it absolutely necessary that God should continue that faith by miracles which was formerly planted by them but rest themselues contented with the former of the Primitiue Church lest otherwise they should be subiect to seduction whence I concluded to my selfe that vnlesse the Church of Rome could proue her selfe to be true Catholike and ancient Primitiue I ought not to be led by her pretended miracles in regard that Doctor Stapleton saith Heretikes and the forerunners of Antichrist may do true miracles by Gods permission for the triall of the good which neither my selfe nor any manelse ought to beleeue because Christ hath armed vs with a warning caueat against them saying Nolite eis credere 4 Which Pretence of miracles a signe of false teachers Matth. â—4 24 how true it is I appeale to the holy Scriptures themselues our Sauiours words are most plaine There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets shall shew great signes and wondes so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie Elect behold I haue told you before but beleeue them not by which warning aduice is giuen to beware of them to discerne them and not to giue credit vnto their teaching notwithstanding all their miracles Neither is Saint Pauls prediction lesse significant of them who remembreth vs 2. Thess 2.9 That the comming of that sonne of perdition is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiue ablenesse of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth Apocal cap. 13.13.14 that they might bee saued Saint Iohn also in his Reuelations speaking of the second beast saith He did great wonders so that he made fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the fight of men and deceiued them that dwellon the earth by the signes which ae permitted to him to do in the sight of the beast Apocal. cap. 16.13 Afterwards we heare also againe that three vncleane spirits like frogs came out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of diuels working miracles And moreouer lastly we find in the same booke That the beast was taken and with him that false Prophet Apocal. cap. 19.20 that wrought miracles before him whereby he deceiued them that receiued the beasts marke Now what is to bee vnderstood by powers signes and wonders I will cite the words of Ioannes Vignerius Institut Christ cap. 9. §. 2. vers 3. Hebr. 2. Matth. 24.24 who saith That miracles in the sacred Scriptures are tearmed powers signes wonders and portentes for Hebrewes the second it is said God witnessing in signes and portents and diuers powers and Matthew the foure and twentieth they are called prodigies which differ thus in that because they exceed the facultie of nature they are termed powers but in that they are ordained to the manifestation of grace they are called signes and for their excellencie they are termed wonders and prodigies as it were shewing things far off So that putting all these places together I could not conclude otherwise then vnlesse I would beleeue these false Prophets vnlesse I were willing to be an Entertenido to the son of Perdition and bee deluded most notoriously by lying wonders vnlesse I would be a perpetuall consort vnto the frogs vamped forth of the Dragons mouth vnlesse I would bee wilfully deceiued as one that had receiued the beasts marke then to shake hands with the present Church of Rome boasting so much in her miraculous powers signes wonders and prodigies for in the reformed Churches I find no such illusions pretended nor the least danger thereof nor any where else but in the present Romane Church 5 By which obseruation Miracles not to be expected in the latter times I was the rather induced to this conclusion for that I finde diuers inclining to thinke it too much curiositie now that the faith is planted and after so long continuance to seeke it out by more miracles Therefore first I will set downe the Doctrine of an old Dominican Friar distinguishing the times of doing miracles whose words are these The Church hath a three-fold state viz. Iacob de Vorag de sanctis in die ascensio ser 6. The Primitiue the moderne and the last In the Primitiue state miracles were wrought often but now seldom and in the last state that is of Antichrist they shall be done most seldome In the Primitiue state they were done often because according to Saint Chrysostome the ancient miraracles haue admiration profit and necessitie Therefore then according to Saint Chrysostome miracles were done as well for admiration because men being then accustomed to their senses were therefore to be lifted vp as for profit because then many were infirme and oppressed of diuels and for necessitie because they were infidels and wrapped vp in errors But in the moderne state they are seldome done because necessitie requireth them not men being now beleeuers yet sometimes they are wrought because profit and vtilitie exalteth them for that sometimes men are found weake and to stand in need of them And why miracles are not done now so frequently as they were in the Primitiue Church there is a threefold reason one is for the strength of faith because now the Church is strengthened and established in faith This reason Bernard assigneth putting an example of the plant into which we power water till we see it fastened in the earth secondly for the profitable example of the world De ciuit Dei lib. 22. This reason Augustine assigneth saying whosoeuer requireth yet wonders that he may beleeue he is a great wonder himself who beleeueth not when the world beleeueth Thirdly for the greater merit of faith because according to Saint Gregory faith hath no merit where humane reason prouoketh it but in the end they shall bee wrought but seldome for three reasons that Isidorus teacheth either that the hand of the persecutors may become more bould or that the patience of the Saints may be the more proued or that the lightnes may be the more shewed of those which shall fall Who speaking heere of the miracles of Saints in these three states of time she weth they shall be scanty in the middle ages after Christ and very raw in the last ages which if it be true what can I do but suspect the pretended miracles of the Church of Rome which swarmeth with so many bookes replenished with their narrations in such strange and vnheard manner as there were neuer the like and therefore they easilie seeme to surmount all beliefe and I may more largely presse those words against those of the Church of Rome which this Authour pointeth at saying to all her followers out of Saint Augustine De ciuit Dei lib. 22. Why say they are not the miracles now done which you doe preach to haue beene done I might
great and more in number then euer before well she may be termed wicked and adulterous herein if when I consider what strange yea and often ridiculous miracles she pretendeth not only to iustifie falsehood sinne and impietie but also by them to commend the actors of them before all ancient Saints 6 Whereof I will now gentle Reader giue thee a taste by some few presidents happened in these latter ages of the world Examples of false miracles in the Church of Rome as the bookes and publike writings of the Church of Rome haue left recorded to the world which as they moued me to see mine owne former ouer-credulous spirit so haue they not strengthned me in the true faith wherunto through Gods exceeding great mercy I am now arriued And first for the iustification of Garnets innocencie in the busines of the Powder Treason what a ridiculous inuention is published and hath bin preached to the world by Costerus the Iesuite in Bruxells vpon the report but of a bare Letter from England some few yeres since when I liued in Louaine of a certaine prodigious straw in which a little bloud hath made such a liuely resemblance of his face that as it is by his fauorers reported and with mine owne eares I haue heard it it is one of the most stupendious miracles shewing Gods loue to their societie that euer hapned therfore since that time one M. Iohn Wilson the Author as is saide of the English Martirologe assuming vnto himselfe Papall Iurisdiction hath canonized him for a Saint in heauen who was put to death for concealement of treason against his King and Countrey whilest hee liued vpon earth Indeed I must needes confesse it a stupendious worke which since the first appearance thereof in print hath assumed not onely one but diuerse shapes for first at Louaine I saw it drawn with three horns of haire vpon his head ouer his forehead so that it appeared more like a monster than a man I saw him at Antwerpe after that drawne without those hornes yet a starre shining in the middest of his forehead in great glorie of which kind I saw many pictures in paper tendred by a Iesuitesse woman as she seemed by her habite and carriage to bee sold as the chiefe pictures then in request since that time here in England I haue seene a Latine booke in which another miracle as it should seeme hath beene added vnto it representing two Seraphines vnder his beard as it were holding vp his chinne that men might the better beholde his glorie But besides all these transformations one thing is most remarkable which I haue heard reported by diuers that is some can see this goodly Image at the first looking on it others canno see it till one of a better sight oint where it is and others can not behold the glorie thereof at all I haue spoken with some of those three kindes of beholders who according to the measure of their eie sight haue tolde mee as much besides at the first the picture of this miracle was very small but now it is greater and perhappes it will carry yet a greater shape and be the mother of miracles increasing to the end of the world and so surpasse all the miracles done in Christs time which were not permanent but transitory about which if a man should aske the Author of Pruritanus that monstrous and athisticall libell how so strange a miracle could be done he would soone no doubt answer you according to his sacrilegious manner of applying the sacred Scriptures with the Diuell quia scriptum est maiora hijs facietis Which words Saint Augustine expoundeth of the conuersions of sinners by the ministery of Preachers because the conuersion of sinners is the greatest worke of God Now beloued Reader how could I with any reason giue credite to this miracle howsoeuer at the first report I was ouer-credulous when I obserued the maner how it was carried and if such reuerend Fathers of the christian world will stand in defence of it and beknaue better men than themselues without regard to the magistracie as I heard one principal Father do in Bruxels in great choler indignation against those that should gainsay it I may beloued wel call in doubt enter into a iealous suspition of many other strange miracles deuised for the maintenance of vntruth falshoode by others of the Roman Church Secondly I remember an other strange miracle had it not proued false for the great credit of the Iesuites and their holysocietie in Persia Not long before the discouery of the Powder treason ther was dispersed by thē among some of their Catholike friends here in England a litle Pamphlet in the French tongue reporting the miraculous conuersion of the King of Persia The miracle of Persia by one Campion a Iesuit and Englishman that dispossessed one which had a diuell who commanded the diuell at his departure out of the body to giue a signe therof by striking downe the top of a steeple whereupon followed the Kings conuersion with many of the nobilitie to the Roman faith with liberty to preach it publikely and to build vp Churches and monasteries throughout all his Dominions Which of many here in England was beleeued to be true especially by a friend of mine vnto whom that Pamphlet was sent who requested me to say masse in thankesiguing to GOD for so great a benefit but in the end that Iesuit who sent the Pamphlet gaue out that it was but a thing deuised by French Hugonets to disgrace their societie What strange deuises are these What hatefull illusions wherewith honest sincere soules are made gulls through deceitfulnes and diuelish policies vsing all things for nothing but their owne ends I can not but now smile at my selfe to remember the plaine sinceritie of my heart in beleeuing this prettie inuention and with how thankefull a minde I offered vp the sacrifice of the Masse with a tacite and silent wish that God by the like meanes would procure the conuersion of England 7 Thirdly Other pretended miracles in the Church of Rome I will not omit here to call to mnind two strange miracles inuented to the honour of S. Francis that people might be the more excited to pray to him before all others The first I heard preached at S. Iames Church in Antwerpe in the Lent time some fiue yeres since by a Capuchine Friar and affirmed to be such an euident truth that no iust exceptions might be entertaind against it before a great assemblie and confluence of people Of one that roasted her childe with many particular circumstances of place and persons which made it carrie the more likeliehood of truth with it and since that time I know where it hath been related by the Prouinciall of the Franciscans here in England The storie in briefe is this in effect A certaine Gentlewoman there was in a towne in Sicilie some few yeeres since that longing much to taste of
of the Church of Rome when they came to the Church of England they prooued dissolute of life most licentious in their conuersations whereas such as went from the Church of England to the church of Rome though they were neuer so disorderly before they afterward were reformed in their conuersations and most religiously exemplar in their behauiours Now therefore to shew that this obseruation proueth not alwayes so and that those of the English Church might not bee deceiued with this illusion of the Diuell you may from me take notice that it hath pleased almighty God heretofore to cōuert diuerse who haue liued with good fame in the Church of England and of late one master Richard Sheldon whose both learning vertuous conuersation euen in the Church of Rome hath beene such as is vnimpeachable by any of his Aduersaries as farre forth as euer I could heare and so still manifesteth as much in religious zeale to the Church of England and for mine owne part I can boldly say that I find as good curbes by the Doctrine of the Church of England to keepe men from sinne as in the Church of Rome by vertue whereof I doubt not but with Gods assistance I shall liue to serue him in this Church with lesse sinne than euer I could haue done in the Church of Rome 4 Thirdly I must giue you further notice that it is a thing wel knowne that there are in this realme many dissembling Protestants which outwardly doe all the acts of Religion belonging to this Church of England either to stay in their places in the common-wealth or to anoyde their penall lawes and yet in their hearts are resolued beleeuers of the Roman Faith egregiously dissembling both with God and men and practising most notorious equiuocation aswell in matters of faith as manners who will not sticke to take oathes receiue Sacraments go to Church and commit many a like act directly against their consciences perswasion which according to Saint Paul is sinne Rom. 14. vers 23 nay I dare affirme that it is a hainous mortall sinne approaching neare to that sinne against which Christ himselfe pronounceth a dangerous threatning ful of terror to any considerat heart saying That he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen Luc. 12. vers 10. neither in this world neither in the world to come Whence it may appeare that such men as they are most treacherous to God so may it be probably thought they cannot be loyall vnto men and therefore are they to bee held the most dangerous men that can be in any Common-wealth preferring the glorie of men before the glorie of God which being a thing much practised by some affected to the Church of Rome I haue beene the more willing both for their better information to publish these my obseruations as also to giue satisfaction to the Church of England concerning my selfe who am I thanke God most free from so hatefull a crime odious both to God and man 5. Fourthly I am further to let you vnderstand that my intention in these my Obseruations being more for the instruction of the Professors of the Church of Rome than for those of the Church of England who stand in no neede of so meane a scholler as my selfe I haue cited often the Authors of that Church euen against themselues thinking no way better to confute their Doctrines than by their owne grounds and their owne Teachers And although I handle not all points controuersed betwixt Rome and the reformed Churches at this day yet doe I so entreat of the chiefest points of Practise and Doctrine that all those being discouered to be but erronious and nouell and such as cannot stand with the true grounds of Christianitie I thinke there is no man of sound iudgement can thinke I had iust cause to stay any longer in that Church or that themselues can be partakers of Saluation remaining in the same 6. Fifthly my further desire is that thou who vouchsafest to be the Reader of these my vnpolished lines wilt with as fauourable a minde entertaine them for thy profit as I out of charitable affection to Gods seruants doe most freely publish them to the world desiring Almightie God to giue thee grace to reade them with due attention and to ruminate vpon them with mature deliberation laying aside all partialitie in thy censures or inordinate desire of any curious nouelties my resolution in the writing of them being more for the profit and spirituall good of others than for any purchase either of praise or estimation to my selfe desiring that the naked truth set forth without any colours of art or elocution may shew it owne power and force to preuaile against falshood And so wishing you all happinesse both temporall and eternall I leaue thee to the protection on of Almightie God Yours zealously affected in Christ Iesus I. C. A table of all the matters contained in this booke of Doctrinall and Morall Obseruations CHAP. I. COntaineth the first obseruation shewing the reasons of this Treatise Fol. 1. Chap. 2. Containeth an obseruation of Gods prouidence in ministring occasions of times places and persons concurring to the Authours conuersion Fol. 15. Chap. 3. Containeth the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse Fol. 26. Chap. 4. Containeth the second fundamentall obseruation of the supernaturall and reuealed knowledge which is necessarie to saluation Fol. 30. Chap. 5. Containeth the third fundamentall obseruation about the absolute necessitie of supernaturall faith Fol. 34. Chap. 6. Containeth the fourth fundamentall obseruation about the rule and straight mete-wand of the true Christian Faith Fol. 38. Chap. 7. Containeth the fift fundamentall obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible externall gouernement Fol. 52. Chap. 8. Containeth the sixt fundamentall obseruation how that conformitie of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the primitiue Church may be a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ Fol. 55. Chap. 9. Containeth an obseruation of the wonders and supposed Miracles which as Christ hath fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and false Prophets shall doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible Fol. 72. Chap. 10. Containeth an obseruation of the great hypocrisie of false teachers fore-spoken of in the holy Scriptures Fol. 100. Chap. 11. Containeth an obseruation of the fruits by which false Prophets are to be knowne and discerned Fol. 113. Chap. 12. Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion that can be done to God Fol. 133. Chap. 13. Containeth an obseruation about the doctrine of Transubstantiation which is a principall noueltie taught in the Church of Rome Fol. 160. Chap. 14. Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrament ministred but vnder one kind to Lay-people in the Church
Roman clergy of Kings that they care not how vnreuerently they speake against them their Magistrates and officers and others as they list some will not stick to say that Priests are not subiects to Kings nor are bound to giue answere truly to the temporall Magistrates or Bishops here in England further then they please Others will make no scruple to say that they may lawfully without sin if they can free themselues from being apprehended resist yea and kill his Pursuiuants in defence of themselues though others approuing also the same doctrine more milde and moderate will say it is better and a greater act of perfection to let themselues bee apprehended then so to resist as also because it may proue scandalous but in conclusion all hold it lawfull and all teach it and their ground is naturale est vim vi repellere it is a natural thing to repel force by force as also because no temporall or ciuill authoritie is sufficiently valued against the Priests of the Romane Church I will not relate what libertie the Romane doctrine against Princes giueth to sawcie subiects to speak what they list and to report such things against our late deceased Queene and his Maiestie now raining as are odious euen vnto mens minds to thinke of my hart trembles to remēber what horrible crimes I haue heard them charged with and no modest Christian would euer open his mouth or giue eare vnto them the disgust that such speeches haue giuen me is farre greater then I can expresse because all the world knowes them to be most hatefull lies and calumniations which only could be suggested by the diuell who is father of all lies and vntruthes and master of such Heretikes as the Apostle Iudas describeth Epist. Judae vers 8. dominationē spernunt despise power but no maruaile if men yeeld to such suggestiōs of the diuel since experiēce teacheth that this doctrine of the Popes supereminent power hath stirred many not only to speake but also to attempt diuers trecherous and rebellious enterprises against the late Queene deceased and much more horrible against his Maiesty al his roial Progeny without all mercy either to friend or foe as the discouerie of the powder treason plotted and designed by diuers giddy and inconsiderat heads associated with some of the society of Iesus hath of late made manifest to the world nay which is more odious such as are as they thinke themselues religiously affected to the society of Iesus Ioan. Wilson in mart Anglica haue not sticked to make some of the abetters of that hateful cōspiracy martyrs of the Roman Church as namely Garnet Ouldcorne wheras it is wel knowne as the right Honorable the Earle of Northhampton sheweth My Lord of Northhampton in his speech to Garnet Garnet was not called to the barre for any matter of conscience as some perhaps may publish out of rancor or peruersity of hart to set a faire glosse vpō the groūd of his professiō proueth it many waies by diuers presidents of fauor and therfore wel might he say to Garnet as he did foreseeing how his fellowes would be ready to canonize him In the same speech S. Augustine speaketh of some hot-headed fellowes in his time that not withstāding their life led in this world more latronū like theeues yet in their ends affected cultum honorem martyrum the seruice and honor of martyrs among whom I shall euer rancke with iust cause these powder-men But this proceedeth as many other actions of disalleagiāce do frō no other groūd then frō that noted doctrine of the Popes illimited power trāscendent authority in ciuil matters ouer Kings which he challengeth when Card. Bellar in his book against D. Barkley Note this in Bell. goeth so farre that contrary to his former doctrine he teacheth now that the Apostles were not subiect to ciuil power de iure but de facto Wherby we may see in time into what a gulfe and ocean of errors the doctrine of Rome if it be not prudētly preuented wil drowne the world in which principally carieth the clergy vpon a higher waue of pride then any in so much that the L. of Northamp out of the multiplicity of his reading In his speech to Garnet most prudētly noteth that by the course recourse of times accidents wise men obserue that very seldome hath any mischieuous attempt been vndertaken for disturbance of a state without the counsel and assistance of a Priest in the first in the middle or last act of the tragedy and that all along with such a a chorus of confedraes to entertaine the Stage whiles the liues hnd fortunes of great Princes being set vpon the tenter-hookes aue put all in hazard Which obseruation I would wish that all Priests would diligently marke and then doubtlesse they would bee carefull of their owne reputations and be more reuerently affected to higher powers than they are as it gladdeth mee to see some haue beene of late as Master Blackwell Master Warmington in his moderate defence and others whose good examples I heartily wish many more may embrace and follow not doubting but God by such beginnings may draw them so from step to step as perfectly to see and discouer the erroneous doctrines of the Church of Rome as well in other points of doctrine as in that of the Popes pretended authoritie ouer Princes in temporalls as he hath drawne lately master Sheldon a prisoner for the Roman faith and my selfe though no prisoner as I hope for our soules euerlasting good so also for the future benefit of many others and the fuller accomplishments of his more mercifull designements to others thereby who doubtlesse will so doe if we by our ingratitude and forgetfulnesse of so rich a benefite prouoke not his indignation against vs by euill conuersation and bad carriage of our liues as others haue done before vs to the aduantage of those whose communion they forsooke and disgrace of them to whose congregations they were conioyned Which doubtlesse we may doe if beholding the abhominations of the Church of Romes corruptions we consider them rather with a mind to reforme our own faults to draw others from them than to lay any disgracefull imputation vpon others further than to demonstrate the naughtinesse of the tree by the naughtie leaues floures and fruits that grow forth from it which in very truth is the onely cause why I haue so farre entred into this discourse because Christ saith According to Doctour Stapletons rule Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis cos by their fruits ye shal know them Now therfore since out of the fruits of the Roman doctrine I find the teachers thereof to be such as Christ bids vs beware of I must say Father I haue sinued against heauen and against earth and therfore with humble acknowledgement of my faults desire that I may againe be receiued into his fauor 9 Now it resteth that I make trial of the