of the Church of Rome when they came to the Church of England they prooued dissolute of life most licentious in their conuersations whereas such as went from the Church of England to the church of Rome though they were neuer so disorderly before they afterward were reformed in their conuersations and most religiously exemplar in their behauiours Now therefore to shew that this obseruation proueth not alwayes so and that those of the English Church might not bee deceiued with this illusion of the Diuell you may from me take notice that it hath pleased almighty God heretofore to cōuert diuerse who haue liued with good fame in the Church of England and of late one master Richard Sheldon whose both learning vertuous conuersation euen in the Church of Rome hath beene such as is vnimpeachable by any of his Aduersaries as farre forth as euer I could heare and so still manifesteth as much in religious zeale to the Church of England and for mine owne part I can boldly say that I find as good curbes by the Doctrine of the Church of England to keepe men from sinne as in the Church of Rome by vertue whereof I doubt not but with Gods assistance I shall liue to serue him in this Church with lesse sinne than euer I could haue done in the Church of Rome 4 Thirdly I must giue you further notice that it is a thing wel knowne that there are in this realme many dissembling Protestants which outwardly doe all the acts of Religion belonging to this Church of England either to stay in their places in the common-wealth or to anoyde their penall lawes and yet in their hearts are resolued beleeuers of the Roman Faith egregiously dissembling both with God and men and practising most notorious equiuocation aswell in matters of faith as manners who will not sticke to take oathes receiue Sacraments go to Church and commit many a like act directly against their consciences perswasion which according to Saint Paul is sinne Rom. 14. vers 23 nay I dare affirme that it is a hainous mortall sinne approaching neare to that sinne against which Christ himselfe pronounceth a dangerous threatning ful of terror to any considerat heart saying That he that sinneth against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen Luc. 12. vers 10. neither in this world neither in the world to come Whence it may appeare that such men as they are most treacherous to God so may it be probably thought they cannot be loyall vnto men and therefore are they to bee held the most dangerous men that can be in any Common-wealth preferring the glorie of men before the glorie of God which being a thing much practised by some affected to the Church of Rome I haue beene the more willing both for their better information to publish these my obseruations as also to giue satisfaction to the Church of England concerning my selfe who am I thanke God most free from so hatefull a crime odious both to God and man 5. Fourthly I am further to let you vnderstand that my intention in these my Obseruations being more for the instruction of the Professors of the Church of Rome than for those of the Church of England who stand in no neede of so meane a scholler as my selfe I haue cited often the Authors of that Church euen against themselues thinking no way better to confute their Doctrines than by their owne grounds and their owne Teachers And although I handle not all points controuersed betwixt Rome and the reformed Churches at this day yet doe I so entreat of the chiefest points of Practise and Doctrine that all those being discouered to be but erronious and nouell and such as cannot stand with the true grounds of Christianitie I thinke there is no man of sound iudgement can thinke I had iust cause to stay any longer in that Church or that themselues can be partakers of Saluation remaining in the same 6. Fifthly my further desire is that thou who vouchsafest to be the Reader of these my vnpolished lines wilt with as fauourable a minde entertaine them for thy profit as I out of charitable affection to Gods seruants doe most freely publish them to the world desiring Almightie God to giue thee grace to reade them with due attention and to ruminate vpon them with mature deliberation laying aside all partialitie in thy censures or inordinate desire of any curious nouelties my resolution in the writing of them being more for the profit and spirituall good of others than for any purchase either of praise or estimation to my selfe desiring that the naked truth set forth without any colours of art or elocution may shew it owne power and force to preuaile against falshood And so wishing you all happinesse both temporall and eternall I leaue thee to the protection on of Almightie God Yours zealously affected in Christ Iesus I. C. A table of all the matters contained in this booke of Doctrinall and Morall Obseruations CHAP. I. COntaineth the first obseruation shewing the reasons of this Treatise Fol. 1. Chap. 2. Containeth an obseruation of Gods prouidence in ministring occasions of times places and persons concurring to the Authours conuersion Fol. 15. Chap. 3. Containeth the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse Fol. 26. Chap. 4. Containeth the second fundamentall obseruation of the supernaturall and reuealed knowledge which is necessarie to saluation Fol. 30. Chap. 5. Containeth the third fundamentall obseruation about the absolute necessitie of supernaturall faith Fol. 34. Chap. 6. Containeth the fourth fundamentall obseruation about the rule and straight mete-wand of the true Christian Faith Fol. 38. Chap. 7. Containeth the fift fundamentall obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible externall gouernement Fol. 52. Chap. 8. Containeth the sixt fundamentall obseruation how that conformitie of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the primitiue Church may be a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ Fol. 55. Chap. 9. Containeth an obseruation of the wonders and supposed Miracles which as Christ hath fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and false Prophets shall doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible Fol. 72. Chap. 10. Containeth an obseruation of the great hypocrisie of false teachers fore-spoken of in the holy Scriptures Fol. 100. Chap. 11. Containeth an obseruation of the fruits by which false Prophets are to be knowne and discerned Fol. 113. Chap. 12. Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion that can be done to God Fol. 133. Chap. 13. Containeth an obseruation about the doctrine of Transubstantiation which is a principall noueltie taught in the Church of Rome Fol. 160. Chap. 14. Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrament ministred but vnder one kind to Lay-people in the Church
and when I noted that I could neuer heare any one Iesuit to speake reprouingly of it and further heard some very rashly and foolishly to cast the imputation of inuenting it vpon the best States-men of this land as a traine to make Catholikes the more odious to the State I began to obserue a custome vsed by some which is without any regard of truth or knowledge to speake the worst they can to blemish the reputation of their aduersaries so I heard a certaine young Iesuit report when Garnet was in the Tower A pretty deuice that day and night oyle was put into his eyes with feathers and other means vsed to keepe him from sleepe that so being weakened both in bodie and minde he might be easily drawne to confesse all he knew which circumstances with diuers others belonging to this vnmatchable treason though they made mee not then abandon the faith and beleefe of those that were actors thereof yet did they sow such seedes of doubtfulnesse and care in me to be sound in faith that the effects and fruits issuing from them of doctrine concerning disallegeance to the King which is contained in the Popes Breues hath much auerted me since as namely the doctrine of Bellarmine teaching that the Apostles were not subiect to temporall Princes de iure but de facto retracting the former opinion Bellarmin cont Barclaium tract De potest summi Pontificis in rebus temporalibus ca. 3. fol. 48. extant in his controuersies these many yeares now holding the quite contrarie notwith standing it is a doctrine of faith that as well the Clergie as the Laitie are subiect to Kings and Princes because obedience to Kings whether they be good or wayward in Scripture is commended vnto all 1. Petri 2.18 behold here the second occasion 7 A third occasion concurring to my conuersion Conference with others was conference with others into whose companies by chance I haue falne as once with a learned Knight who not knowing me to be a Priest conferred with me as with a professor of the Romane faith who winded me into such a circle about the Scriptures and the Church that I could neuer winde my selfe out of it till I winded my selfe out of the Romane Church and stayed my selfe vpon a ground not admitted there which is that the Scriptures are the most sufficient and certaine rule of faith that Christians haue which if you take away all religion all faith all knowledge of God falleth to the ground And another time I fell into dispute with a graue ancient Iustice of Peace who pressed me so farre that I promised to send him some principall doctrines of the Roman Church so sufficiently proued by Scriptures by Fathers and by naturall reason that if they could bee answered I would subscribe to his Church but in the examination of the proofes of those very points brought in by Bellarmine and due consideration of them I found them to be of very little force to proue the verities intended as hereafter shall appeare concerning the Masse Transubstantiation the ministration of the Sacrament vnder one kinde to lay people Pardons auricular confession and others whereupon I haue proued since as good as my promise in ioyning my selfe to the Church of England 8 A fourth occasion of examining more carefully the controuersies hath been grounded vpon his Maiesties Title His Maiesties Booke in his Premonition to Christian Princes stiling himselfe the Defendor of the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith which seemed so strange vnto me at the first considering that no Church more chalengeth the name of Catholike than the Church of Rome that I began to consider with my selfe whether I could finde any capitall points of faith taught now by the present Church of Rome that were not taught and professed by the ancient and Primitiue Church and now impugned by the Church of England and finding that the doctrine of deposing Princes and Kings by the Pope was not ancient nor Transubstantiation nor the Masse as now it is practised nor the Sacrament as now it is ministred by the Church of Rome nor Pardons nor prohibition of Priests marriages I haue since beene enforced to conclude that certainely the present Church of Rome professeth not in those points the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith Further as I noted the profession his Maiestie maketh in his Premonitorie Epistle to Princes Praemonit ful 35 acknowledging himselfe to be such a Christian Catholike as beleeueth the three Creedes that of the Apostles that of the Councell of Nice and that of Athanasius admitting the first foure generall Councels as Catholike and Orthodox the ioint consent of Fathers in the Primitiue age the authoritie of Scriptures c. I could not but conceiue at last that his Maiestie went vpon the strongest foundations of the Catholike faith that could bee layed to auoid the danger of new doctrines which obseruations did much facilitate my search and scrutinie into the true grounds and reasons of faith besides many other occasions of priuat conference with diuers particular persons who thought themselues much tempted in matters of faith and religion because they could hardly beleeue what the Church of Rome teacheth or at least not without great difficultie Whereby you may see courteous Reader the prouidence of God working in me by degrees towards my conuersion affoording mee the occasions and meanes first of searching and examining which brought me at length to the motiues of resoluing as hereafter you shall vnderstand more at large when I shall first haue layd downe vnto you certaine fundamentall obseruations as grounds on which the true Christian Catholike faith must of necessitie stand and the whole frame thereof be surely builded CHAP. III. Containing the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse AFter the manifestation of the occasions which by Gods prouidence occurred to forward this worke of my conuersion The chiefe businesse of man is to seeke his end the next thing to be spoken of is to acquaint thee deare Christian Reader with those fundamentall obseruations which made further way to the complete perfection thereof the first of which was of that nature that I assure my selfe no man who hath care of his soule and saluation can chuse but allow for I assured my selfe that if I went vpon such sure foundations and principles as religion ought to stand vpon I could neither stay in error nor fall into any Hence I was moued to resolue most constantly that the most immoueable foundation that all my sp rituall building should stand on should be a frequent consideration that the chiefe and most principall affaire and businesse of greatest importance in this world wherein it was my dutie to employ my endeuors ought to be the saluation of my soule and my future happinesse in the life to come since to this end God created me to his similitude and likenesse redeemed mee with the most precious bloud of his most
of CHRIST alreadie sacrificed who once hath wrought Redemption and Propitiation for sinne vvhich is to bee applied by the Sacrament 4. The sacrifice of the Masse a nouell doctrine Praeceptor Romae desacr Mis c. 1 dict 2. In can not but meruaile that the Sacrifice of the Masse can bee esteemed so highly as it is in the Church of Rome which is as they say and teach a Sacrifice that is perfected and consisteth of Christ as the thing offered and chiefly of three actions the Consecration the Oblation and Consumption Which saith the same Authour concerning the substance was instituted by Christ Ibid. dicto 1. concerning the action as it is now done by the Church For if wee looke well into it wee shall finde it but a nouell doctrine in all the essentiall parts thereof It beganne not all at once but by degrees for the Latine language came not in where the people vnderstood it till the time of Gregorie six hundred yeares after Christ Declarat ad Censar Theol. prouis as Erasmus saith the Church in former time vsing the Seruice in the Vulgar tongue The doctrine likewise of Transubstantiation nowe beleeued by the present Church of Rome Tom. 3. dist 5. sect 1. p. 628. to be therein is acknowledged by Scotus and Biel to be no elder than the Councell of Laternae for so Suares the Iesuite writeth of them The Sacrifice or oblation thought by some to be made therein in the iudgement of other learned Papists was not done by Christ For Azorius the Iesuit writeth Jnstit Moral lib. 10. cap. 8. That some Catholikes deny that Christ offered vp himselfe vnder the forme of Bread and Wine in his last Supper which being true indeede it followeth that the opinion of such a sacrifice is not founded vpon Christs deede or instituted by him but vpon some later inuention since him Whence it followeth that Ioannes Stephanus Durantus doth teach most vnsound doctrine De ritibus Eccl. â—â—ath cap. 3. n. 1. 2. when he saith That it is perspicuous by the testimonies of Christ himselfe of Paul the Apostle and of ancient Fathers that Christ instuuted the sacrifice of the Masse and was the Authour thereof who also after hee had cited the institution of the Sacrament Luke the 21. and 1. Cor. 11. vpon those wordes Doe yee this in remembrance of mee he concludeth That by those wordes Christ gaue a commandement of sacrificing vnto Priests A notorious shift of a learned Papist to proue the Masse for to doe signifieth to sacrifice But in very truth whosoeuer is not most stupid may out of the wordes of both places euince the contrarie and discerne what a grosse absurditie it is to inforce that because to doe sometimes doth signifie to Sacrifice therefore Christ commanded the Priests to Sacrifice for if it be true that there Christs commandement to doe this imported a command to Sacrifice where then is the Sacrament instituted which is a distinct thing from a Sacrifice Many such shifts as these are the Teachers of the Romane Church enforced to vnder-take for the maintenance of their Doctrine which if men would obserue with attention and iudgement they might with very great facilitie discouer the weake grounds of all their Arguments I finde that Thomas Aquinas seemed to bee of a contrarie opinion For disputing how Christ is sacrificed in the Eucharist hee answereth that hee is said to bee in two respects First because the ministration of the Sacrament is an Image Thomas Aquinas against the Masse representing the Passion of Christ which is his true immolation and Images vse to bee called by the names of those thinges whereof they are Images Secondly in respect of the effect of his Passion because by the Sacrament wee are made partakers of the fruit of his Passion And saith hee As concerning this second manner it is proper to this Sacrament that Christ is immolated or sacrificed therein These reasons argue that hee held no such kinde of Sacrifice as the present Church of Rome defendeth because the celebration of the Eucharist in his iudgement being but an Image of the true Sacrifice of Christ hee could not thinke it to bee a true sacrifice vni-vocally so called but only by externall relation And saying againe That Christ is sacrificed therein by reason wee are made partakers of the fruit of his Paession hee sheweth clearely hee knew no reall sacrifice because wee are made partakers of that euen in Baptisme also where no man imagins Christ to bee sacrificed 5. Idolatrie is coÌ„mitted in the sacrifice of the Masse But what shall I say of that most odious and horrible Idolatrie that is committed in the sacrifice of the Masse where Bread and Wine which are the creatures of God are worshipped with Latria as is the Sonne of God the which worship is onely due to God O yee heauens come and admire at this vnspeakable folly and blindnesse of men they stick not only to doe this abhominable fact but they persist also in teaching it I my selfe being a Student in the Colledge in Rome had this deliuered me from my Master in the Pulpit a learned Iesuit in manner following as a matter of faith who vpon this question Who is to be worshipped with the adoration of Latria De adorat ff 1. q. 1. in dictat Rom. saith Thirdly with the same worship of Latria the consecrated Hoast and Chalice is to be worshipped because vnder those most sacred formes Christ the Lord is adored who is really present according to his humanitie diuinitie which is defined in the Councell of Trent Sess 13. c. 5. can 6. lib. 2. deritib Eccles cap. 40. and Stephanus Durantus sheweth it most fully this doctrine as it is most vntrue so is it here affirmed by the Italian Reader with a manifest vntruth for I can not so much as finde the word Latria in all that Chapter of Stephanus Durantus An ItaliaÌ„ trick which I haue very carefully perused herein Durant c. 40. l. 2. num 3. who only affirmeth That it is probable that the Eucharist is lifted vp and shewed to the people for adorations sake and hee may as well be vnderstood of Dulia or Hyperdulia or of a lesse reuerence which is done in the ministration of any Sacrament not in worship of the thing present but in worship of God who is in heauen Yea and to shew that this kind of Latria-worship is held to bee a doctrine of Faith in answere to his third question Ibidem which is this Since the precept of adoring the Sacrament is a matter of Faith at what time doth it oblige the faithfull to performe it Hee answereth in soure cases First when the Sacrament in the Sacrifice of the Masse is eleuated those that are present are bound to adore it Secondly when it is carried to the sick Thirdly when the Hoâ—st is ministred to the Communicants the Communicants are not only bound to
I might well thinke my selfe bereâ—uâ—d of my right wittes if I should any longer offend GOD by the still offering of it as I haue done too often and by continuing the practize thereof to the eternall damnation of other mens soules Therefore curteous Reader if thou art a child of the Church of Rome follow no longer such a stepmother leading thee by publique appearances to thine owne ruine and to the dayly prouocation of Gods wrath against thee hate her fooleries detest her idolatries and abandon her communion if thou wilt not eternally perish albeit thou hâ—st long laine asleepe in the deadly lethargie of Romish superstitions awaken at last and breake off all the bands of thy sinfully-habituated affections to that Antichristian monarchie esteeme no longer that to be white which is blacke that to bee holie which is most vngodlie feare not the curses of the Pope in denying the Sacrifice of the masse to be propitiatorie for sinnes his excommunication will haue no such force as Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence had Lipelo in vita Ant. 2. Maij. who denouncing the sentence of excommunication vpon a white loafe of bread made it as blacke as a coale and freeing it afterward from the same curse it returned to be as faire as it was before All the Popes Anathemaes can not make the bread of the masse otherwise than it is idolatrous all the white flower in it cannot make it pleasing vnto GOD or a Sacrifice allowable for Christians Therefore say thou with mee from thy heart with mee in true detestation of all the abhominations committed by such Idolatrie Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori Lord bee thou mercifull vnto me a sinner CHAP. XIII Containing an obseruation about the doctrine of transubstantiation which is a principall noueltie taught in the Church of Rome AFter the former obseruations had sufficiently alienated by iudgement and affections from further approbation of the faith of Rome My proceeding about the doctrine of transubstantiation yet because I thought that I could not bee sufficiently enough armed against those errours and falshoods wherein from my youth both my vnderstanding and affections had beene habituated which would be powerfull still to incline and leade my soule againe vnto those Romish abhominations which long custome had made familiar and in conceit religious I still proceeded further to the discussion and discouerie of other errors false doctrines secceeding nouelties taught in that Church that more and more beholding her spirituall fornications and disloyalties I might in my soule bee the stronger to oppse against them and the better able to relinquish and abandon with assurance of truth of my side and securitie to mine owne conscience all communion and participation with her sinfull heresies and nouelties and happily auoyde Gods iust punishments which are threatned by the holy Scripture against her disloyalties to the faith of Christ her heauenly Spouse 2 Amongest all which there was scarce any one thing that wrought more powerfully and fearefully in mine vnderstanding It ought to be a great terror to adore the creature for the Creator euen to the terrour of mine owne soule for my erroneous doctrine deliuered to others than the discouery of this late new-sprung-vp doctrine of transubstantiation which sets vp such an Idoll of bread in the Church of Rome to be adored as God that that seemeth to be truly verified of her which was vttered long before Colet Deum quem ignorauerunt patres eius auro Argento lapide pretioso rebusque pretiosis Dan. 11.38 He shall honour the God whome his fathers knew not with gold and siluer with precious stones and with pleasant things The gainsaying of which doctrine vnto the Church of Rome seemeth so vnlawfull that shee pronounceth most bitter execrations against those that shall so doe Sess 13. an 2. If any shall say sayth the Councell of Trent that in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there remaineth the substance of bread and wine together with the bodie and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ and shall denie that admirable and singular conuersion of the whole substance of bread into the bodie and of the whole substance of wine into the bloud the formes of bread and wine still remaining which conuersion the Catholike Church most fitly calleth Transubstantiation be he accursed 3. Yea The Church of Rome hateth the reformed Churches for nothing more than for impugning the doctrine of Transubstantiation Pet. Besseus concept Theolog. Quadraeg dom 3. Dan. 13. the Teachers and Preachers of that Church doe not hate the worthie Professors and Arch-Doctors of the Gospell for any point of doctrine more than for impugning this of Transubstantiation Peter Besse the great and famous French Preacher against Master Caluin and Luther speaketh thus Two wicked old men of vnbridled lust did wickedly accuse the most chaste Susanna of Adulterie notwithstanding that shee was the most chast and honestest that was to be found in the whole Kingdome of Babylon here againe wee see two craftie knaues marching out vpon the Stage Luther and Caluin that accuse the chaste Susanna viz. the holy sacred Sacrament of the Eucharist and Transubstantiation the chiefe member thereof of Idolatrie then the which notwithstanding there is nothing to be found in the world more holy or diuine And the samd Author soone after for the same point compares them to the two witnesses of most deperate audacitie that gaue false witnesse against Christ adding further That as Christ was crucified in the middle betweene two theenes Ibid. so likewise wee see it fareth with the Sacrament of the Altar where being placed betweene two theeues two most desperate Heretikes it is assaulted with diuers blasphemies who a little after speaketh vnto the Idoll in this manner and also to God saying Worthily therefore O sacred Eucharist thou mayest crie out Dirupisti vincula mea Psal 115. tibi sanctificabo hostiam laudis And thou O Lord Saepe expugnauerunt me a iuuentate mea For often O Lord haue they persecuted thee often haue they blasphemed against thee shot their arrowes at thee and chiefely at Transubstantiation This Preacher it should seeme hath forgot that the doctrine of Transubstantiation is a noueltie of no greater antiquitie than the fourth Councell of Laterance Iacques Gualter Chron. de Pestat du Christianis tries siecle Can. 1. which was held but in the yere 1215 vnder Innocent the third which is not yet 400 yeres since where that doctrine was deliuered in these wordes But the bodie of Christ and the bloud in the Sacrament of the Altar is contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the bread being transubstantiated into the bodie and the wine into the bloud by Gods power This it seemeth his Maiestie very iudiciously obserued when after he had said If the Romish Church hath coyned new articles of Faith neuer heard of in the first fiue hundred yeares after Christ I hope I shall neuer be
condemned for an Heretike for not being a Nouelist where numbring vp many nouelties which are vsed in the Romish Church hee reckoneth this Transubstantiation for one 4. Arguments against Transubstantiation Comp. Theol. verit l. 5. c. 58. Which doctrine of Transubstantiation I discouered to containe a notable Heresie by the proofes following First sayth Ioannes de Combis Latria is a seruice and reuerence exhibited to God therefore if the honour due to God be exhibited vnto the creature it is Idolatrie Latria comprehendeth fiue thinges viz. Faith Knowledge Reuerence Sacrifice and Prayer Whereupon I framed this Argument The doctrine of Transubstantiation admitteth this worship in the Church of Rome to a Creature viz. to Bread and Wine which notwithstanding the words of Transubstantiation remaineth still a creature otherwise how is Bread and Wine the externall signes of inusible grace as euerie true Sacrament is or how is the essentiall part appointed by CHRIST in the Sacrament remaining when it ceaseth to be there as Transubstantiation teacheth the Bread and Wine doth Nay the very Scriptures say so much shewing the Bread still to remaine Bread and the Wine still to remaine Wine Saint Paule the heauenly interpreter of CHRISTS wordes doth not admit Transubstantiation but doth so interpret the Sacramentall vnion that still the visible elements remaine for the Bread of the Sacrament hee calleth Bread still euen after the consecration to teach that the substance of the Bread remaineth still and so he calleth the Wne still Wine as appeareth plainely by his wordes The Cup of Blessing which wee blesse 1. Cor. 10.16 is it not the communication of the bloud of CHRIST and the Bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the bodie of the Lord Now then if the Chalice be but a communication of his bloud and the Bread but a participation of his bodie still remaining Bread and Wine for the thing participating is not the thing participated where then is their doctrine of Transubstantiation or how can it stand sound with the truth of the Scriptures He sayth plainely further 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. All wee are partakers of one Bread And againe As often as yee shall eate this bread And againe Whosoeuer shall eate this Bread besides Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread Now therefore the Scripture teaching vs so plainely Bread and Wine to remaine in the Sacrament it followeth that there is no Transubstantiation in the Sacrament and so consequently it is apparant that all those commit grosse Idolatrie that worship it with Latria because they giue that worship which is due to God to the creature which they beleeue to be God teach to be God and pray to as vnto God 5. Fathers against Transubstantiation Secondly I summoned diuers auncient Writers to see whether they would afford me any warrant for Transubstantiation and I finde them against it and none for it I finde Tertullian in expresse wordes to say Iesus Christ hauing taken bread Tertul. l. 4. adu Marc. cap. 40. distributed it to his Disciples he made it to be his bodie saying This is my bodie that is the figure of my bodie I finde him likewise to shew as much in expresse wordes in another place Tertul. l. 3. adu Mars cap. 19. saying God hath so reuealed it in the Gospell calling the bread his bodie to the end that thou mayest thereby vnderstand that he hath giuen to the bread the figure of his bodie Now then if the bread be a figure of CHRISTS bodie according to Tertullian then it is not transubstantiated Saint Cyprian sayth Epist 3. l. 2. Wee finde that the Cuppe which the Lord offered was mingled and that which he called his bloud was wine See here Saint Cyprian giueth but a denomination to the bloud attributing substantiall being to the wine by the Verbe Substantiue Lib. 8. demonstr Euang. cap. 1. Eusebius is also cleare agianst Transubstantiation in these wordes IESVS CHRIST gaue vnto his Disciples the signes of the diuine dispensation commaunding them to celebrate the figure of his owne bodie For seeing that he did now no longer receiue the sacrifices of bloud nor the slaughter of diuers beastes ordained by Moses hee hath taught vs to vse the bread for a signe of his bodie See here it is still called bread and a signe of the bodie how then is it transubstantiated Saint Augustine also standes against Transubstantiation De doctrine Christian l. 3. c. 16. saying These wordes Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud are a figure commaunding vs to partake the Passion of CHRIST and profitably to remember that his flesh was crucified for vs. Nowe therefore if the eating the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinking his bloud is but to partake of the Passion of CHRIST and a profitable remembrance that his flesh was crucified for vs how did Saint Augustine teach the doctrine of Transubstantiation Nay rather doth he not most plainly insinuate the contrarie I finde also the same Doctor to say against Adamantus Chap. 12. The Lord made no difficultie to say this is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Here I obserue the word Bodie to bee expounded by the signe of his body Who saith in an other place Epist 23. ad Bonifac. The holy signe of Christs body is after a sort the body of Christ and the holy signe of the bloud of Christ and so the holy signe of faith to wit Baptisme is faith Surely Baptisme can not bee said to be Transubstantiated into faith how then can the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ bee substantially transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Saint Augustine in an other place is yet plainer against Transubstantiation saying Vnderstand that which I say spiritually Super Psal 98. you shall not eate my body which you see neither shall you drinke the bloud which my Tormentors shall shed I haue recommended vnto you an holy signe which being spiritually vnderstood shall make you liue Behold how cleare S. Augustine is against Transubstantiation So also is S. Chrysostome that golden mouthed Doctor of Greece most clearely gainesaying the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Sacrament saying The bread before it be sanctified we call bread Ad Caesar Monachum but when the diuine grace sanctifies it it is deliuered from the name of bread and is thought worthy the name of the Lords body though the nature of bread remaine still Now curteous Reader if I should not iudge vnpartially I can not but here conclude that if the nature of bread remaine the substance of bread can not be changed into the body of Christ substantially and therefore no transubstantiation can follow 6. I can not omit here to record Gelasius who saith Other strong places of ancient Fathers agianst Transubstantiation De duabus naturis Christi The bread
and wine passe into the substance of the body and bloud of Christ yet so as the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature If this be true that the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and that the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature then can not transubstantiation stand For hereby Gelasius confuted Eutiches the Heretike holding that Christ had but one nature and that in regard of the vnion the humanitie was turned into the Deitie against which error he opposed the doctrine of the Eucharist shewing that as therein bread and wine after consecration were honoured with the name of his body and bloud and receiued grace to their nature to bee a holy Sacrament though still they remained in their former nature and propertie So the humanitie of Christ receiued grace by the hypostaticall vniting it to the God-head and yet still retained the former propertie to be humane flesh Therefore had Gelasius beliefe beene answerable to the present Church of Rome concerning Transubstantiation he not only could not thereby haue confuted Eutiches but Eutiches might by that very doctrine most probably haue confuted him Who might right well haue argued thus Thou Gelasius thinkest the Sacrament a resemblance of the incarnation of Christ and the vnion of his two natures but in the Sacrament the bread and wine after consecration remaine no more but are turned into the flesh and bloud of Christ and so there is but one substance After this manner may I likewise say in the Incarnation after the vnion the humanitie remaineth no more but is changed into the Diuinitie and the Nature is but one What could Gelasius haue answered to this Argument if hee had held the doctrine of Transubstantiation Hence it is euident both by his wordes and the scope of his disputation that he held it not Not vnlike to Gelasius is the doctrine of Theodoret Dial. immuta fol. 8. writing thus Our Sauiour in deliuering the Sacrament called his body bread and that which is in the cup he called his bloud he changed the names and gaue his body that name which belonged to the signe and to the signe that name which belonged to his body The reason why he thus changed the names was because he would haue such as partake the diuine Sacraments not to heede the nature of those thinges which are seene but for the change sake of the names to beleeue the change that is made by grace For he called it wheat and bread which by nature is his body and againe on the other side he called himselfe a Vine Thus honoring the simbols and signes which are seen with the name of his body bâ—oud not by changing their nature but by adding grace to nature And further the same Author in an other place reprehending the Eutichian heretike saith Dialog 2. Inconfusus You are caught in your owne net for the mysticall signes after consecration do not depart from their nature but they abide in their former substance form and figure and may be seen touched as before If they depart not from their nature if they abide in their former substance figure and forme if Christ changed not the natures but the names adding grace to nature how can the doctrine of transubstantiation in the iudgement of this writer stand free from the impeachment of an erroneous innouation 7. How moderne Authors of the Church of Rome shew the doctrine of transubstantiation to be nouell De verit corp sang p. 46. And so I find euen by the confession of the learnedst moderne Writers this doctrine is but nouell and of small antiquitie and hath not been beleeued as a matter of faith in the purest ages of the Primitiue Church for it is well knowne that before the Councell of Laterane no man was bound to beleeue Transubstantiation as themselues confesse Tonstal sayth It was free for all men till that time to follow their owne coniecture as concerning the manner of the Presence Scotus and Biel are reported by the later Schoolemen to haue been of minde That the opinion is very new and lately brought into the Church Soto 4. d 9. q. 2. art 2. 4. Suar. tom 3. d. 5.4 d. 10. q. 2. ad arg pro prima sect 1. and beleeued only vpon the authoritie of the Laterance Councell And Scotus himselfe saith We must say the Church in the Creede of the Laterane Councell vnder Innocent the third which begins with the words Firmiter credimus declared this sense concerning transubstantiation to belong to the verity of our faith Besides Scotus Bellarmine confesse Scot. d. 11. q. 3. Bellar. Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 23. Turrec tract 13. q. 49. There is no Scripture to conuince it vnlesse yee bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides Now therefore if this doctrine bee no more ancient than the Councell of Laterane as it is cleare I oppose against the accurse of the Councell of Trent the malediction of blessed Saint Paul a better man than any in the Councell of Trent who pronounceth a direfull Anathema against any that shall teach other doctrine than what he taught how fearefull a state then doe all Popish Priests stand in that teach this noueltie of Transubstantiation diametrally contrarie to the places of S. Paul before cited 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. Euagrius 4. lib. Hist c. 35. Niceph. lib. 17. cap. 25. Hiesich l 2. super Leuit. cap. 8. Euseb lib. 7. c. 8. August cont lit Petil. lib. 9. c. 30. It is well knowne that it was an vsuall thing in former ages in diuers places to giue the residues of the Sacrament to little children as Euagrius and Nicephorus haue left recorded to posteritie Yea and in other places of the Christian world as Hesichius teacheth neither hath it beene thought much in former times to giue the bread of the Sacrament into the peoples handes and sometimes permitted them to carry it home which is a signe that they conceipted not then the doctrine of Transubstantiation which hath caused it since to be adored and haue made it a sinnefull act for Lay people to touch the Sacrament yea and haue brought it to such a fond esteeme that if a Flie or a Spider fall into the wine or any like thing which can not without vomit or danger of death be taken downe the Flie or Spider or what else must be taken out and washed as warily as may be in a Chalice and the Priest must take the ablution but the Flie or Spider must be burnt Ibidem eodem cap. Or if a sick man vomit vp the body of the Lord it must bee taken vp againe as diligently as may be and taken by a
Priest or by some cleane and discreet youth if the sicke man can not resume it himselfe 8. The inconueniences of approuing Transubstantiation Besides the inconueniences that follow of this doctrine of Transubstantiation are so many that no man almost out of common sense can admit it vnlesse bee will fondly suffer himselfe to bee carried away with such a generall implicite faith of the Church of Romes inerrabilitie whereby he may fall into as many heresies and dangers of seduction as a blinde man is in danger of falls if he will only walke by the guidance of an other as blinde as himselfe Hence it followeth that it must be beleeued that accidents are without a subiect whereas the nature of a Sacrament requireth no such matter like as when the wood is burned the colour of the wood should remaine alone without a subiect that Mice that knaw the consecrated Hoast doe knaw bare accidents alone and thta the glorified body of Christ are subiect to the grinding of teeth That no worke of God neither of Creation nor of Redemption is so great as the worke of consecration by the Priest by which transubstantiation is performed Whence it is come that the Romish Diuines hold that many miracles together are done in the Sacrament of the Eucharist whereof Ioannes de Combis reckoneth vp nine so fond and ridiculous that it is a wonder any man can beleeue them as first In Comp. Theol. verit lib. 6. c. 14. That the body of Christ is in as much quantitie there as it was vpon the Crosse and as it is now in heauen yet doth it not exceede the bounds of that forme with all the rest of like nature Hence to breede a beliefe of this doctrine the Romish writers tell vs that the Sacrament being lost in a Village of Komele in Germanie in a Pixe Caesar lib. 9. c. 7. it was discouered in a field by the Oxen that did worship it kneeling downe vpon the ground which neither by whips nor cries would not stir out of the place from worshipping their Creatour till it was taken away by the Parish Priest who fetcht it away with crosse candle and incense in great reuerence They tell also how a certaine woman going to the Communion reserued the Sacrament and put it into her hiue amongst her Bees as one had counsailed her wherevpon the pretie Bees were so religiously affected to their creatour that for the fit entertainment of so great a guest S. Anto. 3 p. sum tit 12. c. 8. ff 3. they built him a goodly Chappell in waxe with walls windowes dores caues and Altar to rest him vpon with a bell also and when the time was come that the honie was to be taken out the woman raised vp her hiue and beheld this fine miracle which caused her with great feare to go and confesse her fault to the Priest who with his Parishioners carried the Hoast with great reuerence to the Church They tell also for a great miracle concerning this doctrine S. Bonauent in vit 8. Francis Cath. Hist cap. 5 tit 13. part 4. how that S. Francis had a sheepe which ordinarily went to Church which at the time of Eleuation of the Lords body that the people might worship it bended downe his head fell vpon his knees shewing all other tokens of worship and adoration which much moued the assistance to greater deuotion They tell further Ioan. Mefreth in hort Reign ser de coena Domini that when a woman cast the Sacrament amongst Swine they kneeled downe to it and worshipped it how shee rosted it and it fell a bleeding how shee buried it in the earth and yet still the bloud flowed forth whereupon moued to compunction shee beleeued the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament and did penance for her incredulitie all the rest of her life Many other the like incredible fables they haue left recorded to moue men to worship the bread and wine in the Sacrament with diuine honour due only to God and so to confirme this noueltie of Transubstantiation the which since there are no Scriptures to support it I can not beleeue it as also for that the obseruations of the reasons noted in this Chapter induce me to the contrarie beliefe Therefore deare Reader beware how you beleeue the Romish doctrine established with such lying signes and wonders reiecting both Scriptures and Fathers to the contrarie make not a corruptible creature your God and Maker giue honour and glorie vnto God only who by his infinite mercies requires it at thy handes and as I haue done renounce all societie in rites ceremonies and acts of religion with the Church of Rome that that of Dauid may be verified both of me thee Psal 1. v. 1. saving Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the councell of the vngodly nor stood in the way of sinners and hath not sit in the chaire of Pestilence which happinesse thou maiest enioy if thou followest not the vngodlie Councells of Laterane and Trent in this point of doctrine if thou continuest not in that Church and restest not thy selfe vpon that Pestilent chaire of Romes infectious Idolatries CHAP. XIIII Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrament ministred but vnder one kinde to Lay people in the Church of Rome I Haue read in a certaine Preacher that the Writers of naturall thinges haue left recorded The Sacramēt vnder one kind giueth not life vnto the soule Petrus Besseus Concep Theol. fer 2. maior Heb that there is a certaine hearbe to bee found vpon the Alpes hauing only two branches which is of such a strange naturall power and officacie that the beasts liuing vpon those mountaines if they chance to tast but of one of those branches forthwith they die but if they eate of both branches they take no hurt or dammage but are nourished thereby Euen so doe I obserue vpon the mountaines of holy Scripture the plant of the holy Eucharist hauing two branches of bread and wine by Christs institution of such nature and qualitie that if by faith his faithfull flock eate but of one branch and leaue the other they perish through heresie but if by faith they tast and feede of both branches that is both of bread and wine they feele much good they are strengthened in the life of their soule and are much nourished thereby according to that of Christ Ioan. 6. Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vit am in vobis Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you Whereby I obserue the great danger the Church of Rome standeth in which will afford here sheepe in the Sacrament only one branch viz. the bread and bereaue them of the other branch viz. the wine and on the contrarie side the great happinesse of the Church of England which affordeth Christs faithfull flocke both branches
of Rome Fol. 171. Chap. 15. Containeth an obseruation of the Pardons and Indulgences which the Pope annexeth to Crosses Graines and Meddalls Fol. 180. Chap. 16. Containeth an obseruation about the number of seuen Sacraments admitted by the Church of Rome Fol. 189. Chap. 17. Containeth an obseruation about the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception in originall sinne Fol. 206. Chap. 18. Containeth an obseruation of the honorable state of Marriage prohibited by the Church of Rome to Priests who by Gods law may lawfully liue in it and allowed to those who by Gods law can not liue together without Incest Fol. 214. Chap. 19. Containeth the Conclusion to the Reader with a recapitulation of all the precedent obseruations for the Readers profit Fol. 213. DOCTRINALL and Morall Obseruations concerning Religion CHAP. I. Containing the first obseruation shewing the reasons and occasions of this Treatise AMONGST all the things which draw men into admiration Great is the benefit of true conuersion because it manifesteth the power of God and which doe see me to happen contrarie vnto common course and order worthily may the conuersion of soules from the waies of sinne and iniquitie chalenge the first place and is to be esteemed as the greatest for this is the most excellent worke the Heauens doth affoord vs and the most wonderfull that the infinite power of God infinitely powerfull can performe This the prime Doctor of the Romane Church most clearely intimateth Tho. Aquin. 12. q. 113. saying Maximum opus Dei est iustificatio impij The iustification of a sinner is the greatest worke of God according to that of the Kingly Prophet Miserationes eius super omnia opera eius Psal 144. vers 9. his mercies are aboue all his workes yea and the Church of Rome to keepe fresh the memorie of this document prayeth to God yearely in these words Deus qui omnipetentiam tuam parcendo miserando maxime manifestas In Dom. 20. post Pent. O God that by pardon and mercie chiefely manifestest thy Almightie power Which veritie also S. Augustine confirmeth saying vpon those words of S. Iohn Greater workes than these shall he doe Ioh. 14. v. 12. August tract 72. in Ioh. post Med. tom 9. Maius opus est vt ex impio iustus fiat quam creare coelum terram it is a greater worke for a sinner to be made righteous than to create heauen and earth This though it seeme a paradox is most true for certainely albeit the creation of the world was a maruellous worke yet the iustification and conuersion of a sinner is much fuller of admiration God framed and moulded the world almost in a moment of time and brought foorth all creatures in a short time as it were into the field but to abolish the turpitude and foulenesse of onely one originall sinne he vsed the delay of fiue thousand yeares and to bring this worke to perfection his onely sonne Christ Iesus endured three and thirtie yeares exile from his heauenly Kingdome For the worke of creation God did but speake Psal 148. vers 5. Dixit facta sunt but for this other worke Christ was to suffer and die Oportebat Christum pati Luk. 24. vers 16. ita intrare in gloriam suam it was behoofefull for Christ to die and so to enter into his glorie therefore Saint Augustines sentence of true conuerts is to be noted Augustin in Sermon saying Conuersio ad bonum non homini sed Deo adscribenda the conuersion of a sinner vnto good is not to be ascribed vnto man but vnto God who of himselfe can doe all things by his power 2 Now verily as iustification and remission of sinnes is the greatest worke of God Great also because it manifesteth the glorie and wisdome of God manifesting his infinite power and mercie so neither is there any worke of his more forcible to set out his glorie and wisedome vnto the world than the same It is a glorie vnto the artificer to delineate most perfect colours of Emblemes vpon base yron and hard steele The skill also of the Physitian is praise-worthie when hee freeth one from danger that is poysoned and swolne by the biting of a Viper with a present Antidote so the glorie of God and his goodnesse chiefely shineth in the conuersion of sinners So it shined in Saint Paule the Apostle when hee being infected with the poyson of infidelitie and swolne therewith Spirans minarum caedis Actor 9. vers 1. breathing forth threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Christ appearing verie oportunely vnto him cured him and strengthened him in faith Hereby appeareth the frailtie of humane nature and the power of Gods grace which redoundeth much vnto the glorie of his Saints whilest calling vnto their remembrance their passed dangers they behold their happie securitie of present glorie euen as the Mariner after the danger of shipwracke reioyceth as a sicke person reioyceth after therecouerie of a perillous disease and as conquering souldiors triumph and glorie the more in their victories by how much their hazards and encounters were strong This Saint Augustine teacheth most elegantly saying Nimis exultant Sancti dum praeteriti periculi memores dicunt 4 Confess cap 3. dextra Domini fecit virtutem dextra Domini exaltauit me the Saints doe verie much reioyce when mindfull of passed danger they say the right hand of the Lord hath done his power the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me So did Saint Paule reioyce when of a persecutor he was made a vessell of election So also Saint Mathew when of a Customer he was made an Euangelist So Saint Marie Magdalene when from being a vessell of contumelie and disgrace shee was translated into a vessell of glorie So Saint Peter when after the denying of his Master he was made a constant pillar of truth by his personall perseuerance in faith obtained him by Christs prayer who said Ego rogani pro te Petre Luke 22.32 vt non deficiat fides tua I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not 3 The obseruation hereof gentle Reader maketh mee truly to discouer An acknowledgement of the benefit of conuersion as the case standeth the obligation I am bound in to God for Almightie God of his infinite goodnesse and out of the vnexhausted riches of his mercie hauing blessed my soule with a true and vnfained conuersion from the superstitious idolatrous and hereticall religion of the Romane Church vnto the perfect knowledge and practise of the Religion established in this Realme touching that faith which is conformable to that which was taught by the Ancient Primitiue Apostolike and Catholike Church which is maintained and defended by his Maiestie with whom I may presume boldly to say maugre all the Church of Rome I will neuer be ashamed to render an account of my profession Praemonit to all Christian Monarchs and of that hope that
light to deceiue my soule withall and so I confessed them as ordinarie temptations against faith till at length with a more powerfull light it pleased the true Sonne of iustice and God of glorie to enlighten my vnderstanding in such sort that all the clouds of error and endarkened affections were dispersed like mist before the Sunne what before I held to be hereticall I approued to be most Catholike what before was falsehood was now truth what before was darknesse was now light I found my selfe suddainely in my meditations vpon the grounds of true faith and beleefe like S. Paul enuironed not with a corporall but with a spirituall and most comfortable light from heauen placing my vnderstanding in the paradise of truth and all her delights struck downe to the ground in the humble acknowledgement of mine vnworthinesse and terrified with a voice from heauen not sounding in the eares of my bodie by their corporall Organs but sweetly making a most delightfull harmonie in my soule mollifying the obdurate crust of my heart and forcing me to say Act. 9. vers 6. Domine quid me vis facere O Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe with perfect true conformitie of all my thoughts actions and endeauors answerable to his will Hence was I moued with great power working euen with comfort to my soule to call to mind innumerable passages of Scriptures and auncient Fathers in former times obserued and other reasonable congruencies moouing me most effectually to conuert my selfe to the onely Apostolike Primitiue and Catholike faith truly professed in the Church of England as it were destined hereunto by a presage in my youth when being borne beyond the seas I was by Gods directing prouidence inspiring my parents mindes by my nurse and her husband who were purposely sent for out of England sent into this Realme when I was but few daies old to be nursed here which was a great furtherance and meanes that now in the ninth yeare of my Priesthood I am in this Realme nursed and growne to such a spirituall strength as to embrace the right faith of a true Christian which heretofore I wanted And although lately since my conuersion one said vnto me that it had been better if I had been drowned at sea in the great storme which happened in my passage into this Realme so young which I escaped with exceeding great danger being forthwith entertained into the Castle by the Captaine thereof for my fathers sake than at riper yeares thus to liue an Apostata and to be a scandale vnto the Church of God Yet I trust that I shall make it apparant that it was much better I escaped Gods prouidence in the first escape of my bodie foreshewing a more dangerous second escape from the shipwracke of my soule whereby his glorie in my happinesse may be manifested to the good of many that they may truly say Exod. 1. vers 19. Digitus Dei est hic the finger of God is here 7. The working of the Trinitie in my conuersion the first cause of this treatise Hereby you may see courteous Reader whether I haue not iust cause to make knowne to the world this my conuersion and the true occasions and motiues thereof that all that beare of it may say as I haue cause to say in mine owne soule The finger of God is here For first you may obserue that whilest I wandered out of the right way of true Catholike doctrine Gods goodnesse following the Church of Rome the finger of Gods mercie and goodnesse directed and pointed me which way to take into the right path of heauen most fauorably bestowing vpon me beartie contrition for my former errors both in faith and manners more than euer before Secondly the finger of his wisdome Gods wisdome euen when I was most addicted to the studies of the Roman doctrine occasion being giuen me of conference with some Protestants requiring satisfaction of me in some capitall points of controuersie which I promised either to proue by the Scriptures ancient Fathers and naturall reason or else to embrace the Protestants faith as Catholike therewithall intending to impugne the doctrine of the Religion here professed in England directed my vnderstanding so to examine the controuersies weighing all Cardinall Bellarmines reasons for both sides that doing it with sinceritie I fell into such doctrinall and morall obseruations vpon the grounds of the Romane faith that I most cleerely discouered the darke clouds of error and ignorance wherewith my iudgement and reason were ouercast I found the weakenesse of their grounds the fallacies of their reasons and the insufficiencie of iudgement shewed in most of their controuersies I found many places of Scripture impertinently alledged diuers citations of auncient Fathers fondly wrested against their true vnderstanding many naturall reasons alledged most repugnant to reason Lastly the finger of his Almightie power Gods power as efficaciously as the Load stone draweth yron vnto it drew all the affections of my heart to a firme resolution no longer to sleepe or slumber in my errors but to breake off all the bands of erronious and superstitious doctrine and nouelties wherewith the present Church of Rome holdeth soules in slauerie to Sathan and to embrace the truth of the Ancient Catholike and Apostolike doctrine which I found to bee most purely taught in the Church of England according to the primitiue sinceritie Hence it is most cleerely apparant how much the glorie of God appeareth in my conuersion and the three diuine attributes of goodnesse wisedome and power of the blessed Trinitie Qui tribus digitis appendit molem terrae Esay 40. vers 12 who weighteth the earth with three fingers in the contemplation of which great benefit I may well crie out with holy Saint Paul Rom. 12. vers 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out for who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who hath bin his counsellor Or who hath first giuen to him and it shall be recompenced vnto him againe for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glorie for euer For to God himselfe must I needes attribute this fauour hauing iust cause for the same with the kingly Prophet to say Psal 34. vers 2. I will alwaies praise the Lord his praise shall be alwaies in my mouth who chiefly hath wrought in my soule the vnderstanding the will and the accomplishment hereof which I can doe no lesse in gratitude than make knowne that his name may be glorified therein Satisfaction the second cause Secondly if my blinded zeale of your soules good did so much transport me in my ignorance and errors as to imploy my best endeuours yea and to venter my life for your good and for the reducing of any in this Realme to the pretended Catholike faith which then I professed without feare of incurring
haue most plaine Scriptures in all points for the Catholike faith he meaneth the faith of the present Church of Rome Doctor Hill in his quart of reasons the eight reason And Doctor Hill seemes willing to haue it thought that they build vpon the Scriptures in all points of doctrine when he sayth Neither may here the Protestants reply and say that the Papists build vpon miracles visions prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the Word for all that they alledge are most agreeable to the word of God neither doe they teach any doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible This affertion sheweth much weaknesse of iudgement and little skill euen in the grounds of Diuinitie for who is so ignorant that knoweth not the Papists doe build vpon miracles visions prophecies And who so simple amongst them that know not that they build least vpon the word when they generaly teach that the written word is not sufficient for faith without traditions And what a foule misbeseeming vntruth is it for a Doctor to say That all that they alleadge are most agreeable to the word of God when they ordinarily obiect that the perpetuall virginitie of the virgine Marie the assumption of her bodie into heauen the baptizing of reasonlesse children the keeping of the Sunday and others the like are not to be proued by the word of God but are built onely vpon traditions Is not this then a very grosse forgetfulnesse to affirme That they teach not any Doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holie Bible And yet he forgetteth himselfe so much that againe in the same reasons hee saith euen for the time past That the Catholikes meaning Papists euer squared their Doctrine by the Line and the Leuell of the word of hir Spouse and therfore neuer had cause to reiect the least iote of the holie Bible and at one word the Catholikes follow the Bible By all which it seemeth most apparent that the learned doe approue the word of God that is the Canonicall Scriptures to be the most certain sufficient and most infallible rule that can be assigned What reason then haue I to forsake the iugement of so many learned men both ancient and moderne Writers who heerein are most conformable to Scripture it selfe 9 For if we consider rightly of the nature of faith Natural reason sheweth this rule obseruing that the knowledge whereto it consenteth and the end to which it leadeth are supernaturall nothing can seeme more agreeable to naturall discourse than to gather also that only that book which containes Gods reuealed verities can be the sufficientesi means to know them which is the holy writings of the old and new Testament If a man should aske me why I beleeue the creation of the world all the miracles wrought by Moses Elias and Elisaeus that there is a God that Christ is is the sonne of God that he was borne of a virgine I cannot answere with assurednesse because this Priest or that Priest teacheth me so for reason will obiect that hee may erre or that all Priests agree not therein or that first I must be assured he teacheth me doctrine of such a Church as cannot misinstruct me which I must know by some other meanes Therefore my only answere must be that I beleeue because those Scriptures reuealed from God doe teach me which are the most sufficient rule whereby I can haue assured knowledge of truth reuealed from God by all which it seemed most cleare vnto m that onely the Scriptures can be the most assured sufficient and infallible rule by which I am to measure my faith and all vertues belonging thereunto and therefore all other rules are verie subiect to the crookednesse of many errors Siluest vers 60. fides Nu. 2. Hence I began to see my former error in holding with Siluester that the Pope as the vice gerent of Christ vpon earth was to be my rule according to his assertion taken out of Saint Thomas The Pope hath the primacie of the vniuersall Church to whom it appertaineth to determine those things which belong to faith 22. 1. 11. ar 3. that they may bee held of all with a constant faith and in him resideth the authority of the vniuersall Church Therefore it belongeth to faith to adhere vnto the sentence of the chiefe Bishop in those things which belong to faith yea also in those things which belong vnto good manners because in such the Church cannot erre nor consequently her head as head or as Bishop which I vnderstand alwaies to be true when in doubts he is required not as a learned man or such a person but as the head of Christianity or according to Archidiaconus Note this when he determineth with the Councell of Cardinals but the first is better because the Pope may be without Cardinals But when I remembred that two Popes namely Sixtus and Clemens set out two Bibles within two yeares space for Sixtus Bible came forth in the yeare 1590. and Clements in the yeare 1592. with commaundement to be read and followed vpon penalties mentioned in their seuerall breues wherein many disagreements contradictions and contrarieties appeared in so important a matter of faith as the appointment of what is Scripture and what is not that herein Pope Sixtus grieuously erred I concluded that the Popes sentence definitiue could not bee a sufficient rule for me to measure my faith by vnlesse I would be like vnto a principall Romane Clarke of this land affirming that heere in England he thought the opinion of Cardinall Bellarmine the best to be held concerning deposition of kings namely that the Pope hath his dominion in temporalties onely indirectly yet if he were in Rome he would follow the opinion of Bosius that he hath it directly as the most plausible there And much wondering that such an assertion should passe from the mouth of so graue a man I began to inferre that if but place or persons were the rule of such mens faith in matters of such waight it was time for me who regarded but the saluation of my soule to seeke after some better rule more sure and infallible 10 Now then courteous Reader hauing found out this most sufficient rule of faith namely the holy Scriptures I referre my selfe vnto your impartiall censure to iudge whether I could doe lesse then to measure all the doctrinall points of my faith by this golden meet-wand and therewith measure out the spirituall and true Church of Christ which if thou shalt iudge fit for me I hope such shall be the care of thine owne saluation as to vse it alwaies in like manner for thy selfe that thy faith may be free from all crookednesse of heresies and thereby be made partakers of Gods promises for the manifold diuisions about the Church the diuers errours taught by those that pretend to bee other mens Teachers and euen the loue of thy selfe may well make thee say with holy Dauid following the
light of Scriptures Psal 119. vers 10.4 Psal 119. vers 18. vnto thy Lord God Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum lumen semitis meis Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And againe Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of the Law 11 Yet thou art to haue great care that thou make not this rule longer than it is nor shorter for this is forbidden by Christ himselfe speaking against such a one saying I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this Booke Apoc. 22.18 19. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prephecie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from the things which are written in this Booke This fault of adding to the Books of holie scripture is very notorious in the Church of Rome as I haue duly obserued Ses 41. For the Councell of Trent addeth to the Canon of the old Testament diuers Apocriphall Books which must be beleeued as Canonicall Scriptures as namely Tobias Iudith Hester and the two bookes of the Macchabees Esdras Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus all which are learnedly proued to be Apocriphall by the right reuerend Father in God my Lords grace of Canterburie in his answer to master Doctor Hill his eight reason Num. 3. sequent the consideration whereof made me plainely conclude that heerein the Church of Rome giues great and apparent occasion for any to iudge that she erreth and consequently not to heare her voice thus vttering falshood for trueth giuing equall authoritie to the Apocriphall Bookes with the holy canonicall Scriptures CHAP. VII Containing an obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible and externall gouernement ALthough I haue cleerely discouered The externall ministe rie of the Church an ordinarie meanes to know the true sense of Scripture that the sacred Scriptures are the chiefe infallible rule of faith and most sufficient in the precedent obseruation yet could I not rest satisfied till I found also a meanes for the simple and vnlearned to ground their faith vppon because Deus vult omnes saluos fieri ad agnitionem veritatis venire God will haue all to be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the knowledge of his trueth And as well as he in the gouernment of his creatures hath his end to which he designes them so also by his wisedome he doth most prudently substitute subordinate means for the full accomplishment of such his designements now therefore how those that are neither able to reade the scriptures or though they be able haue not sufficient skill and knowledge to consider the circumstances of Texts and by the analogie of faith not learned enough to find out the true meaning of the Scriptures nor haue the gift of interpretation as many and most haue not whereupon arise many deprauations of Scriptures how such should be directed in the right vse of the rule of Scriptures in finding out the right meaning of them I thought it a matter of great weight wel to discouer and by the declaration thereof to affoord a stay to weake consciences in this behalfe In the scrious discussion of which point it pleased almightie God so to second my carefull Labours and indeuours herein as that I receiued ful satisfaction in mine owne iudgement by this conclusion namely That the most ordinary externall direction left by God especially to direct vnlearned men in the finding out of the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures is the ministerie of the true visible Church of Christ assisted by the holie Ghost and the Church in this respect is called 1. Tim. 3.15 Matt. 5.14 The pillar of truth and the ministers thereof The light of the world 2 And therefore as master Harding himselfe confesseth True vnderstanding of Scripturs only in the Church Doctor Hard. conâ—ut of the Apologie of the Church of England fol. 36. Mester Celuine admonisheth very well That it is especially to be noted that out of the Church there is no light of the sound vnderstanding of the Scriptures But the inconsiderate Doctour maketh a verie fond inference vpon this ground saying This ground being laid on which each part must sland and be tried in crow no more against vs boast your selues no more we feare not the iudgement of the holie Scriptures nay it is your selues that feare this iudgement for your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground you are the weaker side Jnstit lib. 4 cap. 8. num 7. hee forgot that master Caluine said Let this be a firme axiome That no other word of God is to be had to which place must bee giuen in the Church than what is maintained first in the Law and Prophets then in the writings of the Apostles neither is there anie way of teaching in the Church of God but by the prescript and rule of his word If master Harding had well obserued this hee would not haue made such an inference or affirmed that the Protestants feare this iudgement but rather would haue concluded as I doe That since both stand vpon the outward ministerie of the true Church let vs seeke the true Church of Christ and hauing found it The deuties of the true church then heare and follow her doctrine teaching according to Scripture and out of Scripture 3 The due obseruation whereof sheweth That the true visible Church is to represse the deprauations of Heretickes and partly to informe those that are vnlearned and to exercise euen the obedience of those that are learned and by the externall ministerie of teaching the true sence of Scriptures is to giue directions and is duetifully by her members to bee heard and followed Which assertion I find not to make either for the present Church of Rome or of Engl. or any other particular Church till it bee prooued which of them is the true Catholike Ancient and Primitiue Apostolike Church teaching the sound Doctrine of the first pure and vntainted ages whereof I am to speake in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII Containeth a fundamentall obseruation how that consormity of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church may bee a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ. AFter that I had thus discouered both the most sufficient rule of faith to be the canonicall and true Scriptures and the most ordinarie externall meanes to find out the true sence to be the ministerie of the true Church Antiquitie a good inducement to the true Church I could not yet giue sufficient contentment to my vnderstanding vntill such time as I had found out also
some kind of guidance vnto the true Church In the serious contemplation of which point I thought that the most assured course I could take herein was to lay downe such a direction as is approued both by the Church of England and by the Church of Rome and truly to examine some principall points of doctrine in question betweene the English and Romane Church by this meanes of triall whereunto if I should find either the first agreeable or the second disagreeable I resolued that I might haue a strong inducement to conclude which was the true Church of Christ and which the false whose doctrine might be esteemed Christian and whose doctrine Antichristian 2 By which inducement I was the more earnestly moued to make triall then by any other It is approued by Fathers for that I found the ancient Fathers very frequent in giuing of this marke of antiquitie for Tertullian saith By the order it selfe Lib. de praescrip aduers Her that is made manifest to be of our Lord and true which is first deliuered and that externe and false which is sent in afterward And in another place writing against Marcion he saith Lib contra Marcion I affirme that my Gospell is true Marcion saith as much for his who shall determine this controuersie betwixt vs but the difference of time prescribing authoritie to that doctrine which shall be found more ancient and adiudging corruption to that which shall be conuinced to be the later Saint Gregorie Nazianzen vrgeth the Apolinaristes thus Greg. Naz. epist 2. ad Cledonium Hieron epist ad Pamach Ocean de errori bus Origenist Hieron contra Luciferianos If the faith began but thirtie yeares since whereas there be almost foure hundred years from the manifestation of Christ certainly both our Gospell and faith were vaine and void for this long time And Saint Hierome questioneth with the Origenists of his time after this manner Why goest thou about after foure hundred yeares to teach vs that which wee knew not before The Christian world was without this doctrine vntill this day And against the Luciferians he saith I will declare vnto thee my opinion briefly and plainly we must remaine in the Church which being founded by the Apostles hath endured to this day and all others euen in this that they were instituted after shew themselues to be Heretikes Vincent Lyrinens in cap. 26. 27. With which Fathers Vincentius Lyrinensis accordeth when explicating that of Saint Paul O Timothie keep that which hath bin left vnto thee He saith This depositum is that which hath been committed to thee not which hath been inuented by thee that which thou hast receiued not that which thou hast deuised a thing brought vnto thee not vttered by thee in which thou must not be an author but a keeper not an instructer but a follower not a leader but one that is directed Now therefore thus finding so many ancient Fathers making antiquitie a neere adiunct vnto Catholike and Orthodox truth and noueltie to be the vsuall badge of Herretikes I began with great diligence and care to examine two maine points of religion now controuerted and much disputed on as well by the most learned of the English as of the Romane Church viz. of the doctrine of iustification by faith alone and of the imperfection of our good workes that being according to knowledge grounded in religion my zeale therein might be the greater and my assurednesse of a sound ground cause me to stand the more strongly and to labour in others spiritual profit with the greater constancy and courage as since it hath succeeded through Gods especiall grace to the vnspeakable comfort of my soule affording me grace and abilitie of bodie to performe this so profitable a worke begun and ended by him whom I do most humblie desire to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all my endeuours 3 Now as I proceeded on further by degrees Antiquitie a good way of triall to compare the doctrine of the Church of England and that of Rome concerning the two points aboue specified with the doctrine of the ancient Church by this meanes of antiquitie I found the doctrines of iustification by faith only and of the imperfection and demerit of good workes as they are taught in the present Church of England most deseruedly to claime the priuiledge of antiquitie as taught by many both Latine and Creeke Fathers Iustification by faith alone proued by Greeke Fathers Ses 6. Can. 9. Origen lib. 3. Rom. 3. notwithstanding that the Church of Rome accurseth al that hold the contrarie in expresse termes saying If any shall say that a wicked man may be iustified by faith alone c. let him be accursed Against which definitiue sentence of the Councell of Trent I find first of the Greeke Fathers Origen to be most cleare who vpon those words of Saint Paul to the Romans We therefore thinke that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law writeth thus The Apostle in these words saith that iustification by faith alone sufficeth so that a man onely beseeuing is iustified although he performe no worke And if an example be required who was euer that without good workes was iustified by faith alone I think that thiefe may suffice who crucified with Christ cried vnto him on the crosse Lord Iesus remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Neit her is there any good worke of his described in the Cospell But for this faith alone Iesus saith vnto him Amen I say vnto thee This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This thiefe therefore is iust fied by faith without the workes of the law because the Lord did not aske what worke hee did first neither did he expect what worke hee had done when he belieued but being iustified by faith alone when he was to enter into Paradise he tooke him for his companion and it is related in the Gospell according to Saint Luke vnto the woman without any worke of the law and for faith alone hee said thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And againe Thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace And in many places of the Gospell wee reade that our Sauiour vsed this speech to shew that the faith of the beleeuer is the cause of his saluation Hitherto Origen Neither is Saint Basil of other opinion who writeth thus The Apostle saith Basil cōcione dehumilit he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saying that Christ is made vnto vs from God Wisedome Iustice Sanctification and Redemption that as it is written he that is to reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord for this is perfect and entire reioycing in God when a man is not exalted for his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth true righteousnesse to bee wanting in him and to bee iustified by faith alone in Christ And Paul reioyceth in that he despiseth his owne righteousnes and in that by
antiquitie and approued euen by some of the Romanists themselues against themselues Yea Vergerius a learned Bishop as my Lords Grace of Canterburie noteth but of Sledian intending to write against Luther in that argument Doctor Hils reasons vnmasked reas 8. nu 2. fol. 307. Sleid. lib. 21. was by trauersing of it caught himselfe And so by the discouerie first of one veritie at length grew to abandon altogether the Church of Rome as any whosoeuer shall read this Treatise may well doe I hope with satisfaction and comfort to his owne conscience 7 I further began also to make triall of the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning good works by this marke of antiquitie which teacheth them to be so perfect About the imperfection of good workes that in some sort they are simply absolutely and perfectly iust and righteous further that they are merits that they iustifie a man and that they are not onely mereitorious for encrease of grace but also of eternall glorie which doctrine tendeth exceedingly to the engendring and nourishing of a Pharisaicall pride and presumption in good workes whereas the doctrine of the Church of England teaching imperfection to be euen in our best workes of the righteous that they are not merits that they doe not iustifie that they are not meritorious is a most holesome doctrine for planting of the true Publicanes humilitie relying wholly vpon Christs righteousnesse and the imputation thereof when he said Deus propitius esto mihi peecatori Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and so was pronounced more iustified than the Pharisie iustifying himselfe by his workes Luk. 18. vers 11. when he said I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publicane I fast twice a weeke I giue tythes of all that I possesse This obseruation I gathered by reading and diligently noting Bellarmines confused controuersies in the doctrine of iustification drawing the readers onely to a proud Pharisaicall presumption in their owne workes against whom I obserue many Fathers Our righteousnesse imputed first to account all our true righteousnesse to be Christs righteousnesse more than ours and ours onely by imputation and therefore our owne righteousnesse consequently very imperfect Saint Augustine hath in plaine tearmes thus Epist 106. ad Bonifac. The righteousnesse by which through faith we beleeue we are iustified that is wee are made righteous is the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. In Enche ca. 41. And againe He is sinne and we righteousnesse not ours but Gods neither in vs but in him as he is sinne not his owne but ours nor in himselfe but in vs so therefore we are Gods righteousnesse in him as he is sinne in vs to wit Lib. 2. de Iacob vit beata by imputation S. Ambrose sayth As Iacob of himselfe deserued not the primogeniture who being hidden in his brothers apparrell and clad in his garment which yeelded forth the best odor did insinuate himselfe to his father that to his profit he might vnder another person receiue benediction so doe wee lye hidden vnder the precious puritie of Christ our first begotten brother that from the sight of God wee may giue testimonie of our iustice With the doctrine of which auncient Fathers holy Bernard agreeth as well as the Church of England Bernard Ser. 61. in Cantic Cant. saying I will remember thy iustice alone for it is mine to wit thou art made vnto me thy righteousnesse from God for how can I feare that one iustice may not suffice vs both It is not the short cloake which according to the Prophet cannot couer two thy iustice is iustice for euer and this large and eternall iustice shall couer both mee and thee together Whereby it is cleare that all our righteousnesse is none of our owne but Christs and therefore all our workes in respect of our selues are sinfull and imperfect 8 Besides the imperfection of our workes appeareth Works imperfect because they cause not saluation in that although they are necessarie for many respects yet are they not the efficient causes of saluation for Saint Ambrose sayth This is appointed by God Ambros in 1. ad Cor. 1. that he that beleeueth in Christ be saued without worke freely receiuing by faith alone remission of sinnes And Saint Augustine hath these wordes August in Psal 70. Thou art nothing of thy selfe call vpon God sinnes are thine mercies are Gods chastisement is due vnto thee and when the reward shall come he shall crowne his gifts not thy merits Saint Chrysostome also sayth Chrysost in cap. 3. ad Rom. Herein the power and might of God is shewed in that he saueth iustifieth and leadeth vnto glorie by faith alone without good workes Basil saith thus Basil in Ps 114. Euerlasting rest abideth vpon those that striue lawfully in this life not for the merits of their deedes but out of the most bountifull fauour of God in which they haue beleeued All which places doe argue against the perfection of workes for our greater humiliation and Gods greater glorie 9. Moreouer the learned Fathers doe further shew VVorkes imperfect because impure Hieron lib. 2. aduers Pelag. that the workes of the righteous are not simply and absolutely iust and perfect for Saint Hierome writeth thus If according to Iob the Moone doth not shine and the starres are not cleare in his sight how much more man who is rottennesse and the sonne of man a worme For euery mouth is stopped and euery cleane one is obnoxious vnto God because before him by the workes of the law all flesh shall not be iustified and there is no difference of persons for all haue sinned and are in neede of the glorie of God being iustified freely through his grace Saint Augustine speaking to Pelagius sayth thus Aug. li. de natur grat The Lord if he would might lift vp mortall men to Angelicall puritie and so cause that they might perfectly keepe the Law but hee neuer did nor euer will doe it Epist 29. Saint Hierome also speaketh as plaine to this purpose when he sayth The fullest charitie which cannot be encreased so long as man liueth here is not in any but so long as it can be augmented truly that which is lesse than it ought to be is of vice out of which vice it is Lib. de perfec iustit resp 18. Lib. 9. confes cap. 13. that no man doth good and sinneth not who further sayth It is sinne when either there is not charitie which ought to be or when it is lesse than it ought to be And Saint Augustine Woe also to the laudable life of men if without mercie thou doest discusse it Lib 9. Mor. c. 1. And Gregorie the Great in his Morals sayth The holy man because he seeth that all the merit of our vertue is vice if it be seuerely iudged by the inward arbitrer doth right well adioyne if hee will
Rome tending to presumption in good workes and to shew the imperfection of the best of them in respect of our selues yet doth it not follow that good workes are not necessarie to saluation Why are good workes necessarie for they are necessarie for diuers other respects First that our workes may giue testimonie of our faith that by them as by the fruits our faith may bee knowne because that without them faith is dead Jac. 2.18 2. Pet. 1.8 Secondly that wee may be certaine and confirmed of our election and saluation for workes Ibid. though they bee not the causes yet they are the way to saluation Thirdly that our faith may be exercised nourished confirmed 2. Tim. 1.6 2. Pet. 1.8 and promoted Fourthly that wee auoide temporall and eternall paines which God threateneth to inflict vpon transgressors of the Law Fifthly Rom. 8.13 2. Thes 4.6 that our liues may answere our professions for if we be children of light it is behoofefull for vs to walke like children of light Sixtly that not doing euill wee may not contristate the holy Ghost 2. Cor. 5.15 Philip. 2.15 1. Thes 5.19 but that wee may obtaine both temporall and spirituall rewards which God hath promised to those that doe well Seuenthly that they may be done for the good of others 1. Tim. 4.8 Psal 5. v. vlt. that the good may be edified by our example and that we may not giue a scandale to those that are without that by our holy liues as much as lyeth in vs we may gaine others 2. Cor. 6.3 1. Pet. 2.22 and by doing good we may put the wicked to shame and that wee may stop the mouthes of calumniators 2. Pet. 2.12 3 for our workes 16. ad Tit. 2.58 though they are vnperfect yet are they gratefull vnto God not for any perfection or dignitie in them but because they are of the holy Ghost in vs and of faith which purifieth our hearts because all their imperfection is pardoned couered Psal 32.2 and not imputed 13 Hence I obserue How faith and good workes may goe together that a iustifying faith and good workes may goe together the first as the cause the other as the effects and therefore considering the true nature of a good Christian hauing that faith which worketh by charitie my thinkes I behold him in the mysterious vision which the Prophet Ezechiel beheld of the foure beasts Ezech. 1 10. neere the riuer Chobar flying vp to heauen with wings and hands vnder the wings who amounting to heauen according to the number of wings had also sixteene hands which they made-shew of as it were to insinuate that they did not onely amount vp by the helpes of their wings but also by the strength and force of their hands which being vnder their wings moued and supported them For herein I behold a proper resemblance of a true iust and righteous Christian who to ascend vnto heauen and to amount himselfe from all earthly and terrene comforts and to make his conuersation with God in heauen doth not performe this flight onely by the wings of faith but is also therein by the hands of charitie and good workes to helpe and support them without which hee falleth downe to the ground so that now wee see against the Church of Rome that faith alone iustifieth without good workes and that good workes without faith cannot iustifie through their imperfection which in respect of man are so absolutely imperfect and impure as the precedent places of antiquitie doe testifie and therefore I find the most probable inducement of antiquitie in those two points to leade mee vnto the Church of England 14 Now courteous Reader when I had obserued the Church of Rome to faile thus in the triallof antiquitie My feeling vpon the consideration of this obseruation about the two aforesaid points of doctrine concerning faith and good workes attributing too little to the one and too much to the other and the Church of England to haue Antiquitie on her side for the establishment of the aforesaid points I beganne more seriously to behold mine owne estate and to see the former danger of my soule with the great perill of diuers others whose carefull instructer I haue beene in the contrarie nouelties I beganne with amazement to reflect more studiously and feelingly vpon the seuere wordes of S. Paul denouncing an accurse vpon the teachers of nouelties when he said Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed In the feare of which curse as I discouered my errour so I determined it to bee high time for mee to shake handes and bidde adieu to the Church of Rome which by her nouell doctrines entangleth the soules of many in the nets of eternall perdition Now could I not but with teares of compunction for my former professed nouelties beginne to mollifie the hardned crust of deformitie which they had wrought in my soule and also with teares of compassion bewaile the miserable estate of those soules as I knew to be defiled with the spots of like errours now could I no but most earnestly prostrate my selfe vpon the ground before the Throne of Gods mercie both for them and my selfe beseeching him to bee propitious and fauourable to vs all in the most tender bowells of Christ Iesus his Sonne cauing pardon and mercie only by him of the Father whose pardon and mercies are aboue all other his workes that we might all who were miserably seduced by the nouelties of Rome discouer and detest them as abhominations in the sight of God and constantly resolue neuer to participate more with her erroneous doctrines and nouelties which were sowed by no other then Sathan and his Ministers but to enter into the happy felloship and societie of that Church that teacheth the contrarie verities standing vpon sure Antiquitie And now did I further with all humilitie of my heart and humble acknowledgment of this great fauour from God in affording mee the meanes of discouer such falshoods yeeld him humble thankes offering vp withall into his holy handes my soule my body with all the powers and faculties of either with the whole residue of my life to come to be imployed hereafter in the conuersion of soules to the present Church of England which I found notwithstanding all pretences to the contrarie to bee Apostolicall and most Ancient grieuing much for my former Oath taken in Rome betwixt the handes of Robert Parsons some twelue or thirteene yeares since to the contrarie in the forme following word for word The Oath of the English Seminaries EGO N. N. Collegij Anglorum alumnus c. I Iohn Copley Collegiall of the English Seminarie duely considering the great benefits which Almightie God hath bestowed vpon me and that especially whereby hee hath drawne mee out of my Countrie infected with Heresie and made mee a member of his
say that before the world did beleeue they were necessrie to this end that the world might beleeue but whosoeuer doth enquire after wonders that hee may beleeue hee himselfe is a great wonderment who beleeueth not now the world doth beleeue By which words I obserue a necessitie why men should look for miracles in the Primitiue Church but none why wee should expect them now but rather why wee should feare to bee deceiued by beleeiuing false ones for true ones and therefore Saint Augustine giueth another stronger reason to hold him in the Church than the continuance of miracles saying Contra Epi. fundamenti The consent of people and nations doth holde me there doth hold mee an authoritie which was begunne with miracles nourished by hope encreased by charitie confirmed by antiquitie by which I obserue though hee shew the authoritie of that sacred doctrine confirmed in the beginning by miracles as a menes to hold him yet hee speaketh of no continuance of them but leaueth confirmation to the authoritie of sacred doctrine it selfe which must bee the strongest hold of the Churches claime De vera relig cap. 25. Saint AuguStine also in another place saith Since the Catholike Church is diffused through the whole world and grounded neither are these miraculous things permitted to endure vntill our times lest the mind should alwayes seeke visible things and by the custome of them man-kind should waxe cold at the new appearance whereof it was all on fire Mor. lib. 27.11 And Saint Gregorie saith most plainely What maruaile is it if the faith being propagated miracles be not oft done since euen the very Apostles in many which were alreadie faithfull did not doe them Neither is Isidorus any whit discordant from Saint Augustine aboue recited who seemeth to insinuate as much in these words Miracles are a signe Isidor lib. 1. de summo bono not necessarie for the faithfull who now haue beleeued but to the vnfaithfull that they may bee conuerted for Paul for the infidelitie of not beleeuers cureth the father of Publius by miracles from the infirmitie of an ague but sicke Timothie who was a faithfull not by prayer but medicinally that thou mayest know miracles to be done not for the vnfaithfull but for the faithfull So I find Didacus de la Vega not to swarue much from this doctrine Conc. quadrag feria 4. post primam dominicam quadrag Matth. 12. vers 39. who vpon these words Generatio male adultera signum quaerit signum non dabitur ei nisi signum Ionae Prophetae An euill and adulterous generation seeketh a signe but no signe shall be giuen vnto it saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas saith The Scribes and Pharisies approach vnto Christ to require signes and wonders from heauen by the which hee should shew himselfe the true Messias promised in the Law whome hee reprehendeth with sharpe wordes and confoundeth them calling them an euill and adulterous generation and their demaund required no milder wordes but was worthie of such an answere For the comming of the Sonne of God into the world was not so hidden but that it was preuented many ages before and announced by the heauenly Oracles of the Prophets Whereupon I obserued that if the Scribes and Pharsies were reprehended so seuerely for requiring signes from heauen because they had Christ foretold by the Prophets then could I not but assure my selfe that the followers of the Church of Rome are worthie of as great a reprehension euen of the same nature of adulterous generation that after the faith so long planted and begunne with miracles and confirmed by antiquitie boast so much on their owne miracles and strange wonders Doctor Stapleton vpon these words of Christ Iob. 4. Prompt mor. Dom. 20. post Pent. soco 5. Nisi signa prodigia viderit is not creditis Vnlesse you see signes and wonders you beleeue not hath these words worthie of note and obseruation The ruler is checked because that being brought vp amongst the Iewes and instructed in the Law hee would not beleeue by the authoritie of the Scriptures but by signes but expect the extreame daunger of his Sonne that hee might see a signe This was an incredultie almost common to all the Iewes which in another place Christ taxeth most sharpely for certaine of the Scribes and Pharisies comming vnto him and saying Master wee will see a signe of thee Matth. 12. answering hee said vnto them Matth. 16. a wicked and adulterous generation asketh a signe Which words againe hee answered at another time when the Sadduces empted him in like manner and calleth them a wicked and an adulterous generation which seeketh signes because they did euill in tempting God and such an euill was this that they shewed their soules not to bee the true spouses of God by faith but adulterous friends of transitorie things For euen as a wife which truely loueth her husband desireth not to see any extraordinarie signes of her husbands loue towards her as that her husband should as it were cast himselfe into the fire or water for his wiues sake but resteth contented with that true internall loue which hee carrieth her and the common externall signes of a husbands loue towards her So the faithfull soule which by faith and charitie is espoused vnto her God if shee bee such a one doth see so many signes in her selfe the loue of God so vehement and sincere so many embracings of Gods loue towards her so many and frequent sweetnesses from aboue so many daily graces fauours and benefits lastly that peace of her God which passeth all vnderstanding that to seeke other signes for confirmation of her faith in God or the charitie of God towards her she esteemeth it not onely idle but also most impious For as it is an argument of chast loue to cleaue only to God so is it the signe of an adulterous soule in slipperie things to seeke externall signes Further as the ancient Iewes were contented with the signes of their Elders done in the desert in the red sea on mount Sina Deut. 32. in the passage of Iordan according to that Interroga patres tuos dicent tibi Aske thy Fathers and they will tell thee So the Iewes when Christ teacheth and all Christians at this day must be cōtented with the old signes either typically done before Christs comming of which it was not fit the Iewes should be ignorant and chiefely the Scribes and Pharisies and the Princes of the people amongst which this Ruler seemeth to be one or performed by Christ himselfe which are sufficient for our faith Therefore all this curiositie and shew of incredulitie and fornication from God is worthily taxed by Christ either in this Ruler or in the standers by or in both whose hearts he saw By which Lobserued how worthie of reprehension of the Church of Rome is which for confirmation of her doctrine euen vntill his day standeth still vpon miracles as
Whereat all the assistants admiring determined to deferre his buriall till the next day when thinking to performe the exequies they came againe to that passage afotesaid of the office of the dead he suddainely rose vp againe and cryed out with a loud voice saying Iusto Dei iudicio iudicaetus sum that is to say I am iudged by the iust iudgement of God Whereat the assistance were strucken againe into a great admiration and much more astonished than before to beholde so dismall and hideous a spectacle And although he had then declared himselfe to be accused and iudged by the iust iudgement of God yet it was not manifest by these wordes that he had yet receiued sentence of damnation insomuch that yet it ressed for them to interprete and hope the best and therefore they thought it good to deferre his buriall till the third day Whereto verie early the next morning all the towne flocked together being desirous to know the euent of so strange rare and fearefull a iudgement of God when hauing begun againe the office of the dead and comming to the same passage aboue specified he raysed himselfe vp the third time and to the great horror of all the standers by he said Iusto Dei iudicio condemnatus sum that is I am condemned by the iust iudgement of God Therefore Parcite funeribus mihi nil prodesse potestis Heu infoelicem cur me genuere parentes Ah miser aeternos vade damnatus ad ignes Which verses may well be Englished in this sense O spare vaine prayers with outward shewes of peace Your Dirges yeelds no comfort to my soule Aye me accurst from hope of ioyes I cease Gods iudgements iust doe all your prayers controule Why did my parents euer foster me A damned wretch and hell-hound for to be Ah cursed me thus to prouoke Gods are And to be doom'de to euer lasting fire Who is there that cannot be astonished to heare that a personage who liuing amongst men was esteemed for a holy and perfect man should be condemned by the iust iudgement of God This Doctor by the common suffrage of the Church being found vnworthie of Christian buriall was interred in a prophane place But this rare miracle occasioned manie to correct amend their liues Whereat Bruno with others were so much terrified that they framed a more strict order than euer was before tearmed Carthusians that by the strictnesse of that life they might be the better prepared for the strict iudgements of God In the consideration of his miracle if it were true and no hypocriticall cunning vsed therein I cannot conceiue but that it makes more against the faith of Rome than for it of which profession this Doctor whilest he liued was reputed both to be a learned and holy Saint For first if he were so holy and learned no doubt he knew what belonged to preparation for his death and therefore howsoeuer hee might bee depriued of outward meanes or helpe of the Sacraments yet it is to be presumed that at least in voto Sacramenti he would excite himselfe as much as lay in him to be penitent for his sinnes And it is to be thought his Holinesse would not permit him to be negligent of that which lay in his power to performe And lastly since there is no cause registred of his damnation but knowne onely to God he being both a professor and teacher of the Romane faith it may as well be presumed so farre as man for his soules benefit may enter into Gods secrets that God shewed this extraordinarie iudgement to manifest to the world that though his life was neuer so good in the sight of the world or his learning so great yet where true faith is wanting no saluation can be attained and that therefore the Romane faith cannot be the true faith This is the fittest collection I can make of this miracle because he was a Doctor professing that faith of Rome and liued and died therein 11 But now I will relate another miracle which much astonished me making me stagger The strange deliuerie of Traianes soule out of hell fabulous and most vncertaine and was neuer able to finde a good answere for it which was the strange deliuerie of Traianes soule out of hell by Saint Gregories prayers for him which how repugnant it is to the verie true doctrine of the Romane Church it selfe is cleare by that which is read in the Office of the dead viz. Ex inferno nulla est redemptio Now it is to be noted Lipeloo in vita Gregor magn that Lipeloo recordeth it for a truth and so it hath beene recorded alwayes by the Church of Rome and yet of late by Baronius and Bellarmine it is reputed a fabulous narration Whereupon I inferre that if after so many ages recording and beleefe it proue but a fabulous thing a man may as well suspect all the rest that seeme of the like nature notwithstanding hee bee learned that recordeth them What erronious doctrine is to be found almost in the Church of Rome that hath not many miracles for the confirmation of it mongst them so pleasant to reade that they will sooner make a man laugh in reading them than giue any credit at all to them So in confirmation of the reall and substantiall presence of Christs bodie in the Sacrament there is a pretie tale recorded in the life of Saint Anthonie of Padua of whom it is recorded S. Anton. in sum hist 3. p tit 24. c. 5. ff 2. That a certaine heretike promising to be of his religion if his Mule after three dayes restraint would goe and worship his God in the Eucharist Tho. Boz li. 14. de sig eccles dei cap. 3. Laurent Sur. to 3. The tale of a Mule and refuse his prouender which he would prouide for him When the day was come the Mule being brought forth by his Master and the Eucharist by Saint Anthonie hee staying himselfe a little said O thou brute beast in the name and power of thy Creator whom I vnworthie wretch doe hold truly in my hands I charge and commaund thee that forthwith thou come humbled before him and doe him honour and reuerence as thou canst to the end that the peruerse obstinacie of heretikes may know hereby that euerie creature is subiect vnto him whom the Priestly dignitie dayly handleth vpon the Altar Which speech being ended the hungrie beast forsooke the prouender prouided which the heretike had set before his eyes and went forthwith vnto the Sacrament kneeled downe before it and humbled downe his head which the people admiring praysed God saying We haue seene this day maruellous things which the heretike seeing repenting him of his fault abiured his heresie and embraced the true Catholike saith No lesse remarkable is that which is reported of a certaine Priest that doubted of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament Ant. d'Ance Cat. Hist l. 1. c. 5. tit 8. loan Meff in hor. Reg. ser de coen Domini
as the Church of Rome teacheth who being deuoted much to the virgine Marie prayed often vnto her to bee deliuered from this doubt Who being one day at Masse the Hoast before the saying of the Pater noster was gone out of his sight whereof as hee was in a great amazement the virgine Marie appeared vnto him holding her sonne Iesus betwixt her armes and said vnto him This is he whom I brought into this world this is he whom you haue consecrated this is he whom you haue held and touched with your hands and shewed to the people to be adored which you eate and drinke in the Sacrament behold here I giue you my Sonne with reuerence and deuotion to be receiued of you and so as shee presented him vnto him he changed at that instant againe into the forme of bread whom he receiued and so his doubt ceased Here you see courteous Reader strange miracles alledged by the Papists in confirmation of their doctrine one while the bread is vnseene then Christ and our Ladie and then againe the forme of bread another while a Mule forsaking his prouender to adore God in the Sacrament whether these be not such signes wonders and great prodigies as may seduce the elect if it were possible I leaue to the holy Ghost to informe you the truth saying Nolite eis credere beleeue them not And one more yet I will relate vnto your memorie which hath beene wrought of late yeares and may be esteemed for a notable lie Till Bred. 7. Col. sac c. 7. There was a certaine Caluinist that married a Catholike woman that is Papist that long endeuoured to induce her to heare a Caluinist Minister preach The wife after she had a long time contradicted him was at last constrained to goe by the rigorous speeches and threatnings of her husband yet did she first acquaint her ghostly father there with who aduised her to obey the commaundement of her husband and to goe onely once to the said Sermon yet with condition to goe first to Confession and to the Communion The woman hauing performed the aduise of her ghostly father strengthned with the Sacraments went to the Sermon and she was no sooner entred but the Preacher became as silent and mute as a fish yet said at last after a little pause Here is some bodie present that hath eaten of the bread of Papists which is the cause that I will now giue ouer preaching hoping to make recompence another time The husband who was present seeing the Preacher A pretie fiction to disgrace Caluinists by Gods permission to become silent and disabled to prosecute his matter for the presence of one that had receiued the holy Communion who being returned home enquired of his wife whether shee had not receiued the Communion that morning or not she without dissimulation answering yes her husband suddainly knew that this doctrine of the Caluinists was false and accursed in that being placed with the light of the Sacraments of the Catholike Church it withered so and came to nought whereupon presently he made a good fire burned all his bookes to pouder and ashes and became himselfe a child of the Catholike Church In which miracle first I obserue that the ghostly father of this woman gaue her leaue for obedience to her husband to go to the Church of Caluinists which how it can hang with the doctrine of Paule the fifths Breue who sheweth it vnlawfull for English Catholikes to goe to the Churches of Heretikes viz. of all Caluinists and Protestants that are so in his iudgement vnlesse it be said that the Church of Rome holds one doctrine of faith lawfull at one time that is not lawfull at another time I should be glad to be resolued But this I obserue to proceede from Gods prouidence that the inuentors of these and the like miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine in one point doth often in some circumstance or other shew such ignorance or falsehood that discouereth them either not to approue the matter they intend or else runneth into some other error lesse tolerable shewing them most plainely to be such signes and wonders as Christ giueth a Caueat of them Not to be beleeued Many other miracles I might here insert but that I will not be too tedious in such idle tales fitter to be told amongst children as fables than to any men of more ripe iudgement yet are they amongst the Clergie of Rome of such account that their Sermonists are stuffed with them as may be obserued in Iacobus de Voragine Iohannes Meff Bernard de Bust Philippus Dies and many the like and are held more profitable for the people than any other manner of doctrine Yet I obserue one thing by reading of their liues of Saints that many miracles which were authenticall for many hundred yeares past are now growne to be Apocryphall as may be seene by comparing the auncient liues of S. George S. Katherine the Queene and others with them as they are of late yeares corrected and written by Lipeloo following Baronius and other writers of the same kind 12 Now therefore to draw neere my conclusion My conclusion about miracles what fruit could I better gather vpon the due obseruation of Christs warning vnto the world Not to beleeue such miracles than that the Church of Rome cannot bee the true Church of God that either winketh or authoriseth infinite numbers in the same nature as these are of which I haue alreadie recorded out of her owne Writers for which cause I could not but abandon her Communion and flye to that Church which like a faithfull Spouse resteth contented with the former miracles where with Christs Church was begun and chiefely relying vpon the holy Scriptures and the auncient doctrine of the Primitiue Church Yet is not my opinion in this point of miracles so to bee vnderstood as that I doe thinke no true miracles at all shall euer be done in the declining age of Gods Church but I would haue it knowne that my iudgement is that none are to be beleeued which are pretended to be done in confirmation of new doctrines not taught in the Scriptures not knowne to the auncient Church because it is most euident that Christ hath forbidden all beleefe of them and therefore not to be esteemed of otherwise than as of illusions of Sathan wherewith to enchant soules and to make them beleeue lyes in stead of truth and verities Oh what a miserie is it to see how many simple sincere and ouer-credulous Christians are cousened with these deceits and illusions of the Diuell and the true markes of Antichrist Let me therfore entreat thee courteous reader to remember the predictions of these signes and wonders aboue mentioned forespoken of by Christ S. Paule and S. Iohn and not so fondly to be lead blind-folded to the eternall destruction of thy soule by too much credulitie Be not like the Scribes and Pharisies seeking after signes from heauen for the faith least you
proue one of those that are tearmed by Christ a wicked and adulterous generation CHAP. X. Containeth an obseruation of the great hipocrisie of false Teachers fore-spoken of in the holie Scriptures AMongst the many testimonies recorded in holy Scriptures concerning false Teachers The hypocrisie of false teachers shewed in the Scripture by which I might further discouer the erroneous doctrin of the Church of Rome and make comparison of her doctrine with other reformed Churches the next which represented themselues were such places as describe the dissimulation and hipocrisie of false Teachers and inuite men to take heede of them to preuent all their dissimulations and impostures by which they seduce simple soules from the knowledge of truth lead them by cunning art of wordes to follow leasings and false Gods This I noted first out of Christs wordes describing the manner of Heretikes comming and giuing a preuenting Caueat to take heede of them Math. 7. vers 15 where he said Attendite à falsis Prophet is qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ouium intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues as if he should say take heede of the hipocrisie of those Prophets who seeme to be one thing and are an other of whom S. Paul saith Rom. 16. vers 18. Per dulces sermones benedictiones seducunt corda innocentium With faire speech and flattering they deceiue the hearts of the simple who in another place speaking of the heretikes of latter times saith In hipo crisi loquuntur mendacium 1. Tim. 4. vers 2. cauteriatam habent cōscientiam Who speake-lies through hipocrisie hauing their consciences burned with a hot yron Further Christ dehorreth all from hipocrisie when he said Math. 5. vers 20 Nisi abundauerit institia vestra plus quam Scribarum aut Pharisaeorum non intrabitis in regnum coelorum Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Now how the iniustice of the Pharisees was a foure-fold Hipocrisie is also plaine by the Scriptures The Pharisees four-fold Hipocrisie The first consisted in externall righteousnesse without internall whereof Christ speaketh saying Vos Pharisei quod deforis est calicis catini mundatis quod autem intus est vestrum plenum est rapina iniquitate Stulti nonne qui fecit quod deforis est Luc. 11. v. 36. etiam quod deintus est fecit Yee Pharisees make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but the inward part is full of rauening and wickednesse Yee Fooles did not hee that made that which is without make that which is within also And againe Vae vobis Scribae Pharisaei Hipocritae similes estis sepulchris dealbatis quae a foris apparent hominibus speciosa intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum omni spurcitia Math. 23. v. 27. Sic vos aforis apparet is hominibus iusti intus autem pleni estis hipocrisi omni iniquitate Woe be vnto you Scribes Pharisees Hipocrites for yee are like vnto whited tombs which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse For so are yee also for outward yee appeare righteous vnto men but within yee are full of Hipocrisie and iniquitie The second consisted in an externall holinesse also but preposterous and defectiue because they were scrupulous in trifles large or of no conscience therefore Christ said vnto them Vae vobis Pharisaeis Luc. 11. v. 42. qui decimatis metham rutam omne olus preteritis iudicium charitatem Dei Woe be vnto you Pharisees for yee tithe the mint and rue and all manner herbs and passe ouer iudgment and the loue of God or as S. Matt. saith Math. 23. v. 23. Et reliquistis quae grauiora sunt legis iudicium misericordiam fidem And leaue the waightier matters of the law as iudgement and mercie fidelitie The third hipocrisie of the Pharisees was verbal not real a fained not a true obseruation of Gods commandements which Christ taxed in them saying Math. 23. v. 3. Quaecunque dixerint vobis c. Whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but doe not according to their workes for they say and doe not And againe If you be the children of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham The fourth hipocrisie of the Pharisees was vaine glorious who in all their actions of religion sought the glorie and praise of men Christ saying Math. 6. v. 5. They fast and pray Vt videantur ab hominibus That they may be seene of men from all which foure-fold hipocrisie wherein consisted the vnrighteousnesse of the Pharisees Christ dehorteth all Christians by a motiue of heauenly blisse saying as before Vnlesse your iustice abound more then the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Hence it followeth that in what Church soeuer a proper resemblance of this Hipocrisie is found The hipocrisie of the Church of Rome there may wee well presume the false Prophets to be which Christ biddeth vs beware of and therefore since I obserue it abundantly to appeare in the present Church of Rome the Teachers of that Church as false Prophets comming vnto vs are the reuenous wolues in sheepe-skinnes whose iustice doth no lesse abound then that of the Scribes and Pharisees which will keepe them from entring into the Kingdome of heauen For so long as I haue beene in that Church I haue seene much externall righteousnesse as long praiers much whipping with disciplines much fasting many miraculous cemonies of religion strange mortifications and all this without the true faith by reason of the many nouelties crept into that Church and without charitie the inward life of the soule whence it proceedeth that there is much dissension amongst all sorts many diuisions amongst the learned many back-bitings amongst religious persons many wrongs and iniuries offered without conscience much violation of morall honestie and ciuilitie enuie amongst most detraction amongst all wicked life without measure rash iudgements without any consideration lying reports against one an other traducing of one the others reputation by writings by wordes by secret complotments and macheuillian deuises without all feare of God or loue of honestie Religious men are poore in the outward shew of their profession Once acertain Capuchine said as a Iesuit hath related when one said that the Iesuites and his Order proceed well together that the cause was because the Iesuites desired to haue al and they desired to haue nothing but who abound more in common than the landed Monkes and well monied Iesuites They are chast in the outward vowes but many of them most lasciuious in heart as by the one Author of the Pruritanus may bee iudged of many besides Who more blindly
their breast Againe Rom. 16. not seruing the Lord but their belly by sweet speeches they seduce the hearts of innocents 2. Cor. 11. And againe such false Apostles are craftie worke-men transfiguring themselues into the Apostles of Christ. 1. Tim 4. So vnto Timothie certaine shall depart from the faith attending to the spirits of error and doctrines of diuels speaking a lie in hypocrisie 2. Pet. 2. Further Peter They shall make merchandize of you in couetousnesse with fained words And lastly Titus 1. Paul vnto Titus Teaching the things which behooue not for filthie lucres sake By these fruits wolues are knowne vnder the garments of sheepe and heretikes vnder the title of the Ministers of the Word De vtil credendi cap. 1. Therefore Augustine defineth an Heretike thus An Heretike is he that either begetteth or followeth false and new opinions for temporall commoditie and chiefely for glorie and dominion sake For euery Heretike forsaketh the vnitie and faith of the Catholike Church either for temporall commoditie or to get the praise of his name By all which we see these words of our Sauiour explicated not by any but such a one as in all things fauoureth the Romane church to point out the right way to iudge false teachers by all which the more I duely obserued the more did I find iust cause to forsake the Church of Rome and to abandon all longer communion therewith 6 For first concerning their doctrines The Bishops of Rome haue beene authors of many false doctrines Sess 24. Can. 3. I haue found the Bishops of the Church of Rome to haue been the authors of many erronious nouelties For Pius Quartus decreed at Trent that it should be lawfull for him to allow those degrees to marrie together which God in Leuiticus had forbidden and to forbid those which God had allowed this was ex Cathedra an hereticall decree who can excuse it but this was not his heresie alone for against true faith and beliefe many Popes haue taught the like marriages Summa Angelica verbo Papa nu 1. Martine the fifth allowed one to keep in marriage his owne sister Of late yeares another Pope allowed King Henrie the eighth to marrie his brothers wife in which case of affinitie Ioannes Viguerius teacheth that the Pope hath no lawful power to dispeÌ„ce And another Pope taught Emmanuel King of Portugale to marry two sisters By which dispensations and doctrine Osor de gest Eman. lib. 2. I perceiued both heresie to be taught by Popes and to be practised Celestine Pope ordained marriage to be void Hadrian quod lib. 6. pag. 34. when either of the parties fall into herefie Pope Steuen the sixth decreed in a Councell that such as were ordained Bishops by Pope Formosus his predecessour were not lawfully ordained Sigebert chron an 902. Sigon de Reg. Jtal. lib. 6. an 896. Baron an 897. nu 6. b de consecrat d. 4. à quodam 32.77 quod proposuisti Ibid. §. sed illud Ambr. Concil Senens apud Baron an 303 nu 89. Caranza in Marcel Tom. 2. an 302. nu 102. Athanas epist ad solitar fas tem an 353. Baron an 357. num 43.44 because Formosus was an euill man which tasteth flat Donatisme Pope Nicholas decreed that to Baptise onely in the name of Christ is good Baptisme contrarie to the decrees of Gregorie and Pelagius Pope Gregorie decreed that a man might take another wife in case his wife were so diseased that she would not yeeld him the debt of mariage the which saith Gratian is contrarie to the sacred Canons and to the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists Marcellinus committed idolatrie and offered sacrifice to Iupiter Saturne Hercules and the Pagan gods and was thereupon examined and condemned by a Councell of three hundred Bishoppes Which storie Baronius confesseth was from the beginning beleeued with a generall consent and kept in the ancient Martirologies and Breuiaries of the Romane Church Liberius who was Pope about the yeare three hundred and fiftie fell into Arianisme subscribing to the vniust condemnation of Athanasius whereupon Athanasius fell from his communitie and himselfe as an obstinate Heretike was deposed and cast out of the Church Honorius the first that was Pope in the yeare 626. was a Monotholite Heretike whose heresie was that Christ had but one will and so withall but one nature for the which the Church condemned him in three generall Councels In which matter Caius against Pighius saith Synod 6. act 4.12.13 Synod 7. act vlt. Synod 8. act 7. How can Pighius cleare him whom Psellus Tharasius Theodorus with his Councell at Hierusalem Lâ—â— liv 〈…〉 p. â—lt Epiphanius and Pope Adrian affirme to haue beene an Heretike And Dominicus Bannes deriding Pighius calleth it a iest that now after nine hundred yeares Pighius can find all those wickednesses to be forgers 22. Pag. 91. I haue read that in the yeare 1408. in the Councell of Pâ—sa consisting of a chousand Diuines and Lawyers they were faine to depose two Popes at once Gregorie the twelfth and Benet the thirteenth â—hcodor â—â—c meas de 〈…〉 sum hist 〈◊〉 3 〈…〉 cap ◠§ 3. 〈…〉 Atten. vbi supra cap. 6. § 2. Sess 11.12 the tenours of whose depriuation cals them Notorious Scismatikes obstinate maintainers of Seism Heretikes departed from the faith scandalizing the whole Church vnworthie the Papacie cut off from the Church 〈…〉 Benet continued Pope still for all this a second Councell holden at Constance deposed him againe and declared that he had no right to the Papacie commanding all men to esteeme him as an Heretike and Scismatike The same Councell deposed also another Pope for heresie namely Iohn the three and twentieth against whom it was prooued that he held and defended as his iudgement that there is no eternall life Bian pag. 1384. Sess 34. nor no immortalitie of the soule nor resurrection of the dead Not long after the Councell of Basil deposed Eugenius the fourth See AEn Silu. qâ—aest Concil Basil lib. 2. apud Fascir expetend pag. 20. inde Declaring him to be a rebell against the sacred Canons a notable disturber and scandalizer of the peace and vnitie of the Church a Simonist a periured wretch incorrigible a Scismatike an obstinate Heretike By which exampics of Popes teaching false doctrines against faith and notable heresies I obserued the Church of Rome to haue been cleerely deciphered hauing such false prophets and teachers as Christ speaketh of easie to be discerned by the fruits of their doctrines either taught or professed or both And so this way of iudging Heretikes by their doctrine makes exceedingly against the Romane Clergie especially when I reflect vpon all the nouelties taught and confirmed euen by Popes approuing them as concerning the prohibition of Priests marriages the tolleration of the Stewes and Brothel-houses in Rome and other places adoration of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria with
many others which I haue before in the ninth Chapter shewed not to be ancient and consequently hereticall because they are new and aftercome into the Church 7 Againe The corrupt and rotten fruits of Romish doctrine when I considered further the second way to iudge of false prophets by the Church of Rome as Stapleton teacheth by the proper fruits of their doctrine I found also by this way the fruits of Romane teachers to be most corrupt and rotten issuing forth of their doctrine for what proceedeth from their dogmaticall teaching the lawfulnesse of the Stewes tolleration but too vnrefrained a licence and liberty of sinning to all that are loosely affected What greater incentiue to sin can there be for lasciuious persons then assurance of place and persons where conueniencie and consent may assuredly bee expected Or what greater occasion to yong persons prodigally to spend their temporall substance and ruine their soules then grant of such open passage to si◠What can more encourage poore minds to be dishonest then permission to get themselues liuings by dishonestie As also what can more demonstrate the Popes couetousnes and insatiable auarice then the permission of such offenders paying yearely tribute vnto him for the free exercise of all filthie abominations Againe what proceedeth from the prohibition of Priests marriage but infinite and almost innumerable sinnes against nature as bestialitie Sodomie vnnaturall euacuations Incest adulterie fornication sacriledges and a thousand other abominations which abound in the present Church of Rome whilest that lawfull wedlocke and honorable bed which Saint Paul calleth vndefiled may not be permitted nor commended without imputation of incontinencie sacrilege and filthy pollution which is truely the doctrine of Diuells as Saint Paul termeth it I omit to speake how many virgins haue beene defloured how many matrons dishonoured how many monastcries peruerted how many good husbands wronged how many widdowes abused how many wilfull abortments how many slaughters of children and other foule abominations committed by vnmarried Priests therefore though chastitie and single life are both highly commendable and profitable to him that hath the gift to liue so yet the restraint thereof hath more disgraced the Church of God then almost any one point whatsoeuer making euen sacred things to appeare to the world deformed and full of such blemishes as wil neuer be taken away I haue obserued further also that the doctrine of pardons for the release of temporall paines due to finnes either in this life or in Purgatory annexed vnto graines meddals crosses rings and the like paltry things which is a doctrine most currant in the Church of Rome doth serue for the root offpring of much couetousnes and auarice of much losse of time vnprofitably of simony in selling Masses which are counted sacred things for money of neglecting to pray for the liuing while so many dirges masses funerals trentals and Aniuersaries are said for the dead without fruit or profit nay how farre did Pope Gregorie Lipeloo in vita Greg. Mag. stiled the Great proceed in the vanitie of this doctrine whilest he praied not for deceased Christians only but for a damned Pagan who as it is fabulously writtē in his life and hath passed currant these many hundred years deliuered the soule of Traian the Emperour out of hell fire by his praiers which hath hitherto beene obtruded vnto the Christian world for an especial fauor shewed by God vnto that Pope which shall neuer be shewed vnto any other Be not these goodly illusions of the world most abominable abuses of religion growne vp in the Church of Rome enameled with zealous and charitable pretences whilest such tales must set forth this Popes worth and be beleeued and the holy Scriptures teaching no remission after this life must not be of any credit at all I haue noted many euil branches to rise out also frō another root of their doctrine which cōfisteth in teaching men to pray to Saints how much Gods glory thereby is takē from him is apparent to any man of experience trauel who hath seen obserued how much the outward solemnities of Saints daies do excell the solemnities of Sundaies which are the feasts of the Son of God that hath obserued many more Churches dedicated to thē then to God himself that hath noted the ordinary common praier of lay-men to be called our Ladies office whilest they haue none at all made in honor of the holy Trinity or of the Father or the Son only a short one they haue in honor of the holy ghost another of the crosse yet not free from superstition idolatry whilst they pray Officium sanctae crucis ad Mat. By the signe of the cresse to be deliuered from their enemies whilest they attribute the victory Christ got vpon the crosse to the crosse it self saying O victory of the crosse and admirable signe cause vs to hold our triumph in the heauenly court Againe Antipho By a tree we were made bond-mē by the holy crosse we are set free The fruit of the tree seduced vs the Sonne of God redeemed vs. And againe O blessed crosse c. sweet wood sweet nailes c. Antipho ad noc Againe O venerable crosse which hast brought saluation to wretches by what praise shall I extoll thee for that thou hast prepared vnto vs thy heauenly life Againe speaking to Christ By thy holy crosse thou hast redeemed the world c. Al which in my iudgement seemed very derogatory to Gods glory as tēding to a diuine worship of the creature for the Son of God And thus in their excessiue deuotions to Saints and creatures they haue little feeling or vnderstanding of the true loue and deuotion they should feele and shew to their Creator 8 When moreouer I consider how the Church of Rome freeth the Clergie from true obedience to temporall Princes Other instāces of the corrupt fruits of Romish doctrine by their immunity it pretēdeth they enioy euen by Gods law and great priuiledges freeing frō ciuil courts gouernment I find here an open gap made to al busie heads tumultuous spirits to say thinke do what they list against the sacred authority of Kings and Princes confirmed by God himselfe But withal when I adde the doctrine now so much taught in the Church of Rome by her false prophets viz. that the Pope hath power and ecclesiasticall authoritie from God for the good of the Church to depose Emperours Kings and Princes from their regal dignities kingdomes in the execution whereof the Pope himselfe as the head of Christianity wil be the chiefe iudge commander in his owne cause I find al the wals defences of security for Kings shaken to the ground and doores let open to the wicked intentions designmēts of factious spirits to plot against Kings and to subuert kingdomes with liberty of conscience free from all scruple or remorse Hence and from no other spring ariseth so much contempt in the
Roman clergy of Kings that they care not how vnreuerently they speake against them their Magistrates and officers and others as they list some will not stick to say that Priests are not subiects to Kings nor are bound to giue answere truly to the temporall Magistrates or Bishops here in England further then they please Others will make no scruple to say that they may lawfully without sin if they can free themselues from being apprehended resist yea and kill his Pursuiuants in defence of themselues though others approuing also the same doctrine more milde and moderate will say it is better and a greater act of perfection to let themselues bee apprehended then so to resist as also because it may proue scandalous but in conclusion all hold it lawfull and all teach it and their ground is naturale est vim vi repellere it is a natural thing to repel force by force as also because no temporall or ciuill authoritie is sufficiently valued against the Priests of the Romane Church I will not relate what libertie the Romane doctrine against Princes giueth to sawcie subiects to speak what they list and to report such things against our late deceased Queene and his Maiestie now raining as are odious euen vnto mens minds to thinke of my hart trembles to remēber what horrible crimes I haue heard them charged with and no modest Christian would euer open his mouth or giue eare vnto them the disgust that such speeches haue giuen me is farre greater then I can expresse because all the world knowes them to be most hatefull lies and calumniations which only could be suggested by the diuell who is father of all lies and vntruthes and master of such Heretikes as the Apostle Iudas describeth Epist. Judae vers 8. dominationē spernunt despise power but no maruaile if men yeeld to such suggestiōs of the diuel since experiēce teacheth that this doctrine of the Popes supereminent power hath stirred many not only to speake but also to attempt diuers trecherous and rebellious enterprises against the late Queene deceased and much more horrible against his Maiesty al his roial Progeny without all mercy either to friend or foe as the discouerie of the powder treason plotted and designed by diuers giddy and inconsiderat heads associated with some of the society of Iesus hath of late made manifest to the world nay which is more odious such as are as they thinke themselues religiously affected to the society of Iesus Ioan. Wilson in mart Anglica haue not sticked to make some of the abetters of that hateful cōspiracy martyrs of the Roman Church as namely Garnet Ouldcorne wheras it is wel knowne as the right Honorable the Earle of Northhampton sheweth My Lord of Northhampton in his speech to Garnet Garnet was not called to the barre for any matter of conscience as some perhaps may publish out of rancor or peruersity of hart to set a faire glosse vpō the groūd of his professiō proueth it many waies by diuers presidents of fauor and therfore wel might he say to Garnet as he did foreseeing how his fellowes would be ready to canonize him In the same speech S. Augustine speaketh of some hot-headed fellowes in his time that not withstāding their life led in this world more latronū like theeues yet in their ends affected cultum honorem martyrum the seruice and honor of martyrs among whom I shall euer rancke with iust cause these powder-men But this proceedeth as many other actions of disalleagiāce do frō no other groūd then frō that noted doctrine of the Popes illimited power trāscendent authority in ciuil matters ouer Kings which he challengeth when Card. Bellar in his book against D. Barkley Note this in Bell. goeth so farre that contrary to his former doctrine he teacheth now that the Apostles were not subiect to ciuil power de iure but de facto Wherby we may see in time into what a gulfe and ocean of errors the doctrine of Rome if it be not prudētly preuented wil drowne the world in which principally carieth the clergy vpon a higher waue of pride then any in so much that the L. of Northamp out of the multiplicity of his reading In his speech to Garnet most prudētly noteth that by the course recourse of times accidents wise men obserue that very seldome hath any mischieuous attempt been vndertaken for disturbance of a state without the counsel and assistance of a Priest in the first in the middle or last act of the tragedy and that all along with such a a chorus of confedraes to entertaine the Stage whiles the liues hnd fortunes of great Princes being set vpon the tenter-hookes aue put all in hazard Which obseruation I would wish that all Priests would diligently marke and then doubtlesse they would bee carefull of their owne reputations and be more reuerently affected to higher powers than they are as it gladdeth mee to see some haue beene of late as Master Blackwell Master Warmington in his moderate defence and others whose good examples I heartily wish many more may embrace and follow not doubting but God by such beginnings may draw them so from step to step as perfectly to see and discouer the erroneous doctrines of the Church of Rome as well in other points of doctrine as in that of the Popes pretended authoritie ouer Princes in temporalls as he hath drawne lately master Sheldon a prisoner for the Roman faith and my selfe though no prisoner as I hope for our soules euerlasting good so also for the future benefit of many others and the fuller accomplishments of his more mercifull designements to others thereby who doubtlesse will so doe if we by our ingratitude and forgetfulnesse of so rich a benefite prouoke not his indignation against vs by euill conuersation and bad carriage of our liues as others haue done before vs to the aduantage of those whose communion they forsooke and disgrace of them to whose congregations they were conioyned Which doubtlesse we may doe if beholding the abhominations of the Church of Romes corruptions we consider them rather with a mind to reforme our own faults to draw others from them than to lay any disgracefull imputation vpon others further than to demonstrate the naughtinesse of the tree by the naughtie leaues floures and fruits that grow forth from it which in very truth is the onely cause why I haue so farre entred into this discourse because Christ saith According to Doctour Stapletons rule Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis cos by their fruits ye shal know them Now therfore since out of the fruits of the Roman doctrine I find the teachers thereof to be such as Christ bids vs beware of I must say Father I haue sinued against heauen and against earth and therfore with humble acknowledgement of my faults desire that I may againe be receiued into his fauor 9 Now it resteth that I make trial of the
Guic. Hist l. 1. buying the consent of the Cardinals that after smarted for it The King of Naples signified vnto the Queene his wife with teares when he heard of his election that there was a Pope created who would be the bane of Italie and of the whole Commonwealth the which was also the generall ceonceit of all men Guicciardine sayth He was a Serpent Lib. 6. that with his poysoned infidelitie horrible examples of crueltie luxurie and monstrous couetousnesse selling without distinction thinges holy and prophane had infected all the world His manners and customes were dishonest Lib. 1. little sinceritie in his administrations no shame in his face small truth in his wordes little faith in his heart and lesse religion in his opinions all his actions were desiled with vnsatiable couetousnesse immoderate ambition and barbarous crueltie He was not ashamed contrarie to the custome of former Popes who to caest some colour ouer their infamie were wont to call them their nephewes to call his sonnes his childen Lib. 3. and for such to expresse them to the world The bruit went that in the loue of his owne daughter Lucretia were concurrent not onely his two sonnes the Duke of Candie and the Cardinall of Valence but himselfe also that was her father who as soone as hee was chosen Pope tooke her from her husband and married her to the Lord of Pesere but not able to suffer her husband to be his corriuall hee dissolued that marriage also and tooke her to himselfe by vertue of Saint Peters keyes Lib. 6. Onuph It was among other graces his naturall custome to vse poysonings not onely to bee reuenged of his enemies but also to despoyle the wealthie Cardinals of their riches And this hee spared not to doe against his owne friends till at the last hauing a purpose at a bauquet to poyson diuers Cardinals and for that end appointed his Cup-bearer to giue attendance with the wine amde readie for the nonce who mistaking his bottle gaue the poysoned cup to him was thus himselfe dispatched by the iust iudgement of God that had purposed to murder his friends that he might be their heire 12 I omit many other particular fruits of diuers Popes which would make much more against the Church of Rome but these being ynough for the application to Dr. Stapletons doctrine concerning the discouerie of false Prophets vnto the Teachers of the Church of Rome I could not but iudge the teachers of that Church too passionate and partiall that knowing the most distastfull fruites thereof not onely in their Head the Pope but also in their Cardinals Bishops and euen in their religious Monasteries to haue been so bad as the like are not to be found in any of the resormed Churches will notwithstanding most vniustly charge the Ministers of Gods Word and Teachers of reformation to abound in such fruits insomuch that I could not but admire the impudencie of Master Doctor Stapleton speaking against the Teachers of the reformed Churches saying The Diuell seemeth to haue receiued power from God by his Ministers Bonif. Mor. Dom. 7. post Pent. loc 2. the Heretikes of our time to produce most barbarous and horrible fruits and to make huge slaughters in the Church and according to his pleasure and malice to vexe trouble and destroy the mysticall bodie of Christ as well in the whole worship and Sacraments of Religion as also in all the authoritie and power it hath vpon earth Whereas in truth mature iudgement of the premised fruits of the Church of Rome both concerning doctrine and manners will discouer his rash assertion to be vertified of himselfe and his owne Romane Church teaching many nouelties and abounding in all kind of wickednesse as men of learning and experience well know And therefore his enumeration of 74 wicked fruits in the Teachers of reformation may fitlier be applyed in part to the Church of Rome and in the meane time the reformed Churches hauing learned to forgiue not onely 74 calumniations and iniurious reproaches but euen 77 and that 77 times of their offending neighbours will not be so vncharitable as not to pardon them but also most earnestly out of true charitie pray for their conuersion as Christ did for the Iewes saying Ignosce eis Domine quia nesciunt quid faciunt Pardon them O Lord because they know not what they doe Hence courteous Reader since I follow but the Councell in the search of truth which Christ by the interpretation of the Romanists themselues giueth to all in iudging Teachers by their fruits and hereby being moued to an alienation from the Church of Rome I hope that in conscience euen in the sight of God and Man I am excusable for my incorporation to the Church of England since it is grounded vpon such a place of Scripture as Christ himselfe deliuereth and the Church of Rome alloweth as a direction by which men may discerne the truth of their Teachers Esteeme not therefore slight ly of this inducement but weigh it seriously as indeed it is a point of great importance to produce in the soules of Christians that true detestation and hatred of the Romane Apostasie as the enormities and foule deformities thereof varnisht ouer with lies and hipocrisies doe require CHAP. XIII Containing an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion which can be done to God AS that obiect which is most frequently presented to a mans eies The Sacrificie of the Masse grounded vpon mans inuention is also most frequent in his memorie and taketh the deepest impression euen so the Sacrifice of the Masse being an action which in the Papacie as a Priest I did daily performe with more serious preparation and intensiue affection than any thing else whatsoeuer because I held it the most pleasing action I could doe to the honour of God to the good of his Church and for the benefit of my selfe and others therefore amongst all the erroneous doctrines which I discouered in the Church of Rome the abuse thereof doth most often offer it selfe to my minde and with greatest impression laieth open vnto mee the foulenesse of my former heresies in that Church and toucheth my soule with the deepest stroke of repentance aboue all others especially when I consider the most detestable Idolatrie committed therein not only by my selfe but by the Assistants in adoring visible Elements for the Sauiour of the world and that with such a kinde of worship as is only due to God himselfe and in being too credulous to that erroneous doctrine of the Councell of Trent Sess 6. c. 2. can 3 that if any man shall say that the Sacrifice of the Masse is only a Sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing or a bare commemoration of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatorie Sacrifice or that it doth not profit him alone that receiueth it and that it ought not to bee
offered for the liuing and the dead for their sinnes punishments satisfactions and other necessities let him bee accursed Which curse albeit it carrieth a terrour with it to such as are not enlightned so that they can discerne the erroneous doctrine for which it accurseth and that carrieth not rather in minde the feare of Gods maledication than any of man saying Cursed is hee that putteth his trust in man and taketh man for his defence and his heart goeth from the Lord as the followers of the Church of Rome doe who relie only vpon the Popes authoritie who may be as sinnefull a man as any other thinking themselues secure if his authoritie be their defence and the warrant of their beliefe yet could I not stand in dread of his curse when once I found this Sacrifice of the Masse as it is now taught by the Church of Rome not to haue sufficient warrant by Gods word nor by the ancient Church teaching any such doctrine concerning it as the present Church of Rome teacheth 2. The Masse was not instituted by Christ For first I obserued that this Sacrifice which the Church of Rome teacheth to bee a propitiatorie Sacrifice and such a one as may be offered for sinnes as well of the liuing as of the dead is not any thing agreeable to the institution of our LORD IESVS there is not so much as a word spoken by CHRIST of any offering or oblation to bee made but only commandement giuen to eate and drinke and to doe that in remembrance of him his wordes only importing the institution of a Sacrament and no Sacrifice Neither did hee so much as vtter a word that hee offered himselfe at the last Supper for Cornelius Musso a Bishop so famous for his learning Bib lioth Sanct. lib. 4. Suar. tom 3. d. 74 §. 2. as Sixtus Senensis writeth that hee was a Preacher at twelue yeares old and all Italie ranne after him did defend that Christ at his last Supper offered no Sacrifice at all whereupon I framed this argument Note this argument The Priest in the Commemoration of the last Supper is not to doe other thing in substance then what Christ did but Christ as Musso held offered to Sacrifice at all ergo the Priest in commemoration of Christs last Supper is not to offer vp any Sacrifice at all Behold then here it followeth by necessarie consequence vpon Mussoes Assertion that the Sacrifice of the Masse is not to bee offered at all It is cleare as Musso saith that hee offered not himselfe to his Father at his last Supper for then should hee not haue perfected his Sacrifice with one oblation made as the Apostle Saint Paule teacheth Hebr. 7.27 and 9.26.28 but with a double Oblation twice made namely once in his Supper and once vpon the Crosse which were most repugnant to the holy Scripture Againe the Apostle Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. v. 23. sequent I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you c. and so sheweth the whole manner of CHRISTS institution of the blessed Eucharist who made no mention at all of any Sacrifice which the Apostle considering he boasted that hee had shewed all the Councell of God would not haue omitted Act. 20.27 if the Supper had contayned any meaning of a propitatorie Sacrifice Moreouer Saint Paul writing to the Corinthians bids vs to shew the Lords death not by sacrificing Christ for to Sacrifice and to shew the Lords death are two distinct thinges and the shewing CHRISTS death by the Sacrament is sufficient for the application thereof to our soules for the remission of our sinnes Therefore I could not conceiue any such Sacrifice as the Masse propitiatorie for sins to be instituted by Christ which Sacrifice if it bee of such importance as the Church of Rome teacheth and so principall an act of religion doubtlesse there would haue beene some apparent touch thereof expresly giuen in the holy Scriptures and especially in that place where the Papists pretend it should be instituted Again The Sacrifice of the Masse disableth Christs sacrifice vpon the Crosse 1 Ioh. 22. I haue further obserued that to teach the doctrine of the propitiatorie Sacrifice of the Masse the perfect satisfaction made by Christs Sacrifice vpon the Crosse is made insufficient and inualid For hee being the propitation or reconciliation not only for our sinnes but also for the sinnes of the whole world for the demonstration of which effect vpon the Crosse he cried Ioh. 19.30 finished I can see no neede why a propitiatorie Sacrifice of the Masse should bee offered for sinnes so often since the reconciliation made by Christ is applied by the Sacrament Hebr. 7.27 Besides since Christ did it once when he offered vp himselfe and as S. Paul saith Not that he should offer imselfe often Hebr. 9.25 none being Priests according to the order of Melchisedech but Christ of whom the Scripture saith Hebr. 5.4.5 Tues Sacerdos in aeternū secundū ordinē Melchi it followeth that no other was to offer vp Christ as a propitiatorie Sacrifice for sins but himselfe Moreouer the Sacrifice of Christ hath no neede to bee often reiterated whereby the Priesthood of Christ is opposite to the Priesthood of the old Testament whose sacrifices ought to bee reiterated for Christ needed not daily Hebr. 7.27 as those high Priests to offer vp sacrifice for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe And againe After hee had said This is the testament that I will make with them c. and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more Hebr. 10.16.17.18 Where remission of these thinges is there is no more offering for sinne And againe Christ by his owne bloud entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs not such a redemption as is to be reiterated euery day Hebr. 9.12 And againe Not that hee should offer him selfe often as the high Priest entred into the holy place euery yeare with other bloud for then must hee haue often suffered since the foundation of the world but now in the end of the world hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the Sacrifice of him selfe And as it is appointed vnto men once to die and then commeth the iudgement So Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Againe Hebr. 9.25.26 By the which Will wee are sanctified euen by the offering of the body of IESVS CHRIST once made And againe Hebr. 10.10 Euery Priest appeareth daily ministring and often times offered one manner of Sacrifice which can neuer take away sinnes but this Man after hee had offered one Sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hand of God Hebr. 10.11.12 c. for with one offering hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified By which places it is cleare there needes no more reiteration
be another not this Damasus In Appar pag. 378. Tom. 1. pag. 573. Bar to 4. pag. 428. which Baronius saith containeth many things repugnant vnto themselues almost in euery Pope and therefore he thinketh it to be collected out of diuers authors Master Doctor Heskins in his Parliament of Christ to proue the sacrifice of the Masse alleageth Amphilochius who liued in the yeare 390. as the author of the life of Saint Basil Pag. 157. Bar Mart. Ian. 1. pag. 6. Spurius Posseuin in Appar pag. 77. yet Baronius saith That in the iudgement of all the wiser sort it is thought to be some bodies else And Posseuine saith The bastard Amphilochius cannot be his vnder whose name it is carried about Glicas in the fourth part of his Annals hath taught vs. By all which examples of the Papists alle aging such counterseit Fathers for the confirmation of this doctrine of the Masse as also many other points I can by no meanes thinke but that many of them do teach this doctrine most wittingly and maliciously against their owne conscience and therefore sinne deadly against the holy Ghost heaping Gods iudgements vpon them against the day of his wrath and also I assure my selfe that their doctrine cannot be good which is vpheld by such counterfeit and weake props as are the writings of bastard teachers and counterfeit bookes But besides the former obseruations The pretended priuiledges of the Masse most fond Ioannes de Comb. compend Theol. verit li. 6. cap. 18. which doe sufficiently discouer the erroneous doctrine taught by the Church of Rome concerning the Masse the great and maine excellent priuiledges which she pretendeth to waite vpon this sacrifice is not to be omitted whereof Ioannes de Combis alleageth diuers saying The Masse hath many prerogatiues First because it is celebrated by one that is fasting Secondly because only in a Church and vpon an altar vnlesse sometimes of necessitie vnder a Tent or in some other honest place Thirdly because it is behouefull that he that celebrateth bee a Priest Fourthly because it is behouefull that hee be clad in sacred vestments Fifthly because only it is done in the day and not in the night vnlesse in the Natiuity of the Lord. Sixtly because it is celebrated with a lighted candle yea though a thousand Sunnes should shine vpon the earth Seuenthly because there words doe sound which are Diuine Angelicall and humane Diuine words when the Pater noster is said or sung and when the words of the Lord are read in the Gospell Angelicall words when Glorie be to God in the highest but humane words in the Collects and the like Eighthly because there are heard three of the noblest tongues viz. Hebrew as Saboath and Osanna Greeke as Kyrie eleison Latine as in others which are there Ninthly because the Masse in his kind is as full of mysteries as the sea of drops as the Sunne of beames as the firmament of Starres as the imperiall heauen of Angels Tenthly because Priests in solemne Churches haue in their Masse many Ministers the Deacon Subdeacon and Acolytes Eleuenthly because the Angels being there in the presence of such maiestie it sufficeth vs to be schollers Twelfthly because there is the Lord of heauen and earth I might vnto these twelue adde the effects of the sacrifice of the Masse also taught by Bernardinus de Busto who amongst many others very ridiculous putteth for one this prerogatiue Bern. de Bust. in ser de Sacrif Mis viz. quamdin quis audit sacrum not senescit man waxeth not old so long as hee heares Masse When I read these priuiledges after it had pleased God to giue me a true vnderstanding of the Masses idolatries I could not but grieue that men should be thus deceiued by the diuels suggestions as to giue credit vnto such idle deuises for the maintenance of Gods dishonor and the diuels seruice Is it not a great prerogatiue thinke you of the Masse that the Priest must be fasting before he go to take a peece of wafer and a prertie quantitie of good Maligo rich Canarie or other strange wine I trow it is a prettie breakfast to take three draughts of such wine although there be a few drops of water in the last This priuiledge I haue obserued pleaseth the Iesuites best of all who scorne to haue weake wine as Clarret but commonly make prouision of the best comfortable Sackes for that purpose and will lightly take more into the Challice then any other Priests out of a greater care they haue that no particles of Christs sacred flesh should stay about the sides of the Chalice which religious care is a good faire cloake for them to warme their fasting stomackes with the more beartie and full draught so that in truth this fasting priuiledge of the Masse serues but for a colour to haue a good breakfast and so to comfort the Priests stomacke that many a Lay man would be full glad of the like The other prerogatiues as weakly grounded vpon mans inuentions not on Scriptures or Apostolicall traditions in truth are as meane but especially that great prerogatiue of the Masse viz. that a man groweth not old so long as he heareth Masse is one of the foolishest conceits of a Franciscan Frier that euer I heard or read For if it were true there is no Doctor Steuens water could so preserue a mans life or prolong it as the hearing of a Masse and I thinke many would heare more Masses then they doe if this were sound Diuinitie but by this it is easie to discouer the Masse not to be as the Church of Rome teacheth a principall act of religion and a worke that surpasseth all the workes that euer God wrought as the worke of creation and redemption more miracles appearing in the Sacrament then in either of them as may be obserued in Ioannes de Combis Lib 6. de cap. 14. and noted by Master Perkins in his Reformed Catholike and not any whit touched as farre as I could perceiue in master Doctor Bishop against him but rather a most diabolicall illusion of the world drawing men to serue the creature in stead of the Creator and the diuell in stead of God And this in very truth appeareth most plainely The Masse confirmed by false miracles a palpable marke of false doctrine if wee consider diligently how the Pseudochrists and false prophets of the Church of Rome endeuor as it were seeing the weaknes of their cause to establish and make good their doctrine of the Masse with the signes wonders and prodigies which Christ himselfe the Sauiour of our soules willeth vs not to beleeue which are so ridiculous that no man of sound iudgement reading them can chuse but laugh and smile at them howsoeuer out of true charitie and a right religious zeale he haue greater cause to commiserate the poore blinded soules that are most miserably seduced by them I will therefore for the fuller manifestation hereof set downe some few
amongst many which I haue read and noted out of diuers authors of good credit and well approued in the Church of Rome The first is taken out of Pope Gregorie the Great S. Greg. Mag. hom 37. in Euang lib. 4. dialog cap. 57. who writeth That a certaine man being taken prisoner by his enemies was carried into a farre Countrey where hee was kept prisoner a long time whose wife not hearing any thing of him thought him to bee dead and therefore caused a Masse to be said for him euery weeke Whereupon it happened that so often as the Masse was offered for the deliuerance of his soule so often were his irons and shackles loosened in the prison where he was which afterward when being released he returned againe to his wife he told her as much with great admiration whereupon the wife enquiring the time and the houre when hee found him so freed from his fetters she found it happened at he same houre that Masse was said for him Whereupon Pope Gregorie saith Hence my best beloued brethren and good friends learne ye how much the sacred hoast being offred by our selues is of force to vntie the bands of our hearts since being offered by one it had such power as to breake the bands of anothers bodie Certainly if this sacrifice be of such force I maruaile why the Priests in prison offering it with the deuotion of worthie Confessors heere in England should not be able often to loosen their chaines yea and to open the verie prison gates for their deliuerance but this cannot be because such fictions neuer prooue true and these are but fables inuented to delude poore simple soules that Priests by saying of Masses for them may emptie their purses and bee partakers of their coine Againe as it is written that heere in England A certaine Prince which had beene sicke of the Palsie a long time and carried into Saint Stephens Church Edinerus Angelus in vit S. Anselm to heare Masse sung by Anselme Bishop of Canterburie and to receiue his blessing whereupon he recouered present health Either this storie is inuented to honour Anselme with or else to approue the Masse by it or if the Masse be of such power how hapneth it in all this time of persecution as the Papists terme their small suffrings here in England that they haue no sicke persons cured by so many Masses as are offered by Priests and Iesuites But all is but mans inuention and as babes are deceiued with shewes so are simple Papists with false lies and such like fabulous wonders inuented either by ambitious and foolish Priests or hypocriticall and pharisaicall Monkes and Friers It is an vsuall thing in the Church of Rome by such inuentions to confirme one false doctrine by another so confirmed so I haue noted the doctrine of Purgatorie by the doctrine of the Masse for diuers Romish Authours haue left it recorded that Benedictus Octauus Pope was deliuered out of Purgatorie by the sacrifice of the Masse Petr. Dam. Card. Al. lâ—y in fest S. Odâ—li 〈◊〉 Ian. Laur. Sur. to 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. An. Ebor. cap. de orat Cath hist cap 5. tit 19. part 2. Tho. Cant. lib. 2. Aâ—un cap. 53. part 14. Cath. hist cap. 5. tit 19. part 5. and the prayers of Saint Odilus Abbot and his Monkes Heere is a miracle framed not onely for the Masse but also for Purgatorie and praying for the dead So likewise I haue read of a Priest in France who being verie poore yet verie deuoutly affected to the soules in Purgatorie in so much that euerie day without failing he â—ffered the sacrifice of the Masse for them for the which he was cited and accused before his Prelate and being brought before his Bishoppe hee simplie confessed the truth wherefore hee was taxed to payment of a certaine summe and forced to giue suretie for the same which hauing sworne to performe the poore man was in great trouble finding out none to answer for him but instantly the eyes of the Bishoppe were opened and hee beheld more than a thousand hands stretched foorth readie to giue suretie for the Priest Whereupon the Bishopped said vnto the Priest thou hast sureties enough goe and according to thine owne pleasure and mine say Masse as thou hast done heretofore Many other straunge wonders could I alleage in this kind not to bee beleeued but rather to bee wondered at that any man dares haue so much presumption as by such wicked deuises to wrong Gods truth and to maintaine false-hood for if it bee a true marke of false teachers which Christ prescribed when he spake of those that should do such wonders that the elect might be seduced by them then it followeth that the Romish teachers are those euen in this verie doctrine of the Masse who onely pretend to haue miracles and wonders to approue it 10 For in truth they haue no one place of Scripture for this sacrifice which they so highly esteeme of The storie of Mâ—lchâ—sedech wrested to prooue the Masse they pretend many figures and types of the old Law many predictions out of the Prophets and also other testimonies out of the Gospell but they are all insufficient weake and impertinent nothing seruing their purpose So most impertinently doth Cardinall Bellarmine alleage the example of Melchisedech Desacrif mis lib 5. cap. 5. 6. Genes 14. Psal 109. vers 5. who brought foorth bread and wine for hee was the Priest of the Highest but Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and not according to Aaron as Paul teacheth Hebrewes the seuenth therefore hee was to institute an vnbloodie sacrifice vnder the forme of bread and wine This reason of Bellarmines is of no force for were it true that Melchisedech offered bread and wine which is not yet nothing else would follow but that Christ offered bread and wine which our Aduersaries will neuer graunt for they teach that bread and wine doth not continue after consecration but that they are annihilated and so transubstantiated that nothing remaineth of the substance besides the bodie and blood of Christ Besides Melchisedech did not offer but onely brought foorth as the Hebrew word signifieth bread and wine for the refreshing of Abrahams souldiers as the Text it selfe clearely teacheth Neither is Melchisedâ—ch a Type of Christ either in offering or bringing foorth bread and wine but first in respect of the name Melchisedech the King of righteousnesse secondly because hee was King of Salem Jsai 9.6 and Christ is King or Prince of peace Thirdly because Melchisedech was together both a King and a Priest and so is Châ—â—st Fourthly because the Progenie of Melchisedech is not related so is Christ a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Psal 110.4 Therefore this figure of Melchisedech hath no refâ—reâ—â—ce to the saâ—rifice of the Mâ—sse at all Controuers 5. Confess Petricomensi cap. 41. And howsoeuer Pighius and Hosius say that this is the
opinion of all the holy Doctors oâ— the Church that this bread and wine was offered for a sacrifice to God and not for a refection to Abraham both this exposition and assertion is false For both Tertullian contra Iudaeos and also Epiphanius expound it of his bringing foorth of bread and wine to Abraham Hebr. 55. Haeres 55. Epiphanius saith Abraham was about eightie eight or ninetie yeares old when Melchisedech met him and brought forth bread and wine vnto him Lib. 1. cap. 11. So also doth Iosephus expound it Melchisedech milites Abraham hospitaliter habuit nihil illis ad victum deesse passus simul ipsum adhibuit mensae Melchisedech vsed hospitality to Abrahams souldiers and suffered them to want no victuals and did take Abraham to his table That this is the true sense appeareth by the Hebrew word which doth not properly signifie to offer and sacrifice but to bring forth and the force of truth maketh some of the Romane Church to confesse this to be true Caietan in Gen. 1.14 Cardinall Caietan vpon this place writeth thus There is nothing heere said of sacrifice or oblation but of bringing foorth which Iosephus saith was done to the refection of them which had gotten the victory And that which in the vnlgar edition is put after as a cause for he was the Priest of the most high God in the Hebrew is not set as a cause but as a clause separated from it Andrad defens fidei â—rident lib. 4. Andradius also doth herein forsake his friends and acknowledgeth this to be the true exposition his words be these We need not Kemnitius to striue about the word offering seeing that both in the best corrected Latine copies and also in the holy Fathers which apply this place vnto the holy Eucharist it is proferens brought forth and I in iudgement agree with them which say that Melchisedech refreshed Abrahams souldiers wearied and fainted with long fight By which it appeareth how vnprofitably this place is cited for a figure prouing the sacrifice of the Masse wherein Christs true substantiall body blood is offred in sacrifice as the Church of Rome teacheth vnder the forme of bread and wine 11 Very impertinent further is that argument Bellarmine maketh for the Masse The Paschall Lambe falsely pretended to be a figure of the Masse De sacrific mis lib. 5. cap. 2. taken from the Paschall Lambe which he saith is an expresse figure of the celebration of the Eucharist saying That the celebration of the Paschall Lambe was an immolation of the victime which was offered therefore the celebration of the Eucharist must bee also an immolation of the victime offered vnto God that the figure may answere the thing figured It is a strange thing that so great a scholler will so impertinently alleage such an argument for who knoweth not that the Paschall Lambe was offered also by such as were no Priests or if they were as himselfe suggesteth concerning this sacrifice there remained an ancient priuiledge Li. 1. vitae Mosis that all housholders should exercise the priesthoode as may be seene in Philo. Besides any man may see that the figure doth not answere the thing figured because the immolation of the Lambe was bloudy which is not found in the sacrifice of the masse as the Aduersaries confesse as also for that the Lambe was sacrificed by a multitude which agreeeth not with the masse which is offered but by one Priest at a time And further in regard that the paschall Lamb was not propitiatorie for sinnes as hee holdeth the masse to be but was only done in commemoration of the Israelites freedome from Egipt There is no man lastly that is so ignorant but knoweth that the Paschall Lamb was a figure of Christs bloudy sacrifice vpon the Crosse and therefore it can onely be gathered hence that our Lamb Christ Iesus was to be sacrificed of whom Saint Iohn the Baptist said Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Now that we should offer Christ so as the Aduersaries teach vnder accidents without substance of bread and wine doth no where appeare And albeit some of the Church call the Eucharist by the name of a Sacrament yet doth it not follow that the masse is therefore to bee approoued as is the same for it is a fallacious argument from a thing spoken but in some respect to conclude the same thing absolutely The Fathers called the Eucharist a Sacrifice but in some respect onely as first in that all sacred rites may be called by the common word of the olde Testament Sacrifices Quasi à faciendo sacra from doing holy and sacred actions Secondly in regarde that in the Supper there is a commemoration of that onely and true sacrifice of Christ they gaue that name to the action from the chiefest and most principal respect Thirdly in regard of diuers prayers powred foorth in the celebration of the Supper Heb. 5.7 Reuel 5.8 8.4 which are called Sacrifices in the Scriptures Fourthly because the spirituall sacrifices of our soules as Faith Hope and Charitie are exercised and stirred vppe by the vse of the Supper that they euâ—r vnderstoode it to bee such a Sacrifice as our Aduersaries teach the masse where but the formes of the Creatures without substance are adored and worshipped as GOD himselfe and GOD himselfe sacrificed and offered in substance to GOD they will neuer bee able to prooue or make manifest either by Scriptures or approoued Writers of Antiquitie howsoeuer they may with Cardinall Bellarmine make shew to doe it as hee laboureth to doe by the former things so impertinently misapplied as the meanest Scholer is able to discouer their insufficiencie 12 Now therefore curteous Reader hauing thus obserued the sacrifice of the masse to bee vnwarrantable in the holy Scriptures My resolution vpon the obsâ—ruation of al the pâ—emises concerning the Masse and not approoued by the auncient Fathers as iâ— is now taught in the Church of Rome I could no longer continue in league and friendshippe with that Church which pretends so many proofes for it and hath none at all For finding as it appeareth by all my precedent obseruations in this Chapter that it was neuer instituted by Christ that the pretended propitiation thereof derogateth from the Sacrifice Christ made vpon the Crosse that it is but a nouell doctrine in many things vnknowne to the Fathers of former Ages that most hatefull Idolatrie is committed therein that it containeth ceremonies verie ridiculous and vncertaine in their meaning not knowne to the Church of Rome it selfe and such as are neyther ancient nor Apostolicall that it is maintained and defended by false deuised and baâ—â—ard writings that it hath many foolish and false prerogatiues giuen it by the Aduersaries that it is established and confirmed by many lying signes and wonders the arguments of an adulterous generation that the Types and Figures of the olde Testament make no whit for it
of the blessed Sacrament as well Bread as Wine according to Christes owne institution This inducement amongst many hath not beene the least which hath as comfortably drawne mee to the Church of England as the starre which appeared to the three Sages in the East guided them in a short space to the presence of Christ swadled in clothes and lying in a Crib at Bethlem hauing in imitation of them now offered vp my three gifts vnto Christ to be emploied wholly in his seruice my Vnderstanding my Memorie and my Will with all my faculties of body and soule depending or subiect vnto them for the propagation of his Gospell for the demolition of Romish nouelties and for the manifestation of his vnspeakable mercies shewed vnto me and the reformed Churches in freeing vs from those damnable errors and wicked waies wherein the Church of Rome leadeth her blinded followers which fondly shut their eies from the Sunne-shine of truth appearing in the holy Scriptures and from the Prophets and Apostles who like shining starres by their doctrine recorded in the booke of Gods secrets would both comfort and direct their soules in the right way to heauen if flying with humilitie to Christ and acknowledging their owne blindnesse they would crie out with deuotion vnto him like the poore blinde man in the Gospell Domine fac vt videam O Lord make me to see 2. Howsoeuer the aduersaries in the Supper of the Lord make no reckoning of the wine Both formes must be in the Eucharist which is essentiall to the Sacrament yet the true faithfull knowing the dignitie and excellent value thereof will not be so vnmannerly being inuited thereunto as to neglect that which Christ prouideth for them For being rightly enformed that as in the great and pompous supper which Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt set before Antonius there were two pretious iewells and gemmes brought to Antonius which were esteemed to bee worth two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes Euen so in the supper of the Lord in the blessed Eucharist which is the great supper prouded in the Church of God for his faithfull friends there are two iewells of inestimable price that is the bread and wine by meanes whereof the flesh and bloud of Christ the rich price of our redemption is conueyed vnto our soules therefore there is no iust cause why the Church of Rome pretending to bee the chast Spouse of Christ should be so scornefull of the rich gift of her heauenly Spouse who liberally offereth her both these iewels as most discourteously to suffer and permit that the lay people should be depriued of the one of them since Christ hath appointed both for them The practise to be so is sufficiently knowne to all and that the doctrine of the Church of Rome is so also appeareth by the Councell of Trent saying Concil Trident. ses 21. anno 1. If any shall say that by Gods Precept or vpon necessitie of saluation all and euery faithfull of Christ ought to take both formes of the most blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist let him be accursed And agine If any shall say Cap. 2. that the holy Catholike Church was not led vpon iust causes and reasons to communicate lay men and Clerkes also not consecrating onely vnder the forme of bread or therein to haue erred let him be Anathema By which it is most apparant how the Church of Rome doth not onely crosse Christs institution and disobey his commaundement but also ouerthroweth the very essentiall part of the Sacrament 3 For first The ministration of the Sacrament vnder one forme is repugnant to the essence of the Sacrament there is nothing more essentiall in a Sacrament than the matter and forme thereof as in Baptisme the water and wordes so in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist the essentiall parts thereof are the Bread and Wine coniunctim ioyntly and the words of consecration of either of them ioyntly and not diuided for the Catechisme of the Councell of Trent defineth a Sacrament thus Cathe ad Parachos A Sacrament is a thing subiect to our senses which by Gods institution hath power as well to signifie as to effect holinesse and righteousnesse Whereby it appeareth that the sensible signe instituted by God is a thing essentiall to euerie Sacrament Which appeares also b Iohan Viguerius saying De sacra in Gene c. 16. v. 3 It is necessarie that the things which are assumed for the Sacraments be determined by Gods institution because that things by their naturall vertue haue no power of sanctifying Now therefore if we consider the matter and sensible signes instituted by Christ for the Sacrament of the Eucharist Jnstit c. 16. ff 3. vers 1. Thom. 3. p. q. 74. art 1. Iohannes Viguerius telleth vs That the matter of this Sacrament before consecration is bread and wine because Christ tooke bread and wine and Melchisedech who in his sacrifice figured Christ offered bread and wine so Christ did institute it vnder the formes of bread and wine and very conueniently First for the vse of the Sacrament which is eating for as water is taken in the Sacrament of Baptisme for the vse of spirituall ablution because corporall ablution is commonly done by water so bread and wine for spirituall refection because most commonly men are corporally refreshed therewith Secondly for signification because this Sacrament is a memoriall of the Lords Passion in the which the bloud was spearated from the bodie so distinctly the bread as a Sacrament of the bodie and wine as a Sacrament of the bloud Thirdly for the effect in respect of the whole Church which consisteth of diuers beleeuers so the bread is made of diuers cornes and the wine of diuers grapes Out of this ground it seemeth that the Iesuit in Rome deliuered in the Schoole the definition of this Sacrament in this manner which I tooke from his mouth with mine owne penne which is De sacramentis tract 4. c. 1. dico 3. That the Eucharist is a Sacrament which vnder the formes of bread and wine containeth the bodie and bloud of Christ for the nourishment of spirituall life giuen by Baptisme From all which doctrine I most clearely gather that bread and wine iointly ministred belongeth to this Sacrament and that without ouerthrowing the essence of this Sacrament according to our aduersaries owne Teachers it cannot be giuen vnder one kind to the lay people for it is to be giuen to lay people according to the essentiall parts thereof instituted by Christ but according to these Writers the essentiall parts thereof are bread and wine iointly as the matter the forme being the wordes of consecration iointly pronounced ouer either forme ergo the bread and wine coniunctim are to be ministred to ther people for the integritie of the Sacrament Whence it followeth that the Church of Rome by the amputation of one forme vtterly crosseth and ouerthroweth the nature of the Sacrament and so maketh it no Sacrament at all
because so it wanteth an essentiall part thereof Therefore very iustifiable is his Maiesties assertion when reckoning vp the nouelties of the Church of Rome amongst the rest he ranketh the amputation of the one halfe of the Sacrament from the People Praemonit 4 Secondly that the doctrine of the Church of Rome doth crosse Christs institution It also crosseth Christs institution is also most cleere to any iudiciall man for as my Italian master teacheth me That the Eucharist was instituted in the last Supper Tract 4. de sacra c. 1. dico 2. after the washing of feet before the vsuall Supper the first is a matter of faith out of the Gospell and it is defined in Clementine Vnico in the Tridentine Councell where it sayth Ses 13. c. 1. 2. This is the tradition of the auncient Fathers Now then if this be so we must examine whether Christ did institute it vnder both kindes or not for if he did then certainely it is also so to be ministred likewise to the people because hee bid that to be done in remembrance of him which he himselfe did then his meaning not being to institute two Sacraments of the Supper whereof the one for the Priestes should consist of two parts or of two kindes the other for the people but of one I finde Saint Matthew to record Christs institution in this manner As they did eate Iesus tooke the bread Mat. 26. v. 26.27.28.29 and when he had blessed it he brake it and gaue it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my bodie Also he tooke the Cuppe and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it them saying Drinke ye all of it for this is my bloud of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes I finde aso Saint Marke to set it down thus Mark 14. v. 22. And as they did eate Iesus tooke the bread and when he ahd giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it to them and said Take eate this is my bodie And also hee tooke the Cuppe and when hee had giuen thankes gaue it to them and they all dranke of it and hee said vnto them This is my bloud of that New Testament which is shed for many S. Luke records it thus Luk. 22.19 20 And he tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and gaue to them saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me Likewise also after supper he tooke the Cup saying This Cup is that new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you 1. Cor. 11. v. 23 24.25.26 27.28.29 And S. Paule most largely explicates the same Institution saying I haue receiued a Precept of the Lord which I also haue deliuered vnto you that the Lord Iesus in the night when he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take eat this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe ye in remembrance of me After the same manner also he tooke the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud this doe as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as often as ye shall eate this Bread and drinke this Cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eat this Bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eat of this Bread and drinke of this Cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords bodie Now out of all these places of S. Mathew S. Marke S. Luke and S. Paule I finde both kindes instituted by Christ and so inseparably intimated with a copulatiue coniunction that whosoeuer separateth them can but most insolently oppose himselfe against Christs institution and the essence of the Sacrament What greater pride can there be than when Christ sayth in expresse words Drinke ye all of this as well as eate the bread than with the Church of Rome to contradict him teaching the people onely to eat the bread and not drinke the wine Or what greater presumption than so rudely to thwart S. Paule who calleth the institution of the Sacrament a Precept which he deliuereth to the people specifying both formes of bread and wine commaunding as well the receiuing of the wine to be drunke in remembrance of Christ as the bread to be eaten and therefore if the one bind lay people the other also doth as strongly oblige them especially since S. Paule in another place sayth thus 1 Cor. 10.16.17 The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ for we that are may are one bread and one bodie because we doe partake of one bread and one Chalice The Church of Rome taking away the participation of the Chalice in ministring the Sacrament to lay people onely vnder the forme of bread maketh S. Paule to speake false who ioyneth both formes together with a coniunction copulatiue shewing that we are many one bodie because wee participate of both making vs all one And it is here to be noted how the Bibles printed amongst our aduersaries doe varie about this Text and may be suspected that they haue played Legier du maine with the Bible as well in their last corrected Latine as in the Greeke concerning this Text for in them both of one Chalice is left out and yet in an olde Manuscript which I haue now in my hands and in another Bible printed at Paris in the yeare of our Lord 1583 the text is That omnes quidem de vno pane de vno calice participamus We all partake of one bread and of one Chalice Whereby it is more than probably to be feared some notorious imposture hath beene committed in leauing out the Chalice in the latest vulgar editions So that now all these places of Scripture being iudicially weighed the amputation of one part of the Sacrament seemeth not onely to controll Christs owne institution but also his absolute commandement 5 Besides that it is a meere noueltie It is also a noueltie Lib. de Eccles obseruat c. 19. p. 388. Thom. in 1. Cor. 11. lect 5. 6. Aeneas Sil. Hist Bohem. c. 52. Bellar. de Euehalib 4. cap. 26. not grounded vpon antiquitie is most apparant to all that rightly examine the matter for at the first the people receiued the cup as well as the bread afterward sayth Micrologus the Romane Order commandeth the wine also to be consecrated that the people may fully communicate and this was approued by many learned Writers Yet in time the Councell of Constance See 13. ff item ipsae forbad it and then all of the Church of Rome began to change
their mindes Afterward the Councell of Basil released the decree of Constance to some as to the Bohemians and the Councell of Trent confirmed it againe Ses 21. c. 2. Whereby it is apparant that the moderne Church of Rome hath swarued in this point of faith from which it beleeued formerly and since it began to be the seat of Antichrist The most ancient Liturgies in their owne forme shew Cyril Cath. mystag 5. Liturg. Marci pag. 62. Thom. p. 3. q. 80. art 12 q. 3. Hom. 16. in nu 1 that the people receiued the wine as well as the bread And Caietane sayth This custome endured long in the Church and that they had ministring cuppes for the nonce to serue the people with wine which none will denie Origen sayth plainegly Christian people were accustomed to drinke the bloud And S. Cyprian How doe we make them fit for the cup of Martyrdome Epist. 2. if first we doe not admit them by the right of communication in the Church to drinke the cup of the Lord The same Author or another as ancient Serm. de coena Dom. in another place sayth The Law doth prohibit the eating of bloud the Gospell commaundeth that it be drunke That the Chalice also was vsed in S. Ambrose his time himselfe sheweth Apud Theod. 5. Hist 15. In 2. Malach. speaking to Theodosius With what boldnesse wilt thou partake with thy mouth the cup of precious bloud S. Hierome sayth in expresse tearmes The Priestes which make the Eucharist and distribute the bloud of the Lord to the people And Paschasius sayth Super cap. 15. Drinke ye all of this as well the ministers as the other beleeuers Apud Gratian. can Comperimus de consecrat dist 2. Gelasius sayth We finde that some receiuing onely the portion of the sacred bodie abstaine from the cup of sacred bloud Who doubtlesse because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be obliged either let them receiue the entire Sacraments or let them be expelled from the entire Sacraments because the duision of one and the same mysterie cannot be without grat sacriledge All which places doe most liuely expresse the faith and practise of the ancient Church to haue beene otherwise than it is now in the present Church 6 Is it not a lamentable thing to see Obserue well this Councell Ses 13. that the Councell of Constance confesseth That Iesus Christ instituted and administred the Sacrament vnder both kinds and that in the Primitiue Church this Sacrament was receiued by the faithfull vnder both kinds And yet against Christs institution and the practise of the Primitiue Church the same Councell most blasphemously complaineth That in some parts of the world some rashly presume that Christian people ought to receiue the Sacraments vnder both kinds and thus censures it to be presumption and rashnesse to follow Christ Of the Fathers of that Councell with the Pope himselfe I may well say Concilium inierunt vt caperent Iesum in sermone Exod. 7. But as the Serpent of Moses deuoured the Serpents of the Sorcerers so Christ will ouercome the malice and craft of such wicked counsellors It is a folly for our aduersaries to say That when Christ said Doe this in remembrance of me he spake onely to Priests for then it would follow that the lay people may be debarred of both kinds and it is as impertinently obiected that the Apostles were Priests therefore Christs Precept Drinke ye all of this belongs to Priests onely for then the Primitiue Church did amisse and S. Paule the Apostle also who deliuered the Supper to the lay people without amputation of either kind in such manner as he had receiued it of the Lord. My conclusion vpon the precedent obseruation Now therefore vpon due consideration of all the premisses finding the Church of Rome to adulterate the word of God to ouerthrow the nature of the Sacrament to goe against the doctrine of the Primitiue Church and to checke most impudently Christs owne institution cursing them that beleeue as Christ teacheth and doe as he commaundeth in drinking as well of the Cup as in eating the Bread of the Sacrament without diuision or amputation I see no ground of faith to warrant the doctrine of the Church of Rome in this case and therefore it is to be feared vnlesse God shew her the greater mercie for all her maledictions and curses to the terror of poore simple Christians shee her selfe will one day inconsolably tast of the bitter cup of Gods wrath and indignation which vpon the suddaine will be poured vpon her to her vtter ruine and destruction and shee that hath so much afflicted and tormented others will find it true that Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viuentis It is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God CHAP. XV. Containing an obseruation of the Pardons and Indulgences which the Peope annexeth to Crosses Graines and Meddals I Haue obserued in reading the liues of Saints a storie worth the noting of Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem Metaph. in vita S. Epiph. Laurent Surius 12. Maeij who hauing with his honors changed also his minde being surprised with extreame couetousnesse he grew to heape vp great store of treasures beyond all reason or measure which Saint Epiphanius vnderstanding endeuoured to draw him to some liberalitie towards the poore but he who preferred his gold before all other workes of charitie cared not for the poore Epiphanius seeing this obtained of him a certaine summe more by force than by loue which he distributed amongst the poore with great ioy Few daies after the Bishop redemanded againe his money with great importunitie vnto whom Epiphanius gaue good wordes promising to repay him soone after but the Bishop was not contented but vsed him with some violence vttering iniurious speeches against him calling him impostor and cosener Epiphanius nothing troubled spit in his face wherewith instantly strucken blind he fell to the ground whereupon at length he acknowledged his fault crauing pardon Then Epiphanius shewed him into what a gulfe of couetousnesse hee was plunged putting his hand vpon his head restored him his right eye againe who praying him to restore him also his left eye the holy man refused it to the end he should be alwaies warned by that marke euer after to vse more modestie and more carefully to auoid that plague of couetousnesse In this example courteous Reader you haue a liuely representation of the Bishop of Rome his insatiable auarice now that hee is come to such temporall greatnesse in this world and consequently of the spirituall blindnesse wherewith God hath strooken him for the same not suffering him to see the light of truth but to runne head-long into diuers inextricable heresies as a iust punishment for such his greedy desires for the nouelties which are now broched in the Church of Rome were not knowne till this hateful sinne of auarice tooke
hold of the Popes Indulgences grounded vppon the couetousnesse of Popes and drew them to employ their studies more in gathering together temporall wealth than the riches of Gods graces and true knowledge of the Scriptures For hence and from this source only hath flowed diuers points of doctrine now currant in Rome more tending to the amplification and enlarging of his temporall Kingdome than the Kingdome of Christs Church amongst which the doctrine of Pardons and Indulgences is not the least profitable for the filling vp of the Popes cofers and giuing contentment to his auaricious desires arguing the great spirituall blindnesse God hath permitted him to fall into in punishment of the detestable sinne 2. Indulgences disproued by their definitions Now this obseruation hauing auerted my minde from the Church of Rome with diuers others and laied open vnto my soule the most foule abhominations of that Church for the better explication of her erroneous doctrine concerning Indulgences and Pardons I must shew thee curteous Reader how this auersion grew in mee by the examination and studie of truth First I beganne to examine the true nature of these Romish Indulgences and Pardons by the definition of them which I found in Cardinall Bellarmine to be thus expressed Lib. 5. de poenit cap. 2. Indulgences saith he are the remissions of paines which are to be endured after the remission of faults granted vnto the faithfull for a reasonable cause by the high Bishops out of a Fatherly lenitie and condescention Ioannes Viguerius the great Scholler of Spaine calleth Indulgence Ioan. Viguer Instit Christi cap. 16. vers 29. A distribution of the treasure or an application of the penalties of the supererogation of Christ or of his Saints for the remission of paines due for passed sinnes made by him that ruleth the Vniuersall Church with iudgement of discretion Siluester their best Summist for cases of conscience defineth it thus The Ecclesiasticall Indulgence Siluest verb. Jndulgentia num 3. is a donation of some thing taken out of the spirituall treasure of the Church made vnto a sinner that hee may satisfie God the creditour of his paines Thus these learned men of Rome write of the nature of Indulgences Whereupon first I note out of Bellarmine that these pardons are not to bee granted without a reasonable cause and according to Viguerius with iudgement of discretion yet notwithstanding this is contradicted by Emanuel Sa the Iesuite who saith That some say an Indulgence giuen without cause is of value Verbo Indulgen num 1. Bonauent 4. d. 20.2 part q. vlt. Solu 4. d. 21. q. 2. art 2. others doe not onely require a iust cause but such a cause as is proportionable to the Indulgence I but Sa himselfe peremptorily affirmeth I thinke no doubt to be made of an Indulgence giuen from the Pope Where I note this man to be more the Popes Friend than the rest who whether the Pope with iust cause or without iust cause graunt an Indulgence hee approues it and further I obserue a great difference amongst the Romish Writers in this point and therefore no credit to bee giuen to those that so much disagree in the cause why Indulgences should bee graunted Secondly I note out of Siluester that the subiect of Indulgences is a sinner I meane as hee saith it is graunted to a sinner and yet this seemeth to bee contradicted by him and others who saith Hee that is not in Gods grace obtaineth not Indulgence Sil. Lerb Indulg 5. Tho. 3. p. q. 27. art 1. Solu 4. d. 21. q. 2. a. 3. Adrian 4. de Indulgent col 13. Concl. 3. Thirdly I obserue moreouer that whereas the Pope graunteth Indulgences oftentimes both from sinne and paine which now is growne ordinarie hee crosseth the Doctrine of these Authours who in the definition of an Indulgence make mention onely of remission of paine and not of the sinne for according to their owne Doctrine else where both mortall and veniall sinnes are taken away by the Sacrament of Penance as the proper subiect and matter of their Sacramentall absolution 3. Now for the establishment of this doctrine of Indulgences The Scripture abused about Indulgences they haue no Scripture as farre as I can perceiue of any force which hath made the Reformed Churches to tearme these Papall Indulgences pious frauds of the faithfull inuentions and impostures and his Maiestie discouering as much iustly to reckon them amongst the trash depending vpon Purgatorie To Christ. Mon. f. 43. not worth the talking of yet doe they not sticke to bee so presumptuous as to alleage Scriptures most indiscreetly for their doctrine as namely Ioannes Viguerius doeth as if hee had got a great victorie against the Reformed Churches in this point prouing the name of Indulgence to bee found in the Prophet Esay his wordes which he citeth are these Notwithstanding to conuince their ignorance Instit Christ c 6. § 6. vers 19. and vnbridled boldnesse wee must shewe the name Indulgence expresly to bee found in the sacred Letters in the same sense the Church vseth And this chiefly in Esay the Prophet where in the Person of Christ hee saith The Spirit of the Lord vpon mee in that hee hath annointed mee Hee sent mee to announce vnto the meeke to heale the contrite of heart to Preach Indulgence vnto Captiues releasement to those that are shut vp and so it can not bee denyed that the name of Indulgence in the sacred Letters is not to bee found And that Esay wrote according to the intention which the Church vseth Christ the Lord hath declared in S. Luke where it is said Luc. 4. that when vpon the Sabaoth hee entred the Synagogue of Nazareth hee rose vp to reade and the Booke of the Prophet Esay was deliucred vnto him and turning the Booke he found the place where it was written the Spirit of the Lord vpon me for that he hath annointed me hee hath sent mee to Euangelize to the poore to heale the contrite of heart to Preach remission to Captiues behold how the name Indulgence Christ interpreteth remission But of what Indulgence spake Esay truly of sinnes for the pardoning and remitting of which Christ was sent by God the Father and because in sinne there are two thinges to wit the fault and the paine the remission of the fault and also the remission of the paine is rightly called Indulgence But the Church as is said taketh Indulgence for the application of penalties of supererogations of Christ and his Saints by which paines are remitted therefore nothing is more manifest than that the name of Indulgence is found in the sacred Letters according to the intention which the Church vseth Here I see a braue proofe of a vaunting Spaniard who with his Spanish Brauadoes thinks to haue conquered but I beleeue when hee shall haue found the strength and truth of his encounterers whom hee termeth Heretiques if he were now aliue he would say as I
ground of them in all rpobabilitie than that the Popes being desirous to enrich themselues with money haue deuised them for the emptying of mens purses throughout all Kingdomes subiected to his vsurping authority like Boniface the ninth of whom it is written That he sent into diuers Kingdomes his Treasurors with Pardons Theod. a mem de scismat lib. 1. ca. 68. pag. 20. who extoried thereby very great summes of money from the simple people that in some one Pronince they would get together aboue an hundred thousand florens and released all sinnes to them that confessed vnto them without anie penaunce Therefore as I said in the beginning anarice caused spirituall blindenesse in Popes and blindenesse as a punishment confirmeth them more and more in their errors 6 Is it not strange considering all reason to bee against this doctrine of Indulgences that the Church of Rome will by her comminations still curse those that embrace it not as the Councell or Trent doth all those That affirme them to bee vnprofitable Ses 25. decret de Indulgentijs or denie anie power to be in the Church to graunt them What shall not as I said before the bloud of Christ as well take away the temporall paine due vnto sinne as the eternall or is not his satisfaction infinite what neede then the superfluous satisfaction of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Did the auncient Church euer speake of other Pardons than of the Pardons of outward penances which ere enioyned for publique satisfaction of the Church Hath not Christ fatisfied for the whole world what neede then of the satisfactions of Saints what more than Indulgences instilleth a vaine securitie into the soules of men and ouerthroweth the foundations of all true contrition is not Gods forgiuesse and remission expressed with an Omne debitum dimisi tibi Matth. 18.32 I haue forgiuen thee all thy debt if euerie debt why not aso the debt of temporall paine if an exception can be shewed why is it not made manifest Now iudge beloued Reader whether heere bee not sufficient reason to make mee or anie other say farewell vnto the Romish Church that thus enthralleth soules prophaneth the bloud of Christ disableth the Sacraments and picketh mens purses by the deuised doctrine of her Ecclesiasticall Indulgences Deere Iesu pardon my former fault make mee see better heereafter let mee with true compunction for this errour say with the holy Prophet Dauid Erraui sicut ouis quae perijt quaere seruum tuum I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant O Lord Psalme 119. verse 176. CHAP. XVI Containing an obseruation about the number of seuen Sacraments admitted by the Church of Rome IN my trauels in the Low-countries I haue often smiled to see how the people in those parts Vaine is the terrors of Romish curses against the truth in a faire corne-field to driue away crowes and other birds from the corne will most artificially frame the reprefentation of a terribleman standing ouer the corne with a grimme countenance and with bow and arrowes drawne vp to the head to the great terror of all birds that none may approach as if forthwith he would hit all that came neare So likewise when I confider how the Church of Rome vseth the shew of terrors and comminations to keepe Christians from feeding vpon the wholesome truthes and verities growing in the spacious fields of Gods word I find much cause of laughter to see shee should thinke men endued with reasonable soules should haue so little sense as not to discouer her vaine scare-crowes of curses and excommunications which are only terrible in words and iust nothing in effect but counterfeit terrors without hurt or harme as for example she makes a great shew in words concerning the number of seuen Sacraments as if she would shoot euery one to the quicke that will be so venterous as to approach vnto the field of Scriptures to know the truth thereof her threatning shew is this Concil trid sess 7. desacra in genere Can. 1. If any shall say that all the sacraments of the new Law were not instituted by Iesus Christ our Lord or that there are more or fewer then seuen viz. Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance Extreame-unction Order and Matrimonie or also any one of these seuen not to be truly and properly a Sacrament be hee accursed Heere is the definitiue sentence of the Church of Rome casting you out of her Synagogue if you gainesay her decree it is curiositie with her and great presumption to examine her doctrine you must not be so hold as to taste of the sweet and most pleasant fruits of Gods word the arrow is drawne vp to the head against you the terror of Anathema must put you to flight Christs doctrine must be no longer the little graine of mustard-seed growne vp aboue all hearbs for his faithfull birds to sit vpon the boughs therof this scar-crow Anathema must put all to flight 2 But those that are wise and iu siciall doe discouer the vanity of this frightful spectacle Those that are wise discouer the vanitie of them with the Berraeans they will examine the Popes doctrine by the Scriptures as they did Saint Pauls they will follow the directions of Doctor Stapleton who appointeth also a meane to trie the doctrine of false teachers by antiquitie euen for all the common sort of people They will as a great Doctor and Champion of the Popes said to me once find that it had been better that the Pope had left many of the doctrines of the Councell of Trent vndefined because so many new Anathemaes makes the world begin to suspect that the Popes labour more to subiect people vnto them by terrors then by truth as men doe children who to keepe them in awe will tell them of Hobgoblins and Robin-good-fellowes such like that wil fetch them away if they bee vnruly and leaue not their crying Which policie my selfe partly obseruing to be vsed by the Church of Rome euen in a moderne example of Paul the fifth his Breue against the oath of alleageance thinking only by the bare words declaratiue without any one reason alleaged for the vnlawfulnes in taking it other then his owne plaine assertion to strike such a terror both into his owne children and into the King and State as if none would dare to gain-say it but blessed be almightie God who hath so communicated the beames of his vnspeakable wisdome vnto him and his loyall subiects yea and vnto many of the Popes owne children who were long seduced by his pretended inerrable power that they dare not onely beleeue the contrarie but also openly auouch it to the world and ioyne foot to foot in defence thereof both with pen and sword if need be howsoeuer the Iesuites would thinke themselues aduantaged if both sides should come to this latter encounter but I trust God out of his mercie will dispose of milder courses more manife sting therein his
sweet prouidence and mercie for those that liue in a most blinded and yet zealous ignorance of the errors they are in wrapped in by the slights of their false teachers seducing them who are much more industrious and laborious for the kingdome of Antichrist than the true professors of the Gospell are for the kingdome of Christ according to our Sauiours owne words Prudentiores sunt filij tenebrarū quam filij lucis in generatione sua The children of darknesse are more prudent in their generation than the children of light Against whom I will daily pray that those who stand as sentinels ouer the reformed Churches may both haue aud carefully practise our Sauiours words in another place as an holesome Autidote Estote prudentes sicut serpentes simplices sicut columbae Be ye prudent like serpents and simple like doues vsing serpentine prudence to defend their faith and soueraigne rulers as their heads though with hazard of their owne bodies and liues and not omitting such a sweet doue-like simplicity and mildnesse without gall of malice that their aduersaries may be ouercome by the obseruation of their wisdome and their Christian-like charitie towards them 3 But to returne whence I am digressed The Church of Rome by terrors more thē by proofes endeuors to plant the beliefe of seuen Sacraments I discouer the idlenesse of the Romish Anathema by the error and noueltie of the doctrine of seuen Sacraments for the desence wherof the Councell hath thundered it out for I can find no Scriptures making properly for seuen no nor any one ancient Father reckoning seuen onely and no fewer nor more as for Baptisme and the blessed Eucharist there is no doubt to be made for all the things which the Church of Rome requireth to a Sacrament properly taken do concurre therein Belarm lib. 1. de sacra Bapt. cap. 1. Hebr. 6. vers 4. Ephe. 5. vers 26. Iohn 3. vers 5. the externall right is expressed in Saint Paul calling it The lauer of water in the word of life The institution and commandement vnlesse a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot come vnto the kingdom of God c. and in going teach ye al people baptising them in the name of the Father Mark vlt. v. 16. and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost the promise of grace who beleeneth and is baptised shall be saued but who beleeueth not shall be damned So likewise in the Eucharist the externall rite is found to be bread and wine Mat. 26. vers 26 Ioh 6. vers 57. The institution and commandement at the last supper do this in remembrance of me The promise of grace he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him Whereby it is apparent that of these two Sacraments the Scriptures shew al the things most plainly belonging vnto a Sacramēt properly taken as the Church of Rome vnderstandeth of Sacrament with all the things necessarily belonging thereunto and therefore that these two are Sacramnts is cleere in their vnderstanding which the Church of England according to all antiquitie doth admit but the other fiue receiued by the Church of Rome either in one effētiall thing or other belonging to a Sacrament properly taken are defectiue as either in the sensible signe or in the institution and commandement or in the promise of grace notwithstanding that all must concurre according to the Church of Rome to a true Sacrament Now therefore although I could particularly shew by the disabling of the other fiue that there are not seuen Sacraments as the Councell of Trent defineth yet because I will auoid prolixitie I will only proue it by shewing that penance is no such Sacrament 4 All Diuines of the Church of Rome do ioyntly agree that euery Sacrament consisteth of matter and forme Penance no Sacrament properly neither is auricular confession any essentiall part thereof Tho. Aquin. part 3. quaest 84. art 2. in corp S. Tho. part 3. vbi supra art 3. in corp the matter say they of this sacrament are cōtrition cōfession and satisfaction for the sinnes on the behalfe of the penitent the forme is the words of absolution pronounced by the Priest Thomas of Aquine their cheefe Doctor saith thus The nearest matter of this Sacrament are the acts of the penitent whose matter are sins which he repenteth which he confesseth and for which he satisfieth And in the next article he sheweth the forme saying It is cleare that this is the most conuenient forme of this Sacrament I do absolue thee With whom Viguerius also agreeth saying Ioannes Viguer Instit cap. 16. vers 1. The nearest matter of the Sacrament of Penance are the acts of the penitent contrition confession and satisfaction the matter of which acts are sinnes which the penitent repenteth which he confesseth and for which he satisfiesh In whose assertions I obserue two notable errors first that they count Penance a Sacrament which is onely a vertue disposing men to the Sacrement of the Eucharist according to that Probet seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat Let a man proue himselfe and so eat of that bread which prouing must be by repentāce And secondly that they make auricular confession consisting in a circumstantiall enumeration of sinnes in their numerall distinct kinds to a Priest an effentiall part of that Sacrament neither of which can bee proued in Scriptures I cannot but admire to see so great a Doctor as Thomas Aquinas was Tho. Aquin. part 3. de sacra poenit art 1. sed contra Act. 8. to make a most weake argument for proofe of this Sacrament saying that as Baptisme is adhebited for the purification of sinne so Penance Therefore Peter said to Simon do penance for this thy wickednesse but Baptisme is a Sacrament as is said before therefore Penance also for the like reason Heere is a stout reason and of great force certes especially when we consider that the Angelical doctor following the vulgar translation misalleageth the Scripture for in the Greeke set out by Arias Montanus the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not do penance Arias Montan. in 8. Act. Apost vers 22. but repent thou as the same Author though a Romanist translateth it Neither is it heere to be omitted how notoriously the Rhemists do depraue the same place of Scripture who in excuse of their following the vulgar translation adde a notable falsehood and vntruth saying In annot Act. 8. vers 22. That the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie as much is it not strange then that Arias Montanus I thinke as good a Grecian as any of them would haue swarued from their translation but their imposture in this place is most inexcusable shewing that they care not what they say so they may crosse the reformed Churches as appeareth when in the table before the new Testament printed anno 1600 wherin they charge the English editions of false translation
for proofe of the Romish auricular confession out of S. Paul to the Corinthians he hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation and he hath put in vs the word of reconciliation for Christ therefore we are Legates O God O heauen Verse 19 O Angells O all yee men liuing vpon the earth come and iudge whether the learned Cardinall doe rightly applie this place of Saint Paul or not I will not iudge my selfe I will only oppose what lieth in Saint Paul going before and following these passages cited by him Can this place bee meant of absolution after a particular enumeration of sins to man if you consider what Saint Paul saieth before Beholde Vers 17. 18 all things are made new but all of God who hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Christ where it appeareth the chiefe meanes of reconciliation is by Christ as it is said in the nineteenth verse Verse 19 Not imputing vnto them theyr sinnes and the ministeriall meanes of reconciliation by the Cleargie doth it not appeare to bee by preaching the word and exhortation and not by any power to absolue after auricular confession for the Apostle after he had said Hee hath giuen vs the ministery of reconciliation and hath put in vs the word of reconciliation Doth hee not shew the meanes of this ministeriall reconciliation to bee by preaching and exhorting God working it so and no otherwise by them when hee saieth For Christ therefore wee are Legates God as it were exhorting by vs. Who foorthwith performeth this ministeriall office and duetie of reconciliation saying For Christ wee beseech you bee reconciled to God Verse 20 Now heere if wee may beleeue the Apustle Saint Paul iudge whether Christ be not the chiefe cause by not imputing to sinners their sinnes and surther whether the Priest be heere expressed to be the ministeriall cause otherwise than by way of exhortation concluding Him that knew no sinne for vs hee made sinne that is Verse 21 as the Rhemists note Vpon this place a Sacrifice for sinne That wee might bee made the iustice of GOD in him Iudge yee now therefore out of all these places whether the Cardinalles allegation of Saint Paul make anie thing for auricular confession or not as it is a part of the Romish Sacrament of Penance 8 A third place of Scripture alleadged for auricular confession by Cardinall Bellarmine is taken out of Saint Iames chap. 5. where it is said Confesse therefore your sinnes one to another and pray one to an other that yee may bee saued Which place doth neither make for Auricular Confession nor for absolution by the Priest for immediately before Saint Iames imputes the remission of sinnes to prayer in Faith saying The prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and our Lord shall lift him vp and if he bee in sinnes they shall bee remitted him Againe the wordes seeme not to import that Auricular Confession the Church of Rome vseth for they are spoken as well of the Priest who is to praie as of the sicke for a mutuall and reciprocall prayer each one for the other now the Priest is not by Auricular Confessio to confesse to Lay people that hee may bee prayed for for according to the Papists that Confession is for absolution onely but this Confession Saint Iames speaketh of is meant of such a Confession as ioyned with prayer a man may bee saued by it and that which in the Romish sacramentall Confession saueth a man is the absolution of the Priest who as a Iudge giueth a iudiciall sentence of pardon which is the forme of the Sacrament of Penance and not as a suppliant prayeth for his neighbour which is onely intimated by Saint Iames neither is it apparent that Saint Iames meaneth more by this text than mutuall Confession of them who haue trespassed one the other and therefore may bee thought right well that he meaneth in these words no more than Christ did concerning reconciling our selues with our brother offended that so the offerings of our prayers to God may bee acceptable one for an other when hee said Matth. 4.25 Goe first to bee reconciled to thy brother and then comming thou shalt offer thy gift 9 A fourth place which I discouer most miserably and fondly wrested by Cardinall Bellarmine A text mise rably wrested 1. Iohn 1. verse 9 is out of the first Epistle of Saint Iohn where hee saieth If wee confesse our sinnes hee is faith full and iust for to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all iniquitie whereupon he saith Vbi supra Hence is Sacrament all Confession probably gathered but it may more truly be said Hence is Confession of our sinnes to God most clearely to be gath ered and the other most probably confuted For first the wordes Hee is faythfull to forgiue our sinnes is spoken of GOD and not of anie Priest as may appeere by the wordes following if wee coâ—nfesse not to GOD If wee shall say that wee haue not sinned Verse 10 wee make him a lyar and his word is not in vs By which it is cleare that Saint Iohn also speaketh heere onely of Confession in generall to GOD as also may appeere by the wordes before If wee shall say that wee haue no sinne wee seduce our selues and the truth is not in vs. Secondly that by this confession is meant that which wee ought to make to GOD is euident by the Rhemists who for the better vnderstanding of this place doe referre vs in the inner margent to the third booke of Kings chap. 8. verse 47. and to the second of Paralipomenon chap. 6. verse 36. both which places make against Auricular Confession the first mentioning prayer to God and acknowledgement of sinnes onely in generall Peccauimus iniquè egimus ininstè gessimus Wee haue sinned wee haue done naughtily we haue behaued our selues wickedly The second place also expressing as much almost in the very same wordes Whereby it appeareth how much the Cardinall abuseth this Scripture and wresteth this Text against all right sense and meaning which cannot possibly be applied for the iustifying of his Auricular Confession Now therefore finding by due search and examination that none of the places of Scripture cited by Cardinall Bellarmine the chiefe Pillar in this our age of the Romaine faith doe prooue eyther Auricular Confession to bee necessarie to saluation or to be truely anie materiall part of Penaunce as a Sacrament instituted by Christ Iesus it followeth as a most certayne truth that the Church of Rome hath most grossely erred in defining the number of Sacraments to bee seauen cursing all those which shall holde and maintaine the contrarie Which curse and threatning of the Church of Rome no man hath cause to scare that esteemes of S. Pauls curse vpon those that shal teach other doctrine than wha the taught or that findteh himselfe lesse surprized with the feare of mens threatnings than with the feare of God who can cast our
soules into hell fire 10 And in very truth Diuers Authors shew auricular confession not to be ancient Socr. li. 5. ca 19. Tripartit hist lib 9. 35. Sozom. li. 7. c. 16 Niceph. libr. 12. cap 28. Wald. tom 2 de saora ca 141. Dom à Sot 4. dest 8 q 1. Henriq sum pag 325. Andâ— Orthodox expl c. pag. 663. Bâ—ron tom 1. ann 56. nu 28. Homil 22. ad pop Antioch when I looke backeward vppon the beginning of Christianitie as by the Scriptures I finde no such doctrine of auricular Confession to Priests as a thing necessary to saluation so doe I finde it a nouell doctrine not agreeable to Antiquitie but to haue had beginning after the planting of Christianitie For Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople Put it downe in his Church and all the Bishoppes of the East did the like in theirs This the learned est Writers of the Romaine Church know well enough and acknowledge rayling vpon Nectarius for so doing as Andradius and Baronius doe which is a signe that the refourmed Churches reiecting confession breake no commandement of God but follow the example of the primitiue church that refused it This seems to be most cleare by S. Chrysostome saying This is wonderfull in God that he not onely forgiueth vs our sinnes but neythâ—r doth he disclose them or make them knowne neyther enjorceth he vs to come foorth and teil them he requireth no more but that we speake to him alone and to him alone confesse our faults It is not likelie that these learned and holie Bishoppes would thus haue done and also taught if Auricular Confession with a numerall accompt of euerie particular sinne to a Priest had beene generally receyued as an essentiall part of pennance necessarie to saluation in theyr times I doe finde by diuerse that there is scarce anie kinde of thing which causeth more scandall vnto the Cleargie it selfe than this Doctrine of particular enumeration of sinnes For a certaine Writer saith Religious men themselues in no thing sinne so much as in dissembling confessions Alua. Pelag. de planot Eccles lib 2. art 28. p. 255. For scarce or seldome at all doe they confesse otherwise then in generall termes naming no great sinne What they say one day that they say the next as if euery day they sinned alike Yet this abuse is nothing to that the same Author addeth saying That it was an ordinarie practise for the Priests to commit execrable villanie with the Women at confession as if they were the Sonnes of Eli Art 127. pa. 111 rauishing wiues and deflouring maides in the Church Art 2. pag. 83. and committing Sodomie with yong men with other stuffe then this affirming That the Church was made a stewes I finde further that an other Romish Writer saith Art 2. 73. 83. Cornel. Agrippa de vanit c. 64. I could by many examples fresh in memorie shew how fit this confession is for bawderie for Priests Monkes and Nunnes haue this speciall prerogatiue that vnder pretence of religion they may goe vp and downe when and whither they will and vnder colour of confession talke with anie woman whom they oftentimes entertayne but homely closely they goe to the stewes rauish virgins and widdowes yea manie times which my selfe haue seene and knowne runne awaie with mens wiues and carrie them to their fellows and hereby whose soules they should gaine to God their bodies they sanctifie to the Diuell II. â—isconueniences ouerthrowing auricular confession Many other proofes might be alleaged of the inconueniences of auricular Confession as by opening such sinnes by women or yong men as the very hearing of them striketh impression in the Priests and many times engendreth such occasions of temptations to them as they haue no power to resist them besides euen to the penitents also some sinnes into which they may fall by humane infirmitie may bee of that nature that they can neuer haue the heart through bashfulnesse to confesse them and then follow vnperfect confessions and after continuall remorse and perplexities of minde which make their whole liues irkesome vnto them drawing them into the remedilesse gulfe of desperation especially when the sinnes are such in weake natures as the Apostle Saint Paul himselfe thought vnfit to bee named which are fitter to bee opened to GOD than to Men. Therefore no man can well thinke that auricular confession is a soueraigne medicine for sinne which often is an occasion of much sinne No doubt IESVS CHRIST and the Apostles were as carefull to preserue men from sinne as the Pope can be and yet they neuer prescribed this medicine For certes whosoeuer feareth not to commit sin in the presence of God that seeth all men will as little blush to confesse it after their manner to a Priest whom they may deceiue and hee that regardeth not the law of God will care as little for the Priests absolution the feare of God and awe of his truth being of more force to bridle our sinnefull nature than the pollicie of man so that to conclude obseruing this auricular confession not to be an essentiall part of Penance nor to haue any warrant in the word of God nor to bee ancient doctrine without beginning since Christ and his Aposses nor to bee agreeable to reason in respect of many inconueniences that ensue of it it followeth that Penance is not a Sacrament instituted by Christ and consequently that there are not seuen Sacraments instituted by him as the Church of Rome teacheth and therefore I could no longer bee frighted with the Excommunication of the Councell of Trent against those that should denie this doctrine like those qui trepidant timore vbi non est timor Who tremble for seare where there is no cause of feare 12. Strange sables deuised for the prâ—ose of auricular coniession I remember a notable fable worth the relating deuised to breede feare and terrour for want of totall confession into the eares of a Priest which is recorded in diuers Writers of the Church of Rome of which two one of them was Penitentiarius to the Pope a man of great learning and good life and the other to wit the yongest was a simple vnlearned man In mag Spec. exemplor dist 9. p. 531. Guil. Pip. tr 1. super Conc. c. 13. ex lib. qui dicitur Scala coeli It happened that these two trauailing abroade together were lodged at a certaine Castle where a great Ladie dwelt that had committed Adulterie nay Incest with one of her owne Kinne Who out of the shame shee had conceiued for hauing committed so enormous an offence remained for the space of eleuen yeares without going to confession to her Curate who entertaining this religious couple and obseruing them in their carriages to bee vertuous and grane and not to haue any acquaintance with her and considering that perhaps they might neuer come againe to her house shee thought shee might doe well to make her
held that all men besides Christ alone deriued from Adam doe contract originall sinne from Adam Now if this be a matter of faith that all haue contracted sinne from Adam shall it not be against faith to hold that the virgine Marie did not contract sinne from Adam What did she not deseend from Adam by the line of corporall generation Or is there any Scripture or reuciation to the contrarie Is there any exemption of this Virgine No curtainely Nay I dare confidently affirme that it would haue been a great discomfort to this holy Virgine not to haue been partaker of that seet redemption by Christ which others were partakers of If shee were not partaker of the benefit of redemption why did shee say 1. Luc. 47. Magnificat anima mea Dom et exultauit spiritus mâ—us in Deo salutarimeo My soule doth magnisie the Lord and my spirit doth reioyce in God my Sanior How could it be true that God was her Sauior vnlesse it were by Christ of whom wee read in S. Mathew Ipse saiuuÌ„ faciet populuÌ„ suuÌ„ à peccatis eoruÌ„ 1. Matth. 21. He shall sane his people from their sinnes If she had onely been preserued from originall sinne by extraordinarie priuiledge she would haue said that she did reioyce in God her preseruer therefore in that she said she reioiced in God her Sauior according to the phrase of Scripture it is right well inferred that shee acknowledged her selfe saued from originall sinne by Christ whom shee had thus conceiued by the helpe of the holy Ghost without the seede of man to saue people from their sinnes so consequently her selfe calling â—im her Sauior If it be true that S. Paul sayth Ephes 2. Eramus omnes silij irae we were all the children of wrath and sivnus pro omnibus mortuus est if one died for all ergo omnes mortui sunt 1. Cor. 2. v. 14. 15. therefore all died Et pro omnibus mortuus est Christus and Christ died for all it necessarily followeth that the virgine Marie was also a child of wrath by originall sinne through Adam and that Christ who did for all died also for her or else how can it be verified that he died for all If my illation is not to be credited herein Thomas of Aquin may be demaunded his opinion and he will be found to agree with me herein Tho. 3. p.q. 27. art 2. in corp his wordes are these The sanctification of the virgine Marie cannot be vnderstood before giuing of soule or life for a two-fold respect First because sanctification of which we speake is no other than a cleansing from originall sinne Cap. 12. de diui Nomi parum à principio for holinesse is perfect cleanenesse as Dionysius sayty but sinne cannot be clensed but by grace whereunto the reasonable creature is onely subiect Therefore before the infusion of the reasonable soule the blessed Virgine was not sanctified Secondly for that since onely the reasonable creature can haue sinne before the infusion of the reasonable soule the fruit conceiued is not obnoxious to sinne And therefore by what meanes soeuer the blessed Virgine was sanctified before giuing soule or life shee should neuer haue incurred the blot of originall sinne and so shee should not haue stood in neede of redemption or saluation which is by Chris of whom it is said Matth. 1. He shall saue the people from their sinnes But this is inconuenient that Christ should not be the Sauior of all men as wee reale in the first to Timothie the fourth Therefore it resteth that the sanctification of the blessed virgine was after shee receiued soule or life Here then it is apparant that this their Angelicall Doctor held the virgine Marie to be obnoxious to originall sinne because the sanctification he speakes of as himselfe sayth is a cleansing from originall sinne as also for that he sheweth that it would haue beene inconuenient for her not to haue incurred the blot of originall sinne because then shee should not haue stood in neede of redemption So that I thinke it is hereby plaine by the Scriptures according to Thomas Aquinas vnderstanding that the virgine Marie was conceiued in originall sinne and therefore this doctrine is a point of faith 3. Hence I obserue farther The disagreement in the Church of Rome about the virgine Maries conception Ban. part 1. pag. 75. De consecratione d. 4. firmissime nu 12. pag. 101. vpon more serious consideration of the doctrine holding the contrarie how much the late Diuines of the Romish Church especially the Iesuites doe swarue from former Diuines who taught the virgine Marie to be conceiued in originall sinne Bannes acknowledgeth that all the Fathers with one consent held the virgine Marie to be conceiued in originall sinne And Turrecremata sayes That almost all the Schoolemen held the virgine Marie had originall sinne yea that is the common opinion among the famousest of them and he hath colleced an hundred of that minde I obserue a notable contradiction amongst some Romane Writers in this point Cardinal Bellarmine indeede commeth neere the truth when he sayth To affirme that the blessed virgine was conceiued in originall sinne Bellar. de stat peccat l. 4. c. 15. is not against faith He had said well if he had said it is de side it is a matter of faith for is not that a matter of faith which is plaine by the expresse word of God as I haue shewed Yet others say shee had no originall sinne Almain potest eccles c. 16. Clicto super Damas l. 3. c. 2. Frac. Titl Io. 2. and that it is a point of our faith so to beleeue and that it is impietie to thinke otherwise Now if they say true then doe they make the Cardinall an Heretike when in the second conclusion hee affirmeth That the blessed Virgine is piously thought to haue beene conceiued without originall sinne by the singular priuiledge of God Is that thing to be but piously beleeued which is a point of our faith as the former said Or is not that thing against faith which is contrarie to that proposition which they say is a point of faith and that it is impietie to thinke otherwise But in verie truth omitting the contradictions of their writings about this doctrine if we looke but into the institution of the Feast of the Virines conception which they keepe euerie yeare we shall finde it verie nouell in respect of antiquitie and such occasions thereof as are vnfit to ground their doctrine vpon contrarie to all antiquitie 4. To. 1. c. 4. tit 1. p. 6. Anthonie d'Aneroult in his Historicall Catechisme sheweth how the Feast of the Conception of the Virgine Marie was instituted which he recounteth in this manner William the Duke of Normandie An apparition whereupon this doctrine was grounded and the Feast of her Conception first instituted a man fearing God after he had conquered England and reformed the
Church in the same Kingdome was aduertised that the Dacians made preparations for the warres against him Whereupon he sent the Abbot Hersinus vnto them to know the truth of their designements The Abbot then being vpon his returne at sea was surprised with such a tempestuous storme that he and all his people were in danger of their liues if they had not sought for succour of the virgine Marie for as they inuoked her with all the deuotion they could behold there came from Heauen a venerable Personage apparrelled like a Bishop who after he had saluted the Abbot said vnto him Will you be deliuered from this danger he answered that he desired nothing more Know you then said the Personage that I am sent from the virgine Marie to aduertise you that you shall be deliuered from all danger if you will obey me Commaund said the Abbot all that you please and you shall be willingly obeyed Hereafter then said he you shall keepe a solemne Feast of the Conception of the virgine Marie and in preaching you shall declare that it is to be kept The abbot asking vpon what day it should bee kept and what Seruice the Church should say thereon he answered it should be kept the eight of December and for the Seruice they should take that of the Natiuitie putting the word Conception in lieu of Natiuitie Anno 1060. Then the Personage vanished away the storme ceased and the Abbot escaped with all his companie and afterward performed his promise Is not this a strong foundation to build an article of Faith vpon Let the circumstances be considered as that the Bishop that appeared comming from the virgine Marie vsed such great familiaritie with the Abbot as to salute him that he appeared in a storme when wicked spirits are busiest that he willed him to keepe a Feast of that act concerning the blessed Virgine which cannot be freed from sinne and iudge whether it be not time to flye to the Scriptures reuealed from God when such visions must serue as it is probably deuised by the diuell to delude men withall for the establishment of a new article of faith as diuers of the Romane Church hold this to be It may be this vision might be such a one as I haue sometimes heard of the like nature by a certaine Gentleman as acquaintance of mine who told mee that one appeared vnto him in the forme of a Bishop telling him he must be a Romane Catholike if he would be saued and that he should trauell ouer the seas escape many dangers acquainting him with future euents concerning the Earle of Essex and himselfe which he would not speake of Which vision some of his kindred gaue credit vnto and furthered him in his iourney And I haue heard since when his money was spent beyond the seas he returned home againe and finding himselfe deluded by his vision embraced againe his former religion and continueth in it to this day Some Romanists haue thought that this vision was but an inuention that thereby hee might finde a few golden peeces out of his friends the better to maintaine his trauailes The truth of his vision I leaue to his owne conscience but this I may truely say there is a great resemblance betwixt his and the Abbots and therefore in my iudgement if the Diuell played the Bishop in the one he might as well doe it in the other 5. Another apparition to the same effect Ibidem part 7. Dionys Cor. ser 2. Conc. Be. Mariae Polbert ibid. I haue noted another apparition recorded by diuers Writers of the Church of Rome tending to the same purpose viz to make good the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception without originall sinne In the time of Charles King of Fraunce a certaine young man nephew to the King of Hungarie loued so much the Virgine Marie and was so addicted to her seruice that daily before he eate any thing he sayed her Houres who falling vpon a time into a great infirmitie and sicknesse vowed his chastitie vnto her if she would helpe to saue his life Forthwith the chamber was replenished with a great light and he was restored to his health Soone after his vncle died without issue which made the Lords of the Countrey to persuade him to enter into the estate of Marriage to the end the Kingdome may not be without heires offering him a faire Ladie which he married But after he had receiued the blessing he remembred that he had not yet that day read our Ladies office he retyred himselfe to say them the more deuoutly sending the Ladie Bride with the rest of the companie home to his house and when he said that Anthieme Pulchra es decora filia Hierusalem that is to say Thou art faire and gracious O daughter of Ierusalem suddainely the virgine Marie appeared vnto him with two Angels attending her and said vnto him If I am faire honest and gracious as thou sayest wherefore doest thou forsake mee for another am not I more beautifull than she O Ladie said he your beautie surpasseth all the beautie of the world thou art exalted aboue the Angels what is your pleasure that I should doe If you leaue said she your carnall espouse for the loue of me you shall haue me for wife in Heauen and if you will keepe a yearely solemne Feast euerie yeare vpon the eight day of December of my conception teaching others to keepe it you shall be crowned with me in the Kingdome of my Sonne When she had spoken these wordes shee vanished out of sight and the young man transpoeted himselfe out of the Citie and Kingdome into a Wildernesse where his comportement was so holy that since he was made Patriarch of Aquilâ—ia where hee preached and instituted the said Feast Collections vpon this storie Iudge now gentle Reader whether this be an apparition likely to come from Heauen when that which is commaunded here is so expressely against the word of God inuiting from that state of marriage which the Apostle calleth honourable vnto the seruice of that fained and deuised priuiledge of the Virgin Maries Conception without originall sinne which I haue already shewed to be expresly repugnant to the word of God and therefore diametrally against faith Besides the institution it selfe is so late that it appeareth to bee cockle sowed by the enuious man the Deuill not by Christ or his Apostles and therefore not to be receiued by those who know Antiquitie to bee the infallible marke of truth The due obseruation of all which premises considered in this Chapter was as forcible an inducement to leade my feete out of the dangerous waies of Romish nouelties as any other therefore curteous Reader let me intreate thee with me to call the Virgin Marie most blessed amongst women as truly shee was vpon earth and is so also in heauen in the glorie of her soule but thinke her not yet so blessed as in this point of her Conception to paralell her with Christ
is a Sacrament since neither hee nor any other can shew any such institution But it followeth by him notwithstanding that as I my selfe haue cited the afore said place of Genesis it well prooueth the state of marriage to haue beene ordayned by GOD. For which as the Scripture saith a man shall forsake his father and mother Verse 29 and hee shall cleaue vnto his wife and they shall bee two in one flesh 3 Which first institution was renued by Christ when he said Haue yee not read Diuers reasons grounded vppon the Scriptures for the approbation of priests marriages Matth 19. Hebr. 13.14 that hee which did make from the beginning made them male and female and hee said for this cause man shall leaue father and mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they two shall be in one flesh That therefore which God hath ioyned together let no man separate And the same Institution is Declared to be honourable among all men and their bodies vndefiled if therefore among all men then also among Priests if it were honourable for respect of the Author that ordained it which was GOD himselfe why shall it not also bee honourable for his Priests If it were honorable in the time of innocencie before it was decayed why should it not be honorable in the time of grace wherein man is repaired as wel for Priests as others if it were honourable because it was ordained in Paradise the happiest place of the world why shall it not also be honourable in the Church of Christ amongest Church-men who honour God in the happiest places that is in the Churches ordayned to Gods honour besides since God the Sonne honoured the state of mariage with his presence at Canaan of Galilee where hee wrought the first miracle that euer he did turning water into wine with his praiers comparing the kingdome of God to a wedding and holinesse to a wedding garment why should wee thinke that Christ will not be well pleased that his Priests should honor that state with their owne persons is not increase multiplication of children which is one principall end of marriage as honorable a blessing in Priests as in others or is not the inconuenience of solitarinesse signified in these words It is not good for man to bee alone that is without a helpe and comfort which is an other end of marriage as fit for Priests as for Lay peopleâ— or is it not as fit that Priests should haue a remedy for fornication aswel as other men taketh their preshood from them the nature of men or can their dignities in the Church of God giue them leaue to liue lasciuiously in a single life are all Priests assured that during their liues they shall alwayes enioy the gift of continencie or is it absolutely in mans power to haue it or not to haue it why then doth S. Paul say Quipotest capere capiat he that can take it let him take it no no they haue as much neede of such a helpe as any other How comes it that many yea most of the Clergy in the country of Liege and diuers other places keep concubines what is the cause that most of the Priests of Brittaine haue also their bedfellows liuing in the house with them in the state of whoredome but their want of mariage whence so many deâ—â—ourings of virgins so many fornicatioÌ„s so many adulteries so many bestialities recorded by diuers authors amoÌ„g Clergy men in the church of Rome but the want of this remedie instituted by God practised in the old Lawe by the holiest as Henoch Noah Abraham Dauid Ezechiel Aaron and other high Priests approoued by Christ called honourable by S. Paul amongest all men What is not the doctrine of S. Paul to be approoued who alloweth the marriage and the bed vndefiled to all men excluding none when he saith 1. Cor. 7.2 Because of fornication let euerie man haue his owne wife Here we see marriage is prescribed a remedy for euerie man 4 And if wee looke into the practise of the Primitiue Church The new Testament maketh for the marriage of Priests we shall find the same remedy to haue beene vsed without checke or controule May we thinke that S. Paul excluded Priests when hee said 1. Cor. 9. It is better to marry than to burne Doth his Doctrine debarre Priests of marriage when hee saieth If thou takest a wife thou sinnest not 1. Cor. 28. Doth not Saint Paul sharpely reprooue them that shall forbid marriages when hee saieth In the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirites of errour Note this and doctrines of diuells which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hot yron forbidding to marrie 1. Tim. 4.1.2 3. By diuers of my former Chapters I haue shewed the Church of Rome to haue departed from her former faith now it is apparent they teach doctrine of diuells because they forbid Priests to marrie and teach the Doctrine to bee good Is it to bee thought that Saint Paul did not allow Priests to marrie when hee said A Bishoppe must be vnreprooueable the husband of one wife hauing children vnder obedience with all honest 1. Timoth 3.2.4 And when hee said Let Deacons be the husbands of one wife and such as can rule their children well and their owne housholde 1. Timothy 3.12 Can it bee said that Saint Paul doeth not approoue marriage in Priests and Deacons when he alloweth them one wife children and housholde to haue care of What may bee probably inferred vpon the wordes of Saint Paul to the Philippians the last chapter translated by the Rhemists thus I beseech thee my sincere companion By occasion of which words Cardinall Bellarmine saith that it is more probable Saint Paul had no wife Clem. Alexand. 3 stromat Ignatius epist ad Philadelph against Clemens Alexandrinus and Ignatius in some Editions who holde he had a wife which standeth well with the translation of the Church of England saying My faithfull yoake fellow I will not stand much vpon this place leauing the probabilitie thereof to the Reader But sure I am that Saint Peter had a wife for Saint Matthew saith Matth. 8.14 That our Sauiour entred into Saint Peters house and sawe his wifes mother I trow this is plaine enough that he had a wife It is left also recorded That Philip the Euangelist which was one of the sâ—auen Deacons had foure daughters virgins which did prophesie Acts 21.8 9. Ignatius the disciple of Saint Iohn Euangelist writing to the Philadelphians Ignat. ad Philadelph maketh report That Peter Paul and other Apostles were married Clemens Alexandrinus writing against those that reprooued marriage Ecclesiast hist libr. 3 cap. 3â— amongst other things speaketh thus What doe they reprooue the Apostles Peter and Philip had wiues and they gaue also their daughters in marriage to men Neyther doth Saint Paul the Apostle thinke
And diuers other writers affirme Scot. 3. d. 37. Cost Enchir. pag. 51. that in the most ancient times of the Church and after the Apostles death they had their wiues And I obserue that hee was the first that forbad Priests to marrie Greg. à Valent. tom 4. d sp 9. q. 5. punct 5. §. 1. Dist 82. plurim Inuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Dist 84. cum in preterito gloss §. qui Sacrament Index expurg 381. uum 261. Naucler tom 2. generat 137. Jnuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Sigebert an 1074. Lambert pag. 201. 207. Auentine in Annal. lib. 5. Nauclâ—r vol. 2. ge 36. Baron an 174. Sigon reg Jtal. lib. 9. an 174. pag. 448. pag. 460. by the decree thereof extant in the Canon law as also by the confession of Polydor Virgil and the Glosse vpon the Canon law saith Syricius brought in the continencie of Priests and Deacons yea some affirme that of old before the time of Siricius Priests might contract marriage This Glosse Pius Quintus the late Pope hath commanded to be wiped out because it makes against the present doctrine of the Church of Rome but Nauclerus saith in effect as much that SyriÌ„cius commanded Deacons to be continent But although Pope Syricius began this matter yet as Polydor Virgil saith It could neuer be effected that their marriage should be taken away til Gregory the seuenth came to be Pope in the yeare 1074. Which thing when he attempted in Germany he was opposed against as one that brought in a new eustome neuer receiued before Auentine writeth that in those daies Priests had wiues openly as other men bad and begate children their wiues being called by aseemely name Presbyteresses And when the Pope forbad them marriage this to many Bishops and other learned and good men seemed a new doctrine and a pestilent heresie as euer troubled any Christian kingdom And he saith the Bishops of Italy Germanie and France met together and for this cause decreed that he had done against Christian pietie and deposed him for that among diuers other things he diuorced men and their wiues denying such as bad their lawful wiues to be Priests wheÌ„ yet in the meane time he admitted to the altars whore-mongers adulterers and incestuous persons Fast lib. 1. Mantuan saith that Hilarie a Fench Bishop was married and that in his time it was lawfull Sinesius the Bishop of Ptolomais writeth thus of himselfe Epist ad Enopt Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 55. The sacred hand of Theophilus hath giuen me a wife and hereupon I testifie vnto all men that I will neither forsake her nor yet as an adulterer keepe her company but I will pray God to send mee by her many and good children Athanasius reports that Bishops and Monkes liued married Epist ade Dracont Epist 321. Pius 2. apud Plaitn in vita and had children And Pius Secundus saith It is better for a Priest to marrie then to burne though hee haue vowed not to marrie And moreouer that there bee many reasons to forbid Priests marriage but more to allow it But no maruaile that this restraint was made by the Pope since the prohibition of marriages is a plaine marke of Antichrist who should bring in the contempt of women for after that the Prophet Daniel had said that Antichrist should persecute the holy teachers and the pious beleeuing people Daniel 11. and should exalt himselfe aboue all God hee addeth Hee shall know nothing of the God of his Fathers and hee shall know nothing of the loue of women and of euery God and that hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all things Which version agreeth with the Hebrew truth and with the seuentie Interpretors and Aquila Therefore let not any man oppose that which is carried about and in which it is read Hee shall bee in the concupiscences of women Where Saint Hierome himselfe in his Comentaries vpon Daniel interpreteth this sentence thus That Antichrist shall counterfeit chastitie to deceiue many By all which it is manifest that this law restraining Priests from marrying is a noueltie brought into the Church by Popes by degrees and a great wrong vnto the state of marriage which I haue shewed to be honorable in all This I could exemplifie by the abuses come into the Church by this restraint both in former ages and in this present age wherein wee liue If this law had not been it is likely that Matthaeus Parisiensis would haue had no cause to leaue recorded vnto posteritie that a Cardinall did all the day in a Synode heere in England inueigh against the marriages of Priests Matth. Parisan Henric. primum who at night was taken in bed with a strumpet there are too many to bee found as carnall as this Cardinall If this law of the Pope had not restrained Priests from marrying occasion would neuer haue been giuen for a Gentleman in Wales this last yeare to haue written vnto Master Birkhead the Arch-priest complaining of a Iesuite who by the heate of the powder-treason was thought to be driuen into Ireland where he got his owne kinswoman with child neither would many the like abuses bee complained of in diuers if the wicked restraint of marriages which is in truth the very doctrine of Diuels had neuer been made and inuented Gentle Reader pardon mee if these obscaenities offend your eares I may as well relate truthes in iustification of true doctrine against the Church of Rome as that Church both by reports and printed bookes may disgorge multitudes of lies against the reformed Church of England your deare countrey I do not this of any delight I take to walke in the wayes of sinners bt onely to discouer the wickednesse of their doctrine by such their wicked fruits as iust punishments inflicted by Gods permission that they may see their errors and forsake their wicked wayes Now therefore since it appeared vnto me by these premises how the Church of Rome against the law of God against the practise of the purest ages to the scandall of the Christian world through Satans craft vnder pretence of chastitie restrained Priests from lawfull marriages I could not remaine in the communion of that Church lest by Gods permission in time I might also be partaker of her iust punishments 8 And as I was moued to abaÌ„don her by reason of this illusioÌ„ whereby the diuel maketh her his The Church of Rome alloweth of incestuous marriages so was I no lesse moued by the coÌ„sideration of her doctrine permitting such mariages to be lawful in such degrees as som of their own teach to be prohibited by the law of God nature as namely by suffering one brother to marrie his brothers wife when the other is deceased For so doth the Pope by dispencing in this case which notwithstanding is iustly to be reprooued as I proue out of Ioannes Viguerius the learned Bishop of Spaine who deliuereth his Doctrine thus It is a doubt Io. Viguer
by the secret vertue of the Stone after an inuisible manner adioyning the Rings together a goodlie entire Chaine was made of them Euen so dearely beloued Christian Reader I finde Christ Iesus to haue beene such a powerfull and attractiue Loadstone vnto my Soule by the precedent obseruations lincking the one vnto the other with such infallible truth that therewith euen as with a most strong chaine of his excessiue loue and charitie hee hath now at the length drawne mee to the knowledge of his true Faith rightly taught and professed in the Church of England 2 It is no other than a chaine of Charitie A briefe recapitulation of the premised obseruations by which hee hath drawne mee to write this Treatise for the manifestation of his truth to those that are ignorant thereof It was a chaine of his prouidence by ministring occasions of times persons and places concurring to my conuersion It is a chaine of truth that euery mans chiefe businesse in this life must bee to attaine vnto the end he is created vnto by God or else hee receiueth his soule in vaine It is a chaine reaching from heauen that a supernaturall and reuealed knowledge from God is necessarie to saluation The obseruation also of an absolute necessitie of a supernaturall Faith is a strong chaine to draw any man to search diligently after it The knowledge likewise of the right rule and golden mete-wand of true Faith consisting of GODS sacred Word is a most forcible chaine to drawe Christians vnto the right knowledge of GODS truth The true knowne visible Church of Christ teaching the true sense of Scriptures is a powerfull chaine to draw men vnto the right faith of CHRIST IESVS Conformitie of Doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church being a proper marke of the true Church of God is likewise a most attractiue chaine drawing to the true knowledge of right Christianitie The wonders and supposed miracles which Christ fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and false Prophets should doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible are also a strong chaine to draw any man from the Church of Rome The great hypocrisie of false Teachers fore-spoken of in the holy Scriptures agreeing chiefly with the Church of Rome are a chaine of great strength and power to draw any man from that Church The fruits by which false Prophets are to bee knowne and discerned abounding in the Church of Rome are also a powerfull chaine to draw any man of true iudgement from the abhominiations of that Church The discouerie of the Sacrifice of the Masse to bee Idolatrous which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of religion that can bee done to God is a most forcible chaine to draw any man to the knowledge of CHRIST IESVS once offered for vs procuring our Sanctification Is not the proofe of Transubstantiation also to bee a noueltie a potent chaine to draw any man from Rome to the Church of England where the Sacrament is freed from such disgrace Is not the Amputation also of the holy Eucharist a powerfull chaine to draw men from the Church of Rome that they may rightly according to Christs institution bee partakers of the Lords Supper else where Is not also the noueltie of the Popes Pardons and Indulgences which is annexed to Crosses Graines and Meddals a powerfull chaine to draw any man that is not ridiculously childish a stronge chaine to draw him from the Church of Rome If the false doctrine of seuen Sacraments be well discouered by any man bee can not want a strong chaine to draw him to acknowledgement of two true Sacraments instituted by Christ if the doctrine of the Virgin Maries conception in originall sinne bee doubtfull in the Church of Rome the truth of Scriptures shewing it certaine may serue for a strong chaine to draw any man from that doubtfulnesse If the pretended chastitie of the Romish Clergie doe make the Church of Rome seeme more pure and holy than any other the prohibition of lawfull marriage to Priests and the dispensation and permission of vnlawfull marriage to kindred may bee as a strong chaine to draw deceiued soules from the filth and impurities of her hypocriticall holinesse By these the mightie strength power of all those chaines hath the goodnesse of almightie God deliuered my long estraied soule out of her dangerous waies setled me in the happie societie of his true faithfull beleeuers teaching the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith Oh how truly may I now say with holy Dauid in humble acknowledgement of Gods singular mercies vnto my soule Maruailous are thy workes Psal 139.14 O Lord and that my soule knoweth right well 3. Now it is time To all Seminarie Priests O all yee Seminarie Priests in this Land or else where who labour still in the same blindnesse and errours wherein hitherto I haue beene my selfe inwrapped as in a darke cloude that out of that true charitie and zeale of your soules good and happinesse wherewith I haue cause to be affected towardes you I direct my speech a while vnto you and manifest the sincere candor of my heart and affections to pittie your case as I haue had cause to bee sorrie for it heretofore in my selfe and therefore I can not but admonish you of the perill you liue in both of body and soule for looking no better into the doctrines which you teach You pretend to bee the salt of the earth Math. 5. vers 13. and the light of the world therefore you haue cause to see well that your doctrine bee sound wherewith you season mens soules and that the example of your vertues and life bee not hypocriticall and superstitious if your salt bee infatuated with nouelties and corrupt doctrines all the world will trample vpon you and you are only fit to bee cast out vnto the dunghills if your liues giue no true light but bee a couered vnder the appearance only of vertues as vnder a bushell where there is no corne your poore followers will bee hunger starued and runne into darkenesse and neuer finde the true light of the world CHRIST IESVS Who illuminateth as Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 1. vers 9. euery man comming into this world If it bee true that CHRIST saith Hee that doeth and teacheth Math. 5.19 shall bee called great in the Kingdome of hâ—auen Vnlesse both these duties goe together without mixture of falshood and finne you can neither bee great in Heauen nor in Earth but certaine I am your paines will bee great in the deepedungeon of hell Examine well your owne consciences both for doctrine and conuersation build not vpon other mens bookes only but examine their doctrines by the infallible rule of Scriptures send your Disciples vnto Christ as Saint Iohn Baptist did not to the Popes who can and haue erred both in doctrine and manners say vnto your Children as Christ our Lord and Master said Search the Scriptures c. because
is in me as the Apostle prescribeth Hauing I say beene made partaker of this benefit onely through Gods working in my soule as I can doe no lesse in the dutie of gratitude than to manifest the same vnto you so must it be a part of my care not onely to acknowledge the same my selfe but to be an occasion that others may partake of the like blessing with me who liue blinded with the same vaile of errors and hereticall inuentions as I did till it pleased God to draw away that darke curtaine of implicite faith viz. that the Romane Church is the true Church of God from mine eyes and to giue me grace clearely to behold the explicite nouelties strongly and cunningly maintained therein which enforceth me now to make the confession of my faith saying no longer the Creede of Rome made by the Pope and recorded in the Councell of Trent but with his Maiestie Praemonit fol 35. I am such a Catholike Christian as beleeueth the three Creedes that of the Apostles that of the Councell of Nice and that of Athanasius c. I also acknowledge for Orthodox all those other formes of Creedes that either were deuised by Councels or particular Fathers against such particular Heresies as most raigned in their times I reuerence and admit the foure first generall Councels as Catholike and Orthodox c. I also concerning the Fathers hold as his Maiestie doth the Scriptures also I beleeue as for the Apocripha I hold them in the same account that the Ancients did c. And so of the other points of doctrine according to the most iudicious profession which his Highnesse in the Church of England maketh doe I beleeue 4 Here at I know gentle Reader thou maiest much maruaile God the cause of my conuersion that I who was borne of such parents as professed the Romane faith and lost much of their temporall estate diuers yeares together for the same who haue beene trained vp therein from my youth who haue practised the function of my Priesthood these nine yeares according to the fashion of that Church who haue beene readie and prompt in ministring their Sacraments in preaching their Doctrine in offering their Sacrifices who dedicated my life and labors most willingly for the aduancement of that faith who am allied to diuers of the better sort of England professing that religion who was befriended of many and to my knowledge hated of none should quit alliance with that Church and take acquaintance with this of England where I haue scarce any acquaintance at all What should cause such a change I answer thee gentle Reader that my desire is thou shouldest be rightly informed assured thereof then say with me as I say most sincerely with inexplicable ioy to mine own soule This is a change of the right hand of the highest Psal 76. vers 11. And for this cause doe I here present vnto you the obseruations both of doctrine manners which haue caused this my vnexpected change and heauenly metamorphosis not engendred by anie wauering disposition or inordinate passion too often seene in trouble some times but begun and effected with mature and ripe deliberation reason and knowledge most orderly drawing the chariot of my will and affections vnto the loue of truth and dislike of falsehood and therefore a worke as I hope wrought by the onely strong hand of God long inuiting and leading my soule hereunto and often displaying the bright beames of his extraordinarie grace most efficaciously enforcing me thereunto after many great conflicts and combats within my selfe in which conuersion of mine though some reioyce yet others out of rash iudgement and indiscreet passion and their implacable hatred to the Church of England ioyned with extreame ignorance and that by the deceitfull ground of their implicite faith and beliefe of whatsoeuer the Church of Rome teacheth not considering the defection and Apostasie of faith foretold by our Sauiour himselfe in the Scriptures vnder the parable of cockle and tares Matth. 13. vers 25. of heresies and nouelties ouersowed by the enemie man after the sowing of the good seed when all were asleepe doe labour by all meanes to obscure and endarken with vntrue reports and most vnconscionable calumniations some giuing oute that I was euer of a presumptuous spirit but they are such as haue against all conscience and good nature most vnnaturally wronged mee as diuers of the best Papists haue heretofore iudged and can yet witnesse Others that I am bereaued of my right wits and assuredly distracted in minde but they I presume are such as either know me not or else such as thinke there can be no greater madnes than to forsake the Church of Rome out of a misconceited persuasion they haue that truth is on their side whereof they haue such a preiudicate opinion without knowledge that they will not sticke to say that should they abandon the Romane faith they would sooner become Turkes than Protestants Others that I am drawne either by the desire of worldly libertie and preferments or by some carnall allurements to performe the will and desires of the flesh against all which vnchristian suggestions although I could in respect of my selfe with the buckler and safegard of patience and silence possesse mine owne soule in quietnesse and comfort knowing that the greatest temporall happinesse of a Christian is the testimonie of a good conscience yet notwithstanding for that my conscience giueth euidence that by them Gods singular mercie and prouidence most clearely shining in my conuersion should be eclipsed and his glorie most iniuriously wronged and many ouer-credulous spirits too too much abused I can doe no lesse in my thankfull dutie for so singular a receiued benefit than to illustrate the same to the eyes of the world that all seeing it Gods holy name may be glorified herein and others that walke awry be inuited and edified by my example which I cannot better performe then by giuing publike testimonie to the world in writing of the true occasions meanes and motiues of my conuersion as by these my doctrinall and morall obseruations I trust through Gods grace I shall performe 5 The truth is and I cannot denie it The difficulties of my conuersion that this my change and conuersion from the faith of Rome to the faith of England was euen beset with manifold difficulties oppositions barres and obstacles long hindering delaying this worke which consisting of the inward act of resolution in the soule strengthened by Gods especiall grace with comfort Tho. Aq. 12. q. Cxiij art 7. at length was performed in an instant For first it is wel knowne I was armed against it by my continuall education and example of my parents in the doctrine and practise of the Romane faith which I was persuaded to haue been Catholike Education one let euen from my first yeares of vnderstanding for common experience sheweth that of the Poet to be most true Quo semel est
imbuta recens seruabit odorem testa diu Euery vessell retaineth long the sauor of that liquor which is first put into it yea the tender twigge in growth enclineth alwayes that way vnto which it was first bowed by the Gardeners hand whether to straightnesse or crookednesse such was my disposition to the faith of Rome and vnapt to any other by my breeding had not the father of mercies and God of all comforts by his powerfull hand guided me to this vnto which now I am come through his gracious goodnesse Secondly I was further armed against this my happie conuersion by my function and calling in the Romane Church to the state of Priesthood wherein I consecrated all my studies labours My function another let and endeuors to fortifie and strengthen my selfe in the doctrine of that Church and also to induce others thereunto esteeming my endeuours in reducing any to that religion so pleasing to God as none could be greater setting alwaies before mine eyes that of S. Iames Iacob 5. vers 20. He that maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errors of his waies shall saue his soule from death The consideration of which promise in those my labours and trauels whether by day or by night by land or by sea whether in danger or safetie whether in want or abundance whether with infamie or good fame whether with fauors or threatnings whether ith libertie or imprisonment whether with crosses or prosperitie whether amongst my friends or in banishment made them all most sweete The successe of my practise another let easie and pleasant vnto me Thirdly I was moreouer armed against this my conuersion by the successefull practise of this my function which I alwaies performed with most desired comfort vnto my selfe in the ignorant blindnesse I then liued in and with competent satisfaction and contentment vnto others whom I thought profitably to haue either purchased to Christ by his grace or confirmed in that faith Oh what heart is there that will not be flattered with prosperous euents in the course they labour in and grow foolishly bewitched with pride in their owne doings selfe-loue and felicitie being like the two poles Artike and Antartike vpon which the whole course and frame of a foolish mans life hath his dependance Loue to friends another let Fourthly I was armed against this my conuersion by the great mutuall loue which was betweene me and many chiefe and great persons professing the Romane faith with me and suffering much temporall detriment for the same who I assure my selfe were so tenderly affected vnto me that as I could not be without a ioyfull or sorrowfull feeling of their good or euill so neither could they be without the like affection towards me I cannot vtter how much I was held backe by this ginne and temptation of naturall friendship which long like lime-twigges held the affections of my soule from being able to find wings for the flight which I haue now made hauing through Gods grace receiued feathers like the Doue to flâ—e vt requiescam Psal 54. vers 7. to rest and repose my selfe in the fruitfull boughes of the little Mustard-seede mentioned by Christ Matth. 13. vers 31. where I may with experience of Gods comforts now say with his daughter in the Canticles Fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo Cant. 2. vers 3. his fruit is sweete vnto my tast Fifthly Example of parents and kinred another let I was moreouer armed against this my conuersion by the example of most of mine owne kindred who were alwaies and still are resolute and constant professors of the Romane faith whose conuersions with mine I most heartily wish in the tender bowels of Christ Iesus Here it may be well considered how much my soule partly solicited by the loue of truth and strongly yet held fast in the traiterous affection of flesh and bloud was turmoiled in this conflict against two aduerse powers the one inuiting me to heauen the other weighing me downe vnto earth the one shewing me the way to God the other holding me from him by the heauinesse of naturall affection Sixtly Externall reputation another let the reputation and good opinion I found that both the Romish Clergie and Laitie had of me might well haue ouerswayed any man that was not a master ouer selfe-loue and a contemner of vaineglorie There is no man of experience but knoweth well that in all outward shew the Clergie of Rome here in England amongst their professors are much more held in reuerence and respectiue regard than those of the Clergie of England by their followers many things of doctrine and practise tending more to their magnifying and glorie as first the doctrine of auricular confession which breedeth an extraordinarie awfulnesse towards them and secondly a continuall practise the Papists of England haue to aske their Priests daily blessing kneeling vnto them a kind of humiliation not vsed to euery Priest in any countrey but in England Seuenthly Naturall perplexitie another let I was armed further against this my conuersion by an extraordinarie heauinesse I apprehended it would breede to those whom I had in former times reconciled to the Church of Rome thinking they would rather grieue for me as one lapsed than follow mee as one risen vnlesse it should please God by his especiall grace to giue them the like occasions to finde out the truth as out of his fatherly prouidence he gaue vnto me Oh what inward conflicts The conflicts going before my conuersion almost insufferable did these considerations breede in my very soule so long habituated in the Romane faith and practised in that Religion How often did they stop me in my way to Christ and from the incorporation to his true Church How was my poore soule here enuironed with perplexed assaults of flesh and bloud of selfe-loue of naturall affection to my friends and as I conceiued then of supernaturall affection and zeale to my ghostly children Ah how manie powerfull arguments of humane wisedome did wrastle against my poore vnderstanding and against the light of grace Gods inspirations often illustrating my soule with the beames of his heauenly truth which I set too lightly of as of temptations the resistance whereof I then thought was meritorious howsoeuer I striued in my conuersation outwardly to shadow them faining a counterfeit quietnesse and calmenesse of mind when I was most violently tossed and troubled in mine owne conscience The nights could not affoord me ordinarie rest and repose but often when I thought to ouercome these conflicts betwixt falsehood and truth by taking my vsuall rest euen in my sleepe I should find suddaine daies of grace and spirituall light to awaken me and to enforce me to take delight in the Sunne-shine of truth which as I had not grace then to conceiue as I should I held to be but illusorie flashes of the Angell of darknesse transforming himselfe into the similitude and likenesse of the Angell of
any displeasure of the State then can I now doe no lesse in satisfaction to God and the world being now enlightned with truth it selfe than to shew a more earnest zeale burning charitie towards your conuersions from the former errors laboring to reduce you vnto the same light of Catholike truth whereto I my selfe am called that whereas I haue formerly wronged the soules of many in the time of my blindnesse by diuers labors and exhortations and the wrong ministration of the blessed Sacrament but vnder one forme vnto you quite contrarie to Christs institution and commaundement reioycing therein I may now in the time of better knowledge endeuor to make part of amends by vsing any possible paines to informe you rightly of the same way which it hath pleased God to call me vnto The true motiue of my conuersion the third cause Thirdly that you may haue true notice that not any temporall motiue hath wrought this change in me not persuasion of any worldly friend for till my conuersion I conuersed with none ordinarily but those of the Romane profession not naturall affection to kindred because my neerest and deerest friends of bloud are of that faith and gentlemen of worshipfull qualitie not want for mine owne meanes haue beene able contentedly to maintaine me with such helpes as the practise of my function drew vnto me besides the loue and willingnesse of many good friends most readie to assist me in all my needes not inordinate affection to carnall delights vnapprouable by Gods word for I thanke God I am free from all such or any other as farre as I know who am best able to examine mine owne conscience in this behalfe 8 Accept therefore I beseech you deere Recusants vnto whom I wish as much good as to mine owne soule To Recusants and all happinesse in the most tender bowels of Christ Iesus these my ensuing obseruations grounded vpon the sacred letters and the doctrine of the ancient Church earnestly praying to God they may beare the same sway with your vnderstanding and will as they haue with mine for your inducement to a perfect conuersion of your soules according to my example vnto the true worship of God in the true Catholike English Church whose doctrine you may find agreeable to the true grounds of Christianitie and the doctrine of the primitiue Church as I doubt not but you may most cleerely perceiue if you will vouchsafe without all passion and peruerse affection to peruse my obseruations which as they haue been powerfull to worke my true conuersion so from the truest affections of my soule I wish they may be as profitable vnto you for your reduction vnto the same most true Catholike faith with abundance of Gods blessings to your soules with perfect allegeance to your lawfull Soueraigne with edification to his Church with true contentment and peace to your hearts with quietnesse to your present life and euerlasting glorie to your life to come through the grace and mercie of our Lord Iesus CHAP. II. Containing an obseruation of Gods prouidence in ministring occasions of times places and persons concurring to my conuersion SVch is the mercifull prouidence of Almightie God which reacheth from one end to another mightily and sweetly ordereth all things Gods prouidence ordereth all things Sap. 8. vers 1. that as he disposeth all humane actions to happen in fit times so doth he suffer fit accidents and occasions to fall out that the workes which he intendeth by men may haue successe answerable to his will and designements Qui mundum per seipsum regit Greg. lib. 14. Mor. cap. 26. ante medium quem per seipsum condidit who as Gregorie sayth ruleth the world by himselfe which by himselfe he created For his vnderstanding and will being the cause of all thinges as the great Doctor of the Romane Church teacheth Tho. Aq. part 1. q. 19. in corpore Qui operatur omnia secundum consilium voluntatis suae who worketh all things according to the purpose of his will as Saint Paule affirmeth Ephes 1. vers 11. and his will being knowne as the Schoole-men teach by diuers signes as by prohibition permission of euill Thom. Aqu. part 1. q. 19. operation of good and by precepts c. Saint Augustine also saying August enchirid c. 29. in fine Tom. 3. Nihil fit nisi omnipotens fieri velit vel sinendo vt fiat vel faciendo Nothing is done but what the Almightie will haue done eyther by suffering it to be done or by doing it it followeth by necessarie consequence that all occasions helpes and benefits of his creatures subordinately concurring to euerie act of his will proceedeth from his prouidence and wisedome 2 Hence My bond of gratitude to Gods prouidence gentle Reader I obserue in how strong bands of dutifull thankfulnesse I stand obliged vnto God for ministring vnto me at seuerall times and in seuerall places and vpon different occurrences such occasions and meanes to search and examine the controuersies of religion betwixt the Romane and English Church that whilest by my studies and labours my purpose designement was to draw others into the net of Rome I my selfe was led into the sheepefold wherof Christ in heauen is the chiefe Pastor wherein I see truly verified that of King Dauid Psal 13. vers 2. Dominus de coelo prospexit vt videat si est intelligens aut requirens Deū the Lord looked down from heauē vpon the children of men to see if there were any that did vnderstand and seeke God who neuer ceaseth to minister occasions and means concurring to the good of his seruants Matth. 11. ver 1. who numbreth all the haires of their heads in his knowledge and suffereth not any thing to happen without his prouidence vnto them For so we find that Abrahams exile concurred to his greater good Gen. 11. vers 1. Gen. 22. vers 29. Gen 37. vers 18 the commandement of Isaacks Sacrifice gaue occasion to approue Abrahams faith the felling of Ioseph by his brethren and his imprisonment were occasions concurring to his greater glory and to the manifestation of his vertues Exod. 2. vers 3. and Gods more singular prouidence towards him the laying of Moses by the brinke of the riuer 1. Reg. 17. vers 6. the often deliuerie of Dauid from Sauls furie the feeding of Elias with bread and flesh by Rauens the preseruation of Daniel in the denne of Lions Dan. 6. vers 22. Dan. 3.20.24 the protection of the three Children in the Babilonian furnace doe most cleerely shew how by this prouidence of God all occasions and circumstances of mens liues do concurre to the happines of his chosen seruants and therefore most truly singeth the Psalmist Psal 90. vers 1. Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi in protectione Dei coeli commorabitur he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almightie
find also the wise Salomon to affirme that Gods words will make a man vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euery good path I find likewise in Saint Luke and other Euangelists Luke 1. vers 4. These things are written that we might haue the certaintie of that whereof we are instructed and that we might beleeue in Iesus and in beleeuing haue life eternall through his name I find further that Christ saith Search the Scriptures Ioh. 20. vers 31. for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee as also in another place When one asked Christ what he might do to be saued Luk. 10. vers 26. he referreth him to the Scriptures for his direction saying What is written in the Law So did Abraham answere the rich Glutton They haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 I find also Saint Paul free from all exception herein saying The Scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. vers 15. Vers 16. Vers 17. through the faith that is in Christ Iesus and are profitable to teach to improue to conuert to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to euery good worke And in another place we may not presume aboue that which is written I find likewise Saint Peter to accord with Saint Paul 2. Pet. 1.19 when hee saith Wee haue a more sure word of the Prophets whererunto wee cannot take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and till the day-starre arise in our hearts Many more proofes would the canonicall Scriptures afford to the same effect therefore since by the premised places of Scripture I see that he that speaketh not according to the word of God hath no light in him since the Scriptures can make vs know righteousnesse iudgement equitie and euery good path since they were written that we might haue certainty in that we are instructed in and beleeuing haue life eternall since we are sent to the Scriptures by Christ since they are able to make vs wise to saluation since they are profitable to make vs perfect to euery good worke since it is presumption to go aboue that which is written since the Prophets be our light in darknesse what better rule can we haue of our faith what can excuse any mans ignorance that knoweth this or what an obstinate wilfulnesse were it for me that knowing these testimonies of Scripture shall not beleeue them or why should I not thinke that the Church of England hath not the best reed or mete-wand to measure the truth of her doctrine by when she teacheth Juel Apol. part 2. cap. 9. diuis 1. That the Scripture comprehended in the canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament is the rule of faith so farre that whatsoeuer is not read therein or cannot be proued thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed 4 Which doctrine cannot be shaken or ouerthrowne By proofes of Fathers if we esteeme the authoritie of the learned who do most plentifully giue witnesse and vnanswerable proofes for the same S. Basil who liued in the fourth centurie after Christ saith Let the holy Scriptures be arbitrators betweene vs Basil opist 80. ad Eustac medicum pag. 334. and whosoeuer hold opinions consonant to those heauenly oracles let the truth be adiudged on their side And Optatus disputing against a Donatist presseth him thus Contra Parmem lib. 5. pag 393. We are saith he to equire out some to be iudges betweene vs in these controuersies The Christians cannot because both sides cannot yeeld them and by parts taking the truth shall be hindered The Iudge must be had from without our selues If a Pagan he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie if a Iew he is an enemie to Baptisme therefore vpon the earth no iudgement concerning this matter can bee found the Iudge must be had from heauen but to what end should we kocke at heauen when heere we haue one in the Gospell Heere we see Saint Basil appeales for iudgement to the Scriptures and so Optatus likewise to the Gospell no acknowledgement here of other arbitrement vpon earth What shall I speake of Tertullion who is most plaine for me Tertul. contra Hermog calling the Scriptures the rule of faith The golden-mouthed Chrysostome will not heere forsake me who termeth the Scriptures Chrysost hom 13. in 2. Cor. Hom. 3. de Laz. A most exquisite rule and exact squier and ballance to trie all things by And also in another place saith God hath left vs the Scriptures more firme then any miracle And vpon the Acts of the Apostles discourseth very fitly to this purpose Chrysost hom 33. in Act. A Gentile saith hee commeth and saith I would bee a Christian but I know not which side to cleaue vnto many dissensions are among you and I cannot tell which opinion to hold euery one saith I speake the truth and the Scriptures on both sides are pretended so that I know not whom to beleeue to this Chrysostome replieth Truly saith he this maketh much for vs for well might you be troubled if we should say we relie vpon reason but seeing we take the Scriptures which are so true and plaine it will be an easie matter for you to iudge And tel me now hast thou any wit or iudgement Note this for it is not the part of a man barely to receiue whatsoeuer he heareth but if thou marke the meaning thou mayest throughly know that which is good when thou buyest a garment though thou hast no skill in wearing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they deceiue me but thou doest all things that thou mayest learne to know it say not then I am no scholler and will be no iudge I can condemne no opinion for this is but a shift and a cauill and let vs not vse it for all these things are easie There is nothing can bee more cleere for this most sufficient rule of faith then that which is written by this ancient Author of the imperfect worke falsely fathered as some thinke vpon Saint Chrysostome whom because he is often alleaged by the learned of the Romane Church I will also alleage against them this Author expounding those of Saint Matthew Chrysost opus imperfect hom 49. Then those that are in Iurie let them flie vnto the mountaines explicateth them thus that is they that are Christians let them repaire vnto the Scriptures The mountaines are the writings of the Apostles and Prophets and wherefore doth he at that time command all Christians to repaire to the Scriptures because in that time heresie hath obtained the Curches there can be no proofe of true Christianity neither can there be other refuge for Christians which shall desire to know the truth of faith but the sacred Scriptures Before it was many wayes shewed which was
true Catholike Church and desiring not to shew my selfe altogether ingrate vnto Gods so great mercie I haue freely decreed to consecrate and offer vp my selfe wholly vnto his diuine seruice for attaining as much as in me lieth to the end of the said Colledge and I doe promise and confirme by this mine Oath vnto Almightie God that I am and shall bee euer most ready in minde by the assistance of his holy Grace to receiue in due time holy Orders and to returne into England there to gaine soules whensoeuer the Superiour of this Colledge shall thinke good by vertue of his office to command me thereunto For the taking of so vnlawfull an Oath in such my blindnesse against the lawfull power and authoritie of the Gouernours of this Realme with contempt of their Lawes to the contrarie as also for the practise of the contents therein specified vpon false supposition of gaining soules to God whilest I drew them from God from my heart I repent me crauing pardon of God and his Maiestie with diuers others whom I haue offended and grieuously prouoked their iust indignation against me acknowledging that I may truely say vnto God with the prodigall Sonne that wasted his substance in a farre Countrie I will goe to my Father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Luke 15. v. 21. I am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne If thou curteous Reader art as I was glorifie the name of God in the view of thy errours which I hope by this Treatise sufficiently to lay open vnto thee turning to God who is mild and mercifull to all true penitent sinners purposing amendment and acknowledging their sinnes and if thou art otherwise let mee intreat thee for the loue of God to giue him thankes for mee and thou thy selfe to bee constant and firme in the Faith of the present Church of England which teacheth the true Christian Apostolike and Ancient faith in which through Gods grace we may be saued CHAP. IX Containeth an obseruation of the Wonders and supposed Miracles which as Christ hath fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and Prophets shall doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible AMongst the diuers markes which Cardinall Ballarmine brings to shew vs which is the true Church Miracles make more for the Church of England than for the Church of Rome and to which societie of Christian beleeuers were ought to ioyne our selues to bee true children of Christ hee vrgeth for his eleuenth Marke the glorie of Miracles in these wordes Miracles are necessarie to perswade men to a new faith Bellarm. de notis Eccles l. 4. c. 14. in Epitome or to an extraordinarie mission and are sufficient and efficacious to proue the same so that where true Miracles are found without doubt there is the true Faith Which Assertion when I considered deepely with due obseruation of all points of doctrine concerning the working of Miracles I found this Marke to make as much for the Faith of the present English Church for that it is the same which being new in the Apostles time was confirmed in the hearts of all beleeuers by the Miracles of the Apostles and holy Men of the Primitiue Church at the first planting of the Christian Faith and hereby I am put in minde that as Aristotle saith Aristoteles Prudentis est distinguere it is the part of a prudent man to distinguish betwixt times times betwixt doctrines faithfully compare the beleeuers of the first Ages euen of Rome it selfe with those of after-ages which as I indeuoured to performe in examining this marke of miracles I obserue that vnlesse it were done with great prudence infinite numbers may bee carried simply and ignorantly into grosse errors to the great impeachment of Gods glorie and miserable seduction of their owne soules and therefore to lay downe this obseruation I thought it good to vse extraordinary diligence that therewith all I might be the more assured of truth that the world may clearely see that this pretence of Miracles maketh nothing at all for the present faith of Rome but onely against it shewing the Professours thereof not to bee true Christians 2 For albeit it be a truh not to be denied al that do miracles doe not true miracles that all true miracles can onely be done by God yet doth it not follow that all that doe miracles doe true miracles and such as are done by him for to euery true miracle foure things are required as a learned Roman Teacher affirmeth First Foure thinges required to true miracles Io. de Combis in compend Theolog verit lib. 1. ca. 20. it must be of God Secondly it must be beyond nature Thirdly it must be euident Fourthly it must be fore the corroboration of Faith Therefore if any of these foure be wanting it may bee called a Maruell but not a Miracle Therefore it is also to bee knowne that the Diuell can doe miracles though not true miracles yet such miracles as to men may seeme true miracles for Thomas Aquinas saith and that very truly out of S. Augustine That miracles by art Magicke are made Aug. lib. 83. q. 79 Tom. 4. Part. 1. q. 14. q. 4. Sed contra which are altogether like vnto those miracles which are done by the seruants of God which he explicateth dogmatically after this manner If a miracle be taken properly the Diuels cannot doe miracles nor any other creature but onely God because a miracle properly is termed that which is beyond the order of anie nature created Yet sometimes in a large sense that is called a miracle which exceedeth the faculty and vnderstanding of man and so the diuells can doe miracles which men admire in that they exceede their power and knowledge For one man when he doth any thing tha is aboue the power and knowledge of an other man he leadeth the other into an admiration of his worke that in some sort he seemeth to do a miracle Yet it is to be vnderstood that albeit such workes of Diuells which seeme miracles vnto vs reâ—ch not vnot the true nature of miracles they are notwithstanding sometimes true things As when sire fell from heauen and with one blowe consumed the familie of Iob with all the heards of his cattell and a whirlewinde ouerthrew the house Aug. 20. de Ciuitae Dei c. 19. slew his children which were the workes of Sathan were not fantasmes as Augustine saith And therefore well doth Saint augustine say in an other place speaking of the lying miracles of Antichrist as he same Doctour noteth That the workes of Antichrist may bee called signes of lying Li. 83. q. 79. to 4. eyther because hee will deceiue mortall senses by phantasmes seeming to doe that which hee doth not or because that if they bee true Prodigies yet they drawe those that shall beleeue them to a lie Hence the same Doctour Saint Augustine saieth Aug. li. 83. q. 79. a
medio tom 4. That when Sorcerers doe those thinges which Saints doe they are don for a different end and by a different power for Sorcerers doe them seeking their owne glorie Saints doe them seeking the glorie of God Sorcerers doe them by certaine priuate contracts Saints doe them by publique administration and commaund of God vnto whom all things created are subiect 3 Now therefore since seeming miracles done by the Diuell The true Catholike church the approuer of true miracles exceeding the ordinarie power of Nature may deceiue many if they iudge their Doctrine by them and for that it is hard for a man to bee able to say whether a miracle bee done by the power of almighty God or by the power of the Diuell because both exceede our vnderstanding and the ordinarie course of Nature it stoode mee vppon to search out some infallible meanes by which I might bee assured that they were true miracles and such as I might confidently relie vppon In which scrutinie I could finde no better rule than to obserue whether they bee done in the Catholique Church or no which I doe learne out of Saint Augustine Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. saying Whatsoeuer things of this quality are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore they are to bee approued because they are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore shee is not manifested Catholicke because those thinges are done in her Whereby it is cleere that miracles absolutely are not a proofe of the Catholicke Church but the Catholicke Church an approouer of true miracles whence it followeth That the miracles of the Primitiue Church were not so much a confirmation of her truth as her truth a confirmation of them Whence I obserue further That the present Church of Rome not beeing the true Catholicke Church because shee teacheth not the true Catholicke ancient Faith without mixture of many nouelties doth in vaine all eadge miracles in her behalfe which for that they are done out of the true Church are to bee reckoned amongst Antichrists lying signes prodigies Therefore I may pronounce confidently with S. Aug. vnto the Papists I say not that these things are so Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. because such a one did such and such maruailes but let them proue their Church by the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and by nothing else these are the demonstrations of our cause Note this these are our foundations these are our grounds whereupon we build Whereby wee see Miracles excluded from beeing a marke of the Church as the Cardinall Bellarmine would faine perswade the world that so his Romaine Church might bee approued for the true Church of God Vnapproueable therefore is the assertion of master D. Hill who chalengeth much vnto the Roman Church by her glorie of miracles wrought by her Saints his words are these The tenth reason of this quarterne Now it is so manifest that there haue beene an infinite number of miracles wrought by those who were of the Catholicke Romaine Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christs time as he who shall deny it may bee prooued no lesse impudent and shamlesse than bee who shall denie that euer there was any Masse said in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that there bee any such countries as the East and West-Indies which thing if a man should denie would hee not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or afoole In which words because Master Doctor Hill seemeth much to forget himselfe I must needs refresh his memorie with some few interrogatories What master Doctor I pray since Christs time did not Simmon Magus worke miracles who as Baronius saith Baron an 68. nu 22. made images to walke and would lie in the fire without hurt and flie in the ayre and make bread of stones hee could open doores fast shut and vnloose bands of iron and had many shadowes following him as it had been men Will you say he was a Roman Catholike Tacit. lib. 4. did not Vespasian the Emperour at Alexandria restore a blind man to sight will you say hee was a Roman Catholike Who be they Christ spake of when he said Matth. 7 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great workes and then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie What will you say that these workers of miracles and also of iniquity were of your Catholike Romane religion What think you of those Saint Augustine speaketh of August de vnit Eccles cap. 16. saying If there be done some miracles of heretikes we ought the more to take heed because when the Lord had said that there should be some deceiuers who by doing many signes should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible he did adde commending it vehemently said behold I haue foretold it vnto you What will you grant all these were of the Catholike Romane religion August tract 13. in loan What will you say vnto the same ancient Doctor in another place where he saith Against these miracle-mongers as I may so call them my God hath made mee warie saying In the last times there shall arise false Prophets doing signes and wonders What will you grant none of these to be yet come or will you grant them all to be of your religion What will you say to your Country-man Prompt mor. part aestiu pag. 627. dom 24. nu 4. Master Doctor Stapleton publike professor of Diuinitie in Louaine and if I mistake not your acquaintance in Doway who saith For the more triall of the godly not onely Antichrist himselfe and his nearest forerunners but all heretikes also may do true miracles by the permission of God as the sorcerers may doe Will you grant such forerunners and Heretikes to be of your Catholike Romane religion or will you say Doctor Stapleton erreth in calling them true miracles or will you recant your former assertion acknowledging your former mistaking and then shall I be as glad as now I haue commiseration of your error beseeching God in the meane time of his infinit mercie that you may see both your owne error and the errors of others of the present Romane religion and how different it is from the ancient Roman religion which in Saint Pauls dayes was famous through the world For my part I could not but vpon these and other considerations obserue the Church of England to be free from such false Prophets and Pseudochrists that they miracles as Christ fore told should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible for neither doe they pretend themselues to worke miracles and so to hunt after their owne estimation and applause for their holines as the teachers of the Roman Church do neither do they hold
three-crowned monarch or rather monster who is so humble in the phrase of his Title and so glorious in statelinesse of his Crowne In words likewise his Holinesse is Vicarius Christi but in his actions he seemes opposite to Christ as when hee taketh away Christs bloud from the lay people in the sacrament And that holy Pope shewed himselfe but a bad Vicar Balaeus in vit Pontific in Leo. 10. that with a blasphemous and sacrilegious tongue called al the beliefe we haue of Christ Fabulam a fable or tale It is a verball matter in the Pope to be called Petri successor the successour of Peter Platin. in Io. 10. but it is a reall true thing that à Petrivestigijs discessit potestate seculari hee swarued from Peters steppes by secular power becomming more like to Constantine than to Saint Peter Bern. de consid lib. 4. nay rather like to Simon Magus in thr sale of holie things than vnto Simon Peter in the free gift of them who had neither siluer nor gold yet gaue them freely in the name of Iesus Christ Acts 3. v. 6. It is also a verball matter for his Holinesse to be called clauiger regni coelorum the porter or key-keeper of heauen gates but it is a reall thing that hee leadeth many into hell in the mean while a caue at is giuen that etsi innumerabiles sectum animas due at ad infernum nemo tamen illum iudicet Dift 40. si Papa although hee leade innumerable soules with him to hell yet none iudges him No man may presume to say vnto him Curita facis Why dost thou so It is but a verball thing which Casuists teach when they say Em. Sa. verbo litterae 1. Literas alienas aperire legere mortale est nisi sit scribentis superior It is a mortall sinne to reade and open other mens letters vnlesse he be superior to him that writeth them But it was more than verball when a deuoted follower of the Iesuites went to the master of the Postes in Bruxells and there paied for a Packet of Letters sent to a Benedictin Monke out of Spaine pretending that he was his friend and affirming that he would see them safly deliuerd to the party to whom they were directed yet first he was so friendly vnto him that he opened the packet of Letters went and shewed them to the Iesuite Legier in Bruxells and when all was done caused them by the helpe and light hand of a trustie Iesuited Ladie cunning both in opening and sealing enclosed them vp againe so artificially excepting one which was of greatest importance that miscaried yet by gulling a fourth person sent them at length to the honest Moncke to whom they were directed Is not this verie curteous charitie in the religious Iesuite towardes his religious brother of an other Order professing with him the like euangelicall Councels of perfection this is no hypocrisie but curtesie This is but kind charitie to pay for an other mans letters and to send them to the owner without suffering him to pay postage to take away one letter of most weight whereupon the whole busines of the Benedictins affaires written from their Prouinciall in Spaine belike with them is but a part of friendship nam amicorum omnia sunt communia all things are common amongst friends Fie vpon this holinesse of such a religions professor of Euangelicall perfection thus peremptorily to intrude himselfe into his brothers secrets thus vncharitably to abuse the loue of his friendes good natures as to make them instruments of so vnchristian inciuilitie and so wickedly against all iustice and right reason to put the poore Monke to write againe into Spaine to his Generall before he could proceede in the affaires of his Order a good Machiauillian tricke to take aduantage of time but certes no man can hold it an honest part in a religious man Many presidents of this kinde of Pharisaicall hypocrisie might be alleaged but that I delight not to make long stay in the relation or thinking of such impieties 7 Lastly The fourth kind of Romish hypocrisie the fourth kind of Pharisaicall hypocrisie which I obserue to abound in the church of Rome consisteth in seeking the praise and glory of man for from what source can it proceed that the Pope should so ambitiously hunt after the supreame loueraignetie ouer all Clergie-men and Kings but the vaine desire of his owne glory and greatnes in this world which all men should admire and praise what should cause the Iesuites more than other religious to seeke the gouernement of the secular Priests in the Colledges but the glorie of themselues or the vnsatiable desire of praise as men that would be thought the chiefe and strongest pillars of the Catholike Romaine faith in England what sense or reason can moue them if they had any care of their owne body and corporation to meddle in such a corporation as is distinct from theirs and in no points of Euangelicall perfection agreeing with them But such is the prouidence of God permitting their busie heads to be troubled so much with other mens affaires that they loose all spirit of their pretended religious perfections and setting still other men together at variance for their owne vaineglorious designements they neglect the care of their owne profession hinder others and breede a confusion in their whole Church of diuided affections which at last may bee hoped will cause the vtter ruine and desolation of the Papacie that so the trueth may preuaile and the tyrannie of Antichrist come to an end notwithstanding all their goodly pretences of doing all things Ad maiorem Dei gloriam which euery good Christian aymeth at aswell as they Now therefore of such hypocrites wee may say with good reason It were behouefull that these dregges of men were cut off and burnt that with their filth they should no longer defile Gods seruice Polidor Virgil. inuent l. 7. c. 5. as Polidore Virgil saide of others pretending the same Euangelicall perfection and much greater than these doe 8 Now the due obseruation of this Pharisaicall hypocrisie The Romane hypocrisie a good inducement to make any man abandon that Church not to abound any where so much as in the Church of Rome seemed vnto me as a most probable argument to induce me to relinquish all societie with her and her teachers whereof my selfe was one for if Christ bad beware of them I should haue beene too disobedient to his commaund if I should any longer haue staied my-selfe in the communion of their Church when I considered many Vas and woes pronounced by the Sonne of God to fall vpon all kinde of hypocriticall Pharisies I could not but conceiue a great daunger in staying longer with them in the participation of their Sacraments and in the doctrine of their Beliefe which I found to bee so much replenished both with doctrine and workes of hypocrisie that I may truely say of the most
adore it but all the rest standing by and that are present although they receiue not Fourthly when it is set forth vpon the Altar for publike praier as experience sheweth in their fortie houres prater By which it is apparent how frequently the Church of Rome enforceth men to giue that worship which is only due to God vnto the Creature which is by them to bee worshipped as God For the Councell wordes are these Sess â—3 can 6. de sacr Euchar. If any shall say that Christ the only begotten Sonne of God is not to be adored in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria yea externall and therefore not to bee worshipped with any peculiar festiuall collebritie nor the bee carried solemnely in Processions according to the laudable and vniuersall rite and custome of the holy Church or not to bee proposed to the people to bee adored and the adorers thereof to be Idolaters be he accursed Here is a strange peece of doctrine yet is it not vnaccompanied with the malediction of the Bishop of Rome I cannot obserue any place or passage of Scripture that makes for this doctrine no neither doth Stephanus Durantus cite either Scripture or other auncient Father that maketh for this Latria worship whence it followeth that it is a new doctrine vnheard of in the primer ages of Christs Church onely this I note that he citeth some auncient Fathers seeming to approue the worship of Christ in Heauen when they behold the Sacrament yea and also some kind of reuerence to the Sacrament but no such as is due to God but rather as may be thought such a kind of reuerence as is vsed in Baptisme and fit to bee vsed in the vse of signes of holy things and therefore to conclude since in the sacrifice of the Masse where the consecrated Hoast must be adored with Latria-worship most detestable Idolatrie is committed I could not but with a great dislike of so foule an abuse in doctrine disauow that Sacrifice of the Masse and hold it most abhominable in the sight of Almightie God Hence I conceiued the more worthily of his Maiesties iudgement and learning for if the verie essentiall parts of the publike sacrifice of the Masse haue no warrant in Scripture and the essentiall part thereof so idolatrous he might well confidently affirme of priuat Masse Praemonit If the Romish Church hath ioyned new articles of faith neuer heard of in the first 500 yeres after Christ I hope I shall neuer be condemned for an Heretike for not being a Nouleist Such are the priuat Masses where the Priest playeth the part both of the Priest and of the people For what an absurd thing is it for the Priest to say Dominus vobiscuÌ„ or orate fratres The Lord be with you or pray ye brethren or to turn about as if there were people to answere when nothing but bare wals appeareth saying Ite Missâ— est Go ye Masse is done Nay what a ridiculous prayer is it wheÌ„ the Priest saith vnto God none being present but either a man or a woman playing the office of a clerke Memento Domina famuloruÌ„ famularum In Can. Missae que tuaruÌ„ omniuÌ„ circuÌ„stantiuÌ„ queruÌ„ ubi fides cognita est nota deuotio pro qubius tibi offerimus c. Remember O Lord thy men-seruants and women-seruants and all that stand round about whose faith and deuotion is manifest and knowne vnto thee This is as ridiculous a false prayer as that which the Priests alwayes say vpon the feast of an ordinarie Confessor Ad sacrum cuius tumulum frequenter Membra languentum modo sanitati Quolibet morbo fuerint grauata Restituuntur Breuiar in com mu. Confessorum Vnder nunc noster chorus in honorem Ipsius hymnum canit hunc libenter Vt pijs eius meritis iuuemur Omne per aeuum Englished thus At whose sacred Tombe sicke people Euen now often with whatsoeuer Diseases they are oppressed are restored To health Our Quier therefore now in honor Of him singeth this Hymne willingly That by his pious merits we may be Holpen for euer Is not this strange that so notorious a lye must by millions of Romish Priests be sung and said vpon the Feasts of such Confessors at whose Tombes not so much as a lame dogge was euer cured and yet they sticke not to say that often and from euerie disease they are cured But by this it may be gathered that the Romish Church hath little care what she alloweth or practiseth how grosse or absurd soeuer it be so long as her erronious doctrines may either be beleeued or practised and hence shee suffereth the Latria-worship of the Hoast to be instilled into the vulgar sort of people without any remorse or scruple for so vnwarrantable an error 5 Now as for the ceremonies of the Masse The ceremonie of the Masse hath no certaine signification as I haue beene carefull to learne their meaning and significations thereby haue I also found as great cause to disgust the sacrifice of the Masse as for the former for so vncertaine is the disagreement of Romish Authors about them as none can be greater Michael the Suffragane of Mets tels vs The Amies that the Humerale which is made of thinne linnen Michael Suffragan Mongunt explic myst sacrosanct nus yet pure and cleane couering the Priests head signifieth Christs Diuinitie couered with fraile humane flesh free and cleane from sinne In another place he sayth That it designeth the indefatigable labour of doing good and chastitie of bodie and minde but Iacobus de Voragine sayth Iac. de Vor. ser de Sanct. de celibrat Mis ser 1. De ritibus eccle Catho c. 9. ff 6. Lib. 2. de sacra part 4. Part. 4 q 26. That it signifieth the Helmet of Saluation because he must appoach to the Altar with hope and confidence Stephanus Durantus that thereby is vnderstood the custodie of a mans mouth Hugo de Sancto victorie and Alexander de Ales thinke it signifieth the vaile wherewith the perfidious Iewes did couer the face of Christ The Albe according to Michael the Suffragane because it is cleane and closed round about the Priest designeth the most entire conuersation of Christ amongst all The Albe Ibid. And in another place he sayth it admonisheth vs of the innocencie and puritie we receiue in Baptisme But Iacobus de Voragine Ibid. Vbi supra more like a souldior will haue it signifie Loricam iustitiae because that as the Albe couereth the Priest all ouer so doth Iustice with other vertues couer the soule Ibid. nu 9. Stephanus Durantus will haue it signifie the perseuerance of good workes Germanus will haue it signifie the brightnesse of the Godhead In Theor. rerum Ecclesiast and the shining conuersation of a Priest Againe it representeth the white garment wherewith Herode did mocke Christ Stephanus Eduensis Bishop sayth that it designeth the glorie of
haue heard reported once by an English Gentleman that serued sometimes amongst them of a Countriman of his who fighting against the Souldiers of the Reformed Religion in the Low Countries and finding his powder so moist that with often putting match to it it would not take fire in most blasphemous manner see swore in the Spanish tongue I vow to God that this day I thinke God is become a Lutheran For in very truth if the Texts which Viguerius citeth so confidently thinking by them to ouerthrow all the Lutheranes in the world be well and rightly vnderstood you shall finde them to be of no efficacie at all and to be but match powder without fire that is Scripture and his owne sense and priuate vnderstanding without the fire of the holy Ghost without the Spirit of truth and the comfortable Master teaching all truth for the prophecie of Esay only foresheweth how Christ the Messias comming into the world should Preach the remission of sinners to all in generall and deliuerie to those that liued in the darknesse of ignorance before the comming to Christ as the Gentills who should finde mercy and truth by Christ as well as the Iewes Neither will I denie which maketh nothing for Viguerius but that the remission of sinnes and also the remission of paines due to sinne is meant by the word Indulgence the infinite guilt of sinne and the eternall paine due to sinne in hell fire both which belong to sinne being taken away by the bloud of Christ and therefore if the eternall paine why not also the temporal what reseruation did Christ make or his Apostles to shew that the ternall pain should be remitted and the temporall be reserued only for the Pope to be pardoned by means of crosses medalls graines rings knotted cords and the like childish trinkets O miserable blindnesse that cannot discerne such grosse errours and so great a prophanation of Christs merites and satisfaction Sweet Iesu open the eyes of all that are thus blinded let them see how the sacred Scriptures are foolishly misapplied wickedly wrested racked and most impiously prophaned for the supporting of Romish nouelties I will not shew how impertinently other places are applied by Bellarmine for the confirmation of the same Romish errour my designement not being to write a whole Booke of Confutations but only to point at the chief obseruations I made in diuers points of religion inducing me from Romish errors and idolatries vnto the light of truth 4 Vpon further consideration of indulgences I find also The doctriue of Romish In dulgences not ancient that as they are not established by Scriptures rightly vnderstood so neither are they supported by antiquity in the primitiue age of the Church Bellar. cites Greg. the first to haue graunted Indulgences in the dayes of stations Bellar. de sacra poenit lib. 5. ca. 3 in 4. dist 20. q. 1 artic 3 quast 2. Alt. sum Theol. tract 6. ca. 9. for proofe wherof he citeth Thomas Aquinas and Altisiodorensis who was before Thomas hee citeth also Leo the third who as S. Lugderus writeth at Aquisgraue in the Pallace dedicated a Church to the blessed virgin Mary enduing the same Church with many indulgences He citeth besides Sergius the second about the yeere 844. who graunted indulgences of three yeares and of three Quadrigenaries vnto those that should visite the Church of S. Martin vpon the mountaine Spist de sanct Suuiberto apud Sur. tom 2 post S. Suuibert vpon the feast of the same Church He citeth likewise Vrban the second to haue graunted a plenary indulgence to those that went to the holy warres Hee citeth also Martine the fift to huae graunted a plenarie indulgence And the Councell of Trent to haue approued also the vse of Indulgences Amongst all which cited by Bellarmine Pope Gregorie the first liued in the sixt centurie Pope Leo the third who was successour to Pope Adrian the first liued in the eight centurie Sergius the second successor to Gregory the fourth liued in the ninth century Vrban the second successor to Victor the third liued in the eleuenth centurie Pope Martin the fift by some called Martin the third successour to Iohn the one and twentieth liued in the fifteenth centurie as appeareth in the French Iesuite Iames Gaultier Table Chron. de l'estate du Christianisme Now therefore when I doe seriouslie consider these assertions of Ioannes Viguerius and Cardinall Bellarmine for the practise of Indulgences the ancientest they cite is Gregory the great who liued in the sixt centurie which was after the sowing of much cockle and more heresies man being asleepe no such practise hauing beene knowne by anie Pope before then whereby it appeareth that their doctrine euen by their owne assertions about these pardons and indulgences is but a new doctrine lately sprung vp in the christian world and hath not the marke of Antiquitie to stand in defence of it 5 This I find also euen by Bishop Fisher to be most true Other late writers shew the noueltie of Indulgences who saith That so long as there was no care of Purgatorie no man sought after Pardons for on it dependeth the credite of Pardons When therefore Purgatorie was so lately knowne and receiued in the Church Assert Luther confut art 18. pag. 86. who now can maruell at Pardons that in the beginning of the Church there was no vse of them Pardon 's therefore began after that they had trembled a while at the paine of Purgatorie I find also that Durandus saieth There are few things to be affirmed for certainetie concerning Pardons 4. d. 20. q. 3. because the Scripture speaketh not expresly of them and the Saints Ambrose Hillarie Augustine Ierome speake not of them at all Caietane also the great Schooleman saith There can no certaintie be found of the beginning of paerdons There is no authoritie of the Scripture or auncient Fathers Greeke or Latine that bringeth it to our knowledge Tra Hat de Indulg ca. 1. And Alphonsus sheweth in verie plaine termes that they are but nouelties saying Their vse seeme to haue come but lately into the Church Haeres verbo Indulg And Henriquez a Iesuite often cited by the Readers in Rome hath these wordes There bee ceertaine late Dinines which affirme it is no rashnesse Sum mor. li. 7. cap. 3. if a man say the vse and practise of Indulgences is not from the Apostles times Now this beeing considered which these Writers esteemed most learned by their owne associates doe finde euen contrary to cardinall Bellarmine who citeth Scriptures for proofe of Indulgences that there is no mention of in the holy Scriptures nor Fathers nor the ancient Church I could not but conclude but that certainely they are nouelties not to bee embraced the doctrine of them is but cockle that ouergroweth the good corne it is after-comming and therefore not to be esteemed So that now finding no good ground of these Pardons I can find no truer
confession to the elder of the two and chiefly in respect of his authoritie The next morning shee went to him desiring him to heare her confession who being willing bad his companion to withdraw himselfe a little a side which he did yet sometimes casting his eies towardes them he perceiued that at euery sinne the Lady confessed a Toade went out of her mouth but being at last neare the point of confessing her most odious and detestable sinne where with her soule was charged for feare and shame shee durst not expresse it whereupon the yong religious Frier who stood at the end of the Chappell saw all the mentioned Toades returne againe into her mouth Soone after these two religious men departed and being vpon the way the yongest beganne to tell the elder that which hee had scene when the Lady was at confession with him wherby the elder vnderstood that the same Lady A strange tale about a Ladie not confessing all her sinnes willingly and to her knowledge had concealed some sinne which shee had not confessed who forthwith returned backe againe vnto her to admonish her to looke well to her conscience but alas hee found her dead And as hee praied to God for her three daies together at length shee appeared vnto him with a chaine of redde hot yron about her necke with two Serpents embracing her and sucking her breasts with two Toades in her cies from her mouth and nostrills issued forth fire and brimstone and about the haire of her head there were a great number of Lizardes who said vnto him O Father I am that accursed and miserable woman that two daies since made a confession vnto you but because I did willingly conceale the sinne of Adulterie and Incest behold I am damned for euer With that the Confessarius adiured her by the liuing God to declare two thinges vnto him first the signification and meaning of these diuers paines Vnto whom shee answered that the Lizards crawling about her head were for the punishment of the dressings shee wore about her head the two Toades which couered hereies were the punishment of her wanton and lasciuious lookes the flaming darts were for punishment of her detractions defamations foule and dishonest songs and speeches The two Serpents which sucke my breasts signifie the foule touchings which haue beene committed vpon mee The crueltie of the Dogges that deuoure my handes are punishments for mine owne vnchast touchings of my selfe and for that I haue giuen presents vnto my Louers out of the goodes wherewith I might haue relecued the poore Seruants of CHRIST IESVS I am seated vpon this Dragon that putteth mee to vnspeakable paine and torment burning my legges and thighes in punishment of all my wicked deedes Then the Penitentiarius willed her to expound his other doubt namely for what sinnes men of these times were principally damned Shee answered that men went downe to Hell for all manner of sinnes but women chiefly for foure sorts of sinnes for the sinne of luxurie for their sinnes of vaine apparell and painting for witch-craft and for their shame to confesse their sinnes And so when shee had said thus much the Dragon with a wonderfull great noise raised vp himselfe and carried her to hell where shee remaineth in endlesse torments If this were a true storie no doubt it would make much for auricular confession but the cause of suspition is that there is no place named where this should happen or where this Ladie dwelt besides it standeth onely vpon the bare relation of a Frier which kinde of people are by many much suspected of forgerie in such deuises and lying miracles which often the very circumstances of them doe discouer to be false Is it likely that she who had long concealed her sinnes would haue gone at all to confession vnlesse shee had purposed to open them he being a stranger and vnknowne But the storie may serue in Friers iudgements to terrifie poore women withall as the Popes Anathemaes doe terrifie many men who stand more in feare of them than of Gods threatnings But sweet Iesus keepe men from beleeuing such lying wonders and giue them grace not to giue eare to any thing not warranted in Scriptures or iustified by antiquitie and as thou hast mercifully led me from beleeuing such lyes so of the same goodnesse impart also the shining beames of truth vnto others and graunt that thy onely two Sacraments Baptisme and the holy Eucharist iustituted by thy selfe may haue their due esteeme and other institutions to be esteemed not as Sacraments but as matters profitable for vse and fit to be practised in the Church CHAP. XVII Containing an obseruation about the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception in originall sinne ALbeit I finde that God is to be glorified for the great vertues and priuiledges he bestoweth vpon his Saints and chiefest seruants The doctrine of the Virgine Maries immunitie from originall sinne doth derogate from the honor of God yet it is to be done with such moderation and carefull discretion that whilest wee glorifie him in them we be warie not to attribute more vnto the Saints than will stand with the condition of seruants in giuing that glorie which is due to the master vnto his inferiors for although God himselfe haue said Whosoeuer shall honor me 1. Reg. I will glorifie him so hath he also left it recorded from his owne mouth I will not giue my glorie vnto any other Whence it followeth that although God haue bestowed such rare and singular priuiledges and prerogatiues vpon the virgine Marie the mother of Christ as he hath not done the like to any creature whatsoeuer insomuch that she her selfe knowing and feeling the happinesse of them said All generations shall call me blessed 1. Luc. 47. because he hath done me great fauors who is powerfull and holy be his name which is to be fulfilled amongst all good Christians regarding the word of God because she was blessed indeed aboue all women for the blessed fruit of her womb as S. Elizabeth said who being the Redeemer of the world brought benediction and ouercame the diuell the anthor of all malediction Yet ought not any be so much transported with an ouer-deeming affection and iudgement to this virgin as to giue her such glory as surpasseth the nature of a creature descended from Adam and onely may be giuen to Christ Iesus greater in glorie than his mother who being God and man was her Sauior because he came to saue all which benefit she acknowledged her selfe most thankfully in her Canticle saying My spirit hath exulted in God my Sauior 2 And I doe most plainely obserue by the Scriptures And it is most repuguant to Gods word Rom. 8. Tho. 12. q. 81. that she was to be conceiued as well as others in originall sinne for all mankind sinned in Adam S. Paule saying Death passed to all in whom all sinned And Thomas Aquinas sayth According to the Catholike faith it is firmely to be
and to attribute more vnto her then will stand with the nature of a pure Creature and derogate from her that most blessed benefit of her Redemption by Christ And further consider that if the approbation but of one heresie argueth infidelitie and sheweth no true faith in other points as the Church of Rome teacheth then are they who are led with this errour no true beleeuers at all CHAP. XVIII Containing an obseruation of the honourable state of Marriage prehibited by the Church of Rome to Priests who by Gods Law may lawfully liue in it and allowed to those who by Gods Law can not liue together without Incest AMongst all the fearefull dangers where-with the life of man is enuironed How miserably the Church of Rome is illuded by Satans wily suggestions by reason of the continuall outward assaults and hidden ambushes of our three Enemies the World the Flesh and the Deuill It is certaine that none of them can be more difficultly auoided or hardly resisted than those of the Deuill who being least apparent with greater subtletie can deuise his plots and slily conuay them with faire outward pretences vnto their designed ends than the other two can who by their outward appearances and shewes either of Beautie Riches Pompe or sensuall Preasures may bee discouered and with the more facilitie preuented or foiled The reason hereof is because the Deuill hath a knowledge surpassing mans knowledge and hath power so great that there is none vpon earth may bee compared vnto it by the first be knoweth how to deceiue man by the second hee is most able to performe the intentions of his deceiptfull nature Hence hee appeared to Eue in Pa adise in the disguised shape of a serpent by GODS permission that thereby were may learne how much his craft is to bee feared The Seraphicall Doctor of the Church of Rome noting as much Bonauen in breuiloquio part 3. cap. 3. when hee said It was the prouidence of God that the Deuill in tempting should assume the forme of a Serpent that his craft might not only bee discouâ—red but also that by that likenesse the wilinesse of the Deuill 〈◊〉 tempting might bee knowne to all the children of Adam Hence also bee appeared to our mercifull Redeemer in the Wildernesse as Saint Augustine and others thinke vnder the shape of a Râ—igious man that hee might the more craftily tempt him saying Si filius Deies die vt la pides isti panes fiant If thou art the Sonne of God say that those stones bee made bread Where saith Vega Didacus de la Vega tom 1. Dom. in Quadrag Iob 41. You may see how the Deuill vnder the shew of pietie hideth his malice Therefore well said Iob of the Deuill Quis reuelabit faciem indumenti eius Who shall reueale the face of his garment as if hee should say it is a difficult thing to reueale the Deuills countenance for hee often changeth his countenance to deceiue men and being full of fraude and malice hee vseth often to change his countenance and vnder the colour of some pietie and vertue to hide himselfe Which craftie imposture of the Deuill is not more liuely in any one thing to bee discouered than by his suggestions to the Church of Rome which vnder the colour of chastitie and for greater perfection hee hath guilefully induced to make a prohibition of Priests marriages which the law of GOD doth not forbidde thereby giuing occasion of farre greater abuses against chastitie than otherwise could haue happened to the dishonour of God to the scandall of the Church and to the ruine of infinite soules who being debarred of the lawfull and honourable remedie of marriage appointed and approued by God himselfe through the weakenesse of humane nature fall into such abhominable impurities as are not to be named Neither only hath the Deuill cunningly vnder this pretence deceiued the Church of Rome like a slie Serpent but also by too high a conceipt and estimation of her selfe an other way euer praising her authoritie and preheminence of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction by a sinister interpretation whereof shee soareth so high aboue her selfe in equalitie with God that hee hath enduced her out of her pretended fullnesse of authoritie and power to dispence with Marriage in those degrees of affinitie as GOD himselfe hath prohibited The doctrine of both which points are so repugnant to the holy Scriptures and so crossing thâ— practise of the first ages of the Church as nothing can be more 2. The prohibition of Priests marriages is not agreeable to the holy Scriptures Genes 2. vers 18. For first the prohibition of Priests marriage can no way stand with Gods truth reuealed in the holy Scriptures For first it is apparent that marriage is an institution and ordination of God himselfe instituted before the fall of man as appeareth in Genesis where it is written It is not good for man to be alone let vs make a helpe like vnto himselfe Which place of Scripture Cardinall Bellarmine most impetitinently wresteth in citing it De Matri Sacram lib. 3. c. 2. to proue marriage to bee a Sacrament of the new Law instituted by God for that purpose If this place proue it to bee a sacrament it will follow that it was also a Sacrament in the old Law which were inconuenient and against the whole current of Romish Doctors Thomas Aquinas teaching out of Saint Augustine That the Sacraments of the old Law are taken away S. Thom. 3. part q. 61. art 4. sed contra August contra Faustum lib. 19. cap. 13. tom 6. Thom. in corp vbi supra because they are fulfilled and others are instituted in power greater better for profit more easie to performe fewer in number And further Aquinas himselfe teacheth It is behouefull there should bee other Sacraments in the new Law wherewith the thinges should bee signified that went before of Christ besides the Sacraments of the old Law by where future thinges were foretold Bellarmine to proue his purpose should shew where in the new Law it is instituted as a Sacrament for as Thomas Aquinas saith marriage as it is ordained for the procreation of children 3. p. q. 42. art 2. in corp which was necessarie before sinne was instituted before sinne but as it affordeth a remedie against the wound of sinne it was instituted after sinne in the time of the Law of nature but as it representeth a mysterie of the coniunction of Christ and the Church it hath had an institution in the new Law and according to that institution it is a Sacrament of the new Lawe By which Doctrine of Thomas Aquinas first saying that it hath had an institution in the newe Lawe it is cleare to be very absurdly cited by Bellarmine for the institution of marriage before to prooue it to be a Sacrament and secondly that this Doctor himselfe committeth a great ouetsight in affirming it to haue had an institutioÌ„ in the new Law whereby it
great and more in number then euer before well she may be termed wicked and adulterous herein if when I consider what strange yea and often ridiculous miracles she pretendeth not only to iustifie falsehood sinne and impietie but also by them to commend the actors of them before all ancient Saints 6 Whereof I will now gentle Reader giue thee a taste by some few presidents happened in these latter ages of the world Examples of false miracles in the Church of Rome as the bookes and publike writings of the Church of Rome haue left recorded to the world which as they moued me to see mine owne former ouer-credulous spirit so haue they not strengthned me in the true faith wherunto through Gods exceeding great mercy I am now arriued And first for the iustification of Garnets innocencie in the busines of the Powder Treason what a ridiculous inuention is published and hath bin preached to the world by Costerus the Iesuite in Bruxells vpon the report but of a bare Letter from England some few yeres since when I liued in Louaine of a certaine prodigious straw in which a little bloud hath made such a liuely resemblance of his face that as it is by his fauorers reported and with mine owne eares I haue heard it it is one of the most stupendious miracles shewing Gods loue to their societie that euer hapned therfore since that time one M. Iohn Wilson the Author as is saide of the English Martirologe assuming vnto himselfe Papall Iurisdiction hath canonized him for a Saint in heauen who was put to death for concealement of treason against his King and Countrey whilest hee liued vpon earth Indeed I must needes confesse it a stupendious worke which since the first appearance thereof in print hath assumed not onely one but diuerse shapes for first at Louaine I saw it drawn with three horns of haire vpon his head ouer his forehead so that it appeared more like a monster than a man I saw him at Antwerpe after that drawne without those hornes yet a starre shining in the middest of his forehead in great glorie of which kind I saw many pictures in paper tendred by a Iesuitesse woman as she seemed by her habite and carriage to bee sold as the chiefe pictures then in request since that time here in England I haue seene a Latine booke in which another miracle as it should seeme hath beene added vnto it representing two Seraphines vnder his beard as it were holding vp his chinne that men might the better beholde his glorie But besides all these transformations one thing is most remarkable which I haue heard reported by diuers that is some can see this goodly Image at the first looking on it others canno see it till one of a better sight oint where it is and others can not behold the glorie thereof at all I haue spoken with some of those three kindes of beholders who according to the measure of their eie sight haue tolde mee as much besides at the first the picture of this miracle was very small but now it is greater and perhappes it will carry yet a greater shape and be the mother of miracles increasing to the end of the world and so surpasse all the miracles done in Christs time which were not permanent but transitory about which if a man should aske the Author of Pruritanus that monstrous and athisticall libell how so strange a miracle could be done he would soone no doubt answer you according to his sacrilegious manner of applying the sacred Scriptures with the Diuell quia scriptum est maiora hijs facietis Which words Saint Augustine expoundeth of the conuersions of sinners by the ministery of Preachers because the conuersion of sinners is the greatest worke of God Now beloued Reader how could I with any reason giue credite to this miracle howsoeuer at the first report I was ouer-credulous when I obserued the maner how it was carried and if such reuerend Fathers of the christian world will stand in defence of it and beknaue better men than themselues without regard to the magistracie as I heard one principal Father do in Bruxels in great choler indignation against those that should gainsay it I may beloued wel call in doubt enter into a iealous suspition of many other strange miracles deuised for the maintenance of vntruth falshoode by others of the Roman Church Secondly I remember an other strange miracle had it not proued false for the great credit of the Iesuites and their holysocietie in Persia Not long before the discouery of the Powder treason ther was dispersed by thē among some of their Catholike friends here in England a litle Pamphlet in the French tongue reporting the miraculous conuersion of the King of Persia The miracle of Persia by one Campion a Iesuit and Englishman that dispossessed one which had a diuell who commanded the diuell at his departure out of the body to giue a signe therof by striking downe the top of a steeple whereupon followed the Kings conuersion with many of the nobilitie to the Roman faith with liberty to preach it publikely and to build vp Churches and monasteries throughout all his Dominions Which of many here in England was beleeued to be true especially by a friend of mine vnto whom that Pamphlet was sent who requested me to say masse in thankesiguing to GOD for so great a benefit but in the end that Iesuit who sent the Pamphlet gaue out that it was but a thing deuised by French Hugonets to disgrace their societie What strange deuises are these What hatefull illusions wherewith honest sincere soules are made gulls through deceitfulnes and diuelish policies vsing all things for nothing but their owne ends I can not but now smile at my selfe to remember the plaine sinceritie of my heart in beleeuing this prettie inuention and with how thankefull a minde I offered vp the sacrifice of the Masse with a tacite and silent wish that God by the like meanes would procure the conuersion of England 7 Thirdly Other pretended miracles in the Church of Rome I will not omit here to call to mnind two strange miracles inuented to the honour of S. Francis that people might be the more excited to pray to him before all others The first I heard preached at S. Iames Church in Antwerpe in the Lent time some fiue yeres since by a Capuchine Friar and affirmed to be such an euident truth that no iust exceptions might be entertaind against it before a great assemblie and confluence of people Of one that roasted her childe with many particular circumstances of place and persons which made it carrie the more likeliehood of truth with it and since that time I know where it hath been related by the Prouinciall of the Franciscans here in England The storie in briefe is this in effect A certaine Gentlewoman there was in a towne in Sicilie some few yeeres since that longing much to taste of