150 Church of Rome no Church of Christ from p. 137. to 158 Church establisht what it signifies in the Papists Dictionary 136 Clemangis his Advice to depart out of Babylon 218 Council of Constance depose Pope John the 23d and declare a Council to be above the Pope 58 Constantinople taken by the Turk 238 D. DEgrading a Priest the manner of it 70 Dispensation from a Pope for a man to marry with his own Sister 214 To practise Witchcraft 244 To commit Sodomy 261 Dissenters a French Case put touching the Prosecutions against them 16 Dowdal a Popish Priest in the Gate-House 1681 his Complaints of his Fellow-Priests and their Rogueries E. EMperor of Greece comes to Italy 221 F. FAction the word interpreted 223 Feasts of â—â—â—ception and Visitation of the Virgin Mary 〈…〉 230 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY Dec. 23. 1681. Magnus ab Integro seclorum nascitur Ordo A Preliminary Discourse to this Fourth Volume The History of John Wickliff his Parts Doctrines c. with a brief Draught of the Complexion of those Times IN our three foregoing Tomes we have trac'd the Roman Lucifer from his very Cradle and pursued him in all his subtle windings 'till we found him mounted aloft exalting himself above all that is called God disposing of the Crowns and Kingdoms of Princes at his pleasure and trampling their Royal Necks under his audacious Feet We have also particularly considered the Rise and Progress of the Apostacy under what pretences the respective Errors Superstitions and Idolatries crept into the Church and how they were entertain'd and promoted from time to time by the Pope and his Clergy in order to gratifie their own Pride and Covetousness Thus have we follow'd the Thread of the Story to the 14 th Century at which time it pleased God to raise up Wickliff an English-man who more loud than any before him sounded the Alarm-Bell of Reformation and by continual preaching and writing against the lazy Friars and their Fopperies that the Impression altho his wicked Enemies burnt the good Man's Bones long after made in the Minds of Men by his Doctrines could never be totally effaced but remain'd more or less in several parts even 'till Luther's days And indeed it waâ— high time for some such burning and shining Light to arise for 〈◊〉 all the World sat in darkness and the shadow of Death The name of Christianity was left but scarce any thing else the true â—nd lively Doctrine of our Blessed Lord and Saviour was for the most part as unknown to those who call'd themselves after his Name as to the Heathen themselves The vileness of our natural State the strength and turpitude of Sin the end and use of the Law the Offices of Christ and the Holy Ghost the Comforter the Nature of Faith the true works of Grace and liberty of a Christian Man c. were Points neither understood nor enquired after There was rarely a word of Scripture mentioned Divinity and Learning were both confin'd close Prisoners to the Schools and there miserably perverted into Cobweb Notions and wrangling Sophistry Instead of reading the Evangelists and St. Paul Men spent their time and Brains in studying the crabbed perplexities of Scotus and the Master of the Sentences and the World forsaking the vivifying Power of God's Spiritual Word and Doctrine was altogether first blinded and then led with external gawdy Pomp dazling Ceremonies and multiplied humane Traditions Scarce any thing else being seen in the Churches heard in their Sermons or intended in all their â—evotions so that the People were taught to worship nothing but what they saw and they saw almost nothing which they did not worship Witness the multitudes of Images Crosses Pictures Reliques Shrines Tombs Altars c. all the Objections of their foolish Devotions Instead of the Poverty and Purity of Christ here was Pride and Superfluity and all kinds of abomination of Life instead of the Apostolical Labours and Humility Sloth and Ambition had seiz'd upon the Priests The simple and unlearned being far from all knowledge of the Holy Scripture thought it enough for them to know only these things which were delivered them by their Pastors and Teachers who were almost as ignorant themselves and taught nothing but what they received from the Court of Rome whereof the most part tended more to the profit of their Order advancing the Pope's Interest or filling with Money his Coffers than to the Glory of Christ or real advantage of Souls The Christian Faith was counted no other thing than to know That Christ once suffer'd that is 't was enough for us to know what the Devils also knew Men were so addicted to the Hypocrisie of outward shews that the Religion and Holiness even of the most Learned and Pious seem'd altogether to consist in the observing of Days Meats Habits and such vain circumstances Hence arose so many different Orders of Religion or Fraternities of Monks and Friars with Vestures of several fashions and various colours Hence likewise came your Pilgrimages to Loretto to Rome to Compostella c. As if St. James at Compostella would do that which Christ could not do at London or Canterbury or as if our Omnipotent Omnipresent Jehovah were not of like power or strength and pity and compassion in every place or could not be found unless by running and gadding hither and thither contrary to his own Requirements Neither at Jerusalem nor in this Mountain but in Spirit and Truth shall ye worship the Father for such he seeketh to worship him John 4. 22. The Holiness requisite all the year was put off to Lent No Country to be counted Holy but Palestina because thereon Christ had walked with his corporeal Feet Instead of taking up the true Cross of Christ by Patience Humility Self-denial Mortification c. people go together by the Ears about the material Cross whereon Christ suffered and though they knew not where to find it yet upon an imagination that it was in those Parts all Christian Kings and Princes are set agogg many of them ruin'd and 't is believ'd some millions of Men slain and destroy'd in these pretended Holy Wars who though otherwise never so debauch'd and wicked are yet assur'd to go to rights to Heaven the meritoriousness of this Expedition expiating all their Villanies This was the state of Christendom in those days and wanted not the World then an Hercules to purge such an Augaean Stable Yes certainly and Providence provided him even Wickliff a valiant and well-appointed Champion for whom I may borrow that Encomium which Syracides bestows on Simon the Son of Onias Eccles 50. 6. He was as the morning Star in the midst of a Cloud and as the Moon being Full in her Course as the Sun shining on the Temple of the Most High and as the Rain-bow diverting our fears of a Deluge as the Flower of Roses in the early Spring as Lillies by
the truth is How much a Sot soever he were he prov'd too cunning for them for having smoakt their Consult and Design next time they came according to Custom to Complement him he seiz'd seven of the most busie of them and without any colour of Law presently confiscated all their Estates and thereby so terrified all the rest that no man of them durst think any more of the Curatorship These seven that he had snapt he with a Cruelty suitable to a Pope thrust into a miserable Dungeon and without any respect to their Age or Quality put them to the Rack and all manner of Tortures his gracious Nephew Pregnan standing by to see Execution done and upbraiding them whilst in Torments But King Charles soon after by reason of some Insolencies offer'd to him by the said Pregnan coming to besiege Vrban himself in the said Castle of Lucera his Impietyship was forc'd to fly over the Mountains and with much ado got to Salerno carrying his Captive-Cardinals under a Guard along with him and one of them broken with Tortures not being able to follow him farther he commanded his Hangman to knock out his Brains and left his Body in the Fields without Burial the other six he dragg'd with him all but Cardinal Adam a poor Monk whom he gave to King Richard the Second of England First to Sicily and then to Genua and at last that he might not be troubled with them any longer he caus'd them saith the Author all in one Night to be beheaded But Platina saith they were sown up in Sacks and so flung into the Sea after the manner of punishing Parricides of old which is probable since no doubt the Pope would call their Crime Rebellion against their Spiritual Father But which way soever he dispos'd of them all Authors agree That they were never seen afterwards Lewis King of Hungary dying the before-mentioned Charles his Son was forc'd to go home thither to settle Affairs where by the Treachery of the Queen he was beheaded but had left two Sons Ladislaus and John Children very young at Ferrara whereupon the Pope thirsting after Revenge and to wreck his Spleen on these two innocent Babes for the Injuries he pretended to have received from their Father thinking he had a fit opportunity departs from Genua to Lucca then to Sena and Perusium with a desire as he pretended to see Naples but in truth with a design to defeat the young Princes of their Inheritance but by the prudence and faithfulness of some Counsellors to whose Charge they were left their Lives and Estates were preserved from his malicious Fury Then he return'd to Rome and made in one day 29 Cardinals of whom 26 were Neopolitans In the last year of his Popedom calling to mind of the vast Gain that the Jubilee had brought to Clement the Sixth in the year 1350. He would needs tho against all Reason except only that of private Lucre abreviate the Term and have it kept every 30 years yet so as that it should begin at Christmas Anno Dom. 1388. and continue a year Inclusive But tho he had laid his Bait for Money yet he did not live to see the Fish caught for being bruis'd by a fall of his Mule as he was riding to Perusium he was carried to Rome where after few days he died Paucis admodùm utpote hominis Rustici inexorabilis flentibus Hujus autem Sepulchrum adhuc visitur cum Epitaphio satis Rustico inepto Very few says Platina lamenting his Death for he was a clownish Fellow and inexorable His Tomb is seen to this day with a very Rustical and foolish Epitaph And there 's an end of one of our Popes and if he were as Roman Historians bear us in the hand the Right and most Legitimate of the two we may very well say Bad was the best for amongst other of his meritorious Feats he caus'd a Book to be written by one John de Therano his Chamberlain the beginning whereof is Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar ' s and to God the things that are God's wherein he affirms That these words of our Saviour have place only for a time namely until his Ascention but afterwards they were out of Date and of no force seeing that himself saith John 12. When I shall be taken up I will draw all Men after me that is Pray mark the Wit and Divinity of the Interpretation All Kings and Kingdoms shall be under the Empire of the Pope c. Likewise John the Ligni wrote a Book in favour of this Pope Vrban against his Rival Clement as on the other side the Abbot of St. Vast wrote one for Clement against Vrban wherein they call each Pope Heretic Schismatic Tyrant Thief wicked sower of Sedition Son of Belial and 't is believ'd they were not either of them much mistaken Pope Vrban you have heard left the hopeful Crop of his intended Jubilee to be reap'd by his Successor who was one Peter de Thomacellis a Neopolitan who was call'd Boniface the Ninth Ignorant he was saith our oft-quoted Author Theodoric a Nyem l. 2. c. 6. of writing and singing and so unfit for Administration of the Affairs of the Court of Rome that whilst he lived he hardly understood the Propositions made before him by the Advocates in Consistory in so much that in his time Inscitia ferè venalis fuit in ipsa Curiâ Ignorance was almost buyable as a main step to preferment in the Roman Court Yet in all kind of Simony so far he excell'd all his Predecessors that not one Cardinal or Bishop was promoted without extorting great Sums of Money from them And indeed such an unreasonable Griper had Vrban before found him who only for his Personage and goodly Stature had from a Vagabond Clerk preferr'd him to be a Cardinal That he for meer shame was about to degrade him if he had not been prevented by Death Of this godly Gentleman's Invention as some Authors report were the payments to the Pope call'd Annates concerning which it may not be wide of our mark to inform the vulgar Reader what by that word is understood Annates deriv'd from Annus a year are no other than Primitiae the first Fruits or profits of every Spiritual Living for one year to be paid by the Parson that is invested in it at his first entrance thereupon and near of Kin hereunto are Decimae Tenths take it in a strict sense viz. The Tenth part of the first Fruits or of one years value of all Spiritual Livings and these were anciently paid to the Popes not only in England but throughout the Western parts of Christendom for the Pope as Pastor pastorum claim'd Decimas decimarum and that Jure divino too tho never thought of 'till about or some small time before this year 1399. by Example forsooth of the Jewish High-Priest who Numb 18. 16. was to have Tenths from the Levites But tho Jure Divino as in many other
Sacrament of the Body of Christ saying that it ought to be Ministred in both kinds and that after the words of Consecration pronounc'd there still remaineth material Bread in the Sacrament 2. He doth Err as touching the Church for that he doth not allow and admit that the Church signifieth the Pope Cardinals Archbishops and Clergy but saith this signification was drawn from the Schoolmen 3. That he hath said That Tempral Princes and Lords may take away the Temporal possessions of the Church and Clergy without any offence 4. He teacheth that all Priests are of like power and therefore affirms That the reservations of the Popes Casualties the ordering of Bishops and the Consecration of the Priests were invented only for Covetousness 5. That he erreth concerning the Church forasmuch as through Contempt he doth not fear Excommunication 6. He erreth by holding That a Man being once Ordain'd a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden from the Office of Preaching c. Upon these and other the like Articles the Council proceeded against him in his sickness and tho he often offer'd to defend his Cause yet they would neither allow him any Advocats nor permit him publickly to be heard And in their Ninth Session they declared Quod non obstantibus salvis Conductis Imperatoris Regum c. Possit per Judicem competentem de Haeretieâ pravitate inquiri That notwithstanding any safe Conduct granted by the Emperor or any Kings Inquisition many be made against any Man for Haeresy by a Competent Judge and process to be made according to Law To relate the whole proceedings would be too tedious how malicious and unjust his accusers were how stout and faithful to him were several Bohemian Noble Men representing his Innocence to the cruel Fathers but all in vain nothing but his Blood would satisfy and so they proceed to pass the following sentence upon him The most sacred General Council of Constance Congregated together and representing the Catholick Church for perpetual memory of the thing As truth doth witness that an evil Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit so it cometh to pass that the Man of most damnable memory John Wickliff through his pestiferous Doctrine not through Jesus Christ by the Gospel as the holy Fathers in times past have begotten faithful Children but contrary to the wholesome Faith as a venemous root hath begotten many wicked and pestilent Children whom he hath left behind him successors and followers of his perverse and accursed Doctrine against whom this Sacred Synod of Constance is forced to rise up as against Bastards and diligently with a Sharp-knife of Ecclesiastical Authority to cut up Errors out of the Lords field as most hurtful Brambles and Briars lest they should grow up to the destruction of others Forasmuch then as in the holy General Council lately celebrated at Rome it was decreed that the Doctrine of John Wickliff of most damnable memory should be Condemned and his Books burnt as Haeretical yet 〈◊〉 John Hus here personally present in this Sacred Council not the Diciple of Christ but of Wicliff an Arch Haeretick hath taught and affirmed the Articles of Wickliff which were Condenm'd by the Church of God Wherefore after diligent Deliberation and full Information this most Sacred Council declareth and determineth the Articles abovesaid which are sound in his Books wrot with his own hand and which he hath own'd not to be Catholick nor worthy to be taught but that many of them are erroneous some wicked other some to be offensive unto godly Ears many of them to be temerarious and seditious and the greater part of them to be Notoriously Haeretical and doth condemn all and every the Books which the said Hus hath wrot in what form or phrase soever they be or whether they be Translated by others and doth decree That they shall be publickly burnt in the presence of the Clergy and People c. And the said Synod doth pronounce the said John Hus an Haeretick and a Seducer and obstinate Person and such an one as doth not desire to return again to the Lapp of our holy Mother the Church neither to abjure the Errors and Heresies which he hath openly Preached and defended wherefore this most Sacred Council decreeth and declares That the said John Hus shall be deposed and degraded from his Priestly Orders and Dignity Since this sentence mentions Degrading it will not be amiss to consider the manner how that Ceremony is perform'd Which is thus The party to be degraded is attir'd in all his Priestly Vestments and holdeth in the one hand a Chalice filled with Wine mixed with Water and in the other a Guilt Paten with a Wafer Then kneeling down the Bishops Deputy taking from him these Trincats Charges him to say no more Mass for the Quick or the Dead Secondly scraping with a piece of Glass his fingers ends he Enjoyns him never to Hallow or Consecrate any thing and Thirdly rasing his shaven Crown and stripping 〈◊〉 of his Priestly Vestments he is Clothed in a Lay habit and delivered into the Power of the Secular Magistrate Thus was poor Hus serv'd and withal a Capp put on his head all painted over with Devils and this word Haerisiarcha or Ring leader of Hereticks inscribed thereon and so was burnt in the Month of July 1415. He behav'd himself at his Martyrdom with a wonderful Cheerfulness and seems to have had a Spirit of Prophecy for whereas Hus in the Bohemian Tongue signifies a Goose he told them You now roast a Goose but after a 100 years there shall a Swan rise up out of my Ashes which was fulfill'd in Luther who just 100 years after Hus's Death began to appear in opposition to the Pope Likewise during the time of this Council one Jerome a Learned Godly Man of the City of Prague hearing of the manyfold injuries done unto Hus voluntarily came to Constance with an intent to defend his Cause but not being able to procure any safe Conduct there was returning back again to his own Country but taken on the Road and brought bound into Constance and there by the Council Condemn'd and Burnt and his Ashes thrown into the River Rhyne as Hus's likewise had been so Industrious were the Romish Clergy to destroy all Memorials of these faithful Servants of God whose Names do yet survive all their impotent malice and remain Registred in the Book of Life in Heaven and pretious to all good Men on Earth What esteem the godly Nobles of that Age had of Mr. Hus may partly appear by a Letter of 54 Noble Men of Morauia under their Hands and Seals to the said Council THE COURANT. Tory. PRethee are Miracles ceas'd No no There 's a New Saint lately come over call'd Cess Process that does daily Wonders Dam Ignoramus is an Ass to her Tory. What kind of Feats does she Profess can she sham Godfryes Murder and Esquire Thin's and make the World believe That they both kill'd themselves or that it was done Justly
Intelligence O most Swinging Astonishing Confounding Incredible Blessed News I promise you Jesuit Is 't possible For Old Acquaintance sake let 's have 't Tory. I beg your Diversion Sir You that they say tell Lies so Dear must not expect to hear Truth Gratis But yet to save your longing I 'le give you a Tast Poor old Odiscalchi his Holiness is Dead as a Door-nail The Cardinals are shut up in the Conclave and now they are Canvasing Bribing Intriguing Tugging like mad for a new Infallible Noddle Jesuit That 's News indeed but preethee who 's like to carry 't Tory. Ay! that that I cannot forbear laughing to think how 't will vex thee and I 'le tell thee 't for no other Reason but because 't will make thee Hang thy self They 're going to chuse a Protestant Prince to be their Pope Jesuit Then I le be Hang'd ' Tory. Ay! ay! So thou hadst been long ago if th'adst had thy Deserts and so thou wilt at last whether that be so or no! but this is certain a Protestant Pope they 'l have The Flying Squadron are resolv'd on 't And Spain Germany and France for all the Interest you boast of there strike in with them What a blessed Reformation shall we have Jesuit Why then say I farewel Catholick Cause shaw shaw He 'le worm out the Catholick Faith and sapp the Church by degrees and in a while we shall have damn'd Conventicles held in the very Lateran Tory. No! no! There 's no fear of that neither for the Pope Presumptive though he is known to be a Protestant has promis'd a thousand times and vowed and sworn he 'le maintain the Roman Catholick Church as 't is Establisht by the Canons Jesuit Ay! there 's the Knavery on 't The Fallacy dost thou not smell the Raguery Tory. Not I I protest Father but to say truth I never had a very subtle Nose and yet I can at any time scent a Presbyterian Plot as far off as Vtopia Jesuit Why man by the Church as 't is Establisht by the Canons he means no doubt the Church as it ought to be Reform'd by the Canons of Scripture For can any Man be so Mad so Bewitcht as to think a Protestant will be true to the Catholick Interest Tory. Why not Sir As true I 'le warrant you as a Popish Successor will be to a Protestant Interest Jesuit Well! O my Conscience the Cardinals are a Pack of Knaves they betray the Catholick Cause I am confident most of them are Hereticks in their Hearts Tory. Why so why so good Sir They have Subscrib'd the Council of Trent They have taken all the Holy Tests and Canonical Oaths and given all the Security of their Catholicism that 's requir'd by Law of Holy Mother Church and why should we be so uncharitable as to Censure them for Hypocrites Jesuit Hang ' em hang ' em They 'r rotten at Core let 'em Swear their Guts out they that are so Zealous for a Protestant Pope may well be suspected to have an Hugonot in their Bellies Tory. Why now I 'me vext to hear one of your Order Father whose Society esteem themselves not only the most Learned and Politick but Men of the best Intelligence too talk so like a Ninny 'T is the mode all over the World since the last Comet and the Conjunction of Satura and Jupiter Have you not seen the News brought by a Post pidgeon to Scanderoon The Grand-Seignior is lately Dead too All Flesh is Grass Turk and Pope must come to 't and the Divan being Assembled because he left no Heirs of his Body Lawfully begotten nothing will satisfie them but they 'l Elect a Christian Prince to the Ottoman Empire Jesuit The Devil they will Tory. Nay never question the Truth on 't you shall see it shortly in Muddimans Letter and Infallible Natts Intelligence Jesuit Then hey go mad say I The World is going out of its Wits and the Vniverse becoming an Intire Bedlam What false to their own Religion the most Sacred of Ties betray their own Interest I 'le be Flead if there be one true Mussulman in the Divan if this you told me last be true Tory. Come come Fiat Justitia ruat Coelum Dost think all the World understands their true Interest Mankind are oft led by the Shadows and Fancies and Humours and Whims and a Thousand Capricio's I could tell thee of another as great a Wonder as all this comes to Jesuit Nay nay le ts have the bottom o' th Bag honest Tory Tory. What would you eat Sweet-meats with Shovels come come enough's as good as a Feast either at Souters or Pedlars-Hall what I have will keep cold and I 'le reserve it for another Collation Father Adieu Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY May 5. 1682. Omnia amisit qui veritatem amisit An Objection Answered touching Baptism The Church of Rome hath no true Ministry c. IN our last we urged That the Church of Rome does not practise the true Baptism of Christ whence an Objection may arise thus If the Church of Rome have not the true Baptism of Christ why then are not Papists when Converted to the true Faith of Christ Rebaptized How stands their former Baptism good To which I Reply in the words of the great Saint Augustine Contra Cresconium Lib. 1. C. 30. speaking of the External Form of Baptism used amongst Hereticks such Baptism is not to be Repeated but the Errour thereof Corrected And in his Seventh Book against the Donatists Chap. 40. He hath these Words The Divine Scriptures in many places do shew all these to be strangers from the Church who are not in the Rock and appertain not to the Members of the Dove and yet they Baptize and are Baptized and have Sine salute Sacramentum salutis without Salvation the Sacrament of Salvation And L. 5. chap. 17. Hereticks saith he have Lawful Baptism that is for the External Form but not Lawfully And so Bellarmine himself determines the Case Cum veniunt ad Ecclesiam Baptizati ab Haereticis agnoscendum est quod est Ecclesiae id est Baptisma corrigendus verò Error When those that are Baptized by Hereticks come to the Church the Church acknowledges what is her own that is the Baptism but the Errour is to be corrected The Sacraments operate effectually Non quia dicitur sed quia Creditur Not because the Words are uttered but because there is the Word of Faith purifying the heart as the Apostle speaks Act 15. And therefore the Church of Rome having deny'd the Faith of Righteousness and the Righteousness of Faith and the saving Doctrine of Baptism She hath consequently rendred Baptism to be of none Effect to her unto Salvation But yet still when any Papist is by the Grace of God and the Preaching of the Word and of saving Faith Converted to the true Church of God the Seal of Baptism
their Tenets and general avowed Practises of their pretended Church must needs render the condition of any Soul in that Communion very dangerous and hazardous 4. No man can come to God the Father but by Jesus Christ as our Lord testifieth of himself John 14. Who also sheweth That he is the way the truth and the life And by his holy Apostle 1 Tim. 2. teacheth us That there is no Mediator betwixt God and Man but the Man Christ Jesus But contrary hereunto the Papists vainly hope and imagine to come to God not only by Christ but also by the Virgin Mary by Angels and Saints They also seek out new ways and content not themselves with such as the infinite wisdom of our Lord prescribed unto us and do foolishly believe that the Pope by his Indulgences and every Hedg-Priest by mumbling over his Masses is able to redeem mens Souls 5. Whoever buildeth his Faith upon other foundation than the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets doth build upon the Sand and not upon such a firm foundation as will abide in the day of the Lord. But the Papists generally build their Faith upon the Popes Decretals upon unwritten and uncertain Traditions upon false pretended Miracles lying Legends and silly Fables do they not then build upon ruinous foundations and if so what is like to become of the Superstructure 6. By their own Canon Law Chapt. si papa dist 40. 't is affirm'd That the Pope may be remiss and negligent in his Office and silent in teaching and lead innumerable people with him into Hell Now if the Papists are to adhere to the Pope as their Head and to follow him how can they escape when he leadeth them into Hell So that if they know not or will not believe the Scriptures nor any other Arguments yet their own Decrees may teach them that following the Pope innumerable Papists run blindfold and headlong into Perdition 7. How is it possible that they should be saved who are Ignorant of the means of their Salvation who hold damnable Heresies repugnant to the Apostles Doctrine whose Faith is Faction and their Practises Idolatry Perjury Treasons Massacres and all kind of Abomination and this conniv'd at promoted excused justifyed nay commended and applauded by their Church as means to propagate the Gospel But all this is too true of the Papists at this day and therefore what Scripture grounds have we of hope unless they speedily repent and depart from these Abominations But if any man shall ask what then is become of all those that either now die or in times past are dead in places where Popery is or hath been professed We answer secret things belong to God we dare not pretend to sentence those that are gone but would caution such as survive Of those that held the foundation and lived good lives we hope well nor were several of the most destructive errors ever inforc'd upon the belief of men before the Conventicle of Trent and there may and no dobut are many amongst the Papists at this day who though conforming to them in outward Ceremonies yet hold not the errors of Popery positively but keep themselves to the old Apostolick Faith and of such persons Salvation we have no cause to despair God grant that the rest also may see their deformities and upon what a dreadful precipice they stand and revoke their errors and hearken to the call of God to come out of Babylon lest they are partakers of her plagues and joyn themselves with a sincere heart to the true Church of God and so be saved The COURANT. Tory. YOu see our Reverend guide disowns the Translation of The History of Calvinism Alas good pious man he declar'd it unfit to be turn'd into English Truem. Sure no more unfit than Pere Simon which is sold in Paul's Church yard as commonly as the Practice of Piety They were L'Estranges own Pupils that reported he was upon that Job but possibly he may have dropt the Design finding it smell too Rank or thought it unfit to be Englisht in wholesale That so he may more advantagiously retail the good Fathers notion in Observator's four times a Week Tory. But for all that He 's satisfied that John Calvin Introduced his Government and Discipline by a Rebellion Observ N. 139. Truem. Tho I have nothing to do with Calvin or his Discipline yet I must tell L'Estrange to his Beard though he wore a Sword three Inches longer than he does That in this particular He lies to use his own Phrase like a Kidnapper or any dying Jesuit For the Bishop of Geneva had quitted that City and the Form of Government was popular before ever Calvin came amongst them The judicious Hooker a Testimony more valuable than a million of Observators in the Preface to his Ecclesiastical Policy gives this account of that Affair At the coming of Calvin thither the Form of their Civil Regiment was popular as it continueth at this day neither King nor Duke nor Nobleman hath any Power or Authority over them but Officers chosen by the people yearly out of themselves to order all things with publick consent For spiritual Government they had no Laws at all agreed upon but did what the Pastors of their Souls by perswasion could win them unto Calvin being admitted one of their Preachers and a Divinity Reader amongst them considered how dangerous it was that the whole Estate of that Church should hang on so slender a thread as the liking of an Ignorant Multitude is if it have power to change whatsoever it listeth Wherefore taking unto him two of the other Ministers for more Countenance of the Action albeit all the rest were against it they moved and in the end perswaded with much ado the people to bind themselves by Solemn Oath First never to admit the Papacy again and Secondly to live in Obedience to such Orders concerning the exercise of their Religion and the former Ecclesiastical Government as those their true and faithful Ministers of Gods Word had agreeably to Scripture set down for that end and purpose Now prethee where 's the Treason or Rebellion in all this Tory. Come come have you observ'd Roger's Advertisement N. 138. What a damnable kindness he has for Dr. Oats If any man will be so kind and generous as out of an affection to the Protestant Religion c. to call Simson Tongue to a Legal account c. Roger L'Estrange out of a zeal to a publick good will furnish Authentick Papers and Materials c. What in the name of Nonsense is the meaning of all this Truem. Why first here is Roger honestly declares that is he not a man that has any affection to the Protestant Religion for if he had he might being so well furnisht with Tools and Materials call Tongue to an account himself without putting others upon it if it be a business that will as he pretends be a Service to the Protestant Religion But 2 ly There seems a greater
superiour Lord in whose presence the King could not punish any Noble-Man without his consent And so the Criminal for this horrid Act escap'd the reach of Justice Quia sic placuit Papae says Theodoric of Neym because it so pleas'd the Pope to have it THE COURANT. Tory. WHat says little Harry as the great Heraclitus calls him Does he not Triumph about Friday's work Truem. Not at all as I hear of tho if some people might have their will it would be almost matter of wonder to see Right at any time take place But still I think tho the Turky-Printer bustled as much as the best Powder-monkey Extortioner Soap-Chandler or Splitter-splutter Suborner in the Pack yet your Gang had no great cause of boasting for some of the forlorn White Friars Troops I hear were cut off by the Shoulder-dabbers in their Retreat But prethee what hast got in thy paw there Thou art always like the Observator sumbling of Papers Tory. 'T is an odd thing I took up in the Street and I know not what the Devil to make on 't However for once I 'le read it just as Parson Whip-spur does his Sermon which he never perus'd before he came into the Pulpit The Copy of a Letter from a Roman Catholic in Albania to a Popish Priest in Albionia May it please your Reverence WHat is every where admir'd I joyfully congratulate the wise and a live Conduct of our Vice Master who by his unwearied pains and care hath gain'd such a Senate as unanimously hath recogniz'd his pretensions and tho never so much a Papist he shall be so far they declare from being opposable that he must not be question'd which gives us great confidence if our Friends could at last procure such a complying Assembly in your parts we may once again have in prospect the Advancement of the Romish Catholic Religion tho poor Ned our grand Agitator were most wretchedly Sacrific'd to the Glory of the Design over this whole Island without much opposition But we are even now startled besides the late indignity of burning our Holy Father in Essigie at some Rumours which are spread amongst us for 't is averr'd the greater assurance we have of the Gentleman 's faithful Adherence to his Holinesses Supremacy and the See of Rome the less hopes we have of his coming to the Imperial Dignity or getting such a Senate as will bring our holy Enterprize to perfection in your Nation For 't is diffus'd as a Maxim and generally receiv'd That no resolv'd Papist can be admitted as a lawful King there according to the Rules of their present Government They pretend to prove it thus Every King of Albionia according to the Law is to be in all Causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal Supream Head and Governour Therefore no resolv'd Papist can according to Law there be King for be that owns the Popes Supremacy disclaims his own Supremacy consequently hath already renounc'd his Title and agreed an Act of Exclusion against himself And as for procuring such a Senate by the Laws establisht which are and have graciously been declared to be our Rule every Popish Recusant must be question'd discover'd repress'd and debarr'd from any Office and no man is to conceal maintain abet aid or assist a Popish Recusant in advancing him to any place of Trust Authority or Government but it shall be construed to signifie his consent to overthrow King Religion and Government establisht in so much that he shall incur the dangâ—â— and penalty of a Praemunire if not of Treason So that it cannot reasonably be suppos'd that ever the more considerate part of the Commons can be surprized unwarily to chuse such Men as lye under the suspicion of the Guilt beforementioned or that have been Abhorrers Anti-petitioners or Addressers against Legal Senates to be their Representatives in any future Assembly of the States To these gauling Objections of the Heretics which obstruct our hopes I humbly implore of your fatherly Wiâ—dom some Salâ—e and Satisfaction that so at once we may silence our Adversaries and confirm our Friends Thus doing you may contribute much to the carrying on the holy Design which hath been and will be the Desire and Endeavours of Paradisopolâ—s Dec. 5. 1681. Your most obedient Son c. Tory. Now would I give a Guinney to have this Priest's Answer for tho I don't understand what this Letter is about yet I love Replies extreamly For certainly he that has the last word must be the wisest Man Truem. For that very reason Sir I tell you I am Your Servant Printed for Langley Curtis 1681-2 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY Jan. 20. 1681-2 Asperius nihil est misero cum surgit in Altum The Cardinals vote That if a Pope be negligent or unfit to govern he may have Curators plac'd over him Pope Vrban the Sixth drowns five Cardinals in Sacks He dies Boniface the Ninth succeeds him POpe Vrban the Sixth being seemingly reconcil'd at Naples with his Hector Charles the Titular King of Sicily did with his precious Nephew Pregnan retire to Lucera between Naples and Salerno a place no less pleasant than safe for their persons where he devoted himself to Sloth and all kind of sensual Voluptuousness whilst the Affairs of the Church every day ran to wrack and the Cardinals were continually alarm'd and in danger between the Forces of the said Charles on the one side and those of Lewis of Anjou who we told you was with a great Army enter'd into Italy on the behalf of the other Pope call'd Clement the Seventh Therefore at the instance of Cardinal Reatino their Eminencies held a Consult together where after a long debate it was resolv'd by the opinions of many Doctors That if a Pope should happen to grow negligent or be found unfit to govern the the Church or to be one so self-will'd and conceited as to refuse all wholsom Advice and thereby brought the Church St. Peter's Bark into danger or were so ungovernable a Cockscomb That without the counsel of his Cardinals he would rashly do all things according to his own Fantasy and Lust that then and in such case it was lawful to substitute by the Election of the Cardinals some fit Curator or Curators Governours or Guardians by and with whose direction and advice the Pope should be obliged to manage all affairs of moment in the Church This was concluded by the Conclave as you may see in the History of Theodorie a Nyem l. 1. c. 24. whose Testimony is so much the more to be valued for that he was Secretary to this very Pope Now was not this a hopeful most holy Infallible Ghostly Father fit for a Bib and Muckinder that must have Tutors and Curators to direct him Did these Cardinals think you believe That their Pope was not subject to Error when they conclude him such a Natural as to need Managers and Guardians But