same Church so Apostolicall so Christian that me thought I saw the very Primitiue faith and practise of the Apostles and the verie rites of their Church to be in it obserued And in these obseruations I began more inwardly to be moued because as my knowledge and inclination to allow of the Church of England and to abhorre the Romane heresies and abuses increased so also my soule increased in the loue of God detestation of sinne and auoiding the occasions of sinne the loathing of this life and an earnest desiring to be with Christ whom since my renouncing of Papistrie with the Father and holy Ghost as my soule euidently testifieth vnto me I do most sincerely loue and esteeme aboue all things in this world and so fully with my whole soule heart that me thought I could comfortably and confidently say vnto it with the words of the holy Prophet k Psal 114. conuertere c. my soule be couerted into thy rest for the Lord hath done well to thee And I could not me thought hinder the working of God within me nor refuse that testimony of S. Paul the holy l Ad Rom. 8. Ghost giueth testimonie vnto our soules that we are the children of God yet so if we suffer with Christ that we may also raigne with Christ The ninth Motiue I Should heere adde somewhat largely of their pernicious The ninth Motiue doctrine of equiâ—ocation which hath beene another no small Motiue with me for my conuersion which doctrine the Ignatians haue specialy set a foote at least in practise within this kingdome they forsooth who will not permit that the Scriptures of God should be promiscuously read by the vulgar people haue in their vulgar language in Pamphlets rather libels being without name dispersed throughout this kingdome the pestiferous doctrine of equiuocation with their strange and paradoxicall half propositions Amphibologies propositions forsooth out of their r Treatise of equiuocation written or published by Henry Garnet Ignatian Logicke halfe written halfe spoken halfe concealed and why bring they not in also as well propositions of a triple difference whereof one part may be spoken a second written a third concealed and not vttered and why not propositions of a quadruple difference as part written part spoken part by signes and part by concealment and so make mentall verball written and dum or silent propositioÌ„ all in one to set vp their vaine doctrine of equiuocation Some ingenious Pontificians of my acquaintance there are who do what you can yet you cannot driue this doctrine of equiuocation into their heads but such as haue beene brought vp vnder the Ignatians and are deuoted vnto them they haue their lesson at their fingers ends Not long since there was Å¿ Iohn Koome one of these Ignatian Priests who being examined by the Archibishop of Canterburie not long before his death did not onely denie himselfe to be a Priest but also by religious oath did forsweare the same being challenged for it he excused the same by the art of equiuocation stoutly auouching that he had beene so taught by his master a reader of the societie of Ignatius and indeed it is the doctrine almost of them all that any proposition whatsoeuer is or may be allowed by the art of equiuocation the same also may be confirmed and auerred true by religious oath and yet this equiuocating swearer so ready to forsweare and deny his Priesthood was a most bitter enemie against all such as would take or allow the taking of the oath of Alleageance in any sense whatsoever I could produce many such examples of equiuocating Ignatians one I will not omit of a friend of the Ignatians who wouldfaine haue beene an Ignatian before this but that Master Strange the Ignatian lately banished * R. C. the common collector for Recusants by the art of equiuocatioÌ„ protested to certaine Priests in the Clinke cóplaining of their wants the very day before the 1000 and certain 100 of pounds were taken from him that he knew not in the world where to fetch 20 shall this man had not sorgotten his Accidence rule huic habeo non tibi I dare auouch there is no day passeth in which he doth not religiously vse this art Some three daies since the 9. of Ianuary he hath sent in writing an equiuocating super sedeas that because he was thé sicke with an il stomack for the oath of allegeance he would provide for the Clinke prisoners no longer out of the towre told him that his imperfections should not be laid vpon their order being of such rare pharisaicall perfection forsooth This man is gracious with diuers worthie persons of the feminine sexe into whole fauours he hath wound himselfe so greatly that he can obtaine one of their fauours to weare next his skinne and ouer his whole bodie a whole weeke togither yea in the time of his holy imprisonment to comfort his imprisoned corps Freshly vpon the discouerie of the damnable powder-treason it was his chance to be taken to be brought before the honorable Lord Maior of London by whom being examined vpon suspition of his person and religion and asked whom he thought to be head of the Church of England without any difficulty he answereth thus the King which his answere might well haue deceiued that honorable person if he had not more narrowly obserued some other of his answers in which he found him faultering and thereupon committed him to the Counter where he staid not long he being afterward questioned withall by some zealous Romane Catholicks how he could without deniall of his faith concerning their article of the Popes supremacie acknowledge the King to be supreme head of the Church what replieth he peremptorily I meant not the King of England but the King of heauen the truest word he euer spoke for the King of heauen is indeed the onely supreme head of the Church of England and he added that he thought in respect of the dangers of the times that he might iustly vse such equiuocation Pardon me courteous Pontifician Readers that I thus particularize this man there is more in store I doe it onely that our English Ladies and some worthie persons of the deuout sexe may know what manner of men those are to whom they commit their secrets And if he hereafter deale with some of them as he hath alreadie dealt with a verie worthie Ladie too worthy for him or any other Pontifician Priest they will haue no great cause of Comfort in him or his like I could discipher the spirits of some other equiuocating and dicing westerne Priests to conceale the rest God turne their hearts to consider the states in which they stand and vouchsafe O mercifull Iesus in t 1. Pet. 2. whose mouth was found no guile nor deceit rather to confound them then suffer them to defend their equiuocating practise by your most sacred doctrine and immaculate examples of your purest conuersation The tenth Motive TO proceed
indeede some doubtfull speeches in Caluines Institutions but if it would please them but to interpret fauourably his speeches in like for as they interpret the speeches of many later Dinines yea and sentences of the very scripture it selfe which in some places seemeth more directlie to make God the Author of sinne then euer Caluine did their calumniating spirit would bee satisfied and know that hee teacheth nothing else then what their own Christian Philosophers do teach therein of Gods immediate and positiue concurring to the entitie and nature of euery sinne and to the entitie and nature of euerie morall or naturall occasion of sinne and if hee should say that God as a vniuersall Cause doth not onely immediately concurre and intrinsecally coworke with morall second Causes in their morall euill actions as you all teach or must teach vnlesse you bee Heretikes but also that God as the Prime vniuersall and supreame independent Cause of all things doth in a kind of priority of nature also preuent and moue such morall second causes in their free morall actions beeing either of vice or of vertue tell mee is there none of your Pontifician Doctours Friars or Monks who teach the same if not farre worse who can be ignorant of this who hath vnderstood of the great * I my selfe when I was some yeere ago in Doway saw this doctrine that God doth moue with a priority of nature of causality and effectually all morall agents in all their actions printed in certaine Theses which were to be defended publikely vnder the moderation of one D. Estius who obstinately as I was there informed defended the same position controuersie betwixt the Ignatians at Doway and some other Professours of that Vniuersity the noise of which scandalous controuersie soundeth euen vp to Rome it selfe there to be determined c. The English Liturgy is most egregiously calumniated to be vaine irreligious a most slanderous imputation for the forme thereof is conformable to all antiquity is very religious and if some priuate disorderly persons sometimes minister not the Sacrament according to the forme there prescribed what of that But I haue often wondered why the speciall absurdities and abuses if there be so many in the Booke of English Common Praier as they pretend haue not been by any of the aduersaries in some special sort largely discouered and confuted considering how often and in how speciall sort the many turpitudes abuses cōtradictions fooleries of their Roman Masses haue been learnedly deciphered Commonly and daily is the Church of England calumniated for giuing vnto the Prince the Title of Supreame head or gouernor of the Church of England which yet is giuen in no other sense then to shew that very power and Supreame Iurisdiction which all Ancient Christian Emperours and Kings in the q 1. Paralipom 28. 2. Paralip cap. 17. 19. Reg. 4. cap. 18. 3. Reg. 2. old Testament and since haue euer more or lesse had in their Kingdomes to wit that for the publike setling establishing execution and administration of all manner of iustice whether in matters of Religion or other Temporall causes the Prince hath Supreame authority and that without his command or permission no man may so much as beare or wagge any rodde of any publike Iustice or gouernment But touching the ministration of Sacraments giuing of Orders giuing the power of the Keies and in or touching defining of faith it is a meere foppery to say the Prince challengeth any such matter in this Kingdome or that any such is giuen him But in al such respects he doth most religiously acknowledge himselfe to be one of the sacred sheepe of Christs sacred flocke vnder Christ his ministeriall Shepheards of the English Churche Remember I pray you how r Parsons his Catholike letter and answer to our Kings Apology Parsons admitteth that the Kings supreamacy as his most excellent and pious Maiesty most religiously and excellently explaneth the same in his Apology for the Oath of Allegeance is allowable and such as may be receiued The truth is you care not so much for what the Prince hath as for that the Pope is excluded from his gainful Supremacy ouer this Kingdom who was accustomed with his Annats Reseruations Vnions Comendaes Expectatiue graces Prouisions Presentations Nominatiōs and with infinite such like ſ 1 ad Tim. 6. nouelties of names and prophanations to corrupt all Church discipline and Religion of this Kingdome as the t Lincoln Epise apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. famous and holy Robert Bishop of Lincolne long agoe obiected to your holy Pope Innocent the 4. And heere to note by the way your vanities you thinke it to be eternall blemish to the Church of England for that King Henrie for loue of Queene Anne Bolleyne as you say and to be diuorced from Queene Katharine did exclude the Popes authority out of England meerely vpon fancy and passion But alas your deuise is vaine for it was first giuen vnto him by the learned Vniuersity of Oxford then Pontifician vpon this occasion which I desire you to marke There was earnest suite made by some certaine Pontificians to the Kings Maiesty to condemne Martin Luthers opinions as being the very same in many points with those of Iohn Wicleff who had beene long before often condemned in that famous Vniuersity of Oxford and by many of his former predecessors whereupon the King being desirous to see a copy of Wicleffs Articles one was brought vnto him the which hee seriously perusing found one of them to be thus to wit that the Bishop of Rome had no power nor iurisdiction by right ouer the Church of England Which when the King saw hauing at that time the weighty controuersie about his diuorce with the Bishop of Rome he seemed to like thereof but willing to doe nothing rashlie or against Faith u This standeth recorded in Oxford as M. Thomas James hath affirmed vnto me very lately hee presently dispatched the same Article to the Vniuersity of Oxford to haue it by the learned anew examined and their iudgements freely to bee giuen vpon it the which was accordingly done and the Article approued whereupon that Prince resolued by Consent and Authority of Parliament to exclude the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Church of England which vnder his most tyrannicall oppressions had a long time groned but by this meanes came to be deliuered from the Egyptian seruitude as the holy Bishop of Lincolne long agoe Prophesied it would And if King Henry the 8. vpon your supposed motiues did impugne the Papacy yet I pray you what greater disgrace is it to the Church of England that King Henry should exclude the Popes supremacy then it is to the Church of Rome that he should establish the Statute of sixe Articles for your Masse auricular confession c and what disgrace to your doctrine of adoration of Images because the vsurping and auaricious Empresse x Baron in
Baldach of certaine Popes make mee thinke there wanteth no good will but onely meanes and possâ—ssion which their Canonists and Ignatians labour a pace in euery place where they can finde footing by their preachings secret conferences and bookes to procure vnto him And consider this what bookes are with more fauour receiued printed and published at Rome then those of this stampe and kinde For this respect Pesantius Bozius and such like shal be cherished there Bellâ—rmine in the time of Sixtus the Monarch of the world who had deuoured England in his vaiâ—e Psendopropheticall hope Bellâ—rmine I say because hee applauded not the Papall Monarchy of Sixtus but wrote against it found no fauour but was glad to auoid Rome for feare of frying but h Bâ—llar against Barkley and his anâ—wer to a Ve netiaÌ„ Doctor saepâ—ssime de Rom Pon. â— 5. c. 6 now by end euouring to bâ—ing the Monarchy of christendome vnder the Popes command with the distinction of indirect direct he hath profited so much that hee hath purchased a Cardinals hat the next steppe to the Romane Monarchy it selfe the which if he euer obtaine doubtlesse he will speake as Sixtus did for as his doctrine is much changed from that it was in Sixtus time so doubtlesse if he proue Pope it will * Hanores mutant moâ—â—s come to greater perfection i Baron in annalibus saepissime Steuch lib. de donat Constant Bozius alij Cardinall Baronius good God how he trauaileth as though he were wich child to bring forth this Monarchy throughout his Annals and Augustinus Steuch more earnest then he if it may be how carelfully doth he record Diplomes and Charters by which the Popes challenge the direct and supreame Soueraignties ouer most kingdomes of the West as of Spaine France England Ireland Hungary Norway Sicily and of which not but such baubles I passe ouer the trying of those Charters I put off to those whome it concerneth I will onely a little examine how this man of sinne that sitteth in the Temple of God is saide to sit in Gods Temple doubtlesse it cannot otherwise bee well vnderstood then of some principall part of the externe and visible Church of Christ there beeing no other temple of God of which it may with any probability bee expounded To expound it of the Temple in Hierusalem were very incongruous yea impossible coÌ„sidering the same is destroied and that the desolation thereof shall continue til the end as k Dan. 9. Hieron ibidem Daniel the Prophet hath foretold yea and Christ himselfe seemeth also to haue l Math. 24. In the time of Iulian the Apostata when the Iewes atteÌ„pted to haue reedified their temple in Hierusalem they were miraculously letted by God a tokeÌ„ that the same shal neuer bee reedified Baronius his Annals in Iuliano Theod Socrates lib. 3. foretold so much to say that Antichrist when he commeth shall reedifie the Temple of Hierusalem in the same place where that of Salomon stood and it therefore to be called the Temple of God by the Apostle is too too improbably and idlely said with as much congruity as to say that the turkish moskyes in Constantinople are the Church of God because standing in the same places and within the same materiall walls in which once the True and onely God Iesus Christ was worshipped The Pontificians would be offended to heare their Church of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs in Rome to be now called the Temple of all false Gods because it was so once called by the name of Pantheon Besides if wee will beleeue the Rhemists * The substaÌ„ce of Lessius demonstrating book coÌ„sisteth in that hâ— confoundeth diuers predictioÌ„s concerning the states of diuers enemies of Christ and diuers calamities of the Church to the imagined 3. yeeres and a halfes raigne of one singular maÌ„ Antichrist Leonard Lessius in his laborious and demonstratiue booke of Antichrist we must think that Antichrist when he commeth shall worship no God a toy for if so how then shall he be thought to build a temple to the true God what Worship no God and yet build a Temple to the true God a Paradoxe But most cleare it is and to me it hath beene often confessed by diuers learned Papists that Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God because he shall vse a tirannical proud vsurped imperious gouernment in the visible Church excluding the society paritie of any other in that vsurped office of his changing that forme of gouernment which Christ left in his Church and by tiranny seeking to draw all to himself m Annotation in 2. ad thes 2. an 5 as the Rhemists themselues affirme But that this Antichrist of which Saint Paul speaketh shall sitte in the visible Church of Christ visible I said for so they are to be expounded diuers auncient n Aug lib. 20. de ciuita cap. 19. Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ q. 11. Greg. l. 4. epist 34. 38. 39 et in 2. ad Thes cap. 2. apud Paterium clarissime Robertus lincolniens apud Math. Paris in Henrico 3. anno 1162. Coruelius mussorat habita in con Trid. dominica 3. adueÌ„tus Athanas in epist ad solitar vitam agentes Hilar. li. cont Constan Lucifer in lib. moriendum pro filio dei Bernar. ser in conc Rem et serm 33. in cantica Hieron in Dan. 11. Hila. cont Auxent This greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist in properlinar gie significatioÌ„ according to the differeÌ„t vse of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth one that is for insteed or against another all which three significations are vnited in the man of sinne called Antichrist beeing annointed insteed and against the true annointed Lord Iesus Christ Fathers eyther expresly affirme or by most euident consequence it is deduced out of them S. Austin S. Ierome S. Gregory and others expresly Cornelius Mus seemeth to affirme so much although hee dare not speake it expresly Athanasius also agreeingly with Hilary and Lucifer Calaritane make therefore Constantius the Arian Emperour Antichrist because he assumed to himselfe all rule tiranically in the Church and against Church-men Saint Bernard not farre from this conceit where hee chargeth the Church-men for seruing Antichrist Saint Gregory is most cleare for otherwise how vnworthy an argument were it in that Father to call Iohn of Constantinople Antichrist and the Title of Vniuersall Bishop Antichristian if Antichrist when hee should come was not to bee either a Bishop or not to challenge any such vsurped power or any such name Along while King Henry the eight Queene Elizabeth both of renowned memory were certaine Antichrists with the Pontificians in respect they challenged the titles of cheefe Gouernours in the Church of England the sense whereof being now sufficiently explaned and by the same made euident that they require no more then what their predecessors had and vsed though not with the name
desire them to point me out some illustrious person some Arrogant Bishoppe who sitting in the Church challengeth all rule and Empire to himselfe to iudge all to bee iudged by none who challengeth to bee honoured and worshipped as an earthly God extolling himselfe aboue all things that are called God marke what the k 2. ad Thes 2. Apostle saith which is called God not thus which is God again shewing himself as if he were a God but not the true and onely God for it is a meere imagination that the Antichrist here described shal make himselfe to be the very true God indeed for he shall only by his tyrannicall outlawish Godlike behauiour in vsurping in commanding doing vndoing in dispensing binding against al lawes diuine and humane heare himselfe as if he were a God Reade to this purpose l Greg. in 2. ad Thes 2. apud Paterium Baron ad anno 992. Saint Gregory and withall the resolute verdict of Arnulphus a French Prelate cited by Barontus in his Annals But if the expositions of some learned Pontificians bee true that Antiochus Epiphanes who adored the God Maâ—zim and despised the Gods of his Fathers Antichrist was prefigured then doubtlesse he shall worship some God And if the exposition of some other Pontificians take place that m Dan. 11. Daniel in that Chapter prophecied of Antichrist himselfe and that hee should worship the God Maozim who will gainsay it and affirme that Antichrist shall worshipe no God but here I desire the Reader by the way to remember that of the word Maozim there is a treble interpretatio by some it is interpreted summi roboris or fortitudinis of greatest strength or fortitude so that the God Maozim is the God of greatest power I finde also that Maozim is interpreted inhabitatio tabernaculi in-dwelling of a Tabernacle so the interpreter of the Hebrew wordes in the old Bibles of Saint Hieromes edition it is interpreted also turris fortitudinis a tower of fortitude or strength c. by all which interpretations fitly agreeing to the nature of the word I leaue it to the Christian Reader to iudge whether the God of the Tabernalces or Sacramentall towers amongst the pontificians bee the God Maozam God of Fortitude of which the Prophet foretold that Antichrist should worship One thinge I meruaile at why the interpreter of the Hebrew wordes in the last editions of the bibles interpret not this word Maozim which is so greatly to the purpose for one side or other as for my parte I will absolutely iudge nothinge of these interpretations Iesus Chrisi vouchsafe to open our eyes that we may both see his truth and imbrace it and beware that wee worshippe not falselie and idolatrouslie any false God in Turrets or Tabernacles The Romane Empire thus dissipated and ouerthrowne and dissolued into diuers Kingdomes accordinge as it was prophecied by n Daniel 2. Daniel The Popes still by their vndermining indirect power and by the earnest defenders of the same the Ignatians and other fauourites doe strongly endeauor to bringe all Kingdomes of the world vnder their command wherin hee vseth the spirituall power as hee would seeme of the lambe pretending to proceed onely against Kings and Kingdoms in holy Churches necessity and for the temporall quietnesse and necessary safety of common weales but not for that he aymeth at any profit therby but onely to reduce them to holy Churches obedience Wherein for my part I giue no more credit vnto such a saying then I did to the great Admiral of Spaine some 16. yeares agoe who in my hearing affirmed that his * Philip the 2. King of Spain Master the King of Spaine sent not the great Armado in 88. so much to make a conquest of England as to conuert it to the Church and to make it a friend for my Master the King said he hath already so many Kingdomes that hee is scarce able to gouern them with peace and content and surely the proceedings of Pandulph Legat with King Iohn do liuely demonstrate what the Popes ayme at when they presume to correct Princes and dispose of Kingdomes our Historians will tell vs that it was not inough to haue the kingdome to be idlye made feudatary by that King to the Pope but also there must be yeerely summes sent vp to Rome in token of this subiection Doubtlesse p Platina in vita Paschalis 2. Paschal the second was well acquainted what Popes aymed at by their direct and indirect powers when at his installing a mysticall girdle with seuen keyes seuen seales hanging at it was put about him I haue spoken sufficiently against this indirect power in my booke vpon the oath of Allegeance which as yet I see no otherwise answered then by a libell from some of the wise mens punies of Saint Omers as is reported who esteeme the same a sufficient answere to it doubtlesse desperata causa theire cause is desperate beeing growne to libelling But alasse that is too too common with them for what booke almost commeth from them with any name q Iohn 3. or any more insinuation of the Author then with N. D. H. I. or some two like letters the truth is they are ashamed or afraid of their Gospell and therefore as children of darknesse they deale so couertly and will not come to the light because they feare reproouing yet before I leaue this matter I will set downe a sentence or two out of two of the Pontificians bookes by the which the Curteous Reader may gather to what their indirect power of Popes tendeth Heare their r Coquae pa. 170. Coquaeus in his most seâ—itious booke against his Maiesties Premonition to Christian Princes thundering rather against our Soueraignes Person whom he reputeth a notorious Heretike and his Kingdome rather then against his Doctrine Si autem crimen haeresees sit notorium et publicum c. But if the crime of heresie saith he be notorious or publike in a Prince * Was not this Catsbyes atheistical position on which the powdermine of the IgnatiaÌ„s and the Ignatianed was grounded the subiects may lawfullie before any declaratiue sentence of the crime if they haue strength withdraw themselues from the obedience of such a Prince for euident notice of such a fact is insteed of a sentence Whereas therefore the crime of Heresie is notorious in the King of England so that by no tergiuersation it can be auoided it is certaine that neither for the forme of the Oathe nor for any respect of the person to whom the Oath is made that his subiects are bound therewith Thus the most seditious Coquaeus but if I should heereto adioyne how in his 48. or 49. page hee in the like case of notorious crime of heresie approueth the murthering of Princes non expectata sententia Iudicis no sentence of any Iudge expected and endeuoureth also most prophanely to proue the same out of Å¿ Deut. cap. 13. holy Scripture
THE MOTIVES of Richard Sheldon Pr. for his iust voluntary and free renouncing of Communion with the Bishop of Rome PAVL the 5. and his Church I saw the woman drunke with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus and I admired when I saw her with great admiration Apocal. cap. 17. 6. Goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her Sinnes nor receiue of her punishments Apocal. 18. 4. Published by Authority London printed for NATHANIEL BVTTER and are to be sold at his shop neere S. Austines gate 1612. To Mr. George Birker the Arch-Priest and all other Priests with the rest professing in England communion with PAVL the 5. Bishop of Rome that now is THese my inducements passing ouer with silence many others by which I haue resolued to relinquish renounce the communion of the present Bishop of Rome and to adioyne my selfe to the Catholike and truly Apostolike Church of England I doe not therefore addresse vnto you thereby to craue your patronages but to require your seuerest censures expecting only and humbly begging and doe daily multiply obloquies against me yea and libell also against me in respect of my booke written in defence of my Prince and Countrie doe presume to Dedicate these my Motiues which will proue nothing acceptable to Rome or to some of your tastes to your worthy persons and names the truth is the cause of this is my considence in truth which I deliuer the which being gratefull to her veriest enemies cannot but be grateful to many of you to whom I know the verie sound of truth is pleasant though through the seducements of your leadâ—rs and your little reading of Gods Word and bookes of controuersie you are now misled mâ—gnâ—rance but veritas filta temporis truth is the daughter of time shee doth not alwaies appeare at the first as God wot shee hath very latelie would God sooner to me yet now shee is come and appeareth I professe without lying God is my witnesse I senâ—â—bile feele in such sort as the soule can feele my vnderstanding and souâ—e as it were a new inlightned illustrated consorted and encouraged by a new change and translation out of the h 〈◊〉 1. shadow of darkenesse into the i Ad Colâ—ss 1. Kingdome of Gods beloued sonne Iesus for whose testimonie Oh how happie should I bee to suffer euen death it selfe But because I am growne of late so contemptible with you wherein I reioice haue and doe vndergoe the same fortune which my k 〈◊〉 6. deare Sauiour and onelie Master Iesus did sustaine being conuersant vpon earth in respect of the honor of the cause which I haue vndertaken sufferte modicum quid insipientiae meae suffer a little of my folly to vse the words of the l 2 Ad Cor. 11. Apostle in like sort beginning to commend himself in commending of my self to you in such things whereof for some circumstances I take now no comfort but rather am ashamed of them and with my very soule doe lament them When I liued in the Romane English Colledge I begin there if any one can say any great ill of me before that time or since let him not spare to speake hee hath good leaue it is well knowne how I was reputed to haue profited being there better esteemed then I euer thought of my selfe and for learning compared with your Doctor Norrice a man of farre worthier partes then my selfe with whom also had not his oppositions against the gouernours of the English Colledge and the generall commotion of the same Colledge letted it at that very time I had defended publike Theses and Conclusions out of the whole corps and body of Diuinity the same being with their Epistle Dedicatorie allowed and readie printed for that purpose but because Doctor Norrice might not haue that honor in respect he was theÌ„ in opposition against the Superiours I was desired not to expect lest also the Bishop of Cassano Doctour Norrices Patron and fauourer then should bee discontented thereat the same at Rome but I was promised to performe it in Spaine whether I was sent with letters of as fauourable commendations both from the superiours of the Colledge and their Generall Claudius Aquauiua as euer anie English Priest had and also with as ample faculties into England yea in some things as it is well known concerning The Rect â—r of the English Colledge â—iâ—hed me to set downe in writing what faculties I desired and that hee would procute from the Cardinall protector confirmation allowance of the same which was accordingly done so largely as none had so large before whereof I haue a Copy to shew dispensations in all degrees of marriages contracted or to be contracted touching all Ecclesiasticall positiue impediments letting or dissoluing marriage more ample then any other euer had before mee as any Priest or Ignatian then in England had And if I was not in good esteeme then and there why did the Superiors of the English Colledge request me onely alone aboue others to write a short letter rather then a Petition to the Pope who then was Clement the 8. by the same to giue testimonie to that Pope of their vpright gouernment in the Colledge which then was so eagerly called in question by most of the English there I could vse more folly courteous Reader in adding many more very fauourable particulars as of my free accesse to Cardinall Catetane Protector to their General Aquauiua c. but I haue been too foolish already being constrained thereunto Since my comming into this Kingdome it is well knowne I haue been too too industrious in exhorting preaching c. And it is as well knowne that my conuersation and entertainement hath beene with the best Honourable not excepted let those who haue knowne me last and longest who are very Worshipfull very true hearted English and vnacquainted with the Equiuocating Spirit Speake what my carriage and conuersation hath beene But good Iesus why doe I thus trouble my selfe thus to waste paper and inke calumniated I am and most disgracefully calumniated I shall be as the Right Honourable my Lord of Canterbury his Grace presaged to me when I first told his Grace of my resolution but I will reioyce therein and shall esteeme all as dungge so that I may glory m Ad Galat. 6. in the Crosse of Iesus Christ the onely comfort and ioy of my soule the n Act. 4. onlie hope of my saluation Let hell it selfe spew out against mee all most disgracefull taunts and calumniations I will to God commend my cause hee will bring the truth of my innocency in the end to light I will in the meane vse patience the anker of all Christian soules in times of any tribulations and distresses Thus most humbly beâ—eeching with heart prostrate and in all your behalfes the mercies of the o 1 Ad Tim. 2. onely Aduocate and Sauiour of Mankind that you may returne to
authoritie command and Breefes notwithstanding some of them doe practise I could not but resolue to leaue off conference with them remembring that of the f Isai 6. Act. 28. Prophet Esay vnto the Iewes and vsed also by the Apostle S. Paul in like case Incrassatum est cor populihuius c. The heart of this people is become grosse and with their eares they haue heard heauily and they haue closed their eies lest perchance they should see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and bee conuerted and I heale them This their estate as I did and do from the very bottome of my heart lament so it did greatly increase my doubts mustring themselues to my Conscience against the nouell traditions and vncatholike doctrines of the Church of Rome whereof Christian Reader with thy patience and good acceptance I will communicate part to thy courteous view not because I esteeme my selfe so learned as though I were able to produce any new learning neuer thought on before for in very deed I doe ranke my selfe amongst the meanest of Gods seruants and Priests nor because I doe seeke in matters of Religion to bee applauded by the worlds iudgement or to please humaine censures but alonely that thou maist consider vpon how waightie inducements I haue relinquished the intollerable and pernicious burthen of humaine traditions reared vp against Gods institution that if thou bee wauering from the Firmament of Truth of Gods word and holy ancient Church thou maist with mee bee staied if thou art alreadie seduâ—ed as I haue been thou maist be reclaimed to the sweet yoke of Iesus Christ My heart bleeds to thinke how many in this Kingdome and some of them my speciall acquaintance vertuously and zealously disposed are caried away with most dangerous errors obtruded vnto them only vpon the Roman Bishops prerogatiue of not erring and yet heauen and earth proclaimes that Popes may erre and be Heretikes God of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to open their eies that they may receiue the charity of Truth that they may see that defection and apostasie accomplished in them and their defendants which the g 2 ad Thess 2 vessell of election so long agoe forâ—told and whereof the Prophet and h Apoc. 17. Apostle in his Reuelation so clearelie discourseth shewing that Kings and Nations should be drunke and be bewitched with the Cup of Romes Fornications Fornications hee saith thereby most clearely demonstrating that some Romane Church or Congregation for most cleare it is and best Pontificians deny it not that of Rome hee prophecieth earst a Spouse but after a Strmpet in respect of her spirituall aduoutries first pure but after most impure first Christian but after Antichristian for her doctrines and practises against the most pure doctrine and humble conuersation of Christ first with a cup of Christian simplicity in her hands deuoid of humane dregs but after with a i Ibidem cup full of abominations and corruptions with which shee should delude all Nations and Kingdomes of the earth making merchandize negotiating with the souls of men the which if it should not be already fulfilled in the Roman Church it must bee heereafter at least if the Prophet truly haue forespoken The later of which especiallie touching the merchandizing of soules in auarice how clearlie it is already compleated in the Roman Church diuers earnest professors agreeing in all points of faith with the Romane Church in their times will plainely b In ementitam Constantini donationem testifie a Saepissime as Baptista Mantuanus c In Henr. 3. Valla Robertus Lincolriensis in c Matthew of Paris d In Epist 1. ad Titum Claudius Espencaeus S. e â—ab Cons ad Eugenium Bernard f Constitut Imperial pag. 39 Frederike the Emperour in his Epistle to all Prelates g Baronius 992. Arnulphus in a Synod at Rhemes in Baronius and read Baronius also in the yeere 912. where you shall find him affirming how at the lust of whores diuers Popes most wicked luxurious and auaricious were thrust into Peters chaire and how that custome lasted not for a short while only * Claudius Espencaeus as hee is now set forth is vvholly corrupted you must read his first Edition All these with infinite others do demonstrate the corruptions of the Roman Church would God effectually for the conuersion of seduced soules Wherein I can conceiue no great hope first of all such popish seruants as reape profitte or liuing by that profession nor of such children as are vnder the command of some obstinate recusants nor of any such bankrupts and malecontents as expect alterations and long for troubled waters to fish in nor of such scrupulous good soules as will not dare to peruse or read any part of holy Scripture though of the Rhemists Testament it selfe falsified with their Annotations lest they should proue Heretikes as some of them haue told me or else remaine perplexed in their Consciences nor of some of their Priests who are resolued for the maintenance of their credit conseruing of their meanes and some such other respects with their fauoritesses I meane such like fauours as will mooue men to trauell vp to Rome to procure dispensations for mariages and yet in their absences and long pilgrimages such painfull pilgrimes notwithstanding stripped of their fauouritesses by some of their own brotherhood which haue come betwixt them and home are ready without examination of Scriptures or Fathers to receiue whatsoeuer the Roman Church shal obtrude vnto them Neither may I conceiue hope of any such yonger persons who expect preferment by h One of the most speciall practises of the Pontificians in England to enlarge their religion is to procure matches in mariages doe thou make the inferences Christian Reader There is a mysterie in it if the natures of young spirits be considered who commonly at such seasons are rather full of the heate of carnall loue then of that fire which Christ came to send into this world Luk. 12. matching into some stocke and family the which as it abhorreth the reading of the Scriptures so also is inueterated in Papistrie My chiefest hope may be of those who as they are iudicious so embrace that faith meerely out of conscience and are nothing dependant of others who either through the peremptory auaricious factious and vnchast liues of their Priests or generally for the hatefull opposings and vncharitablenesse amongst them all by which they demonstrate themselues to be no disciples of Christ whose proper badge and stemme is i Ioh. 13. dilection and loue of each other or else through the vaine multiplicity of deuised fables and miracles out of their old Legends and withall through the inexcusable ignorance of their Priests in Gods sacred Scriptures which I dare boldly affirme is so great that there are scarse a hundred amongst diuers hundreths of them in this Kingdome who can tell either how many
Psal 1. meditating in Gods holy Scriptures and aboue all by conseruing his soule c Jacob. 1. 2. Pet. 3. Luk. 8 Matth. 3 impolluted from alliniquity of sinne and the contagion of al worldly desires and solicitudes by exercising d 2. Ad Corint 9 chearefully plentifullie all charitable offices to all such as are in affliction and necessity by keeping his bodie e 1. Ad Thess 4 a cleare vessell from all impurity and impudicity and his tongue from all scurrill f Ad Ephes 5 Ad Rom. 13 and vnseemely speeches seriously to endeauour to make g 2. Pet. 2 sure his vocation and to h 1. Pet. 2. stop the mouthes of such who in respect that some of the reformed Churches especially of the Clergy liue not conformably to their doctrine do blaspheme the sacred Truth of Christs immaculate Gospell I haue seene much into the liues of the Aduerse part the which although I find to bee more impure auaricious proud vncharitable then euer I could haue imagined yet that is not the cause why I left them but the impurities abominations and superstitious impertinencies of their doctrines worships laws and customes which my soule hateth assuring it selfe that if I should still continue in communion with them I could haue no part with Christ my Sauiour to whom for hauing most mercifully i 2. Ad Corint 5. reconciled mee to his Father in himselfe bee onely and alonely with his Father and the holie Ghost Honour and Glorie for euer Amen Yours in Christ Iesus R. S. The Contents of this booke of MOTIVES THe Preface shewing the first occasions inducements and maner of the Authors conuersion The diuision of the Motiues 1. Into Motiues out of the Pontificious Erroneous Doctrines 2. Out of their dangerous and wicked Lawes 3. Out of certaine obseruations touching the dangerous Spirits of sundrie Chiefe English Romanists Page 1. Motiues of Doctrine FIrst Motiue touching Doctrine is out of the Pontifician vnsound rule of Faith to wit the Popes sole Iudgement defining ex Cathedra out of the Chaire as Pastor of the Church Pag. 2. Second Motiue is out of another rule of their faith to wit Apocriphall Scriptures Pag. 27. Third Motiue is out of their most Idle rule of Faith traditions as they doe pretend them Pag. 31. Fourth Motiue is out of the vsurped transcendent power of Popes in Temporals and Spirituals Pag. 41. Fifth Motiue is out of the most Superstitious Romane Doctrine for the Adoration and worshipping of Images Pag. 69. Sixth Motiue is out of diuers obseruations touching sundry superstitious fooleries contradictions and impertinences of the Romane Masse Pag. 86. Seuenth Motiue is out of their most vaine and intollerable Doctrines and abuses touching Indulgences Pag. 119. Eight Motiue is out of their irreligious Doctrine against the vse of the publike Liturgies and Church seruices in knowen tongues pag. 128. Ninth Motiue briefly toucheth their most vnchristian Doctrine of Aequiuocation pag. 137. Tenth Motiue briefly taxeth their tyrannicall denying of Indifferent Reading of holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongues pag. 140. Concerning their wicked Customes and Lawes the Author toucheth onelie a few FIrst the wicked custome and Law by which their Popes strictly forbid that there be any publike commemoration in their Masses for the conuersion of any Infidels Heretikes or excommunicated persons c. or for the temporall prosperity and safety of Soueraignes being by them reputed Heretikes pag. 144. Second hypocriticall law and custome touching their fastings and daies of fasting pag. 148. Third most impure permissiue law for their houses of prostitution euen in Rome it selfe not without great gaine to the Popes Coffers pag. 151. Fourth most vnchristian law that in case of no extremity the venerable Sacrament may bee celebrated without their Massing vestiments altarstones c. and such like humane deuises and institutions pag. 152. Fifth most iniurious law by the which the Laity contrary to the Institution of Christ and practise of all antiquity is debarred of the cup in the most holy and dreadfull Sacrament pag. 153. Sixth vnchristian law is the necessary annexing of the vow of Chastity to all their greater holy orders by occasion of which law the vile impurities of the Romane Cougregation are growne innumerable and inexpressible pag. 154. Touching certaine obseruations out of the Pontifician Spirits FIrst the Author discouereth by diuers notable particulars the disloiall and vnnaturall Spirits of the Ignatian Cheefetaines of the English in the maner of their preaching and their propagation of the Romane Gospell in England pag. 1. alpha 2. Secondly he sheweth in diuers particulars how they doe most shamefully calumniate the Church of England for her Doctrines and her publike Liturgie pag. 13. alpha 2. Thirdly hee sheweth how generally all Pontificians denie consent of Ancient Fathers being produced against diuers points of their nouell Doctrines pag. 20. Fourthly he sheweth how the younger Ignatians doe imitate the vnnaturall and disloiall Spirits of the old pag. 24. In the Conclusion he sheweth more largely both out of Scriptures and Fathers that the Church of Rome notwithstanding her visibility and Conspicuity may Iustly and in respect of her corruptions necessarily ought to be forsaken pag. 32. THE NOVELL AND HERETICALL Rule of the Romane FAITH Diuision of the Motiues THE Sauiour of mankind who hath vouchsafed to illustrate the eyes of him who sate in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death to know his truth will also I hope vouchsafe so to confort him that hee may rather conuert some then confound any of those who call themselues true Iewes and Catholikes which they are not but are indeede only the Synagogues and Congregations of the Bishops of Rome who in a Dictatus Greg. 7. apud Baron anno 1175. As Bell. admitteth Papa properly signifieth a Father that begetteth children and therfore all begotten of him and to him are denominated of him Papists Gregorie the V 11. did first of all by decree assume vnto themselues excluding all other Priests and Bishops from that name Papa the name of Fathers of the whole Church to wit to be only called Papae from which name all their children by denomination are called Papists rather then from Christ Christians which Papae Fathers also somewhat before that time at that time and now also doe peremptorily challenge to bee the only Vniuersall Catholike and immediate Pastours and Fathers of all who do b Ad Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greek preposition signifieth properly as much as the Latine preposition pro for so taken Math. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Math. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in composition it signifieth properly for insteed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In some words of composition it signifieth also opposition as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is also in such a signification to be indifferētly vsed according to the naturall signification of the word inuocate the name of
of Heads or cheefe Gouernors yea made so plaine that p Parsons in his Catholike letter against our Kings Apology Iobn Hart also acknowledged the same to Doctor Reinolds Conference cap. 10. in the end Parsons himselfe acknowledgeth that as our o Our King in his Apology Soueraign doth declare and explane his Title of headship and Supremacy it is sound and in some sort allowable they haue left that saying but yet thereby it is cleare that Antichrist in their owne estimation when he shall come shall be a kind of tyrannicall and vsurping Churchman The prouerbiall prophecy of of Saint Hildegard spoken of by many hath the same meaning vnum vos monco Cauete Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are ill carryed away with the loue of walls naughtily doe you worship the Church as if it were within couers and edifices badly vnder these doe you offer the name of peace what can it be doubted that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines Woods Lakes Prisons Whirlepooles shall bee more secure to me for Prophets either staying in these or thrown into these haue prophecied with the spirit of God thus she who hath not heard of the Prophecy of Ioakim Abbot which ought to bee of credit with the Pontificians considering how eager Stapleton q Stapleton in promptu is against the very haire to make him prophecie of the Order of the Ignatians as of a speciall Order to be raised vp by God for defence and propagation of the Romane Church But for prophecies the like might bee produced out of r Lib. reuelat 4. Ciril lib. reuelat related by Aytmger in Method Briget and Ciril and others these may suffice But heare a more forcible testimony out of our English Pontificians the Å¿ Annotat. in 2. ad thessalo 2. annot 5. Rhemists themselues who graunt that both Saint Austin and Saint Hierome doe interpret the sitting of Antichrist in the Temple of God for his sitting in Christs Church but not say they as though hee should be cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a speciall part of his mysticall body if they meane that in truth and verity Antichrist should not so be they neuer wrote truer Doctrine but if they meane that in the sense of the Fathers he should not as a pretended ruler and cheefe of the Church or as a pretended mysticall head of his body sit in the same it is most vaine and against the very haire for what doe they or can they else vnderstand by sitting in the Church but to rule and gouerne in the Church and therefore he alone is said to sitte in the Temple because he alone challengeth independently monarchically and Soueraignely according to the doctrin of Bellarmine t Bellar. lib. 1. de conci cap. 17. Baron in Annal. sepissime Allen. his defeÌ„ce of english Catholicks cap. 5. Baron Sanders Allen and all other who make the Church-Gouernment a Monarchy to Gouerne the whole Temple All other Bishops and prelates whatsoeuer being but his substitutes according u Bellar. lib. 1. de Romano pontific cap. 9. paragr proinde Turrecremat in sama lib. 3. cap. 44. to Bellarmines Doctrine as Viceroyes are substitutes vnder absolute Monarchs Yea these Rhemists forgetfull of what they said some few lines before by force of truth constrained thus they adde that Antichrist if hee euer were of or in the Church hee should bee an Apostata and a runnagate out of the Church and shall vsurpe vppon it by tyranny and by challenging worship religion and gouernement thereof so that himselfe shall bee adored in all Churches of the World which he list to leaue standing for his honour and this is to sit in the Temple or * Obserue Christian reader these gramarians they would make the prepositioÌ„ in with an ablatiue case to stand for against against the Temple of God as some what some are these interpret if any Pope did euer this or shall doe then let the aduersaries call him Antichrist Thus they Obserue ChristiaÌ„ Reader by their owne confession they acknowledge that the Bishop of Rome may be iustly called Antichrist if these things can be proued of him These Doctours neuer wrote truer line That hee is adored in all the Churches and congregations which he would haue to stand or hath reared vpon the ruines of such Churches as hee hath destroyed who can deny it it is as manifest as the sunne he is not named in the Masse or Letanies but with reuerence and as for the outward externall adoration and worship which is giuen him wheresoeuer hee personally sitteth it doth not onely surpasse all adoration and Honour giuen to any earthly Prince or Potentate but it farre passeth that which is giuen to their Sacrament it selfe which to them is not onely called as God or worshipped as a God but is beleeued to be very Christ himselfe yea and that the most blessed Trinity is to be worshipped as specially present in that Sacrament for to this Sacrament and God in it one adoration and genuflexion will serue when you come to pray but come to sue or supplicate to him that sitteth in the Temple one wil not serue but you must haue two or three adorations and genuflexions and as many at your departing whether you obteine your suite or not and almost prostrate also you must kisse his feete before you depart if you may be admitted to that Fauour For I assure you in Rome it is esteemed a fauour to kisse the Popes foote greater then in Aethiopia to see the great Presbyters great toe for which Purpose he hath caused the signe of our redemption to be drawne vpon his slippers where doubtlesse sometimes it hath homely droppes fall vpon it but it little mattereth for Christians mouthes saue the Popes groomes of their labour which adoration sweete licking if you please to beleeue the Cretian x Eudaemon paralell cap. 8. pag. 403. Ignatian Eudaemon was prophecied by King Dauid Pii Principes c. Let Godly Princes knowing what they owe to God in his Members and in his Ministers adore them with demisse countenance and lick the dust of their feet thus that lying parazite pardon me Christian reader for calling him so y He that shall reade his caluÌ„nious booke written aga nst the temperate and iudlcious book of the L. Bishop of Elye will easily perceiue how desperate that cause of the Pope is which hath such desperate Raylers set a worke to maintaine it what haue the Ignatians no better EudaemoÌ„ then this Cacodaemon Pardon me courteous Reader the foule mourhed Daemon who in euery page almost giueth either the lye or exprobrateth auaâ—ice to that worthy learned Prelate deserueth no lesse he is doubtlesse the most impudent lyer and most shamelesse calumniator and vainest parazite that euer put pen to paper and for his comfort some may tell him hee is so esteemed by almost all indifferent and iudicious Pontifician
Apostle in his Epistle to the Thessalonians change your law and dissipate the eternall league of the new and eternall testament It will here be expected perhaps that I deliuer my sense and Catholike beleefe touching this most venerable Sacrament It is truly the same with that of the ancient Fathers of the Church in whose words I will by and by expresse my faith the which I see also most clearely agreeing with the reformed Lyturgie of the English Church and the articles concluded and agreed vpon by publike consent in the conuocations of the English Church which Lyturgie and Articles when I lately most seriously perused considered I saw a vehement propension resolution in the authors of thē with all reuerence to embrace what was most agreeing to the word of God to that which the ancient Primitiue Church taught deliuered the which had I neuer read I could neuer so haue thoght of thē the english church Lyturgy therof both are in such vile obloquies with the Pontificiās But I now perceiue that the aduersaries g Isai 28. posuerūt spē fuā mendaciū they haue made not one ly but infinte lies and calumniations against the Church of England their hope for in their schooles and Seminaries they commonly make their aduersaries speake what they list and so to impugne and confute them and teach their young souldiers of Sanders his holy quarrell to doe the like But to returne to my purpose my Catholike faith concerning this dreadfull Sacrament I will deliuer in the words of some of the ancient and Catholike Fathers Saint Austen expounding that h Iob. 6. sentence and commandement of our Sauiour nisi mandus aueritis c. vnlesse you shall eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you i August lib. 3. de doctr Christ cap. 16. saith thus he seemeth to commaund a crime and a wickednesse it is a figure therefore commanding vs to communicate with our Lords passion and that we profitably and sweetly lay vp in our memory that his flesh was wounded and crucified for vs. The same he confirmeth in his k Tractat. 27. in John Treatise vpon S. Iohn where he greatly taxeth the ignorance and mistaking of the Capharnaites who thought that Christ intended to giue them such flesh to eat as themselues were that is true flesh whereas saith Saint Austen Christ in those words couered a grace And in another place vpon the l Psal 98. Psalmes thus he writeth most perspicuously Spiritualiter intelligite c. vnderstand that which I haue spoken spiritually not this bodie which you see you shall eate neither shall you drinke that bloud which they who shall crucisie me will shead I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacramēt which being spiritually vnderstood will quicken you And how this Diuine misterie being a Sacrament taketh the name of the thing whereof it is a Sacrament heare him clearely declaring the same to m Epist 23. ad Bonif. Bonifacius an Earle in Africke Sacraments saith he haue a certaine resemblance of the things whereof they are Sacraments * See Theodoret for this purpose in dialog impatib and for that resemblance they take the names commonly of the things themselues and therefore as the Sacrament of Christs bodie is after a sort Christs bodie and the Sacrament of Christ bloud his bloud so the Sacrament of faith to wit Baptisme is faith thus he like is the authoritie related in their n De consecrat dist 2. cap. hoc est quod Canon Law Sicut ergo celestis c. Therefore euen as the heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ after this manner is called the bodie whereas it is truly a Sacrament of the bodie of Christ that which visible palpable mortall was put on the Crosse and the verie immolation which is done by the hands of the Priest is called the passion of Christ the death of Christ and the crucifying of Christ not in truth of the thing but in a signifying misterie so the Sacrament of faith which is Baptisme is vnderstood faith Againe f Contra adimāt cap. 13. Saint Austen non dubit auit c. Our Lord doubted not to say this is my bodie when he gaue a signe of his bodie and therefore vpon Saint c Tract 59. in Iohn Iohn although hee acknowledged Iudas to haue receiued buccellam dominicam the Lords morsell yet he receiued not saith hee bread the Lord but the bread of the Lord of which words what other meaning can there be But that bread of the Lord is onely the outward Sacrament which Iudas receiued but bread the Lord is the same Sacrament receiued by the religious and faithfull who withall beleeueth thinketh loueth and hopeth in and vpon Christ crucified as his Sauiour and so in soule by faith and loue eateth him and receiueth bread the Lord according to that of the same u August tract 25. in Ioh. Father beleeue and thou hast eaten and that of Saint x Bernard serm 3. in Psal qui habitat Bernard when they heard him say vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud they said that this is an hard speech and departed from him and what is to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud but to communicate with his passion and to imitate that conuersation which he held To these Fathers for this purpose I adioyne Saint y Ephrem in Harding against the challenge of D. lewel Ephrem thus confessing Inspice diligenter c. Beholde diligently how taking bread into his hands hee blesseth and breaketh it in a figure of his immaculate bodie and in a figure of his precious bloud he blesseth and giueth the Cup to his disciples thus he z Lib. 4. contra Marcio cap 40. Tertullian when he was a sound Christian Catholike thus pronounced Iesus Christ when he tooke bread and distributed it to his disciples made it his bodie saying this is my bodie that is to say the figure of my bodie And a gaine in another a Lib. 3 cap. 19. contra Mar. place he speaketh thus to Marcion God in your Gospell called bread his bodie that by the same thou maist vnderstand that to bread he hath giuen to be a figure of his bodie but a figure it should not be if it were not a bodie of truth thus he I will adioyne two places out of Eusebius who liued then when the Pastours of the Church were most vigilant against all errours and heresies and therefore they would not haue suffered this doctrine in Eusebius touching the Sacrament if it had not beene agreeing to the Catholike faith of that time Christ hauing offered b Eusebius de demonst Euang. lib. 1. cap. 10. saith he himselfe for a soueraigne sacrifice to his Father ordained that we should offer a remembrance thereof vnto God in steede of a Sacrifice which remembrance we celebrate by the
139. Doctor Harding commendeth and produceth to proue the Romane presence in the Sacrament the similitude wherewith Martin q Bucer in comment in 16. Math. Bucer vsed to expresse the manner of Christs presence and how his bodie worketh those graces in the soules of worthie receiuers I will it being as fit as similitudes vse to be heere vse the same vt sol vere in vno loco coeli visibilis circumscriptus c. Euen as saith he the visible Sunne is truly circumscribed in one place of heauen and yet as present in his beames is truly and substantially exhibited throughout the world So the Lord although he be circumscribed in one place of the arcane and diuine heauen that is of the glorie of his Father notwithstanding by his word and sacred Simboles truly as whole God and Man he * Obseruing this sentence out of Bucer may not Parsons his calumniating spirit be called in question who reporteth that Martin Bucer should affirme to the Duke of Norfolke who asked his opinion of the reall presence that if all the Euangelists had written were true then Christs bodie must needs be there what presence hee taught you haue heere heard by himselfe confested and by Harding approued but Parsons bringeth his answere to the Duke as thogh that worthie man had doubtâ—d of the truth of th Euangelist a manifest caâ—umny as you here see but Parsons is sul of such stuffe is as present exhibited in the sacred Supper and for that really substantially which presence the minde doth not lesse certainly acknowledge beleeuing these words and simboles of the Lord then the eies see and haue the Sunne presentially demonstrated and exhibited by the corporall light This is a hidden thing and of the new Testament a thing of faith therefore hither are not to be admitted cogitations of the presentation of a bodie which is consisting after the manner of this passible and fluxible life we must simply adhere vnto the word of our Lord and faith must yeeld supply to the defect of senses thus farre that learned man and I wish the Reader to obserue the simplicitie of Doctor Harding who produceth this place against Bishop lewel as prouing the Romane transubstantiation It proueth indeed that Christ in his graces is truly and exhibited to the worthy receiuers of the Sacrament which the Church of England in her Iâ—yturgie and articles of the conuocation constantly with all the ancient Church Catholike delinereth O how happy had it beene for Christendome if learned men leauing off too deepely to search into this dread full misterie had with a Christian simplicitie applied themselues onely to the deuout and frequent vse of the same and not so peremptorily to haue defined Christ really corporally to be present eyther by impanation as Rupertus Abbot or consubstantiation as the Lutherans or transubstantiation which is most improbable and against the verie light of all antiquitie as Pope Innocent and his I ateranists but such is the pride of the Romane Bishops all their Doctrines forsooth must be vncontrollable all their vses vnreprehensible all their sentences vnappellable but if they would haue vouchsafed to haue squared their faith to the ancient Church they would haue perswaded and inculcated the reuerent and deuout often receiuing of it as of a diuine Sacrament but as for the manner of Christs presence seeing his Maiestie hath not more expresly deliuered it then as in a Sacrament they would haue beene reuerently silent But the r Apocalip 17. Cuppe of abhominations was to come from Rome for which one day she will be consumed and destroyed euen by those Kings and Kingdomes who haue beene drunke with the Cup of her fornications and abhominations The seuenth Motiue ANother Motiue with me and very forcible The seuenth Motiue is their intollerable or rather execrable abuse in their vaine indulgences the which being void of all foundation in holy Scripture are nothing at all to be grounded Å¿ See â—ajetan lib de Indulgent cap. 1. Roffensis consutat assert Lutheri Act. 18. Alphons aduersus hereses verbe indulgentia vpon any Apostolical tradition or authoritie of ancient Fathers Those pardons lay as hidden little regarded vntil that prophane Pope Boniface the eight of whom his predecessor Celestine reputed by the Romanists for a Saint prophecied that as he had entered like a Foxe so he should liue like a Lion and die like a Dog as accordingly it fell out did by his impious and superstitious Buls giue pardons to the visiters of Rome in the yeares of Iubilies t Platina in vita Bonifa appointing the same to be kept euery hundreth yeare although they are now ordained to be kept euery fiue and twentie by Sixtus the fourth as a little before they were kept every fiftie yeare by the ordinance of Clement the sixth and in the same his Buls did cast abroad the dregs of the filthy Cup of his abhominations I call them dregs of the Cup because being so iniurious to the death and passion of Christ so perniciously ouerthrowing all discipline and as a canker destroying good life that I can hardly thinke of a name vile enough for them Dregges they are therefore because partly founded vpon the imperfect and impure defects of sinfull men of whom there was neuer yet found one without many sinnes or so perfect that he could u Psal 48. make redemption for himselfe much lesse for his brother Dregs because this treasure vpon which papall Pardons are grounded is blasphemously compounded ioyntly of the infinite merits of Christ and his Saints they seeme to acknowledge Christs merits to be inexhaustible and infinite and yet they will needs haue compartners with him as Saint Laurence Saint Paul c. in the founding of this Pontifician treasurie Dregs and most vaine dregs because this treasurie is founded vpon the actions and merits of Saints not as they were meritorious for so say they they are rewarded in their owne persons but as they were satisfactorious forsooth as though an action in that it is painefull may not be and is not also meritorious according to their owne principles and therefore because there were some Saints who had more satisfactions then their sinnes required as though euerie sinne though in Saints had not an infinite malice according to their owne principles and euerie action in that it is satisfactorious according to their owne principles also had not a finite and a limited vertue these their satisfactions remaining in the Popes Vatican treasurie he may dispense thereof to whom he shall thinke meete What need then of the pecuniarie taxe of the Apostolicall Chancery or penitentiarie if there be such a treasurie yes that is to fill the purse but not to inrich the spiritual treasurie of merits of Saints and rather to buy some of them which are inexhaustible I demaunded not long since of the x M. G. B. Archpriest that was vpon what authoritie of Scripture the Pontifician treasurie of Indulgences
he not the tongue which the seruice is sung in Now the Vicar of Saint Fooles should be his ghostly Father were he liuing How is this Rabby taken in his folly these words are to be vnderstood that the People must haue vnderstanding of the sense of the words but not vnderstand the words Helpe out your Doctor you of Doway for doubtlesse he is grauelled what would heere become of him if more of the sentences of the ancient Fathers which comment vpon the 14. Corinthians first Epistle had beene by himselfe produced and other out of Saint Austen vpon Genesis ad literam he would doubtlesse haue runne out of the field or else haue beene stroken downe to the ground especially if he had heard that miraculous voice from heauen which Pius the second Pope writeth of The Doctour was much delighted with visions in his life time and therefore I will now for his sake set one downe for the Dowists to demurre vpon it There was a great controuersie betwixt the Pope and his Cardinals as a f Pius 2. hist Bohem. cap. 13. Pope relateth whether the Morauians and the Russians conuerted to the Christian faith by Ciril should be permitted to haue the publike Lyturgie and seruice in their knowne tongue or not Their Apostle Ciril was earnest for it with some of the Cardinals others contradicted it which contradiction miraculously was checked with a voice heard from heauen speaking thus to them Let euerie spirit praise the Lord and euerie tongue confesse him and so the Pope with his Cardinals were by the Angelicall vision instructed how to vnderstand those Scriptures by the Angell cited and therupon gaue way to Cirils request that the Morauians Russians should haue their publike seruice in their own tongue which they haue to this day wherein they doubtlesse find such a comfort that by no meanes they will relinquish that holy vse though some haue often attempted against it I haue obserued how since the English Pontificians haue had their Primers set forth both in English and Latine together that they do farre more willingly and more deuoutly read their prayers in the English tongue thē in the Latin protesting that they receiue far greater comfort thereby wishing also that the publike Church-seruice might to their like comfort be proposed in that tongue which they vnderstood Before God of his mercy first touched my hart to listē vnto his gospel I would sometimes out of a contemptuous kind of curiositie where I was not knowne heare a peece of a Sermon in some of the English Churches heere in London but by no means wold I stay or listen to the hearing of the singing of their Psalms for I did both loath and detest them but when God vouchsafed to touch my heart first with consideration of the Romane abuses both for doctrine and discipline I began sometimes to commune with my selfe whether perhaps the English Church Lyturgie were not calumniated Whereupon I would sometimes more considerately and where I was not to be knowne begin to giue more carefull listening vnto the English Preachers and also most curiously obserue the manner of the singing in the Churches both which at very first me thought were performed with that simplicitie integritie and grauitie that I began to thinke thus perhaps God is amongst them but when vpon often and further more curious obseruations I found that all their seruice except some few prayers and those verie holy also was composed out of the infallible word of God his holy Scriptures I resolued that the same must needs be good if no essential part of seruice were otherwise wanting And when I found also that the Preachers continually did inculcate to their Auditors integritie of conscience and holinesse of conuersation with necessitie of good works and of that faith which g Ad Galat. 5. worketh by charitie to saluation I well and clearely perceiued how the Church of England was most egregiously calumniated by the Romane Doctors And when I found also the ministration of the two principallest and singularly so termed Sacraments to wit Baptisme and the holy Eucharist so sincerely and Euangelically and so voide of all superstition ministred in their Churches and withall found that Confirmation Penance Marriage Orders Visitation of the sicke were for the substances thereof religiously vsed in their Churches I was not a little edified But that which most edified me was to obserue how in their publike Lyturgies their minds seemed to me or at lest that they might to concurre ioyntly with their tongues and with their religious and pious sounds to beate the gates of heauen and begge mercie at his handes onely whom with the most blessed Father and the holy Ghost I saw onely worshipped with diuine worship in their Churches And although I wanted in some sewer that lowly humble and religious carriage which the place the manner of prayers and assembly required especially in some of the young sort yet in the ministers themselues and the matrones with many aged men and others of riper yeares I saw them often kneeling with great deuotion and attention to my great edification There I obserued not that drowsie oscitancie leaning and yawning which is so frequent in the papisticall Churches yea euen amongst the h Bern. in coena Domini cap. 3. religious Monkes There I obserued not the impudent and shamelesse attendings courtings and obseruings of fine dames within their Churches the which how intolerable it is in the papisticall Churches especially in Italy and at Rome it selfe I referre to the iudgement of all indifferent trauailers doubtlesse their Churches there be still repleate with i 2 Pet. 2. adulterous lasciuious wanton and incestuous eyes Obseruing these things O how happy thought I art thou O England if as thou enioyest the light of Christs Gospell so also thou wouldest more and more by holy and pure conuersation labour to excell the Churches of Sodoma and Gomorha where all impure Idolatry and abhominations doe reigne Heere I obserued also the glorie of God euer commended Faith Hope and Loue in Iesus Christ incessantly inculcated the Fathers of the ancient Church reuerently cited the memories of the most blessed Virgine Mary and Christs Apostles reuerenced and honored yea in their publike Prayers and Sermons their vertues and noble acts preached commended inculcated to be followed and imitated The buriall of the dead verie religious and pious and altogether Apostolicall which obseruing me thought these men sure doe striue onely for truth reiecting all vncertaine traditions And then with all I could not but inwardly be moued in my verie soule against Stapleton Sanders Allen Parsons Bellarmine and other like Pontificians for their horrible calumniations against the Church of England and the gouernment thereof as though they buried their dead like dogs perswaded not their people to good life but onely to faith that they ministred their Sacraments very irreligiously with such like imputations all which I found to be meere calumniations And I found the
sinfull desires rather according to the Generall Vniuersall Doctrine of all their owne Diuines in all other Vowes or Oathes to be dispensed with his inconsideratâ—e Vow or else to haue it interpreted and declared vnlawfull rather then through impotency impossibility or imminent danger of not keeping of his vowe to commit any other sinnes of impurity or to giue any scandall to any other person And so heere I conclude this matter with a saying of Pope Pius the second as g Platina in vita Pij 2. Platina reports him that as there were many reasons to forbid Priests marriage so there were more to allow them mariage how many there are hee that will reade h Pelagius de planctu Aluarus Pelagius and i Clemangis de corrupto statu ecclesiae Nicholas Clemangis will easily acknowledge and the Verdict of that Pope to haue beene most iust and necessary To Conclude this matter it is as cleere as the Heauens that the Pontificians are fauourers of al impudicity in their Clergy by forbidding them marriage and yet permitting them to eate drinke and conuerse as indifferently as the married doe So are they also in many other cases Authors and Abetters of much Impurity and heer I obserue by the way I know not by what secret spirit it comes to passe that our English Ghostly Fathers are for most part easie interpreters and absoluers in case of most impure sinnes but if a man disobey a Popes breefe none or else very difficult is their absolution A crooked deformed Priest would not a Priest forsooth allowing the oath of Allegeance and that Ignatian who denied me absolution for that I held the Pope had not authority to depose Princes yet could he absolue the Master of the house who was more then thought to haunt common queanes himselfe also not vnacquainted with the notoriousnesse thereof Hee was iust another Peere Cotton God vouchsafe to open the eies of the seduced to leaue the society of that Congregation which hath so shamefully Apostated from Iesus Christ his sacred doctrines and most holy institutions and hath thus repleated her congregations with all nefarious impurities Sundry other Lawes there are which might iustly bee called in question and whosoeuer will with indifferent eye consider all such lawes and customes wherein the Romanists doe most differ from the reformed Churches hee shall find that they al haue expresse respect to set vp the Romane Monarchy either in Temporals or Spiritualls as for example the Law and Custome wherewith they endeuor to exempt from all correction of Ciuill Magistrates all Clergie men though their offences bee enormious and such as cry for vengeance from Heauen Like is their Law of reseruing certaine Papall Cases which causeth many sacrilegious confessions like is their Law and Custome for their Penitents to confesse an intire number of all their sinnes with the Circumstances therof changing the nature of sin which causeth inexpressible conflicts and scruples especially in consciences of their Women Recusants But I omit to write any more of these and so passe to my other Motiues The Third Generall Heade out of the obseruation of English Pontificians Spirits THus hauing set downe some of my chiefest motiues out of the pernicious doctrines and most wicked Lawes of the Pontifician Church I am to prosecute the other two General heads out of some obseruations of the Spirits of the Chiefetaines of that profession in the propagation of their Gospell and of their liues and conuersation But for some respects I will at this present pretermit the latter being not willing to descend into particulars of that kind for the other my discourse shall * It were bootles to descipher the liues and spirits of latter Popes they are far worse theÌ„ those of whoÌ„ Masson a famous Pontifician writeth so liberally in Iulius the 3. at whose boldnes I maruell when I consider what the famous D. Iohn of Paris lib. de potest Reg. papal writeth Euery fact saith hee of the holy Father must be interpreted in good part and if it be theft or any thing that is ill in it selfe wee must interpret it to be done by Diuine instinct thus he So Sixt his pride drunkennes cruelty Alexander the sixth his impurity Gregory the 14. hypocrisie and anarice c. al was by Diuine instinct c. only omitting their Popes touch the Spirits of such as haue bin Ringleaders against the present state and Church of England in prosecution whereof if I seeme sharpe and bitter and to touch to the very quicke not the skinne onely but the very soule of the Ignatious Spirits I desire the Readers fauourable construction and to interpret that I doe nothing out of malice or for reuenge but onely that Britany may see what serpents shee nourisheth within her bowels would God not too neere c how extreame dangerous it is for the publik weale of this State that Pontifician English are permitted to haue such free conuersation with them in Flanders France Spaine c. and to demonstrate that if Britanie haue iust cause to feare Rome and the Popes Dominions the last and least Cause is not because the Ignatians are there powerfull fauourers of al hot and malecontented Spirits prouiding Sanctuaries and Cities of Refuge for Tesmonds Owens Gerards c. which men also in Flanders England c. change not their Spirits but the ayre being euery where the same in their vndermining and indirect courses for setting vp the Papall Monarchy First therefore whereas they pretende to be Apostolicall men in the manner of their amplifying and their planting of the Roman Religion in which action if in any man necessarily must be guided by Gods Spirit it is not possible that their pretence should be sound vnlesse they therefore hold themselues Apostolicall because they doe in the worst sort imitate those two Apostles who desired of Christ that fire might come downe from heauen and consume those who would not receiue him a Luc. 9. to whom the good and meeke Shepheard answered Nescitis c. you know not of what spirit yee are by which answer hee vtterly condemned the spirits of all such who seeke to bring in Christ and Christs Doctrine by subuersion of States and Kingdomes And what are the Pontificians tainted with this spirit O yee heauens speake for me nay the very stones will speake that the b Of Gregory the 7. Paschall Victor Alexander Innocent Boniface c Fathers of the Roman Church described by them that sate vpon the red blacke and pale horses haue often vnder pretence of religion taken peace out of the Christian world causing such dreadfull Commotions as the very memory thereof cannot but affright a tender and Christian minde It is needlesse to recount the thundring sentences of Popes against Emperours fresh in memory are the impious sentences of Pius the 5. Sixtus the 5. against our late Soueraigne of famous memory tending to the whole subuersion of this Kingdome who
Anall Platin. in Adrian Irene caused the same by a Synod of Bishops to bee decreed in Nice And I pray you doe you thinke worse of your Iubilies because y Platina in Bonif 8. Walsing in Edward 1. Polychron lib. 7. cap. 40. Boniface the 8. who entred most ambiciously like a Foxe liued like a Lion and died like a Dogge brought them in beware of such mislikes it will not be for the profit of Romes purse Againe the Church of England is calumniated euery day by all the Ignatians as though she had no true orders or iurisdiction I dare affirme that in it there is as certaine and as assured a succession of orders spirituall iurisdiction as in the Church of Rome it selfe which hath so often tottered with so many schismes and hath bin pestered with so many Apostatical Popes as both Baronius and Genebrard deliuer I my selfe very lately searched for my own satisfaction the Records and I find clearly that Archbishop Parker was sufficiently truly and canonically ordered and consecrated by such Bishops as had receiued orders and consecration according to the Romane Church he swore not thou wilt perhaps obiect obedience to the Bishop of Rome a toy Where in all antiquity finde you the vse ofswearing subiection to the Bishop of Rome Romane Tyranny brought it in to the Church and Christian liberty hath exploded it It is indeede the soule of your Religion that subiection to the Bishop of Rome is a meane necessary to saluauation as necessary as Baptisme it selfe O prodigious Doctrin it is not enough say these men to saluation to be vnited with Christ and subiected to our immediate Pastors who are in vnion with the whole Catholike Church touching the Catholike faith vnlesse we be also vnited by immediate subiectiō vnto the Pope of Rome who may both be an Heretike and also contaminate the Church with his pernicious Lawes So that if a Pope Nerolike as Boniface the 8. would by pernicious Lawes draw you from Christ and like as a Heliogabalus as Iohn the 12. would draw you to all impurities and teach you to diuide the Church by opposing against the true Pope after his iust deposition by the whole Romane Clergy most Bishops of Italy assembled in a Synod or Ottomanlike as Paul the 5. will teach you against Christs institution not to yeelde temporall obedience to your lawfull Soueraigne if hee out of his throne take vpon him to dethrone him vnlesse forsooth you be subiect to such Vicars of Christ you cannot haue saluation in Christ O prodigious and vaine Doctrine of these times the holy Prophets O ye Britaine 's haue forewarned vs let vs beware of them What vile calumniation is that by which the reformed Churches of England are charged to deny the seeing of Gods face and glory vnto the Saints departed vntill the day of Iudgement What a slander that she respects no Holy daies of Christ or his Apostles I dare say that the memories of the Apostles are in many places of this Kingdome as religiously obserued as the Sundaies are with them but in the obseruation of the Sabbath our Lords day the Church of England doth so farre surpasse all Papistical Churches yea of Rome it selfe that it were a sinne to make any comparison therein betwixt them a Caluino Turcismo William Rainolds calumniateth Caluin that hee teacheth that Christ by his corporall death redeemed not mankinde A meere Calumnious imputation his doctrine is that Christ by his meere Corporal death had he not subiected himself to haue vndergone his fathers displeasure against mankinde and to haue clothed himselfe as it were with the deserts punishment and guilt of man he had not fully made that satisfactiō for mankind of which the Scripture so often speake of which doctrin who can be ignorant who is acquainted with holy writ Great is their spight against that man but notwithstanding all their malice against him he liued peaceably laboured faithfully and died Christianly leauing such a posterity of books behinde him which checketh the daily continual innouations of Rome Grieuous is the imputation to the English Church for condemning and contemning the ancient Fathers whereas the most it striueth for is to support that of b Tertull. lib. de prescriptio Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum that which is most Ancient euen in the Fathers is most true At first when counterfeit Martials Abdias Clements Markes Dionises were produced the Prelats of the reformed Churches were more afrighted then hurt and to such Fathers they might iustly giue the Anatheme because such fathers had impugned and contradicted that Gospell of Christ the which whosoeuer though an Angell from heauen shall doe we are warranted by the c ad Galat. 1. Apostle to giue him the Anatheme But in and for true Fathers the Church of England reuerently and constantly auoucheth that of d Vincent Lirin contra Heres cap. 4. Tertull. de praescript Vincentius Lirinensis to take place Quicquid non unus aut duo c. Whatsoeuer not one or two but al together with one and the same consent openly frequently and constantly shall bee knowne to haue held written and taught that she also without any doubt knoweth must by her bee beleeued and this most iustly the English Church admitteth it being as cleare as the verie no one daies that all Fathers of the Ancient Church neuer taught helde nor wrot any thing in this sort which is not clearely agreeing to Gods word which is the onely Rule of Christian faith But iustly to retort vpon them who knoweth not that for most of their Roman nouel positions the Aduersaries haue no Ancient Fathers and therefore to defend themselues being vrged they do not produce Fathers but stand to their imagined Traditions written no where in Antiquity but only reserued in the Romane Bishops and Churches brests as they pretende this is their City of refuge as for example When a world of Fathers concurring with sacred Scripture is produced to shew that the Virgin Mary whose name bee euer blessed amongst and aboue all women was conceiued in Originall sinne yea some of them with S. Anselme auouching that shee was borne in sinne which I can hardly beleeue doe they heere sticke to the Fathers nothing lesse their imagined traditions must take place Againe when whole centuries of Fathers and those assembled in Synods bee produced to affirme that Popes haue beene and may bee Heretikes will they heare admit of the Fathers nothing lesse all records must be coūterfeit their own best Authors deceiued rather then the Fathers authorities admitted against their Popes infallibilies When irrefragable authorities of most ancient Fathers are produced to shew that the holy Scriptures are the onely inerrable rule of Christian Catholike faith and the square by which the writings and faith of all men and all Churches must be examined and tried will they heere allow the Fathers No alas they flye the field and seeke after some maimed sentences
who would relie for his saluation vpon the publike and most conspicuous Church professing Christ what should hee haue done in the time of Constantius the Arrian Emperour when the whole visible conspicuous Church ouerwhelmed with Arrianisme decreed in councels so greatly and so dangerously that as u Hierom. aduers Lucâ—feria Saint Hierome reporteth the whole world maruailed how it was become an Arian yea and most lamentable was the face of the visible Church especially in Rome it selfe when Liberius returning out of banishment * Hieron lib. de scriptoribus in fortunat in Châ—on Libertus ipse in Epist ad Episc Orient apud Bellar lib. 4. cap. 9. de Pont. Bellar. ibidâ—m Athanas in Epâ—st ad Soâ—â—t vitam agentes Damasus Pope in Liberio Hilar. lib. contra Constant â—ozom lib. â— cap. 14. Nicepb lib. 9 cap. 37. alij subscribed to the Arian faith which had beene before decreed in diuers publike almost vniuersall Councels of the whole Church as at Millaine at Ariminum c. and by the same subscription confirmed and decreed as a point of Catholike faith what the Bishops before had resolued vpon and subscribed vnto for in the subscription of Bishops and confirmation of Popes consisteth the robour and strength of Romane Articles of faith so infallibly that the whole Romane Church is bound to receiue them to professe them after such decrees and subscriptions And truly the answer which Liberius made before his banishment and whilest hee was constant in the Catholike faith vnto Constantius the Emperor is for the same purpose very worthy reading for whereas the Emperour thus obiected vnto him what was hee and what thought hee of himselfe who would oppose himselfe against all Bishops of the world hee answered not thinking as our men now doe of the Popes sole inerrablenesse neither as daunted with the whole visible multitude against him most resolutely y Theodoret. lib 2. hist cap 16. thus that although hee and Athanasius were z Vbi suut tandem c. Where are they now who exprobrate vnto vs pouerty and do insolently brag of their wealth where are they who define the Church by a multitude and despile the little flocke Gregor Nazianz in Arianos Orat. 11. alone yet the cause of faith was nothing the worse for long ago said hee there were onely three who withstood the Kings hee meaneth Nabuchodonozor commandement but doubtlesse these men who stood so much vpon the visibility of succession and vpon the greatest multitude would vpon the returne of Liberius backe to Rome his sitting in that chaire also some good time before hee againe renounced the communion with the Arrians and their faith to which hee had subscribed before they would surely haue communicated with Liberius and haue despised the contemptible and persecuted Church of Athanasius and Felix with some few Romanes who then rightly beleeued and professed Christ Besides if it bee necessary to ioyne with the greatest multitude professing Christ after the Romane fashion doubtlesse haue was the case of their Romanists in times of their very many very great and grieuous a Certaine Decades of most horrible schismes haue beene in the Romane Church Platina Baron per Anal. schismes when their whole Church hath beene ouerwhelmed with the power of some Anti-Popes besides to argue ad hominem in the time of the Councell of Franck ford when the Bishops of France Germany and England with diuers of Italy decreed against your second Nicene Councell commanding adoration and worshipping of Images what might a faithfull Christian of the West haue done was hee to obey the decree of Franck ford or not if you say yea then your Nicene Councell is condemned if not then alwaies the greatest multitude and the publike visible Pastors though assembled in Councell are not to be obeied which was then very great and conspicuous especially if you had adioyned their authorities with all those Prelates of the East Church who in diuers and suÌ„dry councels vnder Constantine the two Leos who had before condemned the adoration of Images you should haue found the same farre to haue surpassed that of your Tridentine Councell in Germany consisting for most part of your Titulary Italian Bishops In time of the b Coâ—cil Baâ—â— Sess 34. See the Epistle of the Fathers of the Councell of Basile to the Electors of the Empire Tom. 3. Constitutio Imperial pag. 456. Councell of Basile when Eugenius the 4. Pope was deposed and accused by that Councell and Felix elected in his roome by the Bishoppes of France Germany and England with diuers also of Italy and some also of Spaine tell mee were the secret Eugenians in those Kingdomes if there were any bound to follow the greatest multitude of Prelates beware you graunt it for it will not stand with the credite of your visible succession Doubtlesse the state of the Christian Church was such at that time that a Chrrstian was bound onely to adhere to the euerlasting and indeffectible head of his Church Christ Iesus and was no more bound to follow Felix then Eugenius with his councell at Florence the which Schismaticall councell to note by the way was the first that publikely decreed the number of seuen Sacraments and Purgatory fire as soundly and as catholikly as some few yeers after the Tridentine fathers assembled of a few French or Spanish but most Italian Bishops whereof also many were Titular onely and were made to fill vp the number decreed many heretical and most pernicious positions against the ancient and apostolike faith and it is no maruaile they did so egregiously erre for they were not to determine any thing which might displease Rome therefore so soone as some of them beganne to consult about reformation of the Court and Church of Rome with the Bishoppes thereof presently by a peremptory Placet of Pius the fourth the whole Councell was dissolued and their good intentions wholy frustrated they onely leauing behind them their subscriptions to their corrupt decrees which subscriptions notwithstaÌ„ding were neuer made so ful and perfect that the number of the Prelates subscribing hapned to bee one whole hundreth at c Concilium Trident editum a â—innio anie one of their sessions and generall subscriptions But to returne to my purpose if Saint Iohn in his Reuelation doe so clearely pronounce that the woman by whom the Church of Christ is described according to the exposition almost of all is to flee into the desert there to be nourished fauoured and protected by God per tempora tempus dimidium temporis for times for a time and for halfe a time by Apoc. 12. which flight is vnderstood the secretnesse hiddennesse and inuisibility of the true Church not only for three yeers and a halfe as all the Pontificians for most part eagerly doe contend but for some longer time sufficient for the accomplishment of all such things which haue beene foretold by the Prophets but because I would incline