THE MOTIVES of Richard Sheldon Pr. for his iust voluntary and free renouncing of Communion with the Bishop of Rome PAVL the 5. and his Church I saw the woman drunke with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus and I admired when I saw her with great admiration Apocal. cap. 17. 6. Goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her Sinnes nor receiue of her punishments Apocal. 18. 4. Published by Authority London printed for NATHANIEL BVTTER and are to be sold at his shop neere S. Austines gate 1612. To Mr. George Birker the Arch-Priest and all other Priests with the rest professing in England communion with PAVL the 5. Bishop of Rome that now is THese my inducements passing ouer with silence many others by which I haue resolued to relinquish renounce the communion of the present Bishop of Rome and to adioyne my selfe to the Catholike and truly Apostolike Church of England I doe not therefore addresse vnto you thereby to craue your patronages but to require your seuerest censures expecting only and humbly begging and doe daily multiply obloquies against me yea and libell also against me in respect of my booke written in defence of my Prince and Countrie doe presume to Dedicate these my Motiues which will proue nothing acceptable to Rome or to some of your tastes to your worthy persons and names the truth is the cause of this is my considence in truth which I deliuer the which being gratefull to her veriest enemies cannot but be grateful to many of you to whom I know the verie sound of truth is pleasant though through the seducements of your leadâ—rs and your little reading of Gods Word and bookes of controuersie you are now misled mâ—gnâ—rance but veritas filta temporis truth is the daughter of time shee doth not alwaies appeare at the first as God wot shee hath very latelie would God sooner to me yet now shee is come and appeareth I professe without lying God is my witnesse I senâ—â—bile feele in such sort as the soule can feele my vnderstanding and souâ—e as it were a new inlightned illustrated consorted and encouraged by a new change and translation out of the h 〈◊〉 1. shadow of darkenesse into the i Ad Colâ—ss 1. Kingdome of Gods beloued sonne Iesus for whose testimonie Oh how happie should I bee to suffer euen death it selfe But because I am growne of late so contemptible with you wherein I reioice haue and doe vndergoe the same fortune which my k 〈◊〉 6. deare Sauiour and onelie Master Iesus did sustaine being conuersant vpon earth in respect of the honor of the cause which I haue vndertaken sufferte modicum quid insipientiae meae suffer a little of my folly to vse the words of the l 2 Ad Cor. 11. Apostle in like sort beginning to commend himself in commending of my self to you in such things whereof for some circumstances I take now no comfort but rather am ashamed of them and with my very soule doe lament them When I liued in the Romane English Colledge I begin there if any one can say any great ill of me before that time or since let him not spare to speake hee hath good leaue it is well knowne how I was reputed to haue profited being there better esteemed then I euer thought of my selfe and for learning compared with your Doctor Norrice a man of farre worthier partes then my selfe with whom also had not his oppositions against the gouernours of the English Colledge and the generall commotion of the same Colledge letted it at that very time I had defended publike Theses and Conclusions out of the whole corps and body of Diuinity the same being with their Epistle Dedicatorie allowed and readie printed for that purpose but because Doctor Norrice might not haue that honor in respect he was theÌ„ in opposition against the Superiours I was desired not to expect lest also the Bishop of Cassano Doctour Norrices Patron and fauourer then should bee discontented thereat the same at Rome but I was promised to performe it in Spaine whether I was sent with letters of as fauourable commendations both from the superiours of the Colledge and their Generall Claudius Aquauiua as euer anie English Priest had and also with as ample faculties into England yea in some things as it is well known concerning The Rect â—r of the English Colledge â—iâ—hed me to set downe in writing what faculties I desired and that hee would procute from the Cardinall protector confirmation allowance of the same which was accordingly done so largely as none had so large before whereof I haue a Copy to shew dispensations in all degrees of marriages contracted or to be contracted touching all Ecclesiasticall positiue impediments letting or dissoluing marriage more ample then any other euer had before mee as any Priest or Ignatian then in England had And if I was not in good esteeme then and there why did the Superiors of the English Colledge request me onely alone aboue others to write a short letter rather then a Petition to the Pope who then was Clement the 8. by the same to giue testimonie to that Pope of their vpright gouernment in the Colledge which then was so eagerly called in question by most of the English there I could vse more folly courteous Reader in adding many more very fauourable particulars as of my free accesse to Cardinall Catetane Protector to their General Aquauiua c. but I haue been too foolish already being constrained thereunto Since my comming into this Kingdome it is well knowne I haue been too too industrious in exhorting preaching c. And it is as well knowne that my conuersation and entertainement hath beene with the best Honourable not excepted let those who haue knowne me last and longest who are very Worshipfull very true hearted English and vnacquainted with the Equiuocating Spirit Speake what my carriage and conuersation hath beene But good Iesus why doe I thus trouble my selfe thus to waste paper and inke calumniated I am and most disgracefully calumniated I shall be as the Right Honourable my Lord of Canterbury his Grace presaged to me when I first told his Grace of my resolution but I will reioyce therein and shall esteeme all as dungge so that I may glory m Ad Galat. 6. in the Crosse of Iesus Christ the onely comfort and ioy of my soule the n Act. 4. onlie hope of my saluation Let hell it selfe spew out against mee all most disgracefull taunts and calumniations I will to God commend my cause hee will bring the truth of my innocency in the end to light I will in the meane vse patience the anker of all Christian soules in times of any tribulations and distresses Thus most humbly beâ—eeching with heart prostrate and in all your behalfes the mercies of the o 1 Ad Tim. 2. onely Aduocate and Sauiour of Mankind that you may returne to
of Heads or cheefe Gouernors yea made so plaine that p Parsons in his Catholike letter against our Kings Apology Iobn Hart also acknowledged the same to Doctor Reinolds Conference cap. 10. in the end Parsons himselfe acknowledgeth that as our o Our King in his Apology Soueraign doth declare and explane his Title of headship and Supremacy it is sound and in some sort allowable they haue left that saying but yet thereby it is cleare that Antichrist in their owne estimation when he shall come shall be a kind of tyrannicall and vsurping Churchman The prouerbiall prophecy of of Saint Hildegard spoken of by many hath the same meaning vnum vos monco Cauete Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are ill carryed away with the loue of walls naughtily doe you worship the Church as if it were within couers and edifices badly vnder these doe you offer the name of peace what can it be doubted that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines Woods Lakes Prisons Whirlepooles shall bee more secure to me for Prophets either staying in these or thrown into these haue prophecied with the spirit of God thus she who hath not heard of the Prophecy of Ioakim Abbot which ought to bee of credit with the Pontificians considering how eager Stapleton q Stapleton in promptu is against the very haire to make him prophecie of the Order of the Ignatians as of a speciall Order to be raised vp by God for defence and propagation of the Romane Church But for prophecies the like might bee produced out of r Lib. reuelat 4. Ciril lib. reuelat related by Aytmger in Method Briget and Ciril and others these may suffice But heare a more forcible testimony out of our English Pontificians the Å¿ Annotat. in 2. ad thessalo 2. annot 5. Rhemists themselues who graunt that both Saint Austin and Saint Hierome doe interpret the sitting of Antichrist in the Temple of God for his sitting in Christs Church but not say they as though hee should be cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a speciall part of his mysticall body if they meane that in truth and verity Antichrist should not so be they neuer wrote truer Doctrine but if they meane that in the sense of the Fathers he should not as a pretended ruler and cheefe of the Church or as a pretended mysticall head of his body sit in the same it is most vaine and against the very haire for what doe they or can they else vnderstand by sitting in the Church but to rule and gouerne in the Church and therefore he alone is said to sitte in the Temple because he alone challengeth independently monarchically and Soueraignely according to the doctrin of Bellarmine t Bellar. lib. 1. de conci cap. 17. Baron in Annal. sepissime Allen. his defeÌ„ce of english Catholicks cap. 5. Baron Sanders Allen and all other who make the Church-Gouernment a Monarchy to Gouerne the whole Temple All other Bishops and prelates whatsoeuer being but his substitutes according u Bellar. lib. 1. de Romano pontific cap. 9. paragr proinde Turrecremat in sama lib. 3. cap. 44. to Bellarmines Doctrine as Viceroyes are substitutes vnder absolute Monarchs Yea these Rhemists forgetfull of what they said some few lines before by force of truth constrained thus they adde that Antichrist if hee euer were of or in the Church hee should bee an Apostata and a runnagate out of the Church and shall vsurpe vppon it by tyranny and by challenging worship religion and gouernement thereof so that himselfe shall bee adored in all Churches of the World which he list to leaue standing for his honour and this is to sit in the Temple or * Obserue Christian reader these gramarians they would make the prepositioÌ„ in with an ablatiue case to stand for against against the Temple of God as some what some are these interpret if any Pope did euer this or shall doe then let the aduersaries call him Antichrist Thus they Obserue ChristiaÌ„ Reader by their owne confession they acknowledge that the Bishop of Rome may be iustly called Antichrist if these things can be proued of him These Doctours neuer wrote truer line That hee is adored in all the Churches and congregations which he would haue to stand or hath reared vpon the ruines of such Churches as hee hath destroyed who can deny it it is as manifest as the sunne he is not named in the Masse or Letanies but with reuerence and as for the outward externall adoration and worship which is giuen him wheresoeuer hee personally sitteth it doth not onely surpasse all adoration and Honour giuen to any earthly Prince or Potentate but it farre passeth that which is giuen to their Sacrament it selfe which to them is not onely called as God or worshipped as a God but is beleeued to be very Christ himselfe yea and that the most blessed Trinity is to be worshipped as specially present in that Sacrament for to this Sacrament and God in it one adoration and genuflexion will serue when you come to pray but come to sue or supplicate to him that sitteth in the Temple one wil not serue but you must haue two or three adorations and genuflexions and as many at your departing whether you obteine your suite or not and almost prostrate also you must kisse his feete before you depart if you may be admitted to that Fauour For I assure you in Rome it is esteemed a fauour to kisse the Popes foote greater then in Aethiopia to see the great Presbyters great toe for which Purpose he hath caused the signe of our redemption to be drawne vpon his slippers where doubtlesse sometimes it hath homely droppes fall vpon it but it little mattereth for Christians mouthes saue the Popes groomes of their labour which adoration sweete licking if you please to beleeue the Cretian x Eudaemon paralell cap. 8. pag. 403. Ignatian Eudaemon was prophecied by King Dauid Pii Principes c. Let Godly Princes knowing what they owe to God in his Members and in his Ministers adore them with demisse countenance and lick the dust of their feet thus that lying parazite pardon me Christian reader for calling him so y He that shall reade his caluÌ„nious booke written aga nst the temperate and iudlcious book of the L. Bishop of Elye will easily perceiue how desperate that cause of the Pope is which hath such desperate Raylers set a worke to maintaine it what haue the Ignatians no better EudaemoÌ„ then this Cacodaemon Pardon me courteous Reader the foule mourhed Daemon who in euery page almost giueth either the lye or exprobrateth auaâ—ice to that worthy learned Prelate deserueth no lesse he is doubtlesse the most impudent lyer and most shamelesse calumniator and vainest parazite that euer put pen to paper and for his comfort some may tell him hee is so esteemed by almost all indifferent and iudicious Pontifician
and yet should neuer vse the same being so much m Acts. cap. 6. 13. giuen to prayers and preaching but celebrate the diuine misteries with our Lords prayer onely as not onely n Greg. lib. 7. Epist. 64 Cardin Cusan ep 7. Ama larius de Eccle. officys lid 3. Rupert de diuinis off lib. 2. Hieron lib. 3. contra Pelag. Naucler Platina Cassander alii Saint Gregorie but diuers others doe deliuer vsing a Lyturgie as it is described by Saint Iustine doubtlesse more like the English Lyturgie then the Romane Masse I obserued also that downe must the authoritie of all those Historians Platina Almarius Polidore Durandus Durantus and very many others who attribute the institution and ordaining of all parts of the Masse to diuers Popes liuing long after the Apostles down also must that notable miracle written by o Iacobus in vita Grego primi Iacobus à Voragine an Archbishop amongst them in Italy at Genoa the miracle was thus and shewed in the time of Adrian Pope when there was great contention in the Church about the Canon of the Masse Thus it was the missall of Gregorie was laid with that of Saint Ambrose together vpon the Altar in Saint Peters Church and left thereupon all night that God would vouchsafe by miracle to demonstrate which of those two he would approue for the vse of the whole westerne Church God did so accordingly saith the wise Archbishop For the missall of Saint Gregorie was * The Roman Canon hath euer worst successe at such trials for as it was heere rent so Don Rodrigo Archbishop of Toledo aboue 300. and 40. yeares ago reporteth lib 6. cap. 25. of his historie that when trial was made betwixt the Gothian and Toletan Canon and the Romane first by priuate combate of two Knights after by fire et both trials the Toletan Canon preuailed the Knight for the Romane Canon was ouercome and at the second triall the fire consumed the Popes Canon that of Toledo being vntouched rent into leaues and cast vp and downe the bodie of the Church but that of Saint Ambrose laid open vpon the Altar readie to be read and so those ancient sages with Adrian their head gathered that the renting of Saint Gregories missall and scattering of the leaues of the same about the Church did shew that it was Gods will that the same should be vsed throughout the whole westerne Church but Saint Ambroses missall because it was laid open in Saint Peters Church vpon an Altar as readie to be there vsed therefore the same forsooth must be vsed onely in Saint Ambroses Church of Millane What wise coniecturer would not rather haue gathered the contrarie that the missall of Ambrose should be vsed but that of Gregorie despised but had you gone O ye Pontificians ad legem ad testimonium to the law and testimonie to the diuine Scriptures as you p Isai 8. are commaunded and not tempt God with expecting of testimonies from the dead which is dangerous superstitious damnable you would neuer haue so shamefully forgotten your selues And how is it imaginable that if the Apostles instituted a Canon of Masse deliuered to the Romane Church which also Saint Ambrose being made of a Catechumen a Bishop could not but find vsed and practised in his Church of Millane how durst that Bishop afterwards attempt to frame a new Canon for his Church omitting to vse that of the Apostles but perhaps he vsed theirs in the forenoone his own in the afternoone or else the two Canons had their turnes one after another Alas how are the sages of Pharaoh caught in their coniecturing And consider Christian Reader how can this miracle stand if the Canon of Masse had beene instituted by the Apostles and accordingly had beene practised both in France and Italy and other Churches for I hope Masse was said throughout Italie and France before the miracle what needed then Charles the Great to haue assisted with his Imperiall authoritie Adrian the Pope for the bringing in to vse the missall of * It is meere vanity to think that the Canon as it is now was so in Saint Gregories daies Saint Gregorie and the exclusion of that of Saint Ambrose Millane onely excepted where it is now vsed from all other Churches away away with these vanities Againe I demaund how could Scholasticus a priuate person of the Church or Citie of Rome or some otâ—er Church although p Bellarm. lib. 2. de missa cap. 12. Bellarmine the profound Cardinall would to the laughter of all faine q Bellarmine called great pillar of the Church and the Auflen of our time by Eudaemon in his confutation of Anticott pa. 48. haue Saint Peter signified vnder the name of Scholasticus compose the Canon of the Masse if the Apostles had made it and the whole Christian westerne Church had practised it before Did Saint Gregorie know that the Apostle made the Canon and that Scholasticus was onely gatherer or setter together in some better methode of that which the Apostles had composed and the Church of Rome in some sort perhaps neglected till Scholasticus his time and so to need his ordering and amending doubtlesse S. Gregorie nameth r M. Thomas Iames worthily obserueth out of S. Gregorie that Scholastians was a vsual name and often mentioned in S. Greg. lib. 2. epist missa scholastico duci lib. 9. epist 14. epist missa scholastic defensori lib. 7. ep 32. lib. 6. ep 26. lib. 3. ep 38. lib. 6. cp 45. alias Scholasticus as a man wel known to Iohn of Siracuse to whom he wrote that Epistle and I thinke it would proue the wits of Bellarmine and all the Ignatians to find where S. Peter or any of the twelue Apostles were surnamed by the name Scholasticus if S. Gregorie knew this why doth he not expresse it nay why doth he most expresly insinuate the contrary affirming expresly that the Apostles celebrated the dreadful misteries only with the Lords praier In his 64 Epistle of his 7. booke these are his words Orationem vero dominicam c. the Lords praier we therefore said presently after the praiers because it was the custome of the Apostles that they did consecrate the host of oblation at our Lords prayor onely and it seemed to me verie inconuenient that wee should say the prayer which Scholastious had composed ouer the oblation and should not vse the tradition which our Lord had composed ouer his bodie and bloud Thus most expresly Saint Gregorie the which authoritie must downe to the ground or else S. Gregorie be appeached of equiuocating or of ignorance that he knew not the tradition vpon which the Canon of Masse was founded as our present Romanists would now perswade the world But nothing be it neuer so manifest must ouerthrow the Canon of their Masse which indeed is the verie life of the present Pontifician Church and the liuelihood of their Priests Monkes and Prelates and yet through
errour and no Apostolicall tradition because not clearely knowne nor receiued in Saint Austens time who most expresly in the learnedst and perhaps the last booke he euer wrote except his Retractations affirmeth that y August lib. de ciuit dei 21 cap. 26. see also the 16. chapter perhaps it is true note the word perhaps that there is a purging fire after death by which it is most manifest according to other places of him that the Church in his time did not make Purgatorie sire a tradition Apostolicall or article of faith but of late the Pseudosinode and Schismaticall Councell vnder Eugenius the fourth gathered against that of Basil which had deposed Eugenius before and substituted Felix contrarie to the ancient faith of the Latine and Grecke Church determined Purgatotie pains for a point of faith But of these imaginarie and fatuous flames else where perhaps more largely The word of God as it is expounded of the ancient Fathers doth dispell condemne explode them for if there z Epist ad Rom. 8. 2. ad Corinth 5. ad Thes 1. cap. 4. Apoc. cap. 14. be no damnation to those who die in Christ Iesus beleeuing in him with faith working by charitier and if all those who die in him euen from that moment of death rest from their labors and that no sooner the earthly habitation is left off but an heauenly habitation is put on and those who beleeuing Christ loue Christ desiring to be dissolued and to be with him are with him and if generally the Apostle exhorteth and commaundeth that Christians should not be so much as contristated for those who die in Christ in Iesus and by Iesus by whom and in whom they sleepe with many such like sayings who that is not eyther seduced by his education in poperie or else for his ouercredulitie to their Priests misled will beleeue the imaginarie flames of Purgatorie And heere I constantly affirme and the contrarie cannot be shewed to wit that all those Fathers who alowed praier for the dead were more or lesse to be touched with some one of these errours either that the states of the faithfull departed could not be certaine vntill the day of iudgement and that they were to be kept in certaine receptacles till that time and that none of the departed were to see Gods face vntill the day of iudgement a Austen writeth doubt fully here of in his Enchirid cap. 109. where he affirmeth that sacrifice is offered for the dead either that they may haue full remission or else that their damnation may be more tolerable He teacheth the like lib. 1. de orig enime cap 9. 10. lib. de cura pro mortuiâ— cap. 1. Azor. lib. institut 10. cap. 22. affirmeth that it was the doctrine of certaine ancient that their Masse did profit and ease the soules damned in hell or else that the verie soules of the damned in hell might be holden by prayers as Iohn b Damascen erat de mortuis ciacon Aquinas alis Damascene approuingly relating the historie of Trajanes soule doliuered by Saint Gregorie seemeth to hold and all those who account the historie of Falconillas deliuerie by the prayers of Tecla to be authenticall seeme to affirme And as for the historie of Traians deliuerie by Saint Gregories prayers although it be impugned by some later authors yet the historie is to be seene painted in Saint Gregories Monasterie at Rome the which also the great Ignatian Salmeron acknowledgeth by which it is most manifest that the opinion teaching that damned soules in Hell might be holpen or eased by the prayers of some liuing seemed not so extrauagant and improbable in the Romane Church when time was by all which and much * Ciprian seemeth to shew how the commemoratâ—ue sacrifice was offered for martyrs in coÌ„memoration of them Cyprian epist 62. lib. 3. lib. 4. epist 5. in like sort Ciril speaketh in Cateches more that might be said to the same purpose the courteous Reader may obserue how one errour breedeth another to wit vncertaintie of estate of the soules departed vntill the day of iudgement prayers for them prayers for them Purgatorie fire Purgatorie fire requiem Masses and Purgatorie sacrifices for them and their fabulous Indulgences with such like errours There be many other things which I might iustly taxe in the Canon of their Masse as repugnant to all antiquitie and consequently not Apostolicall the dreadfull eleuation of the Sacrament not onely to be reuerenced as a Sacrament of God but to be adored and inuocated as the diuine Maiestie it selfe their carrying vp and downe the said Sacrament in their processions But as execrable rather then as inexcusable I doe abhominate that Papall custome and Nouell fashion of theirs by which they set the Sacrament vpon a white palfrey to be caried before their holinesses whithersoeuer they shall make their progresse to shew perhaps that they will be like the virginall Saints in heauen b Apoc. 14. who follow the Lambe wheresoe uer he goeth O mercifull Sauiour of mankind c Psal 118. tempus faciendi dissipauerunt legem tuam It is high time to doe they haue dissipated thy law in steede of thy diuine Maiestie they haue set vp a God dwelling in their tabernacles in their towers and call the same their God the God of fortitude the God of strength and insteed of that thy onely sacrifice of the Crosse daily honoured inuocated commemorated by thy faithfull Seruants the Chimericall and imaginarie reall carnall sacrifice of your selfe in bread and wine vpon their idolatrous Altars Open their eyes thou who art the onely Sacrifice oblation redemption and deliuerance of all mankinde by that oblation which thou diddest once make for vs all vpon the Crosse looke downe and consider how they abuse thy holy rite and institution which thy Maiestie appointed and all thy ancient Church receiued according as thy d Math. 28. Mark 14. Luke 22. 6. Paul 1 ad corinth 11. Euangelists and Apostle deliuered vnto them that all thy faithfull should receiue the Sacrament whole and intire in both kinds yet now c Conc. Trident. sess 21. comes the Tridentine Fathers and they do not only decree one kind to be enough but they also accurse and execrate they curse and thou wilt blesse all those who shall obserue and teach as necessarie thy institution and shall practise according as all the Prime and ancient Churches did and this their treacherie they will excuse by protesting take a Helen without an excuse so the TrideÌ„tine is named by Espencaus in his Commentarie vpon Titus that the ancient Church neuer vsed the Sacrament vnder both kinds out of opinion of necessity as though your holy institution your commandement deliuered and inculcated by the Apostles and Euangelists did not bind vnder necessitie But they will thus at their pleasures only like the f 2. Thess 2. Outlaw or lawlesse man by whom they were authorised for this described by your
some great matter to be acted about the Powder time For when I was last beyond the seas a graue person reported in my hearing and in the hearing of a reuerend Priest that the l R. V. meeter-maker of their English hymnes spoke openly in Antwerpe at a table where diuers were drinking together some fiue or six weekes before the Powder-treasoÌ„ time that there was some great attempt in hand in England Perhaps the good man knew not the whole secret if he did then perchance for very shame he concealed it for I hardly thinke he would detest the fact who so eagerly commended the stinking Ignatian Queres or Pruritanus and the most villanous Polonian Exetasis against his Maiesties most excellent state and person which bookes also are most singularly esteemed by some beyond seas of which I thinke if the most excellent Arch-duke knew they should not be so dearly esteemed of by him But I surcease to write any more of this kind I haue perpaps discouered so much of the Ignatian spirit that some of them will attempt by some meanes or other to attenuat my spirit but I weigh it not for nothing more welcome to me then death it self so that I may be found prouided and ready to meet him and to be with him after whom my soule longeth and breatheth so much as this corruptible flesh of mine will permit me My redeemer hath numbred my daies and m Psal 138. hath put my imperfections in his sight and before he calleth me no man can thrust me hence his truth is witnesse to my soule that in this writing I seeke onely his glory in whom confiding I feare no man And I humbly wish the English Recusants to beware of such seducers as come vnder the garments of sheepe but inwardly are rauening wolues who plotting to bring to passe their conuersion of England seeke nothing but the subuersion thereof rather then their desires should not take effect And therefore as themselues well know are euer inculcating matters to the disgrace of the Church and state-gouernment of this Kingdome cannot well indure that any Priest in his Sermons should so much as commend and inculcate obedience to temporall magistrates I my selfe was at my first comming sixteene yeeres since into this Kingdome not a little reprehended by two Ignatian Priests because vpon that text a Matth. 22 Marke 12. Giue vnto God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is Caesars I had said they too much insisted vpon the latter part thereof in perswading of obedience to the temporal magistrate and yet in that sermon which was not aboue an houre and halfe long I am assured I discoursed not twenty lines of that subiect To proceed I gather another tricke of naughty Spirits especially in the elder and latter Pontifician Monkes and Friers who haue set forth so many counterfet and comentitious treatises in the ancient Fathers names by that meanes to establish and confirme their doctrines of their transubstantiation their Popes supremacy their confiding in merits of Saints adoration of Images c. Wherein I do constantly affirme that the most pregnant and clearest proofes which they pretend for most of their Romane positions are taken out either of such counterfeit bookes as some of the learnedst Pontificians call in question or else out of such commentitious bookes and putatiue workes of ancient Fathers which by very sufficient proofe may bee shewed to bee not currant And when withall I obserue what order they haue taken with their * Indices expurgatorij Romanus Neapolitanus Hispanus Belgicus editià Povtificijs Expurgatory Indices not onely to giue annotations but further to corrupt the very texts of Authours so that none of later Pontifician Authors in short time such as Caietane Ferus Stella Ludouicus Granatensis Polidore Virgill Claudius Espex c. shall bee found sound and to speake like themselues yea they sticke not to corrupt the very texts of ancient Fathers whose editions they daylie innouate at Rome Paris Lions c. The industrious * His Treatise of corruption of Scriptures Fathers Councels by the Pontificians M. Thomas James hath produced many of such corruptions and promiseth much more one of them for a tast which I also obserued long agoe and proposed to a learned man but receiued no satisfaction I will heere giue to the Reader it is a corruption of a saying of S. Gregorie Nissene which is this Illam solummodo naturam quae increata est colere ac venerari didicimus were haue learned onely to worship and adore that nature which is increate but the Spanish Expurgatorie Indices say the word onelie must bee put out of the text a good cause why the reader cannot but obserue the mysterie therefore I passe it with silence Doubtlesse these men who are so impudent to set foorth their owne late Authours otherwise then themselues wrote and are not ashamed to corrupt the texts of ancient Fathers workes it is no maruell that they do so shamefully in their ranslations peruert the sacred word abhorring nothing more then in those places of controuersies in which they dissent from the reformed Churches to haue their translations reformed according to the originalls of sacred Scripture in which the word of God was first written by the Authours thereof Many shifts p Bellarm. lib. 2. de â—erbo Dei Bellarmine Stapleton Harding others deuise to wash away this dastardly tergiuersation of theirs in refusing trial by the originals of Gods Scripture but the imputation is iust and vnremooueable and will help to bring their Babell to her confusion together with her Expurgatory Indices of late and ancient Authours Further the naughty spirits of many Pontificians as Bellarmine Stapleton c. haue seemed manifest to me in that they doe most egregiously to bring the reformed Churches in hate and contempt calumniate them to teach such doctrines as they vtterly detest and disclaime from As first they accuse them that they giue iustification to faith onely meaning ostentimes such a naked faith as they teach void of charity that is faith informed as they speake a mere calumniation For who knoweth not that the resormed Churches make iustifying faith that which inseparably p Galat. 5. worketh by charitie as the Apostle speaketh againe they are accused to exclude necessity of good works to saluation and all reward also of good workes at saluation meere imputations For as they continually inculcate and commend necessity of good works in their pulpits more effectually then in many of the Pontifician Churches whose Preachers are much busied with extolling the merits of Saints the worth of indulgences c. So likewise they publikehe professe that God will not bee vnmindfull of the least good worke done as it ought for his sake to reward the same They are generally calumniated amongst the good English Pontificians who meane well that thy make Gods he Authour and impeller of and to sinne a meere calumniation There are
bookes there are of Gods Scripture or how many Chapters there are in any of the bookes Or else through the inuallid successes or euents of their vows beeing either not heard or not regarded by them to whom they are made or else through the contiuuall disquietnesse and torment of their consciences in the * I disproue not ' but highly commend the vse of Auricular Confession when it is voluntary without sacrilege vsed for comfort not abused as the very means and cause by which sinners are iustified in the sight of God much like as the Mexicans vsed Auricular Confession Botero Relationi vniuersali Part. 4. lib. 2. nel fine vse of their Sacrament of confession as it is now by them most peruersly abused to the iniurie of Christ subuersion of diuers soules receiuing no * It is not imaginable what inconsolable liues some that are frequente in the vse of Confession as necessary to saluation doe lead there is no stony heart which would not pitie them knowing their torments rest day nor night k Ierem. 16 as seruing Gods who cannot giue it them are growne into some distrust of the Romane Church Of these might bee conceiued some iust hope of their conuersions if they would vouchsafe either to read holie Scriptures or else to read some learned bookes written by some learned Priest or Preacher of the reformed and Catholike Churches of Christendom but I greatly doubt they wil not dare without leaue of their Priests so to doc and I am most assured that by them they shal neuer be permitted A certaine Bishoppe of Italy was not ashamed to tell l Claud Espene Comeut in cap. 1 ad titum Claudius Espencaeus a famous Pontifician that the learned men in Italy it self were afraid to study the holy Scriptures lest thereby they should become Heretikes and that therefore they imployed themselues in commenting vpon the Popes law-bookes deerees and the Decretals the which Booke thoughfull of lies contradictions impertinencies yet because it is the Popes Booke it must be respected whilest the holie Scripture lyeth as it were in the streetes neglected But to these may not that of Christ be iustly obiected Serui nequam wicked seruants out of your owne mouthes I condemn you Assuredly these and like Italianized Prelates of m Luk. 19. which for greatest number consisted the Tridentine Councell are none of those who are reputed blessed by the Prophet n Psalm 2 Dauid for meditating in the law of God day and night But to shorten this my letter addressed vnto thee Christian and Catholike Reader I humblie request thee to accept with charitable interpretation these my Motiues and to pray for my constancy in profession of Gods truth I must needes confesse that I did find great difficulties in this my conuersion First some suggestions by Sathan suborned how greatly this my conuersion would turne to my disestimation with all of the present Roman faith and those my deare and old acquaintance of whom I affirme that they are vertuously disposed for whose saluations vtinam vt Anathema superimpenderer Would God to speake with the o Ad Rom. 9. 2. ad Corint 12 Apostle I might as an Anatheme be sacrificed yea offered and offered againe so that they might be saued Some other lesser difficulties I found all were humane terrene but when I considered that of the p Ad Galat. 1 Apostle if I should seeke to pleasemen I should not bee the seruant of Christ and that of q Luk. 12 Christ Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the iustice thereof and then all these things will bee added vnto you I fully resolued for the charity and r Ad Philip. 3 supereminent knowledge of Christ to esteeme all that is in the world as verie dung and rather to dwell poore Å¿ Psal 83 in the house of God then to dwell in the rich Tabernacles of sinners And in this my resolution I was somewhat the more confirmed in respect that from my verie youth euen then when I was too too zealous an Emulator of all Romane superstitions I haue euer had often suggestions and inspirations in my mind that a time would come when I should be calumniated and greatly abused by the Papists and persecuted by the Pope himselfe whom I then admired as an heauenly Oracle vpon earth but most of all I was filled with such foreapprehensions and presages being in Rome vpon t Anno Dom. 1594 the 20. of June the same day and houre when that glorious and renowned Christian Marsh suffered the cutting off of his right hand the gagging of his mouth by the Counsel of the Ignatian Cowlin who boasteth himself thereof in England after that the pulling tearing and burning of his flesh with hote glowing pincers for many howres together thorow many streetes of the City of Rome and lastly death it selfe by fire with such admirable patience and constancy that the Romanes themselues did greatly admire him therfore His act for which hee was so tormented was because hee had throwne downe their Sacrament as it was publikely carried thorow the streetes of Rome in publike Procession to be adored worshipped and inuocated as God himselfe an idolatrous superstition latelie crept into that Church contrary to the custom and practise of all auncient Churches whatsoeuer And yet notwitstanding all such suggestions and inspirations at that time which I constantly reiected as temptations I did beeing earnestly intreated and vrged thereunto by the Superiours of the English Colledge make an Oration and a most vehement * This Oration was ready penned to me because I had little aboue a day to prouide my selfe for the prpnouncing thereof before so publike an Audience inuectiue against that fact of his in the presence of diuers Cardinals and Prelates assembled together in the English Church to keepe a solemne Masse of the Sacrament some moneth after the death of that glorious Christian But what may I now vpon this euent interpret those presages inspirations and forewarnings else to haue been then sweet motions and inducements from him who as I trust hath segregated mee to preach the Gospell of his beloued Sonne Iesus the which then I passed ouer with a deafe eare but his goodnesse vouchsafing now to open my eare I may not contradict but blesse him eternally for that he hath made me a child of u Ad Rom. 8. â— Pâ—t 2 adoption of acquisition and election beleeuing with x Ad Rom 10. heart and confessing with mouth for my iustification and saluation onely and alonely in Iesus Christ But before I conclude I intreat the Courteous Reader that y Ad Galat. 5. Iacob 2. both by faith and conuersation by godly z Act. 2 frequenting of the most venerable Sacrament of Christs body and bloud by deuout a Ad Col. 3. Jacob. 1 attendance and hearkning to Gods word so daily so clearely so liuely preached in this Kingdome by daily b
where are such violent enemies against the Oath of allegeance and esteeme all such as take or allow of it as Heretikes as lapsed from the Catholike Romane faith because say they the Pope in his Briefes hath defined and decreed that there are diuers points in it against the Catholike faith Romane he should say and yet I suppose as very cleare that none of the English Secular Priests did expresly know against what speciall points of faith the Oath was till now of late a certaine i A Briefe declaration c. together with a recapitulation c. by H. I. Ignatian recapitulater vnder a double title promising a double book but bringing forth only a short pamphlet and that a namelesse one and therefore a Libell hath shewed in his namelesse defence of the Romane faith that Pope Paul the 5. in his Breues hath k Pag. 32. Ibidem pag. 56. defined the same Oath to bee hereticall and vnlawfull because it denyeth the Popes power to depose Princes and dispose of Kingdomes an article of faith with him in his libell although not naming himselfe I may iustly say l Rom 1. My eares haue heard many Ignatian Priests constantly affirme that Paul the 5. had defined in his late Breues that the oath could not be taken and that his Briefe was a definitioÌ„ of faith so R. B. G. B. I. F. R. L. M. W. T. T T. F. I. K. with diuers others of that profession erubescit cuangelium he is ashamed of his Ghospell But no meruaile that the Ignatians are so well acquainted with the mysteries of the Popes faith for since their Father Ignatius his beatifying vvho had so many m Apud Ribadin in vita Ignat. idle reuelations I doubt not but that they haue receiued newe illustrations from that Code and Deske of all law faith and right the Popes brest which the ancient Church neuer knew But when n The Recapitulater in the Title of his vnlearned and seditious pamphet and for his traiterous doctrine see him page 43. Promised Leonard Lessius commeth forth with his demonstrations for he would seeme to demonstrate in all his bookes as this pamphletter of Louaine not H. I. but P. W. hath couertly promised doubtlesse he will reueale the hidden mysterie which was not knowne in the Primitiue Church though then darkly working but was to be o 2. Thess 2. reuealed in these times with which the world is likely to end But to returne to what I haue to proue It being manifest that Popes and the Romane particular Church with all those of the societie of Ignatius not excepting any one doe dogmatically maintaine that the Pope defining ex Cathedra is the infallible vncontrollable vnappellable and onely necessarie Iudge in all controuersies of faith it should be lost labour in me to stand to proue that this their position is beleeued by them as a point and article of their faith nay I should say as a principle and very maxime of their faith For can any the simplest idiote doubt but that the infallible rule of faith which declareth faith squareth faith must be beleeued as faith and by faith But by this their nouell article of faith by ineuitable consequence it followeth that they differ in the most fundamentall point of beleefe from all such Fathers Councels and Doctors as did maintaine or as yet doe that the most infallible rule of faith is the doctrine of the Scriptures especially when it is publikely declared out of the same Scriptures by the authoritie of free Generall Councels and the publike voice of the vniuersall Christian Church the which rule of faith as I am most assured all p Conc. Hierosol Act. 15. Greg. in ep 1. ad Corinâ—h apud pateriuÌ„ Vinc Lirin contra hereses cap. 4. S. Austen most clearely contra Donat. lib. 2. contra epist funda tract vltimo in Ioh. contra Crescon alibi sepissime Cyprian lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae in epist ad Pomp. Patres conc chal cedo Sinod 6. 7. 8. conc Constan Basil ConstaÌ„tinus apud Euseb in eius vita Con. Constantinopol in epist ad epâ—sc Rom. congregatos â—arissime apud Zozom l. 5. c. 9. l At this preâ—ent now in â—aris it is required of the Ignatians amongst other articles to wit that the Pope cannot depose Princes c. to subscribe also to the superiority of the general Councel â—boue the Pope ancient Fathers did teach and beleeue so it cannot be doubted but that many learned both in Germanie England and q France doe still professe and maintaine to all whom as to the ancient Fathers and Councels the later Popes with their Pontificians who obstinately maintaine and beleeue this nouell rule of faith must in truth be reputed heretikes yea obstinate heretikes because pertinaciously erring in the very fundamentall rule of all faith And if any learned Priest retort against me and say that as I heere confesse all Papists concurre not to maintaine this pontifician rule of faith and that many Sorbonist Doctors teach it not neither do beleeue it This is true indeed but let him take this inference with him that notwithstanding all their bragges for the certainty of their faith they are yet most vncertaine as being not as yet agreed vpon the rule of faith yea they are so opposite that one side beleeueth as the Pope with his what the other disbeleeueth and condemneth as erroneous yea and this in Councels as in those r Conc. Constan Basil opposite to the Lateran vnder Leo the 10. and the Florent vnder Eugenius the 4. deposed by the Fathers at Basil of Laterane Florence Constance Basill Frankeford Colen c. which being so that themselues are not agreed vpon the rule of faith why will they not giue leaue and allow to true Christians the word of God as it is expounded clearely constantly and vniuersally by the ancient Fathers to be the inerrable rule of faith as his most excellent Maiestie in his learned premonition to Christian Princes iustly requireth and exacteth according to ancient and learned Å¿ Vincent contra heres cap. 4. Vincentius his rule It followeth that I demonstrate this rule of faith deuised by the Popes and Pontificians to support the Romane soueraignties to be meere noueltie and so to prescribe against it by antiquitie This I must now doe contractly not doubting but that I shall haue occasion more to enlarge my authorities and reasons when these my motiues shall be impugned as doubtlesse they will be vnlesse it seeme good to the wise men of Saint Omers as their owne libel termes them to answere them by some libelling ballade as they of late haue thought meete to answere t An answere made vpon Sheldons booke to a priuate friend beginning laugh laugh c. which libell hath ofteÌ„ moued the persons against whom it is to very much laughing at the Ignatians follies and wisdomes with a libell a certaine Priests booke for the oath of allegeance for Quicquid
consider their goodly inferences thereupon once conuerted should after that for euer confirme establish or vphold the rest in their faith which is to say Peter is that man whom he would make Superiour ouer them and the whole Church whereby we may learne that it was fit in the prouidence of God that he who should be the head of the Church should haue a speciall priuiledge by Christs prayer and promise neuer to faile in faith that none other eyther Apostle Bishop or Priest may challenge any such singular and speciall prerogatiue eyther of his office or person otherwise then in ioyning in faith with Peter and by holding of him Thus they with much more to like purpose wherein the Christian Reader cannot but obserue how eagerly for the Popes sake they pursue Peters priuiledge and would most perniciously against the verie foundation of our Christian religion shew that Christ prayed onely for Peter and that neither the Apostles nor Euangelists by vertue of their Apostleship Offices or any other meanes had infallibility of not erring in faith but by ioyning with Peter and holding of Peter So that Saint Paul writing his fourteene Epistles whereof one was to the Romanes the onely infallible Sea the onely Catholike Apostolike one and holy Church if you beleeue the Pontificians espccially o Valentia in aualis lib. 6. in titulis cap. 9. 10 11. 12. 13. 14. Valentia Saint Iames Saint Iohn and Iude their Epistles Saint Iohn his Reuelation Saint Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn their Gospels had therein instruction from Peter and holding from him thereby they had infallibility that they could not erre otherwise they might haue erred in faith had not Peter to vse their owne phrases confirmed established and vpheld them in their faith If this be not pernicious doctrine subuerting the very bulwarks of Christian Religion what can be such for tell me I pray you all yee the Dowists their successors in often reprinting those corrupt annotations where did eyther the Apostles or Euangelists confesse this dependancie from Peter what record of Scripture or other authenticall Author doth deliuer vnto vs that Peter assisted the Euangelists when they wrote their Gospels Doth not Saint Paul p Galat. 2. expresly protest that he neither receiued the Gospell which he preached neque per hominem neque ab hominibus neither by man nor from men but from Iesus Christ his immediate reuelations doth not the same Apostle expresly say of Peter nihil mihi contulit he gaue me he furthered me nothing meaning of the Gospell of Christ nay rather did not the same Apostle giue somwhat to Peter q Ibidem Quia non ambulante sequndum veritatem Euangelij epist ad Galat. 2. Peter walked not according to the truth of the Gospell and after he was conuerted was heere once strengthened by his brother Paul when indewed with the holy Ghost he reprehended his humane spirit with which moued and misled he walked p not according to the truth of the Gospell What Christian did not euer as reueuerently and religiously embrace any part of Saint Lukes Actes of the Apostles because it was Saint Lukes as the whole Epistle of Saint Peter because it was Saint Peters But these men regard not how they weaken the very foundations of Christian religion so r Ad Ephcs cap. 2. Apocal cap. 21. termed in holy Scripture so that they may enhanse the Popes monarchicall supremacie which is the very life and soule of their religion whom they pretend to be Saint Peters successor in place and Sea and we grant it as the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch Hierusalem Ephesus at this day succeed S. Marke S. Peter S. Iames and Saint Iohn but heauen and earth will proclaime that in conuersation they doe nothing at all succeed Peter and as for doctrine and faith the sacred Scriptures and ancientest Churches prescribe against them Would God imitating Saint Peter they would Å¿ 1. Pet. 5. Pascere gregem verbo Feed their flocke with preaching of the word and holy example of life but alas by temporall possessions giuen by Constantine as it is writteÌ„ in the life of ancient Siluester Pope an Angell pronounced that poyson was cast into the church which more or lesse euer since hath Sanctitatem in pontificibus c. Sanctitie in Popes no man requireth in these times they are reputed best if they be but a little good or not so euill as other mortall men vse to be Papirius Masson in his booke of the Bishops of the Citie in â—ulius the third which booke he writeth notwithstanding to set forth the worthy actes of Popes infected the Bishops of Rome hauing put on for Peters pouertic tiphum seculi wordly pride and pompe not keeping themselues within their owne precincts and limites but thrusting their Sythes into the haruests of other dominering but not ruling the Cleargie and dominering ouer the Princes of the earth to whom they were first subiect both in fact and of right * Bellar. li. 2. de Rom. Pont. c. 29 as Bellarmine himselfe once confessed before his red hat and into what proud auaritious ambitious secular and worldly conuersation and vsurpations the Bishops of Rome haue degenerated the t Contaren Sadolet Poole alij Concil delect Cardin. alior Praelat tomo vltimo Conc. Cornelius Mus or at in Conc. Triden Espen in TituÌ„ Bernard li. 1. de considerat best of their Prelates and learned cannot denie and what maruaile then if they be found to degenerate in faith for the shipwracke of faith either sooner or later euer followeth the shipwracke of good consciences and life The See of the Popes to wit the Romane Particular Church was a branch inserted into the tree of the Iewes Iewish Church for so he is described by the Apostle in his u C. 11. ad Rom. Epistle to the Romanes and therefore she was carefully to looke to her selfe that she fell not for if she should grow proud she should saith the Apostle be shaked off as well as the tree it selfe was reiected and that her onely way to remaine stedfast and firme was to be x Ibidem permanent in goodnesse I wish with my whole heart that the Popes were so good and so religious that they might still deserue to haue the honour due vnto the chiefe Partriark of the West according as his most excellent Maiestie z In his kingly premonition to ChristiaÌ„ Princes professeth he would be willing to acknowledge them if they would returne to that faith and Apostolike beleefe of the Christian Church from which they are horribly degenerated Hauing thus traced the Rhemists with thy patience courteous Reader let me giue thee a taste of Bellarmines dealing for the same proiect to enhance the Popes supremacie In his Dictates at Rome not in his printed worke for they doe not alwaies print what they dictate he most egregiously depraued the sense of that sentence of the holy Ghost a Isai 28. Ecce
for Traditions of which Traditions when it is also shewed out of the Fathers that they must also be tried by holy Scriptures will they heerein receiue the Fathers euen as before renounce all and runne to the present voice of their Church which Church is with them the Pope alone or Pope and his Cardinals Againe when all the Fathers that euer commented vpon the 14. of the first to the Corinthians with the authorities of many others bee produced to shew that the publike Church Liturgy ought to be in such a tongue as may be vnderstood by the assembly and for their edification will they heere accept of the Fathers Good God they fleet vp and downe like men in mases to finde some probable reasons for their barbarous seruices Againe when innumerable authorities of ancient Fathers are clearely produced for iustification by onely faith e Ad Gal. 5. which worketh by charity and against their Laterane Transubstantiation will they admit the Fathers Good God their subterfugies are innumerable either they will skippe ouer them and runne onely to the text of Scripture This is my body 〈◊〉 else they will expound all their sayings that 〈◊〉 still remaineth the natures of the creatures are not changed Christs flesh which was crucified is not in the Sacrament Christs flesh is present as in a Mystery as in a Sacrament as in a figure c. with infinite such like most expresse sentences They will I say so figuratiuely expound them all to shew that as they detest any figuratiue exposisition of the words of Scripture in this Sacrament so they themselues delight in nothing more then in figuratiue expounding most plaine sentences of the Fathers discoursing of this mysterie Againe when authorities of all the ancient Fathers that euer had occasion to entreat of the obedience of Subiects towards their naturall Princes and lawfull Soueraignes bee produced to shew that Christians ought to obey them g Ad Rom. 13. euen for conscience sake although they be persecutors of the Christian Religion and that they neuer vnderstood of the Imperiall Papall power ouer Kings and kingdomes which the Romane Bishoppes now assume to themselues will they heere strike saile and doe homage to the Fathers No God wot they flie out of the field and for the most part either they passe ouer the question with silence or else if they bee English and Ignatians or Ignatianed they fall to libelling and with namelesle Pamphlets labour continually to traduce Magistrates Gouernment Maiesty onely striuing by such a nouell Gospell to the Apologies of which they are ashamed to put their names to set vp the maiesty of the Romane Papall monarchy after destroying of the Romane Empire to ruinate such Kingdomes as were according to the predictions of holy Prophets to rise out of the Romane Empire vntill the times of malice bee 〈…〉 I iustly touch them heere for writing of 〈…〉 in defence of this Gospell to which bookes they are ashamed or else afraide to put their names wherein they shew themselues to bee right Parsonians and Ignatians or else deepely ignatianed Those infamous libels of stinking and prophane Pruritanus and the most blasphemous masked Polonian Exetasis against the maiesties glories and gouernments of these Kingdomes and expressely the most disloiall quipping in the Polonian Exetasis of Englands title P. W. The Corrector W. Pater Gib to France Who composed them Ignatians who diuulged them Ignatians and Ignatianed The vnsauory Pruritanus worthy to bee retorted into the Popes bosome but that the Maiesty of Gods Scripture may not bee abused who caused them to bee reprinted againe after that most of them were taken at the Venetian Embassadors Ignatians Who brought new store of them againe ouer into England Ignatians Who were so well pursed as to giue eight shillings apcece yea an angell for such a prophane Pamphlet comprised in a sheet or two of paper The Ignatianed and Brethren of the societie Who composed the late idle Pamphlet of the Puritan and Protestant Sister communing against the Oth of Allegiance A simple and silly Ignatian creature God wot Who was the Authour of the late bragging recapitulation in the title of which the namelesse Composer who as it is reputed resting in S. Iohns Mount should haue put P. W. to the end of the Pamphlet rather then H. I. promiseth a recapitulation together with a declaration but faileth in the latter for he declareth nothing only he recapitulateth a certaine learned booke as it is thought of Leonard Lessius the demonstrating Diuine which booke as yet appeareth not Some say the cause is that the Sorbone Doctours of Paris hearing of it haue written to Rome against the publishing of it to the Popes Holinesse for that say they France is not in a fit temper for such doctrines Others say the French Ignatians haue written vnto their Generall Aquauiua to haue the worke stopped because in this time when their credits are so shaken euery where for like pernicious doctrine it would greatly * That doctrine must not be allowed in France which poore English Recusants must maintaine with all vtter extremity manifest perdition of their soules hurt their cause This is done to saue the Ignatians skinnes whole and yet the poore English Recusants termed both in Italy and France the Popes Asses must beare the brunt of the Popes quarrell though it be to their vtter ruines I rather thinke the booke is kept in out of diffidence of their cause and that the Louanian societie of Ignatians will not permit their Diuine to enter into such an vnsound quarrell leauing it as they say for the English to defend and vndertake Alasse the good English like Asses must vndertake all and vndergoe all yet there was neuer people vpon earth who haue had worse successe with traiterous doctrines and conspiracies then they Againe who was the composer of the late Libel against me the which I neuer read to make my selfe merry therewith But I heartily also reioiced that I was found worthy to suffer contumely and disgracefull slanders for truths sake and for my Countries and Princes sake Some silly Saint-Omeristian boy for his Fathers the Ignatians who as it is reported made themselues oftentimes merie with the same at their recreations after their full meales whom I here leaue to the making of Libels stil if they hold that a fit course to support their desperate cause only giue me leaue Curteous Reader here with two or three particulars to shew how the young Ignatians like Crabs learne of the old like as to write namelesse bookes for their gospell so also to blaspheme maiesty and soueraigntie and to commend and engender disloyall spirits and to discommend and checke the naturall and loyall Some yeere agoe and as much as since Iuly last my selfe with diuers other Priests arriuing at S. Omers we heard there a certaine Ignatian preach vpon that j Matt. 7. text Beware of false Prophets c. In which his Sermon before the
to interprete this flight of the woman to haue been about the time of Constantius or else to signifie some other particular desolation destitution of the Church when shee was persecuted by the Gentiles I doe not much insist vpon it and yet although this generall destitution of the Church should last but for a short time as they desire yet it quite ouerthroweth their ground of the Churches * Almost all Pontificians acknowledge that in Antichrists time the true Church shall bee in conspicuous without any publike â—â—uicâ— so Bellarmine Dried Sâ—aâ—es Valâ—nt Râ—mists clearely vpon the 2. to the Thes 2. continuall and neuer intermitted manifest and vniuersall conspicuity Further without all question if the e Apocal. 13 whole world shall admire after the image of the beast which image of the beast must of necessity be vnderstood of some kind of Monarchicall gouernment Empire or rule the which like an Image shall represent and stand as it were in stead of the Romane Empire it selfe then doubtlesse the number of those which shall refuse to adore the Image of the beast and to acknowledge the Popes temporall and spirituall absolute Monarchy will not be great but small at the very first till God by the spirite of his mouth shall vouchsafe by degrees to destroy the harlot where the image of this beast resideth To confirme what I haue said I will annexe the prophesie of one Hildegard a religious Virgine whom the aduersaries repute a Saint and f Theodoric Niem 2. lâ—b de priuilegijs Imperij cap. de Oâ—b 2. 3. whose bookes in the which this prophesie is Eugenius the third in a Councel at Treuers at which Saint Bernard was present receiued and approued This deuout Virgine hauing prophesied of a defection that should bee from the Romane Empire she foretelleth also of a general diuision that should be in the church and withall how by reason of the wickednesse pride and neglect of Religion which all would see in the Popes Apostolicall as shee calleth them all Kingdomes * This her prophesie is agâ—â—ing to the doctrine of lâ—aâ—ned 〈◊〉 in his booke of the auâ—â—â—â—ibility oâ— the Pope and in the time of Pope Juliâ—s all the Prelates of France at Touâ—es in a Councell there affiâ—med the same as Iohn dâ— Sâ—â—â—s relateth in Lewis the 12. would thereupon choose vnto themselues Archbishops and Gouernours of other names vnder whom they might and would professe Christ and his pure Religion leauing saith she vnto the Pope Rome alone with a few territories adioyning thereunto vnder such Gouernours and Archbishops saith shee Peoples and Kingdomes shall embrace iustice obserue the ancient customes and disciplines as the ancieÌ„ts were accustomed to do Thus she by which prophecie it is euident what this Saint and all those who approued her books thought of necessary subiection to the Bishop and Church of Rome Not vnlike is that which they write of their Prophetisse g Lib. 4. reuelat cap 57. Brigit shee bringeth in the mother of Christ thus speaking to her sonne Rome is a plentifull field to whom Christ answered thou sayest true but cockle hath ouergrowne this field and therefore it must bee clensed with a sharpe iron it must bee purged with fire and plowed with oxen therefore I will deale with it as he who remoueth plants into another place for h The Bishop of Eâ—hesus was threatned by God to haue his Candlesticke â—emooued out of his â—lace foâ— leauing of his first charity Apocal 2 What presumption therefore 〈◊〉 the Roman Popâ—s to thinke theis Candlestick cannoâ—â—â— remoued who haue abandâ—ned all the primitiue chaâ—ity of the Apostles and are whol degene rated into aâ— câ—taâ—iâ—â— of sin bâ—t I wish theÌ„ to â—ead the â—â— of S. Pauls epist to them such a punishment is prouided for that City as if the Iudge would say flea off the whole skinne draw out of the flesh all the bloud cut all the flesh into peeces and breake all the bones that all the marrow may flow away thus there and if the prophesie of the worthy virgine Meethildis be truly related from her the controuersie with Rome is at an end for shee in expresse termes foretelleth that the Church of Rome should wholy apostotate from the faith of Christ and that there should remain in Germany a poore and persecuted Church which should serue and worship God religiously and purely This is cleare likewise that of Iohn Capistran is as cleare that Rome in time would be so purged and the Popes and Cardinals brought so in order that there would bee none found who would make haste to be Pope contrary to the fashion now i Read dist 79 cap si quis and Baron Anno 912. vsed when no one almost entereth canonically but either by fauor canuasing of some Cardinall or procurement of some Prince or by bargaine as Simon would haue bought power to haue giuen the holy Ghost This Iohn Capistrane whom I mentioned was reputed a Saint by them as likewise was Iohn of Calabria as k Possâ—â—ine in a par verbo Câ—â—â—llus Posseuine in his Apparate affirmeth of him of whome Roger Houeden reporteth that hee should affirme that one l Houâ—d in Ric. 1. who should be Antichrist and a Pope was then born in Rome vulgar is the like prophesie of Ioakim Abbot by me mentioned aboue of Antichrist then born in Rome sundry are the like prophesies which them selues also admit amongst themselues to their owne confusion and yet forsooth they would tie all vnder pain of damnation against all Scriptures and all Antiquity to embrace their nouelties and in no case to forsake Rome but against this their paradoxe I may most iustly vse the words of l Tertul. Apolog. cap. 6. Tertullian vnto them vsed by him in like case vbi religio vbi veneratio c. Where is Religion where worship and reuerence due from you to your Elders in habit liuing discipline sense and last of all euen in speech you haue renounced your Ancestors you alwaies prayse Antiquity but day by day you liue newly thus he so these men in all their vanities of Pardons graines round wafers merites of Saints Purgatory fire transubstantiation adoration of Images c. pretend Apostolicall Tradition but being vrged to shew them to be ancient and to carry them vpward towards the Apostles they faint in the midway and when forsooth they faile they will then vow professe pronounce and protest that although they know no mention made of them yet sure they were all vsed before that time euen from the Apostles dayes and here they stumble into that absurdity which they vainely obiect against others to witte of inuisible inaudible and vnlegible Traditions one of their Rules of faith the practise whereof in ancient times they cannot shew and although the pure Church of Christ had beene for many yeares together so inuisible so inconspicuous that there could no known nor set Congregation be defined
all a whole day and then make most sparing and temperate meales with a little flesh at night only With them you may cramme your paunch to the brimme you may drinke till you be drunke ten times a day if you please and yet you shall not bee reputed to haue broken your fast so you make but one though lucullian meale of Fish only in Lent and of Fish and white meates out of Lent but if you liue neuer so soberly fasting till night and then eate but a morsell of flesh a Lollard must be your name a faggot your reward O hypocrisie simulata sanctitas duplex iniquit as dissembled sanctitie is double iniquitie yet herein I must needes Apologize for some of the good simple and deuout Pontifician Women of this Kingdome who in very truth obserue sober and godly fasts for which I cannot but commend them and will be gladde euer therein to imitate them as farre as the libertie of conscience and Christian charitie may permit I haue heard a very probable narration how Robert Parsons hee who had prouided rules of reformation against These rules were most of them deuised by Cardinall Allen but hee being dead least the child should haue beene fatherlesse Parsons challenged them as his owne the conuersion of England as he speaketh vpon a fasting euening commending a kinde of order for fasting which hee had in his head and greatly taxing the libertie vsed by the English Romane Catholikes spoke thus Well said he if England be euer conuerted I make no doubt but that I shall set downe an excellent order for fasting and that stricter I hope then that which himselfe at that present vsed or else it would haue beene easie enough for that very euening for his part he eate vp a prettie boxe of marmalet And here by the way I must needes say that I haue seene in that man more care of dyet then euer could iustly bee obiected against Caluin whome the Pontificians so calumniate for his spiced bread and purestwines But surely Caluin could not bee iustly taxed more for his bellie then this man might be But that you may know how many of the Pontifician Priests keepe their fasts heare what I also haue most credibly heard There commeth a certaine Formall Priest to a certaine Ladies one fasting euening for his entertainement shee prouideth some two or three sorts of fruits yet withall seemeth to excuse herselfe that it was no better this is well Madame somwhat solemnely replieth the Priest but at such a Ladies said hee wee haue seuen or eight seuerall dishes vpon fasting nights c. but enough of these their Apostolicall fasts for my part I condemne none I wish my whole heart more fasting were vsed by such as are able whose weakenesse requireth such fauourable fasting but I vtterly condemne the hypocrisie of their Doctors who challenge their fasts only to be Apostolicall and Christian whereas it is most euident that they are nothing lesse then such and no where worse then in Rome the inerrable See The third Law THat there are permissiue and toleratiue lawes for houses of prostitution in some Papisticall Countries I doe not so much admire although they are vtterly to bee condemned considering the circumstances of those Countries and dispositions of the people but that in the Citie of Rome the Mother-Citie the Mother-Church in the Citie of the Apostolicall See there should be publike tolleration and Papall permission with a ciuill protection both of bodies and goods of such impudent prostituted Queanes that is wonderfull but more wonderfull and most intollerable that the only Vicar of Christ the Suffragane of the blessed Trinitie the Vice-God of earth should receiue tole out of such a Faire of prostituted Whores but most execrable it is that through permission of such abhominations the hearts of Cardinalitian and Papall Courtiers are so linkeed with those infamous persons that they cannot liue without them I will not speake of the Clergies impuritie St. Bernard shall speake for mee in their behalfes p Bern. lib. 4. de considerat c. 2. serm ad Pastores in Synod charging them with keeping of Queanes in their priuate chambers But heare how the soules of those lasciuious Courtiers and Romanes are glewed to those filthes When Pius Quintus a man of many morall good parts endeuonred seriously to purge Rome of that sinke by banishing the Whores from out of the Citie with them he droue away so many of the Courtiers so many of ignoble Nobles so many of the voluptuous Citizens that Rome seemed almost naked and dispeopled so that thereupon the irresolute Pope by a conniuencie was content to permit the filths to returne againe to their old trade in Rome the Roman Bishops to receiue stil their customary tribute for that wicked liberty impurity O most abhominable most filthy purpured city thy sinne is preached abroade like that of Sodome and Gomorrhe and thou art not ashamed Frons meretricis facta est tibi thou hast gotten the forehead of a strumpet shew me the like abhomination amongst the reformed Churches You pretend many great matters but doubtlesse in comparison of their Rome the very serrals of Constantinople Adrianople are pure and chast yet who will excuse or defend the impurities of any reformed Churches not I amendment will be the best defence God grant it The fourth Law HOw wicked and sacrilegious is that law of theirs by which they will not vpon any extremitie whatsoeuer celebrate or say any Masse without their Altar stones Altar-clothes Corporals or Candels c. And although they almost all hold that to receiue the Sacrament at the houre of death is absolutely necessarie necessitate precepti vnder necessitie of precept yea and as my Master Vasques in Rome with diuers others held that it is necessarie necessitate medij by necessitie of meane like as faith is without which by Gods ordinarie power it is not possible for any one to be saued yet forsooth they must and will let their sheepe goe out of the world without this Sacrament if so be they want either Masse Vestiments or Altar stones or Altar clothes to say their Romane Masse withall O vaine Traditions of men against the Commandement of God is it not here most manifest that r Math. 15. irritum fecerunt c. they haue made voide the Commandement of God for their owne Traditions their owne Traditions I said for there is not one of them who can shew any authenticall record that either St. Peter or any of the Apostles or any of the Primitiue Priests vsed at celebration of the diuine mysteries massing Vestments Altar stones burning lights c. it were a meere toy to challenge these thinges to bee Apostolicall which they cannot otherwise proue then either out of some counterfait Martiall or Abdias or else the commentitious Pontificall as they pretend of Damasus whereof the Author is not yet certainly knowne and if he were knowne yet their owne Cardinals and Doctors haue pared so
much of his credit away with charging the booke with lies and fables that his authoritie alone may not carrie away such a matter as this is The fifth Law THat Law and custome by which they commaund the Laitie to receiue the Sacrament vnder one kind onely is sacrilegious to vse Pope Gelasius his phrase and is an errour in excusable But the Tridentine Fathers haue found out an excuse for this inexcusable errour this forsooth that although Christ instituted and commaunded all to drinke of the sacramentall Cup the Apostles ordained as much and withall the primitiue Church euer so practised yet this was all done not as a matter of necessitie but of election or choice for the faithful to receiue vnder one kind or both Å¿ Epist Iude. Imperet vobis Dominus Our Lord coÌ„maund you and let the mouthes of such as speake so wicked things be stopped What a doctrine of diuels is this to say that the institution of Christ the commaundement of Christ ordinance of the Apostles touching the vse of the chiefest Sacrament of the Church maketh not a law of necessitie when their imagined transubstantiation came in then also by degrees brought they in the receiuing vnder one kinde as sufficient for a mans whole life pretending that whole Christ is really and substantially vnder both kindes yea vnder any the least particle that may fall from the host or any lest moysture of wine-liquour that may hang and sticke vpon their Chalice side or vpon their Priests lips which being by them thus professed beleeued I maruaile and note by the way how Henry Garnets great t M. A. V. fauouritisse in presence of him and of other Ignatians and diuers worshipfull did scorne publikely at table one D. Cecill for his licking with his finger the patten which he vsed at celebration of the Masse I desire the reader to iudge of their spirits I my selfe hearig her derision excused the Doctor seriously but since that time some one and twenty yeares I was neuer very gratefull to her nor to her reuerend Father Henry Garnet they had then opposition with that Doctor and therefore he was derided for licking vp such crummes as they esteemed their God The sixth Law THey annexe to holy Orders the vow of Chastitie and yet few who take Orders make the said vow expresly although all such consent to vndergoe their law of chastitie by which they most strictly command neither Priest nor Bishop to marry if any were maried before Orders then after them they must abstaine from the lawfull vse of their wiues This is one of their traditions such a one as S. Paul spoke of when u 1. Ad Tim. 4. he foretold that some would come in later times teaching the doctrines of diuels forbidding to marrie c. By occasion of this law their presumptuous spirits haue implied almost the whole Romane Cleargie more or lesse with all kinde of impurities yea some so nefarious as are not by a modest penne to be expressed perhaps though very rashly and inconsiderately the first Authors of the Law intended to haue brought in Chastitie and puritie into the liues of their Cleargie but it hath fallen out farre otherwise for it is a shame to speake what is done by many of them in secret It is a shame saith x Bernard serm 33 in Cantica see him in serm ad Pastores in Sinodo congregat lib. 4. de considerat cap. 2. alibi S. Bernard to vtter what they doe in darke yet what should I shame to speake that which they are not ashamed to doe O worthy Bernard might you iustly write thus in your time A stinking contagioÌ„ creepeth this day through out the whole bodie of the Church all are friends and yet all are enemies yea all seeke their owne they are the Ministers of Christ yet doe seruice to Antichrist And a little after these are the men and yet they will needs be Church-Gouernours Diuines Archbishops Bishops how doe these men keepe their chastitie who being giuen into a reprobate sense doe things that are vnmeete for it is a shame to vtter what they doe in the darke yet why should I be ashamed to speake that which they are not ashamed to doe thus Saint Bernard the which with infinite much more that might be cited out of all zealous Pontifician preachers as Cornelius Musse Panigarole Ferus Granatensis Stella Espencaeus Genebrard Bapt Mantuan Aluarus Pelagius Nicholas Clemangis Polydore Mathew of Paris I touch onely to shew what abhominable impurities and filth hath redounded by vertue of that Law into their vowing Cleargie whom they permit notwithstanding to eate and drinke liberally and indifferently of wines and all manner of meates as the laitie and to liue also freely and to conuerse indifferently amongst women They impose a necessitie of that which Christ himselfe ordained should be free in such as haue the y Math. 19. gift of continencie but they will perhaps say none is restrained to this law of Chastitie but such as doe freely enter into holy orders vnto which this law of chastitie is annexed and such as haue made triall of themselues before good God what triall is made of such persons whom they nourish and mew vp in the prime of their youth in their Seminaries and Colledges farre from all societie of women whom if they would keepe still at short diet and without wines I could not condemne their vowiâ—g who neuer made trial of themselues whether they had the gift of continency or not how many are there of your Cleargie who eyther because their parents so appoint it or else because they finde it a readie way and steppe to promotion are willing to addict themselues to that course of life before they know by experience whether they can be continent or not nay rather which of them is there I appeale to their owne consciences who by often yeelding more or lesse to some of the morosous cogitations as they call them doe not finde by experience before they take holy Orderrs that they haue not the gift of contiuencie but doe more or lesse burne with their morosous desires and cogitations The Pontificians are such fauourers of Vowes of chastitie that I know some married couples who liuing together commit horrible impurities and yet they will not preuent them by the remedy of nature because against their owne vowes I know diuers Ignatians are verie forward to perswade married couples to vow such pernicious continencie I could heere particularize somewhat but will not hauing appealed to their owne consciences and the consciences of such ghostly Fathers as heare the confessions of their Diuines who are at the next steppe to Orders But let their ancient Histories be searched and they shall finde that the Church of the East where religion was first planted and the ordinances of the Apostles well knowne would neuer admit of the necessitie of continencie in Cleargie men which some endeuoured to impose vpon them In