confuted or but as much as reprooued this blasphemie or shewe any that hath reprooued it whom they haue not blamed or condemned But that shee is not cured in this point I can make it apparant For looke in the Canon lawe reuiued and as they pretende c Vide Corpus iuris Canonici iussu Gregorij 13. emendatum editum anno 91. dist 96. cap. 7. reformed and reprinted of late b by the authoritie and with the approbation of the Pope vnder his bull where though many things be altered or taken out that made against the Popes primacie yet this that makes so much against Gods holy Maiestie is not in one point helped nor in one word altered but still this is good and Catholicke Diuinitie in the popes lawe that The Pope is God and therefore may not bee iudged of men But wil you haue yet better euidence that She is not cured Hearken a little A great Italian Doctor no lesse then a Bishop writes thus to the Pope himselfe for to the Pope either the Authour or his Nephew dooth dedicate it some three or foure yeares agoe c Vide Adoardum GualaÌ„dum EpiscopuÌ„ Caesenatem de morali ciuili facultate lib. 14 cap. 3. A Papa tanquaÌ„ a Capite in vniuersum Eccle siae corpus hoc est in omnem ChristianaÌ„ Remp. spiritus influunt caelestium gratiarum sensum fructumque praestantes efficicem moâ—â— ad sempiternam â—eatitudinem Merito igitur sanctissimus beatissimus appellatur 〈◊〉 Christianam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi quidam Deusad oratur coliâ—â—t Liber impressus est Romae 1604. Clementi 8. Papae dicatus From the Pope as from the Head there doe flowe into the whole bodie of the Church that is into the whole Christian world spirits or spirituall life yeelding the feeling and fruite of heauenly graces and effectuall motion to eternall happinesse therfore hee is worthily called as God is most holy most blessed and is worshipped and adored as a God of all christian men Loe heere as bad or worse then the former the Pope is such a Head of the church as infuseth spiritual life and heauenly grace into the body of the Church Doth Christ himself anie more and he is worthily worshipped as a God And this dooth Pope Clement the 8. suffer to be spoken and written of him and not 4. yeares agoe to be printed vnder his nose at Rome and thence to bee sent ouer the world now iudge is not Romish Babylon well healed nay rather alasse doth not her wound fester and rankle more and more Well then seeing this is the Romish doctrine and practise both olde and newe both long agoe and now present let vs make a little vse of it First wee see heere good reason why a Papist should holde the Pope aboue a Councell and euen the holy scripture it selfe for the Pope is God and wee knowe that GOD is aboue the scripture Secondly why also the Pope holdes himselfe aboue kings for hee is God and GOD is King of kinges in a word no maruell why hee should take appeals from all the world we are a triple Crowne bee caried on mens shoulders giue his foote to be kissed dispose of kingdomes and kings at his pleasure for hee that is God may do more then all these And surely we Protestants must needes grant that as truely as he is a God so lawfully may hee do all these All these vses are as good as that is the Pope himselfe makes when hee sayth God may not be iudged by men but I am God and therefore may not bee iudged by man these bee his arguments but now hee shall giue mee leaue to make but one for him and his fellowes The God that admitteth another Lord God and to bee worshipped as God is not the Lord Iehouah the true God for the true God is God alone d Deut. 6. 4. but the Papists God admittes of another Lord God and to be worshipped as God therefore hee is not the true God If they denie the Maior they denie scripture if the Miâ—â—r they denie their doctrine and their owne bookes if they graunt both they are worthy of the conclusion I would end this but I cannot omit to make one vse more of this their doctrine It hath been made a question amongst them whether the Pope might noâ— emptie all Purgatorie if he see cause and no maruellâ— for he being God surely if there be a purgatorie God can emptie it Now to conclude all these doe but equalize the Pope with God but what if hee haue made himselfe greater then God 3 The secoÌ„d wound The pope hath done more then God I will be but the relatour let the Reader iudge Almost two hundred yeeres agoe hee did with publicke authoritie and after long examination by a great Cardinall e This Cardinal was IohaÌ„nes de turre cremata as appears in the prefaces before the book of the Reuelations of Saint Brigit and other Commissioners approue e Posseuinus in apparatu sacro lit B. to 1. Brig Reuelationes diligeÌ„ter examinatae approbatae à viris doctis fuerunt after suffered to be published to the World a booke in latine called The Reuelations of Saint Bâ—IGITE Where it is dogmatically deliuered and as a matter without question That Pope Gregory by his prayers lifted the heathen Emperour Traiane out of hell f Reuelationes Brigittae lib. 4. cap. 13. Bonus Gregorius oratione sua etiam infidelem Caesarem eleuauit ad altiorem gradum and another long afore whome they pretend also to bee theirs deliuereth it more amplie adding further that God answered the Pope thus I haue heard thy prayers and I grant mercy and pardon to Traiane but see that thou hereafter offer me no sacrifice for an vngodly man g Damascenus in ser de mortuis adiuuandis Cum enixè Deum precaretur Gregorius pro salute Traiani annis ante sua tempora fere 500. defuncti audiuit vocem diuinitùs allatam dicentem preces tuas audiui veniam Traiano do tu vero deinceps pro impio hostiam mihi ne offeras From hence I offer them this argument to thinke on The true God neuer deliuered a damned soule out of hell but the Pope hath deliuered a soule out of hell therefore he hath done that that GOD neuer did nor for ought that is reuealed euer will doe Heer is a soule wound but is this healed vp No 4 The second wound not healed this booke stands allowed by the Pope and in his Catalogue of the bookes which hee forbiddes to bee read h Vide IndiceÌ„ lib prohib per Clem. 8. where many a learned and godly booke is condemned this is not toucht and therefore as Posseuine himselfe a Iesuite grants i Posseuinus loco citato not 2. yeares agoe not onely the booke stands vncondemned but this foule blalphemy vncontrolled and to shewe that the head of Babylon namely the Pope
Lords prayer for another place and purpose it is here euident that no Papist in the World can with a good conscience say the whole Lords prayer For if God haue now diuided his kingdome then how can hee say with Dauid in the olde testament i 1. Chr. 29. 11 and Christ in the newe k Math. 6. Thine O Lord is the kingdome for euer therefore hee must either alter the Lords prayer and say Thine is halfe the kingdome c. or neuer say it at all or else curse and detest his owne teachers that write and his Lord God the Pope that alloweth such doctrine Alas poore soules what should a simple honest hearted Papist do in this case See therefore in what pitifull state they liue who haue subiected themselues to such teachers Lastly let it bee obserued that here they teach that there bee in spiritual matters touching the soule 2. diuine Courts the one of Iustice and that is Gods the other a Chancerie a Court of Mercie and that is Maries these bee their verie wordes and further that if any man feele himselfe agrieued in Gods Court of Iustice let him appeale to the Court of mercie of his Mother Oh-strange diuinitie Canne Gods iudgements bee vniust or his proceedinges erroneous and vnequall If they bee not then why do they talke of appealing to a higher Court for why do writtes of error lye from one Court to another but that it is presupposed that they may erre and why is there a Chauncerie but that the rigour and extremitie of the Lawe may bee mitigated But if the Scripture say true in the text Righteous art thou O Lord and iust in thy iudgements l Psal 119. 137. then this is blasphemie of a high nature that there needes a Chancerie to rectifie his proceedinges and mitigate his Iudgements But as for this doctrine that the Chauncerie or Court of mercie is not Gods but his Mothers and that therfore Gods iudgmeÌ„ts are to be mitigated by another and therefore that shee and her Court are in this respect rant shee is not healed And yet for the better satisfaction of all men that as shee is not yet so shee purposeth neuer to bee healed nor to reforme any thing and that this is not the priuate opinion of that or any other one doctor I desire all that loue the trueth to take knowledge that of late within these seauen yeares an Italian doctor a Iesuite and an approued writer writing a storie of the miracles of our Ladie of Loretto teacheth euen the same doctrin and makes no bones to bluster out almost the very same words which for better assurance I will put down s Horatiuâ— Tursellinus hist virginis lauretanae in Epistola dedic virgo Maria salutem vndique cinctam periculis expedire vitam veris salutaribus bonis cumulare vult potest Matrem quippe suam omnipotens deus diuinae potestatis Maiestatis sociam quatenus licuit asciuit The Virgin Marie both will and can is both willing and able to deliuer such as bee compassed about with daungers on all sides and to heape vpon them all good blessinges for Almightie GOD as farre as it is lawefull t This clause as farre as it is lawfull is a strange word to be spoken of God for what can be vnlawful to God that is good whose wil is the holiest law if therfore it be good to make a creature fellow with him in his deitie it must needes be lawful and so the clause is idle If it bee not good but impious and contrary to the nature of God then to thinke it any way lawful or possible to be done is no lesse then to think it any way lawfull for God to lie or sin or deny himselfe so that take it any way this limitation of the Iesuite both grossely abuseth the reader and containeth horrible impiety against God So far is it from being any shelter to the blasphemy that is deliuered in the whole passage hath made his Mother fellowe and partaker of his diuine Power and Maiestie c. See here the new and refined diuinity of the Iesuites what is this but the same with that afore for if shee bee made partaker fellow with God in his diuine power and Maiestie it is no maruel that God hath coÌ„mitted his mercy to her if froÌ„ these words we look into the body of the book we shal find he ascribes such works miracles to her as can belong to none but him or her that is a fellow with God or rather God himself It cannot bee saide the booke wants authoritie for it is formally allowed dedicated to the Cardinall Aldobrandino printed at Rome and since often elsewhere and of late both the Authour and his booke highly commended by the greatest Romish censurers u Posseu in apparatu sacro to 2. litera H. Horat. Tursellinus Romanus è societate Iesu lauretanae historiae 5. libros latinos elegantes ad fideÌ„ historicae veritatis conscripsit Romae excuâ—os quos qui legerit vt miranda beatissimae Virginis opera suspiciet sic lauretanam illam domum percupidè curabit inuisere Vlterinâ— autem de eodem Tursellino vide C. Bonarscij Amphitheatrum honoris Libro 2. cap. 13. So that now I will end my euidence for this point and dare put the matter to a Iurie of any conscionable men whether this wound be healed yet or no. Now to go forward from the Person and Maiesty of God let vs proceede to his Holy SCRIPTVRES and see how the Romish Church held of olde and yet holdeth and teacheth of them I will not stand vppon those vâ—le and base speeches vttered and written of them by Eccius Pighius Hosius and manie other of that generation for that they haue beene both detected and with shame inough reâ—ected by many reuerend men of our nation both in Latine and English w Whitaker Fulke Iewel Reinolds and others but vppon some that often haue not bin touched by many nor euer can be sufficiently condemned by any In the Canon Lawe the Pope spareth not to disgrace the holy Scriptures in express tearmes sometimes equaling his own Constitutions with them somtimes preferring them In the Decree hee shameth not to affirme that 7 The fourth wound The Popes decrees be equall to the Canonicall Scriptures his decretall Epistles are numbred amongst the Canocall Scriptures x Vide decretuÌ„ cum glossa Lugd. 1510. In fol. dist 19. cap 6. Inter Scripturas canonicas Epistolae decretales connumeâ—antur and impudently alleadgeth Saint Augustine to proue it who neuer spake nor meant any such thing as in the later end of the decree they cannot but confess with shame inough this was his doctrine in the old impressions of the Canon lawe a hundreth yeares agoe But some will say this wounde is now healed No look in the new impression reuiewed at the Popes commandement and printed by his authoritie within these fewe
in it is such as if it had but crept into some secret pamphlet I would neuer haue brought it into light but beeing that it is registred in the Glosse vppon their lawe a booke of so great authoritie and so common in the hands of all the learned I cannot but discharge my dutie to the truth tho it may giue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine For what can such men thinke when they heare him that pretends to bee Christs Viker and Peters successor teache that Salomons wordes are not of as good authoritie as his bee when as Christ himselfe did approoue and iustifie himselfe and all his words and deedes and doctrines by the olde Testament and that the words of God in the olde Testament doe therefore binde and are therefore to bee beleeued because the Pope pleaseth to insert and canonize them in his lawe and that being by him so canonized they bee therefore as good as if the Pope himselfe had spoken them VVhat I saie can they iudge but that the Pope is one of their religion a plaine Atheist that holdes the Scripture and all religion as farre as pleaseth his humour serueth his turnes And if anie of his faction holde this too hard a censure I would intreate him to answere mee but this question grounded vpon these words of his Whether is God the Authour of the olde Testament 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21 or no If they say no Saint Peter answereth that Prophecie in olde time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holie Ghost If hee bee then the Prouerbes of Salomon beeing a Canonicall Booke of the Olde Testament is Gods Booke and the wordes of this Text are Gods words and not Salomons This beeing so let vs then take the wordes as they are in their true and full meaning and see what a peece of Popish diuinitie heere is A straÌ„ge peece of popish doctrine that Gods word if it be authorized by the Pope is then of as good credit as if the Pope himselfe had spoken it therefore if the Pope please not to canonize it then it is not So that either Gods word must be beholden to the Pope for the authoritie of it or els it hath none Obserue that the wordes of the Text are not the wordes of the Pope but of God but because these words of God are heere canonized by the Pope therfore they are of credit and worthie to bee beleeued as well as if they had beene spoken by the Pope himselfe Loe heere the Pope in his owne colours this is Diuinitie fit to be hatched at Rome and to be coyned in his mint Let the words be examined and see what can followe of them but that either the Pope holdes not the Prouerbs to be Gods booke but SALOMONS which is horrible Atheisme or els if hee holde them Gods that the words of God beare no credit nor haue authoritie to binde mens conscience till the Pope doe canonize them and that Gods word in a book knowen receiued and graunted to bee Canonicall is not of as good authoritie in that booke as being translated into the Popes Canon lawe if he refuse both these then let him refuse his owne lawe and burne his glosse vpon his decretalles as contayning Atheisme and Heresie in a high degree 12 The sixt wound not healed But to goe forward is this wound healed Surely if they haue left it out or reformed it in any later impression so it bee with open confession and detestation of the fault it is well But sure I am it is in the impression I haue and in all other which I could borrow And further I do not know any Pope or popish writer that hath with authoritie and allowance condemned or reprooued this Atheisme if they knowe any they may doe well to produce them Meane time I am also sure of this that in stead of healing it they haue suffered their Doctors and Writers continually since to speake and write almost as ill if not worse In Queene Maries time an English Papist wrote thus c Proctor in his booke called the way home to Christ printed at LondoÌ„ in 8. Religion is occasioned by Scripture but perfected and authorized by the Church See we are more beholden to the Church then to the Scripture for our Religion About the same time Cardinal Poole out of his Pope-holy deuotion is sayde to haue affirmed that The written word of GOD is but a seede of Turcisme d Scriptura scripta est semen turcicuâ—â— And certaine Popish Doctors in Germanie beeing pressed in a disputation with the euideÌ„ce of Scripture boldely answered We are not tyed to the Scriptures those goose quilles doe not tie vs e Nos pennis illis anser inis minime sumus alligati I will not affirme these two vpon my owne credit but they haue beene charged with them both manie yeeres agoe and neuer yet disproued them But that that followeth I speak vpon knowledge A little after a great english Papist pretending to summon a Parliament for Poperie in his booke so called telles a storie of one whom hee hearde vpon reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes earnestly say that The Booke of Ecclesiastes is a naughty booke f Heskins a Doctor of diuinitie in his parliament of Christ lib. 1. cap. 2. printed at Antwerpe 1566. in folio He voweth to God and cals him to witnes that this he heard him himselfe but what was hee that spake it a Protestant no a Papist and no mad fellow nor ignorant foole nor profane scoffer but sayth Heskins hee was a man of worship of grauitie of wisedome of godly life and competent learning able to vnderstand and likewise exercised in the Scriptures and this is all the censure hee giues of him that spake these wordes Hee addeth further a little after in the same Chap. that a popish Gentlewoman hearing a text out of a boooke that papists holde to bee Scripture which shee misliked and being tolde by him for he heard her speak the words that the booke was Scripture shee aunswered that if the Scripture had such I will not say what shee saide words in it Shee would no more beleeue the scripture for it was naught g Heskins in his parliameÌ„t the next page after And what was shee that saide this a vertuous Catholicke gentlewoman and one that feared GOD h Obserue wel how a great popish doctor commeÌ„ds that man and woman for deuout and zealous papists who blasphemously saide that the scriptures were naught and not to be belieued and doth not reprooue the parties for their blasphemie So little doth it touch a papists hart to heare Gods word abused in the highest kind Lo what tokens Poperie giueth of a vertuous Catholicke woman and that feares God And tho Heskins cannot but graunt that these are blasphemies Yet did hee not reproue the one nor the other But contrariwâ—se commends them both and turnes it to
the Pope and his allegeance to him on the other hee cannot tell what to say and therfore winding himselfe into a labyrinth of generall and confused distinctions of per se per accidens primariò secundariò propriè impropriè and such other which may serue for al purposes at last he leaues the matter as doubtfull as hee findes it yet must it bee confessed if hee incline either way it is to the worse which by conference of his other writings I thinke he doth rather for feare or to please the Pope then out of his owne iudgement and conscience Therfore leauing him I begin with Gregorie de Valentia a Iesuite a Professor of diuinitie as Bellarmine is of his owne sect of his owne time and accounted by some papists more learned but approued * Vide approbationes praefixas 4. tom disputat Greg de Valent. of all hee writeth thus b Gregor de valent tom 4. disp 1. quaest 24. punct 2. p. 467. Sic quidem sunt venerandae Imagines vt ipse quoque propâ—ie suo quodam modo sint terminus venerationis licet non per se quatenus tali materia figura continentur sed per aliud scilicet ratione protoâ—ypi Hoc autem modo eodem hoâ—ore quo prototypus Imagines sunt honorandae atque adeo hominis Christi Imagines latria sunt venerandae per aliud hoc adeo certum c. It is certaine that Images are to be worshipped so as properly the worship shal rest in them not for themselues nor for the matter nor formes sake but for his sake they resemble and in this sense they are to bee worshipped so as they bee whome they resemble and therefore the Image of Christ as man is to be worshipped with the same worship due to Christ himselfe Hee cannot denie but manie learned of his owne side teach the contrarie but he reproues them all and embraceth this as the commoner and truer opinion and confirmes it and concludes it for truth Next to him I produce another Iesuite Gretserus of the same vniuersitie and either succesâ—or or fellow to Gregory de Valentia in the same place profession he who was chosen for the papists Champion in the famous disputation holden at Regensperg 1600. c Vide collo quium Ratifbonense anno 600. and whom Posseuine the Iesuite calls the very hammer of heretikes d Iac Gretserus in AcadeÌ„ Ingolst professor theol haereticorum malleus sic Posseu tom 2. lit I. Thus he writeth e Gretserus de Cruce tom 1. lib. 1. cap. 49. At quo genere cultus colenda est crux asserimus cum communiori sententia in scholis magis trita crucem ipsam omnes Imagines signa Crucis adoranda esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est cultu diuino Thus wee haue taught that the Crosse is to bee worshipped But now with what kinde of worship is it to be worshipped We answere and affirme according to the more common opinion and more receiued in schools that the Crosse and all Images and signes of the Crosse are to be worshipped with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with diuine worship Can anie speake more plainely then both these doe Now these bee Iesuites and to these two I coulde adde more f Vide Pos Bib. select tom 1. lib. 8 c. 7. ex Thyraeo lâ—s Gab. Vazquez de cultu adorationis lib. 1. disp 8. c. 2. 3. disp 9. cap. 1 but let vs see what their Summists and Casuists saie to this matter which are the more to bee regarded because they pretende to write such resolutions as may settle vnquiet and doubting consciences If therfore any poore Papist aske the Romish Confessors and Casuists How farre may I worship a Crosse and with what kind of worship hearken how they answere And to let one speake for all Iacobus de Graffijs a Monke of great name and Graund Penitentiarie at Naples writing as hee calls them his Golden decisions of cases of conscience some 3. yeares agoe answereth thus g Iac. de Graffiis decis aureae cas conscientiae tom 1 lib. 2. c. 2. art 3. Imagines sacrae si vt res quaedam coÌ„sideraÌ„tur nulla eis tribuenda est reuerentia sed in illis ima go ipsius cuius sunt attenditur non materia ex qua formatae fueruÌ„t vnde quae reuerentia illi cuius est imago debetur â—adeÌ„ imagini iure im pertitur Et postea ibidem art 15. Mand at primuÌ„ praeceptuÌ„ vt vnaÌ„quamquamque imaginem eodem cultu quo ille cuius est imago veneremur vt imagini dei vel Christi vel etiam crucis signo prout dominicam passionem ad mentem reuocat latriam impertiamur Sacrae Virginis hyperduliam sanctorum imaginibus duliam Holy Images considered as they be peeces of wood or metall or some such things are to haue no honour giuen them but in them another matter is lookt at namely the image of him whome they resemble and not the matter wherof they are made in which respect look what reuerence or worship is due to him whose Image it is the very same by good right is to be bestowed on the image And to speak more fully plainly if it be possible a little after he addeth The first Commaundement commaunds that we worship euery image with the same worship as we doe him whose Image it is for example that wee giue latria that is diuine worship to the Image of God and of Christ and euen to the signe of the Crosse in as much as it brings to our minde the passion of Christ hyperdulia to the image of the blessed Virgin and Dulia to the Images of the Saints How now is not Babylon well healed what can be said against this that these be priuate men no they be publicke professors and their bookes allowed with as great authority as can bee But will you haue that that is of souereigne authoritie and that maie not bee questioned Then look in their publick liturgy which is of more credit and account then a 100. Doctors there you shall find the crosse saluted and praied vnto in these words h Vide Breuiar Rom. par hyemal in fine Ara Crucis lampas luciâ— vera salus hominuÌ„ nobis pronum fac patronum quem tulisti dominum Salue lignum vitae dignum ferre muÌ„di pretiuÌ„ Confer isti plebi Christi crucis beneficiuÌ„ Thou altar of the Cross thou lamp of light thou true saluation of men make thou that Lord whom thou didst beare a louing and mercifull Patrone to vs. All-haile thou wood of life thou that wert worthy to carry the price of the world doe thou bestowe vpon this congregation of Christ the fruite and benefite of his passion Oh admirable doctrine First heer is a prayer to the Crosse it selfe but of that heerafter then the Crosse is made a mediatour to Christ for vs. And surely wee shall
Crosse it selfe wee pray to the Crosse it selfe as well as to him that dyed on it and hee confesseth freely that the prayer in the liturgie or masse booke is not made to CHRIST but to the Crosse it selfe From hence I gather these two conclusions 1. by Popish religion the Crosse is a God This I collect thus Latria sayth Augustine y August Epistola 49. vni soli deo debetur seruitus illa religionis quam vno nomine Graeci latriaÌ„ vocaÌ„t Et in Faustum l. 15. latria est seruitê° illa qua tantummodo Deo seruitur is that worship of religion which is due onely and solely to God himselfe and poperie it selfe confesseth with one consent that prayer is a part of latria z Ioh. de Combis CompendiuÌ„ theologicae verit c. de dulia latria Latria continet 5. fidem spem sacrificium orationem c. But popish religion prayeth to a wodden crosse euen to the crosse it selfe therfore by popish religion the wodden Crosse is a God 2. That the Crosse is made a God not by the doctrine and iudgement of their priuate Doctors but of their Church and religion This I collect thus their Missalls and Breuairies which containe their Liturgie are confirmed both by the Pope and the Councell of Trent a Vide Missalia Breuiaria omnia ab anno 70 deinceps but the Popes determination especiallie together vvith a Councell is the publicke and vncontroleable act of their Church b None acknowledging himselfe a papist can denie this Therefore the doctrine and practice in their Liturgie is not priuate or such as may be questioned or doubted of but publicke and generall and may not be called in question But in their late and reformed Breuiarie allovved and confirmed by the Pope and Councell they praie to the Crosse and call vppon the Crosse as wee heard before and their owne Doctors doe expounde it that it is not to Christ but to the Crosse c Aquinas of old and Chrisostomus a visitatione of late Therefore by the doctrine and religion of the Church of Rome the Crosse is a God Bellarmine would gladly heale this wound or at least couer it ouer and saith d Bellar. in tom 2. de Imag sanctoruÌ„ lib. 2. c. 24. in resp ad arguÌ„ Respondeo vbi eccles canit O Crux aue spes vnica c. vel ibi accipi cruceÌ„ pro Christo ipso vel illam esse prosopopoeiaÌ„ rhetoricam c. that whereas the Church praieth so surely either the Crosse is taken for Christ or els it is but a figure as Moses saith Heare O Heauens Deutero 32. No no say the Romish Doctors that wrote since Bellarmine there is no such matter that praier is to the Crosse it selfe And his brother e Ga. Vazq Ies de cultu adorationis li. 2. disp 3. cap. 4 Iesuite Gabriel Vazquez being also much ashamed of the matter would gladlie help it and to that ende is constrayned to confesse that there is not as Bellarmine sayth one alone but two figures in that prayer which saith he vnlesse they be admitted it is an vnapt and absurd prayer for it speaks vnto the Crosse as vnto our God and Sauiour Hee therefore for his part saith hee should thinke that by the Crosse they meane Christ and pray to him not to the Crosse and further sayth that many others thinke so but he names not one tho in other points hee is a plentifull citer of other Authours but against him or who-euer els thinke so beeing papists I produce the Cistercian Doctor Chrisostome a visitatione who writing since them all f For Vazquez wrote since Bellarmine namely about the yeare 92. but this Chrisostome wrote since Vazquez some seauen yeares agoe and whose booke is of more authoritie then his g For Vazquez is dedicated but to a spanish ordinarie Bishop but Chrisostome to the Pope himselfe answereth all these doubtes and preuents all other obiections saying plainely that in that prayer of the Church Wee speake to the Crosse it selfe wee call vpon and pray to the Crosse it selfe And no more nor no worse saith he then Aquinas himselfe totidem verbis spake before him h Aquinas summa par 3. q 25. art 4. Therfore to conclude till this doctrine of Aquinas bee condemned for heresie and till this fellow that calles himselfe golden mouth be adiudged as hee is a leaden mouthed and blacke-mouthed blasphemer and his booke burnt as hereticall and til the Romish Church haue satisfied the World for this great wrong till then I say it is apparant to all men that in this wound She is not healed This wound hath been deepe and wide and therefore long in searching and seeing it is found incurable let vs proceed Not many hundred yeares agoe liued a Frier they called S. Francis an ignorant man for learning but wittie hee beeing the founder of the Franciscans the Pope hath suffered his fauorites and followers to set him vp as another Christ 17 The ninth wound An Italian Frier Francis was like to Christ in all things and in some things did more then he and bare 5. woundes in his body as Christ did and blasphemously to compare him and oftentimes to prefer him afore Christ himselfe And to this end amongst many other vile ones i Vide monumeÌ„ta ordinis fratruÌ„ Min. SalamaÌ„cae 1511 in 4. Et firmamenta trium ordinuÌ„ D. FraÌ„cisci Paris 1512 4 mult al. he suffred to be published a great volume called The golden booke of the Conformities of the holy father S. Francis with the life of our Sauiour Iesus Christ k Liber aureus inscriptus liber coÌ„formitatuÌ„ vitae beati ac seraphici patris FraÌ„cisci ad vitam Iesu Christi Domini nostri correctus illustratê° a Ieremiah Bucchio ord Min. doctore theoâ— Bononiae 1590. In which booke with strange impietie first they paint in the first lease Christ bearing a Crosse and Saint Francis following him with one as bigge as his where Christ hath nothing but precedence but after thinking that too much they paint one Crosse and vppon it one of Christs armes and another of S. Francises one acrosse ouer the other then begins the book In the name of Iesus Christ and of S. Francis l In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi c. beati patris nostri Francisci c. where Iesus Christ is called our Lord and S. Francis our blessed Father and the Authour saith not that he compiles the booke to the honour of God or Christ but of the foresayd holy father S. Francis Then he salutes Saint Francis with a prayer m Francisce Iesu typice dux formaque Minorum per te Christi mirificè sunt gesta donoruÌ„ Mala pater egregie propelle animorum sedeâ— nobis perpetuas da regni supernorum fit for none but God himselfe First blasphemously calling him typicall Iesus then desiring him to
shall giue thee daily allowance of meate if thou wilt promise mee heereafter to hurt no hodie the wolfe bowing his heade aunswered by signes that hee woulde Yea but then sayth Francis Brother Wolfe giue mee thy Francis bids his brother wolf giue him his hand and faith that hee will performe his order faith and credit that I may beleeue thee and the wolfe presently lifted vp his right fore-foote and layed it in Francis his hand therby giuing his faith that he would performe it Then Brother Wolfe sayth Francis I command thee in the name of the Lord Iesus that thou go with me into the Citie and there feare not to make peace in the name of the Lord the wolfe forthwith followed him as meeke as a Lambe So comming into the Citie all the people togither with the Magistrates being assembled S. Francis made vnto them an Brother wolfe standeth by whilst S. Francis preacheth to the people excellēt sermon the wolfe being by which being done he sayd to them these words This brother of mine this wolfe that standeth here hath promised me vpon his promise hath giuen me his faith that hee will be friends with you and doe no more hurt prouided that you shall dayly giue him an allowance and portion of meate which if you doe Francis is surety for his brother wolfe to the towne for your partes then I will bee suretie for my brother Wolfe that he shall perform the conditions on his part required Then said S. Francis Brother Wolf it is reason that as thou did before so here before all this people Brother wolfe giueth his faith againe thou giue me thy faith againe that thou wilt keep the couenants on thy part and the wolfe immediately lift vp his right fore-foot and laid it in the hand of S. Francis his suretie in the sight of all the people and so gaue his faith againe and then all the people shouted and wondred and praised Christ for sending S. Francis amongst thē by whose merits they were deliuered frō the cruel wolf And from that day forward the people Brother wolfe liueth in the towne takes his meate at the dores to the wolf wolf to the people performed their couenants made by S. Francis the wolf liued 2. years after FRANCIS was gone and went vp and downe the streets and tooke his meate from door to door hurting no man and was well and daintily fed and there was neuer so much as a dog that barked at him And at last after 2. yeares Brother Wolfe beeing stricken in Brother wolfe dieth is lamented yeares dyed for whose death the Citizens did very much lament Heere is a miracle worth the marking Now let all Huguenots and Heretickes shewe such a miracle in their religion no no they neuer can doe it And no maruell for Iesus Christ who is the King and Captain of their religion neuer did the like in his time to this which S. Francis the king and captaine of the Franciscans u Francisce Iesu typicè dux formaque Minorum hath heere done If the time would giue leaue I could bring 20. more as impious as incredible and as absurd in their kinde as this but leauing it to a further opportunitie and referring the learned to the booke it selfe I proceed What may bee saide to all this are not these wide and wofull wounds Oh! but they are healed I may answere as the Prophet doth Were they ashamed when Ierem. 7. 12 they had committed abhomination Nay they were 18 The ninth wound not healed not ashamed For whereas this booke was written aboue two hundred yeares agoe by Bartholomeus Pisanus a Franciscan Frier it was not then only suffred to passe to publique viewe in those daies of darknesse and superstition but now of late within lesse then 20. yeares when one would haue thought they woulde if not repented of the impieties yet haue beene ashamed of the absurdities they contrariwise haue reprinted the Booke x The newe edition is at Bononie in Italie 1590. is dedicated to a Cardinal in this editiō is all that I haue alleaged and haue not taken ou◠nor reformed one worde of all these euilles nor of many more which do so directly disgrace the merits of CHRIST IESVS onely some things haue they altered which they thought might make against themselues but not one of these which doe so farre dishonour God and Christ and all religion Compare together the olde and newe bookes who will and he shall finde this to be true wherefore the conclusion is that this wound is farre from being healed Let vs then go forward and see if wee can finde one wound healed 19 The tenth wound The Pope may giue Indulgences for 20000. yeers grant men power to redeeme soules out of Purgatory in the Romane Church Two or three hundred yeares agoe the Popes Indulgences did growe to that height of rotten ripenesse that all men of vnderstanding euen of his owne broode were ashamed of it and manie a one of the wiser sort euen in these mystie times did see and laugh at the nakednesse of Poperie in that poynt the excesse whereof grewe so great as they cannot denie but it gaue at last an occasion of LVTHERS reuolte from them There is a Manuscript extant written some two hundreth yeeres agoe and another not much differing from it some 130. yeares ago printed at Rome containing a catalogue onely of those Indulgences belonging to the parish Churches of Rome amongst which they say are 7. principall let vs but consider of some fewe y He that wāts this booke let him looke in Hospinian de Templis lib. 2 c. 28. pag. 348. edition is Tigur 603. where he shall finde both mention of the book a particular recitall of a great part of it In the Laterane Church it is graunted thus by Pope Boniface If any Pilgrime come for deuotion to this Church hee shall be absolued from all his sinnes And in the Chappel there called sanctum sanctorum there is full and true remission of all sinnes And one daie in the yeare which is the daie of the dedication of the Church there is full remission of all sinnes both à poena culpa and this Indulgence is so certaine sayth the booke that when the Pope first pronounced it the Angells Angels say Amen to the Popes Indulgences but they shold first proue y◠God saith Amen to them for els the Angells will not vnlesse it bee the euill Angells in the hearing of all the people sayd Amen If these things bee true then it is strange that all Papists in the world are not saued for hee that hath full remission of all sinnes both à poena culpa dying in that state cannot be damned And certainly he that for the obtaining therof wil not take the pains to visite that Church one daie in a yeer is not worthy of saluation In Saint Peters Church there
Pont. Tom. 1. lib. 4. cap. 12. Si rem repreheÌ„dunt apertè decipiuntur aut meÌ„tiuÌ„tur non enim caÌ„panae reuera baptizantur sed solum benedicuÌ„tur c. vt altaria c. Vt patet ex poÌ„tificali c. it is a false slander of the Heretickes wee do not baptize bels neither in respect of the name nor the matter of baptism look saith he the book of the Pontificale there is no such matter only saith he we blesse them as we do Churches Altars Crosses and other things c. Is it true then let vs follow Bellarmines aduise and looke into the Pontificale and omitting the name or word let vs stand vpon the matter of Baptism Compare therefore their baptisme of a child and a Bell together and see then whether it may not be truly sayde they baptize Bells g Vide librum inscriptuÌ„ Pontificale RomanuÌ„ autoritate pontificia impressum Venetijs 1520. â—ib 2 cap. de Benedictione signi vel campanae CaÌ„pana debet benedici antequaÌ„ ponatur in campanili paraÌ„da sint I de o vas aquae bâ—nedicendae aspersoriuÌ„ vas cum sale lintea munda oleum sanctum sanctum Chrisma thimyama thus myrrha thuribuluÌ„ cum igne Pontifex diaconus c. sint in tuis vestimeÌ„tis precibus peractis Pontifex lauat campanam cum dicta aqua cum pollice dexterae manus facit cruceÌ„ supra campanaÌ„ ab extra cum oleo infirmoruÌ„ intus cum chrismate profert interim haec verba SaÌ„ctificetur coÌ„secretur Domine signuÌ„ istud in nomine Pa †tris Fi †lij spiritus †sancti In honoreÌ„ sancti talis Pax tibi c. 1. The Childe must first bee baptized before it can be accounted one of the Church The Bell must first be blessed afore it may be hung in the steeple 2. The Childe must bee baptized by a Minister or a Priest The Bel must by a Bishop or his deputie 3. For a Childes baptisme must be vsed holy-water cream salt oyle spettle and manie such The Bells baptism or blessing must also bee in holy-water oyle salt cream tapers for light c. 4. They giue the Childe a name Soe doe they to the Bell. 5. The Child must haue Godfathers c. So must the Bell and they bee persons of great note 6. The Childe must be washt in water So must the Bell and that by none but the Bishop Priests 7. The Child must be crossed So must the Bell. 8. The Child must be anointed So must the Bell. 9. The Childe must bee baptized in the name of the Trinitie So the Bell is washt and anointed in the name of the Trinitie 10. They praie for the Childe Soe doo they for the Bell. 11. At the Childes baptisme the Scripture is read So at the washing of the Bell more Psalmes are read then at a Childes baptisme also a Gospell and more prayers are made and excepting saluation greater things are prayed for and more blessings on the bel then be for a childe 12. And publick praiers made For better euidence heereof and because the booke is not easie to come by take heere a part of the prayers they vse to that purpose h Pontifical ibid. Benedic Domine hanc aquam benedictione coelesti assistat super eam virtus spiritus sancti vt cum hoc vasculum c. in ca fuerit tinctum vbicunque sonuerit hoc tintinnabulum procul recedat virtus insidiantium vmbra phantasmatum incursio turbinum percussio fulminum laesio tonitruorum calamitas tempestatum c. cùm clangorem illius audierint filij Christianorum crescat in eis deuotionis augmentum c. et postea Presta quaesumus vt hoc vasculum sanctificetur à spiritu sancto c. vt cùm melodia illius auribus insonuerit populorum crescat in eis deuotio fidei procul pellantur omnes infidiae Inimici fragor grandinum c. aereae potestates hoc tintinnabulum audientes contremiscant Lord grant that wheresoeuer this holy Bell thus baptized or washed and blessed shal sound al deceits of Sathan all phantasies all danger of whirlwindes thunders lightnings and tempests may be driuen awaie and that deuotion may increase in ChristiaÌ„men when they heare it O Lord sanctifie it by thy holy Spirit that when it sounds in thy peoples eares their faith and deuotion may increase the diuell may bee affrayed and tremble et postca Omnipotens Deus qui c. tu hoc tiatinabuluÌ„ coe esti benedictione perfunde vt ante sonituÌ„ eius longius effugentur ignita iacula diaboli percussio fulminum c. quicuÌ„que ad sonitum eius conuenerint ab omnibus Inimici tentationibus liberi sint c. paulo post Omnipotens Christe qui c. tu hoc tintinnabulum sancti spiritus rore perfunde vtante sonituÌ„ eius semper fugiat bonoruÌ„ inimicê° c. and flie awaie at the sound of it O Lord poure vpon it thy heauenly blessing that the fierie darts of the Diuell may be made to flie backward at the sound thereof and that it may deliuer from danger of wind thunder c. And grant Lord that all that come to the Church at the sound of it may be free from all temptations of the Diuell O Lord infuse into it the heauenly dewe of the holy Ghost that the diuel may alwaies flie awaie before the sounde of it c. Thus at Bellarmines request we haue lookt into the Popes Pontificale and let the Reader iudge what we haue found he rebukes vs for laying it to their charge that they baptize bells and for proof that they do not sends vs to the Pontificale but surely he thought that we could not haue seene the book els he would neuer haue referred vs therunto for vpon sight therof it is apparant to be a more solemne baptisme then that of the child is for the solemnitie is longer the Ceremonies more the prayers to greater purpose the minister of greater place then be required to a childs baptism euery thing doth so concur in it that is in baptism that Bellarmin himself coÌ„fesseth that tho the pope doth not yet others generally do call it the baptizing of belles because they see them sprinkled with water and haue names giuen them i Bellar. tom 1. de Rom. poÌ„t lib. 4. cap. 12. Nomen Baptismi non a Pontificibus sed avulgo campanarum benedictioni accommodatur c. quia videÌ„t eas aqua aspergiet eis nomina imponi c. But it is not the name we stand vpon but the matter concerning which whereas they pray that the sound of that bel so washed and sanctified as afore may driue awaie the diuell and all his fierie dartes I would aske Bellarmine or anie of his Chaplains whether this be spoken in iest or in earnest in formalitie as words of course or in faith as a holy prayer If they knowe the prayer to be impossible
by the great M. of his palace b Vide bullam Gregorij 14 Duranti libro praefixaÌ„ hoc opê° c. ad gloriaÌ„ Dei totius populi Christiani aedificationé c. à Magistro sacri palatij nostri visum approbatum to whom belonges the soueraigne and highest authoritie to censure all sort of bookes And last of all Iacobus de Graffijs the great Casuist and Grande Poenitentiarie within these 7. yeares hath determined this question affirming that the murderer may not be taken out of the Church no not tho hee broke prison and fled thither vnlesse it were murder ioyned with trecherie and treason c Iacobus de Graffijs decis aur cas cons to 1. cap. 48. libri secundi art 5. 6. 7. reus in causa ciuili criminali gaudet immunitate ecclesiae etiamsi carcerem coÌ„fregerit ad ecclesiam confugerit Et non exâ—pitur homiâ—idium nisi proditione coÌ„missum aut ab Assasinis Thus we see how Babylon is healed in this wound And heereby it is apparant to all that will see that she is a bloudie Babylon and as in many other respects for her crueltie so this waie also for this doctrine and practice she is a bloudy synagogue and no maruell tho the holy Ghost say that in her is found the bloud not onely of the Saints and Martyrs but of all that was shed vpon the earth d Reuel 18. 24. For as she hath made her selfe the principall agent in shedding the bloud of Saints and Martyrs so hath shee made her selfe accessarie by this her doctrine and practice to al the murthers bloudshed vpon the earth for to maintaine so many refuges and defences for a sinne is to maintaine the sinne it selfe Therefore leauing this bloudie Church weltring and wallowing and bathing her selfe in bloud let vs proceed to that remaines Touching the honorable estate of marriage and the dishonor of it which is adulterie fornicatioÌ„ it is lamentable to see what is the doctrine and practice of the Romish Church For first they giue a publicke and open toleration of the stewes wherein whoredome is practiced as dayly and commonly as other ciuile and lawfull actions 29 The 14. wound Romish Religion permits stewes publickelie nay their rent is taken and duely paide a part of it to the Pope or as hee shall appoint it Thus complaines and cries out Agrippa a man of no meane place nor ordinarie vnderstanding e Cornel. Agrippa de vanitate scient cap. 64. Corinthij Cyprij Babylonij alijque Ethnici Graeci nonnihil a meretricio quaestu aerario suo addiderut quod quidem in Italia non raruÌ„ vbi etiaÌ„ Romana scorta in singulis hebdomadis Iulium pendeÌ„t pontifici qui census annuus saepe excedit viginti millia ducatus The Corinthians sayth he and Cyprians and Babylonians and other heathen Graecians did increase their reuenue by the gaine of the stewes which in Italy also is at this daie no rare nor vnusuall matter For the whores of Rome doe paie weekely to the pope a Iulio a piece about six pence sterling the whole reuenue whereof in the yeare doth often exceede the sum of twentie thousand Duckets c. Alas wil some say the Pope cannot hinder this therefore seeing he cannot helpe it he hath vsed such was the wisdom of elder ages to make the best vse he can of an ill matter But I answere first the holy Ghost commands vs to haue nothing to doe with an ill matter but keepe vs farre from it f Exod. 23. 7 Ephes 5. 11 though wee cannot hinder it Againe if the Pope cannot hinder it yet hee can refuse to haue anie gayne from it and so hee woulde but that hee thinkes it sweete but if hee were of Dauids mind who would not drinke that drink that cost men the venture of their liues g 2. Sam. 23. 14. surely he would not take that gain that costs men and women their soules But I answere further he could and might hinder it and will not If he himselfe and his fauorites speak truth hee wants no power for nothing that hee will doe therefore for reforming the stewes it is cleere he wants wil but no power Against Gods truth and vs the Professors of it whom he cals hereticks he wants no will and therefore he wants no power Let him punish whoredome as he doth that that he calls heresie tho it be the truth let it be as vnlawfull in Rome to keep a stewes as to haue a Protestant Church and then we should soon see as fewe and fewer whores in Rome then there be good Protestants But whoredom is none of the vnderminers of his State nor enemies of his Crowne as our religion is therefore our religion must down when stewes must stand But som wil further obiect If this haue bin so it is the faulte or corruption of his officers not to be imputed to his Holinesse But I answere the pope vseth not to be so negligent of his estate as not to looke at a reuenue of 20000. duckates a yeare And to take away all cause of this cauill and to make it more apparant that the Pope is the head of the whoreof Babylon Pope Sixtus 4. scarce 120. yeares agoe built a stewes in Rome of his owne erection and foundation so saith the same Agrippa h Cornel. Agrip de vanit scient cap. 64 Lycurgus Solon lupanaria aedificauere c. sed recentioribus hisce temporibus Sixtus poÌ„tifex Max. quartê° Romae nobile admodum lupanar exstruxit Licurgus Solon heatheÌ„ law-giuers erected publick stewes but that is no maruel for of late yeeres Pope Sixtus the fourth builded a goodly stewes in Rome Loe heer the Popes Holinesse the founder of a Colledge of diuells a stewes for whores surely because he scorned ordinarie company he built that for himselfe and his Princes peers the Cardinalls Thus we see it coÌ„fessed proued by a learned Papist that a 100. yeers agoe stewes were maintained nay erected by the Pope and that he takes gain rent of them If any man obiect against Agrippa as no competent witnesse I answere the Pope indeed hath prohibited i Vide indicem lib. prohibit Clementis 8. in litera H. his books to be read but it had been more reason to haue disproued and confuted his assertions but let the Pope condemne him as he will for his bold speaking of truth it is knowen to all that know him or his bookes hee was a Papist for the most part and whatsoeuer he was he had no reason to bely the Pope we hired him not we thanke him not for anie thing but truth yet for more certaintie hereof hearken to another who being an Inquisitor is beyond all exception that waie Thus complains Oleaster a Spanish Doctor vpon that Text of Deuteronomy k Deut. 23. 18 thou shalt not bring into my house the hire of a whore for it
is abhominable l Oleaster in CommeÌ„t suis in Pentateu In Deut. cap. 23. fol. 270. Displicuerunt semper Deo turpia lucra ideoque vetat ne merces meretricuÌ„ ei offeratur at nunc cùm ecclesia ministri muÌ„diores esse deberent omnia haec acceptantur qualiacunque sunt vndecunque venerint Filthy gaines saith he were euer abhominable to God therfore he forbids to bring into his house the hire of a whore But now in the new Testament when the Church and Ministers thereof should bee much more cleane and pure then afore all manner of filthy gaines are accepted and taken how vile soeuer they be and whencesoeuer they come Thus all gaine is sweete and all rent welcome to the Pope tho it come froÌ„ whores so true a friend to stewes and whores is the whore of Babylon But wil some say this might be so in the elder times that were of more libertie because all was quiet but now since Luther rose and the Church hath beene wakened by heretickes this wound is healed No this wound is not healed as I wil proue by their late and moderne writers 30 The 14. wound not healed for the Romish religion doctrine practice tolerate stewes still Navarrus one of their greatest Canonists of this last age and one whom the Popes helde worthy to be cald to Rome for his continuall aduise direction m Martinus Azpil Nauar. Hisp Iuris cononici scieÌ„tis ideque theolog insignis c. Haec Posseu in apparatu sac tom 2. lit M. deals very plainly in this matter and saith that n Nau. Manual c. 17. nu 195. pa. 433. edit Wirceb in 8. 1593. Licet potestati publicae permittere meretrices in aliqua parte ciuitatis et postea alicubi constituuntur eis patroni domus eis locaÌ„tur carius quaÌ„ honestis locarentur et in hac vrbe Romana sciente patieÌ„te papa locantur et semper consueuerunt locari domus meretricibê° et confessarij absoluuÌ„t et semper absoluerunt locatores eoruÌ„ sine proposito abstineÌ„di à tali locatione c. Kings Princes States and Magistrates of Cities appointing stewes and setting out places for them in some conuenient place of their Cities wherein whores may exercise their whorish trade it seems saith he to be no sinne in them See here a peece of spanish deuotion and modesty Surely no maruell tho this man were sent for from Spaine to Rome for it seemes by this doctrine he was for the Popes tooth and much more for his Cardinalles Alphonsus Viualdus another learned Spaniarde wrote a booke of matters of conscience not long agoe of so great account amongst them that they call it the golden Candlesticke It hath beene often printed and within these 7. yeares was by the Popes speciall Commission purged and reprinted hee writes thus o Martinus AlphoÌ„sus Vivaldê° theol Iuris canon professor poenitentiariê° maior c. In Candelabro aureo tit de Confessione numero 60 Vtrum hae meretices censeantur excommunicatae per synodales coÌ„stitutiones quae nec consitentur nec coÌ„municant respondeo c. Meretrices nuÌ„ quaÌ„ publicantur nec denuÌ„tiantur pro excoÌ„municatis in ecclesia nec visum vnquam fuit aliquem hac de causa ab earuÌ„ participatione fugisse c. Pro resolutione dico quod si non coÌ„fiteaÌ„tur nec communicent per 10. aut 20. annos non ideo incurruÌ„t poenas ecclesiae in detestationem sui pessimi statê° quia meretrices non sunt dignae laqueis legum pag. 81. editionis Brixiensis 1588. First he makes a question whether in the yeerely excommunication pronounced by the Bishop against them that do not confess and communicate whores in the stewes be comprehended or no and he resolueth that they be not tho they neither confesse nor do communicate and giues his reasons 1. For that whores in the Romish Church be neuer published nor denounced excommunicate 2. No man refuseth their companie notwithstanding that yeerely excommunication and concludeth further that though one continue a whore for twentie yeares long yet doth shee not incurre the Censures of the Romish Church Oh excellent doctrine and fit for the Romish Church but all this will some say is salued by this that followeth Nay contrariwise say I the wound is made worse and by the craft of that that followeth obserue the subtiltie and iniquity of Romish teachers for this is done saith he in detestation of their ill life the Church doth so detest their maner of life that she will not thinke them worthy of her censures oh notable shift are they too bad to bee punished not too bad to bee suffered doth the Romish Clergie thinke them so vile that way and yet allow them see the iniquitie and filthinesse of this religion Thus its apparant by the great Confessor Vivaldus that the Romish Church excoÌ„municats not common whores nor them that go to them another as great a Clark as himself saith it is the common opinion p Iac de Graffijs tom 1. lib. 1. cap. 9. art 8. 9. But yet to shewe better that this wound is not healed harke a little what the grand poenitentiarie Iacobus de Graffijs saith q Iacobê° de Graffijs decis aur cas cons tom 1. lib 2 cap. 75. art 3. et 4. pag. 348. Sed quare ipsa ecclesia lupanaria permittit per consequens fornicar quod est mortale peccatum Respondeo quod ecclesia quandoque tollerat minus malum praesens vt euitet maius malum futurum quod verisimilibus coniecturis speratur sic caâ— c. vbi ecclesia tolerat meretrices ad euitandas promiscuas luxurias et foedissimas coiunctiones sic non illud peccatum approbat sed dissimulando tolerat vt eo medio adulteria Incestque atque alia luxuriae crimina compescat Hinc c. Et in tantum tolerat lex huiusmodi fornicationes vt etiam cogat publicas meretrices ad fornicandum cum quocunque iuxta tamen mercedem But if fornication be a sin then why doth the church her selfe permit stewes consequently fornication which is a mortall sinne I answere saith he that the church somtime tolerateth a less euill present that she may auoide a greater euill to come that is probable to fal out and this he proues out of the Canon law so concludes that the church doth tolerate stewes and whores to auoide greater sins not approuing the sin of fornicatioÌ„ but by coÌ„niuence or dissimulatioÌ„ tolerats it that so she may restraine keep yong men from adulteries incests and other crimes of that kinde then he goeth further to proue his conclusioÌ„ which he doth out of the practice of heathen lawegiuers and by the ciuile lawe would proue it out of the Fathers then to make vp the measure of his iniquitie he addeth that the law doth so far forth tolerate fornications in stews that it takes