Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The Papists.

[error 82] THey make this profession to be as ancient as the time of our Sauiour Christ, and prooue the beginning thereof both out of the newe and olde Testa∣ment.

1 Helias and Helizaeus were Eremites, and liued without wiues, neither possessed any riches: Ergo, this profession of life is most ancient, Bellarm. cap. 5. Rhemist. annot. in Mark. 9.3.

Answere: First, the argument followeth not: they had no wiues, nor ri∣ches, Ergo, were Eremites: for euen amongst the papists themselues many were kept from wiues (as their priests) and yet were neither Monkes nor Ere∣mites. Secondly, though we reade not that Helisaeus was married, yet the sonnes of the prophets were, that liued as it were in the same Colledge with him, 2. King. 4.1. which Bellarmine maketh a Colledge of Monkes and Ere∣mites: and sayth very vntruely, that they all liued without wiues, cap. 5. Third∣ly, though Elias and Elisaeus were sometime in the wildernes, yet they alwayes remained not, neither liued there, Fulk. annot. Mark. 9.3.

2 Iohn Baptist a perfect patterne of Eremitical life, for liuing in the desert and wildernes, for his rough apparell, for abstaining from all delicate meate, Rhemist. annot. Math. 3.1.

Answere: First, Iohn Baptists calling was singular and extraordinary, and therefore cannot be made an author of any ordinary profession. Secondly, wee denie not but his life was austere, and that he made his abode in a solitarie place, yet there were houses and villages not farre off: his apparell also was course cloth, made of the hard haires of Camels: his foode was of locusts and wilde honie, the vsuall and common meate of that countrey: he was an extraordina∣ry preacher of repentance, and shewed in him selfe an example of austere life, as it became the forerunner of Christ: But being no minister of the Gospel, but the last prophet of the law, he cannot be a patterne of an ordinary profession vnder the Gospel, Fulk. annot. Matth. 3. sect. 1.

3 Nay Bellarm. fetcheth his monkish order from a more ancient beginning, thē from Elias, & Iohn Baptist: yea from before the flood: for Enos, saith he, see∣meth to haue brought in some stricter kinde of life, and peculiar maner of wor∣shipping God: whereas the text sayth, that he began to call vpon the name of God: that is, after another manner: for Adam, Seth, Abel, before this time called vpon the name of God. cap. 5.

Answere: First, who would haue thought, that there had been Monks and Eremites before the flood, if the Iesuite had not sayd it, or that this text, which he alleadgeth, could haue proued it? The argument followeth not: Enos brought in a peculiar worship of God, therefore was founder of the Eremiticall life: for he brought in the true worship of God: but the other is superstitious and erronious. Secondly, Tremellius readeth more agreeably to the Hebrue, Tum no∣mē Dei coeptum est inuocando profanari: then the name of God began to be pro∣phaned in calling vpon, that is, his worship began to be corrupted: for the He∣brue word signifieth, both to inuocate and call vpon God, as also to corrupt, pollute, or prophane. Thirdly, if we read as they doe, The name of God be∣ganne to be called vpon: it onely sheweth a restoring and renewing of the true worship of God, which was polluted by the posteritie of Cain, whose stocke and familie is set downe in that chapter, Gen. 4.