they did more surely schoole the sonne of that Emperour Phillip the second and this Phillip now of Spaine whom they haue really incorporate into the seate of Rome making him to thinke that he is perpetuall Dictator as is said and the Popes onely sonne and heire And because all this discourse is of experience I will tell your Lordship how this was very quickely noted to me by a certaine entercourse which did happen to me Being at Millaine in Lombardie I did behold vpon the Gates of that Citie the Armes of Charlequint gloriously planted with many stately inscriptions among the which this was to be read Ad plantandam fidem ad colligenda Regna dispersa à Deo destinatus Destinate by God for the plantation of the faith and for the vnion of dispersed Kingdomes of the world when I did obiect to one of my acquaintance of good vnderstanding that Destinatus ad plantandam fidem was rather a title Apostolicall then Imperiall Hee replyed to me that it was Apostolicall for said hee that Trinitie of the Godhead which is in heauen of Father Sonne and holy Ghost hath deputed here below another Trinitie for earthly gouernment vnder whose obedience all power must bee ranged the Pope the Father the King of Spaine the Sonne and the Societie of the Iesuites the holy Ghost so that the Inscription is thus to bee construed said hee The Iesuite who takes vpon him to bee the onely Plantator of the faith being as the holy Ghost of this Trinity sent forth among stranger Princes to seduce their people to rebellion by sowing into their hearts the seedes of superstition and sedition which so soone as that Prince or King doth offer to punish the Pope who hath the place of the Father he doth excommunicate him and lastly giue commission to the King of Spaine to inuade his Dominions who hath the place of his onely Sonne and heyre who only of all Princes doth vnderstand the right Cabbal of the Court of Rome and is onely destined to execute that which is appoynted in the Councell of his Father so that hee also is Apostolicall saide this Gentleman who was a Frenchman and a true enemie to the Spaniard as may be seene by this ingenious and pretty conceit Thus it is no more a mysterie but reuealed to all the world which way the ambition of this Beast doth tend first debarring from the benefit of generall Councels Lutherans of whom some were cruelly burnt against their safe conduct and publike faith of the world secondly debarring Protestants which ought not to bee because they haue still called for reformation thirdly debarring the Catholike Romane Clergie it selfe giuing out for doctrine that the Pope is aboue all generall Councels which is done so impudently that the Cardinalls Barronio and Bellarmino haue not beene ashamed to condemne that great Panormitan Bishop because from this text Omnis anima subdita sit Superioribus potestatibus he prooueth the Pope to bee subiect to generall Councells and finally not onely spoyling Christian Princes their powers to conuocate Councells debarring them also but vsurping ouer their authorities temporall and inuading their States and liues I haue detained your Lordship so long vpon this point of the Papall Soueraignity and of the Iesuiticall trade quia plurimi interest because it concernes your Lordship you I say and all those who be of your profession chieflie who be of your Lordships Noble rancke it concernes you neerely to bee well informed heere this is the very place of danger it is the insatiable mouth of the deuouring Monster of our Age it is the gulfe which hath swallowed puissant Kings and flourishing Kingdomes This venemous doctrine is like vnto that Lady of whom Tacitus writeth called Locusta whose singular skill to temper Poyson so that when it was most deadly it wrought most vnperceiuedly made her to bee called Maximum instrumentum imperij A great and necessary Instrument of the Empire and much made of vnder Nero. This doctrine doth attrappe and snare the liues of greatest Monarkes before they can be aware It is a drinke of some new Cyrce changing men into brutall Beasts that they haue no more sense of humanitie or respect what shall say to themselues their wiues and children no that is small but not to their sacred Princes nor to our common Mother their Natiue Countreye not caring to cast into the mouth of this Monster millions of innocent soules nor making no account to sprinckle the Altars of their Cyrce with the annoynted bloud of their Soueraigne Kings yea before she should want her nefand and barbarous sacrifice they will offer vnto her the bloud of their owne hearts let vs remember Clement Rauiliacke Persie and his wretched complices So pittifully are they enchaunted with constant and desperate madnesse We must be afraid of the Iesuite and of his potion he will tell vs that constancie in faith is able to ouercome all things as it is indeed when it is inspyred by the good Spirit of God but alas he will tell vs that constancy to prosecute great actions or enterprises is like to an hecticke feuer which scarcely is felt at the first assault but by continuance it ouerthroweth the strongest bodies He will tell vs that oftentimes God doth compassion their teares shed for their brethren Martyred vnder tyrannous hereticall Kings euen by stirring vp within their Courts and Cabinets a Brutus an Aeod inspired with courage and constancy to reuenge his owne cause God of his mercy preserue Christian Princes from these brutish spirits That Brutus is a dangerous fellow be where he will wee read of Brutus that he did glory in the murther of Caesar in these termes Non solum non Caesari sed ne patri quidē meo si reuiuiscat concesserim ego totius orbis terrarū liberator vt me patiente plus legibus ac Senato possit I the deliuerer of the whole world would not on onely not suffer Caesar but not my owne Father to doe these things yet this was but a cause of state and he was onely an hereticke in policie if he then would haue murthered his Father as he did in effect for he was thought the naturall sonne of Caesar albeit not lawfull what shall we then looke for from these brutish beastes of our age who haue a cause of conscience and an errour in their soule which once being infected with that diuelish pride to be called deliuering Aeods of Gods people what is so hainous that they will not perpetrat Brutus was much beloued and bound to Caesar yet that would not keepe vp his hand from impious paricide hee was among the first of his percussors that Cesar saide to him Tu etiam fili Brute This mentall reseruation of mens mindes this wicked equiuocation of their maners it maketh that complaint of Momus against Iupiter to seeme more iust now then euer before why hee did not make an open window into the breast of man that the deepe of his heart might be
of nationall Churches cannot bee lawfull Bishops vnlesse they bee vnited vnder one Hierarchie which cannot bee in any one person but in Iesus Christ the second person of the Trinity And as wee see in nature the more excellent creatures tied by a wonderfull simpathie to their inferiours that they are rather fathers to them then Dominatours ouer them as the supernall spheares make perpetuall influctions in the body of the Moone to maintaine her operation and as the Element of the fire doth purge the aire below it and nourish the earth with continuall heate So we see a vertuous Prince vnder the name of a Monarch he doth infuse his power into the chiefest of his members and maketh his Rule in effect Aristocraticke euen so in the Church vnder predominate names of Bishop Archbishop Metropolitane the gouernment is Monarchall in Christ the head Aristocraticke in the Bishops and Democraticke in the Presbyters and laye Elders by their mutuall harmonie as is hereafter more aâ—…ply declared Thus is nature the Fountaine of knowledge vnder God and the fittest schoole to rectifie our iudgements chiefly in matter of Policie because the Lord hath manifested himselfe in his workes letting vs see how one miraculous hand and not two hath framed them by one miraculous Artifice and not two to one end and not to two breathing motion in them from one spirit and not from two subiecting them to one law and not to two and to one sort of gouernment and not to two as he is God One and vnited in himselfe so hath he vnited them Symbolically among themselues all conioyned to be the Symbal of his glory power and wisedome So that what naturall instinction we find among brute beasts for order or for subiection and commandement it is a type to vs of that rule which is among the Elements the Elementall gouernement is a figure of that which is among the Celestiall Spheares and that againe doth represent the Angelicall policie and all those considered coniunctly are a shadow of that rule which God hath ouer the vniuerse Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis To proceed for the vertue of the Monarchie I found my first argument for it in this sort These Creatures which are neerest to God are of most noble and perfect of nature for example That Spheare which is next vnto the throne of God called by the Cabbalists the great Metatron which receiueth the tenne seuerall emanations of God to be distributed among the tenne Spheares called of them Decem Zephiroth to make from them seuerall influences into the inferiour world who doth doubt but that Spheare and the great Archangel who moueth it are more excellent creatures then the Spheare of the Moone or the manner thereof which is called of the Philosophers Coelum terrestre terra coelestis a heauenly earth and a terrestriall heauen because it is a mediate Creature betwixt coelestiall and Elementar things for as the fire is the Masculine Element or the Agent which giueth life to inferiour things and the earth Feminine or patient who doth receiue this life so the globe of the Moone is the Feminine of that high Spheare who receiueth in her bellie these celestiall influxions and as pregnant of them doth deliuer them monethly as wee see being in that sort farre inferiour to the excellence of the other and as it is in Creatures that the neerest to God is most excellent so it is in the order of Creatures that action which doth resemble the action of God is most perfect Now for the Hypothesis I subsume that there is not so noble a Creature of God as is the holy vniuerse and therefore no gouernment is more excellent then that whereby the world is gouerned which is the Monarchiall power of God himselfe who is Lord ouer all for to those who will hold that the rule of God is Aristocraticke by reason of the Trinitie I answere that the works of God which be Ad extra as the Theologes speake They proceede à Deo tanquam vno non tanquam Trino Vnder this supreme rule of God we do obserue Monarchiall gouernment both in the constitutions seuerall of the vniuerse and in the administrations seuerall of the vniuerse In the constitutions this way all the seuerall Creatures of the world are vnder the vnity and common instinction of generall nature one mother of all All the accidents of one subiect vnder one vnitie thereof things many in number be vnder the vnitie of vna species All men vnder the Species of mankind all horses vnder the Species of that kind and so foorth Things that bee many in kind againe bee all vnder one gender Man Beast and Plant are Animalia and feele a common instinct of that Genus In the seuerall administrations wee doe obserue it thus The seuerall persons of the glorious Trinitie be in one Godhead All these tenne Zephiroth receiue their vertues from the supreme Metatron and all the Spheares doe obey the motion of one Primum mobile so that we haue the supreme Archangel Michael ouer the powers and orders Angelicall who is Christ because he is called the Angell of the Great Counsell Et vocabitur mâ—…gni Consilij Angelus And he is called the Angell of the Testament Statim veniet ad Templum Angelus Testamenti quem vos vultis saith Malachie We haue the sunne among the Planets the fire among the Elements Man ouer liuing Creatures the Lyon ouer foure-footed beasts the Eagle ouer fowles the Whale ouer fishes the Diamond among the Iewels the Gold among the mettals the Balme among the Gummes the Cedar among the Plants the Rose among the flowers the Wheate among cornes the Bees haue their King the Cranes haue their leader the Herring of the sea and the creeping Ants haue the same among the Vines one is Masculine and one Feminine so it is among the Trees Herbes Iewels mettals one Archidiable is ouer vnclean spirits one head being the seat of all the senses ruleth all the members of the body one reason sitteth as a king ouer all the sensual affections In Sciences Ethicall Architectonica is aboue the rest in these which becoÌ„templatiue the metaphisicke hath the place of Mistresse and Theologie as Queene ruleth ouer all Reliquae tanquam ancillae famulantur the rest be as her seruing mayds There you see a short Anatomy of the vniuersall and particular rule of nature in all which we marke nothing but Monarcall and harmonicall soueraignity without any type or Symball of these Democraticall Consistorian Presbyterian or other sorts of popular and confused gouernments whatsoeuer which corruption of time and the ambition of men haue introduced in the world as all light is deriued from one Sunne all humours from one Moone all waters from one Ocean so doe all lawfull and solid gouernments flow from God in one Nature and in one Architype It rests to consider these gouernements which bee among men and they are either Spirituall or Temporall Temporall is either
not close and inseparable among our selues we shal be found the vncleane vessels of dishonour Vnity is the beauty of the Church now and it shall bee her triunphant song in the end to cry as the Prophet had foretold of lattet times Venite ascendamus in montem Domini Come brethren let vs goe vp together to the mount of God Therefore these exhortations are to pray the Lord God who hath formed vs to make vs vnited vessels of honour and to that effect to rectifie our iudgements that wee may esteeme no names so sacred vnder heauen as the holy names of harmony peace and vnanimity within the Church in one thing and in all things that we may thinke no opinion more Christian in this age wherein wee liue then that of the venerable Zanchius one of the brightest stars of our owne Hemispheare in his treatise De verareformandarum Ecclesiarum ratione written for that part as followeth Whatsoeuer is in the Church of Rome or in any other Church it is either agreeable to the written word or contrary or adiaphoron indifferent Whatsoeuer is besides the written word either in the Fathers in the Councels or in the Papall decrees they are in like sort vnder the same distinction Pro contra or indifferent For the first that which is agreeable with the word is to be retained or if it be reiected it is againe to be receiued for the second that which is contrary is to be refused or if it hath been followed is againe to be forsaken for the third that which is indifferent we must not thinke that it doth of it selfe belong vnto saluation but in such a case we must follow the rule of the Apostle That nothing bee brought into the Church but that which doth tend to edification order or vnity All indifferent ceremonies therefore may bee securely followed for any of those respects but so to be followed as that we stil preferre things which bee more ancient vnto those which be more late aswell for the honour of antiquity as because that which is most ancient in the Church is most true for albeit nothing can binde the conscience but canonicall Scripture yet to introduce nouelties or to banish out of the Church any of those things which from the primitiue time hath beene allowed by common and Catholike consent and confirmed by the writtes of the ancient Fathers To reiect such things with out authoritie of generall Councell it is not lawful for any Christian man who feareth God saith he Can we maintaine more sound opinions either as good Christians or as good subiects then those of Zanchius for vnity tending to the strengthening both of Church State we especially of this Isle the condition wherof if we consider truely when it lay thousands of yeres of our ancestours diuided in weake and dismembred Kingdomes and as our owne eies haue seen it subiect to the ambition of so many forrain Pharaohs as haue pressed to bring it vnder their seruitude by practises now from France now from Spaine now from Rome we shall thinke this age wherein we are to be like to that fourth generation wherein God did predestinate as he foretold Abraham to bring his posterity out of Egypt for that same God called Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis miraculous in his Saints who raised that excellent Moses to lead his people through the troublesome deserts to a glorious state in the Land of Canaan hee hath also sent to vs a mighty and extraordinary instrument to lead vs through those perilous perplexities now past vnto the ioyfull Iubile of these conioyned Kingdomes making this Isle great and fortunate in his royall person as hee made his people of Israel most blessed for the time by the like coniunction of the tree of Ioseph with the tree of Iuda saying by the Prophet Ezechiel That they should bee all vnder one King and no more a diuided people So that they who delight in disiunction be they Aaron be they Miriam be they Core Daâ—…han or Abiraâ—… who rebels against Moses especially bee they Iesuited Papists or heteroclite Puritans I speak not of any good men who obey God and the Prince but of those who carry armed hartâ—… factious and vehement spirits against the State spirits contrary to God because as the Scripture saith Non in commotions Domâ—…us The Lord is not in commotion spirits not of peace nor edification but of destruction In spiritu vehâ—…ti câ—…nteres naâ—…es Tharsis saith Dauid Be who they will who grudge against Moses euery wel disposed member of the common-wealth hath great cause to grudge against them least they cut the thred of our felicity and bring vpon vs which God of his infinite mercy forbid by our constant murmurings that euill which befell the obstinate Israelites at the waters of contradiction whose wicked rebellions made Moses to offend the Lord grieuously euen that good Moses of whom it is said Delectus Deo hominibus Moses cuius memoria in benedictione est Though hee was dearely beloued of God and men and though hee was the most meeke of all liuing flesh yet they brought the Lords indignation vpon themselues and vpon him who both were preuented by death and were not suffered to enter into the Land nor to taste the fruits of their long and painefull voyage in the Wildernesse God of his goodnes grant you to loath these waters of strife and chiefly these waters which bee poysoned with Iesuiticall wormewood and gaul wherof so many millions of people haue died within these threescore yeres that you may cry in time with that Prophet Saluum me fac Domine quoniam intrauerunt aquae vsque ad animam meam Deliuer me O Lord because those waters haue gone vnto my Soule God grant that like vnto the holy Doue you finde no resting place among them vntill you enter into the Arke and vnitie of the Church that we may liue together in one hope to see the further mysteries of this happy time the seale whereof is already opened to the great admiration of all the world It was forbidden anciently to sacrifice a Swan because her plumes are white and her heart black so would I wish that from this peace offering might be debarred all such whose hearts are incurably blacked with pride of stricktnesse and singularity and that it should bee onely handled of those meeke and ingenuous spirits who will bee contented to found their iudgement thereof vpon those three grounds without the which our knowledge cannot be sure as S. Augustine faith Contrarationem nemo sobrius contra scripturâ—…s nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pascificus That no sober man should make opposition to reason nor no Christian man to the Scriptures nor no peaceable man to the Church And so hoping that the modest Reader will obserue these grounds I doe submit my selfe to his discretion beseeching him that he would not looke vpmy paines with his sinistrous eye nor receiue with the wrong hand that which
be could not be admitted to the sacred mysteries of his goddesse Iâ—… if he had not changed himselfe out of a Phylosopher into an humble Asse further to let these fine fellowes know how in this a sinnâ—…â—…ge of mine I haue been â—…urious 〈◊〉 â—…orneelie 〈◊〉 wâ—…th pertaineth to the Asse The People Dâ—…d saith Nolita fieri sicus Equus Mulus qâ—…bus none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the Asse the Prophet Esay wonderfully noting perhaps the particular circumstances of our Sauiour as somethinke in a Propheticaâ—…ision hath said Cogâ—…nit Bâ—… pâ—…rem suunt 〈◊〉 prâ—…sepe Dâ—… It is manifestly seene that by naturall goodnesse the Asse hath those properties which euery Christiane is commanded to follow so patient of iniuties that being â—…ten of any other beast it taketh no offence so painefull and obedient that the greater burthen maketh it to trauell more willingly so simple that it requires no attendance as horses and other seruiceable beasts so temperate and soberat food that while it â—…eth the most percious fruits oyles coines spices it putteth downe the mouth to pâ—…re vpon thâ—…les as it were a figure of that simplicity and aâ—…ty which â—…ght to bee vnder the Crosse as some â—…o imagine it hath the marke of a Crossâ—…pon the backe Tertullian in his daies did glory in this That in the Priâ—…e Churcâ—… the Pagans and prophane 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 did all the Christians Asinaâ—… 〈◊〉 holding in theâ—… those Aâ—…e qualities Finally that asse whospake to Balâ—…m as hee carried him to curse Gods people 〈◊〉 and to impugnents Will So went I beyond Seas â—…ying my headâ—…ll of false and error â—…pinione and 〈◊〉 fraughted with desires to sed and 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleased God of his mercy to open my eyes 〈◊〉 old to that beast that I did see such odious 〈◊〉 of his worship the iudgements which 〈◊〉 the â—…tned against it it pleaseth him whole â—…ded 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to loose me from the bands of ignorante The Prophet Dâ—…d saith Dâ—…mint â—…iamea apâ—…es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annaâ—… laudeâ—…â—…uam doâ—… iâ—…iquos viâ—… 〈◊〉 impâ—… ad to connuertentur Since he who opened the mouth of the Asse hath also for his glorie opened my mouth I must not neither be silent although I â—…o Doctor nor doe not presume to instruct your Lâ—… conscience yet must I remember that commandement of our Sauiour giuen to one whom he disâ—…ssed of many Diuels â—…euertere in domum tuam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanta tibâ—… fecer at Dominus Returne homeward and now become a simple Asse in Christian knowledge That which the Lord hath done to mee I shall preach it to others for his glorie and their edification and so I preceede to tell your Lâ—… how I was tranformed into â—…his Asse of Balaam CHAP. II. A Discourse of our naturall light and diuine instinct of our Conscience A true definition of Idolatry for the better triall of superstitious worship and preuarication in Gods seruice THe Scripture records that the Asse of Balaam went on a pace before he did see the Angel and that the Angel was diuers times seene before obedience was done vnto him so was it with mee all the while of my being in France I did professe the Popish Religion and as sincerely obey the discipline of that Church as any man could doe of my weakenesse and that from vpright zeale and not from designe whereof I could my selfe giue many great proofes which be not pertment here onely this farre I say That many times I haue heard in one weeke more then twenty Masses and that for the greatest part there where I knew no man nor yet was knowne my selfe of any Whereof also your Lo selfe may beare witnesse by diuers of my Letters written to you in those times chiefly by one if it please you to remember from Paris immediatly before my going into Italy in the which I did play the Paranymphe to my selfe by praising the resolution of my comming foorth from the example of Abrahams calling who was comanded by God to goe forth of his owne Country that he might worship the Lord truely and he blessed of him in a strange land In such sort that for the time I could haue been content to remaine a Transfuga to my liues end In this Letter I did allude to the greater light of the Southerne Sunne and to the Aquilonar darkenesse founded vpon that Thalmudicall fable which we read in the writs of Rabbi Eleazer in his booke called Zoar that in the creation of the heauens God did leaue a hole in the Northerne parts thereof that in the beginning the Sunne had his first point of motion in the Southeast that about Damascus in the Southeast God tooke that Terra virgo that most perfect Earth whereof he formed Adam that the garden of Eden and mount Sion were planted in the South-east that God chose the Patriarckes and his peculiar people in the South-east remote significations of Gods truth to remaine for euer in the Climats of the Southeast according to that in the Canticles Vbi habitabit dilectus 〈◊〉 in meridie vbicubabit in meridie And that the Northerne parts of the earth were the seate naturally of darkenesse and iniquity as being subiect to the imperfect parts of the heauen and to the aforesaid hole whereout Lucifer and his companions did fall according to that vision of the Prophet who heard him saying Sedebo in montibus Aquilonis fimilis ero altissimo alleaging this Scripture Omne malum pandetur ab Aquilone and the text of Moses of the seuen Candlestickes of the Arke looking from the North towards the South as if the North were sinistra Mundi and the proper habitation of vncleane spirits like as we see the Aquilo to be a tempesteous and destroying winde whereas by the wholesome and nourishing Auster is meant the sweete and peaceable spirit of God incalled in the Canticles Ueni Auster perfla hortum meum And whereof Abacuc saith Deus ab Austro veniet So that the seuen Candlestickes looking to the South were signes of the perpetuity of the spirituall light there neuer to bee extinguished by any tempest of Northerne heresies These and such like fond fantasies which were then infused into mee and which haue beene inuented by curious braines to poyson simple wits did I introduce in that Letter And they were arguments good enough both of my zeale and of my ignorance as if the garden of Eden were not many thousands of yeeres agoe depriued of true light and consumed with the fire of Gods wrath as if that holy mount Sion and that mother City Ierusalem who had fairer promises of perpetultie made by God then Rome and all the Cities in the world because shee was like vnto Naâ—…h who preached to two worlds the mother not onely of Iewish but of Christian Religion as the Apostle saith The law went out of Sion euen the law Euangelicall the perfection of all lawes the Lord Iesus Christ declared to Moses obscurely in Sinai but
sorts of musicall instruments at whose presence numbers of Princes stately Embassadours great parsonages and multitudes of people doe fall to the ground saluting him holy holy as if he would not onely be Christs Vicar vpon earth but also emulator of his diuine glory in the Heauens and be worshipped like that glorious Lambe before whom numbers doe fall downe to crie holy holy holy that vpon the sight thereof I was indeed amased as if it had beene a vision and demaunding a French Gentleman who had newly also arriued with me and was a zealous Papist how he did esteeme of that which he had seene he answered me in the termes of be God that he thought it farre different from the carriage of him who said Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo and who said to his Disciples Exemplum de di vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci ita vos faciatis which answer I haue many times since thought to be as pertinent as if the holy Spirit had inspired it into him For if the kingdome of the world be called the kingdome of sinne and of darkenes then it is likely that the kingdom of Satan is at Rome and not the kingdome of Christ but that the kingdome of the world is called the kingdom of sin the Scripture doth shew The Spirit of God in the Euangell compriseth the world vnder the name of sin hath diuided it in three Whatsoeuer saith Iohn is in this world it is either concupiscence of the eye concupiscence of the flesh or pride of life we may behold the wonderfull harmony and correspondence of the same spirit of God throughout the whole Scriptures in old and new Testament as I said before he hath made this diuision of the world and of sinne heere equall with that diuersitie of sinne which did enter into the world with Eua in the beginning of the booke of God The text of Moses saith and the woman saw that the Tree was pleasant to the eie there is concupiscence of the eye that it was good for meate concupiscence of the flesh and that it was to be desired for knowledge pride of life emulation with God so that the enioying of these three concupiscences is the enioying of the kingdome of the world as Iohn saith and that againe to bee contrarie to the kingdome of Christ no man can denie For Christ had the offer made vnto him of the kingdomes of the world from Satan as we know and did refuse it Haec omnia tibi dabo si cadens adoraneris me Now whither or not the Popes haue taken this dominion of Rome from Christ who said to their predecessor S. Peter Exemplum tibi dedi vt quemadmodum ego feci ita faciastu or from the diuell who is prince of the world it must bee tried from those concupiscences The Spirit of God bath said in the Scripture Haec fuit iniquit as Sodomae abundautia otium I will not rashly say that Rome is Sodom vnlesse I shew reason but I will aske if euer any towne state or people had more abundance and idlenesse then haue the Pope Cardinals and Consistory of Rome and all their togall Clergie who doe more truely proclaime Cedant arma Togae then euer did their predecessor Cicero For he was ouerthrowne by armes and the seate of Rome amidst neighbor combustions what doth she Circundata Marte quiescit For concupiscence of the eye I would know who they be in the world that may match with Rome of whose magnificent Palaces sumptuous vineyards with their royall fountaines volaries picsaries walkes vmbrages and all sort of most princely pleasures one may make such a description as Ouid did of Regia solis after he had made the materials to bee most rare and precious then he saith Materiam superabat opus Which is a sure argument that they haue store of that eye concupiscence which standeth in infinite Treasures of golde and siluer most easilie gotten by them for they lie in the center of the richest countries in the world of those a great part be vnder their subiection and then they sit aboue the neckes of their people as the sunne is aboue the inhabitants of the burnt clymate they doe exhaust their fogges and that with such dexteritie that they can mooue them to quite their very earerings for making of the golden Calse There is no trauaylour who doth not know that for beautie of buildings for gold and siluer either in money or in plate for store of Iewels they goe beyond the greatest Kings that are or euer haue beene As for concupiscence of the flesh speaking generally either of the Court or of the Cloyster of the Priests or of the people Eloquar an siliam But what is spoken to the glory of God ought not to be blamed of any man I doe thinke that as they haue more abundance and more idlenesse then euer was in Sodom so there be among them villanous lustes neuer knowen in Sodome as for that sinne which we call Sodomie God helpe vs it is indeede thought a veniall transgression yea a man shall heare it maintained in reasoning by persons carrying religious dignities that as they haue followed the Idolatrie of the Gentiles they haue also followed their pollution and filthinesse And to iustifie by speeches and admonitions against such thingâ—… it is thought an idle curiositie thère and such also as a stanger would find dangerous while as it is a familiarthing there to know that the Cardinals Illustrissima Signoria hath in the retyred place of his Vignia his Suirginata that is to say his gallant wench of braue fresh blood brought perhaps from the farthest part of Germanie to be defloured by him and hath his Ganimedes at home to shew that his monstrous Religion hath made a monster of himselfe one day to obey nature in the actions of his luste an other day to be contrary to heue And whither their Curâ—…isanes haue learned this Mâ—…ngiar in tondo as they call it it is well enough vnderstood of those who haue beene any while among them While those be the practises of the Court and of the Cloyster to aske what is among the popular it is not necessarie nor to defile oliaste and vertnouâ—… cares with vncleane speeches of Bordels and Bardasches which bee there as ordinarily frequented as the Church but for the manners of their multitude otherwise they are fearefull to a heart which feareth God to heare their more then blasphemous oathes that one cannot say whither they smell more of iâ—…pletie or of Atheisme their secret practises of mutuall deceipts their diuelish artes to execute their malice not forbearing clan destine murthers amongst neerest kinsfolkes and their filthie trade of Purgatory founded vpon Indulgences of these abhominable vilanies To come to the third concupiscence which is pride of life VVas there euer a pride like vnto this pride a company of pretended Priests to sit at Rome and presume to subiect to them
not onely the soules of men but their bodies and goods yea the sacred D◅adems of annoynted Kings Was there euer a pride equall to this that a Priest shall thinke it his due that Kings and Monarks shall kisse his foote that he shall say to himselfe Sup◅ basiliscum ◅labo conoulc◅◅nem that hee shall arrogate power to sell the Kingdome of heauen and count himselfe God vpon the earth saying with Augustus Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesan habet stil following Gentiselime striuing as the Ethnicke Emperors did tomake it again Roma caput Mundi Such perpetual toyle busines doth that Consistory keep about this my stery that it may be said of thē as Lucianus mocking the plurality idlenes of the Poeticall gods said of Iupiter while som other god one day would haue talk't with him it was told him that he was busie quid facit parturit said one hee is a trauayling of the birth of Minerua whom the Poets faine to be bred in the braine of Iupiter Sowee may affirme of them Quod semper parturiant they bee euer bringing foorth their birth but what birth is it Minerua counsels bookes or precepts of wisedome no they doe not imitate Iupiter to bring foorth Minerua true wisedome of pietie and peace they imitate that Goddesse of wrath Nemesis who did send through the world with her Pandora the bookes of curiositie contention malignitie and dissention the bookes of vengeance and endlesse discord witnesse their Archipandora Bellarmine in his Treatise of the Papall Supremacie whereof I shall speake hereafter witnesse their Pandora Mariana the Iesuite heere you shall see what is the birth of their trauailing murther of Princes rebellion of Subiects bloud of legions desolation of Countries setting on fire the whole world for building againe that Tower of Babell which doth keepe Christian people in such desperate pacoxisme and diuision of tongues that alas wee are neuer like to speake one language so hath the Lord punished their pride their vnspeakable pride which is like vnto the pride of him who said Ascendam super altudinem nubium super moxtes Aquilonis fimilie ero altissimo They be in effect Cloudes high with proud ambition moyst and humide with letcherie bright and shining with glorious ostentation thundring with arrogance and tumults which they contriue Hi sunt nubes sine aqua quae a ventis circumferuntur saith Thaddeus this is that fatall Tower builded by that mighty Nimrod the Diuell whereof God hath concluded Tollatur in altum vt lapsu grauiore cadat It must bee mounted to great heigth that it may also haue a great fall it may be iustly called fatall the very Church doth not escape this blot but euen her first plants haue beene annoyed with these pernicious weedes of pride and ambition Aaron and Miriam grudged against Moses and did striue for authoritie The first sacred Colledge of our Christian Religion the twelue Apostles were not free of this contagion Iames and Iohn called of Saint Paul the Arch-pillers which did sustaine Christs Church they contended for the right hand of Christ. It is strange that Diuines and Prelates should not learne the wisedome of humilitie from the very stile of the Spirit of God speaking in these particulars When this Tower of Babel vnto the which I compare the pride of Rome was builded in the Land of Senair which is interpreted to stinke as is said by the posteritie of Noe the text sayes they parted from the Orient which is interpreted Christ as Zachary testifies Ecce vir Oriens nomen eius subter eum orietur lux And Luke Perviscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitauit nos Oriens ex alto they were the sonnes of Noe who went from this Orient to Sanair but from that forward the holy Spirit doeth no more call them the Sonnes of Noah but the Sonnes of Adam Descendit Dominus vidit vrbem quam edificanerunt filij Adam Euen so speaking of this pride of Iames Iohn he doth not vouchsafe them the names of Apostles nor their owne names but the sonnes of Zebedoeus Accessit ad Iesum mater filiorum Zebedei which is a notable Art of the Spirit of God to reproch pride O you blinde Prelates of Rome you sonnes of Adam and not of Noe you sonnes of Zebedeus and not Apostles why haue ye through your pride lost your names and parted from your Orient if your Tower were firmely established as that of Dauid vpon Sion no tempest were able to shake it it is but of stones taken out of the slime of the earth forged out of earthly auarice and ambition That of Dauid was founded vpon a sure rocke fundata super firmam Petram as it is said in the Gospell Ipso summo angulari Lapide Christo hauing Christ himselfe for the chiefe corner Stone therefore shall that of yours fall to the ground after the example of him who was the first author of such fabricks While I did behold at leisure in Rome this fulnesse and ouerflowing of concupiscence in mens manners one may easily gesse that it was to mee like vnto the second appearing of the Angell of God to the Asse of Balaam In that Towne which was one of the first Mother Churches where pouertie contempt miserie and glorious martyrdome had beene indured for plantation of the faith where Pastors were meerely spirituall without regard to the world after the commaundement of their Master where so many Cloystorall and Monasticall deserts of true solitude and holinesse were to bee seene of olde that now adaies no vestigium doth remaine no marke of that sanctitie yea not a cloke sufficient to couer their nakednesse nothing but an Ocean of abuses the Rulers swelling in pride and riches polluted with filthinesse and lust defiled with Idolatrie seeking the world and dominion ouer Princes contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostles Non quaerimus quae vestra sunt sed vos Contrarie to the doctrine of the Prophets mittam vobis venatores multos qui venabuntur vos saith Ieremie Vos non vestra contrarie the doctrine of Christ himselfe faciam vos piscatores hominum he saith not piscium nor yet pecuniarum The people tyed to superstition religion turned to pharisaicall ceremonies the Euangel neglected the law became Mosaicall daylie impietie of all sortes daylie sacrifices and pardons for all abominatiōs the holy deserts opened again to the world and defiled with pride and vilanons lecherie the Towne smoking in the stincke of Sodom that if those faithfull fathers their first foundatours might againe looke vpon their Successores they would cry nec nos Patres nec vos fily The first Bishops of Rome who sustained Martyrdome being in number two and thirtie before Constantine the great what would they say to the Pope who walketh vpon the neckes of Monarkes while they succeeded onlie to Christ his Crosse what would that austere Saint Francis say vnto these Idle Bellies who haue abused his simple
but vnto the primitiue Church vnder the Apostles and their Successors during the first three or foure hundred yeeres of her puritie so that from the estate of the Church in that time are all our Reformations to be sought apparantly and what we haue transgressed against that is to bee referred againe and ruled by that and by no later times Albeit generall Councells and great numbers of learned men were more frequent thereafter for all the world doth know that as learning grew so grew corruption and so grew curiositie to couer the same so grew contention ambition and heresie To proue by many arguments the sinceritie of the Primitiue Church or the reasons why wee should appeale to her for reformation it is not necessarie The holy and great Doctor S. Augustine giueth such a testimonie as leaueth no suspicion that saith he which the holy primitiue Church obserued although it was not concluded by Counsells but alwaies retayned non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissime creditur it is most rightly beleeued to haue been no other then an Apostolicall institution Againe saith he to dispute whether that which the holy primitiue Church through the world did obserue should bee now receiued or not receiued insolentissimae est insaniae it is a most mad insolence In which wee marke these two First that hee doth not limitate the primitue Church to the daies of Christ and his Apostles but hee speaketh of a primitiue Church flourishing throw the world Secondly that he doth not tye the credit of the primitiue Church to the authoritie neither of Councels although hee saith it was not concluded in Councells Yea farther all the Councells themselues which followed the primitiue Church did cloath them with the authoritie thereof their Meetings Registers Decrees Canonicall letters and whatsoeuer was were founded vpon this secundum veterem consuetudinem Patrum nostrorum according to the ancient custome of our Fathers For example long before the Councell of Nice the patriarchall Bishops were in authoritie albeit there was no such thing in the daies of the Apostles because there was then no combination of Prouinces conuerted to the faith and in that Councell it was called an ancient custome And in the Councell of Ephesus there was a question decided betwixt a patriarchall Bishop and the Bishop of Cyprus where any man may see if it was not said Secundum vetus decretum Patrum nostrorum And certainely it is an infallible argument of the integritie and vpright meaning which hath been in the proto-reformators of Germanie to heare their willingnesse to follow antiquitie where it was not contrarie to Gods word These are the speeches of Luthor and Bucer touching the retentions of indifferent ceremonies of the Church of Rome Sciant publica pacis causa non detracturos c. we will not say they be against the brooking of ceremonies and traditions receiued in the Popes Church from antiquitie vpon these conditions that the consciences of men be not thereby bound as by fundamentall grounds of faith but that the doctrine Euangelicall of free iustification by faith in Christ remaine inuiolate and that say they not only speaking of festiuall daies musicke organs clericall vestiments which be things indifferent sed etiam de ieiunio ciborum delectu qua magis pungunt but also touching fasting and choyce of meats which be more controuerted points O what a holy and Christian disposition was that what a zeale to the vnitie of the Catholike Church and how contrary to many malignant and seditious spirits which be now in Christs Church who haue no voyces as I haue said but of debate and contradiction contending for Scholasticke tryumph and victorie in place to cry to Gods people that which the Prophets were commanded to cry Annâ—…cia populo meo scelera corum domui Iacob peccata illâ—…rum Threaten my people for their sinnes and the house of Iacob for their iniquities they cry that wee should learne subtle and curious controuersies of Religion many of them bee as profound as prophane they teach Christians to bee obstinate and stubborne in trifling points they teach them to heat one another and to abhorre all meanes of pacification their voice is like vnto the voice of the Eagle in the Apocalyps who tripled her cry vae vae vae habitantibus in terra woe bee to the inhabitants of the earth because they haue broken the bonds of Christian peace and harmonie The fire of our Christian charitie is quite extinguished it is become like vnto that fire mentioned in the booke intituled Esdras which before the captiuitie of Persia was hidden in a pitt by some deuout Priest of Ierusalem that it should not dye out and being againe sought vpon the returne of Nehemiah the Text sayes non invenerunt ignem sed aquam crassam they found no fire but a grosse water In place that through the fire of mutuall loue we should seeke with the Doue to remaine together in the Arke of the Catholike faith Religious men are gone out with the Rauen to hunt carrions among the waters of this world following the sent of honour ambition and wealth Priests seeking to bee Monarches the Clergie becomming factious and irreconciliable hunting after the vaine glorie of learning Ephraim pascit ventum sequitur aestum Ephraim feeds vpon the winde that I thinke bee pastorall follies and neglect the world was neuer so pregnant and raging with the twelue abuses of the earth A wise man without works an olde man without religion a youth without obedience a rich man without almes a woman without shamefastnesse a Master of a house without vertue a poore man proud a King vniust a Bishop negligent a people without discipline a Preacher without humilitie and finally a Christian contentious These be the waters wherein wee are drowned waters whereof the Prophet Dauid hath said Saluum Domine me fac quoniam intrauerunt aquae vsque ad animam meaâ—… Preserue me ô Lord because the waters haue entred into my soule and all these for our proud contempt of Christian simpathie and loue whereof if our spirituall Rulers of Gods people did retaine some true sparkles aquae multae non poterunt extinguere charitatem many waters could not extinguish the heat of charitie Miserable are those Pastors who altogether want this diuine inspiration of Christian concord which was in Luther and Bucer Uaeijs qui sequuntur spiritum suum non videt woe shall be to them who follow their owne spirit and doe not see Let them remember how the Wiseman saith durissimum erit iudicium his qui praesunt most hard shall be the iudgement of those who are placed to ouer-watch people whereof the Prophet Daniel giueth the reason Egressa est iniquitas a senioribus ab ijs qui videbantur regere populum saith hee Iniquity is gone out from the Elders and from those who seemed to bee leaders of the people and how the Prophet Ezechiel doth in his
I demand what it is that shall make that lawfull and conuenient for Gods seruice Is it the signification of the words or the melodie of the tune and symphonie If the first then singing is not recommended as it is singing but rather as saying and then it were better such psalmes or hymnes were barely pronounced or read for so their sence and signification is best vnderstood If the second then instrumentall musique must likewise be admitted wherein the same sounds for tune and concord of parts are by the same rules of art practised and expressed But it may be oueradded that the musique of the voice is passable as hauing both these together and performing them with one breath Most true and therein is the chiefe excellency of that guift of God that in one and the same sound it edifieth both the vnderstanding and the affections Yet the other which cannot act but one of his properties is not therefore to bee condemned or contemned In physique some ingredients worke attrahende by their searching and vigorous quality of attraction others only adiuuando by diffusing the stronger simples and so helping the operation of them and without these the other would be lesse actiue and profitable Euen so in sacred musique the chiefe vigour of our praiers and adoration commeth from the ditty which worketh immediately vpon our vnderstanding but that is much helped and quickened by adding thereto a proportionable temper of artificiall harmony which shall make it penetrate the deeper into our affections As the Church militant in the three forenamd estates and seuerall times so and much more the Church triumphant in eternity doth out of the Scriptures supplie vs with proofe of the conueniency of setting foorth the praise of God with mellodious harmony For when in reading the Scriptures I view that little yet sufficient for our knowlepge which God hath reuealed concerning the state of the blessed Angels Saints in heauen mee thinkes it must needes bee great rashnesse to condemne that as superstitious or superfluous if imitated heere on earth which the spirit of God testifieth to bee the endlesse imployment of those that see God face to face in heauen Is not the Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all into whose bosome we hope to be gathered Is it not that which wee hope and grone for in the vale of this flesh to become once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to the Angells Is it not that which we daily pray for that Gods will may be done on earth as it is in heauen why then may wee not why ought we not euen now to imitate the worke of the Angells in their adoring the most High and as farre as we can performe that in our Churches the type of the euerlasting Temple which we shall when we are hereafter cloathed with immortalitie intend in heauen perpetually If we will open the booke of God the very window of heauen wee shall there see heare the blessed Seraphins thus blessing and adoring him that sitteth on an high throne crying to one another saying Holy holy holy Lord of hosts The whole world is full of his glory If we looke in further we may see the foure Euangelists figured out by the foure beasts full of eyes encompassing the throne without ceasing day and night singing the like Antiphone Holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and which is and which is to come If wee will yet view to the vtmost end we may behold Gods champions after their conquest ouer the beast holding in their hand as banners of that victory displaied more audibly then visibly the harpes of God The melody of which instruments they doe animate by singing the song of Moses the seruant of God and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty c. Apo. 19. 6. The voyce of a great multitude as the voyce of manie waters and as the voice of strong thundrings saying Halleluiah verse 3. And againe they sayd Halleluiah Loe here we haue plainly represented vnto vs not only singing and that by repetition againe againe but interchangeable chaunting in the Seraphins in that they are sayd to cry one to another holy holy holy which three sacred words the embleme of the euer-blessed Trinitie when I heare in the Te Deum in the vulgar tongue with a point of maiesticall correspondence grauely and reuerently sung in the Cathedrall Churches of England how others are affected I know not but for my selfe me thinks the very Celestiall Temple of God is brought downe among vs or we in these bodies rapt vp among the Seraphims and bearing parts in the Quyre of heauenly souldiers More ouer vnto such vocall singing here is distinctly added the other helpe of adoring and adorning the heauenly Maiestie by instrumentall harmonie the harpes and they honoured with an attribute euen the Harpes of God so styled either in regard of the subiect to whose praise they are vsed or of the Author by whose gift that and the like blessings are afforded to the best of the creatures both wayes designing one and the same fountaine GOD. I will not heere lest I should lose my selfe intrude into the search of hidden secrets treasured vp in heauen how and in what sense Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are to be vnderstood to sing before the throne of the Almightie whether this be in the Scripture described in a sensible forme onely for our capacity but to bee interpreted in a spirituall and allegoricall allusion surely if the substance of Angels and soules of men be not meerely incorporall it is not absurd to maintaine that they may immediately ex iunatis principijs similitudine substantiae in the most pure body or space of the heauen of heauens the seat of the blessed both raise such reall and corporeall voyces also be affected with the sweet harmonie and proportions of such sounds And when after the resurrection the soules of the faithfull shall bee clothed againe with their bodies it is not amisse to thinke that the bodie shall partake with the soule as of fullnesse of ioy so of the act and exercise of perpetuall adoration And as our naturall eyes shall then really and corporally behold the most beautifull obiect of our Sauiours glorified humanitie oculis meis videbo Redemptorē meū saith Iob so it is not against the analogie of faith to thinke that our tongues and mouthes may then employ them selues in endlesse vocall hymnes and songs of thanksgiuing of glory and worship to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe who by his bloud hath redeemed vs out of euery kindred and tongue people and nation and hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his Father And sithence I haue been comforted from probable sweet and reuerend contemplations of the more learned to thinke that some sympathie may be betwixt the musicall Harmonie and the Angelicall nature it maketh me to presume a
Spaine as may be well perceiued by these late tempests amongst them And the great Duke of Tuscan who although first hee be next neighbour to the Pope and secondly that he be the first of these who haue growen fat vpon the reuersions of S. Peters Trencher his whole estate being contriued by Popes or Cardinals of his house and thirdly although he be lately allied with the house of Austria yet for all these this open and shamelesse insolence of Rome vrged notlong since against the Segniory of Venice hath made him Suegliato to stirre and rouse vp his eares so far that against and in spight of this Iesuiticall insidiation which threatneth Christian Potentates hee hath made a Law that no lands rents nor mooueables aboue a beggerly portion should be legacied to any Church person Iesuite or other without his approbation added thereunto It followeth to speake of Spaine which although it hath for many yeeres past beene the principall arch of the papall pride yet when wee consider how farre that great King hath beene frustrated of the ends propounded to him by these who haue beene the chiefetiers of him to the Seate of Rome I doe also presume that for good respects he may haue disposition to fall away from the Idoll of her dangerous ambition Because the Iesuite as is sayd hauing a chiefe Maxime that Religion must shoote out and flourish with a growing state and finding Spaine most enclined to Monarchy as he doth imagine hath deuoted himselfe to the seruice of that Crowne that by the encrease thereof his society may likewise grow and beare authority throughout the world and from this scope hath hee beene and still studieth to bee the authour and broacher of many Christian calamities and euer so vnfortunate for the Spaniard whom hee pretendeth to aduance that in place of strengthning his dominions the Iesuite hath beene a cankering worme to rippe the bowels of the same and to plague them with consuming feauers of ambitious aspiring By the Iesuiticall documents were the braue seauenteene Prouinces of the Netherlands so entreated of his Deputies that as one taken with S. Authonies fire hee hath beene constrained to cut them off being one of his most noble members after he had sent from his treasures of Spaine about one hundred million of gold to cure the same By the Iesuiticall infusion was likewise moulded in fauours of their monarchicall proiects that holy league which stoode him so deare in France and whereof hee hath seene the like vnfortunate Issue for they hauing spent a world of money about the surprize of that Kingdome so did God despise the iniquity of these masked designes that he did make the restauration of that Land a miracle of this Age being once in such broken weakenesse and in so short a time â—…rme like a Diamond and terrible to their Enemies But with the most maigre and poore fortune of all did they embarke their ambition for the conquest of England where he did not onely lose his Instar monâ—… quum that inuincible called Armada but in place to conquer the same they doe finde themselues now counterpoysed on this hand by a mighty Monarch who like to armed Pallas carrieth for his owne defence a sword in the one â—…d and a pen in the other Summarily that puissant King hath beene redacted to spoile his treasures and spend his time by the craft of those Archicharlatans the Iesuites who like deceiptfull Alcumists consuming euery thing vnder a vaine hope to make golde haue extenuated the body of his estate with the poysonable smoake of their Mercury so farre that if it had not beene the Christian candor and sincerity of our most gracious Soueraigne to establish his peace first with England and next with Holland there is no doubt but before now his late domesticke conspiracies of his nouos Christianos or Mâ—…roscos in Ualentia conioyned to his exteriour diseases had sufficed to render him a neighbour pray That all these Sincops haue beene bred to him by the pride of Rome and by the Iesuiticall arts it is cleerly seen of those who going through the world haue known the remonstrances inuectiues Apologies and other politicall insinuations which haue beene published for strengthening of factions chiefely who hath seene that Platonick iest of Doctor Parsons an English Ies. his treatise directed with the foresayd Armada prescribing the order of the new state of England and the Lawes of the first Parliament to be holden after their landing so mightily was he possessed with that fancie which did euer after make him a fugitiue from Spaine and abhorred as an abuser and treacherous Alchumist and for these causes it would seeme That of all Princes the Spaniard hath greatest reason to beware of the follies and falshoode of Rome the maintenance whereof hath so endangered his Kingdomes while in the meane time the Pope and his Cardinals pigliano buon tempo make merry daies sitting in the calme of their Consistory giuing order to the Legions abroad as Nero and other voluptuous Emperours who succeeding Augustus were for a while heires to his dominions but not to his vertue Furthermore the Pope draweth more deniers foorth of the states of Spaine then of all the world besides notwithstanding the great reuenues Ecclesiastical of Spaine where the Church of Tolledo will amount to sixe hundred thousand crownes whereof more then the halfe is proper to the Arch-Bishop himselfe diuerse of the rest being not farre vnder this and all in great condition for riches neuerthelesse are the greatest part of things so absolute in the Popes will and so hardly granted to naturall Spaniards that before any of them can bee beneficed in the Church hee must attend at Rome seauen yeares at least at his owne charges and that with splendour to beautifie the Court shall not neither haue it in the end but with yerely pension giuen out of more then the third part at least to some of the Popes cozens or fauorites so that they are daily heard to affirme that scarcely in all their life time will they redeeme their losses and in the meane time that Court is neuer without thousands of those poore Pretendenti who follow Mâ—…n Seigâ—…r Illustrissgratis liuing vpon the smoake of Alchumie or vmbragious hopes Would not any man thinke that those bee reall distastes to so powerfull a Monarch for howsoeuer the late King Philip was abused by the Iesuiticall subtilties yet through a great deale of bitter experience the case is now come to a manifest discouery of intollerable inconueniencies for if that King being so mighty and full of experience was not able to beare through the Iesuiticall machinations against the late Queene of England and against a dismembred and desperate state of France how shall he who now is there so good and so deuote a Prince thinke his throne to besure to his successours against the chances of the world which we now see vnlesse he will concurre to extinguish that fire which hath blowen abroad so
that the Spaniard who is the strong Atlas that beares vp the same can aboue any Christian King establish the assurednesse of his affaires vpon the ruines thereof Fourthly all the orders of the Papall Clergy are bent to ouerthrow the Iesuites who are the onely cunning craftsmen who build and vphold this Babilonian tower Fiftly the meanes which God seemeth to put into the person of his Maiesty our gracious Soueraigne to sway the world to peace and vnity in Christian Religion as well by the weight of his power as by the vertue of his temperate wisedome and solid learning which hath procured vnto his Maiestie authority not onely with all Protestant people but with the best of the Opponents Sixtly the absolute credit giuen vnto the primitiue Church against which there is no side of Christian Clergy that taketh exception All which things well considered what I pray you is wanting heere to reforme the holy Church but these two Courage to vndertake it and this one word from the mouth of God Benedicamus And seeing the world pointeth at your Maiesty as the onely man to whom that courage doeth belong it compelleth mee to turne my speech vnto you O great and mighty Monarch As they haue seene how God hath made your Maiesty like Hereules able to ouercome the Gigantine forces of these Kingdomes dispairefully disseuered by inueterate and implacable emulations placing your Maiesty in a triumphant Throne ouer this fortunate Isle that Cyrus-like your Maiesty hath your foot vpon the midst of the hyde that no side thereof can reuolt and hath giuen your Maiesty ample dominions without and that in a miraculous sort hauing no concurrance of humane helpe making your Maiesty alone both the Actor and the Instrument Therefore doe they looke that your Maiesty should in like manner cry with Cyrus The Lord God of heauen hath giuen me the Kingdomes of the earth and hath commanded mee to restore Ierusalem and to deliuer his people from captiuity because they see how almighty God hath furnished your Maiesty with prudence and power like armed Pallas to execute the same your Maiesty hath hitherto well followed the example of the powerfull Moses in this toilesome gouernment whereunto the Lord hath brought you but the chiefest praise of Moses was his perseuerance non coronabitur nisi qui legitime certauerit when hee came vp to the mountaine hee was commanded to put off his shooes to shew plainely that hee might make himselfe light and able to walke to shew figuratiuely that hee must shake off all fleshly desires and affections which burden our mindes and pull them downeward from a familiar conuersation with God O what a laborious thing it is to come vnto this mount the vallies bee rich full of sensuall pleasures and of easie passage and therefore they are inhabited of the multitude of the world the mountaines are steepe and precipitious and it is hard to clime vp into them and yet there it is where the Lord hath euer almost shewen himselfe as mount Sinai mount Horeb mount Tabor mount Oliuet mount Caluarie and diuers others declare to signifie how difficult a thing it is to exalt our selues aboue the sensuality of the world and how few are worthy to come into the familiar mount of God onely Iosuah was found worthy to ascend with Moses all the rest were commanded to remaine at the foote of the mountaine with Aaron and Hur which made his charge to bee the greater for not onely did God command him to come vp but sayd the Lord ascende in montem esto ibi Come vp and see thou be there by which words hee would stirre him vp from lazines to think that he must not only be there but be watchfull there as it is sayd Non dicitur vemsse qui non steterit who standeth straight in the mountaine he seeth euerie thing which passeth by below him but to him who wearieth and lieth himselfe down to repose all the things which are vnder him be hidden and if the enemies come to spoyle the vallies he can neuer discouer it As your Maiestie hath beene most watchfull hitherto So let your Highnesse thinke that the worke of God doth but begin in you and that he hath called your Ma to come vp to the Mount not like a fainting Eliah who in his voiage to the mountaine to talke with God tired or delighted with the beauty or freshure of the tree fell asleepe vnder the Ginobre but like vnto a vigilant Moses who stood vpright fortie dayes in the Mountaine without refreshment not like vnto a timorous Eliah who was afrayd at the voyce of a woman but still like a couragious Moses who being of his owne nature the most milde among men yet when he found the people in Idolatry of the Calfe at his returning from the Mount he was enraged and commanded the Leuites to be armed and stood in the gates of the Campe till punishment was executed Let your Maiestie therefore haue watchfull eies to penetrate the latent things of your popular vallies that no distemper grow among them which may renuerse your Maiesties former cares Doe specially Sr. ouerwatch these two things First that this lurking Gangrene of pretended Puritanisme doe spred no further nor lie in waite to trouble the settled order of your Maiesties gouernment But to the end your Maieiesty and your Royall posterity may euer hit surely in that marke which your Maiestie hath so long shot at to reestablish into this Isle the primitiue and orthodoxall policie of the Church Imitate the skilfull Archer by chusing your arrowes of that wood which is most proper for your Maiesties aime by receiuing into Episcopall dignities those who bee most religious and sincere rather the best then the most learned considering how many men in these daies doe carry Letters as Uria did to cut his owne throat like vnto those vnhappy Carpenters who builded an Arke for the safety of Noah and his family while they themselues did miserably perish in the flood Since your Maiestie hath now store of men both of conscience and learning who are resolued enough in the Question of the Church Policy let them see how your Maiesty thinketh no man so worthy of the Episcopall chaire as he who commeth vnto it after the sort of that tradition which we haue of Gregorius Magnus who being chosen for his meere vertue was sayd to flie into the wildeines til he was discerned by a piller of fire which kithed aboue him Let the light of their learning their zeale integtity of their life shining aboue them where they are be their onely recommendations to Ecclesiasticall preferment to the effect that your Maiestie may in that manner stoppe malignant mouthes and take away all pretext of discontentment or disconformity from these who say that your Maiestie doth not preferre the vertuous So that the treacherous lesuite who like the crafty fish conueyeth himselfe into troubled waters may want a couert to hide his head which is
be as he is which none doe denie creatour of all men master and monarke of all the World the World then must be one familie one City one kingdome of God no earthly Prince will willingly haue diuers Lawes in one kingdome then shall we thinke that God who is wiser then men and wisedome it selfe would giue seuerall lawes for the word no sure enough all those three be but one Law the light whereof doth shine into the conscience of the Iew and Gentile Turke and Pagan Philosopher and of the stupide multitude signatum est super omnes lumen vultus Domini whereupon it must follow that this light is inextinguishable it is that which we call our neuer dying conscience when a man doth apprehend the knowledge of any thing by the vertue of his intellectuall minde it is science and he is said Scire to haue knowledge the conscience againe is the right application and imployment of this knowledge it is a medium a midst betwixt God and man and the rule whereby we know if any thing be in the counsels of our mind or actions of our will contrary to this naturall light and diuine instinct of reason which God hath placed in our hearts like a cleere lampe to illuminate our intellectuall spirit that it might see and discerne right from wrong and truth from falsehood which is a thing so manifest that the Ethnicke Philosophers and the word of God doe iump vpon it The naturallitie of Cicero and the Theologie of Saint Paul concurre to proue it almost in the same termes Cicero in the third Tusculan Question writing to Brutus sunt enim ingenijs nostris semina innata virtutum quae si adolescere liceret neque illa celeriter malis moribus opinionibusque deprauatis extingueremus ipsa nos natura ad beatam vitam perduceret And the Apostle Paul writing also to the Romanes Quū Gentes quae legem non habent naturaliter ca quae legis sunt faciunt eiusmodi legem non habentes ipsi sibi sunt Lex qui ostendunt opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis It is so plaine for the light of nature excepting alwaies the last clause of Cicero concerning beatitude as if Paul Cicero had conferred vpon it which ground for the first being set down in truth as your Lo sees I craue that you will be content to examine all the points of this Treatise by the touchstone of the diuine light instinct of your conscience where your Lo finde those which as is said are inspirations from heauen contradictory to your opinions that in that case you will suffer your conscience to be directed by this light which God hath giuē you to guide it by that your Lo wil forbeare your pretence of deuote ignorance implicita fides things that do meerely extinguish this light of nature if it please you to do so not to smother vnder a bushel this cleere candle which God hath illuminate in your heart there is no doubt but as Cicero saith that same Natura Dux the very light of Nature which hath a Diuine stampe in your conscience shall shew you an outgate from the childish Labyrinths of superstition that doe inuolue your Lo for if any should say to me seeing there is such power in the instinct of naturall reason flowing from this diuine light how is it that so many millions of those who be indued with the same are induced to idolatrie I can giue no other answere then the wise man hath giuen stultorum infinitus numerus est the number of fooles and those who are mistaken in their owne light is infinite Now I will take my first aduantage of this ground to appeale to the diuine light of your Lo conscience how you do iudge of that which already from so many Texts of Scripture I haue spoken touching the plainenesse and perfection of Gods word since on the one part the spirit of God doth testifie that it is eternall incorruptible and inspired from Heauen able to make the man of God perfect and on the other part this intellectual light of nature seruing as eyes to receiue in our conscience the brightnesse of this word it is so powerfull that very Gentiles haue cleerely knowne it and seeing it is sufficient to conuict the conscience of Turkes and Pagans of contempt and ignorance of this word I aske your Lo how shall it be with vs who beside the hauing of this light haue beene brought vp in Christian Religion haue beene taught Gods word can reade it in seuerall languages and vnderstand it when we shall refuse to beleeue for our faith this word preached in puritie when we shall hold it insufficient for our Saluation embracing in place thereof what an implicita fides an implicite faith the colliers beliefe and what is that I beleeue with the Church and how beleeues shee she doth beleeue with the collier is not this ambulare in circuitu impij as the Scripture saith to walke in the about-gates of the wicked well let vs remember how it shall be worse in that day with Corazim and Bethsaida then with Sodom because they had greater light and did despice it They say ignorance is the mother of Deuotion And the Apostle saith Qui ignorat ignorabitur if ignorance cannot excuse a Turke because of that light of Gods face which is stamped in his heart let any man tell me what it can auaile a Christian to bragge of his deuout ignorance affected ignorance is neuer a whit better then knowledge without beliefe or well doing Let vs heere the Prophet Isay my people is carried captiue because they had no knowledge neither is now a daies any other reason of idolatrous captiuitie then this pretended holy ignorance so that for a Christian man to glorie in it it is to become sicut equus mulus quibus non est intellectus Therefore let your Lo remember you are sealed with this Lumen vultus Dei and that he hath blessed you with knowledge to vnderstand that the holy Scriptures are a perfect and neuer perishing word The second ground I would haue your Lo to condescend vpon with me for preparation of your more indifferent iudgement is a certaine definition of idolatrie which may content your Lo and me both to the end we may the better reason of idolatrous worship For as concerning abuse in religion and impietie in manners they be triuiall points that there can be no mysterie in a suruey of the same Idolon is a Greeke word which literally signifieth as much as a litle Forme or Figure formed or figured but taken as it is spoken in Christian Shooles and according to the best Doctors it is a representation of a false God and a false Deitie or a Creature taken and honoured for God As to say the Statue of Moloch of Iupiter the Sunne or Moone the Hebrew word Elil as I read haue very right this same signification of Idol and is vsed in holy
Scripture to signifie the Pagan gods which were things false and so nothing Esay saith of the gods of the Gentiles Behold you are nothing and your workes are of no worth Vnto the which Saint Paul alluding Wee know said he that an Idol is nothing in the world because howsoeuer it bee made of mettall timber or stone yet because the falshood which it representeth is nothing it is said to be nothing Now so ielous is God of his honour and worship That hee hath not only forbidden materiall images to bow down to them but there is also spirituall Idolatry forbidden whereof there is two sorts The first is of these who directly or indirectly haue society and company with the Diuell and trust in him as Sorterers Magitians Witches Consulters The second is of those who mainetaine any erronious opinion concerning the worship of God or against the word of God or who doe cherish and defend any great and odious vice by a displayed banner against God as the Prophet Samuel speaking of the disobedience of Saul Your rebellion saith he is the sinne of Witchcraft and your trangression Idolatry the reason is because hee who doth obey God after his own fantacie and not after Gods expresse Commandement he doth prefer his own conceipt and make an Idol thereof as Saint Ierome in this same sense shewes how there was oftentimes Idolatry among the Iewes when they had no materiall Idoles as the Gentiles saith he worship corporall Idoles so the Iewes hold for gods those Idoles which they haue forged in their soules and therefore they are Pagans and Idolaters Saint Austen expounding the meaning of Iosua when he exhorted the Iewes newly entred in Palestina to put away their strange gods It is not to be thought that in this time the Iewes had any Pagan god said hee because immediatly before he did praise their obedience neither is it to bee thought that hee spake these wordes without cause so it was said he that the holy Prophet vnderstanding them to haue in their hearts erroneous opinions of God contrarie to his honour hee desired them to leaue them Saint Paul doth cleerely testifie that the auaricious man and the glutton be Idolaters the one of his gold the other of his belly Quorum Deus venter est Many were among the Phylosophers whose wisdome did neuer suffer them to worship Creatures as Idoles yet were they spirituall Idolaters by denying of the Resurrection and of the immortality of the Soule in that true eternity which God hath appointed for it The Iewes and Turkes this day doe not worship any materiall Idol yea they worship the same God whom we doe yet they are Idolaters because they doe not acknowledge him as he is a Diuine Essence distinguished in three persons but after a fantasie deuised by Mahomet here and there be the Cabbalists of whom and of of all such Saint Basil saith Cursed be the men who forge false imaginatione in their owne braines and carry spirituall Idolatrie in their hearts And Gregorie Nazianzene more plainely How is it come saith hee euen to this that euery wicked man doth make a God of his wickednesse his filthy passions his wrath his murthers his lust and drunkennesse and other abominable excesse And Saint Ierome writing vpon Isay and Hosea in diuers places and Augustine in the City of God doth reckon monstrons numbers of false gods whom poore Gentility had forged to themselues aswell in their fantasies as in their Temples both which sorts of Iolatrie God hath very well forseene and very strictly forbidden by his precept of no grauen image in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath wherein no doubt by the heauen are meant not onely the Planeticall bodies but imaginations of Angelicall figures to be counted of vs for gods and all intellectuall phantasies and falsehoods contriued by humane braine in matters of Gods worship that they shall haue no place in our mindes which point your Lo sees how cleare it is It being so then that the poore blinded Pagans who are strangers to doctrine of holy Scripture and kept backe from it by the lawes of Tyrants they are thus conuicted by the Doctors of the Church not onely for materiall Idolatrie but euen for spirituall through the excesse of euery predominant vice or erroneous phantasie which did transport them and that Saint Augustine introduces Iosua as we haue heard exhorting the Iewes to quit their Idolatry of wrongfull opinions I wil in like manner appeale to the diuine light of your Lo conscience how vigilant you thinke a good Christian must be about the points of Gods worship or what warrant there is this description of Idolatry admitted first to erect and maintain such number of images in the Popish Church Secondly what warrant to equall with God the power of the blessed Virgin And lastly and aboue all what warrant presumptuously to affirme that any elementarie thing is really the person of God himselfe I vnderstand that from such grounds as bee in the Romane Church your Lo will giue pretended reason enough but that is contrary to my protestation whereby I haue tyed your Lo. to that which the Diuine instinct of your conscience doth say to you in fauours of the meanest of those superstitions as for the last two of them I need not insist much because I thinke they bee extra controuersiam Idolatries But vnderstanding well how your Lordshippe will holde for the Images by reason of the good meaning and vse which is had of them and from the common ground ab abusu ad non vsum non est argumentum Certainely such fearefull abuses haue I seene which make me to say alas wee doe not remember what a peremptorie terrible and Iealous God hee is in the whole order and in the smallest circumstances of his worship he hath said hee is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and no other will content him Let vs exhauste our whole meanes let vs distill our braines from neuer so good a meaning to worship him if our doing goe not with his owne rule it is hatefull abomination in his eyes and chiefly where any thing is added or altered to the substance and Essence of Gods word giuen out by himselfe it is Idolatry and which is more in the highest degree whereof that one instance of King Saul his disobedience might suffice for a thousand examples who could haue doubted of his extraordinary good meaning in sparing the fat beastes to sacrifice vnto the Lord more who would not haue imagined it should approue his thankefulnesse towards God and yet the Prophet Samuel called it the sinne of Witchcrafte which is Idolatry in the Superlatiue degree and for it had denounced the renting and transferring of his kingdome why because the Lord who knowes the heart of man he did see that Saul by his addition to his Commandement did preferre his owne inuention thereunto hunting thereby after a reputation of zeale in Gods seruice and so honour