end of this booke about â—â—nings many papers of forged miracles doe you now come out with your Indian wonders Wee cannot beleeue you Call to minde that rule of the Law Qui semel est malus semper presuâ—â—tur malus in eodem genere malâ— Hee who is found once ill that is habitually ill is alwaies prefumed to be ill in the same kinde of euill vnlesse the contrarie dee euidently appeare Call to minde how gloriously you boasted within these few yeeres of the Great Sophy of Persia his conversion by one of your order Call to minde how euen in the faces of your Aduersaries that your holy Father Edmundes a proud contentious arrogant head of faction did with other Priests publish most fabulous tales concerning the exorcismes and deliuerances Confession of Mr. Tirrell Priest vpon oath The examinations of Sara Williams Anne Smith Friswod Williams recorded in the Court records of high commission c. of some possessed lasles Maryes and Fiddesses c Know you not that the possessed ones haue discouered their forgerie vpon oath and deposition And if it were not so there are yet Priests liuing amongst you whom I will not name who laugh in their sleeues at those fables and those merriments whereof themselues were eye witnesses they professe ingenuously that they liked not your Father Edmunds proceedings though for feare they durst not speake against them Demurre with due consideration vpon those miraculous and prodigious narrations which the famous Fryer Sebastian Michaelis together with his brother The admirable historie of Lewes the Magician and Magdâ—len by Sebastian Mich. Domptius haue published in Fraunce to the euerlasting confusion of Poperie concerning the conversion of Magdalene obteyned by the diligence and praiers of the Papist-Deuill Verrine Papist-Deuill I call him because the Deuill gaue himselfe the name of Verrine and because all his elegant and Fryer-like discourses tended to make Magdalene a Roman Papist Conuert Such Verrines were fit to be sent to Iapan Sina Ormus c. to forward your haruest there for I dare assure you that such your prodigious narrations are idle here for they doe greatly confirme vs in our opinions that your Holy Father is the Antichrist and sonne of perdition whereof 2 Thessal 2. S. Paul speaketh How our Church esteemeth of Fryer Sebastians narrations you may vnderstand by this Our most iudicious and learned Soueraigne hath in his wisdome with the good liking of his most learned Archbishop of Canterburie caused Fryer Sebastians booke to be translated into our English vulgar tongue by reading of the same to auert his people from Poperie and it is translated so ingenuously without the adding of any annotations or caueats for the booke of it selfe giueth aduantage inough against Poperie saue onely that a iudicious and exquisite Scholler in all points for his yeeres hath prefixed before the Translation the reasons and end of the same Demurre vpon this Mr. Flud seriously and then your selfe cannot but yeeld what litle reason wee haue to regard your narrations which come from so farre as Iapan Sina c. You glorie here much of the sanctitie of your preachers and their holy conuersation their iustice I hope is more abounding then that of Holt Garnet Gerrard Parsons Creswel Walpole Warneford c. and you twit vs with idle life and sole faith Sir our faith is so clothed I speake not of the Precisians and Sectaries neither of those that are in aperto or in secret such with good workes that I dare boldlie say standing within the limits of modestie manie of our men are in no degree inferior to yours I doe suppose verilie sir that if his most excellent Maiestie should offer for one Church and Minister permitted in Rome or Naples or Millain or Madrid to permit two both Churches and Priests in his City of London your holie Father and the Spanish monarch would not nor durst not admit of the same Tell me in good earnest sir dare your Spanish Monarch permit in Spaine such accesse of his subiects into the house of our English Embassadors there to see our mens liues and heare their doctrines as is dailie tollerated in some places where his Ambassadors are Perhaps when you twit vs with single faith naked of good workes you meane such workes as building of Churches Chappels Hospitalls Colledges c. There are sir who dare vndertake to shew that due proportion of time and place being obserued there haue beene as manie such good workes done since reformation as before the taske I leaue to them this I note onelie by the way that the dilapidations vsed by King Henry and the wicked appropriating of impropriations haue cooled the deuotions of a great manie so to obserue such sacrilegious hauocke made of Testaments and Wils of our ancient Kings Priests Nobles and all other our predecessors but as in the Statute containing sixe Popish articles which your Popish called the whip with sixe strings he was led awry with humane spirit and worldly policie so likewise in this dilapidating and ill appropriating of Church estates but caueat emptor possessor lest their possession turne to their vtter ruine Let them meditate vpon that of Salomon It is a snare to the man Prou. 20. 25. who deuoureth that which is holy and to make inquiry after vowes A snare which will doubtlesse insnare their soules into eternall perdition vnlesse they make restitution and restore vnto God that which is his The miracles you speake of and the fruits of them say you haue been so cleere that some learned Protestants haue acknowledged the finger of God in them You tell vs of learned Protestants yet you point vs onlie to one in your margin and him I take it of no extraordinarie note and fame in our Churches but what if he say as you quote him hath not your Coster said Coster contro 2. as much of the Nouatians It is said saith he that some of the Nouatians did miracles in time past but that was done for testimonie of the Catholicke faith amongst infidels but not for strengthening of their errors as hee who in the ninth of S. Luke cast out Diuels in Christs name thus he with more to like purpose Againe haue not your Remists explaned the same more cleerly in these words miracles are wrought sometimes by the name Remists annot in 9. marti v. 38. of Iesus whatsoeuer the men be when it is for the proofe of a truth or for the glory of God c. Againe a little after and so also heretickes may doe miracles among the Heathen to proue any article of the Christian faith Thus they compare now this of your men with that which the learned Protestant writeth for he teacheth no more but that your miracles are done if done at all in confirmation of some true points of Christian religion for the glory of Christs name For further clearing of this point I desire the Christian Reader to consider with me how that the Ignatian
harshnesse or dread sir if God be pleased for the triall of his elect he still vpholding them to permit some false Prophet to doe some great miracles which to them may seeme and appeare a true miracle though indeed it be not aboue the extraordinary course of nature Call to mind what I haue alreadie cited out of your owne Remists who ingenuously confesse that some false Prophets may doe some true miracles for confirmation of some Catholike point of doctrine which when they doe will they not say further and brag that such miracles are done also for the confirmation of their errors and false doctrines And is not this the dailie practice of yours so voluminous Coccius so great Bellarmine so Stapleton so Bristow with his Pedanty D. Hill who quartered his idle reasons wholly out of Bristowes Motiues and Vlenbergius his causes so that most superstitious Costerus worthilie and wittilie was termed by maiesty foulemouthed and shamelesse Coster Call to minde how Stapleton that vndanted Pillar of your Synagogue speaking of Antichrists miracles hath these words Et sivera sint prodigia quoad actus supernaturales Promptua moral in dom 24. post pent loco 4. c. Although the miracles be true in respect of the supernaturall actions notwithstanding they shall be no other thenlying because they shall serue alye Certainly for the greater triall of the faithfull For therefore heresies must be that 1 Cor. 11. those who are tried may be manifest not only Antichrist himselfe and his ministers but all sorts of heretickes God permitting shall be able to doe miracles as well and no otherwise then the magicians did And Stapleton not content with his owne bare assertion draweth authoritie to the same out of S. Austen who discoursing vpon those words of S. Mathew there shall arise false Prophets hath much for this purpose Admonet haec dominus c. Our Lord doth admonish these things that we may vnderstand that certaine August lib. 83. questionuÌ„ q. 79. wicked men shall doe also certaine miracles such as the Saints cannot doe and yet they are not to be thought to bee of better place with God And a little after whereas therefore the Magicians doe certaine things which the Saints neuer doe they are done for a different end and vpon a diuerse title for they doe these things seeking their owne glory these doe seeking the glory of God And those doe as it were by certaine priuate contracts and benefits granted from the powers in their kind For it is oftentimes granted by diuine law vnto the Diuels that they may performe some things euen by that priuate right of miracles to those whom according to their demerits they haue subdued vnto themselues but these by a publike administration by the command of him to whom euery creature is subiect Out of all which the iudicious reader may obserue how impertinent Master Fluds exclamations are as likewise he may easilie discerne how impertinentlie he alleadgeth the saying of Richard de Sancto victore Who speaketh onlie of those miracles which were done by Christ his Apostles and other saints for confirmation of the chiefest points of Christian religion not for defence of any Popish nouelties and yet neither is this his saying if meant of other miracles so victorious that it may preuaile against truth deliuered in sacred writ for that indeed is the touchstone which must trie all visions dreames miracles and signes whether they be sounde or not for whatsoeuer are not according and agreeing with the same must and ought to be cashiered and exploded Those words of yours when you speake thus Protestants will grant that we are deceiued by God c. are verie obscure and darke perhaps you meane strictly then as the words sound we doe ingenuouslie graunt that by Gods secret permission the efficacy of error doth worke in your Churches in which miracles are done for the deceiuing of such who haue not beleeued the truth nor receiued the charity of truth and yet we doe not say you are deceiued by God as though he reioyced in your perdition but you are deceiued by Satan who hath such power permitted vnto him to worke vpon the children of misbeliefe We most humbly pray that God would be pleased to illustrate your vnderstandings in the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and to take away from you these darke scales of error and illusion Mr. FLVD pag. 154. num 37. The best is we firmely beleeue God is not Satan nor a tempter of men much lesse will he worke miracles to deceiue them lest of all lend the diuels his omnipotency to draw such as desire to serue and loue him for euer to hell This is our comfort grounded vpon an infinite goodnesse which is so great that we cannot enuy you the mirth you take in reading our miracles and rosting your Grabs by the fire side to driue away your melancholly fits God send you greater comfort in the next world and that you may not there eat sowre crabs and worse meat i i Caputâ—spidum suget Iâ—b 10. with Infidels deriding the miracles of Christ in that dreadfull fire that hath no end ANSWER The vpshot of your reasons if it be your best refuge as you seeme to speake thus The best is we firmely beleeue God is not Satan c. If this be your best then it will proue no better then the knowledge which the Deuill himselfe hath and yet trembleth What if God lend not Satan his omnipotent power yet he granteth to this deceitfull Behemoth so great power as none vpon earth can be compared with it it is great inough to deceiue your Holy Father his Purpurats and all other of your congregation who are so sharpely set vpon miracles that they seem to dote vpon them yea and you doe in many of your legends recommend such fooleries that no man reading of them can abstaine from laughter so that if wee sit by the fire and laught at your miracles as you vainly scoffe at Sir Edward you may thanke your selues for the same in your publishing of such risible stuffe For example will not Sobrietie it selfe to vse your owne phrase laugh and smile to heare out of your booke of Confor of one Fryer Francis who dranke a spider in a chalice and presently rubbing his shinne-bone after Masse the Spider came thereout Who can containe from laughter to read how Aâ—idius Bishop of Bisontium was vpon holy Thursday carried vpon the Deuils backe in the forme of an Ethiopian from Bisontium to Rome and how hee carried with him to the Pope one of his slippers which the Ethiopian-deuill had taken from him then and at that time when he had perswaded the Pope to commit fornication and how the Bishop hauing done his message to the Pope and moued him to repentance said Masse in his steed was carried againe to Bisontium by Saterday Easter eue vpon the Deuills backe Speculum out of Sigebert in Chronolog ad annum 411. Who can abstaine from
there will the Eagles be gathered together This prophesie and premonition of Christ I handle largely in my twelfth chapter whitherto I referre the Reader where hee shall finde the same largely and clearely examined To proceede on I said before that these pseudoprophets which is an other marke of them were to teach the doctrines of Deuils according to that of the Apostle Now the Spirit speaketh expressely that in the later â— Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. times some shall depart from the faith giuing heede to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Deuills speaking lies in hipocrisie hauing their consciences scared with a hot iron By which propertie of false-prophets concurring with the former mentioned aboue it is more then manifest who are specified especially if wee ponder those wordes of the Apostle that such should forbid marriage and commaund men to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with thankesgiuing of those who did know and beleeue the truth The Papists would faine cast off this imputation of speudo-prophetisme from themselues and lay it vpon the Eucratites and Manicheyes but howsoeuer these old Heretikes might so affirme cleare it is that herein they are their children vpon whom also the prediction of the Apostle more iustly lighteth in respect of the circumstance of time for they not the Manicheyes and Eucratites come in the later times and although the Manicheyes who did allow marriage in their ordinary Professours but disauow it in their elect and choise Professours yet notwithstanding they vrged not single life with that vehemencie and tyrannie as these holy Fathers do And truly there is one circumstance in this their doctrine of Deuills and answerable practise which seriously weighed will make any man detest them herein It is this notwithstanding when they traine vp their yong men in their Colledges and seminaries they do well vnderstand I speake both what I know and also vpon most assured relation and testimonies not to be refused and God is my witnesse that I lie not and obserue by the continuall conflict in which they are often foyled at least with impure and morosous cogitations delectations and desires that their young schollers haue not the gift of continency yet they will not only suffer but further also euen perswade them to vowe chastity and continency and afterward hold themselues in that state in which by reason of their continuall lapses they are doubtfully to incurre eternall damnation And this they doe in a certaine shew of hypocrisie thereby to purchase countenance and credit of their misteries a very tricke of Antichrist as it hath beene long agoe obserued by the ancient Fathers so Hipolitus so Hierome vpon Daniell Hipol orat de consummat mundi Hierom. in comment super dan. Damasc lib. 4. fidei orthodox Liran in Dan. Hierom. in 1. ad Timeth 4. so Iohn Damascene so Liranus expressely Simulans primo castitatem Antichristus postea in omnem libidinem ruet Antichrist dissembling at the first chastity he shall after rush headlong into all luxurie And this is so cleare that our later Pontificians cannot deny but that Antichrist shall dissemble and pretend chastity thereby to purchase credit And as cleare I suppose that there was neuer yet any man who euer hath dreamed that Antichrist should haue a wife either therefore he will pretend chastitie or glory in impudencie but surely chastitie hee will pretend and so greatly glory therein that by that meanes to speake with Ribera he will thinke all his other vices Libertis Apoc. cap. 13. sâ—ct 5. may be couered and be himselfe by onely opinion of chaslitie be mounted up to the Monarchie of the world Courteous Reader dost thou not thinke that this Ignatian forgot himselfe when he wrote thus that by onely opinion of chastity Antichrist should purchase empire of the world which how it squareth with the Popes it is most facile to declare if a man would but stand to moue that sinke By the way in a word or two too too fresh is the memory of the impurities of Clement the 8. and yet seldome was he seene to say Masse but hee would weepe The impurities of Sixius Quintus I would leaue willingly to the relation of some Ignatians if they would vouchsafe to catalogue them as for two Gregories the 13. and 14. supernacaneous it were to commend to the world their virginities their Nephewes shall do it for them Paulius 5. who now raigneth is thought through disposition of nature not to be ouerpropense that way but if he be not his purpured brethren for him are drowned vp euen in crimine pessimo witnesse that accident which happened not long agoe in Rome when diuers young youths young succubyes were burned but the See hereafter purpured Incubyes escaped Beleeue it courteous Reader the abominations which are committed by those purpured Fathers and the Supreame Fathers of that Synagogue are so detestable that they passe all narration either of modest or immodest penne and if our ignorant Pontificians in England bee not acquainted with this or thinke that I doe of purpose aggrauate God is my witnesse I doe not so But the true cause that they are so vnacquainted with Romes impurities and impudicities is that all their Seminary-Priests Monkes Iesuits whatsoeuer haue euer most strict charge giuen vnto them before they returne into England not to speake of anything which in any respect may turne to the dishonor of the Pope or his purpured brethren Againe for most part they are so cloystered vp that they haue litle conuersation with those that know the liues conuersations of Cardinalls both intus and in cute and yet the Colledge is not so euen builded but that some stones stand further out then the rest and so consequently are of better intelligence And the detestably impure proude and luxurious liues of Popes and Cardinalls is indeede the cheefest cause why Italy so swarmeth with Atheists and why few ingenuous Christians entring into it are euer peruerted or drawne to their heresyes and Idolatries I except such youthes as are corrupted in the Fry or neuer looke without their Seminary-mewes or else such scioppyes as for Ceres and Bacchus are content to serue Pluto And thus much by the way of their Of this matter the Reader may find more in the eight Chapter doctrine of Deuills and of their diuelish practise of forbidding marriage vnder pretence of greater chastity and Antichristian puritie I call it Antichristian puritie because it is the immediate root and cause of all impuritie flatly repugnant to the ordinance of God nature the lawes of Grace tying men by lawes and vowes to that which their own consciences tell them they cannot keepe and obserue And for this respect I here conclude that both this doctrine and their practise thereof must needes be from the Deuill But to discourse more in Generall that this marke of teaching doctrines of Deuills can by no meanes bee applyed to the reformed Churches it is thus to
Tenant to his Lordship for a certaine house and land lying in Irkingburge where his wife Robinsons daughter remained This being in effect the substance of his answere at the first of his examinations he acknowledged and subscribed vnto the same by the name of Iohn Vnderwood But my Lords Grace vpon some occasion of businesse putting this man off for a time hee either vpon some remorse of conscience or fearing lest his condition and estate might by some other meanes be discouered doth of himselfe offer to manifest vnto his Grace his condition and profession vnto which as it were vpon a second examination he is admitted where he first acknowledgeth himselfe for the space of sixe yeare to haue beene brought vp in the Colledge of Rome and that there he tooke the orders of Priesthood according to the manner of that Church and that from thence some 12. yeares since he was sent by mission into England where by Father Garnet he was admitted into the society of Iesus he acknowledgeth also that his name was Thomas Cornford and so subscribed the same the second time after that before hee had subsigned by the name of Iohn Vnderwood The Reader will here expect to vnderstand how this ingenious and Saint-like Ignatian did conciliate and accord such contrarie sayings of his surely thus hee performed his part and demonstrated himselfe a worthy Rabby in the Ignatian Academie of equiuocating cogging lying whereas he affirmed himselfe to be a married man his meaning was that his wise was his breuiarie and that hee had beene married vnto it twelue yeares as for his children which hee had by Robinsons daughter those were his ghostly and spirituall children But yet the wily man being demaunded thereof could not well shew how his wife the Breuiarie became Robinsons daughter and here being at a stand hee was holpen out by his Grace that in probability his Breuiarie was Robinsons daughter because it might be that the Printers name who printed it was Robinson The reason why he called himselfe a Farmer was because he was so to God according to that text Redde rationem villicationis tuae Giue an account of thy Farmership And the reason why he said that he went to Mistresse Vaux to take a farme of the Lord Vaux was because he was ready to doe them any seruice for their saluation and for the spirituall tilling of their soules Whereas hee had denied himselfe to haue beene beyond the seas his answere was that he spoke that with intention that he had bin there but not that hee was bound to tell his Grace so much Thus in effect with much like stuffe passed the Holy Ignatians examination out of which the intelligent Reader may clearely inferre how egregiously these men shew themselues to be impes of him who was mendax ab initio a lyer from the beginning and yet forsooth these men and none but these if it may so please the Gods are only sincere holy Christian Apostolicall For my part I cannot but thinke that Father Thomas since his engrafting into Ignatianisme and Garnetisme became an Equiuocater for in Rome hee was possessed with such a doultish kinde of simplicity that it is a kinde of miracle that he should so easily haue been transformed into another man well it may be obserued herehence how efficacious the Garnetian Academie hath beene for training youth in lying cogging equiuocating A SECOND PRELVDE SHEWING BRIEFELY THAT miracles are not certaine tokens of a true RELIGION CHAP. II. NOtwithstanding for further confirmation of this truth I will by Gods assistance shew that miracles are not certaine and infallible tokens of a true religion especially after the establishment of Christian religion in the world and that there is no other sure and certaine Anchor for truth but the infallible word of God by which and according to which all miracles which may happen are to be examined with which if they agree they may be approued if otherwise they are to be reiected and detested as the Deuills owne inuentions for as a worthy man saith all truth is to be suspected which the authority of sacred Scriptures doth not confirme without which to speake with Saint Hierome whatsoeuer is brought it is as easily contemned as it is brought Agreeingly to which Saint Austen disputing against the Donatists contendeth August de vnit Eccles cap. 16. most earnestly that therefore this thing or that thing is not to be held for true because Pontius or Donatus haue miracles haue visions or because Catholikes haue miracles haue visions in the Catholike Church in which discourse enlarging himselfe and shewing out of scriptures that false-phophets were to doe miracles he addeth thus Nonne legimus c. Doe we not read that euen of the Lord God himselfe many were heard in the high places of Iury which high places notwithstanding did so greatly displease God that such Kings as did not subuert them were blamed and such Kings as did ouerthrow them were greatly praised and a little after Exaudinntur ergo c. Therefore many are heard and by diuerse meanes not onely Christian Catholikes but euen Panymes Heretikes and Iewes giuen to diners superstitions but they are heard either of seducing Spirits who notwithstanding can do nothing but what they are permitted by God secretly disposing what is to bee giuen to euery one or of God himselfe either for a punishment of their malice or for asolace of their miserie or for awarning to seeke euerlasting saluation And a litle after Quaecunque miracula Note c. What miracles soeuer are done in the Catholike Church they are therefore to be approued because done in it but not therefore is the Catholike Church manifested because they are done in it Thus he Now come our Papists Aliquando c. Sometimes great deception is made by Priests in feigned miracles for game which ought to be rooted out as these were by Daniel Lira in Dan. which will only be Catholikes and say that therefore their miracles are true because they are done in their Catholike Church which reason if it may hold then all those fond lyes and imaginations must bee beleeued which their golden Legends relate if they grant any to be false and delusory which are done by men in their Catholike Church then it will needes follow that the credit of all the rest will be cracked according to the generall and true saying A lying man deserueth not to be beleeued although he tell the truth and that of their Cannon lawe he who is found once euill is alwaies presumed to be euill in the same kinde of ill But how deuysing and cousening in miracles concerneth Popish Catholikes let Canus speake Nostriautem plerique c. Very many of ours Canus de locis lib. 11. cap. 6. either follow their affections or of set purpose doe so feigne many things that I am not only ashamed of them but they also greatly vexe me Thus he with much to like purpose where he addeth somewhat
which is litle for the credit of those dialogues which are commonly attributed to Gregorie the Great Againe Leonard Aretine doth iustly taxe this abuse of his brethren the Pontificians he chargeth them with deuysing of dreames visions phantasies and miracles which were neuer done to deceiue and make gaine of their simple Auditory Doth not Antony a Saint of their Church and Archbishop of Florence peremptorily taxe the visions and dreames of some deuised to proue the Virgin Maryes immaculate conception And if this had not beene the practise of Pontificians euen to the deprauation of their seruicebookes Breuiaries c. would Pius the 5. haue acknowledged Pius in prâ—fat Breuiar Rom reformat corruption in the Breuiaries to the eternall ignominy of his Church Aske venerable Bede what a lye was deuised and fathered vpon Melito to proue the Virgin Beda in retract in Act. Apost Maryes corporall assumption the Rhemists themselues haue taken vp the lye and though they obserue the credit of Melito to be casheered yet they haue deuised Annotâ—â— in 1. act Apost a new tricke to corrupt Dionyse who notwithstanding is counterfeit Is it not cleare as the heauens that for very shame they haue exploded diuers of their old Monkes fictions out of their Legends surceasing therefore to adde any thing more for confirming of this iust imputation against them that their Church hath beene a Forger in her miracles visions and prodigies I make this inference that seeing she hath beene found false so often shee deserueth not credit although shee should tell truth Saint Austen in his booke of the city of God so litle August 10. lib. deciuit cap. 16. esteemeth of miracles though wrought by Angells against Christian truth that against them hee boldly pronounceth See Origen contra Celsum lib. 1. thus If saith Saint Austen those Angells which desire sacrifice to be done to themselues should by wonderfull facts moue the mindes of men and those who doe forbid the same and doe command sacrifices onely to bee done to God should not vouchsafe to doe those visible miracles truly then not by sense of body but by reason of the minde their authoritie were to be preferred This doctrine of Austen is confirmed by the like of Saint Chrysostome who expounding those words of Christ if you shall haue faith as Chrysist supra illâ—a Math. si 〈◊〉 t is fidom vt granum a mustard seede c. saith thus where as these things are not now done in the Church may wee thinke therefore that Christians are voide of faith God auert it that wee should speake such bad things of the people of God Iustifying faith is present and not wanting but the faith of miracles hath ceased Thus there But if Chrysostome bee the Author of the imperfect worke vpon Mathew as it is commonly cited by the Pontificians and is of great authority then he goeth further for he writeth thus speaking of the later times Wherefore if a man should long to know where the Chrysist homil 49. in Math. operis imperf true Church is in the middest of so great confusion whither shall he returne but to the Scriptures heretofore also by signes the true and false-Christians were knowne how this False Christians indeede either could not doe the signes as true Christians did or else could not doe such as true Christians did but the miracles they did were vaine causing wonder but hauing no profit as wee haue often expounded but true Christians did perfect signes hauing alwaies some profit and by these things were knowne true and false Christians but now the working of signes is altogether taken away but it is rather found that fained things are done with those who are false Christians but euen as Peter expoundeth it in Clement the power of doing full and perfect signes is to bee giuen to Antichrist Thus farre there with much more to like purpose shewing that the only Anchor in time of confusion and Antichristianisme are the Scriptures not miracles not wonders as our Antichristians would now haue resting for those things which the reformed Churches condemne vpon traditions forged and miracles feigned But yet in this later part of Chrysostomes discourse being thereunto vrged by the force of truth the Rhemists themselues do concurre who vpon the Epistle Annotat. in 2. ad Thess 2. vers 9. in Apoc. cap. 13. vers 3. in marg to the Thessalonians write thus Sathan whose power to hurt is abridged by Christ shall then be let loose and shall then assist Antichrist in all manner of signes wonders and false miracles whereby many shall bee seduced not onely Iewes Thus there And againe vpon the Apocalypse they affirme the like by all which it is most manifest that the working of miracles and wonders can bee no certaine argument for truth seeing that both Heretikes and Schismatikes yea Antichrist and his Ministers shall haue full power to doe the same the which yet I further strengthen with the authoritie of Ignatius and Iustine Ignatius Ignat epist ad Hieronem hath thus Quisquis dixerit c. Whosoeuer shall speake beside those things which are appointed although hee may seeme worthy of credit although he may fast although he may keepe virginitie although he may doe signes although he may prophesie let him be esteemed of thee as a Wolfe vnder a sheepes skinne endeauouring the corruption of the sheepe Thus Ignatius agreeing to whom Iustine affirmeth that Justin ad Orthodox q. 5. if any miracles be done in the conuenticles of Heretikes that their errours may not thereby be more confiâ—med then if any man would teach the impiâ—ty of Gentiles to be gratefull to God because he causeth his sunne to rise on them and doth sprinkle them with dewe from heauen According to all which Austen in his treatise vpon Saint Iohn calleth the miracles August tract 13 14. in Ioh and visions of the Donatistes meere Fables and the Donatistes who gloried triumphed in them mirabiliarios mirabiliarians as the Pontificians now doe in their prodigies deseruing like name Doctour Stapleton a late Achilles of the Popish Sinagogue will not deny but that Heretikes shall and will Sâ—â—plet prompe moral in 24. â—â—minic diuis 4. doe miracles especially in the later times of the Church and this vertue he ascribeth confidently and peculiarly to Antichrist and his Ministers which Ministers hee would gladly make the reformed Churches of these times to be but the good man speaketh it faintly as it were against his owne conscience as it may be obserued in part of his words which are these The deception made by Antichrist and heretikes which are his fore-runners shall be so great in signes wonders that the very strongest in faith shall be in hazard vnlesse they shall beware of this which is foretold especially because such before the comming of Antichrist shall be much more bitter then the former euen as at this day we see for so great and
Edward had passed by your arguments with a scornefull nodd not deigning them so much as a looke I who am not vnacquainted with the boasting ostentation of Popish spirits when any of their bookes or pamphlets passe vnanswered thought it my part being moued with zeale of Gods truth to cast my small mite into Gods boxe and to enter into the lists with you and so to renew our old acquaintance which both at Rome S. Omers and elsewhere hath beene seasoned with diuers disputes concerning sundrie obiects and now again if it please you let vs make triall of our forces what each of vs can say for his assertion I ingenuouslie confesse that I am one of those Priests or Ministers who doe sing this note that your miracles are no other then the Deuills miracles and the lying prodigies of Antichrist which by Gods assistance in this my discourse and answere to your sixe arguments I will make most manifest I purpose to examine your reasons as they lye sentence after sentence In the vewing of which I am sorry to obserue so many false imputations sleight impertinences hainous blasphemies shufled vp together that there are hardly any lines if examined by the leuell of sacred Scripture and morall truth will passe for currant And to digge vp not your fountaine but your puddle à capite where like a flud you calumniously ouerflowe in the pettie preface to your sixe reasons speaking thus some of your writers seeing our relations to be Autenticall c. which of our writers I beseech you doe hold your relations to be autenticall Why name you not them if you had said some of our Preachers I would haue let it passe obseruing it to be too true that in the Church of England there are some secret Iamnes Mambres who couertly resist the truth and equiuocate for your purpose But you pointing at Writers I cannot deuine whom you should meane especially that you speak thus indefinitely without any rescription or limitation that they see your relations to be autenticall which is equiualent with this all your relations to be autenticall had you said some of your relations or narrations to haue beene true at lest in some part you might haue found those who would haue so auerred with you for otherwise your Sinagogue should not be that Apostating Church which is to doe signes and wonders if it were possible euen to the deception of the Elect. This then your first outlashing what shall call it a lying ostentation of an Ignatian I will not Let the reader only obserue what your forehead is to beginne thus But when you adde of your owne as none can be more may I not here iustly thwart you thus Imperet tibi Dominus The Lord rebuke thee What no relations more autenticall Apage sis I would haue thought that all humane relations should haue attended as handmaides and not haue stalked cheek by iole with the euerlasting records of sacred Scriptures I pray you Sir be contented that they may rest in the lowest degree of humane authoritie your Sichem Lile Arras Laureâ—tane and Hallensian relations haue hardly humane credit euen with diuerse of your own Priests Fryers Monkes yet Inhabitants of Babilon I call your selues to witnesse herein that I lie not diuers of your Priests are doubtfull what credit to giue vnto them yet they admit and esteeme of them tanquà m pias fraudes ad faciendum populum as pious fraudes to perswade the people Some fiue yeares since at my second visiting of Sichems Sanctuarie I did in great earnest with a kinde of coniuring in Gods Of like Viues speaketh apâ—d Espen lib. 〈◊〉 1. cap. 11. name importune a person of no small note there what he truly found touching the miracles which were said to be done in that place his answere was charging me to conceale his secret which I will do by Gods assistance by concealing of his name that for his part hee had seene nothing for the time he was there neither did hee giue credit to any of the former relations And knew I said he how to liue elsewhere I would not abide here thus he though doubtlesse in profession a ranke Papist but magna est veritas preualet Truth is great and preuailes As for Hall this I can boldly affirme that none of those quarters are lesse credulous of the incredible narrations there then the Inhabitants themselues Ludunt alios nummos vt lucrentur And Lipsius who professeth to write such thinges which at the commaund of the Archbishops of Meclines had been examined by the Bishop of Anwerpe Miraeus and such other relations as hee receiued from his Countreyman Numan c. is hee able to bring but one eye witnesse as Miraeus Homas Numan or any like who beheld the doing of any such miracles no they are lucifugae nightbirds for my part I confesse ingenuouslie though in my often trauailes in those Countries I was very inquiâ—itiue yet could I neuer meete with one man or woman who could affirme himselfe to haue been an Eye-witnesse of any one miracle done either at Sichem or at Hall and yet now such are the times that the great incredulity of the powerful working of that Image should according to S. Paules rule non fidelibus sed infidelibus 1. Cor. 14. c tongues are signes not for the faithfull but for the incredulous seeme to require some miracle to be done in their open sight not all to be related only as they are vpon heare say and from dead witnesses For my part when I read in Lipsius which also so happened how the miraculous Image was found out I â—ipâ—ius Diua Sâ—â— cap. 3. 4. dare not giue any credit to the same as to a miracle Thus it was the picture first was found by a poore shepheard who for the taking vp of the same was prodigiouslie affrighted but being set vp into the old tree againe from which Dagon-like it was cast downe it was againe taken away the second time and is not yet knowne how or by whom and is as yet still missing The people thereabouts notwithstanding repayred for the space of sixe yeares to the place where the Picture stood crauing helpe O prodigious throne of great Iuno and Sichems numen sell c. and is stolne away not yet restored obtained the same at last one of the Senatours of Sichem A Senatour like as if one of our Countrey Labourers or Rustickes should be so tearmed set vp an other new picture of wood in roome of the former vpon the same olde rotten tree where it also now standeth and is there adored and worshipped When I thinke seriously of this manner of substituting of one picture for another and by so graue a person as a Senatour of Sichem I cannot but suspect some legerdemaine What Mr. Flodd the poore shepheard tooke vp out of a religious deuotion the poore picture which lay basely vpon the ground with purpose to carry it home for saith Lipsius
resolued finally to returne backe againe to the Church of England where hee now liueth soberly and Christianly and telles no newes of any attendant or defendant Angells surely had there beene any hee had smarted for it This your counterfet Chrysostome telleth Lib. 6. de Sacerd. vs that per id tempus c. at the time of the sacrifice Angells do sit with the Priest yea Potestatum c. The whole Order of the Powers doth moue clamours and shoutings c. That the place is full of quires of Angells c. If this bee so surely heauen must needes be very naked and emptie of Angells and blessed Spirits or else there are not so many Quires and troupes of Angells attendant vpon your millions of Altars as this your Authour vainely pretendeth Besides if these your Angells doe familiarly asside and sit downe at the sacrificing altar with the Priest how comes it to passe that your said Chrysostome saith that Angelividentes c. The Angells beholding your sacrifice are surprized with honour and dare not freâ—ly looke vpon the same in respect of the brightnesse which thereout shineth What coherence is here familiarly to asside with the Priest and yet so ouertaken with horror and dread that they dare not freely behold the same What Sir the blessed Angellâ— who euer behold the eternall Maiestie of God who intuitiuely contemplate the diuine essence Gods face do these conceiue such horror and dread of your sacramentall Gods that they dare not libere intueri freely behold the same propter emicantem inde splendorem for the splendour arising therefrom O blasphemous voice of vanitie your best defence for your forged Authour must be he doth hyperbolize Vnumquodque est quid in suo genere sic vos in Ignatiano so hee that corrupted Chrysostome But seeing you are delighted with such a tale to make it as a foundation of your bread-worship I will giue a short glance at a few tales nay true histories which shall fit your purpose and shew your Romanists vanitie in their bread worship and transubstantiating diuinitie Where were these your Papist Angells that none of them did smite in sunder that lewd Priest who being caried to punishment did in Rome as he passed by a Bakers shoppe say ouer all the bread that was in the same those alpotent fiue words by which hee consecrated all the bread that was there you haue heard what perplexitie fell to the Romanists thereupon Not long since there was in these parts a paire of The Papists sacrament god hath needed the attendance of Papist-Angells counterfet Fryers now returned againe to you of which two the Iulian one related to me often that in the Carmelitane Cenobies some mad Fryers would to quit themselues of drinking sowre wine go and vse the words of consecration ouer the barrells and vessells in which it was which done knowledge being taken thereof in a secret manner all the same must be reputed sacred and consecrated A notable trick of Carmelite Monkes so that it might not bee vsed or touched The truth of this tale be with the Authour of it Iulius but if it were true maruell that no one of all the powerfull Attendants Order did auenge so damnable Impietie Perhaps those blessed Spirits were pleased to bee present at such a dreadfull sacrifice and did excite applauding clamours for so diuine a worke to haue a new consecrated God within a hogshead a kinde numen neuer thought on before What were all these Angells keeping centinell in Italie when as not long ago in Scotland the Ape of a gâ—eat Princesse caught out of the hands of a Priest at Sacrifice your sacrament and eate it for which the Ape had surely died had not the Princesse interceded for his life You bid Sir Edward send some of his Ministers to preach to these Papists Angells nay rather in good carnest The negligence of M. Floods Papist-angells wee aduise you to perswade some of them to looke better to their charge then they haue done heretofore Tell them of their often negligence heretofore committed by suffering the Sacrament to fall to the ground in Germany France Spaine and England you cannot forget but that it fell to ground in the English Church at Rome you cannot but haue heard how a flye fell into a Liber Conformit consecrated chalice like vnto that Spider of Fryer Francis only the difference was that of Fryer Francis was A flic-heretike drunke vp by the Fryer and came out of his shin-bone he rubbing the same the other though pursued hotly yet escaped had she beene caught she had beene burnt for an Heretike Put them in minde of their errour that they suffered the people Romanists in Germanie to trample with their feete such their sacrament Gods as were made and consecrated by married Priests And how negligent they were to suffer Gregorie the 7. that helbrand of Ciuill Benno Cardinal in vita Hildebr commotion and warres throughout all Christendome to take the sacrament God and to cast the same into the fire Demand of them where they were when that worthy Christian Master Walter Marshe did in Rome strike the sacrament-God out of the Bishops hand as he caried the same in publike procession through the streetes for My motiues preface Pope Adrian a good Papist-Angell for their God Adrian quodl 3. pag. 63. which he suffered death most constantly Bid them be very vigilant against Heretikes that they catch none of the sacrament lest that you be put to such a plunge which Adrian your Pope alloweth to wit rather to cast the same into the priuie then to suffer it to come into the hands of Heretikes If they will not be vigilant against Heretikes as they haue not beene at lest let them be carefull against Coniurers and Nigromancers or else coniure them to tell you Con Later can 20. Con. Brac. 3. how it commeth to passe that the Deuills themselues are delighted to haue your sacrament God presented offered vnto them in their most detestable sacrifices and ceremonies Charge them with horrible negligence for suffering the sacrament-god which Alphonsus King of Arragon carried about him for his defence to be transubstantiated by corruption into wormes To conclude this point and to pretermit many tales of like kinde which might bee added I thinke your order apointing certaine Deacons with flyeflaps to driue away flyes when your Pope celebrateth were very superfluous Constitut lib. 8. cap. 12. Turrian Durant if there were such Quires of Angells attending vpon your sacrament-god Clement whom you make Authour of this flyeflap ceremonie seemeth not to haue beene of your faith herein Mr. Flud pag. 146. num 28. The sight of the bleeding wafercake at Bruxells seemeth to haue made your eares glowe e e Lett. pag. 106. but what stories of like miracles might you read were you conuersant in ancient Ecclesiasticall histories A miracle done by Saint Basill in this kinde to omit others a
Mino lib. 6. cap. 17. Gall. lib. 2. cap. 26. miracles she doth aske not for her owne honour but for his to establish in mens hearts that faith which doth beleeue that not shee but he is God and she only honourable for his sake and saued by his blood holy by his grace glorious by his mercie powerfull by his hand why should wee not thinke that the Deuill doth hate this faith thus you Would God your words and your practise would consort Put case you make her not a God but how can you excuse it but that you make her a Goddesse Do you not yeeld vnto her attributes befitting a Goddesse to redeeme to saue to protect to defend to rule to command all earthly creatures How can you say shee was saued by Christ his blood seeing that in your doctrine whatsoeuer the blacke Fryers teach to the contrarie shee neuer contracted originall sinne nor committed actuall you should rather say she was preserued from sinne by his Grace rather then saued by his Blood How can you say that she is only glorious by his mercies whenas your * Apud Valent. in 3. Thom. Valent. Disp 1. q. 2. de vnio duar nâ—t puncto 8. See Salmeron in Euang. Act tractat 6. Doctors teach that she merited at least ex congruo out of a congruitie to be the Mother of God and Christs incarnation Mr. Flud if your faith were no other then you haue set downe is it not to be maruey led that wee who haue the same faith herein with you cannot with that faith doe the same miracles as you doe surely there is somewhat in it It is said and truly that Sorcerers and such like as your Spanish Saluadores doe pretend being demanded how they do their cures c. that they do the same by saying the Lords Prayer Creed c. But let it be replyed vnto them that others saying the like prayers can not doe the like cures they will presently answer you that though they say the prayers yet they say them not with like faith nor haue not that strong Confidence in the Pater-noster as they haue Euen so it fareth betwixt you and vs for although we beleeue that Christ is God and not his Mother that shee is honourable for his sake saued by his blood holy by his grace glorious by his mercy powerfull by his hand yet this faith in vs worketh no miracles the reason is wee haue not so strong faith as you Baltazar-like to praise and adore wodden and siluered Ladies at Loretto Sichem Hall c. as you doe and thus goes the game of miracles away from vs and you haue them for which we enuie you not And so let vs come to your fifth argument CHAP. VIII Wherein is examined Mr. FLOODS fifth Reason Mr. FLVD pag. 150. num 34. AND this is our fifth argument to proue our miracles true that they are beneficiall both to the bodie and soule of men which therefore without blasphemie may not be giuen from God to the Deuill Those wicked Spirits doe seeke in their workes to make themselues mirabiles non vtiles as S. Austen saith wonderfull not beneficiall vnto men they desire to amaze and astonish rather then to relieue and helpe senses ANSWER The force of this your argument consists in this to wit that the Deuills and Antichrists miracles shall bee only wonderfull and not profitable or beneficiall as yours are But the edge of this your reason is made blunt by your Rhemists who in their Annotations vpon the Epistle Raemist in 2. Thess 2. to the Thessalonians write thus Satan whose power to hurt is abridged by Christ shall then be let loose and shall assist Antichrist in all manner of signes wonders and false miracles whereby many shall bee seduced not onely Iewes thus they being euicted euen by truth it selfe so to write Now if Antichrist as they say shall bee powerfull in all manner of signes why doth your Fatherhood to the aduantaging of his and your cause restraine his power to the working of some small trifles Chrysostome or the Authour vpon Saint Mathew is so Hom. 49. in Math. Operis imperfect confident that he dareth to write that in the Antichristian daies power of working miracles shall be taken away from the true Christians and that the same shall bee granted to the false Christians in whom and amongst whom the Deuill shall haue such great power permitted vnto him vt faciat signa vtilia vt iam Christi ministros non per hoc cognoscamus quod signa vtilia faciant sed quia haec signa omnino non faciant that he may doe signes profitable so that then we may not know the Ministers of Christ by doing of such signes but that they doe not any such at all Saint Gregorie saith that the miracles Greg. lib. 34. in Iob. cap. 3. apud Pater in 2. ad Thessal 2. of Antichrist shal be tanta so great that those of ours shall seeme few or none at all And in another place he writeth thus nunc enim fideles nostri c. For now our faithfull suffering peruerse things doe wonders but then the Ministers of this man shall euen then when they inflict peruerse things doe wonders Let vs consider therefore how great the triall of mans minde shall then be whenas the godly See how in the title and your owne mens argument to the 25. chap. of S. Greg. his 33. booke vpon Iob Antichrist is said to doe so many miracles that by many he shall be taken for Christ Martyr shall submit his body to torments and yet before his eyes the very Executioner shall do signes Whose inward virtue may not then bee shaken from the very bottome of his thoughts whenas he who tormenteth with stripes doth also shine with signes and wonders Thus Gregorie with much like matter which might be produced wherein hee is not dissonant from all the Ancients according to that of Christ that Antichrist and his shall do so many and so great signes that if it were possible the very elect should be deceiued But if Antichrist and his shall doe no signes profitable the danger of the elect to bee deceiued by them would not be so great but seeing that Math. 24. 24. according to our Sauiours prediction the Deuills will labour by all meanes possible by such signes to deceiue the elect it is not to bee imagined but that they will haue some of those signes which are aptest to deceiue See Stapleton in Dom. 20. post Pent. loc 5. to wit signes profitable and beneficiall Whereas you say that it is blasphemie to ascribe to the Deuill your miracles which are beneficiall both to body and soule I cannot thinke but that your Aduersary reading the same will smile at such your vaine begging of the question Nay sir though we deny them to be beneficiall to your soules which are seduced thereby notwithstanding we cannot but account them profitable to our soules
not nor will not reiect any who commeth vnto him in humilitie of spirit without which it is a meere vanitie euen in your Gospell to goe either to Him or to his Mother What needlesse deuotion then is this of yours to the Virgin when as you may in full assurance of faith appeare before Christ himselfe Hebr 10. 22. he requiring and commanding the same You compare your miracles with those of Christ and his Apostles wherein you shew your selues to bee of Antichrist for both hee and his shall doe the same pretending Matth 24. the name of Christ and power of the Lambe Your profound Diuines who are not ashamed in diuers Apoc 13. points to assimilate Antichrist with Christ why do they in this point of likenesse of miracles refuse to doe the same What else is it but conscientia imbecillitatis a conscience of your owne bad cause knowing that the multitudes of your miracles are an argument of the multitude of your nouelties for standing within your own grounds miracles are necessarie for the confirmation of nouelties but not for further establishment of receiued truthes data infidelibus giuen to the incredulous saith the Apostle not to the faithfull 1 Cor 14. 22. Whilest you are talking of the multitudes of your beneficiall miracles you except as I take it to answer an obiection by the way some few punishments laid vpon blasphemers which are so few say you that they may seeme as a drop or two of gall in a sea of honie well said you few for they are so few that you cannot mention any one autenticall related as laid vpon any one for the opposing against your superstitions We are able to relate many and those autentically out of your owne Authours concerning dreadfull punishments and most scelerate ends which haue befallen your most holy Pontifies But let them passe and so I leaue you to meditate vpon the clemencie of your Virgin Mother made of wood at Sichem who when shee was stolne away and is not yet to be found did not lay any reuengefull punishment vpon such as stole her away a good cause why shee had eyes which could not see and hands shee had but such as could not strike as King Dauid sings of the Idolls of the Gentiles God grant Mr. Flud that true Christians neuer receiue hurt from your holy Fathers bloody fingers vntill they be hurt by the wodden fingers of your Goddesse at Sichem and we shall nothing feare what you and your Factionists I meane not onely your Ignatianed and the Church-Papists but all those that side with them as c. may proiect for the ruine of this Church and Kingdome To proceede touching the spirituall benefits arising to mens Soules from your miracles of which you are pleased to make so long a beadrole I for my part could wish it were true as you write both for the good of your people as also for our good and no small benefit who are enforced often to haue commerce with them But God wot Mr. Flud it is farre otherwise and that truth may stand in the mouth of two or three witnesses compare that which I shall here write in generall termes with those imputations which Mr. Copley hath truly and ingenuously laid vpon your congregation and especially Mr. Copley in his Doctr. Obseruat chap. 11. and elsewhere vpon the Cheefetaines of the same If your miracles are so powerfull to conuert sinners how commeth it to passe that at the very Marte Faire of such wares Roma Sancta holy Rome sinne doth more vnmeasurably abound then at or in any other Popish Church or Kingdome What is it necessarie that an ouerflowing of pride enuie hatred malice iniustice rapine murder simonie incest Sodomie should take her beginning from Rome Hath it not been a crie of all times a voice of all ages Roma altera Babilon Roma mater fornicationis Mysterium iniqâ—itatis Rome another Babilon Rome the mother of Fornications And although your Seminarists who now come from Rome to peruert soules are wonted to speake and pleâ—d much for the sanctitie of that place the truth is they are so taught nay they are commanded and coniured with promises to protest that they will neuer here discouer in England what they may haue heard of their Holy Fathers turpitudes his Purpured Brethrens enormities their Clergies and Prelates abominable irreligiositie their Monkes Friers and Ignatians impurities and hypocrisies For the experience that I made in your Congregation I found the old sawe to be verified to wit the higher a man climeth in your Ecclesiasticall dignities the worse the man is so that it seemeth your Chaire of Sanctitie to be the very Seat of pestilence the neeâ—er vnto which any may approch the worse hee Psalm 1. shall be You cannot be ignorant Mr. Flud how the Historians of old and your owne haue described the ornaments of Rome of your Consistories Serralls Conclaues Nunryes Brothell-houses witnesse Mantuan Vâ—bstota est lupaâ—ar Mantuan Iouius Sabellicus Paris Clemangis Dante 's Petrarcha Sauanarole Auentine Grotshead Ferus Espencaus and who See Auent lib. 5. pag. 346. else not Yea Bernard that excellent man who though dazeled with the mistes of the time non vidit omnia saw not all things yet he so liuely described and proclaimed the mysterie of iniquitie that in delineating Romes and the Romish Clergies enormities hee commeth behinde none thus in former daies But should Rome now be searched with no neerer and narrower a scrutinie then was vsed here in England at the dissoluing of your male and female Sodomites good God what abominations would be found within her penetralls Some say that your now Holy Father Paul the V is not tainted crimine pessimo bee it so but who cleareth him from the crime of Auarice the which whosoeuer followeth cannot be innocent Who can free him from the sinne of Impatience and most wrathfull outragious anger which worketh not the iustice of God Who can defend him from an high point of Luciferian pride who dareth to the prouoking of heauens vengeance suffer his Nephewes to haue their plate engraued with this and like posie Burghesianae Aeternitati dicatum Consecrated to the Burghesian Eternitie Who dareth to permit any to giue vnto him the name of a Vice-God Who dareth to haue the title of Pontifician Omnipotencie giuen vnto him himselfe to be styled Paulus Quintus Optimus Maximus Sanctissimus Aeternus Omnipotens Vice-Deus What thinke you Mr. Flud Paulus the V. mounted vpon mens shoulders hauing his triple crowned RegnuÌ„ vpon his head is acclaimed vnto by people vpon their knees with the said Title and Epithets of Diuinitie May not we that are grosser-headed Tramontanes imagine and conceit that hee is adored as a God amongst you What Luciferian pride in him a man of sinne to admit yea to delight in the same These your acclamations giuen to a sinfull wretch doe farre passe those which were giuen to the Sonne of God when
the same he may freely and safely goe out and leaue of that course of life betaking himselfe to marriage Tenthly I suppose that which is expresly deliuered Suppo ∣ sition Tenth by some of them not gainesayd by any to wit that hee or shee who maketh a vow which in the roote and beginning of the same is not sound or valid if afterwards he shall vpon an erroneous iudgement thinking himselfe Sa. vbi supra 7. 13. bound therewith ratifie confirme and approue the same yet vpon a better consideration he may perswade himselfe that he is not bound therevnto but is as free as if he had neuer vowed the same Eleuenthly I suppose that he or she who voweth any Supposition Eleuenth thing for an ill end and vpon a wicked cause is no whit tyed by such a vow or bound to keepe the same Sà vbi supra 4. 18. Aquin vbi sup 2. ad 3. ex vi vots by the force of the vow and as it is obligatorie before God howsoeuer by humane authoritie they may be compelled therevnto This is a truth manifest in it selfe confessed by them all Twelfthly I suppose that which is deliuered by Sup ∣ position Twelfth them in all expresse termes to wit that a vow which is made of an impossible thing bindeth not which is not Sa Azor Nauare Tolet mâ—es only to be vnderstood of that which is physically and naturally impossible as if one Icarus-like should vow he would flie to Rome but also of that which is morally impossible as for example if a man should vow he would vpon his knees creepe to Rome from Paris or that hee would neuer commit sinne at all or if a woman should make a vow that she would neuer speake an idle worde Or if a man that is by nature hastie should make a vow that he would neuer speake one hastie word These vowes and all of like nature are in themselues voide as being of such things as are morally impossible Thirteenthly I suppose as an euident truth deliuered Suppos Thirteenth also by the Aduersaries that no married Person either Husband or Wife no Childe vnder gouernment of Parents no Religious Person vnder obedience of Superiours can make any Vow which shall binde their consciences without approuance of the Husband or Wife allowance of Parents or approbation of Superiours Yea their Cardinall Tollet pronounceth Tollet lib. 4. cap. 18. resolutely When the matter of the Vow is contrarie to those things in which the Inferiour is bound to obey the Superiour as the Childe the Parent presently the vowes are voide vnlesse they be approued by the Superiours Fourteenthly I suppose that which is defended by Suppos 14 most of the Aduersaries to wit that it is not a verball vowing of the mouth which bindeth any man before God but that further there is required an expresse intention of him that voweth if not to binde himselfe yet at Sa verbo voto 6 Aquinas 2. 2. q. 88. 3. ad 3. art 1. per totum alias lest an intention to vow and make a promise So that he who shall with his mouth vtter wordes of a vowe if he had neither intention to vowe nor to binde himselfe he is not bound before God howsoeuer hee may bee compelled by authoritie of man to obserue the same which he seemed to vow and promise These things thus supposed as clearely maintained by the Aduersaries I doe out of them deduct certaine consequences agreeing to the rule and analogie of faith which do approue and commend the marriages of such Fryers Nunnes or Priests who conuerted from Poperie shall adioyne themselues to the reformed Churches Out of the first second third and fourth suppositions Inference 1 I thus euidently inferre that considering Bishops Canon Apost 5. Athanas epist ad Dracentium See Brigets Reuelat lib. 7. reuelat cap. 10. and Greg. lib. 3. epist 34. Priests c. in the primitiue Church were indifferently married and that there is no order nor command from Christ or from his Apostles touching the vow or promise of single life in Clergie-men and further that the same was brought into the Church by the Bishops of Rome by degrees First by law and command only that such as tooke orders should lead single liues afterwards because the same law was not well obserued by diuers Greg. lib. 1. Indict 9. epist 42. Auentine saith that the forbidding of marriage in Priests was reputed by many Prelates c. a pestiferous heresie Auent lib. 5. pag. 355. after they had taken orders it was deuised by the Bishops of Rome whereof wee haue example in Gregorie the first that none should be admitted to sacred Orders of Subdeaconship who would not at the taking of the same promise to liue single liues and weighing further that to the very astonishment of the heauens and the prouoking of Gods wrath against mankinde by the meanes of the said lawes and vowes there haue followed such Seas of most abominable and nefand sinnes in their Church I should thinke him or her sinfully wicked who pondering that of the Apostle that the Church 2. Cor. 10. 8. hath no power giuen her but in aedificationem for edifying shall not account the holy Father of Rome most desperately malicious who knowing what nefand abominations are practised by his Clergie by meanes of his said enforced lawes and vowes will not reuoke the same and leaue the point of marriage in the Clergies free choise as Christ and his Apostles left the same For is Aquinas 12. q. 96. 3. 4. it not an axiome in diuinitie a principle in philosophie that any humane law whatsoeuer which is made for the benefit of soules and auoyding of sinne or iniustice if the same law proue afterwardes to be pernicious that it ought to be remoued and reuoked I dare vndertake there was neuer yet Lawgiuer who doth not approue this only the Outlaw of Rome because hee must according to Daniels prophecie simulare castitatem dissemble chastity he will not do it in this Answere me directly Master Floode are there not innumerable Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Canons in your Church some enacted by Generall Councells some decreed by your Popes wich notwithstanding vpon some inconueniences arising in the keeping of them haue growne out of vse and haue become nullae none of no force how many of the Ecclesiasticall Canons of the Nicene Constantinopolitane Sardike Laterane and other Councells haue beene cashired either by expresse order or conniuency of your Popes what shall inconueniences remoue lawes established by supreame and vniuersall authoritie and shall not such a confluence of most abominable impurities cause your holy Father to remoue an vnnecessarie Law of his owne hatching and bringing foorth How haue I heard your great Statesman Parsons in presence of some of the Spanish muy Poderosos seniores most mightie Seniours inueigh most bitterly against some of the ancient lawes of this Kingdome especially that concerning triall by a Iewry of
all honest minded people which cannot endure Gods infinite iustice and goodnesse to be blasphemed doe hate and execrate them For my selfe I say Perfecto odio oderam illos with Dauid I hate them as Psal 139. 22. the Lords enemies with a full and perfect hate But that you may consider vpon how sandy a ground you haue builded this your last reason call to mind how your owne Remists translate Saint Paul writing to the Thessalonians of Antichrist and his miracles thus they 2. ad Thess 2. v. 9. 10. 11. 12. there read whose comming is according to the operation of Satan in all power and lying signes and wonders And in all seducing of iniquitie to them that perish for that they haue not receiued the charitie of the truth that they might be saued Therefore God will send them the operation of errour that they may beleeue lying that all may bee iudged which haue not beleeued the truth but haue consented to iniquitie thus they translate the Apostle Where now is your forehead Master Flood who write the flat contradictorie of this and dare twit Gods prouidence that he will not permit such things whereof the holy Apostle so clearely pronounceth and so I obserue how idly you applie that of Saint Iames Deus intentator malorum God is no tempter of Iam. 1. â— euill for though God doe tollerate and permit these things yet he is not the Tempter but Satan Antichrist and his Ministers Further the Reader may obserue how toyishly you come in with your toies and trifles and tell vs a tale out of Saint Austen of the Donatists dreames and visions Newtons vision and phantastick delusion you should rather haue tould vs of Master Newtons vision at Staunford against the Oath of allegiance of which your Gatehouse Candidates were so iocond that they consulted whether it were not meete to send the same to a Person of very great and high note thereby to make him a popish Conuert But lest you should be taken after tripping to halt altogether you confesse a little after that Antichrists miracles indeede shall be greater notwithstanding they shall be such that the vanitie thereof a constant faith with competent diligence may easily discouer It is the Mat 24. 24. 2 Thessal 2. Apocal. 13. truest sentence of yours in your whole booke Antichrists miracles indeede shall be greater and such as may be discouered for alreadie though they be great strong many as che scriptures speake yet they are discouered and by them the man of sinne is reuealed And he who will be pleased to read but what your owne men Canus Espencaeus Lyra Baronius Halensis with diuers others yea Popes haue deliuered concerning some of your lying signes and wonders whereof your legends and Portesses haue beene full will easily discouer Antichrists pawes to bee in them I dare vndertake out of your owne legends and popish Authours to discouer diuers hundreths of miracles which you your selues will acknowledge either in part or wholy to bee forged or else such as by themselues will appeare whose brattes they are Whereas you adde insulting lie that your Catholike miracles are many and great and most witnessed wee ingenuously See S Gregory in Iob lib. 33. cap 25. lib. 34. cap. 3. confesse it in part for so the holie Scriptures haue deliuered that those of Antichrist shall be such but when you adde that your aduersaries doe confesse that they are done by Gods owne hand before we can yeelde thereunto we must needs examine your proofe which thus followeth Mr. FLVD pag. 153. num 37. Now their last refuge is that which your greate Champion master Whitaker betakes himselfe e e Whitaker de Eccles p. 348. nen ignoro vera miracula non nisi diuina visieri posse vnto to wit that true miracles which none but God can doe though knowne to be such f f Ex neutro genere miraculotam sufficiens testimâ—nium aut certum argumen tum câ—lligitur doe not demonstrate the truth of religion be giueth this desperate reason g g Constat deum non modo veris sed falsis doctoribus vim tribuere hutusmodi miracula faâ—endi non tamen quo câ—nfirmet eorum falsa dogm it a sed quo tentet eos ad quos mittantur to wit that God doth giue power to worke true miracles to false teachers not to confirme their false opinions saith hee but to tempt those to whom they are sent Can any doctrine be more dreadfull or harsh in a Christians eare then this How can any man know that God doth not allow that doctrine which false Prophets say he doth allow and shew his broad seale for their saying But this master Whitaker cannot deny but that Catholikes in the day of iudgement may haue that plea which a learned and ancient Father thought inuincible which he sets downe for our comfort in these words h h Ricard de Sancto victore lib. 1. de Trinit c. 2 domine si error est quod eredin us a te decepti sumus O Lord if it be an error which we beleeue we are deceiued by thee for thou hast confirmed these things vnto vs with such signes and wonders which could not be done but by thee Protestants will grant that we are deceiued by God by the wonders and miracles which our teachers say that he wrought and worketh by them to confirm this truth yet say they we must be damned ANSWER When you haue but an inch granted you will take an ell you may be ashamed of your impertinencies But to answer your inference That verie learned and reuerend Clarke Master Whitaker as I gather out of your marginall notes for I haue not his booke saith onlie that God may worke some true miracles by false teachers though not to confirme their doctrine but onlie to proue and make triall of his seruants you translate his word tentet tempt wheras it is euident he hath it here for to trie or proue Now master Flud if master Whitaker must be put to his purgation for this his saying what then will become of Moses who saith in expresse termes thus euen as much as master Whitaker doth if not more Deut. 13. v. 1. 2. 3. c. If saith Moses there shall arise in the middest of thee a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and shall tell thee a signe or a wonder and the signe or wonder come to passe whereof be speaketh to thee saying let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them Thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of that Prophet or dreamer rf dreames for the Lord your God tempteth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God withall your heart and withall your soule Thus Moses speaking the same which master Whitaker doth Now cry out against Moses master Flud say vnto him can any doctrine be more dreadfull and harsh in a Christian mans eare then this what
Auent lib. 5. a thunderbolt from heauen What else then fire from heauen consumed the sacrifice of those boies at Apamea when they setting bread vpon a stone and imitating the Priest in saying the Allpotent transsubstantiating fiue wordes their bread was suddainely consumed with fire as Bredenbachius relateth What other then fire from heauen when your Saint Edmunds candle was so strangely lighted by his prayers to the Virgin Mary What other then fire from heauen is that your Saint Liadan lib. 2. de fug Ido cap 1. See Spec ex â— Imag exem 8. 9. Authonies fire whereof you draw signes and shaddowes vpon your Churches walls to keepe Passers by from fouling of them An example of this fire see in Lindanus A glorious and resplendant Fire it was from heauen which to shew the sanctity of the Pope Eugenius and the Baron an 1145. â— 24. holinesse of yout Masse shined ouer and vpon his head whilest he celebrated Masse yea the Armenian Legates saw doues that is Angell-doues from the fire and in the fire ascending vp and downe vpon your holy Fathers head Torches of fire and from heauen were those which appeared whilest your holy Innocent celebrated Masse in the presence of Lotharius the Emperour Was it not fire from heauen which so gloriouslie shined vpon the bodies of those who were slaine by the Albigians neere to the towne Lauallis at a place called Mountioy the sight Mons Gaudij whereof greatly amazed the beholders as Altisiodore relateth From heauen surely came that fire which pointed out in a meddow your Sacrament Eucharist-god which had beene lost by a carelesse Priest as he went to housell a sicke person Other such like I could relate these are sufficient to shew that Popes and their Ministers haue How powerful is their excommunication whenas comming onâ—ly from an Abbot it can cast a crow for stealing a ring into a horrible and languishing feuer not to be cured but by absolution Spec. exem Excommunicat exem 4. caused fire to come downe from heauen and this if we vnderstand the same in the literall sense as the words sound but if we vnderstand the same wordes in a mysticall sense and doe by fire according to vse of Scriptures and fittest application meane either the fire of vengeance and reuenge by excommunication or else the fire of heauenly gifts and graces in this sense also it is most euidently cleare that both the Pope and his doe in the opinion of men make fire to come downe from heauen What other then such a mysticall fire from heauen is their thunderbolt of excommunication by which they dethrone and cast down euen to hell whom they please What else then mysticall fire from heauen are those graces and blessings which the Pope yea euery Priest can fetch from heauen by saying certaine prayers appointed Oratio ad bened cendum quodcunque in your Ritualls yea they are so powerfull that they can call downe and pray downe the Graces and presence of the holy Ghost vpon what Creatures soeuer they shall please witnesse your Pontificall and Rituall bookes These things which I haue here deliuered are very true and you cannot deny them out of which it followeth by most cleare consequence that in the sight and opinion of the men of your Church the Pope and his doe make fire come from heauen whether wee vnderstand the same mysticallie or literally and so wee see the first Antichristian miracle accomplished in your Church Now to the second Before I declare my second argument I note that the Prophet himselfe doth not call Antichrists making the image of the beast to speake either a miracle or a wonder neither doe I thinke it is to be esteemed as a miracle in strict termes and strict manner of speaking vnlesse we may call it a morall miracle that is a miraculous effecting of that which was morally impossibly by wonderfull restoring of a collapsed and decayed estate but speaking of the same as most doe wee will call it a miracle This Antichristian miracle then is described by the Prophet in the fifteenth verse thus to wit that hee Apoc. 13. shall giue life or breath to the Image of the Beast so that the Image of the Beast should speake and cause that as many as would not worshippe the Image of the beast should bee killed Here the Pontificians especially their great Augustine Bellarmine do triumphantly inferre that seeing neuer any Pope did make any Image of a Beast Bell. lib. de Pont. 3. cap. 15. to speake or propose any such Image to be worshipped that consequently their Pope cannot be Antichrist But weighing this their triumphant inference before the victorie I cannot but exclaime and call the very heauens to witnesse against their wilfull obstinacie and impudencie herein who here will rest and insist vpon the plaine and literall sense of the wordes vnderstanding them as they sound whereas the whole context of Scripture together with their owne principles must of necessitie enforce them to some mysticall and figuratiue interpretation of the wordes for to dispute out of their owne groundes must not the Image of the beast be the same at least genere in kinde in shew resemblance and representation which the beast it selfe is in veritie and truth of the thing Now is it not a confessed truth by themselues clearely also to be euinced out of Scripture that by the beast with so many heades and hornes with Diademes vpon them are signified some manners of State Rule Gouernment or Monarchie if so then most assuredly the Image representatiue and significatiue of such a beast must bee some state gouernment Empire or Monarchie in semblance and shew representing the same to say that the Image should be representatiue in the nature of other Pictures or statues such as hange vpon walls or are placed in publike places is meerely a vanitie How improbable and morally impossible that the whole world should be brought to adore a picture of such a beast whether it be massie of siluer and gold or drawne in collours Consider Master Floode the forme of such an Image it must bee made with seauen heades tenne hornes with Diademes vpon them Apoc. 13. 1. 2. 3 in the forehead must be written the name of blasphemy in body it must be like a Leopard in feet like to a beare in mouth shewing a Lyon this is the goodly Image after which the whole world must wonder and which it must adore for the holy Ghost saith expressely that he who maketh this image will cause and compell the first Beast to be worshipped and an image of the Beast which was wounded to be made and to be worshipped Now most euident it is that the first beast whereof the image is to be made is of this and more monstrous proportion then I haue described Further to speake according to their owne principles is it not a likely thing that Antichrist who as they say shall be an vtter
Priests did liue in carnall matrimonie and notwithstanding many of them were the freinds of God because they did beleeue with simple puritie that the same did please God to wit that Christian Priests might keepe wiues and liue in matrimonie as the same in the old time of the Iewes had pleased him in the Priests of the Iewes and this was so obserued by Christian Priests for many yeeres but this ancient custome and obseruation did seeme very hatefull and abominable to the whole heauenly Court and to me who did beare his body c. And therfore God himselfe by the infusion of his holy Spirit into the heart of the Pope who then ruled the Church did giue another Law concerning this more gratefull and acceptable vnto himselfe infusing Christ was wise as a little one the Pope as a perfect one into the heart of the Pope that hee should ordaine throughout the vniuersall Church that Priests who should haue so worthy an office as to consecrate this precious Sacrament should by no meanes liue in the contaminous and carnall matrimonial delectatiō after it is added That no Pope may permit Priests to liue in marriage and great punishment is is threatned against it after it is added again thus that if S. Gregory himself had appointed such a thing he should neuer Ibidem haue obtained mercy at Gods hands vnles before his death bee should with humility haue reuoked the sentence What a do we haue in this vision first that the ancient Law of marriage was obserued and kept for many yeeres by such Christian Priests as pleased God liuing in it by which it is euident that the Christian marrying of Christian Priests was more ancient then popish continency Secondly I obserue that this Law of Priests marrying was altered because the Popes God did infuse into the hearts of The Popes for bidding of marriage the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. if we beleeue Briget Popes to change and alter the same but what was the cause marry heare flat Manicheisme because saith the vision Priests should not liue in matrimonials contaminosa delectatione in matrimoniall contaminous and polluted delectation for which the virgine sayd that the law of marriage for Priests was hatefull both to her selfe to her sonne and to all the heauenly Court yea so hatefull that towards the conclusion of the vision thus it followeth Nullus Papa potest c. No Pope may permit marriage to Priests vnder paine of damnation What stuffe is heere Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici I desire the Readers to containe their laughter the Popes power is curbed and limited and that from heauen yea and Gregory the Saint is so curbed that if hee should offer to dispense with Priests to bee married hee should infallibly vnlesse he would reuoke his Law bee damned away with this doctrine of Diuels so contrary to the Popes absolute power which may dispence in vowes so contradictorious to Brigets owne narration the Saintesse acknowledgeth that in the Primitiue Church Priests liued in marriage and that liuing in it they were the friends of God because they did beleeue with simple purity that they might so doe but afterwards the case was altered vpon secret reuelation in the Popes heart well saith shee secret reuelation for the Pope had no such reuelation from the Scriptures nor the ancient Church who commanded Priests not to marrie nor liue in marriage after which Law it is not in the holy Fathers power to grant marriage or the vse of marriage to any Priest vnlesse hee will bee damned which may not happen in the men of sin and children of perdition Sometimes when I haue thought with my selfe of the strange paradoxes which are in these reuelations of Briget I haue wondred how men of iudgement should giue credit to the same if the strong illusions of Sathan did not powerfully worke in them foolish is that where Christ telleth Briget that hee is Trinus vnus Three and one And little for the Popes credit is that where Christ himselfe describeth the Pope to bee worse then Lucifer more vniust then Pilate more immane then Iudas more abominable then the Iewes themselues how vaine is that in the title of the first chapter of the booke of the heauenly Emperour which hath thus that God ordained the world to be ruled with a double power to wit Ecclefiasticall and Laicall which are principally designed in Peter and Paul but in the chapter it selfe good God how fondly is Christ brought thus speaking Ego autem habui duos optimos famulos vnus eoxam erat Clericus alter Laieus c. I had two excellent seruants one of them was a Clerk the other a Laicke the first was Peter my Apostle hauing the office of a Clerke the second was my Apostle Paul as a Laick what an excellent inference may heereout be inferred for the Popes power to gouerne the whole Church as a Clerke and the whole world as a Laike For Peter and Paul say they both died at Rome who then shall bee their Successour but the Bishop of Rome which being so I maruell why Briget in her extrauagant reuelations and in her heauenly Emperour touching a certaine Prince that was to bee deprined of his kingdome doth not send the admonition to the Pope but to the Princes Cap. 80. cap. 61. of the Kingdom that they should take armes against their Prince and depriue him why is there no mention made of the Pope if hee bee cheefe vmpire in all such affaires some will perhaps obiect that such fooleries as these either are not in Brigets reuelations or else that they are not authorized by the Romane Church but let such vnderstand that they are both in Briget and that her booke also is authorized as a booke of diuine reuelations One thing amongest someothers the late Answer plan Edition hath scraped out In the fifth of six reuelations which were set before the booke of reuelations after the approbatorie Epistle of Cardinall Turrecremate with subsignation of the Scribe and Notary it was thus written Sicut Iohannes Euangelista c. Euen as Iohn the Euangelist wrote those things which before saw were to come from my Spirit so Matthias thy Father and Ghostly Father whom I haue made a master from the same Spirit vnderstandeth and writeth the spirituall truth of sacred Scripture Againe presently after the prologue thus it is written Benedictus Deus aquo hic liber inspiratus est immediatè diuinitus reuelatus Blessed be God from whō this booke was immediately inspired and diuinely reuealed By which you may see of what authority her reuelations are when both shee and her master Matthias were both immediately inspired from God himselfe See Lib. 6. revelationum chap. 89. for the sayd purpose This which I haue deliuered out of Briget I haue found written in that Edition of hers which was printed at Nuremberg the yeere 15 17. by the great care and diligence of the Fathers
of her Originall Monasterie in Zuasthenes in which is added a curse both at the beginning and ending of the same Edition against all other reuelations pretended to be of Briget and which are not contained in that booke Further I will with patience of the Reader adde yet one other prodigie touching the merits and power of Saints for the aiding of soules in purgatory this is of their prodigious Christine whose wonderous life wholly to relate were oleum operam perdere but lost labour Surius 23. Iunij Thom. Cant. in vita Christina Carthus lib. 4. de nouiss Tilmanus lib. 8. collat cap. 7 It is at large described by Surius by Cantiprat by Dionyse the Carthusian Tilman Bredenbach hath as much of it as concerneth our purpose and yet neither will I trifle the time so much as to write at large what Tilman hath pretermitting therefore the birth of this Cbristine and the circumstances of her education she at length became such a delightfull and so enamoured a Spousesse of Iesus Christ the sonne of God that Tilman dareth thus to write that although her vertues were not much knowen yet Christ tooke great pleasure in her so that he applieth that of Isay the Prophet to Christ touching the knot of loue betwixt Christine and him Gloriatur apud Isaiam Dominus secretum meum mihi est enim verecundus amator Dominus The Lord doth glory thus by the Prophet Isay my secret to mee for the Lord is a bashefull Isay 24. 16. or blushing louer saith superstitious Tilman Demurre courteous Reader vpon this wise conceit of Bredenbach my secret to me and the Lord is a shamefast or bashfull Louer This Christine being by excesse of contemplation brought to her end and carried into the Church to be buried she remained for the space of part of the masse which was song for her quiet and at rest a little after she beginneth to moue in the coffine and so strongly that instantly with a kinde of horrour of all earthly things she mounteth from vnder the herse where she lay vp to one of the beames of the Church where she abideth quiet vntill Masse was done in the meane while all who were present except her Sister at such an vncouth and horrible sight were runne away Masse being done the Priest commandeth Christine to come downe shee obeyeth his command goeth home and eateth with her Sister some meate by which shee was greatly refreshed then she reuealeth part of that which she had seene in her trance out of which I partly obserue how that when she was before God it was put to her choise whether shee would stay in glory still with him or else returne againe into the world ibique in corpore mortali absque illius detrimento poenas perferre ijsque omnes illas animas quas in locis purgatorijs miserabatur liberare ac eripere and there in a mortall body without any detriment of the same suffer paines by them to deliuer and saue all those soules which she with great pittie had seene in the paines of purgatorie And withall with her good example to moue sinners to amendment of life and repentance The Saintesse accepteth of the condition to returne to her body and to become a Satisfactresse and Deliueresse for those Soules which she saw in Purgatorie which she performed so fully that she would oftentimes stand naked in hard frozen waters she would often torment and afflict her selfe vpon wheeles and gibbets of execution shee would often cast her selfe into hoate burning fornaces and ouens and yet neuer in any of these like the three Dan. 3. 22. children in the Babilonian fornace sustaine any corporall damage and yet notwithstanding satisfie for the soules in Purgatory As for giuing example of good life and repentance she performed it so well that shee would often for very horrour of men and the smell of them flee from their conuersation shee would often clime vp to the toppes of houses Churches and trees hanging vpon the twigges thereof and like a bird skipping from one bough to another in which places shee would be in such vehement and fiery panges of deuotion that her whole flesh would melt maruaile she melted not away and soften and bee so foulded vp together like a soft ball of waxe of around sphericall forme in which manner of prodigious liuing shee continued vnto her death if you please to beleeue Tilman Bredenbachius Cantipratensis Surius the Cart husian and others Courteous Reader what shall I say or how may I sufficiently declaime against the follies of these men who will giue credit to such impiâ—â—â—â—s and abominations Familiar was the Deuill in those Countreyes where the twelue cubited man as Iacobus à Voragine measureth his length or the twelue-footed man as he is measured by Petruâ—de Natalibus went as their lying Legend hath to speake with the Deuill and to become his seruant and in the end serued him a long while vntill Christ in the shape of a childe appeared vnto him if it please you to beleeue their Records or our Comedians who sometimes are pleased so to act this fable and superstitious Legend But surely we may thinke that the Deuill was more familiar amongest them where Christine could and did hoppe vp and downe from twigge to twigge could and did cast her selfe into hoate burning fornaces and heated ouens and yet sustaine no damage and who are those who beleeue these things Papists and those who onely if it may so please the Gods would be counted Catholike Orthodoxe Christian but are in truth Cacolike Pseudodoxe Antichristian And so here I leaue them to their lying Legends yet before I end I will take paines out of their own Authours to adde some few Visions which are egregiously against themselees and are most likely to carry truth with them Certaine visions and predictions against POPERIE PHilip Commineus a graue Authour and of worthy credit shall relate the first This man writeth how one Hierome Zananorole a famous Preacher in Florence did foretell the comming of Charles King of France into Commi in vita Carol. lib. 8. cap. 25. 52. Italy and how he should safely arriue thither and returne with victory notwithstanding the small number of his Souldiers in comparison of the enemies and the infinite opposition which was to be made against him And withall he foretold that because he did not reform the Church according as appertained to his office that therefore God would seuerely punish him which Commineus interpreteth to haue beene fulfilled in that hee presently lost by suddaine death his Heyre apparant the Dolphine of France and himselfe also soone after ended with a most miserable and wretched death I beginne with this Vision because it agreeth with another of Christ himselfe to Briget commanding her his Lib. 6. reuelat cap. 26. Spousesse to write to a certaine King to reforme the Church which saith Christ had so farre gone from him that except his mother had made