is not again affixed but the Evidence of saving Faith and Testament of the Gospel being written in his heart is now added to the Seal and so it becomes compleatly authentick as not being bound necessarily to outward means Nor do we here exclude Gods free Agency in Baptism who in the Party Baptized in that Heretical Church may if it please him work Grace finding his own Water and his own Words finding I say his own Seal he can add his Covenant of Grace unto it yet no Child there Baptized coming to the years of Discretion unless he Renounce the wicked Faith and Relinquish the Idolatrous practices of that Romish Church can have benefit by his Baptism but to him it is Penal and Pernicious as Augustine speaks And now I proceed to another Argument That the Church of Rome is not a Church of Christ Argument 7. That Church which hath not a lawful Ministry is not a true visible Church of Christ But the Church of Rome hath not a Lawful Ministry Ergo. I know this to many will seem a Paradox but 't is a certain Truth for if the Church of Rome hath not a Lawful Ordination how can it have a Lawful Ministry But it has no Lawful Ordination 1. In regard of the Efficient Cause either Remote as the Pope as Head whence all their Ministerial Power is deriv'd or immediate as the Ordainer on whose Intention their Gratia gratis data dependeth So that here is a Nullity in the very Foundation of the Papal Priest-hood It is deriv'd from the Pope as Head of the Clergy and Church a Title Anti-christian and Usurp'd and so their Ministry is Anti-christian And if the Pope being Antichrist and an Usurper and Consecrating Bishops by vertue of his Papal Supremacy as Christ's sole Vicar and Peter's Successor cannot convey any power of Order upon his Bishops and Clergy what lawful Ministry can we expect in that Apostolical Synagogue So that Calvin an Author whom for Honour's sake I mention in a lewd Age when thousands decry him that either for Learning and Piety are no ways comparable to Him was in the Right in his Book called The Method of Reforming the Church Nego sub toto Papatu unum esse verè Episcopum I deny that under the whole Popedom there is one truly a Bishop and what then shall we say of their Priests neither have they any Ministerial Grace because it depends according to their Belief upon their Ordainers Intention and not upon Christs Ordinance Grace and Promise But 2 ly They fail too in the Formal and Fixal Cause of Ordination They have quite altered and Corrupted the Form and so the End thereof adding a New Form which overthroweth the Old and imposeth a New End viz. making the whole Essence and use of their Ministry to consist in Priesthood that is in Sacrificing of an Idol and so turning the Office of a Minister of the Gospel into an Idol-Sacrificing Priest For in the Form of their Ordination set down in their Tridentine Catechism Part the Second after Imposition of Hands with the sign of the Cross on the Party that is to be Ordain'd The Chalice with Wine and the Paten with the Host is delivered into his hands with these Words Accipe potestatem offerendi Sacrificium Deo Missásque Celebrandi tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis c. Receive thou Power to Offer Sacrifice to God and to celebrate Masses as well for the Living as the Dead c. And this praecipua Sacerdotis functio existimanda est is to be esteemed the principal Office or Function of a Priest Ad Extremum verò c. In fine Imposing hands again he says Receive then the Holy Ghost Whose sins soever ye Remit c. Eique Coelestem illam c. And thus the Bishop giveth unto the Priest that Heavenly Power of Retaining and Forgiving of Sins which the Lord gave to his Disciples Thus the very words of their Ordination Now we know that this power of Remitting and Retaining of Sins the Church of Rome placeth not in the Dispensing and Preaching of the Word of God but in their Sacrament of Pennance Thus they have wholly perverted their Ordination both for the formal and final End Nor do they less fail in the Material Cause ignorant unqualified Persons being ordinarily made Priests and such as only are able to Mumble over the Mass and Matins But it may be Objected That in Popish Ordination there is a Power Confer'd to Preach the Word of God 'T is true they do use these words of our Blessed Saviour which the Church of England useth viz. Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins ye Remit c. Which we do indeed understand of the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments But the Church of Rome otherwise meaning thereby the Priests power of Binding and Loosing in their Sacrament of Pennance And it is in vain for them to say That their Priests in their Ordination have any Power confer'd upon them to Preach the Word of God when their Practise is far otherwise Neither indeed is it lawful for them so to Preach the Word of God as it behoveth faithful Ministers of the Gospel viz. purely and soundly to the saving of Mens Souls For the pure and sound saving Doctrine of the Word of God is branded for Heresie in the Council of Trent Nor may their Bishops or Priests deliver the sense of it otherwise than according to those Canons and Decrees In a word See the Conc. Trid. Sess 14. Can. 3. Si quid dixerit c. If any one shall say That those words of our Lord and Saviour Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins ye Remit they are Remitted and whose sins you Retain they are Retained are not to be understood of the power of Remitting and Retaining sins in the Sacrament of Pennance but shall wrest them contrary to the Institution of the Sacrament to the authority of Preaching the Gospel Let him be Anathema Well therefore does the pious and judicious Calvin conclude Totum Sacordotium Papisticum non solum impia est vera Ministerii profanatio sed Execrabilis in Christum comumelia quisquis est sacerdos Papalis dâ—nec titulum illum abjecerit Christi Servus esse nequeat The whole Popish Priesthood is not only an impious Profanation of the true Ministry but an execrable Reproach against Christ So that whosoever is a Popish Priest until he renounce that Title he cannot be the Servant of Christ True Ordination is a sacred Institution of Christ whereby the Person Ordain'd is Invested with a Power to Preach the Word of God and to Administer the Holy Sacraments according to Christ's Ordinance But the Ordination used in the Church of Rome is not according to Christ's Institution to wit whereby the Person Ordained is Invested with a Power to Preach the Word of God and to Administer the Holy Sacraments according to Christ's Ordinance Therefore in the Church of Rome there is no true Ordination therefore no
certainly be damn'd And that the longer you continue in the Errors in this Life the greater will be your torments therefore we cut you off thus betimes that your pain may be the less c. The mercies of the wicked are cruelties and this is the charity which Roman Catholicks so much boast of But God forbid Protestants should entertain such Sentiments we dare not pry into the Ark the Lord and the Lord only knoweth who are his we will not therefore presume to pass a peremptory doom or affirm that no Papist can be saved but this we may maintain with truth and safety that none by that Doctrine which at this day according to the Canons of the Council of Trent is taught in the Papists Assemblies can come to Salvation Though still we doubt not but in such their Assemblies there have been from time to time and still are not a few who although out of weakness they have Communion with them yet either they never gave an hearty Assent to those more grievous and fundamental Errors which are therein taught or were ignorant of them or before their death renounced them and in the true Faith of Christ though fullied with many infirmities they dye and are saved For as of old in Jerusalem when it was most corrupt there were still many there who bowed not their knee to Baal but did sigh and cry out by reason of those Abominations which were committed in the midst thereof So there is no doubt but under the Papacy such at this day may be found who though they dwell in the Tents of Kedar may yet be Heirs of Canaan but these are not properly said to be of the Roman Church though in it Nor is this any thanks to the Church of Rome she prohibits the true Doctrine of Salvation to be Preach'd and advances Errors that utterly make void the Gospel and suppose some Predicant Friar or so should transgress the Rules of the Council of Trent and so Preach the Word of Life to the People as that Souls come thereby to be saved For Example say he shall Preach unto them that they must believe to be saved by nothing but the merits and righteousness of Christ imputed unto them That they must not look to be saved by their inherent righteousness but by the only mercy of God to them in Christ That every one must have a particular Faith and Affiance of his own for the pardon of his sins That they must Worship God only and pray unto him and that in Christs name only That there is no Sacrifice for sin but that of Christ once offered upon the Cross That Christs Blood doth so purge away sin as there remains no stain nor punishment after this Life c. I say if any Friar shall dare Preach thus I deny not but he may be an instrument of saving many Souls But in the mean time does not he fall under the heavy Curses of the Tridentine Canons Is not the Inquisition ready to clapp him up for an Heretick Do these that have imbib'd such his sound Doctrines dare avouch them or are not they forc'd to recant and do pennance for the same So that if any by some special providence secret power and unlimited mercy of God in the Church of Rome shall come so to believe as thereby to be saved both he and his Faith are disavowed as not being the Faith of the Church of Rome but accounted and accursed by her as Heretical Therefore as we deny not but some particular persons that outwardly seem of the Church of Rome's Communion may enjoy everlasting Life so we cannot but look upon the generality of them in a very deplorable case and their Souls in unspeakable danger for the reasons following 1. God saith expresly in his word Rev. 14. That if any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his Forehead or in his Hand he shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God And afterwards he saith all such shall be tormented in Fire and Brimstone Now whoever is joyned or reconciled to the Pope and submitteth himself to the Laws and Kingdom of Antichrist doth Worship the Beast and his Image Whoever openly professeth Popery receiveth the Popes Mark in his Forehead Whoever yieldeth to the practise of the Romish Religion receiveth his Mark in his Hand Let them therefore consider how they will avoid the Judgment threatned 2. Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Matth. 15. Teacheth us that such worship God in vain as teach for Doctrines the Precepts of men But the Doctrine of Popery as it addeth to Antient Catholick Religion is nothing but a Mass of humane Inventions Devises and Precepts Their Decretals are the Popes conceits their Forms of Worship contained in the Missals and Breviaries are meerly Humane From mans devise proceeded the Popish Worship of Angels Saints Images c. Most part of their Resolutions of Cases of Conscience is grounded on the Popes Laws Finally the turnings skippings heavings greasings spittings and other Ceremonies of Mass-Priests and their Followers proceed from man's invention Popery therefore by Christs rule is nothing but vanity weariness and vexation of Souls whilst they seek to serve God not according to his appointments but their own fond imaginations and how shall a vain Religion bring any man to heaven 3. We read Rev. 22. Without are Doggs and that Enchanters Whore-mongers Murtherers Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie shall be excluded out of the Kingdom of God Now how like two Dogs do the Pope and his Adherents refuse and bark at Gods word and bite and tear those to pieces who seek to feed them with the Bread of Life Not a few of the Popes have been Magicians and Necromancers as Benet the 9. Gregory the 6. and 7. Sylvester the 2. Paul the 3 c. And one of their Offices in their Church is that of an Exorcist or Conjurer They permit publick Stews allow Concubines and to Monks Friars and Mass-Priests forbid Lawful Marriage They have murdered and Massacred millions of Christians to erect and uphold their Anti-christian Kingdom They set up Idols in Churches and every corner of their streets and in high-ways giving Divine Honour to the Cross and to the Images of the Trinity and calling the Sacrament their Lord and God and making Vows Prayers and Confessions to Saints and burning Incense to Images and saying Mass in Honour of Saints and Angels Finally they do not only make and delight in Lies as forging not only horrid slanders against M. Luther Zwinglius Calvin and other sincere Preachers of Gods word but also against all Protestants asserting that we teach That God is the Author of Sin That Christ despaired That there is no Hell but horror of Conscience That good works are not to be practised or commended c. All which we expresly detest Therefore these wickednesses in Papists not being so much the sins of particular private men as the natural consequences of
Sacrament of the Body of Christ saying that it ought to be Ministred in both kinds and that after the words of Consecration pronounc'd there still remaineth material Bread in the Sacrament 2. He doth Err as touching the Church for that he doth not allow and admit that the Church signifieth the Pope Cardinals Archbishops and Clergy but saith this signification was drawn from the Schoolmen 3. That he hath said That Tempral Princes and Lords may take away the Temporal possessions of the Church and Clergy without any offence 4. He teacheth that all Priests are of like power and therefore affirms That the reservations of the Popes Casualties the ordering of Bishops and the Consecration of the Priests were invented only for Covetousness 5. That he erreth concerning the Church forasmuch as through Contempt he doth not fear Excommunication 6. He erreth by holding That a Man being once Ordain'd a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden from the Office of Preaching c. Upon these and other the like Articles the Council proceeded against him in his sickness and tho he often offer'd to defend his Cause yet they would neither allow him any Advocats nor permit him publickly to be heard And in their Ninth Session they declared Quod non obstantibus salvis Conductis Imperatoris Regum c. Possit per Judicem competentem de Haeretieâ pravitate inquiri That notwithstanding any safe Conduct granted by the Emperor or any Kings Inquisition many be made against any Man for Haeresy by a Competent Judge and process to be made according to Law To relate the whole proceedings would be too tedious how malicious and unjust his accusers were how stout and faithful to him were several Bohemian Noble Men representing his Innocence to the cruel Fathers but all in vain nothing but his Blood would satisfy and so they proceed to pass the following sentence upon him The most sacred General Council of Constance Congregated together and representing the Catholick Church for perpetual memory of the thing As truth doth witness that an evil Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit so it cometh to pass that the Man of most damnable memory John Wickliff through his pestiferous Doctrine not through Jesus Christ by the Gospel as the holy Fathers in times past have begotten faithful Children but contrary to the wholesome Faith as a venemous root hath begotten many wicked and pestilent Children whom he hath left behind him successors and followers of his perverse and accursed Doctrine against whom this Sacred Synod of Constance is forced to rise up as against Bastards and diligently with a Sharp-knife of Ecclesiastical Authority to cut up Errors out of the Lords field as most hurtful Brambles and Briars lest they should grow up to the destruction of others Forasmuch then as in the holy General Council lately celebrated at Rome it was decreed that the Doctrine of John Wickliff of most damnable memory should be Condemned and his Books burnt as Haeretical yet 〈◊〉 John Hus here personally present in this Sacred Council not the Diciple of Christ but of Wicliff an Arch Haeretick hath taught and affirmed the Articles of Wickliff which were Condenm'd by the Church of God Wherefore after diligent Deliberation and full Information this most Sacred Council declareth and determineth the Articles abovesaid which are sound in his Books wrot with his own hand and which he hath own'd not to be Catholick nor worthy to be taught but that many of them are erroneous some wicked other some to be offensive unto godly Ears many of them to be temerarious and seditious and the greater part of them to be Notoriously Haeretical and doth condemn all and every the Books which the said Hus hath wrot in what form or phrase soever they be or whether they be Translated by others and doth decree That they shall be publickly burnt in the presence of the Clergy and People c. And the said Synod doth pronounce the said John Hus an Haeretick and a Seducer and obstinate Person and such an one as doth not desire to return again to the Lapp of our holy Mother the Church neither to abjure the Errors and Heresies which he hath openly Preached and defended wherefore this most Sacred Council decreeth and declares That the said John Hus shall be deposed and degraded from his Priestly Orders and Dignity Since this sentence mentions Degrading it will not be amiss to consider the manner how that Ceremony is perform'd Which is thus The party to be degraded is attir'd in all his Priestly Vestments and holdeth in the one hand a Chalice filled with Wine mixed with Water and in the other a Guilt Paten with a Wafer Then kneeling down the Bishops Deputy taking from him these Trincats Charges him to say no more Mass for the Quick or the Dead Secondly scraping with a piece of Glass his fingers ends he Enjoyns him never to Hallow or Consecrate any thing and Thirdly rasing his shaven Crown and stripping 〈◊〉 of his Priestly Vestments he is Clothed in a Lay habit and delivered into the Power of the Secular Magistrate Thus was poor Hus serv'd and withal a Capp put on his head all painted over with Devils and this word Haerisiarcha or Ring leader of Hereticks inscribed thereon and so was burnt in the Month of July 1415. He behav'd himself at his Martyrdom with a wonderful Cheerfulness and seems to have had a Spirit of Prophecy for whereas Hus in the Bohemian Tongue signifies a Goose he told them You now roast a Goose but after a 100 years there shall a Swan rise up out of my Ashes which was fulfill'd in Luther who just 100 years after Hus's Death began to appear in opposition to the Pope Likewise during the time of this Council one Jerome a Learned Godly Man of the City of Prague hearing of the manyfold injuries done unto Hus voluntarily came to Constance with an intent to defend his Cause but not being able to procure any safe Conduct there was returning back again to his own Country but taken on the Road and brought bound into Constance and there by the Council Condemn'd and Burnt and his Ashes thrown into the River Rhyne as Hus's likewise had been so Industrious were the Romish Clergy to destroy all Memorials of these faithful Servants of God whose Names do yet survive all their impotent malice and remain Registred in the Book of Life in Heaven and pretious to all good Men on Earth What esteem the godly Nobles of that Age had of Mr. Hus may partly appear by a Letter of 54 Noble Men of Morauia under their Hands and Seals to the said Council THE COURANT. Tory. PRethee are Miracles ceas'd No no There 's a New Saint lately come over call'd Cess Process that does daily Wonders Dam Ignoramus is an Ass to her Tory. What kind of Feats does she Profess can she sham Godfryes Murder and Esquire Thin's and make the World believe That they both kill'd themselves or that it was done Justly
they are gotten scorning and laughing at all those that are desirous to live justly holily chastly innocently and spiritually with such the Church at this day is so full that almost in every Chapter and College scarce any other can be found And can we imagine that such will endeavour the Reformation of the Church in manners and discipline and honesty of Life who count that Reformation their greatest Calamity and desire nothing so much as that it may be lawful for them to do whatsoever pleaseth them freely without controul or punishment Thus far Clemangis of the manners of the Dignified Clergy almost 300 years ago and I wish the Picture may not serve too well for some Ages since Nor was he the only complainant Cardinal Zabarella a famous Lawyer in his Treatise De Schismate written about the year 1406 talks much at the same rate and affirms That with the flattering Canonists there was nothing so unlawful which they thought not lawful for them to do insomuch that they extolled the Pope above God himself making him more than God so that saith he if God afford not his helping hand to the present state of the Church it is in danger of an utter overthrow Nor was John Gerson the Learned Chancellour of the Parisian University who was also one of the Assistants at the Council of Constance silent In his Book De Examine Doctrinarum It is not saith he in the power of the Pope or any Council to change what is prescribed by the Evangelists and St. Paul as some do Dote Yea we are to give more credit in a matter of Doctrine to the assertion of a simple unlearned man speaking according to the Scriptures than to the Declaration of the Pope or Council being contrary thereunto We have seen in what a maimed condition the Church was and that there were some able Physicians that both saw and might they have been suffered were able 't is probable to have cured her wounds Nay all the Empericks at Constance pretended at least the same design But they made use of but an ill expedient when they elected the before-mentioned Martin the Fifth For though in the Council he had carried himself very subtilly and under colour of moderation had not only avoided opposing either party but given each side grounds to hope him most inclinable to their particular Faction which much facilitated his choice the rather for that the Emperour was much taken with that stayedness of his temper and expected no small fruits of Reformation from so unbiass'd a Conduct yet no sooner were his Temples Impaled with the Triple-Crown but he appeared divested of that moderation which before he made shew of and wholly addicted to advance the secular interest Dominion and Treasure of his Chair Therefore when soon after his Election the Emperor Sigismund who had had so great an influence in his promotion press'd him earnestly to proceed on vigorously with the promised Reformation the crafty old Father wheadled it off That the Bishops c. continuing so long together at Constance was a great inconvenience to their respective Churches and charges that therefore it was now very necessary to give them a short recess that Reformation was a thing highly needful but withal being a matter of great importance it required mature deliberation Therefore he thought fit to dissolve the Council at present on condition that another should be call'd within 5 years and in the mean time he would endeavour to prepare matters and that afterwards in 7 years they should have another Council and thence forwards for ever a Decennial one that is to say a general Council every 10 years should be conven'd and sit to Redress the grievances of the Church Having Cajoled them with these fair stories to make them the rather believe that he was in honest earnest he presently ordains and appoints a place for the next general Synod viz. That it should be held within 5 years at Pavia in Italy And then in the 45 th Session they having done very little or indeed nothing towards Reforming the Root of all the Churches corruptions but only fiddle-fadled about number of Canons for ordering of Annates Collations Reserved Causes Appeals Commendums and the like Ecclesiastical Trumpery comes Cardinal Winbald like the Popes Chancellor and dissolves them by pronouncing these words Domini ite in pace My Lords you may be packing or get ye gone in peace Which was done saith Platina sublato omnium consensu maximè verò Imperatoris without any of their consents but especially against that of the Emperour Nor could the Emperour prevail with Martin to continue a while in Germany but he would away for Rome alledging that in the absence of the Popes the Saints Chappels were gone to decay and which was a more cogent reason by half Tyrants had seized a great part of St. Peter's Patrimony He was no sooner got into Italy but he engaged in several wars and reduced the Dutchy Spoletto Perusia Bononia and other places which had set up for themselves He likewise made Lewis of Anjou King of Naples though Joan the Queen thereof had before declared Alphonsus King of Aragon her Hâ—ir The time being come for holding the Council at Pavia the Pope for fashion sake sends thither one Arch-bishop a Bishop an Abbot and a Friar who met there only two Abbots of Burgundy and these six began forsooth a Council a Worshipful Representation of the whole Catholick Church on Earth But the Plague breaking out they adjourn'd from thence to Sena where things not fadging just as Pope Martin would have them he quickly gave that Assembly too a Writ of Ease without their effecting any thing But for a colour still promises to call frequent Councils and that next seventh year they should have one at Basil Having thus sham'd off the means of Redressing the Churches grievances and correcting abuses he settles at Rome and begins to reâ—edify several decay'd buildings which the Romish Historians gloriously Intitle Restoring the Church But his main business was to scrape money together For saith Antoninus He was generally blam'd as one that too greedily labour'd to heap up riches being in no wise able to say with the Apostle whose Successor he pretended to be silver and gold have I none But all his vast Treasure was lewdly consumed by his Kinsmen and especially by his Nephew the Prince of Salerno to whom it fell by his death he bestowing most of it on hired Soldiers and Enemies against the Church And now he had spun out the time till the Council at Basil was to Assemble how he would have shuffled it off or rendred it insignificant we know not since then God was pleased to cut him off dying of an Apoplexy the 20 of February 1431. in the 53 year of his Age and when he had held the Chair 13 years 3 months and 12 days This is that Pope whom many flattering Popish Authors extol for his vertues to the Skies when yet besides his
the Rivers or as the Branches of the Frankincense-Tree in the time of Summer Touching Wickliff's Parentage all we can find is That he was born about the farthest part of York-shire and Mr. Birckbek who was Minister of Gilling in those Parts in his Learned Treatise Entituled The Protestants Evidence printed 1632. Centur. 14. assures us That some of the Family remain'd there then and probably may continue to this day his words are these Our Country-man John Wickliff was born in the North where there is near to the place where I live an ancient and worshipful House bearing the name of Wickliff of Wickliff But in what Year he was born is not Recorded only 't is certain that he was liberally Educated and became Learned beyond that Age and flourished about the year of our Lord 1371. in the Reign of King Edward the Third being then Fellow of Merton-Colledge in Oxford A happy Foundation Illustrious for breeding many most famous Men as Friar Bacon Burley Scotus Occham Peccham Bradwardine c. He was afterwards Master of Baliol-Colledge in Oxford where he commenc'd Doctor and was chosen Reader in Divinity In which public Lectures he shew'd himself a deep Schoolman as in his ordinary Sermons a faithful Pastor of the Church for whose Edification he spar'd no pains for he Translated the whole Bible into the vulgar Tongue one Copy whereof written with his own hand is or lately was extant in St. John Baptist Colledge in Oxford He was beloved of all good Men for his holy Life and admired even by his Adversaries for his Learning For we find Walden his profess'd and spiteful Enemy in a certain Letter to Pope Martin the Fifth forc'd to acknowledge That he was wonderfully astonish'd at his most forcible Arguments the various and pertinent Authorities he had gathered with the vehemence and smartness of his Reasonings Nor was he unacquainted with Humanity or polite Civil Learning especially he is observed to have been well read in our English Laws and wrote so many large Volumes as well in Philosophy as Divinity as the same is almost incredible He seem'd to follow in the course of his Studies the method of the Schoolmen and amongst them was a profess'd follower of Occham by reading of whose Works and sundry others who lived about the same time or not long before as Bradwardine Marsilius St. Amore Abelardus Armachanus and that great and godly Learned Man Rob. Grosthead and especially and above all by diligent perusal of the Holy Scriptures God gave him grace and understanding to see the truth of his Gospel and by seeing it to loath all superstition and the ill precepts and practises of the then pretended Rules of the Church In particular by Occham and Marsilius he was informed of the Popes Intrusions and Usurpations upon Kings their Crowns and Dignities Guido de S. Amore and Armachanus shew'd him the sundry abuses of Monks and Friars in upholding this usurped Power By Abelard and others he began to have a right Apprehension touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Bradwardine taught him the Nature of a true sole justifying Faith against Meritmongers and Pardoners Finally by Grosthead's Work with which he seem'd most conversant he descried the Popes to be the very Antichrist by hindering the Gospel to be preached and placing unfit and unworthy Men in the Church and in making all Religion subservient to his damnable Policy Being thus enlighten'd 't is no wonder if in his Writings and Preachings he delivered many things against the then corrupted Doctrine of the Church but his Positions were chiefly directed against the several Orders of Begging Friars who were his professed Persecutors and all Foreign usurped Jurisdiction of the Pope By which he purchased some favour or at least connivance at Court and got his other Complaints against them for other matters the more easily heard and regarded for at that time the Friars Orders by their manifold and notorious Disorders were become exceeding odious and the Popes pretences of Jurisdiction by Provisions Reservations and Collations not only grievous but utterly intollerable This made way unto those excellent Acts of Parliament of Praemunire against any that should appeal to Rome or draw the Subjects of England ad aliud Examen To any Foreign Jurisdiction as also against Provisors and the Abuses of Begging Friars which fobridled and restrained the Pope's Authority that he could but little prevail in England during the Raign of King Edward the Third or Richard the Second Towards making which Law Wickliff had no small Interest by disposing several of the Nobility and the Body of the Commons thereunto maintaining no less Loyalty and Magnanimously than Learnedly the King's Jurisdiction Crown and Dignity by the Laws Civil Canon and Common For which reason the Learned Dr. James in Wickliff's Life tells us That he was by one King sent Ambassador into Foreign Parts and by another consulted here at home But amongst all his Arguments he most insisted upon those drawn from the common Municipal Laws of England the best Bull-works for the Prerogative and Imperial Right of our Kings against all the Usurpations and Encroachments of any Exotic Claim for the maintenance of his Opinions and the better to enable him therein he had good Directions and Advice from time to time from the Reverend Judges and Sages in the Law He was not so much hated of the Monks and Clergy out of Self-interest because he opposed their lewd Practises but he was much indulg'd and favour'd by the Temporal State for his Piety Learning and Virtue For not only many of the Nobility but the City of London and the University of Oxford were his Friends which makes Walsingham the Monk angry who upon all occasions vomits out his Gall against poor Wickliff that that famous Academy where as he saith was the very height and top of Wisdom and Learning should so kindly entertain him Nor were they Freshmen or younger Fry of Students there that were his Admirers but even the Heads and Chief of the University for Mr. Robert Rigge Vice-Chancellor and the two Proctors took part with him as also Nicholas Herford John Ashton of Merton Colledge John Ashwarby of Oriel Colledge Minister of St. Maries Church these all being Preachers and Batchelors of Divinity joined with him and were put to Trouble for the same THE COURANT. Tory. NAY now I think you are met with what say you to that ingenious Piece publish'd last week Entituled A Postscript of Advice from Geneva Truem. I shall not say much to it let my Lords the Bishops look after it for as Governours under His Majesty of our Protestant Church I humbly conceive it concerns them abundantly more than me since 't is plain the Libel is the â—pawn of some rank invenom'd Popish Priest and whether Nat. Thompson or Gammer Turner a profest Papist or a masqueraded one Midwif'd it into the World is not much material It pretends indeed to fall soul on the Calvinists which possibly Striplings in
cause which persons do also preach divers matters of Slander to engender Discord and Dissention betwixt divers Estatés of the said Realm as well Spiritual as Temporal in exciting of the people to the great peril of the Realm Which Preachers cited or summoned before the Ordinaries of the places there to answer of that whereof they be impeached will not obey to their Summons and Commandments nor care for their Monitions nor Censures of the Holy Church but expresly despise them And moreover by their subtle and ingenious words do draw the people to hear their Sermons and do maintain them in their Errors by strong Hand and great Routs It is ordained and assented in this present Parliament That the King's Edmmissions be made and directed to the Sheriffs and other Miuisters of our Soveraign Lord the King or other sufficient persons Learned and according to the Certifications of the Prelates thereof to be made in Chancery from time to time to arrest all such Preachers and also their Faitors Maintainers and Abettors and to hold them in Arrest and strong Prison 'till they will justifie them according to the Law and Reason of Holy Church And the King wills and commandeth That the Chancellor make such Commissions at all times that he by the Prelates or any of them shall be certified and thereof required as is aforesaid This was the first pretended Statute that ever was in England for imprisoning Christians for Religious opinions and by colour thereof the Bishops committed great Cruelties I call it pretended Statute for tho it be enter'd in the Parliament Rolls yet it was no Legal Act for it never pass'd the Commons And therefore at the next Parliament in Michaelmas Term following the Commons preferr'd a Bill â—eciting the same and constantly affirmed That they never assented thereunto and therefore desired that the said supposed Statute be annull'd and made void for they protested That it was never their intent that either themselves or such as shall succeed them should be farther subject or bound to the Prelates than were their Ancestors in former times And to this the King gave his Royal Assent in these words Il plaist au Roy The King is pleas'd that it be so Cook 3 Instit fo 40. Foxes Acts and Monuments fo 406. But that you may more fully understand the fraud and subtlety of their Reverences in this Affair you must understand That before the invention of Printing the usual way of publishing Acts of Parliament was to engross them in Parchment and send them with the King 's Writ into every County commanding the Sheriff to proclaim them Now John Braibrook Bishop of London being then Lord Chancellor of England he by a Writ dated 26 May Anno Regni Regis R. 2. quinto sent down the before recited Ordinance of the King and Prelates amongst the Statutes that were then lately pass'd But no less knavishly left out in the next Parliamentary Proclamation the said Act of Revocation whereby the said supposed Statute was made void by which means afterwards the other still pass'd as an Act and was printed continually as such but the Act that disannull'd it was by the Interest of the Prelates from time to time kept out of the Prints the better to give colour to their imprisoning of the Laity at their pleasure And farther to make sure work Henry the Fourth having usurp'd the Crown to gratifie the Clergy who had chiefly assisted him therein in the second year of his Raign he at their Instigation procured the following cruel and wicked Law to be Enacted commonly call'd The Statute Ex Officio which that the Reader may the better observe the Spirit of Popery and Persecution and compare the Times and Actings of Men in past and more modern Times I hope it shall neither be thought tedious nor unuseful to recite the same at large Verbatim it not being now extant in Kceble or any of our Common Statute Books ITem Whereas it is shewed to our Soveraign Lord the King on the behalf of the Prelates and Clergy of this Realm of England in this present Parliament That altho the Catholick Faith builded upon Christ and by his Apostles and the holy Church sufficiently determined declared and approved hath been hitherto by good and holy and most noble Progeniâ—ors of our Soveraign Lord the King in the said Realm amongst all the Realms of the World most devoutly observ'd and the Church of England by his said most noble Progenitors and Ancestors to the honour of God and of the whole Realm aforesaid landably endow'd and in her Rights and Liberties sustain'd without that that the same Faith or the said Church was hurt or grievously oppressed or else perturbed by any perverse Doctrine or Wicked Heretical or Erronious Opinions Yet nevertheless divers false and perverse people of a certain new Sect of the Faith of the Sacraments of the Church and the Authority of the same damnably thinking and against the Law of God and of the Church usurping the Office of Preaching do perversly and maliciously in divers places within the said Realm under the colour of dissembled Holiness preach and teach these days openly and privily divers nâ—w Doctrines and wicked Heretical and Erronious Opinions contrary to the same Faith and blessed Determinations of the holy Church And of such Sect and wicked Doctrine and Opinions they make unlawful Conventicles and Confederacies they hold and exercise Schools they make and write Books they do wickedâ—y instruct and inform people and as much as they may excite and stir them to Sedition and Insurrection and maketh great strife and division among the people and other Enormities horribly to be heard daily do perpetrate and commit in subversion of the Catholick Faith and Doctrine of the holy Church in diminution of God's honour and also in destruction of the Estate Rights and Liberties of the said Church of England by which Sect and wicked and false Preachings Doctrine and Opinions of the said false and perverse people not only most great peril of the Souls but also many more other hurts slanders and perils which God prohibit might come to this Realm unless it be the more plentifully and speedily holpen by the King's Majesty in this behalf namely whereas the Diocesans of the said Realm cannot by their Jurisdiction Spiritual without Aid of the said Royal Majesty sufficiently correct the said false and perverse people nor refrain their Malice because the said false and perverse people do go from Diocess to Diocess and will not appear before the said Diocesan but the same Diocesans and their Jurisdiction Spiritual and the Keys of the Church with the Censures of the same do utterly contemn and despise and so their wicked Preachings and Doctrines doth from day to day continue and exercise to the hatred of Right and Reason and utter destruction of Order and good Rule Vpon which Novelties and Excesses above rehearsed the Prelates and Clergy aforesaid and also the Commons of the said Realm being in
the same Parliament praying our Soveraign Lord the King That his Royal Highness would vouchsafe in the said Parliament to provide a convenient Remedy the same our Soveraign Lord the King graciously considering the premises and also the laudable steps of his most noble Progenitors and Ancestors for the Conservation of the said Catholick Faith and sustentation of God's Honour and also the safeguard of the Estate Rights and Liberties of the said Church of England to the land of God and merit of our said Soveraign Lord the King and prosperity and honour of all his said Realm and for the eschewing of such Dissentions Divisions Hurts Slanders and Perils in time to come and that this wicked Sect Preachings Doctrines and Opinions should from henceforth cease to be utterly destroyed by the Assent of the States and other discreet Men of the Realm being in the said Parliament hath granted stablished and ordained from henceforth firmly to be observed that none within the said Realm or any other Dominions subject to his Royal Majesty presume to preach openly or privily without the License of the Diocesan of the same place first required and obtained Curates in their own Churches and persons hitherto priviledged and other of the Canon granted only except Nor that none from henceforth any thing preach hold teach or instruct openly or privily or make or write any Book contrary to the Catholick faith or determination of the holy Church nor of such Sect and wicked Doctrines and Opinions shall make any Câ—nvenâ—â—cles or in any wise hold or exercise Schools And also that none from henceforth in any wise favour such Preacher or maker of any such or like Conventicles or holding or exercising Schools or making or writing such Books or so teaching informing or exciting the people nor any of them maintain or any wise sustain and that all and singular having such Books or any Writings of such wicked Doctrine and Opinions shall really with effect deliver or cause to be delivered all such Books and Writings to the Diocesan of the same place within 40 days from the time of the Proclamation of this Ordinance and Statute And if any person or persons of whatsoever kind estate or condition that he or they be from henceforth do or attempt against the Royal Ordinance and Statute aforesaid in the premisses or in any any of them or such Books in the form aforesaid do not deliver then the Diocesan in the same place in his Diocess such person or persons in this behalf defamed or evidently suspected and every of them may by the authority of the said Ordinance and Statute cause to be arrested and under safe custody in his Prisons to be detained 'till he or they of the Articles laid to him or them in this behalf do Canonically purge him or themselves or else such wicked Sect Preachings Doctrines and heretical and erronious Opinions do objure according as the Laws of the Church do require so that the said Diocesan by himself or his Commissaries do openly and judicially proceed against such persons so arrested and remaining under safe custody to all effect of the Law and determine that same business according to the Canonical Decrees within three months after the said Arrest any lawful Impediment ceasing And if any person in any case above expressed be before the Diocesan of the place or his Commissaries canonically Convict then the same Diocesan may do to be kept in his Prison the said person so Convict for the manner of his default and after the quality of the Offence according aud as long as to his discretion shall seem expedient and moreover to put the same person to the Secular Court except in cases where he according to the Canonical Decree ought to be left to pay to our Soveraign Lord the King his peculiar Fine according as the same Fine shall seem competent to the Diocesan for the manner and quality of the Offence in which case the same Diocesan shall be bound to certifie the King of the same Fine in his Exchequer by his Letters Patents sealed with his Seal to the effect that such Fine by the King's Authority may be required and levied to his use of the Goods of the same person so convict And if any person within the said Realm and Dominions upon the said wicked Preachings Doctrines Opinions Schools heretical and erroneous Informations or any of them be before the Diocesan of the same place or his Commissaries after the Abjuration made by the same person pronounced fall into Relapse so that according to the holy Canons be ought to be left to the Secular Court whereupon Credence shall be given to the Diocesan of the same place or to his Commissaries in this behalf then the Sheriff of the County of the same place and Mayor and Sheriffs or Sheriff or Mayor and Bayliffs of the City Town or Borough of the same County next to the same Diocesan or the said Commissaries shall be personally present in preferring of such sentences when they by the same Diocesan or his Commissaries shall be required And they the same persons and every of them after such sentence promulgate shall receive and them before the people in an high place do to be burnt that such punishment may strike in fear to the minds of others whereby no such wicked Doctrine and heretical and erroneous Opinions nor their Authors and Fautours in the said Realm and Dominions against the Catholick Faith Christian Law and determination of the holy Church which God prohibit be sustained or in any wise suffered in which all and singular the premises concerning the said Ordinance and Statnte the Sheriffs Mayors and Bayliffs of the said Counties Cities Boroughs and Towns shall be attending aiding and supporting to the said Diocesans and their Commissaries The COURANT. Tory. I Have read that passage we talkt of t'other day in Mr. L'Estranges Memento by the same token in the same page he gives an account of Addresses in these words And now from all parts are to be procur'd Addresses Sweet London leads the way The Commission Officers of the Militia in Suffolk Leicester Sussex and my Country-men of Norwich c. These numerous and pretending Applications were but false Glosses upon his Power and Cromwell was too wise to think them other gain'd by Contrivement Force or at least Importunity half a score pitiful wretches call themselves the people of such or such a County and here 's the Total of the Reckoning Thus far L'Estrange Momentop 30. Truem. I marry and he talks like a South-sayer But hang 't let 's prorogue the Discourse of him and his Atchievements Have you seen Father Dowdal's just and sober Vindication Tory. No what 's he Truem. Even a worshipful Roman Catholick Priest very lately if not still a Prisoner in the Gate-house for Religion forsooth 'T is a small Treatise of five or six sheets bound printed 1681. and to be sold by William Downing in Bartholomew Close The design on 't is
and False Doctrines then obtruded in the Church which much Incensed the Prelates with Rage and particularly observing that Sir John Old-Castle a valiant Religious Knight of Kent and who in the Right of his Wife was Lord Cobham to be a great Favourer of that Doctrine they resolve to take him to task but first of all Complain of him to the King in the first Year of his Reign who sent for and discoursed him to whom the Lord Cobham declared his Loyalty and Obedience but added That as touching the Pope and Prelates he ow'd them neither Suit nor Service for that by the Scriptures he knew the Pope to be Antichrist c. Upon which the King would talk no further with him Then Arundel the Arch-bishop began to Cite him before him and not being obey'd Pronounc'd him guilty of Contumacy at last the Lord Còbham drew up a Confession of his Faith being an Explanation of the Apostles Creed and very Orthodox with which he repaired to the Court and humbly tendred it to the King but he refused to receive it and by the Kings Commandment he was sent to the Tower and in the 23 d. of Sept. 1413. Conven'd before the Arch-bishop and the Bishops of London and Winchester The chief Objections against him were That he held Erroneous and Heretical Opinions in these Four Points viz. Touching the Sacrament Touching Pennance Touching Images And touching Pilgrimages Therefore he delivered in to the said Bishops a Writing Indented containing his Opinion in each of these Particulars which not being long we shall here recite Verbatim I John Old-Castle Knight Lord of Cobham Will That all Christian Men Weet and Vnderstand that I Clepe Almighty God into Witness that it hath been now is and ever with the help of God shall be mine intent and my will to Believe faithfully and fully all the Sacraments that ever God Ordain'd to do in Holy Church and moreover to declare me in these four Points I Believe that the most Worshipful Sacrament of the Altar is Christs Body in the Form of Bread the same Body that was Born of the Blessed Virgin our Lady Saint Mary done on the Cross Dead and Buried the Third Day Rosâ— from Death to Life the which Body is now Glorified in Heaven Also as for the Sacrament of Pennance I believe that it is needful to every man that shall be Saved to forsake Sin and do due Pennance for Sin before done with true Confession very Contrition and due Satisfaction as Gods Law limiteth and Teacheth and else may he not be Saved which Pennance I desire all Men to do And as of Images I Vnderstand that they be not of Beleeve but that they were Ordain'd sith they beleeve was zewe of Christ by sufferance of the Church to be Calenders to Lews Men to Represent and Bring to mind the Passion of our Lord Jesu Christ and Martyrdom and good Living of other Saints and that who so it be that doth the Worship to dead Images that is due to God or putteth such hope or trust in help of them as he should do to God or hath Affection in one more than in another he doth in that the greatest Sin of Maumetrie Also I suppose this fully That every Man in this Earth is a Pilgrim towards Bliss or toward Pain and that he that Knoweth not ne will not Know ne Keep the Holy Commandments of God in his Living here albeit that he be go on Pilgrimages to all the World and he die so he shall be Damned he that knoweth the Holy Commandments of God and Keepeth them to his End he shall be Saved though he never in his Life go on Pilgrimage as Men now use to Canterbury or to Rome or to any other Place The COURANT. Papist and Tory. Tory. WEll and how go Cases now Papist Not altogether so well as we expected The heat against Dissenting Hereticks in many places begins to Cool not can we get the people to believe That Godfrey Murder'd himself Tory. Murder'd himself Why Thompson Num. 131. talks as if he were still alive and expected next fair Wind. For he says the Truth of his Two Sham-Letters will be as effectually prov'd as the Appearance of the Viscountess Cambaen's Steward did clear that business Which can no otherwise so effectually nor indeed at all be done without Sir Edmund Bury's appearing alive again and indeed I have often wonder'd that the Church which boasts of Miracles for one of her Notes hath not all this while wrought One by raising that Gentleman again to Life which undoubtedly would destroy the suspition of the Plot for ever Pap. Tush I may tell you as a Friend we are better by half at Raising of Lies than at Raising the Dead This Godfrey's Ghost always haunts us and all the skill of the South-sayer Gadbury the Hagg Celier or our Saterdotal Conjurers cannot tell how to Lay it How many Devices have we started to Evade not the Guilt but the Scandal of having Murder'd him Once we would have put it upon the Earl of D. to which purpose we scatter'd about a Libel call'd Reflections c. But that not taking comes in Macgrath and his Crew and they were for Swearing That he hang'd himself and his Man Mr. Moor cut him down This being likewise Confuted we revive our first story and Now we would make the World think he Murder'd himself with his own Sword Tory. If you had left the Management of this Intrigue to Roger he would have dispatcht it better by half than Natt for to speak Truth all the Priests are but Bunglers to him Pap. O but he had formerly given it under his hand That he did not in the least doubt but Sir Edm. Godfrey was Murder'd by Papists Tory. No matter for That He shall unsay it again for Two pence and prove that they were Presbyterians kill'd him and then we will have a new Setâ— of Abhorrencies go about to Abominate Detest and Defie John Calvin and all his Works This were somewhat to â—he purpose but to come as Natt does with Ifs and ands If Sir E. B. Godfreys Body were full of Blood If his Nostrils c. were fly blown If his Body stunk and Cakes of putrified Blood were found in his Cloathes c. Well what then Why then if all this were true Natt Thompson is a Lyer for Printing in October 78. a Narrative upon his own personal view quite contrary to all these Assertions But Friend Natt the Whiggs have often told you That these Suggestions are All notorious Lies forg'd out of a devilish Design to Conceal Murder and stifle Treason c. and they have Challeng'd you to produce the Witnesses that you boast of and you have not been able to name One except it be Mr. W. and him the very next Week you uâ—braid with Tankard stealing Pap. Well! well a little patience we have a parcel of Witnesses on the Stocks and as soon as we can Equipp and Rigg them something may be done
such incorrigible Bunglers as our Irish Rascals let 'um be damn'd blacker than Luther Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 21. 1682. Quae si cum sociis Stultus cupidúsque bibisset Sub dâ—mina Meritrice fuisset turpis excors Vixisset Canis Immundus vel amica Luto Sus. The Grand Question Whether the Church of Rome be in any kind to be esteem'd a Church of Christ entred into the Reasons why the same is here discuss'd The definition of the Church and how divided HAving deduc'd our History somewhat below the year 1400. and being Arriv'd at those times wherein our Ancestors in England first of all were brought to Capital sufferings for the purity of Religion and were to use the Apostles phrase Hebr. 12. 4. forced to resist unto Blood the wicked Impositions of the no less cruel than Idolatrous Papal Hierarchy It will be convenient if not necessary to inquire what opinion we ought to have of the Church of Rome in its present state A task we undertake not meerly for diverting the Reader tho sure variety in all other things delightfull will not here be offensive nor the intermixing Polemicks with History be censured since we find precedents of it in the best and most approved Authors But we do it for his satisfaction too that he may make the truer Judgment of those many Tragical Scenes all fill'd with fire and fagot Blood and horror Popish fury triumphant and Pious Innocence torn and mangled and Butcher'd with a thousand Barbarities For though to each Judicious peruser the very prospect of these Cruelties is enough to satisfy him that these are the Talons of the Vulture not the sweet Breathings of the Holy Dove practises of the Synagogue of Satan not of the Church of the meek and mercifull Jesus yet some hot and superficial Readers especially in this debaucht and unhappy Age may be apt to say Here 's a Clutter indeed with a parcell of Peevish Fellows what if they were burn't or hang'd out of the way whose fault was it why would they not conform and honestly come to Church if the Church of Rome be a true Church wherein a man may go to Heaven why did they trouble themselves and the world and make a Schism and disturb the Government you make a stir and call them Martyrs but for ought I know they were Follies Martyrs rather than Gods and I remember I have seen a Book Intituled Semper Iidem or a parallel betwixt the antient and modern Phanaticks Printed here at London with I think Authority I am sure publickly and without any trouble to the Bookseller Richard Lownds at the White Lyon in St. Pauls Churchyard 1661. which renders Oldcastle Bishop Latimer Woodman c. as errant Whiggs and Raskals as ever liv'd a sort of turbulent Hereticks that interrupted the Churches Tranquility and would needs be turning the world upside down though they knew neither why nor wherefore c. Suppose one should meet a Spark of this mettal and such frequently now adays at every Coffee-house you may meet with is it not fit my honest Country men should be ready provided to Confute his Folly and do right to those Glorious Worthies who did not sacrifice their Lives to a sullen Obstinacy or factious Freake but for the pure truths of God worth a million of Lives and departed from Rome because she was so far departed from God that if they had further accompanied her afterdivine Grace had open'd their eyes to see her Abominations they must necessarily have fallen into Eternal perdition To Demonstrate this therefore it will I think be not unworthy your while and presently too lest the Disease come upon us before the Medicine be provided and black darkness surround us e're every body be sufficiently Acquainted with it's Hellish Nature to consider the three points following viz. 1. Whether the present Church of Rome ought in any sort to be esteemed a true Church of Christ 2. Whether any person Living and Dying in the Communion of that Church and understanding her Doctrine and practises and joyning therein may ordinarily be saved 3. Whether any person as suppose a Protestant out of fear compliance c. may be present at Mass understanding the same without committing of grievous sin These Three particulars we shall endeavour in this and some following Sheets to discourse of with all plainness and Candor so far from any violation of Charity that we thereby only design a most necessary Caution to prevent poor missed souls from precipitating themselves into endless Ruin and Destruction As to the first Quaery touching the present Roman Churches being a Church of Christ two things are to be premised and explained 1. What we mean in this debate by Church of Christ 2. What we understand by the Church of Rome 1. The word Church taken in its full Latitude signifies the whole company of all those whom God by his word and spirit calls to the knowledge and profession of his truth and from its members being called forth and separated from the rest of the world that live in gross and avowed Atheism or Idolatry without the knowledg and acceptation of those supernatural verities the Incarnation and Crucifixian of the Son of God for the sins of men upon the terms held forth in the Gospel it is termed the Church in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evoco to call out or from The Church thus absolutely and simply considered in this Latitude is but one as the State and Company of the Kingdom of great Britain is but one since all and every one called to this Grace of how different estate qualities or condition soever belong one way or other to this Company but in this Church thus considered there are sundry differences and respects that is the persons called to the Faith of Christ are of diverse sorts for some part of the Church is already reduced from this mortal life and Crowned with that Glory whereunto they were called when here on Earth and thence stiled the Church Triumphant the other part is that which is successively abiding in this world which for that time is called the Church Militant because it lies as it were in the Camp always alarm'd and fighting against Hells Triple League the world the Flesh and the Divel under the Banner of our Lord the blessed Jesus and patiently waiting for the victory But amongst these latter there are again two sorts First such as are effectually called and these are the Elect only whom God not only calls but chuses by his free Grace inspiring them to obey that calling and to live Holily worthy of such their vocation and who shall infallibly be Saved in the life to come and this Company we call the Invisible Church because only God knows who are His and tho we see the men and by their fruits charitably hope
they are Gods Elect yet to speak precisely no mortal eye can infallibly discern them to be such since many times the Bristol-stone glitters as bright as the Diamond and Hypocrites make as fair outward shew as the real Saint The second sort therefore of the militant Church are Hypocrites and â—nâ—ound members who are not effectually called but disobey the truth whereof they make profession These distinctions being thus premised we proceed to acquaint you what we mean by a true Church of Christ and we shall do it in the very words of our mother the Church of England in the 19 th Article of her Faith The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly Administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of Necessity are requisite to the same So that here we see wherever the word of God is sincerely preach'd and heard and the Sacraments Administred according to Christs Institution there is a Church of God for those are the marks whereby the Church may be known So that the visible Church which is also Catholick or Vniversal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true Religion And particular Churches which are members thereof are more or less pure according the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced Ordinances Administred and publick Worship perform'd more or less pure in them And not only the purest particular Churches under Heaven are subject both to mixture and Error but some may and have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagoges of Satan tho yet there shall to the end of the world be a Church on Earth to Worship God according to his will against whom the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Now whether the present Church of Râ—me be not one of these Apostatized Adulterous Churches against whom such a Divorce is sued out we shall proceed to Inquire as soon as we have told you what we mean by the Church of Rome And that is The whole Church of Rome as it is a Body consisting of one vissible head the Pope and of all Papists wheresoever Clergy and Laity professing themselves members of that Head and owning the Faith and Doctrine thereof This Body or Company I say is not in any sort to be accounted a true visible Church of Christ which I conceive will appear by diverse Arguments of which I shall give you one at present That Church which over throweth the main and proper cause of our Salvation is no true Church of Christ But the Church of Rome overthroweth the main and proper cause of our Salvation Therefore the Church of Rome is no true Church of Christ The Major I presume no man will deny and for the Assumption 't is notoriously evident for they have overthrown the principal and fundamental Article of Justification which is the Head and summ of all Religion they err in the Efficient Cause of our Justification which is the free Grace and favour of God which they deny building it upon mans merit of Congruity or works preparatory and dispository to Justification c. Coupling it with mans free-will They Err in the material cause Christ Obedience this they deny to be our Obedience or the matter of our Justification They Err in the Form of our Justification which it the Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us They Err in the Instrumental cause to wit the Justifying Faith denying is to be a certain particular trust or Assurance in Gods mercy for the Pardon of our Sins They Err in the very Meritorious cause Christ our Redeemer several ways overthrowing all his Offices They Err also in the final cause of Justification being the free Gift of Eternal Life while they say the same is merited by the Condignaty They overthrow the very Fundamentals of Religion by denying the sufficiency of the Scriptures for the Rule of Faith and the necessity of its being known to Gods people They deny the right use of the Sacraments whilst they attribute unto them Grace ex opere operato and teach that their efficacy depends on the Intention of the Priest They deny the truth of Christs humane Body by their absurd whimsey of Transubstantiation and the vertue of His only and all alone sufficient Sacrifice by their propitiatory Masses c. So that 't is plain they have Corrupted or abandoned the main and proper Fundamentals of Salvation consequently has no Claim to the Title of a Church of Christ THE COURANT. Tory. HAVE you seen the famous Panegyrick the Sacrificâ— to the Rising-Sun Truem. No nor can guess what you mean But I have heard that amongst all sorts of Idolaters they were only a parcel of forlorn servile debauch'd effeminate Hen-hearted Chicken-soul'd Persians that worship'd the Sun rising And since you mention that word it puts me in mind what I read the other day in a Pamphlet Entituled A warning against the dangerous practises of Papists written by one Thomas Norton in good Queen Bess's days Anno 1586. Let it be well-weigh'd saith he what they mean to the Realm That under colour of Succeeding so far undermine the Head of our Country that they convey the countenance favour and supportation of a great corrupt number of such as may frame themselves any hope of Gain that way to persons that by such kindled Ambition may be the more hastily embolden'd This to do is to shew us a Sun rising to whose Worship they would fain draw us from our Sun declining as they suppose No no our Queen is our true Sun and whatever shining Thing they would set up in her time is no right Sun but an unlucky Comet And it is not yet Noon I trust with our Sun or if it be I hope yet God will lengthen the day to our Sun for his Honour-sake as he did to Joshua and rather have all good Subjects so to hope if the residue of that day may be so spent as Joshuah spent it and for which God did prolong it viz. To rid the World of God's Enemies Let it be considered what Hopes Anticipation and most dreadful Mischiefs which I fear and abhor to name the encouraging of such succeeding which is the work of Papists may minister where the only Person of our most dear and precious Soveraign standeth between them and their desired Effect the utter undoing of us all and specially where the power of Revenge may by possibility fall into their hands for whose sake it should be attempted It is no small mischief danger and appalling of our Faith and Courage when our Prince must be defended against those that by possibility may aspire to be our Princes themselves and to 〈◊〉 it upon good Subjects I dispute no Titles I have no reach beyond our Queen I can see nothing beyond our Queen 〈◊〉 a Chaos of Misery therefore I am
loth to look so far my only care is and all good Subjects ought to be for our Queens Majesties Preservation What other Title soever be pretended be it good or bad if it shall once threaten danger to the Queen's Majesty whose Title and Governance we know to be true and have felt to be good I wish it destroyâ—d and put out of hope lest it hope too soon too much too high and join with too many Thus the very syllables of that Author Tory. Well! and what the Devil does all this signifie The idle Dream I 'le warrant ye of some seditious Puritanical Whig Truem. The Book Sir was printed by Authority and seems but to express the general fears and apprehensions Protestants were then in from the prospect of a Popish Successor But the truth is Mr. L'Estrange was a little too young to be Licenser in those days Tory. Why there 's the business Tempora mutantur Protestants dread a Popish Successor I must tell you Sir that whoever is cautious against such a Blessing is Ipso facto to be reputed stigmatiz'd and prosecuted as a Whig a damn'd Phanatick a Rascal a Traitor and infallibly an Enemy to the Church of England as by Law establish'd and all this if need be we will have proved as plain as the way to Dunstable in the next Observator Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 28. 1682. Papae tempus adest magnò cum optaverit empâ—um Intactam hanc Gentem cum spolia ista diemque Oderit Arguments proving the Church of Rome not to be the true Church of Christ IN our last we Explain'd the Notion of a Church in its several Acceptations as far as was necessary and offer'd one Reason then why the Roman Church was not to be esteemed a true Church We now proceed to Consider the same a little further And our Second Argument shall for the greater Authority be taken from the Profest Publick Doctrine of The Church of England if the Book of Articles and Homiles be allowed to Contain her Doctrine which some Mens Heterodoxies and bold Preachments of quite contrary Tenets whilst they yet vapour and boast themselves as the only true Churchmen has rendred a Quaere Argument 2. The true Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same But the Church of Rome is not a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Therefore the Church of Rome is not a true visible Church of Christ The Major is the Express Words of the Nineteenth Article of the Church of England And least any should say That we may indeed from hence conclude Affirmatively not Negatively viz. That where these Marks are There is a Church but not that where they are not there is no Church be pleased to take notice That the Church of England delivers these Words by way of Definition of a Church describing it by the proper Marks Now a Definition all that understand the Art of Reasoning know is not only positive in it self but Exclusive and Negative in regard of that to which it is Oppos'd The Minâ—r is also declar'd and asserted by our Church in her Homilies As for Example in That for Whit-sunday part 2 d. We have these Passages First It speaking of the Church of Rome wants these true and proper Marks of a true Church having before mentioned these very Marks For neither are they Built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Christ Jesus neither do they Order the Sacraments or Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them Again They want the Spirit of God if it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then it is at Rome Again He that is of God heareth Gods Word whereof it followeth That the Popes in not hearing Christs Voice do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possest of his Spirit Thus the Homily whereby I think this Argument is sufficiently supported and will appear Cogent to all such as own themselves Soâ—â— of the Church of England and indeed 't is pity any such should now be to be Informed That the Church of Rome is no true Church Nor is this Argument less strong in it self against the Papists For the Proposition is St. Paul's Gal. 1. 8. That Man or Angel and by parity of Reason That Church which teacheth otherwise than the Apostles taught is accursed and whether such Church offend herein by adding to Christs Doctrine or by detracting or taking from it 't is all one the Crime is the sameâ— 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another thing another Gospel For as for taking away as the Apostle saith Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yeâ— offend in one point he is Guilty of all James 2. 10. So most truly too saith St. Ambrose in his Sixth Book upon Luke Negat Christum qui non omnia quae Christi sunt Confitetur He denyeth Christ who doth not confess and acknowledge all that Christ taught And for adding unto the same Father Writing upon those words Be not the Servants of Men 1 Cor. 7. 23. thus testifieth Servi hominum sunt qui Humanis se subjiciunt Superstitionibus They are the Servants of Men that submit themselves to Humane Traditions And if they are the Servants of Men they are not the Servants of Christ So St. Paul concludeth Gal. 1. 10. So that the Proposition as it is Asserted by the Church of England so is it likewise Justified by the Authority of the Holy Scripture and ancient Fathers Then as for the Assumption That in the Church of Rome neither the Word of God is truly Preached nor the Sacraments duly Administred is notorious for as to Doctrine they have added their own Figments as Transubstantiation Purgatory c. and do Preach contrary Doctrines to the Scripture and as touching the Sacraments they have not only Augmented the Number and made Five new ones of their own which Christ never Instituted viz. Confirmation Orders Pennance Matrimony and Extream Vnction But also they have utterly Corrupted those Two which our Lord Ordain'd For in Baptism besides Water they use Spettle Salt Oyl Chrism contrary to the Institution and they lay such a necessity upon this Institution That all that dye without it even Infants they say are Damn'd See Bellarm. de Baptism L. 1. Ca. 4. and Rhem. Annot. on John the 3 d. In the Lords Supper they have turned the Sacrament to a Sacrifice made an Idol of Bread changed the Communion into private Masses
Intelligence O most Swinging Astonishing Confounding Incredible Blessed News I promise you Jesuit Is 't possible For Old Acquaintance sake let 's have 't Tory. I beg your Diversion Sir You that they say tell Lies so Dear must not expect to hear Truth Gratis But yet to save your longing I 'le give you a Tast Poor old Odiscalchi his Holiness is Dead as a Door-nail The Cardinals are shut up in the Conclave and now they are Canvasing Bribing Intriguing Tugging like mad for a new Infallible Noddle Jesuit That 's News indeed but preethee who 's like to carry 't Tory. Ay! that that I cannot forbear laughing to think how 't will vex thee and I 'le tell thee 't for no other Reason but because 't will make thee Hang thy self They 're going to chuse a Protestant Prince to be their Pope Jesuit Then I le be Hang'd ' Tory. Ay! ay! So thou hadst been long ago if th'adst had thy Deserts and so thou wilt at last whether that be so or no! but this is certain a Protestant Pope they 'l have The Flying Squadron are resolv'd on 't And Spain Germany and France for all the Interest you boast of there strike in with them What a blessed Reformation shall we have Jesuit Why then say I farewel Catholick Cause shaw shaw He 'le worm out the Catholick Faith and sapp the Church by degrees and in a while we shall have damn'd Conventicles held in the very Lateran Tory. No! no! There 's no fear of that neither for the Pope Presumptive though he is known to be a Protestant has promis'd a thousand times and vowed and sworn he 'le maintain the Roman Catholick Church as 't is Establisht by the Canons Jesuit Ay! there 's the Knavery on 't The Fallacy dost thou not smell the Raguery Tory. Not I I protest Father but to say truth I never had a very subtle Nose and yet I can at any time scent a Presbyterian Plot as far off as Vtopia Jesuit Why man by the Church as 't is Establisht by the Canons he means no doubt the Church as it ought to be Reform'd by the Canons of Scripture For can any Man be so Mad so Bewitcht as to think a Protestant will be true to the Catholick Interest Tory. Why not Sir As true I 'le warrant you as a Popish Successor will be to a Protestant Interest Jesuit Well! O my Conscience the Cardinals are a Pack of Knaves they betray the Catholick Cause I am confident most of them are Hereticks in their Hearts Tory. Why so why so good Sir They have Subscrib'd the Council of Trent They have taken all the Holy Tests and Canonical Oaths and given all the Security of their Catholicism that 's requir'd by Law of Holy Mother Church and why should we be so uncharitable as to Censure them for Hypocrites Jesuit Hang ' em hang ' em They 'r rotten at Core let 'em Swear their Guts out they that are so Zealous for a Protestant Pope may well be suspected to have an Hugonot in their Bellies Tory. Why now I 'me vext to hear one of your Order Father whose Society esteem themselves not only the most Learned and Politick but Men of the best Intelligence too talk so like a Ninny 'T is the mode all over the World since the last Comet and the Conjunction of Satura and Jupiter Have you not seen the News brought by a Post pidgeon to Scanderoon The Grand-Seignior is lately Dead too All Flesh is Grass Turk and Pope must come to 't and the Divan being Assembled because he left no Heirs of his Body Lawfully begotten nothing will satisfie them but they 'l Elect a Christian Prince to the Ottoman Empire Jesuit The Devil they will Tory. Nay never question the Truth on 't you shall see it shortly in Muddimans Letter and Infallible Natts Intelligence Jesuit Then hey go mad say I The World is going out of its Wits and the Vniverse becoming an Intire Bedlam What false to their own Religion the most Sacred of Ties betray their own Interest I 'le be Flead if there be one true Mussulman in the Divan if this you told me last be true Tory. Come come Fiat Justitia ruat Coelum Dost think all the World understands their true Interest Mankind are oft led by the Shadows and Fancies and Humours and Whims and a Thousand Capricio's I could tell thee of another as great a Wonder as all this comes to Jesuit Nay nay le ts have the bottom o' th Bag honest Tory Tory. What would you eat Sweet-meats with Shovels come come enough's as good as a Feast either at Souters or Pedlars-Hall what I have will keep cold and I 'le reserve it for another Collation Father Adieu Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY May 5. 1682. Omnia amisit qui veritatem amisit An Objection Answered touching Baptism The Church of Rome hath no true Ministry c. IN our last we urged That the Church of Rome does not practise the true Baptism of Christ whence an Objection may arise thus If the Church of Rome have not the true Baptism of Christ why then are not Papists when Converted to the true Faith of Christ Rebaptized How stands their former Baptism good To which I Reply in the words of the great Saint Augustine Contra Cresconium Lib. 1. C. 30. speaking of the External Form of Baptism used amongst Hereticks such Baptism is not to be Repeated but the Errour thereof Corrected And in his Seventh Book against the Donatists Chap. 40. He hath these Words The Divine Scriptures in many places do shew all these to be strangers from the Church who are not in the Rock and appertain not to the Members of the Dove and yet they Baptize and are Baptized and have Sine salute Sacramentum salutis without Salvation the Sacrament of Salvation And L. 5. chap. 17. Hereticks saith he have Lawful Baptism that is for the External Form but not Lawfully And so Bellarmine himself determines the Case Cum veniunt ad Ecclesiam Baptizati ab Haereticis agnoscendum est quod est Ecclesiae id est Baptisma corrigendus verò Error When those that are Baptized by Hereticks come to the Church the Church acknowledges what is her own that is the Baptism but the Errour is to be corrected The Sacraments operate effectually Non quia dicitur sed quia Creditur Not because the Words are uttered but because there is the Word of Faith purifying the heart as the Apostle speaks Act 15. And therefore the Church of Rome having deny'd the Faith of Righteousness and the Righteousness of Faith and the saving Doctrine of Baptism She hath consequently rendred Baptism to be of none Effect to her unto Salvation But yet still when any Papist is by the Grace of God and the Preaching of the Word and of saving Faith Converted to the true Church of God the Seal of Baptism
mystery Roger has more than once been tampering with this Mr. Tongue and at Christmas last renew'd his Intrigue with him much about the same time Fairwell and Pain began privately to broach their Sham now if Godfrey's Murder could have been turn'd off and people been made believe that Dr. Tongue and Dr. Oats contriv'd and invented the whole Scheme of the Plot so Artificially that it deceived the King and four Parliaments and all the Judges c. Then how innocent would the poor Roman Catholicks appear and what glorious Martyrs Whitebread Coleman and the rest But this trinkling with young Tongue taking wind Roger cries Whore first and fills the World with Exclamations that Mr. Tongue forsooth had a Plot upon But Roger Roger for all your Lapwinging there is more of this matter known than you are aware of and there will come a day of Reckoning Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The fourth Volume FRIDAY May 26. 1682. Quocunque aspicies nihil est nisi Terror Orcus That the present Faith of the Church of Rome is to be refused upon pain of Damnation The Woes threatned to them that abide in her Communion Greater the Sin and more sore the punishment of such as revolt unto her The Judgment of the ancient Divines of the Church of England in the Case TO reinforce and corroborate what we offer'd in our last of the extream hazard all that continue in the Romish Church at this day do run in Relation to their Eternal State We shall now advance and endeavour to Demonstrate the following Proposition viz. That the Faith of the Church of Rome is to be refused upon pain of Damnation And First For Explanation of the Terms By the Faith of the Church of Rome is understood the Doctrine of the said Church delivered to be believed of all men that 〈◊〉 to be saved as matters revealed by God to that end And this is â—â—â—sidered as one individual or singular thing for though indeed it be divided into several Articles of which it consists yet it is conceived by themselves as one intire Body because they are all knit together by the same Bond namely by being assented to and believed upon one and the same reason and all to be received on pain of the same Anathema Thus Fisher the Jesuite under the Mask of A. D. in his Treatise of Faith Ca. 4. Faith must be intire whole and sound in all points and it is not sufficient stedfastly to believe some points mis-believing or not believing other some or any one For not to believe any one Point whatsoever which God by revealing it doth testify to be true and which by his Church he hath commanded us to believe must needs be damnable as being a notable Injury to Gods Verity and a great disobedience to his Will And that Chamaelion the Arch-bishop of Spalatto when he was return'd to his Vomit in his Consilium Reditûs p. 20. asserts the same All Articles saith he of Faith determined by the Church are fundamental none of them may be deny'd without Heresie Thus every Member of the Church of Rome must as stedfastly and absolutely believe the least point of Reliques Images Purgatory c. delivered by the Council of Trent as the greatest mysteries of the Godhead Trinity Incarnation c. And if he deny any of the former he is no less an Heretick than if he deny'd any of the latter Yea though he believe all that they propound to be believed save some one he is for want of believing that one if he know that the Church propounds it to be believed a Miscreant or Mis-believer The reason of which is this that if the Church may err in one thing it may err in another and so can be no sure foundation of Faith Now to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome is nothing else but not to acknowledge the Doctrin by her delivered to be true but to abhor it as false not of every particular point but of all joyntly together For we freely acknowledge that the Papists do hold several great mysteries of Divinity truly and soundly wherein we also agree with them but yet we may not receive their Faith for true as it is by them delivered for one Intire body of Divinity revealed by God to be believed by all men that will â—e saved So that to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome is not to believe that it is true or to believe that it is false and this we say is required by every man upon pain of Damnation Which words Vpon pain of Damnation are not so to be understood as if we presumed to pronounce sentence of Condemnation against all that continue in the Church of Rome we have disclaim'd such Temerity but thereby is meant that the believing that Doctrin as a matter of Faith is a thing in it self damnable that is such as maketh a man liable to damnation How it shall fall out with particular men in the event we neither know nor take upon us to inquire only we say that their mis-belief is such a sin as setteth them in a state of Damnation To prove this we must consider That there are Two ways by which sin leadeth a man into the state of damnation The one is the desert or fitness it hath to procure damnation The other is the actual meriting or deserving of Salvation Into the former sin casteth a man off it self Into the latter he falleth as by sin so by the Ordinance or Decree of God who hath laid the penalty of Damnation upon it Hence ariseth this Argument against receiving the Faith of the Romish Church That which maketh a man unclean in Gods sight hath a fitness to procure Damnation For unclean things are unmeet for the presence of God and consequently meet for Damnation But the Faith of the Church of Rome maketh a man unclean in the sight of God For it is erroneous in so high a nature as we have proved that it makes a man guilty of High Treason against God by Installing the Pope in the Throne of God giving him Power and Authority to determine as a Judge what is matter of Faith and what not without any Commission or Warrant from God Nor do they only give him authority to Interpret the Scripures but also allow him to set up a Forge of Tradition where he Hammers what he listeth and Vends it to be received upon pain of Damnation for the word of the ever living God What is it to fulfill that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 4. To sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God if this be not And must not all they needs be accessaries to this High Treason that acknowledge such his Usurp'd Authority and yield obedience to it Or how can it be reasonably denied that there is a worthiness and fitness in the Faith of the Church of Rome to procure Damnation Therefore
ought we to esteem any thing small or light that is repugnant to the Divine Will especially in a matter of this moment as we have proved it to be tending to advance Idolatry rob God of his honor harden Papists in their impiety and laying a stumbling block before weak Christians Remember that famous History Recorded by Josephus and in the Book of the Maccabees touching Eleazar and the Jewish woman with her seven Sons All that Antiochus and the persecutors urg'd them to do was only to taste a little Swines-flesh a small business you 'l say what not eat a bit of Pork and yet being expresly against the Law of their God they all chuse rather to dye with exquisite Tortures and the reason is notably given by the good old man 2 Maccab. 6. 24. in these words It becometh not our age in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar being fourscore years old and ten were now gone to a strange Religion And so they through mine Hypocrisie and desire to live a little time should be deceived by me and I get a stain to my old age and make it abominable For though for the present I should be delivered from the rage of men yet I should not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead 'T is true this History is no part of Canonical Scripture but yet it was never esteemed Fabulous but the Church has always reckon'd them for Holy Martyrs and applauded their Faith and Constancy and consequently must condemn those that practise the contrary In a word those that repute this feigned compliance with Idolatry for a little matter and dare join with Papists in their damnable Superstitions know not how highly Gods Honour ought to be prized by all his Creatures which have their Being to no other end but to glorify him nor have sufficiently weighed that Tremendous Declaration of the great Jehovah Isaiah 42. 8 I am the Lord my Glory will I not give to another nor my Praise to Graven Images Obj. You will say here 's a stir indeed about going to Mass will you compare that with the Idolatries of the Heathen are not the Papists Christians I answer That the Church of Rome is no Church of Christ we have lately prov'd at large that she is guilty of Idolatry is apparent in this respect worse Idolatry than the Heathens because she is faln into the same by Apostacy 'T is an aggravation of her Crime that she was once a Spouse of Christ a man resents more sensibly the Disloyalty and Adulteries of his Wife than those of a common acpuaintance or ordinary friend Nor is this any other than the Doctrine of the Church publickly profest and taught in her Book of Homilies part the 2. p. 213. The Church of Rome as it is at present and hath been for the space of 900 years and odd is so far wide from the nature of the True Church that nothing can be more And again in her Homily against the peril of Idolatry she thus plainly expresses her self That the Church of Rome is an Idolatrous Church not only an Harlot as the Scripture calls her but also a foul filthy old withered Harlot and the Mother of Whoredme guilty of the same Idolatry and Worse than was amongst Ethnicks and Gentiles Thus thought thus spake the Church of England heretofore and whatever some young flashy heads who fancy a Reconciliation with Rome possible may pretend our Church â—â—till of the same Juâ—gment witness Dean Stillingfleet's learned Discourse Of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome witness to that excellent and most true Assertion publickly delivered by the Right Honorable the present Lord Chief Justice Pemberton at Plunket's Trial p. 100. That Popery is a Religion ten times worse than all the Heathenish Superstitions so that we have the present Papists not only accused by our Church to maintain and practise Doctrines and Fopperies worse than Heathennism and the Charge made good by our most able Divines but also judiciously condemned from the Bench for the same However it may be still Objected what if Popery which God forbid should once again in after Ages gain the Ascendent of England and the Mass happen to be Establisht by Law may not I if I am a Minister brought up in the Protestant Religion comply so far as to say Mass if it be done purely out of a good intention thereby to gain an opportunity of Preaching the saving Doctrine of Christ to the people for their Edification who otherwise will be bereaved thereof I answer as Jehu replied to Joram talking of peace 2 Kings 9. 22. What peace so long as the Whâ—redoms of thy Mother Jezabel and her Witchcrâ—fts are so many So what talk you of Preaching to Edification when you practise shall lead to Destruction This is an excuse that proceeds from the Belly not from the Heart he that makes it whoever he shall be has more respect to the keeping a Fat Benefice than the Salvation of the people or if indeed his aim should be right it will not follow that what he does is not sinful for good intentions can never justify bad actions God indeed sometimes by his omnipotent providence can promote his word even by means unlawful being an All-wise Artist that can bring good out of evil but shall it therefore be said that he approves of the irregularity or that he is excusable that commits it when he that mounts the Pulpit to take upon him the Person of Christ by instructing the people in the Gospel under his name and authority and performing the office of an Ambassadour from Heaven shall fain a consent to abominable Idolatry which is openly repugnant with the chief Scope of the Evangelical Doctrine what hopes are there of Edification from such an Hypocrite Let such boast their pious designs as much as they please those Cobweb pretensions are all instantly swept away and overthrowâ—â— by this one word of Eternal Truth That no Evil is to be done that good may follow Others there are that alledge they haunt Popish Chappels only out of curiosity spectatum veniunt they come meerly to see but let them remember too spectantur ipsi they are seen by men which if Papists may by their presence be Confirm'd in their Idolatries and if Protestants may be scandaliz'd and perverted by their Example for who can tell what their Intentions are when they do as the rankest Papists do and what is yet more they are also seen by God who will revenge and punish such their mispending their precious time and abetting of damnable Superstitions It is not safe to touch upon the borders of evil Dinah in curiosity went out to see the Maids of that Country otiosè spectat sed non otiosè spectatur her gazing was her vanity but her being gazed upon produced worse than vanity far was it from her thoughts that such a petulant curiosity should forfeit her Chastity yet we see what a
Brother Roger That he is a Protestant and never was at Mass in England you must understand him in his Life But the Devil cannot hide his Cloven Foot for p. 12. he puts us upon Petitioning His Majesty for Mercy to the Few Papists in England and to stop their Convictions upon their present prosecutions poor Lambs they are shrewdly hurt Yet some think more has been actually levyed on the Protestants at Bristol within a twelvemonth than on all the Papists in England these seven years and this he recommends as the only expedient to ease the poor French Protestants from the Persecution Now I should have thought that the Petition for a Cessation of Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters would be a more likely medium for that purpose for if we teaze our Protestant Brethren meerly on the Account of Non-conformity to our Ceremonies do we not justifie the French King in Harassing those that differ from his Establisht Church not only in Ceremonies but most material points of Doctrine too Tory. Well but he tells you that if we should be Bless'd with a Popish Successor yet 't is impossible he should establish Popery Truem. That 's the most errant sham in nature and some day or other when we meet I doubt not but to Demonstrate that in such a case which Heaven prevent the persecution on all forts of Protestants would be much more bloody and cruel than that in Queen Maries days and he that does not already apprehend why is only fit for Laâ—ine Prayers and drinking of Healths with an Huzza Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY June 23. 1682. Tu Portentorum locus es conformis eorum Cum Nilo portenta paris nutris Crocodilos Theodor. Ã Nyem L. 3. Ca. 41. ad Romam The Papal History after the Council of Constance prosecuted The loud complaints of Clemangis and other learned Godly men of the miserable corruptions of the Church in those Times The Life of Martin the V. His tricks to avoid a Reformation he dispenses with a man to Marry his own Sister THough we have made a long yet perhaps neither altogether useless nor unseasonable digression to give our Country-men a true Idea of the Church of Rome and what a necessity there is incumbent on all true Christians to abandon her Communion and not pollute their Souls by mixing with her damnable Idolatries and Superstitions We must remember to return and reassume the intermitted not neglected Thred of Papal History Which the Reader may remember we diverted from Numb the 8. concluding with the flagitious and detestable Life and justly deserv'd deposal of that most Holy Monster John the 23 d. â—lias the 24 th and that most scandalous tuâ—g for the uâ—erring Chair which for several years depended between him and Gregory and Benedict his two Competitors who being at last all three cashier'd by the Council of Constance In their stead was set up Otho Colonna by the name of Martin the 5 th The beginning of whose Popedome their best Chronologies assign to the Year of our Lord 1417. But before we proceed to the particular story of his Life it will be necessary for clearing some passages that we may meet with therein to take a brief review of the lamentable state and condition of the Church in general in and about those times which we find so sensibly described and bewail'd by several pious learned men of that Age that their complaints seem rather writ with Tears of Blood than Ink. Amongst these Clemangis Arch-Deacon of Bayeux in France for his courage and zeal to truth deserves to lead the Van His Book De Corrupto Ecclesiae Statu of the corrupt Estate of the Church as it was produced at the Council of Constance so it well deserves every studious Gentlemans Reading that would fully satisfy himself touching the horrid abominations of Rome I shall only select a few passages Having set forth by what steps and degrees the Church at one and the same time rose to her temporal height and spiritual declination and by what subtleties the Popes engrossed all Dominion and how greedily they and their Creatures the Cardinals hunted after gain he proceeds to their further Character thus They bear more patiently the loss of Ten thousand Souls than of Ten Groats nay they regard the ruin of Souls with no consideration or emotion of mind at all but for the least diminution of their own private pecuniary advantages they presently grow mad and furious The Study of Divinity and such as make Profession thereof are made a meer May-game and Laughing-stock even which is most monstrous to the Popes themselves who prefer their own Tradition far before the Commandments of God And now that worthy and excellent function of Preaching sometimes attributed to Pastors only is of that base account with them that they think it too mean a work for them to meddle with and that nothing is more unbecoming their dignity The same Author in his Epistle concerning the Study of Divinity tells us That in those days the Monasteries both of Monks and Nuns each Sex it seems was as bad as the other are become so many Brothel-Houses their Divinity meerly Scholastick and Chimerical the very same which St. Paul intended to describe by those words They dote about Questions and strife of words Their fruits are like those of the Lake of Sodom outwardly fair but inwardly smoak and filthy ashes Ecclesiastical Persons are generally the Successors rather of Simon Magus than Simon Peter No man hath Orders given him without silver or gold nor is any refus'd or debarr'd from the sacred function that brings mony be he never so wicked To such a prodigie of wantonness and debauchery are they grown that their people the better to defend their Wives chastity from the attempts of these Clergy-stallions will have no Priests except such as are known to keep Concubines The Legends of Saints are read instead of the holy Scriptures and the Saints brought into the place of God And in a Letter to a Student at Paris discoursing of the Council of Constance he assigns several reasons why no Reformation of the raigning abuses of the Church was to be expected thence For saith he these Carnal Sons of the Church do not only not regard spiritual things nor have any feeling of them themselves but they persecute those that are according to the Spirit as ever since the time of just Abel whom Carnal Cain murdered it hath been and will be to the worlds end These are they that for Temporal Commodities fly to the Church and yet living even worse than secular men they covet scrape and rob all they can desiring to bear Rule but not to serve glorying in their superiority oppressing their inferiours and rejoycing in their own pride and luxury They account gain godliness and are always ready to act or suffer any thing whatsoever for their temporalities how lewdly soever
Rebellion promoting a general good of the King and Kingdome Faction and endeavouring the safety of the Nation against Popish Conspiracies a Presbyterian Plot. But if by Faction may be understood a few boysterus Troublesome people with as little sense as honesty that contrary to the rightful customes of the place they live in bandy against and disturb the Majority as suppose out-number'd above one Thousanâ—d in three and by persons of as good or better Quality every way than themselves and struggle to overthrow the Right Laws and Priviledges of the whole Community and when with Innovations Noise Shamms and shamefull foul practises they themselves have first industriously rais'd Feuds and Cumbustions do then think to file them to the account of such as justly and innocently oppose their lewd designs if this I say may pass for a true description of Faction then on my Conscience Popery and Torism are as errant Factions as ever pester'd a State Tory. Thou art always harping upon Popery I tell thee once again that party is not worth minding where shall you meet a man that now adays will own himself a Roman Catholick now quoth Roger we have taken the Oaths c. There 's Sing and Nevil shall talk as zealously for the Church by Law as any Country Curate and is not this a happy Reformation Truem. A Wolf is never the less a Wolf but the more dangerous for wearing the Lambs-skin that he lately worried I tell you there are still Papists in England and Bloody Traiterous Papists and a damnable Company of them too when was St. Omers and Doway more empty and yet I 'le warrant you all the Jesuits are not gone to Convert the Great Mogul Do not their raskally hedge-Priests flutter up and down as thick as Filfares who may not any day meet at 'tother end of the Town with Father Mathew's my Lord Peters's Ghostly Tool Father Fincham Brother to the Right Worshipful in Cromwel-shire Father Witherington Who once in doleful dumps Being drunk said Mass upon his Stumps Cum multis aliis quos cum proscribere Nolo strutting up and down streets as briskly as if they hoped to sing te Deum in Pauls and what business think you have these reverend Blades here Tory. Nay how do I know perhaps they only come over to turn Informers against Protestant Conventicles Do any of them Lodge in the Savoy Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY June 7. 1682. Crudeles Impiorum Misericordiae The Debates of the Bohemians at the Council of Basil The Story of Zisca his wonderful success and Epitaph The use of the Cup permitted to the Bohemians c. AMongst other Occurrences that happened at the Council of Basil which began to be Assembled Anno 1431. and continued sitting almost 12 years very remarkable were their proceedings with the Bohemians How God had been pleased to enlighten that Nation with the knowledge of his Truth and to discover to them the errors and wickedness of the Church of Rome by the spreading of Wickliffs Books amongst them we have heretofore acquainted you As also how those good seeds were cultivated by the pains of those laborious Husbandmen in the Lords Vineyard John Huss and Jerome of Prague who were both cruelly martyr'd contrary to the safe conduct granted them by the Council of Constance about the year 1415. Whereby the Gospel had taken such Root amongst the Bohemians that all the powers of darkness could not pluck it up yet of those of them that refused the Church of Rome there were two sorts some that only contended to have the use of the Cup in the Sacrament restored to the Laity but in other Doctrines agreed with the Romanists and these for that reason were commonly called Calixstines from Calix a Cup the other not only complained of the Sacriledge of the Papists in that respect but also pressed for the purity and simplicity of Religion in all Articles and Ceremonies and these were sometimes call'd Piccardines and sometimes Tabâ—ritâ—s for the cause herein after mentioned You must note after the burning of Huss and Jerome the Nobles of Hungary to the number of 50 and upwards in the name of themselves and the whole Commonalty sent Letters under their Seals Dated 2 Sept. 1416 to Constance complaining thereof as likewise did the Nobles of Moravia But that Bloody Conventicle vouchfased them no answer but on the contrary stirred up great persecution against them so that the Hussites were not only Excommunicated but their Churches broke open and their persons and goods every where exposed to violence which occasion'd such a tumult on the 13 th of July 1419 at Prague that the common people being enraged threw 12 Senators of Old Prague with the chief City Majestrate out of the Windows of the Senate House who fell upon the points of Spears Pope Martin the 5th Anno 1420 publickly excommunicates the Bohemians Exciting the Emperor and all Kings Prince Dukes c. to take up Arms against them Intreating them by the Wounds of Christ and their own Salvation unanimously to fall upon them and quite Extirpate that Sacrilegious and cursed Nation and withal promises so zealous and bountiful was his Holiness an universal remission of sins to the most wicked person that should kill one Bohemian Heretick History of the Bohemian Persecution p. 27. But some small time before this some thousands of those that profess'd the true Religion finding they could not live peaceably in Prague retired from thence to a stony Mountain about 10 Miles distant which they named Tabor and encompassed it round with a Wall and other fortifications constituting there a kind of Common-wealth and resolv'd to defend themselves by Arms and hence they were call'd Taborites The Emperour Sigismund spur'd on by these Incentives and large promises from the Pope of gairing Heaven gathers a most puissant Army from all parts of the Empire and resolves utterly to extirpate these poor Bohemian Hussites Who being in this sore distress one John de Trosnovie call'd Ziska because he had but one Eye of a Noble house but mean fortune yet great valour and conduct undertakes to gather together the scatter'd people and to head them against their Enemies which he perform'd with such success that Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope and no friend to be sure to the Bohemians who wrote the Story of those Wars affirms his Atchievements will rather be admir'd than believed by posterity for with handfuls of those poor unfurnisht people he fought eleven several Battels with Sigismund's numerous well provided and fresh recruited Armies and in all of them came off victorious nay though in one of them he lost his other Eye and so was blind yet afterwards he continued no less fortunate a Leader so that at last Sigismund despairing to vanquish him but by a Treaty consents to declare him his Lieutenant and allow him a Pension on condition he and his followers would