they are still so fresh in our remembrance by the copious accounts we have of them that I need not tell what Arts the Popes and other Ecclesiasticks used to set all Germany on fire upon this account noâ—… need I tell the cruelty was exercised in the Nether-Lands in Charles the fifth his time in which more than an hundred thousand are said by Grotius to have been butchered on the account of Religion And in his Son Philips time the D. of Alva did in a short time cut down 36000. Nor need I tell the cruelties were practised in France for about forty years together nor of that treacherous Massacre wherein there was an equal mixture of perfidy and cruelty which for all that was intertained at Rome with great joy and applauses It will be also needless to tell of their cruelty in England in Queen Mary's dayes which was chiefly mannaged by the Churchmen And many are yet alive who remember what enraged cruelty appeared in our neighbour-Island against all of our Religion which did not only flow from the fury of an oppressed People but they were trained encouraged and waranded to it by their Priests and the Nuntio who came afterwards among them discovered who was the spring of all their motions Shall I to this add all the private assassinations committed on that account which were not only practised but justified I might here congest many instances Brother murdering Brother on the account of Religion Neither is Clement a Dominican his murthering Henry the third nor Chastlets attempt nor Ravalliaâ—…s fact on Henry the fourth forgotten Q. Elizabeths life is full of these attempts and the blackest of them all was the Gunpowder treason all which are to be charged on that Church because the Doctrine of murthering Heretique Princes was taught licenced printed and yet not condemned in it From these hints we may guess how much of the lowly meek and charitable Spirit is to be found with them But should I to this add the horrid cruelties exercised in these massacres I should be almost past belief had I not undeniable Historians for verifying it but the mildest of them being to be burned alive we may guess what the more savage have done by their tortures and lingering Deaths Next shall I mention their Courts of Inquisition which have been among them in the hands of Churchmen from the dayes of their pretended Saint Dominick whose order have been the great Instruments of the cruelties of that Church and whose procedure being tyed to no forms of equity or justice is as unjust as unmerciful persons being haled to their black Courts upon bare suspitions or secret Informations without leading of proofs against them are by Torture examined not only of their own opinions but of all that are known to them whose Testimony though drawn from them by cruel Torture will bring the same Tortures on all they delate neither is there any mercy or any whom this Court declares Heretick but the Civil Magistrate must condemn them to the fire Now what man that considers the meekness of Christ and the Evangelical Spirit can think that Church the Spouse of Christ that hath rioted it with such savage rage against thousands of persons for no other crime but because they adhered firmly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and would not consent or concur with these signal and palpable corruptions with which they have adulterated it But as from the constitution of their Church we see their difformity from the Gospel-rule so we will next consider their Church-men and we shall find how far they have strayed from the first Original Church-men ought to be the Guides and Pastours of souls Now how little of this there is among them we will soon be resolved in What do the Popes about the feeding of souls when do they preach the Gospel or dispence the Sacraments Alas it were below the height of his holiness to stoop to such mean Offices Does any vestige of a Church-man remain in that Court and do they not directly rule in the Spirit of the Lords of the Gentiles And in this the Cardinals Bishops and Abbots do to their proportion imitate their most Holy Father abandoning wholly the work of the Gospel as if they bore an empty title or at most were only bound to say Mass on some greater holy days but in all other things do avowedly cast off the care of their flocks Shall I here tell of the relaxation of all the ancient rules about the offices and duty of Church-men which these latter ages have invented and mention how children are made Bishops how they allow of Pluralities Non-residencies Unions Commendams Gratia expectativa's with a great many more corruptions which are every day authorized and granted at Rome and so zealous were they for these that they strugled hard against the honest attempt of some at Trent who would have had residence declared of divine right and got it though with much ado to be laid aside And thus it is that the Bishops and Abbots among them do for most part relinquish their Charges to live at the Courts of Princes and insinuate themselves upon all affairs and offices and swarms of them go to Rome gaping for preferment there I deny not but even these late ages have produced great men among them who seem to have designed the reviving of the Ancient Discipline both among the Clergy and the People but as these instances are rare so they were hated and persecuted at Rome for their zeal Witness the condemning of Arnolds Book of frequent Communion and the severity Iansenius and the Abbot of S. Gyran with their followers have met with and thus whatever individuals that Church may have produced yet the corruptions I have hinted are notoriously publickly and generally practised in it and no where so avowedly as at the Court of Rome But to compened this defect of the Superior Clergy they have swarms of the inferior ranks every where both secular and regular who seem to mind the care of souls very seriously But not to reflect again upon any thing hath been hitherto said of their bad conduct of souls I shall now only take notice of the authority they pretend to as if the People were bound blindly to follow their Confessors direction as the voice of God which clearly makes them the servants of men and subjects them to the heaviest yoke which is most directly contrary to the liberty where with Christ hath made us free and what a rack to souls have they made Confession and what an Engine to get into the secrets of all the World and to bring mankind under their subjection is obvious enough to any that considers it and to enforce it the more as they teach it simply necessary to Salvation so the authority they made the World believe the Priests were vested with for pardoning sin together with their easie pardons and slight penances did root it deep in the hearts of all of that Communion But I go next
the Popes charity we be secured or delivered from them Now how contrary this is to the value we are taught to set on the Blood of Christ all may judge Ephes. 2. 15 16. By Christ peace is made we are reconciled to God he presents us to the Father without spot and wrinkle And much more of this nature meeting us in Scripture declares how plenary his satisfaction was nothing being left undone by him for removing the guilt and demerit of sin And what comfortless Doctrine this is we may soon apprehend how it takes away that joy in God at the approaches of death Since there is such a hazard of direful miseries following Now this was no small part of the mystery by which the World was brought under their dominion and therefore great pains was taken for rooting the belief of it deep â—…n all mens hearts many Visions and Apparitions were vouched for its proof and all the Lives of the Saints that were written for divers Ages were full of such faâ—…ulous narrations some Souls were said â—…o be seen standing in burning brimstone â—…o the knees some to the middle some to â—…he chin others swimming in caldrons of â—…elted Metal and Devils pouring the Metal down their throats with many â—…uch affrighting Stories But for all this the proof from Scripture was only drawn from one wrested â—…lace of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 â—…4 15. who saith That in the day of the Lord such as built upon the foundation of Christ superstructures of wood hay and stubble â—…ould be saved because they kept the foundaâ—…ion yet so as by fire But this was only a â—…roverbial form of speech to express the â—…isque they run to be such as of one that â—…scapes out of a fire such proverbial â—…eeches being usual in Scripture as that of the Prophet Zach. 3. 2. Is not this brand plucked out of the fire Or of the Apostle Iude 23. Some save with fear pullinâ—… them out of the fire And any considerinâ—… person will at first view see how slendeâ—… a foundation this was for the supeâ—… structure built upon it But the way was contrived for preseâ—… ving Souls from or rescuing them out 〈◊〉 Purgatory will discover what were thâ—… inducements of advancing the belief 〈◊〉 it with such zeal which was thus frâ—… med It is believed by that Church thâ—… beside the Commands that necessarily oâ—… lige all Christians there are many Couâ—… sels in the Gospel in order to the attaiâ—… ing a higher pitch of perfection such a the counsels of poverty and chastity oâ—… the like and they teach that such as dâ—… not obey these cannot be said to have siâ—… ned but on the other hand those whâ—… have obeyed them shall not want a râ—… ward by their so supererrogating beyonâ—… what was strictly bound upon them anâ—… the reward of them is their meritinâ—… both for themselves and others an exemption from the pains of Purgatory And of all these Merits there is a common treasure of the Church wherein for good manners sake the Merit of Christ is the chief Stock and this is committed to the Successors of St. Peter to whom the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are believed to be given who can communicate of that spiritual Treasure as they will either for preserving Souls from Purgatory or for delivering them out of it This could not but work wonders for the exaltation of the Papal Dignity when he was conceited to be honoured of God with so high a trust This was also made an engin for advancing all the Papal Designs for upon any quarrel he had with any Prince the Popes proclamed a Croisade promising exemption from Purgatory to all who hazarded their Lives for the Service of the holy Church And the contrivance of Purgatory being universally believed this could not fail to draw great numbers about his Standards And by this means he brought most Princes into that servile subjection to him under which they groaned for many Ages Another practise yet more base and sordiâ—… was the selling of Indulgences and Pardons for money certainly here was Simon 's crime committed by the pretendeâ—… Successors of him who had of old accused him that thought the gift of God mighâ—… be purchased with money and thereupon diâ—… cast him out of the Church It were endless to tell the base Arts and blasphemous Discourses of the Monks whâ—… were sent through the World to selâ—… these Indulgences which in the end proved fatal to that Church since the excessive magnifying of them did first provoke Luther to examine their corruptions It is true they will not hear of thâ—… harsh word of selling Indulgences but disguise it with their giving them to such as will offer Alms to the Church but really this whole contrivance is so baseâ—… so carnal and so unlike the Spirit of Christianity that to repeat it is to refute it Here was a brave device for enriching the Church when the making great Donations to it was judged so effectual foâ—… delivering out of Purgatory Who would not out of love to his Friends Soul â—…f he believed him frying in these flames give liberally of his Goods but much â—…ather would a man give all that he had for his own security especially when on his death-bed he were beset with persons who were confounding him with dismal apprehensions and thus trafficking with him for the exchange of the Soul Hence â—…prung the enriching of Abbeys and Churches for every Religious Order hath â—…ts own peculiar Merits which they can communicate to one of their Fraternity â—…f then a dying man had gained their â—…avour so much that he was received inâ—…o their Order and died wrapped in one of their Frocks then was his Soul secure from the grim Tormentors below And what an endless heap of Fables had â—…hey of Souls being on the brink or in â—…he midst of the flames and of a sudden â—…natched out But now all this Trade hath quite faiâ—…ed them therefore Indulgences are fallen â—…n their Rates and in stead of them there are Prayers to be used and especially to be said before priviledged Altars oâ—… at such times or before such Reliques that it is no hard work for any among them to ransome the Souls of others oâ—… to preserve their own In a word doth not all this debase the Spirit of true Religion and expose it to the jealousie oâ—… Atheists as if it were a contrivance foâ—… advancing base and secular Designs Anâ—… doth it not eat out the sense of true Piety when the Vulgar see the Guides of Souâ—… making such shameful Merchandise oâ—… them and doing it with such respect oâ—… persons that if a man be rich enough he iâ—… secure whereby our Lords blessing of the poorâ—… and passing a woe on the rich is reverseâ—… But above all what indignity is by thiâ—… done to the Blood of the Son of Godâ—… And how are the People carried froâ—… their dependance on Him and theâ—… value of His Sufferings by
any attempt upon that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free he changeth the authority of the Church into a tyrannical Yoke much more if all the new articles of belief and rules for practice be imposed under the severest certificats But here we are to consider that all these things which that Church hath imposed on all of her Communion for which we withdrew from her are additions to our faith for in this we mainly differ from that Church that whatever we acknowledge they acknowledge likewise but with a great many additions we believe the Scriptures are a rule for Christians and they believe the same but they add traditions and the authority of the Church to the Scriptures We believe that God is to be worshipped spiritually they believe the same but add that he may be worshipped by Images and sensible Figures We believe Christ to be the Mediator betwixt God and Man they believe the same but add to this the intercession of Saints We hold that God and Christ are to be worshipped they hold the same but add Saints and Angels to our worship We believe Heaven and Hell to be the several States of the future life they believe the same but add Purgatory betwixt them to the day of Judgment We believe Baptism and the Lords Supper to be the Sacraments of the new Covenant they believe the same but add five more We believe Christ is spiritually and really present in the Lords Supper this they believe but add the unconceivable Tenent of his corporal presence In a word it might be instanced in many other particulars how they have driven us from their Communion by their additions to the truth and sincerity of the Gospel which they have adulterated by their Inventions and not only have they imposed all these things but thundered out Anathema's on all that question them and have so wreathed all their fopperies with that main and fundamental article of their belief of the infallibility of their Church that it is impossible to hope for their recovery till they renounce that Principle which is so dear to them For if their Church be infallible then in no matter of faith or practice can she decree amiss and therefore the lawfulness and sanctity of all her decrees must be maintained with an equal vigor and zeal for if in one of them she step aside her infallibility is for ever gone And by this we may see to how little purpose it is to treat of accomodating matters with that Church since there is no possibility of our union with them without we turn over entirely to them since they cannot part with one of their errors without they first renounce that which is the dearest of them all to wit the unerring authority of their Church How cruel then is that Church which addeth the severe sanction of an Anathema to all her decrees even about the most trifling matters and about things that are by their Confession of their own natures indifferent And a consectary to this is that cruel opinion they hold that none can be saved out of their Communion pretending there is no Salvation without the true Church which they restrict to these who are under the obedience of the Roman Bishop and this is what they usually frighten all with But it is to be considered what the true notion of the Church is that so we may see through this frightful Vizar The Church then is a Society of Christians united in the same faith for worshipping of God jointly And another definition of a Church cannot be proved from Scripture for the Church being called the Body of Christ its union with him as its head is held forth by the Apostle in these words Col. 2. 19. The head Christ from whom the whole body by joints and bonds having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God From which words we see what constitutes a man a member of the true Church which is first his union to Christ as his head together with a dependance on him for growth and nutriture and next his being knit to all others who are thus united to Christ which is first the inward union of divine Charity by which he loves all who cleave to Christ as their head and next his associating himself with them in outward visible acts of worship which every Christian is bound to do with all that worship God in Spirit and truth But if a Society of Christians do visibly swerve from Christ in many great and signal contradictions to the honour due to his Person and to the obedience due to his Laws and do grossly adulterate the worship so that communion cannot be had with that Church without departing from the head Christ then it can be no departing from the Church to adhere to Christ and his true worship and to separate from the corruptions are brought in upon the Christian religion If then it appear that the Church of Rome hath departed from the truth and simplicity of the Gospel in so many great and main points these who attempted the reforming her to her first purity and finding that not to be hoped for did unite among themselves for serving and worshiping God aright cannot be charged with separation from the true Church But by that cruel Tenent of theirs they breed up all their Children in the greatest uncharitableness imaginable condemning all who cannot believe all their strange Doctrines or concur in their unhallowed worship Thus they are the Schismatiques who have departed from the true Church and who force from their Communion all who adhere to it but this cruelty rests not in uncharitable censures but hath extended it self to as much bloody and barbarous rage as ever sprung from Hell for all the cruelty of the heathen Persecuters cannot match the practices of that Whore that hath been so often drunk with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus What enraged cruelty appeared against the poor Waldenses for the separating from their Corruption how many of all Sexes and Ages were cruelly butchered down by the procurement of the Rulers of that Church and because the Albigenses lived under the protection of Princes that favoured them how did the Popes depose their Princes and instigate other ambitious invaders to seize on their dominions which to effectuate a Croissade was proclaimed that had been formerly practised against the Enemies of the Christian Faith and heaven was promised to such as went against these poor innocents whereupon they were killed by thousands without all mercy Never was there any who had the zeal or honesty in these dark ages to witness against the apostacy of the Church but the Pope and Clergy used all means to get his zeal rewarded with a faggot And when the time of reformation came with what rage and spite did the Pope by his Letters and Legates instigate all the Princes of Europe to cruelty against them but as these things were not done in corners so