verbo sacerdot here 's 4. Euseb li. 4. ca 23. Niceph. lib. 4. cap. 55. not by Gods institution either in the olde or newe Testament annexed to priesthood or Episcopacy and yet as euident it is that now it is generally obserued throughout the pontifician Church to promise chastity but not to keepe it and can any pontifician shewe mee when the custome of adioining of the promise of chast life to priesthood and other holy orders begun no I wis some attributing it to Siricius Pope others to Gregory the first others to Gregory the second others to Gregory the seuenth and what must it be therefore an Apostolicall tradition The Apostles will tell you in one of their Canons where they haue thus decreed e Can. 6. Let not a Bishop or Priest by any meanes vnder pretence of Religion cast off his owne wife but if he shal cast her off let him be excommunicated and if he perseuere let him bee deposed thus they This their tradition they learned not of f Ignati Epist ad Philadâ—lp Ignatius nor g Iâ—â—o Epist 85. Leo the first Pope nor out of the sixth Generall Synode nor the Councell of Gangres nor out of the first Councell of Toledo out of which Gratian h Dist 34. Can. is qui noâ— habet relateth a Canon the seuenteenth in number that he who hath not a wife must or may haue a concubine vnlesse those fathers thought a wife or a Concubine necessary for the laickes only in that hot climate but were perswaded sufficiently of the Continency of their Clergy if so out alasse how is Spaine now become so reretrograde and therefore the permission for concubines in steed of wiues excuseth not them yet by their leaue curteous Reader I cannot but thinke that the like merry custome with that which i Lib. de praesulib simâ—â—iacis Clemangis recordeth is some occasion out of this Canon to wit that the people were so perswaded of their Clergies incontinency that in many parishes they would not otherwise accept of their Priests vnlesse they had their concubines thereby as they thought prouiding for the chastity of their wiues And truly if they would but seriously consider what turpitudes impunities nefarious and abhominable lusts haue repleated the Romane Clergy both religious and secular they would haue little cause to bragge of this their Tradition Apostolicall but this surely is as much Apostolicall as that their other most friuolous and irreligious vse of their hallowed graynes meddals c. the which as they are generally obserued receiued and beleeued throughout the whole Pontifician Church so it is as manifest that they are meere nouelties without any seeming shew of Antiquity at all And yet as nouell as they are to find out the precise beginning of them it would trouble their best Antiquary Let any one of them do it and he shall weare the Lawrell bough for his paines Their vniuersall vse of their round Wafercakes which they vse in their most religious seruice at Masse and for their consecrations will they call them Apostolicall who would not laugh thereat and yet very nouell they are although no expresse beginning of them can be shewed by any aduersary What said I no expresse beginning of them yes the Author of the Roman order as Cassander in his Liâ—urgick reporteth at the beginning bringing in of them into the Church greatly complaineth against them because insteed of great loaues which were offered before by It is very probable that Round wafers and eleuation came into gether but it can not by any Pontifician whatsoeuer be specified when they precisely were brought in although Gâ—mma animae seemeth to bring them in aboue a thousand a hundred yeeres after Christ Gem. an cap. 29. some cite idly a sentence out of Epiphan in Ancorat for this purpose the people now such scraps to vse his words were brought and offered Doubtlesse when Idolatry grew ripest and the eleuation most frequent then came in the round wafers for in all antiquitie there is no other mention made of other bread of the Eucharist then such as good Christian women made at home brought with them to the Churches to be offered and distributed Whereof themselues also tooke part at the holy communion and carried also part away home in cleane linnen cloathes to receiue at conuenient times as Tertulian k Tertul. lib. 2. ad vxorem reporteth whose saying the Papists abuse Such is also their obseruations of Lent as it precisely consisteth of fortie sixe daies of fast and abstinence containing Sundaies and Feries and I challenge any aduersary to shew me a beginning of such a precise Lent of sixe and fortie daies They cannot doe it What must it be therefore in this precise fashion a tradition Apostolicall who would not smile thereat to heare of such a tradition who haue read l Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 24 Socrat lib. 5. ca 21 Zozamen lib. 7. cap. 19. See Niceph lib. 11. cap. 34. 35. Eusebius Socrates Zozomenus three ancient Historians well acquainted wiâ—h the Lents of the Primitiue Churches who doe so differently distinguish the different obseruation of Lent in diuers Apostolicall Churches of the East and West that whereas Saint Hierome and Saint Ignatius affirme that the fast oâ— Lent or Quadragesme is a tradition Apostolicall they must not be vnderstood of the precise fast of forty daies or sixe and fortie daies abstinence vsed by the Romanes but of some certaine set fast before the holy feast of Easter which was diuersly obserued according to the diuers acceptances of the Catholike and Apostolicall Churches of those times Heare Saint Austen much for this purpose clearly pronouÌ„cing If you m August Epis 8â— ad Cassâ—â— aske my opinion concerning this matter of fasting I finde in the writings of the Euangelists and the Apostles and all the new Testament that we are commaunded to fast but what daies must we fast and what daies we must not fast I finde it not determined by any commaundement of Christ or his Apostles Thus he I haue beene very large courteous Reader in producing many instances to shew that rule of theirs to be vaine vpon which their traditions are built to wit that whatsoeuer the Romane Church generally obscrueth whereof no beginning can be shewed that must needs be a tradition Apostolical infinite like instances might be made yea and most iustly and soundly in all such rites lawes customes and articles of faith which they teach contrary to the true reformed Churches But I haue heere produced so many that I thinke my selfe to haue beene too carefull in prouing that which otherwise of it selfe is most cleare but seeing the life of the Romane religion resteth vpon traditions which they pretend to be Apostolicall ouerthrow them and downe must all that same religion as a learned Priest lately in this house acknowledged to my selfe being vrged thereunto by force of argument and euidence of truth And so to
and yet should neuer vse the same being so much m Acts. cap. 6. 13. giuen to prayers and preaching but celebrate the diuine misteries with our Lords prayer onely as not onely n Greg. lib. 7. Epist. 64 Cardin Cusan ep 7. Ama larius de Eccle. officys lid 3. Rupert de diuinis off lib. 2. Hieron lib. 3. contra Pelag. Naucler Platina Cassander alii Saint Gregorie but diuers others doe deliuer vsing a Lyturgie as it is described by Saint Iustine doubtlesse more like the English Lyturgie then the Romane Masse I obserued also that downe must the authoritie of all those Historians Platina Almarius Polidore Durandus Durantus and very many others who attribute the institution and ordaining of all parts of the Masse to diuers Popes liuing long after the Apostles down also must that notable miracle written by o Iacobus in vita Grego primi Iacobus à Voragine an Archbishop amongst them in Italy at Genoa the miracle was thus and shewed in the time of Adrian Pope when there was great contention in the Church about the Canon of the Masse Thus it was the missall of Gregorie was laid with that of Saint Ambrose together vpon the Altar in Saint Peters Church and left thereupon all night that God would vouchsafe by miracle to demonstrate which of those two he would approue for the vse of the whole westerne Church God did so accordingly saith the wise Archbishop For the missall of Saint Gregorie was * The Roman Canon hath euer worst successe at such trials for as it was heere rent so Don Rodrigo Archbishop of Toledo aboue 300. and 40. yeares ago reporteth lib 6. cap. 25. of his historie that when trial was made betwixt the Gothian and Toletan Canon and the Romane first by priuate combate of two Knights after by fire et both trials the Toletan Canon preuailed the Knight for the Romane Canon was ouercome and at the second triall the fire consumed the Popes Canon that of Toledo being vntouched rent into leaues and cast vp and downe the bodie of the Church but that of Saint Ambrose laid open vpon the Altar readie to be read and so those ancient sages with Adrian their head gathered that the renting of Saint Gregories missall and scattering of the leaues of the same about the Church did shew that it was Gods will that the same should be vsed throughout the whole westerne Church but Saint Ambroses missall because it was laid open in Saint Peters Church vpon an Altar as readie to be there vsed therefore the same forsooth must be vsed onely in Saint Ambroses Church of Millane What wise coniecturer would not rather haue gathered the contrarie that the missall of Ambrose should be vsed but that of Gregorie despised but had you gone O ye Pontificians ad legem ad testimonium to the law and testimonie to the diuine Scriptures as you p Isai 8. are commaunded and not tempt God with expecting of testimonies from the dead which is dangerous superstitious damnable you would neuer haue so shamefully forgotten your selues And how is it imaginable that if the Apostles instituted a Canon of Masse deliuered to the Romane Church which also Saint Ambrose being made of a Catechumen a Bishop could not but find vsed and practised in his Church of Millane how durst that Bishop afterwards attempt to frame a new Canon for his Church omitting to vse that of the Apostles but perhaps he vsed theirs in the forenoone his own in the afternoone or else the two Canons had their turnes one after another Alas how are the sages of Pharaoh caught in their coniecturing And consider Christian Reader how can this miracle stand if the Canon of Masse had beene instituted by the Apostles and accordingly had beene practised both in France and Italy and other Churches for I hope Masse was said throughout Italie and France before the miracle what needed then Charles the Great to haue assisted with his Imperiall authoritie Adrian the Pope for the bringing in to vse the missall of * It is meere vanity to think that the Canon as it is now was so in Saint Gregories daies Saint Gregorie and the exclusion of that of Saint Ambrose Millane onely excepted where it is now vsed from all other Churches away away with these vanities Againe I demaund how could Scholasticus a priuate person of the Church or Citie of Rome or some otâ—er Church although p Bellarm. lib. 2. de missa cap. 12. Bellarmine the profound Cardinall would to the laughter of all faine q Bellarmine called great pillar of the Church and the Auflen of our time by Eudaemon in his confutation of Anticott pa. 48. haue Saint Peter signified vnder the name of Scholasticus compose the Canon of the Masse if the Apostles had made it and the whole Christian westerne Church had practised it before Did Saint Gregorie know that the Apostle made the Canon and that Scholasticus was onely gatherer or setter together in some better methode of that which the Apostles had composed and the Church of Rome in some sort perhaps neglected till Scholasticus his time and so to need his ordering and amending doubtlesse S. Gregorie nameth r M. Thomas Iames worthily obserueth out of S. Gregorie that Scholastians was a vsual name and often mentioned in S. Greg. lib. 2. epist missa scholastico duci lib. 9. epist 14. epist missa scholastic defensori lib. 7. ep 32. lib. 6. ep 26. lib. 3. ep 38. lib. 6. cp 45. alias Scholasticus as a man wel known to Iohn of Siracuse to whom he wrote that Epistle and I thinke it would proue the wits of Bellarmine and all the Ignatians to find where S. Peter or any of the twelue Apostles were surnamed by the name Scholasticus if S. Gregorie knew this why doth he not expresse it nay why doth he most expresly insinuate the contrary affirming expresly that the Apostles celebrated the dreadful misteries only with the Lords praier In his 64 Epistle of his 7. booke these are his words Orationem vero dominicam c. the Lords praier we therefore said presently after the praiers because it was the custome of the Apostles that they did consecrate the host of oblation at our Lords prayor onely and it seemed to me verie inconuenient that wee should say the prayer which Scholastious had composed ouer the oblation and should not vse the tradition which our Lord had composed ouer his bodie and bloud Thus most expresly Saint Gregorie the which authoritie must downe to the ground or else S. Gregorie be appeached of equiuocating or of ignorance that he knew not the tradition vpon which the Canon of Masse was founded as our present Romanists would now perswade the world But nothing be it neuer so manifest must ouerthrow the Canon of their Masse which indeed is the verie life of the present Pontifician Church and the liuelihood of their Priests Monkes and Prelates and yet through
authoritie command and Breefes notwithstanding some of them doe practise I could not but resolue to leaue off conference with them remembring that of the f Isai 6. Act. 28. Prophet Esay vnto the Iewes and vsed also by the Apostle S. Paul in like case Incrassatum est cor populihuius c. The heart of this people is become grosse and with their eares they haue heard heauily and they haue closed their eies lest perchance they should see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and bee conuerted and I heale them This their estate as I did and do from the very bottome of my heart lament so it did greatly increase my doubts mustring themselues to my Conscience against the nouell traditions and vncatholike doctrines of the Church of Rome whereof Christian Reader with thy patience and good acceptance I will communicate part to thy courteous view not because I esteeme my selfe so learned as though I were able to produce any new learning neuer thought on before for in very deed I doe ranke my selfe amongst the meanest of Gods seruants and Priests nor because I doe seeke in matters of Religion to bee applauded by the worlds iudgement or to please humaine censures but alonely that thou maist consider vpon how waightie inducements I haue relinquished the intollerable and pernicious burthen of humaine traditions reared vp against Gods institution that if thou bee wauering from the Firmament of Truth of Gods word and holy ancient Church thou maist with mee bee staied if thou art alreadie seduâ—ed as I haue been thou maist be reclaimed to the sweet yoke of Iesus Christ My heart bleeds to thinke how many in this Kingdome and some of them my speciall acquaintance vertuously and zealously disposed are caried away with most dangerous errors obtruded vnto them only vpon the Roman Bishops prerogatiue of not erring and yet heauen and earth proclaimes that Popes may erre and be Heretikes God of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to open their eies that they may receiue the charity of Truth that they may see that defection and apostasie accomplished in them and their defendants which the g 2 ad Thess 2 vessell of election so long agoe forâ—told and whereof the Prophet and h Apoc. 17. Apostle in his Reuelation so clearelie discourseth shewing that Kings and Nations should be drunke and be bewitched with the Cup of Romes Fornications Fornications hee saith thereby most clearely demonstrating that some Romane Church or Congregation for most cleare it is and best Pontificians deny it not that of Rome hee prophecieth earst a Spouse but after a Strmpet in respect of her spirituall aduoutries first pure but after most impure first Christian but after Antichristian for her doctrines and practises against the most pure doctrine and humble conuersation of Christ first with a cup of Christian simplicity in her hands deuoid of humane dregs but after with a i Ibidem cup full of abominations and corruptions with which shee should delude all Nations and Kingdomes of the earth making merchandize negotiating with the souls of men the which if it should not be already fulfilled in the Roman Church it must bee heereafter at least if the Prophet truly haue forespoken The later of which especiallie touching the merchandizing of soules in auarice how clearlie it is already compleated in the Roman Church diuers earnest professors agreeing in all points of faith with the Romane Church in their times will plainely b In ementitam Constantini donationem testifie a Saepissime as Baptista Mantuanus c In Henr. 3. Valla Robertus Lincolriensis in c Matthew of Paris d In Epist 1. ad Titum Claudius Espencaeus S. e â—ab Cons ad Eugenium Bernard f Constitut Imperial pag. 39 Frederike the Emperour in his Epistle to all Prelates g Baronius 992. Arnulphus in a Synod at Rhemes in Baronius and read Baronius also in the yeere 912. where you shall find him affirming how at the lust of whores diuers Popes most wicked luxurious and auaricious were thrust into Peters chaire and how that custome lasted not for a short while only * Claudius Espencaeus as hee is now set forth is vvholly corrupted you must read his first Edition All these with infinite others do demonstrate the corruptions of the Roman Church would God effectually for the conuersion of seduced soules Wherein I can conceiue no great hope first of all such popish seruants as reape profitte or liuing by that profession nor of such children as are vnder the command of some obstinate recusants nor of any such bankrupts and malecontents as expect alterations and long for troubled waters to fish in nor of such scrupulous good soules as will not dare to peruse or read any part of holy Scripture though of the Rhemists Testament it selfe falsified with their Annotations lest they should proue Heretikes as some of them haue told me or else remaine perplexed in their Consciences nor of some of their Priests who are resolued for the maintenance of their credit conseruing of their meanes and some such other respects with their fauoritesses I meane such like fauours as will mooue men to trauell vp to Rome to procure dispensations for mariages and yet in their absences and long pilgrimages such painfull pilgrimes notwithstanding stripped of their fauouritesses by some of their own brotherhood which haue come betwixt them and home are ready without examination of Scriptures or Fathers to receiue whatsoeuer the Roman Church shal obtrude vnto them Neither may I conceiue hope of any such yonger persons who expect preferment by h One of the most speciall practises of the Pontificians in England to enlarge their religion is to procure matches in mariages doe thou make the inferences Christian Reader There is a mysterie in it if the natures of young spirits be considered who commonly at such seasons are rather full of the heate of carnall loue then of that fire which Christ came to send into this world Luk. 12. matching into some stocke and family the which as it abhorreth the reading of the Scriptures so also is inueterated in Papistrie My chiefest hope may be of those who as they are iudicious so embrace that faith meerely out of conscience and are nothing dependant of others who either through the peremptory auaricious factious and vnchast liues of their Priests or generally for the hatefull opposings and vncharitablenesse amongst them all by which they demonstrate themselues to be no disciples of Christ whose proper badge and stemme is i Ioh. 13. dilection and loue of each other or else through the vaine multiplicity of deuised fables and miracles out of their old Legends and withall through the inexcusable ignorance of their Priests in Gods sacred Scriptures which I dare boldly affirme is so great that there are scarse a hundred amongst diuers hundreths of them in this Kingdome who can tell either how many
Iesus be they Patriarks Primates Bishops Priests or who elsesouer so that they only and alonely must bee the immediate Vicars of Christ for Christ and in Christs steede and if it please you to vse the Greeke wordes in their owne sense they are sole Vicars * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vicars for Christ so that agreeingly to c Bellar. lib. de Rom. Pont. saepissimè Bellarmines doctrine and almost all of his Societie directly against the prerogatiue of Christ the Church is to be called d Ioh. 20. one fold and one visible flocke because it hath one Pastour and one Sheepe-heard the Pope and so accordingly he must forsooth only be the dore and dorekeeper of the Church only to let in and to shut out And would God they would also proue to be at least of the good shepheards to giue their liues for their sheepe would God they would at leasly vouchsafe e 1. Tim. 1. to preach to their flocke and not place all the gouerning of their flocke in idle decreeing faith and ambitious enacting of lawes such lawes as tend so greatly to Christs dishonour to the scandall of the whole world and setting vp of their owne Papacies and the augmenting of their temporall Dominions But alas these courses of them being the very shipwracke of good consciences are also euident signes of shipwracke in faith and where the f Psal 35. foote of pride hath moued them there the foot of infidelitie also hath followed by the working of wickednesse and the malignant enemie The motiues which haue moued me to leaue their communion so farre as they haue abandoned and left the puritie of the Roman Primitiue Church which was no sooner planted but it was sliding if you will beleeue g Onuphrius annotat in Platinam in vitam Petri. Of the Roman Church also is meant that which Genebr ad ann 898. out of Platin. Negligentia Episcoporum c. by then negligence of Bishops manyabuses crept into the church Which in respect of the warres could not bee repressed Thus they Onuphrius I wil diuide into three principall heads The first shall containe Motiues out of their pernicious and hereticall doctrines The second Motiues out of their most dangerous and wicked lawes The third Motiues out of the obseruations which I haue made of the Spirits of the English Chieftaines of the Roman profession I thought to haue had adioyned fourthly some generall obseruations touching the corrupt liues especially of some principall ones of their Clergie wherein I could produce many particulars and such as could not be gainsaid but h Eccles 3. omnia tempus habent if occasion require and they desire it they shall well vnderstand that they haue little cause to bragge of the innocencie and integrity of many of their English Apostles and Martyrs Motiues touching doctrine The first Motiue FIrst I suppose for truth as cleare as any demonstration that what Church soeuer doth perniciously erre in the rule of Faith must or may perniciously erre in all conclusions and propositions of faith deducted out of that erroneous Rule Now that the Roman Church doth perniciously erre in the very rule of faith I make it thus manifest The rule of faith with the perfect Romanes is the Popes sole iudgement when he defineth ex Cathedra that is to expound their phrase in their What the Romanes meane by their Popes defining Ex Cathedra owne sense vvhen he so defineth that he intendeth thereby to teach the vvhole Christian Church for some of them not vvholly Romanes vvill not obstinately and in expresse termes say that he cannot erre vvhen he defineth and pronounceth for a particular Church to beleeue and practise as he decreeth and defineth and that this is the only inerrable rule of faith vvith the Romanes and that in the Pope alone resideth infallibilitie of defining and that all other meanes as consent of Fathers without him either in Counsell or out of Counsell may bee subiect to errours deceiue and be deceiued it is the most expresse sentence and doctrine of a 2. 2. q. 11. art 2. ad 3. refer caus 24. q. 1. cap. Quotiescunque Aquinas b Bellar. lib. 2. de Christo c. 28. lib. de Conciâ—â—s saepe Bellarmine c Valentia in his Analysis of faith where he hath this conclusion lib. 8. c. 1. 2. 3. Quo tiescunque c. As often as the Pope in desining questions of faith vseth that authoritie wherewith hee is indued that doctrine must by diuine precepts be receiued of al christians as a sentence of faith and wee must beleeue that so often he vseth that authority as often as in controuersies of faith either by himselfe or with his Councell of Bishops hee shall so determine one part of the question that he will binde the whole Church to receiue the same Valenti d Coq in his Treatise against our Kinges Premon very often Coquaeus e Endaemon in his Parralell Endaemon f Par. in his Philopater Parsons g Baldwin lun lib. de Rom. Pont. cap. 9. prop. 1. 2. ex Bellarm. operibus in sua solida si dei demonstr Baldwinus Iunius h Siluester in summ verbo Fides Coquae pag. 27. The purpured Fathers are Senatours and Counselers of the Pope and with them he iudgeth the whole world Thus he Siluester all Canonists very few excepted two only to wit Panormit Zabarel vvhich I now remember of all of the Societie of Ignatius of Baronius most often in his Annals and in his Parenisis to the Venetians and in his Voto to Paul the fifth of Suares Vasques Azor Coccius in his voluminous aggregat most often Sanders Allen Genebrard Gretser Becan Carerius the two Bozius Mancinus Boter vvith infinite others all whom it is both impossible and needlesse to relate Let the decrees of Leo 10. in the Councell of Laterane Boniface the 8. Vnam Sanctam and the two decretall Epistles of Sixtus the 5. and d Clement the 8. set before the late vulgar editions of those two Popes pretended by some to be the whole by others only the amended translation of S. Hierome for yet they are not agreed stand for all now vvhat Pontifician can vvithout note of impietie or infidelitie call in question this their doctrinall and dogmaticall position vvhich is so clearly and resolutely maintained by them practised and defined by their Popes yea and by Leo the tenth in his Laterane Councel and Eugenius in his And although some moderate Romanists to smoothe this vneuen rule vvill seeme to say that the Pope ought to take aduise of his Brethren the Cardinals or of Bishops his deputies when hee vvill define notwithstanding such politike excusers of their shame and all other defenders of this their position doe and must maintaine that the infallibilitie of any definition is from the Pope alone Here-hence it is that all English Ignatians and most English Priests at this present in England and else
illis libitum licitum Whatsoeuer liketh them is lawull with them if it be to hoyse vp the Popes soueraigntie First this rule is against the practise of all the u Hierosolimit sub Iacobo â—cen Constantin Eph. Calced Sinod 5. 6. 7. 8. saepe Ancient and Primitiue Church which euer in occasion of controuersies recurred to the doctrine of the Scriptures declared by the generall voice and testimonie of the whole Church by her Bishops Priests and other learned men pronouncing defining out of Gods holy word which was alwaies laid before them being assembled in the general Councels so the eight first generall which the Popes themselues with oath professe to receiue although few of them keepe their oath yea the Apostles themselues who all had infallibility by vertue of their Apostleship of not erring in matters of faith to giue an example to succeeding ages would by common consent and authoritie of the Christian Church not otherwise by Peters sole authority decree and define out of the word of God for out of it x Act. 15 Peter himselfe bringeth allegations for his doctrine touching the controuersie then risen at Antioch about the obseruation of the legall lawes and ceremonies of the old Testament which their example was euer followed as necessary till of latter times when Popes haue presumed to define by themselues alone hauing before made some small Consistorian consultation with which this their prodigious position is in some sort by some y Some of the Ignatians doe idly bring the heresies of Pelagius and the Priscillianists to haue beene onely condemned by the Popes of Rome but this against all histories which mention the condemning of the same heresies by sundrie Councels throughout the whole Church Baron in his Annals Genebrard in Chrono few of themselues colored For scarce any hold it absolutely necessarie And here I aske the aduersarie whether that Axiome receiued by al reiected by none God and Nature doe nothing in vaine and that other In vaine are many things required to doe that which as well or better may be done by fewer may not take place in this question touching the infallible power of defining and decreeing I thinke none so impudent an idiote as to denie it Againe I demaund whether those most reuerend Fathers of the first foure generall Councels which Saint Gregorie equalleth with the Gospell although the manner of his speech be not herein to be imitated and of other later Councels did know these principles and Axiomes and did withall beleeue this Romane rule of faith to wit That the Pope alone had infallible authoritie to define and declare faith and that Christ prayed onely and was heard onely for Peter and his successors that they might neuer erre in faith as the z Rhemist annota in Luc. 22. Rhemists do most heretically teach if they did so why did they not send al their doubts which did so shake the whole Christian world with such horrible commotions and contentions to the Popes of those times Siluester Damasus Lco c. and receiue from themas from Iudges of faith the Oracles of Gods mouths so termed by a Coquae contra Premonit Reg. Coquaeus and Lessius his equiuocating b Recapitulater pa. 13. 32. 56. recapitulater and as the vnappellable determinations of all their doubts In so doing infinite charges many contentions would haue bene auoided and as for scandall none could haue followed because both all those Fathers and the whole Christian Church with them if it please you to beleeue the Pontificians who would so perswade vs did then beleeue and teach that the Popes were the infallible Oracles of God the onely inerrable Iudges in controuersies of Faith and al-though ancient Priests and Bishops perhaps reputed themselues his Senators and Counsellers yet they thought also that they could adde nothing to his infallibilitie But alas good Constantine Theodosius Martian and other Emperors knew not this faith who were at such great charges to summon and assemble those ancient and thrice reuerend Councels Nay Pope Leo himselfe who taketh inough to the Sea of Rome and ioyneth c Epist 89. Peter into the societie of the indiuiduall vnitie to wit of the blessed Trinitie held generall Councels necessary for determining of faith and setling of the peace of the Chtistian Church Read c Leo. epist 24. 23. 26. him Christian Reader in diuers of of his Epistles written to the Emperour Empresse and Cleargie of Constantinople and as thou shalt sinde so iudge Secondly thus I argue Three e Sinod 6. Act. 12. 13. 16. 17. 18 Sinod 7. Act. 7. Sinod 8. Act. 7. generall Councels with diuers Popes as Agatho f Leo. 2. in epist ad Constant Leo g Adrian in Sinad Romae congregata and Theod. Patriar with his councell at Hieru-salem Adrian did condemne yea the Councels accursed and execrated Honorius Pope for a dogmaticall and hereticall Epistle by which he laboured to infect the two Patriarkes of Constantinople and Alexandria with the heresie of Monothelites Can any one then be so frontlesse as to thinke that those Fathers and Popes did beleeue that the Bishoppes of Rome might not bee as they were Bishoppes of that See heretikes or teach hereticall doctrines in their decretall Epistles And the holy Ghost to be so infallibly chained to them that they could not endeuour to infect the whole Church who rather will not thus argue and thus inferre Three generall Councels the which with the fiue other ancienter all Popes at their entrances into the Papacie doe or ought to sweare inuiolably to keepe according to their owne Canons with diuers Popes all antiquitie all later best Pontifician Hâ—storians till h Pigh lib. 4. cap. 8. Hier. Pighius led Bellarmine and Baronius the way to call the matter in queston for which i Canus lib. 6. Canus and k Bannes in 2.2 Bannes scornefully reproue him did accurse or condemne Honorius for a Monothelite heretike Ergo Paule the fifth who is not fuller of Gods Spirit then his predecessor Honorius was in his late l Breue Paul 5. interpreted by the Recapitu later pag. 32. breefe ex Cathedra out of the chaire defining himselfe to haue power to depose Princes and to dispose of Kingdomes may erre and be an heretike as without all doubt he is because contrary to Christs m Matth. 22. institution he assumeth power to forbid Caesars due to be giuen vnto him For what is more due to a Caesar then fidelity and allegeance of subiects but the doctrine of Christ forsooth is expounded and the heresie cleared for he forbiddeth not obedience to Caesars so long as they are Caesars but because he can vncaesar them and vnking them therefore no longer Caesars no longer kings no longer obedience So answered * C. 8. 22. Bellarmine against Doctor Barkly so blundering Coquaeus against his Maiesties Apologie Thirdly was there euer any ancient true Christian Catholike who
courteous Reader how Bellarmine tra uaileth to defend this booke from contradiction Bellar de verb. Dei lib 1. c. 12. Iudiths booke in particular I cannot but meruaile how any one can thinke that the holy Ghost would euer approue that decking and trimming vp of her selfe for such an impure and luxurious proiect thereby to draw m Iud. 10. 12 Holofernes into an vnlawfull burning lust and concupiscence of her if so they will teach and affirme may I not heere charge their doctrine with affirming God to bee the approuer and Authour of sinne more iustlie then they charge Caluin therewith Was not that of the holy Ghost in n Rom 3. St. Paul law and right in Iudiths daies Non sunt facienda mala vt eueniant bona Things that are euill are not to bee done that good may come thereby Besides it is too too apparent that in the story there are some vntruths and vnreconcilable contradictions which are clearelie against the other sacred Scriptures And therefore by euident consequence it is to bee affirmed that the booke is Apocriphall and not of that vndoubted and certaine authority which holy Canonicall Scriptures haue by which onely Dogmata fidei articles of Faith are to bee decreed and tried as the ancient Church euer beleft from whose faith because faith must euer be the same no Christian can without hazard of Saluation depart Against the books of Machabees many particular and vnanswerable doubts might be produced I will content my selfe with two or three Doth not the Author of them I should say the abbreuiatour of Iasons larger history as himselfe p 2. Mach. 2. professeth to be against the faith and doctrine of vndoubted Scriptures approue and admire the fact of q 2. Mach. 14. Razias murthering himselfe doth he not craue pardon of the Reader if he haue not answerably to the condition of a good r 2. Mach. vlt. Historian behaued himselfe belike the holy Ghost who is not accustomed nor cannot acknowledge himselfe nor his Scribes to bee subiect to any humane errour in writing thus here left him but not aboue in the 12. Chapter of this Å¿ 2. Mach. 12 booke where he mentioneth prayers and sacrifices for the dead and yet this by the helpe of false fingers also and therefore he here not there craued pardon if he had not arightly performed his office Doubtlesse hee who will thinke the holy Ghost can craue pardon of man as though he might be subiect to errour hath little of the holy Ghosts grace in him Which things considered with diuers other impossibilities against the truth of historie I cannot be perswaded that t Lib. de Ciuit. Dei 18. c. 36. St. Austin and the Fathers of the Councell of Carthage did otherwise approue them to be read then as a probable historie contayning some good morall matter if reade with u Cont. GaudeÌ„t sobriety to vse St. Austens owne phrase but not as to receiue them into the Canon of sacred Scripture of Gods word And if St. Austen may not bee thought to contradict himselfe within the compasse of halfe a dozen of lines some Manuscriber hath egregiously corrupted him for x Aug. lib. 18. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 36. first hee seemeth clearly and absolutely to affirme that they are not Canonicall and proueth thereupon a truth vpon which hee there discourseth and presently he is made to say thus that although the Iewes receiue not the Machabees into Canon yet the Church of Christ receiueth them but who smelleth not false fingers here especially if infinite like forgeries of Manuscribers be obserued Further I am more confirmed in my iudgement against these bookes because y Dist 15. cap. Sancta Romana Gelasius a Pope of Rome before any greater corruptions had deeply tainted that Church did with a whole Synode in Rome recounting a Canon of the Apostles for the same purpose exclude the Machabees out of the Canon of holy Scriptures and although the Canon beginning Sancta Romana c. in which this exclusion was be now so maymed and mangled that no man can iustly say this part or line of it is sound yet z Anton. 3. part summ l. 18. c. 6. Antonine Archbishop of Florence and a Saint in their Church confesseth that he himselfe had read the exclusion of these bookes out of Canon of Scripture in that decree of Gelasius and according to the Canon of the Apostles there mentioned All these things concurring out of Antiquitie and the vndoubted Churches of Christ with the authority also of some learned Pontificians their later Doctors and that of a Tertull. lib. de praescript Tertullian euer taking place in Christs Church Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most ancient is most true What may bee thought of that b Conc. Trident. Sess 4. congregation at Trent who hath giuen equal authority to them with the vndoubted word of God and haue accursed with their idle Anatheme all those who shall with the ancient Church of the Iewes the Nicene Councell which St. Gregorie esteemed as the Gospell with the I aodicene reuerend Fathers and almost all other ancient Fathers reiect them as Apocriphaâ—l Doubtlesse the curse of God against the idle curses of men may be iustly giuen vnto them who c Apocal. vlt. haue added the word of man to his word and haue made the word of man equall with his most infallible and inuiolable word d Iud. Epist Imperet illis Dominus The Lord God reproue them It is not possible if these men had esteemed of the vndoubted Scriptures as all the e Aug Epist 71 ad Marcell in prolog lib 3. de Trin. Epist 1â—1 Ep 166. ad Dâ—natist 〈◊〉 Epist 62 Basil 〈◊〉 de si de 〈◊〉 me Chrysost in opere imâ—â—rfect homâ—lia 49. ancient Fathers did who euer required the writings of all men to be examined and tryed by the certaine word of God they would neuer haue coupled humane authority with diuine and haue equalized them in one degree of truth but they may bee excused in dealing so warily and politikely herein for their desperate cause of Porgatorie fire praier for the dead c. otherwise would to the ground with many like of their superstitious trumperies The third Motiue BEsides the corrupting of the true rule of faith by adding the Apocriphall bookes they haue also depraued the same f Conc. Trident. Sess 4. rule by their vnwritten Traditions Anathematizing all who shall refuse or disesteeme the same Traditions and not hold them in equall reputation with Gods most vndoubted word This rule of Traditions they hold to bee an vnwritten Deposit left in the Romane Church and kept inuiolably by her vntill these times which if they can shew what good Christian is there who wil not with reuerenced esteeme receiue or commend whatsoeuer those most irreprehensible Founders of the Church haue deliuered either concerning faith or Church discipline But I must tell them
being therevnto vrged by manifest truth and reason that it is not enough for them vpon their bare wordes to affirme this or that is a tradition Apostolicall or this or that is a doctrine Apostolicall because it is now generally obserued through out all those Churches which communicate with the Bishop of Rome no though at such times when there was no notorious or famous Church on earth to oppose against her and whereof no expresse beginning can bee shewed vnlesse they can withall for such their Traditions ascending vpwards euen vnto the Apostles times or the dayes of their immediate Successors and Schollers clearly and soundly deduct by graue testimonies of Ancient and Catholike authours that such thinges were euer more or lesse obserued and receiued as from the Apostles themselues throughout the Church of Christ if they will refuse this honorable triall of their Traditions and stand only vpon this idle answere and defence that the Church Romane now generally hath them and there is no beginning of them to bee shewed ergo they are Apostolicall they shall shew themselues to be meere wranglers wilfully wedded to most corrupt errours as I will most clearly demonstrate And herein I dare boldly challenge being most confident of this truth any Pontifician whatsoeuer be he Benedictine Fransciscan or Ignatian to shew me some ancient sufficient authority out of Councels or ancient Fathers that whatsoeuer might be obserued or should bee obserued in the later times of the Romane Church whereof no expresse beginning could be shewed should be therfore accounted Apostolicall because generally obserued in her g Epist 118. ad Ianuar. St. Austen indeede is vrged by the Aduersaries to affirme so much of some vnwritten Traditions in his time generally obserued throughout the whole Church but St. Austen is misvnderstood and his rule commonly cited not without corruption misvnderstood because his rule is of such Traditions whereof although nothing is written in holy Scripture yet they are mentioned in approued Authours and Historians more or lesse from the Apostles daies till his times besides great is the difference of 1200. yeares for so long is the time from St. Austens daies to vs for carrying downe of Traditions from the Apostles and in so many ages many thinges vnapostolicall h See Onuphr Genebrard and Platina supra pag. 3. might creepe into particular Churches and consequently into the whole whereof no certaine beginning might be shewed Againe St. Austens rule is commonly mis-cited For whereas that Father writeth thus in effect in his Epistle to i Epist 118. Ianuarius If the authority of diuine Scripture prescribe in any of these rites and ceremonies what is to bee done I I cite not the expresse words of the Father because editions are so different but all haue thus in effect answere there is no doubt to be made but that wee must doe as we reade the like I say if any of these rites which we obserue and the whole Church throughout the world at this present time obserueth for to dispure that we should doe otherwise were insolent madnesse but the Aduersaries commonly when they cite this place leaue out first what he writeth in the beginning of the sentence touching the authority of Scriptures Againe they leaue out commonly those words which restraine his meaning to his daies And in Saint Austens time it is manifest that the Christian Churches were not so diuided as since his times they haue beene and withall that a little before his time the generall Councels of Nice and Sardica had ordered most things and brought many things to light and yet notwithstanding this rule it is well knowne how Saint S. Aust in the same Epistle pronounceth that Christ instituted very few ceremonies Epist 118. Austen complained against multiplicitie of rites and ceremonies brought into diuers particular Churches in his daies wherewith the Christians were more heauily clogged then the ancient Iewes had beene vnder Moses which if it were euer true then it is now amongst the Pontificians most true who haue from their Popes some 1000 of rites and haue also innuerable lawes binding vnder the censure of their curses and heauiest excommunications and so frequently that a man may iustly suppose that there are few of that profession who are not more or lesse touched It is not credible to what number their Excommunications are growne since their tyranical vse of them See Nauar. Man cap. 27. num 50. by their lesser or greater excommunications his holinesse onely excepted who will be bound to no lawes no not to those which he sweareth inuiolably to keepe â—e being indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exlex iniqnus outlaw which Saint k 2. Thes 2. Paul hath prophecied should sit in the Temple of God as I will more fully declare hereafter But I will demonstrate that there are diuers practises and customes obserued throughout their Roman Church vniuersally wherof no beinning can be shewed which themselues wil not dare to affirme to be Apostolicall and so their rule by their owne confessions shall to the ground First is it not an vniuersall though impious practise throughout the Pontifician Church to paint God the Father in the forme of an old man and God the holy Ghost in the forme of a Doue by the same not onely to represent two persons of the most inenarrable and inexpressible Trinitie but also by the same and in the same to adore and worship those two infinite Persons what will they or can they shew me when this custome prâ—cisely began No I wis what must it therefore be a tradition Apostolicall it were impudencie or meere ignorance so to affirme and I thinke there is none of them as yet so shamelesse as to affirme it Nouell I am assured it is vtterly forbidden by the ancient Fathers of the sixt l Sinod 6. Cano. 82. generall Councell reputed an impudent thing by worthy Iohn m Damas Orthodox sid lib. 4. â—ap 17. Sinod Nicen. 2. act 4. 5. 6. 7. Damascene reputed a renowned Saint in their Church and a famous Patrone for the vse of other Images and by their Italian n Polid. lib. de inuentor Polidore Virgil accounted meere folly and which of their own men o Abulens Lira Alij commenting vpon the fourth of Exodus do not more or lesse condemne it and yet now the present Romane Church is so generally infected thereby with the leprosie of superstitious Idolatry that no man whose heart is zealous of Gods honour cannot seeing it but lament therefore Of this kinde also is the prostrate adoring of the Crucifixe it selfe vpon good Friday generally obserued throughout the Romane Church Can their best antiquarie amongst them shew me a beginning hereof no God wot what is it therefore a tradition Apostolicall shame will not suffer them to affirme it To this I adioyne their most Catholike and vaine custome of adorning their Images like as the old Paynims adorned Venus Iuno Ceres their vaine Gods
Images with rich attire imbrodered garments and robes vpon their massie bodies crownes of gold vpon their stony heads rings vpon their marble or wodden singers bracelets of Amber or Pearle vpon their wristes rich Iewels of Pearle and precious stones hanging about their neckes downe euen to their shining and lasciâ—iouslike breasts drawen by the painters rather to giue occasion of impudike thoughts then religious cogitations Of this their prophane and heathenish custome in their most religious places can they precisely shew me a beginning no I warrant you belike therefore it is an Apostolicall tradition so to affirme I could account it no lesse then blasphemie At least if it will please the Ladies amongst the Pontificians to heare with patience it is no tradition Apostolicall that their sacred Images are often trimmed with the rayments of strompets a thing very frequent in other countries like as in England where very often their Priests * This is a custome so frequent and so common in England that no Priest who hath either shame or honestie can denie it Massing vestiments are framed of the petticotes kirtles or gownes of such persons whereof some are not of the best fame so loathsome a thing that doubtlesse if their images which they adore had sense they would exclaime against the abuse thereof and cry fie These Romane customes so vniuersally obserued doth any man once imagine to be Apostolicall Reade two of Saint p Grèg Epist ad Secundin Epist ad Seren. Gregories epistles read q Epipha Epist ad Johan Hiero. Epiphanius read Thrasius the Patriarks discourse in the seuenth synode at Nice Saint r Augu. in Psal 113. de fid Symbol Austen vpon the Psalms and you will vnderstand what manner of Tradition the vse of God the fathers image and the adoration of images is But here of more anone Againe touching their vniuersall and generall custome of receiuing of the Sacrament vnder one kind as so onely necessary so onely sufficient so onely commaunded for a mans whole life can they shew me an expresse beginning thereof no God wot what must it be therefore a tradition Apostolicall I will not deny but that perhaps some ancient particular Churches might sometimes practise in one kind and yet most of their examples which they bring for that purpose are either of counterfeit bookes or else little to the purpose but I denye and challenge the Aduersary to prooue the contrary that euer any Ancient Apostolicall Church held it sufficient as onely necessary onely commanded to receiue the Sacrament in one kind for a mans whole life They bring some places of Å¿ Luc. 24. Act. 2. 20. Scripture for this purpose But first if the places proue their vse then it is not onely a tradition but a written truth Againe it is as manifest as the sunne that those places they bring doe proue as well against them that their Masse may bee vsed in one kind the Sacrament consecrated in one kind which they detest as the greatest impiety and sacriledge making the sacrifice to consist most intrinsecally and essentially in both kindes that no Pope can dispense against it Again t Rhemist in ca. 1. act Baron annalib anno 48. Christ num 17. Zuares Isingr Catherinus aâ—â—â— their beleefe touching the assumption of the blessed Virgin Maries body at whose due honours I greatly reioyce and beseech Iesus her sonne and Sauiour euer to indue me with a reuerent respect of her greatnesse and her blessings aboue all Women is it not generally receiued and the feast thereof vniuersally practised throughout the Romane Church And is there any one who can shew the time when this beleefe began no God wot What must it bee therefore a Tradition Apostolicall nothing lesse u Baron anno Christ 48. num 9 12. 13. Baronius his Doctrine will ouerthrow that Tradition The x Annotations vpon the first of the Acts verse 14. Rhemists in their annotations vppon the Acts of the Apostles endeuor to proue it out of a counterfeit book of Dionise of Areopage Saint Pauls scholler and they are not there with content vnlesse they may abuse egregiously the same booke also by their manifest and wilfull corruption for they dare assirme that St. Dionyse in that y Dionis lib. de Diuin nomin the Rhemists cite it Epist ad Timoth. booke reporteth that he himselfe heard the melodious singing of Angels at the Virgins monument which lasted for three daies together a thing no where to bee found in that book Again they affirm that Dionyse of Areopage was present at the Virgins departure which hapned as themselues z Their Table of S. Paul and Baro. affirmeth anno Christ 52. deliuer the 48. of Christ And yet withal they auouch that S. Paul came not to Athens til the 52. of Christ where and when S. Dionyse was with Damaris a Acts 17. conuerted so that by their contradictorious account Saint Dionyse was conuerted and made a Christian and presently also at the blessed Virgins death before his conuersion Thus the Rhemish lights of the English Pontificians are caught in their folly when of late I obiected this wilfull corruption and mayne contradiction of the Rhemists to a certain graund b I. C. cheefetaine in this place where I now am I had onely a kind of â—ush for an answere with this graue epiphoneme it is an ill bird that beraieth his owne neast might not I more iustly inueigh against such seducers of youth who by such deprauations seduce their young Fâ—ye and beray their young birds in the neasts of their seminaries where they must take all vpon trust euen as their masters shall please to dictate vnto them and be you most assured they shall heare nothing that shall iarre from the Popes behests and Romane Churches practise whose Souldiers they are trained to fight his battell or holy quarrel as * Sanders in his Letters to an Irish Gentleman Saunders calleth it Againe concerning the vniuersall practise of â—ating of bloud and strangled meates throughout the Pontifician Church can they precisely tell mee when the same began no in sooth what is it therefore a Tradition Apostolicall aske the Apostles and whole Church of Hierusalem concerning this Tradition who decreed by expresse c Acts 15. Canon that Christians should absteine from things immolated to idols from bloud from strangled meate and fornication Loe here is a custome generally obserued no beginning thereof be â—ound and yet no tradition Apostolicall Further it is manifest that the vow or promise of Chastity is d Thom Aquin. 2. 2. q 88. Durand lib. 4 Dist 35 37. aly Scholastâ—c communiter ibidem Sotâ—s de iure iustitia lib. 7. Petrus de Soto in institut sacerd lect 5. Valentia de Celibatu lib. 2. Scotus 4. dist 37. Caiâ—t quod 1. q. â—2 See S. Athanasius Epist ad dracont Sincsius Epist ad Euoptium Polid. lib. de inuento 5. Alphonsus a Castro
detested Whereas y Lib. 4. epist 38. S. Gregory in a learned discourse writing against the Patriarke of Constantinople Iohn who claimed to bee vniuersall Bishop of the Church and had procured Maurice the Emperour to write to Saint Gregory for the same purpose sheweth that Christ is onely head of his Church and that there is no other head but hee adding much to that purpose he adioyneth thus Certe Potrus Apostolus primum membrum sanctoe c. Certainly Peter the Apostle the first member of the holy Vniuersall Church Paul Andrew Iohn what else are they but heads of particular people and yet notwithstanding they are all members of the Church vnder one head and that I may bind vp all within a short compasse of speech the Saints before the Law Saints vnder Law Saints vnder Grace all these perfiting one body of our Lord are all placed in the members of the Church and no one would euer haue himselfe called vniuersall Thus farre hee with much more in that Epistle the which whosoeuer shall reade if hee respect Saint Gregories authority confirming his doctrine also out of Scriptures it is not possible hee should beleeue the present Romane Monarchy How then thou wilt demand can Doctour Stapleton find any thing in this very Epistle for the Popes exorbitant supremacy he hath found somwhat yea in this very sentence by me cyted but he hath vsed a certaine figure called of addition by thrusting into the text as he citeth it the word Petro Peter And maketh Saint Gregory speake thus Truly Peter is the first member of the Vniuersall Church Paul Andrew and Iohn what are they else but of singular flocks heads and yet all vnder one head Peter are members of the Vniuersall Church Thus hee Some Dowists and precise Pontificians will perhaps say it is not possible that learned Stapleton should so corrupt this auncient Father let such take paines to examine z Grego lib 4. epist 38. Staple principia doctrina lib 6. c. 8. and then iudge as they find I could shew also how he corrupteth by subtracting but that vpon some other occasion I must needs confesse when I reade this egregious corruption in him that I resolued neuer to trust Pontifician doctour againe without triall citing any sentence for the Popes monarchie It is not imaginable what suppositious books haue bene obtruded vpon the world to support this declining Monarchy but ruet ruet it will fall it will fall and God graunt it may rather be ruinated Lino as an auncient Sibile prophecyed that is with paper to wit learned books rather then with fire sword famine cold as the Sibill Delphicke prophecied vnder Romulus raigning and Rome triumphing and according as Saint Iohn a Apoc. cap. 18. hath fore-prophecied in his Reuelation I cannot now stand prolixly to ouerthrow b See for this purpose Cusanus concoâ—d Cathol lib. 2. ca. 20. and Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 25 26. especially consider how the Councell of Chalcedon in the 16. action did most resolutely oppose against the Pope their decree hath preuailed this ambitious Monarchy of the Popes by the decrees and constitutions of auncient and later Councels of Nice of Constantinople the first and eight of Chalcedon of Sardica Carthage Constance Basile and by vniforme consent practise of the Greeke Church I will therefore heere onely adioyne somwhat concerning the other branch of this my motiue to wit the Popes arrogant and persumptuous claime c Bulla Pij 5. in Elizabet Clemen 7. in Henri 8. Clement 8. in Henric. 4. Franc. Sixti Quinti c. ouer Princes and kingdomes wherin he assumeth that honour and power which was neuer giuen him by Christ the mysterie of which iniquity hath wrought so powerfully in these latter Popes to fulfill the prediction of d 2. Thess 2. Saint Paul that the Romane Empire according to the exposition of the ancient e August 20. de ciuit 19. Tertul lib. de resurrect carnis Hieron epist ad AlgasiaÌ„ q. 11. in Danielem Aeneas Sâ—luius lib. de ortu Roman Imperij Irenae Theod. Bellarminus lib. 3. de Roma Pont. Ribera viegas in Apoc. Chrisost Amb. Theoph. Primas in 2. ad Thessal 2. fathers was not to be taken away vntill a certaine Antichrist should come I said a certaine Antichrist not because there shall bee onely onely one in number or person but to distinguish him from some other kinds of Antichrists described in some places of the Reuelation and other parts of holy Scripture but then at his comming the empire must De medio fieri be done or taken out of the way but whether it shall be taken out of the waie by the direct meanes of Antichrist or not the Scriptures do not expresly affirme it some of the Fathers yea the Rhemists doe incline to thinke so and doubtlesse it is most probable that the holy Ghost meant so because he maketh the standing of the Romane Empire to be a let and hindrance against the comming of that man of sin Antichrist which f 2. Thess 2. is here prophecied by the Apostle the which thing if it be true it cannot possibly be auoided but that the later Popes be that Antichrist of which the Apostle heere foretelleth who mounted not to their perfect height of iniquity vntill the Romane Empire was made out of the way which was done by them as I will anone shewe For my part I doe very resolutely affirme that whosoeuer shall haue taken the Romane Empire out of the way and shall haue made himselfe the direct or indirect supreame Monarch of the world and withall shall sit in the temple of God that is shall challenge onely to sitte without peere and equall in the vniuersall Church of Christ to Teach all Gouerne all Censure all Command all and necessarily not to be taught censured or corrected by any whatsoeuer The Popes extoll theÌ„selues neither the triple crown nor adoration was first freely giueÌ„ but exacted by themselues that this must needs be the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the outlaw or man without law who extolleth himselfe aboue all that is called God marke extolleth himselfe or that is worshipped Now whereas it is manifest that the Popes by their practise and decrees doe challenge the later to wit the spirituall Monarchy and vniuersall supremacy in the chaire of Gods temple yet they haue not perhaps professedly by decrees challenged to be the supreme direct monarchs of the whole World in temporals I said perhaps for the decrees g Alexander the 6. his decree of diuiding the East and West Indies which he pretendeth to doe ex plenitudine potestatis and gratuito out of the fulnesse of his power frankly Bonif. 8. his decree vnam sanctaÌ„ and his Epistle to Kâ—ng Philp the faire a king of France Leo 10. as Petrarâ—h reporteth him lib. de rebus me mâ—randâ—s gaue the kingdome of Saracens to Sanctius who required him wih the Caliphship of
Baldach of certaine Popes make mee thinke there wanteth no good will but onely meanes and possâ—ssion which their Canonists and Ignatians labour a pace in euery place where they can finde footing by their preachings secret conferences and bookes to procure vnto him And consider this what bookes are with more fauour receiued printed and published at Rome then those of this stampe and kinde For this respect Pesantius Bozius and such like shal be cherished there Bellâ—rmine in the time of Sixtus the Monarch of the world who had deuoured England in his vaiâ—e Psendopropheticall hope Bellâ—rmine I say because hee applauded not the Papall Monarchy of Sixtus but wrote against it found no fauour but was glad to auoid Rome for feare of frying but h Bâ—llar against Barkley and his anâ—wer to a Ve netiaÌ„ Doctor saepâ—ssime de Rom Pon. â— 5. c. 6 now by end euouring to bâ—ing the Monarchy of christendome vnder the Popes command with the distinction of indirect direct he hath profited so much that hee hath purchased a Cardinals hat the next steppe to the Romane Monarchy it selfe the which if he euer obtaine doubtlesse he will speake as Sixtus did for as his doctrine is much changed from that it was in Sixtus time so doubtlesse if he proue Pope it will * Hanores mutant moâ—â—s come to greater perfection i Baron in annalibus saepissime Steuch lib. de donat Constant Bozius alij Cardinall Baronius good God how he trauaileth as though he were wich child to bring forth this Monarchy throughout his Annals and Augustinus Steuch more earnest then he if it may be how carelfully doth he record Diplomes and Charters by which the Popes challenge the direct and supreame Soueraignties ouer most kingdomes of the West as of Spaine France England Ireland Hungary Norway Sicily and of which not but such baubles I passe ouer the trying of those Charters I put off to those whome it concerneth I will onely a little examine how this man of sinne that sitteth in the Temple of God is saide to sit in Gods Temple doubtlesse it cannot otherwise bee well vnderstood then of some principall part of the externe and visible Church of Christ there beeing no other temple of God of which it may with any probability bee expounded To expound it of the Temple in Hierusalem were very incongruous yea impossible coÌ„sidering the same is destroied and that the desolation thereof shall continue til the end as k Dan. 9. Hieron ibidem Daniel the Prophet hath foretold yea and Christ himselfe seemeth also to haue l Math. 24. In the time of Iulian the Apostata when the Iewes atteÌ„pted to haue reedified their temple in Hierusalem they were miraculously letted by God a tokeÌ„ that the same shal neuer bee reedified Baronius his Annals in Iuliano Theod Socrates lib. 3. foretold so much to say that Antichrist when he commeth shall reedifie the Temple of Hierusalem in the same place where that of Salomon stood and it therefore to be called the Temple of God by the Apostle is too too improbably and idlely said with as much congruity as to say that the turkish moskyes in Constantinople are the Church of God because standing in the same places and within the same materiall walls in which once the True and onely God Iesus Christ was worshipped The Pontificians would be offended to heare their Church of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs in Rome to be now called the Temple of all false Gods because it was so once called by the name of Pantheon Besides if wee will beleeue the Rhemists * The substaÌ„ce of Lessius demonstrating book coÌ„sisteth in that hâ— confoundeth diuers predictioÌ„s concerning the states of diuers enemies of Christ and diuers calamities of the Church to the imagined 3. yeeres and a halfes raigne of one singular maÌ„ Antichrist Leonard Lessius in his laborious and demonstratiue booke of Antichrist we must think that Antichrist when he commeth shall worship no God a toy for if so how then shall he be thought to build a temple to the true God what Worship no God and yet build a Temple to the true God a Paradoxe But most cleare it is and to me it hath beene often confessed by diuers learned Papists that Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God because he shall vse a tirannical proud vsurped imperious gouernment in the visible Church excluding the society paritie of any other in that vsurped office of his changing that forme of gouernment which Christ left in his Church and by tiranny seeking to draw all to himself m Annotation in 2. ad thes 2. an 5 as the Rhemists themselues affirme But that this Antichrist of which Saint Paul speaketh shall sitte in the visible Church of Christ visible I said for so they are to be expounded diuers auncient n Aug lib. 20. de ciuita cap. 19. Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ q. 11. Greg. l. 4. epist 34. 38. 39 et in 2. ad Thes cap. 2. apud Paterium clarissime Robertus lincolniens apud Math. Paris in Henrico 3. anno 1162. Coruelius mussorat habita in con Trid. dominica 3. adueÌ„tus Athanas in epist ad solitar vitam agentes Hilar. li. cont Constan Lucifer in lib. moriendum pro filio dei Bernar. ser in conc Rem et serm 33. in cantica Hieron in Dan. 11. Hila. cont Auxent This greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist in properlinar gie significatioÌ„ according to the differeÌ„t vse of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth one that is for insteed or against another all which three significations are vnited in the man of sinne called Antichrist beeing annointed insteed and against the true annointed Lord Iesus Christ Fathers eyther expresly affirme or by most euident consequence it is deduced out of them S. Austin S. Ierome S. Gregory and others expresly Cornelius Mus seemeth to affirme so much although hee dare not speake it expresly Athanasius also agreeingly with Hilary and Lucifer Calaritane make therefore Constantius the Arian Emperour Antichrist because he assumed to himselfe all rule tiranically in the Church and against Church-men Saint Bernard not farre from this conceit where hee chargeth the Church-men for seruing Antichrist Saint Gregory is most cleare for otherwise how vnworthy an argument were it in that Father to call Iohn of Constantinople Antichrist and the Title of Vniuersall Bishop Antichristian if Antichrist when hee should come was not to bee either a Bishop or not to challenge any such vsurped power or any such name Along while King Henry the eight Queene Elizabeth both of renowned memory were certaine Antichrists with the Pontificians in respect they challenged the titles of cheefe Gouernours in the Church of England the sense whereof being now sufficiently explaned and by the same made euident that they require no more then what their predecessors had and vsed though not with the name
Germany then I demand again who hath remoued him doubtlesse Antichrist the man of sin or the man of sinnes great precursor and the outlawes forerunner Answer me in good earnest is not soueraigntie and an vnappellable supremacie in temporals so essentiall intrinsecall and substantiall to Imperiall state and dignitie that the same being taken away imperiall state and dignitie is also taken away who can denie it agreeingly who that hath read any thing can denie but the Romane Bishops haue taken this supremucie and soueraigntie from the Romane Emperours what doe not the Romane Emperours homage to the Popes at their Inaugurations are they not then made by their oathes of fealty and liege seruice homines Papae the Popes men as they are called do they not at their inaugurations r Radeuike de gestis Frederi renounce the royalties of Rome and resigne them to the image of the beast and promise neither to come to Rome nor stay in Rome without the Popes free allowance Read the ceremoniall Booke in their inaugurations and you will finde it so Trust not the Dowists some of them perhaps out of ignorance will denie it they that doubt of this truth of which all histories make menttion and the very obseruing of Romes gouernment will shew it where the Emperout hath as much soueraigntie and as many royalties and imperialties as the great Turke or the French King hath let them read Å¿ Clement 5. in cap de iureiyrando Clement Popes decree and t Gratian. dist 63. in his two papall Canons for this purpose concerning Emperours fealties to Popes and so expounded by their glosers Gratian but for all others most clearely their late zealous and religious historian u Onuphrius in vita Grego 7. Auentihe lib. 5. Annal. Boior Hildebrandus c. subuerted the Ecclesiasticall state disturbed the kingdome of the Christian Empire as a whole Sinode of Bishops affirmed apud Abbat Vrsperg ad annum 1080. Onuphrius writing and pronouncing thus Gregorij 7. decreto c. by the decree of Gregory the 7 not onely the Emperour Henry the 4. but all the Latine and westerne Kings to haue beene attempted and violated and after them also the Bishops and the whole Cleargie of France of Italy and Germanie the Maiestie also and dignitie of the Romane Empire by the same ouerturned and euerted and that which was farre worse such foundations were laid by which all the power of the said Empire was weakened and beaten downe thus he Hearken Christian reader to a truth manifest in it self ingenuously acknowledged by Onuphrius here the maiesty and dignitie of the Romane Empire euerted by whom by decree of Gregory the seuenth Heare the euersion of all the Bishops of France Italy and Germanie by whom by Gregory the seuenths decree heare such foundations laid by which all power of the Romane Empire was beaten downe by what means by the decree of Gregory the seuenth what was hee a Pope yea a Pope who came presently after the thousand years when the x Apoc. 20. deuil was to be let loose This man therefore did take the Romane Emperours dignitie out of the way he did withall many prodigious wonders and lying miracles as the Pontificians affirme of him thereby making him a Saint forgetting that according to Saint y 2. Thess 2. Pauls reuelation the destroyer of the Empire should in himselfe and by his ministers worke many prodigies and wonders for the Apostle writeth thus of him that his comming should be in all power and in all lying signes and wonders note the words marke the mysteries to the seduction of those who had not receiued the charity of truth his miracles and prodigies shall be * See Saint Grego in 2. ad Thess 2 apud Paterus where you shall finde that Father discoursing that the miracles of the true Church in respect of those of the man of sinne and his seruants should be very few for then the grace of doing miracles shold be taken from the Church many mightie and great to the seduction of the greatest part of the world for the greatest part receiue not the charitie of truth yet lying because appearing as true miracles but are not lying also because wrought for the supporting of errours and lies lying because wrought by the power of Satan parent of lies Truly the holy Ghost see the concordancie of Scriptures most liuely describeth these manner of men in the reuelation vnder the horsemen that sate vpon the red black and pale horses to whom power was giuen to take peace from the earth and by their hypocriticall lyes to deceiue the world for since and when these Popes attempted the taking of the Romane Empire out of the way together with their prodigious lies and fabulous legends they haue filled the whole world with such rebellions ciuill commotions most dreadfull warres and horrible impurities suppositions hipocrisies that no man whose eyes are not wilfully shut can be ignorant but that they were * I doubt not to interprete thus that as by the white horse Apoc. 6. Christ and all holy Church-Gouernours were signified so also by the red pale and blacke horses other wicked gouernours in the vâ—sible state of the Church were designed ibidem the red blacke and pale horsemen who were to take peace from the earth and to set Christians together by the eares vnder colour of preaching the Gospell of Christ but in truth to preach the Papall Gospell of temporall Monarchy and idolatrie But such as haue the charitie of truth that is of Iesus Christ z who is the onely way to life and truth and doe wholy confide in his mercies and rest vpon the redemption and iustification in him walking in good works in which he hath ordained commanded and appointed them to walke in shall not be seduced by these men but will rather suffer many deaths for the testimony of Iesus as a S. Iohn in his Reuelations hath foreprophecied of the last * It is most euident that such as of later times haue beene put to death by the Pope and his for that they would rest only for their saluation vpon the merits of Iesus would not adore the Roman Images SacrameÌ„tal God haue bene put to death for the testimony of Iesus as of late â—â— very credibly reported oâ— a worthy Christian English man M. Mold whom the Pope hath caused to be put to death for the testimony of Iesus Martyrs of the Church But a little more of the taking away of the Romane Empire by the Popes for I demaund how can the present pretended Romane Emperor be stiled by the title Romanus Augustus Imperator Augustus and Emperour of Rome who hath nothing at all to doe in Rome not so much in sooth as the Ottamans of the East who haue gotten the Empire of the East and sit in the throne of Constantine who was sometimes the Emperour Augustus of Rome And doubtlesse if the Alman Emperour or King
Chrism doth specially reside and dwell as they openly professe pronounce in their Pontificalls Many of these things are found In their rituall according to the vse of Sarum and now vsed in England with Master Maihews the Monkes and my old Romane Schoolefellows annotations vpon it and they haue for conclusion of many of their fopperies this * Note of what omnipotency ouer the grace of the holy Ghost the Popish Church maketh her Priests to be sanctifying prayer by which any Priest may blesse or consecrate any creature he shall please so effectually that to vse f Benedictio ad omnia quaecunque volueris A form of blessing vpon what things soeuer thou wilt Manual vsed by English Priests page 168. their owne words by the comming downe of the holy Ghost vppon it by the religious vses thereof any one may obteine both safety of soule and health of body Infinitely are their corruptions and vanities All which when I now obserue with my selfe not onely as abuses and practises of priuate men through corrupt affections but as lawes and ceremonies generally obserued throughout the Romane Church I do not without greate confusion and shame lament and bewail my bewitching to think with my selfe that either I or any one but of ordinary knowledge of Christs doctrine should haue liued in the idle seruitude of such comtemptible creatures and to haue giuen any iot of that honor and confidence which is due and peculiar to the immortall and euerliuing God by ioyning or partaking with such who haue ioined the adoration of diuine Maiesty with the adoration of earthly corruptible cretures his Images surely as the Saint omeristian Libell which is out against mee calleth mee for my writing the booke for the Oath of Allegeance lunatike I was so then when I beleeued such trumperies bewitched with Romes cup. Of what force good God is education in any religion present possession and profession of any faith but now with hart prostrate I adore that Clemency of Iesus the man God orient who g Luke 1. through the bowels of mercy hath illuminated me who sate in darknes directed my feet into the way of his peace I could neuer whilst I was in Rome and a trauailer through other hot countries heare of the ouerflowing and inundation of those most nefarious abhominable and not to be named sinnes amongst them nor neuer read the first Chapter of Saint Pauls Epistle to the Romanes where the exectable crimes of Idolatrie and the other nefarious and not to be named crimes are by the Apostle coupled and associated together as indiuiduall companions following each from other either by corruption of nature likenesse of spirits or Gods secret iudgement but I euer had withall some secret suggestions lest as the old Paynims and heathenish Philosophers were deliuered ouer into reprobate senses to change naturall vse into abhomination for that they had changed Gods glorie and giuen the same to corruptible creatures and corruptible Images so also the Romanists in respect of like changing of Gods glorie and communicating part thereof to corruptible Images were giuen ouer to such reprobate sense as to change naturall vse into almost nefarious abhominations Pardon me O ye Pontifician Prelates Laikes c. God knoweth I write not this to calumniate you or to aggrauate against you what was the sinne of h Ezech. 16. Sodome heare the holy Ghost telling you pride of life saturitie of bread and idlenesse of life O most mercifull Sauiour of mankinde open their eyes that they may see and lament all the abhominations which be committed within thy house within thy wals and inspire into their harts to keepe their vessels in sanctification and rather to vse that remedie by thee and nature prouided then to commit one of those nefarious sinnes for which onely thy most iust wrath might be iustly moued to desolate the whole world and to destroy not only the actors but their associates and partakers in their idolatries although otherwise themselues not to be touched with those enormious crimes for which thy iust wrath with fire consumed those fiue Cities of old as in like sort within this thy kingdome thou diddest with fire consume for like abhomination a Monasterie Gen. 19. of certaine religious as i lib. 4. hist ca. 25 Beda relateth and as at Valencine in the Low countries it is fearefully and horribly reported by a k M. R. P. reuerend Priest there that it is doubted in that Citie by religious persons that thy wrath did consume with fire the Church and house of the Capuchine friers for some like abhomination committed in their Church although by some others it is giuen out that the heretikes so they call those of the reformed Church did for malice cast fire vpon their Church which was first of all with that reuengefull flame consumed The sixth Motiue THE sixth Motiue I deduct out of certaine obseruations touching the Masse These The sixt motiue sixteene yeares and vpward hauing practised the same I haue oftentimes had cleare suggestions against the authoritie of it as not to be Apostolicall and of Christ and his Apostles institution as they most eagerly not without cause it being the very foundation of their religion pretend but any substantiall reason for their pretended Apostolicall tradition herein I could neuer read I rather found in Platina Gulielmus Durandus Stephanus Durantus Almarius Sigibertus Gabriel Biel Polidore Vrgil and diuers other their Pontifician Doctors who either haue commented vpon their rites or mentioned the institutions and beginnings of the substantiall parts of their Masse that they did attribute all the parts of the Masse to the institution and ordaining of such Popes as liued after the Apostles times yea many of them diuers hundreds of yeares yea they related these things so weakely and with so small shew of proofe out of antiquitie iust none at all that sometimes I greatly suspected the Masse to be like a garment of ragges patched together and gathered from diuers places vnknowne so the Masse to be patched vp with diuers prayers and parts the Authors whereof could not possibly by any meanes certainly be produced but that which most of all troubled me was to read in Saint l Grego lib. 7. Epist 64. Gregory himselfe confessing that the Apostles did cōsecrate with the Lords prayer onely and withall acknowledging that one called Scholasticus had composed the office and Canon of the Masse not withstanding all these doubts I reiected then as temptations not doubting but that the Canon of the Masse was of the Apostles instituting although I saw euident demonstrations to the contrary so powerfull with me was the authoritie of the present visible Romane Church but quia ignorans feci misericordiam consecutus sum because I did it with most zealous ignorance I haue obtained mercie I now plainly see that it is a thing morally impossible that the Apostles should be the authors of the Romane Canon of the Masse
errour and no Apostolicall tradition because not clearely knowne nor receiued in Saint Austens time who most expresly in the learnedst and perhaps the last booke he euer wrote except his Retractations affirmeth that y August lib. de ciuit dei 21 cap. 26. see also the 16. chapter perhaps it is true note the word perhaps that there is a purging fire after death by which it is most manifest according to other places of him that the Church in his time did not make Purgatorie sire a tradition Apostolicall or article of faith but of late the Pseudosinode and Schismaticall Councell vnder Eugenius the fourth gathered against that of Basil which had deposed Eugenius before and substituted Felix contrarie to the ancient faith of the Latine and Grecke Church determined Purgatotie pains for a point of faith But of these imaginarie and fatuous flames else where perhaps more largely The word of God as it is expounded of the ancient Fathers doth dispell condemne explode them for if there z Epist ad Rom. 8. 2. ad Corinth 5. ad Thes 1. cap. 4. Apoc. cap. 14. be no damnation to those who die in Christ Iesus beleeuing in him with faith working by charitier and if all those who die in him euen from that moment of death rest from their labors and that no sooner the earthly habitation is left off but an heauenly habitation is put on and those who beleeuing Christ loue Christ desiring to be dissolued and to be with him are with him and if generally the Apostle exhorteth and commaundeth that Christians should not be so much as contristated for those who die in Christ in Iesus and by Iesus by whom and in whom they sleepe with many such like sayings who that is not eyther seduced by his education in poperie or else for his ouercredulitie to their Priests misled will beleeue the imaginarie flames of Purgatorie And heere I constantly affirme and the contrarie cannot be shewed to wit that all those Fathers who alowed praier for the dead were more or lesse to be touched with some one of these errours either that the states of the faithfull departed could not be certaine vntill the day of iudgement and that they were to be kept in certaine receptacles till that time and that none of the departed were to see Gods face vntill the day of iudgement a Austen writeth doubt fully here of in his Enchirid cap. 109. where he affirmeth that sacrifice is offered for the dead either that they may haue full remission or else that their damnation may be more tolerable He teacheth the like lib. 1. de orig enime cap 9. 10. lib. de cura pro mortuiâ— cap. 1. Azor. lib. institut 10. cap. 22. affirmeth that it was the doctrine of certaine ancient that their Masse did profit and ease the soules damned in hell or else that the verie soules of the damned in hell might be holden by prayers as Iohn b Damascen erat de mortuis ciacon Aquinas alis Damascene approuingly relating the historie of Trajanes soule doliuered by Saint Gregorie seemeth to hold and all those who account the historie of Falconillas deliuerie by the prayers of Tecla to be authenticall seeme to affirme And as for the historie of Traians deliuerie by Saint Gregories prayers although it be impugned by some later authors yet the historie is to be seene painted in Saint Gregories Monasterie at Rome the which also the great Ignatian Salmeron acknowledgeth by which it is most manifest that the opinion teaching that damned soules in Hell might be holpen or eased by the prayers of some liuing seemed not so extrauagant and improbable in the Romane Church when time was by all which and much * Ciprian seemeth to shew how the commemoratâ—ue sacrifice was offered for martyrs in coÌ„memoration of them Cyprian epist 62. lib. 3. lib. 4. epist 5. in like sort Ciril speaketh in Cateches more that might be said to the same purpose the courteous Reader may obserue how one errour breedeth another to wit vncertaintie of estate of the soules departed vntill the day of iudgement prayers for them prayers for them Purgatorie fire Purgatorie fire requiem Masses and Purgatorie sacrifices for them and their fabulous Indulgences with such like errours There be many other things which I might iustly taxe in the Canon of their Masse as repugnant to all antiquitie and consequently not Apostolicall the dreadfull eleuation of the Sacrament not onely to be reuerenced as a Sacrament of God but to be adored and inuocated as the diuine Maiestie it selfe their carrying vp and downe the said Sacrament in their processions But as execrable rather then as inexcusable I doe abhominate that Papall custome and Nouell fashion of theirs by which they set the Sacrament vpon a white palfrey to be caried before their holinesses whithersoeuer they shall make their progresse to shew perhaps that they will be like the virginall Saints in heauen b Apoc. 14. who follow the Lambe wheresoe uer he goeth O mercifull Sauiour of mankind c Psal 118. tempus faciendi dissipauerunt legem tuam It is high time to doe they haue dissipated thy law in steede of thy diuine Maiestie they haue set vp a God dwelling in their tabernacles in their towers and call the same their God the God of fortitude the God of strength and insteed of that thy onely sacrifice of the Crosse daily honoured inuocated commemorated by thy faithfull Seruants the Chimericall and imaginarie reall carnall sacrifice of your selfe in bread and wine vpon their idolatrous Altars Open their eyes thou who art the onely Sacrifice oblation redemption and deliuerance of all mankinde by that oblation which thou diddest once make for vs all vpon the Crosse looke downe and consider how they abuse thy holy rite and institution which thy Maiestie appointed and all thy ancient Church receiued according as thy d Math. 28. Mark 14. Luke 22. 6. Paul 1 ad corinth 11. Euangelists and Apostle deliuered vnto them that all thy faithfull should receiue the Sacrament whole and intire in both kinds yet now c Conc. Trident. sess 21. comes the Tridentine Fathers and they do not only decree one kind to be enough but they also accurse and execrate they curse and thou wilt blesse all those who shall obserue and teach as necessarie thy institution and shall practise according as all the Prime and ancient Churches did and this their treacherie they will excuse by protesting take a Helen without an excuse so the TrideÌ„tine is named by Espencaus in his Commentarie vpon Titus that the ancient Church neuer vsed the Sacrament vnder both kinds out of opinion of necessity as though your holy institution your commandement deliuered and inculcated by the Apostles and Euangelists did not bind vnder necessitie But they will thus at their pleasures only like the f 2. Thess 2. Outlaw or lawlesse man by whom they were authorised for this described by your
the diuine and publique seruice throughout all Churches of the West what else do they intend but that the Pope may reigne throughout all those Churches which more or lesse through his excommunications interdicts promotions presentations and through the imbecility of Princes and the blinde ignorance of Christian people he hath conquered to his tiranny Baptizing them after the name of his See of Rome Romane Catholikes not after the name of Christ Christian Catholikes for Christian is a name now out of vse vnlesse it bee in the reformed Churches of Christ where Christ is truly and only honoured and glorified but howsoeuer the Popes tiranny bee applauded in seruice of vnknowne tongues doubtlesse the u 1. Petr. 5. Roaring Lion laugheth thereat to see by his institution warres to bee proclaimed against Gods Scriptures and all Antiquity God to bee depriued of his Honour which consisteth in the vnderstanding seruice and religion of the heart for he being a spirit x Iohn 4. in spirit and truth hee must bee adored the Christian flocke to bee dispoiled of their spirituall deuotion and comfort which is not possibly to bee had without the conceiuing and vnderstanding of such things by which the spiritual comfort is to be brought and ingendred in their soules They pretend forsooth that the misteries of their Masse will bee had in greater admiration if they be not in a tongue vnderstood by the common people Alas how wisely for I hope their people must vnderstand the mysteries of the Masse and therein be instructed as their Tridentine Catechisme commaundeth and as the Rhemists glory in their preface to the new Testament and if they must bee instructed to vnderstand the Diuine rites and Ceremonies Why may they not bee permitted to haue the seruice in a tongue that they doe vnderstand Their goodly argument that some of the auncient Fathers carried the mysteries of the Church closely in the primitiue daies falleth of it selfe for was not that done in respect of the Infidels and Catechumens but as for the faithfull they all well knew that phrase norunt fideles the faithfull haue knowen and they vnderstood all the mysteries for the most part The primitiue Church practised faithfully that of Christ y Mat. 8. Luc. 12 quod in aure c that which you heare in the eare preach vpon the tops of houses but although you were iustly afraid to haue your Masse mysteries celebrated in known tongues in respect of infinite impertinencies and contradictions that are in it why should you not suffer so much as is read of holy Scriptures in your Liturgies to bee read and song in tongues known to the Church And what may bee thought that Christs Apostles would write their Gospels and Epistles in the Greeke tongue Saint Mathew in his Gospell and Saint Paul in his Epistle to his Countrimen writing in the Hebrew tongue onely excepted but for that the Greeke tongue was most common throughout the East part of the world where Christian Religion was first planted And in the Primitiue Church al * I desire the learned Pontificians to tell me whether the Apoâ—riphall Liturgies of Iames Basil Chrisostom Ambrose yea of S. Peter also which they falsly pretend were not written by them in the most vulgar tongues vsed then in their churches confesse your tiranny O yee Romans and abuse Gods Church no longer Church-seruice was in this part of the World of Europe and that of Asia for most part in the Hebrew Greeke or Latine tongues because the same were more or lesse common where Christianity was first planted as for other countries where the Gospell was preached as first in AEthiopia who is ignorant but that the Churches Liturgie was from the time of the Eunuch vntill this day in the AEthiopian tongue Sclauonians had the like Armenians the like Egiptians the like Grecians the like Latines the like Hebrews the like and what doubt can bee made but that the Indian Conuerts by Saint Thomas had the like And wheresoeuer the Apostles planted any Churches what question can be made but that they did obserue the rule and z 1. Corin. 14. commaundement of the Lord to his Apostles that euery thing should bee done to edification and that glorious prophecie should bee fulfilled euery a Philip. 2. tongue shall confesse to his name yea the very Formes of all Church-seruices doe clearely shew that the People and Clergie were answerablye to conioyne their prayers together and to answere each other as it is deliuered in the b Constitut Apostol Clementis Cirill in Catech. mistagog Iustin Apolog. 2. ad Antoâ—mum liturgiae Iacobi Chrisosto Ambro. Basil saepe constitutions of the Apostles the olde Liturgies and other Auncient Fathers and what else did the comming downe of the Holy Ghost in the formes of so many fiery tongues at Whitsontide else portend and signifie but that euery tongue should confesse the name of our Lorde IESVS and where this more meetely then in their publique assemblies where they were to honour GOD and yeelde to each other all spirituall Comforte and consolation which could not nor cannot bee performed in dumbe and barbarous shewes I cannot heere omit to set downe a point of simplicity of their great Doctor Doctor Harding who answering an obiection made by D. Iewel out of Saint c Basil Hexamer hom 4. Basil affirming that the people together men women and children made a sound in their answers in the Churches in the publike seruice to God like to the sound of a waue striking vpon the Seabanks This profound d Harding answere to Bishop Iewels challenge page 8. Doctor would haue Saint Basil vnderstood onely of the peoples sounding the word Amen wisely insooth Doubtlesse the Doctor was in a dreame or else forgot what Countryman Saint Basil was or of what countrey people that Father speaketh e August in Psal 16. expos 2 Harding supra if he had remembred Greece or euer read any of the Greeke Lyturgies or seene the Greeke publike seruice which vpon the day of Saint Athanasius the Grecians are permitted to celebrate in their owne tongue in Rome he would haue well vnderstood that the Grecian Christians make longer answers and responses in the publike Church seruice then Amen But his answere to an authoritie produced by that learned Bishop out of Saint Austen perhaps is wiser no insooth more fond heare it Quid hoc sit c. what this is saith Saint Austen after we haue prayed to God to make vs cleane from our priuate sinnes we must vnderstand that we ought to sing as with humane reason not with voice as birds doe for Owsels Popiniayes Rauens and Pyes and such like birds oftentimes be taught of men to sound they know not what thus Saint Austen Now it is manifest that these words are to be taken of vnderstanding what is sung but what answereth Doctor Harding to them marry thus These words are to be taken of the vnderstanding of the sense saith
same Church so Apostolicall so Christian that me thought I saw the very Primitiue faith and practise of the Apostles and the verie rites of their Church to be in it obserued And in these obseruations I began more inwardly to be moued because as my knowledge and inclination to allow of the Church of England and to abhorre the Romane heresies and abuses increased so also my soule increased in the loue of God detestation of sinne and auoiding the occasions of sinne the loathing of this life and an earnest desiring to be with Christ whom since my renouncing of Papistrie with the Father and holy Ghost as my soule euidently testifieth vnto me I do most sincerely loue and esteeme aboue all things in this world and so fully with my whole soule heart that me thought I could comfortably and confidently say vnto it with the words of the holy Prophet k Psal 114. conuertere c. my soule be couerted into thy rest for the Lord hath done well to thee And I could not me thought hinder the working of God within me nor refuse that testimony of S. Paul the holy l Ad Rom. 8. Ghost giueth testimonie vnto our soules that we are the children of God yet so if we suffer with Christ that we may also raigne with Christ The ninth Motiue I Should heere adde somewhat largely of their pernicious The ninth Motiue doctrine of equiâ—ocation which hath beene another no small Motiue with me for my conuersion which doctrine the Ignatians haue specialy set a foote at least in practise within this kingdome they forsooth who will not permit that the Scriptures of God should be promiscuously read by the vulgar people haue in their vulgar language in Pamphlets rather libels being without name dispersed throughout this kingdome the pestiferous doctrine of equiuocation with their strange and paradoxicall half propositions Amphibologies propositions forsooth out of their r Treatise of equiuocation written or published by Henry Garnet Ignatian Logicke halfe written halfe spoken halfe concealed and why bring they not in also as well propositions of a triple difference whereof one part may be spoken a second written a third concealed and not vttered and why not propositions of a quadruple difference as part written part spoken part by signes and part by concealment and so make mentall verball written and dum or silent propositioÌ„ all in one to set vp their vaine doctrine of equiuocation Some ingenious Pontificians of my acquaintance there are who do what you can yet you cannot driue this doctrine of equiuocation into their heads but such as haue beene brought vp vnder the Ignatians and are deuoted vnto them they haue their lesson at their fingers ends Not long since there was Å¿ Iohn Koome one of these Ignatian Priests who being examined by the Archibishop of Canterburie not long before his death did not onely denie himselfe to be a Priest but also by religious oath did forsweare the same being challenged for it he excused the same by the art of equiuocation stoutly auouching that he had beene so taught by his master a reader of the societie of Ignatius and indeed it is the doctrine almost of them all that any proposition whatsoeuer is or may be allowed by the art of equiuocation the same also may be confirmed and auerred true by religious oath and yet this equiuocating swearer so ready to forsweare and deny his Priesthood was a most bitter enemie against all such as would take or allow the taking of the oath of Alleageance in any sense whatsoever I could produce many such examples of equiuocating Ignatians one I will not omit of a friend of the Ignatians who wouldfaine haue beene an Ignatian before this but that Master Strange the Ignatian lately banished * R. C. the common collector for Recusants by the art of equiuocatioÌ„ protested to certaine Priests in the Clinke cóplaining of their wants the very day before the 1000 and certain 100 of pounds were taken from him that he knew not in the world where to fetch 20 shall this man had not sorgotten his Accidence rule huic habeo non tibi I dare auouch there is no day passeth in which he doth not religiously vse this art Some three daies since the 9. of Ianuary he hath sent in writing an equiuocating super sedeas that because he was thé sicke with an il stomack for the oath of allegeance he would provide for the Clinke prisoners no longer out of the towre told him that his imperfections should not be laid vpon their order being of such rare pharisaicall perfection forsooth This man is gracious with diuers worthie persons of the feminine sexe into whole fauours he hath wound himselfe so greatly that he can obtaine one of their fauours to weare next his skinne and ouer his whole bodie a whole weeke togither yea in the time of his holy imprisonment to comfort his imprisoned corps Freshly vpon the discouerie of the damnable powder-treason it was his chance to be taken to be brought before the honorable Lord Maior of London by whom being examined vpon suspition of his person and religion and asked whom he thought to be head of the Church of England without any difficulty he answereth thus the King which his answere might well haue deceiued that honorable person if he had not more narrowly obserued some other of his answers in which he found him faultering and thereupon committed him to the Counter where he staid not long he being afterward questioned withall by some zealous Romane Catholicks how he could without deniall of his faith concerning their article of the Popes supremacie acknowledge the King to be supreme head of the Church what replieth he peremptorily I meant not the King of England but the King of heauen the truest word he euer spoke for the King of heauen is indeed the onely supreme head of the Church of England and he added that he thought in respect of the dangers of the times that he might iustly vse such equiuocation Pardon me courteous Pontifician Readers that I thus particularize this man there is more in store I doe it onely that our English Ladies and some worthie persons of the deuout sexe may know what manner of men those are to whom they commit their secrets And if he hereafter deale with some of them as he hath alreadie dealt with a verie worthie Ladie too worthy for him or any other Pontifician Priest they will haue no great cause of Comfort in him or his like I could discipher the spirits of some other equiuocating and dicing westerne Priests to conceale the rest God turne their hearts to consider the states in which they stand and vouchsafe O mercifull Iesus in t 1. Pet. 2. whose mouth was found no guile nor deceit rather to confound them then suffer them to defend their equiuocating practise by your most sacred doctrine and immaculate examples of your purest conuersation The tenth Motive TO proceed
much of his credit away with charging the booke with lies and fables that his authoritie alone may not carrie away such a matter as this is The fifth Law THat Law and custome by which they commaund the Laitie to receiue the Sacrament vnder one kind onely is sacrilegious to vse Pope Gelasius his phrase and is an errour in excusable But the Tridentine Fathers haue found out an excuse for this inexcusable errour this forsooth that although Christ instituted and commaunded all to drinke of the sacramentall Cup the Apostles ordained as much and withall the primitiue Church euer so practised yet this was all done not as a matter of necessitie but of election or choice for the faithful to receiue vnder one kind or both Å¿ Epist Iude. Imperet vobis Dominus Our Lord coÌ„maund you and let the mouthes of such as speake so wicked things be stopped What a doctrine of diuels is this to say that the institution of Christ the commaundement of Christ ordinance of the Apostles touching the vse of the chiefest Sacrament of the Church maketh not a law of necessitie when their imagined transubstantiation came in then also by degrees brought they in the receiuing vnder one kinde as sufficient for a mans whole life pretending that whole Christ is really and substantially vnder both kindes yea vnder any the least particle that may fall from the host or any lest moysture of wine-liquour that may hang and sticke vpon their Chalice side or vpon their Priests lips which being by them thus professed beleeued I maruaile and note by the way how Henry Garnets great t M. A. V. fauouritisse in presence of him and of other Ignatians and diuers worshipfull did scorne publikely at table one D. Cecill for his licking with his finger the patten which he vsed at celebration of the Masse I desire the reader to iudge of their spirits I my selfe hearig her derision excused the Doctor seriously but since that time some one and twenty yeares I was neuer very gratefull to her nor to her reuerend Father Henry Garnet they had then opposition with that Doctor and therefore he was derided for licking vp such crummes as they esteemed their God The sixth Law THey annexe to holy Orders the vow of Chastitie and yet few who take Orders make the said vow expresly although all such consent to vndergoe their law of chastitie by which they most strictly command neither Priest nor Bishop to marry if any were maried before Orders then after them they must abstaine from the lawfull vse of their wiues This is one of their traditions such a one as S. Paul spoke of when u 1. Ad Tim. 4. he foretold that some would come in later times teaching the doctrines of diuels forbidding to marrie c. By occasion of this law their presumptuous spirits haue implied almost the whole Romane Cleargie more or lesse with all kinde of impurities yea some so nefarious as are not by a modest penne to be expressed perhaps though very rashly and inconsiderately the first Authors of the Law intended to haue brought in Chastitie and puritie into the liues of their Cleargie but it hath fallen out farre otherwise for it is a shame to speake what is done by many of them in secret It is a shame saith x Bernard serm 33 in Cantica see him in serm ad Pastores in Sinodo congregat lib. 4. de considerat cap. 2. alibi S. Bernard to vtter what they doe in darke yet what should I shame to speake that which they are not ashamed to doe O worthy Bernard might you iustly write thus in your time A stinking contagioÌ„ creepeth this day through out the whole bodie of the Church all are friends and yet all are enemies yea all seeke their owne they are the Ministers of Christ yet doe seruice to Antichrist And a little after these are the men and yet they will needs be Church-Gouernours Diuines Archbishops Bishops how doe these men keepe their chastitie who being giuen into a reprobate sense doe things that are vnmeete for it is a shame to vtter what they doe in the darke yet why should I be ashamed to speake that which they are not ashamed to doe thus Saint Bernard the which with infinite much more that might be cited out of all zealous Pontifician preachers as Cornelius Musse Panigarole Ferus Granatensis Stella Espencaeus Genebrard Bapt Mantuan Aluarus Pelagius Nicholas Clemangis Polydore Mathew of Paris I touch onely to shew what abhominable impurities and filth hath redounded by vertue of that Law into their vowing Cleargie whom they permit notwithstanding to eate and drinke liberally and indifferently of wines and all manner of meates as the laitie and to liue also freely and to conuerse indifferently amongst women They impose a necessitie of that which Christ himselfe ordained should be free in such as haue the y Math. 19. gift of continencie but they will perhaps say none is restrained to this law of Chastitie but such as doe freely enter into holy orders vnto which this law of chastitie is annexed and such as haue made triall of themselues before good God what triall is made of such persons whom they nourish and mew vp in the prime of their youth in their Seminaries and Colledges farre from all societie of women whom if they would keepe still at short diet and without wines I could not condemne their vowiâ—g who neuer made trial of themselues whether they had the gift of continency or not how many are there of your Cleargie who eyther because their parents so appoint it or else because they finde it a readie way and steppe to promotion are willing to addict themselues to that course of life before they know by experience whether they can be continent or not nay rather which of them is there I appeale to their owne consciences who by often yeelding more or lesse to some of the morosous cogitations as they call them doe not finde by experience before they take holy Orderrs that they haue not the gift of contiuencie but doe more or lesse burne with their morosous desires and cogitations The Pontificians are such fauourers of Vowes of chastitie that I know some married couples who liuing together commit horrible impurities and yet they will not preuent them by the remedy of nature because against their owne vowes I know diuers Ignatians are verie forward to perswade married couples to vow such pernicious continencie I could heere particularize somewhat but will not hauing appealed to their owne consciences and the consciences of such ghostly Fathers as heare the confessions of their Diuines who are at the next steppe to Orders But let their ancient Histories be searched and they shall finde that the Church of the East where religion was first planted and the ordinances of the Apostles well knowne would neuer admit of the necessitie of continencie in Cleargie men which some endeuoured to impose vpon them In
the holy Scriptures it is most cleere that married Priestes and Bishops were permitted to vse their wines and also to performe all Church-offices so cleare this truth is in Saint Paul a 1. Ad Timoth. 3. to Timothie that he taketh order how the wife and children of such persons are to be ordered And who is so ignorant a Dâ—uine as not to know b Valentia de celibatu cap. 2. Thâ—◠〈◊〉 2. 2. q. 88. Durand lib. 4. dist 34. 37. alij Scholastic communiter ibidem Solus de iure iustitia lib. â— Petrus â Soto in institut sacerdot lâ—ct 5. Alphonsus â Castâ—o aduersus heres verbo sacerdot Azor. institut lib. 13. cap. 12. that with Valentia the Ignatian Diuine all the chiefest Pontifician Diuines do acknowledge that the Law and Vow of chastitie is onely annexed to Priesthood and holy Orders by mans law to wit by the lawes of some Roman Popes by their Sinodicall constitutions at most and that Christ and his Apostles appointed nothing therin I haue often maruelled how Popâ—s who haue bene so liberall to dispense in all Church lawes in all maner of Vowes and Oathes yea and with Laicks most often in the vowes of Chastity either c Thomas is Aquin. 2. 2. q. 88. art 10. ad 3. Azor. lib. 6. cap. 1. Tom 1. Theolog. omnes communiter for some great good to the parties who had vowed or sworne or to remoue some euill from them or else for some spiritual good or temperall profit to others or to remoue some occasion of spirituall or temporall euill and hurt or else in respect of impotency or vnablenes to keep the Vows yea who haue dispensed daily dispense with promises and oathes of fidelity made to princes other thirde Persons will not for the soules healths of some of their polluted Bishops and Priests to remoue so generall Vniuersal a scandall from their Church dispense with all such of their Cleargy who by their owne confessions and experience of the whole world are so farre from beeing continent that they doe like impure horses hinnire neigh after the Wiues and Daughters of their Diocesians and Parishioneâ—s I doe heere constantly and Christianly affirme that it were more tollerable and more agreeing to the vse of the most pure Sacraments that all Priests and Bishops in the World being dispensed withall or otherwise freed should marry and vse marriage then that one onely incestuous sinne or Sodomiticall impurity by occasion of the Law of Chastity d This my discourse falleth if there bee sin in mariage as the ancient Encratites and Tatians held otherwise it is inuincible for doubtles dispensation must bee graunted when otherwise sin throgh impotency caÌ„not be auoided See Abbas in c. câ— olim de clericis coniugat Sotus lib. 7. de iustit q. 6. art 2 Good old Azor lib. 12 cap. 13. granteth that for temporall peace the vow of chastitie may be dispensed withall as though the remouing of sinne were not a greater cause for dispensation in any cause whatsoeuer should bee committed For as in the first secluding the Law of Chastity ordeined only by Authority of some Roman Bishops not expresly instituted by God there should be no sinne so in the other there is sinne inexcusablie which in malice because insinite surpasseth all the good of Chastity because finite that may be in all other Priests Had it not beene better that the impure Venetian Abbot whose excesses in soliciting of matrones that worthy state would haue corrected if the Pope would haue giuen them leaue should haue beene dispensed withall to haue married rather then to haue beene by his most impure conuersation part of that scandall by which the whole Christian world had like to haue fallen into a most dreadefull commotion Had it not beene farre better for the Legat Cardinall of Cremona his soule and more for Romes honor that he shold haue bin dispensed withal and haue brought a wife with him rather then hee should the same night after that day in which he most bitterly had inueâ—ghed against the Marriage of Priests be found in bed with a common strompet as e Math. Paris in Henri 1. ad ann 1125. Huntingd. Westmonast Flores ad cundem annum Mathew of Paris with others condently deliuer had it not beene farre better for the Honour of the Apostolike See that Iohn the 12. should haue dispensed with himselfe and haue had one lawfull wife rather then to haue kept three infamous strompets Stephana Anna Raynera as Luitprandus f Luitprand Tic. lib. 6. cap. 6. et c. 7. Onuphrius in Annotat. in platinam in Iohan. affirmeth and accusing him also to haue committed many other most impure villanies What should I mention any thing of Pope Sergius Iohn the 8. Iohn the 20. the 22. Alexander the 6 and diuers other most impure Popes c. But what care these Pharisees how impure and filthy that of the dish is within so that they may be thought at lest to vow chastity and to haue wils to be chast and pure I thought not to name any particulars concerning this point in any liuing but seeing the Ignatians are so holy that they wil casâ— off al such faults vpon others as though they desired not so much as any conuersation with women and yet who bee they that now giue first entertainment to the gallant women at Saint Omers who those that dayly conuerse with them bee they not Ignatians I will deliuer heere one certaine thing which happened pardon me curteous Reader if I abuse thy patience with relating of it in their famous Dowist Vniuersitie and one of their Ignatian Schooles and by an Ignatian also who was * Witnesses M. I. S. M. T. S. and M. W. C. obserued by Persons of worthy credit often to pollute himselfe most shamefully in the open schooles yea so apparantly that it was thought the Reader could not but obserue it the like is testified and prooued of another in the same Schooles but he was no Ignatian and the like I saw of another in the Diuinity Schoole of Rome but he was no Ignatian but vnder their Gouernment onely But what doe I insist to inueigh against their wicked Lawe promiscuously binding all that take Orders whether they haue the gift of continency or otherwise not to marry they will doubtlesse obiect to me that I long after Marriage they may Calumniate me at their pleasure how I haue conuersed it is well knowne euen amongst many Modest Chast very worthy and worshipfull Gentlewomen and I heere protest before God that I neuer found a more reall sincere detestation against all carnal thoughts and molestations or any desires of that kind then at this present I doe yet I esteeme it farre more meet and agreeing to Christs institution and the Holy Apostles doctrine for any whatsoeuer he bee rather to Marry then to burn yea so much as to haue any least vnlawfull oâ—
some great matter to be acted about the Powder time For when I was last beyond the seas a graue person reported in my hearing and in the hearing of a reuerend Priest that the l R. V. meeter-maker of their English hymnes spoke openly in Antwerpe at a table where diuers were drinking together some fiue or six weekes before the Powder-treasoÌ„ time that there was some great attempt in hand in England Perhaps the good man knew not the whole secret if he did then perchance for very shame he concealed it for I hardly thinke he would detest the fact who so eagerly commended the stinking Ignatian Queres or Pruritanus and the most villanous Polonian Exetasis against his Maiesties most excellent state and person which bookes also are most singularly esteemed by some beyond seas of which I thinke if the most excellent Arch-duke knew they should not be so dearly esteemed of by him But I surcease to write any more of this kind I haue perpaps discouered so much of the Ignatian spirit that some of them will attempt by some meanes or other to attenuat my spirit but I weigh it not for nothing more welcome to me then death it self so that I may be found prouided and ready to meet him and to be with him after whom my soule longeth and breatheth so much as this corruptible flesh of mine will permit me My redeemer hath numbred my daies and m Psal 138. hath put my imperfections in his sight and before he calleth me no man can thrust me hence his truth is witnesse to my soule that in this writing I seeke onely his glory in whom confiding I feare no man And I humbly wish the English Recusants to beware of such seducers as come vnder the garments of sheepe but inwardly are rauening wolues who plotting to bring to passe their conuersion of England seeke nothing but the subuersion thereof rather then their desires should not take effect And therefore as themselues well know are euer inculcating matters to the disgrace of the Church and state-gouernment of this Kingdome cannot well indure that any Priest in his Sermons should so much as commend and inculcate obedience to temporall magistrates I my selfe was at my first comming sixteene yeeres since into this Kingdome not a little reprehended by two Ignatian Priests because vpon that text a Matth. 22 Marke 12. Giue vnto God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is Caesars I had said they too much insisted vpon the latter part thereof in perswading of obedience to the temporal magistrate and yet in that sermon which was not aboue an houre and halfe long I am assured I discoursed not twenty lines of that subiect To proceed I gather another tricke of naughty Spirits especially in the elder and latter Pontifician Monkes and Friers who haue set forth so many counterfet and comentitious treatises in the ancient Fathers names by that meanes to establish and confirme their doctrines of their transubstantiation their Popes supremacy their confiding in merits of Saints adoration of Images c. Wherein I do constantly affirme that the most pregnant and clearest proofes which they pretend for most of their Romane positions are taken out either of such counterfeit bookes as some of the learnedst Pontificians call in question or else out of such commentitious bookes and putatiue workes of ancient Fathers which by very sufficient proofe may bee shewed to bee not currant And when withall I obserue what order they haue taken with their * Indices expurgatorij Romanus Neapolitanus Hispanus Belgicus editià Povtificijs Expurgatory Indices not onely to giue annotations but further to corrupt the very texts of Authours so that none of later Pontifician Authors in short time such as Caietane Ferus Stella Ludouicus Granatensis Polidore Virgill Claudius Espex c. shall bee found sound and to speake like themselues yea they sticke not to corrupt the very texts of ancient Fathers whose editions they daylie innouate at Rome Paris Lions c. The industrious * His Treatise of corruption of Scriptures Fathers Councels by the Pontificians M. Thomas James hath produced many of such corruptions and promiseth much more one of them for a tast which I also obserued long agoe and proposed to a learned man but receiued no satisfaction I will heere giue to the Reader it is a corruption of a saying of S. Gregorie Nissene which is this Illam solummodo naturam quae increata est colere ac venerari didicimus were haue learned onely to worship and adore that nature which is increate but the Spanish Expurgatorie Indices say the word onelie must bee put out of the text a good cause why the reader cannot but obserue the mysterie therefore I passe it with silence Doubtlesse these men who are so impudent to set foorth their owne late Authours otherwise then themselues wrote and are not ashamed to corrupt the texts of ancient Fathers workes it is no maruell that they do so shamefully in their ranslations peruert the sacred word abhorring nothing more then in those places of controuersies in which they dissent from the reformed Churches to haue their translations reformed according to the originalls of sacred Scripture in which the word of God was first written by the Authours thereof Many shifts p Bellarm. lib. 2. de â—erbo Dei Bellarmine Stapleton Harding others deuise to wash away this dastardly tergiuersation of theirs in refusing trial by the originals of Gods Scripture but the imputation is iust and vnremooueable and will help to bring their Babell to her confusion together with her Expurgatory Indices of late and ancient Authours Further the naughty spirits of many Pontificians as Bellarmine Stapleton c. haue seemed manifest to me in that they doe most egregiously to bring the reformed Churches in hate and contempt calumniate them to teach such doctrines as they vtterly detest and disclaime from As first they accuse them that they giue iustification to faith onely meaning ostentimes such a naked faith as they teach void of charity that is faith informed as they speake a mere calumniation For who knoweth not that the resormed Churches make iustifying faith that which inseparably p Galat. 5. worketh by charitie as the Apostle speaketh againe they are accused to exclude necessity of good works to saluation and all reward also of good workes at saluation meere imputations For as they continually inculcate and commend necessity of good works in their pulpits more effectually then in many of the Pontifician Churches whose Preachers are much busied with extolling the merits of Saints the worth of indulgences c. So likewise they publikehe professe that God will not bee vnmindfull of the least good worke done as it ought for his sake to reward the same They are generally calumniated amongst the good English Pontificians who meane well that thy make Gods he Authour and impeller of and to sinne a meere calumniation There are
Anall Platin. in Adrian Irene caused the same by a Synod of Bishops to bee decreed in Nice And I pray you doe you thinke worse of your Iubilies because y Platina in Bonif 8. Walsing in Edward 1. Polychron lib. 7. cap. 40. Boniface the 8. who entred most ambiciously like a Foxe liued like a Lion and died like a Dogge brought them in beware of such mislikes it will not be for the profit of Romes purse Againe the Church of England is calumniated euery day by all the Ignatians as though she had no true orders or iurisdiction I dare affirme that in it there is as certaine and as assured a succession of orders spirituall iurisdiction as in the Church of Rome it selfe which hath so often tottered with so many schismes and hath bin pestered with so many Apostatical Popes as both Baronius and Genebrard deliuer I my selfe very lately searched for my own satisfaction the Records and I find clearly that Archbishop Parker was sufficiently truly and canonically ordered and consecrated by such Bishops as had receiued orders and consecration according to the Romane Church he swore not thou wilt perhaps obiect obedience to the Bishop of Rome a toy Where in all antiquity finde you the vse ofswearing subiection to the Bishop of Rome Romane Tyranny brought it in to the Church and Christian liberty hath exploded it It is indeede the soule of your Religion that subiection to the Bishop of Rome is a meane necessary to saluauation as necessary as Baptisme it selfe O prodigious Doctrin it is not enough say these men to saluation to be vnited with Christ and subiected to our immediate Pastors who are in vnion with the whole Catholike Church touching the Catholike faith vnlesse we be also vnited by immediate subiectiō vnto the Pope of Rome who may both be an Heretike and also contaminate the Church with his pernicious Lawes So that if a Pope Nerolike as Boniface the 8. would by pernicious Lawes draw you from Christ and like as a Heliogabalus as Iohn the 12. would draw you to all impurities and teach you to diuide the Church by opposing against the true Pope after his iust deposition by the whole Romane Clergy most Bishops of Italy assembled in a Synod or Ottomanlike as Paul the 5. will teach you against Christs institution not to yeelde temporall obedience to your lawfull Soueraigne if hee out of his throne take vpon him to dethrone him vnlesse forsooth you be subiect to such Vicars of Christ you cannot haue saluation in Christ O prodigious and vaine Doctrine of these times the holy Prophets O ye Britaine 's haue forewarned vs let vs beware of them What vile calumniation is that by which the reformed Churches of England are charged to deny the seeing of Gods face and glory vnto the Saints departed vntill the day of Iudgement What a slander that she respects no Holy daies of Christ or his Apostles I dare say that the memories of the Apostles are in many places of this Kingdome as religiously obserued as the Sundaies are with them but in the obseruation of the Sabbath our Lords day the Church of England doth so farre surpasse all Papistical Churches yea of Rome it selfe that it were a sinne to make any comparison therein betwixt them a Caluino Turcismo William Rainolds calumniateth Caluin that hee teacheth that Christ by his corporall death redeemed not mankinde A meere Calumnious imputation his doctrine is that Christ by his meere Corporal death had he not subiected himself to haue vndergone his fathers displeasure against mankinde and to haue clothed himselfe as it were with the deserts punishment and guilt of man he had not fully made that satisfactiō for mankind of which the Scripture so often speake of which doctrin who can be ignorant who is acquainted with holy writ Great is their spight against that man but notwithstanding all their malice against him he liued peaceably laboured faithfully and died Christianly leauing such a posterity of books behinde him which checketh the daily continual innouations of Rome Grieuous is the imputation to the English Church for condemning and contemning the ancient Fathers whereas the most it striueth for is to support that of b Tertull. lib. de prescriptio Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most Ancient euen in the Fathers is most true At first when counterfeit Martials Abdias Clements Markes Dionises were produced the Prelats of the reformed Churches were more afrighted then hurt and to such Fathers they might iustly giue the Anatheme because such fathers had impugned and contradicted that Gospell of Christ the which whosoeuer though an Angell from heauen shall doe we are warranted by the c ad Galat. 1. Apostle to giue him the Anatheme But in and for true Fathers the Church of England reuerently and constantly auoucheth that of d Vincent Lirin contra Heres cap. 4. Tertull. de praescript Vincentius Lirinensis to take place Quicquid non unus aut duo c. Whatsoeuer not one or two but al together with one and the same consent openly frequently and constantly shall bee knowne to haue held written and taught that she also without any doubt knoweth must by her bee beleeued and this most iustly the English Church admitteth it being as cleare as the verie no one daies that all Fathers of the Ancient Church neuer taught helde nor wrot any thing in this sort which is not clearely agreeing to Gods word which is the onely Rule of Christian faith But iustly to retort vpon them who knoweth not that for most of their Roman nouel positions the Aduersaries haue no Ancient Fathers and therefore to defend themselues being vrged they do not produce Fathers but stand to their imagined Traditions written no where in Antiquity but only reserued in the Romane Bishops and Churches brests as they pretende this is their City of refuge as for example When a world of Fathers concurring with sacred Scripture is produced to shew that the Virgin Mary whose name bee euer blessed amongst and aboue all women was conceiued in Originall sinne yea some of them with S. Anselme auouching that shee was borne in sinne which I can hardly beleeue doe they heere sticke to the Fathers nothing lesse their imagined traditions must take place Againe when whole centuries of Fathers and those assembled in Synods bee produced to affirme that Popes haue beene and may bee Heretikes will they heare admit of the Fathers nothing lesse all records must be coūterfeit their own best Authors deceiued rather then the Fathers authorities admitted against their Popes infallibilies When irrefragable authorities of most ancient Fathers are produced to shew that the holy Scriptures are the onely inerrable rule of Christian Catholike faith and the square by which the writings and faith of all men and all Churches must be examined and tried will they heere allow the Fathers No alas they flye the field and seeke after some maimed sentences
us free by your behests From all the sinnes that vs restraine To whose commaunding subiect are Infirmittes and healthes of all Our ill disposed customes cure And vnto vertue vs recall Whose eyes are not shut if here he doe not plainlie obserue how they haue taken the glory of onelie Redeemershippe and Aduocacy from Christ and haue transferred it vpon his Creature how plaine is it that they beg those things from the Apostles which Christ onely doth giue and from whose onely hands we are to expect them to wit peace and saluation Vouchsafe O Christ to open their eyes that seeing they may see and be conuerted and thou O God heale them thou O God restore them to all vertues I should here declare somewhat how the Romane Church trauaileth to make her Religion to seeme and appeare magnificent pompous glorious by deuised shewes a fitte deuise indeed to draw the simple but wiser trauailers and indicious persons obseruing such artificiall and stagelike representations * Diuerse both noble and very worthy Gentlemen haue taken great offence at the Spanish Fopperies in their processions and haue been greatly confirmed to continue still in the single and sincere integrity of the reformed Churches gather another conclusion thereout to wit that their Religion is humane not diuine not agreeing to the true ancient Christian simplicity of Christs Church Do they think that their sumptuous carrying their God vp and downe streetes their publike incensing and adoring of it their deuising of many rich representations to set forth their solemnities will draw the wiser people of such couÌ„tries as are auerted from the Romance Church no God wot there is nothing more auerteth them then such open and heathenish-like kind of worshippes which were neuer dreamed of in ancient Churches nor commended by any ancient institution of any Gouernours of the same The Conclusion But I will make haste towardes the Conclusion of these my motiues yet before I end I am constrained for the satisfaction of others to shew with what conscience and reason I dare aduenture to leaue communion with that Church which is so famous and so conspicuous and which hath beene euer visible for so much as concerneth externall succession an outward kind of profession of many pointes of Christian Doctrme since Christs time as like continuing of succession can be shewed in the Churches of Hierusalem Alexandria c. It cannot be denied but that the Romane Church in the Apostles time was a pure and sound part of the Christian Catholike Church although in her very infancy shee was sliding if you beleeue Onuphrius which moued S. Peter to hasten and returne vnto her and although Onuphrius in annotatan Platmam in vitam Petri. a Euseb lib. 3. hist cap. 31. Eusebius relateth Egesippus to affirme that whilest the Apostles liued the Church was an immaculate Virgine and pure from errour but they being dead there did presently arise those who did impugne the Apostolicall truth notwithstanding these things I doubt not to say that the Romane Church continued long time found in all substantiall matters of Christian doctrine vntill humane Traditions beganne to entermixe themselues with religion instituted by diuine authority which then most apparantlie began when the Church came to enioy temporall peace and prosperity presently after the dayes of Constantine the Emperour in whose time and by whose donation poyson was powred into the Church as the b Vita Silaestri approbata life of Siluester Pope deliuereth of a certain Angelical voice pronouncing as much the operation of which poison shewed it self partly in effect in the time of Damasus when by reason of the competency and contention which was betwixt him and c Ammian Marcellia lib 27. cap. 2 Ra on in Annal. Vrsisine for the Romane See so much bloud was shed that I hope if d I Cortil 2. Marcellin ibid. Sâ—crates l. 2. ca. 11 affirmeth how the Bishop of Rome exalting themselus aboue the limits of Priesthood into temporall dominion contended for the Primcay ouer all other Churches Saint Pauls argument bee true the Romane Church was then very carnall oppressed with such grieuous contentions and not being in vnity of spirite thinking the same thing but hauing such horrible schismes amongst them and I doubt not to affirme but that Damasus more or lesse as hee was delighted according to the fashion of Romane Bishops with sumptuous attendance in his person so also more or lesse brought in sumptuous seruice and pompous ceremonies into the Church and this the Pontificians cannot deny if diuers thinges that bee in Damasus his Pontificall bee truly attributed to that Popes institution and collection which in sundry thinges I beleeue not but this Bishoppe is made a Saint in the Romane calender the Lord knowes for what vertue or when he was first fainted perhappes for his tumultuous entrance or pompuous conuersation in the chaire of Rome in which respect hee may be reputed in some degree the Protoparent of many his Successors These beginnings and entrances of corruption vanity into the Church of Rome obserued which in succeeding times and in ages after ages grew into most horrible grieuous prophanations by the subtlety of Satan whilest the Gouernours of the Churches g Math. 13. were a sleepe that is were lulled with temporall peace and prosperity I seriously first consider those Propheticall wordes of our h Luc. 13. Sauiour in which hee hath foretold that when hee should come he should hardly find faith vpon earth which defection from faith as it was to bee and generally to ouerwhelme the whole world before Christs second comming so who coulde long agoe precisely say when it was to beginne onely after-experience hath demonstrated it and doth tell vs that according to another Propheticall prediction of the most blessed 2 ad Thes 2. Apostle who hath expresly deliuered that this defection and Apostacy should bee when that man should sitte in the temple that is the Church at whose comming the Romane Empire should be taken out of the way and who should extoll himselfe sitting in the Temple aboue all that is called or worshipped as God vpon earth who should also in himselfe and by his followers worke wonders and miraculous prodigies bosting and bragging therein who should also Apostatat from the charity of truth that is from the iustifying faith in Christ Iesus onely that iustifying faith in Christ Iesus onely which is so much and so often commended in sacred Scripture who also should Apostatate from most Articles of Christian doctrine For vaine is that exposition of the Remists who would faine interprete this Apostasie of which the Apostle speaketh to bee from the Pope and from his Primacie and particular Romane Church vaine I say for who will say that a man might not iustly haue departed from the communion of such Popes as k Genehrard lib. 4 Chronol sâ—â—ulo 10. Baron ad aun 900. anno 908. Plaim in vita sapissime in Bonifa
7. 8 in Silucst 2 Renedict 9. in Ioh. 8. they themselues account Apostaticall and not Apostolicall who only are related in histories to make vppe the externall number of succession and I pray you what was the case of so many hundreds of Prelates and your owne Cardinals who at Pisa departed from the Romane true Bishoppe true I say for externall succession what of the Prelates of the Councell of Basile which consisted of most Bishoppes of the West who departed from the communion of Eugenius with the Pontificians the vndoubted Bishoppe of Rome What of the Clergy and part of the Church of Rome it selfe who departed from Liberius when Eusebius one of the Romane Church with some others were grieuously persecuted It is a vaine narration of our Ignatians and others to say that this Apostasie prophesied by the Apostle and Christ must be interpreted from the Bishoppe of Rome for it is most euident that it must bee from Iesus Christ himselfe and the true iustifying beleefe in him onely and most vain it is for them to say that the infallibility of doctrine was so tyed to the visible succession of Bishoppes in the Roman particular See for if so how comes it to passe that against Iohn the 23. the true Pope for succession it was proued in a generall i Can constant Sess Councell that hee had pertinatiously thought and often taught that there was no immortality of the soule no resurrection of the body what might not a man haue departed from the communion of this Pope if not then the whole Romane Church which in the councell of Constance apostated from him made that Apostacy of which the Apostle foretold Which if it be true what will become of Paul the fift with his congregation The Remists fearing that the defection from the Romane Empire and destruction of the same should bee a steppe to proue that he who hath ouerthrown the same and set another forme of gouernment in Rome absolute and soueraigne and yet not as of the Romane Emperour doe therefore most shamelesly in their m Annotat. 17. Apocalyps vpon the word Babylon annotations vpon the Apocalipse so separate the gouernment of Rome and of the Church in Rome as though they were not vnited together but remained still in that sort in which they both were in the time when the Apostle made this prediction for thus they write in expresse termes whereby it is plaine say they that whether Babylon or the great Whore doe signifie Rome here or no yet it cannot signifie the Church of Rome which is now and euer was distinct from the terrene empire of the same Thus they without all shame or learning where they would faine put off from the Pope and his Cardinals the reproch of hauing the terrene Empire or gouernment of Rome in their hands which I verily suppose they doe hold so fast that they will not leaue the same n Apocâ—l 7. vntill the tenne hornes which earst as Kinges haue receiued power after the beast that is vpon the decaying and desolation of the beast and haue also ioined for the appointed time power with the beast against the lamb because iointly concurring to vphold the impious superstitions and abhominations of the Whore of whose cuppe they haue all drunke euen almost till they haue vomited it vp againe God putting into the hearts shall eate the Harlots flesh and make her naked desolate consume her with fire This harlot which shall be so eaten and burned by those Kings who had earst drunke of the cup of her whoredomes Whom can shee designe but as * Ibidem Saint Iohn saith that City which had command ouer the Kings of the earth to wit earst in her Emperours after in her Popes and Cardinals should haue power and command ouer the Kings of the Earth the which who seeth not is verified in the City of Rome it selfe as not onely certaine Ancient Fathers but certain p Ribera in 14. Apocal. viega in 17. Reâ—ist in Apocal Bellarmin lib. de Rom Pont. Ignatians themselues also expound it and if it signifie not Rome let the Aduersary produce some other City heere described so that the Beast that was and is not to wit the rule and command of the City of Rome which was before in the Consuls Senators and Commonwealth buf now it is not because it is in the Emperours shall be againe in the * Pontifâ—x c. The Pope and the Purpured Fathers iudge the world Coquae contra Praemon Pope and his purpured Cardinals To proceed where should this defection rather be then in Babylon which S. Iohn hath foretold Now that by Babylon Rome according to the exposition q Hieron in prologo Didimi epist 17. ad Marcel Tertul. lib. aduer Judaeos of the Ancient Fathers is to to vnderstood r Annotâ—m 17. Apocal. the Remists themselues dare not stiffely deny it now as cleare as the Sumit is that therefore Rome is called Babylon because shee hath made drunke with the cup of her whordomes all Kings of the Earth and all Nations who haue pledged her which by no meanes can be expounded of Rome heathenish both in respect that shee did not infect with her whoredomes the Countries and prouinces which she conquered but rather she obteined no Countrey nor Prouince of whose whordomes she drunke not her self by bringing their gods Images into her Capitoll to bee worshipped and adored with the Images of their Romane gods And manifest it is that the Prophet speaketh of a cup of fornication which Kings and Nations were to drinke of somwhat after his time but Rome heathenish and heâ— Emperours were in their ruffe and most triumphing when S. Iohn made this Prophesie againe Å¿ Tertull de resurrect carais cap. 25 Bellar. vnderstandeth that the tâ—n Kings which shal hate the Whore shall diuide the Romane Empire taking kingdomâ— to themseâ—â—es afterwâ—rd destroy Rome it selfe Bellar. lib. 3. de Pout cap. 13. the Kings of the Earth who were to drinke of the cuppe were afterwards to hate this Whore and to make her desolate therefore and in respect of her abominations now this can by no meanes be vnderstood of Heathenish Rome which was long agoe conuerted to Christ and her blemishes of Idolatry washed out by the blood of the Lambe in the the time of Constantine And to say that Rome Christian should be punished for the cup of Whordomes which Rome Heathenish gaue to the Kings of the Earth to drinke of is a meere chimera vnlesse they can shew that the most iust God will punish Jacke as is said for Gill or else they can prooue vnto vs a Pithagarian transmigration of soules from Rome Heathenish into Rome Christian Further it is most apparent as I haue mentioned aboue that the cupps of whordomes heere spoken of should be in the hands of one who had been first r Hierom. epist 17. ad Marcel Rome was then in part the purpured
himselfe was left alone in Israel and that all but hee with Achab and Iezabel the Idolatrous Princes worshipped Baal though euen then and in Israel also not onely in Iuda as the Papists will haue it God had g Ibidem 7000. who had neuer bowed to Baal what would they haue then done would they haue publikely followed the face of that Church and that visible Gouernment and not rather haue beene in society and communion with the inuisible company Or rather I aske would they at that very time haue followed the visible multitude in Iury and Hierasalem which at h Reg 3. cap. 22. 3. Reg. cap. 9. that season did sacrifice and burne incense in the high places by whose Idolatries it cannot be denied but that the whole Church of Iurie was contaminated and polluted at lest with the communion of that Idolatrous multitude although the Priests of Hierusalem withall did offer Sacrifice to the true God of Israel Againe what would these men haue done in the time of Achaz and Manasses in the daies of both which most sacrilegious Kings the Priests with the whole publike visible Church i 4 Reg. 16. 4. Reg. 21. worshipped strange gods would they then haue ioined with the visible Church and haue obeied the Idolatrous high Priest of that time and I hope they will not saie that the Law of k Deuteron 17. Deuteronomy decreeing that who should not obey the high Priests sentence for the time should die therefore did not excuse the whole Church of Hierusalem in obeying Vrias the high Reg. 16. Priest who according as King Achaz of Iuda had commanded him had erected an impious Altar according to that of Samaria setting aside that which God himselfe had appointed vntill the King should determine thereof AgaIne what would these haue done in the time of Annas and Caiphas the high Priests whose precepts and commandements neither Christ nor his Apostles would obey although they sate vpon the chaire of Moses yea and although Christ had before taught the Iewes that they m Math. 18. should doe what the Phariseis and Scribes sitting vpon the Chaire of Moses should teach and command them to doe Belike these men if they had beene in those times regarding the n Deuter. d7 Law of Moses which decreed that whosoeuer disobeied the sentence of the high Priest should die would haue associated themselues with Annas and Caiphas against Christ and his Apostles rather then with the poore contemptible company of Christ disciples which was so small and so inuisible at the time of Christs passion that some of the Aduersaries would seeme to haue it to haue remained and consisted onely in the most blessed Virgin Mary though this most falsely For doubtlesse there were diuers then secretly dispersed in the land of Iewry who beleeued in Christ and had heard nothing of the scandall of the crosse And although o Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Peter with mouth denied and abiured Christ yet I cannot thinke but that faith in his heart was still firme and also that some other of the Apostles and good deuoute women did still in their hearts constantly beleeue in him and were parts of his hidden Church there But the Aduersary will obiect that visible Succession and the Authority of the High Priests in the Church of the old Testament was not a sufficient warrant for such as should follow them commanding any thing against Gods Law Againe that their succession was not to continue but for a time and in the end to bee abolished and quite remooued Good God as though the Law of Deuteronomy were not an euerlasting Law and most expresse for the high Priests authority so expresse that your high Priest now and his p Bellar. lib. 4. de Ron. Pont. â—rp 16. Baron in Annal. Caâ—etan Tollet Stapleton Allen ally Cardinals in his behalfe doe chalenge greatest prerogatiue of power and iurisdiction from the same Good God as though visible succession had not beene promised to be in that place of which q â—sal 131. God said it was his resting place for euer of which Dauid speaking vnto God said thus Arise O God into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy sanctification Of which place King r 3 R g 9. Salomon in his dedication of the Temple spoke such magnificent promises As though Å¿ Ierem. 33 Psal 8. God had not promised visible succession in the 33. of Ieremy in the linage of Leui for euer Protesting that his promise and pact should faile with the day and night before it should faile with the Church of Ierusalem with many yea infinite such like promises in the holy Scriptures and yet notwithstanding the same we see that the succession of that Church is vtterly extirpated How much rather may the Church of Rome haue her succession either extirpated abolished or corrupted the which can shew no speciall promise for her selfe and for her euerlasting establishment there are indeed most firme promises for the Catholike Church of Christ but for the Romane particular Church there are no promses at all if there be any let them be produced And if the Aduersary reply and say the Romane Church was once a Pure Church and a Virgin therefore shee must bee so taken still vnlesse you can precisely shew the time when and by whom corruptions were introduced into that Church Vpon this reply they triumph they insult but it is God wot very vaine for if Cockle and Darnell was to bee sowed by the â— Math. 13. enemy when the Pastors of the Church were a sleepe not sleeping a naturall sleepe but a sleepe of ease security prosperity pleasure ignorance What maruell that the precise time when such cockle and darnell was sowed cannot bee deliuered for tell mee O thou wirty aduersary who should haue specified the time the Pastors they were a sleepe yea and by them sleeping the Diuel sowed cockle and darnell of heresie of idolatry of impurity and therefore a sleeping and a dreaming disputer may I call thee who wouldest bring out sleeping witnesses but yet to satisfie your triumphing reply although the precise times places and persons cannot bee expressed when your heresies first begaÌ„ to take root first to bud or to spring forth yet wee can specifie the very indiuiduall personall singular and speciall persons times and places where when your opinions were first receiued as Articles of Faith and beleefe And what is it not an euident demonstration to shewe any thing to bee nouell and new if it can bee demonstrated when the same was not receiued although the speciall time and maner of the beginning of it cannot euidently bee shewed and demonstrated but onely probably conceiued by some probable coniectures And although the Romane Church doe boast of a visible and a conspicuous company professing Christ although most corruptly continuing from Christs time yet that is not inough vnlesse they can also shew succession in doctrine For a man
to interprete this flight of the woman to haue been about the time of Constantius or else to signifie some other particular desolation destitution of the Church when shee was persecuted by the Gentiles I doe not much insist vpon it and yet although this generall destitution of the Church should last but for a short time as they desire yet it quite ouerthroweth their ground of the Churches * Almost all Pontificians acknowledge that in Antichrists time the true Church shall bee in conspicuous without any publike â—â—uicâ— so Bellarmine Dried Sâ—aâ—es Valâ—nt Râ—mists clearely vpon the 2. to the Thes 2. continuall and neuer intermitted manifest and vniuersall conspicuity Further without all question if the e Apocal. 13 whole world shall admire after the image of the beast which image of the beast must of necessity be vnderstood of some kind of Monarchicall gouernment Empire or rule the which like an Image shall represent and stand as it were in stead of the Romane Empire it selfe then doubtlesse the number of those which shall refuse to adore the Image of the beast and to acknowledge the Popes temporall and spirituall absolute Monarchy will not be great but small at the very first till God by the spirite of his mouth shall vouchsafe by degrees to destroy the harlot where the image of this beast resideth To confirme what I haue said I will annexe the prophesie of one Hildegard a religious Virgine whom the aduersaries repute a Saint and f Theodoric Niem 2. lâ—b de priuilegijs Imperij cap. de Oâ—b 2. 3. whose bookes in the which this prophesie is Eugenius the third in a Councel at Treuers at which Saint Bernard was present receiued and approued This deuout Virgine hauing prophesied of a defection that should bee from the Romane Empire she foretelleth also of a general diuision that should be in the church and withall how by reason of the wickednesse pride and neglect of Religion which all would see in the Popes Apostolicall as shee calleth them all Kingdomes * This her prophesie is agâ—â—ing to the doctrine of lâ—aâ—ned 〈◊〉 in his booke of the auâ—â—â—â—ibility oâ— the Pope and in the time of Pope Juliâ—s all the Prelates of France at Touâ—es in a Councell there affiâ—med the same as Iohn dâ— Sâ—â—â—s relateth in Lewis the 12. would thereupon choose vnto themselues Archbishops and Gouernours of other names vnder whom they might and would professe Christ and his pure Religion leauing saith she vnto the Pope Rome alone with a few territories adioyning thereunto vnder such Gouernours and Archbishops saith shee Peoples and Kingdomes shall embrace iustice obserue the ancient customes and disciplines as the ancieÌ„ts were accustomed to do Thus she by which prophecie it is euident what this Saint and all those who approued her books thought of necessary subiection to the Bishop and Church of Rome Not vnlike is that which they write of their Prophetisse g Lib. 4. reuelat cap 57. Brigit shee bringeth in the mother of Christ thus speaking to her sonne Rome is a plentifull field to whom Christ answered thou sayest true but cockle hath ouergrowne this field and therefore it must bee clensed with a sharpe iron it must bee purged with fire and plowed with oxen therefore I will deale with it as he who remoueth plants into another place for h The Bishop of Eâ—hesus was threatned by God to haue his Candlesticke â—emooued out of his â—lace foâ— leauing of his first charity Apocal 2 What presumption therefore 〈◊〉 the Roman Popâ—s to thinke theis Candlestick cannoâ—â—â— remoued who haue abandâ—ned all the primitiue chaâ—ity of the Apostles and are whol degene rated into aâ— câ—taâ—iâ—â— of sin bâ—t I wish theÌ„ to â—ead the â—â— of S. Pauls epist to them such a punishment is prouided for that City as if the Iudge would say flea off the whole skinne draw out of the flesh all the bloud cut all the flesh into peeces and breake all the bones that all the marrow may flow away thus there and if the prophesie of the worthy virgine Meethildis be truly related from her the controuersie with Rome is at an end for shee in expresse termes foretelleth that the Church of Rome should wholy apostotate from the faith of Christ and that there should remain in Germany a poore and persecuted Church which should serue and worship God religiously and purely This is cleare likewise that of Iohn Capistran is as cleare that Rome in time would be so purged and the Popes and Cardinals brought so in order that there would bee none found who would make haste to be Pope contrary to the fashion now i Read dist 79 cap si quis and Baron Anno 912. vsed when no one almost entereth canonically but either by fauor canuasing of some Cardinall or procurement of some Prince or by bargaine as Simon would haue bought power to haue giuen the holy Ghost This Iohn Capistrane whom I mentioned was reputed a Saint by them as likewise was Iohn of Calabria as k Possâ—â—ine in a par verbo Câ—â—â—llus Posseuine in his Apparate affirmeth of him of whome Roger Houeden reporteth that hee should affirme that one l Houâ—d in Ric. 1. who should be Antichrist and a Pope was then born in Rome vulgar is the like prophesie of Ioakim Abbot by me mentioned aboue of Antichrist then born in Rome sundry are the like prophesies which them selues also admit amongst themselues to their owne confusion and yet forsooth they would tie all vnder pain of damnation against all Scriptures and all Antiquity to embrace their nouelties and in no case to forsake Rome but against this their paradoxe I may most iustly vse the words of l Tertul. Apolog. cap. 6. Tertullian vnto them vsed by him in like case vbi religio vbi veneratio c. Where is Religion where worship and reuerence due from you to your Elders in habit liuing discipline sense and last of all euen in speech you haue renounced your Ancestors you alwaies prayse Antiquity but day by day you liue newly thus he so these men in all their vanities of Pardons graines round wafers merites of Saints Purgatory fire transubstantiation adoration of Images c. pretend Apostolicall Tradition but being vrged to shew them to be ancient and to carry them vpward towards the Apostles they faint in the midway and when forsooth they faile they will then vow professe pronounce and protest that although they know no mention made of them yet sure they were all vsed before that time euen from the Apostles dayes and here they stumble into that absurdity which they vainely obiect against others to witte of inuisible inaudible and vnlegible Traditions one of their Rules of faith the practise whereof in ancient times they cannot shew and although the pure Church of Christ had beene for many yeares together so inuisible so inconspicuous that there could no known nor set Congregation be defined