shew in those wordes I answere it is to be said that one thing may be said to be before another two waies Tho. Aq. 22. q. 4. ar 7. one way of it selfe another way by accident and of it selfe faith is the first of all other vertues for as in things agible and to be done the end is the beginning as is abouesaid it is behoofefull that the Theologicall vertues which haue the last end for their obiect be the first and take place of other vertues and for the last end it selfe it is behoofefull that first it be in the vnderstanding then in the will because the will is not carried vpon any thing but as it is apprehended in the vnderstanding therefore for that the last end is in the will by hope and charitie and in the vnderstanding by faith Tho. Aqu. 12. q. 34. art 4. ad princip art q. 13. art 3. it is behoofefull that faith be the first of all vertues because naturall vnderstanding cannot reach vnto God as he is the obiect of blisse in which sort hope and charitie aymeth vnto him yet accidentally another vertue may be before faith for the cause which is accidentally is accidentally the first Now to remoue the impediment appertaineth to that cause which is accidentally as it is manifest by the Philosopher accordingly Aristoteles in 8. Phisuli 8. text 32. to 2. whereunto some vertues may bee said accidentally to be before faith in how much they remoue the impediments of beleeuing as fortitude remoueth inordinate feare hindering faith humilitie pride by which the vnderstanding refuseth to submit it selfe to the truth of faith and the same may be said of some other vertues although they be not truly vertues vnlesse faith be presupposed Augustin contra Iouinianum l. 4. cap. 3 tom 7. as it appeareth by Saint Augustine in his booke against Iouinian Hence it appeareth by this Doctor that if faith be wanting no Christian can haue that reuealed knowledge which necessarily for his saluation hee is bound to haue and therefore I incessantly laboured to finde out the assurednesse of this faith and the more that I thought how I might finde out this faith so necessarie to saluation it pleased God to suffer me to proceede in my search for some infallible rule by which I might measure without danger of mistaking the true faith of Christ and thereby be most comfortably led as with the fierie pillar like the Israelites by night through the wildernesse of this world Exo. 13. vers 22. vnto the most desired land of euerlasting happinesse and securitie where that promise of God made by the mouth of his Prophet may be verified of vs Esay 32. vers 18 My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places CHAP. VI. Containing the fourth fundamentall obseruation about the rule and straight mete-wand of the true Christian faith BEing thus arriued by Gods grace to discouer and rightly to obserue how important a thing it is to build vpon this foundation of true faith The true Canonicall Scriptures the chief rule of faith without which all the building of our soules would be but weake and soone fall to ruine I felt my selfe most forcibly moued by Gods Spirit with all humilitie and diligence to search out the most straight rule where no crookednesse should appeare with the which I might so truly measure out the right faith and true Church of God which Saint Paul calleth the Piller and firmament of truth In the desire whereof occurred vnto my memorie the Angell that talked with Saint Iohn Apocal. 21. vers 15. hauing a golden reed in his hand to measure the spirituall Hierusalem with all the gates the walles the foundations and all the parts of that great citie wishing that it would please God to bestow vpon me such a golden reed wherewith I might measure out the true faith and Church of God that all that are crooked in faith and misproportioned in their liues might find out the truth and be in the number of those of whom the Psalmist saith Psalme 32.11 Laetamini in domino exultate insti gloriamini omnes recti corde Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and bee ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart Whereupon I began to reflect vpon the chiefest rules spoken of either by the Church of Rome or other Churches pretending reformation and examining with a great desire of truth whether visibilitie and continuance of personall succession of Bishops in any Church or whether the Popes sole iudgement and definitiue sentence either with a Councell or tanquam ex Cathedra without a Councell or whether vnwritten traditions or whether the written word and facred Scriptures could be vnto me a straight rule of true faith and of the true Church of Christ me thought I found by all probable euidences and allowed testimonies that only and principally the written word of God I meane the true canonicall Scriptures could be the golden rod and straight mete-wand wherewith the true proportion and frame of Christian faith could bee measured in so much that me thought I might well say to my inexplicable comfort and to the honor of God as that high soaring Eagle Saint Iohn said Apoc. 11. vers 1. There was giuen me a reed like vnto a rod and it was said vnto mee rise and mete the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 2 But heere thou wilt say gentle Reader that this is but an imagined golden reed Obiections against Scripture as the chiefe or certaine rule and that this is but as crooked a measure as any other in respect of the many difficult places of Scripture which tire out the braines of the most learned as also in regard of the diuersitie of iudgements that is found about the sence of Scriptures for that the translations hauing been diuers it is hard for any man to iudge which is the truest but all these mists of but apparent reasons will easily be disperst if thou wilt please but heedily to peruse the proofes and authorities I bring for this my sure and strongest fundamentall obseruation I know onely but three kinds of strong arguments that may be produced for any veritie as namely the sacred Scriptures the authoritie of the learned and the force of natural reasons all which three do proclaime with a loud voice vnto vs that the written word is the most certain sufficient and infallible rule of faith that we can haue in this world and consequently the true golden mete-wand of Gods eternall truth and all Christian reuealed verities 3 This haue I gathered first out of the Scriptures By proofe of Scripture Esay 8.20 for I find in Esay the Prophet that we must repaire to the Law and to the testimonie if any speake not according to that word Prou. 2. vers 1. Prou. 2. vers 9. there is no light in them I
learned Doctor whom they call the Angelicall Doctor sayth Tho. Aqu. lec in 1. Tim. 6. The doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called Canonicall because it is as it were the rule of our vnderstanding 1. q. 1. ar 4. And againe our faith resteth and stayeth it selfe vpon the reuelation giuen to the Apostles and Prophets which writ the Canonicall bookes 1. q. 1. ar 8. and not vpon reuelation if any such haue beene made to other Doctors And also in another place hee sheweth how all iudgement of truth is to be referred to the Scriptures saying In arguing it properly vseth viz. the said reuealed knowledge Tho. 1 q. part 1. q. 1. ar 8. ad 2. whereof he speaketh of necessitie the authorities of Canonicall Scripture but the authorities of other Doctors of the Church as it were arguing out of her owne but probably For our faith doth relie vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonicall bookes nd not vpon any reuelation made to other Doctors Therefore Augustine sayth in his Epistle to Hierome Epi. 19. Paulo post princip to 2. I haue learned to giue this honor to the onely bookes of Scriptures which are called Canonicall as to beleeue most firmely that not one author of them hath erred in writing but others I reade so that with what soeuer holinesse and learning they are endued as not therefore to thinke any thing a truth because they haue held or written so And in another place Faith doth cleaue vnto all the articles of faith for one medium to wit for the first truth proposed vnto vs in Scriptures according to the doctrine of the Church vnderstanding rightly and therefore hee that swarueth from this meane doth totally want faith Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth expressely Sum. part 3. tit 18. c. 3. ff 3. That God hath spoken but once and that in the holy Scripture and so plentifully to meete with all temptations and all cases that may fall out and all good workes that as Gregorie in the two and twentieth booke of his Morals expounds it he needes no more speake vnto vs concerning any necessarie matter seeing all things are found in the Scripture Gerson a great man in the Councell of Constance sayth De com sub vtraque specie The Scripture is the rule of our faith which being well vnderstood no authoritie of men is to be admitted against it Durandus sayth That generally in the things that touch our faith wee must speake to that which the Scripture deliuereth Praef. in sent least any man fall into that which the Apostle noteth 1. Cor. 8. If he thinke he knoweth something yet the knoweth nothing as he ought to know for the manner of our knowledge must be not to exceede the measure of faith and the holy Scripture expresseth the measure of faith Alliaco the Cardinall sayth 1. Sent. q. 1. ar 3. The verities themselues of the sacted Canon be the principles of Diuinitie because the finall resolution of Theologicall discourse is made into them and originally from them is drawne euery conclusion of Diuinitie Conradus Clingius sayth Locor l. 3. c. 29. pag. 290. The Scripture is the infallible rule of truth yea the measure and iudge of the truth Peresius the Diuinitie Reader at Barcelona in Spaine sayth The authoritie of no Saint is of infallible truth Iac. Per. de ratio con li. 2. c. 19. for Saint Augustine giues that honor onely to the sacred Scriptures Whereupon I frame this reason That onely is the infallible rule which is of infallible truth but the Scripture onely is of infallible truth therefore the Scripture onely is the infallible rule 8 Bellarmine also writeth thus Other late Writers De verbo Dei li. 1. cap. 2. The rule of faith must be certaine and knowne for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all if it be not knowne it is no rule to vs but nothing more certaine nothing better knowne than the sacred Scripture contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of faith most certaine and most safe and God hath taught vs by corporall letters which wee might see and reade what he would haue vs beleeue concerning him Whence I gather that if the Swenckfeldians are to bee drawne to the written Text then ought those of the Church of Rome also be recalled to the same rule from their vncertaine traditions from the Popes sole definitiue sentence and from their Councels not teaching by Scriptures If nothing be more knowne nothing more certaine as the Cardinall confesseth than the Scriptures why doe they reiect them from being the rule as not sufficient to preserue from error not knowne ynough The same Cardinall sayth in another place De not eccles c. 2. ff respond Simpliciter The Scripture is better knowne than the Church in some case as namely where it is receiued and speaketh plainly and the question is of the Church Willauincentius confesseth The Scriptures and they alone are able to teach vs to saluation De ratio stud Theol. li. 1. c. 31. pag. 21. as the Apostle in the third chapter of his second Epistle to Timothie affirmeth saying All Scripture is inspired of God in which words the Apostle comprehendeth all things that are needfull to the saluation of man Comment in 2. Tim c 3 in vers 15 16. Espenceus writeth That if any thing be needfull either to be knowne or done the Scriptures teach the truth reproue the false reclaime from euill persuade to good neither yet doe they make a man good in some sort but perfect yea they can teach a man to saluation and make him learned sufficiently Panormitane writeth thus One faithfull man Part 1. de elect polest ca. significa though priuate is more to be beleeued than the Pope or a whole Councell if he haue better reason on his side and authoritie of the Old and New Testament And Gerson more sully De exemp doct part 1. considera 5. The examination and triall of doctrine concerning faith belongeth not onely to the Pope and Councell but to euery one also that is sufficiently seene in the holy Scripture because euery one is a fit iudge of that he knoweth And againe some lay-man not authorised may be so excellently learned in the Scripture that his assertion shall be more to be credited than the Popes definitiue sentence for the Gospell is more to be credited than the Pope Therefore if such a lay man though he be priuate teach a truth contained in the Gospell and the Pope either know it not or will not know it yet it is euident that his iudgement is to be preferred Costerus Cesterus sayth That such verities concerning our faith as are absolutely necessarie to be knowne and beleeued of all men are plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues Doctor Saunders sayth Rock pag. 193. Wee
hold of the Popes Indulgences grounded vppon the couetousnesse of Popes and drew them to employ their studies more in gathering together temporall wealth than the riches of Gods graces and true knowledge of the Scriptures For hence and from this source only hath flowed diuers points of doctrine now currant in Rome more tending to the amplification and enlarging of his temporall Kingdome than the Kingdome of Christs Church amongst which the doctrine of Pardons and Indulgences is not the least profitable for the filling vp of the Popes cofers and giuing contentment to his auaricious desires arguing the great spirituall blindnesse God hath permitted him to fall into in punishment of the detestable sinne 2. Indulgences disproued by their definitions Now this obseruation hauing auerted my minde from the Church of Rome with diuers others and laied open vnto my soule the most foule abhominations of that Church for the better explication of her erroneous doctrine concerning Indulgences and Pardons I must shew thee curteous Reader how this auersion grew in mee by the examination and studie of truth First I beganne to examine the true nature of these Romish Indulgences and Pardons by the definition of them which I found in Cardinall Bellarmine to be thus expressed Lib. 5. de poenit cap. 2. Indulgences saith he are the remissions of paines which are to be endured after the remission of faults granted vnto the faithfull for a reasonable cause by the high Bishops out of a Fatherly lenitie and condescention Ioannes Viguerius the great Scholler of Spaine calleth Indulgence Ioan. Viguer Instit Christi cap. 16. vers 29. A distribution of the treasure or an application of the penalties of the supererogation of Christ or of his Saints for the remission of paines due for passed sinnes made by him that ruleth the Vniuersall Church with iudgement of discretion Siluester their best Summist for cases of conscience defineth it thus The Ecclesiasticall Indulgence Siluest verb. Jndulgentia num 3. is a donation of some thing taken out of the spirituall treasure of the Church made vnto a sinner that hee may satisfie God the creditour of his paines Thus these learned men of Rome write of the nature of Indulgences Whereupon first I note out of Bellarmine that these pardons are not to bee granted without a reasonable cause and according to Viguerius with iudgement of discretion yet notwithstanding this is contradicted by Emanuel Sa the Iesuite who saith That some say an Indulgence giuen without cause is of value Verbo Indulgen num 1. Bonauent 4. d. 20.2 part q. vlt. Solu 4. d. 21. q. 2. art 2. others doe not onely require a iust cause but such a cause as is proportionable to the Indulgence I but Sa himselfe peremptorily affirmeth I thinke no doubt to be made of an Indulgence giuen from the Pope Where I note this man to be more the Popes Friend than the rest who whether the Pope with iust cause or without iust cause graunt an Indulgence hee approues it and further I obserue a great difference amongst the Romish Writers in this point and therefore no credit to bee giuen to those that so much disagree in the cause why Indulgences should bee graunted Secondly I note out of Siluester that the subiect of Indulgences is a sinner I meane as hee saith it is graunted to a sinner and yet this seemeth to bee contradicted by him and others who saith Hee that is not in Gods grace obtaineth not Indulgence Sil. Lerb Indulg 5. Tho. 3. p. q. 27. art 1. Solu 4. d. 21. q. 2. a. 3. Adrian 4. de Indulgent col 13. Concl. 3. Thirdly I obserue moreouer that whereas the Pope graunteth Indulgences oftentimes both from sinne and paine which now is growne ordinarie hee crosseth the Doctrine of these Authours who in the definition of an Indulgence make mention onely of remission of paine and not of the sinne for according to their owne Doctrine else where both mortall and veniall sinnes are taken away by the Sacrament of Penance as the proper subiect and matter of their Sacramentall absolution 3. Now for the establishment of this doctrine of Indulgences The Scripture abused about Indulgences they haue no Scripture as farre as I can perceiue of any force which hath made the Reformed Churches to tearme these Papall Indulgences pious frauds of the faithfull inuentions and impostures and his Maiestie discouering as much iustly to reckon them amongst the trash depending vpon Purgatorie To Christ. Mon. f. 43. not worth the talking of yet doe they not sticke to bee so presumptuous as to alleage Scriptures most indiscreetly for their doctrine as namely Ioannes Viguerius doeth as if hee had got a great victorie against the Reformed Churches in this point prouing the name of Indulgence to bee found in the Prophet Esay his wordes which he citeth are these Notwithstanding to conuince their ignorance Instit Christ c 6. § 6. vers 19. and vnbridled boldnesse wee must shewe the name Indulgence expresly to bee found in the sacred Letters in the same sense the Church vseth And this chiefly in Esay the Prophet where in the Person of Christ hee saith The Spirit of the Lord vpon mee in that hee hath annointed mee Hee sent mee to announce vnto the meeke to heale the contrite of heart to Preach Indulgence vnto Captiues releasement to those that are shut vp and so it can not bee denyed that the name of Indulgence in the sacred Letters is not to bee found And that Esay wrote according to the intention which the Church vseth Christ the Lord hath declared in S. Luke where it is said Luc. 4. that when vpon the Sabaoth hee entred the Synagogue of Nazareth hee rose vp to reade and the Booke of the Prophet Esay was deliucred vnto him and turning the Booke he found the place where it was written the Spirit of the Lord vpon me for that he hath annointed me hee hath sent mee to Euangelize to the poore to heale the contrite of heart to Preach remission to Captiues behold how the name Indulgence Christ interpreteth remission But of what Indulgence spake Esay truly of sinnes for the pardoning and remitting of which Christ was sent by God the Father and because in sinne there are two thinges to wit the fault and the paine the remission of the fault and also the remission of the paine is rightly called Indulgence But the Church as is said taketh Indulgence for the application of penalties of supererogations of Christ and his Saints by which paines are remitted therefore nothing is more manifest than that the name of Indulgence is found in the sacred Letters according to the intention which the Church vseth Here I see a braue proofe of a vaunting Spaniard who with his Spanish Brauadoes thinks to haue conquered but I beleeue when hee shall haue found the strength and truth of his encounterers whom hee termeth Heretiques if he were now aliue he would say as I
of Rome Fol. 171. Chap. 15. Containeth an obseruation of the Pardons and Indulgences which the Pope annexeth to Crosses Graines and Meddalls Fol. 180. Chap. 16. Containeth an obseruation about the number of seuen Sacraments admitted by the Church of Rome Fol. 189. Chap. 17. Containeth an obseruation about the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception in originall sinne Fol. 206. Chap. 18. Containeth an obseruation of the honorable state of Marriage prohibited by the Church of Rome to Priests who by Gods law may lawfully liue in it and allowed to those who by Gods law can not liue together without Incest Fol. 214. Chap. 19. Containeth the Conclusion to the Reader with a recapitulation of all the precedent obseruations for the Readers profit Fol. 213. DOCTRINALL and Morall Obseruations concerning Religion CHAP. I. Containing the first obseruation shewing the reasons and occasions of this Treatise AMONGST all the things which draw men into admiration Great is the benefit of true conuersion because it manifesteth the power of God and which doe see me to happen contrarie vnto common course and order worthily may the conuersion of soules from the waies of sinne and iniquitie chalenge the first place and is to be esteemed as the greatest for this is the most excellent worke the Heauens doth affoord vs and the most wonderfull that the infinite power of God infinitely powerfull can performe This the prime Doctor of the Romane Church most clearely intimateth Tho. Aquin. 12. q. 113. saying Maximum opus Dei est iustificatio impij The iustification of a sinner is the greatest worke of God according to that of the Kingly Prophet Miserationes eius super omnia opera eius Psal 144. vers 9. his mercies are aboue all his workes yea and the Church of Rome to keepe fresh the memorie of this document prayeth to God yearely in these words Deus qui omnipetentiam tuam parcendo miserando maxime manifestas In Dom. 20. post Pent. O God that by pardon and mercie chiefely manifestest thy Almightie power Which veritie also S. Augustine confirmeth saying vpon those words of S. Iohn Greater workes than these shall he doe Ioh. 14. v. 12. August tract 72. in Ioh. post Med. tom 9. Maius opus est vt ex impio iustus fiat quam creare coelum terram it is a greater worke for a sinner to be made righteous than to create heauen and earth This though it seeme a paradox is most true for certainely albeit the creation of the world was a maruellous worke yet the iustification and conuersion of a sinner is much fuller of admiration God framed and moulded the world almost in a moment of time and brought foorth all creatures in a short time as it were into the field but to abolish the turpitude and foulenesse of onely one originall sinne he vsed the delay of fiue thousand yeares and to bring this worke to perfection his onely sonne Christ Iesus endured three and thirtie yeares exile from his heauenly Kingdome For the worke of creation God did but speake Psal 148. vers 5. Dixit facta sunt but for this other worke Christ was to suffer and die Oportebat Christum pati Luk. 24. vers 16. ita intrare in gloriam suam it was behoofefull for Christ to die and so to enter into his glorie therefore Saint Augustines sentence of true conuerts is to be noted Augustin in Sermon saying Conuersio ad bonum non homini sed Deo adscribenda the conuersion of a sinner vnto good is not to be ascribed vnto man but vnto God who of himselfe can doe all things by his power 2 Now verily as iustification and remission of sinnes is the greatest worke of God Great also because it manifesteth the glorie and wisdome of God manifesting his infinite power and mercie so neither is there any worke of his more forcible to set out his glorie and wisedome vnto the world than the same It is a glorie vnto the artificer to delineate most perfect colours of Emblemes vpon base yron and hard steele The skill also of the Physitian is praise-worthie when hee freeth one from danger that is poysoned and swolne by the biting of a Viper with a present Antidote so the glorie of God and his goodnesse chiefely shineth in the conuersion of sinners So it shined in Saint Paule the Apostle when hee being infected with the poyson of infidelitie and swolne therewith Spirans minarum caedis Actor 9. vers 1. breathing forth threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Christ appearing verie oportunely vnto him cured him and strengthened him in faith Hereby appeareth the frailtie of humane nature and the power of Gods grace which redoundeth much vnto the glorie of his Saints whilest calling vnto their remembrance their passed dangers they behold their happie securitie of present glorie euen as the Mariner after the danger of shipwracke reioyceth as a sicke person reioyceth after therecouerie of a perillous disease and as conquering souldiors triumph and glorie the more in their victories by how much their hazards and encounters were strong This Saint Augustine teacheth most elegantly saying Nimis exultant Sancti dum praeteriti periculi memores dicunt 4 Confess cap 3. dextra Domini fecit virtutem dextra Domini exaltauit me the Saints doe verie much reioyce when mindfull of passed danger they say the right hand of the Lord hath done his power the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me So did Saint Paule reioyce when of a persecutor he was made a vessell of election So also Saint Mathew when of a Customer he was made an Euangelist So Saint Marie Magdalene when from being a vessell of contumelie and disgrace shee was translated into a vessell of glorie So Saint Peter when after the denying of his Master he was made a constant pillar of truth by his personall perseuerance in faith obtained him by Christs prayer who said Ego rogani pro te Petre Luke 22.32 vt non deficiat fides tua I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not 3 The obseruation hereof gentle Reader maketh mee truly to discouer An acknowledgement of the benefit of conuersion as the case standeth the obligation I am bound in to God for Almightie God of his infinite goodnesse and out of the vnexhausted riches of his mercie hauing blessed my soule with a true and vnfained conuersion from the superstitious idolatrous and hereticall religion of the Romane Church vnto the perfect knowledge and practise of the Religion established in this Realme touching that faith which is conformable to that which was taught by the Ancient Primitiue Apostolike and Catholike Church which is maintained and defended by his Maiestie with whom I may presume boldly to say maugre all the Church of Rome I will neuer be ashamed to render an account of my profession Praemonit to all Christian Monarchs and of that hope that
haue most plaine Scriptures in all points for the Catholike faith he meaneth the faith of the present Church of Rome Doctor Hill in his quart of reasons the eight reason And Doctor Hill seemes willing to haue it thought that they build vpon the Scriptures in all points of doctrine when he sayth Neither may here the Protestants reply and say that the Papists build vpon miracles visions prophecies and vpon such like but not vpon the Word for all that they alledge are most agreeable to the word of God neither doe they teach any doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible This affertion sheweth much weaknesse of iudgement and little skill euen in the grounds of Diuinitie for who is so ignorant that knoweth not the Papists doe build vpon miracles visions prophecies And who so simple amongst them that know not that they build least vpon the word when they generaly teach that the written word is not sufficient for faith without traditions And what a foule misbeseeming vntruth is it for a Doctor to say That all that they alleadge are most agreeable to the word of God when they ordinarily obiect that the perpetuall virginitie of the virgine Marie the assumption of her bodie into heauen the baptizing of reasonlesse children the keeping of the Sunday and others the like are not to be proued by the word of God but are built onely vpon traditions Is not this then a very grosse forgetfulnesse to affirme That they teach not any Doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holie Bible And yet he forgetteth himselfe so much that againe in the same reasons hee saith euen for the time past That the Catholikes meaning Papists euer squared their Doctrine by the Line and the Leuell of the word of hir Spouse and therfore neuer had cause to reiect the least iote of the holie Bible and at one word the Catholikes follow the Bible By all which it seemeth most apparent that the learned doe approue the word of God that is the Canonicall Scriptures to be the most certain sufficient and most infallible rule that can be assigned What reason then haue I to forsake the iugement of so many learned men both ancient and moderne Writers who heerein are most conformable to Scripture it selfe 9 For if we consider rightly of the nature of faith Natural reason sheweth this rule obseruing that the knowledge whereto it consenteth and the end to which it leadeth are supernaturall nothing can seeme more agreeable to naturall discourse than to gather also that only that book which containes Gods reuealed verities can be the sufficientesi means to know them which is the holy writings of the old and new Testament If a man should aske me why I beleeue the creation of the world all the miracles wrought by Moses Elias and Elisaeus that there is a God that Christ is is the sonne of God that he was borne of a virgine I cannot answere with assurednesse because this Priest or that Priest teacheth me so for reason will obiect that hee may erre or that all Priests agree not therein or that first I must be assured he teacheth me doctrine of such a Church as cannot misinstruct me which I must know by some other meanes Therefore my only answere must be that I beleeue because those Scriptures reuealed from God doe teach me which are the most sufficient rule whereby I can haue assured knowledge of truth reuealed from God by all which it seemed most cleare vnto m that onely the Scriptures can be the most assured sufficient and infallible rule by which I am to measure my faith and all vertues belonging thereunto and therefore all other rules are verie subiect to the crookednesse of many errors Siluest vers 60. fides Nu. 2. Hence I began to see my former error in holding with Siluester that the Pope as the vice gerent of Christ vpon earth was to be my rule according to his assertion taken out of Saint Thomas The Pope hath the primacie of the vniuersall Church to whom it appertaineth to determine those things which belong to faith 22. 1. 11. ar 3. that they may bee held of all with a constant faith and in him resideth the authority of the vniuersall Church Therefore it belongeth to faith to adhere vnto the sentence of the chiefe Bishop in those things which belong to faith yea also in those things which belong vnto good manners because in such the Church cannot erre nor consequently her head as head or as Bishop which I vnderstand alwaies to be true when in doubts he is required not as a learned man or such a person but as the head of Christianity or according to Archidiaconus Note this when he determineth with the Councell of Cardinals but the first is better because the Pope may be without Cardinals But when I remembred that two Popes namely Sixtus and Clemens set out two Bibles within two yeares space for Sixtus Bible came forth in the yeare 1590. and Clements in the yeare 1592. with commaundement to be read and followed vpon penalties mentioned in their seuerall breues wherein many disagreements contradictions and contrarieties appeared in so important a matter of faith as the appointment of what is Scripture and what is not that herein Pope Sixtus grieuously erred I concluded that the Popes sentence definitiue could not bee a sufficient rule for me to measure my faith by vnlesse I would be like vnto a principall Romane Clarke of this land affirming that heere in England he thought the opinion of Cardinall Bellarmine the best to be held concerning deposition of kings namely that the Pope hath his dominion in temporalties onely indirectly yet if he were in Rome he would follow the opinion of Bosius that he hath it directly as the most plausible there And much wondering that such an assertion should passe from the mouth of so graue a man I began to inferre that if but place or persons were the rule of such mens faith in matters of such waight it was time for me who regarded but the saluation of my soule to seeke after some better rule more sure and infallible 10 Now then courteous Reader hauing found out this most sufficient rule of faith namely the holy Scriptures I referre my selfe vnto your impartiall censure to iudge whether I could doe lesse then to measure all the doctrinall points of my faith by this golden meet-wand and therewith measure out the spirituall and true Church of Christ which if thou shalt iudge fit for me I hope such shall be the care of thine owne saluation as to vse it alwaies in like manner for thy selfe that thy faith may be free from all crookednesse of heresies and thereby be made partakers of Gods promises for the manifold diuisions about the Church the diuers errours taught by those that pretend to bee other mens Teachers and euen the loue of thy selfe may well make thee say with holy Dauid following the
light of Scriptures Psal 119. vers 10.4 Psal 119. vers 18. vnto thy Lord God Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum lumen semitis meis Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And againe Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of the Law 11 Yet thou art to haue great care that thou make not this rule longer than it is nor shorter for this is forbidden by Christ himselfe speaking against such a one saying I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this Booke Apoc. 22.18 19. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prephecie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life and out of the holy Citty and from the things which are written in this Booke This fault of adding to the Books of holie scripture is very notorious in the Church of Rome as I haue duly obserued Ses 41. For the Councell of Trent addeth to the Canon of the old Testament diuers Apocriphall Books which must be beleeued as Canonicall Scriptures as namely Tobias Iudith Hester and the two bookes of the Macchabees Esdras Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus all which are learnedly proued to be Apocriphall by the right reuerend Father in God my Lords grace of Canterburie in his answer to master Doctor Hill his eight reason Num. 3. sequent the consideration whereof made me plainely conclude that heerein the Church of Rome giues great and apparent occasion for any to iudge that she erreth and consequently not to heare her voice thus vttering falshood for trueth giuing equall authoritie to the Apocriphall Bookes with the holy canonicall Scriptures CHAP. VII Containing an obseruation how the Ministerie of the true Church of Christ is the meanes of teaching the true sense and vnderstanding of Scriptures where and when it hath a visible and externall gouernement ALthough I haue cleerely discouered The externall ministe rie of the Church an ordinarie meanes to know the true sense of Scripture that the sacred Scriptures are the chiefe infallible rule of faith and most sufficient in the precedent obseruation yet could I not rest satisfied till I found also a meanes for the simple and vnlearned to ground their faith vppon because Deus vult omnes saluos fieri ad agnitionem veritatis venire God will haue all to be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and come to the knowledge of his trueth And as well as he in the gouernment of his creatures hath his end to which he designes them so also by his wisedome he doth most prudently substitute subordinate means for the full accomplishment of such his designements now therefore how those that are neither able to reade the scriptures or though they be able haue not sufficient skill and knowledge to consider the circumstances of Texts and by the analogie of faith not learned enough to find out the true meaning of the Scriptures nor haue the gift of interpretation as many and most haue not whereupon arise many deprauations of Scriptures how such should be directed in the right vse of the rule of Scriptures in finding out the right meaning of them I thought it a matter of great weight wel to discouer and by the declaration thereof to affoord a stay to weake consciences in this behalfe In the scrious discussion of which point it pleased almightie God so to second my carefull Labours and indeuours herein as that I receiued ful satisfaction in mine owne iudgement by this conclusion namely That the most ordinary externall direction left by God especially to direct vnlearned men in the finding out of the true sense and meaning of the Scriptures is the ministerie of the true visible Church of Christ assisted by the holie Ghost and the Church in this respect is called 1. Tim. 3.15 Matt. 5.14 The pillar of truth and the ministers thereof The light of the world 2 And therefore as master Harding himselfe confesseth True vnderstanding of Scripturs only in the Church Doctor Hard. conâ—ut of the Apologie of the Church of England fol. 36. Mester Celuine admonisheth very well That it is especially to be noted that out of the Church there is no light of the sound vnderstanding of the Scriptures But the inconsiderate Doctour maketh a verie fond inference vpon this ground saying This ground being laid on which each part must sland and be tried in crow no more against vs boast your selues no more we feare not the iudgement of the holie Scriptures nay it is your selues that feare this iudgement for your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground you are the weaker side Jnstit lib. 4 cap. 8. num 7. hee forgot that master Caluine said Let this be a firme axiome That no other word of God is to be had to which place must bee giuen in the Church than what is maintained first in the Law and Prophets then in the writings of the Apostles neither is there anie way of teaching in the Church of God but by the prescript and rule of his word If master Harding had well obserued this hee would not haue made such an inference or affirmed that the Protestants feare this iudgement but rather would haue concluded as I doe That since both stand vpon the outward ministerie of the true Church let vs seeke the true Church of Christ and hauing found it The deuties of the true church then heare and follow her doctrine teaching according to Scripture and out of Scripture 3 The due obseruation whereof sheweth That the true visible Church is to represse the deprauations of Heretickes and partly to informe those that are vnlearned and to exercise euen the obedience of those that are learned and by the externall ministerie of teaching the true sence of Scriptures is to giue directions and is duetifully by her members to bee heard and followed Which assertion I find not to make either for the present Church of Rome or of Engl. or any other particular Church till it bee prooued which of them is the true Catholike Ancient and Primitiue Apostolike Church teaching the sound Doctrine of the first pure and vntainted ages whereof I am to speake in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII Containeth a fundamentall obseruation how that consormity of doctrine with the ancient doctrine of the Primitiue Church may bee a good meanes in these latter ages to know the true Church of Christ. AFter that I had thus discouered both the most sufficient rule of faith to be the canonicall and true Scriptures and the most ordinarie externall meanes to find out the true sence to be the ministerie of the true Church Antiquitie a good inducement to the true Church I could not yet giue sufficient contentment to my vnderstanding vntill such time as I had found out also
Rome tending to presumption in good workes and to shew the imperfection of the best of them in respect of our selues yet doth it not follow that good workes are not necessarie to saluation Why are good workes necessarie for they are necessarie for diuers other respects First that our workes may giue testimonie of our faith that by them as by the fruits our faith may bee knowne because that without them faith is dead Jac. 2.18 2. Pet. 1.8 Secondly that wee may be certaine and confirmed of our election and saluation for workes Ibid. though they bee not the causes yet they are the way to saluation Thirdly that our faith may be exercised nourished confirmed 2. Tim. 1.6 2. Pet. 1.8 and promoted Fourthly that wee auoide temporall and eternall paines which God threateneth to inflict vpon transgressors of the Law Fifthly Rom. 8.13 2. Thes 4.6 that our liues may answere our professions for if we be children of light it is behoofefull for vs to walke like children of light Sixtly that not doing euill wee may not contristate the holy Ghost 2. Cor. 5.15 Philip. 2.15 1. Thes 5.19 but that wee may obtaine both temporall and spirituall rewards which God hath promised to those that doe well Seuenthly that they may be done for the good of others 1. Tim. 4.8 Psal 5. v. vlt. that the good may be edified by our example and that we may not giue a scandale to those that are without that by our holy liues as much as lyeth in vs we may gaine others 2. Cor. 6.3 1. Pet. 2.22 and by doing good we may put the wicked to shame and that wee may stop the mouthes of calumniators 2. Pet. 2.12 3 for our workes 16. ad Tit. 2.58 though they are vnperfect yet are they gratefull vnto God not for any perfection or dignitie in them but because they are of the holy Ghost in vs and of faith which purifieth our hearts because all their imperfection is pardoned couered Psal 32.2 and not imputed 13 Hence I obserue How faith and good workes may goe together that a iustifying faith and good workes may goe together the first as the cause the other as the effects and therefore considering the true nature of a good Christian hauing that faith which worketh by charitie my thinkes I behold him in the mysterious vision which the Prophet Ezechiel beheld of the foure beasts Ezech. 1 10. neere the riuer Chobar flying vp to heauen with wings and hands vnder the wings who amounting to heauen according to the number of wings had also sixteene hands which they made-shew of as it were to insinuate that they did not onely amount vp by the helpes of their wings but also by the strength and force of their hands which being vnder their wings moued and supported them For herein I behold a proper resemblance of a true iust and righteous Christian who to ascend vnto heauen and to amount himselfe from all earthly and terrene comforts and to make his conuersation with God in heauen doth not performe this flight onely by the wings of faith but is also therein by the hands of charitie and good workes to helpe and support them without which hee falleth downe to the ground so that now wee see against the Church of Rome that faith alone iustifieth without good workes and that good workes without faith cannot iustifie through their imperfection which in respect of man are so absolutely imperfect and impure as the precedent places of antiquitie doe testifie and therefore I find the most probable inducement of antiquitie in those two points to leade mee vnto the Church of England 14 Now courteous Reader when I had obserued the Church of Rome to faile thus in the triallof antiquitie My feeling vpon the consideration of this obseruation about the two aforesaid points of doctrine concerning faith and good workes attributing too little to the one and too much to the other and the Church of England to haue Antiquitie on her side for the establishment of the aforesaid points I beganne more seriously to behold mine owne estate and to see the former danger of my soule with the great perill of diuers others whose carefull instructer I haue beene in the contrarie nouelties I beganne with amazement to reflect more studiously and feelingly vpon the seuere wordes of S. Paul denouncing an accurse vpon the teachers of nouelties when he said Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed In the feare of which curse as I discouered my errour so I determined it to bee high time for mee to shake handes and bidde adieu to the Church of Rome which by her nouell doctrines entangleth the soules of many in the nets of eternall perdition Now could I not but with teares of compunction for my former professed nouelties beginne to mollifie the hardned crust of deformitie which they had wrought in my soule and also with teares of compassion bewaile the miserable estate of those soules as I knew to be defiled with the spots of like errours now could I no but most earnestly prostrate my selfe vpon the ground before the Throne of Gods mercie both for them and my selfe beseeching him to bee propitious and fauourable to vs all in the most tender bowells of Christ Iesus his Sonne cauing pardon and mercie only by him of the Father whose pardon and mercies are aboue all other his workes that we might all who were miserably seduced by the nouelties of Rome discouer and detest them as abhominations in the sight of God and constantly resolue neuer to participate more with her erroneous doctrines and nouelties which were sowed by no other then Sathan and his Ministers but to enter into the happy felloship and societie of that Church that teacheth the contrarie verities standing vpon sure Antiquitie And now did I further with all humilitie of my heart and humble acknowledgment of this great fauour from God in affording mee the meanes of discouer such falshoods yeeld him humble thankes offering vp withall into his holy handes my soule my body with all the powers and faculties of either with the whole residue of my life to come to be imployed hereafter in the conuersion of soules to the present Church of England which I found notwithstanding all pretences to the contrarie to bee Apostolicall and most Ancient grieuing much for my former Oath taken in Rome betwixt the handes of Robert Parsons some twelue or thirteene yeares since to the contrarie in the forme following word for word The Oath of the English Seminaries EGO N. N. Collegij Anglorum alumnus c. I Iohn Copley Collegiall of the English Seminarie duely considering the great benefits which Almightie God hath bestowed vpon me and that especially whereby hee hath drawne mee out of my Countrie infected with Heresie and made mee a member of his
true Catholike Church and desiring not to shew my selfe altogether ingrate vnto Gods so great mercie I haue freely decreed to consecrate and offer vp my selfe wholly vnto his diuine seruice for attaining as much as in me lieth to the end of the said Colledge and I doe promise and confirme by this mine Oath vnto Almightie God that I am and shall bee euer most ready in minde by the assistance of his holy Grace to receiue in due time holy Orders and to returne into England there to gaine soules whensoeuer the Superiour of this Colledge shall thinke good by vertue of his office to command me thereunto For the taking of so vnlawfull an Oath in such my blindnesse against the lawfull power and authoritie of the Gouernours of this Realme with contempt of their Lawes to the contrarie as also for the practise of the contents therein specified vpon false supposition of gaining soules to God whilest I drew them from God from my heart I repent me crauing pardon of God and his Maiestie with diuers others whom I haue offended and grieuously prouoked their iust indignation against me acknowledging that I may truely say vnto God with the prodigall Sonne that wasted his substance in a farre Countrie I will goe to my Father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Luke 15. v. 21. I am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne If thou curteous Reader art as I was glorifie the name of God in the view of thy errours which I hope by this Treatise sufficiently to lay open vnto thee turning to God who is mild and mercifull to all true penitent sinners purposing amendment and acknowledging their sinnes and if thou art otherwise let mee intreat thee for the loue of God to giue him thankes for mee and thou thy selfe to bee constant and firme in the Faith of the present Church of England which teacheth the true Christian Apostolike and Ancient faith in which through Gods grace we may be saued CHAP. IX Containeth an obseruation of the Wonders and supposed Miracles which as Christ hath fore-told the Pseudo-Christs and Prophets shall doe for the seducing of Gods Elect if it were possible AMongst the diuers markes which Cardinall Ballarmine brings to shew vs which is the true Church Miracles make more for the Church of England than for the Church of Rome and to which societie of Christian beleeuers were ought to ioyne our selues to bee true children of Christ hee vrgeth for his eleuenth Marke the glorie of Miracles in these wordes Miracles are necessarie to perswade men to a new faith Bellarm. de notis Eccles l. 4. c. 14. in Epitome or to an extraordinarie mission and are sufficient and efficacious to proue the same so that where true Miracles are found without doubt there is the true Faith Which Assertion when I considered deepely with due obseruation of all points of doctrine concerning the working of Miracles I found this Marke to make as much for the Faith of the present English Church for that it is the same which being new in the Apostles time was confirmed in the hearts of all beleeuers by the Miracles of the Apostles and holy Men of the Primitiue Church at the first planting of the Christian Faith and hereby I am put in minde that as Aristotle saith Aristoteles Prudentis est distinguere it is the part of a prudent man to distinguish betwixt times times betwixt doctrines faithfully compare the beleeuers of the first Ages euen of Rome it selfe with those of after-ages which as I indeuoured to performe in examining this marke of miracles I obserue that vnlesse it were done with great prudence infinite numbers may bee carried simply and ignorantly into grosse errors to the great impeachment of Gods glorie and miserable seduction of their owne soules and therefore to lay downe this obseruation I thought it good to vse extraordinary diligence that therewith all I might be the more assured of truth that the world may clearely see that this pretence of Miracles maketh nothing at all for the present faith of Rome but onely against it shewing the Professours thereof not to bee true Christians 2 For albeit it be a truh not to be denied al that do miracles doe not true miracles that all true miracles can onely be done by God yet doth it not follow that all that doe miracles doe true miracles and such as are done by him for to euery true miracle foure things are required as a learned Roman Teacher affirmeth First Foure thinges required to true miracles Io. de Combis in compend Theolog verit lib. 1. ca. 20. it must be of God Secondly it must be beyond nature Thirdly it must be euident Fourthly it must be fore the corroboration of Faith Therefore if any of these foure be wanting it may bee called a Maruell but not a Miracle Therefore it is also to bee knowne that the Diuell can doe miracles though not true miracles yet such miracles as to men may seeme true miracles for Thomas Aquinas saith and that very truly out of S. Augustine That miracles by art Magicke are made Aug. lib. 83. q. 79 Tom. 4. Part. 1. q. 14. q. 4. Sed contra which are altogether like vnto those miracles which are done by the seruants of God which he explicateth dogmatically after this manner If a miracle be taken properly the Diuels cannot doe miracles nor any other creature but onely God because a miracle properly is termed that which is beyond the order of anie nature created Yet sometimes in a large sense that is called a miracle which exceedeth the faculty and vnderstanding of man and so the diuells can doe miracles which men admire in that they exceede their power and knowledge For one man when he doth any thing tha is aboue the power and knowledge of an other man he leadeth the other into an admiration of his worke that in some sort he seemeth to do a miracle Yet it is to be vnderstood that albeit such workes of Diuells which seeme miracles vnto vs reâ—ch not vnot the true nature of miracles they are notwithstanding sometimes true things As when sire fell from heauen and with one blowe consumed the familie of Iob with all the heards of his cattell and a whirlewinde ouerthrew the house Aug. 20. de Ciuitae Dei c. 19. slew his children which were the workes of Sathan were not fantasmes as Augustine saith And therefore well doth Saint augustine say in an other place speaking of the lying miracles of Antichrist as he same Doctour noteth That the workes of Antichrist may bee called signes of lying Li. 83. q. 79. to 4. eyther because hee will deceiue mortall senses by phantasmes seeming to doe that which hee doth not or because that if they bee true Prodigies yet they drawe those that shall beleeue them to a lie Hence the same Doctour Saint Augustine saieth Aug. li. 83. q. 79. a
medio tom 4. That when Sorcerers doe those thinges which Saints doe they are don for a different end and by a different power for Sorcerers doe them seeking their owne glorie Saints doe them seeking the glorie of God Sorcerers doe them by certaine priuate contracts Saints doe them by publique administration and commaund of God vnto whom all things created are subiect 3 Now therefore since seeming miracles done by the Diuell The true Catholike church the approuer of true miracles exceeding the ordinarie power of Nature may deceiue many if they iudge their Doctrine by them and for that it is hard for a man to bee able to say whether a miracle bee done by the power of almighty God or by the power of the Diuell because both exceede our vnderstanding and the ordinarie course of Nature it stoode mee vppon to search out some infallible meanes by which I might bee assured that they were true miracles and such as I might confidently relie vppon In which scrutinie I could finde no better rule than to obserue whether they bee done in the Catholique Church or no which I doe learne out of Saint Augustine Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. saying Whatsoeuer things of this quality are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore they are to bee approued because they are done in the Catholicke Church Therefore shee is not manifested Catholicke because those thinges are done in her Whereby it is cleere that miracles absolutely are not a proofe of the Catholicke Church but the Catholicke Church an approouer of true miracles whence it followeth That the miracles of the Primitiue Church were not so much a confirmation of her truth as her truth a confirmation of them Whence I obserue further That the present Church of Rome not beeing the true Catholicke Church because shee teacheth not the true Catholicke ancient Faith without mixture of many nouelties doth in vaine all eadge miracles in her behalfe which for that they are done out of the true Church are to bee reckoned amongst Antichrists lying signes prodigies Therefore I may pronounce confidently with S. Aug. vnto the Papists I say not that these things are so Aug. de vnit Eccles ca. 16. because such a one did such and such maruailes but let them proue their Church by the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and by nothing else these are the demonstrations of our cause Note this these are our foundations these are our grounds whereupon we build Whereby wee see Miracles excluded from beeing a marke of the Church as the Cardinall Bellarmine would faine perswade the world that so his Romaine Church might bee approued for the true Church of God Vnapproueable therefore is the assertion of master D. Hill who chalengeth much vnto the Roman Church by her glorie of miracles wrought by her Saints his words are these The tenth reason of this quarterne Now it is so manifest that there haue beene an infinite number of miracles wrought by those who were of the Catholicke Romaine Religion and neuer any by them who were not of that Church since Christs time as he who shall deny it may bee prooued no lesse impudent and shamlesse than bee who shall denie that euer there was any Masse said in times past in England or that euer there were any warres betweene Turkes and Christians or that there bee any such countries as the East and West-Indies which thing if a man should denie would hee not of all men be deemed not only impudent but madde drunken or afoole In which words because Master Doctor Hill seemeth much to forget himselfe I must needs refresh his memorie with some few interrogatories What master Doctor I pray since Christs time did not Simmon Magus worke miracles who as Baronius saith Baron an 68. nu 22. made images to walke and would lie in the fire without hurt and flie in the ayre and make bread of stones hee could open doores fast shut and vnloose bands of iron and had many shadowes following him as it had been men Will you say he was a Roman Catholike Tacit. lib. 4. did not Vespasian the Emperour at Alexandria restore a blind man to sight will you say hee was a Roman Catholike Who be they Christ spake of when he said Matth. 7 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great workes and then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie What will you say that these workers of miracles and also of iniquity were of your Catholike Romane religion What think you of those Saint Augustine speaketh of August de vnit Eccles cap. 16. saying If there be done some miracles of heretikes we ought the more to take heed because when the Lord had said that there should be some deceiuers who by doing many signes should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible he did adde commending it vehemently said behold I haue foretold it vnto you What will you grant all these were of the Catholike Romane religion August tract 13. in loan What will you say vnto the same ancient Doctor in another place where he saith Against these miracle-mongers as I may so call them my God hath made mee warie saying In the last times there shall arise false Prophets doing signes and wonders What will you grant none of these to be yet come or will you grant them all to be of your religion What will you say to your Country-man Prompt mor. part aestiu pag. 627. dom 24. nu 4. Master Doctor Stapleton publike professor of Diuinitie in Louaine and if I mistake not your acquaintance in Doway who saith For the more triall of the godly not onely Antichrist himselfe and his nearest forerunners but all heretikes also may do true miracles by the permission of God as the sorcerers may doe Will you grant such forerunners and Heretikes to be of your Catholike Romane religion or will you say Doctor Stapleton erreth in calling them true miracles or will you recant your former assertion acknowledging your former mistaking and then shall I be as glad as now I haue commiseration of your error beseeching God in the meane time of his infinit mercie that you may see both your owne error and the errors of others of the present Romane religion and how different it is from the ancient Roman religion which in Saint Pauls dayes was famous through the world For my part I could not but vpon these and other considerations obserue the Church of England to be free from such false Prophets and Pseudochrists that they miracles as Christ fore told should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible for neither doe they pretend themselues to worke miracles and so to hunt after their owne estimation and applause for their holines as the teachers of the Roman Church do neither do they hold
it absolutely necessary that God should continue that faith by miracles which was formerly planted by them but rest themselues contented with the former of the Primitiue Church lest otherwise they should be subiect to seduction whence I concluded to my selfe that vnlesse the Church of Rome could proue her selfe to be true Catholike and ancient Primitiue I ought not to be led by her pretended miracles in regard that Doctor Stapleton saith Heretikes and the forerunners of Antichrist may do true miracles by Gods permission for the triall of the good which neither my selfe nor any manelse ought to beleeue because Christ hath armed vs with a warning caueat against them saying Nolite eis credere 4 Which Pretence of miracles a signe of false teachers Matth. â—4 24 how true it is I appeale to the holy Scriptures themselues our Sauiours words are most plaine There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets shall shew great signes and wondes so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie Elect behold I haue told you before but beleeue them not by which warning aduice is giuen to beware of them to discerne them and not to giue credit vnto their teaching notwithstanding all their miracles Neither is Saint Pauls prediction lesse significant of them who remembreth vs 2. Thess 2.9 That the comming of that sonne of perdition is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiue ablenesse of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth Apocal cap. 13.13.14 that they might bee saued Saint Iohn also in his Reuelations speaking of the second beast saith He did great wonders so that he made fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the fight of men and deceiued them that dwellon the earth by the signes which ae permitted to him to do in the sight of the beast Apocal. cap. 16.13 Afterwards we heare also againe that three vncleane spirits like frogs came out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of diuels working miracles And moreouer lastly we find in the same booke That the beast was taken and with him that false Prophet Apocal. cap. 19.20 that wrought miracles before him whereby he deceiued them that receiued the beasts marke Now what is to bee vnderstood by powers signes and wonders I will cite the words of Ioannes Vignerius Institut Christ cap. 9. §. 2. vers 3. Hebr. 2. Matth. 24.24 who saith That miracles in the sacred Scriptures are tearmed powers signes wonders and portentes for Hebrewes the second it is said God witnessing in signes and portents and diuers powers and Matthew the foure and twentieth they are called prodigies which differ thus in that because they exceed the facultie of nature they are termed powers but in that they are ordained to the manifestation of grace they are called signes and for their excellencie they are termed wonders and prodigies as it were shewing things far off So that putting all these places together I could not conclude otherwise then vnlesse I would beleeue these false Prophets vnlesse I were willing to be an Entertenido to the son of Perdition and bee deluded most notoriously by lying wonders vnlesse I would be a perpetuall consort vnto the frogs vamped forth of the Dragons mouth vnlesse I would bee wilfully deceiued as one that had receiued the beasts marke then to shake hands with the present Church of Rome boasting so much in her miraculous powers signes wonders and prodigies for in the reformed Churches I find no such illusions pretended nor the least danger thereof nor any where else but in the present Romane Church 5 By which obseruation Miracles not to be expected in the latter times I was the rather induced to this conclusion for that I finde diuers inclining to thinke it too much curiositie now that the faith is planted and after so long continuance to seeke it out by more miracles Therefore first I will set downe the Doctrine of an old Dominican Friar distinguishing the times of doing miracles whose words are these The Church hath a three-fold state viz. Iacob de Vorag de sanctis in die ascensio ser 6. The Primitiue the moderne and the last In the Primitiue state miracles were wrought often but now seldom and in the last state that is of Antichrist they shall be done most seldome In the Primitiue state they were done often because according to Saint Chrysostome the ancient miraracles haue admiration profit and necessitie Therefore then according to Saint Chrysostome miracles were done as well for admiration because men being then accustomed to their senses were therefore to be lifted vp as for profit because then many were infirme and oppressed of diuels and for necessitie because they were infidels and wrapped vp in errors But in the moderne state they are seldome done because necessitie requireth them not men being now beleeuers yet sometimes they are wrought because profit and vtilitie exalteth them for that sometimes men are found weake and to stand in need of them And why miracles are not done now so frequently as they were in the Primitiue Church there is a threefold reason one is for the strength of faith because now the Church is strengthened and established in faith This reason Bernard assigneth putting an example of the plant into which we power water till we see it fastened in the earth secondly for the profitable example of the world De ciuit Dei lib. 22. This reason Augustine assigneth saying whosoeuer requireth yet wonders that he may beleeue he is a great wonder himself who beleeueth not when the world beleeueth Thirdly for the greater merit of faith because according to Saint Gregory faith hath no merit where humane reason prouoketh it but in the end they shall bee wrought but seldome for three reasons that Isidorus teacheth either that the hand of the persecutors may become more bould or that the patience of the Saints may be the more proued or that the lightnes may be the more shewed of those which shall fall Who speaking heere of the miracles of Saints in these three states of time she weth they shall be scanty in the middle ages after Christ and very raw in the last ages which if it be true what can I do but suspect the pretended miracles of the Church of Rome which swarmeth with so many bookes replenished with their narrations in such strange and vnheard manner as there were neuer the like and therefore they easilie seeme to surmount all beliefe and I may more largely presse those words against those of the Church of Rome which this Authour pointeth at saying to all her followers out of Saint Augustine De ciuit Dei lib. 22. Why say they are not the miracles now done which you doe preach to haue beene done I might
say that before the world did beleeue they were necessrie to this end that the world might beleeue but whosoeuer doth enquire after wonders that hee may beleeue hee himselfe is a great wonderment who beleeueth not now the world doth beleeue By which words I obserue a necessitie why men should look for miracles in the Primitiue Church but none why wee should expect them now but rather why wee should feare to bee deceiued by beleeiuing false ones for true ones and therefore Saint Augustine giueth another stronger reason to hold him in the Church than the continuance of miracles saying Contra Epi. fundamenti The consent of people and nations doth holde me there doth hold mee an authoritie which was begunne with miracles nourished by hope encreased by charitie confirmed by antiquitie by which I obserue though hee shew the authoritie of that sacred doctrine confirmed in the beginning by miracles as a menes to hold him yet hee speaketh of no continuance of them but leaueth confirmation to the authoritie of sacred doctrine it selfe which must bee the strongest hold of the Churches claime De vera relig cap. 25. Saint AuguStine also in another place saith Since the Catholike Church is diffused through the whole world and grounded neither are these miraculous things permitted to endure vntill our times lest the mind should alwayes seeke visible things and by the custome of them man-kind should waxe cold at the new appearance whereof it was all on fire Mor. lib. 27.11 And Saint Gregorie saith most plainely What maruaile is it if the faith being propagated miracles be not oft done since euen the very Apostles in many which were alreadie faithfull did not doe them Neither is Isidorus any whit discordant from Saint Augustine aboue recited who seemeth to insinuate as much in these words Miracles are a signe Isidor lib. 1. de summo bono not necessarie for the faithfull who now haue beleeued but to the vnfaithfull that they may bee conuerted for Paul for the infidelitie of not beleeuers cureth the father of Publius by miracles from the infirmitie of an ague but sicke Timothie who was a faithfull not by prayer but medicinally that thou mayest know miracles to be done not for the vnfaithfull but for the faithfull So I find Didacus de la Vega not to swarue much from this doctrine Conc. quadrag feria 4. post primam dominicam quadrag Matth. 12. vers 39. who vpon these words Generatio male adultera signum quaerit signum non dabitur ei nisi signum Ionae Prophetae An euill and adulterous generation seeketh a signe but no signe shall be giuen vnto it saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas saith The Scribes and Pharisies approach vnto Christ to require signes and wonders from heauen by the which hee should shew himselfe the true Messias promised in the Law whome hee reprehendeth with sharpe wordes and confoundeth them calling them an euill and adulterous generation and their demaund required no milder wordes but was worthie of such an answere For the comming of the Sonne of God into the world was not so hidden but that it was preuented many ages before and announced by the heauenly Oracles of the Prophets Whereupon I obserued that if the Scribes and Pharsies were reprehended so seuerely for requiring signes from heauen because they had Christ foretold by the Prophets then could I not but assure my selfe that the followers of the Church of Rome are worthie of as great a reprehension euen of the same nature of adulterous generation that after the faith so long planted and begunne with miracles and confirmed by antiquitie boast so much on their owne miracles and strange wonders Doctor Stapleton vpon these words of Christ Iob. 4. Prompt mor. Dom. 20. post Pent. soco 5. Nisi signa prodigia viderit is not creditis Vnlesse you see signes and wonders you beleeue not hath these words worthie of note and obseruation The ruler is checked because that being brought vp amongst the Iewes and instructed in the Law hee would not beleeue by the authoritie of the Scriptures but by signes but expect the extreame daunger of his Sonne that hee might see a signe This was an incredultie almost common to all the Iewes which in another place Christ taxeth most sharpely for certaine of the Scribes and Pharisies comming vnto him and saying Master wee will see a signe of thee Matth. 12. answering hee said vnto them Matth. 16. a wicked and adulterous generation asketh a signe Which words againe hee answered at another time when the Sadduces empted him in like manner and calleth them a wicked and an adulterous generation which seeketh signes because they did euill in tempting God and such an euill was this that they shewed their soules not to bee the true spouses of God by faith but adulterous friends of transitorie things For euen as a wife which truely loueth her husband desireth not to see any extraordinarie signes of her husbands loue towards her as that her husband should as it were cast himselfe into the fire or water for his wiues sake but resteth contented with that true internall loue which hee carrieth her and the common externall signes of a husbands loue towards her So the faithfull soule which by faith and charitie is espoused vnto her God if shee bee such a one doth see so many signes in her selfe the loue of God so vehement and sincere so many embracings of Gods loue towards her so many and frequent sweetnesses from aboue so many daily graces fauours and benefits lastly that peace of her God which passeth all vnderstanding that to seeke other signes for confirmation of her faith in God or the charitie of God towards her she esteemeth it not onely idle but also most impious For as it is an argument of chast loue to cleaue only to God so is it the signe of an adulterous soule in slipperie things to seeke externall signes Further as the ancient Iewes were contented with the signes of their Elders done in the desert in the red sea on mount Sina Deut. 32. in the passage of Iordan according to that Interroga patres tuos dicent tibi Aske thy Fathers and they will tell thee So the Iewes when Christ teacheth and all Christians at this day must be cōtented with the old signes either typically done before Christs comming of which it was not fit the Iewes should be ignorant and chiefely the Scribes and Pharisies and the Princes of the people amongst which this Ruler seemeth to be one or performed by Christ himselfe which are sufficient for our faith Therefore all this curiositie and shew of incredulitie and fornication from God is worthily taxed by Christ either in this Ruler or in the standers by or in both whose hearts he saw By which Lobserued how worthie of reprehension of the Church of Rome is which for confirmation of her doctrine euen vntill his day standeth still vpon miracles as
proue one of those that are tearmed by Christ a wicked and adulterous generation CHAP. X. Containeth an obseruation of the great hipocrisie of false Teachers fore-spoken of in the holie Scriptures AMongst the many testimonies recorded in holy Scriptures concerning false Teachers The hypocrisie of false teachers shewed in the Scripture by which I might further discouer the erroneous doctrin of the Church of Rome and make comparison of her doctrine with other reformed Churches the next which represented themselues were such places as describe the dissimulation and hipocrisie of false Teachers and inuite men to take heede of them to preuent all their dissimulations and impostures by which they seduce simple soules from the knowledge of truth lead them by cunning art of wordes to follow leasings and false Gods This I noted first out of Christs wordes describing the manner of Heretikes comming and giuing a preuenting Caueat to take heede of them Math. 7. vers 15 where he said Attendite à falsis Prophet is qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ouium intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues as if he should say take heede of the hipocrisie of those Prophets who seeme to be one thing and are an other of whom S. Paul saith Rom. 16. vers 18. Per dulces sermones benedictiones seducunt corda innocentium With faire speech and flattering they deceiue the hearts of the simple who in another place speaking of the heretikes of latter times saith In hipo crisi loquuntur mendacium 1. Tim. 4. vers 2. cauteriatam habent cōscientiam Who speake-lies through hipocrisie hauing their consciences burned with a hot yron Further Christ dehorreth all from hipocrisie when he said Math. 5. vers 20 Nisi abundauerit institia vestra plus quam Scribarum aut Pharisaeorum non intrabitis in regnum coelorum Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Now how the iniustice of the Pharisees was a foure-fold Hipocrisie is also plaine by the Scriptures The Pharisees four-fold Hipocrisie The first consisted in externall righteousnesse without internall whereof Christ speaketh saying Vos Pharisei quod deforis est calicis catini mundatis quod autem intus est vestrum plenum est rapina iniquitate Stulti nonne qui fecit quod deforis est Luc. 11. v. 36. etiam quod deintus est fecit Yee Pharisees make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but the inward part is full of rauening and wickednesse Yee Fooles did not hee that made that which is without make that which is within also And againe Vae vobis Scribae Pharisaei Hipocritae similes estis sepulchris dealbatis quae a foris apparent hominibus speciosa intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum omni spurcitia Math. 23. v. 27. Sic vos aforis apparet is hominibus iusti intus autem pleni estis hipocrisi omni iniquitate Woe be vnto you Scribes Pharisees Hipocrites for yee are like vnto whited tombs which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse For so are yee also for outward yee appeare righteous vnto men but within yee are full of Hipocrisie and iniquitie The second consisted in an externall holinesse also but preposterous and defectiue because they were scrupulous in trifles large or of no conscience therefore Christ said vnto them Vae vobis Pharisaeis Luc. 11. v. 42. qui decimatis metham rutam omne olus preteritis iudicium charitatem Dei Woe be vnto you Pharisees for yee tithe the mint and rue and all manner herbs and passe ouer iudgment and the loue of God or as S. Matt. saith Math. 23. v. 23. Et reliquistis quae grauiora sunt legis iudicium misericordiam fidem And leaue the waightier matters of the law as iudgement and mercie fidelitie The third hipocrisie of the Pharisees was verbal not real a fained not a true obseruation of Gods commandements which Christ taxed in them saying Math. 23. v. 3. Quaecunque dixerint vobis c. Whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but doe not according to their workes for they say and doe not And againe If you be the children of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham The fourth hipocrisie of the Pharisees was vaine glorious who in all their actions of religion sought the glorie and praise of men Christ saying Math. 6. v. 5. They fast and pray Vt videantur ab hominibus That they may be seene of men from all which foure-fold hipocrisie wherein consisted the vnrighteousnesse of the Pharisees Christ dehorteth all Christians by a motiue of heauenly blisse saying as before Vnlesse your iustice abound more then the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Hence it followeth that in what Church soeuer a proper resemblance of this Hipocrisie is found The hipocrisie of the Church of Rome there may wee well presume the false Prophets to be which Christ biddeth vs beware of and therefore since I obserue it abundantly to appeare in the present Church of Rome the Teachers of that Church as false Prophets comming vnto vs are the reuenous wolues in sheepe-skinnes whose iustice doth no lesse abound then that of the Scribes and Pharisees which will keepe them from entring into the Kingdome of heauen For so long as I haue beene in that Church I haue seene much externall righteousnesse as long praiers much whipping with disciplines much fasting many miraculous cemonies of religion strange mortifications and all this without the true faith by reason of the many nouelties crept into that Church and without charitie the inward life of the soule whence it proceedeth that there is much dissension amongst all sorts many diuisions amongst the learned many back-bitings amongst religious persons many wrongs and iniuries offered without conscience much violation of morall honestie and ciuilitie enuie amongst most detraction amongst all wicked life without measure rash iudgements without any consideration lying reports against one an other traducing of one the others reputation by writings by wordes by secret complotments and macheuillian deuises without all feare of God or loue of honestie Religious men are poore in the outward shew of their profession Once acertain Capuchine said as a Iesuit hath related when one said that the Iesuites and his Order proceed well together that the cause was because the Iesuites desired to haue al and they desired to haue nothing but who abound more in common than the landed Monkes and well monied Iesuites They are chast in the outward vowes but many of them most lasciuious in heart as by the one Author of the Pruritanus may bee iudged of many besides Who more blindly
I find that men of farther reach obseruing the successe of the intended powder-treason following soone after haue obserued that that letter which master Blackwell should haue spread amongst Catholikes was but a cloake of the secret designement of the powder-day to take away all apprehension of danger in the state whereof it is probably thought that both the Pope and father Aquauiua were either expressely or circumstantially made acquainted with that businesse nay moreouer my selfe strongly vrging against one the vnlawfulnes of the powder-designement he wished me to be silent for it was more then probable that the Pope knew well thereof and in speaking against it I should but cause the Iesuites to disaffect me and doe my selfe no good Hereupon I grew silent and thought the more then of such horrible hypocrisie for that some reported that both the Pope and Cardinals had spoken publikely against it which me thought could not hang well together without some intollerable hypocrisie especially considering that Greenway by the Pope was not only suffered to liue in Rome but also exalted euen before the Popes face to the dignitie of being one of his Penitentiaries appointed publikly to heare cōfessions in S. Peters Church in Rome and Gerard likewise suffered to liue quietly in Flanders without checke or controule by any man who made such deep protestations to one master Buckland Priest vpon his saluation that he had no wayes notice of the powder-designement that as I heard the said master Buckland say either he must needs beleeue him to affirme a truth or else that he was as great an hypocrite and dissembler as euer liued in the world So like are the followers of the Romane Church to the first kind of the Pharisies hypocrisie in pretending outward holinesse whilest in their hearts they harbour most detestable vnrighteousnesse Therefore well did Saint Bernard describe Hypocrites saying that they were Mordaces vt canes dolosi vt vulpes superbi vt leones they are biting like dogges they are guilefull like foxes they are proud like lions for such will suffer no mans reputation to be vntoucht but will teare it with their spitefull teeth they are craftie as foxes which teare in peeces the sheepe of the best wooll and as proud as lions for that they contemne all disgrace all without regard to any mans person or dignitie 5 Secondly The second kind of Romish hypocrisie I haue also obserued the second kind of the Pharisies hypocrisie to be very abundant in the Church of Rome which consisteth in a preposterous and defectiue outward holines breeding scrupulosity in trifles and largenes of conscience in matters of more moment As for example I find that for violating their custome obseruation vpon fasting-dayes many will bee exceedingly scandalized but giue no shew of scandale-taking at the most wicked example of the powder-treason or the traytors thereof but rather by their silence seeme willing to approue it to lament only the misfortune of their desired successe Others there are that will controule and checke any rash iudgement euen in trifles in others who themselues without scruple or knowledge or iudgment wil not stick to lay the imputation of the powder-treason vpon Protestants themselues who should by Machiuillian complotments be the first contriuers of it to draw Papists vnto it thereby to make them the more odious to the world Againe the Church of Rome forbiddeth Priests to be married which is lawfull by the law of God and whereas mariages betwixt kindred in the degrees of affinity are prohibited by the law of God they suffer and permit dispencing with mens consciences therein as for example that one brother may marry his brothers wife which was allowed in this kingdom by the Pope that the neece may marry her vncle which hath bin granted but to mean persons euen of late yeeres in Hamp-shire by authoritie granted from the Pope What cā be more preposterous thē to make a law which God neuer made in liew therof to disanull an institution which God hath made Besides the Popes thēselues suffer some of the Clergie to professe external pouertie as the poore Capuchins whilest themselues and others liue in all pompe iollity and pleasure vsing all coulors of holines to enrich thēselues and to draw treasures out of al coūtries to fill the Exchequer of S. Peter withall Who sees not most plainly that many deluded soules whilest for the grant of indulgences yearely to this Church and that Church they pay round summes of money into the Romane offices they grow negligent in seeking pardon from God and so neuer obtain truly pardon for their sins what shall I say of their preposterous zeale in keeping holidaies I often noted that the daies appointed in memory of Saints are much more solemnely kept then Sonday which is the feast of their Lord and Master in stead of one prayer to the Father or to the holy Ghost or the blessed Trinity the childrē of that Church do say many either to the virgin Mary or to S. Francis S. Benet Beatus Ignatius or some other Saint to whom they are most peculiarly addicted By all which examples I obserue the Church of Rome much also to exceed in this preposterous hypocrisie and externall holinesse without any order or rule 6 Thirdly The third kind of Romane hypocrisie I haue further entred into a deepe consideration of the third kind of Pharisaicall hypocrisie which consisteth more in words than in deedes more in shaddow than in truth Which I find without measure to abound likewise in the church of Rome For the Pope himself in words caries the stile of Seruus seruorum Dei the seruant of the seruants of God which is but meerely verball for in effect his actions are all noted with pride carrying the shew of Lord or Emperour rather than of a Seruant Auent Annal. lib. 7. who as one writeth Dominus dominantium perde ac si Deus foret esse contendit he striueth to be the lord of rulers in as if he were God and who seeth not this to be true that considereth his challenge of soueraignetie euen in temporalls ouer all Emperors and Kings of the world that beholdeth him carried vpon mens shoulpers that know how hee maketh all Princes but his vassals to be depriued of their kingdomes and all dignities whensoeuer he thinketh it expedient propter finem spiritualem for a spirituall end that is for the good of the Church that hath seene him attended vpon by the whole Colledge of Cardinalles whose intollerable prie was such that a King of Fraunce finding him inexorable in the cause of Fredericke Math. Paris in Henr. 3. His Maiesties speech in the Parliament Recessit iratus indignans quod humilitatem quam sperauerat in seruo seruorum minimè reperisset hee went away angrie and scorning not to finde the humilitie he hoped for in the seruant of seruants wel therfore may his Maiestie term him for such his pride as he doth That
esteemed of the Church of Rome as a Doctor of Paris who liued two hundred yeares since Hemang de stat eccles p. 53. spake of Friars saying They are worse than the Pharisies rauenous wolues in sheepes clothing who in wordes pretend the forsaking of the world and in deeds with all possible fraud deceit and lying hunt after it The like vnto these did Saint Iohn Baptist call Genimina viperarum the brood of Vipers Matth. 3. because inwardly they carried poyson howsoeuer outwardly they glistered in the vanity of virtues and perfect zeale And Iob seemes prettily to describe them saying Iob. 39. Penna struthionis similis est Herodii accipitris the hawke and storke surpasse other birdes in the speede of their wings vnto which the Struthio is like in fethers Herodius but not in flight because they can but moue their wings to flie yet neuer flie euen such doe I find to be the false prophets of the Church of Rome who by diuers externall actions seeme to haue their wings raised to flie yet with their heart and soule they cleaue to the earth they forsakenot the world tast only terrene things there are like fishes swimming in their vncleannes Wolues in their mallice Foxes in their craftines birdes in their vaineglorie yet doe they transfigure themselues into the Angells of Light dissembling mortification 2. Tim. 3. to deceiue the simple and vnder the pretence of pietie to take their prey whome the holy Apostle Saint Paul calleth Voluptatum amatores magis quam Dei habentes speciem quidem pietatis virtutem autem eius abnegantes louers of pleasures more than of GOD hauing the shew of pietie but denying the power thereof and therefore to bee auoyded and warinesse to be taken of them as Christ himselfe forewarned CHAP. XI Containeth an obseruation of the fruits by which false prophets are to be knowne and discerned BY the former obseruation of the false prophets hypocrisie A way for Papists to discouer the truth which Christ teacheth to be auoyded I haue in some sort beene induced to behold the false pretended catholike religion of the Church of Rome and to conceiue what a zealous detestation a man of vnderstanding ought to haue of that faith and religion which is taught by such hypocriticall teachers yet when I considered further more particularly the meanes which in the iudgement of Papists themselues our Sauiour teacheth euery man to vse for the discouerie of them much more haue I beheld the corruption of the Roman religion and beene moued to beartier repentance and greater commiseration of poore seduced Popists here in England who in a good sinceritie and erroneous assurance of their religion are ignorantly led by many of their teachers into a wonderfull blind obedience not onely to the temporall detriment of their states and fortunes and hazard of worldly meanes for their posterities but also which is worse to the great perrill of their soules euerlasting ruine and destruction for whose good also I haue thought good to giue them some meanes of redresse by explicating vnto them the meanes discouered by Christ wherewith they might helpe themselues as also the maner of my proceeding in the consideration of this point 2 In my scrutinie therefore and search into the truth of religion and discouerie of falshoode False prophets to be discouered by their fruits I conceiued nothing more important for the better successe in my businesse than to obserue out of the Scriptures some probable way and meanes allowed of by the Papists themselues by the which I might cleerely distinguish betwixt false and true teachers for that I perceiued that al pretend truth pretend the church pretend Christ pretend the saluation of soules pretend the knowledge of Scriptures yea and the falsest teachers carrie the outward appearance likewise of good shepheards And I found that Christ who forewarned vs to beware of the bad hath also giuen vs aduise to hearken vnto the good and withalll a good instruction euen in the iudgement of the Romanists how to discerne and distinguish the one from the other Matth. 7. when hee said By their fruits you shall know them doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Euen so euery good tree yeeldeth good fruit and the euill tree yeeldeth euill fruits A good tree cannot yeelde euill fruites neyther can an euill tree yeelde good fruits Doctour Stapletons explication of Christs meaning euery tree that yeeldeth not good fruites shall be cut downe and shall be cast into the fire Therefore by their fruites you shall know them 3 For D. Stapleton a principall Romanist hath thus interpreted our Sauiours speech saying In this place the fruites by which heretickes must bee knowne are neyther some true things which they teach neyther are they alwayes the workes which they doe whether good or euill but they are partly the hereticall doctrines themselues which are false and impious which are proper to euery hereticke and of euery arch-heretike properly inuented partly also certayne ill workes proper to heretikes and growing foorth from the roote it selfe of heresie for such are theyr owne proper fruites as haue theyr owne Authors and Parents 4 Concerning the first Two wayes heretikes may be knowne by their doctrine Ibid. The faithfull people may two wayes knowe heretickes from theyr owne doctrines as by theyr proper fruites first by theyr doctrine generally receyued namely as if it be new and vnheard and otherwise than by the knowne rule of faith which anciently they receiued for so the Scripture exhorteth faithfull people when shee giueth warning to beware of heretickes saying If any shall euangelize vnto you otherwise than you haue receyued let him be accursed An other way by theyr false dostrine an hereticke is knowne as by his owne fruite when by the doctrine it selfe euill workes are engendred or when the doctrine it selfe leadeth men vnto wickednesse of life and manners as at this day very many doctrines of other herotickes doe 5 Concerning the latter the euill workes proper to heretikes and by which they may be knowne as by their owne proper fruits How here tikes may be known by their works are a certaine pride not vulgar but especiall against the present and all auncient Doctours of the Church Likewise an hatred not of this man or of that man but of the whole Church or truly of her superiors pertinacie anuy inobedience ambition couetousnesse and a singular kind of hypocrisie And further which vseth to issue out of these-spoile and destructions of Churches subuersion of kingdomes and common-wealths the dissolution of the whole people These fruits of Heretikes the Scripture teacheth and all antiquitie hath obserued So the Anostle there shall be men louing themselues hautie proud and hauing the shew of pietie 2. Tim. 3. but denying all the power thereof that is the Gospell in their mouth charity in their tongue hatred of the Church in their heart sacriledges in their deeds pride in
their breast Againe Rom. 16. not seruing the Lord but their belly by sweet speeches they seduce the hearts of innocents 2. Cor. 11. And againe such false Apostles are craftie worke-men transfiguring themselues into the Apostles of Christ. 1. Tim 4. So vnto Timothie certaine shall depart from the faith attending to the spirits of error and doctrines of diuels speaking a lie in hypocrisie 2. Pet. 2. Further Peter They shall make merchandize of you in couetousnesse with fained words And lastly Titus 1. Paul vnto Titus Teaching the things which behooue not for filthie lucres sake By these fruits wolues are knowne vnder the garments of sheepe and heretikes vnder the title of the Ministers of the Word De vtil credendi cap. 1. Therefore Augustine defineth an Heretike thus An Heretike is he that either begetteth or followeth false and new opinions for temporall commoditie and chiefely for glorie and dominion sake For euery Heretike forsaketh the vnitie and faith of the Catholike Church either for temporall commoditie or to get the praise of his name By all which we see these words of our Sauiour explicated not by any but such a one as in all things fauoureth the Romane church to point out the right way to iudge false teachers by all which the more I duely obserued the more did I find iust cause to forsake the Church of Rome and to abandon all longer communion therewith 6 For first concerning their doctrines The Bishops of Rome haue beene authors of many false doctrines Sess 24. Can. 3. I haue found the Bishops of the Church of Rome to haue been the authors of many erronious nouelties For Pius Quartus decreed at Trent that it should be lawfull for him to allow those degrees to marrie together which God in Leuiticus had forbidden and to forbid those which God had allowed this was ex Cathedra an hereticall decree who can excuse it but this was not his heresie alone for against true faith and beliefe many Popes haue taught the like marriages Summa Angelica verbo Papa nu 1. Martine the fifth allowed one to keep in marriage his owne sister Of late yeares another Pope allowed King Henrie the eighth to marrie his brothers wife in which case of affinitie Ioannes Viguerius teacheth that the Pope hath no lawful power to dispeÌ„ce And another Pope taught Emmanuel King of Portugale to marry two sisters By which dispensations and doctrine Osor de gest Eman. lib. 2. I perceiued both heresie to be taught by Popes and to be practised Celestine Pope ordained marriage to be void Hadrian quod lib. 6. pag. 34. when either of the parties fall into herefie Pope Steuen the sixth decreed in a Councell that such as were ordained Bishops by Pope Formosus his predecessour were not lawfully ordained Sigebert chron an 902. Sigon de Reg. Jtal. lib. 6. an 896. Baron an 897. nu 6. b de consecrat d. 4. à quodam 32.77 quod proposuisti Ibid. §. sed illud Ambr. Concil Senens apud Baron an 303 nu 89. Caranza in Marcel Tom. 2. an 302. nu 102. Athanas epist ad solitar fas tem an 353. Baron an 357. num 43.44 because Formosus was an euill man which tasteth flat Donatisme Pope Nicholas decreed that to Baptise onely in the name of Christ is good Baptisme contrarie to the decrees of Gregorie and Pelagius Pope Gregorie decreed that a man might take another wife in case his wife were so diseased that she would not yeeld him the debt of mariage the which saith Gratian is contrarie to the sacred Canons and to the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists Marcellinus committed idolatrie and offered sacrifice to Iupiter Saturne Hercules and the Pagan gods and was thereupon examined and condemned by a Councell of three hundred Bishoppes Which storie Baronius confesseth was from the beginning beleeued with a generall consent and kept in the ancient Martirologies and Breuiaries of the Romane Church Liberius who was Pope about the yeare three hundred and fiftie fell into Arianisme subscribing to the vniust condemnation of Athanasius whereupon Athanasius fell from his communitie and himselfe as an obstinate Heretike was deposed and cast out of the Church Honorius the first that was Pope in the yeare 626. was a Monotholite Heretike whose heresie was that Christ had but one will and so withall but one nature for the which the Church condemned him in three generall Councels In which matter Caius against Pighius saith Synod 6. act 4.12.13 Synod 7. act vlt. Synod 8. act 7. How can Pighius cleare him whom Psellus Tharasius Theodorus with his Councell at Hierusalem Lâ—â— liv 〈…〉 p. â—lt Epiphanius and Pope Adrian affirme to haue beene an Heretike And Dominicus Bannes deriding Pighius calleth it a iest that now after nine hundred yeares Pighius can find all those wickednesses to be forgers 22. Pag. 91. I haue read that in the yeare 1408. in the Councell of Pâ—sa consisting of a chousand Diuines and Lawyers they were faine to depose two Popes at once Gregorie the twelfth and Benet the thirteenth â—hcodor â—â—c meas de 〈…〉 sum hist 〈◊〉 3 〈…〉 cap ◠§ 3. 〈…〉 Atten. vbi supra cap. 6. § 2. Sess 11.12 the tenours of whose depriuation cals them Notorious Scismatikes obstinate maintainers of Seism Heretikes departed from the faith scandalizing the whole Church vnworthie the Papacie cut off from the Church 〈…〉 Benet continued Pope still for all this a second Councell holden at Constance deposed him againe and declared that he had no right to the Papacie commanding all men to esteeme him as an Heretike and Scismatike The same Councell deposed also another Pope for heresie namely Iohn the three and twentieth against whom it was prooued that he held and defended as his iudgement that there is no eternall life Bian pag. 1384. Sess 34. nor no immortalitie of the soule nor resurrection of the dead Not long after the Councell of Basil deposed Eugenius the fourth See AEn Silu. qâ—aest Concil Basil lib. 2. apud Fascir expetend pag. 20. inde Declaring him to be a rebell against the sacred Canons a notable disturber and scandalizer of the peace and vnitie of the Church a Simonist a periured wretch incorrigible a Scismatike an obstinate Heretike By which exampics of Popes teaching false doctrines against faith and notable heresies I obserued the Church of Rome to haue been cleerely deciphered hauing such false prophets and teachers as Christ speaketh of easie to be discerned by the fruits of their doctrines either taught or professed or both And so this way of iudging Heretikes by their doctrine makes exceedingly against the Romane Clergie especially when I reflect vpon all the nouelties taught and confirmed euen by Popes approuing them as concerning the prohibition of Priests marriages the tolleration of the Stewes and Brothel-houses in Rome and other places adoration of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria with
Guic. Hist l. 1. buying the consent of the Cardinals that after smarted for it The King of Naples signified vnto the Queene his wife with teares when he heard of his election that there was a Pope created who would be the bane of Italie and of the whole Commonwealth the which was also the generall ceonceit of all men Guicciardine sayth He was a Serpent Lib. 6. that with his poysoned infidelitie horrible examples of crueltie luxurie and monstrous couetousnesse selling without distinction thinges holy and prophane had infected all the world His manners and customes were dishonest Lib. 1. little sinceritie in his administrations no shame in his face small truth in his wordes little faith in his heart and lesse religion in his opinions all his actions were desiled with vnsatiable couetousnesse immoderate ambition and barbarous crueltie He was not ashamed contrarie to the custome of former Popes who to caest some colour ouer their infamie were wont to call them their nephewes to call his sonnes his childen Lib. 3. and for such to expresse them to the world The bruit went that in the loue of his owne daughter Lucretia were concurrent not onely his two sonnes the Duke of Candie and the Cardinall of Valence but himselfe also that was her father who as soone as hee was chosen Pope tooke her from her husband and married her to the Lord of Pesere but not able to suffer her husband to be his corriuall hee dissolued that marriage also and tooke her to himselfe by vertue of Saint Peters keyes Lib. 6. Onuph It was among other graces his naturall custome to vse poysonings not onely to bee reuenged of his enemies but also to despoyle the wealthie Cardinals of their riches And this hee spared not to doe against his owne friends till at the last hauing a purpose at a bauquet to poyson diuers Cardinals and for that end appointed his Cup-bearer to giue attendance with the wine amde readie for the nonce who mistaking his bottle gaue the poysoned cup to him was thus himselfe dispatched by the iust iudgement of God that had purposed to murder his friends that he might be their heire 12 I omit many other particular fruits of diuers Popes which would make much more against the Church of Rome but these being ynough for the application to Dr. Stapletons doctrine concerning the discouerie of false Prophets vnto the Teachers of the Church of Rome I could not but iudge the teachers of that Church too passionate and partiall that knowing the most distastfull fruites thereof not onely in their Head the Pope but also in their Cardinals Bishops and euen in their religious Monasteries to haue been so bad as the like are not to be found in any of the resormed Churches will notwithstanding most vniustly charge the Ministers of Gods Word and Teachers of reformation to abound in such fruits insomuch that I could not but admire the impudencie of Master Doctor Stapleton speaking against the Teachers of the reformed Churches saying The Diuell seemeth to haue receiued power from God by his Ministers Bonif. Mor. Dom. 7. post Pent. loc 2. the Heretikes of our time to produce most barbarous and horrible fruits and to make huge slaughters in the Church and according to his pleasure and malice to vexe trouble and destroy the mysticall bodie of Christ as well in the whole worship and Sacraments of Religion as also in all the authoritie and power it hath vpon earth Whereas in truth mature iudgement of the premised fruits of the Church of Rome both concerning doctrine and manners will discouer his rash assertion to be vertified of himselfe and his owne Romane Church teaching many nouelties and abounding in all kind of wickednesse as men of learning and experience well know And therefore his enumeration of 74 wicked fruits in the Teachers of reformation may fitlier be applyed in part to the Church of Rome and in the meane time the reformed Churches hauing learned to forgiue not onely 74 calumniations and iniurious reproaches but euen 77 and that 77 times of their offending neighbours will not be so vncharitable as not to pardon them but also most earnestly out of true charitie pray for their conuersion as Christ did for the Iewes saying Ignosce eis Domine quia nesciunt quid faciunt Pardon them O Lord because they know not what they doe Hence courteous Reader since I follow but the Councell in the search of truth which Christ by the interpretation of the Romanists themselues giueth to all in iudging Teachers by their fruits and hereby being moued to an alienation from the Church of Rome I hope that in conscience euen in the sight of God and Man I am excusable for my incorporation to the Church of England since it is grounded vpon such a place of Scripture as Christ himselfe deliuereth and the Church of Rome alloweth as a direction by which men may discerne the truth of their Teachers Esteeme not therefore slight ly of this inducement but weigh it seriously as indeed it is a point of great importance to produce in the soules of Christians that true detestation and hatred of the Romane Apostasie as the enormities and foule deformities thereof varnisht ouer with lies and hipocrisies doe require CHAP. XIII Containing an obseruation about the Sacrifice of the Masse which is accompted by the Church of Rome the chiefest act of Religion which can be done to God AS that obiect which is most frequently presented to a mans eies The Sacrificie of the Masse grounded vpon mans inuention is also most frequent in his memorie and taketh the deepest impression euen so the Sacrifice of the Masse being an action which in the Papacie as a Priest I did daily performe with more serious preparation and intensiue affection than any thing else whatsoeuer because I held it the most pleasing action I could doe to the honour of God to the good of his Church and for the benefit of my selfe and others therefore amongst all the erroneous doctrines which I discouered in the Church of Rome the abuse thereof doth most often offer it selfe to my minde and with greatest impression laieth open vnto mee the foulenesse of my former heresies in that Church and toucheth my soule with the deepest stroke of repentance aboue all others especially when I consider the most detestable Idolatrie committed therein not only by my selfe but by the Assistants in adoring visible Elements for the Sauiour of the world and that with such a kinde of worship as is only due to God himselfe and in being too credulous to that erroneous doctrine of the Councell of Trent Sess 6. c. 2. can 3 that if any man shall say that the Sacrifice of the Masse is only a Sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing or a bare commemoration of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatorie Sacrifice or that it doth not profit him alone that receiueth it and that it ought not to bee
offered for the liuing and the dead for their sinnes punishments satisfactions and other necessities let him bee accursed Which curse albeit it carrieth a terrour with it to such as are not enlightned so that they can discerne the erroneous doctrine for which it accurseth and that carrieth not rather in minde the feare of Gods maledication than any of man saying Cursed is hee that putteth his trust in man and taketh man for his defence and his heart goeth from the Lord as the followers of the Church of Rome doe who relie only vpon the Popes authoritie who may be as sinnefull a man as any other thinking themselues secure if his authoritie be their defence and the warrant of their beliefe yet could I not stand in dread of his curse when once I found this Sacrifice of the Masse as it is now taught by the Church of Rome not to haue sufficient warrant by Gods word nor by the ancient Church teaching any such doctrine concerning it as the present Church of Rome teacheth 2. The Masse was not instituted by Christ For first I obserued that this Sacrifice which the Church of Rome teacheth to bee a propitiatorie Sacrifice and such a one as may be offered for sinnes as well of the liuing as of the dead is not any thing agreeable to the institution of our LORD IESVS there is not so much as a word spoken by CHRIST of any offering or oblation to bee made but only commandement giuen to eate and drinke and to doe that in remembrance of him his wordes only importing the institution of a Sacrament and no Sacrifice Neither did hee so much as vtter a word that hee offered himselfe at the last Supper for Cornelius Musso a Bishop so famous for his learning Bib lioth Sanct. lib. 4. Suar. tom 3. d. 74 §. 2. as Sixtus Senensis writeth that hee was a Preacher at twelue yeares old and all Italie ranne after him did defend that Christ at his last Supper offered no Sacrifice at all whereupon I framed this argument Note this argument The Priest in the Commemoration of the last Supper is not to doe other thing in substance then what Christ did but Christ as Musso held offered to Sacrifice at all ergo the Priest in commemoration of Christs last Supper is not to offer vp any Sacrifice at all Behold then here it followeth by necessarie consequence vpon Mussoes Assertion that the Sacrifice of the Masse is not to bee offered at all It is cleare as Musso saith that hee offered not himselfe to his Father at his last Supper for then should hee not haue perfected his Sacrifice with one oblation made as the Apostle Saint Paule teacheth Hebr. 7.27 and 9.26.28 but with a double Oblation twice made namely once in his Supper and once vpon the Crosse which were most repugnant to the holy Scripture Againe the Apostle Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. v. 23. sequent I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you c. and so sheweth the whole manner of CHRISTS institution of the blessed Eucharist who made no mention at all of any Sacrifice which the Apostle considering he boasted that hee had shewed all the Councell of God would not haue omitted Act. 20.27 if the Supper had contayned any meaning of a propitatorie Sacrifice Moreouer Saint Paul writing to the Corinthians bids vs to shew the Lords death not by sacrificing Christ for to Sacrifice and to shew the Lords death are two distinct thinges and the shewing CHRISTS death by the Sacrament is sufficient for the application thereof to our soules for the remission of our sinnes Therefore I could not conceiue any such Sacrifice as the Masse propitiatorie for sins to be instituted by Christ which Sacrifice if it bee of such importance as the Church of Rome teacheth and so principall an act of religion doubtlesse there would haue beene some apparent touch thereof expresly giuen in the holy Scriptures and especially in that place where the Papists pretend it should be instituted Again The Sacrifice of the Masse disableth Christs sacrifice vpon the Crosse 1 Ioh. 22. I haue further obserued that to teach the doctrine of the propitiatorie Sacrifice of the Masse the perfect satisfaction made by Christs Sacrifice vpon the Crosse is made insufficient and inualid For hee being the propitation or reconciliation not only for our sinnes but also for the sinnes of the whole world for the demonstration of which effect vpon the Crosse he cried Ioh. 19.30 finished I can see no neede why a propitiatorie Sacrifice of the Masse should bee offered for sinnes so often since the reconciliation made by Christ is applied by the Sacrament Hebr. 7.27 Besides since Christ did it once when he offered vp himselfe and as S. Paul saith Not that he should offer imselfe often Hebr. 9.25 none being Priests according to the order of Melchisedech but Christ of whom the Scripture saith Hebr. 5.4.5 Tues Sacerdos in aeternū secundū ordinē Melchi it followeth that no other was to offer vp Christ as a propitiatorie Sacrifice for sins but himselfe Moreouer the Sacrifice of Christ hath no neede to bee often reiterated whereby the Priesthood of Christ is opposite to the Priesthood of the old Testament whose sacrifices ought to bee reiterated for Christ needed not daily Hebr. 7.27 as those high Priests to offer vp sacrifice for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe And againe After hee had said This is the testament that I will make with them c. and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more Hebr. 10.16.17.18 Where remission of these thinges is there is no more offering for sinne And againe Christ by his owne bloud entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs not such a redemption as is to be reiterated euery day Hebr. 9.12 And againe Not that hee should offer him selfe often as the high Priest entred into the holy place euery yeare with other bloud for then must hee haue often suffered since the foundation of the world but now in the end of the world hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the Sacrifice of him selfe And as it is appointed vnto men once to die and then commeth the iudgement So Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Againe Hebr. 9.25.26 By the which Will wee are sanctified euen by the offering of the body of IESVS CHRIST once made And againe Hebr. 10.10 Euery Priest appeareth daily ministring and often times offered one manner of Sacrifice which can neuer take away sinnes but this Man after hee had offered one Sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hand of God Hebr. 10.11.12 c. for with one offering hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified By which places it is cleare there needes no more reiteration
adore it but all the rest standing by and that are present although they receiue not Fourthly when it is set forth vpon the Altar for publike praier as experience sheweth in their fortie houres prater By which it is apparent how frequently the Church of Rome enforceth men to giue that worship which is only due to God vnto the Creature which is by them to bee worshipped as God For the Councell wordes are these Sess â—3 can 6. de sacr Euchar. If any shall say that Christ the only begotten Sonne of God is not to be adored in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria yea externall and therefore not to bee worshipped with any peculiar festiuall collebritie nor the bee carried solemnely in Processions according to the laudable and vniuersall rite and custome of the holy Church or not to bee proposed to the people to bee adored and the adorers thereof to be Idolaters be he accursed Here is a strange peece of doctrine yet is it not vnaccompanied with the malediction of the Bishop of Rome I cannot obserue any place or passage of Scripture that makes for this doctrine no neither doth Stephanus Durantus cite either Scripture or other auncient Father that maketh for this Latria worship whence it followeth that it is a new doctrine vnheard of in the primer ages of Christs Church onely this I note that he citeth some auncient Fathers seeming to approue the worship of Christ in Heauen when they behold the Sacrament yea and also some kind of reuerence to the Sacrament but no such as is due to God but rather as may be thought such a kind of reuerence as is vsed in Baptisme and fit to bee vsed in the vse of signes of holy things and therefore to conclude since in the sacrifice of the Masse where the consecrated Hoast must be adored with Latria-worship most detestable Idolatrie is committed I could not but with a great dislike of so foule an abuse in doctrine disauow that Sacrifice of the Masse and hold it most abhominable in the sight of Almightie God Hence I conceiued the more worthily of his Maiesties iudgement and learning for if the verie essentiall parts of the publike sacrifice of the Masse haue no warrant in Scripture and the essentiall part thereof so idolatrous he might well confidently affirme of priuat Masse Praemonit If the Romish Church hath ioyned new articles of faith neuer heard of in the first 500 yeres after Christ I hope I shall neuer be condemned for an Heretike for not being a Nouleist Such are the priuat Masses where the Priest playeth the part both of the Priest and of the people For what an absurd thing is it for the Priest to say Dominus vobiscuÌ„ or orate fratres The Lord be with you or pray ye brethren or to turn about as if there were people to answere when nothing but bare wals appeareth saying Ite Missâ— est Go ye Masse is done Nay what a ridiculous prayer is it wheÌ„ the Priest saith vnto God none being present but either a man or a woman playing the office of a clerke Memento Domina famuloruÌ„ famularum In Can. Missae que tuaruÌ„ omniuÌ„ circuÌ„stantiuÌ„ queruÌ„ ubi fides cognita est nota deuotio pro qubius tibi offerimus c. Remember O Lord thy men-seruants and women-seruants and all that stand round about whose faith and deuotion is manifest and knowne vnto thee This is as ridiculous a false prayer as that which the Priests alwayes say vpon the feast of an ordinarie Confessor Ad sacrum cuius tumulum frequenter Membra languentum modo sanitati Quolibet morbo fuerint grauata Restituuntur Breuiar in com mu. Confessorum Vnder nunc noster chorus in honorem Ipsius hymnum canit hunc libenter Vt pijs eius meritis iuuemur Omne per aeuum Englished thus At whose sacred Tombe sicke people Euen now often with whatsoeuer Diseases they are oppressed are restored To health Our Quier therefore now in honor Of him singeth this Hymne willingly That by his pious merits we may be Holpen for euer Is not this strange that so notorious a lye must by millions of Romish Priests be sung and said vpon the Feasts of such Confessors at whose Tombes not so much as a lame dogge was euer cured and yet they sticke not to say that often and from euerie disease they are cured But by this it may be gathered that the Romish Church hath little care what she alloweth or practiseth how grosse or absurd soeuer it be so long as her erronious doctrines may either be beleeued or practised and hence shee suffereth the Latria-worship of the Hoast to be instilled into the vulgar sort of people without any remorse or scruple for so vnwarrantable an error 5 Now as for the ceremonies of the Masse The ceremonie of the Masse hath no certaine signification as I haue beene carefull to learne their meaning and significations thereby haue I also found as great cause to disgust the sacrifice of the Masse as for the former for so vncertaine is the disagreement of Romish Authors about them as none can be greater Michael the Suffragane of Mets tels vs The Amies that the Humerale which is made of thinne linnen Michael Suffragan Mongunt explic myst sacrosanct nus yet pure and cleane couering the Priests head signifieth Christs Diuinitie couered with fraile humane flesh free and cleane from sinne In another place he sayth That it designeth the indefatigable labour of doing good and chastitie of bodie and minde but Iacobus de Voragine sayth Iac. de Vor. ser de Sanct. de celibrat Mis ser 1. De ritibus eccle Catho c. 9. ff 6. Lib. 2. de sacra part 4. Part. 4 q 26. That it signifieth the Helmet of Saluation because he must appoach to the Altar with hope and confidence Stephanus Durantus that thereby is vnderstood the custodie of a mans mouth Hugo de Sancto victorie and Alexander de Ales thinke it signifieth the vaile wherewith the perfidious Iewes did couer the face of Christ The Albe according to Michael the Suffragane because it is cleane and closed round about the Priest designeth the most entire conuersation of Christ amongst all The Albe Ibid. And in another place he sayth it admonisheth vs of the innocencie and puritie we receiue in Baptisme But Iacobus de Voragine Ibid. Vbi supra more like a souldior will haue it signifie Loricam iustitiae because that as the Albe couereth the Priest all ouer so doth Iustice with other vertues couer the soule Ibid. nu 9. Stephanus Durantus will haue it signifie the perseuerance of good workes Germanus will haue it signifie the brightnesse of the Godhead In Theor. rerum Ecclesiast and the shining conuersation of a Priest Againe it representeth the white garment wherewith Herode did mocke Christ Stephanus Eduensis Bishop sayth that it designeth the glorie of
condemned for an Heretike for not being a Nouelist where numbring vp many nouelties which are vsed in the Romish Church hee reckoneth this Transubstantiation for one 4. Arguments against Transubstantiation Comp. Theol. verit l. 5. c. 58. Which doctrine of Transubstantiation I discouered to containe a notable Heresie by the proofes following First sayth Ioannes de Combis Latria is a seruice and reuerence exhibited to God therefore if the honour due to God be exhibited vnto the creature it is Idolatrie Latria comprehendeth fiue thinges viz. Faith Knowledge Reuerence Sacrifice and Prayer Whereupon I framed this Argument The doctrine of Transubstantiation admitteth this worship in the Church of Rome to a Creature viz. to Bread and Wine which notwithstanding the words of Transubstantiation remaineth still a creature otherwise how is Bread and Wine the externall signes of inusible grace as euerie true Sacrament is or how is the essentiall part appointed by CHRIST in the Sacrament remaining when it ceaseth to be there as Transubstantiation teacheth the Bread and Wine doth Nay the very Scriptures say so much shewing the Bread still to remaine Bread and the Wine still to remaine Wine Saint Paule the heauenly interpreter of CHRISTS wordes doth not admit Transubstantiation but doth so interpret the Sacramentall vnion that still the visible elements remaine for the Bread of the Sacrament hee calleth Bread still euen after the consecration to teach that the substance of the Bread remaineth still and so he calleth the Wne still Wine as appeareth plainely by his wordes The Cup of Blessing which wee blesse 1. Cor. 10.16 is it not the communication of the bloud of CHRIST and the Bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the bodie of the Lord Now then if the Chalice be but a communication of his bloud and the Bread but a participation of his bodie still remaining Bread and Wine for the thing participating is not the thing participated where then is their doctrine of Transubstantiation or how can it stand sound with the truth of the Scriptures He sayth plainely further 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. All wee are partakers of one Bread And againe As often as yee shall eate this bread And againe Whosoeuer shall eate this Bread besides Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread Now therefore the Scripture teaching vs so plainely Bread and Wine to remaine in the Sacrament it followeth that there is no Transubstantiation in the Sacrament and so consequently it is apparant that all those commit grosse Idolatrie that worship it with Latria because they giue that worship which is due to God to the creature which they beleeue to be God teach to be God and pray to as vnto God 5. Fathers against Transubstantiation Secondly I summoned diuers auncient Writers to see whether they would afford me any warrant for Transubstantiation and I finde them against it and none for it I finde Tertullian in expresse wordes to say Iesus Christ hauing taken bread Tertul. l. 4. adu Marc. cap. 40. distributed it to his Disciples he made it to be his bodie saying This is my bodie that is the figure of my bodie I finde him likewise to shew as much in expresse wordes in another place Tertul. l. 3. adu Mars cap. 19. saying God hath so reuealed it in the Gospell calling the bread his bodie to the end that thou mayest thereby vnderstand that he hath giuen to the bread the figure of his bodie Now then if the bread be a figure of CHRISTS bodie according to Tertullian then it is not transubstantiated Saint Cyprian sayth Epist 3. l. 2. Wee finde that the Cuppe which the Lord offered was mingled and that which he called his bloud was wine See here Saint Cyprian giueth but a denomination to the bloud attributing substantiall being to the wine by the Verbe Substantiue Lib. 8. demonstr Euang. cap. 1. Eusebius is also cleare agianst Transubstantiation in these wordes IESVS CHRIST gaue vnto his Disciples the signes of the diuine dispensation commaunding them to celebrate the figure of his owne bodie For seeing that he did now no longer receiue the sacrifices of bloud nor the slaughter of diuers beastes ordained by Moses hee hath taught vs to vse the bread for a signe of his bodie See here it is still called bread and a signe of the bodie how then is it transubstantiated Saint Augustine also standes against Transubstantiation De doctrine Christian l. 3. c. 16. saying These wordes Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud are a figure commaunding vs to partake the Passion of CHRIST and profitably to remember that his flesh was crucified for vs. Nowe therefore if the eating the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinking his bloud is but to partake of the Passion of CHRIST and a profitable remembrance that his flesh was crucified for vs how did Saint Augustine teach the doctrine of Transubstantiation Nay rather doth he not most plainly insinuate the contrarie I finde also the same Doctor to say against Adamantus Chap. 12. The Lord made no difficultie to say this is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Here I obserue the word Bodie to bee expounded by the signe of his body Who saith in an other place Epist 23. ad Bonifac. The holy signe of Christs body is after a sort the body of Christ and the holy signe of the bloud of Christ and so the holy signe of faith to wit Baptisme is faith Surely Baptisme can not bee said to be Transubstantiated into faith how then can the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ bee substantially transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Saint Augustine in an other place is yet plainer against Transubstantiation saying Vnderstand that which I say spiritually Super Psal 98. you shall not eate my body which you see neither shall you drinke the bloud which my Tormentors shall shed I haue recommended vnto you an holy signe which being spiritually vnderstood shall make you liue Behold how cleare S. Augustine is against Transubstantiation So also is S. Chrysostome that golden mouthed Doctor of Greece most clearely gainesaying the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Sacrament saying The bread before it be sanctified we call bread Ad Caesar Monachum but when the diuine grace sanctifies it it is deliuered from the name of bread and is thought worthy the name of the Lords body though the nature of bread remaine still Now curteous Reader if I should not iudge vnpartially I can not but here conclude that if the nature of bread remaine the substance of bread can not be changed into the body of Christ substantially and therefore no transubstantiation can follow 6. I can not omit here to record Gelasius who saith Other strong places of ancient Fathers agianst Transubstantiation De duabus naturis Christi The bread
and wine passe into the substance of the body and bloud of Christ yet so as the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature If this be true that the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and that the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature then can not transubstantiation stand For hereby Gelasius confuted Eutiches the Heretike holding that Christ had but one nature and that in regard of the vnion the humanitie was turned into the Deitie against which error he opposed the doctrine of the Eucharist shewing that as therein bread and wine after consecration were honoured with the name of his body and bloud and receiued grace to their nature to bee a holy Sacrament though still they remained in their former nature and propertie So the humanitie of Christ receiued grace by the hypostaticall vniting it to the God-head and yet still retained the former propertie to be humane flesh Therefore had Gelasius beliefe beene answerable to the present Church of Rome concerning Transubstantiation he not only could not thereby haue confuted Eutiches but Eutiches might by that very doctrine most probably haue confuted him Who might right well haue argued thus Thou Gelasius thinkest the Sacrament a resemblance of the incarnation of Christ and the vnion of his two natures but in the Sacrament the bread and wine after consecration remaine no more but are turned into the flesh and bloud of Christ and so there is but one substance After this manner may I likewise say in the Incarnation after the vnion the humanitie remaineth no more but is changed into the Diuinitie and the Nature is but one What could Gelasius haue answered to this Argument if hee had held the doctrine of Transubstantiation Hence it is euident both by his wordes and the scope of his disputation that he held it not Not vnlike to Gelasius is the doctrine of Theodoret Dial. immuta fol. 8. writing thus Our Sauiour in deliuering the Sacrament called his body bread and that which is in the cup he called his bloud he changed the names and gaue his body that name which belonged to the signe and to the signe that name which belonged to his body The reason why he thus changed the names was because he would haue such as partake the diuine Sacraments not to heede the nature of those thinges which are seene but for the change sake of the names to beleeue the change that is made by grace For he called it wheat and bread which by nature is his body and againe on the other side he called himselfe a Vine Thus honoring the simbols and signes which are seen with the name of his body bâ—oud not by changing their nature but by adding grace to nature And further the same Author in an other place reprehending the Eutichian heretike saith Dialog 2. Inconfusus You are caught in your owne net for the mysticall signes after consecration do not depart from their nature but they abide in their former substance form and figure and may be seen touched as before If they depart not from their nature if they abide in their former substance figure and forme if Christ changed not the natures but the names adding grace to nature how can the doctrine of transubstantiation in the iudgement of this writer stand free from the impeachment of an erroneous innouation 7. How moderne Authors of the Church of Rome shew the doctrine of transubstantiation to be nouell De verit corp sang p. 46. And so I find euen by the confession of the learnedst moderne Writers this doctrine is but nouell and of small antiquitie and hath not been beleeued as a matter of faith in the purest ages of the Primitiue Church for it is well knowne that before the Councell of Laterane no man was bound to beleeue Transubstantiation as themselues confesse Tonstal sayth It was free for all men till that time to follow their owne coniecture as concerning the manner of the Presence Scotus and Biel are reported by the later Schoolemen to haue been of minde That the opinion is very new and lately brought into the Church Soto 4. d 9. q. 2. art 2. 4. Suar. tom 3. d. 5.4 d. 10. q. 2. ad arg pro prima sect 1. and beleeued only vpon the authoritie of the Laterance Councell And Scotus himselfe saith We must say the Church in the Creede of the Laterane Councell vnder Innocent the third which begins with the words Firmiter credimus declared this sense concerning transubstantiation to belong to the verity of our faith Besides Scotus Bellarmine confesse Scot. d. 11. q. 3. Bellar. Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 23. Turrec tract 13. q. 49. There is no Scripture to conuince it vnlesse yee bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides Now therefore if this doctrine bee no more ancient than the Councell of Laterane as it is cleare I oppose against the accurse of the Councell of Trent the malediction of blessed Saint Paul a better man than any in the Councell of Trent who pronounceth a direfull Anathema against any that shall teach other doctrine than what he taught how fearefull a state then doe all Popish Priests stand in that teach this noueltie of Transubstantiation diametrally contrarie to the places of S. Paul before cited 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. Euagrius 4. lib. Hist c. 35. Niceph. lib. 17. cap. 25. Hiesich l 2. super Leuit. cap. 8. Euseb lib. 7. c. 8. August cont lit Petil. lib. 9. c. 30. It is well knowne that it was an vsuall thing in former ages in diuers places to giue the residues of the Sacrament to little children as Euagrius and Nicephorus haue left recorded to posteritie Yea and in other places of the Christian world as Hesichius teacheth neither hath it beene thought much in former times to giue the bread of the Sacrament into the peoples handes and sometimes permitted them to carry it home which is a signe that they conceipted not then the doctrine of Transubstantiation which hath caused it since to be adored and haue made it a sinnefull act for Lay people to touch the Sacrament yea and haue brought it to such a fond esteeme that if a Flie or a Spider fall into the wine or any like thing which can not without vomit or danger of death be taken downe the Flie or Spider or what else must be taken out and washed as warily as may be in a Chalice and the Priest must take the ablution but the Flie or Spider must be burnt Ibidem eodem cap. Or if a sick man vomit vp the body of the Lord it must bee taken vp againe as diligently as may be and taken by a
their mindes Afterward the Councell of Basil released the decree of Constance to some as to the Bohemians and the Councell of Trent confirmed it againe Ses 21. c. 2. Whereby it is apparant that the moderne Church of Rome hath swarued in this point of faith from which it beleeued formerly and since it began to be the seat of Antichrist The most ancient Liturgies in their owne forme shew Cyril Cath. mystag 5. Liturg. Marci pag. 62. Thom. p. 3. q. 80. art 12 q. 3. Hom. 16. in nu 1 that the people receiued the wine as well as the bread And Caietane sayth This custome endured long in the Church and that they had ministring cuppes for the nonce to serue the people with wine which none will denie Origen sayth plainegly Christian people were accustomed to drinke the bloud And S. Cyprian How doe we make them fit for the cup of Martyrdome Epist. 2. if first we doe not admit them by the right of communication in the Church to drinke the cup of the Lord The same Author or another as ancient Serm. de coena Dom. in another place sayth The Law doth prohibit the eating of bloud the Gospell commaundeth that it be drunke That the Chalice also was vsed in S. Ambrose his time himselfe sheweth Apud Theod. 5. Hist 15. In 2. Malach. speaking to Theodosius With what boldnesse wilt thou partake with thy mouth the cup of precious bloud S. Hierome sayth in expresse tearmes The Priestes which make the Eucharist and distribute the bloud of the Lord to the people And Paschasius sayth Super cap. 15. Drinke ye all of this as well the ministers as the other beleeuers Apud Gratian. can Comperimus de consecrat dist 2. Gelasius sayth We finde that some receiuing onely the portion of the sacred bodie abstaine from the cup of sacred bloud Who doubtlesse because I know not by what superstition they are taught to be obliged either let them receiue the entire Sacraments or let them be expelled from the entire Sacraments because the duision of one and the same mysterie cannot be without grat sacriledge All which places doe most liuely expresse the faith and practise of the ancient Church to haue beene otherwise than it is now in the present Church 6 Is it not a lamentable thing to see Obserue well this Councell Ses 13. that the Councell of Constance confesseth That Iesus Christ instituted and administred the Sacrament vnder both kinds and that in the Primitiue Church this Sacrament was receiued by the faithfull vnder both kinds And yet against Christs institution and the practise of the Primitiue Church the same Councell most blasphemously complaineth That in some parts of the world some rashly presume that Christian people ought to receiue the Sacraments vnder both kinds and thus censures it to be presumption and rashnesse to follow Christ Of the Fathers of that Councell with the Pope himselfe I may well say Concilium inierunt vt caperent Iesum in sermone Exod. 7. But as the Serpent of Moses deuoured the Serpents of the Sorcerers so Christ will ouercome the malice and craft of such wicked counsellors It is a folly for our aduersaries to say That when Christ said Doe this in remembrance of me he spake onely to Priests for then it would follow that the lay people may be debarred of both kinds and it is as impertinently obiected that the Apostles were Priests therefore Christs Precept Drinke ye all of this belongs to Priests onely for then the Primitiue Church did amisse and S. Paule the Apostle also who deliuered the Supper to the lay people without amputation of either kind in such manner as he had receiued it of the Lord. My conclusion vpon the precedent obseruation Now therefore vpon due consideration of all the premisses finding the Church of Rome to adulterate the word of God to ouerthrow the nature of the Sacrament to goe against the doctrine of the Primitiue Church and to checke most impudently Christs owne institution cursing them that beleeue as Christ teacheth and doe as he commaundeth in drinking as well of the Cup as in eating the Bread of the Sacrament without diuision or amputation I see no ground of faith to warrant the doctrine of the Church of Rome in this case and therefore it is to be feared vnlesse God shew her the greater mercie for all her maledictions and curses to the terror of poore simple Christians shee her selfe will one day inconsolably tast of the bitter cup of Gods wrath and indignation which vpon the suddaine will be poured vpon her to her vtter ruine and destruction and shee that hath so much afflicted and tormented others will find it true that Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viuentis It is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God CHAP. XV. Containing an obseruation of the Pardons and Indulgences which the Peope annexeth to Crosses Graines and Meddals I Haue obserued in reading the liues of Saints a storie worth the noting of Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem Metaph. in vita S. Epiph. Laurent Surius 12. Maeij who hauing with his honors changed also his minde being surprised with extreame couetousnesse he grew to heape vp great store of treasures beyond all reason or measure which Saint Epiphanius vnderstanding endeuoured to draw him to some liberalitie towards the poore but he who preferred his gold before all other workes of charitie cared not for the poore Epiphanius seeing this obtained of him a certaine summe more by force than by loue which he distributed amongst the poore with great ioy Few daies after the Bishop redemanded againe his money with great importunitie vnto whom Epiphanius gaue good wordes promising to repay him soone after but the Bishop was not contented but vsed him with some violence vttering iniurious speeches against him calling him impostor and cosener Epiphanius nothing troubled spit in his face wherewith instantly strucken blind he fell to the ground whereupon at length he acknowledged his fault crauing pardon Then Epiphanius shewed him into what a gulfe of couetousnesse hee was plunged putting his hand vpon his head restored him his right eye againe who praying him to restore him also his left eye the holy man refused it to the end he should be alwaies warned by that marke euer after to vse more modestie and more carefully to auoid that plague of couetousnesse In this example courteous Reader you haue a liuely representation of the Bishop of Rome his insatiable auarice now that hee is come to such temporall greatnesse in this world and consequently of the spirituall blindnesse wherewith God hath strooken him for the same not suffering him to see the light of truth but to runne head-long into diuers inextricable heresies as a iust punishment for such his greedy desires for the nouelties which are now broched in the Church of Rome were not knowne till this hateful sinne of auarice tooke
haue heard reported once by an English Gentleman that serued sometimes amongst them of a Countriman of his who fighting against the Souldiers of the Reformed Religion in the Low Countries and finding his powder so moist that with often putting match to it it would not take fire in most blasphemous manner see swore in the Spanish tongue I vow to God that this day I thinke God is become a Lutheran For in very truth if the Texts which Viguerius citeth so confidently thinking by them to ouerthrow all the Lutheranes in the world be well and rightly vnderstood you shall finde them to be of no efficacie at all and to be but match powder without fire that is Scripture and his owne sense and priuate vnderstanding without the fire of the holy Ghost without the Spirit of truth and the comfortable Master teaching all truth for the prophecie of Esay only foresheweth how Christ the Messias comming into the world should Preach the remission of sinners to all in generall and deliuerie to those that liued in the darknesse of ignorance before the comming to Christ as the Gentills who should finde mercy and truth by Christ as well as the Iewes Neither will I denie which maketh nothing for Viguerius but that the remission of sinnes and also the remission of paines due to sinne is meant by the word Indulgence the infinite guilt of sinne and the eternall paine due to sinne in hell fire both which belong to sinne being taken away by the bloud of Christ and therefore if the eternall paine why not also the temporal what reseruation did Christ make or his Apostles to shew that the ternall pain should be remitted and the temporall be reserued only for the Pope to be pardoned by means of crosses medalls graines rings knotted cords and the like childish trinkets O miserable blindnesse that cannot discerne such grosse errours and so great a prophanation of Christs merites and satisfaction Sweet Iesu open the eyes of all that are thus blinded let them see how the sacred Scriptures are foolishly misapplied wickedly wrested racked and most impiously prophaned for the supporting of Romish nouelties I will not shew how impertinently other places are applied by Bellarmine for the confirmation of the same Romish errour my designement not being to write a whole Booke of Confutations but only to point at the chief obseruations I made in diuers points of religion inducing me from Romish errors and idolatries vnto the light of truth 4 Vpon further consideration of indulgences I find also The doctriue of Romish In dulgences not ancient that as they are not established by Scriptures rightly vnderstood so neither are they supported by antiquity in the primitiue age of the Church Bellar. cites Greg. the first to haue graunted Indulgences in the dayes of stations Bellar. de sacra poenit lib. 5. ca. 3 in 4. dist 20. q. 1 artic 3 quast 2. Alt. sum Theol. tract 6. ca. 9. for proofe wherof he citeth Thomas Aquinas and Altisiodorensis who was before Thomas hee citeth also Leo the third who as S. Lugderus writeth at Aquisgraue in the Pallace dedicated a Church to the blessed virgin Mary enduing the same Church with many indulgences He citeth besides Sergius the second about the yeere 844. who graunted indulgences of three yeares and of three Quadrigenaries vnto those that should visite the Church of S. Martin vpon the mountaine Spist de sanct Suuiberto apud Sur. tom 2 post S. Suuibert vpon the feast of the same Church He citeth likewise Vrban the second to haue graunted a plenary indulgence to those that went to the holy warres Hee citeth also Martine the fift to huae graunted a plenarie indulgence And the Councell of Trent to haue approued also the vse of Indulgences Amongst all which cited by Bellarmine Pope Gregorie the first liued in the sixt centurie Pope Leo the third who was successour to Pope Adrian the first liued in the eight centurie Sergius the second successor to Gregory the fourth liued in the ninth century Vrban the second successor to Victor the third liued in the eleuenth centurie Pope Martin the fift by some called Martin the third successour to Iohn the one and twentieth liued in the fifteenth centurie as appeareth in the French Iesuite Iames Gaultier Table Chron. de l'estate du Christianisme Now therefore when I doe seriouslie consider these assertions of Ioannes Viguerius and Cardinall Bellarmine for the practise of Indulgences the ancientest they cite is Gregory the great who liued in the sixt centurie which was after the sowing of much cockle and more heresies man being asleepe no such practise hauing beene knowne by anie Pope before then whereby it appeareth that their doctrine euen by their owne assertions about these pardons and indulgences is but a new doctrine lately sprung vp in the christian world and hath not the marke of Antiquitie to stand in defence of it 5 This I find also euen by Bishop Fisher to be most true Other late writers shew the noueltie of Indulgences who saith That so long as there was no care of Purgatorie no man sought after Pardons for on it dependeth the credite of Pardons When therefore Purgatorie was so lately knowne and receiued in the Church Assert Luther confut art 18. pag. 86. who now can maruell at Pardons that in the beginning of the Church there was no vse of them Pardon 's therefore began after that they had trembled a while at the paine of Purgatorie I find also that Durandus saieth There are few things to be affirmed for certainetie concerning Pardons 4. d. 20. q. 3. because the Scripture speaketh not expresly of them and the Saints Ambrose Hillarie Augustine Ierome speake not of them at all Caietane also the great Schooleman saith There can no certaintie be found of the beginning of paerdons There is no authoritie of the Scripture or auncient Fathers Greeke or Latine that bringeth it to our knowledge Tra Hat de Indulg ca. 1. And Alphonsus sheweth in verie plaine termes that they are but nouelties saying Their vse seeme to haue come but lately into the Church Haeres verbo Indulg And Henriquez a Iesuite often cited by the Readers in Rome hath these wordes There bee ceertaine late Dinines which affirme it is no rashnesse Sum mor. li. 7. cap. 3. if a man say the vse and practise of Indulgences is not from the Apostles times Now this beeing considered which these Writers esteemed most learned by their owne associates doe finde euen contrary to cardinall Bellarmine who citeth Scriptures for proofe of Indulgences that there is no mention of in the holy Scriptures nor Fathers nor the ancient Church I could not but conclude but that certainely they are nouelties not to bee embraced the doctrine of them is but cockle that ouergroweth the good corne it is after-comming and therefore not to be esteemed So that now finding no good ground of these Pardons I can find no truer
ground of them in all rpobabilitie than that the Popes being desirous to enrich themselues with money haue deuised them for the emptying of mens purses throughout all Kingdomes subiected to his vsurping authority like Boniface the ninth of whom it is written That he sent into diuers Kingdomes his Treasurors with Pardons Theod. a mem de scismat lib. 1. ca. 68. pag. 20. who extoried thereby very great summes of money from the simple people that in some one Pronince they would get together aboue an hundred thousand florens and released all sinnes to them that confessed vnto them without anie penaunce Therefore as I said in the beginning anarice caused spirituall blindenesse in Popes and blindenesse as a punishment confirmeth them more and more in their errors 6 Is it not strange considering all reason to bee against this doctrine of Indulgences that the Church of Rome will by her comminations still curse those that embrace it not as the Councell or Trent doth all those That affirme them to bee vnprofitable Ses 25. decret de Indulgentijs or denie anie power to be in the Church to graunt them What shall not as I said before the bloud of Christ as well take away the temporall paine due vnto sinne as the eternall or is not his satisfaction infinite what neede then the superfluous satisfaction of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Did the auncient Church euer speake of other Pardons than of the Pardons of outward penances which ere enioyned for publique satisfaction of the Church Hath not Christ fatisfied for the whole world what neede then of the satisfactions of Saints what more than Indulgences instilleth a vaine securitie into the soules of men and ouerthroweth the foundations of all true contrition is not Gods forgiuesse and remission expressed with an Omne debitum dimisi tibi Matth. 18.32 I haue forgiuen thee all thy debt if euerie debt why not aso the debt of temporall paine if an exception can be shewed why is it not made manifest Now iudge beloued Reader whether heere bee not sufficient reason to make mee or anie other say farewell vnto the Romish Church that thus enthralleth soules prophaneth the bloud of Christ disableth the Sacraments and picketh mens purses by the deuised doctrine of her Ecclesiasticall Indulgences Deere Iesu pardon my former fault make mee see better heereafter let mee with true compunction for this errour say with the holy Prophet Dauid Erraui sicut ouis quae perijt quaere seruum tuum I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant O Lord Psalme 119. verse 176. CHAP. XVI Containing an obseruation about the number of seuen Sacraments admitted by the Church of Rome IN my trauels in the Low-countries I haue often smiled to see how the people in those parts Vaine is the terrors of Romish curses against the truth in a faire corne-field to driue away crowes and other birds from the corne will most artificially frame the reprefentation of a terribleman standing ouer the corne with a grimme countenance and with bow and arrowes drawne vp to the head to the great terror of all birds that none may approach as if forthwith he would hit all that came neare So likewise when I confider how the Church of Rome vseth the shew of terrors and comminations to keepe Christians from feeding vpon the wholesome truthes and verities growing in the spacious fields of Gods word I find much cause of laughter to see shee should thinke men endued with reasonable soules should haue so little sense as not to discouer her vaine scare-crowes of curses and excommunications which are only terrible in words and iust nothing in effect but counterfeit terrors without hurt or harme as for example she makes a great shew in words concerning the number of seuen Sacraments as if she would shoot euery one to the quicke that will be so venterous as to approach vnto the field of Scriptures to know the truth thereof her threatning shew is this Concil trid sess 7. desacra in genere Can. 1. If any shall say that all the sacraments of the new Law were not instituted by Iesus Christ our Lord or that there are more or fewer then seuen viz. Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penance Extreame-unction Order and Matrimonie or also any one of these seuen not to be truly and properly a Sacrament be hee accursed Heere is the definitiue sentence of the Church of Rome casting you out of her Synagogue if you gainesay her decree it is curiositie with her and great presumption to examine her doctrine you must not be so hold as to taste of the sweet and most pleasant fruits of Gods word the arrow is drawne vp to the head against you the terror of Anathema must put you to flight Christs doctrine must be no longer the little graine of mustard-seed growne vp aboue all hearbs for his faithfull birds to sit vpon the boughs therof this scar-crow Anathema must put all to flight 2 But those that are wise and iu siciall doe discouer the vanity of this frightful spectacle Those that are wise discouer the vanitie of them with the Berraeans they will examine the Popes doctrine by the Scriptures as they did Saint Pauls they will follow the directions of Doctor Stapleton who appointeth also a meane to trie the doctrine of false teachers by antiquitie euen for all the common sort of people They will as a great Doctor and Champion of the Popes said to me once find that it had been better that the Pope had left many of the doctrines of the Councell of Trent vndefined because so many new Anathemaes makes the world begin to suspect that the Popes labour more to subiect people vnto them by terrors then by truth as men doe children who to keepe them in awe will tell them of Hobgoblins and Robin-good-fellowes such like that wil fetch them away if they bee vnruly and leaue not their crying Which policie my selfe partly obseruing to be vsed by the Church of Rome euen in a moderne example of Paul the fifth his Breue against the oath of alleageance thinking only by the bare words declaratiue without any one reason alleaged for the vnlawfulnes in taking it other then his owne plaine assertion to strike such a terror both into his owne children and into the King and State as if none would dare to gain-say it but blessed be almightie God who hath so communicated the beames of his vnspeakable wisdome vnto him and his loyall subiects yea and vnto many of the Popes owne children who were long seduced by his pretended inerrable power that they dare not onely beleeue the contrarie but also openly auouch it to the world and ioyne foot to foot in defence thereof both with pen and sword if need be howsoeuer the Iesuites would thinke themselues aduantaged if both sides should come to this latter encounter but I trust God out of his mercie will dispose of milder courses more manife sting therein his
sweet prouidence and mercie for those that liue in a most blinded and yet zealous ignorance of the errors they are in wrapped in by the slights of their false teachers seducing them who are much more industrious and laborious for the kingdome of Antichrist than the true professors of the Gospell are for the kingdome of Christ according to our Sauiours owne words Prudentiores sunt filij tenebrarū quam filij lucis in generatione sua The children of darknesse are more prudent in their generation than the children of light Against whom I will daily pray that those who stand as sentinels ouer the reformed Churches may both haue aud carefully practise our Sauiours words in another place as an holesome Autidote Estote prudentes sicut serpentes simplices sicut columbae Be ye prudent like serpents and simple like doues vsing serpentine prudence to defend their faith and soueraigne rulers as their heads though with hazard of their owne bodies and liues and not omitting such a sweet doue-like simplicity and mildnesse without gall of malice that their aduersaries may be ouercome by the obseruation of their wisdome and their Christian-like charitie towards them 3 But to returne whence I am digressed The Church of Rome by terrors more thē by proofes endeuors to plant the beliefe of seuen Sacraments I discouer the idlenesse of the Romish Anathema by the error and noueltie of the doctrine of seuen Sacraments for the desence wherof the Councell hath thundered it out for I can find no Scriptures making properly for seuen no nor any one ancient Father reckoning seuen onely and no fewer nor more as for Baptisme and the blessed Eucharist there is no doubt to be made for all the things which the Church of Rome requireth to a Sacrament properly taken do concurre therein Belarm lib. 1. de sacra Bapt. cap. 1. Hebr. 6. vers 4. Ephe. 5. vers 26. Iohn 3. vers 5. the externall right is expressed in Saint Paul calling it The lauer of water in the word of life The institution and commandement vnlesse a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot come vnto the kingdom of God c. and in going teach ye al people baptising them in the name of the Father Mark vlt. v. 16. and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost the promise of grace who beleeneth and is baptised shall be saued but who beleeueth not shall be damned So likewise in the Eucharist the externall rite is found to be bread and wine Mat. 26. vers 26 Ioh 6. vers 57. The institution and commandement at the last supper do this in remembrance of me The promise of grace he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him Whereby it is apparent that of these two Sacraments the Scriptures shew al the things most plainly belonging vnto a Sacramēt properly taken as the Church of Rome vnderstandeth of Sacrament with all the things necessarily belonging thereunto and therefore that these two are Sacramnts is cleere in their vnderstanding which the Church of England according to all antiquitie doth admit but the other fiue receiued by the Church of Rome either in one effētiall thing or other belonging to a Sacrament properly taken are defectiue as either in the sensible signe or in the institution and commandement or in the promise of grace notwithstanding that all must concurre according to the Church of Rome to a true Sacrament Now therefore although I could particularly shew by the disabling of the other fiue that there are not seuen Sacraments as the Councell of Trent defineth yet because I will auoid prolixitie I will only proue it by shewing that penance is no such Sacrament 4 All Diuines of the Church of Rome do ioyntly agree that euery Sacrament consisteth of matter and forme Penance no Sacrament properly neither is auricular confession any essentiall part thereof Tho. Aquin. part 3. quaest 84. art 2. in corp S. Tho. part 3. vbi supra art 3. in corp the matter say they of this sacrament are cōtrition cōfession and satisfaction for the sinnes on the behalfe of the penitent the forme is the words of absolution pronounced by the Priest Thomas of Aquine their cheefe Doctor saith thus The nearest matter of this Sacrament are the acts of the penitent whose matter are sins which he repenteth which he confesseth and for which he satisfieth And in the next article he sheweth the forme saying It is cleare that this is the most conuenient forme of this Sacrament I do absolue thee With whom Viguerius also agreeth saying Ioannes Viguer Instit cap. 16. vers 1. The nearest matter of the Sacrament of Penance are the acts of the penitent contrition confession and satisfaction the matter of which acts are sinnes which the penitent repenteth which he confesseth and for which he satisfiesh In whose assertions I obserue two notable errors first that they count Penance a Sacrament which is onely a vertue disposing men to the Sacrement of the Eucharist according to that Probet seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat Let a man proue himselfe and so eat of that bread which prouing must be by repentāce And secondly that they make auricular confession consisting in a circumstantiall enumeration of sinnes in their numerall distinct kinds to a Priest an effentiall part of that Sacrament neither of which can bee proued in Scriptures I cannot but admire to see so great a Doctor as Thomas Aquinas was Tho. Aquin. part 3. de sacra poenit art 1. sed contra Act. 8. to make a most weake argument for proofe of this Sacrament saying that as Baptisme is adhebited for the purification of sinne so Penance Therefore Peter said to Simon do penance for this thy wickednesse but Baptisme is a Sacrament as is said before therefore Penance also for the like reason Heere is a stout reason and of great force certes especially when we consider that the Angelical doctor following the vulgar translation misalleageth the Scripture for in the Greeke set out by Arias Montanus the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not do penance Arias Montan. in 8. Act. Apost vers 22. but repent thou as the same Author though a Romanist translateth it Neither is it heere to be omitted how notoriously the Rhemists do depraue the same place of Scripture who in excuse of their following the vulgar translation adde a notable falsehood and vntruth saying In annot Act. 8. vers 22. That the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie as much is it not strange then that Arias Montanus I thinke as good a Grecian as any of them would haue swarued from their translation but their imposture in this place is most inexcusable shewing that they care not what they say so they may crosse the reformed Churches as appeareth when in the table before the new Testament printed anno 1600 wherin they charge the English editions of false translation
Church in the same Kingdome was aduertised that the Dacians made preparations for the warres against him Whereupon he sent the Abbot Hersinus vnto them to know the truth of their designements The Abbot then being vpon his returne at sea was surprised with such a tempestuous storme that he and all his people were in danger of their liues if they had not sought for succour of the virgine Marie for as they inuoked her with all the deuotion they could behold there came from Heauen a venerable Personage apparrelled like a Bishop who after he had saluted the Abbot said vnto him Will you be deliuered from this danger he answered that he desired nothing more Know you then said the Personage that I am sent from the virgine Marie to aduertise you that you shall be deliuered from all danger if you will obey me Commaund said the Abbot all that you please and you shall be willingly obeyed Hereafter then said he you shall keepe a solemne Feast of the Conception of the virgine Marie and in preaching you shall declare that it is to be kept The abbot asking vpon what day it should bee kept and what Seruice the Church should say thereon he answered it should be kept the eight of December and for the Seruice they should take that of the Natiuitie putting the word Conception in lieu of Natiuitie Anno 1060. Then the Personage vanished away the storme ceased and the Abbot escaped with all his companie and afterward performed his promise Is not this a strong foundation to build an article of Faith vpon Let the circumstances be considered as that the Bishop that appeared comming from the virgine Marie vsed such great familiaritie with the Abbot as to salute him that he appeared in a storme when wicked spirits are busiest that he willed him to keepe a Feast of that act concerning the blessed Virgine which cannot be freed from sinne and iudge whether it be not time to flye to the Scriptures reuealed from God when such visions must serue as it is probably deuised by the diuell to delude men withall for the establishment of a new article of faith as diuers of the Romane Church hold this to be It may be this vision might be such a one as I haue sometimes heard of the like nature by a certaine Gentleman as acquaintance of mine who told mee that one appeared vnto him in the forme of a Bishop telling him he must be a Romane Catholike if he would be saued and that he should trauell ouer the seas escape many dangers acquainting him with future euents concerning the Earle of Essex and himselfe which he would not speake of Which vision some of his kindred gaue credit vnto and furthered him in his iourney And I haue heard since when his money was spent beyond the seas he returned home againe and finding himselfe deluded by his vision embraced againe his former religion and continueth in it to this day Some Romanists haue thought that this vision was but an inuention that thereby hee might finde a few golden peeces out of his friends the better to maintaine his trauailes The truth of his vision I leaue to his owne conscience but this I may truely say there is a great resemblance betwixt his and the Abbots and therefore in my iudgement if the Diuell played the Bishop in the one he might as well doe it in the other 5. Another apparition to the same effect Ibidem part 7. Dionys Cor. ser 2. Conc. Be. Mariae Polbert ibid. I haue noted another apparition recorded by diuers Writers of the Church of Rome tending to the same purpose viz to make good the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception without originall sinne In the time of Charles King of Fraunce a certaine young man nephew to the King of Hungarie loued so much the Virgine Marie and was so addicted to her seruice that daily before he eate any thing he sayed her Houres who falling vpon a time into a great infirmitie and sicknesse vowed his chastitie vnto her if she would helpe to saue his life Forthwith the chamber was replenished with a great light and he was restored to his health Soone after his vncle died without issue which made the Lords of the Countrey to persuade him to enter into the estate of Marriage to the end the Kingdome may not be without heires offering him a faire Ladie which he married But after he had receiued the blessing he remembred that he had not yet that day read our Ladies office he retyred himselfe to say them the more deuoutly sending the Ladie Bride with the rest of the companie home to his house and when he said that Anthieme Pulchra es decora filia Hierusalem that is to say Thou art faire and gracious O daughter of Ierusalem suddainely the virgine Marie appeared vnto him with two Angels attending her and said vnto him If I am faire honest and gracious as thou sayest wherefore doest thou forsake mee for another am not I more beautifull than she O Ladie said he your beautie surpasseth all the beautie of the world thou art exalted aboue the Angels what is your pleasure that I should doe If you leaue said she your carnall espouse for the loue of me you shall haue me for wife in Heauen and if you will keepe a yearely solemne Feast euerie yeare vpon the eight day of December of my conception teaching others to keepe it you shall be crowned with me in the Kingdome of my Sonne When she had spoken these wordes shee vanished out of sight and the young man transpoeted himselfe out of the Citie and Kingdome into a Wildernesse where his comportement was so holy that since he was made Patriarch of Aquilâ—ia where hee preached and instituted the said Feast Collections vpon this storie Iudge now gentle Reader whether this be an apparition likely to come from Heauen when that which is commaunded here is so expressely against the word of God inuiting from that state of marriage which the Apostle calleth honourable vnto the seruice of that fained and deuised priuiledge of the Virgin Maries Conception without originall sinne which I haue already shewed to be expresly repugnant to the word of God and therefore diametrally against faith Besides the institution it selfe is so late that it appeareth to bee cockle sowed by the enuious man the Deuill not by Christ or his Apostles and therefore not to be receiued by those who know Antiquitie to bee the infallible marke of truth The due obseruation of all which premises considered in this Chapter was as forcible an inducement to leade my feete out of the dangerous waies of Romish nouelties as any other therefore curteous Reader let me intreate thee with me to call the Virgin Marie most blessed amongst women as truly shee was vpon earth and is so also in heauen in the glorie of her soule but thinke her not yet so blessed as in this point of her Conception to paralell her with Christ
vncleannesse I haue read also that Gregorie Nazianzen Gregor Nazian Bishop for the funerall of his father who was a Bishop and of his Gorgonia that he made most learned sermons in which it is manifest to be seene with what holinesse the Bishops and Ministers of the Churches liued in the state of wedlocke I find further that Saint Iohn Chrysostome vpon those words of Esay I saw the Lord sitting Chrysost hom 4. speaketh most honorablie of the marriage of the Apostles and Apostolicall men Who also saith in another of Saint Philogonius that he was an aduocate In orat de S. Philogonio but afterward was made a Bishop and in time of his being Bishop had a lawfull wise and a daughter I obserue also that Saint Hierome seemeth to insinuate In 6. cap. Pauli ad Ephesios that till his time Bishops and Priests were married according to the Apostles meaning Let Bishops and Priests reade this saith he who bring vp their children in ecular learning and make them to reade Comedies and to sing the lasciuious writings of Iesters being bred vp perhaps with Ecclesiasticall reuenues And alittle after Heli the Priest himselfe was holy yet because he instructed not his children in all discipline and correction he fell downest it to the ground and so died Distinct 37. Canone legunt Which words are to be seene in the Canon law I find also Saint Ambrose to say that the integrity of the bodie is to be wished for by vs which of counsell I perswade Quaest 32. ca. 1. integritas and not out of power do command For virginitie alone is that which may be perswaded and may not be commanded it is a matter rather of wish then of precept Which words do not a little tâ—xe them that enact lawes to make men liue single liues neither are Saint Chrysostomes words vnlike vnto those of Saint Ambrose Hom. 10. in epist ad Iimoth who treating of the marriage of Priests speaketh most plainly saying It is lawfull for him that will honestly to embrace marriage for as riches doe difficultly lead into the kingdome of heauen yet many rich men haue often entered thither euen so marriages though they haue many difficulties in them yet they may be so vsed as not to be any impediment to perfection of life Who in another place speaketh more plainly vpon those words of Saint Paul Whosoeuer without fault is a man of one wife Chrysost hom 2. in epist ad Tit. saith thus The Apostle intendeth to stop her mouthes of Heretikes that condemne marriage shewing that thing to want fault yea to be soprecious that therewith also any bodie may be promoted vnto the holy seat of a Bishop I find further that Primasius a disciple of Saint Augustine as some hold where the Aostle prescribeth what kind of children Bishops children ought to be doth not obscurely handle this matter Primas super verba Apostoli when he saith He that hath not knowne how to instruct a few children how shall he gouerne so many children of God that is all the people Neither are Histories of antiquitie wanting to proue the marriages of Priests Eusebius hath left recorded that Polycrates Bishop of the Ephesians maketh mention of seuen of his predecessors Euseb eccles Hist lib. 5. c. 24. of whom he was borne who in order were Bishops and himselfe to haue been the eight Whose words also Saint Hierome reporteth who liued in the timne of Seuerus In lib. de scripto eccles Hist eccles lib. 6. cap. 42. The same Author likewise hath left recorded that Cheremon Bishop of Nilus a towne of Egyyt with his aged wife was banished for Christ which Author maketh mention also of diuers other married Bishops I haue found that Spiridion Bishop of Tremithunth a husband-man also in the Bishopricke of the Cyprians Hisotr Tripartit lib. 〈◊〉 cap. cap. 10. and a shepheard of sheepe had wife and children neither for that was he the lesse famous for Diuine matters I haue read also that Eupsychius of Caesaria in Capadocea Priest Histor tripartii lib. 5. cap. 14. when hee was but newly married at that time to haue ended his life with a glorious martyrdome Many others might be alleaged and this was the custome of the ancient Church in the East many out of their owne free will euen Bishops abstained Tripartit hist lib. 9. cap. 38. and many of them also in time of their Bishoprickes by their lawfull wiues had children Neither was it the custome in the East but also in the West Church Hilarie Bishop of Pictauia is well knowne and is reported by many to haue been married The words of Damasus are plaine who saith Exquadam Epist ad diuum Hieron Osâ—us Pope was the sonne of Steuen a Subdeacon Boniface Pope was the sonne of Iucundus Priest de titulo fasciolae Agapetus Pope the sonne of Gordian Priest Theodorus Pope the sonne of Theodorus Bishop of the citie of Hierusalem Siluerius Pope sonne of Hormista Bishop of Rome Deusdedit Pope son of Iucundus Priest Felix the third a Romane sonne of Felix Priest who was his father Gelasius an Africane was borne of his father Valerius Bishop and many other are found who haue gouerned the Apostolicall sea that were borne of Priests Thus much saith Damasus Pope who was Bishop of the Church of Rome about the yeare of our Lord 380. and a little after Gratianus ad canonem Cenomanensem addeth that they were borne in lawfull marriages which then were euery where free for Priests I omit to speake of Nicholas the first who would not trouble the Bulgarian Priests for marriage but suffered them quietly to liue in that estate Rescriptum eius ad Bulgaros dist 28. canone consulendum who liued about the yeare of our Lord 866. And so I ouer-passe many other Popes after his time who were sonnes to Bishops and Priests as might easily be proued out of Platina who writeth their liues By all which proofes both out of holy Fathers and ancient Historiographers I find the state of marriages iustifiable before God and man 7 Now when the law came in that debarred them of this priuiledge and honorable estate it is easily to be discouered The Prohibition of Priests marriages when it came into the Church of Rome to haue bin in the time of Siricius the Bishop of Rome 380. yeares after Christ before which time it was beleeued and practised that Priests might haue wiues as freely as other men and Siricius was the first that forbad it I find first that before his time Priests exercised their functions being married men Aduers haeres verb. Sacerdot haeres 4. asis acknowledged by Alphonsus who writeth that in the Primitiue Church it was obserued that he which was maried might be promoted to Priest-hood though it were not required of him that he should first be married he addeth that this eustome preuailed till the times of the Nycene Councell