learned Doctor whom they call the Angelicall Doctor sayth Tho. Aqu. lec in 1. Tim. 6. The doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called Canonicall because it is as it were the rule of our vnderstanding 1. q. 1. ar 4. And againe our faith resteth and stayeth it selfe vpon the reuelation giuen to the Apostles and Prophets which writ the Canonicall bookes 1. q. 1. ar 8. and not vpon reuelation if any such haue beene made to other Doctors And also in another place hee sheweth how all iudgement of truth is to be referred to the Scriptures saying In arguing it properly vseth viz. the said reuealed knowledge Tho. 1 q. part 1. q. 1. ar 8. ad 2. whereof he speaketh of necessitie the authorities of Canonicall Scripture but the authorities of other Doctors of the Church as it were arguing out of her owne but probably For our faith doth relie vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonicall bookes nd not vpon any reuelation made to other Doctors Therefore Augustine sayth in his Epistle to Hierome Epi. 19. Paulo post princip to 2. I haue learned to giue this honor to the onely bookes of Scriptures which are called Canonicall as to beleeue most firmely that not one author of them hath erred in writing but others I reade so that with what soeuer holinesse and learning they are endued as not therefore to thinke any thing a truth because they haue held or written so And in another place Faith doth cleaue vnto all the articles of faith for one medium to wit for the first truth proposed vnto vs in Scriptures according to the doctrine of the Church vnderstanding rightly and therefore hee that swarueth from this meane doth totally want faith Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth expressely Sum. part 3. tit 18. c. 3. ff 3. That God hath spoken but once and that in the holy Scripture and so plentifully to meete with all temptations and all cases that may fall out and all good workes that as Gregorie in the two and twentieth booke of his Morals expounds it he needes no more speake vnto vs concerning any necessarie matter seeing all things are found in the Scripture Gerson a great man in the Councell of Constance sayth De com sub vtraque specie The Scripture is the rule of our faith which being well vnderstood no authoritie of men is to be admitted against it Durandus sayth That generally in the things that touch our faith wee must speake to that which the Scripture deliuereth Praef. in sent least any man fall into that which the Apostle noteth 1. Cor. 8. If he thinke he knoweth something yet the knoweth nothing as he ought to know for the manner of our knowledge must be not to exceede the measure of faith and the holy Scripture expresseth the measure of faith Alliaco the Cardinall sayth 1. Sent. q. 1. ar 3. The verities themselues of the sacted Canon be the principles of Diuinitie because the finall resolution of Theologicall discourse is made into them and originally from them is drawne euery conclusion of Diuinitie Conradus Clingius sayth Locor l. 3. c. 29. pag. 290. The Scripture is the infallible rule of truth yea the measure and iudge of the truth Peresius the Diuinitie Reader at Barcelona in Spaine sayth The authoritie of no Saint is of infallible truth Iac. Per. de ratio con li. 2. c. 19. for Saint Augustine giues that honor onely to the sacred Scriptures Whereupon I frame this reason That onely is the infallible rule which is of infallible truth but the Scripture onely is of infallible truth therefore the Scripture onely is the infallible rule 8 Bellarmine also writeth thus Other late Writers De verbo Dei li. 1. cap. 2. The rule of faith must be certaine and knowne for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all if it be not knowne it is no rule to vs but nothing more certaine nothing better knowne than the sacred Scripture contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of faith most certaine and most safe and God hath taught vs by corporall letters which wee might see and reade what he would haue vs beleeue concerning him Whence I gather that if the Swenckfeldians are to bee drawne to the written Text then ought those of the Church of Rome also be recalled to the same rule from their vncertaine traditions from the Popes sole definitiue sentence and from their Councels not teaching by Scriptures If nothing be more knowne nothing more certaine as the Cardinall confesseth than the Scriptures why doe they reiect them from being the rule as not sufficient to preserue from error not knowne ynough The same Cardinall sayth in another place De not eccles c. 2. ff respond Simpliciter The Scripture is better knowne than the Church in some case as namely where it is receiued and speaketh plainly and the question is of the Church Willauincentius confesseth The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation De ratio stud Theol. li. 1. c. 31. pag. 21. as the Apostle in the third chapter of his second Epistle to Timothie affirmeth saying All Scripture is inspired of God in which words the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are needfull to the saluation of man Comment in 2. Tim c 3 in vers 15 16. Espenceus writeth That if any thing be needfull either to be knowne or done the Scriptures teach the truth reproue the false reclaime from euill persuade to good neither yet doe they make a man good in some sort but perfect yea they can teach a man to saluation and make him learned sufficiently Panormitane writeth thus One faithfull man Part 1. de elect polest ca. significa though priuate is more to be beleeued than the Pope or a whole Councell if he haue better reason on his side and authoritie of the Old and New Testament And Gerson more sully De exemp doct part 1. considera 5. The examination and triall of doctrine concerning faith belongeth not onely to the Pope and Councell but to euery one also that is sufficiently seene in the holy Scripture because euery one is a fit iudge of that he knoweth And againe some lay-man not authorised may be so excellently learned in the Scripture that his assertion shall be more to be credited than the Popes definitiue sentence for the Gospell is more to be credited than the Pope Therefore if such a lay man though he be priuate teach a truth contained in the Gospell and the Pope either know it not or will not know it yet it is euident that his iudgement is to be preferred Costerus Cesterus sayth That such verities concerning our faith as are absolutely necessarie to be knowne and beleeued of all men are plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues Doctor Saunders sayth Rock pag. 193. Wee
light of Scriptures Psal 119. vers 10.4 Psal 119. vers 18. vnto thy Lord God Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum lumen semitis meis Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And againe Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of the Law 11 Yet thou art to haue great care that thou make not this rule longer than it is nor shorter for this is forbidden by Christ himselfe speaking against such a one saying I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this Booke Apoc. 22.18 19. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prephecie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from the things which are written in this Booke This fault of adding to the Books of holie scripture is very notorious in the Church of Rome as I haue duly obserued Ses 41. For the Councell of Trent addeth to the Canon of the old Testament diuers Apocriphall Books which must be beleeued as Canonicall Scriptures as namely Tobias Iudith Hester and the two bookes of the Macchabees Esdras Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus all which are learnedly proued to be Apocriphall by the right reuerend Father in God my Lords grace of Canterburie in his answer to master Doctor Hill his eight reason Num. 3. sequent the consideration whereof made me plainely conclude that heerein the Church of Rome giues great and apparent occasion for any to iudge that she erreth and consequently not to heare her voice thus vttering falshood for trueth giuing equall authoritie to the Apocriphall Bookes with the holy canonicall Scriptures CHAP. VII Containing an 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 and externall gouernement ALthough I haue cleerely discouered The externall ministe rie of the Church an ordinarie meanes to know the true sense of Scripture that the sacred Scriptures are the chiefe infallible rule of faith and most sufficient in the precedent obseruation yet could I not rest satisfied till I found also a meanes for the simple and vnlearned to ground their faith vppon because Deus vult omnes saluos fieri ad agnitionem veritatis venire God will haue all to be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the knowledge of his trueth And as well as he in the gouernment of his creatures hath his end to which he designes them so also by his wisedome he doth most prudently substitute subordinate means for the full accomplishment of such his designements now therefore how those that are neither able to reade the scriptures or though they be able haue not sufficient skill and knowledge to consider the circumstances of Texts and by the analogie of faith not learned enough to find out the true meaning of the Scriptures nor haue the gift of interpretation as many and most haue not whereupon arise many deprauations of Scriptures how such should be directed in the right vse of the rule of Scriptures in finding out the right meaning of them I thought it a matter of great weight wel to discouer and by the declaration thereof to affoord a stay to weake consciences in this behalfe In the scrious discussion of which point it pleased almightie God so to second my carefull Labours and indeuours herein as that I receiued ful satisfaction in mine owne iudgement by this conclusion namely That the most ordinary externall direction left by God especially to direct vnlearned men in the finding out of the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures is the ministerie of the true visible Church of Christ assisted by the holie Ghost and the Church in this respect is called 1. Tim. 3.15 Matt. 5.14 The pillar of truth and the ministers thereof The light of the world 2 And therefore as master Harding himselfe confesseth True vnderstanding of Scripturs only in the Church Doctor Hard. conâ—ut of the Apologie of the Church of England fol. 36. Mester Celuine admonisheth very well That it is especially to be noted that out of the Church there is no light of the sound vnderstanding of the Scriptures But the inconsiderate Doctour maketh a verie fond inference vpon this ground saying This ground being laid on which each part must sland and be tried in crow no more against vs boast your selues no more we feare not the iudgement of the holie Scriptures nay it is your selues that feare this iudgement for your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground you are the weaker side Jnstit lib. 4 cap. 8. num 7. hee forgot that master Caluine said Let this be a firme axiome That no other word of God is to be had to which place must bee giuen in the Church than what is maintained first in the Law and Prophets then in the writings of the Apostles neither is there anie way of teaching in the Church of God but by the prescript and rule of his word If master Harding had well obserued this hee would not haue made such an inference or affirmed that the Protestants feare this iudgement but rather would haue concluded as I doe That since both stand vpon the outward ministerie of the true Church let vs seeke the true Church of Christ and hauing found it The deuties of the true church then heare and follow her doctrine teaching according to Scripture and out of Scripture 3 The due obseruation whereof sheweth That the true visible Church is to represse the deprauations of Heretickes and partly to informe those that are vnlearned and to exercise euen the obedience of those that are learned and by the externall ministerie of teaching the true sence of Scriptures is to giue directions and is duetifully by her members to bee heard and followed Which assertion I find not to make either for the present Church of Rome or of Engl. or any other particular Church till it bee prooued which of them is the true Catholike Ancient and Primitiue Apostolike Church teaching the sound Doctrine of the first pure and vntainted ages whereof I am to speake in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII Containeth a fundamentall obseruation how that consormity of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church may bee a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ. AFter that I had thus discouered both the most sufficient rule of faith to be the canonicall and true Scriptures and the most ordinarie externall meanes to find out the true sence to be the ministerie of the true Church Antiquitie a good inducement to the true Church I could not yet giue sufficient contentment to my vnderstanding vntill such time as I had found out also
obedient in outward profession than religious men to their Superiours and who more rebellious or treacherous to their Princes Garnet Oldcorne and others of their vngodly societie can witnesse this It carried a goodly shew and face of vertue for a certaine Iesuit to confine Sir Euerard Digbie within the compasse of two chambers carrying the resemblance of Hell and Heauen by the outward furniture and pictures where-with they were adorned for his spirituall exercise and the better settling of his life in vertue by holy contemplations Herein appeared the garment of a sheepe but the corruption of vnrighteousnesse and Pharisaicall iniustice appeared in that the aforesaid holie Father who liued openly in his house like a Gallant following his play and other recreations and free conuersation with others in the house whilest the Knight was shut vp in his prison to pray and meditate of his life past and the world to come and also in that not only this good Father not long after with this Knight his Ghostly child were found to haue harboured in their hearts that festering corruption of the powder treason the memorie whereof will be odious and hatefull to all posteritie Herein appeared the rauenous Wolfe so clad in a sheepes garment When Parsons the Iesuit sent mony from Rome to Master William Alablaster in shew of loue and charitie Parsons notorious hipocrisie to diuers inuiting him to come thither as though he would there haue done him some great fauor no man would haue thought but this good father had had a heart of true burning charitie in tendring the good of the honest Gentleman who was banished out of England for professing the Romane Faith Herein appeared the garment of a sheepe but afterward when the said Gentleman not suspecting any guile vnder the cloake of a religious profession arriued at Rome and by the meanes of this holy Father was committed to the Inquisition where hee was kept some moneth prisoner vpon pretence of a booke which hee had published with approbation of those that were to allow of it in the Low Countries and humble submission thereof in his Preface to the Churches censure in all points taught therein like a sincere child of that Church as then he was and like a true Israelite without fraude or guile herein appeared the rauenous Wolfe in a Sheepes skinne VVhat a woluish disposition may it bee thought this man bore to his Maiestie and the State who were of a contrarie religion to him since hee appeared so cruell to one that professed the Romane saith that suffered banishment for the same that for zeale to that Church left the way hee was in to preferment at home and found little charitie or kindnesse abroade VVhen the same good father further would professe great desire of the Secular Priests good proceedings here in England when hee would compassionate other mens want of charitie in disgracing the good Fathers of his order with some personall imputations saying it was an vncharitable part for any so to discouer any mans imperfections herein appeared the garment of a sheep But when publikely he read a letter from England amongst the Schollers at Rome disclosing the horrible sinne of one William a Priest that had many yeares liued too familiarly with a Tailors wife whereof the Tailor hauing notice caried a dagge vnder his cloake vp down London streets to shoot him to death for so sacrilegious and adulterous an act and this as he said was an earnest Appealant at which time four of the Appealants were in Rome to prosecute the Priests cause against the Iesuits M. Blackwel of which charitable report I being then a Student of that Colledge was my selfe an ear-witnesse yet could I neuer since vpon diligent enquiry vnderstand any such storie to bee true of any Priest in England and therefore herein appeared the rauenous VVolfe When Doctor Richard Smith went to Rome some few years since to compose some good order for the gouernment of the secular Clergie and freedome from the Iesuites domineiring soueraignetie ouer them that by absolute disclaiming entercourse of consultations with them the State might not haue a iust cause to inuolue them in the true imputation of any participation with the Iesuites practises this religious and Christianly resolued Robert Parsons said he desired nothing more then peace and would not bee quiet till it was made with him herein appeared the garment of a sheep but when at the same time otherwise to disgrace him and to enclose him within the gates of the holy Inquisition there hee and another Priest deuoted vnto him presented the booke which the said Doctor writ against master Thomas Bell into the Inquisition there to be examined taxing it to containe dangerous propositions against the Popes authoritie in Temporalibus notwithstanding the whole booke is written in defence of the Romane Catholike saith herein appeared the disposition of this rauenous wolfe but the booke cleared it selfe and the Author got commendations for it 4 Many the like testimonies of the Romane hypocrisie could I produce which must not be maruailed at in the members The hypocrisie of Popes described since it appeareth more manifessly in the chiefe head the Pope himselfe who is described by Saint Iohn Apocal. 15.11 To haue two hornes like vnto the Lambe but to speake like the Dragon Where Lyranus saith They are like to the Lambe that is Christ whose two hornes are the two Testaments Lyra. in Apoc. 13 Primas ibid. And Primasius Hee will endonour to make the two Testaments agreeing with the Lambe after the manner of the Lambe to agree with himselfe yet is he said to speake as the Dragon because he will deceiue those whom he shall seduce by the hypocrisie of fained truth For he should not bee like vnto the Lambe if openly hee should speake as the Dragon Now hee faineth the Lambe that he may inuade the Lambe that is the bodie of Christ. So likewise he whosoeuer he be that is Author of the ordinarie Closse applieth the same note of hypocrisie to the whole multitude of Antichrists consorts when he saith They shall faine themselues to haue innocencie Gloss ordin ibidem and a pure life and true doctrine and the miracles which Christ had and gaue vnto his Whereby it is apparent that not onely the Bishop of Rome but also his precursors and consorts shall be notorious in this note and marke of hypocrisie and dissimulation This may seeme probably apparent if we remember the letter that was sent by Garnet some few monethes before his trouble to master Blackwell signifying from father Aquauiua the Generall of the Iesuites that his Holinesse gaue order that all Catholikes heere in England should behaue themselues quietly and dutifully towards his Maiestie without giuing offence or raising any tumults about matters of religion which some thought to haue beene by reason of the commotion that happened in Wales about that time whereof perhaps the Pope might haue some inckling yet
and when I noted that I could neuer heare any one Iesuit to speake reprouingly of it and further heard some very rashly and foolishly to cast the imputation of inuenting it vpon the best States-men of this land as a traine to make Catholikes the more odious to the State I began to obserue a custome vsed by some which is without any regard of truth or knowledge to speake the worst they can to blemish the reputation of their aduersaries so I heard a certaine young Iesuit report when Garnet was in the Tower A pretty deuice that day and night oyle was put into his eyes with feathers and other means vsed to keepe him from sleepe that so being weakened both in bodie and minde he might be easily drawne to confesse all he knew which circumstances with diuers others belonging to this vnmatchable treason though they made mee not then abandon the faith and beleefe of those that were actors thereof yet did they sow such seedes of doubtfulnesse and care in me to be sound in faith that the effects and fruits issuing from them of doctrine concerning disallegeance to the King which is contained in the Popes Breues hath much auerted me since as namely the doctrine of Bellarmine teaching that the Apostles were not subiect to temporall Princes de iure but de facto retracting the former opinion Bellarmin cont Barclaium tract De potest summi Pontificis in rebus temporalibus ca. 3. fol. 48. extant in his controuersies these many yeares now holding the quite contrarie notwith standing it is a doctrine of faith that as well the Clergie as the Laitie are subiect to Kings and Princes because obedience to Kings whether they be good or wayward in Scripture is commended vnto all 1. Petri 2.18 behold here the second occasion 7 A third occasion concurring to my conuersion Conference with others was conference with others into whose companies by chance I haue falne as once with a learned Knight who not knowing me to be a Priest conferred with me as with a professor of the Romane faith who winded me into such a circle about the Scriptures and the Church that I could neuer winde my selfe out of it till I winded my selfe out of the Romane Church and stayed my selfe vpon a ground not admitted there which is that the Scriptures are the most sufficient and certaine rule of faith that Christians haue which if you take away all religion all faith all knowledge of God falleth to the ground And another time I fell into dispute with a graue ancient Iustice of Peace who pressed me so farre that I promised to send him some principall doctrines of the Roman Church so sufficiently proued by Scriptures by Fathers and by naturall reason that if they could bee answered I would subscribe to his Church but in the examination of the proofes of those very points brought in by Bellarmine and due consideration of them I found them to be of very little force to proue the verities intended as hereafter shall appeare concerning the Masse Transubstantiation the ministration of the Sacrament vnder one kinde to lay people Pardons auricular confession and others whereupon I haue proued since as good as my promise in ioyning my selfe to the Church of England 8 A fourth occasion of examining more carefully the controuersies hath been grounded vpon his Maiesties Title His Maiesties Booke in his Premonition to Christian Princes stiling himselfe the Defendor of the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith which seemed so strange vnto me at the first considering that no Church more chalengeth the name of Catholike than the Church of Rome that I began to consider with my selfe whether I could finde any capitall points of faith taught now by the present Church of Rome that were not taught and professed by the ancient and Primitiue Church and now impugned by the Church of England and finding that the doctrine of deposing Princes and Kings by the Pope was not ancient nor Transubstantiation nor the Masse as now it is practised nor the Sacrament as now it is ministred by the Church of Rome nor Pardons nor prohibition of Priests marriages I haue since beene enforced to conclude that certainely the present Church of Rome professeth not in those points the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith Further as I noted the profession his Maiestie maketh in his Premonitorie Epistle to Princes Praemonit ful 35 acknowledging himselfe to be such a Christian Catholike as beleeueth the three Creedes that of the Apostles that of the Councell of Nice and that of Athanasius admitting the first foure generall Councels as Catholike and Orthodox the ioint consent of Fathers in the Primitiue age the authoritie of Scriptures c. I could not but conceiue at last that his Maiestie went vpon the strongest foundations of the Catholike faith that could bee layed to auoid the danger of new doctrines which obseruations did much facilitate my search and scrutinie into the true grounds and reasons of faith besides many other occasions of priuat conference with diuers particular persons who thought themselues much tempted in matters of faith and religion because they could hardly beleeue what the Church of Rome teacheth or at least not without great difficultie Whereby you may see courteous Reader the prouidence of God working in me by degrees towards my conuersion affoording mee the occasions and meanes first of searching and examining which brought me at length to the motiues of resoluing as hereafter you shall vnderstand more at large when I shall first haue layd downe vnto you certaine fundamentall obseruations as grounds on which the true Christian Catholike faith must of necessitie stand and the whole frame thereof be surely builded CHAP. III. Containing the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse AFter the manifestation of the occasions which by Gods prouidence occurred to forward this worke of my conuersion The chiefe businesse of man is to seeke his end the next thing to be spoken of is to acquaint thee deare Christian Reader with those fundamentall obseruations which made further way to the complete perfection thereof the first of which was of that nature that I assure my selfe no man who hath care of his soule and saluation can chuse but allow for I assured my selfe that if I went vpon such sure foundations and principles as religion ought to stand vpon I could neither stay in error nor fall into any Hence I was moued to resolue most constantly that the most immoueable foundation that all my sp rituall building should stand on should be a frequent consideration that the chiefe and most principall affaire and businesse of greatest importance in this world wherein it was my dutie to employ my endeuors ought to be the saluation of my soule and my future happinesse in the life to come since to this end God created me to his similitude and likenesse redeemed mee with the most precious bloud of his most
medio tom 4. That when Sorcerers doe those thinges which Saints doe they are don for a different end and by a different power for Sorcerers doe them seeking their owne glorie Saints doe them seeking the glorie of God Sorcerers doe them by certaine priuate contracts Saints doe them by publique administration and commaund of God vnto whom all things created are subiect 3 Now therefore since seeming miracles done by the Diuell The true Catholike church the approuer of true miracles exceeding the ordinarie power of Nature may deceiue many if they iudge their Doctrine by them and for that it is hard for a man to bee able to say whether a miracle bee done by the power of almighty God or by the power of the Diuell because both exceede our vnderstanding and the ordinarie course of Nature it stoode mee vppon to search out some infallible meanes by which I might bee assured that they were true miracles and such as I might confidently relie vppon In which scrutinie I could finde no better rule than to obserue whether they bee done in the Catholique Church or no which I doe learne out of Saint Augustine Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. saying Whatsoeuer things of this quality are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore they are to bee approued because they are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore shee is not manifested Catholicke because those thinges are done in her Whereby it is cleere that miracles absolutely are not a proofe of the Catholicke Church but the Catholicke Church an approouer of true miracles whence it followeth That the miracles of the Primitiue Church were not so much a confirmation of her truth as her truth a confirmation of them Whence I obserue further That the present Church of Rome not beeing the true Catholicke Church because shee teacheth not the true Catholicke ancient Faith without mixture of many nouelties doth in vaine all eadge miracles in her behalfe which for that they are done out of the true Church are to bee reckoned amongst Antichrists lying signes prodigies Therefore I may pronounce confidently with S. Aug. vnto the Papists I say not that these things are so Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. because such a one did such and such maruailes but let them proue their Church by the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and by nothing else these are the demonstrations of our cause Note this these are our foundations these are our grounds whereupon we build Whereby wee see Miracles excluded from beeing a marke of the Church as the Cardinall Bellarmine would faine perswade the world that so his Romaine Church might bee approued for the true Church of God Vnapproueable therefore is the assertion of master D. Hill who chalengeth much vnto the Roman Church by her glorie of miracles wrought by her Saints his words are these The tenth reason of this quarterne Now it is so manifest that there haue beene an infinite number of miracles wrought by those who were of the Catholicke Romaine Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christs time as he who shall deny it may bee prooued no lesse impudent and shamlesse than bee who shall denie that euer there was any Masse said in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that there bee any such countries as the East and West-Indies which thing if a man should denie would hee not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or afoole In which words because Master Doctor Hill seemeth much to forget himselfe I must needs refresh his memorie with some few interrogatories What master Doctor I pray since Christs time did not Simmon Magus worke miracles who as Baronius saith Baron an 68. nu 22. made images to walke and would lie in the fire without hurt and flie in the ayre and make bread of stones hee could open doores fast shut and vnloose bands of iron and had many shadowes following him as it had been men Will you say he was a Roman Catholike Tacit. lib. 4. did not Vespasian the Emperour at Alexandria restore a blind man to sight will you say hee was a Roman Catholike Who be they Christ spake of when he said Matth. 7 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great workes and then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie What will you say that these workers of miracles and also of iniquity were of your Catholike Romane religion What think you of those Saint Augustine speaketh of August de vnit Eccles cap. 16. saying If there be done some miracles of heretikes we ought the more to take heed because when the Lord had said that there should be some deceiuers who by doing many signes should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible he did adde commending it vehemently said behold I haue foretold it vnto you What will you grant all these were of the Catholike Romane religion August tract 13. in loan What will you say vnto the same ancient Doctor in another place where he saith Against these miracle-mongers as I may so call them my God hath made mee warie saying In the last times there shall arise false Prophets doing signes and wonders What will you grant none of these to be yet come or will you grant them all to be of your religion What will you say to your Country-man Prompt mor. part aestiu pag. 627. dom 24. nu 4. Master Doctor Stapleton publike professor of Diuinitie in Louaine and if I mistake not your acquaintance in Doway who saith For the more triall of the godly not onely Antichrist himselfe and his nearest forerunners but all heretikes also may do true miracles by the permission of God as the sorcerers may doe Will you grant such forerunners and Heretikes to be of your Catholike Romane religion or will you say Doctor Stapleton erreth in calling them true miracles or will you recant your former assertion acknowledging your former mistaking and then shall I be as glad as now I haue commiseration of your error beseeching God in the meane time of his infinit mercie that you may see both your owne error and the errors of others of the present Romane religion and how different it is from the ancient Roman religion which in Saint Pauls dayes was famous through the world For my part I could not but vpon these and other considerations obserue the Church of England to be free from such false Prophets and Pseudochrists that they miracles as Christ fore told should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible for neither doe they pretend themselues to worke miracles and so to hunt after their owne estimation and applause for their holines as the teachers of the Roman Church do neither do they hold
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
as the Church of Rome teacheth who being deuoted much to the virgine Marie prayed often vnto her to bee deliuered from this doubt Who being one day at Masse the Hoast before the saying of the Pater noster was gone out of his sight whereof as hee was in a great amazement the virgine Marie appeared vnto him holding her sonne Iesus betwixt her armes and said vnto him This is he whom I brought into this world this is he whom you haue consecrated this is he whom you haue held and touched with your hands and shewed to the people to be adored which you eate and drinke in the Sacrament behold here I giue you my Sonne with reuerence and deuotion to be receiued of you and so as shee presented him vnto him he changed at that instant againe into the forme of bread whom he receiued and so his doubt ceased Here you see courteous Reader strange miracles alledged by the Papists in confirmation of their doctrine one while the bread is vnseene then Christ and our Ladie and then againe the forme of bread another while a Mule forsaking his prouender to adore God in the Sacrament whether these be not such signes wonders and great prodigies as may seduce the elect if it were possible I leaue to the holy Ghost to informe you the truth saying Nolite eis credere beleeue them not And one more yet I will relate vnto your memorie which hath beene wrought of late yeares and may be esteemed for a notable lie Till Bred. 7. Col. sac c. 7. There was a certaine Caluinist that married a Catholike woman that is Papist that long endeuoured to induce her to heare a Caluinist Minister preach The wife after she had a long time contradicted him was at last constrained to goe by the rigorous speeches and threatnings of her husband yet did she first acquaint her ghostly father there with who aduised her to obey the commaundement of her husband and to goe onely once to the said Sermon yet with condition to goe first to Confession and to the Communion The woman hauing performed the aduise of her ghostly father strengthned with the Sacraments went to the Sermon and she was no sooner entred but the Preacher became as silent and mute as a fish yet said at last after a little pause Here is some bodie present that hath eaten of the bread of Papists which is the cause that I will now giue ouer preaching hoping to make recompence another time The husband who was present seeing the Preacher A pretie fiction to disgrace Caluinists by Gods permission to become silent and disabled to prosecute his matter for the presence of one that had receiued the holy Communion who being returned home enquired of his wife whether shee had not receiued the Communion that morning or not she without dissimulation answering yes her husband suddainly knew that this doctrine of the Caluinists was false and accursed in that being placed with the light of the Sacraments of the Catholike Church it withered so and came to nought whereupon presently he made a good fire burned all his bookes to pouder and ashes and became himselfe a child of the Catholike Church In which miracle first I obserue that the ghostly father of this woman gaue her leaue for obedience to her husband to go to the Church of Caluinists which how it can hang with the doctrine of Paule the fifths Breue who sheweth it vnlawfull for English Catholikes to goe to the Churches of Heretikes viz. of all Caluinists and Protestants that are so in his iudgement vnlesse it be said that the Church of Rome holds one doctrine of faith lawfull at one time that is not lawfull at another time I should be glad to be resolued But this I obserue to proceede from Gods prouidence that the inuentors of these and the like miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine in one point doth often in some circumstance or other shew such ignorance or falsehood that discouereth them either not to approue the matter they intend or else runneth into some other error lesse tolerable shewing them most plainely to be such signes and wonders as Christ giueth a Caueat of them Not to be beleeued Many other miracles I might here insert but that I will not be too tedious in such idle tales fitter to be told amongst children as fables than to any men of more ripe iudgement yet are they amongst the Clergie of Rome of such account that their Sermonists are stuffed with them as may be obserued in Iacobus de Voragine Iohannes Meff Bernard de Bust Philippus Dies and many the like and are held more profitable for the people than any other manner of doctrine Yet I obserue one thing by reading of their liues of Saints that many miracles which were authenticall for many hundred yeares past are now growne to be Apocryphall as may be seene by comparing the auncient liues of S. George S. Katherine the Queene and others with them as they are of late yeares corrected and written by Lipeloo following Baronius and other writers of the same kind 12 Now therefore to draw neere my conclusion My conclusion about miracles what fruit could I better gather vpon the due obseruation of Christs warning vnto the world Not to beleeue such miracles than that the Church of Rome cannot bee the true Church of God that either winketh or authoriseth infinite numbers in the same nature as these are of which I haue alreadie recorded out of her owne Writers for which cause I could not but abandon her Communion and flye to that Church which like a faithfull Spouse resteth contented with the former miracles where with Christs Church was begun and chiefely relying vpon the holy Scriptures and the auncient doctrine of the Primitiue Church Yet is not my opinion in this point of miracles so to bee vnderstood as that I doe thinke no true miracles at all shall euer be done in the declining age of Gods Church but I would haue it knowne that my iudgement is that none are to be beleeued which are pretended to be done in confirmation of new doctrines not taught in the Scriptures not knowne to the auncient Church because it is most euident that Christ hath forbidden all beleefe of them and therefore not to be esteemed of otherwise than as of illusions of Sathan wherewith to enchant soules and to make them beleeue lyes in stead of truth and verities Oh what a miserie is it to see how many simple sincere and ouer-credulous Christians are cousened with these deceits and illusions of the Diuell and the true markes of Antichrist Let me therfore entreat thee courteous reader to remember the predictions of these signes and wonders aboue mentioned forespoken of by Christ S. Paule and S. Iohn and not so fondly to be lead blind-folded to the eternall destruction of thy soule by too much credulitie Be not like the Scribes and Pharisies seeking after signes from heauen for the faith least you
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
be another not this Damasus In Appar pag. 378. Tom. 1. pag. 573. Bar to 4. pag. 428. which Baronius saith containeth many things repugnant vnto themselues almost in euery Pope and therefore he thinketh it to be collected out of diuers authors Master Doctor Heskins in his Parliament of Christ to proue the sacrifice of the Masse alleageth Amphilochius who liued in the yeare 390. as the author of the life of Saint Basil Pag. 157. Bar Mart. Ian. 1. pag. 6. Spurius Posseuin in Appar pag. 77. yet Baronius saith That in the iudgement of all the wiser sort it is thought to be some bodies else And Posseuine saith The bastard Amphilochius cannot be his vnder whose name it is carried about Glicas in the fourth part of his Annals hath taught vs. By all which examples of the Papists alle aging such counterseit Fathers for the confirmation of this doctrine of the Masse as also many other points I can by no meanes thinke but that many of them do teach this doctrine most wittingly and maliciously against their owne conscience and therefore sinne deadly against the holy Ghost heaping Gods iudgements vpon them against the day of his wrath and also I assure my selfe that their doctrine cannot be good which is vpheld by such counterfeit and weake props as are the writings of bastard teachers and counterfeit bookes But besides the former obseruations The pretended priuiledges of the Masse most fond Ioannes de Comb. compend Theol. verit li. 6. cap. 18. which doe sufficiently discouer the erroneous doctrine taught by the Church of Rome concerning the Masse the great and maine excellent priuiledges which she pretendeth to waite vpon this sacrifice is not to be omitted whereof Ioannes de Combis alleageth diuers saying The Masse hath many prerogatiues First because it is celebrated by one that is fasting Secondly because only in a Church and vpon an altar vnlesse sometimes of necessitie vnder a Tent or in some other honest place Thirdly because it is behouefull that he that celebrateth bee a Priest Fourthly because it is behouefull that hee be clad in sacred vestments Fifthly because only it is done in the day and not in the night vnlesse in the Natiuity of the Lord. Sixtly because it is celebrated with a lighted candle yea though a thousand Sunnes should shine vpon the earth Seuenthly because there words doe sound which are Diuine Angelicall and humane Diuine words when the Pater noster is said or sung and when the words of the Lord are read in the Gospell Angelicall words when Glorie be to God in the highest but humane words in the Collects and the like Eighthly because there are heard three of the noblest tongues viz. Hebrew as Saboath and Osanna Greeke as Kyrie eleison Latine as in others which are there Ninthly because the Masse in his kind is as full of mysteries as the sea of drops as the Sunne of beames as the firmament of Starres as the imperiall heauen of Angels Tenthly because Priests in solemne Churches haue in their Masse many Ministers the Deacon Subdeacon and Acolytes Eleuenthly because the Angels being there in the presence of such maiestie it sufficeth vs to be schollers Twelfthly because there is the Lord of heauen and earth I might vnto these twelue adde the effects of the sacrifice of the Masse also taught by Bernardinus de Busto who amongst many others very ridiculous putteth for one this prerogatiue Bern. de Bust. in ser de Sacrif Mis viz. quamdin quis audit sacrum not senescit man waxeth not old so long as hee heares Masse When I read these priuiledges after it had pleased God to giue me a true vnderstanding of the Masses idolatries I could not but grieue that men should be thus deceiued by the diuels suggestions as to giue credit vnto such idle deuises for the maintenance of Gods dishonor and the diuels seruice Is it not a great prerogatiue thinke you of the Masse that the Priest must be fasting before he go to take a peece of wafer and a prertie quantitie of good Maligo rich Canarie or other strange wine I trow it is a prettie breakfast to take three draughts of such wine although there be a few drops of water in the last This priuiledge I haue obserued pleaseth the Iesuites best of all who scorne to haue weake wine as Clarret but commonly make prouision of the best comfortable Sackes for that purpose and will lightly take more into the Challice then any other Priests out of a greater care they haue that no particles of Christs sacred flesh should stay about the sides of the Chalice which religious care is a good faire cloake for them to warme their fasting stomackes with the more beartie and full draught so that in truth this fasting priuiledge of the Masse serues but for a colour to haue a good breakfast and so to comfort the Priests stomacke that many a Lay man would be full glad of the like The other prerogatiues as weakly grounded vpon mans inuentions not on Scriptures or Apostolicall traditions in truth are as meane but especially that great prerogatiue of the Masse viz. that a man groweth not old so long as he heareth Masse is one of the foolishest conceits of a Franciscan Frier that euer I heard or read For if it were true there is no Doctor Steuens water could so preserue a mans life or prolong it as the hearing of a Masse and I thinke many would heare more Masses then they doe if this were sound Diuinitie but by this it is easie to discouer the Masse not to be as the Church of Rome teacheth a principall act of religion and a worke that surpasseth all the workes that euer God wrought as the worke of creation and redemption more miracles appearing in the Sacrament then in either of them as may be obserued in Ioannes de Combis Lib 6. de cap. 14. and noted by Master Perkins in his Reformed Catholike and not any whit touched as farre as I could perceiue in master Doctor Bishop against him but rather a most diabolicall illusion of the world drawing men to serue the creature in stead of the Creator and the diuell in stead of God And this in very truth appeareth most plainely The Masse confirmed by false miracles a palpable marke of false doctrine if wee consider diligently how the Pseudochrists and false prophets of the Church of Rome endeuor as it were seeing the weaknes of their cause to establish and make good their doctrine of the Masse with the signes wonders and prodigies which Christ himselfe the Sauiour of our soules willeth vs not to beleeue which are so ridiculous that no man of sound iudgement reading them can chuse but laugh and smile at them howsoeuer out of true charitie and a right religious zeale he haue greater cause to commiserate the poore blinded soules that are most miserably seduced by them I will therefore for the fuller manifestation hereof set downe some few
much in one of his Epistles to make mention or to giue salutation to his consort Philippians 4. whome hee therefore denieth himselfe to carrie about that hee may bee the more ready to preach the Gospel 1. epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians And againe in the eight Booke of his worke he saith They say that Saint Peter when hee sawe his wife led vnto martirdome he reioyced in the grace of Election and at her returne vnto her owne house and cryed out vnto her when shee was ledde and calling her by her name said O wife remember the Lord. Such were the marriages of Saintes so perfect was the affection of the Blessed Thus hee who liued about the yeare of our Lord God one hundred ninetie and seauen in the time of Commodus the Emperour By which Doctrines and Examples in the Apostles times it is very euident that Priests and Bishops had wiues 5 In the Canons of the Apostles it is decreed thus A Bishop or Priest shall not The marriage of Priests proued by ancient Councels Dist 28. canon Si quis vnder the colour of Religion cast away his owne wife But if he doe reiect her hee shall bee excommunicated but if hee shall perseuere hee shall bee depriued Which Canon is related in an other place The most renowned generall Councell also held at Nice in the time of Constantine the Emperour about the yeare of our Lord GOD three hundred and thirtie where were likewise assembled three hundred and eighteene whereof also mention is made in the Tripartite Historie and elsewhere In the which Caution was made with full consent of all the Fathers Not to prohibite Subdeacons Deacons Lib. 2. cap. 14. dist 31. can Nyâ—en Syaâ—d Priestes or Bishoppes from sleeping with their wiues lest by that meanes a yoake should bee imposed vppon them which might bee a cause of fornication In which bufinesse Paphnutius who being himselfe single and most famous for leading holinesse of life and power of doing myracles laboured and obtained verie much Againe as in succeeding Ages some at Rome would haue induced Priestes and Deacons vnto single life or to abstinence from their wiues and went about to make Lawes to this purpose so in the yeare of our Lord God sixe hundred seauentie and seauen the sixth generall Councell was gathered at Constantinople in the time of Constantine the fourth whereat there were present two hundred foure score and nine Bishoppes for which cause some will haue it of the same authoritie with the Euangelicall Bookes in which Councell some things concerning the marriage of Priestes were decreed making mention of them who at Rome laboured much in that matter the words of the Councell are recorded in the corpes of the Connon Lawe in these verie wordes Dist 31. can quoniam in Romam For as much as wee vnderstand it to be deliuered in the order of the Romane Canon that those who are ordained Deacons or Priests shall not accompanie with their wiues we following the ancient Canon of Apostolicall diligence and the constitutions of holy men will indeed haue legall mariages to be of force in no case dissoluing their marriages which their wiues nor depriuing them of familiaritie together in fit season Whosoeuer therefore shall bee found worthie to be ordained Deacon or Subdeacon or Priest such shall in no case be prohibited from ascending to such degree for cohabitation with his wife neither likewise shall they be constrained at the time of their ordination to professe chastitie And forthwith sentence is pronounced against those that shall presume againt this in these words If therefore any shall presume against the Apostles Canons to depriue any Priests or Deacons from the company and communion of their legall wife let him be deposed likewise the Priest or Deacon who for religions sake shall expell his wife let him be excommunicated and if he shall persist in this let him be deposed The same sixt Sinode decreed as appeareth in the Canon law That the Priest who liueth not in lawfull marriage Dist 28 Canon Presbiterum should abstaine from his office Now when I obserued thus in the Canon of the generall Councel mention to be made of the Canon of the Apostles which I haue before rehearsed and also the constitution of the Nicene Councell and with the generall consent of the Councell of Constantinople those to be condemned excommunicated and deposed that would defend the Romane Canon or compell any to keepe it I could no way satisfie my selfe how the mariage of Priests prohibited now in the present Church of Rome is not flat against these ancient generall Councels If Bellarmines assertion be true That a Councell is an assemblie of true Iudges De Concil lib. 1. cap. 18. lib 2. de Concil authorit cap. 1. whose decrees are necessarily to be followed As also againe if it be true That by the Catholike faith wee are to hold that generall Councels confirmed by the high Bishop cannot erre neither in faith nor manners As Bellarmine in another place affirmeth what excuse can the Church of Rome pretend to free her selfe from disobedience to the aforesaid Councels and dischrge her selfe from heresie in not beleeuing what the Councels confirmed by a high Bishop and by the Christian world acknowledged The cited ancient Councels alloweth Priests marriages the late Councell disalloweth them therefore the best conclusion that any man of iudgement can make hereupon is that the former are to be embraced and the latter to be reiected 6 I cannot but wonder to see how the Church of Rome swarueth from the marke of antiquitie in prohibiting or making a law to restraine Priests from the lawfull estate of wedlocke Proofes of antiquitie for the marriage of Priests I find that one Dionisius Bishop of the Corinthians who flourished in the time of Antonius Verus that is about the yeare of our Lord 164. as Eusebius relateth Euseb Eccles hist lib. 4 cap. 23. wrote an Epistle to the Gnosians in the which he warneth and entreateth Pynitus their Bishop not to lay heanie burdens vpon the shoulders of his disciples nor to intimate vnto his brethren the necessitie of enforced chastitie whereby the infirmitie of many shall be end angered Concerning the which Pynitus wrote backe vnto Dionisius embraced his good aduice and counsell and withall entreated him to send him whatsoeuer other spirituall food what strong and sound I haue noted likewise that Origen who succeeded Clement in the Schoole of Alâ—xandria Origen hom 25. in Matth. about the yeare two hundred as Saint Hierome witnesseth expounding th Gospell of Saint Matthew hath left these words toposteritie against the commanders of single life The Lord reprehendeth saith he such teachers who only doe not which they say but also cruelly and without mercie not according to the estimation of euery hearers strength do enioyne things aboue their power as namely who forbid to marrie and who compell from that which is expedient to immoderate
And diuers other writers affirme Scot. 3. d. 37. Cost Enchir. pag. 51. that in the most ancient times of the Church and after the Apostles death they had their wiues And I obserue that hee was the first that forbad Priests to marrie Greg. à Valent. tom 4. d sp 9. q. 5. punct 5. §. 1. Dist 82. plurim Inuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Dist 84. cum in preterito gloss §. qui Sacrament Index expurg 381. uum 261. Naucler tom 2. generat 137. Jnuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Sigebert an 1074. Lambert pag. 201. 207. Auentine in Annal. lib. 5. Nauclâ—r vol. 2. ge 36. Baron an 174. Sigon reg Jtal. lib. 9. an 174. pag. 448. pag. 460. by the decree thereof extant in the Canon law as also by the confession of Polydor Virgil and the Glosse vpon the Canon law saith Syricius brought in the continencie of Priests and Deacons yea some affirme that of old before the time of Siricius Priests might contract marriage This Glosse Pius Quintus the late Pope hath commanded to be wiped out because it makes against the present doctrine of the Church of Rome but Nauclerus saith in effect as much that SyriÌ„cius commanded Deacons to be continent But although Pope Syricius began this matter yet as Polydor Virgil saith It could neuer be effected that their marriage should be taken away til Gregory the seuenth came to be Pope in the yeare 1074. Which thing when he attempted in Germany he was opposed against as one that brought in a new eustome neuer receiued before Auentine writeth that in those daies Priests had wiues openly as other men bad and begate children their wiues being called by aseemely name Presbyteresses And when the Pope forbad them marriage this to many Bishops and other learned and good men seemed a new doctrine and a pestilent heresie as euer troubled any Christian kingdom And he saith the Bishops of Italy Germanie and France met together and for this cause decreed that he had done against Christian pietie and deposed him for that among diuers other things he diuorced men and their wiues denying such as bad their lawful wiues to be Priests wheÌ„ yet in the meane time he admitted to the altars whore-mongers adulterers and incestuous persons Fast lib. 1. Mantuan saith that Hilarie a Fench Bishop was married and that in his time it was lawfull Sinesius the Bishop of Ptolomais writeth thus of himselfe Epist ad Enopt Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 55. The sacred hand of Theophilus hath giuen me a wife and hereupon I testifie vnto all men that I will neither forsake her nor yet as an adulterer keepe her company but I will pray God to send mee by her many and good children Athanasius reports that Bishops and Monkes liued married Epist ade Dracont Epist 321. Pius 2. apud Plaitn in vita and had children And Pius Secundus saith It is better for a Priest to marrie then to burne though hee haue vowed not to marrie And moreouer that there bee many reasons to forbid Priests marriage but more to allow it But no maruaile that this restraint was made by the Pope since the prohibition of marriages is a plaine marke of Antichrist who should bring in the contempt of women for after that the Prophet Daniel had said that Antichrist should persecute the holy teachers and the pious beleeuing people Daniel 11. and should exalt himselfe aboue all God hee addeth Hee shall know nothing of the God of his Fathers and hee shall know nothing of the loue of women and of euery God and that hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all things Which version agreeth with the Hebrew truth and with the seuentie Interpretors and Aquila Therefore let not any man oppose that which is carried about and in which it is read Hee shall bee in the concupiscences of women Where Saint Hierome himselfe in his Comentaries vpon Daniel interpreteth this sentence thus That Antichrist shall counterfeit chastitie to deceiue many By all which it is manifest that this law restraining Priests from marrying is a noueltie brought into the Church by Popes by degrees and a great wrong vnto the state of marriage which I haue shewed to be honorable in all This I could exemplifie by the abuses come into the Church by this restraint both in former ages and in this present age wherein wee liue If this law had not been it is likely that Matthaeus Parisiensis would haue had no cause to leaue recorded vnto posteritie that a Cardinall did all the day in a Synode heere in England inueigh against the marriages of Priests Matth. Parisan Henric. primum who at night was taken in bed with a strumpet there are too many to bee found as carnall as this Cardinall If this law of the Pope had not restrained Priests from marrying occasion would neuer haue been giuen for a Gentleman in Wales this last yeare to haue written vnto Master Birkhead the Arch-priest complaining of a Iesuite who by the heate of the powder-treason was thought to be driuen into Ireland where he got his owne kinswoman with child neither would many the like abuses bee complained of in diuers if the wicked restraint of marriages which is in truth the very doctrine of Diuels had neuer been made and inuented Gentle Reader pardon mee if these obscaenities offend your eares I may as well relate truthes in iustification of true doctrine against the Church of Rome as that Church both by reports and printed bookes may disgorge multitudes of lies against the reformed Church of England your deare countrey I do not this of any delight I take to walke in the wayes of sinners bt onely to discouer the wickednesse of their doctrine by such their wicked fruits as iust punishments inflicted by Gods permission that they may see their errors and forsake their wicked wayes Now therefore since it appeared vnto me by these premises how the Church of Rome against the law of God against the practise of the purest ages to the scandall of the Christian world through Satans craft vnder pretence of chastitie restrained Priests from lawfull marriages I could not remaine in the communion of that Church lest by Gods permission in time I might also be partaker of her iust punishments 8 And as I was moued to abaÌ„don her by reason of this illusioÌ„ whereby the diuel maketh her his The Church of Rome alloweth of incestuous marriages so was I no lesse moued by the coÌ„sideration of her doctrine permitting such mariages to be lawful in such degrees as som of their own teach to be prohibited by the law of God nature as namely by suffering one brother to marrie his brothers wife when the other is deceased For so doth the Pope by dispencing in this case which notwithstanding is iustly to be reprooued as I proue out of Ioannes Viguerius the learned Bishop of Spaine who deliuereth his Doctrine thus It is a doubt Io. Viguer