NO winde hath bene of so great force , to remoue the wauering mindes of vnconstant men from the grounds of euident truth , as the vaine blast of pretended Antiquitie . Not because true Antiquitie is a vaine blast , or should be compared thereunto : but because vaine men , who are altogether set on the loue of vanitie , Psal . 4.2 . puft vp with the vnconstant winde of their vanishing imaginations , abusing the name thereof to credit their Nouelties , without the nature and substance of it , haue withdrawne ignorant seduced men from the way of truth ; like a shooting starre , which being indeed a grosse Meteor , exhaled from the foggiest earth in farre distance , hath the shining and glory of a true fixed starre , and so is taken by the rude and simple , but the skilfull Astronomer can easily discouer it ; yea the most rude and ignorant , when they finde it , and feele it , can discry it , to be but a slimie slough , that hath lost its brightnesse , and is good for nothing .

2 No terror hath so withdrawne men , 1. Cor . 14.20 . that are Children in vnderstanding , though strong in malice , as the visard of Antiquity ; not that true Antiquity is a visard , 1. Pet . 2.16 . more then Christian liberty is a cloake for maliciousnesse : but because the betrayers of truth , abuse it as a vizard , both to couer the deceipt of their infoysted Nouelties , and to obscure the truth which they trample vnder foote , as swine do do pearles , or dogges holy things . Math . 7.6 . They teach the ignorant to call superstition the old Religion , and the reformed religion the New learning . As the brutish theeues in the borders were wont to say , that the commandement of God , To old M. Gilpin . Thou shalt not steale , was not Gods Old Law , but a New Law , of King Henrie his making . Or like the Cleargy of Scotland , in the dayes of their ignorance ; qui Nouitatis nomine offensi , contendebant Nouum testamentum nuper à Martino Luthero inuentum , Buch . in hist . rerum Scoticarum , l. 15. ac Vetus testamentum reposcebant : Who offended with the name of Nouelty , contended the New Testament to be of Martin Luthers making , and therefore required the Old testament . So ardent were they for Antiquity , against Noueltie , they would haue the Old testament , but not the New . And that this ignorance may not seeme monstrous , though it be maruellous , Fox . Acts , & Mon. p. 1266. the Bishop of Dunkelden , George Treiton , who liued about those times , professed to Deane Thomas Forret , that he knew neither the Old testament , nor the New ; but his Portuise serued his turne . In so much that it grew to a prouerbe , Like the Bishop of Dunkelden , that knew , neither the Old law , nor the New . And therefore it was no wonder , that the Cleargy could not distinguish the one from the other , when a Bishop was so learned that he knew neither . About which time there was a great dispute , which troubled such learned BB . long , whether the Pater noster might be sayd to the B. Virgin Marie ; when one answered perhaps rashlie , yet very vnhappily ; Let God haue his Pater noster , &c. let our Lady be contented with her Aue , in the diuels name . Yet perhaps it is not so barbarous to say it to the blessed Virgine , as to Saint Barbara or Saint Katherine , Bellar . de Sanctorum Beatit . l. 1. c . 16. in Bellarmines conceit . And left Ierusalem should mocke her sister Samaria with this grosse darknesse , I could tell of a Doctor in Cambridge , a little before the beginning of King Edwards dayes , who finding a New testament of Erasmus translation in a scholers hand , tooke and read it a while , and redeliuering it to the owner , said , It was a pretty booke , but he had neuer seene it before . Robert Stephens reports also of a great Sorbonist in Paris , Respons . 1552. that swore per diem , quod nunquam sciret quid esset nouum testamentum , by the day , he neuer knew what was the New testament . This is the lesse strange , if we consider that the Scriptures were seldome or neuer read in schooles , but either Dionysius , or the Maister of the Sentences , or Thomas Aquinas , or Bonauenture , schooleman vpon schooleman : but none vpon the old Testament , or new . And by these meanes each tooke of other , at second hand , and so forsaking the fountaine of liuing waters , Ier . 2.13 . they digged vnto themselues pits , yea broken pits , that would hold no water .

3 Thus either the blind leading the blind , Math . 15.14 . or the malicious subuerting the wilfull , do either ignorantly pretend , or wickedly obtrude the name of Antiquitie against all reformation , as an armour of impregnable proofe ; though they know not what it is , neither can discerne between New and old . Yet Bellarmine maketh this , euen such as it is , Bellar . de notis Eccles . the second note to proue the certainty of the present Romaine Church .

But when the arrowes of Gods , not onely ancient , but euerlasting truth , shall be shot against this false pretence , Adams fig leaues could as well couer his nakednesse from the sight of God , Gen. 3.7 . 1. Sam . 17. or Goliahs forehead withstand the stroke of Dauids sling , as this maske can couer the shame of Rome , or gainstand the force of Gods eternall truth : though her face were of the mettall of the Giants boots .

4 Valiant Iosuah , Iosuah . 9.12 . and the sagest elders of Israel were deceiued by the Gibeonites , shrowded and shadowed vnder this veile . They pretended nothing but Old clothes , Old shoes , rent bottles , torne bagges , sowre drinke , mouldie bread , all old , and all so old , that all was naught , and themselues too : all affected , all dissembled Antiquity , neuer a word true ; and yet such wise , such great men , vnder this pretence were deceiued . No maruell then if many , neither so valorous as Iosuah , nor so wise in experiment of policy as the ancients of Israel , be sometimes ouertaken with this sleight , while the Gibeonites of Rome bring such old stuffe , moth-eaten and canker-fretted monuments , that to the simple may beare a probable shew of Antiquity , but being throughly sifted and seriously examined , they appeare , as indeed they are , meere intruders vpon the ancient euidences of the Church , which they either falsifie by rasing , or interlining , or make away by imbezeling and purloyning , or sophisticate by glosing , and commenting , or bring in their roome New inuentions vnder the names of old Authors , and so craftily cosin the people of God .

5 There is most danger and cunning in counterfeiting the most precious mettals . To sophisticate base minerals will neuer quite cost . This makes the Romanists so eager and desperate in adulterating of Antiquity , because it is a pearle of most esteemed price , which once entertained by them whom they desire to deceiue , Hieron . ad Trapezitam . is holden as a Iewel of most precious value , but any skilful lapidary can soon espie the Alchumy . It seemeth gold , it is but brandished brasse ; it seemeth a rubie , one of the stones in Aarons holy attyre , or a foundation of new Ierusalem , wherein is admitted no counterfeit ; but it is onely a polished Garnet : It beareth resemblance of a Diamond , but it is digged out of Saint Vincents rocke , as good as a Saint Martins chaine . At one word , many things are offered and vrged for Antiquitie , which vpon triall proue meere Noueltie , yea and worse then vanitie , a plaine nullity .

6 When Constantine the first constant Christian Emperour came to Bizantium , there came to him certaine Philosophers , and complained that he worshipped not God as he ought to do , and that he practised certaine Nouelties in holy things , bringing in a New kind of worship into the commonwealth , Praeter ea quae eius Maioribus visa sunt , & Graecorum Romanorumque Principibus , quos transacta saecula habuerunt : Besides , those things which seemed good to his Ancestors , and to the Nobles of Greece , and Rome , who liued in passed ages . If this noble and religious Emperour had not bene as an Angell , to discerne truth from error , good from euill , this shadow of Antiquitie might haue depriued him of the substance of verity . But theirs was fabulosa Antiquitas , Erasmus in Paracl . in Athan . fabulous Antiquity , a bable to please fooles , no solide learning to conuince conscience .

Epist. Simach . apud Ambro . lib . 5. Epist. 30 7 Simachus the Prefect of a City , wrote vnto the Emperour Valentinian , for the continuance and support of heathenish Idolatry ; his greatest inducements were , Praestate oro vos vt ea quaepueri suscepimus , senes posteris relinquamus : I beseech you that what we learned when we were children , that we may leaue in our old age , to our posterity . And againe , Si longa aetas authoritatem religionibus faciat , seruanda est tot saeculis fides , & sequendi sunt nobis parentes , quisequnti sunt foeliciter suos . If old age giue authority to religion , then must we preserue the faith of so many ages , and our fathers are to be followed of vs , who most happily succeeded theirs . And againe , Sera & contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis . The reformation of old age , is late and contumelious . What a face of Antiquity pretendeth this deceiued Idolater ? I will omit the answer , and commit the reader to Ambrose in the next Example , and to Prudentius that answered the same . Therefore Constantine did wisely when he published his edict for the Christian religion , in preuenting this obiection of the heathens , ( who euer pretended Antiquity ) saying , Euseb . in vita Const . l. 2. This our religion is neither new nor newly inuented , but is as old as we beleeue the creation of the world to be : and which God hath commanded to be celebrated with such mysteries as seemed good and pleased him : but all liuing men are lyers , and are deceiued with diuerse and sundry illusions , &c. Wherewith we may stop the mouthes of our Romaine aduersaries , Our religion is neither new , nor newly inuented , & . and theirs is neuer a whit the better for its age , rather pretended then proued , to be old .

8 If such pretended antiquity in that good Emperors dayes , had receiued admittance & accepance , Christian religion had bin disgraced for the time , if not degraded for euer ; This is the very plea of counterfeit Catholiques at this day . Ad Philadelp . Ignatius was troubled with such pleaders , and proctors for idolatry . Audiui quosdam dicentes , nisi Euangelium in Antiquis inuenero , non credam : I haue heard some say , except I can find the Gospell in the Ancients , I will not beleeue . To whom not only his answer would serue , His ego dico , Iesum Christum mihi pro Archiuis esse cui non parere manifestum est exitium , & Antiquitas mea Iesus Christus : I say to these , that Iesus Christ is to me a treasury of Charters , to whom not to obey is manifest damnation : & my Antiquity is Iesus Christ : But also that if they had grace to seeke , they might haue found the Gospell in Paradise , when the promise was made that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head : Gen. 3.15 . Gen 12.3.22.18 . Euseb . de praepar . Euang . l. 10. with Abraham , when it was foretold by God , that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed : with many more in the bookes of Moses , whose writings were Vetustissima & ante omnes alios scriptores , ( as Eusebius , from Iosephus reporteth , ) most ancient and before all writers . Thus the heathen on all hands , contemned the Iewes , and condemned the Christians , vpon this onely surmise . Wherein they flattered themselues , as the pretended Catholiques do at this day : that they had a certaine Antiquity of their owne , and therefore they would not obey the truth , which they reputed Nouelty . As the Captaine that persecuted the Martyr Romanus obiected , Prudentius in hymmis de Thy crucified Christ is but a yesterdayes God , the Gods of the Gentiles were of most Antiquity ; yet was Christ neuer the lesse the euerlasting Sonne of his Father , who is God aboue all to be blessed for euer ; was before Abraham , and before the world , which was made by him , without whom nothing was made .

9 I thinke Idolaters haue the lucke on 't , ( as we say . ) The Samaritans after Israels captiuity , 2. Reg . 17.34 . vnto this day they do after the old maner ; they neither feared God , neither do after his Ordinances , nor after his Customes , nor after the Law , nor after the commandement , which the Lord commanded the children of Iacob , whom he named Israel . Ver . 40. — they obeyed not , but did after their old Custome . These were Israelites as well as heathen , therefore they had ordinances and customes , and a Law from God , older then their old maner , and these old Customes which they pretended . Yet see how strangely they were withdrawne from the true seruice of God , vnder the shew and semblance of Old manners , old Customes : vnto which they seemed to be so wedded , yea so bound , so chained , that euen vnto the time of our Sauiour Christs appearing in the flesh , they would worship God where their fathers worshipped . Iohn 4.20 . Our fathers worshipped in this mount . They had an interuenient commandment of God , Deut . 12.5 . to seeke the place which the Lord their God should chuse out of all their tribes , to put his name there , and there to dwell , and thither should they come , &c. They had the manifest testimonies of the Prophets : God refused the tabernacle of Ioseph , & chose not the tribe of Ephraim : Psal . 78.67 . but chose the tribe of Iuda and mount Sion which he loued : he built his Sanctuary as an high pallace , like the earth which he established for euer : And againe , Psal . 87.1 . God laid his foundations among the holy mountaines , The Lord loued the Gates of Sion aboue all the habitations of Iacob . They had the prayer of Salomon ; That the eyes ( of the Lord ) may be open toward this house , 1. King . 8.29 . ( which he had built in Ierusalem ) night and day , euen toward the place whereof he had said , My name shall be there . They had Gods owne choice , I haue chosen Ierusalem . 2. Chron . 6.5 . that my name may be there . They had Gods owne approbation , and ratification of his choice , 2. Cron . 7.12 . yea and his gracious promise annexed thereunto , I haue heard thy prayer , and haue chosen this place for my selfe , to be an house for sacrifice . Yet neither Gods commandement , nor the Prophets testimonies , nor Salomons prayer , nor Gods choyce , nor confirmation , no nor his promise annexed thereunto , could weane the Samaritanes from the place where their fathers worshipped : So potent , so violent , is the perswasion of Antiquity , if it be once fastened to the hearts of men , especially if it finde either profit , or pleasure , or ease , ioyned therewithall .

10 As the profane Israelites preferred their Old diet of fish , Numb . 11.15 . cucumbers , pepons , leekes , onions , and garlicke in Egypt , whereunto they had bene vsed foure hundred yeares , and which they had for nought , and very good cheape , before the remembrance of the hony , nuts , almonds , Gen. 43.11 . and spices which their fathers had , when they liued in the land of Canaan , yea & before the present fruition of Manna , Angels food in the wildernesse . So do our Romaine Samaritans , our Israelitish recusants at this day . Our Rhemists could see , Annot . in Iohn 4.20 . I cannot say a Moate in the Samaritanes eye , but that beame in those Idolatrous eyes , that they pretended their worshipping there to be more ancient then the Iewes at Ierusalem , referring it to Iacob : yet they cannot see a greater beame in their owne eyes , who haue not so much pretence , nor such probability as the Samaritanes had . For they had the Antiquity of Ierusalem indeed , though the law of God coming after , made that argument of none effect . But the Romanes haue not their Antiquitie beyond Gods commandements , but after the Gospell was preached ; and therefore cannot so much as in pretence prescribe any shew of Antiquitie beyond that verity which the Gospell offereth . Esay . 10.9 . But is not Calno , as Carchamish ? Is not Hama as Arphad ? Is not Ierusalem , as Samaria ? Aske the Prophet Ieremie , who will not onely tell you , but complaine most grieuously of the people in his time , Ierem . 44.17 . that said , We will do whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our own mouth , as to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen , & to powre out drink offrings vnto her , as we haue done , both we and our fathers , our Kings , and our Princes , in the Citties of Iuda , and in the streets of Ierusalem ; for then had we plentie of victuals , and were well , and felt no euill . Since we left off — We haue had scarsnesse of all things , and haue bene consumed by the sword and by the famine . Are not these words , in the whole effect of them , in the mouthes of all the old superstitious people of this land ? And do not the yong learne of the old ? When we prayed to our Lady , and offred tapers on Candlemasse day , and heard Masse as we haue done , both we and our fathers , our Kings and our Princes , in the Cities of this land , then we had plentie of all things , and were well , we felt no euill . But since we haue left the religion of our fathers , our kings and our Princes , we haue scarsnesse of all things .