I obserue the time is very farre spent that I cannot prosecute my diuision of my Text so fully as I desired therefore I must be briefe it followeth in my Text. Who by the Eternall Spirit offered himselfe vnspotted to God In these wordes the Apostle deliuereth vnto the Hebrewes what the Sacrifice is which he so highly commendeth vnto them how it is offered to whom it is offered by whom or through whom it is offered The sacrifice offered is Christ who also is the high Priest offering and sacrificing himselfe most voluntarily freely and vnspotted to his Father The Person to whom the sacrifice is offered designed by that word Deo to God But what is that by which or through which this Sacrifice is offered Heare the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By or through the Eternall spirit as if he should haue specially expressed it thus by the Eternall God-head by the eternall euerlasting Diuinitie Here here Christian Hearers are misteries of loue of faith of admiration of excesse of diuine wisedome of excesse and an infinite excesse of diuine goodnesse of diuine power of which excesse Moyses and Elias communed with Christ vpon the Mount Thabor so saith the Scripture Loquebantur de excessu eius they spake of his excesse What an excesse aboue all humane intelligence wher God and the Diuinitie is concurring in euery circumstance of this Sacrifice God the Priest God the Sacrifice God the receiuer of the Sacrifice and God the Dignifier the Sanctifier and Beautifier of the sacrifice and yet all these circumstances are in one God These considerations doe astonish me and produce a strange admiration in my soule that the most infinite Trinitie should so busie themselues himselfe to make and accomplish a bloudie sacrifice of one of that infinite societie but in no respect I am touched with greater admiration then to consider how most willingly most voluntarily the infinite maiestie of Christ did consent to dedicate himselfe to the ignominious death of the Crosse did consent to offer himselfe to giue himselfe as a free gift for the deliuerance of most vngratefull mankinde Dedit semetipsum c. He gaue himselfe T it 2. saith the holy Apostle to Titus that the might redeeme vs That which is giuen you know Catholike hearets is put out of the power and possession of the giuer and is at the disposing of him to whom the gift is made and you know that the strongest the absolutest manner of passing away any goods is by deed of gift as being irreuocable O inestimable mysterie Christ giueth himselfe makes an irreuocable deede of gift of his bloud to his Father yea but not only to him to such faithfull beleeuers that should confide in him yea but not only to them to whom farther to who else marry he putteth himselfe into the power dominion and disposing of those damned and reprobate miscreants the Iewes that they should vorke their pleasure on him Isai 50. genas dedit vellentibus corpus perentientibus His cheekes he gaue to be pulled rented his bodie his whole bodie to bee smitten and this that wee who were in the slauerie of sinne and Satan might be made free by so great a grace and be put in the free possession disposing of our selues within that most diuine Paradise which his most sacred bloud should eternally water and sanctifie What a humiliation what an offering is this The holy Apostle admiring thereat pronounceth thus Humiliauit semetipsum c. Phil. 2. He hath humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen to the death of the Crosse that he might exalt and honour vs. What a mysterie of loue that hee might raise vs vp to life he debaseth himselfe to death For this purpose being in the forme of God he putteth on him the shape of man that is much but heare more The forme of a Man obnoxious to the law subiect to the law yet more he is vested with the condition and qualitie of a sinfull man yet more hee is arraied and clothed with the iniquities of all mankinde yet more hee is made vpon the Crosse as a curse as a malediction for mankinde yet more or most of all vpon that Crosse before the Tribunall of his Eternall Father bee sustaineth the Person of all mankinde vndergoeth his displeasure such a displeasure in which is life Psalme 30. he hath that iudgment pronounced vpon him and against him which mankinde had deserued so heauily so grieuously that in the infliction of the iudgement and the execution of the sentence as Man he cried out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet as man he could not bee swallowed vp nor held long with the torments and terrours of death What a progresse is here what a summarie of greatest humiliation for the Sonne of God thus to offer himselfe to his Father as a malediction that in him wee all might bee a benediction and a blessing in the heauenly holies of holies what an abisse of humiliation that he offereth himselfe alone no man of the Nations no Person of the Iewes no Angel from the heauens helping him assisting him Torcular caleat solus but himselfe alone hee alone treadeth the Presse of his most bitter Passion there was indeed a Trinitie of deuout Persons the two Maries and the Disciple whom Iesus loued standing or languishing with griefe by the Crosse by that their presence and attendance they gaue testimonie of their loues and most sincere compassion but nothing able to releeue him to comfort him who had hoised himselfe vp vpon the Altar of the Crosse out of their reaches towards the heauens and to the view of his heauenly Father in heauen where the price of our Redemption of our Reconciliation was to be made and paied What a smelling and a most sweet-smelling sauour did reeke vp from that presse and Altar of the Crosse to the Nostrills of the eternall Iudge and most iust God by him most worthily most desiredly admitted and receiued receiuing duplicia de manu Domini a twofold a double price from the hand of the Lord our dying Esai 40. Lord. Surely if no other dignitie had beene in this our Lords person who offered himselfe yet the inestimable chatitie the vnspeakable loue wherewith he so freely dedicated himselfe to death to satisfie his Fathers heauie displeasure would haue made the sacrifice to be most worthily esteemed But there is a Dignitie there is an Excellencie in this high Priests sacrificing himselfe which did make the same sacrifice not only by acceptance and fauour but euen out of the worth and inestimable valew of it to bee accepted and admitted as a compleat consummate satisfaction redemption in very perfection of iustice and satisfaction of all and for all who should stedfastly beleeue and confide in it What dignitie is this what worthinesse is this you will aske and demand of me Our Apostle shall answere heare him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who by the eternall spirit offered himselfe This
to discourse thereupon and by way of argument to proue it for can it sinke into the imagination of any that God should bee or could bee spotted with any sinne imperfection or blemish thereof Our Christ indeed tooke vpon him the semblance of a sinner but it was impossible to the absolute and almightie power of God to haue permitted him to haue beene taynted with any the least internall or true blemish of sinne Yea by the omnipotent power of God would not hinder or let it but that by vertue of the perssinall vnion and hypostolicall coniunction the soule of Christ was so sanctified and replenished with all graces that absolutely and most necessarily it was impeceable vnsinneable and not capable of any the lest spot of sinne And it was indeed most meet that our high Priest should be such a Person Heb. 7. impolluted innocent separated from sinnes and made higher then the very heauens themselues as being the Lord and God of themand all that is in them And so I proceede to the last branch of my diuision in which is thus Shall cleanse the conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Here is the scope of Christs bloud offered here is the end of Christs offering himselfe by the Eternall Spirit to God that our consciences might be cleansed from dead workes to serue the liuing God Good God what are men or the consciences of men that thou doest so visit them thou doest so esteeme them what are they that to cleanse them thou diddest so farre depresse and humble thy only begotten Sonne vnder thy Angels euen to an ignominious death to make man equall with Angells in euerlasting life it is thy vnspeakeable loue and charitie no deseruing of ours at all But how by what meanes by what instrument is this cleansing sacrifice applied to our consciences to cleanse them from dead workes to serue the liuing God God made heauen earth and all in them made man and all belonging to him without any concurrence or helpe from him by that word fiat fiat be it done bee it made Doth he so cleanse the conscience of man from dead works without any act of man as a meanes as an instrument to applie this soueraigne sacrifice to his conscience no no Heare the Apostle Rom. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being iustâ—fied gratis frankly by the grace of him by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whom God hath proposed a propitiation by faith in his bloud by faith therefore by a liuing faith Christâ—s proposed a propitiation in his bloud not in mans works to euery beleeuing conscience Indefinite vniuersall is this proposing of this propitiation by faith in his bloud to all Nations all sexes all conditions in all times and in all ages no person whatsoeuer is excluded from faith confidence in it no not Iudas himselfe who betrayed it had he beene so happie not the crucifying Iewes had they beene so fortunate How powerfull a sound faith in this bloud is to cleanse consciences let Leo an Ancient Pope confront against these latter Pontificians all of them being meritists de condigno oâ— de congruo out of condignitie or congruitie to their first or second iustification for such a distinction their nouell Scholasticall heresie hath denied 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 sept mâ—ns Effusio pro iniustis iusti sanguinis tam potens fuit ad praemium tam diues ad praetium vt sivniuersitas Captiuorum in Redemptorem suum crederent â—alium tyrannica vincula retinerent The effusion saith this Pope of the iust bloud for the vniust was so potent for a reward so rich for a price that if the whole vniuersitie of Captiues would beleeue in their Redeemer the bands of the Tyrant should hold or retaine none To him I adioyne Saint Austen Modo fratres vt a peccato sanemur Christum crucifixum intuâ—â—amur quomodo illi intuebantur illum serpentem a morsibus August tract super Ioh. sanabantur serpentium sic qui fide intuentur mortem Christi sanantur morsibus peccatornm sed illi sanabantur a morte a d vitam temporalem hi autem vt habeant vitam aeternam hoc enim interest inter figuratam imaginem rem ipsam figura praestabat vitam temporalem res ipsa cuius imago erat praestabat vitam aeternam Now brethren saith he that we may be healed from sinne let vs behold Christ crueified euen as they beheld that Serpent hee speaketh of the Iewes in the Desart and were healed of the biting of Serpents so they who in faith behold the death of Christ are healed from the biting of sinne but they were healed from death to a temporall life but these that they may haue life euerlasting for this is the difference betwixt the figuring image and the thing it selfe the figure gaue temporall life but the thing it selfe of which the Image was gaue euerlasting life Thus hee with infinite much like which might bee producted out of him and all Ancient Fathers agreeingly to the whole current of sacred Scriptures for iustification by faith against the doctrine of all Pontificians who require a positiue and immediate concurrence dispositiue and preparatiue at lest of mans workes to the first iustification too to derogatorie against the bloud of Christ and faith in it How pernicious is that position of many of them that the works which doe proceede and goe before iustification doe de congruo out of congruitie merit iustification shal I cal this tenent an incongruous position only not so it is hereticall it is damnable not onely in the teachers but in the consenters and approuers of the same For tell mee All yee Pontifician Meritists out of congruitie and de congrua as you speake can the power of God can the iustice of God can the wisedome of God doe any thing dispose any thing or proceede in any thing against congruitie right equitie decencie No surely you must answere vnles like madmen you wil affirme that his wisedome may doe some thing vncongruously his power may worke something indecently inconueniently vnseemely you are not yet so impudent as to denie the attributes of God his infinite Wisedome Iustice Goodnesse and consequently his God-head see then and obserue what your merit of congruitie produceth marry a merit of condignitie for such a conueniencie such a congruitie such a worthinesse of a worke to God is as a condignitie For I demand of you in good earnest Is not that a merit of condignitie which in respect of the disposition of the worker and worthinesse of the worke so bindeth vrgeth and constraineth the omnipotent hand of God that he cannot vnlesse hee will proceede against decencie and congruitie but respect regard and reward the same with subsequent and following iustification in the soule which hath it whereby then it is as cleare as the Sunne that from merits of congruitie preceding iustification you are come to merits of condignitie preceding the same by which your hereticall
with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes so annointed that in verie forme he appeared more than his fellowes aboue his fellowes not onely a holy man but a God God and man I cannot but proclaime that although the glorie of the Diuinitie of Christ imparted to his soule was so contained from communicating it selfe to his bodie yet it could not be so concluded and shut vp but that some beames and glitterings thereof did so diffuse themselues like vnto the beames of the glittering Sunne vnder a cleare cloud that the pious beholder might contemplate the very diuine attributes to be in an admirable sort relucent and resplendent in the very humanitie of Christ conuersing with man O Emanuel O Emanuel God with vs God with vs conuersing amongst men and by so diuine conuersation knowen to be the true Emanuel indeed the true God amonst vs amongst men Thus too breefly and imperfectly how theattributes and diuine perfections of God were transponent in Christ Oh that time would permit me fully to consider this our Christ as he hath relation to the actions and operations of God in the framing and gouerning of this vniuerse especially his actions to ward mankinde we should find him to be the very scope and end for which all this world was made wee should find him to be the very drift butte and end of all Gods desires we should finde that of the holy Prophet Isay to be true in him Et eris Isay 62. corona gloriae in manu domini diadema Regni in manu dei tui Thou shalt bee a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord a Diademe of a Kingdome in the hand of thy God A crowne of glory a Diademe of a Kingdome euen vpon the head and in the hands of the Lord of God to honour to make glorious God the Lord. A crowne of glory A diademe of a Kingdome in the hands of God in the hands of the Lord euer to be looked vpon to bee contemplated admired desired Heare the heauenly father himselfe more then once auouching as much Math. 17. Maâ—c 1. Luc. 9. Mat. 3. Hic est filius meus c. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am very well pleased in whom my soule taketh full content This this is the scope of all my actions This is my word which I looked vpon framing the whole world This is the very Idea vpon which I contemplated electing predestinating my children to my glory and when I call those whom I haue elected and predestinated according to the purpose of my will from all eternities to iustifie them to sanctifie them to glorifie them I make them all confermable to the Image of this my sonne Yea so well pleased is my soule in him that for his sake from all eternities I haue absolutely perfectly loued those whom I haue elected in him and for him before they were any thing at all and when in time like fugitiue seruants they were at enmity with me through sinne liuing in sinne delighting in sinne I then for his sake called iustified sanctified them leauing them not vntill I bring them for respect of him to my eternall glory and vntill I accomplish my will in them I will not surce ase no man shall take them out of my handes no man shall stop the might of my election This this Christian hearers as it is doctrine full of all consolation to the faithfull that haue a liuing and a sanctifying faith through and in this Chriâ—t so is it not nouell but most ancient Catholike howsoeuer most commonly the Pontifician Diuines teach and affirme that the predestination and election of Gods children is not without preuision of their merits and so making the merits of man as a motiue of Gods eternall election they shew themselues to be nothing lesse then Semipelagians whole Pelagians I would call them if they taught these merits of man without necessity of grace through and in Christ Merits we exclude Christian hearers wheÌ„ they are made as causes of predestination but not good workes as fruites of sanctification in which God hath eternally preordained his elect to walke in Sixe hundred places of scripture wherewith you learned in Gods booke are acquainted I could produce for the confirming of this truth how that without works freely in Christ alone we were loued beloued and elected before we were any thing at all except onely in Gods election yea and afterwards also when in time we became worse then nothing by committing sinne the which as it is nothing of Gods worke so for so much as it is mans worke it maketh him worse then nothing yet for Christs sake man so wicked so abhominable was called iustified sanctified according to the purpose of Gods eternall election O inestimable O vnspeakable benefit therefore of Christ O Christ powerfull in the eternall prouidence of God before creation for our election powerfull in time appointed for our vocation iustification sanctification powerfull for our perseuerance and finall consummation so powerfull and so precious in the sight of God that if God whose goodnesse is so great that he would suffer no ill if he knew not how to produce good thereout had not foreknowne such a remedy against sinne such an anointed one such a Christ for the curing of soules he would neuer haue permitted Adam to haue sinned at least wise he would neuer haue permitted his sinne as a generall deluge to haue ouer whelmed all mankind so that as in a sort it may be said sinne had not bin permitted if such a Sauiour such a Christ could not haue beene sent haue beene prouided so neither such a dying Sauiour such a passible Christ had not been sent if sinne had not beene permitted O mysterie of all mysteries from the very profoundest of my soule I proclaime O Christ most blessed and eternally to be desired for if thou couldest not haue beene sent to expiate sinne the same had not beene permitted and if sinne had not been permitted thou haddest not beenesent to seeke the lost sheepe of mankind O infinite goodnesse of God Therefore I dare boldly pronounce with ancient Gregory O Felix Adae peccatum c. O happy sinne of Adam which deserued to haue such and so great a Redeemer O truely necessary sinne of Adam which by the death of Christ is abolished and destroied of Christ I say of whose excellencies and perfections in respect of vs and in the manner of his concurrence to our sanctification and saluation in respect of euery sort of causing and working as materiall formall efficient finall and in respect of himselfe for those treasures of diuine wisdome and graces without measure as farre as the right hand of God by his ordinary power could extend it selfe imparted to his soule if I should further according to my diuision made aboue of the respects of Christ discourse Hebr. 5. and ampliate my speech it should proue to be sermo ininterpretabilis a speech vninterpretable as the
chaires of dignitie eternallie But to our sountaine to our fountaine Oh that wee would consider Christ with such a length of his armes so prodigallie and charitably effusing and powring forth his blood to wash all to sanctifie all would it not perswade vs to lengthen forth our armes and to open our palmes to the poore and needy but out alas wee contemplate not this longitude and therefore insteed of stretching forth our armes to the poore we stretch and whet our tongues we sharpen our speeches against them we ad affliction to their affliction we reuile exprobrate discomfort them O damnable custome ouerflowing Italy O wretched practise ouerabounding Spaine and France O practise of Reprobates too too frequent in England O fashion euery where in fashion and yet the fashion only of Reprobates and children of perdition I boldly here speake it that it is a speciall signe marke badge and character of reprobates and children of perdition so to enâ—ertaine so to abuse the poore Lazars why said I poore Lazars I should haue said poore Christs and poore Iesus in these Lazars Hee hath said it and I dare proclaime it whatsoeuer you shall doe to one of these you shall doe to me Honourable worshipfull and Mat 25. most worthy Christians especially you of the deuout and religious sex who are more accustomed to be like to the worthy Matron of your owne sex described in the Prouerbs to open her palmes to the needy and to stretch forth her armes to the poore I beseech you often to consider Prouerb â—â— of this blood of Christ shed so prodigally for your soules and if you will not be prodigall to him in his poore at least be liberall be Charitable Expend often that saying of Christ to the couteous Scribes which I now inclucate to your religious eares and hearts Date elemosynam ecce omnia munda sunt vobis Giue almes and behold all things are cleane vnto you Be charitable Luc. 11. be liberall be prodigall vnto the poore Lazars vnto the needie Christs and behold all things shall bee cleane vnto you if you doe not beware of the thunder-clap depart accursed Mat 25. the which as assuredly as the word of God shall not passe vnfulfilled so certainely shall all such as decline their eares from hearing and their hearts from comforting and releeuing the poore shall heare it shall vndergoe it and shal be eternally confounded with it But from the length of this fountaine to the breadth to the latitude thereof the which if wee would deuoutly consider yeelding streames of blood on euery side and vpon all sorts of persons vpon enemies and onely enemies and all enemies to what a breadth of loue would it perswade vs to loue all that Christ loueth and because Christ loueth to loue our friendes in Christ and our enemies for Christ What a latitude of resolution would it ingender in our Soules to walke the commandements of God cheerefully what a breadth of charitable loue and compassion would it cause in vs to giue to the poore cheerefully for hilarem datorem diligit Deus God loueth a merry and cheerefull giner 2. Cor 2. saith the Apostle Would we consider the profunditie of this fountaine founded in loue and the mestimable charitie of God founded in the vnspeakable humilitie of the sonne of God what a depth of humilitie what a profoundnesse of meekenesse what an abysse of charitie what a purpose of stedfast perseuerance in Gods seruice would it innouate and confirme in our mindes Let experience Christian Hearers be your mistresle in this make triall and as you find so be perswaded so giue credit to what I speake But alas who can bewaile sufficiently the miseries of these times Euen as in the earthly Paradise after the deluge of the slood had ouerwhelmed the whole world neither the fountaine nor the riuers issuing from the same can certamely be distinguished or knowne which or where they are so out alas since partly deepe ignorance of Poperie manifold inundation of heresie abundance of iniquitie extreame defect of charitie haue ouerwhelmed the visible face of the Church it is hard to finde where this fountaine of Christ crucified where these riuers issuing from the same fountaine doe make their courses where their channels be Deuout Christians I speake not this as though I knew no place where Christ crucified is truely preached for in so speaking I should calumniate that Church to which I haue happily associated my selfe where the infinite energie vertue of Christs death and passion is daily and incessantly preached commended extolled and applied to all beleeuing soules But I speake this of Christian conferences of deuoute soules who should daily meditate and sucke of this fountaine who by their pure liues and sincere conuersations should shew that it is the blood of the most immaculate Lambe whereof they drinke it is the blood of the vnspotted sacrifice where with they are fedde and nourished Such kind of channels such kind of streames are hardly sound are hardly scene But let vs yet at last awake our soules and recall them from drinking of the puddles of Egypt there is no houre too late for repentance the energie of this blood is euerlasting it speaketh still better and lowdly to all then that of Abel therefore euen now and at this moment it will not be too late to beginne to drinke of this fountaine no impuritie so great the which it washeth not away it is the Alpha and Omega of vocation iustification sanctification perseuerance glorification because the blood of the Eternall Alpha and Omega of all things O Well of all consolation O fountaine of all Graces O wounds not killing but the onely Asyle and Sanctuatie of sinnefull and afflicted soules wounds in which and in which only we may be secured from the sting of sinne and power of Satan Giue me leaue here for this purpose to apply to your eares the words of a certaine deuout Father Vbi tuta Bernard â—1 in Cant. sirmaque requies infirmis c. Where is there safe and secure rest to the infirme and weake but in the wounds of our Sauiour there I dwell more securely by how much he is more potent to saue the world fretteth my flesh presseth Satan lieth in waite I fall not because I am founded vpon a firme rocke I haue sinned a great sinne my conscience will be troubled but it shall not be ouer-troubled because I will remember the wounds of the Lord for hee is wounded for our iniquities What so neere to death which is not saucd by his death If therefore so potent and so efficient a medicine shall come into my minde I cannot be terrified with the greatnesse of any disease And againe a little after But I doe confidently vsurpe to mee what is wanting to me from the bowels of my Lord which abound with mercie Neither doe there want holes by which it may flowe out they haue digged his hands and feete and haue pierced his
shall please his Holinesse to restrain such sinnes to reserue such cases for his owne absolution and not without some pecuniarie mulcts as the practise Romanae Curiae taxe Apostolicae Cancellariae Of the Roman Court and the taxe of the Apostolicall Chancerie do euince Catholike and religious Hearers what can bee accounted impious doctrine against the only sacrifice of the Crosse if this be not to be esteemed to bee accounted for such To proceede As touching the satisfaction for punishment of sinne Good God! their Altar-sacrifice is weaker than their fatuouse Purgatorie-fire than their vaine Chimerian Indulgences in the founding the tresurie whereof although Christ be the principall yet he hath his consorts and fellowes Saint Stephens Saint Laurences c. to set vp and inrich their vaine checker for these forsooth can take away and satisfie by the way of Iustice of perfect requital and repaiment for all punishment remaining and due to sinne Yea further the profession and solemne vow of a Monasticall life in the handes and presence of the Superiours of such houses Monasteries Nunries is a compleate and perfect expiating of all punishment for sinne as absolute as Baptisme it selfe But their Christ offered in their Masse as it is a sacrifice doth not this effecteth not this neither in the offerers nor in them for whome it is offered nor in the receiuers What said I doth it not so yes but it doth I haue forgotten my selfe I confesse it it doth satisfie for punishment but when but when Marry when this their Christ is offered and sacrificed vpon priuiledged Altars as at Loretto at Sichem at S. Laurences at S. Sebastians without the Gates of Rome then then and vpon such Altars by the holy Father of Rome priuiledged for such ends Christ sacrificed doth and can satisfie for all punishment of sinne then he can worke a plenarie Indulgence and deliuerie of soule vpon soule out of Purgatorie Further when this their Christ is offered and sacrificed by English Priests in this Kingdome vpon Wednesdaies and Fridaies prouided they haue a sanctified Medall or Crosse for that purpose blessed by their holy Father either with them or lying vpon their Altar then forsooth vpon such an indulgent Indulgence from the most prophane Baron of the Roman Checker Christ can and doth satisfie for the punishment and paine due to sin how poore how weak how contemptible is their altar Christ their masse sacrifice which needeth the addition of such an Indulgencer to satisfie for the paine and punishment of sinne weaker and feebler is this sacrifice then their Ordinarie Priests with their blessed Graines of which some bring into this Kingdome Decades of thousands for so many thousands of soules to deliuer them from all paine of sinne inioyned or to bee inioyned by ghostly Fathers or to bee endured in Purgatorie But as for the powerfull Friers Monkes and Ignatians called Iesuites but haue not a dramme of Iesus his spirit in them they forsooth in their very Persons and knotted girdels surpasse this their Christ this their Propitiatorie Sacrifice for whosoeuer shall make a first confession Plenarie Indulgence and a generall pardon annexed to the very persons of Ignatians and Monkes at the first reconcilement of any man by them to the Roman Church of all his sinnes which they call a reconcilement from heresie to the Church of Rome to any of them shall precisely in that respect not because they are Priests for so euery Priest should haue it for confessing first to them and hauing absolution from them haue and obtaine a full Plenarie most full most plenarie Indulgence of all paines and punishment due to sinne How ambitious is this humour of Ignatians of Benedictine but vnbenedict Monks for Precedencie before their Secular Priests in so high a priuiledge and preeminencie of their Persons but rather how impious and detestable a practise is this of the Roman Sinagogue not to equalize only but to preferre the Persons of weake men before and aboue the Person of their Christ of their God of Maiestie offered sacrificed vpon their Propitiatorie Altars how mysticall euery knot of their Saint Francis his powerfull girdells are it is superuacaneous to deliuer Weare it next your skinne or shirt you haue such a pardon weare it longer greater is your pardon pray vpon all the knots maruailous are your pardons you shal die no sodain death O fopperies Concerning reconcilement to God mediation to God Alas neither Christ in their Masse nor vpon the crosse is with them sufficiēt Hear the Remists the deprauers Annotat. in 1. ad Tim. 2. of al youth in their deprauations vpon the first of Timothie Opus est Mediatore ad Mediatorem nec nobis alia est vtilior Maria We haue neede of a Mediator to our Mediator and none more profitable then Marie I acknowledge that they cite these words as out of deuout Bernard but considering what I haue related out of him here aboue and how contrarie this their vaine position is to his doctrine I cannot but thinke that the workes of that learned man are corrupted and depraued but howsoeuer Bernardus non vidit omnia especially in that corrupt and most ignorant age And the doctrine is so impious so hereticall that if all Austens all Bernards all Gregories all Angells from heauen should affirme it we were to denounce vnto them the Anatheme of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Galathians For if they vnderstand this their position of supposed and absolute necessitie because so appointed by God that we must needes haue a Mediatour to our Mediatour or else that in respect of our owne vnworthinesse and sinnes wee must needes haue a Mediatour to our Mediatour it is the most blasphemous heresie that euer was maintained worthy to be persecuted with fire and fagot for it ouerthroweth the whole worke of our Redemption and I doe boldly here pronounce agreeing to sacred Scriptures and doctrine of all ancient Churches that whosoeuer defendeth such necessitie of a Mediatour to our Mediatour he is fallen from Christ he is fallen from Grace and ought not to bee esteemed named or called a Christian As for you Catholike Auditors it is sufficient and abundantly sufficient that you haue an Aduocate a Redeemer a Sauiour An Aduocate of their Aduocates and Aduocatesses a Sauiour of their Sauiours and Sauiouresses a Redeemer of their Redeemeresses who inuiteth exhorteth yea commandeth All that are heauy loaden and labour vnder the burthen of sinne to come vnto him promising that hee will refresh them comfort them c. But as for such as are diffident in his promises doubtfull of his mercies distrustfull of his gratious admittance let them keep themselues still to their Sauiouresses and Aduocatesses which as is manifest cannot heare them but by the appointment power and authoritie of him who commandeth vs with all confidence to approch to him with a firme faith a full trust to enter into Ad Heb. 10. 19. the holies euen vnto himselfe our high
by the Popes bloudie handes the Ignatians are to be vnderstood and by the bloudie fingers their Ignatianed and disloyall foranized Disciples be they Priests or Laikes I alwaies except temperate and moderate Recusants of which I know some of the Laitie to be very true hearted and loyall English as likewise I cannot doubt but that there are some moderate Secular Priests I meane such as are vn-Ignatianed For were not such and only such Ignatians and Ignatianed the Powder-Miners and Powder-Locusts Are not such only or most singularly those who euery where at home and abrode in forraigne Countries doe seeke to disgrace the Magistrates Soueraigne not excepted of these Kingdomes and if any of them haue any vice or defect and who liueth without some one at least they will aggrauate the same yea and rather then faile they will deuise new vaine and those most foule and filthy in the forge of their owne wicked braines oh how meete is it that such as are eminent should be careful of their conuersations when they are besieged with such malitious Zoiles Such only or chiefly are they who will gladly talke or presage of the decay of our shipping delightfully reason of the consuming of our Kings treasure pleasingly commune of the decay and fall of martiall men ioyfully listen after mutterings or any least discontents in the mutinous multitudes against gouernment or Gouernours these are they who gladly discourse of forraigne powers forraine preparations these are they who vnwillingly and fearefully hear of the admirable prowesse and martiall magnanimitie of our most hopefull Alexander or rather desired Constantine and most deare Prince Henrie these are they to be short who delight in nothing more take content and hope in nothing more than to heare of fallings out and quarrels betwixt those of the Scottish and English Nation hoping desiring and expecting that from personall quarrells they may come to bee Nationall Honourable right Worshipfull and most worthie Christians all that are here present from the highest to the lowest I beseech you all in respect of your dutie to Christ Crucified in respect of your dutie to your Soueraigne loue to your Countrie care of your owne safeties and the flourishing state of Christs Church and Ghospel haue no such quarrels amongst you and if any such arise appease them speedily end them Christianly Beleeue it beleeue it nothing will please the Ignatianed Papists more I except still the temperate nothing can be more gratefull to their holy Father then to vnderstand that the Subiects of two so honourable nations vnder so peaceable so gratious and so religious a Soueraigne should haue any iarres and contentions How often Catholike hearers haue I heard Robert Parsons Ioseph Creswell presagingly hope for such contentions vpon vnion of the two kingdomes whereby as hee and they all thinke and wisely thinke if it should so fall out but God auert it the vnconquerable and inuincible power of this kingdome vnder God and by God protected might be broken and weakened and alas who is so simple a coniecturer as can not presage vpon whose head the beane would be bruised and broken doubtlesse the beginner of any such quarrell by all Britaine 's should deserue to bee reputed as a most detestable Anatheme worthy all execration But to returne to the bloudie hands of the holy Father of Rome consanguineous and of the same blood with these were those Ignatian Valladolidian Padres of the English Seminarie who when the proclamation for our most gratious Soueraigne was brought vnto them by a Spanish Duke were so strangely daunted therewith thus it was Those English Padres had long time held that king of Spaine and the Nobles of that kingdome in expectation of great matters to be done at the death of Queene Elizabeth of happy memory for the bringing of the Infanta of Spaine into this kingdome vpon the fantasticall Title to this Crowne but that Heroisse being departed and our most gratious Soueraigne being almost euen with the brething vp of her ghost most ioyfully in this city proclaimed Copies of the said Proclamation were with al speed by Intelligencers sent into some forraine Countries and into Spaine also where presently vpon the fresh receit of one of them a certaine great Spanish Duke posteth in his Caroch with all speed to the English Fathers of the Seminarie in Valladolid who first demandeth of them what newes out of England or what expectations they had of any good to be done there According to their accustomed answers their vnnaturall and vnenglished spirites they forsooth promised and hoped for much at the death of Queene Elizabeth for their Spanish Lady till then as they saide their hopes were but weake but small but cold Well answered the Duke If you heare no news here then is news for you and withall he presented to them a printed Proclamation for the most ioyfull acknowledgement of our Soueraigne king Iames where now saith the duke be your great promises where now are your expectations where now are your hopes at the death of Q Elizabeth They stood as mē astonished danted and confounded that they had scarse a word to say The Duke obseruing their confusion presently departeth discourseth with som persons of note who were with him in his Caroch touching the busie spirites of those english Padres greatly laughing at their follies their vaine promises and expectations But these holy Fathers not able to contain their griefe giue notice of the vnexpected news to some of their fauorites among their scholers wherof one of them presently as one ready to burst coms in hast dischargeth his stomacke to his fellows thus We are vndone my masters we are vndone God graunt it and let all England say Amen Iames of Scotland is proclaimed King of England These things being true iustly imputed to thē with much more that I haue obserued in my Motiues may I be thought vnfitly to haue interpreted the Popes bloudy hands fingers wherewith he incessantly labours to blesse England to be these Ignatian Fathers their Ignatianed children O England or rather O Britany reuiued in thy Britaine Soueraigne Thinke on these bloody hands fingers and be euer vigilant Remember thy late miraculous deliuerie and be euer thankefull to thy Almightie and All-mercifull Deliuerer Remember thy late danger be euer watchfull Remember how as God then deliuered thee so he also vouchsafed to inspire thee that thy Soueraigne with thee did then prouide an Oath as a Touchstone whereby the disloyall and forranized Spirites might bee discerned from the Naturall and Temperate Doest thou make vse of Gods Doctrine Dost thou apply this touchstone and distinguish vpon what spirit it is refused either out of a Womanish scrupulositie for some few feminine men in swearing are perhaps like to scrupulous women or out of inueterated disloyaltie and grounded heresie if so it is well and most happy for Englands securitie for Englands Posteritie our Children our Childrens Children will blesse such prouidence c. But