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
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
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
you He saith not goe to Moses or to Abraham or have you recourse to Jacob but come to me all both poore and rich men and women whosoever yee be how great sinners soever all yee that are weary with any griefe or affliction for any disease or any affaires whatsoever and I will comfort you and be assured yee shall finde consolation Is there any Saint in the world to whom we have so great reason to addresse our selves as to Jesus Christ our God who ever hath commanded and provoked us to come to him who hath called and charged us who hath ever said come to me who hath given us so great confidence and to whom ought we to beleeve and to trust so much is there any Saint so able to assist us and who can comfort us so much in all our afflictions and heale us so well of our diseases or so quickly and powerfully helpe us in all our crosses as he Is there any Saint that hath assured us so much of his good will towards us Is there any Saint in whom and on whom we can trust and repose our selves so freely To what purpose then should we goe and addresse our selves rather to the Saints than to him who is our God and omnipotent Father and who infinitely desireth our wellfare It is easie by that which I have said and which I am to say to answer the objection Papists commonly have and imagine to be strong drawne from the comparison of Princes and Mediatours which men use to goe to them and to doe their businesse the better for it is not so in God we goe not directly to Princes either because they know us not or because we are not sure of their affection towards us or if they be minded to doe us good but this hath no place in God for we are certaine he loveth us and desireth and willeth our good it is moreover his will and he commandeth us to come to him so we have no need to interpose others and having no commandement to doe it nor example in holy Scripture nor any reason in the world we cannot doe it without offence And we need not doubt but the Apostles had a sufficient inclination to honour the Saints which were before them yet we see not in any place of Scripture that ever any of the Apostles did invoke any of the Saints either before or after the death of our Saviour or that he ever recommended that doctrine if this had been an Article of faith and of so great importance doe yee not thinke they would have left something of it in some one of their Epistles or St Luke in the Acts which no where appearing it is a manifest signe Christ Jesus did never teach it and that it was never his will we should practice it Now if our Saviour hath not recommended it nor the Apostles taught it and if further it appeare they never practised â—o upon what reason and ground ought we to doe it Shall we thinke our selves wiser than Christ and his Apostles and doth it not appeare to be a humane invention and addition to the Word of God which is cursed from his mouth and threatned with an Anathema by the Apostle St Paul Besides if we interpose Christ who is our true and soveraigne Mediatour is there any that can deny that our prayers are not as well and better made as if we did interpose all the Saints to what purpose is it then to interpose St Pachomius St. Paphnutius St Anthony S te Theresias St John Gualbert and the like rather than Christ Jesus and leave him to goe to Saints which are nothing in comparison of him And there is no man who would not confesse but it is better to pray to God and to Jesus Christ than to the Saints and addresse our selves to him rather than to them because wee have a commandement for the one and not for the other Seeing then it is better to addresse our selves to God than to the Saints we having no commandement nor counsell in the holy Scripture nor any example in the lives of the Apostles who were better Christians than wee and who had a greater inclination and affection than wee to honour the Saints with what reason should wee doe it We ought therefore to reject this as a humane invention and a superstition invented by the Romish Church and which is threatned with Anathema CHAP. XVIII That Profit temporall is the cause of the Invocation of Saints and Images in the Romish Church AS it is manifest that the Romish Church is wholy builded upon utilitie and profit so is game and lucre the principall cause of the article of the invocation of Saints and images for when the Clergie did perceive that the people commonly inclined to superstition using to passe many nights at the Sepulchres and Tombes of the Martyrs in fasting and prayers praysing and blessing God for their constancy did begin to pray to them upon the assurance of their felicitie and hope that their soules being immortall might heare them and have credit enough with God to helps them and charitie sufficient to imploy themselves for them they did not reprove them for this superstition but were glad to finde out these means and use the occasion to draw profit therefrom Thence came to passe that the Priests did resolve to place the Images of such Saints and Martyrs in their Temples although they were not buried there to the end the people relinquishing the Tombes and Sepulchres where their bodies did rest might come see and pray to them represented in their Churches and so comming to make their prayers might leave some offering imagining well they would not returne without shewing their liberalities in favour of the Saint but where the Priest the keeper of the Saint should ever have the best part And that abuse in short time grew to such a disorder that every Priest laboured in emulation one of another to place the most Images of Saints as was possible in his Church especially to set up those the people most esteemed and to which they came most willingly and furthest so that in the end many Temples are become true Pantheons there being no corner where some big or small Saint had not place and I have seene in some Churches where for want of place to erect all their Images in Bosse their Pictures were confusedly drawne one by another as the 15000 Virgins are shewing onely their faces to the end that whatsoever Saints the people desired to adore and pray to they might be found in their Temples And when they perceived some Saints to be more prayed to and in greater request than others they were not content onely to set their Images in the Churches to dedicate and consecrate Temples to them but the avarice of Priests hath invented fraternities and Congregations in their honour which bearing their name professe themselves chiefly affected and devoted to those Saints and to combate and live under their
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
in Christ Jesus If no condemnation then there is neither eternall nor temporall fire And our Saviour saith Ioh. 5.24 Joh. 5.29 He that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life He saith not from death to Purgatory but to life eternall You may see as I suppose the negative of Purgatory which we are not obliged to do more cleerly proved than its affirmative which the Church of Rome should not maintain without evident Scripture But this is not all for you shall see more yet In the book of Wisdom 4.7 which they hold to be Canonicall Wis 4.7 Though the righteous be prevented with death yet shall he be in rest He sendeth not him to Purgatory there to be punished and tormented as doth the Pope of Rome that he may have occasion to imploy his Indulgences and the prayers of the Clergie And Revel 2.10 Continue faithfull unto the end Revel 2.10 14.13 and I will give thee the crown of life And in the 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Is that to rest from their labours to enter into flaming fire which is of the same nature with that of the damned Is that to rest from their labours to be burnt for an hundred or it may be for a thousand yeers For if they be seven yeers for one mortall sin as they tearme it they must be very just who are there for fewer than an hundred yeers for there are but few which commit not many sins in a yeer and some men above five hundred and if they die in the faith and have repented those are they of which S. John speaketh saying Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and therefore it is not true of them that they rest from their labours if they go to Purgatory but rather that they enter into new labours and torments incomparably greater and more insupportable the least quarter of an houre than all the torments of this life so to establish and maintain Purgatory they must renounce the holy Scriptures and the Word of God And in Ecclesiasticus which they hold also to be Canonicall Ecles 22.11 it is said 22.11 Make not much weeping for the dead for he is at rest Seven dayes do men mourn for him that is dead If he be in Purgatory and in the fire and flames is he in repose and have not men reason to mourn and bewail them more than seven dayes Finally if there is a Purgatory all those passages will be found false but all those passages being true the doctrine of Purgatory is false and lying And as for the ease which the souls in Purgatory are said to receive by the prayers of the living Eccles 9.5 6. it is said in Eccles chap. 9.5 6. The dead know not any thing neither have they a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun If they have no portion in the works of this age then all the merits and prayers which are applyed to them by the Pope and his Clergie and by men profit them nothing Judge now I beseech you if those passages and an infinite number of the like which I might alledge are not cleer against the doctrine of Purgatory and notwithstanding of all that they will establish it in the Church of Rome upon some very obscure passages labouring to strike terrour in the hearts of the living telling them that Christ hath not satisfied abundantly nor efficaciously that his passion hath not been of vertue sufficient to save us which is properly to say that it hath not had force and sufficiency enough to redeeme us and satisfie the wrath of his Father for our sins which is a doctrine repugnant to the infinite merits of Christ and to the love which he hath carried to mankind and to his word also but moreover that we must satisfie by our own proper works and sufferings either in this or the other world and do say they as S. Paul teacheth us by those words Coloss 1.24 I reioyce in my sufferings for you Colos 1.24 and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church whereof I am made a Minister There do they conclude that there is something remaining besides the passion of Christ which we must perfect our selves by our own sufferings and so that there is something wanting in the passion of Christ and some defect and imperfection which we must accomplish for though they use not those tearmes yet that is the true sence of their doctrine But they should consider that St. Paul calleth the over-plus of the afflictions of Christ the tribulations and sufferings of the faithfull in which our Saviour suffereth yet every day as in his members reputing their afflictions his and of his own members And in that which S. Paul said that he suffered for the Church whereof he was a Minister it is not to say for her redemption reconciliation or satisfaction but for her edification as he saith in another place that he indured all things for the elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ with eternall glory 2 Tim. 2.10 2 Tim. 2.10 Now we must not imagine there was any thing wanting to the passion of our Saviour to satisfie abundantly and efficaciously for all men and all their sins to the justice of God his Father or that all that we can contribute of ours doth render it more perfect and powerfull it is blasphemie to beleeve it and out of all doubt it is to wrong the infinite merits of the blood of the Son of God One drop whereof was capable to redeeme perfectly an hundred thousand worlds if there were so many and satisfie abundantly and perfectly for all sins and the crime and punishment of them and blessed is he who putteth his whole trust and confidence in the passion of Christ and on the contrary he is accursed from Gods own mouth who putteth his confidence in man and in his wayes and works for he shall undoubtedly be confounded Notwithstanding of this the Church of Rome saith that Christ by his death and passion hath not fully and perfectly satisfied for the sins of men but only for a part of them the crime to wit and not for the punishment and that we ought to make satisfaction in this life or after our death in Purgatory either by our selves or by the satisfaction of good men who apply their good works to us and because Church-men did beleeve that they should be esteemed those godly men and that people would run to them rather than to others to beg their help and so that it was an open gate to them and an occasion of great profit this is the cause wherefore
thinke it is his good deeds which have merited the crowne to him No truly for many would doe a great deale better greater and more laudable actions who will not therefore enjoy that possession and heritage but it is the onely goodnesse of the King which is the cause and his onely voluntary and free adoption which giveth him right to that succession So fareth it in this matter By faith in Christ wee are adopted to be his children and heires of his glory and as his adopted children we ought to strive to please him in all things and if we offend him and transgresse his commandements and commit crimes against him we make our selves unworthy of that heritage and of his favours and if we be not reconciled to him we shall be deprived thereof and never possesse it But if we be obedient to his Commandements and do our dutie those are not neverthelesse our good workes and actions which merit that favour for many may doe the like works and actions either of charitie of almes of justice honour father and mother or the like who not being adopted by faith shall not obtaine such an heritage nor the glory of God so wee must not trust to our workes and imagine they justifie and save us And if it be sometimes said in the Scripture that the recompence followeth the workes and if we doe well we shall have our reward or the like Wee must not thinke this recompence followeth the workes and is precisely given for their merits but because of the faith in Christ and in his promises which accompany them or rather which give them their excellence I confesse that in former times when I would make a serious reflex upon the workes which I did which were esteemed good and ranked amongst the best in the eyes of the world as fastings austerities mortification of the flesh suffering of cold watching and many such things which are common enough in the Congregation where I was when I had done all that I was able to make them perfect and meritorious and when I joyned all the zeale puritie and love of God was possible I did notwithstanding ever finde so many inward defects and imperfections that I could never perswade my selfe they were of great efficacy before God to merit his favour or any heavenly recompences they afflict indeed and bring downe the body and make it more able and apt to obey the Spirit which was St Pauls end and if they be not discreetly used they bring men into many infirmities and diseases but that they might merit Gods favour or glory or be capable to deliver a soule out of Purgatory or satisfie for our sins I could never firmely beleeve any such thing And I know certainly from the knowledge which the governing of a multitude of soules hath taught me this doctrine doth so little assure the consciences that there are none but fooles and presumptuous persons which thinke to merit Gods favour or heaven to themselves or to others thereby And all wise men agree in this that there is nothing but a quickning faith can justifie us before God and howsoever the doctrine of the Church of Rome maketh faith to be onely the ground and faith it is the love of God which justifieth with the ground of faith yet this love of God well explained with the ground of faith it seemeth to be no other thing than a quickning faith by charitie and a beliefe and confidence in the merits of Christ and his promises and so I thinke that the agreement would not be very hard to be made in this point Neverthelesse the Romish Clergie principally the Fryars making but little mention of faith as if it were not of so great importance preach nothing but workes and especially of the body as fasting mortification of the flesh disciplines haire-cloaths and the like and chiefly Almes and it seemeth even in hearing them that the doctrine of good works is all brought to this head and they doe it purposely and all that say they is comprehended under the word Penitence which John the Baptist did preach in the Wildernesse though he understood a repentance from sin and amendment of life And because by Almes men deprive themselves of some commodities that is also comprehended by them under the word Penitence and they know well enough how to illustrate this doctrine by other passages out of Scripture I may say from sufficient knowledge that which our Saviour said of the Pharisees Mat. 23.3 Maâ— 23.3 might be justly enough applyed to them to wit Doe not after their workes for they say and doe not for they binde heavie burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers but all their workes they doe for to be seene of mâ—n Vers 2â— And vers 27. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for yee are like unto whited Sepulchres which indeed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones of all uncleannesse Even so yee also outwardly appeare righteous unto men but within yee are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie For many preach fasting which love good cheare and do fast as seldome as they can many preach the hairecloath which never made use of it and so of other things which I will explaine no further But because they know well that the people like not much those austerities and corporall mortifications and doe not willingly practise them and that they are beleeved amongst the vulgar to doe many such things because of the externall appearance and they labour of purpose to seeme austere they make them beleeve that their almes will satisfie for all and that if they will become benefactours of their Churches and Orders or be of their Congregations and third Orders or joyne themselves to their fraternities of the scapulaire or girdle and the like or be adopted children of their Orders they will make them partakers of all the good workes which have been are and shall be done amongst them now and for ever through all ages to come for words are of great vertue in those matters What a great number are done amongst them and how and in what excellency and perfection all those fine workes whereof they brag so much and make such a noise in the eares of the people and whereof some prefer themselves to others are done ordinarily they know what I might say and that they have but small ground of glory but howsoever it is they promise them or if I durst say they sell them for they give nothing for naught and that with a number of fine and specious ceremonies to allure others and when they adopt them for spirituall children they give them large Patents sealed with as broad Seales as those of a Chancellary whereby they declare unto them that in vertue thereof they make them partakers of all their austerities fastings haire-cloaths mortifications disciplines prayers pilgrimages voyages travels
with the actions and practises of the Romish Church which wanting true faith cannot have true holinesse But the reformed Protestant Church retaining true faith which was preached by Christ and his Apostles is also onely capable of sanctity and as that faith is the onely Catholike faith so is the name of Catholike justly due to it excluding all others and the Romish Church not holding this faith it cannot nor ought to be holden for a Catholique Church nor ought the Papists be called Catholiques And now to begin the comparison betwixt them by the house of God and Churches if you enter in the Popish Churches you may it is true see in most of them many fine pictures rich carvings and rare inventions some in Marble stone some Jaspar some in Porphar and other materials where gold and azure are not wanting yee may observe also their stately architects great number of rich ornaments of all usuall colours of damask sattin velvet cloth of gold and silver laid over and garnished with precious laces and embroyderings there ye may find also many vessels and utensils and boxes for reliques of gold and silver In a word a multitude of curious and sumptuous objects very fit to delight the eye and which agree better with the ancient ceremoniall Church than with that of the Gospel and we may say all those magnificences are but vanity before God if it be not accompanied with devotion Psal 45.14 because all the glory of the Kings daughter saith the Psalmist is within and in the heart but that is much wanting in the Romish Church for if you go into their Churches especially the Parish Churches in time of publique Service ye shall see few that pray to God or seem attentive to the mysteries but many prating or doing worse here dogs playing there little children crying while in the mean time some Priests are in singing for the most part confusedly without respect or reverence and things which almost none of the people understand and there is commonly such a noise that it resembleth rather a Market than the house of God this I say with that which followeth for them who have not seen those things But in the reformed Churches praised be God it is not so and I have received very great comfort and edification seeing the silence which is kept there both before and in the time of Service how every one carrieth his Bible and book of Prayer to read them with the Ministers if they cannot hear how everie one singeth devoutly and orderly without haste or anticipation endeavouring to smell and taste the meaning of those holy words and if there be any thing to be further desired in this it is to follow the notes exactly to keep a greater uniformitie as they do in the reformed Churches of France and Holland and to that end that the Clerks were Musicians enough that they might be the more exact therein and that the notes and tones were so easie that they might be the better sung by all the people as it is in other places For it is true that a devout and harmonious singing raiseth the spirit much to God and comforteth and maketh glad the soul Thence was it that the divine Psalmist was wont to sing his Psalmes not only with his voice but on the harp and organs and other musicall instruments on which he exhorteth us to sing and praise God as he did but using them or not using in the Church being not a point of faith but of discipline onely it ought wholly to be remitted to the disposition of the Church to which every one ought to joyn inseparably and submit himself in humilitie of spirit so long as she doth continue orthodox and we ought to beleeve that the assistance of the holy Ghost shall never be wanting to her in every point of discipline expedient for the salvation of the faithfull And I will say further to the glory of God and to the edification of the Reader that not onely in Churches but even in private houses God is better served than amongst the Papists for amongst them there are never any prayers almost in publike and I remember seldome to have seen any such thing practised in an infinite number of houses both of Nobles and others where I have been but in the Reformed Churches it is almost common amongst the Nobles and it is very ordinarily practised amongst the people and if there be any defect in that dutie we may say the mixture and bad example of Papists hath been a great cause thereof here But it is credible that all things will be amended by the zeal of this Honorable Parliament and the discipline of the faithfull will be altogether throughly reformed against all the imprecations of Arminians and Papists false Prophets and ill fore-tellers of the confusion which they doe wish to this Kingdome but the Ecclesiasticall discipline of the Reformed Churches in France which you may see Englished shew evidently that good and happy order may be established in Church-government without such connivances with Popish fashions Now let us come to the solemnities of the Sabbaths and holy dayes it is certain that the Pope minding more the profit of his Priests than the salvation of his flock hath instituted too many holidayes in the Romish Church to the great hurt questionlesse of poore people who cannot conveniently be so often idle but hath need to work more to gain their living and therefore complain often and the institution of God hath been very discreet in ordering six dayes to labour and the seventh to rest and spend the same in his service and if in some places of the Reformed Churches the people be commanded to keep close their shops some other dayes through policie that is onely to give some time of recreation to the Apprentises and those who are not in libertie not under any precept of sin or damnation as doth the Pope and the Romish Church to keep holy dayes as strictly as the Sundayes but onely under some pain or pecuniarie penaltie and we see that in the Romish Church the holidaies and Sundayes being of equall obligation they are observed equally that is very evill for they will go it may be to some Monastery if there be any or to some other place and heare a little Masse for a quarter or half an houre which they hear even for the most part very irreverently and onely for fashions sake and because it is commanded under pain of sin and this is all the sanctification the most part give to holy dayes and Sabbaths in that which concerneth the worship and in the time of the publique Service which is of the great Masse the Mattins and Vespers in towns where they may have half-houre Masses at command there is almost no body in Parish Churches but the Priest and some few women and folk whom they terme commonly Image-eaters and superstitieux the rest of the time is spent either in Tavernes which are open all
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