the Communion should not be adminstred to them in both kinds That the Bread in the Lord's Supper is transubstantiated into his Body That he is there sacrificed for the quick and the dead That there is any Purgatory besides Christ's Blood That our good Words can merit Heaven That the Saints hear our Prayers and know our Hearts That Images are to be worshipped That the Pope is Infallible and can command Angels That we ought to pray to the Dead and for the Dead In all these notwithstanding you may profess your teachableness if by sound Reasons out of God's Word you shall be convinced of the truth of them And because we know not how far it will please God to call us to make resistance against sin whether unto Blood it self or no it shall be Wisdom for us to prepare our selves to the last care of a godly life which is to dye Godly This the Apostle Paul calleth Sleeping in Iesus implying thereby our Faith in him our being found in his Work and our committing our Souls into his Hands with peace such a sweet and Heavenly Sleep was that of S. Stephen whose last Words for himself were Lord Iesus receive my Spirit and for his Tormentors Lord lay not this sin to their charge wherewith I will end this Writing and wish to end my life when the will of God shall be to whose gracious protection dear Sister I do heartily commit you November 23. 1641. These Advices shew in what temper that holy Man was in this his extremity They had a very good effect on the Lady for as by reading them over very often she got to be able to say them all without Book so she did that which was much more she lodged them in her heart as well as in her memory While this good Man was now every day waiting fâ—r his Crown the Rebells sent to him desiring him to dismiss the company that was about him but he refused to obey their cruel order and he resolved to live and dye with them and would much more willingly have offered himself to have dyed for them than have accepted of any favour for himself from which they should be shut out And when they sent him word That though they loved and honoured him beyond all the English that ever came into Ireland because he had never done wrong to any but good to many yet they had received orders from the Council of State at Kilkenny that had assumed the government of the Rebells that if he would not put away the people that had gathered about him they should take him from them he said no more but in the Words of David and S. Paul Here I am the Lord do unto me as seems good to him the will of the Lord be done So on the eighteenth of December they came and seized on him and on all that belonged to him and carried him and his two Sons and Mr. Clogy prisoners to the Castle of Lochwater the only place of strength in the whole County It was a little Tower in the midst of a Lake about a Musquet shot from any Shoar And though there had bâ—â—n a little Island about it anciently yet the Water had so gained on it that there was not a foot of Ground above Water but only the Tower it self They suffered the Prisoners to carry nothing with them for the Titular Bishop took possession of all that belonged to the Bishop and said Mass the next Lords day in the Church They set the Bishop on Horseback and made the other Prisoners go on foot by him And thus he was lodged in this Castle that was a most miserable dwelling The Castle had been in the hands of one Mr. Cullum who as he had the keeping of the Fort trusted to him so he had a good allowance for a Magazine to be laid up in it for the defence of the Country But he had not a pound of Powder nor one fixt Musquet in it and he fell under the just punishment of the neglect of his trust for he was taken the first day of the Rebellion and was himself made a prisoner here All but the Bishop were at first clapt into Irons for the Irish that were perpetually drunk were afraid lest they should seise both on them and on the Castle Yet it pleased God so far to abate their fury that they took off their Irons and gave them no disturbance in the Worship of God which was now all the comfort that was left them The House was extreamly open to the weather and ruinous and as the place was bare and exposed so that Winter was very severe which was a great addition to the misery of those that the Rebels had stript naked leaving to many not so much as a Garment to cover their nakedness But it pleased God to bring another Prisoner to the same Dungeon that was of great use to them one Richard Castledine who had come over a poor Carpenter to Ireland with nothing but his Tools on his back and was first imployed by one Sir Richard Waldron in the carpentry work of a Castle that he was building in the Parish of Cavan But Sir Richard wasting his Estate before he had finished his House and afterwards leaving Ireland God had so blest the industry of this Castledine during Thirty years labour that he bought this Estate and having only Daughters he married one of them out of gratitude to Sir Richard's youngest Son to whom he intended to have given the Estate that was his Fathers He was a Man of great vertue and abounded in good Works as well as in exemplary Piety he was so good a Husband that the Irish believed he was very rich so they preserved him hoping to draw a great deal of Money from him He being brought to this miserable Prison got some Tools and old Boards and fitted them up as well as was possible to keep out the Weather The Keepers of the Prison brought their Prisoners abundance of Provision but left them to dress it for themselves which they that knew little what belonged to Cookery were glad to do in such a manner as might preserve their lives and were all of them much supported in their Spirits They did not suffer as evil doers and they were not ashamed of the Cross of Christ but rejoyced in God in the midst of all their afflictions and the old Bishop took joyfully the spoiling of his Goods and the restraint of his person comforting himself in this That these light afflictions would quickly work for him a more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory The day after his imprisonment being the Lord's day he preached to his little flock on the Epistle for the day which set before them the pattern of the humility and sufferings of Christ and on Christmas day he preached on Gal. 4.4 5. and administred the Sacrament to the small Congregation about him their Keepers having been so charitable as to furnish them with Bread and Wine And
of Grace where he reduceth the whole practice of Christianity unto three Heads of living Soberly justly and Godly This last directing our carriage towards God the midle most towards our Neighbour and the foremost towards our Selves Now since this is a direction for our whole Life it seems to me that we have no more to do at any time but to conn this Lesson more perfectly with some particular application of such parts of it as are most suitable to the present occasions And as to Sobriety first under which the Vertues of Humility Modesty Temperance Chastity and Contentedness are contained since this is a time wherein as the Prophet saith The Lord of Hosts calleth to weeping and mourning and pulling off the Hair and girding with Sack-cloth you shall by my advice conform your self to those that by the Hand of God suffer such things Let your apparel and Dress be mournful as I doubt not but that your Mind is your Dyet sparing and course rather than full and liberal frame your self to the indifferency whereof the Apostle speaketh In whatsoever state you shall be therewith to be content to be full and to be hungry to abound and to want Remember now that which is the Lot of others you know not how soon it may be your own Learn to despise and defie the vain and falsly called wealth of this World whereof you now see we have so casual and uncertain a possession This for Sobriety the first part of the Lesson pertaining to your self Now for Iustice which respects others and containeth the Vertues of Honour to Superiors discreet and equal government of Inferiors peaceableness to all Meekness Mercy just dealing in matters of getting and spending Gratitude Liberality just Speech and desires God's Judgments being in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World should learn Righteousness as the Prophet speaketh Call to mind therefore and bethink you if in any of these you have failed and turn your Feet to God's Testimonies certainly these times are such wherein you may be afflicted and say with the Psalmist Horrour hath taken hold of me and Rivers of Tears run down mine Eyes because they keep not thy Laws Rebelling against Superiors Misleading not only by Example but by Compulsion Inferiors laying their Hand to them that were at peace with them unjustly spoiling and unthankfully requiting those that had shewed them kindness no Faith nor Truth in their Promises Judge by the way of the School that teacheth Christ thus are these his doings as for those that suffer I am well assured I shall not need to inform you or stir you up to mercy and compassion That which is done in this kind is done to Christ himself and shall be put upon account in your reckoning and rewarded accordingly at his glorious appearance The last and principal part of our Lesson remains which teacheth how to behave our selves Godly or religiously to this belong First the Duties of Gods inward Worship as Fear Love and Faith in God then outward as Invocation the holy use of his Word and Sacraments Name and Sabbaths The Apostle makes it the whole End and Work for which we were set in this World to seek the Lord yet in publick affliction we are specially invited thereto as it is written of Iehoshaphat when a great multitude came to invade him He set his Face to seek the Lord and called the people to a solemn fast So the Church professeth in the Prophet Isaiah In the way of thy Iudgments Lord we have waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early In this publick Calamity therefore it is our duty to turn to him that smiteth us and to humble our selves under his mighty Hand to conceive a reverend and Religious fear towards him that only by turning away his countenance can thus trouble us against that of Man which can do no more but kill the Body Again to renew our love to our heavenly Father that now offereth himself to us as to Children and to give a proof of that Love that we bear to our Saviour in the keeping of his Sayings hating in comparison of him and competition with him Father Mother Children Goods and Life it self which is the condition and proof of his Disciples and above all to receive and to re-inforce our Faith and Affiance which is now brought unto the tryal of the fiery Furnace and of the Lions Den O that it might be found to our honour praise and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. In the mean space even now let us be partakers of Christ's Sufferings and hear him from Heaven encouraging us Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Touching Prayer we have this gracious invitation Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee the example of all Gods Saints and of our Saviour in his agony to this belong the humble confession of our Sins with earnest request of Pardon the complaint of our Misery and danger with request of succour and protection we have besides the intercession of our Advocate with the Father the cry of the innocent Blood that hath been cruelly shed and the Lords own interesting himself in the cause so as we may say with the Psalmist Arise O God plead thine own cause remember how the foolish Man yea the Man of Sin reproacheth thee daily Forget not the voice of thine Enemies the tumult of those that rise against thee encreaseth continually That Psalm and many others as the 6 13 35 43 71 74 79 80 88 92 94 102 115 123 130 140 142. do give Precedents of Prayers in such times as these and the Prayer of Daniel and Ezra 9. of Asa and Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 14. and 26.12 The Stories of David's flight before Absolom and Iehoshaphat's behaviour when the Enemies came against him of Hezekiah's in Sennacherib's Invasion Isa. 37. and the whole book of Esther are fit Scriptures now to be read that through the patience and comfort of them we might have hope Now because we know not how soon we may be called to sanctifie God's name by making profession thereof you may perhaps desire to know what to say in that day You may openly profess your not doubting of any Article of the Catholick Faith shortly laid down in the Creed or more largely laid down in the Holy Scriptures but that you consent not to certain Opinions which are no points of Faith which have been brought into common belief without warrant of Scriptures or pure Antiquity as Namely That it is of necessity to Salvation to be under the Pope That the Scriptures ought not to be read of the common people That the Doctrine of Holy Scripture is not sufficient to Salvation That the Service of God ought to be in a Language not understood of the people That
on the 26 th of December Mr. William Bedell the Bishop's eldest Son preached on S. Stephen's last Words which afforded proper matter for their meditation who were every day in expectation when they should be put to give such a testimony of their Faith as that first Martyr had done And on the second of Ianuary which was the last Sunday of their imprisonment Mr. Clogy preached on S. Luke 2.32 33 34. During all their religious exercises their keepers never gave them any disturbance and indeed they carried so gently towards them that their natures seemed to be so much changed that it lookt like a second stopping the mouths of Lions They often told the Bishop that they had no personal quarrel to him and no other cause to be so severe to him but because he was an Englishman But while he was in this dismal Prison some of the Scots of that County that had retired to two Houses that were strong enough to resist any thing but Cannon and were commanded by Sir Iames Craig Sir Francis Hamilton and Sir Arthur Forker now Lord Grenard finding themselves like to suffer more by hunger than by the Siege that was laid to them made so resolute a Sally upon the Irâ—sh that they killed several took some Prisoners and dispersed the rest so that many Months passed before they offered to besiege them any more Among their Prisoners four were Men of considerable interest so they treated an exchange of them for the Bishop with his two Sons and Mr. Clogy which was concluded and the Prisoners were delivered on both sides on the 7 th of Ianuary but though the Irish promised to suffer the Bishop with the other three to go safe to Dublin yet they would not let them go out of the Country but intended to make further advantage by having them still among them and so they were suffered to go to the House of an Irish Minister Denis O Shereden to whom some respect was shewed by reason of his extraction though he had forsaken their Religion and had married an English Woman he continued firm in his Religion and relieved many in their extremity Here the Bishop spent the few remaining dayes of his Pilgrimage having his latter end so full in view that he seemed dead to the World and every thing in it and to be hasting for the coming of the Day of God During the last Sabbaths of his life though there were three Ministers present he read all the Prayers and Lessons himself and likewise preached on all those days On the 9 th of Ianuary he preached on the whole 44 th Psalm being the first of the Psalms appointed for that day and very suitable to the miseries the English were then in who were killed all day long as Sheep appointed for Meat Next Sabbath which was the 16 th he preached on the 79. Psalm the first Psalm for the day which runs much on the like Argument when the Temple was defiled and Ierusalem was laid on heaps and the dead Bodies of God's servants were given to be meat to the Fouls of Heaven and their Flesh to the Beasts of the Earth and their blood vvas shed like Water and there vvas none to bury them Their condition being so like one another it vvas very proper to put up that Prayer O remember not against us former iniquities Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Together with the other Let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to dye On the 23 d. he preached on the last ten Verses of the 71. Psalm observing the great fitness that was in them to express his present condition especially in these Words O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy wonderous works now also when I am old and gray headed forsake me not And on the 30 th which was the last Lord's day in which he had strength enough to preach he preached on the 144. Psalm the first appointed for that day and when he came to the Words in the seventh Verse which are also repeated in the eleventh Verse Send thine hand from above rid me and deliver me out of great Waters from the hand of strange Children whose mouth speaketh vanity and whose right-hand is a right hand of falshood He repeated them again and again with so much zeal and affection that it appeared how much he was hasting to the day of God and that his Heart was crying out Come Lord Iesus come quickly how long how long and he dwelt so long upon them with so many sighs that all the little assembly about him melted into Tears and lookt on this as a presage of his approaching dissolution And it proved too true for the day after he sickned which on the second day after appeared to be an Ague and on the fourth day he apprehending his speedy change called for his Sons and his Sons Wives and spake to them at several times as near in these Words as their memories could serve them to write them down soon after I am going the way of all flesh I am now ready to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand knowing therefore that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me I know also that if this my earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved I have a building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens a fair Mansion in the New Ierusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from my God Therefore to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain which encreaseth my desire even now to depart and to be with Christ which is far better than to continue here in all the transitory vain and false pleasures of this world of which I have seen an end Hearken therefore unto the last Words of your dying Father I am no more in this World but ye are in the World I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God through the all-sufficient merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer who ever lives to make intercession for me who is a propitiation for all my sins and washed me from them all in his own Blood who is worthy to receive Glory and Honour and Power who hath created all things and for whose pleasure they are and were created My witness is in Heaven and my record on high That I have endeavoured to glorifie God on Earth and in the Ministry of the Gospel of his dear Son which was committed to my trust I have finished the Work which he gave me to do as a faithful Embassadour of Christ and Steward of the mysteries of God I have preached Righteousness in the great Congregation lo I have not refrained my Lips O Lord thou knowest I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy
could not be finally determined without a Great Seal from the King confirming all that was done there was One sent over in all their names to obtain it but this was a work of time and so could not be finished in several Years and the Rebellion broke out before it was fully concluded The Lord Lieutenant at this time was Sir Thomas Wentworth afterwards Earl of Strafford a name too great to need any enlargement or explanation for his Character is well known At his first coming over to Ireland he was possessed with prejudices against the Bishop upon the account of a Petition sent up by the County of Cavan to which the Bishop had set his hand in which some complaints were made and some regulations were proposed for the Army Which was thought an insolent attempt and a matter of ill example So that Strafford who was severe in his administration was highly displeased with him And when any Commission or Order was brought to him in which he found his name he dashed it out with his own Pen and expressed great indignation against him When the Bishop understood this he was not much moved at it knowing his own innocence but he took prudent methods to overcome his displeasure He did not go to Dublin upon his coming over as all the other Bishops did to congratulate his coming to the Government but he writ a full account of that matter to his constant Friend Sir Thomas Iermin who managed it with so much zeal that Letters were sent to the Deputy from the Court by which he was so much mollified towards the Bishop that he going to congratulate was well received and was ever afterwards treated by him with a very particular kindness So this Storm went over which many thought would have ended in imprisonment if not in deprivation Yet how much soever that Petition was mistaken he made it appear very plain that he did not design the putting down of the Army For he saw too evidently the danger they were in from Popery to think they could be long safe without it But a Letter that contains his vindication from that aspersion carries in it likewise such a representation of the state of the Popish interest then in Ireland and of their numbers their tempers and their principles that I will set it down It was written to the Archbishop of Canterbury and is taken from the printed copy of it that Mr. Prynne has given us Right Honourable my very good Lord IN the midst of these thoughts I have been advertized from an honourable Friend in England that I am accused to his Majesty to have opposed his service and that my hand with two other Bishops only was to a Writing touching the Money to be levied on the Papists for maintenance of the Men of War Indeed if I should have had such an intention this had been not only to oppose the service of his Majesty but to expose with the publick peace mine own Neck to the Skeans of the Romish Cut-throats I that know that in this Kingdom of his Majesties the Pope hath another Kingdom far greater in number and as I have heretofore signified to the Lord Iustices and Council which is also since justified by themselves in Print constantly guided and directed by the Orders of the new Congregation De propaganda Fide lately erected at Rome transmitted by the means of the Popes Nuntio's residing at Brussells or Paris that the Pope hath here a Clergy if I may guess by my own Diocess double in number to us the heads whereof are by corporal Oath bound to him to maintain him and his regalities contra omnem hominem and to execute his Mandates to the uttermost of their Forces which accordingly they do stiling themselves in Print Ego N. Dei Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopus Fermien Ossorien I that knâ—w there is in the Kingdom for the moulding of the people to the Popes obedience a rabble of irregular Regulars commonly younger Brothers of good Houses who are grown to that insolency as to advance themselves to be members of he Ecclesiastical Hierarchy in better ranks than Priests in so much that the censure of the Sorbon is fain to be implored to curb them which yet is called in again so tender is the Pope of his own Creatures I that know that his Holiness hath erected a new Vniversity in Dublin to confront his Majesties Colledge there and to breed the youth of the Kingdom to his Devotion of which Vniversity one Paul Harris the Author of that infamous libel which was put forth in Print against my Lord Armach's Wansted Sermon stileth himself in Print to be Dean I that know and have given advertisements to the State that these Regulars dare erect new Fryeries in the Countrey since the dissolving of those in the City that they have brought the people to such a sottish senselesness as they care not to learn the Commandments as God himself spake and writ them but they flock in great numbers to the preaching of new superstitioâ—s and detestable Doctrines such as their own Priests are ashamed of and at all those they levy Collections Three Four Five or Six Pounds at a Sermon Shortly I that knâ—w that those Regulars and this Clergy have at a general meeting like to a Synod as themselves stile it decreed That it is not lawful to take the Oath of Allegiance and if they be constant to their own Doctrine do account his Majesty in their Hearts to be King but at the Popes discretion In this estate of this Kingdom to think the Bridle of the Army may be taken away should be the thought not of a brain-sick but of a brainless Man The day of our deliverance from the Popish Powder Plot Anno 1633. Your Lordsship's in all Duty Will. Kilmore By his cutting off Pluralities there fell to be many Vacancies in his Diocess so the care he took to fill these comes to be considered in the next place He was very strict in his Examinations before he gave Orders to any He went over the Articles of the Church of Ireland so particularly and exactly that one who was present at the Ordination of him that was afterwards his Arch-Deacon Mr. Thomas Price reported that though he was one of the Senior Fellows of the Colledge of Dublin when the Bishop was Provost yet his Examination held two full Hours And when he had ended any examination which was alwayes done in the presence of his Clergy he desired every Clergy-Man that was present to examine the person further if they thought that any material thing was omitted by him by which a fuller discovery of his temper and sufficiency might be made When all was ended he made all his Clergy give their approbation before he would proceed to Ordination For he would never assume that singly to himself nor take the Load of it wholly on his own Soul He took also great care to be well informed of the moral and
Mr. King's silliness which it concerns me the more to clear him of that I be not accounted silly my self I beseech your Lordship to take information not by them which never saw him till yesterday but by the ancient either Church or Statesmen of this Kingdom in whose eyes he hath lived these many Years as are the Lord Primate The Bishop of Meath the Lord Dillon Sir James Ware and the like I doubt not but your Lordship shall understand that there is no such danger that the Translation should be unworthy because he did it being a Man of that known sufficiency for the Irish especially either in Prose or Verse as few are his matches in the Kingdom And shortly not to argue by conjecture and divination Let the Work it self speak yea let it be examined rigoroso examine If it be found approveable let it not suffer disgrace from the small boast of the Workman but let him rather as old Sophocles accused of dotage be absolved for the sufficiency of the Work Touching his being obnoxious it is true that there is a scandalous Information put in against him in the High Commission Court by his despoiler Mr. Baily as my Lord of Derry told him in my hearing he was and by an excommunicate despoiler as my self before the Execution of any sentence declar'd him in the Court to be And Mr. King being cited to answer and not appearing as by Law he was not bound was taken pro confesso deprived of his Ministry and Living Fined an hundred Pound Decreed to be attached and imprisoned His Adversary Mr. Baily before he was sentenced purchased a new Dispensation to hold his Benefice and was the very next day after as appears by the date of the Institution both presented in the King's Title although the Benefice be of my Collation and instituted by my Lord Primate's Vicar Shortly after inducted by an Archdeacon of another Diocess and a few dayes after he brought down an Attachment and delivered Mr. King to the Pursevant He was haled by the Head and Feet to Horseback and brought to Dublin where he hath been kept and continued under Arrest these four or five Months and hath not been suffered to purge his supposed Contempt by Oath and Witnesses that by reason of his sickness he was hindered whereby he was brought to Death's Door and could not appear and prosecute his defence And that by the cunning of his Adversary he was circumvented intreating that he might be restored to liberty and his cause into the former estate But it hath not availed him my Reverend Colleagues of the High Commission do some of them pity his Case others say the Sentence past cannot be reversed lest the credit of the Court be attached They bid him simply submit himself and acknowledge his Sentence just Whereas the Bishops of Rome themselves after most formal proceedings do grant restitution in integrum and acknowledge That Sententia Romanae Sedis potest in melius commutari My Lord if I understand what is Right Divine or humane these be wrongs upon wrongs which if they reached only to Mr. King's person were of less consideration but when through his side That great Work the Translation of God's Book so necessary for both his Majesty's Kingdoms is mortally wounded pardon me I beseech your Lordship if I be sensible of it I omit to consider what feast our adversaries make of our rewarding him thus for that service or what this example will avail to the alluring of others to conformity What should your Lordship have gained if he had dyed as it was almost a miracle he did not under Arrest and had been at once deprived of Living Liberty and Life God hath reprieved him and given your Lordship means upon right information to remedy with one word all inconveniencies For conclusion good my Lord give me leave a little to apply the Parable of Nathan to King David to this purpose If the way-faring man that is come to us for such he is having never yet been settled in one place have so sharp a Stomach that he must be provided for with Pluralities sith there are Herds and Flocks plenty suffer him not I beseech you under the colour of the King's name to take the coset Ewe of a poor Man to satisfie his ravenous appetite So I beseech the Heavenly Physician to give your Lordship health of Soul and Body I rest My Lord Your Lordship 's most humble servant in Christ Jesus Will. Kilmore Decemb. 1. 1638. By these practices was the printing of the Bible in Irish stopt at that time but if the Rebellion had not prevented our Bishop he was resolved to have had it done in his own House and at his own charge and as preparatory to that he made some of Chrysostome's Homilies the three first upon the parable of the rich Man and Lazarus together with some of Leo's all which tended chiefly to commend the Scriptures in the highest strains of Eloquence that were possible to be translated both into English and Irish and reprinting his Catechism he added these to it in both Languages and these were very well received even by the Priests and Friers themselves He lived not to finish this great design yet notwithstanding the Rebellion and confusion that followed in Ireland the Manuscript of the Translation of the Bible escaped the storm and falling into good Hands it is at this time under the Press and is carried on chiefly by the zeal and at the charge of that Noble Christian Philosopher Mr. Boyle who as he reprinted upon his own charge the new Testament so he very cheerfully went into a Proposition for reprinting the Old But this is only one of many instances by which he has expressed as well his great and active zeal for carrying on the true interest of Religion as by his other publick labours he has advanced and improved Philosophy But to go on with the concerns of our Bishop as he had great zeal for the purity of the Christian Religion in opposition to the corruptions of the Church of Rome so he was very moderate in all other matters that were not of such importance He was a great supporter of Mr. Dury's design of reconciling the Lutherans and the Calvinists and as he directed him by many learned and prudent Letters that he wrote to him on that subject so he allowed him 20 l. a year in order to the discharging the expence of that negotiation which he payed punctually to his Correspondent at London And it appeared by his managing of a business that fell out in Ireland That if all that were concerned in that matter had been blest with such an understanding and such a temper as he had there had been no reason to have despaired of it There came a company of Lutherans to Dublin who were afraid of joyning in Communion with the Church of Ireland and when they were cited to answer for it to the Archbishop's Consistory they desired some time might be
condition to make any resistance so that it was not any apprehension of the opposition that might be made them that bound them up Great numbers of his Neighbours had also fled to him for shelter He received all that came and shared every thing he had so with them that all things were common among them and now that they had nothing to expect from Men he invited them all to turn with him to God and to prepare for that death which they had reason to look for every day so that they spent their time in Prayers and Fasting which last was now like to be imposed on them by necessity The Rebels expressed their esteem for him in such a manner that he had reason to ascribe it wholly to that overruling power that stills the raging of the Seas and the tumult of the people they seemed to be overcome with his exemplary conversation among them and with the tenderness and charity that he had upon all occasions expressed for them and they often said He should be the last Englishman that should be put out of Ireland He was the only Englishman in the whole County of Cavan that was suffered to live in his own House without disturbance not only his House and all the out-Buildings but the Church and Church-Yard were full of people and many that a few dayes before lived in great ease and much plenty were now glad of a heap of Straw or Hay to lye upon and of some boiled Wheat to support Nature and were every day expecting when those Swords that had according to the Prophetick Phrase drunk up so much Blood should likewise be satiated with theirs They did now eat the Bread of Sorrow and mingled their Cups with their Tears The Bishop continued to encourage them to trust in God and in order to that he preached to them the first Lords Day after this terrible calamity had brought them about him on the Third Psalm which was penned by David when there was a general insurrection of the people against him under his unnatural Son Absolom and he applyed it all to their condition He had a doleful Assembly before him an Auditory all melting in Tears It requires a Soul of an equal elevation to his to imagine how he raised up their Spirits when he spake to these Words But thou O Lord art a Shield for me my glory and the lifter up of my Head I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousands of the people that have set themselves against me round about And to the conclusion of the Psalm Salvation belongeth unto the Lord thy blessing is upon thy people The next Lords day hearing of the Scoffings as well as the Cruelty of the Irish he preached on these Words in Micah Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness Then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God By these means and through the blessing of God upon them they encouraged themselves in God and were prepared for the worst that their enemies could do to them The Irish themselves were at a stand The miscarriage of the design on Dublin Castle was a sad disappointment they were unarmed they had no Treasure no Fleet nor foreign support and though there were some good Officers among them yet they found the Souldiers to be as cowardly as the English Inhabitants felt them to be cruel For as those two Characters are observed generally to meet in the same person so it was very visible upon this occasion since a very small Body of good Men could have gone over the whole Kingdom and have reduced it in fewer Months than it cost Years Their chief hope was the only thing in which they were not disappointed That the Disputes between the King and the Parliament of England would make Supplies come over so slow that they might thereby gain much time and in conclusion they might hope for a more favourable conjuncture Those of the County of Cavan seemed to see their errour and apprehend their danger so they came to the Bishop as the fittest Man to interpose for them he was willing to oblige those on the one hand at whose mercy he was and on the other hand to bring them to such a submission as might at least procure some breathing time to the poor English and to those few Houses that stood out but were falling within doors under an Enemy that was more irresistible than the Irish For they were much straitned their Provisions failing them The Petition that they signed and sent up to the Lords Justices and the Council was too well penned to come from those that set their hands to it It was drawn by the Bishop who put their matter in his own Words therefore I shall insert it here though it gives the best colours to their Rebellion of any of all their Papers that I ever saw To the Right Honourable the Lords Justices and Council The humble Remonstrance of the Gentry and Commonalty of the County of Cavan of their Grievances common with other parts of this Kingdom of Ireland WHereas we his Majesties loyal Subjects of his Highness Kingdom of Ireland have of long time groaned under many grievous pressures occasioned by the rigorous Government of such placed over us as respected more the advancement of their own private Fortunes than the Honour of His Majesty or the welfare of us his Subjects whereof we in humble manner declared our selves to His Highness by our Agents sent from the Parliament the representative body of this Kingdom Notwithstanding which we find our selves of late threatned with far greater and more grievous Vexations either with captivity of our Consciences our losing of our lawful Liberties or utter expulsion from our Native Seats without any just Ground given on our parts to alter his Majesties goodness so long continued unto us of all which we find great cause of fears in the proceeding of our Neighbour Nations and do see it already attempted upon by certain Petitioners for the like course to be taken in this Kingdom for the effecting thereof in a compulsory way so as Rumors have caused fears of Invasion from other parts to the dissolving the Bond of mutual agreement which hitherto hath been held inviolable between the several Subjects of this Kingdom and whereby all other his Majesties Dominions have been linkt in one For the preventing therefore of such evils growing upon us in this Kingdom we have for the preservation of his Majesties Honour and our own Liberties thought fit to take into our Hands for his Highnesses
returned home again To conclude I accounted my self still in debt and was I confess to you unwilling to dye in it and sometimes vowed to God in the midst of my troubles if I might once see an end of them to endeavour to discharge it And now having by his mercy not only attained that but a new occasion presented me presently thereupon by your calling for satisfaction to pay it and means offered me to send it safely I take this motion to proceed from God and do humbly desire his Majesty to turn it to good It remains therefore good Mr. Waddesworth that I do intreat your pardon of that slackness that is past and gentleness to take it as I shall be able to pay it My employments both ordinary and extraordinary are many The bulk of it is too great to convey in one Letter consisting of sundry Sheets of Paper and at this present there lies an extraordinary task upon me so as I cannot presently write it out I do therefore no more now but acknowledge the debt and promise speedy payment Vnless I shall add this also that I do undertake to pay interest for the forbearance and according as I shall understand by Mr. Austen shall be fittest and safest to send it in parts or all at once To the conclusion of your last Letter wherein you profess your desire to spend the rest of your life rather in the heat of Devotion than of Disputation desiring pardon of coldness that way and of all other your sins and that it would please God to guide and keep me in all happiness as your self through the redemption of our sweet Saviour and by the intercession of his holy mother and all Saints I do most thankfully and willingly subscribe Amen Returning unto you from my heart your own best wishes Neither is it my purpose to call into question the solidity of truth or firmness of the hope of Salvation which you find in your present way This only I say Et pro nobis Christus mortuus est pro nostra Redemptione Sanguinem suum fudit Peccatores quidem sed de ipsius grege sumus inter ejus oviculas numeramur This is my Tenet And if the Doctrine of the Holy Bible do contain solid truth and believing in the name of the Son of God do give firm hope of salvation according to Gods own Record 1 John 5.10 11 12. we are perswaded we have both I will add this more We know that we are translated from Death to Life because we love our Brethren With this Oyle in our Lamps which we desire may be alwayes in store in our Vessels also our hearts we attend the coming of the Bridegroom and say cheerfully Etiam veni Domine Jesu To whose gracious protection I do most heartily commit you and do rest Your assured Friend and loving Brother W. Bedell Horningesherth August 5. 1619. ✚ To the Worshipful Mr. William Bedell at Horningesherth near S. Edmundsbury in Suffolk these Salutem in Crucifixo Worthy Sir I Was exceeding glad to perceive by your kind modest and discreet Letters of the fifth of August last that you are still permanent in your own good nature and constant in your love to me not like Mr. Ioseph Hall neither bitterly reviling nor flourishing impertinently Unto whom I pray you return his scoffing railing Letter with these few marginal Notes I pray God forgive him and make him a more humbler and meeker Man And I for my part do freely pardon all his foul terms against me And though in gratitude and justice I am bound and so do love and respect you more than him for your greater courtesie to me and for your better value in your self yet even him I can and do and am bound to love not only as an Enemy or a Creature of God or as I do you for an honest moral good discreet Man but even further and beyond that which you seem to understand that we cannot by our Doctrine proceed in love viz. As Men having Souls for whom our Saviour hath dyed and so as possible members though indeed not actual branches of his mystical Body Yea for such as may come to be ingrafted and bear Fruit in him when we may be withered cut off or fallen away As for your serious Apology and excuse for not answering my first Letters all this while I do easily admit it and assure my self that all the circumstances impediments and occasions were such as you affirm nor did I expect nor urge in my first nor second Letters any answer about Controversies in Religion for I ever said we could say nothing of substance which before had not been said but only gave you by Mr. Hall's occasion some few reasons of my Faith wherein still I protest I had rather be devout than be troubled to dispute not for fear or doubt but because I am so fully resolved in my self and do think it a very superfluous labour toties melius ab aliis actum agere So that I desired rather answer of courtesie than of Controversie which now by Mr. Astons means I received and do much esteem it and heartily thank you for it Nevertheless when your Reply unto my plain and few reasons come I will for your sake both read them over and according to my little health less leisure and my poor ability which is least of all return you some such short Rejoynder as it shall please almighty God to enable me being glad to perceive by your last that you do subscribe to our intercession by our blessed Lady and other holy Saints which also I hope and wish you would fully extend to our invocation of Saints as Intercessors not as Redeemers for that were Blasphemy indeed and Idolatry from which our sweet Saviour deliver us and ever keep you my good dear Friend as I desire Madrid in haste Octob. 26. 1619. Iames Waddesworth To the Worshipful my very good Friend Mr. James Waddesworth at Madrid deliver this Salutem in Christo Jesu YOur Letters of the 26 of October beloved Master Waddesworth were long upon the way and came not to my hands till the 23 of May. In them I received your courteous acceptation of my excuse for my former silence and censure of Dr. Hall's Letter with the profession of your love to me and him further than I accounted you could by your Doctrine proceed viz. as redeemed by Christ and possible Members of his mystical Body Truly Sir I will not change Words with you hereabouts but I account still to be an honest Man restraineth from that to be redeemed by our Saviour since that is as large as humane Nature this is given to fewer of whom a Man may say as our Lord doth of one in the Gospel that they are not far from the Kingdom of God Howsoever I have still my intention that we out of our Profession may love you better than you can us since it is more to be an actual than
sever not For it is not by humane but râ—ther divine power that spiritual marriage is dissolved when as by translation or cession by the authority of the Bishop of Rome whom it is plain to be the Vicar of Iesus Christ a Bishop is removed from his Church An admirable interpretation of the Text Quos Deus conjunxit by which the Pope not only challengeth that which is proper to Gods judgment only as he saith viz. to dissolve the Bond of spiritual Wedlock but because that is the stronger of carnal it seems also when it shall please him The anointing of a Prince since Christs coming is translated from the Head to the Shoulder by which Principality is fitly designed according to that which is read Factus est principatus super humerum ejus for signifying also whereof Samuel caused the shoulder to be set before Saul Who should ever have understood these Texts if your infallible Interpreter had not declared them But this is nothing yet to the exposition of those Texts which the Pope interprets in his answer to the Emperour of Constantinople as Subditi estote omni humanae Creaturae propter Deum c. He tells him that S. Peter wrote that to his own Subjects to provoke them to the merit of humility For if he had meant thereby to lay the yoke of subjection upon Priests it would follow that every Servant were to rule over them since it is said Omni humanae creaturae After It is not barely set down Regi praecellenti but there is put between perhaps not without cause tanquam And that which follows ad vindictam malefactorum laudem verò bonorum is not to be understood that the King or Emperor hath received the power of the Sword upon good and evil Men save only those who using the sword are committed to his jurisdiction according to that which the Truth saith They which take the Sword shall perish with the Sword For no Man ought or can judge anothers Servant since the Servant according to the Apostle standeth or falleth to his own Lord. For the love of God consider this Interpretation and compare it with S. Chrysostome upon Rom. 13. Nay do but read the Text attentively and judge of the infallibility of your interpreter Straight after he tells the Emperor That he might have understood the prerogative of Priesthood out of that which was said not of every Man but of God not to the King but to the Priest not to one descending of the Royal Stock but of the Priestly Linage of the Priests to wit which were in Anathot Behold I have set thee over Nations and Kingdoms to pull up and destroy to build and to plant See the Prerogative of the Priesthood out of Ieremies calling to be a Prophet O if he had been high Priest This had been a Text for the nonce But he goes on It is said in Gods Law also Diis non detrahes Principem populi tui non maledices Which setting Priests before Kings calls them Gods and the other Princes Compare this exposition with David's and Paul's Psal. 82. and Acts 23.5 and ye shall see how the Interpreter hath hit the mark Again you ought to have known quod fecit Deus duo magna luminaria c. See the Exposition and the difference between the Pope and Kings both in the Text and Gloss. Now although the Gloss-Writer were no excellent Calculator yet out of Clavius the account may be cleared who tells us the Sun exceeds the Moon 6539. times and a Fifth I let pass the collection out of Pasce oves meas that he belongs not to Christs Fold that doth not acknowledge Peter and his Successors his Masters and Pastors out of Quodcunque ligaveris that nothing is excepted Indeed the Pope excepts nothing but looseth Vows Contracts Oaths the Bond of Allegiance and Fealty between Subjects and their Princes The Commandment of Christ Drink ye all of this c. But our Lord expounds himself Iohn 20. Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. Ex ore sedentis in Throno procedebat gladius bis acutus This is saith the Pope the Sword of Solomon which cuts on both sides giving every Man his own We then who albeit unworthy hold the place of the true Solomon by the favour of God do wisely exercise this Sword when such causes as in our audience are lawfully canvassed we do with Iustice determine This interpretation first corrupts the Text for it hath not out of the Mouth of him that sate on the Throne but that sate on the Horse next it perverts it for it is not the Sword of Iustice but of Christs Word which is more piercing than any two-Edged Sword that issueth out of his Mouth As for that of Iustice he never assumed it but renounced it rather when he said Man who made me a divider to you Luke 12.14 ¶ To prove that in other Regions besides the patrimony of the Church the Pope doth casually exercise temporal Iurisdiction it is said in Deuteronomy Si difficile sit ambiguum c. And because Deuteronomy is by interpretation the second Law Surely by the force of the Word it is proved that what is there decreed should be observed in the New Testament For the place which the Lord did chuse is known to â—e the Apostolick See For when as Peter fleeing went out of the City the Lord minding to call him back to the place he had chosen being asked of him Lord whither goest thou answered I go to Rome to be crucified again The Priests of the Tribe of Levi are the Popes coadjutors The high Priest or Iudge he to whom the Lord said in Peter Quodcunque ligaveris c. His Vicar who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck appointed by God the Iudge of quick and dead He that contemns the Popes Sentence is to be excommunicated for that is the meaning of being commanded to be put to death Doth not this well follow out of the word Deuteronomy And Rome is the place that Christ did choose because he went he said to be crucified there Only there is a scruple of the High Priest for as much as he that is High Priest after Melchisedeck's Order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a Priesthood that passes not into another Heb. 7. He adds there that Paul that he might declare the fulness of power writing to the Corinthians saith Know ye not that ye shall judge the Angels how much more the things of the World Is this then the Popes plenitude of Power to judge secular things or was Corinth the Apostolick See and so many Popes there even of the meanest of the Church What shall we say to that Exposition of the famous Text Tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam The Lord he saith taking Peter into the fellowship of the undivided Vnity would have him to be
called that which he was himself that the building of the eternal Temple might by the marvelous gift of God consist in Peter ' s firmness What is this undivided Unity Not of the Trinity I trow or natures in Christ. What then his Office of which he said a little before out of the Apostle that no Man can lay any other foundation but Iesus Christ. Yes that from Peter as a certain head he should as it were pour abroad his gifts into his whole body That the Church might stand upon Peter 's firmness This Foundation S. Paul knew not when he blamed I am of Cephas Peters infirmity cannot bear up the weight of such a building much less which we must remember the Romanists understand by this Iargon the Popes his Successors Such another interpretation is that of Pope Boniface that makes Vnum Ovile unus Pastor the Church and the Pope But it is plain our Saviour alludes to the Prophecies Ezek 34.23 and 37.24 where the Lord calls that one Pastor his servant David What blasphemy is this thus to usurp Christs Royalties What Father what Council what Catholick man ever interpreted this Text on this manner By which the Pope while he seeks the name of the Shepherd shuts himself out of Christs â—old Yea the same Pope calls the Church his Spouse also and so other Popes since S. Iohn the Baptist tells them that he that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom S. Paul prepared her to one Husband Christ. If she be the Popes Spouse with her will she is a Harlot if against her will he is a Ravisher and our Lord Jesus Christ will deliver her out of his lewd imbracements crying out of the violence which she suffers as it is to he hoped shortly That in the Churches power are two Swords the spiritual and temporal we are taught by the Words of the Gospel saith the same Boniface For when the Apostles said Behold there be two swords here to wit in the Church when the Apostles spake thus the Lord answered not that it was too much but enough Certainly he that denies the temporal Sword to be in Peter ' s power doth ill observe the Speech which our Lord utters Put up thy Sword into thy sheath No doubt an infallible Interpretation by which it should appear that both the Swords that were in our Saviours company hung by S. Peter's side or else that some other had the spiritual leaving none to S. Peter but that which he might not use The Exposition is S Bernards you will say But in an Epistle paraenetical to the Pope himself S. Bernard might have leave to use allusions and after his manner to be liberal of all that the See of Rome challenged that he might have the more Authority to reform the abuses of it As to grant Peter the temporal Sword but so as he must not use it Quid tu gladium denuo usurpare tentes quem semel jussus es ponere in vaginam and he shews how these two Swords be the Churches The one to be drawn out for the Church the other also by the Church This by the Priests that by the Souldiers hand but at the beck of the Priest and bidding of the Emperor But the Pope in a Decretal Epistle pretending to teach the World in a Point as he pronounces necessary to Salvation with such an Interpretation as this argues little reverence to the Word of God and a very mean Opinion of the Judgments and Consciences of Christen Men if they could not discern this to be a Strangers Voice not Christs Besides that he changes S. Bernards Words and clean perverts his meaning For exerendus he puts in exercendus For ille Sacerdotis is militis manu sed sanè ad nutum Sacerdotis jussum Imperatoris Pope Boniface thinking jussum too absolute in the Emperor makes him to be the executioner and joyns him with the Souldier on this manner Ille Sacerdotum is manu Regum Militum sed ad nutum patientiam Sacerdotis S. Bernard makes the executive power to be in the Souldier the directive in the Priest the commanding in the Emperor Pope Boniface makes the Kings and Souldiers to have only the executive the directive and permissive to be in the Priest Yea sword he saith must be under Sword For where the Apostle saith There is no power but of God quae autem sunt à Deo ordinati sunt more fully in the original Text the powers that are are ordained that is appointed of God The Interpreter here dreams of order and subordination and cites a saying of Dionysius that the lowest things are reduced to the highest by the middlemost a conceit that makes nothing to the purpose of the Apostle in that place He proceeds and tells us that of the Church and Power Ecclesiastical is verified the Prophecy of Jeremy Behold I have set thee this day over Kings and Kingdoms c. Tell me good Mr. Waddesworth what is to pervert the Scriptures if this be not to apply to the power Ecclesiastical that which is spoken of the Word and Calling Prophetical Yet more The Earthly Power if it swerve out of the way shall be judged of the power Spiritual but if the Spiritual that is lesser of that which is superior to it But if the highest it may be judged of God only not of Man the Apostle witnessing the Spiritual Man judgeth all things but himself is judged of none We are come at length as it were to the Fountains of Nilus to the Original of the Infallibility of your Iudge and if he have here rightly interpreted S. Paul we learn that no earthly power no Magistrate is a spiritual Man unless he be one of the Popes spiritualty For these be S. Paul's spiritual Men that judge all things Yet this must receive limitation For no Man may judge the Pope the Supreme Spiritual Man for of him it seems S. Paul meant it his authority he saith is not humane but divine by the divine Mouth given to Peter and his Successors when the Lord said to him Quodcunque ligaveris For conclusion Whosoever resists this power thus ordered of God resists the Ordinance of God unless as Manichaeus he feign two beginnings which saith he we judge to be false and heretical sith by Moses record not in the beginnings but in the beginning God created Heaven and Earth Who would not acknowledge the divine Authority and Infallibility of your Interpreter both in confirming his purpose and convincing heresies from so high a beginning as this first sentence of Holy Writ What rests now but after so many testimonies he inferr Furthermore to be under the Bishop of Rome we declare say define and pronounce that to every humane creature it is altogether of necessity of salvation Thus saith your infallible Judge and Interpreter of Scripture the center of your Conscience and foundation of your Faith not as a private Doctor but
can be more fraudulent more sottish And because I have mentioned Gratian his whole compilation is full of falsification and corruption of Antiquity take an example or two in the matter we have in hand The Milevitane and after the African Councils under pain of excommunication prohibit Appeals beyond the Seas Which Canons were made purposely to meet with the usurpations of the Bishops of Rome of which I have spoken somewhat before Now in the citing this Canon Gratian adds this goodly explication nisi forte Romanam sedem appellaverint thus excepting that abuse which these Councils directly sought to prohibite Again S. Augustine to inform a Christian man what Scriptures he should hold for Canonical bids him follow the Authority of the greater part of the Catholick Church amongst which are those quae Apostolicas sedes habere Epistolas accipere meruerunt which had the honour to have the Apostles sit in them and to receive Epistles from them Gratian fits it thus inter quas Scripturas sanc illae sunt quas Apostoliâ—â— sedes habere ab ea alii meruerunt accipere Epistolas And accordingly the title of that Canon is Inter Canonicas The Decretal Epistles are numbred amongst the Canonical Scriptures True it is that in the end of the next Canon Gratian adds a good limitation and worth the remembring that this must be understood of such Decrees in which there is nothing found contrary to the Decrees of the Fathers foregoing nor the Precepts of the Gospel Belike even in Gratian's time it was not holden impossible That in the Sanctions and Decretals of Popes something might be decreed contrary to the Gospel which may be added to your Judges Infallibility which hath been touched before But these be old tricks of the Champions of the Papacy At this day perhaps it is better Yes and that shall ye ununderstand by the Words of the Children of the Church of Rome themselves the Venetians But first ye are to know that among certain Propositions set forth in defence of that State there was one the fourth in number of eight That the Authority promised by our Saviour Christ to S. Peter under the metaphor of the Keyes is meerly Spiritual For confirmation whereof after other proof was said That the Authority of the highest Bishop is over Sin and over Souls only according to the words of that Prayer of the Church about S. Peter qui B. Petro animas ligandi atque solvendi Pontificium tradidisti Cardinal Bellarmine undertook to answer these Propositions and coming to this place he saith That peradventure Gods providence to take away such deceipts whereby the Author of these Propositions would deceive the simple with the words of the holy Church misunderstood inspired into the Reformers of the Breviary that they should take out of that Prayer the word animas as anciently it was not there nor ought to be because that Prayer was formed out of the words of the Gospel Quodcunque ligaveris quodcunque solveris Now mark the Rejoinder that is made to him by Iohannes Marsilius who numbering up his errors in the defence of every Proposition roundly tells him Erra XIV perche dice c. He errs in the fourteenth place for that he saith That those which have taken out of the Breviary the word animas were inspired by the Holy Ghost I know not whether the Holy Ghost be the Author of Discord This I know well that one of his Gifts and of his Fruits is Peace Those which made that Prayer had this intention to explain the Words Quodcunque ligaveris with the Word animas by that Text which explaineth them quorum remiseritis peccata sins being in the Soul and not in the body left any should believe that the Pope were Dominus in temporalibus spiritualibus of Goods of Bodies and of Souls and that he might loose and bind every thing as it seems the L. Cardinal believeth And they explained them with the Word animas by which explication a remedy is put unto all those discords which may arise between the Pope and Princes de meo tuo Wheras those which have lately taken it away out of the Breviary have anew stirred up occasion of discords and contentions Besides that it is a thing known of all Men that in the Books of the Councils of the Canons of other Doctors in a word even in the very Breviaries and Missals there have been and are taken away those things which are in favour of Princes of the Laity to see if at length there might be established the opinion de illimitata Potestate Pontificis in temporalibus So as he that compares together the Books printed in the year 30. in 50. and those at this day as well of the Councils as others evidently perceives the vintage that marvail it is that we post vindemiam have found some few Clusters for the defence of our gracious Prince This is a means if it go on further to make all writings to lose their credit and to ruine the Church of God Be it spoken by the occasion that the Lord Cardinal hath given me thereof and for charities sake and for the desire that these writings be no more touched which be also said with all humility and reverence He errs in the fifteenth place for that he saith that in the ancient Breviaries there was not the word animas And I have seen Breviaries written with pen above 200 years ago and printed above an hundred in them is the word animas and if it were not yet ought it to be put in to take away the occasions of discords Thus he there As for the Prayer corrected or corrupted rather if you look the old Breviaries yea even that set forth by Pius the Fifth printed by Plantine with the Priviledge of the Pope and his Catholick Majesty Anno 77. upon the nine and twentieth of Iune ye shall find it to run thus Deus qui B. Petro Apostolo tuo collatis clavibus regni Coelestis animas ligandi atque solvendi Pontificium tradidisti concede ut intercessionis ejus auxilio peccatorum nostrorum nexibus liberemur Per Dominum Now in the late correction Animas is left out and we understand the Reason In the end of the same Book there is an Advertisement to the Reader the beginning whereof I will not stick to set down verbatim it is this Because in this Defence I have often said that Authors are made to recant and that out of their Books many things are taken away sincerely said in favour of the power of Temporal Princes to establish by these means the Opinion De suprema authoritate Papae in temporalibus I have thought good to advise the Reader that the quotations by me brought are taken ad verbum out of those Books which are incorrupt and contain the opinion of the Authors sincerely And that the more ancient the Copies be and further from these our times so much the
omitted so pregnant passages as these be for Peters Primacy and the Popes Chair had they been extant in Cyprian's Work when he wrote But we cannot doubt of his good affection to the See of Rome either for his orders sake or his dedicating that Work to Pope Martine the Fifth or his approbation of the two first Tomes which he saith he caused to be seen and examined per sollennes viros and testifies of to be commended of all encouraging him to write the Third It remains therefore that Cyprian hath received this garnishment since Walden's time And here with this occasion of his silence about those things which are thrust into Cyprian I will though besides my purpose use his Testimony about a certain sentence of the Author of the imperfect work upon Matthew ascribed to Saint Chrysostome which the Romish faction will needs race out It is in the eleventh Homily about the middle The words are these Si enim vasa sanctificata ad privatos usus transferre peccatum est periculum sicut docet Balthasar qui bibens in calicibus sacris de regno depositus est de vita Si ergo haec vasa ad privatos usus transferre sic periculum est in quibus non est verum corpus Christi sed mysterium corporis ejus continetur quanto magis vasa corporis nostri quae sibi Deus ad habitaculum praeparavit non debemus locum dare Diabolo agendi in iis quae vult In this sentence the words that I have enclosed from the rest are inserted saith Bellarmine by some Scholar of Berengarius for they are not in all Copies No marvel That is more marvel that they are in any since the Canonizing of Transubstantiation But in Walden's time and before the words were thus read for in his third Tome Cap. 30. they are thus cited save that by the error of the print ministerium is put for mysterium and he adds there Hanc tanti viri sententiam cum magistrum suum Witcleff vident librò de sermone Domini in monte Cap. 37. assumere tanquam sacram qualiter praedones Lollardi audent c. But saith Bellarmine These words make not to the matter in hand for the Author of the Homily spake of the holy vessels of Solomons Temple which Balthasar prophaned and in those vessels neither was the Lords true body nor yet the mystery thereof Well if they be not to the purpose if they speak of the vessels of Solomons Temple let them stand in the Text still What need ye purge them out of the newer editions at Antwerp and Paris Belike Father Iohn Matthews saw further into this matter than Bellarmine for he casts out this sentence with the dregs of the Arians although there be no Arianism in it that I can perceive The truth is the Author speaks of the Vessels used in the Lords Supper in his own time For those words sicut docet Balthasar c. are brought in by the way for a confirmation from a like example the sense hanging in the mean while which is resumed again when he goes on Si ergo haec vasa as any indifferent Reader may perceive Yea take away these words and the sinews of the sentence are cut for the force of the argument lies in the comparison of the prophaning of the holy Vessels and of our bodies That is a sin yet Christs body is not contained in them but the mystery thereof but God himself dwells in these These examples to omit some other do make me think that howsoever the corrupting of the texts of the Fathers is not now perhaps so usual as of other Writers and good reason why they know that many look narrowly to their fingers neither is there any place almost that is of special pith that hath not been observed and urged in the handling of the controversies of this age by some or other yet where there is any colour of differing Copies or any advantage to be taken that way it is not slipped And who knows not that sometimes the change of a Letter yea of a Point or Accent makes the whole sentence of another meaning As for example that of Saint Augustine Qui fecit te fine te non justificat te â—ine te Read it interrogatively and it is as strong for Soto and the Dominicans as if it be read assertively for Catharine and the Jesuits And in very deed when I consider the eagerness of these men to win their purposes and their fearful boldness with the holy Word of God I know not how a man should look for conscience or respect at their hands in the writings of men For to omit that the Trent-Fathers have canonized the Vulgar Latin Edition which so many times departeth from the original inspired by the holy Ghost adding detracting changing often to a diverse sometimes to a contrary sense To let pass also how Sixtus V. and Clemens VIII do tyrannize over and delude the Faith of their followers about that Edition binding them unto two diverse Copies and sometimes flat contradictory and so as the form of each must be inviolably observed without the least particle of the Text added changed or detracted The former derogating all Faith and authority from whatsoever Bibles hand-written or printed of the Vulgar edition which did not agree with that which he set forth ad verbum ad literam The latter telling that when the same Pope endeavoured to set it out he perceived not a few things to have crept into the holy Bible through the fault of the Presâ— and that it needed a second care whereupon upon he decreed to bring the whole work again to the Anvile had he not been prevented by death so derogating all Faith from the former Whereas the truth is Sixtus did not only endeavour to set out his Bible but prefixed his Bull before it ad perpetuam rei memoriam and sent one of the Copies to the State of Venice as I heard at my being there howsoever since it was cunningly recovered again set it to sale publickly and saith in his Bull that he corrected the faults of the Press with his own hand and which most of all convinceth Pope Clement's Preface of falshood the difference of these Editions is not in fault of the prints but in that the one follows the old erroneous reading the latter the reading of other Manuscripts according with the Hebrew Chaldee Greek or the Latin edition of the Catholick Kings Bible observed by the industry of the Divines of Lovaine But to forbear to urge this contradiction in the very foundation of belief which some man peradventure would press so far as to inferr that the Romanists have no faith for he that believes contradictories believes nothing What shall we say of that impiety to corrupt the original Text according to the vulgar Latin See an example hereof in the first promise of the Gospel Gen. 3. where the Serpent is threatned that the seed
use any more Words Believe then if you please that the Commemoration of Christs Sacrifice in the Lords Supper or the Oblations of the faithful are to be made for all that decease after Baptism in the attempting of whatsoever sin they dye yea suppose in final impenitence of any deadly crime That such as be damned may thereby have their damnation made more tolerable Believe that without any impropriety of Speech the same form of Words may be a thanksgiving for one and an appeasing of Gods wrath for another Believe also if you can beieve what you will that S. Tecla delivered the Soul of Falconilla out of Hell and S. Gregory the Soul of Trajan and that as may seem saying Mass for him sith he was forbidden thenceforth to offer any Host for any wicked Man Believe that Macarius continually praying for the Dead and very desirous to know whether his Prayers did them any good had answer by miracle from the Scull of a dead Man an Idolater that by chance was tumbled in the way O Macarius when thou offerest Prayers for the Dead we feel some ease for the time Believe that on Easter even all the damned Spirits in Hell keep Holy day and are free from their torments S. Augustine such is his modesty will give you leave to believe this as well as Purgatory if you please as he is not unwilling to give as large scope to other Mens Opinions as may be so they reverse not the plain and certain grounds of Holy Scripture In all these you may if you please follow Authors also as S. Damascene Paladius Prudentius Sigebert and others But give the same liberty to others that ye take Compel no Man to follow your Opinion if he had rather follow Danaeus's Reasons For my self I would sooner with S. Augustine himself whose words touching S. Cyprian Danaeus here borrowed confess this to be naevum candidissimi pectoris coopertum ubere Charitatis than be bound to justifie his conceit touching the commemoration of the Dead in the Lords Supper And as he saith of S. Cyprian so would I add Ego hujus libri Authoritate non teneor quia literas Augustini non ut Canonicas habeo sed eas ex Canonicis considero quod in iis divinarum Scripturarum authoritati congruit cum laude ejus accipio quod non congruit cum pace ejus respuo Which Words I do the rather set down that they may be Luthers justification also against F. Parsons who thinks he hath laid sore to his charge when he cites very solemnly his Epistle ad Equitem Germ. Anno Domini 1521. where he saith He was tyed by the authority of no Father though never so holy if he were not approved by the judgment of Holy Scripture Surely this is not to deny and contemn as he calls it or as you to controll the Fathers to account them subject to humane infirmities which themselves acknowledge But the contrary is to boast against the Truth to seek to forejudge it with their mistakings which needs not so much as require their Testimonies I will forbear to multiply words about that whether the testimonies of Antiquity which favour the Protestants be many or few whether they do indeed so or onely seem prima facie whether they be wrested or to the purpose whether all this may not by juster reason be affirmed of the passages cited by the Romanists out of Antiquity setting aside matters of ceremony and government which your self confess by and by may be divers without impeaching unity in Faith and opinions ever to be subjected to the trial of Scriptures by their own free consent and desire Judge by an instance or two that this matter may not be a meer skirmish of generalities Tertullian in his latter times whether as Saint Hierome writes through the envy and reproach of the Roman Clergy or out of the too much admiring chastity and fasting became a Montanist and wrote a Book de Pudicitia blaming the reconciling of Adulterers and Fornicators In the very entrance almost thereof he hath these words Audio etiam edictum esse propositum quidem peremptorium Pontifex scil Maximus Episcopus Episcoporum dicit Ego moechiae fornicationis delicta poenitentia functis dimitto Pamelius in his note upon this place writes thus Bene habet annotatu dignum quod etiam jam in haerest constitutus adversus Ecclesiam scribens Pontificem Romanum Episcopum Episcoporum nuncupet infra Cap. 13. bonum Pastorem benedictum Papam Cap. 21. Apostolicum Thus Pamelius and presently lanches forth into the Priviledges of the See of Rome and brings a number of testimonies for that forgery of Constantines donation The like note he hath in the life of Tertullian where he makes the Pope thus set forth the former Edict to have been Zephyrinus's quem saith he Pontificem Maximum etiam jam haereticus Episcopum Episcoporum appellat Baronius also makes no small account of this place and saith The title of the Pope is here to be noted And indeed prima facie as you say they have reason But he that shall well examine the whole web of Tertullians discourse shall find that he speaks by a most bitter and scornful Ironie as Elias doth of Baal when he saith he is a God The word scilicet might have taught them thus much Yea the title Pontifex Maximus which in those days and almost two ages after was a Pagan term never attributed to a Christian Bishop first laid down by Gratian the Emperour as Baronius also notes in the year of our Lord 383. because it savoured of Heathenish superstition though it had been as a title of Royalty used by the former Christian Emperours till that time This title I say might have made them perceive Tertullians meaning unless the immoderate desire of exalting the Papacy did so blind their eyes that seeing they saw and yet perceived not In the same character though with more mildness and moderation is the same title for the other part of it used by Saint Cyprian in his Vote in the Council of Carthage Neque n. quisquam nostrum se esse Episcopum Episcoporum constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem Collegas suos adigit Bellarmine saith he speaks here of those Bishops that were in the Council of Carthage and that the Bishop of Rome is not included in that sentence who is indeed Bishop of Bishops What! and doth he tyrannously inforce his Colleagues to obedience also For it is plain that Cyprian joyns these together the one as the presumptuous title the other as the injurious act answering thereto which he calls plain tyranny And as plain it is out of Firmilianus's Epistle which I vouched before that Stephanus Bishop of Rome heard ill for his arrogancy and presuming upon the place of his Bishoprick Peters Chair to sever himself from so many Churches and break the bond of peace now with the Churches of the
Bishop of Ostuna interpretâ— Sacrificia pro populo tâ—o immaculata perficiat Marvel that he added not tam pro vivis quam pro defâ—nctis Sure if S. Paul Rom. 15.16 had not added the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had sacrificed also This was the antient and Apostolick manner of Ordination if the Author be worthy of credit But that ye may perceive what tampering there hath been to bring Ordinations to the Form which the present Pontifical prescribes consider with me the Words of Amalarius Bishop of Triers in his second Book de Ecclesiast Officiis where in the Office of the Subdeacon he thus writes Miror quâ de re sumptus usus in Ecclesia c. I marvel whence the use was taken in our Church that very often the Subdeacon should read the Lesson at Mass since this is not found committed unto him by the Ministry given him in Consecration nor by the Canonical Writings nor by his name And streight after Nam primaevo tempore For in antient time the Deacon read not the Gospel which was not yet written but after it was enacted by our Fathers That the Deacons should read the Gospel they appointed also that the Subdeacon should read the Epistle or Lesson It appears then that in Amalarius time who lived with Charles the Great and Lewis his Son that ridiculous Form was not in the Pontifical where the Book of the Epistles is given to the Subdeacons and power to read them in the holy Church of God as well for the Quick as the Dead The same Author coming to speak of Deacons telleth of their consecration by Prayer and imposition of Hands and confuteth that in the present Pontifical which he saith he found in a little Book of Holy Orders made he knows not by what Author That the Bishop alone should lay Hands on the Deacon At last he adds There is one Ministry added to the Deacon viz. to read the Gospel which he saith doth well befit him quia Minister est But of the delivery of the Book of the Gospels with authority to read the Gospel for the Quick and Dead not one Word In the next Chapter of Presbyters he expounds their name and saith further hunc morem tenent Episcopi nostri Our Bishops have this Fashion they anoint the Hands of Presbyters with Oyl which Ceremony he declares touching imposition of Hands upon them he remits us to that he said before in the Deacon Then he shews out of Ambrose and Hierom That these are all one Order with Bishops and ought to govern the Church in common like Moses with the seventy Elders As for delivery of Chalice and Wine or Paten and Host with power to sacrifice so well for the Quick as the Dead he makes no mention Judge you whether these were thought to be the matter and essential Form of Priesthood in his time Yet one Author more will I name in this matter not only because he is a famous Schoolman and one of Luthers first Adversaries and therefore ought to be of more account with that side but because he professeth the end of his writing to be circa Sacramentum ordinis cautos reddere ne pertinax quisquam aut levis sit circa modum tradendi aut recipiendi ordines It is Cardinal Cajetane in the second Tome of his Opuscula Tit. De modo tradendi seu recipiendi Ordines Read the whole where these things I observe for our present purpose 1. If all be gathered together which the Pontificals or which Reason or Authority hath delivered the nature of all the rest of the Orders except Priesthood only will appear very uncertain 2. The lesser Orders and Subdeaconship according to the Master of the Sentences were instituted by the Church 3. The Deacons instituted by the Apostles Acts 6. were not Deacons of the Altar but of the Tables and Widows 4. In Deaconship there seems to be no certain Form for according to the old Pontificals the laying of Hands upon the Deacon hath no certain Form of Words but that Prayer Emitte quaesumus in eos S. Sanctum Which according to the new Pontificals is to be said after the imposition of Hands For the giving of the Book of the Gospels hath indeed a form of Words but that impresseth not the Character for before any Gospel was written the Apostles ordained Deacons by imposition of Hands 5. In the Subdeaconship also there is no Pontifical which hath not the matter without Form viz. the delivery of the empty Chalice c. These things with more which he there sets down he would have to serve to the instruction of the learned touching the uncertainty of this whole matter to teach Men to be wise to sobriety that is every Man to be content with the accustomed Pontifical of the Church wherein he is ordained And if ought be omitted of those things which be added out of the new Pontificals as for example that the Book of the Epistles was not given with those Words Take Authority to read the Epistles as well for the Quick as the Dead there is no need of supplying this omission by a new Ordination for such new additions make no new Law Learn then of your own Cajetane that the new additions of delivery of the Chalice with Wine and Paten with Hosts and authority to offer sacrifice for the Quick and the Dead make no new Law Learn to be content with the Pontifical of the Church wherein you were ordained Wherein first is verbatim all that which your Pontificals had well taken out of the holy Words of our Saviour Accipe Spiritum Sanctum quorum remiseris peâ—cata remittuntur eis quorum retinueris retentâ— sunt Which methinks you should rather account to contain the essential Form of Priesthood than the former both because they are Christs own Word and joyned with that Ceremony of laying on Hands which antiently denominated this whole action and do express the worthiest and principallest part of your Commission which the Apostle calls the Ministry of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Then because this Office is not only deputed to consecrate the Lords Body but also to preach and baptize which in your Pontifical is wholly omitted in a larger and more convenient Form is added out of S. Paul 1 Cor. 4.1 and be thou a faithful Dispenser of the Word of God and of his holy Sacraments In the name of the Father c. As to that you add That we offer no Sacrifice for the Quick and Dead and therefore well may be called Ministers as all Lay-men are but are no Priests I have met with sundry that pull this Rope as strongly the other way and affirm that because by the very Form of your Ordination you are appointed Sacrificers for the Quick and the Dead well may ye be Mass-Priests as ye are called but Ministers of the New Testament after S. Paul 's Phrase ye are none For that Office stands principally in preaching the Word whereof in