shew in those wordes I answere it is to be said that one thing may be said to be before another two waies Tho. Aq. 22. q. 4. ar 7. one way of it selfe another way by accident and of it selfe faith is the first of all other vertues for as in things agible and to be done the end is the beginning as is abouesaid it is behoofefull that the Theologicall vertues which haue the last end for their obiect be the first and take place of other vertues and for the last end it selfe it is behoofefull that first it be in the vnderstanding then in the will because the will is not carried vpon any thing but as it is apprehended in the vnderstanding therefore for that the last end is in the will by hope and charitie and in the vnderstanding by faith Tho. Aqu. 12. q. 34. art 4. ad princip art q. 13. art 3. it is behoofefull that faith be the first of all vertues because naturall vnderstanding cannot reach vnto God as he is the obiect of blisse in which sort hope and charitie aymeth vnto him yet accidentally another vertue may be before faith for the cause which is accidentally is accidentally the first Now to remoue the impediment appertaineth to that cause which is accidentally as it is manifest by the Philosopher accordingly Aristoteles in 8. Phisuli 8. text 32. to 2. whereunto some vertues may bee said accidentally to be before faith in how much they remoue the impediments of beleeuing as fortitude remoueth inordinate feare hindering faith humilitie pride by which the vnderstanding refuseth to submit it selfe to the truth of faith and the same may be said of some other vertues although they be not truly vertues vnlesse faith be presupposed Augustin contra Iouinianum l. 4. cap. 3 tom 7. as it appeareth by Saint Augustine in his booke against Iouinian Hence it appeareth by this Doctor that if faith be wanting no Christian can haue that reuealed knowledge which necessarily for his saluation hee is bound to haue and therefore I incessantly laboured to finde out the assurednesse of this faith and the more that I thought how I might finde out this faith so necessarie to saluation it pleased God to suffer me to proceede in my search for some infallible rule by which I might measure without danger of mistaking the true faith of Christ and thereby be most comfortably led as with the fierie pillar like the Israelites by night through the wildernesse of this world Exo. 13. vers 22. vnto the most desired land of euerlasting happinesse and securitie where that promise of God made by the mouth of his Prophet may be verified of vs Esay 32. vers 18 My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places CHAP. VI. Containing the fourth fundamentall obseruation about the rule and straight mete-wand of the true Christian faith BEing thus arriued by Gods grace to discouer and rightly to obserue how important a thing it is to build vpon this foundation of true faith The true Canonicall Scriptures the chief rule of faith without which all the building of our soules would be but weake and soone fall to ruine I felt my selfe most forcibly moued by Gods Spirit with all humilitie and diligence to search out the most straight rule where no crookednesse should appeare with the which I might so truly measure out the right faith and true Church of God which Saint Paul calleth the Piller and firmament of truth In the desire whereof occurred vnto my memorie the Angell that talked with Saint Iohn Apocal. 21. vers 15. hauing a golden reed in his hand to measure the spirituall Hierusalem with all the gates the walles the foundations and all the parts of that great citie wishing that it would please God to bestow vpon me such a golden reed wherewith I might measure out the true faith and Church of God that all that are crooked in faith and misproportioned in their liues might find out the truth and be in the number of those of whom the Psalmist saith Psalme 32.11 Laetamini in domino exultate insti gloriamini omnes recti corde Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and bee ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart Whereupon I began to reflect vpon the chiefest rules spoken of either by the Church of Rome or other Churches pretending reformation and examining with a great desire of truth whether visibilitie and continuance of personall succession of Bishops in any Church or whether the Popes sole iudgement and definitiue sentence either with a Councell or tanquam ex Cathedra without a Councell or whether vnwritten traditions or whether the written word and facred Scriptures could be vnto me a straight rule of true faith and of the true Church of Christ me thought I found by all probable euidences and allowed testimonies that only and principally the written word of God I meane the true canonicall Scriptures could be the golden rod and straight mete-wand wherewith the true proportion and frame of Christian faith could bee measured in so much that me thought I might well say to my inexplicable comfort and to the honor of God as that high soaring Eagle Saint Iohn said Apoc. 11. vers 1. There was giuen me a reed like vnto a rod and it was said vnto mee rise and mete the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 2 But heere thou wilt say gentle Reader that this is but an imagined golden reed Obiections against Scripture as the chiefe or certaine rule and that this is but as crooked a measure as any other in respect of the many difficult places of Scripture which tire out the braines of the most learned as also in regard of the diuersitie of iudgements that is found about the sence of Scriptures for that the translations hauing been diuers it is hard for any man to iudge which is the truest but all these mists of but apparent reasons will easily be disperst if thou wilt please but heedily to peruse the proofes and authorities I bring for this my sure and strongest fundamentall obseruation I know onely but three kinds of strong arguments that may be produced for any veritie as namely the sacred Scriptures the authoritie of the learned and the force of natural reasons all which three do proclaime with a loud voice vnto vs that the written word is the most certain sufficient and infallible rule of faith that we can haue in this world and consequently the true golden mete-wand of Gods eternall truth and all Christian reuealed verities 3 This haue I gathered first out of the Scriptures By proofe of Scripture Esay 8.20 for I find in Esay the Prophet that we must repaire to the Law and to the testimonie if any speake not according to that word Prou. 2. vers 1. Prou. 2. vers 9. there is no light in them I
of the Church of Rome when they came to the Church of England they prooued dissolute of life most licentious in their conuersations whereas such as went from the Church of England to the church of Rome though they were neuer so disorderly before they afterward were reformed in their conuersations and most religiously exemplar in their behauiours Now therefore to shew that this obseruation proueth not alwayes so and that those of the English Church might not bee deceiued with this illusion of the Diuell you may from me take notice that it hath pleased almighty God heretofore to cōuert diuerse who haue liued with good fame in the Church of England and of late one master Richard Sheldon whose both learning vertuous conuersation euen in the Church of Rome hath beene such as is vnimpeachable by any of his Aduersaries as farre forth as euer I could heare and so still manifesteth as much in religious zeale to the Church of England and for mine owne part I can boldly say that I find as good curbes by the Doctrine of the Church of England to keepe men from sinne as in the Church of Rome by vertue whereof I doubt not but with Gods assistance I shall liue to serue him in this Church with lesse sinne than euer I could haue done in the Church of Rome 4 Thirdly I must giue you further notice that it is a thing wel knowne that there are in this realme many dissembling Protestants which outwardly doe all the acts of Religion belonging to this Church of England either to stay in their places in the common-wealth or to anoyde their penall lawes and yet in their hearts are resolued beleeuers of the Roman Faith egregiously dissembling both with God and men and practising most notorious equiuocation aswell in matters of faith as manners who will not sticke to take oathes receiue Sacraments go to Church and commit many a like act directly against their consciences perswasion which according to Saint Paul is sinne Rom. 14. vers 23 nay I dare affirme that it is a hainous mortall sinne approaching neare to that sinne against which Christ himselfe pronounceth a dangerous threatning ful of terror to any considerat heart saying That he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen Luc. 12. vers 10. neither in this world neither in the world to come Whence it may appeare that such men as they are most treacherous to God so may it be probably thought they cannot be loyall vnto men and therefore are they to bee held the most dangerous men that can be in any Common-wealth preferring the glorie of men before the glorie of God which being a thing much practised by some affected to the Church of Rome I haue beene the more willing both for their better information to publish these my obseruations as also to giue satisfaction to the Church of England concerning my selfe who am I thanke God most free from so hatefull a crime odious both to God and man 5. Fourthly I am further to let you vnderstand that my intention in these my Obseruations being more for the instruction of the Professors of the Church of Rome than for those of the Church of England who stand in no neede of so meane a scholler as my selfe I haue cited often the Authors of that Church euen against themselues thinking no way better to confute their Doctrines than by their owne grounds and their owne Teachers And although I handle not all points controuersed betwixt Rome and the reformed Churches at this day yet doe I so entreat of the chiefest points of Practise and Doctrine that all those being discouered to be but erronious and nouell and such as cannot stand with the true grounds of Christianitie I thinke there is no man of sound iudgement can thinke I had iust cause to stay any longer in that Church or that themselues can be partakers of Saluation remaining in the same 6. Fifthly my further desire is that thou who vouchsafest to be the Reader of these my vnpolished lines wilt with as fauourable a minde entertaine them for thy profit as I out of charitable affection to Gods seruants doe most freely publish them to the world desiring Almightie God to giue thee grace to reade them with due attention and to ruminate vpon them with mature deliberation laying aside all partialitie in thy censures or inordinate desire of any curious nouelties my resolution in the writing of them being more for the profit and spirituall good of others than for any purchase either of praise or estimation to my selfe desiring that the naked truth set forth without any colours of art or elocution may shew it owne power and force to preuaile against falshood And so wishing you all happinesse both temporall and eternall I leaue thee to the protection on of Almightie God Yours zealously affected in Christ Iesus I. C. A table of all the matters contained in this booke of Doctrinall and Morall Obseruations CHAP. I. COntaineth the first obseruation shewing the reasons of this Treatise Fol. 1. Chap. 2. Containeth an obseruation of Gods prouidence in ministring occasions of times places and persons concurring to the Authours conuersion Fol. 15. Chap. 3. Containeth the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse Fol. 26. Chap. 4. Containeth the second fundamentall obseruation of the supernaturall and reuealed knowledge which is necessarie to saluation Fol. 30. Chap. 5. Containeth the third fundamentall obseruation about the absolute necessitie of supernaturall faith Fol. 34. Chap. 6. Containeth the fourth fundamentall obseruation about the rule and straight mete-wand of the true Christian Faith Fol. 38. Chap. 7. Containeth the fift fundamentall obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible externall gouernement Fol. 52. Chap. 8. Containeth the sixt fundamentall obseruation how that conformitie of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the primitiue Church may be a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ Fol. 55. Chap. 9. Containeth an obseruation of the wonders and supposed Miracles which as Christ hath fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and false Prophets shall doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible Fol. 72. Chap. 10. Containeth an obseruation of the great hypocrisie of false teachers fore-spoken of in the holy Scriptures Fol. 100. Chap. 11. Containeth an obseruation of the fruits by which false Prophets are to be knowne and discerned Fol. 113. Chap. 12. Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion that can be done to God Fol. 133. Chap. 13. Containeth an obseruation about the doctrine of Transubstantiation which is a principall noueltie taught in the Church of Rome Fol. 160. Chap. 14. Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrament ministred but vnder one kind to Lay-people in the Church
is in me as the Apostle prescribeth Hauing I say beene made partaker of this benefit onely through Gods working in my soule as I can doe no lesse in the dutie of gratitude than to manifest the same vnto you so must it be a part of my care not onely to acknowledge the same my selfe but to be an occasion that others may partake of the like blessing with me who liue blinded with the same vaile of errors and hereticall inuentions as I did till it pleased God to draw away that darke curtaine of implicite faith viz. that the Romane Church is the true Church of God from mine eyes and to giue me grace clearely to behold the explicite nouelties strongly and cunningly maintained therein which enforceth me now to make the confession of my faith saying no longer the Creede of Rome made by the Pope and recorded in the Councell of Trent but with his Maiestie Praemonit fol 35. I am such a Catholike Christian as beleeueth the three Creedes that of the Apostles that of the Councell of Nice and that of Athanasius c. I also acknowledge for Orthodox all those other formes of Creedes that either were deuised by Councels or particular Fathers against such particular Heresies as most raigned in their times I reuerence and admit the foure first generall Councels as Catholike and Orthodox c. I also concerning the Fathers hold as his Maiestie doth the Scriptures also I beleeue as for the Apocripha I hold them in the same account that the Ancients did c. And so of the other points of doctrine according to the most iudicious profession which his Highnesse in the Church of England maketh doe I beleeue 4 Here at I know gentle Reader thou maiest much maruaile God the cause of my conuersion that I who was borne of such parents as professed the Romane faith and lost much of their temporall estate diuers yeares together for the same who haue beene trained vp therein from my youth who haue practised the function of my Priesthood these nine yeares according to the fashion of that Church who haue beene readie and prompt in ministring their Sacraments in preaching their Doctrine in offering their Sacrifices who dedicated my life and labors most willingly for the aduancement of that faith who am allied to diuers of the better sort of England professing that religion who was befriended of many and to my knowledge hated of none should quit alliance with that Church and take acquaintance with this of England where I haue scarce any acquaintance at all What should cause such a change I answer thee gentle Reader that my desire is thou shouldest be rightly informed assured thereof then say with me as I say most sincerely with inexplicable ioy to mine own soule This is a change of the right hand of the highest Psal 76. vers 11. And for this cause doe I here present vnto you the obseruations both of doctrine manners which haue caused this my vnexpected change and heauenly metamorphosis not engendred by anie wauering disposition or inordinate passion too often seene in trouble some times but begun and effected with mature and ripe deliberation reason and knowledge most orderly drawing the chariot of my will and affections vnto the loue of truth and dislike of falsehood and therefore a worke as I hope wrought by the onely strong hand of God long inuiting and leading my soule hereunto and often displaying the bright beames of his extraordinarie grace most efficaciously enforcing me thereunto after many great conflicts and combats within my selfe in which conuersion of mine though some reioyce yet others out of rash iudgement and indiscreet passion and their implacable hatred to the Church of England ioyned with extreame ignorance and that by the deceitfull ground of their implicite faith and beliefe of whatsoeuer the Church of Rome teacheth not considering the defection and Apostasie of faith foretold by our Sauiour himselfe in the Scriptures vnder the parable of cockle and tares Matth. 13. vers 25. of heresies and nouelties ouersowed by the enemie man after the sowing of the good seed when all were asleepe doe labour by all meanes to obscure and endarken with vntrue reports and most vnconscionable calumniations some giuing oute that I was euer of a presumptuous spirit but they are such as haue against all conscience and good nature most vnnaturally wronged mee as diuers of the best Papists haue heretofore iudged and can yet witnesse Others that I am bereaued of my right wits and assuredly distracted in minde but they I presume are such as either know me not or else such as thinke there can be no greater madnes than to forsake the Church of Rome out of a misconceited persuasion they haue that truth is on their side whereof they haue such a preiudicate opinion without knowledge that they will not sticke to say that should they abandon the Romane faith they would sooner become Turkes than Protestants Others that I am drawne either by the desire of worldly libertie and preferments or by some carnall allurements to performe the will and desires of the flesh against all which vnchristian suggestions although I could in respect of my selfe with the buckler and safegard of patience and silence possesse mine owne soule in quietnesse and comfort knowing that the greatest temporall happinesse of a Christian is the testimonie of a good conscience yet notwithstanding for that my conscience giueth euidence that by them Gods singular mercie and prouidence most clearely shining in my conuersion should be eclipsed and his glorie most iniuriously wronged and many ouer-credulous spirits too too much abused I can doe no lesse in my thankfull dutie for so singular a receiued benefit than to illustrate the same to the eyes of the world that all seeing it Gods holy name may be glorified herein and others that walke awry be inuited and edified by my example which I cannot better performe then by giuing publike testimonie to the world in writing of the true occasions meanes and motiues of my conuersion as by these my doctrinall and morall obseruations I trust through Gods grace I shall performe 5 The truth is and I cannot denie it The difficulties of my conuersion that this my change and conuersion from the faith of Rome to the faith of England was euen beset with manifold difficulties oppositions barres and obstacles long hindering delaying this worke which consisting of the inward act of resolution in the soule strengthened by Gods especiall grace with comfort Tho. Aq. 12. q. Cxiij art 7. at length was performed in an instant For first it is wel knowne I was armed against it by my continuall education and example of my parents in the doctrine and practise of the Romane faith which I was persuaded to haue been Catholike Education one let euen from my first yeares of vnderstanding for common experience sheweth that of the Poet to be most true Quo semel est
light to deceiue my soule withall and so I confessed them as ordinarie temptations against faith till at length with a more powerfull light it pleased the true Sonne of iustice and God of glorie to enlighten my vnderstanding in such sort that all the clouds of error and endarkened affections were dispersed like mist before the Sunne what before I held to be hereticall I approued to be most Catholike what before was falsehood was now truth what before was darknesse was now light I found my selfe suddainely in my meditations vpon the grounds of true faith and beleefe like S. Paul enuironed not with a corporall but with a spirituall and most comfortable light from heauen placing my vnderstanding in the paradise of truth and all her delights struck downe to the ground in the humble acknowledgement of mine vnworthinesse and terrified with a voice from heauen not sounding in the eares of my bodie by their corporall Organs but sweetly making a most delightfull harmonie in my soule mollifying the obdurate crust of my heart and forcing me to say Act. 9. vers 6. Domine quid me vis facere O Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe with perfect true conformitie of all my thoughts actions and endeauors answerable to his will Hence was I moued with great power working euen with comfort to my soule to call to mind innumerable passages of Scriptures and auncient Fathers in former times obserued and other reasonable congruencies moouing me most effectually to conuert my selfe to the onely Apostolike Primitiue and Catholike faith truly professed in the Church of England as it were destined hereunto by a presage in my youth when being borne beyond the seas I was by Gods directing prouidence inspiring my parents mindes by my nurse and her husband who were purposely sent for out of England sent into this Realme when I was but few daies old to be nursed here which was a great furtherance and meanes that now in the ninth yeare of my Priesthood I am in this Realme nursed and growne to such a spirituall strength as to embrace the right faith of a true Christian which heretofore I wanted And although lately since my conuersion one said vnto me that it had been better if I had been drowned at sea in the great storme which happened in my passage into this Realme so young which I escaped with exceeding great danger being forthwith entertained into the Castle by the Captaine thereof for my fathers sake than at riper yeares thus to liue an Apostata and to be a scandale vnto the Church of God Yet I trust that I shall make it apparant that it was much better I escaped Gods prouidence in the first escape of my bodie foreshewing a more dangerous second escape from the shipwracke of my soule whereby his glorie in my happinesse may be manifested to the good of many that they may truly say Exod. 1. vers 19. Digitus Dei est hic the finger of God is here 7. The working of the Trinitie in my conuersion the first cause of this treatise Hereby you may see courteous Reader whether I haue not iust cause to make knowne to the world this my conuersion and the true occasions and motiues thereof that all that beare of it may say as I haue cause to say in mine owne soule The finger of God is here For first you may obserue that whilest I wandered out of the right way of true Catholike doctrine Gods goodnesse following the Church of Rome the finger of Gods mercie and goodnesse directed and pointed me which way to take into the right path of heauen most fauorably bestowing vpon me beartie contrition for my former errors both in faith and manners more than euer before Secondly the finger of his wisdome Gods wisdome euen when I was most addicted to the studies of the Roman doctrine occasion being giuen me of conference with some Protestants requiring satisfaction of me in some capitall points of controuersie which I promised either to proue by the Scriptures ancient Fathers and naturall reason or else to embrace the Protestants faith as Catholike therewithall intending to impugne the doctrine of the Religion here professed in England directed my vnderstanding so to examine the controuersies weighing all Cardinall Bellarmines reasons for both sides that doing it with sinceritie I fell into such doctrinall and morall obseruations vpon the grounds of the Romane faith that I most cleerely discouered the darke clouds of error and ignorance wherewith my iudgement and reason were ouercast I found the weakenesse of their grounds the fallacies of their reasons and the insufficiencie of iudgement shewed in most of their controuersies I found many places of Scripture impertinently alledged diuers citations of auncient Fathers fondly wrested against their true vnderstanding many naturall reasons alledged most repugnant to reason Lastly the finger of his Almightie power Gods power as efficaciously as the Load stone draweth yron vnto it drew all the affections of my heart to a firme resolution no longer to sleepe or slumber in my errors but to breake off all the bands of erronious and superstitious doctrine and nouelties wherewith the present Church of Rome holdeth soules in slauerie to Sathan and to embrace the truth of the Ancient Catholike and Apostolike doctrine which I found to bee most purely taught in the Church of England according to the primitiue sinceritie Hence it is most cleerely apparant how much the glorie of God appeareth in my conuersion and the three diuine attributes of goodnesse wisedome and power of the blessed Trinitie Qui tribus digitis appendit molem terrae Esay 40. vers 12 who weighteth the earth with three fingers in the contemplation of which great benefit I may well crie out with holy Saint Paul Rom. 12. vers 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out for who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who hath bin his counsellor Or who hath first giuen to him and it shall be recompenced vnto him againe for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glorie for euer For to God himselfe must I needes attribute this fauour hauing iust cause for the same with the kingly Prophet to say Psal 34. vers 2. I will alwaies praise the Lord his praise shall be alwaies in my mouth who chiefly hath wrought in my soule the vnderstanding the will and the accomplishment hereof which I can doe no lesse in gratitude than make knowne that his name may be glorified therein Satisfaction the second cause Secondly if my blinded zeale of your soules good did so much transport me in my ignorance and errors as to imploy my best endeuours yea and to venter my life for your good and for the reducing of any in this Realme to the pretended Catholike faith which then I professed without feare of incurring
and when I noted that I could neuer heare any one Iesuit to speake reprouingly of it and further heard some very rashly and foolishly to cast the imputation of inuenting it vpon the best States-men of this land as a traine to make Catholikes the more odious to the State I began to obserue a custome vsed by some which is without any regard of truth or knowledge to speake the worst they can to blemish the reputation of their aduersaries so I heard a certaine young Iesuit report when Garnet was in the Tower A pretty deuice that day and night oyle was put into his eyes with feathers and other means vsed to keepe him from sleepe that so being weakened both in bodie and minde he might be easily drawne to confesse all he knew which circumstances with diuers others belonging to this vnmatchable treason though they made mee not then abandon the faith and beleefe of those that were actors thereof yet did they sow such seedes of doubtfulnesse and care in me to be sound in faith that the effects and fruits issuing from them of doctrine concerning disallegeance to the King which is contained in the Popes Breues hath much auerted me since as namely the doctrine of Bellarmine teaching that the Apostles were not subiect to temporall Princes de iure but de facto retracting the former opinion Bellarmin cont Barclaium tract De potest summi Pontificis in rebus temporalibus ca. 3. fol. 48. extant in his controuersies these many yeares now holding the quite contrarie notwith standing it is a doctrine of faith that as well the Clergie as the Laitie are subiect to Kings and Princes because obedience to Kings whether they be good or wayward in Scripture is commended vnto all 1. Petri 2.18 behold here the second occasion 7 A third occasion concurring to my conuersion Conference with others was conference with others into whose companies by chance I haue falne as once with a learned Knight who not knowing me to be a Priest conferred with me as with a professor of the Romane faith who winded me into such a circle about the Scriptures and the Church that I could neuer winde my selfe out of it till I winded my selfe out of the Romane Church and stayed my selfe vpon a ground not admitted there which is that the Scriptures are the most sufficient and certaine rule of faith that Christians haue which if you take away all religion all faith all knowledge of God falleth to the ground And another time I fell into dispute with a graue ancient Iustice of Peace who pressed me so farre that I promised to send him some principall doctrines of the Roman Church so sufficiently proued by Scriptures by Fathers and by naturall reason that if they could bee answered I would subscribe to his Church but in the examination of the proofes of those very points brought in by Bellarmine and due consideration of them I found them to be of very little force to proue the verities intended as hereafter shall appeare concerning the Masse Transubstantiation the ministration of the Sacrament vnder one kinde to lay people Pardons auricular confession and others whereupon I haue proued since as good as my promise in ioyning my selfe to the Church of England 8 A fourth occasion of examining more carefully the controuersies hath been grounded vpon his Maiesties Title His Maiesties Booke in his Premonition to Christian Princes stiling himselfe the Defendor of the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith which seemed so strange vnto me at the first considering that no Church more chalengeth the name of Catholike than the Church of Rome that I began to consider with my selfe whether I could finde any capitall points of faith taught now by the present Church of Rome that were not taught and professed by the ancient and Primitiue Church and now impugned by the Church of England and finding that the doctrine of deposing Princes and Kings by the Pope was not ancient nor Transubstantiation nor the Masse as now it is practised nor the Sacrament as now it is ministred by the Church of Rome nor Pardons nor prohibition of Priests marriages I haue since beene enforced to conclude that certainely the present Church of Rome professeth not in those points the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith Further as I noted the profession his Maiestie maketh in his Premonitorie Epistle to Princes Praemonit ful 35 acknowledging himselfe to be such a Christian Catholike as beleeueth the three Creedes that of the Apostles that of the Councell of Nice and that of Athanasius admitting the first foure generall Councels as Catholike and Orthodox the ioint consent of Fathers in the Primitiue age the authoritie of Scriptures c. I could not but conceiue at last that his Maiestie went vpon the strongest foundations of the Catholike faith that could bee layed to auoid the danger of new doctrines which obseruations did much facilitate my search and scrutinie into the true grounds and reasons of faith besides many other occasions of priuat conference with diuers particular persons who thought themselues much tempted in matters of faith and religion because they could hardly beleeue what the Church of Rome teacheth or at least not without great difficultie Whereby you may see courteous Reader the prouidence of God working in me by degrees towards my conuersion affoording mee the occasions and meanes first of searching and examining which brought me at length to the motiues of resoluing as hereafter you shall vnderstand more at large when I shall first haue layd downe vnto you certaine fundamentall obseruations as grounds on which the true Christian Catholike faith must of necessitie stand and the whole frame thereof be surely builded CHAP. III. Containing the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse AFter the manifestation of the occasions which by Gods prouidence occurred to forward this worke of my conuersion The chiefe businesse of man is to seeke his end the next thing to be spoken of is to acquaint thee deare Christian Reader with those fundamentall obseruations which made further way to the complete perfection thereof the first of which was of that nature that I assure my selfe no man who hath care of his soule and saluation can chuse but allow for I assured my selfe that if I went vpon such sure foundations and principles as religion ought to stand vpon I could neither stay in error nor fall into any Hence I was moued to resolue most constantly that the most immoueable foundation that all my sp rituall building should stand on should be a frequent consideration that the chiefe and most principall affaire and businesse of greatest importance in this world wherein it was my dutie to employ my endeuors ought to be the saluation of my soule and my future happinesse in the life to come since to this end God created me to his similitude and likenesse redeemed mee with the most precious bloud of his most
find also the wise Salomon to affirme that Gods words will make a man vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euery good path I find likewise in Saint Luke and other Euangelists Luke 1. vers 4. These things are written that we might haue the certaintie of that whereof we are instructed and that we might beleeue in Iesus and in beleeuing haue life eternall through his name I find further that Christ saith Search the Scriptures Ioh. 20. vers 31. for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee as also in another place When one asked Christ what he might do to be saued Luk. 10. vers 26. he referreth him to the Scriptures for his direction saying What is written in the Law So did Abraham answere the rich Glutton They haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 I find also Saint Paul free from all exception herein saying The Scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. vers 15. Vers 16. Vers 17. through the faith that is in Christ Iesus and are profitable to teach to improue to conuert to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to euery good worke And in another place we may not presume aboue that which is written I find likewise Saint Peter to accord with Saint Paul 2. Pet. 1.19 when hee saith Wee haue a more sure word of the Prophets whererunto wee cannot take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and till the day-starre arise in our hearts Many more proofes would the canonicall Scriptures afford to the same effect therefore since by the premised places of Scripture I see that he that speaketh not according to the word of God hath no light in him since the Scriptures can make vs know righteousnesse iudgement equitie and euery good path since they were written that we might haue certainty in that we are instructed in and beleeuing haue life eternall since we are sent to the Scriptures by Christ since they are able to make vs wise to saluation since they are profitable to make vs perfect to euery good worke since it is presumption to go aboue that which is written since the Prophets be our light in darknesse what better rule can we haue of our faith what can excuse any mans ignorance that knoweth this or what an obstinate wilfulnesse were it for me that knowing these testimonies of Scripture shall not beleeue them or why should I not thinke that the Church of England hath not the best reed or mete-wand to measure the truth of her doctrine by when she teacheth Juel Apol. part 2. cap. 9. diuis 1. That the Scripture comprehended in the canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament is the rule of faith so farre that whatsoeuer is not read therein or cannot be proued thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed 4 Which doctrine cannot be shaken or ouerthrowne By proofes of Fathers if we esteeme the authoritie of the learned who do most plentifully giue witnesse and vnanswerable proofes for the same S. Basil who liued in the fourth centurie after Christ saith Let the holy Scriptures be arbitrators betweene vs Basil opist 80. ad Eustac medicum pag. 334. and whosoeuer hold opinions consonant to those heauenly oracles let the truth be adiudged on their side And Optatus disputing against a Donatist presseth him thus Contra Parmem lib. 5. pag 393. We are saith he to equire out some to be iudges betweene vs in these controuersies The Christians cannot because both sides cannot yeeld them and by parts taking the truth shall be hindered The Iudge must be had from without our selues If a Pagan he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie if a Iew he is an enemie to Baptisme therefore vpon the earth no iudgement concerning this matter can bee found the Iudge must be had from heauen but to what end should we kocke at heauen when heere we haue one in the Gospell Heere we see Saint Basil appeales for iudgement to the Scriptures and so Optatus likewise to the Gospell no acknowledgement here of other arbitrement vpon earth What shall I speake of Tertullion who is most plaine for me Tertul. contra Hermog calling the Scriptures the rule of faith The golden-mouthed Chrysostome will not heere forsake me who termeth the Scriptures Chrysost hom 13. in 2. Cor. Hom. 3. de Laz. A most exquisite rule and exact squier and ballance to trie all things by And also in another place saith God hath left vs the Scriptures more firme then any miracle And vpon the Acts of the Apostles discourseth very fitly to this purpose Chrysost hom 33. in Act. A Gentile saith hee commeth and saith I would bee a Christian but I know not which side to cleaue vnto many dissensions are among you and I cannot tell which opinion to hold euery one saith I speake the truth and the Scriptures on both sides are pretended so that I know not whom to beleeue to this Chrysostome replieth Truly saith he this maketh much for vs for well might you be troubled if we should say we relie vpon reason but seeing we take the Scriptures which are so true and plaine it will be an easie matter for you to iudge And tel me now hast thou any wit or iudgement Note this for it is not the part of a man barely to receiue whatsoeuer he heareth but if thou marke the meaning thou mayest throughly know that which is good when thou buyest a garment though thou hast no skill in wearing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they deceiue me but thou doest all things that thou mayest learne to know it say not then I am no scholler and will be no iudge I can condemne no opinion for this is but a shift and a cauill and let vs not vse it for all these things are easie There is nothing can bee more cleere for this most sufficient rule of faith then that which is written by this ancient Author of the imperfect worke falsely fathered as some thinke vpon Saint Chrysostome whom because he is often alleaged by the learned of the Romane Church I will also alleage against them this Author expounding those of Saint Matthew Chrysost opus imperfect hom 49. Then those that are in Iurie let them flie vnto the mountaines explicateth them thus that is they that are Christians let them repaire vnto the Scriptures The mountaines are the writings of the Apostles and Prophets and wherefore doth he at that time command all Christians to repaire to the Scriptures because in that time heresie hath obtained the Curches there can be no proofe of true Christianity neither can there be other refuge for Christians which shall desire to know the truth of faith but the sacred Scriptures Before it was many wayes shewed which was
the true Church of Christ and which was Gentilisme but now it is no way knowne vnto those which desire to know which is the true Church but onely by Scriptures wherefore because all these things which belongs so properly to Christ in truth heresies haue the same also in schisme Churches likewise holy Scriptures likewise Bishops likewise and other orders of Clerkes Baptisme likewise the Eucharist and all the rest lastly Christ himselfe One therefore that desireth to know which is the true Church whence shall he know it in the confusion of such likenesse but only by the Scriptures Note this likewise heretofore they were knowne by miracles who were true Christians who false How false Christians either could not do miracles as true Christians did or else they could not do such as true Christians did But now the working of miracles is altogether taken away and it is more found that false miracles are wrought by those who are false Christians as Peter according to Clement expouÌ„deth also power is to be also giuen of doing ful miracles vnto Antichrist Likewise heretofore the Church of Christ was vnderstood by their maners when the conuersation of al or most Christians was holy which was not among the wicked But now either such or worse Christians are become then Heretikes or Gentiles And moreouer greater continencie is found amongst those who liue in scisme then among Christians He therfore that will know which is the true Church of Christ whence shall he know it but only the Scriptures Note this The Lord therefore knowing that such a confusion of things should come in the last dayes he therefore commandeth that Christians who are in the Christianitie being desirous to obtaine firmenesse of the true faith should flie vnto nothing but vnto the Scriptures Note againe For otherwise if they haue regard to other things they shall be scandalized and shall perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church and by this they shall fall into the abomination of desolation which shall stand in the holy places of the Church Whereby it appeareth that the only means to find out the true Church is the canonicall Scriptures especially in these latter times to which we are now arriued 5 To our purpose also Gregorie Nissen calleth the Scriptures Other fathers Orat. de eis qui adeunt Hierosolimam A straight and inflexible rule I obserue also Saint Augustine to ioyne with the former who saith The Scripture pitcheth downe the rule of our faith De bono vid. cap. 1. And againe hee saith This controuersie depending betweene vs requireth a Iudge and let the Apostle Paul iudge with him because Christ also speaketh in his Apostle De nupt cencup ad Vater lib. 2. cap. 33. Epist 112. ad Paulin. In another place If a matter be grounded on the cleere authoritie of the holy Scripture such I meane as the Church calleth canonicall it is to be beleeued without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies vpon whose credit any thing may be vrged vnto vs to belieue it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceiue them of waight to deserue or not to deserue credit He saith besides De doctrin Christiau lib 2. cap 9. Ibid. cap. 42. All points which concerne faith and good life are found in those things which are plainly set downe in Scripture And againe in another place Whatsoeuer it be that a man learnes out of the Scripture if it be hurtfull there it is condemned if it bee profitable there it is found Tract 3. in 1. epist Ioh. Contra lit Petilian Dâ—â—at lib. 3 cap. 6 de vnit Eccles cap. 11. Againe hee saith The Church is our mother her breasts are the two Testaments of the Scripture whence she giueth her children milke Againe further If we or an Angell from heauen declare vnto you either concerning Christ or his Church any other matter or any thing belonging to our faith or life but what you haue receiued in the Legal and Euangelicall Scriptures let him be accursed The same famous Doctor likewise reuoketh from miracles to Scriptures De vnit Eccles cap. 16. saying Say not these things are so because such a one did such and such marualles but let them proue their Church by the canonicall bookes of Scripture and by nothing else These are the demonstrations of our cause these are our foundations these are our grounds whereupon we build And againe Our faith shal reele totter if the authoritie of the Scriptures stand not fast By all which according to this famous Doctor who is termed malleus haereticorum the hammer of heretikes you see this rule of faith most cleerely approued and iustified 6 Neither doe other auncient Writers swarue from the same doctrine Other fathers De error prophan relig p. 61. for Iulius Firminus sayth Let the venerable mysteries of the Prophets be opened let the credit of the holy Oracles stand by vs. Origen further sayth Hom. 1. in Ierem We must of necessitie call the Scriptures to witnesse for our sences and interpretations without them are of no credit Cyrill the Bishop of Hierusalem sayth Concerning the holy and heauenly mysteries of faith Catech. 4. pag. 15. we must not deliuer any thing though neuer so small Note this without the holy Scripture neither may we be led away with probabilities and shew of words neither yet beleeue me barely saying these things vnto you vnlesse thou also beleeue the demonstration thereof from the Scripture for the securitie of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture The Emperour Constantine in his speech to the Bishops of the Nicene Councell hath this memorable saying Theod Hist li. 1. c. 7. pag. 284. We haue the teaching of the holy Ghost written for the Enangelicall and Apostolike bookes and the Decrees of the old Prophets doe euidently teach vs the things that are needfull to be knowne concerning God Therefore laying aside all contention let vs out of the dinine inspired Scripture take the rersolution of those things we secke for Neither will I let my penne paste another notable saying of Saint Augustine which is diligently to bee noted saying In Io. tract 21. Some may obiect we doe rashly in discussing and searching out the wordes of God but way are they vttered if they may not be knowne Why haue they sounded if they may not be heard and why are they heard but that we should vnderstand them Thus the Ancient resolued me in the securitie of this rule 7 And not onely these Proofes of late Writers but also the moderne Writers of the Church of Rome forgetting themselues as it seemeth in their writings euen against their owne grounds about the rule of faith haue giuen me no lesse euidence for this most straight and sufficient rule of the sacred letters and Canonical bookes than the former For first their great
learned Doctor whom they call the Angelicall Doctor sayth Tho. Aqu. lec in 1. Tim. 6. The doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called Canonicall because it is as it were the rule of our vnderstanding 1. q. 1. ar 4. And againe our faith resteth and stayeth it selfe vpon the reuelation giuen to the Apostles and Prophets which writ the Canonicall bookes 1. q. 1. ar 8. and not vpon reuelation if any such haue beene made to other Doctors And also in another place hee sheweth how all iudgement of truth is to be referred to the Scriptures saying In arguing it properly vseth viz. the said reuealed knowledge Tho. 1 q. part 1. q. 1. ar 8. ad 2. whereof he speaketh of necessitie the authorities of Canonicall Scripture but the authorities of other Doctors of the Church as it were arguing out of her owne but probably For our faith doth relie vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonicall bookes nd not vpon any reuelation made to other Doctors Therefore Augustine sayth in his Epistle to Hierome Epi. 19. Paulo post princip to 2. I haue learned to giue this honor to the onely bookes of Scriptures which are called Canonicall as to beleeue most firmely that not one author of them hath erred in writing but others I reade so that with what soeuer holinesse and learning they are endued as not therefore to thinke any thing a truth because they haue held or written so And in another place Faith doth cleaue vnto all the articles of faith for one medium to wit for the first truth proposed vnto vs in Scriptures according to the doctrine of the Church vnderstanding rightly and therefore hee that swarueth from this meane doth totally want faith Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth expressely Sum. part 3. tit 18. c. 3. ff 3. That God hath spoken but once and that in the holy Scripture and so plentifully to meete with all temptations and all cases that may fall out and all good workes that as Gregorie in the two and twentieth booke of his Morals expounds it he needes no more speake vnto vs concerning any necessarie matter seeing all things are found in the Scripture Gerson a great man in the Councell of Constance sayth De com sub vtraque specie The Scripture is the rule of our faith which being well vnderstood no authoritie of men is to be admitted against it Durandus sayth That generally in the things that touch our faith wee must speake to that which the Scripture deliuereth Praef. in sent least any man fall into that which the Apostle noteth 1. Cor. 8. If he thinke he knoweth something yet the knoweth nothing as he ought to know for the manner of our knowledge must be not to exceede the measure of faith and the holy Scripture expresseth the measure of faith Alliaco the Cardinall sayth 1. Sent. q. 1. ar 3. The verities themselues of the sacted Canon be the principles of Diuinitie because the finall resolution of Theologicall discourse is made into them and originally from them is drawne euery conclusion of Diuinitie Conradus Clingius sayth Locor l. 3. c. 29. pag. 290. The Scripture is the infallible rule of truth yea the measure and iudge of the truth Peresius the Diuinitie Reader at Barcelona in Spaine sayth The authoritie of no Saint is of infallible truth Iac. Per. de ratio con li. 2. c. 19. for Saint Augustine giues that honor onely to the sacred Scriptures Whereupon I frame this reason That onely is the infallible rule which is of infallible truth but the Scripture onely is of infallible truth therefore the Scripture onely is the infallible rule 8 Bellarmine also writeth thus Other late Writers De verbo Dei li. 1. cap. 2. The rule of faith must be certaine and knowne for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all if it be not knowne it is no rule to vs but nothing more certaine nothing better knowne than the sacred Scripture contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of faith most certaine and most safe and God hath taught vs by corporall letters which wee might see and reade what he would haue vs beleeue concerning him Whence I gather that if the Swenckfeldians are to bee drawne to the written Text then ought those of the Church of Rome also be recalled to the same rule from their vncertaine traditions from the Popes sole definitiue sentence and from their Councels not teaching by Scriptures If nothing be more knowne nothing more certaine as the Cardinall confesseth than the Scriptures why doe they reiect them from being the rule as not sufficient to preserue from error not knowne ynough The same Cardinall sayth in another place De not eccles c. 2. ff respond Simpliciter The Scripture is better knowne than the Church in some case as namely where it is receiued and speaketh plainly and the question is of the Church Willauincentius confesseth The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation De ratio stud Theol. li. 1. c. 31. pag. 21. as the Apostle in the third chapter of his second Epistle to Timothie affirmeth saying All Scripture is inspired of God in which words the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are needfull to the saluation of man Comment in 2. Tim c 3 in vers 15 16. Espenceus writeth That if any thing be needfull either to be knowne or done the Scriptures teach the truth reproue the false reclaime from euill persuade to good neither yet doe they make a man good in some sort but perfect yea they can teach a man to saluation and make him learned sufficiently Panormitane writeth thus One faithfull man Part 1. de elect polest ca. significa though priuate is more to be beleeued than the Pope or a whole Councell if he haue better reason on his side and authoritie of the Old and New Testament And Gerson more sully De exemp doct part 1. considera 5. The examination and triall of doctrine concerning faith belongeth not onely to the Pope and Councell but to euery one also that is sufficiently seene in the holy Scripture because euery one is a fit iudge of that he knoweth And againe some lay-man not authorised may be so excellently learned in the Scripture that his assertion shall be more to be credited than the Popes definitiue sentence for the Gospell is more to be credited than the Pope Therefore if such a lay man though he be priuate teach a truth contained in the Gospell and the Pope either know it not or will not know it yet it is euident that his iudgement is to be preferred Costerus Cesterus sayth That such verities concerning our faith as are absolutely necessarie to be knowne and beleeued of all men are plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues Doctor Saunders sayth Rock pag. 193. Wee
haue most plaine Scriptures in all points for the Catholike faith he meaneth the faith of the present Church of Rome Doctor Hill in his quart of reasons the eight reason And Doctor Hill seemes willing to haue it thought that they build vpon the Scriptures in all points of doctrine when he sayth Neither may here the Protestants reply and say that the Papists build vpon miracles visions prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the Word for all that they alledge are most agreeable to the word of God neither doe they teach any doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible This affertion sheweth much weaknesse of iudgement and little skill euen in the grounds of Diuinitie for who is so ignorant that knoweth not the Papists doe build vpon miracles visions prophecies And who so simple amongst them that know not that they build least vpon the word when they generaly teach that the written word is not sufficient for faith without traditions And what a foule misbeseeming vntruth is it for a Doctor to say That all that they alleadge are most agreeable to the word of God when they ordinarily obiect that the perpetuall virginitie of the virgine Marie the assumption of her bodie into heauen the baptizing of reasonlesse children the keeping of the Sunday and others the like are not to be proued by the word of God but are built onely vpon traditions Is not this then a very grosse forgetfulnesse to affirme That they teach not any Doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holie Bible And yet he forgetteth himselfe so much that againe in the same reasons hee saith euen for the time past That the Catholikes meaning Papists euer squared their Doctrine by the Line and the Leuell of the word of hir Spouse and therfore neuer had cause to reiect the least iote of the holie Bible and at one word the Catholikes follow the Bible By all which it seemeth most apparent that the learned doe approue the word of God that is the Canonicall Scriptures to be the most certain sufficient and most infallible rule that can be assigned What reason then haue I to forsake the iugement of so many learned men both ancient and moderne Writers who heerein are most conformable to Scripture it selfe 9 For if we consider rightly of the nature of faith Natural reason sheweth this rule obseruing that the knowledge whereto it consenteth and the end to which it leadeth are supernaturall nothing can seeme more agreeable to naturall discourse than to gather also that only that book which containes Gods reuealed verities can be the sufficientesi means to know them which is the holy writings of the old and new Testament If a man should aske me why I beleeue the creation of the world all the miracles wrought by Moses Elias and Elisaeus that there is a God that Christ is is the sonne of God that he was borne of a virgine I cannot answere with assurednesse because this Priest or that Priest teacheth me so for reason will obiect that hee may erre or that all Priests agree not therein or that first I must be assured he teacheth me doctrine of such a Church as cannot misinstruct me which I must know by some other meanes Therefore my only answere must be that I beleeue because those Scriptures reuealed from God doe teach me which are the most sufficient rule whereby I can haue assured knowledge of truth reuealed from God by all which it seemed most cleare vnto m that onely the Scriptures can be the most assured sufficient and infallible rule by which I am to measure my faith and all vertues belonging thereunto and therefore all other rules are verie subiect to the crookednesse of many errors Siluest vers 60. fides Nu. 2. Hence I began to see my former error in holding with Siluester that the Pope as the vice gerent of Christ vpon earth was to be my rule according to his assertion taken out of Saint Thomas The Pope hath the primacie of the vniuersall Church to whom it appertaineth to determine those things which belong to faith 22. 1. 11. ar 3. that they may bee held of all with a constant faith and in him resideth the authority of the vniuersall Church Therefore it belongeth to faith to adhere vnto the sentence of the chiefe Bishop in those things which belong to faith yea also in those things which belong vnto good manners because in such the Church cannot erre nor consequently her head as head or as Bishop which I vnderstand alwaies to be true when in doubts he is required not as a learned man or such a person but as the head of Christianity or according to Archidiaconus Note this when he determineth with the Councell of Cardinals but the first is better because the Pope may be without Cardinals But when I remembred that two Popes namely Sixtus and Clemens set out two Bibles within two yeares space for Sixtus Bible came forth in the yeare 1590. and Clements in the yeare 1592. with commaundement to be read and followed vpon penalties mentioned in their seuerall breues wherein many disagreements contradictions and contrarieties appeared in so important a matter of faith as the appointment of what is Scripture and what is not that herein Pope Sixtus grieuously erred I concluded that the Popes sentence definitiue could not bee a sufficient rule for me to measure my faith by vnlesse I would be like vnto a principall Romane Clarke of this land affirming that heere in England he thought the opinion of Cardinall Bellarmine the best to be held concerning deposition of kings namely that the Pope hath his dominion in temporalties onely indirectly yet if he were in Rome he would follow the opinion of Bosius that he hath it directly as the most plausible there And much wondering that such an assertion should passe from the mouth of so graue a man I began to inferre that if but place or persons were the rule of such mens faith in matters of such waight it was time for me who regarded but the saluation of my soule to seeke after some better rule more sure and infallible 10 Now then courteous Reader hauing found out this most sufficient rule of faith namely the holy Scriptures I referre my selfe vnto your impartiall censure to iudge whether I could doe lesse then to measure all the doctrinall points of my faith by this golden meet-wand and therewith measure out the spirituall and true Church of Christ which if thou shalt iudge fit for me I hope such shall be the care of thine owne saluation as to vse it alwaies in like manner for thy selfe that thy faith may be free from all crookednesse of heresies and thereby be made partakers of Gods promises for the manifold diuisions about the Church the diuers errours taught by those that pretend to bee other mens Teachers and euen the loue of thy selfe may well make thee say with holy Dauid following the
light of Scriptures Psal 119. vers 10.4 Psal 119. vers 18. vnto thy Lord God Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum lumen semitis meis Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And againe Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of the Law 11 Yet thou art to haue great care that thou make not this rule longer than it is nor shorter for this is forbidden by Christ himselfe speaking against such a one saying I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this Booke Apoc. 22.18 19. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prephecie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from the things which are written in this Booke This fault of adding to the Books of holie scripture is very notorious in the Church of Rome as I haue duly obserued Ses 41. For the Councell of Trent addeth to the Canon of the old Testament diuers Apocriphall Books which must be beleeued as Canonicall Scriptures as namely Tobias Iudith Hester and the two bookes of the Macchabees Esdras Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus all which are learnedly proued to be Apocriphall by the right reuerend Father in God my Lords grace of Canterburie in his answer to master Doctor Hill his eight reason Num. 3. sequent the consideration whereof made me plainely conclude that heerein the Church of Rome giues great and apparent occasion for any to iudge that she erreth and consequently not to heare her voice thus vttering falshood for trueth giuing equall authoritie to the Apocriphall Bookes with the holy canonicall Scriptures CHAP. VII Containing an obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible and externall gouernement ALthough I haue cleerely discouered The externall ministe rie of the Church an ordinarie meanes to know the true sense of Scripture that the sacred Scriptures are the chiefe infallible rule of faith and most sufficient in the precedent obseruation yet could I not rest satisfied till I found also a meanes for the simple and vnlearned to ground their faith vppon because Deus vult omnes saluos fieri ad agnitionem veritatis venire God will haue all to be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the knowledge of his trueth And as well as he in the gouernment of his creatures hath his end to which he designes them so also by his wisedome he doth most prudently substitute subordinate means for the full accomplishment of such his designements now therefore how those that are neither able to reade the scriptures or though they be able haue not sufficient skill and knowledge to consider the circumstances of Texts and by the analogie of faith not learned enough to find out the true meaning of the Scriptures nor haue the gift of interpretation as many and most haue not whereupon arise many deprauations of Scriptures how such should be directed in the right vse of the rule of Scriptures in finding out the right meaning of them I thought it a matter of great weight wel to discouer and by the declaration thereof to affoord a stay to weake consciences in this behalfe In the scrious discussion of which point it pleased almightie God so to second my carefull Labours and indeuours herein as that I receiued ful satisfaction in mine owne iudgement by this conclusion namely That the most ordinary externall direction left by God especially to direct vnlearned men in the finding out of the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures is the ministerie of the true visible Church of Christ assisted by the holie Ghost and the Church in this respect is called 1. Tim. 3.15 Matt. 5.14 The pillar of truth and the ministers thereof The light of the world 2 And therefore as master Harding himselfe confesseth True vnderstanding of Scripturs only in the Church Doctor Hard. conâ—ut of the Apologie of the Church of England fol. 36. Mester Celuine admonisheth very well That it is especially to be noted that out of the Church there is no light of the sound vnderstanding of the Scriptures But the inconsiderate Doctour maketh a verie fond inference vpon this ground saying This ground being laid on which each part must sland and be tried in crow no more against vs boast your selues no more we feare not the iudgement of the holie Scriptures nay it is your selues that feare this iudgement for your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground you are the weaker side Jnstit lib. 4 cap. 8. num 7. hee forgot that master Caluine said Let this be a firme axiome That no other word of God is to be had to which place must bee giuen in the Church than what is maintained first in the Law and Prophets then in the writings of the Apostles neither is there anie way of teaching in the Church of God but by the prescript and rule of his word If master Harding had well obserued this hee would not haue made such an inference or affirmed that the Protestants feare this iudgement but rather would haue concluded as I doe That since both stand vpon the outward ministerie of the true Church let vs seeke the true Church of Christ and hauing found it The deuties of the true church then heare and follow her doctrine teaching according to Scripture and out of Scripture 3 The due obseruation whereof sheweth That the true visible Church is to represse the deprauations of Heretickes and partly to informe those that are vnlearned and to exercise euen the obedience of those that are learned and by the externall ministerie of teaching the true sence of Scriptures is to giue directions and is duetifully by her members to bee heard and followed Which assertion I find not to make either for the present Church of Rome or of Engl. or any other particular Church till it bee prooued which of them is the true Catholike Ancient and Primitiue Apostolike Church teaching the sound Doctrine of the first pure and vntainted ages whereof I am to speake in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII Containeth a fundamentall obseruation how that consormity of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church may bee a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ. AFter that I had thus discouered both the most sufficient rule of faith to be the canonicall and true Scriptures and the most ordinarie externall meanes to find out the true sence to be the ministerie of the true Church Antiquitie a good inducement to the true Church I could not yet giue sufficient contentment to my vnderstanding vntill such time as I had found out also
medio tom 4. That when Sorcerers doe those thinges which Saints doe they are don for a different end and by a different power for Sorcerers doe them seeking their owne glorie Saints doe them seeking the glorie of God Sorcerers doe them by certaine priuate contracts Saints doe them by publique administration and commaund of God vnto whom all things created are subiect 3 Now therefore since seeming miracles done by the Diuell The true Catholike church the approuer of true miracles exceeding the ordinarie power of Nature may deceiue many if they iudge their Doctrine by them and for that it is hard for a man to bee able to say whether a miracle bee done by the power of almighty God or by the power of the Diuell because both exceede our vnderstanding and the ordinarie course of Nature it stoode mee vppon to search out some infallible meanes by which I might bee assured that they were true miracles and such as I might confidently relie vppon In which scrutinie I could finde no better rule than to obserue whether they bee done in the Catholique Church or no which I doe learne out of Saint Augustine Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. saying Whatsoeuer things of this quality are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore they are to bee approued because they are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore shee is not manifested Catholicke because those thinges are done in her Whereby it is cleere that miracles absolutely are not a proofe of the Catholicke Church but the Catholicke Church an approouer of true miracles whence it followeth That the miracles of the Primitiue Church were not so much a confirmation of her truth as her truth a confirmation of them Whence I obserue further That the present Church of Rome not beeing the true Catholicke Church because shee teacheth not the true Catholicke ancient Faith without mixture of many nouelties doth in vaine all eadge miracles in her behalfe which for that they are done out of the true Church are to bee reckoned amongst Antichrists lying signes prodigies Therefore I may pronounce confidently with S. Aug. vnto the Papists I say not that these things are so Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. because such a one did such and such maruailes but let them proue their Church by the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and by nothing else these are the demonstrations of our cause Note this these are our foundations these are our grounds whereupon we build Whereby wee see Miracles excluded from beeing a marke of the Church as the Cardinall Bellarmine would faine perswade the world that so his Romaine Church might bee approued for the true Church of God Vnapproueable therefore is the assertion of master D. Hill who chalengeth much vnto the Roman Church by her glorie of miracles wrought by her Saints his words are these The tenth reason of this quarterne Now it is so manifest that there haue beene an infinite number of miracles wrought by those who were of the Catholicke Romaine Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christs time as he who shall deny it may bee prooued no lesse impudent and shamlesse than bee who shall denie that euer there was any Masse said in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that there bee any such countries as the East and West-Indies which thing if a man should denie would hee not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or afoole In which words because Master Doctor Hill seemeth much to forget himselfe I must needs refresh his memorie with some few interrogatories What master Doctor I pray since Christs time did not Simmon Magus worke miracles who as Baronius saith Baron an 68. nu 22. made images to walke and would lie in the fire without hurt and flie in the ayre and make bread of stones hee could open doores fast shut and vnloose bands of iron and had many shadowes following him as it had been men Will you say he was a Roman Catholike Tacit. lib. 4. did not Vespasian the Emperour at Alexandria restore a blind man to sight will you say hee was a Roman Catholike Who be they Christ spake of when he said Matth. 7 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great workes and then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie What will you say that these workers of miracles and also of iniquity were of your Catholike Romane religion What think you of those Saint Augustine speaketh of August de vnit Eccles cap. 16. saying If there be done some miracles of heretikes we ought the more to take heed because when the Lord had said that there should be some deceiuers who by doing many signes should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible he did adde commending it vehemently said behold I haue foretold it vnto you What will you grant all these were of the Catholike Romane religion August tract 13. in loan What will you say vnto the same ancient Doctor in another place where he saith Against these miracle-mongers as I may so call them my God hath made mee warie saying In the last times there shall arise false Prophets doing signes and wonders What will you grant none of these to be yet come or will you grant them all to be of your religion What will you say to your Country-man Prompt mor. part aestiu pag. 627. dom 24. nu 4. Master Doctor Stapleton publike professor of Diuinitie in Louaine and if I mistake not your acquaintance in Doway who saith For the more triall of the godly not onely Antichrist himselfe and his nearest forerunners but all heretikes also may do true miracles by the permission of God as the sorcerers may doe Will you grant such forerunners and Heretikes to be of your Catholike Romane religion or will you say Doctor Stapleton erreth in calling them true miracles or will you recant your former assertion acknowledging your former mistaking and then shall I be as glad as now I haue commiseration of your error beseeching God in the meane time of his infinit mercie that you may see both your owne error and the errors of others of the present Romane religion and how different it is from the ancient Roman religion which in Saint Pauls dayes was famous through the world For my part I could not but vpon these and other considerations obserue the Church of England to be free from such false Prophets and Pseudochrists that they miracles as Christ fore told should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible for neither doe they pretend themselues to worke miracles and so to hunt after their owne estimation and applause for their holines as the teachers of the Roman Church do neither do they hold
as the Church of Rome teacheth who being deuoted much to the virgine Marie prayed often vnto her to bee deliuered from this doubt Who being one day at Masse the Hoast before the saying of the Pater noster was gone out of his sight whereof as hee was in a great amazement the virgine Marie appeared vnto him holding her sonne Iesus betwixt her armes and said vnto him This is he whom I brought into this world this is he whom you haue consecrated this is he whom you haue held and touched with your hands and shewed to the people to be adored which you eate and drinke in the Sacrament behold here I giue you my Sonne with reuerence and deuotion to be receiued of you and so as shee presented him vnto him he changed at that instant againe into the forme of bread whom he receiued and so his doubt ceased Here you see courteous Reader strange miracles alledged by the Papists in confirmation of their doctrine one while the bread is vnseene then Christ and our Ladie and then againe the forme of bread another while a Mule forsaking his prouender to adore God in the Sacrament whether these be not such signes wonders and great prodigies as may seduce the elect if it were possible I leaue to the holy Ghost to informe you the truth saying Nolite eis credere beleeue them not And one more yet I will relate vnto your memorie which hath beene wrought of late yeares and may be esteemed for a notable lie Till Bred. 7. Col. sac c. 7. There was a certaine Caluinist that married a Catholike woman that is Papist that long endeuoured to induce her to heare a Caluinist Minister preach The wife after she had a long time contradicted him was at last constrained to goe by the rigorous speeches and threatnings of her husband yet did she first acquaint her ghostly father there with who aduised her to obey the commaundement of her husband and to goe onely once to the said Sermon yet with condition to goe first to Confession and to the Communion The woman hauing performed the aduise of her ghostly father strengthned with the Sacraments went to the Sermon and she was no sooner entred but the Preacher became as silent and mute as a fish yet said at last after a little pause Here is some bodie present that hath eaten of the bread of Papists which is the cause that I will now giue ouer preaching hoping to make recompence another time The husband who was present seeing the Preacher A pretie fiction to disgrace Caluinists by Gods permission to become silent and disabled to prosecute his matter for the presence of one that had receiued the holy Communion who being returned home enquired of his wife whether shee had not receiued the Communion that morning or not she without dissimulation answering yes her husband suddainly knew that this doctrine of the Caluinists was false and accursed in that being placed with the light of the Sacraments of the Catholike Church it withered so and came to nought whereupon presently he made a good fire burned all his bookes to pouder and ashes and became himselfe a child of the Catholike Church In which miracle first I obserue that the ghostly father of this woman gaue her leaue for obedience to her husband to go to the Church of Caluinists which how it can hang with the doctrine of Paule the fifths Breue who sheweth it vnlawfull for English Catholikes to goe to the Churches of Heretikes viz. of all Caluinists and Protestants that are so in his iudgement vnlesse it be said that the Church of Rome holds one doctrine of faith lawfull at one time that is not lawfull at another time I should be glad to be resolued But this I obserue to proceede from Gods prouidence that the inuentors of these and the like miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine in one point doth often in some circumstance or other shew such ignorance or falsehood that discouereth them either not to approue the matter they intend or else runneth into some other error lesse tolerable shewing them most plainely to be such signes and wonders as Christ giueth a Caueat of them Not to be beleeued Many other miracles I might here insert but that I will not be too tedious in such idle tales fitter to be told amongst children as fables than to any men of more ripe iudgement yet are they amongst the Clergie of Rome of such account that their Sermonists are stuffed with them as may be obserued in Iacobus de Voragine Iohannes Meff Bernard de Bust Philippus Dies and many the like and are held more profitable for the people than any other manner of doctrine Yet I obserue one thing by reading of their liues of Saints that many miracles which were authenticall for many hundred yeares past are now growne to be Apocryphall as may be seene by comparing the auncient liues of S. George S. Katherine the Queene and others with them as they are of late yeares corrected and written by Lipeloo following Baronius and other writers of the same kind 12 Now therefore to draw neere my conclusion My conclusion about miracles what fruit could I better gather vpon the due obseruation of Christs warning vnto the world Not to beleeue such miracles than that the Church of Rome cannot bee the true Church of God that either winketh or authoriseth infinite numbers in the same nature as these are of which I haue alreadie recorded out of her owne Writers for which cause I could not but abandon her Communion and flye to that Church which like a faithfull Spouse resteth contented with the former miracles where with Christs Church was begun and chiefely relying vpon the holy Scriptures and the auncient doctrine of the Primitiue Church Yet is not my opinion in this point of miracles so to bee vnderstood as that I doe thinke no true miracles at all shall euer be done in the declining age of Gods Church but I would haue it knowne that my iudgement is that none are to be beleeued which are pretended to be done in confirmation of new doctrines not taught in the Scriptures not knowne to the auncient Church because it is most euident that Christ hath forbidden all beleefe of them and therefore not to be esteemed of otherwise than as of illusions of Sathan wherewith to enchant soules and to make them beleeue lyes in stead of truth and verities Oh what a miserie is it to see how many simple sincere and ouer-credulous Christians are cousened with these deceits and illusions of the Diuell and the true markes of Antichrist Let me therfore entreat thee courteous reader to remember the predictions of these signes and wonders aboue mentioned forespoken of by Christ S. Paule and S. Iohn and not so fondly to be lead blind-folded to the eternall destruction of thy soule by too much credulitie Be not like the Scribes and Pharisies seeking after signes from heauen for the faith least you
proue one of those that are tearmed by Christ a wicked and adulterous generation CHAP. X. Containeth an obseruation of the great hipocrisie of false Teachers fore-spoken of in the holie Scriptures AMongst the many testimonies recorded in holy Scriptures concerning false Teachers The hypocrisie of false teachers shewed in the Scripture by which I might further discouer the erroneous doctrin of the Church of Rome and make comparison of her doctrine with other reformed Churches the next which represented themselues were such places as describe the dissimulation and hipocrisie of false Teachers and inuite men to take heede of them to preuent all their dissimulations and impostures by which they seduce simple soules from the knowledge of truth lead them by cunning art of wordes to follow leasings and false Gods This I noted first out of Christs wordes describing the manner of Heretikes comming and giuing a preuenting Caueat to take heede of them Math. 7. vers 15 where he said Attendite à falsis Prophet is qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ouium intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues as if he should say take heede of the hipocrisie of those Prophets who seeme to be one thing and are an other of whom S. Paul saith Rom. 16. vers 18. Per dulces sermones benedictiones seducunt corda innocentium With faire speech and flattering they deceiue the hearts of the simple who in another place speaking of the heretikes of latter times saith In hipo crisi loquuntur mendacium 1. Tim. 4. vers 2. cauteriatam habent cōscientiam Who speake-lies through hipocrisie hauing their consciences burned with a hot yron Further Christ dehorreth all from hipocrisie when he said Math. 5. vers 20 Nisi abundauerit institia vestra plus quam Scribarum aut Pharisaeorum non intrabitis in regnum coelorum Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Now how the iniustice of the Pharisees was a foure-fold Hipocrisie is also plaine by the Scriptures The Pharisees four-fold Hipocrisie The first consisted in externall righteousnesse without internall whereof Christ speaketh saying Vos Pharisei quod deforis est calicis catini mundatis quod autem intus est vestrum plenum est rapina iniquitate Stulti nonne qui fecit quod deforis est Luc. 11. v. 36. etiam quod deintus est fecit Yee Pharisees make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but the inward part is full of rauening and wickednesse Yee Fooles did not hee that made that which is without make that which is within also And againe Vae vobis Scribae Pharisaei Hipocritae similes estis sepulchris dealbatis quae a foris apparent hominibus speciosa intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum omni spurcitia Math. 23. v. 27. Sic vos aforis apparet is hominibus iusti intus autem pleni estis hipocrisi omni iniquitate Woe be vnto you Scribes Pharisees Hipocrites for yee are like vnto whited tombs which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse For so are yee also for outward yee appeare righteous vnto men but within yee are full of Hipocrisie and iniquitie The second consisted in an externall holinesse also but preposterous and defectiue because they were scrupulous in trifles large or of no conscience therefore Christ said vnto them Vae vobis Pharisaeis Luc. 11. v. 42. qui decimatis metham rutam omne olus preteritis iudicium charitatem Dei Woe be vnto you Pharisees for yee tithe the mint and rue and all manner herbs and passe ouer iudgment and the loue of God or as S. Matt. saith Math. 23. v. 23. Et reliquistis quae grauiora sunt legis iudicium misericordiam fidem And leaue the waightier matters of the law as iudgement and mercie fidelitie The third hipocrisie of the Pharisees was verbal not real a fained not a true obseruation of Gods commandements which Christ taxed in them saying Math. 23. v. 3. Quaecunque dixerint vobis c. Whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but doe not according to their workes for they say and doe not And againe If you be the children of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham The fourth hipocrisie of the Pharisees was vaine glorious who in all their actions of religion sought the glorie and praise of men Christ saying Math. 6. v. 5. They fast and pray Vt videantur ab hominibus That they may be seene of men from all which foure-fold hipocrisie wherein consisted the vnrighteousnesse of the Pharisees Christ dehorteth all Christians by a motiue of heauenly blisse saying as before Vnlesse your iustice abound more then the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Hence it followeth that in what Church soeuer a proper resemblance of this Hipocrisie is found The hipocrisie of the Church of Rome there may wee well presume the false Prophets to be which Christ biddeth vs beware of and therefore since I obserue it abundantly to appeare in the present Church of Rome the Teachers of that Church as false Prophets comming vnto vs are the reuenous wolues in sheepe-skinnes whose iustice doth no lesse abound then that of the Scribes and Pharisees which will keepe them from entring into the Kingdome of heauen For so long as I haue beene in that Church I haue seene much externall righteousnesse as long praiers much whipping with disciplines much fasting many miraculous cemonies of religion strange mortifications and all this without the true faith by reason of the many nouelties crept into that Church and without charitie the inward life of the soule whence it proceedeth that there is much dissension amongst all sorts many diuisions amongst the learned many back-bitings amongst religious persons many wrongs and iniuries offered without conscience much violation of morall honestie and ciuilitie enuie amongst most detraction amongst all wicked life without measure rash iudgements without any consideration lying reports against one an other traducing of one the others reputation by writings by wordes by secret complotments and macheuillian deuises without all feare of God or loue of honestie Religious men are poore in the outward shew of their profession Once acertain Capuchine said as a Iesuit hath related when one said that the Iesuites and his Order proceed well together that the cause was because the Iesuites desired to haue al and they desired to haue nothing but who abound more in common than the landed Monkes and well monied Iesuites They are chast in the outward vowes but many of them most lasciuious in heart as by the one Author of the Pruritanus may bee iudged of many besides Who more blindly
esteemed of the Church of Rome as a Doctor of Paris who liued two hundred yeares since Hemang de stat eccles p. 53. spake of Friars saying They are worse than the Pharisies rauenous wolues in sheepes clothing who in wordes pretend the forsaking of the world and in deeds with all possible fraud deceit and lying hunt after it The like vnto these did Saint Iohn Baptist call Genimina viperarum the brood of Vipers Matth. 3. because inwardly they carried poyson howsoeuer outwardly they glistered in the vanity of virtues and perfect zeale And Iob seemes prettily to describe them saying Iob. 39. Penna struthionis similis est Herodii accipitris the hawke and storke surpasse other birdes in the speede of their wings vnto which the Struthio is like in fethers Herodius but not in flight because they can but moue their wings to flie yet neuer flie euen such doe I find to be the false prophets of the Church of Rome who by diuers externall actions seeme to haue their wings raised to flie yet with their heart and soule they cleaue to the earth they forsakenot the world tast only terrene things there are like fishes swimming in their vncleannes Wolues in their mallice Foxes in their craftines birdes in their vaineglorie yet doe they transfigure themselues into the Angells of Light dissembling mortification 2. Tim. 3. to deceiue the simple and vnder the pretence of pietie to take their prey whome the holy Apostle Saint Paul calleth Voluptatum amatores magis quam Dei habentes speciem quidem pietatis virtutem autem eius abnegantes louers of pleasures more than of GOD hauing the shew of pietie but denying the power thereof and therefore to bee auoyded and warinesse to be taken of them as Christ himselfe forewarned CHAP. XI Containeth an obseruation of the fruits by which false prophets are to be knowne and discerned BY the former obseruation of the false prophets hypocrisie A way for Papists to discouer the truth which Christ teacheth to be auoyded I haue in some sort beene induced to behold the false pretended catholike religion of the Church of Rome and to conceiue what a zealous detestation a man of vnderstanding ought to haue of that faith and religion which is taught by such hypocriticall teachers yet when I considered further more particularly the meanes which in the iudgement of Papists themselues our Sauiour teacheth euery man to vse for the discouerie of them much more haue I beheld the corruption of the Roman religion and beene moued to beartier repentance and greater commiseration of poore seduced Popists here in England who in a good sinceritie and erroneous assurance of their religion are ignorantly led by many of their teachers into a wonderfull blind obedience not onely to the temporall detriment of their states and fortunes and hazard of worldly meanes for their posterities but also which is worse to the great perrill of their soules euerlasting ruine and destruction for whose good also I haue thought good to giue them some meanes of redresse by explicating vnto them the meanes discouered by Christ wherewith they might helpe themselues as also the maner of my proceeding in the consideration of this point 2 In my scrutinie therefore and search into the truth of religion and discouerie of falshoode False prophets to be discouered by their fruits I conceiued nothing more important for the better successe in my businesse than to obserue out of the Scriptures some probable way and meanes allowed of by the Papists themselues by the which I might cleerely distinguish betwixt false and true teachers for that I perceiued that al pretend truth pretend the church pretend Christ pretend the saluation of soules pretend the knowledge of Scriptures yea and the falsest teachers carrie the outward appearance likewise of good shepheards And I found that Christ who forewarned vs to beware of the bad hath also giuen vs aduise to hearken vnto the good and withalll a good instruction euen in the iudgement of the Romanists how to discerne and distinguish the one from the other Matth. 7. when hee said By their fruits you shall know them doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Euen so euery good tree yeeldeth good fruit and the euill tree yeeldeth euill fruits A good tree cannot yeelde euill fruites neyther can an euill tree yeelde good fruits Doctour Stapletons explication of Christs meaning euery tree that yeeldeth not good fruites shall be cut downe and shall be cast into the fire Therefore by their fruites you shall know them 3 For D. Stapleton a principall Romanist hath thus interpreted our Sauiours speech saying In this place the fruites by which heretickes must bee knowne are neyther some true things which they teach neyther are they alwayes the workes which they doe whether good or euill but they are partly the hereticall doctrines themselues which are false and impious which are proper to euery hereticke and of euery arch-heretike properly inuented partly also certayne ill workes proper to heretikes and growing foorth from the roote it selfe of heresie for such are theyr owne proper fruites as haue theyr owne Authors and Parents 4 Concerning the first Two wayes heretikes may be knowne by their doctrine Ibid. The faithfull people may two wayes knowe heretickes from theyr owne doctrines as by theyr proper fruites first by theyr doctrine generally receyued namely as if it be new and vnheard and otherwise than by the knowne rule of faith which anciently they receiued for so the Scripture exhorteth faithfull people when shee giueth warning to beware of heretickes saying If any shall euangelize vnto you otherwise than you haue receyued let him be accursed An other way by theyr false dostrine an hereticke is knowne as by his owne fruite when by the doctrine it selfe euill workes are engendred or when the doctrine it selfe leadeth men vnto wickednesse of life and manners as at this day very many doctrines of other herotickes doe 5 Concerning the latter the euill workes proper to heretikes and by which they may be knowne as by their owne proper fruits How here tikes may be known by their works are a certaine pride not vulgar but especiall against the present and all auncient Doctours of the Church Likewise an hatred not of this man or of that man but of the whole Church or truly of her superiors pertinacie anuy inobedience ambition couetousnesse and a singular kind of hypocrisie And further which vseth to issue out of these-spoile and destructions of Churches subuersion of kingdomes and common-wealths the dissolution of the whole people These fruits of Heretikes the Scripture teacheth and all antiquitie hath obserued So the Anostle there shall be men louing themselues hautie proud and hauing the shew of pietie 2. Tim. 3. but denying all the power thereof that is the Gospell in their mouth charity in their tongue hatred of the Church in their heart sacriledges in their deeds pride in
Guic. Hist l. 1. buying the consent of the Cardinals that after smarted for it The King of Naples signified vnto the Queene his wife with teares when he heard of his election that there was a Pope created who would be the bane of Italie and of the whole Commonwealth the which was also the generall ceonceit of all men Guicciardine sayth He was a Serpent Lib. 6. that with his poysoned infidelitie horrible examples of crueltie luxurie and monstrous couetousnesse selling without distinction thinges holy and prophane had infected all the world His manners and customes were dishonest Lib. 1. little sinceritie in his administrations no shame in his face small truth in his wordes little faith in his heart and lesse religion in his opinions all his actions were desiled with vnsatiable couetousnesse immoderate ambition and barbarous crueltie He was not ashamed contrarie to the custome of former Popes who to caest some colour ouer their infamie were wont to call them their nephewes to call his sonnes his childen Lib. 3. and for such to expresse them to the world The bruit went that in the loue of his owne daughter Lucretia were concurrent not onely his two sonnes the Duke of Candie and the Cardinall of Valence but himselfe also that was her father who as soone as hee was chosen Pope tooke her from her husband and married her to the Lord of Pesere but not able to suffer her husband to be his corriuall hee dissolued that marriage also and tooke her to himselfe by vertue of Saint Peters keyes Lib. 6. Onuph It was among other graces his naturall custome to vse poysonings not onely to bee reuenged of his enemies but also to despoyle the wealthie Cardinals of their riches And this hee spared not to doe against his owne friends till at the last hauing a purpose at a bauquet to poyson diuers Cardinals and for that end appointed his Cup-bearer to giue attendance with the wine amde readie for the nonce who mistaking his bottle gaue the poysoned cup to him was thus himselfe dispatched by the iust iudgement of God that had purposed to murder his friends that he might be their heire 12 I omit many other particular fruits of diuers Popes which would make much more against the Church of Rome but these being ynough for the application to Dr. Stapletons doctrine concerning the discouerie of false Prophets vnto the Teachers of the Church of Rome I could not but iudge the teachers of that Church too passionate and partiall that knowing the most distastfull fruites thereof not onely in their Head the Pope but also in their Cardinals Bishops and euen in their religious Monasteries to haue been so bad as the like are not to be found in any of the resormed Churches will notwithstanding most vniustly charge the Ministers of Gods Word and Teachers of reformation to abound in such fruits insomuch that I could not but admire the impudencie of Master Doctor Stapleton speaking against the Teachers of the reformed Churches saying The Diuell seemeth to haue receiued power from God by his Ministers Bonif. Mor. Dom. 7. post Pent. loc 2. the Heretikes of our time to produce most barbarous and horrible fruits and to make huge slaughters in the Church and according to his pleasure and malice to vexe trouble and destroy the mysticall bodie of Christ as well in the whole worship and Sacraments of Religion as also in all the authoritie and power it hath vpon earth Whereas in truth mature iudgement of the premised fruits of the Church of Rome both concerning doctrine and manners will discouer his rash assertion to be vertified of himselfe and his owne Romane Church teaching many nouelties and abounding in all kind of wickednesse as men of learning and experience well know And therefore his enumeration of 74 wicked fruits in the Teachers of reformation may fitlier be applyed in part to the Church of Rome and in the meane time the reformed Churches hauing learned to forgiue not onely 74 calumniations and iniurious reproaches but euen 77 and that 77 times of their offending neighbours will not be so vncharitable as not to pardon them but also most earnestly out of true charitie pray for their conuersion as Christ did for the Iewes saying Ignosce eis Domine quia nesciunt quid faciunt Pardon them O Lord because they know not what they doe Hence courteous Reader since I follow but the Councell in the search of truth which Christ by the interpretation of the Romanists themselues giueth to all in iudging Teachers by their fruits and hereby being moued to an alienation from the Church of Rome I hope that in conscience euen in the sight of God and Man I am excusable for my incorporation to the Church of England since it is grounded vpon such a place of Scripture as Christ himselfe deliuereth and the Church of Rome alloweth as a direction by which men may discerne the truth of their Teachers Esteeme not therefore slight ly of this inducement but weigh it seriously as indeed it is a point of great importance to produce in the soules of Christians that true detestation and hatred of the Romane Apostasie as the enormities and foule deformities thereof varnisht ouer with lies and hipocrisies doe require CHAP. XIII Containing an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion which can be done to God AS that obiect which is most frequently presented to a mans eies The Sacrificie of the Masse grounded vpon mans inuention is also most frequent in his memorie and taketh the deepest impression euen so the Sacrifice of the Masse being an action which in the Papacie as a Priest I did daily performe with more serious preparation and intensiue affection than any thing else whatsoeuer because I held it the most pleasing action I could doe to the honour of God to the good of his Church and for the benefit of my selfe and others therefore amongst all the erroneous doctrines which I discouered in the Church of Rome the abuse thereof doth most often offer it selfe to my minde and with greatest impression laieth open vnto mee the foulenesse of my former heresies in that Church and toucheth my soule with the deepest stroke of repentance aboue all others especially when I consider the most detestable Idolatrie committed therein not only by my selfe but by the Assistants in adoring visible Elements for the Sauiour of the world and that with such a kinde of worship as is only due to God himselfe and in being too credulous to that erroneous doctrine of the Councell of Trent Sess 6. c. 2. can 3 that if any man shall say that the Sacrifice of the Masse is only a Sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing or a bare commemoration of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatorie Sacrifice or that it doth not profit him alone that receiueth it and that it ought not to bee
adore it but all the rest standing by and that are present although they receiue not Fourthly when it is set forth vpon the Altar for publike praier as experience sheweth in their fortie houres prater By which it is apparent how frequently the Church of Rome enforceth men to giue that worship which is only due to God vnto the Creature which is by them to bee worshipped as God For the Councell wordes are these Sess â—3 can 6. de sacr Euchar. If any shall say that Christ the only begotten Sonne of God is not to be adored in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria yea externall and therefore not to bee worshipped with any peculiar festiuall collebritie nor the bee carried solemnely in Processions according to the laudable and vniuersall rite and custome of the holy Church or not to bee proposed to the people to bee adored and the adorers thereof to be Idolaters be he accursed Here is a strange peece of doctrine yet is it not vnaccompanied with the malediction of the Bishop of Rome I cannot obserue any place or passage of Scripture that makes for this doctrine no neither doth Stephanus Durantus cite either Scripture or other auncient Father that maketh for this Latria worship whence it followeth that it is a new doctrine vnheard of in the primer ages of Christs Church onely this I note that he citeth some auncient Fathers seeming to approue the worship of Christ in Heauen when they behold the Sacrament yea and also some kind of reuerence to the Sacrament but no such as is due to God but rather as may be thought such a kind of reuerence as is vsed in Baptisme and fit to bee vsed in the vse of signes of holy things and therefore to conclude since in the sacrifice of the Masse where the consecrated Hoast must be adored with Latria-worship most detestable Idolatrie is committed I could not but with a great dislike of so foule an abuse in doctrine disauow that Sacrifice of the Masse and hold it most abhominable in the sight of Almightie God Hence I conceiued the more worthily of his Maiesties iudgement and learning for if the verie essentiall parts of the publike sacrifice of the Masse haue no warrant in Scripture and the essentiall part thereof so idolatrous he might well confidently affirme of priuat Masse Praemonit If the Romish Church hath ioyned new articles of faith neuer heard of in the first 500 yeres after Christ I hope I shall neuer be condemned for an Heretike for not being a Nouleist Such are the priuat Masses where the Priest playeth the part both of the Priest and of the people For what an absurd thing is it for the Priest to say Dominus vobiscuÌ„ or orate fratres The Lord be with you or pray ye brethren or to turn about as if there were people to answere when nothing but bare wals appeareth saying Ite Missâ— est Go ye Masse is done Nay what a ridiculous prayer is it wheÌ„ the Priest saith vnto God none being present but either a man or a woman playing the office of a clerke Memento Domina famuloruÌ„ famularum In Can. Missae que tuaruÌ„ omniuÌ„ circuÌ„stantiuÌ„ queruÌ„ ubi fides cognita est nota deuotio pro qubius tibi offerimus c. Remember O Lord thy men-seruants and women-seruants and all that stand round about whose faith and deuotion is manifest and knowne vnto thee This is as ridiculous a false prayer as that which the Priests alwayes say vpon the feast of an ordinarie Confessor Ad sacrum cuius tumulum frequenter Membra languentum modo sanitati Quolibet morbo fuerint grauata Restituuntur Breuiar in com mu. Confessorum Vnder nunc noster chorus in honorem Ipsius hymnum canit hunc libenter Vt pijs eius meritis iuuemur Omne per aeuum Englished thus At whose sacred Tombe sicke people Euen now often with whatsoeuer Diseases they are oppressed are restored To health Our Quier therefore now in honor Of him singeth this Hymne willingly That by his pious merits we may be Holpen for euer Is not this strange that so notorious a lye must by millions of Romish Priests be sung and said vpon the Feasts of such Confessors at whose Tombes not so much as a lame dogge was euer cured and yet they sticke not to say that often and from euerie disease they are cured But by this it may be gathered that the Romish Church hath little care what she alloweth or practiseth how grosse or absurd soeuer it be so long as her erronious doctrines may either be beleeued or practised and hence shee suffereth the Latria-worship of the Hoast to be instilled into the vulgar sort of people without any remorse or scruple for so vnwarrantable an error 5 Now as for the ceremonies of the Masse The ceremonie of the Masse hath no certaine signification as I haue beene carefull to learne their meaning and significations thereby haue I also found as great cause to disgust the sacrifice of the Masse as for the former for so vncertaine is the disagreement of Romish Authors about them as none can be greater Michael the Suffragane of Mets tels vs The Amies that the Humerale which is made of thinne linnen Michael Suffragan Mongunt explic myst sacrosanct nus yet pure and cleane couering the Priests head signifieth Christs Diuinitie couered with fraile humane flesh free and cleane from sinne In another place he sayth That it designeth the indefatigable labour of doing good and chastitie of bodie and minde but Iacobus de Voragine sayth Iac. de Vor. ser de Sanct. de celibrat Mis ser 1. De ritibus eccle Catho c. 9. ff 6. Lib. 2. de sacra part 4. Part. 4 q 26. That it signifieth the Helmet of Saluation because he must appoach to the Altar with hope and confidence Stephanus Durantus that thereby is vnderstood the custodie of a mans mouth Hugo de Sancto victorie and Alexander de Ales thinke it signifieth the vaile wherewith the perfidious Iewes did couer the face of Christ The Albe according to Michael the Suffragane because it is cleane and closed round about the Priest designeth the most entire conuersation of Christ amongst all The Albe Ibid. And in another place he sayth it admonisheth vs of the innocencie and puritie we receiue in Baptisme But Iacobus de Voragine Ibid. Vbi supra more like a souldior will haue it signifie Loricam iustitiae because that as the Albe couereth the Priest all ouer so doth Iustice with other vertues couer the soule Ibid. nu 9. Stephanus Durantus will haue it signifie the perseuerance of good workes Germanus will haue it signifie the brightnesse of the Godhead In Theor. rerum Ecclesiast and the shining conuersation of a Priest Againe it representeth the white garment wherewith Herode did mocke Christ Stephanus Eduensis Bishop sayth that it designeth the glorie of
opinion of all the holy Doctors oâ— the Church that this bread and wine was offered for a sacrifice to God and not for a refection to Abraham both this exposition and assertion is false For both Tertullian contra Iudaeos and also Epiphanius expound it of his bringing foorth of bread and wine to Abraham Hebr. 55. Haeres 55. Epiphanius saith Abraham was about eightie eight or ninetie yeares old when Melchisedech met him and brought forth bread and wine vnto him Lib. 1. cap. 11. So also doth Iosephus expound it Melchisedech milites Abraham hospitaliter habuit nihil illis ad victum deesse passus simul ipsum adhibuit mensae Melchisedech vsed hospitality to Abrahams souldiers and suffered them to want no victuals and did take Abraham to his table That this is the true sense appeareth by the Hebrew word which doth not properly signifie to offer and sacrifice but to bring forth and the force of truth maketh some of the Romane Church to confesse this to be true Caietan in Gen. 1.14 Cardinall Caietan vpon this place writeth thus There is nothing heere said of sacrifice or oblation but of bringing foorth which Iosephus saith was done to the refection of them which had gotten the victory And that which in the vnlgar edition is put after as a cause for he was the Priest of the most high God in the Hebrew is not set as a cause but as a clause separated from it Andrad defens fidei â—rident lib. 4. Andradius also doth herein forsake his friends and acknowledgeth this to be the true exposition his words be these We need not Kemnitius to striue about the word offering seeing that both in the best corrected Latine copies and also in the holy Fathers which apply this place vnto the holy Eucharist it is proferens brought forth and I in iudgement agree with them which say that Melchisedech refreshed Abrahams souldiers wearied and fainted with long fight By which it appeareth how vnprofitably this place is cited for a figure prouing the sacrifice of the Masse wherein Christs true substantiall body blood is offred in sacrifice as the Church of Rome teacheth vnder the forme of bread and wine 11 Very impertinent further is that argument Bellarmine maketh for the Masse The Paschall Lambe falsely pretended to be a figure of the Masse De sacrific mis lib. 5. cap. 2. taken from the Paschall Lambe which he saith is an expresse figure of the celebration of the Eucharist saying That the celebration of the Paschall Lambe was an immolation of the victime which was offered therefore the celebration of the Eucharist must bee also an immolation of the victime offered vnto God that the figure may answere the thing figured It is a strange thing that so great a scholler will so impertinently alleage such an argument for who knoweth not that the Paschall Lambe was offered also by such as were no Priests or if they were as himselfe suggesteth concerning this sacrifice there remained an ancient priuiledge Li. 1. vitae Mosis that all housholders should exercise the priesthoode as may be seene in Philo. Besides any man may see that the figure doth not answere the thing figured because the immolation of the Lambe was bloudy which is not found in the sacrifice of the masse as the Aduersaries confesse as also for that the Lambe was sacrificed by a multitude which agreeeth not with the masse which is offered but by one Priest at a time And further in regard that the paschall Lamb was not propitiatorie for sinnes as hee holdeth the masse to be but was only done in commemoration of the Israelites freedome from Egipt There is no man lastly that is so ignorant but knoweth that the Paschall Lamb was a figure of Christs bloudy sacrifice vpon the Crosse and therefore it can onely be gathered hence that our Lamb Christ Iesus was to be sacrificed of whom Saint Iohn the Baptist said Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Now that we should offer Christ so as the Aduersaries teach vnder accidents without substance of bread and wine doth no where appeare And albeit some of the Church call the Eucharist by the name of a Sacrament yet doth it not follow that the masse is therefore to bee approoued as is the same for it is a fallacious argument from a thing spoken but in some respect to conclude the same thing absolutely The Fathers called the Eucharist a Sacrifice but in some respect onely as first in that all sacred rites may be called by the common word of the olde Testament Sacrifices Quasi à faciendo sacra from doing holy and sacred actions Secondly in regarde that in the Supper there is a commemoration of that onely and true sacrifice of Christ they gaue that name to the action from the chiefest and most principal respect Thirdly in regard of diuers prayers powred foorth in the celebration of the Supper Heb. 5.7 Reuel 5.8 8.4 which are called Sacrifices in the Scriptures Fourthly because the spirituall sacrifices of our soules as Faith Hope and Charitie are exercised and stirred vppe by the vse of the Supper that they euâ—r vnderstoode it to bee such a Sacrifice as our Aduersaries teach the masse where but the formes of the Creatures without substance are adored and worshipped as GOD himselfe and GOD himselfe sacrificed and offered in substance to GOD they will neuer bee able to prooue or make manifest either by Scriptures or approoued Writers of Antiquitie howsoeuer they may with Cardinall Bellarmine make shew to doe it as hee laboureth to doe by the former things so impertinently misapplied as the meanest Scholer is able to discouer their insufficiencie 12 Now therefore curteous Reader hauing thus obserued the sacrifice of the masse to bee vnwarrantable in the holy Scriptures My resolution vpon the obsâ—ruation of al the pâ—emises concerning the Masse and not approoued by the auncient Fathers as iâ— is now taught in the Church of Rome I could no longer continue in league and friendshippe with that Church which pretends so many proofes for it and hath none at all For finding as it appeareth by all my precedent obseruations in this Chapter that it was neuer instituted by Christ that the pretended propitiation thereof derogateth from the Sacrifice Christ made vpon the Crosse that it is but a nouell doctrine in many things vnknowne to the Fathers of former Ages that most hatefull Idolatrie is committed therein that it containeth ceremonies verie ridiculous and vncertaine in their meaning not knowne to the Church of Rome it selfe and such as are neyther ancient nor Apostolicall that it is maintained and defended by false deuised and baâ—â—ard writings that it hath many foolish and false prerogatiues giuen it by the Aduersaries that it is established and confirmed by many lying signes and wonders the arguments of an adulterous generation that the Types and Figures of the olde Testament make no whit for it
and wine passe into the substance of the body and bloud of Christ yet so as the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature If this be true that the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and that the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature then can not transubstantiation stand For hereby Gelasius confuted Eutiches the Heretike holding that Christ had but one nature and that in regard of the vnion the humanitie was turned into the Deitie against which error he opposed the doctrine of the Eucharist shewing that as therein bread and wine after consecration were honoured with the name of his body and bloud and receiued grace to their nature to bee a holy Sacrament though still they remained in their former nature and propertie So the humanitie of Christ receiued grace by the hypostaticall vniting it to the God-head and yet still retained the former propertie to be humane flesh Therefore had Gelasius beliefe beene answerable to the present Church of Rome concerning Transubstantiation he not only could not thereby haue confuted Eutiches but Eutiches might by that very doctrine most probably haue confuted him Who might right well haue argued thus Thou Gelasius thinkest the Sacrament a resemblance of the incarnation of Christ and the vnion of his two natures but in the Sacrament the bread and wine after consecration remaine no more but are turned into the flesh and bloud of Christ and so there is but one substance After this manner may I likewise say in the Incarnation after the vnion the humanitie remaineth no more but is changed into the Diuinitie and the Nature is but one What could Gelasius haue answered to this Argument if hee had held the doctrine of Transubstantiation Hence it is euident both by his wordes and the scope of his disputation that he held it not Not vnlike to Gelasius is the doctrine of Theodoret Dial. immuta fol. 8. writing thus Our Sauiour in deliuering the Sacrament called his body bread and that which is in the cup he called his bloud he changed the names and gaue his body that name which belonged to the signe and to the signe that name which belonged to his body The reason why he thus changed the names was because he would haue such as partake the diuine Sacraments not to heede the nature of those thinges which are seene but for the change sake of the names to beleeue the change that is made by grace For he called it wheat and bread which by nature is his body and againe on the other side he called himselfe a Vine Thus honoring the simbols and signes which are seen with the name of his body bâ—oud not by changing their nature but by adding grace to nature And further the same Author in an other place reprehending the Eutichian heretike saith Dialog 2. Inconfusus You are caught in your owne net for the mysticall signes after consecration do not depart from their nature but they abide in their former substance form and figure and may be seen touched as before If they depart not from their nature if they abide in their former substance figure and forme if Christ changed not the natures but the names adding grace to nature how can the doctrine of transubstantiation in the iudgement of this writer stand free from the impeachment of an erroneous innouation 7. How moderne Authors of the Church of Rome shew the doctrine of transubstantiation to be nouell De verit corp sang p. 46. And so I find euen by the confession of the learnedst moderne Writers this doctrine is but nouell and of small antiquitie and hath not been beleeued as a matter of faith in the purest ages of the Primitiue Church for it is well knowne that before the Councell of Laterane no man was bound to beleeue Transubstantiation as themselues confesse Tonstal sayth It was free for all men till that time to follow their owne coniecture as concerning the manner of the Presence Scotus and Biel are reported by the later Schoolemen to haue been of minde That the opinion is very new and lately brought into the Church Soto 4. d 9. q. 2. art 2. 4. Suar. tom 3. d. 5.4 d. 10. q. 2. ad arg pro prima sect 1. and beleeued only vpon the authoritie of the Laterance Councell And Scotus himselfe saith We must say the Church in the Creede of the Laterane Councell vnder Innocent the third which begins with the words Firmiter credimus declared this sense concerning transubstantiation to belong to the verity of our faith Besides Scotus Bellarmine confesse Scot. d. 11. q. 3. Bellar. Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 23. Turrec tract 13. q. 49. There is no Scripture to conuince it vnlesse yee bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides Now therefore if this doctrine bee no more ancient than the Councell of Laterane as it is cleare I oppose against the accurse of the Councell of Trent the malediction of blessed Saint Paul a better man than any in the Councell of Trent who pronounceth a direfull Anathema against any that shall teach other doctrine than what he taught how fearefull a state then doe all Popish Priests stand in that teach this noueltie of Transubstantiation diametrally contrarie to the places of S. Paul before cited 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. Euagrius 4. lib. Hist c. 35. Niceph. lib. 17. cap. 25. Hiesich l 2. super Leuit. cap. 8. Euseb lib. 7. c. 8. August cont lit Petil. lib. 9. c. 30. It is well knowne that it was an vsuall thing in former ages in diuers places to giue the residues of the Sacrament to little children as Euagrius and Nicephorus haue left recorded to posteritie Yea and in other places of the Christian world as Hesichius teacheth neither hath it beene thought much in former times to giue the bread of the Sacrament into the peoples handes and sometimes permitted them to carry it home which is a signe that they conceipted not then the doctrine of Transubstantiation which hath caused it since to be adored and haue made it a sinnefull act for Lay people to touch the Sacrament yea and haue brought it to such a fond esteeme that if a Flie or a Spider fall into the wine or any like thing which can not without vomit or danger of death be taken downe the Flie or Spider or what else must be taken out and washed as warily as may be in a Chalice and the Priest must take the ablution but the Flie or Spider must be burnt Ibidem eodem cap. Or if a sick man vomit vp the body of the Lord it must bee taken vp againe as diligently as may be and taken by a
Priest or by some cleane and discreet youth if the sicke man can not resume it himselfe 8. The inconueniences of approuing Transubstantiation Besides the inconueniences that follow of this doctrine of Transubstantiation are so many that no man almost out of common sense can admit it vnlesse bee will fondly suffer himselfe to bee carried away with such a generall implicite faith of the Church of Romes inerrabilitie whereby he may fall into as many heresies and dangers of seduction as a blinde man is in danger of falls if he will only walke by the guidance of an other as blinde as himselfe Hence it followeth that it must be beleeued that accidents are without a subiect whereas the nature of a Sacrament requireth no such matter like as when the wood is burned the colour of the wood should remaine alone without a subiect that Mice that knaw the consecrated Hoast doe knaw bare accidents alone and thta the glorified body of Christ are subiect to the grinding of teeth That no worke of God neither of Creation nor of Redemption is so great as the worke of consecration by the Priest by which transubstantiation is performed Whence it is come that the Romish Diuines hold that many miracles together are done in the Sacrament of the Eucharist whereof Ioannes de Combis reckoneth vp nine so fond and ridiculous that it is a wonder any man can beleeue them as first In Comp. Theol. verit lib. 6. c. 14. That the body of Christ is in as much quantitie there as it was vpon the Crosse and as it is now in heauen yet doth it not exceede the bounds of that forme with all the rest of like nature Hence to breede a beliefe of this doctrine the Romish writers tell vs that the Sacrament being lost in a Village of Komele in Germanie in a Pixe Caesar lib. 9. c. 7. it was discouered in a field by the Oxen that did worship it kneeling downe vpon the ground which neither by whips nor cries would not stir out of the place from worshipping their Creatour till it was taken away by the Parish Priest who fetcht it away with crosse candle and incense in great reuerence They tell also how a certaine woman going to the Communion reserued the Sacrament and put it into her hiue amongst her Bees as one had counsailed her wherevpon the pretie Bees were so religiously affected to their creatour that for the fit entertainment of so great a guest S. Anto. 3 p. sum tit 12. c. 8. ff 3. they built him a goodly Chappell in waxe with walls windowes dores caues and Altar to rest him vpon with a bell also and when the time was come that the honie was to be taken out the woman raised vp her hiue and beheld this fine miracle which caused her with great feare to go and confesse her fault to the Priest who with his Parishioners carried the Hoast with great reuerence to the Church They tell also for a great miracle concerning this doctrine S. Bonauent in vit 8. Francis Cath. Hist cap. 5 tit 13. part 4. how that S. Francis had a sheepe which ordinarily went to Church which at the time of Eleuation of the Lords body that the people might worship it bended downe his head fell vpon his knees shewing all other tokens of worship and adoration which much moued the assistance to greater deuotion They tell further Ioan. Mefreth in hort Reign ser de coena Domini that when a woman cast the Sacrament amongst Swine they kneeled downe to it and worshipped it how shee rosted it and it fell a bleeding how shee buried it in the earth and yet still the bloud flowed forth whereupon moued to compunction shee beleeued the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament and did penance for her incredulitie all the rest of her life Many other the like incredible fables they haue left recorded to moue men to worship the bread and wine in the Sacrament with diuine honour due only to God and so to confirme this noueltie of Transubstantiation the which since there are no Scriptures to support it I can not beleeue it as also for that the obseruations of the reasons noted in this Chapter induce me to the contrarie beliefe Therefore deare Reader beware how you beleeue the Romish doctrine established with such lying signes and wonders reiecting both Scriptures and Fathers to the contrarie make not a corruptible creature your God and Maker giue honour and glorie vnto God only who by his infinite mercies requires it at thy handes and as I haue done renounce all societie in rites ceremonies and acts of religion with the Church of Rome that that of Dauid may be verified both of me thee Psal 1. v. 1. saving Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the councell of the vngodly nor stood in the way of sinners and hath not sit in the chaire of Pestilence which happinesse thou maiest enioy if thou followest not the vngodlie Councells of Laterane and Trent in this point of doctrine if thou continuest not in that Church and restest not thy selfe vpon that Pestilent chaire of Romes infectious Idolatries CHAP. XIIII Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrament ministred but vnder one kinde to Lay people in the Church of Rome I Haue read in a certaine Preacher that the Writers of naturall thinges haue left recorded The Sacramēt vnder one kind giueth not life vnto the soule Petrus Besseus Concep Theol. fer 2. maior Heb that there is a certaine hearbe to bee found vpon the Alpes hauing only two branches which is of such a strange naturall power and officacie that the beasts liuing vpon those mountaines if they chance to tast but of one of those branches forthwith they die but if they eate of both branches they take no hurt or dammage but are nourished thereby Euen so doe I obserue vpon the mountaines of holy Scripture the plant of the holy Eucharist hauing two branches of bread and wine by Christs institution of such nature and qualitie that if by faith his faithfull flock eate but of one branch and leaue the other they perish through heresie but if by faith they tast and feede of both branches that is both of bread and wine they feele much good they are strengthened in the life of their soule and are much nourished thereby according to that of Christ Ioan. 6. Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vit am in vobis Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you Whereby I obserue the great danger the Church of Rome standeth in which will afford here sheepe in the Sacrament only one branch viz. the bread and bereaue them of the other branch viz. the wine and on the contrarie side the great happinesse of the Church of England which affordeth Christs faithfull flocke both branches
hold of the Popes Indulgences grounded vppon the couetousnesse of Popes and drew them to employ their studies more in gathering together temporall wealth than the riches of Gods graces and true knowledge of the Scriptures For hence and from this source only hath flowed diuers points of doctrine now currant in Rome more tending to the amplification and enlarging of his temporall Kingdome than the Kingdome of Christs Church amongst which the doctrine of Pardons and Indulgences is not the least profitable for the filling vp of the Popes cofers and giuing contentment to his auaricious desires arguing the great spirituall blindnesse God hath permitted him to fall into in punishment of the detestable sinne 2. Indulgences disproued by their definitions Now this obseruation hauing auerted my minde from the Church of Rome with diuers others and laied open vnto my soule the most foule abhominations of that Church for the better explication of her erroneous doctrine concerning Indulgences and Pardons I must shew thee curteous Reader how this auersion grew in mee by the examination and studie of truth First I beganne to examine the true nature of these Romish Indulgences and Pardons by the definition of them which I found in Cardinall Bellarmine to be thus expressed Lib. 5. de poenit cap. 2. Indulgences saith he are the remissions of paines which are to be endured after the remission of faults granted vnto the faithfull for a reasonable cause by the high Bishops out of a Fatherly lenitie and condescention Ioannes Viguerius the great Scholler of Spaine calleth Indulgence Ioan. Viguer Instit Christi cap. 16. vers 29. A distribution of the treasure or an application of the penalties of the supererogation of Christ or of his Saints for the remission of paines due for passed sinnes made by him that ruleth the Vniuersall Church with iudgement of discretion Siluester their best Summist for cases of conscience defineth it thus The Ecclesiasticall Indulgence Siluest verb. Jndulgentia num 3. is a donation of some thing taken out of the spirituall treasure of the Church made vnto a sinner that hee may satisfie God the creditour of his paines Thus these learned men of Rome write of the nature of Indulgences Whereupon first I note out of Bellarmine that these pardons are not to bee granted without a reasonable cause and according to Viguerius with iudgement of discretion yet notwithstanding this is contradicted by Emanuel Sa the Iesuite who saith That some say an Indulgence giuen without cause is of value Verbo Indulgen num 1. Bonauent 4. d. 20.2 part q. vlt. Solu 4. d. 21. q. 2. art 2. others doe not onely require a iust cause but such a cause as is proportionable to the Indulgence I but Sa himselfe peremptorily affirmeth I thinke no doubt to be made of an Indulgence giuen from the Pope Where I note this man to be more the Popes Friend than the rest who whether the Pope with iust cause or without iust cause graunt an Indulgence hee approues it and further I obserue a great difference amongst the Romish Writers in this point and therefore no credit to bee giuen to those that so much disagree in the cause why Indulgences should bee graunted Secondly I note out of Siluester that the subiect of Indulgences is a sinner I meane as hee saith it is graunted to a sinner and yet this seemeth to bee contradicted by him and others who saith Hee that is not in Gods grace obtaineth not Indulgence Sil. Lerb Indulg 5. Tho. 3. p. q. 27. art 1. Solu 4. d. 21. q. 2. a. 3. Adrian 4. de Indulgent col 13. Concl. 3. Thirdly I obserue moreouer that whereas the Pope graunteth Indulgences oftentimes both from sinne and paine which now is growne ordinarie hee crosseth the Doctrine of these Authours who in the definition of an Indulgence make mention onely of remission of paine and not of the sinne for according to their owne Doctrine else where both mortall and veniall sinnes are taken away by the Sacrament of Penance as the proper subiect and matter of their Sacramentall absolution 3. Now for the establishment of this doctrine of Indulgences The Scripture abused about Indulgences they haue no Scripture as farre as I can perceiue of any force which hath made the Reformed Churches to tearme these Papall Indulgences pious frauds of the faithfull inuentions and impostures and his Maiestie discouering as much iustly to reckon them amongst the trash depending vpon Purgatorie To Christ. Mon. f. 43. not worth the talking of yet doe they not sticke to bee so presumptuous as to alleage Scriptures most indiscreetly for their doctrine as namely Ioannes Viguerius doeth as if hee had got a great victorie against the Reformed Churches in this point prouing the name of Indulgence to bee found in the Prophet Esay his wordes which he citeth are these Notwithstanding to conuince their ignorance Instit Christ c 6. § 6. vers 19. and vnbridled boldnesse wee must shewe the name Indulgence expresly to bee found in the sacred Letters in the same sense the Church vseth And this chiefly in Esay the Prophet where in the Person of Christ hee saith The Spirit of the Lord vpon mee in that hee hath annointed mee Hee sent mee to announce vnto the meeke to heale the contrite of heart to Preach Indulgence vnto Captiues releasement to those that are shut vp and so it can not bee denyed that the name of Indulgence in the sacred Letters is not to bee found And that Esay wrote according to the intention which the Church vseth Christ the Lord hath declared in S. Luke where it is said Luc. 4. that when vpon the Sabaoth hee entred the Synagogue of Nazareth hee rose vp to reade and the Booke of the Prophet Esay was deliucred vnto him and turning the Booke he found the place where it was written the Spirit of the Lord vpon me for that he hath annointed me hee hath sent mee to Euangelize to the poore to heale the contrite of heart to Preach remission to Captiues behold how the name Indulgence Christ interpreteth remission But of what Indulgence spake Esay truly of sinnes for the pardoning and remitting of which Christ was sent by God the Father and because in sinne there are two thinges to wit the fault and the paine the remission of the fault and also the remission of the paine is rightly called Indulgence But the Church as is said taketh Indulgence for the application of penalties of supererogations of Christ and his Saints by which paines are remitted therefore nothing is more manifest than that the name of Indulgence is found in the sacred Letters according to the intention which the Church vseth Here I see a braue proofe of a vaunting Spaniard who with his Spanish Brauadoes thinks to haue conquered but I beleeue when hee shall haue found the strength and truth of his encounterers whom hee termeth Heretiques if he were now aliue he would say as I
haue heard reported once by an English Gentleman that serued sometimes amongst them of a Countriman of his who fighting against the Souldiers of the Reformed Religion in the Low Countries and finding his powder so moist that with often putting match to it it would not take fire in most blasphemous manner see swore in the Spanish tongue I vow to God that this day I thinke God is become a Lutheran For in very truth if the Texts which Viguerius citeth so confidently thinking by them to ouerthrow all the Lutheranes in the world be well and rightly vnderstood you shall finde them to be of no efficacie at all and to be but match powder without fire that is Scripture and his owne sense and priuate vnderstanding without the fire of the holy Ghost without the Spirit of truth and the comfortable Master teaching all truth for the prophecie of Esay only foresheweth how Christ the Messias comming into the world should Preach the remission of sinners to all in generall and deliuerie to those that liued in the darknesse of ignorance before the comming to Christ as the Gentills who should finde mercy and truth by Christ as well as the Iewes Neither will I denie which maketh nothing for Viguerius but that the remission of sinnes and also the remission of paines due to sinne is meant by the word Indulgence the infinite guilt of sinne and the eternall paine due to sinne in hell fire both which belong to sinne being taken away by the bloud of Christ and therefore if the eternall paine why not also the temporal what reseruation did Christ make or his Apostles to shew that the ternall pain should be remitted and the temporall be reserued only for the Pope to be pardoned by means of crosses medalls graines rings knotted cords and the like childish trinkets O miserable blindnesse that cannot discerne such grosse errours and so great a prophanation of Christs merites and satisfaction Sweet Iesu open the eyes of all that are thus blinded let them see how the sacred Scriptures are foolishly misapplied wickedly wrested racked and most impiously prophaned for the supporting of Romish nouelties I will not shew how impertinently other places are applied by Bellarmine for the confirmation of the same Romish errour my designement not being to write a whole Booke of Confutations but only to point at the chief obseruations I made in diuers points of religion inducing me from Romish errors and idolatries vnto the light of truth 4 Vpon further consideration of indulgences I find also The doctriue of Romish In dulgences not ancient that as they are not established by Scriptures rightly vnderstood so neither are they supported by antiquity in the primitiue age of the Church Bellar. cites Greg. the first to haue graunted Indulgences in the dayes of stations Bellar. de sacra poenit lib. 5. ca. 3 in 4. dist 20. q. 1 artic 3 quast 2. Alt. sum Theol. tract 6. ca. 9. for proofe wherof he citeth Thomas Aquinas and Altisiodorensis who was before Thomas hee citeth also Leo the third who as S. Lugderus writeth at Aquisgraue in the Pallace dedicated a Church to the blessed virgin Mary enduing the same Church with many indulgences He citeth besides Sergius the second about the yeere 844. who graunted indulgences of three yeares and of three Quadrigenaries vnto those that should visite the Church of S. Martin vpon the mountaine Spist de sanct Suuiberto apud Sur. tom 2 post S. Suuibert vpon the feast of the same Church He citeth likewise Vrban the second to haue graunted a plenary indulgence to those that went to the holy warres Hee citeth also Martine the fift to huae graunted a plenarie indulgence And the Councell of Trent to haue approued also the vse of Indulgences Amongst all which cited by Bellarmine Pope Gregorie the first liued in the sixt centurie Pope Leo the third who was successour to Pope Adrian the first liued in the eight centurie Sergius the second successor to Gregory the fourth liued in the ninth century Vrban the second successor to Victor the third liued in the eleuenth centurie Pope Martin the fift by some called Martin the third successour to Iohn the one and twentieth liued in the fifteenth centurie as appeareth in the French Iesuite Iames Gaultier Table Chron. de l'estate du Christianisme Now therefore when I doe seriouslie consider these assertions of Ioannes Viguerius and Cardinall Bellarmine for the practise of Indulgences the ancientest they cite is Gregory the great who liued in the sixt centurie which was after the sowing of much cockle and more heresies man being asleepe no such practise hauing beene knowne by anie Pope before then whereby it appeareth that their doctrine euen by their owne assertions about these pardons and indulgences is but a new doctrine lately sprung vp in the christian world and hath not the marke of Antiquitie to stand in defence of it 5 This I find also euen by Bishop Fisher to be most true Other late writers shew the noueltie of Indulgences who saith That so long as there was no care of Purgatorie no man sought after Pardons for on it dependeth the credite of Pardons When therefore Purgatorie was so lately knowne and receiued in the Church Assert Luther confut art 18. pag. 86. who now can maruell at Pardons that in the beginning of the Church there was no vse of them Pardon 's therefore began after that they had trembled a while at the paine of Purgatorie I find also that Durandus saieth There are few things to be affirmed for certainetie concerning Pardons 4. d. 20. q. 3. because the Scripture speaketh not expresly of them and the Saints Ambrose Hillarie Augustine Ierome speake not of them at all Caietane also the great Schooleman saith There can no certaintie be found of the beginning of paerdons There is no authoritie of the Scripture or auncient Fathers Greeke or Latine that bringeth it to our knowledge Tra Hat de Indulg ca. 1. And Alphonsus sheweth in verie plaine termes that they are but nouelties saying Their vse seeme to haue come but lately into the Church Haeres verbo Indulg And Henriquez a Iesuite often cited by the Readers in Rome hath these wordes There bee ceertaine late Dinines which affirme it is no rashnesse Sum mor. li. 7. cap. 3. if a man say the vse and practise of Indulgences is not from the Apostles times Now this beeing considered which these Writers esteemed most learned by their owne associates doe finde euen contrary to cardinall Bellarmine who citeth Scriptures for proofe of Indulgences that there is no mention of in the holy Scriptures nor Fathers nor the ancient Church I could not but conclude but that certainely they are nouelties not to bee embraced the doctrine of them is but cockle that ouergroweth the good corne it is after-comming and therefore not to be esteemed So that now finding no good ground of these Pardons I can find no truer
sweet prouidence and mercie for those that liue in a most blinded and yet zealous ignorance of the errors they are in wrapped in by the slights of their false teachers seducing them who are much more industrious and laborious for the kingdome of Antichrist than the true professors of the Gospell are for the kingdome of Christ according to our Sauiours owne words Prudentiores sunt filij tenebrarū quam filij lucis in generatione sua The children of darknesse are more prudent in their generation than the children of light Against whom I will daily pray that those who stand as sentinels ouer the reformed Churches may both haue aud carefully practise our Sauiours words in another place as an holesome Autidote Estote prudentes sicut serpentes simplices sicut columbae Be ye prudent like serpents and simple like doues vsing serpentine prudence to defend their faith and soueraigne rulers as their heads though with hazard of their owne bodies and liues and not omitting such a sweet doue-like simplicity and mildnesse without gall of malice that their aduersaries may be ouercome by the obseruation of their wisdome and their Christian-like charitie towards them 3 But to returne whence I am digressed The Church of Rome by terrors more thē by proofes endeuors to plant the beliefe of seuen Sacraments I discouer the idlenesse of the Romish Anathema by the error and noueltie of the doctrine of seuen Sacraments for the desence wherof the Councell hath thundered it out for I can find no Scriptures making properly for seuen no nor any one ancient Father reckoning seuen onely and no fewer nor more as for Baptisme and the blessed Eucharist there is no doubt to be made for all the things which the Church of Rome requireth to a Sacrament properly taken do concurre therein Belarm lib. 1. de sacra Bapt. cap. 1. Hebr. 6. vers 4. Ephe. 5. vers 26. Iohn 3. vers 5. the externall right is expressed in Saint Paul calling it The lauer of water in the word of life The institution and commandement vnlesse a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot come vnto the kingdom of God c. and in going teach ye al people baptising them in the name of the Father Mark vlt. v. 16. and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost the promise of grace who beleeneth and is baptised shall be saued but who beleeueth not shall be damned So likewise in the Eucharist the externall rite is found to be bread and wine Mat. 26. vers 26 Ioh 6. vers 57. The institution and commandement at the last supper do this in remembrance of me The promise of grace he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him Whereby it is apparent that of these two Sacraments the Scriptures shew al the things most plainly belonging vnto a Sacramēt properly taken as the Church of Rome vnderstandeth of Sacrament with all the things necessarily belonging thereunto and therefore that these two are Sacramnts is cleere in their vnderstanding which the Church of England according to all antiquitie doth admit but the other fiue receiued by the Church of Rome either in one effētiall thing or other belonging to a Sacrament properly taken are defectiue as either in the sensible signe or in the institution and commandement or in the promise of grace notwithstanding that all must concurre according to the Church of Rome to a true Sacrament Now therefore although I could particularly shew by the disabling of the other fiue that there are not seuen Sacraments as the Councell of Trent defineth yet because I will auoid prolixitie I will only proue it by shewing that penance is no such Sacrament 4 All Diuines of the Church of Rome do ioyntly agree that euery Sacrament consisteth of matter and forme Penance no Sacrament properly neither is auricular confession any essentiall part thereof Tho. Aquin. part 3. quaest 84. art 2. in corp S. Tho. part 3. vbi supra art 3. in corp the matter say they of this sacrament are cōtrition cōfession and satisfaction for the sinnes on the behalfe of the penitent the forme is the words of absolution pronounced by the Priest Thomas of Aquine their cheefe Doctor saith thus The nearest matter of this Sacrament are the acts of the penitent whose matter are sins which he repenteth which he confesseth and for which he satisfieth And in the next article he sheweth the forme saying It is cleare that this is the most conuenient forme of this Sacrament I do absolue thee With whom Viguerius also agreeth saying Ioannes Viguer Instit cap. 16. vers 1. The nearest matter of the Sacrament of Penance are the acts of the penitent contrition confession and satisfaction the matter of which acts are sinnes which the penitent repenteth which he confesseth and for which he satisfiesh In whose assertions I obserue two notable errors first that they count Penance a Sacrament which is onely a vertue disposing men to the Sacrement of the Eucharist according to that Probet seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat Let a man proue himselfe and so eat of that bread which prouing must be by repentāce And secondly that they make auricular confession consisting in a circumstantiall enumeration of sinnes in their numerall distinct kinds to a Priest an effentiall part of that Sacrament neither of which can bee proued in Scriptures I cannot but admire to see so great a Doctor as Thomas Aquinas was Tho. Aquin. part 3. de sacra poenit art 1. sed contra Act. 8. to make a most weake argument for proofe of this Sacrament saying that as Baptisme is adhebited for the purification of sinne so Penance Therefore Peter said to Simon do penance for this thy wickednesse but Baptisme is a Sacrament as is said before therefore Penance also for the like reason Heere is a stout reason and of great force certes especially when we consider that the Angelical doctor following the vulgar translation misalleageth the Scripture for in the Greeke set out by Arias Montanus the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not do penance Arias Montan. in 8. Act. Apost vers 22. but repent thou as the same Author though a Romanist translateth it Neither is it heere to be omitted how notoriously the Rhemists do depraue the same place of Scripture who in excuse of their following the vulgar translation adde a notable falsehood and vntruth saying In annot Act. 8. vers 22. That the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie as much is it not strange then that Arias Montanus I thinke as good a Grecian as any of them would haue swarued from their translation but their imposture in this place is most inexcusable shewing that they care not what they say so they may crosse the reformed Churches as appeareth when in the table before the new Testament printed anno 1600 wherin they charge the English editions of false translation
they say most impudently Matth. 23.2 that for do Penance they translate Repent charging Protestants to corrupt the Greek it selfe which they pretend to transtate is not this a shamelesse impudencie considering that the foresaid Arias Montanus following the Greek translateth as Protestants do Aries Mont in Matth. 3.2 poenitemini repent yee out of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why is he permitted in the Church of Rome if his translation be corrupt or if his be good why should Protestants be condemned for corruption in that place and the former 5 But the Angelical Doctor proceedeth to proue penance to be a Sacrament by impertinently alleaging a place out of S. Luke Vbi supra art 7. sed contra Luc. vlt. It was behoouefull for Christ to suffer and to rise from death the third day and penance to be preached in his name and remission of sins to all people In which text if you consider the words following you shall find that he speaketh of such penance remission as began at Ierusalem according to Montanus who translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipienteÌ„ beginning at Ierusalem Now I pray what was the penance remission of sins beginning at Ierusalem it is cleere in the Acts of the Apostles what it was for after S. Peter had ended his first Sermon the hearers were compunct in heart Act. 2 37. asking S. Peter with the rest of the Apostles what they should do S. Peter answered Poenitemini repent ye as Arias translateth out of the Greek and let euery one of you be baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins Vers 38 therefore fondly and weakely doth Thomas apply the place of S. Luke the plaine words of the Gospel to proue a Sacrament for I trow no Popish writer will say that the repentance beginning at Ierusalem vpon S. Peters sermon before Baptisme receiued was a Sacrament for they all hold that their Sacrament of Penance taketh away onely sinnes after Baptisme And the same Angelicall Doctor himselfe saith Tho. Aquin. part 3. quaest 84. art 6. ad 2. that Penance which goeth before Baptisme is not the Sacrament of Penance Hence appeareth the first error of Thomas Aquinas and Viguerius holding penance to be a Sacrament 6 Now secondly Auricular confession not inftiâ—uted by Christ as an essentiall part of a Sacrament I find most cleerely that auricular confession by the penitent to a Priest made by a particular enumeratioÌ„ of al a mans sins according to their numerical distinct kinds is by no place of Scriptures to be proued nor was instituted by Christ as an essential part of a SacrameÌ„t howsoeuer the Councell of Florence call Penance a Sacrament and the materiall parts thereof the acts of the Penitent and Lucius the third calleth confession a Sacrament Cap. ad abolendum de Haereticis De sacra Poenit. lib. 1. cap. 15. But how shall this be true saith Bellarmine if it belong not to the essentiall part of the Sacrament As for those Scriptures which Bellarmine alleageth for confession as a part of his Sacrament of Penance they are very impertinently alleaged first I find that he affirming the three parts of Penance to be Contrition Confession Bellar. de sacra poenit lib. 1. c. 11. and Satisfaction and to prooue Confession to be a part of Penance Numb 5.6.7 citeth a place out of Numbers which is this The man or woman when they haue done all the sinnes which vse to happen vnto men they shall confesse their sinne which place according to the meaning can haue no reference to the Sacrament instituted in the law of grace for heere mention is made of acknowledgement and confession to God or of some publique act of iniustice to a mans neighbour which is to be satisfied by restitution as the words following doe expresse And therefore if the meaning of this place belong to Penance as a Sacrament it will follow that then it was a Sacrament of the old Law also Vbi supra and not a Sacrament onely of the new Law instituted by Christ Againe a second place for his Confession as a part of his Sacrament of Penance he citeth as if he cared not what he said a place of Dauid saying to God 2. King 24.10 Peccaui valde in hoc facto which is most ridiculously applied because there Dauid confesseth not to any Priest but to God Ionas 3.5 A third place hee citeth out of Ionas the Prophet to the same purpose And let them crie to God in fortitude which place is meant of importunate prayer to God for pardon for their sinnes which he wrestes to Confession so hee wresteth also the prayer of the Publican Luke 18.13 O God bee mercifull vnto mee a sinner which hee saith belongeth to confession Now the iudiciall Reader if hee marke well the force of his argument and the end shall easily see that the Cardinall doth verie impertinently alleage these places for though these places do somewhat make in generall for the acknowledgement which a man ought to make of his sinnes to God yet they nothing make for that auricular confession which the church of Rome teacheth is to be made to a Priest For he there going to proue that Contrition Confession and Satisfaction are acts of the vertue of Penance will needs infer thence by necessarie consequence that therefore they are parts of actuall penance vnder the nature of a Sacrament for the remission of sinnes which in truth is one of the most ridiculous arguments and such a prophanation of the sacred word of God as I neuer read the like and I wonder how such an illation could be inferred from such a premissie by so learned a man If it were true that a certaine Hampshire Recusant calumniously reported of me not long since to one of his Maiesties housebold viz. that I was distracted and out of my wits and therefore no maruaile if I were become a Protestant I verily thinke I could scarce make a more witlesse argument or with lesse iudgement alleage Scriptures then their learned Cardinall the chiefe pillar of their Church heere hath done But I hope that almightie GOD vnto whom I often say with the most zealous and humble affections of my heart Da mihi intellectum Domme scrutabor legem tuam Giue mee vnderstanding O Lord and I will search thy law will preserue me from such sinister vnderstanding and giue mee such iudgement as may daily discouer the like impostures against truth and GODS holy word and free the truth of Gods cause from many of their disgracefull calumniations which can issue from no other source then the Diuell the Authour of lyes whose implacable hatred and malice will neuer cease against the true Church of GOD to stirre vp such lying children as will imitate his owne wicked nature 7 As impertinently as this text Another impertinent allegation 2. Cor. 5.18 the Cardinal alleageth an other
for proofe of the Romish auricular confession out of S. Paul to the Corinthians he hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation and he hath put in vs the word of reconciliation for Christ therefore we are Legates O God O heauen Verse 19 O Angells O all yee men liuing vpon the earth come and iudge whether the learned Cardinall doe rightly applie this place of Saint Paul or not I will not iudge my selfe I will only oppose what lieth in Saint Paul going before and following these passages cited by him Can this place bee meant of absolution after a particular enumeration of sins to man if you consider what Saint Paul saieth before Beholde Vers 17. 18 all things are made new but all of God who hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Christ where it appeareth the chiefe meanes of reconciliation is by Christ as it is said in the nineteenth verse Verse 19 Not imputing vnto them theyr sinnes and the ministeriall meanes of reconciliation by the Cleargie doth it not appeare to bee by preaching the word and exhortation and not by any power to absolue after auricular confession for the Apostle after he had said Hee hath giuen vs the ministery of reconciliation and hath put in vs the word of reconciliation Doth hee not shew the meanes of this ministeriall reconciliation to bee by preaching and exhorting God working it so and no otherwise by them when hee saieth For Christ therefore wee are Legates God as it were exhorting by vs. Who foorthwith performeth this ministeriall office and duetie of reconciliation saying For Christ wee beseech you bee reconciled to God Verse 20 Now heere if wee may beleeue the Apustle Saint Paul iudge whether Christ be not the chiefe cause by not imputing to sinners their sinnes and surther whether the Priest be heere expressed to be the ministeriall cause otherwise than by way of exhortation concluding Him that knew no sinne for vs hee made sinne that is Verse 21 as the Rhemists note Vpon this place a Sacrifice for sinne That wee might bee made the iustice of GOD in him Iudge yee now therefore out of all these places whether the Cardinalles allegation of Saint Paul make anie thing for auricular confession or not as it is a part of the Romish Sacrament of Penance 8 A third place of Scripture alleadged for auricular confession by Cardinall Bellarmine is taken out of Saint Iames chap. 5. where it is said Confesse therefore your sinnes one to another and pray one to an other that yee may bee saued Which place doth neither make for Auricular Confession nor for absolution by the Priest for immediately before Saint Iames imputes the remission of sinnes to prayer in Faith saying The prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and our Lord shall lift him vp and if he bee in sinnes they shall bee remitted him Againe the wordes seeme not to import that Auricular Confession the Church of Rome vseth for they are spoken as well of the Priest who is to praie as of the sicke for a mutuall and reciprocall prayer each one for the other now the Priest is not by Auricular Confessio to confesse to Lay people that hee may bee prayed for for according to the Papists that Confession is for absolution onely but this Confession Saint Iames speaketh of is meant of such a Confession as ioyned with prayer a man may bee saued by it and that which in the Romish sacramentall Confession saueth a man is the absolution of the Priest who as a Iudge giueth a iudiciall sentence of pardon which is the forme of the Sacrament of Penance and not as a suppliant prayeth for his neighbour which is onely intimated by Saint Iames neither is it apparent that Saint Iames meaneth more by this text than mutuall Confession of them who haue trespassed one the other and therefore may bee thought right well that he meaneth in these words no more than Christ did concerning reconciling our selues with our brother offended that so the offerings of our prayers to God may bee acceptable one for an other when hee said Matth. 4.25 Goe first to bee reconciled to thy brother and then comming thou shalt offer thy gift 9 A fourth place which I discouer most miserably and fondly wrested by Cardinall Bellarmine A text mise rably wrested 1. Iohn 1. verse 9 is out of the first Epistle of Saint Iohn where hee saieth If wee confesse our sinnes hee is faith full and iust for to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all iniquitie whereupon he saith Vbi supra Hence is Sacrament all Confession probably gathered but it may more truly be said Hence is Confession of our sinnes to God most clearely to be gath ered and the other most probably confuted For first the wordes Hee is faythfull to forgiue our sinnes is spoken of GOD and not of anie Priest as may appeere by the wordes following if wee coâ—nfesse not to GOD If wee shall say that wee haue not sinned Verse 10 wee make him a lyar and his word is not in vs By which it is cleare that Saint Iohn also speaketh heere onely of Confession in generall to GOD as also may appeere by the wordes before If wee shall say that wee haue no sinne wee seduce our selues and the truth is not in vs. Secondly that by this confession is meant that which wee ought to make to GOD is euident by the Rhemists who for the better vnderstanding of this place doe referre vs in the inner margent to the third booke of Kings chap. 8. verse 47. and to the second of Paralipomenon chap. 6. verse 36. both which places make against Auricular Confession the first mentioning prayer to God and acknowledgement of sinnes onely in generall Peccauimus iniquè egimus ininstè gessimus Wee haue sinned wee haue done naughtily we haue behaued our selues wickedly The second place also expressing as much almost in the very same wordes Whereby it appeareth how much the Cardinall abuseth this Scripture and wresteth this Text against all right sense and meaning which cannot possibly be applied for the iustifying of his Auricular Confession Now therefore finding by due search and examination that none of the places of Scripture cited by Cardinall Bellarmine the chiefe Pillar in this our age of the Romaine faith doe prooue eyther Auricular Confession to bee necessarie to saluation or to be truely anie materiall part of Penaunce as a Sacrament instituted by Christ Iesus it followeth as a most certayne truth that the Church of Rome hath most grossely erred in defining the number of Sacraments to bee seauen cursing all those which shall holde and maintaine the contrarie Which curse and threatning of the Church of Rome no man hath cause to scare that esteemes of S. Pauls curse vpon those that shal teach other doctrine than wha the taught or that findteh himselfe lesse surprized with the feare of mens threatnings than with the feare of God who can cast our
soules into hell fire 10 And in very truth Diuers Authors shew auricular confession not to be ancient Socr. li. 5. ca 19. Tripartit hist lib 9. 35. Sozom. li. 7. c. 16 Niceph. libr. 12. cap 28. Wald. tom 2 de saora ca 141. Dom à Sot 4. dest 8 q 1. Henriq sum pag 325. Andâ— Orthodox expl c. pag. 663. Bâ—ron tom 1. ann 56. nu 28. Homil 22. ad pop Antioch when I looke backeward vppon the beginning of Christianitie as by the Scriptures I finde no such doctrine of auricular Confession to Priests as a thing necessary to saluation so doe I finde it a nouell doctrine not agreeable to Antiquitie but to haue had beginning after the planting of Christianitie For Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople Put it downe in his Church and all the Bishoppes of the East did the like in theirs This the learned est Writers of the Romaine Church know well enough and acknowledge rayling vpon Nectarius for so doing as Andradius and Baronius doe which is a signe that the refourmed Churches reiecting confession breake no commandement of God but follow the example of the primitiue church that refused it This seems to be most cleare by S. Chrysostome saying This is wonderfull in God that he not onely forgiueth vs our sinnes but neythâ—r doth he disclose them or make them knowne neyther enjorceth he vs to come foorth and teil them he requireth no more but that we speake to him alone and to him alone confesse our faults It is not likelie that these learned and holie Bishoppes would thus haue done and also taught if Auricular Confession with a numerall accompt of euerie particular sinne to a Priest had beene generally receyued as an essentiall part of pennance necessarie to saluation in theyr times I doe finde by diuerse that there is scarce anie kinde of thing which causeth more scandall vnto the Cleargie it selfe than this Doctrine of particular enumeration of sinnes For a certaine Writer saith Religious men themselues in no thing sinne so much as in dissembling confessions Alua. Pelag. de planot Eccles lib 2. art 28. p. 255. For scarce or seldome at all doe they confesse otherwise then in generall termes naming no great sinne What they say one day that they say the next as if euery day they sinned alike Yet this abuse is nothing to that the same Author addeth saying That it was an ordinarie practise for the Priests to commit execrable villanie with the Women at confession as if they were the Sonnes of Eli Art 127. pa. 111 rauishing wiues and deflouring maides in the Church Art 2. pag. 83. and committing Sodomie with yong men with other stuffe then this affirming That the Church was made a stewes I finde further that an other Romish Writer saith Art 2. 73. 83. Cornel. Agrippa de vanit c. 64. I could by many examples fresh in memorie shew how fit this confession is for bawderie for Priests Monkes and Nunnes haue this speciall prerogatiue that vnder pretence of religion they may goe vp and downe when and whither they will and vnder colour of confession talke with anie woman whom they oftentimes entertayne but homely closely they goe to the stewes rauish virgins and widdowes yea manie times which my selfe haue seene and knowne runne awaie with mens wiues and carrie them to their fellows and hereby whose soules they should gaine to God their bodies they sanctifie to the Diuell II. â—isconueniences ouerthrowing auricular confession Many other proofes might be alleaged of the inconueniences of auricular Confession as by opening such sinnes by women or yong men as the very hearing of them striketh impression in the Priests and many times engendreth such occasions of temptations to them as they haue no power to resist them besides euen to the penitents also some sinnes into which they may fall by humane infirmitie may bee of that nature that they can neuer haue the heart through bashfulnesse to confesse them and then follow vnperfect confessions and after continuall remorse and perplexities of minde which make their whole liues irkesome vnto them drawing them into the remedilesse gulfe of desperation especially when the sinnes are such in weake natures as the Apostle Saint Paul himselfe thought vnfit to bee named which are fitter to bee opened to GOD than to Men. Therefore no man can well thinke that auricular confession is a soueraigne medicine for sinne which often is an occasion of much sinne No doubt IESVS CHRIST and the Apostles were as carefull to preserue men from sinne as the Pope can be and yet they neuer prescribed this medicine For certes whosoeuer feareth not to commit sin in the presence of God that seeth all men will as little blush to confesse it after their manner to a Priest whom they may deceiue and hee that regardeth not the law of God will care as little for the Priests absolution the feare of God and awe of his truth being of more force to bridle our sinnefull nature than the pollicie of man so that to conclude obseruing this auricular confession not to be an essentiall part of Penance nor to haue any warrant in the word of God nor to bee ancient doctrine without beginning since Christ and his Aposses nor to bee agreeable to reason in respect of many inconueniences that ensue of it it followeth that Penance is not a Sacrament instituted by Christ and consequently that there are not seuen Sacraments instituted by him as the Church of Rome teacheth and therefore I could no longer bee frighted with the Excommunication of the Councell of Trent against those that should denie this doctrine like those qui trepidant timore vbi non est timor Who tremble for seare where there is no cause of feare 12. Strange sables deuised for the prâ—ose of auricular coniession I remember a notable fable worth the relating deuised to breede feare and terrour for want of totall confession into the eares of a Priest which is recorded in diuers Writers of the Church of Rome of which two one of them was Penitentiarius to the Pope a man of great learning and good life and the other to wit the yongest was a simple vnlearned man In mag Spec. exemplor dist 9. p. 531. Guil. Pip. tr 1. super Conc. c. 13. ex lib. qui dicitur Scala coeli It happened that these two trauailing abroade together were lodged at a certaine Castle where a great Ladie dwelt that had committed Adulterie nay Incest with one of her owne Kinne Who out of the shame shee had conceiued for hauing committed so enormous an offence remained for the space of eleuen yeares without going to confession to her Curate who entertaining this religious couple and obseruing them in their carriages to bee vertuous and grane and not to haue any acquaintance with her and considering that perhaps they might neuer come againe to her house shee thought shee might doe well to make her
held that all men besides Christ alone deriued from Adam doe contract originall sinne from Adam Now if this be a matter of faith that all haue contracted sinne from Adam shall it not be against faith to hold that the virgine Marie did not contract sinne from Adam What did she not deseend from Adam by the line of corporall generation Or is there any Scripture or reuciation to the contrarie Is there any exemption of this Virgine No curtainely Nay I dare confidently affirme that it would haue been a great discomfort to this holy Virgine not to haue been partaker of that seet redemption by Christ which others were partakers of If shee were not partaker of the benefit of redemption why did shee say 1. Luc. 47. Magnificat anima mea Dom et exultauit spiritus mâ—us in Deo salutarimeo My soule doth magnisie the Lord and my spirit doth reioyce in God my Sanior How could it be true that God was her Sauior vnlesse it were by Christ of whom wee read in S. Mathew Ipse saiuuÌ„ faciet populuÌ„ suuÌ„ à peccatis eoruÌ„ 1. Matth. 21. He shall sane his people from their sinnes If she had onely been preserued from originall sinne by extraordinarie priuiledge she would haue said that she did reioyce in God her preseruer therefore in that she said she reioiced in God her Sauior according to the phrase of Scripture it is right well inferred that shee acknowledged her selfe saued from originall sinne by Christ whom shee had thus conceiued by the helpe of the holy Ghost without the seede of man to saue people from their sinnes so consequently her selfe calling â—im her Sauior If it be true that S. Paul sayth Ephes 2. Eramus omnes silij irae we were all the children of wrath and sivnus pro omnibus mortuus est if one died for all ergo omnes mortui sunt 1. Cor. 2. v. 14. 15. therefore all died Et pro omnibus mortuus est Christus and Christ died for all it necessarily followeth that the virgine Marie was also a child of wrath by originall sinne through Adam and that Christ who did for all died also for her or else how can it be verified that he died for all If my illation is not to be credited herein Thomas of Aquin may be demaunded his opinion and he will be found to agree with me herein Tho. 3. p.q. 27. art 2. in corp his wordes are these The sanctification of the virgine Marie cannot be vnderstood before giuing of soule or life for a two-fold respect First because sanctification of which we speake is no other than a cleansing from originall sinne Cap. 12. de diui Nomi parum à principio for holinesse is perfect cleanenesse as Dionysius sayty but sinne cannot be clensed but by grace whereunto the reasonable creature is onely subiect Therefore before the infusion of the reasonable soule the blessed Virgine was not sanctified Secondly for that since onely the reasonable creature can haue sinne before the infusion of the reasonable soule the fruit conceiued is not obnoxious to sinne And therefore by what meanes soeuer the blessed Virgine was sanctified before giuing soule or life shee should neuer haue incurred the blot of originall sinne and so shee should not haue stood in neede of redemption or saluation which is by Chris of whom it is said Matth. 1. He shall saue the people from their sinnes But this is inconuenient that Christ should not be the Sauior of all men as wee reale in the first to Timothie the fourth Therefore it resteth that the sanctification of the blessed virgine was after shee receiued soule or life Here then it is apparant that this their Angelicall Doctor held the virgine Marie to be obnoxious to originall sinne because the sanctification he speakes of as himselfe sayth is a cleansing from originall sinne as also for that he sheweth that it would haue beene inconuenient for her not to haue incurred the blot of originall sinne because then shee should not haue stood in neede of redemption So that I thinke it is hereby plaine by the Scriptures according to Thomas Aquinas vnderstanding that the virgine Marie was conceiued in originall sinne and therefore this doctrine is a point of faith 3. Hence I obserue farther The disagreement in the Church of Rome about the virgine Maries conception Ban. part 1. pag. 75. De consecratione d. 4. firmissime nu 12. pag. 101. vpon more serious consideration of the doctrine holding the contrarie how much the late Diuines of the Romish Church especially the Iesuites doe swarue from former Diuines who taught the virgine Marie to be conceiued in originall sinne Bannes acknowledgeth that all the Fathers with one consent held the virgine Marie to be conceiued in originall sinne And Turrecremata sayes That almost all the Schoolemen held the virgine Marie had originall sinne yea that is the common opinion among the famousest of them and he hath colleced an hundred of that minde I obserue a notable contradiction amongst some Romane Writers in this point Cardinal Bellarmine indeede commeth neere the truth when he sayth To affirme that the blessed virgine was conceiued in originall sinne Bellar. de stat peccat l. 4. c. 15. is not against faith He had said well if he had said it is de side it is a matter of faith for is not that a matter of faith which is plaine by the expresse word of God as I haue shewed Yet others say shee had no originall sinne Almain potest eccles c. 16. Clicto super Damas l. 3. c. 2. Frac. Titl Io. 2. and that it is a point of our faith so to beleeue and that it is impietie to thinke otherwise Now if they say true then doe they make the Cardinall an Heretike when in the second conclusion hee affirmeth That the blessed Virgine is piously thought to haue beene conceiued without originall sinne by the singular priuiledge of God Is that thing to be but piously beleeued which is a point of our faith as the former said Or is not that thing against faith which is contrarie to that proposition which they say is a point of faith and that it is impietie to thinke otherwise But in verie truth omitting the contradictions of their writings about this doctrine if we looke but into the institution of the Feast of the Virines conception which they keepe euerie yeare we shall finde it verie nouell in respect of antiquitie and such occasions thereof as are vnfit to ground their doctrine vpon contrarie to all antiquitie 4. To. 1. c. 4. tit 1. p. 6. Anthonie d'Aneroult in his Historicall Catechisme sheweth how the Feast of the Conception of the Virgine Marie was instituted which he recounteth in this manner William the Duke of Normandie An apparition whereupon this doctrine was grounded and the Feast of her Conception first instituted a man fearing God after he had conquered England and reformed the
Church in the same Kingdome was aduertised that the Dacians made preparations for the warres against him Whereupon he sent the Abbot Hersinus vnto them to know the truth of their designements The Abbot then being vpon his returne at sea was surprised with such a tempestuous storme that he and all his people were in danger of their liues if they had not sought for succour of the virgine Marie for as they inuoked her with all the deuotion they could behold there came from Heauen a venerable Personage apparrelled like a Bishop who after he had saluted the Abbot said vnto him Will you be deliuered from this danger he answered that he desired nothing more Know you then said the Personage that I am sent from the virgine Marie to aduertise you that you shall be deliuered from all danger if you will obey me Commaund said the Abbot all that you please and you shall be willingly obeyed Hereafter then said he you shall keepe a solemne Feast of the Conception of the virgine Marie and in preaching you shall declare that it is to be kept The abbot asking vpon what day it should bee kept and what Seruice the Church should say thereon he answered it should be kept the eight of December and for the Seruice they should take that of the Natiuitie putting the word Conception in lieu of Natiuitie Anno 1060. Then the Personage vanished away the storme ceased and the Abbot escaped with all his companie and afterward performed his promise Is not this a strong foundation to build an article of Faith vpon Let the circumstances be considered as that the Bishop that appeared comming from the virgine Marie vsed such great familiaritie with the Abbot as to salute him that he appeared in a storme when wicked spirits are busiest that he willed him to keepe a Feast of that act concerning the blessed Virgine which cannot be freed from sinne and iudge whether it be not time to flye to the Scriptures reuealed from God when such visions must serue as it is probably deuised by the diuell to delude men withall for the establishment of a new article of faith as diuers of the Romane Church hold this to be It may be this vision might be such a one as I haue sometimes heard of the like nature by a certaine Gentleman as acquaintance of mine who told mee that one appeared vnto him in the forme of a Bishop telling him he must be a Romane Catholike if he would be saued and that he should trauell ouer the seas escape many dangers acquainting him with future euents concerning the Earle of Essex and himselfe which he would not speake of Which vision some of his kindred gaue credit vnto and furthered him in his iourney And I haue heard since when his money was spent beyond the seas he returned home againe and finding himselfe deluded by his vision embraced againe his former religion and continueth in it to this day Some Romanists haue thought that this vision was but an inuention that thereby hee might finde a few golden peeces out of his friends the better to maintaine his trauailes The truth of his vision I leaue to his owne conscience but this I may truely say there is a great resemblance betwixt his and the Abbots and therefore in my iudgement if the Diuell played the Bishop in the one he might as well doe it in the other 5. Another apparition to the same effect Ibidem part 7. Dionys Cor. ser 2. Conc. Be. Mariae Polbert ibid. I haue noted another apparition recorded by diuers Writers of the Church of Rome tending to the same purpose viz to make good the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception without originall sinne In the time of Charles King of Fraunce a certaine young man nephew to the King of Hungarie loued so much the Virgine Marie and was so addicted to her seruice that daily before he eate any thing he sayed her Houres who falling vpon a time into a great infirmitie and sicknesse vowed his chastitie vnto her if she would helpe to saue his life Forthwith the chamber was replenished with a great light and he was restored to his health Soone after his vncle died without issue which made the Lords of the Countrey to persuade him to enter into the estate of Marriage to the end the Kingdome may not be without heires offering him a faire Ladie which he married But after he had receiued the blessing he remembred that he had not yet that day read our Ladies office he retyred himselfe to say them the more deuoutly sending the Ladie Bride with the rest of the companie home to his house and when he said that Anthieme Pulchra es decora filia Hierusalem that is to say Thou art faire and gracious O daughter of Ierusalem suddainely the virgine Marie appeared vnto him with two Angels attending her and said vnto him If I am faire honest and gracious as thou sayest wherefore doest thou forsake mee for another am not I more beautifull than she O Ladie said he your beautie surpasseth all the beautie of the world thou art exalted aboue the Angels what is your pleasure that I should doe If you leaue said she your carnall espouse for the loue of me you shall haue me for wife in Heauen and if you will keepe a yearely solemne Feast euerie yeare vpon the eight day of December of my conception teaching others to keepe it you shall be crowned with me in the Kingdome of my Sonne When she had spoken these wordes shee vanished out of sight and the young man transpoeted himselfe out of the Citie and Kingdome into a Wildernesse where his comportement was so holy that since he was made Patriarch of Aquilâ—ia where hee preached and instituted the said Feast Collections vpon this storie Iudge now gentle Reader whether this be an apparition likely to come from Heauen when that which is commaunded here is so expressely against the word of God inuiting from that state of marriage which the Apostle calleth honourable vnto the seruice of that fained and deuised priuiledge of the Virgin Maries Conception without originall sinne which I haue already shewed to be expresly repugnant to the word of God and therefore diametrally against faith Besides the institution it selfe is so late that it appeareth to bee cockle sowed by the enuious man the Deuill not by Christ or his Apostles and therefore not to be receiued by those who know Antiquitie to bee the infallible marke of truth The due obseruation of all which premises considered in this Chapter was as forcible an inducement to leade my feete out of the dangerous waies of Romish nouelties as any other therefore curteous Reader let me intreate thee with me to call the Virgin Marie most blessed amongst women as truly shee was vpon earth and is so also in heauen in the glorie of her soule but thinke her not yet so blessed as in this point of her Conception to paralell her with Christ
and to attribute more vnto her then will stand with the nature of a pure Creature and derogate from her that most blessed benefit of her Redemption by Christ And further consider that if the approbation but of one heresie argueth infidelitie and sheweth no true faith in other points as the Church of Rome teacheth then are they who are led with this errour no true beleeuers at all CHAP. XVIII Containing an obseruation of the honourable state of Marriage prehibited by the Church of Rome to Priests who by Gods Law may lawfully liue in it and allowed to those who by Gods Law can not liue together without Incest AMongst all the fearefull dangers where-with the life of man is enuironed How miserably the Church of Rome is illuded by Satans wily suggestions by reason of the continuall outward assaults and hidden ambushes of our three Enemies the World the Flesh and the Deuill It is certaine that none of them can be more difficultly auoided or hardly resisted than those of the Deuill who being least apparent with greater subtletie can deuise his plots and slily conuay them with faire outward pretences vnto their designed ends than the other two can who by their outward appearances and shewes either of Beautie Riches Pompe or sensuall Preasures may bee discouered and with the more facilitie preuented or foiled The reason hereof is because the Deuill hath a knowledge surpassing mans knowledge and hath power so great that there is none vpon earth may bee compared vnto it by the first be knoweth how to deceiue man by the second hee is most able to performe the intentions of his deceiptfull nature Hence hee appeared to Eue in Pa adise in the disguised shape of a serpent by GODS permission that thereby were may learne how much his craft is to bee feared The Seraphicall Doctor of the Church of Rome noting as much Bonauen in breuiloquio part 3. cap. 3. when hee said It was the prouidence of God that the Deuill in tempting should assume the forme of a Serpent that his craft might not only bee discouâ—red but also that by that likenesse the wilinesse of the Deuill 〈◊〉 tempting might bee knowne to all the children of Adam Hence also bee appeared to our mercifull Redeemer in the Wildernesse as Saint Augustine and others thinke vnder the shape of a Râ—igious man that hee might the more craftily tempt him saying Si filius Deies die vt la pides isti panes fiant If thou art the Sonne of God say that those stones bee made bread Where saith Vega Didacus de la Vega tom 1. Dom. in Quadrag Iob 41. You may see how the Deuill vnder the shew of pietie hideth his malice Therefore well said Iob of the Deuill Quis reuelabit faciem indumenti eius Who shall reueale the face of his garment as if hee should say it is a difficult thing to reueale the Deuills countenance for hee often changeth his countenance to deceiue men and being full of fraude and malice hee vseth often to change his countenance and vnder the colour of some pietie and vertue to hide himselfe Which craftie imposture of the Deuill is not more liuely in any one thing to bee discouered than by his suggestions to the Church of Rome which vnder the colour of chastitie and for greater perfection hee hath guilefully induced to make a prohibition of Priests marriages which the law of GOD doth not forbidde thereby giuing occasion of farre greater abuses against chastitie than otherwise could haue happened to the dishonour of God to the scandall of the Church and to the ruine of infinite soules who being debarred of the lawfull and honourable remedie of marriage appointed and approued by God himselfe through the weakenesse of humane nature fall into such abhominable impurities as are not to be named Neither only hath the Deuill cunningly vnder this pretence deceiued the Church of Rome like a slie Serpent but also by too high a conceipt and estimation of her selfe an other way euer praising her authoritie and preheminence of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction by a sinister interpretation whereof shee soareth so high aboue her selfe in equalitie with God that hee hath enduced her out of her pretended fullnesse of authoritie and power to dispence with Marriage in those degrees of affinitie as GOD himselfe hath prohibited The doctrine of both which points are so repugnant to the holy Scriptures and so crossing thâ— practise of the first ages of the Church as nothing can be more 2. The prohibition of Priests marriages is not agreeable to the holy Scriptures Genes 2. vers 18. For first the prohibition of Priests marriage can no way stand with Gods truth reuealed in the holy Scriptures For first it is apparent that marriage is an institution and ordination of God himselfe instituted before the fall of man as appeareth in Genesis where it is written It is not good for man to be alone let vs make a helpe like vnto himselfe Which place of Scripture Cardinall Bellarmine most impetitinently wresteth in citing it De Matri Sacram lib. 3. c. 2. to proue marriage to bee a Sacrament of the new Law instituted by God for that purpose If this place proue it to bee a sacrament it will follow that it was also a Sacrament in the old Law which were inconuenient and against the whole current of Romish Doctors Thomas Aquinas teaching out of Saint Augustine That the Sacraments of the old Law are taken away S. Thom. 3. part q. 61. art 4. sed contra August contra Faustum lib. 19. cap. 13. tom 6. Thom. in corp vbi supra because they are fulfilled and others are instituted in power greater better for profit more easie to performe fewer in number And further Aquinas himselfe teacheth It is behouefull there should bee other Sacraments in the new Law wherewith the thinges should bee signified that went before of Christ besides the Sacraments of the old Law by where future thinges were foretold Bellarmine to proue his purpose should shew where in the new Law it is instituted as a Sacrament for as Thomas Aquinas saith marriage as it is ordained for the procreation of children 3. p. q. 42. art 2. in corp which was necessarie before sinne was instituted before sinne but as it affordeth a remedie against the wound of sinne it was instituted after sinne in the time of the Law of nature but as it representeth a mysterie of the coniunction of Christ and the Church it hath had an institution in the new Law and according to that institution it is a Sacrament of the new Lawe By which Doctrine of Thomas Aquinas first saying that it hath had an institution in the newe Lawe it is cleare to be very absurdly cited by Bellarmine for the institution of marriage before to prooue it to be a Sacrament and secondly that this Doctor himselfe committeth a great ouetsight in affirming it to haue had an institutioÌ„ in the new Law whereby it
by the secret vertue of the Stone after an inuisible manner adioyning the Rings together a goodlie entire Chaine was made of them Euen so dearely beloued Christian Reader I finde Christ Iesus to haue beene such a powerfull and attractiue Loadstone vnto my Soule by the precedent obseruations lincking the one vnto the other with such infallible truth that therewith euen as with a most strong chaine of his excessiue loue and charitie hee hath now at the length drawne mee to the knowledge of his true Faith rightly taught and professed in the Church of England 2 It is no other than a chaine of Charitie A briefe recapitulation of the premised obseruations by which hee hath drawne mee to write this Treatise for the manifestation of his truth to those that are ignorant thereof It was a chaine of his prouidence by ministring occasions of times persons and places concurring to my conuersion It is a chaine of truth that euery mans chiefe businesse in this life must bee to attaine vnto the end he is created vnto by God or else hee receiueth his soule in vaine It is a chaine reaching from heauen that a supernaturall and reuealed knowledge from God is necessarie to saluation The obseruation also of an absolute necessitie of a supernaturall Faith is a strong chaine to draw any man to search diligently after it The knowledge likewise of the right rule and golden mete-wand of true Faith consisting of GODS sacred Word is a most forcible chaine to drawe Christians vnto the right knowledge of GODS truth The true knowne visible Church of Christ teaching the true sense of Scriptures is a powerfull chaine to draw men vnto the right faith of CHRIST IESVS Conformitie of Doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church being a proper marke of the true Church of God is likewise a most attractiue chaine drawing to the true knowledge of right Christianitie The wonders and supposed miracles which Christ fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and false Prophets should doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible are also a strong chaine to draw any man from the Church of Rome The great hypocrisie of false Teachers fore-spoken of in the holy Scriptures agreeing chiefly with the Church of Rome are a chaine of great strength and power to draw any man from that Church The fruits by which false Prophets are to bee knowne and discerned abounding in the Church of Rome are also a powerfull chaine to draw any man of true iudgement from the abhominiations of that Church The discouerie of the Sacrifice of the Masse to bee Idolatrous which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of religion that can bee done to God is a most forcible chaine to draw any man to the knowledge of CHRIST IESVS once offered for vs procuring our Sanctification Is not the proofe of Transubstantiation also to bee a noueltie a potent chaine to draw any man from Rome to the Church of England where the Sacrament is freed from such disgrace Is not the Amputation also of the holy Eucharist a powerfull chaine to draw men from the Church of Rome that they may rightly according to Christs institution bee partakers of the Lords Supper else where Is not also the noueltie of the Popes Pardons and Indulgences which is annexed to Crosses Graines and Meddals a powerfull chaine to draw any man that is not ridiculously childish a stronge chaine to draw him from the Church of Rome If the false doctrine of seuen Sacraments be well discouered by any man bee can not want a strong chaine to draw him to acknowledgement of two true Sacraments instituted by Christ if the doctrine of the Virgin Maries conception in originall sinne bee doubtfull in the Church of Rome the truth of Scriptures shewing it certaine may serue for a strong chaine to draw any man from that doubtfulnesse If the pretended chastitie of the Romish Clergie doe make the Church of Rome seeme more pure and holy than any other the prohibition of lawfull marriage to Priests and the dispensation and permission of vnlawfull marriage to kindred may bee as a strong chaine to draw deceiued soules from the filth and impurities of her hypocriticall holinesse By these the mightie strength power of all those chaines hath the goodnesse of almightie God deliuered my long estraied soule out of her dangerous waies setled me in the happie societie of his true faithfull beleeuers teaching the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith Oh how truly may I now say with holy Dauid in humble acknowledgement of Gods singular mercies vnto my soule Maruailous are thy workes Psal 139.14 O Lord and that my soule knoweth right well 3. Now it is time To all Seminarie Priests O all yee Seminarie Priests in this Land or else where who labour still in the same blindnesse and errours wherein hitherto I haue beene my selfe inwrapped as in a darke cloude that out of that true charitie and zeale of your soules good and happinesse wherewith I haue cause to be affected towardes you I direct my speech a while vnto you and manifest the sincere candor of my heart and affections to pittie your case as I haue had cause to bee sorrie for it heretofore in my selfe and therefore I can not but admonish you of the perill you liue in both of body and soule for looking no better into the doctrines which you teach You pretend to bee the salt of the earth Math. 5. vers 13. and the light of the world therefore you haue cause to see well that your doctrine bee sound wherewith you season mens soules and that the example of your vertues and life bee not hypocriticall and superstitious if your salt bee infatuated with nouelties and corrupt doctrines all the world will trample vpon you and you are only fit to bee cast out vnto the dunghills if your liues giue no true light but bee a couered vnder the appearance only of vertues as vnder a bushell where there is no corne your poore followers will bee hunger starued and runne into darkenesse and neuer finde the true light of the world CHRIST IESVS Who illuminateth as Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 1. vers 9. euery man comming into this world If it bee true that CHRIST saith Hee that doeth and teacheth Math. 5.19 shall bee called great in the Kingdome of hâ—auen Vnlesse both these duties goe together without mixture of falshood and finne you can neither bee great in Heauen nor in Earth but certaine I am your paines will bee great in the deepedungeon of hell Examine well your owne consciences both for doctrine and conuersation build not vpon other mens bookes only but examine their doctrines by the infallible rule of Scriptures send your Disciples vnto Christ as Saint Iohn Baptist did not to the Popes who can and haue erred both in doctrine and manners say vnto your Children as Christ our Lord and Master said Search the Scriptures c. because