editions of the Septuaginta reading otherwise then these Popes do must be corrupt all the ancient Fathers Greeke and Latine two or three only excepted misexpound and misinterpret rather then e Sixtus and ClemeÌ„t in their editions Sixtus and Clement who haue some 1000. of other irreconciliable â—arres although they agree in this must be thought to haue done amisse And I demaund of the Romanists * Genes 3. why might not the Manuscribers in some of the copies change e into a and thereby make shee of hee as well as some late Romanists either wilfully or through the fault of Manuscribers haue changed in f Li. 4. Epist 38. S. Gregorie exercitus Sacerdotum an armie of Priests into exitus Sacerdotum the destructions or ends of Priests a manifest corruption it is and I hope Saint Boromeus would not with his coadiutours wilfully doe it because it most clearly sheweth that an armie of Priests was to serue and set vp the King of Pride some Bishop a great step indeede to shew that Bishop who now is serued with the whole armie of all the Priests of the Romane Church and who calleth himselfe the only vniuersall Bishop which is the ambitious and Antichristian title of the King of Pride against whom that Father inueigheth to be the very King of Pride prophetically delineated by that ancient Father and Pope Reade the Epistle courteous reader and passe thy iudgement as thou shalt see cause The second place of their corruption is in the g 2. Mach. 12. Machabees where to establish the Chymera of their Purgatorie fire both in their h Biblia Missalia edita Iussa Clement 8. Bibles and Missals they reade pro peccatis mortuorum for sinnes of the dead whereas they should reade thus only pro peccato for sinne and yet this in their owne knowledge is against i Edition Grec Venet. German Complut all the Editions in the Greeke yea and against an ancient Latin Vatican edition set out by Sixtus and also against some other ancient Latine Manuscripts and yet forsooth for Purgatory sake al those readings must be corrupt and Iudas Machabeus with the whole true Church of God with him be made so ignorant and superstitious as to make sinne-offerings for the dead whereas they full well knew that there was no such sacrifice appointed by God neither in the law of Nature nor in the law of Moses not no ceremonies nor rites ordained for the same neither doe the Iewes at this day practise or beleeue any such sinne sacrifice for the dead This their corruption in the wordes of sacred Scripture is by addition but by the patience of the courteous reader I will in this place somewhat fit for the purpose mention one of their corruptions by the figure of Subtraction In their k Breuiar edit Iussu Clement 8. last Editions of their Breuiâ—ries they haue pared out of the Praier of the Feast of St. Peters chaire at Antioch at Antioch I say for the feast of Peters chaire at Rome is a deuise of later Popes deuised by Paul the 4. as l Angelus Rocca Schol. in SacrameÌ„t Greg. prim Rocca affirmeth the word animas Soules least the same word should according to the faith of the ancient Church restraine the Popes omnipotency so called in late Neapolitane Theses to the spirituall bands and chaines of the soule only but that word and doctrine cannot agree with the Spirits of those men who challenge power to command and dispose of Kings and Kingdomes m Bellarm. against a certaine Venet. Doct. Bellarmine busily endeuoureth to defend this change the worke of his owne fingers But n Rocca annot in Sacrament Greg. 1. Rocca will tell him that the most principall and ancientest Manuscript in the Vatican had the word animas Soules and I must tell him that all the best readings haue it so and with iust cause I aske him why they haue not rather substracted the fabulous tale of Siluester consecrating Altar stones and the fabulous Legende of S. Catherine the Martyrs dispuâ—ing with 50. Philosophers and conuerting of the Empresse His brother o Baron in annot in Martyr Baronius turnes and windes himselfe not knowing how to defend the Historie p Brouiar reformata edita Iussu Pij Quint. some of their Breuiaries haue this Title ouer the Legend of Catherine Ex historia Ecclesiastica out of the Ecclesiasticall historie others haue Ex Eusebio lib. 7. cap. 26. out of Eusebius the 7. Booke and 26. Chapter and yet I suppose hee that shall finde this fable in any authenticall historie or in Eusebius himselfe shall bee a greater Historian then Baronius himselfe Fourthly against the infallibility of this their rule thus I argue That which maketh the Pope and all his followers therein heretikes cannot be the rule of Christian faith But the Popes proper and peculiar iudgement doth this Therefore The first Proposition I suppose the second or the assumption thus I proue Proper and peculiar choise and election to define in matter of faith in whomsoeuer it be is forbidden and q Ad Titum 3. 2. Pet. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haeresis heresie and apparent it is that choise and election to define and beleeue is alwaies taken for heresie when it is singular and alone in any one person vnlesse it be grounded vpon some speciall and immediate reuelation now that it is single Obis vera niex nostro arbitrio licet inducere sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit It is not lawfull for vs in matter of faith to bring in any thing out of our own choise neither to choose any thing which another by his choise shall bring in Tertul. lib. de Praeser and alone in the Pope I suppose it as the very proper and speciall position of the Aduersarie maintained by all Pontificians but impugned by all true Catholikes That the Pope ordinarily hath no new immediate reuelations from God I suppose as truth till any one shall be so impudent as to affirme the contrary The Pope then being an heretike because the rule of his faith to wit priuate choise and election in matters of faith is heresie r Ad Tit. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Heresies are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 electiones choises which taketh place in Popes also What meruaile if the Ignatians giue infallibility of not erring in faith to the Pope when they chalâ—enge the same to euery one of their owne Order as learned Caussabon proueth in his booke to Frontoduc pag 52. citing out of the Apologist for the Ignatians these wordes It night and day may be ioyned together in one and darknesse with light heat with cold health with sicknesse life with death then there may be some hope that heresie can fall into the head of a Iesuit thus he According to this if Clement with the two or three hundred Ignatians assembled in Rome had ioyned in Councell there
conclude these my Motiues about their idle rules of faith the Christian Reader who is carefull of his owne saluation and giueth obedient eare to that propheticall light of Gods sacred Scriptures expounded by the ancient Church which Scriptures Saint Peter n 2. Pet. 1. preferreth aboue that vision which he and his brethren had of Christ in mount Thabor he cannot but easily obserue what consequences are likely to follow out of three such corrupt Rules of faith as are in request amongst the Pontificians to wit infallibility solely and onely in the Popes definitiue iudgement authority of Apophricall Scriptures and the vaine authority of their traditions pretended to be Apostolicall where as they are nothing lesse The aduersary will for the validitie of these rules stand vpon the authority of their present Romane Church which hath receiued them of which their defence conformably to all antiquitie and ancient Fathers who taught otherwise we must also conformably to their proceedings search out of Gods word whether the Church of which they bragge so much be the true Church Succession in Sees onely will not suffice as by their owne confession is manifest in the Churches of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. but there is required also successioÌ„ in doctrine according to Gods word by which triall must be made of all Churches and of all doctrines and all after-traditions to which if they be not agreeable without perill of damnation they must not be receiued and this is the most expresse doctrine and faith of Saint Austen in o August lib. 1. de doctrina Christiana cap. 37. lib. de unitate Ecclesi cap. 2. but cap. 16. so clearly that I do suppose no Pontifician Priest dare scarce read that Chapter to his family sundrie places yea of Bellarmine p Bellarm. lib. 2. de verbo doi cap. 2. Basil serm de fide himselfe though as it may be thought he not very willingly confesseth this truth Other means saith he may deceiue but nothing is more certaine then the Scripture and therefore by confession of all both ancient and moderne writers the triall by Gods word is most firme and assured The fourth Motiue THe fourth Motiue and that very effectuall The fourth Motiue with me is that transcendent power both in all temporals and spirituals which later Popes contrary to Christs institution and practise of holy Primitiue Popes challenge and which the Romane Canonists and Cardinals ouer-liberal of that wherwith they haue nothing to doe doe flatteringly thrust vpon their Romane Monarches In spirituals he challengeth and they grant vnto him to be the onely supreme and immediate Pastor ouer Christs flocke so that looke how ample and immediate Christs iurisdiction for saluation of soules was so is his he glorieth in that title and they giue it him which q Greg lib. 4. epist 38. S. Gregory so much detested as the very badge of Antichrist he will in the gouernment of Christs flocke haue no Peere nor Colleage He is content to be honoured with that title yea and aboue that ambitious title the which Constantius the Arian required for he was content with numen nostrum our power or diuinitie but the Pope can willingly acept of supremum in terris numen the supreme and highest diuinitie or power vpon earth O ye heauens be astonished and euerlasting gates be desolated the pretended only Vicar of Christ the successor in some sort of that poore fisher who r Act 3. gloried in that he had neither gold nor siluer must heare and that from renowned * Proesat ad Grego 13. in principia doctri Stapletons mouth the Spanish kings professor in Louane the English Pontificians chiefe champion thus thy supreme diuinity vpon earth iust God how more iustly may we lament with those words of Saint Gregory against Iohn of Constantinople for his extraordinary fasting surnamed Ieiunator the faster f Grego lib. 4. â—p 38. O alasse all things that haue beene forespoken are come to passe the King of pride is at hand and that which is a wickednesse to be spoken a whole Army of priests is prepared for him because those serue the proud necke of elation and pride who haue beene set to giue example of meekenesse and humility Thus that Father in those times when the mysterie of iniquity began to worke most apparantly in the Patriarke of Constantinople but appeared more clearly in one of his next Successors to wit Boniface 3 who emulating the Constantinopolitan Patriarks for their pride obteined of Phocas that hatefull and traiterous vsurper rather then Emperour to decree by constitution that the title of Vniuersall Bishop should for euer after belong and be giuen only to the Bishops of Rome this is a matter vndoubted of by auncient t Sabel Aenead â— lib. 6. Platin. in Bonifac. 3. Otho lib. 5. Paulus de gostis Longobard Marianus anno Dom. 608. Duerenus de sacris Ecclesioe ministris lib. 1. cap 10 Abbas in Phoca poene emnis aly Sigebert Regino Luitpran Anasta Baron annal ad annum 606. Historians and yet perchance this Boniface did not assume by that title so much vnto him as these latter Popes doe to wit to be immediate pastors of all the whole Church comprehending all Partriarkes Bishops c or that there is no power nor iurisdiction in any Prelate or Pastor of the Church whatsoeuer which is not dependantly from them and of them so that they can and may peremptorily call to their court all causes greater or smaller and according to course of law or otherwise finally and * Iudicare c. to iudge and decree whether it be necessary to depose a Prince belongeth to the Pope of whose iudgement whether it be right or not no man may iudge Bellar. contra Barck ca. 12. vnappellably ende and determine them and if any either Emperour Prince Prelate or Vniuersity would offer to appeale from any of their sentences though most exorbitant and tirannicall they should thereby deserue to bee cursed with Bell Booke and Candle I cannot thinke that in Bonifaces time the Romane Bishops were growne to that height of Antichristian pride that was left for later times when the Diuell was to be let loose after the thousand yeeres of his binding Notwithstanding he challenged by Phocas his constitution to be only called vniuersall Bishop of the Church against which title Saint Gregory so vehemently and Christianly exclaimeth in u Greg lib 4. ep 32. 34. 38. 39. diuers Epistles testifying and demonstrating most plainly that that Antichristian title robbeth all Bishops of their honour and maketh that the Assumer thereof should bee reputed Antichrist This being so in this Auncient Father how durst D. Stapleton x Staple principi doctr lib. 6. cap. 7. that renowned Professour of diuinity endeuour to make Saint Gregory speake against himselfe in this very epistle and out of him labour to proue the present Romane supremacy and Monarchy which that Father so much
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
not against that Iohn call him the 10. or 11. whether you will for since the Papacie of the Papisse Ioane called by some Iohn the 7. by others Iohn the 8. the numbring of Pope Iohns hath beene different I say I aske whether the gates of hell preualled not against this Iohn who as a Baron anno 925. and 928. Baronius himselfe acknowledgeth was exalted into the Apostolicall chaire by the meanes of the impudent strumpet Theodora with whom also he liued most impurely in the time of his Papacie or shall I say rather her Papacie shee ruling the roast for which cause by the b Ibidem Cardinall himselfe this Iohn is worthily reputed for a false high Bishop an Apostata an Intruder and a most iniust possessour of the Apostolicall See Therefore it being most cleare that the gates of hell haue preuailed against these instable and impure stones being themselues with innumerable others who embraced their decrees and wicked customes cast downe into hell who can say that the most wise and powerfull Architect Christ Iesus did build his Church vpon them what will they bee so impudent as to affirme Christ kept not his promise or prophecied not truly rather then their rockes and stones must be found defectible Therefore to conclude it is cleare that vpon that Rocke Christ * Hilar. lib. 8. de Trin. built his Church which is c Psal 118. verbum Domini quod manet in aeternum the word of God remaining for all eternitie or else vpon that confession which exposition concurreth with the other d Math. 16. thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God which as yet soundeth throughout the world and shall vntill the sonne himselfe come to iudge both quicke and dead The second place is taken out of the 22. of St. Luke Ego Cardinall Aliaco lib. de Authorit Eccles Directly denieth this place to bee vnderstood of the personall faith of Peter but of the faith of the whole Church as diuers of the Sorbone Doctors now also doc rogaui pro te Petre c. I haue praied for thee Peter that thy faith faile not and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Here they triumph here they insult but God wot without cause for what coherence Peter thy faith shall not faile ergo Popes cannot erre Peter thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren ergo Popes being conuerted must confirme instruct and teach all Patriarks Primates Bishops Priests whatsoeuer Therefore his faith and his voice must bee receiued as the very oracle of God and be as such obeyed but let vs consider the holy text it selfe the which doth manifestly teach vs that Christ considering how Peter assaulted by Satan in the time of his taking would be drawne out of feare both to denie and forsweare him lest he by such a deniall should by Satans guiles be also swallowed vp into dispaire Christ comforting him foretelleth that he hath praied for him and that his faith should not faile that is according to the exposition of St. e Chrysost bom 83. in Math. Beda in Lucam Chrysostome should not vtterly perish and be extinguished as the Greeke and Latine words signifie but remaine firme in heart although it should faile in his mouth as if Christ should say Peter I know thou wilt through feare be drawen to denie and forsweare me with thy mouth yet thy heart shall be still firme to me yea and after thy fall thou shalt be so conuerted and so erected that thou shalt be enabled to encourage thy brethren that they may f What doubt is to be made for Peter Christ prayed did he nâ—t pray for Iames and Iohn not to mention the rest it is manifest all are contained in Peter Aug. q. 75. Quest Ex nouo Testam stand firme in confession of my name the which I admonish thee accordingly to do Christ not thereby meaning to pray for Peter alone or that the rest of the Apostles should so neede his instruction in faith confirmation in faith that without him they might either erre in faith or fal to deny their faith For after the f Act. 1. descension of the holy Ghost all the Apostles which were to be the g Ad Ephe. ca. 2. Apoc. cap. 21. foundation stones of the new IerusaleÌ„ were by vertue of their Apostleships as firmly roborated confirmed in faith as Peter himself therfore the Apostles Creed was made by them all h Leo. epist 13. ad Pulcer Aug. serm 115. Ruffin in explic Simbol iointly which coÌ„taineth 12. articles because euery Apostle put to his article wherein Peter had onely the priuiledge to make the first if their owne i Cathechismes speake truth Further I aske where those words i Cathechis Vaux Bellarm. and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren did not containe a promise that Peter after conuersion should not faile againe and whether was the priuiledge to accompany all Bishops of Rome who so shameless as to affirme it doubltlesse it failed in k Baron in Annalibus Platina in vitis Marcelline offering incense to Idols in Iohn the 22. who l Gerso serm 4. de Pasch Adrian Pap. in 4 de sacrament confirmat aly taught and that very peremptorily that the Saints see not God till the generall iudgement in Iohn the 23. who in a m Platina in vita Ioh. Conc. Consta in sess 11. Councell of Constance had so many horrible accusations of blasphemie heresie impietie proued against him that he was the erefore iudicially deposed Many such examples might be produced but it greeueth my heart to discouer the ignominies of that See which was earst the spouse of Christ and where the tiumphs of the Apostles do seeme still to remaine but thus much I haue done onely for truth sake wishing with my whole heart there were no iust cause for any to write thus of the Popes but so it must and will be for God will doubtless vouchsafe euer still to raise some euen from the dust to oppose against them till they be fully reformed the which God mercifully grant it may be speedily accomplished I cannot heere omit to set down a peruicious error nay rather heresie of the Rhemists writing vpon this Rhemists writing vpon this place of S. Luke The which although I had often read heretofore and much misliked the same yet it wrought not effectually with me till by good chance I light vpon it at that time when God vouchsafed to begin to open my eyes Thus then they write vpon those words Simon Simon c. n Annotat. in Luc. 22. annot 31. Lastly to put them out of doubt he calleth Peter twice by name and telling him the diuels desire to sift and trie them all to the vttermost as he did that night saith that he had specially prayed for him to this end that his faith should neuer faile and that he being Note their words vphold establish the rest and
ego pono in Sion lapidem c. Behold I put in Sion an approued a corner stone and a precious one laid in the foundation This prophecy although S. Peter b 1. Peâ— 2. most expresly expoundeth it of Christ himselfe yet Bellarmine in his dictates would needs haue it to be vnderstood of Peter not of Christ His profound reason is forsooth because the c Isai 28. Prophet addeth of this stone that it must be in fundamento fundatus founded in the foundation that is laid in the foundation which may not be vnderstood of Christ but fitly of Peter founded vpon Christ So Bellarmine but in his d Bellar in praesat in lib. de pont Rom. printed Preface he hath somewhat mended the matter for he is content to vnderstand principally this prophecie of Christ secondarily of Peter so that Christ and Peter must still ranke together Christ principally but Peter secondarily Baronius in his Voto against the Venetians to Paul the 5. in Consistory publikely applied to him to be the stone vpon which e Matth. 21. whosoeuer falleth saith the holy Ghost shall be bruised and vpon whomsoeuer it falleth it shall breake them in peeces but alas the Cardinall failed the Pope in his Prophecie for by his sentences of excomcommunications interdicts c. he did so little bruise the Venetians who so constantly opposed against him that The manner of the Venetians reconcilement with the Pope for which the Ignatians euerywhere exclaim against that state onely they are warie before whom they could not by any meanes be brought to make any submission for any offence imputed to them or to acknowledge any fault so that at the last the Pope was contented to accept of a shew of submission made to him by some third persons and as it is reported suborned also by the court of Rome thereunto and so with his honour to be reconciled vnto them againe a notable example for posterity against the vsurpations of Popes I could here more enlarge my discourse to shew how Bellarmine Sanders Baronius Stapleton do all they can and labour earnestly though most vnsouÌ„dly to bring all ChristiaÌ„s to that pernicious perswasioÌ„ faith to wit that it is not inough according to f Decretal Bonifa 8. vnam sanctam Bonifaces decree for their saluations to be in communion with the Catholike Church dispersed through the world and with the head thereof Christ Iesus vnlesse they be in actual communion and blind obedience to the Bishop of Rome as the onely one and supreme head of the visible Church It is a sufficient assecurance for my conscience that according to the sense of ancient Church it is against S. g 1. Cor. cap. 1. Pauls expresse doctrine who in his Epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s doth most grieuously reproue all such as went about to make a speciall ioyning either with Peter Paul or Apollo nothing herein differencing S. Peter from Apollo or himselfe doubtlesse he was nothing acquainted with the present necessary subiection and vnion to the Bishops of Rome the pretended onely successors of Saint Peter But rather he instructed and most earnestly h Jhidem commaunded all Christians to acknowledge Chrâ—st Iesus for their onely head of whom they were named in whose name they were baptised and who onely was for them crucified dead and buried risen againe to life Surely if Saint Paul did beleeue such a necessary headship in the Bishops of Rome doubtlesse his faith therein was onely implicit for his expresse doctrine is against it but I dare heere boldly saie that if per impossibile by an impossibilitie such a headship in the Popes had beene respected in the Primitiue Churches yet later Popes are now so degenerate from what their predecessors were into all most abhominable and tirannicall conuersations to the corruption of faith against the temporalty and spiritualty that Gods infinite mercy would excuse such who to giue them most iust cause and motiues to ranke themselues in their owne degrees should leaue their communion with them and adhere onely to Iesus Christ to whom vpon him onely resting with King i Psal 118. Dauid I humbly complaine tempus faciendi domine dissipauerunt legem tuam It is high time O Lord to doe for they haue dissipated and and broken thy law The second Motiue THus they hauing most egregiously erred in coÌ„stituting a false rule of their faith to support the present Roman profession to the same end they haue perniciously depraued the true rule of faith by adding to the sacred word of God such bookes as antiquity worthily reiected for Apocriphall that is of doubtfull vncertaine authority not fit to confirme and proue the dogmaticall doctrines and articles of Christian faith thereby distinguishing them from the Canonicall Scriptures Gods infallible word Such are k Hieron in Prolog Galeat Epiph. lib. de mensur August de ciuit dei lib. 18. cap. 36. Athanas in Sinop Epipha haere 8. 76. esteemed accounted the books of Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabies all such like doubtfull parts of Chapters of the old Testament as by neither the Iews before nor in Christs time nor in the Nicene Laodicenc Councels nor ancient Fathers purposely setting down and defining the Canons of holy Scripture were euer receiued into the Canon 1 Con. Nice Laodic in Cano. de Canonicis scripturis Hieron epist 10. 115. Joseph contra Appto lib. 1 Russin de Simbol Apost and rule of Christian Faith Against this their deuised rule it is most easily and manifestly shewed that considering the Iewish Synagogue when it was the true Church of God receiued not these bookes into their Canon wee ought not to receiue them hauing no new reuelations for them nor no better warrant then they had especially considering that the Septuaginta interpreters who tooke vpon them to interpret all the bookes of Gods word to Ptolomeus neglected them Christ and his Apostles neuer cited any thing out of any of them as they did out of the other Scriptures And further the thrice reuereÌ„d Fathers of the Nicene Councell and those worthies of the Councell of Laodicea both which Councells were celebrated in the East nearer the place and time where and when Christs Church might best informe her selfe which were the bookes of Sacred Scripture reiected and cashired them out of sacred Canon of holy Scripture Neither is there any new reuelation for them now nor any iust cause why the Pope and Pontificians should be so eager to put them into Canon of Scripture but for that they seeme in some places contrary to the vndoubted Scriptures to fauor some of their vaine and corrupt doctrines as of Purgatorie Praier for the Dead Merits of good workes c. As for * The contra dictioÌ„ betwixt the 5. châ—pter of Iudith and the 10. â—â—irreconcilable so manâ—â—est that the same euinceth the author of the same booke not to bee the holy Ghost who caÌ„not lie See
of the Pope amongst his adorers and followers and doe you think the Pope knoweth not or affecteth not this his greatnes obserue his pride excuse me Pontifician reader when he saith not priuate Masse himselfe but is in his publike Chappel * When I saw these things I was astonished especially to obserue the oscitancie of the purpured Fathers at that time and their talking one with another and you shall scarce euer see one Cardinall amongst them who heareth Masse deuoutly much like the Nuncio at Brussels although an Archbishop he must not kneele when he receiueth vpon any solemne feast the Sacrament his very God he commeth from his Chaire of State downe to the Altar and standeth close cheeke by cheeke to the Priest that celebrateth who also must then reuerence him and when he receiueth of the Chalice he must forsooth standing haue a quill of siluer and drinke as much as pleaseth him out of the consecrated Chalice O most foolish and apish foppery what must Popes needs shew their maiesties in that place of the dreadfull misteries Not long since when our Soueraigne came to the Crowne of England k Relation of a reuereÌ„d Priest then in Rome there was a deliberation had in Rome amongst the Cardinals whether it were not meete to salute and congratulate his Maiestie with some humane and kind letters it was resolued vpon both by Pope and most Cardinals that it did not become * Such was the spirit of the Roman Cleargie in S. Bernards time against which he most vehemently declaimeth lib. 4. c. 2. de consid the Maiestie and greatnesse of the court of Rome for in the name of court the Romanes take more delight then in the name of Church and in Rome it selfe few call it the Church but the court of Rome and the Popes Pallacc c. to condescend so farre as to write first to his Maiestie O inexplicable pride tell me Oye Romane Bishops whose Vicars doe you challenge to be not his who suffered death and all ignominie to saue soules tell me by what meanes haue you got your supremacies dominions not from Christian Kings the most fruitfull sheepe of the Church what you care not belike for the sheepe hauing got the fleece tel me did not your selues often pretend vainely to haue had conceits and hopefull expectations of his comming to your Church and doubtlesse most hopefull your expectations might haue beene and most effectuall for the reformation of the Church if you would haue had accepted or woul yet accept of his most royall offer to haue had a free generall and vniuersall Councell but God permitted it not the sins of Rome and our sins crie vengeance The abominations within the walles of your Temples and the impurities within the walles of your Pallaces crie for the iust iudgement of God vpon your * Ezech. 8. backes set against the Temple and doubtlesse although Rome haue beene as a l Ieremie 22. ring vpon the finger of God yet for her impurities idolatries and abominations she will be cast off as Iechonias was Read 2. 3. 6. 7. 10. 22. 23. 44. of Ieremie and then tell me whether God will be so infallibly tyed to any Church though of his owne appointing and establishing so that if the same fall to wickednesse and impietie that he will not forsake the same and cast her off m Ierem. 7. 11. Read also the Epistle to the Romanes These things considered will the Rhemists denie but that the Popes are adored in the Church which is one of their owne markes of the man of sinne neither can they denie but that he hath vniuersall and immediate gouernment in ouer the whole Church for so to affirme and beleeue is the very essence and soule of their profession but by this onely they will excuse it and say he hath it not tyrannically and that he is not an Apostata nor a Renegate out of the Church Truly if they should confesse so much they might be well bought for fooles and for them to say he is no Apostata nor Renegate out of their Church it is a toy or a paradoxe for he is their very Church and life thereof therefore to say he should be an Apostata or a Renegate out of the Church were all one with this to affirme that he is an Apostata from himselfe but I must tell them that it is enough to make him a certaine Antichrist the man of sinne euen in their owne iudgements to shew that he hath subuerted the gouernment instituted by Christ applying by singular tiranny and vsurpation all to himselfe and I would in good earnest demaund of any friend of the Rhemists what excelleÌ„t power or iurisdictioÌ„ is there or can be in the church which the Pope hath not applied to himselfe and so vniuersally that whosoeuer in the Church hath any power or iurisdiction both in the Popes and in the Ignatians beleefe and the purpled Fathers beleefe also as n Papa c. the Pope and the purpured Fathers Iudge the world â—oquae in respons ad praemon Regis Coquaeus calleth them it all commeth from the Pope and is so dependent from him that at his pleasure without cause validly and effectually although as some of them say not without sinne he may take it from them but at this present sufficiently of this I will heere adde somewhat how the Popes by taking away wholy or else helping to take away the Romane Empire doe shew themselues to be the men of sinne and children of perdition which were to come at the taking away and destruction of the said Empire according to the prediction of o 2. Thess 2. Saint Paul To begin that of the Apostle onely that which now holdeth hold vntill it be taken out of the way the p Annotationâ— vpon the second to the Thessal 2. cap. Rhemists themselues admit that some ancient Fathers expound of the Romane Empire they might haue said most of the q August 20 de ciuitate cap. 9. Hieron epist ad Algas q. 11. in Dan. ad Geronti de monogamia Tertul. de resurrectione carnis Ciril Hieros catech 15 Chrysost Amoro Theoph. Primas in 2. ad Thess Bellar. lib. 3. de Pont. cap. 13. ancient Fathers and haue called it the true exposition also during the continuance of which in full state God shall not permit Antichrist to come Obserue Christian reader how with their owne weapons they pierce their owne sides God shall not permit Antichrst to come so long as the Romane Empire or Emperour standeth in his full state thus they most truly but to their own confusion for in good earnest I demaund of any Rhemist or of any Dowist in their behalfes whether the Romane Emperour or Empire is now or hath beene a long time in former state or not and if it be not as most manifestly it is not the named Emperour being now onely Soueraigne ouer Bohemia and certaine small states and prouinces in
I should make the moderate Pontificians admire to thinke what manner of seditious ministers the Pope hath vseth to set vp his indirect monarchy but I protest that such doctrine is in him which I dare not for my duty to Prince and Country once mention otherwise then by way of detestation yet this Coquaeus is a great man and a holy confessor in Florence and his vnlearned though most seditious booke must for sooth be both printed and published for the producing God auert it of new Catsbyes and Piercies God inspire into the hearts of the Magistrates of this kingdome that as they be vigilant so they may euer continue against such bookes which tend only to the subuersion of this state and all other of like condition Alasse the Ignatians and Ignatianed will haue them though vtter ruines of whole families should insue thereupon There was one Philopater Robert Parsons by name who if in that booke which he so named had loued his Country as wel as the Pope his holy Father or else the fathers of his order would haue * Titulo libri called himselfe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or such like name a louer of his Country not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a louer of his Father or Fathers for Philopater signifieth so much but pardon the good old man he was no Grecian but only desned a Greeke and a strange name as hauing abandoned the natiue affection of his Country This man in his t Philopater Sect. 2. Philopater deliuereth not welnye as strange doctrine as Coquaeus but in some respect far worse because he maketh his Doctrine an article of faith and by consequence al the Pontificians of England that beleeue him ipso facto are traitors and such as beleeue not heretikes Hinc etiam infert vniuersa theologorum c. Heereupon saith hee the whole schoole of Diuines and Ecclesiasticall lawyers to wit Canonists inferre and it is certaine and of Faith any Christian Prince whatsoeuer if he shall manifestly decline Posscuine in his biblioth wold faine cast this booke from Parsons and lay it vpon D. Stapleton doubtles t is the brood of a paire of Fathers from the Catholike that is in his sense the Romane religion and shall draw and call others from the same presently thereupon by the very force of law both diuine and humane to loose all power and dignity and this before any sentence of the supreme pastour and Iudge giuen or pronounced against him and all subiects whatsoeuer to be free from all obligation of oath which they had made to him of obedience as to their lawfull Prince and that they may and ought if they haue strength to cast out such a manner of man as an Apostata and Heretike and a forsaker of Christ our Lord and as an Enemy of the Common-wealth out from all rule of Christian men Thus farre that Pseudophilopater in his Ignatian saith What true English heart is not awaked with such a seditious sound and doe you thinke O yee loyall Britaines and faithfull of Iesus that his brethren the Ignatians haue not the same Doctrine they haue it they haue it beleeue me and they teach it also where they sind ground conuenient and fit for such seditious seede In Rome it was taught in effect as very probable aboue 16. yeeres since when I my selfe refused in open schoole to receiue write any such doctrine But I leaue to stirre this filthy sinke any longer I humbly beseech Iesus Christ to vouchsafe to illustrate the eies of such who haue often told me that if they thought the Ignatians did teach such Doctrine as I haue heere expresly and truly deliuered out of Pbilopater they would little regard them in other things So it is Christian Reader that these most egregious Equiuocaters doe not deliuer § This doctrin is not the milk but the solid meate of the Ignatians easily swallowed by those as are inclining to the impious doctrine of the damned crew of which was Catsby c. Another Priest was in like sort denyed absolution for the same cause of the Oath by an Ignatianed Priest who not withstanding easily absolued and admitted to the dredfull Sacramēt one who often fell into the sin of Bestiality and to deny absolution for allowing or taking the Oath of Allegiance is the ordinary practise of all Ignatiā Priests in this land almost of all oher ' excepting some few honest loyall lerned Priests who are therefore extreamly hated and auoided as Spyes by the Ignatians this doctrine but to their Priuates and old acquaintance which maketh many moderate recusants to suspect that they are vniustly charged with such seditious hereticall doctrine as this is but such as my selfe who haue conuersed too long with them know assuredly that they teach both this doctrine yea some of them as badde as the very worst of Coquaeus which I onely glanced at aboue in this Motiue And that they are in this matter egregiously equiuocaters vnderstād by this within these 3. yeers lesse * A principall Ignatian amongst them denied me absolution and to take my confession I protest before the heauens I lye not neither do Iagrauate against them because forsooth I onely held this generall position that the Pope could not cause authorize subiects to depose their lawfull Princes and yet this man who dealt thus with me and who as I know taught this doctrine both at his residence and in other places that the Pope might depose princes and depriue them of their kingdomes yet in some other places and before some persons would speake very coldly therof yea and he seemed to deny it in that very house where he so dealt with me where also hee refused not to admit a notorious cōcubiner to both the sacramēts The fifth Motiue THe fifth motiue is theire most pernicious impious doctrine concerning the adoration and worshipping of Images with the same worship and adoration wherewith the Persons themselues wherof they are Images are adored saue only that the persons are adored and worshipped without any extrinsecall respect and onely for the intrinsecall dignitie which is in them but the Images are adored and worshipped for the dignitie and excellency of the persons which they represent This doctrine is deliuered by the English Priests and Ignatians very * Bell. l. 2. de imag 22. fearefully nicely and mincingly and therefore I finde that many deuout people of this kingdome haue not yet perfectly drunke of the impuritie of this cup but it is the most expresse selfe doctrine taught by the most Pontificians and learnedest Ignatians in their schooles and bookes they are onely wary in respect of scandal how they preach it in their pulpits taught t 3. q. 25. art 3. Councell of Trent as it is expounded by Vasq lib. de adorat 2. Suares Tom. 1. disput 54 Nauar. in manual cap. 31. Num. 32. yea Vasq apud Eudaem in parralel pag. 292. teacheth that a man may worship God
was founded considering seriously he produced that of y Ad Colless 1. Saint Paul adimpleo ea quae desunt c. I fulfill those things which are wanting of the passioÌ„ of Christ for his body which is the Church I replied that according to the exposition of ancient Fathers S. Paul was said to fulfil what was waÌ„ting of the passions of Christ because Christ was to suffer in his members vntil his Gospell was peaceablye planted and therfore the z Act. 9. passions of Christs Saints were called the passions of Christ and I added that it was meere blasphemie to say that Saint Paul added any sufficiency to the passions of Christ as though they were not sufficient in themselues this and some like replies he tooke so hamously for he is exceeding troubled if you seeme to call in question any other Popish errour then that which is contained in the Popes a Breuia Paull 5. contra iuramcatum fidolitatis Breefes agaist the oath of alleageance that since that time I neuer had any conference at all with him and whosoeuer shall conferre with him shall finde little profit thereby for he is a man who can endure no replying A iust Pithagoras ipse dixit Againe dregs because whereas the Popes protend by them to deliuer à pena culpa from sinne paine they deceiue the simple for they themselues teach that pardons do deliuer onely from paine or punishment but they must forsooth needs heere also equiuocate and that in their holy Bulles to make their marchandize more sailable and yet perhaps the ancient b Bonif. apud Platin. in vita deuisers of Pardons most expresly Boniface the 8 did hold that they did deliuer from sinne also for their most expresse words be à pena culpa from paine or punishment sin but now they are refined forsooth they do deliuer only from any pains whether already enioyned or to be enjoyned or to be suffered in fierie Purgatorie but not from sinnes Dregges for where as they all generally teach that as they are like in efficacie and vertue as they are in sound so they do giue plenaries and most full plenaries of Pardons c Indulgent concess ad in stant collegij Anglica for verie trifles and toyes and I could not but thinke my selfe to trifle the time if I should stand to set downe any of their particulars heerein especially of those most large vaine pardons which the late Empresse mother to this Emperour obtained for her selfe and all others vnto whom she should vouchsafe to bestow for a fauour one of her silly granes of glasse or horne I my selfe had some fortie of them by that Empresses owne hands deliuered vnto me as a speciall Iewell One thing I note in one of their Pardon 's obtained by the English Colledge that whosoeuer wil obtaine the same d 13. Pardon must say the Letanies before God or some Image they wel make a distinctioÌ„ betwixt God and the Image for as Lactantius long ago said where an Image is set vp to be worshipped God cannot be there Dregges and most vaine dregges because these pardons are tied to little granes of glasse or horne c. so that if a man call vpon the name of Iesus deuoutly at the houre of death he shall haue a plenarie prouided he haue an English graine I call it not a dregge to say that whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of Iesus at the houre of death beleleeuing in him as in his redeemer by that saith which worketh with and in charitie that he shal thereby haue remission of all his sinnes in Christ and consequently of all paines for exempto reatu eximitur pena the guilt of sinne being taken away the punishment is taken away also as ancient e Tertul. de baptismo cap. 5. Tertullian pronounceth But I call it a vile dreg to say that such a one shal haue remission of all paine prouided he haue a grain a very character of the beast as though Christs passion were to worke by graines The Popes trea surie indeed may but not Christs passion which worketh no otherwise then by faith and loue in his word and his holy Sacraments by him expresly instituted not by man deuised I noted not long since how Ignatius the Parent of the Nouell societie vnworthily called of Iesus is painted vpon his death-bed breathing out the name of Iesus but to assure vs all that he escaped Purgatorie it is expressed in the same pictures drawne according to his life written by f Ribad in vita Ignat. and his pictures according to the same Ribadinera anâ— Ignatian that he died not without a plenarie indulgence belike he who is alreadie beatified by Paul the fifths authoritie and shall doubtlesse ere it be long be sainted when the Ignatians shall haue prouided money enough for the Charges of canonization had not satisfaction enough for himselfe when he died and therefore had part of the Romane treasure giuen him but when he is sainted he will haue such store of merit and satisfaction hauing gotten it in heauen belike that there is no doubt but he will greatly adde to the treasures of the Church and this addition had beene made long before this if diuers thousands of Masses offered for his canonization to a certaine Popes Nephew could haue procured It is a complaint which I and diuers others haue often heard from the Ignatians perhaps the purse for good vses posted vp and downe is intended for these charges the same But* want of money is the cause why he is not yet sainted as many of themselues haue complained and I suspect that the time of his sainting doth approach because now the Ignatians beginne euery where to broach abroad those coÌ„mentitious wonders the which lesse then some two decades of yeares agoe were scarce knowne or not to be heard of in Rome But Saint Richard Holdcorne and Saint Henry Garnet haue alreadie greatly increased this treasure for they did great satisfaction dying as glorious Martyrs and how glorious and potent a martyr Saint Henry Garnet is you may gather by the picture of the strawface which they haue procured to be drawn of him beyond Seas in which his face is drawen as if it had appeared in the straw most shining with a crowne vpon his head to shew perhaps he is a king in heauen with a star in the forehead to associate him perhaps with the twelue starres of the g Apoc. 12. Apocalips signifying eyther the twelue Patriarkes or the twelue Aposâ—es with a Cherub also to shew perhaps that he is assumpted to the second quire of Angels of the intelligent Châ—rubins but they should rather haue exalted him to the Seraphins for surely he had more good will for the Popes cause then he had learning to defend the Popes Monarchie as it was euident at his triall when he gaue not satisfaction as was expected For my part I greatly lament the mans case
the tyranny by which they denie The tenth Motive the indifferent reading of Gods holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongue is most inexcusable doubtlesse the cause is they do feare the taxing of their most manifest heresies even by the simplest I cannot blame them for their pollicie herein For manifest experience teacheth that wheresoever the word of God is translated into vulgar tongues and the same devoutly read there poperie still falles more or lesse an inuincible argument that the spirit wherewith the holy Scriptures were written worketh in the humble readers Haue ye forgotten ye Pontificians that the Iewish Church had the holy Scriptures written and read vnto them in their vulgar tongue why therefore shall the Christians of the new Testament be debarred of the vse of the same are not the holy Scriptures their riches their treasure and the cause of all consolaion to the devout readers why doe you not then permit vnto them the vse of that which is their owne but I must crie you mercie for the Scriptures are onely the treasure of the Romanes and onely as part of the Popes Patrimonie are at his disposing Would God also he would seriously peruse them and practise them for in them is his Religion condemned if you say they are abused by some of the simplest and that promiscous reading of them breedeth heresies alas alas as though the simple people were the Deuisers or Authors of many heresies how many heresies can you reckon deuised by such as vnderstood none of the learned tongues and what if some doe abuse the holy Scriptures so innumerable abuse pletures innumerable abuse confession to horrible and abominable proiects innumerable abuse your Masses and indulgences and what is there in the world which is more abused then the chaire of Peter it selfe which is so continually bought and sold What must wee away with it therefore and is there no abusing of your voluminous decrees decrees your decrotals extrauagants Clementines c I there no abuse of your Philosophicall learning in your Churches What must all things that are abused my our Church be removed if so doubtlesse you would have a single-souled religion for then away with the pictures of God the Father in the forme of an olde man which to my knowledge and experience hath possest many in this kingdom with the Anthropomorphitan conceive as thogh * In the same Pictures and many idle aparitions one I note in which it is expresly that when Ignatius eleuated the Host Christ apeared miraculously not in the Host but ouer the Host in certaine cloudes in the forme of a maÌ„ Apud Ribad God himselfe had limmes and true members may I not say that some of your Ignatianed with Ignatius were so perswaded in the u Ribadiuer lib. 1. cap. 7. pictures of whose life there is lately described how the misteries of the blessed Trinity was reuealed vnto him in which God the Father was portraited like an old Man with a Globe in his hand the holy Ghost drawne like a Doue and Christ Iesus with a Globe also in his hand O Vanities O horrible abuses O ye Ignatians is this the mystery of the most dreadfull Trinity reuealed to your holy and beatified Father Ignatius Doubtlesse the Deuill deluded him and if his Reuelations from Christ and Saint Peter and his Eleuations vp in the Aire proue no sounder they will proue but rotten and superstitious ware But to proceede if you feare seduction of your simpler Sheepe in reading of the Scriptures why are not your learned Priests more daily in them Why haue they no set Lectures vpon them Why are not your Diuines bound to study some Comments vpon them The true cause is your Spirits your Traditions which you must not leaue vnlesse you leaue Rome and her very word of God agree not together yet for a fashion forsooth the Scriptures must be read as in Rome and Spaine in your refectories when your Schollers are at Dinner and Supper and somwhere vpon full stomacks so full as short Commons can permit after Dinner and Supper in one of your Seminaries for it is not vsed in all and then they must heare some quarter of an hours commenting vpon some peece of scripture the study of one peece whereof requireth a mans life in which exercise how greatly your Priests profit one who lately came from your Famous Dowyan Seminary will liuely discouer It was my fortune lately to see and read a letter directed from this Priest out of the North vnto another Priest remaining in this house with me in which letter he excuseth himselfe with the other Priest his friend heere and defendeth as well as hee can himselfe from touch of inconstancy in friendship which the other had obiected vnto him vsing these and the like words doe not thinke good sir of me as though I were inconstant in my loue to you I am still the same according as the x Hebrews 13. Apostle saith Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for euer which application of Sacred Scipture when I read I could not but laugh heartily and I pittied withall the state of the English Seminaries and English Romane Catholikes for I was not then alienated from them in my heart and I thinke that whosoeuer shall reade this will easily obserue what a profound Scripture-Clerke he was many such like Clerkes there are in this Kingdome pardon mee Courteous Reader if I glaunce at one other who hath a good will for hee will forsooth preach commonly euery holy day in a certaine Cathedrall residence of his But his preaching is commonly out of the Legends forsooth or else out of the great looking glasse of examples for as for scripture he is so penurious that one day hearing of him preach vpon the Gospell of Christs tempting in the wildernesse he cited a sentence or two of that daies Gospell and both times broke Priscians head but he scandalized as I thinke Speculum magnum exemploris no mans head there being scarce one besides my self there who vnderstood Latine and such a good â—lde Harry perhaps y Math. 4. as did thinke that the Scripture might vse sometimes false Latine for a mysterie I would not glaunce at this mans insufficiency but that he is so * The Pontificall Spirit of this man you may gather by this being in a Vitling house vpon Tower Wharfe and ready to depart the land being banished with some nine other Priests he puts his Arme out of a window contrary to the liking of al his brethren publikely and Bishoplike hee blesses crosses all the people which caused shame in some loud laughter in others egregious a Champion against the Oath damning all that take it yea and not allowing confessions of those who haue gone to such Priests as allow it he is surely a very worthy Marchant to tell a fable to a Gentlewoman but inough heereof now all things haue their seasons But to conclude this my Motiue it
sinfull desires rather according to the Generall Vniuersall Doctrine of all their owne Diuines in all other Vowes or Oathes to be dispensed with his inconsideratâ—e Vow or else to haue it interpreted and declared vnlawfull rather then through impotency impossibility or imminent danger of not keeping of his vowe to commit any other sinnes of impurity or to giue any scandall to any other person And so heere I conclude this matter with a saying of Pope Pius the second as g Platina in vita Pij 2. Platina reports him that as there were many reasons to forbid Priests marriage so there were more to allow them mariage how many there are hee that will reade h Pelagius de planctu Aluarus Pelagius and i Clemangis de corrupto statu ecclesiae Nicholas Clemangis will easily acknowledge and the Verdict of that Pope to haue beene most iust and necessary To Conclude this matter it is as cleere as the Heauens that the Pontificians are fauourers of al impudicity in their Clergy by forbidding them marriage and yet permitting them to eate drinke and conuerse as indifferently as the married doe So are they also in many other cases Authors and Abetters of much Impurity and heer I obserue by the way I know not by what secret spirit it comes to passe that our English Ghostly Fathers are for most part easie interpreters and absoluers in case of most impure sinnes but if a man disobey a Popes breefe none or else very difficult is their absolution A crooked deformed Priest would not a Priest forsooth allowing the oath of Allegeance and that Ignatian who denied me absolution for that I held the Pope had not authority to depose Princes yet could he absolue the Master of the house who was more then thought to haunt common queanes himselfe also not vnacquainted with the notoriousnesse thereof Hee was iust another Peere Cotton God vouchsafe to open the eies of the seduced to leaue the society of that Congregation which hath so shamefully Apostated from Iesus Christ his sacred doctrines and most holy institutions and hath thus repleated her congregations with all nefarious impurities Sundry other Lawes there are which might iustly bee called in question and whosoeuer will with indifferent eye consider all such lawes and customes wherein the Romanists doe most differ from the reformed Churches hee shall find that they al haue expresse respect to set vp the Romane Monarchy either in Temporals or Spiritualls as for example the Law and Custome wherewith they endeuor to exempt from all correction of Ciuill Magistrates all Clergie men though their offences bee enormious and such as cry for vengeance from Heauen Like is their Law of reseruing certaine Papall Cases which causeth many sacrilegious confessions like is their Law and Custome for their Penitents to confesse an intire number of all their sinnes with the Circumstances therof changing the nature of sin which causeth inexpressible conflicts and scruples especially in consciences of their Women Recusants But I omit to write any more of these and so passe to my other Motiues The Third Generall Heade out of the obseruation of English Pontificians Spirits THus hauing set downe some of my chiefest motiues out of the pernicious doctrines and most wicked Lawes of the Pontifician Church I am to prosecute the other two General heads out of some obseruations of the Spirits of the Chiefetaines of that profession in the propagation of their Gospell and of their liues and conuersation But for some respects I will at this present pretermit the latter being not willing to descend into particulars of that kind for the other my discourse shall * It were bootles to descipher the liues and spirits of latter Popes they are far worse theÌ„ those of whoÌ„ Masson a famous Pontifician writeth so liberally in Iulius the 3. at whose boldnes I maruell when I consider what the famous D. Iohn of Paris lib. de potest Reg. papal writeth Euery fact saith hee of the holy Father must be interpreted in good part and if it be theft or any thing that is ill in it selfe wee must interpret it to be done by Diuine instinct thus he So Sixt his pride drunkennes cruelty Alexander the sixth his impurity Gregory the 14. hypocrisie and anarice c. al was by Diuine instinct c. only omitting their Popes touch the Spirits of such as haue bin Ringleaders against the present state and Church of England in prosecution whereof if I seeme sharpe and bitter and to touch to the very quicke not the skinne onely but the very soule of the Ignatious Spirits I desire the Readers fauourable construction and to interpret that I doe nothing out of malice or for reuenge but onely that Britany may see what serpents shee nourisheth within her bowels would God not too neere c how extreame dangerous it is for the publik weale of this State that Pontifician English are permitted to haue such free conuersation with them in Flanders France Spaine c. and to demonstrate that if Britanie haue iust cause to feare Rome and the Popes Dominions the last and least Cause is not because the Ignatians are there powerfull fauourers of al hot and malecontented Spirits prouiding Sanctuaries and Cities of Refuge for Tesmonds Owens Gerards c. which men also in Flanders England c. change not their Spirits but the ayre being euery where the same in their vndermining and indirect courses for setting vp the Papall Monarchy First therefore whereas they pretende to be Apostolicall men in the manner of their amplifying and their planting of the Roman Religion in which action if in any man necessarily must be guided by Gods Spirit it is not possible that their pretence should be sound vnlesse they therefore hold themselues Apostolicall because they doe in the worst sort imitate those two Apostles who desired of Christ that fire might come downe from heauen and consume those who would not receiue him a Luc. 9. to whom the good and meeke Shepheard answered Nescitis c. you know not of what spirit yee are by which answer hee vtterly condemned the spirits of all such who seeke to bring in Christ and Christs Doctrine by subuersion of States and Kingdomes And what are the Pontificians tainted with this spirit O yee heauens speake for me nay the very stones will speake that the b Of Gregory the 7. Paschall Victor Alexander Innocent Boniface c Fathers of the Roman Church described by them that sate vpon the red blacke and pale horses haue often vnder pretence of religion taken peace out of the Christian world causing such dreadfull Commotions as the very memory thereof cannot but affright a tender and Christian minde It is needlesse to recount the thundring sentences of Popes against Emperours fresh in memory are the impious sentences of Pius the 5. Sixtus the 5. against our late Soueraigne of famous memory tending to the whole subuersion of this Kingdome who
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