before it was given them by the wicked and perfidious Emperour Phocas who having overcome and taken Maurice succeeded in his place and because he was freely and without any contradiction crowned at Rome in recompence would oblige the Romans and ordained that the Church of Rome should thereafter be chiefe of all the Churches and that Boniface the third then Pope should be universall Bishop and so was the controversie determined by the power and authoritie of the Emperour If after all this the title of head universall and generall Bishop ought to be thought of divine right and of divine and Apostolique institution given to the Bishop of Rome I have done beleeving that the gift and declaration of a wicked Emperour maketh not the Institution divine Thus you may perceive friendly Reader that Christ never gave it to St Peter and that the Apostles never beleeved any such thing nor did St Peter himselfe ever imagine to have it or make use of it Yee see how almost six hundred yeares were finished which questionlesse is a long time after the death of our Saviour before either the Bishop of Rome was esteemed or did esteeme himselfe generall Bishop and Superiour over the whole Church and now to say that it is the institution of Jesus Christ is it not to thinke men fooles and beleeve they are geese void of all sense and reason not to perceive the imposture Nor is there any but simple and weake wits will beleeve it in the Romish Church and if it be any Article of faith as the Pope his adherents preach and as the Councell of Trent declareth there is none by that reason in the Romish Church but weake judgements who are in the paths of salvation CHAP. XIII How the Bishop of Rome hath and doth labour to maintaine his usurped Primacy and after what manner the Pope is elected at this present I Know the Cardinall Baronius a man otherwise learned and of great authoritie in the Church of Rome in his Ecclesiasticall History hath endeavoured above all things to shew the primacy of the Bishop of Rome as being the principall end and cause of all his painfull labours but I protest that he saith nothing contrary to all I have spoken here of the History of the Popes except onely that he striveth to draw more advantageous consequences for the Bishop of Rome but with what sinceritie and ground the indifferent Reader may judge And because he sheweth that which I have granted that Letters were written from divers places and from many Churches to the Bishop of Rome since St Peters death either to have his advice in matter of faith or clearing of some doubts in Religion or composing of some differences risen amongst the Bishops as to one of their fellow-Bishops and brethren who had great authoritie amongst them as being the Bishop of the Metropolis of the world where the Emperour did reside he concludeth every where the primacy but with very bad consequences as doe many more of his fellowes who taking pay of the Romish Church either for feare to loose the Benefices they have or in hope to obtaine better and greater doe all that lyeth in their power to extoll the same dissembling often those errours they perceive and labouring to cloake and excuse that which they cannot deny Certainly there is no man who reading the Cardinall Baronius with a minde void of passion will not cleerly perceive that he proceedeth after that manner and indeed according to the policy and wisdome of this world which is neverthelesse foolishnesse before God he could not doe otherwise for he was wise enough to see and foresee if he wrote otherwise than in the favour of his Holines and the Romish Church he could never have aspired to the Cardinalship which he obtained thereby nor to the honours and gratifications the Pope imparted to him thereafter for having maintained so advantageously his authoritie and pretended rights Now to returne to my purpose the Bishop of Rome having once obtained the title of universall Bishop and generall Pastour of the Church by the donation and investure of the Emperour he being already in possession of great authoritie and abundance of great riches it was not hard for him to maintaine and conserve it in despite of all oppositions that were raised from time to time by Bishops who had not so much riches and authoritie as he nor a backe strong enough to contest it against him and make him quit the title but rather hath laboured to exalt himselfe more and more taking occasion from the weaknesse and necessitie or the simplicitie and devotion of Princes to augment his authoritie and estate And he who by the meanes and beneficence of the Emperours was invested in the possession of his greatnesse primacy and riches rose in a small time to that point as to strive to depose them from their thrones and usurp the right of creating and crowning them make them kisse and adore his feet nay even to set his feet upon their necke abusing those words of the Psal 91.13 Thou shalt walke upon the Aspe Basilisque Psal 91.13 and the Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread under-foot as did Alexander the third to the Emperour Fredericke Barberousse and his sonne Henry the sixt saith Baronius being brought to the feet of Pope Innocent the third there to receive the Imperiall Crowne upon his knees and it being set upon his head as he was on his knees before the Pope who was on a throne he beat it off with his foot saying to him with an unsupportable arrogancy Know that as I have had the power to set the Crowne on thy head so have I to take it from thee and deprive thee thereof at my pleasure But they took their time and opportunitie of the infirmity and misery of those afflicted Princes to exercise upon them the usurpation of their Empire And no man of understanding will peruse the History but he may see that as the Emperours had invested the Bishops of Rome in the title and qualitie of Head of the Church so for a long time after they reteined the authority to create and install them in their See and depose and turne them out neither was any admitted on received but by consent of the Emperour And if in the absence and distance of the Emperour the Romanes at any time medled themselves with the choosing of the Pope they sent continually to the Emperour to have his consent which sometimes he gave and other times refused And because time altereth and changeth all things that which sometime before was done by all the Romane people with the aforesaid conditions became by little and little to be reduced to the Clergie alone which as the Pope grew greater and richer did also augment their revenues and power gathering the crummes from a Table so excessively furnished as was that of the Pope and so the consent of the Emperour began by little little to be neglected but principally then
and Sect wherein the whole doctrine of Christ is over-turned And as it is a very profitable profession to say masse so there is abundance that embrace it as a good Trade and sufficient to gain their living well and they say no masse but when they find Merchants and if they can have every day they account it great profit and he who giveth most shall first have the Masse for such is the course of the market I will not speak of them who being but able to say one masse a day do neverthelesse promise the same to many and take money for many because imagining it to be of infinite merit according to the doctrine of the Romish Church they beleeve that one is capable to satisfie for all and is beyond comparison of greater worth than that which is given by thē altogether but this is a mysterie which must not be revealed to the people for that is against their intent and if they should beleeve it they will be loath to be so forward to cause say so many masses either for themselves or for their friends deceased or who are in travelling or in necessitie notwithstanding this is but too much practised in deceiving the simpler to the undoubted condemnation of many Priests who so deceive the Merchants who mind to deal honestly though I will not say that is the practise of all But that hindreth not this to be true that the Masse is a Trade which condemneth many Priests as well in that respect as because they beleeve they receive a Sacrament and make a sacrifice wherein the purity of the conscience is declared to be altogether necessarie according to the Romish doctrine and to which they see themselves ingaged every day to gain their living or for other ends it is altogether to be feared that for the most part they go not about it with due puritie of conscience and daily experience sheweth us sufficiently that there are too many vices and defects in the Romish Clergie not to have this distrust And it is in this manner I say that the Masse is a trade that damneth many who say it yea and many also who hear it for all Christians in the Romish Church being obliged under the pain of mortall sin to hear the whole Masse the Sabbaths and holy-dayes and not onely to hear it but to hear it with attention and devotion without willing distractions at least which last any considerable time as the third part of the masse according to rules of their Casuists and Doctors this condition maketh me say that of an hundred there are not ten it may be that fulfill this precept and are not condemned in hearing the Masse they committing mortall sin for want of due attention but let every one judge himself it sufficeth that I know but too well the practises of the Romish Church not to be beleeved in this point And to speak truly it is a lamentable thing to see the Romish Church condemne and judge with damnation they who hear not those mysteries with due attention and devotion and in the mean time that the people should carry so little respect to it that I perswade my self all those who have not seen would hardly beleeve it for ye shall not enter into any parish Church nor in a great number of others where there are any considerable number of people at a great Masse or often other wayes but ye shall see some of them laugh others prattle play the fool some of them standing others kneeling on one knee others sitting after an uncivill manner and some seeking occasions if not with words at least with amorous looks in one part the dogs play in another children crying and weeping In a word often so great noise and insolence that it seemeth rather to be a market-place than a Church and except a few who are therefore esteemed zealots and scrupulous Isa 29.19 Mark 7.6 and of shallow brains and who are mocked of others God may well say that which is in Isaiah and St. Marke This people honoureth me with their lips for except it may be some Pater noster or Ave Maria which they will say negligently and in haste or a little of their beads which they will turn over for ceremony and some adoration they give at the elevation of the hoast all the rest is spent in discourses or idle thoughts and this is the ordinary fashion in most places both in the countrey and in the towns as well of the meaner people as of the Nobles to be present at Divine Service in the Romish Church Now I having often times considered with my self the cause of so great prophanenesse amongst the people and of the little attention and respect they carry to Divine Service in that Church I beleeved that it did proceed especially from the continuall praying in publique in a strange and unknown language to the people and which very few understand for howsoever I must confesse that many of the prayers of the Romish Church are good and all that they say is not evill and erroneous Notwithstanding they being said in Latine the people is not edified thereby and not knowing that which is said they can have no devotion nor be stirred up towards God the Priests also singing often with their Gregorian notes as they tearme them and even ordinarily sing with such haste and anticipation one upon another that even they who know the Latine can understand nothing and thence it is that not knowing what is said and sung by them they can have no good motions thereby and the people also for the most part reading onely prayers and psalms in Latine it is not to be marvelled if they have not due attention and if their minds which are not stayed by any sensible object of devotion suffer themselves to be carried away with a thousand extravagant thoughts and even often with actions Which questionlesse would neither come to passe in that manner nor so easily if their private and publique prayers were said in a known language as it was certainly practised by Jesus Christ and his Apostles and even by the first Christians but the Church of Rome which esteemeth more of his own proper inventions than of the Word of God and divine institution hath brought in an humane and new doctrine unto the people for the doctrine of Christ I know they alledge reason for it and that they say among others that the mysteries ought not to be divulged to the simpler and so the people in the Romish Church is nourished in an exceeding great ignorance and glory therein the Doctors maintaining them in it But the Apostles and Christ did not so and no man can be too much instructed or learned in the mysteries of salvation and many moe mischiefs follow on ignorance than on knowledge and it is certain that Christ did pray preach and celebrate all mysteries in the vulgar tongue which was understood of all and no man can doubt but the Apostles
did the same what then Will we be wiser than Jesus Christ and his Apostles the people in those dayes was more rude and lesse capable of mysteries than now adayes for they were but newly come out of Paganisme or Judaisme CHAP. XXII Of Auricular Confession THis point of Auricular Confession is also for the present holden to be of greater importance in the Church of Rome than the Masse and there is no vertue nor any other duty so much recommended at this day as a full and faithfull confession of all sins and even a generall confession of the whole life In a word all the perfection and excellency of all Christian doctrine at this day in the Romish Church aimeth at that point and although ye should give all your goods to the poore Concil Trident. Tolet. Lest Bonac and others and were the best man in the world and indued with all the excellent parts of bounty and vertue yet if ye confesse not often and exactly all your sins great and small all the adherent circumstances which aggravate the same and tell faithfully and punctually the number all the rest is nothing and without that say they it is impossible to be saved or please God in any fashion for those who have the occasion and commodity to do the same after they have sinned To prove this doctrine which is an Article of Faith in the Church of Rome they produce no passage of the Scripture that hath either force or reason for to alledge that of S. James Iam. 5.16 ch 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed is without sence or reason because that which is subjoyned and pray one for another sheweth clearly that as S. James recommendeth not prayer onely to the Priests so he commandeth none to confesse their faults to the Priests alone For as he speaketh of a reciprocall prayer and mutual assistance so speaketh he of a mutuall confession betwixt particulars after quarrels and offences as the Cardinall Caietan confesseth and acknowledgeth well in his Commentary in this Epistle it is not there spoken saith he of a sacramentall confession as appeareth because he saith Confesse one to another Now the sacramentall confession is not made one to another but to the Priests onely but it is spoken of the confessions by which we mutually confesse our selves to be sinners that they may pray for us and of the confession of faults which are done by one another to be mutually appeased and reconciled but there is no appearance that S. James speaketh here of Auricular Confession neither of confession to the Priests alone And although it were true that S. James did speak here of the confession to Priests it will not follow that he spake of Auricular confession for there is great difference and as it is very necessarie to salvation to confesse all our sins to God and profitable to confesse our sins publiquely also and before men in token of repentance and griefe and to edifie our neighbours so none can denie that it is both profitable and good to confesse our sins to the Priest not for any obligation they have to do it there being no commandment or Word of God but to discharge his conscience and seek remedie for his imperfections consolation in his infirmitie and counsell in the ordering of his life And howsoever the Priest may minister matter of comfort to a penitent and afflicted soul upon the assurance he may give him that his sins be forgiven him if he be truly penitent have a true faith in Christ notwithstanding he ought not presume to give a formall absolution but onely declarative or else deprecative nor think to pardon sins as do the Priests of the Romish Church there being none but God alone that can pardon sins Mark 2.7 as Mark. 2.7 but onely assure and declare thar if there be true faith and repentance there sins are remitted or pray to God that he will remit them And as for that which was said to the Apostles by our Saviour That whatsoever they should bind on earth should be bound in heaven and whatsoever they should loose on earth should be loosed in heaven It is clear from the consideration of the whole passage that it is onely understood of the exteriour power of excommunication which we ought to acknowledge in the Church not of the power to absolve from interiour and secret sins for see the passage which I exhort the Reader diligently to consider Mat. 18.15 c. If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault betwixt thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee two or three more that out of the mouthes of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a Publican Verily I say unto you that whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Thereby it is evident that Christ meant onely to speak of the band of excommunication and ejection out of the Church and that all that the Apostles should bind on earth with the bands of excommunication should be thought and esteemed bound in heaven and before God and that which they should loose and absolve on earth restoring and reconciling them to the bosome of the Church should be holden absolved and restored before God and might partake in the prayers of the faithfull Neverthelesse many Priests in the Church of Rome holding themselves successours of the Apostles in that beleeve that from those words they have power given them to absolve from all sins indifferently without any reservation seeing that even the same words are said to them at their consecration But the Bishops give their glosses and exceptions upon and say that it is to them it belongeth being properly and especially the true successours of the Apostles and the Priests but by commission which they can amplifie and diminish at their pleasure in the absolution of sin limiting their power in certain causes and reserving others to themselves forbidding the Priests who are under their jurisdiction to absolve them and the Pope who tearmeth himself Bishop of Bishops and attributeth the whole and absolute power of the Church to himself clippeth the authoritie of the Bishops in this using them as they use the Priests forbidding they should give absolution for every thing but reserve certain causes to himselfe wherein he forbid them to meddle and as the Priests murmure against the Bishops for that so do the Bishops against the Pope beleeving no sin nor case whatsoever to be exempted from their jurisdiction according to the words of Christ and thus do they agree among themselves on the explication of those
THE CHRISTIAN AND CATHOLIKE VERITIE OR THE REASONS AND MANNER OF THE CONVERSION OF FRANCIS DE NEVILLE FORMERLY A CAPVCHIN PREACHER The Popes Missionary and Superiour in sundry COVENTS of the same ORDER A Treatise very usefull for all Christians and especially for such as are POPISHLY-affected or not fully setled in their beliefe And for the further Confirmation of the FAITHFULL Wherein many SECRETS of the ROMISH Clergie heretofore UNREVEALED are DISCOVERED Dedicated by the Author to the High Court of PARLIAMENT now Assembled 1642. See the Contents at the next Page LONDON Printed by T. P. and M. S. for H. Blunden at the Castle in Cornehill 1642. THE CONTENTS OF the CHAPTERS AN Historicall Prelude concerning the Author Chap. 1. How the Romish Church acknowledge no other Judge in matters of Faith but the Pope page 1 Chap. 2. That the holy Scripture is the onely Judge and rule sufficient of Faith and not the Pope nor the Church p. 4 Chap. 3. That the holy Scripture is clear in that which concernes things necessary to salvation pa. 8 Chap. 4. That the holy Scripture is given us by God to read and meditate in the same and that the prohibition of the Pope to read it is altogether unjust and contrary to the will of God p. 12 Chap. 5. Of Traditions and that they ought not to be taken for Judge or rule of our faith p. 20 Chap. 6. Traditions condemned by the holy Scripture p. 25 Chap. 7. That we cannot ground our beleef upon the books of the ancient Fathers p. 27 Chap. 8. Concerning the chief point of controversie to wit that S. Peter had no Primacy in the Church and that the Primacy of the Pope is an unlawfull usurpation p. 30 Chap. 9. Proved from holy Scripture that Christ had never intention to leave S. Peter or any other Apostle for his successour or generall Vicar after him p. 40 Chap. 10. Proved by the holy Scripture that the Apostles did never acknowledge S. Peter for superiour and universall Head of the Church p. 43 Chap. 11. That although S. Peter had had the preeminence the Pope hath no right to challenge it to himself and that the Primitive Church never acknowledged this universall superiority in the Bishop of Rome p. 48 Chap. 12. In what manner and at what time the Bishop of Rome usurped the Primacie pa. 53 Chap. 13. How the Bishop of Rome hath and doth labour to maintain his usurped Primacy and after what manner the Pope is elected at this present p. 57 Chap. 14. A notable reflection upon the usurped power of the Pope and his election and how much all Princes Prelates and Christians even Romanes are interessed therein p. 64 Chap. 15. How absurd is and how little ground hath the pretended infallibilitie of the Bishop of Rome and that it is not without cause he is called Antichrist p. 71 Chap. 16. The summe and conclusion of the former discourse concerning the usurped Primacie and infallibility of the Pope p. 75 Chap. 17. Of the Invocation of Saints p. 78 Chap. 18. That profit temporall is the cause of the Invocation of Saints and Images in the Romish Church p. 84 Chap. 19. Of the Miracles of the Romish Church p. 89 Chap. 20. Of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Communion under both kinds p. 101 Chap. 21. Of the Masse and of Prayers in a strange tongue p. 107. Chap. 22. Of Auricular Confession p. 113 Chap. 23. Of Purgatory p. 122 Chap. 24. Of Indulgences p. 131 Chap. 25. Of the Congregations and Religious Orders p. 136 Chap. 26. Of Justification p. 141 Chap. 27. Of the heavinesse of the yoke of the Church of Rome in comparison of the yoke of Christ. p. 147 Chap. 28. If one can be saved in the Romish Church p. 151 Chap. 29. A comparison of the Protestant Reformed Church with the Church of Rome and in which of them two is salvation most certain pa. 156 TO THE MOST HIGH AND HONORABLE COVRT of PARLIAMENT of England now assembled in the yeer of the Lord 1642. Most Illustrious Assembly WE owe the homage of Service in those places where we first breathed not where we were conceived this little Treatise had indeed his conception beyond the Seas but being brought into the world in the Land and in the time of Your Authoritie it is to You it oweth homage and to whom it is bound to render all the dutifull submissions a vassall oweth to his Lords and will account it self exceeding glorious if ye but daign to vouchsafe it with your favorable acceptance for it trusteth that once being acknowledged for Yours it will be the more welcome in other places and your Patronage alone will be a sufficient protection to defend it against all the attempts of its enemies and evill willers And I am fully perswaded it could never have obtained a more happy nor Honorable protection in this world For that famous Assemblie consisting of the supreme and royall Majesty as the most worthie Head thereof of the Illustrious Nobilitie and the choicest Persons of the whole Kingdom as the Members of it there is none in this State who will not think themselves obliged to receive it favourably and if it shall passe the Seas to travell through forraigne Countreys it will questionles be more regarded there being no Canton in Europe where the wisdome of this Noble Assemblie is not admired and redoubted and where all that it avoweth and protecteth is not highly prized But as there is no good thing in the world which meeteth not with some contrarietie no vertue that is not opposed no prosperity that is not crossed I doubt not but it will find contradictions and obstacles both at home and abroad at home from some evill Christians secret enemies of the peace and tranquillitie of this Church and Estate abroad from the Enemies of the truth and every where from envious and malicious spirits But I trust it shall be as the nest of the little Alcion which under the protection of the most High contemneth the surging billows of the Ocean and which though tossed with the waves remaineth still victorious above the floods Or rather as the Rocks which cannot be moved with stormes but continue firm against all the assaults of winds and tempests So I shall let it travell under those favourable hopes with expresse charge to proclaim in all places where it shall passe the greatnesse of your glorie While in the meane time I shall endeavour to shelter my self here from all dangerous stormes under the shadow of your wings to enjoy the sweetnes of peace and happines which this whole Land expecteth from your wisdom and one who for the glory of God hath sought hither for refuge as I may hope from your bountie And there in greater securitie than the Dove that is chased by the Hawks doth find being once gotten into the holes of the Rock I shall meditate the rest of my dayes the wonders of the Almighty and
when Printing did begin they being either lost or consumed by fire or time or by the Wormes or a multitude of other accidents which we see doth eat and consume the very stones and Iron Now those first Manuscripts have been copied out by divers Writers and that from hand to hand from time to time to be dispersed and preserved from age to age and run over Kingdoms and after a multitude of Transcriptions passed by example since our Saviours time to us how many faults and what alteration have been made in those Books and in the doctrine of those Fathers for there is no man almost how able soever who can brag that he can transcribe a sheet of paper without committing some one or more faults how many will there be then in a great Volume as one of St Augustins or St Chrysostoms And as those Clerks or Transcribers who were called Amanuenses were for the most part mercenary and did all for money and profit living by that trade it is likely they took not much care but thought onely upon a quick dispatch that they might gaine the more and when they found any thing that seemed a fault to them whether it was really so or not they changed and corrected it according to their minde and passion it faring with faults as with balls of snow which the more they are rolled grow the bigger so far was their faults to be lesned by their Writers thav they were rather augmented and multiplied the old continuing or rather growing worse and daily more new ones being made so that some little time after it might be said of every Book that it was in a manner no more the same Book but altogether another being so much changed and altered And the Romish Church growing in power and authoritie when shee found any thing in those Books contrary to her doctrine and the increase of her greatnesse or against her designes and intentions shee did condemne the same as falsified and falsly attributed to the Fathers and correct it after her own minde and fancy and when Printing was come in use shee made choice of that which was most conformable to her doctrine or rather moulding and forming it by her agents and supporters to her own minde caused it so to be printed suppressing and forbidding other Copies as spurious and corrupted said they by some heretiques or malicious people or falsly attributed to their Authors and so who can now say in the world certainly that the writings fathered upon Irenaeus Cyrillus Augustin and other ancient Fathers are the true and genuine Writings of those Fathers not falsified or supposed And if it hath been so hard a matter to preserve the holy Scripture which is but a little Book in comparison of those others in its purity through so many ages when Printing was not in use What can we say of those great Volumes which were not in so great request nor so much respected and where the change and alteration was not of so great importance to care so much but where every one took often the authoritie to change according to his fancy and accommodate the Father to his minde to authorise his beliefe I think there is no man of good judgement in the world who seeth not cleerly the force and power of this so manifest truth and that it is impossible to ground any certaine beliefe such as that of faith ought to be upon so uncertaine grounds Besides that though they were most certaine yet being men subject to mistakes and errours wee were not obliged to make their opinions our Judges if they be not conformable to the Word of God which is the rule of all truth For which cause I shall not strive in this Booke to alledge many passages of Fathers but onely shew my opinion grounded upon strong reasons and upon the vertue of the Scripture My intention not being to make a great Volume but onely a little Book of small cost and little time and paines both for my selfe and the Reader CHAP. VIII Concerning the chiefe point of Controversie to wit that St Peter had no primacy in the Church and that the primacy of the Pope is an unlawfull usurpation AS I have ever beleeved that the chiefe and most important point among all the controversies betwixt the Catholique reformed and the Romish Church is that of the Primacy of the Pope and whether he be Vicar of Christ Jesus on earth universall and generall Bishop over all Christians and be head and superiour of the Catholique Church So it was the first motive of my conversion and that which I esteemed to have most need to be well considered and examined as being the ground of all the Romish beliefe which once over-turned shee must of necessitie fall to the ground And howsoever there be many other points of great importance this neverthelesse is as the Center where all the rest do meet and the axletree on which they all move and the foundation that upholdeth them because that whatsoever point of faith or Scripture is in controversie those of the Romish Church will have none but the Church for Judge or as I have shewed the Pope saying he is Vicar of Christ Jesus and head of the universall Church and consequently sole Judge in matters of faith And being the Pope of Rome pretendeth this authoritie onely so far as he vaunteth himselfe to be successour of St Peter to whom he saith that Christ Jesus hath given this power I have diligently examined the question to see what reason and ground the Doctors of the Romish Church have to maintaine the same and howsoever they reject the Scripture and will not admit it to be Judge of controversie they are neverthelesse necessitated to have recourse to it and receive it for Judge in this point For the question being of the Pope he must not be Judge and party and it would be an insufferable impertinency to goe about to prove the Pope by the Pope and maintaine that he is head of the Church because maintaineth he and affirmeth it he must then of necessitie declare and produce his other titles and shew by what vertue he posseseth this authoritie there being no proscription in matter of faith and conscience for otherwise the Religion of the Gentiles and Idolaters would have been thought the best and the doctrine of the Evangelists would never have been planted for which cause also he laboureth to prove this his Article by the Scripture And to that end we shall first set downe the strongest of his reasons by way of objection the weaknesse and nullity of which I shall shew And although it be sufficient enough for evidencing his power to be unlawfull and usurped making it appeare that his titles are false and of no force and that wee are not obliged to bring proofes out of the Scriptures for that which is not a point of our faith it being sufficient for us that it is not in the Scripture which we hold for sole rule
excommunicated by his Patriarch or Metropolitan or by any Councell either justly or unjustly he went presently to Rome addressing himselfe to the Bishop as the richest of them all to assist him and the most powerfull and of greatest authoritie to protect him against his adversaries and as necessitie and extremitie passe often all the limits of truth many amongst them to captivate his good will and favour strove to give him as great titles as their industry could suggest and although they who gave them and they to whom they were given knew sufficiently that it was wrongfully and without reason or the Word of God neverthelesse the extremitie and necessitie of the one made them submit even in that point depriving themselves of somethings which justly belonged to them to give them to the Bishop from whom they expected assistance and the vanitie which did creep in and diffuse it selfe in the hearts made many Popes receive those titles without contradiction at least apparant or opposition that was capable to hinder the progresse In Sylvester his time indeed it did cleerly appeare that the greatnesse and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome did grow and increase mightily Neverthelesse the title of general Pastour or universall head of Bishops or Vicar of Christ Jesus on earth was not yet in use nor was it given or usurped by any and the first Bishop of Rome in whose time the title of universall Bishop began to be spoken of was Gregory who lived above an hundred and fiftie yeares after Sylvester between the fifth and sixth age I call them and others Saints after the manner of the Romish Church that it may the better be knowne of whom I speake I having no purpose here to question their holines seeing also the Apostle calleth all Christians Saints and although it is apparant that the puritie of the Church was already much changed under this Pope yet he had modesty enough pertinently to refuse this title which was offered him and to reprove and blame the same severely in the Bishop of Constantinople who challenged and usurped that which hitherto had been attempted by none other And however my resolution be not to overcharge this Treatise with passages of Fathers I hope notwithstanding that it shall not be amisse to set downe St Gregories own words on this subject which even those of the Romish Church confesse to be true and not Apocrypha and shew so neere as I can the summe of the History There was at that time in Constantinople a Bishop named Iohn a man exceeding ambitious desiring to extend the limits of his Diocesse as far as was those of the Empire and usurpe the title of universall Bishop over the whole Church even as the Emperour who had his residence in that Citie was generall and universall Monarch of the world a title which before him no Bishop durst usurpe which Gregory Bishop of Rome seeing and considering how great consequence prejudice it was to his See and all other Bishops he as the most potent and remarkable among them for the causes I have already set downe opposeth stoutly labouring violently to repell the boldnesse and temeritie of this usurper Greg. l. 4. Epist 76. without complaining therefore that John had therein incroached upon any priviledge appertaining to him and all the Bishops of Rome but he couragiously maintaineth that title to be prophane sacrilegious and a presage of the comming of Antichrist Idem l. 4. Epist 78. see the 76 Epistle 4 Book And in the 78 Epistle of the same Book It is saith he a thing too hard to indure that our brother and fellow-Bishop should be alone called Bishop in contempt of all the rest and what other thing doth his arrogance portend but that the time of Antichrist approacheth already in so far as he imitateth him who disdaining the company of Angells assayed to ascend to the top of singularitie In the 80 Epistle of the same Book he saith Idem l. 4. Epist 80. None of my predecessours would use this prophane word because if one will call himselfe universall Patriarch the name of Patriarch is stolne from others but far be it from a Christian soule that any should falsly ascribe to himselfe that whereby he diminisheth any thing from the honour of the brethren to consent to that unjust speech is no other thing than to fall from the faith one thing wee owe to the unitie of faith and another thing to suppresse pride and I say boldly that he who calleth himselfe Pastour universall or desireth so to be called surpasseth the Antichrist in pride because by pride he exalteth himselfe above others Idem l. 6 Epist 188. In his 188 Epistle of the sixt Book see his words I have said that he could not have peace with us if he corrected not the vanitie of that superstitious and ambitious word which hath been invented by the first Apostat and to speak nothing of the injury done to your honour if a Bishop be called universall that universall once falling the universall Church must also fall downe Thus much saith St Gregory of the arrogance of John Patriarch of Constantinople Idem l. 1. Epist 30. who would appropriate this title to himselfe he blameth his insolence and applieth not to himselfe that which he denieth to him but rather refuseth it being offered in those words in the thirtith Epistle of his seventh Book Behold saith he in the Preface of the Epistle yee have sent unto mee I having forbid it yee have wrote a word full of ambition calling mee universall Pope which I intreat you yee would use no more for it is taken from you which is given to any other more than reason requireth As for mee I account it no honour to see the honour of my brethren diminished for my honour is the honour of the universall Church and the solid authoritie of my brethren Now if your sanctitie call mee the Pope universall you deny your selfe to be such in calling mee universall And thus much St Gregory in those places for the condemning of that title as well in his owne person as in John who would not for all submit thereto but persisted still in his presumption nor would his successour after him for any intreaty part with any thing Judge by those testimonies if in those times the Bishop of Rome was thought or did thinke himselfe generall Pastour and Head of the Church his power and authoritie being already very great but not yet come to the presumption of usurping that dignity and primacy for that seemed to be an usurpation of such consequence and prejudice to all other Bishops that he durst not attempt it publikely for feare of a generall oppositiō from all other Bishops who might also have interposed the authoritie of the Emperour And howsoever the Bishop of Rome at that time did shew a great inclination to their primacy for perfecting of their greatnesse yet did they never dare to ascribe the same to themselves
which they are daily about to try and would gladly execute if they could he sendeth Agents and imployeth spyes and men disguised especially of some orders who goe secretly from house to house preaching his Indulgences and pardons to move the people to acknowledge him and restore his former revenues for this is the onely end of all his Inventions what ever pretext of faith and Religion he pretend but the carriers of those Indulgences are no more in request and are onely good for nothing but to cheat women and weak spirits the world hath had so many of his Bulls and pardons that they beleeve they will have no more need but may live without them the ages to come and wise Princes chose rather to keepe their moneys for the ease of their subjects and conservation of their estates than to send it to the Pope to maintaine his Court in riot and inrich his kindred the falsenesse of his doctrine appearing too cleerly now to be embraced by judicious and cleer-sighted men CHAP. XV. How absurd is and how little ground hath the pretended infallibilitie of the Bishop of Rome and that it is not without cause he is called Antichrist THe Bishop of Rome is not onely content to challenge the primacy and superioritie over the whole Christian Church but to strengthen and increase his credit he falleth into a folly insupportable to every wise and understanding man for he attributeth to himselfe the same infallibilitie and truth that God doth affirming and maintaining that he cannot erre no more than God when he pronounceth any sentence in matter of faith This seemed to me a cunning subtilty if it were as easily to be beleeved as invented for wanting the word of God and sufficient Scripture to establish his primacy and universall superioritie he hath resolved to attribute to himselfe the infallibilitie to make men receive the Scriptures according to his explication to ground his authoritie and establish his doctrine thereby And this Article of infallibilitie is at this day come to such a passe in the Romish Church that it must be beleeved as pertaining to faith and necessary to salvation it being forbidden under the paine of being holden for an heretique and Anathematized for preaching to the contrary and truely it is a doctrine which in policy ought to follow that of the primacy for the accomplishing of a perfect and absolute authoritie But as wee have shewen this primacy to be usurped and invalid so doe we beleeve we have sufficiently nullified all that followeth upon those prerogatives whereof this is the principall Notwithstanding for the greater satisfaction of the courteous Reader wee shall answer briefly the principall reasons they bring to prove this doctrine The first Objection is drawne out of a passage alledged before where it is said Mat. 16.18 Mat. 16.18 Thou art Peter and upon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it This say they being understood of St Peter is to say that errour and untruth shall not prevaile against Peter nor have victory over him and that he shall never be deceived nor erre nor consequently the Pope who tearmeth himselfe successour of St Peter Notwithstanding St Peter having erred after these words were pronounced and denied his Master which is the greatest fall that can be in the faith sheweth that those words are not understood of St Peter but of the faith and confession he made at that time which being most true and the truth it selfe shall never be overcome nor surmounted by the gates of hell but shall continue in strength eternally and so it is in vaine for the Pope to ground his infallibilitie upon words which are not spoken of St Peter nor consequently of him as is most manifest and as I have shewed before Another Objection which the Romish Church thinks stronger and more expresse is this Luk. 22.32 The Lord said to Simon Luk. 22.32 Simon behold Sathan hath sought to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and then when thou shalt be converted strengthen thy brethren For my part I perceive not what they would conclude thereby but that the faith of St Peter should never faile and yet wee see that it failed much and that St Peter did stumble and erre grossely in the faith having denyed his Master a long time after those words were spoken If then that be understood as they would have it the prayers of Christ should be of none effect which is blasphemy to thinke wherefore we must finde out a truer meaning of those words and say that is understood of small falling Christ Jesus saying to Simon Simon I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not finally that is to say if peradventure thou succombe and fall as thou wilt at least raise thy selfe and enter againe into the profession of faith and being converted by a true repentance thou must confirme thy brethren and let this fall make thee wiser in time to come and be a means to thee to confirme others and exhort them to take heed least they slide and fall as thou This is doubtlesse the true and lawfull meaning of those words as every understanding man may judge and not the explication of the Romish Church which every reasonable man will finde to be altogether absurd and invented of purpose to establish a false doctrine And although it could be proved that St Peter did never fall and we should confesse that the infallibilitie was given to him Will it therefore follow that it is given to all his successours also and that which was said to one person and of one person must be said to all his successours and of them all if they apply to the Pope all that was said to St Peter the Apostle and in his favour by Christ Jesus why doe they not apply as well all that was said to his disgrace and so the Pope must be called Sathan because Christ did call Peter so those words must also be applyed to the Pope Thou shalt deny mee as our Saviour spake them to St Peter This certainly hath too often falne out to the great hurt and scandall of Christian people although I confesse that our Saviour speaking to Peter did not meane it of those who should be thought his successours Now these are the strongest passages and arguments on which this pretended infallibilitie is grounded which is the whole foundation and basis of all the Romish Doctrine now in controversie which being proved to be usurped against reason and equitie as the primacy whereon it is grounded you see in what estate of errour and heresie that Church is in and how blinde and deceived they are that follow it It was thought formerly strange that the Pope of Rome was called Antichrist and I confesse it was long before I could be satisfied with the application of this name to the Pope thinking it was too rigorously spoken and with too small
their secrets are glad of this occasion to tell all their businesses and often those of their neighbours and declare their griefe to a man whom they thinke obliged to keep all secret and therefore we must not marvell if we see the women so much inclined to it and the Priests knowing them to be more tractable and consequently more liberall than men labour to keepe them in those exercises what ever disorders or discontentments may fall out from their husbands But finally there is no man of spirit who will not confesse that Christ and his Apostles have done wisely in having not instituted this fine mysterie The Bishops also themselves and other Pastours who have more intrest to conserve the divine service in their Churches and to have a care of the generall good than of the profit and particular satisfaction of their Priests begin as much to detest the use of this confession as they did ardently preach and recommend it heretofore for now they see the great disorders and inconveniences it draweth after it and their experience will be the cause they will not be sorry to see all re-established and restored to the primitive order in the time of our Saviour and his Apostles I passe over the great scandall occasioned by this confession whereof an infinite number of Cities and places can give too manifest testimony and which is the cause many judge well that it is surest and more profitable to discover and confesse our secrets to God alone according to his holy will and commandements than to Priests to obey the precepts of the Pope and I shall yet shew in another place that the confession is a snare which precipitates many into hell if the Maximes of the Romish Church be true CHAP. XXIII Of Purgatorie THe Church of Rome which hath founded her new doctrine not upon the Word and will of Christ but especially upon profit and greatnesse hath not contented her selfe in stead of two Sacraments instituted by our Saviour to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper to adde five more whereof the Pope the Bishops and the Priests can make good profit every one of them according to his degree and charge whether it be for the administration of them or the dispensations or other casuall things which concerne them and which fall out every foot But shee hath yet further bethought her to invent a Purgatory which shee saith is a place whether the soules of the faithfull departed in Gods favour doe ordinarily goe after their death there to be burnt and tormented many yeares nay even many hundreds and thousand yeares if they be not delivered by the good works of the living or by the prayers of good people or by application of the overplus of the merits of Christ and the Saints whereof the Pope calleth himselfe the sole Treasurer and Dispenser making profession to apply them by his Jubiles and Indulgences So that simple people to shun that terrible fire after their death wherewith the justest men are threatned have often spoyled themselves and their successours of many lands and great riches to give them to those who are reputed to be godlier than others to oblige them to pray for them after their death that they might not remaine so long in those paines and if those who are alive have any affections to their parents and good friends which are dead they often spare nothing to helpe and relieve them in this their necessitie by all the means which the Romish Church preacheth to be strongest and of greatest force whereof the most part are in the hands and disposition of the Clergie alone and the Monkes and they tell them if they be not helped they must satisfie the rigour of the justice of God and that they must pay to the last farthing and be burned in a fire as hot and scorching as that of hell not onely for the paines due to mortall sins but also for the least veniall sins they might have committed in their life of which every man hath questionlesse an innumerable number and because as they say ready money is good physicke they perswade them not to trust to their heires the payment of that debt who may be diverted by the motive of avarice but that they should provide while they are alive and in health for feare of being surprised by death and that the candle that goeth before giveth better light and is more profitable for that is the phrase of those Ghost like Fathers This doctrine is very profitable to the Clergie but exceeding fearfull and very terrible and strange and deserveth well to be cleerly grounded on the Word of God to be beleeved For to say that God hath sent his Sonne into the world to save mankinde and whose bloud was of an infinite price but neverthelesse hath not been sufficient to satisfie for the paines that a mortall sin doth merit or yet a veniall that I may use the tearme of the Papists or although it hath been sufficient enough and that he hath testified that he loveth mankinde more than doth a Father or Mother their children Notwithstanding he will not apply to them a graine of his satisfaction gratis but hath ordained a fearfull fire to burne them and torment them after their death though they be fully reconciled to him and have departed in his favour and that he esteeme and call them his deere children it is a thing that ought not to be beleeved by any Christian nor yet conceived by any man And is it possible to be beleeved that God hath promised Paradise to those who shall suffer persecution for his name and justice and comfort them who shall be afflicted in this world and shew himselfe to those who shall be of a pure and cleane heart account them blessed who shall dye in him that is to say in his favour that Christ hath promised to say Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world to them who have given meat and drinke to him in his poore when they are hungry or thirstie and to them whom he accounteth his loving children and that onely to satisfie the rigour of his justice and without any hope of amendment he will punish them after their death for many yeares with the same paines that the Devill and the greatest enemies of his honour and glory doe suffer except onely that those shall be tormented for ever and others shall have sometime an end it may be after many hundreds and thousands of yeares for they have invented yet of purpose more to terrifie the people certaine Stories which say that for every small sin they must borne at least seven yeares in Purgatory and what can they hope for who have hundreds and millions the frailty of man being but too great It is questionlesse to wrong the great mercy of God and rather deny his bounty it is to derogate from the infinite merits of the bloud of Christ it is too blasphemous against
they have laboured to plant and defend this doctrine Nor have they been deceived in their expectation for Christians too lightly terrified with the pains wherewith the souls were menaced after death have often deprived themselves and their successours of the most part of their goods to give them to Monks and Priests that so they might oblige them to pray for them and apply their good works and satisfaction to them as well in their life time as after their death Thence have the foundations of those great and rich Monasteries had their beginning the revenues of which some few excepted serve at this present to entertain Cardinals Prelates and Noble mens children in princely pomp and magnificence who notwithstanding think little on the souls of the poore founders or their successours except often to torment and vex them And on this doctrine and by those foundations such a great multitude of Priests Monks and religious persons have been introduced into the Romish Church that it is almost incredible so that in some cities which I know there are above ten thousand Monks and Nunnes and as for Priests there be many countrey Parishes which have above thirtie Now except it may be two or three of that number who are imployed in preaching on whom good revenues were well bestowed to encourage and enable them in their imployment in so Noble an exercise if they did preach the Gospel of Christ the rest commonly have no other occupation but to sing and say Masse for the subject of Purgatory and by that invention especially they all live and are entertained fatly For the people affrighted with that terrible fire cause often say Masses Vigils and Trentals and found annuall Masses and other Obiits for themselves and their friends and those obiits may be said with a loud or shrill voice with great or small noise according to the monies they will bestow and if it be at a great Masse there must be so many coopes and coopers so many lighted Torches so many Bels either tolling or ringing the knell so often and so long at every time there must also be so many Priests present to sing and say so many Masses of such a sort the Vigils with so many Psalms and Lessons with so many Requiems Libera de profundis at the end then the holy water sprinkled upon the Tombe c. every one for his pains being to have so much and a good dinner often for conclusion where they drink to the health of the living and say God have the souls of the dead and this is the end of the mysterie That truly among its superstition maketh a great shew and noise and if the souls be drawn out of Purgatory by magnificense sounding of bels singing and ceremonies none but the souls of the poore will stay long in those fires and the rich will come quickly out But if men beleeve they come not out but by devotion and fervent prayers and other good works of that kind when I was in the Romish Church I did not beleeve for a long time that to be of great vertue and force seeing the small reverence and devotion these Priests use for the most part looking rather how to disburthen themselves quickly of that task then to deliver the soul out of Purgatory and I have often thought with my self that it was not without reason the Oblits lasted so many yeers imagining indeed there behoved a great many of such prayers and works to deliver one soul out of Purgatory if they cannot be delivered abut by works done in the favour and in the love of God and in grace as they hold even in the Romish Church And it is no marvell that they who leave the Word of God to follow humane inventions fall in those confusions and disorders But howsoever the Priests find their profit thereon and the peoples purses are often emptied divers having often ruined their children to make foundations after their death and some especially women incommodating often their families without their husbands knowledge or even depriving themselves of bread and other necessarie things not so much for making little boyes recite the 7. Psalms who give five or six paire of them for a pony as to make the Priests say Masses and Obiits which are not so cheap Within these few ages the Pope hath yet invented Indulgences and priviledged Altars which is another mean to draw profit from them who are not so rich as to found so great Obiits or who desire to content themselves with this new artifice whereby they say a soul may be delivered out of Purgatory with lesse cost and the profit thereof is both readier and frequenter on the Priests part but I marvell much that the Pope who dispenseth those Indulgences at his pleasure doth not deliver all the souls out of Purgatory so soon as they come thither or doth not hinder them from going thither for the one is as easie as the other to him as he saith himself and I marvell wherefore he suffereth them to burn so long in those flames seeing he can retire them without trouble or cost onely by his Indulgences I think Christian charity should require that of him but let us a little examine the mystery of those Indulgences whereof there is so great noise CHAP. XXIIII Of Indulgences IT is sufficiently known of all that the Pope is one of the richest Monarchs in Europe having as it is reported at this present onely by the liberalitie of Christians above 24. thousand crowns to spend every day a rent whereof many great Princes who have more lands than he come far short but besides those temporall visible and reall riches he hath saith he others which he termeth spirituall of which he is a more liberall dispenser than of the former and those are the merits and works of supererogation of the Saints whereof he termeth himself Treasurer and distributer and which he disperseth according to his will and fancie by that thing which he calleth Indulgences For my particular when I was in the Romish Church especially in the six or seven last yeers that I was the Popes Missionary I was liberally enough provided of them both for my self in particular and to distribute to others for by vertue of my Buls and quality of Missionary besides the Licence I had to absolve from all sins and cases reserved even in the Bull In coena Domini where I might also admit as many Deputies as I would I could give full Indulgence and remission of all the punishment due to all sins great and small to all them who confessed themselves to me and to all them who being confessed and having communicated were present at my Sermons on all the feasts of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary and others so that they should not go to Purgatory for their sins past till that time although they had lived fourscore yeers Moreover in saying Masse I could deliver a soul out of Purgatory perfectly every Monday in the yeer
the day long or at games and pastimes which are publiquely suffered and commonly frequented more freely on the Sabbaths which God from his owne mouth hath commanded to be sanctified than on a holiday of their devotion which is onely commanded by the Pope And what can be said here but that it is to make void the commandment of God for a humane invention and tradition and account more of the commandments and precepts of men than of the commandments of God Oh happie are the people which have the Lord onely for their God by whose Word they strive to be ruled and directed in every thing and which solemnise the whole Sabbath with all the respect and devotion they are able Which I seeing so faithfully observed in this Kingdom of England and besides that the Service of God was so reverently celebrated the Churches so much frequented of all Noble and ignoble rich and poore I confesse I often thanked and do thank my God for having delivered me out of the captivitie of Aegypt and from that Idolatrous people among whom I lived imployed in gathering of straws and in unprofitable works for having I say delivered me with a strong hand in despight of all the enterprises and power of the enemies of the truth for having brought me through the seas confounding and drowning therein all the industrie and pursuing of mine enemies and bringing me to this Land flowing with the milk and honey of heavenly and earthly blessings to this Countrey of Sion and this Jerusalem and place of peace whereas the Gospel is preached in greater puritie so the Service of God is celebrated with greater perfection and reverence than in any Kingdom of the world and is likely yet to be better by the care and zeal of this thrice worthie Senate It is true that as the bodies are composed of divers members and of different qualities and conditions so all they which are of the reformed Church are not Saints and there are some vices to be found in many and doubtlesse but too many and if I dare not say few yet I may say truly not neer so many as in the Romish Church as well in that which concerneth the service of God as in that which concerneth the policie both of Ecclesiasticall and Civill for it hath often been observed and I have seen it with my eyes the famous Cities yea and States governed by those of the reformed Churches did live in good order and policie which after being falne into the hands of Popish governors commonly greater friends of their particular profit than of the glory of their Princes and the publique peace and good have in a short time lost their felicitie and prosperitie and changed their good policie into confusion and disorder this truth is known to many more than to me And if one will but look upon this Noble Kingdom and all the States especially which enjoy peace under Princes and Governors of the Reformed Religion and likewise on the States which are governed by those of the Romish Church especially on those which are under the dominion of the Bishop of Rome and over whom he domineereth with greatest authoritie there is no man who will not see the great difference and they who have been in Italy and have any knowledge of the government of the Popes territories know sufficiently what comparison there is betwixt the policie of the one with the other Ye shall know saith Christ the tree by its fruits Mat. 7.20 and they who produce such fruits of confusion and disorder ought not in my opinion nor cannot be thought good trees and as trees bring forth good or bad fruits according to the proportion of sap which they draw from the earth which giveth them both life and action so must we beleeve that the government of people followeth commonly the doctrine and beleefe which animateth them and where we see those disorders that it is not the spirit and doctrine of truth which governeth them for Justice Order and Peace are his inseparable companions but rather the spirit of errour which being a friend of disorder produceth nothing but the like fruits and effects and every where bringeth confusion And if it happen that any States leaving the beleefe of the Romish Church embrace the Reformed you see incontinent their government totally altred their policie to be changed to the better and all things established in better order and as States and Provinces following this doctrine of the infallible truth are kept and maintained in better order and policie so ordinarily also do they flourish in greater lustre and glory in greater wealth and prosperitie And I may say likewise that the Princes even of that beleef have seldome found more faithfull and affectionate subjects and servants than those of the Reformed Religion both in peace and war and howsoever they have sometimes suffered oppressions neverthelesse the murthers and infamous attempts and perfidious treasons against the State or the persons of their Lords have been little found amongst their practises But they have often shewed they had rather suffer persecutions with patience than abandon themselves to infamous actions unworthie of the honour and doctrine of Christians Those States also who are not so fast bound and tied to the interests of the Pope having no cause to complain nor distrust their practises and even seeing much publique good to follow upon their managing and good and wise governing besides that they often imploy many of them in important occasions and of very great trust they gratifie them yet so much as to suffer them judging themselves in safety and security with them not mistrusting they can receive any hurt from them because those Churches having the Law and Word of God for rule of their faith they have it also for square of their life endeavouring to conform their actions thereunto and commit nothing which may derogate from the condition of the faithfull which I write more willingly as knowing it even from the confession of their greatest enemies Deut. 33.31 so as we may say that of the Cantique inimici nostri sunt judices Our enemies are Judges of it and I my selfe have heard it oftentimes from the most judicious of the Romish Church And if the Romanists would carry themselves with so great modestie and fidelity towards the Princes and States under which they desire to live they should receive questionlesse the same kindnesse and gratification but as their doctrine is much different so are often the effects not but amongst them there are found many noble and generous minds lovers of tranquillitie and peace and of the glory and prosperitie of the States in which they remain But because the Bishop of Rome who is never content with his own but is insatiable of wealth as be all his Clergie keepeth continually a congregation of Cardinals of purpose by him which borrow the name and pretext De propaganda fide for increasing the faith but indeed hearkneth to nothing more