CHAP. I. Proving, That a true visible Church may fall away.

TO pass by the Rhetorick of the Title, and the aptness of the phrase of [ singular onely one] as an emphatical addition to [ the one onely] and the consistence between Roman, and Catholick, and between singular, and Catholick, or univer­sal. How, and in what respects of reason, and what senses may be thought upon, wherein the same thing may be called both Roman and Catholick, both singular and univer­sal. The Discourse it self begins with unconuected Quotations of several choice portions of Holy Scripture: And, indeed, so far as there is a cordial adherence and subjection of heart unto that rule among different parties and persuasions, it will, through the grace of Christ, produce either union of Judge­ment, or at least union of Brotherly affection, and forbearance of love; but what esteem the Church of Rome hath for the [Page 8]Holy Scriptures, is well known, She doth not subject her [...] unto them: And though you in this Discourse de Quote them, as your Writers sometimes do; yet, if you be a true Roman Catholick, it is not with any intent to subject your Church up­to the Scripture, and to advance the Scriptures above your Church; but onely to deal with Hereticks (as you call them) at their own Weapons; and to use the Scripture as a stepping­stone, whereby to mount up your Church into the Throne of her pretended Supremacy and Inerrability, as one would use a stirrup to get into the saddle; wherein, nevertheless, your means hath an inconsistency with your end, as will further appear, be­fore we come to a close of this Debate: Your Argumentation from the Scriptures you recite, begins thus.

CHAP. II. Of the Nature and Kinds of Apostasie, and of the Apostasies of the Church of Rome.

CHAP. III. Of the Nature of Heresie.

CHAP. IV. Of the Heresies of the Church of Rome, eight particulars instanced.

THe first grand Error of your Church, is this, Your De­throning and Unlording the Scripture. It is Christs own phrase, Matth. 15.6. and Mark 7.13. by way of Reproof to your Predecessors, those ancient Papists, the Pharisees, [...], Unlording the Word of [Page 10]God, through your Tradition. But to this written Word, did Jesus Christ appeal, John 5.39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think to have eternal life, and they are they which testifie of me. We are commanded, to try the spirits, 1 John 4.1. even by the Rule laid down in that Scripture, ver. 2. The Bereans are com­mended by the Holy Ghost, as Christians of the right breed, [...], because they would not take the Apostles Doctrine upon trust, but searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed, Acts 17 11, 12. But with you, it is a Nose of Wax, attramentary Divinity, of no more Authority in it self, than Aesop's Fables, or Titus Livius, but that your Church hath christened it for Scripture; but yet She tells us withall, That we must receive Her Traditions, Pari pietatis affectu, & reverentia, Concil. Tri­dent. S ss. 4. Decret. 1. with as much pious affection and reverence, as we receive the Scripture. So your Tridentine Council. It is lamentable to consider, how many Bibles you have burnt, and how many Christians you have burnt alive, for having Bibles, and labouring to acquaint themselves therewith. In King Henry the Eighth's time, those of you, who then had, the conduct of Affairs in England, did cause to be put forth a publick and authentick Instrument, for the abolishing, and inhi­biting of the Scriptures, wherein, ye thus express your selves, Da [...]ed. May 24. 1531. That foras much as there is ingendered an Opinion in divers of his Subjects, that it is his Graces duty to cause the Scripture of God to be Translated into the English Tongue, to be communicated unto the peo­ple.—It appeareth, That the having of the whole Scripture in En­glish, is not necessary to christen men, Fox, Acts and Mon. Vor. 2. E [...]it. 1641. the divulging of the Scripture at this time in the English Tongue to be committed to the people, conside­ring such pestilent Books, and so evil Opinions, as be now spread among them, should rather be to their further confusion and destruction, than to the edification of their Souls. Thus you said, and did your worst, but you could not hinder the Sun from rising, at its ap­pointed hour; nor frustrate the Oath of him, who sware, that (your) time should be no longer, and he gave the book to his servants to prophesie again, Rev. 10. ver. 6, 9, 11.

This wretched neglect, and contempt of the Scripture, is the [...], the very corner stone of the Tower of Babel. We look upon it as the first and chief of all your Heresies, and the source and fountain of all the rest: Ye do erre, not knowing the Scripture, Matt. 22.29. For there is a self-evidencing light and [Page 20]majesty in the Scripture, it bears the stamp and impress of the Divine Attributes upon it; which he that sees not, must needs be blind, as to other Truths also: As he that cannot see the Sun, when it shines at Noon-day, can see nothing else; he that cannot hear the voyce of Thunder, is not like to be awakened, by a silent whisper.

2. The Authority, and Infallibility of your Church and Pope, as if they were not men, but gods; for, humanum est errare: Let God be true, and every man a lyar, Rom. 3.4. This is the great Idol that you set up against the Scripture, and consequently a­gainst God himself; for the Scripture is God speaking to Man­kind: Hence it is written of Antichrist, that he exalteth himself, above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God, 2 Theff. 2.4. He takes upon him to dispense even with the Laws of God; therefore it is made the brand of a Reprobate, to worship the Beast, Revel. 13.8. And the Lord denounces and thunders forth damnation to them, Reve 14.9, 10, 11. The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and their doom is just, for they make a god of him; for, put case the Pope should erre, and go to Hell, Bell. De summo Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 5. Bellarmine would fain make us believe, that we are bound in conscience to go with him, for thus he speaketh: Si Papa ex­raret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes, teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona & virtutes malas, nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare. If the Pope should erre in commanding Vices, and for­bidding Vertues, the Church were bound to believe that Vice is good, and that Virtue is evil, unless she would fin against her Conscience. Here is sweet Catholick Doctrine, is it not? yet such stuffe as this, is of such value, with you, that the same Bel­larmine saith, Bell. Praefat­in li [...]res [...]e Fortif. Quâ de re agitur, cum de primatu Pontificis agitur? brevissime dicam, de summa rei Christianae; The Primacy of the Pope, sayes he, is the sum of Christian Religion, he means Anti­christian.

3. Your arrogant Attributions, to corrupted Free-will, in de­rogation to the sovereignty and efficacy of converting and elect­ing Grace, yea, to the utter corrupting and undermining of sun­dry great Gospel-truths, as Election, Regeneration, Assurance, Perseverance; your Free-will, is an Error that draws a soul tail after it: But the Scripture saith, We are not born again of the will of man, but of his own will he begat us, John 1.13. James 1.18. [Page 21] So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; it is neither Free will, nor good Works, but it is of God that sheweth mercy, Rom. 9.16. When thou wast in thy blood, yea, when thou wast in thy blood, I said unto thee, Live, Ezek. 16.6. Which is that that fills the hearts of his people, with such admiring and ado­ring thoughts of the freedom, and sovereignty, and efficacy of his grace. That gratia vorti-cordia, as Austin speaks, that won­derful heart-changing grace, that slayes the enmity, subdues the heart, and turns the will; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecu­tor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy.—Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the onely wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever, Amen, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Ʋnto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins, with his own blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God, and his Father, to him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen, Revel. 1.5.6. But he that thinks he is converted, and doth not sing his Hallelujahs and Songs of salvation, for it, to this King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, and to the Lamb that was slain, and to the power of his Spirit, but to his own corrupted will: As he sets the Crown upon his own head, and robs God of his glory, as if he were not Master, and sovereign disposer of his own gifts and graces, so he doth thereby give in evidence against himself, that he ne­ver knew the grace of God in truth; The whole work of our salvation is both begun and carried on, by free grace alone, from first to last; from the foundation thereof, in election to the top­stone of glorification, the Saints cry grace, grace unto it, Zach. 4.7. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 5. ult.

4. Your Justification by the merit of good Works, to the in­finite dishonour of the grace and blood of Christ, and to the keeping of afflicted Consciences upon the rack of everlasting perplexity and trouble: for Conscience once effectually awake­ned, will never be pacified, but by the blood of Christ, for we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, Rom. 3.24. When you have done all those things that are commanded you, say we are but unprofitable servants, and where then is merit? Luke 17.7, 8, 9, 10. There is iniquity even in our holy things, Exod. 28.38. Our best Duties are in part defiled, and mixed with sin. The very tears of Repentance need wash­ing [Page 22]with the blood of Christ. Therefore well did Austin pray, Lava Lachrymas meas Domine. You can allow the righteousness of a meer man, or of a woman, of a Monk, or a Nun, to be im­puted and reckoned to another, as in your Supererogations, and yet cavil at the imputation of Christs righteousness.

This is a Truth of so great weight, that Luther called it, Ar­ticulus stantis aut cadentis Ecclesiae, the very Crisis and chief Indi­cation of the Churches state, she stands or falls with this Truth. And as the Scripture describes the Protestant Reformation by their standing upon the Sea of glass, as spiritual Priests, washing themselves in the Righteousness of Christ, and making their Robes white with the blood of the Lamb, whereof the molten Sea and Lavers of the Temple were a Type, Revel. 4.6. and 7.14. and 15.2. So indeed it was upon this grand Truth, and Principle of the Gospel, Dr. Grew of Justification. Preface. as Dr. Grew hath well observed, That Luther, that Champion of the Lord, did pitch the Field against you: And well he might, for the Apostle doubteth not to tell the Galathians when corrupted here, That Christ was become of none effect to them, and that they were fullen from grace, and turned to another Gospel, Galat. 5.4. and 1.6. Our Justification by the blood of Christ, and our Regeneration by his Spirit, being the two main parts of those glad tydings of the Gospel, by which it refreshes and gives rest to weary Souls. And therefore to deny these, or to ascribe them to other causes, as to our own Wills or Works, as it is to send distressed Souls to the Brooks of Teman in a day of drought, and unto Waters that fail; so it is to reject at once, both the Blood of the Covenant, and also the Spirit of the Covenant of Grace, and so to turn both Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, as it were, out of Office: For, it is a Truth as firm as the foundations of the Earth, and as immoveable as the Pillars of Heaven, that it is the peculiar work and glory, both of the blood of Christ, to justifie and reconcile, and of his Spirit to convert, and apply that precious blood: And seeing the riches of his Free-grace appears, and shines forth exceeding gloriously, in these influences of his blood and Spirit into our salvation; therefore to detract from these, by founding it in our own Wills or Works, is to eclipse the glory of his Grace. From all which, you may see the danger of both these Errors of your Church, there being nothing wherein the enmity of corrupt Nature a­gainst the Gospel, doth more directly work out and vent it self, [Page 23]like the venom of Asps, and as the poyson of Dragons, then in these delusions, of Conversion by your own Wills, and Justifi­cation by your own Works.

5. A fifth pernicious Error of the Roman Church, is Idola­try, and Superstition of all sorts, contrary to the very Letter of the Second Commandment: As worshipping Images, praying to Saints and Angels, your Cake-Idol, or Breaden-god; Your Sa­criledge of the Cup in the Lords Supper; Your five supernu­merary Sacraments; Your Latin-Service; Your Superstitious, or Religious Orders, as you call them; Your prohibition of of Meats and Marriage; Your Holy Water, Reliques, Pilgrima­ges, &c. As it were on every high Hill, and under every green Tree, hath that Idolatrous Church play'd the Harlot; whereby she scandaliseth and hardeneth both Jews and Turks against the Gospel: Yea, she hath corrupted and intoxicated almost all the Churches in the world, with this sin, and made all Nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her Fornication, for which the Holy Ghost brands her, as THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, Revel. 17.5. and 18.3. Yea, though she hath seen the jealou­sie, and the fury of her Husband, against her treacherous sister Judah, yet she feareth not. I mean, the desolations of the Eastern Churches, by those Instruments of his fury, those Angels of his wrath, whom the Lord hath let loose upon them, from about the River Euphrates; the Turks, who have destroyed and sub­jugated a third part of the Christian world for this sin, yet she repenteth not, being besotted, and dead drunk with the poyson of her own Fornications, and given up to a reprobate sense; she hath a heart that cannot repent of such a Church-destroying, such a God-provoking sin, as was prophesied of her in the sixth Trumpet, Revel. 9.13.—20. The Learned Raynolds hath spo­ken very convictingly to you, concerning this sin, in his Book, De Idololatria Romanae Ecclesiae: And so hath Mede, of the Apo­stasie of the latter Times.

6. All your seditious Principles against Kings and Magistrates, exempting your Clergy, exalting your Pope above them. The number of those you thus exempt, as sous of Belial from the yoke, hath been estimated to amount in spacious Popish Coun­tries, to a very great proportion, even to an Hundred thousand able fighting Men in one Nation; which brings to mind that ex­pression of your own Pope Gregory, That Antichrist hath an Army [Page 24]of Priests to fight his Battels. Rex superbiae prope est, & quod dici [...]nesas est, Greg. Lib. 4. Epist. 38. Sacerdotum praeparatus est exercitus qui cervici militant elatioms, &c. The King of pride (saith he) is at the door, and which is dreadful to be spoken, there is an Army of Priests ready to fight under that neck of pride which lifteth up it self, &c. The fifth Trumpet proclaimeth, that he hath a black Guard of Scorpion-locusts, who know no other King but him whom the Holy Ghost hath named according to his Nature, Abaddon, and Apollyon, the great Destroyer, the Son of Perdition, the Man of Sin, Revel. 9. ver. 3, 11. And as you thus rob and spoil Kings of their Subjects, so you make Kings themselves Subjects to the Pope, exalting his Throne with Lucifer, above the stars of God, Isa. 14.13. And giving him such a barbarous power over them, that it is a wonderful and unaccountable thing that ever any King or Magistrate should be a Papist; no account can be given of it, but the strange corruption of Nature, neither their Crowns, nor Lives, being secure, but meerly at the Popes cour­tesie, upon the principles of that Religion, which gives a forreign Priest power to depose them, and give away their King­doms.

But the Apostle Peter, a great Apostle, and whom you pretend a kindness, and a respect for, he exhorts us to submit to every Or­dinance of man for the Lords sake; to the King as supreme, 1 Pet. 2.13. But not a word of the Popes Supremacy. And the Apostle Paul, though an Apostle, yet did appeal unto Caesar, as knowing that to be the supreme Tribunal on earth in subordination un­to God, for God alone is chief, and the Magistrates power sub­ordinate unto Gods, Acts 25.10, 11. & 5.29. And he exhort­eth every soul, which includeth the Pope, if he hath an humane soul, to be subject to the higher powers, Rom. 13. ver. 1. to 7. There may be passive obedience when men cannot act, therefore we whom you call Hereticks, have set it down as amongst the Arti­cles of our Faith, that Infidelity, or difference in Religion, doth not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority, nor free the people from their obedience to him, from which Ecclesiasti­cal persons are not exempted, much less hath the Pope any pow­er, or Jurisdiction over them in their Dominions, or over any of their people, and least of all to deprive them of their Domi­nions or Lives, if he shall judge them to be Hereticks, or upon any other pretence whatsoever; yea, some of your own have [Page 25]confessed, That from the beginning it was not so. [...] Julio. 3 [...] 2. B. Quin omnes emnium Ecclesiarum Ministri, Romanae non minus quam caeterarum ultro Regibus Principibus ac Magistratibus parebant. But all the Ministers of all the Churches, yea, of the Church of Rome, as well as any other, were willingly obedient unto Kings, Princes, and Magistrates. So those Bononian Fathers of yours before mentioned. How, and by what means, Morney Myst. Iniq. per totum: Fox Acts and Monum. Vol. 1. pa. 1018. and by what steps and degrees, the Pope rose from such mean beginnings, to such an height of worldly power and grandeur, to tread upon the Necks of Kings and Princes, Guiccardin hath fully shewed in his digres­sion, towards the end of the fourth Book of his Histories, which you have honestly stollen away out of some Editions, but in some others it is restored. Morney also speaks fully to it, as being a great part of his scope, and so doth Mr. Fox.

7. Your sanguinary Spirit and Principles, towards such as differ from, and testifie against you: Wherein there is not only an evil in practice, but your practice being justified as lawful by your principle, it is two sins conjoyned, it is both Murther and Heresie, and most remote from the Spirit of the Gospel, which is a Spirit of love and sweetness; yea, it is a principal character of Antiohrist, and mark of the Beast, Revel. 13.7. and 17.6. The Revelation often mentions these two sins, the Sorceries and For­nications of your false Worship, and your shedding innocent and precious blood, as the two grand procuring causes of your Ru­ine: See Revel. 18.2. ult. and Revel. 19.2.

It is Ramus his Observation, that great Light, and faithful Martyr of Jesus Christ, whom you slew, with Thirty thousand more, in your great Parisian Massacre in the year 1572. P: Rami Commentar. de Religione Christiana. Lib. 4. cap. 19. pag. 546. It is his Observation and Lamentation, How that Julian the Apostate could observe, and testifie concerning the Christian Religion, in those primitive times, That it came to be so largely diffused and propagated, by means of the good turns and offices of love, which Christians did towards all men of what Religion, or per­suasion soever: But we, in these dayes (we Romanists) are of such a spirit, that if our Neighbour do not consent, and concur, and run along with us in every superstitious practice and opini­on, we presently burn him alive. Julianus Apostata ad Arsacium Cappadociae Pontificem scripsit, Christianam Religionem tam late propagatam esse propter Christianorum erga omnet cujusvis Religionis mortales beneficentiam. Nos vero, nisi de cujussibet superstitionis opi­nione [Page 26]proximus noster consentiat, igne vivum protinus exurimus. You have slain (as some compute) a greater number of Christians fince the first setting up of your Inquisition, than there be Papists at this day in the World.

Who that hath either the grace of a Christian, or but the com­mon bowels of a man, can speak of such things, without bleed­ing Lamentations! Alstedins observes, That in the space of Forty years, Alsted Ency­clop. Chronol. cap. 8. ad An­num 1540. from the year 1540, there were Nine hundred thousand Martyrs in Europe. Should we Travel into Forreign Affairs, and former Ages, I might tell you of your bloody Croisadoes against Chri­stians, instead of Turks, against the Waldenses, and Abbingenses of old, as well of late, your Spanish Inquisitions, to which King Philip the second, delivered up his own eldest Son and Heir Charles, to be butchered and murthered by them, for suspition of savouring the Low-Countrey Hereticks. Your French Massacres, and Thyestaean Feasts and Nuptials, at which you have drank more Blood, than Wine! The barbarous Spanish Butcheries in the Netherlands: And with how much blood your Romish Faith was planted in the West-Indies, to the infinite scandal and dishonour of the Name of Christ, even in the blood of Nineteen Millions of poor innocent Natives, as Acosta, the Jesuite, a Bird of your Nest, as some have Noted, Relates the story. But to come nearer home, there were near about Three hundred slain, and burnt a­live in England, in Queen Maries time: And in the late Massacre and Rebellion here in Ireland, there were about Three hundred thousand English Protestants murthered by you, whereof above one half, above One hundred and fifty thousand in the first six Months of that Rebellion, most perfidiously and treacherously, in a time of Peace, without ever declaring War, and without a­ny provocation given.

These be some of the Heresies, and false Doctrines of your Church; Rev. 17.3.5. some of the Blasphemies written in the Forehead of Mystical Babylon, which she owneth and maintaineth in an open and avowed manner.

8. But I have not here mentioned her consequential Errors, because they are innumerable. For thus, there is no sound part [Page 27]in her, but from the sole of the foot, even to the crown of the head, there is nothing but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. Thus, she is at defiance even with common sense and rea­son; she will not believe the report of three senses, in the busi­ness of the carnal presence: For as the Apostle calls it, This bread, this bread, this bread, three times after the Consecration, 1 Cor. 11.26, 27, 28. So the eye saith it is bread, the taste, the touch say the same, she sees it, feels it, and tastes it; but yet she believes there is no bread there, which is to lay aside the use of reason, and to turn Sott and Sceptick. The madness of which delusion, did so scandalize Averroes, the Arabian Philosopher, that when they asked him upon his Death-bed, What Religion he dyed in? He gave this Answer, Quia Christiani manducant Deum suum, & adorant quod comedunt, sit anima mea cum Philosophis: Because the Christians eat their God with their teeth, and wor­ship that which they eat, let my soul be with the Philosophers. But having heard of the glorious Name and Fame of Christ, and Christianity, it had been his Duty, and would have been his Happiness, to have made a thorow search into the Fountain of that Religion, which is the Scriptures of Truth; and there he might have found, that this abominable Idolatry, is no part at all of the Christian Religion, but of the Antichristian Apostasie, of the Mother of Harlots; yea, there is hardly any Article of the Christian Faith, which she doth not some way or other, by evident and unavoidable consequence, corrupt and subvert: As for instance, she denies by consequence that Christ is come in the flesh, which is one of the Characters of Antichrist, 1 John 4.3. She denies the Reality of the Humane Nature of Christ, by her Transubstantiation; for she leaves him only a Phantastick, or Imaginary body, having not the true Nature, and dimensions of a body; yea, she doth impugn and subvert, by true and sound consequence of Reason, that great Fundamental, of One God: As was ingeniously made out, by an English Gentleman, a Prote­stant, in discourse with a Roman Catholick, thus; That is not the true Religion, that doth not acknowledge One God, but Popery doth not acknowledge One God: For did you not pray to the Virgin Mary this morning? The Roman Catholick replyed, Yes: To which the Protestant made this Return, And did not Five thousand pray to her at the same time? The Papist answered, Yes, doubtless. From whence the Protestant inferred, Then either you prayed like a Fool, [Page 28]or else she heard you all, and knows all your hearts; but this is to make her a God.

These therefore, are some of the Roman Heresies; Her dethro­ning the Scripture; The Popes Infallibility; Conversion by Free-will; Justification by Works; Idolatry and Superstition; Her seditious Principles; Her sanguinary Principles; Her consequential Errors: Yet this is but a general and brief induction of them.

But now do you ask, Who ever testified against her? Proh pu­dorem tuum! Although if no man had, yet that is no sufficient evidence of her Innocency; the cause doth not depend upon this: But yet withall you know, if you know any thing of the Histories of the Church, in former times, That the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome, have been testified against, all along by faithful men, whom God hath raised up from Age to Age, to be the Witnesses of his Truth; for the Lord gave his two Witnesses light, and grace, and power, to prophesie in sackcloth 1260 dayes, Revel. 11.3. There was a Woman in the Wilderness, when Antichrist was upon the Throne, Revel. 12.14. There were Saints, whom the Beast did persecute and war a­gainst, during all the time of his Reign, Revel. 13.7. Would you know their names [...] you may see some of them, in divers of our Divines, and Writers, who have taken the pains to present you with Instances and Catalogues of some of the chief, and most eminent. And common Reason will easily suggest unto you, That if there were so many left upon Record, there must needs be many more, whose names, the Histories of former times have not preserved, and delivered down to posterity: But you may see a competent number of Witnesses against you, in the Centu­rists of Magdeburg in Flacius Illyricus his Catalogus testium verita­tis: Morney his History of the Papacy, or Mystery of Iniquity. Fox his Book of Martyrs. Raynolds his Conference with Hart. Sundry of our Expositors on the Revelation. See Mr. Arthur Dent on Chap. 11. White's way to the Church. Ʋsher against Maloone: And of the Religion anciently professed by the Irish, and British, and de statu & successione Eccles. Brittanicarum: Yea, your own Bellarmine giveth some account of those that have even from the primitive times, opposed and impugned the Primacy of the Church of Rome, though he doth it briefly, and de­fectively enough; for he omits, besides other things, all the A­frican Bishops and Councils, Bell: Praefat. in libros de Pontif. This [Page 29]may suffice at present, as to the Errors and Heresies of your Church. Your next endeavour, is to defend her, from the charge of Schism: Let us proceed, in the strength and grace of Christ, to consider that also.

CHAP. V. Of the Nature of Schism, and of the Schisms of the Church of Rome, both within her self, and from other Churches.

CHAP. VI. Some places of Scripture for the Inerrability of the Church of Rome, Answered.

CHAP. VII. Of Humane Testimonies, for and against the See of Rome.

THat which remains of your Discourse, is partly Quota­tions, without so much as attempting to prove your in­terest in them, of some parallel Texts with those be­fore answered; partly repetitions of those impertinent Queries, Whether did the Roman Church go from any other known Church, &c? Answered also before, under the Head of Schism, partly Humane Testimonies for the See of Rome, for so you phrase it, the Body of your Discourse having run upon this ex­pression, the Church of Rome, the Title being the Roman Faith. To your Humane Testimonies, I would humbly offer three things to your serious consideration, which, I suppose, may suffice to all you say, or can say, from the Fathers, in whom you seem to re­pose your greatest confidence, for the defence of your cause.

Consid. 1. That you know we do not own the Fathers, but the Scriptures onely, as the Supreme Judge of Controversies: Though we honour them, as blessed Instruments in their Gene­ration; yet we know they were but men, and not Apostles in­fallibly, inspired and assisted by the Holy Ghost, Yea, we do in­genuously acknowledge, That the darkness, and inadvertency of the Fathers in some points, did contribute and make way for the rise and growth of Popery. They had their hands so full of other work, partly from without, in all their Conflicts, both with Jews and Pagans, both by writing and suffering, while the Christian Princes also in the mean time, were not idle, but had their hands full, in the Wars of Michael against the Dragon, a­gainst the persecuting Pagan Emperors, during that fourth Cen­tury: And partly from within, by those intestine mischiefs, which, through the malice and craft of Sathan, were bred within the Churches own bowels, such as Arrianism, with all the Errors and Blasphemies accompanying and flowing from it, a­gainst the Person and Natures of Christ, and against his blessed [Page 41]Spirit. As also Pelagianism, wretchedly undermining the work of his Grace and Spirit, in the effectual application of Christ, and his redeeming Love, to the Souls of his Elect. Donatism likewise at the same time dreadfully disturbing the peace, and order, and fellowship of the Gospel, by dischurching, and dis­baptising all other Christians, and re-baptising themselves, whil'st othres in the mean time wereas much too large, and loose, as they too rigid. The faithful Servants of Christ were thus assaulted in those dayes on every side, over and beside the daily work of Teaching and Governing their respective Flocks and Churches. All which, did so severely call upon them for their deepest intentions and endeavours, that as it rendred the work heavy upon the shoulders of the faithful Ministry in those con­flicting times, so, truly, to my narrow capacity, it is no wonder, if in the mean time, the deep and subtile workings of the my­stery of Iniquity in the Papacy, did, in a great measure, escape their observation. And the rather, if we consider the disad­vantage they were under, both for want of Printing, and of well regulated and formed Universities and Schools of the Prophets. The Monastick Institutions at first (as some have thought) coming nearest, and seeming to have had some glimpse and aim thereat; so that when all accounts are cast up, assuredly it will be found, That we have more cause to acknowledge and admire the grace and power of Christ, in acting and enabling his servants to see so much, and go so far, in those dark and difficult times, then to stumble at the dispensation of his Providence, because they did not see every thing. Neither have you for your parts, either cause or colour to offend at these sentiments of ours concern­ing the Fathers, when your own Petavius can say, Petav. Ani­madv. in E­piph. Haeres. 69 Arriano rum. p. 285. Plerisque ve­terum patrum—usu venit ut ante Errorum atque Haereseon— Originem, quibus Christianae fidei capita singillatim oppugna­bantur, nondum satis illustrata ac patefactâ rei veritate, quae­dam suis scriptis asperserint, quae cum orthodoxae fidei regulâ minime consentiant. It is a common thing (saith he) with most of the ancient Fathers, that before the rise of Errors and Heresies, whereby the Articles of the Christian Faith were particularly oppugn­ed (the truth of the thing being not fully enough cleared and laid o­pen) they did intermingle some things in their Writings, which do not agree with the rule of the Orthodox Faith. Thus he; yea, there is nothing more common with your Writers, than to cry [Page 42]the Fathers either up or down, meerly as may serve their turn, and that sometimes in term; course enough. Patres quos se ve­nerari simulat, saith Beza, concerning your Church, Palam tamen imperitis illudens conculcat. Beza in 1 Tim. 3.15.

Consid. 2. You may do well to consider yet further, That the Fathers did bear their Testimony so far as their Light served a­gainst the corruptions they saw coming in; though in some things, which it pleased God in his unsearchable wisdom to hide from them, they did run with the Cry, and say, as others said; yet, in other things, they bear witness against you. And there­fore it were easie to retaliate, and requite you with as many Te­stimonies of the Ancients on the other hand, against the See of Rome, as you have brought for it: You may see a little handful of them in Calvins Preface to his Institutions.

As to those speeches you quote, as sounding for you out of E­piphanius, Austin, and Ambrose, you seem to understand their words in a deeper sense, than ever they intended them; for what though the Ancients sometimes called Peter the Chief, the First, the Head, the Prince of the Apostles, yet these, and such like Me­taphors, may be understood in such a modified sense, as to im­port no more but only a precedency of order, and not a suprema­of power; the former whereof, is granted by our Divines to Peter, but will stand you in no stead; and the latter you cannot prove, though if you could, yet this also would not do your business; for, suppose Peter had been as great a King as Solomon, yet what is this to the Pope, any more than to the Turk, or to the King of Spain? But it will be difficult for you to evince, with cogency of demonstration, That the preference the Fa­thers give him, doth amount to any further or higher power, than that of the Foreman of a Jury, or the Speaker of the House of Parliament, or the Moderator of a Synod, who hath a pre­heminence of Order, but not of Power and Jurisdiction, above the rest of his Colleagues. What say you to that of Jerom? Ut Plato Princeps Philosophorum, Hieron. 2. lib. advers. Pelag. ita Petrus Apostolorum fuit; As Plato was Prince of the Philosophers, so was Peter of the Apo­stles: But Plato had no power of Government or Jurisdiction over other Philosophers, but onely an eminency of esteem and respect. I might here also tell you, as to Epiphanius (but that I hasten to a close) that the Testimony you alledge, is not in his Anchoratus, but in his Panarium contra Haereses. As also, what a [Page 43]Testimony he hath born against you, concerning your Idolatry; Vide infta Cap 8. Append. and how slightly your own Writers, such as Canus, Baronius, Pe­tavius, are pleased to speak of him.

As to Austin, the first sentence you quote from him, as it doth not occur in the place you quote, where I have searched for it, so neither indeed do I remember any such expression of his in any other place. The next, wherein he speaks of Peter as the Rock, I wonder you would quote, when I presume you are not ignorant, that he hath put it among his Retractations, and gi­ven a sounder exposition of the Rock concerning Christ him­self. Retract. lib. 1. cap. 21. Dixi de Apostolo Petro quod in illo tanquam in Petra fundata sit Ecclesia. Sed scio me postea sic exposuisse, ut super hunc, intellige­retur quem confessus est Petrus—Non enim dictum est illi tu es Pe­tra, sed tues Petrus. Petra autem erat Christus. And again, Serm. 13. in Matth. p. 22. Edit. Lovan.— Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, id est super meipsum filium Dei vivi aedi­ficabo Ecclesium meam. Nam volentes homines aedificari super bo­mines, dicebant, ego quidem sum Pauli, ego autem Apollo, ego vero Cephae. And that his Principatus Apostolici Sacerdotis, Epis. 162. and what­ever other expression of his, may seem to carry a benign aspect towards the Church of Rome, must be understood with some temper and allay, is undeniably evident by the famous Testimo­nies, constantly born by him, and by the rest of the African Bi­shops and Councils, against the Incroachments and Usurpations, of that aspiring, and devouring See of Rome. Can. 22: The Milevitan Council decreed, Ad Transmarina qui putaverit appellandum, à nullo intra Africam in communionem suscipiatur. If any man shall appeal beyond the Seas, let none in Africk receive him to com­munion. And in Cyprian's time, upon occasion of Stephanus Bishop of Rome, his interposing on the behalf of Basilides, and Martialis, who had been deposed for sacrificing to Idols, Cypri­an, and other Bishops in Council with him, decreed, Cypr. Epist. 55. Pamel. Ut unius cujusque causa illic audiatur ubi est crimen admissum, & illic agere causam suam, ubi & accusatores habere & testes sui cri­minis possit. That every ones cause should be heard in the place of the Fact committed, and there manage his cause—where the Defen­dant may have both accusers and witnesses face to face. So little understood they of the Popes Supremacy.

As to Ambrose, the Books you quote, De Vocatione Gentium, are generally concluded, by all Learned men, both Papists and Protestants, to be none of his; but some ascribe them to Euche­rius [Page 44]Lugdunensis. Bellarmine to Prosper; yet Vossius thinks they are none of Prospers, as differing from his principles, and so thinks J. Latius of them, as differing from his stile. Libros de Vocatione Gentium (saith Rivet) sentiunt fere omnes non esse Am­brosii. Riv. Crit. Sacr. lib. 3. cap. 17. & lib. 4. cap. 18. Lat. lib. 2. de Semi Pe­lag. cap. 3. Erasmo stilus videtur non abhorrere à phrasi Eucherii Lug­dunensis. Bellarminus & alii fere omnes eos asserunt Prospero, Ob­stare tamen, scribit clarissimus Vessius, quod illius Authoris sententia non videtur quadrare cum doctrina Prosperi. A Prosperi etiam stilo abludere judicavit vir eruditus Joh. Latius. Moreover, seeing you mention Ambrose, you may remember his judgment was, That Rome is Babylon, Apoc. 17. So much for this second Conside­ration, That the Fathers did testifie in part against you, and not so much for you, as you pretend.

Considerat. 3. I pray consider in the third place, That there be many, even of your own Writers, that testifie against you in several things; for which, you have put their Names, and their Books, into your honest Indices Expurgatorii, and into your In­dex librorum prohibitorum, such as Stella, Masius Espencaeus, Ferus, &c. But there be others left, who have escaped your Interpo­lations, Expurgations, and Prohibitions, who testifie against you to your faces. Let me add but two or three signal Instances to what you have had already.

First, Greg. lib. 6. Epist. 30. Lib. 4. Epist. 38. Bellarm. de Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 2. & lib. 2. cap. 13. Ribera in A­poc. 14.8. Tertoll. cont. Judae. cap. 9. Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 22. Hieron. de Spi­ritu sanct. Pro­log. & Ep. 151, in Algas Qu. 11. Ambros. in Apoc. 17. You know how sharply Pope Gregory the first, inveighs against that proud, swelling, smoky title of Universal Pastor, u­sed and claimed by all his Successors to this day. Ego autem fidenter dico, quia quisquis se universalem vocat vel vocari de­siderat, in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit, quia superbiendo caeteris se praeponit. I speak it confidently (saith he, and the Pope, you say, cannot erre) that whosoever calls himself, or desi­reth to be called by others, universal Bishop, or Pastor, is the Fore-run­ner of Antichrist, in his elation of mind, because he lifts up himself in pride above others. And he saith, That it is a prophane Title, and that the King of pride is at the door, and an Army of Priests ready to fight his Battels, with many other such like expressions.

Secondly, I might here also tell you, how that Bellarmine and Ribera, both Jesuites, and some others of the same Tribe, do confess and maintain, and that according to the judgement of sundry of the Fathers, viz. Tertullian, Austin, Jerom, Ambrose, That mystical Babylon in the Revelations, is Rome, and that she is reserved and devoted to destruction, even to be burnt with fire. [Page 45]A concession of more dangerous consequence, and importance to your cause and interest, then to be evaded by Romances of an imaginary Antichrist of the Tribe of Dan.

Thirdly, If you ask for Humane Testimonies against that Scor­pion Doctrine of Justification by the merit of your own Works, and Penances, and Satisfactions, wherewith your Locusts use to sting and torment, and torture the Consciences of men, worse then Death; and upon which, as was said before, that Cham­pion of the Lord, did pitch the Field against you; it is worth your noting, how Bellarmine having wrestled, with his wit, in five Books against the truth of God, yet, at last (God confounding him in his opposition to it) he confesseth, Bell. de Justif. lib, 5. cap. 7. prop. 3. Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae, & periculum inanis gloriae, Tutissimum est totam fiduciam in sola Dei misericordia & benignitate reponere. Because of the uncertainty of our own Righteousness, and the danger of Vain-glory, it is the safest way to put our whole trust in the meer mercy and goodness of God. And it is so indeed: But then Bellarmine, why did you dispute against it? against the inward workings and recoylings of your own Conscience, which did whisper you in the ear, and told you, That this is the best and safest way, Ex ore tuo serve nequam. I cannot but often think of this passage of his, as one of the greatest triumphs in this kind, that ever truth had, out of the mouth of such an impetuous Adversary; for magna est veritas, & praevalebit. Surely these words of his do as well deserve to be blotted out by an Index Expurgatorius, as those of Chrysostom, Index Expurg. Litera C. Chrysostom. Index Expurg. Cardinal. Qui­rega in litera B. Biblia Ro­berti Stephani. Meritum nullum esse nisi quod à Christo confertur, which you have ordered to be purged out of his works, and as well as those passages out of Robert Stephens Table to his Bible, Credendo in Christum remittuntur peccata; and Credens Christo non morietur in aeternum; fide purifi­cantur corda; justificamur fide in Christum. Our sins are forgiven, by believing in Christ; he that believeth in Christ, shall not dye eternally; our hearts are purified by saith; we are justified by saith in Christ; of which your pious Index saith, Deleantur sub­jectae propositiones, tanquam suspectae. Let these propositions be blotted out, as being suspitious; for, it seems, you suspect the very words of Scripture, and the Gospel it self, whether it be true or no; but there is nothing renders your Religion more suspitious, and more odious unto my heart, then this your en­mity unto the free grace of God, and against the Scripture, by [Page 46]which it is revealed, which you are still venting upon all occa­sions. Matth. 19.16. Coelum gratis non accipiam, saith Vega, I will not accept of heaven upon terms of free grace. But when death appears, and stares upon you, some of you can speak at another rate; so did Bellarmine, when he prayed upon his Death-bed, Precor ut me Deus, Fuligatus in vita Bellar. re­ferente. Dr. Grew of Justif. pag. 91.169. inter sanctos, & electos suos, non estimator meriti, sed veniae largitor admittat. I pray, that God would receive me among his Saints, and chosen ones; not upon the account of merit, but for the sake of his own pardoning grace and mercy. So Stephen Gardiner, when Dr. Day, Bishop of Chichester, came to see him on his Death-bed, and began to comfort him with the words of Gods promises, and with the free justification in the blood of Christ our Saviour: Fox 's Acts and Mon. Vol. 3. page 527. col. 2. Gardiner hearing that, What, my Lord, (quoth he) Will you open that Gap now, then farewell altogether; To me, and such other in my case you may speak it; but open this win­dow to the people, then farewell altogether. Here were clear convi­ctions, but strange rebellion of spirit against them: And to leave this head, Voet. Vol. 2. Disput 47. pag. 726. Voetius hath a large and learned Dispute with this Ti­tle, Vis veritatis in ipso papatu crumpentis, de salute per solam Dei misericordiam in Christo. Wherein he produceth a cloud of Wit­nesses to this truth.

It was also in my thoughts to have noted something out of your own Writers concerning the Popish Circle, I mean, the maze of unbelief, wherein they run round, to prove the Scri­pture by the Church, and the Church back again by the Scri­pture: Like men drunk, and giddy with the cup of the Wine of Astonishment, and with the spirit of Delusion; it being just with God to smite them with a vertiginous distemper of mind, that they shall never come to any consistence, to any settlement in the Faith, who will not settle upon the true foundation, and acquiesce in the Scriptures of Truth. For as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaffe, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossome shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the holy One of Israel, Isa. 5.24.

And, finally, seeing you call so much for Humane Testimonies, I had thought to have offered some, which, I think, you will blush to read, out of your own Writers, concerning the Vene­ration you give to your Popes, your Representative Christs, and Vice-gods; and yet withall, concerning the hideous prophane­ness [Page 47]of their Lives, and their Errability, yea, their actual erring Errors, damnably, and fundamentally destructive of the Faith, and all this out of your own approved Authors, out of whom I have observed and collected a few things, but these few are too many to be here inserted. The Subject is so copious, that it requires an intire Tractate by it self, therefore must be deferred, till some other occasion do present: And in the mean time, so long as Gregories praecursor Antichristi, and so long as Bellarmines Tulis­simum est, remains upon Record among men, you may shut your mouths, and cease your boastings of Humane Testimonies.

CHAP. VIII. An APPENDIX for the further Illustration of some things, which are but briefly hinted in the former Chapters.

IN Cap. 2. of Apostasie, and again, in Cap. 3. of Heresie, men­tion is made of counsel given by Papists to the Pope. A Friend, to whom the Answer was communicated in Manu­script, made some Inquiry about it, to whom a further Ac­count was sent; which because the same Inquiries are not un­likely to arise in the studious Readers mind, is thought fit to be communicated.

I find there were two papers of Advice presented to the Pope in those dayes, about the time of the Council of Trent, for the help and support of the then declining Church of Rome; both which, give pregnant evidence against her, of her corruption, and departure from Apostolical, and primitive purity. The first to Pope Paul the Third, in the Year 1538. by Nine select Cardi­nals and Prelates, viz. Cardinal Contarenus, Cardinal Peter Thea­tinus, afterwards Pope Paul the Fourth, Cardinal Sadolet, Car­dinal Reginald Poole of England, &c. The Title is, Consilium Delectorum Cardinalium & Praelatorum de emendanda Ecclesia: This Novem-virale Concilium, was sent by Nicholaus Cardinalis Ca­pulanus, to a Prince in Germany, by whom it came to the hands of Luther, and Sturmius, and by their means was made publick. It is mentioned and quoted by Espensaeus, a Popish Bishop, a Sorbe­nist, in his Commentaries on Titus 1. It was extant in the Book of the Councils, Tom 3. Concil. Edit. per Crab. Edit. Co­lon. 1551. But in all other Editions, Pontificiorum furto & fraude desideratur, saith Mr. Crashaw, who Reprinted it Lon­don 1609.

These men do with something of Ingenuity acknowledge, and advise to a Reformation of sundry enormous Abuses and Corru­ptions in the Church of Rome; and they begin wisely and faith­fully, at the fountain & Well-head, telling the Pope plainly, Prin­cipium horum malorum inde suisse quod nonnuili Pontifices tui [Page 50]Praedecessores, prurientes auribus ut inquit Apostolus Paulus co­acervarunt sibi magistros ad desideria sua non ut ab eis discerent quod facerè deberent, Page 2. sed ut eorum studio & calliditate inveni­retur ratio quâ liceret id quod liberet.—Ex hoc fonte sancte pater, tanquam ex equo Trojano, irrupêre in Ecclesiam Dei tot abusus tam & gravissimi morbi, quibus nune conspicim is eam ad desperationem sere salutis laborasse. The beginning of these E­viis (say they) hath been, that some of the Popes your Predecessors, having itching ears, as the Apostle Paul speaks, have heaped up unto themselves Teachers according to their own desires; Not that they might learn from them what they ought to do, but that by their study and craft a way might be found out whereby it might be lawful to do what they list. From this fountain holy father, as from the Trojan horse, have broke forth so many abuses into the Church of God, and such grievous Diseases under which we now see her labouring almost unto desperation of recovery. The Popes Infallibility, it seems, was no Article of their Faith. Then they proceed to instance in sundry particulars, Page 5. & de­ [...]ceps. as Caralessenes, in the Ordination of Clergy­men, putting men both ignorant and vicious into Holy Orders, bestowing Benefices and Ecclesiastical promotions upon them; Reservations of Pensions, changing and chopping of Livings, Im­propriations, Pluralities, Non-residences, Exemptions and Im­pediments laid upon Bishops, in governing their Flocks, and pu­nishing of Sinners. The great degeneracy and corruptions of Religious Orders, Simony, and filthy Lucre, in the exercise of the Keyes. The scandals between Monks and Nuns. Vain Phi­losophy in Schools, and Universities, teaching Impiety; where­as, say they, Ostenderent infirmitatem luminis naturalis in Quaestio­nibus pertinentibus ad Deum: Page 12. They ought to shew the weakness of the light of Nature in disquisitions about the things of God. They instance also Dispensations for Marriage within the degrees forbidden, Page 16. absolving Simoniacks: In hac etiam urbe meretrices ut matronae incedunt, habitant etiam infignes aedes, corrigendus bic tur­pis abusus. In this City of Rome (say they) Whores go up and down as honourably, as chaste Matrons; and they dwell in sum­ptuous Houses, this shameful abuse ought to be Reformed. These are some of the main Heads of their Advice. Tollantur (say they) obtestamur sanctitatem tuam, Page 11. per sanguinem Christi quo rede­mit sibi Ecclesiam suam eamque lavit eadem sanguine, toliantur hae maculae. We do beseech and obtest your Holiness, by the blood [Page 51]of Christ, wherewith he hath redeemed his Church unto him­self, washing it with his own blood, we beseech you let these spots and blemishes be taken away. But the Pope would reform nothing, but was like the deaf Adder, which stoppeth her ear: which will not hearken to the voyce of the charmers, though they charm ne­ver so wisely. We would have healed Babylon, but she could not be healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own countrey: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies, Psal. 58.4, 5. Jer. 51.9.

The other counsel was given to Pope Julius the Third, by three Bishops met at Bononia. It is intituled, Consilium quorun­dam Episcoporum Bononiae congregatorum: quod de ratione stabiliendae Romanae Ecclesiae. Julio. 3. Pont. Mux. datum est. It is subscri­bed, Bononiae Octob. 20. Anno 1553. Sauctitatis tuae servi & cre­aturae devotissimae. (Your Holinesses most devoted servants and creatures) Vincentius de durantibus Epise. Thermularum Brixi­ensis. Aegidius Falceta Episco. Caprulanus. Gerardus Busdagrus Episc. Thessalonicensis. It was first published by Vergerius after his conversion. It is mentioned by Johannes Wolphius, in his Memorabilia. And, lastly, Re-printed at London, out of Mr. Crashaws Library, Anno 1613. These Advisers, like meer car­nal Polititians, do observe horrid Degeneraties and Abuses; but instead of counsels tending to Reformation, they mend the matter so, as to make it much worse; their proposals aiming at no other scope, but meerly how their sins, and corrupt state, which they love, and like so well, may be continued and preser­ved, and how Light and Reformation may be kept out; some of their words being rendred in English, in the Answer a­bove, Chapter 3. But most of the Latin omitted, for Bre­vities sake; I shall here subjoin it, with some more also of their own words, for the Readers more ample satisfaction: Thus then they speak.

Cum nos multum ac diu cogitavissemus quisnam esset gra­vissimae hujus controversiae status—tandem hunc esse deprehen­dimus. Lutherani Symboli Apostolorum Niceni & Athanasii articulos omnes recipiunt & confitentur. Folio 1. Atque id verissimum est. Neque enim inficiari oportet praesertim inter nos, quod adeo verum esse omnes intelliginius. Itidem Lutherani negant velle se aliam doctrinam admittere, praeter unicam illam, quae prophetas Christum & Apostolos authores habet; optarentque [Page 52]ut paucissimis illis contenti essemus—Et priscas Ecclesias imita­remur nec de recipiendis ullis traditionibus cogitaremus, Folio 2. quas non constat luce meridianâ clariūs fuisse à Domino nostro Jesu Christo, & abipsis Apostolis dictatas atque institutas. Ita senti­unt adversarii nostri.—Nos contra seculi opinionem beatitudinis tuae volumus credi—id quod in Decreto tertiae Sessionis Conci­lium Tridentinum—statuit; nempe Christum atque ipsius A­postolos multo plura tum ad mores, tum ad fidem pertinentia docuisse—quam ea quae scripta sunt. Et tametsi hoc aperte probare non possimus (nam planè fatemur inter nos—tantum habemus conjecturas quasdam) tamen confitemur esse verum quia sic tenet Romana Ecclesia. Hic est in summa cardo totius controversiae, hinc tumultus illi, hinc illa contentio.—Nam A­postolorum temporibus, ut verum tibi fateamur, sed silentio o­pus est, vel aliquot annis post ipsos Apostolos, nulla vel papatus, vel Cardinalatus mentio erat, nec amplissimos illos reditus Epi­scopatuum & Sacerdotiorum fuisse constat, nec templa tantis sumptibus exstruebantur, nec erant Monasteria, nec Priores, nec Abbates, multo vero minus hae doctrinae, hae leges, hae consuetu­dines, sed neque imperium illud quod in Gentes, & Nationes ho­diè obtinemus. Quin omnes omnium Ecclesiarum Ministri Ro­manae non minus quam caeterarum, ultro Regibus, principibus, & magistratibus parebant.—Nos Re probe examinatâ comperimus hanc Ecclefiae gloriam, authoritatem & potentiam tunc primum exortam esse, cum in ea sagaces & solertes Episcopi praeesse caepê­runt, qui per occasionem à Caesaribus contenderent, ut suâ au­thoritate at potentiâ primatum & summam in alias Ecclesias po­testatem, penes hanc sedem esse statuerent.

Praeterea Consilium nostrum esset, ut tua sanctitas Cardinali­bus & Episcopis praeciperet, ut Logicam, Sophisticam, Artemque Scholasticam & Metaphysicam, Folio 5. item decretales, sex Clemen­tinas extravagantes, & regulas Cancellariae, in sua quisque civita­te legiae doceri publice curent. Utinam legendis hujusmodi libris homines ubique diligentius incubuissent. Neque enim res nostrae in hujusmodi deploratissimum statum adductae essent. Sed hi contemptis melioribus istis disciplinis Graecae & Hebraicae linguae operam dare, & mox Bibliorum versionem ad Graecam & Hebraicam veritatem exigere examinareque ac Theologiae & Antiquis Ecclesiae doctoribus studere caeperunt. Unde damna illa quae jam sustinemus Omnia extitere. Quare danda erit o­pera [Page 53]ut studiis istiusmodi valere jussis, Scholasticam artem & tu­um jus Canonicum homines repetant quibus Theologiae studia sepulta pene atque obruta fuisse olim constat.—Decretalium, &c meminimus at non item Decreti, est enim perniciosus liber & authoritatem tuam valde vehementer imminuit. Ita enim in­quit Canon qui incipit Transferunt 24. Q. 3. Immutant menda­cio veritatem, qui aliud praedicant quam ab Apostolis acceperunt. Hoc plane Lutheranum est axioma: Quid enim aliud quotidie inculcant nostri adversarii, quam ne latum quidem unguem lice­re ab his rebus quae Apostolis fuere in usu recedere? At quis est ex nostris qui non recedat saepe quotidie? Certe vix umbram quandam retinemus in nostris Ecclesiis ejus Doctrinae & Discipli­nae quae Apostolorum temporibus sieut etiam initio attigimus flo­ruerunt & prorsus aliam accersivimus.

Denique quod inter omnia Consilia quae nos hoc tempore dare possumus, Folio penult. omnium gravissimum ad extremum reservavi­mus. Oculi hîc aperiendi sunt, omnibus nervis aduitendum erit ut quam minimum Evangelii poterit praesertim vulgari lingua, in iis legatur civitatibus quae sub tua ditione & potestate sunt, suf­ficiatque tantillum illud quod in missa legi solet, nec eo amplius cuiquam mortalium legere liceat. Quamdiu enim pauculo illo homines contenti fuerunt tamdiu res tuae ex sententia successêre, eaedem (que) in contrarium labi caeperunt ex quo ulterius legi vulgo usurpatum est. Hic ille in summa est liber qui praeter caeteros hasce nobis tempestates ac turbines conciliavit quibus prope ab­repti sumus: Et sane siquis illum diligenter expendat, deinde quae in nostris fieri Ecclesiis consueverunt singula ordine con­templetur, videbit plurimum inter se dissidere, & hanc doctrinam nostram ab illa prorsus diversam esse, ac saepe contrariam etiam. Quod simulatque homines intelligant, à docto scilicet aliquo ad­versariorum stimulati non ante clamandi finem faciunt, quam rem plane omnem divulgaverint, nosque invisos omnibus reddiderint. Quare occultandae pauculae illae chartulae, sed adhibitâ quâdam cautione & dilige [...]tiâ, ne ea res majores nobis turbas ac tumul­tus excitet. This last Paragraph, let English ears hear it.

Last of all (say they) which we have reserved to the last place, as the weightiest of all the counsels that we can give at this time. Your eyes are here to be opened. You must endeavour, with all the power you have, that as little as can be of the Gospel be read, especially in the vulgar tongue, in those Cities which are within your power and ju­risdiction, [Page 54]but let that little which is wont to be read in the Mass suf­fice, and let it not be lawful for any mortal man to read any more than that. For as long as men were content with that little, your affairs succeeded according to your hearts desire; but they began to decline, and go back, as soon as it came in use to read more of it. This is in sum that Book, which above all others, hath brought upon us these storms and whirlewinds, wherewith we are almost carried away head­long. And truly if any man shall diligently weigh that Book, and then consider distinctly all those things which are wont to be done in our Churches, he will see that they differ very much the one from the other, and that this Doctrine of ours is altogether diverse from that, yea, and oftentimes directly contrary to it. Which as soon as men understand, being stirred up by some Learned man amongst the Adversaries, they make no end of clamoring, till they have laid open the whole matter, and rendred us odious unto all. Wherefore those few sheets of paper must be hid, and kept out of sight, but with some caution and dili­gence, lest the very doing of this, should increase the storm, and bring yet greater troubles and tumults upon us. This is their advice, with other things ejusdem farinae, too many to be here Transcribed. Ghostly counsel, of ghostly Fathers. Wherein, indeed, they state the Controversie between them and us aright, namely, That their departure from the Scripture, and our adherence to it, is that which hath begun and bred the Quarrel, and made the breach between them and us, and the name Protestant arise; then instead of trembling at his Word, and humbling themselves to re­form by that unerring Rule, they enter into open Rebellion and Conspiracy against the Rule, to suppress it, and smother it, even in the spiritual Language of those Rebels, Who say, Psalme 2.3. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us: For which, he that sits in heaven, laughs at them, and the Lord hath them in derision.

I find both these counsels mentioned by Pope Paul the 4th, and Pope Clement the 8th, in their Index librorum prohibitorum, pub­lished by them in pursuance of the Decrees of the Council of Trent. The former, in the letter L. under this Title, Liber inscri­ptus, Consilium de emendanda Ecclesia: And so Pope Paul the 4th, prohibits and condemns the Book, and Council, subscribed by himself, when he was Cardinal Peter Theatin: As the like change of judgment upon change of interest is commonly observed in Aeneas Sylvius, when he came to be Pope Pius the 2d. The latter [Page 55]counsel is mentioned in the letter C. under this Italian Title, Consiglio d'alicuui Vescovi congregati in Bologna. The counsel of certain Bishops met together in Bononia. This may suffice, as to a further Account of this matter.

In Cap. 7. of humane Testimonies, mention is made of Epipha­nius his Testimony against Idolatry, and of the freedom of ex­pression used by sundry Romanists concerning him, whereof take this further account. Epiphanius his words are these: Quando venissem ad villam, quae dicitur Anablatha—Inveni ibi velum pendens in foribus ejusdem Ecclesiae tinctum atque depinctum, Epiph. Operae. tom. 2, Epist. ad Johan. Hiero­sol. page 317. Edit. Petav. 1622. & habens imaginem quasi Christi vel sancti cujusdam, non enim satis memini cujus imago fuerit. Cum ergo hoc vidissem in Ecclesia Christi contra authoritatem Scripturarum, hominis pendere i­maginem, scidi illud, & magis dedi consilium custodibus ejusdem loci ut pauperem mortuum eo obvolverent, & efferrent.—Precor ut Jubeas—in Ecclesia Christi ejusmodi vela quae contra Religi­onem nostram veniunt, non appendi. As we were going to Bethel (saith he) when I came to a Village called Anablatha, I found there a Vail hanging in the Church-door coloured and painted, and having an Image in it, as it were of Christ, or some Saint; for I do not well remember whose Image it was: Wherefore when I saw this, that the Image of a man hung in the Church of Christ contrary to the Autho­rity of the Scriptures, I tore it in pieces. And, moreover, I counselled the Keepers of that place, to wrap up the dead body of a poor man in the said Vail, and so to carry him forth to be buried. And I do beseech you to give order, that there be no such Vails hung up in the Church of Christ, which are contrary to our Religion. Riv. Crit. Sacr. lib. 3. cap. 29. Waldens. Tom. 3. Lit. 19. Cap. 157. Bell. de Imag. lib. 2. cap. 9. Salmeron Comment. in 1 John. cap. 5: Dis. 32. Sixt. Sinens. lib. 5. Annot. 247. Greg. Valent. de Idol. lib. 2. cap. 7.

He writes this to John Bishop of Jerusalem, and the Epistle is Translated by Jerom, a sign he liked it well; and so you have the Testimony of two Fathers together, both Epiphanius and Jerom: A Testimony so full and clear, that your Writers come forth a­gainst it one way, but flie seven. Some of them, as Rivet notes, senslesly affirming, That he speaks it in regard of the Anthropo­morphites, so Tho. Waldensis, as Bellarmine reports. Others, with as little sense, or reason, would have this passage to be supposititious, because, forsooth, they know not how to shape an handsom An­swer to it, so Bellarmine, &c. But others of them, Heretick-like, say, That he did erre, and that one Swallow makes no Summer; and that they regard the practice of your Church, more than the Authority of Epiphanius. Thus Salmeron, Sixtus Sinensis, Gregorius de Valen­tia. [Page 56]But may you thus depress the Fathers below your Church? May you thus advance your spurious Church above the Fathers, as the Pope doth his Nephews, above Kings and Princes? And may not we prefer the Scriptures above either you or them? But when you have said what you please, and tryed all the shifts you can, yet this Testimony of Epiphanius is an undeniable evidence against you, That the gross Idolatry of Image-worship, how fast soever it was then coming in, yet had not generally prevailed in his time. Helvicus placeth him upon the year of Christ, 376.

And seeing we are upon this, let us see a little further what your Writers say of Epiphanius, beside their anger at him for this Testimony, what general cen­sure and character do they give of him? It may be a Divertisement here, not unpleasant, Can. Loc. The­ol lib. 11. p. 477. Rivet. Critic. lib. 3. cap. 28. Baron ad ann. Christi 310. Sect. 15. an. 306. Sect. 45. an. 326. Sect. 4. & 8 an. 327. Sect. 7. ann. 338. Sect. 2. ann. 342. Sect. 50. ann. 306. Sect. 45. ann. 310. Sect 16. Petav. Ani­madver. ad E­piph. lib. 1. tom. 1. ad Hae­res Samaritan. pag. 21. ad. Hae­res. 20. Herodi­an. pag 39. ad Haeres. Epicur. pag. 20. nor unuseful, to see how they handle him, that so it may appear whe­ther they have any greater Reverence to the Fathers, than we. Melchior Canus saith of him, Nullos ille graves Authores sequi solet. Baronius is as rude as he, and saith, ab omni scopo veritatis abhorrere quod apud Epiphanium legitur falsum item esse quod ait, &c. Rivet refers the Reader to eight or nine places, wherein he shews his judgement freely concerning Epiphanius. But Petavius the Jesuite equals, if not exceeds his Fellows, Permulta enim isthic falsa (saith he, false things) minimeque cohaerentia disputat. And again, Suspicamur it aque multipliciter hallucinatum Epiphanium. And again, in another place, Totidem paucis illis verbis a sanctissimo eruditissimoque viro Epiphanio peccata sunt. Quorum admonere Lectorem [...] officii est institutique nostri, excusare humanitatis, dissimulare aut tueri velle, neque officii, neque humanitatis est. So many Errors (saith he) are here committed in so few words, by this holy, and this learn­ed Man Epiphanius; of which Errors, to give the Reader warning, is both my Duty and Undertaking in these Animadversions. To excuse them, is a piece of courtesie and respect; but to dissemble them, or to defend them, is no part ei­ther of Duty or Courtesie. Thus he. A sober, and a well-tempered Speech▪ and the more observable, because uttered by one that was so full of the gall of bitterness, as this Petavius was. But such Animadversions, such Reproofs as these, have these Writers of your own, thought fit to bestow upon Epiphanius. And now, what if we should say, that he, as well as some other of the Ancients, did hyperbolize, and exceed a little in his Encomiasticks of St. Peter; and that his words and expressions are not so wary, and so well guarded, as they might have been, in predicating the glories of that great Apostle. It appears from all this, that we should say no worse of him, nor handle him more unman­nerly and irreverently, than your own Writers have done before us:

This may suffice, at present, for the further illustration of these matters. As also, for the Vindication of the True Reformed Protestant Christian Religion, in the purity of it, as contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, against the Roman Catholick Apostasie. The Lord bless what hath been said, for the reducing and bringing home his lost sheep, and for the further establishment of Believers in their most Holy Faith.