authoritie command and Breefes notwithstanding some of them doe practise I could not but resolue to leaue off conference with them remembring that of the f Isai 6. Act. 28. Prophet Esay vnto the Iewes and vsed also by the Apostle S. Paul in like case Incrassatum est cor populihuius c. The heart of this people is become grosse and with their eares they haue heard heauily and they haue closed their eies lest perchance they should see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and bee conuerted and I heale them This their estate as I did and do from the very bottome of my heart lament so it did greatly increase my doubts mustring themselues to my Conscience against the nouell traditions and vncatholike doctrines of the Church of Rome whereof Christian Reader with thy patience and good acceptance I will communicate part to thy courteous view not because I esteeme my selfe so learned as though I were able to produce any new learning neuer thought on before for in very deed I doe ranke my selfe amongst the meanest of Gods seruants and Priests nor because I doe seeke in matters of Religion to bee applauded by the worlds iudgement or to please humaine censures but alonely that thou maist consider vpon how waightie inducements I haue relinquished the intollerable and pernicious burthen of humaine traditions reared vp against Gods institution that if thou bee wauering from the Firmament of Truth of Gods word and holy ancient Church thou maist with mee bee staied if thou art alreadie seduâ—ed as I haue been thou maist be reclaimed to the sweet yoke of Iesus Christ My heart bleeds to thinke how many in this Kingdome and some of them my speciall acquaintance vertuously and zealously disposed are caried away with most dangerous errors obtruded vnto them only vpon the Roman Bishops prerogatiue of not erring and yet heauen and earth proclaimes that Popes may erre and be Heretikes God of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to open their eies that they may receiue the charity of Truth that they may see that defection and apostasie accomplished in them and their defendants which the g 2 ad Thess 2 vessell of election so long agoe forâ—told and whereof the Prophet and h Apoc. 17. Apostle in his Reuelation so clearelie discourseth shewing that Kings and Nations should be drunke and be bewitched with the Cup of Romes Fornications Fornications hee saith thereby most clearely demonstrating that some Romane Church or Congregation for most cleare it is and best Pontificians deny it not that of Rome hee prophecieth earst a Spouse but after a Strmpet in respect of her spirituall aduoutries first pure but after most impure first Christian but after Antichristian for her doctrines and practises against the most pure doctrine and humble conuersation of Christ first with a cup of Christian simplicity in her hands deuoid of humane dregs but after with a i Ibidem cup full of abominations and corruptions with which shee should delude all Nations and Kingdomes of the earth making merchandize negotiating with the souls of men the which if it should not be already fulfilled in the Roman Church it must bee heereafter at least if the Prophet truly haue forespoken The later of which especiallie touching the merchandizing of soules in auarice how clearlie it is already compleated in the Roman Church diuers earnest professors agreeing in all points of faith with the Romane Church in their times will plainely b In ementitam Constantini donationem testifie a Saepissime as Baptista Mantuanus c In Henr. 3. Valla Robertus Lincolriensis in c Matthew of Paris d In Epist 1. ad Titum Claudius Espencaeus S. e â—ab Cons ad Eugenium Bernard f Constitut Imperial pag. 39 Frederike the Emperour in his Epistle to all Prelates g Baronius 992. Arnulphus in a Synod at Rhemes in Baronius and read Baronius also in the yeere 912. where you shall find him affirming how at the lust of whores diuers Popes most wicked luxurious and auaricious were thrust into Peters chaire and how that custome lasted not for a short while only * Claudius Espencaeus as hee is now set forth is vvholly corrupted you must read his first Edition All these with infinite others do demonstrate the corruptions of the Roman Church would God effectually for the conuersion of seduced soules Wherein I can conceiue no great hope first of all such popish seruants as reape profitte or liuing by that profession nor of such children as are vnder the command of some obstinate recusants nor of any such bankrupts and malecontents as expect alterations and long for troubled waters to fish in nor of such scrupulous good soules as will not dare to peruse or read any part of holy Scripture though of the Rhemists Testament it selfe falsified with their Annotations lest they should proue Heretikes as some of them haue told me or else remaine perplexed in their Consciences nor of some of their Priests who are resolued for the maintenance of their credit conseruing of their meanes and some such other respects with their fauoritesses I meane such like fauours as will mooue men to trauell vp to Rome to procure dispensations for mariages and yet in their absences and long pilgrimages such painfull pilgrimes notwithstanding stripped of their fauouritesses by some of their own brotherhood which haue come betwixt them and home are ready without examination of Scriptures or Fathers to receiue whatsoeuer the Roman Church shal obtrude vnto them Neither may I conceiue hope of any such yonger persons who expect preferment by h One of the most speciall practises of the Pontificians in England to enlarge their religion is to procure matches in mariages doe thou make the inferences Christian Reader There is a mysterie in it if the natures of young spirits be considered who commonly at such seasons are rather full of the heate of carnall loue then of that fire which Christ came to send into this world Luk. 12. matching into some stocke and family the which as it abhorreth the reading of the Scriptures so also is inueterated in Papistrie My chiefest hope may be of those who as they are iudicious so embrace that faith meerely out of conscience and are nothing dependant of others who either through the peremptory auaricious factious and vnchast liues of their Priests or generally for the hatefull opposings and vncharitablenesse amongst them all by which they demonstrate themselues to be no disciples of Christ whose proper badge and stemme is i Ioh. 13. dilection and loue of each other or else through the vaine multiplicity of deuised fables and miracles out of their old Legends and withall through the inexcusable ignorance of their Priests in Gods sacred Scriptures which I dare boldly affirme is so great that there are scarse a hundred amongst diuers hundreths of them in this Kingdome who can tell either how many
ego pono in Sion lapidem c. Behold I put in Sion an approued a corner stone and a precious one laid in the foundation This prophecy although S. Peter b 1. Peâ— 2. most expresly expoundeth it of Christ himselfe yet Bellarmine in his dictates would needs haue it to be vnderstood of Peter not of Christ His profound reason is forsooth because the c Isai 28. Prophet addeth of this stone that it must be in fundamento fundatus founded in the foundation that is laid in the foundation which may not be vnderstood of Christ but fitly of Peter founded vpon Christ So Bellarmine but in his d Bellar in praesat in lib. de pont Rom. printed Preface he hath somewhat mended the matter for he is content to vnderstand principally this prophecie of Christ secondarily of Peter so that Christ and Peter must still ranke together Christ principally but Peter secondarily Baronius in his Voto against the Venetians to Paul the 5. in Consistory publikely applied to him to be the stone vpon which e Matth. 21. whosoeuer falleth saith the holy Ghost shall be bruised and vpon whomsoeuer it falleth it shall breake them in peeces but alas the Cardinall failed the Pope in his Prophecie for by his sentences of excomcommunications interdicts c. he did so little bruise the Venetians who so constantly opposed against him that The manner of the Venetians reconcilement with the Pope for which the Ignatians euerywhere exclaim against that state onely they are warie before whom they could not by any meanes be brought to make any submission for any offence imputed to them or to acknowledge any fault so that at the last the Pope was contented to accept of a shew of submission made to him by some third persons and as it is reported suborned also by the court of Rome thereunto and so with his honour to be reconciled vnto them againe a notable example for posterity against the vsurpations of Popes I could here more enlarge my discourse to shew how Bellarmine Sanders Baronius Stapleton do all they can and labour earnestly though most vnsouÌ„dly to bring all ChristiaÌ„s to that pernicious perswasioÌ„ faith to wit that it is not inough according to f Decretal Bonifa 8. vnam sanctam Bonifaces decree for their saluations to be in communion with the Catholike Church dispersed through the world and with the head thereof Christ Iesus vnlesse they be in actual communion and blind obedience to the Bishop of Rome as the onely one and supreme head of the visible Church It is a sufficient assecurance for my conscience that according to the sense of ancient Church it is against S. g 1. Cor. cap. 1. Pauls expresse doctrine who in his Epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s doth most grieuously reproue all such as went about to make a speciall ioyning either with Peter Paul or Apollo nothing herein differencing S. Peter from Apollo or himselfe doubtlesse he was nothing acquainted with the present necessary subiection and vnion to the Bishops of Rome the pretended onely successors of Saint Peter But rather he instructed and most earnestly h Jhidem commaunded all Christians to acknowledge Chrâ—st Iesus for their onely head of whom they were named in whose name they were baptised and who onely was for them crucified dead and buried risen againe to life Surely if Saint Paul did beleeue such a necessary headship in the Bishops of Rome doubtlesse his faith therein was onely implicit for his expresse doctrine is against it but I dare heere boldly saie that if per impossibile by an impossibilitie such a headship in the Popes had beene respected in the Primitiue Churches yet later Popes are now so degenerate from what their predecessors were into all most abhominable and tirannicall conuersations to the corruption of faith against the temporalty and spiritualty that Gods infinite mercy would excuse such who to giue them most iust cause and motiues to ranke themselues in their owne degrees should leaue their communion with them and adhere onely to Iesus Christ to whom vpon him onely resting with King i Psal 118. Dauid I humbly complaine tempus faciendi domine dissipauerunt legem tuam It is high time O Lord to doe for they haue dissipated and and broken thy law The second Motiue THus they hauing most egregiously erred in coÌ„stituting a false rule of their faith to support the present Roman profession to the same end they haue perniciously depraued the true rule of faith by adding to the sacred word of God such bookes as antiquity worthily reiected for Apocriphall that is of doubtfull vncertaine authority not fit to confirme and proue the dogmaticall doctrines and articles of Christian faith thereby distinguishing them from the Canonicall Scriptures Gods infallible word Such are k Hieron in Prolog Galeat Epiph. lib. de mensur August de ciuit dei lib. 18. cap. 36. Athanas in Sinop Epipha haere 8. 76. esteemed accounted the books of Iudith Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Toby the Machabies all such like doubtfull parts of Chapters of the old Testament as by neither the Iews before nor in Christs time nor in the Nicene Laodicenc Councels nor ancient Fathers purposely setting down and defining the Canons of holy Scripture were euer receiued into the Canon 1 Con. Nice Laodic in Cano. de Canonicis scripturis Hieron epist 10. 115. Joseph contra Appto lib. 1 Russin de Simbol Apost and rule of Christian Faith Against this their deuised rule it is most easily and manifestly shewed that considering the Iewish Synagogue when it was the true Church of God receiued not these bookes into their Canon wee ought not to receiue them hauing no new reuelations for them nor no better warrant then they had especially considering that the Septuaginta interpreters who tooke vpon them to interpret all the bookes of Gods word to Ptolomeus neglected them Christ and his Apostles neuer cited any thing out of any of them as they did out of the other Scriptures And further the thrice reuereÌ„d Fathers of the Nicene Councell and those worthies of the Councell of Laodicea both which Councells were celebrated in the East nearer the place and time where and when Christs Church might best informe her selfe which were the bookes of Sacred Scripture reiected and cashired them out of sacred Canon of holy Scripture Neither is there any new reuelation for them now nor any iust cause why the Pope and Pontificians should be so eager to put them into Canon of Scripture but for that they seeme in some places contrary to the vndoubted Scriptures to fauor some of their vaine and corrupt doctrines as of Purgatorie Praier for the Dead Merits of good workes c. As for * The contra dictioÌ„ betwixt the 5. châ—pter of Iudith and the 10. â—â—irreconcilable so manâ—â—est that the same euinceth the author of the same booke not to bee the holy Ghost who caÌ„not lie See
some great matter to be acted about the Powder time For when I was last beyond the seas a graue person reported in my hearing and in the hearing of a reuerend Priest that the l R. V. meeter-maker of their English hymnes spoke openly in Antwerpe at a table where diuers were drinking together some fiue or six weekes before the Powder-treasoÌ„ time that there was some great attempt in hand in England Perhaps the good man knew not the whole secret if he did then perchance for very shame he concealed it for I hardly thinke he would detest the fact who so eagerly commended the stinking Ignatian Queres or Pruritanus and the most villanous Polonian Exetasis against his Maiesties most excellent state and person which bookes also are most singularly esteemed by some beyond seas of which I thinke if the most excellent Arch-duke knew they should not be so dearly esteemed of by him But I surcease to write any more of this kind I haue perpaps discouered so much of the Ignatian spirit that some of them will attempt by some meanes or other to attenuat my spirit but I weigh it not for nothing more welcome to me then death it self so that I may be found prouided and ready to meet him and to be with him after whom my soule longeth and breatheth so much as this corruptible flesh of mine will permit me My redeemer hath numbred my daies and m Psal 138. hath put my imperfections in his sight and before he calleth me no man can thrust me hence his truth is witnesse to my soule that in this writing I seeke onely his glory in whom confiding I feare no man And I humbly wish the English Recusants to beware of such seducers as come vnder the garments of sheepe but inwardly are rauening wolues who plotting to bring to passe their conuersion of England seeke nothing but the subuersion thereof rather then their desires should not take effect And therefore as themselues well know are euer inculcating matters to the disgrace of the Church and state-gouernment of this Kingdome cannot well indure that any Priest in his Sermons should so much as commend and inculcate obedience to temporall magistrates I my selfe was at my first comming sixteene yeeres since into this Kingdome not a little reprehended by two Ignatian Priests because vpon that text a Matth. 22 Marke 12. Giue vnto God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is Caesars I had said they too much insisted vpon the latter part thereof in perswading of obedience to the temporal magistrate and yet in that sermon which was not aboue an houre and halfe long I am assured I discoursed not twenty lines of that subiect To proceed I gather another tricke of naughty Spirits especially in the elder and latter Pontifician Monkes and Friers who haue set forth so many counterfet and comentitious treatises in the ancient Fathers names by that meanes to establish and confirme their doctrines of their transubstantiation their Popes supremacy their confiding in merits of Saints adoration of Images c. Wherein I do constantly affirme that the most pregnant and clearest proofes which they pretend for most of their Romane positions are taken out either of such counterfeit bookes as some of the learnedst Pontificians call in question or else out of such commentitious bookes and putatiue workes of ancient Fathers which by very sufficient proofe may bee shewed to bee not currant And when withall I obserue what order they haue taken with their * Indices expurgatorij Romanus Neapolitanus Hispanus Belgicus editià Povtificijs Expurgatory Indices not onely to giue annotations but further to corrupt the very texts of Authours so that none of later Pontifician Authors in short time such as Caietane Ferus Stella Ludouicus Granatensis Polidore Virgill Claudius Espex c. shall bee found sound and to speake like themselues yea they sticke not to corrupt the very texts of ancient Fathers whose editions they daylie innouate at Rome Paris Lions c. The industrious * His Treatise of corruption of Scriptures Fathers Councels by the Pontificians M. Thomas James hath produced many of such corruptions and promiseth much more one of them for a tast which I also obserued long agoe and proposed to a learned man but receiued no satisfaction I will heere giue to the Reader it is a corruption of a saying of S. Gregorie Nissene which is this Illam solummodo naturam quae increata est colere ac venerari didicimus were haue learned onely to worship and adore that nature which is increate but the Spanish Expurgatorie Indices say the word onelie must bee put out of the text a good cause why the reader cannot but obserue the mysterie therefore I passe it with silence Doubtlesse these men who are so impudent to set foorth their owne late Authours otherwise then themselues wrote and are not ashamed to corrupt the texts of ancient Fathers workes it is no maruell that they do so shamefully in their ranslations peruert the sacred word abhorring nothing more then in those places of controuersies in which they dissent from the reformed Churches to haue their translations reformed according to the originalls of sacred Scripture in which the word of God was first written by the Authours thereof Many shifts p Bellarm. lib. 2. de â—erbo Dei Bellarmine Stapleton Harding others deuise to wash away this dastardly tergiuersation of theirs in refusing trial by the originals of Gods Scripture but the imputation is iust and vnremooueable and will help to bring their Babell to her confusion together with her Expurgatory Indices of late and ancient Authours Further the naughty spirits of many Pontificians as Bellarmine Stapleton c. haue seemed manifest to me in that they doe most egregiously to bring the reformed Churches in hate and contempt calumniate them to teach such doctrines as they vtterly detest and disclaime from As first they accuse them that they giue iustification to faith onely meaning ostentimes such a naked faith as they teach void of charity that is faith informed as they speake a mere calumniation For who knoweth not that the resormed Churches make iustifying faith that which inseparably p Galat. 5. worketh by charitie as the Apostle speaketh againe they are accused to exclude necessity of good works to saluation and all reward also of good workes at saluation meere imputations For as they continually inculcate and commend necessity of good works in their pulpits more effectually then in many of the Pontifician Churches whose Preachers are much busied with extolling the merits of Saints the worth of indulgences c. So likewise they publikehe professe that God will not bee vnmindfull of the least good worke done as it ought for his sake to reward the same They are generally calumniated amongst the good English Pontificians who meane well that thy make Gods he Authour and impeller of and to sinne a meere calumniation There are
indeede some doubtfull speeches in Caluines Institutions but if it would please them but to interpret fauourably his speeches in like for as they interpret the speeches of many later Dinines yea and sentences of the very scripture it selfe which in some places seemeth more directlie to make God the Author of sinne then euer Caluine did their calumniating spirit would bee satisfied and know that hee teacheth nothing else then what their own Christian Philosophers do teach therein of Gods immediate and positiue concurring to the entitie and nature of euery sinne and to the entitie and nature of euerie morall or naturall occasion of sinne and if hee should say that God as a vniuersall Cause doth not onely immediately concurre and intrinsecally coworke with morall second Causes in their morall euill actions as you all teach or must teach vnlesse you bee Heretikes but also that God as the Prime vniuersall and supreame independent Cause of all things doth in a kind of priority of nature also preuent and moue such morall second causes in their free morall actions beeing either of vice or of vertue tell mee is there none of your Pontifician Doctours Friars or Monks who teach the same if not farre worse who can be ignorant of this who hath vnderstood of the great * I my selfe when I was some yeere ago in Doway saw this doctrine that God doth moue with a priority of nature of causality and effectually all morall agents in all their actions printed in certaine Theses which were to be defended publikely vnder the moderation of one D. Estius who obstinately as I was there informed defended the same position controuersie betwixt the Ignatians at Doway and some other Professours of that Vniuersity the noise of which scandalous controuersie soundeth euen vp to Rome it selfe there to be determined c. The English Liturgy is most egregiously calumniated to be vaine irreligious a most slanderous imputation for the forme thereof is conformable to all antiquity is very religious and if some priuate disorderly persons sometimes minister not the Sacrament according to the forme there prescribed what of that But I haue often wondered why the speciall absurdities and abuses if there be so many in the Booke of English Common Praier as they pretend haue not been by any of the aduersaries in some special sort largely discouered and confuted considering how often and in how speciall sort the many turpitudes abuses cōtradictions fooleries of their Roman Masses haue been learnedly deciphered Commonly and daily is the Church of England calumniated for giuing vnto the Prince the Title of Supreame head or gouernor of the Church of England which yet is giuen in no other sense then to shew that very power and Supreame Iurisdiction which all Ancient Christian Emperours and Kings in the q 1. Paralipom 28. 2. Paralip cap. 17. 19. Reg. 4. cap. 18. 3. Reg. 2. old Testament and since haue euer more or lesse had in their Kingdomes to wit that for the publike setling establishing execution and administration of all manner of iustice whether in matters of Religion or other Temporall causes the Prince hath Supreame authority and that without his command or permission no man may so much as beare or wagge any rodde of any publike Iustice or gouernment But touching the ministration of Sacraments giuing of Orders giuing the power of the Keies and in or touching defining of faith it is a meere foppery to say the Prince challengeth any such matter in this Kingdome or that any such is giuen him But in al such respects he doth most religiously acknowledge himselfe to be one of the sacred sheepe of Christs sacred flocke vnder Christ his ministeriall Shepheards of the English Churche Remember I pray you how r Parsons his Catholike letter and answer to our Kings Apology Parsons admitteth that the Kings supreamacy as his most excellent and pious Maiesty most religiously and excellently explaneth the same in his Apology for the Oath of Allegeance is allowable and such as may be receiued The truth is you care not so much for what the Prince hath as for that the Pope is excluded from his gainful Supremacy ouer this Kingdom who was accustomed with his Annats Reseruations Vnions Comendaes Expectatiue graces Prouisions Presentations Nominatiōs and with infinite such like ſ 1 ad Tim. 6. nouelties of names and prophanations to corrupt all Church discipline and Religion of this Kingdome as the t Lincoln Epise apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. famous and holy Robert Bishop of Lincolne long agoe obiected to your holy Pope Innocent the 4. And heere to note by the way your vanities you thinke it to be eternall blemish to the Church of England for that King Henrie for loue of Queene Anne Bolleyne as you say and to be diuorced from Queene Katharine did exclude the Popes authority out of England meerely vpon fancy and passion But alas your deuise is vaine for it was first giuen vnto him by the learned Vniuersity of Oxford then Pontifician vpon this occasion which I desire you to marke There was earnest suite made by some certaine Pontificians to the Kings Maiesty to condemne Martin Luthers opinions as being the very same in many points with those of Iohn Wicleff who had beene long before often condemned in that famous Vniuersity of Oxford and by many of his former predecessors whereupon the King being desirous to see a copy of Wicleffs Articles one was brought vnto him the which hee seriously perusing found one of them to be thus to wit that the Bishop of Rome had no power nor iurisdiction by right ouer the Church of England Which when the King saw hauing at that time the weighty controuersie about his diuorce with the Bishop of Rome he seemed to like thereof but willing to doe nothing rashlie or against Faith u This standeth recorded in Oxford as M. Thomas James hath affirmed vnto me very lately hee presently dispatched the same Article to the Vniuersity of Oxford to haue it by the learned anew examined and their iudgements freely to bee giuen vpon it the which was accordingly done and the Article approued whereupon that Prince resolued by Consent and Authority of Parliament to exclude the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Church of England which vnder his most tyrannicall oppressions had a long time groned but by this meanes came to be deliuered from the Egyptian seruitude as the holy Bishop of Lincolne long agoe Prophesied it would And if King Henry the 8. vpon your supposed motiues did impugne the Papacy yet I pray you what greater disgrace is it to the Church of England that King Henry should exclude the Popes supremacy then it is to the Church of Rome that he should establish the Statute of sixe Articles for your Masse auricular confession c and what disgrace to your doctrine of adoration of Images because the vsurping and auaricious Empresse x Baron in
Anall Platin. in Adrian Irene caused the same by a Synod of Bishops to bee decreed in Nice And I pray you doe you thinke worse of your Iubilies because y Platina in Bonif 8. Walsing in Edward 1. Polychron lib. 7. cap. 40. Boniface the 8. who entred most ambiciously like a Foxe liued like a Lion and died like a Dogge brought them in beware of such mislikes it will not be for the profit of Romes purse Againe the Church of England is calumniated euery day by all the Ignatians as though she had no true orders or iurisdiction I dare affirme that in it there is as certaine and as assured a succession of orders spirituall iurisdiction as in the Church of Rome it selfe which hath so often tottered with so many schismes and hath bin pestered with so many Apostatical Popes as both Baronius and Genebrard deliuer I my selfe very lately searched for my own satisfaction the Records and I find clearly that Archbishop Parker was sufficiently truly and canonically ordered and consecrated by such Bishops as had receiued orders and consecration according to the Romane Church he swore not thou wilt perhaps obiect obedience to the Bishop of Rome a toy Where in all antiquity finde you the vse ofswearing subiection to the Bishop of Rome Romane Tyranny brought it in to the Church and Christian liberty hath exploded it It is indeede the soule of your Religion that subiection to the Bishop of Rome is a meane necessary to saluauation as necessary as Baptisme it selfe O prodigious Doctrin it is not enough say these men to saluation to be vnited with Christ and subiected to our immediate Pastors who are in vnion with the whole Catholike Church touching the Catholike faith vnlesse we be also vnited by immediate subiectiō vnto the Pope of Rome who may both be an Heretike and also contaminate the Church with his pernicious Lawes So that if a Pope Nerolike as Boniface the 8. would by pernicious Lawes draw you from Christ and like as a Heliogabalus as Iohn the 12. would draw you to all impurities and teach you to diuide the Church by opposing against the true Pope after his iust deposition by the whole Romane Clergy most Bishops of Italy assembled in a Synod or Ottomanlike as Paul the 5. will teach you against Christs institution not to yeelde temporall obedience to your lawfull Soueraigne if hee out of his throne take vpon him to dethrone him vnlesse forsooth you be subiect to such Vicars of Christ you cannot haue saluation in Christ O prodigious and vaine Doctrine of these times the holy Prophets O ye Britaine 's haue forewarned vs let vs beware of them What vile calumniation is that by which the reformed Churches of England are charged to deny the seeing of Gods face and glory vnto the Saints departed vntill the day of Iudgement What a slander that she respects no Holy daies of Christ or his Apostles I dare say that the memories of the Apostles are in many places of this Kingdome as religiously obserued as the Sundaies are with them but in the obseruation of the Sabbath our Lords day the Church of England doth so farre surpasse all Papistical Churches yea of Rome it selfe that it were a sinne to make any comparison therein betwixt them a Caluino Turcismo William Rainolds calumniateth Caluin that hee teacheth that Christ by his corporall death redeemed not mankinde A meere Calumnious imputation his doctrine is that Christ by his meere Corporal death had he not subiected himself to haue vndergone his fathers displeasure against mankinde and to haue clothed himselfe as it were with the deserts punishment and guilt of man he had not fully made that satisfactiō for mankind of which the Scripture so often speake of which doctrin who can be ignorant who is acquainted with holy writ Great is their spight against that man but notwithstanding all their malice against him he liued peaceably laboured faithfully and died Christianly leauing such a posterity of books behinde him which checketh the daily continual innouations of Rome Grieuous is the imputation to the English Church for condemning and contemning the ancient Fathers whereas the most it striueth for is to support that of b Tertull. lib. de prescriptio Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most Ancient euen in the Fathers is most true At first when counterfeit Martials Abdias Clements Markes Dionises were produced the Prelats of the reformed Churches were more afrighted then hurt and to such Fathers they might iustly giue the Anatheme because such fathers had impugned and contradicted that Gospell of Christ the which whosoeuer though an Angell from heauen shall doe we are warranted by the c ad Galat. 1. Apostle to giue him the Anatheme But in and for true Fathers the Church of England reuerently and constantly auoucheth that of d Vincent Lirin contra Heres cap. 4. Tertull. de praescript Vincentius Lirinensis to take place Quicquid non unus aut duo c. Whatsoeuer not one or two but al together with one and the same consent openly frequently and constantly shall bee knowne to haue held written and taught that she also without any doubt knoweth must by her bee beleeued and this most iustly the English Church admitteth it being as cleare as the verie no one daies that all Fathers of the Ancient Church neuer taught helde nor wrot any thing in this sort which is not clearely agreeing to Gods word which is the onely Rule of Christian faith But iustly to retort vpon them who knoweth not that for most of their Roman nouel positions the Aduersaries haue no Ancient Fathers and therefore to defend themselues being vrged they do not produce Fathers but stand to their imagined Traditions written no where in Antiquity but only reserued in the Romane Bishops and Churches brests as they pretende this is their City of refuge as for example When a world of Fathers concurring with sacred Scripture is produced to shew that the Virgin Mary whose name bee euer blessed amongst and aboue all women was conceiued in Originall sinne yea some of them with S. Anselme auouching that shee was borne in sinne which I can hardly beleeue doe they heere sticke to the Fathers nothing lesse their imagined traditions must take place Againe when whole centuries of Fathers and those assembled in Synods bee produced to affirme that Popes haue beene and may bee Heretikes will they heare admit of the Fathers nothing lesse all records must be coūterfeit their own best Authors deceiued rather then the Fathers authorities admitted against their Popes infallibilies When irrefragable authorities of most ancient Fathers are produced to shew that the holy Scriptures are the onely inerrable rule of Christian Catholike faith and the square by which the writings and faith of all men and all Churches must be examined and tried will they heere allow the Fathers No alas they flye the field and seeke after some maimed sentences
Whoâ—e and Babylon a Spouse and had for her husband Iesus Christ from whom she was to fornicate and to commit Adultery with her fauourites the Nations and Kings of the Earth to whom also she was to send cupps of fornication to wit of false Doctrines rites and impure superstitious and the same Kings to drinke thereof and to pledge her by louing embracing of her doctrines now as cleare as the Sunne it is that Rome Heathenish was neuer a spouse of Iesus Christ but Rome Christian was and therefore egregiously commended by the u Cap 1. ad Rom. holy Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans Besides to dispute probably the clothing of * Apoâ—alop 7. this Whore with Purple and Searlet in her Pope and Cardinals the writing of the name Mystery according to the like expresse Prophesie of S. Iohn in the Popes Diademe beset with many precious stones * Ibidem the Popes Diademe beset with many precious stones which I very crediblie heard when I was student in Rome not without a kinde of astonishment to haue beene once placed there and sette in that part of the Diademe which was for the Popes forehead but now it is remooued Her persecution against such as giue testimony to the name of Iesus that in it only without anyintermixioÌ„ of humane helpes saluation is to be had These things with many such like agreeing to sacred Scripture testifie that Rome is the Whore And heere I note by the way how incredible the cruelty of that City is against such as giue testimony to the holy name of Iesus For besides their most close couping vp of such as they persecute into their darke chambers in their inquisition their mercilesse separation of them from all friends whatsoeuer the most extreame penurious diet wherewith they afflict them the great iniuries that they offer vnto them in dispoiling them of all they haue whether it be gold siluer or precious stones by which they might releeue themselues the horrible torments and torturings the dreadfull threats of imminent death by certaine tragicall representations c. they are also sworne as I haue beene informed although I will not stand to iustify it at their entrance into the inquisitions neuer to discouer whatsoeuer shall bee done to themselues or whatsoeuer they may perceiue and see done to others in that place O cruell the Pontifician Priests in England doe thinke themselues extreamly dealt withall to be kept together in common Prison with free accesse to each other and with accesse also of friends vnto them except vpon some speciall restraint which as it neuer lasteth but for a time so it is neuer so great but that friends may come at least to the gates of such Prisons to bring them reliefe And in some Prisons about this City they are permitted with keepers or without keepers to passe vp and down the City freely to their friends yea and diuers of them of whom the State is not assecured for their loiallty by the taking of the Oath of Allegeance haue daily this liberty Iudge Christian Reader hereupon what measure the Pope and his measure to such as giue testimony to the dreadfull name of Iesus in respect of that clement course which is taken with such as hee sendeth into this Kingdome directly or indirectly to bring the same to his subiection and command God in his mercies may auert what he and his intend but giue me leaue to speake I see that of y Luc. 16. Christ verified The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light God forbid I should wish the blood of any to be shed yet God forbid but I shold pray for the preuenting of al seducers of soules and the moderate charitable restraining of them But to returne to my purpose that the Church of Rome may be this Whore and fal into false doctrines heare what y Hieron in epitaph Marcel S. Hierome writeth of her pronesse to corruption in his time Heretica c. An Hereticall tempest being risen in these Prouinces brought a ship full of blasphemies into the Romane Port. And feete bemired with dirt did mingle themselues into the pure fountaine of the Romane faith then holy Marcella after shee perceiued that the faith which was praised by the z ad Rom. 1. Apostolicall mouth was violated in many things so that Priests many Monks and especially men of the World were drawne in to assent thereof and the simplicity of the Bishop also was deluded she publikly resisted thus hee Consider Christian reader a woman must make resistance against a shippe of blasphemies and heresies infecting the Roman Church A woman must awake the simple Bishop or else euen then Rome had committed whordome from her spouse Alas there wanted a Marcella in the Church of Rome in the time of Iohn the 22. when that b Gerson in 4. parte serm de paschate Adrian in 4. sent de SacrameÌ„t Confirmat Bellar. lib 1. de Pont. cap. 14. Ioh. Villan bist lib. 10. lege compeudium errorum iohan 22 apud occbam Pope with his Court taught that the Saints departed see not God till the day of iudgemeÌ„t Yea he not only taught it in Rome but also sent his Preachers abroad amongst which Iohn Creature Generall of the Order of Minor-Friers came to Paris where hee preached the same Heresies and would haue continued had not feare of fire which was threatned by the King of France stopped him in his course In like sort was the Romane Church polluted and deluded with her Bishop as c Tertull. lib. ad ucrsus Paxeam Tertullian recordeth when she sent letters of communion to the hereticall Churches of Asia and Phrigia who professed and acknowledged the impious and hereticall doctrine of Montanus and his Prophetisses And as shee hath beene often corrupted in the fountaine so hath her corruption spread it selfe throughout the whole Church to fulfill the Apostasie and defection foretold by Christ and his Apostles And I would demand of these men who rest upon the * Successio sedis c. Succession in See is onely a matter of name succession of faith hath the thing it selfe and truth Greg. Narianzen in orat de laudibus Athanas visible succession onely of the Bishops in the Romane Church the like being to be found in other Churches which themselues condemne for hereticall First what they would haue done if they had beene with Aaron and the whole visible Church of the Iewes where in the desert in worshipping their Golden Calfe they d Exod. 32. pretended to keepe a feast to their Iehouah who had brought them out of Aegypt would they haue obeied Aaron and haue followed the multitude Againe when Elias complained and this after e Psalm 86. 88. 110. 132. see Iereâ—â— 33. greater promises had beene made by God to Hierusalem and their Church then any can bee shewed made to Rome or the Church there that hee f 3. Reg 19.
the p Isai 51. ad Corinth 1. cap. 10. Rock vnde exctsiestis from which you are cut and here after build onely vpon the q Ad Corin. 3. rock foundation Iesus Christ commending you all to his mercies and protection I take my leaue of you all this present Sunday being the 26. of Ianuary Anno Salutis 1612. Yours in Iesus Christ RICHARD SHELDON Priest TO THE CHRISTIAN AND CHARITABLE READER THE God of mercies in his most gracious prouidence concerning such as hee hath segregated to himselfe from all eternities doth often contrarie to their intended purposes and designes dispose and designe of them then working their conuersions to him when they least dreame thereof yea when they are purposely and obstinatelie striuing against it So hee dealt with Saul who brought vp at the a Acts 22 26. feet of Gamaliell profited so much in Iudaisme that by profession hee became a Pharisey and so zealous b Galat. 1. an Emulatour of his forefathers traditiens that at the mercifull appearance of the Saviour of mankind Iesus Christ hee was so repleat with Ignorant zeale and so c Acts 9. breathing out of threatnings against Christ that hee obteined letters of commission from the d Acts 12. Chiefe Priest in Hierusalem to goe into Samaria and to bring vp bound all those who should professe his name But prosecuting this designe because hee did it in c 1. Ad Timoth. 11. ignorance hee obtained mercie and therefore by the most gracious voice and shining light of him whom hee persecuted hee was most happilie prostrated to the ground in his way to Damascus and beeing led to Samaria the Place where hee intended most to oppose against Christ hee was there not onely conuerted by the ministerie of Ananias but hee was further so conforted and strengthned by the Spirit of God that of an instrument of wrath hee became a most Holy vessell of Election f Ibidem confounding the Iewes in their Synagogues the Iewes I say in their Synagogues who were erst the elect People of God g Ad Rom. 9. whose were the Promises and the Lawgiuing who iustlie gloried in that they were the h Ioh. 8. Children of Abraham to whom the i 2 Râ—g 3 Ierem. 33. Eternall Couenant with him and his posterity was made by God of whose temple God had promised to make k Psal 13â— his dwelling place for ener But these Jewes first so peculiarlie elected by God yea and euen then in some sort his true Church though afterwards wholly reiected and abandoned this most excellent witnesse of Christ did k Act 9. confound euery where throughout their Synagogues teaching that Iesus the Iust one whom they had denied and betraied was the Messias m Genes 22. promised to Abraham and his seede for euer Myselfe who a farre of can onely admire the vertues of this admirable witnesse doe most humblie intreat of God that I may in the lest modell imitate his zeale in the professing and testifying of Christs truth Hauing beene brought vp in Papisme and much profited therein I became so zealous an Imitatour and defender of all Romysh humane traditions and doctrines that I would most willinglie haue spent my bloud for the profession of the same earnestlie labouring by preaching exhorting writing early and late to draw all to a zealous profession of all doctrines of that Church for so much as meerlie concerned matter of Religion as diuers both may can and will witnesse which course I also prosecuted most zealouslie beeing grounded as I then thought vpon an inuincible Rocke to wit the Authority of the present Romane Church And although I call the heauens to witnesse euer since I entred into the studie of Diuinitie and serious perusing and discussing of diuers controuersies as to wit of the worshipping and adoration of Images of Indulgences of Purgatory of Merits and inuocations of Saints as necessarie to saluation of the Popes transcendent Supremacy of the imagined transubstantiation of the Canon of the Masse of the Publike seruicâ— in vnknown tongues and most speciallie of the maine principall and fundamentall controuersie of Iustification I oftentimes remained much vnsatisfied in my vnderstanding notwithstanding all I could read in Bellarmine Stapleton Sanders Vasques c. against all such doubts as eiâ—her out of Scriptures ancient Fathers or Councels were produced against the doctrines of these controuersies as they are now most stiflie maintained by the Romane Church yet in respect of the misconceiued dignitie and inerrabilitie of that See and her Bishops supposing that shee would decree nothing nor had decreed nothing as matter of faith but by generall consent of the whole Church I did so captiuate my vnderstanding in obedience to her and so firmelie receiue all that shee taught as faith that I would haue accounted my selfe most happie to haue suffered death for any point of her doctrine deliuered as a point of faith by her Thus walking in the way from Hierusalem into Samaria it pleased him who as I most confidently trust hath assumed mee to his mercies to knocke at my conscience and to prostrate my soule to a humiliation in her selfe to open my eies and eares to the hearkning of his voice bidding mee beware of the way in which I walked and looke whiâ—herunto the corruptions of that Church which I followed did lead mee the which hee vouchsafed so sweetlie to worke with his gracious illustrating and freeing of my vnderstanding that I could not much doubt at first but that it was n Psal 117. dextra Domini the right hand of the Lord which did touch my vnderstanding and as hee thus wrought in my vnderstanding so hee did also internally and immanentlie as me thought moue my will to a most sweet sincere and burning o 1. Iohn 4. Prou. 8. Iohn 14. loue of his Maiestie to a most resolute detestation of all my former sinnes greater or smaller euen to lament them p Isai 38. in amaritudine animae in bitternesse of soule purely for his loue onely moouing mee also to a longing desire to bee out of this wretched world and to bee q Ad Philip. 1. dissolued and to bee with him and withall so long as I should breath to beare a resolute resignation to auoid all occasions of sinnes whatsoeuer which also since my illustration hath so accompanied mee that looke as when I resolue to follow the truth offered so I increase in detestation of sinne looke as I haue temptations and suggestions moouing mee to wauer from the same either in respect of credite loue of my old acquaintance and of the world or of former meanes and maintenance so also I had inclinations to yeeld to other sinnes and a weakenesse also to withstand temptations as before It pleased also his infinite goodnesse at these times iointly to inspire and suggest vnto my soule that in his mercies and by his death and passion only I was redeemed and
Psal 1. meditating in Gods holy Scriptures and aboue all by conseruing his soule c Jacob. 1. 2. Pet. 3. Luk. 8 Matth. 3 impolluted from alliniquity of sinne and the contagion of al worldly desires and solicitudes by exercising d 2. Ad Corint 9 chearefully plentifullie all charitable offices to all such as are in affliction and necessity by keeping his bodie e 1. Ad Thess 4 a cleare vessell from all impurity and impudicity and his tongue from all scurrill f Ad Ephes 5 Ad Rom. 13 and vnseemely speeches seriously to endeauour to make g 2. Pet. 2 sure his vocation and to h 1. Pet. 2. stop the mouthes of such who in respect that some of the reformed Churches especially of the Clergy liue not conformably to their doctrine do blaspheme the sacred Truth of Christs immaculate Gospell I haue seene much into the liues of the Aduerse part the which although I find to bee more impure auaricious proud vncharitable then euer I could haue imagined yet that is not the cause why I left them but the impurities abominations and superstitious impertinencies of their doctrines worships laws and customes which my soule hateth assuring it selfe that if I should still continue in communion with them I could haue no part with Christ my Sauiour to whom for hauing most mercifully i 2. Ad Corint 5. reconciled mee to his Father in himselfe bee onely and alonely with his Father and the holie Ghost Honour and Glorie for euer Amen Yours in Christ Iesus R. S. The Contents of this booke of MOTIVES THe Preface shewing the first occasions inducements and maner of the Authors conuersion The diuision of the Motiues 1. Into Motiues out of the Pontificious Erroneous Doctrines 2. Out of their dangerous and wicked Lawes 3. Out of certaine obseruations touching the dangerous Spirits of sundrie Chiefe English Romanists Page 1. Motiues of Doctrine FIrst Motiue touching Doctrine is out of the Pontifician vnsound rule of Faith to wit the Popes sole Iudgement defining ex Cathedra out of the Chaire as Pastor of the Church Pag. 2. Second Motiue is out of another rule of their faith to wit Apocriphall Scriptures Pag. 27. Third Motiue is out of their most Idle rule of Faith traditions as they doe pretend them Pag. 31. Fourth Motiue is out of the vsurped transcendent power of Popes in Temporals and Spirituals Pag. 41. Fifth Motiue is out of the most Superstitious Romane Doctrine for the Adoration and worshipping of Images Pag. 69. Sixth Motiue is out of diuers obseruations touching sundry superstitious fooleries contradictions and impertinences of the Romane Masse Pag. 86. Seuenth Motiue is out of their most vaine and intollerable Doctrines and abuses touching Indulgences Pag. 119. Eight Motiue is out of their irreligious Doctrine against the vse of the publike Liturgies and Church seruices in knowen tongues pag. 128. Ninth Motiue briefly toucheth their most vnchristian Doctrine of Aequiuocation pag. 137. Tenth Motiue briefly taxeth their tyrannicall denying of Indifferent Reading of holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongues pag. 140. Concerning their wicked Customes and Lawes the Author toucheth onelie a few FIrst the wicked custome and Law by which their Popes strictly forbid that there be any publike commemoration in their Masses for the conuersion of any Infidels Heretikes or excommunicated persons c. or for the temporall prosperity and safety of Soueraignes being by them reputed Heretikes pag. 144. Second hypocriticall law and custome touching their fastings and daies of fasting pag. 148. Third most impure permissiue law for their houses of prostitution euen in Rome it selfe not without great gaine to the Popes Coffers pag. 151. Fourth most vnchristian law that in case of no extremity the venerable Sacrament may bee celebrated without their Massing vestiments altarstones c. and such like humane deuises and institutions pag. 152. Fifth most iniurious law by the which the Laity contrary to the Institution of Christ and practise of all antiquity is debarred of the cup in the most holy and dreadfull Sacrament pag. 153. Sixth vnchristian law is the necessary annexing of the vow of Chastity to all their greater holy orders by occasion of which law the vile impurities of the Romane Cougregation are growne innumerable and inexpressible pag. 154. Touching certaine obseruations out of the Pontifician Spirits FIrst the Author discouereth by diuers notable particulars the disloiall and vnnaturall Spirits of the Ignatian Cheefetaines of the English in the maner of their preaching and their propagation of the Romane Gospell in England pag. 1. alpha 2. Secondly he sheweth in diuers particulars how they doe most shamefully calumniate the Church of England for her Doctrines and her publike Liturgie pag. 13. alpha 2. Thirdly hee sheweth how generally all Pontificians denie consent of Ancient Fathers being produced against diuers points of their nouell Doctrines pag. 20. Fourthly he sheweth how the younger Ignatians doe imitate the vnnaturall and disloiall Spirits of the old pag. 24. In the Conclusion he sheweth more largely both out of Scriptures and Fathers that the Church of Rome notwithstanding her visibility and Conspicuity may Iustly and in respect of her corruptions necessarily ought to be forsaken pag. 32. THE NOVELL AND HERETICALL Rule of the Romane FAITH Diuision of the Motiues THE Sauiour of mankind who hath vouchsafed to illustrate the eyes of him who sate in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death to know his truth will also I hope vouchsafe so to confort him that hee may rather conuert some then confound any of those who call themselues true Iewes and Catholikes which they are not but are indeede only the Synagogues and Congregations of the Bishops of Rome who in a Dictatus Greg. 7. apud Baron anno 1175. As Bell. admitteth Papa properly signifieth a Father that begetteth children and therfore all begotten of him and to him are denominated of him Papists Gregorie the V 11. did first of all by decree assume vnto themselues excluding all other Priests and Bishops from that name Papa the name of Fathers of the whole Church to wit to be only called Papae from which name all their children by denomination are called Papists rather then from Christ Christians which Papae Fathers also somewhat before that time at that time and now also doe peremptorily challenge to bee the only Vniuersall Catholike and immediate Pastours and Fathers of all who do b Ad Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greek preposition signifieth properly as much as the Latine preposition pro for so taken Math. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Math. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in composition it signifieth properly for insteed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In some words of composition it signifieth also opposition as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is also in such a signification to be indifferētly vsed according to the naturall signification of the word inuocate the name of
Iesus be they Patriarks Primates Bishops Priests or who elsesouer so that they only and alonely must bee the immediate Vicars of Christ for Christ and in Christs steede and if it please you to vse the Greeke wordes in their owne sense they are sole Vicars * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vicars for Christ so that agreeingly to c Bellar. lib. de Rom. Pont. saepissimè Bellarmines doctrine and almost all of his Societie directly against the prerogatiue of Christ the Church is to be called d Ioh. 20. one fold and one visible flocke because it hath one Pastour and one Sheepe-heard the Pope and so accordingly he must forsooth only be the dore and dorekeeper of the Church only to let in and to shut out And would God they would also proue to be at least of the good shepheards to giue their liues for their sheepe would God they would at leasly vouchsafe e 1. Tim. 1. to preach to their flocke and not place all the gouerning of their flocke in idle decreeing faith and ambitious enacting of lawes such lawes as tend so greatly to Christs dishonour to the scandall of the whole world and setting vp of their owne Papacies and the augmenting of their temporall Dominions But alas these courses of them being the very shipwracke of good consciences are also euident signes of shipwracke in faith and where the f Psal 35. foote of pride hath moued them there the foot of infidelitie also hath followed by the working of wickednesse and the malignant enemie The motiues which haue moued me to leaue their communion so farre as they haue abandoned and left the puritie of the Roman Primitiue Church which was no sooner planted but it was sliding if you will beleeue g Onuphrius annotat in Platinam in vitam Petri. Of the Roman Church also is meant that which Genebr ad ann 898. out of Platin. Negligentia Episcoporum c. by then negligence of Bishops manyabuses crept into the church Which in respect of the warres could not bee repressed Thus they Onuphrius I wil diuide into three principall heads The first shall containe Motiues out of their pernicious and hereticall doctrines The second Motiues out of their most dangerous and wicked lawes The third Motiues out of the obseruations which I haue made of the Spirits of the English Chieftaines of the Roman profession I thought to haue had adioyned fourthly some generall obseruations touching the corrupt liues especially of some principall ones of their Clergie wherein I could produce many particulars and such as could not be gainsaid but h Eccles 3. omnia tempus habent if occasion require and they desire it they shall well vnderstand that they haue little cause to bragge of the innocencie and integrity of many of their English Apostles and Martyrs Motiues touching doctrine The first Motiue FIrst I suppose for truth as cleare as any demonstration that what Church soeuer doth perniciously erre in the rule of Faith must or may perniciously erre in all conclusions and propositions of faith deducted out of that erroneous Rule Now that the Roman Church doth perniciously erre in the very rule of faith I make it thus manifest The rule of faith with the perfect Romanes is the Popes sole iudgement when he defineth ex Cathedra that is to expound their phrase in their What the Romanes meane by their Popes defining Ex Cathedra owne sense vvhen he so defineth that he intendeth thereby to teach the vvhole Christian Church for some of them not vvholly Romanes vvill not obstinately and in expresse termes say that he cannot erre vvhen he defineth and pronounceth for a particular Church to beleeue and practise as he decreeth and defineth and that this is the only inerrable rule of faith vvith the Romanes and that in the Pope alone resideth infallibilitie of defining and that all other meanes as consent of Fathers without him either in Counsell or out of Counsell may bee subiect to errours deceiue and be deceiued it is the most expresse sentence and doctrine of a 2. 2. q. 11. art 2. ad 3. refer caus 24. q. 1. cap. Quotiescunque Aquinas b Bellar. lib. 2. de Christo c. 28. lib. de Conciâ—â—s saepe Bellarmine c Valentia in his Analysis of faith where he hath this conclusion lib. 8. c. 1. 2. 3. Quo tiescunque c. As often as the Pope in desining questions of faith vseth that authoritie wherewith hee is indued that doctrine must by diuine precepts be receiued of al christians as a sentence of faith and wee must beleeue that so often he vseth that authority as often as in controuersies of faith either by himselfe or with his Councell of Bishops hee shall so determine one part of the question that he will binde the whole Church to receiue the same Valenti d Coq in his Treatise against our Kinges Premon very often Coquaeus e Endaemon in his Parralell Endaemon f Par. in his Philopater Parsons g Baldwin lun lib. de Rom. Pont. cap. 9. prop. 1. 2. ex Bellarm. operibus in sua solida si dei demonstr Baldwinus Iunius h Siluester in summ verbo Fides Coquae pag. 27. The purpured Fathers are Senatours and Counselers of the Pope and with them he iudgeth the whole world Thus he Siluester all Canonists very few excepted two only to wit Panormit Zabarel vvhich I now remember of all of the Societie of Ignatius of Baronius most often in his Annals and in his Parenisis to the Venetians and in his Voto to Paul the fifth of Suares Vasques Azor Coccius in his voluminous aggregat most often Sanders Allen Genebrard Gretser Becan Carerius the two Bozius Mancinus Boter vvith infinite others all whom it is both impossible and needlesse to relate Let the decrees of Leo 10. in the Councell of Laterane Boniface the 8. Vnam Sanctam and the two decretall Epistles of Sixtus the 5. and d Clement the 8. set before the late vulgar editions of those two Popes pretended by some to be the whole by others only the amended translation of S. Hierome for yet they are not agreed stand for all now vvhat Pontifician can vvithout note of impietie or infidelitie call in question this their doctrinall and dogmaticall position vvhich is so clearly and resolutely maintained by them practised and defined by their Popes yea and by Leo the tenth in his Laterane Councel and Eugenius in his And although some moderate Romanists to smoothe this vneuen rule vvill seeme to say that the Pope ought to take aduise of his Brethren the Cardinals or of Bishops his deputies when hee vvill define notwithstanding such politike excusers of their shame and all other defenders of this their position doe and must maintaine that the infallibilitie of any definition is from the Pope alone Here-hence it is that all English Ignatians and most English Priests at this present in England and else
where are such violent enemies against the Oath of allegeance and esteeme all such as take or allow of it as Heretikes as lapsed from the Catholike Romane faith because say they the Pope in his Briefes hath defined and decreed that there are diuers points in it against the Catholike faith Romane he should say and yet I suppose as very cleare that none of the English Secular Priests did expresly know against what speciall points of faith the Oath was till now of late a certaine i A Briefe declaration c. together with a recapitulation c. by H. I. Ignatian recapitulater vnder a double title promising a double book but bringing forth only a short pamphlet and that a namelesse one and therefore a Libell hath shewed in his namelesse defence of the Romane faith that Pope Paul the 5. in his Breues hath k Pag. 32. Ibidem pag. 56. defined the same Oath to bee hereticall and vnlawfull because it denyeth the Popes power to depose Princes and dispose of Kingdomes an article of faith with him in his libell although not naming himselfe I may iustly say l Rom 1. My eares haue heard many Ignatian Priests constantly affirme that Paul the 5. had defined in his late Breues that the oath could not be taken and that his Briefe was a definitioÌ„ of faith so R. B. G. B. I. F. R. L. M. W. T. T T. F. I. K. with diuers others of that profession erubescit cuangelium he is ashamed of his Ghospell But no meruaile that the Ignatians are so well acquainted with the mysteries of the Popes faith for since their Father Ignatius his beatifying vvho had so many m Apud Ribadin in vita Ignat. idle reuelations I doubt not but that they haue receiued newe illustrations from that Code and Deske of all law faith and right the Popes brest which the ancient Church neuer knew But when n The Recapitulater in the Title of his vnlearned and seditious pamphet and for his traiterous doctrine see him page 43. Promised Leonard Lessius commeth forth with his demonstrations for he would seeme to demonstrate in all his bookes as this pamphletter of Louaine not H. I. but P. W. hath couertly promised doubtlesse he will reueale the hidden mysterie which was not knowne in the Primitiue Church though then darkly working but was to be o 2. Thess 2. reuealed in these times with which the world is likely to end But to returne to what I haue to proue It being manifest that Popes and the Romane particular Church with all those of the societie of Ignatius not excepting any one doe dogmatically maintaine that the Pope defining ex Cathedra is the infallible vncontrollable vnappellable and onely necessarie Iudge in all controuersies of faith it should be lost labour in me to stand to proue that this their position is beleeued by them as a point and article of their faith nay I should say as a principle and very maxime of their faith For can any the simplest idiote doubt but that the infallible rule of faith which declareth faith squareth faith must be beleeued as faith and by faith But by this their nouell article of faith by ineuitable consequence it followeth that they differ in the most fundamentall point of beleefe from all such Fathers Councels and Doctors as did maintaine or as yet doe that the most infallible rule of faith is the doctrine of the Scriptures especially when it is publikely declared out of the same Scriptures by the authoritie of free Generall Councels and the publike voice of the vniuersall Christian Church the which rule of faith as I am most assured all p Conc. Hierosol Act. 15. Greg. in ep 1. ad Corinâ—h apud pateriuÌ„ Vinc Lirin contra hereses cap. 4. S. Austen most clearely contra Donat. lib. 2. contra epist funda tract vltimo in Ioh. contra Crescon alibi sepissime Cyprian lib. de vnitate Ecclesiae in epist ad Pomp. Patres conc chal cedo Sinod 6. 7. 8. conc Constan Basil ConstaÌ„tinus apud Euseb in eius vita Con. Constantinopol in epist ad epâ—sc Rom. congregatos â—arissime apud Zozom l. 5. c. 9. l At this preâ—ent now in â—aris it is required of the Ignatians amongst other articles to wit that the Pope cannot depose Princes c. to subscribe also to the superiority of the general Councel â—boue the Pope ancient Fathers did teach and beleeue so it cannot be doubted but that many learned both in Germanie England and q France doe still professe and maintaine to all whom as to the ancient Fathers and Councels the later Popes with their Pontificians who obstinately maintaine and beleeue this nouell rule of faith must in truth be reputed heretikes yea obstinate heretikes because pertinaciously erring in the very fundamentall rule of all faith And if any learned Priest retort against me and say that as I heere confesse all Papists concurre not to maintaine this pontifician rule of faith and that many Sorbonist Doctors teach it not neither do beleeue it This is true indeed but let him take this inference with him that notwithstanding all their bragges for the certainty of their faith they are yet most vncertaine as being not as yet agreed vpon the rule of faith yea they are so opposite that one side beleeueth as the Pope with his what the other disbeleeueth and condemneth as erroneous yea and this in Councels as in those r Conc. Constan Basil opposite to the Lateran vnder Leo the 10. and the Florent vnder Eugenius the 4. deposed by the Fathers at Basil of Laterane Florence Constance Basill Frankeford Colen c. which being so that themselues are not agreed vpon the rule of faith why will they not giue leaue and allow to true Christians the word of God as it is expounded clearely constantly and vniuersally by the ancient Fathers to be the inerrable rule of faith as his most excellent Maiestie in his learned premonition to Christian Princes iustly requireth and exacteth according to ancient and learned Å¿ Vincent contra heres cap. 4. Vincentius his rule It followeth that I demonstrate this rule of faith deuised by the Popes and Pontificians to support the Romane soueraignties to be meere noueltie and so to prescribe against it by antiquitie This I must now doe contractly not doubting but that I shall haue occasion more to enlarge my authorities and reasons when these my motiues shall be impugned as doubtlesse they will be vnlesse it seeme good to the wise men of Saint Omers as their owne libel termes them to answere them by some libelling ballade as they of late haue thought meete to answere t An answere made vpon Sheldons booke to a priuate friend beginning laugh laugh c. which libell hath ofteÌ„ moued the persons against whom it is to very much laughing at the Ignatians follies and wisdomes with a libell a certaine Priests booke for the oath of allegeance for Quicquid
illis libitum licitum Whatsoeuer liketh them is lawull with them if it be to hoyse vp the Popes soueraigntie First this rule is against the practise of all the u Hierosolimit sub Iacobo â—cen Constantin Eph. Calced Sinod 5. 6. 7. 8. saepe Ancient and Primitiue Church which euer in occasion of controuersies recurred to the doctrine of the Scriptures declared by the generall voice and testimonie of the whole Church by her Bishops Priests and other learned men pronouncing defining out of Gods holy word which was alwaies laid before them being assembled in the general Councels so the eight first generall which the Popes themselues with oath professe to receiue although few of them keepe their oath yea the Apostles themselues who all had infallibility by vertue of their Apostleship of not erring in matters of faith to giue an example to succeeding ages would by common consent and authoritie of the Christian Church not otherwise by Peters sole authority decree and define out of the word of God for out of it x Act. 15 Peter himselfe bringeth allegations for his doctrine touching the controuersie then risen at Antioch about the obseruation of the legall lawes and ceremonies of the old Testament which their example was euer followed as necessary till of latter times when Popes haue presumed to define by themselues alone hauing before made some small Consistorian consultation with which this their prodigious position is in some sort by some y Some of the Ignatians doe idly bring the heresies of Pelagius and the Priscillianists to haue beene onely condemned by the Popes of Rome but this against all histories which mention the condemning of the same heresies by sundrie Councels throughout the whole Church Baron in his Annals Genebrard in Chrono few of themselues colored For scarce any hold it absolutely necessarie And here I aske the aduersarie whether that Axiome receiued by al reiected by none God and Nature doe nothing in vaine and that other In vaine are many things required to doe that which as well or better may be done by fewer may not take place in this question touching the infallible power of defining and decreeing I thinke none so impudent an idiote as to denie it Againe I demaund whether those most reuerend Fathers of the first foure generall Councels which Saint Gregorie equalleth with the Gospell although the manner of his speech be not herein to be imitated and of other later Councels did know these principles and Axiomes and did withall beleeue this Romane rule of faith to wit That the Pope alone had infallible authoritie to define and declare faith and that Christ prayed onely and was heard onely for Peter and his successors that they might neuer erre in faith as the z Rhemist annota in Luc. 22. Rhemists do most heretically teach if they did so why did they not send al their doubts which did so shake the whole Christian world with such horrible commotions and contentions to the Popes of those times Siluester Damasus Lco c. and receiue from themas from Iudges of faith the Oracles of Gods mouths so termed by a Coquae contra Premonit Reg. Coquaeus and Lessius his equiuocating b Recapitulater pa. 13. 32. 56. recapitulater and as the vnappellable determinations of all their doubts In so doing infinite charges many contentions would haue bene auoided and as for scandall none could haue followed because both all those Fathers and the whole Christian Church with them if it please you to beleeue the Pontificians who would so perswade vs did then beleeue and teach that the Popes were the infallible Oracles of God the onely inerrable Iudges in controuersies of Faith and al-though ancient Priests and Bishops perhaps reputed themselues his Senators and Counsellers yet they thought also that they could adde nothing to his infallibilitie But alas good Constantine Theodosius Martian and other Emperors knew not this faith who were at such great charges to summon and assemble those ancient and thrice reuerend Councels Nay Pope Leo himselfe who taketh inough to the Sea of Rome and ioyneth c Epist 89. Peter into the societie of the indiuiduall vnitie to wit of the blessed Trinitie held generall Councels necessary for determining of faith and setling of the peace of the Chtistian Church Read c Leo. epist 24. 23. 26. him Christian Reader in diuers of of his Epistles written to the Emperour Empresse and Cleargie of Constantinople and as thou shalt sinde so iudge Secondly thus I argue Three e Sinod 6. Act. 12. 13. 16. 17. 18 Sinod 7. Act. 7. Sinod 8. Act. 7. generall Councels with diuers Popes as Agatho f Leo. 2. in epist ad Constant Leo g Adrian in Sinad Romae congregata and Theod. Patriar with his councell at Hieru-salem Adrian did condemne yea the Councels accursed and execrated Honorius Pope for a dogmaticall and hereticall Epistle by which he laboured to infect the two Patriarkes of Constantinople and Alexandria with the heresie of Monothelites Can any one then be so frontlesse as to thinke that those Fathers and Popes did beleeue that the Bishoppes of Rome might not bee as they were Bishoppes of that See heretikes or teach hereticall doctrines in their decretall Epistles And the holy Ghost to be so infallibly chained to them that they could not endeuour to infect the whole Church who rather will not thus argue and thus inferre Three generall Councels the which with the fiue other ancienter all Popes at their entrances into the Papacie doe or ought to sweare inuiolably to keepe according to their owne Canons with diuers Popes all antiquitie all later best Pontifician Hâ—storians till h Pigh lib. 4. cap. 8. Hier. Pighius led Bellarmine and Baronius the way to call the matter in queston for which i Canus lib. 6. Canus and k Bannes in 2.2 Bannes scornefully reproue him did accurse or condemne Honorius for a Monothelite heretike Ergo Paule the fifth who is not fuller of Gods Spirit then his predecessor Honorius was in his late l Breue Paul 5. interpreted by the Recapitu later pag. 32. breefe ex Cathedra out of the chaire defining himselfe to haue power to depose Princes and to dispose of Kingdomes may erre and be an heretike as without all doubt he is because contrary to Christs m Matth. 22. institution he assumeth power to forbid Caesars due to be giuen vnto him For what is more due to a Caesar then fidelity and allegeance of subiects but the doctrine of Christ forsooth is expounded and the heresie cleared for he forbiddeth not obedience to Caesars so long as they are Caesars but because he can vncaesar them and vnking them therefore no longer Caesars no longer kings no longer obedience So answered * C. 8. 22. Bellarmine against Doctor Barkly so blundering Coquaeus against his Maiesties Apologie Thirdly was there euer any ancient true Christian Catholike who
affirmed not that the * See Austen epist 112. epist 1. 9. de Vnit. Eccles ca. 16. clarissime sacred word of God contained in the old and new Testament was an infallible and fundamentall rule of faith but concerning this rule of faith two of the Romane rules of faith to wit Sixtus the fifth and Clement the eight haue beene egregiously ouerruled with the spirit of error and heresie for they haue by their n Epist decret Sixti 5. Clement 8 ante editiones suas two decretall and definitiue Epistles defined two opposite contrary and contradictorious editions by themselues and their deputies being discussed and rediscussed to be the very sayings letter and sentences of the holy Ghost charging and decreeing the same to all Christians vnder the curse of separation from the Church and Gods beauiest displeasure So that Sixtus hath accursed Clement and all approuers of his Bible Clement Sixtus and all the followers and defenders of his edition and although it hath pleased the Authors of the o Praefatio in Biblia Clementis 8. ibidem Preface to Clements edition to auouch in a few lines many thousands of vntruthes and that against their owne knowledge and consciences to wit that Clement did onely amend certaine scapes of the print in Sixtus his edition the which Sixtus himselfe intended to haue corrected as there most lyingly they affirme when as it is as cleare as the Sunne that their two editions haue in them innumerable substantiall differences of whole lines and sentences The which being so can any man but of ordinary iudgement beleeue in good earnest that Romane Bishops with their Cardinals defining ex Cathedra cannot erre For what can be an errour or heresie ex Cathedra if to define hereticall editions of the Bible commaunding the whole Church vnder paine of greatest curse to receiue them be not errour and heresie ex Cathedra This matter tormenteth the aduersarie greatly and by diuers it is diuersly repulsed Some there were in Clements time who excused Clement with the Romane Church which hath receiued his edition but condemned Sixtus The dead indeed bite not and it most concerned the liuing Romanes that their liuing rule erred not This opinion was most strong in Clement his time when I was in Rome and it was greatly fauoured by the Ignatians Others forsooth consider how wilfully they are wedded to the Popes infallibilitie eyther impudently or most ignorantly denie that Sixtus euer made any such decretall Epistle A manifest vntruth to be confuted by a world of witnesses Others grant the Epistle but say it was neuer published This is so manifolde an vntruth as there were editions of Sixtus Quintus Bible before Clements edition all which had his decretal Epistle before them I my selfe haue seene and read of them in Rome but leauing those who make p Isai 28. spem suam mendacium a lie their hope others as Doctor B. and P. W. c. doe affirme that Sixtus indeede did write and publish such an Epistle but he did it as a priuate q This is their câ—mon refuge that wheÌ„ Popes in their decre tall Epistles or their prouinciall Synodes as Celestine Stephen the sixth Honorius Greg. the second decreâ— any hereticall doctrins they doe it all as priuate persons not as Popes althogh it be most euident that they intend to command all and to teach all to doe according to their decrees which by them are concluded in their Synodes person not as Pope and so he might erre O immortall God haue these men eyes and yet see not or will not see are not Sixtus his wordes most expresse that he defineth he decreeth and that out of the fulnesse of his Apostolicall power and doth he not annexe the sentences of excommunication and Gods heauiest displeasure against all such as should refuse or reiect his edition Iesus Christ vouchsafe to open the eies of the misled that they may see the ambitious and erroneous proceedings of those Bishops and renounce their communion and returne to the rocke of thy sacred word which is so by them in part neglected or rather wholly abandoned But I may not thus leaue Clement and Sixtus for I must needs tell their followers that against their owne knowledge and therefore more inexcusably they haue decreed that to be the very sentence of the holy Ghost which without al doubt they could not but more then probably wittingly thinke to be otherwise I will at this present to discouer the ignominie of their fallible Spirits insist only vpon two or three examples and dare herein challenge as in many like all the Pontificians sworne to the Popes infallibilitie to cleare the heads of their Church from most manifest and wilfull errour herein Their first corruption is in Genesis where r In vulgat editio lussu Clem. 8. Genes 3. they reade ipsa conteret caput tuum she shall bruise thy head putting the feminine article for the masculine appropriating that to the Virgin Mary who most worthily is Å¿ Luc. 1. blessed and to bee blessed amongst all women which the holy Ghost prophetically intended precisely of him who was to cast Satan t Ioh. 12. out of his Kingdome and by whose only name and power both his Mother and we doe daily u Rom. 16. treade Satan vnder our feete They publish St. Hieromes either whole or amended translation for they agree not yet whether but the Vulgar x Rhemist Pref. vpon the Testament they confidently call it and because some few manuscripts and readings had the feminine ipsa shee although some of them had otherwise as the y Theolog. Louani in notat Fransc luc Louanists confesse and a Hieron tradit Hebrai in Genes cap. 3. St Hierome also accounteth the other the better reading and doth also so expound it and diuers also of their owne learned b Canus de locis lib. 2. alij Authours suspect that the letter a which maketh of the masculine a feminine crept in by the negligence of the manuscribers yet these Papall correctors contrary to all the Hebrew originals and Chaldaick Paraphrases contrary to all translations of the Septuaginta contrary to the best learned of the Roman Church will needs reade c Genes 3. ipsa shee for the Virgin not ipse he for Christ thereby giuing vs to thinke that they had rather vnderstand this prophecie that the Virgin Mary rather then Christ should bruise the Serpents head out of which doctrine goodly inferences may bee inferred against them I doe in good earnest aske of these Interpreters wherein Satans power ouer mankinde did consist if they answere in sinne as they needes must then according to their owne reading not a hee but a shee bruised the Serpents head and deliuered mankinde from the guilt of sinne Alas into what errours would these ouer-ruling Popes leade vs All the faith of the ancient Churches in the Hebrew Originals Chaldaick Paraphrases and Greeke
editions of the Septuaginta reading otherwise then these Popes do must be corrupt all the ancient Fathers Greeke and Latine two or three only excepted misexpound and misinterpret rather then e Sixtus and ClemeÌ„t in their editions Sixtus and Clement who haue some 1000. of other irreconciliable â—arres although they agree in this must be thought to haue done amisse And I demaund of the Romanists * Genes 3. why might not the Manuscribers in some of the copies change e into a and thereby make shee of hee as well as some late Romanists either wilfully or through the fault of Manuscribers haue changed in f Li. 4. Epist 38. S. Gregorie exercitus Sacerdotum an armie of Priests into exitus Sacerdotum the destructions or ends of Priests a manifest corruption it is and I hope Saint Boromeus would not with his coadiutours wilfully doe it because it most clearly sheweth that an armie of Priests was to serue and set vp the King of Pride some Bishop a great step indeede to shew that Bishop who now is serued with the whole armie of all the Priests of the Romane Church and who calleth himselfe the only vniuersall Bishop which is the ambitious and Antichristian title of the King of Pride against whom that Father inueigheth to be the very King of Pride prophetically delineated by that ancient Father and Pope Reade the Epistle courteous reader and passe thy iudgement as thou shalt see cause The second place of their corruption is in the g 2. Mach. 12. Machabees where to establish the Chymera of their Purgatorie fire both in their h Biblia Missalia edita Iussa Clement 8. Bibles and Missals they reade pro peccatis mortuorum for sinnes of the dead whereas they should reade thus only pro peccato for sinne and yet this in their owne knowledge is against i Edition Grec Venet. German Complut all the Editions in the Greeke yea and against an ancient Latin Vatican edition set out by Sixtus and also against some other ancient Latine Manuscripts and yet forsooth for Purgatory sake al those readings must be corrupt and Iudas Machabeus with the whole true Church of God with him be made so ignorant and superstitious as to make sinne-offerings for the dead whereas they full well knew that there was no such sacrifice appointed by God neither in the law of Nature nor in the law of Moses not no ceremonies nor rites ordained for the same neither doe the Iewes at this day practise or beleeue any such sinne sacrifice for the dead This their corruption in the wordes of sacred Scripture is by addition but by the patience of the courteous reader I will in this place somewhat fit for the purpose mention one of their corruptions by the figure of Subtraction In their k Breuiar edit Iussu Clement 8. last Editions of their Breuiâ—ries they haue pared out of the Praier of the Feast of St. Peters chaire at Antioch at Antioch I say for the feast of Peters chaire at Rome is a deuise of later Popes deuised by Paul the 4. as l Angelus Rocca Schol. in SacrameÌ„t Greg. prim Rocca affirmeth the word animas Soules least the same word should according to the faith of the ancient Church restraine the Popes omnipotency so called in late Neapolitane Theses to the spirituall bands and chaines of the soule only but that word and doctrine cannot agree with the Spirits of those men who challenge power to command and dispose of Kings and Kingdomes m Bellarm. against a certaine Venet. Doct. Bellarmine busily endeuoureth to defend this change the worke of his owne fingers But n Rocca annot in Sacrament Greg. 1. Rocca will tell him that the most principall and ancientest Manuscript in the Vatican had the word animas Soules and I must tell him that all the best readings haue it so and with iust cause I aske him why they haue not rather substracted the fabulous tale of Siluester consecrating Altar stones and the fabulous Legende of S. Catherine the Martyrs dispuâ—ing with 50. Philosophers and conuerting of the Empresse His brother o Baron in annot in Martyr Baronius turnes and windes himselfe not knowing how to defend the Historie p Brouiar reformata edita Iussu Pij Quint. some of their Breuiaries haue this Title ouer the Legend of Catherine Ex historia Ecclesiastica out of the Ecclesiasticall historie others haue Ex Eusebio lib. 7. cap. 26. out of Eusebius the 7. Booke and 26. Chapter and yet I suppose hee that shall finde this fable in any authenticall historie or in Eusebius himselfe shall bee a greater Historian then Baronius himselfe Fourthly against the infallibility of this their rule thus I argue That which maketh the Pope and all his followers therein heretikes cannot be the rule of Christian faith But the Popes proper and peculiar iudgement doth this Therefore The first Proposition I suppose the second or the assumption thus I proue Proper and peculiar choise and election to define in matter of faith in whomsoeuer it be is forbidden and q Ad Titum 3. 2. Pet. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haeresis heresie and apparent it is that choise and election to define and beleeue is alwaies taken for heresie when it is singular and alone in any one person vnlesse it be grounded vpon some speciall and immediate reuelation now that it is single Obis vera niex nostro arbitrio licet inducere sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit It is not lawfull for vs in matter of faith to bring in any thing out of our own choise neither to choose any thing which another by his choise shall bring in Tertul. lib. de Praeser and alone in the Pope I suppose it as the very proper and speciall position of the Aduersarie maintained by all Pontificians but impugned by all true Catholikes That the Pope ordinarily hath no new immediate reuelations from God I suppose as truth till any one shall be so impudent as to affirme the contrary The Pope then being an heretike because the rule of his faith to wit priuate choise and election in matters of faith is heresie r Ad Tit. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Heresies are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 electiones choises which taketh place in Popes also What meruaile if the Ignatians giue infallibility of not erring in faith to the Pope when they chalâ—enge the same to euery one of their owne Order as learned Caussabon proueth in his booke to Frontoduc pag 52. citing out of the Apologist for the Ignatians these wordes It night and day may be ioyned together in one and darknesse with light heat with cold health with sicknesse life with death then there may be some hope that heresie can fall into the head of a Iesuit thus he According to this if Clement with the two or three hundred Ignatians assembled in Rome had ioyned in Councell there
Images with rich attire imbrodered garments and robes vpon their massie bodies crownes of gold vpon their stony heads rings vpon their marble or wodden singers bracelets of Amber or Pearle vpon their wristes rich Iewels of Pearle and precious stones hanging about their neckes downe euen to their shining and lasciâ—iouslike breasts drawen by the painters rather to giue occasion of impudike thoughts then religious cogitations Of this their prophane and heathenish custome in their most religious places can they precisely shew me a beginning no I warrant you belike therefore it is an Apostolicall tradition so to affirme I could account it no lesse then blasphemie At least if it will please the Ladies amongst the Pontificians to heare with patience it is no tradition Apostolicall that their sacred Images are often trimmed with the rayments of strompets a thing very frequent in other countries like as in England where very often their Priests * This is a custome so frequent and so common in England that no Priest who hath either shame or honestie can denie it Massing vestiments are framed of the petticotes kirtles or gownes of such persons whereof some are not of the best fame so loathsome a thing that doubtlesse if their images which they adore had sense they would exclaime against the abuse thereof and cry fie These Romane customes so vniuersally obserued doth any man once imagine to be Apostolicall Reade two of Saint p Grèg Epist ad Secundin Epist ad Seren. Gregories epistles read q Epipha Epist ad Johan Hiero. Epiphanius read Thrasius the Patriarks discourse in the seuenth synode at Nice Saint r Augu. in Psal 113. de fid Symbol Austen vpon the Psalms and you will vnderstand what manner of Tradition the vse of God the fathers image and the adoration of images is But here of more anone Againe touching their vniuersall and generall custome of receiuing of the Sacrament vnder one kind as so onely necessary so onely sufficient so onely commaunded for a mans whole life can they shew me an expresse beginning thereof no God wot what must it be therefore a tradition Apostolicall I will not deny but that perhaps some ancient particular Churches might sometimes practise in one kind and yet most of their examples which they bring for that purpose are either of counterfeit bookes or else little to the purpose but I denye and challenge the Aduersary to prooue the contrary that euer any Ancient Apostolicall Church held it sufficient as onely necessary onely commanded to receiue the Sacrament in one kind for a mans whole life They bring some places of Å¿ Luc. 24. Act. 2. 20. Scripture for this purpose But first if the places proue their vse then it is not onely a tradition but a written truth Againe it is as manifest as the sunne that those places they bring doe proue as well against them that their Masse may bee vsed in one kind the Sacrament consecrated in one kind which they detest as the greatest impiety and sacriledge making the sacrifice to consist most intrinsecally and essentially in both kindes that no Pope can dispense against it Again t Rhemist in ca. 1. act Baron annalib anno 48. Christ num 17. Zuares Isingr Catherinus aâ—â—â— their beleefe touching the assumption of the blessed Virgin Maries body at whose due honours I greatly reioyce and beseech Iesus her sonne and Sauiour euer to indue me with a reuerent respect of her greatnesse and her blessings aboue all Women is it not generally receiued and the feast thereof vniuersally practised throughout the Romane Church And is there any one who can shew the time when this beleefe began no God wot What must it bee therefore a Tradition Apostolicall nothing lesse u Baron anno Christ 48. num 9 12. 13. Baronius his Doctrine will ouerthrow that Tradition The x Annotations vpon the first of the Acts verse 14. Rhemists in their annotations vppon the Acts of the Apostles endeuor to proue it out of a counterfeit book of Dionise of Areopage Saint Pauls scholler and they are not there with content vnlesse they may abuse egregiously the same booke also by their manifest and wilfull corruption for they dare assirme that St. Dionyse in that y Dionis lib. de Diuin nomin the Rhemists cite it Epist ad Timoth. booke reporteth that he himselfe heard the melodious singing of Angels at the Virgins monument which lasted for three daies together a thing no where to bee found in that book Again they affirm that Dionyse of Areopage was present at the Virgins departure which hapned as themselues z Their Table of S. Paul and Baro. affirmeth anno Christ 52. deliuer the 48. of Christ And yet withal they auouch that S. Paul came not to Athens til the 52. of Christ where and when S. Dionyse was with Damaris a Acts 17. conuerted so that by their contradictorious account Saint Dionyse was conuerted and made a Christian and presently also at the blessed Virgins death before his conuersion Thus the Rhemish lights of the English Pontificians are caught in their folly when of late I obiected this wilfull corruption and mayne contradiction of the Rhemists to a certain graund b I. C. cheefetaine in this place where I now am I had onely a kind of â—ush for an answere with this graue epiphoneme it is an ill bird that beraieth his owne neast might not I more iustly inueigh against such seducers of youth who by such deprauations seduce their young Fâ—ye and beray their young birds in the neasts of their seminaries where they must take all vpon trust euen as their masters shall please to dictate vnto them and be you most assured they shall heare nothing that shall iarre from the Popes behests and Romane Churches practise whose Souldiers they are trained to fight his battell or holy quarrel as * Sanders in his Letters to an Irish Gentleman Saunders calleth it Againe concerning the vniuersall practise of â—ating of bloud and strangled meates throughout the Pontifician Church can they precisely tell mee when the same began no in sooth what is it therefore a Tradition Apostolicall aske the Apostles and whole Church of Hierusalem concerning this Tradition who decreed by expresse c Acts 15. Canon that Christians should absteine from things immolated to idols from bloud from strangled meate and fornication Loe here is a custome generally obserued no beginning thereof be â—ound and yet no tradition Apostolicall Further it is manifest that the vow or promise of Chastity is d Thom Aquin. 2. 2. q 88. Durand lib. 4 Dist 35 37. aly Scholastâ—c communiter ibidem Sotâ—s de iure iustitia lib. 7. Petrus de Soto in institut sacerd lect 5. Valentia de Celibatu lib. 2. Scotus 4. dist 37. Caiâ—t quod 1. q. â—2 See S. Athanasius Epist ad dracont Sincsius Epist ad Euoptium Polid. lib. de inuento 5. Alphonsus a Castro
conclude these my Motiues about their idle rules of faith the Christian Reader who is carefull of his owne saluation and giueth obedient eare to that propheticall light of Gods sacred Scriptures expounded by the ancient Church which Scriptures Saint Peter n 2. Pet. 1. preferreth aboue that vision which he and his brethren had of Christ in mount Thabor he cannot but easily obserue what consequences are likely to follow out of three such corrupt Rules of faith as are in request amongst the Pontificians to wit infallibility solely and onely in the Popes definitiue iudgement authority of Apophricall Scriptures and the vaine authority of their traditions pretended to be Apostolicall where as they are nothing lesse The aduersary will for the validitie of these rules stand vpon the authority of their present Romane Church which hath receiued them of which their defence conformably to all antiquitie and ancient Fathers who taught otherwise we must also conformably to their proceedings search out of Gods word whether the Church of which they bragge so much be the true Church Succession in Sees onely will not suffice as by their owne confession is manifest in the Churches of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. but there is required also successioÌ„ in doctrine according to Gods word by which triall must be made of all Churches and of all doctrines and all after-traditions to which if they be not agreeable without perill of damnation they must not be receiued and this is the most expresse doctrine and faith of Saint Austen in o August lib. 1. de doctrina Christiana cap. 37. lib. de unitate Ecclesi cap. 2. but cap. 16. so clearly that I do suppose no Pontifician Priest dare scarce read that Chapter to his family sundrie places yea of Bellarmine p Bellarm. lib. 2. de verbo doi cap. 2. Basil serm de fide himselfe though as it may be thought he not very willingly confesseth this truth Other means saith he may deceiue but nothing is more certaine then the Scripture and therefore by confession of all both ancient and moderne writers the triall by Gods word is most firme and assured The fourth Motiue THe fourth Motiue and that very effectuall The fourth Motiue with me is that transcendent power both in all temporals and spirituals which later Popes contrary to Christs institution and practise of holy Primitiue Popes challenge and which the Romane Canonists and Cardinals ouer-liberal of that wherwith they haue nothing to doe doe flatteringly thrust vpon their Romane Monarches In spirituals he challengeth and they grant vnto him to be the onely supreme and immediate Pastor ouer Christs flocke so that looke how ample and immediate Christs iurisdiction for saluation of soules was so is his he glorieth in that title and they giue it him which q Greg lib. 4. epist 38. S. Gregory so much detested as the very badge of Antichrist he will in the gouernment of Christs flocke haue no Peere nor Colleage He is content to be honoured with that title yea and aboue that ambitious title the which Constantius the Arian required for he was content with numen nostrum our power or diuinitie but the Pope can willingly acept of supremum in terris numen the supreme and highest diuinitie or power vpon earth O ye heauens be astonished and euerlasting gates be desolated the pretended only Vicar of Christ the successor in some sort of that poore fisher who r Act 3. gloried in that he had neither gold nor siluer must heare and that from renowned * Proesat ad Grego 13. in principia doctri Stapletons mouth the Spanish kings professor in Louane the English Pontificians chiefe champion thus thy supreme diuinity vpon earth iust God how more iustly may we lament with those words of Saint Gregory against Iohn of Constantinople for his extraordinary fasting surnamed Ieiunator the faster f Grego lib. 4. â—p 38. O alasse all things that haue beene forespoken are come to passe the King of pride is at hand and that which is a wickednesse to be spoken a whole Army of priests is prepared for him because those serue the proud necke of elation and pride who haue beene set to giue example of meekenesse and humility Thus that Father in those times when the mysterie of iniquity began to worke most apparantly in the Patriarke of Constantinople but appeared more clearly in one of his next Successors to wit Boniface 3 who emulating the Constantinopolitan Patriarks for their pride obteined of Phocas that hatefull and traiterous vsurper rather then Emperour to decree by constitution that the title of Vniuersall Bishop should for euer after belong and be giuen only to the Bishops of Rome this is a matter vndoubted of by auncient t Sabel Aenead â— lib. 6. Platin. in Bonifac. 3. Otho lib. 5. Paulus de gostis Longobard Marianus anno Dom. 608. Duerenus de sacris Ecclesioe ministris lib. 1. cap 10 Abbas in Phoca poene emnis aly Sigebert Regino Luitpran Anasta Baron annal ad annum 606. Historians and yet perchance this Boniface did not assume by that title so much vnto him as these latter Popes doe to wit to be immediate pastors of all the whole Church comprehending all Partriarkes Bishops c or that there is no power nor iurisdiction in any Prelate or Pastor of the Church whatsoeuer which is not dependantly from them and of them so that they can and may peremptorily call to their court all causes greater or smaller and according to course of law or otherwise finally and * Iudicare c. to iudge and decree whether it be necessary to depose a Prince belongeth to the Pope of whose iudgement whether it be right or not no man may iudge Bellar. contra Barck ca. 12. vnappellably ende and determine them and if any either Emperour Prince Prelate or Vniuersity would offer to appeale from any of their sentences though most exorbitant and tirannicall they should thereby deserue to bee cursed with Bell Booke and Candle I cannot thinke that in Bonifaces time the Romane Bishops were growne to that height of Antichristian pride that was left for later times when the Diuell was to be let loose after the thousand yeeres of his binding Notwithstanding he challenged by Phocas his constitution to be only called vniuersall Bishop of the Church against which title Saint Gregory so vehemently and Christianly exclaimeth in u Greg lib 4. ep 32. 34. 38. 39. diuers Epistles testifying and demonstrating most plainly that that Antichristian title robbeth all Bishops of their honour and maketh that the Assumer thereof should bee reputed Antichrist This being so in this Auncient Father how durst D. Stapleton x Staple principi doctr lib. 6. cap. 7. that renowned Professour of diuinity endeuour to make Saint Gregory speake against himselfe in this very epistle and out of him labour to proue the present Romane supremacy and Monarchy which that Father so much
detested Whereas y Lib. 4. epist 38. S. Gregory in a learned discourse writing against the Patriarke of Constantinople Iohn who claimed to bee vniuersall Bishop of the Church and had procured Maurice the Emperour to write to Saint Gregory for the same purpose sheweth that Christ is onely head of his Church and that there is no other head but hee adding much to that purpose he adioyneth thus Certe Potrus Apostolus primum membrum sanctoe c. Certainly Peter the Apostle the first member of the holy Vniuersall Church Paul Andrew Iohn what else are they but heads of particular people and yet notwithstanding they are all members of the Church vnder one head and that I may bind vp all within a short compasse of speech the Saints before the Law Saints vnder Law Saints vnder Grace all these perfiting one body of our Lord are all placed in the members of the Church and no one would euer haue himselfe called vniuersall Thus farre hee with much more in that Epistle the which whosoeuer shall reade if hee respect Saint Gregories authority confirming his doctrine also out of Scriptures it is not possible hee should beleeue the present Romane Monarchy How then thou wilt demand can Doctour Stapleton find any thing in this very Epistle for the Popes exorbitant supremacy he hath found somwhat yea in this very sentence by me cyted but he hath vsed a certaine figure called of addition by thrusting into the text as he citeth it the word Petro Peter And maketh Saint Gregory speake thus Truly Peter is the first member of the Vniuersall Church Paul Andrew and Iohn what are they else but of singular flocks heads and yet all vnder one head Peter are members of the Vniuersall Church Thus hee Some Dowists and precise Pontificians will perhaps say it is not possible that learned Stapleton should so corrupt this auncient Father let such take paines to examine z Grego lib 4. epist 38. Staple principia doctrina lib 6. c. 8. and then iudge as they find I could shew also how he corrupteth by subtracting but that vpon some other occasion I must needs confesse when I reade this egregious corruption in him that I resolued neuer to trust Pontifician doctour againe without triall citing any sentence for the Popes monarchie It is not imaginable what suppositious books haue bene obtruded vpon the world to support this declining Monarchy but ruet ruet it will fall it will fall and God graunt it may rather be ruinated Lino as an auncient Sibile prophecyed that is with paper to wit learned books rather then with fire sword famine cold as the Sibill Delphicke prophecied vnder Romulus raigning and Rome triumphing and according as Saint Iohn a Apoc. cap. 18. hath fore-prophecied in his Reuelation I cannot now stand prolixly to ouerthrow b See for this purpose Cusanus concoâ—d Cathol lib. 2. ca. 20. and Euseb lib. 5. hist cap. 25 26. especially consider how the Councell of Chalcedon in the 16. action did most resolutely oppose against the Pope their decree hath preuailed this ambitious Monarchy of the Popes by the decrees and constitutions of auncient and later Councels of Nice of Constantinople the first and eight of Chalcedon of Sardica Carthage Constance Basile and by vniforme consent practise of the Greeke Church I will therefore heere onely adioyne somwhat concerning the other branch of this my motiue to wit the Popes arrogant and persumptuous claime c Bulla Pij 5. in Elizabet Clemen 7. in Henri 8. Clement 8. in Henric. 4. Franc. Sixti Quinti c. ouer Princes and kingdomes wherin he assumeth that honour and power which was neuer giuen him by Christ the mysterie of which iniquity hath wrought so powerfully in these latter Popes to fulfill the prediction of d 2. Thess 2. Saint Paul that the Romane Empire according to the exposition of the ancient e August 20. de ciuit 19. Tertul lib. de resurrect carnis Hieron epist ad AlgasiaÌ„ q. 11. in Danielem Aeneas Sâ—luius lib. de ortu Roman Imperij Irenae Theod. Bellarminus lib. 3. de Roma Pont. Ribera viegas in Apoc. Chrisost Amb. Theoph. Primas in 2. ad Thessal 2. fathers was not to be taken away vntill a certaine Antichrist should come I said a certaine Antichrist not because there shall bee onely onely one in number or person but to distinguish him from some other kinds of Antichrists described in some places of the Reuelation and other parts of holy Scripture but then at his comming the empire must De medio fieri be done or taken out of the way but whether it shall be taken out of the waie by the direct meanes of Antichrist or not the Scriptures do not expresly affirme it some of the Fathers yea the Rhemists doe incline to thinke so and doubtlesse it is most probable that the holy Ghost meant so because he maketh the standing of the Romane Empire to be a let and hindrance against the comming of that man of sin Antichrist which f 2. Thess 2. is here prophecied by the Apostle the which thing if it be true it cannot possibly be auoided but that the later Popes be that Antichrist of which the Apostle heere foretelleth who mounted not to their perfect height of iniquity vntill the Romane Empire was made out of the way which was done by them as I will anone shewe For my part I doe very resolutely affirme that whosoeuer shall haue taken the Romane Empire out of the way and shall haue made himselfe the direct or indirect supreame Monarch of the world and withall shall sit in the temple of God that is shall challenge onely to sitte without peere and equall in the vniuersall Church of Christ to Teach all Gouerne all Censure all Command all and necessarily not to be taught censured or corrected by any whatsoeuer The Popes extoll theÌ„selues neither the triple crown nor adoration was first freely giueÌ„ but exacted by themselues that this must needs be the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the outlaw or man without law who extolleth himselfe aboue all that is called God marke extolleth himselfe or that is worshipped Now whereas it is manifest that the Popes by their practise and decrees doe challenge the later to wit the spirituall Monarchy and vniuersall supremacy in the chaire of Gods temple yet they haue not perhaps professedly by decrees challenged to be the supreme direct monarchs of the whole World in temporals I said perhaps for the decrees g Alexander the 6. his decree of diuiding the East and West Indies which he pretendeth to doe ex plenitudine potestatis and gratuito out of the fulnesse of his power frankly Bonif. 8. his decree vnam sanctaÌ„ and his Epistle to Kâ—ng Philp the faire a king of France Leo 10. as Petrarâ—h reporteth him lib. de rebus me mâ—randâ—s gaue the kingdome of Saracens to Sanctius who required him wih the Caliphship of
of Heads or cheefe Gouernors yea made so plaine that p Parsons in his Catholike letter against our Kings Apology Iobn Hart also acknowledged the same to Doctor Reinolds Conference cap. 10. in the end Parsons himselfe acknowledgeth that as our o Our King in his Apology Soueraign doth declare and explane his Title of headship and Supremacy it is sound and in some sort allowable they haue left that saying but yet thereby it is cleare that Antichrist in their owne estimation when he shall come shall be a kind of tyrannicall and vsurping Churchman The prouerbiall prophecy of of Saint Hildegard spoken of by many hath the same meaning vnum vos monco Cauete Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are ill carryed away with the loue of walls naughtily doe you worship the Church as if it were within couers and edifices badly vnder these doe you offer the name of peace what can it be doubted that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines Woods Lakes Prisons Whirlepooles shall bee more secure to me for Prophets either staying in these or thrown into these haue prophecied with the spirit of God thus she who hath not heard of the Prophecy of Ioakim Abbot which ought to bee of credit with the Pontificians considering how eager Stapleton q Stapleton in promptu is against the very haire to make him prophecie of the Order of the Ignatians as of a speciall Order to be raised vp by God for defence and propagation of the Romane Church But for prophecies the like might bee produced out of r Lib. reuelat 4. Ciril lib. reuelat related by Aytmger in Method Briget and Ciril and others these may suffice But heare a more forcible testimony out of our English Pontificians the Å¿ Annotat. in 2. ad thessalo 2. annot 5. Rhemists themselues who graunt that both Saint Austin and Saint Hierome doe interpret the sitting of Antichrist in the Temple of God for his sitting in Christs Church but not say they as though hee should be cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a speciall part of his mysticall body if they meane that in truth and verity Antichrist should not so be they neuer wrote truer Doctrine but if they meane that in the sense of the Fathers he should not as a pretended ruler and cheefe of the Church or as a pretended mysticall head of his body sit in the same it is most vaine and against the very haire for what doe they or can they else vnderstand by sitting in the Church but to rule and gouerne in the Church and therefore he alone is said to sitte in the Temple because he alone challengeth independently monarchically and Soueraignely according to the doctrin of Bellarmine t Bellar. lib. 1. de conci cap. 17. Baron in Annal. sepissime Allen. his defeÌ„ce of english Catholicks cap. 5. Baron Sanders Allen and all other who make the Church-Gouernment a Monarchy to Gouerne the whole Temple All other Bishops and prelates whatsoeuer being but his substitutes according u Bellar. lib. 1. de Romano pontific cap. 9. paragr proinde Turrecremat in sama lib. 3. cap. 44. to Bellarmines Doctrine as Viceroyes are substitutes vnder absolute Monarchs Yea these Rhemists forgetfull of what they said some few lines before by force of truth constrained thus they adde that Antichrist if hee euer were of or in the Church hee should bee an Apostata and a runnagate out of the Church and shall vsurpe vppon it by tyranny and by challenging worship religion and gouernement thereof so that himselfe shall bee adored in all Churches of the World which he list to leaue standing for his honour and this is to sit in the Temple or * Obserue Christian reader these gramarians they would make the prepositioÌ„ in with an ablatiue case to stand for against against the Temple of God as some what some are these interpret if any Pope did euer this or shall doe then let the aduersaries call him Antichrist Thus they Obserue ChristiaÌ„ Reader by their owne confession they acknowledge that the Bishop of Rome may be iustly called Antichrist if these things can be proued of him These Doctours neuer wrote truer line That hee is adored in all the Churches and congregations which he would haue to stand or hath reared vpon the ruines of such Churches as hee hath destroyed who can deny it it is as manifest as the sunne he is not named in the Masse or Letanies but with reuerence and as for the outward externall adoration and worship which is giuen him wheresoeuer hee personally sitteth it doth not onely surpasse all adoration and Honour giuen to any earthly Prince or Potentate but it farre passeth that which is giuen to their Sacrament it selfe which to them is not onely called as God or worshipped as a God but is beleeued to be very Christ himselfe yea and that the most blessed Trinity is to be worshipped as specially present in that Sacrament for to this Sacrament and God in it one adoration and genuflexion will serue when you come to pray but come to sue or supplicate to him that sitteth in the Temple one wil not serue but you must haue two or three adorations and genuflexions and as many at your departing whether you obteine your suite or not and almost prostrate also you must kisse his feete before you depart if you may be admitted to that Fauour For I assure you in Rome it is esteemed a fauour to kisse the Popes foote greater then in Aethiopia to see the great Presbyters great toe for which Purpose he hath caused the signe of our redemption to be drawne vpon his slippers where doubtlesse sometimes it hath homely droppes fall vpon it but it little mattereth for Christians mouthes saue the Popes groomes of their labour which adoration sweete licking if you please to beleeue the Cretian x Eudaemon paralell cap. 8. pag. 403. Ignatian Eudaemon was prophecied by King Dauid Pii Principes c. Let Godly Princes knowing what they owe to God in his Members and in his Ministers adore them with demisse countenance and lick the dust of their feet thus that lying parazite pardon me Christian reader for calling him so y He that shall reade his caluÌ„nious booke written aga nst the temperate and iudlcious book of the L. Bishop of Elye will easily perceiue how desperate that cause of the Pope is which hath such desperate Raylers set a worke to maintaine it what haue the Ignatians no better EudaemoÌ„ then this Cacodaemon Pardon me courteous Reader the foule mourhed Daemon who in euery page almost giueth either the lye or exprobrateth auaâ—ice to that worthy learned Prelate deserueth no lesse he is doubtlesse the most impudent lyer and most shamelesse calumniator and vainest parazite that euer put pen to paper and for his comfort some may tell him hee is so esteemed by almost all indifferent and iudicious Pontifician
Chrism doth specially reside and dwell as they openly professe pronounce in their Pontificalls Many of these things are found In their rituall according to the vse of Sarum and now vsed in England with Master Maihews the Monkes and my old Romane Schoolefellows annotations vpon it and they haue for conclusion of many of their fopperies this * Note of what omnipotency ouer the grace of the holy Ghost the Popish Church maketh her Priests to be sanctifying prayer by which any Priest may blesse or consecrate any creature he shall please so effectually that to vse f Benedictio ad omnia quaecunque volueris A form of blessing vpon what things soeuer thou wilt Manual vsed by English Priests page 168. their owne words by the comming downe of the holy Ghost vppon it by the religious vses thereof any one may obteine both safety of soule and health of body Infinitely are their corruptions and vanities All which when I now obserue with my selfe not onely as abuses and practises of priuate men through corrupt affections but as lawes and ceremonies generally obserued throughout the Romane Church I do not without greate confusion and shame lament and bewail my bewitching to think with my selfe that either I or any one but of ordinary knowledge of Christs doctrine should haue liued in the idle seruitude of such comtemptible creatures and to haue giuen any iot of that honor and confidence which is due and peculiar to the immortall and euerliuing God by ioyning or partaking with such who haue ioined the adoration of diuine Maiesty with the adoration of earthly corruptible cretures his Images surely as the Saint omeristian Libell which is out against mee calleth mee for my writing the booke for the Oath of Allegeance lunatike I was so then when I beleeued such trumperies bewitched with Romes cup. Of what force good God is education in any religion present possession and profession of any faith but now with hart prostrate I adore that Clemency of Iesus the man God orient who g Luke 1. through the bowels of mercy hath illuminated me who sate in darknes directed my feet into the way of his peace I could neuer whilst I was in Rome and a trauailer through other hot countries heare of the ouerflowing and inundation of those most nefarious abhominable and not to be named sinnes amongst them nor neuer read the first Chapter of Saint Pauls Epistle to the Romanes where the exectable crimes of Idolatrie and the other nefarious and not to be named crimes are by the Apostle coupled and associated together as indiuiduall companions following each from other either by corruption of nature likenesse of spirits or Gods secret iudgement but I euer had withall some secret suggestions lest as the old Paynims and heathenish Philosophers were deliuered ouer into reprobate senses to change naturall vse into abhomination for that they had changed Gods glorie and giuen the same to corruptible creatures and corruptible Images so also the Romanists in respect of like changing of Gods glorie and communicating part thereof to corruptible Images were giuen ouer to such reprobate sense as to change naturall vse into almost nefarious abhominations Pardon me O ye Pontifician Prelates Laikes c. God knoweth I write not this to calumniate you or to aggrauate against you what was the sinne of h Ezech. 16. Sodome heare the holy Ghost telling you pride of life saturitie of bread and idlenesse of life O most mercifull Sauiour of mankinde open their eyes that they may see and lament all the abhominations which be committed within thy house within thy wals and inspire into their harts to keepe their vessels in sanctification and rather to vse that remedie by thee and nature prouided then to commit one of those nefarious sinnes for which onely thy most iust wrath might be iustly moued to desolate the whole world and to destroy not only the actors but their associates and partakers in their idolatries although otherwise themselues not to be touched with those enormious crimes for which thy iust wrath with fire consumed those fiue Cities of old as in like sort within this thy kingdome thou diddest with fire consume for like abhomination a Monasterie Gen. 19. of certaine religious as i lib. 4. hist ca. 25 Beda relateth and as at Valencine in the Low countries it is fearefully and horribly reported by a k M. R. P. reuerend Priest there that it is doubted in that Citie by religious persons that thy wrath did consume with fire the Church and house of the Capuchine friers for some like abhomination committed in their Church although by some others it is giuen out that the heretikes so they call those of the reformed Church did for malice cast fire vpon their Church which was first of all with that reuengefull flame consumed The sixth Motiue THE sixth Motiue I deduct out of certaine obseruations touching the Masse These The sixt motiue sixteene yeares and vpward hauing practised the same I haue oftentimes had cleare suggestions against the authoritie of it as not to be Apostolicall and of Christ and his Apostles institution as they most eagerly not without cause it being the very foundation of their religion pretend but any substantiall reason for their pretended Apostolicall tradition herein I could neuer read I rather found in Platina Gulielmus Durandus Stephanus Durantus Almarius Sigibertus Gabriel Biel Polidore Vrgil and diuers other their Pontifician Doctors who either haue commented vpon their rites or mentioned the institutions and beginnings of the substantiall parts of their Masse that they did attribute all the parts of the Masse to the institution and ordaining of such Popes as liued after the Apostles times yea many of them diuers hundreds of yeares yea they related these things so weakely and with so small shew of proofe out of antiquitie iust none at all that sometimes I greatly suspected the Masse to be like a garment of ragges patched together and gathered from diuers places vnknowne so the Masse to be patched vp with diuers prayers and parts the Authors whereof could not possibly by any meanes certainly be produced but that which most of all troubled me was to read in Saint l Grego lib. 7. Epist 64. Gregory himselfe confessing that the Apostles did cōsecrate with the Lords prayer onely and withall acknowledging that one called Scholasticus had composed the office and Canon of the Masse not withstanding all these doubts I reiected then as temptations not doubting but that the Canon of the Masse was of the Apostles instituting although I saw euident demonstrations to the contrary so powerfull with me was the authoritie of the present visible Romane Church but quia ignorans feci misericordiam consecutus sum because I did it with most zealous ignorance I haue obtained mercie I now plainly see that it is a thing morally impossible that the Apostles should be the authors of the Romane Canon of the Masse
the Sacrament panem vitae aeternae et calicem salut is aeternae the bread of euerlasting life and the cup of eternall saluation he also desireth God to behold the same sacrifice with a propitious and fauourable countenance like as the sacrifices of Abel Abraham Melchisedech c. The which Priests being of the Law of nature did iustly and necessarily desire God to looke propitiously vpon their sacrifices because they were not perfect with any absolute perfection being only creatures and onely acceptable for the deuotion of the offerers which might bee tainted with sin and imperfection but to say the same of the sacrifice of Christ himself if he were really present and really sacrificed were horrible blasphemy and I demand whether Saint Magdalen kneeling at the foote of the crosse might without sacriledge haue desired God the Father to haue looked downe with a propitious and a fauourable countenance vppon the sacrifice of his infinitely beloued sonne Iesus as he did vpon the sacrifice of Abel to wit a lambe or a sheepe vndoubtedly if Scholasticus beleeued as the Pontificians doe he was an egregious Impostor to ranke the Creator of infinite Maiesty with his creatures and to equalize or compare the sacrifice which was both acceptable and satisfactorious exrigore institiae in the very rigour of Iustice with those imperfect sacrifices of Abel and others which did not nor could not sanctisie the Offerers But further yet in that which followeth he quite ouerthroweth the Papists presence of Christ in the sacrifice for thus he prayeth i Ibid. in Can. Suppliceste Rogamus c. We humbly beseech thee Omnipotent God doe thou commannd these things to be carried by the hands of thy holy Angell vp to thy high Altar into the sight of thy diuine maiesty thus there Here I demaund of them what in their consciences they thinke the Author vnderstood by those words of the praier iube command and haec these things who is heer commanded What Gods speciall Angell Christ himselfe but if you please to vnderstand Saint Michael or some other Angell marke the Consequence Christ himselfe or Saint Michael must carry vp these things either Christ Christ himselfe or Saiut Michael Christ vp to the high Altar before the sight of the diuine Maiesty then what a profound Gramarian was your Scholasticus to call Christ haec these things or else what a Sacrilegious impostor to desire God the Father to command Michael to bring vp and offer vp his infinitely beloued sonne before his Maiesty who euer k Heb. 4. 1. Col. 3. sitteth at his right hand l Rom. 8. making intereession for mankind and all those who seeke to him And if you will vnderstand your demonstratiue Article haec these things of the onely accidents of bread and wine they are in good sooth not worthy carrying so high neither by Christ himselfe nor his Angell Saint Michael Charge not therefore Oye Pontificians Scholasticus with such sacrilegious imaginations had he beleeued as you doe he wold haue prayed either in this or the like sort O most morcifull Father heere before me vpon this Altar lieth onely deere sonne Iesus of infinite dignity and vnspeakeable Maiesty by me sacrificed to thee him in respect of his infinite dignity thou canstinot refuse nor reiect for his sake reiect not refuse not mee thy Priest offering him to thee make me partaker of his graces c. But thou wilt say perhaps Scholasticus did vndoubtedly beleeue Transubstantiation for hee saith that there is a participation of Christs body from the Altar true hee saith so if hee bee not corrupted but what then Christ saide more Eate this is my body know yee not O yee Pontificians that it is a great mysterie It is a Sacrament of the new Testament and as a Sacrament it must be vnderstood vsed practised remember S. m 1. Corin. 10. Paul twice repeating doe this or doe these things in commemoration of me without all question within this space of a 1000. yeares the canon and liturgy of Masse hath beene so often pared clipped that it is hard to say what Scholasticus composed and therfore vnlesse Scholasticus were a contradicting Scholler to himselfe he must needs bee corrupted if in any place of the Canon he seeme to speak for your transubstantiation But I will acquaint thee by the way courteous Reader with a certaine accident when I was writing vpon this very matter in commeth to my Chamber n M. 1. Col. one of the Ancient Priests of this place pretending not to come to conferre but conferring with me perhaps to draw somewhat out of me touching my resolution but he ingenuously confessed to me at last vpon conference that the Apostles did not institute the Canon of the Masse for arguing with him about some other points and about traditios he acknowledged that traditiōs Apostolical must be carried vp hand in hand from Author to Author vntill the Apostles times what then said I thinke you of the Canon of the Masse is it a Tradition Apostolicall yes without all question said hee a tradition Apostolicall shew me then said I how this Canon is carried vp hand in hand from Author to Author from Record to Record till the Apostles times he failed as Bellarmine himselfe must faile for hee could not goe higher then the time of Gregory and yet not authentically and sufficiently to him neither as I easily shewed and so fell downe the Apostolicall Tradition of the Canon but hee replieth for they are resolued to see and not to see yea but the Doctrine of the Canon was a tradition Apostolicall and may bee carried vp to the Apostles times where said I find you then the eleuation and transubstantiation mentioned in or before Saint Gregories time or in Saint Gregory himselfe I came not to reason said hee well then I replied at least you graunt that the very sorme of the Canon as it is now vsed in the Romane Church cannot be carried vp from record to record from Author to Author vntill the Apostles time he ingenuously granted it and so fell downe the Apostolicall tradition of the Canon of the Masse and withall so ended our conference And here also concluding to speake any more concerning transubstantiation out of Scholasticus I passe ouer to another obseruation in this their Canon and wil shew that their Scholasticus did not beleeue Purgatory flames c. And so downe must their suffragatiue and propitiatory sacrifice for the burning soules in purgatory if the Authority of their Masse must stand I finde expressly that those dead persons for whome prayer is now pretended to bee made by the Romane Church as though they were in the flames of Purgatorie are o In Canone msse in erati◠que incipit memente domi c heere most significantly said to rest in Christ to sleepe in the sleepe of peace now I pray the Pontifician Reader to teach mee what peace in Christ what sleepe in rest is it to bee tormented
Apostle in his Epistle to the Thessalonians change your law and dissipate the eternall league of the new and eternall testament It will here be expected perhaps that I deliuer my sense and Catholike beleefe touching this most venerable Sacrament It is truly the same with that of the ancient Fathers of the Church in whose words I will by and by expresse my faith the which I see also most clearely agreeing with the reformed Lyturgie of the English Church and the articles concluded and agreed vpon by publike consent in the conuocations of the English Church which Lyturgie and Articles when I lately most seriously perused considered I saw a vehement propension resolution in the authors of thē with all reuerence to embrace what was most agreeing to the word of God to that which the ancient Primitiue Church taught deliuered the which had I neuer read I could neuer so haue thoght of thē the english church Lyturgy therof both are in such vile obloquies with the Pontificiās But I now perceiue that the aduersaries g Isai 28. posuerūt spē fuā mendaciū they haue made not one ly but infinte lies and calumniations against the Church of England their hope for in their schooles and Seminaries they commonly make their aduersaries speake what they list and so to impugne and confute them and teach their young souldiers of Sanders his holy quarrell to doe the like But to returne to my purpose my Catholike faith concerning this dreadfull Sacrament I will deliuer in the words of some of the ancient and Catholike Fathers Saint Austen expounding that h Iob. 6. sentence and commandement of our Sauiour nisi mandus aueritis c. vnlesse you shall eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you i August lib. 3. de doctr Christ cap. 16. saith thus he seemeth to commaund a crime and a wickednesse it is a figure therefore commanding vs to communicate with our Lords passion and that we profitably and sweetly lay vp in our memory that his flesh was wounded and crucified for vs. The same he confirmeth in his k Tractat. 27. in John Treatise vpon S. Iohn where he greatly taxeth the ignorance and mistaking of the Capharnaites who thought that Christ intended to giue them such flesh to eat as themselues were that is true flesh whereas saith Saint Austen Christ in those words couered a grace And in another place vpon the l Psal 98. Psalmes thus he writeth most perspicuously Spiritualiter intelligite c. vnderstand that which I haue spoken spiritually not this bodie which you see you shall eate neither shall you drinke that bloud which they who shall crucisie me will shead I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacramēt which being spiritually vnderstood will quicken you And how this Diuine misterie being a Sacrament taketh the name of the thing whereof it is a Sacrament heare him clearely declaring the same to m Epist 23. ad Bonif. Bonifacius an Earle in Africke Sacraments saith he haue a certaine resemblance of the things whereof they are Sacraments * See Theodoret for this purpose in dialog impatib and for that resemblance they take the names commonly of the things themselues and therefore as the Sacrament of Christs bodie is after a sort Christs bodie and the Sacrament of Christ bloud his bloud so the Sacrament of faith to wit Baptisme is faith thus he like is the authoritie related in their n De consecrat dist 2. cap. hoc est quod Canon Law Sicut ergo celestis c. Therefore euen as the heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ after this manner is called the bodie whereas it is truly a Sacrament of the bodie of Christ that which visible palpable mortall was put on the Crosse and the verie immolation which is done by the hands of the Priest is called the passion of Christ the death of Christ and the crucifying of Christ not in truth of the thing but in a signifying misterie so the Sacrament of faith which is Baptisme is vnderstood faith Againe f Contra adimāt cap. 13. Saint Austen non dubit auit c. Our Lord doubted not to say this is my bodie when he gaue a signe of his bodie and therefore vpon Saint c Tract 59. in Iohn Iohn although hee acknowledged Iudas to haue receiued buccellam dominicam the Lords morsell yet he receiued not saith hee bread the Lord but the bread of the Lord of which words what other meaning can there be But that bread of the Lord is onely the outward Sacrament which Iudas receiued but bread the Lord is the same Sacrament receiued by the religious and faithfull who withall beleeueth thinketh loueth and hopeth in and vpon Christ crucified as his Sauiour and so in soule by faith and loue eateth him and receiueth bread the Lord according to that of the same u August tract 25. in Ioh. Father beleeue and thou hast eaten and that of Saint x Bernard serm 3. in Psal qui habitat Bernard when they heard him say vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud they said that this is an hard speech and departed from him and what is to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud but to communicate with his passion and to imitate that conuersation which he held To these Fathers for this purpose I adioyne Saint y Ephrem in Harding against the challenge of D. lewel Ephrem thus confessing Inspice diligenter c. Beholde diligently how taking bread into his hands hee blesseth and breaketh it in a figure of his immaculate bodie and in a figure of his precious bloud he blesseth and giueth the Cup to his disciples thus he z Lib. 4. contra Marcio cap 40. Tertullian when he was a sound Christian Catholike thus pronounced Iesus Christ when he tooke bread and distributed it to his disciples made it his bodie saying this is my bodie that is to say the figure of my bodie And a gaine in another a Lib. 3 cap. 19. contra Mar. place he speaketh thus to Marcion God in your Gospell called bread his bodie that by the same thou maist vnderstand that to bread he hath giuen to be a figure of his bodie but a figure it should not be if it were not a bodie of truth thus he I will adioyne two places out of Eusebius who liued then when the Pastours of the Church were most vigilant against all errours and heresies and therefore they would not haue suffered this doctrine in Eusebius touching the Sacrament if it had not beene agreeing to the Catholike faith of that time Christ hauing offered b Eusebius de demonst Euang. lib. 1. cap. 10. saith he himselfe for a soueraigne sacrifice to his Father ordained that we should offer a remembrance thereof vnto God in steede of a Sacrifice which remembrance we celebrate by the
signes or simboles of his bodie and bloud vpon his Table and pleasing God well we offer a Sacrifice without bloud and reasonable and acceptable vnto him thus he In which authoritie of Eusebius I note that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be translated without bloud to wit a Sacrifice without bloud though not without the signes of bloud and the same Greeke word therfore in our English tongue is to be translated without bloud not vnbloudie for that word doth not sufficiently expresse the signification of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly this Father constantly c Lib. 8. de demonstrat Euanliâ—a demonst 1. teacheth thus Iesus deliuered to his disciples the signes or simboles of his diuine dispensation commaunding them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doe or celebrate the Image of his true bodie for since he hath no more receiued the Sacrifices of bloud and diuers creatures ordained by Moises he hath appointed to be serued with bread for a figure of his body thus he d Ambr. de sacram lib. 4. ca. 4. S. Ambrose did not beleeue Transubstantiation because many more woÌ„â—rous actioÌ„s should concur to TransubstaÌ„tiation then were in Creation and his argument is from a greater wonder to shew a lesse a maâ—ori ad minus as it is said Saint Ambrose thus If there be so great strength in the word of our Lord Iesus that all things began to be when they were not how much more shall it be of force that the elements should be the same they were before and yet be changed into another thing S. Ireneus is often cited by the Aduersary for a propitiatory sacrifice and transubstantiation but it is not possible for any one to write more effectually to ouerthrow their imagined propitiatory sacrifice transubstantiation then he doth and I desire the Christian Reader with patience and with an vnpartiall eye to read what I shall somwhat more largely deduce out of his expresse doctrine in two of his e Irenaus lib. 4. cap. 32. et 34. chapters of his fourth book against heresies For first he not so much as once mentioneth either propitiatory sacrifice or transubstantiation but rather hee expresly compareth the same sacrifice of bread and wine with the sacrifices of the olde testament and maketh that the same is no more needfull to God then those were He also most significantly auoucheth that it is a sacrifice of the things which are from vs and hauing made a generall asseueration that sacrifices doe not sanctifie the man but that the pure conscience wherewith the Sacrifice is offered doth sanctifie the Sacrifice hee presentlie addeth thus that therefore the gift of the Church is called a pure sacrifice because the Church with simplicity offereth it would he haue spoken thus if Christ the Author of all sanctity had beene really present further obserue those words of him This oblation the Church onely offereth pure to the maker offering to him with thankesgiuing of his Creature and in the two and thirtieth chapter hee calleth the oblation primitias ex suis creaturis the Primicies of his owne creatures and there hee further addeth that God who giueth vs his gifts for nourishments the Church offereth the first fruits of those gifts which saith hee is the very oblation of the new Testament which the Church receiued from the Apostles and of these gifts in the fiue and thirty Chapter he saith terrena quidem c. the earthly things which are disposed for vs it behooueth to be tipes of those things which are celestiall yet made of the same God and disputing against such Heretikes who offered of the same creatures of bread and wine with the Church to God the Father of Christ and yet denied God the Father of Christ to bee the Curteous Reader obserue all this discourse clearely and truly gathered out of that Ancient Father or for proofe hereof vouchsafe to reade him and for the same purpose see S. Chrisostome and Theodoret in Epist ad Haebr maker of them but another God he twiteth them thus that they make God who is the Father of Christ as it were needy and to bee desirous to be serued and honoured with the Creatures of another God would hee haue spoken thus if Christ himselfe really offered had beene the sacrifice And in his 32 and 34. hauing clearely shewed that God rather requireth innocency and integrity of conscience then sacrifice yet in respect of gratitude saith he not as though God had neede thereof sacrifice must bee offered vnto him and then addeth these words speaking of the Church offerre oportet igitur c. It behooueth therefore to offer to God the first fruits of his creatures euen as Moyses speaketh thou shalt not appeare empty handed before the sight of the Lord thy God that in those things in which maÌ„ hath been grateful to God in the same things being so deputed he may receiue that honor which is from him and it is not the kinde of oblatious which is refused oblations were there and oblations bee heere sacrifices in the people to wit the olde Testament and sacrifices in the Church but the speciall manner is onely changed because it is now offered not from seruants but from such as are free Thus he and also expressy in the first lines of this Chapter he saith that therefore the Church offereth a pure sacrifice not as though God had need of it but because he that offereth the gift is honoured in the gift that is offered if it bee accepted of Would hee haue spoken thus if he had beleeued that Christ himselfe were really present and really offered by the Priests hand nay expresly he addeth that the Church offereth by Christ and by the Word Christ a pure oblation By all these and many such like obseruations in that learned and holy father it is euident what maner of oblation he thought the Church had receiued to wit of Gods creatures of bread and wine But the aduersary notwithstanding all these euidences insisteth vpon these words of him Christ taking that which of a creature is bread said this is my body and the Chalice which is of that creature which is according to vs confessing it to be his blood these be the words vpon which they insist which may seeme to make some what for the Lutherans Consubstantiation but nothing at all for the transubstantiaters Tell me O Christian did Christ in verity make the creatures of bread and wine which are according to vs to be his body and bloud that implieth contradiction and is of those things which cannot be done as the Pontificians themselues will confesse but tell me O Christian did not Christ when he said bread was his body and wine was his blood did he not institute a Sacrament it is cleare Who wil not therefore thus inferre that bread must be his body and wine must be his blood in that manner in which Sacraments are called and said to be the very things
he not the tongue which the seruice is sung in Now the Vicar of Saint Fooles should be his ghostly Father were he liuing How is this Rabby taken in his folly these words are to be vnderstood that the People must haue vnderstanding of the sense of the words but not vnderstand the words Helpe out your Doctor you of Doway for doubtlesse he is grauelled what would heere become of him if more of the sentences of the ancient Fathers which comment vpon the 14. Corinthians first Epistle had beene by himselfe produced and other out of Saint Austen vpon Genesis ad literam he would doubtlesse haue runne out of the field or else haue beene stroken downe to the ground especially if he had heard that miraculous voice from heauen which Pius the second Pope writeth of The Doctour was much delighted with visions in his life time and therefore I will now for his sake set one downe for the Dowists to demurre vpon it There was a great controuersie betwixt the Pope and his Cardinals as a f Pius 2. hist Bohem. cap. 13. Pope relateth whether the Morauians and the Russians conuerted to the Christian faith by Ciril should be permitted to haue the publike Lyturgie and seruice in their knowne tongue or not Their Apostle Ciril was earnest for it with some of the Cardinals others contradicted it which contradiction miraculously was checked with a voice heard from heauen speaking thus to them Let euerie spirit praise the Lord and euerie tongue confesse him and so the Pope with his Cardinals were by the Angelicall vision instructed how to vnderstand those Scriptures by the Angell cited and therupon gaue way to Cirils request that the Morauians Russians should haue their publike seruice in their own tongue which they haue to this day wherein they doubtlesse find such a comfort that by no meanes they will relinquish that holy vse though some haue often attempted against it I haue obserued how since the English Pontificians haue had their Primers set forth both in English and Latine together that they do farre more willingly and more deuoutly read their prayers in the English tongue thē in the Latin protesting that they receiue far greater comfort thereby wishing also that the publike Church-seruice might to their like comfort be proposed in that tongue which they vnderstood Before God of his mercy first touched my hart to listē vnto his gospel I would sometimes out of a contemptuous kind of curiositie where I was not knowne heare a peece of a Sermon in some of the English Churches heere in London but by no means wold I stay or listen to the hearing of the singing of their Psalms for I did both loath and detest them but when God vouchsafed to touch my heart first with consideration of the Romane abuses both for doctrine and discipline I began sometimes to commune with my selfe whether perhaps the English Church Lyturgie were not calumniated Whereupon I would sometimes more considerately and where I was not to be knowne begin to giue more carefull listening vnto the English Preachers and also most curiously obserue the manner of the singing in the Churches both which at very first me thought were performed with that simplicitie integritie and grauitie that I began to thinke thus perhaps God is amongst them but when vpon often and further more curious obseruations I found that all their seruice except some few prayers and those verie holy also was composed out of the infallible word of God his holy Scriptures I resolued that the same must needs be good if no essential part of seruice were otherwise wanting And when I found also that the Preachers continually did inculcate to their Auditors integritie of conscience and holinesse of conuersation with necessitie of good works and of that faith which g Ad Galat. 5. worketh by charitie to saluation I well and clearely perceiued how the Church of England was most egregiously calumniated by the Romane Doctors And when I found also the ministration of the two principallest and singularly so termed Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the holy Eucharist so sincerely and Euangelically and so voide of all superstition ministred in their Churches and withall found that Confirmation Penance Marriage Orders Visitation of the sicke were for the substances thereof religiously vsed in their Churches I was not a little edified But that which most edified me was to obserue how in their publike Lyturgies their minds seemed to me or at lest that they might to concurre ioyntly with their tongues and with their religious and pious sounds to beate the gates of heauen and begge mercie at his handes onely whom with the most blessed Father and the holy Ghost I saw onely worshipped with diuine worship in their Churches And although I wanted in some sewer that lowly humble and religious carriage which the place the manner of prayers and assembly required especially in some of the young sort yet in the ministers themselues and the matrones with many aged men and others of riper yeares I saw them often kneeling with great deuotion and attention to my great edification There I obserued not that drowsie oscitancie leaning and yawning which is so frequent in the papisticall Churches yea euen amongst the h Bern. in coena Domini cap. 3. religious Monkes There I obserued not the impudent and shamelesse attendings courtings and obseruings of fine dames within their Churches the which how intolerable it is in the papisticall Churches especially in Italy and at Rome it selfe I referre to the iudgement of all indifferent trauailers doubtlesse their Churches there be still repleate with i 2 Pet. 2. adulterous lasciuious wanton and incestuous eyes Obseruing these things O how happy thought I art thou O England if as thou enioyest the light of Christs Gospell so also thou wouldest more and more by holy and pure conuersation labour to excell the Churches of Sodoma and Gomorha where all impure Idolatry and abhominations doe reigne Heere I obserued also the glorie of God euer commended Faith Hope and Loue in Iesus Christ incessantly inculcated the Fathers of the ancient Church reuerently cited the memories of the most blessed Virgine Mary and Christs Apostles reuerenced and honored yea in their publike Prayers and Sermons their vertues and noble acts preached commended inculcated to be followed and imitated The buriall of the dead verie religious and pious and altogether Apostolicall which obseruing me thought these men sure doe striue onely for truth reiecting all vncertaine traditions And then with all I could not but inwardly be moued in my verie soule against Stapleton Sanders Allen Parsons Bellarmine and other like Pontificians for their horrible calumniations against the Church of England and the gouernment thereof as though they buried their dead like dogs perswaded not their people to good life but onely to faith that they ministred their Sacraments very irreligiously with such like imputations all which I found to be meere calumniations And I found the
hath been by my selfe euer obserued that such as adict themselues to the reading of holy Scriptures are euer more or lesse inclining to think well of the reformed Churches and of their doctrines which are so liuely deliuered in them and out of my reading of holy Scriptures which I haue euer daily vsed more or lesse it hath fallen out that I haue many times contended for argument sake against some doctrines and practises of the Romane Church and therefore it is that the wise mens libeller chargeth mee with the spirit of Contradiction blessed bee that spirit of contradiction which hath brought me to be a child of adoption as I humbly trust and beleeue I now am z 1. Peter 2. A second Generall Head of Motiues out of their wicked Lawes COnsidering many and vniust Lawes vnto which the Romane Bishops haue against all Christian holy liberty and to the subuersion of many soules and the great dishonour of God tied their followers the which as I haue oftentimes heeretofore greatly admired not seeing how they might be defended so God now vouchsafing to open my vnderstanding I doe greatly detest them For me to expresse all those which are both paradoxicall and pernitious were too great a labour I will therefore touch some few of them which are in truth very many and yet I meruaile they are no more Considering the pernitious and shamelesse Doctrine of Cardinall a Bellar. lib. 4. de pont cap. 5. lib. Pecog in recog li. de summe Pont. cap. 19. Bellarmine who both in his controuersies and in his recognitions reacheth that although the Popes should command any things in their Lawes as Vertues which are Vices yet the whole Church is bound to obey the voice of their pastor and to receiue the same vicious Lawes as if they were Lawes of Vertues but hee will seeme to mitigate this his strange position forsooth by adding that this his doctrine is to bee vnderstood of lawes concerning doubtful Acts of Vertues or Vices not in Acts necessary Thus hee very wisely breatheth heare and cold together and what c Bellar. columeÌ„ Ecclesie et 〈◊〉 tempestutio Augustinus â—â—dâ—mi confutat l Anti. p. 48. O Bellarmine tell me you that are by Andrew Eudemon your Cretensian Ignatian brother called the Piller of the Church and the Augustine of this our time cannot the infalliblenesse of the Popes Spirit so guide and assist him that he shall not erre in proposing any vniuersall law to the Church the which shee is bound to receiue as you say And tell mee O Ignatian pillar what mattereth it to saluation or damnation whether the things of themselues bee necessary or not if the Pope by his Commandement make them so necessarie as the whole Church shall be bound vnder paine of mortall sinne and consequently vnder paine of damnation to receiue them though vitious as you teach alas how perplexed is the state of Pontificians if this Bellarminian doctrine bee true they must commit vice to obey the Pope and so bee condemned therefore or else for the Popes sake God will fauour them so much as not to iudge them according to their workes but according to the Popes corrupt affection contrarie to his generall decree deliuered by his d Ad Rom. 2. 13. Psal 61. Iob. 34. Apostle that euery man shall receiue according to his workes The first Law AMongst many of these Lawes first occurreth to my minde that where-with the vncharitable Popes straightly charge that e Caput à vobis secundo cap. sacris de sententia excomm CoÌ„cil Trident. Sess 22. cap. 2. 6. Aqu. 3. q. 79. art 7. ad 2. Sotus lib 9. de instit q. 2. art 2. ad 3. the sacrifice of their Masse the which they beleeue to bee the propitiatorie oblation and selfe same Christ which was sacrificed for the whole world vpon the Crosse to be offered by any of their Priests for any excommunicated person or by name for any Infidels and Heretikes by them for such reputed whether they be subiects or Soueraignes A law and custome most contrarie to the nature of the propitiatorie sacrifice of the Crosse the which as it was once most sufficiently and abundantly offered for the redemption of all so it should be continually remembred and faithfully beleeued for the saluation of the whole Church of Gods Elect yea and most religiously to be inuocated and praied vnto for the conuersion and saluation of all sinners whatsoeuer Turkes Iewes Heretikes or Infidels for so much as may lie in vs to doe and procure considering that it is the holy f 1. Tim. 2. will of the most immaculate and pious sacrifice of the crosse himselfe that all men should come to the knowledge of his truth for which cause also his blessed Apostle the vessell of election ordained that obsecrations orations postulations and thanksgiuings should be made for all Men for all Magistrates and all such as are in Authoritie and hee giueth the reason of this his ordinance because as much as in him is God would haue all men to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth And although the Pontifician g Remists Annotations in 2. Tim. 2. Remists themselues doe vehemently challenge by these foure different kinds of praiers that the whole order of their Masse is comprehended and specially distinguished citing h Aug. Epist 59 Austens authoritie for the same yet malice suffereth them not to see their owne errout most clearely condemned in this ordinance of the holie Apostle euen as it is by themselues expounded in which hee expresly appointeth that those foure kindes of praiers of which the very second the i Annot. ibidem Remists themselues eagerly expound of that part of their Masse when their Consecration is made and when their Christ sacrificed is most specially offered Obsecrations Orations Postulations and Thanksgiuings and yet who conceiueth their Diuinitie that the word Orations in English in Latine Orationes in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signifie properly their Consecration Transubstantiation or Propitiatorie oblation to bee made for all men for Kings who were Heathens when this ordinance was made and all that are in preeminencie But let the holie Apostle ordaine what hee will let the Father St. Austen and others euen in their owne sense expound this ordinance of their propitiatorie Sacrifice yet forsooth the Romane Bishops will seeme to bee so pure that they will not onely refuse Communion with such persons as they doe excommunicate and with Infidels but they will further also out of more then pharisaicall coÌ„tempt renounce the communion of charitie due to enemies and refuse so much as to pray in their publike sacrifice and seruice by name for the * Conflit Clem. lib. 8. cap. 15. conuersion of Infidels or any Heretikes much lesse for any Temporall blessings and prosperities to them yea although they bee their Magistrates their Liege Soueraignes Who knoweth not how the zealous Pontificians and
much of his credit away with charging the booke with lies and fables that his authoritie alone may not carrie away such a matter as this is The fifth Law THat Law and custome by which they commaund the Laitie to receiue the Sacrament vnder one kind onely is sacrilegious to vse Pope Gelasius his phrase and is an errour in excusable But the Tridentine Fathers haue found out an excuse for this inexcusable errour this forsooth that although Christ instituted and commaunded all to drinke of the sacramentall Cup the Apostles ordained as much and withall the primitiue Church euer so practised yet this was all done not as a matter of necessitie but of election or choice for the faithful to receiue vnder one kind or both Å¿ Epist Iude. Imperet vobis Dominus Our Lord coÌ„maund you and let the mouthes of such as speake so wicked things be stopped What a doctrine of diuels is this to say that the institution of Christ the commaundement of Christ ordinance of the Apostles touching the vse of the chiefest Sacrament of the Church maketh not a law of necessitie when their imagined transubstantiation came in then also by degrees brought they in the receiuing vnder one kinde as sufficient for a mans whole life pretending that whole Christ is really and substantially vnder both kindes yea vnder any the least particle that may fall from the host or any lest moysture of wine-liquour that may hang and sticke vpon their Chalice side or vpon their Priests lips which being by them thus professed beleeued I maruaile and note by the way how Henry Garnets great t M. A. V. fauouritisse in presence of him and of other Ignatians and diuers worshipfull did scorne publikely at table one D. Cecill for his licking with his finger the patten which he vsed at celebration of the Masse I desire the reader to iudge of their spirits I my selfe hearig her derision excused the Doctor seriously but since that time some one and twenty yeares I was neuer very gratefull to her nor to her reuerend Father Henry Garnet they had then opposition with that Doctor and therefore he was derided for licking vp such crummes as they esteemed their God The sixth Law THey annexe to holy Orders the vow of Chastitie and yet few who take Orders make the said vow expresly although all such consent to vndergoe their law of chastitie by which they most strictly command neither Priest nor Bishop to marry if any were maried before Orders then after them they must abstaine from the lawfull vse of their wiues This is one of their traditions such a one as S. Paul spoke of when u 1. Ad Tim. 4. he foretold that some would come in later times teaching the doctrines of diuels forbidding to marrie c. By occasion of this law their presumptuous spirits haue implied almost the whole Romane Cleargie more or lesse with all kinde of impurities yea some so nefarious as are not by a modest penne to be expressed perhaps though very rashly and inconsiderately the first Authors of the Law intended to haue brought in Chastitie and puritie into the liues of their Cleargie but it hath fallen out farre otherwise for it is a shame to speake what is done by many of them in secret It is a shame saith x Bernard serm 33 in Cantica see him in serm ad Pastores in Sinodo congregat lib. 4. de considerat cap. 2. alibi S. Bernard to vtter what they doe in darke yet what should I shame to speake that which they are not ashamed to doe O worthy Bernard might you iustly write thus in your time A stinking contagioÌ„ creepeth this day through out the whole bodie of the Church all are friends and yet all are enemies yea all seeke their owne they are the Ministers of Christ yet doe seruice to Antichrist And a little after these are the men and yet they will needs be Church-Gouernours Diuines Archbishops Bishops how doe these men keepe their chastitie who being giuen into a reprobate sense doe things that are vnmeete for it is a shame to vtter what they doe in the darke yet why should I be ashamed to speake that which they are not ashamed to doe thus Saint Bernard the which with infinite much more that might be cited out of all zealous Pontifician preachers as Cornelius Musse Panigarole Ferus Granatensis Stella Espencaeus Genebrard Bapt Mantuan Aluarus Pelagius Nicholas Clemangis Polydore Mathew of Paris I touch onely to shew what abhominable impurities and filth hath redounded by vertue of that Law into their vowing Cleargie whom they permit notwithstanding to eate and drinke liberally and indifferently of wines and all manner of meates as the laitie and to liue also freely and to conuerse indifferently amongst women They impose a necessitie of that which Christ himselfe ordained should be free in such as haue the y Math. 19. gift of continencie but they will perhaps say none is restrained to this law of Chastitie but such as doe freely enter into holy orders vnto which this law of chastitie is annexed and such as haue made triall of themselues before good God what triall is made of such persons whom they nourish and mew vp in the prime of their youth in their Seminaries and Colledges farre from all societie of women whom if they would keepe still at short diet and without wines I could not condemne their vowiâ—g who neuer made trial of themselues whether they had the gift of continency or not how many are there of your Cleargie who eyther because their parents so appoint it or else because they finde it a readie way and steppe to promotion are willing to addict themselues to that course of life before they know by experience whether they can be continent or not nay rather which of them is there I appeale to their owne consciences who by often yeelding more or lesse to some of the morosous cogitations as they call them doe not finde by experience before they take holy Orderrs that they haue not the gift of contiuencie but doe more or lesse burne with their morosous desires and cogitations The Pontificians are such fauourers of Vowes of chastitie that I know some married couples who liuing together commit horrible impurities and yet they will not preuent them by the remedy of nature because against their owne vowes I know diuers Ignatians are verie forward to perswade married couples to vow such pernicious continencie I could heere particularize somewhat but will not hauing appealed to their owne consciences and the consciences of such ghostly Fathers as heare the confessions of their Diuines who are at the next steppe to Orders But let their ancient Histories be searched and they shall finde that the Church of the East where religion was first planted and the ordinances of the Apostles well knowne would neuer admit of the necessitie of continencie in Cleargie men which some endeuoured to impose vpon them In
by their bulles of deposition and excommunication c Bull. Sixti 5. Pij 5. contua Reginam charged vnder the paine of excommunication all English Subiects forceably to depriue that most Gracious Lady and Queene Elizabeth and although God of heauen had set her ouer vs yet the earthly god with his triple crowne to whom all power vpon earth was giuen as one of them speaketh sitting in the high throne of his See did d Bull Pij 5. vnqueene her make her as another ordinary Subiect But what were the English Chiefe-leaders guilty of any one of these plots and practises Let Cardinall Allen march first who although he * Related by the moderate Answerer would seeme to touch and reprehend those who gaue information to Pius the 5. it was not for want of good will to the matter it selfe but because the state of England did not then permit it ◠the Pontificians being not strong enough to put in execution Pope Pius his depositiue sentence for otherwise in his booke called the defence of English Catholikes hee doth most eagerly defend the Popes power to depose Princes and constantly auoucheth that he may charge all Subiects and authorize them to depriue Princes in case of Heresie and other needfull occasions of Church and Common Wealth the which doctrine as he doth most politikly and cunningly seeke to establish by sophisticall reasons and many deuised vntruthes so is hee most learnedly confuted by that singularly learned and iudicious Prelate the e Bishop Bilson of the supremacy Bishop of Winchester so soundly that neither Allen himselfe nor any of his Seminarists durst euer yet attempt to make any reply against that very learned and iudicious worke Againe call to minde Cardinall Allens declaration to the Nobles in England in 88 the which hee himselfe conceiued and dictated in very great haste to three or foure Scribes together at once to haue with speede more copies to send hither into England thereby to incite the Peeres and all Pontificians of this Kingdome to ioine with the Armado which King Philip of Spaine sent hither for the conquering of this Kingdome which Spanish fleete came also full fraught both with Pope Sixtus his prophesies his blessings and curses and with the blessings of their maide of Lisboe with a vaine prediction of their victory but through the power of God both Horse and Horseman were drowned in the Seas where most of their ships with the Popes blessings and curses made shipwracke God conuerting their curses vpon their owne heads These bookes of this Cardinall with many other of his discontented speeches against the English State before 88. doe discouer liuely how much he had borrowed of a worse spirit then that was which our Sauiour f condemned in two of Luc 9. his Apostles I say before 88. for I haue obserued since that time God checking by that miraculous ouerthrow his spirit he hath beene farre more moderate then Robert Parsons into whose soule how a double spirit of that kinde hath ascended from below it is almost superfluous to stand to prooue His Doleman which I know by some speeches that I haue heard from his owne mouth he purposely intended against the vndoubted Title of our most Gracious Soueraigne whom Iesus vouchsafe long to preserue and to intitle as much as lay in him the Archdutchesse with an imagined and chimerian title to the English Crowne and to that purpose he dispersed as many of those bookes into this kingdome before the death of Queene Elizabeth as he could conueniently earnest he was with me some fifteene yeeres since to haue brought some of * How often haue I heard this man reioice at the shuffling and ciuill commotions which he foreimagined would light vpon the English at Queen Elizabeths death How often haue I heard him say and Ios Creswell also with diuers other Ignatians that England will neuer be happy and fully conuerted without the sword and a conquest thereof his Dolemans ouer with mee into England which I vtterly refusing highly displeased him therewith Againe his publike reioicing when he heard by a false Alarum that the Spaniards had safely landed in England in 88. and his deiected countenance when that false newes by true report was checked How ioyfully did he trot vp and downe to carry the first newes amongst the Popes friends and Englands Enemies But good God how was hee confounded at the hearing of the second newes of the burning and drowning of the Spanish Fleete All Elements concurring to the confusion of Pharaohs host This * Diuers worthy persons haue obserued this spirit in Parsons especially that worthy Deane of Life D. G. who for his loue to his Countrey and openly disliking the Ignatians courses was by Parsons others of his fellowes procuremēts banished out of the low Countries mans spirit was euer thought to be plotting and deuising for Englands conuersion by Englands subuersion against which time he had prouided certaine rules of reformation amongst all which I will tell you one pretty one When England is conuerted at first said he there must not be admitted into it any religious excepting poore Capuchins and the contemplatiue Carthusians and his owne brethren the Ignatians for some selfe pretences as is obserued A politike deuise that so he and his might haue the shooting at the purse the hitting of it for * When in Spaine by a witty libell the Capuchine Friars were described to shoote from the purse the Franciscans wide of it the Ignatians were described to hit it in the very middest with this posie teattino which word signifieth Theatine and I hit thee Of this the Ignatiās complained to the present King who wittily replied to them Doe ye not then his the purse Fathers and all will be well the Capuchines hauing no possessions shoote from the purse the Carthusians being contemplatiue should not so much as draw an arrow to shoote at the purse and so he and his might carry away the bell and doe all and purse all How Ioseph Creswell another of that societie and an English Chieftaine hath beene tainted with that spirit it is too to manifest hee must forsooth carrie Priests that come from Spanish Seminaries into England vp and downe to visite the Peeres of that Kingdome and to take their leaues of them that they may bring some comfortable newes to the oppressed English of their Kings intentions for England hee must carrie them also vnto the late King of Spaine to kisse that Kings hands and to heare from the Kings owne mouth words of comfort not of patience to carrie to the distressed English Catholikes that hee forsooth would aide and assist them as soone as possibly hee could c. Oh how did I my selfe see and heare the same man about some fifteen yeres since applaud commend a certaine Spanish g Adelantado is an Admirall Adelentádo for protesting and vowing that if his master the King of Spaine would giue him leaue
us free by your behests From all the sinnes that vs restraine To whose commaunding subiect are Infirmittes and healthes of all Our ill disposed customes cure And vnto vertue vs recall Whose eyes are not shut if here he doe not plainlie obserue how they haue taken the glory of onelie Redeemershippe and Aduocacy from Christ and haue transferred it vpon his Creature how plaine is it that they beg those things from the Apostles which Christ onely doth giue and from whose onely hands we are to expect them to wit peace and saluation Vouchsafe O Christ to open their eyes that seeing they may see and be conuerted and thou O God heale them thou O God restore them to all vertues I should here declare somewhat how the Romane Church trauaileth to make her Religion to seeme and appeare magnificent pompous glorious by deuised shewes a fitte deuise indeed to draw the simple but wiser trauailers and indicious persons obseruing such artificiall and stagelike representations * Diuerse both noble and very worthy Gentlemen haue taken great offence at the Spanish Fopperies in their processions and haue been greatly confirmed to continue still in the single and sincere integrity of the reformed Churches gather another conclusion thereout to wit that their Religion is humane not diuine not agreeing to the true ancient Christian simplicity of Christs Church Do they think that their sumptuous carrying their God vp and downe streetes their publike incensing and adoring of it their deuising of many rich representations to set forth their solemnities will draw the wiser people of such couÌ„tries as are auerted from the Romance Church no God wot there is nothing more auerteth them then such open and heathenish-like kind of worshippes which were neuer dreamed of in ancient Churches nor commended by any ancient institution of any Gouernours of the same The Conclusion But I will make haste towardes the Conclusion of these my motiues yet before I end I am constrained for the satisfaction of others to shew with what conscience and reason I dare aduenture to leaue communion with that Church which is so famous and so conspicuous and which hath beene euer visible for so much as concerneth externall succession an outward kind of profession of many pointes of Christian Doctrme since Christs time as like continuing of succession can be shewed in the Churches of Hierusalem Alexandria c. It cannot be denied but that the Romane Church in the Apostles time was a pure and sound part of the Christian Catholike Church although in her very infancy shee was sliding if you beleeue Onuphrius which moued S. Peter to hasten and returne vnto her and although Onuphrius in annotatan Platmam in vitam Petri. a Euseb lib. 3. hist cap. 31. Eusebius relateth Egesippus to affirme that whilest the Apostles liued the Church was an immaculate Virgine and pure from errour but they being dead there did presently arise those who did impugne the Apostolicall truth notwithstanding these things I doubt not to say that the Romane Church continued long time found in all substantiall matters of Christian doctrine vntill humane Traditions beganne to entermixe themselues with religion instituted by diuine authority which then most apparantlie began when the Church came to enioy temporall peace and prosperity presently after the dayes of Constantine the Emperour in whose time and by whose donation poyson was powred into the Church as the b Vita Silaestri approbata life of Siluester Pope deliuereth of a certain Angelical voice pronouncing as much the operation of which poison shewed it self partly in effect in the time of Damasus when by reason of the competency and contention which was betwixt him and c Ammian Marcellia lib 27. cap. 2 Ra on in Annal. Vrsisine for the Romane See so much bloud was shed that I hope if d I Cortil 2. Marcellin ibid. Sâ—crates l. 2. ca. 11 affirmeth how the Bishop of Rome exalting themselus aboue the limits of Priesthood into temporall dominion contended for the Primcay ouer all other Churches Saint Pauls argument bee true the Romane Church was then very carnall oppressed with such grieuous contentions and not being in vnity of spirite thinking the same thing but hauing such horrible schismes amongst them and I doubt not to affirme but that Damasus more or lesse as hee was delighted according to the fashion of Romane Bishops with sumptuous attendance in his person so also more or lesse brought in sumptuous seruice and pompous ceremonies into the Church and this the Pontificians cannot deny if diuers thinges that bee in Damasus his Pontificall bee truly attributed to that Popes institution and collection which in sundry thinges I beleeue not but this Bishoppe is made a Saint in the Romane calender the Lord knowes for what vertue or when he was first fainted perhappes for his tumultuous entrance or pompuous conuersation in the chaire of Rome in which respect hee may be reputed in some degree the Protoparent of many his Successors These beginnings and entrances of corruption vanity into the Church of Rome obserued which in succeeding times and in ages after ages grew into most horrible grieuous prophanations by the subtlety of Satan whilest the Gouernours of the Churches g Math. 13. were a sleepe that is were lulled with temporall peace and prosperity I seriously first consider those Propheticall wordes of our h Luc. 13. Sauiour in which hee hath foretold that when hee should come he should hardly find faith vpon earth which defection from faith as it was to bee and generally to ouerwhelme the whole world before Christs second comming so who coulde long agoe precisely say when it was to beginne onely after-experience hath demonstrated it and doth tell vs that according to another Propheticall prediction of the most blessed 2 ad Thes 2. Apostle who hath expresly deliuered that this defection and Apostacy should bee when that man should sitte in the temple that is the Church at whose comming the Romane Empire should be taken out of the way and who should extoll himselfe sitting in the Temple aboue all that is called or worshipped as God vpon earth who should also in himselfe and by his followers worke wonders and miraculous prodigies bosting and bragging therein who should also Apostatat from the charity of truth that is from the iustifying faith in Christ Iesus onely that iustifying faith in Christ Iesus onely which is so much and so often commended in sacred Scripture who also should Apostatate from most Articles of Christian doctrine For vaine is that exposition of the Remists who would faine interprete this Apostasie of which the Apostle speaketh to bee from the Pope and from his Primacie and particular Romane Church vaine I say for who will say that a man might not iustly haue departed from the communion of such Popes as k Genehrard lib. 4 Chronol sâ—â—ulo 10. Baron ad aun 900. anno 908. Plaim in vita sapissime in Bonifa
himselfe was left alone in Israel and that all but hee with Achab and Iezabel the Idolatrous Princes worshipped Baal though euen then and in Israel also not onely in Iuda as the Papists will haue it God had g Ibidem 7000. who had neuer bowed to Baal what would they haue then done would they haue publikely followed the face of that Church and that visible Gouernment and not rather haue beene in society and communion with the inuisible company Or rather I aske would they at that very time haue followed the visible multitude in Iury and Hierasalem which at h Reg 3. cap. 22. 3. Reg. cap. 9. that season did sacrifice and burne incense in the high places by whose Idolatries it cannot be denied but that the whole Church of Iurie was contaminated and polluted at lest with the communion of that Idolatrous multitude although the Priests of Hierusalem withall did offer Sacrifice to the true God of Israel Againe what would these men haue done in the time of Achaz and Manasses in the daies of both which most sacrilegious Kings the Priests with the whole publike visible Church i 4 Reg. 16. 4. Reg. 21. worshipped strange gods would they then haue ioined with the visible Church and haue obeied the Idolatrous high Priest of that time and I hope they will not saie that the Law of k Deuteron 17. Deuteronomy decreeing that who should not obey the high Priests sentence for the time should die therefore did not excuse the whole Church of Hierusalem in obeying Vrias the high Reg. 16. Priest who according as King Achaz of Iuda had commanded him had erected an impious Altar according to that of Samaria setting aside that which God himselfe had appointed vntill the King should determine thereof AgaIne what would these haue done in the time of Annas and Caiphas the high Priests whose precepts and commandements neither Christ nor his Apostles would obey although they sate vpon the chaire of Moses yea and although Christ had before taught the Iewes that they m Math. 18. should doe what the Phariseis and Scribes sitting vpon the Chaire of Moses should teach and command them to doe Belike these men if they had beene in those times regarding the n Deuter. d7 Law of Moses which decreed that whosoeuer disobeied the sentence of the high Priest should die would haue associated themselues with Annas and Caiphas against Christ and his Apostles rather then with the poore contemptible company of Christ disciples which was so small and so inuisible at the time of Christs passion that some of the Aduersaries would seeme to haue it to haue remained and consisted onely in the most blessed Virgin Mary though this most falsely For doubtlesse there were diuers then secretly dispersed in the land of Iewry who beleeued in Christ and had heard nothing of the scandall of the crosse And although o Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Peter with mouth denied and abiured Christ yet I cannot thinke but that faith in his heart was still firme and also that some other of the Apostles and good deuoute women did still in their hearts constantly beleeue in him and were parts of his hidden Church there But the Aduersary will obiect that visible Succession and the Authority of the High Priests in the Church of the old Testament was not a sufficient warrant for such as should follow them commanding any thing against Gods Law Againe that their succession was not to continue but for a time and in the end to bee abolished and quite remooued Good God as though the Law of Deuteronomy were not an euerlasting Law and most expresse for the high Priests authority so expresse that your high Priest now and his p Bellar. lib. 4. de Ron. Pont. â—rp 16. Baron in Annal. Caâ—etan Tollet Stapleton Allen ally Cardinals in his behalfe doe chalenge greatest prerogatiue of power and iurisdiction from the same Good God as though visible succession had not beene promised to be in that place of which q â—sal 131. God said it was his resting place for euer of which Dauid speaking vnto God said thus Arise O God into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy sanctification Of which place King r 3 R g 9. Salomon in his dedication of the Temple spoke such magnificent promises As though Å¿ Ierem. 33 Psal 8. God had not promised visible succession in the 33. of Ieremy in the linage of Leui for euer Protesting that his promise and pact should faile with the day and night before it should faile with the Church of Ierusalem with many yea infinite such like promises in the holy Scriptures and yet notwithstanding the same we see that the succession of that Church is vtterly extirpated How much rather may the Church of Rome haue her succession either extirpated abolished or corrupted the which can shew no speciall promise for her selfe and for her euerlasting establishment there are indeed most firme promises for the Catholike Church of Christ but for the Romane particular Church there are no promses at all if there be any let them be produced And if the Aduersary reply and say the Romane Church was once a Pure Church and a Virgin therefore shee must bee so taken still vnlesse you can precisely shew the time when and by whom corruptions were introduced into that Church Vpon this reply they triumph they insult but it is God wot very vaine for if Cockle and Darnell was to bee sowed by the â— Math. 13. enemy when the Pastors of the Church were a sleepe not sleeping a naturall sleepe but a sleepe of ease security prosperity pleasure ignorance What maruell that the precise time when such cockle and darnell was sowed cannot bee deliuered for tell mee O thou wirty aduersary who should haue specified the time the Pastors they were a sleepe yea and by them sleeping the Diuel sowed cockle and darnell of heresie of idolatry of impurity and therefore a sleeping and a dreaming disputer may I call thee who wouldest bring out sleeping witnesses but yet to satisfie your triumphing reply although the precise times places and persons cannot bee expressed when your heresies first begaÌ„ to take root first to bud or to spring forth yet wee can specifie the very indiuiduall personall singular and speciall persons times and places where when your opinions were first receiued as Articles of Faith and beleefe And what is it not an euident demonstration to shewe any thing to bee nouell and new if it can bee demonstrated when the same was not receiued although the speciall time and maner of the beginning of it cannot euidently bee shewed and demonstrated but onely probably conceiued by some probable coniectures And although the Romane Church doe boast of a visible and a conspicuous company professing Christ although most corruptly continuing from Christs time yet that is not inough vnlesse they can also shew succession in doctrine For a man
to interprete this flight of the woman to haue been about the time of Constantius or else to signifie some other particular desolation destitution of the Church when shee was persecuted by the Gentiles I doe not much insist vpon it and yet although this generall destitution of the Church should last but for a short time as they desire yet it quite ouerthroweth their ground of the Churches * Almost all Pontificians acknowledge that in Antichrists time the true Church shall bee in conspicuous without any publike â—â—uicâ— so Bellarmine Dried Sâ—aâ—es Valâ—nt Râ—mists clearely vpon the 2. to the Thes 2. continuall and neuer intermitted manifest and vniuersall conspicuity Further without all question if the e Apocal. 13 whole world shall admire after the image of the beast which image of the beast must of necessity be vnderstood of some kind of Monarchicall gouernment Empire or rule the which like an Image shall represent and stand as it were in stead of the Romane Empire it selfe then doubtlesse the number of those which shall refuse to adore the Image of the beast and to acknowledge the Popes temporall and spirituall absolute Monarchy will not be great but small at the very first till God by the spirite of his mouth shall vouchsafe by degrees to destroy the harlot where the image of this beast resideth To confirme what I haue said I will annexe the prophesie of one Hildegard a religious Virgine whom the aduersaries repute a Saint and f Theodoric Niem 2. lâ—b de priuilegijs Imperij cap. de Oâ—b 2. 3. whose bookes in the which this prophesie is Eugenius the third in a Councel at Treuers at which Saint Bernard was present receiued and approued This deuout Virgine hauing prophesied of a defection that should bee from the Romane Empire she foretelleth also of a general diuision that should be in the church and withall how by reason of the wickednesse pride and neglect of Religion which all would see in the Popes Apostolicall as shee calleth them all Kingdomes * This her prophesie is agâ—â—ing to the doctrine of lâ—aâ—ned 〈◊〉 in his booke of the auâ—â—â—â—ibility oâ— the Pope and in the time of Pope Juliâ—s all the Prelates of France at Touâ—es in a Councell there affiâ—med the same as Iohn dâ— Sâ—â—â—s relateth in Lewis the 12. would thereupon choose vnto themselues Archbishops and Gouernours of other names vnder whom they might and would professe Christ and his pure Religion leauing saith she vnto the Pope Rome alone with a few territories adioyning thereunto vnder such Gouernours and Archbishops saith shee Peoples and Kingdomes shall embrace iustice obserue the ancient customes and disciplines as the ancieÌ„ts were accustomed to do Thus she by which prophecie it is euident what this Saint and all those who approued her books thought of necessary subiection to the Bishop and Church of Rome Not vnlike is that which they write of their Prophetisse g Lib. 4. reuelat cap 57. Brigit shee bringeth in the mother of Christ thus speaking to her sonne Rome is a plentifull field to whom Christ answered thou sayest true but cockle hath ouergrowne this field and therefore it must bee clensed with a sharpe iron it must bee purged with fire and plowed with oxen therefore I will deale with it as he who remoueth plants into another place for h The Bishop of Eâ—hesus was threatned by God to haue his Candlesticke â—emooued out of his â—lace foâ— leauing of his first charity Apocal 2 What presumption therefore 〈◊〉 the Roman Popâ—s to thinke theis Candlestick cannoâ—â—â— remoued who haue abandâ—ned all the primitiue chaâ—ity of the Apostles and are whol degene rated into aâ— câ—taâ—iâ—â— of sin bâ—t I wish theÌ„ to â—ead the â—â— of S. Pauls epist to them such a punishment is prouided for that City as if the Iudge would say flea off the whole skinne draw out of the flesh all the bloud cut all the flesh into peeces and breake all the bones that all the marrow may flow away thus there and if the prophesie of the worthy virgine Meethildis be truly related from her the controuersie with Rome is at an end for shee in expresse termes foretelleth that the Church of Rome should wholy apostotate from the faith of Christ and that there should remain in Germany a poore and persecuted Church which should serue and worship God religiously and purely This is cleare likewise that of Iohn Capistran is as cleare that Rome in time would be so purged and the Popes and Cardinals brought so in order that there would bee none found who would make haste to be Pope contrary to the fashion now i Read dist 79 cap si quis and Baron Anno 912. vsed when no one almost entereth canonically but either by fauor canuasing of some Cardinall or procurement of some Prince or by bargaine as Simon would haue bought power to haue giuen the holy Ghost This Iohn Capistrane whom I mentioned was reputed a Saint by them as likewise was Iohn of Calabria as k Possâ—â—ine in a par verbo Câ—â—â—llus Posseuine in his Apparate affirmeth of him of whome Roger Houeden reporteth that hee should affirme that one l Houâ—d in Ric. 1. who should be Antichrist and a Pope was then born in Rome vulgar is the like prophesie of Ioakim Abbot by me mentioned aboue of Antichrist then born in Rome sundry are the like prophesies which them selues also admit amongst themselues to their owne confusion and yet forsooth they would tie all vnder pain of damnation against all Scriptures and all Antiquity to embrace their nouelties and in no case to forsake Rome but against this their paradoxe I may most iustly vse the words of l Tertul. Apolog. cap. 6. Tertullian vnto them vsed by him in like case vbi religio vbi veneratio c. Where is Religion where worship and reuerence due from you to your Elders in habit liuing discipline sense and last of all euen in speech you haue renounced your Ancestors you alwaies prayse Antiquity but day by day you liue newly thus he so these men in all their vanities of Pardons graines round wafers merites of Saints Purgatory fire transubstantiation adoration of Images c. pretend Apostolicall Tradition but being vrged to shew them to be ancient and to carry them vpward towards the Apostles they faint in the midway and when forsooth they faile they will then vow professe pronounce and protest that although they know no mention made of them yet sure they were all vsed before that time euen from the Apostles dayes and here they stumble into that absurdity which they vainely obiect against others to witte of inuisible inaudible and vnlegible Traditions one of their Rules of faith the practise whereof in ancient times they cannot shew and although the pure Church of Christ had beene for many yeares together so inuisible so inconspicuous that there could no known nor set Congregation be defined
courteous Reader how Bellarmine tra uaileth to defend this booke from contradiction Bellar de verb. Dei lib 1. c. 12. Iudiths booke in particular I cannot but meruaile how any one can thinke that the holy Ghost would euer approue that decking and trimming vp of her selfe for such an impure and luxurious proiect thereby to draw m Iud. 10. 12 Holofernes into an vnlawfull burning lust and concupiscence of her if so they will teach and affirme may I not heere charge their doctrine with affirming God to bee the approuer and Authour of sinne more iustlie then they charge Caluin therewith Was not that of the holy Ghost in n Rom 3. St. Paul law and right in Iudiths daies Non sunt facienda mala vt eueniant bona Things that are euill are not to bee done that good may come thereby Besides it is too too apparent that in the story there are some vntruths and vnreconcilable contradictions which are clearelie against the other sacred Scriptures And therefore by euident consequence it is to bee affirmed that the booke is Apocriphall and not of that vndoubted and certaine authority which holy Canonicall Scriptures haue by which onely Dogmata fidei articles of Faith are to bee decreed and tried as the ancient Church euer beleft from whose faith because faith must euer be the same no Christian can without hazard of Saluation depart Against the books of Machabees many particular and vnanswerable doubts might be produced I will content my selfe with two or three Doth not the Author of them I should say the abbreuiatour of Iasons larger history as himselfe p 2. Mach. 2. professeth to be against the faith and doctrine of vndoubted Scriptures approue and admire the fact of q 2. Mach. 14. Razias murthering himselfe doth he not craue pardon of the Reader if he haue not answerably to the condition of a good r 2. Mach. vlt. Historian behaued himselfe belike the holy Ghost who is not accustomed nor cannot acknowledge himselfe nor his Scribes to bee subiect to any humane errour in writing thus here left him but not aboue in the 12. Chapter of this Å¿ 2. Mach. 12 booke where he mentioneth prayers and sacrifices for the dead and yet this by the helpe of false fingers also and therefore he here not there craued pardon if he had not arightly performed his office Doubtlesse hee who will thinke the holy Ghost can craue pardon of man as though he might be subiect to errour hath little of the holy Ghosts grace in him Which things considered with diuers other impossibilities against the truth of historie I cannot be perswaded that t Lib. de Ciuit. Dei 18. c. 36. St. Austin and the Fathers of the Councell of Carthage did otherwise approue them to be read then as a probable historie contayning some good morall matter if reade with u Cont. GaudeÌ„t sobriety to vse St. Austens owne phrase but not as to receiue them into the Canon of sacred Scripture of Gods word And if St. Austen may not bee thought to contradict himselfe within the compasse of halfe a dozen of lines some Manuscriber hath egregiously corrupted him for x Aug. lib. 18. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 36. first hee seemeth clearly and absolutely to affirme that they are not Canonicall and proueth thereupon a truth vpon which hee there discourseth and presently he is made to say thus that although the Iewes receiue not the Machabees into Canon yet the Church of Christ receiueth them but who smelleth not false fingers here especially if infinite like forgeries of Manuscribers be obserued Further I am more confirmed in my iudgement against these bookes because y Dist 15. cap. Sancta Romana Gelasius a Pope of Rome before any greater corruptions had deeply tainted that Church did with a whole Synode in Rome recounting a Canon of the Apostles for the same purpose exclude the Machabees out of the Canon of holy Scriptures and although the Canon beginning Sancta Romana c. in which this exclusion was be now so maymed and mangled that no man can iustly say this part or line of it is sound yet z Anton. 3. part summ l. 18. c. 6. Antonine Archbishop of Florence and a Saint in their Church confesseth that he himselfe had read the exclusion of these bookes out of Canon of Scripture in that decree of Gelasius and according to the Canon of the Apostles there mentioned All these things concurring out of Antiquitie and the vndoubted Churches of Christ with the authority also of some learned Pontificians their later Doctors and that of a Tertull. lib. de praescript Tertullian euer taking place in Christs Church Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most ancient is most true What may bee thought of that b Conc. Trident. Sess 4. congregation at Trent who hath giuen equal authority to them with the vndoubted word of God and haue accursed with their idle Anatheme all those who shall with the ancient Church of the Iewes the Nicene Councell which St. Gregorie esteemed as the Gospell with the I aodicene reuerend Fathers and almost all other ancient Fathers reiect them as Apocriphaâ—l Doubtlesse the curse of God against the idle curses of men may be iustly giuen vnto them who c Apocal. vlt. haue added the word of man to his word and haue made the word of man equall with his most infallible and inuiolable word d Iud. Epist Imperet illis Dominus The Lord God reproue them It is not possible if these men had esteemed of the vndoubted Scriptures as all the e Aug Epist 71 ad Marcell in prolog lib 3. de Trin. Epist 1â—1 Ep 166. ad Dâ—natist 〈◊〉 Epist 62 Basil 〈◊〉 de si de 〈◊〉 me Chrysost in opere imâ—â—rfect homâ—lia 49. ancient Fathers did who euer required the writings of all men to be examined and tryed by the certaine word of God they would neuer haue coupled humane authority with diuine and haue equalized them in one degree of truth but they may bee excused in dealing so warily and politikely herein for their desperate cause of Porgatorie fire praier for the dead c. otherwise would to the ground with many like of their superstitious trumperies The third Motiue BEsides the corrupting of the true rule of faith by adding the Apocriphall bookes they haue also depraued the same f Conc. Trident. Sess 4. rule by their vnwritten Traditions Anathematizing all who shall refuse or disesteeme the same Traditions and not hold them in equall reputation with Gods most vndoubted word This rule of Traditions they hold to bee an vnwritten Deposit left in the Romane Church and kept inuiolably by her vntill these times which if they can shew what good Christian is there who wil not with reuerenced esteeme receiue or commend whatsoeuer those most irreprehensible Founders of the Church haue deliuered either concerning faith or Church discipline But I must tell them
being therevnto vrged by manifest truth and reason that it is not enough for them vpon their bare wordes to affirme this or that is a tradition Apostolicall or this or that is a doctrine Apostolicall because it is now generally obserued through out all those Churches which communicate with the Bishop of Rome no though at such times when there was no notorious or famous Church on earth to oppose against her and whereof no expresse beginning can bee shewed vnlesse they can withall for such their Traditions ascending vpwards euen vnto the Apostles times or the dayes of their immediate Successors and Schollers clearly and soundly deduct by graue testimonies of Ancient and Catholike authours that such thinges were euer more or lesse obserued and receiued as from the Apostles themselues throughout the Church of Christ if they will refuse this honorable triall of their Traditions and stand only vpon this idle answere and defence that the Church Romane now generally hath them and there is no beginning of them to bee shewed ergo they are Apostolicall they shall shew themselues to be meere wranglers wilfully wedded to most corrupt errours as I will most clearly demonstrate And herein I dare boldly challenge being most confident of this truth any Pontifician whatsoeuer be he Benedictine Fransciscan or Ignatian to shew me some ancient sufficient authority out of Councels or ancient Fathers that whatsoeuer might be obserued or should bee obserued in the later times of the Romane Church whereof no expresse beginning could be shewed should be therfore accounted Apostolicall because generally obserued in her g Epist 118. ad Ianuar. St. Austen indeede is vrged by the Aduersaries to affirme so much of some vnwritten Traditions in his time generally obserued throughout the whole Church but St. Austen is misvnderstood and his rule commonly cited not without corruption misvnderstood because his rule is of such Traditions whereof although nothing is written in holy Scripture yet they are mentioned in approued Authours and Historians more or lesse from the Apostles daies till his times besides great is the difference of 1200. yeares for so long is the time from St. Austens daies to vs for carrying downe of Traditions from the Apostles and in so many ages many thinges vnapostolicall h See Onuphr Genebrard and Platina supra pag. 3. might creepe into particular Churches and consequently into the whole whereof no certaine beginning might be shewed Againe St. Austens rule is commonly mis-cited For whereas that Father writeth thus in effect in his Epistle to i Epist 118. Ianuarius If the authority of diuine Scripture prescribe in any of these rites and ceremonies what is to bee done I I cite not the expresse words of the Father because editions are so different but all haue thus in effect answere there is no doubt to be made but that wee must doe as we reade the like I say if any of these rites which we obserue and the whole Church throughout the world at this present time obserueth for to dispure that we should doe otherwise were insolent madnesse but the Aduersaries commonly when they cite this place leaue out first what he writeth in the beginning of the sentence touching the authority of Scriptures Againe they leaue out commonly those words which restraine his meaning to his daies And in Saint Austens time it is manifest that the Christian Churches were not so diuided as since his times they haue beene and withall that a little before his time the generall Councels of Nice and Sardica had ordered most things and brought many things to light and yet notwithstanding this rule it is well knowne how Saint S. Aust in the same Epistle pronounceth that Christ instituted very few ceremonies Epist 118. Austen complained against multiplicitie of rites and ceremonies brought into diuers particular Churches in his daies wherewith the Christians were more heauily clogged then the ancient Iewes had beene vnder Moses which if it were euer true then it is now amongst the Pontificians most true who haue from their Popes some 1000 of rites and haue also innuerable lawes binding vnder the censure of their curses and heauiest excommunications and so frequently that a man may iustly suppose that there are few of that profession who are not more or lesse touched It is not credible to what number their Excommunications are growne since their tyranical vse of them See Nauar. Man cap. 27. num 50. by their lesser or greater excommunications his holinesse onely excepted who will be bound to no lawes no not to those which he sweareth inuiolably to keepe â—e being indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exlex iniqnus outlaw which Saint k 2. Thes 2. Paul hath prophecied should sit in the Temple of God as I will more fully declare hereafter But I will demonstrate that there are diuers practises and customes obserued throughout their Roman Church vniuersally wherof no beinning can be shewed which themselues wil not dare to affirme to be Apostolicall and so their rule by their owne confessions shall to the ground First is it not an vniuersall though impious practise throughout the Pontifician Church to paint God the Father in the forme of an old man and God the holy Ghost in the forme of a Doue by the same not onely to represent two persons of the most inenarrable and inexpressible Trinitie but also by the same and in the same to adore and worship those two infinite Persons what will they or can they shew me when this custome prâ—cisely began No I wis what must it therefore be a tradition Apostolicall it were impudencie or meere ignorance so to affirme and I thinke there is none of them as yet so shamelesse as to affirme it Nouell I am assured it is vtterly forbidden by the ancient Fathers of the sixt l Sinod 6. Cano. 82. generall Councell reputed an impudent thing by worthy Iohn m Damas Orthodox sid lib. 4. â—ap 17. Sinod Nicen. 2. act 4. 5. 6. 7. Damascene reputed a renowned Saint in their Church and a famous Patrone for the vse of other Images and by their Italian n Polid. lib. de inuentor Polidore Virgil accounted meere folly and which of their own men o Abulens Lira Alij commenting vpon the fourth of Exodus do not more or lesse condemne it and yet now the present Romane Church is so generally infected thereby with the leprosie of superstitious Idolatry that no man whose heart is zealous of Gods honour cannot seeing it but lament therefore Of this kinde also is the prostrate adoring of the Crucifixe it selfe vpon good Friday generally obserued throughout the Romane Church Can their best antiquarie amongst them shew me a beginning hereof no God wot what is it therefore a tradition Apostolicall shame will not suffer them to affirme it To this I adioyne their most Catholike and vaine custome of adorning their Images like as the old Paynims adorned Venus Iuno Ceres their vaine Gods