by Lo Scotus where J lye Who twise though being dead Was once but buryed Of me some doubt not say And sure I thinke they may Each Sophist I out-went In captious argument This and much more as touching the fate of Scotus may you read in Bzovius in his continuation of Cesur Baronius his Annalls in the years 1494. But not to wade into any further sea of examples Spaine will tell you how many Friar Minots have been cast away by shâ—pwrack in their voyages unto the Indyes My selfe in the yeare 1610 in the territoryes of Lerma in Cantle with many othors the whole town in a manner going forth to the same beheld the murdered body of a Franciscan Friar a stranger to that place who was supposed to have had moneyes being robbed of them was also slaine his body hid among the standing corne neere unto the gate of the towne of Leâ—ma But some peradventure will say that sudden death is not to be numbred among unhappy or disasterous fates at all For so much as we read that Iulius Casar disputing of that argument the day before he was slain in the Senat-house was of opinion that an inexpected death was to be preferred before any other Sueton in Iulio And a Princely writer of these times in his exposition upon the Lords prayer seemes not to disallow of that death which yeelds least trouble unto the sense So as in these mens opinions not a sudden but an unprovided death is that which is to be misliked conformable to that of Sapient 4. Iustus si morte praeoccupatus fuâ—rit in refrigerio eâ—it The just man though he be prevented by death he shall be in a refreshing And by their leaves I would say that the death which is inexpected may well be suspected feared to be unprovided And therefore for my part I pray God that death may knock at my doore along time before he enter still leaning unto the old Intanyes A subitanea improvisa morte libera nos Domine From a sudden an unlooked for death good Lord deliver us But to leave this point to those who have more leisure to dispute it whether a sudden death is to be numbred among miserable deaths or no Let us come unto a second wherein I demand whether a death insâ—icted by the hand of Iustice may not justly be numbred among unhappy deaths And I thinke none will deny it forsomuch as Peter hath said Nemo autem vestrum paetiatur ut homicida aut fur c. Let none of you suffer as a murderere or a thiefe c. If then we find Friars of the order of S. Francis who for their crimes demerits have been sentenced at the barre of Tribunalls to in famous dishonorable deaths How then have their habits priviledged them Or where is that legacy of S. Francis that who so dyeth in the habit of his Order shall never be prevented with an unhappy death If any be so curious as to enforme himselfe in this affaire I shall not need to send him either unto the Italian Guittiardin or to Spanish French History or further then unto the Annalls of England for no larger a time then betwixt the Norman Conqueror King Henry 8. Where he shall find examples moe then a good many of that kind I say of Friars of the Order of S. Francis who have bin put to shamefull deaths by the hand of Iustice And the same neither for building of Churches nor ministring of Sacraments But some will say That still I come short of the marke of what was intended so long as I insist onely in these temporall calamitiâ—s that accompany the death of the body which with how terrible a countenance soever they looke upon their patients by any misery or casualty deprived together with their lifes of the benefit of the Sacraments yet we know not but evâ—n in their last agony or before continued unto their end thorough the abundant mercy of God they might be found penitent truly contrite for their fins so as in that despicable wretched a passage unto the eyes of the world they might be able to say Transivimus per ignem aquam eduxisti nos in refrigerium We have passed thorough fire water thou hast brought us into a refreshing So as still to make good that propheticall prediction fathered upon S. Francis by his Friars such as dye in their habit whether by death sudden or deserved they shal alwayes dye happily Since no death is to be held absolutely miserable excepting that one which carryes with it Peccatum ad mortem Of which the Apostle S. Iohn Est peccatum ad mortem non pro illo dico ut roget quis 1. â—oh 5. There is a sin unto death I say that for it no man aske Which sin by S. Augustines judgment is finall impenitency I aâ—â—irme saith he That a sin to dea his to leave faith working by charity even till death Decorrept gratia cap. 12. And the same doctrine he teacheth De civicate Deilib 21. cap. 24. So then the last refuge of our Friars is that setting apart â—ll other kindes of death of which none can be defined to be absolutely miserable such as dye in their habit shall never dye impenitent but truly contrite for their sins by which they shâ—ll be seâ—ure from the second death the eternall separation from the blessed vision of God So S. Francis his supposed revelation of the habit Simon Stoc of the scapular doe concurre in this In quo quis moriens non patietur incendium sempiternuÌ„ In which whosoever dyes shall never suffer eternall fire As then we have hitherto proved instanced by many exaples that notwithstanding the habit of S. Francis there hath not wanted such as have perished both by sudden infamous deaths So now in the last place it remaines to take away all tergiversation to manifest unto the world which some will say is a hard tax That divers Friars ending their dayes in the habit of S. Francis have bin subiect even unto this last worst kind of death joyned with finall impenitency obduratnesse in sin consequently according unto the doctrine of holy Church can no wayes be held to have dyed happily And albeit no man in this life may judge another mans servant for that as the Apostle sayth he stanâ—s or falls unto his owne Lord to whom all judgment both of quick dead is reserved And that ordinarily none comes back from the next world to tell us how they fare according to that of Iob. 16. Ecte enim brevi anni transennt semitam per quam non revertar ambulo Loe our yeares passe swiftly I walke the path by which I shall not returne Notwithstanding in our Writers of the Acts Monuments of Saints we find nothing more common or familiar then visions or apparitions made unto the living as touching the estare condition of
permissionis handled by the Schoolmen in particular by S. Tho. 1 a. 2 ae qi 19. q. Now then Tho. Flemming by Gods permission raysed unto the second See of Ireland at the age of 30. as it was determined by his brethren Camerado's in the Friary of Lovaine to extirpate the Clergy of the Diocesse of Dublin in their place to bring in the Friars a plot though not very ancient yet before him invented by an VIster Friar called Hugh Cavall residing in Rome designed by this present Pope Vrbanus 8. about tenne yeares agoe Archbishop of Armagh Primat of Ireland to which purpose the aforesald Hugh Cavall obtayned a Bull by most sinister information to make his Friars Parish Priests thorough the Diocesse of Armagh but being prevented by death before he could pay his way bid his friends farewell in Rome albeit not two houres before his death he writ a letter unto the Pope beseeching him to nominat in his place Friar Rob. Chamberlaine for so they call him albeit a most Irish a tyronicall Friar of Lovaine a successour was designed in his place a Priest of the Clergy called Hugh O Reyly the present Metropolitan of Armagh Primat of all Ireland who being a man not so wedded to Friarly plots against the Clergy albeit in many respects obnoxious unto them that policy of making Friars Pastors either ended in the first Hugh or at least hath taken a time of breathing in the second Hugh But our young Friar Flemming an Archbishop of 30. yeares though now neere 40. nothing doubted to under-go that burden which Milo himselfe was scarce able to beare in a preposterous zeale he would yea that he would without either Bull or Breve banish the Secular Priests out of his Diocesse which to performe litle seen in the Canons of the Church lesse in the common Lawes of England not distinguishing the Keyes from the Sword nor Regall power from Episcopall jurisdiction like a Prester Iohn King of the Aethiopians he presently banisheth 3. Priests in his opinion the most fussicient of all his Diocesse these living in Dublin the mother Citty of all Ireland not doubting but they once sent away all the rest would be glad to kisse his hands and to depart with his benediction Vpon such lofty termes stood our Archbishop leaning his head upon the elbow of his Regulare brachium his Friarly arme an Arme or rather an army always ready prest to second such attempts as Episcopall jurisdiction could not support yea to such an over-weening presumption did he and his Friars at last arrive relying upon their own conrage strength as they doubted not to complaine unto the temporall Magisttate bring their matter unto the Castle of Dublin confident that the State would joyne with them to the ratification of the banishment of the Priests for which cause after that a Lay-man had first broken they ce made the way for them there appeared plaintiffs William Malone aliàs Morgan alias Browne Iesuite Iohn Preston Franciscan Patrick Brangan Edmund Doyle a payre of Priests adhering unto the Friars faction all these I say presented themselves before a grave Counsellour of State for as then the Lord Deputy was not arrived before him they accuse M r Doctor Caddell my selfe Paul Harris for the third whose name is Doctor Cabil had made his peace before with the Archbishop they lay to our charge facta infecta but all in the cloudes of generality as those usually do who meane to calumniat to deceive alledging that we were disobedient turbulent seditious facticus of unquiet spirits enemyes to peace In conclusion such as did trouble all Israel and therefore not to be tollerated or longer endured But it was their chance good hap for us to come before such a Iudge as held it necessary to keep one eare for the Defendants first to heare our answers before he condemned us having understood that of the Morall Philosopher elegantly expressed by the Tragedian Qui statuit aliquid parte inandita altera aquumlicet statuerit hand aquus fuit who determines any thing either party unheard though what he determines be just yet himselfe is not just Seneca in Medea Wherefore it pleased that honourable Gentleman after he had given audience unto our Adversaryes first to send for me Paul Harris to understand what I could answer in my defence not having in nine yeares before beene within the Castle-gates of Dublin and next after hee sent for Peter Caddell who as I take it before that time had never seen the in fide of the Castle and having heard our Apology the Bells for the present were stayed that great heat of hasty exile began to coole-Soon after this was the happy arrivall of the present Lord Deputy before whom upon petition both the Archbishop Flemming we the Priests were commanded to appeare and our grievances propounded were grationsly heard And for that time dismissed with grave advice how to frame our obedience unto the Lawes of God the Kingdome and the Archbishop Flemming in particular was most seriously required to reforme his errours but he standing upon his justification wanting at that rime as it seemed unto us the gift of utterance expression of himselfe whether not acquainted with such an audience or that he was not provided of his Answers he desired againe to be heard and soone after by the Lord Deputy his command we were remitted unto the hearing of the now Lord Bishop of Derry Sir George Radotiffe Knight before whom all our causes were examened at full according unto the Canons of the Church and the ancient and immemorable Lawes of these Kingdomes And the Archbishop Flemming convicted partly by his own confession partly by witnesse that he had offended in these two points First in taking upon him to banish the Kings subjects by Episcopa◠authority out of his Diocesse Secondly in erecting a new Tribunall and drawing all causes of Ecelesiasticall men though meerely civill and temporall unto his Consistory there onely under paine of Excommunication to be heard and determined Neither can the aforesaid Thomas Flemming parallel his cause with S. Thomas of Canterbury I appeale to all such as have written the Legend of his life and death whether it be Capgravius the Breviary or our English Chronicles neither out of any other History shall our Friars ever be able to prove that in both or either of those two points there was any controversy at all betwixt King Henry the second and Thomas Becket Thomas Flemming the Friar being the first onely Bishop since the conversion of these Nations to Christianity that ever was bold to teach maintaine or practise the same for which ause if he should suffer death notwithstanding all the ruissian-like boasts of him his Friars hee should dye a malefactor not a martyr But the little feare of any such punishment to befall him causeth him
FRATRES SOBRII ESTOTE 1. PET. 5.8 OR An admonition to the Fryars of this Kingdome of Ireland to abandon such hereticall doctrines as they daylie publish to the corruption of our holy faith the ruine of soules and their owne damnation which steepeth not By PAUL HARRIS Priest GALAT. 4.16 Am I then become your enemy telling you the truth Printed MDCXXXIV TO POPE VRBANUS VIII The Epistle of Paul Harris Priest MOST blessed Father in these later and worser dayes are risen vp among vs from the Orders of the Begging Fryars men speaking perverse things and drawing many disciples after them not onely in the matter of the Eleaven Propositions but profiting vnto the worse they labour to transfer us from him who hath called us unto the grace of Christ unto an other gospell teaching the people as well in publicke assemâ—lyes as private houses these wretched and prophane doctrines 1. Whosoever shall dye in the habit of S. Francis shall never be prevented with an unhappy death 2. Whosoever shall take the Scapular of the Carmelites and dye in the same shall never bee damned 3. Whosoever shall faste the first Saturday after they have heard of the death of Luissa a Spanish Nun of the order of S. Clare shall have no part in the second death The first of these lewde positions is taken out of the Chronicle of the Fryar Minors for so are the Franciscans called tom 1. and fathered upon S. Francis as one of those Legacyes bequeathed by him unto his Order and by the Friars of his Order indifferently to be communicated to so many as shall before their death desire to be put into their habit which that it may bee the better knowne and notified unto the world it is commonly printed under the Image of S. Francis and placed at our Altars as both my selfe and many others have beheld with our eyes in this citty The second is recorded in a certaine sheet of paper not much unlike unto a Ballad printed by the Friar Carmelits The title whereof is An abridgment of the Priviledges of the holy Scapular granted by the most gracious Queene of Heaven MARY unto the Order of the Carmelites In which Compendium or Briefe the institute of the holy Scapular for so is it called is layd downe in these words S. Simon Stoc the sixt Generall of all the Latines of this Order did receive not without a manifest signe of the Divine favour this most sacred Scapular for when as he had along time with much earnestnesse besought of Almighty God that by some manifest token it might appeare that the Friar Carmelites were in the vndoubted protection of the blessed Virgin behold vpon a certain night he saw the Mother of God in great glory who reached downe vnto him this divine Scapular with these words Dilectissime fili hoc recipe tui ordinis scapulare meae confraternitatis signuÌ„ tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium in quo quis moriens non aeternum patietur incendium Ecce signum salutis salus in periculis saedus pacis et pacti sempiterni Most loving son receive this Scapular of thy Order a token of my confraternity to thee and to all Carmelites a priviledge in which who so dyes shall not suffer ever lasting fire Behold the figne of sâ—lvation safety in dangers a league of peace and an everlasting covenant c. If more can be ascribed unto him who dyed for mankind upon the Altar of the Crosse I leave it to holy Church to determine And such was the vision of S. Simon Stoc exhibited by the Carmelites unto the Estate in the castle of Dublin in the moneth of August 1633. by the hands of Edmund Doyle Priest And if any doubt heerof they shall find the very originall with me when ever they shall be pleased to demaund the same And such is the authentication of the Scapular of the Carmelites evangelized every-where by the Friars of that Order and represented unto the eye at many of their altars by tables of picture Now if any desire to know what thing this Scapular is and have not seene the same behold this description The Scapular is onely two square pieces of cloath of the bignesse of two trenchers the one before pendant upon the brest the other behind upon the shoulders from whence it hath the name of Scapular The third Proposition as touching the Saturdayes faste of Donna Luissa the Nunn of S. Clare is much insisted upon and most carefully taught by the Cordeliers or Franciscan Friars and particularly by Friar Thomas Babe who published the same the 29. of Aprill being the feast of S. Peter Martyr and S. Catherin of Siena in the yeare of our Lord 1631. in the Cook-street of Dublin in a publicke audience whose exhortation to the people was to this purpose That forsomuch as a certaine holy Virgin called Luissa of the order of S. Clare had a revelation that whosoever should fast upon the next Saturday after they heard of her death should never dye in mortall sin or of any evill death The aforesaid Friar Thomas Babe perswaded the people then present to undertake so holy a pennance mooved wherewithall very many and I say signanter very many as they did be loeve his doctrin so did they most carefully observe the same faste among whom as chiefe of all the rest Thomas Flemming alià s Barnwell Archbishop of Dublin for exaniple unto his flock and as a prime man of the same order observed most devoutly the same as himselfe hath not bin ashamed diverse times to acknowledge Neither was that doctrine onely then but sundry other times also taught by that false Apostle Friar Babe and his fellowes in diverse other places of this City and Diocesse Most holy Father I meddle not with the matter of Indolgences neither doe I intend or ever did to discourse of that argument I onely complaine of these wicked doctrines and I doe adjure your sanctity in the Name of the crucified that you confirme your flock in these parts that they be not led away with these new doctrines from that faith in which our holy Mother the Church hath bred us from her brest I say that we be no longer mis-led by these Mendicants who seeke to perswade us these carnall fancyes more serviceable I confesse unto the belly then any wayes behoofeful unto the soule but rather as the Apostle willeth us that wee abide in those things which wee have learned and have beene committed unto us in no sort admitting these new Apostles as sent from heaven but rather avoyding them as seducers come from hell For we fooles doe verily beleeve That he who was borne of the blessed and immaculat Virgin God and Man Iesus and Emmanuel who suffered so many and so grievous torments upon the Crosse under Pontius Pilate who arose glorious from the death and ascended into Heaven that he and no other redeemed us from the curse of the Law that he and no other hath cleansed us from
our iniquityes and wrought our reconciliation for us And that neither Paul nor Apollo nor the habit of S. Francis nor the Scapular of the Carmelites nor Dame Luissa the Nun of S. Clare order be shee never so holy a woman hath washed us with her bloud or was crucifyed for us Most holy Father you have given unto us for the Pastor of our soules a Friar of the Order of S. Francis by name Thomas Flemming alias Barnwell consecrated Archbishop of Dublin to him our Diocesan were presented our complains and grievances in the behalfe of the Clergy of Dublin against the most horrid and blasphemous tenents before-mentioned I say two R. Priests in the name of the rest personally appearing before our Archbishop did present him not onely with the names of the delinquents but a catalogue also of their witnesses and proofes which passed on the 7. of March in the yeare 1631. in this Citty of Dublin But what answer received the two Priests from their Ordinary Truely none at all neither to this day have they profited in that suit For verily it is to be feared that this disease whose nature is to fret like a canker hath invaded and infected the head no lesse then the rest of the body And we are the rather enduced to beleeve the same for that we see these errors and corrupt doctrines day lie more and more to prevaile to enlarge themselves especially among the ignorant and common people alas too easie and flexible to be led astray for there are a number of Regulars especially of the Franciscans and Carmelites false Apostles who not onely in pulpits preach these ertors but as the Apostle sayth going from house to house subvert whole familyes teaching what they ought not for filthy lucres sake For no small profit doubtlesse doth arise unto these Poets and Inventours of fable insomuch as they may truely say with Demetrius the silver-smyth Act. 19. De hoc artificio nobis est acquisitio Sirs you know that our gaine is of this occupation For say mee who in the world is there that beleeves any thing to remaine after death and ashes who will not be glad to avoy de the paines of hell who desires not to enjoy a blessed eternity in Heaven And I call Heaven and Earth to witnesse what thing is there more easiethen before death to creepe into a Friars habit or what more tollerable then to fast one day which is no more then having one competent repast at noone to for beare a supper at night Or what is there lesse troublesome then to carry two square pannicles or clouts the one upon his back the other at his bosome under his garments I wis a carriage not so burdensome nor comparably so painfull as was that heavy became of the Crosse which sweet In svs carryed upon his backe to mount Calvary and on which the salvation of the world did hang. Doubtlesse if future glory in the world to come the assurance thereof in this life might with so small a labour be purchased who is so much an Euclio or streit handed Who so much a Lucian or an Atheist as would not willingly admit these blessed Friars bringing such abundance of spirituall richesse with them into his treasury into his garnell amongst his heards and flocks yea into his whole substance and meanes not a sad or an unwilling but a most joyfull giver Or what woman carefull of her soules health will make spare of whatsoever is in her custody or under her hands her bracelets her rings chaynes Iewels her chests of linnen her arkes of meale and malt in exchange of such immortall benefits and to have so propitious and present gods albeit our Saviour hath said Quid commutationis homo dabit pro anima sua Mar. 8. What exchange shall a man give for his sould The same truth hath also said Math. 7. Angusta est porta via arcta quae ducit ad vitam aternam c. Narrow is the gate and streit is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it And our Saviour foreseeing that there would come in the last times of the world such as would endeavour to enlarge that way and to make that gate more wide he presently addeth Attendite a falsis prophetes c. Take you heed of false prophets that come to you in the cloathing of sleep but inwardly are ravening wolfes by their fruiâ—s you shall know them And what are the fruits sweet Iesus of these falso prophets among us at this day but to make the gates of Heaven to gape as wide as the gates of hell it selfe For albeit the Apostle hath excluded from celestiall glory not a few saying Hoc enim scitote intelligentes c. For understanding know this that no fornicator nor uncleane or covetousiperson which is the fervice of Idols hath inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God yet will our Friars admin them all if they once faste Dame Luissaes saturdayes faste And albeit Christ our Lord excluded the man who had not a wedding garment from his Kingdome yet will the Franciscan Friar let in any who is cloathed with his habit and so the Carmelite such as are found with his Scapular about their shoulders I say all these so qualifved shall be accepted of and be admitted as well unto the Dinner of the great King as unto the Supper of the Lambe Who then can marvell these doctrines supposed as orthodox yea as oracles that we day lie see so many to be buryed in Friars weeds so many men women day lie to take the Scapular witnesse the register of the Friars Franciscan and Carmelices in which their names are carefully recorded as perpetuall Benefactors unto their Orders Nay who is there especially among the Laity O triste verbum who dare so nurch trust to the sufferings of our Saviour and to the merites of his death passion as they dare be found in the houre of death without that thrice holy Scapular that signe of salvarion that safety in dangers that league of peace of aneverlasting covenant in which who so dyeth shall never suffer eternall fire All which attributions are incorporated unto the said Scapular by the blessed Virgin if Simon Stoc his revelation be authenticke yea many among us nor trusting to the habit alone or unto the Scapular alone or to the Nunnes faste alone will before their death beee furnished with them all three together having wisely understood that of Salomon Proverh 4. Funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur A triple cord is not easily broken In which their proceeding me seemeth that yet they shew some weakenes of faith for if they did constantly beleeve every one of these three promised salvations to be assured by divine revelation as their teachers be are them in hand surely either any of them is sufficient or all of them together insufficient Neither doth it boot the Friars to cloake these their errors by saying That
faste of Dame Luissa shall be able to fetch it our And because that Dives can not obtayne of Abraham that one should come from the dead signifie unto his brethren what entertainment these habit scapular wearers sinde in the next world Our Friars doe the lesse regard what Moses the Prophets what the Apostles Fathers and Generall Councells teach for not being convicted of their â—â—rours by experimentall knowledge of the dead they lesse reck on of any other proofe demonstration or argument which not withstanding wee will not spare further to urge against them or whatsoever else may conferr to the demolition of this so despâ—rat an error possessing the last act of mans life and making the same most tragicall For as it is truly said Quod in bello non bis peceatur A man shall never offend the second time in warre and why because by câ—â—ath the second error is prevented So with much more reason yea with ruth and compassion may it be said of a Christian dying in miâ— beliefe of a matter of such consequence as concernes his eternall woe or welfare non bis peceatur He cannot twise offend An error concluded in death 1â— singular is solitary and unaccompanyed no reparation by repentance to bee hoped for the doore of life being also the doore of mercy which once shut is never more to be opened Marvaile not good Reader that I labour in confronting so horrid a doctrin for if by all my endeavours I draw but one soule by the eares out of this sinke and pit of error it shall well become my profession the disciple of him who sought the stray sheep and finding it brought it home into the fould upon his shoulders or at least I shall avovde that censure of S. Bernard saying Cadit asinno invenit qui sublevet sadit anima non est qui man um apponat The asse falls into the ditch and there is one ready to pull him out the soule falls and there is none to put to his helping hand Bernard super Cantica The absurdity then of this doctrine of the habit and scapular befides what hitherto hath beene said may in this also appeare That if they performe what they promise and what their revelations doe import That is certitude and assurance in this life of glory salvation in the next they surpasse in esticacy all the Sacraments of the Church what soever have been or dayned by divine authority and practised by Christians since the Primitive times untill the second comming of Christ For the Sacraments of the New Testament by our Saviours institution doe onâ—ly conferre grace predent iustification having all their vertue eâ—ticacy from the merit of his passion ex opere operato non ponenti obicem onely as instrumentall causes conferred on such partakers of them as thorough their indisposition either of misbellefe or complacencie in sin doe put no impediment or barre unto their spirituall and supernaturall operation They who desire to see the proofes of this doctrine from Scriptures from Councells the Greeke and Latine Fathers the Schoolemen I remit them among many others unto the second tome of Tho-Waldensis or William Lindanus his Panopliâ— or The. Stapleton his Doctrinalia or Cardinall Bellarmine de sacramentis lib. 2. cap. 3.5 c. Now then say I albeit this be very much that our Saviour hath done for us in the Institution of the Sacramonts yet far more hath S. Francis Sirnon Stoc done for us by the habit scapular because he who this day is cleansed from his sins justified by the vertue divine operation of the Sacraments may after again fall into the like or more grievous sinnes for the fame be damned as of the contrary he who at this time abuseth the Sacraments by reason of the indispositions above mentioned may afterwards be penitent for the same and by the comfort and helpe of them attaine his salvation as may clearely appeare by the Apostles doctrine and admonition unto the Corinthians as touching the use and abuse of the Eucharist 1. Cor. 11. Now I say that by our Friars doctrine the habit the scapular are farre more effectuall unto salvation then any one of the 7. Sacraments or all of them put together can be For whether the habit the scapular worke in the nature of the Sacraments by couferring the first or second grace ex opere operato they doe over and besides conferre the grace of perseverance the perfection of all grace which is glory And this neither the baptizâ—d nor the conformed nor the houselled nor the ordered nor the penitent nor the marryed nor the annointed can promise unto themselves by which it is manifest that in these mens doctrines the Babis the scapular infinitely excell all the vertue of the Sacraments and so accordingly to be held estermed as indeed in many mens eyes and opinions at this day they are But now happily these patrons of the habit scapular pressed or rather oppressed with the weight of these arguments and being ashamed to ascribe the divine workâ— of the Sacraments unto shadowes of no greater authority or antiquiâ—y then the visions of S. Francis S. Simon Stoâ— will happily tell us by way of a qualification of these their absurd assertions That the habit the scapular doe indeed resemble the Sacraments But how onely so far forth as they are signes of future beatitude in the next world without having any vertue or efficacy of effecting what they doe signifie For whereas the 7. Sacraments of the Catholicke Church are indeed signes yet not base naked but withall operative that is as secondary instrumentall causes working that grace which they signifie and signifying that grace which they worke The habit the scapular will these men say are signes of another kind onely foreshewing signifying beforehaÌ„d that happines glory which shal befal al such as shal be fouÌ„d in the houre of death invested with them albeit they no way concurre to the production of the aforesaid glory either by supernatural physicall or morall influx And of this kind of signes we have examples in the Scriptures not a few Such was the Raine bow Genes 9. placed by Almighty God in the clouds after the Flood for a signe unto Noah and all mankind that he would never more destroy the world by water albeit the Rain-bow was no cause of any such effect at all Such was the Fleece of Gideon both wett and dry Iudg. 6. a signe unto him from God that the Madianites Amalekites should be conquered by his hand Such was the Sun 4. Reg. 20. going back ten degrees in the diall of King Ezâ—chias a signe given unto him by the Prophet Elias that he should recover of his infirmity And to omit many other signes like unto these of which the Scriptures are plentifull such was that signe of victor that appeared unto Constantin the Great being to encounter
with Maxentius the tyrant when in the sky hee saw a most bright Crosse with this circumscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this overcome Euseb lib. 1. de vita Constant Albeit not that signe of the Crosse which appeared unto Constantin but he in whose hands all victoryes are seconded by humane meanes was the cause of gayning that battayle And so indeed it is said of the divine scapular in that sayned revelation of Simon Stec Ecec signum salutis salus in periculis foedus pacis pacts sempiterni Behold the signe of salvation safety in dangers a league of peace and of an everlasting covenant Say then that we admit of this qualification of theirs and take it for granted that the habit scapular be but bare signes onely significative not operative and onely of the nature of those foure signes last mentioned Yet must we needs confesse them to bee signes of farre more excellency of a greater importment in respect of their supernaturall object which is glory I meane then either the Rain-bow in the clouds or Gideoâ—s Fleece upon the sloore or the retrograde Sun in Ezechias horologe or Constantin his Crosse with the Emblem thereof In â—oc vince In this overcome For that these were but signes and pledges of temporall blessings as security from inundations victory in warre bodily health and the like But S. Francis legacy bequeathed unto his Friars is that whosoever dyes in their habit shall not perish of any unhappy death Simon Stâ—â— of the scapular is That whosoever dyes therein nâ—nquam patietur incendium sempiternum He shall never suffer eternall fire Dame Luissa her Saturday fast is That who so performes it shall not end his dayes in mortall sin These I wis are signes not of any worldly benefits or temporall blessings but of that Crowne of immortality which attends all such as have beene victorious in this our Christian warfare For if the soule that better part of Man be of a divine being and immortall as the best Philosophers have taught and if it be of that precious esteeme with God as he is said in the Scriptures to bee amator animarum a lover of soules And our blessed Saviour the Redeemer of soules could say Mar. 8. Quid enim proderit bomini c. What shall it boot a man to gaâ—ne the whole world and to loose his owne soule And if King Ezechias was so tender of his corporall health as he desired that the same should be confirmed unto him by a signe from Heaven which was a pledge farre more liefe and deare unto him then was that plastet of figs applyed unto his sore a seconâ—lary cause of his health No marveile then though a poore sinner should prize a signe from Heaven an assured pledge of eternall salvation before all other treasure upon earth yea before all other helpes and meanes conducing thereunto Alas then if it be true that these men tell us Why was not S. Francis and Simon Stoe no sooner with us Why did poors sinners misse these so precious signes and pledges of their salvation for a thousand two yeares since Christ Or why since there have beene habits scapulars from the dayes of S. Basil S. Augustine S. Benedict that none of them had that divine influence or signification as the gray habit of the Minors the two square patches ex quolibet panno of the Carâ—â—clites the former not five hundred yeares old and the later not so much But not to lament the times of greater antiquity Alas well away Where was this blessed habit scapular the day wherein S. Bernard dyed in which it is reported that of 30 thousand persons who then departed this life onely S. Bernard two moe were saved for so S. Vincentius the Dominican enformeth us in his 6. sermon de Septuag fró a vision made unto an holy Ermite sometime Deane of Langres in France as also Martinus Polonus in his promptuary of examples cap. 18. Or after that time againe and within the date of these so mysticall weeder where were these helpes divine comforts so farre transcending all sacraments and sacramentalls when as in the yeere of grace 1343. a holy Ermite saw in a vision the soules of men women falling as fast into hell as ever snow came downe from the clouds and onely three to mount up to Heaven namely the soule of a Bishop of a Charter-house Monke and of a Roman Widow This shall you reade lib. de â—rtâ— Carthusiensi in the time of Innocentius the sixt of that name Surely it seemes that either in those dayes there wanted Preachers to publish these miraculous graces of the habit and scapular or people to beleeve them Or else we must say that the shops wanted frises woollen cloath to make them of Or Taylors to cut them out which for my part I will as soone believe as the woods of Arden in Germany to want theeves Freebooters or the Gardens of Egypt to want Leekes Onions which some of the Egyptians worshipped as their gods as may appeare by that verse of Invenal Sat. 15. Porrum cepe nefas violare ac frangere morsu O sanctas gentes quibus bac nascuntur in hor tis Numina To chaw an Onion or a Leeke is held a foule offence O holy people whose gods doe grow but wot you whence Their gardens And I pray God That many among us who would bee esteemed very good perfect Christians yeeld not more honour unto the creatures albeit they make them not their gods then they ought or may stand with the integrity of our holy faith But to returne to our Argument For I purpose to leave no reason pro or contra indiscussed which may serve to discover the vanity of these aforesaid Revelations with which so many soules both have beene and are at this day abused And first for that Legacy of S. Francis grounded upon a vision or Revelation That whosoever dyeth in his habit shall never be prevented with an unhappy death I perswade my selfe besides what already hath been said that it is a meere fiction an lmposture of his Friars of later times untruly fathered upon the Saint for the maintenance of their bellyes And first it is held as most probable That S. Francis had no certaine or particular habit at all either of this or that cloath or colour but onely course and of small price such as might best sort with poverty pennance as may appeare by his rule cap. 2. in these words Fratres omnes vestimentis vilibus induantur possint eis repeciare de saccis alijs pecijs cum benedictione Dei Let all the Fryars be clad with course clothing they may patch them with sackcloth other patches on Gods blessing And this which our Friars doe hold to be a precept of the rule or equipollent to a precept may seeme to be confirmed by the practice of the Order for see wee not the
Capuchins to weare a distinct habit from the Cordeliers agreeing in nothing but onely in colour The Capuchin having a large frise coat to the foot with a piece of course canvas square one halfe yard upon the back girded unto him with a rude massie rope with a great knot before unto this coat sowed a steepled hood or ca puch from whence they have the name of Capuchins of well-neere two foot long from the basis to the conus over this coat they have a cloake of the same frise comming litle below the waste When as the Cordelier professing the same Order of S. Francis the same rule hath a coat of much better frise without that square canvas on the back with a hood or a capuch not steepled at all but round fitted unto his head a girdle of a cord from whence hee hath his name of Cordilier the same handsomely wrought with many artificiall knots orderly placed by equall distances a sleeve O heavenly wide which besides the arme will well containe a couple of Cheeses quartered or a Gamon of bacon a-piece or as many Puddings as would well neere serve a whole Convent of Friars for their break-fast over all this they have a cloak of the same frise descending almost unto the foot Observe then how different these habits be yet those Franciscans againe which are of the reformation of S. Diego they have a distinct habit both from the Capuchin Cordelier Sith then each of these deny the other to have the habit of S. Francis I then demaund of our Friars which of these habits or is it all of them that hath the blessing that whosoever dyes in them shall never be prevented with an unhappy death But what was the true habit of S. Francis or which of the reformations have got it I make account they will agree upon it when my fingers grow all of one length then happily my selfe will be as credulous as others to believe them Now againe it is to be observed That this revelation of the habit is not to be found in the life of S. Francis at all notwithstanding his life was written by many most of them of his own family order as first soone after his death by S. Bonaventure neither is it in the Bull of his canonization of Pope Greg. 9. nor yet in the Roman Breviary or any other Legend of later time either of Lippolo or Lippomannus or Villiegas or last of all by Friar Luke Wadding a Cordilier living this day in Rome In all which Legends of the aforesaid authors matters of farre lesse cousequence I wis are not forgotten yet not word of this great benefit of the habit to be read in them Besides is it not a thing to be admired wondered at that S. Francis leaving such a golden legacy unto the world that whosoever dyed in the habit of his order should be saved that himselfe was not carefull to dye in the same as well for example unto posterity as also to be partaker of that security of salvation with other Christians For we reade in the first tome of the Chronicle of the Priars Minors cap. 71. That S. Francis when he perceived the houre of his death approaching stript himselfe all naked and then cast himselfe upon the ground making an exhortation to his brethren to persist constant in the love of God the profession of holy poverty till such time as the Guardian whom he obeyed understanding the desire of the holy Father taking presently an habit with the cord linnea breeches brought them unto him saying Father take this habit which I lend you with the cord and breeches that you may be buryed there with to cover your nakednesse And it is there said that S. Francis contentedly took the breeches but not the habit for that he desired to conforme himselfe unto our Saviour who dyed naked upon the Crosse Lastly how can this aforesaid revelation of the habit stand with any truth or probability when as dayly experience condem â—eth the same of crrour falshood therefore more like to be some belly-invention of his disciples apostating from the rule and discipline of their Founder then any wise authorixed by S. Francis who doubtlesse was a holy man who in his life-time did see did both condemne lament with great griefe of mind the manyfold disorders of his followers and the prevarication of his rule as may appeare by sundry passages of the history of the Friar Minors whosoever will take the paines to peruse the same I say then that setting aside all other reasons sense it selfe experience doth sufficiently confute convince of most into lienable falshood that doctrine of our Friar Minors namely that whosoever dyes vested with their habit shall never be prevented of an unhappy death For first if it be understood of temporall duasters calamityes in death these fraile bodyes of ours having so many windowes to admit them according to that of the Tragedian Eripere vitam nemâ— non homini potest at nemo mortem mille ad hane aditus patent Seneca in Hippol. Every one may deprive us of life but none can debarre us of death which hath a thousand gates Among which calamityes attending our ends if sudden death be reckoned for one as it seemes by the doctrine of holy Church to be we being taught to pray A subitanea improvisa morte libera nos domine From sudden and inexpected death deliver us good Lord What shall wee say of that subtile Doctor among the Franciseans Johaunes Duns Scotus who being Apoplecticus or subject to the palsy and supposed in one of his fits to be dead was buryed alive as appeared at the returne of his absent companion who being acquainted with the nature of his disease caused his body to be taken up which was found all broken bruised with striving to recover himselfe from his sepulchre whose fate is reported by Paulus I viâ—â— in these words Apoplexiâ correpâ—us Scot us panas persolvis It a quâ—dem at nimis festinato funere promortuo tumulatus cum redeubte vita soro morbi impetum natura discuteret frustra ad petendaw opem miâ—eraâ—ilâ— mugitu adito pulsatoque din sepulchri lapide eliso tandem capite peâ—ierâ—t Scotus taken with an Apoplexy had his punishment so as buryed for dead too hastily when as nature too late had disgested the force of his disease and life returning in vaine desiring holp yeelding a miserable roaring often beating the store of his grave at length his head being violently bruised he perished So Iovius Whose fate wanted not also a Poet to expresse the same in verse as followeth Quod nulli hominum un quans accidit viator Hic Scot us jaceo semel sepultus Et his mortuus omnibus sophistis Argutus magis at que captiosus Ianus Vitalis apud lovium What chanc'd before to none I am forced to bemoane O thou that passest
the desunct somerev ealed to be in glory some in Purgatory others damned As whosoever will peruse that large vo umt of S. Brigids revelations or Casarius or Speculum exemplorum or Capgravins or the Chronicle of S. Francis or any of our later legendary collectors will witnesse with me But setting all these aside which for mine own part as I doe not wholly reject depriving them of all credit authority So neither is my faith so strong as to admit into my Creed very much of what I read of that kind Considering that if the belly hath in all times bin a great Master of Art according to that of the Poet Venter magister artis ingenijque largitor The belly is a Master of Art a supplyer of Invention So above all other in the schoole of our Monkes Mendicants hath the same bin not onely a Master of Art but even Doctor Cathedrations A Doctor of the Chayre pablishing both by voyce writing whatsoever might be serviceable unto the Genius of the place Omitting then all Visions Revelations Apparitions I heare our Saviour saying that there is Spiritus blasphemia there is a sin against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven I heare the voyce of the same truth saying Iohn 3. Such as believe not are judged already I heare the beloved Disciple saying 1. Iohn 5. Est peccatum ad mortem there is a sin unto death for which I say that none doe pray I heare S. Aug. saying De Civitate Deilib 21. cap. 24. If there be any that persist till death in impenitency of heart doth the Church now pray for them that is for the soules of them that are departed I heare also Concilium Braccarense primum cap. 34. forbidding to pray for such as dye in desperation or misbeliefe or kill themselves Tell me then you who pretend to be observantes and the most strict imitators of S. Francis what shall we say of such of your order as have bin mnrdered in flagranti delicte you know my meaning Of so many as have bin executed for Iudaisme by sentence of the Inquisition especially in Spaine Portugall of which sort in Lisboa there was a Friar Minor in the yeare 1610. who was burned in his habit upon a stage dying obstinate in his infidelity till the last breath cryed loude often in a lamentable dying voyce Deus Deus mens ad te de luce vigilo O God O my God from the light doe I wake unto thee What say you to others of your Order who preventing the course of nature have murdered themselves Have you forgotten or can you ever forget that wofull spectacle which hapned in the person of Thomas Barnwel a Franciscan Friar who upon S. Iohn day in Christmasse in the yeare 1630 hanged himselfe in the Orchard of Temple Og scarse two miles distant from the city of Dublin upon the bough of an apple-tree not onely in the habit of his order but using for that execrable service the cord of his habit with which he girt his loyns What voyce is there then so wicked or pen so prophane as to publish these men the like to have dved happily No rather may they say Quid profuit nobis habitus aut scapulare What hath the habit or the scapular prosited us or wherein have they helped us for save that in our life-time they were beneficiall unto cur bellyes the confidence that we had in them after death hath deprived both our bodyes of Christian buriall our soules of the prayers suffrages of the Church and of all faithfull people Now then to conclude this Chap. with are capirulation of such argunents as have bin alledged in the precedent discourse against the doctrine of certaintie of salvation by Habits Scapulars the Luissian fast First then gentle reader thou hast scene the same refuted à priore from authority of the Church Scriptures Councells Fathers Secondly à posteriore thou hast beheld the absurdity falsity thereof layd open before thee ad oculum by very sense experience in all such kindes sorts varietyes of death as by Christians in all times have bin held miserable unhappy ignominious of all which Friars in their Habits have bin sensible sufferers And therefore that doctrine of theirs must needes remaine voyde of all truth That whosoever dyes in their habit shall never be prevented with an unhappy death And yet these be our Apostles Missionaryes sent from Rome to convert Nations and to reduce them to the Catholick faith Such Apostles Preachers as doubtlesse shall never turne any unlesse it be fooles into mad men Truly Friar Missionaryes if these be the signes of your Apostleship this the Gospell you preach sooner shall you catch a Hare with a Tabor then convert a Protestant into a Roman Catholicke If among the savage Indyes you preach these doctrines I know not what credulity you may purchase but if in these parts you seeke to gaine soules to bring such as are astray into the right way doubt lesse it must be by other doctrines then Habits and Scapulars Non obtusa adoo gestamus corda Britanni We Britans live not in so grosse anayre though much unto the North but that we can discerne of colours who preacheth Christ who themselves and if the former had bin till this day as well applyed as the latter happily that lapis scandali that rock of offence at which so many have stumbled had bin before this time removed You Mendicants enter heere among us with specious glorious titles of Legantine Missionary power You tell us you are sent to labour in the Vineyard to worke in the harvest but what sayes the Protestant when he sees all you labour is but to eat the grapes to cull out the best sheaves when they finde all your preaching turned into begging or at least there unto tending Mary say they These be those who preach themselves and not Christ Iesus And say they not truly You tell us you are sent from Rome to assist the Priests and the Pastours ingoverning and feeding of their flocks but verily in all parts of this Kingdome it is well understood what slockes you looke after O how well it becomes the Francisean the Dominican after they have shamed the poore people on a Sunday morning out of their meanes the weeke after to gadd thorough the Parishes to gather in their muttons and hearde them together Compulerantque greges Coridon Thirsis in unum and after to expose them to sale one with another at 12. pence the head in every Barony of this Kingdome Gentlemen expecting when the Friars sheep passe by or where they keepe the market hoping what they got so easily they will not rate too highly And as dextrous as they be in bringing home the strayed sheep so no lesse diligent are they in seeking the lost groat It is a laudable custome of the Church commanded by