great facility and without which there is no possibilitie of salvation 2 That divine prerogative is granted vnto them abve all the people in the world which doth preserve them everlastingly from erring in matters of faith and from falling from GOD. 3 That the Pope being Christes deputie hath the keyes of heaven in custodie to admit in by Indulgence shut out by excommunication as he shall see cause 4 That the charge of all soules being committed to him he is thereby made soveraigne prince of this world exceeding in power and maiestie all other princes as far as the soule in dignitie doth exceed the bodie eternall things surmount things temporall and seeing the end is the ruler and commander of whatsoever doe tend vnto it and all things in this world are to serve but as instruments and the world it self but as a passage to our everlasting habitation 5 That therfore he that hath the managing of this high honour to be the supream conductor vnto it hath also power to dispose of all things subordinate as may best serve to it to plant to roote out to establish to depose to bind to loose to alter to dispence as may serve most fitte for the advancement of the church and for the atcheving of the soules felicitie wherein whosoever oppose against him whether by Heresie or Schisme they are no other then verie Rebels or seditious persoÌ„s against whom he hath vnlimited endlesse power to proceede to the suppressing ruining and extinguishing of them by all meanes that the Common-welth of God may florish in prosperitie and the high way to heaven bee kept safe and open for all Gods loyall and obedient people In these poynts no doubtes or questions are tolerable And whoso with them ioyne in these shall find great connivence in what other defect or difference soever this being the very touchstone by which all men are to be tried whether they be in the Church or out of the Church whether with them or against them and by this plott have their wits erected in this worlde a Monarchie more potent then ever any that have bene before it A Monarchye which intitling them de iure to all the world layeth a strong foundation thereof in all mens conciences the onelie firme ground of obedience in the worlde and such a foundation as not onely holdeth fast vnto them whatsoever it feazeth on but worketh outwardly also by engines to weaken and vndermine the states of all other Princes howe great so ever and that in such sort as by possessing themselves of the principall places the hearts of their subiects as being those from whome they have their principall good even the happinesse of their soules to incite vppon everie conscience a gaynest their naturall Soveraigne at pleasure and by a writte of Excommunication to svbdue or at leastwise greatly to shake whom they list without fighting a blow without leavying a Souldier lastly a Monarchie which as it was founded by meere witte needeth not anie thing but meere witte to mainetaine it which enricheth it self without labouring warreth without endangering rewardeth without spending vsing Colledges to a great purpose as others can fortresses working greater matters partly by Schollers partly by swarmes of Friars than else they could ever doe by great garrisons armies And all these maintained at other mens charges for to that rare poynt have they also proceeded as not onely to have huge rents themselves out of other mens states but to maintaine also their instruments out of other mens devotions and to advance their favorites vnder the faire pretence of providing for Religion to the verie principall preferments in forraine Princes Dominions That no man need find it strange if finding the revenew of skill and cunning to be great and their force mightie especially what they worke vpon simplicitie and ignorance They inclosed in times past all learning within the wals of their Cleargie setting forth Ladie Ignorance for a great Saint to the Laitie and shewing her vnto them for the true mother of Devotion And assuredly but for one great defect in their pollicy which was hard in regard of their owne particular ambition but otherwise not impossible to be avoided That they choose their Pope lightly verie old and withall without any restraint of all Families and Nations whereby they are continually subiect to double change of government The Successor seldome prosecuting his Antecessors devices but eyther crossing them through envie or abandoning them vpon new humour it could not have been but they must have long since beene absolute Lords of all which defects notwithstanding so strong was their pollicy by reason of the force of their Cardinall fonndation That no Prince or Potentate ever opposed against them but in fine even by his owne Subiects they eyther maistered him or vtterly brought him to good conformitie by great losse and extreamitie tâ—ll such time as in his latter age the bottom of the foundation it selfe being stoutly discovered hath given them a sore blow hath changed in great part the state of the question and hath driven them to a re-inforcement of new inventions and practises 12 Howbeit those positions being the ground of their state and the hope of their owne glory in them they admit no shadow of alteration but indevour still per fas nefas euen by all the meanes in the world to strengthen them and amongst their manifold adversaries hate them most of all other who have laboured most in stopping of that foundation And seeing that by reason of this bookish age they have not that helpe of ignorance which in times past they had they cast about greatly to soake and settle them in mens perswasions and consciences by another way They tell men that the very gound whereon we build our perswasion of the truth of Christianity it self are no other then credible That the proofes of the Scripture to be the word of God can be no other at this day than probable onely being impossible for any wit in the world to produce exact necessary and infallible demonstrations Eyther that the holy Apostle Saint Paule had his calling from above or that those Epistles were of his writing so likewise in the rest and that the chiefe proofe that we have therof is the testimony of the church a thing which their very adversaries are forced to confesse Now that this probable perswasion of the truth of Christianity doth afterward grow to an assurednesse therof this issueth from an inward operation of Gods divine spirit the gift whereof is faith and that faith being a knowledge not of bare science but of beleefe which searcheth not the particular necessitie of the veritie of things delivered but relieth in generall vpon the approoved wisedome truth and vertue of him that doth deliver it Then surely whosoever will have necessarie proofe of the severall Articles of Religion doth but wittily deceive himselfe and by over-curious indevour to chaunge his faith into science doth loose that which
discharge their hands of some of them especially of such as by disgrace or by defect of nature are eyther more backward or lesse lovely then other at an easie and small raâ—e and yet with honorable pretence namely by consecrating them wholy to the service of the Creator and providing higher place for them in his celestiall Kingdome For such is their opinions of these orders of religious and Angelical perfection as they vsually stile them The Friers also themselves having names given them by their governors each according to his merits importing no lesse and as they increase in their holinesse so proceeding in their titles from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo then Archangelo Cherubino and lastly Cerephino which is the top of perfection but for their owne high conceit of their perfection and merits this example may serve I have heard one of their most renowmed Câ—puchines for zeale sanctitie and learning preaching in a principall place before the Bishop in sharpe reproofe of their forsaken crew of blasphemous gamesters pray solemnly to God though acknowledging himselfe first in humilitie a great sinner by his merits and discipline by the teares which his eyes had often shed by those many sharpe voyages which for the love of God he had made by that chasticement which he had often given himselfe because they did grieve animam pauperis which was himselfe that if there were any notwithstanding his admonitions which should still persist in that wicked gamestry he would strike them ere that day twelvemonth with some markeable punishment The same man at an other time in an extacie of charitie calling God all his Angels and Saints to witnesse it to strip himselfe of all his merits there before the little Crucifix embracing and kissing it and to pray it to reward them vpon his dearely beloved Auditorie for whose sakes hee was contented also to bee reputed the greatest sinner of all the assemblie Such being their perfection then in desiring it must needes issue of an honourable affection Now although Italy being a thirstie Manager doth in his heart greatly repine at a custome which their Nunneries have of late brought vp being indeed constrained to it by the excessive multitude which in the former respect are thrust vpon them which is not receive any gentleman or marchants daughter without the dowry of 200 crownes at least and fifteen or twentie crownes yeerly pension during her life and ten yeerly rent to their house for ever Neither admit they of any mans daughter without some crowns also in name of a dowrie at their spirituall mariage to God and those shal be but seruing Nunnes to the former Yet finding two charges this is farre the easier they are content to swallow downe that which by champing on the bit they can not remedy But the orders of religious men bring them an other ease also It disburtheneth their couÌ„try of an infinite number of discontented humors and dispairing passions whosoever in his deerest loves hath prooved vnfortunate whosoever cannot prosper in some other profession which he hath beene set to whomsoever some notable disgrace or other crosse in estate hath berâ—aved of all hope of ever rising in this world whosoever by his miscariage hath purchased so many enemies as that nothing but his bloud can yeeld satisfaction to their malice All these and many others reduced to like anguish of minde and distresse or otherwise howsoever out of taste with the world have this haven of content alwaies open to flie to when they can find no other place of repose to stand in then resolve they to go Friars as they phrase it yea whosoever by his monstrous blasphemy or other like villany hath deserved all the tortures and deaths in the world if before the hand of Iustice lay hold vpon him he voluntarily professe himselfe a Capâ—â—hine or Hermite or of such like strict order the Pope forbiddeth any further pursuit as thinking his voluntary perpetuall penance sufficient And in this maner is the greatest sort of their gentry Capuchins for so are the most of the order by birth Neither is this religious life save in some very few Orders so severed from the world and the commoditie thereof but that it enioyeth as many contentments as a moderate mind need wish moderate affections can find means also to satisfy them selves at pleasure In summe they are rather discharged of the toilâ—s and cares than debarred of the comforts and solace of this life Neither is there almost so meane a Friaâ— among them that hath not some hope to be Prior of his covent and then perhaps of that resort or province and lastly not impossible that his good fortune may so accompany his merits as to attaine to be the Generall of all his Order And the Generals are as likely to be made Cardinals as any men And finally sundrie of them within the memorie of man have beene advanced from the preheminences of the Cardinals dignitie to the soveraigntie of papall glorie Hope is a sweet and firme conpanion of man it is the last thing that leaveth him and the highest things it promiseth him it maketh all toiles supportable all difficulties conquerable Now the multitude of these Orders and good provision for them being so great an ease to all sorts of men in their private estates as they generally account it It must needs be a great bond of their affection vnto the Papacie vnder which they enioy it as by whom alone those Orders are protected and whom his adversaries do seeke vtterly to exterminate ruine I shall speake little of the particular persons that enter into those Orders who draw thereby their whole race the more to favour that way which in so infinite a number of them must needs be of great moment Against this might be obiected with great reason the inestimable damage which the publike do therby receive as in Italy for example perhaps halfe of the land in many places therof and generally a full third besides their other vailes being appropriated to this sort of people and other persons ecelesiasticall yea and of the people themselves perhaps a quarter of a million at least in that one Countrey having withdrawne themselves thereby from all service of Prince or people or Countrey and confined themselves to their Cloysters life living onely vpon the honie which the toyling Bee doth gather with perhappes an other quarter of a million of an other sect I may erre in both numbers but I ayme as neere the trueth as by coniecture I can proportioning the places where I have not beene with those where I have beene who have abandoned themselves to another trade as idle but more wicked devouring with mens goodes their bodies and soules at once which may be the cause that that countrey though as populous as it can well beare yet commeth manifold waies short of that strength which in former times it hath had either for defence of it selfe or offence of his neighbors yet notwithstanding these
legittimating vnlawfull and accursed issue and thereby advancing into Thrones of regalitie oftentimes base sundrie times adulterous yea sometimes incestuous and perhaps vnnaturall of springs dooth not Reason foretell and hath not experience thought that both the parties in such mariages and much more their whole issue are bound in as strong a bond to the vp-holding of the Popes infinite authoritie and power as the honour of their birth and the title of their Crowne are worth It was a sâ—ely conceit in them which hoped that Queene Mary would not vphold the Popes authoritie in England by reason of her promise when a greater bond to her then her promise did presse her to it What man ever in the world stucke faster to his chosen friend then the late King of Spayne Philip did to the Papacie notwithstanding with the Popes themselves his often ielousies and quarrels who ordained moreover that all his heires and successours in the estate of the Low-countries by vertue of his late transport shall for ever vpon their entrie into those Seigniories take an oth for the maintaining of the Papacie and that Religion Is not the reason apparant that if the Papacy should quaile his only sonne whosoever descend of him is dishonured and made vncapable of those great Estates and Kingdomes which now he holdeth yea and a fire kindled in his owne house about the title to them neither is it to be admitted into any conceit of reason but that this young King will be as sure to the Papacy as his father being borne of a marriage prohibited by God abhorred happily by Nature disaproved by the world and onely by papall authority made alowable For for my part I hold not that opinion vnprobable that the marriage of Vncle and Neâ—ce as it was in this case was contrarie to the law of Nature and not to Gods positive lawonely seeing the Vncle hath a second right and place of a father But howsoever that point stand wherin I dare not affirme ought it is creerely contrary to such a positive lawe of God as the reason and cause thereof must needes continue vnto the dissolution of the world or overthrow of mankinde And therefore in reason and law no way agreeable or dispensable with but by the same or higher authority then that which first did make it that the Pope neede not thinke that they do him so apparant wrong who invest him with the title of that man of power who sitting in the temple of God exalteth himselfe above God For what may it seeme else bearing himselfe head of the Church to take vpon him to councell or authentically to alow of the breach of Gods law without having his expresse precise commission for so doing Though I am not ignoraÌ„t that they have distinctions for all this which were a merry matter if Sophistry were a proper scieÌ„ce of sal vatioÌ„ But by this some other mariages those strainge relations of aliance have growne that K. Philip were he alive might call the Archd. Albert both brother cosen nephew son for all this were he vnto him either by blood or affinitie being vnkle to himselfe cosen germain to his father husbaÌ„d to his sister father to his wife to come a step neerer home the same rule of Pollicy made me greatly feare til now that god by death hath prevented the mischeife howsoever hitherto what for feare of scaÌ„dalizing what for other respects the Pope made shew not to be forward to coÌ„seÌ„t to a intended mariage betweÌ„ a married K. his Mistris much lesse to legittimate the childre adulterously begotteÌ„ by finding nullities on both sides in the former mariages things made of purpose as he knoweth to cloke a falshoode that yet notwithstanding himselfe or his successours would yeelde to it in the end if any colour in the world could be laid vpp on the matter to salve the credite of his not erring Sea And hee might see good hope for that race to prevaile deriving the sucession also of his other greate Kingdome vppon issue whose tytle must holde vppon his legittimation hee might be better assured of it then he hath beene hitherto and have them ever firme and irreconcileable adversaries to all those whither subiects or neighbours or whosoever as should oppose against his Soveraigntie and vnstinted power So searching and penetrant is that Sea to strengthen it selfe more by the vnlawfull marriages of other men that ever Prince yet coulde doe by any lawfull marriage of his owne 15 The dispencing with oathes and discharging from them especially in matters of treatie betweene Princes and Estates is a thing so repugnant to all morall honestie Dispensation with oathes so iniurious to the quiet and peace of the world so odious in it selfe so scandalous to all men that it may be they adventure not to play vpon that string in this curious age so often as heretofore for feare of discording all the rest of their harmony Cleare it is that heretofore this made them a necessarie helpe for all such Princes as either vpon extreamity were driven to enter into hard conditions or vpon falshood and dishonesty desired to take their advantage against their neighbours when it was offered In which Princes having no meanes to salve their credite with the world but onely by iustifying the vnholinesse of the Art by the Popes holy authoritie interposed in it were afterwards tied firmely to adhere vnto them And this was the cause that Francis the first of France with whom immediately vpon his oath given to Charles the fift for performance of the articles accorded at his delivery Clement the 7. dispenced and by probable coniecture had promised to dispence with his oath before he had made it vpon hope whereof also he tooke it the effect was for the Popes behoofe that ever after there was strict love and amity betwen them testified finally to the world by that famous marriage betweene the sonne of the one and the kinswoman of the other And verily though I hold in generall too much suspitiousnesse as great a fault and as great an enimie to vvisedom as too much Incredulitie it doing oftentimes as great a vvrong to friends as the other doth receive vvrongfull hurt from dissemblers yet vievving the short continuance of svvorne leagues at this day the small reckoning that Princes make of oathes solemnly taken vvhether to neighbours or subiectes not faith but profit being the bond of aliance and amitie which altering once the other have no longer during it maketh me think it not possible that Popes vnlimited fingers may bee stirring even at this day more often in secret in vntying those knots of the bonds of conscience then the world is ware of at leastwise that by authority and imitation of his example Princes assume vnto themselves a like faculty of dispencing with their own oaths whensoever they can perswade themselves it is behooveful to their kingdome as he when to his Church But howsoever that standeth this is
imperfections from which neither the wisest nor perfectest have beene free what doe they but propose them as matter of scorne and abhorring whome God hath as it were marked out for patternes of honor to immitate Yea this age hath brought out those curst and these accursed wittes who by culling out the errours and shews of error by formalizing the contrarieties misinterpreating the ambiguities intangling the obscurities which in the most renowmed Authors for humane wisedome that were ever in the world their envious and malitiously fine braines could search immitating him therein who by his Labours of the very same nature though with lesse and no ground at all against the sacred Bible purchased the infamous name of the enemy of Christianity have doone that hurt vnto the studies of learning which nothing but the vtter extinguishing of their vnlearned works can expiate 31 The last meanes I will heare speak of were vsed in setting forward this reformation of religion was the deligent compiling the histories of those times and actions and especially the Martyrologie of such as rendered by their deaths a testimonie of that trueth which was persecuted in them These memories and stories presenting generally to the world the singlenesse and innocencie on the one parte the integritie of their lives the simplicitie of their devises the zeale of their desires their constancie in temptations their tolleration in torments their magnanimitie celestially inspired courage and comfort in their very agonies and death yeelding their bodies with all patience to the furious flames and their soules with ioy to the handes of him that made them On the other side representing a serpentine generation wholy made of fraud policies and practises men lovers of the world and haters of truth and godlinesse fighters against the light protectors of darkenesse persecuters of marriage and patrons of brothelles abnegators and dispencers against the lawes of God but tyrannous importunators and exactors of their own men false in their promises treacherous in their pretences barbarous in their executions breathing nothing but cruelty fire and sword against meÌ„ that never offended them save in their desire to amend them which they could not endure and much of this sett out in sundry places with pictures to imprint thereby a more lively sence of commiseration of the one parte and detestation of the other bred in mens minds a strong coÌ„ceit that on the one side Truth and Innocencie was persecuted on the other violence and deceit persecuting that the one part coÌ„trarie to al humane probabilitie being nourished with the only dew of divine benediction flourisht in the flames as camamile spread abroad being troad vnder feet the other notwithstanding al humane and infernall devises yet cursed from above faded not vnlike to come to ruine The Papacie being netled extreamly with these proceedings hath resolved to give over the kindling any more of those vnfortunate fiers save in some secure places to maintaine the vsage of that law the ashes of which they have perceived to have beene the seede of their adversaries but rather by secret making men away in their Inquisitions and by general massacres to extinguish them Then to affront them in the same kinde of Martyroâ—ogies and Histories they have first caused stories to be written also in their favour making in them a representation of authority and iustice proceeding by pollitick execution of Lawe in the necessarie defence of God Church and of all Catholike States and Princes against a company of base rebelles of vow-breaking-Friars of Church-robbing polititians Church-raizng souldiers of infected and infecting both Schismatiques and heretiques innovators of orders vnderminers of government troublers of states over-turners of Christendome against whom if they have not yet sufficiently prevailed it is to be attributed only to the force of popular fury and not to any strength and goodnesse of their cause much lesse to any celestiall and divine protection Next for Martirologies they have England for their field to triumph in the proceedings wherein against their late Papists and complices they aggravate to the height of Neroes and Dioclesians persecutions and the sufferers of their side both in merites of cause in extreamitie of torments in constancy and patience to the renowned Martyres of that Heroicall Church age whereof besides sundry other bookes they have published a great volume lately to the world in Italian compiled with great industrie approved by authoritie yea some of their bookes also with pictures illustrated in summe wanting nothing save onely trueth and sinceritie An easie thing it is without growing to the extreame impudency of palpable lying by leaving out the bad on the one side and the good on the other by inforcing and florishing all circumstances and accidents which are in our favour and by elevating and disgracing of all the contrarie by sprinkeling the termes of honour wholy on the one part and of hatred and ignomie on the other to make their tale turne which way shall please the teller But writers of histories should know that there is a difference betweene their profession and the practise of advocates pleading contrarie at the barre where the wisedome of the Iudge pickes the truth out of both sides which is intire perhaps in neither 32 And verily in this kinde both the Protestants and Papistes seeme generally in the greatest part of their stories to be both too blame though both not equally having by their passionate reports much wronged the truth abused this present age and preiudiced posteritie insomuch that the onely remedie now seeming to remaine is to read indifferently the stories on both parts to count them as advocates and to play the Iudge betweene them But partiallity seemeth to be the chiefe fault of the Protestant love dislike sometimes dazeling his eyes drawing him from an Historiographers into an Orators profession though some of them have carried themselves therin with commendable sinceritie even as some also of the other part have discharged themselves nobly But surely the Priests and Friars which have written in that kinde have strangely behaved themselves and disclosed how small reckoning they make of truth in any thing their devising their forging their facing their peecing their adding their paring having brought not onely their modesty but their wits also in question whether they forget not what it was they vndertooke to write a worke of storie or of poetry rather which Artes though like yet ought they to know are different And for these Martyrologies to speake of England as they doe let the trueth of Religion be indifferent on whether side vnlesse difference be made betweene men who suffer for their consciences onely their very adversaries having no other crime to obiect against them and those who eyther in their owne particular persons or at least wise in their directors whom they have chosen to follow and vowed to obey are convinced to have attempted against the Prince and state and to have practised the alteration and ruine of both If
savourers in them as of foure thousand sure Catholicks in England with foure hundred English Roman Priests to maintaine that militia who vpon quarrel with the Iesuites affectors of superiority disgracers of all that refuse to depend vpon them have instantly demaunded of late a Bishop of the Pope to be cosen by them and to be resident among them yet this is so small a portion being compared with the whole as not to bee estemed especially seeing in Italy counted wholy theirs there are full foure thousand professed Protestantes that have exercise of their Religion also in the valleies of Pimont and Salusto besides sundrie Gentlemen who live abroad and resort to them In Lucca also a great part are thought favorites of the reformation some of that sort there are scattered in all places especially in Venice But their pâ—ucity and obscurity shall enclose them in a Cipher so that Italy wee will account it to stand wholly for the Papacie though the Princes and other free States thereof little like the Popes enlarging his temperall Dominion at home being alreadie of a large sise in proportion with theirs and especially for those pretences which his Sea neuer wants and those extraordinarie advantages with concurrence of his spirituall supremacy doe giue him by interdictions excommunications discharging othes of obedience which above all other they have greatest cause to feare both in regard of their huge company of Priests Prelates and Friars wherewith hee hath fortified himselfe mightily in their States As also for that discontent which their cruell impositions extortions and oppressions have bred in their owne subiects who wish rather that all Italy were reduced into the hands of some one naturall potentate whose greedinesse how great soever they were able to satisfie And of the Popes above all men who promiseth much lenitie by his late example at Ferrara where he remitted many imposts which their late Dukes had raised than to be thus daily racked and devoured by so many pettie Tyrants as it were with their prowling Gabilâ—ieres whose ambitions and emulations whose prides and pleasures thirteene millions of yeerely revenew vvhich Italy now yeeldeth them is not able to satisfie though I say for these causes the Princes and States of Italy no way favour the Popes strength in his temporality at home considering vvithall vvhat swelling and turbulent spirits mount sometimes into that Chaire have purposely set Italy on a flaming for that in the sacking of many themselves might get somewhat for the advancing of such as nature and bloud did cause them to love best yet on the contrarie side for his spirituall power and soveraigntie abroad they vvish it vpheld and restored if it vvere possible both for the honour of their nation which is thereby their triumphant Queene of the world and much more for the commoditie which by vicinitie they and theirs reape thence in more aboundance than all other together vvhat by sharings as occasion serveth in his booties abroad vvhat by being alwaies in sight to receiue favours at home what by that vvhich sticketh to them in very passing thorow their Territories Then to exclude any innovation the care of their owne safetie and not quiet alone perswades them it being dangerous in a body so full of diseases and discontented humors to change or stir any thing seeing all alteration sets humors on working one humor on foot quickneth vp all other what allured by Sympathie what by Antipathie provoked the end thereof is eyther the dissolving of Nature by length of conflictes or the disburthening of Nature by expelling that which before did oppresse it For this cause no audience to be given to the reformation as enemie to their peace which is the Nurse of their riches and sole Anchor to their safetie For it were but simplicity to thinke that conscience and love of truth did sway the deliberation the World having in most places done Religion this honour as to remoove it out of those secret darke Cabinets of the heart where the iealousie of some devout dreames of the Gardens of Paradise had imprisoned it and advaunced it vnto the fairest sight and shew of the whole world even for to make a maske of it or rather a very vizar with mouth eyes and nose very fairely painted and proportioned to all pretenses and purposes And others yet of more gallant and free spirit have given it generall passage to goe whither it selfe listeth so that it come not neere them It doth much grieve mee to speake yea the very thought of it must needs bring horrour and detestation what a huge multitude of Atheistes doe brave it in all places and there most where the Papacie is most in his prime What renouncers of God blasphemers of his onely begotten Sonne vilanisers of his Saints and scorners of his service who doe thinke it a glorious grace to adore a King of a Countrey But to name or to thinke reverently of the Creator of the World to proceede from a timorous base-mindednesse and abiectnesse Of so deepe reach and iudgement are these pedlers in their proportions who doe know no other Magistrates but those of their parishes These men are favourable alike to all Religions but can best endure that wherein they are least checkt and may range with most impunity But for the Souldiarie of this age a profession and an exercise reputed in olde time for an onely Schoole of Vertue but now defamed with all manner of vice and villanie in olde time such That the wisest Philosophers thought it reason sufficient why the Lacedemonians were more vertuous than other Nations because they followed the warres at this day a cause of cleane contrarie effect those desperate Atheismes those Spanish renouncings and Italian blasphemings have now so prevayled in our Christian Cuâ—pes that if any restraine them hee shall bee vpbraided as no souldiour nor gallant-minded man that the verie Turkes have the Christians blaspheaming of Christ in execration and will punish their prisoners sorely whenas through impatience or desperatenesse they burst into them Yea the Iewes in their speculations of the causes of the strange successes of the affaires of the worlde assigne the reason of the Turkes prevailing so against the Christians to bee their blasphemies and blaspheamous oaths which wound the eares of the verie heavens ann cry vnto the high Throane of Iustice for speedie vengeance As for Princes and great persons it is a rare thing and surelie an happie wheresoever it falleth out of them that any of them hath any extraordinarie store of religiousnesse of any sort Their example I doe speake of many of them which might bee the soveraigne restorers of vertue reestablishers of a happy world with the endles blissâ— of many millions now perishing through their default is at this day the only ruine and despaire of goodnesse having forgoâ—ten whose Lievetenants they are in the world for what end they are placed for what cause they are honoured and most of all what great account they
reward of glorie which proceeding from the Father and Prince of Peace reiecteth all spirits of contention from â—â—taining it hath entred into a meditation whether it were not possible that by the travel and meditation of some calmer mindes that at this day vsually write or deale on eyther side these flames of controuersie might be extinguished or asâ—aked and some tollerable peace re-established in the Church againe The iustnes of their vertuous desires to see it so hath bred in them an opinion of possibilitie that it might be wrought considering first that besides infinite other points not controuersed there is a full agreement in the foundation of religion in those same Articles which the twelve Apostles delivered vnto the Church perhappes not an abridgement onely of the faith but even as a touch-stone also of the faithfull for ever that whilst there was an entire consent in them no discent in other opinions shoulde breake peace and communion And secondly considering also there are in great multitude on both sides for so are there vndoubtedly men â—ertuous and learned fraught with the love of God and the truth above all things men of memorable integrity of heart and affections whose lives are not deere vnto them much lesse their labors to be spent for the good of Gods Church and people by whose ioint indevours and single and sincere dealings in common conference for the search of trueth that honorable vnitie of veritie might bee established But if the multitude of crooked and side respects which are the onely olouds that eclipse the trueth from shining more lightly on the face of the world and the only prickes which so enfroward mens affections as not to consider and follow what were for the best doe cause that this chiefe vnitie findeth small acceptation as it is to bee feared at leastwise that the endlesnesse ill fruites of these contentions which tend mainely to the encrease of Athenisme within of Mahomatisme abroad by which obstinacy the Iewes shake the faith of Christians taint the better mindes of acerbity load the words with poyson which breake so out in their actions which themselues thinke holiest namely the defence of Gods trueth which each side chalengeth that in thinking they offer vp a pleasing sacrifice to God they give cause of wicked ioy vnto his their enemies that those wofull effectes with very tedious wearinesse may draw both parts in fine to some tollerable reconciliation or to some vnity of charitie at leastwise to some such as may be least to eithers preiudice Let the one side give over their worshipping of Images and offfering supplication to Saints their offensive ceremonies their indulgences their vsing of strange language not vnderstoode in their devotions al which themselves confesse not to bee necessarie orders of the Church and such as at pleasure shee may dispence with yea Pope Clement the seaventh gave some hope to the French king that hee would not be stiffe in things of this quality and that the respect of time might iustifie the alteration and some of the later Popes condescended to them of Bauaria about the cup of the Sacrament hoping that would have contented them which since they or their successors have taken from them again On the other part let the Protestants such at leastwise as seeke to purge out that negative and contradictorie humour of thinking they are then rightest when they are vnlikest the Papacy then neerest to God 〈…〉 furthest from Rome Let them I say looke with the eye of charitie vpon them as well as of severitie and they shall finde some excellent order of government some singular â—elpes for increase of godlinesse and devotion for the conquering of sinne for the profiting of vertue and contrariwise in themselves looking with a more single and lesse indulgent eye then they doe they shall finde there is no such absolute perfection in their doctrine and reformation as some dreamers in the pleasing viewe of their owne actions doe fancie Neither ought they to thinke it strange they should bee amisse in any thing but rather a very miracle if they were not so in many For if those antient Fathers Sages of the Church who with greater helpes beeing neerer the time of puritie with equall industrie so spending their lives with lesse cause of vnsinceritie having nothing to seduce them notwithstanding were not able in their weakenesse and blindnesse of their humane nature in this world to soare vppe so high alwaies in the search of trueth as to finde out her right State in the height of the heavens but sometimes Errour to bee dwelling nearer them in steede thereof How lesse likely that our age more intangled with the worlde further remooved from those faultlesse institutions and so bitterly exasperated with mutuall controversies and conflictes should attaine to that excellencie and perfection of knowledge which it may bee God hath remooved from mans reach in this world to humble him and to increase his longing towards another world And as the present time doth discover sundry errors in the former so no doubt will the future in that which is now present so that ignorance and errour which seldome goe severed beeing no other then vnseperable companions of man so long as hee continueth in his terrestriall pilgrimage it can bee no blemish to them to revise their doctrine and to abate the rigor of certaine speculative opinions especially touching the eternall decrees of God the qualitie of mans nature the vse of workes wherein some of their chiefe Authors have come to such an vtter opposition to the Romist doctrine as to have exceedingly scandalized all othe Churches withall yea and many of their owne to rest very ill satisfied The state of truth is aloft that of vertve in the middest alwaies both places of honour but neither truth nor vertue draw to an vtter extreamitie And as in some points of doctrine so much more in their practise in order of government and ecclesiasticall degrees in solemnities and statelinesse in the service of God in some exercise of pietie devotion and humility especially in set fastings accompanied with due contrition of heart praier Besides in many other ceremonies they might easily with out offence of conscience at all frame to draw somewhat neerer to their opposites then now they are which yeelded on both sides a general and indifferent confession and summe of faith an vniforme Lyturgy a correspondent forme of Church-government to be made of the points both should agree in and to be established vniversally throughout all Christendome that this all Christians should necessarily hold and this their Divines in Pulpits should teach and this their people in Churches should exercise which done the vnitie of communion should remaine vnviolated for all other questions to be confined to the Schooles the Counsels and to the learned languages which are the proper places to trie them and it should bee lawfull for each man to beleeve as hee found cause not condemning others with
are Theoremes which few list to speculate The whole worlde running mainely to things sensible and present and to that which profiteth them in their owne particular though it bringeth with it a certaine hurt and finall ruine of the publique without the safetie where of to them that iudge things rightly neither any particular estate can prosper nor the most prosperous estate continue long 22 But the benefite which the Papacie doth draw from these Friars consisteth in this point accommodating and yeelding content It stands in the multitude of harts of tungues and pennes dispersed in all countries but vnited in his service of men of most furie and furious zeale who with incessant industry and resolutenes incredible give over no travell leave no exploit so difficult or desperate vnattempted for the vphoulding of the Papacie and advancing of that religion On which all their comfort and credite in this life all their hope of prerogative in the life to come dependeth beeing of the other side esteemed for the most lowsie companions the most vnprofitable droanes the most devouring locusts the most reprobate ignoble ignominious and wicked race that ever the world was pestred with in summe more vile than the very mire they tread on There was never yet state so wel plotted in this world or furnisht with such store of instrumeÌ„ts to imploy in his service as to be able to practise perswade with the multitude otherwise than in their publike assemblies or other meetings the Papacy onely excepted who by reason of the infinitenesse of these religious people all made out of other folkes stuffe and maintained at other folkes charge is able and dooth deale in publique and private as occasion requireth with men women children of how meane estate soever instructing exhorting confirming adiuring and kindling them in such sort as maketh fittest for their driâ—e for the end proposed though there is difference in force of operation betweene private perswations and those publique preachings where the hearâ—rs according to the vse of mans nature neglect that in particular which is commended to their regard in common though easie to conceive yet they onely can sufficiently perhaps esteeme who have seene a Friar an abandon of the world a man wholy rapt with divine affections and extasies his apparrell denouncing all earthly vanities his countenance preaching severitie penance and discipline breathing nothing but sighes for the hatred of sinne his eyes lifted vpwards as fixed on his loyes his head bowed one the one side with tendernesse of love and humility extending his ready hands to lay hold on menâ— soules to snatch them out of the fiery lawes of that gaping blacke Dragon and to place them in the path that conducteth to Paradice When such a man I say shall addresse himseâ—â—e to a woman whose sex hath beene famous ever for devotion and credulousnesse or to any other vulgar person of what sort soever perswading and beseeching with all plausible motions of reason yea with sigheâ— of feare and teares of love instanting and importuning no other thing at their hands then onely this to be content to suffer God to save their soules and to receive them vnto everlasting happinesse which they shall certainly attaine by rancking themselves with the heavenly armies of God that is by ioyning themselves to the Church of Christ and his Vicar And this againe and againe are sundry times teached and pursued with shew of incredible care of their good without seeking other meede or commoditie to himselfe save only of being the instrument of a soules salvation Is it to be marvelled if such a man be received as an Angell of God sent expresly for their salvations to whom he commeth though he prevaile and possesse them in such forcible sort as that no accesse remaine for any contrarie perswasion that nothing so violent which they will not attempt nothing so deere which they will not bestowe for the advancement of that Church by which themselves hope finally to bee so highly exalted And although all Friars being of so divers mettall are not able to play their parts so naturally and with such perfection as some that I have seene yet beeing trained vp in the same schoole they all hold one course and certainely by their dealing with men at single hand in private by particular applyed perswasions which though they vse not continually yet doe they not neglect it whensoever â— oportunity doth require They prevaile as experience doth daily shew exceedingly 23 What now may I say of their readinesse to vndertake Bloody executiâ—ns by Fryars Priests and resolutenesse to execute what act how dangerous and desperate soever that may tend to the advancement of their side and order I need not seeke farre backe nor farre off for examples The late Henry of France slaine traiterously by a Iacobin this King wounded by a Scholler of the Iesuites the one for want of zeale only in their violent courses the other as misdoubted of sinceritie in his conversion may shew what measure their professed enemies were to attend if they could have as open and ready accesse vnto them Againe this King went in danger of his life a long while sought by a Capâ—â—chin having vndertaken it as it was said at the instigation of certaine Iesuites of Lorreine to dispatch him whose picture being brought to Paris by the Marquise Du Pont search was made for him and at length he was taken and executed together with another Iacobine for the same crime And vvhat may it be thought these men vvould not do being commanded by their Generals vvhom they have vovved to obey And in the Popes necessarie service and vvith his expressed desire vvho are carried vvith so desperate rage and furie against vvhatsoever impediments their bare conceits vvithout vvarrant of higher authority present vnto them and is in violent attempts to be executed by themselves they are men resolved and hardly as having no posterity to be oppressed by their ruine which of all other things doth most containe men in duetie So in exciting the multitude of sedition or tumult in favor of their cause and of their Catholike religion they are as sedulous and secret vsing opportunitie of confession to practise the vulgar with annexing such conditions to the absolutions they give them as the turne they intend to serve requireth A point very memorable in weighing the manifold fruites which at this day that Sacrament beareth for the Papacie as hath beene discovered at Paris that certaine Confessours having taken a solemne promise of their penitents that they would live and die in the Catholike religion yea and die for it also if neede shall require have enioyed them therevpon to oppose by all meanes against the verefying of the Kings Edictes for the Protestants Soone after ensued a generall rumour and terrour of new massacres though vpon no ground that I can learne The multitude of friers 24 But amongst many other points to bee regarded in these Friars the very