to be true seruants to their Sauiour or good subiects to their Souereigne I Hauing finished yet in great weakenesse our former worke wherein I doe humbly craue of all sorts a friendly and fauourable construction and acceptation and there still remaining a few pages vnwritten I thought it not labout lost if I did annexe some common yet courteous direction to the Lay-papists of the land to disswade them from the corrupt Doctrine of the Church of Rome vnto the which they are induced by the inchaunting allurements of Popish Priests men whose learning and wits are tempting baites yea bawdes Thamar-like prostitute themselues so that they may haue children they will deceiue their owne father Iudah as also by the ignorance of these Lay-disciples whose right eyes of knowledge they thrust out as Nahash the Ammonite would haue done to the men of Iabesh Gilead depriuing them of the word of knowledge the Scripture and saying It was the Deuills inuention to permit the people to reade the Bible as one of their fide writes and therfore the Church of Rome forbiddeth the reading of it among the people By which meanes oh wofull meanes and to cry with their owne Doctor to their Cleargy for it woe to our Parish Priests woe to our Bishops woe to our Prelates they haue brought in such a floud of prodigious ignorance as that many of them are as ignorant as that Knight was of whom Claudius Espâ—ncaem tells of who being demanded his beliefe touching the holy Ghost answered he knew not whether there was an holy Ghost or no. So that their followers being so blind not able to iudge of colours wanting the word of Truth the Scripture in the tongue they vnderstand which is the lapis Lydius the touchstone to try the truth from error diuina statera as Augustin calles it the diuine ballance to weigh truth from falsehood it is easie to winde such into selfe-losing labyrinthes and to driue them with their painted clothes like woodcockes into their nets and to goe with them with Domitius Chalderinus yet hee learned who when he should goe to the Masse accustomed to say Eamus ad communem errorem Let vs goe to the common error So these are content to goe to Masse the common or Catholicke mother of all Bastard errors The attractiue motiues which draw many to fancy and follow the religion of the Church of Rome may be reduced to three Heads 1. The Antiquitie 2. The Vniuersality 3. The Vnity of that Church which three if they could be found there were of powerfull consequence to mooue reuerence but neither of these can be found there for the moderne Romane Church which coines so often new Creedes and Articles of faith and is reuolted from herselfe in substance of doctrine is no more like herselfe in her primitiue State then Lais the Curtizan is an honest woman I could demonstrate this I say without controulement if I were purposed to write a common-place-booke of Controuersies in this point but it hath beene handled so largely and learnedly by other Diuines of our Church that I may at this time forbeare any long discourse I will but touch it and instance this I write how the moderne Church of Rome is swarued from herselfe not onely from the Truth which primitiue Rome embraced but also varied from herselfe declining into heresie innouating those Articles and dogmaticall points of faith as they count them which in the processe of her fall she professed it might be specified in most of the points of Doctrine she maintaines at this present time but I will rest with these few for I write but an Epitome 1 Example shall be in the Sacrament At the first the people receiued the cup as well as the bread for the space of a thousand yeeres yea afterward the Romance Church commanded the wine to be consecrated that the lay-people might fully communicate saith Micrologus most and the best Papists liked this well that the people should communicate in both kinds but afterward the Councell of Constance forbad it and after that the Councell of Basil released the decree of Constance to some and after that the Councell of Trent the mint of errors confirmed it againe and depriued the Laity of the Cup Sect. 21. c. 2. So that this point of Doctrine now maintained in the Church of Rome can pleade no antiquity being now so oft renewed put vp and put downe and their most ancient Liturgies shew how the people receiued the wine as well as the bread and this custome saith Caietan endured long in the Church and as one of their Church say It were better if this custome were renewed againe 2 Example in Transubstantiation Transubstantiation lately brought into the Church and made a matter of faith by a silly Pope Innocent the third in the Lateran Councell within these 400 yeeres and the Papists themselues say this opinion is very new and lately brought into the Church and beleeued onely vpon the authority of the Lateran Councell and speake so vncertainely and inconstantly in this point and doe so stagger enterfere in their opinion herein confessing that there is no Scripture to conuince it vnlesse ye bring the Church of Romes exposition so that hitherto we can see no great antiquity nor good vniuersality in their doctrine 3 Example in Popes supremacy The Councell of Constance and Basil decreed That a generall Councell was of greater authority then the Pope but long after that the Councels of Lateran and Trent decreed contrary The Councels of Chalcedon and Constantinople make the Bishop of Constantinople equall with the Bishop of Rome yet now he arrogates a supremacy aboue Bishops aboue Councels aboue Kings aboue all his title no lesse then vniuersall Bishop yet Gregory who was Pope of Rome saith I hat he dare confidently say He is the forerunner of Antichrist in his pride whosoeuer he be that calleth himselfe vniuersall Bishop but this smoaky pompe of pride the Pope now likes well enough and makes it an Article of Faith to sweaâ—e obedience to his primacy and he that denies this denies Fidem Catholicam The Catholicke Faith faith Bellarmine I might here produce other examples of Popish Doctrine crept in by degrees as their abhominable Image-worship brought in by the second Councell of Nice the first restraint of Priests marriage by Pope Siritius the doctrine of the merit of workes lately by the Schoolemen as Waldensis writes Their prayers to the dead Popes pardons Purgatory a Platonicall or poeticall fiction Auricular confession with other like triuiall trash which if they haue any colour of antiquity yet they haue no colour of verity And what is antiquity without verity Saint Cyprian tels vs Consuetudo sine veritate est vestustas erroris Continuance without truth is the antiquity of error And againe Non hom ines consuei â—dinem
Church that is the Pope concerning any place of Scripture although he neyther know nor vnderstand whether and how it agreeth with the words of Scripture yet notwithstanding he hath ipsissimumverbum Dei the very word of God saith Hosius voices most odious to all the Fathers whom they boast of to name but one S. Chrysostome saith Scripturis sacris potius credendum quam omnibus hominibus in mundo VVe must beleeue the Scripture before all the men of the world and not to cleaue to the Popes exposition for as the same Father Sacra Scriptura seipsam exponit auditorem errare non sinit the holy scripture expounds it selfe and will not suffer the hearer to erre Their Cardinall Cusanus hath written a booke which he entitleth De Authoritate Ecclesia Concilij supra contra Scripturam of the authory of the Church and of a Councell aboue and against the Scripture with many others who haue vomited out blasphemous speeches and would infringe the authority of the worde of God robbing it sacrilegiously of her all-sufficiency and bestow it vpon their Pope the Master of the mystery of iniquity and herefie 4 They prohibit the people to read the Scripture and odiously exclaime against vs as Bellarmine the Rhemists because our translated Bibles be in the hands of euery husbandman artificer prentise boy girle mistresse maide man and for the maintaining of their practise to depriue the people of the worde they would colour it with certaine paradoxes 1 The Scripture makes heretickes 2 Ignorance is the mother of deuotion 3 Images are the Lay-mens Bookes 4 They must belieue as the Church belieues implicitly Christ commands all Search the Scriptures but they say The Scripture makes heretickes Paul saith Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously but they say Ignorance is the mother of deuotion Iohn saith Babes keepe your selues fram images but they say They are the Lay-mens bookes Abakuk saith The iust shall liue by his faith but they say You shal liue by another mans faith beleeue as the Church beleeues and doe not know what the Church beleeues Their doctrine to the Scripture is as opposite as heauen is to hell and therfore would not haue the people acquainted with the Scripture It is lamentable to reade how impiously they write in this kind their great Cardinall and president in the Trent Councell Hosius saith It was fitter for women to meddle with their distaffe then with Gods word So Duraeâ—â— God hath left them not the bookes of the Scriptures but Pastors and Doctors They take away from the Christian Souldier his weapon scriptum est and in stead thereof giue him traditum est a wooden dagger pictures legends and fables forsaking the fountaines of liuing waters and digge them broken pits that can hold no water They imitate the malicious Philistims who stopped the wells of Abraham and filled them vp with earth to put their memoriall out of minde so that they might challenge the ground so these stop the veines of life found in the Scripture with the earthly drosse of traditions legends Sathans songs to make a merchandize of ignorant soules and to starue them with a famine of Gods worde as if the contents in the Scripture were like the mysteries of the goddesse Ceres which might not be reuealed making the bread of life like the shew-bread whereof it was lawfull for none to eat of it but the Priests onely To colour this Gorgon with a cleanly vizard they say Ignorance is mother of deuotion Pessima mater est saith Austen itidem pessimae duae filiae falsitas dubietas illa miserior ista miserabilior illa perniciosior ista molestior Ignorance is the worst mother and her two daughters worst falshood and doubtfulnes that very wretched this more miserable that more pernicious this more troublesome but they make much of this mother for she is the vpholder of the Popes chaire Pythagoras said well Aboue all take care to keepe thy body from diseases the city from sedition and thy soule from ignorance But we may say to these popish Interpreters of the Law as our Sauiour did to the Pharasaicall ye haue taken away the key of knowledge yee enter not in your selues and them that came ye forbad I haue the longer insisted vpon this marke a red lattise to shew the house of the great whore which sits vpon many waters by which signe I may say Pulchrum est digito monstrari dicier haec est The second meretrician marke is her outward face pontificall pompe and gouernment How vnlike is her Pope to Peter Peter arrogated no primacy no Episcopall vniuersality painefull to preach the worde neuer medling with the temporall sword To feed Christs sheep was all his ioy he neuer had Emperor hold his stirrop or kisse his toe neuer deposed King from his Crown neuer freed subiect from obedience hee gaue himselfe no other title but an Apostle of Iesus Christ He neuer gloried in these smoaky titles Vicarius Christi sponsusecclesiae the Vicar of Christ the husband of the Church Vniuersalis Episcopus caput Ecclesia Vniuersall Bishop Head of the Church or as others stile him lumen orbis the light of the world or vice-deus in the roome of God not a meere man but mixt with other Luciferian titles which by me are elsewhere touched his vsurped prerogatiues and power they may that will finde in Bellarmines bookes de Romano pontifice yea as some say the Goates of Candie haue al their eyes fixed vpon the canicular star when it ariseth in the Horizon so all popish eyes fixed vpon this star of Rome homagers to his chaire all their tongues saluting with Gallinae fillus albae Peter and the Apostles were no fishers of Gold as it may be said of these Popes praedam quaerunt non animas they fish for siluer not for soules Innocent the third a Pope of Rome told Aquinas being in his Gallery among his gold that Peter could not shew so much gold when he said siluer and gold haue I none to whom Aquinas gaue a good answere and saide your Holinesse cannot doe that which Peter said and did to the cripple surge ambula arise and walke How vnlike are Romes Cardinalls to Christs Apostles State pride ambition and policy are their foure cardinall vertues Their stile ego Rex I and the King their purple hat and scarlet habit will scarce giue way to regall robes The pride ambition and vaine-glory of the Romane prelacy hath beene taxed in most histories yea their owne side hath condemned them for these sinnes and are branded with these markes by Cusanus Zarabella Marsilius Occham Duareaus c. Their selling of Pardons symoniacal corruption hath made it a common by-word omnia venalia Romae Templa sacerdetes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelum est venale deusque
ouer the night So in the firmament of the vniuersall Church God hath set two great dignities the authority of the Pope and Emperor of the which two this our dignity is so much the weightier as that we must giue account to God for the Kings of the earth and for the Lawes of men Wherefore know ye Emperors that ye depend vpon the iudgement of vs and we must not be reduced to your will for looke what difference there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone so great is the power of the Pope ruling ouer the day that is ouer the spiritualty aboue Emperors and Kings ruling ouer the night that is ouer the Laity Now seeing then the Earth is seauen times bigger then the Moone and the Sunne eight times greater then the earth it followes that the Popes dignity many degrees doth surmount the estate of Emperors And although Constantine the great writing to a Pope alleadged the words of Peter 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selues to euery humane creature as to Kings c. Yet in their Decretals they expound the minde of Peter to exhort all subiects and not his successors to be subiect proouing the Priesthood to be aboue Kings by the wordes of Ieremy Behold I haue set thee ouer Kings and Nations c. Neyther must Kings and Princes thinke it much to submit themselues to my iudgement for so did Valentinianus the Emperour and also Carolus For my power is not of man but of God who by his celestiall prouidence hath set me Master and gouernour ouer his vniuersall Church whereby all criminall causes as well of Kings as all other to be subiect to my censure For my Church of Rome is Prince and head of all nations the Mother of the Faith the foundation cardinall whereupon all Churches doe depend as the doore doth vpon the hinges The first of all other seates without spot or blemish Lady mistresse instructer of all Churches a glasse and spectacle to all men to be followed in all whatsoeuer she obserues Against which Church of Rome whosoeuer speakes any euill is forthwith an hereticke yea a very Pagan a witch an Idolater and Infidell hauing fulnesse of power onely in her owne hands in ruling deciding absoluing condemning casting out or receiuing in To which Church of Rome it is lawfull to appeale for remedy from all other Churches although it was decreed otherwise in the Councell of Carthage that no man should appeale ouer the Sea vnder paine of excommunication yet Gratians glosse can helpe that with a limitation Nisi forte Romanam sedem appellauerint Vnlesse they appeale to the Sea of Rome Of the which Church of Rome the Pope is Head the Vicar of St. Peter yea not the Vicar of St. Peter properly but the Vicar of Christ and successor of Peter Rector of the vniuersall Church and directer of the Lords vniuersall flocke chiefe Magistrate of the whole world Lex animata in terris A liuing Law in the earth hauing all Lawes in the chest of my breast Yea Nec Deus nec homo quasi neuter inter vtrūque Being neyther God nor man but the admiration of the world and a middle thing twixt both The Pope hath both swords in his power both of Temporall and spirituall iurisdiction able by his owne power alone without a Councell to depose the Emperor to transferre his kingdome and to giue a new election as hee did to Fredericke and diuers others to whom Emperors and Kings bee more inferior then lead is to gold for doe you not see the neckes of Kings and Princes bend vnder our knees yea and think themselues happy and well defenced if they may kisse our hands What doe wee talke of Kings The Pope is aboue Angels as his Clarke Antoninus writes That hee is greater then Angels in foure things 1 In iurisdiction 2 In administration of Sacraments 3 In knowledge 4 In reward And so in Bulla Clementis the Pope commands the Angels of Paradise to absolue the soule of man out of purgatory and to bring it into the glory of Paradise Who is able to comprehend the greatnes of my power and seate For by me onely generall Councels take their force and confirmation and the interpretation of the said Councels and of all other causes doubtfull must stand to my determination yea my Letters and Epistles Decretall are equiualent to Generall Councels and whereas God hath ordained all causes of men to be iudged by men he hath only reserued me that is the Pope of Rome without all question of men vnto his owne iudgement and whereas all other Creatures be vnder a Iudge onely I which am Iudge of all can be iudged of none neyther of Emperor nor the whole Cleargy nor of Kings nor yet of people For who hath power to iudge vpon his Iudge so that I differ in power and maiority and honor reuerentiall from all degrees of men For the better declaration of it the Canonists make three kindes of powers in earth 1. Immediata which is mine immediately from God 2. Deriuata which belongeth to other inferiour Prelates from mee 3. Ministralis belonging to Emperors and Princes to minister for me for the which cause the anointing of Princes and my consecration differ for they are annoynted in the arme or shoulders and I in the head This order of Priests Bishops Archbishops Patriarkes and Cardinals the Church of Rome hath instituted following the example of the Angelicall Army in heauen and the Apostles on earth For among them there was a distinction of power and authority albeit they were all Apostles yet it was granted to Peter they all agreeing to it that hee should haue superiority ouer them all and therefore had his name giuen him Cephas that is say they head or beginning of the Apostles whereupon the order of Priesthood first in the new Testament began in Peter to whom it was said Thou art Peter and vpon thee will I build my Church Math. 16. 18. And I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth c. v. 19. Seeing then such power is giuen to Peter and to the Pope in Peter as his successor who is then in all the world that ought not to be subiect to my Decrees which haue such power in heauen in hell in earth with the quicke also the dead whereupon Pope Clement in his Bull of lead sent to Vienna granted to all such as died in their peregrination to Rome that the paine of hell should not touch them And all such as tooke the holy Crosse vpon them should euery one at his request not onely be deliuered but also deliuer 3. or 4. soules out of Purgatory And againe Christ said to Peter I haue
eyther directly or indirectly by way of deposition of Kings or disposition of their kingdomes The Basis or pillar of this power yea pride they fetch from a primacy as they say of Peter which is diuolued to the See of Rome by right of succession in both of which points they haue beene lamentably soyled and it were folly in me to rub ouer the incureable wounds they haue receiued in this conflict I will stand but as a spectator or relator of this skirmish first in Peters primacy First wee request them to choose out a place for the foundation of it And the Cardinall Contarenus answereth That in his iudgement it was chiefly giuen in the 16. of Mathew when the keyes were giuen him But his Brother Bellarmine the Rhemists deny this and say The koyes were not then giuen but onely promised and with the keyes the supremacy the Gift was in the 21. of Iohn where Christ said Feede my sheepe But 〈◊〉 Contraâ—… replies againe Let not the subtilty of some more ye that say thus for they speake more subtilly then truely thus in the very â—ore from they begin to stagger and vary among themselues But because the place of Math. 16. commonly alleadged to prooue Peters supremacy is their most euident place there we insist and obiect that heerein Peter had no more giuen him then the other Apostles and all made equall with him for Peter had no more but to be the rocke and to receiue the keyes but this is common to the other ergo c. For all the power of the rocke and keyes is included in binding and loosing retaining and remitting sinnes as themselues teach but this power was giuen to all the Apostles Math. 18. 18. Iohn 20. 21. Therefore all the power of the Rocke and Keyes common to the other To reconcile this point and dissolue this knot they skirmish among themselues Some denying that the keyes containe more then binding and loosing Others that Christ in the 18. of Matthew gaue not the Apostles the whole power of the keyes making a threefold sort of keyes of Primacie of Order of Iurisdiction But Bellarmine condemnes that saying It was neuer heard that there were more keyes in the Church then two of Order and of Iurisdiction by which assertion in giuing the other Apostles the same keyes of Order and Iurisdiction hee confirmes our conclusion The highest authority that can be assigned is contained in the keyes say they and the keyes were giuen the other Apostles Math. 18. Iohn 20. 23. as well as Peter therefore Peter hath no supremacy by the Text or by their expositions The common answer of them is That albeit the Apostles had the same keyes and power that Peter had yet with a difference that Peter had it before them and as their Ordinary but they after him as his Legates and subiects which is vntrue for in the 20. of Iohn 21. they all had their power and commission from Christs own mouth not from Peter And Christ said to all Goe ye and preach the Gospell to euery creature so that seeing they had all their Commission immediatly from Christs mouth it doth imply a contradiction to say they had it vnder and from Peter herein they implicate themselues in diuers turnings some say they receiued all their authority from Christ immediately but this was because it pleased Christ by speciall priuiledge to exempt them wherein marke how they contradict themselues first saying they had their authority from and vnder Peter and presently they should haue had it but that by speciall grace they were exempted 2 Sort say the Apostles had two offices first of Apostleship secondly of Bishoply dignity the former they had from Christ but the latter by through Peter Victoria saying They receiued all the power they had immediately from Christ in that he made them all Apostles for to the Apostleship belong three things first authority to gouerne the beleeuers secondly faculty of teaching thirdly power of miracles inferring that all the Apostles had the authority of Order Iurisdiction immediately from Christ And Henriquez saith There is no likelihood in their opinion that say the Apostles receiued their Iurisdiction of Peter other determine the doubt thus That the difference of Peters power from the rest was that hee alone might vse the keyes but the rest might not without him and Saunders saith The other Disciples had the same keyes but after Peter to teach them that Peter had them by ordinary right as Prince of all but they by Christs speciall delegation extraordinarily Gregory of Valence otherwise that Peter had the keyes from Christ and ouer all the Church for euer to continue in his successors which the other Apostles had not Victoria decides this power into foure parts 1. That Peters power was ordinary the rest extraordinary 2. That it was to continue in the Church the others not 3. His power was cuer them their 's neyther ouer him nor ouer one another 4. Their power was subordinate to his so that hee might ouer rule it Caiâ—tan cuts it into fiue points 1. In the manner Peter receiued the power ordinarily they of speciall grace 2. In the office Peter Christs Vicar they but delegates 3. In the obiect hauing power ouer all they not ouer one another 4. In continuance Peters perpetuall theirs determined with their life 5. In the essence Peters preceptiue to command their 's executiue to doe what hee commanded Senensis deuides it into three parts 1. of Order 2. of Apostleship 3. of Monarchy What a weake and doubtfull foundation is heere to build vp Peters Primacy which they make an Article of their Faith so inuolued with nice distinctions and perplexed with difficulties and mutuall contradictions But perchance some Papist may reply and say the chiefe place to proue Peters primacy is Iohn 20. 16. where Christ said thrice to Peter Feede my Sheepe why doth hee examine Peter of his loue more then the rest but that hee intended him more authority No such matter Peter had thrice denied Christ which none of the other had done and therefore he had a threefold confirmation and made a threefold confession for his former abnegation Oh but some of them haue againe argued Feeding is ruling with fulnesse of power but the other Apostles were part of Christs sheepe therefore he must feede them Ansâ— Feeding is to edifie by the word and example so Peter fedde the Apostles and the Apostles fedde Peter as Paul fedde him at Antioch by reproofe So all Christs Ministers are commanded to feed the slock of Christ which is as large as feed my sheepe but the Pope doth not thus feede the sheepe but rather feede vpon the sheepe Non pascit oues sed pastus ouibus in this point Peter and the Pope are no more alike then an Englishman is to a blackeamoore they agree better in fishing then
moue them to such cruelty One of the specials of them Percy a Pensioner in an honourable place the others with worship wealth in the Common-wealth no penall Lawes vrged vpon them with many other prouocations to peace and amity Quorum si singula duram Flectere non poterant potuissent omnia mentem If some of these could not yet all conioind Might well haue turnd to loue a Lyons mind But all could not for howsoeuer they made a shew of obedience it was counterfeit Ore tenus Honouring with lippes not hearts They surely had receiued the Present of their Pope long agoe sent to his deare Children here namely the fiue wounds of Christ with this poesie Fili da mihi car tuum sufficit My sonne giue me thy heart and it sufficeth Rome had their heart England their hate and wee might of them haue complained had not the Lord helped with the Prophet Dauid Thou hast made the Land to tremble and hast made it to gape heale the breaches thereof for it is shaken Thou hast made vs to drinke the wine of giddinesse Yet these could flatter with Iudas Auc Rabbi Haile Master or Master is it I Yet for all Syren-songs let vs looke to our selues for Viâ— fidus affectus quorum diuersa fides saith Chrysostome VVhose faith is different their fidelity is doubtfull Their words sweeter then hony yet Vnlpina cauda semper prominet rictus rugitus Leonem prodit The Foxe may be knowne by his taile the Lyon by his iawes clawes and roaring By their fruits ye shall know them Trust not their iugred speeches for they haue learned the language of the Low-Countries I meane of hell their art of equiuocation to speake one thing and meane another and you know by equiuocation Iudas and Iesuits may be taken for honest men And how can their fidelity be good I meane them of their Clergy for as euery popish Bishop is sworne obedience to the Pope and Sea of Rome and to defend to death Rogalia Sancti Petri The Regalities of Saint Peter so in the English Colledge of Rome it is a Statute-Law or papall constitution that whosoeuer doe enter into it hee is bound to sweare after certaine yeeres being perfectly Iesuited to returne into England for the defence of the Catholicke Faith and there publikely or priuately to preach the same Now their Faith which they call Catholicke granteth to their Roman Church power to free subiects from all duty of obedience as doth appeare in the foureteene section and seuenth Chapter of their late Councell of Trent from which fountaine flowes Tâ—… So that they will not submit themselues to any Protestant King in any loyall and faithfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as did in somelately appeare in refusing the Oath of Alleagiance wherein his Maiesty specially aimed Separare pretiosum à vâ—… As the Lord by Ieremy to separate the precious from the vile to discerne and distinguish the Pseudocatholickes of this Climate from others of his sound and faithfull subiects And how I pray you was this oath impugned by the Popes Briefes by Bellarmine and others accounting it vnlawfull prohibiting all Popish Sectaries to accept it which oath yet specially touched their alleagiance to the King against the Popes primacy pretended in temporall things and but little the supremacy in spirituall things so that they who are thus rooted and vnmoueably grounded in all the mysteries of the Church of Rome beleeuing the Pope the supreme Head of all hauing power to excommunicate Kings to depriue them to absolue subiects from alleagiance to giue authority to kill Kings and accounting such deeds done meritorious are Clancularij proditores Clancular Traytors Schoole-Traytors who though they liue Vespertilionum instar Like the night-birds in obscurity and neuer reduce their Theoricke into Practick yet are they Traytors in Esse though not in Actu But to leaue these and to returne againe to our Powder-men Traytors both in fore and fieri Claneular at first their Chamber was a Mine vnder the Earth but being discouered then they shewed themselues Damonesmeridiani Noone day Diuels and were Sagittae volantes in die Arrowes that flie by day for perceiuing their purpose discouered and treachery preuented and disappointed of their priuate blow and blast which should haue beene acted in secret now they resolue to runne a desperate race and practise a publicke rebellion And so gathering their Catholicke Company and pretending the quarrell of Religion which they thought had had the vertue of a snow ball to encrease their number by tumbling vp and downe and hauing gotten such prouision of Armor Horses and Powder as time would permit they ranged about as open and auowed Rebels The story whereof I omit to rehearse because it is vulgarly knowne and in a Booke at large rehearsed Well the Catholicke cause moued these to this cursed Treason in which impiety behold their policy for if their villany had succceded which God in his mercy preuented they had deuised to haue laid all the blame vpon the Puritans The poore Puritans must haue the shame of Papists impurities and impieties Here in they shewed themselues to be Neroes brats who when he had set fire on the City laied the fault vpon the Christians as Tacitus writes of him or as in old time in the dayes of the ten persecutions of the Primitiue Church if any thing had befallen the world euen by Gods hand as plague or famine c. all reproaches were put vpon the Christians and crying out Christianos ad Leones Cast the Christians to the lions A shamefull and shamelesse shift to translate the infamy of so odious a fact vpon the innocent but it verifies the Prouerbe Hoc calciamentum consuit Hystiam Aristagoras induit Hystaus hath sowen the shooe and Aristagoras puts it on but thankes be to God Inciderunt in foueam quam fecerunt The fact and fault was knowne to be their owne and brought these delinquents to a shamefull fall Another policy they had pretended appointing an hunting match against the time of this treacherous designe thinking with Esau to haue brought dainty Venison to their Father not Isaacke but Antichrist and to haue surprized the person of the Lady Elizabeth now the Princely wife to the County Palatine of Rheine Thus they shewed themselues right Nimrods who was a mighty hunter and in name also Nimrod-like who is by interpretation a Rebell rebellious hunters or rather Fowlers to lay such snares but yet all may say with the Psalmist The Lord hath deliuered vs from the snare of the hunter praised be his goodnesse for euer But to passe ouer their policy in this worke of impiety painted ouer vnder a pretence of restauration of religion Is murder and massacres the seed of Rome from which these seedes-men would fetch Religion will the darnell of death produce the seed of life For the publike good Gods seruants haue wished themselues to be
by the wicked were by the wisedome of our gratious God escaped and the wicked were snared in the worke of their owne hands A deliuery deseruing eternall Trophies of Triumphs to glorifie God with our prayers and praises with our lips and liues and neuer follow them of whom the Apostle who glorified not God neyther were they thankefull but may continually call vp our hearts to this duty and cry with the Psalmist Come and hearken all yee that feare God and I will tell you what hee hath done to my soule for he hath deliuered our soules from death and our feet from falling that we should walke before God in the land of the liuing Therefore praise our God yee people and make the voice of his praise bee heard and say with the children of Reuben Gad and Manasses God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord and turne this day away from the Lord c. And as the children of Israel after their returne from the captiuity in Babilon and hearing Ezra reade the Law the ioy of their soules Ezra praised the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen Amen lifting vp their hands and bowing themselues worshipping the Lord with their faces towards the ground and Nehemiah with Ezra and the Leuites tels the people This day is holy vnto the Lord your God so let our English Israel deliuered from the intended bondage of Babilon hearken to their Ezraes in the Pulpit made for the preaching of Gods Law wherof they should haue beene depriued and with their Priests praise the Lord our great and good God answering Amen Amen bowing themselues in all humility at the footestoole of Gods Maiesty annually celebrating the fift day of Nouember with praises of thankesgiuing and saying This day is holy vnto the Lord our God This day shall be vnto vs a remembrance and wee will keep it an holy feast vnto the Lord throughout our generations we will keep it holy by an ordinance for euer to remember this maruellous worke of Englands deliuerance from the plotted powder-destruction to praise Gods holy name and glory in his praise singing and saying cheerefully with our tongues and deuoutly with our hearts Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer audeuer and let all the people say Amen Amen To the ternall and eternall glorious Godhead Father Sonne and holy Ghost one and the same God in nature and number indiuisible inuisible inuincible our sole and soueraigne protector and preseruer God ouer all blessed for euer be all praise power faith feare glory and maiesty yeelded by vs by ours and by all his redeemed for all his mercies in generall and for this speciall deliuerance in particular humbly heartily holily for euer and euer Amen Glory be to God in the high Heauens and peace on earth Luke 2. 14. FINIS A SHORT DISSVVASIVE FROM POPERY To all Lay-Papists who desire to be true seruants to their Sauiour or good Subiects to their Soueraigne 1. Kings 18. 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be he then goe after him Tert. de resurr carn Aufer haereticis quae cum Ethnieis sapiunt vt de Scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt Hugo de Claustro anim lib. 1. Superstitio dicitur verae religioni superaddita falsa religioÌ„ Melancthon Ex malo dogmate malis moribus dignoscuntur lupi By SAMVEL GAREY a Preacher of Gods Word and a perpetuall petitioner to God for your happy conuersion to Gods holy Truth LONDON Printed by Iohn Beale for Henry Fether stone and Iohn Parker 1618. To the Right VVorshipfull Sir Philip Kniâ—et Baronet and his worthy Lady The Spirit of Grace Truth and Wisedome be multiplied Right VVorshipfull I Am bold vpon experienced acquaintance with your generous qualities and gentle fauours towards me to send this vnworthy Treatise to your worthy viewe I know whose iudgement it must passe yet am fearelesse not in a grosse stupidity of mine owne weakenesse but in an hopefull presumption of your vsuall Gentlenesse a disposition euen naturalized in your courteous breasts whereof I acknowledge with gratefulnesse the acceptable fruites of your long and large loue towards me and for which I euer rest your thankefull friend and ingaged debtor in part of requitall whereof I haue presumed to offer to you this Handfull of my duty and hearty loue towards you and vnder your worthy name to send it to the world that they who are bettered by it may thanke you for it A short Disswasiue from Popery necessary for these Times wherein you may behold in part some points of the corrupt Doctrine of the Romish Church which is the common Mother of corruption superstition For that Church must needes be a Chappell of errors which enlarge the sacred Canon with Apochryphalls diminish the authority of the Scripture with Traditions ouerthrow the Originall with Translations peruert the Text with Glosses as the Romish Church doth Yea to maintaine her errors she conceales the light of Truth the Scripture from Lay people vnder the curtaine of the Latin language and euen in the Schooles among the learned she is put to poore shifts often forced to conclude arguments out of meere Allegories lame Similitudes fained miracles naked names of Fathers hired Testimonies of Schoolemen and other deboshed vassailes and proctors of the Romane Court who with all artificiall pollicy labour to adorne the Romane Harlot with painted trimmings whereby the vnwary young age of many more credulous then iudicious is deceiued and deluded The whole subiect of our former worke well perused and indifferently weighed doth giue good light looking vpon her corrupt precepts and cursed practises to discouer that smooky Kingdome of Antichrist but perchance you may say to me with Seneca Quidme torques lacer as in quaestâ—…bus Subtilius est contempsisse quam 〈◊〉 Why doe you trouble me with such questions it is more subtilty to contemne them then to confute them Worthy Sir it shall not be I hope labour lost if to your priuate contemplations you shall adioyne these short and sacred speculations specially penned for your seruice and published for the beâ—…e of all who are willing to open their eyes to walke in Truth I giue all but a small kind of taste in these points of Popish fragments if any mans appetite long for it I dare promise him heereafter more full dishes The Lord giue vnto you a Christian care in the profession of the Truth which with a sincere heart I haue preached vnto you and perfit your first Progresse in the grace of God to the holy Sanctification and happy Saluation of your bodies and soules for euer For which mercy and grace to be bestowed on you I shall euer vnfainedly pray to God and rest Your Worshipes poore Orator in Christ Samuel Garey A SHORT DISSVVAsiue to all Lay-papists who desire
Mariana c. Yea this Kingdome is so diuided among it selfe that we presume and this presage it shall not long stand They that would further behold this Campe of the Midianites sheathing their swords in their neighbours sides let them reade the worke of that learned and reuerend Doctor D. Hall in his Booke called the Peace of Rome And yet the Papists with might and maine exclaime at factions in the Church of England to whom we may say with our Sauiour Hypocrita eijce primùm Trabem de oculo tuo Hypocrite first cast the beame out of thine owne eye sweepe cleane before your owne threshold before you blame spots in others They tell the World what an implacable discord and dissention is betwixt the Protestants and the Puritanes a name we scarce know and is proper to none but onely vnto Iesuites who thinke themselues so pure that they will arrogate to be of the society of Iesus But we may truly say that which they shall neuer say That in the Church of England there is vniuersality and vnity in substance of doctrine and religion and in circumstance we haue or hope for a generall vniformity But they want these and yet of late they haue a new policy to purge and raze many of their owne dead Doctors to speake that in their graues they neuer thought on in their studies putting out that which they printed and putting in that which the Authors neuer purposed Thus haue they serued Caictan Gratians Glosse Ferus Polydore Lodonicâ—…Vines c. And to this end serue their Indices Expurgatorij To purge away their best blood and leaue them nothing but skinne and bones And thus haue they serued Andreas Mazius Comments and Iansenius Harmony vpon the Gospell yea whom not if hee hath touched neuer so tenderly the sores of Rome this is the medicine to helpe the malady But I would this punishment had beene onely inflicted vpon their owne Doctors and that they had neuer laied their correcting hands in corrupting the Fathers of whom they haue a long time boasted the Fathers the Fathers are all of our side but these are but wind and words and as he said of the Nightingale Vox est praeterea nihil A meere voice and nothing else for these will vse the Fathers as Soloâ— his Friends or as Merchants vse figures in Accounts for hundreds if they please them for Cyphers if they crosse them and truly the ancient Fathers of the best esteeme speaâ—e little or nothing on their side in any fundamentall points and difference twixt them and vs except they haue dieted and giuen them vomits and purgations except they haue so done to them as Clement the eighth did to his Predecessor Sixtus Quintus corrupting that his correction of the Bible by a new Translation which one called a new Transgression and they haue herein so falsified many of the Fathers and foisted in other counterfet Fathers that it puts me in mind of a Popes Iester Pogghius speakes of who when he told the Pope tales to make him sport did it standing behind a cloath for being outfaced So the Fathers who speake for them must stand behind a skreene mantled or mangled by their correction So that taking away these desperate shifts which the Church of Rome vseth there will be found no great antiquity vniuersality or vnity in the Doctrine of the Church of Rome But to leaue these and other motiues allectiues to many to loue the Church of Rome for I did not intend to muster vp all their motiues wherewith they fight against vs for so I should send out a Ship and not a Pinnesse I will rather mention a few markes and apparent tokens whereby these children may iustly misdoubt their mother to be an harlot and in part palpably perceiue her corruption Her first whorish marke is her blasphemy against the Scripture being that woman in Saint Iohns vision sitting vpon a scarlet coloured beast full of the names of blasphemy and that in foure respects first her blasphemy and contempt of the Scripture appeares because the Church of Rome maintaines that all things necessary to saluation are not contained in the Holy Scripture and that the best part of true religion is knowne by vnwritten traditions and that these traditions are to bee receiued with the same reuerence and affection wherewith wee receiue the Scripture as the Councell of Trent decreed Many things belong to Christian Faith which are not contained in the Scripture openly nor obscurely saith Canus The greatest part of the Gospell is come to vs by tradition very little of it is committed to writing saith Hosius The Canon Law set out newly by Pope Gregory the 13. saith that men doe so reuerence the Apostolicall seate of Rome that they rather desire to know the auncient institution of Christian religion from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scripture Their workes are full of such words by which all may see their blasphemy comparing traditions of men with the infallible worde of God 2. Their mouthes are full of bitter and irreuerent speeches against the Scripture calling it a nose of waxe to be writhed this way or that way a dumbe Iudge as Pighius termes it dead inke as another yea Bellarmine their great Doctor saith the Scripture is not simply necessary or as Eckius we must liue more according to the authority of the Church then after the Scripture or the Scriptures without the authority of the Church are no better then Aesops fables And often they will deny the Scripture it selfe as Catharinus accuseth Caietan their great Cardinall called by them an incomparable Diuine and the most learned of all his age who doth charge him for denying the last chapter of Markes Gospell some parcell of S. Luke the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Epistle of Iames the second Epistle of Peter the second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude all which are Canonicall they wil denie the scripture if it make not for them say with Eckius Scriptura sine ecclesia authoritate non est authentica The Scripture without the authority of the Church that is the Pope for so Gregory of Valence saith by the Church we meane her Head that is the Roman Bishop is not authenticall 3. They make their Pope Iudge ouer the Scripture whosoeuer resteth not on the doctrine of the Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God from whom the holy Scripture takes her strength and authority hee is an heretike saith one of her side The Pope may change the holy Gospell and may giue to the Gospell according to time and place another sense We are bound to stand to the Popes iudgement alone rather then to the iudgement of al the world besides saith Aluarus Pelagius The Popes rescripts and decretall Epistles are Canonicall Scripture If any man haue the interpretation of the Romane
Confirmation granted by Pope Leo the tenth Anno 1513. sept id Martij pontificis anno primo the which Bull was granted Hospitali sancti spiritus in Saxia almae vrbis in which is an approbation of all former pardons obtained to the saide Hospitall and the members thereof as Innocent the third grants to all that visit the saide Hospitall two thousand and eight hundred yeares of pardon Pope Alexander the fourth grants foure thousand yeares eight hundred Lents of pardon Pope Celestine the fifth grants also to the saide Hospitall and the members an hundred thousand yeares of pardon Pope Clement the fift grants also two thousand and eight hundred yeares of pardon Pope Boniface the eight 2500. yeares of pardons Pope Clement the sixt 8000 yeares and 8000 Lents full remission of al their sins Pope Innocent the sixt 2000 years and 2000 Lents of pardons Pope Benedict the 12 3000 years as many Lents of pardons All which grants of pardons by the Popes confirmed to the said Hospitall and the members if this were as good ware as they make some beleiue who would not goe visit this Hospitall yea be a member of it Can any Papist goe to the Deuill who may haue a pardon for a little money and saying ouer a prayer or two which prayers haue such power that when S. Bernard said one before a Rood it so pleased the said Rood that it bowed it selfe and embraced him in the armes Like the Rood of Naples which spake so kindely to Thomas Aquinas Or like the Crucifixe which nodded the head to the Monke Gualbertus Indeed if Popes prayers be like Amphions harpe to mooue stones Saxa moueresono testudinis prece bland◠Ducerè quò vellet The famous Amphion with his harpe could play To moue the stones so popish harpers pray If Popes can giue so large pardons for sinnes and haue so good prayers I muse they cannot cure the Papists of bodily sicknesse for sicknesse is the punishment of sinne rather Popes doe encrease their sicknesse by procuring Gods plagues and punishments to be inflicted vpon them for affecting such practises to haue their sinnes pardoned of Popes when as it appertaineth onely to God They who are Gods dearest Ministers I feare the Pope is none haue no other power heerein then to declare in Gods name forgiuenesse of sinne not to make them a pardon for money if they truely beleeue in Christ and repent and so release the band of discipline in open offenders where the fruites of repentance appeare and so the meanest minister of Christ by vertue of his spirituall office may declare absolution of sinnes to the truely penitent but to forgiue sinnes none can or may doe it but God alone I euen I am hee that putteth away thy iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you with a thousand places of Scripture exhorting all to come vnto Christ and apply his bloud vnto their soules for the remission of their sinnes There is no other way by which wee can be saued or our sinnes pardoned ad impetrandam nostris sceleribus veniam non pecunias impendere sed hoc facere c. saith Chrysostome To get a pardon for sinne money will not doe it but to beleeue in Christ And indeed the Pardon-Procters are so dazeled in the defence of them like the sodomites smitten with blindenesse at Lots doore that they cannot tell how to finde any ground for them but are compelled abruptly to say with Bellarmine Sufficit ad Indulgentias Bullas defendendas Ecelesia authorit as The authority of the Church alleadged not proued is sufficient to defend Bulles and Indulgences a weake argument to defend wicked pardons But their Glosse vpon that great Bull of Boniface the 8 saith Foure things concurre as principall to make a pardon effectuall 1 Authority in the granter 2 Capacity in the receiuer 3 Piety in the end 4 vtility in the worke But authority heerein the Pope hath none idoneity or capacity in the receiuer namely that he be a true member of Christ and purged from his fault the Pope cannot tell Piety in the end is none for it opens a wide way to all impiety vtility to the party none for hee is robbed of his money and deluded in his soule the onely vtility comes to the Pope to enrich his coffers for by this deuice a world of wealth is raised for men who doe beleeue these pardon-mongers to be released out of the paines of Purgatory telling them what a grieuous punishment it is to lye in Purgatory fire which is indeed ignis fatuus or the fire of the Popes kitchin to warme his backe and belly they will willingly giue their money to goe to Heauen by a pardon Thus it is written of Boniface the ninth who sent into diuers kingdomes his Treasurers with pardons who extorted great summes of money from simple people that in some one Prouince they would get together aboue an hundred thousand florens omnia peccata relaxantes releasing all offences whatsoeuer Christ said to his Apostles freely you haue receiued freely giue But heere no penny no pardon no pater noster so that wee may say of these Popes as one doth of Gregory the ninth O auarum cor vbi Petri paupert as quamiactatis O couetous hart where is Peters pouerty whom yee boast of that to play impostors to the world will sell such ware as you fetch from the Deuils shop to cozen the simple of their money bring them into a fooles Paradise to hope of pardon of their sinne by buying your mercenary indulgences and Buls the basest trash that can be inuented to sell for siluer remission of sinnes and euen saluation of soules as Iudas did for thirty peeces his Sauiour But heerein let Gods children say to the Pope as Daniel did to Balshazzer keepe thy rewards to thy selfe and giue thy gifts to another keepe your paltry pardons to your selues saying as Dauid did to the Prophet Gad Let vs fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and not into the hands of men the Pope or his Priests for the very mercies of the wicked are cruell The inuention of Popes pardons was to maintaine their pride the power vnlawfull the causes vngodly the vse abhominable and the end deceiueable neyther by the Scriptures or practise of the Primitiue Church warrantable I hasten to put this Piunace into harbour weary with being on the Sea of Rome therefore to bee briefe let all that desire to be faithfull seruants to their Lord and Sauiour who as yet halt betwixt God and Baal being as one cals them Lunae vituli Moone-Calfes once a moneth come to the Temple hoping to walke to heauen with statute-legges or others who are more setled vpon their lees whose mindes as yet the God of this