nothing remains but the Ordinance or Decree of God to appoint Damnation as a punishment of this sin according to the desert thereof But that was passed long since by the Lord himself You shall put nothing to the word which I command you Deut. 4. 2 11. 30. There 's the Precept and the Penalty is express'd Rev. 21. 18. If any man shall add to these things God shall add to him the Plagues that are written in this Book But more plainly 2 Thes 2. 11 12. The Lord shall send them strong delusions that they should believe lies that all they might be damned which believe not thâ— truth Here we see the Lord wrappeth them up in Damnation by his Sentence that believe Lies that is false and erroneous Doctrin nor agreeable to the Truth which they ought to believe What then is wanting to them to make the Faith of the Church of Rome damnable and the Professors thereof liable to Damnation when both the thing it self deserveth it and the Lord hath decreed that they which believe it should have according to their desert Since therefore it thus plainly appears that every man is bound upon pain of Salvation to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome in what a desperate case are those that continue in it 'T is not for nothing that the Almighty God of Love and Compassion makes Proclamation by his Sacred Herauld Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her people lest ye perish with her and partake of her Plagues We have a famous example in that depravation of the true Religion and setting up of Idolatry under Jeroboam 2 Chron. 11. 14. The Levites that dwelt amongst those Revolted 10 Tribes left their Suburbs and their Possessions that belonged unto them a great Act of self-denial and came to Judah and Jerusalem to do the Service of the Lord in the Temple there And after their example many people out of all the Tribes of Israel that abhorred Jeroboam's Idolatry came thither also for the true worship of God They knew to abide amongst Idolaters would bring them to destruction But if such wrath attend those that continue in that Communion wherein perhaps they were Born and Educated and to which sinkt by so many Chains of prepossession and hardned against truth with a thousand prejudices what Indignation may those expect who were born in Goshen within the daily sound of the Gospel and free tenders of the word of Life in a Land of Bibles baptized into a Reformed Church engaged for by Protestant Sponsors Educated by Religious Parents and under the sweet distillations of Divine Manna from the Lipps of sound and able Preachers If such as these I say will be trudging back to the Garlick and Onyons of Egypt if these Apostatize after so much light and embrace Popish darkness What remains But a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversary He that despised Moses Law died without Mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under Foot the Son of God in his Soveraignty Laws and Ordinances and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified an unholy thing imperfect without the Virgins Milk and Saints Intercessions and hath done despite unto the spirit of Grace As the Apostle argues in the same Case Hebr. 10. 27. It is reported by Ireneus cont Haeres L 3. Ca. 3. And by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History L. 3. Ca. 25. That Holy and Beloved Apostle St. John when he spied Cerinthus the Heretick in the Bath where he was made all the haste he could possible to be gone apprehending it dangerous to be under the same Roof with him Yea the very Heathen as Tully de natura deorum L 3. witnesses being at Sea in a violent storm were much afraid of being Ship-wrackt because they had Diagoras the Atheist abord amongst them I would to God some Protestants were but as careful for their Souls as I say not the Apostle but the Heathen were for their Bodies and used the same discreet caution to provide for their Eternal Salvation as they had to procure their Temporal safety Neither was the Apostle any thing concern'd in the Impiety of Cerinthus or these Heathens with that of Diagoras and yet both He and They doubted some evil might befall them because they were in the Company of such profane wretches And can any Protestant Imagine that he may be free from danger though he joyn in Faith with the Pope that great Anti-christ though he harbour those Locusts Priests and Jesuites and converse daily with them and hearken to their Syren Musick and Imbibe their gilded poyson out of that Cup of Fornication wherewith they have Intoxicated the Kings of the Earth No No touching of Pitch always defileth It cost Jehosaphat dear though he were otherwise a good King for going to War with Idolatrous Ahab against a common enemy For what said Hanani the Seer 2 Chron. 19. 2. Wouldst thou help the wicked and love them that hate the Lord Therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is upon thee What then may they look for who like the Laodiceans are lukewarm neither hot nor cold altogether indifferent whether they be Papists or Protestants prepared to shift their Religion as the humour of the Successor shall happen such as are not asham'd to declare beforehand that they had rather be Papists than joyn with any of the Reformed Protestant Churches beyond the Seas that scoff at the very name Protestant and make it the best part of their Religion to swear and damn and rail against and persecute all those pious peaceable Protestants that cannot suppose it be through the error or weakness of their Conscience come up to the usage of some insignificant Ceremonies acknowledged to be indifferent though otherwise sound in their Faith Loyal to their King readily paying all Taxes useful to the publick and peaceable to their Neighbors whilst at the same time these high soaring Nominal Sons of the Church of England as they love to stile themselves though there is scarce one in forty of them but either is ignorant of or does not believe her Articles shall speak well of applaud and caress Papists and argue for their Principles and extenuate for their Treasons c. what shall we say of such people The Lord Rebuke them But least we should seem Fanatical in this assertion that the Faith of Rome is to be refused on pain of Damnation we shall here add some Testimonies of the Reverend Fathers and Divines of the Church of England 1. The famous Jewel in the defence of his Apology part 6. Ca. 22. Div. 2. We have departed saith he speaking of the Church of Rome from them who have utterly forsaken the Catholick Faith 2. Dr. Reynolds Conclus 5. The Church of Rome is not distemper'd with a little-Ague such as hindreth not greatly the functions of life
pardon and as to the former shall endeavour now to satisfie him which is Touching the Troubles and Opposition that Wickliff met with If the strength or policy of Man could have stifled those Truths which he delivered his Doctrine had long since been extinct for the Pope was soon alarm'd therewith and bestir'd himself amain to get Wickliff silenc'd but such Esteem had he by his Vertues and Learning obtain'd that when Gregory the Eleventh in the year 1378. sent his Bull to the University of Oxford expostulating with them for suffering him there to spread his Tenets Walsingham the Historian tells us That the Heads of the Vniversity were long time in suspense whether they should receive such the Pope's Bull with Honour or reject it with Contempt Yet at last the Reverence they bore to his Un-holiness prevailed with them to entertain his Bull with Respect However we do not find that they did any thing effectually against Wickliff But the Archbishop of Canterbury was very violent against him twice he was actually convented before him and other Bishops and thrice summoned to appear The first time he escaped by the favour of the Duke of Lancaster who would needs have a Chair for him that he might sit which the Bishops would not admit in their presence and so a Quarrel arose and nothing then was done The second time he got off by means of a Messenger who just as they were about to pass Sentence upon him came in from the Queen charging them immediately to desist The third time he prudently absented himself and did not obey their Summons because he had intelligence that the Bishops had plotted his Death by the way devising the means and encouraging certain Russians thereunto However in his absence the Bishops with the Rabble of Friars to assist them took upon them to examine and censure his Writings meeting for that purpose at the Gray-Friars London where just as they were going about their business happen'd a most terrible Earthquake which much daunted them yet at last they proceeded to pick out 9 Articles or Propositions which they condemn'd as Heretical and 23 others as Erronious And then they got the King's Letters forbidding his Books and Doctrines to be publish't yet still he remain'd firm and constant and laboriously both by preaching and writing propagated the Gospel and God wonderfully preserv'd him out of the hands of his Enemies continuing Parson of Lutterworth in Leicestershire and so died in peace in a good old Age in the year 1387. Nor was his Doctrine confin'd only to England but shone and gave light into Regions far remote Some say that to avoid the fury of the Clergy he himself for some years withdrew into Germany and there preached the Gospel but I do not find sufficient Ground for that opinion but rather believe the Truth might be propagated there by some of his Followers and in particular Cochleus in his History of the Hussiâ—es l. 1. tells us Petrus Payne Anglus Discipulus Wiclephi Pragam cum Libris illius profugerat One Peter Payne an Englishâ—man one of Wickliff ' s Scholars who was sent with other Legates to the Council at Basil where he disputed for three days together touching the Civil Dominion of the Clergy fled into Bohemia and carried with him some of Wickliff ' s Books Some of which were Translated by John Huss into the Bohemian Language as the same Cochleus relates who also affirms That one of the Bishops of England wrote him word Esse sibi adhuc â—odie duo maxima Volumina Wiclephi quae mole suâ videantur aequare opera B. Augustini That he had then by him two Volumes of Wickliff ' s which were almost as large as St. Austin ' s Works Of which many it seems are since lost or destroy'd by the Papists but divers of them are yet extant What opinion the University of Oxford had of the Learning and Piety of this good Man appears by that Testimonial which they publickly gave of him under their Common Seal dated October 5. 1406. which you may read in Mr. Foxes Acts and Monuments fol. 112. And now being in his Grave one would have thought he had been beyond the Sphere of Activity of the most inveterate Malice but such is the nature of Papal Cruelty that its Rage extends almost to the other World and with a Barbarity more than Heathenish violates Sepulchers for 41 years after Wickliff's Death the Council at Constance the very same Conventicle that Decreed That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks made an Order for taking up his Bones and burning them in these words For as much as by the Authority of the Sentence and Decree of the Council of Rome and by the Commandment of the Church and the Apostolical See after due Delays granted this Holy Synod hath proceeded unto the Condemnation of the said John Wickliff and his Memory having first made Proclamation and given Commandment to call forth whosoever would defend the said Wickliff or his Memory if any such there were but none did appear And likewise Witnesses being examined by Commissioners appointed by Pope John and his Council upon the Impenitency and final Obstinacy of the said John Wicliff reserving that which is to be reserved as in such Cases the Law requires and his Impenitency and Obstinacy even unto his end being sufficiently proved by evident Signs and Tokens and also by lawful Witnesses of Credit therefore the Sacred Synod declareth determineth and giveth Sentence That the said John Wickliff was a notorious obstinate Heretic and that he died in his Heresie Cursing and Damning both him and his Memory This Synod also Decrees and Ordains That the Body and Bones if they may be discerned and known from the Bodies of other faithful people be taken out of the Ground and thrown away far from the Burial place of any Church according to the Canon Laws and Decrees Pursuant to this worshipful Decree The Archdeacon and Official of the Diocess shortly after came with their Officers to Lutterworth Church where Wickliff lay buried and having disinterred his Bones they with much Formality burnt the same and turn'd his Dust into Ashes which Ashes they also took and threw into the River as if they would Interest all the Elements in their Inhumane Pageantry Touching which I find in a most Learned Treatise written by Dr. Hoyle Professor of Divinity in Dublin Colledge Entituled A Rejoinder to Mr. Malone ' s Reply concerning the Real Presence p. 654. this remarkable passage The Doctor having discours'd of the taking up the Bâ—nes of Bucer and Fagius adds these words I cannot upon so good an occasion but glance at the like more than Savage usage of Wickliff and signifie to the World a strange Accident not yet observed in Print by any and which my self learned of the most aged Inhabitants and they within a few hands from the very Eye-witnesses and is a common Tradition in all Lutterworth A Child finding one of Wickliff's Bones
the truth is How much a Sot soever he were he prov'd too cunning for them for having smoakt their Consult and Design next time they came according to Custom to Complement him he seiz'd seven of the most busie of them and without any colour of Law presently confiscated all their Estates and thereby so terrified all the rest that no man of them durst think any more of the Curatorship These seven that he had snapt he with a Cruelty suitable to a Pope thrust into a miserable Dungeon and without any respect to their Age or Quality put them to the Rack and all manner of Tortures his gracious Nephew Pregnan standing by to see Execution done and upbraiding them whilst in Torments But King Charles soon after by reason of some Insolencies offer'd to him by the said Pregnan coming to besiege Vrban himself in the said Castle of Lucera his Impietyship was forc'd to fly over the Mountains and with much ado got to Salerno carrying his Captive-Cardinals under a Guard along with him and one of them broken with Tortures not being able to follow him farther he commanded his Hangman to knock out his Brains and left his Body in the Fields without Burial the other six he dragg'd with him all but Cardinal Adam a poor Monk whom he gave to King Richard the Second of England First to Sicily and then to Genua and at last that he might not be troubled with them any longer he caus'd them saith the Author all in one Night to be beheaded But Platina saith they were sown up in Sacks and so flung into the Sea after the manner of punishing Parricides of old which is probable since no doubt the Pope would call their Crime Rebellion against their Spiritual Father But which way soever he dispos'd of them all Authors agree That they were never seen afterwards Lewis King of Hungary dying the before-mentioned Charles his Son was forc'd to go home thither to settle Affairs where by the Treachery of the Queen he was beheaded but had left two Sons Ladislaus and John Children very young at Ferrara whereupon the Pope thirsting after Revenge and to wreck his Spleen on these two innocent Babes for the Injuries he pretended to have received from their Father thinking he had a fit opportunity departs from Genua to Lucca then to Sena and Perusium with a desire as he pretended to see Naples but in truth with a design to defeat the young Princes of their Inheritance but by the prudence and faithfulness of some Counsellors to whose Charge they were left their Lives and Estates were preserved from his malicious Fury Then he return'd to Rome and made in one day 29 Cardinals of whom 26 were Neopolitans In the last year of his Popedom calling to mind of the vast Gain that the Jubilee had brought to Clement the Sixth in the year 1350. He would needs tho against all Reason except only that of private Lucre abreviate the Term and have it kept every 30 years yet so as that it should begin at Christmas Anno Dom. 1388. and continue a year Inclusive But tho he had laid his Bait for Money yet he did not live to see the Fish caught for being bruis'd by a fall of his Mule as he was riding to Perusium he was carried to Rome where after few days he died Paucis admodùm utpote hominis Rustici inexorabilis flentibus Hujus autem Sepulchrum adhuc visitur cum Epitaphio satis Rustico inepto Very few says Platina lamenting his Death for he was a clownish Fellow and inexorable His Tomb is seen to this day with a very Rustical and foolish Epitaph And there 's an end of one of our Popes and if he were as Roman Historians bear us in the hand the Right and most Legitimate of the two we may very well say Bad was the best for amongst other of his meritorious Feats he caus'd a Book to be written by one John de Therano his Chamberlain the beginning whereof is Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar ' s and to God the things that are God's wherein he affirms That these words of our Saviour have place only for a time namely until his Ascention but afterwards they were out of Date and of no force seeing that himself saith John 12. When I shall be taken up I will draw all Men after me that is Pray mark the Wit and Divinity of the Interpretation All Kings and Kingdoms shall be under the Empire of the Pope c. Likewise John the Ligni wrote a Book in favour of this Pope Vrban against his Rival Clement as on the other side the Abbot of St. Vast wrote one for Clement against Vrban wherein they call each Pope Heretic Schismatic Tyrant Thief wicked sower of Sedition Son of Belial and 't is believ'd they were not either of them much mistaken Pope Vrban you have heard left the hopeful Crop of his intended Jubilee to be reap'd by his Successor who was one Peter de Thomacellis a Neopolitan who was call'd Boniface the Ninth Ignorant he was saith our oft-quoted Author Theodoric a Nyem l. 2. c. 6. of writing and singing and so unfit for Administration of the Affairs of the Court of Rome that whilst he lived he hardly understood the Propositions made before him by the Advocates in Consistory in so much that in his time Inscitia ferè venalis fuit in ipsa Curiâ Ignorance was almost buyable as a main step to preferment in the Roman Court Yet in all kind of Simony so far he excell'd all his Predecessors that not one Cardinal or Bishop was promoted without extorting great Sums of Money from them And indeed such an unreasonable Griper had Vrban before found him who only for his Personage and goodly Stature had from a Vagabond Clerk preferr'd him to be a Cardinal That he for meer shame was about to degrade him if he had not been prevented by Death Of this godly Gentleman's Invention as some Authors report were the payments to the Pope call'd Annates concerning which it may not be wide of our mark to inform the vulgar Reader what by that word is understood Annates deriv'd from Annus a year are no other than Primitiae the first Fruits or profits of every Spiritual Living for one year to be paid by the Parson that is invested in it at his first entrance thereupon and near of Kin hereunto are Decimae Tenths take it in a strict sense viz. The Tenth part of the first Fruits or of one years value of all Spiritual Livings and these were anciently paid to the Popes not only in England but throughout the Western parts of Christendom for the Pope as Pastor pastorum claim'd Decimas decimarum and that Jure divino too tho never thought of 'till about or some small time before this year 1399. by Example forsooth of the Jewish High-Priest who Numb 18. 16. was to have Tenths from the Levites But tho Jure Divino as in many other
loth to look so far my only care is and all good Subjects ought to be for our Queens Majesties Preservation What other Title soever be pretended be it good or bad if it shall once threaten danger to the Queen's Majesty whose Title and Governance we know to be true and have felt to be good I wish it destroyâ—d and put out of hope lest it hope too soon too much too high and join with too many Thus the very syllables of that Author Tory. Well! and what the Devil does all this signifie The idle Dream I 'le warrant ye of some seditious Puritanical Whig Truem. The Book Sir was printed by Authority and seems but to express the general fears and apprehensions Protestants were then in from the prospect of a Popish Successor But the truth is Mr. L'Estrange was a little too young to be Licenser in those days Tory. Why there 's the business Tempora mutantur Protestants dread a Popish Successor I must tell you Sir that whoever is cautious against such a Blessing is Ipso facto to be reputed stigmatiz'd and prosecuted as a Whig a damn'd Phanatick a Rascal a Traitor and infallibly an Enemy to the Church of England as by Law establish'd and all this if need be we will have proved as plain as the way to Dunstable in the next Observator Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 28. 1682. Papae tempus adest magnò cum optaverit empâ—um Intactam hanc Gentem cum spolia ista diemque Oderit Arguments proving the Church of Rome not to be the true Church of Christ IN our last we Explain'd the Notion of a Church in its several Acceptations as far as was necessary and offer'd one Reason then why the Roman Church was not to be esteemed a true Church We now proceed to Consider the same a little further And our Second Argument shall for the greater Authority be taken from the Profest Publick Doctrine of The Church of England if the Book of Articles and Homiles be allowed to Contain her Doctrine which some Mens Heterodoxies and bold Preachments of quite contrary Tenets whilst they yet vapour and boast themselves as the only true Churchmen has rendred a Quaere Argument 2. The true Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same But the Church of Rome is not a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Therefore the Church of Rome is not a true visible Church of Christ The Major is the Express Words of the Nineteenth Article of the Church of England And least any should say That we may indeed from hence conclude Affirmatively not Negatively viz. That where these Marks are There is a Church but not that where they are not there is no Church be pleased to take notice That the Church of England delivers these Words by way of Definition of a Church describing it by the proper Marks Now a Definition all that understand the Art of Reasoning know is not only positive in it self but Exclusive and Negative in regard of that to which it is Oppos'd The Minâ—r is also declar'd and asserted by our Church in her Homilies As for Example in That for Whit-sunday part 2 d. We have these Passages First It speaking of the Church of Rome wants these true and proper Marks of a true Church having before mentioned these very Marks For neither are they Built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Christ Jesus neither do they Order the Sacraments or Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them Again They want the Spirit of God if it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then it is at Rome Again He that is of God heareth Gods Word whereof it followeth That the Popes in not hearing Christs Voice do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possest of his Spirit Thus the Homily whereby I think this Argument is sufficiently supported and will appear Cogent to all such as own themselves Soâ—â— of the Church of England and indeed 't is pity any such should now be to be Informed That the Church of Rome is no true Church Nor is this Argument less strong in it self against the Papists For the Proposition is St. Paul's Gal. 1. 8. That Man or Angel and by parity of Reason That Church which teacheth otherwise than the Apostles taught is accursed and whether such Church offend herein by adding to Christs Doctrine or by detracting or taking from it 't is all one the Crime is the sameâ— 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another thing another Gospel For as for taking away as the Apostle saith Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yeâ— offend in one point he is Guilty of all James 2. 10. So most truly too saith St. Ambrose in his Sixth Book upon Luke Negat Christum qui non omnia quae Christi sunt Confitetur He denyeth Christ who doth not confess and acknowledge all that Christ taught And for adding unto the same Father Writing upon those words Be not the Servants of Men 1 Cor. 7. 23. thus testifieth Servi hominum sunt qui Humanis se subjiciunt Superstitionibus They are the Servants of Men that submit themselves to Humane Traditions And if they are the Servants of Men they are not the Servants of Christ So St. Paul concludeth Gal. 1. 10. So that the Proposition as it is Asserted by the Church of England so is it likewise Justified by the Authority of the Holy Scripture and ancient Fathers Then as for the Assumption That in the Church of Rome neither the Word of God is truly Preached nor the Sacraments duly Administred is notorious for as to Doctrine they have added their own Figments as Transubstantiation Purgatory c. and do Preach contrary Doctrines to the Scripture and as touching the Sacraments they have not only Augmented the Number and made Five new ones of their own which Christ never Instituted viz. Confirmation Orders Pennance Matrimony and Extream Vnction But also they have utterly Corrupted those Two which our Lord Ordain'd For in Baptism besides Water they use Spettle Salt Oyl Chrism contrary to the Institution and they lay such a necessity upon this Institution That all that dye without it even Infants they say are Damn'd See Bellarm. de Baptism L. 1. Ca. 4. and Rhem. Annot. on John the 3 d. In the Lords Supper they have turned the Sacrament to a Sacrifice made an Idol of Bread changed the Communion into private Masses
Intelligence O most Swinging Astonishing Confounding Incredible Blessed News I promise you Jesuit Is 't possible For Old Acquaintance sake let 's have 't Tory. I beg your Diversion Sir You that they say tell Lies so Dear must not expect to hear Truth Gratis But yet to save your longing I 'le give you a Tast Poor old Odiscalchi his Holiness is Dead as a Door-nail The Cardinals are shut up in the Conclave and now they are Canvasing Bribing Intriguing Tugging like mad for a new Infallible Noddle Jesuit That 's News indeed but preethee who 's like to carry 't Tory. Ay! that that I cannot forbear laughing to think how 't will vex thee and I 'le tell thee 't for no other Reason but because 't will make thee Hang thy self They 're going to chuse a Protestant Prince to be their Pope Jesuit Then I le be Hang'd ' Tory. Ay! ay! So thou hadst been long ago if th'adst had thy Deserts and so thou wilt at last whether that be so or no! but this is certain a Protestant Pope they 'l have The Flying Squadron are resolv'd on 't And Spain Germany and France for all the Interest you boast of there strike in with them What a blessed Reformation shall we have Jesuit Why then say I farewel Catholick Cause shaw shaw He 'le worm out the Catholick Faith and sapp the Church by degrees and in a while we shall have damn'd Conventicles held in the very Lateran Tory. No! no! There 's no fear of that neither for the Pope Presumptive though he is known to be a Protestant has promis'd a thousand times and vowed and sworn he 'le maintain the Roman Catholick Church as 't is Establisht by the Canons Jesuit Ay! there 's the Knavery on 't The Fallacy dost thou not smell the Raguery Tory. Not I I protest Father but to say truth I never had a very subtle Nose and yet I can at any time scent a Presbyterian Plot as far off as Vtopia Jesuit Why man by the Church as 't is Establisht by the Canons he means no doubt the Church as it ought to be Reform'd by the Canons of Scripture For can any Man be so Mad so Bewitcht as to think a Protestant will be true to the Catholick Interest Tory. Why not Sir As true I 'le warrant you as a Popish Successor will be to a Protestant Interest Jesuit Well! O my Conscience the Cardinals are a Pack of Knaves they betray the Catholick Cause I am confident most of them are Hereticks in their Hearts Tory. Why so why so good Sir They have Subscrib'd the Council of Trent They have taken all the Holy Tests and Canonical Oaths and given all the Security of their Catholicism that 's requir'd by Law of Holy Mother Church and why should we be so uncharitable as to Censure them for Hypocrites Jesuit Hang ' em hang ' em They 'r rotten at Core let 'em Swear their Guts out they that are so Zealous for a Protestant Pope may well be suspected to have an Hugonot in their Bellies Tory. Why now I 'me vext to hear one of your Order Father whose Society esteem themselves not only the most Learned and Politick but Men of the best Intelligence too talk so like a Ninny 'T is the mode all over the World since the last Comet and the Conjunction of Satura and Jupiter Have you not seen the News brought by a Post pidgeon to Scanderoon The Grand-Seignior is lately Dead too All Flesh is Grass Turk and Pope must come to 't and the Divan being Assembled because he left no Heirs of his Body Lawfully begotten nothing will satisfie them but they 'l Elect a Christian Prince to the Ottoman Empire Jesuit The Devil they will Tory. Nay never question the Truth on 't you shall see it shortly in Muddimans Letter and Infallible Natts Intelligence Jesuit Then hey go mad say I The World is going out of its Wits and the Vniverse becoming an Intire Bedlam What false to their own Religion the most Sacred of Ties betray their own Interest I 'le be Flead if there be one true Mussulman in the Divan if this you told me last be true Tory. Come come Fiat Justitia ruat Coelum Dost think all the World understands their true Interest Mankind are oft led by the Shadows and Fancies and Humours and Whims and a Thousand Capricio's I could tell thee of another as great a Wonder as all this comes to Jesuit Nay nay le ts have the bottom o' th Bag honest Tory Tory. What would you eat Sweet-meats with Shovels come come enough's as good as a Feast either at Souters or Pedlars-Hall what I have will keep cold and I 'le reserve it for another Collation Father Adieu Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY May 5. 1682. Omnia amisit qui veritatem amisit An Objection Answered touching Baptism The Church of Rome hath no true Ministry c. IN our last we urged That the Church of Rome does not practise the true Baptism of Christ whence an Objection may arise thus If the Church of Rome have not the true Baptism of Christ why then are not Papists when Converted to the true Faith of Christ Rebaptized How stands their former Baptism good To which I Reply in the words of the great Saint Augustine Contra Cresconium Lib. 1. C. 30. speaking of the External Form of Baptism used amongst Hereticks such Baptism is not to be Repeated but the Errour thereof Corrected And in his Seventh Book against the Donatists Chap. 40. He hath these Words The Divine Scriptures in many places do shew all these to be strangers from the Church who are not in the Rock and appertain not to the Members of the Dove and yet they Baptize and are Baptized and have Sine salute Sacramentum salutis without Salvation the Sacrament of Salvation And L. 5. chap. 17. Hereticks saith he have Lawful Baptism that is for the External Form but not Lawfully And so Bellarmine himself determines the Case Cum veniunt ad Ecclesiam Baptizati ab Haereticis agnoscendum est quod est Ecclesiae id est Baptisma corrigendus verò Error When those that are Baptized by Hereticks come to the Church the Church acknowledges what is her own that is the Baptism but the Errour is to be corrected The Sacraments operate effectually Non quia dicitur sed quia Creditur Not because the Words are uttered but because there is the Word of Faith purifying the heart as the Apostle speaks Act 15. And therefore the Church of Rome having deny'd the Faith of Righteousness and the Righteousness of Faith and the saving Doctrine of Baptism She hath consequently rendred Baptism to be of none Effect to her unto Salvation But yet still when any Papist is by the Grace of God and the Preaching of the Word and of saving Faith Converted to the true Church of God the Seal of Baptism
shall Eccho in his Ears that Christ shall disown all those as unworthy of his Kingdom who have here been ashamed to confess him before men But how fond are we to indulge our sins and what sorry Shields will men make use of rather than not have some colour of patronage for their crimes These Nicodemites these colloguing Hypocrites who think they can make a match between Light and Darkness and at once pass Homage both to Christ and Belial that they may seem cum ratione Insanire to offend God with warrant from his own word plead Scripture the Divel did so of old for their practice and alleadge the example of Naaman the Syrian 2. Kings 5. who being Miraculously Cured of his Leprosy came to acknowledg the true God of Israel and resolv'd not to Worship any other Deity for so saith he to the Prophet Elisha v. 17. Thy Servant will henceforth Offer neither Burnt Offering nor Sacrifice unto other Gods but unto the the Lord. But then in the next verse he comes with this Reserve In this thing the Lord Pardon thy Servant that when my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to Worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my self in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing And the Prophet said unto him depart in Peace Which say these men implies an approbation or leave for him so to do if therefore it were permitted for him rather than lose the favour of the King his Master to wait on him into an Idols Temple and bow down and pay the external signs of Worship there still keeping his heart upright to the Lord why may not we for like reasons assist at Mass since in our hearts we contemn and abhor it This is the full force of the Objection To which I answer 1. My friend thou that makest use of this Plea I cannot but admire since in the word of God thou hast a general road the Kings High way plainly set forth by commands and hedg'd in with Prohibitions not to depart from it and trackt by all the Troops of Pilgrims to the new Jerusalem wherein thou canst not err why dost thou rather chuke to decline and start aside after this particular Example as into a By-path rarely troden where easily thou may'st go astray How comest thou so Eagle ey'd to discover theâ—e private passages and small Chinks and Crevises and yet art so blind thou canst not see the Door Canst thou be ignorant that 't is a very dangerous thing to follow particular Examples without some other Warrant For sometimes to some persons God as by a singular priviledge hath permitted that which to all in general he hath forbidden And many things he suffers which he does not approve We do not read nor is it credible that this Syrian General was ever Circumcised will you hence raise an excuse to avoid your own being Baptized what if we should say thou art more bound to confess publickly thy Faith and abstain from all appearance of Idolatry than Naaman was because God has vouchsafed unto thee a greater measure of understanding because somewhat was indulg'd to his ignorance will you who are many degrees beyond him in knowledge claim the save priviledge How absurd how rash is this be not deceived God is neither a Sophister nor will suffer his glory to be fullfilled or his Justice eluded by any Sophistical tricks or evasions But 2. This Scripture is by them abused and being rightly interpreted gives not the least countenance to their practise who alleadge it For first you must note that this noble Syrian as long as he liv'd in Idolatry and Superstition with great cost and pomp was wont to Sacrifice to his Idols for the meanest men would strain themselves upon such occasions But now what does he resolve that henceforword he would only Sacrifice to the God of Israel Now what was that less than to make a publick notorious Profession of his having abandon'd the false Gods and only to cleave to the Lord whence the world might as easily perceive that he was no longer an Idolater as if he had proclaim'd it with the sound of a Trumpet For how could they doubt but he had cast off those Gods to whom he paid no more Offerings as he was wont to do be hesides loads away two Mules with the Earth of Canaan whereon he might adore the living God least otherwise by the contagion of profane Earth his Sacrifice should be polluted which was another solemn testimony of his Profession But afterwards he beggs pardon if he go into the Temple of Rimmon if he did this that he might counterfeit a worshipping of that Idol it would be some pretence indeed for them But the matter is quite otherwise for the words import only thus much If the King my Master shall happen to go into the Temple of Rimmon and leaning upon my â—oulder shall worship there though I bow down in civil respect to my Prince and Master let not the Lord impute it to me as though I worshipped the Idol The bowing of his body here intended was no simulation of Idolatry but a civil duty which he was wont to pay the King Those therefore that will defend themselves by this Example must first purge themselves from all suspition of Idolatry and openly show that they renounce superstition and then we shall have no controversie with them but till then 't is vain and ridiculous for them to think to shelter their impiety under this president Another excuse they would raise out of that pretended Epistle of Jeremy in the Book of Baruch chap. 6. where in v. 4. are these words Now shall ye see in Babylon Gods of silver and of gold and of wood borne upon shoulders be not afraid of them 〈◊〉 but say you in your hearts O Lord we must worship heeâ— I answer 1. This Epistle is Apocryphal and so not of sufficient authority and 2. the words are nothing to the purpose the Text only admonisheâ— them when they see them they should not be afraid of them but instead of joyning with them in their Idolatry should pay their Devotions to God That of Paul Acts 21. is somewhat more colorably yet well considered makes as little for their turn Paul say they though he knew the Ceremonies of the Law to be abolish'd yet to gratify those of his own Nation shaved his head according to Law Numb 6. 18. and vow'd and perform'd a purification after the manner of the â—aw â—f this were lawful for Paul to do we conceive we ought no more to be forbid the frequenting of Masses and other Popish mysteries 1. I answer 1. They are grievously reproachful first to God in comparing a Ceremony instituted by himself with abominable Idolatry and in the next place to Paul unjustly loading him with this infamy for was it a Ceremony condemn'd by God which Paul used or rather was it not yet an indifferent thing 'till the Light of
sordid covetousness and other pranks before-mentioned Angelus de Clavasio a Friar Minorite in his Book call'd Summa Angelica in the word Pope affirms that this very Martin after long consultation gave a man leave to marry with his own Sister dispensing with the Positive Law of God and Nature This Pope likewise was a very busie stirrer up of persecutions and bloody wars against the poor Bohemians as Hereticks they having sometime before embraced Wickliffs Doctrine But of this and the other troubles of those people for the sake of the Gospel we shall take another opportunity to discourse The COURANT. Truem. MEthinks you look Cloudily to day Monsieur Tory does Tuesdays Verdict stick in your Gizzard would not the Sham take Could not poor Nat get a Christian Jury as he call'd it that might believe the Sun was a Bottle of Ink and that Sir Edmondbuâ—y Godfrey Killed himself 4 days after he was Murthered Tory. Prethee why dâ—ee talk so you know I never justified that story I think 't was very ill done and the Contrivers of it deserve to be punisht Truem. Why this 't is for a man to be unfortunate and down the wind his friends streight abandon him as vermine run from falling Houses All the while bonny Nat was towring upon the wing alarming the world with his Regiments of Five-Hundreds and his Troops of Sixty's that should Swear Canon-pooof and drive the Nail home and Clench it then you and all your party appeared openly in favour of the welcome News I know not what to think on 't says one I was never satisfied in that business of Godfrey's Murder Nay quoth a second there are shrewd Circumstances in these two Letters to Prance they are ingeniously Pen'd and a great deal of weight in them Alas Sir adds a third 't is not to be doubted but he can make it all out and by such a number of Protestant Witnesses too not so much you see as a suspected Papist is concerned else you must think he would never write so confidently I fancy here will be a notable discovery and then what will become of Madam Plot when she has lost one of her main Crutches Damme concludes the fourth man that story of Godfrey's being Killed at Sommerset-house was all Bubble why the Divel should the Papists meddle with him the three poor fellows were meerly sworn out of their Lives and so were all the rest that noise of a Popish Plot was nothing in the world but an intrigue of the Whigs to destroy the Kings best Friends and the Devil fetch me to Hell in a Hand basket if I might have my will there should not be one Fanatical Dog left alive in the three Kingdoms This Gentlemen was wont e're while to be the stile of Discourse at Sam 's and Margarets and now when the Oracle Nathaniel's 600 and 60 witnesses are dwindled to half a dozen and they only serv'd to prove him and his associates impudent lying villains and that he is like to scour a Pillory do you desert the Cause and come sneaking like a Quaker and Cry Friends never own'd it Tory. A Pillory never fear it Nat I le promise you has friends in a Corner what he did was only to Print the Papers for money in the way of his Trade and he has discover'd his Authors what would you have more of the honest man Truem. I will not presume to prejudge his doom I doubt not but the Reverend Judges will do him and the Nation Right but for what you alleadge that he did it for others in way of his Trade will for him be but a vain excuse for he has made it his own Act he did not do it Ignorantly or by surprize not imposed upon by false Information or mistake but willfully and with a malicious design as appears 1. For that it was contrary to his own personal knowledge he himself view'd the Boâ—y at the White-house as is proved by Affidavit and from the Testimony of his own Eys he himself then Printed that there was no Blood that it was evident he was strangled c. 2 When he first publisht his pretended Sarum-Letter which was only to sound the waters there was presently a satisfactory answer return'd yet soon after he Printed his first Letter to Prance and that too being solidly refuted he flung out a second and has himself all along in his Intelligence and by word of mouth espoused the thing and boasted he would prove it sometimes by 500 sometimes by 60 witnesses Nay since the very last Term has vapored in Print at the same rate and endeavoured before hand to cast a scandal on any Jury that should try him Now if such a man in such a cause wherein the honor of the King and of the Justice of the Nation and the whole Protestant Interest is so highly concern'd and so impudently arraigned and aspersed shall escape without some exemplary mark from that Justice which he has so daringly affronted it might prove an unaccountable precedent Tory. But what should be his design in all this Truem. We need not go to Gaâ—bury to discover that 't is plain it was to sham off the belief of the Popish Plot that it may still proceed to excuse the Papists from that barbarous murder and fix the Odium of being guilty of innocent blood on the King and his Judges and all the Protestants in the Nation for putting Green Berry and Hill to death wrongfully And this alone methinks should open your eyes to see through the boasted Loyalty of Thompson all such fellows and their kindless forsooth to the Church of England and what interest it is that under that disguise they serve And to shew all the world that the Popish Plot is still working on for it can never be imagined that three such little inconsiderable fellows would ever have troubled their heads with such a business or dar'd to have broach'd it in that audacious manner had not men of wiâ—er heads and greater figure abetted them Though Pâ—in and Farwell own'd themselves Authors of the Letters yet if ever the matter can be throughly sifted Tâ—e wager that a Jesuitâ— or Priest was the Composer of them Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY June 30. 1682. Infanda Tellus quáque vix pejor stygem Vehit profundis apta suppliciis humus Quousque sae vos misera lassabis Deos Experta Fulmen An excellent discourse of Clemangis that we ought to depart out of Babylon The story of Pope Eugenius IV. who is deposed in the Council of Bazil IN our last we mentioned the Complaints of Clemangis the Reverend Arch-Deacon of Baior touching the lamentable corrupt state of the Church and shall now add another notable discourse of his in an Epistle to Gerrard Market a Doctor of Paris which though somewhat long we chuse to recite not only for the Excellency of the matter and to shew what
only with the Domestick friends of the Faith but also with the Enemies thereof Pope Eugenius went the way of all flesh Anno 1446. To whom succeded one Thomas de Sarzana by the name of Nicholas the fifth who had been Imploy'd by Eugenius in Germany to compose the differences and take the Emperour from siding with Felix formerly Duke of Savoy who was Created Pope as we told you lately by the Council of Basil and was still living during this negotiation he Contracted a friendship with the before mentioned Aeneas Sylvius and such â—avoâ—râ—n the Imperal Court that soon after he came to the Chair Foelix the Anti-Pope finding himself abandon'd voluntarily resignâ—d his Pope-ship Anno 1449. and accepted of a Legates place under Nicholas and so the Schism as they call it that is having two or more Popes at once and this was just the Thirtieth of that kind which had lasted almost Ten years was soder'd up and Cured The year 1450. was the great Jubilee held at Rome an excellent Fair for the Popes Merchandize and which brought him in abundance of Money Tanta multitudo Roman venit quanta nunquam antea There came â—saith Platina such a power of People the world was always full of fools to Rome as never the like was seen and one day there were 200 men and 3 horses and a Mule Kill'd upon Hadrians Bridg by reason of the Crowd The next year the Emperour Frederick takes a Journy into Italy as well to be Crown'd as to Marry Lonâ—ra the King of Portugals Daughter Pope Nick being naturally a Coward was very apprehensive lest Frederick calling to mind the antient Right and Authority of his predecessors should take upon him the Rule and Government of the City and thereof Fortified the Capital and Castle of St. Angels and all the Gates c. But he was more afraid than hurt for Frederick had no such design against him but being Crown'd and Married and magnificently treated for sometime at Rome peaceably returned into Germany When Constantinople was beseiged by the Turks the Greeks saith Antonius part 3. Tit. 22. C. 13 sent Ambassadours to Pope Nicholas Imploring his assistance of men and money but Nicholas would not hear them yet Platina would make us beleive he was so much afflicted for the loss of the City that it was one of the causes of his Death which happen'd Anno 1455. 'T is a remarkable odd story which Bodin in his Daemonomania and Jacob Sprenger the Inquisitor of Witches in his Book Intituled Malleus Maleficarum tells of this Pope viz. That a certain German Bishop being sick for whom Nicholas had a great kindness he understood by a Witch the Divel it seems was these Holy Fathers Oracle that his indisposition proceeded from Witchcraft and that there was no way in the World to Recover him but by a contrary Charm by which the Witch her self that had bejuggled him must die He therefore sends Post to Rome and begs Pope Nicholas leave to be Cured by this White Witch and accordingly his Holiness grants him a Dispensation both as to Imploying the Witch and the Murther that was to follow the Bull alleadging that he allow'd that same because of two evils we are to avoid the Greater the Popes worship had forgot that we are not to do evil that good may come on 't indeed that maxime has no place in the Roman divinity for by Blood and Murder force and fraud perjury and all kind of villany they pretend to advance the Glory of God true Religion and Holy Church well this License being arrived the Witch under the Popes Blessing and Authority at the Bishops Intreaty undertakes the Job and ply'd her business so much I cannot say so well that about Midnight the Bishop was perfectly restored to health and at the very same Instant the disease passed into her that had bewitched him whereof she dyed We come now to Calixtus the third named before Alphonsus Borgia who was no sooner Elected but he denounc'd War against the Turks saying that he had long since vow'd the same and in testimony thereof shew'd a note formerly subscribed with his own hand in a certain book containing the words following Ego Calixtus Pontifex Deus omnipotenti voveo Sarctâ—â— Individuâ— Trinitate me Bello maledictis Interdictis execraâ—ionibus dâ—mum quibuscunque rebus potero Turcos Christiani nominis hostis saevissimos persecuturum I Pope Calixtus do vow to Almighty God and to the holy undivisible Trinity that I will persecute the Turks Enemies of the Christian name by Wars Curses Interdictions Execrations and by all other means that I can 'T was a riddle to all present how he should qualify himself with the Title of Pope so long before he was Elected but it seems the mans head ran much upon it nor were the Threatnings of such an old decripiâ—e fellow for he was about Fourscore very terrible However in pretence at least of Carrying on this sacred War he laid a Tenth on all the Clergy of Christendome and publisht a Croysado according to Custome granting thereby full Remission of sins to all that should Contribute to that expedition provided that once in their lives and once at their death they were Confessed and also gave Authority to whomsoever would give Five Ducats to Absolve and dispence in many cases Alponsus King of Naples and Philip Duke of Burgâ—udy were admonished to Cross themselves that is to serve in person for in such cases all both Soldiers and Commanders wore Crosses on their outward Garments but as the business was suddenly started and for a spurt carried on with wonderfull vigour so in little time the zeal abated and the preparations declin'd Some few Gallies the Pope did equipp and put out to Sea that did the Turks some damage and sent a Friar with great presents to the King of Persia and the Cham of Tartary perswading them likewise to fall upon the Turk For a blessing on these Enterprises he ordain'd that a Bell should every day between Noon and Evening be Tâ—ll'd at the sound whereof whoever did on their knees mutter over 3 Ave Maria's and Pater Nosters should have three years and three fortieth parts of Indulgences that is to say for three years a man might live as he list and defie both God and the Divel and for the rest of all his sins being divided into Forty equal parts every time he mubled over three Ave's and Pater's at the tinkling of that Bell three of those parts should be wip'd off the score so that Foureteen bouts would Ballance the whole Account He likewise appointed a General prâ—câ—ssion or Letany the first Sunday of every Month in which whosoever assisted should obtain seven years and a seven fortieth part of Indulgences besides a Prayer in the Mass for Victory over the â—â—â—â—dels and he that said That had three years Indulgenâ—e If all these Baits of dâ—votion would make men Saints he yet had another trick would do the feâ—â— and