reasons set down in so easie a stile that the most simple may understand the same and when you have considered my doctrine J am assured you shall finde it Orthodox and truly Catholike altogether conformable to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and his Apostles which is the onely Catholike veritie and the onely intent of this Discourse Now I having lived so long time and converted amongst the Romish Church and had so many occasions and imployments to perceive and discover all the inventions subtilities abuses and deceits thereof I doubt not but J shall speak many things unknowne to those who have not lived amongst them and many even of those who lives amongst them are ignorant of and many whereof an infinite multitude of persons otherwise of good natures and well bred take no notice at all and many things which most men know sufficiently and deplore following the same onely by a forced necessitie and many things also which divers maliciously dessemble and desire them not to be divulged And if the light of the truth which I purpose to set downe here be hurtfull to the eyes of any man questionlesse that will onely be to the bleere-eyed who have their sight troubled with some malignant humour and I am assured where it offendeth one it will please thirtie Although the Owles which delight onely in the night and darknesse cannot indure the light of the pleasant Sunne which God maketh to shine upon us he leaveth not off for that to display his beames upon the earth whence daily we see he produceth an infinite number of rare and marveilous effects and none can deny but that the Owles themselves receive often much good thereby J beseech the great God of light that the truth which I desire to write may be profitable both to the sicke and the whole to the eyes well disposed and those that are not and that this little Treatise which is written for all may be profitable to all J beg from my heart the grace and blessing of God to that end without which J acknowledge and confesse 1 Cor. 3.7 he who planteth or he who watereth is nothing nor can doe nothing To him therefore who is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end be all honour and glory Amen THE CHRISTIAN AND CATHOLIKE VERITIE CHAPTER I. How the Romish Church acknowledgeth no other Judge in matters of faith but the Pope ONe of the points which ever troubled my spirit most when I was of the Romish Church and ought certainly to move every wise and judicious man is that they make the Pope of Rome alone infallible Judge of that faith which hath been taught preached to us by Christ and his Apostles for howsoever they say and preach often to the simpler sort that it is the Church they hold for Judge yet they confesse that that Church is principally seene in generall Councells and that without the Pope of Rome of the Councells neither are nor make up the Church and have no power certaintie nor infallibilitie but by the Pope alone For although all the Bishops Patriarchs and Cardinalls yea all the Christians of the world were assembled they make not up they say a Church if the Pope be not present himselfe or by Deputy because holding him for head of the Church they are members without a head which cannot make up a body nor by consequent a Church and though they were all of one opinion in any point or Article of faith all will be errour if the Pope be of a contrary minde and all that the Pope declares to be or not to be a point of faith ought to be holden infallible even though the rest of the Church and Christians be of a different opinion And this is the common beliefe of the Romish Church which is to be seene in those Bookes they hold Orthodox and preached in their publick Sermons and though I know that many Prelates among them of great learning and even so many famous Universities grudge mightily thereat yet to publish or preach the contrary is declared a matter of Excommunication and Anathema Where yee may observe that it fareth not with the Councells of the Romish Church which they affirme to be the true Congregation of the faithfull as it doth with Parliaments or generall meetings of the States of Kingdomes where he that precedeth hath but one voice or two at the most and can neither pronounce sentence nor make any act but by the pluralitie of voices and suffrages of the Assembly so that whatsoever is ordered or enacted is justly said to be ordered and enacted by the Parliament or Assembly But it is not so in their Councells for although they discusse it may be and examine the question or point of beliefe all that neverthelesse is but in shew and ceremony for the Pope is not obliged to stand to the opinions and voices of the rest but he alone pronounceth the sentence maketh the act the point or Article of faith after his own fancy and mind so that whatsoever is concluded and enacted in matter of faith can onely be said to be concluded by the Pope alone the rest having neither power to hinder contradict or censure him nor refuse his ordinances except they will be reputed schismatickes and heretiques for as he saith of himselfe he is the Vicar of God on earth hath all the power of Jesus Christ and the Councell of Lateran ascribe to him that of our Saviour in Mat. 28.18 Mat. 28.18 All power is given to me in heaven and earth So it is wrongfully when they say the Church is Judge in matters of faith but they should say it is the Pope alone for such indeed is their common doctrine without which men must beleeve amongst them none can be saved Thus you see how all the faith of the Romish Church is grounded on no other foundation than the head and judgement of the Bishop of Rome who for the most part is wickedly chosen by indirect courses as simony and force having often times proved ignorant ungodly abhominable or at least politique and wise worldlings which is now adayes the condition most requisite to make a Pope who as I shall most cleerly shew hereafter hath no superioritie nor primacy over the Church nor infallibilitie promised by the word and institution of the Son of God to be a competent Judge in that as many great Bishops and Universities of the Romane Church acknowledge sufficiently and I my selfe have heard it of them and beleeve there is no man of good understanding in the world to whom this doctrine doth not seeme altogether extravagant and voyd of all sense and reason yet it is the beliefe of the Church of Rome without which they say none can be saved For my part I am perswaded that whosoever of the Romish Church will consider this point especially without passion and interest and sincerely seeke the truth and his owne salvation he cannot choose but yeeld as I have
done by the grace of the Father of lights who is never deficient in necessitie and from whom I confesse doth proceed the great gift of faith And if a Pagan should be Judge of this controuersie and others betwixt us and the Romish Church I verily beleeve he would suddenly condemne that Church of an unjust usurpation and intolerable errour in this point as all the rest which by the grace of God we shall handle hereafter and give sentence in favour of my beliefe which I protest I have chosen as the holiest purest and most conformable to the doctrine and intentions of the Sonne of God and his Apostles Now all the question and difficultie of this point consisteth the knowledge of those two which of them is the most certain rule and sure Judge most to be beleeved and most proper for our faith whether the Word of God or the Pope of Rome and his traditions The Church of Rome saith it is the Pope but I hold with the Orthodox doctrine of this Kingdome of England and the reformed Churches that it is the Word of God We shall shew hereafter that our Saviour never gave that power and authoritie to the Pope and therefore he cannot pretend it but here I shall prove that the holy Scripture is and ought to be the sole rule and true Judge of our faith grounding my selfe upon these following reasons CHAP. II. That the holy Scripture is the onely Iudge and rule sufficient of Faith and not the Pope nor the Church THat man without question hath a true catholick and perfect faith and is in a true beliefe who beleeveth all that Christ Jesus hath caught and neither beleeves nor will beleeve more in the matter of faith for the Son of God being that divine and infinite wisdome and knowledge which came into the world to save mankinde and teach them true faith hath preached and taught all that was necessary to faith and salvation so he who beleeves all that Jesus Christ hath taught and nothing more hath a true and perfect faith and it is impietie to beleeve the contrary Now it is true that whatsoever our Saviour did preach necessary to salvation is in the holy Scripture and therefore the holy Scripture containes all the doctrine which is necessary to faith and out of the written Word of God nothing necessary to faith is to be sought For the Evangelists and holy Writers having undertaken by the motion and command of the holy Spirit to write the actions and doctrine of the Son of God for the instruction of all the faithfull that should come after it is not credible that they should have written but a part and omitted something that was necessary to the perfect faith and for the instruction and forming of a true Christian otherwise wee must say that the Gospel is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ but onely a part of the Gospel and the New Testament is but a part of the New Testament of the Son of God And note that they were inspired and commanded by the Spirit of God to leave to Christians and the whole Church the life and doctrine of Jesus Christ they being assisted and helped by his speciall grace to that end Moreover they have not onely within one chapter or two but every one of them a great number where undoubtedly they have had space enough to comprehend all the doctrine necessary to salvation and being foure that which one of them might have forgot and left out might be supplied by the other their purpose being specially to write the doctrine and precepts of the Son of God which were necessary to salvation and if there were any thing more to be beleeved than that which is in the Evangelists we must thinke that it should be found in the Epistles either of St Peter or St Paul or some others of the chiefe Apostles who all except St Paul were witnesses of the doctrine and actions of the Apostles for many years and many of their Sermons fully might have touched it a little So it is voyd of all reason to thinke that Christ Jesus did preach any other thing necessary to salvation than that which is contained in the holy Scriptures And if it were not in the holy Scriptures it would follow that the Evangelists were faultie and blame-worthy and their writings imperfect for that Author is greatly to be blamed who being expresly commanded to write of some important subject writes many things not necessary to his purpose and passeth by more important and principall things Now the Evangelists having undertaken by the command and motion of the holy Spirit to write the doctrine of faith and salvation preached by Jesus Christ for the instruction of the faithfull they have written many things not absolutely necessary to salvation as a number of Parables Histories and Miracles for illustration or farther confirmation of fundamentall doctrines and therefore wee must say that having written such things they have not omitted more necessary and important things otherwise they were blame-worthy and their writings would be imperfect Now seeing there was but one holy Spirit that moved them and guided their pens and their writings in this worke one of them might have omitted something which the holy Spirit would leave and teach us by the other or by the writings of other Apostles but that there is any thing necessary to salvation omitted by them all is more than can be beleeved by any Christian Furthermore we see that the Evangelists and Apostles have left us sufficient instructions in their writings to lead us to perfection and the practice of most excellent vertues wee must beleeve them with better reason that they have given us sufficient instructions to a perfect faith which is the foundation of all vertue and perfection and without which there can be no perfection nor vertue or otherwise it behooved us to say that they taught men to be perfect not giving them sufficiently instructions to be Christians which should be an intolerable foppery Even as if a Mason would teach his apprentise to build an excellent house not instructing him how to lay the foundation or if a Master would instruct his scholar to read not teaching him to know his letters We must therefore believe that they having left us so noble and sufficient instructions to become perfect they have also left us sufficient doctrine in their writings to obtain a perfect faith which is the necessary ground of all vertue and perfection and doubtlesse there are none but obstinate and blinde persons who will deny it 2. Tim. 3.15 Doth not Saint Paul also speaking to Timothy say Thou hast learned from thy infancy the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus We must say then that the holy Scriptures being able to make him wise to salvation contain all the doctrine necessary to salvation otherwise they could not make him wise to salvation that is sufficiently
learned to be saved for wisdome to speak properly is no other thing but a supereminent and excellent knowledge and Saint James saith Iam. 1.12 that the word of God is able to save us if it be able to save us it is sufficient to do the same and contains all that is necessary to salvation and therefore he who believes that which is in the holy Scripture and no more hath the perfect faith Yes but saith the Romish Church Christ Jesus remits us to the Church Matth. 18.16 for it is said He who will not hearken to the Church let him be as a Pagan and a Publicane that is an excommunicate and anathema therefore we must have recourse to the church as Judge of all controversie and obey its determinations The onely consideration of the occasion of this passage and the words themselves may serve for a sufficient answer our Saviour preaching to his Disciples and teaching them the method they ought to use in brotherly corrections that it may be done according to the rules of charitie speaks to them in this manner If thy brother have offended against thee go and reprove him thou and he alone if he hearken unto thee thou hast wonne thy brother but if he will not heare thee take with thee one or two more that out of the mouth of two or three wetnesses every word may be established and if he will not heare them tell it unto the Church and if he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen and a publicane By which ye see that Jesus Christ speaks onely of the order which ought to be kept in fraternall correction that is we ought first to reprove in secret next in the presence of one or two witnesses and then in case of obstinacy declare it to the Church and if he will not receive correction from the Church let him be accounted as a pagan that is as a man without faith and religion and as a publicane that is as one whom we must shun for in those times the publicanes were odious to all the people But the Romish Doctors who make use of every thing to prove their doctrine infer by those last words that all power is given to the Church that we must have recourse to the Church in every thing and that all men ought to render perfect obedience to the Church in all things whatsoever and note that to have recourse to the Church and to obey the same is in the school of Rome to have recourse to the Pope and obey him Innocentius cap. 3. so Pope Innocent the third in the chapt novit extra de Judic would fain vindicate to himself the cognizance of some differences betiwixt John king of England and Philip August king of France because saith he it is written in the Gospel tell it to the Church as if by the Church the Pope onely were understood and this interpretation is confirmed by Bellarmine in his book of the authority of Councells cap. 19. Bellarm. de Concil cap. 19. the Pope saith he should tell it to the Church that is to say to himself But the consequence is not good from a particular case to all the other thou must have recourse for the correction and amendment of thy brother to the Church when there is no other easier way therefore we must have recourse to it in all things that will not follow on the contrary he declareth that even in brotherly correction we must not have recourse thereunto but in extremity and also because Christ Jesus saith that in case of obstinacy and known sinne we must hear the Church that is receive correction and admonition from the Church it is not meant that in vertue of those words Kings and Princes should submit themselves to the authority of the Pope in all things and I suppose that there is none but the Pope of Rome and his adherents would draw such an unreasonable consequence because he thinks to finde his profit therein CHAP. III. That the holy Scripture is clear in that which concerns things necessary to salvation ONe of the greatest subtilties which the Romish Church hath found to hinder the people from reading the Scripture and to make them believe they have good reason for so doing and perswade them that the Scripture is an unsufficient rule and Judge of our faith is that they alleadge the holy Scriptures to be obscure and difficult to understand and therefore christians ought not to rush in upon the reading of them in the vulgar tongue that is to say which they understand best without expresse permission from the Pope who saith he as the onely vicar of Jesus Christ in the world and infallible hath the true understanding of the Scripture and that we cannot admit it for Judge and rule of faith but onely the sence and explication of the Church that is of the Pope as I have shewed before And to prove that the Scripture is hard to be understood they search and pick out of purpose some obscure passages which the most learned have much adoe to understand but which are no wayes absolutely necessary to salvation or if they were they are sufficiently and clearly enough explained in other places as for example Psal 16.16 Psal 18.9 Hos 12.1 Ezek. 19.10 of the first part of Psal 16.16 The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places surely I have a goodly heritage or this other psal 18.9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils or fire out of his mouth devoured or some other prophesie as that of Hos 12. Ephraim feedeth on wind and followeth after the East wind or Ezek. 19.10 Thy mother is like a vine in thy bloud planted by the waters with an infinite number of the like whereof the Prophets are full which are not necessary to salvation or if they be necessary to salvation they are sufficiently explained in other places as that which Christ said to Nicodemus Joh. 3.3 Except a man be born again be cannot enter into the kingdome of God it is explained after in the fifth verse Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God by which it is evident Christ Jesus would say he who is born carnally of flesh and is not regenerated spiritually by grace and faith cannot enter into the kingdome of God and so of other passages which neverthelesse are very rare in the new Testament in respect of that which is clear under pretext of those passages which are nothing in comparison of the rest they make the simpler sort believe that that the holy Scripture is so obscure and difficult that it is a rashnesse extremely dangerous for a christian to think he can understand the meaning thereof as a certain Dame at Court told me not long agoe not knowing me and that no man ought to presume to read the same in a vulgar tongue without expresse license the power whereof is
quod Now what I pray you are all the traditions of the Romish Church but doctrine and things besides the Word of God Besides that which St Paul and Christ Jesus and the other Apostles did preach yea even contrary for all doctrine taught as necessary to faith out of the Scripture is also contrary unto the Scripture seeing it is against the prohibition to adde to the Word of God Mat. 15.9 and God condemneth them who teach for doctrine of faith the doctrine and commandements of men And mark that Christ Jesus in this chap. of St Matthew did specially condemne the Pharisees because they transgressed the commandements of God by their traditions and what I pray you were those traditions they were not things expresly forbidden in the law of God but simple additions and willing devotions without the word of God and which outwardly smelled of nothing but devotion puritie and holinesse as to fast three times a week to wash the cups the platters to tithe Mint and Annise to make conscience to heal any sick man on the Sabbath day to make long prayers to abstaine from certaine meats and that not through a conceit that those things were polluted but through a willing devotion and humilitie of spirit or through a desire to mortifie the flesh but because those things were taught as being of equall authoritie with the doctrine of faith that is the cause wherefore they are condemned by the Son of God as contrary to his holy Word There is no doubt but by this passage of the Apostle St Paul we cited before are also condemned all the Traditions of the Romish Church which are taught and preached to be of equall authoritie with the holy Scriptures which truely are besides the Word of God and the Gospel that was preached by our Saviour and his Disciples for how cometh it to passe that they should have preached so many things pertaining to faith and salvation and never speak any thing of them in any of their Books nor in the acts of the Apostles which is the History of the most remarkable actions and Sermons of the Apostles for more than twenty yeares see if there be any thing spoken there of the invocation of Saints of Indulgencies Purgatory prayer for the dead of the Communion under one kinde or of the rest and if those and the like things be not in the holy Scriptures they are besides the Word of God and consequently he that preacheth them is accursed and Anathema and they are not to be received as pertaining to faith And to shew that the Traditions which the Church of Rome teacheth as Articles of faith doe not come from Christ Jesus and his Apostles nor cannot be said to be Apostolique nor divine but papall and humane to say no worse there is almost none of them the history of that Church sheweth not by what Pope or Bishop they were invented and at what time they had their beginning Baro. Annal Eccle. Gualter Chronol Durant de ritib. see the Authors who handle the same least I should be too prolix in this matter being desirous to lay open another of not much lesse importance CHAP. VII That wee cannot ground our beliefe upon the Books of the ancient Fathers THose of the Romish Church to authorise their Traditions which are besides nay contrary to the Word of God send us to the Fathers as to other Judges to determine our differences whose doctrine they affirme to be conformable to that which they teach Certainly I have thought Antiquitie in it selfe to be very venerable and worthy to be respected especially the Fathers whose grave and learned Books deserve praise of all good spirits principally if their doctrine be conformable to the Word of God which is the sole infallible rule of all good doctrine And to speak truly I finde that the Fathers of the first ages condemne in a number of places so manifestly the errors and superstitious doctrines of the Romish Church that I have marvailed oftentimes how they can have the boldnesse to alledge them in their favour It is true that as in the time of St Paul the mystery of iniquitie was already working so it is not to be marveiled that they being men some things have now and then insensibly crept into the writings of some of them which were not altogether so pure and seeme somewhat to incline to superstitions which by little and little insinuated themselves into the Church But I beleeve that though all their Books should seeme manifestly to contradict the faith of the Reformed Churches wee are not obliged to receive them as our Judges neither as irreprochable Witnesses and howsoever I esteeme highly of the Authours yet wee cannot ground any Article of faith upon their Writings but so far as wee finde them to conforme to the Word of God which is the toucstone of all truth neither are wee bound to have recourse to them any wayes For if we were obliged to have recourse to them and receive them for Judges of our faith that were to bring our faith and the point of our salvation in an impossibilitie at least morall because all Christians should be obliged to have them and to have them all or the most part which is not possible but to the richer sort and having them they should be obliged to reade them almost all and that wholy to the end they might compare one with another and see if they agree one with another in the same doctrine and if they be conformable to themselves every where and so none but those who had great leasure could reade them and being almost all of them either in Latine or Greeke or other strange tongue but few of them in vulgar tongues what should they doe who understand neither Latine nor Greeke There would be none then but the richer and learneder and those who had no other imployment but to reade could be assured of their faith and so all others should be without faith and knowledge of those things which concerne their salvation and consequently in a manifest way of perdition by their ignorance Notwithstanding our Saviour his coming was to teach the poore as well as the rich the ignorant as the learned the Merchants and Tradesmen as well as those who are not so much imployed Besides it is impossible to build upon their Writings any beliefe of faith for as Printing was not in their time but onely two or three hundred yeares since those who have written in the Primitive Church even to our time since our Saviour which hath been thirteen or fourteen hundred yeares have left us nothing but Manuscripts which behooved to be transcribed that they might be dispersed Now there is no man who will not confesse that the Originals and first Manuscripts written or at least revised and corrected by the Fathers which composed them have been seen but of a few and little or nothing of them all is to be found at this time nor was found
and Judge As for example to prove that the Metamorphosis of Ovid is not an Article of faith we are not bound to produce a formall and cleare passage the Metamorphosis of Ovid is not a point of faith or the Fables of Esop appertaine not to faith but it is sufficient that neither the one nor the other is to be found in Scripture and so to shew that the primacy of the Pope and of St Peter over the whole Church and over all Christians is not a point of faith it sufficeth that it cannot be proved nor shewed out of the holy Scripture and that all the passages they bring are insufficient to prove it Neverthelesse we shall deale favourably with our Adversaries in this point and shew the negative out of the Scripture and demonstrate also from thence by the grace of God that our Saviour had never any intention to make St Peter head of the Church nor leave any Vicar nor successour in his place and that the Apostles did never beleeve nor thinke it nor the ancient Primitive Church ever held the Pope of Rome for universall Bishop generall head of the Church and I perswade my selfe if one will compare with a judgement void of passion the reasons which prove this negative with those the Romish Church bring to prove the affirmative he will questionlesse judge the first a great deale cleerer and stronger than those of the Romish Church It were a thing too tedious both for the Reader and for the intention of my shortnesse here to set downe all the passages of the holy Scripture they of the Romish Church produce to prove this but I take God to witnesse I shall produce all the strongest reasons they use as I promise sincerely and truely in all other points to doe Mat. 16.17 The first objection I shall produce is this drawn out of Mat. 16.17 Jesus came saith he into the coasts of Cesarea and Philippi and asked his Disciples saying whom doe men say that I the son of man am and they said some say thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets he saith unto them but whom say yee that I am and Simon Peter answered saying thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it This is the passage that they esteeme of the greatest force and strength to prove the primacy of St Peter and of the Pope as also the infallibilitie of his doctrine his primacy by those words and upon this rock I will build my Church and his infallibilitie by the words following And the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Which we shall also by Gods grace examine hereafter and for the solution of the first point We answer first that Christ Jesus by those words And upon this rock c. meanes not to speak of the person of St Peter but of the confession of St Peter which he had done so worthily in saying that he was the Christ the Son of the living God as doth cleerly appeare by the ensuing words And the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it for if this was understood of the person of St Peter who should be called a Rock Petra those following words would not be found to be true seeing since Christ Jesus had said this the gates of hell did prevaile against Peter for he denied and offended his Master yeelding to the temptation of Sathan but Christ hearing the true and faithfull beliefe of St Peter said to him that he was called Peter and making an allusion to the word Peter said to him that upon his confession which was a most sure rock he would build his Church and the gates of hell should never prevaile against it the truth of the Son of God being eternally to indure and triumph over the power of hell I am assured this exposition will seeme best and most reasonable to all men of good understanding and it is confirmed by a great number of ancient Authors Chrysost Hom. 55. in 16. Matth. Id. Serm. sup Pent. Aug. tract 10. in Ioan. for so doth St Chrysostome understand it in his 55 Homily on the 16 of Matt. Upon this Rock that is saith he upon the faith of his confession And in his Sermon of the Pentecost he saith upon this rock and not upon Peter for he hath not founded his Church upon men but upon the faith And St Augustin in his tenth Treatise on St John what meaneth that upon this rock I will build my Church upon this faith upon that which was said Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God We answer secondly that although we should grant that our Saviour had founded his Church upon St Peter and that St Peter was the foundation of the Church it would not follow thence that he was head and superiour for there is great difference betwixt the foundation and top of an house betwixt the feet which are as the basis and foundation of the body and the head that is above and governeth all the rest nor because St Peter was called the foundation of the Church can any pretend therefore that he should be the head and governour for the Apostles and Prophets are also called the foundation of the Church and of the Saints Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forrainers Eph. 2.20 but fellow Citizens with the Saints and houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone that is to say that the Apostles and Prophets have planted the Church and laid the first foundation by their doctrine and by their faith which is the same truth neverthelesse none of the Prophets or other Apostles have been therefore esteemed to have had an universall supremacy over the whole Church and whereof they be called the foundations it is not meant of the persons but of their doctrine and faith for certainly the Church was never founded upon mortall men It was before St Peter and the Apostles and did not change its foundations at the coming of St Peter or the other Apostles And if it had been founded upon their persons St Peter and the Apostles being dead the foundation of the Church behoved to have changed and that much to the worse there never having been any equall to them since and wee are not grounded upon another foundation than that whereon St Peter was grounded now he was not founded upon himselfe but on Christ Jesus who not onely in his doctrine but also in his proper person is the fundamentall and head-stone of the corner The second Objection of the Papists which I shall produce for proofe
before it was given them by the wicked and perfidious Emperour Phocas who having overcome and taken Maurice succeeded in his place and because he was freely and without any contradiction crowned at Rome in recompence would oblige the Romans and ordained that the Church of Rome should thereafter be chiefe of all the Churches and that Boniface the third then Pope should be universall Bishop and so was the controversie determined by the power and authoritie of the Emperour If after all this the title of head universall and generall Bishop ought to be thought of divine right and of divine and Apostolique institution given to the Bishop of Rome I have done beleeving that the gift and declaration of a wicked Emperour maketh not the Institution divine Thus you may perceive friendly Reader that Christ never gave it to St Peter and that the Apostles never beleeved any such thing nor did St Peter himselfe ever imagine to have it or make use of it Yee see how almost six hundred yeares were finished which questionlesse is a long time after the death of our Saviour before either the Bishop of Rome was esteemed or did esteeme himselfe generall Bishop and Superiour over the whole Church and now to say that it is the institution of Jesus Christ is it not to thinke men fooles and beleeve they are geese void of all sense and reason not to perceive the imposture Nor is there any but simple and weake wits will beleeve it in the Romish Church and if it be any Article of faith as the Pope his adherents preach and as the Councell of Trent declareth there is none by that reason in the Romish Church but weake judgements who are in the paths of salvation CHAP. XIII How the Bishop of Rome hath and doth labour to maintaine his usurped Primacy and after what manner the Pope is elected at this present I Know the Cardinall Baronius a man otherwise learned and of great authoritie in the Church of Rome in his Ecclesiasticall History hath endeavoured above all things to shew the primacy of the Bishop of Rome as being the principall end and cause of all his painfull labours but I protest that he saith nothing contrary to all I have spoken here of the History of the Popes except onely that he striveth to draw more advantageous consequences for the Bishop of Rome but with what sinceritie and ground the indifferent Reader may judge And because he sheweth that which I have granted that Letters were written from divers places and from many Churches to the Bishop of Rome since St Peters death either to have his advice in matter of faith or clearing of some doubts in Religion or composing of some differences risen amongst the Bishops as to one of their fellow-Bishops and brethren who had great authoritie amongst them as being the Bishop of the Metropolis of the world where the Emperour did reside he concludeth every where the primacy but with very bad consequences as doe many more of his fellowes who taking pay of the Romish Church either for feare to loose the Benefices they have or in hope to obtaine better and greater doe all that lyeth in their power to extoll the same dissembling often those errours they perceive and labouring to cloake and excuse that which they cannot deny Certainly there is no man who reading the Cardinall Baronius with a minde void of passion will not cleerly perceive that he proceedeth after that manner and indeed according to the policy and wisdome of this world which is neverthelesse foolishnesse before God he could not doe otherwise for he was wise enough to see and foresee if he wrote otherwise than in the favour of his Holines and the Romish Church he could never have aspired to the Cardinalship which he obtained thereby nor to the honours and gratifications the Pope imparted to him thereafter for having maintained so advantageously his authoritie and pretended rights Now to returne to my purpose the Bishop of Rome having once obtained the title of universall Bishop and generall Pastour of the Church by the donation and investure of the Emperour he being already in possession of great authoritie and abundance of great riches it was not hard for him to maintaine and conserve it in despite of all oppositions that were raised from time to time by Bishops who had not so much riches and authoritie as he nor a backe strong enough to contest it against him and make him quit the title but rather hath laboured to exalt himselfe more and more taking occasion from the weaknesse and necessitie or the simplicitie and devotion of Princes to augment his authoritie and estate And he who by the meanes and beneficence of the Emperours was invested in the possession of his greatnesse primacy and riches rose in a small time to that point as to strive to depose them from their thrones and usurp the right of creating and crowning them make them kisse and adore his feet nay even to set his feet upon their necke abusing those words of the Psal 91.13 Thou shalt walke upon the Aspe Basilisque Psal 91.13 and the Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread under-foot as did Alexander the third to the Emperour Fredericke Barberousse and his sonne Henry the sixt saith Baronius being brought to the feet of Pope Innocent the third there to receive the Imperiall Crowne upon his knees and it being set upon his head as he was on his knees before the Pope who was on a throne he beat it off with his foot saying to him with an unsupportable arrogancy Know that as I have had the power to set the Crowne on thy head so have I to take it from thee and deprive thee thereof at my pleasure But they took their time and opportunitie of the infirmity and misery of those afflicted Princes to exercise upon them the usurpation of their Empire And no man of understanding will peruse the History but he may see that as the Emperours had invested the Bishops of Rome in the title and qualitie of Head of the Church so for a long time after they reteined the authority to create and install them in their See and depose and turne them out neither was any admitted on received but by consent of the Emperour And if in the absence and distance of the Emperour the Romanes at any time medled themselves with the choosing of the Pope they sent continually to the Emperour to have his consent which sometimes he gave and other times refused And because time altereth and changeth all things that which sometime before was done by all the Romane people with the aforesaid conditions became by little and little to be reduced to the Clergie alone which as the Pope grew greater and richer did also augment their revenues and power gathering the crummes from a Table so excessively furnished as was that of the Pope and so the consent of the Emperour began by little little to be neglected but principally then
which they are daily about to try and would gladly execute if they could he sendeth Agents and imployeth spyes and men disguised especially of some orders who goe secretly from house to house preaching his Indulgences and pardons to move the people to acknowledge him and restore his former revenues for this is the onely end of all his Inventions what ever pretext of faith and Religion he pretend but the carriers of those Indulgences are no more in request and are onely good for nothing but to cheat women and weak spirits the world hath had so many of his Bulls and pardons that they beleeve they will have no more need but may live without them the ages to come and wise Princes chose rather to keepe their moneys for the ease of their subjects and conservation of their estates than to send it to the Pope to maintaine his Court in riot and inrich his kindred the falsenesse of his doctrine appearing too cleerly now to be embraced by judicious and cleer-sighted men CHAP. XV. How absurd is and how little ground hath the pretended infallibilitie of the Bishop of Rome and that it is not without cause he is called Antichrist THe Bishop of Rome is not onely content to challenge the primacy and superioritie over the whole Christian Church but to strengthen and increase his credit he falleth into a folly insupportable to every wise and understanding man for he attributeth to himselfe the same infallibilitie and truth that God doth affirming and maintaining that he cannot erre no more than God when he pronounceth any sentence in matter of faith This seemed to me a cunning subtilty if it were as easily to be beleeved as invented for wanting the word of God and sufficient Scripture to establish his primacy and universall superioritie he hath resolved to attribute to himselfe the infallibilitie to make men receive the Scriptures according to his explication to ground his authoritie and establish his doctrine thereby And this Article of infallibilitie is at this day come to such a passe in the Romish Church that it must be beleeved as pertaining to faith and necessary to salvation it being forbidden under the paine of being holden for an heretique and Anathematized for preaching to the contrary and truely it is a doctrine which in policy ought to follow that of the primacy for the accomplishing of a perfect and absolute authoritie But as wee have shewen this primacy to be usurped and invalid so doe we beleeve we have sufficiently nullified all that followeth upon those prerogatives whereof this is the principall Notwithstanding for the greater satisfaction of the courteous Reader wee shall answer briefly the principall reasons they bring to prove this doctrine The first Objection is drawne out of a passage alledged before where it is said Mat. 16.18 Mat. 16.18 Thou art Peter and upon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it This say they being understood of St Peter is to say that errour and untruth shall not prevaile against Peter nor have victory over him and that he shall never be deceived nor erre nor consequently the Pope who tearmeth himselfe successour of St Peter Notwithstanding St Peter having erred after these words were pronounced and denied his Master which is the greatest fall that can be in the faith sheweth that those words are not understood of St Peter but of the faith and confession he made at that time which being most true and the truth it selfe shall never be overcome nor surmounted by the gates of hell but shall continue in strength eternally and so it is in vaine for the Pope to ground his infallibilitie upon words which are not spoken of St Peter nor consequently of him as is most manifest and as I have shewed before Another Objection which the Romish Church thinks stronger and more expresse is this Luk. 22.32 The Lord said to Simon Luk. 22.32 Simon behold Sathan hath sought to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and then when thou shalt be converted strengthen thy brethren For my part I perceive not what they would conclude thereby but that the faith of St Peter should never faile and yet wee see that it failed much and that St Peter did stumble and erre grossely in the faith having denyed his Master a long time after those words were spoken If then that be understood as they would have it the prayers of Christ should be of none effect which is blasphemy to thinke wherefore we must finde out a truer meaning of those words and say that is understood of small falling Christ Jesus saying to Simon Simon I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not finally that is to say if peradventure thou succombe and fall as thou wilt at least raise thy selfe and enter againe into the profession of faith and being converted by a true repentance thou must confirme thy brethren and let this fall make thee wiser in time to come and be a means to thee to confirme others and exhort them to take heed least they slide and fall as thou This is doubtlesse the true and lawfull meaning of those words as every understanding man may judge and not the explication of the Romish Church which every reasonable man will finde to be altogether absurd and invented of purpose to establish a false doctrine And although it could be proved that St Peter did never fall and we should confesse that the infallibilitie was given to him Will it therefore follow that it is given to all his successours also and that which was said to one person and of one person must be said to all his successours and of them all if they apply to the Pope all that was said to St Peter the Apostle and in his favour by Christ Jesus why doe they not apply as well all that was said to his disgrace and so the Pope must be called Sathan because Christ did call Peter so those words must also be applyed to the Pope Thou shalt deny mee as our Saviour spake them to St Peter This certainly hath too often falne out to the great hurt and scandall of Christian people although I confesse that our Saviour speaking to Peter did not meane it of those who should be thought his successours Now these are the strongest passages and arguments on which this pretended infallibilitie is grounded which is the whole foundation and basis of all the Romish Doctrine now in controversie which being proved to be usurped against reason and equitie as the primacy whereon it is grounded you see in what estate of errour and heresie that Church is in and how blinde and deceived they are that follow it It was thought formerly strange that the Pope of Rome was called Antichrist and I confesse it was long before I could be satisfied with the application of this name to the Pope thinking it was too rigorously spoken and with too small
ground but when I came to consider and examine the ground more narrowly I thought they had reason sufficient for so doing especially for attributing to himselfe the infallibilitie which is onely proper to God and which is the most execrable blasphemy Antichrist can commit and the greatest of his offences mentioned by St Paul in those words 2 Thess 2.4 Even to sit as God in the Temple of God and exalting himselfe above every thing that is called God for truely the Pope in this maketh himselfe as God appropriating to himselfe infallible truth which is onely proper to the Godhead and is the Godhead it selfe Making himselfe further to be adored as God yea more than God causing men to carry him upon their shoulders at the Procession of the Sacrament where that which they call the Hoast or body of the Son of God is onely carried on horsebacke causing Christians yea Nobles and Princes to kisse and adore his feete and laying the holy Scripture at his feete And when he celebrateth the Masse his Chaplaines use a great deale more reverence and ceremony about his person than they doe about the Altar and Hoast with an infinite number of other things proper to the sonne of perdition described by St Paul and by other Scriptures which to shunne tediousnesse I passe by remitting the Reader to those who have expresly and amply written on this subject CHAP. XVI The summe and conclusion of the former Discourse concerning the usurped Primacy and infallibilitie of the Pope YOu have seen good Reader how I have clearly shewed that the Romish Church which maketh the primacie and infallibilitie an Article of faith set down especially in the Confession of faith of the Councell of Trent can produce no passage of holy Scripture that proveth it with the least ground or reason you have seen how I not being obliged to prove the negative by Scripture have notwithstanding by the same word of God shewed cleerly enough that Christ Jesus had never intention to give that primacy to S. Peter as the Apostles did never beleeve nor acknowledge it and that S. Peter himself did never think it nor make use of it and consequently that it is falsly attributed to the Bishop of Rome although he were successour to S. Peter in the Bishoprick of Rome which is a great controversie You have also seen that the Bishop of Rome was never called nor acknowledged for head of the Church or universall Pastor the first 300. yeers without controversie yea for almost 500. yeers which is a very great and long time and further that he never assumed but rather rejected that title as wicked damnable and arrogant and proper to Antichrist never using that Authority It hath been shewed you how this usurpation was brought in and how it hath been maintained in what case it may be in at this present and by what unjust and tyrannicall means that unlawfull Authoritie reigneth in the world to the great prejudice of Princes and oppression of Prelates and to the great scandall and hurt of all poore and simple Christians Lift up therefore the eyes of your understandings and conclude with me that this power being usurped is unlawfull and void as it appeareth is in vain and without reason said to be the rule of faith that it appropriateth to it self the infallible explication of the holy Scripture and the priviledge to declare the Articles of faith It is in vain then that it sendeth us to its Synods and Councels which presume to have no authority but from him who hath none himself neither to call nor confirm them and all the Canons that were ever made under that unlawfull authoritie have neither force nor vertue neither can they oblige any Christians All the Canons and Constitutions therefore established and confirmed by the Popes of Rome and their Councels are of no force nor strength neither can they oblige any man Therefore all the Excommunications and Anathema's all the commandments and prohibitions issuing and coming from such an Authority which are numberlesse ought to be rejected and set at naught if they have no other authoritie from the Word of God as void and unlawfull and cruell burthens laid on mens shoulders to hold them in slaverie as those of the Pharisees condemned and accursed by God himself Compare I pray you courteous Reader the Commandments of God with those of the Church and Pope and you shall see that the Commandments of God are easie Mat. 11.30 and his yoke is light as he hath said and that the commandments of the Church which the Pope affirmeth to be of equall authoritie with Gods are insupportable burthens and cords to strangle the consciences and snares to precipitate them into hell Open therefore your eyes O ye people and behold your blindnesse and the captivitie in which ye live so miserable Isa 52.2 Loose the chains from off thy necke poore slave and captive daughter of Sion may I say unto you with Isaiah I know that many Bishops and Prelates men of great learning and honest conversation yea the most part of the Prelates of the Romish Church mourn and groan under the weight of that yoke and wish nothing more than the happy occasion to see themselves delivered complaining often amongst themselves and making their complaints resound in the eares of their trusty friends I know assuredly as having heard it from their mouthes that they are of the opinion of the ancient Bishops that the Apostles were equals according to the testimonie of the Scriptures and that the Bishop of Rome is no more than their equall their fellow Bishop and brother not their superiour although one of the greatest amongst them because of the greatnesse of the City of Rome where he resideth as they of the first ages did esteeme I know they see and acknowledge that it is nothing but an usurpation begun by the liberality of great Princes and brought in by the ambition of the Popes and the indiscretion of the wicked Emperour maintained by force during the weaknesse and calamities of the Emperours and the dissention and division of States and yet tontinue at this present by unlawfull policies and courses under the bountie of soveraigne Monarchs who suffer it All the learnedst and most judicious of the Romish Church see and deplore this miserie and tyranny but to open their mouth aloud and in publique is a thing which none dare attempt under the Popes authoritie for besides the excommunications and Anathema's which will not be wanting to terrifie the simpler besides the prisons and other corporall punishments where the Inquisition reigneth they must expect where the Pope hath any credit with Princes to be quickly deprived of all the Church Revenues they possesse and out of hope to get any more which verily are too strong motives to retain many who have not sufficient courage and who by pusillanimity and those temporall respects are forced to keep silence and yeeld as dumbe dogs which dare not barke
counsell and not a commandment but they might say as much of all heresie and the word I beleeve sheweth they make an Article of faith of it which obligeth them all But let us grant if you will that all the Saints who are with God in glory offer continuall prayers to him for the increase and prosperitie of the whole Church and all the faithful as some Doctors beleeve and perhaps might be granted although we have no knowledge thereof from the holy Scripture and so it cannot be a point of faith it will not therefore follow that they hear all our prayers and know our necessities in particular or that we ought to invoke them and the fashion in which the Romish Church explaineth this point sheweth sufficiently its nullity For they say the Saints do not hear our prayers themselves but beholding and contemplating the divine Essence they see them there as in a glasse and so have knowledge of them and although say they they see whole God yet they do not see him wholly nor do they see all which is comprehended in that divine Essence for so should they have an infinite knowledge but they see onely that which God will manifest and reveal unto them Now to beleeve God manifested unto them all the prayers that are directed unto them is a groundlesse conjecture there being no Word of God to inform us thereof nor any returned from those places to bring us news And although this might be there being nothing impossible to God neverthelesse all confesse and agree that every thing which is possible to God cometh not therefore to passe nor ought we beleeve it to be done if the Word of God declareth it not to us as matter of faith besides there are so great absurdities in the explication of this doctrine that I marvell how it can enter into the spirit of a reasonable man For they confesse that our prayers go first to God and then from God to the Saints and after they return from the Saints to God which is as one praying to St. Nicholas for example if God say to him Nicholas know that such a man in such a place upon the earth asketh thee such things whereof I advertise thee that thou may pray to me and then I will advise if I shall heare thee that is to make God Mediatour towards the Saints before the Saints be Mediatours towards God Furthermore the Saints have not an infinite knowledge and vertue and as they know not all things so doe they not know them all at one time and are not as God who provideth for the generall government of the world and all particular things therein without any trouble or disturbance for the infinitenesse of his divine essence giveth him that power but the Saints are not so for although their power be great yet it hath its owne bounds nor I cannot conceive how a Saint at the same instant can heare all the prayers made to him here on earth nor how he can provide for all as they make the simpler beleeve For let us suppose if yee will that it is Saterday which day the Romanists dedicate especially to the blessed Virgin Mother of God or one of her great holy dayes among them as of her Nativitie her Assumption or any other from the dawning of the day to mid-day there are a million of millions of Masses said every moment in those places where Popish Religion is planted and a numberlesse number of prayers at one and the same instant are directed to the blessed Virgin every particular person imagining shee heareth them perfectly and indeavouring to make his wants knowne to her to the end he may be relieved or suppose shee knoweth them already and that they onely labour to pray to her and aske her helpe and reliefe they will be forced to confesse that the prayers and necessities of every particular person goe first to God who alone knoweth the hearts and then from God to the Virgin and from her againe to God last of all they returne from God to the Virgin that shee may give order and make them feele their prayers are granted if God think it expedient Now if there be two thousand persons in a Church that pray to the Virgin at one time it must be done by every one of them in an instant and if there be ten thousand in a Citie which pray at one time that must be done by every one of them so and if that be done proportionably through all the Cities of a Kingdome even of many Kingdomes where a numberlesse number of people pray to the blessed Virgin at the same instant shee must have at one time an infinite multitude of businesses to heare and necessities to provide for and at the same instant God informeth her of an infinite number of prayers directed to her for an infinite number of wants shee returning an infinite number at the same time to God and in the meane time while shee returneth them to God and prayeth to him according to the information it pleased him to give her God at the same instant advertiseth her of an infinite multitude of other prayers which indeed may well be done by God at an instant but not by the Virgin Mary who being onely a finite creature is not able to thinke and advise upon so many affaires together at one time no more than we but needeth some time and succession to know provide for all though we confesse that a separated soule may know sooner than united to the body and that shee know by a single apprehension and not by discourse but being finite her power of knowing is finite and shee cannot know all together nor thinke upon all at once being ever in state of glory And let us but grant the least time to every businesse we would quickly be far from our intent for there being some dayes millions of millions of affaires and prayers directed to her through the world shee cannot imploy the smallest time imaginable in every businesse but shee must be more than a yeare to thinke and looke upon all the affaires which are directed to her in one day nay in one houre nay in a quarter of an houre And because it falleth out often in a yeare we must of necessitie fall into an inexplicable labyrinth to every tongue inconceivable to every understanding and impossible to every creature how perfect soever shee is there being nothing but that which is infinite capable of such things the which ought not to be acknowledged in any Saint whatsoever But to what purpose I pray you shall we addresse our selves to Saints seeing we have our Lord Jesus Christ who is the true Mediatour the Soveraigne and onely Advocate betwixt us and his Father who commandeth us to come and addresse our selves unto him who giveth us the confidence and assureth us that he will comfort us Mat. 11.28 Come unto me saith he all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease
must acknowledge any miracles this may be said to be one wrought by God towards me rather than those of the Romish Church If we must acknowledge any miracles in our ages the marvellous deliverance of this Kingdom in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth in the yeer 1588 when the Pope having shared in half with the King of Spaine to make up that Navie which they tearmed Invincible to seize on this State all their enterprises were brought to confusion without doing an exploit and that more by storms and Armes from Heaven than by those of men this should be called a Miracle And the discoverie of that damnable Powder-plot to King James in his time being the yeer 1605. wherein the Enemies of the truth thought to destroy all the glory and Nobles of this Kingdome in a moment may be called a Miracle And the victory obtained 1639 by the Hollanders against the Spaniards on these Coasts where nine or ten small Ships caused such terrour and confusion and were the occasion of the utter wine to a terrible and espouventable Navy consisting at least of threescore and ten saile of strong Ships well armed and brought all their unjust designes to naught this might be held a Miracle And if we must acknowledge Miracles the discovery of the conspiracy and confusion projected the last Spring the yeare 1641. against the tranquillity and repose of those Kingdomes ought to be holden for a Miracle And the agreement so quickly made betwixt the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland which the last yeare 1640. some hellish firebrands and agents of the spirit of discord would have set on fire the one against the other to bring this whole State to confusion and ruine which God hath turned to the confusion of the Authors and good of his people this may be said to be a remarkable Miracle And if we must cry out Miracles that which is fallen out this present moneth of October at the writing of this in Scotland where divers of the greatest of the Nobility were neare to be massacred whereby the Enemies of peace thought yet againe to bring this State into confusion if God by his ordinary goodnesse had not shewed himselfe at this time againe the God and protectour of his people ought to be esteemed a Miracle And if all miraculous deliverances which have been wrought by the bounty and mercy of God in this Island since it received the faith and puritie of the Word of God had falne out in Spaine or in some other place under the Popes Jurisdiction they would have esteemed them as great Miracles as the deliverance of the Israelites out of the captivitie of Egypt under the leading of Moses or Josuahs victories by his battels or Sampsons with the Jaw-bone of an Asse over the Philistims or Davids over Goliah or Judith over Holophernes and the like and they would write and publish them as evident miracles It is true also and we ought to acknowledge Gods power doth clearly appeare therein and we must not beleeve that those deliverances are fallen out by accident chance but confesse that the bountie of God would therein shew the care and affection he had for the conservation protection of this his poore people whom it seemeth he hath chosen and held in these ages for his peculiar heritage among all Kingdomes And I marvell the enemies of the truth and of this State open not their eyes to see those so marveilous protections and that they have hardned themselves so often against the manifest hand of God But this sufficeth if those of the Romish Church have no stronger proofes to maintaine their invocation of Saints than the miracles wherewith their Books are stuffed that will serve to deceive the simple but men of understanding wil not be satisfied with that and I thinke it is out of question better to addresse our selves to God through Jesus Christ who is our onely sure Mediator as he commandeth us and as the Apostles have done themselves and taught us to doe than to interpose all the Saints as the Romish Church telleth us without any word of God nay contrary to the word of God which condemneth with Anathema those who shall preach to us or teach us any other wayes besides that which hath been preached to us by Christ and his Apostles CHAP. XX. Of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Communion under both kindes I Have ever had those words of St Paul in great estimation by which he forbiddeth us to be wiser than we ought Rom. 13.3 Let no man saith he thinke of himselfe more highly than he ought to thinke but to thinke soberly And I have often marveiled that the Romish Church bragging that shee accomplisheth the Counsells of Christ which shee holdeth for works of supererogation and wherefore shee thinketh God much obliged to her despise in the meane time the commandements of our Saviour and alienate her selfe so far from his institution and intention For my part I beleeve the excellency and perfection of a good Christian of perfect faith and of the true Church doth consist in approaching as neere as may be to the intention and institution of Christ and in indeavouring to do as he hath done and as it hath been his will to shew us and in so far as we can conforme our selves to his actions especially in the reception and administration of the Sacraments for he is come to be our Master and being the infallible Wisdome he hath done and taught us all was needfull The Romish Church findeth fault with the Eucharist for being called the Sacrament of the Supper and calleth it the Sacrament of the Altar Now it is certaine that our Saviour instituted this Sacrament immediately after Supper wherefore it may justly be called the Sacrament of the Supper as it was for a long time in the Church of Rome Even to this present they call it the day of its institution the fifth feria in the Lords Supper Feria quinta in coena Domini and that notable Bull wherein are excommunicated and delivered to the power of the Devill all the Princes Parliaments and Courts of Justice yea and the most part of Christians in the world and which is read so solemnly every yeare at Rome on thursday of the holy weeke is called the Bull in the Lords Supper Bulla in coena Domini and when Christ instituted that holy Sacrament it is certaine that was not on an Altar but on the same Table whereon he had supped and none of the Evangelists make mention here of an Altar so there is no reason it should be called the Sacrament of the Altar but the Sacrament of the Supper or if you will of the Lords Table or of the Communion or of the Eucharist which words agree all with the institution of our Saviour but not that of the Altar The greatest controversie in this mystery is not concerning the name but the body of Christ which the Romanists thinks they receive substantially
inclination to doe that which I desire not and which questionlesse will be displeasing to many Contenting my selfe to say for the present happy are the peoples and Kingdomes which onely strive to frame their beliefe and discipline according to the words and institution of Christ putting far from them all those humane inventions see themselves out of danger of suffering those convulsions and disorders in their bowels which cause such cruell torments and strange colicks to many Countreys and Cities happie are the Princes and States which shut their gates upon them and stop their eares upon their importunate solicitations and thrice happy all they who will open their eares to consider their misery and use wholsome remedies and resolutions to deliver themselves from that slavish tyranny in which the pollicy of the Pope and the Romish Church doth detaine them But I hope that great Physitian will take order ere long and there is great appearance that shortly he will give some remedie for the disease seemeth at the point of its Crisis CHAP. XXVI Of Justification I Did imagine for a long time as doe many of the Church of Rome at this present that they of the Reformed Churches admitting Justification by faith alone did it to exclude good works from the way of salvation and shew themselves in that to be enemies of charitie and of other vertues I did therefore extreamly condemne them and could in no wise approve of their doctrine but when I came to sound their beliefe and see how they are not onely carefull to practise good workes and vertues and that even much more than they of the Romish Church and that they judged them necessary to salvation and that the faith whereof they speake is not a dead faith as the Papists understand it but a lively faith accompanied with good workes and fruitfull in vertues I acknowledged they wrongfully blamed them in this as in many other things also either maliciously to make them odious to the people or ignorantly for not knowing their doctrine as that they make God the Author of sin and say that Christ hath suffered all the very pangs of hell and the like impertinent calumnies which they never dreamed of and which are very different from their beliefe It is most certaine that the faith whereof Christ hath spoken so much to us and which he desired of those whom he did convert to Christianisme and called to be his followers and of whom he saith Ioh. 6.47 that whosoever shall beleeve in him shall have eternall life it is not that which is defined by the Romish Church to be a simple knowledge or beliefe or a consenting to all that God hath revealed to us for otherwise the Devills should have faith and consequently be saved But true justifying faith is another thing for it is not onely a simple knowledge and beliefe of God and of all that he hath revealed but it is further a firme beliefe in God that is to say a trust in his promises and a sure knowledge of his love towards us as by his holy Word he declareth himselfe to be our Father and Saviour by the merits of Christ Now this faith which worketh by knowledge and relyeth altogether on the promise of God is necessarily fruitfull in good workes for from the knowledge of the love which God beareth towards us doth proceed our love towards him and it is altogether impossible to trust in the promise of God not loue him and make good workes follow thereby also is true faith discerned from a false to wit if it worke by charitie if it he joyned with a serious repentance and bring peace of conscience if it be humble not trusting in its owne merits but upon the promise of God in Christ if it kindle the zeale and love of God in our hearts Such is the faith by which we are justified that is to say absolved before God and made pleasing to him thorough the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and of which it is said Joh. 6.47 Rom. 1.7 Joh. 6.47 He that beleeveth on him hath life eternall and Rom. 1.7 The Just shall live by faith and this faith is not to be found in the Devils nor in the damned as the Church of Rome will have it This being laid downe for the definition of faith it will not be hard to beleeve that we are justified by faith not by works seeing even the Apostle saith it so cleerly that there is no truth so manifestly declared as this and I thinke for my part that he who will not beleeve it must be extreamly blinded or obstinate Reade I pray you the third fourth and fift Chapters to the Romans there you will finde how this doctrine is proved He saith in the third Chap. vers 27. Where is boasting then Rom. 3.27 it is excluded by what Law Of works Nay but by the Law of faith therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law And vers 29. Vers 29. For it is God who shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and the Vncircumcision through faith Ch 4.3 V 23 24. Vers 23. And Chap. 4.3 For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse And vers 23. Therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it was not written for his sake alone but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if wee beleeve in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead And Chap. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 wee have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ And Gal. 2 16. Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Christ even wee have beleeved in Jesus Christ that wee might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the worke of the Law shall no flesh be justified To doubt after all those so cleare passages that saith doth not justifie and that we are not justified by faith but by workes is to be holden for incredulous and voide of sence for my part after I had once considered and knowne the true definition of faith and seriously examined those passages it was impossible to mee to doubt of so cleare a truth True it is if we doe no good but evill workes we cannot be saved yet if we be saved it will not be for our good workes but by the onely goodnesse of God and by faith and confidence in his love and promises I will illustrate it by this example A King adopteth one of his Subjects freely to be heire of his Kingdoms enjoy his Crowne providing he behave himselfe honestly and not otherwise if that man offend the King he maketh himselfe questionlesse unworthy of the heritage and succession and there is no appearance he can possesse it but if he behave himselfe wisely and doe well ought he to
thinke it is his good deeds which have merited the crowne to him No truly for many would doe a great deale better greater and more laudable actions who will not therefore enjoy that possession and heritage but it is the onely goodnesse of the King which is the cause and his onely voluntary and free adoption which giveth him right to that succession So fareth it in this matter By faith in Christ wee are adopted to be his children and heires of his glory and as his adopted children we ought to strive to please him in all things and if we offend him and transgresse his commandements and commit crimes against him we make our selves unworthy of that heritage and of his favours and if we be not reconciled to him we shall be deprived thereof and never possesse it But if we be obedient to his Commandements and do our dutie those are not neverthelesse our good workes and actions which merit that favour for many may doe the like works and actions either of charitie of almes of justice honour father and mother or the like who not being adopted by faith shall not obtaine such an heritage nor the glory of God so wee must not trust to our workes and imagine they justifie and save us And if it be sometimes said in the Scripture that the recompence followeth the workes and if we doe well we shall have our reward or the like Wee must not thinke this recompence followeth the workes and is precisely given for their merits but because of the faith in Christ and in his promises which accompany them or rather which give them their excellence I confesse that in former times when I would make a serious reflex upon the workes which I did which were esteemed good and ranked amongst the best in the eyes of the world as fastings austerities mortification of the flesh suffering of cold watching and many such things which are common enough in the Congregation where I was when I had done all that I was able to make them perfect and meritorious and when I joyned all the zeale puritie and love of God was possible I did notwithstanding ever finde so many inward defects and imperfections that I could never perswade my selfe they were of great efficacy before God to merit his favour or any heavenly recompences they afflict indeed and bring downe the body and make it more able and apt to obey the Spirit which was St Pauls end and if they be not discreetly used they bring men into many infirmities and diseases but that they might merit Gods favour or glory or be capable to deliver a soule out of Purgatory or satisfie for our sins I could never firmely beleeve any such thing And I know certainly from the knowledge which the governing of a multitude of soules hath taught me this doctrine doth so little assure the consciences that there are none but fooles and presumptuous persons which thinke to merit Gods favour or heaven to themselves or to others thereby And all wise men agree in this that there is nothing but a quickning faith can justifie us before God and howsoever the doctrine of the Church of Rome maketh faith to be onely the ground and faith it is the love of God which justifieth with the ground of faith yet this love of God well explained with the ground of faith it seemeth to be no other thing than a quickning faith by charitie and a beliefe and confidence in the merits of Christ and his promises and so I thinke that the agreement would not be very hard to be made in this point Neverthelesse the Romish Clergie principally the Fryars making but little mention of faith as if it were not of so great importance preach nothing but workes and especially of the body as fasting mortification of the flesh disciplines haire-cloaths and the like and chiefly Almes and it seemeth even in hearing them that the doctrine of good works is all brought to this head and they doe it purposely and all that say they is comprehended under the word Penitence which John the Baptist did preach in the Wildernesse though he understood a repentance from sin and amendment of life And because by Almes men deprive themselves of some commodities that is also comprehended by them under the word Penitence and they know well enough how to illustrate this doctrine by other passages out of Scripture I may say from sufficient knowledge that which our Saviour said of the Pharisees Mat. 23.3 Maâ— 23.3 might be justly enough applyed to them to wit Doe not after their workes for they say and doe not for they binde heavie burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers but all their workes they doe for to be seene of mâ—n Vers 2â— And vers 27. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for yee are like unto whited Sepulchres which indeed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones of all uncleannesse Even so yee also outwardly appeare righteous unto men but within yee are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie For many preach fasting which love good cheare and do fast as seldome as they can many preach the hairecloath which never made use of it and so of other things which I will explaine no further But because they know well that the people like not much those austerities and corporall mortifications and doe not willingly practise them and that they are beleeved amongst the vulgar to doe many such things because of the externall appearance and they labour of purpose to seeme austere they make them beleeve that their almes will satisfie for all and that if they will become benefactours of their Churches and Orders or be of their Congregations and third Orders or joyne themselves to their fraternities of the scapulaire or girdle and the like or be adopted children of their Orders they will make them partakers of all the good workes which have been are and shall be done amongst them now and for ever through all ages to come for words are of great vertue in those matters What a great number are done amongst them and how and in what excellency and perfection all those fine workes whereof they brag so much and make such a noise in the eares of the people and whereof some prefer themselves to others are done ordinarily they know what I might say and that they have but small ground of glory but howsoever it is they promise them or if I durst say they sell them for they give nothing for naught and that with a number of fine and specious ceremonies to allure others and when they adopt them for spirituall children they give them large Patents sealed with as broad Seales as those of a Chancellary whereby they declare unto them that in vertue thereof they make them partakers of all their austerities fastings haire-cloaths mortifications disciplines prayers pilgrimages voyages travels
earnestly pray to him that it would please him to poure out upon their royall Majesties and their Princely Progenie upon your most Honorable Persons and this whole Land all the heavenly and earthly blessings that can wish Most Illustrious Assembly Your most humble and obedient Servant FRANCIS DE NEVILLE London this 28. of March 1642. Authoris Submissio SAcrosanctae Individuae Trinitatis Catholicae orthodoxae Ecclesiae authoritatis omnis sanae sincerae non praeoccupatae mentis judicio censurae haec quae scripta sunt hic subiecta sunto To the Reader FRiendly Reader if you finde any thing faulty and unpolisht in this Booke Know that the English tongue is strange to the Author to whom newly and as it were miraculously escaped out of Popish persecutions and strict imprisonment Tranquillitie and many other accommodations were wanting requisite for the perfection both of composition and impression yet neverthelesse if you understand French the Authors naturall Language may supply what is here defectuous and if it come againe to the Presse you shall have every thing more exact and perfect in the meane time be favourable in all and especially in some faults occasioned by the Printer such as are these following Errata quaedam PAge 15. v. 24. Bishops leg Doctors p. 43. in Tit. Spirit l. script p. 68. v. ult Infallible l. Insatiable AN HISTORICALL PRELVDE CONCERNING THE AVTHOR CHristian and courteous Reader there is nothing in the world made for it selfe but all for man and man for God who is the last end of all things and as the members of one body doe ayde and serve one another for the enjoying the priviledges and felicitie their nature is capable of so men being Members of the same body 1 Cor. 11.3 whereof Christ is the Head as St Paul saith ought to serve one another to bring themselves to God who is their last end and blessednesse It is that which moved the Apostles to Preach the Gospell through the world with so great travaile and paines It is that motive of charitie that moved St Paul and others to leave unto us the writings and doctrines which we have in the Canonicall Books It is onely this Consideration also that hath engaged mee to undertake this present Treatise wherein I onely intend to lead and conduct you to God If you walke straight to the paths of the true Church and faith I intreat you in reading this Treatise to give thankes and praises unto God with mee for the mercies and marvailous deliverances he hath wrought for mee in bringing me out of darknesse and from the shadows of death If you waver and be in doubt of the truth of the way you will finde here matter to assure and confirme you And if you be gone astray out of this way I hope reading this Discourse you shall be directed into it againe Especially if you be in the Romish Church it is to you chiefly I speake and for whom I write this hoping examples will be of greater power than words with you For friendly Reader I have been a long time even as you in the same blindnesse and doubtings you are in and because I was told that it behooved mee to beleeve without further enquiry and have onely the good faith as they say of the Colliar which is to referre himselfe to the faith of his Curate without further examination I assayed to doe the same bending my will that way but so soone as I began to have a little judgement J had a thousand combats in my minde in that blinde obedience which J could not see grounded upon any sure foundation J heard of an holy Scripture but J was almost twenty yeares old before J knew what it was J was permitted yea and recommended to reade and learne even by heart Virgil Cicero Homer and Plutarch all of them Pagan prophane Authors and proper to teach paganisme the Idolatry of the false gods no man desiring mee to reade or learne the holy Scriptures which the holy Ghost left to make us wise unto salvation and to instruct us in Christianitie and the worship of the true God as the Alphabet and rudiment of Christians Is not this a strange malice or blindnesse All that was spoken to mee in matter of faith was that it behooved mee to beleeve without further search and refer my selfe to the faith of our Teachers And what did J often say in my selfe If those who lead us be blinde or dissemble the truth through perversenesse or for other interests Mat. 15.14 the blind leading the blined both must fall into the ditch if our Leaders will goe to hell and be damned J shall then be as they referring my selfe to them J saw they were but men full of infirmities and imperfections as others that their words were words of men subject to deceit and lyes where J did finde nothing sure to settle a firme beliefe so that J did conclude in my selfe that faith being a certain knowledge and beliefe it could not be sure but upon a certaine and infallible foundation and so J concluded there was nothing but the Word of God alone and not the word of man that could assure us of true faith and of the way to salvation and that that Word of God being left to us in the holy Scriptures it was the dutie of every man to search and examine if the faith and doctrine preached were conformable to it and that no wise and judicious man should refer himselfe to another every one being to give an account for himselfe in the day of Gods Judgement and none received there to warrant and baile another This then moved mee to compare the doctrine of faith which was taught mee with that which Jesus Christ did preach and there J found so great difference in many points that it might be said to be altogether another doctrine than that of the Sonne of God Happy was it for mee J understood the Latine as my Mother tongue for J was above twentie yeares old before J durst reade or keepe by mee the Bible in the vulgar tongue under paine of greater Excommunication said they then is pronounced against one who should reade a Book of the Black Art or kill his father or mother and there is none but the Pope alone hath power to doe it or can give License Even so did J obtaine it by that means but this by the way They produced indeed for every thing the holy Scripture but for the most part in a meaning so far different from the truth that there is no error heresie nor dissolutnesse which may not be grounded and maintained in like manner upon and by the holy Scriptures J did heare them speake of Traditions and that we ought to submit our selves to the meaning and judgement of the Church but when J came to examine the Church and the infallibilitie of those Traditions J found that all was resolved in the judgement and head of the
the Sacraments and the bounty of God yet no man will judge them so pernicious and of so dangerous consequence that they ought to be abstained from and the Popes prohibition is grounded upon a too frivolous weak and ridiculous reason to have any weight or authoritie in the judgements of the wiser Neither is there any who doe not sufficiently see it to be meerly a humane and a politique invention to conserve a false doctrine and an usurped jurisdiction if he will but strictly remarke it as God hath given mee grace to doe CHAP. V. Of Traditions and that they ought not to be taken for Iudge or Rule of our Faith THe Romish Church finding her selfe but weakly sustained by the Scriptures and not being able to maintaine her doctrine by the written Word of God hath be thought of an unwritten word called Tradition making it of the same power with the holy Scriptures and is therefore called Divine Tradition and Apostolique and not humane which seemed to me a brave field to lay open all her fancies Now the rule and way of the Romish Church to know and declare those Apostolique Traditions is this When the beginning and originall of any doctrine or Ecclesiasticall ceremony is not knowne neither exactly by whom or in what yeare it was instituted since the time of Jesus Christ and his Apostles it is holden amongst them of Divine and Apostolique Tradition As for example because it is not certainly knowne who was the first that invented holy-water and imployed it in Baptisme and to other uses it is esteemed to come from Christ Jesus and his Apostles although it appeare sufficiently from the holy Scripture that Christ and his Apostles did never use that ceremony but onely baptized with pure and naturall water So because it is not knowne who it was that first did pray to the Saints that doctrine is said to be of Apostolique and divine Tradition and to come from Christ and his Apostles although it appeare not in any place of Scripture that ever any Apostle did pray to the Saints that were before them or recommended it to us but the contrary and so of the rest of their Traditions Is not this a fine rule and prety invention whereon to ground an infinite number of divine and Apostolique Traditions for Printing not being in use but within this two or three hundred yeares there were but few things written before that and that seldome to be left to posteritie and that which was written for the most part dyed and vanished by the death of the Author or shortly after for not being transcribed as it is with a great number of particular writings especially if they doe not concerne temporall things So that in so many ages an infinite number of things ceremonies doctrines and errors have been invented in the worship of God by the superstition vanitie and presumption of some particular men of which now it is impossible to know the originall and first Author either because it was never written by any or if it hath been written the writings have been lost if therefore all those things must be esteemed divine and Apostolique out of question there will be a numberles number of divine and Apostolique Traditions And upon these considerations I marveiled no more at the great number of Traditions that are in the Romish Church which I can assure you to be such that if they were all redacted to one volume it would assuredly be greater than all the books of the Bible for their number is almog infinite and not certainly known to this day the number yet not being perfect and hardly is there any generall Councells in which some one or more new ones are not discovered Those of the Romish Church who will not admit nor acknowledge the Scripture as Judge of faith strive neverthelesse to serve themselves with it the best they can to confirme their doctrine But I pray you with what reason in the point of Traditions To prove that the holy Scripture is not a sufficient rule of faith and that we must have recourse to a word not written which they call Tradition 1 Thes 2.15 they alledge this of St Paul Wherefore my Brethren be yee stedfast and hold fast the Traditions which yee have learned either by word or by our Epistle Thence they inferre that St Paul had preached many things to the Thessalonians which he had not written to them in his Letters and therefore wee must beleeve more things than those which are written We ingeniously confesse that the whole doctrine of salvation and that which St Paul might have preached to the Thessalonians is not in these two little Epistles and affirme that we must beleeve more things than those which are conteined in them but thence it will not follow that that which St Paul had preached to the Thessalonians of the necessitie of faith and salvation is not conteined in the Old and New Testament for there is great difference betwixt the two little Epistles to the Thessalonians and all the rest of the holy Scripture and the consequence is very bad as every one may judge Besides when St Paul saith Keep the Traditions it will no more follow that by this word Traditions an unwritten word ought necessarily to be understood and that besides the written word of God there is yet an unwritten word equall in authoritie to the other for by the word Tradition may be understood that which is given and left either by word or writing and not necessarily some word not written for the holy Scripture is also a tradition that is a doctrine which hath been left us And although wee should grant that St Paul had preached to the Thessalonians many things which are not written in the holy Scriptures and exhorted them to keepe them it will therefore not follow that he did exhort them to keep all those Traditions as necessary to salvation for there are none who will not confesse that St. Paul might have preached and said many things which were not absolutely necessary to salvation nor faith but onely convenient and helpfull as our Saviour did in his preaching and although our Saviour should give us charge to remember them all and keepe them he doth not therefore meane that wee should be equally obliged to keep them all and that wee should keep them otherwise and in another fashion than he gave them to us that is the Articles of faith as Articles of faith and necessary to salvation the Commandements as Commandements the examples and parables as such things essentiall to faith as essentiall the ceremony and things accidentall as such and it is a very bad consequence drawne by the Romish Church that because St Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians to keep the Traditions he commandeth us all to beleeve and keep them as pertaining to faith and of equall authoritie with the Scripture a word not written and Traditions meerly humane as divine Traditions and chiefly all the Traditions of the Romish
when Printing did begin they being either lost or consumed by fire or time or by the Wormes or a multitude of other accidents which we see doth eat and consume the very stones and Iron Now those first Manuscripts have been copied out by divers Writers and that from hand to hand from time to time to be dispersed and preserved from age to age and run over Kingdoms and after a multitude of Transcriptions passed by example since our Saviours time to us how many faults and what alteration have been made in those Books and in the doctrine of those Fathers for there is no man almost how able soever who can brag that he can transcribe a sheet of paper without committing some one or more faults how many will there be then in a great Volume as one of St Augustins or St Chrysostoms And as those Clerks or Transcribers who were called Amanuenses were for the most part mercenary and did all for money and profit living by that trade it is likely they took not much care but thought onely upon a quick dispatch that they might gaine the more and when they found any thing that seemed a fault to them whether it was really so or not they changed and corrected it according to their minde and passion it faring with faults as with balls of snow which the more they are rolled grow the bigger so far was their faults to be lesned by their Writers thav they were rather augmented and multiplied the old continuing or rather growing worse and daily more new ones being made so that some little time after it might be said of every Book that it was in a manner no more the same Book but altogether another being so much changed and altered And the Romish Church growing in power and authoritie when shee found any thing in those Books contrary to her doctrine and the increase of her greatnesse or against her designes and intentions shee did condemne the same as falsified and falsly attributed to the Fathers and correct it after her own minde and fancy and when Printing was come in use shee made choice of that which was most conformable to her doctrine or rather moulding and forming it by her agents and supporters to her own minde caused it so to be printed suppressing and forbidding other Copies as spurious and corrupted said they by some heretiques or malicious people or falsly attributed to their Authors and so who can now say in the world certainly that the writings fathered upon Irenaeus Cyrillus Augustin and other ancient Fathers are the true and genuine Writings of those Fathers not falsified or supposed And if it hath been so hard a matter to preserve the holy Scripture which is but a little Book in comparison of those others in its purity through so many ages when Printing was not in use What can we say of those great Volumes which were not in so great request nor so much respected and where the change and alteration was not of so great importance to care so much but where every one took often the authoritie to change according to his fancy and accommodate the Father to his minde to authorise his beliefe I think there is no man of good judgement in the world who seeth not cleerly the force and power of this so manifest truth and that it is impossible to ground any certaine beliefe such as that of faith ought to be upon so uncertaine grounds Besides that though they were most certaine yet being men subject to mistakes and errours wee were not obliged to make their opinions our Judges if they be not conformable to the Word of God which is the rule of all truth For which cause I shall not strive in this Booke to alledge many passages of Fathers but onely shew my opinion grounded upon strong reasons and upon the vertue of the Scripture My intention not being to make a great Volume but onely a little Book of small cost and little time and paines both for my selfe and the Reader CHAP. VIII Concerning the chiefe point of Controversie to wit that St Peter had no primacy in the Church and that the primacy of the Pope is an unlawfull usurpation AS I have ever beleeved that the chiefe and most important point among all the controversies betwixt the Catholique reformed and the Romish Church is that of the Primacy of the Pope and whether he be Vicar of Christ Jesus on earth universall and generall Bishop over all Christians and be head and superiour of the Catholique Church So it was the first motive of my conversion and that which I esteemed to have most need to be well considered and examined as being the ground of all the Romish beliefe which once over-turned shee must of necessitie fall to the ground And howsoever there be many other points of great importance this neverthelesse is as the Center where all the rest do meet and the axletree on which they all move and the foundation that upholdeth them because that whatsoever point of faith or Scripture is in controversie those of the Romish Church will have none but the Church for Judge or as I have shewed the Pope saying he is Vicar of Christ Jesus and head of the universall Church and consequently sole Judge in matters of faith And being the Pope of Rome pretendeth this authoritie onely so far as he vaunteth himselfe to be successour of St Peter to whom he saith that Christ Jesus hath given this power I have diligently examined the question to see what reason and ground the Doctors of the Romish Church have to maintaine the same and howsoever they reject the Scripture and will not admit it to be Judge of controversie they are neverthelesse necessitated to have recourse to it and receive it for Judge in this point For the question being of the Pope he must not be Judge and party and it would be an insufferable impertinency to goe about to prove the Pope by the Pope and maintaine that he is head of the Church because maintaineth he and affirmeth it he must then of necessitie declare and produce his other titles and shew by what vertue he posseseth this authoritie there being no proscription in matter of faith and conscience for otherwise the Religion of the Gentiles and Idolaters would have been thought the best and the doctrine of the Evangelists would never have been planted for which cause also he laboureth to prove this his Article by the Scripture And to that end we shall first set downe the strongest of his reasons by way of objection the weaknesse and nullity of which I shall shew And although it be sufficient enough for evidencing his power to be unlawfull and usurped making it appeare that his titles are false and of no force and that wee are not obliged to bring proofes out of the Scriptures for that which is not a point of our faith it being sufficient for us that it is not in the Scripture which we hold for sole rule
of St Peters primacy shall be drawne from the following words Mat. 16.14 set downe in Mat. 16.14 And I will give thee the keyes of the Kingdâ—me of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven The Popes grounding themselves on those words have assumed all power over Christians over Kings Emperours and States to excommunicate interdict and depose to crowne and create Princes and to give all their estates in spoyle In a word they thinke all they are able to attempt is lawfull to them as being sufficiently authorised by those words and that nothing under the heavens is exempt from their jurisdiction because it is said in that passage Whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven At the first sight this passage wee have cited seemeth to be of great strength to maintaine the primacy of St Peter and his successours but I will onely turne over the leafe to elude this objection and shew its weaknesse and insufficiency for this purpose for I finde in Mat. 18.18 that Christ said to all his Disciples and Apostles present the same words in the plurall number Verily I say unto you that whatsoever yee shall binde on earth Mat. 18.18 shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Quaecunque ligaveritis in the plurall number neverthelesse I have never as yet heard nor seen any Author that attributeth this generall and universall power over the whole Church and over all Christians to any other of the Apostles by those words why then to St Petrr more than the rest seeing the same words were spoken to them by Christ This might be a sufficient Answer to the objection of the Romish Church But because they use these words yet further to give power to all their Priests to absolve from all sinnes even the most secret and to binde and loose the soules and consciences at their pleasure I intreat you seriously to consider the occasion of this passage to see how little reason they have or rather the great wrong they doe in establishing a doctrine of so great importance on these words for these are the words the Bishops use at the consecration of Priests imposing their hands and saying Receive the holy Spirit all that yee binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and all that yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Jesus preaching to his Disciples of the order that ought to be kept in brotherly correction saith Mat. 18.16 Mat. 18.16 If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betwixt him and thee alone if he shall heare thee thou hast gained thy brother but if he will not heare thee take with thee two or three more that out of the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word shall be established and if he shall neglect to heare them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican verily I say unto you that whatsoever yee binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Thence every man may cleerly see that our Saviour speaks of the exterior and publique sinnes of our neighbour which are knowne not of secret sinnes and to keep the order of charitie and not dishonour him his will is that when thou shalt know it thou reprove him secretly between thee and him alone but if he continue still take with thee two or three Witnesses to reprove him in their presence and if for all that he continue in his sin and obstinacy accuse him to the Congregation and company of the faithfull that he may receive correction and if he doth not humble and submit himselfe let him be excommunicate and thrust out of the Congregation and thereupon he assureth the Pastours of his Church in the person of his Disciples that whatsoever they shall binde or loose on earth being understood with this order of charitie shall be bound or loosed in heaven that is whomsoever they shall bind with the bands and sentence of excommunication shall be bound in heaven and the sentence shall be confirmed and ratified in heaven by God and he whom they shall thrust out of the Church and Congregation shall be esteemed of us as thrust out in heaven Is there any man in the world that can justly contradict the literall sence of these words and who seeth not that this hath been out of all doubt the true meaning of the Son of God To what purpose then doe they apply that which was spoken of a particular case and of exteriour and knowne sinnes to all the interiour hidden and secret sinnes of the heart and to what end doe they enlarge the power of the Minister which is limited in this case over all manner of persons subjects and States but the ambition to command maketh arrowes or rather Charcoale of all wood to defile it selfe and all its followers See here another objection of the same mettle with the former Our Saviour Joh. 21.15 saith to St Peter twice Joh. 21.15 feed my Lambes and once feed my sheepe and by consequence he hath established him universall Pastour over all Christians I marvell much that the Doctors of the Romish Church should take pleasure to forge such bad consequences for I beleeve they know well enough that Terminus indefinitus aequivalet particulari non universali that an indefinite proposition is equivalent to a particular and not to an universall or generall Wee might say that Christ in those words did not recommend all his sheep to Peter nor give him power over them all and let us grant notwithstanding that St Peter had charge to feed all the sheep and lambs of the Lords flocke and commission to preach the Gospell unto them and feed them with the doctrine of life and salvation The same Commission and power was also given by Jesus Christ to all the Apostles Mark i6 15 Mat. 28.19 when he said to them in Mark. 16.15 Goe yee to all the world and Preach the Gospell to every creature and Mat. 28.19 Goe and teach all Nations for so ought the word feed to be understood namely to feed with doctrine and to teach so it is not said that primacy and superioritie is attributed to them but onely a Commission and charge given to preach the Gospel every where and teach all men to beleeve Further I answer that although this passage were understood of the power and authoritie it being an indefinite proposition to wit my sheep all the sheep cannot be understood here but onely those which Christ would especially commit to his guard and put under his government to wit the Churches which he was to found and governe A King sending a Nobleman to be Governour of a Province or Citie if perchance he say
unto him goe and governe my subjects well what foole is there in the world will beleeve that by these words the King giveth him an ample unlimited power over all his Kingdome subjects and createth him thereby his successour in all his estates after his death would not he be thought to be hypocondriacally affected who would make himselfe beleeve it the King understandeth questionlesse thereby his people and subjects which are in the Province and place where he is sent as Governour and not those who are in other places If a Bishop send a Priest to governe a Parish or a Church and say to him goe I recommend my people and my sheep unto you teach them well and instruct them faithfully take great care to feed my flock with good doctrine ought this Priest therefore to imagine with himselfe that all the people in his diocesse are subject to him and that the Bishop giveth him ample power over all his Bishopricke and maketh him his successour by those words Let him perswade himselfe as much as he can as doe the Hypocondriaques but I beleeve he should finde some to speake withall if he would undertake the exercise of such authoritie without some other Commission for by that it is sufficient he beleeves that the Bishop recommendeth to his charge the sheep which he hath committed to his guard and leading So it is without sence and reason they imagine to inferre by those words that Christ hath given all power over the Church to St Peter and established him his Vicar and Successour in his place but onely he commandeth him to preach and declare the Gospel every where as he did in other places to all the other Apostles without distinction of Jewes or Gentiles Countreyes or Estates but generally in every place where they should be sent And after this manner doth the Romish Church use the holy Scripture to prove the Articles of their beliefe Another objection of the Church of Rome is Our Saviour cōmanded St Peter Mat. 17.27 Mat. 17.27 To take the first fish he could catch and take a piece of money out of its mouth and pay the tribute for them two therfore he made him his successour after his death and hath given him the Primacy over the whole Church and over the other Apostles See here the meaning of this history some Collectour or Publicane cometh to St Peter who was with our Saviour as the first he found it may be or perhaps the most ancient and considerable of all and said unto him that their Master did pay no tribute to the Prince St Peter telleth it to Christ who commandeth him to go to the sea and the first fish he could catch to take a piece of money which he should find in his mouth and pay for him and himself to the publicane to eschew scandalls hereby it appeareth that he maketh him his successour and vicar after his death and that he hath the Primacy and superiority over all the other Apostles and Christians Is not this a consequence handsomely deduced by wise men and neverthelesse it is one of the Romish Church The publicans and collectours for the Prince come to a noble man to ask of him some subsidy and tribute they addressed themselves to the first they met withall or to some old servant and tell him that his Master hath not paid the subsidies the servant goeth and telleth it to his Master who commandeth him to go to such a place and take money to pay for him and himself which he doth to shunne noise and scandall this servitour ought he here for to presume with himself that he will succeed to all the goods and estate of his Master and that thereby preheminence is given unto him over all his other companions and fellow-servants and should he not shew himself altogether ridiculous who would maintain the same to draw such consequences and to found one Article of faith and the most important of them all upon so frivolous conjectures and weak proofs is to make fools of men there must be other proofs and more authentique and clearer declarations to pretend lawfully the greatest power and most advantagious succession in the world Take here yet another parcell of the same dough or rather more frivolous St Peter say they was the first who was called to the Apostleship therefore Christ made him his Successour and Vicar and gave him after his death the superiority over his fellows and the whole Church St John saith that Andrew having found Jesus Christ Ioh. 1.41 went and told his brother Simon and brought him to Christ so that by that means Andrew should be the first of the Apostles who found the Messiah and knew Christ but put the case it were Peter and that he was the first chosen of the Apostles and called to the Apostleship will it follow thence that Christ Jesus made him his Successour The first souldier that is inrolled in a Company by his Captain is he for that his Successour after his death must he have the superiority after his Captains death over all the rest without other declaration or title at all especially the Captain having never declared any thing that way but provided other waies for the government and leading of his company there is certainly neither rhyme nor reason for deducing such consequences so all this serveth onely to deceive the simple and weaker spirits but every man of judgement seeth well enough their weaknesse to believe or give credit thereto Now I protest they are the strongest arguments the Romish Church produceth out of the holy Scripture to prove the primacy of St Peter and consequently that of the Pope for there is nothing spoken of the Pope in the holy Scripture nor doth he pretend any right thereto but so farre as he termeth himself the Successour of St Peter and if they be attentively considered as they ought I perswade my self there is no man in the world provided he hath any sparks of common reason who will not judge them too small and weak to prove so important a doctrine which is the foundation of all the Romish belief and this certainly is more then sufficient to shew that the power of the Pope is usurped that he hath not the authority he pretendeth over the Church and that wrongfully he calleth himself the universall Pastour over all Christians and Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth he not being able to shew or prove his succession and power by any passage of Scripture which hath any strength or likelihood But I minde not to stay there not for any obligation but for greater satisfaction of those who are desirous of salvation and the truth I will prove the negative by Scripture and thereby shew that our Saviour had never intention to leave St Peter nor any other Successour or Vicar in his place and that the Apostles never acknowledged S. Peter nor any other for universall Pastour but Christ we shall also see hereafter how the
from some other Bishops in France or Italy Further St Paul saith Gal. 2.16 that the preaching of the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed to him as that of the Circumcision to St Peter and when James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace saith he that was given unto mee they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that is they received mee for companion that we should goe unto the brethren and they unto the Circumcision Here if you please you may observe that he attributeth no more to Peter than to John and James but calleth them all three Pillars and nameth not Peter but James first which shewed that he acknowledged no superioritie amongst them above the rest and saith further that the right hand of association was given him that is they received him for companion to goe and preach to the Gentiles as they to the Jewes Is there any Bishop in the world who dare write himselfe companion to the Pope and the charge to preach to the Gentiles was it not the most honourable and greatest and most fit to the universall Pastour of the world which if St Peter had been it was to him rather than to St Paul to whom it did belong it being also said that he hath been Bishop of the chiefe Citie of all the Gentiles although there be no proofe or likelihood of it fit in the Scripture but of this hereafter Gal. 2.11 And a little after in the same chap. When Peter saith he was come to Antioch I withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed for before that certaine came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew and separated himselfe fearing them which were of the Circumcision and the other Jewes dissembled likewise with him in so much that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel I said unto Peter before them all If thou being a Iew live also after the manner of the Gentiles and not as doe the Jewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as doe the Iewes Here you see how Paul saith that he withstood Peter to his face because he was to be blamed yea and reproved him sharply for his dissimulation and evill example if Paul had acknowledged Peter for his superiour and head over all Christians it is out of all doubt a great fault in Paul to resist his superiour to his face and so to write and if he did acknowledge in him that infallibilitie whereof the Pope braggeth how saith he that he was to be blamed and faulty there can be no other thing answered to this but that Paul did not acknowledge any superioritie or infallibilitie in Saint Peter otherwise there is none of good judgement in the world who would not think Paul guilty of a fault and crime of contempt and yet no man even to this day nor any Pope durst ever condemne this fault in Paul and did also he onely acknowledge Peter as his equall and fellow-Apostle whom he was bold to reprove and I beleeve that every man who is not interessed and is void of passion will judge with me by those passages of Scripture and with the orthodox belief that the Apostles did never acknowledge this superiority and Primacy in Peter and that it is in vain to the Pope to vindicate the same to himself Peter having never had it Finally if Saint Peter himself did think he had this universall authority over all the Apostles and all Christians and all the Churches of the world I marvell he never made it appear nor used it at any time and that there is nothing spoken of it in the Acts of the Apostles which are the history of the Apostles for more then 20 years I marvell also that he did not addresse some Epistles to all the Christians in the world but contented himself to write onely to some Jewes who were dispersed by the persecution of Saint Steven and I marvell yet most of all he did not put some titles before his Epistles to make known his Primacy he doth not write Peter Bishop of Bishops or universall Pastour of the Church or great Vicar of Christ on earth 1. Pet. 1. nor any such thing but onely Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers which are scattered in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia there is not so much as one word in both those Epistles that favoureth of his Supremacy his words are not the words of a Master nor of a Superiour or Soveraign doth a Soveraign ever write long letters to his subjects and never speak to them as a Soveraign how humble soever he be without using any word of Lord and Master or giving any commandement It appeareth then hereby and by that which we spoke before that the Apostles did never acknowledge this Primacy of Saint Peter nor did he ever acknowledge it himself and I beleeve I have sufficiently proved this by Scripture to be judged by any man of judgement that those arguments of Scripture to prove this negative to wit that Saint Peter had no Primacy are beyond all comparison stronger than those which the Romish Church doth produce to prove the affirmative of this Doctrine to wit that Saint Peter was Head of the Church I know that the Doctours of the Romish Church want not explications in their favour upon those passages whether found out by them or some of the auncients for there is no errour that may not finde some colourable pretext but we shall give sufficient answers thereto in the next chapter and J protest I never found satisfaction nor I beleeve shall any man of sound judgement find satisfaction therein for this truth is too clear and evident to be contradicted Now let us see if the Bishop of Rome who calleth himself Successour of Saint Peter was acknowledged by the primitive Church and those first ages to have had this Primacy and universall superiority over the whole Church CHAP. XI That although Saint Peter had had the preeminence the Pope hath no right to challenge it to himself and that the Primitive Church never acknowledged this universall Superiority in the Bishop of Rome THe first question to be cleared here should be whether Saint Peter were ever Bishop of Rome or if he ever was at Rome for the Pope of Rome pretendeth onely his Primacy by succeeding Saint Peter in the Sea of Rome to which saith he is annexed the generall chair and universall power over all christians If any truth may be drawn from the Scripture in this point it is out of all doubt more probable yea and more certain that he was never Bishop nay that he was never there then otherwise for it was a strange and hard thing to beleeve that he was there and founded that Church established there his Sea and chair which the Pope esteemeth the first
in the world it being not so much as once mentioned in the holy Scripture as well as that of Antioch where Peter is said to have been nor did Paul being aâ— Rome ever speak of Peter who should have been there at the same time he was and often recommending the faithfull saith nothing of the chief amongst them to wit Peter Moreover writing from Corinth to the Romans whom he had taught he saluteth a multitude of Saints and christians at Rome naming them particularly but greeteth not Saint Peter at all who should have been Superiour and Master to Paul and all the faithfull so from the reading and consideration of the holy Scripture a strong proof may be drawn to prove that Saint Peter was never Bishop of Rome nor ever was at Rome But I think not the question of so great importance as to detain longer the eyes and minds of the Reader thereupon for though we grant that he was both at Rome and was Bishop at Rome it can give no superiority to the Pope of Rome Saint Peter having never had it as you have sufficiently heard and although he had had it is not an infallible consequence to make an article of faith that the Bishop or Pope of Rome should have it also Moses was established by God in the office of Priest Lawgiver and Prince in Israel but he left no Successour in that office and dignitie for God did not command it Saint Iohn the Baptist also had no Successour in his office nor the Apostles in their Apostleship although then we should grant that Saint Peter was generall Pastour and Head of the Church why should we give him a Successour in that chardge seeing God hath given no such command in his word And when Saint Peter writeth to the Christians he doth not command them to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his Successour after his death was there ever any Kingdome or Soveraignty temporall or spirituall in the world established without there were some Laws made about the Succession or form of Election here appeareth no such thing nor any declaration of the will of God upon this subject wherefore then doth the Pope claim this without the word of God and make it an article of faith Further if Peter was established universall Head of the christian Church it was then when the Church was small and the chardge was easie but it being now grown great and christians spread over all the world what shoulders are strong enough to support such a burthen Now if after the death of Saint Peter there behoved a Successour and Head of the universall Church to be chosen let all men who have but the least spark of judgement judge if that office ought not to appertain either to James or John whom Paul to the Galathians calleth the pillars of the Church who lived a long time after Saint Peter or to some other of the Apostles rather then to deferre it to Linus Saint Pauls disciple of whom nothing is extant but his name or to Clement of whom they produce onely some writings which because they contain too ridiculous things to be beleeved are rejected as Apocrypha or to Cletus or Anacletus for it is uncertain to which of those thice Or at least they ought to have honoured those excellent Apostles so farre as to call them and ask their advice for the choosing an Head of the Catholick Church who will beleeve that even in the time of the Apostles a small number of christians at Rome some of them converted Jews some Gentiles should have had the credit to give a Head and Pope to the Catholick Church meerly of their own authority without communicating with the Apostles or other Christians of Ephesus Corinth Jerusalem Asia and the rest who were beyond comparison in greater number and more considerable than themselves being converted before them and auncienter Christians many of them having seen and heard the Sonne of God preach and been his Disciples Where is that word of God which giveth this power to the City of Rome which besides the person of the Emperour who at that time did live there ruling in all cruelty and wickednesse had nothing more considerable than those of other Cities to give a chief Priest a Prelate and a Superiour to all the Apostles then living and to all the Bishops whereof many were Disciples of Jesus Christ and his Apostles and to all Christians dispersed in many provinces and kingdomes he must be very blinde who will perswade himself of such a thing without the word of God or some other authentique priviledge for it out of the Gospel the Acts of the Apostles their Epistles or some other books worthy of belief But if Peter was at Rome and was Bishop which is not likely he that succeeded him might succeed in the office and dignitie of Bishop but not in that of Apostle which was personall neither in the charge of universall Bishop and Head of the Church which Peter never had Nor do we find the first three or foure hundred years and more after the death of our Saviour that any Bishop or other writer did ever give to the Bishop of Rome the title of universall Bishop of generall head and Superiour or any such thing nor that ever any of the Romish Bishops durst lay claim to it We find indeed that many Bishops from diverse places did write to them concerning sundry points of Religion not as referring the determination to them but to ask their advice not as from Judges but as from Doctours and fellow-Bishops who having their chair in the chief Citie of the world might justly be esteemed men of capacitie and merit so we see they are content in their Epistles to call them fellow-Bishops or brethren and companions never Superiors nor Masters nor universall Bishops or Pastours or any such thing It would be too tedious to set down all the Epistles which bear these titles and although I should cite them yet would some men affirm I had left out those in which the title of universall head is found But for an irreprehensible proof of this before any reasonable man let them but read the lives of the Popes written by Popish authours especially by one Du Chesne a modern writer who doth not forget nor omit any thing to prove the Primacy and power of the Popes of Rome there yee may see in the life of every Pope the name and subject of all those who write to him and whereof any knowledge could be had and this man thinketh to draw great advantage for the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome from the multitude of letters written to him from so many places which was onely done for the reason alleadged before but not so much as one word is there to be seen of Superiour or universall head of the Church or any such like thing but onely of fellow-Bishop brother companion coequall or some such thing which shewed no Superiority or Primacy but onely equality as for
the word Pope which is as to say Father or if ye will Father of fathers Pater patrum it was a name common in ancient time to all Bishops and when they called him Bishop that was neither universall nor yet of Rome nor Romane but very seldome but onely Bishop of the Citie of Rome to shew that in those times his Jurisdiction extended not without the walls and suburbs of the Citie of Rome Whence it may be observed that in much probability the Bishops yet of those times were no more than the Pastours of parishes as it is certain they were at the first institution there being not yet at that time speech of diocesse nor of Pastour that had authoritie over many Pastours or Churches and the number of Christians being but small every where one Pastour did serve and was sufficient for the greatest Cities who was called Bishop using the aid and assistance in his charge of the Presbyters that is to say Elders and out of the number of the Elders was ordinarily chosen the Bishop which is to say Intendent or overseer of the flock but this by the way Now to return to the Bishop of Rome it is true that some times they were transported with flattery or by way of civility and complement to give him some titles and Epithites of praise savouring more of flattery than truth extolling either his learning or holinesse beyond all christian modesty and appearance of truth but by a speciall providence of God who would conserve this pure doctrine for his elect or because that was too great a prejudice for them they were never induced to give him any title which might any way shew that Primacie or generall superiority and that without any contradiction of the whole Romish Church to the time of Sylvester which is about 300. yeers and a long time also after him Which if the Bishop of Rome had had or thought to have had it was highly to wrong him in writing to him and not giving him those titles of honour which were due unto him Nor was it a good way to obtain satisfaction in that which they asked to refuse him those qualities of superioritie his subjects did owe him especially in so teetling and important a thing Is there any Prince in the world that would not have reason to be offended if one of his vassals writing to him should call him comrade and companion writing nothing in his letter to shew his submission and the dependence he hath on his Lord and yet in those first ages we read not of any Pope that was offended with any Bishops who writ to them for calling them brother fellow Bishop or companion or for denying him the title of Universall Head This therefore is a manifest proofe that no Bishops did beleeve the Pope of Rome to be universall head of the Church and that the Bishops of Rome did not think it of themselves if this consequence be not reasonable I know not what may be thought reasonable in the world Judge thou indifferent Reader with a spirit of sinceritie and void of passion They of the Romish Church it may be will produce against all that we have cleerly alledged and proved from the Scriptures or otherwise a number of passages out of some Fathers men of the first ages for since Sylvester that the greatnesse of the Bishop of Rome did begin we must not marvell for the reasons alledged which seem to give the Primacy to St. Peter and the Bishop of Rome but the answer is brief in this and other points if they produce ten seeming testimonies for them I shall produce a dozen to the contrary taken out of the same Fathers a great deale stronger cleerer and of greater force than others But not to stay any longer upon their needlesse things let them shew us the true manuscripts written by those ancient Fathers and we will take the pains to read them and examine their opinions although nothing ought to be opposed to the holy Scriptures But to alledge us books written eight or nine hundred yeers after the Autographs and written or printed after a thousand copies and under the highest power of the Church of Rome there is no reason we should trouble our brains with them and also those books being laid together can in nothing equall nor come neer the authoritie of the holy Scriptures which are avowed and acknowledged of all men and speak most cleerly and manifestly in this point And so for the Fathers in this and other matters because I will say no other thing than that which I have said in the seventh Chapter of this book I intreat the Reader to see it there But how cometh it to passe that the Pope of Rome hath possessed himself of so great an authority and maintaineth the same in so high a degree for so many ages CHAP. XII In what manner and at what time the Bishop of Rome usurped the Primacie THose who will read and consider attentively the History of the Christian Church especially the life and history of the Popes written by Popish Authors themselves will cleerly see that the first 300. yeers after the death of our Saviour to the time of Pope Sylvester the Bishop of Rome did pretend no authoritie over the Bishops nor did any give him the title of Universall Head and Bishop in any of the Epistles which were written unto him the Bishop and Church of Rome afflicted with the persecutions and tyrannies of the Emperours imploying their thoughts rather for the conservation of the faith in the practise of humility and patience than in ambition and usurpation of any authoritie which belongeth no wayes unto them But as honours change manners and seldome to the better Constantine the Emperour having been baptized by Sylvester then Bishop of Rome and made the first Christian Emperour by an excessive zeal of devotion to the great prejudice since of all Christendome transferred his Court to Constantinople leaving the City of Rome to Sylvester with a donation of many Lands Lordships and rents so by that gift the Bishop of Rome became the richest and greatest Lord and most considerable without comparison of all the Bishops of the Christian Church it being knowne through the world that the sole Emperour and Monarch of the world had left him his imperiall Citie and inriched and gratified him with so great wealth and honour for him and his successors the Bishops of Rome and howsoever this good Bishop did see himselfe possessed of all this wealth yet did he never usurpe any primacy nor title of head and superiour over other Bishops or Christians himselfe nor his successours for two hundred yeares after his death It is true that being made the richest potentest and most considerable amongst all the Bishops many began to honour him more and write to him with greater respect which ever followeth riches and greatnesse and being thus eminent among all Christians if there were any Bishop who was persecuted by other Bishops or
when the Emperours were far distant and taken up in other places with warres and troubles and had neither meanes nor power to oppose or contradict that Election And when they did oppose themselves it had often divers successes and occasioned many sad Histories and lamentable Tragedies But in the end the power and riches of the Emperour diminishing by their dissolute life and the revolting of Princes their subjects and the Church of Rome growing continually in riches and wealth through the too simple devotion and liberalitie of many Princes the whole power of the Election of the Pope came to the Cardinalls who in the beginning were the chiefest and richest among the Clergy of the Citie of Rome and now are chosen out of divers Nations but more of Italy than of all the rest of the world together all of them bearing title of some Church in the Citie of Rome and by them alone at this present is the Pope chosen but with all the corruptions and abominations which can be imagined in the Election of a Potentate For when it is in question to make a new Pope there is no passion that is not set on worke there is no indirect means left unassayed no symony that is not committed The Pope being dead all is in disorder and confusion in the Citie of Rome every vice and crime is committed there without punishment or inquiry all revenge practised the Officers made by the defunct Pope having no more power there is sixteene or seventeene dayes allotted to the Cardinalls to conveene and enter into the Conclave which is a place furnished with Chambers and little roomes fitted for the Election Those who pretend to be Pope make commonly many faire promises to obtaine the voices of the Electors to some they promise their Pallaces to others Offices and Benefices to some the advancement of their kindred in a word all they can imagine profitable to themselves The Cardinalls Nephewes of the defunct Popes as the richest and most potent of the Romish Church being inriched and made great by the favour and power of their Unkles have each of them their factions and Caballs apart composed of those who are ingaged to them by benefits and curtesies received and pretended or in favour of the Cardinalls cap or some other gratifications given them by the Popes their Unkles not speaking of their alliances and other considerations of neernesse they have among them After that is the faction of Princes of the Emperour the King of France Spaine and Poland of the Princes and Reipublicks of Italy who by their Embassadours and Pentioners labour all of them to have a Pope that favoureth the greatnesse of their estates Last of all is the Faction which they call of spiritualls which are they that endeavour to choose for Pope him whom according to their conscience they thinke most proper and fit and whom they beleeve will be most profitable for the Church But this number is commonly very small and in the Election of Pope Vrban the eighth who at this present holdeth the chaire of the Bishop of Rome of fifty-three Cardinalls who were present in the Conclave for the Election a Gentleman of the Romish Church at that time residing at Rome who hath faithfully written the History which is publikely to be seen in the Booke of the Empires and States of the world saith that there were but three in all of the spirituall faction which aymed onely at the Election of the best without considering the Intrest of France or Spaine or any particular benefit or utilitie And also after the same or a worse manner have all the modern Elections been which I have read as yee may see more amply in the Books that are written thereof so common in the world as they need not be specified by me Now as the faction of those good and spirituall men who ayme onely to choose the best and most proper is questionlesse ever the least and weakest and as the worldly factions are ever the greatest and strongest it is needlesse to aske what doth ordinarily follow and it is a marvell if a good and impartiall and not factious be chosen for Pope I speak even according to the beliefe of the Romish Church They speak indeed a little of the holy Spirit and invoke his assistance but that is onely with their lips and for ceremony the holy Spirit shunning such corrupt company that is so little disposed to receive his motions thence cometh it that they are sometimes moneths yeares yea ten twenty thirty or forty yeares they cannot nor will not agree and some of them make one Pope others another this Pope creating his Cardinalls and Bishops and the other his with what disorder and scandall to all Christians I leave you to judge the Earth oftentimes bleeding at their execrations And I may truely say that almost all the Popes are created by symony for all the Princes well knowing by many experiences that the Election of the Popes is seldome according to the lawes of conscience but by corruption and favour they are obliged to entertaine expresly for that end Pentioners amongst the Cardinalls to whom they give yearly Pensions or some fat Benefices of their disposition and so buy their voyces that at the Election they may have a Pope of their faction The rich and powerfull Cardinalls who are commonly the Nephewes of the defunct practise the same with those who are poore labouring to gaine and possesse their Suffrages either by benefits received or hope to receive not indeed to be Popes because their families would become too great and eat up others but to reigne under the name of some other whom they caused to be elected The Cardinalls who pretend to be Pope spare nothing commonly to captivate to themselves voyces and friends and because oftentimes they be not very rich they are content to promise more than they have a minde to performe yea more than they are able So by all those fashions which are most common and ordinary there is almost not one who is not chosen by symony and consequently who entreth not in the Sheepfold not as a good Pastour by the doore but as a ravenous Wolfe breaking the wall to feed and fill himselfe with the bloud and substance of the Sheepe and not to feed them with the nourishment and food of life And because they use before the Election to reade some Bulls which thunder out the most fearfull excommunications and anathema's is possible against all those who proceed to this election by direct or indirect symony or any other crooked or unlawfull courses declaring them unfit and uncapable of any Ecclesiasticall Office or Benefice there are almost none of those elected who are not anathamatized with most terrible excommunications and by those Bulls made uncapable to keep the Office so that even thereby their election is voide and their possession of no force and unjust and all exercise of their power invalid but are even irregular so often as
they exercise any act of their charge or administer any Sacraments And neverthelesse they often continue so many years but as they imagine themselves to have all power to binde loose on earth so doe they quickly loose themselves from all those Anathema's being once Popes extending the same favour to all those who have assisted them in that mystery of iniquitie By such corrupt and diabolicall election it hath come to passe that such abominable Monsters the Earth hath seen sit in the chair of Rome that none can read the History of the Popes written by Papists themselves but their hair riseth with horrour it is not my intention here to set down the abhominations which are to be seen in those books howsoever written with all the moderation possible to a favourable Historian for I will not here be accounted invective and those who have not read those books should suspect me of that crime in producing such a multitude as hardly could they beleeve them being written by my hand But let those who will read there the life of Vrbanus the seventh who for a light suspition put to death eight of his Cardinals cruelly causing to be sowed five of them in one sack and did throw them into the Sea before his eyes he being present in the same ship Oh more than barbarous crueltie for a Church-man Let them see the life of Alexander the sixth sometimes called Borgia a native of Spaine who gave the Indies to the King of Spaine where he had nothing himself and gratified him â—â—â—ther with the brave title of Catholick King Let them but read I say the life of that good Pope and they shall see how many bastards he had and how loving one of them called Valentine excessively although the Murtherer of his own eldest brother to get his estate he had resolved to poyson all the richest Cardinals of his Court at one time at a feast he had prepared for them in the Countrey thereby to inrich his foresaid bastard with their spoils but that cruell designe was both prevented and punished by God for being thirstie before dinner the butler either ignorantly or by the just judgement of God taking the bottle with the poysoned wine for the wholesome the Pope having drunk of it died presently and that Valentine who drunk also with him being younger and stronger than he died not presently but languished the rest of his life An infinite number of such or the like actions little better if not worse are to be seen in their lives and histories where I rather wish the Reader to search them than that I should blot my book with them for if I should set them down here the simple and ignorant would beleeve I spoke with more passion than truth many of their actions surpassing all belief And if there be found any amongst those Popes well bred and of a courteous and wise disposition that hath seldome come to passe neverthelesse they have been guiltie some few excepted of the common crime of inriching their Nephews bastards and kinsfolks with the goods of the Church and the blood and substance of poore Christians so far as their power could extend it self and those have been the materials that have builded and cemented almost all the most potent families at this day in Italy But let us a little reflect upon the power of the Popes of Rome and their election for it is an important point CHAP. XIIII A notable reflection upon the usurped power of the Pope and his election and how much all Princes Prelates and Christians even Romanes are interressed therein I Have sufficiently shewne before that St. Peter never had the Primacy and how that which the Bishop of Rome pretendeth being usurped is unlawfull and of no force But let us suppose that Jesus Christ did establish St. Peter for his Vicar on earth and for Head of the Church after his death Nay suppose that St. Peter was Bishop of Rome it will not therefore follow that the primacie of the Church is bound to the Bishop of Rome and that he must be head of the Church who is created Bishop of the City of Rome or that the people of Rome have the priviledge to give a generall Head to the universall Church as those of the Romish Church are forced to confesse St. Peter say they was Bishop of Rome and erected his chaire at Rome therefore he hath placed and established the Primacie there I am sure that St. Peter also and first was Bishop of Antioch after the death of the Son of God therefore the seat of Primacie should be rather at Antioch Yes but he lived and died at Rome Our Saviour who was the chief Priest and Head of the Church without controversie died at Jerusalem at Jerusalem therefore rather should the Primacie and first chaire be and seeing Moses who was principall amongst the people and chief Doctor did exercise his office and die in the Wildernesse therefore ought the Israelites also to make the seat of their primacie and principalitie in the wildernesse They must then of necessitie say that the priviledge of primacie was personall and not locall given to the person of St. Peter and not to the City of Rome where he setled his last See they having as yet found no such passage in the holy Scripture commanding the primacie to be annexed to the Bishoprick of Rome If then the primacie of the Church was not bound to the Bishop of Rome what right have the Romanists had to give a generall head to all Christians as they have done a long time And although it had been annexed to him when it was a question to create a Primate by the course of election all Christians ought to be called to give their voice either themselves or by their deputies and chuse him whom they were to obey which never being done sheweth sufficiently that election was not lawfull and so other Christians were not obliged to obey him they having neither been called nor had voice in his election it being the Law of all Canonique election that all those who have interest be called to give their voice and suffrages either themselves or by their deputies But let us leave those ancient elections and see if that which is now adayes be surer and juster Here Oh Noble Princes and Prelates of the Romish Church I wish earnestly ye would onely lift up your eyes and consider how much ye are interressed in the election of the Popes practised now â—dayes When it is a question to create a generall and universall Pastor of the Church I beleeve that all Princes and Pastors yea and all Christians ought to be called to elect and chuse themselves or by their deputies him whom they must obey and who ought to keep and guide their souls and on whom all the good or evill of the Church dependeth But this is not observed they contenting themselves with the Cardinals who represent say they the Clergie of the Church Here I
Isa 56.10 seeing the woolfe fall upon the flock as saith Isaiah Would to God Princes would once rellish this important truth which a great many of their ablest Subjects do acknowledge and open their eyes to see the captivitie under which they go about to oppresse their authoritie God of heaven make them see their servitude and give them resolution to deliver themselves and their Subjects from under that strange and cruell yoke I am perswaded if once this great abuse were out of the Church if this unjust and incompetent Judge were once rejected as an usurper of an authority not belonging to him all Christians would in a short time be of one flock and under one Pastor Christ Jesus and in a short time there would be through all Europe and other places of the earth but one faith one baptisme one God for the holy Scriptures entring to be Judge and Rule of all controversies in point of Religion there would be no man of spirit and judgement who would not in a short time know the truth and the darknesse of error would quickly be dissipated by the approach of the light But from this incompetent Judge doth proceed all the miserie of the Church and because that point is the most important of all others in controversie I have stayed longest upon it and laboured to deduce and cleer the same more amply as being that whereupon I did most ground my conversion and the change which I have made And because I know there be yet many points which for not being sufficiently cleered are the cause of the perdition of many I shall endeavour to speak something of them in the following Chapters according to the light God hath given me and the knowledge I did acquire being in the Romish Church not that I promise to set them down so amply as I have done the precedent points For having proved evidently that rejecting the judgement of the Pope as unlawfull and of no force we ought to take the Scriptures and Word of God alone to judge all our controversies in matter of faith all that cannot be shewed in the holy Scriptures must be banished out of our beleef and because they of the Romish Church confesse that in many points they have no Scripture nor ground it is by consequence to avow and confesse the nullitie thereof neither need we any other form of processe to condemne them of untruth so that which I shall write hereafter shall onely be for the greater satisfaction of the Reader and to open the eyes of many simple souls who see not their blindnesse and darknesse CHAP. XVII Of the Invocation of Saints AFter that I was sufficiently informed and fully satisfied by those reasons and considerations I have already deduced and others like to them which to avoid prolixity I omitted that neither the Pope nor the Church ought to be my Judge in matter of faith but the holy Scripture onely which God hath given us to that end then did I begin to examine all points of faith by the Scripture alone and in every thing that was propounded to me by the Romish Church I had recourse to the Word of God and holy writings to see if it was conformable to them and if any such thing were preached by Christ and his Apostles who have questionlesse divulged the pure and most perfect faith that being the thing every Christian ought to practise in matter of faith And perceiving the point of the Invocation of Saints to be at this present in great estimation in the Romish Church and that the câ—nfession and profession of faith ordered by the Bull of Pope Pius the fourth according to the Councell of Trent saith expresly we must honour and invoke the Saints I have searched and examined this point by the holy Scriptures I confesse truly that as my nature moveth me enough praised be God to give honour to those to whom it appertaineth especicially in holy things so have I ever had an inclination to render to the Saints as much honour and respect as I thought was due to them and if I should have found any ground in the holy Scripture for the Invocation of Saints I would certainly have embraced it with a hearty affection but knowing that God is better pleased with obedience than will-sacrifice so I did beleeve the Saints demanded nothing more of us than what was due to them and that we are so far from doing them pleasure in giving them more honour than justly appertains to them that it were rather to offend God and them in God who loving him above all things have no other glory nor pleasure than his glory and will Now for passages out of the holy Scriptures to prove this Article the Romanists produce none worthy of consideration and that which ever I did read of greatest importance for them 2 Pet. 1â— 15. is the passage in 2 Pet. 1.15 Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have those things alwayes in remembrance Thereby say they Peter promiseth the faithfull that he will pray for them after his death This passage is falsified for it is according to the Greek I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have those things still in remembrance that is Theod. Aquin. in Comm. super Epist as Aquinas himself who is esteemed Mr. of the Schoole explaineth because saith he I must shortly be dissolved therefore so long as I live I will take pains to advertise you not onely once but often that is instantly and diligently that you may remember those things I told you after my death Oecumenius also acknowledgeth this explanation to be the best and the other to be hyperbolicall that is troubling and overturning the construction And although we should confesse that by this passage is proved that St. Peter and the other Saints pray in Paradise for the faithfull it will not thence follow that they hear us and that we must call upon them nor can they produce any proofe out of Scripture The Jesuite Cotton also in his first book of his Institution in the Chapter of the Invocation of Saints saith Cotton Instit li. 1. cap. dâ— Invoc Sanct that for commandment to pray and call upon the Saints the Church hath never taught any neverthelesse the confession of faith of the Councell of Trent composed and formed to be received of Christians by command of the same Councell Concil Triden Sessio 25. de Reform cap. 20. and especially by Pope Pius the 4th hath those words I beleeve the Saints must be honoured and invocated who reign together with Christ and that they offer up prayers to God for us Thence it would appeare that this good Father did not well know his belief for behold his Church beleeveth that Saints must be honoured and invocated if it be not peradventure that he would put this glosse upon the words of the Councell to wit that the obligation is onely by way of
Christian ought to do and I know and confesse that God being almightie both can work them when it pleaseth him and by whom it pleaseth him both by sinners and Saints by Infidels and beleevers and I know and confesse that many miracles have been done by the saints in vertue of Gods name who onely can work miracles and that they may be wrought yet every day and it is credible they are wrought in some place Gods hand being nothing shortned but miracles are neither infallible marks of the true Church nor of the true doctrine God being able to do them as I have said by Infidels and Devils And as for the Miracles which the Romish Church pretend and whereof they make so great boast and noise in the eares of the simpler I could never find any sufficient reason to move me to beleeve them although I have been often very curious diligently to enquire after the same with all possible sinceritie But for my part I professe first of all never to have seen any in any place wheresoever I have been and moreover that I never did meet with any man for the space of 30. yeers and more that I lived in the Romish Church who could assure me he had seen any although I have been in a great number of Churches and places where the people said many miracles were wrought and where the Priests did keep great books stuffed with an infinite number of Miracles and when I was desirous particularly to know the truth of some of them whereof they made so great noise I found it was onely deceits to beguile the simpler and draw more people after them not to honour God or the Saints with their prayers but to burthen the Priests and Clergy with offerings and presents out of their purses for that is the end of the mysterie I will onely hereupon give you this brief history When I did remain in a sea-town famous enough there was a Pastor of my acquaintance an ingenuous man and much given to his profit who perceiving that his Church which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary was not so much frequented as some other Churches were and as he desired he bethought himself of this project and designe to wit some simple women passing once by the way coming to his Church he made them beleeve that the Virgin Mary had newly appeared to him and told him she would be singularly worshipped in his Church and that whosoever should visit it 7. times mark the subtiltie besides a multitude of benefits he should receive every time it should be as profitable to him as if he went to see our Dame de Liesse which was above an hundred miles distant and might acquit himself from the vow of going thither but to assure you that he spake this in formall or obscure and enigmatique tearmes I will not affirm it but howsoever he perswaded them in such sort that they came immediately to the Town where I lived publishing the Miracle in every place that the virgin Mary was appeard to that Pastour and had held such discourse with him So that the report of this new miracle being divulged abroad the people especially women and maids went running in such a throng from the Town to that Church in pilgrimage it being distant about six miles that there passed no day wherein many hundreds went not even to such excesse that the Pastour of the Town a man zealous and jealous of his charge did ordinarily complain in publique that his Parish was deserted Gods service neglected and the women and maidens were in danger to turn whores they not being able to gain their living in so running up and down In a word that it was the deceit of the devil yet were not all his exhortations sufficient to hinder the streame and current of that unreasonable multitude And after the example of this famous Town the neighbouring Towns throng thither also and the matter went so far that in lesse than three yeers nay than two the people came thirtie or fourty miles off thither in procession and mark that none returneth back without leaving some feather of their wings for that is the ground and end of the invention some for confession others for Masses some for Evangils and prayers said over their heads others for wax and light some to clothe the Image and for an infinite number of other uses which want not speciall and religious pretexts whereof the honest Priest maketh every where his profit for although he be not able to do all alone yet they whom he admitteth to help him and have some part of the spoil must often grease his fingers and give him some acknowledgement otherwayes he would be discontented and weary to suffer them there is cunning every where And I being once there I was very curious to enquire of my friend the Priest the truth of that Miracle which was so much spoken of far and neer and as I did ask him what the matter was he began to smile and told me he knew not what it meant and that the report was but a meer foolery but such an answer was not for every one he being wise enough for his own profit not to discover himself so cleerly to all men but he knew that I would not be contented with equivocations nor enigmatique answers as many others and that I was of a profession to keep all secret And notwithstanding for all that the same of that false revelation continueth yet at this day and will continue from father to son and those that will come after us will write it as an Article of faith And whatsoever they did talk of an infinite number of other miracles which were said to be done in that Church yet could I never learn so much as one and when I have inquired I found nothing but a false rumour of the people nothing true I mean true miracles and not cures of Fevers or the like accidents which nature it self with Gods concurring or assistance may do Neverthelesse many go thither thronging as they do likewise in a number of such places on holy dayes and Sundayes idle and working dayes so that all the neighbouring Priests complain as did that other that their Churches were deserted that there is no body in their Temples to assist at the Divine Service to hear the Sermons but that under the false bruit of those Miracles and under pretext of that indiscreet devotion the people do nothing but run up and down loosing their time and money and bring themselves in danger to starve or steal that they may live the rest of the week besides a number of disorders committed by the way many young folks being glad of this occasion to make acquaintance men and women being often obliged to be pell mell together both by the way and in the Inne for want of roome women return back with their purses emptied and their bellies filled with some other thing than wind and all they do there is to hear
a short Masse in great confusion rub their beads against the Image and receive in haste some small suffrages for their money and see and hear a great disorder throughout the Church because of the presse of the people and those who gain most there are the Priests and the Devils As I remained in another Town bigger than the former there was a child of twelve yeers of age who had his sinews so contracted and drawn in that he could not walk but crookedly and leaning upon his hands and knees and was foure yeers in that manner after which time a Gentlewoman of qualitie who had some skill in Physick did undertake to cure him and while he was in her hands for some weeks his parents carried him to a famous Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary where being come at the earnest sollicitation of his parents he constrained himself to walk and indeed did walk a little and then did they cry out a Miracle beleeving their child was healed by a meer Miracle which the honest Gentlewoman did contradict maintaining that it was by her industrie and remedie But she was commanded by the Priests to keep silence saying that it was to deny the Virgin the glory due unto her and that she did not well but because the child did not walk firmly but as if he were tottering and very weakly and as one whose sinews were not as yet sufficiently strengthened as I did see with my eyes and as it happened to those who are cured by the Art of Physick it was a very strong proof to all men of good understanding that that cure had been done rather by remedies than by miracles which notwithstanding was published in every place for most certain and beleeved by those who did not understand the circumstances I have heard speaking and had knowledge of a number of cures which the people did esteeme Miracles they being done beyond the hope of the Physitians and the appearances of nature but if all that falleth out so ought to passe for a Miracle there are an infinite number of the like done every day both with and without prayers both amongst Christians and Infidels nature working often by wayes unknown to us God permitting and so disposing But those who are born blind to recover sight and the dead to be raised and such like is not done nor heard of now adayes but those who come after us shall find enough wherewith to fill their books as many Writers in our time in the times past and as they have done at all times in the Romish Church And concerning the dead which are raised I have but this one word to say to wit that there being hundreds yea and thousands who are said in the Legends to have been resuscitated at divers times and by divers Saints there is nothing seen nor found of all the said dead or written after they were raised and I marvell that men did not carefully gather all the news they might have brought from the other world where they had been and how they did live after For my part if I knew a man who were raised 200. Leagues hence I think I would willingly go thither to see him and to learn something from him of that which he had known and done from the time of his death to his resurrection and if a man should carry him through the world as they do Monsters and rare things I suppose he would gain more monies than did ever any man hitherto with any other thing But we must say either our forefathers have not bethought themselves of that as now they might do or rather they are but all fables and except those who have been raised by Christ and his Apostles and which are mentioned in the holy Scripture I see not sufficient ground to beleeve so much as one And although there is no miracle now seen amongst us yet there is no famous Church wherein they do not often publish some and there is no Religion and Order that doth not daily represent to the people some new Images of Saints who are or have lived as they say not long ago in their Monasteries and do many miracles which in truth have never been done or otherwayes are not miracles but notwithstanding shall be written for Miracles by the posteritie I being the last yeare in close prison above eleven moneths together where I had no other company but two little tame doves which seemed to be given to me of God for my consolation and recreation in the affliction wherein I was for the confession of his name and of the truth and besides some few Popish Bookes there I chanced to reader amongst others a certain English Authour called as I remember Ordericus Vitalis a benedictine Monke who lived about St Bernards time a man zealous of the welfare and honour of his order and writ the history of his owne age and the two precedings there he makes mention of a multitude of able men and who were thought to be very holy in those ages and were afterwards canonized especially of St Bernard whom he had seen and knowne and St Anselme Archb. of Canterbury who was dead a little before and in whose Monastery he had lived and of others the like but he speaketh not of one Miracle which he would not questionlesse have omitted if he had knowne any for it was his speciall intent and inclination and he complaineth extreamly and was sorry he found none to write Neverthelesse those who lived after have been abler and sharper-sighted than he was for they have discovered them by hundreds a far of where he who was in the place and living at that time could not see nor finde one onely so may we say of all the rest and although there be none in our time yet they who shall come after us and write after the manner of the Romish Church will finde a great number I have knowne a great many of religious persons especially who at this present have the opinion to be holy and some of them to worke miracles to have wrought in their life time although I did never heare of it so long as they were alive and now they begin to adore their Images some of them indeed were men who lived without scandall and in reputation of godlinesse but they were also said to have their owne imperfections as others and I have knowne a multitude of secular persons whom I beleeve to have been no lesse holy more perfect than they And I may boldly affirme as having known it by long experience and heard it an hundred times from the most judicious and best among the religious that if there be any vertue in the Romish Church it is beyond all comparison more among the Laicks and secular persons than in the religious orders and Cloysters for there is much hypocrisie among them and more exteriour shew and appearance to guide the opinion of men and be esteemed holy than of interiour and care to please and
be agreeable to God God not blessing those humane inventions And yet secular persons do but seldome possesse that favour amongst the people as to have Images and be accounted holy and blessed because their parents finding not so great profit to make them passe for Saints or blessed men as doe the religious orders they care not so much for except it may be a little honour to their families there is nothing but great charges and expences to them But there is no Saint nor miracle beleeved or esteemed among the religious orders which bringeth them not great profit and abundance of Almes because they well know that the more they are accounted holy the more are the people inclined to doe them good in hope of their prayers and to participate of their merits as they often tell them and if there were no gaine to be made by exposing of Saints and Miracles to the people there would not be so many seen in the Romish Church but the profit is worth the paines And the better to colour their mystery they make Princes and Kings speake as being intrest in the glory of the Saint Besides this being not done without great charges and much money which they must give to the Popes Commissaries and Officers they labour to ingage them that they may have the helpe of their purses Thence cometh it to passe that poore people who want competent meanes or have not so easie accesse to great ones as the religious orders may never pretend to be adored for Saints and canonized in the Church of Rome whatsoever vertue or perfection they may have but there be few of the moderne Saints who are not of those Orders and there is no Order that hath not a great number and exposeth not every day new ones for that trade is very profitable and the invention gainfull And if those of the Romish Church brag so much of their Miracles which they say are so easily and often done I marvell much they chase not the devills out of the bodies of a number of persons who as they say are so long time afflicted and possessed that would be great charitie and that onely were capable to canonize them during their life and make them passe for Saints before the people although it be easie to use imposture therein there they say hath been a great number in our dayes whether by Sorcery or otherwise I leave that to others where the Romanists may have faire occasion for the fiction is easie there and the devill doth his best to authorise the lye Now I know that those who are esteemed most holy in the Romish Church have been sent thither even by the Princes command and have tryed all their faith merits fastings austerities reliques blessed beads prayers and exorcismes yet there is none can say they have been delivered by them But I have seene that after a great many had been much troubled with a certaine Wench that was possessed whom I knew to deliver her at last a certaine Monke of a certain order whom I also knew bethought himselfe to take her in pilgrimage of seven or eight dayes Journey to a certain Church where many demoniacks were said to have bin healed in old times but he returned her with the Devill in her body and a little Monk in her belly which shee got of him by the way I have knowne a multitude of such like accidents which I might set downe but I choose rather to passe them over with silence Now a thing which seemed most miraculous to me of all that I did see in the Romish Church was certaine companies and fraternities of people who have not their name from any Saint but from charitie whose profession is to bury the dead yea even those who dye of the Plague and yet doe they not contract any evill themselves nor those who frequent them and I verily beleeve this cannot be done without some particular assistance and preservation from the bounty of God that blesseth this good worke But the Romish Church hath no reason to glorifie and prefer it selfe to others for it because that is also done in this Kingdome and in the reformed Churches of other Kingdoms even with a better successe for not onely they who have care of the body but I have even seen those who have onely a care of their soules and who are ordained to minister spirituall comfort and assistance to them in their sicknesse render them freely that service without catching any evill or danger either for themselves or those who are conversant with them where of an hundred that I have seen imployed in that Charge in the Romish Church I have not knowne ten that escaped although they ever lived sequestred from all conversation and commerce with the whole But if we must acknowledge a Miracle it is the delivery which it hath pleased God of his mercy to worke for me not onely in bringing me out of the errour and abuse wherein I was but also out of straight prison into which I was brought by the onely perfidy and treason of my owne brethren for being detained there under five locked doores some of them halfe a foot thicke barred and boulted strongly all the windows grated after the same fashion and watched so carefull that I could neither write nor speake to any but to my Keeper who was forbidden to have any discourse with me except for necessary things and was chosen to that from among five hundred for the great trust they reposed in him but not so much as to entrust him with the key of my innermost dore which for greater securitie was kept under two other locks and given to another in custody who was commanded to carry them about him day and night so that to speak in worldly appearance there was no hope of my deliverance but having called on God and put my whole confidence in him he moved the heart of my Keeper in such manner that he not onely resolved to leave the errour of the Romish Church after my example and perswasion but even exposing himselfe to all danger to set me at libertie he had by Gods favour the industry to come by the key which was so carefully locked up without any noise or appearance of opening and our good God gave us the grace to elude all their pursuing of us even with royall Authoritie and to passe through the midst of them that pursued us and even among my own brethren without being perceived and however they thought they had stopped all the Ports and passages for us neverthelesse to escape by that onely which was most convenient and ready for us and where I may say the onely providence of God towards us blinded them they should not mistrust that he might save his poore servants who had no other hope but in his bountie And in this doubtlesse we must confesse that God is marveilous in his wayes and that there is even no wisdome councell nor power against the Lord and if I
and corporally there and the Orthodox and reformed Church spiritually sacramentally and figuratively and after the same manner that our Saviour did receive it and give it to his Disciples Now there is no appearance our Saviour did eate his true and proper body for so should he have had his body within his body his whole head in his mouth in his stomacke and at one time been passible and impassible neither is there any likelihood he gave it after that manner to his Disciples for as it is said Ioh. 6.63 Joh. 6.63 It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing and although we know that the whole body and person of the Son of God is of an infinite merit because of the hypostaticall union with the Deitie yet the Romane Doctors confesse ingenuously and affirme with us that it is not the corporall reception nor to receive it corporally that quickneth and maketh us partakers of the graces of this holy Sacrament for so should rats and dogs be capable as we are but onely the sacramentall and spirituall union and reception which is by true faith and the true and simple love of God under the signes of this holy Sacrament and therefore I marvell they stammer so much at this seeing they doe not pretend to receive more spirituall graces and benefits therein than they of the reformed Churches doe For my part I may truly say in this as I have already said in the matter of the Saints my inclination is very forward to render to God and the Saints and all the mysteries of our Religion all possible honour and respect and if I could acknowledge the reall and corporall presence of my Saviour in all his Sacraments and in all the mysteries of my Religion I would do it with all my heart but we have rules and lawes that guide us and to which we ought to submit our selves and onely looke to the will of God his institution and holy Word for that is the onely measure which ought to rule and forme our faith Now it is most evident by the Words and institution of Christ that he did not give his body corporally but onely figuratively and spiritually under the substance and figure of bread for see the words of Matth. 26.26 And Jesus took bread blessed it Mat. 26.26 and brake it and gave it to his Disciples There yee see that which he tooke was nothing but bread and that he blessed the bread which he did take and brake it and gave it so it was but bread which he gave for that which he tooke and blessed and broke was but bread But yee object that he said Mat. 26.26 This is my body therefore that which he gave was his body It is true he said This is my body but it is to be remarked that our Saviour speaking in Hebrew which although much mingled with the Syriaque was yet so called spake according to the phrase of that tongue now in that language the word signifie or represent is not found and in place thereof they used the word Est So we see in the Hebrew old Testament this word Est ordinarily used for the word signifie or represent as Gen. 40.12 Gen. 40.12 Joseph expounding the Dreames of the Cup-bearer and Baker of Pharoah saith The three branches are three dayes Vers 18. and in the 18 verse The three baskets are three dayes that is signifie and represent three dayes and in the 41 Chap. vers 26. Gen. 41.26 The fat Kine and the seven full eares are seven yeares and the seven evill favoured and leane Kine and the seven blasted eares are seven yeares It is cleare then from these passages that the word Est even in the Plurall number and in diverse Tenses import so much as signifie or represent Whence it is that although the Greek tongue want not words to expresse signifie figure or represent yet the Greek new Testament which often followeth the Hebrew phrase hath often est for signifie as the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 10.4 1 Cor. 10.4 Gal. 4.24 Rev. 19.9 The stone was Christ and to the Galat. 4.24 the bondwoman and the free to wit Agar and Sarah are the two Testaments And Rev. 17.9 The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sitteth And in vers 12. The ten hornes ARE ten kings v. 18. and vers 18. The woman which thou sawest IS the great City It being impossible then for our Saviour to say in his own language this signifieth or representeth my body because those words were not in that language he spake as he could and according to the forme of speech used among the Jews and familiar in holy Scripture And the Evangelists knowing that Christ did speak in that manner have set it down the most ingeniously they could so the Romish Church hath no reason to beleeve that to be his true body because Christ said This is my body Ioh. 14.6 Besides when our Saviour saith St. Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life I am the doore and the like the Romish Church understandeth it figuratively and by way of Allegory why then when Christ hath said This is my body do they not understand it figuratively for it is as hard to beleeve that the bread is the bodie of Christ as that he is the way or a doore and all that they say that our Saviour did more clearly explain himself in those other passages than in this it is without reason or ground but rather he hath explained himself more cleerly in this than the others Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.16 saying Do this in remembrance of me as S. Luke hath it 22.19 and as S. Paul explaineth it 1 Cor. 11.16 Moreover if Christ had given his true body he would have commanded his disciples to adore it and would have elevated it that they might have adored it which cannot be observed seeing they sate stil at Table which is a posture no way fit for adoration and they who should do it now in the Romish Church would be judged to be prophane and contemners of God and this adoration would have been chiefly necessarie at this first institution and as it was impossible but some crums would fall especially in breaking the bread as Christ is said to have done he would straightly have charged them together to gather up all the crums together diligently not leaving any as they do in the Romish Church for according to this opinion Christ should be wholly in everie little crumme as well as in the greatest pieces which neverthelesse is not to be seen in any place of the holy Scripture This is also proved by the words pronounced in the distribution of the cup for thus S. Matthew hath it 26.27 and taking the cup he gave thanks Matth. 26.27 and gave it them saying Drink ye all of this for this is the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of
and sing the Masse I confesse truly that Christ and his Apostles did sing Masse and that the faithfull communicating and perticipating of the Sacrament after this manner say Masse But if by the Masse they meane to make a sacrifice upon an Altar covered with three Table-clothes with so many prayers before and after in a strange tongue and unknown to the people with so many Ceremonies and lifting up of their hands and eyes with stretching abroad and folding of their armes fingers hands and body with so many crossings upward and downward on the right hand and on the left on the bread the wine the corporall the Altar the forehead breast and mouth of the Priest and where the Priest communicateth ordinarily alone and almost everie day and the people for a long time onely once a yeer for my part after I had read again and again the holy Scriptures I could never find any such thing or any thing like to it and so it must of necessitie be confessed to be a humane invention for the end which I shall quickly shew you and no Divine institution nor Invention Neither can they in reason alledge here the Apostolicall Tradition and derived from Jesus Christ and his Apostles although there is nothing expressed in the holy Scripture nor any written word for if that mystery were of such importance as the Papists would have it at this day it would have been so also in the time of the Apostles who should have had a perfect knowledge thereof it being a doctrine they should have much preached to the people as a thing of exceeding great importance and they being men of excellent devotion and incomparable zeal for the mysteries of faith they should every day or at least often have said Masse and exhorted the people earnestly to be present and hear the same as they do in the Church of Rome now there appeareth nothing at all of this in the holy Scripture St. Paul indeed speaketh to us especially once of the Sacrament of the Supper and of the preparations wherewith we ought to come to it Furthermore we see that the Apostles and primitive Christians did conveene sometimes about Easter to break bread and participate of that divine mystery together but in no other place is there any mention made of the masse in the Romish fashion nor of any sacrifice without blood as they tearme it which I exhort all the Romanists diligently to consider as I have done and I perswade my self they will no more find it there than I Neither will they find any where that the bread of the Supper was an hoast or a round cake or that they kept it in the Temples with so great ceremony and care in Tabernacles and rich cabins as they now do in the Romish Church and I beleeve no other thing can be concluded but that the Romish Church thinketh her self wiser than Christ and his Apostles in obtruding for an Article of faith a doctrine which was never left by Christ and which was neither preached written nor practised by the Apostles for although they had spoken nothing in their Epistles yet Luke who did write all that he could see and learn of their actions would not have omitted this which is esteemed of so great importance in the Church of Rome So it is clearly to be seen in the Histories that it is an invention of the Popes who have from time to time added to it every one of them according to his fancy to day one ceremony and prayer to morrow another now one ornament and vesture and then another sometimes making it of one fashion sometimes of another till at last it was come to that height wherein it is at this day in the Church of Rome it is now a snare to precipitate many Priests into the bottome of hell for not using that disposition which they know to be required therein and which is the cause of the perdition of an infinite multitude of Christians for not hearing it with that respect the Romish Church requireth which they of that beliefe are obliged to obey and in doing against their conscience although erroneous they are judged culpable of sin and all that according to the doctrine and maximes of that Church Now to define properly or describe the Masse as it is at this present I suppose I may say justly that it is a good trade instituted and invented by the Church of Rome to nourish and entertain an infinite number of Priests who become Priests principally to gain their living thereby fit to inrich the Monasteries and Churches and make all the Monks live finely and whereby the peoples purses are emptied and finally a Trade that serveth to condemne many as well as those who say it as of those who are obliged to hear it This definition seemeth a little too rude and at the first sight ridiculous but it is true and the Romanists themselves may confesse it if they will for the taxes and prises of Masses now adaies are for the most part as of bread in the Market and he that giveth not so much getteth none and because silver was scarcer in former times than now so the Masses were not worth so much and a Masse that will not be said now for eight or ten pence was not worth two or three pence in former times and in many places men had more then they desired at that rate and because all things are dearer now than they were so the masses are also And because the religious orders who are insatiable in wealth and who never refuse any wealth whensoever it cometh were loaded with so many masses that they could not say the half of them the Pope who saith he hath power in heaven and earth hath as they say of many smals made one great and of an infinite number of masses which were founded by particulars he hath made but one wherein all the benefactors are comprehended in grosse and in generall termes and so by an handsome Bull hath discharged them of all scruples which if their founders had mistrusted they would have been wary to have left so great wealth and rents as they have done to that effect so they who live at this present amongst the Papists are become wise at the coast of their Ancestors and are loath to commit any such follies and rob and beggar their children to inrich and fatten the Monks But howsoever commonly he that wants money can have no masses and because the Church of Rome holdeth masses to be the principall meanes to deliver a soul out of Purgatory so there are none but poore people who are to stay a long time in that fire for want of money to buy masses as the richer sort and so to be rich is a great help in the Church of Rome to go speedily to Paradise contrary to that which Christ said in S. Matth. 10.25 that it was very hard for rich men to enter into heaven Matth. 10.25 but it is a Church
and Sect wherein the whole doctrine of Christ is over-turned And as it is a very profitable profession to say masse so there is abundance that embrace it as a good Trade and sufficient to gain their living well and they say no masse but when they find Merchants and if they can have every day they account it great profit and he who giveth most shall first have the Masse for such is the course of the market I will not speak of them who being but able to say one masse a day do neverthelesse promise the same to many and take money for many because imagining it to be of infinite merit according to the doctrine of the Romish Church they beleeve that one is capable to satisfie for all and is beyond comparison of greater worth than that which is given by thē altogether but this is a mysterie which must not be revealed to the people for that is against their intent and if they should beleeve it they will be loath to be so forward to cause say so many masses either for themselves or for their friends deceased or who are in travelling or in necessitie notwithstanding this is but too much practised in deceiving the simpler to the undoubted condemnation of many Priests who so deceive the Merchants who mind to deal honestly though I will not say that is the practise of all But that hindreth not this to be true that the Masse is a Trade which condemneth many Priests as well in that respect as because they beleeve they receive a Sacrament and make a sacrifice wherein the purity of the conscience is declared to be altogether necessarie according to the Romish doctrine and to which they see themselves ingaged every day to gain their living or for other ends it is altogether to be feared that for the most part they go not about it with due puritie of conscience and daily experience sheweth us sufficiently that there are too many vices and defects in the Romish Clergie not to have this distrust And it is in this manner I say that the Masse is a trade that damneth many who say it yea and many also who hear it for all Christians in the Romish Church being obliged under the pain of mortall sin to hear the whole Masse the Sabbaths and holy-dayes and not onely to hear it but to hear it with attention and devotion without willing distractions at least which last any considerable time as the third part of the masse according to rules of their Casuists and Doctors this condition maketh me say that of an hundred there are not ten it may be that fulfill this precept and are not condemned in hearing the Masse they committing mortall sin for want of due attention but let every one judge himself it sufficeth that I know but too well the practises of the Romish Church not to be beleeved in this point And to speak truly it is a lamentable thing to see the Romish Church condemne and judge with damnation they who hear not those mysteries with due attention and devotion and in the mean time that the people should carry so little respect to it that I perswade my self all those who have not seen would hardly beleeve it for ye shall not enter into any parish Church nor in a great number of others where there are any considerable number of people at a great Masse or often other wayes but ye shall see some of them laugh others prattle play the fool some of them standing others kneeling on one knee others sitting after an uncivill manner and some seeking occasions if not with words at least with amorous looks in one part the dogs play in another children crying and weeping In a word often so great noise and insolence that it seemeth rather to be a market-place than a Church and except a few who are therefore esteemed zealots and scrupulous Isa 29.19 Mark 7.6 and of shallow brains and who are mocked of others God may well say that which is in Isaiah and St. Marke This people honoureth me with their lips for except it may be some Pater noster or Ave Maria which they will say negligently and in haste or a little of their beads which they will turn over for ceremony and some adoration they give at the elevation of the hoast all the rest is spent in discourses or idle thoughts and this is the ordinary fashion in most places both in the countrey and in the towns as well of the meaner people as of the Nobles to be present at Divine Service in the Romish Church Now I having often times considered with my self the cause of so great prophanenesse amongst the people and of the little attention and respect they carry to Divine Service in that Church I beleeved that it did proceed especially from the continuall praying in publique in a strange and unknown language to the people and which very few understand for howsoever I must confesse that many of the prayers of the Romish Church are good and all that they say is not evill and erroneous Notwithstanding they being said in Latine the people is not edified thereby and not knowing that which is said they can have no devotion nor be stirred up towards God the Priests also singing often with their Gregorian notes as they tearme them and even ordinarily sing with such haste and anticipation one upon another that even they who know the Latine can understand nothing and thence it is that not knowing what is said and sung by them they can have no good motions thereby and the people also for the most part reading onely prayers and psalms in Latine it is not to be marvelled if they have not due attention and if their minds which are not stayed by any sensible object of devotion suffer themselves to be carried away with a thousand extravagant thoughts and even often with actions Which questionlesse would neither come to passe in that manner nor so easily if their private and publique prayers were said in a known language as it was certainly practised by Jesus Christ and his Apostles and even by the first Christians but the Church of Rome which esteemeth more of his own proper inventions than of the Word of God and divine institution hath brought in an humane and new doctrine unto the people for the doctrine of Christ I know they alledge reason for it and that they say among others that the mysteries ought not to be divulged to the simpler and so the people in the Romish Church is nourished in an exceeding great ignorance and glory therein the Doctors maintaining them in it But the Apostles and Christ did not so and no man can be too much instructed or learned in the mysteries of salvation and many moe mischiefs follow on ignorance than on knowledge and it is certain that Christ did pray preach and celebrate all mysteries in the vulgar tongue which was understood of all and no man can doubt but the Apostles
they have laboured to plant and defend this doctrine Nor have they been deceived in their expectation for Christians too lightly terrified with the pains wherewith the souls were menaced after death have often deprived themselves and their successours of the most part of their goods to give them to Monks and Priests that so they might oblige them to pray for them and apply their good works and satisfaction to them as well in their life time as after their death Thence have the foundations of those great and rich Monasteries had their beginning the revenues of which some few excepted serve at this present to entertain Cardinals Prelates and Noble mens children in princely pomp and magnificence who notwithstanding think little on the souls of the poore founders or their successours except often to torment and vex them And on this doctrine and by those foundations such a great multitude of Priests Monks and religious persons have been introduced into the Romish Church that it is almost incredible so that in some cities which I know there are above ten thousand Monks and Nunnes and as for Priests there be many countrey Parishes which have above thirtie Now except it may be two or three of that number who are imployed in preaching on whom good revenues were well bestowed to encourage and enable them in their imployment in so Noble an exercise if they did preach the Gospel of Christ the rest commonly have no other occupation but to sing and say Masse for the subject of Purgatory and by that invention especially they all live and are entertained fatly For the people affrighted with that terrible fire cause often say Masses Vigils and Trentals and found annuall Masses and other Obiits for themselves and their friends and those obiits may be said with a loud or shrill voice with great or small noise according to the monies they will bestow and if it be at a great Masse there must be so many coopes and coopers so many lighted Torches so many Bels either tolling or ringing the knell so often and so long at every time there must also be so many Priests present to sing and say so many Masses of such a sort the Vigils with so many Psalms and Lessons with so many Requiems Libera de profundis at the end then the holy water sprinkled upon the Tombe c. every one for his pains being to have so much and a good dinner often for conclusion where they drink to the health of the living and say God have the souls of the dead and this is the end of the mysterie That truly among its superstition maketh a great shew and noise and if the souls be drawn out of Purgatory by magnificense sounding of bels singing and ceremonies none but the souls of the poore will stay long in those fires and the rich will come quickly out But if men beleeve they come not out but by devotion and fervent prayers and other good works of that kind when I was in the Romish Church I did not beleeve for a long time that to be of great vertue and force seeing the small reverence and devotion these Priests use for the most part looking rather how to disburthen themselves quickly of that task then to deliver the soul out of Purgatory and I have often thought with my self that it was not without reason the Oblits lasted so many yeers imagining indeed there behoved a great many of such prayers and works to deliver one soul out of Purgatory if they cannot be delivered abut by works done in the favour and in the love of God and in grace as they hold even in the Romish Church And it is no marvell that they who leave the Word of God to follow humane inventions fall in those confusions and disorders But howsoever the Priests find their profit thereon and the peoples purses are often emptied divers having often ruined their children to make foundations after their death and some especially women incommodating often their families without their husbands knowledge or even depriving themselves of bread and other necessarie things not so much for making little boyes recite the 7. Psalms who give five or six paire of them for a pony as to make the Priests say Masses and Obiits which are not so cheap Within these few ages the Pope hath yet invented Indulgences and priviledged Altars which is another mean to draw profit from them who are not so rich as to found so great Obiits or who desire to content themselves with this new artifice whereby they say a soul may be delivered out of Purgatory with lesse cost and the profit thereof is both readier and frequenter on the Priests part but I marvell much that the Pope who dispenseth those Indulgences at his pleasure doth not deliver all the souls out of Purgatory so soon as they come thither or doth not hinder them from going thither for the one is as easie as the other to him as he saith himself and I marvell wherefore he suffereth them to burn so long in those flames seeing he can retire them without trouble or cost onely by his Indulgences I think Christian charity should require that of him but let us a little examine the mystery of those Indulgences whereof there is so great noise CHAP. XXIIII Of Indulgences IT is sufficiently known of all that the Pope is one of the richest Monarchs in Europe having as it is reported at this present onely by the liberalitie of Christians above 24. thousand crowns to spend every day a rent whereof many great Princes who have more lands than he come far short but besides those temporall visible and reall riches he hath saith he others which he termeth spirituall of which he is a more liberall dispenser than of the former and those are the merits and works of supererogation of the Saints whereof he termeth himself Treasurer and distributer and which he disperseth according to his will and fancie by that thing which he calleth Indulgences For my particular when I was in the Romish Church especially in the six or seven last yeers that I was the Popes Missionary I was liberally enough provided of them both for my self in particular and to distribute to others for by vertue of my Buls and quality of Missionary besides the Licence I had to absolve from all sins and cases reserved even in the Bull In coena Domini where I might also admit as many Deputies as I would I could give full Indulgence and remission of all the punishment due to all sins great and small to all them who confessed themselves to me and to all them who being confessed and having communicated were present at my Sermons on all the feasts of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary and others so that they should not go to Purgatory for their sins past till that time although they had lived fourscore yeers Moreover in saying Masse I could deliver a soul out of Purgatory perfectly every Monday in the yeer
is distracted and thinketh or dreameth on any other thing than on God either by expresse or secret consent that is to say doth not all he is able to give attention and banisheth not faithfully all thoughts but is distracted for a considerable time during the Masse which is thought to be about the fourth part of it or almost the third part that man heareth not the Masse but is obliged to hear another the same day attentively if he will fulfill the precept Now let every man judge in himself how few there are which fulfill this precept in hearing the Masse without distraction or wandring minds and which labour to discharge themselves and vanish them when they come with fidelitie and we see but few who go to hear a second Masse as beleeving they have not heard the first devoutly enough Some may say all this is but a little scruple and of no great importance but according to all the Casuists and Doctors of the Romish Church the obligation to hear the Masse with the aforesaid attention and devotion every holiday and Sunday is a precept of mortall sin and eternall damnation so it is of great importance and cannot be said to be a scruple and I have known some timorous people which terrified with that rigid doctrine did often hear three or foure and after all were little better content and did beleeve that point alone capable to destroy them though otherwayes people of good life That which is said of the Masse in regard of all Christians is said likewise of the Breviary and canonicall houres in respect of the Clergie for they are obliged by the Popes Bull and by his Councels under pain of mortall sin and eternall damnation to recite them every day devoutly and with attention and the longer those prayers are the more hard also is the observation of this precept and I have seen some distracted thereby and others to fulfill faithfully that commandment and set their consciences at quiet tell one Psalme or verse ten times over beleeving not to have had sufficient attention and after all that were yet in doubt and of this number were even many Theologians and good Preachers Finally this sheweth clearly enough that if the Romish doctrine be true it is impossible even to the most zealous to save themselves by this point Now let us see the mystery of Auricular confession the difficultie is yet greater here for the rules and conditions of the confession are according to all their Doctors that when one confesseth himself Navar. Tolet. Bonac Less alii Casuist he is obliged first to declare all his publique and secret sins all his vitious actions words and thoughts and the circumstances aggravating the sin and even the number of every sort whether be action word or thought As for example how many times one hath sworn and how many times he hath had bad thoughts of what sort and how long he did delight and take pleasure in every one And that they may declare all they are strictly obliged to use all morall diligence to remember them and this moral diligence is taken according to the intervalles of confessions and the goodnesse of every ones memory so that he who confesseth often and hath a good memory needeth not so much time as another who confesseth but seldome and hath not so good a memory and every one must imploy so much time and take so much pains to examine himself before hand as is requisite to remember all and omit nothing And although according to the generall precept of the Romish Church one is bound onely to confesse himself once a yeer yet if in going but once they do not remember all they must go oftner and so often as is necessarie to every one that he omit none of his sins and so every one almost will find himself obliged to go to confession every week and even oftner and if he cannot remember them at the time of confession but by writing he is obliged to write them In a word they are obliged under pain of damnation to use all means and times possible and convenient that they forget nothing And if for want of time or care or sufficient and due preparation they leave off any thing of importance whether it be action word thought circumstance or number the confession is invalid and void for it wanteth fidelitie and integritie which is one of the necessary conditions and according to all those Doctors they who receive a Sacrament without necessarie dispositions commit sacriledge and if through bashfulnesse and shame which is incident to women any thing be omitted the confession is also of no force now to what rack and torture is a poore soul redacted by the means of this confession according to the maximes of the Romish Church and to how many is this confession which they preach so necessary to salvation and without which say they none can be saved cause of scandall and stumbling block to make them fall headlong into hell and who following that can be saved in the Church of Rome if this doctrine be found to be as true before God as it is preached and written before men It is not yet sufficient though they have fidelitie to merit absolution and make a good and sufficient confession there must say they be further in confessing a constant resolution of amendment of that which is confessed and all meanes and morall diligences are to be used for effecting it as for example he who confesseth he hath not fasted all Lent cannot have absolution and is uncapable of it if he have not a firme resolution in time to come to fast all the fasting dayes and all Lent over and use all possible meanes to effect it and he that confesseth he hath sworne or been angry had taken a surfet or sold or taken more than is reasonable committed injustice or had evill thoughts as of impuritie revenge or the like is uncapable of absolution and committeth sacriledge in receiving it if he have not a constant resolution to commit those things no more and to use all possible meanes to shunne all those things and the occasions of them Oh! how pernicious is yet the confession to many in that for when men fall continually in the same vice and see themselves obliged often to confesse the same sinne it is a great signe they have little care to amend and that so they have but few constant purposes and resolutions that are firme at their confession but every one ought to judge himselfe and though they can deceive men it is impossible to deceive God Now who with all those burdens strait obligations and hard commandements with that so strange doctrine of the Romish Church can hope for salvation and escape damnation Let every one of that sect make reflection upon himselfe and examine himselfe in this point I leave to every particular man to judge and protest I have spoken nothing here but according to the common doctrine
with the actions and practises of the Romish Church which wanting true faith cannot have true holinesse But the reformed Protestant Church retaining true faith which was preached by Christ and his Apostles is also onely capable of sanctity and as that faith is the onely Catholike faith so is the name of Catholike justly due to it excluding all others and the Romish Church not holding this faith it cannot nor ought to be holden for a Catholique Church nor ought the Papists be called Catholiques And now to begin the comparison betwixt them by the house of God and Churches if you enter in the Popish Churches you may it is true see in most of them many fine pictures rich carvings and rare inventions some in Marble stone some Jaspar some in Porphar and other materials where gold and azure are not wanting yee may observe also their stately architects great number of rich ornaments of all usuall colours of damask sattin velvet cloth of gold and silver laid over and garnished with precious laces and embroyderings there ye may find also many vessels and utensils and boxes for reliques of gold and silver In a word a multitude of curious and sumptuous objects very fit to delight the eye and which agree better with the ancient ceremoniall Church than with that of the Gospel and we may say all those magnificences are but vanity before God if it be not accompanied with devotion Psal 45.14 because all the glory of the Kings daughter saith the Psalmist is within and in the heart but that is much wanting in the Romish Church for if you go into their Churches especially the Parish Churches in time of publique Service ye shall see few that pray to God or seem attentive to the mysteries but many prating or doing worse here dogs playing there little children crying while in the mean time some Priests are in singing for the most part confusedly without respect or reverence and things which almost none of the people understand and there is commonly such a noise that it resembleth rather a Market than the house of God this I say with that which followeth for them who have not seen those things But in the reformed Churches praised be God it is not so and I have received very great comfort and edification seeing the silence which is kept there both before and in the time of Service how every one carrieth his Bible and book of Prayer to read them with the Ministers if they cannot hear how everie one singeth devoutly and orderly without haste or anticipation endeavouring to smell and taste the meaning of those holy words and if there be any thing to be further desired in this it is to follow the notes exactly to keep a greater uniformitie as they do in the reformed Churches of France and Holland and to that end that the Clerks were Musicians enough that they might be the more exact therein and that the notes and tones were so easie that they might be the better sung by all the people as it is in other places For it is true that a devout and harmonious singing raiseth the spirit much to God and comforteth and maketh glad the soul Thence was it that the divine Psalmist was wont to sing his Psalmes not only with his voice but on the harp and organs and other musicall instruments on which he exhorteth us to sing and praise God as he did but using them or not using in the Church being not a point of faith but of discipline onely it ought wholly to be remitted to the disposition of the Church to which every one ought to joyn inseparably and submit himself in humilitie of spirit so long as she doth continue orthodox and we ought to beleeve that the assistance of the holy Ghost shall never be wanting to her in every point of discipline expedient for the salvation of the faithfull And I will say further to the glory of God and to the edification of the Reader that not onely in Churches but even in private houses God is better served than amongst the Papists for amongst them there are never any prayers almost in publike and I remember seldome to have seen any such thing practised in an infinite number of houses both of Nobles and others where I have been but in the Reformed Churches it is almost common amongst the Nobles and it is very ordinarily practised amongst the people and if there be any defect in that dutie we may say the mixture and bad example of Papists hath been a great cause thereof here But it is credible that all things will be amended by the zeal of this Honorable Parliament and the discipline of the faithfull will be altogether throughly reformed against all the imprecations of Arminians and Papists false Prophets and ill fore-tellers of the confusion which they doe wish to this Kingdome but the Ecclesiasticall discipline of the Reformed Churches in France which you may see Englished shew evidently that good and happy order may be established in Church-government without such connivances with Popish fashions Now let us come to the solemnities of the Sabbaths and holy dayes it is certain that the Pope minding more the profit of his Priests than the salvation of his flock hath instituted too many holidayes in the Romish Church to the great hurt questionlesse of poore people who cannot conveniently be so often idle but hath need to work more to gain their living and therefore complain often and the institution of God hath been very discreet in ordering six dayes to labour and the seventh to rest and spend the same in his service and if in some places of the Reformed Churches the people be commanded to keep close their shops some other dayes through policie that is onely to give some time of recreation to the Apprentises and those who are not in libertie not under any precept of sin or damnation as doth the Pope and the Romish Church to keep holy dayes as strictly as the Sundayes but onely under some pain or pecuniarie penaltie and we see that in the Romish Church the holidaies and Sundayes being of equall obligation they are observed equally that is very evill for they will go it may be to some Monastery if there be any or to some other place and heare a little Masse for a quarter or half an houre which they hear even for the most part very irreverently and onely for fashions sake and because it is commanded under pain of sin and this is all the sanctification the most part give to holy dayes and Sabbaths in that which concerneth the worship and in the time of the publique Service which is of the great Masse the Mattins and Vespers in towns where they may have half-houre Masses at command there is almost no body in Parish Churches but the Priest and some few women and folk whom they terme commonly Image-eaters and superstitieux the rest of the time is spent either in Tavernes which are open all
Church which are almost without number And mark that in all ages this hath been the malice of hereticks to have recourse to Traditions when the Scriptures faile them Tertull. de Monog cap. 2. Joh. 16.12 Bellarm. lib. 5. de verbo Dei so Tertullian being become hereticall in his Booke de Monogania cap. 2. maintaineth the heresie of Montanus by those words of our Saviour I have yet many things to say unto you but yee cannot beare them now Which is the passage Bellarmine citeth for Traditions cap. 5. of his Book of the unwritten Word and yet it appeareth by the following verse that our Saviour by those things which they cannot for the present beare meant the things which are to come as the prophesies concerning the things which were to fall out which are to be seen in the Epistles of the Apostles and in the Revelation of St John and such like things and not any doctrines of faith Irenaeus in the second chap. of his third Book saith Irenaeus cap. 2. lib. 3. that when any did convince the hereticks with Scripture they began to accuse the Scripture saying that the truth could not be found in the Scripture by those who knew not the Tradition because it was not given in writing but onely spoken verbally Now this is practised by the Romish Church more than by any sect that hath ever yet been because seeing Scripture doth faile her to maintaine her tyranny and innumerable superstitious policies she hath invented a word not written which shee calleth Traditions equalling their authoritie with the holy Scriptures and those Traditions are invented and augmented from time to time according to the will and fancy of the Popes for some of them have invented the Masse and some other ceremonies and one or other of them have now and then added to them or taken from augmented or diminished the same some of them have invented Purgatory others Indulgences some the invocation of Saints others the reliques some the Communion under one kinde and yet to this day their number is not perfect neither is it yet known to the Romish Church that which our Saviour preached as necessary to faith and salvation for as there were new Articles of faith made in the Councell of Trent which was the last generall Councell amongst them as that of justification and originall sin so doe they hope to make yet more in the next Councell as it may be of the conception of the Virgin Mary of predestination with or without merits or some others Here is another objection those of the Romish Church thinke to be of great force and which I my selfe have often used disputing against those of the Romish Religion pretending thereby to prove the necessitie of Traditions and to referre our selves to the Church for say they who gave you the holy Scripture but the Tradition and whence know yee the Canonicall Books from those that are not Canonicall but by the determination and tradition of the Church It is true that every particular man receiveth the holy Scripture from the Church he liveth in whether it be a pure or impure Church so the Apostles had received from the Priests and Scribes enemies of Jesus Christ the books of the old Testament but in that the Church doth onely the office of a Witnesse and not of a Judge it onely witnesseth that those Books are holy and Canonicall but it judgeth not them to be holy nor giveth them any authoritie and the Tradition of the Church witnessing those books to be divine and holy is onely a protestation of her subjection to the Scripture and not an usurpation of her authoritie above the written word of God He who sheweth the King to a stranger is not therefore above the King nor giveth he any authoritie to the King and a Book-seller shewing to a buyer the Book of the Statutes of the Kingdome doth not for that authorise those Statutes and some man may receive the holy Scriptures from the Church and afterwards use it to condemne the same Church And as the testimony of innumerable eyes and eares seeing the lightnings and hearing the thunder maketh us say that it thundreth and lightneth so the testimony of innumerable Churches assuring us that the holy Scriptures are from God cause us to give an assent to them as divine Where it is to be noted that as for the Books of the New Testament wee ought to take the testimony of the Churches under the New Testament so for the Books of the old Testament we ought to follow the judgement of the Churches of those times and refer our selves to their testimony without making them for that Judges of the controversie Nor doth it appertaine to him who is to be judged by the holy Scripture and the word of God to make himselfe Judge of that word of God so it is a great impertinency to inferre from this objection the necessitie of Traditions to be of the same vertue with the pure word of God CHAP. VI. Traditions condemned by the holy Scriptures VVE have seen the testimonies of the holy Scripture and the reasons they of the Romish Church bring to establish the doctrine of Traditions Now let us see the testimonies of the same Scripture which the Orthodox and reformed Church alledge to condemne those Traditions and consider which of them are of greatest strength As for mee having maturely considered the passages I cannot see how their force can be eluded or rather that men yeeld not to their cleernesse The Prophet Moses saith to the people of God Deut. 12.13 Deut. 12.13 Yee shall doe that which I command you before the Lord neither adding nor diminishing there from and more cleerly in Chap. 12. Yee shall adde nothing to the word which I command you nor take nothing from it and Salomon in his Proverbs saith Pro. 30.6 Adde thou nothing unto his word least he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar Which being not deniable but that it is said of the Church what doth the Scripture thereby but condemne most cleerly the Traditions which are questionlesse new inventions added to the holy Scripture For my part after I began to consider attentively the words of the Apostle St Paul on this subject I could never see how those of the Romish Church can maintaine the doctrine of their Traditions as pertaining to faith and equall in authoritie to the holy Scriptures Gal. 1.8 Mark I pray you with me those words Gal. 1.8 If we our selves or any Angel from heaven preach to you any other Gospel than that which hath been preached unto you let him be accursed Note these words Let him be accursed which are of no small importance and observe the word besides Praeterquam quod is in the vulgar translation of St Jerome which is more fully expressed by the word besides than by the word otherwise as it is in some corrupted impressions and above all note that he saith not against but besides Praeterquam