Pastor of the Congregation, which they wil not doe: And besides all the reformed Churche [...] in Chri­stendome haue a set forme of publike praiers for pub­like meetings and Congregations.

They say that we obserue Saints daies, and de­dicate [Page] Churches vnto them, but they should shewe that wée doe these thinges in Honour of the Saints, else haue they no reason to that [...] our Church with Idolatrye (as wickedly they doe:) for the Statute it selfe doth expresse, that our Church doth call them Holy-daies, not for the Saints sake, but for the Holy exercises vsed vpon them in the publike assemblies. Againe: True it is, that diuers Churches amongst vs are called by the name of those Saintes they are dedicated vn­to: But to say therefore wee doe Dedicate Chur­ches vnto them, is very ridiculous. For when wee call Saint Peters Church, or Saint Paules Church: It is but to Distinguish them from o­ther Churches by their names.

In Athens there was a place which bare the name of Mars, and Saint Luke in Act. 17. calleth it Mars [...]xeete, so any [...] [...]e [...]re so foolish, or so fond, as to say therefore bee commit­teth Idolatry, or that therefore bee Dedicated that place to that heathen God of battaile. Done I thinke will bee so wicked or absurde.

Moreouer it is true that we obserue Fasting daies: But therein we obserue no Romish fasts, nor place therein the worshippe of God, nor the Remissi­on of our Sinnes, nor the merits of Eternall life (as the Papistes doe). That the Politike lawes of this land which [...]out that men shall not eate flesh vpon certaine daies, doe it in respect of the Common-wealth, as to maintaine Nauigation so much the better, and for the spare of the breed of young cattell, appointing moreouer a pennaltie for such as shall take the dayes to bee obserued as meri­torious Romish fasts.

[Page]I therefore wish them to cease their slander against this Church, & to cease their damnable schisme, & to bée reconciled to that Church of ours, from whence they haue foolishly departed, for howe imperfecte a Church soeuer it bée (whose imperfections God cure in his good time, yet shall they neuer bée able to shew otherwise but that the Church of England, is the true Church of God, from which it is vtterly vnlaw­full to make a seperation, God for giue vs al, and re­concile vs vnto him. Amen.