but the Pope refus'd to Crown him unless he would first promise to Ratify the pretended donation of Constantine and also grant all those things de novo and swear forthwith to depart Italy All which Valla cannot mention without Indignation what saith he would be more absurd than to be crown'd Emperor and at the same time renounce Rome to be Crowned of him who he confesseth and as much as in him lieth maketh Lord of the Roman Empire And to Ratify a donation which if it be true leaveth to the Emperor nothing of the Empire which I think Children would not have done I shall not mention all the quarrels of this Pope the greatest part of whose times was spent in Wars and Bloodshed insomuch that the Romans not able to endure his Cruelties once drove him out of the City making him run away in the habit of a Monk and pelting him with durt and stones whence he retired to Florence and remained there some time but having by his friends again reduc'd Rome to his obedience he used greater severities than ever and notwithstanding he had so approv'd of the Council of Basil yet now will needs dissolve it and accordingly recalls Cardinal Julian his Legate from thence on the other side the Fathers of the Council by their Letters first intreat and afterwards admonish him to come thither himself or at least not to disturb the peace of the Church by offering to obstruct their proceedings but he persisting and appointing another Anti-Council at Ferrara they formally Cite Accuse Adjure suspend and at last depose him from the Popedome and in his room Elect Amades Duke of Savoy by the name of Felix the Fourth who before led an Hermits Life on the Banks of the Lake of Lausanna However Eugenius still swagger'd as Pope in Italy and having got together a Conventicle of Cardinals most of their own making and others in Ferraria in the year 1438. and next year by reason of the Pestilence removed to Florence John Palaeologus the Emperor of the East and several Bishops of the Greek Church upon a treaty that had been advanc'd for a Reconciliation between the two Churches resolved to have a personal Conference and being at Sea upon his Voyage for Italy Charles the 7 th King of France who sided with the Council of Basil sent forth a Fleet of Gallies into the Ionick Sea to meet him and acquaint him that the lawfull Council was held at Basil not at Florence and therefore to perswade him to Land in France whence he should be honourably Conducted to Basil But the Pope understanding this design by large Bribes Corrupts the Admiral of the French Gallies who willfully steering a wrong course misses the Emperour and so he Lands in Italy The presence of this Emperour and the noise of an Vnion like to be patcht up between the Two Churches added not a little lustre to the Popes Council yet the proceedings of the Council of Basil extreamly troubled him and against them he and his Council published several Bulls and writings wherein they blush not to affirm That it was so far from truth That he ought to obey general Councils that he then most merited when he contemn'd the Decrees of the Council and that this proposition The Council is above the Pope is Heretical although both then and ever since it was and has been held and affirmed by all the Universities of Christendome whence it will follow that whilst the Roman Church boasteth her self superior to all other Churches and the Roman Bishop above all other Bishops by this Decree of Eugenius the Bishop of Rome is made superior to and of higher Authority than the universal Church and consequently the pretended Infallibility of the Church should be derived not now to the Romish Church but to one only man which shews him evidently to be the Antichrist according to that Interpretation of St. Augustine de Civitate Dei Lib. 18. Cap. 2. That Antichrist should not not only sit in Templo Dei in the Temple of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Templum into the Temple As if he himself were the Temple it self and he alone the Church Besides by these Translations let the Christian Reader judge of that Infallibility of the Church represented in a Council since here he sees these Two Councils at one and the same time in one and the same question do decree things directly contrary But 't was not with Paper pellets and spiritual Thunders that this stouthearted Pope Attaqu'd the Council of Basil for a truce being concluded between the Kings of England and France whereby the Soldiers on each part were dismiss'd Eugenius subtlely Inveigles the Dauphin of France afterwards Lewis the 11 th who gathers up near 30000 of those disbanded Troops and marches towards Basil Colouring the Expedition with many remote pretences but indeed with a design to unroost the Fathers there and force them to break up But they were no sooner entered the Territories of Basil but the Cantons of Switzerland hastned to its succour and relief And 4000 Switzers with incredible Valour stood the Shock of all the great Army and continued the Battel all night scarce 150 of them escaping but thereby they put a stop to the enemies advance and preserv'd the City and Council The COURANT. Inter Serpentes et scorpiones Nemo securus Ingreditur St. Hierom. Tory. FOr all your Tatling Catholick Nat tho unhapily Cag'd since I saw you last yet defies the Wooden Ruff and the Whipping-post The good man avows to all the World He has done nothing to be asham'd of Truem. I told you then I should not meddle with the success of his present Adventures Nor will I dispute whether hebemore meritorious better be friended less Guilty or born under more indulgent Stars than his Sister Cellier 'T is certain their ends were the same though they pursued several means her story of Prances being Racks and his of Sir Edmondbery Godfrey's Killing himself being a like design to Sham that Murder from the Papists and load the Justice of the Nation with scandal But all I shall say is that he had long since a prior right and Title to the Pillory for if he be not belied this very Loyal Protestant was the Gentleman that besides some Cart-loads of bare fac'd Popery first Printed and Publisht a certain Libell the Reprinting of which from his Publique Copy after it had many days haunted the Town brought another to that Ignominious stand Tory. Prethee let Nat alone he 's safe enough and I think at this juncture your Faction have little cause to boast Truem. I know not what you mean by Faction for some Folks of late have got new Dictionaries and they call Religion Sedition the Nine and Thirty Articles Fanaticism drunken madness Loyalty horrid damming and swearing zeal for the Church Traiterous Papists good confiding subjects moderate Churchmen the worst sort of Whigs asserting liberty and property though in never so dutifull and legal away
pardon and as to the former shall endeavour now to satisfie him which is Touching the Troubles and Opposition that Wickliff met with If the strength or policy of Man could have stifled those Truths which he delivered his Doctrine had long since been extinct for the Pope was soon alarm'd therewith and bestir'd himself amain to get Wickliff silenc'd but such Esteem had he by his Vertues and Learning obtain'd that when Gregory the Eleventh in the year 1378. sent his Bull to the University of Oxford expostulating with them for suffering him there to spread his Tenets Walsingham the Historian tells us That the Heads of the Vniversity were long time in suspense whether they should receive such the Pope's Bull with Honour or reject it with Contempt Yet at last the Reverence they bore to his Un-holiness prevailed with them to entertain his Bull with Respect However we do not find that they did any thing effectually against Wickliff But the Archbishop of Canterbury was very violent against him twice he was actually convented before him and other Bishops and thrice summoned to appear The first time he escaped by the favour of the Duke of Lancaster who would needs have a Chair for him that he might sit which the Bishops would not admit in their presence and so a Quarrel arose and nothing then was done The second time he got off by means of a Messenger who just as they were about to pass Sentence upon him came in from the Queen charging them immediately to desist The third time he prudently absented himself and did not obey their Summons because he had intelligence that the Bishops had plotted his Death by the way devising the means and encouraging certain Russians thereunto However in his absence the Bishops with the Rabble of Friars to assist them took upon them to examine and censure his Writings meeting for that purpose at the Gray-Friars London where just as they were going about their business happen'd a most terrible Earthquake which much daunted them yet at last they proceeded to pick out 9 Articles or Propositions which they condemn'd as Heretical and 23 others as Erronious And then they got the King's Letters forbidding his Books and Doctrines to be publish't yet still he remain'd firm and constant and laboriously both by preaching and writing propagated the Gospel and God wonderfully preserv'd him out of the hands of his Enemies continuing Parson of Lutterworth in Leicestershire and so died in peace in a good old Age in the year 1387. Nor was his Doctrine confin'd only to England but shone and gave light into Regions far remote Some say that to avoid the fury of the Clergy he himself for some years withdrew into Germany and there preached the Gospel but I do not find sufficient Ground for that opinion but rather believe the Truth might be propagated there by some of his Followers and in particular Cochleus in his History of the Hussiâ—es l. 1. tells us Petrus Payne Anglus Discipulus Wiclephi Pragam cum Libris illius profugerat One Peter Payne an Englishâ—man one of Wickliff ' s Scholars who was sent with other Legates to the Council at Basil where he disputed for three days together touching the Civil Dominion of the Clergy fled into Bohemia and carried with him some of Wickliff ' s Books Some of which were Translated by John Huss into the Bohemian Language as the same Cochleus relates who also affirms That one of the Bishops of England wrote him word Esse sibi adhuc â—odie duo maxima Volumina Wiclephi quae mole suâ videantur aequare opera B. Augustini That he had then by him two Volumes of Wickliff ' s which were almost as large as St. Austin ' s Works Of which many it seems are since lost or destroy'd by the Papists but divers of them are yet extant What opinion the University of Oxford had of the Learning and Piety of this good Man appears by that Testimonial which they publickly gave of him under their Common Seal dated October 5. 1406. which you may read in Mr. Foxes Acts and Monuments fol. 112. And now being in his Grave one would have thought he had been beyond the Sphere of Activity of the most inveterate Malice but such is the nature of Papal Cruelty that its Rage extends almost to the other World and with a Barbarity more than Heathenish violates Sepulchers for 41 years after Wickliff's Death the Council at Constance the very same Conventicle that Decreed That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks made an Order for taking up his Bones and burning them in these words For as much as by the Authority of the Sentence and Decree of the Council of Rome and by the Commandment of the Church and the Apostolical See after due Delays granted this Holy Synod hath proceeded unto the Condemnation of the said John Wickliff and his Memory having first made Proclamation and given Commandment to call forth whosoever would defend the said Wickliff or his Memory if any such there were but none did appear And likewise Witnesses being examined by Commissioners appointed by Pope John and his Council upon the Impenitency and final Obstinacy of the said John Wicliff reserving that which is to be reserved as in such Cases the Law requires and his Impenitency and Obstinacy even unto his end being sufficiently proved by evident Signs and Tokens and also by lawful Witnesses of Credit therefore the Sacred Synod declareth determineth and giveth Sentence That the said John Wickliff was a notorious obstinate Heretic and that he died in his Heresie Cursing and Damning both him and his Memory This Synod also Decrees and Ordains That the Body and Bones if they may be discerned and known from the Bodies of other faithful people be taken out of the Ground and thrown away far from the Burial place of any Church according to the Canon Laws and Decrees Pursuant to this worshipful Decree The Archdeacon and Official of the Diocess shortly after came with their Officers to Lutterworth Church where Wickliff lay buried and having disinterred his Bones they with much Formality burnt the same and turn'd his Dust into Ashes which Ashes they also took and threw into the River as if they would Interest all the Elements in their Inhumane Pageantry Touching which I find in a most Learned Treatise written by Dr. Hoyle Professor of Divinity in Dublin Colledge Entituled A Rejoinder to Mr. Malone ' s Reply concerning the Real Presence p. 654. this remarkable passage The Doctor having discours'd of the taking up the Bâ—nes of Bucer and Fagius adds these words I cannot upon so good an occasion but glance at the like more than Savage usage of Wickliff and signifie to the World a strange Accident not yet observed in Print by any and which my self learned of the most aged Inhabitants and they within a few hands from the very Eye-witnesses and is a common Tradition in all Lutterworth A Child finding one of Wickliff's Bones
loth to look so far my only care is and all good Subjects ought to be for our Queens Majesties Preservation What other Title soever be pretended be it good or bad if it shall once threaten danger to the Queen's Majesty whose Title and Governance we know to be true and have felt to be good I wish it destroyâ—d and put out of hope lest it hope too soon too much too high and join with too many Thus the very syllables of that Author Tory. Well! and what the Devil does all this signifie The idle Dream I 'le warrant ye of some seditious Puritanical Whig Truem. The Book Sir was printed by Authority and seems but to express the general fears and apprehensions Protestants were then in from the prospect of a Popish Successor But the truth is Mr. L'Estrange was a little too young to be Licenser in those days Tory. Why there 's the business Tempora mutantur Protestants dread a Popish Successor I must tell you Sir that whoever is cautious against such a Blessing is Ipso facto to be reputed stigmatiz'd and prosecuted as a Whig a damn'd Phanatick a Rascal a Traitor and infallibly an Enemy to the Church of England as by Law establish'd and all this if need be we will have proved as plain as the way to Dunstable in the next Observator Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 28. 1682. Papae tempus adest magnò cum optaverit empâ—um Intactam hanc Gentem cum spolia ista diemque Oderit Arguments proving the Church of Rome not to be the true Church of Christ IN our last we Explain'd the Notion of a Church in its several Acceptations as far as was necessary and offer'd one Reason then why the Roman Church was not to be esteemed a true Church We now proceed to Consider the same a little further And our Second Argument shall for the greater Authority be taken from the Profest Publick Doctrine of The Church of England if the Book of Articles and Homiles be allowed to Contain her Doctrine which some Mens Heterodoxies and bold Preachments of quite contrary Tenets whilst they yet vapour and boast themselves as the only true Churchmen has rendred a Quaere Argument 2. The true Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same But the Church of Rome is not a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Therefore the Church of Rome is not a true visible Church of Christ The Major is the Express Words of the Nineteenth Article of the Church of England And least any should say That we may indeed from hence conclude Affirmatively not Negatively viz. That where these Marks are There is a Church but not that where they are not there is no Church be pleased to take notice That the Church of England delivers these Words by way of Definition of a Church describing it by the proper Marks Now a Definition all that understand the Art of Reasoning know is not only positive in it self but Exclusive and Negative in regard of that to which it is Oppos'd The Minâ—r is also declar'd and asserted by our Church in her Homilies As for Example in That for Whit-sunday part 2 d. We have these Passages First It speaking of the Church of Rome wants these true and proper Marks of a true Church having before mentioned these very Marks For neither are they Built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Christ Jesus neither do they Order the Sacraments or Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them Again They want the Spirit of God if it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then it is at Rome Again He that is of God heareth Gods Word whereof it followeth That the Popes in not hearing Christs Voice do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possest of his Spirit Thus the Homily whereby I think this Argument is sufficiently supported and will appear Cogent to all such as own themselves Soâ—â— of the Church of England and indeed 't is pity any such should now be to be Informed That the Church of Rome is no true Church Nor is this Argument less strong in it self against the Papists For the Proposition is St. Paul's Gal. 1. 8. That Man or Angel and by parity of Reason That Church which teacheth otherwise than the Apostles taught is accursed and whether such Church offend herein by adding to Christs Doctrine or by detracting or taking from it 't is all one the Crime is the sameâ— 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another thing another Gospel For as for taking away as the Apostle saith Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yeâ— offend in one point he is Guilty of all James 2. 10. So most truly too saith St. Ambrose in his Sixth Book upon Luke Negat Christum qui non omnia quae Christi sunt Confitetur He denyeth Christ who doth not confess and acknowledge all that Christ taught And for adding unto the same Father Writing upon those words Be not the Servants of Men 1 Cor. 7. 23. thus testifieth Servi hominum sunt qui Humanis se subjiciunt Superstitionibus They are the Servants of Men that submit themselves to Humane Traditions And if they are the Servants of Men they are not the Servants of Christ So St. Paul concludeth Gal. 1. 10. So that the Proposition as it is Asserted by the Church of England so is it likewise Justified by the Authority of the Holy Scripture and ancient Fathers Then as for the Assumption That in the Church of Rome neither the Word of God is truly Preached nor the Sacraments duly Administred is notorious for as to Doctrine they have added their own Figments as Transubstantiation Purgatory c. and do Preach contrary Doctrines to the Scripture and as touching the Sacraments they have not only Augmented the Number and made Five new ones of their own which Christ never Instituted viz. Confirmation Orders Pennance Matrimony and Extream Vnction But also they have utterly Corrupted those Two which our Lord Ordain'd For in Baptism besides Water they use Spettle Salt Oyl Chrism contrary to the Institution and they lay such a necessity upon this Institution That all that dye without it even Infants they say are Damn'd See Bellarm. de Baptism L. 1. Ca. 4. and Rhem. Annot. on John the 3 d. In the Lords Supper they have turned the Sacrament to a Sacrifice made an Idol of Bread changed the Communion into private Masses
taken the Cup from the Lay-people and committed many other Abominations Therefore I conclude this Argument The Church of Rome not having the Word of God purely Preached nor the Sacraments rightly Administred according to the Institution is in no sort to be esteemed a Visible Church of Christ Argument 3. That pretended Church which overthroweth and denyeth the only Rule of Faith is no true Church of Christ But the Church of Rome does so Therefore As to the Proposition the only Rule of Faith is the Scripture or written Word of God John 5 32. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Now to overthrow this Rule is to overthrow the Foundation of the Church of God which is built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. 20. That is the Scriptures of the New and Old Testaments As for the Assumption That the Church of Rome hath overthrown this Rule is Evident for First She hath added another Rule of her own to wit Traditions and humane Inventions which are contrary to the Scriptures as Christ saith Matt. 15. 16. Gods Ark and Dagon cannot stand together what Communion hath Christ with Belial What agreement hath Divine Purity with bold Forgeries Secondly they overthrow as much as in them lies this only Rule of Faith whilst they subject the Authority and Sense of it wholly to the Church of Rome or the Pope so that Gods Word is not received of the Church of Rome as it is the Word of God but as the Word of Men contrary to that of the Epistle 1 Thess 2. 13. Argument 4. That Church which holdeth not the Head Christ is no true Spouse or Church of Christ But the Church of Rome holdeth not the Head Christ Therefore The Proposition is undeniable Eph. 4. 16. and 5. 23. The Assumption may thus be proved That Church which is wholly Idolatrous holdeth not the Head Christ For if Worshiping of Angels which is but one kind of Idolatry separates from the Head as it does by the Apostles Testimony Colloss 1. 18. then much more all kind of Idolatry But the Church of Rome is drown'd in all kind of Idolatry as not only Worshiping of Angels but likewise of Saints and Pictures and Images and of a piece of Bread c. Besides she adhereth to another Head viz. the Pope and not to the one only true Head Christ and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 2 Cor. 6. 16. And the member of an Harlot cannot be withal a member of Christ See 1 Cor. 15. 16 17. Argument 5. The true Church of Christ is the true Flock of Christ But the true Church of Rome is not the true Flock of Christ Ergo. The Proposition is undeniable from Cant. 6. 6. Acts 20. 28. John 10. 16. The Assumption is proved John 10. 3 4 and 17 verses There it is laid down as the property and Characteristick Mark of Christs Flock That they hear his Voice and know it and follow it But the Church of Rome hears not Christs Voice nor acknowledges or follows it but the Voice of Antichrist and the Antichristian Synagogue they hear not Christs Voice as Christs Voice but as the Churches Voice And this is likewise affirm'd against Rome by the Church of England in the before Cited Homily for Whit-sunday Argument 6. That Church which practiseth not the true Baptism of Christ is not the true Church of Christ But the Church of Rome does not practise the true Baptism of Christ Ergo The Proposition I suppose will be granted Baptism being an Initiating Ordinance without which none can be Members of the Visible Church The Assumption is thus proved True Baptism is a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith and of the Covenant of Grace made unto us in Christ But the Baptism in the Church of Rome is not such for the Church of Rome denyeth the Righteousness of Faith and the Justifying by Faith yea she maketh Baptism the Instrumental Cause of Justification so as that it confers Grace Ex opere operato by the meer thing done and they require not Faith in Christ as necessary for the Party to be Baptized But only a Disposition Conc. Trent Sess 7. Can. 6. and 8. and principally the whole Force of Baptism and so of all their Sacraments depend upon their Priests intention So that the Church of Rome hath no more of Baptism but only the External Form of words and those fullyed with abundance of lewd Ceremonies together with the Element of Water For a Sacrament is a visible sign of an Invisible Grace which Invisible Grace the Church of Rome destroyeth while she placeth the Grace in the Sacrament it self denying and Accursing Sess 7. Can. 6. only Faith in Gods Promise to be sufficient to receive Grace Thus they destroy the Nature and use of Christs Sacraments and of Baptism in special while they seperate it from the Doctrine of the Word of God and from the necessity of Justifying Faith Thus their Church is quite Removed from the Foundation and built upon another Bottom Thus Baptism to them of that Church is nothing else but a Seal to a Blank or which is worse a Sealing up of their Condemnation whilst their Sins are not washed but their Souls drowned in Errour and Idolatry as the Aegyptians in the Red Sea a Type of Baptism Yea they make a very Idol of their Sacrament and of the Priest together whilst to these they attribute that Grace which the only Author and Fountain of true Baptism can give and present their Children in the Faith of that Church which denyeth true Faith in Christ THE COURANT. Jesuit PRethee whither so fast my dear most obliging Friend Tory. I have just now seen an Express from his Eminency Cardinal H. Patron of our Nation at Rome which assures That all this Ruffle of the most Christian King against that Court is only a Sham Contriv'd on purpose to wheadle in Neighbours into a good Opinion of the French whom you know our Common People naturally hate but yet he says at this Juncture it will be highly necessary for a certain Gentleman's purpose whose Interest is Inseparable to set Monsieur fair in their thoughts under pretence That he will prove forsooth a Second Harry the Eight Jesuite I hate a blabbing Tongue 'T is only taking wind makes things smell strong This ought to be kept a Secret not but that we are long since satisfied in the Intrigue and know whose Influence at present Governs the Sorbon we must adapt Principles to occasions vcer our Sails to catch the Wind. 'T is a thriving piece of Haeresie prethee promote the Hint That Lewis's Arms shall Effect what one of his Predecessors Coyn threatned Perdam Babylonis nomen and get our Observator and his Cullyed Pupils to advance the Notion nothing will be more advantagious as present Circumstances play The White Witch shall Unravel the Enchantments of the Black one Let us alone to Retrieve the Business at next favourable opportunity Tory. But I have further
mystery Roger has more than once been tampering with this Mr. Tongue and at Christmas last renew'd his Intrigue with him much about the same time Fairwell and Pain began privately to broach their Sham now if Godfrey's Murder could have been turn'd off and people been made believe that Dr. Tongue and Dr. Oats contriv'd and invented the whole Scheme of the Plot so Artificially that it deceived the King and four Parliaments and all the Judges c. Then how innocent would the poor Roman Catholicks appear and what glorious Martyrs Whitebread Coleman and the rest But this trinkling with young Tongue taking wind Roger cries Whore first and fills the World with Exclamations that Mr. Tongue forsooth had a Plot upon But Roger Roger for all your Lapwinging there is more of this matter known than you are aware of and there will come a day of Reckoning Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The fourth Volume FRIDAY May 26. 1682. Quocunque aspicies nihil est nisi Terror Orcus That the present Faith of the Church of Rome is to be refused upon pain of Damnation The Woes threatned to them that abide in her Communion Greater the Sin and more sore the punishment of such as revolt unto her The Judgment of the ancient Divines of the Church of England in the Case TO reinforce and corroborate what we offer'd in our last of the extream hazard all that continue in the Romish Church at this day do run in Relation to their Eternal State We shall now advance and endeavour to Demonstrate the following Proposition viz. That the Faith of the Church of Rome is to be refused upon pain of Damnation And First For Explanation of the Terms By the Faith of the Church of Rome is understood the Doctrine of the said Church delivered to be believed of all men that 〈◊〉 to be saved as matters revealed by God to that end And this is â—â—â—sidered as one individual or singular thing for though indeed it be divided into several Articles of which it consists yet it is conceived by themselves as one intire Body because they are all knit together by the same Bond namely by being assented to and believed upon one and the same reason and all to be received on pain of the same Anathema Thus Fisher the Jesuite under the Mask of A. D. in his Treatise of Faith Ca. 4. Faith must be intire whole and sound in all points and it is not sufficient stedfastly to believe some points mis-believing or not believing other some or any one For not to believe any one Point whatsoever which God by revealing it doth testify to be true and which by his Church he hath commanded us to believe must needs be damnable as being a notable Injury to Gods Verity and a great disobedience to his Will And that Chamaelion the Arch-bishop of Spalatto when he was return'd to his Vomit in his Consilium Reditûs p. 20. asserts the same All Articles saith he of Faith determined by the Church are fundamental none of them may be deny'd without Heresie Thus every Member of the Church of Rome must as stedfastly and absolutely believe the least point of Reliques Images Purgatory c. delivered by the Council of Trent as the greatest mysteries of the Godhead Trinity Incarnation c. And if he deny any of the former he is no less an Heretick than if he deny'd any of the latter Yea though he believe all that they propound to be believed save some one he is for want of believing that one if he know that the Church propounds it to be believed a Miscreant or Mis-believer The reason of which is this that if the Church may err in one thing it may err in another and so can be no sure foundation of Faith Now to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome is nothing else but not to acknowledge the Doctrin by her delivered to be true but to abhor it as false not of every particular point but of all joyntly together For we freely acknowledge that the Papists do hold several great mysteries of Divinity truly and soundly wherein we also agree with them but yet we may not receive their Faith for true as it is by them delivered for one Intire body of Divinity revealed by God to be believed by all men that will â—e saved So that to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome is not to believe that it is true or to believe that it is false and this we say is required by every man upon pain of Damnation Which words Vpon pain of Damnation are not so to be understood as if we presumed to pronounce sentence of Condemnation against all that continue in the Church of Rome we have disclaim'd such Temerity but thereby is meant that the believing that Doctrin as a matter of Faith is a thing in it self damnable that is such as maketh a man liable to damnation How it shall fall out with particular men in the event we neither know nor take upon us to inquire only we say that their mis-belief is such a sin as setteth them in a state of Damnation To prove this we must consider That there are Two ways by which sin leadeth a man into the state of damnation The one is the desert or fitness it hath to procure damnation The other is the actual meriting or deserving of Salvation Into the former sin casteth a man off it self Into the latter he falleth as by sin so by the Ordinance or Decree of God who hath laid the penalty of Damnation upon it Hence ariseth this Argument against receiving the Faith of the Romish Church That which maketh a man unclean in Gods sight hath a fitness to procure Damnation For unclean things are unmeet for the presence of God and consequently meet for Damnation But the Faith of the Church of Rome maketh a man unclean in the sight of God For it is erroneous in so high a nature as we have proved that it makes a man guilty of High Treason against God by Installing the Pope in the Throne of God giving him Power and Authority to determine as a Judge what is matter of Faith and what not without any Commission or Warrant from God Nor do they only give him authority to Interpret the Scripures but also allow him to set up a Forge of Tradition where he Hammers what he listeth and Vends it to be received upon pain of Damnation for the word of the ever living God What is it to fulfill that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 4. To sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God if this be not And must not all they needs be accessaries to this High Treason that acknowledge such his Usurp'd Authority and yield obedience to it Or how can it be reasonably denied that there is a worthiness and fitness in the Faith of the Church of Rome to procure Damnation Therefore
and afterwards Divinity he was scribe in the Council of Basil and Master of the Ceremonies and by them imploy'd in several Eâ—bassies and wrote the Transactions of that Council mainly opposing Eugenius and asserted that a Pope ought to be subject to a general Council Most remarkable is the Epistle he wrote to Gasper Schâ—â—ck the Emperours Chancellor Epist Aen. Sylvii 54 All men abhor and detest Schism the Remedy is brief and safe viz. That Princes or their Ambassadors Convene in some common place and conclude matters among themselves for he shall be undoubted Pope whom all Princes would obey nor do I see any of the Clergy so constant to Death as to suffer Martyrdome either for the one part or for the other we all commonly hold that Faith which our Princes embrace and if they should Worship Idols we would also do the same and not only deny the Pope but God also if the secular power press us thereunto for Charity is grown cold and all Faith is gone c. But Honours change manners no sooner was he Pope but he begins to sing another Tune and sets forth a Bull entituled Retraction revoking his former Acts and opinions and the things which he before had seemed to detest in other Popes he himself now both applauded and advanced So likewise by another Bull begining Execrabilis dated in the second year of his Popedome he strictly forbids any to presume to Appeal from the sentence of the Bishop of Rome to any future Council and pronounces all such Appeals whether of Emperors Kings Bishops c. to be void vain execrable and pestiferous In another Bull which begins In minoribus agentes directed to the University of Cologn Anno 1463 he professeth that it repenteth him that he wrote the Dialogue and other Books touching the Authority of the Council and is not ashamed to add That then like St. Paul he ignorantly persecuted the Church of God affirming now on the contrary that the Authority of the Pope is above that of the Church Representative and endeavouring to prove the same by the very same Text which before he had expounded in a quite different sense Nor was he less pragmatical in his Actions than his predecessors For the Augmentation of the Papal Majesty he feared saith Stella in his Life neither Kings nor Dukes people nor Tyrants but if they would not obey he Persecuted them so long both by Wars and Censures till he perceived them to be recovered Thus he became an enemy to Lewis King of France who went about to restrain the Insolences of the Clergy in his Dominions he Thundred forth terrible Execrations against Sigismond Duke of Austrea for that he had Chastised the Cardinal of St. Peter ad Vincula he deposed the Archbishop of Ments for having an ill opinion of the Church of Rome and brought many Towns of Campania to the submission of the Holy Seâ— But his Ambition cannot better be descry'd than from his 3â—6 Epistle where he offereth and promiseth the Empire of the Greeks to Mâ—homet the Grand Seignor if he would become a Christian and succour the Church that is to say his Faction that he might more easily rend and at his pleasure trample upon Christendome which he continually harrass'd with Wars Yet it must be acknowledged that he was more Learned and a man of better sense than most of those that have possess 't the Chair and till he was blinded with self-Interest had a very piercing Judgment of things as appears by these his following sayings or Apothegms recorded by Platina and others Proverbial Maximes of Aeneus Sylvius or Pope Pius the II. 1. Every sect grounded on Authority wants humane reason 2. The Christian Faith if it were not approved by Miracles yet ought to be received for its innate Honesty and Excellency 3. Marriage with great reason was forbiden to Priests and yet for the greater reasons ought to be restored to them Note that in some late Editions of Platina this sentence is struck out but it is in mine Printed at Cologn 1611 4. To search into and study the Course of the Stars is a thing of more delight and ostentation than profit 5. A Covetous man is never satisfied with Mony nor a Scholar with knowledg 6. Those who have the happiness to know most have the perplexity to meet with most doubts 7. Learning to the vulgar ought to serve instead of Silver to the Nobles as Gold but by Princes to be valued as pretious stones 8. Laws on poor people have force but towards the great ones they are Dumb. The COURANT. Quae tanta Insania Cives Creditos avectos Hostes Truem. ANd have you dispos'd of the House in Aldersgate-street Tory. Yes yes that little man is to be Abbreviated in Michaelmas Term and Sir Richard to enter upon the premises at Christmas so 't was resolv'd at our Club last night at the Queens Head I 'le assure you Truem. Very fine and who are the rest that you design the Two Gentlemen shall have the honour of being Executioners to Tory. Why not above half ascore Lords Four Aldermen and about Three hundred and fifty Commoners Truem. That 's a small business prethee let it be two or three thousand when your hands in But how will you do for Evidence Tory. Pshaw let 's have confiding Juries and wee 'l presâ—ntly find Witnesses enough in the divels-name there 's a spot of ground near Pauls where they grow as fast as solun-Geese do in Scotland Godwin the Tailor who swore his wife Colledges sister into Newgate tother day will do well for a young beginner besides we still maintain the old Reserve at 'tother end o th' Town on purpose for opportunity I saw some of them on Wednesday last in Fleet-street as fine as if the Divel were their Tailor they looked I 'le promise you more like Lords than Common Knights look look quoth a roguish Porter seeing them go by observe the difference all the while these fellows swore against Papists they were forc'd to sneak up and down and beg Coffee at the Amsterdam and dâ—ne five of them on a Loyn of Mutton but no sooner did they Tack and puff Shafâ—sbury into the Tower but Hey bâ—ys up go we The plate Fleet arriv'd it rain'd Lac'd Cravaâ—s and Beavers and the Fairies brought them New Suits and Guinnies in the pockets and ever since the miracle continues and they live like Princes Truem. But how if one of your Gazet-Sheriffs should not be willing to hold after this Tory. Nay then I faith Roger L'Estrange has spent his time and pains to a fine purpose Pray do you know what Company that Gentleman is of he has stickled more in this No-Choice than any Livery man of them all Truem. Who Roger hee 's a Haberdasher of small Wares Tory. Well you see he claws off Prance still Truem. Yes he went by there the other morning and put forth his Snout out of the Coach against Prances door and loll'd out his Tongue
Sacrament of the Body of Christ saying that it ought to be Ministred in both kinds and that after the words of Consecration pronounc'd there still remaineth material Bread in the Sacrament 2. He doth Err as touching the Church for that he doth not allow and admit that the Church signifieth the Pope Cardinals Archbishops and Clergy but saith this signification was drawn from the Schoolmen 3. That he hath said That Tempral Princes and Lords may take away the Temporal possessions of the Church and Clergy without any offence 4. He teacheth that all Priests are of like power and therefore affirms That the reservations of the Popes Casualties the ordering of Bishops and the Consecration of the Priests were invented only for Covetousness 5. That he erreth concerning the Church forasmuch as through Contempt he doth not fear Excommunication 6. He erreth by holding That a Man being once Ordain'd a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden from the Office of Preaching c. Upon these and other the like Articles the Council proceeded against him in his sickness and tho he often offer'd to defend his Cause yet they would neither allow him any Advocats nor permit him publickly to be heard And in their Ninth Session they declared Quod non obstantibus salvis Conductis Imperatoris Regum c. Possit per Judicem competentem de Haeretieâ pravitate inquiri That notwithstanding any safe Conduct granted by the Emperor or any Kings Inquisition many be made against any Man for Haeresy by a Competent Judge and process to be made according to Law To relate the whole proceedings would be too tedious how malicious and unjust his accusers were how stout and faithful to him were several Bohemian Noble Men representing his Innocence to the cruel Fathers but all in vain nothing but his Blood would satisfy and so they proceed to pass the following sentence upon him The most sacred General Council of Constance Congregated together and representing the Catholick Church for perpetual memory of the thing As truth doth witness that an evil Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit so it cometh to pass that the Man of most damnable memory John Wickliff through his pestiferous Doctrine not through Jesus Christ by the Gospel as the holy Fathers in times past have begotten faithful Children but contrary to the wholesome Faith as a venemous root hath begotten many wicked and pestilent Children whom he hath left behind him successors and followers of his perverse and accursed Doctrine against whom this Sacred Synod of Constance is forced to rise up as against Bastards and diligently with a Sharp-knife of Ecclesiastical Authority to cut up Errors out of the Lords field as most hurtful Brambles and Briars lest they should grow up to the destruction of others Forasmuch then as in the holy General Council lately celebrated at Rome it was decreed that the Doctrine of John Wickliff of most damnable memory should be Condemned and his Books burnt as Haeretical yet 〈◊〉 John Hus here personally present in this Sacred Council not the Diciple of Christ but of Wicliff an Arch Haeretick hath taught and affirmed the Articles of Wickliff which were Condenm'd by the Church of God Wherefore after diligent Deliberation and full Information this most Sacred Council declareth and determineth the Articles abovesaid which are sound in his Books wrot with his own hand and which he hath own'd not to be Catholick nor worthy to be taught but that many of them are erroneous some wicked other some to be offensive unto godly Ears many of them to be temerarious and seditious and the greater part of them to be Notoriously Haeretical and doth condemn all and every the Books which the said Hus hath wrot in what form or phrase soever they be or whether they be Translated by others and doth decree That they shall be publickly burnt in the presence of the Clergy and People c. And the said Synod doth pronounce the said John Hus an Haeretick and a Seducer and obstinate Person and such an one as doth not desire to return again to the Lapp of our holy Mother the Church neither to abjure the Errors and Heresies which he hath openly Preached and defended wherefore this most Sacred Council decreeth and declares That the said John Hus shall be deposed and degraded from his Priestly Orders and Dignity Since this sentence mentions Degrading it will not be amiss to consider the manner how that Ceremony is perform'd Which is thus The party to be degraded is attir'd in all his Priestly Vestments and holdeth in the one hand a Chalice filled with Wine mixed with Water and in the other a Guilt Paten with a Wafer Then kneeling down the Bishops Deputy taking from him these Trincats Charges him to say no more Mass for the Quick or the Dead Secondly scraping with a piece of Glass his fingers ends he Enjoyns him never to Hallow or Consecrate any thing and Thirdly rasing his shaven Crown and stripping 〈◊〉 of his Priestly Vestments he is Clothed in a Lay habit and delivered into the Power of the Secular Magistrate Thus was poor Hus serv'd and withal a Capp put on his head all painted over with Devils and this word Haerisiarcha or Ring leader of Hereticks inscribed thereon and so was burnt in the Month of July 1415. He behav'd himself at his Martyrdom with a wonderful Cheerfulness and seems to have had a Spirit of Prophecy for whereas Hus in the Bohemian Tongue signifies a Goose he told them You now roast a Goose but after a 100 years there shall a Swan rise up out of my Ashes which was fulfill'd in Luther who just 100 years after Hus's Death began to appear in opposition to the Pope Likewise during the time of this Council one Jerome a Learned Godly Man of the City of Prague hearing of the manyfold injuries done unto Hus voluntarily came to Constance with an intent to defend his Cause but not being able to procure any safe Conduct there was returning back again to his own Country but taken on the Road and brought bound into Constance and there by the Council Condemn'd and Burnt and his Ashes thrown into the River Rhyne as Hus's likewise had been so Industrious were the Romish Clergy to destroy all Memorials of these faithful Servants of God whose Names do yet survive all their impotent malice and remain Registred in the Book of Life in Heaven and pretious to all good Men on Earth What esteem the godly Nobles of that Age had of Mr. Hus may partly appear by a Letter of 54 Noble Men of Morauia under their Hands and Seals to the said Council THE COURANT. Tory. PRethee are Miracles ceas'd No no There 's a New Saint lately come over call'd Cess Process that does daily Wonders Dam Ignoramus is an Ass to her Tory. What kind of Feats does she Profess can she sham Godfryes Murder and Esquire Thin's and make the World believe That they both kill'd themselves or that it was done Justly
That when the City was taken one Boemundus caught it up and though he could not before subdue the Cittadel yet then he presently took it and with this piece of a Spear Hostium multa Millia prodigiose delevit prodigiously destroy'd many Hundreds of his Enemies then it was carried to Constantinople as a present to the Emperour and being there found by the Turk he now very Courteously sends it to the Pope who most Religiously saith Onuphrius laid it up in the Vaâ—ican Church nor wanted he the good luck to find another somewhat more pretious Relique for Peter Gonsalvo de Mendoza repairing the Church of the Holy Cross in Rome spyed in the midst of the Wall a fragment of the Title of the Cross of Christ written in three Languages which 't is said was hid there by the Emperour Placidius Valentinianus above a Thousand years before But this Imposture the Letters themselves bewray'd the dull Monk that forg'd it was none of the best Graecians for instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was both Barberously and against all sense and Grammer written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 However both these Inventions serv'd to supply Innocents Successor with a plentifull Harvest of Indulgences and consequently brought in abundance of money for as for Innocent himself he dyed soon after in the 8 th year of his Popedome and was Buried for the greater Sanctity of the business just by the place where he had reposited the Holy Spear You may remember our last told you his true original Name was Cibo and that he had a competent stock of Natural Sons and Daughters in respect of which and Allusion to that then unquestion'd story of Pope Joan Marullus bestow'd this Epitaph on him Quid quaeris Testes sit Mas an Faemina Cibo Respice Natorum Pignora certa Gregem Octonocens Pueros genuit totidemque puellas Hunc merito potuit dicere Roma Patrem Spurcities Gula Avaritia atque Ignavia deses Hoc Octave jacent quo tegeris Tumulo No need of Groping here the sex to scan His numerous Bastards prove Cibo a man Eight Boys he got and just as many Lasses No news then if he for Rome's Father passes Uncleaness Avarice Sloth Gluttony Are all Entomb'd at once where he doth ly But let Innocent be never so bad the Proverb will be vereified Seldom comes a better his Successor extreamly exceeded him in all kind of wickedness This was Roderic Borgia who being chosen Pope Anno 1492. was called Alexander the 6th As for the means his coming to the Chair Hieronimus Marius in his Eusebius Captivus affirms that it was obtain'd by a Compact with the Divel Immediately and expresly and indeed he that once boasted he had all the Kingdomes of the World in his gift might well enough pretend to bestow the Triple Crown or who more fit than Satain to bestow the Papacy a place which for many Hundreds of years has brought him in so much advantage as if it were design'd only to serve his Interests But other Historians mention only a bargain with Old Nick at second hand by the meditation of Bribes Simony c. Thus Onuphrius in the life of this Alexander and Volaterranus in his Anthropoliga attest that he mounted to so high a Dignity by the endeavours of some Cardinals whom he had Corrupted with Bribes and especially of Ascanius Sforta who sold himself at a high price Vt hic omnium ejus Ordinis deterrimus pro optimo pontifex renuntiaretur That this fellow the very worst of all the Cardinals and God knows had was the best might be made Pope And that most credible Historian Guiccardine relates it more accurately in these words He was chosen Pope by means of the discord that was betwixt the Cardinals Ascanius Sforta and Julian of St. Peter ad vincula but add withall that by a new Example in the sight and knowledg of all men he bought the Popedome partly with Mony partly with the promise of his great Offices and Benefices by which means he got the Cardinals Voices who contemning the Commandment of the Gospel were not ashamed to sell the power to him to make Traffique of the sacred Treasures by a Coelestical Authority To this abominable Negotiation many amongst them were drawn by Cardinal Ascanius not only by perswasion but Example who being Corrupted by an Insinite desire of Riches bargained to have the Vice-Chancellorship which was the principal Office of the Court of Rome enriched with most excellent furniture And then he proceeds to give the Characters of this Pope Alexander in these terms His manners were very dishonest there was in him no sincerity no Shame no Truth no faith no Religion but rather insatisfiable Covetousness Ambition beyond measure more than Burttish Cruelâ—y and a most violent desire to raise his Sons which were many in number whether by right or by wrong to the highest Dignities thus â—uiccardine a man of the Romish Communion Noris the Friar of Padua much less plain calling him Occultae Iniquitatis summéque dissimulationis Hominem A person of secret inquity and the deepest dissimulation At this time Charles the 8 th of France laid Claim to the Kingdom of Naples to prevent whose Neighbourhood the Pope makes a League with Alphonsus of Aragon who likewise pretended to the Crown upon these conditions that Alexander should invest the said Alphonsus at the same price as he did his Father and send his Legate to Crown him That Alphonsus should pay the Pope Thirty Thousand Ducates and give the Popes Eldest Bastard whom he had made Duke of Candia Twelve Thousand Ducates Per Annum out of the Revenues of that Kingdom Fora Pension and the first of the seven principal Offices that should be void and bestow certain Benefices of very great value on his Holinesses younger Bastard named Caesar Borgia whom he had already created Cardinal and the better to do so because by the Canons Bastards are disabled from that dignity though he had before publickly own'd him to be his own Son and did so ever afterwards yet now to serve a turn procured false Witnesses to swear that he was the lawfull Son of another man So much less did he regard Subornation and Perjury than the violation of a Canon In the mean time the French King advances with great success Whereupon saith Paulus Jovius L. 2. see also Guiccardine Cap. 19 the Pope to divert or put a stop to his Carreer sends Buiccardo of Genoa as his Legate to the Grand Seignior Bajazet suggesting to him that the said King Charles design'd as soon as he had setled his affairs in Naples to Invade Greece the Turk thankfully receives this Admonition Treats the Legate Honourably and with them returned a vast sum of Mony and an Ambassador of his own to whom amongst other matters given in charge there was a Letter written in the Greek Tongue wherein Bajazet earnestly importunes the Pope to make away his Brother by Poyson promising upon his