courteous Reader how Bellarmine tra uaileth to defend this booke from contradiction Bellar de verb. Dei lib 1. c. 12. Iudiths booke in particular I cannot but meruaile how any one can thinke that the holy Ghost would euer approue that decking and trimming vp of her selfe for such an impure and luxurious proiect thereby to draw m Iud. 10. 12 Holofernes into an vnlawfull burning lust and concupiscence of her if so they will teach and affirme may I not heere charge their doctrine with affirming God to bee the approuer and Authour of sinne more iustlie then they charge Caluin therewith Was not that of the holy Ghost in n Rom 3. St. Paul law and right in Iudiths daies Non sunt facienda mala vt eueniant bona Things that are euill are not to bee done that good may come thereby Besides it is too too apparent that in the story there are some vntruths and vnreconcilable contradictions which are clearelie against the other sacred Scriptures And therefore by euident consequence it is to bee affirmed that the booke is Apocriphall and not of that vndoubted and certaine authority which holy Canonicall Scriptures haue by which onely Dogmata fidei articles of Faith are to bee decreed and tried as the ancient Church euer beleft from whose faith because faith must euer be the same no Christian can without hazard of Saluation depart Against the books of Machabees many particular and vnanswerable doubts might be produced I will content my selfe with two or three Doth not the Author of them I should say the abbreuiatour of Iasons larger history as himselfe p 2. Mach. 2. professeth to be against the faith and doctrine of vndoubted Scriptures approue and admire the fact of q 2. Mach. 14. Razias murthering himselfe doth he not craue pardon of the Reader if he haue not answerably to the condition of a good r 2. Mach. vlt. Historian behaued himselfe belike the holy Ghost who is not accustomed nor cannot acknowledge himselfe nor his Scribes to bee subiect to any humane errour in writing thus here left him but not aboue in the 12. Chapter of this Å¿ 2. Mach. 12 booke where he mentioneth prayers and sacrifices for the dead and yet this by the helpe of false fingers also and therefore he here not there craued pardon if he had not arightly performed his office Doubtlesse hee who will thinke the holy Ghost can craue pardon of man as though he might be subiect to errour hath little of the holy Ghosts grace in him Which things considered with diuers other impossibilities against the truth of historie I cannot be perswaded that t Lib. de Ciuit. Dei 18. c. 36. St. Austin and the Fathers of the Councell of Carthage did otherwise approue them to be read then as a probable historie contayning some good morall matter if reade with u Cont. GaudeÌ„t sobriety to vse St. Austens owne phrase but not as to receiue them into the Canon of sacred Scripture of Gods word And if St. Austen may not bee thought to contradict himselfe within the compasse of halfe a dozen of lines some Manuscriber hath egregiously corrupted him for x Aug. lib. 18. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 36. first hee seemeth clearly and absolutely to affirme that they are not Canonicall and proueth thereupon a truth vpon which hee there discourseth and presently he is made to say thus that although the Iewes receiue not the Machabees into Canon yet the Church of Christ receiueth them but who smelleth not false fingers here especially if infinite like forgeries of Manuscribers be obserued Further I am more confirmed in my iudgement against these bookes because y Dist 15. cap. Sancta Romana Gelasius a Pope of Rome before any greater corruptions had deeply tainted that Church did with a whole Synode in Rome recounting a Canon of the Apostles for the same purpose exclude the Machabees out of the Canon of holy Scriptures and although the Canon beginning Sancta Romana c. in which this exclusion was be now so maymed and mangled that no man can iustly say this part or line of it is sound yet z Anton. 3. part summ l. 18. c. 6. Antonine Archbishop of Florence and a Saint in their Church confesseth that he himselfe had read the exclusion of these bookes out of Canon of Scripture in that decree of Gelasius and according to the Canon of the Apostles there mentioned All these things concurring out of Antiquitie and the vndoubted Churches of Christ with the authority also of some learned Pontificians their later Doctors and that of a Tertull. lib. de praescript Tertullian euer taking place in Christs Church Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most ancient is most true What may bee thought of that b Conc. Trident. Sess 4. congregation at Trent who hath giuen equal authority to them with the vndoubted word of God and haue accursed with their idle Anatheme all those who shall with the ancient Church of the Iewes the Nicene Councell which St. Gregorie esteemed as the Gospell with the I aodicene reuerend Fathers and almost all other ancient Fathers reiect them as Apocriphaâ—l Doubtlesse the curse of God against the idle curses of men may be iustly giuen vnto them who c Apocal. vlt. haue added the word of man to his word and haue made the word of man equall with his most infallible and inuiolable word d Iud. Epist Imperet illis Dominus The Lord God reproue them It is not possible if these men had esteemed of the vndoubted Scriptures as all the e Aug Epist 71 ad Marcell in prolog lib 3. de Trin. Epist 1â—1 Ep 166. ad Dâ—natist 〈◊〉 Epist 62 Basil 〈◊〉 de si de 〈◊〉 me Chrysost in opere imâ—â—rfect homâ—lia 49. ancient Fathers did who euer required the writings of all men to be examined and tryed by the certaine word of God they would neuer haue coupled humane authority with diuine and haue equalized them in one degree of truth but they may bee excused in dealing so warily and politikely herein for their desperate cause of Porgatorie fire praier for the dead c. otherwise would to the ground with many like of their superstitious trumperies The third Motiue BEsides the corrupting of the true rule of faith by adding the Apocriphall bookes they haue also depraued the same f Conc. Trident. Sess 4. rule by their vnwritten Traditions Anathematizing all who shall refuse or disesteeme the same Traditions and not hold them in equall reputation with Gods most vndoubted word This rule of Traditions they hold to bee an vnwritten Deposit left in the Romane Church and kept inuiolably by her vntill these times which if they can shew what good Christian is there who wil not with reuerenced esteeme receiue or commend whatsoeuer those most irreprehensible Founders of the Church haue deliuered either concerning faith or Church discipline But I must tell them
bookes there are of Gods Scripture or how many Chapters there are in any of the bookes Or else through the inuallid successes or euents of their vows beeing either not heard or not regarded by them to whom they are made or else through the contiuuall disquietnesse and torment of their consciences in the * I disproue not ' but highly commend the vse of Auricular Confession when it is voluntary without sacrilege vsed for comfort not abused as the very means and cause by which sinners are iustified in the sight of God much like as the Mexicans vsed Auricular Confession Botero Relationi vniuersali Part. 4. lib. 2. nel fine vse of their Sacrament of confession as it is now by them most peruersly abused to the iniurie of Christ subuersion of diuers soules receiuing no * It is not imaginable what inconsolable liues some that are frequente in the vse of Confession as necessary to saluation doe lead there is no stony heart which would not pitie them knowing their torments rest day nor night k Ierem. 16 as seruing Gods who cannot giue it them are growne into some distrust of the Romane Church Of these might bee conceiued some iust hope of their conuersions if they would vouchsafe either to read holie Scriptures or else to read some learned bookes written by some learned Priest or Preacher of the reformed and Catholike Churches of Christendom but I greatly doubt they wil not dare without leaue of their Priests so to doc and I am most assured that by them they shal neuer be permitted A certaine Bishoppe of Italy was not ashamed to tell l Claud Espene Comeut in cap. 1 ad titum Claudius Espencaeus a famous Pontifician that the learned men in Italy it self were afraid to study the holy Scriptures lest thereby they should become Heretikes and that therefore they imployed themselues in commenting vpon the Popes law-bookes deerees and the Decretals the which Booke thoughfull of lies contradictions impertinencies yet because it is the Popes Booke it must be respected whilest the holie Scripture lyeth as it were in the streetes neglected But to these may not that of Christ be iustly obiected Serui nequam wicked seruants out of your owne mouthes I condemn you Assuredly these and like Italianized Prelates of m Luk. 19. which for greatest number consisted the Tridentine Councell are none of those who are reputed blessed by the Prophet n Psalm 2 Dauid for meditating in the law of God day and night But to shorten this my letter addressed vnto thee Christian and Catholike Reader I humblie request thee to accept with charitable interpretation these my Motiues and to pray for my constancy in profession of Gods truth I must needes confesse that I did find great difficulties in this my conuersion First some suggestions by Sathan suborned how greatly this my conuersion would turne to my disestimation with all of the present Roman faith and those my deare and old acquaintance of whom I affirme that they are vertuously disposed for whose saluations vtinam vt Anathema superimpenderer Would God to speake with the o Ad Rom. 9. 2. ad Corint 12 Apostle I might as an Anatheme be sacrificed yea offered and offered againe so that they might be saued Some other lesser difficulties I found all were humane terrene but when I considered that of the p Ad Galat. 1 Apostle if I should seeke to pleasemen I should not bee the seruant of Christ and that of q Luk. 12 Christ Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the iustice thereof and then all these things will bee added vnto you I fully resolued for the charity and r Ad Philip. 3 supereminent knowledge of Christ to esteeme all that is in the world as verie dung and rather to dwell poore Å¿ Psal 83 in the house of God then to dwell in the rich Tabernacles of sinners And in this my resolution I was somewhat the more confirmed in respect that from my verie youth euen then when I was too too zealous an Emulator of all Romane superstitions I haue euer had often suggestions and inspirations in my mind that a time would come when I should be calumniated and greatly abused by the Papists and persecuted by the Pope himselfe whom I then admired as an heauenly Oracle vpon earth but most of all I was filled with such foreapprehensions and presages being in Rome vpon t Anno Dom. 1594 the 20. of June the same day and houre when that glorious and renowned Christian Marsh suffered the cutting off of his right hand the gagging of his mouth by the Counsel of the Ignatian Cowlin who boasteth himself thereof in England after that the pulling tearing and burning of his flesh with hote glowing pincers for many howres together thorow many streetes of the City of Rome and lastly death it selfe by fire with such admirable patience and constancy that the Romanes themselues did greatly admire him therfore His act for which hee was so tormented was because hee had throwne downe their Sacrament as it was publikely carried thorow the streetes of Rome in publike Procession to be adored worshipped and inuocated as God himselfe an idolatrous superstition latelie crept into that Church contrary to the custom and practise of all auncient Churches whatsoeuer And yet notwitstanding all such suggestions and inspirations at that time which I constantly reiected as temptations I did beeing earnestly intreated and vrged thereunto by the Superiours of the English Colledge make an Oration and a most vehement * This Oration was ready penned to me because I had little aboue a day to prouide my selfe for the prpnouncing thereof before so publike an Audience inuectiue against that fact of his in the presence of diuers Cardinals and Prelates assembled together in the English Church to keepe a solemne Masse of the Sacrament some moneth after the death of that glorious Christian But what may I now vpon this euent interpret those presages inspirations and forewarnings else to haue been then sweet motions and inducements from him who as I trust hath segregated mee to preach the Gospell of his beloued Sonne Iesus the which then I passed ouer with a deafe eare but his goodnesse vouchsafing now to open my eare I may not contradict but blesse him eternally for that he hath made me a child of u Ad Rom. 8. â— Pâ—t 2 adoption of acquisition and election beleeuing with x Ad Rom 10. heart and confessing with mouth for my iustification and saluation onely and alonely in Iesus Christ But before I conclude I intreat the Courteous Reader that y Ad Galat. 5. Iacob 2. both by faith and conuersation by godly z Act. 2 frequenting of the most venerable Sacrament of Christs body and bloud by deuout a Ad Col. 3. Jacob. 1 attendance and hearkning to Gods word so daily so clearely so liuely preached in this Kingdome by daily b
where are such violent enemies against the Oath of allegeance and esteeme all such as take or allow of it as Heretikes as lapsed from the Catholike Romane faith because say they the Pope in his Briefes hath defined and decreed that there are diuers points in it against the Catholike faith Romane he should say and yet I suppose as very cleare that none of the English Secular Priests did expresly know against what speciall points of faith the Oath was till now of late a certaine i A Briefe declaration c. together with a recapitulation c. by H. I. Ignatian recapitulater vnder a double title promising a double book but bringing forth only a short pamphlet and that a namelesse one and therefore a Libell hath shewed in his namelesse defence of the Romane faith that Pope Paul the 5. in his Breues hath k Pag. 32. Ibidem pag. 56. defined the same Oath to bee hereticall and vnlawfull because it denyeth the Popes power to depose Princes and dispose of Kingdomes an article of faith with him in his libell although not naming himselfe I may iustly say l Rom 1. My eares haue heard many Ignatian Priests constantly affirme that Paul the 5. had defined in his late Breues that the oath could not be taken and that his Briefe was a definitioÌ„ of faith so R. B. G. B. I. F. R. L. M. W. T. T T. F. I. K. with diuers others of that profession erubescit cuangelium he is ashamed of his Ghospell But no meruaile that the Ignatians are so well acquainted with the mysteries of the Popes faith for since their Father Ignatius his beatifying vvho had so many m Apud Ribadin in vita Ignat. idle reuelations I doubt not but that they haue receiued newe illustrations from that Code and Deske of all law faith and right the Popes brest which the ancient Church neuer knew But when n The Recapitulater in the Title of his vnlearned and seditious pamphet and for his traiterous doctrine see him page 43. Promised Leonard Lessius commeth forth with his demonstrations for he would seeme to demonstrate in all his bookes as this pamphletter of Louaine not H. I. but P. W. hath couertly promised doubtlesse he will reueale the hidden mysterie which was not knowne in the Primitiue Church though then darkly working but was to be o 2. Thess 2. reuealed in these times with which the world is likely to end But to returne to what I haue to proue It being manifest that Popes and the Romane particular Church with all those of the societie of Ignatius not excepting any one doe dogmatically maintaine that the Pope defining ex Cathedra is the infallible vncontrollable vnappellable and onely necessarie Iudge in all controuersies of faith it should be lost labour in me to stand to proue that this their position is beleeued by them as a point and article of their faith nay I should say as a principle and very maxime of their faith For can any the simplest idiote doubt but that the infallible rule of faith which declareth faith squareth faith must be beleeued as faith and by faith But by this their nouell article of faith by ineuitable consequence it followeth that they differ in the most fundamentall point of beleefe from all such Fathers Councels and Doctors as did maintaine or as yet doe that the most infallible rule of faith is the doctrine of the Scriptures especially when it is publikely declared out of the same Scriptures by the authoritie of free Generall Councels and the publike voice of the vniuersall Christian Church the which rule of faith as I am most assured all p Conc. Hierosol Act. 15. Greg. in ep 1. ad Corinâ—h apud pateriuÌ„ Vinc Lirin contra hereses cap. 4. S. Austen most clearely contra Donat. lib. 2. contra epist funda tract vltimo in Ioh. contra Crescon alibi sepissime Cyprian lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae in epist ad Pomp. Patres conc chal cedo Sinod 6. 7. 8. conc Constan Basil ConstaÌ„tinus apud Euseb in eius vita Con. Constantinopol in epist ad epâ—sc Rom. congregatos â—arissime apud Zozom l. 5. c. 9. l At this preâ—ent now in â—aris it is required of the Ignatians amongst other articles to wit that the Pope cannot depose Princes c. to subscribe also to the superiority of the general Councel â—boue the Pope ancient Fathers did teach and beleeue so it cannot be doubted but that many learned both in Germanie England and q France doe still professe and maintaine to all whom as to the ancient Fathers and Councels the later Popes with their Pontificians who obstinately maintaine and beleeue this nouell rule of faith must in truth be reputed heretikes yea obstinate heretikes because pertinaciously erring in the very fundamentall rule of all faith And if any learned Priest retort against me and say that as I heere confesse all Papists concurre not to maintaine this pontifician rule of faith and that many Sorbonist Doctors teach it not neither do beleeue it This is true indeed but let him take this inference with him that notwithstanding all their bragges for the certainty of their faith they are yet most vncertaine as being not as yet agreed vpon the rule of faith yea they are so opposite that one side beleeueth as the Pope with his what the other disbeleeueth and condemneth as erroneous yea and this in Councels as in those r Conc. Constan Basil opposite to the Lateran vnder Leo the 10. and the Florent vnder Eugenius the 4. deposed by the Fathers at Basil of Laterane Florence Constance Basill Frankeford Colen c. which being so that themselues are not agreed vpon the rule of faith why will they not giue leaue and allow to true Christians the word of God as it is expounded clearely constantly and vniuersally by the ancient Fathers to be the inerrable rule of faith as his most excellent Maiestie in his learned premonition to Christian Princes iustly requireth and exacteth according to ancient and learned Å¿ Vincent contra heres cap. 4. Vincentius his rule It followeth that I demonstrate this rule of faith deuised by the Popes and Pontificians to support the Romane soueraignties to be meere noueltie and so to prescribe against it by antiquitie This I must now doe contractly not doubting but that I shall haue occasion more to enlarge my authorities and reasons when these my motiues shall be impugned as doubtlesse they will be vnlesse it seeme good to the wise men of Saint Omers as their owne libel termes them to answere them by some libelling ballade as they of late haue thought meete to answere t An answere made vpon Sheldons booke to a priuate friend beginning laugh laugh c. which libell hath ofteÌ„ moued the persons against whom it is to very much laughing at the Ignatians follies and wisdomes with a libell a certaine Priests booke for the oath of allegeance for Quicquid
Images with rich attire imbrodered garments and robes vpon their massie bodies crownes of gold vpon their stony heads rings vpon their marble or wodden singers bracelets of Amber or Pearle vpon their wristes rich Iewels of Pearle and precious stones hanging about their neckes downe euen to their shining and lasciâ—iouslike breasts drawen by the painters rather to giue occasion of impudike thoughts then religious cogitations Of this their prophane and heathenish custome in their most religious places can they precisely shew me a beginning no I warrant you belike therefore it is an Apostolicall tradition so to affirme I could account it no lesse then blasphemie At least if it will please the Ladies amongst the Pontificians to heare with patience it is no tradition Apostolicall that their sacred Images are often trimmed with the rayments of strompets a thing very frequent in other countries like as in England where very often their Priests * This is a custome so frequent and so common in England that no Priest who hath either shame or honestie can denie it Massing vestiments are framed of the petticotes kirtles or gownes of such persons whereof some are not of the best fame so loathsome a thing that doubtlesse if their images which they adore had sense they would exclaime against the abuse thereof and cry fie These Romane customes so vniuersally obserued doth any man once imagine to be Apostolicall Reade two of Saint p Grèg Epist ad Secundin Epist ad Seren. Gregories epistles read q Epipha Epist ad Johan Hiero. Epiphanius read Thrasius the Patriarks discourse in the seuenth synode at Nice Saint r Augu. in Psal 113. de fid Symbol Austen vpon the Psalms and you will vnderstand what manner of Tradition the vse of God the fathers image and the adoration of images is But here of more anone Againe touching their vniuersall and generall custome of receiuing of the Sacrament vnder one kind as so onely necessary so onely sufficient so onely commaunded for a mans whole life can they shew me an expresse beginning thereof no God wot what must it be therefore a tradition Apostolicall I will not deny but that perhaps some ancient particular Churches might sometimes practise in one kind and yet most of their examples which they bring for that purpose are either of counterfeit bookes or else little to the purpose but I denye and challenge the Aduersary to prooue the contrary that euer any Ancient Apostolicall Church held it sufficient as onely necessary onely commanded to receiue the Sacrament in one kind for a mans whole life They bring some places of Å¿ Luc. 24. Act. 2. 20. Scripture for this purpose But first if the places proue their vse then it is not onely a tradition but a written truth Againe it is as manifest as the sunne that those places they bring doe proue as well against them that their Masse may bee vsed in one kind the Sacrament consecrated in one kind which they detest as the greatest impiety and sacriledge making the sacrifice to consist most intrinsecally and essentially in both kindes that no Pope can dispense against it Again t Rhemist in ca. 1. act Baron annalib anno 48. Christ num 17. Zuares Isingr Catherinus aâ—â—â— their beleefe touching the assumption of the blessed Virgin Maries body at whose due honours I greatly reioyce and beseech Iesus her sonne and Sauiour euer to indue me with a reuerent respect of her greatnesse and her blessings aboue all Women is it not generally receiued and the feast thereof vniuersally practised throughout the Romane Church And is there any one who can shew the time when this beleefe began no God wot What must it bee therefore a Tradition Apostolicall nothing lesse u Baron anno Christ 48. num 9 12. 13. Baronius his Doctrine will ouerthrow that Tradition The x Annotations vpon the first of the Acts verse 14. Rhemists in their annotations vppon the Acts of the Apostles endeuor to proue it out of a counterfeit book of Dionise of Areopage Saint Pauls scholler and they are not there with content vnlesse they may abuse egregiously the same booke also by their manifest and wilfull corruption for they dare assirme that St. Dionyse in that y Dionis lib. de Diuin nomin the Rhemists cite it Epist ad Timoth. booke reporteth that he himselfe heard the melodious singing of Angels at the Virgins monument which lasted for three daies together a thing no where to bee found in that book Again they affirm that Dionyse of Areopage was present at the Virgins departure which hapned as themselues z Their Table of S. Paul and Baro. affirmeth anno Christ 52. deliuer the 48. of Christ And yet withal they auouch that S. Paul came not to Athens til the 52. of Christ where and when S. Dionyse was with Damaris a Acts 17. conuerted so that by their contradictorious account Saint Dionyse was conuerted and made a Christian and presently also at the blessed Virgins death before his conuersion Thus the Rhemish lights of the English Pontificians are caught in their folly when of late I obiected this wilfull corruption and mayne contradiction of the Rhemists to a certain graund b I. C. cheefetaine in this place where I now am I had onely a kind of â—ush for an answere with this graue epiphoneme it is an ill bird that beraieth his owne neast might not I more iustly inueigh against such seducers of youth who by such deprauations seduce their young Fâ—ye and beray their young birds in the neasts of their seminaries where they must take all vpon trust euen as their masters shall please to dictate vnto them and be you most assured they shall heare nothing that shall iarre from the Popes behests and Romane Churches practise whose Souldiers they are trained to fight his battell or holy quarrel as * Sanders in his Letters to an Irish Gentleman Saunders calleth it Againe concerning the vniuersall practise of â—ating of bloud and strangled meates throughout the Pontifician Church can they precisely tell mee when the same began no in sooth what is it therefore a Tradition Apostolicall aske the Apostles and whole Church of Hierusalem concerning this Tradition who decreed by expresse c Acts 15. Canon that Christians should absteine from things immolated to idols from bloud from strangled meate and fornication Loe here is a custome generally obserued no beginning thereof be â—ound and yet no tradition Apostolicall Further it is manifest that the vow or promise of Chastity is d Thom Aquin. 2. 2. q 88. Durand lib. 4 Dist 35 37. aly Scholastâ—c communiter ibidem Sotâ—s de iure iustitia lib. 7. Petrus de Soto in institut sacerd lect 5. Valentia de Celibatu lib. 2. Scotus 4. dist 37. Caiâ—t quod 1. q. â—2 See S. Athanasius Epist ad dracont Sincsius Epist ad Euoptium Polid. lib. de inuento 5. Alphonsus a Castro
Baldach of certaine Popes make mee thinke there wanteth no good will but onely meanes and possâ—ssion which their Canonists and Ignatians labour a pace in euery place where they can finde footing by their preachings secret conferences and bookes to procure vnto him And consider this what bookes are with more fauour receiued printed and published at Rome then those of this stampe and kinde For this respect Pesantius Bozius and such like shal be cherished there Bellâ—rmine in the time of Sixtus the Monarch of the world who had deuoured England in his vaiâ—e Psendopropheticall hope Bellâ—rmine I say because hee applauded not the Papall Monarchy of Sixtus but wrote against it found no fauour but was glad to auoid Rome for feare of frying but h Bâ—llar against Barkley and his anâ—wer to a Ve netiaÌ„ Doctor saepâ—ssime de Rom Pon. â— 5. c. 6 now by end euouring to bâ—ing the Monarchy of christendome vnder the Popes command with the distinction of indirect direct he hath profited so much that hee hath purchased a Cardinals hat the next steppe to the Romane Monarchy it selfe the which if he euer obtaine doubtlesse he will speake as Sixtus did for as his doctrine is much changed from that it was in Sixtus time so doubtlesse if he proue Pope it will * Hanores mutant moâ—â—s come to greater perfection i Baron in annalibus saepissime Steuch lib. de donat Constant Bozius alij Cardinall Baronius good God how he trauaileth as though he were wich child to bring forth this Monarchy throughout his Annals and Augustinus Steuch more earnest then he if it may be how carelfully doth he record Diplomes and Charters by which the Popes challenge the direct and supreame Soueraignties ouer most kingdomes of the West as of Spaine France England Ireland Hungary Norway Sicily and of which not but such baubles I passe ouer the trying of those Charters I put off to those whome it concerneth I will onely a little examine how this man of sinne that sitteth in the Temple of God is saide to sit in Gods Temple doubtlesse it cannot otherwise bee well vnderstood then of some principall part of the externe and visible Church of Christ there beeing no other temple of God of which it may with any probability bee expounded To expound it of the Temple in Hierusalem were very incongruous yea impossible coÌ„sidering the same is destroied and that the desolation thereof shall continue til the end as k Dan. 9. Hieron ibidem Daniel the Prophet hath foretold yea and Christ himselfe seemeth also to haue l Math. 24. In the time of Iulian the Apostata when the Iewes atteÌ„pted to haue reedified their temple in Hierusalem they were miraculously letted by God a tokeÌ„ that the same shal neuer bee reedified Baronius his Annals in Iuliano Theod Socrates lib. 3. foretold so much to say that Antichrist when he commeth shall reedifie the Temple of Hierusalem in the same place where that of Salomon stood and it therefore to be called the Temple of God by the Apostle is too too improbably and idlely said with as much congruity as to say that the turkish moskyes in Constantinople are the Church of God because standing in the same places and within the same materiall walls in which once the True and onely God Iesus Christ was worshipped The Pontificians would be offended to heare their Church of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs in Rome to be now called the Temple of all false Gods because it was so once called by the name of Pantheon Besides if wee will beleeue the Rhemists * The substaÌ„ce of Lessius demonstrating book coÌ„sisteth in that hâ— confoundeth diuers predictioÌ„s concerning the states of diuers enemies of Christ and diuers calamities of the Church to the imagined 3. yeeres and a halfes raigne of one singular maÌ„ Antichrist Leonard Lessius in his laborious and demonstratiue booke of Antichrist we must think that Antichrist when he commeth shall worship no God a toy for if so how then shall he be thought to build a temple to the true God what Worship no God and yet build a Temple to the true God a Paradoxe But most cleare it is and to me it hath beene often confessed by diuers learned Papists that Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God because he shall vse a tirannical proud vsurped imperious gouernment in the visible Church excluding the society paritie of any other in that vsurped office of his changing that forme of gouernment which Christ left in his Church and by tiranny seeking to draw all to himself m Annotation in 2. ad thes 2. an 5 as the Rhemists themselues affirme But that this Antichrist of which Saint Paul speaketh shall sitte in the visible Church of Christ visible I said for so they are to be expounded diuers auncient n Aug lib. 20. de ciuita cap. 19. Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ q. 11. Greg. l. 4. epist 34. 38. 39 et in 2. ad Thes cap. 2. apud Paterium clarissime Robertus lincolniens apud Math. Paris in Henrico 3. anno 1162. Coruelius mussorat habita in con Trid. dominica 3. adueÌ„tus Athanas in epist ad solitar vitam agentes Hilar. li. cont Constan Lucifer in lib. moriendum pro filio dei Bernar. ser in conc Rem et serm 33. in cantica Hieron in Dan. 11. Hila. cont Auxent This greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist in properlinar gie significatioÌ„ according to the differeÌ„t vse of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth one that is for insteed or against another all which three significations are vnited in the man of sinne called Antichrist beeing annointed insteed and against the true annointed Lord Iesus Christ Fathers eyther expresly affirme or by most euident consequence it is deduced out of them S. Austin S. Ierome S. Gregory and others expresly Cornelius Mus seemeth to affirme so much although hee dare not speake it expresly Athanasius also agreeingly with Hilary and Lucifer Calaritane make therefore Constantius the Arian Emperour Antichrist because he assumed to himselfe all rule tiranically in the Church and against Church-men Saint Bernard not farre from this conceit where hee chargeth the Church-men for seruing Antichrist Saint Gregory is most cleare for otherwise how vnworthy an argument were it in that Father to call Iohn of Constantinople Antichrist and the Title of Vniuersall Bishop Antichristian if Antichrist when hee should come was not to bee either a Bishop or not to challenge any such vsurped power or any such name Along while King Henry the eight Queene Elizabeth both of renowned memory were certaine Antichrists with the Pontificians in respect they challenged the titles of cheefe Gouernours in the Church of England the sense whereof being now sufficiently explaned and by the same made euident that they require no more then what their predecessors had and vsed though not with the name
the many impertinences contradictions contrarieties which are in it downe it will For if Å¿ Introit ad altare the very first prayer almost which is this Oramus te Domine c. We beseech thee O Lord by the merits of those Saintes whose reliques are heere that thou vouchsafe to giue vs pardon of all our sinnes may take place and that by the merits of Saints sins are forgiuen and pardoned what neede to expect a further propitiatorie sacrifice in the Masse I proposed not long since to the t M. G. Bl. chiefe in this house how a certaine prayer in the portesse which hath thus vt merit is sanctorum aeternitatis gloriam consequamur that by the merites of Saints we may obtaine the glorie of eternitie was to be vnderstoode Considering and pausing a while he yealded this answere by their intercessions to which I replied out of their owne doctrine thus that intercessions of Saints in Heauen are not merits and u Rom. 8. that glorie being first due vnto vs by vertue of iustification in Christ Iesus through x Galat. 5. faith working by chatitie it was not in any sense to be giuen to vs for the merits of Saints some replies passed betwixt vs and in the end he came to affirme this proposition to be Catholike to wit Saluamur meritis sanctorum we are saued by the merits of Saints of which proposition demaunding the opinion of a y M. A. H. learned Priest sitting by his answere was that it was a sound proposition sano intellectu being well vnderstoode Thus they O Iesus onely Redeemer what vile wrong is done to thy infinite merits when thus they associate with thy merits the merits of Saintes to haue a reall and meritorious concurrence for remission of our sinnes And when ioyntly of thy merites and the merites of thy seruants is by them composed the treasure of the Pontisician Church by which they pretend to deliuer soules from Purgatorie But alas rather they delude many simple fooles and dispoyle them of their treasure and wealth To proceede whereas in the z Offertorium Prayer when the bread is offered vp to God vpon the Patten it is expresly called Haec immaculata hostia this immaculate host and is said to be offered pro innumerabilibus peccatis for innumerable sinnes pro viuis defunctis for the liuing and the dead vt illis proficiat ad salutem vitam aeternam that it may profite them to eternall life and saluation and likewise when the Chalice is offered vp with wine onely in it in their owne confession as being long before the time of their imagined transubstantiation it is thus said of the same Chalice of wine pro totius mundi salute in conspectu c. that it may ascend as a sweet smell before the sight of the diuine Maiestie for the saluation of the whole world by the two which oftertories it is euident what manner of sacrifice the Authors of them two beleeued to be in the masse truly the very same that a Finitis ab eo qui prefectus est saith Iustine Apolog. 2. Thankesgiuings praiers being ended by him who is the chiefe as prefect and acclamations being made by the whole people the Deatons whom we so call giue to euerie one present a part of the bread and of the water and wine consecrated and doe carie to those who are not present Origen in Leuit. hom 7. Irenae lib. 4. cap. 32. 34. Chryâ—ost in Psalm 22. Amhros de sacramentis lib. 4. cap. 5. August de doctrin Christian lib. 3. cap. 16. in Psalm 98 tract 59. in Iob. Hieron 26 in Math. Author operis imperfect in Matth. Homel 11. clarissime Bertram lib. de corp sangu Domin Theodoret. in cap. 8. ad Hebre. Fulgen. de fid ad Petrum cap. 19. Lyturgiae Ambros Basil Saint Iustine Irenaeus and other ancient Fathers deliuer to wit of thanksgiuing commemoratiue and of Gods creatures not of the verie bodie and bloud of Christ transubstantiated But obserue now commeth Clement the eight and he in his missals what misterie is in it God knoweth in that short prayer of offering which the people make being thereunto inuited by the Priests and in which they pray thus suscipiat Dominus hoc sacrificium de manibus tuis c. Our Lord receiue this sacrifice from thy hands to the glorie of his name for our profit and of all this holy Church he hath commaunded the article hoc this to be left out the misterie of which subtraction who may not coniecture because the demonstratiue article hoc this in this place doth most specially and peculiarly demonstrate the sacrifice offered vp to God for the honor of his name benefit of his holy Church therefore lest the people who pronouÌ„ce that prayer should by the same be brought to vnderstand what manner of sacrifice the ancient authors thereof deliuered the word hoc this must be rased and they left to expect another sacrifice truly propitiatorie forsooth in the Masse Such a Sacrifice as the Autours of this prayer and of many others that goe both before consecration and after neuer knew nor taught so that if a man will vnderstand them ingeniously and with an vnpartiall eye read them it will be morally impossible for him to thinke that they beleeued the Laterane transubstantiation as it is desended by the Pontificians I will herein onely except the authours of the rubrickes in the Masses which are almost contioually more or lesse changed as now of late in the last edition b Missa ClemeÌ„t 8. in rubric Clement forsooth marke a pretie tricke wil haue the Priest not loudly to the people and eleuating of the Chalice as the former * Clement also hath lately instituted that the Laicks must receiue at their LotioÌ„s wine mixed with water per haps to imitate that of S. Chrisostomes Lyturgy where it is appointed that after consecration sodden water is to be mixed with the wine consecrated that the people were to receiue Missa Chrisost edita â Plantino translata a leone Tusco custome was but secretly and at the setting downe of the Chalice to say those words of Christ hac quotie scunque c. as often as you shall doe these things you shall doe them in remembrance of me wherefore is this chaunge now made Doubtlesse for no other end if there be any other misterie let it be shewed but lest now in these times when the onely and infinitely inestimable sacrifice of Christs Crosse is so daily by the true Catholike Church and her Ministers extolled and set forth and the Lyturgie of our Lords Supper deliuered to be a liuely holy and expresse c Bellar. lib. recog pag. 85. To shew that in his first booke of the Masse last Chapter hee had iustly denied any true sacrifice of Christs body to bee offered vpon good Friday in their Church answereth thus an obiection that is made against him
whereof they are Sacraments to wit Sacramentally in signification operation efficacy Saint Irenaeus meaneth as it is most cleare that naturall bread and naturall wine which are the things offered as hee most often and significantly affirmeth Christ confessed to be his body and his bloud the which because they can not be truly and really without implying of contradiction or without destruction of the creatures which he most clearly denieth and is most euidently against all the whole discourse of that Father they must bee therefore the body and bloud of Christ sacramentally according to the doctrine of Saint Austin in Eâ—pist 23. his Epistle to Boniface and according as Baptisme wherewith we are regenerate is called water and the holy Ghost not as though the substance of the Holy Ghost were a substantiall part of the sacrament And whereas the same Father expresly deliuereth thus Quemadmodum enim qui est c for euen as the bread which is from the earth receiuing the inuocation of God is now no more common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things earthly and heauenly so our bodies receiuing the Eucharist are not now corruptible hauing hope of resurrection It is heere manifest that he will haue the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Church to consist of two things one earthly the other heauenly that is of bread which is earthly and of the earth and the heauenly which is heauenly because sitting in Christ at the right hand of God his Father and so according to the nature of Sacraments it is easily conceiued how this Sacrament may consist of two things one earthly the element and the other heauenly the thing of the Sacrament like as Baptisme consisteth of g Iohn 3. water and the holy ghost one signifying the other signified one present the other absent one visible the other inuisible one corporall the other spirituall one touching the body the other working in the soule but it is against the nature of Sacraments to haue them truly and really to consist both of the things signified and signifying as together by an essential and real coniunction of presence as is manifest in al other Sacraments with them but especially in baptisme in which a morall and vertuall vnion only not a reall coniunction and * Although the substance of the holy Ghost by his infinâ—ty and immensity bee present in all things euen in the water of baptisme notwithstanding Formally and in respect of this presence he worketh not in the Sacraments presence of the holy Ghost in substance with water and in water is necessary Moreouer this holy Father affirmeth that like as the bread of the Eucharist is not common breade â—â—ter inuocation of God so our bodies receiuing the Eucharist are not corruptible hauing hope of the resurrection consider curteous Reader how our bodies are by this Fathers saying incorruptible to wit by hope of Resurrection not because they are by substance or any intrinsecall quality in them made incorruptible but onely for the relation and the respect to incorruption which they shall put on at the generall resurrection euen so the bread and the wine are still earthly after consecration they loose not their natures as h Dialogâ— Impatib Theodoretus saith but in respect of the sacramentall coniunction respect and relation which they haue to Christs body and his blood they are said with the same body and blood to make the Eucharist and so the Eucharist to consist onely of two things one Earthly and the other Heauenly as this Father deliuereth and this is that which i Ciprian de vnctione Crismat If this book be his the Aduersaries vse it Saint Ciprian saith speaking how bread and wine are the body and blood of Christ different kinds saith hee and names induced to one essence and the signes signifying and the things signified called by the same names And saint Ambrose thus k Amb. lib. 6. ca. 1. de Sacram. therefore for a similitude thou receiuest the sacrament but obteinest the grace and vertue of the true nature I will yet with thy patience curteous Reader adde one sentence of an Africane Father in his booke de fide ad Petrum which booke many assigne to Saint Augustine but the Authour is l Fulgent de fide ad Petrum c. 19 Fulgentius an Auncient Father and Saint firmissime tene c hould most firmely neither in any sorte doubt of this that the onely begotten Sonne of God taking our flesh vppon him did offer himselfe as a sweete smelling Sacrifice to GOD to whome and the Father and the Holy Ghost the Prophets the Patriarkes and Priests in the olde Lawe Sacrificed bruite Beasts and to whom in the new Testament now with the Father and the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholike Church throughout the vniuersall Worlde doth not cease in Faith and Charitie to offer the true Sacrifice of Breade and Wine in those carnall Sacrifices there was a figuration of the flesh of Christ which he should offer and of the bloud which he should shed for the remission of our sinnes in this sacrifice there is a thansgiuing and a remembrance of the flesh which hee hath offered and of the bloud which he hath shed for vs thus hee describing the faith of the Apostolike Church in his time and of the Reformed English Church now Weighing all these authorities with infinite like which may bee brought out of all Antiquity I haue greately meruailed how Transubstantiation hath crepte so farre into the Church as to haue the same defined in so great a Councell as that of Laterane was doubtlesse it is to bee imputed to some hiperbolicall speeches of certaine Fathers and to that disposition of all sorts of people who like as the m Exod. 32. Iewes in the wildernesse desire some visible God to goe before them whom they might adore as present and inuocate and offer sacrifice vnto him but doubtlesse most of all it is to bee attributed to the pride of the Romane Bishops in whose Sees the mistery of iniquitie hath been euer working more or lesse within some small space after the Apostles times that thereby the Prophecie of two Apostles n 2. Thes 2. et Apocal 17. S. Paul and S. Iohn might take place and Rome with her spirituall whorâ— domes might apostatate from Christ and fornicate with the Kings and Nations of the worlde and that of Christ be fulfilled that when the Sonne of man commeth he should hardly finde faith vpon earth It cannot bee doubted but that there haue bene alwaies some still succeeding the Ancient Fathers such as Bertram Berengarius Scotus Wallafrid Alfrike Archbishop of Yorke in his Epistle to Wolstane who more or lesse haue written against Transubstantiation the bookes of whom as well as of diuers others wee may thinke haue beene suppressed as well as that many others for the supporting of Transubstantiation and of many other Popish Positions haue beene deuised by some Popish Monks of the Roman Church before
by their bulles of deposition and excommunication c Bull. Sixti 5. Pij 5. contua Reginam charged vnder the paine of excommunication all English Subiects forceably to depriue that most Gracious Lady and Queene Elizabeth and although God of heauen had set her ouer vs yet the earthly god with his triple crowne to whom all power vpon earth was giuen as one of them speaketh sitting in the high throne of his See did d Bull Pij 5. vnqueene her make her as another ordinary Subiect But what were the English Chiefe-leaders guilty of any one of these plots and practises Let Cardinall Allen march first who although he * Related by the moderate Answerer would seeme to touch and reprehend those who gaue information to Pius the 5. it was not for want of good will to the matter it selfe but because the state of England did not then permit it ◠the Pontificians being not strong enough to put in execution Pope Pius his depositiue sentence for otherwise in his booke called the defence of English Catholikes hee doth most eagerly defend the Popes power to depose Princes and constantly auoucheth that he may charge all Subiects and authorize them to depriue Princes in case of Heresie and other needfull occasions of Church and Common Wealth the which doctrine as he doth most politikly and cunningly seeke to establish by sophisticall reasons and many deuised vntruthes so is hee most learnedly confuted by that singularly learned and iudicious Prelate the e Bishop Bilson of the supremacy Bishop of Winchester so soundly that neither Allen himselfe nor any of his Seminarists durst euer yet attempt to make any reply against that very learned and iudicious worke Againe call to minde Cardinall Allens declaration to the Nobles in England in 88 the which hee himselfe conceiued and dictated in very great haste to three or foure Scribes together at once to haue with speede more copies to send hither into England thereby to incite the Peeres and all Pontificians of this Kingdome to ioine with the Armado which King Philip of Spaine sent hither for the conquering of this Kingdome which Spanish fleete came also full fraught both with Pope Sixtus his prophesies his blessings and curses and with the blessings of their maide of Lisboe with a vaine prediction of their victory but through the power of God both Horse and Horseman were drowned in the Seas where most of their ships with the Popes blessings and curses made shipwracke God conuerting their curses vpon their owne heads These bookes of this Cardinall with many other of his discontented speeches against the English State before 88. doe discouer liuely how much he had borrowed of a worse spirit then that was which our Sauiour f condemned in two of Luc 9. his Apostles I say before 88. for I haue obserued since that time God checking by that miraculous ouerthrow his spirit he hath beene farre more moderate then Robert Parsons into whose soule how a double spirit of that kinde hath ascended from below it is almost superfluous to stand to prooue His Doleman which I know by some speeches that I haue heard from his owne mouth he purposely intended against the vndoubted Title of our most Gracious Soueraigne whom Iesus vouchsafe long to preserue and to intitle as much as lay in him the Archdutchesse with an imagined and chimerian title to the English Crowne and to that purpose he dispersed as many of those bookes into this kingdome before the death of Queene Elizabeth as he could conueniently earnest he was with me some fifteene yeeres since to haue brought some of * How often haue I heard this man reioice at the shuffling and ciuill commotions which he foreimagined would light vpon the English at Queen Elizabeths death How often haue I heard him say and Ios Creswell also with diuers other Ignatians that England will neuer be happy and fully conuerted without the sword and a conquest thereof his Dolemans ouer with mee into England which I vtterly refusing highly displeased him therewith Againe his publike reioicing when he heard by a false Alarum that the Spaniards had safely landed in England in 88. and his deiected countenance when that false newes by true report was checked How ioyfully did he trot vp and downe to carry the first newes amongst the Popes friends and Englands Enemies But good God how was hee confounded at the hearing of the second newes of the burning and drowning of the Spanish Fleete All Elements concurring to the confusion of Pharaohs host This * Diuers worthy persons haue obserued this spirit in Parsons especially that worthy Deane of Life D. G. who for his loue to his Countrey and openly disliking the Ignatians courses was by Parsons others of his fellowes procuremēts banished out of the low Countries mans spirit was euer thought to be plotting and deuising for Englands conuersion by Englands subuersion against which time he had prouided certaine rules of reformation amongst all which I will tell you one pretty one When England is conuerted at first said he there must not be admitted into it any religious excepting poore Capuchins and the contemplatiue Carthusians and his owne brethren the Ignatians for some selfe pretences as is obserued A politike deuise that so he and his might haue the shooting at the purse the hitting of it for * When in Spaine by a witty libell the Capuchine Friars were described to shoote from the purse the Franciscans wide of it the Ignatians were described to hit it in the very middest with this posie teattino which word signifieth Theatine and I hit thee Of this the Ignatiās complained to the present King who wittily replied to them Doe ye not then his the purse Fathers and all will be well the Capuchines hauing no possessions shoote from the purse the Carthusians being contemplatiue should not so much as draw an arrow to shoote at the purse and so he and his might carry away the bell and doe all and purse all How Ioseph Creswell another of that societie and an English Chieftaine hath beene tainted with that spirit it is too to manifest hee must forsooth carrie Priests that come from Spanish Seminaries into England vp and downe to visite the Peeres of that Kingdome and to take their leaues of them that they may bring some comfortable newes to the oppressed English of their Kings intentions for England hee must carrie them also vnto the late King of Spaine to kisse that Kings hands and to heare from the Kings owne mouth words of comfort not of patience to carrie to the distressed English Catholikes that hee forsooth would aide and assist them as soone as possibly hee could c. Oh how did I my selfe see and heare the same man about some fifteen yeres since applaud commend a certaine Spanish g Adelantado is an Admirall Adelentádo for protesting and vowing that if his master the King of Spaine would giue him leaue
indeede some doubtfull speeches in Caluines Institutions but if it would please them but to interpret fauourably his speeches in like for as they interpret the speeches of many later Dinines yea and sentences of the very scripture it selfe which in some places seemeth more directlie to make God the Author of sinne then euer Caluine did their calumniating spirit would bee satisfied and know that hee teacheth nothing else then what their own Christian Philosophers do teach therein of Gods immediate and positiue concurring to the entitie and nature of euery sinne and to the entitie and nature of euerie morall or naturall occasion of sinne and if hee should say that God as a vniuersall Cause doth not onely immediately concurre and intrinsecally coworke with morall second Causes in their morall euill actions as you all teach or must teach vnlesse you bee Heretikes but also that God as the Prime vniuersall and supreame independent Cause of all things doth in a kind of priority of nature also preuent and moue such morall second causes in their free morall actions beeing either of vice or of vertue tell mee is there none of your Pontifician Doctours Friars or Monks who teach the same if not farre worse who can be ignorant of this who hath vnderstood of the great * I my selfe when I was some yeere ago in Doway saw this doctrine that God doth moue with a priority of nature of causality and effectually all morall agents in all their actions printed in certaine Theses which were to be defended publikely vnder the moderation of one D. Estius who obstinately as I was there informed defended the same position controuersie betwixt the Ignatians at Doway and some other Professours of that Vniuersity the noise of which scandalous controuersie soundeth euen vp to Rome it selfe there to be determined c. The English Liturgy is most egregiously calumniated to be vaine irreligious a most slanderous imputation for the forme thereof is conformable to all antiquity is very religious and if some priuate disorderly persons sometimes minister not the Sacrament according to the forme there prescribed what of that But I haue often wondered why the speciall absurdities and abuses if there be so many in the Booke of English Common Praier as they pretend haue not been by any of the aduersaries in some special sort largely discouered and confuted considering how often and in how speciall sort the many turpitudes abuses cōtradictions fooleries of their Roman Masses haue been learnedly deciphered Commonly and daily is the Church of England calumniated for giuing vnto the Prince the Title of Supreame head or gouernor of the Church of England which yet is giuen in no other sense then to shew that very power and Supreame Iurisdiction which all Ancient Christian Emperours and Kings in the q 1. Paralipom 28. 2. Paralip cap. 17. 19. Reg. 4. cap. 18. 3. Reg. 2. old Testament and since haue euer more or lesse had in their Kingdomes to wit that for the publike setling establishing execution and administration of all manner of iustice whether in matters of Religion or other Temporall causes the Prince hath Supreame authority and that without his command or permission no man may so much as beare or wagge any rodde of any publike Iustice or gouernment But touching the ministration of Sacraments giuing of Orders giuing the power of the Keies and in or touching defining of faith it is a meere foppery to say the Prince challengeth any such matter in this Kingdome or that any such is giuen him But in al such respects he doth most religiously acknowledge himselfe to be one of the sacred sheepe of Christs sacred flocke vnder Christ his ministeriall Shepheards of the English Churche Remember I pray you how r Parsons his Catholike letter and answer to our Kings Apology Parsons admitteth that the Kings supreamacy as his most excellent and pious Maiesty most religiously and excellently explaneth the same in his Apology for the Oath of Allegeance is allowable and such as may be receiued The truth is you care not so much for what the Prince hath as for that the Pope is excluded from his gainful Supremacy ouer this Kingdom who was accustomed with his Annats Reseruations Vnions Comendaes Expectatiue graces Prouisions Presentations Nominatiōs and with infinite such like ſ 1 ad Tim. 6. nouelties of names and prophanations to corrupt all Church discipline and Religion of this Kingdome as the t Lincoln Epise apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. famous and holy Robert Bishop of Lincolne long agoe obiected to your holy Pope Innocent the 4. And heere to note by the way your vanities you thinke it to be eternall blemish to the Church of England for that King Henrie for loue of Queene Anne Bolleyne as you say and to be diuorced from Queene Katharine did exclude the Popes authority out of England meerely vpon fancy and passion But alas your deuise is vaine for it was first giuen vnto him by the learned Vniuersity of Oxford then Pontifician vpon this occasion which I desire you to marke There was earnest suite made by some certaine Pontificians to the Kings Maiesty to condemne Martin Luthers opinions as being the very same in many points with those of Iohn Wicleff who had beene long before often condemned in that famous Vniuersity of Oxford and by many of his former predecessors whereupon the King being desirous to see a copy of Wicleffs Articles one was brought vnto him the which hee seriously perusing found one of them to be thus to wit that the Bishop of Rome had no power nor iurisdiction by right ouer the Church of England Which when the King saw hauing at that time the weighty controuersie about his diuorce with the Bishop of Rome he seemed to like thereof but willing to doe nothing rashlie or against Faith u This standeth recorded in Oxford as M. Thomas James hath affirmed vnto me very lately hee presently dispatched the same Article to the Vniuersity of Oxford to haue it by the learned anew examined and their iudgements freely to bee giuen vpon it the which was accordingly done and the Article approued whereupon that Prince resolued by Consent and Authority of Parliament to exclude the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Church of England which vnder his most tyrannicall oppressions had a long time groned but by this meanes came to be deliuered from the Egyptian seruitude as the holy Bishop of Lincolne long agoe Prophesied it would And if King Henry the 8. vpon your supposed motiues did impugne the Papacy yet I pray you what greater disgrace is it to the Church of England that King Henry should exclude the Popes supremacy then it is to the Church of Rome that he should establish the Statute of sixe Articles for your Masse auricular confession c and what disgrace to your doctrine of adoration of Images because the vsurping and auaricious Empresse x Baron in
Anall Platin. in Adrian Irene caused the same by a Synod of Bishops to bee decreed in Nice And I pray you doe you thinke worse of your Iubilies because y Platina in Bonif 8. Walsing in Edward 1. Polychron lib. 7. cap. 40. Boniface the 8. who entred most ambiciously like a Foxe liued like a Lion and died like a Dogge brought them in beware of such mislikes it will not be for the profit of Romes purse Againe the Church of England is calumniated euery day by all the Ignatians as though she had no true orders or iurisdiction I dare affirme that in it there is as certaine and as assured a succession of orders spirituall iurisdiction as in the Church of Rome it selfe which hath so often tottered with so many schismes and hath bin pestered with so many Apostatical Popes as both Baronius and Genebrard deliuer I my selfe very lately searched for my own satisfaction the Records and I find clearly that Archbishop Parker was sufficiently truly and canonically ordered and consecrated by such Bishops as had receiued orders and consecration according to the Romane Church he swore not thou wilt perhaps obiect obedience to the Bishop of Rome a toy Where in all antiquity finde you the vse ofswearing subiection to the Bishop of Rome Romane Tyranny brought it in to the Church and Christian liberty hath exploded it It is indeede the soule of your Religion that subiection to the Bishop of Rome is a meane necessary to saluauation as necessary as Baptisme it selfe O prodigious Doctrin it is not enough say these men to saluation to be vnited with Christ and subiected to our immediate Pastors who are in vnion with the whole Catholike Church touching the Catholike faith vnlesse we be also vnited by immediate subiectiō vnto the Pope of Rome who may both be an Heretike and also contaminate the Church with his pernicious Lawes So that if a Pope Nerolike as Boniface the 8. would by pernicious Lawes draw you from Christ and like as a Heliogabalus as Iohn the 12. would draw you to all impurities and teach you to diuide the Church by opposing against the true Pope after his iust deposition by the whole Romane Clergy most Bishops of Italy assembled in a Synod or Ottomanlike as Paul the 5. will teach you against Christs institution not to yeelde temporall obedience to your lawfull Soueraigne if hee out of his throne take vpon him to dethrone him vnlesse forsooth you be subiect to such Vicars of Christ you cannot haue saluation in Christ O prodigious and vaine Doctrine of these times the holy Prophets O ye Britaine 's haue forewarned vs let vs beware of them What vile calumniation is that by which the reformed Churches of England are charged to deny the seeing of Gods face and glory vnto the Saints departed vntill the day of Iudgement What a slander that she respects no Holy daies of Christ or his Apostles I dare say that the memories of the Apostles are in many places of this Kingdome as religiously obserued as the Sundaies are with them but in the obseruation of the Sabbath our Lords day the Church of England doth so farre surpasse all Papistical Churches yea of Rome it selfe that it were a sinne to make any comparison therein betwixt them a Caluino Turcismo William Rainolds calumniateth Caluin that hee teacheth that Christ by his corporall death redeemed not mankinde A meere Calumnious imputation his doctrine is that Christ by his meere Corporal death had he not subiected himself to haue vndergone his fathers displeasure against mankinde and to haue clothed himselfe as it were with the deserts punishment and guilt of man he had not fully made that satisfactiō for mankind of which the Scripture so often speake of which doctrin who can be ignorant who is acquainted with holy writ Great is their spight against that man but notwithstanding all their malice against him he liued peaceably laboured faithfully and died Christianly leauing such a posterity of books behinde him which checketh the daily continual innouations of Rome Grieuous is the imputation to the English Church for condemning and contemning the ancient Fathers whereas the most it striueth for is to support that of b Tertull. lib. de prescriptio Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most Ancient euen in the Fathers is most true At first when counterfeit Martials Abdias Clements Markes Dionises were produced the Prelats of the reformed Churches were more afrighted then hurt and to such Fathers they might iustly giue the Anatheme because such fathers had impugned and contradicted that Gospell of Christ the which whosoeuer though an Angell from heauen shall doe we are warranted by the c ad Galat. 1. Apostle to giue him the Anatheme But in and for true Fathers the Church of England reuerently and constantly auoucheth that of d Vincent Lirin contra Heres cap. 4. Tertull. de praescript Vincentius Lirinensis to take place Quicquid non unus aut duo c. Whatsoeuer not one or two but al together with one and the same consent openly frequently and constantly shall bee knowne to haue held written and taught that she also without any doubt knoweth must by her bee beleeued and this most iustly the English Church admitteth it being as cleare as the verie no one daies that all Fathers of the Ancient Church neuer taught helde nor wrot any thing in this sort which is not clearely agreeing to Gods word which is the onely Rule of Christian faith But iustly to retort vpon them who knoweth not that for most of their Roman nouel positions the Aduersaries haue no Ancient Fathers and therefore to defend themselues being vrged they do not produce Fathers but stand to their imagined Traditions written no where in Antiquity but only reserued in the Romane Bishops and Churches brests as they pretende this is their City of refuge as for example When a world of Fathers concurring with sacred Scripture is produced to shew that the Virgin Mary whose name bee euer blessed amongst and aboue all women was conceiued in Originall sinne yea some of them with S. Anselme auouching that shee was borne in sinne which I can hardly beleeue doe they heere sticke to the Fathers nothing lesse their imagined traditions must take place Againe when whole centuries of Fathers and those assembled in Synods bee produced to affirme that Popes haue beene and may bee Heretikes will they heare admit of the Fathers nothing lesse all records must be coūterfeit their own best Authors deceiued rather then the Fathers authorities admitted against their Popes infallibilies When irrefragable authorities of most ancient Fathers are produced to shew that the holy Scriptures are the onely inerrable rule of Christian Catholike faith and the square by which the writings and faith of all men and all Churches must be examined and tried will they heere allow the Fathers No alas they flye the field and seeke after some maimed sentences
to interprete this flight of the woman to haue been about the time of Constantius or else to signifie some other particular desolation destitution of the Church when shee was persecuted by the Gentiles I doe not much insist vpon it and yet although this generall destitution of the Church should last but for a short time as they desire yet it quite ouerthroweth their ground of the Churches * Almost all Pontificians acknowledge that in Antichrists time the true Church shall bee in conspicuous without any publike â—â—uicâ— so Bellarmine Dried Sâ—aâ—es Valâ—nt Râ—mists clearely vpon the 2. to the Thes 2. continuall and neuer intermitted manifest and vniuersall conspicuity Further without all question if the e Apocal. 13 whole world shall admire after the image of the beast which image of the beast must of necessity be vnderstood of some kind of Monarchicall gouernment Empire or rule the which like an Image shall represent and stand as it were in stead of the Romane Empire it selfe then doubtlesse the number of those which shall refuse to adore the Image of the beast and to acknowledge the Popes temporall and spirituall absolute Monarchy will not be great but small at the very first till God by the spirite of his mouth shall vouchsafe by degrees to destroy the harlot where the image of this beast resideth To confirme what I haue said I will annexe the prophesie of one Hildegard a religious Virgine whom the aduersaries repute a Saint and f Theodoric Niem 2. lâ—b de priuilegijs Imperij cap. de Oâ—b 2. 3. whose bookes in the which this prophesie is Eugenius the third in a Councel at Treuers at which Saint Bernard was present receiued and approued This deuout Virgine hauing prophesied of a defection that should bee from the Romane Empire she foretelleth also of a general diuision that should be in the church and withall how by reason of the wickednesse pride and neglect of Religion which all would see in the Popes Apostolicall as shee calleth them all Kingdomes * This her prophesie is agâ—â—ing to the doctrine of lâ—aâ—ned 〈◊〉 in his booke of the auâ—â—â—â—ibility oâ— the Pope and in the time of Pope Juliâ—s all the Prelates of France at Touâ—es in a Councell there affiâ—med the same as Iohn dâ— Sâ—â—â—s relateth in Lewis the 12. would thereupon choose vnto themselues Archbishops and Gouernours of other names vnder whom they might and would professe Christ and his pure Religion leauing saith she vnto the Pope Rome alone with a few territories adioyning thereunto vnder such Gouernours and Archbishops saith shee Peoples and Kingdomes shall embrace iustice obserue the ancient customes and disciplines as the ancieÌ„ts were accustomed to do Thus she by which prophecie it is euident what this Saint and all those who approued her books thought of necessary subiection to the Bishop and Church of Rome Not vnlike is that which they write of their Prophetisse g Lib. 4. reuelat cap 57. Brigit shee bringeth in the mother of Christ thus speaking to her sonne Rome is a plentifull field to whom Christ answered thou sayest true but cockle hath ouergrowne this field and therefore it must bee clensed with a sharpe iron it must bee purged with fire and plowed with oxen therefore I will deale with it as he who remoueth plants into another place for h The Bishop of Eâ—hesus was threatned by God to haue his Candlesticke â—emooued out of his â—lace foâ— leauing of his first charity Apocal 2 What presumption therefore 〈◊〉 the Roman Popâ—s to thinke theis Candlestick cannoâ—â—â— remoued who haue abandâ—ned all the primitiue chaâ—ity of the Apostles and are whol degene rated into aâ— câ—taâ—iâ—â— of sin bâ—t I wish theÌ„ to â—ead the â—â— of S. Pauls epist to them such a punishment is prouided for that City as if the Iudge would say flea off the whole skinne draw out of the flesh all the bloud cut all the flesh into peeces and breake all the bones that all the marrow may flow away thus there and if the prophesie of the worthy virgine Meethildis be truly related from her the controuersie with Rome is at an end for shee in expresse termes foretelleth that the Church of Rome should wholy apostotate from the faith of Christ and that there should remain in Germany a poore and persecuted Church which should serue and worship God religiously and purely This is cleare likewise that of Iohn Capistran is as cleare that Rome in time would be so purged and the Popes and Cardinals brought so in order that there would bee none found who would make haste to be Pope contrary to the fashion now i Read dist 79 cap si quis and Baron Anno 912. vsed when no one almost entereth canonically but either by fauor canuasing of some Cardinall or procurement of some Prince or by bargaine as Simon would haue bought power to haue giuen the holy Ghost This Iohn Capistrane whom I mentioned was reputed a Saint by them as likewise was Iohn of Calabria as k Possâ—â—ine in a par verbo Câ—â—â—llus Posseuine in his Apparate affirmeth of him of whome Roger Houeden reporteth that hee should affirme that one l Houâ—d in Ric. 1. who should be Antichrist and a Pope was then born in Rome vulgar is the like prophesie of Ioakim Abbot by me mentioned aboue of Antichrist then born in Rome sundry are the like prophesies which them selues also admit amongst themselues to their owne confusion and yet forsooth they would tie all vnder pain of damnation against all Scriptures and all Antiquity to embrace their nouelties and in no case to forsake Rome but against this their paradoxe I may most iustly vse the words of l Tertul. Apolog. cap. 6. Tertullian vnto them vsed by him in like case vbi religio vbi veneratio c. Where is Religion where worship and reuerence due from you to your Elders in habit liuing discipline sense and last of all euen in speech you haue renounced your Ancestors you alwaies prayse Antiquity but day by day you liue newly thus he so these men in all their vanities of Pardons graines round wafers merites of Saints Purgatory fire transubstantiation adoration of Images c. pretend Apostolicall Tradition but being vrged to shew them to be ancient and to carry them vpward towards the Apostles they faint in the midway and when forsooth they faile they will then vow professe pronounce and protest that although they know no mention made of them yet sure they were all vsed before that time euen from the Apostles dayes and here they stumble into that absurdity which they vainely obiect against others to witte of inuisible inaudible and vnlegible Traditions one of their Rules of faith the practise whereof in ancient times they cannot shew and although the pure Church of Christ had beene for many yeares together so inuisible so inconspicuous that there could no known nor set Congregation be defined