such are the heresies of these times that deseruedly they ought to seem the very next to Antichrist the which also we haue in a certaine Oration of this argument endeuoured what hast thou onely endeuoured to shew What sayest thou Stapleton art thou so constant that the precursors of Antichrist and the next hereticks before him shall work miracles and wonders why then doest thou euen in this place deny them whom thou callest Antichrists precursors to worke any miracles as thy brethren the Dowists doe also in their Annotations vpon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians why dost thou speake so Annotat. 2. chap. v. 9. faintly that thou hast endeuoured to shew that the heretikes of these times are the immediate precursours of Antichrist was not thy Oration of set purpose laboured with all thy wit and eloquence to proue the same why then dost thou not speake more confidently according to thy presumptuous spirit there but I tell thy Dowistes for thee confidently that thou hast endeuoured it so well in that Oration that my selfe as small a scholler as I am dare vndertake to retort all thy demonstrations against the popish synagogue and the Antichrist of the same who although he be already the man of sinne and sonne of perdition working prodigies and wonders in his ministers yet he hath not as yet put on Panopliam Antichristi the whole compleat armour of the most damnable Antichrist which he will then do when in his synagogue his vniuersall absolute monarchicall and direct tyrannte ouer all and in all spiritualls and temporalls subiects and Soueraignes Faith and discipline shall be decreed I say direct because indirect he already most arrogantly assumeth but when the malice of those men of sinne and children of perdition shall be compleat and consummate then also not onely by desire by liking by sentence but euen by breefe by decree by definition he shall assume and challenge direct Monarchy of the world which miserie how fast it higheth on I leaue to some other place and time to be debated and discussed that it is not already compleated I am sure there wanteth no good will in Popes no desire in their Canonists no good affection in their State-Ignatians The authorities which I haue produced out of Fathers agreeing to the holy Scriptures doe euince that miracles and wonders are not infallible tokens of truth but for further illustration of this point I will make the same cleare by reason My reason is an expresse conclusion of their famous Victoria and it is this Eadem opera c. The same workes or the like are done by Arte Magicke Victoria relect 12 de Magia q 4. propos 1. and by Graces freely giuen and thus it is proued for to Graces gratis datis freely giuen it belongeth to cast out deuills to take vp serpents to restore health to speake with tongues as is manifest in the last of Marke and first to the Corinthians 12. but these things are done by the Magicians therefore the same workes are common to both thus far he how truly in euery respect ipse viderit let him looke to it it is sufficient for me that their so famous a Praelectour doth teach that by Artes Magicke the same workes are done which are done by the gift of working miracles And yet the Louanian Professour Stapleton aduentureth Prompt mâ—ral in Dominic 24. post pent diuisi 4 further and herein I desire his Duacene-successours to desend him from errour thus he teacheth Although the miracles which the false prophets shall doe be true prodigies quoad actus supernaturales in respect of the supernaturall actions themselues notwitstanding they shall be but lying because they shall serue for a lye certainely for the greater proofe of the faithfull not onely Antichrist himselfe and his immediate precursours but all heretikes like as the Magicians God permitting them may be able to doe miracles thus he This Doctour speaketh most truly of miracles to be done by Gods permission both by Heretikes and Magicians but I cannot but maruell at his Diuinitie where he teacheth that the actions and acts themselues of such prodigies should be supernaturall surely his head was supernaturall when he dreamed such diuinitie for I neuer yet read any learned Christian who durst teach that the prodigious acts of Magicians or Heretikes except they be extraordinarily endewed with a miraculous faith and doe them by the immediate power of God should be in themselues that is in their substance and nature surpassing the boundes limits and force of naturall causes for I neuer learned otherwise no not in Rome but that all miraculous workes done by Magicians and Heretikes were euer done by the secret hidden quicke and speedy application of naturall causes the vertues of which are well knowne to Satan who is the cheefe and principall Agent in such mysteries And the truth of this is grounded vpon this principle that no creature whatsoeuer can create now if either good or bad Angells could produce any things which were in substance essence or nature supernaturall then they might create and although they would pretend to vse naturall causes for such effects they should doe nothing for betwixt a supernaturall effect action and operation and a naturall cause there is no proportion but infinite disproportion and it is onely God who by his omnipotent power can vse any creatures by their subiected and obedientiall power to him to the effecting of whatsoeuer he shall please therefore good and bad Angells Heretikes and Magicians all they doe in these their prodigies is by secret application and meanes of naturall causes God in his good pleasure permitting them so to doe for the deception of those who deserue to be deceiued But leauing Stapletons supernaturall acts to be defended either by his Duacenes or some Ignatians which are by his will to succeed him in See my motiues vnder the title of dangerous Spirits his Librarie at their first Colledge in Oxford I do out of the Aduersaries mouth euince that heretikes deuills magicians may doe workes supernaturall therefore according to their owne position to doe such things can be no certaine proofe of true Religion and true Preachers we must rather recurre ad legeÌ„ ad testimonium to the law and testament as God himselfe hath instructed Isaiae 8. Ioh. 5. 39. and commanded vs. And if I would here stand to inlarge my discourse I could easily shew that ancient Magicians and Panymes haue wrought as prodigious workes for confirmation of their erroneous rites as Pontificians haue done for proofe of their superstitions and this in as cleare open and publike a manner yea more certaine For popish miracles haue certaine properties making them of lesse credit then those of the Panymes as for example they are seldome or neuer seene to be done by any indifferent witnesses but are commonly first done then spoken of few there are which see the euills from which their persons pretend to be deliuered but fewer see their deliuerance
not nor will not reiect any who commeth vnto him in humilitie of spirit without which it is a meere vanitie euen in your Gospell to goe either to Him or to his Mother What needlesse deuotion then is this of yours to the Virgin when as you may in full assurance of faith appeare before Christ himselfe Hebr 10. 22. he requiring and commanding the same You compare your miracles with those of Christ and his Apostles wherein you shew your selues to bee of Antichrist for both hee and his shall doe the same pretending Matth 24. the name of Christ and power of the Lambe Your profound Diuines who are not ashamed in diuers Apoc 13. points to assimilate Antichrist with Christ why do they in this point of likenesse of miracles refuse to doe the same What else is it but conscientia imbecillitatis a conscience of your owne bad cause knowing that the multitudes of your miracles are an argument of the multitude of your nouelties for standing within your own grounds miracles are necessarie for the confirmation of nouelties but not for further establishment of receiued truthes data infidelibus giuen to the incredulous saith the Apostle not to the faithfull 1 Cor 14. 22. Whilest you are talking of the multitudes of your beneficiall miracles you except as I take it to answer an obiection by the way some few punishments laid vpon blasphemers which are so few say you that they may seeme as a drop or two of gall in a sea of honie well said you few for they are so few that you cannot mention any one autenticall related as laid vpon any one for the opposing against your superstitions We are able to relate many and those autentically out of your owne Authours concerning dreadfull punishments and most scelerate ends which haue befallen your most holy Pontifies But let them passe and so I leaue you to meditate vpon the clemencie of your Virgin Mother made of wood at Sichem who when shee was stolne away and is not yet to be found did not lay any reuengefull punishment vpon such as stole her away a good cause why shee had eyes which could not see and hands shee had but such as could not strike as King Dauid sings of the Idolls of the Gentiles God grant Mr. Flud that true Christians neuer receiue hurt from your holy Fathers bloody fingers vntill they be hurt by the wodden fingers of your Goddesse at Sichem and we shall nothing feare what you and your Factionists I meane not onely your Ignatianed and the Church-Papists but all those that side with them as c. may proiect for the ruine of this Church and Kingdome To proceede touching the spirituall benefits arising to mens Soules from your miracles of which you are pleased to make so long a beadrole I for my part could wish it were true as you write both for the good of your people as also for our good and no small benefit who are enforced often to haue commerce with them But God wot Mr. Flud it is farre otherwise and that truth may stand in the mouth of two or three witnesses compare that which I shall here write in generall termes with those imputations which Mr. Copley hath truly and ingenuously laid vpon your congregation and especially Mr. Copley in his Doctr. Obseruat chap. 11. and elsewhere vpon the Cheefetaines of the same If your miracles are so powerfull to conuert sinners how commeth it to passe that at the very Marte Faire of such wares Roma Sancta holy Rome sinne doth more vnmeasurably abound then at or in any other Popish Church or Kingdome What is it necessarie that an ouerflowing of pride enuie hatred malice iniustice rapine murder simonie incest Sodomie should take her beginning from Rome Hath it not been a crie of all times a voice of all ages Roma altera Babilon Roma mater fornicationis Mysterium iniqâ—itatis Rome another Babilon Rome the mother of Fornications And although your Seminarists who now come from Rome to peruert soules are wonted to speake and pleâ—d much for the sanctitie of that place the truth is they are so taught nay they are commanded and coniured with promises to protest that they will neuer here discouer in England what they may haue heard of their Holy Fathers turpitudes his Purpured Brethrens enormities their Clergies and Prelates abominable irreligiositie their Monkes Friers and Ignatians impurities and hypocrisies For the experience that I made in your Congregation I found the old sawe to be verified to wit the higher a man climeth in your Ecclesiasticall dignities the worse the man is so that it seemeth your Chaire of Sanctitie to be the very Seat of pestilence the neeâ—er vnto which any may approch the worse hee Psalm 1. shall be You cannot be ignorant Mr. Flud how the Historians of old and your owne haue described the ornaments of Rome of your Consistories Serralls Conclaues Nunryes Brothell-houses witnesse Mantuan Vâ—bstota est lupaâ—ar Mantuan Iouius Sabellicus Paris Clemangis Dante 's Petrarcha Sauanarole Auentine Grotshead Ferus Espencaus and who See Auent lib. 5. pag. 346. else not Yea Bernard that excellent man who though dazeled with the mistes of the time non vidit omnia saw not all things yet he so liuely described and proclaimed the mysterie of iniquitie that in delineating Romes and the Romish Clergies enormities hee commeth behinde none thus in former daies But should Rome now be searched with no neerer and narrower a scrutinie then was vsed here in England at the dissoluing of your male and female Sodomites good God what abominations would be found within her penetralls Some say that your now Holy Father Paul the V is not tainted crimine pessimo bee it so but who cleareth him from the crime of Auarice the which whosoeuer followeth cannot be innocent Who can free him from the sinne of Impatience and most wrathfull outragious anger which worketh not the iustice of God Who can defend him from an high point of Luciferian pride who dareth to the prouoking of heauens vengeance suffer his Nephewes to haue their plate engraued with this and like posie Burghesianae Aeternitati dicatum Consecrated to the Burghesian Eternitie Who dareth to permit any to giue vnto him the name of a Vice-God Who dareth to haue the title of Pontifician Omnipotencie giuen vnto him himselfe to be styled Paulus Quintus Optimus Maximus Sanctissimus Aeternus Omnipotens Vice-Deus What thinke you Mr. Flud Paulus the V. mounted vpon mens shoulders hauing his triple crowned RegnuÌ„ vpon his head is acclaimed vnto by people vpon their knees with the said Title and Epithets of Diuinitie May not we that are grosser-headed Tramontanes imagine and conceit that hee is adored as a God amongst you What Luciferian pride in him a man of sinne to admit yea to delight in the same These your acclamations giuen to a sinfull wretch doe farre passe those which were giuen to the Sonne of God when
may dispence what hee will Yea say they if the question were to marry the King of Spaine to an hereticall Princesse the Pope will first dispense him to marry his owne Sister Is not this to go aboue the power of God who hath said of his holy Law that a jot thereof shall not perish nor be changed Well to vrge Theologicall Arguments I will not but I remit your Lordship to search the Scriptures to see who it is there that doth sit in the Church of God and exalt Dan. 11. 2. Thes 2. himselfe aboue all that is called God And now I appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke that the contemplation of so grosse things first such Ethnicke Idolatry that while Paul and Barnabas being aliue did teare their cloathes and runne vpon the people because they would haue adored them saying they were but men like vnto themselues Now so much adoration must bee done to the Statues of their dead bodies that one shall not enter within Saint Peters Church at Rome but we must kneele to salute him where hee sits in brasse we must lay our head vnder his feete and kisse euery one of his â—oes seuerally Then such impious and base auarice in this trade of Purgatory and Indulgences that in their Camera de Componendis there sitteth Simon Magus vnder the name of Simon Peter making sale of the Spirit of God for money of the mercies of God of remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of heauen and that with such insatiable hands that if euer I who came from a remote Countrey to honour the Apostolicall Seat would giue him largely for dispensation hee would willingly embrace it as who knowes what I did pretend to bee the more assured I appeale to your Lordships conscience whether you thinke those were not sufficient to breede doubts of Religion in any man in whom God hath left a sparke of his feare or one graine of right knowledge Assuredly they mooued me to great iealousie and they were to me as the first sight of the Angell was to the poore Asse of Balaam terror albeit I confesse sincerely the strong opinion which I had drunken so long before the plausible shew of things did for a while violently hold me into the same way as Balaam did force his Asse to goe on after the first sight of the Angell But when I begun to looke vpon the manners of the The Manners of Rome people and to consider what were the faults which were so ordinarily and easily pardoned which is the third thing in number of those which I most narrowly obserued what shall I say I know not how to speake the trueth and therewith to prouide that my penne be not slandered for contumelies and Philippicke passions alwayes I shall so limitate my selfe that I shall not blot so graue a purpose with an humour of rayling or shamelesnesse In the day of visitation and punishment I shall beginne at my sanctuary saith the Lord and wherefore is this because Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis as the Prelates be so are the people the example of the Rulers makes the manners of the multitude as the Spirit of God doth testifie by the Prophet Daniel Egressa est Dan. 11. iniquitas à Senioribus ab ijs qui videbantur regere populum Iniquitie hath gon out from the Elders and those who seemed to gouerne the people For this cause in a iust censure of the manners of Rome it cannot be auoided first to looke vpon the Court wherein is to bee seene such fastuous and intollerable pompe and such a degree of glory as hath neuer beene vsurped by any earthly Monarch to behold the maiestie of the Papall carriage borne one mens shoulders auro fulgens smaragdis shining amidst gold and Iewels those who beare him treading vpon fine cloth wherewith the Church pauement is couered accompanied with a fearefull guard the thundering of Canons the sound of trumpets and all sorts of musicall instruments at whose presence numbers of Princes stately Embassadours great parsonages and multitudes of people doe fall to the ground saluting him holy holy as if he would not onely be Christs Vicar vpon earth but also emulator of his diuine glory in the Heauens and be worshipped like that glorious Lambe before whom numbers doe fall downe to crie holy holy holy that vpon the sight thereof I was indeed amased as if it had beene a vision and demaunding a French Gentleman who had newly also arriued with me and was a zealous Papist how he did esteeme of that which he had seene he answered me in the termes of be God that he thought it farre different from the carriage of him who said Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo and who said to his Disciples Exemplum de di vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci it a vos faciatis which answer I haue many times since thought to be as pertinent as if the holy Spirit had inspired it into him For if the kingdome of the world be called the kingdome of sinne and what reason had Mr. Flud to frame his first argument out of the vncertaintie of his Aduersaries opinions Iudge yee c. But put case Mr. Flud that our Diuines were concerning this point of your Popes being Antichrist equally diuided or iust so as you affirme they are what would the same make their doctrine of the Popes being Antichrist to be onely a fancie See then how you may be whipped with your owne rodd Are you a Rabbie in Iezreel and dispute so what then will become of the feast of Conception instituted in the honour of the immaculate and vnspotted Conception of the euer blessed Virgin Mary Are not there many of your Doctors who affirme yea affirme not without the reproching of others with the note of errour heresie c. that the blessed Virgin was not conceiued in original sinne And are there not against them others who peremptorily affirme that shee was conceiued in originall sinne this being so shall your feast of Conception which is indowed with so many Papall indulgences be a fancie God forbid Againe what will become of your making adoring and worshipping of the Image of God the Father as he Abul in deut Duar. alij Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 cap. 8. Nic. act 5. 6. is in the Deitie himselfe Are there not many of your Diuines who condemne the same Doth not Bellarmine affirme it to be in opinione in opinion Did not your second Generall Nicene Sinod condemne and inhibit the same what then shall your generall making thereof and adoring the same be a fancie God forbid it for if so it would proue not onely a fancie but a most damnable impietie as in truth it is Further what then Gentle Sir will betide the inerrable Rule of your Faith the vnappellable Iudge of all controuersies Is it not a dogmaticall position affirmed by your Canonists deliuered
which I hope you will not denie but that it is fallen before this and that the seuenth was shortly to come and to last but for a short time Which seuenth cannot be your Papacie it must then of necessitie be a short Roman Imperialtie or Empire which followed vpon the destruction of the sixt which can bee no other then that of the Gothes which followed instantly vpon the destruction of the sixth that which was in S. Iohns time Now let vs aske all your Historians who succeeded in Romes gouernment without the name of Emperour after the destruction of the Gothes and Lombards and they will all tell you that your holy Roman Pater Patriae Father of the Church Now that this your Holy Father hath in Rome in the Roman Empire and ouer the Romane Empire Regall Imperiall and Sacerdotall power his triple Tiare and Crowne Rocca his Scholia in S. Gregor eiusque Parentum Imagine dedicated to Clem 8 doth euince the same the interpretation of which I will here adde out of Angelus Rocca their famous Scholiast vpon S. Gregorie his words are these Illud autem scitu dignum videtur quod Tiara tribus Coronis c. But it seemeth worthy to be knowne that the Tiare adorned with three Crownes representing to wit Regall Imperiall Sacerdotall power that is plenarie and vniuersall power ouer the whole Popes Turbant interpreted by Râ—cca world was not in vse before Boniface the 8. Pope who was of the most Noble Caietane Familie thus Rocca By which it is as cleare as noone daies that the Pope of Rome who cannot be the seuenth head is the eight hauing Regall Sacerdotall and Imperiall power ouer the whole world without the name of Romane Emperour Whereas you goe on idly and tell vs of the Deuills want of courtesie to mankinde your selfe should haue been more courteous to haue spared your speech in this kinde which is already sufficiently answered You seem ouer-hardie to charge God with hardnesse if he should suffer mankinde to bee intrapped in their soules with multitudes of beneficiall helps what maketh you Sir thus blasphemously presumptuous haue not the Scriptures most expresly expressed that God will suffer such as haue not hearkned to the charitie of truth to be intrapped 2 Thessal 2. and seduced by strong illusions Hath not the spirit of God foretold that vniuersa terra admirabitur post â—estiam Apoc 13. 14. the whole earth will admire after the Beast and that the false Prophet shall deceiue them who dwell vpon the earth by the meanes of those miracles which he hath power to doe in the sight of the Beast Hath not Christ himselfe foretold that many shall be deceiued the Elect shall be in hazard that if the times were not shortned all Matth 24. flesh should not be saued Which being so clearely true and agreeing to Gods iust prouidence what mattereth it whether the deceptions and illusions be altogether by strange prodigies of wonder or partly by them and partly by some beneficiall miracles of helpe and profit And if God permit Antichrist and his to doe the greatest signes to bring downe fire from heauen which are most powerfull to seduce why may â—â— not be permitted to doe the lesse You see vnlesse your Hellen haue made you starke blinde that the Scriptures doe foretell a generall apostacie and defection to be effected by signes what blasphemous idlenesse then is it in you to say that Mr. Flods blasphemeth God will not be so hard to mankinde as to suffer it to be entrapped with multitudes of beneficial helps He suffereth it to be entrapped yea and the Elect to be in hazard which cannot be without miracles of high nature and profitable great and many c. Mr. FLVD pag num ibid. Now the miracles of the Blessed Virgin and other wherewith God doth daily adorne our Churches are sutable to such as Christ wrought and haue still been done by Saints in all ages since as casting out of deuills healing incurable diseases deliuering from dreadfull dangers and the like which either deforme or afflict mankinde some punishments laid vpon blasphemers excepted which are so few as they may seeme a drop or two of gull in a sea of honnie which is a signe they proceed from a boundlesse Ocean of goodnesse through the sweet conduit of the intercession of his blessed mother Yet the benefits which by these miracles come to mens soules are greater when by them some are conuerted from heresie others reclaimed from bad life many perswaded to frequent Sacraments to make sorrowfull confession of their sinnes restore things vniustly taken satisfie for wrongs offered spend much time in prayer to be bountifull to the poore finally to giue themselues to heroicall exercise of Christian vertues which things Catholikes doe daily behold and haue cause therein to glorifie God ANSWER The more I read in you the more boasting I obserue of your multitudes of miracles a fashion familiar to Antichrist and his so not to the Apostles and primitiue Christians if the disciples once gloried for their power Luc. 10. 20. of miracles they were not approued but reproued by Christ How and in what sort your miracles are done you haue taught vs already by the Virgins intercession and Christs power Here you againe adde they proceede from a boundlesse Ocean of goodnesse through the sweet conduit of the intercession of his blessed Mother In that you honour the Mother of our Lord Iesus with the title of Blessed wee gladly approue the same but whereas you make her asweet conduit by whose intercessions Christ bestoweth his benefits vpon mankinde because therein you want warrant and commission for your so saying we dare not ioyne with you Wee are taught by the Apostle that Christ our high Priest is euer at the right hand of his Father interpellans pro nobis making intercession ad Rom 8. 34. ad Hebr. 7. 25. for vs. Why then doe you obtrude vnto vs another Mediatresse Doe you this because hee hath so prescribed Hovv superstitiously you teach concerning the Virgins Mediatorship See Orat. Steph. Archiepisc Patrac in Con. Later sub Leo 10. Sess 10. shew vs the warrant and we will obey Doe you this because shee will be ready to receiue some desperate wretches which Christ her Sonne will reiect if you say so then you make her not Christ the boundlesse Ocean of goodnesse seeing he refuseth some she receiueth all But tell me those that come to her must they not of necessitie come with prone hearts and humbled Spirits You cannot nor dare not say otherwise if so what neede then of going to her seeing there standeth an euerlasting invitation of Christ himselfe recorded in S. Matth 11. 28 Matthew Venite ad me c. Come to me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you I dare vndertake that it is as cleare and as certaine a truth as any is in the Gospell that Christ doth
Auent lib. 5. a thunderbolt from heauen What else then fire from heauen consumed the sacrifice of those boies at Apamea when they setting bread vpon a stone and imitating the Priest in saying the Allpotent transsubstantiating fiue wordes their bread was suddainely consumed with fire as Bredenbachius relateth What other then fire from heauen when your Saint Edmunds candle was so strangely lighted by his prayers to the Virgin Mary What other then fire from heauen is that your Saint Liadan lib. 2. de fug Ido cap 1. See Spec ex â— Imag exem 8. 9. Authonies fire whereof you draw signes and shaddowes vpon your Churches walls to keepe Passers by from fouling of them An example of this fire see in Lindanus A glorious and resplendant Fire it was from heauen which to shew the sanctity of the Pope Eugenius and the Baron an 1145. â— 24. holinesse of yout Masse shined ouer and vpon his head whilest he celebrated Masse yea the Armenian Legates saw doues that is Angell-doues from the fire and in the fire ascending vp and downe vpon your holy Fathers head Torches of fire and from heauen were those which appeared whilest your holy Innocent celebrated Masse in the presence of Lotharius the Emperour Was it not fire from heauen which so gloriouslie shined vpon the bodies of those who were slaine by the Albigians neere to the towne Lauallis at a place called Mountioy the sight Mons Gaudij whereof greatly amazed the beholders as Altisiodore relateth From heauen surely came that fire which pointed out in a meddow your Sacrament Eucharist-god which had beene lost by a carelesse Priest as he went to housell a sicke person Other such like I could relate these are sufficient to shew that Popes and their Ministers haue How powerful is their excommunication whenas comming onâ—ly from an Abbot it can cast a crow for stealing a ring into a horrible and languishing feuer not to be cured but by absolution Spec. exem Excommunicat exem 4. caused fire to come downe from heauen and this if we vnderstand the same in the literall sense as the words sound but if we vnderstand the same wordes in a mysticall sense and doe by fire according to vse of Scriptures and fittest application meane either the fire of vengeance and reuenge by excommunication or else the fire of heauenly gifts and graces in this sense also it is most euidently cleare that both the Pope and his doe in the opinion of men make fire to come downe from heauen What other then such a mysticall fire from heauen is their thunderbolt of excommunication by which they dethrone and cast down euen to hell whom they please What else then mysticall fire from heauen are those graces and blessings which the Pope yea euery Priest can fetch from heauen by saying certaine prayers appointed Oratio ad bened cendum quodcunque in your Ritualls yea they are so powerfull that they can call downe and pray downe the Graces and presence of the holy Ghost vpon what Creatures soeuer they shall please witnesse your Pontificall and Rituall bookes These things which I haue here deliuered are very true and you cannot deny them out of which it followeth by most cleare consequence that in the sight and opinion of the men of your Church the Pope and his doe make fire come from heauen whether wee vnderstand the same mysticallie or literally and so wee see the first Antichristian miracle accomplished in your Church Now to the second Before I declare my second argument I note that the Prophet himselfe doth not call Antichrists making the image of the beast to speake either a miracle or a wonder neither doe I thinke it is to be esteemed as a miracle in strict termes and strict manner of speaking vnlesse we may call it a morall miracle that is a miraculous effecting of that which was morally impossibly by wonderfull restoring of a collapsed and decayed estate but speaking of the same as most doe wee will call it a miracle This Antichristian miracle then is described by the Prophet in the fifteenth verse thus to wit that hee Apoc. 13. shall giue life or breath to the Image of the Beast so that the Image of the Beast should speake and cause that as many as would not worshippe the Image of the beast should bee killed Here the Pontificians especially their great Augustine Bellarmine do triumphantly inferre that seeing neuer any Pope did make any Image of a Beast Bell. lib. de Pont. 3. cap. 15. to speake or propose any such Image to be worshipped that consequently their Pope cannot be Antichrist But weighing this their triumphant inference before the victorie I cannot but exclaime and call the very heauens to witnesse against their wilfull obstinacie and impudencie herein who here will rest and insist vpon the plaine and literall sense of the wordes vnderstanding them as they sound whereas the whole context of Scripture together with their owne principles must of necessitie enforce them to some mysticall and figuratiue interpretation of the wordes for to dispute out of their owne groundes must not the Image of the beast be the same at least genere in kinde in shew resemblance and representation which the beast it selfe is in veritie and truth of the thing Now is it not a confessed truth by themselues clearely also to be euinced out of Scripture that by the beast with so many heades and hornes with Diademes vpon them are signified some manners of State Rule Gouernment or Monarchie if so then most assuredly the Image representatiue and significatiue of such a beast must bee some state gouernment Empire or Monarchie in semblance and shew representing the same to say that the Image should be representatiue in the nature of other Pictures or statues such as hange vpon walls or are placed in publike places is meerely a vanitie How improbable and morally impossible that the whole world should be brought to adore a picture of such a beast whether it be massie of siluer and gold or drawne in collours Consider Master Floode the forme of such an Image it must bee made with seauen heades tenne hornes with Diademes vpon them Apoc. 13. 1. 2. 3 in the forehead must be written the name of blasphemy in body it must be like a Leopard in feet like to a beare in mouth shewing a Lyon this is the goodly Image after which the whole world must wonder and which it must adore for the holy Ghost saith expressely that he who maketh this image will cause and compell the first Beast to be worshipped and an image of the Beast which was wounded to be made and to be worshipped Now most euident it is that the first beast whereof the image is to be made is of this and more monstrous proportion then I haue described Further to speake according to their owne principles is it not a likely thing that Antichrist who as they say shall be an vtter
enormities of their votaries require that the Law of Celibacie bee remooued and the vse of marriage bee left indifferent notwithstanding most of their more peruerse Popes yea all of them at lest to auoyd scandall and to preserue the dignity of their Church are so wedded to the Darling that the knot is indissoluble so be their consciences seared with the hot iron of obstinacie and impudencie that they waigh not though an infinity of soules perish through their vnnecessary law of vowed Celibacy Neither do they regard what the Christian world inueigheth against them assuredly that of Epiphanius is fulfilled They reiect marriage not lust Epiphanius aduersus Origenist here 's 42. for sanctitie is not in honor with them but hypocrisie Further what may we more fitly vnderstand by their speaking lies in hypocrisie then a professed dissembling of greater sanctity both for chastitie and abstinence then is amongst them in which sense good God how punctually are the Papist-leaders and Teachers noted by the Apostle how patly and in euerie respect doth hee poynt at the Ignatians who professing greater sanctitie then others doe farre come behinde all others at lest in the point of abstinence in that Church there being no Order nor Degree of the Romane Church which keepeth lesse fasting and abstinence then the Ignatians doe their speciall promises are for obedience to their Superiours and Generals and by them by a secret vow to goe whithersoeuer he shall command and to do whatsoeuer he shall command Videant Reges The Apostle saith that these false Teachers were to depart from the faith which as it is fulfilled in the ancient heretikes so more absolutely in the Romane Popes whose Clem. Alex. 3. Stromat Tertul. de monogamia Athan. Epist ad Dracont Chryso in 1. ad Timoth. hom 10. Hieron against Iouinian Con. Aney â—an 9. Gangr 4. ad Hebr. 1. 3. departure from the faith in this point appeareth thus For whereas it is cleere as the very heauens that in the Apostles time for long after marriage was as a thing good godly Christian allowed and permitted in the Cleargie so that it was honourable in all according to the Apostles doctrine They haue in a pretended shew of more sanctitie but in truth in very hypocrisie imposed First the Law of Celibacie vpon their Cleargy Secondly the vow of Celibacie vpon them as though that married Clerkes were vnfit to administer at the Altar or to preach the word of God and that marriage in them were not honourable or allowable the which what is it else then a meere departure from the faith first receiued first established Let vs aske S. Chrysostome what the ancient Church nay what the Apostle thought of marriage in Priests Cuius rei gratia c. For what cause doth the Apostle Chrysostemus in Titum hom 2. See him hom 10. in 1. ad Tim. mention these manner of men to wit married hee doth intend vtterly to stop the mouthes of Heretikes who condemne marriage shewing the same to be without fault yea the same to be so precious a thing that with it any man may be promoted to the throne of Episcopacie And in his tenth homilie vpon the first to Timothy speaking of marriage in Priests he hath these expresse words Licet enim eam rem honeste ac Chrysost in illa verba Sed mansuetum c. licite capere si quis velit It is lawfull for any man if he will lawfully and honestly to take the same thing meaning marriage yea marriage in Bishops For in the same place he speaketh according to the Apostles intent of Bishops See him and the like is to bee obserued in many of the Ancients declaring the practise of the Church in this kinde yea their holy Briget taketh and receiueth the Briget lib. 7. Reuel cap. 10. circa medium same as a diuine reuelation from the Virgin Maryes own mouth part of which reuelation the Reader may finde in the Appendix here following in the second part of the sixteenth Chapter It resteth to be shewed and proued whether the Papists doe deliuer the same doctrines of Deuills which the Apostle here condemneth which that they doe for the first point I thus make manifest To insist vpon the Apostles expresse wordes he saith onely that the Heretikes should forbid marriage c. which that the Popes and Papists doe it is a case as manifest as noone daies And their euasion of this imputation is not worth a rush For they answer that the Apostle intendeth onely such Heretikes as doe forbid marriage because of naturall vncleanesse in the same Their instance is most vaine nay rather the Apostle purposely abstaineth from mentioning any such circumstance of the heresie that so in his prophecie hee might as well inuolue those Heretikes which would teach marriage to be vncleane to the Vsers and Practisers of it against pretensed commandes as also those who would condemn it as vncleane in it selfe If the Apostle had intended the Manicheyes only or such like he might easily haue expressed the circumstance of their heresie but he did not so ayming doubtlesse at all those who should forbid and inhibit marriage in those and to them to whom God had commended or allowed it and therefore he vseth rather the words forbid as if he should say these Heretikes will disaprooue of marriage in respect of their own commandes in those and to those to whom they shall forbid the same And if the Papists doe seriously bethinke themselues they shall finde that the ancient Manicheyes doe iumpe with them in this their heresie about marriage in their August epist 74 Clergie for as the Papists doe allow marriage in their Laickes but vtterly forbid it in their Clerkes so did the Manicheyes allowe marriage in their ordinarie Professours whom they did call Auditores Hearers but vtterly forbidde and reprooue the same in their speciall ones whom they called Electi their chosen and Elects So that here we haue the Papists expresly iumping with the Manicheyes in this point I note specially that the Apostle saith they shall forbid marriage by which he euidently insinuateth that the holy Spirits intention is to note and ayme at such Gouernours and Rulers of the Church who should against Genes 1. 22. the Apostles and Gods ordinance lay their command vpon celibacy and single life forbidding marriage Now this is the very selfe thing which the Bishops of Rome haue done For vpon that concerning which the 1. Cor. 7. Apostle had no precept but onely counsell they haue laide their imperious commandes in their clergie forbidding them to marry yea and against their owne principles haue laid a precept vpon a Counsell commanding and requiring most strictly all those who take orders to vow chastitie which according to their owne principles God left in counsell and free election and which the Apostle had onely power to counsell and perswade Their pretensed ground of this their doing to wit because celibacy and single
life is in perfection surpassing matrimoniall state is vaine for wee are not to consider celibacie and single life matrimoniall state as they are in speculation but as they are in action practise and vse and so considered cleare it is that celibacy or single life is not to be preferred before matrimoniall state in him or her who haue not the gift of continencie nay rather in them it is wicked and damnable though laudable and highly to be commended in those who haue the gift So that the perfection of either of these two states of life is from the minde according to that of most learned Nazianzene Mens est c. It is the mind which giueth Greg. Naz. in Epitaph Sor. Gorgonia perfection either to marriage or to virginitie And so to conclude this point celibacy or single life with continuall burning is a damnable state marriage with continency is holy and honourable in all And so it resteth proued concerning the first point the other part I remit to some other occasion of these false-prophets doctrine that euery circumstance and part thereof is very aptly and punctually applied to the Papists and their Popes wherby it also followeth that if they doe miracles for confirmation of the said points that the same are lying mendacious Antichristian which is the proposition I haue endeauored in all this treatise to proue and declare and haue by Gods Grace brought to this issue that in the question I haue satisfied my owne iudgement and conscience and I doe most heartily pray that the same may tend to the profit and good of Gods Church and to the confusion of her Enemies which are more wise in their generation then the children of light are in their kinde CHAP. XVI An Appendix touching the vanity of certaine Popish miraculous visions which are usually brought by Papists for defence of their Religion but being examined are found to be against the same IT is an old and a true saying he shall neede a long spoone who must eate with the Deuill and therfore to greate purpose the Apostle calleth his workings and practises with men Astutias crafts subtelties deceits the 2. Cor. 2. 11. which will more easily appeare if wee doe but obserue what manner of men he hath deceiued and in what sort he hath deceiued them to wit by Fables of visions fictions of miracles and strange prodigies of which their itching eares haue beene ouercredulous listening and longing after them euen with a kinde of greedinesse Secondly if we consider in what time to wit when the vigilancie of the Pastours beganne to slacke and they began to slumber then the Deuill began to sow his cockell and Math. 13. 25. darnell where good wheate had beene sowed before euen in the Lords fielde where hee himselfe had cast his seede before And lest the Pontificians should be thought now of late onely to haue entered into these kindes of courses I will hauing alreadie spoken sufficiently of miracles take paines in this place as in an Appendix to shew in a few examples how their Progenitours haue endeuoured to drawe Ancient and venerable men into these Iusts and to impose Fables of visions vpon them thereby the more to countenance the bad cause which they haue vndertaken to maintaine First I will beginne with a Fable which is somewhat corruptly cited out of venerable Bede and is produced for proofe of their Purgatory flashes but the Christian Reader will vpon the scanning of it finde it to bee but a fiction yea and the Pontificians themselues must so account thereof vnlesse they will go contrary to their owne religion I will not afford to set downe with all those solemne words with which Costerus that famous Ignatian doth cite out of Bede in substance it is thus One Drietelmus Coster dominica 5. post pentec Bed lib. 5. histo Aug. cap. 13. Coster hath the very like history dom 3. post pasca out of Boniface Arch. mogunt ep ad Cadelburg a married man sodenly falleth vpon an euening into a traunce dyed in the euening and was reuiued in the morning saith Coster who told afterwards strange things to the standers by Hee saith that at first he was carried by a beautifull Angell towards the East where hee first seeth a place full of many soules one while tormented with extreame cold another while plunged into most accensed and kindled fire thence hee is carried a little further where hee obserueth many firy bals arising out of a horrible depth which balls hee interpreted to be soules tormented by the diuels in hell fire and whilest hee was beholding these horrors with great astonishment his good Angell leaueth him in whose absence he obserueth the diuils to laugh I neuer reade in true diuinity that Diuels had leasure in their torments to laugh but of such stuffe their Legends are full and to cast soules vp and downe like wilde-fire bals they approached also vnto him but durst not touch him Then presently like a resplendent starre appeareth vnto him his good Angell and carrying him further into the East sheweth vnto him a place glorious for light pleasant for flowers in which were diuers soules full of ioy and walking in white garments Secondly he sheweth vnto him a place of greater ioy and happinesse in comparison of which the former seemed but as a sparke Now Drietelmus hauing seene all that he was to see and being to returne againe to his body and to relate vnto others what hee had seene the Angell expoundeth vnto him his vision which is thus the first place is purgatory where all those are punished which haue not fully satisfied O vanity of vanities who can euer fully satisfie Gods iustice though in Purgatory for their sinnes and these shall be all saued at the day of iudgement The second place is hell out of which no man the deliuery of Traianes soule by Gregory was not yet heard of by Bede can euer be deliuered which is once cast into it In the third place here I will vse Costers words onely Full of sweet flowers are receiued those soules who haue liued here well and godly and are not of this perfection that Coster ibidem they may presently goe vp into the highest heauen al which also at length after the last iudgement had by God shall come to eternall glory but those who are perfect in all there wordes thoughts and workes and who are those holie Coster are there any of your Ignatians such they presently shall be admitted to that most glorious state of the blessed so soone as their soule goeth out of their body and this is the place which thou sawest a farre off doe thou now goe and take thy body and be carefull how thou carriest thy selfe for heereafter Thus farre profound Costerus out of Bede who if he had beene more circumspect hee would not haue inserted as he doth many like into his dunsticall Homilies for most part stolen out of others this vision so
the eternall See of the Church into another place for such a punishment is due to that City as if the Iudge shold say Flay off the whole skinne draw all the blood out of the flesh and cut all the flesh into peeces and so breake the bones that all the marrow may fall out thus their Briget and Spousesse of Christ how much to their content let themselues demurre But we haue a more firme propheticall speech which warranteth vs that the purpured whore by which the Romane Church is denoted which sitteth vpon Apoc. 17. many waters gouerneth many peoples shall be desolated and ruinated by such Princes as had first drunke of the cup of her whoredomes and this is so cleere a truth touching Romes destruction by such Kings that the Pontificians themselues cannot deny it only they would shift it off from themselues and their Popes and lay it vpon some one singular man who shall raigne three yeeres and a halfe and then destroy Rome and with fire consume it wisely indeede Antichrist raigning three yeeres and a halfe shall cause many peoples Kings and kingdomes to drinke of the cup of his whoredomes and yet the same kings and kingdoms within the space of the same three yeeres and a halfe shall vtterly desolate and ruinate Antichrist and his Antichristian kingdome Surely the Pontificians thus aduocating for their Poâ—â—â— are to be pitied for if they should not so say of necessary it would follow that they were seruants of the man of sinne and sonne of perdition The cause which maketh them so eagerly to contend for this their Romane supreme Monarchy is because they account the verie pith and marrow of religion to consist in the continued succession of Bishops in that See wherein their glorying is but vaine for I dare binde my selfe to shew that there is a better and a lesse interrupted succession in the Churches of England then can bee shewed in the Romane Church Alasse for them it is enough if they can shew Church-walls Idoll-Bishops dumbe Ptelates yet for forsaking the coÌ„munioÌ„ of such they wil condemn vs as hereticks Schismaticks This follie the saying of a graue father redargueth non ille de ecclesia c. Hee doth Ambros lib. 6. in lutam not seeme to goe out of the Church who corporally goeth out but he who leaueth the foundations of Ecclesiasticall truth we went from them in body but they from vs in minde we went from them in place but they from vs in faith we left with them the foundations of the walls they left with vs the foundation of Scriptures Which agreeth well with that Prophecy which by some is cited as of Hildegard but by others is deliuered out of Hylarie it is thus Vnum vos moneo canete Orat. contra Auxent See another prophecy of Hildegardis related in my motiues out of Theodorick nieme pag. 49. Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are not well affected with the loue of walls you doe ill worship the Church in couers and buildings you doe ill vnder these pretend the name of peace Is it doubtfull that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines and woods and lakes and prisons are more safe to me for in these Prophets remaining haue by the spirit of God prophecied This prophecie seemeth well for the Papists who glorie so much intemplo Domini in the Temple of the Lord the Romane Church the externall succession and yet but rotten broken often interrupted by Schismes as the Ponficians themselues cannot deny Another prophecie and vision I haue for the Papists Lib. Reuelat. 6. cap. 72. to delight themselues withall it is taken out of their Briget who bringeth Christ speaking thus vnto her Filius dei loquitur c. The sonne of God speaketh to Briget There are two spottes in my Church one is that few are absolued without paying of mony the second is that Parish-Priests dare not absolue sinners from all their secret sinnes but affirming that themselues cannot absolue them in certaine cases reserued to Bishops they doe send such sinners to the Bishops who are so long in examining and discussing vntill such secret sinnes come to be made manifest wherefore those who haue zeale of soules must wholsomly oppose against such things least their soules through shame or obduration doe die in mortall sinnes This vision maketh but little for the Romane abuses in reseruing cases which is growne so intollerable especially since the Tridentine decrees that it cannot sufficiently be detested the Collegiates and fellowes of Iesus societie haue lost nothing by such reseruations for therby hauing greater priuiledges then others haue they make increment in their wealth by marchandizing of soules the which how well they performe setting aside some other examples the curteous reader may obserue by two fresh ones Not long since the mother of Cardinall A payre of Ignatians deluded Sforsa being like to die did through the mediation and intercession of an Ignatian her gostly Father bestow vpon the Ignatians Colledge a 1000 Crownes and gaue her schedule for the same the ghostly father hauing gotten the bill higheth him home looking for thanks sheweth it to his fellow-fathers who considering the bill found that it was not specified in the same what manner of crownes should be paid unto them they therefore perswade the ghostly marchant to returne vnto the Lady and to intreat that the crownes might be specified to be French crownes and of gold but in returning such was the Fathers lucke that he meeteth with Cardinall Sforsa his mother through weaknesse being not to be spoken withall who cunningly insinuateth himselfe into the Fathers businesse which hearing he seemeth to applaude the same and to like very well of the suite with which words the good Father was so â—ulled that he deliuered the former bill to the Cardinall desiring him to procure his Mother to make of ordinarie Crownes Crownes of gold the Cardinall no sooner got the bill but with an Ignatian tricke of equiuocation hee rent it and so the Ignatian lost his errand The like hapned in Naples there was a Noble Woman of great substance much addicted to the Ignatians who vpon speciall intreatie of her Ghostly Father an Ignatian gaue vnto them towards their buildings a 1000 Crownes with which bill the Ignatian going home he is commanded by his Superiours to returne vnto her againe and to intreat of her that shee would make that 1000 Crownes to be 1500 the good Ladie hearing his request was somewhat amated therewith but lothe to offend telleth the Father that if he will stay vntill her Steward come home shee will take care that hee might haue his desire wherevpon the good Father deliuereth backe againe vnto her the bill which shee taketh but vpon the returne of her man and some consultation had with him she altreth her minde and sendeth the bill of a 1000 Crownes which shee had receiued from the Ignatian vnto a certaine Congregation