breaking downe an infinite number of Idols and Images as very manfully in Gods cause hee did in the Cittie of Bethell According as himselfe writeth in an Epistle to Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem his words are these And when I entred to pray I found there a sayle or great cloth hanging at the doore figured and painted hauing an Image as of Iesus Christ or some other Saint for I could not bethinke me well whose Image it should bee But when I beheld in the Church of Iesus Christ an Image of a man hanging against the authoritie of the sacred Scriptures Trent it in pieces and gaue councell to the keepers of the place rather to bestow the same cloth on some poore dead body for buriall then to let it so offend the consciences of any What now can your pontificall high Priest of Rome alleadge against so many excellent persons as flourished in those dayes in the Church of God S. Augustine did not forbeare to affirme it constantly that it was an execrable herefie to giue any honour to the Images of Iesus Christ or of the Saints For as hee himselfe sayth In looking vppon Images no man can pray or worshippe as hee ought to doe but hee will bee touched as if his thoughts were carryed thence where his hope is to bee heard and his sute granted All these things beeing duely and religiously considered to the ouerture of your Romane Priests pride wee doe and will conclude with the whole Church of God That according to his commādement we ought to honour and worship him in spirit and trueth and not by any inuented visible things commanded without authoritie of his holy word the which wee know and beleeue shall remaine for euer And wee hope shortly to see that thereby the great man of sinne shall be smitten and ouerthrowne euen hee that exalteth himself against God in his Temple Which wee humbly desire for the honour and great glory of his name to the end it may be sanctified and his Kingdome come that so all men on earth may learne the way to life euerlasting which is by knowing and confessing one onely God and him whom hee hath sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour And concerning that false couerture alleadged by our aduersaries that Christ reuealed not all things needfull for our saluation to his Apostles This was true before they had receiued the sanctified Spirit on the day of Pentecost But after they were filled with the holy Ghost and instructed of him the promise of Iesus Christ was accomplished that the holy Spirite should reueale vnto them whatsoeuer hee had sayd and should leade them into all trueth This being done and accomplished they wrote the word of God and haue left the same vnto vs cleane holy and pure sufficient to guide and direct vs to euerlasting life We are not bound then to heare any other but the Apostles For all men else whatsoeuer bee they holy wise or very Angels of heauen they may not declare or command vs any other Gospell but that which is diuinely written in the authenticall Bookes of the holy Prophets and Apostles And no man how wise or learned soeuer he be hath any authoritie after the Apostles as Saint Hierome saith Moreouer albeit wee should bee vniustly reprooued persecuted condemned yea and murdered of men in the quarrell of God yet notwithstanding hauing our onely hope in him who hath called vs to that honour We are to reioyce and be glad when wee are persecuted and hated for his Names sake Not doubting but in his good time and when hee pleaseth his strong and powerfull arme shall free and deliuer vs from all seruitude of our aduersaries As alwayes hitherto hee hath done in fulfilling his promise to his holy Prophets and Apostles Therefore to that euerliuing Lord God bee giuen all honour and glory praise and power world without end Amen Si hoc consilium out opus ex hominibus est dissoluentur Si vero ex Deo est non poteritis dissoluere If this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God you cannot destroy it The Pope and his Church Now we haue good and great occasion to render thankes to God who hath made vs victorious ouer our aduersaries whom we doe excommunicate and curse as pernitious and damnable Heretiques because they will not be obedient to our holy ordinances but doe fondly cleaue to and stand vpon the Gospels and the doctrine of the Apostles who are not able to be vnderstood of any man without our holy Glosses and expositions For the rest let vs not forget to speake somewhat in the behalfe of our holy Masse That looke how much our hereticall aduersaries doe labour to confound and ouerthrowit So much the more powerfully will we striue to defend and maintaine it euen vnto blood and death For which cause we haue commanded to publish abroad the great graces vertues and properties of the most holy Masse According to the testimonie of that reuerende man Master Iaques of Spaine solemne Doctour in diuinitie The Copie whereof we will haue exhibited and giuen to euery one that shall continually haue good deuotion to the most holy Masse and shall liue and die in the true faith thereof Amen M. IAQVES OF SPAINE A Copie containing the great graces vertues and properties of the most holy Masse which being well contemplated and considered on are more worthie to be esteemed then an vnualuable treasure MAster Iaques of Spaine solemne doctor in Diuinitie recounteth in his workes that Saint Augustine and other Doctors doe hold this conclusion That if he which heareth Masse deuoutly hath either bought or taken money for so much land as may be walked on during the time a Masse is saying and shall giue that money to the poore yet hee shall not merit so much thereby as by his deuout hearing of that Masse Secondly he that as this day heareth Masse deuoutly and hopeth to heare another to morrow with the same deuotion looke what sinnes hee committeth betweene those two Masses are pardoned him by true confession which our Lord will graunt him before his death Thirdly after a man hath heard Masse his feeding yeeldeth the greater benefit to his bodie nor can he want ought all that whole day but shall be filled with all things needfull to nature Fourthly All veniall sinnes newly committed and false oathes sworne in haste or thorow ignorance hauing a purpose to confesse them they are blotted quite out by the merit of hearing a Masse deuoutly Fiftly euery pace or steppe a man takes in going to heare a Masse are counted and numbred by his good Angell to be rewarded before God Saint Bernard saith that our chiefest Christian vertue is to heare Masse deuoutly For it is of such great efficacie and dignitie as the verie hearing of a Masse is much more worth
To the end therefore that such reproch may not fall vpon vs wee rather couet to fast as the Saintes Prophets Apostles and holy Fathers of the Church haue done before vs then to decline either to the right hand or left with false seducers The Pope and his Church OVR first Father sinned thorow gurmandise or gluttonie Abstinence was enioyned him by GOD which hee hauing broken and transgressed was excluded and cursed of God Wherefore our Mother holy Church following the example of God of his sonne Iesus Christ and of his Apostles commandeth to Fast and vse abstinence vppon some certaine dayes ordained for that purpose vnder payne of sinning deadly And to the end that no one shall pleade ignorance of this holy Ordinance Shee giues it foorth publiquely to bee knowen that in these times as of Lent Vigils the foure quarterly times Frydayes and Saturdayes shee commandeth to bee kept fasting and to abstaine from meates as flesh Milke Butter and other white meates but most especially in the holy time of Lent And whosoeuer shall be so bold as to transgresse her ordinance hee shall bee reputed the childe of perdition and by all our holy Fathers shall bee excommunicated As more at large is declared and set downe in our holy Decretals and Ecclesiasticall Canons Can. Statuimus Dist 4. Canon Statui Dist 75. Et toto titulo de obseruat leiunior extr OF IMAGES Take heede vnto your selues least you forget the couenant of the Lord your God which he made with you And least yee make you any grauen Image or likenesse of anything as the Lord thy God hath charged thee For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a iealous God Deut. 4. 23. 24. Cursed be the man that shall make any carued or molten Image for it is an abhomination vnto the Lord. Deut. 27. 15. The Apostles and Gods Church THe Church of God hath not so slenderly profited in his Schoole but that she knoweth verie well that she ought rather to obey her GOD then men Your Romane Pope with his yonger purple Priests and others of the like condition commaundeth to honour yea to adore Images But our Lord who aloude hath deliuered himselfe to be a iealous God forbiddeth vs to make any manner of Image in semblance or similitude whatsoeuer for any respect of seruice due to him To which of these two then shal we be obedient The Prophet Dauid doth admonish that it is very daungerous to obey men rather then God saying That he scattereth the mouthes of them that are men-pleasers wee will then rather listen to our Lords voice then to the man of sinne although he haue seated himselfe in Gods Temple for God and shewing himself euen as if he were God yet being become mute and like vnto his Images hee hath quitted and resigned his office of instruction to Images hath giuen them his peculiar power to instruct such are ignorant tearming them to be Lay-mens bookes But we ioyning with the royal Psalmist doe say Confounded bee all they that serue grauen Images and glorie in Idols They that make them are like vnto them so are all that trust in them The Pope and his Church THe great and soueraigne high Priest of Rome hath so well ordained in his Church as well for the learned as the ignorant as there remayneth nothing to be further ordered To such as are Clearks and of knowledge he hath permitted to reade and exercise themselues in bookes But for the ignorāt vnlearned that are not able to vnderstand spirituall matters hee of his benigne grace hath permitted to studie and practise their saluation by Images painted and carued which is a matter verie easie for them to doe Wherefore according to his holy ordinance it is commaunded that all kinds of Images and representations shall be erected and placed in Christian Temples and Churches which it shall not be amisse for the people to honor cloath with garments and set lights before yea and to giue them all humble reuerence in honour of those Saints that they doe represent As it is better and more diuinely declared in the holy Decretalls and Canons and especially In Can. Perlatum Can. Imagines de consecrat Dist 2. The Apostles and Gods Church YOur holy Father the Pope would haue you to bee taught and instructed by those dead Images But we haue God and his Prophets that make answer for vs saying What profiteth the Image For the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lyes though hee that made it trust therein when he maketh dumbe Idoles Woe be vnto him that saith to the Wood Awake and to the dumbe stone Rise vp shall it teach thee And Hieromie saith In this point onely they doate and are foolish for the stocke is a doctrine of vanitie What is he then that would be instructed by such maisters As concerning the second Nicene Councell which was in the time of Charlemaigne we confesse that Sathan sate there among them and being the head of such an assemblie hee made his members answerable to himselfe To whom verie aptly may be applyed that saying of Saint Paul When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles For they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man And the truth of God vnto a lie and worshipped and serued the creature forsaking the Creator The Pope and his Church IN our former recited Canons is declared how a Bishop of Marseilles having broken downe and defaced the Images in his Dioces was therefore most iustly reprooued and controlled by our holy Father because he durst transgresse against his holy ordinance Moreouer we will not hide in secret or conceale in silence the second Nicene Councell accomplished in the time of the most Christian Prince Charlemaigne assembled by commandement of Irene Gouernor of the Empire who ordained and decreed That not onely it was good and profitable for Christians to haue Images in their Temples but also that they ought to honour and adore them with all reuerence And to the ende that it may bee more perfectly knowne what fruit and goodnesse was gathered by that holy Councell as also that the vertue and authoritie there of may the morefully bee vnderstoode we are willing in large and ample manner to recite the testimonies sentences and opinions alledged by the holy Bishops and Doctors assembled in that Councell According as more at large is contained in the Booke of Charlemaignes refutation First of all Iohn Ambassadour of the East Churches speaketh thus God hath created man after his owne Image Ergo we ought to haue Images For it is written shew me thy face for it is faire and louely An other Bishop saith No man lighteth a Candle to hide it vnder a bushell Ergo Images ought to be had An other Doctour saith Lord the brightnes of
Tom. 1. haeres 69. sup Cantic S. Cyprian cont Demet. tract 1. S. Chrisost 2. serm de Lazar. Singing for dead is vaine idle and consequently grounded on sinne for of euery idle word we shall yeeld an account before God This man is like vnto Cayphas that spake well but not of himselfe Psalm 32. 5. Psalm 51. 4. James 5. 16. Coloss 4. 2. It is not aboue three hundred yeers since the Pope of Rome constrained his Popelings to confesse in the care For in the time of Pope Innocent the third or very little before none were obliged to confesse to Priests about the yere 1200. Hist tripart cap. 2. S. August in lib. 10. de confess cap. 2. S Chrysost Heb. cap. 12. hom 3. Tom. 4 supra Psa 52. Tom. 2. E. in Serm. de Poenitent Tom. 6. Et de incomprehen Nat. dei hom 5. Et in 4. Tom. de Lazar. Et in hom 12. de Cananit Ezech. 20. 16. Galat. â— 8. The Popes Priests are Lieutenants to him their God of whoÌ„ S. Paul speaketh 2. Cor. chap. 4. 4. The Pope is more then his Bishops and his Bishops more then their Priests and all of theÌ„ shal be knoweÌ„ by their fruits Mat. 7 16. It is not read that Christ did euer constraine any one to beleeue in him or to confesse before him or his Apostles nor did they euer any such act Contrarie to the 19. Psal vers 12. The Priests are not called one another as in S. Iam. they receiued no such name in Baptisme Jam. 5. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 15. Colos 1. 9. Ephes 1. 12. Dan. 7. 21. Esay 42 18. S. Greg. lib. 4 Epist 76. ad Man lib 7 Epist 194. lib. 6. Epist 188. S. Hilar. cont Auxentius S. Bern. super Caâ—tic Serm. 33. in serm de coÌ„uer S. Paul S. Aug. super Ioâ—n hom 50. Orâ—g super Matth. hom 2 Can. Pudenda 24. quaest 1 Caâ— St Papa Dist 1. S. Aug. lib. 3. de Baptism Cap. 3. c. The Pope making himselfe to bee vniuersall Bishop of the Church declareth himselfe to be Antechrist S. Augustine saith that if Christ gaue the keyes to Peter alone then the Church hath no keyes after him But as hee answered for all so hee receiued the keyes with all Hom. 11. 124. super Ioan. hom 50. The Pope hath in such sort dispensed against the Gospels as they are buried wholy abolished in his Church In which we may contemplate the great mercie of God according to Dan. 7. and 2. Thes 2. S. August 30. lib. de hom 41. Et de verb. Apost 13. serm Et in Enchirid ad LaureÌ„ Cap. 29. S. Hierm. in Com. sup Hier. cap. 23. S. Greg. sup Psal 7. S. Bern. in lib. de lib. arbit in hom de Annun Virg Ma. Phil. 2. 13. Tit. 3. 6. Eccles 15. 14. S. Augustine saith in many places that we haue a Free-will to doe euill lib. de verb. Apost Serm 13. Free-will is the heresie of Aristotle and of all them that vse it as a buckler for their faith Hebru 13. 4. Saint Paul can not but be a truer witnesse then the Pope 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3 In 4. Sentent Dist 7. cap. 7. Can. Cum societas 27. Quaest 2. Euseb 1. 3. cap. 2. S. Clem lib. 7. Hist. tripart lib. 2 cap. 14. Can. Nicen. 31. Dist Can. Si quis Dist 28. Can. Si quis virorum Dist 30. Can. Quoniam Dist 31. Can. Qudam Dist 27. Can. Apost cap. 6. VVho so pleaseth to read the histories shall finde that in the time of king Lewes the second Priests were then maried in France Origen super Matth. hom 13. S. Ambr. Lib. 1. de Virg Cousins doe lawfully take their Cousins in mariage as well by permission of diuine right as ciuill Leuit. 18. Et Instit de Iustin de nup. filij duorum fratrum Rom. 10. 4. Acts. 15. 17. Galat. 5. 1. Rom. 14. 23. S. Ambr. sup 1. Cor. cap. 7. S. August Lib. 6. de Confess cap. 2. Et in Lib. de Virg. cap. 40. S. Cypr. Lib. 1. Epist 11. Concil Tolet. 8 Et Gangre in Galat. c. Papists binde themselues to God by these three vowes and one of them they will not obserue for riches makes them rebell against God This Pope spake as he meant and as he felt in his owne frailtie Luke 11. 39. Rom. 14. 9. 1. Pet. 4. 7. Gal. 5. 1. True fasting is approoued of God 1. Tim. 4. 1. 1. Cor. 10. 9. 15. S Athan lib. de exposit sup Hebr. cap. 13. Mat. 15. Hist tripart lib. 10. cap. 10. S. Hier. in Com. sup Malach 1. cap. Concil Brachar 2. Dist 10. Hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 3. 11. S. Orige sup Leuit. cap. 6. hom 10. S. August de mor. Eccles ad Jesul Epist 86. S. August ad Jasulan Epist 86. By Fasting we cannot be euer the more righteous but thereby wee may prepare our selues onely for the seruice of God the more freely then when we are filled with meates beyond measure Montanus the Heretique was the first that compelled men to faste Wherein the Pope is his successour Histor Ecclesia lib. 5. cap. 11. Deu. 4. 23 24 Deut. 27. 15. Exod. 20. 4. 5. Psal 5â— 5. 2. Thes 2. 7. Psal 97. 7. Psal 115. 8. Psal 135. 18. The law of God giueth wisdome to the simple and not dead Images Psal 19. 7. The word of God commandeth altogether the contrarie Exod. 20. 4. Hab. 2. 18. 19 Hier. 10. 8. Sathan was President in the second Nicene councell Rom. 1. 22. 23 25. The Bishop of Marseilles was reproued for doing the coÌ„mandement of God VVherein appeareth that God hath euermore reserued some one or other to maintaine his faithfull seruice according to his word and not according to the liking of men Heere was an assembly of learned iudgements blinde leaders to the blinde It was meruaile that the very stones did not start vp at so horrible opinions contrary to the diuine trueth which they seeking to exterminate altogether laboured but in vaine For the Lord will preserue his trueth for euer Psalm 145. 18. We may well say that of this holy Assembly which S. Paul speaketh 2. Cor. 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the vnderstanding of infidels that the light of the Gospel should not shine vnto them Mahomet the false Prophet hath not so much blasphemed in his Alchoran as these Bishops did in this Nicene Councell â— Thess 2. 11. Prou. 21. 30. God for the space of 600. yeeres suffered no Images in Temples but because they haue since been permitted and adored it folioweth not therefore that the first Church was hereticall and this is now more illumined by God beeing altogether contrary to him The Councells of Constantinople Toledo 2. and Elibertine detested and forbad Images and whosoeuer accepted of theÌ„ were held as strangers to the Church of God The Apostles are lesse and inferiour to the great Rabines of Sorbo une O insupportable blasphemie God hath reuealed more to seducers then to his Apostles Euangelists Mahomet in his Alchoran saith the same therefore both these do bend themselues against Iesus Christ who with the spirit of his mouth shall consume them both Epiphanius a man of great renowne in the Primitiue Church defaced the Image of Jesus Christ S Hierome speaking of him saâ—th That he was so respected in his time that euen Heretiques themselues did him bonour and reuerence It were better to doe the workes of charitie then hang vp images in Christian Churches S. August in Catalog de haeres Et in lib. 4. de Ciuit. Dei Cap. 9. 11. Et super Psal 113. Esay 40. 18. Dan. 7. 25. 2. Thess 2. 4. Matth. 9. 32. Iohn 17. 3. John 16. 13. Galat. 1. 12. S. Hierom. Tom. 8. Psal 86. Rom. 8. 18. Psalm 44. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 14. Matth. 5. 10. Acts. 5. 38. 39. The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but the wise will heare the counsell of God who teacheth a quite contrary way Pro. 12. 15. This Copie is to be approued by Saint Paul Gal. 5. 2 and by Moses Deut. 18. 9. and by Justinian the Emperor lib. 1. de summa Tri. fide Cati. This dreamer of Spaine this doctor in all duncerie is a true imitatour of Zidkiah the prophet of the Idoll Baal For euen as with the two hornes of yron hee deceiued Achab that miserable king and his people In the like manner with the horn of the Pope that other horne of Sorbonne doth he labour to seduce and deceiue kings people nations making them to doat vpon his Idol Baal For preseruation and maintenance wherof there is nothing else taught but inuented dreames and lies of hypocrisie Idolatrie of diuels which blindeth the poore seducers and by them are others seduced euen by the meanes of greedinesse rooted in all euill in coueting of which they erre in faith 1. Tim. 4. 6. 1. King 22. 11. To such men appertaineth properly that which is written They are apt to auarice haue taken gifts and are peruerted in iudgement as is approued by Saint Luke 17. 1. Sam. 8. Ergo a man should sell all his goods and giue that mony to haue Masses said sung for him Which is the sole Butt they shoot at But S. Hierom was neuer of that mind to vtter such blasphemie The Spanish doctor doth be lie him and finds it in his owne Booke of dreames For both hee and S. Aug. haue said the contrarie as you haue read before The Masse is the cause to get women with childe and in hope of pardon thereby make shipwracke of their soules The lier alledgeth S. Luke who is flatly against him saying That of men vsed is abhomination before God No man be he neuer so learned and holy hath authoritie after the Apostles Much lesse Saint Gregorie being blind in Gods cause And Saint Jerome saith sup Prop. Mich. Cap. 7. Tom. 6. saith They that are blowen vp with pride against Gods worde doe make themselues sworne enemie to his eternall truth c. Eccles 3. 14. Dan. 7. 23. 2. Thes 2. 7. Luke 18. 12. Apoe 18. 9. 1. Cor. 7. 11. Apoc. 22. 5. Apoc. 21. 7. Dan 7. 2. Rom. 11. 7. These valuations and prices are set down according to the true estimate of our English money here currant
No Parliament POWDER BVT SHOT AND POWDER for the Pope AND For all his Cardinalles Bishops Abbots Fryers Monkes the Maisters and great Doctours of Sorbonne Sent to his Vn-Holynesse and them all for a Newe-yeares gift 1609. AT LONDON †Printed by Thomas Purfoot for Ieffrey Chorleton and are to be sold at the great North dore of Paules Church An. Dom. 1609. * ⎠* TO MAISTER RObert Harryson and Maister Edward Paltocke Gentlemen Two of his Maiesties Cursisters of his high Court of Chauncerie THAT this may be reputed a great boldnes in me Gentlemen not hauing so much as seene either of you to stampe your names in the fore head of sopoore a Pamphlet I deny not and craue fauour for this presumption offending but in an error of curtesie and honest affection not any wilfull or peremptory pride impudently to preiudice your worth or any way to procure your misconstruction Because this faulte if a fault it may be tearmed in former times hath been desired of the best and thought to be the purest golde that beautified the richest Diadems in the world Schollers to honor Princes with their painefull labours and Princes honouring Schollers with respect and thankefull acceptation Beside that learned saying of diuine Saint Augustine speaks sufficiently vnto you both in my iust excuse Inuisa diligere possumus incognita nequaqam Vnseene men may bee beloued but vnknowne very hardly And yet men haue been very familiarly knowen to them that neuer had any sight of them by the splendor of their vertues renowne of their actions their learned writings and such like noat-worthye qualities Which as Sir Thomas Moore was wont to say Doe make men that are sundered by many miles to haue dispute conference and louing entercourse together euen as hee seemed to haue with Cornelius Agrippa And that you both woorthy Gentlemen although as yet vnseene are not vnknowne to mee let me resolue you by this morall ensuing example which was the first motiue to this presumption and is the only argument to plead your much better merite A yong Grafte growing sometime in an vnkindlye ground where it neither had the Sunnes warmth or the least fauour of any weather but by the enuious Maister of the ground was not onely vnrespected but throwne out by his will to haue prosperitie in no place First by one of you the poore though not vnpittied Plant was kindly respected and admitted to haue fresh groweth in his Garden Vntill such time as finding an other soyle I will not saye more fertile but of answerable fruitfulnesse with his owne hand it was thither trans-planted and there by the other of you so carefully husbanded as I knowe not which of you I should most commend for humanitie courtesie and louing affabilitie Now in regard that though not at the first but since those tempestuous times that Grafte hath by some peculyer proprietie appertayned vnto mee and dooth still enioye the fruition of both your woonted fauours In such maner as I could best deuise to cleare my selfe of ingratitude and in some measure to answere your great merit I haue sent you a sillye New-yeeres gift better in proofe than outward apparance and more woorth in regarding then in the bare reading It hath no other sute vnto you or further expectation but that God may blesse the continuaunce of your kindnesse where already it hath beene liberallye bestowed And the poore Plant to thriue no otherwise but as it may daylye prosper in your good opinions Then you both to measure my loue equally towards you in the euen Scale of your friendlie construction Which I will further studie to deserue though abilitie can therein no way comprehend my earnest desire Yours in all affection PHILAGATHVS TO THE RELIGIOVS deuout and godly Pastors Elders and Brethren of the French and Dutch Churches in London Grace mercie and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ HAuing had some small experience of your zealous loue to Gods truth and dayly care for preseruing the same in most Christian and religious maner among you I could not but expresse some fruit of mine vnfained affection towards you And as a true testimonie thereof I send you this learned and worthy labour as a poore New-yeares gift which was first written by a brother of yours in our Lord Iesus and by mee instructed to speake our natiue English tongue For I did account it as a wrong or iniurie done to you that a worke of such worth receiuing his originall from Gods reformed Cburch among you should here bee made publique and you to haue no acquaintance at all therewith or interest therein To preuent which inconuenience in the bonds of Christian loue and amitie I dutifully haue directed it vnto you desiring according to the high deseruing merit therof that it may not onely haue acceptation among you but that it may likewise finde fauour in your houses and families where it may doe more good then easly can bee imagined So entreating your best construction of this my verie sudden yet honest boldnesse I commit you all my selfe and this my poore paynes to that measure of blessednesse which it shall please our Lord God in mercie to bestowe vpon vs. Your louing well-willer PHILAGATHVS To King Abgarus and to his worthy Confederates the Lords GAMALIEL and IAYRVS most excellent gracious Princes faithfull friendes to our soueraigne Messias and Reedemer our Lord Iesus Christ. IF at this instant wee consider well the estate and condition of Gods Church wee may euidently perceiue that what our Lord Iesus hath foretold promised is most truely fulfilled and accomplished For hauing warned vs of the afflictions troubles of his Church yet afterward he promised to be alwayes with her euen to the consummation of the world As for her afflictions wrapped vp in so many seuerall persecutions troubles and diuisions there is no mā but doth perfectly know them that our Lord God in his mercy hath assisted her preseruing her euen in the midst of all her enemies Wherby we plainely see that his promise is truely kept especially since he neuer leaues her vnprouided of his seconding aydes and good means to the end she may not be deuoured of Lyons and rauenous Wolues whom in his iust iudgement he hath permitted to rush in vpon her as representing those persons which heretofore haue hated maligned and persecuted her Doe we not at this day behold many successours to Pilate Others that are Lieutenants to Iudas Others Vizegerents to Cayphas And others the meere Vicars to Simon the Sorcerer All which together as it were doe yet torment and persecute the Church of God intending to exterminate it wholely to the end there might bee no more memorie thereof But the Lord our God against whom there is no wisedome counsell or prouidence knowes how to winke for a while at the impudence of such fooles And to the ende his Church should not stagger in the midst of the way hee
this purpose especially by S. Chrâ—sostome and S. Augustine who doe manifestly speake thus Although wee are full of all euils poore and miserable sinners yet notwithstanding we haue no need of any Patrons or Aduocates but onely Iesus Christ by whom our prayers are agreeable before God S. Augustine teacheth vs to honour the Saints as creatures and vessels of honour without attributing any thing else to them in matters that appertaine to God onely he saith We ought by no meanes to direct our prayers to the Saints which are in heauen because they can bee no searchers of our hearts neither haue they any knowledge of our necessities For it is impossible that they should in any thing bee helpfull to the liuing when they know nothing that is done in this life Consequently them we say that we ought not to dedicate Temples Altars or other things to Saints for we cannot be made happy or blessed by them Then the summe of all is that as we haue but one onely euerliuing God who will not giue his glory vnto any other Euen so wee haue but one onely Sauiour Mediatour and Aduocate Iesus Christ by whom and in whom we beg and haue all things which are needfull for vs. The Pope and his Church IT is ordained and decreed by the great high Bishop Head of our holy Mother the Church that not only Iesus Christ is our Mediatour But likewise the blessed Virgin Marie and all the Saints that are in heauen In regard whereof we ought to pray and inuoke their helpe in our wants and necessities as our Mediatours and Intercessours betweene God and vs. For by their prayers and merites we shall obtaine heauen Hee that hath any affaires towardes a Prince prepareth himselfe first to some person of his house to deliuer the message for him because by himselfe alone he cannot be heard Euen so the blessed Virgin Marie our Aduocate and all the Saints of heauen doe cary our petitions to God and humbly intreat him for our necessities and God doth neuer refuse the Saints for their merites are of great vertue and efficacie For in so doing we can neuer faile As it is written in the title De reliquis venerat Sanctor And in many other places of the holy right Canon And especially the prayer of my Lord S. Claude is very singuler and acceptable to God after the holy prayers of the blessed Virgin Marie our principall Aduocatesse I Iohn Gerson will neuer gain-say that which I haue written in my first part of the Examination of doctrines speaking thus The first truth should bee so firme that any simple man not authorised may bee thereby so excellently instructed in holy Letters That a man ought rather to beleeue in his assertion in the cause of instruction then in the doctrine of the Pope For it appeareth that a man ought rather to beleeue the Gospell then the Pope If then such a man doe teach some veritie to be contained in the Gospell concerning whether the Pope doth or may greatly erre it is manifest whose iudgement ought to be preferred And if it happened that a generall Councell should be celebrated and such a man so well instructed should be present there among them If it should chaunce that either through malice or ignorance the greater part should decline and be opposite against the Gospell Such a Laye man might oppose himselfe against the said generall Councell This is also prooued by the Canon Pudenda 24. Quest 1. And in the Canon Si Papa Distinct 40. OF PVRGATORIE Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Iohn 5. 24. Wee haue deliuerance through his blood that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Hauing reconciled all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen Coloss 1. 14. 20. God hath sent his Sonne to bee a satisfaction for our sinnes 1. Iohn 4. 10. To him that loued vs and hath washed vs from our sins in his blood c. Apoc. 1. 5. The Apostles and Gods Church THE true and faithfull Church of Iesus Christ knoweth and vnderstandeth his word And it yeeldeth no other testemonie but of two wayes onely heauen and hell Whosoeuer therefore shall inuent any other beside shall neuer enter into the others happinesse For no other Purgatorie do we beleeue and confesse then the onely and most precious blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who in himselfe hath made a full purgatition of our sinnes and by his blood we haue deliuerance and absolute remission of them For he that loued vs hath washed and made vs cleane from all being sent from God his Father to be the satisfaction for all our sinnes Concerning that which S. Paul saith That euery mans worke shall bee reuealed by the fire This fire is very falsely vnderstood to bee Purgatorie For the Apostle speaketh in that place of the fire of tribulation of the Crosse and persecutions in this world whereby our Lord examineth and tryeth who are is And that it is so S. Augustine hath faithfully expounded this passage in many places saying Some doe beleeue that all those which haue not forsaken the name of Christ and haue beene baptised in his Church and haue not beene cut off from it by some schisme or heresie that in whatsoeuer sinnes they haue liued and haue not defaced them by repentance or redeemed them by almes deeds But haue continued in them vsually euen to the last day of their life They shall be saued by fire Howbeit according to the greatnesse of their sinnes the fire shall be but diuturnall and not eternall But me thinkes they which do so beleeue and yet are Catholiques are deceiued by humane beneuolence For if we doe enquire for such matter of the deuine Scriptures they make no other answere but Christs death onely and the shedding of his most precious blood You heare now what this holy Father saith that they which beleeue a Purgatorie being forged against the word of God are meerely deceiued by the conceit of humane beneuolence The Pope and his Church OVr Mother holy Church doth make no doubt at all but that there is a Purgatory fire burning for times and limitation which purgeth and extenuateth those sinnes the guilt whereof is forgiuen but not the paine or penaltie Let euery one bee therefore perswaded that the sacred Scriptures doe render vs good testimonie of foure places to wit Heauen Hell Purgatorie and the Limboes And whosoeuer doth not beleeue these 4. places he shall not escape because he hath been foretold of them And holy Saint Paul the great witnesse of this veritie was not willing to conceale such a secret from vs for he saith That the fire shall approoue the
hath taken such boldnesse vpon him as to dispense against the Gospels and destroy the holy commaundements of God and his worde which we beleeue notwithstanding shall endure for euer But he that fighteth against so strong a foundation declareth himselfe to be Gods enemie and Antechrist manifestly As after many testimonies of sacred Scriptures Saint Gregorie himselfe dooth giue vs a good aduertisement saying It is sacriledge and a foretelling of Antechrists coÌ„ming tâ— constitute an vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church For if he that nameth himselfe vniuersall doe fall the whole Church is ouerthrowne And proceeding on still to the same purpose he concludeth thus I boldly say that whosoeuer calleth himselfe vniuersall Bâ—shop or desireth to be so named is the fore-runner of Antechrist in that he preferreth himselfe in his owne pride before and aboue all other Behold now how God hath suffered that these diuelish Cautelles of the man of sinne should be made manifest euen by themselues euen those that he thought to defend couer himself withal As we could much more amply discouer as well by the testimonie of the worde of God as by the expositions of many holy Fathers of the Church But the faithfull Reader making acceptaunce of this our slender trauell may if please him haue accesse to the Fathers themselues as for his more ease we haue quoated them in the Margent The Pope and his Church OVr holy Father the Pope is instituted of God to be head and vniuersall Prince of his holie Church hauing receiued the keyes thereof with intire full and incomprehensible power to binde and loose pardon and retaine all sinnes yea in such sort and manner as there is no one that dare say to him wherefore doest thou this or that For it is an indubitable veritie yea altogether inuincible that our holy father the Pope the great successor of Saint Peter hath such power and authoritie as he may iudge the whole world but hee is not to bee censured or iudged by any person And his power is so great and admirable that he can dispense against the Gospels against the word of God and consequently against all the Apostles doctrine yea and against the right of nature As it is most amplie written and recited in the holy Decretales and in the CanoÌ„ Lector cum Glos 34. Dist Canon Presbiter cum Glos 82. Dist Apostolorum 17. Quaest 4. Canon Si quis Dist 40. Canon Si Papa Dist 26. Et eadem Canon satis cano simplici Can. Incipitis OF FREE-WILL Verely verely I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne he is the seruant of sinne Iohn 8. 34. It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2. 1â— Not that wee are sufficient of our selues to thinke any good thing as of our selues but all our sufficiencie is of God 2. Cor. 3. 5. The Apostles and Gods Church IN this matter wee may iustly answere as S. Hierome did writhing against Pelagius saying thus The Philosophers the Patriarches of Heretiques by peruerse doctrine haue polluted the puritie of the Church Moreouer in regard of our purposed breuitie it shall suffise vs to alleadge S. Augustine with whom do many Fathers consent in detestation of the Pelagian heresie which our aduersaries doe so boldely maintaine These are his words We cannot consent with them who by ouer great pride do labor to exalt and aduaunce a freedom of will for in their so doing they are the cause of more euil then good and they but striue to ouerthrow men But we in humilitie doe consider that which the Apostle saith It is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed according to his owne good pleasure And we render thanks to our Lord and redeemer who without any former merits in vs hath healed our woundes and vlcers and reconciled vs to God hauing redeemed vs from captiuitie and hath brought vs out of darknesse into light and called vs from death to life The Pope and his Church WE doe constantly mainetaine and confesse a liberall and Free-will not onely in the state of innocencie but likewise in the state of corruption with sinne For it is written That God made man right and left him in the hand of his councell to doe what he would So that man being richly furnished with this noble francke and Free-will might worke of himselfe good or euill euen by his owne motion and can merit the first grace of congruitie As more amply is written and declared by our Master of the Sentences and others in their seuerall Expositions OF MARIAGE AND OF VOVVES It were good for a man not to touch a woman Neuerthelesse to auoyd fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her husband 1. Cor. 7. 12. Mariage is honourable among all and the bed vndefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge Hebrewes 13. 4. My praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation my Vowes will I performe before them that feare thee Psalm 32. 25. The Apostles and Gods Church SAINT Paul beeing a vessell of Election doth assure vs that Mariage is honorable among all and the bed vndefiled But your holy Father telleth vs the contrary to wit that Mariage cannot bee without vncleanesse and carnall filthinesse Now which of these two shall we say to be the false witnesse As for S. Paul we are very certaine that his testimonie proceeded from the spirit of God in regard whereof we will rather giue faith to him then to your holy Father although hee bee seated in Gods Temple for God and shewes himselfe as if hee were God Of whoÌ„ likewise the Apostle speaketh That in the latter times there shall some depart from the faith and shal giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of deuils Speaking lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hot yron Forbidding to marry The Pope and his Church OVr Mother holy Church following our holy Father her vniuersall Head considering aduisedly that Mariage could not bee performed without vncleannesse pollution and carnall immundicitie For this cause hath iustly and holily prohibited and forbidden and so doth still forbidde Mariage to Priestes Deacons and Subdeacons for they are tyed and obliged to a vow of chastitie from which no man can free or deliuer them The Apostles and Gods Church THe Church of God did neuer learne of Iesus Christ nor of his Apostles to forbid holy and honourable Mariage to any person whatsoeuer except to such as are named in the 18. Chapter of Leuiticus Therefore we will not receiue any such doctrine of deuils For the holy Apostles were diuers of them maried and such as lawfully succeded after them according as Saint Clemens testifieth writing against them that contemned Mariage where he saith
cap. 1. Et super 1. cor cap. 11. Et lib. de admist S. Hierom. super cap. 28. de S. Matth. These are the Popes bombards artillery thundred against Gods inuincible trueth All Poperie hath more listened to this man to renew and ouerthrow the holy Supper then to maintaine the true institution thereof Yet you heare what this man saith S. August in Quinquag Psal 54. Et ad DardaÌ„ Epist 67. in 3. lib. de doctri christi Et sup Joan tract 30 Et in 2. Quinquag psal 96. All that which is in God is not God that is to say the humanitie of Christ is not his diuinitie neither is his diuinitie his humanitie For the word is not made flesh as conuerted into flesh but it is vnited to the flesh without confounding the substance Neuerthelesse God and man is but one Jesus Christ who holdeth alwayes the true nature of man glorious and immortall S. Chrisost sup Psal 21. Et sup Matth. Cap. 5. Homil. 8. ad Caesar Monach. Iren. lib. cont Valens cap. 34 Origen super Matt. cap. 26. hom 83. super Leuit. Hom. 7. The Councel of Nice taught first and very diuinely how we ought to eate the Lords body and drinke his precious blood Fabulous Aesope could recount no merier tales then this seducing Scotus doth Gelasius a man learned was elected Byshop of Rome in the yeere of Christ 493. We may then well know that in his time Transubstantiation was not forged or receiued into Gods church as he very wel declareth in his owne writings Venerable Bede was not altogether popish for he did not beleeue Transubstantiation This Monke hath written heereon very learnedly And me thinks that all Benedictines should not defend Transubstantiation For it was not as yet forged in S. Benets time who gaue them better doctrine then they will follow This Pope is like vnto Saul who albeit he could doe nothing yet he would prophecie among the Prophets Matth. 10. 24. Deut. 4. 2. John 13. 15. S. Cyprian Serm. ad peccator poenitent S. Clem. in Epist 2. ad Jacobum Et in Can. tribus de consecrat Dist 3. Origen sup Leuit. Chap. 7. I can hardly number Gelasius in ranck of the Romaine Popes for he hath opposed himselfe against a number of their blaphemies The Popes Sacrament had been longer obserued and adored if they had knowen cunning to hide aad dissemble the corruption and wretched subiection thereof But yet the better to compasse their purpose they haue kept it in Boxes and Pixes But God hath permitted all for the best Psal 16. 4. Mark 16. 16. The will and power of God doe neuer disagree in themselues God can do all things as being almightie but he will not vse his absolute power against that which hee hath long since promised hauing so willed and commanded For God is neuer contrary to himselfe Most horrible words that our Lords body should be subiect to putrifaction and to bee eaten of beasts or to be burned The Arke of the couenant which was but a figure of Christ would not suffer it selfe to be so vsed For it caused all their deaths that approched neere it 1. Sam. 5. 11. Much greater reason is there for the bread what it might doe if it were conuerted and transubstantiated into Christs true bodie But we must confesse that the signe of the Sacrament being thus abused is not the thing signified thereby John 14. 10. 1. Iohn 2. 1. 2. Rom. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 4. S. Ambrose sup Epist ad Rom. cap. 1. S. August sup 1. Epist S. Ioan. tract 1. 2. Et cont Parme. Lib. 2. Chap. 6. 8. Et in Quinquag Psal 94. 108. S. August lib. de vera Relig. cap. vlt. Et sup Joan. tract 23 chap. 5. Et de eiuâ—t Dâ—i lib. 10. 28. chap. 27. Et in lib. de cur atque mort cap. 13. Epiphan lib. 2. Com. 2. cont Collyrid lib. 3. Tom. 2. haeres 79. S. Chrysost in his imperfect worke vpon Matth. Chap. 2. Hom. 2. S. Hierom. Com. sup Ezeâ— cap. 16. Eccles Hist lib. 5. Chap. 15. It ensueth then that creatures deceased know our hearts which is false For there is is none but God onely who is the searcher of all mens secrets Psalm 7. 9. Rom. 8. 25. Note that whosoeuer will read the Prayer of S. Claude shall finde it most singuler and worthy to be learned by heart to be preserued from the Feauer Quintain This Scholler of Caiphas hath not bin much ill tutord in his Schoole For there is maintained firmely that Romes great Pontifex is not able to sinne and that he can neuer erre What say yee then to a she-Pope Hyldebrand a Sorcerer 2. Syluester one a second deuill And the other held that our soules are mortall because otherwise a man could tell that Popes cannot erre Matth. 25. 34 Hebre. 1. 10. Coloss 1 14. 20. 1. Iohn 4. 10. Apoc. 1. 5. 1. Cor. 3. 13. S. August in Enchirid. ad Lauren. cap. 28 Lib 21. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 26. Et in tract de Fide O per. chap. 16. They that beleeue the fire of Purgatorie are deceiued in humane beneuolence not vnderstanding the holy Scriptures which render no other testimoni but of the sufficient purgation made by the precious blood of Iesus Christ onely Mahomet in his Alchoran confesseth Purgatorie as the Pope doth Since both of them then do agree in that faith it is not to be doubted but they shall both receiue reward alike 1. Cor. 3. 13. This venerable Master Raymond was so well skild in the holy Scriptures as he knew not to alleadge any thing but Canons and such shot But that which hefiâ—â— saith is better prooued by Esa 43. 25 Mich. 7. 18. Iohn 3. 36. Rom. 8. 6. c. where it is proued that Christs blood is the intire sufficieÌ„t purging satisfaction remission of sins which God giueth not by halfes but wholly and fully for the loue of his son Iesus Matth. 4 4. 1. Pet. 3. 15. Matth. 5. 16. 25. S. Ambrose sup Luc. chap. 12. S. Chris sup Matth. chap. 5. Homâ— 10. Hillar Theo. in Can. Chrysost sup Matth. Chap. 12. homil 6. Grego sup Job chap. 29. Et in Moral lib. â—8 Chap. 17. Et in can Dist. 14. S. Hierom. in Epist ad Cher. Et in praesat de Prouer. Et in Prolog Galat. Matth. 5. 25. 26. Luke 12. 59. 2. Mac. 12. 27 Behold the subtile means inuented to bring water to the mill of Rome But the wise children of God accounted to be fooles in this world will neuer bring their corne to this Mill because it keeps too bad an noyse S. August lib. 18. de ciuit Dei cap. 3 8. Et in lib. 2. de doct Christ Concil Laodicea cap. 59. S. Cyprian in Serm. de mort sapient 2. 4. S. Ambrose do bon de mort Tom. 1. cap. 2. S. Hierom. sup Gal. cap. 6. Et in Eccles Tom. 7. cap. 9. Et sup Esay ca. 65. Epipha lib. 1.