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
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
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
few disordered ones the reason whereof first is their neuer intermitted diligence in preaching which cannot be performed without much studie and labour whereas few of yours take care for Sermons their ordinarie taskes being to heare some pretty tales at confessions to mumble vp their offices and to say their Masses For sleeping in warme beds I dare vndertake you surpasse for time most of our Ministers and to speake more specially of you Ignatians what else is your manner of liuing then a meere philosophicall I will not say Epicurian summe of contentment All your rules orders gouernment disciplines tend to this end that you may enioy your contents free The Ignatians hard austere liues from sorrow or greife for this end your apparrell is conuenient warme sweete and soft your diet sweete of the best wholesome not without often varieties of dishes pasts postpasts antepasts you ordinarily feede thrice a day in the Sommer you haue your afternoones collations For sleepe you haue seuen houres and a halfe in winter more vpon your recreation daies and ordinarily eight houres in Sommer if you were restrained from walking abroad considering the pleasantnesse of your Orchards and Gardens the same were tollerable but it is not so for you haue your often parambulations abroad through cities and into the pleasantest fieldes and vineyardes For your studies and exercises you haue your competency of bookes and all other conuenient helpes In time of sickenesse what doe you or can you want which arte or nature may afford In breefe your whole manner of liuing is a summe of philosophicall content And this I take to be the cause why you doe not willingly permit any no hardly of your priuates to enter into the secretter roomes of your most neete and daintily ordered houses lest they should obserue in you too great an Epicurian like care I doe assure my selfe that there are very few Ministers in England who would not gladly bee content to be so well prouided for as you Ignatians are they might haue been all of them sufficiently prouided for without that competencie of meanes which our Benificelesse precisians prate of had not your holy Father the lawlesse Outlaw when hee domineired in this Kingdome diuided the Tithes of Parishes bestowing the best and fattest of them vpon his seruiceable locusts c. Perhaps you will make answere and say that though you haue all these worldly contents yet you vse them moderately and doe also containe from voluptuous pleasures of the flesh What your moderation is all those know who know you how moderate I pray you was your holy Padre Gerrard who reuelled it lustily in Sir Euerard Digbies house whilest the poore Knight himselfe was mewed vp to meditate his weeke-contemplation of your vaine exercises What your voluptuousnesse is it would appeare if particulars might be produced would God too many of your popish Monkes Fryers c. were not acquainted with that nefand position of your Italian Cynedes who haue not been ashamed publikely and in print to commend and extoll vnnaturall pleasures which a modest penne cannot so much as touch before the holy State of matrimony which God hath instituted and approued If you would seriously consider what voluptuous abuses are committed in manie of your Congregations you would haue litle cause to twit our Church for that she christianlie alloweth and approueth with the Apostle Mariage to be a thing honourable in all yea in Fryers and Nunnes comming to the truth and shaking off the bonds of blindnesse wherein they had superstitiously enthralled themselues Much hath been said by the learned of our Churches in defence of such mariages yet considering how vniuersall the calumniation is euen by those Priests Dames Matrones Maides Youthes who are guiltie Criminis pessimi and further considering that some Protestants for some politike respects doe not greatly arride or approue of such mariages I haue purposed in this place with the Readers patience in all possible breuitie to shew the lawfulnesse of such mariages euen out of popish principles and their dogmaticall Tenents For clearing of this truth I am first to prefixe some suppositions and out of them to make my inferences First I suppose as a truth confessed by them all or Supposi ∣ tion First most of them that Christ and his Apostles did not prescribe necessitie or vow of single life to any of the holy Aquinas 2. 2. q. 88. art 11. Alij omnes Canon Apost Can. 5. Gratian causa 26. q. 2. cap. Sors dist 31. cap. Quoniam Durand de Conc Celebr Aquinas vbi supra art 2. Orders as Presbyterie Decanrie Subdeaconrie either before the taking or after the taking of the same but that concerning the vow of chastitie either from Christ himselfe or his Apostles there is no other order then the order of Counsell which is of this nature according to the doctrine of all Pontificians no one Doctour excepted that the vse acceptance and admittance of the same is meerely of free choice and election not out of necessitie Thus they constantly deliuer concerning Euangelicall Counsells which they distinguish into a threefold number Obedience Pouertie Chastitie of all which their doctrine is with the Apostle Preceptum 1 Cor 7. 25. Domini non habent sed solum consilium That they haue no precept of the Lord but only his Counsell thus they Secondly I doe suppose that as the sonne of God Sup ∣ position Second made no limitation from mariage in any so doubtlesse in that point he had respect vnto his Fathers prime institution who in Paradise made an euerlasting ordinance approuing and commending the same This is a truth confessed by all sides howsoeuer some popish Authors may sometimes seeme to denie it in that they would seeme to fasten sinfull impurities vpon the state of mariage it selfe but being called in question for the same they crie peccaui yea they will reuile you if you seeme to lay such an imputation vpon them and their Church Thirdly I suppose that which the Aduersaries themselues Suppo ∣ sition Third cannot denie as being clearely to be proued out of their owne Historians Canonists Diuines to wit that the inhibition and restrayning of mariage in some Persons first by precept and law onely after by vow and promise was brought into the Westerne Church by the ordinance and command of the Bishops of Rome I say Westerne Church for the East Churches would neuer Disi 31. cap. Alâ—ter Can. 13. apud Gratian. dist 37. cap. Quoniam Gloss in cap. CuÌ„ in preterito dist 84. admit of the same as it is euident by a Cannon of the Councell in Trullo flatly decreeing against it Now it was brought into the Westerne Church thus vnder a shew of godlinesse the first shadow of it we finde in Siricius Pope commanding the same The like in Calixtus and after them in Gregorie the first but these preuailed not to make their commands vniuersally receiued But when Gregorie the seuenth that Hildebrand who trampled vpon
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
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