to come to a Councell or Disputation c. and tho he binde and confirme that safe conduct with any bonde whatsoeuer and tho the party would not haue come but vpon the assurance of the safe conduct Yet hoc non obstante this not withstanding he may be taken and proceeded against and burned as an hereticke without any preiudice to the Catholick faith c. If this be good diuinity that Oaths Couenants to hereticks are of no force binde not the makers then it is in vaine for men to haue any dealing one with another for if oathes be once of no force in any one thing they will in time be weakened in all things Thus this Romish Councell that should haue amended hath contrariewise decreed two conclusions of monstrous impietie and such as for ought I could euer see were neuer till then decreed nor receiued no not in the Romish Church it selfe But is this reformed since No saith a great Spanish Bishop more then a hundred yeares after this Councell it is so farre from being altered that contrariwise by the authority of this decree it is now a rule in our Church that faith made to an hereticke by a priuate man is not to be kept no nor if it be made by a Magistrate as saith he is proued by the practice of the Councel of Constance Mark how they are healed afore it was true in publique persons nor it is true in priuate men also afore it might be broken without any fault but nowe it may not be kept See how Babylon is cured But the Councell of Trent is of later times hath not it done much good and reformed much ill Nay on the other side it hath decreed and made two Canons to the high disgrace of holy Scriptures and much derogating from the soueraign authoritie therof which till then were neuer decreed not in the darkest times of poperie when her ignorance and superstition was without all controll As namely first * Concil Trident sess 4. That the Apocriphall Bookes of Tobiah Iudith and the rest shall be held and receiued of as authenticall and Canonicall authority as any parts of holy Scripture whose authoritie was euer sacred This wrong was neuer offered to the holy Scriptures before neither was there euer any popish generall Councell so presumptuous afore this of Trent that euer durst add more books to the sacred Canon then we receiued from Christ and the Church of the olde Testament Some bold Papists say that the Florentine Councel before Trent did make them Canonicall which if it had it had bin little materiall seeing it was but a smal time before Trent scarce 100. yeares but the truth is it did not and therefore Bellarmine and Coccius are more carefull of their credit and will not affirme it * Bellar. tom 1 lib. de verbo Dei So that its cleer there neuer was generall Councell that made them Canonicall before Trent Coccius in the sauro cathol tom 1. nor any prouinciall but one * Concil Câ—â—thag 3. and they are not able to bring one Father that held them so within 400. yeares after Christ nor very many after till of late and contrariwise wee are able to proue that all the Fathers for 400. yeares did reiecte them and many after yea the greater part of all learned Papists themselues till the Councell of Trent And thus wee see how Romish Babylon is stil the elder the worse But this is not all a Romish Councell will neuer meete for one euill Therefore secondly they decree * Concil Trident sess 4. That in all Disputations Sermons Lectures and to all other purposes that Latine translation called the vulgar shal be held the authentical text and that no man presume vnder any pretext to refuse it Heere is a strange decree that the streame shall be of more vertue then the Fountaine a translation of more authoritie then the Originall The former ages neuer heard of this indignitie but whensoeuer doubt was made or difference found recourse was forthwith had to the Originalls for the determining of the matter Many learned Papists are ashamed of this if they durst vtter it Bellarmine and Coccius do bewray it by their slight handling of the matter for they would gladly prooue if they could that Hierome was the author of that translation but as for the magnifying of it whosoeuer was the translator aboue the Originalls they are wiser then to venture their credits vpon so false a matter and therefore doe wholly leaue it vpon the credit of that conuenticle that concluded it Neither do I wrong to call it a Conuenticle for tho I should grant the whole to be a Councel yet the number that past this bil was so small that I may safely call it a Conuenticle For as an ill motion may pass in Parliament betimes in a morning before all the house be set so was this bill carried at Trent For whereas the Councel in his fulness consisted of about 300. that had voice of decision they took the aduantage at the beginning of the Councell and carried these two bils when ther were scarce 60. in the house wherof how many went against them is vncertain for the Pope durst not for one of his Crownes haue put these 2. bils especially the latter to the full house for how would they haue entertained it then when as they had liberty of speech against it who since their tongues were tyed the bil passed yet haue dared some of them who were of the Councel themselues euen to resist the decree Arius Montanus Sixtus Senensis Oleaster c. and haue taken so contrarie a course themselues in expounding the Scripture that howsoeuer they were tolerated for their learning whilest they liued yet being dead their books are either purged that is altered or els reproued So that its apparant to all that will vnderstand that this decree was so far from being established in any former ages that it is euen misliked of many of the better sort of themselues now that it is made And thus I hope we haue cleered it that these two Councells called in the corrupt and declining times of the Popish Church in shewe to haue reformed it haue beene so farre from that that contrariwise they haue concluded diuerse enormous impieties that were not before Then is not the Romish Babylon well cured The second Proposition Poperie is still as ill as euer it was I hasten to the second Proposition which is that the deformities that were before both in Doctrine and practice both in head and members and many whereof were complayned on by some of themselues doe yet remaine without redresse or reformation For the demonstration of this Proposition I might inlarge my selfe into many particulars but I will insist but vpon fewe and those I shal produce shall not be trifles nor triuiall but of great moment euen touching the maine and morall duties which a Christian man oweth to his God and which
beleeued because they are allowed and authorised by the Pope being so by him authorised they are of as much authority as if the Pope himself had beene the Author of them Therefore it is of credite and implyeth necessity of beeing beleeued or it bindeth as strongly as if it had been pronounced or vttered by the Pope because wee make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestow or impart our authority The high holy God that is the Author of the holie Scriptures be mercifull vnto vs in hauing any thing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemie and graunt that wee may not any way communicate with their sins noâ— haue fellowship with this wicked worke of darkenesse The Impiety and Atheisme that lyeth in it is such as if it had but crept into some secret pamphlet I would neuer haue brought it into light but being that it is registred in the Glosse vppon their lawe a booke of so great authoritie and so common in the hands of all the learned I cannot but discharge my dutie to the trueth tho it may giue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine For what can such men think when they heare him that pretends to bee Christs Vicar and Peters successor teache that Salomons wordes are not of as good authority as his bee when as Christ himselfe did approue and iustifie himselfe and all his wordes and deedes and doctrines by the olde Testament and that the words of God in the olde Testament do therefore binde and are therefore to bee beleeued because the Pope pleaseth to insert and canonize them in his lawe that being by him so canonized they bee therefore as good as if the Pope himselfe had spoken them What I saie can they iudge but that the Pope is one of their profession a plain Atheist that holds the Scripture all religion as farre as pleaseth his humour and serueth his turnes And if any of his faction hold this too hard a censure I would intreate him to answere mee but this question grounded vpon these words of his Whether is God the Author of the olde Testament or no 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21 If they say no Saint Peter answereth that Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were inspired of the holie Ghost If he be then the Prouerbs of Salomon being a Canonicall Booke of the Olde Testament is Gods Booke and the wordes of the Text are Gods words and not Salomons This beeing so let vs then take the wordes as they are in their true and full meaning and see what a peece of Popish diuinitie heere is Obserue that the words of the Text are not the words of the Pope A straÌ„ge peece of popish doctrine that gods word if it bee authorized by the Pope is theÌ„ of as good credit as if the Pope himselfe had spoken it therefore if the Pope please not to Canonize it then it is notâ— So that either Gods word must bâ—e beholden to the Pope for the authority of it or else it hath none but of God but because these words of God are heer canonized by the Pope therfore they are of credit worthy to be beleeued as well as if they had ben spoken by the Pope himselfe Loe heere the Pope in his owne colours this is Diuinity fit to be hatched at Rome and to be coyned in his mintâ— Let the words be examined and see what can follow of them but that either the Pope holdes not the Prouerbs to bee Gods booke but SALOMONS which is horrible Atheism or else if he hold them Gods that the words of God beare no credit nor haue authority to binde mens conscience till the Pope do canonize them and that Gods word in a booke knowne receiued and graunted to bee Canonicall is not of as good authority in that booke as being translated into the Popes Canon lawe If he refuse both these then let him refuse his owne lawe and burne his glosse vpon his decretallsâ— as containing Atheisme and Heresie in a high degree 12 The sixt wound not healed But to goe forward Is this wound healed Surely if they haue left it out or reformed it in any later impression so it be with open confession and detestation of the fault it is wel But sure I am it is in the impression I haue and in al other which I could borrow And further I do not know any Pope or popish writer that hath with authority and allowance condeÌ„ned or reproued this Atheisme if they know any they may doe well to produce them Meane time I am also sure of this that in stead of healing it they haue suffered their Doctors Writers continually since to speake and write almost as ill if not worse In Queene Maries time an English Papist wrote thus c Proctor in his booke called the waie home to Christ printed at â—oÌ„don in 8. Religion is occasioned by Scripture but perfected and authorized by the Church See we are more beholden to the Church then to the Scripture for our Religion About the same time Cardinall Poole out of his Pope-holy deuotion is said to haue affirmed that The written word of God is but a seede of Turcisme d Scriptura scripta est semen turcicum And certaine Popish Doctors in Germanie beeing pressed in a disputation with the euidence of Scripture boldly answered We are not tyed to the Scriptures those goose quils do not tie vs e Noâ— penâ—is illis â—nâ—eri â—is minime suâ—â—â—â— alligati I will not affirme both these two vpon mine owne credit but they haue beene charged with them both manie yeeres agoe and neuer yet disprooued them But that that followeth I speake vpon knowledge A little after a great English Papist pretending to summon a parliament for poperie in his booke so called tells a story of one whome hee hearde vpon reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes earnestly say that The Booke of Ecclesiastes is a naughty booke f Heskins a Doctor of diâ—â—â—â—ty in his parliament of Christ lib. 1. cap. 2. printed at Antwerpe 1â—66â— in folio He voweth to God and cals him to witnesse that this hee heard him himselfe but what was hee that spake it a protestant no a papist and no mad fellow nor ignorant foole nor profane scoffer but sayth Heskins hee was a man of worship of grauity of wisedome of godly life and competent learning able to vnderstand and likewise exercised in the Scriptures and this is all the censure he giues of him that spake these wordes Hee addeth further a litle after in the same Chap. that a popish Gentlewoman hearing a text out of a booke that papists holde to be Scripture which shee misliked and being tolde by him for he heard her speak the words that the booke was Scripture shee answered that if the Scripture had such I will not say what shee saide words in it She would no more beleeue the Scripture for it
being any shelter to the blasphemy that is deliuered in the whole passage Nor can it bee saide the booke wants authority for it is formally allowed dedicated to the Cardinall Aldobrandinâ— printed at Rome and since often elsewhere and of late both the Author and his booke highlie commended by the greatest Romish censurers So that now I will end my euidence for this point and dare put the matter to a Iurie of any conscionable men whether this wound be healed yet or no. The fourth Wound NOw to go forward from the Person and Maiesty of God let vs proceede to his Holy Scriptures and see how the Romish Church held of olde and yet holdeth and teacheth of them I will not stand vpon those vile and base speeches vttered and written of them by Eccius Pighius Hosius and many other of that generation for that they haue beene both detected and with shame inough reiected by many reuerend men of our nation both in Latine English w Whitaker Fulke lewel Reinolds and others but vpon some that often haue not bin touched by many nor euer can bee sufficiently condemned by any In the Canon Law the Pope spareth not to disgrace the holy Scriptures in expresse tearms sometimes equaling his owne Constitutions with them sometimes preferring them In the decree he shameth not to affirme that 7 The fourth wound The Popes decrees bee equall to the Canonicall Scriptures his decretall Epistles are numbred amongst the Canonicall Scriptures x Decret dist 19. cap. 6. impudently alledgeth Saint Augustine to proue it who neuer spake nor meant any such thing as in the later end of the decree they cannot but confess with shame inough this was his doctrine in the old impressions of the Canon law a hundreth yeares agoe But some will say this wound is now healed No looke in the new impression reuiewed at the Popes commandement and printed by his authority within these few yeares and there stand the verie same wordes without the least reformation in the Rubricke or title of the Chapter The decretall Epistles are numbred and reckoned amongst the Canonicall Scriptures 8 The fourth wound not healed Which is the more shamefull in it self shamelesse in the dooers in as much as in the same new edition they are forced to confesse that Augustine out of whom they cite the whole Chapter did not at all meane the Popes decretall Epistles but the holy and Canonicall Scriptures and no maruell for the name of decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a faire yeare after his daies To conclude let wise men obserue heer this point how vnwilling the Romish Church is to amend or alter any thing especially if it concern Gods honour and not their owne free-hold else why should they maintaine that blasphemy in the Rubrick and title of the Chapter which in the body of the Chapter they condemn But well doe they know that many a man reades the contents of books chapters which neuer read more Therfore because the words of this title giue honour to his decretalls tho they be neuer so dishonourable to Gods holy Scriptures they are suffred to stand whereas they haue put out many things disgracefull to themselues Thus vnwilling is Babylon to be healed in any thing The fift Wounde THis doth but make them equall and that may be thought no great wound in that Church but shall wee see a deeper more deadly namely where the authority and determination of the Pope is made higher and of more respect then the holy Scriptures themselues In the same booke the XL. Dictinction the Pope alleadgeth for good doctrine and canonizeth for a law these words taken out of one Boniface 9 The fift wound The religion of Christianitie is to bee founded rather from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scriptures that is from Gods mouth And certainâ—y all men do yeelde so much respect and reuerence to the Pope of Rome and his chair that they require and seeke for much of the discipline of the holy Canons and the ancient institution of Chrstian religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops of that See then either from the holy Scriptures or the olde traditions all they care for or seeke after is what he wil and what he will not that so they may conform themselues frame their conuersation this waie or that waie according to his will and pleasure Loe what doctrine is heere the discipline nay the religion it selfe of christianity is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at Gods mouth in the holie Scriptures and al that a Christian man cares for is not what God but what the Pope will and what hee wills not and according to that are they to frame themselues Is this a doctrine fit to be inserted in the popes lawe Is this the holie and the onely true Church that teacheth this If to be a Catholicke be to holde this and to denie this to be an heretike I am content to be an heretike let who wil be the Catholicke but if a true Catholicke ought to holde the doctrine of the scriptures and to depend vpon the mouth and reuealed wil of God then woe be to that Church and religion that teacheth wee may rather depend on the Popes mouth then on Gods But some will say this is healed Nay alasse they be so farre from that 10 The fift wound not healed that contrariwise for ought that I know that is not to bee found in the elder editions but I am sure it is in the later and last of all set forth by special authority from the Pope from whence also I cite it at this time The sixt Wound THus I haue shewed First that the Pope makes his Decrees equall with the Scriptures Secondlie that they are of greater authority then the Scriptures Is it possible to haue a worse Yes for the measure of her iniquity will neuer be ful and therfore she goeth one steppe higher in this impiety and teacheth that the holy Scripture is so farre inferiour vnto the Popes decrees that vnlesse hee by his authority giue them strengthâ— they are not of credit nor necessary to be belieued Let me be of no credit nor worthy to be beleeued if I repeate not their words truely out of their owne booke namely their authenticall glosse vpon the Popes Decretalls where the Text of the Decretall being no more nor lesse then only one verse of the 26. Chapter of the Prouerbs the glosse that is the approued Commentarie vpoÌ„ that decretal is in these words * Vide Decretal lib. 2. tit 23. de praesuÌ„ptionibus cap. 1. â—icâ—t Obserue heere that the wordes of the Text are not the wordes of the Pope but of SALOMON in the Prouerbes the sixe and twentieth Chapter but because that Text of SALOMONS is heere canonized by the Pope 11 The 6. wound The holie Scriptures are therefore of credit to be
was naught g Heskins in his parliament the next page after And what was she that saide this A vertuous Catholick gentlewoman saith Heskins and one that feared God h Obserue wel how a great popish doctor coÌ„mends that man and womanâ— for deâ—oâ—t and zealous papists who blasphemoâ—sly saide that the scriptures were naught not to be belieued and doth not reproue the parties for their blasphemie So little doth it touch a papists hart to heare Gods word abused in the highest kind Lo what tokens poperie giueth of a vertuous Catholick woman and that feares God And tho Heskins cannot but graunt that these are blasphemies Yet did he not reproue the one nor the other but contrariwise coÌ„mends them both turnes it to the aduaÌ„tage of the Romish cause saith that hereby we may see what a perillous thing it is for lay people to read the Scriptures But with his leaue hereby we may see what a filthy heart vile estimation popish doctors haue of the holy scriptures who hearing their disciples thus horribly blaspheme them and God in them doe not reproue it but make vse of it nor burie and quench them but write and publish them rather with an approbation then any detestation of them But will you heare his owne wordes and his owne iudgement not related from others as these but vttered out of his owne heart How little incitement to vertue appeareth to bee in the songs of Salomon yea rather how vngodly and wanton seeme they to be in the outward face rather teaching and prouoking I â—raue pardon of all Christian eares wantonnesse then godlinesse and what can the vnlearned finde or vnderstand in many sentences anie thing to edification of godly life or rather a prouocation to wanton life And after certaine sentences alledged hee concludes The whole booke is no better like vnto these saith he is all that booke You haue heard how the Prouerbs were disgraced in the glosse vpon the decretalls and heere the Canticles Now that Salomon may not haue one book left in credite Heskins addeth touching Ecclesiastes What may appeare more vehement to disswade a man from wisedome then the booke of the Preacher how much is wisedome the goodlâ—e gift of God abused to appearaunce in this booke k Heskins in the same book and Chapter And to conclude of another booke which they hold also to be canonicall scripture some of them to be Salomons he saith that The booke of Ecclesiasticus seemeth to haue such vnseemely wordes in it as an honest men would be ashamed to speake them and I also â—aith he would be ashamed to write them if they were not Scripture l Heskins a little after in the same chapteâ—â— If the words be as immodest as he pretends they be then why do they hold such a booke to be Scripture And if they holde it to be Scripture then how dare a Christian man say that it hath such speeches in it as an honest man would bee ashamed to speake or write I leaue this for them to answere in the meane time I goe forward Not long after comes Hosiuâ— a greate Doctor of theirs and after a Cardinall and writes thus m Hosius editionis vlt. tom 20. lib. de expresso dei verbo pag. 5. The word of God of it selfe doth not but as it is written in the Scriptures it dependeth on the authority testimonie and approbation of the Church and it ought no otherwise nor no further to bee esteemed the word of God then as farre foorth as it is approued by the authority of the Church Lo what doctrine heere is for hence it followeth that therefore if the Church should not allow the new Testament it were not scripture Put all these together and then it will soone appeare how pittifully this wound is healed Nay further if the â—ime present occasion would giue leaue to looke into their latter and moderne Writers we should see by the last and latest of all this wound is so farre from being healed that it rankles further deeper euen like an incurable leprosie that cannot be healed but this may be sufficient Therefore let vs go forward to another wound The seuenth Wounde THey taught the people in olde time namely for two or three hundred yeares past that images were good lay mens bookes and euen then when they denied them the Scripture as vnfit for them and obscure and dangerous for seducing them to heresies were Images allowed and commended vnto them as good meanes of Instruction 13 The seuenth wound Images are good lay mens bookes Some three hundred yeeres ago liued a Frier called Gulielmus Peraldus learned for that time wel approued of their Moderne Censurers hee writes thus As the Scriptures are the bookes and containe the learning of the Clergie so Images and the scripture are the learning and bookes of laie men p Lo heere how Images are associated and ioined with the Bible Search the Scripture saith Christ looke on them and on Images saith the Pope how readest thou saith Christ what â—eest thoâ— saith the Pope It is written saith Christ it is painted and grauen saith the Pope thy word saith Dauid is my light not the golden Cherubins but nowe saith Poperie euen in the new Testament The scriptures and Images are lay mens lights What a wrong is this to God and what an iniurie to his worde But is this healed Oh that it were but let the Reader iudge by that that followeth 14 The seauenth wound not healed but made worse and worse One of their greatest Casuists Laelius Zecchius a great Diuine a famous Lawyer and of late yeares Penitentiary of Bresse writing a great volume of Cases of conscience dedicated to Pope Clement the viij amongst many other strange doctrines touching Images teacheth that It is not lawfull onely but profitable to haue Images in Churches to cherish and encrease charitie towards God and man câ— and to preserue faith seeing Images are to bee held as bookes for them that bee vnlearned to draw them vnto knowledge memorie and imitation of holy and diuine matters c. q Laelius Zecchius Summa moralâ— theolog casuâ— noâ—sci tom 2. cap. 90. art 18. pag. 609. Lo here this doctor who beeing Penitentiary is by his place and calling to heale wounds and satisfie Consciences comming to touch this wound handled it so roughly that in steed of healing it he makes it sorer then it was For whereas Peraldus gaue Scripture so much honour as to be ioyned in commission with Images they 2. to be ioint teachers of the Laity Now comes the great Penitentiary is wel allowed by the Pope to leaue out the scripture as needlesse and to giue all the power to Images not onely to put men in minde but euen to cherish and increase faith and charity And certainly if Images can do so it is no maruell that Papists cast out the scriptures and in roome thereof doe
THE SERMON PREACHED AT the Crosse Feb. xiiij 1607. By W. CRASHAWE Batchelour of Diuinitie and Preacher at the TEMPLE Iustified by the Authour both against Papist and Brownist to be the truth Wherein this point is principally intended that the religion of Rome as now it stands established is still as bad as euer it was The second impression reuiewed by the Author 2 TIM 3. 13. The euill men and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued Imprinted at London by H. L. for Mathew Lownes and are to be solde at his shop in Paule Church yard at the signe of the Bishops head 1609. The XX. Wounds found to be in the body of the present Romish religion in doctrine and in manners Proued in this Sermon not to be yet healed 1. THe Pope is a God the Lord God such a head of the Church as infuseth spirituall life and heauenly grace into the body of the Church pag. 53. c. 2. The Pope hath done more then God for he deliuered a soule out of hell pag. 57. c. 3. God hath diuided his kingdome with the Virgine Marie keeping Iustice to himselfe but committing and giuing vp his mercie to herâ— so that a man may appeale from him to hir pag. 60. c. 4. The Popes decrees bee at least equall to the Canonical scripture pag. 69. c. 5. The Christian Religion is founded rather from the Popes mouth then from Gods in the Scripture pag. 71. c. 6. The holy Scriptures are therefore of credit and to bee belieued because they are allowed and authorized by the Pope and being by him authorized they are then of as good authoritie as if the Pope himselfe had made them pag. 73. c. 7. Images are good books for lay men and better and easier then the Scriptures pag. 80. c. 8. An Image of God or a Crucifixe or a Crosseâ— are to bee worshipped with the same worship as God and Christ with latria that is diuine worship and that we may speake and pray to the Crosse it selfe as wee do to Christ. pag. â—2 c. 9. Frier Francis was like to Christ in all things had 5. wounds as Christ that did bleede on good-Fridaieâ— yea hee did more then Christ euer did pag. 96. c. 10. The Pope may and doth grant Indulgences for a hundred thousand yeares and giue men a power to redeeme soules out of purgatory pag. 103. c. 11. The Pope may annexe Idulgences for many thousands of yeares to such beades Crucifixes pictures and other like toies as are hallowed by his hands pag. 107. c. The popish Church baptizeth bells pag. 115. c. 12. The Pope denieth the Cup in the Sacrament to the Laitie tho Christ ordained the contrarie pag. 120. c. 13. The popish Church alloweth many sorts of sanctuaries for wilfull murder 14. Romish religion publickly tolerates and permits Stewes takes rent for them pag. 132. c. 15. By the Popeslaw he that hath not a wife may haue a Concubine pag. 141. c. 16. By popish doctrine it is a lesse sinne for some men to lie with another mans wife or keepe a whore then marry a wife of his owne pag. 143. c. 17. Priests in popery may not marry but are permitted to keepe their whores vnder a yeerly rent pag. 147. c. 18. Such Priests as be contineâ—t and haue no whoores yet must pay a yeerely rent as they that haue because they may haue if they will pag. 150 c. 19. Their Liturgie is ful of blasphemie their Legend full of lies their Ceremonies of superstition pag. 153. c. 20. A generall corruption of manners in al estates of the Romish Church pag. 156. c. TO THE PRINCE his Highnesse HENRIE The Hope of greate BRITAINE MOst mighty Prince Salomon being but young knew the God of his Fathers a Chron. 28. 9. and Iosias being but 15. yeares olde set his heart to seeke the Lord b 2. Chron. 34. 1. 3. And blessed bee God who hath put into your royall heart to set them as examples before your eyes and to follow them in the best things For to be Kings euen greater then they c Nero Iulian c. hath befallen the wicked whose names now rot on earth d Pro. 10. 7. and they in hell wish they had neuer beene But to be a good godly and religious Prince few haue attained it e 1. Cor. 1. 26. c. but those that did were made happy by it Noble Prince this is the waie to bee honoured of men blessed of God and beloued of both f 1. Sam. 2. 30. In this holy path you haue so happily begun to walk that your personall practise of Religion and the religious gouernment of your honourable houshold may be a patterne to all the greate families of these kingdomes wherin if Popery and profaneness found no better couÌ„tenance nor encouragemeÌ„t then in the Princes Court it were happy for our Church and State Goe forward Princely Salomon and walke still in the waies of Dauid your kingly Father so shall our Israel be happy and blessed by you and all the world shall praise God for you for on whom are the eies of al Christendom set but vpon you your fathers house Surely the hope of the Christian world is that God hath appointed and annointed our gratious Souereigne and his royall issue to hold vp his religion in these declining daies and to giue the Whore of Babylon that foil fall from which she shall neuer rise euen that deadly blowe wherof she shall neuer recouer Now somwhat to stir vp and prouoke your heroical heart and princely spirits to a yet farther detestation of popish impietye vouchsafe hopeful Prince the reading and patronage of this discourse the scope whereof is to discouer that those would but deceiue vs who speake or write that popery is now well reformed in manners refined in doctrine and therfore they and we by a reasonable mediation might well be reconciled g A pernicious â—book was published in freÌ„ch by that vnsetled H. C. called Le Pacificê™ examen c. tending to that end it was turned into english by some papist for the truth is if any man will search it out of their owne records Popery both for doctrin and manners is at least as bad as euer it was This I affirming before an honorable audience at the Crosse the Papists gaue out it was false and I could not prooue it nor durst stand to it but that wee may say we care not what that wee are set vp to raile on them and make them and their religion odious before our people and in the Country they dispersed I was called before Authority for it and silenced and censured for railing on the Catholickes and that I was striken by Gods hand with a strange hoarcenesse after I began to raile on them and could not speake
wicked that neuer giue one groane for themselues Nor must we forsake them in prayer but though they seeme to vs neuer so incurable wee must still praie vvithout ceasing to GOD for them for that that is impossible to vs is possible inough with the Lord h God forbid sayth Samuel that I should cease to pray for you i 1. Sam. 12. and so must we say of all euen the greatest sinners saue onely them that sinne against the holy Ghost which no priuate man but onely the whole Church can discerne and iudge of God forbid that I should cease to pray for them Neither must we forsake them by a finall separation neuer to come at them nor to assist them any more but still we must be willing to go againe and do our endeuour if euer there be hope that they will be healed Forgiue saith Christ not seuen onely but 70. times 7. times When a sicke man is froward and impatient then the good Physition must be the patient tho he haue come oft to no purpose yet if at last he will be healed he must not forsake him so must Gods children reioice if after neuer so many repulses the wicked will be content at the last to heare and to be healed Thus wee must still loue and pittie them still pray for them and still be ready to do them good and in these three respects we must not forsake them But wee must forsake Babel First in regard of conuersation we must separate our selues from the wicked mans company and societie as far as lawfully conueniently we may after we see him obstinate and incurable it is Gods commandement Flee from the midst of Babel depart out of the land of the Chaldeans k Ierem. 50. 8. and do not this slackly and slowly like Lots wife l Gen. 19. 26 but be as the hee Gootes before the flock Secondly in regard of the meanes for after that by her often and obstinate refusall ioyned with spightfull contempt both of the meaneâ— and the men that brings them she hath shewed her selfe to be a filthy swine then pearles are no longer to bee cast before her holy things must no more bee giuen to such Dogges but they are to bee left to their vomit and mire till God shew either his mercie or iustice vpon them either in their conuersion or confusion Thus must she be forsaken and the reason why which is the second point is double First in regarde of our selues wee must forsake the wicked when they are incurable lest in steede of dooing good to them wee take hurt our selues by beeing polluted by her contagion or made partakers of her sinnes and consequently of her punishment God giueth this reason himselfe Flee out of the middest of Babel and deliuer euerie man his soule be not destroyed in her iniquitie m Ierem. 51. 6 Therfore after that a christian man perceiues there is more daÌ„ger to get hurt from them then hope to do good to them he is bound no longer to stay nay he is bound to leaue them looke to the safety of his owne soule and body Secondly in regard of the meanes vsed to heale them which because they be the holy ordinances of God pretious pearles therefore are they not to be exposed to the contempt of wicked men not to bee troden vnder the foule feete of their peruerse and scornefull spirits Both these reasons doth Christ cople together Giue not that saith he that is holy to dogs neither cast your pearles before swine least they treade them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rent you n Mat. 7. 6 Christ would neither haue his ordinances abused nor his children hurt by the wicked men Thus we see the maner how and the reasons why Now let vs see the time when Babel must be forsaken when she is incurable but not til then first long time is to be spent all meanes to be vsed all waies to be tried all patience to be practiced all wisedome to be exercised all occasions to bee taken that probably may preuaile to doe them good But if after all this they be incurable and out of hope then must we forsake themâ— but not till then not till there bee no hope at all he that forsakes Babel till then is wanting in his duetie and hath much to answere for before God For if the Physician may not forsake this vile body o Phil. 3. 21. as loÌ„g as there is any hope of life then how may any man forsake the soule that is pretious that cost so pretious bloud p 1. Pet. 1. 19 Surely the spirituall Physician must neuer forsake a Church a people or a man as long as there is any hope of curing and conuerting him Heere is condemned the practise of two sorts of men amongst vs. First such as be now tearmed of the separation formerly vsually called Brownists who forsake our Church and cut off themselues from our congregations and separate themselues to a faction and fashion or as they call it into a coâ—enant communion of their owne deuising these men haue made a grieuous rent and giuen a deepe wound into the peace of our Church they vse this place and others like against vs say Wee would haue healed you but you will not bee healed therefore we forsake you but they abuse the place therefore I will turne the point of this their weapon against themselues I meane against their errors and this their bitter and schismaticall separation To this end I would aske these men but 4. questions whereunto if they can giue me satisfaction I will be one of them First therefore whereas you say that Wee are wounded incurably and will not be healed I aske Wherein are wee deadly or incurably wounded what fundamentall wound is in our doctrine what deadly corruption is in our discipline such as eats out the heart and life being of a Church what booke of Canonicall scripture receiue we not what holde we for Canonicall that is not what sacrament that Christ ordained do we want and what haue we more then Christ ordained what article of faith deny wee or what holde we for an article of faith that is not what fundamentall heresie doth our doctrine maintaine what haue we in our Church that ouerthrowes the beeing of a Church what is necessarily required to make a Church that we do want Do not say These be many questions for if you will haue theÌ„ all in one generall I will end it as I began Wherein are wee deadly incurably wounded if I should walk a while on your owne grounds grant you that which you can neuer proue yet wil it not follow that we are incurably or deadly wounded A man may want a finger or haue some blemishes in his face and yet be a strong and perfect man sound and heart-whole and able to ouerthrow his enemies so tho there were in our Church those wounds
bring Images into the Churches But to make vp the measure of this iniquity Feuardent the famous Franciscan â—rier yet preaching at Paris and to whome Possevine wisheth a long life goeth one step further and to heale vp this wound perfectly teacheth this doctrine By sight and contemplation of Images the common and ignorant Laie men doe easily and in a short time learne those diuine mysteries miracles and workes which out of the holy books they shall verie hardly or not at all bee able to perceiue* Strange and fearefull doctrine of poperie Images are better and easier bookes for the laye people then be the scriptures Heere now is Popery growen to his ful ripenesse And marke the degrees how this wound hath beene made still deeper and wider First they taught the Scripture and Images together were good bookes for Lay men t Peraldus Then that Images without the scripture were to be accounted bookes for Lay men u Laelius Zecchius Now at last Images are readier and easier therefore better books for Layemen then be the scriptures x Feuardeâ—tius So then seeing this wound is so well healed let vs leaue it and search another The eightth wound IN former ages as superstition grew and religion decayed so Images began to be worshipped more more ceased not til at the last they came to this that euery Image was to bee worshipped with the same worship that was due to him whose Image it isâ— so that some three hundred yeares agoe or somwhat more it seemed by Aquinas to be their generall and receiued doctrine that 15 The eight wound That an Image of God or a Crucifix are to be worshipped as God and Christ that is with diuine worship An Image of Christ and the crosse wheron Christ died and a Crucifixe are all to bee worshipped with the same worship due to God and Christ Iesus that is with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y Aquinas Summa par 3 quaest 25. arâ— 3 A fearefull doctrine maintaining horrible Idolatry for nothing but GOD may bee worshipped with diuine worshippe but they teach that those creatures may bee worshipped as God himselfe is that is with diuine worshippe therefore they make those creatures God and by this argument it is apparant that the present religion of the Church of Rome is an Idolatrous religion as long as this doctrine stands vnrepealed Let vs then see if this bee healed 16 The eight wound not healed but made vvider and deeper and deadlier euery day But alas it is so farre from being in any part reformeâ—â— that it is rather the generall and common receiued doctrine of al their approoued writers I wil not stand as I could to shew it successiuely through all ages since the daies of Aquinas til these times but spâ—ring that labour till better leasure I will referre the Reader to most of the elder Authors and insist onely on some fewe and those of the latest it beeing my speciall purpose at this time to shew that the Romish Babylon is euen now not healed of her deadliest wounds Which in this particular I will labour a little the more fully to demonstrate out of the moderne authors now extant and approued because this imputation is generally cast off with this answere It is not so it is but an ignorant or malitious â—lander for the Romish Church giues onely a certaine reuerence to holy Images but doth not worship them at all at least with no diuine worship And some of our owne profession are either so ignorant they know it not or so malitious they will not confesse it or else so hollow harted to vs and such secret friends to them they would not haue it discouered though it be so for my partâ— I pitie the Ignorant knowing my own weakenesse I care not for the malitious and I hate the hollownesse of all dissembling professors And therefore let others couer and conceale her shame and hide the Whore of Babilons filthineâ— as they wil I say for my selfe Let the tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I spare to discouer her skirts and lay open her filthinesse to the world that all men seeing her as she is may detest and forsake her Therfore in the words of truth and sobernesse I do heere offer to this honorable audâ—ence that I will willingly come to this place and recant it with shame if I proue not apparantly to the iudgement of euery reasonable man that this is the common and generall doctrine of the greatest number of their best approued authors that haue written in these latter daies namely That an image of God or a Crucifiâ—ce especiallie one made of the wood whereon Christ died or that Crosse it selfe are to bee worshipped with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with the worshippe due vnto God And first of all I will in this case spare Bellarmine a Vide Bellarminum to 2. lib. de Imag. sanctorum 2. capâ— 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. de Concil lib. 2. cap. 8. seeing hee as hauing some grace in him seemes somewhat ashamed of the matter and therfore playeth fast and loose and betwixt God and his conscience on the one side and the Pope and his allegeance to him on the other hee cannot tell what to say and therefore winding himselfe into a labyrinth of general and confused distinctions of per se per accidenâ— primariò secundariò propriè impropriè and such other which may serue for all purposes at last hee leaues the matter as doubtfull as he findes it yet must it bee confessed if he incline either way it is to the worse which by conference of his other writings I think he doth rather for feare or to please the Pope then out of his owne iudgement and conscience Therefore leauing him I begin with Gregorie de Valentia a Iesuite a Professor of diuinitie as Bellarmine is of his owne sect of his owne time and accounted by some papists more learned but approoued of all he writeth thus b Gregor de valent â—om 4. disp 1. quaest 24. punct 2. pag. 467. It is certaine that Images are to bee worshipped so as properly the worship shall râ—st in them not for themselues nor for the matter nor formes sake but for his sake they resemble in this seÌ„se they are to be worshipped so as they bee whome they resemble and therfore the Image of Christ as man is to be worshipped with the same worship due to Christ himselfe Hee cannot denie but manie learned of his own â—ide teach the contrary but hee reprooâ—es them all and embraceth this as the commoner and truer opinion and confirmes it and concludes it for truth Next to him I produce another Iesuite Gretserus of the same vniuersity and either successor or fellow to Gregory de Valentia in the same place and profession he who was chosen for the papists Champion in the famous disputation holden at Regensperg 1600 whome
found them so full of ridiculous absurdities impieties and vntruths that he affirmed him to be a man g Ludouicus Viâ—â—es lib. 2. de Caus. corrupt art de LuÌ„bardica historia of a brazen face and a leaden heart that wrote them Now al these three sorts of bookes are in shew reformed of late but the truth is there is neuer a material vvound healed but rather a number made worse 1. For their Liturgy and seruice either publike or priuate it is coÌ„tained in their books called Missalia Breuiaria Officia Manualia Portiforia and such other all these haue beene reuiewed and as they say corrected since the Councell of Trent h Vide Bullas Pontif. praefixas Missal Breuiareditionis 70. post But let them be examined and compared together I dare say that for one euil taken out there is another put in and tenne stand vnremooued and that both in diuers pictures as also for points of doctrine they are as ill as the former i Compare for this end the Missals breuiaries Manuals Primeri printed before the Councel of TreÌ„t with those printed since at the least 2. Their Ceremonies of state or as they say of deuotion are contained in the bookes called Pontificale Romanum and Ceremoniale Romanum k Adde heereunto also their Processionale Rationale and Sacerdotale Romanum wherin what apish to yes there be what absurdities what superstitions sometimes ridiculous sometimes impious is incredible to them that see it not insomuch as some Papists l Vide Epistolam Alberti Castellani ad Leonem 10. praefiram PoÌ„tâ—fâ— vlt edit Veneâ— yea the later Popes m Vide Bullas praed Clem. 8. haue not spared to confesse that they need great reformation and therefore vndertooke that worke theÌ„selues But if a man did see how they haue amended them they would out of this one if there were no more euidences conclude that Rome is that Babylon that will neuer bee healed for looke into the Pontificale and the Ceremoniale which were reformed and are indeed much altered by the authoritie of Clement the eightth and printed at Rome within these few yeeres and you shall finde some small deformities taken away but many greate enormities suffered to stand some put in that were not that there before n Compare for this end the PoÌ„tificale and Ceremoniale new and old which I will not stand at this time to particularise 40 The 19. wound not healed for al these are as bad still as afore both because the particulars are so manie and also for that seeing the bookes beeing so rare are not for each mans reading it may hap heereafter that the exact comparison of them together the old with the new may be a work of it self not vnworthy of some mens labours 3. * These were read in the Churches when the Scriptures were kept out Their stories or tales are comprised in the bookes called Speculum exemplorum Vitae SanctoruÌ„ LegeÌ„da Festiualia c. These also are lately reformed as they pretend But how If any would know what is done herein take but one exaÌ„ple The Iesuites in the Low countries pretending these Legends or stories needed much reformation tooke the matter vpon themselues because it was of greate waight and consequence and appointed it to some of their societie to be reformed and now of laâ—e they haue published it at Doway some two or three yeeres agoe would make vs beleeue that it is amended in innumerable places o Vide libruÌ„ intitulatum Magnum speculum exemplorum ab innumeris meÌ„dis c. vindicatum per quendam Patrem è societate Iesu per eundem locupletatuÌ„ Duaci anno 1605. But if any man haue lost any time in turning ouer their Legends and perusing the prodigious stories there laid downe let him venture euen a little more and compare this new reformed Speculum exemplorum with the former and if hee finde as impious and ridiculous Legends as improbable and as impossible tales in that as in the other theÌ„ let him make report what good reformers the Iesuites bee and how well the Romish Church is healed in this wound p To this end compare the old Speculum exeÌ„plorum or the Legend with the new Magnum speculuÌ„ exemplorum set out by the lesuites this last yeere The conclusion is that the Missals and Breuiaries though vndertaken by Trent the Pontificall Ceremoniale though vndertaken by the Pope the Legend and Speculum though vndertaken by the Iesuites and all in shew reformed yet stand all at this day as foule and deformed and though some things bee taken out yet all laid together as bad or worse then they were afore These straits of time hinder me from inlarging my selfe any further therfore to conclude and wrap vp all in one generalll exception The twentieth wound THe last point wherewith I will charge the Romish Church and religion is not so fitly to bee called a wound as a leprosie or a generall consumption but all to one end for as it is no difference vpon the matter whether a man bee deepe and desperately wounded or haue a leprosie over all the body or a generall consumption for both are deadly and both incureable so is it in this case wherein the exception I take against them is that their Church State declined long agoe into that general corruption vniuersall pollution in all estates 41 The 20. wound A generall corruption of manners in all estates That the prophanenesse licentiousnesse and sinfulnesse of all sorts of people in that Church both head members is like a spirtuall leprosie without or a generall consumption within threatning ruine to the whole body This point is worthy to bee enlarged but I must deferre it and referre the Reader to the records of antiquity I meane such as be their owne men but hauing some remorse of conscience feare of God did confesse freely and bitterly deplore the miserie that the sinfulnesse of the popish Church and religion would bring vpon all the world Let them read that haue them these bookes named in the margent q Vide Gersonis opera passim Reuelationes Brigittaeâ— Vincentij Ferrariens prognostic PetruÌ„ de Aliaco de reformatione eccl Nicolai de Clemangiis opera in Bibliotheca Patrum editionis primae and those that haue them not it may bee shortly they may haue some helpe therein and then you will graunt with mee that former and better times confessed that which I now laie to their charge I will insist particularly but vpon two the one of so greate antiquitie Poemâ—ta Walteri Mapes Maillardi Menotti Sermones Holcot in Sapient lect 82. passim Onus Ecclesiae passim the other of so greate authority as both are beyond exception Some 400 years ago liued a Monk learned for those times called as Posseuine confesseth r Vide Posseu in Appar sae In apped priori ad tom 1. lit B.