being any shelter to the blasphemy that is deliuered in the whole passage Nor can it bee saide the booke wants authority for it is formally allowed dedicated to the Cardinall Aldobrandinâ— printed at Rome and since often elsewhere and of late both the Author and his booke highlie commended by the greatest Romish censurers So that now I will end my euidence for this point and dare put the matter to a Iurie of any conscionable men whether this wound be healed yet or no. The fourth Wound NOw to go forward from the Person and Maiesty of God let vs proceede to his Holy Scriptures and see how the Romish Church held of olde and yet holdeth and teacheth of them I will not stand vpon those vile and base speeches vttered and written of them by Eccius Pighius Hosius and many other of that generation for that they haue beene both detected and with shame inough reiected by many reuerend men of our nation both in Latine English w Whitaker Fulke lewel Reinolds and others but vpon some that often haue not bin touched by many nor euer can bee sufficiently condemned by any In the Canon Law the Pope spareth not to disgrace the holy Scriptures in expresse tearms sometimes equaling his owne Constitutions with them sometimes preferring them In the decree he shameth not to affirme that 7 The fourth wound The Popes decrees bee equall to the Canonicall Scriptures his decretall Epistles are numbred amongst the Canonicall Scriptures x Decret dist 19. cap. 6. impudently alledgeth Saint Augustine to proue it who neuer spake nor meant any such thing as in the later end of the decree they cannot but confess with shame inough this was his doctrine in the old impressions of the Canon law a hundreth yeares agoe But some will say this wound is now healed No looke in the new impression reuiewed at the Popes commandement and printed by his authority within these few yeares and there stand the verie same wordes without the least reformation in the Rubricke or title of the Chapter The decretall Epistles are numbred and reckoned amongst the Canonicall Scriptures 8 The fourth wound not healed Which is the more shamefull in it self shamelesse in the dooers in as much as in the same new edition they are forced to confesse that Augustine out of whom they cite the whole Chapter did not at all meane the Popes decretall Epistles but the holy and Canonicall Scriptures and no maruell for the name of decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a faire yeare after his daies To conclude let wise men obserue heer this point how vnwilling the Romish Church is to amend or alter any thing especially if it concern Gods honour and not their owne free-hold else why should they maintaine that blasphemy in the Rubrick and title of the Chapter which in the body of the Chapter they condemn But well doe they know that many a man reades the contents of books chapters which neuer read more Therfore because the words of this title giue honour to his decretalls tho they be neuer so dishonourable to Gods holy Scriptures they are suffred to stand whereas they haue put out many things disgracefull to themselues Thus vnwilling is Babylon to be healed in any thing The fift Wounde THis doth but make them equall and that may be thought no great wound in that Church but shall wee see a deeper more deadly namely where the authority and determination of the Pope is made higher and of more respect then the holy Scriptures themselues In the same booke the XL. Dictinction the Pope alleadgeth for good doctrine and canonizeth for a law these words taken out of one Boniface 9 The fift wound The religion of Christianitie is to bee founded rather from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scriptures that is from Gods mouth And certainâ—y all men do yeelde so much respect and reuerence to the Pope of Rome and his chair that they require and seeke for much of the discipline of the holy Canons and the ancient institution of Chrstian religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops of that See then either from the holy Scriptures or the olde traditions all they care for or seeke after is what he wil and what he will not that so they may conform themselues frame their conuersation this waie or that waie according to his will and pleasure Loe what doctrine is heere the discipline nay the religion it selfe of christianity is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at Gods mouth in the holie Scriptures and al that a Christian man cares for is not what God but what the Pope will and what hee wills not and according to that are they to frame themselues Is this a doctrine fit to be inserted in the popes lawe Is this the holie and the onely true Church that teacheth this If to be a Catholicke be to holde this and to denie this to be an heretike I am content to be an heretike let who wil be the Catholicke but if a true Catholicke ought to holde the doctrine of the scriptures and to depend vpon the mouth and reuealed wil of God then woe be to that Church and religion that teacheth wee may rather depend on the Popes mouth then on Gods But some will say this is healed Nay alasse they be so farre from that 10 The fift wound not healed that contrariwise for ought that I know that is not to bee found in the elder editions but I am sure it is in the later and last of all set forth by special authority from the Pope from whence also I cite it at this time The sixt Wound THus I haue shewed First that the Pope makes his Decrees equall with the Scriptures Secondlie that they are of greater authority then the Scriptures Is it possible to haue a worse Yes for the measure of her iniquity will neuer be ful and therfore she goeth one steppe higher in this impiety and teacheth that the holy Scripture is so farre inferiour vnto the Popes decrees that vnlesse hee by his authority giue them strengthâ— they are not of credit nor necessary to be belieued Let me be of no credit nor worthy to be beleeued if I repeate not their words truely out of their owne booke namely their authenticall glosse vpon the Popes Decretalls where the Text of the Decretall being no more nor lesse then only one verse of the 26. Chapter of the Prouerbs the glosse that is the approued Commentarie vpoÌ„ that decretal is in these words * Vide Decretal lib. 2. tit 23. de praesuÌ„ptionibus cap. 1. â—icâ—t Obserue heere that the wordes of the Text are not the wordes of the Pope but of SALOMON in the Prouerbes the sixe and twentieth Chapter but because that Text of SALOMONS is heere canonized by the Pope 11 The 6. wound The holie Scriptures are therefore of credit to be
popery fit for their pulpits and their people and after they be preached worthie to bee published to the world Surely if they graunt these be false doctrines then blame shame belongs to the Papists that preach them write them publish them and allow them for Catholicke doctrine but if they stand to them as true then mark what consequeÌ„ces will follow vpon them first it is here taught that a man may appeale froÌ„ God Hereupon this argument is easily framed but I beleeue not so easily answered Popery teacheth there lies no appeale from the Pope and heere teacheth that there lyes appeale from God But in reason he from whoÌ„ no appeal can lie is greater then he from whom one may Ergo by popish doctrin the Pope is greater then God This conclusion is ineuitable if their doctrine be true Again here it is taught that we may appeale froÌ„ God to the Virgin Mary if that be true let them answere this argument He vnto whom appeale doth lie from anotherâ— is greater then hee from whome it is made this is their owne doctrine But from the Lord God appeale doth lie to the Virgin Marie Ergo shee by popish doctrine is greater then God If this conclusion be heresie and blasphemie then Bernardine de busto his bookes are to be burnt yet they are both allowed commended by the Romish Church but let vs goe forward Thirdly here it is taught that God hath diuided his kingdome with a creature euen with a woman This being true here we learne many points First the reason why they call her in their Seruice booke allowed by supreame and soueraigne authoritie Reginam Coelorum the Queene of heauen for shee that hath got possession of the halfe of Gods kingdome may well and worthily be held the Queen of heauen Secondly heere is a very good reason why the Church of Rome keepes the Bible from the vulgar people and will not haue it divulged in their Mother tongues for if they had it in their own tongues they would startle at this doctrine and when they heard it deliuered in Pulpit that God had diuided his kingdome would soone haue saide that is false doctrine for the Psalme saith The kingdome is the Lords * Psal. 22. 29 and Dauid in his thankesgiuing at the preparation for the Temple building confesseth to God Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and glorie aeternitie and Maiestie Thine O Lord is the kingdome and thou excellest ouer all * 1. Chr. 29. 11. and if the Frier had obiected that the kingdome indeede is Gods yet not so but hee may diuide it to another then they would haue answered that cannot be for he himself sayth I am the Lord c. My glory I will not giue to another a Esa. 42. 8 and if hee still obiected that to be true in the olde Testament when there was none capable and worthy of this honour because then the Virgine Mary was not they would readily answere that in the new Testament after the Virgine Mary was and after shee was the mother of Christ Christ her son speaks to God his Father but not to her his mother Thine is the kingdome power glory b Matâ— 6. 13. The kingdom is Gods and how long not till she be assumed crowned in heauen as they say but for euer and euer And whereas they further teach that he hath kept Iustice to himselfe but committed mercie to his Mother they would crie out vpon that doctrine him that taught it and tell him that they finde it sixe and twentie times in one psalme that Gods mercy endureth for euer c Psal. 136. in euery verse and that his mercy is ouer all his works d Psal. 145. 9 If ouer all then ouer her also or else she is not of his making and if his mercy be vpon her without which shee could neuer haue beene saued then how dare any say that Mercy is hers and not Gods And if mercy bee Gods and that mercy of his endureth his not for the time of the olde Testament onely but for euer Then it is foule and false doctrine to say that now since Christ God hath resigned vp mercie from himselfe to a creature Thus would the people come vpon him that taught this doctrine and vpon the Romish Church that alloweth it and therefore doth not that Church wisely to keep the people from reading the holy Scriptures Thirdly seeing it is doctrine currant in the Romish Church that God hath giuen vp mercie from himselfe to the Virgin Marie heere is a good defence of their Ladies Psalter wherein they turne the Psalmes from Dominus to Domina from GGD to our Ladie and when Dauid saith Lord haue mercy on me they say O Lady haue mercie on me in thee O Lady is my trust They say this was compiled by BonaueÌ„ture but tho he liued in il times yet his other writings giue cause to hope hee made it not for hâ—â— saith that we must take heed wee so inlarge not the excellency of the Mother that we diminish the glory of the sonne Sure hee that saide so would not be so lauish and carelesse of Gods glorie as to turne the Psalmes from him to a creature Fourthly heere we see the reason why the popish Synagogue do maime the Lords prayer leauing out the conclusion For thine is the kingdome and power and glorie for euer and euer h See the Rhemish Testament in Mat. 6â— Luke the 11. all their Miâ—â—als and Breuiaries Manâ—aâ—s and allowed primers in all which they cut short the Lords praier leauing out the words of the conclusion for thine is the kingdom c. For if the kingdom be diuided then it is not all his for euer no maruel therfore though they will haue their Pater noster in Latine for their common people for if it were in English there is none so simple but would see their vngodly dealing But to conclude leauing this robbery and sacriledge in cutting off part of the Lords prayer for another place and purpose it is heere euident that no papist in the World can with a good conscience say the whole Lords prayer For if God haue now diuided his Kingdome then how can he say with Dauid in the olde testament i 1â— Chr. 29. 11. Christ in the new k Mat. 6. Thine O Lord is the kingdome for euer therefore he must either alter the Lords prayer and say Thine is halfeâ— the kingdome c. or neuer say it at all or else curse and detest his own teachers that write and his Lord God the Pope that alloweth such doctrine Alas poore â—oules what should a simple honest hearted papist do in this case See therefore in what pittifull state they liue who haue subiected themselues to such teachers Lastlie let it bee obserued that heere they teach that there bee in spirituall matters touching the soule 2. diuine Courts the one of Iustice and that is
bring Images into the Churches But to make vp the measure of this iniquity Feuardent the famous Franciscan â—rier yet preaching at Paris and to whome Possevine wisheth a long life goeth one step further and to heale vp this wound perfectly teacheth this doctrine By sight and contemplation of Images the common and ignorant Laie men doe easily and in a short time learne those diuine mysteries miracles and workes which out of the holy books they shall verie hardly or not at all bee able to perceiue* Strange and fearefull doctrine of poperie Images are better and easier bookes for the laye people then be the scriptures Heere now is Popery growen to his ful ripenesse And marke the degrees how this wound hath beene made still deeper and wider First they taught the Scripture and Images together were good bookes for Lay men t Peraldus Then that Images without the scripture were to be accounted bookes for Lay men u Laelius Zecchius Now at last Images are readier and easier therefore better books for Layemen then be the scriptures x Feuardeâ—tius So then seeing this wound is so well healed let vs leaue it and search another The eightth wound IN former ages as superstition grew and religion decayed so Images began to be worshipped more more ceased not til at the last they came to this that euery Image was to bee worshipped with the same worship that was due to him whose Image it isâ— so that some three hundred yeares agoe or somwhat more it seemed by Aquinas to be their generall and receiued doctrine that 15 The eight wound That an Image of God or a Crucifix are to be worshipped as God and Christ that is with diuine worship An Image of Christ and the crosse wheron Christ died and a Crucifixe are all to bee worshipped with the same worship due to God and Christ Iesus that is with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y Aquinas Summa par 3 quaest 25. arâ— 3 A fearefull doctrine maintaining horrible Idolatry for nothing but GOD may bee worshipped with diuine worshippe but they teach that those creatures may bee worshipped as God himselfe is that is with diuine worshippe therefore they make those creatures God and by this argument it is apparant that the present religion of the Church of Rome is an Idolatrous religion as long as this doctrine stands vnrepealed Let vs then see if this bee healed 16 The eight wound not healed but made vvider and deeper and deadlier euery day But alas it is so farre from being in any part reformeâ—â— that it is rather the generall and common receiued doctrine of al their approoued writers I wil not stand as I could to shew it successiuely through all ages since the daies of Aquinas til these times but spâ—ring that labour till better leasure I will referre the Reader to most of the elder Authors and insist onely on some fewe and those of the latest it beeing my speciall purpose at this time to shew that the Romish Babylon is euen now not healed of her deadliest wounds Which in this particular I will labour a little the more fully to demonstrate out of the moderne authors now extant and approued because this imputation is generally cast off with this answere It is not so it is but an ignorant or malitious â—lander for the Romish Church giues onely a certaine reuerence to holy Images but doth not worship them at all at least with no diuine worship And some of our owne profession are either so ignorant they know it not or so malitious they will not confesse it or else so hollow harted to vs and such secret friends to them they would not haue it discouered though it be so for my partâ— I pitie the Ignorant knowing my own weakenesse I care not for the malitious and I hate the hollownesse of all dissembling professors And therefore let others couer and conceale her shame and hide the Whore of Babilons filthineâ— as they wil I say for my selfe Let the tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I spare to discouer her skirts and lay open her filthinesse to the world that all men seeing her as she is may detest and forsake her Therfore in the words of truth and sobernesse I do heere offer to this honorable audâ—ence that I will willingly come to this place and recant it with shame if I proue not apparantly to the iudgement of euery reasonable man that this is the common and generall doctrine of the greatest number of their best approued authors that haue written in these latter daies namely That an image of God or a Crucifiâ—ce especiallie one made of the wood whereon Christ died or that Crosse it selfe are to bee worshipped with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with the worshippe due vnto God And first of all I will in this case spare Bellarmine a Vide Bellarminum to 2. lib. de Imag. sanctorum 2. capâ— 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. de Concil lib. 2. cap. 8. seeing hee as hauing some grace in him seemes somewhat ashamed of the matter and therfore playeth fast and loose and betwixt God and his conscience on the one side and the Pope and his allegeance to him on the other hee cannot tell what to say and therefore winding himselfe into a labyrinth of general and confused distinctions of per se per accidenâ— primariò secundariò propriè impropriè and such other which may serue for all purposes at last hee leaues the matter as doubtfull as he findes it yet must it bee confessed if he incline either way it is to the worse which by conference of his other writings I think he doth rather for feare or to please the Pope then out of his owne iudgement and conscience Therefore leauing him I begin with Gregorie de Valentia a Iesuite a Professor of diuinitie as Bellarmine is of his owne sect of his owne time and accounted by some papists more learned but approoued of all he writeth thus b Gregor de valent â—om 4. disp 1. quaest 24. punct 2. pag. 467. It is certaine that Images are to bee worshipped so as properly the worship shall râ—st in them not for themselues nor for the matter nor formes sake but for his sake they resemble in this seÌ„se they are to be worshipped so as they bee whome they resemble and therfore the Image of Christ as man is to be worshipped with the same worship due to Christ himselfe Hee cannot denie but manie learned of his own â—ide teach the contrary but hee reprooâ—es them all and embraceth this as the commoner and truer opinion and confirmes it and concludes it for truth Next to him I produce another Iesuite Gretserus of the same vniuersity and either successor or fellow to Gregory de Valentia in the same place and profession he who was chosen for the papists Champion in the famous disputation holden at Regensperg 1600 whome
Gods the other a Chancery a Court of Mercy that is Maries these bee their verie wordes and further that if any man feele himselfe agrieued in Gods Court of Iustice let him appeale to the Court of mercie of his Mother Oh strange diuinity Can Gods iudgements be vniust or his proceedings erroneous and vnequall If they bee not then why do they talke of appealing to a higher Court For why doe Writs of error lie from one Court to another but that it is presupposed that they may erre and why is there a Chauncery but that the rigour and extremitie of the Lawe maie bee mitigated But if the Scripture saie true in the text Righteous art thou O Lord and iust in thy iudgements a Psal. 119 137 Then this is blasphemie of a high nature that there needes a Chancerie to rectifie his proceedings and mitigate his iudgements But as for this doctrine that the Chauncerie or Court of mercie is not Gods but his Mothers and that therefore Gods iudgements are to be mitigated by another and therefore that she and her Court are in this respect aboue God and his Court These blasphemies are so execrable and odious to Christian eares that I hope ther is not a papist in this kingdome that professeth to know and serue God but his heart hates them and all that hold them Against all this what can bee obiected but this that he being a priuate man spake wrot out of his priuate iudgement but this is not the generall doctrine of their teachers not their Church I answere If none in the world taught this but this one Frier yet how many soeuer knowing it do approue commend or defend it or if they do not reproue condemne it it is iustly to bee called their doctrine and by the lawe both of God man it is their sin as well as his For by the lawe of Accessaries he that anie waie approues or knowing it and hauing a calling to it reproues not a sinne makes himselfe guilty of the sinne but the Romish Church that is the Pope knoweth this hainous blasphemie and sayth that he hath authority to condemne all such therefore hauing not done so but contrariwise approuing it is guiltie of it Shewe me then that Pope Bishop or Inquisitour that hath condemned this blasphemie or this book for it I produce a Pope that allowed it namely Alexander the sixt who suffered it to passe vnder his name to the view and reading of the world let them bring one Pope since that hath condemned it or shewe one writer not reproued by them that euer reproued it or not condemned by them that euer condemned this blasphemie if they doe not this then it is apparant that in this wound Babylon is not yet healed But for better euidence that she lies rotting in this her filthinesse and incurable in this wound 6 The third wound not healed Posseuine the Iesuite their great and allowed Censor of al Authors giues his publike censure of this booke to bee Sermons of the excellency of the Queene of heauen and full of learning and godlinesse And this his censure no man that knoweth the present state of their religion can deny but that it is the censure of their Church and ought so to bee reputed for that worke of Posseuines was attempted continued and finished and printed and reprinted with as publick generall allowance as any thing can be And yet for better euidence that she is not healed nor reformed at all let it be obserued thaâ— this book is of so much estimation amongst them that it hath diuers times beene reprinted since Bernardine the Author set it out as namely in my knowledge once at Brixia in Italie almost twenty yeares agoe in three volumes corrected and amended as they pretende But that this impious doctrine is not amended I will make it euident for of late euen this present yeare this booke and all his other works were again printed at Colein in Germany in three volumes which when I perceiued out of the last Catalogue I could not rest till I had obtained this new impression from Coleine hoping that now at last they had for shame righted this cause of God and razed out that hainous blasphemie but hauing perused it I see to my griefe that they will not be healed for there the very same words and doctrine stand vnreprooued vncontrolled vnaltered nay not so much as hauing a Marginal note to explaine them but they are let to passe as good holy and Catholicke Romish doctrine And that this is true I here pawne my credit to this honorable assemblie and will be ready to iustifie it to anie desirous to be informed in the particulars by shewing the books themselues both new and old Which being so I hope no man wil denie but that it is apparant she is not healed And yet for the better satisfaction of all men that as she is not yet so shee purposeth neuer more to bee healed nor to reform any thing and that this is not the priuate opinion of that or any other one doctor I desire al that loue the truth to take knowledge that of late within these seuen yeeres an Italian doctor a Iesuite and an approoued writer writing a story of the miracles of our Lady of Loretto teacheth euen the same doctrine and makes no bones to bluster out almost the very same words which for better assurance I will put down The Virgin Mary both wil and can is both willing able to deliuer such as be compassed about with dangers on all sides and to heape vpon them all good blessings for Almighty God as farre as it is lawfull hath made his Mother fellow and partaker of his divine power and Maiesty c. See heere the new and refined diuinity of the Iesuites what is this but the same with that afore for if she be made partaker and fellow with God in his diuine power and Maiesty it is no maruell that God hath committed his mercy to her and if from these words we looke into the body of the booke we shall find hee ascribes such works and miracles to her as can belong to none but to him or her that is a fellow with God or rather God himselfe And as for this clause as far as it is lawfull is a strange word to be spoken of God for what can be vnlawful to God that is good whose will is the holiest law If therefore it be good to make a creature fellow with him in his deity it must needes bee lawfull and so the clause is idle If it be not good but impious and contrary to the nature of God then to think it any way lawfull or possible to be done is no losse then to think it any way lawful for God to lie or sin or denie himselfe so that take it any way this limitation of the Iesuite both grossely aâ—useth the Reader and containeth horrible impiety against God So far is it from
Abbot of the saide Church in all places wheresoeuer he shall hap to comâ— to saue one theefe from the gallowes These bee the very words of the Charter The third not the least was at Westminster wherof there is often and famous mention in our Chronicles as being a place of frequent ordinary refuge for great Malefactors and the name remains there to this day And these were not so much the facts of ignorant and superstitious Kings as the generall receiued doctrine of the Romish teachers the publick deed of their Popes them selues t Vide decretal Sext. Clement in tit de ecclesiarum coemeterioruÌ„ immunitatibus c. This was so in the olde time will some say but now it is otherwise I answere Nay this is not healed but rather is much worse To this end let vs consider a little of some of their latest principall writers in this case 28 The 13. wouÌ„d not healed for Poperie alloweth sanctuaries for wilful murder still A greate Clarke of Rome a fauourite of Pope Gregories the xiiii and one of his principall Secretaries some 12. yeares agoe writes a great volume of this and other Immunities which he saith by their religion belong to holy persons and places let vs obserue a fewe of his words u Vide Anaslasium GermoniuÌ„ de sacrorum immunitatibus lib. 3. cap. 16. art 1. c. Not Clergie men onely but euen the very Churches themselues haue their priuiledge for Malefactors flying to them are in a sort made sacred or holy thereby insomuch as they may not be taken awaie thence nor be cast into prison nor be toucht in life nor lim but shal there be safe from all pursuers as in a Castle or most strong holde c. And not onely puts he downe this for Catholicke doctrine but hee wil also needs haue it to bee ex iure diuino and whereas Couarruvias as learned as himselfe at least disproues it very sufficiently w Didac Couarruvias variarum resolut lib. 2. cap. 20. Num. 2. v. 2 3. concludes it to bee but de iure positivo this dearling of the Popes wil not suffer so much amendment as this but condemnes Couarruvias tho he cannot confute his reasons and concludes it to bee de iure diuino x Idem Germonius ibid. art 7. And whereas one Iohannes Ferrariensis a famous and learned Lawyer argueth soundly and truly that Churches should not receiue murtherers not be saÌ„ctuaries for theeues seeing Christ cast out euen buyers and sellers which are not so ill y Ioh. Pet. de Ferrar. practica Papiensis cap de forma inquisi vers ex his potest The Popes Secretarie scornfully casteth away both his opinion his reason z Germonius ibid. art 15. yet is he neuer able to ouerthrow eyther the trueth of his opinion or strength of his reason but so vnwilling are they to bee healed in any thing that if any one of them doe begin to see the trueth do but glaunce at it or incline to it presently hee is nipt in the head condemned as heere the old Lawyer is reproued by the later and when he would haue had this wound healed this fauorite of the popes will not suffer him but answeres that his reason is naught and not worth a rush And yet not content he goeth further and faith that not onely Churches consecrated but tho they be not as yet consecrated a Idem ibid. art 23. 24. yet they be sanctuaries and not the Church onely but euen the Churchyard yea tho it be disioyned from the Church b Idem ibid. art 30. 34. Nay further that euen hospitalls c Idem ibid. art 27. yea priuate Chappels in mens houses if they were built by the Bishops authority d IdeÌ„ ibid. art 29. haue priuiledge of sanctuary to receiue a murderer flying vnto them And least murder should not finde sufficient shelter in Romish religion he tells vs further that euen the Bishops Palace is a sanctuary if a murderer fly vnto it if it bee within 40. pases of the Church or tho it bee more then 40. pases off if it haue a Chappell in it e ldeÌ„ ibid. artâ— 43 c. And yet further if a murtherer going to execution after a iust sentence or afore triall being pursued doe meete a Priest carying his breaden God and doe fly to him he is priuiledged from the power of the lawe f IdeÌ„ ibid. art 52. And least we should thinke it strange to giue this honor to the Church that is Gods house or to the bread which they say is their God he goeth yet one steppe further and tells vs that g IdeÌ„ Germonius ibid. lib. 3. cap. 6. art 51. c. A Cardinall of Rome not onely is so holy a person in himselfe that he may not bee touched without sacriledge but if a murderer or malefactor that is carying to executiou haue the good happe to meete a Cardinall and can touch either his hat or his robes hee is discharged from the sentence of the law Loe heere is a holy person indeede a Cardinalls coate or hat shal haue more priuiledge then had eyther the coate or the flesh it selfe of Christ Iesus hee would not deliuer any murderers from death onelie one he deliuered namely Barrabas but he himselfe died in his roome h See the storie of the passion and if my Lords the Cardinals should do so surely they would meete no murderers in the streete But to goe forward the lawe saith the Murderer shall die i Gen. 9. 6. and Christ saith hee came not to dissolue the lawâ— but to fulfill it k Math. 5. â—8 but the Cardinalls will not fulfill the law but dissolue it The Murderer shall die saith God true saith the Pope vnlesse hee happe to touch the hem of one of my Cardinalls coats for theÌ„ he is acquitted But is this healed and reformed nay alas one Antonius Corsetus a learned Lawyer misliking this because as he saith truely l this being so there will be an occasion giuen of much euil bloudy men wil hereby take liberty to offend He is not suffered to make anie motion for reforming of anything but is coÌ„trariwise turned away with this censure that his reasons are slender and nothing worth And thus when hee is dasht out of countenance who would haue healed this wound then comes the Popes Secretarie a true childe of Babylon that will not be healed and to make the wound wider deeper brings a reason for this power of Cardinalls worthy of himselfe m Idem Germonius ibid. cap. 6. art 51. If saith he the Virgin-vestals in Rome heathenish had this power that if a person condemned met one of them in his way to execution could get to touch them hee was thereby deliuered from death as he proueth out of Aul. Gellius n Aul. Gellius noct Att. lib. 10 capâ— 15. Then much
Christians from such vowes But that this true I say let Bellarmine iudge o Bellarâ— ibid She that marrieth after a simple vow in some sort sinneth more grieuously then shee that commits fornication because marke his reason shee that marrieth makes her selfe vnable to keep her vow which shee doth not that commits fornication Thus it is plaine Poperie voweth against mariage not against whoredome adulterie nor fornication And thus three great Iesuites haue made good what Pighius taught and that more plainely and palpably then he did And to make vp a messe of Iesuites Posseuinus their grand Censor comming to giue his censure of Pighius p Posseuinus in Appar sac tom 1. lit A. findes many faults and errors in his bookes but as for this he hath nothing to say against it but passeth it ouer as good holy catholike Romish doctrine therefore seeing as Bellarmine said afore say we what we can they will not forsake nor amend this doctrine let them keepe it and let it bee one of the sweete flowers of the Popes Garland The seuenteenth Wound THe next woâ—nd is neere a-kin to this 35 The 17. wound Priests in popery may not marry but are permitted to keepe their whores vnder a yeerelie rent namely that their Chuch hauing alwaies forbidden mariage to their Clergy hath notwithstanding either tolerated and permitted them concubines or at least not punished it to reformation Thus was it complained of almost an hundred yeeres agoe by the Germane nation then being papists q Vide Centum grauamina Germanicae nationis grauamen 75. 91. In most places say they Bishops and their Officials do tolerate and suffer the Priests to haue concubines vnder paiment of a certain annual rent of money and further doe euen permit them to keepe their whores openly and haue them in their houses and to beget children of them c. Of these and certaine other grieuances one hundred in all the Germane nation complained to their Bishops and Clergie in their owne Diets or Parliaments held at home But hauing no redresse they went further and about the yeere 1522. complained to the Popes Legats and Nuntios at Noremberg who gaue them good wordes and promised they would make report thereof to his Holinesse and procure them a gratious answere But hauing long waited to no ende they published their grieuances and sent them to the Pope crauing with much humility audience redresse and reformation promising vpon that condition they would still and euer shew themselues dutifull and obedient children to the Pope and all whom he set ouer them but if they had no redresse they assured him they could not nor would endure them longer Heereupon the Pope not willing to venture the losse of so faire a childe as Germanie pacified them for a time with goodly promises But what reâ—ormation followed in whole or in any part the stories of those ages make it apparant But for the particular I haue in hand 36 The 17. wouÌ„d not healed for still in poperie to this day their Clergie are forbidden mariage but whores and coâ—cubines are not taken from them what notable reformation was wrought herein let a Bishop of their owneâ— Espencaeus as wise and learned as that age did yeeld let him I say deliuer for mee who fortie yeeres after writing of this matter saith r Espencaeus de Continentia lib. 2. cap. 7 pag 17â— In stead of pure and honest single life succeeded impure fornication and filthy keeping of concubines in such sort as neither can they be concealed for multitude nor seek they to be they are so shamelesse Nay of later times this tolerancie hath spread further insomuch as in some places both Clergy laity haue their whores permitted theÌ„ vnder a yeerly rent whereof saith he the Germane nation complained long agoe too truely and vpon too great cause But was not this wound healed and this abuse reformed vpon this complaint of Espencaeus A man might haue thought it would and the rather seeing he was a man of so great esteem in those daies not in France onely but euen in the Court of Rome s Espencaeus was in speciall fauor with Pope Paul the 4. insomuch as after much consultation had with him he found him so wise and learned a maÌ„ as hee had made him Cardinall if he had liued this is apparent in his bookes de Continent lib. 3. cap. 4. and in his coÌ„mentary on Titus cap. 1. pag. 91. But what amendment insued let himself tel vs in his Commentary vpon Titus which he wrote many yeeres after his former booke Our Bishops and Archdeacons c. in Poperie when they ride their visitations doe not so much punish the euil doers for which end the visitations were first ordained as rake vp siluer suck it both from laitie and Clergy vnder false fained preteÌ„ces of iurisdiction but it is most filthy of all that they suffer them to keepe their whores in their houses and haue children of them at a certain annual and yeerlie rent c. This is the healing and reformation wrought in those daies Oh but wil some say that is 40. yeares agoe sure it is better in these latter daies Indeed this enormitie was so generall and so scandalous that euen the Councell of Trent it selfe was ashamed and made great adoe for reformation of it t Vide CoÌ„cil Trâ—d â—esâ— 24. cap. 8. But what effect it tooke how they executed it and what is done in the matter let another Bishop of theirs tell vs who in these late daies scarce seuen yeeres agoe u Henricus Cuickius Rutemundensis Episcopus scripsit speculum concubinariorum Sacerdotum Monachorum ClericoruÌ„ Colon. 8599. found it to bee so common and shameless a sin al ouer all the low countries where Poperie reigned not onely in secular but euen in Monkes Friers and regular priests that hee writes a book against the sinne bitterly but iustly inueighing against it and shewing how dangerous and damnable a sinne it is and so much the more saith hee because it is so common and little regarded and so far are they from shaming with it that marke how it is healed they wil take their concubines and whores and carrie them vp and downe the countrie as men doe their wiues to feasts and meetings and challenge place and precedence for them as for honest Matrones And further freelie confesseth but with great griefe and shame that there bee very few in their Clergie free from this crime x Idem Cuickius in prae fatione eiusdem libri The eighteenth wound 37 The 18. wound Such priests as be contineÌ„t haue no whores yet must pay a yeerly rent as they that haue because they may haue if they will And no maruell though there bee but few of their Clergy that haue not concubines seeing they take that course they doe with them which is such as though they would inuite nay hire or rather presse