vniuersam terram ramos suos copia vbertatis exteÌ„dere hinc enim Graeco vocabulo Catholica nominatur l. 3. coÌ„tra Gaud. Donat. c. 1. If saith he yours be the Catholicke Church shew that the doth extend her boughes ouer the whole earth by copious increase whence she is called Catholike by a greeke word signifiyng Vniuersall And hauing brought the wordes of Christ saying that his Ghospell should be preached to all nations (e) Quaecumque coÌ„gregatio cuiuslibet haeresis in angulis fedet coÌ„cubi na est non matrona l. 4. de Sym bolo c. 10. Heare you heretickes saith he the Church of Christ doth possesse the whole which her spouse left her in dowry VVhat company of hereticks soeuer sitteth in a corner is a Concubyne and not the Matrone that is the strumpet of the Diuell and not the Church of Christ And againe (f) Numquid digito osteÌ„dimê° EcclesiaÌ„ fratres mei nonne aperta est tract 1. in epist Ioan. Doe we not saith he point the Church with our finger and is she not visible VVhat (g) Quid dicam nisi caecos qui tam magnum montem non vident Qui contra lucernam in candelabro sitam oculos claudunt tract 2. in ep Ioan. shall I say more but that they are blynd that see not so great a mountayne VVho against the candle set on the candlestick shut their eyes And (h) lib. contra epist Parmenian c. 5. will not behold the Church declared in Scripture which placed on a mountayne cannot be hidden Thus S. Augustine What thinke you of him M. Crashaw Doth he not seeme vnto you to speake a Babylonian language Did he take his arguments from your Babylonian or rather your Babylonian out of him Could any Papist haue made the Church more palpable or as you say carnall then he doth Doth he not ferrit your lurking Church out of her darke holes where she would fayne lye and sleepe without being seene the long night of so many ages betwixt Christ and Luther Doth he not force her to come out and stand on the top of a mountayne in the eye of the world in all ages since Christ that one might haue pointed vnto her with his finger if she meane to be thought the true Church and not the concubine of Sathan that kept him secret company in corners whilest Christs true Spouse was conuerting the world vnto him 7. And what meaneth this Bachelour thinke you to adorne the Babylonians speach with the flowers of the Fathers doctrine and put their learned sentences which he had read in some Catholike writer into his Idolatrous mouth The reason is that he would imitate backward the prudent fact of that Emperour who hearing a man of infamous life bring forth a graue The Bachelours drift in making his Babylonian speak like the ancieÌ„t Fathers and worthy sentence commanded another of more grauity and honour to pronounce the same after him to giue credit and estimation vnto it Contrariwise M. Crashaw perceiuing by the perusall of our Authors the doctrine of ancient Fathers requiring Vniuersality visibility Succession Antiquity Conuersion of Nations as infallible markes of the true Church by which doctrine his Church is beaten into dust and ashes he bids a Babylonian step into pulpit and pronounce at the Crosse their sentences as his owne in defence of his Idolatry to discredit their doctrine with ignorant people to whome it might seeme to relish and sauour of Idolatry receiuing the same streyned through an impure Babylonian tongue This is the true cause that he played the Babylonian so long in pulpit that he permitted the Babylonian in print to fill vp with his babling so many pages of his Babell Is not this vizard now taken away Be not the skirts of his impious designe discouered Doe not you see his iugling how cunningly without being perceiued of the lesse intelligent he would conueigh true Christianity into Idolatry the Church of Rome into Babylon the vniforme doctrine of ancient Fathers into carnall conceipts Can any play be more prophane impious then this 8. And in truth the Babylonian to speake as Catholike and ancient Fathers doe doth so strayne and constraine hiâ— tongue to speake impertinently that it is cleare he would neuer haue coÌ„ceiued such follyes had not his head byn filled with M. Crashawes braynes nor durst euer haue vttered such falsehoods had not he lent him his face insteed of a vizard that he could not blush ConuersioÌ„ of NatioÌ„s fondly challeÌ„ged by the Babylonian For what Babylonian durst haue said without a maske to an Isräelite Shew one Nation by you conuerted or that came ioyned with you during all that time you had your Kings and Priests seing it was well knowne that in other Nations there were diuers Proselites and worshippers of one God that agreed in Religion with the Iewes And who could better know and witnes then Babylonians the Isräelites power to conuert Kings and Nations by whome their King Nabachodonosor had bene lately conuerted and had commaunded by publike Edict all Nations vnder heauen to adore their God And what would M. Crashaw by this Babylonian circuÌ„locution against the Isräelites of their not conuerting Countreys He would forsooth comfort his good Mother and Church in her so great barrennesse not hauing bene able since the tyme of her Kings and Priests to conuert one Countrey or Citty or Towne of Infidells vnto Christ The Virginity of the Protestant Church He would flatter her and make her belieue she is a Virgin and like to the Virgin-daughter of Israel that was barren and without children in the same manner which were all he wisheth true is God wot but cold comfort For as therby he may happily proue his Church to be a Synagogue of Iewes confined to one corner of the world so doth he clearly remoue from her the title of the Church of Christ whose singular priuiledge aboue the Synagogue is to dilate herselfe ouer the world by conuerting Princes and Nations vnto Christ which care his good Church leaueth vnto †Longinquas istas peregrinationes locustis illis ementientibus nomen Iesu relinquamê° Beza apud Sarau de diuer s grad p. 309. Locusts as they tearme the reuerend Fathers of that Order that in this later age haue principally laboured in the successefull conuersion of many Heathenish Nations vnto Christ 9. What also may we thinke of that speach of the Babylonian to the Isräelites Is not your visible Temple now defaced Haue you any thing left that is not inuisible and in secret corners For was Salomons Temple such a mote in the sunne that the Iew might haue thought it inuisible had not the fond Babylonian â—ioyned the Epithete of visible with it Did not many Israelites in Babylon professe their Religion openly in the streets Were they not knowne ouer all Babylon not to worship their Gods What meaneth the Bachelour to make this Babylon speake of visible The ProtestaÌ„ts inuisible Church
any reason may content you yet the Church of Rome dareth proceed further make you a more reasonable offer You know (o) Iesuit Ghosp 43. It requyreth the oueruiewing eye of the whole Colledg of Phisitians that triacle is not permitted so be made in any Citty without a councell or generall meeting of the learned Phisitians and Apothecaries it being a compound that hath diuers ingredients taken from Vipers and venemous serpents to seuer which healthfull drugs from the middest of poyson requyreth great skill and is dangerous to be done without good aduise The doctrine that now can heale Christendome is a compound of the truth of Christiā doctrine deuided into so many dangerous viperous sects discerning the good from bad the truth frō falshood antiquity frō nouelty Christiāity frō heresy there being no sect so bad that hath not some good nor so false but hath some truth which you see cōfesse cānot be made but in a generall Councell The Church of Rome hath gathered a Councell hath made triacle where truth is declared heresy condemned falsehood reiected You like it not you cry out against it Let not our contentions be endlesse let vs not still rot and rankle in deadly woundes of discord you that are branches of Luthers reuolt An offer made vnto all Protestants that descend of Luther that cry against the Church of Rome meete your selues in a generall Councell ioyne togeather your heades in one truth who haue beene a long while tyed togeather by the tayles in errour let vs haue a forme of faith triacle of truth by your making Can you desire a more reasonable offer Some triacle we must haue to heale the disease of discord for matters of faith by which Christendome is brought into extreme danger Either approue ours or appoint better of your owne by common consent for without common consent it must not be made If you will not do the one nor can the other who are incurable Who haue iust cause to complayne you or we let the world iudge A pleasant story declaring Protestāts vanity that brag of healing our Church and can not agree vpon the phisicke 24. I remember I haue heard a pleasant story which may serue to shew the vanity of these complayners of a certayne towne which did vse to make great complaynts for want of rayne not forbearing sometymes to touch Gods prouidence as wanting in the care of their affayres Wherupon a wise and prudent man to shew them their folly made them a promise to rayne them as much rayne as they would so that meeting in the market place they would agree vpon the tyme and the quantity thereof Glad of the promise the people met and began to consult about the matter but there were almost as many different opinions as men some would haue rayne in more quantity some in lesse some one weeke some another then about the day of the weeke had there beene more dayes then seauen that only difference would haue had more heades then Hydra Concerning the houre the variety was greater some would haue it in the night others in the day some in the morning others in the euening some would haue one good shewer others rayne often though not much at a tyme and euery man stood so stifly in his conceipt that from consulting they fell to quarelling and from quarelling were ready to come to blowes and to water the market place with bloud insteed of getting water from heauen Protestāts will neuer agree about the phisicke that must heale the Church of Rome The man that had made the promise standing by laughed at their folly and cryed vnto them agree and I will rayne Doth not this story shew how impertinent the cryers of Luthers crew are that from all parts of Europe in different tongues cry they would cure the Church of Rome euery one offering her his owne phisick and condemning his fellowes as poyson If the Roman Church should agree to be healed by them would they euer meet togeather and agree in one doctrine to heale her No neuer so long as Babel shall be Babel neuer till Hydra cease to haue many heades and returne againe to the vnity of the Roman Church 25. First they confesse (p) Syr Edwin Sandes in his relatiō c. fol. S. 2. on the B. side they haue no ordinary meanes on their part to assemble a Generall Councell though that be the only meanes remayning euer to asswage their contentions and as for extraordinary and miraculous meanes themselues graunt miracles are now out of date by which you may ghesse in what a wofull and desperate case their Church is who so brag of curing woundes But suppose by some extraordinary great chance their Bishops Presbyters and other Prelates of their reuolted Cōgregations brought from the northerne corners of Europe by the hayre of their head as Abacuc was should meet in a Councell would they agree vpon one phisick to heale themselues and vs would they heale ancient woundes and not rather make new and wider I am content their owne Bishop Doctor Bilson inferiour in learning and experience in matters of their Church vnto few prophesy of the euent of such a Synode rather then my self which he doth saying That (q) Si linguae eorū similiter se habeāt ac calami pluribus certè opus erit pacis custodibus ad pugnas praeueniendas quà m librarijs ad decreta eorum perscribenda Bilson de perpetua Ecclesiae Christi gubernat c. 16. in fine libri in such a case except their hartes do better agree then their pennes there would be more need of officers to part their frayes then of Notaryes to write their actes And would not the Babel and confusion of their Church thinke you be well healed in such a tumult Would the blemishes of their faces and want of fingers which M. Crashaw will not much sticke to graunt in his Church be notably taken away in that skirmish in which those Bishops that should defend their heads from new woundes might be well thought wise serpents What might the Church of Rome expect were she present at such a fray How would they cut of her fingers and toes her armes and legs to make meate of them for which feast the Bachelour saith (r) In his Epistle dedicatory to the Princes Highnes that he and his fellowes haue longed a great while and now at least hope shortly to be glutted therewith to make her desolate and eate her flesh without salt or sugar and euen raw and then burne her with fire Are not these men notable Surgeons thinke you Can any thing be eyther more ridiculous then their braggs or more vniust then theyr complaynts 26. VVherfore seeing they will needs apply this text against the Church of Rome that she is Babylon that they are her healers that she would not be healed that therfore they must forsake her will or nill they they must goe forward in their misapplyed
his sincere and vpright dealing endeauouring to make the errours of some few seeme articles of our faith opinions of priuate men definitions of the whole Church which course men of iudgment that vnderstand of these matters must needs perceaue to be no lesse absurd then vniust A iugling tricke of Ministers and that therin Ministers play with their Auditors the trick of some Iuglers who with the smoake of certaine hearbs make therafters of faire goodly rooms wherin they burne them seeme snakes and adders by this meanes frighting fooles and children from the same which false slaunderous smoake changing pious doctrines inâ—â— seeming blasphemies doth M. Crashaw raise within the fairest and goodliest Rome of the Catholik Church by setting fire with his rayling tongue to the sayings of some Catholike Authors making a smoake of blasphemy vampe from them wherwith the doctrines of the whole Church may seeme to ignorant people vgly Monsters 2. And though in such variety of gardens as are the learned bookes of our Authors M. Crash vanity in the search of the woundes among such store of their sweet hearbs and fragrant flowers it might seeme no wonder though some twenty weedes of erroneous sayings be found which taken in rigour of speach may seeme blasphemous yet to make the purity of our doctrine and the falshood of rayling Preachers wherof the Bachelour is Procter more apparant by this Answere it shal be clearly shewed that learned Catholikes haue vsed such diligence to weed their owne writings and that such hath bene the care of the Church to purge their works which they did submit to her Censure that the Bachelour to iustify his rayling Church hath bene able to alleage no one saying of any Catholike Authour that doth not containe pious and iustifiable doctrine Neyther can he make the sweet hearbes and flowers of their doctrine take the fire of his rayling Rhetorike to yield the smoake of false slaunders without drying them vp and bereauing them of their naturall iuyce and sense which also commonly he cannot doe without wringing and wresting bruzing and breaking mangling and corrupting their wordes as shall appeare by this full and particuler Answer vnto euery one by him alleadged wherin if I be longer and more earnest then such palpable slaunders vttered vpon no better proofes may seeme to require let the Reader remember and consider for his comfort and ours that in this Sermon we confute and he readeth in this Answer a refutatioÌ„ of all the rest of the like rayling inuectiues that are daily preached though not printed against vs which how false for matter foule for laÌ„guage they are may appeare by the monstrous deformity of this that durst come to light as the publickly allowed iustifying patterne of the rest Which if we conuince of horrible falshood as we shall of such as all men of conscience must needes abhorre we may iustly apply to the English Ministry the saying of Christ If (b) Si IumeÌ„ quod in te tenebrae sunt ipsae tenebrae quaÌ„tae erunt Matt. 6.23 thy light be darknesse how darke is thy darknesse it selfe That is if such Sermons as they dare bring to light are full of grosse and foule lyes what store of such darke foule stuffe may be supposed to be in such Sermons as themselues for very shame suppresse in darknesse The first of the twenty slaunders That we teach the Pope is God 3. THE Pope as he is most hated in the Bachelours hart so he commeth first to his mouth when he is in rayling mood with whom he beginneth the list of his twenty slaunders pag. 53. 57. accusing vs to teach that he is God and our Lord God and that wee doe equalize him to vse his owne word to the true God Which accusation being most heynous yet he bringeth for proofe thereof only this seely argument against vs that the Pope is called God and Lord God not only in priuate Authors but also in his owne Canon law Where first though the antecedent were true that the Pope is called God yet the inference that therefore he is God equall to the true God is full of ignorance and blasphemy against all holy Scripture which doth often honour men with the name of God For who hath not heard that famous place of the prophet I (c) Psal 81.6 sayd yee are Gods and children of the highest all where those to whom the word of God was reuealed are called Gods as (d) Ioan. 10.35 Christ doth declare Who doth not know that often in the Scripture Iudges are called Gods (e) Exod. 21.6 ad Deos vtriusque causa perueniet their cause shal be brought before the Gods Dijs (f) Exod. 22.9 8. non detrahes thou shalt not detract from the Gods Doth not the Scripture also tearme Moyses (g) Exod. 7.1 Deum Pharaonis the God of Pharao Doth it not salute Salomon by the same title if we belieue Caluin vpon this verse of the (h) Psal 44.7 Psalmist Thy seate ô God is for euer and euer where Caluin saith not Christ but Salomon is tearmed God Hauing this warrant of Scripture what great matter is it though the Pope by some Catholick Author be tearmed God Is not the Bachelours vanity wonderfull that after such promises of great proofes of no triuiall things nor trisles begins with this Babel argument 4. Secondly he hath not been able to bring in this place any one Catholicke Author where the Pope is so much as tearmed God though he haue as he doth confesse spared no cost to get no labour to peruse Records where he thought such blasphemous sentences might be found nay there is not any by him brought whom he hath not notoriously corrupted slaundered as you shall see They are only these three First the Glossers saith he call the Pope their Lord God pag. 53. the Pope is content to take it to himself where he coupleth togeather two loud vntruths The first that the Glossers A double slaunder about a glosse which signifyes a number call the Pope their Lord God giuing his Reader to vnderstand that many Glossers doe vse that phrase or rather that it is the ordinary stile they giue to the Pope which to be false may appeare by this that neuer Protestant before this Bachelour durst charge with this slaunder more Glossers then one and for one only tyme vsing this speach Dominum Deum nostrum Papam (k) Extrauag Ioan. 22. tit 14. c. 4. though him also without cause this being indeed not his phrase but an errour ouersight in the print in some later editions which is proued by many ancient copyes in which Deum is wanting and this title found Dominum nostrum Papam our Lord the Pope which is no more absurd then Dominus noster Rex our Lord the King the vsual stile of subiects to their Prince Moreouer the originall manuscript of Zinzelinus the Author of that Glosse is yet extant in the
to find this doctrine which most ancient Fathers teach Thus S. (t) l. 9. ep 9. ad Serenum Massiliensâ—m Gregory writeth Quod legentibus Scriptura hoc idiotis praestat pictura cernentibus quia in ipsa etiam ignorantes vident quod sequi debeant in ipsa legunt qui literas nesciunt What Scriptures teach the learned the same things doe pictures teach the simple Pictura quasi Scriptura ad memoriaÌ„ filium dei reducit Idem Greg. lib. 7. epist 54. in them the ignorant behold what they ought to follow in them those read which cannot read This is the doctrine of this learned Father aboue a thousand yeares agoe which the Bachelour doth so wonder and rage to find in moderne Authors as though we were not to follow the doctrine deliuered vnto vs by the ancient Doctors of Gods Church 14. Concerning which you are to note two other false and fraudulent trickes he vseth to make our doctrine seeme more harsh The first is to extend as generally spoken of all Lay-men what all our Authors he bringeth speake namely and expressely of ignorant Lay-men onely Laicorum qui nesciunt litteras (u) See Peraldus loâ—o citato saith Peraldus Pictures are bookes for such Lay-men as cannot read ijs qui litteras ignorant (x) Zecchius in suÌ„ma moral Theolog c. 90. art 18. p. 609. saith Zechius such as know not the letters simplicibus idiotis for simple people and idiots saith (y) Feuardent lib. homil pag. 16. 17. Feuardentius this is one notable fraud and falshood often reiterated in this wound to incense Lay-men against vs as though they were forbidden to read Scriptures and sent to looke on pictures among whom many are learned and able to vnderstand Scriptures in Latin or any other learned language aswell as diuers Church-men Secondly because Feuardentius saith that simple people and idiots do more easily and in short tyme learne the mysteries miracles of Christs life then they could by reading Scriptures he doth charge him to teach that Images are better bookes then Scriptures which he calleth Popery growne to his full ripenesse strange fearfull doctrine which in truth is but his owne strange and fearefull lying there being no mention of better in Feuardentius (a) Ex Imaginum conteÌ„platione discunt facilè breuiter simplices idiotae illa diuina mysteria miracula opera quae ex sacris libris aut vix aut nuÌ„quaÌ„ percipere valeant his sentence And this inference they are readier and easier and therfore better bookes is not ripe but rotten geare or rather such green and childish stuffe that I wonder to see the same brought by one that may seeme to be come to the ripenes of reason For who doth not know that the best bookes are not euer easiest nor the easiest euer best The bookes of Aristotle in Philosophy are accounted best and yet are most hard nay if we belieue the holy Fathers no booke harder then holy Scripture which S. Ambrose tearmeth a sea of deep knowledge and enigmaticall sentences (b) Mare est Scriptura diuina habens in se profuÌ„dos sensus c. epist 44. in which saith S. (c) Multis multiplicibê° obscuritatibê° c decipiuntur qui temerè legunt quibusdaÌ„ autem locis quid vel falsò suspicentur non inueniunt lib. 2. de doctr Christiana c. 6. Augustine many are deceyued which rashly read it and in some places is so deep saith he that we can neyther suspect nor imagine what meaning it hath May one hence infer that Scripture is not the best booke because it is hardest and darkest and in some place almost impossible to be vnderstood May M. Crashaw be thought to be come to the vse of reason who maketh this inference so void of reason which euen children know to be false who learne first the easiest books but not the best Might not the Church of England with more credit haue sent their Bachelour with his Babels to some schoole among children then choose him as their Champion to wound the Church of Rome with his babish reading fond arguing and childish chattering of Scriptures THE THIRD CHAPTER THE Eight wound and slaunder concerning adoration of holy Images where the Catholike doctrine in this point is shewed to be far from Idolatry and false worship M. Crashaws manifould slaunders corruptions of our Authors are so discouered that will he stand to his word he must publikely recant at the Crosse THE spirit of pride essentiall vnto hereticks our Bachelour doth notably discouer throughout his whole Sermon but most singularly in this eight wound coÌ„cerning worshipping of Images where he accuseth the Church of Rome and all our approued Authors throughout all ages successiuely since the dayes of Aquinas for teaching fearefull doctrine and mayntayning horrible Idolatry to wit that Images of Christ or Crucifixes are be worshiped as God himself is with diuine worship (d) pag. 82. He doth confesse (e) pag. 85 that this imputation is generally cast of by Catholicks with this answer It is not so it is but an ignorant and malicious slaunder for the Romish Church giues only a certaine reuerence to holy Images but doth not worship them at all or at least with no diuine worship (f) pag. 85. Now can any know better how we honour Images then we our selues If we generally reiect the imputation of worshiping images with diuine worship as a false slaunder how can it be the generall receyued doctrine of our Church 2. Moreouer he doth acknowledg that some of his owne profession to wit the grauest and learnedst of their side who vse to read and can vnderstand our Scholasticall Doctors doe take our part herein ashamed A friendly admonitioÌ„ vnto M. Crashaw putting him in mind of himselfe as it should seeme their Bachelours should eyther so grossely mistake or falsely misreport the doctrine of our Authors in this point of worshiping Images by themselues with diuine worship And truly M. Crashaw me thinkes a man of more â—â—â—â—â—g learning vnderstanding and iudgment then you may iustly presume your self to be would suspect his owne ignorance mistrust his owne weaknes feare to be deceyued in this case where all Catholicks stand constantly in it that you doe them wrong and some Protestants second them in their complaynt that you and such Cauillers mistake our doctrine and shoot wyde of our Authors meaning You say you know your owne weakenes (g) pag. 83. which if you doe how can you stand so peremptorily on your owne iudgmeÌ„t against so many thousands partly Protestants partly Catholickes that contest against you If you know what ignorance and learning is can you so strictly condemne many thousands of Deuines successiuely in many ages (h) Halensis Albertus Bonauentura Richardus VValdeÌ„sis others whome M. Crashaw citeth in his magent pag. 83. confessedly learned as their excellent workes doe witnes and of great sanctity and grauity
grace at the least a signe that he is not altogeather past shame for he that doth not blush in this case must haue I thinke a face of brasse Quam opinionem saith de Graffijs vt erroneam nullo facto probabilem impugnat (d) Couarruu Var. resolut Couarruuias Which opinion as erroneous and in no case probable Couarruuias impugneth with whom he ioyneth other learned Authors reiecting the said opinion of Decius out of whom he bringeth this euident demonstration Graffijs loco â—it conuincing Decius his opinion to be false and erroneous Meretrix non tenetur mortale peccatum cum quolibet committere ergo nec inuita potest ad coitum compelli Bad women are not bound to coÌ„mit mortall sinne with any wherfore they cannot be compelled against their will to any sinfull act These were the wordes and doctrine which the Bachelour out of blashfulnes did omit such Virgins the Protestant Church breedeth which blush not to charge and reuile Authors for teaching that which they leaue reiected by graue authority vnder sharpest censure and confuted with euident reason Let the Reader iudg which is the gracelesse child impudent as his mother Iacobus de Graffijs or VVilliam Crashaw and thereby ghesse if by the children a coniecture may be made of the mother which Church Protestant or Catholick deserue the title of harlot so frequent in his mouth Where also yow must note that Decius doth not speake of any law made by the Church of Rome pag. 138. as the Bachelour lyeth saying that the Romish Church tyeth whores by a law to refuse no man but according to the ciuill law by which in Decius his opinion he that should offer violence to a woman that doth publickly professe that trade is not punishable by the ciuill law for no question but in conscience before God he doth sinne most grieuously though therein (e) l. 3. var. resolut c. 14. Extraordinaria poena omnino puniendê° erit Couarruuias proueth that euen by the ciuill law such offenders are to be punished though not ordinaria poena which is appointed for rauishers of Virgins honest women yet poena extraordinaria at the arbitrement of the Iudg as Bartolus teacheth and Couarruuias (g) Vbisubra Neapolitana constitutio poena mortis puniendos esse statuit addeth that in some places namely in Naples such violence euen vnto publick women is punished as felony with losse of life 15. Now followeth Cardinall Tolet to whom he saith the stewes were much bound for teaching that such women are not bound to restore the price of their hyre how much soeuer it be after it be once giuen because that action is not against iustice whereupon he addeth that the Church of Rome byndeth men by a law to pay such women their hyre pag. 138. But neuer expect to find the doctrine of our Authors truly related or their wordes faithfully cited pag. 139. and translated by this Bachlour nor any thing but foolish lyes inferred out of them howsoeuer he protest to the contrary In this litle sentence of Tolet first these wordes quamuis accipiant in excessu though they take money in excesse that is somthing aboue their due he doth falsely translate how much soeuer it be secondly in these wordes si liberè eis donetur (h) Toletus in instruct Sacerdot l. 5 c. 10. edit Lugdun 1606. if it be freely giuen them he leaueth out freely in which word all the force of that doctrine doth consist translating it if it be once giuen they are not bound to restore which is false and expresly against Tolet and the rest of our Casuists who say that when that money is not freely and frankly giuen but extorted by fraud and deceipt (i) Cùm fraude extorquetur pecunia ibid. these women are bound to restore though it were once or twice giuen Thirdly he peruerteth Cardinall Tolets reason which is not because that sinne is not against iustice for sometymes when the man or woman is marryed it is against iustice but because the woman in that sinfull act to wit in taking the money which is freely giuen as a recompence thereof doth no iniustice to the man that doth freely giue it nam volenti non fit iniuria as the Philosopher saith a man cannot be wronged in a thing he is willing vnto Fourthly his inference is a false slaunder that the Roman Church hath a law to tye men to pay the hyre vnto such women For neyther doth Tolet speake of any law of the Church of Rome but declares the law of nature when gifts are valide and when they are to be restored againe nor doth he say that men are bound in iustice to pay such women but such women may retayne or not returne vnto their lewd mates what was once freely and frankely giuen them but neyther can they make any such bargaine nor after the performance thereof exact the hyre as a due without sinne as our (k) Peccat meretrix accipiendo mercedeÌ„ tamquam debitum operae suae fornicariae Nauar in man c. 17. n. 40. Casuists teach namely Nauar whom he doth most traduce as a fauourer of this practise And M. Crashaws eagernes to haue such women bound in iustice to restore may make vs suspect that he doth expect some good summes would returne to his hands home againe were such restitutions made but he should before hand haue remembred that Orators saying Non amo tanti poenitere Neyther doe I thinke Protestant Queanes vse to make such repayments seeing among those of their better sort restitution of any thing though not freely giuen but fraudulently gotten is a rare byrd But these men that loue to haue Babel the subiect of their Sermons must bable something though it make much more against themselues then any man els 16. In the last place comes the Pope himselfe in person to be Patron of the stewes and why thinke you pag. 140 what doth he in their fauour All the Bachelour can inuent against him is that in the Bulla Coenae which he makes to meete with all his enemyes at once he doth not put in Whores Where the Bachelour doth much complayne that the Pope excommunicating Caluinists and Lutherans and such hereticks doth not ioyne all the Whores in the world with them perchance because as he saith when the Pope doth curse any God will blesse them (l) Virginian Sermon pag. 60 more he doth grieue that women whom he loueth so dearely should be without this blessing But such follyes deserue no answere neyther do I thinke that Protestants vse to excommunicate such women in their Bulla Coenae and sure I am that some of their owne friends do complayne that in the very weeke before Easter euen on good Friday after their Lords supper in some places they are more dissolute drunken and vse the company of such women more then at other tymes (m) Quoties nos cum magno dolore vidimus in ipsa magna
sight to the other and make the third runne (u) Nullus illorū adhuc extitit qui vel equum claudum sanare potuit Erasmus de libero arbitrio contra Lutherum and then they may giue vs some cause to looke more into their Phisick which now being against the ordinary course of Christianity for so many ages we cannot with a safe conscience so much as intertaine a good conceipt therof according to those rules of Phisick which euen themselues allow 11. The other question we will aske Luther and his cōpany is seeing they will forsake vs Whither will they go M. Crashaw telleth the Brownists that to forsake one thing for another no better is seely but for a worse is folly and madnes And then he asketh them to what other Church will they goe pag. 32. To the low Countreys To the Church of Scotland To the Cantons of Zwitzerland To the States and Princes of Germany To the Church of France or the Church of Geneua or the free Cittyes of the Empire And then he stoppeth their passage to any of these Churches by laying the blocke of an huge lye in their way saying they are all of our Religion At which impudent vntruth as Brownists might be offended so many iudicious Auditors that had trauailed into forrayne parts did no doubt smile to see with what manifest falshods seely people were deluded But let vs now as I sayd examine Luther wither he will goe with his new companie seeing he will needs goe from the Church of Rome Will they goe to the Iewes Or to the Turkes Or to Atheists Such indeed most of the reuolters proued as themselues (x) Doctor King vpon Ionas pag. 442. Caluin de scandalis pag. 118. 127. cōfesse which I suppose at the first they neuer intended Will they ioyne with the Grecian Church That they sought and would fayne haue done but the Grecians did reiect and condemne them as hereticks and would haue none of their company (y) Vide censuram Orientalis Ecclesiae Whither then will Luther goe a Gods name if he goeth not away in the Diuells name rather with whom he did conferre therabout I cannot but conclude in M. Crashawes owne wordes pag. 32. and let the Reader iudge whether the dynt of this weapon doe not pierce into the hart and bowells of his Church VVhither will you goe or what remaynes for you to goe vnto but vnto your corners and conuenticles where you are your owne caruers your owne iudges your owne approuers but haue not one Church in Christendome to approue you Could any thing be spoken more properly against Luthers reuolt then this 12. And that you may better vnderstand how this argument doth wound Protestant religion I will propose a question or two vnto M. Crashaw First whether when Luther made his reuolt any Christianity or Christian Church was in the world or not If not why should any belieue in Christ whose wordes and promises concerning his Church haue proued vayne that the gates of hell should not preuayle against it (z) Matt. 16. v. 18. that he would be with Christians to the worlds end (a) Matth. c. vlt. v. vlt. To omit diuers other Prophesies of the glory and Maiesty of Christs Church which if we find to be false as they must needes be false if the Church of Christ fayled why should we thinke any of the rest deserue credit which depend vpon the infallible word of the speaker But if true Christianity was then in the world then I aske againe whether that was the Church of Rome or some other distinct from it and not subiect to it If the Church of Rome then why did they forsake the Christian Church and the Christianity of the world the very note of heresy as all grant (b) Exierūt ex nobis sed non erant ex nobis 1. ep Ioan. 2. v. 19. Out of your selues shall arise men speaking peruerse thinges Act. 15. v. 24. These be they that segregate themselues Iude v. 19. If that Christianity was distinct and separate from the Roman why did they not ioyne with it Why did they not take their authority and commission from that Church why did they runne into the corner of a new Cōgregation become their owne Iudges and approuers admitting no other Iudge but the Scripture which hath euer bene the refuge of hereticks the practise which themselues do now condemne in the Brownists Let M. Crashaw thinke seriously of a full and cleare answere to this question in the meane tyme I must leaue both Luther and him separated from all Christianity that was when they reuolted in the world changing not only for no better which is seely and for a worse which is folly and madnes but also which is playne infidelity for no Church or Christianity at all except we say that the Christianity which Christ began with so many paynes and prayers did perish but Fryer Martyn by his marriage with Katherine Bore begot a new Christian company which shall continue to the worlds end and neuer fayle 13. If these thinges so necessarily consequent vpon Luthers reuolt be most absurd let Protestants looke backe see what reasons haue moued them to forsake the Church of Rome all Christianity with her that was in the world when they began let them consider another question of M. Crashawes which we will propose vnto them VVherein are wee deadly wounded In which question M. Crashaw making himselfe ignorāt of the woundes which the Brownists charge vpon the Church of England bloweth strongly against them with an interrogatory blast of wordes without substance only repeating the same in a different phrase for halfe a page togeather at which if some Brownist sister might haue startled and soone haue said pag. 62. that it is false the proceeding which M. Crashaw doth allow in his vulgar multitude with our Preachers she would haue layd so many errors to the charge of the English Babylon and haue proued them to be such with so many texts of Scripture that for my part I thinke M. Crashaw would haue bene blowne out of his pulpit and fearfully confounded by the breath of a woman M. Crashawes wounds 14. But we that haue refuted M. Crashawes woundes which he layeth to our charge and haue proued that they are not our errours but his slaunders not our doctrines but his falshoods blasphemies neyther deliuered nor practised by vs but deuised and preached by him we may now confidently demaund of him wherin is the Church of Rome deadly wounded And if M. Crashaw hauing spent the whole course of his studyes in seeking wounds in the diseased body of Popery sparing neyther cost to get nor labour to peruse our Recordes yet was so farre from finding any true woundes that he was forced to teare and rent our Authors sayings into peeces to make our doctrine seeme wounded how hoale sound may the Church of Rome instly be thought which can be traduced
Fathers are wrested out of their hands they choose to fly vnto rather then yield which may be shewed by the example to omit diuers others of two English writers of singular credit in bookes which they write of two grauest arguments The one M. Doctour Iewell to whose name I need add no other Epithete to make him seeme peerelesse vnto Protestants in his booke of the Apology of the Church of EnglaÌ„d who doth not blush into a Treatise of so graue a subiect to insert trifles known to be false of our thinking the Pope to be our Lord God allowing fornication and such like of M. Crashawes trumpery scattered here and there in his (f) Especially 4. part booke as the penury of better weapons forced that great captayne to fight with rushes The other is Doctour Andrews now Bishop of Ely In his Tortura Torti who lately summoned to fight with the learned Cardinal doth often wouÌ„d his Latin stile worthy of better matter with M. Crashawes wounds vrging ould and worme-eaten glosses against vs who being a man of so knowne learning euer thought of a stayed iudgment and temperate spirit neither we nor the world did expect Babels from him nor that he would staine his learned pen with triuiall slauÌ„ders seeking to crack the credit of our cause with men of meane iudgment by the losse of his owne among those of better learning But necessity is a forcible weapon with which were those learned Protestants driuen to fight of whoÌ„ Doctour Field doth (g) in his Epistle dedicatory to the L. of CaÌ„terbury complayne that forbearing to write themselues laugh in their (h) With many a scornefull looke simile at the follies of others writings sleeues and sometymes more openly at others labours would perchance be forced to speake these very Babels which now they laugh to behould in Doctour Field and others finding by experience that not want of learning or weakenes of iudgment but the nakednes of their otherwise indefencible cause driueth these Doctors to make Babels bulwarkes of their Church 5. VVherefore it might in a manner haue been wished by vs his sinne excepted that M. Crashaw should as it were sweep the writings of his learned Authors raking all their ordure into his Sermon as into a dunghill or stable of such stuffe which one of farre lesse strength then Hercules might cleanse by letting in the pure streames of truth the Catholicke Church teacheth in those points which cannot but clearely carry away from her doctrine the dung of those slaunders in the iudgment of any indiffereÌ„t Reader Against which slaunders had we conceiued as we might iustly so great a hatred as euer that (i) Caligula Tyrant had against Rome who wished the heades of the people stood all vpon the same shoulders to cut theÌ„ off at a stroke M. Crashaw may seeme very sufficiently to haue satisfied our desire who hath gathered these slaunders into heades layd those heads as you shall see very orderly togeather in his owne head and Sermon that all their chiefe slaunders togeather with his may be cut off and cleared by one and that not very long Answere 6. But besides this first vse of this Treatise the same may also serue for an Answere vnto many SermoÌ„s that are continually made against the Church of Rome in England in M. Crashawes rayling tune falling rising vpon the same notes of falshood That the Pope is our Lord God that he can do more then euer God did and the rest Often also singing vnto their false notes the very same ditty of this misapplyed text We would haue cured Babel c. By which clamorous rayling they put their ignorant Auditors into such rage fury against vs that as (k) Erasm in spongia aduersus Hutten Erasmus noted long ago they come froÌ„ sermons no lesse fierce fiery then souldiers from the warlike speach of a Captaine exhorting them to fight I remember I haue read of the Cittizens of (l) Lucian Quomodo scribeÌ„da sit historia Abdera that once hearing a furious Tragedy in a hoat day of summer they were all stroken into such a fit of frenzie that many dayes after they did nothing but act the same tragedy with furious gestures in their streets The like doth often happen in England by the Tragicall declayming of Ministers against vs specially when the persecution is hoatest they seeke to kindle the same fiery impressions of hatred in others wherwith theÌ„selues are inraged the Monsters wherwith they thus fright poore men out of their wits against the faith of their Ancestours being euer coÌ„monly M. Crashawes Babels that We teach the Pope to be God that with the Virgin Marie God hath deuided his Kingdome that Images are better bookes then Scripture that we pray vnto stockes and stones and the rest 7. VVherin they do liuely imitate the (m) Diu multumque de imperitorum erroribê° latissimè ac vehementissimè disputabant Aug. de vtil credâ— c. 1. Manichees who seeme to haue exceeded all other Heretikes in their slaunderous charging the Church of Christ with senslesse and prodigious doctrine as with teaching that God is enuious furious mutable subiect to passion cruell and the like declayming bitterly against such blasphemies citing some words of the old Testament that might sound to that sense And two reasons as S. Augustine noteth moued them to this course the very same that make our Ministers follow the same deceiptfull course First to affright ignorant people from the bosome of the Cath. Church by setting fearfull bug-beares of horrible blasphemy vpon her that not knowing whither else to go they might in a manner be forced to fly to the Manichean Conuenticles like Fowlers saith this (n) Itaque nobis faci ebaÌ„t quod solent insidiosi aucupes qui viscatos surculos propè aquam defigunt vt sitientes aues decipiant obruunt enim quoquomodo operiunt alias quae circa sunt aquas vel inde etiam prodigiosis molitionibê° deterrent vt in eorum dolos non electione sed inopia decidatur Aug. de vtilit credend c. 1. Father who hauing laid their lime-twigs by some water side seeke to stop other waters therabout or set some dreadfull scar-crowes ouer them that the poore birds not knowing where els to find water not out of choice but out of meer necessity come at last to light in their snares Secondly not to want matter in their Sermons which they might copiously dilate vpoÌ„ to get with men of small iudgment the name of great Preachers by making large graue inuectiues which any man saith (o) Quod cuiuis mediocriter erudito esset facillimum Ibid. S. Augustine though of very meane learning may easily do against such palpable follies as are God his being mutable passionate furious c. In confutation of which Babels the Manichees did vse to spend long sermoÌ„s with almost as much stayed grauity as M. Crashaw and other Ministers do vse in their pulpits
then the pen that wrote them 22. And as for Moyses his example of breaking the tables of the law the Bachelour doth wrong that great Prophet by accusing him to haue bene hasty carelesse forgetfull in that fact which he did aduisedly piously not dishonoring the tables but honouring them rather thinking them to be ouer worthy Iewells to be deliuered to drunken people as S. (16) Propheta sanctissimus indignum existimauit vinoleÌ„tuÌ„ populum à Deo legem accipere Ser. 1. de ieiunio ante mediuÌ„ Basile sayth as Catholickes honour the Images of Christ which they put into the fire rather then permit them to fall into heretickes handes that will abuse them But had Moyses pretending zeale fell into a rage against to Tables calling them the law of sinne and the Diuell whose Slaue heretickes in their passions make the Virgin in whose hart God with his owne finger wrote his law had Moyses in a faigned traunce reuiled Abraham or Isaac or any deceased Saynt had he falsly slaundered the meanest woman lyuing as Ministers doe the most blessed of women and the most glorious of all Sayntes I thinke no Christian would haue dared to speake a word in defence of that zeale as I doe not know that any man pretending the name of a ChristiaÌ„ before this Bachelour did euer iustify against Gods mother confessed blasphemy that may blemish her blessed state And verily I doe somewhat wonder in what a slumber Protestant Bishops were when they did permit such a defence of passions passe to the print full not only of blasphemy against the Virgin but also of discredit against their owne writers giuing such a censure of them which if it be true the man that shall beare respect to their writinges may iustly be thought worse then mad For how can any well in his wits belieue such bookes whose authours euen by their best friendes are confessed to haue written forgetting themselues giuing passage to their passions without exact care of truth How can we thinke that doctrine deserueth credit which they did deliuer not knowing what they said thinking of one thing and speaking of another remembring none but God when they rayle on his Mother carelessely casting from their pen sentences that might breake and beat her honour into dust Let M. Crashaw answere me this argument if he can If the men of his religion wrote about the Virgin remembring theÌ„selues without passion why doth he slaunder them that they gaue passage to their passions in such wrytings If they did indeed write in a passion forgetting themselues how can any man of iudgmeÌ„t beleiue theiâ— doctrine in this poynt or in any other when they speak against the supposed blasphemies of our Church seeing of men so zealous we may iustly thinke that their zeale doth still make them forgetfull of truth mouing them to giue passage to their passioÌ„s against the Pope whom they will seeme to belieue that we coÌ„pare with Christ against whome the zeale of their passion is no lesse feruent then against the Bl. Virgin So that you clearly see the suite of Moyses his zeale in breaking the tables of the Law doth not fit nor can hyde the monster of Ministers fury against the Mother of God Neither hath it to couer their impiety any more proportion then the skinne of the least lamb to hyde the mightyest wolfe By which it is apparent that not only excesse of loue but of hatred also doth bereaue men of their iudgment which is the cause that hypocrisie could not keep M. Crashawes huge hatred against the Pope greater then his loue to God or the best thing vnder God so within the compasse of shew of piety but it hath broken out into such open tokens of secret Atheisme that the discreet Reader may iustly wonder to behould them in his writings that doth not know Atheisme to be in truth the very spirit of the new Ghospell mouing men to hate (17) Papatê° reijcitur Christo nomina noÌ„ daÌ„tur iuuentus ferè nil Dei habet Gaspar Hedio Ep. ad MelaÌ„ct Popery but not imbrace christianity leaâ—ing them without loue or feeling of God 23. From this hatred doth proceed the bloudy drift of his SermoÌ„ The scope wherof saith he is to discouer that â—hese would but deceyue vs who speake or write that Popery 〈◊〉 now well reformed in manners and refined in doctrine therfore they we by a reasonable mediation might well be â—econcyled You see this Minister is all for war he will â—ot heare of peace no mediation no reconcilement â—â—ough reasonable shall be thought or spoken of aâ—ongst vs but fight we must one against the other â—ith irreconciliable and mortall hatred In his epist dedicatory to the Prince burning with â—â—â—e and deuouring each others flesh and dashing heads aâ—ainst the stones In all which Metaphors he doth vtter â—â—e intent and finall scope of his Sermon which is so â—â—oudy and so vnchristian that I caÌ„not thinke charity â—â—so dead in any among You that they do not euen abâ—orre the same as proceeding from the canckered maâ—â—e of a venemous spyder These men know well and â—â—ele the weaknes of their cause which they mantayne â—ecause they haue no other way to liue but by keeping â—enefices first appoynted vnto Catholike Priests for â—â—emselues their wiues and children should a reasoâ—able mediation or toleration betwixt them and vs be â—â—ought of such as Hugonots enjoy in France vnder a â—atholike Prince that we might haue any tolerable liâ—erty to speake for our selues discouer their fraudes â—nd slaunders their guilty conscience doth make them â—elieue and excesse of feare somtymes that in such a â—â—se they would be forced to shut vp their Church â—oores and be soone forsaken of all Nay they feare â—â—e discouery of their grosse lying might perchance stir â—â—o the people that were before deluded by them to take some violent reueng vpon them This is their feare which to preuent they buzze slaunders into peoples heades that they may not thinke of any peace mediation or reconcilement but still pursue vs with sword and fire to incite them Whereunto the Bachelour deuised in his chamber preached at the Crosse published in print finally presented to the Princes Highnes this Sermon of the most odious slaunders that wit of man could possibly inuent seeking by hooke crooke to fasten them vpon the Church of Rome 24. Now to vnderstand how farre he doth endanger your eternall saluation by this dealing I doe wish you would seriously ponder what (r) De vtilitate credendi c. 6. 7. S. Augustine teacheth That it is an offence sinne very damnable not only in preachers to vtter but also in the auditors to belieue against the Church that beareth away the name of Catholicke by the consent of the world and hath the fame and opinion of great learning sanctity with humane kind horrible and heynous blasphemyes wicked and senseles doctrines vpon the credit and clamors of her
knowne enemyes And so hard of beliefe in this point ought Christians to be in S. Augustine his iudgment that they should scarse belieue their owne eyes though they should see some wordes that may seeme to yield a blasphemous sound but read againe and againe the place to vnderstand the true meaning thereof And if thou canst not excuse those wordes from blasphemy nor giue them a good sense by thy owne learning (*) Ibid. cap. 7. seeke saith he some learned and godly man that may instruct thee Cannot such a man be found with ease Seeke him with labour Is he wanting in thy owne Country What better reason canst thou haue to trauaile Canst thou meete with no such man in the Continent Sayle beyond the seas beyond the seas if thou canst not find any neare the sea passe further into the country and euen into those parts where the things were done their bookes speake of This diligence doth S. Augustine require to be vsed before we fasten vpon the whole Catholicke Church any imputation of false and blasphemous doctrine Whereupon he accuseth himselfe and his friend Honoratus for hauing belieued such slaunders against the Church vpon the Manichees report not hauing first vsed such diligence to find out the truth What (s) Quid tale fecimê° Honorate tamen religionem fortasse sanctissimaÌ„ adhuc enim quasi dubitanduÌ„ sit loquor cuius opinio totum terrarum orbem occupauit miserrimi pueri pronostro arbitrio iudicioque damnauimus de vtilit credend c. 7. like thing haue we done friend Honoratus And yet wretched yong men haue we presumed vpon our iudgment and fancy to coÌ„demne a religion perchance most holy for yet I speake as though the matter were doubtfull whose fame hath filled the world And more earnestly in another place We (t) De vtil cred c. 6. witty and learned yong men forsooth saith he and deep searchers into truth not hauing so much as once turned ouer their bookes not hauing sought any to declare them vnto vs non aliquantum nostra tarditate accusata non vel mediocri corde ipsis coÌ„cesso neuer fearing or mistrusting the weaknes of our wit nor graunting so much as meane iudgment coÌ„mon sense vnto those men that haue permitted such bookes to be read ouer the world for so many ages laying aside I say all these respects we haue resolued to belieue nothing what those men teach moued thereunto by the clamours of their enemyes who with false promises of cleare truth haue brought vs to belieue many thousands of their owne fables Thus S. Augustine 25. VVho seemeth vnto me liuely to describe the miserable estate of many thousands now in England that rashly condemne so glorious a Church as the Roman whose fame hath filled the world of most horrible blasphemyes belieuing them vpon the word and clamours of her professed enemyes such as Ministers are knowne to be especially M. Crashaw who feareth not to say as you haue heard that he will not spare the Pope though (†) pag. 74. therby he may giue vantage to the Atheist resoluing to pluck down the Sea of Rome though God and all godlines fall with it vpon whose wordes they haue belieued the Roman Church to teach that the Pope is God that he can deliuer soules out of Hell that one may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary that we do pray vnto and call vpon a wodden Crosse that those which receaue the blessed Sacrament must haue a wife or else keep a whore in her place and the like paradoxes senselesse doctrines which euen children know to be hated by vs. Now what diligence haue his credulous Auditors vsed to find out the truth before they yielded their assent vnto these slaunders What seas haue they passed What CouÌ„treys haue they trauailed What long search haue they made after learned teachers to declare some speaches sayings that may seeme more harsh How many that neuer so much as read the senteÌ„ces they cauill at in our Authors And if they haue done none of these things how can they be excusable with God in their confident condemning so famous a Chistianity vpon so sleight examination of matters 26. The secoÌ„d reason of my presenting this Treatise vnto you was a care of your honour which the Bachelour doth much abuse by publishing his grosse folly and ignorance vnder the name of the Preacher of your Temple who doth so farre surpasse any meane or mediocrity therin printing absurdities so voyd of common sense and so intollerable to any learned eare that your long forbearaÌ„ce to take notice therof harbouring him in one of your Courts doth make many wonder and thinke they may iustly apply vnto you the wordes of S. (§) 2. Cor. 11. v. 19. Paul Libenter suffertis insipientes cùm sitis ipsi sapientes you gladly suffer fooles being your selues wise I will not lay that title on M. Crashaw though his ignorance may seeme to deserue it except by his lauish bestowing the same on learned men it do from the diamond wall of their excellent wisdome reflect on himselfe wherof I am content to make you Iudges 27. First as for the learned Catholike Writers of this age Bellarmine Valentia Vasquez many others he doth rate and reuile them at his pleasure tearming them Patrons of (u) pag. 88. damnable Idolatry loud (x) p. 115. lyars the like reproachfull tearmes without any respect He â—osseth and turneth them vp and downe as himselfe thinketh best making now Bellarmine chiefe now Valentia now Vasquez somtymes putting Chrysostomus a Cistercian before them all vsing them as counters which stand somtymes for ten somtymes for twenty somtymes for a thousand somtimes for nothing at all as it pleaseth the caster of the account Secondly all the learned Deuines successiuely since the dayes of Aquinas and namely that Angelicall Doctour he doth charge to haue taught that a stocke or stone representing Christ is to be worshipped as God and a wodden Crosse to be (y) In his 8. wound prayed vnto that they brought wodden arguments for their Idolatry were blind in their vnderstandings and druÌ„ken with the whore of Babylons spirituall abhominations Thirdly Pope Adrian the sixt who before his aduancement to S. Peters Chaire was a learned Doctour and Reader in Louaine Maister vnto Charles the fifth of famous memory and Gouernour of the Kingdomes of Spaine in his absence this Pope I say the Wiseman of your Temple tearmeth (z) pag. 163. foole in plaine tearmes Finally the noble nation of Italians he doth not blush to affirme that they are eyther (a) pag. 111. Atheists or fooles some priuy Protestants excepted which priuy men what they are Atheists or Protestants or fooles or all three who can tell but himself who hath a nose to smell them into England from their Italian priuy Churches But if Italians whose workes of piety shew they are not Athiests whose learned bookes do witnes they are not fooles see
Princes was defined in the foresaid Councell I wil not discusse whether it were so or not this I am sure that therin very rashly he goeth against the streame of his owne Doctours and against his Maiesty also who tooke his pen in hand to proue that the Oath of Allegiance against this power of the Pope doth ouerthrow no point of doctrine as yet defined by the Roman Church and namely by this (m) Apol. pro Iuramento fidelitatis pag. 52. Lateran Councell And in truth what man of iudgment defending Princes immunity from this power could say otherwise For though the Pope had not such authority from Christ yet this very act of the Councell wherat were present the chiefe (n) Two Patriarks the Legates of the other two 412. Bishops Pastours both of the Latyn and Greeke Church the Legates of the (o) GreciaÌ„ RomaÌ„ Emperours and of (p) Of France England Hungary HierusaleÌ„ Cyprê° Aragonia Sicilie c. vide Bin. tom 3. CoÌ„cil p. 2. pag 1466. all Christian Princes might haue sufficed to bestow this temporall authority on him seeing temporall authority may be giuen by the consent of the whole Christian world as all graunt Christian Princes yielding their free assent therunto and allowing the Canon and decree of the Councell What an ouerture against the pretended immunity of Princes were such a Canon of the Councell which this Bachelour doth so constantly auouch to haue bene made therin out of want of iudgment giuing them iust cause of offence whom he most desireth to please deseruing the reward that that witlesse beast had that fawned vnmannerly on his maister Iesuits Ghospell p. 78. 79. 15. Another argument in this babling kind to proue the Church of Rome Babylon he hath in his Iesuits Ghospell deduced from the number of the beast or of the name of Antichrist which is 666. which he will proue to be included in the title which the Pope doth most glory in He bringeth two examples or two such titles whereof the first is Dux Cleri which title neither Catholicks vse to giue to the Pope and the Bachelour doth ridiculously or maliciously English it Vayne babling about the number of the beast vniuersall Bishop or Pastor of Pastors as all that vnderstand latyn do see for it only signifyeth the captayne or chiefe of the Clergy which is no Antichristian title neither doe I thinke the Lord of Canterbury would be angry at such a title nor the Bachelour dare deny to be his due though the name of Antichrist and number of the beast must needes goe with it as he saith The second title is Generalis Dei Vicarius in terris Gods generall Vicar on earth which name he will haue include the number of the beast and to be the marke of Antichrist wherein he doth offer more wrong to Kinges and temporall Princes then vnto the Pope For the Pope is not ordinarily stiled by vs Gods Vicar but Christs Vicar as all know neither can the Minister find this title of Gods Generall Vicar giuen the Pope by any Catholicke neither can it be an Antichristian title which doth sound of subiection vnto God which Antichrist shall refuse extolling himself aboue all that is called God But to our answere that the Pope is called Christs Vicar not Gods the Bachelour doth reply Iesuits Ghospell p. 80. vttering another horrible vntruth that the Pope holds himself Christs Vicar euen as Christ is God and full little would he thanke him that holds him to be Christs Vicar only as he is a man Thus doth this fellow bable he knoweth not what for all Catholicks hold the Pope to be Christs Vicar and to haue his office as he was man not as he was God and euen those whom Protestants thinke the Pope hath most reason to be behoulding vnto for the defence of his power doe most clearly teach it Who more famous in this kind then Cardinall (q) Lib. 5. de Rom. Pont. cap. 4. §. Sed. iam Bellarmine let him speake for the rest Dicimus igitur Papam habere illud officium c. VVe say then the Pope hath that office that Christ had as he liued vpon earth as a man For we doe not giue vnto the Pope those offices which Christ hath as he is God or as he is a glorious and immortall man but these only which he had as a mortall man c. Adde also that the Pope hath not all power that Christ had as mortall man for he because he was God and man had a certayne power which they call of excellency How the Pope is Christs Vicar by which he was superiour vnto both Christians and Infidells but to the Pope he committed his sheep only that is his faithfull Moreouer Christ could institute Sacraments and doe myracles by his owne authority which the Pope cannot Also he could absolue from sinne out of the Sacraments that is without giuing any Sacrament by his absolute power which the Pope cannot So that to the Pope he did only impart that power that could agree with a meere mortall man and was necessary for the gouerment of the Church Thus Bellarmine By which you see how notoriously the Bachelour doth bely and slaunder our doctrine that we make the Pope Christs Vicar euen as he was God 16. And that he may the better see the vanity of this babling argumeÌ„t deduced from titles coÌ„tayning the number of the beast let vs beat this bable about his owne eares or which will as much grieue him his Father Luthers prouing him to be Antichrist and the number of the name of the beast inuolued in those names he did most glory in For what title or name more proper vnto Luther then the immortall enemy of popish pardons against which he began to preach and dyed in a deadly hatred of them leauing the same hereditary to his cursed stock whereof this Bachelour doth boast pag. 103. Now to proclayme Luthers shame to all the world the number of the beast is in this name without adding altering or any strayning as he shall find that will reckon Indulgentiae Pontificiae hostis aeternus 1.500.5.50 1. 1.1.100.1 1. 5.  The totall 666.   Moreouer in what did Luther glory more then in the title of the Preacher of iustification by fayth only which point 〈◊〉 doctrine he dareth brag that he did singularly (r) Tom. 4. praefat in Ion. Illud iustificationis remissionis peccatoruÌ„ c. quod est Christianae doctrinae ita tractaui vt gloriari cuÌ„ Paulo c. illustrate which as it is a Seminary of sinfull life preparing in truth the way to Antichrist more then any other so likewise caâ—not he haue the title of Preacher therof but he must alsâ— haue the number of the Beast ingrauen in his forhead so that he that runnes may read it Praeco Iustitiae solius fidei 100. 1. 5. 1. 1. 50.1.5 1.500.1 The totall  666.  And this may suffice
for answere of the Bachelours babling arguments 17. Now remayneth the third kind which is rayling his laying sinnes to our charge without any proofe Iâ— his Iesuits Ghospell he saith pag. 78. what is spirituall Babylon bâ—â— the Kingdome of sinne and Sathan of impiety Idolatry blasphemy prophanesse and where is that as in Popery 〈◊〉 where to be found so fully as in the bowells of the Popish state Thus he declaymeth in a vatinian veyne without any word or sillable of proofe But to his questions I answere that if Babylon be the Kingdome of sinne and Sathan the same is no where found so fully as in the Protestant Church euen as themselues confesse whose Professours (s) Iacob Andr. conc 4. in c. â—1 Luc. blaspheme the name of Christ more lewdly then the very Turkes 〈◊〉 one of ten that fall from vs to them which by the liberty of their doctrine doth not become prophane fellowes (t) Vix decimê° quisque eorum qui Euangelio nomeÌ„ dederunt fidei puritatem ad extrenum retinent A magistris licentiae delusi prophanescunt Caluin in 2. Petr. 2. whose Ministers that make the fâ—rest shew of singular zeale if you search into their bowells you shall sinfull of deceitptfulnes and (u) Praeclarum quidem zelum simulant si tamen intus excutias reperies plenos esse perfidia c. Caluin prael in Dan. c. 11. v. 34. fraud whom the seauen headed Diuell as (x) Septiceps Diabolus inuasit deteriores effecit quà m in Papatuâ— Praef. in postillam Ecclesiast Luther sayth doth possesse make them worse more cruell coueteous lasciuious impious then they were in Popery Thus their owne Fathers speake of their children Now be they noâ— cruell who like Nero will search into and rip vp the Roman Church which they cannot deny to be their mother 〈◊〉 find Babylon in her belly hauing the kingdome of sinne â—nd Sathan and of the seauen headed beast or monster as â—hey confesse in their owne bowels 18. Another example of his rayling is in this Sermon â—gainst the Rhemists distinction that heathenish Rome was â—abylon not Christian Rome which now is To which he â—hapeth vs a short answere pag. 41. 42 I answere briefly saith he if heathenish Rome be Babylon in regard of her sinfulnes and persecution of the â—aints then this Rome is Babylon also seeing in her sinfull abhominations â—nd cruell persecutions she is nothing inferiour to old heathenish Rome 〈◊〉 may be easily proued and shewed at large if this time and place requiâ—ed it as hath bene already shewed by diuers learned writers and in â—ood part coÌ„fessed by many of their owne Thus he taketh vs vp short â—eeking to proue by rayling what by reason he caÌ„not euince â—ot cyting so much as one author eyther of ours or his owne to coÌ„firme this enormous and incredible asseueration I know he might haue cited one like himself whom â—erchance he meant Gabriel Powell the sonne of Dauid and â—he Golias that with a proud challenge defieth the army of â—he liuing God who hath written a long rayling Treatise of that argument in the forhead of which booke he plaâ—eth this vncircumcised blasphemy I (y) Tam certò Romanum PontificeÌ„ esse magnum illuÌ„ AntichristuÌ„ quà m Deum esse in Caelis Powel p. 2. belieue the Pope to be Antichrist as certainly as there is a God a faire marke for the sling of Dauid to ayme at with stones taken from the cleare booke of holy Scripture as some Catholikes haue done and his (†) Premonitory epistle pag. 51. an obscure point A coÌ„iecture pag. 106. Maiesty also who teaching this to be at the most but a coniecture hit this Golias on the forhead laying him groueling on the grouÌ„d as an Atheist without any God And that he is â—o in very deed it may appeare by this (*) Powel l. 1. de Antichrist c. 34. n. 24. example that hauing taught it to be a dreame and a fable that the tyme of Antichrists persecution shal be (z) Diuturnitatis circuÌ„stantiam infallibiliter includit short which seemeth the expresse words of Christ saying Those dayes shal be made short for the (a) Matt. 24.22 elect and were not those dayes shortened no flesh should be saued which he (b) lib. 1. c. 4. n. 20. coÌ„fesseth that Christ spake of Antichrists persecution yet doth he not shew nor endeauour to shew how they may be true in his doctrine leauing theÌ„ to be thought an old wiues tale or a (c) So doth he call the doctrine of Catholikes that Antichrist shall raign but 3. yeares a halfe though the same be taught by most ancieÌ„t Fathers and expressed in Scripture both by yeares moneths and daies monkes dreame And is not this playne Atheisme in a Professour of Christianity thus grossely to abuse Christ whom he doth no more belieue I dare say to be God then the Pope to be Antichrist belieuing both a like vpon a fancy which may change with the moone and vnto the * Turcisme moone Such authours as these bearing so litle respect vnto Christ M. Crashaw might haue brought which dare affirme whatsoeuer they can imagine odious against vs thinking proofes needles as himself doth in this place to proue the Church of Rome to be Babylon though this be the foundation of his Sermon which is like to be sound and sure hauing a heape of slaunders stoutly pronounced without any proofe for the ground thereof 19. But to shew yet more the vanity of his reasons Why should any mislike the Lateran Sea because it standeth on the highest of the Roman mountaynes called Caelius as it were a Caelo or the Church of Rome because seated on the seauen Imperiall hills Whereas if you consult with Scriptures they seeme to point and direct vs vnto such a Church Christ saith that his Church is as a citty on the top of a mountayne which should neuer be (d) Matth. 5.15 hidden in the light whereof the Prophet (e) Esay 60.3 foretold that Kinges and Princes and Nations should walke as it were describing the Church of Rome to whose authority the greatest Nations and Monarchs of the world haue submitted themselues in which Christ placed the faith of Peter as a light with a promise that the same should neuer (f) Luc. 22.32 sayle to confirme his brethren and direct them the right way to heauen which directiue light though in other Seas yet neuer in his vnto this day fayled by defining or coÌ„manding any thing to be beleeued of Gods Church that was an errour The Prophets (g) cap. 2. v. 2. Esay and (h) cap. 4. v. 1. Micheas also moued both by the same spirit of God in the very same wordes describe the Church of Christ placed on the top of mountains hauing the Nations and Kingdomes of the earth subiect to it In the latter dayes the mountayne of the house of our Lord that is the Church of Christ
shal be exalted and placed on the top of mouÌ„taynes and Nations shall flow vnto it and many people shall come saying Let vs ascend vnto the mountaine of our Lord and vnto the house of our God These markes the Prophets assigne of the Church of Christ which M. Crashaw shooting wide of his marke would haue to be the markes of the Sea of Antichrist and vpon this ruinous foundation without further proofe beginneth to build and turne the wordes of his text against the Church of Rome VVe would haue cured Babel 20. VVhich he doth particulerly apply as spoken of he great charity of English Protestants towards Catholicks here whom these godly Israelites being forsooth banished â—heir country led captyue kept in prison who mourne vpon he bankes of Babylon The Bachelours ridiculous applicatioÌ„ of his text sighing out Geneua psalmes by the Thames side who hauing hung their harpes and lutes and instruments of mirth on willow bowes can neyther sing nor â—augh nor banquet nor daunce nor be merry these he â—aith seeke to heale the Babylonians that is Catholicks which â—n England rule the sterne of the state liue in mirth ioy and â—oyllity doe wonderfully afflict and prosecute the righteous soules of these good Isräelites that they are euen weary of their liues this I say is the ridiculous application of his text which being most absurd without any proofe of congruity therein he makes the foundation of his long and bitter inuectiue against vs. 21. You see he doth omit to proue which is the hardest most controuersed and important point in his text Whether ProtestaÌ„ts be mystical Israel that his Church is mysticall Isräel that can heale the wouÌ„ds of the Roman by which she must be healed if she be wouÌ„ded For if she commit her self to euery sect that cryeth they will cure her insteed of healing her woundes she shall rend her self into more peeces then are countryes in Europe the different sects sprong from the roote of Luthers reuolt being more then euer were the deuided tongues at Babell She must become a Lutheran in VVittemberge a Zwinglian at Zurich a Presbyterian at Geneua a Parlamentarian in England an Anabaptist in Holland an Arian in Poland a Trinitarian in Transiluania to omit diuers other lesser and petty sects which cry as stoutly as their Syres we would cure Babel who if they get her into their care will neuer cease to mynce her into more partes and sects till her religion and piety vanish into Tobacco smoake or she proue an Atheist in the end Now what is the seauen-headed monster if this their multitude of Sects be not it What shall we do to be ryd of this crying crew of this barking Babel and tumult of tongues What counsell would M. Crashaw and his fellowes giue vs Perchance he will bid vs follow S. Iohns aduise Try (i) 1. Ioan. c. 4. spiritâ— whether they be of God and S. Pauls examine all (k) 1. Thes c. 5. v. 21. and choose what iâ— good This the Church of * In the Councell of Trent Rome hath done she hath tryed their spirits and findeth them to be spirits of errour pride contention which cannot be of God She hath examined what new faith they bring findeth whatsoeuer is differeâ—â— from hers is opposite eyther to Scripture or the practise of the Primitiue Church or the doctrine of ancient Fathers or the receaued custome of many ages in Gods Church 22. You will say she hath not examined the matter wel but how can she amend it Or what greater care or diligeÌ„â—â— could she vse She gathered togeather all her Bishops and the most learned Phisitians she had she fasted prayed and shed many teares and to preuent complaints and cauills that your phisick was sleightly reiected she caused her learned Doctours to examine (†) The Councell of Trent continued 27. yeares from the year 1545. to 1563 many yeares togeather conferring with the holy Ghost that receipt You cannot deny but the Fryer Author of your reuolt did learne by one excepâ— you can assure vs of more nights (l) See Luther de missa angulari tom 7. VVittemberg fol. 443. coÌ„ference with the Diuell Moreouer she made her Phisitians meet vpon the borders of those Countreys where you did most cry out of charity you say that you would heale her presuming you would performe in deed what you had promised in words She inuited you by louing letters earnest entreaties promising if you brought any thing worth the hearing to intertaine you with honour if otherwise yet to dismisse you without (m) See the safe conduct graÌ„ted vnto Protestants by the CouÌ„cell omnibus charitatis officiis Sancta synodus vt inuitat ita complectetur sess 13.15.18 harme Could any proceeding be more Christian or lesse obstinate or more reasonable then this Can you with any truth say you would haue cured her but she would not be cured Seeing she inuited you to confer with her learned Phisitians wherin she was wounded and yâ—â— refused to come You pretend danger that you durst not venture You had the Emperours the Popes the Councell warrant What greater security could she graunt or you desire You say we teach that faith giuen vnto heretikes may be broken by them that gaue it Heerin you mistake or else wilfully misconster our doctrine as you may see proued in this Treatise afterward That the Fathers of the CouÌ„cell of Constance brake their word to Iohn Husse is a cauill they gaue him not their word whose safe conduct he scorned trusting â—o the Emperours Warrant Wherfore it is apparent these are but idle feares of a slouthfull man that saith a Lion is in the (n) Prou. 22. n. 15. way or else excuses of your cowardize who knowing the weaknes of your cause durst not appeare before that assembly of the learned of our Church But suppose that your feare had bene iust that you had reason to suspect the CouÌ„cell would breake their word yet was there so little charity in your Church that not one would veÌ„ture his life to heale vs or at least to make the world see the Councell was treaâ—herous and our Church incurable Doe you remember what you say to the Brownists that for feare of persecution fly from you that had they true loue pag. 31. and charity they would care for no danger that might befall their body so they might heale your soules and gayne them to God Thus you speake of charity and â—each Brownists their duty and yet among so many cryers of your Church that they would cure the Church of Rome when she made offer to heare their counsell not one durst openly shew his face nor to saue our soules venture his body into an imaginary danger Why then doe you brag of your great charity and longing desires to heale vs Why do you make great boasts of little loue 23. And yet to stop your mouthes and take away all cause of complaint if
Reynolds Parsons others who haue left behind them many excellent Monuments of our inuincible cause some of which remayne vnanswered euen vnto this day So that things duely considered this book-victory you so much brag of may seeme very doubtfull on your side euen in the iudgment of any indifferent Protestant though Authority hauing bound our hands haue giuen you free leaue a long time to beat vs with your bookes at your pleasure and afterwards sing your owne triumphes as you doe now in pulpit prophesying though you seeme neyther Prophet nor sonne of a Prophet that your writers works shall lyue whiles the world lasteth which I must confesse seemeth scarse credible vnto me hauing read in Storyes that many greater lakes of water to which S. Augustine (b) Non nos terreaÌ„t isti torreÌ„tes multae haereses iam emortuae suÌ„t cucurreruÌ„t in riuis suis decurrerunt siccati sunt riui nec eorum iam memoria reperitur In Psal 56. pag. 44. compareth heretikes falling from proud hills haue for a tyme ouerrun weake and ignorant people in more violent manner yet haue dryed away within few yeares the corne of Catholike doctrine growing where that inundation had raigned 4. But you must expect from this Bachelour no better proofes of what he saith then big words and if the former be not big inough he openeth his mouth yet wyder into the prayse of his later wryters If I may giue saith he my iudgment who can hold a man of his iudgment from speaking of these dayes the skirts of the Romish VVhore were neuer better discouered her grossest absurdities soulest impieties neuer so clearly displayed as they haue bene by Deuines of this present age Thus he This also you see is but a foolish florish in a foule phrase that might better become her mouth whose skirts he doth long to discouer then a Preacher at the Crosse For what Heretike or Sectary in the world might he giue his iudgment as this wiseman doth would not vaunt of the writings of his Church and prefer their bookes before all other as wonderfull salues to cure wounds But if his Doctours be such great Surgeons and so full of charity as he pretends first I aske why none of them durst appeare in the Councell of Trent to conferre with our Surgeons to which they were so inuited that not only charity but euen shame might haue moued them therunto Secondly why do none of these learned troupes so full of charity go to Rome to instruct the Pope Cardinalls other Prelates Doctours of our Church which were an enterprize worthy of their excellent charity learning specially seeing diuers Catholike Priests come to venture their liues and liberty in England to heale their wounds soules prouoking them to dispute euen in their owne Vniuersities Thirdly if his Deuines be so great Champions as he maketh them why durst they neuer yield to a publike Disputation with vs for fourty yeares aboue in the dayes of the late Queene Wheras Catholikes did not feare to graunt theÌ„ diuers such publike disputations (c) Fox giueth testimony hereof in his Acts MonumeÌ„ts one in Paules Church for six dayes p. 905 at Oxford 931. Againe at Oxford pag. 1411. within the fiue yeares of Queene Maryes Raigne 5. Finally I demaund their Surgeons and salues being so excellent what is the cause the body of their Church is and euer hath beene full of woundes or rather rent and torne in many peeces whereas the Catholicke Church which they accuse as mortally wounded is vnited in peace and vnity of doctrine hauing soueraigne salues of instruction to heale any wound of discord or errour that may grow in her body whereof Syr Edwyn Sandes knowne to be zealous against vs writeth in this sort relating what he fouÌ„d experimentally in his trauayles (d) His relation c. fol S. 2. on the B. side The papist saith he hath the Pope as a common Father aduiser and conducter to reconcile their iarres to decide their dissentions to draw their religion by consent of Councells into vnity whereas on the contrary side Protestants are seuered or rather scattered troupes ech drawing aduerse way without any meanes to pacify their quarrells Mark this speach M. Crashaw no Patriarch one or moe to haue a common Superintendency or care of their Churches for correspondency or vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the only hope remayning euer to asswage their contentions Thus this Protestant writeth of the remedilesse woundes and dissentions of their Church and of the peace and vnity of ours and that which is chiefest of the balme or salue or meanes to keepe and conserue the same amongst vs which Protestants want and euer will want and the woundes of their discord like to rot and rancle more and more for want thereof Which consideration should make euery Christian detest the salue and balme of Bookes which M. Crashaw doth present to cure vs the scope drift of which writings is that forsaking the authority of Gods Church and generall Councells for many ages we reforme and refine our selues by Scripture vnderstood as we thinke best or as such writers shall make vs conceaue which is the very sourge of discord and endles debate Wherefore with more reason might we proclayme our salues which euen our enemyes are forced to admire and say with the Prophet (e) Hier. 3. v. 22. Is there not balme in Galaad Is there not a Phisitian there VVhy then is not the wound of my people recouered What more soueraigne balme to heale discord and dissention then the doctrine taught and decreed by Generall Councells What Phisitian more excellent or more to be desired of Christians then a common Father aduiser and directer to decide their differences to compound their iarres to keepe them being dispersed ouer the world in the vnity of the same faith How great the wounds of the ProtestaÌ„ts discords are Why then do so many Protestant Countryes remayne vnhealed Why doe they still rancle in dissention and discord betwixt themselues Why do they not repayre vnto Galaad where they may be healed where they confesse such a Phisitian and soueraigne salues to be found and out of which they haue no hope to find them in any other 6. M. Crashaw will perchance say that these woundes are not deadly they are not in the head or hart nor such as may endanger life though they doe somewhat blemish her beauty as one saith he may haue a hart sound and strong and yet haue 〈◊〉 blemish in the face or want of a finger But if we looke into the practises and writings which in their Churches an immortall and implacable hatred betwixt them for matter of religion hath brought forth you shall find that in their practises they do not only blemish faces but also seeke to â—tab ech other into the hart and in their writings not only with sharp penknifes of short Treatises cut
without rithme and the Israelites to run into inuisible corners without any reason The mystery is this that â—he would haue you vnderstand that there was a Babylonicall captiuity in former ages vnder the Bishop of Rome in which tyme though no Protestants appeared but only Catholikes in the world yet would he insinuate that some Professours of his Ghospell might lye inuisible in secret corners from Constantine in whose dayes the night of superstition was as they say * M. Napier vpon the Reuelations pag. 168. Vniuersally spread ouer the world vnto the morning of Luthers sun-shine the cleare beames of whose day drew these lurkers to light By which you may see the extreme misery and beggary of their Church that would thinke it a great fauour and take it very kindly at our hands if we would graunt her for so many ages since Christ pag. 111. so much as one corner or some more secret though lesse sweet place such as M. Crashawes priuy-Protestants of Italy liue in where she might be thought to haue lurked inuisible whilest the true Church as it had bene foretold long (i) Isay 49. v. 20. c. 54. v. 23. before gathered into her Tents and Tabernacles dilated ouer the world the Nations of the earth she would be glad I say of a little hole vnder ground where she might admit some secret Professours wherwith the eye of her more then omnipotent faith that can make thinges to haue byn that neuer were she might contemplate in a dreame her inuisible Kinges and Queenes as M. Barlow (k) In his defence of the Articles pag. 35. tearmeth them And in very truth so liberall dare we be with M. Crashaw that can he proue clearly and apparently that eyther King or Queene visible or inuisible any man or so much as a woman did belieue all the pointes of the now Protestant faith or did practise Religion as now they doe in England though neuer so secretly though but in a mouse hole though such a woman might seeme to haue litle interest in the visible workes of piety done by Catholicks in the tyme she durst not shew her face An offer to M. Crashaw yet will we be content vpon euident proofe that there was euer such a woman to yield all the Churches we haue in Christendome vnto him as her lawfully begotted issue without further proofe of his legitimation Is not this a fayre offer If M. Crashaw will not or dare not accept of this offer or cannot performe it who doth not see that the Church of Christ if theirs be his Church hath beene more obscure and contemptible for many ages togeather then euer was the Church of the Iewes when she was most oppressed and at her lowest ebb which was in Babylon where she was not so beaten downe but still had some that were knowne and could be proued to worship the true God and not Idols To such impious shiftes must they needes be driuen that will defend the being of a Church that neuer was seene which only doth boast of her exployts Quae sine teste gerit quorum nox conscia sola est 10. Like to the former is the other Babylonian brag of a continuance of so many and so many yeares like vnto that which we challenge For it is knowne that the Babylonians were not constant continuers in the same Religion who did vse to change their Gods with their Kings and some tymes oftener wherin Protestants of all other be most like vnto them For since the beginning of their Ghospell within lesse then an hundred yeares EnglaÌ„d only can affoard three or foure notable examples of their changing their religion with the (l) See the secoÌ„d part of the three ConuersioÌ„s Prince And in other Countryes also the climate of their Ghospell is so subiect to the influence of the nutable planet that as one of their owne brethren an (m) Andraeas Duditius whoÌ„ Beza tearmeth his brother ViruÌ„ ClarissimuÌ„ Ornatissimum Beza in ep Theol ep 1. ad Andr. Duditium where he repeateth Duditius his complaint of ProtestaÌ„t mutability Menstruam fidem habeÌ„t omni doctrinae veÌ„to agitati c. p. 3. emiâ—eÌ„t man coÌ„playneth with great sorrow of hart vnto Beza they â—oyne monethly faiths they are carryed about with euery wynd of doctrine â—ow to this part now to that whose religion saith he what it is to â—ay you may perchance know but what it wil be to morrow neyther you â—or they can certainly tell Now is it a Babylonian argument to proue a religion to be true because it hath continued one â—nd the same in many ages Are not all errours subiect to change What more comfortable motiue to remayne in a Church then the example of such ancestors who though our Aduersaryes out of pride dare affirme they erred yet for shame the grauest of them dare not say they be damned Yet out of the principles of their doctrine the same doth follow whereupon some that are more zealous in their sect then considerate in their speach doe not blush to (n) Gabriel Powel l. 2. de Antichristo c. 36. teach it And what Church can be more hatefull to a Christian then that which can giue him no hope to goe to heauen but by such principles as must needes cast most famous and glorious Saints of Christs Church without number into hell A doctrine so barbarous among Christians that as (o) O rem lachrymis dignam S. Gregory Nazianzen saith it were to be washed away from the face of the earth with a floud of teares hauing among themselues the like dismemberd Vniuersality the like variable continuance the like agrement against one and the same truth and disagrement in their seuerall errours as the Babylonians had And that I may not seeme without proofe to accuse hereticks of being Idolaters I shall confirme the same and conclude with these wordes of (z) Multi Haeretici cum Paganis alios alios Deos finxerunt sibi eos si non in Templis quod peiê° est in suo corde posuerunt Magnum opus est haec idola frangere locum Deo viuenti non recenti mundare Videntur dissentire sed in terrenis cogitationibus consentiunt sibi Opinio diuersa est vanitas vna est August in Psalm 80. S. Augustine Heretickes saith he haue like Pagans faygned and deuised to themselues diuers Gods which they place if not in Temples yet that which is worse in their hartes being themselues temples of fond fancyes and ridiculous Idols It is a great peece of worke to breake those Idols of nouelty in their harts and prepare a place for the true God ancient and not recent euerliuing and neuer changing They all being of different myndes fancy to themselues other and other Gods and as it were dy the Christian faith with diuersity of errours wherein they seeme to dissent but in earthly cogitations they doe conspire Their doctrine is different their vanity the same Thus
were tolerated sayth he whilest they liued yet being dead their bookes are eyther purged that is altered or els reproued And in his marâ—gent he nameth Arias Montanus Sixtus Senensis and Oleaster to be the men This is so strang an vntruth that to any learned man that hath perused these Authors he may seeme to speake in a dreame For who doth not know that is learned that these Authors both in their life and since they death are highly esteemed in our Church as may appeare by (a) in bibliotheca sancta Posseuinus his censure of them which the Bachelour saith ought to be accoumpted the censure of our (b) p. 67. Church And did these Authors stand out against this Canon of the Councell euen vnto death Nay did they not highly esteem prayse and commend this decree Let Sixtus Senensis who stands in the midst speake for the other two which he doth in the eight booke of his Bibliotheca sancta in the refutation of the thirteenth heresy which reiecteth the authority of the vulgar Translation where he doth coÌ„fute the Protestant Paradoxe of still reforming the translations vnto the originalls which were saith he to raise an eternall tumult and discord in the Church and neuer make an end of translating a new the Scriptures nor of correcting altering and censuring former translations (c) Vide SixtuÌ„ Senens l. 8. Biblioth sanct haeres 13. pag. 1051. Edit Venet. Proinde saith he hâ—â— animaduertens Sacrosancta Tridentina Synodus rectè c. VVherfoâ—â— the holy Councell of Trent perceyuing this to wit the necessity of oneâ— translation in Gods Church hath vpon good reason ordayned that of all Latin Editions which are extant only the old and vulgar be authenticall c. which Decree was made with great cause not only because thâ—â— Edition hath bene approued in the Church by the continuance of so many yeares but also for that not any of the more recent translations is eyther more certaine or more secure or more exact or more faithfull them this 19. Thus writeth this Author and in that place proueth largely not hauing any sillable that may sound of the least dislike of this Canon but doth learnedly grauely anâ— sharply condemne Protestants for resisting the same Noâ— what shall we say of M. Crashaw that brings him in following a contrary course and standing out euen vnto death against thâ— doctrine of this Canon and curses of the Councell What trick or policy is it in this Minister to vtter such grosse falshoods and in his fellowes to allow them to be printed to iustifie the State Verily I know not what their policy may be heerin except they meane to amaze vs with their impudency and put vs out of hart euer to conquer their malice by shewing them the truth or that euer their mouths will close vp from rayling at vs for want of matter seeing they can create the same of nothing and find whatsoeuer they fancy against vs euen in those Authors where the contrary is both plainly earnestly taught their policy I say may be to thinke to discourage vs from answering their slauÌ„ders discouering their false tricks seeing that therin we do but wash bricks or Black-Moores that will not be white But let them know that they deceaue themselues we being resolued to follow S. (d) Vtamur igitur haereticis non vt eoruÌ„ approbemê° errores sed CatholicaÌ„ fidem aduersus eorum insidias asserentes vigilaÌ„tiores simus etiaÌ„ si eos ad saluteÌ„ reuocare noÌ„ possumus Aug. de vera relig c. 8. Augustines counsell to make vse of Heretikes Not saith he to approue their errours but that by defending the Catholike doctrine against their deceipts we may be more vigilant and wary our selues though we shall not be able to reclayme them from their damnable â—ourse And yet we cannot but expect that this dung of M. Crashawes falshood that he hath layd vpon the soyle of our Countrey consumed by the force of truth will make many the more apt and disposed to bring forth the corne of Catholike faith which we seeke by these labours to sow in their soules For as S. (e) Haec est verè dementia noÌ„ cogitare nec seÌ„tire quòd mendacia noÌ„ diu fallant nocteÌ„ taÌ„ diu esse donec illucescat dies clarificato auteÌ„ die soâ—e oborto luci tenebras caliginem cedere l. 1. ep 3. ad Cornel. Cyprian saith it is meere madnesse in Heretikes not to thinke or consider that lyes do not long â—yme deceyue that night doth continue no longer then till â—he breake of day and that the day being cleare and the â—unne rysen the darknes doth yield vnto the light 20. And thus much of the Protestant salues which the Bachelour hath with no more vehemency then vanity praysed and of his cauills and slaunders against Councells the salues to heale the wounds of errour and discord which the Church of God in all ages hath vsed which not onely â—aith but euen naturall reason not only the word of God â—ut also common sense must needs moue any discreet man that seriously and really desireth to be saued to prefer before the new conceipts of any humourizing Paracelsian that doth brag of his knowledg in spirituall phisick and â—nderstanding of Scripture aboue Fathers and Councells of former ages The end of the first Part. THE SECOND PART of this TREATISE THE FIRST CHAPTER CONCERNING the Errours and Blasphemies tearmed by him Woundes which the Bachelour doth falsly and slaunderously impute vnto the Roman Church NOvv we enter into the confession of M. Crashawes Babells we come to cleanse the Augaean stable of his Sermon M. Crashawes drift in his 20. wouÌ„ds deuided into twenty different roomes of slaunders the drift of which discourse is to make some principall points of Catholike doctrine which heretickes euer haue most hated as are the Primacy of the Roman Bishop the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin the Authority of Gods Church to decide doubtes about Scriptures the vse of holy Images directing prayers before them vnto Christ and such like Pillars of Christian piety seeme horrible blasphemyes accusing vs to teach what in truth we detest and to hould what we abhorre to wit that the Pope is God the Virgin Mary aboue God the Popes Decretalls of more credit then Scriptures that Images are to be prayed vnto worshipped as God And not to seeme to rayle altogeather without reason to make some little shew of proofe he citeth the most harsh and inconuenient sayings that haue escaped the pen of any Catholike writer in search wherof he hath spent as he doth confesse the (a) In his Epistle to the Lord Treasurer course of his studyes which he vrgeth not as the inconuenient or inconsiderate speaches of priâ—â— Authors but as generally receaued doctrines of our Church These are the woundes he chargeth the Roman Church withall these the graue and substantiall proofes of so grieuous and horrible slaunders this
his own saluation and negligent in the Pastor ship of others he may be cause of the damnation of very many drawing them by his example ill life into hell cùm primo mancipio Gehenna multi plagis vapulaturus where for the bad performance of his office he shall be punished with many stripes and scourged for euer with the chiefe slaue or Diuell of hell This is the doctrine of that decree and of that blessed Bishop What can any Protestant reprehend or mislike herein Is not the Pope plainly and dreadfully warned of his duty and danger euen in his own Canon law How doth his Canon law exalt him aboue God which telleth him of his Lord and God and that hâ—â— so far from being God that if he looke not to himselfe and his office he may become equall to the Diuell and fall into the depth of hell Doth not this sufficiently declare how impudent and without shame Ministers are that charge vs and the Canon law of equalizing the Pope to God and setting him in Gods Throne 4. But loe saith the Bachelour what doctrine is here The discipline nay rather the religion it selfe of Christianity is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at God mouth in holy Scriptures Thus he wrangleth at words but can any man be so simple as not to see the vanity of this cauillâ— For it is cleare that in the former wordes of S. Boniface is registred a matter of fact not of doctrine a History not a Decree a Relation not a Definition there is taught not whâ—â— reuerence and respect men ought to beare to the Bishop of Rome but what in their present disposition and preparation of mind men did beare and how that might be vsed to their eternall good giuing them exhortations and monitions and examples of good life If a Protestant of England should write that the people do more feare the King theâ— God that they be readyer to obey his lawes then what they are taught to be the law of God that therfore if the King make good and pious lawes tending to their eternall saluation giuing them likewise a commendable example of a Christian life he may draw great multitudes vnto God be cause of saluation vnto many to the great increase of his glory and reward might one thence infer that Protestants of England teach that men ought to feare the King aboue God and say behould the doctrine of the Church of England the King is feared aboue God his law obeyed more then the law of Christ Were it not great babery not to distinguish an historicall narration of a matter of fact from a doctrinall definition of a point of faith Nay this doctrine that Christian religion doth rather depend of the Pope then of God which our Bachelour doth charge vpon S. Boniface was so far from his mind that he doth teach the contrary expressely in the very Canon before cyted that Christianity doth depend on the Pope post Deum after God secundo (f) In eadem appendice ad ca. 6. dist 40. post Deum loco in the second place after God Thus you see you find no soâ—ide substantiall obiection in all the Bachelours wouÌ„ds but the higher he climbeth want of iudgment and conscience doth more and more shew it selfe as shall yet more clearely be demonstrated in the sixt wound The sixt wound In discouery wherof the Bachelour giues aduantage vnto Atheisme â— THIS Babell-builder not content to haue made the Popes Decretalls with the wings of his owne inuentions fly aboue Scripture by a new deuise he breatheth such â—pirit and vigour into them as you shall see them pitched a â—oft by an Atheisticall slaunder many millions of miles aboue God In which conceipt and impious cauill he taketh such pleasure and delight that he saith the blasphemy shall â—ut and this Babell vp though thereby God himselfe be throwne out of his Throne This Atheisme saith he and â—â—mpiety is such as if it had but crept into some secret Pamphlet I â—ould neuer haue brought it into light but being registred in the Glosse of â—heir law a booke of so great authority and so common in the handes of all the learned I cannot but discharge my duty to the truth though it his loue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine Thus he professeth his loue to God and to the Pope resoluing to make them fall both togeather if he cannot ouerthrow one without the other By which you may see the progresse in perfectioÌ„ their Ghospell hath made whose Peosy in the beginning was rather (g) The rebells of Holland at their first rising against their Prince set vp a banner with the Turkish armes this poesy Plutost Tures que Papaâ—x Turkes then Papists but now they mount higher by the winges of M. Crashawes charity ready to be rather Atheists then Papists Then they were ready rather theÌ„ receyue the Pope to deny (h) The Pope is a more daÌ„gerous enemy of Christ then the Turke Horne in his booke of the Q. Supremacy against Felton Christ now they will help away with God also rather then haue the Pope to be his Vicar And hath not this Minister thinke you a very tender conscience who out of duty to the truth cannot hold his peace though such wordes vampe from his mouth as may giue aduantage against the most soueraigne of all truths the very sunne of all verityes that there is a God But seeing as he saith he cannot be silent let vs with horrour heare hiâ— discharge his duty to the Diuell wresting and wringing the wordes of a Glosse to a blasphemous sense which may comfort Atheists as he doth confesse 6. These are the wordes on which this Babel is built to wit a Glosse vpon a chapter of the Decretalls contayning a verse taken out the â—6 of Salomons Prouerbs Obserue saith the Glosse that these words are not the wordes of the Pope but of Salomon but because that text of Salomon is here canonized by the Pope therefore it is of credit and implyeth necessity of being belieued or it bindeth as strongly as if it had beene pronounced or vttered by the Pope because we make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestow or impart our authority Hauing cited these wordes this hypocrite falleth to his prayers crauing mercy of God a haue nothing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemy and wicked worke of darkenesse Lutherans did vse to say they would rather fight for the Turk vnchristened then for a Turke Christened meaning the Christian Emperour Erasm in Epist ad frat inferioris Germ. yet few lynes after he saith he cannot let it alone but must needs medle with it euen though he giue Atheists thereby occasion to deny that high and holy God whom he will seeme to craue mercy of But did he indeed belieue that there is a God who heareth prayers and seeth harts he durst neuer haue presented vnto him his hart fuller of
the sentence of Hierome it seemeth they are not quod saith he est valde notabile which is a thing much to be noted And it is in very deed notable to discouer the fraud and perfidious dealing of this Bachelour who seeing he could not charge the Church of Rome with this errour that Salomons bookes are not Canonicall knowing we admit not only the Prouerbs but also the bookes of VVisdome and Ecclestasticus which Protestants reiect he giueth vs quid for quo insteed of this errour and ouersight of the Glosse caused by ouer hasty reading the words of S. Hierome such an horrible blasphemy and monster as could scarse fall into the imagination of man which impiety against God and iniury vnto vs Protestants may better vnderstand by this example Luther not out of ouer sight as this Glosser but obstinately doth reiect the Epistle of S. Iames calling the same contentious swelling with pride and not worth a (m) Praefat in Ep. Iacobi contentiosam tumidam aridam stramineam in edit Ienensi rush If one to comfort Atheists should charge Luther and the whole Protestant Church for his sake that they teach that holy Scripture and the word of God is contentions prowde not worth a rush were not this wicked and perfidious dealing might not ProtestaÌ„ts iustly and would they not bitterly exclayme against vs who yet are so blinded that they permit their Bachelour to build such wicked Babels against vs to father such falshoods vpon vs making that mistaking of one Glosser doubting of the Canonicall authority of one booke of Scripture a deniall and contempt of all Scripture and euen of the knowne word of God in the whole Catholick Church I want wordes to expresse this wickednes which therefore I leaue to the ponderation of the Reader what a Church that is which permitteth and in what dreadfull danger they are that heare such Preachers who couertly seeke to strengthen Atheisme shewing that their owne iudicioâ— Protestant writer Hooker (n) In his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy had reason to conceyue much feare that Puritans and such hoat-spurrs and enemyes of the Pope as this Bachelour vnder colour saith he of rooting out Popery will make in the end a way for Paganisme or for extreme Barbarity to enter 9. In the same wound he doth notoriously slaunder our learned Countreyman Doctor Heskins which though in regard of the matter they may seeme light and nothing compared with the former yet they be great tokens of his great malice Doctor Heskins in his Parliament of Christ tells a story of one whom he heard vpon the reading of the booke of Ecclesiastes earnestly say that it was a naughty (o) l. 1. c. 2. fol. 7. booke What was he saith the Bachelour that spake it a Protestant No a Papist Which is more then Doctor Heskins saith though he make it his answer For the man rather seemes to haue beene a Protestant seeing vpon conference had with the Doctour vpon the matter he seemeth not to haue yielded to the definition and doctrine of the Church which seemeth the Protestant practise of priuate spirits Secondly he said Doctor addeth of a Gentlewoman Heskins ibid. that hearing a â—ext of Scripture which seemed more liuely to describe the â—hamlesnes of some womeÌ„ their immodest behauiour vnder hedges theÌ„ her bashfulnes could well endure said that â—he would no more belieue Scripture for it was naught Heere the Bachelour asketh againe what was she that said this His answere is which he pretends to set downe in Doctor Heskins wordes A vertuous Catholick Gentlewoman and â—ne that feared God Here is another trick of the Bachelour â—dding the word Catholicke which is not in the Author â—hough the Bachelour might perchance very probably â—hesse by her blushing at womens shameles immodesty that â—he was not like those Godly sisters that goe weekely as I â—m informed to gossip with him to Pemlico Thirdly he â—hargeth Doctor Heskins that he telleth these storyes rather with approbation then with any detestation of them which to be a manifest slaunder the wordes of Doctor Heskins which follow vpon this story declare May not this saith he â—rieue a Christian hart that the Scriptures Gods holy word should be â—â—us blasphemed Is this to approue those sayings Doth he not detest them as blasphemyes Doth he not openly condemne them How doth malice blynd this Bachelour that dareth vtter such open and impudent slaunders 10. I omit his other cauils at Doctor Heskins his sayings as his accusing him of blasphemy for saying that the song of Salomon seemeth wanton in the outward face that the Book of the Preacher seemeth vehemently to diswade from wisdome (p) Here the Bachelour doth also falsify D. Heskins making him say of the whole booke what be speâ—keth of one only senteÌ„ce therof that some speaches of Scripture a modest man cannot repeate without blushing which the holy Ghost did purposely vtter that modest men should speake them with blushing that others might see their owne shame not blushing to do what the modest blush to name These cauils I say the Reader of himselfe doth see to be foolish which D. Heskins brings to proue that it is not conuenient that ignorant people should commonly read the Scripture in their vulgar tongue which doth much distast our Bachelour because he saith in another place (q) His 3. wound pag. 62. had his women vulgar people the Bible in their mother tongue they would startle hearing in pulpit some doctrine they do not vnderstaÌ„d would soone say that is false doctrine which whether it be good discipline or no Pride that women should by the Bible in their mother tongue get tongues of Mothers presuming to teach their Fathers and of sheep that should heare the voice of their Pastours Disorder become shrewes chiding them out of pulpit as he maketh his vulgar people to do with the Italian Fryer Bernardinus de Busto whether this I say be good discipline and whether reading Scripture in the vulgar tongue be not worthily forbidden by the Church of Rome if it do produce the former effects of startling correcting their Pastours and some saying they know not what these things I remit to the iudgment of any prudent Protestant or discreet man I am sure had this order byn kept with this Bachelour in this Sermon made at the Crosse to wit that men might haue soone said that is false that is a lye that is a slaunder that is folly knocking such Babes of Babel on the head straight as they came thicke and threefold out of his mouth he might haue bene I dare say interrupted so often that he would not haue ended in a yeare But the Church of God and God himselfe doth rather require that women and vulgar people haue the eares of daughters then the tongues of mothers not to startle from the beaten way of the faith of their Ancestors when they heare any doctrine preached they do not vnderstand nor so
soone say that this is false doctrine but enquire modestly of their Husbands at home or of others that are more learned But you M. Bachelour that like startling and soone-saying why do you reiect D. Heskins his Gentlewoman that did both startle and soone-say reiecting the booke of Ecclesiasticus iumping with you both in a chiefe point of your beliefe as also in the very principle therof of following her priuate spirit The seauenth slaunder or wound That Images are made Lay-mens bookes 11. HIS seauenth wound but fourth Babel about Scripture is that we make Images books for Lay-men insteed of Scriptures And marke saith he how this wound hath bene made deeper and wyder First they taught that the Scripture and Images togeather were good bookes for Lay men Then that Images without the Scripture were to be accompted bookes for Lay-men Now at last Images are easier and readier and therefore better bookes for Lay-men then the Scriptures Thus according to his fashion doth he clymbe buylding the Babel of slaunderous falshoods one vpon another without any ground that still in the end the Babel falleth on his owne head leauing him buryed eyther in horrible Atheisme or extreme ignorance or both as you shall see clearly by this seauenth wound For on what doth he build Babel Vpon a meere bable or babery rather that I doubt not but euen ProtestaÌ„ts themselues will laugh at his grosse mistaking and wonder at his intolerable impudency obiecting his owne more then babish ignorance as a wound of our Church All this high Babel-building of our Church in a worse and worse doctrine is grounded vpon his childish reading amisse the words of Peraldus who is made Prince of the doctrine which ioyneth Scriptures and Images in the same commission to vse his phrase to be Lay-mens teachers Thus he readeth (r) Gulielmus Peraldus summa virt vit tom 1. c. 3. Peraldus Vt Scripturae litterae sunt Clericorum sic Scriptura sculptura litterae sunt Laicorum As Scriptures are the bookes and containe the learning of the Clergy so Images and Scripture are the learning and bookes of Lay-men Thus he Where first you may note that wheras in the Latin commission by him cyted Peraldus giueth Scripture the first place the Bachelour putteth in the English Images before them which may be thought malicious in him who is so exact and curious to carp at the placing of our words one before another that because Scribanius euen in a verse placed the Virgin before Christ Ergo Parens Nate meis aduertite votis He doth thence gather Iesuits that he Marshals them in the order of his iudgment and affection and that as he placed the Virgin before her Sonne in his verse so we all do prefer and giue her the precedence in the deuotion of our soule 12. But indeed the true sentence of Peraldus hath not Scriptures at all which the Bachelour put in to haue occasion to rayle at the Pope as though he had made them to be left out in latter writers for the wordes are Pictura vel sculptura litterae sunt Laicorum (s) Tom. 1. summae virtutum vitioruÌ„ de iustitia part 6. quae est de dulia c. 3. paynted or carued Images of Christ and Saints and historyes of their liues are bookes of laymen Where you see the Bachelour was eyther blynd that he could not discerne betwixt Scriptures Pictures or rather wittingly mistooke the word to take an opportunity to build by degrees his Babel which may seeme probable hauing had good experience of his truly imoderate and insatiable desire to cauill and exagitate the Roman Church vpon euery imaginable fancy euen though it may giue aduantage vnto Atheists as you haue heard And this suspition that he doth willingly take vpon him this ignorance is strongly confirmed by his quoting the place of Peraldus in such sort as it might not be easely found without turning ouer the whole booke to wit Peraldus summae virt vit tom 1. cap. 3. By which quotation there being many thiâ—d Chapers in that Tome to wit as many as he doth handle seuerall vertues the place can hardly haue beene found without turning ouer the whole Wherfore hauing some security that wee could not discouer his false dealing by tracing his treacherous steps he falleth bouldly to exagitate the Pope for leauing out Scriptures which only himself put into Peraldus his sencence pag. 81. Peraldus saith he gaue Scripture so much honour as to be ioyned in Commission with Images they two to be ioynt teachers of the Laity Shamelesse lying and rayling now comes the great Penitentiary Lelius Zecchius and is well allowed by the Pope to leaue out the Scriptures as needles and to giue all power to Images Thus he What can a man say to such impudent and shameles lying that Zecchius left out Scriptures in Peraldus Nay that the Pope did allow him to doe it where they neuer were Must Popes and Catholikes be rayled at if Protestant Bachelours cannot read Let any moderate Protestant iudge whether these be not Babells indeed shewing babish ignorance ioyned with extreme malice Which two things ioyned togeathet make this Babe that euen now could not spell his lesson straight fall on babling Scriptures against the Pope leaping from Peraldus to him because they begin with the same letter in so ridiculous manner as sobernes it self might smyle thereat Search the Scriptures saith Christ and looke on them pag. 80. and on Images saith the Pope How readest thou saith Christ it is paynted and grauen saith the Pope Thy word saith Dauid is my light not the golden Cherubins but non saith Popery euen in the new Testament â—â—e Scripture and images are lay-mens light Thus he Might not 〈◊〉 Parrat chatter Scriptures as much to the purpose as he doth making Christ pose poore men that cannot read such as Peraldus meaneth with his question vnto the lawieâ— Quomodo lâ—gis how readest thou This forsooth is the new Ghospell men are not saued by belieuing but by reading not by their workes but by their booke they must learne their â—eck-verse against the day of iudgment when a tatling sister that hath read Scriptures and can prate of them like a parraâ— shal be better then an vnlearned Catholick that hath weâ—t many teares for his sinnes praying before an Image of the passion of Christ 13. Touching the doctrine it selfe that Images are bookes which teach and instruct ignorant men that cannot read what man well in his wits would deny it Doth not daiâ—y experience teach that the Images of Christ as he was borne in great pouerty and need in a stable crucified full of many sores and wounds of his flagellation crowning wiâ—h thornes and other passages of his life do help ignorant men to call to mind and liuely apprehend these mysteryes mouing them to deuotion and loue and sorowfull contrition for their sinnes What needed this Bachelour to search out later Authors
as the histores of their liues doe credibly report of being so sottishly blynd that they taught wrote and sought to proue by many arguments that a stock or stone is to be worshipped prayed vnto as God himself is Which errour is so voyd of sense that I doubt whom I should think more blockish the man that indeed doth teach it or him that can perswade himself that any learned man doth teach it 3. But no buckler of defence can saue the Church of Rome from the deadly wound of his tongue neyther respect vnto the learning of all Christian Deuines so many in nuÌ„ber so renowned for knowledge and famous for sanctity in all ages since the dayes of S. Thomas nor loue to the brethren and professours of his Ghospell whom nothing but euidence of the truth could moue to take our parts can stay his fury who like Ismael whom Scripture termeth serum homineâ— (i) Gen. 16. v. 12. that is as the English Bible translateth fierce cruell or as a wild asse (k) See the English translatioÌ„ that of â—eneua printed anno 1595. in the margent whose hand was against euery man and euery man hand against him he layeth about him wounding whosoeuer come in his way friend or foe ancient or recent Catholike or Protestant breaking through armies of opposits to lay this slaunder vpon the Church of Rome And first the ancient Catholike Deuines namely S. Thomas he driueth away with a valiant shot of reproaches saying they bring woddâ—â—â— pittifull arguments to fortifie damnable Idolatry that they do 〈◊〉 dally with holy things that they were blind in their vnderstanding and drunke with Babylons spirituall abhominations With no lesse fiercenes doth he assault his owne brethren that durst speake a word in the defence of the Church of Rome M. Crashawes charity towards his owne brethren saying they are eyther ignorant or malicious or hollow-harted whom deuided in these three ranks he deuideth his charity amongst pittying the ignorant scorning the malicious hating hollow-harted Thus all the friends of the Church of Rome are put to flight by the valiant rayling of one Bachelour she remayning alone without friend at the mercy of his mercilesse tongue 4. Now M. Crashaw before you lay this grosse slaunder vpon her you may remember what glorious markes of the true Church the Roman hath how many Nations she hath coÌ„uerted vnto Christ how she was the first that taught England to call vpoÌ„ the sweetsauing name of Iesus how many Doctours renowned for learning famous for sanctity glorious for miracles haue bene her children how when your Church eyther was not or durst not shew her face she maintayned so many ages togeather alone the name of Christianity in the world which otherwise might haue perished from mankind Let so many reasons moue you not to lay the wouÌ„d of this senslesse doctrine to her charge of worshipping adoring praying vnto a stock or stone as vnto God from which you know her childreÌ„ do generally disclayme Nothing will stay our Bachelour What is said of a beggar on horseback proueth true of him in pulpit he will gallop thinking it a glorious thing to haue liberty to lye and rayle as he list without being controlled For heare how crank he is and how he craketh and croweth on his owne dunghill Let others come saith he and conceale her shame pag. 83. 84. and â—ide the whore of Babylons filthines as they will I say for my selfe let the tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I spare to discouer her skirts A fond foule defiance and lay open her filthines to the world that all men seeing her as she is may detest and forsake her VVherfore in the wordes of truth sobernes I doe heere offer to this Honourable Audience that I will willingly come to this place and recant it with shame if I proue not apparently to the iudgment of euery reasonable man that this is the common and generall doctrine of the greatest number of their best approued Authors that haue written in these latter dayes namely That an Image of God or a Crucifixe especially one made of wood wheron Christ dyed or that Crosse it selfe are to be worshipped with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with the worship due vnto God 5. Thus he Where for my part I confesse that though M. Crashaw doe earnestly say that he made this defiance being sober yet cannot I belieue but before he came to the Crosse to preach against the worshippers of the Crosse he had offered a morning sacrifice in Malmesey vnto the God of the enemies of the Crosse (k) Enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose God is their belly ad Philip. 3. v. 18. frequent sacrificing to which God make Ministers feruent discouerers of the whores skirts and greater deuotes to the pictures of Cupid and Venus then vnto the Images of Christ and the Virgin specially the holy Crosse whose tender harts do professe to hate this signe of the Sauiour and the saluation of (l) Beza mankind And that M. Crashaw had not digested that morning deuotion when he brake forth into this foule and fond defiance he may iustly doubt that shall consider what he vndertaketh to proue by what meanes in what manner vnder what penalty he doth promise to proue that it is the generall and common doctrine in our Church that the Image of Christ and Crosse it selfe not Christ in or before it is to be honoured with the worship due vnto God This he will proue by producing the greatest number of our latter Authors which mount to thousands He will bring not ordinary ones but the very best and all this he will performe not probably but apparantly to the iudgment not of the learned alone but also of euery reasonable man that if one reasonable man be found in the world that doth not see apparantly that the greatest number of our best Authors worship the Crosse as God he will come to the Crosse and recant this slaunder with shame which promise I much feare the euent will shew was not spokeÌ„ in the wordes of truth though happily it were spoken soberly and wittingly inough seeking by this shew of confidence to driue deeper into ignorant peoples heades this odious conceyt that the Catholicke is an Idolatrous religion Yet that he may haue no excuse to slip hiâ— neck out of the coller of this promise which must draw hiâ— againe to the Crosse to recant pag. 82. except he will be thoughts deceiuer and a breaker of his word giuen before so Honorable an Audience M. Crashaws dealing in this Wound I will shew I make no doubt apparantly to the iudgment of all men that vnderstand Theologicall matters that he doth not vnderstand the Authors whom he citeth that he most grossely and slaunderously peruerteth their playne and pious sayings that most commonly also eyther he leaueth out or mistranslateth their wordes which contayne the substance of their doctrine
Church reproued the same or taught and wrote the contrary which to giue it the gentlest censure in S. Augustines owne wordes is the speach of a man that doth litle vnderstand matters about which he much loueth (r) Hominis est vt mitishmè dicam parùm intelligeÌ„tis res de quibus loqui amat multuÌ„ Aug. de vtilit cred c. 1. to bable For who doth not know that it is a famous question in Catholick Schooles whether an Image is to be honoured by it self or only togeather with the prototype and that many Deuines by our Church approued and still allowed haue writen contrary to S. Thomas and haue reproued his doctrine by name as Gabriel Biel (s) in 3. p. dist 9. Catherinus (t) de ador Imag. coÌ„cl 6. 7. Martinus de Aiala (u) de tradit p. 3. c. de cultu imagin Sanders (x) lib. 2. de honor ador imag c. 7. Bellarmine (y) l. 2. de imag c. 12.22.25 who seeketh to proue largely that properly speaking the Image is not worshipped at all when we worship Christ in or before it namely reprouing S. Thomas his manner of speach saying that he would haue changed the same had he seene the seauenth generall Councell so litle doth the man know of matters of which he doth so talke and for which he doth so insult vpon vs. And as for that speach of S. Thomas that Images of Christ are honoured togeather with Christ by diuine worship though taken by it self from the rest of S. Thomas his wordes it may haue an harsh and offensiue sound in the eare of the ignorant as Bellarmine saith yet as it is by him vttered in his learned Summe by the whole forme of his discourse the meaning thereof is made so apparent that it cannot by any intelligent Reader be taken in the Bachelours blasphemous sense that the Crosse is to haue a distinct act of worship as good and perfect as that which is giuen to Christ but contrariwise that when we worship the Crosse we doe not vse two distinct acts of worship one towards Christ and another towardes his Crosse but by one and the same we worship them both which act is diuine worship not as it honoureth the Image but as it is directed vnto Christ as in the example we brought before the Sacriledge that prophaneth the Church is murther though not murther of the Church which it doth prophane but of the man that is killed when the Church is prophaned 21. Moreouer to free yet further this Angelicall Doctor from this diuelish slaunder he that shall looke into that (*) 3. p. q. 25. place of his Summe this Bachelour doth cauill at shall find that he doth detest the least shew of giuing diuine worship to any creature which is the cause that he doth teach that a man though a reasonable creature and an Image of God most perfect yet may not be worshipped with God by the same act of honour because that a reasonable creature is capable of honour by it self and therefore if diuine worship were giuen by it vnto God that might be occasion of errour vt scilicet motus adorantis sisteret in homine to wit that the motion or act of honour might be stayed in the man and not be referred vnto God whose Image he is that is should we doe outward signes of diuine worship vnto God before a man some cause might be giuen eyther vnto the â—an to vanish away in his own fancyes into a foolish surmise of his Godhead or els vnto the behoulders of these humble actes of seruitude to thinke that he is in very deed Images of stone and insensible matter may be honoured with God without danger or els that we take him to be more then a man Quod non potest contingere saith S. Thomas de imagine sculpta vel picta in materia insensibili which danger cannot happen in a dead Image made of senseles matter as is brasse or stone or paper For neyther is the Image endued with sense and reason that it may thinke those acts of diuine worship are done to it selfe nor any man so destitute of vnderstanding as to iudg that kneeling and praying before an Image of Christ we doe not remember him and intend to worship and honour him conceyued by this Image Where you see first that S. Thomas doth teach that we must take heed not only not to giue diuine worship to any creature but also not to offer any iust occasion of such a surmise Secondly that the Bachelours grossenes seemeth to haue surpassed the capacity of S. Thomas seeing he doth accuse euen S. Thomas himselfe of praying not before a wodden Crosse vnto Christ but vnto a wodden Crosse and not vnto Christ which grossnes this What shall we thinke of this Bachelour that doth so often repeate this false slaunder and misconster this Angelicall Doctour that he taught to pray to a wodden Crosse not vnto Christ but that he is a Doctour of that black Angels making who created Lather Doctour of his Ghospell (c) in l. de Missa angulari tom 7. VVitteberg fol. 443. in his nights conference with him at the first commencement thereof 23. VVherefore not to trouble thee longer gentle Reader I will conclude this discourse about Images wherin I haue beene the longer to make the Bachelours slaunders apparent to the iudgment of all reasonable men that vnderstand these matters and to shew their shamefull lying about Idolatry most frequent with their most ignorant Preachers And to a Iury of learned or intelligent men that will speake as they thinke of what Religion soeuer I am content to refer this whole cause for them to iudge whether the Protestant Procter hath performed his promise or whether fayling therein he be not bound to recant publickly with shame at the Crosse His promise if you remember was to proue three things apparently to the iudgment of euery reasonable man First to bring the greatest number of our later writers that giue diuine worship to Christs Image in performance whereof he hath brought only the testimonyes of three or foure at the most M. Crashaw hath not proued what he vndertooke Now are our late writers not aboue the number of seauen that foure are the greatest number of them apparently in the iudgment of euery reasonable man What Chymera's will he dreame of being drunke that can imagine such fables being sober The second part of the promise was to bring our best approued Authors for the former doctrine which promise if he were sober when he made it doubtlesse he forgot to be sober when he came to performe it For he bringeth only Valentia Gretzerus Graffijs and Chrysostomus à Visitatione who are I confesse learned Authours but whether they are our best I much doubt Many will prefer Bellarmine Suares and Saunders before them and sure I am they are not the best apparently in the iudgment of euery reasonable man But the third part
trifle but iust (q) Conuenitinter omnes si ne iusta causa indulgentiā non esse ratā quod attinet ad expiandū reatū paenae coram Deo vel in hac vel in alia vita Bellar. loc citat c. 12. and the pennance enioyned haue some proportion to obtayne so great a pardon which wanting the pardon is as S. Cyprian saith Paxirrita perniciosa dantibus accipientibus non profutura (r) Serm. de Baptis an empty peace or pardon pernicious to them that graunt it and not profitable to such as take it And as we are certayne that Pastours of the Church haue power to graunt such pardons vpon iust causes so likewise not knowing alwayes certaynly when the cause hath due proportion with the pardon the counsell which prudent Catholickes giue and take is that men so imbrace the pardons of Bishops or Popes that they neglect not thereupon satisfactory workes which workes whosoeuer doth neglect not doing what he is able in that kind vpon confidence of these pardons some Deuines (s) Caietā tract 10. de Indulgent Arnulph verbo Indulg hould no pardons can profit them which sentence Bellarmine tearmeth both pious and profitable in practise though not certayne nor perchance (t) Quae sententia vtilis est pia sed fortasse nō vera loco citat c. 13. true 10. And as for his manuscript of Indulgences written two hundred yeares agoe pag. 103. wherewith our Bachelour would now cloath the Church of Rome she disdayneth to put on that rotten and worme-eaten garment as iustly she may for two reasons First because the Councell (u) Concil Laterā sub Innocēt 5. of Lateran long since much about those tymes gaue warning to take heed of such manuscripts and copyes of Indulgences full of idle impertinent and empty pardons graunted vpon trifling causes put out by hereticks or prophane fellowes that sought eyther to disgrace Catholick Religion thereby or els to enrich themselues by making gayne of such Indulgences Secondly because Hospinian (x) Hospin de templis l. 2. c. 28. p. 348. from whose shop the Bachelour receiued this rare peece of stuffe shaped to his hand being an heretick his known malice against the Church of Rome might moue him to set downe the pardons of that manuscript in the worst and most ridiculous fashion he could making the garment for her whom he did mortally hate And that in very deed he hath delt falsely with her or else our Bachelour for him may appeare by the Indulgences graunted to S. Peters so many 1000. yeares for going vp the stayres of that Church wheras S. Thomas of Aquine writeth that those that came ad limina Apostolorum to S. Peters Church in Pilgrimage from Countryes beyond sea gayned fiue yeares pardon such as came from beyond the mountaynes three yeares those that came from places neerer Rome (y) S. Thō in 4. d. 20. q. 1. a. 3. q. 2. ad 4. one yeares only The Indulgence also of the Lateran Church graunting freedome from all sinnes as he was in the houre he was baptized only for going through three doores therof is ridiculous in our doctrine who teach no mortall sinne can be remitted without confession as hath bene said And much more ridiculous is the Indulgence of S. Laurences Church to deliuer a soule graunted to such as shall sit downe vpon the stone wheron he was broyled For what man among vs or child doth not know that S. Laurence was broyled on a gridiron not vpon a stone Neyther do Catholikes vse to sit downe vpon Reliques specially so precious as these imbrued with Martyrs bloud such small reuerence to so sacred pledges is Protestant deuotion without doubt and as the penance is of their appointing so likewise the Indulgence is of their graunting Euangel Roman ann 1600. 11. The other two copies takē out of an heretical Ghospell of the Roman Church are of as little credit and it is cleare that M. Crashaw hath mangled and patched them at his pleasure to apparell therwith naked Popery yet is there nothing in them which a moderate Protestant can reprehend the doctrine of Pardons supposed For both the graunts are moderate the greatest pardon not exceeding an hundred yeares and the reasons of those graunts very pious and iust as the praying for the conuersion of heretikes confessing sinnes with sorrow frequenting the most diuine Sacrament examining of conscience and the like By which the Reader may perceiue the pious vse of Pardons and how M. Crashaw hath iustified the Ministery of England from the imputation of rayling by his modesty who hauing cyted a copy of these Indulgences falleth into this exclamation against vs. Fy vpon these impostors deceauers who by these their Atheisticall mockeries expose religion to all contempt Rayling without reason or rithme and these things being so common and so notorions no meruaile though Italy where these things are rifest haue besides some priuy Protestants few but are eyther Atheists or sooles Thus he What reason might moue the Bachelour to make this inuectiue and giue such a barbarous censure of a doctrine that may seeme so pious I know not any besides this that a man who is wicked prophane and impious himselfe will easily suspect others to be of the same temper And though such exorbitant rayling vpon so noble a Natiō doth deserue a good penance in the iudgment I dare say of any reasonable Protestant yet since we speake of Pardons we will pardon him with this gentle warning that somtymes he call to mind and weigh with himselfe that saying of the holy Ghost The foole going by the way side thinkes others to be as he is being a very foole himselfe (z) Eccles c. 10. v. 5. As for his Italian priuy Protestants seeing he knoweth them so well M. Crashaws priuy Protestants we will belieue vpon his word there are such visible men in Italy whome the worst I wish is that they may long enioy their priuy and latitant Churches and neuer come forth to infect that noble Nation with their noysome sent by preferring their priuate fancyes before the common consent of ancient Fathers as heretickes do in this poynt of pardons and all other and therefore may be well tearmed priuy Protestants in this respect as now we will clearely demostrate 12. For is it so cleare that the primitiue Church did vse to graunt pardons and Indulgences and relaxations of pennances vnto penitent sinners which Protestants themselues cannot deny seeing in the first Coūcell of Nice the 11. Canon the Councell of Chalcedon act 1. the Councell of Aurica the 2. and 5. Chapter to omit other generall Councells are extant cleare testimonyes thereof Neither were the pennances that the primitiue Church did vse to pardon only inflicted for enormous crymes and not for ordinary and lesser as some Protestants falsly affirme seeing Innocent the first aboue 1200. yeares agoe doth testify that it was the custome of the Roman Church in
that tyme of her confessed purity to release and pardon pennances and satisfactions non solùm grauioribus sed etiam leuioribus (a) epist ad Decen c. 7. commissis not only for greater but also lesser offences And (b) Burch l. 19. l. 8. can 18. Burchardus an ancient writer (c) Ann. 1020. doth likewise shew that in the Church pennances were appointed euen for many common and ordinary sinnes as idle or rash oathes were punished some with 15. some with 40. dayes mayming with the pennance of a whole yeare wounding with the fasting of fourty dayes fornication with pennance of ten dayes and so other vulgar and ordinary sinnes 13. By which you may see that if this doctrine and practise of the ancient Church be true and sound how many thousand yeares of pardon M. Crashaw doth need for so many thousand slaunders vntruthes and blasphemyes against God and his Church he hath vttered in his sermons since he began to preach How many thousands would one sermon set him on the skore This only slaunder which here he vttereth without proofe or shame that a litle peece of white waxe or crucifixe of a litle mettall it may be brasse or copper such as the Iesuits of late sent into England by thousands at once as good inough to serue the English Catholicks a litle medall or a litle bead or buckle or other matter of no more value these toyes and trinkets I say saith he they can sell by this meanes and eueryday doe vtter at a higher rate then the Ieweller can his pearle or dyamond And I somwhat meruaile that among these toyes trinkets medals and mettals beades and buckles brasse and copper he doth not also reckon lead of which mettall the Gentlemen of the Temple know that he can make good gayne whome for shoo-buckles of brasse or latchets of leather one may trust for the matter is not great but for a pearle and diamond so precious as is the soule and in the affayre that concernes the eternall woe or weale thereof to belieue him were extreme rashnes and folly seing by this vntruth they may easely see he hath care neyther of conscience or credit For any may easely know that all Catholicke Casuists and Doctors teach it to be Symony and a damnable sinne to sell any holy thing at a dearer rate because it is holy (d) Si cariùs vendantur ratione consecrationis aut benedictionis quaÌ„ antea valebant ratione suae materiae vel artis Simonia committitur haec est coÌ„munis Theologorum SuÌ„mistarum assertio Suarez de Relig l. 4. c. 14. n. 3. so that if the account of his lyes vtterd in the former wordes were exactly cast I make no doubt but the totall summe would amount to millions How many thousand yeares of fasting and other pennance would the primitiue Church haue thought due to expiate so vast an vntruth which did appoint so long space of pennance for lesser sinnes And yet doth he meruaile that men may need the Church graunt Indulgences of a thousand yeares which thousand yeares are vnderstood of Canonicall pennance anciently vsed in the Church (e) Indulgentia tot dieruÌ„ vel annorum c. significat remissioneÌ„ paeniteÌ„tiae quae perageÌ„da fuisset tot diebus vel annis secunduÌ„ veterem Ecclesiae rituÌ„ Bellarm. l. 1. de Indulg c. 9. which still men are bound to practise though the Church doe not vrge the publicke vse thereof But the sharpnes of the punishment as sometimes in Purgatory or the feruour of pennance which some vse in this life may satisfy the length of tyme so that many thousand yeares sometymes may be satisfyed with the feruent pennance or sharp Purgatory paynes of one yeare or day (f) In hac vita paenitentia multorum annoruÌ„ potest vna hora persolui si paeniteÌ„tes teÌ„poris diuturnitatem vehemeÌ„tia charitatis coÌ„peÌ„sent In Purgatorio quoque acerbitatis vehementia faciat vt debituÌ„ viginti millium annorum annis 300. vel 400. expiari queat Bel. larm l. 1. de Indul. c. 9. which truth supposed it is easy to answer the ignorant cauills which the Bachelour maketh at the graunting of so many yeares pardon because saith he Purgatory shall end with the world and the world not last so many thousand yeares which we confesse to be true and further add that many thousand yeares of Canonicall pennance may be purged by the sharp payne of Purgatory in one day or houre 14. It is cleare therfore that the ancient Church did practise both imposing of pennances for sinnes and releasing of these pennances by pardon which Protestants cannot deny but their answere is that those pennances which by Indulgence the Church did remit were only appoynted for orders sake as signes of harty repentance to terrify by that seuerity the faithfull to satisfy the Church her discipline not God his wrath But will this deuise serue their turnes to obscure the cleare truth No. The testimonies of Fathers are playne that those pennances were necessary to satisfy the iustice of God (g) Per paenueÌ„tiaÌ„ Deo satisfacere Tertullian l. de paenitent that by these satisfactions sinnes were redeemed (h) Satisfactionibê° lamentationibus iustis peccata redimuntur Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. God pacifyed (i) Dominus nostra satisfactione placandus Idem serm de laâ—sis his iustice satisfied (k) Tum debet Sacerdos peccata dimittere cùm viderit congruam satisfactionem Innocent 1. epist 1. c. 7. and his mercy obtayned so that Kemnitius a pryme Protestant chosen among thousands to enter in the field against the whole Councell of Trent doth make this publick confession of this truth I know well saith he that the Fathers do too largely extend the Canonicall disciplyne of pennance that Tertullian saith that sinnes are expiated by satisfactions Cyprian that by them sinnes are redeemed washed healed and the iudge appeased Augustine that God is pacifyed by satisfactions for our former sinnes (l) KeÌ„nit in Exam. sess 25. CoÌ„cil Trid. c. Thus Kemnitius writeth And the like confession doth naked truth force Caluin vnto another chosen Champion of the new Ghospell to encounter the Tridentine Councell I do see indeed saith he many of the ancient Fathers I will speake plainly in a manner all whose books remaine haue erred in this point or spoken too crabbedly or (m) See Caluins Institutions translated into English l 3 c. 4. n. 38. harshly Thus you see the Protestants are compelled to graunt two points of Popery to haue bene the vniforme doctrine of the ancient Fathers and Church First that pennances fastings almes-giuing and the like were necessary and required by the primitiue Christianity to satisfy God not the Church only Secondly that Bishops of the primitiue Church did vse to pardon these very pennances and satisfactions euen which were necessary to appease Gods wrath which is the doctrine of Pardons and Indulgences which we maintaine 13. Who will not laugh at
is straÌ„ge that all Papists are not saued that we are not all saued whereas the first thing of many we exact to saluation is the vtter most which they require For wheras we require in a synner to obtayn full pardon first a liuely faith in Christ secondly harty contrition for his sinnes thirdly humble coÌ„fession euen of his secret sinnes to a Priest with full purpose to amend his life and doe the pennance â—â—ioyned fourthly to exercise himselfe in some satisfactory workes to obtayne the full remission of the reserued temporall payne fiftly that the temporall payne which is only â—emissible by the Popes pardons be not remitted but vpon iust and graue causes and by iniunction of some worke which though it be not rigorously equall yet hath some proportion with the greatnes of the pardon whereas I say we requyre all these things Protestants (e) M. Crashaw in his Virginian Sermon no true ChristiaÌ„s faith can faile eyther finally or totally pag. 8. teach that a sole act of true faith is sufficient which once had can neuer be lost by adultery or murder (f) VVhitak de Eccles Controu 2. q. 5. pag. 301. Si quis actum fidei habeat ei peccata noÌ„ nocere Id quideÌ„ Lutherus affirmat id nos oÌ„nes dicimus or any such cryme that by their Indulgence Dauid still remayned the child of God and in his grace euen when he stayned himself with these horrible crymes (g) Fulk in the Tower disputatioÌ„ the second dayes Conference Who euer preached or graunted such an ample easy and plenary pardon as this of Protestants is if licence and liberty to sinne may be tearmed pardon what meruaile though Italian priuy Protestants contemne the Popes pardons which are nothing to this of M. Crashawes graunting which we will leaue him to preach in those priuy Churches for which both the doctrine and the preacher were more fit then for so honourable an Auditory as is the Temple THE FIFTH CHAPTER CONCERNING the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Eucharist and Sanctuaryes answering his tweluth and thirteenth wounds HIs tweluth wound hath two parts or sores as he termes them The first about the blessing of Bells the second concerning Communion in one kind And as in other parts of his SermoÌ„ he excelleth in folly a pag. 115. vsque ad 122. and impertinent raysing any of his fellowes that haue yet written so here he striueth to surpasse in impertinency and ridiculous absurdity himselfe seeking in very sober sadnes and good earnest to proue that we doe truly baptize Bells where if we answer him according to his folly as the holy Ghost doth counsell (h) Prou. 26 v 5. Responde stulto iuxta stultitiam eius and beat his own Babel about his eares that he may feele seeing he will not vnderstand his folly he can haue no cause to complaine nor the Reader to thinke that we deale with him otherwise then he doth deserue 2. First then no Protestant I thinke will and sure I am no true Christian can deny but creatures are blessed hallowed and sanctified by Gods word and (i) 1. Tim. 4. v. 5. prayer vnto certaine speciall vses in his diuine seruice which euer both in the old and new Testament hath bene practised by the Church neyther need I stand to proue so cleare a thing but a question may be to what vses these creatures of God may be hallowed by his word and by the prayer of his Church Three vses concerning the diuine seruice we may imagine of these creatures The first Naturall which I call that vse these creatures are by their owne nature apt to be applyed vnto as Churches for Christians to meet Bells to call them togeather Chalices to containe the consecrated wine and bloud of Christ and vnto such ends I thinke no iudicious and moderate Protestant will deny but creatures may be hallowed by the Church which (l) That the Church doth consecrate diuers outward thinges to the vse of Gods seruice l. 4. c. 31. p. 266. D. Field doth graunt in expresse termes 3. The second I terme Sacramentall because they serue as the matter of Sacraments which remit sinne and infuse grace as water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Eucharist And heere all Catholikes do agree that the Church cannot hallow nor designe any element or creature to be matter of a Sacrament besides these which God the Author of Grace hath appointed for that end so that she can neyther giue Baptisme in wine nor the Eucharist in water nor any other kind of drinke then that which Christ instituted Wherin some Protestants (m) Caluin Beza and the Church of Geneua Pro vino aliudin ijs regionibê° vsitatae potionis genus vsurpare Sufficit quòd ijsdem in genere symbolis nempe cibo potu vtamur Bez. ep 25. are exceeding bould teaching that when bread and wine be wanting the communion may be giuen in any other proportionable meat and drinke that are more vsuall in those places And I haue credibly heard that in England sometimes Ministers presume to giue Baptisme in the luyce of hearbes or flowers as in Rose water which for want of the true matter are not indeed Sacraments nor the children christened which receiue them But though the Church cannot appoint the matter of Sacraments yet those kind of creatures which God hath designed for that vse she may blesse and hallow to that end as water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Eucharist which also is cleare and Doctour Field doth likewise graunt (n) The Church daily saÌ„ctifieth the creatures of God to be the matter of his Sacraments l. 4. c. 31. it 4. The third vse of these creatures may be termed Supernaturall that is to worke certaine miraculous strange effects which surpasse the power of their nature as to expell Diuells heale diseases and the like and herein the controuersie betwixt vs and Protestants doth consist whether the Church may hallow creatures to worke these effects namely to expell Diuells Doctour Field doth graunt that such as haue the gift of miracles may blesse and hallow creatures bread wine oyle and the like to worke miraculous effects So did the Saints both of the old and of the new as he doth confesse of an holy man called Ioseph whom S. Epiphanius (*) Haeres 30. doth write to haue caused a fire to burne which the Diuell hindered by hallowing water and casting it into the fire but such as haue not the gift of myracles he saith may not hallow creatures for those vses which they haue not power to effect Where first I doe not see how speaking consequently he can deny but the Church may hallow and blesse creatures to expell Diuells out of mens bodyes or other places seeing Christ hath giuen her power and authority ouer Diuels to commaund them as the vse of Exorcismes may witnes which haue euer bene in the Church and Ministers specially ordayned with authority for that (o)
a distinct wound pag. 120. 121. 122. being a slaunder or cauill no lesse different from the former then any of the rest perchance he was resolued not to exceed the number of twenty or els hauing handled the same once before in this sermon this repetition he thought not worth the name of a wound Howsoeuer we will briefely examyne and answer what he saith in eyther place and shew how notoriously he doth corrupt not only the holy Coūcell of Constance but also the story of the Ghospell pag. 47. VVhereas saith he it is known and graunted that Christ at his last supper ordayning the holy Communion did consecrate and giue it both in bread and wyne and commaunded his Ministers after him Doe this and yet for all that comes the Popish Councell of Constance and calls it a peruerse fashion and ill order to giue the people the Sacrament in both kindes and doe further decree that (d) Concil Constant sess 13. Notwithstanding Christ ordayned the Sacrament in both kinds and though the eldest Church did so receyue it yet for all that this custome is lawfully and laudably brought into the Church that the layity shall receyue in one kind only and that whosoeuer shall hould the contrary shal be proceeded against as an heretick c. This is the Canon of the Councell cast in the mould of M. Crashawes head out of which he seeketh to wound the Pope and the Church of Rome with the poysoned bullet of Blasphemy saying the Pope denieth the cup in the Sacrament to the layity though Christ ordayned the cōtrary But read the Canon in the Councell you will meruaile at the impudency of this Minister changing the shape forme sound and sense thereof for thus the Councell defineth (e) Licèt Christus post coenā instituerit suis discipulis administrauerit sub vtraque specie panis vini hoc venerabile Sacramentum tamen hoc non obstante sacrorum Canonum laudabilis approbata consuetudo Ecclesiae seruauit seruat quòd huiusmodi Sacramentum non debeat confici post coenam neque à fidelibus recipi non ieiunis c. Synodus Constant ses 13. Though Christ did institute the Venerable Sacrament after supper and administer the same in both kindes to his Disciples yet the laudable authority of sacred Canons and approued custome of the Church hath practised and doth still practise that the Sacrament ought not to be consecrated after supper nor be receiued of the faithfull but fasting This is the true Canon no more like that of M. Crashawes making then is an aple to an oyster or a figtree to a Fox For by these wordes it is apparent that the non obstante is not referred to Christs ordination or commaundement of both kindes which commaundemēt the Councell doth expresly define in that Canon that Christ neuer gaue but to the celebration after supper not commaunded by Christ but so practised by him vpon a speciall reason which notwithstanding the Councell defineth that the Sacrament is not to be recyued but of such as are fasting Neyther can I see which way the Bachelour hauing perused diligently the Canons and the whole scope thereof could without wilfull malice mangle the text leauing out after supper and fasting except it be that he perused the same after the supper of a Puritan fast kept with good wyne and venison (f) Their gluttony chamber cheere which they call fasting colour with tearmes of godly exercises Sutclif in his answer to a libell supplicatory pag. 89. which might perchance make his pen stagger when he wrot out the Canon And herein he bringeth no new corruption but followeth the lying steps of his Father Luther who long agoe slaundered the Councell of the same blasphemy corrupted the wordes of the Canon in the same manner (g) Luth. in disput contra Conc. Cōst for which Bellarmine (h) Bellar. l. 4. de Euchar c. 26. doth challeng him as euen the Bachelour doth acknowledg (i) pag. 48. who nothing moued therewith doe what we can will needes run headlong into the same pit of falsehood though he see it in Bellarmines bookes gaping before him trampling vpon the text of the Canon with the same impure and shamefull corruption Such is his desire to cleaue to his Father giuing vs iust cause to say of him what Christ said of the Diuell mendax est (k) Ioan. 8.44 pater eius Englishing the wordes as a Minister did he is a lyer and so was his Father before him 15. But not only this Bachelour dareth corrupt the Canon of this Councell pag. 47. but also falsify the wordes of Christ and story of the Ghospell to make the Councell seeme to haue crossed and contradicted the same It is knowne and graūted saith he that Christ at his last supper ordayning the holy Communion did consecrate and giue it both in bread and wine and commaunded his Ministers after him Do this Where you see he would haue his Reader thinke that Christ spake the cōmaūding words Doe this of the Sacrament in both kinds in proofe wherof he saith in the margent See all the Euangelists and S. Paul 1. Cor. 11.23 which at his request we haue done and find great want of conscience in this patterne of truth small respect to Gods sacred word For I find that not all the Euangelists as he saith but S. Luke (l) cap. 22. v. 19. only makes mention of the precept Do this who noteth expressely the same was said of bread only as the Church of Rome doth practise saying that Christ tooke bread gaue thankes brake and gaue to his Disciples saying This is my body Do this But of the Chalice he saith that Christ did blesse and giue to his Disciples but not togeather this precept Doe this so directly doth S. Luke contradict the Bachelours Ghospell that Christ said of both kinds Doe this S. Paul also speaketh of the same precept (m) 1. Cor. 11.23 though not according to M. Crashawes Ghospell but with S. Luke that Christ said of the Sacrament in forme of bread absolutely Doe this in remembrance of me but comming to the Chalice his diuine wisdome foreseeing that heretikes would be more greedy of wine then bread doth change his phrase and manner of speach saying cōditionally Doe this as often as you drinke in remembrance of me not absolutely commaunding the faithfull to drinke of the cup but only requiring when they did drinke to drinke in remembrance of him leauing it either to their priuate deuotion which was the practise of the primitiue Church which did vse indifferently the Sacrament in one or both as Bellarmine (n) lib. 4. de Euchar. c. 24. and other Catholikes do demonstrate or to the Churches determination which vpon iust reasons doth forbeare to giue the cup vnto Lay men Wherin the Church doth not offer them wrong as the Bachelour cauilleth seeing in her doctrine and in truth they receiue
euery drop of Christs precious bloud vnder forme of bread Neither do we deny wine to our Communicants which though it be not consecrated yet doth as truly and really conteyne within it the precious bloud of Christ as doth the wine of Caluins supper (o) Corpê° Christi à nobis in coena tanto locoruÌ„ interuallo distat quaÌ„to caelum abest à terra Calu. in coÌ„sensione de re Sacramentaria in fine by which no lesse then by his they may mount to remember and to drink by faith the bloud of Christ in heauen Heretickes in deed haue offered the wrong not only to Lay men but to the whole Church taking away the Reall presence of Christs body and bloud the very essence forme glory and splendor of the Sacrament who exclayme against vs for bereauing the people of a cup in their doctrine no more in substance then ordinary wyne or not giuing them the sole accidents of wyne as we teach who giue as hath beene said the bloud also with the body in the forme of bread wherein they may seeme to deale with the Church of God like a Cauiller that hauing deuoured the oyster meat should deliuer vnto the owner two empty shells only bitterly exclayming against another who restoreth the oyster whole and entyre though but vpon one shell But to returne to M. Crashaw you see he is no lesse bould with the Lord then with the seruant corrupting the story of his Ghospell no lesse then the text of the Councell charging him to haue giuen a precept which he neuer gaue to take occasion thereby to slaunder the Church his spouse of neglecting a duty to which she was neuer bound 16. And that Christ did giue no such precept of communion in both kindes I dare appeale from Luther to Luther in the same sort as Plutarch doth report a woman did from Philip to Philip from him distempered with wyne to him sober For though loue of wyne and women the cause of Luthers Apostacy in which he did dayly increase as did in him the loue of his Ghospell may seeme in the end to haue in a manner bereaued him of his wits in which fit he wrote that to multiply and increase was a precept and more then a precept (p) Luther serm de Matrim tom 5. VVitteÌ„b 119. and to drinke wine in the Lords supper a commaundemeÌ„t of the eternall King (q) Lib. de captiuit Babyl c. 1. though also afterward growing worse and worse drunken more with heresy then with materiall wyne though well tipled with both he sets vp the non plus vltra of obstinate malice saying (r) Si quod ConciliuÌ„ statueret aut permitteret vtraÌ„que speciem nos nequaquaÌ„ vtraque vti vellemus sed in despectum Concilij vna aut neutra aut minimè vtraque vti vellemus c. Luther in formula Missae cited by Hospin Histor Sacram p. 2. fol. 13. a. If the Councell should in any case decree communion vnder both kindes least of all then would we saith he vse both kindes yea rather in despite of the Councell and that decree we would eyther vse one kind only or neyther and in no case both where guyded by the spirit of giddines he doth expresly contradict the commaundement and institution of Christ falling into that blasphemy in playn tearmes wherof he doth falsly accuse the Councell Which spirit of heresy and contradiction seemeth also to haue conquered in Luther the strongest of all his loues (s) Nothing is more sweet theÌ„ the loue of a woman c. Luth. in a marginal note vpon the prouerbs c. 31.10 and the most essentiall poynt of manhood in him to marry a wife (t) Quà m non est in meis viribus vt vir non sim tam non est mei iuris vt sinc muliere sim Luth. ser de matrim vbi supra which though a precept and more then a precept yet if the (u) Idem tom 2. oper Germ. fol. 214. Councell should graunt Church-men liberty to doe it he would thinke that man more in Gods grace who during his life tyme kept three whores then he that marryed according to the Councells decree and that he would commaund whose commaundement must conquer the precept and more then precept of God vnder payne of damnation that no man should marry vpon that grant but lyue chast or else not despaire though he keepe a whore though I say Luther did thus both write and preach in his drunken fit yet when he was more sober though an enemy to the Roman Church the force of truth made him pronounce this moderate sentence that Christ in this matter in receauing in one or both kindes commaunded nothing as necessary and that it were better to imbrace peace then to striue about the kindes (x) Quamuis pulchrum quidem esset vtraque specie in Eucharistia vti Christus hac in re nihil necessarium praecepit praestaret tamen pacem sectari quà m de speciebus contendere Luth. ep ad Bohemos pag. 121. which sober sentence doth shew that M. Crashaw was scarce sober when he wrot that we are playne States-men and Polititians who haue nothing in our heades but to mayntayne the height of our Hierarchy and Maiesty of our Monarchy seeing we will not amend that which we see and know to be contrary to Christs institution and whereof many of the better sort of our selues are vtterly ashamed 17. Thus he rageth but as for Polititians Statesmen that tearme may best agree to himselfe who is a man of so great policy and a Minister of so simple truth that he doth confesse that he made publick this sermon to iustify the state much more then honour the truth which promise he doth accordingly performe as may appeare by the last wordes of this inuectiue that we know and see our practise to be against the institution of Christ and that many of the better sort of our selues are vtterly ashamed of communion in one kind not citying eyther in text or margine any Catholicke author many or few better or worse that were eyther outwardly or inwardly ashamed of this practise which is a signe The Kingdome of Christ coÌ„sisteth not in materiall wine that he doth here vtter a lye without shame which can be small honour to the truth howsoeuer it may iustify the state That we haue nothing in our heads but to maintayne the height of our Hierarchy and maiesty of our Monarchy is a speach that hath a litle rythme in sound but no reason in sense a wanton playing on the letter without truth in the matter For eyther he doth place glory and maiesty in a cup of only wyne or in the precious bloud of Chist conteyned in the cup if in a cup of wyne only therein indeed doth consist the Kingdome of Bacchus not of Iesus the power of Cupid (y) VinuÌ„ in quo est luxuria ad Ephes 5. v. 18. not of Christ whose wyne breedeth
Virgins (z) Zachar 9. v. 17. To the height or rather depth of which drinking Hierarchy Luther attayned who as his schollars write as a great wonder could drinke deeper into a pot then any other new Ghospeller the Creed the Pater noster and Decalogue at a draught But if the maiesty and glory of a Christian doth consist in the reall receyuing of the pretious bloud of Christ the Laity is not depriued of this dignity and honour by our doctrine who teach that they doe no lesse truly and really then Priests receaue euery drop of Christs bloud togeather with the body vnder the forme of bread And if we haue nothing in our heades as indeed we should not but the height of the celestiall Hierarchy and the maiesty of Gods blessed Kingdome to this we may no lesse certaynly attayne by eating the body of Christ togeather with his bloud vnder the forme of bread only then by eating and drinking the same in both kindes seeing Christ saith I lyue by my Father Ioan. 6. and he that eateth me shall lyue by me He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer Finally speaking of outward pomp I see not why our Hierarchy might not seeme as high and our Monarchy as full of Maiesty though we gaue the SacrameÌ„t in both kinds vnto Laymen did not other reasons vrge to this order besids pomp and Maiesty though the Bachelour very charitably without feare of rash iudgment saith we haue nothing els in our heades Which reasons he that desireth to be further satisfyed in this point may see alleadged by Bellarmine (b) lib. 4. de Euchar. cap. 28. and Becanus (c) tom 2. de coÌ„mun sub vtráque specie c. 8. and so discouer the vanity and falshood of the Bachelour that doth measure the emptines of others heads by his owne The thirteenth wound about Sanctuaryes as impudent accusing the Church of Rome as guilty of all the bloudshed vpon earth 18. THE thirteenth wound and the first dish of his second table for the Bachelour parteth his feast of falshoods and banket of slaunders into two tables is that we allow sanctuaries for wilfull murder whence he inferreth that ours is a bloudy Church defender of bloud and murther weltring and wallowing and bathing herselfe in bloud hauing made her selfe accessary by this doctrine and practice to all the murders bloudshed vpon the earth for to maintaine saith he so many refuges and defenses for a sinne is to maintaine the sinne it selfe Thus he Where to omit weltring wallowing and bathing in bloud phrases which might better become a Butcher then a Bachelour I wonder what Protestants thinke lying and rayling is if this wound of M. Crashaw be not rayling the vanity and falsity wherof is such as the very ground or principle wheron it is built to wit that to maintaine many Sanctuaries is to maintaine the sinne it selfe containeth blasphemy against God who in the old Testament did allow Sanctuaryes for some offenders namely in the case of manslaughter when in casuall frayes they should chaunce to kill their enemies (d) Qui noÌ„ est insidiatê° sed Deus tradidit illuÌ„ in manus eius constituam ei locum ad quem fugere debeat Exod. 21. v. 13. Parcit illi lex qui iusto dolore prouocatus inimicum occurrenteÌ„ occidit Hieron Oleaster in illum locuÌ„ and yet none without blasphemy can affirme God to haue bene a maintayner of that sinne or that he did welter and wallow and bath himselfe in bloud And this priuiledge to protect offenders that fled vnto them Christian Churches haue enioyed euer since Constantines dayes that is from that tyme that Christians had publikely Churches in the world The Councell of Orleans aboue a 1100 yeares agoe speaketh largely of this immunity and defineth in this sort Concerning murderers adulterers and theeues that take sanctuary in the Church that shal be obserued which the Ecclesiasticall Canons haue decreed and Roman lawes appointed to wit that it is not lawfull to pluck away offenders eyther from the Court of the Church or house of the Bishop Before which CouÌ„cell S. Augustine (e) Epist 187. ad Bonifac Orosius writeth of Masceril punished by Gods speciall prouideÌ„ce for violating this immunity of Churches l. 7. c. 36. maketh mention of this immunity reprehending the Earle Bonifacius for presuming to take by force a malefactour out of a Church And who doth not know how generally receaued the custome was in S. Chrysostomes dayes (f) In the yeare 399. when the Eunuch Eutropius a wicked man as great an enemy of the Church as a fauorite of the Emperour Arcadius (g) Socrates l. 6. c. 5. Sedulò dedit operam vt lex ab Imperatoribus promulgaretur ne quisquam ad EcclesiaÌ„ tamquaÌ„ ad asylum profugeret sed vt ij qui eò profugerant inde abriperentur Simulatque promulgata fuit Eutropius in offensionem Imperatoris incurrens confugit ad Ecclesiam Socrates vbi supra hauing caused the sayd Emperour to make a law against the immunity of Churches to defend malefactors that fled vnto them few dayes after the promulgation of that impious law was forced being accused of treason against the Emperour to fly take Sanctuary therin himselfe whom the Emperour following stayed at the Church doore notwithstanding his law Altare reueritus as S. Chrysostome saith bearing such reuerence and respect vnto the Altar on which he knew the body and bloud of Christ was offered (h) Chrysost tom 3. homil in Eutrop. That the coate or the flesh it selfe of Christ Iesus had not this priuilegde to be a sanctuary vnto offenders pag. 128. 19. By which you may gather the prophanesse of this Bachelour who dareth auouch that the running euen vnto Christ in person and touching his garment ought to be no defence for a malefactor shewing that in such a case he would be ready to kill such guilty persons euen at the feet of Christ sprinkling their bloud vpon his garments or the most respect he would beare him were to draw such a malefactour by violence without his leaue from his feet to kill him more barbarous then the Barbarians themselues who in the Sack of Rome spared all that fled vnto Christian Churches as S. Augustine writeth (i) August l. 1. de ciuit c. 6. which respect and reuerence vnto Christ is the cause that some (k) Hostiensis in c. Eccles de Immunit EcclesiaruÌ„ Nauar. in manu c. 25. Suarez l. 3. de relig c. 9. in fine say that a malefactour flying vnto a Priest carrying the most diuine Sacrament in the streets ought to haue sanctuary by Christs person present in that sacred host which the Bachelour rageth against calling that most diuine Sacrament blasphemously our Breaden God not knowing what we belieue that it is not bread but the body of Christ as the ancient Church did with greater reason he might obiect a breadeÌ„ God vnto his Father Luther who ioyneth bread with
the flesh of Christ in his supper Neither is the Bachelours argument against Sanctuaries drawne frō Christs example beating buyers and sellers out of the Temple worth a rush seeing all teach the Church cannot be a Sanctuary against such sinnes as are done in the Church the man deseruing not to enioy the priuiledge of that place the sanctity whereof he doth prophane (l) Frustra inuocat auxilium legis qui committit in legem Could he proue that Christ did driue out of the Temple any malefactours that had runne thither for refuge he might seeme to speake something to the purpose but such a bloudy mynd was as far from him that was meeke and humble of hart as it was naturall vnto Caluin who without any necessity and being Superintendent of Geneua did sometyme sit in iudgment vpon criminall causes and pronounce sentence of death vpon the guilty (m) This doth Heshufius a famous Protestant report of Caluin frō the mouth of those that saw him do it In assert cōtra blasphemam Caluinist exegesim vide Prateolū verbo Caluinistae 20. And as Caluin tooke such delight to be a Iudge dealing in bloudy matters his scholler M. Crashaw seemeth no lesse to long to be hangmā raging that by our Sanctuaries some be kept frō his clawes which greedines of bloud makes him think they are more thē indeed they are to wit that the allowance of Sāctuaries euen for wilfull murder is practised in Coūtries Catholick which is most false For though some Deuines hold that such murderers may enioy the benefit of Sanctuaries and that only treacherous murderers are excepted by the sentence of God if a man kill his neighbour of set purpose and by lying in wayt for him thou shalt take him from my altar and let him dye (n) Exod. 21. v. 12. of which opinion our Bachelour saith Anastasius Germonius is out of whom he citeth much I doe feare with the same treachery he hath vsed commonly withall our Authors as hath bene shewed though I cannot therein conuince him not hauing seene that Author But howsoeuer he and others hold that a Church may be a Sanctuary for such a murderer yet the common opinion is that wilfull murderers enioy not that priuiledge and the practise generally receiued in Catholick Kingdomes is agreable vnto this doctrine as (o) Contrarium tamē saepe fit in praxi propter plurium Doctorū setentiam l. 2. var. resolut c. 20. n. 7. §. In his § Nono Couarruuias doth witnesse not permitting Churches to be Sanctuarie for such offences which cases of exception not expressed in the Canō lawes yet custome therein is equiualent vnto a law (p) In casibus exceptis in iure vel aequiua lēti cōsuetudine extrahi potest delinquens Ita Doctores omnes as our Doctours vniformly teach by which custome neyther rauishers nor theeues haue benefit of Sanctuaryes (q) Suarez l. 3. de relig c. 11. n. 4. Fures simplices non gaudent hac immunitate ex consuetudine Suarez in loc cit Nec raptores virgin n. 27. so that if this Minister meane to be a Hangman in a Catholike Kingdome he shall not haue his power so much abridged by Sanctuaryes as he doth imagine 21. This being the doctrine practise of our Church you may perceyue this Bachelours folly who cannot keepe his tongue from rayling though he speake not a wise word nor any thing to the purpose declayming that this Doctrine of Sanctuaries is the cause that poysonning and stabbing and killing and all kind of bloud shedding is rife in Popish states and that murderers adulterers and rauishers find fauour in the Popes law for they are saith he amici Curiae but theeues and robbers are not so such like Babells he heapeth togeather without any iudgment or truth for why may not theeues and robbers be accounted amici Curiae aswell as murderers and adulterers but only that the Bachelour will make the Popes friends whome he pleaseth And to shew that he doth it by his lying art in which he that hath not a good memory will often contradict himself in this very wound he maketh theeues whome now he rangeth among the enemyes of the Pope that cānot enioy sāctuaries such friends of this Cour◠that he sayth the vildest thiefe by our doctrine of sanctuaryes may easily escape the halter at Rome As for poysoning and stabbing and such like assassinats who doth not know that they are treacherous murders for which no Sanctuary is allowed by the generall practise of the Church as euen he doth confesse 22. And seing such kind of murders be most practised by Italians when they meane to be reuenged of their enemyes as the world knoweth how can our Sanctuaryes be the cause of such murders in which they can find no defence by our law and practise Who doth not see how malice blindeth this poore Minister Which doth more appeare by this argument à fortiori which he makes If this be so saith he so far from Rome as Portugal then we may easily iudge how the world goeth in Rome and neere it which is grosse ignorance and folly For Churches in Rome and neere about are not Sanctuaryes for any offence against euen the secular Iudges of the Pope as Nauar noteth (r) In vrbe nulla Ecclesia vtitur hac immunitate aduersus Iudices etiam saeculares Papae in Man c. 25. n. 18. so that Churches in Rome with lesse shew of reason are traduced as causes of murder then in any other Citty And as for Portugall the same Nauar saith that no Sanctuary is there allowed for any murder no not for them that kill their aduersary in the field (s) Secundum leges Lusitaniae vsu relapsas qui alium de proposito aut in duello occidit aut percutit non gaudet hac immunitate in Man c. 25. n. 21. Neither doth Oleaster (t) In c. 4. Gen. complayne thereof but only that some did escape iustice by pretending to be in Orders when they were not or by taking vpon them Orders after murder committed which is cōtrary to the disciplyne of our Church by whose lawes wilfull murder maketh a man irregular that he cannot take Orders wherewith the Pope neuer dispenseth (u) Concil Tridēt sess 24 c. 7. de reformat Such an enemy our Church is to murder and bloudshed though by the disciplyne of the Protestant Church for any thing I know butchers may be Bishops and their Ministers hangmen 23. Finally that by this practise of Sanctuaryes the Church of Rome is accessary to all murders and bloudshed vpon the earth as our Bachelour deduceth I know not by what deuise he will build vp this Babel For how many murders are done in Turkland and in other Countryes of Infidells which haue no more relation vnto our Sanctuaryes nor so much as hath M. Crashaws head to a cockscombe What also shall we thinke of so many murders committed by Protestants so many
Christians as the Pope indeed is and hath euer beene so esteemed by the famous Christianity in all ages Now heare the third reason VVe hyred him not saith he to wit Agrippa to belye the Pope we thanke him for nothing but the truth That Protestants hyred not this Necromant to belye the Pope he doth not proue but barely say it leauing vs as doubtfull as we were before besides bewraying that such practises of hyring lying writers and witnesses do passe through their thoughts which so great malice as this Bachelour doth shew against the Pope may mooue vs to feare and suspect that many doe intertayne hyring others to doe that they practise themselues which may be the cause that so many lying Bookes and Pamphlets fly abroad euen in some Catholicke CouÌ„treys And thus much about Agrippa 12. The second Author is Oleaster a Spanish Doctor and Inquisitor pag. 155. who is not he saith subiect to exception as Agrippa was whom he bringeth in complayning that filthy gaynes are taken by some Ministers of the Church (x) Oleaster in cap. 23. Deuteron But doth he speake of the Pope or of rent and reuenewes taken from stewes Neither of the one nor of the other but of such presents and gifts which such women did voluntarily offer vnto the Church which God forbiddeth to be taken (y) Deuts 23. v. 18. and yet some Priests did accept therof as he complaynes But what is this to the Pope If some Priests did take the gifts of such women how doth it follow that the Pope doth exact of them so many thousandes a yeare Where also you may note by the way his fraud who to make Oleasters wordes sound somewhat to his purpose which truly cited haue not the least connexion with it changeth the sentence putting in wordes of his owne and leauing out the wordes of the Author both in Latyn and English For wheras Oleaster saith Noluit ab his munera acceptari God would not haue the presents and gifts of harlots accepted he leaueth these wordes quite out and putteth these of his owne in their roome Vetat ne merces meretricum ei offeratur God forbids to bring into his house the hyre of the whore which is not Oleasters sentence but is put in wholy by the Bachelour to obscure and darken the meaning of his complaynts as though they were against the Pope for taking a rent of the Whorish trade who complayneth as hath beene said against some inferiour Ministers for taking voluntary gifts of such women 13. The third Author is (z) In candelabro aureo tit de confess num 60. Alphonsus Viualdus pag. 136. whom he bringeth next after Nauar as the second maintayner of the stewes because he saith that such women are not comprehended in the yearly excommunication which Bishops pronounce against such as doe not confesse and communicate at Easter Doe you not perceyue how for want of direct proofe this Minister is fayne to goe about the bush to get some of our Authors that may seeme to fauour his foolish slaunder And I am sory I cannot come to the sight of this Authour whom it is apparant the Bachelour doth abuse by iumbling togeather thinges that haue no cohereÌ„ce togeather as the reasons which he makes Viualdus bring for this opinion that such women are not excommunicate do shew The first because the Romish Church doth neuer publish nor denounce them The second because none thereupon doth refuse their company which are idle reasons to proue that intent seing many are excommunicated by our Church who are not denounced by name whose company men are not bound to auoyd And when I pray you doe these men that obiect want of seuerity vnto vs excommunicate such women and denounce them by name Who did euer heare that after excommunication any man refused their company out of feare to incurre their Bishops censure What practise hath their Church of publick pennance without which none of these women can be admitted to the Sacraments of our Church Doe not such women goe from their houses in London which are but too much knowne to the Church and communion without any other pennance and preparation besides an act of sole faith by which made as holy and pure in (a) Sumus pares matri Dei aequè sancti sicut illa Ser. de Natiuit Mariae Luthers Doctrine as the B. Virgin they returne sanctified to their wonted haunt which they sanctify by such workes as are sutable with sole faith And yet Ministers great Preachers forsooth of pennance stout maintayners of Church discipline doughty and deadly enemyes of Whores if once a yeare they put one in a white sheete haue forheads which doe not blush to obiect want of seuerity against such sinnes in the discipline of the Catholick Church because all Bishops doe not yearly denounce them excommunicate by name for not receauing at Easter which is done as Viualdus saith out of contempt of such shameles and impudent women whom the Church iudgeth vnworthy and too base to lay her censures vpon (b) Meretrices non suÌ„t dignae lâ—queis legum For though other synnes are more heynous and hurtfull yet none more base contemptible then this by which contempt it is thought they may more efficaciously be reclaimed then be her censures 14. The fourth is Iacobus de Graffijs (c) Iacobus de Graffijs tom 1. l. 1. c. 9. art 8. 9. a learned Casuist whom not only he accuseth as a fauourer of the stewes as falsly and impudently as he did Nauar but also chargeth him that to make vp the measure of his iniquity he doth teach that the law doth so far forth tolerate fornication and stewes that it takes order to compell the whores to refuse no man if he offer her her pay The wordes saith he are too bad to be repeated in English (*) Quid tacendo amplius criminaris Vere cundiam simulas vt Lector te putet parcere qui mentiens nec animae tuae pepercisti Hierom Apol 3. in Ruffin c. 6. Here indeed is a peece of Protestant modesty that is of shameles impudency to which perchance all other of their impudent prancks may stoope For he repeateth whatsoeuer may be obscene in that sentence with more impure wordes then the Author vseth and then maketh a shew to stop out of modesty forsooth as though the words following might not be rehearsed without shame But his Virginall modesty shall giue vs leaue to repeat them that the cause of his suddaine stop and bashfulnes may appeare These be the wordes which for modesty he would not vtter Ita Decius L. Inuitus num 7. c. that is So did Decius hold or so did he declare the ciuill law where he chargeth Iacobus de Graffijs with the opinion of Decius But what more saith Graffijs in that place let vs heare him out and if the Bachelour blush to see his falshood it will be some signe of
graunt not that freedome that your Father Luther approueth that if the Mistresse will not the Mayd may and that a man may haue a wife concubyne which that (s) Si quis habens vxoreÌ„ coÌ„cubinam habeat à communione repellatur Councell doth condemne though Luther say it is no more forbidden Christians then it was the (t) Luther in c. 16. Gen. edit Ienensi non magis abrogatam quam cetera Mosayca id est liberaÌ„ nec prohibitam ancient Patriarches You say that no cloake will couer the shame of this Canon which is written in the forehead thereof to wit this title He that hath not a wife must haue a Concubyne in her roome which you take to be a commaundement for all Catholicks to keep whores or else be repelled from the most holy Sacrament so litle wit you haue in your head and so litle shame in your forehead the sense of that title being playne that he that will not altogeather refrayne from the company of women must eyther marry publickly or priuatly or els be forbidden the Sacraments What absurdity is there in this doctrine The sixteenth wound or slaunder That we make Matrimony worse then Whoredome and Wiues worse then Strumpets 20. BVT our Bachlour not content to haue brought his Babel to this height that by our doctrine a whore is made equall to a wife he will proue by our doctrine that a wife is made worse then a whore an adultresse and common strumpet and that we teach that some had better lye with a whore then marry a wife of his owne But heere I seeme to perceaue some signe of grace in M. Crashaw if out of shame he be loath to tell what kind of good-men or good-wiues they are whome we accompt worse then adulterers strumpets hauing indeed great cause to blush so much as to name theÌ„ For say truth M. Crashaw do not we meane Martin Luther and Katherine Bore that good-man and good-wife that Apostata Frâ—er and runnagate Nunne and the like who hauing first by sollemne vow professed chastity and wedded themseues vnto Christ could neither marry nor haue any husband of their owne no more then a woman that is already married can take a husband her first liuing 21. This is the doctrine not of Albertus Pighius only whom the Bachlour doth father it vpon but of all ancient Fathers as we will proue hauing first purged Pighius his sentence from his corruptions pag. 134. who would fayne wrest wring the same to an obscene sound some wicked sense He makes Pighius moue this question Had they that keep not their vow of continency better marry and then giueth him this answere Nay assuredly Which is an assured lye For neither doth Pighius moue that question nor maketh that answere His question is this (u) Pighius Controuers 15. fol. 215. An nubere his minus maluÌ„ minusque daÌ„nabile quà m vri Nam molius dicere non potes quod Apostolus damnationi imputat Such as are not only tempted but also do burne were it a lesse euill and a lesse damnable sinne for them to marry For better saith he thou canst not say it were seeing the Apostle layeth damnation vpon them for making void their first faith or promise Where our Bachelour committeth two faultes first concealing the doctrine of the Apostle which condemneth to hell the cradle of Katheryne Bores Church secondly forcing Pighius to propose a question which he doth purposely auoid as vnworthy of a Christian To this question then Pighius maketh this answer Consider saith he which is the worse or lewder seruant he that by negligence or vnwary vsage of his body maketh himself so weake that he faynts in his maisters seruice or he that proudly shaketh of the yoke VVhich is the worse scholler he that learneth though not all his lesson which he might haue done had he not slept ouer long and filled his belly with too much meat yet a good part thereof or he that playeth the truant and leaueth the schole not learning so much as one word of his lesson This is Pighius his answer set downe in his words which the Bachelour doth suppresse because they giue as you see great light to his doctrine 22. And hauing falsifyed the question the answere and reason thereof pag. 144. at the last he corrupteth the conclusion also which in Pighius is that to sinne out of infirmity is a lesse sinne quà m si iugum in totum excutiamus then if we wholy cast of the yoke which this Minister doth translate then to marry for this is wholy to cast of Gods yoke where he puts in to marry into Pighius his sentence which he neither nameth nor meant out of desire to marre the sense of his wordes as if he had condemned true marriage as not only a sinne but also as wholy casting of Gods yoke and law The like tricke he vseth with the last words of Pighius which are these VVe do not approue fornication but compare a sinne committed out of infirmity with a deliberate and continuall incest without any shame which our Bachelour doth make English thus we compare a slip or fall of infirmity with marriage which in this case we accompt no better then a resolued or deliberate or continuall incest vtterly without all shame Which you see is falsly translated without all shame to make the ignorant Reader belieue we account true marriage to be a continuall incest wheras Pighius speaketh only of the wicked coniunctions of such men and women as haue solemnly vowed and wedded themselues vnto Christ which matches can no more be marriages then that should be of a shamelesse woman that would keep with another man as his wife pag. 147. 143. 144. wedding her selfe to him as far as she is able her first husband being yet aliue as Christ the Spouse of professed Virgins and Votaries neuer dyeth 23. This is Pighius his doctrine which layeth open the vncleannes of the wedding bed of the votifragous Ghospell betwixt Bore and Luther which therefore the Bachelour calleth one of the sweet flowers of the Popes garland Pope holy doctrine that is beastly prophane bold blasphemous hatefull and hoggish neuer taught by the Church of Rome that I know saith he till these latter and more shameles tymes that the whore hath got her a brasen face Thus he Which storme of shamefull reproaches I doe not meruayle to see bluster out of his mouth who hath not beene much conuersant with any learned or ancient Doctors nor knoweth against whom he speaketh (x) QuaecuÌ„que ignorant blasphemant But I doe somewhat wonder that the Church of England would publish in print this ignorant rayling hauing many learned that know it to be the vniform doctrine of the most ancient Fathers I will alleadge some one or two and refer you vnto Bellarmine (y) l. â— de Monach. c. 25.26.27 if you desire more number The first shal be
(z) Non se fallat qui à virginitatis curriculo ad vitia carnis deflexit non est enim libera neque mortuê° est vir eius vt cui velit nubat c. Basil de vera virg post med S. Basil who in his book de vera Virginitate speaketh largely of this matter prouing that Virgins are wedded vnto an immortall husband the King of Kings and therefore can neuer marry another seeing their spouse neuer dyeth which if they attempt they doe not marry but incurre a shamefull and ignominious state of coniunction though some saith he after their profession of Virginity drawne away and conquered with the false sweetenes of carnall pleasure seeke to * Virginitatem Domino professae stupriscelus honesto coniugij nomine obtegere cupiunt Basil ibid. cloake their wicked incest with the honourable name of marriage The second is S. Chrysostome who writing to an Apostata monke full of Luthers spirit though lesse impudent then he was Marriage saith he is honorable but thou mayest not enioy the priuiledg of mariage though thou call thyne mariage yet I hould it so much worse then adultery as a blessed Angel is better then a mortall (a) Angelorum societatem relinquere adulterij crimen incurrere est quamuis frequeÌ„ ter nuptias voles ego tameÌ„ adulterio tanto peius existimo quanto melior est mortalibus Angelus Ep. 6. ad Theodor lapsuÌ„ man Now would I gladly see that brasen face that dareth say eyther that S. Chrysostome doth not hould such marriages as Luthers was to be worse then adultery or that the doctrine of these two Fathers is blasphemous hatefull hoggish and the Church in their dayes a whore with a brasen face With these Fathers agree the ancient Councells of the Church The Councell of Towers in France aboue a thousand yeares agoe decreeth in this sort (b) Tom. 2. CoÌ„cil can 21. fol. 656. in edit Bin. If any Monke marry a wife let him he excommunicated and separated from her lewed company vsing therein if need be the help of the secular iudg to part them Which Councell doth also testifye that to draw any vowed virgin out of her Monastery was punishable by death by the Ciuill and Imperiall lawes What would the fathers of this CouÌ„cell haue thought of the mariage of Luther and such Progenitors of the Protestant Ghospell And no lesse peremptory against these mariages are the fathers of Calcedon one of the first foure generall Councels which S. Gregory did honour as the foure Gospells (c) l. 1. ep 24. the Church of England doth professe to receaue (d) See Thom. Rogers of the doctrine of the Church of England Virgins saith this Councell that haue consecrated themselues vnto God and likewise Monkes may not contract marriage which if they be found to attempt let them be excommunicated Thus decreeth that Great Ancient Venerable CouÌ„cell Let Protestants giue their Bachelour leaue to brand it with stile of a Church with a brasen face 24. But he will needs make the Iesuits the chiefe fautors and Authors of this peece of Popery that they haue to vse his loathsome phrase lickt vp the imperfect heape of Pighius his doctrine and brought it to forme and perfection pag. 145. He accuseth specially Cardinall Bellarmine because he teacheth that the speach of S. Paul They that cannot conteyne themselues let them marry for it is better to marry then to burne is not vnderstood nor can rightly be said of them that haue vowed for both are naught saith Bellarmine to marry and to burne yea it is worse of the two to marry whatsoeuer Protestants say to the contrary Thus he accuseth Bellarmine but still you shall be sure to find him tripping for he leaueth out the words of Bellarmine wherin he putteth all the force of his doctrine praecipuè ei qui hahet votum solemne specially and principally for such as haue a solemne vow of chastity it is not better to marry then to burne for vnto them that haue a single vow he saith it is absolutely better to marry then to burne though in some respect worse as shall be declared Now if the ripenes and perfection of Popery doth consist in this doctrine that the sentence of S. Paul It is better to marry then to burne is not true in such as haue a solemne vow of chastity Popery was brought to ripenes 13. hundred yeares at least before Iesuits were heard of by the diligence deuotion and modesty of the most ancient learned and pious Doctours of Gods Church S. Ambrose writing to a Virgin that after her vow had marryed seeking to recall her answereth this obiection that might be made in her behalfe Dicet aliquis meliùs est nubere quà m vri (e) Ambros ad Virgin lapsam l. 5. Some will say it were better to marry then to burne Is not this M. Bachelour the defence and plea that you make for your mother Bore that she did so burne in the monastery that fire forced her to fly to be cooled in Luthers bed Harken what S. Ambrose doth vrge against her Hoc dictum saith he ad non pollicitam pertinet ad nondum velatam c (*) CeteruÌ„ quae se spopondit Christo sanctuÌ„ velameÌ„ acce pit iam nupsit iam immortali iuncta est viro Si voluerit nubere communi lege connubij adulterium mortis perpetratâ— ancilla mortis efficitur This speach of the Apostle concerneth such as haue not yet vowed that are not yet veyled but shee that hath espoused her selfe to Christ and taken the holy veyle is already marryed and wedded to an immortall husband if she seeke to marry as other women doe she commits adultery and is made the handmayd of death Thus S. Ambrose What more doth Bellarmine say then this ancient Father What Catholick could more condemne the burning of your Father Luther wherewith he set the Christian world on fire And yet S. Hierome speaketh no lesse clearely saying (f) Virgines quae post consecrationeÌ„ nupserunt non tam adulterae suÌ„t quà m incestae Hieron l. 1. in Iouin c. 7. that Virgins that haue dedicated themselues to Christ the Apostle giueth no leaue vnto them to marry but after consecration and solemne vow if they marry they are not so much adulterous as incestuous Queanes With whome S. Augustine doth agree Such as do not containe it is expedient saith he they should marry and that is expedient which is lawfull but after the vow of continency it is neither expedient nor lawfull (g) Illis qui se non continent vtique expedit nubere quod licet expedit quae autem vouerint coÌ„tinentiam nec licet nec expedit l. 1. de adult coniug c. 18. 25. Concerning such as haue made a single vow of chastity Bellarmine doth teach that absolutely speaking it is a lesse sinne to marry then lead an incontinent or scandalous life (h) Minus peccatum est
nubere post votū simplex quà m perpetuò cū aliorum scandalo impudicè viuere l. 2. de Mon. c. 34. and that therfore S. Hierome did exhort a Virgin that after such a vow liued scandalously rather to marry not that it is no sinne saith he to marry after a vow as Protestants thinke but because it is a lesse sinne then to lead an incontinent life and both wisdome and reason teach of two euills to choose the lesse Thus Bellarmine who addeth that in some sort it is a greater sinne for a Virgin to marry after a single vow then to commit fornication because by marriage she doth altogeather vnable herselfe to keep her vow which she doth not by fornication wherat our Bachelour rageth saying that it is plaine that Popery voweth against marriage not against adultery or fornication against wiues not against whores which cauilling doth shew that Ministers are resolued not to vnderstand what they meane neuer to keep For Bellarmine teacheth that the vow of continency is broken eyther by fornication or by marriage but in different sort After fornication such as haue vowed and broken their vow may repent and keep their vow of chastity the remnant of their life which after marriage they cannot For though they repent of the breach of their vow yet being marryed they cannot lead a single life hauing giuen away the power of their body by that contract in which respect to marry is more against their promise of fidelity though absolutely the other be the greater sinne Which may be shewed by the example of a woman that hauing betroathed herself to one marryeth another absolutely speaking she sinneth lesse by this marrying then by committing fornication yet if we regard her promise she breakes that more by marrying which makes her vnable to keep her promise though she would to which fornication doth not altogeather vnable her Who can deny this to be true that hath vse of reason Would our Bachelour cauill thereat did not malice against Popery make him a puppy or rather a pig of Luthers sow or of Katherine Bore who to defend that prophane and execrable marriage of his ghostly parents dareth accuse the doctrine of the most ancient Fathers to be hoggish hatefull to make that runnagate Nunne impudēt Strumpet of their Ghospell seeme an honest woman doth charge the Church of God to be a whore with a brasen face licking vp the swinish doctrine of that hatefull Heretike Iouinian (i) Augustin haeres 82. wherwith he drew so many Nunnes out of their Cloisters accusing Catholikes for feeding on the sweet flowers odoriferous hearbes of the Fathers sentences as hath bene proued The seauenteenth and eighteenth slaunders That we permit Priests to haue Concubines at a yearly rent and force such as would liue chast to pay the rent because they may haue Concubines if they will 26. NO where doth this Bachlour shew vs his face more impudently then in his two next woundes obiecting among the generally receaued doctrines and practises of our Church these two First that Priests are allowed to keep Concubines vnder a yearly rent Secondly that such as will liue chast must yet pay a yearly rent because they may keep whores and Concubines if they will What dares not this fellow say Looke into the Canon (k) Decrit Dist 81. 82. law and the Councell of Trent you shall see how this practise is condemned and seuere punishments enacted against them that fall into such crymes (l) Decret de reformat c. 14. sess 25. We know that Bishops are forbidden to tolerate such sinnes vnder pain of being suspended from their office (m) Decret dist 83. c. Si quis Episcopus It is a sin to inuite to say Masse or to affoard necessary ornaments to notorious Concubinary Priests or to be present at their Masse vnder paine of mortall sinne (n) Nauar. in Man c. 25. n. 80. which if any do they receiue a curse insteed of blessing Could the Church of God vse greater diligence to banish and abolish this sinne then she hath done whose Councells make most seuere lawes against them whose Bishops are bound vnder payne of suspension from their office to punish them according to those lawes whose children finally are bound vnder payne of eternall damnation to disgrace them What if a Bishop or two in Germany who are also temporall Princes against the Lawes of the Church did permit Concubynes vnto some Priests must the fault of one or two Bishops be vrged as the doctrine and generall practise of our Church What can be more folish and full of ignorant malice then this cauill And yet doth he not proue substantially that euer any Catholick Bishop did permit any such practise For the centum Grauamina Germanorum which he citeth are insufficient witnesses being as himselfe confesseth Papists but in part that is Protestants in very deed the head whereof was Luther so that against his promise he doth produce his owne Authors against vs. Espencaeus whom likewise he bringeth though disgusted with the court of Rome he gaue much liberty to his pen yet he speaketh only vpon the report of these Protestant Germans not giuing full absolute assent thereunto but saying would to God the Germans had complayned thereof falsly and without (o) Vtinā falsò immeritò extaret inter Grauamina Germanorum Espenc l. 2. c. 7. de cōtinentia cause Which wordes the Bachelour doth translate whereof the German Nation complayned long agoe and vpon too great cause making no difference as you see betweene a doubtfull and an absolute speach When will this Bachelour or child of Babel be healed and leaue this false trick Did not I say in the beginning too truly and vpon too great cause that he citeth no Author whom he doth not corrupt For he vseth the same fraud in the other testimonyes of Espencaeus Epenc loc citato who doubting of the truth of the Germans complaynt that Priests that would liue chast were constrayned to pay rent saith thereof Si credere dignum est if it be a thing that deserues credit which the Bachelour translates it is horrible to belieue but too true Which is quite kym kam as you see which treacherous dealing to vse it so perpetually in euery quotation after such oaths of sincerity is horrible to belieue but too true 27. That some Priests and Monkes liue dissolute liues disagreeing from their profession whereof some of our Authors and Bishops complayne the complaynt hath beene as ancient as the publick profession of Christianity in the world (p) Et nos nouimus tales sed non perijt fraternitas propter eos qui pro fitentur quod non sunt an vnauoidable euill whereof Christ saith Scandalls must needes come (q) Matt. 18. v. 7. neyther ought the examples of some that made shipwracke daunt others from this gaynefull nauigation in the ship of chastity with the gale of the holy Ghost Christ
being Pilot (r) A fructuosa nauigatione nauigio continentiae gubernatore Christo spiritus sācti afflatu Nissen l. de virgin c. vlt. to vse the wordes of S. Gregory Nissen brother vnto S. Basil Heluidius the heretike an enemy of Virginity did obiect the same that some Virgins kept tauernes which S. Hierome doth not deny neyther did he think it any disgrace Ego autem saith he plus dico c. Nay I say more that some Virgins liue in adultery some Priests keep Innes some Monkes are vnchast but who doth not see that neither Virgins ought to keep tauernes neither Priests Innes nor Monkes commit adultery What fault hath Virginity if counterfaite Virgins be faulty Thus S. Hierome shewing that the fault of some ought not to be imputed vnto all nor those sinnes disgrace a profession which none but such as swarue from it can commit The state of chastity is high to which none can mount that are not full of the fyre of diuine loue which when it dieth (s) Quis nō statim intelligat nec tabernariam virginem nec adulterū Monachum nec Clericum posse esse cauponem Numquid virginitas in culpa est si simulator virginitatis in crimine est Hier. adu Heluid those that were before Nazaraeans more white then snow become incontinently more black then a coale whose scandalous life the Diuels instruments vse as a coale to black stayne and denigrate the good name of the rest (t) Seruis Dei detrahunt quorum vitam peruertere non possunt famam decolorare nituntur August epist 136. as our Bachelour now doth which was their custome euen in S. Augustines tyme. If saith he a Bishop or a Priest or a Monke or a Nunne fall into some sinne they the enemyes of vowed chastity bestir themselues they labour euen till they sweat to make the world beleeue that all Bishops Priests Monkes and Nunnes are such though they cannot be proued to be such And yet marke their partiality when a maryed women is taken in adultery they neither put away their wiues nor accuse their mothers (u) Ad quid sudāt isti quid alij captāt nisi vt quisquis Episcopus c. omnes tales esse credāt sed non posse omnes manifestari Et tamen etiam ipsi cùm aliqua maritata reperitur adultera ne◠proijciunt vxores suas nec accusāt matres suas epist 137. Thus S. Augustine 28. The Bachelours remedy against this frailty to permit them that haue vowed chastity to marry when they begin to burne is iniurious vnto God to whom they made their vow against the perpetuall practice of the Church against the doctrine of the ancient Phisitiās of mens soules who exhort those that haue vowed chastity in such cases to seeke remedy by prayer and by pennance by fasting wearing haireclothes lying on the hard ground and specially by meditation of hell fire of the ioyes of heauen the life of Christ and of other obiects that may awake in their harts the flame of diuine loue And if these remedies do not preuaile in vayne will they seeke by the company of one woman to quench that fire that neuer saith inough except a man by reason set a non plus vltra vnto it What miseries and disorders haue flowed into Germany togeather with Luther and his sensual doctrine in which ou◠Bachelour agreeth with him that S. Paul cōmaundeth all that burne to marry Protestants themselues complaine to wit that this Ghospell hath bereaued men of honesty women of modesty children of simplicity Vt ex illa peruersa Paulinae legis interpretatione saith (x) Siluest Crecanou de corruptis moribus one multò grauiora nobis Christianis expectanda sint quà m Turcis ex sua Polygamina quibus tot licet quot libet vxores ducere That out of this peruerse and false interpretation of the place of S. Paul we Christians may expect more impure and beastly practises then are euen among Turkes who by their Poligamy may marry as many wiues as they list Hence it is saith he that in former ages so frequent and so manifold and abhominable venery hath bene practised as now is by both sexes and all ages VVe see yong boyes goe openly to Queanes from which if they be drawne they stubbornly demaūd wiues The same is also in yong mayds when they are lasciuious and wanton being checked they straight craue husbands both pretending Luthers law that none can liue chast (y) The same doth the Protestant Wigandus report de bonis malis Germā that venery is as necessary as meate and drinke Thus he What murders and massacres of their wiues this fire hath driuen Ministers vnto seeking to quench their owne wanton flames in their wiues bloud the same Protestant doth largely recount namely of a Minister * Crecanouius vbi supra At Newburge in Germany that poysoned his wife and being demaunded the cause that moued him to so bloudy a fact made freely this answere Coniugium in Lutheranis Sacerdotibus non extinguere vagas libidines That marriage in Lutheran Ministers is not sufficient to quench the fire of their wandring lust and affection to diuers women 29. VVherfore M. Crashaw if you seeke not to quench your fire by such water of pennance and deuotion as ancient Fathers prescribe it is much to be feared the same will not burne long within your owne dores nor your wife without danger keep in so furious a flame specially if you be of the fiery temper that Zuinglius other your first Ghospellers were of who say (z) Non aliam matrimonij causam apud Paulū quà m carnis ad libidinem aestum reperire licet quem feruere in nobis negare non possumus cùm huius ipsius opera nos coram Ecclesijs infames reddiderint c. Zuinglius tom 1. fol. 115. edit Tigur an 1581. that in S. Paul no other motiue of marriage is found but only the burning of carnall lust which cause they confesse was so manifest in them that our burning say they hath made vs infamous before the face of Churches and by burning lust we vnderstand carnall desires and longings wherwith a man euen set a fire doth thinke of no other thing then the pleasing of his libidinous appetites spending all his thoughts and meditations therein wholy imploying himselfe how to satisfy the raging of his flesh These are the very wordes of the first fire-brands of your Ghospell and this was the fire and feruour which moued them to preach against the Pope which whether it were from hell or heauen from God or the Diuell from the motion of the spirit or fury of the flesh let the Reader iudge and whether marriage may be thought able to quench such raging flames of Apostaticall Priests or how neighbours may be secure whō but a wall doth part from such fires or rather let vs leaue this matter and iudgment to him who shall iudge the world by fire the
light wherof will shew I make no doubt more Catholike Priests that liued continent without any woman then Ministers that were content with one An Answere to the nyneteenth wound 30. THE nineteenth wouÌ„d deserueth no Answer being only an heape of slaunders without any proofe where putting his head out of the stewes loath to leaue them he saith in a loud voice that our Liturgy is full of blasphemy our Legend full of lyes our Cerimony full of superstition which Liturgy being lately corrected yet I dare say saith he that for one euill taken out there is another put in and some stand vnremoued and that both in pictures and points of doctrine they are as ill as the former at least This is all the proofe he brings or you may expect of him to wit that he dares say it whom you cannot but belieue M. Crashawes Dare-say being as by this Sermon appeareth a man so modest that no wordes are more rife in his mouth then whores and harlots not blushing to spend many houres in pulpit vpon that subiect so sincere that no Author is by him cited without some fraudulent trick to wrest their sayings from a true and playne to some false and slaunderous sense so louing towards the Church of Rome that he doth beat and busy his braynes to deuise the most horrible blasphemyes and barbarous practises hart can imagine to charge vpon her finally so religious towards God that out of scruple of conscience to spare the Pope he doth tell manifest slaunders that may giue vantage vnto prophane men to deny him Wherefore this wound being made only vpon the bare word of so graue a witnes we must leaue it as incurable not being in our power to stay his tongue from wounding the soules and consciences of credulous people that will belieue all he dare say without any proofe on whom he loadeth many damnable woundes that must needes cause in them if they be not healed eternall death THE SEAVENTH CHAPTER AN Answer to his last wound concerning the bad life of Catholicks IN the last wound he turneth to his stewes and their demaynes againe therein ending his Sermon à pag. 156 ad 166. and bidding his Auditory good night and giuing vs our last farewell with a charge of Adultery Drunkennes Ambition Idlenes Dissimulation Deceipts Cosenages Murders VVhoredomes in all estates particulerly in the Clergy with Ignorance Negligence Sodomy Symony and other corruptions to attayne places and honours in the Church bringing Bernardus Marlanensis a Poet S. Brigit S. Vincent Ferrere and Pope Adrian the sixt complayning that such sinnes and abuses were in the Church desiring the same might be reformed fearing otherwise that God would lay heauy scourges vpon Christendome With this and such like stuffe doth he fill vp ten or eleauen pages mingling lyes slaunders rayling and follyes with some truths This accusation as it is the vaynest emptiest of all other (a) August de vnit Eccl. c. 18. so is it most rife in the mouth of Protestants therewith they doe deceyue and delude ignorant people more then with any other as Donatists (b) Quod propterea DoÌ„atistae faciunt quia firma robusta veritate subnixa in uenire noÌ„ possuÌ„t documenta quibê° causam suam tueantur volunt videri aliquid dicere dum tacere erubescunt loqui inania noÌ„ erubescuÌ„t Aug. de vnit Eccl. c. 18. and Manichees (c) Aug. de moribus Eccles Cathol c. 15. other Hereticks did in former tymes Concerning which we will briefly consider two things First the quality of the witnesses which he bringeth and how they make against him Secondly the accusation it selfe how vaine empty and of no substance it is 2. To begin with the witnesses that complaine of the lewd life of some Catholiks I demaund of M. Crashaw whether they were Protestants or Catholikes themselues not Protestants for then he should produce contrary to his promise his owne men against vs. They were Catholikes then as he doth confesse Then I demaund againe whether they had conscience or no if they were without conscience then doth he produce faithlesse witnesses ready to speake vntruth without any scruple wherfore the Bachelour doth grauÌ„t also that these Catholikes or Papists as is his phrase had conscience and out of remorse of conscience and feare of God did confesse freely and deplore bitterly the misery that the sinfulnes of the Romish Church would bring vpon the world Thirdly I demaund where they came to that conscience or feare of God By the preaching of what Ministery By the Sacraments of what Church By the doctrine of what faith Doubtlesse of the Roman faith Ministry and Church wherin they both liued and dyed obedient children This being certaine let M. Crashaw call to mind what he teacheth against the Brownists that a good conscience cannot be seuered from effectuall calling And how can that be saith he but a true Church wherin men are ordinarily begotten to God How can that be but an holy and lawfull Ministry that brings men to saluation pag. 30. Thus he Now let M. Crashaw speake whether it were not a good conscience the remorse wherof moued these men to detest the sinfulnes of many in the RomaÌ„ Church Whether that was not true feare of God that did make them so bitterly deplore it Then againe eyther these men came to conscieÌ„ce without effectuall calling or were effectually called by the meanes of a false Church or else the Roman is the true Church detesting bad life whose doctrine breedeth in her louing children such an hatred therof And these Saintes and holy men as they are witnesses against the bad life of Catholiks which we much more then Protestants abhorre so likewise their example of not forsaking the Church notwithstanding the knowne bad life of some will be a testimony at the day of iudgment against the damnable pride of the Protestant reuolt out of a pretended horrour against sinne wherin they are neyther like these holy men of our Church nor the ancieÌ„t Prophets who as S. Augustine (d) Lib. 3. coÌ„t Cresc Grammat c. 38. Sanctos Prophetas Dei inter conteÌ„ptores legis Dei mandata sernare licuit atque in ipsos transgressores multa digna vera verba iaculari saith did keep the commaundements of God among the transgressours of his law liuing togeather with them in the same Church and darting many worthy and true sayings against their bad life But though they did detest abhorre and reprehend such heynous sinnes yet durst they not sibi alterum populum quasi purgatum liquatum separatione sacrilega constituere make a sacrilegious reuolt and gather togeather a new company as it were purged and purified from these sinnes So likewise saith S. Augustine we may neyther follow the wicked deeds of our Bishops and Prelates and other Profestours which you do rather obiect then proue nor yet therupon forsake the holy Church which as the Apostle
coguÌ„tur etiam mali bona dicere ep 166. ad Donatist in fine Augustine taught long agoe To the end saith he that none might presume to separate themselues from the vnity of the Church vnder pretence to fly the coÌ„pany of the wicked our heauenly Maister doth make his people secure euen of their bad Pastours least to shun them they should forsake the chaire of sauing doctrine in which euen the wicked are forced to speake the truth For the thinges they speake are not their owne but of God who in the Chayre of vnity hath placed the doctrine of verity Thus S. Augustine shewing that the doctrine of truth cannot be heard out of the Sea of Peter which keepeth the whole Church of God in vnity and peace which we are secure cannot erre that euen the wicked Popes and places haue not power to define any errours 6. Now touching the accusation it selfe I will briefly but cleerly shew fiue thinges against Ministers concerning this point which if they consider well may suffice to stop their rayling mouthes against the life of Catholikes to wit that therin they shew themselues vngratefull vayne impudent malicious and wilfully blind First they are vngratefull vnto the bad life of Catholikes on which Luther built his pleasing and sensuall Ghospell of sole-faith which he could neuer haue done but vpon the corrupted life of Christians among whom had the ancient loue of good works pennance florished he had neuer laid three stones one vpon the other in his building This is not my conceipt nor my hard opinion of his doctrine but that great Architect of Churches doth himselfe confesse the same in expresse termes If saith he the face of the ancient Papacy did now stand (k) In cap. 4. ad Galat. fol. 399. 400. tom 5. edit VVittemberg ann 1562. Si staret illa facies veteris Papatus parùm fortè nostra doctrina de fide contra eum efficeremus presertim cùm iam parùm efficiamus perchance we should not preuaile much against it by our doctrine of faith And more clearly in the same place If Popery had the same sanctity and austerity of life which it had in the tyme of the Fathers Hierome Ambrose Augustine and others what should we be able now to do against it Thus Luther Where you see he doth both confesse that the ancient Fathers most famous for sanctity were Papists the Church in their dayes Popish and that had he preached his Ghospell in their dayes or they liued when he began to preach their sanctity would haue detested the same their learning haue crusht the brat of liberty in the cradle Let the Reader iudge what a Ghospell that is which antiquity would haue resisted sanctity detested the Church of God in her best tymes not so much as haue heard of which finally could neuer haue preuayled but in this last age when dissolution and loue of liberty hath preuayled against the ancient discipline and sanctity of the Church so that by this rayling they defile their owne nest they shake the ground of their Ghospell styr that stinking puddle out of which their Progenitours did issue and shew themselues vnthankefull vnto their Parent and Mother which is the rotten and corrupt life of many Catholikes 6. The second to wit their vanity doth appeare by their ayming at a marke quite opposite to the drift of their Ghospell which is to impugne not the dissolution but deuotion not the sinfulnes but the sanctity not the wickednes but the holines of our Church not our transgressing Gods precepts but our following Christs Counsells This to be their quarrell against vs Luther himselfe their Captaine Generall doth witnesse VVe (l) Non pugnamê° contra Papatum hodie palà m impiuÌ„ sceleratuÌ„ sed contra speciosissimos eius Sanctos qui putant se AngelicaÌ„ vitam agere Luther in c. 4. ad Galat tom 5. fol. 400. fight not saith he against the open wickednes and dissolute life of the Papacy which those that are sound amongst them detest but against her most beautifull Saints which thinke they lead an Angelicall life and that they doe not only keep the commaundements of God but also the Councells of Christ and doe workes of supererogation which they are not bound vnto Thus doth Luther write shewing that his intention is to lay wast the Sanctity of our Church giuing her iust cause to complayne as that womaÌ„ of Thecua (m) 2. Reg. 14. v. 7. Extinguere volum scintillam meam they seeke to extinguish and put out that little sparke of ancient sanctity feruour and charity that as yet remayneth in me To which sanctity Luther was such a deadly foe as he doth professe in the same place he will not spare any most ancient Father or Fathers nor the whole army of them did they now lyue as they once did guilty thereof (n) Fingamus igitur illam religionem disciplinaÌ„ veteris Papatus obseruari illo rigore quo Eremitae quo Hieronymus Augustinus Gregorius c. alij multi obseruarunt c. Let vs suppose or imagine saith he that the piety and disciplyne of the ancient Papacy did now florish and were obserued with the same rigour that the ould Hermits that Hierome Augustine Gergory Bernard Francis Dominick did obserue it yet ought we saith he by the example of S. Paul impugne false Apostles and fight against the Iusticiaryes of the Popish Kingdome and say though you lead a most chast life though you punish and weary your body with frequent pennances though you walke in religion and humility like Angells yet you are slaues of the law and sinne and of the Diuell and to be cast out of the house as children of Agar 7. Thus doth this Saracen inueigh against ancient Fathers the disciplyne and sanctity of the Primityue Church whom he doth slaunder to haue sought saluation by their workes and not by Christ shewing the tooth of his Ghospell to be not against ryot and ribaldry of dissolute drunkards but the pennance and piety of greatest Saynts which being the drift of their sole-faith-religion M. Crashawes long rayling against our sinfull life may seeme from the purpose Yet perchance I may herein be deceaued and he goeth more cunningly about the matter then we imagine For as the Falcon that flyeth at the Herne seemeth often to take a contrary course yet working into the wynd comes before one is aware ouer the Herns head to giue her the deadly stroke so M. Crashaw and other Ministers seeming in their Sermons to take a course against the open dissolution and wickednes of some in our Church as though their desire were to reforme the same they doe so wynd and turne the poore people about that from the hatred of them that are wicked amongst vs they bring them to detest and abhorre euen the sanctity and religious practise of piety in our Church which the Genius of their Iouiall Ghospell cannot endure and at the ouerthrow whereof it doth as
by no accuser but malice conuicted by no witnes but falshood condemned by no Iudge but folly ioyned in commission with fury How miserable are those that haue forsaken the only Christianity that was for so many ages in the world scared with shaddowes and frighted with falshoods 15. Pliny writeth of a certaine kind of Eagle which maketh prey on water-foule whom when they perceyue houering in the ayre they dyue into the water where they are secure But the Rauener what he cannot get by force obtayneth by craft He placeth himselfe on the side of the ryuer in such sort that his shaddow or shape appeareth on the other which the foolish foule perceauing make towards the contrary side and flying the shaddow ryse vp where the true Eagle doth indeed expect them (g) Spectāda dimicatio aquila vmbram suā nanti sub aqua à littore ostendente rursus aue in diuersa tendente vbi se minimè credat expectari emer gēte Plin. l. 10. nat Hist c. 3. The Diuell seeketh to make prey specially on such as liue in the cleere and deep water of the Catholike faith taught successiuely in all ages within which whilst they keep themselues they need not feare the violence of their inuader who therefore to seaze on by craft whom he cannot surprize by force by the help of his false and lying Preachers casteth into these cleare waters his owne shape that is vgly shewes and shaddowes of blasphemy wherwith some seely people frighted make towardes the side of herefie and taking their flight from the confessed Christianity of many ages fall into the clawes of the true Eagle into most horrible blasphemyes indeed being forced to say that contrary to Christs promise his Church and Christianity fayled or insteed of being visible and glorious the ioy of Kings and Nations as was foretould for many hundred yeares at least was neuer seene vpon earth 16. Seeing then Protestants cannot haue the testimony of a good conscience that they heere sufficiently indeauoured the healing of the Church of Rome nor can forsake her without also forsaking all Christianity in the world flying into corners and Conuenticles they are their owne caruers their owne Iudges their owne approuers without any Church of Christendome to approue them seeing the causes of this their alienation and reuolt from vs are fables falshoods slaunders places of Authors corrupted shaddowes and shewes of blasphemy voyd of truth vpon which no priuate man were to be forsaken much lesse a Church and so glorious a Church as the Roman let them seriously ponder M. Crashaws other question to the Brownists wherin they may see the many benefits receaued of the Church of Rome and be moued to looke backe to the rock from which they are cut and vnto Sara that begot them Let them consider I say apply to themselues what M. Crashaw asketh the Brownists pag. 27. 29. where they came to know God if they euer knew him VVhere they were healed called regenerated and begotten vnto Christ VVas it not saith he in the wombe of this our Curch pag. 30. and by meanes of the immortall seed of Gods word that is daily sowne in our Church And by the Ministery of those men that were called in our Church And he concludeth that that Church and Ministry that bringes a man to grace and to faith is able to bring him to glory and saluation and that which is alle effectually to begin is able effectually to finish the good worke of God in any man therfore not to be forsaken This doctrine and these groundes supposed I demaund what Church conuerted our English Nation first vnto Christ By whose meanes came Englishmen to know God and Christ if euer they knew him By the ministery of what men Catholicke or Protestant By seed of which word and doctrine the Lutheran or Roman Was not the English Nation and the like may be sayd of most Nations in Europe first conuerted vnto Christ by preachers sent from Rome aboue a thousand yeares agoe By the immortall seed of Gods word that is dayly sowne in our Church 17. What will M. Crashaw answere Will he say with Syr Edward Hobby that the English Nation was not conuerted vnto Christ by S. Augustine whom he tearmeth proud (h) In his better to T. H. pag. 92. and insolent Augustine Gregoryes delegate affirming that he taught vs no more then we knew before setting some friuolous ceremonyes aside Which notorious falshood I know M. Crashaw or some other trencher Minister cast on Syr Edwards trencher to put into his booke Nay further they make the credulous Kinght say that when we speake of the conuersion of England by S. Gregoryes meanes we weary the world and bob our credulous Ladies with a circular discusse as though we had neuer heard of Gildas his testimony that the Britons receiued the Christian faith from the beginning nor what Baronius hath tould that S. Peter was heere Theodoret that S. Paul Nicephorus that Symon Zelotes and some that Ioseph of Arimathia did plant the faith amongst vs. Thus the Knight writeth by their suggestion by which it is cleare that he neuer read the (i) Three Cōuersions of Englād booke he seemeth to speake against nay he doth not know so much as the subiect and argument thereof to wit of the three Conuersions of England which booke the Ladyes if they haue it at hand as he seemeth to complayne that it is still on their (k) Quid quòd libelli Stoici inter sericos iacere puluillos amant sayth Syr Edward as it may seem of this booke to the Romish Ladyes c. pag. 4. Cushions cannot looke into without seeing the falshood of this saying and how the trencher Scholemasters of the Knight would bob them also with a playne vntruth as they haue done him For that booke taketh notice of and handleth largely (l) De extidio Britan c. 6. see this testimony hādled in the Three Cōuersiōs p. 13. Gildas his testimony declaring the meaning thereof to be that in the tyme of Tiberius Christ appeared to the world not that Christian faith then entred into Brittayne which is altogeather improbable seeing Tiberius liued but fiue yeares after Christs Resurrection in which tyme the Apostles eyther went not out of Iury or did not preach but to the Iews only nemini loquentes verbum nisi solùm Iudaeis (m) Act. 11. v. 19. as S. Luke saith in the Actes That S. Peter was heere that Treatise doth take notice of bringeth diuers arguments to confirme the same vrging his preaching as the the first conuersion of England though other Apostles (n) S. Paul S. Symon Disciples (o) Ioseph Aristobulus Of these that Treatise doth take notice bringing diuers authorities to cōfirme their preaching in our Iland p. 21. 22. 23. 24. might help thereunto Neyther doe I think any English Christian is so auerted from the Roman Sea that he will scorne this Kingdome