some kind of guidance vnto the true Church In the serious contemplation of which point I thought that the most assured course I could take herein was to lay downe such a direction as is approued both by the Church of England and by the Church of Rome and truly to examine some principall points of doctrine in question betweene the English and Romane Church by this meanes of triall whereunto if I should find either the first agreeable or the second disagreeable I resolued that I might haue a strong inducement to conclude which was the true Church of Christ and which the false whose doctrine might be esteemed Christian and whose doctrine Antichristian 2 By which inducement I was the more earnestly moued to make triall then by any other It is approued by Fathers for that I found the ancient Fathers very frequent in giuing of this marke of antiquitie for Tertullian saith By the order it selfe Lib. de praescrip aduers Her that is made manifest to be of our Lord and true which is first deliuered and that externe and false which is sent in afterward And in another place writing against Marcion he saith Lib contra Marcion I affirme that my Gospell is true Marcion saith as much for his who shall determine this controuersie betwixt vs but the difference of time prescribing authoritie to that doctrine which shall be found more ancient and adiudging corruption to that which shall be conuinced to be the later Saint Gregorie Nazianzen vrgeth the Apolinaristes thus Greg. Naz. epist 2. ad Cledonium Hieron epist ad Pamach Ocean de errori bus Origenist Hieron contra Luciferianos If the faith began but thirtie yeares since whereas there be almost foure hundred years from the manifestation of Christ certainly both our Gospell and faith were vaine and void for this long time And Saint Hierome questioneth with the Origenists of his time after this manner Why goest thou about after foure hundred yeares to teach vs that which wee knew not before The Christian world was without this doctrine vntill this day And against the Luciferians he saith I will declare vnto thee my opinion briefly and plainly we must remaine in the Church which being founded by the Apostles hath endured to this day and all others euen in this that they were instituted after shew themselues to be Heretikes Vincent Lyrinens in cap. 26. 27. With which Fathers Vincentius Lyrinensis accordeth when explicating that of Saint Paul O Timothie keep that which hath bin left vnto thee He saith This depositum is that which hath been committed to thee not which hath been inuented by thee that which thou hast receiued not that which thou hast deuised a thing brought vnto thee not vttered by thee in which thou must not be an author but a keeper not an instructer but a follower not a leader but one that is directed Now therefore thus finding so many ancient Fathers making antiquitie a neere adiunct vnto Catholike and Orthodox truth and noueltie to be the vsuall badge of Herretikes I began with great diligence and care to examine two maine points of religion now controuerted and much disputed on as well by the most learned of the English as of the Romane Church viz. of the doctrine of iustification by faith alone and of the imperfection of our good workes that being according to knowledge grounded in religion my zeale therein might be the greater and my assurednesse of a sound ground cause me to stand the more strongly and to labour in others spiritual profit with the greater constancy and courage as since it hath succeeded through Gods especiall grace to the vnspeakable comfort of my soule affording me grace and abilitie of bodie to performe this so profitable a worke begun and ended by him whom I do most humblie desire to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all my endeuours 3 Now as I proceeded on further by degrees Antiquitie a good way of triall to compare the doctrine of the Church of England and that of Rome concerning the two points aboue specified with the doctrine of the ancient Church by this meanes of antiquitie I found the doctrines of iustification by faith only and of the imperfection and demerit of good workes as they are taught in the present Church of England most deseruedly to claime the priuiledge of antiquitie as taught by many both Latine and Creeke Fathers Iustification by faith alone proued by Greeke Fathers Ses 6. Can. 9. Origen lib. 3. Rom. 3. notwithstanding that the Church of Rome accurseth al that hold the contrarie in expresse termes saying If any shall say that a wicked man may be iustified by faith alone c. let him be accursed Against which definitiue sentence of the Councell of Trent I find first of the Greeke Fathers Origen to be most cleare who vpon those words of Saint Paul to the Romans We therefore thinke that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law writeth thus The Apostle in these words saith that iustification by faith alone sufficeth so that a man onely beseeuing is iustified although he performe no worke And if an example be required who was euer that without good workes was iustified by faith alone I think that thiefe may suffice who crucified with Christ cried vnto him on the crosse Lord Iesus remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Neit her is there any good worke of his described in the Cospell But for this faith alone Iesus saith vnto him Amen I say vnto thee This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This thiefe therefore is iust fied by faith without the workes of the law because the Lord did not aske what worke hee did first neither did he expect what worke hee had done when he belieued but being iustified by faith alone when he was to enter into Paradise he tooke him for his companion and it is related in the Gospell according to Saint Luke vnto the woman without any worke of the law and for faith alone hee said thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And againe Thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace And in many places of the Gospell wee reade that our Sauiour vsed this speech to shew that the faith of the beleeuer is the cause of his saluation Hitherto Origen Neither is Saint Basil of other opinion who writeth thus The Apostle saith Basil cōcione dehumilit he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saying that Christ is made vnto vs from God Wisedome Iustice Sanctification and Redemption that as it is written he that is to reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord for this is perfect and entire reioycing in God when a man is not exalted for his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth true righteousnesse to bee wanting in him and to bee iustified by faith alone in Christ And Paul reioyceth in that he despiseth his owne righteousnes and in that by
as the Church of Rome teacheth who being deuoted much to the virgine Marie prayed often vnto her to bee deliuered from this doubt Who being one day at Masse the Hoast before the saying of the Pater noster was gone out of his sight whereof as hee was in a great amazement the virgine Marie appeared vnto him holding her sonne Iesus betwixt her armes and said vnto him This is he whom I brought into this world this is he whom you haue consecrated this is he whom you haue held and touched with your hands and shewed to the people to be adored which you eate and drinke in the Sacrament behold here I giue you my Sonne with reuerence and deuotion to be receiued of you and so as shee presented him vnto him he changed at that instant againe into the forme of bread whom he receiued and so his doubt ceased Here you see courteous Reader strange miracles alledged by the Papists in confirmation of their doctrine one while the bread is vnseene then Christ and our Ladie and then againe the forme of bread another while a Mule forsaking his prouender to adore God in the Sacrament whether these be not such signes wonders and great prodigies as may seduce the elect if it were possible I leaue to the holy Ghost to informe you the truth saying Nolite eis credere beleeue them not And one more yet I will relate vnto your memorie which hath beene wrought of late yeares and may be esteemed for a notable lie Till Bred. 7. Col. sac c. 7. There was a certaine Caluinist that married a Catholike woman that is Papist that long endeuoured to induce her to heare a Caluinist Minister preach The wife after she had a long time contradicted him was at last constrained to goe by the rigorous speeches and threatnings of her husband yet did she first acquaint her ghostly father there with who aduised her to obey the commaundement of her husband and to goe onely once to the said Sermon yet with condition to goe first to Confession and to the Communion The woman hauing performed the aduise of her ghostly father strengthned with the Sacraments went to the Sermon and she was no sooner entred but the Preacher became as silent and mute as a fish yet said at last after a little pause Here is some bodie present that hath eaten of the bread of Papists which is the cause that I will now giue ouer preaching hoping to make recompence another time The husband who was present seeing the Preacher A pretie fiction to disgrace Caluinists by Gods permission to become silent and disabled to prosecute his matter for the presence of one that had receiued the holy Communion who being returned home enquired of his wife whether shee had not receiued the Communion that morning or not she without dissimulation answering yes her husband suddainly knew that this doctrine of the Caluinists was false and accursed in that being placed with the light of the Sacraments of the Catholike Church it withered so and came to nought whereupon presently he made a good fire burned all his bookes to pouder and ashes and became himselfe a child of the Catholike Church In which miracle first I obserue that the ghostly father of this woman gaue her leaue for obedience to her husband to go to the Church of Caluinists which how it can hang with the doctrine of Paule the fifths Breue who sheweth it vnlawfull for English Catholikes to goe to the Churches of Heretikes viz. of all Caluinists and Protestants that are so in his iudgement vnlesse it be said that the Church of Rome holds one doctrine of faith lawfull at one time that is not lawfull at another time I should be glad to be resolued But this I obserue to proceede from Gods prouidence that the inuentors of these and the like miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine in one point doth often in some circumstance or other shew such ignorance or falsehood that discouereth them either not to approue the matter they intend or else runneth into some other error lesse tolerable shewing them most plainely to be such signes and wonders as Christ giueth a Caueat of them Not to be beleeued Many other miracles I might here insert but that I will not be too tedious in such idle tales fitter to be told amongst children as fables than to any men of more ripe iudgement yet are they amongst the Clergie of Rome of such account that their Sermonists are stuffed with them as may be obserued in Iacobus de Voragine Iohannes Meff Bernard de Bust Philippus Dies and many the like and are held more profitable for the people than any other manner of doctrine Yet I obserue one thing by reading of their liues of Saints that many miracles which were authenticall for many hundred yeares past are now growne to be Apocryphall as may be seene by comparing the auncient liues of S. George S. Katherine the Queene and others with them as they are of late yeares corrected and written by Lipeloo following Baronius and other writers of the same kind 12 Now therefore to draw neere my conclusion My conclusion about miracles what fruit could I better gather vpon the due obseruation of Christs warning vnto the world Not to beleeue such miracles than that the Church of Rome cannot bee the true Church of God that either winketh or authoriseth infinite numbers in the same nature as these are of which I haue alreadie recorded out of her owne Writers for which cause I could not but abandon her Communion and flye to that Church which like a faithfull Spouse resteth contented with the former miracles where with Christs Church was begun and chiefely relying vpon the holy Scriptures and the auncient doctrine of the Primitiue Church Yet is not my opinion in this point of miracles so to bee vnderstood as that I doe thinke no true miracles at all shall euer be done in the declining age of Gods Church but I would haue it knowne that my iudgement is that none are to be beleeued which are pretended to be done in confirmation of new doctrines not taught in the Scriptures not knowne to the auncient Church because it is most euident that Christ hath forbidden all beleefe of them and therefore not to be esteemed of otherwise than as of illusions of Sathan wherewith to enchant soules and to make them beleeue lyes in stead of truth and verities Oh what a miserie is it to see how many simple sincere and ouer-credulous Christians are cousened with these deceits and illusions of the Diuell and the true markes of Antichrist Let me therfore entreat thee courteous reader to remember the predictions of these signes and wonders aboue mentioned forespoken of by Christ S. Paule and S. Iohn and not so fondly to be lead blind-folded to the eternall destruction of thy soule by too much credulitie Be not like the Scribes and Pharisies seeking after signes from heauen for the faith least you
by the secret vertue of the Stone after an inuisible manner adioyning the Rings together a goodlie entire Chaine was made of them Euen so dearely beloued Christian Reader I finde Christ Iesus to haue beene such a powerfull and attractiue Loadstone vnto my Soule by the precedent obseruations lincking the one vnto the other with such infallible truth that therewith euen as with a most strong chaine of his excessiue loue and charitie hee hath now at the length drawne mee to the knowledge of his true Faith rightly taught and professed in the Church of England 2 It is no other than a chaine of Charitie A briefe recapitulation of the premised obseruations by which hee hath drawne mee to write this Treatise for the manifestation of his truth to those that are ignorant thereof It was a chaine of his prouidence by ministring occasions of times persons and places concurring to my conuersion It is a chaine of truth that euery mans chiefe businesse in this life must bee to attaine vnto the end he is created vnto by God or else hee receiueth his soule in vaine It is a chaine reaching from heauen that a supernaturall and reuealed knowledge from God is necessarie to saluation The obseruation also of an absolute necessitie of a supernaturall Faith is a strong chaine to draw any man to search diligently after it The knowledge likewise of the right rule and golden mete-wand of true Faith consisting of GODS sacred Word is a most forcible chaine to drawe Christians vnto the right knowledge of GODS truth The true knowne visible Church of Christ teaching the true sense of Scriptures is a powerfull chaine to draw men vnto the right faith of CHRIST IESVS Conformitie of Doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church being a proper marke of the true Church of God is likewise a most attractiue chaine drawing to the true knowledge of right Christianitie The wonders and supposed miracles which Christ fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and false Prophets should doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible are also a strong chaine to draw any man from the Church of Rome The great hypocrisie of false Teachers fore-spoken of in the holy Scriptures agreeing chiefly with the Church of Rome are a chaine of great strength and power to draw any man from that Church The fruits by which false Prophets are to bee knowne and discerned abounding in the Church of Rome are also a powerfull chaine to draw any man of true iudgement from the abhominiations of that Church The discouerie of the Sacrifice of the Masse to bee Idolatrous which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of religion that can bee done to God is a most forcible chaine to draw any man to the knowledge of CHRIST IESVS once offered for vs procuring our Sanctification Is not the proofe of Transubstantiation also to bee a noueltie a potent chaine to draw any man from Rome to the Church of England where the Sacrament is freed from such disgrace Is not the Amputation also of the holy Eucharist a powerfull chaine to draw men from the Church of Rome that they may rightly according to Christs institution bee partakers of the Lords Supper else where Is not also the noueltie of the Popes Pardons and Indulgences which is annexed to Crosses Graines and Meddals a powerfull chaine to draw any man that is not ridiculously childish a stronge chaine to draw him from the Church of Rome If the false doctrine of seuen Sacraments be well discouered by any man bee can not want a strong chaine to draw him to acknowledgement of two true Sacraments instituted by Christ if the doctrine of the Virgin Maries conception in originall sinne bee doubtfull in the Church of Rome the truth of Scriptures shewing it certaine may serue for a strong chaine to draw any man from that doubtfulnesse If the pretended chastitie of the Romish Clergie doe make the Church of Rome seeme more pure and holy than any other the prohibition of lawfull marriage to Priests and the dispensation and permission of vnlawfull marriage to kindred may bee as a strong chaine to draw deceiued soules from the filth and impurities of her hypocriticall holinesse By these the mightie strength power of all those chaines hath the goodnesse of almightie God deliuered my long estraied soule out of her dangerous waies setled me in the happie societie of his true faithfull beleeuers teaching the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith Oh how truly may I now say with holy Dauid in humble acknowledgement of Gods singular mercies vnto my soule Maruailous are thy workes Psal 139.14 O Lord and that my soule knoweth right well 3. Now it is time To all Seminarie Priests O all yee Seminarie Priests in this Land or else where who labour still in the same blindnesse and errours wherein hitherto I haue beene my selfe inwrapped as in a darke cloude that out of that true charitie and zeale of your soules good and happinesse wherewith I haue cause to be affected towardes you I direct my speech a while vnto you and manifest the sincere candor of my heart and affections to pittie your case as I haue had cause to bee sorrie for it heretofore in my selfe and therefore I can not but admonish you of the perill you liue in both of body and soule for looking no better into the doctrines which you teach You pretend to bee the salt of the earth Math. 5. vers 13. and the light of the world therefore you haue cause to see well that your doctrine bee sound wherewith you season mens soules and that the example of your vertues and life bee not hypocriticall and superstitious if your salt bee infatuated with nouelties and corrupt doctrines all the world will trample vpon you and you are only fit to bee cast out vnto the dunghills if your liues giue no true light but bee a couered vnder the appearance only of vertues as vnder a bushell where there is no corne your poore followers will bee hunger starued and runne into darkenesse and neuer finde the true light of the world CHRIST IESVS Who illuminateth as Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 1. vers 9. euery man comming into this world If it bee true that CHRIST saith Hee that doeth and teacheth Math. 5.19 shall bee called great in the Kingdome of hâ—auen Vnlesse both these duties goe together without mixture of falshood and finne you can neither bee great in Heauen nor in Earth but certaine I am your paines will bee great in the deepedungeon of hell Examine well your owne consciences both for doctrine and conuersation build not vpon other mens bookes only but examine their doctrines by the infallible rule of Scriptures send your Disciples vnto Christ as Saint Iohn Baptist did not to the Popes who can and haue erred both in doctrine and manners say vnto your Children as Christ our Lord and Master said Search the Scriptures c. because
light to deceiue my soule withall and so I confessed them as ordinarie temptations against faith till at length with a more powerfull light it pleased the true Sonne of iustice and God of glorie to enlighten my vnderstanding in such sort that all the clouds of error and endarkened affections were dispersed like mist before the Sunne what before I held to be hereticall I approued to be most Catholike what before was falsehood was now truth what before was darknesse was now light I found my selfe suddainely in my meditations vpon the grounds of true faith and beleefe like S. Paul enuironed not with a corporall but with a spirituall and most comfortable light from heauen placing my vnderstanding in the paradise of truth and all her delights struck downe to the ground in the humble acknowledgement of mine vnworthinesse and terrified with a voice from heauen not sounding in the eares of my bodie by their corporall Organs but sweetly making a most delightfull harmonie in my soule mollifying the obdurate crust of my heart and forcing me to say Act. 9. vers 6. Domine quid me vis facere O Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe with perfect true conformitie of all my thoughts actions and endeauors answerable to his will Hence was I moued with great power working euen with comfort to my soule to call to mind innumerable passages of Scriptures and auncient Fathers in former times obserued and other reasonable congruencies moouing me most effectually to conuert my selfe to the onely Apostolike Primitiue and Catholike faith truly professed in the Church of England as it were destined hereunto by a presage in my youth when being borne beyond the seas I was by Gods directing prouidence inspiring my parents mindes by my nurse and her husband who were purposely sent for out of England sent into this Realme when I was but few daies old to be nursed here which was a great furtherance and meanes that now in the ninth yeare of my Priesthood I am in this Realme nursed and growne to such a spirituall strength as to embrace the right faith of a true Christian which heretofore I wanted And although lately since my conuersion one said vnto me that it had been better if I had been drowned at sea in the great storme which happened in my passage into this Realme so young which I escaped with exceeding great danger being forthwith entertained into the Castle by the Captaine thereof for my fathers sake than at riper yeares thus to liue an Apostata and to be a scandale vnto the Church of God Yet I trust that I shall make it apparant that it was much better I escaped Gods prouidence in the first escape of my bodie foreshewing a more dangerous second escape from the shipwracke of my soule whereby his glorie in my happinesse may be manifested to the good of many that they may truly say Exod. 1. vers 19. Digitus Dei est hic the finger of God is here 7. The working of the Trinitie in my conuersion the first cause of this treatise Hereby you may see courteous Reader whether I haue not iust cause to make knowne to the world this my conuersion and the true occasions and motiues thereof that all that beare of it may say as I haue cause to say in mine owne soule The finger of God is here For first you may obserue that whilest I wandered out of the right way of true Catholike doctrine Gods goodnesse following the Church of Rome the finger of Gods mercie and goodnesse directed and pointed me which way to take into the right path of heauen most fauorably bestowing vpon me beartie contrition for my former errors both in faith and manners more than euer before Secondly the finger of his wisdome Gods wisdome euen when I was most addicted to the studies of the Roman doctrine occasion being giuen me of conference with some Protestants requiring satisfaction of me in some capitall points of controuersie which I promised either to proue by the Scriptures ancient Fathers and naturall reason or else to embrace the Protestants faith as Catholike therewithall intending to impugne the doctrine of the Religion here professed in England directed my vnderstanding so to examine the controuersies weighing all Cardinall Bellarmines reasons for both sides that doing it with sinceritie I fell into such doctrinall and morall obseruations vpon the grounds of the Romane faith that I most cleerely discouered the darke clouds of error and ignorance wherewith my iudgement and reason were ouercast I found the weakenesse of their grounds the fallacies of their reasons and the insufficiencie of iudgement shewed in most of their controuersies I found many places of Scripture impertinently alledged diuers citations of auncient Fathers fondly wrested against their true vnderstanding many naturall reasons alledged most repugnant to reason Lastly the finger of his Almightie power Gods power as efficaciously as the Load stone draweth yron vnto it drew all the affections of my heart to a firme resolution no longer to sleepe or slumber in my errors but to breake off all the bands of erronious and superstitious doctrine and nouelties wherewith the present Church of Rome holdeth soules in slauerie to Sathan and to embrace the truth of the Ancient Catholike and Apostolike doctrine which I found to bee most purely taught in the Church of England according to the primitiue sinceritie Hence it is most cleerely apparant how much the glorie of God appeareth in my conuersion and the three diuine attributes of goodnesse wisedome and power of the blessed Trinitie Qui tribus digitis appendit molem terrae Esay 40. vers 12 who weighteth the earth with three fingers in the contemplation of which great benefit I may well crie out with holy Saint Paul Rom. 12. vers 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out for who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who hath bin his counsellor Or who hath first giuen to him and it shall be recompenced vnto him againe for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glorie for euer For to God himselfe must I needes attribute this fauour hauing iust cause for the same with the kingly Prophet to say Psal 34. vers 2. I will alwaies praise the Lord his praise shall be alwaies in my mouth who chiefly hath wrought in my soule the vnderstanding the will and the accomplishment hereof which I can doe no lesse in gratitude than make knowne that his name may be glorified therein Satisfaction the second cause Secondly if my blinded zeale of your soules good did so much transport me in my ignorance and errors as to imploy my best endeuours yea and to venter my life for your good and for the reducing of any in this Realme to the pretended Catholike faith which then I professed without feare of incurring
learned Doctor whom they call the Angelicall Doctor sayth Tho. Aqu. lec in 1. Tim. 6. The doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called Canonicall because it is as it were the rule of our vnderstanding 1. q. 1. ar 4. And againe our faith resteth and stayeth it selfe vpon the reuelation giuen to the Apostles and Prophets which writ the Canonicall bookes 1. q. 1. ar 8. and not vpon reuelation if any such haue beene made to other Doctors And also in another place hee sheweth how all iudgement of truth is to be referred to the Scriptures saying In arguing it properly vseth viz. the said reuealed knowledge Tho. 1 q. part 1. q. 1. ar 8. ad 2. whereof he speaketh of necessitie the authorities of Canonicall Scripture but the authorities of other Doctors of the Church as it were arguing out of her owne but probably For our faith doth relie vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonicall bookes nd not vpon any reuelation made to other Doctors Therefore Augustine sayth in his Epistle to Hierome Epi. 19. Paulo post princip to 2. I haue learned to giue this honor to the onely bookes of Scriptures which are called Canonicall as to beleeue most firmely that not one author of them hath erred in writing but others I reade so that with what soeuer holinesse and learning they are endued as not therefore to thinke any thing a truth because they haue held or written so And in another place Faith doth cleaue vnto all the articles of faith for one medium to wit for the first truth proposed vnto vs in Scriptures according to the doctrine of the Church vnderstanding rightly and therefore hee that swarueth from this meane doth totally want faith Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth expressely Sum. part 3. tit 18. c. 3. ff 3. That God hath spoken but once and that in the holy Scripture and so plentifully to meete with all temptations and all cases that may fall out and all good workes that as Gregorie in the two and twentieth booke of his Morals expounds it he needes no more speake vnto vs concerning any necessarie matter seeing all things are found in the Scripture Gerson a great man in the Councell of Constance sayth De com sub vtraque specie The Scripture is the rule of our faith which being well vnderstood no authoritie of men is to be admitted against it Durandus sayth That generally in the things that touch our faith wee must speake to that which the Scripture deliuereth Praef. in sent least any man fall into that which the Apostle noteth 1. Cor. 8. If he thinke he knoweth something yet the knoweth nothing as he ought to know for the manner of our knowledge must be not to exceede the measure of faith and the holy Scripture expresseth the measure of faith Alliaco the Cardinall sayth 1. Sent. q. 1. ar 3. The verities themselues of the sacted Canon be the principles of Diuinitie because the finall resolution of Theologicall discourse is made into them and originally from them is drawne euery conclusion of Diuinitie Conradus Clingius sayth Locor l. 3. c. 29. pag. 290. The Scripture is the infallible rule of truth yea the measure and iudge of the truth Peresius the Diuinitie Reader at Barcelona in Spaine sayth The authoritie of no Saint is of infallible truth Iac. Per. de ratio con li. 2. c. 19. for Saint Augustine giues that honor onely to the sacred Scriptures Whereupon I frame this reason That onely is the infallible rule which is of infallible truth but the Scripture onely is of infallible truth therefore the Scripture onely is the infallible rule 8 Bellarmine also writeth thus Other late Writers De verbo Dei li. 1. cap. 2. The rule of faith must be certaine and knowne for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all if it be not knowne it is no rule to vs but nothing more certaine nothing better knowne than the sacred Scripture contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of faith most certaine and most safe and God hath taught vs by corporall letters which wee might see and reade what he would haue vs beleeue concerning him Whence I gather that if the Swenckfeldians are to bee drawne to the written Text then ought those of the Church of Rome also be recalled to the same rule from their vncertaine traditions from the Popes sole definitiue sentence and from their Councels not teaching by Scriptures If nothing be more knowne nothing more certaine as the Cardinall confesseth than the Scriptures why doe they reiect them from being the rule as not sufficient to preserue from error not knowne ynough The same Cardinall sayth in another place De not eccles c. 2. ff respond Simpliciter The Scripture is better knowne than the Church in some case as namely where it is receiued and speaketh plainly and the question is of the Church Willauincentius confesseth The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation De ratio stud Theol. li. 1. c. 31. pag. 21. as the Apostle in the third chapter of his second Epistle to Timothie affirmeth saying All Scripture is inspired of God in which words the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are needfull to the saluation of man Comment in 2. Tim c 3 in vers 15 16. Espenceus writeth That if any thing be needfull either to be knowne or done the Scriptures teach the truth reproue the false reclaime from euill persuade to good neither yet doe they make a man good in some sort but perfect yea they can teach a man to saluation and make him learned sufficiently Panormitane writeth thus One faithfull man Part 1. de elect polest ca. significa though priuate is more to be beleeued than the Pope or a whole Councell if he haue better reason on his side and authoritie of the Old and New Testament And Gerson more sully De exemp doct part 1. considera 5. The examination and triall of doctrine concerning faith belongeth not onely to the Pope and Councell but to euery one also that is sufficiently seene in the holy Scripture because euery one is a fit iudge of that he knoweth And againe some lay-man not authorised may be so excellently learned in the Scripture that his assertion shall be more to be credited than the Popes definitiue sentence for the Gospell is more to be credited than the Pope Therefore if such a lay man though he be priuate teach a truth contained in the Gospell and the Pope either know it not or will not know it yet it is euident that his iudgement is to be preferred Costerus Cesterus sayth That such verities concerning our faith as are absolutely necessarie to be knowne and beleeued of all men are plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues Doctor Saunders sayth Rock pag. 193. Wee
Guic. Hist l. 1. buying the consent of the Cardinals that after smarted for it The King of Naples signified vnto the Queene his wife with teares when he heard of his election that there was a Pope created who would be the bane of Italie and of the whole Commonwealth the which was also the generall ceonceit of all men Guicciardine sayth He was a Serpent Lib. 6. that with his poysoned infidelitie horrible examples of crueltie luxurie and monstrous couetousnesse selling without distinction thinges holy and prophane had infected all the world His manners and customes were dishonest Lib. 1. little sinceritie in his administrations no shame in his face small truth in his wordes little faith in his heart and lesse religion in his opinions all his actions were desiled with vnsatiable couetousnesse immoderate ambition and barbarous crueltie He was not ashamed contrarie to the custome of former Popes who to caest some colour ouer their infamie were wont to call them their nephewes to call his sonnes his childen Lib. 3. and for such to expresse them to the world The bruit went that in the loue of his owne daughter Lucretia were concurrent not onely his two sonnes the Duke of Candie and the Cardinall of Valence but himselfe also that was her father who as soone as hee was chosen Pope tooke her from her husband and married her to the Lord of Pesere but not able to suffer her husband to be his corriuall hee dissolued that marriage also and tooke her to himselfe by vertue of Saint Peters keyes Lib. 6. Onuph It was among other graces his naturall custome to vse poysonings not onely to bee reuenged of his enemies but also to despoyle the wealthie Cardinals of their riches And this hee spared not to doe against his owne friends till at the last hauing a purpose at a bauquet to poyson diuers Cardinals and for that end appointed his Cup-bearer to giue attendance with the wine amde readie for the nonce who mistaking his bottle gaue the poysoned cup to him was thus himselfe dispatched by the iust iudgement of God that had purposed to murder his friends that he might be their heire 12 I omit many other particular fruits of diuers Popes which would make much more against the Church of Rome but these being ynough for the application to Dr. Stapletons doctrine concerning the discouerie of false Prophets vnto the Teachers of the Church of Rome I could not but iudge the teachers of that Church too passionate and partiall that knowing the most distastfull fruites thereof not onely in their Head the Pope but also in their Cardinals Bishops and euen in their religious Monasteries to haue been so bad as the like are not to be found in any of the resormed Churches will notwithstanding most vniustly charge the Ministers of Gods Word and Teachers of reformation to abound in such fruits insomuch that I could not but admire the impudencie of Master Doctor Stapleton speaking against the Teachers of the reformed Churches saying The Diuell seemeth to haue receiued power from God by his Ministers Bonif. Mor. Dom. 7. post Pent. loc 2. the Heretikes of our time to produce most barbarous and horrible fruits and to make huge slaughters in the Church and according to his pleasure and malice to vexe trouble and destroy the mysticall bodie of Christ as well in the whole worship and Sacraments of Religion as also in all the authoritie and power it hath vpon earth Whereas in truth mature iudgement of the premised fruits of the Church of Rome both concerning doctrine and manners will discouer his rash assertion to be vertified of himselfe and his owne Romane Church teaching many nouelties and abounding in all kind of wickednesse as men of learning and experience well know And therefore his enumeration of 74 wicked fruits in the Teachers of reformation may fitlier be applyed in part to the Church of Rome and in the meane time the reformed Churches hauing learned to forgiue not onely 74 calumniations and iniurious reproaches but euen 77 and that 77 times of their offending neighbours will not be so vncharitable as not to pardon them but also most earnestly out of true charitie pray for their conuersion as Christ did for the Iewes saying Ignosce eis Domine quia nesciunt quid faciunt Pardon them O Lord because they know not what they doe Hence courteous Reader since I follow but the Councell in the search of truth which Christ by the interpretation of the Romanists themselues giueth to all in iudging Teachers by their fruits and hereby being moued to an alienation from the Church of Rome I hope that in conscience euen in the sight of God and Man I am excusable for my incorporation to the Church of England since it is grounded vpon such a place of Scripture as Christ himselfe deliuereth and the Church of Rome alloweth as a direction by which men may discerne the truth of their Teachers Esteeme not therefore slight ly of this inducement but weigh it seriously as indeed it is a point of great importance to produce in the soules of Christians that true detestation and hatred of the Romane Apostasie as the enormities and foule deformities thereof varnisht ouer with lies and hipocrisies doe require CHAP. XIII Containing an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion which can be done to God AS that obiect which is most frequently presented to a mans eies The Sacrificie of the Masse grounded vpon mans inuention is also most frequent in his memorie and taketh the deepest impression euen so the Sacrifice of the Masse being an action which in the Papacie as a Priest I did daily performe with more serious preparation and intensiue affection than any thing else whatsoeuer because I held it the most pleasing action I could doe to the honour of God to the good of his Church and for the benefit of my selfe and others therefore amongst all the erroneous doctrines which I discouered in the Church of Rome the abuse thereof doth most often offer it selfe to my minde and with greatest impression laieth open vnto mee the foulenesse of my former heresies in that Church and toucheth my soule with the deepest stroke of repentance aboue all others especially when I consider the most detestable Idolatrie committed therein not only by my selfe but by the Assistants in adoring visible Elements for the Sauiour of the world and that with such a kinde of worship as is only due to God himselfe and in being too credulous to that erroneous doctrine of the Councell of Trent Sess 6. c. 2. can 3 that if any man shall say that the Sacrifice of the Masse is only a Sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing or a bare commemoration of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatorie Sacrifice or that it doth not profit him alone that receiueth it and that it ought not to bee
be another not this Damasus In Appar pag. 378. Tom. 1. pag. 573. Bar to 4. pag. 428. which Baronius saith containeth many things repugnant vnto themselues almost in euery Pope and therefore he thinketh it to be collected out of diuers authors Master Doctor Heskins in his Parliament of Christ to proue the sacrifice of the Masse alleageth Amphilochius who liued in the yeare 390. as the author of the life of Saint Basil Pag. 157. Bar Mart. Ian. 1. pag. 6. Spurius Posseuin in Appar pag. 77. yet Baronius saith That in the iudgement of all the wiser sort it is thought to be some bodies else And Posseuine saith The bastard Amphilochius cannot be his vnder whose name it is carried about Glicas in the fourth part of his Annals hath taught vs. By all which examples of the Papists alle aging such counterseit Fathers for the confirmation of this doctrine of the Masse as also many other points I can by no meanes thinke but that many of them do teach this doctrine most wittingly and maliciously against their owne conscience and therefore sinne deadly against the holy Ghost heaping Gods iudgements vpon them against the day of his wrath and also I assure my selfe that their doctrine cannot be good which is vpheld by such counterfeit and weake props as are the writings of bastard teachers and counterfeit bookes But besides the former obseruations The pretended priuiledges of the Masse most fond Ioannes de Comb. compend Theol. verit li. 6. cap. 18. which doe sufficiently discouer the erroneous doctrine taught by the Church of Rome concerning the Masse the great and maine excellent priuiledges which she pretendeth to waite vpon this sacrifice is not to be omitted whereof Ioannes de Combis alleageth diuers saying The Masse hath many prerogatiues First because it is celebrated by one that is fasting Secondly because only in a Church and vpon an altar vnlesse sometimes of necessitie vnder a Tent or in some other honest place Thirdly because it is behouefull that he that celebrateth bee a Priest Fourthly because it is behouefull that hee be clad in sacred vestments Fifthly because only it is done in the day and not in the night vnlesse in the Natiuity of the Lord. Sixtly because it is celebrated with a lighted candle yea though a thousand Sunnes should shine vpon the earth Seuenthly because there words doe sound which are Diuine Angelicall and humane Diuine words when the Pater noster is said or sung and when the words of the Lord are read in the Gospell Angelicall words when Glorie be to God in the highest but humane words in the Collects and the like Eighthly because there are heard three of the noblest tongues viz. Hebrew as Saboath and Osanna Greeke as Kyrie eleison Latine as in others which are there Ninthly because the Masse in his kind is as full of mysteries as the sea of drops as the Sunne of beames as the firmament of Starres as the imperiall heauen of Angels Tenthly because Priests in solemne Churches haue in their Masse many Ministers the Deacon Subdeacon and Acolytes Eleuenthly because the Angels being there in the presence of such maiestie it sufficeth vs to be schollers Twelfthly because there is the Lord of heauen and earth I might vnto these twelue adde the effects of the sacrifice of the Masse also taught by Bernardinus de Busto who amongst many others very ridiculous putteth for one this prerogatiue Bern. de Bust. in ser de Sacrif Mis viz. quamdin quis audit sacrum not senescit man waxeth not old so long as hee heares Masse When I read these priuiledges after it had pleased God to giue me a true vnderstanding of the Masses idolatries I could not but grieue that men should be thus deceiued by the diuels suggestions as to giue credit vnto such idle deuises for the maintenance of Gods dishonor and the diuels seruice Is it not a great prerogatiue thinke you of the Masse that the Priest must be fasting before he go to take a peece of wafer and a prertie quantitie of good Maligo rich Canarie or other strange wine I trow it is a prettie breakfast to take three draughts of such wine although there be a few drops of water in the last This priuiledge I haue obserued pleaseth the Iesuites best of all who scorne to haue weake wine as Clarret but commonly make prouision of the best comfortable Sackes for that purpose and will lightly take more into the Challice then any other Priests out of a greater care they haue that no particles of Christs sacred flesh should stay about the sides of the Chalice which religious care is a good faire cloake for them to warme their fasting stomackes with the more beartie and full draught so that in truth this fasting priuiledge of the Masse serues but for a colour to haue a good breakfast and so to comfort the Priests stomacke that many a Lay man would be full glad of the like The other prerogatiues as weakly grounded vpon mans inuentions not on Scriptures or Apostolicall traditions in truth are as meane but especially that great prerogatiue of the Masse viz. that a man groweth not old so long as he heareth Masse is one of the foolishest conceits of a Franciscan Frier that euer I heard or read For if it were true there is no Doctor Steuens water could so preserue a mans life or prolong it as the hearing of a Masse and I thinke many would heare more Masses then they doe if this were sound Diuinitie but by this it is easie to discouer the Masse not to be as the Church of Rome teacheth a principall act of religion and a worke that surpasseth all the workes that euer God wrought as the worke of creation and redemption more miracles appearing in the Sacrament then in either of them as may be obserued in Ioannes de Combis Lib 6. de cap. 14. and noted by Master Perkins in his Reformed Catholike and not any whit touched as farre as I could perceiue in master Doctor Bishop against him but rather a most diabolicall illusion of the world drawing men to serue the creature in stead of the Creator and the diuell in stead of God And this in very truth appeareth most plainely The Masse confirmed by false miracles a palpable marke of false doctrine if wee consider diligently how the Pseudochrists and false prophets of the Church of Rome endeuor as it were seeing the weaknes of their cause to establish and make good their doctrine of the Masse with the signes wonders and prodigies which Christ himselfe the Sauiour of our soules willeth vs not to beleeue which are so ridiculous that no man of sound iudgement reading them can chuse but laugh and smile at them howsoeuer out of true charitie and a right religious zeale he haue greater cause to commiserate the poore blinded soules that are most miserably seduced by them I will therefore for the fuller manifestation hereof set downe some few
And diuers other writers affirme Scot. 3. d. 37. Cost Enchir. pag. 51. that in the most ancient times of the Church and after the Apostles death they had their wiues And I obserue that hee was the first that forbad Priests to marrie Greg. à Valent. tom 4. d sp 9. q. 5. punct 5. §. 1. Dist 82. plurim Inuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Dist 84. cum in preterito gloss §. qui Sacrament Index expurg 381. uum 261. Naucler tom 2. generat 137. Jnuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Sigebert an 1074. Lambert pag. 201. 207. Auentine in Annal. lib. 5. Nauclâ—r vol. 2. ge 36. Baron an 174. Sigon reg Jtal. lib. 9. an 174. pag. 448. pag. 460. by the decree thereof extant in the Canon law as also by the confession of Polydor Virgil and the Glosse vpon the Canon law saith Syricius brought in the continencie of Priests and Deacons yea some affirme that of old before the time of Siricius Priests might contract marriage This Glosse Pius Quintus the late Pope hath commanded to be wiped out because it makes against the present doctrine of the Church of Rome but Nauclerus saith in effect as much that SyriÌ„cius commanded Deacons to be continent But although Pope Syricius began this matter yet as Polydor Virgil saith It could neuer be effected that their marriage should be taken away til Gregory the seuenth came to be Pope in the yeare 1074. Which thing when he attempted in Germany he was opposed against as one that brought in a new eustome neuer receiued before Auentine writeth that in those daies Priests had wiues openly as other men bad and begate children their wiues being called by aseemely name Presbyteresses And when the Pope forbad them marriage this to many Bishops and other learned and good men seemed a new doctrine and a pestilent heresie as euer troubled any Christian kingdom And he saith the Bishops of Italy Germanie and France met together and for this cause decreed that he had done against Christian pietie and deposed him for that among diuers other things he diuorced men and their wiues denying such as bad their lawful wiues to be Priests wheÌ„ yet in the meane time he admitted to the altars whore-mongers adulterers and incestuous persons Fast lib. 1. Mantuan saith that Hilarie a Fench Bishop was married and that in his time it was lawfull Sinesius the Bishop of Ptolomais writeth thus of himselfe Epist ad Enopt Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 55. The sacred hand of Theophilus hath giuen me a wife and hereupon I testifie vnto all men that I will neither forsake her nor yet as an adulterer keepe her company but I will pray God to send mee by her many and good children Athanasius reports that Bishops and Monkes liued married Epist ade Dracont Epist 321. Pius 2. apud Plaitn in vita and had children And Pius Secundus saith It is better for a Priest to marrie then to burne though hee haue vowed not to marrie And moreouer that there bee many reasons to forbid Priests marriage but more to allow it But no maruaile that this restraint was made by the Pope since the prohibition of marriages is a plaine marke of Antichrist who should bring in the contempt of women for after that the Prophet Daniel had said that Antichrist should persecute the holy teachers and the pious beleeuing people Daniel 11. and should exalt himselfe aboue all God hee addeth Hee shall know nothing of the God of his Fathers and hee shall know nothing of the loue of women and of euery God and that hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all things Which version agreeth with the Hebrew truth and with the seuentie Interpretors and Aquila Therefore let not any man oppose that which is carried about and in which it is read Hee shall bee in the concupiscences of women Where Saint Hierome himselfe in his Comentaries vpon Daniel interpreteth this sentence thus That Antichrist shall counterfeit chastitie to deceiue many By all which it is manifest that this law restraining Priests from marrying is a noueltie brought into the Church by Popes by degrees and a great wrong vnto the state of marriage which I haue shewed to be honorable in all This I could exemplifie by the abuses come into the Church by this restraint both in former ages and in this present age wherein wee liue If this law had not been it is likely that Matthaeus Parisiensis would haue had no cause to leaue recorded vnto posteritie that a Cardinall did all the day in a Synode heere in England inueigh against the marriages of Priests Matth. Parisan Henric. primum who at night was taken in bed with a strumpet there are too many to bee found as carnall as this Cardinall If this law of the Pope had not restrained Priests from marrying occasion would neuer haue been giuen for a Gentleman in Wales this last yeare to haue written vnto Master Birkhead the Arch-priest complaining of a Iesuite who by the heate of the powder-treason was thought to be driuen into Ireland where he got his owne kinswoman with child neither would many the like abuses bee complained of in diuers if the wicked restraint of marriages which is in truth the very doctrine of Diuels had neuer been made and inuented Gentle Reader pardon mee if these obscaenities offend your eares I may as well relate truthes in iustification of true doctrine against the Church of Rome as that Church both by reports and printed bookes may disgorge multitudes of lies against the reformed Church of England your deare countrey I do not this of any delight I take to walke in the wayes of sinners bt onely to discouer the wickednesse of their doctrine by such their wicked fruits as iust punishments inflicted by Gods permission that they may see their errors and forsake their wicked wayes Now therefore since it appeared vnto me by these premises how the Church of Rome against the law of God against the practise of the purest ages to the scandall of the Christian world through Satans craft vnder pretence of chastitie restrained Priests from lawfull marriages I could not remaine in the communion of that Church lest by Gods permission in time I might also be partaker of her iust punishments 8 And as I was moued to abaÌ„don her by reason of this illusioÌ„ whereby the diuel maketh her his The Church of Rome alloweth of incestuous marriages so was I no lesse moued by the coÌ„sideration of her doctrine permitting such mariages to be lawful in such degrees as som of their own teach to be prohibited by the law of God nature as namely by suffering one brother to marrie his brothers wife when the other is deceased For so doth the Pope by dispencing in this case which notwithstanding is iustly to be reprooued as I proue out of Ioannes Viguerius the learned Bishop of Spaine who deliuereth his Doctrine thus It is a doubt Io. Viguer
for that all times places persons words and actions fall out vnto the good of such a one through Gods all-seeing and directing prouidence 3 This sweete prouidence of God towards me in particular I cannot let passe in silence and burie in obliuion The demonstrations of Gods prouidence towards me least concealing his glorie appearing therein and blemishing my soule with a foule spot of ingratitude in feare of his iust punishments I might deseruedly say Vae mihi quia tacui woe is me because I haue held my peace Esay 6. vers 5. When I consider how God in my childhood drew me out of the countrey where I first breathed ayre making me a young trauellei by Sea protecting me from a dangerous storme and affording me after my escape courteous friendly entertainment in a Castle of this land how in danger of like perill by Sea I returned backe againe by my mothers direction when I was about nine yeares of age How neare to Namures I escaped danger of drowning falling into a hole of water where I stucke fast in the mudde by the head had not Gods protection afforded me a hand to be plucked out with how I escaped many dangerous sicknesses and a most perilous fall out of a Waggon where my head escaped the wheele from crushing it in peeces at my going first to Saint Omers with Master Nicholas Smith the Iesuite to be a student there at the first erecting of that Seminarie of which house I was one of the first sixe that were receiued into it and that had their first mission into Spaine from it how being to sent thence by Gods prouidence with M. Baldwine the Iesuite after a sore storme by night neere vnto the Isle of Wight we were cast into the mouth of the Queenes ships the next day by contrarie winds driuing vs backe vnto the downes neare Douer where we were all taken prisoners by Master King Captaine of one of her Maiesties ships and brought into this Realme being first detained and courteously entertained at my Lord Admirals house at Derford then at the then Lord of Canterburies who committed vs either to Bishops or other graue Prelates where we might haue bad better education for the truth of Christian Religion then we had amongst the Iesuits if we had had the grace to haue made benefit thereof had not the poison of false doctrine first so feised vpon all the powers of our soule that at that time for want of experience knowledge we could not relish the most delicious Manna of Gods word nor giue eare to the happie tidings of the true Gospel of Christ so like deafe Adders our eares were stopped 4 And further how by Gods prouidence about six yeares after intending learning and further experience Other particulars of Gods prouidence towards me I went to Rome in which iourney I was imprisoned first at Pheckam in France where I was most wrongfully committed with another Gentleman and our purses prettie well emptied and was secondly also taken againe at New stade in the Palsegraues Countrey where I was detained for a time with the rest of our companie by reason of Master Thomas Coniers a Iesuite with an Irish brother of the same order who vpon suspition and iealousie of being busie dealers in English affaires engendred by the prettie discouerie of some equiuocations at their examinations had beene sent into England had not the Archduke Albertus sent his letters in his behalfe as afterward I heard it reported for his deliuerie How after many sicknesses in Rome where I continued three yeares I was made Priest intending no other end then to employ my whole life and labours in connerting soules to the Church or Rome which I was constantly perswaded then was the true Church of God and therfore I thought I could take no course of life vpon me more gratefull to God more profitable to others or more meritorious for mine own soule then this was thus disposed and resolued how I with my fellowes kissing the Powes feete and receiuing his benediction vpon our selues and vpon our beads crosses and meddalles with power to giue the English pardon to others here for the annulling of temporall paines due to sin in this life or the next and for freeing soules out of purgatorie we were sent into England How since I haue spent my time for the most part heere in England about nine yeares in the practise of this function Where my labours in that kinde were not vnprofitable nor ill esteemed of by those of the Romane profession in the which no danger of lawes affrighted me no imprisonments made me saint no crosses quailed my courage Now when I reflect vpon all these occurrences of my life with diuers others I cannot but magnifie the wisedome of Almightie God and highly exalt his diuine prouidence and therefore the nearer that I approach vnto the consideration of the occasions and motiues which God hath vsed to worke my conuersion in this Realme to the true ancient Apostolike and Catholike faith giuing me knowledge and experience of many nouelties and erroneous doctrines diameterly opposite to the doctrines of Christ his Apostles and the ancient Catholike faith 5 Since my comming into this Realme Priest Reading of Protestant bookes the first occasion of doubts I obserued no one thing to be more necessarie for the ende I aymed at then the studie of controuersies whereunto next vnto the Scriptures for exhortation and cases of conscience for the better directing of soules I chiefely applied my selfe in the studie whereof I found it behooueful nt to neglect the reading of such Protestant writers as fell into my hands thinking I should thereby be the better able to confute all obiections when occasion of conference with any should be giuen which thing being yearely prohibited by the censure of Bulla coenae which is once euerie yeare with many execrations and curses published in Rome I obtained leaue of my Superior to read them with condition not to study them Master George Blackwell but to confute them which distinction seemed strange vnto me as though I could confute them and not study them yet with this condition I promised to read them amongst which the first that came into my hand was Master Perkins reformed Catholike deliuered me by a kinsman of mine who told me of a Cousen of his that promised to be a Romane Catholike if he could see that booke well answered and confuted Next to this I met with Master Robert Abbots booke in Latine of Anti-Christ giuen to a friend of mine by a worshipfull Knight of this Realme who highly praised it and much esteemed thereof After that I lighted vpon Master Doctor Bucklies confutation of Master Thomas Wrightes articles After that I met with the booke of proceedings against the Pouder-Traytors containing in it that most eloquent and learned Oration of the Earle of North-hampton Then came to my hands his Maiesties Apologie for the oath of Allegiance with his premonition to
find also the wise Salomon to affirme that Gods words will make a man vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euery good path I find likewise in Saint Luke and other Euangelists Luke 1. vers 4. These things are written that we might haue the certaintie of that whereof we are instructed and that we might beleeue in Iesus and in beleeuing haue life eternall through his name I find further that Christ saith Search the Scriptures Ioh. 20. vers 31. for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee as also in another place When one asked Christ what he might do to be saued Luk. 10. vers 26. he referreth him to the Scriptures for his direction saying What is written in the Law So did Abraham answere the rich Glutton They haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 I find also Saint Paul free from all exception herein saying The Scriptures are able to make vs wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. vers 15. Vers 16. Vers 17. through the faith that is in Christ Iesus and are profitable to teach to improue to conuert to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to euery good worke And in another place we may not presume aboue that which is written I find likewise Saint Peter to accord with Saint Paul 2. Pet. 1.19 when hee saith Wee haue a more sure word of the Prophets whererunto wee cannot take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and till the day-starre arise in our hearts Many more proofes would the canonicall Scriptures afford to the same effect therefore since by the premised places of Scripture I see that he that speaketh not according to the word of God hath no light in him since the Scriptures can make vs know righteousnesse iudgement equitie and euery good path since they were written that we might haue certainty in that we are instructed in and beleeuing haue life eternall since we are sent to the Scriptures by Christ since they are able to make vs wise to saluation since they are profitable to make vs perfect to euery good worke since it is presumption to go aboue that which is written since the Prophets be our light in darknesse what better rule can we haue of our faith what can excuse any mans ignorance that knoweth this or what an obstinate wilfulnesse were it for me that knowing these testimonies of Scripture shall not beleeue them or why should I not thinke that the Church of England hath not the best reed or mete-wand to measure the truth of her doctrine by when she teacheth Juel Apol. part 2. cap. 9. diuis 1. That the Scripture comprehended in the canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament is the rule of faith so farre that whatsoeuer is not read therein or cannot be proued thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed 4 Which doctrine cannot be shaken or ouerthrowne By proofes of Fathers if we esteeme the authoritie of the learned who do most plentifully giue witnesse and vnanswerable proofes for the same S. Basil who liued in the fourth centurie after Christ saith Let the holy Scriptures be arbitrators betweene vs Basil opist 80. ad Eustac medicum pag. 334. and whosoeuer hold opinions consonant to those heauenly oracles let the truth be adiudged on their side And Optatus disputing against a Donatist presseth him thus Contra Parmem lib. 5. pag 393. We are saith he to equire out some to be iudges betweene vs in these controuersies The Christians cannot because both sides cannot yeeld them and by parts taking the truth shall be hindered The Iudge must be had from without our selues If a Pagan he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie if a Iew he is an enemie to Baptisme therefore vpon the earth no iudgement concerning this matter can bee found the Iudge must be had from heauen but to what end should we kocke at heauen when heere we haue one in the Gospell Heere we see Saint Basil appeales for iudgement to the Scriptures and so Optatus likewise to the Gospell no acknowledgement here of other arbitrement vpon earth What shall I speake of Tertullion who is most plaine for me Tertul. contra Hermog calling the Scriptures the rule of faith The golden-mouthed Chrysostome will not heere forsake me who termeth the Scriptures Chrysost hom 13. in 2. Cor. Hom. 3. de Laz. A most exquisite rule and exact squier and ballance to trie all things by And also in another place saith God hath left vs the Scriptures more firme then any miracle And vpon the Acts of the Apostles discourseth very fitly to this purpose Chrysost hom 33. in Act. A Gentile saith hee commeth and saith I would bee a Christian but I know not which side to cleaue vnto many dissensions are among you and I cannot tell which opinion to hold euery one saith I speake the truth and the Scriptures on both sides are pretended so that I know not whom to beleeue to this Chrysostome replieth Truly saith he this maketh much for vs for well might you be troubled if we should say we relie vpon reason but seeing we take the Scriptures which are so true and plaine it will be an easie matter for you to iudge And tel me now hast thou any wit or iudgement Note this for it is not the part of a man barely to receiue whatsoeuer he heareth but if thou marke the meaning thou mayest throughly know that which is good when thou buyest a garment though thou hast no skill in wearing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they deceiue me but thou doest all things that thou mayest learne to know it say not then I am no scholler and will be no iudge I can condemne no opinion for this is but a shift and a cauill and let vs not vse it for all these things are easie There is nothing can bee more cleere for this most sufficient rule of faith then that which is written by this ancient Author of the imperfect worke falsely fathered as some thinke vpon Saint Chrysostome whom because he is often alleaged by the learned of the Romane Church I will also alleage against them this Author expounding those of Saint Matthew Chrysost opus imperfect hom 49. Then those that are in Iurie let them flie vnto the mountaines explicateth them thus that is they that are Christians let them repaire vnto the Scriptures The mountaines are the writings of the Apostles and Prophets and wherefore doth he at that time command all Christians to repaire to the Scriptures because in that time heresie hath obtained the Curches there can be no proofe of true Christianity neither can there be other refuge for Christians which shall desire to know the truth of faith but the sacred Scriptures Before it was many wayes shewed which was
Roman clergy of Kings that they care not how vnreuerently they speake against them their Magistrates and officers and others as they list some will not stick to say that Priests are not subiects to Kings nor are bound to giue answere truly to the temporall Magistrates or Bishops here in England further then they please Others will make no scruple to say that they may lawfully without sin if they can free themselues from being apprehended resist yea and kill his Pursuiuants in defence of themselues though others approuing also the same doctrine more milde and moderate will say it is better and a greater act of perfection to let themselues bee apprehended then so to resist as also because it may proue scandalous but in conclusion all hold it lawfull and all teach it and their ground is naturale est vim vi repellere it is a natural thing to repel force by force as also because no temporall or ciuill authoritie is sufficiently valued against the Priests of the Romane Church I will not relate what libertie the Romane doctrine against Princes giueth to sawcie subiects to speak what they list and to report such things against our late deceased Queene and his Maiestie now raining as are odious euen vnto mens minds to thinke of my hart trembles to remēber what horrible crimes I haue heard them charged with and no modest Christian would euer open his mouth or giue eare vnto them the disgust that such speeches haue giuen me is farre greater then I can expresse because all the world knowes them to be most hatefull lies and calumniations which only could be suggested by the diuell who is father of all lies and vntruthes and master of such Heretikes as the Apostle Iudas describeth Epist. Judae vers 8. dominationē spernunt despise power but no maruaile if men yeeld to such suggestiōs of the diuel since experiēce teacheth that this doctrine of the Popes supereminent power hath stirred many not only to speake but also to attempt diuers trecherous and rebellious enterprises against the late Queene deceased and much more horrible against his Maiesty al his roial Progeny without all mercy either to friend or foe as the discouerie of the powder treason plotted and designed by diuers giddy and inconsiderat heads associated with some of the society of Iesus hath of late made manifest to the world nay which is more odious such as are as they thinke themselues religiously affected to the society of Iesus Ioan. Wilson in mart Anglica haue not sticked to make some of the abetters of that hateful cōspiracy martyrs of the Roman Church as namely Garnet Ouldcorne wheras it is wel knowne as the right Honorable the Earle of Northhampton sheweth My Lord of Northhampton in his speech to Garnet Garnet was not called to the barre for any matter of conscience as some perhaps may publish out of rancor or peruersity of hart to set a faire glosse vpō the groūd of his professiō proueth it many waies by diuers presidents of fauor and therfore wel might he say to Garnet as he did foreseeing how his fellowes would be ready to canonize him In the same speech S. Augustine speaketh of some hot-headed fellowes in his time that not withstāding their life led in this world more latronū like theeues yet in their ends affected cultum honorem martyrum the seruice and honor of martyrs among whom I shall euer rancke with iust cause these powder-men But this proceedeth as many other actions of disalleagiāce do frō no other groūd then frō that noted doctrine of the Popes illimited power trāscendent authority in ciuil matters ouer Kings which he challengeth when Card. Bellar in his book against D. Barkley Note this in Bell. goeth so farre that contrary to his former doctrine he teacheth now that the Apostles were not subiect to ciuil power de iure but de facto Wherby we may see in time into what a gulfe and ocean of errors the doctrine of Rome if it be not prudētly preuented wil drowne the world in which principally carieth the clergy vpon a higher waue of pride then any in so much that the L. of Northamp out of the multiplicity of his reading In his speech to Garnet most prudētly noteth that by the course recourse of times accidents wise men obserue that very seldome hath any mischieuous attempt been vndertaken for disturbance of a state without the counsel and assistance of a Priest in the first in the middle or last act of the tragedy and that all along with such a a chorus of confedraes to entertaine the Stage whiles the liues hnd fortunes of great Princes being set vpon the tenter-hookes aue put all in hazard Which obseruation I would wish that all Priests would diligently marke and then doubtlesse they would bee carefull of their owne reputations and be more reuerently affected to higher powers than they are as it gladdeth mee to see some haue beene of late as Master Blackwell Master Warmington in his moderate defence and others whose good examples I heartily wish many more may embrace and follow not doubting but God by such beginnings may draw them so from step to step as perfectly to see and discouer the erroneous doctrines of the Church of Rome as well in other points of doctrine as in that of the Popes pretended authoritie ouer Princes in temporalls as he hath drawne lately master Sheldon a prisoner for the Roman faith and my selfe though no prisoner as I hope for our soules euerlasting good so also for the future benefit of many others and the fuller accomplishments of his more mercifull designements to others thereby who doubtlesse will so doe if we by our ingratitude and forgetfulnesse of so rich a benefite prouoke not his indignation against vs by euill conuersation and bad carriage of our liues as others haue done before vs to the aduantage of those whose communion they forsooke and disgrace of them to whose congregations they were conioyned Which doubtlesse we may doe if beholding the abhominations of the Church of Romes corruptions we consider them rather with a mind to reforme our own faults to draw others from them than to lay any disgracefull imputation vpon others further than to demonstrate the naughtinesse of the tree by the naughtie leaues floures and fruits that grow forth from it which in very truth is the onely cause why I haue so farre entred into this discourse because Christ saith According to Doctour Stapletons rule Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis cos by their fruits ye shal know them Now therfore since out of the fruits of the Roman doctrine I find the teachers thereof to be such as Christ bids vs beware of I must say Father I haue sinued against heauen and against earth and therfore with humble acknowledgement of my faults desire that I may againe be receiued into his fauor 9 Now it resteth that I make trial of the
amongst many which I haue read and noted out of diuers authors of good credit and well approued in the Church of Rome The first is taken out of Pope Gregorie the Great S. Greg. Mag. hom 37. in Euang lib. 4. dialog cap. 57. who writeth That a certaine man being taken prisoner by his enemies was carried into a farre Countrey where hee was kept prisoner a long time whose wife not hearing any thing of him thought him to bee dead and therefore caused a Masse to be said for him euery weeke Whereupon it happened that so often as the Masse was offered for the deliuerance of his soule so often were his irons and shackles loosened in the prison where he was which afterward when being released he returned againe to his wife he told her as much with great admiration whereupon the wife enquiring the time and the houre when hee found him so freed from his fetters she found it happened at he same houre that Masse was said for him Whereupon Pope Gregorie saith Hence my best beloued brethren and good friends learne ye how much the sacred hoast being offred by our selues is of force to vntie the bands of our hearts since being offered by one it had such power as to breake the bands of anothers bodie Certainly if this sacrifice be of such force I maruaile why the Priests in prison offering it with the deuotion of worthie Confessors heere in England should not be able often to loosen their chaines yea and to open the verie prison gates for their deliuerance but this cannot be because such fictions neuer prooue true and these are but fables inuented to delude poore simple soules that Priests by saying of Masses for them may emptie their purses and bee partakers of their coine Againe as it is written that heere in England A certaine Prince which had beene sicke of the Palsie a long time and carried into Saint Stephens Church Edinerus Angelus in vit S. Anselm to heare Masse sung by Anselme Bishop of Canterburie and to receiue his blessing whereupon he recouered present health Either this storie is inuented to honour Anselme with or else to approue the Masse by it or if the Masse be of such power how hapneth it in all this time of persecution as the Papists terme their small suffrings here in England that they haue no sicke persons cured by so many Masses as are offered by Priests and Iesuites But all is but mans inuention and as babes are deceiued with shewes so are simple Papists with false lies and such like fabulous wonders inuented either by ambitious and foolish Priests or hypocriticall and pharisaicall Monkes and Friers It is an vsuall thing in the Church of Rome by such inuentions to confirme one false doctrine by another so confirmed so I haue noted the doctrine of Purgatorie by the doctrine of the Masse for diuers Romish Authours haue left it recorded that Benedictus Octauus Pope was deliuered out of Purgatorie by the sacrifice of the Masse Petr. Dam. Card. Al. lâ—y in fest S. Odâ—li 〈◊〉 Ian. Laur. Sur. to 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. An. Ebor. cap. de orat Cath hist cap 5. tit 19. part 2. Tho. Cant. lib. 2. Aâ—un cap. 53. part 14. Cath. hist cap. 5. tit 19. part 5. and the prayers of Saint Odilus Abbot and his Monkes Heere is a miracle framed not onely for the Masse but also for Purgatorie and praying for the dead So likewise I haue read of a Priest in France who being verie poore yet verie deuoutly affected to the soules in Purgatorie in so much that euerie day without failing he â—ffered the sacrifice of the Masse for them for the which he was cited and accused before his Prelate and being brought before his Bishoppe hee simplie confessed the truth wherefore hee was taxed to payment of a certaine summe and forced to giue suretie for the same which hauing sworne to performe the poore man was in great trouble finding out none to answer for him but instantly the eyes of the Bishoppe were opened and hee beheld more than a thousand hands stretched foorth readie to giue suretie for the Priest Whereupon the Bishopped said vnto the Priest thou hast sureties enough goe and according to thine owne pleasure and mine say Masse as thou hast done heretofore Many other straunge wonders could I alleage in this kind not to bee beleeued but rather to bee wondered at that any man dares haue so much presumption as by such wicked deuises to wrong Gods truth and to maintaine false-hood for if it bee a true marke of false teachers which Christ prescribed when he spake of those that should do such wonders that the elect might be seduced by them then it followeth that the Romish teachers are those euen in this verie doctrine of the Masse who onely pretend to haue miracles and wonders to approue it 10 For in truth they haue no one place of Scripture for this sacrifice which they so highly esteeme of The storie of Mâ—lchâ—sedech wrested to prooue the Masse they pretend many figures and types of the old Law many predictions out of the Prophets and also other testimonies out of the Gospell but they are all insufficient weake and impertinent nothing seruing their purpose So most impertinently doth Cardinall Bellarmine alleage the example of Melchisedech Desacrif mis lib 5. cap. 5. 6. Genes 14. Psal 109. vers 5. who brought foorth bread and wine for hee was the Priest of the Highest but Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and not according to Aaron as Paul teacheth Hebrewes the seuenth therefore hee was to institute an vnbloodie sacrifice vnder the forme of bread and wine This reason of Bellarmines is of no force for were it true that Melchisedech offered bread and wine which is not yet nothing else would follow but that Christ offered bread and wine which our Aduersaries will neuer graunt for they teach that bread and wine doth not continue after consecration but that they are annihilated and so transubstantiated that nothing remaineth of the substance besides the bodie and blood of Christ Besides Melchisedech did not offer but onely brought foorth as the Hebrew word signifieth bread and wine for the refreshing of Abrahams souldiers as the Text it selfe clearely teacheth Neither is Melchisedâ—ch a Type of Christ either in offering or bringing foorth bread and wine but first in respect of the name Melchisedech the King of righteousnesse secondly because hee was King of Salem Jsai 9.6 and Christ is King or Prince of peace Thirdly because Melchisedech was together both a King and a Priest and so is Châ—â—st Fourthly because the Progenie of Melchisedech is not related so is Christ a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Psal 110.4 Therefore this figure of Melchisedech hath no refâ—reâ—â—ce to the saâ—rifice of the Mâ—sse at all Controuers 5. Confess Petricomensi cap. 41. And howsoeuer Pighius and Hosius say that this is the
of the blessed Sacrament as well Bread as Wine according to Christes owne institution This inducement amongst many hath not beene the least which hath as comfortably drawne mee to the Church of England as the starre which appeared to the three Sages in the East guided them in a short space to the presence of Christ swadled in clothes and lying in a Crib at Bethlem hauing in imitation of them now offered vp my three gifts vnto Christ to be emploied wholly in his seruice my Vnderstanding my Memorie and my Will with all my faculties of body and soule depending or subiect vnto them for the propagation of his Gospell for the demolition of Romish nouelties and for the manifestation of his vnspeakable mercies shewed vnto me and the reformed Churches in freeing vs from those damnable errors and wicked waies wherein the Church of Rome leadeth her blinded followers which fondly shut their eies from the Sunne-shine of truth appearing in the holy Scriptures and from the Prophets and Apostles who like shining starres by their doctrine recorded in the booke of Gods secrets would both comfort and direct their soules in the right way to heauen if flying with humilitie to Christ and acknowledging their owne blindnesse they would crie out with deuotion vnto him like the poore blinde man in the Gospell Domine fac vt videam O Lord make me to see 2. Howsoeuer the aduersaries in the Supper of the Lord make no reckoning of the wine Both formes must be in the Eucharist which is essentiall to the Sacrament yet the true faithfull knowing the dignitie and excellent value thereof will not be so vnmannerly being inuited thereunto as to neglect that which Christ prouideth for them For being rightly enformed that as in the great and pompous supper which Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt set before Antonius there were two pretious iewells and gemmes brought to Antonius which were esteemed to bee worth two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes Euen so in the supper of the Lord in the blessed Eucharist which is the great supper prouded in the Church of God for his faithfull friends there are two iewells of inestimable price that is the bread and wine by meanes whereof the flesh and bloud of Christ the rich price of our redemption is conueyed vnto our soules therefore there is no iust cause why the Church of Rome pretending to bee the chast Spouse of Christ should be so scornefull of the rich gift of her heauenly Spouse who liberally offereth her both these iewels as most discourteously to suffer and permit that the lay people should be depriued of the one of them since Christ hath appointed both for them The practise to be so is sufficiently knowne to all and that the doctrine of the Church of Rome is so also appeareth by the Councell of Trent saying Concil Trident. ses 21. anno 1. If any shall say that by Gods Precept or vpon necessitie of saluation all and euery faithfull of Christ ought to take both formes of the most blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist let him be accursed And agine If any shall say Cap. 2. that the holy Catholike Church was not led vpon iust causes and reasons to communicate lay men and Clerkes also not consecrating onely vnder the forme of bread or therein to haue erred let him be Anathema By which it is most apparant how the Church of Rome doth not onely crosse Christs institution and disobey his commaundement but also ouerthroweth the very essentiall part of the Sacrament 3 For first The ministration of the Sacrament vnder one forme is repugnant to the essence of the Sacrament there is nothing more essentiall in a Sacrament than the matter and forme thereof as in Baptisme the water and wordes so in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist the essentiall parts thereof are the Bread and Wine coniunctim ioyntly and the words of consecration of either of them ioyntly and not diuided for the Catechisme of the Councell of Trent defineth a Sacrament thus Cathe ad Parachos A Sacrament is a thing subiect to our senses which by Gods institution hath power as well to signifie as to effect holinesse and righteousnesse Whereby it appeareth that the sensible signe instituted by God is a thing essentiall to euerie Sacrament Which appeares also b Iohan Viguerius saying De sacra in Gene c. 16. v. 3 It is necessarie that the things which are assumed for the Sacraments be determined by Gods institution because that things by their naturall vertue haue no power of sanctifying Now therefore if we consider the matter and sensible signes instituted by Christ for the Sacrament of the Eucharist Jnstit c. 16. ff 3. vers 1. Thom. 3. p. q. 74. art 1. Iohannes Viguerius telleth vs That the matter of this Sacrament before consecration is bread and wine because Christ tooke bread and wine and Melchisedech who in his sacrifice figured Christ offered bread and wine so Christ did institute it vnder the formes of bread and wine and very conueniently First for the vse of the Sacrament which is eating for as water is taken in the Sacrament of Baptisme for the vse of spirituall ablution because corporall ablution is commonly done by water so bread and wine for spirituall refection because most commonly men are corporally refreshed therewith Secondly for signification because this Sacrament is a memoriall of the Lords Passion in the which the bloud was spearated from the bodie so distinctly the bread as a Sacrament of the bodie and wine as a Sacrament of the bloud Thirdly for the effect in respect of the whole Church which consisteth of diuers beleeuers so the bread is made of diuers cornes and the wine of diuers grapes Out of this ground it seemeth that the Iesuit in Rome deliuered in the Schoole the definition of this Sacrament in this manner which I tooke from his mouth with mine owne penne which is De sacramentis tract 4. c. 1. dico 3. That the Eucharist is a Sacrament which vnder the formes of bread and wine containeth the bodie and bloud of Christ for the nourishment of spirituall life giuen by Baptisme From all which doctrine I most clearely gather that bread and wine iointly ministred belongeth to this Sacrament and that without ouerthrowing the essence of this Sacrament according to our aduersaries owne Teachers it cannot be giuen vnder one kind to the lay people for it is to be giuen to lay people according to the essentiall parts thereof instituted by Christ but according to these Writers the essentiall parts thereof are bread and wine iointly as the matter the forme being the wordes of consecration iointly pronounced ouer either forme ergo the bread and wine coniunctim are to be ministred to ther people for the integritie of the Sacrament Whence it followeth that the Church of Rome by the amputation of one forme vtterly crosseth and ouerthroweth the nature of the Sacrament and so maketh it no Sacrament at all
soules into hell fire 10 And in very truth Diuers Authors shew auricular confession not to be ancient Socr. li. 5. ca 19. Tripartit hist lib 9. 35. Sozom. li. 7. c. 16 Niceph. libr. 12. cap 28. Wald. tom 2 de saora ca 141. Dom à Sot 4. dest 8 q 1. Henriq sum pag 325. Andâ— Orthodox expl c. pag. 663. Bâ—ron tom 1. ann 56. nu 28. Homil 22. ad pop Antioch when I looke backeward vppon the beginning of Christianitie as by the Scriptures I finde no such doctrine of auricular Confession to Priests as a thing necessary to saluation so doe I finde it a nouell doctrine not agreeable to Antiquitie but to haue had beginning after the planting of Christianitie For Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople Put it downe in his Church and all the Bishoppes of the East did the like in theirs This the learned est Writers of the Romaine Church know well enough and acknowledge rayling vpon Nectarius for so doing as Andradius and Baronius doe which is a signe that the refourmed Churches reiecting confession breake no commandement of God but follow the example of the primitiue church that refused it This seems to be most cleare by S. Chrysostome saying This is wonderfull in God that he not onely forgiueth vs our sinnes but neythâ—r doth he disclose them or make them knowne neyther enjorceth he vs to come foorth and teil them he requireth no more but that we speake to him alone and to him alone confesse our faults It is not likelie that these learned and holie Bishoppes would thus haue done and also taught if Auricular Confession with a numerall accompt of euerie particular sinne to a Priest had beene generally receyued as an essentiall part of pennance necessarie to saluation in theyr times I doe finde by diuerse that there is scarce anie kinde of thing which causeth more scandall vnto the Cleargie it selfe than this Doctrine of particular enumeration of sinnes For a certaine Writer saith Religious men themselues in no thing sinne so much as in dissembling confessions Alua. Pelag. de planot Eccles lib 2. art 28. p. 255. For scarce or seldome at all doe they confesse otherwise then in generall termes naming no great sinne What they say one day that they say the next as if euery day they sinned alike Yet this abuse is nothing to that the same Author addeth saying That it was an ordinarie practise for the Priests to commit execrable villanie with the Women at confession as if they were the Sonnes of Eli Art 127. pa. 111 rauishing wiues and deflouring maides in the Church Art 2. pag. 83. and committing Sodomie with yong men with other stuffe then this affirming That the Church was made a stewes I finde further that an other Romish Writer saith Art 2. 73. 83. Cornel. Agrippa de vanit c. 64. I could by many examples fresh in memorie shew how fit this confession is for bawderie for Priests Monkes and Nunnes haue this speciall prerogatiue that vnder pretence of religion they may goe vp and downe when and whither they will and vnder colour of confession talke with anie woman whom they oftentimes entertayne but homely closely they goe to the stewes rauish virgins and widdowes yea manie times which my selfe haue seene and knowne runne awaie with mens wiues and carrie them to their fellows and hereby whose soules they should gaine to God their bodies they sanctifie to the Diuell II. â—isconueniences ouerthrowing auricular confession Many other proofes might be alleaged of the inconueniences of auricular Confession as by opening such sinnes by women or yong men as the very hearing of them striketh impression in the Priests and many times engendreth such occasions of temptations to them as they haue no power to resist them besides euen to the penitents also some sinnes into which they may fall by humane infirmitie may bee of that nature that they can neuer haue the heart through bashfulnesse to confesse them and then follow vnperfect confessions and after continuall remorse and perplexities of minde which make their whole liues irkesome vnto them drawing them into the remedilesse gulfe of desperation especially when the sinnes are such in weake natures as the Apostle Saint Paul himselfe thought vnfit to bee named which are fitter to bee opened to GOD than to Men. Therefore no man can well thinke that auricular confession is a soueraigne medicine for sinne which often is an occasion of much sinne No doubt IESVS CHRIST and the Apostles were as carefull to preserue men from sinne as the Pope can be and yet they neuer prescribed this medicine For certes whosoeuer feareth not to commit sin in the presence of God that seeth all men will as little blush to confesse it after their manner to a Priest whom they may deceiue and hee that regardeth not the law of God will care as little for the Priests absolution the feare of God and awe of his truth being of more force to bridle our sinnefull nature than the pollicie of man so that to conclude obseruing this auricular confession not to be an essentiall part of Penance nor to haue any warrant in the word of God nor to bee ancient doctrine without beginning since Christ and his Aposses nor to bee agreeable to reason in respect of many inconueniences that ensue of it it followeth that Penance is not a Sacrament instituted by Christ and consequently that there are not seuen Sacraments instituted by him as the Church of Rome teacheth and therefore I could no longer bee frighted with the Excommunication of the Councell of Trent against those that should denie this doctrine like those qui trepidant timore vbi non est timor Who tremble for seare where there is no cause of feare 12. Strange sables deuised for the prâ—ose of auricular coniession I remember a notable fable worth the relating deuised to breede feare and terrour for want of totall confession into the eares of a Priest which is recorded in diuers Writers of the Church of Rome of which two one of them was Penitentiarius to the Pope a man of great learning and good life and the other to wit the yongest was a simple vnlearned man In mag Spec. exemplor dist 9. p. 531. Guil. Pip. tr 1. super Conc. c. 13. ex lib. qui dicitur Scala coeli It happened that these two trauailing abroade together were lodged at a certaine Castle where a great Ladie dwelt that had committed Adulterie nay Incest with one of her owne Kinne Who out of the shame shee had conceiued for hauing committed so enormous an offence remained for the space of eleuen yeares without going to confession to her Curate who entertaining this religious couple and obseruing them in their carriages to bee vertuous and grane and not to haue any acquaintance with her and considering that perhaps they might neuer come againe to her house shee thought shee might doe well to make her
held that all men besides Christ alone deriued from Adam doe contract originall sinne from Adam Now if this be a matter of faith that all haue contracted sinne from Adam shall it not be against faith to hold that the virgine Marie did not contract sinne from Adam What did she not deseend from Adam by the line of corporall generation Or is there any Scripture or reuciation to the contrarie Is there any exemption of this Virgine No curtainely Nay I dare confidently affirme that it would haue been a great discomfort to this holy Virgine not to haue been partaker of that seet redemption by Christ which others were partakers of If shee were not partaker of the benefit of redemption why did shee say 1. Luc. 47. Magnificat anima mea Dom et exultauit spiritus mâ—us in Deo salutarimeo My soule doth magnisie the Lord and my spirit doth reioyce in God my Sanior How could it be true that God was her Sauior vnlesse it were by Christ of whom wee read in S. Mathew Ipse saiuuÌ„ faciet populuÌ„ suuÌ„ à peccatis eoruÌ„ 1. Matth. 21. He shall sane his people from their sinnes If she had onely been preserued from originall sinne by extraordinarie priuiledge she would haue said that she did reioyce in God her preseruer therefore in that she said she reioiced in God her Sauior according to the phrase of Scripture it is right well inferred that shee acknowledged her selfe saued from originall sinne by Christ whom shee had thus conceiued by the helpe of the holy Ghost without the seede of man to saue people from their sinnes so consequently her selfe calling â—im her Sauior If it be true that S. Paul sayth Ephes 2. Eramus omnes silij irae we were all the children of wrath and sivnus pro omnibus mortuus est if one died for all ergo omnes mortui sunt 1. Cor. 2. v. 14. 15. therefore all died Et pro omnibus mortuus est Christus and Christ died for all it necessarily followeth that the virgine Marie was also a child of wrath by originall sinne through Adam and that Christ who did for all died also for her or else how can it be verified that he died for all If my illation is not to be credited herein Thomas of Aquin may be demaunded his opinion and he will be found to agree with me herein Tho. 3. p.q. 27. art 2. in corp his wordes are these The sanctification of the virgine Marie cannot be vnderstood before giuing of soule or life for a two-fold respect First because sanctification of which we speake is no other than a cleansing from originall sinne Cap. 12. de diui Nomi parum à principio for holinesse is perfect cleanenesse as Dionysius sayty but sinne cannot be clensed but by grace whereunto the reasonable creature is onely subiect Therefore before the infusion of the reasonable soule the blessed Virgine was not sanctified Secondly for that since onely the reasonable creature can haue sinne before the infusion of the reasonable soule the fruit conceiued is not obnoxious to sinne And therefore by what meanes soeuer the blessed Virgine was sanctified before giuing soule or life shee should neuer haue incurred the blot of originall sinne and so shee should not haue stood in neede of redemption or saluation which is by Chris of whom it is said Matth. 1. He shall saue the people from their sinnes But this is inconuenient that Christ should not be the Sauior of all men as wee reale in the first to Timothie the fourth Therefore it resteth that the sanctification of the blessed virgine was after shee receiued soule or life Here then it is apparant that this their Angelicall Doctor held the virgine Marie to be obnoxious to originall sinne because the sanctification he speakes of as himselfe sayth is a cleansing from originall sinne as also for that he sheweth that it would haue beene inconuenient for her not to haue incurred the blot of originall sinne because then shee should not haue stood in neede of redemption So that I thinke it is hereby plaine by the Scriptures according to Thomas Aquinas vnderstanding that the virgine Marie was conceiued in originall sinne and therefore this doctrine is a point of faith 3. Hence I obserue farther The disagreement in the Church of Rome about the virgine Maries conception Ban. part 1. pag. 75. De consecratione d. 4. firmissime nu 12. pag. 101. vpon more serious consideration of the doctrine holding the contrarie how much the late Diuines of the Romish Church especially the Iesuites doe swarue from former Diuines who taught the virgine Marie to be conceiued in originall sinne Bannes acknowledgeth that all the Fathers with one consent held the virgine Marie to be conceiued in originall sinne And Turrecremata sayes That almost all the Schoolemen held the virgine Marie had originall sinne yea that is the common opinion among the famousest of them and he hath colleced an hundred of that minde I obserue a notable contradiction amongst some Romane Writers in this point Cardinal Bellarmine indeede commeth neere the truth when he sayth To affirme that the blessed virgine was conceiued in originall sinne Bellar. de stat peccat l. 4. c. 15. is not against faith He had said well if he had said it is de side it is a matter of faith for is not that a matter of faith which is plaine by the expresse word of God as I haue shewed Yet others say shee had no originall sinne Almain potest eccles c. 16. Clicto super Damas l. 3. c. 2. Frac. Titl Io. 2. and that it is a point of our faith so to beleeue and that it is impietie to thinke otherwise Now if they say true then doe they make the Cardinall an Heretike when in the second conclusion hee affirmeth That the blessed Virgine is piously thought to haue beene conceiued without originall sinne by the singular priuiledge of God Is that thing to be but piously beleeued which is a point of our faith as the former said Or is not that thing against faith which is contrarie to that proposition which they say is a point of faith and that it is impietie to thinke otherwise But in verie truth omitting the contradictions of their writings about this doctrine if we looke but into the institution of the Feast of the Virines conception which they keepe euerie yeare we shall finde it verie nouell in respect of antiquitie and such occasions thereof as are vnfit to ground their doctrine vpon contrarie to all antiquitie 4. To. 1. c. 4. tit 1. p. 6. Anthonie d'Aneroult in his Historicall Catechisme sheweth how the Feast of the Conception of the Virgine Marie was instituted which he recounteth in this manner William the Duke of Normandie An apparition whereupon this doctrine was grounded and the Feast of her Conception first instituted a man fearing God after he had conquered England and reformed the
they giue testimonie of mee What good will all your sufferings doe you what your dangers what your imprisonments what your temporall wants or abundance what your louing frinds or well affected kindred towards you what I say will all this auaile you if your dectrine bee vnsound euen in point of Faith and what a miserable calamitie is it which you bring your followers vnto who for cleaning to your erroneous doctrines must hazard their temporall estates and fortunes must begger their Families vndoe their Posterities and which is worst must damne their soules for professing the vsurped authoritie and transcendencie of an ambitious Pope and other nouelties through your encouragements Looke well therefore to the cause of your sufferings and doctrines for Christ saith Blessed are they that suffer for iustice sake Math. 5. ver 10. for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen therefore if you suffer for iniustice as for superstition for idolatrie for heresies for disalleageance to God and your Princes as you doe I may truely say that not a Kingdome but the bottomelesse pit of hell will come to your share and lot since you want the garment of truth in doctrine with handes and feete bound you will in the end if you turne not from your wicked waies bee cast into exteriour darkenesse where you shall bee vexed with most hideous howling and gnashing of teeth my desire I haue of your conuersions makes mee to say vnto you Iere. 6. vers 16. State super vias videte Stand yee on the waies and see And to ingeminate the same Counsell State super vias videte Stand yee on the waies and see For the way of the wicked is darkesome Prou. 4. vers 16. Prou. 14. ver 12. they know not where they fall and the Scripture telleth there is a way which seemeth right vnto a man but the issues thereof leade vnto death Out of which it hath pleased the goodnesse of God so to draw mee that I may say his holy Spirit hath brought mee into the right Land Psal 142. ver 11 and to such a right way of truth to walke in wherein I finde more comfort than euer I did in my whole life before in the Pâ—pacie by the Seruice and Sacraments of the Church of England so that for my perseuerance therein from my heart I pray to God with King Dauid O God hold vp my steppes in thy paths Psal 17. v. 5. that my footsteps slip not 4. Now it is most behoofefull also that I speake vnto you all Recusants falsely styling your selues Catholikes An aduise to all Romish Catholikes that as I heartily loue your persons and wish well vnto your soules I may giue you good testimonie thereof by admonishing you not to be blindly led by others to the ouerthrow of your states in this world and eternall damnation of your soules in the next desiring you in the tender bowels of Christ Iesus that since God hath made me a spectacle vnto you of his singular mercie not to be so foolishly besotted and ignorantly seduced as not to make your aduantage by my obseruations which doubtlesse God hath helped me in as well for your example and benefit as for the manifestation of his owne goodnesse Be not I beseech you ouer-credulous in easily beleeuing euery thing that vnaduisedly your Teachers shall suggest vnto you but examine their Doctrines according to the rule Doctor Stapleton prescribeth vnto you spoken of in my eleuenth chapter num 3.4.5 that is by considering the fruits of your Teachers and whether the doctrine they teach you be conformable to the doctrine of former times generally receiued and taught in the Primitiue Church beleeue not all they say of the Preachers of the Church of England whom they often most notoriously traduce with most false calumniations as namely I heard an auncient Priest in the Vniuersitie of Louaine some few yeares since report of the death of Bishop Iuell Bishop Iuell calumniated affirming that he trauelling here in England was taken with a suddaine sicknesse and so compelled to light in a house where Doctor Harding had vsed sometimes to lodge in and growing worse and worse hee was forced to betake himselfe to a bed where his paines encreasing by the iust iudgement of God because Master Doctor Harding had often layen there before he grew into desperate fits crying out Doctor Harding Doctor Harding and wishing he had neuer set penne to paper against him and so died as a man in despaire in Doctor Hardings bed This was told as a remarkable matter against him for the reproofe of his doctrine and magnifying of Master Harding which I am informed by credible men to be most vntrue and false Therefore I say vnto you againe deere Christians be not ouer-credulous but beware of false Prophets who haue their consciences so seared that they regard not how falsely they speake so they may any way traduce the credit and reputation of their aduersaries amongst you charging both Caluin and Luther and other true Conuertites of Iesus with such things as are not to be named most iniuriously but no maruell when otherwise they cannot defend their cause Againe let me obtaine so much of you as to bee frequent in reading the Word of God which although it haue many difficult things in it yet for so much as belongs to faith and manners necessarie for euery man to know it is easie and facile If you will haue an infallible rule by which you may know the Shepheards which like good sheepe you ought to follow remember that Christ said In hoc cognoscent quod discipuli mei sitis si charitatem habueritis ad inuicem In this men shall knowe that you are my Disciples if you haue charitie one towards the other Now whether you finde this mutuall charitie amongst your or our Clergie either in doctrine or manners I leaue to your owne iudgements to consider And as for my selfe such as haue beene acquainted with me if they will say truly I am sure that my conuersation amongst them hath alwaies since my Priesthood beene such as cannot bee toucht with any kind of disorder my zeale in the blindnesse of that faith as forward as others to the small portion of Talent which God hath bestowed vpon me making me as readie by day and by night to draw men to the Romish faith as any mans either by preaching or other labours with as great sinceritie as possibly might be No man can charge me of mercenarie couetousnesse for making a Monopole of any of you for mine owne profit or the wrong of others hauing alwaies beene as readie to giue as to take carrying in minde that of Saint Hierome saying Epist ad Nouatianum Ignominia est omnium sacerdotum proprijs studere diuitiis It is a reproach of all Priests to studie to enrich themselues Therefore I haue neuer repined that others should gaine the profit of my paines or gather the fruit of my labours Had I
beene of such an auaricious disposition as is too frequent amongst many I could haue prouided sufficient meanes to haue supplied my present wants in the case I now stand in whereof I may truly say Amici mei proximi mei aduersum me approprinquanerunt steterunt My louers and friends haue approached against mee and haue stood aloofe from mee Therefore since my carriage amongst you euen in the errors of that Church was such as might beseeme the dutie of a good Shepheard let this moue you to thinke that God hath blessed my sinceritie so much as to accept it in his sight for the greater benefit of my conuersion vnlesse you see a change and alteration in my life and conuersation as I thanke God I feele none my selfe but rather an abettrement by the religion I am come vnto esteeme it the worke of God and make your benefit of it for your owne soules good through Gods mercie who draweth vnto him as much by example as by any other meanes Therefore I beseech you consider well these my obseruations and turne to the true Catholike faith whereof you are ignorant but in name and pretended claime 5. And you beloued Christians of England who are right professors of the Gospell and by it of the true auncient To all true Catholikes of England Catholike and Apostolike Faith not onely in style but also in truth let me be so bold with you as to exhort and encourage you in your profession to shew your selues thankefull vnto Almightie God you haue the Word of God frequently and with great care ministred amongst you you haue also the Sacraments instituted by Christ himselfe according to his institution applied vnto you for the comfort of your soules you are freed by Gods grace from the treditions and inuentions of men you haue the diuine Seruice towards God in your owne Tongues to your comforts and not in vnknowne Languages you are deliuered by Gods grace from the flauish bondage of the Popes gouernment and are blessed vnder the sweete and milde regiment of a gracious Prince who purchaseth by his sweete mercifull disposition your loues and procureth vnto you peace and happinesse free from ciuile warres and mutuall contentions Forget not therefore these sauours and benefits which by the bountifull hand of God are poured downe most abundantly vpon you which others want out of Gods especiall fauour and mercie Be not I say vngratefull for such inestimable blessings least ingratitude to God should suddainely depriue you of them and bestow them vpon others that will shew themselues more thankfull for them For ingratitude is the onely bane of Christians which soone bereaueth men of all Gods fauors and therefore rightly Bernard calleth it Bernard super Cantic Ventus vrens fontem siccans pietatis rorem misericordiae fluenta gratiae A parching winde drying vp the fountaine of pietie the deaw of mercie the streames of grace Take heede that your vnthankfulnesse for Gods benefites draw not that exprobation against you that Moyses iustly vttered against the vnthankfull Iewes checking them for their foolishnesse saying O wicked and peruerse generation O foolish and vnwise people Deut. 32. v. 6. doest thou render these things vnto the Lord Is not he thy Father who hath possessed made and created thee As though he should say Are these the thanks thou yeeldest for so many benefites affoorded thee Thou rendrest euill for good which is the highest degree and greatest kinde of malice It is a point of equitie to render good for good it is a part of perfection to render good for euill but to render euill for good is a part of the greatest peruersenesse and ingratitude that can be Take ye heed therefore of this vnthankfulnesse least yee incurre the iust imputation and punishment of a wicked and peruerse generation To the end therefore both you and my selfe may enioy still these blessings of Almightie God and by our thankefulnesse in this world arriue vnto greater blessings in the next out of a true desire hereof I will conclude with Saint Paule a true Conuertite through Gods singular mercie Bonum autem facientes non deficiamus tempore enim suo metemus Galat. 6. vers 9. non deficientes And let vs not be wearie in well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not These wordes of Saint Paule are fit for vs who exhorteth the Galathians to the workes of holinesse the true effects of a iustifying faith Wherein the Apostle performeth the part of a prudent and wise Husbandman who to keepe his workemen and labourers from slouth and to encourage them to goe stoutly forward in their paines without fainting putteth them in minde of the fruitfull haruest that will follow that strengthened with the ioyfull hope of gaine they may willingly continue in the toyle of their worke For so Saint Paule knowing all Christians to be labourers and workemen in the field of Gods Church and that it is as proper for them all to doe the workes of vertue and sanctitie as it is for the birdes to flye to the end they may not be tyred out with the heate and burden of the day nor be wearied with the toyle of tribulations and sufferings of any temptations and so giue ouer good workes but perseuere to the end and period of their liues he propoundeth vnto them the great fruit that shall bee reaped at Haruest after all their vertuous deedes and all sufferings in any persecutions when for their teares they shall reape ioy when for earthly wants they shall enioy store of heauenly treasures when for all the valiant combats against the world the flesh and the diuell in the constant confession of their faith before God and man Heauen shall be their reward and glorie their crowne O happie end which shall end with endlesse eternitie Therefore euen so to you all and to my selfe with earnest desires of Gods blessing for my conclusion I will instate once againe Saint Paul saying Let vs not be wearied in well doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not By the expectation of which glorious reward let vs be encouraged against all either corporall or spirituall oppositions to stand faithfully in defence of the Gospell of Christ to the confusion and stopping the mouthes of all that shall contradict vs Which God graunt wee may doe with true religious hearts to the glorie of his most holy Name with loyall affections for the safetie of our dread Soueraigne and with mutuall charitie for the euerlasting combination of our hearts in Christ Iesus Amen FINIS Errata FOl. 6. line 6. reade the whole Parenthesis thus not considering the great store and plentie of hereticall nouelties foretold by our Sauiour himselfe in the Scripture vnder the parable of Cockle and Tares ouer-sowed by the enemie man after the sowing of good seede when men were asleepe fol. 53. line 1. reade vpon this rule f. 68. l. 27. r. iustifieth although not without good workes line 28. works cannot iustifie f. 153. l. 20. r. was carried into c. f. 159. l. 9. r. that Antichristian f. 163. l. 1. r. words of consecration f. 187. in marg r. Tractat. de Indulgen c. 1. f. 217. l. 20. r. and the bed vndefiled f. 138. l. 17. r. it is easie and facile f. 238. l. 21. r. that you are f. 234. l. 19. r. the Church l. 25. r. by the mightie strength and power of all these l. 27. r. estraied soule f. 230. l. 34. r. of the Diuell l. 35. r. to this of England f. 227. l. 24. r. he shall not be c. f. 19. l. 12. r. and chiefely the neerer f. 40. l. 19. r. whereunto we must take heed f. 97. l. 14. r. that is a Papist f. 101. l. 22. r. of no conscience in matters of importance l. 28. r. And ye haue left the f. 103. l. 9. in marg r. agree well together f. 104. l. 4. r. moneths prisoner f. 109. l. 8. r. perinde ac si Deus foret f. 110. l. 25. r. to be enclosed vp againe so f. 111. l. 1. r. in Spaine depended l. 18. r. glorie of men f. 112. l. 34. r. varietie of vertues f. 113. l. 8. r. they are like f. 117. l. 35. r. Canus f. 118. l. 5. r. forged f. 120. l. 11. r. pretie things f. 128. l. 6. r. confederats to entertaine the stage while the liues and f. 124. l. 31. r. we may doe the better f. 133. l. 15. r. Chap. 12. f. 230. l. 25. r. to be verified f. 234. l. 25. r. by the mightie strength and power of all these chaines