reported how the same S. Francis had a revelation from heaven that the aforesaid Friar Helias should doe pennance for his sinnes and not be damned at all This shall you reade in the Chronicle of the Friar Minors tom 1. cap. 118. And such as will take paines to peruse S. Brigids revelations conserre them with our legends of Saints lives shall finde innumerable examples of like kind One Saint having a revelation directly contrary to what hath beene revealed unto another Notwithstanding that there is but one God one truth And we may be enduced or rather enforced to beleeve that these revelations visions and apparitions of S. Francis and Simon Stoc if any such were were meere satanicall illusions no divine revelations for that they promise that certitude and assurance of salvation in this life which is repugnant to sacred Writt the uniforme consent of the Primitive Fathers the uniforme consent of Generall Councells and the beliefe both of our holy Mother the Church and all her obedient children even unto these times as I have aboundantly proved in my Epistle to Pope Vrbanns and not necessary heere to be repeated againe And therefore I will conclude this first point with that of the Apostle Golat. 1. That if an Angell from heaven shall come and preach unto us contrary to what we have received Anathema sir But yet to give scope to a more full and ample discourse of this Argument let us admit for the present that S. Francis and Simon Stoc had received by divine revelation That whosoever shall dye in the habit of the one and the scapular of the other should undoubtedly be saved for it may not bee denyed but such certitude may be had by divine revelation Examples we have of the Scriptures of the two glorious Apostles S. Peter S. Paul of S. Mary Magdalen some others for the arme of our Lord is not shortned nor his power abridged Yet say I conformable to the doctrine of holy Church as afterward shall bee prooved that this can be no assurance or security unto others who are not partakers of the said visions and revelations to beleeve that doctrine because what is of divine authority unto one is but of humane and sallible authority unto another For say that Peter knoweth a thing to come by certaine divine revelation yet the same shall be to Patrick but onely a humane relation received from the lips of Peter a mortall man subject to error and mistaking to deceive and to be deceived and being but in via non in termine peccable in thought word and deed and therefore we see the Church whose wisdome is from the holy Ghost never to canonize any person though reputed never so holy while they are in the flesh and till such time as their sanctity be attested by signes and wonders from heaven As then S. Francis before his conversion was of life conversation like unto others of his rank quality not much scrupulous of the offence of God till he came unto the age of twenty five as may appeare both by the first words of his Testament Quia cùm essem in peccatis c. as also by his life written by Bonaveniure So albeit I confesse the a d and better part of his life after his conversion dedicating himselfe unto the service of God was as a threed more evenly ipun then the former yet not altogether without some knotes as may be knowne by his own confession when on a time so journing in the pallace of the Cardinall De S ta Cruce and in the night-time being beaten of the Devills he repayred in the morning to the presence of the aforesaid Cardinall to whom he related what he had endured and then added Men that know me not repute me as a Saint but behold how the devills who know me well doe handle and chastice me for my sinnes So he Chron fras minor toni I cap. 13. Out of all which I doe inferre that a vision or revclation is not therefore authenticall or to be believed because such a person who after â—is death was canonized for a Saint did in his life-time avouch the same either by word or writing because it is necessary for my pâ—ucent assent unto such visions or revelations that the same be canonized for supernaturall infallible truths which cannot be but by authority of holy Church which hath canonized for certaine and infallible verities no other mens workes sayings or writings then those of the Prophets and Apostles as that Angelical Doctor S. Thomas hath in these words Innititur fide nostra rev Lationi Apostolis prophetis factae qui canoricâ—s linos scripserunt non autem revelationi si qua fuit aliis doctoribus facta 1 2 q. 1.8 2 d. 2 dum Our faith is grounded upon revelation made unto the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the canonicall bookes not to revelation if any such was made to other Doctors For which doctrine he cites also S. Aug. in his Epistle unto S. Hierom Epist 14. in these words Solis enim scripturarum libris qui canonici appellaneny didici hune honorem deferre â—t unllum autherum corum in scribendo errasse aliquid firmissime credam Alios autem it a lego ut quantalibet fanctitato doctrinaque prepolleant non ideo verum putem quod ipsi it a senserunt vel scripserunt Onely to the books of Scripture which are called canonicall I have learned to give that honour that I most firmely believe that none of the Authors thereof have erred in writing but other writers I so read that with how great sanctity or learning so ever they doe excell I doe not therefore believe a thing to be true because they have so judged or so written So S. Aug. Now future glory in Heaven being a supernaturall object cannot by humane knowledge or morall certitude be assured unto us but either not all or by divine faith which though not cleare and evident yet excelleth in certitude and infallibility all scientificall knowledge whatsoever And this I say to answere those who happily in defence of their errors in the aforesaid revelations will say that albeit indeed they be not to be believed by a divine and a supernaturall faith yet may they be certaine unto us exáio tapite that is from some other topicall argument which in truth is as much as if they said nothing preaching an infallibility of the aforesaid visions and revelations then brought unto cheir justification they answere us with nothing but historicall legends and I pray God not rather fabulous and meere humane possibilityes When the poore soule in the meane time trusting unto habits and scapulats as Oracles of truth rockes of a sure foundation at the evening and perclose of life findes it selfe irreparably deceived in puncto descondit in infernum in a moment for misbeliefe siukes downe to hell whence neither the habit of S. Francis nor the scapular of the Carmelites nor the saturday
faste of Dame Luissa shall be able to fetch it our And because that Dives can not obtayne of Abraham that one should come from the dead signifie unto his brethren what entertainment these habit scapular wearers sinde in the next world Our Friars doe the lesse regard what Moses the Prophets what the Apostles Fathers and Generall Councells teach for not being convicted of their â—â—rours by experimentall knowledge of the dead they lesse reck on of any other proofe demonstration or argument which not withstanding wee will not spare further to urge against them or whatsoever else may conferr to the demolition of this so despâ—rat an error possessing the last act of mans life and making the same most tragicall For as it is truly said Quod in bello non bis peceatur A man shall never offend the second time in warre and why because by câ—â—ath the second error is prevented So with much more reason yea with ruth and compassion may it be said of a Christian dying in miâ— beliefe of a matter of such consequence as concernes his eternall woe or welfare non bis peceatur He cannot twise offend An error concluded in death 1â— singular is solitary and unaccompanyed no reparation by repentance to bee hoped for the doore of life being also the doore of mercy which once shut is never more to be opened Marvaile not good Reader that I labour in confronting so horrid a doctrin for if by all my endeavours I draw but one soule by the eares out of this sinke and pit of error it shall well become my profession the disciple of him who sought the stray sheep and finding it brought it home into the fould upon his shoulders or at least I shall avovde that censure of S. Bernard saying Cadit asinno invenit qui sublevet sadit anima non est qui man um apponat The asse falls into the ditch and there is one ready to pull him out the soule falls and there is none to put to his helping hand Bernard super Cantica The absurdity then of this doctrine of the habit and scapular befides what hitherto hath beene said may in this also appeare That if they performe what they promise and what their revelations doe import That is certitude and assurance in this life of glory salvation in the next they surpasse in esticacy all the Sacraments of the Church what soever have been or dayned by divine authority and practised by Christians since the Primitive times untill the second comming of Christ For the Sacraments of the New Testament by our Saviours institution doe onâ—ly conferre grace predent iustification having all their vertue eâ—ticacy from the merit of his passion ex opere operato non ponenti obicem onely as instrumentall causes conferred on such partakers of them as thorough their indisposition either of misbellefe or complacencie in sin doe put no impediment or barre unto their spirituall and supernaturall operation They who desire to see the proofes of this doctrine from Scriptures from Councells the Greeke and Latine Fathers the Schoolemen I remit them among many others unto the second tome of Tho-Waldensis or William Lindanus his Panopliâ— or The. Stapleton his Doctrinalia or Cardinall Bellarmine de sacramentis lib. 2. cap. 3.5 c. Now then say I albeit this be very much that our Saviour hath done for us in the Institution of the Sacramonts yet far more hath S. Francis Sirnon Stoc done for us by the habit scapular because he who this day is cleansed from his sins justified by the vertue divine operation of the Sacraments may after again fall into the like or more grievous sinnes for the fame be damned as of the contrary he who at this time abuseth the Sacraments by reason of the indispositions above mentioned may afterwards be penitent for the same and by the comfort and helpe of them attaine his salvation as may clearely appeare by the Apostles doctrine and admonition unto the Corinthians as touching the use and abuse of the Eucharist 1. Cor. 11. Now I say that by our Friars doctrine the habit the scapular are farre more effectuall unto salvation then any one of the 7. Sacraments or all of them put together can be For whether the habit the scapular worke in the nature of the Sacraments by couferring the first or second grace ex opere operato they doe over and besides conferre the grace of perseverance the perfection of all grace which is glory And this neither the baptizâ—d nor the conformed nor the houselled nor the ordered nor the penitent nor the marryed nor the annointed can promise unto themselves by which it is manifest that in these mens doctrines the Babis the scapular infinitely excell all the vertue of the Sacraments and so accordingly to be held estermed as indeed in many mens eyes and opinions at this day they are But now happily these patrons of the habit scapular pressed or rather oppressed with the weight of these arguments and being ashamed to ascribe the divine workâ— of the Sacraments unto shadowes of no greater authority or antiquiâ—y then the visions of S. Francis S. Simon Stoâ— will happily tell us by way of a qualification of these their absurd assertions That the habit the scapular doe indeed resemble the Sacraments But how onely so far forth as they are signes of future beatitude in the next world without having any vertue or efficacy of effecting what they doe signifie For whereas the 7. Sacraments of the Catholicke Church are indeed signes yet not base naked but withall operative that is as secondary instrumentall causes working that grace which they signifie and signifying that grace which they worke The habit the scapular will these men say are signes of another kind onely foreshewing signifying beforehaÌ„d that happines glory which shal befal al such as shal be fouÌ„d in the houre of death invested with them albeit they no way concurre to the production of the aforesaid glory either by supernatural physicall or morall influx And of this kind of signes we have examples in the Scriptures not a few Such was the Raine bow Genes 9. placed by Almighty God in the clouds after the Flood for a signe unto Noah and all mankind that he would never more destroy the world by water albeit the Rain-bow was no cause of any such effect at all Such was the Fleece of Gideon both wett and dry Iudg. 6. a signe unto him from God that the Madianites Amalekites should be conquered by his hand Such was the Sun 4. Reg. 20. going back ten degrees in the diall of King Ezâ—chias a signe given unto him by the Prophet Elias that he should recover of his infirmity And to omit many other signes like unto these of which the Scriptures are plentifull such was that signe of victor that appeared unto Constantin the Great being to encounter
these doctrines rightly understood do not import every sinner by keeping such a fastâ— by taking such an Habit or Scapular to be favied but such onely as be contrite with all for their fins and are washed in the blood of the Redeemer For neither doe our Friars in their Semons and exhortations mention any such condition c if they did yet notwithstanding the whose doctrine of the Sabbaoth faste the Habit the Scapular no lesseblazed by the Friars then superstitously beleeved of the people would utterly vanish into smoake For why a person so disposed and qualifyed that is penitent for his fimes and relying upon the redemption of In sas CHRIST is apt for the Kingdome of God and to receive an inheritance among the Saints and Elect say he be naked of Habit scapular and not at all acquainted with Donna Luissa her saturdayes fast yea a man ending his dayes in the service of God and as the Divines say in the estate of grace can not misse of his salvation had he but a couple of Hawkes-bells about his neck or if he dyed in his old bootes as well as in scapular or habit If then the Friar thus expounds himself He that dyeth in the habit or scapular shall undoubredly be saved alwayes provided that he bein the love and favor of God verily he might as wel have spared so much breath to have cooled his broth I say as to spend it upon such a glosse as corrupteth and quite over-throweth the text No no Mors in olla There is poyson in the pot For these preachers desire no thing lesse then to be so understood in their sermons when they make their Panegyricks of the habit and scapular unto the people for by that meanes they might be in danger not onely to loose their offerings at the Altar but that great authority and place which they have in the hearts and affection of the Laity No rather with all possible endeavour they labour to bee beleeved that by the vertue of these raggs either as causes instrumentall or infallible signes salvation is to be acquired And heuce it is that the Carmelite Friars dedicate yeerely a day of great festivity namely the 16. of Iuly unto the honour and reception of the Scapular as the Franciscans also doe to that parcell of their habit which is the Cord or Girdle Ar which festival times it is lamentable to behold how much the Divine Majestie by these beggars their devotoes is prophaned in his creatures yea truly the world might lesse admire in these dismall dayes the Sun to be eclipsed the rocks to rent then at the time of our Saviours passion beholding the benefit thereof so miserably defaced by these false Teachers who in these dayes cannot be contented to rob the people of their purses but of their soules also And to the end they and all those that read these my writings may understand that I will not inveigh without just cause or reprove in words what I am not able by good Argument to confound I seriously demaund of our Friar what ground they have either from the divine Oracles Ecclesiasticall tradition or monuments of the Fathers to promise this security and certitude of Salvation or to determine of the Sons of Adam in particular and by polle that their names are written in the booke of life I say while yet we are viatotes et non in statu Pilgrimes from our Lord and not arrived at our country I heare Salomon one of the Secretaries of the Holy Ghost saying Prov. 20. Quis potest dicere mundum est cor meum Who can say my heart is cleane I heare Iob saying Etiamsi simplex fuero c. Job 9. Albeit I be innocent yet shall my soule bee ignorant thereof I heare the Apostle saying Philip. 2. Cum meta tremore vestram salutem operamini Worke your Salvation with feare and trembling I heare S. August upon the 40. Psal saying Scia quod justitia Dei mei maneat verum an justitia mea maneat an non ignoro terret me enim Apostolus inquiens Qui existimat se stare videat ne cadat I know that the justice of my God remaines but whether my justice doe remaine or not I am ignorant For the Apostle doth terrify me saying he who thinkes he stands let him looke to it he fall not So S. Hierome in his 3. booke upon the Prophet Ieremy Man seeth in the face God in the heart and that which unto us doth some times seeme cleane in Gods eyes is found filthy Adde hereunto the testimony of S. Ambrose in his 5. Sermon upon the 118. Psal S. Chrysost Homil. 87. upon Iohn S. Gregory lib. 6. epist 22. S. Bede in his Comment upon the 20. cap. of the Prov. But I may not ommit to set downe at large what S. Bernard that pillar of Gods Church in these later Centuryes hath left written of this argument as in many other places so especially in his 1. Sermon de Septuagesima in these words Who can say I am one of the Elect I am one of those that are predestinated unto life I am one of the children of God Who I say can say this When as the Scripture cryeth out against him Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or hatred Certainely therefore wee cannot have but yet we are comforred with the trust of hope that we may not by anxiety of this dubitation be tormented above measure So he Lastly to this cloud of testimonies out of the ancient fathers I will adde the uniforme consent of the moderne Fathers of the Councell of Trent condemning anathematizing this certitude of Salvation Can. 15. in these words Si quis dixerit hominem renatum justificatum teneri ex side ad credendum se certo esse in numero praedeslinatorum Anathem asit If any shall say a man regenerate and justifyed to be bound by faith to beleeve himself undoubtedly to be in the number of the predestinate let him be accursed and in the Can. following Si quis magnum illud usque in finem perseverantiae donum se certo habiturum absoluta infallibili certitudine dixerit nisi hoc exspeciali revelatione didicerit anathema sit If any shall say that by absolute and infallible assurance he hath that great gift of perseverance unto the end unlesse he hath learned the same by speciall revelation accursed be he So the Councell And sure no marvaile Since this presumption of Salvation is the very food and fewell of all wickednesse and impiety the provocation and incitement to all shamelesse lusts and pleasures with which the soule once possessed what further care is to be taken in matters of conscience For say That now I have either gotten the habit of the Franciscans upon my backe or the Scapular of the Carmelites hanging about my necke a most present antidote against hell and damnation what have I henceforth to doe with the commandements of God and Holy Câ—â—rch
permissionis handled by the Schoolmen in particular by S. Tho. 1 a. 2 ae qi 19. q. Now then Tho. Flemming by Gods permission raysed unto the second See of Ireland at the age of 30. as it was determined by his brethren Camerado's in the Friary of Lovaine to extirpate the Clergy of the Diocesse of Dublin in their place to bring in the Friars a plot though not very ancient yet before him invented by an VIster Friar called Hugh Cavall residing in Rome designed by this present Pope Vrbanus 8. about tenne yeares agoe Archbishop of Armagh Primat of Ireland to which purpose the aforesald Hugh Cavall obtayned a Bull by most sinister information to make his Friars Parish Priests thorough the Diocesse of Armagh but being prevented by death before he could pay his way bid his friends farewell in Rome albeit not two houres before his death he writ a letter unto the Pope beseeching him to nominat in his place Friar Rob. Chamberlaine for so they call him albeit a most Irish a tyronicall Friar of Lovaine a successour was designed in his place a Priest of the Clergy called Hugh O Reyly the present Metropolitan of Armagh Primat of all Ireland who being a man not so wedded to Friarly plots against the Clergy albeit in many respects obnoxious unto them that policy of making Friars Pastors either ended in the first Hugh or at least hath taken a time of breathing in the second Hugh But our young Friar Flemming an Archbishop of 30. yeares though now neere 40. nothing doubted to under-go that burden which Milo himselfe was scarce able to beare in a preposterous zeale he would yea that he would without either Bull or Breve banish the Secular Priests out of his Diocesse which to performe litle seen in the Canons of the Church lesse in the common Lawes of England not distinguishing the Keyes from the Sword nor Regall power from Episcopall jurisdiction like a Prester Iohn King of the Aethiopians he presently banisheth 3. Priests in his opinion the most fussicient of all his Diocesse these living in Dublin the mother Citty of all Ireland not doubting but they once sent away all the rest would be glad to kisse his hands and to depart with his benediction Vpon such lofty termes stood our Archbishop leaning his head upon the elbow of his Regulare brachium his Friarly arme an Arme or rather an army always ready prest to second such attempts as Episcopall jurisdiction could not support yea to such an over-weening presumption did he and his Friars at last arrive relying upon their own conrage strength as they doubted not to complaine unto the temporall Magisttate bring their matter unto the Castle of Dublin confident that the State would joyne with them to the ratification of the banishment of the Priests for which cause after that a Lay-man had first broken they ce made the way for them there appeared plaintiffs William Malone aliàs Morgan alias Browne Iesuite Iohn Preston Franciscan Patrick Brangan Edmund Doyle a payre of Priests adhering unto the Friars faction all these I say presented themselves before a grave Counsellour of State for as then the Lord Deputy was not arrived before him they accuse M r Doctor Caddell my selfe Paul Harris for the third whose name is Doctor Cabil had made his peace before with the Archbishop they lay to our charge facta infecta but all in the cloudes of generality as those usually do who meane to calumniat to deceive alledging that we were disobedient turbulent seditious facticus of unquiet spirits enemyes to peace In conclusion such as did trouble all Israel and therefore not to be tollerated or longer endured But it was their chance good hap for us to come before such a Iudge as held it necessary to keep one eare for the Defendants first to heare our answers before he condemned us having understood that of the Morall Philosopher elegantly expressed by the Tragedian Qui statuit aliquid parte inandita altera aquumlicet statuerit hand aquus fuit who determines any thing either party unheard though what he determines be just yet himselfe is not just Seneca in Medea Wherefore it pleased that honourable Gentleman after he had given audience unto our Adversaryes first to send for me Paul Harris to understand what I could answer in my defence not having in nine yeares before beene within the Castle-gates of Dublin and next after hee sent for Peter Caddell who as I take it before that time had never seen the in fide of the Castle and having heard our Apology the Bells for the present were stayed that great heat of hasty exile began to coole-Soon after this was the happy arrivall of the present Lord Deputy before whom upon petition both the Archbishop Flemming we the Priests were commanded to appeare and our grievances propounded were grationsly heard And for that time dismissed with grave advice how to frame our obedience unto the Lawes of God the Kingdome and the Archbishop Flemming in particular was most seriously required to reforme his errours but he standing upon his justification wanting at that rime as it seemed unto us the gift of utterance expression of himselfe whether not acquainted with such an audience or that he was not provided of his Answers he desired againe to be heard and soone after by the Lord Deputy his command we were remitted unto the hearing of the now Lord Bishop of Derry Sir George Radotiffe Knight before whom all our causes were examened at full according unto the Canons of the Church and the ancient and immemorable Lawes of these Kingdomes And the Archbishop Flemming convicted partly by his own confession partly by witnesse that he had offended in these two points First in taking upon him to banish the Kings subjects by Episcopa◠authority out of his Diocesse Secondly in erecting a new Tribunall and drawing all causes of Ecelesiasticall men though meerely civill and temporall unto his Consistory there onely under paine of Excommunication to be heard and determined Neither can the aforesaid Thomas Flemming parallel his cause with S. Thomas of Canterbury I appeale to all such as have written the Legend of his life and death whether it be Capgravius the Breviary or our English Chronicles neither out of any other History shall our Friars ever be able to prove that in both or either of those two points there was any controversy at all betwixt King Henry the second and Thomas Becket Thomas Flemming the Friar being the first onely Bishop since the conversion of these Nations to Christianity that ever was bold to teach maintaine or practise the same for which ause if he should suffer death notwithstanding all the ruissian-like boasts of him his Friars hee should dye a malefactor not a martyr But the little feare of any such punishment to befall him causeth him
France and now of late brought into Italy and maintaines this custome contrary to the law yea to be more reasonable then the law it selfe namely that men of the laity rather then of the Glergy should be used as executioners in the aforesaid cases Those who desire to set moe examples of this nature let them read Sotus de Iure Iustitia Suarez or Lessius of the same Argument Now then to come home unto our case in hand I meane of civill causes commenced pleaded and determined in the Kings Courts the defendants being as well ecclesiasticall as lay persons in these Kingdomes of Britanny May we not perswade our selves that a custome so universally received and without interruption continued since the Conversion of the Saxons under Pope Gregory the great and King Ethelbert of England for the space of a thousand yeeres and upward may not take place of the Canon that sayth Preists in all causes must be presented before ecclesiasticall Iudges Cap. Qualiter de Iudicijs especially it being no lesse a law and a Canon of the Church as hath beene before observed That the customes of places being reasonable may derogate from the law written Ext. de consuetudinibus declared above by some examples Now then must I needes bee foreed to beleevâ—â— that all our Kings Bishops Nobles Iudges and Magistrates by whose authority Ecclesiasticall persons were convented in civill causes before secular Tribunals for a thousand yeares and upward did all live and dye excommunicated throwne out of the Church as perished members without hope of salvation when as among our English Kings themselves sixe of them were canonized Saints of which honor no other kingdome of the earth can glory namely King Oswald Etheldred Edmund Richaâ—d Edgar and Edward the Confessour many Bishops as S. Augustine S. Anselme Dunstaâ— Thomas all Archbishops of Canterbury Richard of Yorke Cutbeâ—t of Duresme Thomas of Hereford c. Alas while these and the rest of our country men were bound in the setters of Excommunication where were our gray and blacke Friars and the other zealous Regulars whose parts it was at the least after their arrivellto have anmonished both prince and people of their errors to have preached and published bookes condemning that practise so coâ—ary to the lawes as these maintaine of holy Church was the Pope and Roman court also asleepe for so many ages and would not enforme their spirituall children of so great a violation of the Canon had they misliked thereof Nay rather is it not the universall consent of all divines together with the Canon it selfe That the permission of the Pope in any Church law seeing the same either from the beginning not to be observed or by contrary custome antiquated and notwithstanding is silent and makes no opposition thereunto excuseth the subject from sin as presumed to approve and allow of the said practise See for this glan cap. in ist is § leges dist 4. in c. de treu pace in cap. cum multi 15. q. ult For so much then as it is certaine that as well ecclesiasticall as secular superiours may oblige their subjects albeit never so unwilling to obey their iust lawes so often then as they see the same lawes not to be observed and passe it over in silence they sieme thereby contented therewithall and such silence and taciturnity of the Law-giver may by the subiect according to the former rules be expounded a full consent and approbation of his practise Adde hereunto the observation of a late English Franciscan whose true name I understand is Dampart and his usurped Franciscus à sincta Clara in his late booke Deus Natura Gratia in which as my country man Edmund Bunny laboured in his treatise tending to Pacification to reconcile the Roman Catholiques to the Protestant profession So this Friar of the contrary by his glosses and paraphrasticall expositions labours to draw the Articles of the english confession to the Catholicke and Roman doctrines But let the Friar wring and wrest till he be weary he shewes himselfe but a time server a slatterer and a meere Alchimist adulterating both the doctrine of them and us and seeking to please both a inst reward for such a worke contenteth neither of whom it may be said as of the dead serpent stretched all along upon the grasse Amo sic vixisse oportuit yea so thou shouldest have lived The serpent all his life long lives crooked onely after death is straight so are many at this day both in their lives and doctrines very crooked onely death teacheth them how they ought to have lived themselves and how to have taught others to the example of the Apostle 2. Cor. 2. Non enim sumus sicut plurimi adulterantes verbum Dei sed ex sinceritate c. For we are not as very many adulterating the word of God but of sincerity and as of God before God in Christ we speake Well I must not forget for all my digressió wherefore I brought the Friar upon the stage namely for a testimony against his fellow Triars of this kingdome to shew how unlike to untuned Virginalis their wires doe jangle these maintaining that civill actions against a Priest must be heard and determined in the Bishops consitory the English Friar in the Kings courts for which he produceth his authors His words are as follow in his paraphrase upon the 27. article Confess Anglicana Regibus autem nostris fursse sic eoncessum jus nominandâ— providendi de beneficys testatur post alios Harpâ—feldius seculo 14 fursse etiam aliam consuctâ—â—dinem ex privilegio ort am immemorialem causas Clericorum cognoscendi patet ex decisione Rotae 804. ut communiter citatur To our Kings was granted the right of nomination and provision of benefices as after others witnesseth Harpsfeild in the 14. age As also another custome time out of minde sprung from a priviledge of taking knowledge of the causes of Clergy men as appeareth by the decision of the Rota as it is commonly cited So the English Friar This Do. Harpsfeild as I take it was Archdeacon of Canterbury in Queene Mary her dayes and continued the ecclesiasticall history of England froÌ„ Venerable Bode his time to his owne Decisiones Rota are the very life and quintessence of the Canon law so called from a known office in Rome called the Rota But neither of these bookes are with me for which I use the Friars quotation And now the infirmity of my body not permitting me to proceede further which for the space of these 2. moneths hath much afflicted me and dayly encreasing upon me I am forced thus abruptly to breake off rather then to make an end Beseeching almighty God of his infinite mercy to grant me and all my Adversaryes and all those who professe the name of Iesus Christ to live and dye in true faith hope and charity And so hoping to see the good things of our Lord in the land of the living I take my