and from them redound vnto their Church For this their publishing of the Sermon to be a patterne of their truth and modesty to shew that our complaints against them are vniust and without cause was as much as to say vnto the Church of Rome ab vno disce omnes by this one Minister learne all the rest see how sincere in accusing modest in reprehending solide in reprouing your errours iudicious in producing diligent in perusing faithfull in quoting your Authors we are finally how far from any lying and rayling which you falsely lay to our charge By which also you may see that the credit of the Church of England lyeth vpon M. Crashawes head which must needs be crackt in peeces if in this very Sermō which they made publike to iustify themselues we find rayling and lying in very exorbitant or rather impudent manner 11. As for his recrimination that it is a trick in Popery to set vp men with authority to rayle and lye the proofes he bringeth are so poore that they will rather serue to discouer his fraud and falshood and make his impudency more apparent compared with the sincerity of our proceeding See his Epistle to the Earle of Salisbury For wheras we charge him with many hundred of manifest and vnexcusable slaūders vttered in this one Sermon he that hath spent the whole course of his studies to peruse our Records could bring but three examples and those neither to the purpose nor true Nay therin he doth shew his owne false dealing as will appeare by the examination of them as they are set downe in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Princes Highnesse A Booke saith he was printed in the English Colledge at Rome wherin it is affirmed that we take Catholikes and draw vpon their legs bootes full of hoat boyling liquour and vpon their feet hoat burning shoes do put them into Beares skins and cast them to the dogs to be pulled in peeces All this and many such other set down in pictures But first it is false that any such book was printed in the English Colledge in which since the first erectiō therof neuer any book was printed Some things indeed are painted vpon the walls of their Church which booke perchance the Bachelour meaneth so that insteed of Preachers set vp in pulpit he accuseth Painters hyred to make pictures vpon walls which is great folly seing all graunt vnto them (b) Pictoribus atque Poetis quidlibet audendi sēper fuit aequa potestas Horat. licence to deuise and faigne without charge of falsehood And if a Catholike painter to expresse how Priests in England are traduced as Traytors how disguised with the vgly terms of enemies of the State they are made hateful did paint thē in the forme of a man in a Beares skin no lesse meeke and innocent within then dreadfull and horrible without if to represent the fury and violence of Purseuants in hunting after seeking out and abusing these men he did expresse thē vnder the shape of bloud-hounds or mastiues truely I see no reason why this may not be aswell excused as their ordinary painting the Pope in the shape of vgly Monsters and Iohn Fox his filling his lying Acts Monuments with such Pageants and ridiculous deuises to fright fooles wherof he was Father Secondly I say that these things are not our deuises or inuentions but true storyes that at Louth in Lincolneshire a Catholike was put into a beares skinne torne in peeces by doggs in King Henry the 8. his dayes whether by publick authority or popular fury it is not certayne which answere was made long since to Syr (c) See the warn-word to Syr F.H. watch-word 2. encount c. 2. pag. 6. Frauncis Hastings and not yet refuted As touching bootes of boyling liquour a venerable Byshop of Ireland had bootes annoynted with oyle put on his leggs and set to the fire was put to cruell torture So that they accuse vs of speaking fables when we doe but rehearse their furyes and belying vs to feygne what their cruelty forced vs to feele 12. The second instance or charge is more vayne and false then the first Feuardant a famous fryar sayth he wrote in latyn seauen yeares agoe that we reuile and reiect that prayer to the holy Trinity Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis what will not he say that dare say this Thus he But indeed the Bachelour doth abuse that famous and learned Fryar who doth only say that the errour against the inuocation of the Blessed Trinity was (d) Feuardant in 1. Petri. c. 1. fol. 140. edit Paris 1600. restored by Caluinists in France Flanders and England who cauill at and reiect the former prayer Where you see he doth not charge with that errour all heretikes or Protestants in those Countryes but Caluinists only nor all Caluinists neyther but some to wit such as are of the purer strayne that mislike all words in prayer that are not found in Scripture and follow Caluin exactly in all points who doth wish buried in obliuion the name of Trinity and such like as (e) Feuardant vbi supra pag. 36. Feuardant proueth Wherefore I would demaund of M. Crashaw when he saith Feuardant doth write that we reiect the prayer c. whom doth he meane by that we We State Protestants or We Puritans for I think his conscience is not so stiffe vnto one but it may extend to the other If Protestants Feuardant doth not charge them If Puritans the Bachelour doth vainly seeke to iustify them by the booke of Common Prayer which they are knowne to hate and detest So that this trick of setting vp lyers commeth to fall vpon his owne head 13. In the third charge of falsehood which is against Gretzerus his narration concerning Father Garnet and Ouen his man he doth neither cite the words nor quote the place nor name the booke and at most it is but an Historicall vntruth wherunto men are subiect as Iohn Fox was in his Calendar of Martyrs who reporteth of some that were (f) Iohn Marbecke the singer of windesore and diuers others Acts and mon. 115. burnt into ashes vnder Queene Mary which liued and drunke merrily in tauernes many a faire day after Queene Elizabeth her cōming to the Crowne But our Controuersie is about wilfull and malicious falsehood which the Authour could not but know to be such when he wrote or spake it wherof we accuse M. Crashaw and his Church Neither haue they cause to wonder though strangers doe not giue great credit vnto their publike Acts and Records against Priests and Iesuits against whom the State professeth emnity which may giue cause to feare and suspect partiall (g) Professae inimicitiae suspitionē habent mendacij Hieron dealing specially when the persons condemned are well knowne vnto strangers and their learning and sanctity highly esteemed But this Minister that doth so declayme against the contradictors of their publick Records concerning the Powder-treason
his own saluation and negligent in the Pastor ship of others he may be cause of the damnation of very many drawing them by his example ill life into hell cùm primo mancipio Gehenna multi plagis vapulaturus where for the bad performance of his office he shall be punished with many stripes and scourged for euer with the chiefe slaue or Diuell of hell This is the doctrine of that decree and of that blessed Bishop What can any Protestant reprehend or mislike herein Is not the Pope plainly and dreadfully warned of his duty and danger euen in his own Canon law How doth his Canon law exalt him aboue God which telleth him of his Lord and God and that hâ—â— so far from being God that if he looke not to himselfe and his office he may become equall to the Diuell and fall into the depth of hell Doth not this sufficiently declare how impudent and without shame Ministers are that charge vs and the Canon law of equalizing the Pope to God and setting him in Gods Throne 4. But loe saith the Bachelour what doctrine is here The discipline nay rather the religion it selfe of Christianity is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at God mouth in holy Scriptures Thus he wrangleth at words but can any man be so simple as not to see the vanity of this cauillâ— For it is cleare that in the former wordes of S. Boniface is registred a matter of fact not of doctrine a History not a Decree a Relation not a Definition there is taught not whâ—â— reuerence and respect men ought to beare to the Bishop of Rome but what in their present disposition and preparation of mind men did beare and how that might be vsed to their eternall good giuing them exhortations and monitions and examples of good life If a Protestant of England should write that the people do more feare the King theâ— God that they be readyer to obey his lawes then what they are taught to be the law of God that therfore if the King make good and pious lawes tending to their eternall saluation giuing them likewise a commendable example of a Christian life he may draw great multitudes vnto God be cause of saluation vnto many to the great increase of his glory and reward might one thence infer that Protestants of England teach that men ought to feare the King aboue God and say behould the doctrine of the Church of England the King is feared aboue God his law obeyed more then the law of Christ Were it not great babery not to distinguish an historicall narration of a matter of fact from a doctrinall definition of a point of faith Nay this doctrine that Christian religion doth rather depend of the Pope then of God which our Bachelour doth charge vpon S. Boniface was so far from his mind that he doth teach the contrary expressely in the very Canon before cyted that Christianity doth depend on the Pope post Deum after God secundo (f) In eadem appendice ad ca. 6. dist 40. post Deum loco in the second place after God Thus you see you find no soâ—ide substantiall obiection in all the Bachelours wouÌ„ds but the higher he climbeth want of iudgment and conscience doth more and more shew it selfe as shall yet more clearely be demonstrated in the sixt wound The sixt wound In discouery wherof the Bachelour giues aduantage vnto Atheisme â— THIS Babell-builder not content to haue made the Popes Decretalls with the wings of his owne inuentions fly aboue Scripture by a new deuise he breatheth such â—pirit and vigour into them as you shall see them pitched a â—oft by an Atheisticall slaunder many millions of miles aboue God In which conceipt and impious cauill he taketh such pleasure and delight that he saith the blasphemy shall â—ut and this Babell vp though thereby God himselfe be throwne out of his Throne This Atheisme saith he and â—â—mpiety is such as if it had but crept into some secret Pamphlet I â—ould neuer haue brought it into light but being registred in the Glosse of â—heir law a booke of so great authority and so common in the handes of all the learned I cannot but discharge my duty to the truth though it his loue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine Thus he professeth his loue to God and to the Pope resoluing to make them fall both togeather if he cannot ouerthrow one without the other By which you may see the progresse in perfectioÌ„ their Ghospell hath made whose Peosy in the beginning was rather (g) The rebells of Holland at their first rising against their Prince set vp a banner with the Turkish armes this poesy Plutost Tures que Papaâ—x Turkes then Papists but now they mount higher by the winges of M. Crashawes charity ready to be rather Atheists then Papists Then they were ready rather theÌ„ receyue the Pope to deny (h) The Pope is a more daÌ„gerous enemy of Christ then the Turke Horne in his booke of the Q. Supremacy against Felton Christ now they will help away with God also rather then haue the Pope to be his Vicar And hath not this Minister thinke you a very tender conscience who out of duty to the truth cannot hold his peace though such wordes vampe from his mouth as may giue aduantage against the most soueraigne of all truths the very sunne of all verityes that there is a God But seeing as he saith he cannot be silent let vs with horrour heare hiâ— discharge his duty to the Diuell wresting and wringing the wordes of a Glosse to a blasphemous sense which may comfort Atheists as he doth confesse 6. These are the wordes on which this Babel is built to wit a Glosse vpon a chapter of the Decretalls contayning a verse taken out the â—6 of Salomons Prouerbs Obserue saith the Glosse that these words are not the wordes of the Pope but of Salomon but because that text of Salomon is here canonized by the Pope therefore it is of credit and implyeth necessity of being belieued or it bindeth as strongly as if it had beene pronounced or vttered by the Pope because we make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestow or impart our authority Hauing cited these wordes this hypocrite falleth to his prayers crauing mercy of God a haue nothing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemy and wicked worke of darkenesse Lutherans did vse to say they would rather fight for the Turk vnchristened then for a Turke Christened meaning the Christian Emperour Erasm in Epist ad frat inferioris Germ. yet few lynes after he saith he cannot let it alone but must needs medle with it euen though he giue Atheists thereby occasion to deny that high and holy God whom he will seeme to craue mercy of But did he indeed belieue that there is a God who heareth prayers and seeth harts he durst neuer haue presented vnto him his hart fuller of
then the pen that wrote them 22. And as for Moyses his example of breaking the tables of the law the Bachelour doth wrong that great Prophet by accusing him to haue bene hasty carelesse forgetfull in that fact which he did aduisedly piously not dishonoring the tables but honouring them rather thinking them to be ouer worthy Iewells to be deliuered to drunken people as S. (16) Propheta sanctissimus indignum existimauit vinoleÌ„tuÌ„ populum à Deo legem accipere Ser. 1. de ieiunio ante mediuÌ„ Basile sayth as Catholickes honour the Images of Christ which they put into the fire rather then permit them to fall into heretickes handes that will abuse them But had Moyses pretending zeale fell into a rage against to Tables calling them the law of sinne and the Diuell whose Slaue heretickes in their passions make the Virgin in whose hart God with his owne finger wrote his law had Moyses in a faigned traunce reuiled Abraham or Isaac or any deceased Saynt had he falsly slaundered the meanest woman lyuing as Ministers doe the most blessed of women and the most glorious of all Sayntes I thinke no Christian would haue dared to speake a word in defence of that zeale as I doe not know that any man pretending the name of a ChristiaÌ„ before this Bachelour did euer iustify against Gods mother confessed blasphemy that may blemish her blessed state And verily I doe somewhat wonder in what a slumber Protestant Bishops were when they did permit such a defence of passions passe to the print full not only of blasphemy against the Virgin but also of discredit against their owne writers giuing such a censure of them which if it be true the man that shall beare respect to their writinges may iustly be thought worse then mad For how can any well in his wits belieue such bookes whose authours euen by their best friendes are confessed to haue written forgetting themselues giuing passage to their passions without exact care of truth How can we thinke that doctrine deserueth credit which they did deliuer not knowing what they said thinking of one thing and speaking of another remembring none but God when they rayle on his Mother carelessely casting from their pen sentences that might breake and beat her honour into dust Let M. Crashaw answere me this argument if he can If the men of his religion wrote about the Virgin remembring theÌ„selues without passion why doth he slaunder them that they gaue passage to their passions in such wrytings If they did indeed write in a passion forgetting themselues how can any man of iudgmeÌ„t beleiue theiâ— doctrine in this poynt or in any other when they speak against the supposed blasphemies of our Church seeing of men so zealous we may iustly thinke that their zeale doth still make them forgetfull of truth mouing them to giue passage to their passioÌ„s against the Pope whom they will seeme to belieue that we coÌ„pare with Christ against whome the zeale of their passion is no lesse feruent then against the Bl. Virgin So that you clearly see the suite of Moyses his zeale in breaking the tables of the Law doth not fit nor can hyde the monster of Ministers fury against the Mother of God Neither hath it to couer their impiety any more proportion then the skinne of the least lamb to hyde the mightyest wolfe By which it is apparent that not only excesse of loue but of hatred also doth bereaue men of their iudgment which is the cause that hypocrisie could not keep M. Crashawes huge hatred against the Pope greater then his loue to God or the best thing vnder God so within the compasse of shew of piety but it hath broken out into such open tokens of secret Atheisme that the discreet Reader may iustly wonder to behould them in his writings that doth not know Atheisme to be in truth the very spirit of the new Ghospell mouing men to hate (17) Papatê° reijcitur Christo nomina noÌ„ daÌ„tur iuuentus ferè nil Dei habet Gaspar Hedio Ep. ad MelaÌ„ct Popery but not imbrace christianity leaâ—ing them without loue or feeling of God 23. From this hatred doth proceed the bloudy drift of his SermoÌ„ The scope wherof saith he is to discouer that â—hese would but deceyue vs who speake or write that Popery 〈◊〉 now well reformed in manners and refined in doctrine therfore they we by a reasonable mediation might well be â—econcyled You see this Minister is all for war he will â—ot heare of peace no mediation no reconcilement â—â—ough reasonable shall be thought or spoken of aâ—ongst vs but fight we must one against the other â—ith irreconciliable and mortall hatred In his epist dedicatory to the Prince burning with â—â—â—e and deuouring each others flesh and dashing heads aâ—ainst the stones In all which Metaphors he doth vtter â—â—e intent and finall scope of his Sermon which is so â—â—oudy and so vnchristian that I caÌ„not thinke charity â—â—so dead in any among You that they do not euen abâ—orre the same as proceeding from the canckered maâ—â—e of a venemous spyder These men know well and â—â—ele the weaknes of their cause which they mantayne â—ecause they haue no other way to liue but by keeping â—enefices first appoynted vnto Catholike Priests for â—â—emselues their wiues and children should a reasoâ—able mediation or toleration betwixt them and vs be â—â—ought of such as Hugonots enjoy in France vnder a â—atholike Prince that we might haue any tolerable liâ—erty to speake for our selues discouer their fraudes â—nd slaunders their guilty conscience doth make them â—elieue and excesse of feare somtymes that in such a â—â—se they would be forced to shut vp their Church â—oores and be soone forsaken of all Nay they feare â—â—e discouery of their grosse lying might perchance stir â—â—o the people that were before deluded by them to take some violent reueng vpon them This is their feare which to preuent they buzze slaunders into peoples heades that they may not thinke of any peace mediation or reconcilement but still pursue vs with sword and fire to incite them Whereunto the Bachelour deuised in his chamber preached at the Crosse published in print finally presented to the Princes Highnes this Sermon of the most odious slaunders that wit of man could possibly inuent seeking by hooke crooke to fasten them vpon the Church of Rome 24. Now to vnderstand how farre he doth endanger your eternall saluation by this dealing I doe wish you would seriously ponder what (r) De vtilitate credendi c. 6. 7. S. Augustine teacheth That it is an offence sinne very damnable not only in preachers to vtter but also in the auditors to belieue against the Church that beareth away the name of Catholicke by the consent of the world and hath the fame and opinion of great learning sanctity with humane kind horrible and heynous blasphemyes wicked and senseles doctrines vpon the credit and clamors of her
text (s) Gen. 11. v. 9. euery one into his owne Countrey as the buylders of Babel their toÌ„gues being deuided were dispersed vpon the face of the earth some one way some another into different Sects for number more then the CouÌ„treys of Europe more opposite then the foure corners of the world where euery Babylonian may curse the Pope in his owne language euery Heretike damne him in their owne Sect euery cocke crow at him on his owne dunghill euery Minister rayle at him in his owne pulpit euery good fellow drink to his damnation in the tauerne neere vnto the Church if not rather within it but meet togeather all in one general CouÌ„cell make an end of their disorders agree vpon the same salue or forme of faith in all points this they will neuer do so long as the foure coastes of the world shal be opposit one to the other nor euer so long as (t) Protestants Frigida pugnabunt (u) with Puritans calidis (x) Anabaptists humentia (y) with AriaÌ„s siccis (z) Soft Lutherans Mollia cum (a) with Rigid duris (b) SacrameÌ„taries which deny the Real presence sine pondere (c) with Realists that put it habentia pondus Hoat thinges with cold moisture with drought shall fight Soft thinges with hard and heauy thinges with light Let S. Augustine (d) Aug. de vtilit credend c. 14. Vos auteÌ„ tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quà m nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis August ibid. conclude this Chapter and what he sayd to the boasting Manichees let vs say to M. Crashaw and craking Ministers Redite in latebras vestras returne into your holes in which you lurked like dorme-mice so many ages before Luther Seeke not to impayre the credit of that Church that mayntained the name credit of Christianity before you were knowne The Church of him who bringing a soueraigne medicine to heale the most corrupted manners by miracles wonne authority by authority gayned credit by credit gathered a multitude by multitudes got antiquity by antiquity strenghtned the religion which neither the fond vanity of heretikes by their fraudulent deuises nor the ancient errour of the Heathens by violent fury shall euer be able to ouerthrow but You for number so few for age such vpstarts and for spirit so turbulent and deuided one against the other euery man may see that you carry neyther credit nor authority with you THE SECOND CHAPTER LAYING OPEN The vayne and ridiculous braggs of the Bachelour of foure salues very charitably applied by the Protestant Church to heale the woundes of the Roman THE Bachelour hauing layd no better foundation of his Sermon then you haue heard hauing brought no reasons at all to proue himself and his fellowes to be mysticall Israel and such reason to proue the Church of Rome to be Babylon as he might with more credit haue beene sileÌ„t The Bachelours 4. salues or plaisters yet doth he goe forward in his fancy and beginneth to build the first square of his Babel which is in the prayse of his Churches charity and of the excellent balmes and salues by her applyed to the woundes of Rome to wit these foure pag. 45. Instructions Prayers Examples Lawes by which he saith the heauens haue seene and the world will witnes with them they haue sought to heale Babylon nay such excelleÌ„t salues these are haue beene applyed by them with such admirable dexterity and skill that in his conceipt seing we are not cured he must needs pronounce vs incurable This he preacheth very stoutly and proueth so doughtily that I dare say the iudicious Reader will be moued to laugh at if not rather to pitty the misery beggery of his Church whose Preachers for want of better subiect of her praise are forced to fly to triuiall stuffe which euery hereticall Sect in the world doth brag of and may with as good reason as any this her Procter doth or can alledge in her behalf as will appeare by this short examination of them 2. The first meanes then to heale our woundes which he braggeth of is his Churches Instruction of vs pag. 4â— informing them saith he in the truth and discouering their errours both by holy Scripture and the ancient Fathers of the best and purest tymes Iewell A ValiaÌ„t Vaunt Fuâ—ke Whitaker Reynolds Perkins and many others who now sleep in Christ haue lest behind them such testimonyes of this truth as shall liue while the world lasteth and neuer can be confuted as appeares in that they haue not dared to answere most of their bookes to this day Thus he craketh giuing vs for our salue a plaister of big brags without any proofe For that some of their bookes haue not beene answered to this day the iudicious Reader will easely perceaue the cause to be that by authority they haue wronge the presse out of our handes not permitting vs so much as a corner where such weapons may be cast and keep so carefully the portes that no booke can passe except it be almost inuisible which though they know the world seeth Great vanity of English Ministers yet these ioylly Champions for want of greater proofes of their prowesse blush not to brag of euen in pulpit But might it please his Excellent Maiesty to permit this booke-warre about Religion indifferently on both sides so nothing be written that otherwise may offend the State that we might beare weapons as openly as they you should soone see the learned of our side make M. Crashaw and such Crakers that dare them now they haue nothing in their hands pull their hornes into their shells In other Countryes we doe not heare Protestants brag so much of their vnanswerable bookes in which kind of battayle they haue beene so beaten that now they seeme rather to trust as they thinke vnto stronger weapons 3. But indeed M. Crashaw haue we beene such dastards in England as you seeme to make vs Haue we bene so beaten with your bookes that one may iustly thinke we dare not meet you with such weapons in the field Nay such hath bene the strength of our inuincible cause that not withstanding the great aduantage you haue had to write at your wil yet very few of your books that might seem to need answer but haue returned vnto you with a full answere and many in the height of their pride haue receyued such blowes that their pen beaten out of their hand they were glad to run to take a (a) Iewels vain challeng who hauing dared catholikes to answere him the answere was no sooner come out but he got the same to be forbidden by Proclamation Proclamation for their defence vnto which shamfull shift M. Iewell whom you make leader of your learned army is knowne to haue bene dryuen by Doctour Harding And with far greater reason might we brag of our Hardings Sanders Allens Bristowes
Church reproued the same or taught and wrote the contrary which to giue it the gentlest censure in S. Augustines owne wordes is the speach of a man that doth litle vnderstand matters about which he much loueth (r) Hominis est vt mitishmè dicam parùm intelligeÌ„tis res de quibus loqui amat multuÌ„ Aug. de vtilit cred c. 1. to bable For who doth not know that it is a famous question in Catholick Schooles whether an Image is to be honoured by it self or only togeather with the prototype and that many Deuines by our Church approued and still allowed haue writen contrary to S. Thomas and haue reproued his doctrine by name as Gabriel Biel (s) in 3. p. dist 9. Catherinus (t) de ador Imag. coÌ„cl 6. 7. Martinus de Aiala (u) de tradit p. 3. c. de cultu imagin Sanders (x) lib. 2. de honor ador imag c. 7. Bellarmine (y) l. 2. de imag c. 12.22.25 who seeketh to proue largely that properly speaking the Image is not worshipped at all when we worship Christ in or before it namely reprouing S. Thomas his manner of speach saying that he would haue changed the same had he seene the seauenth generall Councell so litle doth the man know of matters of which he doth so talke and for which he doth so insult vpon vs. And as for that speach of S. Thomas that Images of Christ are honoured togeather with Christ by diuine worship though taken by it self from the rest of S. Thomas his wordes it may haue an harsh and offensiue sound in the eare of the ignorant as Bellarmine saith yet as it is by him vttered in his learned Summe by the whole forme of his discourse the meaning thereof is made so apparent that it cannot by any intelligent Reader be taken in the Bachelours blasphemous sense that the Crosse is to haue a distinct act of worship as good and perfect as that which is giuen to Christ but contrariwise that when we worship the Crosse we doe not vse two distinct acts of worship one towards Christ and another towardes his Crosse but by one and the same we worship them both which act is diuine worship not as it honoureth the Image but as it is directed vnto Christ as in the example we brought before the Sacriledge that prophaneth the Church is murther though not murther of the Church which it doth prophane but of the man that is killed when the Church is prophaned 21. Moreouer to free yet further this Angelicall Doctor from this diuelish slaunder he that shall looke into that (*) 3. p. q. 25. place of his Summe this Bachelour doth cauill at shall find that he doth detest the least shew of giuing diuine worship to any creature which is the cause that he doth teach that a man though a reasonable creature and an Image of God most perfect yet may not be worshipped with God by the same act of honour because that a reasonable creature is capable of honour by it self and therefore if diuine worship were giuen by it vnto God that might be occasion of errour vt scilicet motus adorantis sisteret in homine to wit that the motion or act of honour might be stayed in the man and not be referred vnto God whose Image he is that is should we doe outward signes of diuine worship vnto God before a man some cause might be giuen eyther vnto the â—an to vanish away in his own fancyes into a foolish surmise of his Godhead or els vnto the behoulders of these humble actes of seruitude to thinke that he is in very deed Images of stone and insensible matter may be honoured with God without danger or els that we take him to be more then a man Quod non potest contingere saith S. Thomas de imagine sculpta vel picta in materia insensibili which danger cannot happen in a dead Image made of senseles matter as is brasse or stone or paper For neyther is the Image endued with sense and reason that it may thinke those acts of diuine worship are done to it selfe nor any man so destitute of vnderstanding as to iudg that kneeling and praying before an Image of Christ we doe not remember him and intend to worship and honour him conceyued by this Image Where you see first that S. Thomas doth teach that we must take heed not only not to giue diuine worship to any creature but also not to offer any iust occasion of such a surmise Secondly that the Bachelours grossenes seemeth to haue surpassed the capacity of S. Thomas seeing he doth accuse euen S. Thomas himselfe of praying not before a wodden Crosse vnto Christ but vnto a wodden Crosse and not vnto Christ which grossnes this What shall we thinke of this Bachelour that doth so often repeate this false slaunder and misconster this Angelicall Doctour that he taught to pray to a wodden Crosse not vnto Christ but that he is a Doctour of that black Angels making who created Lather Doctour of his Ghospell (c) in l. de Missa angulari tom 7. VVitteberg fol. 443. in his nights conference with him at the first commencement thereof 23. VVherefore not to trouble thee longer gentle Reader I will conclude this discourse about Images wherin I haue beene the longer to make the Bachelours slaunders apparent to the iudgment of all reasonable men that vnderstand these matters and to shew their shamefull lying about Idolatry most frequent with their most ignorant Preachers And to a Iury of learned or intelligent men that will speake as they thinke of what Religion soeuer I am content to refer this whole cause for them to iudge whether the Protestant Procter hath performed his promise or whether fayling therein he be not bound to recant publickly with shame at the Crosse His promise if you remember was to proue three things apparently to the iudgment of euery reasonable man First to bring the greatest number of our later writers that giue diuine worship to Christs Image in performance whereof he hath brought only the testimonyes of three or foure at the most M. Crashaw hath not proued what he vndertooke Now are our late writers not aboue the number of seauen that foure are the greatest number of them apparently in the iudgment of euery reasonable man What Chymera's will he dreame of being drunke that can imagine such fables being sober The second part of the promise was to bring our best approued Authors for the former doctrine which promise if he were sober when he made it doubtlesse he forgot to be sober when he came to performe it For he bringeth only Valentia Gretzerus Graffijs and Chrysostomus à Visitatione who are I confesse learned Authours but whether they are our best I much doubt Many will prefer Bellarmine Suares and Saunders before them and sure I am they are not the best apparently in the iudgment of euery reasonable man But the third part
very ancient to which S. Augustine seemeth to allude saying that from the very wombe of his mother he was marked with the signe of the Crosse and seasoned with the salt of Christ thereby expressing his affection to Christianity baptisme But that in the blessing of the bell we vse salt laying the same on the bells tongue or clapper I find no such ceremony in our Pontificall neyther is it like to be made a ceremony in our Church till M. Crashaw come to be Pope And seeing he saith we vse spittle in the baptisme of the child I somewhat meruaile he doth not also adde that we vse the same in the blessing of the bell spitting into the bells mouth as they say we doe into the childes And I much feare this Minister hath not beene Christened as S. Augustine was nor had his fore-head marked with the signe of the Crosse nor his mouth seasond with the salt of Christ for want whereof the one is so voyd of shame the words of the other so destitute of sense that he neither blâ—sheth to vtter known vntruths nor perceyueth himself to speake palpable fooleryes 11. Among which to note one or two this is very notorious that he saith we pray for the bell in the blessing thereof to wit when we pray that at the sound of the bell the deceipts and fantasyes of Sathan the danger of whirle-wynds thunders lightnings tempests may be driuen away and that deuotion may increase in Christian men when they heare it M. Crashawes extreme sottishnes and want of salt that such as come to Church at the sound thereof may be free from the temptations of the Diuell These prayers doth this wiseman cite and auouch that in them we pray for the bell yea that we aske greater thinges for the bell then for the child excepting saluation which litle grayne of salt he straight le ts fall out of his mouth saying absolutely that the prayers for the bell are for greater purposes what man of iudgment doth not laugh at this folly pag. 118. For are the aforenamed things beneficiall vnto bells Can faith and deuotion increase in them Do they feare to be scarred tempted or deceiued by the Diuell Do they care whether it be faire or foule weather thunder or sun-shine calme or storme How then do we pray for bells which the thinges we pray for do neither help nor hurt Can any thing be more voyd both of rithme and reason salt and season then this speach 12. But no where doth he more discouer his want of reason then in the manner of his argument out of an accidentall and genericall likenes which the blessing of the bell hath with a childs Christening inferring the same to be Baptisme in this forme They giue a name to the child so they do to the bell Incredible folly the child must be washt in water so must the bell the child must be crossed so must the bell the child must be annointed so must the bell they pray for the child so they do for the bell nay at the washing of the bell more prayers are made and more psalmes read Ergo it is a more solemne Baptisme then that of the child This is the argument wherin he doth triumph against Bellarmine not perceiuing seely Bachelour that by a like discourse one may infer that a Bel-wether or any other bruite creature is as good a man as he is in this forme which if his be good doth no lesse infallibly conclude VV. Crashaw hath head braynes so hath a Bell-wether nostrils lips mouth teeth and tongue so hath a Bel-wether flesh and bloud skin bone so hath a Bel-wether nay a Bel-wether hath foure legs wheras he hath but two and a long taile and hornes which he perchance wanteth ergo a Bel-wether is at least as good a man as M. Crashaw This argument I hope doth make his folly apparent to euery reasonable man and sensible to himselfe which I haue proposed not out of malice to the man whose credit I do not desire to impayre further then he doth abuse the same to the preiudice of his soule and of other ignoraÌ„t credulous people the desire of whose saluation hath made me labour to make this folly of this sottish slaunder so apparent that if this Bachelour or any other of his fellowes presume to bring the same hereafter they may hisse him out of pulpit except he can shew that there is greater likenes betweene a bell blessing and a childs baptisme then betwixt a Bel-wether and himselfe which he will neuer be able to do nay I am content that any man endued with reason be iudge whether there be not greater likenes betweene a Bel-wethers head and his then is betweene the receauing of a christened creature into Gods Church and the hanging of a bell that is blest in the steeple which he makes the first and head of his twelue similitudes betwixt them And if the Bel-wether want a reasonable soule wherwith the Bachelour is endued so likewise the washing of the Bell doth want the prescribed forme of words wherin doth consist the forme of Baptisme and if he can proue that that blessing may be truly said to be Baptisme without the forme therof in any Christian Vniuersity of the world I will vndertake to proue in the same that a Bel-wether may be truly said to be as good a man as he is though it want a reasonable soule 13. One thing only in this Babell may require an answere the Reader desire to be satisfied what is the cause a Bell must be blessed by a greater Minister theÌ„ the Child is Why the Bel is blessed by a greater Minister then a child is Baptized to wit by a Bishop loÌ„ger prayers made at the blessing of the one then in the baptisme of the other To this I answer that the reason is because baptisme is a Sacrament the vertue therof doth not depend on the goodnes or greatnes of the Minister nor on the Churches prayers but hath infallibly effect by Christs institution and word therfore neyther are the prayers so long nor the Minister requisitely so great as a Bishop this Sacrament also being so necessary for all God would not haue the administration therof tyed vnto Bishops who are but few nor euer at hand But the Bells blessing hath vertue from the authority of the Church and the efficacy of her prayers and therfore this blessing is of more vertue when both the Minister therof is of greater power and the prayers vsed therat more deuout pleasing vnto God so that the greater solemnity in this blessing theÌ„ in that of baptisme doth rather proue against our Bachlour then for him that one is a Sacrament and not the other And thus much which I coÌ„fesse is too much of such a Babel The second sore of his tweluth wound concerning Communion in one kind 14. I see no reason why the Bachelour might not haue made this
nubere post votū simplex quà m perpetuò cū aliorum scandalo impudicè viuere l. 2. de Mon. c. 34. and that therfore S. Hierome did exhort a Virgin that after such a vow liued scandalously rather to marry not that it is no sinne saith he to marry after a vow as Protestants thinke but because it is a lesse sinne then to lead an incontinent life and both wisdome and reason teach of two euills to choose the lesse Thus Bellarmine who addeth that in some sort it is a greater sinne for a Virgin to marry after a single vow then to commit fornication because by marriage she doth altogeather vnable herselfe to keep her vow which she doth not by fornication wherat our Bachelour rageth saying that it is plaine that Popery voweth against marriage not against adultery or fornication against wiues not against whores which cauilling doth shew that Ministers are resolued not to vnderstand what they meane neuer to keep For Bellarmine teacheth that the vow of continency is broken eyther by fornication or by marriage but in different sort After fornication such as haue vowed and broken their vow may repent and keep their vow of chastity the remnant of their life which after marriage they cannot For though they repent of the breach of their vow yet being marryed they cannot lead a single life hauing giuen away the power of their body by that contract in which respect to marry is more against their promise of fidelity though absolutely the other be the greater sinne Which may be shewed by the example of a woman that hauing betroathed herself to one marryeth another absolutely speaking she sinneth lesse by this marrying then by committing fornication yet if we regard her promise she breakes that more by marrying which makes her vnable to keep her promise though she would to which fornication doth not altogeather vnable her Who can deny this to be true that hath vse of reason Would our Bachelour cauill thereat did not malice against Popery make him a puppy or rather a pig of Luthers sow or of Katherine Bore who to defend that prophane and execrable marriage of his ghostly parents dareth accuse the doctrine of the most ancient Fathers to be hoggish hatefull to make that runnagate Nunne impudēt Strumpet of their Ghospell seeme an honest woman doth charge the Church of God to be a whore with a brasen face licking vp the swinish doctrine of that hatefull Heretike Iouinian (i) Augustin haeres 82. wherwith he drew so many Nunnes out of their Cloisters accusing Catholikes for feeding on the sweet flowers odoriferous hearbes of the Fathers sentences as hath bene proued The seauenteenth and eighteenth slaunders That we permit Priests to haue Concubines at a yearly rent and force such as would liue chast to pay the rent because they may haue Concubines if they will 26. NO where doth this Bachlour shew vs his face more impudently then in his two next woundes obiecting among the generally receaued doctrines and practises of our Church these two First that Priests are allowed to keep Concubines vnder a yearly rent Secondly that such as will liue chast must yet pay a yearly rent because they may keep whores and Concubines if they will What dares not this fellow say Looke into the Canon (k) Decrit Dist 81. 82. law and the Councell of Trent you shall see how this practise is condemned and seuere punishments enacted against them that fall into such crymes (l) Decret de reformat c. 14. sess 25. We know that Bishops are forbidden to tolerate such sinnes vnder pain of being suspended from their office (m) Decret dist 83. c. Si quis Episcopus It is a sin to inuite to say Masse or to affoard necessary ornaments to notorious Concubinary Priests or to be present at their Masse vnder paine of mortall sinne (n) Nauar. in Man c. 25. n. 80. which if any do they receiue a curse insteed of blessing Could the Church of God vse greater diligence to banish and abolish this sinne then she hath done whose Councells make most seuere lawes against them whose Bishops are bound vnder payne of suspension from their office to punish them according to those lawes whose children finally are bound vnder payne of eternall damnation to disgrace them What if a Bishop or two in Germany who are also temporall Princes against the Lawes of the Church did permit Concubynes vnto some Priests must the fault of one or two Bishops be vrged as the doctrine and generall practise of our Church What can be more folish and full of ignorant malice then this cauill And yet doth he not proue substantially that euer any Catholick Bishop did permit any such practise For the centum Grauamina Germanorum which he citeth are insufficient witnesses being as himselfe confesseth Papists but in part that is Protestants in very deed the head whereof was Luther so that against his promise he doth produce his owne Authors against vs. Espencaeus whom likewise he bringeth though disgusted with the court of Rome he gaue much liberty to his pen yet he speaketh only vpon the report of these Protestant Germans not giuing full absolute assent thereunto but saying would to God the Germans had complayned thereof falsly and without (o) Vtinā falsò immeritò extaret inter Grauamina Germanorum Espenc l. 2. c. 7. de cōtinentia cause Which wordes the Bachelour doth translate whereof the German Nation complayned long agoe and vpon too great cause making no difference as you see betweene a doubtfull and an absolute speach When will this Bachelour or child of Babel be healed and leaue this false trick Did not I say in the beginning too truly and vpon too great cause that he citeth no Author whom he doth not corrupt For he vseth the same fraud in the other testimonyes of Espencaeus Epenc loc citato who doubting of the truth of the Germans complaynt that Priests that would liue chast were constrayned to pay rent saith thereof Si credere dignum est if it be a thing that deserues credit which the Bachelour translates it is horrible to belieue but too true Which is quite kym kam as you see which treacherous dealing to vse it so perpetually in euery quotation after such oaths of sincerity is horrible to belieue but too true 27. That some Priests and Monkes liue dissolute liues disagreeing from their profession whereof some of our Authors and Bishops complayne the complaynt hath beene as ancient as the publick profession of Christianity in the world (p) Et nos nouimus tales sed non perijt fraternitas propter eos qui pro fitentur quod non sunt an vnauoidable euill whereof Christ saith Scandalls must needes come (q) Matt. 18. v. 7. neyther ought the examples of some that made shipwracke daunt others from this gaynefull nauigation in the ship of chastity with the gale of the holy Ghost Christ
saith doth increase and fructify in the world so that these men liuing and dying members of our Church the sinnes of whose Professors they did reprehend and yet hauing conscience grace feare of God which cannot be come by but in the true Church as M. Crashaw confesseth it is cleare that these witnesses coÌ„demne Protestants of impious and pernicious presumption as S. (e) Non veniat in cor nostruÌ„ impia perniciosa presuÌ„ptio qua existimemus nos ab his esse separandos vt peccatis eorum non inquinemur in Breuic collat tertij diei c. 4. circa med Augustine termeth running from the communion of the true Church not to be stayned with sinnes and abuses which were are and will euer be in any company of men though most holy liuing vpon earth 3. Among other witnesses of the bad life of Catholicks especially of the Court of Rome he bringeth Pope Adrian the sixt with many great praises that he was one of the honestest harts that euer had the hindrance to be a Pope the best that was these many yeares of whom if it be possible of any there was expectation of some reformation in the Church a good man too good to be Pope at least too good to be Pope long that after he had forgot himselfe pag. 160. 193. and the honour of his Apostolicall seat which cannot erre nor doe amisse as he like a foole confessed sorthwith order was taken that he should not trouble the world nor disgrace his place any longer for he soone dyed Where he would giue his Reader to vnderstand that the life of this Pope was by Catholicks abridged because he might seeme to affect the Protestant reformation Now the praises the Bachelour layeth on this Pope comming from such an aduersary of Popes no man may think other motiue did force him thereunto but truth as indeed this Pope was both pious wise and learned a Doctor and Reader in Louayne Maister afterward to Charles the fifth Emperour of famous memory and Gouernour of his Kingdomes in Spayne in his absence from whence he was called to the dignity of the Roman Sea But for his affection to the Protestant deformation it is so false that neuer any Pope did more abhorre neuer any more seuerely censure it neuer any more earnestly impugne Luther nor gaue cause of greater hope that by his diligence and industry that schisme faction might haue beene suppressed as any will perceyue that shall read Luthers (f) Tom. 2. operum Luther edit VVitteberg 1562. fol. 354. sequent ad 359. letters against this Pope or the letters of this Pope against him especially those to the Duke of (g) Habetur tom 4. Concil fol. 706. Saxony where among other thinges paynting out Luther in his owne colours thus he writteth and let the Bachelour marke the words of this Goodman for they doe no lesse concerne him then Luther Seeing it is written saith this Pope that raylers and reuilers shall not possesse the Kingdome of God and our Lord saith in his Ghospell He that shall call his brother foole shall be guilty of hell fire can any man be so blynd as not to see that Luther is the Apostle of Antichrist who not only on the Priests of God but also on the Prince of Priests the successour of S. Peter Christs Vicar on earth loadeth most vile and infamous names whom he doth rent and teare in peeces with such strange reproaches contumelyes and blasphemyes neuer heard of before which both a modest tongue will blush to rehearse and chast eares tremble to heare VVho also doth not cease with his impious and pestilent tongue to call the Apostolicall Sea the Chayre of Pestilence the Kingdome of Antichrist and of the Diuell loading other more horrible and nefandious names which he could iâ—uent on that sea in which the head of Apostles Peter sate so many holy Bishops ruled which the glorious Martyr Cyprian did not doubt to call the Principall Sea whence Priestly dignity flowed 4. This and much more writeth this Pope By which you may perceiue first what a lewd fellow and naughty hart Luther was vnto whom this Good man and honest hart was as opposite as heauen vnto earth Christ vnto Belial God vnto the Diuell Secondly how falsely this Bachelour did auouch that this Pop forgot himselfe and the honour of his Sea which cannot erre nor doe amisse as he like a foole confessed where besides the scurrility of his speach laying that title on so learned and worthy a Prelate which vnder payne of hell fire may not be giuen to the meanest Christian Besides this scoffe I say marke the fate shall I say or folly of this fellow whose luck is such that when he would seeme wise and censure others as fooles he still playeth the foole notoriously himself as now in saying that Pope Adrian did disgrace his Sea by confessing like a foole that the same could not erre nor doe amisse For is it a disgrace to a Bishop or to his Chayre that he cannot erre nor doe amisse How theÌ„ did the Pope disgrace his Chayre or play the foole in confessing that his Chayre could not erre But to leaue the Bachelours folly who by great chance stumbled on a truth against his will let vs take his meaning which was to tell a lye to wit that Pope Adrian did confesse his Sea could erre which other Popes and Catholicks deny which to be false is made cleare by the former words of the Pope in which he doth constantly mayntaine the dignity of his Sea against Luther as you haue heard 5. And suppose he had graunted that some Popes his Predecessors in that Sea had abused their authority had not liued so well as that great dignity did require had erred in matters of fact though in the very truth this Pope doth not say so much but only that some abuses were in the Court of Rome which are and euer will be more or lesse in all Courts in the world which he made promise to doe his best to reforme yet had the Pope graunted that some of his predecessors had done amisse did he therefore forget himself and the dignity of his Sea What Catholicke doth attribute this dignity to the Roman Sea that the Bishop thereof may not lead a bad life and in his deeds swarue from his doctrine Nay contrarywise we challenge this to be the dignity of his Sea and chayre that though the Bishop thereof be wicked and of ill life as he may be yet he can neuer teach nor define any false doctrine which is the priuiledge of the true Church the Pastour therof as S. (i) Ne duÌ„ boni putaÌ„t se maloruÌ„ permixtione culpari per humanas temerarias dissentiones aut paruulos perdant aut paruuli pereant vsque adeo caelestis Magister cauenduÌ„ praemonuit vt etiam de praepositis malis plebem securam faceret ne propter illos doctrinae salutaris Cathedra desereretur in qua
to rayle at vs for teaching the Pope to be God the Virgin Marie more then God and such stuffe 8. Against which manner of dealing I will set downe the saying of this learned Father intreating the Reader to marke the same which may serue him for an Antidote against and an Answere vnto all this kind of Sermons p In has huiusmodi nugas grauiter copioséque inuehi soletis c. Against these and such like toyes you make graue and large inuectiues which do no wayes concerne vs you speake only against old wiues tales and childish Babels In confutation of which the more earnest you are the more you shew your selues to want iudgmeÌ„t By which clamors whosoeuer is moued to turne vnto you he condemneth not the doctrine of our Church but sheweth himselfe ignorant therof Wherfore if you haue any thing of men left in you if you haue any care of your selues seeke diligently in what good and pious sense these things may be spoken For such a faith as belieueth of God absurd and inconuenient things we do more vehemently and plentifully accuse then you and when by any of our Church these things are vnderstood as the letter soundeth their ignorance we instruct their pertinacity we deride Thus S. Augustine 9. The third vse that may be made of this Answer is yet more generall and vniuersall and of greater importance and sequele at which I confesse I haue principally aymed to wit to shew that the English Ministry cannot be a true Church nor among them sauing truth be found which doth practise patronize both in pulpit and print most notorious lying and furious rayling For this to be a manifest and sensible signe of a false Church themselues doe graunt (q) Nos inuectio vestra non taÌ„git sed aniles quasdam vel pueriles etiam opiniones eò ineptiore quò vehementiore oratione peruellitis qua quisquis mouetur ad vos traÌ„sit non Ecclesiae nostrae daÌ„nat disciplinam sed eam se ignorare demoÌ„strat Quamobrem siquid humani corde geritis si curae vobis vosmetipsi estis quaerite potiùs diligenter pie quo modo ista dicantur Quaerite miseri nam talem fidem qua de Deo inconueniens a liquid creditur nos vehementiùs vberiùs accusamus Nam in illis quae dicta sunt cùm sic intelliguntur vt littera sonat simplicitatem corrigimus pertinaciam deridemus l. 1. de mor. Eccl. c. 10. (q) See the way to the true Church of M. VVhite in the Preface n. 12. which without shame they cannot deny seeing this sinne Nature doth so detest that no Nation though barbarous durst euer openly allow it a sinne most hatefull and abhominable (r) Prouerb 12. v. 22. vnto God most shamefull in the (Å¿) Seruile vitium nec in seruo quideÌ„ tolerabile Plutarch eye of the world in so much that the WisemaÌ„ saith (t) Eccl. c. 20. v. 27. potior est fur quà m assiduitas viri mendacis Better is familiarity with a theefe then with a lyar which sinne is euer the indiuiduall mate companion of heresy as Iob doth signify speaking to his friends that were the type of hereticks as (v) L. 11. moral c. 15. S. Gregory noteth I will shew you to be (x) Iob. 13. v. 4. coyners of lyes and maynteyners of false doctrine where you see lyars and hereticks shake hands Whom likewise the holy Ghost doth couple togeather in this sentence (y) Prouerb 14. v. 25. Loquitur mendacia versipellis Turne-coates such as change the first faith wherwith they were cloathed in Baptisme do vse to speake lyes and vntruths So that this is a blemish not in face and finger for such woundes M. Crashaw would not sticke to graunt (z) Pag. â—2 in the Church of England but such as doth eat vp the very hart of a Church to vse his owne phrase which cannot be thought Christian nor the Church of truth being treacherous and false seeking to delude the world with lyes 10. But you will say though I might proue that M. Crashaw is guilty of this cryme yet I should be vniust to lay his lying properly on the whole Church of England for his sake vrging the fault of one as the practise of all To this I answere that had M. Crashaw published this Sermon as a priuate iustification of himself his want of sincerity therein could not without some violence haue beene wrested vpon his Church though truly the permitting in print of so many and so palpable falsehoods might giue some cause to suspect that their Church did giue at least a tacite consent to such iniurious dealing But the case now standeth otherwise about this Sermon and in such termes that the Church of England cannot seuer her publick disgrace from his priuate shame For whereas Catholiks haue often complayned of Ministers iniurious dealing with them in pulpit to make them odious vnto the people by declayming slaunders against them but specially of M. Crashaw in this his SermoÌ„ at the Crosse which they thought so exorbitant as they gaue out as he himself (a) In his Epistle dedicatory to the Princes Highnes saith that he was called before authority for his immodest excesse in this kind which you shall see by the examination thereof they had great cause to thinke Whereas I say these complaynts were made and this expectation had that some signe of publick dislike would be giuen against such intemperate preaching M. Crashaw to shew that Authority did not mislike but allow his dealing did not condemne but patronize it after some moneths taken to thinke of the matter to view ouer his Sermon and perchance to leaue out some more notorious and shamefull vntruthes which he durst vtter in pulpit though not in print at last makes the same publick bringing his owne shame to light But to what end Heare it in his owne words in the Epistle dedicatory to the Princes Highnes Not so much to cleare my self sayth he as to honour the truth and to shew that it is no trick nor policy of our State as it is in Popery to set vp men with authority to rayle and licence to lye therby to make our enemyes odious Thus he And in his (b) This dedication was the first but his Lordship discarded the Sermon Epistle to the Lord Treasurer he addeth that he did publish his Sermon to honour truth but much more to iustify the State such desire doth this Minister shew to be rather a Statesman then a true man But if by the State he vnderstand those of his Maiesties most honorable Counsell he needeth not to iustify whom none accuse whom their owne Honour doth sufficiently cleere from any suspition of allowing such dishonourable dealing who cannot be stayned with these Ministeriall crymes seeing they commit the charge to see they bring not such foule thinges into pulpit vnto their Bishops and Prelates on whom this disgrace must lye