parts and by the space of foure yeares what by trauells what by conference what by studying in the Colledges of Jesuites made my selfe as able as I could to defend Poperie and oppose true Religion and when I returned home did what I could to pervert others and to confirme them that were seduced and convoyed Jesuits oftentimes where their purpose was to further their designes sometimes beeing disaguised with them for feare of discouerie to the hurt of many Souls the Lord forgiue mee for whose cause I doe write this my declaration if possiblie it comming to their handes might bee a meane to cause them considder their wayes and repent and forsake their Idols and turne to seeke the Lord Jesus who will teach all them James 1. 5 John 14 16. the true way who seekes the same by prayer of God through Christ alone and so the woundes might bee healed in Gods mercie which I helped to giue these Souls in my blind zeale the recouerie againe of whose Souls without any detriment to their bodilie estate worldly is and shall bee euer my desire only the Lord giue them Repentance and make my Repentance dayly more fruitfull that J may bee as truelie zealous for the trueth as euer I was blinde forward against the same CHAP 2. The Iustice of God giuing those ouer to beleeue lyes who will not learne the trueth TO show then the whole matter from the beginning to the glory of God and edification of all who pleases to peruse these presentes without prejudice J was brought vp in the Colledge of Glasgow and did passe my course vnder learned godly Masters who did their diligence to instruct both me and others in human Learning and Religion as time wold suffer but I in my youthlinesse did not lay Religion to heart and therfore was justly punished thereafter for within halfe an yeere after I ended my course in the Colledge I was infected with the errours of Poperie so iust a thing it is with God to punishe the neglect of trueth with giuing ouer to errour that they may belieue lyes who will not take paines to vnderstand the trueth for an Papist of my acquaintance who had beene out of the Countrie a Scholler sharpe enough began to deale with mee and put mee in question and doubt concerning the Religion professed in Scotland so much the more easilie as I vnderstood it not at that time Then when J should haue sought satisfaction of my doubts at those who vnderstood the trueth before J had giuen any more eare to him that seduced mee J lent my eare still and gaue credite to all that hee spake without examination according to the Scriptures so dangerous a matter is it to admit any grounds of Religion without trying them by the rule of Gods Word whether they bee divine or not and so he possessed mee what by himselfe what by Books what by conference with Priests and others of these erroneous positions following First that the Romane Church was the mother Church only true Catholicke and Apostolicke 2. That the Scriptures did not containe all things needfull for Saluation but was an vnperfect rule of Religion 3. And that traditions must bee ioyned therewith which were of equall authoritie with the Scripture 4. That the Scripture was obscure and dangerous to be read by laickes 5. That to the Church of Rome belonged to giue the sense of it and that their exposition was as good as Scripture 6. That the Church of Rome was iudge of all contraversies of Religion 7. That the Church of Rome could not erre 8. That Saint Peter was Pope of Rome 9. And that all the Popes since were his lawfull successours Christs Vicars heads of the Church and had authoritie aboue the Scriptures and that he bare the Keyes of Heauen and could not erre in doctrine and no Saluation without the Roman Church for any Soule and such like Those grounds I drunke in supposing them all to bee true wherevpon my minde was casten open to belieue euery thing which they commanded mee to belieue and whatsoeuer the Church did belieue without any further examination So J was receiued amongst Papists and admitted to their Masse heere at home Then beeing desirous to haue further insight in the Romish Religion J went ouer to France and stayed there a season conversing with Jesuits in their Colledges Therafter J went to Rome to the head spring of that Religion and stayed there some eight Monthes but was forced to leaue it through sicknesse and retiering to West-Flanders J stayed in a seminarie and studied in a Colledge of Jesuites some two yeares all which time I remained obedient to all their injunctions giuen vnto mee and albeit many things occurred in my trauells which perplexed my minde making me doubt of the course I was entered into yet I smothred all downe by the weight of these groundes which J had laid downe in the beginning and namelie of this that the Church of Rome could not erre CHAP. 3. The power of Delusion I Obserued their Church-men of greatest account and Wisedome among them to lay heauie burthens and grieuous to bee borne vpon others but they themselues tooke litle paines in the businesse They professed for the most parte voluntarie pouertie one by one but the yearely Rents and common Purse whereof euery man was furnished as he had to doe was verie rich I saw some of their Orders liue by begging and Almes who would shortly haue forsaken the craft if there had beene any danger in that course either of hunger or cold more than they pleased to take vpon themselues and make show of Yet I thought their Church coulde not erre They professed to bee so retired from the Worlde as they could thinke of nothing but Heauen and yet tooke the most wittie courses that could bee to vnderstand all mens effaires designes and disposition and then made use of them all as best serued their owne ends They professed humilitie but laboured in effect to bee in honour and estimation by all and were as impatient to bee despysed as any man their speciall paines beeing imployed to bring moe and moe vnder their subiection vnder pretence of making them religious Yet J thought still their Church could not erre I saw the Pope who calls himselfe Peters successour and his Cardinals busked in the greatest riches and worldly honour that can bee in the Earth and in the meane time casting the glory of the Apostles the preaching of the Gospell at their heeles as vnbeseeming their Grandour When the Pope came abroad hee was carried in a gorgeous Chaire vpon foure mens shoulders and all men as he went by kneeled direct to the ground in effect adored him as one invested with Christs power and preheminence in the earth and owner of Christs honour in the World as his Legat and Lieutenant and so I honoured him amongs others my selfe And yet I thought all well for this presumption that the Church could not erre I saw the Church
absolute obedience to the superiors of that order renuncing both my will and iudgment as their Father Ignatius His Epistle to his Brethren in Lusitania calls it and to follow al their injunctions without asking question to goe or to stay to do or to suffer whatsoeuer they thought good to enjoyne mee for the Catholick cause and good of the Roman Church This oath J saye I could not get digested For therby J should haue bene bound if they had thought it fit to enjoyne mee for the advancement of the Catholick cause to haue beene an instrument of all the mischiefe that they could devise against my natiue Countrie and vnder colour of relieving soules to doe what any hath done or attempted in that blind obedience Skarring therefore at this oath I came home and yet forced my self still to keep the former grounds of Religion whereby I was made obstinat in errour and vntoward to be dealt with by any who wold haue studied to reclaime me Yet it pleased God at last to force in his own truth vpon my conscience that I began to smell sundrie of their errours and specially of the sacrifice of the Masse and transubstantiation that I began to examine these groundes of the Roman Religiō which I had drunk in the beginning if they could beare me out before God or not wherein finding my selfe miserablie mistaken and so long by that meanes abused freelie and of my own accord not beeing dealt with by any J addressed my selfe for conference with the Ministerie of Edinburgh Falkirke and Glasgow who all louingly and learnedly gaue mee solution to all my doubts and furthered this worke of God in helping home a forlorne Sonne to his Fathers house againe Now for all the particular reasons why I call their masse and transubstantiation an errour and the grounds of their Religion vnwarandable and why J haue renunced their particular errours builded thereon it were not convenient to set them all down here partly because it wold accresse to a volume partly because in substance they are the same that are learnedlie set down by these who handles the contrauersies against the Church of Rome Only J will content my selfe to shew some few things of many First concerning their Religion in generall Next concerning their masse adding therto compendiously in the third place some few things of their common absurdities maintained by them CHAP. 5. The Scriptures alledged imperfection the Pope of Romes perfection who can not erre as is alledged because hee sits in the Chaire of Saint Peter are the two rotten Pillars whereon all these errours are builded THis Romish Religion is a mysterie it makes show to hold the common groundes of Christianitie but by her deedes everts them The first principles of the Romish errours doe resolue vpon these two the imperfection of the Scripture and the peerelesse prerogatiue of the Church of Rome As for the imperfection of the Scripture they alledge that it does not containe all things necessarie for Salvation but place must bee left for traditions that is vnwriten doctrinall poynts and ancient customes long vsed in the Church as also for Ecclesiasticall constitutions and determinations or definitive sentences in matters controverted all which they alledge must haue equall authoritie in mens mindes with the Scriptures Next they alledge that these points necessarie to Saluation which are set down in Scripture are not cleare and plaine in the Scripture but that the Scripture is obscure and doubtsome and therefore is neither necessarie nor expedient that it should bee translated that it is a dangerous thing for laicks to read it wherein to any that will looke narrowlie vpon the matter they bewray a secreet feare if they bee hemde in into the rule of the Scriptures they cannot iustifie with any colour the abundance of their errours Thirdly evidently they show that the reading of the Scriptures by laicks shuld breed moe doubts about their Religion than they could bee able to solve and giue them such insight in this Religion that these whom they keepe now in the chaines of darknesse and blinde beliefe causing them to doe and suffer and beleeue what they please could not but break the yock if they grew acquainted with the Scripture Fourthlie they bewray the Spirit of Antichrist who thus vnder faire pretences sclander Christ Jesus who hauing taken vpon him as the great Prophet and Doctour of his Church to reveale the whole Counsell of God concerning mens Saluation and caused set it downe in Scripture yet hath come short of his purpose as their doctrine importes and neither hath set downe all things needfull nor these clearly which are set downe but obscurely ambiguously and dangerously that it is not safe for common People to read the same and so by these meanes they breed a misregard of the Scripture of Christ in mens hearts and skarres Christs sheepe as long as they can from hearing what the Spirit of Christ sayeth to his Churches As for the peerelesse prerogatiue of the Church of Rome the first is that she cannot erre If wee aske how this can bee since they cannot name six men liuing of the Romish Religion of whom they either dare or wil avow but they may erre and are subject thereto nor three nor two They will answere that yet there is one who is head of all the rest of that Religiō the Pope who cannot erre all the rest of the Church-men of that profession being gathered together without him or without his minde sent by his Legat or Nuncio to them they grant they may erre only he cannot erre So then in stead of the Church of Rome we haue the Pope whose councill of Cardinals they will ioyne with him for lusters cause but the infallibilitie of doctrine they place in none but the Pope only By vertue of this prerogatiue of the Pope they ascribe great things to the Church of Rome vnder this pretence all her traditions are Apostolicke albeit they bee not in Scripture because they are come down as is alledged through the Apostolicke channell of the Popes infallibilitie Vnder this pretence all her customes and obseruations are Catholicke and Apostolicke and all her Ecclesiasticke constitutions and definitive sentences in matters contraverted are of diuine authoritie as they alledge and doe oblige men to beliefe obedience no lesse than the Scripture Yea vnder this pretence the Scripture hath no authoritie in respect of these who beleeue it wherfore it shuld persuade them or be credited more than the fables of Esope but as much as the Church of Rome allowes vpon it Vnder this pretence when other Churches doechallenge the Roman Church for any fault or errour shee takes vpon her to bee judge in all controuersies betwixt her selfe and others The Greeke Church for example in Asia challenges her of vsurpation aboue other Churches shee will be iudge challenges her of defection from Apostolicke doctrine shee will bee iudge challenges her of not doing as shee ought to doe or
which means they not only bring peoples mindes in a seruile subjection to themselues for none can haue more Commandement ouer one than their Father confessour but also by their intelligencing this way make the Pope their Monarch dreadfull to all Kings of the Earth for he will doe more by a syde Cloake and a sharp knife in one houre than the mightiest Prince in the Earth will doe by fourtie thousand armed men in a long time yet hee should doe lesse harme if hee were lesse dred for when men are more feared to grieue the Pope than God what wonder the Lord let him bee a scourge to them This their strong sort of Gouernement more wittilie deuised than euer the old Senate disposed the ruling of the conquered Prouinces or conquering of new they second with the extreame show and externall luster of holinesse and Religion For the multitude of Religious Orders with houses and Closters and persons in them with the pretense of their single and chast life the multitude of Religious exercises Canonicke houres fastes Feastes holy dayes the multitude of Altars Jmages and rich Ornaments of their Churches the multitude of all sort of Ceremonies that may carry appearance of Diuinitie The multitude of poore people enduring pennance going in Pilgrimage the wonderfull mercilesnesse of poore tormented consciences scourging themselues openlie in their streetes with their faces couered at the direction sometimes of their confessour sometimes voluntarlie supposing this way to doe away their sinnes and pacifie Gods wrath and their owne perplexed conscience together with the profession of the common grounds of Christianitie which Papists makes show of so astonishes the mindes of the simple people so rauishes and amazes ignorant on-lookers so inchants and so bewitches the multitude that they cannot thinke but God will be as well pleased with such follies as they are themselves not knowing what is pleasant to him by his own Word or that will-worship though neuer so specious is abominable to him Then to back and beamfill all comes in their seminarie Priests and preaching Friers and the late ordour of the Jesuits by all their powerfull persuasion to presse the receauing of the grounds of Roman Religion vpon men and by a shew of Philosophy and the Wisedome of this Worlde that comes to nought and the opposition of science falsly so called the instruments whereby Sathan opposed the Apostles of old they striue to make all seeme good that the Roman Church doeth and that all is euill that they doe not But where shall all the riches bee gotten to vphold such a statelie Monarchie as this and so many seruants of that state for answere they haue so many points of gain full doctrine as first of the merit of good works supererogation of the merites of Saints which furnisheth the treasure of the Church of Rome among which goode workes especiallie Almes this must be held for a principle that those who haue wealth cannot doe a more meritorious worke to purchase heauen by than by largelie bestowing vpon religious men and their maintainance Secondly the Doctrine of pennance and of indulgence and satisfaction which sometime rendred the Sea of Rome a great deale more than now it doeth and yet brings hudge moneyes to that Sea Thirdly the doctrine of purgatorie nothing inferiour to any of the former for these who could not be enduced to giue thē any thing largely in the time of their life at the time of their death for feare of Purgatory to the end that they may win out of Purgatorie fire soone by the vertue of Soul masses religious mens devotiō will be willing to mortify or leaue in Legacie what their Fatherconfessor thinks expedient and that of the readiest Fourthlie the straite vrging the thre-fold vow of single life povertie Canonicall obedience vpon all them whom they can persuade to rander themselfe religious For by this meanes the seuerall Religious ordours but especially the Jesuites if they can by any meanes persuade a man of wealth or a rich burges heire a Noble mans son or an heritour of Lands as they persuade too too many to bee of their ordours then hee renounces all his means to bee disposed vpon by the superiour of the ordour and hee himselfe with the rest professes pouertie and liues vpon the common Purse or his purchase if hee be sent out or imployed in seruice These and many moe means vnsearchable they haue of drawing in Rents moyons to themself beside offrings to Altars extraordinary masse Casualitie at burials and such lik In al which things and sindrie other poynts both of practise and doctrine they will bee sparing in any part where they are seeking to make conquest as in Scotland or England or Ireland for feare to lose their prey but when and where they are settled any man that trauells if he please may try the trueth whether it bee not as J say and more for I will bee sparing to speake all lest I should see me to taxe particular persons rather than to seeke the furtherance of the true and disgrace of counterfeit Religion CHAP. 8. That the Scriptures imperfection and obscuritie is wrongfully alledged by Papists THus hauing at length discouered the main pillar of Popedome with some of their humane policies for vpholding the same I wil speake shortly a worde or two against the imperfection obscuritie which they alledge of the Scripture This saying is so blasphen ous against God the author of the Scripture Let the Lord 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. Ioh 5. 39. answere for himself By his Apostle All Scripture is giuen by diuine inspiration c. That the man of God may be made perfect throughly furnished vnto all good works And by his sonne who hath giuen Commandement to those who thinks to haue eternall life to search the Scriptures Jf thou will obey this command constantly praying to God for knowledge dayly the Lord shall show thee in reading of it that they are his enemies who haue so disgraced his writings wherefore I would persuade young Schollers and others of young yeeres to drink in the knowledge of the Scriptures and neuer to quite the light thereof which the Lord hath appointed to direct vs. Wee haue also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe 2 Pet. 1. 19. well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place c. Next when doubts of Religion are casten in their minde the not running to God by Prayer as the fountaine of Religion and to such Godly and truelie learned men who are content that all they say bee examined according to the Scripture is a speciall cause of provocation of God to giue them ouer to belieue lyes who thus despysing the right meanes and loue of the trueth will not goe to law and testimonies Isaiah 8. 20 1. Tim. 4. 1. Rom. 1. 21. as God directeth them But giues eare to seducing Spirites and doctrine of Deuills as the Apostle calles them
THE DECLARATION OF Mr. PATRIK CRAWFVRD HIS RETVRNE FROM POPERIE TO THE TRVE Religion which is according to the Word of GOD in holie Scripture Psal 40. verse 2. He hath brought me vp out of an horrible pit out of the myrie clay c. EDINBVRGH Printed by Iohn Wr cittoun Anno Dom. 1627. To the right Honourable the right Reverend and worshipfull THE LORD PROVEST BAILYIES MINISTERS AND remanent Counsellours of EDINBVRGH all encrease of grace heere and glorie heereafter BEeing obliged in conscience for the glorie of God and edification of his People to publish this my declaration of my returning to the true Religion these reasons amongst others moued mee to dedicate the same vnto you honourable and Christian People and to you their reuerend Pastours First because my sinne in revolting from this Religion in my youthlynesse is so grieuous howsoeuer the Lord hath showne mercie to me knowing that I did it in ignorance that it becomes mee as publickly as I can to declare my Repentance and this I haue thought the readiest meane for that purpose Next because I haue done wrong to my natiue Countrie and the Church in Scotland so farre as I was able in the matter of Religion and speciallie I haue done my uttermost endeuour to haue weakned the hands of sundrie professing the doctrine of the said Church and drawne them to the Romish Religion wherewith for the time of that my ignorance I was in conceite And now beeing sensible of my errour in some measure the shortest course which I could see to repaire this wrong was that so to you some sort of satisfaction might bee giuen and by you who are the most eminent and conspicuous and large Church in this Land others who from all partes resort vnto you might receiue the satisfaction in like manner Thirdly because your Pastours beene the speciall Instruments of GOD of my satisfaction in such scruples and doubtes of Religion as I had and propounded to them before I could renounce the groundlesse Religion of poperie and the men who mette mee when I was seeking home as a forlorne Sonne to my Fathers house againe as iustly I may now call my selfe You I say right reverend were the men that mette mee and mecklie poynted out the way and went along with mee convoying mee on my way in whose dealing with mee I might haue seene my heauenly Fathers readinesse to meete and embrace mee sometimes I grant I haue spoken of you as others of the Romish Religion doe of you and of all faithfull and learned Ministers only for the Religions cause But then I knew you not Now I haue found that you haue both learning and Loue and if you and others of your Calling were knowne as I know you I put no question many should bee nothing ashamed but glad at their heart to forsake the puddle of humane Doctrine and take them to the fountaine of the diuine Scriptures Now then seeing you are Pastours to me and I by this meanes as one of your Flock if so it may please your flocke and you to account of such a wandering sheepe as I haue beene To whom could I offer this testimonie of my Repentance rather than to you Honourable and Christian People and to you their vigilant and reuerend Pastours whose Christian disposition makes mee to hope that this my offer shall bee accepted in good part Yours in Christ Mr. Patrik Crawfurd GENTILI CHARISSIMO Patricio Crafordio à Cassilton ex Synagoga Romanâ ad Ecclesiae Evangelicae societatem reduci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 QVod Latii illecebras scorti evitâris astum Apoc. 17. ibid. 19. 9. ibid. 18. 4. ibid. 21. 2. In sua quo incautos retia dira trahit Quod thalamos sancti sis invitatus ad agni Dum venit in castos sponsa pudica thoros Quod Babyloniacam Domino suadente ruinam Effugis in Solymae tecta nouata redux Gratulor immensumque Dei miserantis amorem Miror inexhaustas bonitatis opes Tu quoque quod lubrico erroris de tramite caeci Conversus fratres sic stabilire paras Laudo piumque animum gratamque in pectore mentem Et cum candenti simplicitate fidem O vtinam surdis aures lumina caecis Assidue Dominus sic tribuisse velit Thomas Crafordius THE DECLARATION OF Mr. PATRIK CRAWFURD HIS RETVRNE FROM POPERIE TO THE true Religion which is according to the Word of God in holy Scripture He hath brought mee vp out of an horrible pit out of the myrie clay c. Psal 40. Ver. 7 CHAP. 1. The mercy of God to a Sinner THese sixe yeares bygone I haue beene a stranger to God and his Word and haue lyen in darknesse of Poperie neuer reading the Scriptures for the right end but only to picke out something of them for contraversie whereby I might brangle with some colour and appearance these who makes the Lords Word the only rule of their Religion euen as many moe Schollers than I doe read them still who sets themselfe to maintaine Poperie and oppugne the reformed Religion But now the Lord God who is gratious and mercifull to many that deserues wrath who is found often-times of them who seekes him not or seeks him not the right way hath opened my eyes by the power of his owne trueth and light which I in my ignorance smothred downe and keeped vnder in vnrighteousnesse and hath made mee vnderstand now that there is no Rocke whereon to rest that Soule that seeks certaintie either of Religion or of Salvation but the holy Scripture and that learned mens judgement and writings and the testimonie of the Church and publicke Preaching and conference and reading and meditation and prayer to God for the Spirit of Wisedome and grace are all but meanes to point out the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the World and to finde out his will set downe in his Testament So that I may now say truelie the Lord hath brought mee out of an horrible and darke Pit where the light of the Lords Word is hid and put vnder a Bushell and out of the myrye and teugh clay of their errours which defyled mee and held mee fast wherein J found no ground to rest on but sunke deeper dayly and should haue drowned at last had not the Lord pulled mee out and set my feete vpon a Rocke and ordered my goings The summe of which worke of God as I haue declared to sundrie priuatly and now of late publickly in the Church of Irwing before my admission to the Lords Table there the 26. of August 1627. so J found my selfe oblidged to declare the same by write to all men if I could and that so much the more as I haue beene more wicked in the wrong way than many others who haue beene seduced and drawne away from the trueth as I was for J hauing drunken in the errours of Poperie as fast as I could at home went ouer to France and Italie and other
Christs spouse ought to do shee will be iudge yea shee will giue the sense of the Scripture and the exposition of it as shal best serue to iustifie her owne cause and if any man shall take a sentence of Scripture otherwise than shee allowes them than that sentence so taken shall not bee accounted Scripture These and other such like consequences they draw and deduce from this one fountaine That the Church of Rome can not erre Aske againe of them why cannot your Pope erre seeing he is a sinfull man as well as others as they will not deny and they least of all who are best acquaint with the Popes priuate conuersation seeing it is possible that the Cardinalls who are subiect to errour especially when their head is dead and a new Pope not yet created seeing they may erre in choosing an vnfit man for so great a charge what warrand can they show to giue assurance that such a Pope cannot erre They answere at last albeit they shift possibliea while becaus Saint Peter was head of the whole Catholick Church in his time hauing supreme authoritie and the fulnesse of pastorall power in doctrine and gouernment ouer the rest of the Apostles and all the Churches of the Worlde Saint Peter so qualified say they was Bishop of Rome and there is his Chaire and the Popes are his only lawfull successours inuested lawfully by God in the same Apostolicke authoritie ouer all the sheepe of Christ and all that may bee sheepe in the World and is as infalliblie assisted by the holy Spirit as euer the Apostle Saint Peter was after the descending of the holy Ghost vpon him in the Pentecost This is the key-stone of their whole building this is the Pillar of whole Popedome if this stand the better for them if this fall all goes to the ground and all that is builded thereon for if either they faile in prouing Saint Peters supremacie or his Romish Episcopacie or the Popes lawfullsuccession in Apostolick authoritie and other priuiledges then the Popes infallibilitie and the Roman Churches certaintie with all their traditions customes constitutions and all the rest of that worke of theirs builded thereon shall hurle to the ground together CHAP. 6. No Papist in the Earth can shew one cleare testimonie of Scripture to make good that ever Saint Peter was at Rome or Bishop of Rome or that the Pope is his speciall successour in his Apostolicke office TO examine then these grounds that therby some taste may be giuen briefly of that Cup which Rome propynes to the World and the Princes therof to drinke that they may fall in loue with her J will say nothing to the Apostolicke authoritie of the Lords deare servant Saint Peter nor to his personall prerogatiue in age in time of following Christ in zeale and painfulnesse in his calling Yet let me vindicate him a litle from that iniurie which his pretended successours doe him who father the basphemous titles of their Antichristian vsurpation and tyrannie ouer Gods Church vpon him For this peerelesse power above the whole Apostles headship of the Church which they alledge is a thing which without blasphemie cannot bee ascribed to any mortall man because Christ in his holy Scripture claims this for his owne royall prerogatiue to bee head of his Church and to haue the Church his body and not anothers To bee the husband of his Church and to haue the Church his spouse and not anothers for these belongs to the Sauiour of the Church who is Christ only and not another and therefore these three styles are Ephes 5. 23. joyned together and ascribed to him And this supremacie of Peter ouer the Apostles is a forgerie only of these who would haue some scugge for their vsurpation Math. 28. 19. Matth. 23. 8. 9. Marke 9. 33 34. Luk. 22. 26. 1. Pet. 5. 3. 4. for Christ gaue all his Apostles equall Cōmission equalled them as brethren and discharged any of them to take any maioririe or supremacie one ouer another And when in their infirmitie they strove for it Christ rebuked them and the night before hee suffered discharged the same absolutly among them Next Peter himselfe disclaimes this supremacie and ascribes it only to Iesus Christ and discharges all Dominion and Lordship ouer the Lords inheritance And the Apostle Paul testifies the trueth of this for magnifying his Apostleship he avows he was nothing inferior 2 Corin. 11. 5. Gal. 1. 1. 16. 17. 18. 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. to the chiefest Apostles And declares that hee receaued his Apostleship from Christ immediatlie and exercised it sundrie yeares before he saw Peter and dischargeth all to glorie in men whether Paul or Cephas that is Peter or Apollos or any other But because this is not the maine matter let vs come to that wherevpon all stands How proue they that Peter was at Rome or Bishop there or that God hath tied his Spirit to whosoeuer should bee Bishop of Rome after him So weightie a matter as the Popes standing or falling so maine an Article of Roman Catholick Faith the only Pillar of the Romish Religion the ground of the remission of so many sinnes of sauing or damning so many Soules hath neede of expresse direct and ample warrand from the divine Scripture or else of need force the weight of Roman Religion is builded upon the sand and hath no warrand from God Let them but show vs one testimonie out of all the holy Scripture that Saint Peter was properly Bishop of Rome and next let them show any testimonie out of the same Scripture that the Popes of Rome are priuiledged from erring more than other men and are indued with as infallible assistance of the holy Spirit as Peter They will produce to vs their owne flatterers and old storie writers who both in those maters and others disagree among themselves But who are these that the Soules of so many thousands should bee grounded vpon their worde to speake nothing of the fables that is found in them and of the small respect that the Church of Rome carries to them when they seeme to make any thing against them Therefore I say againe let them produce divine warrand out of the Scripture or els let me be iustified who after the tryall of their falshood and deceat haue departed from them as seducers who when J followed their grounds to the vttermost could giue mee no warrand for the grounds whereon all their Religion stands but such as are taken from behind the Bible from lying mens words and forged histories supposititous treatises of the fauorites of Rome helpers vp of their monstruous head the Pope aboue the Church either let them proue these prime Pillars of their Religion or else let all Catholickes who in their heart would faine bee at Christ forsake their seducers as J haue done vpon iust grounds But becaus it is impossible for thē to proue S. Peter proper Bishop of Rome from Scripture far lesse that all
Further when men knowes God and glorifies him not as God they become vaine in their owne imagination and their foolish hearts are darkened in Gods iustice as is said of the Gentiles If thou will not obey this forsaid command and counsell it is as needlesse to dispute this question further before thee as to dispute what taste the honey or the honey combe hath with them that neuer tasted thereof for feare it poyson them And this much for the first part I promised to speake which was of their Religion in generall CHAP. 9. No certaintie to haue the true Christ or to bee free from Idolatrie of a false Christ in the Masse FOllowes heare the next poynt whereof J promised to speake to wit of the Masse but I shall shall insist most vpon that grosse here sie of transubstantiation For vpholding wherof their special ground is the words of the institution This is my bodie which neuer can inforce transubstantiation for first Bellarmine in his third booke of the Eucharist Secundo dicit chap. 23 c. Declares that Scotus sayes there is no place of Scripture so plaine that compelles euidently to admit transubstantitaion without the declaration of the Church And Bellarmine himselfe acknowledges that not altogether to bee improbable Next they aggrie not them selues vpon the exposition of these words so that they cannot condescend vpon the verie first word HOC this as Bellarmine acknowledges of the Eucharist Where refusing the opinion of other Catholicks hee takes him to this interpretation that HOC This signifieth sub his speciebus contentum contained vnder these speces which indeed is an vncouth acception of the worde such as is not to bee found in any author either diuine or hu mane and yet it makes nothing to the purpose forit may euer bee demanded what is that which is Sub his speciebus vnder these speces for that must bee either the bread or the bodie of Christ if they vnderstand the bodie of Christ then the meaning in their exposition is the bodie of Christ is the bodie of Christ Which neither agries with Christs purpose nor yet proues their purpose for the body of Christ may bee the body of Christ and yet no change made of the bread in the substance of Christs bodie And by This if they vnderstand bread then the force of the words will bee This breadis Christs bodie But neither will this proue their purpose because it is not saide the substance of this Bread is changed in the substance of Christes body as they expone it But only This is my body which no more can inferre the change of substance in substance then these wordes which hee saide I am the true vyne can inferre a substantiall change of himselfe Ioh. 15. 1. 5. 1. Cor. 11. 25. in a vine tree or these words which hee said in the same Supper as the Apostle Paul showes This cup is the new Testament can enforce either the change of the substance of the cup or of the vine in the cup in a Testament So I could finde no warrand out of Christs words for transubstantiation J might well take their worde for it in stead of Christs Next their doctrine could giue mee no infallible certaintie that I should bee free from worshiping an J doll and the fantasie of my owne braine in stead of Christ when J came to the Masse for their doctrine is except the Priest haue a speciall intention to consecrate albeit hee say Masse that no transubstantiation will follow and so all that are present at the Masse are deceiued as they grant Now what can any man haue but a probable conjecture or charitable opinion or strong apprehension of another mans intention infallible certaintie can he not haue And I in speciall who knew certainly some of these Priests who were chosen and sent out by their superiours to propagate the Romish Religion subiect to as grosse faultes in their life for drunkennesse and sundrie other vices as other sinfull Laicks as they call them and yet part of them said Masse many a time both neere hand and further off how could I then but be suspense about their intention and how could J but doubt whether God would bee pleased at such mens intentions to change bread in Christs body and to put Christ in their hands and mouthes and to allow them to bee Priests to offer the Sonne of God his body in a sacrifice to the Father J know what they vse to answere in such cases that the Peoples worshipping of a supposed transubstantiat hostie were but materiall Jdolatrie because their purpose was to worship the true Christ when they worshiped only bread and the Idoll of their owne imagination But alace this is a poore shift and no better than if one should comfort a woman who had lyen with another besides her husband saying to her no matter this adulterie of thine is but materiall only and not formall because thy purpose was to giue thy body to thy husband and no other For the Scripture compares Idolatrie Ieremie 3. 1. 2. and adulterie together verie often Thirdly I found their transubstantiation builded vpon a pretense of making men certaine of their communion and coniunction with Christ which coniunction if it may bee sure without a corporall presence of his body their transubstantiation is a needlesse fiction Now I vnderstand certainly that howsoeuer the Papists doe traduce Ministers as if they fed people with signes and shadowes yet they belieue and teach that they are made sure of Iesus our Lord. First by his couenant and promise as these that are espoused beeing faithfull one to another are made sure one of another before their compleet marriage by mutuall affection of heart consent and couenant and mutuall promise for which cause the spouse in the Canticles many a yeere before Christs incarnation said My beloued is mine and I am Cant. 2. 16. his Next they belieue and teach that they are made sure of Christ by his owne great Seales annexed to his couenant the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper which the Lord hath ordained to be the pawns pledges and Seales of himself his gifts and his graces bestowed vpon them and so are made sure of Christ and his grace for their Saluation as men are made sure of the Kings gift when they haue his royall donation and his great Seales annexed thereto for which cause When our Lord had giuen the Sacramentes to his disciples he sayes J dispone or appoynt a Kingdome vnto Luk. 22. 9 you because hee had giuen them the Seales of donation thereof presently before Thirdly they teach that they are made sure of Christ by the Spirite of Christ whom Christ promises and giues to euerie one that beleeues in him in such sort that hee who hath not Rom. 8. 9 the Spirite of Christ is none of his By which Spirite Christ is joyned to them and they to Christ as members of one body are ioyned to
the head and quickned by one Spirite for which cause of Christ it is said that he dwels in vs and wee in him he is the head and wee Ephes 3. 17 4. 16 are the members of his mysticall bodie By this threefold certaintie they teach and belieue that they are made sure of Christ in the Sacrament for performance wherof they show that there is no necessitie of corporall presence First because these meanes of certaintie were appoynted of Christ to supplee his corporall absence till his second comming againe Secondly because the Sonne of God is more able after this manner from Heauen to communicate himselfe to vs on Earth then the Sun that shines dayly is able from Heauen to giue light and heate to vs on Earth without descending corporally to vs. Then for the exposition of the wordes of the Sacrament This is my body they professe to expone them as Saint Paul expones them who sayes that the bread which we break is the communion of the body of 1 Cor. 10 16. 1 Cor. 11 25. Iesus the cup which wee blesse is the Communion of the blood of Christ and as Christ speaking of the cup it must be exponed This cup is the new Testament or covenant in my blood and according to the vsuall forme of the Scripture language concerning Sacraments where the name of the gift is giuen to the Seale to assure them who faithully receaue the one that they are made sure of the other or the name of a mercie bestowed is given to the memoriall of it to make the acknowledgment of that mercy more fresh and liuelie Seeing that therefore J could find for the Romish doctrine of transubstantiation no warrand of the Lords worde and by that doctrine no ground of infallible certaintie to free mee from Idolatrie but on the contrare grounds of assurance that it could not bee that God would expose his Sonne any more to personall suffering of such indignities as is done him in the Masse Let any man iudge whether I had reason to sute to bee receaued to the communion with him according to the warrand of his owne worde and bee free for euer from all perill of that grosse Idolatrie CHAP. 10. The Masse drawes away from Christs rule of the Sacrament and defaces his institution THe next reason why J call the Masse an errour is because it doth leade men away from the right rule of the Sacrament to follow mens deuices and forged mysticall rites of mens appoyntments whereof the Lord hath pronounced in generall In vaine doe they worship mee teaching for doctrine the precepts of men Which howsoeuer they bee in estimation among men yet are abominable before God for our Lord Jesus beeing to leaue the World in regarde of his corporall presence thought good to appoynt a holy Supper wherein hee will haue his bodilie sufferings and bloodshed and death represented and brought to fresh remembrance by the breaking of bread and wine powred out in a cup and the Soules of his faithfull ones fed comforted in the assurance that his body was broken for them and his blood shed for the remission of their sinnes by eating of the bread broken and drinking of the wine powred in the cup which eating and drinking should bee to them a pledge and seale of their spirituall coniunction with CHRIST and partaking of his life as certainely wrought by his spirit as if these elements which they did eate and drinke were ioyned with their bodies Then which ordinance of our Lord nothing can bee more sweet to a Soule that considers his purpose therein and therefore he hath commanded not his Ministers only but his whole Church on Earth to doe this in remembrance of him following his example as he hath caused set down by his pen-men in his Testament to bee followed till his second comming againe But the Church of Rome as her defection hath growne peece and peece hath so far departed from the rule that scarsly now in their Masse can the footsteps of Christs ordinance be seene for vnder pretense that they are not tied to follow these circumstances which were proper to the first Supper such as are the time after Supper the place an vpper Chamber the number of persons eleuen or twelue the sexe men only and not women which any man may perceiue to bee proper to that first time and not belonging to the nature of the Sacrament if these circumstances were vrged vniversally they should marre and hinder that action and the comfort of the communicants women beeing secluded the night taking when the day was free a chamber taking wherein all the Church could not assemble and twelue only admitted where fourtie twelues were prepared and waiting on vnder pretense I say of not beeing tied to these foure circumstances when they may be prejudiciall to the action they haue taken libertie to alter the substance and sacramentall rites of this Supper left to be imitate by all Christs Churches till his second cōming again for as thogh Christs ordināce had beene too base and simple they haue deuised to cloath their Priests in brodering of silk and siluer and gold and to make sumptuous Masse cloathes to set out their work with all As if Christ his ceremonies had beene of small signification they haue casten them by and appoynted new ones of their owne making mysticall significations of their owne deuising As if the Apostle Paul had superfluously from Christs mouth giuen commandement to the common people to drink of the cup they haue cutte off the halfe of the peoples comfort and witholden the cup from them As if the Lord had not done wisely in vsing plaine language to his disciples such as they vnderstood they haue rolled vp all in an vncouth language commanding that Masse should only bee said in Latine As if our Lord had not well considered what belongs to the holynesse of such a worke in taking such bread as was vsuall in the Land and as the Master of the house laid downe before him to Supper they haue made a round Masse bread the quantitie of twelvepence or sixpence and as thin as they can cause it sticke together with a stamped crucifixe on the one side of it for the purpose they haue turned the communion of a number to the Priests drinking and eating alone the Lords table to a stone Altar the memoriall of his death to an imaginary corporall presence the seale of Gods giuing of Christ vnto men into mens offering vp of Christ to God Gods Sacrament into mans sacrificing of the sonne of God to the Father in a worde they haue turned Christs holy Supper in the Popes Masse and so what by adding what by pairing what by altering and chopping and changing they haue mutilated deformed and defaced Gods ordinance falsified King Jesus his great seale and corrupted his testament that he who is partaker of the Masse thinking to get Gods blessing by it casts himselfe in danger of Gods curse for beeing
no fewer than these that were enioyned For they teach that in baptism our sins are forgiuen vs by the merits and satisfaction of Christ allanerly but the sins committed after baptisme be taken away and expiat by our own satisfactions but the Apostle sayth That as the wage sin is death so the gift of God is life eternall throgh Iesus Christ Rom. 6. 23. our Lord. Heauen then is Gods free gift through Christ and not our deseruing Neither can it be considered how Christs obedience is properly a satisfaction and yet either requireth or admitteth our satisfaction Besids their owne extravagant fayth that one drop of Christs blood is sufficient to saue the whole World what necessitie or place then is for our satisfaction in our Saluation They will not receaue the Kingdom of Heaven after this manner but as a iust debt to the which God of justice is bund and obliged to them not only for the merits of Christ but also for the merits of their owne works which hath an equal worth answerable to the Kingdome of Heauen J passe by here their selling of Masses their baptising of Bells baptism being a Sacrament of the new couenant only and no wayes belonging to senslesse creaturs their scrotching fire of Purgatory as hot as hell wherein the Souls of the godly dying in the Lord are tortured before they come to Heauen till such time as the punishment due to their veniall sin in that continuall torture bee ended And yet the Scritpure tels vs Blessed are the dead that Revel 14 13. die in the Lord for so sayeth the Sprit they rest from their labours and their works follow them Fearefull should their rest bee if dieing in the Lord with some little thing vnsatisfied as they affirme they shuld be cast in the torture as hot as hells fire And heere is to be obserued the mercilesse dealing of their father the Pope who hauing power to relieue soules when he pleases yet suffers many thousands to be tortured there still till he or his receaue money for their deliuerance And thus much shortly for the third part whereof I promised to speake CHAP. 16. The cunning dealing of Romish Emissaries in seducing and disputing NOw being forced here to acknowledge the foresaid false grounds of the Romish Religion which in my miscarying J laide downe as true to haue beene the beginning of all this mischiefe and hauing my mind ouercharged with the filthinesse and loathsomnes thereof to testifie the vnfained forsaking of them all the filthynes of their superstition J must add some things by way of conclusion for the loue I carry to my Country the trueth of that Religion which is allowed of God albeit J know it will incense sundry against mee I would aduertise young Schollers and others whether at home or abroad to bee warre of the Jesuite his cunning dealing with other their Emissaries such as are seminarie Priests Friers c. whether hee come directly to seduce you or come occasionally to disput with you If hee haue a purpose to seduce you hee will first make choyse of some catholicke of your acquaintance who hath best credite of you and most respected by you him he will instruct how to handle you and will put his owne speaches and arguments in his mouth if you hearken giue eare and make hopes you may bee theirs an offer will bee made to you to speak with a Father or learned man and so you and and he shall come to conference If hee can not finde a fit person to deale with you then hee will come openly to you if he be where he may professe himselfe if not he will come vnder the habite of a Gentleman or burgesse of a Towne or Countryman as best fits his purpose as it were by occasion falling in your company will talke of any purpose till hee take you vp and as he hath time to stay or to bee with you so will he worke ordinarily hee will blame all our professours for few good works and open euill liues of the great many this at once he will turne vpon the Religion But stumble not you for this for the Religion of the Jewes was good when the Prophet complaines that Faith and trueth was Psal 12. departed from the children of men The Lords word which is our Religion condemnes the sins of professours more than they can condemne the same They will obiect the liues of Ministers what they please to speak of them and they haue in readinesse some examples and instances in print or writ or in their memorie but stumble not you at this for they doe injurie to the Ministers when they blame all for the fault of some and again they doe iniury to Gods word when they prease to blame the trueth for the teachers fault One of the twelue Apostles was a Devill what was the Apostles or the Apostleship the worse and yet when all is said if their closters were as open as Ministers conversation they should mak litle talke in this poynt They will tell thee of the ignorance and want of Learning among Ministers be not you troubled for this they are learned enough that know Iesus Christ rightly and can teach him soundly learning is not the glory of our Religion but trueth and yet thogh I somtime thoght so and said so as they doe yet I found it otherwise when I mette with the Ministers Yocke with the Ministers when they will so farre as J know they will ruse themself litle for the want of learning They will obiect they haue no warrandable calling but vrge you them to iustifie the calling of their chiefe pillars Popes Cardinals and Prelates whose office and entrie in their office God neuer ordained in his worde Ministers calling goes not by succession but by election Their office is prescrived in the word their entrie and qualification Let euery one justifie as he is challanged so much as may bee seene of men is alwayes nearer the rule of the Apostles than any of their calling They will obiect the noveltie of this Religion and will aske for succession of Pastours in our Church But answer you that they slander you vniustly for novelty whose doctrin was taught by Christ and his Apostles and recommended to after ages Where the Catholick Church and true sheep of Christ vvho heard his voyce and fled sequestrating themselues from strangers were there was our Church particular professours names is no poynt of saluation What manamong ten thousand can shew his naturall pedegree from the seventh generation shal a man be questioned of the trueth of his humanity if he cannot deduce his genealogie from Adam or Noah Albeit the Protestants can bee able to show continuance of their doctrine by the lyne and catalogue of the witnesses the truth through all ages from Christs vnto our time If this obiection were of any worth wee might use it against their Church and they could not deduce from Christ or the Apostles
time or a long time after any that euer heard of a number of the Articles of their Faith But this is one of their shiftes to dispute about genealogies and generalities lest comming to particulars the strength of our cause and weaknesse of theirs should appeare They will obiect Luther and Calvine and our first reformers were Papists first But it makes not to vs wee belieue not any poynt of Religion upon their worde but what wee finde aggrieing with Scripture Againe Paul was not the worse Apostle that sometime hee was a Pharisee but their Religion is so much the worse as such men and many after them behooued to quite it or lose their Soules They will obiect diuersities of opinions and diuisions and schismes but answere you that there were divisions in the Churchs of Corinth Galatia and other Apostolicke Churches and yet they were not the lesse true Churches let euery Church answere for her selfe whether shee keepe vnitie with Christ and his Apostles in her doctrine for vnitie without trueth is but conspiracie in errour It is a whorish impudencie to obiect vncleannes to a chast Matron they might remember Christs aduertisment Hypocrite cast out the beame of thy owne eye first or the Poets admonition Loripedem rectus derideat For beside the bloody schismes of their Popes and the irreconciliable diuisions of their Doctours the Jesuites and Dominicans at this day do iarre so hotly concerning grace and frie wil that their Pope darre not determine the question for feare he lose one of the parties Jf they finde you ignorant they will cause you belieue that your Ministers teaches such and such heresies as that they are enemies to good works enemies to the Virgine Mary and to the Saintes that they giue libertie to sinne and makes God the author of it that such a writer on our Religion hath such a blasphemous errour in such a book and another writer another blasphemie in another booke Luther sayes this and Caluine sayes that and a thousand slanders suchlike To bee short their whole wits they will imploy to brangle you in some generall that they may haue you at an vantage brought ouer to their grounds whereof they will make great show and ostentation or if they condescend vpon a particular and finde you therin weak they will shoote at all But if yee keepe the loue of the Scriptures the Lord shall mak you to stand Great peace haue they who Psal 119. 165. loue thy Law and nothing shall offend them As for their disputs they will make great boast and brag if they see not a learned partie if they finde a learned partie they will take them to discourse if they may if they must disput they will keepe the former method that is stick vpon generalls about the visibilitie of a Church and notes as they say thereof whether the true Church can erre and will hold off whether Rome can erre as long as they can they wil make shew to quot councils and Fathers not because that they can obtaine the victory by them but because the books are rare and few are acquaint with them to know whether they say right or wrong they wil avow forged distinctions when they are prest and flee to philosophick tearms not becaus such refuges wil saue them but because by this meanes they blovv mist in their eyes that cannot follovv them to their lurking holes vvhen their cause is vveakest then they grovv boldest and vvill set a brovv vpon their part that their countenance may giue vveight to their vvatter-vversh argument or ansvvers vvhen they are like to succumb they will cry lovvdest and cast in a nevv subiect to disput on yee will not put them to silence albeit they knovv they are ouercome For what by shifts what by subtilities what by circumventions what by apparent verities they can colour their cause though neuer so bad It vvere an endles labour to shovv all their courses impossible these may suffice to giue aduertisement to you who may bee in danger that you acquaint you with the grounds of your owne Religion and diligently read the Scriptures that you bee not rash to vndertake a disput concerning Religion and leane not much to your owne or others disputation for in a disput yee will get the two disputers wits tried and acquaintance with their owne grounds which they defend but yee will not so try Religion it is the studieing of all the grounds thereof and trying them by the Scripture must make you sure when Gods glory or others edification requires that you disput doe it advisedly for they haue their set arguments and their writen disputs carrying about with them set the state of the question right limite thy argument to be brought on either side to Scripture or reasons deduced therefrom not because thou needst to feare any councils and fathers but partly because fathers and councills are but human testimonies partlie because if you goe from the Scriptures ye goe to the long Sands and the disput will not end shortlie and so hee escapes and his errour is not convinced and the auditours is left suspense This much may serue for a generall aduertisment Now for my part pray for mee that God may show more and more mercie on mee J know many a bitter hard word will be spoken against me J deserue them all not for my departing from them but for my first revolting in my ignorant youthead from this Religion whereinto I am now brought home by Gods mercie his name be glorified for euer And the Lord make known this his trueth to the World vvho knovves it not and no doubt multituds shal come vnto the Lord this Religion vvhich is grounded on his trueth as Doves flocking to their vvindovves Lord doe it for Christs sake All glorie bee giuen to God through Christ Yours in Christ Mr PATRIK CRAVFURD FINIS Faultes escaped in the Printing Pag. 10 for Chap 5 read Chap 4. Page 47 line 8 for justification read regeneration Page 5â— line 1. at the beginning read Suarez The changes of letters or transposing of vvords the courteous reader vvill tolerate