shall giue thee daily allowance of meate if thou wilt promise mee heereafter to hurt no hodie the wolfe bowing his heade aunswered by signes that hee woulde Yea but then sayth Francis Brother Wolfe giue mee thy Francis bids his brother wolf giue him his hand and faith that hee will performe his order faith and credit that I may beleeue thee and the wolfe presently lifted vp his right fore-foote and layed it in Francis his hand therby giuing his faith that he would performe it Then Brother Wolfe sayth Francis I command thee in the name of the Lord Iesus that thou go with me into the Citie and there feare not to make peace in the name of the Lord the wolfe forthwith followed him as meeke as a Lambe So comming into the Citie all the people togither with the Magistrates being assembled S. Francis made vnto them an Brother wolfe standeth by whilst S. Francis preacheth to the people excellēt sermon the wolfe being by which being done he sayd to them these words This brother of mine this wolfe that standeth here hath promised me vpon his promise hath giuen me his faith that hee will be friends with you and doe no more hurt prouided that you shall dayly giue him an allowance and portion of meate which if you doe Francis is surety for his brother wolfe to the towne for your partes then I will bee suretie for my brother Wolfe that he shall perform the conditions on his part required Then said S. Francis Brother Wolf it is reason that as thou did before so here before all this people Brother wolfe giueth his faith againe thou giue me thy faith againe that thou wilt keep the couenants on thy part and the wolfe immediately lift vp his right fore-foot and laid it in the hand of S. Francis his suretie in the sight of all the people and so gaue his faith againe and then all the people shouted and wondred and praised Christ for sending S. Francis amongst thē by whose merits they were deliuered frō the cruel wolf And from that day forward the people Brother wolfe liueth in the towne takes his meate at the dores to the wolf wolf to the people performed their couenants made by S. Francis the wolf liued 2. years after FRANCIS was gone and went vp and downe the streets and tooke his meate from door to door hurting no man and was well and daintily fed and there was neuer so much as a dog that barked at him And at last after 2. yeares Brother Wolfe beeing stricken in Brother wolfe dieth is lamented yeares dyed for whose death the Citizens did very much lament Heere is a miracle worth the marking Now let all Huguenots and Heretickes shewe such a miracle in their religion no no they neuer can doe it And no maruell for Iesus Christ who is the King and Captain of their religion neuer did the like in his time to this which S. Francis the king and captaine of the Franciscans u Francisce Iesu typicè dux formaque Minorum hath heere done If the time would giue leaue I could bring 20. more as impious as incredible and as absurd in their kinde as this but leauing it to a further opportunitie and referring the learned to the booke it selfe I proceed What may bee saide to all this are not these wide and wofull wounds Oh! but they are healed I may answere as the Prophet doth Were they ashamed when Ierem. 7. 12 they had committed abhomination Nay they were 18 The ninth wound not healed not ashamed For whereas this booke was written aboue two hundred yeares agoe by Bartholomeus Pisanus a Franciscan Frier it was not then only suffred to passe to publique viewe in those daies of darknesse and superstition but now of late within lesse then 20. yeares when one would haue thought they woulde if not repented of the impieties yet haue beene ashamed of the absurdities they contrariwise haue reprinted the Booke x The newe edition is at Bononie in Italie 1590. is dedicated to a Cardinal in this editiō is all that I haue alleaged and haue not taken ou◠nor reformed one worde of all these euilles nor of many more which do so directly disgrace the merits of CHRIST IESVS onely some things haue they altered which they thought might make against themselues but not one of these which doe so farre dishonour God and Christ and all religion Compare together the olde and newe bookes who will and he shall finde this to be true wherefore the conclusion is that this wound is farre from being healed Let vs then go forward and see if wee can finde one wound healed 19 The tenth wound The Pope may giue Indulgences for 20000. yeers grant men power to redeeme soules out of Purgatory in the Romane Church Two or three hundred yeares agoe the Popes Indulgences did growe to that height of rotten ripenesse that all men of vnderstanding euen of his owne broode were ashamed of it and manie a one of the wiser sort euen in these mystie times did see and laugh at the nakednesse of Poperie in that poynt the excesse whereof grewe so great as they cannot denie but it gaue at last an occasion of LVTHERS reuolte from them There is a Manuscript extant written some two hundreth yeeres agoe and another not much differing from it some 130. yeares ago printed at Rome containing a catalogue onely of those Indulgences belonging to the parish Churches of Rome amongst which they say are 7. principall let vs but consider of some fewe y He that wāts this booke let him looke in Hospinian de Templis lib. 2 c. 28. pag. 348. edition is Tigur 603. where he shall finde both mention of the book a particular recitall of a great part of it In the Laterane Church it is graunted thus by Pope Boniface If any Pilgrime come for deuotion to this Church hee shall be absolued from all his sinnes And in the Chappel there called sanctum sanctorum there is full and true remission of all sinnes And one daie in the yeare which is the daie of the dedication of the Church there is full remission of all sinnes both à poena culpa and this Indulgence is so certaine sayth the booke that when the Pope first pronounced it the Angells Angels say Amen to the Popes Indulgences but they shold first proue y◠God saith Amen to them for els the Angells will not vnlesse it bee the euill Angells in the hearing of all the people sayd Amen If these things bee true then it is strange that all Papists in the world are not saued for hee that hath full remission of all sinnes both à poena culpa dying in that state cannot be damned And certainly he that for the obtaining therof wil not take the pains to visite that Church one daie in a yeer is not worthy of saluation In Saint Peters Church there
bee euerie daie eight and fortie yeeres of pardon which is in one yeere aboue fifteene thousand yeeres Euerie daie of the Annuntiation there bee one thousand yeers and hee that with deuotion goeth vp Saint Peters stayres hath for euery steppe seauen yeeres of pardon Surely purgatorie paines are not so fearefull as they beare the world in hand if going vp two and twentie steps may purchase releasement of a hundred fiftie yeers thereof And if these seeme too little Alexander the Pope like a liberall Lord opens his treasure and giues to euery steppe a thousand yeares So that now there is not a Papist in the world that needes to be in Purgatorie one daie except hee will For for going vp XXij thousand yeers of pardoÌ„ graÌ„ted for going vp 22. steps If the Pope say true in this no Papist need to come in Purgatory twentie two steppes with deuotion hee may be released out of Purgatorie for two and twentie thousand yeeres and I hope they do not think the World will last so long and Purgatorie they saie ends with the World Further whosoeuer will go through the 3. doores Three doores of one Church in Rome of so great vertue that whosoeuer goeth through them shall be as free from sinne â—â— when he was newly baptized Oh what a great power the Pope hath who can giue power to another so easily to deliuer soules out of purgatorie How easie purgatorie might be emptied by Popish doctrine of the Laterane Church shall bee as free from all his sinnes as hee was the houre hee was baptized Likewise at the Altar in Saint Peters Church there be xiiii thousand years of pardon and deliuerance of one soule out of Purgatorie And in the Church of Saint Lawrence whosoeuer visiteth that Church euerie Thursday for a yeare and â—ittes vpon the stone whereon Saint Lawrence was broyled shall deliuer one soule out of Purgatorie And in the Church of Saint Iohn at the gate called Porta Latina a man by either saying a Masse or causing it to bee sayde may deliuer one soule out of Purgatorie Are these true then why is there one soule left in purgatorie or else where is the charitie of the Papistes which they so much bragge of seeing so easilie they may deliuer so many thousands soules out of purgatorie in one yeare Certainely if these bee true as they be written then granting that there is a purgatotorie it might soone be emptied But if it be false and fabulous and friuolous and hath no other ende but to mocke poore people and to sucke out their siluer then what a religion is that which maintaines such dealings especially seeing this is not the deede of any priuate men but of the Popes themselues nor of a fewe but euen all since Boniface the eight Thus wee haue searched deepe into a foule and filthie wound Now what remaines but to see if it bee healed yet or no 20 The tenth wound not healed but groweth more desperate deadly to this day But alas Babylon will not be healed for as they feared not to put these trickes vpon the people 100. and 200. yeares agoe in the times of superstition so haue they presumed euen still in these dayes of light to do the like And as the whore is shamelesse in her sinne so is this whore of Babylon in her impietie for shee hath not at all amended this enormitie nor in any sort reformed it but rather lets it growe from bad to worse For euidence wherof let any man read Onuphrius Pauvinius z Vide Oâ—uphrium Pauuinium de praecipuis vrbis Romae sanctiorious basilicis quas septem Ecclesias vulgo vâ—cant Colon. 1584. passim who not past 24. yeares agoe hath written with publike authoritie a booke to this verie purpose of the seaueÌ„ principal Churches of Rome and of the Indulgences belonging to them wherein all that is deliuered before is auerred and much more added some part whereof I would put downe saue for that it may bee reserued to a further purpose and fitter opportunitie And for better euidence that as she hath not so shee purposeth neuer to heale vp this wound within these two yeares they haue allowed published with authoritie the pilgrimage or voiages of Seigneur Villamont a Les voyages du St de Villamont diuisez eâ— trois livres derâ—iere edition reueuce augmentee c. A. Aâ—raâ— 16â—5 vide inter alia librum 1. cap. 12. c. one of the Gentlemen of the French Kings Chamber wherein the poore deceiued Gentleman out of his superstitious deuotion hauing visited all those Churches and made himselfe as hee saith blessed by being partaker of all the Indulgences thereto belonging and hauing ascended those holy staires to euerie steppe whereof belong so manie thousand yeares of pardon after all returning home at last much poorer but nothing wiser then hee went hee wrote a booke of his voiage and pilgrimage to Ierusalem and taking Rome in his way hee describes at large the Indulgences granted of olde and at this day in force to the Churches in Rome Which booke being written in French whoeuer list to reade will soon confesse that in this wound the Romish Babylon is not yet healed 21 The eleueÌ„th wound Granting of Indulgences thousands of yeares deliuerance of Soules out of purgatory to Beades Meddalls Crosses Pictures and such like toyes being blessed and hallowed by the Popes holy hands And herevnto I will adde another wound because it is so neere to this in popish consanguinitie The wiser sort of Popes and the rest of the craftier politicians in that hierarchie perceiuing that all the Nations of the earth many of them being so farre distant could not come to their market of Indulgences being kept in Rome therefore least they should lose their trafficke into those parts they deuised away that seeing a greate part of the worlde could not come to Rome Rome should send to them To which ende out of his bountie and spirituall liberalitie for the incredible good of mens soules the Pope ordained that certaine Crucifixes and Meddalls and Agnus dei b The principall of all these toyes is the Agnus dei which euerie one may not make but onely the Pope nor hee alwayes but onely at Easter nor at euerie Easter but the first next his entrance and euerie seauenth Easter after nor of any matter nor in any manner but preciselie of such simples and with such ceremonies as are prescribed for that purpose which together with the prayers or rather coniurations then to bee vsed are to bee seene in the booke called Caeremoniale pontil lib. 1. And hee that hath not that booke let him looke in the CoÌ„mentaries of Peter Mathew vpon the Constitutions of Gregorie the 13. Constit the 1. holy Graines beads other such Iewels should be first consecrated and hallowed by the hands of his Holinesse and haue all the holinesse powred vppon them that hee canne spare and further
sell all hee hath to buie one of them e Indulgentiae concessae a nostro S. Patre Papa Clement 8 Corollis Granis Cruciculis Rosorijs Crucibus Crucifixis Medallis Imaginibus benedictis Instante Reuerendo Patre in deo domino Iacobo Danie Episc Ebrodunensi Consiliario regio in ipsius Consilijs summa et pietate ipsius primâ— Eleemosynario Grana benedicta sunt tantùm in vsum regni Galliae Indulgences granted by the Holinesse of our most Holy Father Pope Clement the eight Vnto Holy Beades Graynes Rosaries Crosses Crucifixes Medalls and Images being hallowed and blessed by his owne holy hands At the Instance of the Reuerende Father and Lord James Dauie Bishoppe of Eureux Counsellor to the King in his Counsell of Estate and also of his priuate Counsell and principall Almoner to his Maiestie * Quicunque habuerit ex Corollis aut Rosarijs vnuÌ„ aut etiam Corollam vnam in quam insertum sit vnum ex his granis c. quotiescunque fecerit aliquid opus misericordiae corporalis aut spiritualis aut audierit Missam aut sermonem aut veneratus fuerit sacramentum aut Cruceia aut aliam quandam sanctam Imaginem acquiret sibi veniam centum annorum Whosoeuer hauing one of these beades c. shall 1. A hundreth 1. yeares of pardon at an easie rate do any worke of mercie corporall or spirituall or heare a Masse or a Sermon or shall but doe reuerence to the Sacrament or to a Crosse or to a holy Image shall obtaine a hundreth yeares of pardon See what a bountiful father the Pope is Who would offer lesse for a hundreth yeares surely hee that will not do thus much he is worthy to lye and fry in purgatorie 2 Quicunque confitebitur aut coÌ„municabit aut si Presbyter sit dixerit missam recitaÌ„s deuotè praeter confessionum coÌ„munioneÌ„ aut missam vnum patrem nostruÌ„ aut vnum aue Mariam aut aliqua alia ratione orans Deum pro sancta Ecclesia Catholica aut pro nostro sancto Patre aut pro Rege Galliae aut pro pace huius Regni aut pro conuersione Haereticorum aut pro conuersione peccatorum acquiret sibi singulis vicibus Indulgeâ— tiam plenariaÌ„ remissionem omnium peccatorum suorum Modò super se habeat supradictarum rerum aliquam Whosoeuer shall confesse and communicate or being a Priest shall besides his masse say deuoutely one Pater noster or one Aue Mary for the Catholick Church or for the holy Father or for the King of France or for the peace of France or for the conuersion of Heretickes or other sinners shall haue for euery time hee doth this a plenarie Indulgence and remission of all his sinnes so as hee haue about him one of these holy beades graines or Crucifixes And what if one want all these trumperies shall he not haue forgiuenesse if he do truely beleeue and repent Oh when will Babylon be ashamed of such abhomination 3 Quicunque exosculatus fuerit cum deuotione c aliquam eiusmodi medallorum c. acquiret sibi singulis vicibus 10. annos Indulgentiae Whosoeuer shall kisse one of these beades c. with deuotion shal haue for euery time he doth so tenne yeares of pardon 4 Habens super se vnam ex supradictis rebus orans pro conseruatione c. aut pro Rege Galliae c. particeps erit singulis diebus c. omnium sacrificiorum Ieiuniorum precum aliorum operum quae fiunt in coenobijs ac si esset membrum particulare eorum Whosoeuer hath one of them about him and praieth for the success of the Catholick Romish religion or for the K. of France shall be so oft as he doth so partaker of all the Sacrifices Prayers and Fasts and other good workes done in anie Abbie as well as if hee were a particular member of the same societie 5 Habens super se vnam ex supradictis rebus in periculo mortis in bello aut alio in loco vbi non fuerit illi commodum recitans cum contritione Domine Iesu suscipe spiritum meum c. aut proferens sanctum nomeÌ„ Iesu acquiret sibi Indulgentiam plenariam remissionem omnium suorum peccatorum tam culpae quam poenae c. Hee that hath one of these about him if hee be in danger of death or in the battell or in any place where he cannot go to confession shal with contrition but repeate these words Lord Iesus receiue my spirit or name the holy name Iesus shal haue forgiuenesse of all his sinnes and be discharged both a à poena à cuâ—pa * Sua sanctitas concedit vt valeant pro omnibus in omni loco exceptis granis ea conditione vt qui non sint Galli precentur pro Rege Regno Galliae c. Impressum Romae cum permissione superiorum c. His Holinesse graunts that these Indulgences shall be good for all men and in all places but conditionally that those that be not French-men shall praie for the King and Realme of France Except alwaies the holy Graynes for those are limited to belong onely to France and to bee good to none but onely French men Imprinted at Rome with licence c. I haue named some but not all looke for the rest in the book but in them all let it be obserued that there is not the least mention of faith in Christ nor once so much as the name of it nor anie relation to Christ nor his holy merits No these are well if they may be vnderstood and yet these men if they bee not Atheists doe knowe that all these their large promises are but winde and their Indulgences but fome and froth if there be not liuely faith and true repentance and if these be in a man then let vs see that Pope Cardinall or other Papist who dare say that hee shall not haue ful remission that neuer sawe nor touched one of thei blessed beades nor hallowed Graines Thus wee see how farre Babylon is from beeing healed in this point The twelfth and last wound concerning the first Table shal be coÌ„cerning the Sacraments both which are horribly peruerted and profaned by Romish doctrine and practice 23 The 12. wound The Popish Church baptizeth Belles First Baptisme is profanely applied not to reasonable creatures onlie men and women according to the Institution e Mat. 28. 19 but euen to vnreasonable dead creatures I will insist onely vpon one they vse to baptize bels in most points so as Christians do Children in som points with much more ceremony solemnity Bellarmâ—n is ashamed of it and would willingly hide and couer it tho he cannot cure it but if hee were not a Cardinall and a Iesuite hee would bee ashamed to cloake it with so loude a lie as he doth for saith he f Bellar. de RoÌ„
all to hell on the euening before good-Fryday p Vide Bullam Coenae inter Constitutiones PontificuÌ„ Roman pag. 883. In Constit 13. Sixti 5. Consueuerunt Rom. Pontif. praedecessores nostri c. Nos igitur vetustum solennem hunc morem sequeÌ„tes excommunicamus ana thematizamus exparte Dei omnipotentis c. quoscunque Vssitas Wiclyfitas Lutheranos Zuinglianos Calumistas omnes alios haereticos â—orumque fautores receptores libroruÌ„ lectores c. we for recompence the next day morning in euery Church chappell of this kingdom many places more pray for the conuersion saluation of him and al his sect q See one of the prayers apointed by publicke authoritie in the common prayer booke for good-Fryday and so by Gods prouidence it falleth out that our publick praier for them is the same or the next day when they haue publikely cursed vs and this is the facte of the whole Church in the publick liturgy appointed of old stil confirmed by authoritie Therefore if Christs argument be good that priuate men blessing their cursers are the children of God then sure this is not ill the church that blesseth their cursers is yâ— church of God Let them therfore stil go on in cursing if they needes wil but let theÌ„ take heed least as they loue cursing so it come vnto theÌ„ as they clothe themselues with cursing like a garment so it come into their bowels like water and like oyl into their bones r Psal 109. 17. 18 we coÌ„trariwise let vs not be wearie of well doing let vs follow that blessed Peter whom they pretend to follow but do not vnlesse it be in denying Christ whose blessed counsell is Render not euill for their euill nor curse for their curse but contrariwise blesse knowing that we are therunto called that we should be heires of blessing s 1. Pet. 3. 9 thus doing we haue Peters owne testimony against them that we are a Church of blessing a blessed Church and the Father of blessings blesse it more and more and all that seeke the peace of it Amen Thus we see generally they wished her well But what is the particular good they wished her namely her healing and conuersion We would haue healed her heere many things might be pressed I wil but point at them 1. That it is the property of a holy man to wish aboue all things the spiritual good of them with whoÌ„ he liues the wicked man seekes the spirituall hurt of men the naturall man the carnall good but the holy man their spiritual eternall good Worldly matters haue their time place in his thoughts but that that takes vp possesseth his desires is the spirituall good of them he loues namely their conuersion their repentance their saluation these things be worthie their praiers and worthy of their pains Heerin Gods children are like to God their Father who wishing good to his people crieth out Oh that there were in them not the skill to rise in this world and attaine the honours ease of this life but a heart to feare my Commaundements that so it might goe well with them and theirs t Deut. 5. 25 God wisheth no trifles to his children But oh sayth God that Israel were healed and oh sayth Israel that Babylon were healed Thus do God and good men accord in their wishes Learn thou here thy duty if thou be Gods thou wishest for and prayest for and seekest for many things for thy children and thy friends thy wife and family Thou clothest them feedest them prouidest for them else thou art worse then an Infidell and preferrest them and much more but all this is for the bodie But canst thou say from a good conscience I woulde haue healed their spirituall diseases I haue heartily wished and faithfully endeuoured their saluation This is to be a true friend a true father a worthy husband and a good wife happie they that haue such friends neere them 2. Obserue further they seeke the saluation euen of their persecutors so doth alwaies the holy man Paul was put in prison the gayler tormented his body and Paul healed and saued his soule w Act. 16. 24. to the 35. Many a sinner is made a happie man by his prisoner the Martyrs oft times by their patience their praiers holy instructions conuerted their executioners and tormentors As in the former point a holy man is like to God so herin to Christ who when Iudas and the Iewes were conspiring his destruction the same houre was ordaining the holy sacrament and establishing the meanes of their saluation x 1. Cor. 11. 23. c. Thirdly Israel liues in Babel would gladly haue her as holy as themselues wee would haue healed her It sheweth the excellency of the nature of holy things they are fire not in the flint hardly bet out but in the bosome that will not be concealed A man is not couetous of them He is indeede greedie to gaine them but not to keepe them secret and to himselfe as in worldly things wee are nay he desires and ioyes to impart them to others and it is the ioye of his heart to see others as good or better than himselfe Woulde God sayth Moses all Gods people were Prophets and Paul wished from his heart not Felix the president and Agrippa the king alone but that all that hearde him were like him not a prisoner and in bonds but in grace and goodness z Act. 26. 29 Hardly shall a man heare such voices in the world I wish others were as rich as I as high as I as learned as I as much in credit and fauor as I. No these things make men base and seruile self-louers and priuately minded but grace and holinesse is of a royall and excellent nature and inlargeth the heart wherein it is with such loue to other men as nothing more contents him that inoyeth it then to make others as good as himselfe Lastly where it is sayde they woulde haue healed the Babylonians with whom they liued see what a good neighbour a holy man is he comes he dwelles he soiournes in no place but hee seekes the good of it Lot would gladly do good in Sodom if hee can doe none at least his righteous soule shall be vexed for their sinnes a 2. Pet. 2. 8 Israel soiournes in Babel and had rather be awaie yet while they be there they will cure her if they can and if she cannot yet Babell shall therby knowe that Israel was amongst them Thus the whole shyre and parish shall fare the better by one good man dwelling among them Hee comes no where but presently hee considers what that people wants what is their disease what he may do to heal them or any way to help them he comes no where but he leaues behinde him signes of his goodnesse monuments of his holinesse and a sweet sauour of his vertues Thus euery
for them Such men might remember the blessed Apostle who kept back nothing but taught not in Courts and Palaces and great house 〈◊〉 but through euery house n Acts. 20. 20. ver 31. ver 26 and that he ceased not to w 〈…〉 euery one stood vpon it boldly that hee was cleere from the bloud of all men see not some but all and in another place expounding himselfe sayth his continuall course is to witnesse Gods will both to small and great o Act. 26. 22 He that lookes for Pauls reward at Gods hand must thus behaue himselfe to Gods people remembring his account is not for trifles but for soules and to that God who hath told vs afore hand Euery soule is mine p Ezech. 18. 4 The good father of the family must learn here not himself and his wife only but to see that his children and seruants those not some of the chiefe but all euen the meanest may know serue God Such a man was Abraham he was not carefull for Isaac alone his deere sonne the sonne of the beloued but oh sayth he to God that euen Ishmael might liue in thy sight q Gen. 17. 18 and therfore God becomes Abrahams suretie he giues his word for him I knowe Abraham that he will not looke to some of his principall officers but commaund not this sonne or that daughter but his sonnes and his family to keep the way of the Lord r Gen. 18. 19 yet in Abrahams house were 318. persons born and brought vp c. ſ Gen. 14. 14 More shame for the great men of this age both in City country who though they be great daily plot to be greater yet keepe they not so great houses and families as Abraham did in whose families many of their inferiour officers and seruants doe scarce euer come to Church and much more shame to some parents who being blessed of God with many childrē do partially respect some of them seeke their good of soule and body neglect others who it may be are more worthy what would they do if they were profane vndutiful Ishmaels when they are so vnmindful respectless euen of such as be holy dutiful Isaacs but let such children cōfort themselues in this that God their better father and best friend is no respecter of persons These are the ordinary faults of fathers and mothers in these daies but assuredly those that be heires of Abrahams faith t Gal. 3. 7 wil distribute their loue to euery one care for the soule of their meanest seruants take order in their families that all their officers euery day at least in their course may go to Church their very kitchin-boies horse-boyes may learne to knowe the God of their saluation u 1. C 〈…〉 ◠9 that so he may be able to say with a good conscience I found my family a confused Babell of disorder profaneness but I haue heartily endeuored to make it a little Church tho my family be great yet there is not one whō I would not haue healed Thus they would haue healed al but where began they whom did they desire to win first principally certainly the greatest as namely the K. Counsellers of State This course took Daniel in whō more then in any one this prophecy was fulfilled who after he had done the business for which the K. sent for him then fel he to the business of God wherof is spoken in this text namely to see if he could heal the king ô King saith he thou art a king but there is a higher know know that the heauens bear rule Wherefore ô King let my counsell be acceptable vnto thee breake of thy sinnes by repentance c. Lo let there be a healing of thine errour w Dan 4. 24. Well knew Daniel that if once the King would abandon his Idolatrie and imbrace the truth easily would the people be induced to follow him So where euer is true reformation either of errors in doctrine or corruption in manners it must begin at the highest els it will be to little purpose To little effect were it in the natural body to heale the hand and foote when the head is deadly sicke but heale the head first and then more easily the body will be cured So in the spirituall bodie how should Babel be healed when the King will not how should they become Christian when the king persists a heathen euen so in our State how shal poperie be extinguisht how shall vain swearing wantonness profaning of the Sabboth bribery and other the sins of this age be reformed in the body of the people if they be suffred to harbor in the court to creep into the Kings priuy Chamber Priuate persons will hardly be brought to esteem those to be sinnes that are the common practices of great persons Therefore wee haue cause to blesse God for giuing vs such a King as hath care of religion and who in his owne person is an enemie to poperie a detester of wantonnesse and iniustice and manie vile sinnes too commonly found in persons of his place And let vs not cease to pray that GOD would confirme him in all goodnesse and that he may still goe on with Dauid to reforme the sinnes of the greatest and them that are neerest him for when a King sayth No wicked person shall serue me nor abide in my sight then all wicked workers wil easily be destroyed out of the land x Ps 101. see the whole psalme If this had been in Babel she had been cured but the want of this was the cause of that that followeth But shee could not be healed The 2. point HItherto we haue spoken of the first generall point namely the louing and holy care of Israel They would haue cured Babell Now followes the second that is the ill issue of their labors caused by the obstinate malice of the Babylonians She wold not be healed some read she could not be healed som she is not healed all to one end for he that wil not be healed is not nay cannot be healed for God heals no man conuerts no man saues no man against his wil therfore he that wil not be healed cannot be healed and so Babel is incurable because she contemned the meane and would not be healed The godly Israelites did all they could but the Babylonians had their answere as ready as now haue the papists Think you you seely Israelites that you are able to teach Babylon a better religion then it hath is not hers of so many and so many years continuance was it not the religion our forefathers liued and dyed in and is it not generall and vniuersall ouer the world and yours but in a corner and is not ours visible and dooth it not prosper and flourish and is not yours condemned by the consent of all the world and you for holding it iustly ouerthrowen and
doctrine be such as refuse publick places in the Church and Common-wealth and retire themselues into priuate and discontented coursâ—s and will not be imployed for the publicke because they pretend the daies are euill and many sores in our bodie incurable vnlesse there bee other order taken for their healing To these men I would say but two words 1. Are the daies euill the more need haue they to be ameÌ„ded by each ones helping hand And if we haue any wounds in Church or State more cause hath each one that loues the peace and health of Ierusalem to indeuour the present healing therof least they fester and growe worse But secondly are the times euill Nay are they not made euil by thee at least are they not the worse for thee and thy sinnes Who can shew his face and saie I haue committed no sins that may be in part a cause to bring downe the spirituall and corporall plagues that are amongst vs Then what are they that are so busie to complaine of the times and so slacke to complain of their sins But it is a trick of hypocrisie to be so eagle eied in prying into the illnesse of the times so blind and dull in considering his owne sinnes the cause of all that ill Thou therfore contrariwise out of a holy and humbled heart confess that seeing thy sins haue made the times worse then els they would haue bin therfore thou hast cause to endeuor for thy part to make them better Then set thy shoulder to the burthen and put thy necke to the yoke remembring that euen Babel it selfe is not to be forsaken till it be altogether incurable past all hope But being incurable as here the text saith she is therfore saith the church Let vs forsake her And now Babel being forsakeÌ„ of the Church what remaines to be expected nothing but vengeance and destruction For her iudgement is come vp vnto heauen c. The 4. point IN these words is laid downe the last point namely what becomes of Babel when being incurable shee is forsaken by the Church she is made ready for iudgement and destruction Here we may learne amongst many others 2. most worthy doctrines First what the wicked get by persecuting and banishing and seeking to roote out Gods children surely eueÌ„ nothing but the hastening of their own destructioÌ„ The Babylonians cared not for the Israelites company but as soone as they were gone destruction came vpon Babell Whilst they stay the wicked are spared but wheÌ„ they are gone vengeance breaks out Whilst Lot was in Sodom it perished not Nay saith the Angell to him haste thee awaie for I can do nothing till thou be safe from amongst them u Gen. 19. 22 See God the good King is more carefull to saue one of his own seruants then to destroy a thousand enemies but see their madnesse they mocked and flowted this Lot scorned him as a stranger and many waies grieued his righteous soule were weary of him and his company and tryed euery waie to make him wearie of the Towne for they held it worse as long as he was in it at last they haue their wills and hee forsakes them but with him their protection is gone and now fire and brimstone falls from heauen on them So at this day do the wicked and worldly men whom hate they whom accuse they whom abuse they whom lie they in waite for whom persecute they whom would they destroie whom banish they whom are they weary of but of the godly men When they die they bid them be gone and wish that all were gone after them not knowing poor fools that if these men stood not in the gap the fire of Gods wrath had long since brokeÌ„ out vpoÌ„ them and when they are gone then they are well apayed and are glad But alas what haue they gayned euen as much as Sodom did when they had cast out Lot Secondly we may here learn what a feareful dangerous thing it is not to be healed by spiritual Physick that is not to profit by the word of God nor to bee conuerted from sinne when God giues meanes For what is this but an euident testimony of Gods heauie wrath and a certaine foreruÌ„ner of damnation Wil not BabyloÌ„ be healed then what followes but destruction So in the newe Testament if our Gospell be hid saith Paul it is hid froÌ„ them that perish w 1. Cor. 4. 3 For as if at noon day any man say the sunne shines not it is because hee is blinded and cannot see so if in the sun-shine of the Gospell some see it not but in the midst of that light liue in darknesse its certaine they are blinded by Sathan and if they continue so are marked vp for iust damnation A fearfull example we haue hereof in the sonnes of Eli of whom the Text sayth their Father hearing of all the euil they did called them and reproued them and gaue them good and ghostly counsell able a man would haue thought to haue turned their hearts especially comming from a Father and from him that was the Iudge and Prophet of the Church But all in vaine for notwithstanding they obayed not the voice of their father and mark the reason because the Lord would slay them Whereby its apparant that there is not ordinarily a surer signe of a reprobate then not to obey the voice and word of God nor to profit by those meanes that God giues a man for his conuersion A matter of speciall vse to our Church which hath so long enioyed the Gospell but to you of this Citie especially who haue long and liberally been fed from heauen with abundance and variety of spiritual food Therfore euery one looke to thy selfe how thou profitest by these good means For be assured if any congregation or particular man haue vse of the meanes profiteth not but runneth on hardned in his sinnes it is because he is a vessel of Gods wrath and prepared for damnation but contrariwise he that heareth and yeeldeth and obeieth and repenteth it is an vndoubted pledge to him of his saluation layed vp in heauen assuredly for him Therfore let euery one take heed for otherwise his lot will be like Babylons of whome we here finde that because all meanes vsed to conuert her were in vaine therefore she is now iustly destroied and remains a monument of misery and a spectacle of Gods iustice to all posterities x Read for this end the 50. and 51. Chapt. of Ieremie and other places of the Prophets Thus concerning the literall Babylon wee haue heard 1. How Israel would haue cured her 2. How she will not be healed 3. How therfore she is forsakeÌ„ of the Church And 4. How being past cure shee is therefore destroyed And hauing thus performed the first part of my task namely touching the old literall Babell it now remaines that we come to the Mysticall Babylon in and concerning whom all these 4. are as true
as in the former The Second Part touching mysticall Babylon THat which we haue heard of the literal is also true in the mystical Babylon Mystical Babylon is the spiritual kingdome of darkenesse the kingdome of Satan And this kingdom is partly temporarie which is the kingdom of Antichrist and partly permanēt and perpetuall and that is the kingdom of Sin That the kingdome of Antichrist namely the Church of Rome is mysticall Babylon I will not stand to proue seeing it is granted by Bellarmin a Bellar. de Romano pontif lib. 3. cap. 13. in resp ad argu compelled thereunto by the cleere authorities of some Fathers but especially by the euidence of the holy Text in the Reuelation where by two notable arguments it is ineuitably concluded For first if the mysticall Babylon be the Citie seated on 7. hills b Reuel 17. 9 as the Text sayth then Rome is Babylon which aboue all or anie Citie in the world is so and that not on seauen obscure or little hillocks but seauen hills famously and notoriously knowen by name c Mons Coelius Exquilinus Palatinus Viminalis Quirinalis Auentinus Capitolinus Nor is it any thing worth to say that olde Rome was indeede so seated but that now it is shrunke into the plain of Campo Martio For notwithstanding that it be true for the body of the town yet diuers publicke places where Antichrist exerciseth his authoritie and tyrannicall iurisdiction are yet to this daie on those hils as namely especially the Lateran Church and Palace which Church one of their Popes hath by Bull Charter made the head of all the Churches of the world to wit Gregory the eleuenth d Gregorius xj vide constitut pont Rom. per Pet. Mathae um inter constitut Greg. xj constit 1. p. 61 almost 250. yeares agoe and after him Pius the fourth e Vide eundem inter constitut Pij 4. constit 19. pag. 454. and of late Pius quintus f Vide eundem inter constitut Pij 5. constit 〈…〉 g. 618. 〈…〉 de eiusdē Mathaei commentaria in illam constitutionem Pij 5. pag. 621. haue by publicke constitution confirmed the same and in which Church or palace there haue been held by seuerall Popes some xxxiij prouinciall or nationall 5. generall Councells g all or most of them for the raising vp and establishing of Antichrists Throne and in which the most horrible and hainous canons were concluded against God and his Church that euer were before as to name but 2. 1. That monster of transubstantiation that the substance of breade and wine in the sacrament ceaseth and is turned into the substance of Christs bodie bloud h Vide Concil Later sub Innocentio 3. c. 1 2. That a King an hereticke not reforming himselfe and his land meaning to poperie is to be deposed by the Pope his subiects to be discharged from his obedience and his land to be giuen to Papists to whom the popes gift shall be good and effectuall i Concil idem cap. 3. This Church and palace besides many of inferior note stands to this day on the hil Coelius k Vide Onuphrium in lib. de Ecclesijs vrbis Et eundē Mathaeum in loco cirato and tho now the Pope for his pleasure hath remooued himself ouer the Riuer to the Vaticane yet in former times for many hundred yeeres as Blondus himself confesseth it was the principall seate of the Popes which appeareth also by the verses written vp down the church especially those that are grauē ouer the marble chaire which is hard by the high altar where the Pope sitteth at masse Haec est Papalis sedes pontificalis Praesidet Christi de iure vicarius isti Et quia iure datur sedes Romana vocatur Nec debet vere nisi solus Papa sedere Et quia sublimis alij subduntur in imis Thus its apparant his chief throne is vpō one of the 7. hils and it is very obseruable that howsoeuer they make their succession from Peter and that therfore in reason his Church should haue bin chief yet that God may shewe to the world that their Citie is the Whore that sitteth on seauen hilles therefore by Gods iust iudgement they are so blinded that they haue made a Church and Palace that is on one of the hils superior to that they call S. Peters and haue given it not only prioritie and precedence but euen priuiledge preheminence aboue S. Peters Another answerable reason out of the Text is That Citie saith the Text is Babylon which reigneth ouer the kingdoms of the earth l Reu. 17. 18 but Rome no other Citie at that daie long after reigned ouer the world Therfore Rome is that Babylon Seeing then the holy Text cleers it the Fathers approue it Bellarmine himselfe grants it and the Rhemists also vpon condition we will yeelde that Peter was at Rome doe willingly yeelde it m Rhemist in 1. Pet. cap. 5. therefore wee will not stand vppon further proofe And as for their distinction that Rome heathen is BABYLON but not Rome Christian I answere briefely that if heathenish Rome bee BABYLON in regard of her sinfulnesse and persecution of the Saints then this Rome is Babylon also seeing in her sinfull abhominations and cruel persecutions she is nothing inferiour to olde heathenish Rome as may bee easily prooued shewed at large if this time and place required it as hath been alreadie shewed by diuerse learned writers and in good part confessed by many of their owne Now then to goe forward touching this mysticall Babel I propound these 4. points to be considered 1. That we would haue healed her 2. That she will not be cured 3. That therfore we ought to forsake her 4. That God will take iust vengeance on her The 1. and 2. is past the 3. is in hand the fourth is sure to come its true wee would haue healed her it s most true shee is past cure I hope it shall be as true that we shall quite forsake her and the last hastens fast on her destruction is at hand and sleepes not For the first That we would haue cured the Papists we dare call the world to witnesse and appeale euen to God himselfe and this not onely desired but endeuoured it by all good means both in the daies of that renowned Q. Elizabeth of happie memorie and in the present gouernment of our Souereigne that now is The meanes we haue vsed for their healing be diuerse 1. By instructing informing them in the truth discouering their errours both by holy Scriptures and by the ancient Fathers of the best purest times Iewel Fulk Whitakers Rainolds Perkins and manie other who now sleep in Christ haue left behind them such testimonies of this truth as shall liue whilst the world lasteth and neuer can be confuted as appeares in that they haue not dared to answere most of their books to
this day Secondly our continuall praiers for them both publick and priuate in performance of which dutie both our Church in generall and all amongst vs that vse to pray for themselues haue the testimony of a good coÌ„science that they haue not failed to indeuour their healing by this means This our diligence in this duty so shamed them for their negligence in the same for vs that 4. years ago they published at Rome a forme of Litanie and publick praier for the peruerting of the Realms of Eng. and Scotland to Poperie m Vide libelluÌ„ inscriptuÌ„ Litaniae preâ—recitandae pâ— fide catholica Romana in reg nis Ang. Sco. restituenda propaganda eorundem vnitate cum eadeÌ„ Ro. eccles Romae duaci 1603 But by the waie let it be obserued that as when Cain left his frowning at his brother and began to make shew of friendship with him and entised him by fair words into the fields then he harbored the heauiest malice in his hart there slew him n Genes 4. 7 So when these men had conceiued and hatcht at Rome the pouder treason then to make vs secure and beleeue they loued vs they framed prayers for vs as tho the worst thing they wisht vs were our conuersion when as indeede they plotted the subuersion of vs all Hee that sitteth in heauen laughed both them and hel to scorn for that their deuise knoweth we haue not dealt so with them Wel if their praiers herafter come so accoÌ„panied let vs haue their curses and let their prayers turne into their owne bosomes Thirdly we haue indeuoured to heale them by our example professing and practicing our owne religion daily in their sight many of our fathers professed it openly euen in the times when they preuailed and gaue their liues in the fire for it And heerin the example of noble Queen ELIZABETH is worthie of eternall memorie whose constant zeale to the truth was such as that all her dayes they could not by their brags and treasons and curses cause her once to feare them nor by all their sleights could euer win the least estimation with her nor gaine an inch of ground in her heart nay her last Proclamation not two Moneths afore her death wounded them as deeply or rather more then euer any one before o See the proclamatioÌ„ published in Feb. before her death Fourthly and lastly wee endeuoured their healing by deuising and enacting good and wholesome lawes against their errours superstitions impyeties seditious courses somtime in iustice executing them oftentimes in great mercy suspending them thus trying all meanes that might possibly perswade or worke vpon them and in this course our State by wise foresight and discreete managing the lawes our Ministerie by instruction and confutation and all by their prayers and example did we continue to endeuor hir healing all the happie daies of Q. Elizabeth But especially dare wee call the Lord to witnesse that wee haue endeuoured her healing since the happie comming of his Maiestie to this crowne wherein all the forenamed meanes haue beene vsed and one more their errours haue beene most learnedly discouered and confuted their bookes and libells aunswered and if I may giue my iudgement of these daies the skirtes of the Romish Whore were neuer better discouered her grossest absurdities and fowlest impyeties neuer so cleerlie displayed as haue beene by the Diuines of this present age I spare their names in regarde they bee aliue and long may they liue to the happinesse of this CHVRCH And beyond all meanes then vsed and now continued his Maiestie hath vsed one more namely admirable lenitie and extraordinarie patience towardes them notwithstanding all their ill deseruings which as it was alwaies great so since the hellish powder-treason it is incredible for he whose patience is not prouoked and whose iust anger is not wakened by such an attempt sure there is somthing more then ordinarily humane in that man Neither do I think is there a King in Christendom that after such a treason would haue left one of that faction in his kingdome but onely his Maiestie Oh mirror of mercie how famously in future ages shall this princely bountie be renowned and how fit is he to be the Lords annointed and to be the Lieutenant of that God whose mercie is ouer all his workes seeing his mercie is so largely extended euen ouer his worst deseruing subiects Thus Heauen hath seene it euen the Lord himselfe will witnesse with vs that as all his Church euery where ouer the world so wee in England for our parts would gladly haue healed Babylon and haue done our full endeuour to that ende But now alas see the effect of our labours all is lost for she is Babylon and therfore past cure She wil not therfore cannot be healed Som wil say this is harsh bitter but I say it is true and therfore is not to be coÌ„cealed let her blame them that haue made her incurable and not them that discouer it and for me that affirme it I craue not to be belieued but rather to be reprooued if the euidence of the fact do not fully proue what I haue sayd To this end I will first lay downe a ground or two First that in former times there haue been great coÌ„plaints of foule deformities in the Romish Church made by men of great learning and such as either are or at least whom they say are their owne and these deformities not onely in priuate persons but in the publicke bodie not in the members only but in the heade of their Church I wil not stand to proue this it being c 48. 56. lib. 3. cap. 27. lib. 4. cap. 33 Et Bonauent in Apologet. pro Franciscanis in reg FraÌ„cisci quaest 2. 27. Et Bernardum â—â— diuersis Epistolis Eâ— Vincentium Ferrar in suo prognostico cum mult al. not the end of my purpose at this time they that look into the monuments of elder ages do knowe this to be true and whosoeuer will but looke into the Authors here in the margent named will soone acknowledge it q Reuelat. Brigittae passim maxime lib. 1. Another ground these deformities were so fowle and so apparant that the Councels of Constance and Basil and of later times that of Trent were called to this principall end for the reformation of the Church both in the head and in the members For that of Constance the Councell it selfe confesteth it in the publicke acts thereof more then once r Concil Constant ses 1 and â—â—r that of Trent howsoeuer they pretended it against Eâ—ther his doctrine yet it is confessed by a learned Bishop of their side Å¿ Espencaeus in Titum cap. 1. that it was wrought out and brought to passe at last and after much resistance for the reformation of the Romish Church euen of the Popes own Court wherin there reigned at that time many abhominable
things as one of the better sort of Popes himself freely confessed t Adrianus 6. In orat per nuntiū suum facta ad Comitia imperialia anno 1522. Vpon these grounds I proceed to lay downe 3. propositions touching the incurablenesse of Romish Babel 1. That these Councels assembled to reform and amend did contrariwise establish diuers impious errors neuer be fore decreed in the world 2. That those foule deformities in the Romish Church both in the head and members and both for doctrine and manners that were in that Church before those Councells and for the redresse whereof those councells were called did neuerthelesse and yet do continue vnreformed 3. That since then in steed of redresse and reformation of the euills then found there haue contrariwise growen vp in their Church more horrible hainous practices and more erronious and impious doctrines then euer before and at this day stand vnreproued and maintained by their Church And these three propositions being proued I hope there is none but wil confesse that the Romish Church for ought that man can see is past cure Touching the first I proue it by a fewe particulars in steed of manie and first for the Councell of Constance that Councell decreed 2. such decrees as tend rather to the ruinating of all religion and ouerthrowing all humane societie then any whit to the curing of diseases either in the one or other For first whereas it is knowen and granted that Christ at his last Supper ordaining the holy Communion did consecrate and giue it both in bread and wine and commanded his Ministers after him Doe this u See all the Euangelists S. Paul 1. Cor. 11 23. c. and tho it cannot be denied but that the primitiue antient Church did so receiue it as Christ left it yet for all that comes the Popish Councell of Constance and calls it a peruerse fashion and an ill order of those that giue their people the sacrament in both kindes and do further decree that Notwithstanding Christ ordained and the primatiue Church practiced it in both kinds yet now to say that it is necessarie to receiue it in both shall be heresie and punished as heresie that is with death and losse of lands and goods c. And howsoeuer Bellar. w Bellar. de Sacram Euch. lib. 4. cap. 26 much ashamed of the matter wil needs that the Non-obstante is not referd to the institution in both kindes but to the celebration after supper and therfore accuseth Luther and others as lyers for so reporting of the Councell yet many others of his fellows make no bones to grant it and if they all denyed it the very words themselues of the Canon are plaine inough Now thus to decree and make a Canon contrarie to the direct institution commandement of Christ what is it but to controll Christ himselfe and to weaken the certainty of all truth and religion Secondly whereas there can be no firme societie amongst men if othe◠and couenants especially made by publicke persons be of no force and therefore God himselfe would haue the Israelites oath to the Gibeonits performed thogh it was craftily extorted x Iosh 9. 19 after seuerely punished Saul in his posteritie for the breach of it y 2. Sam. 21. 1. 2. yet the Romish Councell in this latter age hath decreed that z Concil Constant sessione 19. Though the Emperour or King giue a safe conduct to one accused of heresie to come to a Councell or Disputation c. and tho he bind and confirme that safe conduct with any bonde whatsoeuer and tho he would not haue come but vpon the assurance of the safe conduct Yet hoc non obstante this notwithstanding hee may bee taken and proceeded against and burned as an hereticke without anie preiudice to the Catholicke faith c. If this bee good diuinitie that Oathes and Couenants to hereticks are of no force binde not the makers then it is in vaine for men to haue anie dealing one with another for if oathes bee once of no force in any one thing they will in time be weakened in all things Thus this Romish Councell that should haue amended hath contrariwise decreed two conclusions of monstrous impyetie and such as for ought I could euer see were neuer till then decreed nor receiued no not in the Romish Church it selfe But is this reformed since No saith a great Spanish Bishop a Simancha Institut cathol cap. 45. art 14. edit Hispan Fides data haereticis a priuato non est seruāda nec a magistratibus data seruā da est haereticis quod exemplo Concilij Constantiensis probatur nā Ioh. Huss Hieronimus eius discip legitima flāma concremati sunt quāuis promissa illis securitas fuisset more then a hundred yeares after this Councell it is so farre from beeing altered that contrariwise by the authority of this decree it is now a rule in our Church that faith made to an hereticke by a priuate man is not to bee kept no nor if it be made by a Magistrate as sayth he is prooued by the practice of the Councell of CONSTANCE Marke howe they are healed afore it was true in publique persons now it is true in priuate men also afore it might bee broaken without anie fault but nowe it may not bee kept See howe Babylon is cured But the Councell of Trent is of latter times hath not it done much good and reformed much ill Nay on the other side it hath decreed and made 2. Canons to the high disgrace of holie SCRIPTVRES and much derogating from the souereigne authority thereof which til then were neuer decreed not in the darkest times of poperie when her ignorance and superstition was without all controll As namely first b Concil Trident. sess 4 That the Apocriphall Books of Tobiah Iudith and the rest shal be held receiued of as authenticall and Canonicall authoritie as anie parts of holy Scripture whose authoritie was euer sacred This wrong was neuer offered to the holy Scriptures before neither was there euer any Popish generall Councell so presumptuous afore this of Trent that euer durst adde more books to the sacred Canon then we receiued from the Church of the old Testament Some bolde Papists say that the Florentine Councell before Trent did make them Canonicall which if it had it had bin little materiall seeing it was but a small time before Trent scarce 100. yeares but the truth is it did not and therefore Bellarmine and Coccius are more careful of their credit and wil not affirme it c Bellar tō 1. lib. de verbo dei Coccius in the sauro cathol tom 1. So that its cleere there neuer was generall Councell that made them Canonicall before Trent nor anie prouinciall but one d Concil Carthag 3. and they are not able to bring one Father that helde them so within 400. yeares after Christ nor very manie after
years y Vide Corpus Iuris Canoâ—ici iussu Gregorij 13. recognitum editum Lugduni 1591. and there stand the very same words without the least reformation in the Rubricke or title of the Chapter The decretall Epistles are numbred and reckoned amongst the canonicall Scriptures 8 The fourth wound not healed Which is the more shamefull in it self and shamelesse in the doers in as much as in the same newe edition they are forced to confesse that Augustine out of whom they cite the whole Chapter did not at all meane the Popes decretall Epistles but the holy and Canonicall Scriptures z Quae quidem sententia beati Augustini non ad decretales Ro. pontificum sed ad Canonicas sacras Scripturas referenda est Corp. Iur. CaÌ„ edit 91. in additione ad dist 19. cap. 6. and no maruell for the name of decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a faire yeere after his daies To conclude this point let wise men obserue here this point how vnwilling the Romish Church is to ameÌ„d or alter any thing especially if it concern Gods honour and not their own free-hold els why should they maintain that blasphemie in the Rubrick and title of the Chapter which in the bodie of the Chapter they condemn But well doe they know that manie a man reades the contents of books and chapters which neuer read more Therfore because the words of this title giue honour to his decretalls tho they be neuer so dishonorable to Gods holy Scriptures they are suffred to stand whereas they haue put out many things disgracefull to themselues Thus vnwilling is Babylon to be healed in any thing This doth but make them equall and that may bee thought no great wound in that Church but shall wee see a deeper and more deadly namely where the authoritie and determination of the Pope is made higher and of more respect then the holy Scriptures themselues In the same booke the XL. Distinction the Pope alleadgeth for good doctrine and canonizeth for a lawe these words taken out of one Boniface 9 The fift wound The religion of Christianitie is to bee founded rather from the Popes mouth then from the â—oly Scriptures that is from Gods mouth a Vide Decret dist 40. in appendice ad cap. 6. Et reuera taÌ„ta reuerentia apiceÌ„ praefatae Apostolicae sedis omnes suspiciunt vt nonnullam sanctorum Canonum disciplinam antiquam Christianae religionis institutionem magis ab ore praecessoris eius quà m a sacris paginis paternis traditionibus expetant Illius velle illius nolle tantum explorant vt ad eius arbitrium suam conuersationeÌ„ ipsi remittant aut intendant Haec in Corp. Iur. Canonici editionis Lugdun 91. in 4. And certainely allmen do yeelde so much respect and reuerence to the Pope of Rome and his chair that they require and seeke for much of the discipline of the holy Canons and the ancient institution of Christian religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops of that Sea then either from the holy Scriptures or the olde traditions all they care for or seek after is what hee wil and what he will not that so they may conform themselues and frame their conuersation this waie or that waie according to his will and pleasure Loe what doctrine is here the discipline nay the religion it selfe of christianitie is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at Gods mouth in the 10 The fift wound not healed holy Scriptures and all that a Christian man cares for is not what God but what the Pope will and what he wills not and according to that are they to frame theÌ„selues Is this a doctrine â—it to be inserted in the popes lawe Is this the holy and the onelie true Church that teacheth this If to be a Catholicke be to holde this and to denie this to be an heretike I am content to be an hereticke let who will bee the Catholicke but if a true Catholicke ought to holde the doctrine of the Scriptures and to depende vppon the mouth and reuealed will of GOD then woe bee to that Church and religion that reacheth wee maie rather depende on the Popes mouth then on Gods But some will say this is healed Nay alas they be so farre from that 10 The fift wound not healed that contrariwise for ought that I knowe this is not be found in the elder editions but I am sure it is in the latter and last of all set forth by speciall authoritie from the Pope from whence also I cite it at this time Thus I haue shewed First that the Pope makes his Decrees equall with the Scriptures Secondly that they are of greater authoritie then the Scriptures Is it possible to haue a worse Yes for the measure of her iniquitie will neuer be full and therefore shee goeth one steppe higher in this impietie and teacheth that the holy Scripture is so farre inferiour vnto the Popes decrees that vnless he by his authority giue them strength they are not of credit nor necessarie to be belieued Let me be of no credit nor worthy to be beleeued if I repeate not their wordes truely out of their owne booke namely their authenticall glosse vpon the Popes Decretalls where the Text of the Decretall being no more nor lesse then only one verse of the 26. Chapter of the Prouerbs the glosse that is the approued Commentarie vpoÌ„ that decretall is in these words b Vide Decretal lib. 2. tit 23 de praesumptionibus cap. 1. sicut Aduerte quod verba textus non sunt verba Papae sed Salomonis in Parabolis habentur originaliter in c. 26. Sed quia textus hic est canonizatus facit fidem inducit necessitatem sicut si editus â—uiÌ„sset a Papa quia omnia nostra facimus quibus nostraÌ„ autoritateÌ„ impertimur Glossa Obserue heere that the wordes of the Text are not the words of the Pope but of SALOMON in the Prouerbes the sixe and twentith Chapter but because that Text of SALOMONS is heere canonized by the Pope 11 The 6. wound The holy Scriptures are therefore of credit to be beleeued because they are allowed authorized by the Pope being so by him authorized they are of as much authority as if the Pope himself had been the Author of them Therefore it is of credite and implyeth necessitie of beeing belieued or it bindeth as stronglie as if it had beene pronounced or vttred by the Pope because wee make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestowe or impart our authoritie The high and holy God that is the Author of the holy Scriptures bee mercifull vnto vs in hauing anie thing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemie and graunt that wee may not anie waie communicate with their sinnes not haue fellowship with this wicked worke of darkenesse The Impietie and Atheisme that lyeth
respect These be his verie words And heere by the way obserue how ridiculous and absurd poperie is in this point for it giues greater worship to the dead image and wodden crosse then to the blessed Virgin Mary the mother of Christ of whom he concludes in the next article that shee is by no meanes to bee worshipped with latria but onely with an inferior worship called hyperdulia q Ibidem art 5. videtur quod mater Christi est adoranda latria sed coÌ„tra est c. Conclusio mater Christi cùm sit creatura rationalis non latria sed in quantu mater Dei est hyperdulia adoranda est and marke what wodden arguments are giuen for it One Shee is a reasonable creature and therefore must not be worshipped with latria Lo she must not because shee is a reasonable creature and yet the Crosse shall which is vnreasonable and dead Another A Crucifixe is like to Christ therefore it shall bee worshipped with latria r Crux Christi propter representationem adoranda est latria ibid. art 4. But is not shee liker to Christ then anie Crosse can be A third the Crosse did beare CHRIST and did touche his bodie therefore it must be worshipped with latria Å¿ Crux Christi ex coÌ„tactu ad meÌ„bra Christi quia eius fuit sanguine perfusa est adoranda latria ibid. art 4. But did not shee beare him and touche him and his blessed Bodie in a farre more excellent manner then the CROSSE eyther did or could See what pittifull arguments be heer brought to fortifie this damnable Idolatrie Who could think that so great learned Doctors should thus childishlie dally with holy things and bee so blinded in their vnderstandings but this it is to be drunke with the wine of the spirituall Babylons abhominations But to returne to the matter by these wordes of his Aquinas hath cleared that doubt and aunswered that obiection made afore that these wordes are not spoken to the Crosse or image but to Christ No sayth Aquinas they are spoken to the Crosse What can bee sayde to all this but one thing more that in the time of Aquinas it may be this was holden but since then it is reformed and now it is not so But I answere this wound is not healed for as it is thus as I haue reported in the olde copies of Aquinas both Manuscript and printed so is it also without the least alteration in the newe and later editions t Vide editionem Antuerpâ—ensem summa Aquinatis anno 1585. sequentibus reformed and purged as they pretende and printed within these fewe yeares And which is more euill whereas some thirtie yeares agoe all Aquinas was reuiewed at Rome by commaundement of Pope Pius Quintus and purged and altered u Opera omnia D. Thomae Pâ—j quintj Pont. Max. autoritate in locis plurimis tam in textu quam in commentarijs restituta sunt Romae excusa 1570. expuncta sunt varia ex eisdeÌ„ commentarijs c. Haec Posseu in apparatu sacro tom 3. lit T. as they thought good and so printed yet had not the Pope so much grace in him nor so much zeale of Christs glorie as to amend this horrible impietie but to the perpetuall blemish of Aquinas and euerlasting shame of their Romish synagogue lets it stand for good currant Catholicke doctrine euen at this daie that A Crosse to be worshipped with the same worship as Christ himselfe Yet if any will stand vpon it that this wound is healed then let him shew vs what Pope hath condemned this doctrine nay what popish Doctor approoued by their Church hath reproued this doctrine or taught and written the contrarie Which when they or any other that take their part can neuer be able to shewe I contrariwise to make it manifest to all the world that this wound is not healed but rankles deeper and spreds further will shewe out of their latest and moderne writers that this their doctrine is rather made worse then any way reformed To this end let the Reader bee pleased to marke the wordes of a great Doctor of theirs well approued amongst them w Ioh. Chrisost a visitatione Luâ—itan theologus professor CistercieÌ„siâ— scripsit libros 12. de verbis dominae hoc est quae Maria c. locuta est Venetijs 1600. Posseu apparat sacro tom 2. lit I. and a spanish professor of diuinitie for the order of the Cistercians who not 7. yeares agoe writing 2. volumes of Commentaries which he entitles de verbis Dominae Of the words of our Lady and dedicating his booke vnto the Pope himselfe CLEMENT the viij hath these words x Iohan. Chrisostomus a visitatione de verbis dominae tom 1. lib 6. cap. 7. in fine Verum de cruce cur tantum loquimur vbi nihil fuit in passione Christi quod sine suo honore remaneret Cum honore remanserunt claui lancea corona vestes huiusmodi alia Et in tali honore remanserunt vt propter Christi contactum ab hominibus adorentur sed tamen non eadeÌ„ adoratione qua ipsam crucem adoramus quam in quantum nobis representat figuram Christi in ea extensi in quantum habuit contactum ad membra in quantum etiam eius pretiosissimo sanguine fuit persusa eadem adoratione cum Christo adoramus nempe adoratione latriae propter quod etiaÌ„ ipsam Crucem alloquimur deprecamur quasi ipsum crucifixum in ipsa spem salutis ponimus vnde de illa canit Ecclesia O Crux aue spes vnica hoc passionis tempore auge pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam c. x But what doe we speak so much of the Crosse seeing seeing there is nothing vsed in the passion of Christ that is without honour the nailes the speare the coate the crowne and all such other things are honoured so much as that in regard they touched Christ men doe therefore worship them yet not with the same worship with which wee worship the Crosse it selfe which inasmuch as it represeÌ„ts vnto vs the figure of Christ extended vpon it and inasmuch as it touched the seuerall parts of his bodie and inasmuch as it was died with a good part of his most pretious bloud Wee doe therefore worship it with the same worship with which wee adore Christ himselfe namely with the worship of latria For which cause it is that we speake to the verie Crosse it selfe and praie vnto it as vnto him that was crucified on it and doe repose the hope of our saluation vpon it heerupon the Church singeth in the liturgie these words of the Crosse All haile ô Crosse our onely hope in this time of Lent do thou increase righteousnesse in good men and grant pardon to sinners c. Loe heere is a peece of refined poperie indeed we worship the Crosse sayth hee as Christ we speake to the
53. c. bee beleeued vpon his bare word So then if a Cardinall haue but the conscience to tell a lie which how small a thing it is in poperie and how manie excuses it hath who knoweth not then it is heere apparant that the vilest theefe and murderer in a countrie may easily escape the halter at Rome Now to conclude see how many helpes there be for a Murderer in Romish religion first by places then by persons priuiledged Places priuiledged be 1. a Church 2. a Churchyard 3. an hospitall 4. a Bishops house 5. a priuate Chappell all these shall deliuer a man from tryall were this so in London how should any murderer be brought to the Bar no street could he passe through but he shall finde one of these 5. places then by persons priuiledged which be first a Cardinall riding by which because it is but in fewe places therefore the second is a Priest carying the Sacrament and that is in euery towne To touch either of these doth deliuer from death a murtherer coÌ„demned by law Thus we see a bloudy Church is a defender of bloud and murther for let anie wise man consider how many thousand murders in a yeere may bee sheltred and shuffled ouer by these meanes And yet sanctuaries are but one means to cloak murther they haue many more not so fit to be stood vpon at this time but the end and effect of them all is this that poisoning stabbing killing and all kind of bloud-shedding is so rise in popish States that the better sort of themselues do bitterlie complaine of it Oleaster a spanish Inquisitor and therefore not partiall on our side hath these words r Vide Hieronimum ab Oleastro inquisitorem vlissiponens in suis CoÌ„ment in Pentat In cap. 4. Genes pag. 17. Video in quit homicidia fieri netamen video homicidas puniri sunt enim hodie mille modi excusandi homicidam quoruÌ„ vnuê° est ecclesiaÌ„ appellare Clericum se dicere statim Iudices quos volunt a summo poÌ„tifice impetrate qui eos absoluunt parua aut nulla poena imposita sic homicidia multi plicantur I see daily sayth he murders are committed but I doe not see the murderers are punished for we haue at this daie a thousand waies to excuse murderers wherof one is to appeale to the Church to say he is a Cleargie man and presently to get froÌ„ the Pope such Iudges or Commissioners as themselues will who by and by discharge and absolue them vpon a little punishment or none at all and thus murders are multiplied euerie daie c. Let these words be well obserued and what he was that spake them and if this be so so faâ—re from Rome as Portingale is theÌ„ we may easily iudge how the world goeth at Rome and neere vnto it Against all this what can be said that this Anastasius is an Author suborned by vs Nay Posseuine the Iesuite will for that answer for vs hauing canonized him in his catalogue of catholick Doctors s Possev Ies appar sac tom 1. lit A. Anastasius Germoniê° Archidiaconê° Taurinensis edidit libros de immunitatibus ecclesiasticis inter al. c. what then that he is but a triuiall fellow and of no credit nor authority Nor so for he was publicke professor of the Popes lawe at Turin in great office and authority both with Gregory the 14. and Clement the 8. t Idem Posseu ibid. Augustae Taurinorum publicè Canones interpretabatur nuper orator ad Clement 8. pro sereniss vrbini duce vtriusque Romanae signaturae referendarius and his bookes be dedicated to the Popes and Cardinalls printed at Rome with soueraigne authoritie and speciall commendation u Nay the Pope himselfe with Anastasij Germonij Ciuit Ro. Archidiaconi TaurineÌ„sis protonotarij Apostolici de sacroruÌ„ immutatibus lib. 3. ad Gregorium 14. Romae 1591. his own mouth commended the book to the Cardinals and said that the whole Clergie and the Councel of Cardinalls by name were greatly beholden to the Author for it w Vide eiusdem Anastasij Epistolam dedicat ad Gregorium 14. Pont. Max. So that it is more then impudencie for anie Papist to make question of the authoritie of his doctrine What then can be said that these sanctuaries stand indeed allowed for some faultes but not for murder If it were so the fault were lesse but the truth is otherwise For tho it be certaine and confessed by themselues that by the ciuile lawe Murderers and Rauishers and Adulterers are excepted x In §. Quod si delinquentes Authent de mand princip Yet Germonius shameth not to answere that the Ciuile lawe is corrected in this point by the Popes law and that therfore we are to stand to it y Iure Ciuili adulteri homicidae raptores ex eccl abduci possunt sed Ius Ciuile per pontificiuÌ„ hac in parte correctuÌ„ est ideo standuÌ„ est huiê° dispositioni c. sic Germoniê° de sacrorum immunitatibus lib. 3. cap. 16. art 57 c. and not to the Ciuile lawe Now who are excepted by the popes lawe only night-robbers and setters of high waies z Germonius ibid. art 56. ex Iure Canonico communi sententia but as for murderers adulterers and rauishers these finde fauor in the Popes lawe for they be Amici Curiae but theeues and robbers are not so and therfore this Germonius coÌ„cludes that tho the Scripture be plain and many Doctors yet a murderer is not to bee taken out of sanctuarie vnlesse there bee more then murder as deceit and treacherie What then may be said that this Germonius is but one Doctor and his opinion is not to be taken for a doctrine I answere his iudgement is allowed by the Pope himselfe and his opinions are fortified with consent of other popish Doctors But that we may see he walkes not alone in this waie one Stephanus Durantus writing also of late of the rites of the Romish Church deliuereth yâ— same for a general doctrin of that church tho he being a French-man is therfore the bolder and saith that neither in France nor in England they haue beene permitted by the kings with such absolute allowance as elswhere a Stephanus Durantê° de ritibê° ecclesiae catholicae Romae 91. ad Gâ—â—gor 14. vid. 1. ca. 26. art 10. Ea erat ecclesiae religio immunitas vt ad eam confugientes non liceret inde extrahere vel eis aliquam vim inferre Such saith he is the honor and immunity of Churches that malefactors flying to them may not bee taken out nor haue any violence offered them This book also is of speciall authoritie dedicated to P. Gregorie the 14. and by him accepted with speciall allowance and in a Bull or constitution of his hee affirmeth it is a worke seruing greatly for Gods glorie and the edification of Christian people and that it is approued and allowed
vntill we come to the yeere 1500. namely to this last age of all and though Posseuine malitiously conceale the name of Gualâ—er Mapes because hee is too plaine yet hee cannot denie but many whereof some he nameth d Posseu Appar sac tom 2. lit I. Iacobus lunterbeck German Carthus anno 1460. scripfiâ— auisamentum ad Papam pro reforma ione Ecclesiae c. did in all ages write to the Pope for reformation and told him plainly what would follow if hee did not reforme the Church Now what good all these men could doe and what reformation followed at last let a Pope himselfe speake one of the honestest hearts that euer had the hindrance to be a Pope Adrian the 6. the best that was these many yeeres and of whom if it bee possible of any there was expectation of some reformation in the Church for as Peter Matthew in his life confesseth hee was not so proud nor couetous as most of them are e Petr. Matthaeus in CoÌ„ment suis ad papales constitut de Adriano 6. Pauperrima familia exortus se dedit studijs doctrina morum integritate conspicuus praeter omnem expectationem Pont. Max. renuÌ„â—iatus est expectabatur Romae summa Cleri totius populi laetitia parabantur triumphi theatra sed cessare fecit in medio opere artifices Gentilium haec ostentationes non Christianorum esse insignia Ecclesiastici ordinis homines parum decere ratus How he found the Romish Church when he came to it and how he left it at his sudden taking from it iudge by his owne pitifull and passionate speech which he commanded his Nuntio to deliuer from him and in his name to the assembly of the States of Germanie in their Imperiall Parliament about the yeere 1522. These bee his words as Espencaeus a learned Bishop of their owne reporteth Tell them from vs that we freely confesse God hath sent this trouble and affliction vpon the Church for the sins of men and especiallie of Priests and Prelates from whose sinnes the Scriptures are plaine bee deriued the sinnes of the people therefore our Sauiour about to heale and reforme Ierusalem a diseased citie first enters into the Temple that first of all he may correct the sinnes of the Clergie especially concerning buying and selling herein playing the good Physition who begins to heale a wound at the roote and bottome Wee know that for many yeeres there haue been many abominations euen in this holy Apostolike seate abuses in the cariage of matters spirituall excessiue enormities in our commandements and in a word all things turned topsie turuie and from ill to worse and no maruell if the disease grow froÌ„ the head into the meÌ„bers that is froÌ„ the Popes into common persons I confesse all we that is all Prelates of the Clergie haue gone out of the way each one into our own waies neither hath there been of a long time any that did good therefore there is good reason that wee all giue glorie to God and humble our selues euen our soules vnto him let each one of vs remember whence wee are fallen and rather iudge our selues then stand to be iudged of God in his wrath and furie Wherein for our parts make promise in our name that wee will giue all diligence that first of all this our Court of Rome may be reformed from which it is likely all this mischiefe hath proceeded that so health and reformation may begin there to the good example of all whence the corruption first bred and spred to the ill example and hurt of all To the furtherance and effecting of which happie reformation wee hold our selues so much the more straitly tied by how much the more earnestly wee see the whole world to expect and desire it Dices quòd Deus hanc persecutionem Ecclesiae suae inferri permittit propter hominuÌ„ peccata sacerdotuÌ„ maximè ac praelatorum à quoruÌ„ peccatis populi peccata deriuari scripturae clamant Ideoque saluator interprete Chrysostomo curaturus infirmaÌ„ ciuitateÌ„ Ierusalem prius templum ingressus est vt sacerdotum peccata ementium inprimis vendentium primò castigaret instar boni medici morbum à radice curantis Scimus in sancta sede aliquot iam annis multa abominanda fuisse abusus in spiritualibus excessus in mandatis omnia denique in peruersum mutata nec mirum si aegritudo à capite in membra à summis pontificibus in alios descenderit Omnes nos id est praelati Ecclesiastici declinauimus vnusquisque in vias suas nec fuit iamdiu qui bonum faceret vnde necesse est vt omnes demus gloriam deo humiliemus ei animas nostras videamus vnusquisque vnde ceciderit se potius quisque iudicet quà m à Deo in virga furoris iudicari velit Qua in re quod ad nos attinet polliceberis nos omnem operam adhibituros vt haec primuÌ„ Curia vnde forte malum hoc omne processit reformetur vt sicut in omnes inde corruptio emanauit sic ab eadem etiam sede sanitas omnium emanet reformatio Ad quod procuranduÌ„ nos tanto arctius obligatos reputamus quaÌ„to mundum vniuersuâ— huiusmodi reformationem auidius desiderare videmus Haec apud Espencaeum in Comment in Titum cap. 1. pag. 69. 70. These were the words of this good man too good to bee a Pope at least too good to be long a Pope for after that he had so much forgot himself and his Papall dignitie and the honour of his Apostolicall seate which cannot erre nor doe amisse as he like a foole confessed as to grant that not the Church alone but the holy Court of Rome did need reformation forthwith there was order taken that hee should not trouble the world nor disgrace his place any longer for shortly after he died for his sake they prouided that their seate should neuer be so farre abused and abased againe by any plaine hearted Northren man making sure from that day to this that the Popedom should not be trusted out of the hands of an Italian lest he should euer haue a thought of reformation For what followed after all this Was there any reformation in the Romish Church were any of the euils and diseases confessed by Adrian redressed I had rather Espencaeus their own Bishop should tell then I which because he doth very largely I will contract it into a compendium and hope that some will take paines to put all that wise and learned discourse of his into our vulgar tongue the rather for that it coÌ„taineth much matter of great moment yet not vulgarly knowne to this day Meane time the effect of it is this f Legatur Espencaeus in Comment ad Titum cap. 1. â— pag. 65. ad 91. That after all Christendome had complained of the enormous and intolerable grieuances sustained from the Pope and his Court of Rome al which and more the
good Pope Adrian had confessed but was taken away lest hee had redressed and after at their motion he had intended a Councell should be called for reformation all this determined by his death His successor Clement the 7. was not so idle to hearken to such toyes nor giue way to such innouations hee would haue no Councell he saw no cause of reformation But from his successor Paul the 3. plaine necessitie did wring out an vnwilling consent and so after many difficulties the Councell of Trent was called wherein first of all this point of reformation was so vrged that a Committe was chosen of nine principall Diuines some of them Cardinals to consider what reformation was requisite in the Church who after mature deliberation plainly told the Pope that all these euils proceeded from the abuses raigning in the Court of Rome and concluding something for reformation of pluralities one only abuse the Pope did so interpret it and alter it when it came to him as it did no good but hurt He then dying and the Councell being intermitted was set on foote again by his successor Iulius the 3 who also confessed there were innumerable abuses in administring the Sacraments but when it came to reforme them in stead thereof hee suspended the Councell though many Bishops that desired reformation did protest against it affirming confidently that they had not as yet dispatched one of the businesses for which they had assembled but the Pope preuailed and so for tenne yeeres it was discontinued And at last being againe assembled by Pius the 4. he made shew hee would referre the whole matter of reformation to the Fathers of the Councell but when it came to trial it was with a prouiso that first they should not meddle with the Court of Rome secondly that in their reformation laid vpon other persons and places they should alwaies enact it thus Sauing alwaies holy and vntouched the Authoritie of the Apostolical sea for which their courtesie to him his seate he afterward gaue them thankes in an oration in the Consistorie at Rome assuring them but it was in the word of a Pope that he would be more rigide and seuere in purging his owne Court and house and offices then they would haue bin With these good words the Pope dissolued the Councell But froÌ„ that day to this saith this Bishop through these so many yeeres nothing is done nothing is changed nothing is amended in the Church and no maruell saith he for nothing haue they amended in Rome vnder their owne nose where they might reforme any thing if they had conscience and will to doe it So that now seeing all is finally referred and reserued to the Pope there is saith he no more hope of any reformation left nor any thing else remaines but to see one miserie after another fall vpon the Apostolicall seate and the whole Church These and many more words to this purpose hath this wise and learned Bishop Out of all which I conclude therefore 30. or 40. yeeres agoe in the daies of Espencaeus the Church of Rome being found and confessed to be most fearefully corrupt is not healed nor reformed nay that all hope of reformation is now taken away Since which time I shall thanke him that will shew me that there hath been any publike and generall reformation of the notorious abuses in that Church prouided hee prooue it out of as good records and with as faire euidence as I haue done the contrary which as I should reioyce in my heart once to behold so till For as for the third point I haue vndertaken namelie that in stead of being healed and reformed there haue contrariwise growne vp in the Romish Church more horrible and haynous practises more erroneous and 〈…〉 us do 〈…〉 〈…〉 hen e 〈…〉 〈…〉 re were knâ—â—vne or heard of and at this day stand maintained at least vnreproued by their Church This I say I must be constrained to referre to a peculiar Treatise by it selfe then I must needes with griefe of heart conclude that The Romish Church is that Babylon that will not bee healed And wil she not what then remaines but as our text leades vs Let vs forsake her But how not in loue or affection let vs neuer cease to wish to her as to our owne soules nor let vs cease to pray for her publikely and priuately yea let vs blesse her when she curseth vs. But let vs as we haue well begun proceed to separate our selues from her societie and emptie our Church and kingdome of her and hers And if they say we be schismatikes for separating from her we answere nay she is the schismatike that hath separated her selfe from Christ Now therefore you honourable Magistrates and Iudges of this nation set your shoulders to the worke of your God rouse vp your spirits to execute the good lawes your selues and your forefathers haue enacted our lawes are enowe and good enough they want nothing but execution and that belongs to you vnto which dutie wee of the Ministerie do exhort you in the Lord execute our lawes against theÌ„ yet rather against Poperie then the Papists remember the blessed promise in the Psalme though it was spoken of literall Babylon it hath a mysticall and true relation to spirituall Babylon O Psal 137. 8. 9. daughter of Babylon worthie to be destroyed happie shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs yea blessed shal he be that taketh thy young childreÌ„ dasheth theÌ„ against the stones Oh pul this blessing on your heads kill her infants that is her errors impieties superstitions blasphemies idolatries equiuocations treasons c. these be her Impes her naturall brood but they are now of more age and growne to greatnes the more danger is there of them and more cause to kill them which if you doe with diligence and discretion you see you draw a blessing from heauen vpon your selues If you do not you do for a time maintaine prickes in your eyes and thornes in your sides and your negligence will prouoke the great and iust Lord to take the matter into his owne hands which as he hath alreadie not onely threatned but begun so he will though he deferre it till his owne time bring it to full execution For her iudgement is come vp into heauen and lifted vp to the clouds And then when she hath drunke vp the dregges of the cup of Gods wrath and by the breath of his mouth is fearefully confounded then I say shall all her Merchants and all her louers whereof we haue too many that lurke amongst vs and euen some that notwithstanding will needs be of vs bee ashamed for their louing of her whom they see God hated and for their labouring so basely to couer her filthie skirts which he would haue to her shame discouered to the view of the world and then shall they shrinke to beaâ—e a part of her punishment which so much delighted to wallow with her in
her pollution Therefore let the holy Ghost make the conclusion and giue vs our last lesson Go out of her Reuel 18. 4. my people and be not partakers of her sinnes lest you receiue of her plagues From both which good Lord deliuer vs. Amen And thus much for the kingdome of Antichrist There is also another mysticall Babylon and that is the kingdome of sinne the throne whereof is in this world for hell is the place of execution rather then of sinning of this also is this text verified for we do naturally without grace so loue this world that though we find it miserable and confused yet by our sensualitie and daily deuising and practising new pleasures we endeuour to heale it and to make it a paradise and they that are bewitched with it would here set vp their rests But when all is done that can be it cannot be healed but it is still a very Babel of confusion and disorder a miserable world a vale of teares and a sea of trouble and turmoile to whosoeuer hath the sweetest portion of it Therefore though we be in it yet let vs vse it as though wee 1. Cor 7. 31. vsed it not let vs not set our hearts vpon but let vs forsake it and goe euery one to his owne countrie that is to our blessed inheritance the kingdome of heauen that is a Christian mans countrie for as for this world her sinnes are so vile that her iudgement is gone vp vnto heauen and God will assuredly destroy it But there is a better world euen an inheritance immortall 1. Pet. 1. 4. vndefiled that fadeth not which is reserued in heauen for vs hereof wee are borne heires by grace in Christ Therefore forsaking the wicked Babylon of this world in our hearts and affections seeing it is past cure let vs aspire after that and long to haue our parts in it Now there are also besides these two great Babels certaine other little pettie Babylons namely incurable sinnes amongst vs which are Babels or at least daughters of Babylon and sprigs of that cursed roote As 1. That great sacriledge and Church-robbing committed by Impropriations in which case at this day almost halfe of this kingdome is whereby it comes to passe aboue any other one meanes that an ignorant and vnteaching Ministerie is set ouer a great part of our people which is the sourse fountaine of all other euils in our Church this is a deep wound yet once was it curable enough namely when the Abbies were first dissolued and since was it curable enough but now alas how incurable it is and by the craftie plots of the diuell how incurable it is made more and more hee obserues but little that sees not Oh happie he that can say in his conscience I would haue cured this daughter of Babel and happie also hee though not so much that hath had no hand in making this wound incurable such plots and deuices arise out of hell and heauen will confound them though the earth for a time beare the burthen of them Meane time vnlesse the Kings Maiestie vouchsafe to take the matter into his hands and to heale the wounds that he neuer made otherwise it is incurable or as the Kings euill to be healed by none but by a King till then wee may say with griefe of heart It is an impe of Babylon that will not be healed 2. The vngodly Playes and Enterludes so rife in this nation what are they but a bastard of Babylon a daughter of error and confusion a hellish deuice the diuels owne recreation to mock at holy things by him deliuered to the Heathen from them to the Papists and from them to vs Of this euill and plague the Church of God in all ages can say truly and with a good conscience wee would haue healed her The ancient Fathers in the time of the Primitiue Church spared no paines to discouer the vilenesse and vnlawfulnes of them g 〈…〉 tullian Cyprian Chrysostome c. in these latter daies many holy and learned men haue laboured by preaching writing and conferring to haue healed them and neuer was there Diuine of note and learning that I know that durst so farre prostitute his credite as to write for them They know all this and that God accounts it abomination for a man to Deut. 22. 5. put on womans apparell and that the ancient Fathers expound that place against them h Cyprian Chrysost Sexta Synod in Trull Can. 62. they know that Cyprian resolued being asked the question i Cyprian in Epistola 61. Oh that all Players would reade that Epistle and regard it that a Player ought not to come to the Lords table and that hee that teacheth children to play is not an instructor but a spoiler and destroyer of children they know they haue no calling but are in the State like warts on the hand or blemishes in the face they know that therefore they are faine to shroud themselues vnder such shelters as at the houre of death and day of iudgement will proue but figge leaues they know they are defended with the same arguments as the stewes in Rome bee and little better defence can be made for them being as they are All this they are daily made to know but all in vaine they be children of Babylon that will not bee healed nay they grow worse and worse for now they bring religion and holy things vpon the stage no maruel though the worthiest and mightiest men escape not when God himselfe is so abused Two hypocrites must be brought foorth and how shall they be described but by these names Nicolas S. Antlings In a Church in London euerie day in the weeke prayers and a Sermon at sixe 〈…〉 e in the 〈…〉 ning a â—â—â—ssed and rare example Simon S. Maryoueries Thus hypocrisie a child of hell must beare the names of two Churches of God and two wherein Gods name is called on publikely euery day in the yeere and in one of them his blessed word preached euerie day an example scarce matchable in the world yet these two wherin Gods name is thus glorified and our Church and State honoured shall bee by these miscreants thus dishonoured and that not on the stage only but euen in print Oh what times are wee cast into that such a wickednesse should passe vnpunished I speake nothing of their continuall prophanenesse in their phrases and sometime Atheisme and blaphemie nor of their continuall prophaning of the Sabbath which generally in the countrie is their play day and oftentimes Gods diuine seruice hindred or cut shorter to make roome and giue time for the diuels seruice Are they thus incurable then happie hee that puts to his hand to pull downe this tower of Babel this daughter of confusion happie he that helpes to heale this wound in our State but most happie that Magistrate who like zealous Phinehes takes some iust vengeance on that publike dishonour laid vpon our Churches But if we be negligent in this cause of God then hee himselfe will take the matter into his owne hand whose Church whose religion whose holy ordinances and most holie name are daily prophaned by them for as their iniquities are hainous and their basphemies against heauen so doubtlesse their iudgement is gone vp vnto heauen and lifted vp vnto the cloudes So wishing their repentance I proceed 3. The horrible abuse of the Sabbath day in this citie and ouer this kingdome in some places by Faires and Markets by May-games and Moricedencers by Wakes and Feasts in all places almost by buying selling bargaining in this citie by cariages in and out by selling betimes in the morning and after dinner by playing in the streetes and in the fields Oft hath this bin complained of and some haue endeuoured to heale it but it is an Impe of Babylon that will not be healed but rather it creepes as a canker thorow our whole State from the foot to the head But let vs take heed for it will eate out the heart and life of a State euen this one sinne Did not our fathers Ierem. 17. thus saith noble Nehemiah and therfore God brought Nehem. vlt. all this euill vpon vs See captiuitie destruction and desolation of a goodly and flourishing setled kingdome for the publike prophaning of the Sabbath O therfore happy he that puts to his helping hands to heale this wound which yet is curable enough if we would do our duties for the Commandement The fourth CoÌ„mandement is thou all within thy gates keep my Sabbath Now who is there within this Realme but is within the gates of the Kings house who within this Citie but within the gates of the L. Maior who any where but is of some mans familie and within some mans gates If then Fathers and Magistrates would looke to all within their gates this sinne could not bee so grieuous this wound not so wide and desperate as it is Therefore you my L. Maior bee exhorted to attempt the healing of this wound in your yeare set before your eyes the noble example of worthie Nehemiah it will excite you to this holy dutie and Nehem. then at the end of your yeare you may with the comfort of a good conscience say with him Remember Nehem. vlâ— 19 me O my God in goodnesse according to all that I haue done for this people But if wee still neglect this cause of God and suffer his Sabbath daily thus to be prophaned then let vs look for nothing but continuance and increase of these grieuous plagues that haue so long lien vpon vs and let vs be assured God will take the matter into his owne hands and some way or other get himself glorie vpon vs for he will lose his honor at no mans hand but whosoeuer will not glorifie him in his conuersion he will glorifie his owne name vpon him in his confusion which heauie iudgement that God may turne from vs let vs turne to him c. FINIS