of the blind credulous vulgar to be believed only Thus it becomes a Miracle of implicit faith And what can he believed more miraculous then that an impotent Priest should be able to doe that which â—â—lls not within the compasse of Gods omnipotency For to cause one and the some naturall circumscript body to be in a thousand distinâ—â— places at one and the same moment of time 〈◊〉 to be in the highest heavens and here vpon 〈◊〉 at the same instant is a meere contradiction a meere lye and 〈◊〉 impossible for God to doe it but a silly Priest can easily doe this with saying over but fiue words To cause the same circumscript body consisting of so many dimensions such a length such a breadth such a thicknesse to remaine the same in all the quantities of it and yet to be confined and circumscribed within the narrow limits of a thin and narrow Wafer Cake the body suffering the while no diminution is a meere contradiction a meere lye and so is impossible for God to doe it but a soâ—â—y Priest can miraculously doe it swâ—llow downe the intire body of Christ with all the dimensions and large quantity of it at one morsell downe his wide Weson To cause the same body consisting of flesh blood and bone all of a solid substance to remaine in their solid constitution without alteration and yet at the same time vnder the formes of a Wafer Cake to melt in the mouth where neither flesh blood nor bone are to be felt as Christ shewing to his doubting Disciples his naturall body saith Handle mee and see a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue is a meere contradiction a meere lye and so impossible for the Omnipotent to do it but an vnclean spirit of the Divell breathed from the mouth of the vnreasonable Beast can do it In a word to cause the same blessed body which was borne of the blessed Virgin and now glorified in heaven to b◠〈◊〉 crâ—ated of the very substance of bread 〈…〉 into it is against the truth of God 〈…〉 of our Creed Bâ—râ—e of the Virgin Mary a morâ— wicked heresie then that of the 〈…〉 of Christâ— humanity to be of the 〈…〉 and so overthrowing mans salvationâ— which could 〈◊〉 be wrought but by the Sonne of God in 〈◊〉 nature that had sinned and so it stands noâ— with th◠〈◊〉 and glory of God to make such a counterfeit body yet 〈◊〉 Priest can doe it And such are the Miracles which these froglike vncleane spiritâ— of Diuells due worke daily Againe these spirits or Agents are here called the spirits of Divells VVe read not in all the Scripture of any men so called Iudas onely is called a Divell These 〈◊〉 spirits of Divells to note them to be Divells incarnate and that the spirit of the Divell is more predominant more raigneth and rageth in the world in the time of this Viall then ever from the beginning of the world and that especially in these sprightfull Agents with their confederates and consorts This being that 〈◊〉 wherein the Divell hath but a short space to â—aigne and therefore he now playes the Devill Chapter 12 1â— And these got to negotiate with the Kings of the earth Will not lesse serue These be 〈◊〉 Froggs indeed that like to those Aegyptian frogge daâ—e leap and crawle vp into Kings chambers So prudent are they in their generation They are no peddling merchants but professe to be great Iewellers fit to 〈◊〉 with Princes For so they may sweep whâ—le Kingdome along If they can 〈◊〉 the great Landlord they will be sure of the Tenants But whereabout doe they negotiate with Kingsâ— Surely in no small State-businesses but euen to stirre them vp to take part with the Beast and to make warâ—e with the Lamb to fight against the Gospell 〈…〉 or suppresse the true Religion and the Professors of it a matter I wiâ— of no small consequence for any state Although perhaps 〈◊〉 great many will not belieue this at least such as 〈◊〉 and will not 〈◊〉 but willingly winke for feare they should be eye witnesses of their owne wofull wrâ—ck and otherâ— which on 〈…〉 cowardise hath prouided 〈◊〉 when was there ever a greater and more generall confidence of these Froggs then now Yee all are 〈◊〉 A man would thinke some Bull had of late roared from Rome causing all the Froggs to couch close in their holes This 〈…〉 may be a shrowd signe of sâ—me such thing in good earnest Whereas otherwise it is one stonifician poynt of pollicy when any Bulls come from Rome to cast a hood over the hornes to dissemble and choake it altogether Iust so it was in King 〈…〉 of happy memory when a Bull came froâ— the 〈◊〉 Pâ—pe Paulâ— 5 so unreasonable as the Papists gaue ours 〈…〉 maliciously counterfetted by some who bore 〈…〉 will to them vntill the same was confirmed by a second Breeâ—e from the same Pope both 〈◊〉 and answered by his Majesty But we need not 〈◊〉 could to confirme the late former sith we see 〈…〉 so good effect in the obedient silence and calmnesse of hiâ— Catholicke sonnes who according 〈◊〉 that speciall charge given by the Pope in that late Breeue are now all hush'd expecting the signall of the 〈◊〉 day thâ—â—â— haue so long longed for For we must noâ— dreame that these froggs are asleep all this while They lye but closse 〈◊〉 froggs in the deepe of winter waiting till the spring câ—ll them forth to croake and hum 〈◊〉 togâ—ther 〈◊〉 Confederates to the battell Yet they arâ— as busie and clossâ— negotiating now as ever Even now 〈◊〉 they a gathering as fast as they can the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world a great part for the whole to the battell of the great day of God Almighty They are noâ— content in every state where they may 〈…〉 egge on Kings to suppresse the truth and the Professors of it in their severall dominions as in 〈…〉 and the rest but they labour to muster all the Kings of Christendome together to make warre against the Gospell and vtterly to their vttermâ—sâ— extinguish it at oncâ— Doe but goe to Dâ—vâ—râ—liftâ— â—liftâ— and loâ—ke beyond thâ— seas and then tell me whether eveâ— thiâ— Viall at least in this one point was so apparantly poured ouâ— And such is the condition of the time of this Viall that these froggs shall never lâ—â—ue croking their Kings together vntill they haue brought them to the â—aine battâ—ll Theâ— still sollicit the Kings of the earth But our hope and comfort is that which they make account to be their day is and shall proue the great day of God Almighty He it is that meanes to strike the stroke and to make it his owne day even the great day of God Almighty which shall be a day of darknesse and gloominesse to all Gods enemies The zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this He is the God Almighty Next followeth the third branch or
thereupon repent him of all his Idolatries as well as of all his other sinnes Yes saith the Author by a generall repentance and faith VVhat a strange doctrine is this for a learned Doctor and more then so of the Church of England to teach Doth he not deserve to be the Popes white sonne for it Surely Bellarmine himselfe with the whole rabble of Pontificians could say no more but when they haue done all shuffle salvation iâ— the pack of a generall repentance and faith as Bellarmins Tutissimum est c. But doth this generall repentance include Idolatry with all Popish Trumpery as things to be repented of If nor such Repentance shall never bring him to salvation But if it do include them then by faith in Christs meritts he comes to bee saved not as a Papist but as a true believer renouncing Popery And then no Godamercy to his Popery or to his silly ignorance My conclusion is to be briefe No Papist as a Papist whether learned or ignorant can be saued My reason is because Popery denyeth the sauing Faith of Christ as in the Councell of Trent Againe they want the meanes of Faith as the Preaching of the Gospell Therefore Ordinarily they are not within the compasse or verge of salvation· If they bee saved then while they abide in the midst of Babilon it must be extraordinarliy by Gods speciall mercy and worke of his spirit which indeed is not tyed necessarily to the meanes though ordinarily it be· This Spirit then working saving Faith in the soule without which faith no salvation this 〈◊〉 such a Faith as the Church of Rome disclaimeth abandoneth accurseth Therefore such a one is saved not as a Papist but one so beleiving as he is accursed and by Anathama shut out of the Church of Rome and that by the solemne and definitiue sentence of the Councell of Trent If then by the peremptory doctrine of Trent or of the Church of Rome no Papist as a Papist can be saved If the Church of Rome cannot yeld salvation to any in it but altogether denyeth yea accurseth the very meanes it followeth as a conclusion vndeniable that the Church of Rome is no true visible Church of Christ. For only in the Church of Christ is salvation to bee found But sayes some this is a hard sentence Yea and our first Authour for one It is malicious and rash Is it malicious and rash or vncharitable to speake the truth Why should any learned man be so wedded to his charitie as to divorce himselfe from sound judgement and right reason in any thing Or as though that could be right charity which is not guided by true iudgement Yea such charitie as calleth evill good hath but a wofull reward But others would not haue it denyed that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church though not a true beleeuing Chruch What if we should deny this that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church Must we at the first dash be censured as men transported with zeale out of a dâ—testation of the Church of Rome as if it were all error no Church as affecting nothing more then an vtter opposition to their doctrine and Ceremony because theirs Because theirs That 's not it but because wholly Antichristian therefore wee detest the Whore And for my part I had rather some fire-sparkling zeale yet guided with right iudgement should even transport me with a detestation of the Church of Rome as a false Churchâ— then that I wot not what charity without zeale without sound judgâ—ment should so farre possesse me as to acknowledge the Church of Rome for a true Church yea or yet for a true or truely visible Church And yet vnder correction I see no such difference betweene these two but that if we yeeld the Church of Rome to be a true or truely visible Church we may as well call it a true Church For how can wee call that a true Church which is not truely visible And if a Church be truely visible what letts that it should not be a true Church of God at least in mans iudgement For that which demonstrates it a true or truely visible Church must also evince it to be a true Church As also the same author calls the Church of Rome a true Church as well as a true visible Church But let it be tryed whether zeale in denying or charitie in affirming the Church of Rome to bee a true Church or a true or truely visible Church haue more reason on their side First I proue the Church of Rome to bee no true or truely visible Church A true visible Church hath the true markes of a true visible Church But the Church of Rome hath not the true markes of a true visible Church Therefore the Church of Rome is no true visible Church The maior is vndeniable for a visible Church is not possibly knowne but by the proper markes of visibilitie The Minor I proue from Romes owne confession and the doctrine of the Church of England compared together For the doctrine of our Church if the Homilies containe any part of it in the second part of the Homily for Whit sâ—nday after the definition of the true Church of Christ these words are added The true Church of Christ hath alwayes three notes or markes whereby it is knowne Pure and sound Doctrine the Sacraments ministred according to Christs holy Institution and the right vse of Ecclesiasticall Discipline And it is inferred thereupon Now if you will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeares odd you shall well perceiue the state thereof to bâ— so farre wide from the nature of the true Church that nothing can be more c. But now these three markes or notes of â— true visible Church Bellarmine the mouth of the Church of Rome expressely disclaimeth as proper markes of the Church improper indeed for the Church of Rome and therefore he allowes them not so much as the place of a cypher among all his 15 Markes or Notes of the Church Therefore seeing the Church of Rome disclaimes those notes of a true visible Church which our Church acknowledgeth as necessary and proper to know the tru Church by why should any much lesse an Antistes of the Church of England affirme the Church of Rome to be a true visible Church But can Bellarmine shew it to be a true visible Church by all his 15 notes Surely when he hath done all hee is faine to confesse that all these markes cannot yet demonstrate or make it evidently true that it is the true Church of God but only evidently credible If the Church of Rome then cannot demonstrate it selfe to be a true Church and no maruell sith it wants the right demonstratiue markes why should we take the paines or be so â—fficious as to pin a true visible Church upon her sleeue Nay if
iniquity and profanesse is accounted the best Christian. These vncleane spirits would perswade the world that he is the best Minister that preacheth least that hath most preferments and cures of soules but liues at ease himselfe and playes the good-fellow that the Lords day is best observed but with one Sermon aâ— most and with one Play at least These be the vncleane spirits that revell most in the time of this Viallâ— wherein whose will not ruâ—â—e with the streame of all impurity and impiety thâ—â— blast them with the name of heresie as Pope Paul â— did those thâ—â— studied Academicall learning or as Traian put men to death only because they were Christians So that these vncleane spirits like froggs pollute the waters where they liue with the filthy froth of their frye so causing an vniversall surface of all iniquity in the time of this Viall more then ever The Royall Paraphrast saith of them They are likened to Froggs for that they are bred of an old filthy and corrupt false doctrine which for a long space hath blinded the world before their comming as froggs breed of rotten and slimy coruption or for that they preferrâ— themselues before all other Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding them as vnperfect and vnprofitable hopping and leaping aboue them Againe the frogg hath no othâ—r song but one Koax Koax and therein is very importunate so these vncleane spirits what is all their Croaking but one song The Church The Church the Catholick Church the holy Mother Church of Rome the Apostolicke Sea one supreme Pastor and Iudge of controversies who cannot erre and the like This is their three mans song wherein they goe as in a circle Thus by counterfeiting the froggs they doe as the Aegyptian Magitianâ— seeke thereby even by their very clamarousnesse and obstreperousnes to disgrace Moses and Aaron Gods Ministers in their office who preach the truth Fourthly froggs bring forth their young as the Beare vnformed having only a black head and taile such is the spirituall offspring of these Froggs whose faith is informis or vnformed implicit and even blacke with ignorance Hence the Proverbe Nihilò rana gyriâ—a prudentior no wiser then the young frye of a frogg Which may be applied to all seduced and blind Papists who are not able to render a reason of their faith Fifthly Froggs liue in abundance of waters and of idlenesse Whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou pourest out wine vnto the froggs as we say To poure water into the Sea And in what abundance of voluptuousnesse and ease these froggâ— liue all the world knows Againe the Frogg is a nimble creature and when yoâ— thinke to take her vp in your hand she skips away and hides her in the mudd such are these actiue spirits In a word K. Iames of happy memory in his Premonition to all Christian Monarchs free Princes and States about these froglike spirits hath these words calling them a new sect of Spirits raised vp for the defence of that tottering throne called three in number by reason of their threâ— fold direction being raysed and inspired by the Dragon Satan authorized and maintained by the Beast the Antichrist and instructed by the false Prophet the Apostaticke Church that hath the hâ—rnes like the Lambe but speaketh like the Dragon These spirits indeed thus sent forth by this threefold authority for the defence of their triple-crowned Monarch are well likened to Froggs for they are amphibious and can liue in either element Earth or water for though they be Church men by profession yet can they vse the trade of Politike Statesmen going to the Kings of the earth together them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty What Massacres haue by their perswasion been wrought through many parts of Christendome and how evilly Kings haue sped that haue ben councelled by them all the vnpartiall histories of our time doe beare record And whatsoeuer King or State will not receiue them and follow their advice 〈◊〉 out must that King or State be even with Gunpowder ere it fayle And these froggs had reason indeed to labour to become learned thereby to dissipate that grosse mist of ignorance wherwith the raigne of Antichrist was plagued before their coming forth So farre the judicious King Thus we need goe no farther for a cleare interpretation of these words Hence also we may note the vnaminous spirit of these three the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet out of whose mouth these three Froglike spirits proceeding may put vs in mind as of their tripple authoritie so of their triple malignity as the crafty cruelty of the Dragon the vsurped power of the Beast and the sophistry of the false Prophet They are called also the spirits of Divells to note their Politicke 〈…〉 going in the habit of illuminate 〈◊〉 Rabbies in the long robes of profound Craftsmasters and expert Statesmen who in the time of this Viall bring into the world new Maxims of state infused into them from those whence they come But they work◠〈◊〉 This may seeme to excuse Priests and Iesuites from being of the number of those spiritâ—â— for what miracles doe they Yes surely great miracles if ye may belâ—eue them Although what true miracles can false Propheâ—â— the spirits of Devils doe But it sufficeth that these Prophets be the only Miracle mongers And aâ— King Iames excellently They doe miracles of deceit for they doe wonderfully deceiue men And doe they not vndertake to do miracles every day while they would make the worshippers of the Beasts Image belieue that they doe a Miracle inâ—uâ—ning a thinne Wafer cake into the very body of Christ flesh blood and bone Only the Apostle tells vs that Antichrists miracles are lying wounders serving only to deceiue them that perish through strong delusion sent them from God that they should belieue a lye and so might be 〈◊〉 And is it not miraculous that they can by their inchanâ—ing spells make of wise men starke ideots offensible men senselesse of reasonable men brutish as to believe that to be a miracle which they see with their eyes to be nothing lesse It is the property of a miracle to put it selfe vpon the triall of a mans infallible sense specially of the eye But here is no such thing to be serue When Christ turned the water into wine it had now both the colour and savour and substance and true spirit of naturall wine Thus it was with a true Miracle the first that Christ wrought in Cana of Galilee It was not such still as the guests could not discerne from water either by their eye or tast or smell but were by the strength of their faith or conceit to imagine it to be wine But the miracle forsooth of Popish Transubstanâ—◠〈◊〉 cannot indure the couch of â—ensâ—â— triall the eye seeâ— nothing but a 〈…〉 Wafer the mouth tasts nothing but a thinne shiver of bâ—ead Where then is the Miracle That must be begged