Crosse it selfe wee pray to the Crosse it selfe as well as to him that dyed on it and hee confesseth freely that the prayer in the liturgie or masse booke is not made to CHRIST but to the Crosse it selfe From hence I gather these two conclusions 1. by Popish religion the Crosse is a God This I collect thus Latria sayth Augustine y August Epistola 49. vni soli deo debetur seruitus illa religionis quam vno nomine Graeci latriaÌ„ vocaÌ„t Et in Faustum l. 15. latria est seruitê° illa qua tantummodo Deo seruitur is that worship of religion which is due onely and solely to God himselfe and poperie it selfe confesseth with one consent that prayer is a part of latria z Ioh. de Combis CompendiuÌ„ theologicae verit c. de dulia latria Latria continet 5. fidem spem sacrificium orationem c. But popish religion prayeth to a wodden crosse euen to the crosse it selfe therfore by popish religion the wodden Crosse is a God 2. That the Crosse is made a God not by the doctrine and iudgement of their priuate Doctors but of their Church and religion This I collect thus their Missalls and Breuairies which containe their Liturgie are confirmed both by the Pope and the Councell of Trent a Vide Missalia Breuiaria omnia ab anno 70 deinceps but the Popes determination especiallie together vvith a Councell is the publicke and vncontroleable act of their Church b None acknowledging himselfe a papist can denie this Therefore the doctrine and practice in their Liturgie is not priuate or such as may be questioned or doubted of but publicke and generall and may not be called in question But in their late and reformed Breuiarie allovved and confirmed by the Pope and Councell they praie to the Crosse and call vppon the Crosse as wee heard before and their owne Doctors doe expounde it that it is not to Christ but to the Crosse c Aquinas of old and Chrisostomus a visitatione of late Therefore by the doctrine and religion of the Church of Rome the Crosse is a God Bellarmine would gladly heale this wound or at least couer it ouer and saith d Bellar. in tom 2. de Imag sanctoruÌ„ lib. 2. c. 24. in resp ad arguÌ„ Respondeo vbi eccles canit O Crux aue spes vnica c. vel ibi accipi cruceÌ„ pro Christo ipso vel illam esse prosopopoeiaÌ„ rhetoricam c. that whereas the Church praieth so surely either the Crosse is taken for Christ or els it is but a figure as Moses saith Heare O Heauens Deutero 32. No no say the Romish Doctors that wrote since Bellarmine there is no such matter that praier is to the Crosse it selfe And his brother e Ga. Vazq Ies de cultu adorationis li. 2. disp 3. cap. 4 Iesuite Gabriel Vazquez being also much ashamed of the matter would gladlie help it and to that ende is constrayned to confesse that there is not as Bellarmine sayth one alone but two figures in that prayer which saith he vnlesse they be admitted it is an vnapt and absurd prayer for it speaks vnto the Crosse as vnto our God and Sauiour Hee therefore for his part saith hee should thinke that by the Crosse they meane Christ and pray to him not to the Crosse and further sayth that many others thinke so but he names not one tho in other points hee is a plentifull citer of other Authours but against him or who-euer els thinke so beeing papists I produce the Cistercian Doctor Chrisostome a visitatione who writing since them all f For Vazquez wrote since Bellarmine namely about the yeare 92. but this Chrisostome wrote since Vazquez some seauen yeares agoe and whose booke is of more authoritie then his g For Vazquez is dedicated but to a spanish ordinarie Bishop but Chrisostome to the Pope himselfe answereth all these doubtes and preuents all other obiections saying plainely that in that prayer of the Church Wee speake to the Crosse it selfe wee call vpon and pray to the Crosse it selfe And no more nor no worse saith he then Aquinas himselfe totidem verbis spake before him h Aquinas summa par 3. q 25. art 4. Therfore to conclude till this doctrine of Aquinas bee condemned for heresie and till this fellow that calles himselfe golden mouth be adiudged as hee is a leaden mouthed and blacke-mouthed blasphemer and his booke burnt as hereticall and til the Romish Church haue satisfied the World for this great wrong till then I say it is apparant to all men that in this wound She is not healed This wound hath been deepe and wide and therefore long in searching and seeing it is found incurable let vs proceed Not many hundred yeares agoe liued a Frier they called S. Francis an ignorant man for learning but wittie hee beeing the founder of the Franciscans the Pope hath suffered his fauorites and followers to set him vp as another Christ 17 The ninth wound An Italian Frier Francis was like to Christ in all things and in some things did more then he and bare 5. woundes in his body as Christ did and blasphemously to compare him and oftentimes to prefer him afore Christ himselfe And to this end amongst many other vile ones i Vide monumeÌ„ta ordinis fratruÌ„ Min. SalamaÌ„cae 1511 in 4. Et firmamenta trium ordinuÌ„ D. FraÌ„cisci Paris 1512 4 mult al. he suffred to be published a great volume called The golden booke of the Conformities of the holy father S. Francis with the life of our Sauiour Iesus Christ k Liber aureus inscriptus liber coÌ„formitatuÌ„ vitae beati ac seraphici patris FraÌ„cisci ad vitam Iesu Christi Domini nostri correctus illustratê° a Ieremiah Bucchio ord Min. doctore theoâ— Bononiae 1590. In which booke with strange impietie first they paint in the first lease Christ bearing a Crosse and Saint Francis following him with one as bigge as his where Christ hath nothing but precedence but after thinking that too much they paint one Crosse and vppon it one of Christs armes and another of S. Francises one acrosse ouer the other then begins the book In the name of Iesus Christ and of S. Francis l In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi c. beati patris nostri Francisci c. where Iesus Christ is called our Lord and S. Francis our blessed Father and the Authour saith not that he compiles the booke to the honour of God or Christ but of the foresayd holy father S. Francis Then he salutes Saint Francis with a prayer m Francisce Iesu typice dux formaque Minorum per te Christi mirificè sunt gesta donoruÌ„ Mala pater egregie propelle animorum sedeâ— nobis perpetuas da regni supernorum fit for none but God himselfe First blasphemously calling him typicall Iesus then desiring him to
as in the former The Second Part touching mysticall Babylon THat which we haue heard of the literal is also true in the mystical Babylon Mystical Babylon is the spiritual kingdome of darkenesse the kingdome of Satan And this kingdom is partly temporarie which is the kingdom of Antichrist and partly permanēt and perpetuall and that is the kingdom of Sin That the kingdome of Antichrist namely the Church of Rome is mysticall Babylon I will not stand to proue seeing it is granted by Bellarmin a Bellar. de Romano pontif lib. 3. cap. 13. in resp ad argu compelled thereunto by the cleere authorities of some Fathers but especially by the euidence of the holy Text in the Reuelation where by two notable arguments it is ineuitably concluded For first if the mysticall Babylon be the Citie seated on 7. hills b Reuel 17. 9 as the Text sayth then Rome is Babylon which aboue all or anie Citie in the world is so and that not on seauen obscure or little hillocks but seauen hills famously and notoriously knowen by name c Mons Coelius Exquilinus Palatinus Viminalis Quirinalis Auentinus Capitolinus Nor is it any thing worth to say that olde Rome was indeede so seated but that now it is shrunke into the plain of Campo Martio For notwithstanding that it be true for the body of the town yet diuers publicke places where Antichrist exerciseth his authoritie and tyrannicall iurisdiction are yet to this daie on those hils as namely especially the Lateran Church and Palace which Church one of their Popes hath by Bull Charter made the head of all the Churches of the world to wit Gregory the eleuenth d Gregorius xj vide constitut pont Rom. per Pet. Mathae um inter constitut Greg. xj constit 1. p. 61 almost 250. yeares agoe and after him Pius the fourth e Vide eundem inter constitut Pij 4. constit 19. pag. 454. and of late Pius quintus f Vide eundem inter constitut Pij 5. constit 〈…〉 g. 618. 〈…〉 de eiusdē Mathaei commentaria in illam constitutionem Pij 5. pag. 621. haue by publicke constitution confirmed the same and in which Church or palace there haue been held by seuerall Popes some xxxiij prouinciall or nationall 5. generall Councells g all or most of them for the raising vp and establishing of Antichrists Throne and in which the most horrible and hainous canons were concluded against God and his Church that euer were before as to name but 2. 1. That monster of transubstantiation that the substance of breade and wine in the sacrament ceaseth and is turned into the substance of Christs bodie bloud h Vide Concil Later sub Innocentio 3. c. 1 2. That a King an hereticke not reforming himselfe and his land meaning to poperie is to be deposed by the Pope his subiects to be discharged from his obedience and his land to be giuen to Papists to whom the popes gift shall be good and effectuall i Concil idem cap. 3. This Church and palace besides many of inferior note stands to this day on the hil Coelius k Vide Onuphrium in lib. de Ecclesijs vrbis Et eundē Mathaeum in loco cirato and tho now the Pope for his pleasure hath remooued himself ouer the Riuer to the Vaticane yet in former times for many hundred yeeres as Blondus himself confesseth it was the principall seate of the Popes which appeareth also by the verses written vp down the church especially those that are grauē ouer the marble chaire which is hard by the high altar where the Pope sitteth at masse Haec est Papalis sedes pontificalis Praesidet Christi de iure vicarius isti Et quia iure datur sedes Romana vocatur Nec debet vere nisi solus Papa sedere Et quia sublimis alij subduntur in imis Thus its apparant his chief throne is vpō one of the 7. hils and it is very obseruable that howsoeuer they make their succession from Peter and that therfore in reason his Church should haue bin chief yet that God may shewe to the world that their Citie is the Whore that sitteth on seauen hilles therefore by Gods iust iudgement they are so blinded that they haue made a Church and Palace that is on one of the hils superior to that they call S. Peters and haue given it not only prioritie and precedence but euen priuiledge preheminence aboue S. Peters Another answerable reason out of the Text is That Citie saith the Text is Babylon which reigneth ouer the kingdoms of the earth l Reu. 17. 18 but Rome no other Citie at that daie long after reigned ouer the world Therfore Rome is that Babylon Seeing then the holy Text cleers it the Fathers approue it Bellarmine himselfe grants it and the Rhemists also vpon condition we will yeelde that Peter was at Rome doe willingly yeelde it m Rhemist in 1. Pet. cap. 5. therefore wee will not stand vppon further proofe And as for their distinction that Rome heathen is BABYLON but not Rome Christian I answere briefely that if heathenish Rome bee BABYLON in regard of her sinfulnesse and persecution of the Saints then this Rome is Babylon also seeing in her sinfull abhominations and cruel persecutions she is nothing inferiour to olde heathenish Rome as may bee easily prooued shewed at large if this time and place required it as hath been alreadie shewed by diuerse learned writers and in good part confessed by many of their owne Now then to goe forward touching this mysticall Babel I propound these 4. points to be considered 1. That we would haue healed her 2. That she will not be cured 3. That therfore we ought to forsake her 4. That God will take iust vengeance on her The 1. and 2. is past the 3. is in hand the fourth is sure to come its true wee would haue healed her it s most true shee is past cure I hope it shall be as true that we shall quite forsake her and the last hastens fast on her destruction is at hand and sleepes not For the first That we would haue cured the Papists we dare call the world to witnesse and appeale euen to God himselfe and this not onely desired but endeuoured it by all good means both in the daies of that renowned Q. Elizabeth of happie memorie and in the present gouernment of our Souereigne that now is The meanes we haue vsed for their healing be diuerse 1. By instructing informing them in the truth discouering their errours both by holy Scriptures and by the ancient Fathers of the best purest times Iewel Fulk Whitakers Rainolds Perkins and manie other who now sleep in Christ haue left behind them such testimonies of this truth as shall liue whilst the world lasteth and neuer can be confuted as appeares in that they haue not dared to answere most of their books to
till of late and contrariwise we are able to proue that all the Fathers for 400. yeares did reiect them and many after yea the greater part of all learned Papists themselues till the Councell of Trent And thus wee see how Romish Babylon is still the elder the worse But this is not all a Romish Councell will neuer meete for one euill Therefore secondly they decree e Concil Trident sess 4. That in all Disputations Sermons Lectures and to all other purposes that Latine translation called the Vulgar shall be helde the authenticall Text that no man presume vnder any pretext to refuse it Here is a strange decree that the streame shall bee of more vertue then the Fountaine a translation of more authoritie then the Originall The former ages neuer heard of this indignitie but whensoeuer doubt was made or difference found recourse was forthwith had to the Originalls for the determining of the matter Many learned Papists are ashamed of this if they durst vtter it Bellarmine and Coccius doe bewray it by their slight handling of the matter for they would gladly prooue if they could that Hierome was the author of that translation but as for the magnifying of it whosoeuer was the translator aboue the Originalls they are wiser then to venture their credits vpon so false a matter and therefore do wholly leaue it vpon the credit of that Conuenticle that concluded it Neither do I wrong to call it a Conuenticle for tho I should grant the whole to be a Councell yet the number that past this bill was so small that I may safely call it a Conuenticle For as an ill motion may pass in Parliament betimes in a morning before all the house be set so was this bil caried at Trent For wheras the Councel in his fulness consisted of 300. or more that had voice of decision they took the aduantage at the beginning of the Councell and caried these two bills when there were scarce 60. in the house whereof how manie went against them is vncertaine foâ— the Pope durst not for one of his Crowns haue pâ—â— thâ—â—e two bils especially the latter to the ful house for how would they haue entertained it then when as they had libertie of speech against it who since their tongues were tyed and the bill passed yet haue dared and Arias Montanus Sixtus Senensis Oleaâ—â—er c. some of them who were of the Councell themselues euen to resist the decree and haue taken so contrarie a course themselues in expounding the Scripture that howsoeuer they were tolerated for their learning whilest they liued yet being dead their books are eyther purged that is altered or els reproued So that its apparant to all that will vnderstand that this decree was so far from being established in any former ages that it is euen misliked of many of the better sort of themselues now that it is made And thus I hope wee haue cleered it that these two Councells called in the corrupt and declining times of the Popish Church in shewe to haue reformed it haue been so far from that that contrariwise they haue coÌ„cluded diuerse enormous impyeties that were not before Then is not the Romish Babylon well cured I hasten to the second Proposition which is that the deformities that were before both in doctrine and practice both in heade and members and manie whereof were complayned on by some of themselues doe yet remaine without redresse or reformation For the demonstration of this Proposition I might inlarge my selfe into many particulars but I will insist but vppon fewe and those I shall produce shall not bee trifles nor triuiall but of great moment euen touching the mayne and morall duties which a Christian man oweth to his God and which to denie is to denie God to falsifie his word and nullifie his lawe And to this ende it were no harde matter to passe through the most of the tenne Commaundementes of the Morall and eternall lawe But I will stande vppon some fewe of the principall In all which my course shall bee fairest for them and safest for my selfe for I will not relie vppon the credite of any reporter nor other writer how great soeuer his authoritie bee but produce the recordes themselues and the authenticall originalls of their owne bookes as they stand at this day allowed by authoritie Now therefore whether the Romish Babylon bee yet cured or no let the Christian world iudge by these particulars The pride of the Romish Antichrist in times past was such that hee exalted himselfe at least suffered himselfe to bee set in the throne of God yea and to be called of men God and their Lord God 1 The first wound The Pope is a God and their Lord God and this not onely in priuate Authors but euen in his own Canon lawe these be the wordes in the glosse vpon the extrauagants f Extrauag IohaÌ„nis 22. tit 14. cap. 4. CuÌ„ inter in glossa Credere auteÌ„ Dom. Deum nostrum Papam conditorem huius Decretalis noâ— potuisse slatue reprovt statuit haereticum censeretur To beleeue that our Lord God the Pope the maker of this Decretall may not decree it as hee hath may bee iudged haereticall The wordes are plaine inoughe But if anie man say this is but the glosse and not the text I answere first that the glosse is of greater authoritie amongst them then any or then many Doctors But further what if we finde as much or worse out of the Decret dist 96 cap. satis euideÌ„t ostenditur a seculari potestate nec solui prorsus necligari pontificeÌ„ posse quem coÌ„stat a Constantino Deum appellatum cum nec posse Deum ab hominibus iudicari manifestum sit very Text of the Popes lawe it selfe Look in the Decree the 96. distinction there the Pope himself frames this argument writing to the Emperor against them that would call his Holinesse to account It s certaine that the Emperour Constantine called the Pope God But it s as cleere that God may not bee iudged of men Ergo the Pope may not be iudged of anie man Thus the Pope that canonizeth so many men and women Saints hath heere taken paines to canonize himself a God both in the Text and glosse of his own lawe his glossers call him their Lord God and hee is content to take it to himselfe Constantine he saith in the text cals him God and he is content both to take it and make good vse of it Whether this bee not Herods sinne a Acts. 12. at least let him looke to it but let vs goe forwarde Heere Babylon is sicke of a deadly euil but is she healed I wish she were but I cannot shewe it 2 The first wound not healed If any say shee is then let him shewe me that Pope or name mee that Writer Doctor Inquisitor Bishop or any other who by commandment or authoritie or but with the approbation of the Pope hath
and his reason z Germoniê° ibid. art 15. yet is he neuer able to ouerthrowe either the truth of his opinion or strength of his reason but so vnwilling are they to bee healed in anie thing that if anie one of them doe but begin to see the truth and doe but glaunce at it or incline to it presently hee is nipt in the head and condemned as heere the olde Lawyer is reproued by the later and wheÌ„ as he would haue had this wound healed this darling of the popes will not suffer him but answeres that his reason is naught and not worth a rush And yet not content he goeth further and saith that not onely Churches consecrated but tho they bee not as yet consecrated a IdeÌ„ ibid. art 23. 24. yet they be sanctuaries and not the Church onely but euen the Churchyard yea tho it be disioined from the Church b IdeÌ„ ibid. art 30. 34. Nay further that euen hospitalls c IdeÌ„ ibid. art 27 yea priuate Chappell 's in mens houses if they were built by the Bishops authority d IdeÌ„ ibid. art 29. haue priuiledge of sanctuarie to receiue a murderer flying vnto them And least murder should not finde sufficient shelter in Romish religion he telles vs further that euen the Bishops Palace is a sanctuarie if a murderer fly vnto it if it bee within 40. pases of the Church or tho it bee more then 40. pases off if it haue a Chappell in it e IdeÌ„ ibid. art 43. c. And yet further if a murtherer going to execution after a iust sentence or afore triall being pursued doe meete a Priest carying his breaden God and doe fly to him he is priuiledged from the power of the lawe f IdeÌ„ ibid. art 52. And least we should thinke it strange to giue this honor to the church that is Gods house or to the bread which they say is their God he goeth yet one steppe further and tells vs that g Idem Germonius ibid. lib. 3. cap. 6. art 51. c. TaÌ„ta est huius dignitatis Maiestas vt non Cardinalis solum velut sacrosanctus absque sacrilegij culpa taÌ„gi non possit veruÌ„ nec ille quiad capitale supplicium ducitur si Cardinali obâ—iam factus ciusque pileum aut vestem attigerit c. occidi nequeat sic Baldus reliqui vnus tantum Corâ—etus tenet iâ— contrarium sedeius argumentis excellenter satisfacit Cardinalis Albanus A Cardinall of Rome not onely is so holy a person in himselfe that hee may not be touched without sacriledge but if a murderer or malefactor that is carying to execution if he haue the good happe to meete a Cardinall and can touch either his hat or his robes he is discharged from the sentence of the lawe Loe heere is a holy person indeede a Cardinalls coate or hat shall haue more priuiledge then had eyther the coate or the flesh it selfe of Christ Iesus hee would not deliuer anie murderers from death onelie one he deliuered namely Barrabas and he himselfe died in his roome h See the story of the passion and if my Lords the Cardinalls should do so surely they would meete no murderers in the streete But to goe forward the lawe sayth the Murderer shall die i Gen. 9. 6 and Christ saith he came not to dissolue the lawe but to fulfill it k Matth. 5. 18 but the Cardinalls wil not fulfil the lawe but dissolue it The Murderer shall die sayth God true saith the Pope vnlesse hee happe to touch the hem of one of my Cardinalls coats for then he is acquitted But is this healed and reformed nay alas one Antonius Corsetus a learned Lawyer misliking this because as he saith truely l Hoc stante daretur materia delinqueÌ„di propterea quod homines audaciores fiereÌ„t delicta remanerent impunita sic Anto. Corsetê° in suis singular in verbo Cardinalis this being so there wil be an occasion giuen of much euill and bloudie men will heereby take libertie to offend He is not suffred to make anie motion for reforming of anie thing but is contrariwise turned awaie with this censure that his reasons are slender and nothing worth And thus when he is dasht out of countenance who would haue healed this wound then comes the Popes Secretary a true childe of Babylon that will not be healed and to make the wound wider and deeper brings a reason for this power of Cardinalls worthy of himself m Idem Germonius ibid. cap. 6. art 51. Non sunt hodie Cardinales deterioris coÌ„ditionis quam olim fuerunt Virgines vestales quarum autoritas apud Romanos tanta fuit vt si ad capitale aliquis supplicium duceretur fortè fortuna transisset Vestalis is necari non posset If saith he the Virgin-vestalls in Rome healthenish had this power that if a person condemned met one of them in his way to executioÌ„ and could get to touch them he was thereby deliuered from death as he proueth out of Aul. Gellius n Aul. Gellius noct Att. lib. 10. cap. 15. Then much more ought the Cardinalls to haue this honour in Rome being now Christian Yea but is there not danger to multiplie murders and defeat the lawe by this means for may not a Cardinall come for fauour and on set purpose may hee not be intreated may he not be corrupt and bee hired to come There be now also many Cardinalls about 60. or 70. if anie of all these be in the streetes murderers may escape and there be fewe daies wherin some of these stirre not abroad To all these materiall obiections what doth he answer surelie an easie answer hath he for all o Germonius ibid. art 52. Ne detur occasio delinquendi et vt omnis praua suspicio tollatur damnatus gaudet hac immunitate si Cardinalis non data opera sed casu transeat This priuiledge belongeth without all question to the Cardinalls person if he come by chance and not on set purpose for so it was also in the case of the Virgins Vestall But how shall it appeare that hee comes not purposely In that case the vestall Virgins that neuer might swear were put to their oath p Aul. Gellius ibid. But for al that saith this Popes dearling my Lords the Cardinalls may not sweare they may not bee so disgraced as to be put to their oathes How shall it then appeare hee must saith hee q Licet Vestalis nunquam iurasset hoc tamen casu eas iurasse certum est At Cardinalem deuinci Iusiurandi religione minime vel lem itaque non iuranti sed assereÌ„ti se forte fortuna in daÌ„natuÌ„ incidisse credendum est cum ei in grauioribus negotijs fides adhiberi solet vt si sedis Apostolicae legatum se esse dixerit fidem ei habendam volunt nostri Ioh. Andr. Bal. Alb. c. Idem Germonius ibid. art
find such in our religion he that can shew me either of these I will be his Conuert To this end I haue presumed to present it first to your Honour and vnder your honorable name to the worlds viewe not only as a testimonie of the loyaltie loue and dutie I owe your Honour for your many particular honorable fauours but especially for that we to our ioy do find and the Papists to their grief doe feare that God hath hath raised vp your Honor in these declining and desperate times for so hath Poperie made them to defeat their deuises to countermine their plots and to make them the instruments of their own ruine fit therfore and worthy to be the patron of that Treatise which is a discouerer of theâ—r spiritual impieties And surely right Honorable the churches hope ouer the Christian world is that God hath ordayned his Ma. of England to be the means by the aduise assistance of your Hon. others like you wherof God send vs more to giue the whore of BabyloÌ„ hir last blow wherof she shall neuer recouer which most worthy worke as God raised vp your honorable Father of happie memorie to begin Gretserê° a Iesuite was suffered to write within these 2. yeares that we rackt and tortured Garnet euen neere to death to make him confesse himself guilty of the powder treason but he did not so we hauing no proof haÌ„gd him onely for being a priest and not for it And that OueÌ„ his man was puld in pieces on the racke and when wee had so killed him then wee gaue out hee had killd himselfe with a knife But for the 1. wee appeale to publicke records and the worlds knowledge and for the second there yet liue witnesses whose eies saw the woundes and bloudy knife and whose eares heard him freely and penitently confesse hee did it with that knife to escape the racke which hee sayde hee feared but had neuer tasted So hath he your Lordship paternarum virtutuÌ„ cur non etiam dignitatuÌ„ ex asse haeredeÌ„ to accomplish and bring to perfection The Father of mercie and the Sonne of consolation be praysed for euer for sending such a father and such a sonne to bee the Children of the Church of England Go on noble Lord with courage and constancie and this worke of God shall prosper in your hand To this end the same God assist strengthen and protect your Lordship and the blessed Father for the blessed Sonnes sake double vpon you his holy and blessed Spirit wherto I am sure all good Christians will say Amen With Your Lordships deuoted seruant in Christ WILLIAM CRASHAVVE Magna est veritas praeualet The XX. Wounds found to be in the body of the present Romish religion in doctrine and in manners Proued in this Sermon not to bee yet healed 1. THe Pope is a God the Lord God and such a head of the Church as infuseth spiritual life heauenly grace into the body of the Church pag. 53. c. 2. The Pope hath done more then God for he deliuered a soule out of hell pag. 57. c. 3. God hath diuided his kingdome with the Virgine Marie keeping Iustice to himselfe but committing and giuing vp his mercie to her so that a man may appeale from him to hir pag. 60. c. 4. The Popes decrees bee equall to the Canonicall scripture pag. 69. c. 5. The Christian Religion is founded rather from the Popes mouth then from Gods in the Scripture pag. 71. c. 6. The holy Scriptures are therefore of credit and to be belieued because they are allowed and autorized by the Pope and being by him authorized they are then of as good authority as if the Pope himselfe had made them pag. 73. c. 7. Images are good books for lay men and better easier then the Scriptures pag. 80. c. 8. An Image of God or a Crucifixe or a Crosse are to be worshipped with the same worship as God and Christ with latria that is diuine worship pag. 82. c. and that we may speake and pray to the Crosse it selfe as we do to Christ 9. Frier Francis was like to Christ in all things and had 5. wounds as Christ that did bleede on good-Fridaie yea he did more then Christ euer did pag. 96. c. 10. The Pope may and doth grant Indulgences for a hundred thousand yeares and giue men a power to redeem soules out of Purgatory pag. 103. c. 11. The Pope may annexe Indulgences for many thousands of yeares to such beades Crucifixes pictures and other like toies that are hallowed by his hands pag. 107. c. The popish Church baptizeth bells pag. 115. c. 12. The Pope denieth the Cup in the Sacrament to the Laitie tho Christ ordained the contrarie pag. 120. c. 13. The popish Church alloweth many sorts of sanctuaries for wilfull murder pag. 122. c. 14. Romish religion publickly tolerates and permits Stewes and takes rent for them pag. 132. c. 15. By the Popes lawe he that hath not a wife may haue a CoÌ„cubine pag. 141. c. 16. Some men had better lie with another mans Wife or keepe a whore then marry a wife of his owne pag. 143. c. 17. Priests in popery may not marry but are permitted to keep their whores vnder a yeerely rent pag. 147. c. 18. Such Priests as be continent and haue no whores yet must pay a yearely rent as they that haue because they may haue if they will pag. 150. c. 19. Their Liturgie is ful of blasphemie their Legend ful of lies their Ceremonies of superstition pag. 153. c. 20. A generall corruption of manners in all estates pag. 156 c. To the Christian Reader whosoeuer be he a true Catholicke or a Romish TO prevent all misconceits that might arise vpon the so late coÌ„ming forth of this Sermon so many weekes expected I desire thee good Reader be satisfied the cause thereof was a long vnlooked for journey And now that you haue it let me desire all men in the reading iudging therof to deale with that ingenuity and sinceritie as I haue endevored in the writing of it My coÌ„science speakes for me I haue forged no new Author I haue falsified none I haue corrupted none I haue to my knowledge misalledged none I haue taken no proofe vpoÌ„ bare report nor haue I produced our men to proue what I lay against them nor is there one quotation of any Authour of theirs which I haue not diligently perused afore-hand and the whole scope of the place If any should thinke of answere I desire him let passe all personall rayling and by-matters and come directly to the points in issue which be these 1 Whether the Church of Rome teach practice in these xx or xxi points as I haue charged her withall or no. 2 If she do whether they be healed of these wounds as yet or no. 3 If
confuted or but as much as reprooued this blasphemie or shewe any that hath reprooued it whom they haue not blamed or condemned But that shee is not cured in this point I can make it apparant For looke in the Canon lawe reuiued and as they pretende c Vide Corpus iuris Canonici iussu Gregorij 13. emendatum editum anno 91. dist 96. cap. 7. reformed and reprinted of late b by the authoritie and with the approbation of the Pope vnder his bull where though many things be altered or taken out that made against the Popes primacie yet this that makes so much against Gods holy Maiestie is not in one point helped nor in one word altered but still this is good and Catholicke Diuinitie in the popes lawe that The Pope is God and therefore may not bee iudged of men But wil you haue yet better euidence that She is not cured Hearken a little A great Italian Doctor no lesse then a Bishop writes thus to the Pope himselfe for to the Pope either the Authour or his Nephew dooth dedicate it some three or foure yeares agoe c Vide Adoardum GualaÌ„dum EpiscopuÌ„ Caesenatem de morali ciuili facultate lib. 14 cap. 3. A Papa tanquaÌ„ a Capite in vniuersum Eccle siae corpus hoc est in omnem ChristianaÌ„ Remp. spiritus influunt caelestium gratiarum sensum fructumque praestantes efficicem moâ—â— ad sempiternam â—eatitudinem Merito igitur sanctissimus beatissimus appellatur 〈◊〉 Christianam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi quidam Deusad oratur coliâ—â—t Liber impressus est Romae 1604. Clementi 8. Papae dicatus From the Pope as from the Head there doe flowe into the whole bodie of the Church that is into the whole Christian world spirits or spirituall life yeelding the feeling and fruite of heauenly graces and effectuall motion to eternall happinesse therfore hee is worthily called as God is most holy most blessed and is worshipped and adored as a God of all christian men Loe heere as bad or worse then the former the Pope is such a Head of the church as infuseth spiritual life and heauenly grace into the body of the Church Doth Christ himself anie more and he is worthily worshipped as a God And this dooth Pope Clement the 8. suffer to be spoken and written of him and not 4. yeares agoe to be printed vnder his nose at Rome and thence to bee sent ouer the world now iudge is not Romish Babylon well healed nay rather alasse doth not her wound fester and rankle more and more Well then seeing this is the Romish doctrine and practise both olde and newe both long agoe and now present let vs make a little vse of it First wee see heere good reason why a Papist should holde the Pope aboue a Councell and euen the holy scripture it selfe for the Pope is God and wee knowe that GOD is aboue the scripture Secondly why also the Pope holdes himselfe aboue kings for hee is God and GOD is King of kinges in a word no maruell why hee should take appeals from all the world we are a triple Crowne bee caried on mens shoulders giue his foote to be kissed dispose of kingdomes and kings at his pleasure for hee that is God may do more then all these And surely we Protestants must needes grant that as truely as he is a God so lawfully may hee do all these All these vses are as good as that is the Pope himselfe makes when hee sayth God may not be iudged by men but I am God and therefore may not bee iudged by man these bee his arguments but now hee shall giue mee leaue to make but one for him and his fellowes The God that admitteth another Lord God and to bee worshipped as God is not the Lord Iehouah the true God for the true God is God alone d Deut. 6. 4. but the Papists God admittes of another Lord God and to be worshipped as God therefore hee is not the true God If they denie the Maior they denie scripture if the Miâ—â—r they denie their doctrine and their owne bookes if they graunt both they are worthy of the conclusion I would end this but I cannot omit to make one vse more of this their doctrine It hath been made a question amongst them whether the Pope might noâ— emptie all Purgatorie if he see cause and no maruellâ— for he being God surely if there be a purgatorie God can emptie it Now to conclude all these doe but equalize the Pope with God but what if hee haue made himselfe greater then God 3 The secoÌ„d wound The pope hath done more then God I will be but the relatour let the Reader iudge Almost two hundred yeeres agoe hee did with publicke authoritie and after long examination by a great Cardinall e This Cardinal was IohaÌ„nes de turre cremata as appears in the prefaces before the book of the Reuelations of Saint Brigit and other Commissioners approue e Posseuinus in apparatu sacro lit B. to 1. Brig Reuelationes diligeÌ„ter examinatae approbatae à viris doctis fuerunt after suffered to be published to the World a booke in latine called The Reuelations of Saint Bâ—IGITE Where it is dogmatically deliuered and as a matter without question That Pope Gregory by his prayers lifted the heathen Emperour Traiane out of hell f Reuelationes Brigittae lib. 4. cap. 13. Bonus Gregorius oratione sua etiam infidelem Caesarem eleuauit ad altiorem gradum and another long afore whome they pretend also to bee theirs deliuereth it more amplie adding further that God answered the Pope thus I haue heard thy prayers and I grant mercy and pardon to Traiane but see that thou hereafter offer me no sacrifice for an vngodly man g Damascenus in ser de mortuis adiuuandis Cum enixè Deum precaretur Gregorius pro salute Traiani annis ante sua tempora fere 500. defuncti audiuit vocem diuinitùs allatam dicentem preces tuas audiui veniam Traiano do tu vero deinceps pro impio hostiam mihi ne offeras From hence I offer them this argument to thinke on The true God neuer deliuered a damned soule out of hell but the Pope hath deliuered a soule out of hell therefore he hath done that that GOD neuer did nor for ought that is reuealed euer will doe Heer is a soule wound but is this healed vp No 4 The second wound not healed this booke stands allowed by the Pope and in his Catalogue of the bookes which hee forbiddes to bee read h Vide IndiceÌ„ lib prohib per Clem. 8. where many a learned and godly booke is condemned this is not toucht and therefore as Posseuine himselfe a Iesuite grants i Posseuinus loco citato not 2. yeares agoe not onely the booke stands vncondemned but this foule blalphemy vncontrolled and to shewe that the head of Babylon namely the Pope
is incurable let it be obserued that tho many particular learned Papists k Mel. Canus lib. 11. c. 2. Bellar de Purgat lib. 2. cap. 8. Blas Vieg in Apoc. c. 6. comment 3. sect 3. Baronius annal circa temp Traiani haue misliked and condemned it as far as in them lyeth yet to this daie was it neuer condemned nor the book forbidden or amended by the Pope so vnwilling is BABYLON to be healed of her wounds Yea the Pope is so farre from healing it that contrariwise he suffred a Spanish Dominican Frier to defend it and that not in word but writing not priuatly but openly not in a corner of the World but to come to Rome within these fewe yeares and there euen to write and publish vnder his nose and by his authoritie an Apologie of this blasphemous fable endeuouring to proue it by many arguments That Gregory did deliuer Traian out of hell l Alphonsus Ciaconus Romae edidit Thus tho it containe neuer so great an impietie against God yet because it tendes to the magnifying of the Popes power prerogatiue let as many learned men as will speake against it m Hanc Apologiam vti historiam validis refutat argum Bellar. lib 2. de purgat cap. 8. vt Mel. Canus eandem antea improbauerat historiam c. haec dem Posseu â— prâ— it shall stand and be maintained so true it is that Babylon will not bee healed of her deadliest wounds And wonder not tho I call them deadly for consider of these consequences The Pope deliuered a soule out of hell therefore he did that which God neuer did Again therfore there may be redemption out of hell Againe therfore the Popes praiers did that which Christs praiers neuer could do againe Christ sayth I pray not for the world n Iohn 17. The world that is for the wicked damned ApologiaÌ„ pro historia Traiani quem precibus Sancti Gregorij ex inferno aiunt quidamin caelum ascendisse haec Possev Ies in apparatu sacro tâ—m 1. litera A. the Pope saith but I do Ergo the Popes pity charitie is more then Christs Alas alas is Rome the holy Church and sees not these blemishes Is she the liuing Church and feeles not these wounds nay rather is she not that Babylon that will not be healed But to conclude all this is the worse because hee hath razed out manie sentences and passages out of manie Authors wherin he thought himselfe and his seat to be wronged o Ludou viues Ferus Erasmus Stella Oleaster Espencaeus and infinite others but this that so highly dishonoreth God himselfe he can patiently suffer but had he beene as zealous of Gods glory as carefull of his own then he that forbids Espencaeus his commentaâ—ies on Titus till they be purged and the book called Onus Ecclesiae absolutly without any limitatioÌ„ because they touch his freehold too neere would also haue forbidden the Reuelation of S. Bridgit til this foule blasphemie had been purged out which seeing he hath so carelesly and wilfully neglected tho his Catalogue of forbidden bookes hath so often been renued p It was first made by Pius 4. and so siâ—ce coÌ„tinued renued augmeÌ„mented til Clement the 8. it appears what an vnworthy Vicar of God hee is who lookes onely to himselfe but suffers his master to bee dishonored before his face Therfore Arise O Lord maintaine thine owne cause Well then seeing this wound is incurable let vs leaue it rankling come to another Some 120. yeers â— The third 〈…〉 God hath diuided his kingdome with the Virgin Mary And that a man may appeal from Gods iustice to the Mercy of the Virgin Mary because God hath kept iustice to himself but committed his mercy to his Mother agoe an Italian Frier wittie and learned as the most in those daies a principall Preacher and as famous in his time as Mussus or Panegirola in these latter by name Bernardinus de Busto q Bernard de busto Marial par 3. ser 3. pag 96. editionis Lugd. anni 517 Licet ad MariaÌ„ appellare a diabolo a Tyranno imo a Deo si quis a Dei iustitia grauari se sentiat quod significatuÌ„ fuit Hâ—ster 5 vbi dicitur quod cum Rex Assuerus Iudaeis esset iratus Regina Ester ad ipsuÌ„ placandum accessiâ— Cui Rex ait etiam si diâ—idiam parteÌ„ regni mei petieris dabitur tibi ista ergo imperatrix figurauit imperatricem coelorum cum qua Deus regnum suum diuisit Cum enim Deus habeat iustitiam misericordiam iusticiam sibi retiâ—â—it in hoc mundo exercendam Misericordiam vero matri concessit ideo si quis sentit sâ—grauari in foro iustitiae Dei appellet ad forum misericordiae Matris cius preached this doctrine publikely after wrote it sent it to Alexander the 6. and vnder his name published it That God hath diuided his kingdome with the Virgin Marie 5 The impiety is so execrable and seemes so incredible that I will put downe the words out of the booke it selfe as it was dedicated to the Pope A man may appeal to the Virgin Mary not onely from a Tyrant and from the Diuell but euen from God himself Namely wheÌ„ he feels himself grieued or oppressed of Gods iustice which was signified in the 5. of Ester where it is sayd that when king Assuerus was angry at the Iewes Queene Ester came in to please and pacifie him to whom the king answered whatsoeuer thou askest me tho it be the halfe of my kingdome I wil giue it thee Now this Empress prefigured the Empress of heauen with whoÌ„ God hath diuided his kingdom For wheras God hath iustice and mercie Hee hath reserued Iustice to himselfe to bee exercised in this world and hath granted Mercie to his Mother therefore if any man finde himselfe agrieued in the Court of Gods iustice let him appeale to the Court of the mercie of his Mother What is this we heare do there lie appeales from God and from God to a creature is Gods Iustice such as a man may iustly be agrieued at it and further is God kingdome diuisible and hath God indeede diuided his kingdome and diuided it with a creature yea with a woman and hath God graunted his Mercie from himself to a creature wee may say with the Prophet Oh heauens be astonied at this and let all Christian harts tremble to heare such blasphemies yet these be good doctrins in Popery fit for their pulpits their people and after they be preached worthy to bee published to the world Surely if they grant these bee false doctrines then blame shame belongs to the papists that preach theÌ„ write theÌ„ publish them and allow theÌ„ for Catholick doctrine but if they stand to theÌ„ as true then mark what consequences will follow vpon them first it is here taught that a man may appeale froÌ„ God Herupon this
years y Vide Corpus Iuris Canoâ—ici iussu Gregorij 13. recognitum editum Lugduni 1591. and there stand the very same words without the least reformation in the Rubricke or title of the Chapter The decretall Epistles are numbred and reckoned amongst the canonicall Scriptures 8 The fourth wound not healed Which is the more shamefull in it self and shamelesse in the doers in as much as in the same newe edition they are forced to confesse that Augustine out of whom they cite the whole Chapter did not at all meane the Popes decretall Epistles but the holy and Canonicall Scriptures z Quae quidem sententia beati Augustini non ad decretales Ro. pontificum sed ad Canonicas sacras Scripturas referenda est Corp. Iur. CaÌ„ edit 91. in additione ad dist 19. cap. 6. and no maruell for the name of decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a faire yeere after his daies To conclude this point let wise men obserue here this point how vnwilling the Romish Church is to ameÌ„d or alter any thing especially if it concern Gods honour and not their own free-hold els why should they maintain that blasphemie in the Rubrick and title of the Chapter which in the bodie of the Chapter they condemn But well doe they know that manie a man reades the contents of books and chapters which neuer read more Therfore because the words of this title giue honour to his decretalls tho they be neuer so dishonorable to Gods holy Scriptures they are suffred to stand whereas they haue put out many things disgracefull to themselues Thus vnwilling is Babylon to be healed in any thing This doth but make them equall and that may bee thought no great wound in that Church but shall wee see a deeper and more deadly namely where the authoritie and determination of the Pope is made higher and of more respect then the holy Scriptures themselues In the same booke the XL. Distinction the Pope alleadgeth for good doctrine and canonizeth for a lawe these words taken out of one Boniface 9 The fift wound The religion of Christianitie is to bee founded rather from the Popes mouth then from the â—oly Scriptures that is from Gods mouth a Vide Decret dist 40. in appendice ad cap. 6. Et reuera taÌ„ta reuerentia apiceÌ„ praefatae Apostolicae sedis omnes suspiciunt vt nonnullam sanctorum Canonum disciplinam antiquam Christianae religionis institutionem magis ab ore praecessoris eius quà m a sacris paginis paternis traditionibus expetant Illius velle illius nolle tantum explorant vt ad eius arbitrium suam conuersationeÌ„ ipsi remittant aut intendant Haec in Corp. Iur. Canonici editionis Lugdun 91. in 4. And certainely allmen do yeelde so much respect and reuerence to the Pope of Rome and his chair that they require and seeke for much of the discipline of the holy Canons and the ancient institution of Christian religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops of that Sea then either from the holy Scriptures or the olde traditions all they care for or seek after is what hee wil and what he will not that so they may conform themselues and frame their conuersation this waie or that waie according to his will and pleasure Loe what doctrine is here the discipline nay the religion it selfe of christianitie is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at Gods mouth in the 10 The fift wound not healed holy Scriptures and all that a Christian man cares for is not what God but what the Pope will and what he wills not and according to that are they to frame theÌ„selues Is this a doctrine â—it to be inserted in the popes lawe Is this the holy and the onelie true Church that teacheth this If to be a Catholicke be to holde this and to denie this to be an heretike I am content to be an hereticke let who will bee the Catholicke but if a true Catholicke ought to holde the doctrine of the Scriptures and to depende vppon the mouth and reuealed will of GOD then woe bee to that Church and religion that reacheth wee maie rather depende on the Popes mouth then on Gods But some will say this is healed Nay alas they be so farre from that 10 The fift wound not healed that contrariwise for ought that I knowe this is not be found in the elder editions but I am sure it is in the latter and last of all set forth by speciall authoritie from the Pope from whence also I cite it at this time Thus I haue shewed First that the Pope makes his Decrees equall with the Scriptures Secondly that they are of greater authoritie then the Scriptures Is it possible to haue a worse Yes for the measure of her iniquitie will neuer be full and therefore shee goeth one steppe higher in this impietie and teacheth that the holy Scripture is so farre inferiour vnto the Popes decrees that vnless he by his authority giue them strength they are not of credit nor necessarie to be belieued Let me be of no credit nor worthy to be beleeued if I repeate not their wordes truely out of their owne booke namely their authenticall glosse vpon the Popes Decretalls where the Text of the Decretall being no more nor lesse then only one verse of the 26. Chapter of the Prouerbs the glosse that is the approued Commentarie vpoÌ„ that decretall is in these words b Vide Decretal lib. 2. tit 23 de praesumptionibus cap. 1. sicut Aduerte quod verba textus non sunt verba Papae sed Salomonis in Parabolis habentur originaliter in c. 26. Sed quia textus hic est canonizatus facit fidem inducit necessitatem sicut si editus â—uiÌ„sset a Papa quia omnia nostra facimus quibus nostraÌ„ autoritateÌ„ impertimur Glossa Obserue heere that the wordes of the Text are not the words of the Pope but of SALOMON in the Prouerbes the sixe and twentith Chapter but because that Text of SALOMONS is heere canonized by the Pope 11 The 6. wound The holy Scriptures are therefore of credit to be beleeued because they are allowed authorized by the Pope being so by him authorized they are of as much authority as if the Pope himself had been the Author of them Therefore it is of credite and implyeth necessitie of beeing belieued or it bindeth as stronglie as if it had beene pronounced or vttred by the Pope because wee make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestowe or impart our authoritie The high and holy God that is the Author of the holy Scriptures bee mercifull vnto vs in hauing anie thing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemie and graunt that wee may not anie waie communicate with their sinnes not haue fellowship with this wicked worke of darkenesse The Impietie and Atheisme that lyeth
in it is such as if it had but crept into some secret pamphlet I would neuer haue brought it into light but beeing that it is registred in the Glosse vppon their lawe a booke of so great authoritie and so common in the hands of all the learned I cannot but discharge my dutie to the truth tho it may giue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine For what can such men thinke when they heare him that pretends to bee Christs Viker and Peters successor teache that Salomons wordes are not of as good authoritie as his bee when as Christ himselfe did approoue and iustifie himselfe and all his words and deedes and doctrines by the olde Testament and that the words of God in the olde Testament doe therefore binde and are therefore to bee beleeued because the Pope pleaseth to insert and canonize them in his lawe and that being by him so canonized they bee therefore as good as if the Pope himselfe had spoken them VVhat I saie can they iudge but that the Pope is one of their religion a plaine Atheist that holdes the Scripture and all religion as farre as pleaseth his humour serueth his turnes And if anie of his faction holde this too hard a censure I would intreate him to answere mee but this question grounded vpon these words of his Whether is God the Authour of the olde Testament 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21 or no If they say no Saint Peter answereth that Prophecie in olde time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holie Ghost If hee bee then the Prouerbes of Salomon beeing a Canonicall Booke of the Olde Testament is Gods Booke and the wordes of this Text are Gods words and not Salomons This beeing so let vs then take the wordes as they are in their true and full meaning and see what a peece of Popish diuinitie heere is A straÌ„ge peece of popish doctrine that Gods word if it be authorized by the Pope is then of as good credit as if the Pope himselfe had spoken it therefore if the Pope please not to canonize it then it is not So that either Gods word must be beholden to the Pope for the authoritie of it or els it hath none Obserue that the wordes of the Text are not the wordes of the Pope but of God but because these words of God are heere canonized by the Pope therfore they are of credit and worthie to bee beleeued as well as if they had beene spoken by the Pope himselfe Loe heere the Pope in his owne colours this is Diuinitie fit to be hatched at Rome and to be coyned in his mint Let the words be examined and see what can followe of them but that either the Pope holdes not the Prouerbs to be Gods booke but SALOMONS which is horrible Atheisme or els if hee holde them Gods that the words of God beare no credit nor haue authoritie to binde mens conscience till the Pope doe canonize them and that Gods word in a book knowen receiued and graunted to bee Canonicall is not of as good authoritie in that booke as being translated into the Popes Canon lawe if he refuse both these then let him refuse his owne lawe and burne his glosse vpon his decretalles as contayning Atheisme and Heresie in a high degree 12 The sixt wound not healed But to goe forward is this wound healed Surely if they haue left it out or reformed it in any later impression so it bee with open confession and detestation of the fault it is well But sure I am it is in the impression I haue and in all other which I could borrow And further I do not know any Pope or popish writer that hath with authoritie and allowance condemned or reprooued this Atheisme if they knowe any they may doe well to produce them Meane time I am also sure of this that in stead of healing it they haue suffered their Doctors and Writers continually since to speake and write almost as ill if not worse In Queene Maries time an English Papist wrote thus c Proctor in his booke called the way home to Christ printed at LondoÌ„ in 8. Religion is occasioned by Scripture but perfected and authorized by the Church See we are more beholden to the Church then to the Scripture for our Religion About the same time Cardinal Poole out of his Pope-holy deuotion is sayde to haue affirmed that The written word of GOD is but a seede of Turcisme d Scriptura scripta est semen turcicuâ—â— And certaine Popish Doctors in Germanie beeing pressed in a disputation with the euideÌ„ce of Scripture boldely answered We are not tyed to the Scriptures those goose quilles doe not tie vs e Nos pennis illis anser inis minime sumus alligati I will not affirme these two vpon my owne credit but they haue beene charged with them both manie yeeres agoe and neuer yet disproued them But that that followeth I speak vpon knowledge A little after a great english Papist pretending to summon a Parliament for Poperie in his booke so called telles a storie of one whom hee hearde vpon reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes earnestly say that The Booke of Ecclesiastes is a naughty booke f Heskins a Doctor of diuinitie in his parliament of Christ lib. 1. cap. 2. printed at Antwerpe 1566. in folio He voweth to God and cals him to witnes that this he heard him himselfe but what was hee that spake it a Protestant no a Papist and no mad fellow nor ignorant foole nor profane scoffer but sayth Heskins hee was a man of worship of grauitie of wisedome of godly life and competent learning able to vnderstand and likewise exercised in the Scriptures and this is all the censure hee giues of him that spake these wordes Hee addeth further a little after in the same Chap. that a popish Gentlewoman hearing a text out of a boooke that papists holde to bee Scripture which shee misliked and being tolde by him for he heard her speak the words that the booke was Scripture shee aunswered that if the Scripture had such I will not say what shee saide words in it Shee would no more beleeue the scripture for it was naught g Heskins in his parliameÌ„t the next page after And what was shee that saide this a vertuous Catholicke gentlewoman and one that feared GOD h Obserue wel how a great popish doctor commeÌ„ds that man and woman for deuout and zealous papists who blasphemously saide that the scriptures were naught and not to be belieued and doth not reprooue the parties for their blasphemie So little doth it touch a papists hart to heare Gods word abused in the highest kind Lo what tokens Poperie giueth of a vertuous Catholicke woman and that feares God And tho Heskins cannot but graunt that these are blasphemies Yet did hee not reproue the one nor the other But contrariwâ—se commends them both and turnes it to
cure the sinnes and driue away the spirituall maladyes of their soules and to giue vnto them place in the glorie of heauen Then he comes to the point of Conformitie and to shewe this the better hee paintes a tree at the toppe whereof is Christ and at the roote Saint Francis the tree hath twenty branches on the right twenty on the left side euery branch hath foure particular fruits in all eightie these are equally diuided betwixt Christ and S. Francis 40. to the one and 40. to the other and each couple or paire of these is one point of conformitie betwixt Christ and S. Francis consisting in all vpon 40. particulars wherin they begin at the birth and conception nay at the very prophecies and promises made of Christ and so proceede to his life his death resurrection and ascension and in all and euery of these and in euery thing els whatsoeuer may be sayd of Christ the very same doe they not shame to affirme of that man Francis For example thus n Iesus Prophetis cognitus Franciscus declaratur Iesus emissus coelitus Franciscus destinatur c. Vide libruÌ„ conformitatum pag. 6. Christ was foretolde by the Prophets So was S. Francis Christ was sent from God so was S. Francis Thus go they ouer all his life in such a manner as there is nothing giuen to Christ but bare precedence And which surpasseth all admiration those two things wherein Christ did most apparantly as God declare his power and his loue as Mediatour namely his miracles his passion euen in these two is this Francis matcht with Christ our Sauiour nay rather in his passion he is matcht but in his miracles aduaunced farre before Christ And first for his passion whereas by their doctrine Christ had 5. wounds in his bodie tho indeed he had more they make S. Francis nothing his inferiour in that point for they say that he had fiue wounds in his hands and feete proportionable to Christs o Vide librum conformitatuÌ„ lib. 3. conformit 31. par 2. pag. 298. Franciscus consignatus erat a Christo suae sacrae passionis stigmatibus ita vt in manibus pedibusque eius erant clauià carne diuisi grossi solidi obtusi inter quos carnem erat apertura vnde semper sanguis exibat ad cuius repressionem excepto à vespere diei Iovis vsque ad sero diei Veneris sequentis semper paeciae interponebantur habuit etiam vulnus laterale ad instar vulneris lateris Christi and had certaine things like nailes in his feete and hands so diuided from the flesh that they would open from it so as his wounds did continually bleede insomuch as hee was faine to puttents into them to keepe them from bleeding which hee continually did sauing on good Friday when alwaies this popish Iesus did pul out his tents and let his wounds bleede as the true Christs that day did for our saluation this not only in hands and feet but that he had a wound in his side like to that in our Sauiour Christ and all this saith the book was not fained nor imaginarie but truly really imprinted in his body by the power of God that so he might make his friend Francis like to his sonne Christ in all things p Vide Baâ—tholomei de pisis EpistolaÌ„ ad Generalem capital ord Min. Christus ipsum Patrem Franciscum sibi per omnia similem reddidit et conformem And all this was not the superfluitie of idle superstitious Monks brains but the publicke act of their Church and manie Popes one after another haue allowed it and by their bulles and charters confirmed and auouched the truth of this story concerning the wounds of S. Francis q Vide libruÌ„ conformit lib. 3. confor 31. par 2. pag. 308 Apparet ergo 8. bullis summorum pontificum scilicet tribus Gregorij 9. tribus AlexaÌ„d 4. vna Nicholai tertij alia Benedicti 12. quòd beatus Franciscus stigmatizatus fuit and in monument and memory therof they haue their holy day of the 5. wounds to this day established by all authoritie r Dominus papa Benedictus 12. bâ—llam dediâ— ordini vt festum celebraretur de stigmatibus beati Francisci Thus Christ touching his passion is made equall with a mortall man an ignorant Frier by the Popes diuinitie is made equall with Christ in the manner of his suffring not in that fashion as euery Christian may be but so as none at all no saith this booke not S. Iohn the Euangelist nor the Virgin Marie her selfe could be But if we come to his Miracles then surely Christ must come after him for whereas Christ wrought a miracle he they say wrought ten and those that Christ did are nothing to his Christ neuer shewed that humilitie and charitie patience that S. Francis did Christ neuer gaue awaie all his clothes till hee was starke naked as S. Francis did Å¿ For al these being too loÌ„g to write in the margeÌ„t I must refer the Reader to the book it selfe if he will not beleeue me or els let him suspende his iudgemeÌ„t till I haue leisure to exemplifie these at large by themselues he neuer preached to beasts and birds as Saint Francis did he neuer by his words and the signe of the Crosse tamed and conuerted wild beastes as Saint Francis did All this may easily bee shewed and much more but I will insist only in one and on that the rather least they should take it in snuffe that I say their father FRANCIS conuerted beasts harken therfore to the storie and then iudge and spare not S. Francis on a time comming to preach at the city of Eugubium t Vide libruÌ„ conformitatuÌ„ lib. 1. conformit 10. paâ— 2. pag. 140. Francis preacheth to a wolfe Francis calleth the wolfe brother a couple of rauening Wolues well met Francis offereth the wolfe his brother to make peace betwixt him the rowne The Wolfe is content found that the saide Citie was much troubled with a great and cruell Wolfe that killd not their cattell onely but their people if they were vnarmed Francis would needs goe to him to turne him from his rauenousnesse and seeing the wolfe come against him with open mouth he made the signe of the Crosse vpon him and commanded the wolfe to shut his mouth and hurt him not the wolfe presently obeied and fel downe as tho he had beene a meeke Lamb then spake Francis to him and sayde Brother Wolfe thou hast shed much bloud and done much hurt and therefore art worthie to die and all this Citie iustly complaines of thee but brother if thou wilt be content I will make peace betwixt them thee the wolf by wagging his taile and mouing his eares shewed that he was verie glad Then brother Wolfe sayth S. FRANCIS seeing thou art content to bee at peace with them I will take order that they
not to haue anie warrant but meerelie to bee a state Ceremonie and done to amaze the poore people c. then it appeares they bee Cozeners and Atheists that make Religion a pretence to all their purposes But if it be in earnest and they knowe it to bee a prayer of faith and haue warrant from Gods word for it then it were possible to driue awaie the diuell and all his temptations out of a kingdome for so manie Belles might bee hallowed and washed as might hang one within the reach of anothers sound and so if the wordes of this prayer be true a Diuell might not stay in the realme and that Realme were very worthie to haue the Diuells companie that would not willinglie be at the cost to haue so manie bels though they were of siluer and to haue them baptized though it were in costly water To conclude Bellarmine pleaseth to sport himselfe a little with vs and sayth The Heretickes obiect to vs that wee baptize Belles but its maruell sayth hee that they doe not also say wee catechize and instruct them that so they may sound out the Articles of Fayth k Obijciunt nobis haeretici quod baptizamus Campanas Mirum vero est quod non etiam dicunt campanas a nobis antea catechizari et instrui vt possint fidei symbolum resonare Bellar. ibid. 24. 4 But it is verie likelie the Iesuite had not seene or not well perused the Pontificale for if he had hee might haue found that they pray to GOD to giue the HOLIE GHOST to the Bell to blesse it to sanctifie it to puriâ—â—e it to poure heauenlie blessings vppon it and the dewe of Gods grace Certainelie if this bee a lawfull an apt and fit prayer for the bell they may also catechise it for it is doubtless as capable of instructioÌ„ from man as of anie spirituall and heauenly blessing from God Thus it is proued I hope that the Romish Church in some sort for the name but especially for the matter doth baptize Bells It remains but to see 24 The twelfth wound not healed for the Romish Church still baptizeth belles if this wound be healed or no. But I answere this was not the superstition of the olde and ignorant times onely but is euen the present impietie of that Church for of late Clement the eight pretending to haue the Pontificall reuiued and reformed caused it to be printed at Rome before his face l Vide Pontificale Romanum Clementis 8. Pont. Max. iussu resti tutum atque editum Romae 1895. et legatur eiusdem Clementis Constitutio ibid. praefixa pro eiusdem libri autoritate approbatione by his authoritie in a faire letter and with most goodly pictures and indeede many things are left that might make against the Pope and many added that may make for him But as for this blasphemie and abuse of Gods holy Sacrament it stands vntouched vnaltered and allowed for a good and Catholicke practice in euerie particular as I haue afore set it downe and in manie more Oh BABYLON BABYLON when wilt thou be healed The other sore of this wounde is touching the Lords Supper 25 The other sore of the 12. wound That though Christ ordained the contrary yet it is not necessary for ChristiaÌ„s of the Laitie to haue the sacrament in both kinds but onely the bread not the Cup. which they maime and mangle sacrilegiously taking the Cuppe from the whole Laitie This wound is not very deepe for it is not olde but it is wide for it is generall and it is a foule one for it maymeth the Sacrament and crosseth Christâ— owne Institution They were a hatching it sometime before but at last the monster was brought foorth in the Councell of Constance when they decreed thus m Concil CoÌ„stant sess 13. Synodus declarat decernit definit quod licet Christê° instituerit et suis discipulis administrauerit sub vtraque specie panis et vini et similiter quod licet in primitiua ecclesia hoc sacramentum reciperetur a fidelibus sub vtraque specie tamen haec consuetudo est rationabiliter introducta quod a conficientibus sub vtraque à laicis tantummodo sub specie panis suscipiatur Et habenda est pro lege haec consuetudo c. et pertinaciter asserentes oppositum tanquaÌ„ haeretici arcendi et puniendi sunt et quod nullus Presbiter sub poena excomunicationis coÌ„municet populum sub vtraque specie panis et vini c. That notwithstaÌ„ding Christ or dained the SacrameÌ„t in both kinds and tho the eldest Church did so receiue it yet for al that this custom is lawfully and laudably brought into the Church that the laitie shal receiue but in one kinde onely and that whosoeuer shall holde the contrary shall be proceeded against as heretickes and all Priests are commanded vnder paine of excommunication that they giue not the Cuppe to the laitie and they that do and recant not shall be punished as heretickes This wound hath Bellarmine and other of the craftier sort of them sought to couer but not to cure and it would satisfie a man in this point tho he wauered before to see how slily superficially he deals in this questioÌ„ n Bellar. de sacram Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 26. tom 3. This abuse is so horrible the iniury to the sacrament the wrong to the laitie so notorious the absurdity impiety of the practice so without all colour of defence that if they were not without grace and past hope of recouery such as haue resolued to amend nothing they would haue reformed this long agoe But heerby it is apparant they are plain States-men Politicians who haue nothing els in their head but to maintaine the height of their hierarchie and Maiestie of their Monarchy Euen this one particular is sufficient to make demoÌ„stration hereof seeing they will not amend that which they see and know to be contrary to Christs Institution and wherof many of the better sort of themselues are vtterly ashamed But it is so farre from being healed at all that it is rather worse and worse 26 The latter sore of the 12. wound not yet healed but spreades further Look in their newe edition of the Councells this last yeare and there is no reformation of this euill o Vide postreâ—am edit CoÌ„cil per Bininum Colon. 1606. Concil Constant sess 13. in 2. parte tomi tertij p. 1589. no plaister laid vpon this sore not so much as a marginall note to qualifie the Non-obstante to Christs Institution but rather all is made worse then it was afore in the former and elder impressions Nay it is so farre from being healed that contrariwise it is made daily a wider and deeper wound For now it is made in that Church a sinne against the first Commandement of the morall lawe for a man to receiue the Sacrament in both kindes p
53. c. bee beleeued vpon his bare word So then if a Cardinall haue but the conscience to tell a lie which how small a thing it is in poperie and how manie excuses it hath who knoweth not then it is heere apparant that the vilest theefe and murderer in a countrie may easily escape the halter at Rome Now to conclude see how many helpes there be for a Murderer in Romish religion first by places then by persons priuiledged Places priuiledged be 1. a Church 2. a Churchyard 3. an hospitall 4. a Bishops house 5. a priuate Chappell all these shall deliuer a man from tryall were this so in London how should any murderer be brought to the Bar no street could he passe through but he shall finde one of these 5. places then by persons priuiledged which be first a Cardinall riding by which because it is but in fewe places therefore the second is a Priest carying the Sacrament and that is in euery towne To touch either of these doth deliuer from death a murtherer coÌ„demned by law Thus we see a bloudy Church is a defender of bloud and murther for let anie wise man consider how many thousand murders in a yeere may bee sheltred and shuffled ouer by these meanes And yet sanctuaries are but one means to cloak murther they haue many more not so fit to be stood vpon at this time but the end and effect of them all is this that poisoning stabbing killing and all kind of bloud-shedding is so rise in popish States that the better sort of themselues do bitterlie complaine of it Oleaster a spanish Inquisitor and therefore not partiall on our side hath these words r Vide Hieronimum ab Oleastro inquisitorem vlissiponens in suis CoÌ„ment in Pentat In cap. 4. Genes pag. 17. Video in quit homicidia fieri netamen video homicidas puniri sunt enim hodie mille modi excusandi homicidam quoruÌ„ vnuê° est ecclesiaÌ„ appellare Clericum se dicere statim Iudices quos volunt a summo poÌ„tifice impetrate qui eos absoluunt parua aut nulla poena imposita sic homicidia multi plicantur I see daily sayth he murders are committed but I doe not see the murderers are punished for we haue at this daie a thousand waies to excuse murderers wherof one is to appeale to the Church to say he is a Cleargie man and presently to get froÌ„ the Pope such Iudges or Commissioners as themselues will who by and by discharge and absolue them vpon a little punishment or none at all and thus murders are multiplied euerie daie c. Let these words be well obserued and what he was that spake them and if this be so so faâ—re from Rome as Portingale is theÌ„ we may easily iudge how the world goeth at Rome and neere vnto it Against all this what can be said that this Anastasius is an Author suborned by vs Nay Posseuine the Iesuite will for that answer for vs hauing canonized him in his catalogue of catholick Doctors s Possev Ies appar sac tom 1. lit A. Anastasius Germoniê° Archidiaconê° Taurinensis edidit libros de immunitatibus ecclesiasticis inter al. c. what then that he is but a triuiall fellow and of no credit nor authority Nor so for he was publicke professor of the Popes lawe at Turin in great office and authority both with Gregory the 14. and Clement the 8. t Idem Posseu ibid. Augustae Taurinorum publicè Canones interpretabatur nuper orator ad Clement 8. pro sereniss vrbini duce vtriusque Romanae signaturae referendarius and his bookes be dedicated to the Popes and Cardinalls printed at Rome with soueraigne authoritie and speciall commendation u Nay the Pope himselfe with Anastasij Germonij Ciuit Ro. Archidiaconi TaurineÌ„sis protonotarij Apostolici de sacroruÌ„ immutatibus lib. 3. ad Gregorium 14. Romae 1591. his own mouth commended the book to the Cardinals and said that the whole Clergie and the Councel of Cardinalls by name were greatly beholden to the Author for it w Vide eiusdem Anastasij Epistolam dedicat ad Gregorium 14. Pont. Max. So that it is more then impudencie for anie Papist to make question of the authoritie of his doctrine What then can be said that these sanctuaries stand indeed allowed for some faultes but not for murder If it were so the fault were lesse but the truth is otherwise For tho it be certaine and confessed by themselues that by the ciuile lawe Murderers and Rauishers and Adulterers are excepted x In §. Quod si delinquentes Authent de mand princip Yet Germonius shameth not to answere that the Ciuile lawe is corrected in this point by the Popes law and that therfore we are to stand to it y Iure Ciuili adulteri homicidae raptores ex eccl abduci possunt sed Ius Ciuile per pontificiuÌ„ hac in parte correctuÌ„ est ideo standuÌ„ est huiê° dispositioni c. sic Germoniê° de sacrorum immunitatibus lib. 3. cap. 16. art 57 c. and not to the Ciuile lawe Now who are excepted by the popes lawe only night-robbers and setters of high waies z Germonius ibid. art 56. ex Iure Canonico communi sententia but as for murderers adulterers and rauishers these finde fauor in the Popes lawe for they be Amici Curiae but theeues and robbers are not so and therfore this Germonius coÌ„cludes that tho the Scripture be plain and many Doctors yet a murderer is not to bee taken out of sanctuarie vnlesse there bee more then murder as deceit and treacherie What then may be said that this Germonius is but one Doctor and his opinion is not to be taken for a doctrine I answere his iudgement is allowed by the Pope himselfe and his opinions are fortified with consent of other popish Doctors But that we may see he walkes not alone in this waie one Stephanus Durantus writing also of late of the rites of the Romish Church deliuereth yâ— same for a general doctrin of that church tho he being a French-man is therfore the bolder and saith that neither in France nor in England they haue beene permitted by the kings with such absolute allowance as elswhere a Stephanus Durantê° de ritibê° ecclesiae catholicae Romae 91. ad Gâ—â—gor 14. vid. 1. ca. 26. art 10. Ea erat ecclesiae religio immunitas vt ad eam confugientes non liceret inde extrahere vel eis aliquam vim inferre Such saith he is the honor and immunity of Churches that malefactors flying to them may not bee taken out nor haue any violence offered them This book also is of speciall authoritie dedicated to P. Gregorie the 14. and by him accepted with speciall allowance and in a Bull or constitution of his hee affirmeth it is a worke seruing greatly for Gods glorie and the edification of Christian people and that it is approued and allowed
good Pope Adrian had confessed but was taken away lest hee had redressed and after at their motion he had intended a Councell should be called for reformation all this determined by his death His successor Clement the 7. was not so idle to hearken to such toyes nor giue way to such innouations hee would haue no Councell he saw no cause of reformation But from his successor Paul the 3. plaine necessitie did wring out an vnwilling consent and so after many difficulties the Councell of Trent was called wherein first of all this point of reformation was so vrged that a Committe was chosen of nine principall Diuines some of them Cardinals to consider what reformation was requisite in the Church who after mature deliberation plainly told the Pope that all these euils proceeded from the abuses raigning in the Court of Rome and concluding something for reformation of pluralities one only abuse the Pope did so interpret it and alter it when it came to him as it did no good but hurt He then dying and the Councell being intermitted was set on foote again by his successor Iulius the 3 who also confessed there were innumerable abuses in administring the Sacraments but when it came to reforme them in stead thereof hee suspended the Councell though many Bishops that desired reformation did protest against it affirming confidently that they had not as yet dispatched one of the businesses for which they had assembled but the Pope preuailed and so for tenne yeeres it was discontinued And at last being againe assembled by Pius the 4. he made shew hee would referre the whole matter of reformation to the Fathers of the Councell but when it came to trial it was with a prouiso that first they should not meddle with the Court of Rome secondly that in their reformation laid vpon other persons and places they should alwaies enact it thus Sauing alwaies holy and vntouched the Authoritie of the Apostolical sea for which their courtesie to him his seate he afterward gaue them thankes in an oration in the Consistorie at Rome assuring them but it was in the word of a Pope that he would be more rigide and seuere in purging his owne Court and house and offices then they would haue bin With these good words the Pope dissolued the Councell But froÌ„ that day to this saith this Bishop through these so many yeeres nothing is done nothing is changed nothing is amended in the Church and no maruell saith he for nothing haue they amended in Rome vnder their owne nose where they might reforme any thing if they had conscience and will to doe it So that now seeing all is finally referred and reserued to the Pope there is saith he no more hope of any reformation left nor any thing else remaines but to see one miserie after another fall vpon the Apostolicall seate and the whole Church These and many more words to this purpose hath this wise and learned Bishop Out of all which I conclude therefore 30. or 40. yeeres agoe in the daies of Espencaeus the Church of Rome being found and confessed to be most fearefully corrupt is not healed nor reformed nay that all hope of reformation is now taken away Since which time I shall thanke him that will shew me that there hath been any publike and generall reformation of the notorious abuses in that Church prouided hee prooue it out of as good records and with as faire euidence as I haue done the contrary which as I should reioyce in my heart once to behold so till For as for the third point I haue vndertaken namelie that in stead of being healed and reformed there haue contrariwise growne vp in the Romish Church more horrible and haynous practises more erroneous and 〈…〉 us do 〈…〉 〈…〉 hen e 〈…〉 〈…〉 re were knâ—â—vne or heard of and at this day stand maintained at least vnreproued by their Church This I say I must be constrained to referre to a peculiar Treatise by it selfe then I must needes with griefe of heart conclude that The Romish Church is that Babylon that will not bee healed And wil she not what then remaines but as our text leades vs Let vs forsake her But how not in loue or affection let vs neuer cease to wish to her as to our owne soules nor let vs cease to pray for her publikely and priuately yea let vs blesse her when she curseth vs. But let vs as we haue well begun proceed to separate our selues from her societie and emptie our Church and kingdome of her and hers And if they say we be schismatikes for separating from her we answere nay she is the schismatike that hath separated her selfe from Christ Now therefore you honourable Magistrates and Iudges of this nation set your shoulders to the worke of your God rouse vp your spirits to execute the good lawes your selues and your forefathers haue enacted our lawes are enowe and good enough they want nothing but execution and that belongs to you vnto which dutie wee of the Ministerie do exhort you in the Lord execute our lawes against theÌ„ yet rather against Poperie then the Papists remember the blessed promise in the Psalme though it was spoken of literall Babylon it hath a mysticall and true relation to spirituall Babylon O Psal 137. 8. 9. daughter of Babylon worthie to be destroyed happie shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs yea blessed shal he be that taketh thy young childreÌ„ dasheth theÌ„ against the stones Oh pul this blessing on your heads kill her infants that is her errors impieties superstitions blasphemies idolatries equiuocations treasons c. these be her Impes her naturall brood but they are now of more age and growne to greatnes the more danger is there of them and more cause to kill them which if you doe with diligence and discretion you see you draw a blessing from heauen vpon your selues If you do not you do for a time maintaine prickes in your eyes and thornes in your sides and your negligence will prouoke the great and iust Lord to take the matter into his owne hands which as he hath alreadie not onely threatned but begun so he will though he deferre it till his owne time bring it to full execution For her iudgement is come vp into heauen and lifted vp to the clouds And then when she hath drunke vp the dregges of the cup of Gods wrath and by the breath of his mouth is fearefully confounded then I say shall all her Merchants and all her louers whereof we haue too many that lurke amongst vs and euen some that notwithstanding will needs be of vs bee ashamed for their louing of her whom they see God hated and for their labouring so basely to couer her filthie skirts which he would haue to her shame discouered to the view of the world and then shall they shrinke to beaâ—e a part of her punishment which so much delighted to wallow with her in