to be his seat Rev. 18. therefore Constantin the Great leaving the City of Rome to Sylvester the Bishop of R me made yet the way more easie till at the last they first got the primacy of honor next of authority and jurisdiction over their brethren and then last of all did subdue the necks of Kings and Emperors unto them The which they did not attain unto at the first but piece and piece and that not without long and great resistance both of the Church as I have proved before condemning his Monarchy in all ages and of the Emperors as we shal see hereafter And as they ever grew in their superiority so did the purity of the Church of Christ decay and as a pest infects not a Kingdom all at once but piece and piece so did your Antichristian heresie it infected not all at once but piece and piece till at the last it went over all While as then Merchiston makes the beginning of his reign to be in the 316 year of God and the Church from thence to become invisible His meaning is that then that let which the Apostle speaks of was begun to be removed that his seat and throne might be in Rome and from thence as they grew in hight so was the Church ay more and more continually obscured till at the last the Lord did scatter that darkness by the light of his Gospel which came to pass in our days Master Gilbert Brown The Church that is set down to us in the Word of God can no way be invisible for when the holy Writ speaks of the Church of Christ it speaks of a visible number of men and women and no wise of Angels or spirits as may be seen in these examples Numb 20.4.3 Kings 8.14 Matth. 16.18 and 18.17 Acts 15.3.4 and 18.22 and 22.28 1. Tim. 3.15 Master John Welsch his Reply I come now to your arguments First you say that the Church that is set down to us in the Word of God can no ways be invisible because say ye when it speaks of the Church it speaks of a visible number of men and women and no ways of Angels or spirits I answer This is most false For the Scripture sets down to us that Church which is the body of Christ Eph. 1.22.23 and whereof he is the head and Savior Eph. 5.23 and which is built upon the rock Col. 1.18 which is called the congregation of the first born whose names are written in heaven Heb. 12.23 and that Jerusalem which is the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Matth. 16.28 And this is the Catholick Church which comprehends all the elect as well triumphant as militant which is invisible for the respects before said as I have proved And suppose the elect that are here militant may be seen as they are men and ofttimes also in respect of their outward profession yet it follows not but that they are invisible in so far as they are a part of the Catholick Church And also that sometimes through the extremity of persecution they may be latent and lurk so that they are not openly visible and known to all as I have said before As for these places of Scripture to wit Num. 20 4. 3. Kings 8.14 Acts 15.3.4 and 20.28 and 18.22 and 1. Tim 3 15 they speak all of particular Churches which we grant unto you are visible suppose not ay alike as hath been proved As for the 16. of Matthew it speaks of the Church of the chosen for they only are built upon this rock and against whom the gates of hell prevail not and they are invisible in respect before said as hath been proved As for the 18 of Matthew it is quoted afterward therefore I refer the answer of it unto that place Master Gilbert Brown The Scripture also in many places compares the Church to visible things that cannot be unseen as He hath placed his tabernacle in the Sun A city cannot be hid set on a mountain It is also compared to a light set on a candlestick to lighten the whole house and not to be put under a bed or a bushel with many the like which I have omitted for brevities cause saving some here at the end Moreover our Savior commands us to complain to the Church if our brother offend us and also we ought to joyn our selves to the true Church or else we cannot have remission of our sins But how can a man complain to it if it cannot be seen Or joyn himself to it if it be invisible The Church of Christ may never want the true preaching of the Word and right administration of the Sacraments but these things are always visible because by the Ministers they are the signs and marks of the Church therefore the true Church may be always known by them To be short not only the Word of God affirms the Church to be alwayes visible as I have noted before but also the ancient Fathers in all their works as partly I have marked also Psal 18.6 read S. Aug. on this Mat. 5.15 Isai 69.9 Dan 2.35 Mich. 4.1.2 Read Hieron on these places Aug 1. tract in Epist Joan. item de bapt lib. 4. cap. 1. Matth. 18.17 Cyprian de simpli praelat Jer. 1. Epist ad Damas Aug. lib. 19. contra Faust cap. 11. Origen homil 30. in Matth. Cyp. lib de unitat Eccles Chrysost hom 4. in cap. 6. Isai August lib. 3. contra Epist. Parmeni cap. 3. item tract 1. in Epist Joan. tract 2. item Epist 166. ad Donatistas M. John Welsch his Reply As for the 18. Psalm it speaks not of the visibility of the Church there but of the Lords wonderful and glorious works and specially in disponing such a glorious place or tabernacle or throne to the Sun to shine in the which demonstrates the glory of the Lord. As for Augustine exposition it results of the corrupted old Translation which was not taken from the Hebrew fountain but from the version of the Septuagints therefore Pagninus Vatabius and Arias Montanus a Papist and Tremellius expone it not so but after the Hebrew Secondly he means not here of the Catholick Church but of particular Churches which were exceeding far enlarged in his days but yet this hinders not but that they should be obscured in the time of the Antichrist as it was fore-told and your Church acknowledges As for the 5. of Matthew 15.16 there not the Catholick Church but the Pastors of particular Churches are compared to this light which is set up in the candlestick and to the city set up upon the hill top which cannot be hid that is the eyes of all is on them and therefore they should be so much the more wake-rife and careful because their doings cannot be hid As for Isai 2.3 and 60.20 and 61.9 and Dan. 2.35 and Mich. 4.12 they prophesie of the greatness and clearness of the Church of Christ in the time of the Messias and of the propagation of the Gospel throughout the
burnt in flames like Seraphims and was ravished in the spirit and heard wonders which mortal man could not utter In this she was made another S. Paul that she was lifted up in the air and the Sacrament went visibly out of the hand of the Priest that said Mass through the air entred into her mouth And when the Sacramēt went by she being in a garden the wall of the garden opened its self and then she worshipped it Such was the opinion of her holiness that many Ladies of Spain and the Empress seeing themselves at point of child birth sent their mantles wherein the creature should be wrapped that she should bless them She gave to her beloved friends drops of her monstrous blood made them believe it was the blood of Christ she was condemned as a Witch by the Inquisitors of Spain about the year of God 1540. The other of a Dominican Nun Prioress de la Anunciada of Lisbon in Portugal about the 1586. year of God that she had deserved to have Christ visible for her husband that he appeared to her often times and talked with her as one friend would talk with another that she had the impression of Christs five wounds upon her And as the history recordeth other infinit miracles did she So that many became Nuns through the opinion which was conceived of her holiness and miracles This story is written in French by one Steven de Lusignan a Dominican Frier and dedicated to the Queen of France with this title The great miracles and most holy wonders which this present year 1586. hath happened to the right reverend Mother Prioress of the Monastery c. in Lisbon approved by Frier Lewes of Granada and by other persons worthy of credit in Paris printed by John Bessant 1586. He alledgeth three letters sent from persons of great credit for his warrant But she was discovered and confessed her hypocrisie and that she painted the wounds on her hands drew blood on her side fained all the rest that she might be esteemed holy and therefore was condemned by the Archbishops of Lisbon and Brage the Bishop of Guardia the Inquisitors and sundry others in the end of the 1588. year as it is to be seen in a book printed at Sevil in Spain 1589. Let these examples suffice to prove this mark that by lying wonders they have established their damnable doctrine So that certainly there is not one thing that doth more confirm this that their Popes is the Antichrist and their Kingdom Antichristian then the effectual working of Satan by lying wonders whereby their devilish doctrine hath been promoved and established And what seek we further Is it not manifest by their own Histories that their own Popes to the number of 20. or mo have wrought by the effectual working of Satan So then to conclud this point If the Apostle Paul be a true Prophet which I trust no man will call in question and if he be the true Antichrist to whom all these marks do agree that is who is the man of sin and son of perdition who hath lifted up himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped c. which cannot be denyed then of necessity it must follow that the Popes of Rome are the self-same Antichrist which was fore-told to come because they bear all these marks of that Antichrist whom the Apostle describes and no other And if we will come to the Revelation where the Antichrist is most clearly fore-told What is there in that Revelation spoken of the Antichrist which is not fulfilled in the Popes of Rome In the 13 of the Revelation mention is made of two beasts by the first is signified the Roman Empire by the which the Saints of God were persecuted the first 300. years by the other is signified the Kingdom of the Antichrist which rose up immediatly after the diminishing and destruction of the Roman Empire the which John calls another beast distinguishing it from the former which he describes first from his outward form and shape that he hath two horns like the Lamb but speaks like the Dragon which hath been accomplished in the Popes of Rome as I have shewed before The second from his works that he doth First that he did all that the first beast could do before him Secondly that he shal cause all to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed Thirdly that he should deceive them which dwel upon the earth by the wonders and signes which was permitted to him to do Fourthly that he should restore the image of the first beast Fifthly that he should suffer none to buy or sell but such as received his mark on their fore-head and hands And the last thing from the which that Antichristian Kingdō which is represented by the second beast is described is the number of his name All the which are so clearly accomplished in that Papistical Kingdom these many hundred years that he must be blinded of God that sees not that the Popes are the Antichrist and their Kingdom Antichristian As to the first Who have exercised all the power of the former Emperors of Rome but they Have not they claimed to themselves the Monarchy of the whole world The authority of both the swords Have not Emperors and Kings sworn their oath of alleageance and fidelity unto them taking their unction consecration and Crowns of them and payed tribut unto them Have they not kissed their feet holden the stirrops led their bridles set them on their horse Have not the Popes of Rome excommunicated Emperors and Kings deposed them from their Kingdoms stirred up their subjects against them set up others in their places And finally what outward power or tyranny did ever the Roman Emperors exercise over Kingdoms and Nations yea what cruelty tyranny avarice blasphemy against God and his Saints did they ever exercise which the Popes of Rome have not done yea and have overcome them in all these things The which are so clear and manifest and that by their owne practises that they cannot be denyed Doth he not affirm in the Canon Law Dist 96. cap. Constantinus c. Venerabilem de electio That Constantin gave the Pope all the Kingdoms in the earth And that all Kings reign by the Pope And that he transferrs the Empire from Nation to Nation and gives them to whom he will And that all Kings are but the Popes vassals Steuchus de donat Constant And therefore saith Blondus lib. 3. instau Romae Now the Princes of the world adore worship the Pope as perpetual Dictator not Cesars successor but Peters successor and the foresaid Emperors Vicar Yea saith he All Europe sends greater or at the least as great tribut to Rome as they did in the former times to wit to the Roman Empire And Bernard saith serm de convers They are the first in the persecution speaking to the Church which appear to love the primacy in the Church to be Princes thereof
As to the second who is he that hath caused all to worship the first Beast that is hath brought again that tyrānous cruelty dominion over the poor Church of God in setting up idolatry and abolishing the true worship of God which the Heathen Emperors did but the Popes of Rome For was not the Emperor of the East excommunicat because he would not suffer Images in the Temples Have not they filled the world with their Idolatry as hath been proved Who have made war with the Saints oppressed them in all the parts where their dominion might reach but they France Germany England Scotland the Low Countreys and all Europe bear witness unto this As to the third who by lying wonders have deceived the world but they And as to the fourth who hath healed the deadly wound of the first Beast in setting up an Empire here in the West in the person of Charles the Great which was more then three hundred years so deadly wounded through the incursion of other Nations that there was no Empire in the West Who I say did all this but the Popes of Rome Giving unto them the style or bare name but taking by little and little the substance of the whole Empire to themselves so that Theodorick à Niem saith lib. 3. cap. 43. The Roman Empire is so little now in Almany that there is some Bishops or Archbishops that will spend twise as much as they will do of all the lands that is under their subjection And some Princes have more land then the Emperor hath And if ye will look to Rome saith he and Italy it was once the seat of the Empire but now the Emperor hath nothing of it but the style As to the fifth Who is he who hath caused make the Image of the Beast and given a spirit unto it that it should speak That is who have set up a very Image of the Roman Monarchy and Hierarchy in the whole frame of their government in the Church of God but the Popes of Rome So that the whole frame of their government and Hierarchy is a lively pattern and image of the Roman Empire For as in the Roman Empire there was an Emperor whom all did worship as God unto whom there was joyned a Senat who was next in authority to him so is the frame of the government of the Papistical Kingdom There is a Monarch the Pope whom all are compelled when they come in his sight to worship as an earthly God to whose sentence all must stand to who judgeth all but can be judged of none who hath joyned with him a Senat of Cardinals who are next him in authority Secondly as in the Roman Monarchy the Emperor took upon him not only the highest Kingly authority in all matters civil but also the Priestly authority and power over Religion and not that only but also to be Tribuns over the people who had the power of forbidding and annulling of all decrees made by other Magistrats Even so the Popes of Rome have usurped all these three First the highest Royal authority over all Kings and Princes next to be Lords over Religion so that as Antoninus one of his Archbishops saith Summa part 3. tit 22. c. 5. He may creat new Religions thirdly to be Tribuns that is to disanul whatsoever decree or judgement of any Bishop or inferior Judges yea of Synodal and General Councils if they be not ratified by him Thirdly as in Rome was the head of the Empire the Emperor and his Senat with him and as the Emperors had their Magistrats under them in all their Provinces and places of their dominions from whom all their authority was and who was at their beck and commandment So in the Popes Kingdom the Pope who is the head and the Senat of Cardinals which is next him in authority have their seat in Rome and they according to the old pattern of the Roman Empire have their Bishops Archbishops Abbots Priors Monks Friers c. in all the places of their dominion under them who have their whole authority from him and who all are his sworn men So here is then the lively image of the former beast And as to the sixth Who did kill all them that would not worship the image and this frame of government of Popes Cardinals Bishops Archbishops c. and their Religion but the Popes of Rome The blood of infinit thousands do testifie this And what hath brought all under their bondage both one and other that none might buy or sell that is neither brook Civil nor Ecclesiastical offices but those who were marked with his mark that is took on them his profession and was Catholicks as he termes them Is not this sufficiently known that none might have offices nor benefices in the Church but they that received his mark orders from him And none might brook their Kingdoms and civil dignities in so far as lay in his power but these that were of his profession Rex venit ante fores surans prius urbis honores Post homo fit Papae recipit quo dante coronam Clement lib. 2. tit 9. And Erasmus saith in his Adagles That neither Baptism nor marriage nor sacrifice nor psalms nor prayer nor Sacrament nor grave in the Papistical Kingdom are given without money Now last of all to what Kingdom or Church under heaven since this Revelation was written doth the number of the name of the Beast here set down agree but to the Latin Kingdom of the Popes and their Latin Church for here is set down the name of the Kingdom of Antichrist The number of the name of the Beast here set down is 666. and the λ α τ ε ι 30 1 300 5 10  ν ο σ.   50 70 200.  all which being joyned together maketh 666. letters of the name of this Antichristian Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amounts to the same number of 666. For what is the name of the Popish Kingdom and Hierarchie Is not the Church called the Latin Church Is not all the exercises of their Religion almost in Latin And suppose the Old Testament be written in Hebrew and the New in Greek yet have they not condemned the Originals as corrupted And have they not authorized the Latin interpretation as only authentical So that Papacie is the very Kingdom of Latins Now the letters of this Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Latin for the Revelation was written in Greek doth amount to the same number 666. And what other Kingdom or Monarchy under heaven can show whose name is such that the letters thereof amounteth to this number Ireneus an ancient Writer yea so ancient that he saw and heard Polycarpus who was one of Johns Disciples who received this Revelation mentioneth that the name of this Beast in this prophesie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. lib. 5. cap. 25. Sed Latinis nomen 666. numerum habet valde verisimile est quia
that doth believe that Popery is the most abominable Idolatry imaginable to wit to worship the handy-work of the Baker and wood and stone c. and considers what severe threatnings he hath denounced against Idolatry namely That they shal be shut out of that New Jerusalem Rev. 22.15 and shal drink of the wine of the wrath of GOD and shal be tormented day and night before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and the smoke of their torment shal ascend for evermore and they shal have no rest Rev. 14.9 And that he is a jealous GOD visiting not only this iniquity of Idolatry upon themselves but likewise upon their children to the third and fourth generation and is not much troubled to hear and see so many souls seduced and led aside thereto and doth not judge it of his concernment to lay out himself to the utmost for discovering the snare pit that is laid for entraping and ruining eternally of poor souls Therefore we hope as our endeavors shal be peace to us so we hope it shal be acceptable to all the lovers of truth That this prayerful Treatise of that great wrestler with GOD may be blessed for convincing of gain-sayers informing establishing and confirming the LORDS people in the truth and for stirring up and awaking zeal love and repentance in the godly shal be the earnest prayer of Your servant for CHRISTS sake MATT. CRAFORD TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT AND MIGHTY PRINCE JAMES THE VI. KING OF SCOTLAND c. Grace and Peace be multiplied I Hope it shal not be accounted presumption most Noble Prince to offer to your Majesty the first fruits of these my simple and rude labors seeing the cause is JESVS CHRISTS that KING of Kings and LORD of glory which is here defended even the everlasting truth of GOD against the venimous stings of one of the Locusts Rev. 9.3 of that Antichristian Kingdom The right whereof doth most justly belong to your Majesty both in respect of these rare and singular gifts of knowledge and understanding which the LORD hath vouchsafed upon your Majesty in such a plentiful measure that your subjects do acknowledge it at home and strangers do admire it and commend it abroad Whereby you are not only able to render a reason of that Faith which is in you 1. Pet. 3.15 but also able to stop the mouth of the adversary Tit. 1.9 and convict the gain-sayer whatsoever by that word of truth 2. Tim. 3.5 Wherewith your Majesty hath been brought up from your very infancy So that all the wise men of Babel I mean the Clergy of that Roman Harlot is not able to resist the mouth and wisdom which the Lord hath given to your Majesty And also in respect of that supereminent power as the Apostle calls it Rom. 13.1 whereby as you are most able so are you most obliged to maintain his truth propagat his Kingdom and nowrish his own Spouse which he hath purchased to himself by his own blood Acts 20.28 by the breasts of your Majesties government as it was promised of old That his Spouse should suck the breast of Kings Esa 60.16 So who is more obliged then ye Sir Who so sufficient and able every way to maintain it as ye Sir Your knowledge binds you Your profession binds you Your soveraign authority as ye are a King in Israel binds you For as the wisest King that ever was hath said and left it in writ or rather that King of Kings in him and by him Princes reign by me Prov. 8.15 Ye hold your Kingdom of him Sir and must lay down your Crown at his feet and must stand up and give a reckoning of the government of his Kingdom of the maintenance of his Truth of the nowrishing his Spouse in that day Your knowledge Sir is able to justifie it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your soveraign authority able to defend it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have received that two-edged sword of Gods Spirit in your mouth able to wound Heb. 4.12 yea to consume that man of sin and son of perdition Ye have received that sword of justice and judgement Rom. 13.4 in your hands able to destroy betimes all the wicked of your Kingdom and to root out from the city of the Lord all the workers of iniquity Psal 101.8 Ye know Sir the abomination of Babel Rev. 17.4.5 that as it is said of the vertuous woman Many women have done vertuously but thou surmounts them all Prov. 31.26 So the contrary may be said of her Many hereticks have taught erroneously and worshipped and wrought abominably but the whoor of Babel Rev. 17.1 the Church of Rome in heresie in abomination in idolatry hath surmounted them all that ever went before her or ever shal come after her Many beasts have spoken blasphemously Rev. 13.1.3.6 but that second beast that hath two horns like the Lamb Rev. 13. 16.13.14 17.3.4.5.6 18.24 surmounteth them all in blasphemy tyranny cruelty and abominable idolatry destroying and making merchandise of the souls of men and women Other heresies did but subvert some fundamental points of Religion but the Church of Rome hath subverted them all almost Of other heresies some was but against the Godhead of Christ other some against his manhood other some against his offices and benefits or some one head or other But the doctrine of the Church of Rome is against them all Injurious to his Godhead in making him not only inferior to the Father in teaching that he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also inferior to the very creatures in praying to Mary to cōmand her Son Jure Matris impera Redemptori as I heard your Majesty most solidly prove and so worse then the Arrians Injurious to his manhood to all his offices his benefits and all the means inward and outward of the knowing and applying of him And last of all injurious to his soveraign glory in communicating it to stocks and stones a piece of bread bones and ashes and the skurf skarf of all things as I hope I have made manifest in this my Answer So that most justly it is called The speach of the Dragon and the doctrine of Devils by the Spirit of God Rev. 13.11 1. Tim. 4. And if the profession of such a devilish doctrine be too great an evil what would the practise thereof be I mean the idolatrous Mass that abomination of desolation The misery alace were too great to see the people of this Countrey scattered like sheep without shepherds Matth. 9.36 dying that second and everlasting death for want of the bread of life and Gospel of salvation But this would be the misery of miseries if the golden cup of Babel full of all abominations Rev. 17.4 should be set to their head again to drink the deadly poyson of their own damnation And certainly if this famine of the Word of GOD Amos 8.11.12 whereby not only two or three Cities as the same Prophet saith ch 4.8 but twenty or
third he permits one to have two wives if the first be sickly decret causa 32. quaest 7. cap. Quod proposuisti contrary both to the Gospel Matth. 19. and to another decreet of the Canon Law Decretal lib. 4. tit 9. cap. Quoniam Pope Nicolas saith Dist 40. cap. A quodam Judaeo that that Baptism which is ministred without express mention of the three persons of the Trinity is firm and sure enough But Pope Zacharie Dist eadem de consecrat cap. In Synodo hath decreed the contrary All these decreets are set down in their Canon Law and hath the strength of a law in the Roman Church not as privat mens but as Popes decreets And yet some of them are directly repugnant to the Word of God that themselves cannot deny but they are heresies and some of them so directly repugnant to the decreets of other Popes that either the one or the other must be heresie But it may be ye will answer that suppose the Pope may err as he is Pope and that in matters of doctrine yet he cannot err with his Council either Provincial or General as Bellarmin saith Whereunto I answer first if General Councils lawfully conveaned together may err in matters of doctrine unless they be confirmed by the Pope as Bellarmin grants and if the Popes may err themselves alone and that judicially in matters of doctrine as hath been proved why may they not err also being joyned together seeing Councils have this priviledge only by his confirmation and allowance As Bellarmin saith lib. 4. de Rom. Pontif. cap. 3. Secondly I say either Pope Steven the 6. with his Council erred in condemning of Formosus and his acts which he made as Pope and in decreeing his ordinations to be void and null because the man was wicked by whom they were ordained Sigebert in Chron. which is an error of the Donatists or else Pope John the 9. with his Council of 72. Bishops erred in justifying Formosus and his decreets and condemning the acts of Pope Steven with his Council Last of all since General Councils that have been confirmed by their Popes have erred the sixth General Council confirmed by Pope Hadrian in epist. ad Thracium quae est in 2. actione 7. Syn. Canon 2. hath sundry errors which they themselves will not defend as the rebaptizing of hereticks For the counsel of Cyprian is confirmed there wherein this is decreeted And also it is ordained Canon 13. that Elders Deacons Subdeacons should not separat from their wives contrary to the Canon of the Roman Church as is said there And the marriage of Catholicks and Hereticks is judged null and voyd Canon 67. which your self cannot deny to be an error contrary to the express truth of God 1. Cor. 7.13 And the forbidding of Ministers to remain with their wives Canon 12. contrary to the sixth Canon of the Apostles Either therefore a General Council confirmed by a Pope hath erred or else the Apostles have erred in this Canon for they judge them to be the Canons of the Apostles The first General Council of Constantinople and the General Council of Chalcedon which are both by their own confession approved by the Popes Bellarm lib. 1. de Concilijs cap. 5. And yet both these have decreeed that the Bishop of Constantinople should have equal priviledges of authority honor and dignity in Ecclesiastical affaires with the Bishop of Rome except only the first place or seat the which by their own confession is an error Therefore either lawful General Councils confirmed by the Pope have erred or else the Pope is not the head of the Church and hath not a preeminence of authority over the rest for they have made the Bishop of Constantinople equal with him or else there are two heads of thier Church the Bishop of Rome and the Bishop of Constantinople I omit the rest Augustin saith de baptismo contra Donatistas lib. 2. cap. 3. That Provincial Councils may be corrected by General Councils and of General Councils the former may be amended by the latter If they may be mended then they may err And here he speaks not of a matter of fact but of a matter of faith For he speaks of the baptism of hereticks Now to conclud seeing the Churches in all ages before the Law in the time of the Law and in the time of grace yea and the Apostles and Peter himself have erred and seeing the Church of Rome that claims this priviledge of not erring above all other Churches hath erred also and that not only her people which they call Laicks but also her Clergy severally and together in Councils as well Provincial as General And seeing the head which as they say is the Rock and foundation of the Church hath erred in life in Office in matters of Faith and Religion not as privat men only but as Popes both by themselves alone as also with their Councils as well Provincial as General Seeing I hope I have proved all these things sufficiently then may I not with the judgement of all men safely conclud that that main pillar whereupon the whole weight and pillar of your Religion depends that the Church cannot err that it is an error and such a dangerous and damnable error whereupon all the errors of your Religion is built that whosoever will believe it they hazard the endless salvation of their souls Ground then Christian Reader thy salvation not upon this that the Church cannot err for that is false but upon this that as long as she sticks to the Word of God written in the Old and New Testament she errs not and when she swerves and it were but an inch broad from the Scripture then she errs And therefore two learned Papists Gerson de examinat part 1. consid 5. and Panorm affirms the one saith Simplici non authorizato sed excellenter in sacris literis erudito c. that is that more credit is to be given to one unlearned and simple but yet excellently beseen in the holy Writ in a point of doctrine then to the Pope And such a learned man saith he ought to oppone himself to a General Council if he perceive the greater part to decline to the contrary of the Gospel either of malice or of ignorance The other saith extra de elect cap. Significasti That more credit is to be given to an unlearned and simple man that brings for him the Scripture then to a whole General Council And this for answer to the testimonies of Scripture which ye cited Now as concerning the Fathers testimonies which ye bring in they will serve you no further then the Scripture hath done For they will go no further with you then this that the Church of Christ and his covenant with her shal endure for ever the which we grant and they that will read them will find them so And if ye prove any further out of them it shal be answered by Gods grace For it were too fashous to the
only means and instrument whereby the holy Ghost works faith in our hearts Thus I reason therefore He only can be Judge in controversies of Religion whose authority is such that none may appeal from the same whose judgement is infallible true who will not be partial nor favor parties and who is able to convict and perswade the conscience of the truth and make the party to rest in the same But only the holy Ghost in by the Scripture hath these proprieties no other Therefore the holy Ghost in and by the Scripture is only Judge And whereas you say that the holy Writ must bear witn ss to it What will you say then to all the chief points of your Religion almost which the learned and great defenders of your faith before cited have confessed are unwritten traditions which have not their beginning nor authority from the Scripture nor cannot be defended by the same Upon the which I reason thus That doctrine is not the holie Ghosts which the Scripture bears not witness to this ye say your self for ye say The Scripture must bear witness to it But all the chief points almost of your Religion as the supremacy of the Pope the sacrifice of the Mass invocation of Saints the five bastard Sacraments the worshipping of Images Transubstantiation Communion under one kind Satisfactions Pardons Purgatory Merits of works c. have not their authoritie from the Scripture nor cannot be defended by the same as your own Catholicks as ye call them testifies Therefore your Doctrine and Religion is not the holie Ghosts and that by your own testimonie Now trulie M. Gilbert I fear ye lose your style if you defend your Religion no better then this And whereas you say That the holy Ghost gives out his judgement by the Pastors of the true Church I grant indeed that the Pastors gives out publick sentence in controversies of Religion because they are the Lords witnesses messengers and mouthes to testifie proclaim interpret and discern his truth from falshood But first the rule of this their judgement should be the Word of God unto the which they are bound in all their testimonies and judgements from the which if their judgements swerve but an inch-broad they are not the judgements of the holie Ghost so that all their decreets and determinations in the worship of God and man his salvation should onlie be received accordinglie as they agree or dissent from the same For the Apostle pronounces him accursed suppose he were an Angel that would preach another Gospel then that which he preached Gal. 1 8. And he preached nothing but out of the Scripture Acts 26.22 But your Roman Church by the contrary saith That their decreets and sentences should be taken without all tryal and examination because whatsoever they decree say they in manners or doctrine whither they be comprehended in the Scripture or not they cannot err Bellar. de Eccles lib. 1. de Consil cap. 18. lib. 3. c. 14. Next if it be asked of you whom ye judge to be the Pastors of the true Church You will answer as ye do that your Church is the only true Church and your Bishops and Popes the only true Pastors so that they only must be the Judge to end all controversies And Bellarmin is plain in this for he saith lib 3. de verbi interpret cap. 5. 9. lib. 4 de Rom. Pont. c. 2. The Pope is chief Judge in all controversies in Religion either he himself alone or with his Council and that in his judgement and sentence all men should rest and he should be obediently heard of all the faithful in all matters of controversie whether he can err or not And their Canon Law hath decreeted That no man should rebuke him suppose he should carry with him innumerable souls to hell And they teach that their decreets should not be examined of any whither they be agreeable to the Scripture or not but that they should be received as the express Word of God and the Gospel Dist 40. cap. Si Papa Bellar. lib. 1. de Concil cap. 18. Rhemist annotat in 2. Thess 2. v. 12. Joannes Maria verractus editus anno 1561. Hosius lib. de express verb. Dei pag. 97. But first judge thou Reader in what suspicion they have their Religion in their own hearts They have declined the holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture and that not only as Judge but in the authentick Greek and Hebrew as witness So their Religion cannot stand if the Lord be either as Judge in his Scripture to give out sentence of it or as witness in the authentick copies to hold his hand at the bar and depone against it Now whom would they have as Judges Their own Pastors and the Pope and all their determinations to be received without a tryal as the Gospel and express Word of God as though their Religion could not be justified unless the Fathers and forgers thereof the Popes and Bishops of Rome were set on the bench to be Judges thereof Now what an unrighteous thing is this both to be partie and Judge For the chief controversie is of themselves whither he be the Antichrist or not And his Ministers and Church Antichristian or not But what show of reason can you have for this The Prince of life the Son of God who is the righteous Judge of the whole world in that great controversie wherein it is called in question whether he was the Messias or not desired not to be the Judge For he said If I testifie of my self much more if I judge of my self my testimony is not true John 3.31 but referred this controversie to the Scripture saying Search the Scriptures c. John 5.32 And yet you that are but flesh and blood dust and ashes yea monsters and incarnat Devils as your own Writers and Councils have testified of some of your Popes who may err and have been hereticks as some of your Popes have been and that by your own testimonies you will not only bear witness of your selves but also be Judges in the controversies of your selves rejecting the judgement of the holy Ghost in the Scripture All men saith the Apostle are liars How then shal I certainlie know but they may lie How shal my conscience rest in their judgement Shal I have no better warrant for my salvation then the testimonies of your Bishops and Popes who are but men and so may lie who are partie and so never will condemn themselves who of all men have most foully erred What is this but to make the voice of your Bishops and Popes of greater authoritie then the voice of God in his Scripture For seeing it is the sense of the Scripture that is called in controversie and the sense of the Scripture is the Scripture it self And your doctrine is that I must embrace such and such interpretations of the Scripture that are called in controversie and my conscience must rest in the same
And to Bellarmin who saith the Church instituted them lib. 2. de missa cap. 13. and so referrs the institution of them not to CHRIST in his written Word but to the institution of the Church and to your own Doctors and Canon Law and Writers who ascribes the institution of them to your Popes and others of your Church as I have proved before O M. Gilbert What a preposterous love is this that ye bear to your abominable sacrifice that ye are not ashamed to write that the very ceremonies of it hath their warrant in the same holy Word and that contrary your own general Council of Trent and all your learned Doctors and Writers I think ye thought that we had never read your ceremonies or never known them that ye write so boldly of them Shal the Council of Trent say they are instituted by the Church by Apostolical traditions which your Church confesses are not written in the Scripture And yet are not you ashamed to say they have their warrant by the Scripture and so openly to contradict the doctrine of your own Council of Trent I will say no further but surely either they err in this point or else ye and if they err then the general Church may err and hath erred and so one of your main foundations is gone Choose you whither you will take this blot to your self or let it fall on them But because ye account this Mass of yours most heavenly and ye vaunt that ye only have in your Church that heavenly action and because it is the chiefest point of your service and worship which ye give to God in your Church and also because ye so impudently affirm that the ceremonies thereof hath their warrant out of the Scripture Therefore I will discover here as shortly as I can the abominations absurdities blasphemies idolatries vain idle superstitions Jewish and Ethnick ceremonies of the same that poor folks be not deceived any longer therewith For certainly for as heavenly as ye think it is I dare affirm that it is nothing else but a very sink and filthy closet of all abominations idolatries and horrible blasphemies So that as it is said in the Proverbs of the vertuous woman that many women have done vertuously but thou surmounts them all Prov. 31.23 So it may be said of the Mass Many services and worships devised by man have been idolatrous blasphemous and abominable but this sacrifice of the Mass brought in the Church of God by Antichrist in idolatrie abominations and blasphemies surmounteth them all so that the like of it hath never been before it nor never shal be after it For beside the fore said abuses that it is a will-worship instituted by man that it hath corrupted the Sacrament of the Supper which was given us to assure us of the grace of Christ and hath turned it in a sacrifice and that a propitiatory sacrifice and meritorious not to the Priest only but to the beholders also and not to the present only but to the absent and not only for the living but for the dead that it hath abolished the death of Christ and the vertue of that one sacrifice and that it hath spoiled Christ Jesus of his Priesthood and communicated it unto others beside these intolerable abuses it abounds and overflows with other intolerable abominations As first their altars in their Mass whereon they think they sacrifice the Son of God and therefore in the beginning of their Mass the Priest saith And I will go in into the altar of God whereby they renew either Judaism or Paganism for their material altars was a part of the Ceremonial law of the Jewes which was abolished by the death of Christ and Numa Pompilius 700 years before Christ ordained that the Ethnick Priest when he went about to offer sacrifice that he should draw near to the altar This entry of the Mass is said to be the ordinance of Pope Celestin the first about the year of God 426 And because the Priests take the altars for the Table whereon the Supper is celebrat which he confounds with the abominations of the Mass also because M. Gilbert said he was minded to prove the ceremonies of the Mass by the Scripture therefore I will ask him and his fellow Priests these few things concerning their altars First where read they that Christ did ever institut in the New Testament that the Table of our Lord should only be of stone and not of timber or any other mettal as their altars whereon they chant their Mass must be according to their law Dist 1. cons cap. Altaria si non Secondly where read they in the New Testament that the Table of the Lord should be consecrated with oyl and chrism with a sprinkling of water mixed of wine and salt of ciphers of holy water at the four corners of the same at the middle part and that none may do this but a Bishop if a Clark do it that he be degraded and if one of the Laicks do it that he be excommunicat Canon Non alij What folly is this that a Priest hath authority as they think to sacrifice the Son of God yet he may not powr a little oyl upon a stone That the Bishop compass the altar seven times singing the 51. Psalm Thou shalt wash me with hysop c. prophaning the truth of God And there to bury the relicks of some Saints put in a little shrine with three grains of incense that God for their cause may hear the prayers and accept of the sacrifice offered up upon that altar And then anointing the table of the altar with oyl and singing Jacob erected up a stone c. Where I say read you these in the New Testament that Christ commanded these things to be done to the table of his Supper which ye do to the altars whereon ye say your Masses And such like where read you that none should chant their Masses but on such altars as are consecrated And such like that your altars are not lawful where there is not found the bodies or relicks of some Martyrs Canon Placuit ut altaria Such like that ye dedicat your altars whereon ye chant your Mass to others then to Christ as unto the Virgin Mary Peter and other Saints departed And such like that the Priest should kiss the altar often and namely when he approaches unto it carrying the calice Hath Christ commanded this Hath the Apostles used them Hath the Scripture made mention of them What think you will you answer to God when it shal be said to you Who required all these things at your hands And wherefore also transgress ye your own law in having mo altars then is necessary seeing by it ye are commanded by express terms that superfluous altars be destroyed Canon Eccles vel altaria To conclud this then with Ambros in Epist ad Heb. cap. 8. 10. As our sacrifice saith he which is no other thing but our prayers and thanksgiving
his Preface before the Controversies and in his Preface de 〈◊〉 Pontifice that you differ from us in the main and â—â—â—â—tantial points of Religion therefore of necessity we must also differ from you in the main substantial points of our Religion And so the chief difference wherein we differ from you is not in denying and abhorring but in the main and fundamental grounds of our Religion Otherwise it shal follow that the chief difference that ye differ from us is in denying and abhorring of our Religion which I think your Church will not digest Whereas you say that this may be seen by our Confession of Faith Our Confession hath not only the detesting and denying of your abominable errors in general and particular but also the confession of our Faith in general referring the particular heads thereof to that confession which is ratified and established by Act of Parliament And so here M. Gilberts untruth and calumny of our Confession may be seen As for this form of exacting of an oath and subscription to Religion if you find fault with it you not only gain-say the Scriptures of God impaires Princes lawful authority and the Church of their Jurisdiction and lawful power the example of Moses Deut. 29.10 and of Josua 24.25 Jehoiada the High-Priest 2. Kings 11.17 Josia 2. of the Kings 23.3 Asa 2. Chron. 15.12 And of the people returning from the captivity of Babel with Nehemias chap. 10. But also blots your own Church who as may be seen in that Confession of Faith and form of abjuration set out by the Monks of Burdeaux whereof we spake before doth the same As for this exception which ye put in here I answered to it before Master Gilbert Brown For if this be a true ground of theirs that nothing ought to be done or believed but such things as are expresly contained in the Word of God but their general Confession or their negative faith is not expresly contained in the Word of God therefore it ought not to be done nor believed M. John Welsch his Reply As for this ground which ye alledge to be ours it appeareth certainly M. Gilbert that as ye said of me either ye know not our grounds or else ye wilfully invert them for your own advantage For our ground is that nothing ought to be done or believed in Religion but that which may be warranted by the testimony of the Scripture either in words and sense together or else by a necessary collection out of the same The which with Nazianzene we say Are of the same truth and authority with the first And according to this sense we say That all the heads of our Religion as well negative as affirmative are expresly contained in the Scripture and so ought both to be believed and practised These are but silly shifts M. Gilbert which ye bring to discredit the truth of our Religion You knew full well the blindness and simpleness of the people in this Countrey and therefore you regarded not how silly and simple your reasons were Master Gilbert Brown That their faith is contained in the Word of God so far as it differs from ours he will never be able to prove neither by word nor writ And if he will cause our Kings Majesty to suspend his acts against us that we may be as free to speak our mind as he he shal have a proof hereof If not let him prove the same by writ and he shal have an answer by Gods grace As for his life we desire not the same but rather his conversion to the truth M. John Welsch his Reply As for our ability to prove the truth of our doctrine I answered it before Judge thou Christian Reader of the same by this my answer As for the suspending of his Majesties acts against you that is not in our hands and for all the good ye could do you have but too much liberty And if you speak no better for your Religion then you have done else in this your answer your Church will be but little beholden to you for it And certainly if you will bind and oblige your self to face your own cause and defend your Religion by word I hope that licence of a safe passage and conduct would be granted to you by his Majesty to let you speak for your self what ye have for you for the defence of it for that space without any danger to your person and that surer and with greater safety then John Hus had who notwithstanding of his safe-conduct yet was burnt And whereas you promise an answer do what you can M. Gilbert for now it is time to plead for your Baal And let your answer be more firm then this or else ye will lose more then ye will win by it That you desire not my life I am beholden to you if you speak truth considering the bloody generation of your Roman Church who these many years by past hath spilt the blood of the Saints of God in such abundance that if any can tell the starrs of heaven he may number them whom your Church hath slain for the testimony of the Word of God And as for that which ye call conversion it is aversion from the truth and the losing of salvation the which I hope shal be dearer to me then a thousand lives suppose they were all included in one Master John Welsch Secondly I offer me to prove that there be very few points of controversie betwixt the Roman Church and us wherein we dissent but I shal get testimonies of sundry Fathers of the first six hundred years against them and proving the heads of Religion which we profess Let any man therefore set me down any weighty point of controversie one or mo and he shal have the proof of this SECTION XXI Concerning Justification by Faith Master Gilbert Brown WHom M. John calls Fathers here I know not except Simon Magus Novatus Aerius Jovinianus Pelagius Vigilantius and such For indeed there is none of these and many the like but they were against us and with them in some heads But I am sure S Ireneus S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Jerome S. Basile S. Chrysostome with the rest of the holy Fathers is no way with them and against us as M. John will not be able to prove for all his offer As for example it is a chief ground in their Religion that only faith justifieth This I say can neither be proved by the Scriptures nor ancient Fathers of the first six hundred years For why the contrary is expresly contained in the Word of God Do ye see saith S. James that by works a man is justified and not by faith only James 2.24 with many other places that agrees with the same Matth. 7.21 and 19.17 and 34.35 John 14.15.21 1. John 2.3.4 Rom. 2.13 1. Cor. 13.2 and 1.19 Gal. 5.6 Tit. 1.16 And S. Augustin saith himself de fide operibus cap. 14. That this Justification by faith only was an
persons by the Council who by its authority strengtheneth them against their King But although it were true that is alledged to wit that the Council of Constance had decreed against King-killing yet who knows not that Papists make nothing of its authority for none of the Popes ever liked it much less confirmed it 3. His next excuse is That Mariana maintained the doctrine of King-killing only problematically and his book was condemned burnt by a Provincial Council of his own Order Answer 1. Peter du Moulin tells another of your stamp using the same excuse that the Court of Parliament of Paris composed of grave heads did not understand it so when they condemned his Book to the fire neither doth he speak of the murder of King Henry the third problematically when he exalteth the murderer in these words Making a show of delivering letters to the King he gave him a deep wound above the bladder with a poysoned knife which he hid in his hand O admirable confidence of mind O memorable action by killing the King he got to himself a great name And in the same place he taxeth the Kings servants who presently killed that murderer of cruelty and barbarousness Mariana de rege c lib. 1. cap. 6. 2. Whereas he saith that a Provincial Council of the Jesuits condemned Marianas book the same Du Moulin answereth But why then did the same General of the Jesuits who disavowed it when destruction was hanging over the head of his Order approve and licence it before For the book was approved by Aquaviva General of the Jesuits and Stephanus Hoyeda Visitor of their Society in the Province of Toledo and the approbation mentioneth that other Jesuits had approved it before But saith he see what that condemnation comes to The Jesuits seeing their sect made odious by the writings of Mariana Suarez Vasquez and others and more by the murdering of Kings and for that cause expelled France made an order among themselves whereby they forbade to write or teach that doctrine any more The words of the ratification are these That none teach by writing or speaking that it is lawful f r any person or upon any pretence of tyranny to kill Kings and Princes But how gross is their fraud in that Order Do they forbid their Society to believe so by no means but to teach so neither will they have the execution done upon any pretence of tyranny but only upon the definitive sentence of the Pope or the States and how are the lives of Kings and Princes more secure then before by their declaring that it is not lawful to kill Kings and Princes seeing that in their account they are no more Kings and Princes when they are once excommunicated and deposed by the Pope Peter die Moulin ubi supra cap. 5. Truly any that considers the Jesuits temper needs not to think it strange that their General both approved and condemned Marianas book for Doctor Rivet tells us that when the Parliament of Paris asked the Jesuits in Paris whither they were of the mind of their General who had approved Santarellas book for King killing and judged the things that are there to be certain They answered That living at Rome he could not but approve what was there approved of But say the Parliament What think you They answer We think the clean contrary But say the examiners What would ye do if ye were at Rome The Jesuits answered That which they do which are at Rome So Jesuits have one conscience at Rome another at Paris Thirdly nor was it Mariana his alone that was guilty of writing for King killing For beside these before cited D. Rivet tells us that Gingâ—ardus a Jesuit did write in praise of the murder of King Henry the third And Albineus another Jesuit did hear the murderer of King Henry the fourth confess before he did the fact and when he was examined upon it he answered That God had given him that special gift to forget when once he had absolved a sinner whatsoever was confessed by him Yea there was so much wryting for and acting of assassinations and parricids upon the persons of Princes that the Parliament of Paris did not only condemn Bellarmin and Santarellas books to be burnt as engins of treason and rebellion but also did expel the Jesuits the Kingdom and set up a pillar of remembrance of their villanies From all which I hope it is more then evident that it is no slander but a real truth that the Church of Rome holdeth 1. That if the Pope excommunicat a King or Prince his subjects may lawfully kill him 2. That the Pope can dispense with the allegiance of subjects to their Princes and if he do dispense therewith they are loosed from subjection to them SECTION II. Showing that no oath nor bond can oblige a Papist and that they hold it as a principle that no faith is to be kept to Hereticks THe third thing we proposed was to prove that no oath bond or obligation whatsoever can ty or oblige Papists whither to their allegiance to their Prince or duty to their neighbors if Protestants which is very palpable if ye consider First that it is beyond all controversie with them that all Protestants are hereticks Princes not excepted all being condemned as such by the Pope and Council of Trent 2. That they all hold that Protestant Princes being declared hereticks by the Pope have no right to their Kingdoms nor are their subjects bound to any allegiance to them which is evident both from what is said formerly and also from the Bull and Decrees of Pope Pius the fifth who did depose and excommunicat Queen Elizabeth and loosed her subjects from their allegiance and gave the Kingdom to Philip the second of Spain which Bull was confirmed by Gregory the thirteenth and Sixtus the fifth his successors and was mantained and defended by Sanders Parsons Cresuel and sundry other English Papists even unto death 3. They not only loose subjects from their allegiance to Protestant Princes but also they hold and maintain that no faith is to be kept with Protestants because condemned by the Pope and Council of Trent as hereticks and so are fallen from the faith and so forfeit all priviledges wherein keeping of faith with them might oblige others or stead them and therefore let a Papist swear never so solemnly and ingage himself never so strictly by oath compact or covenant to a Protestant he may break his oath compact and covenant to him without sin according to their principles But because that brazen headed impostor H. T. Author of the Manual of Controversies c denyeth this affirming that Papists esteem themselves obliged to keep faith even with infidels therefore I shal prove the truth thereof First who knoweth not that John Hus and Jerome of Prague upon the Emperors promise of safe-conduct appeared before the Council of Constance But the Council declared that the Emperor was not obliged to keep his
at the bridge of Dee as is proved at large in a Treatise intituled A Discovery of the unnatural and trayterous conspiracy oâ— Scottish Papists c. printed by King James special command 1592. And as soon as he entered England Watson and Clerk instilled treasons unto sundry Nobles and Gentle-men against the King and Prince before the Coronation But that not succeeding they fall next to the Gun-powder treason designing to blow up King Parliament all at one blow they hiring the cellers of the Parliament-house in which they laid 36. barrels of gunpowder and 1000. billets and 500. fagots and if God had not discovered their wickedness by a singular providence both King Queen Prince Nobles Knights Citizens Burgesses yea the whole Parliament had all gone with at one blow I spare to speak of the continual treasons and rebellions in Ireland both in Queen Elizabeth and King James reign Or of that memorable design of the Spanish Armado anno 1588. Which however it was attempted by Spain yet all men may know that the English and Scottish Papists kept continual correspondence and were combined with the Spaniard And of the thundering Bull of Pope Sixtus the 5. then sent abroad for confirmation of the several Bulls made by his predecessors Pius the 5. and Gregory the 13. against Queen Elizabeth to the end our Papists might more cheerfully assist in that bloody enterprise Nor were the Papists less active in King Charles the first his reign as M Prin and M. Baxter have evidenced at large Prin in several treatises especially in a treatise intituled Romes Master-piece shows what great plots they had either to ruine King and Kingdom or to procure liberty for the profession of Popery M. Baxter in his Key of Catholicks chap. 45. seqq proveth at large that they plotted contryved and carried on that late change of Government in the State and that cruel and abominable parricide committed on the Royal person of King Charles the first Peter du Moulin junior Chaplain to the Kings Majesty in his vindication of the sincerity of the Protestant Religion in the point of obedience to Soveraigns chap. 2. pag. 58.59 testifieth That the year before the Kings death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their whole party in England first to Paris to consult with the Faculty of Sorbon then altogether Jesuited to whom they put this question in writing That seeing the State of England was in a likely posture to change Government whither it was lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing of the Catholicks cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his heresie Which was answered affirmatively After which the same persons went to Rome where the same question being propounded and debated it was concluded by the Pope and his Council that it was both lawful and expedient for the Catholicks to promote that alteration of State What followed that consultation and sentence all the world knoweth The same Author relateth That when the news of that horrible execution came to Roan a Protestant Gentle-man of good credit was present in a great number of Jesuited persons where after great expressions of joy the greatest of the company to whom all gave ear spake much after this sort The King of England at his marriage had promised us the reestablishing of the Catholick Religion in England and when he delayed to fulfil his promise we summoned him from time to time to perform it We came so far as to tell him that if he would not do it we should be forced to take these courses which would bring him to his destruction We have given him lawful warning and when no warning would serve we have kept our vow to him since he would not keep his word to us The said Author likewise relateth That in pursuance of the fore-mentioned conclusion at Rome many Jesuits came over who take several shapes to go about their work but most of them took party in the army About thirty of them were met by a Protestant Gentle-man between Roan and Deep to whom they said taking him for one of their party that they were going to England and would take arms in the Independant army and endeavor to be Agitators Much more hath he to this purpose M. Baxter likewise proveth that many Jesuits did enter in the army and swarmed through the Countrey under the name of Independants Seekers Quakers Levellers c. endeavoring to ruine the Reformed Religion by railing against the Church Ministery Ordinances c. From all which it is evident that the grand work of the Pope and Jesuits his Janisaries is to plot and carry on treasons and bloodshed in Protestant Kingdoms and Commonwealths which they have been still about since the Reformation And no wonder the Priests and Jesuits lay life and all at the stake to accomplish bloody and traiterous designs seeing they are sworn and ingaged by oath to make this their work For the Pope binds all the Jesuits and Priests by oath to inculcat their principles of treason into their proselyts and to stir them up upon all occasions to act it as will be evident to any who will but read the rules of Ignatius Loyola the father of the Jesuits Or the testimony of Pope Urban the 8. in his Bull of Canonization of Ignatius Loyola Touching that Society that beyond all other fraternity they are the chief and most strenuous propugners of the Popes authority And how far do the Jesuits extend their vow of blind obedience Even to the killing of Kings raising of treasons and rebellions whereever they can have access So that Watson in his Quodlibets and other secular Priests have proven and concluded the Jesuits traitors both for tenets and practise But not only are the Jesuits bound by oath to assassinations and rebellions but also the secular Priests themselves who are not Jesuits are bound unto the Pope himself in his Constitutions for ordering of the English Colledge at Rome by oath to propagat rebellion For thus speaks Martin Aspilcueta Doctor Novarrus lib. 3. consil resp concil 1. de regular cited by Doctor Burges At Rome in the Colledge of the English it is a Statut and Papal Constitution that whoever will be admitted into that Colledge he be tyed to swear that after so many years he will travel unto England for defence of the Catholick faith and there preach it both in publick and privat Now what Faith it is that they are bound to preach the treasons and rebellions raised by them can best evidence Now their great work is to corrupt the judgements of their followers and instruments of assassination and treason with poysonous positions touching the nature of such facts and bribe their consciences with strong baits of reward and glory to all that will undertake the acting of treasons and rebellions at their instigation which is a strong incentive to them For men that
desperat propounders and ring-leaders of that treason against King James and Prince Henry at his coming to England for which the said Watson and Clerk suffered the reward of traitors So that H. T. and other Papists are not to be believed for they will say any thing maintain any assertion that they may make for the advancement of their cause 3. What is the matter although they pretend to grant to the King all that the Sorbon Doctors and Parliament of Paris grant yea what although they profess to swear their allegiance are we the safer seeing they change their principles according as they see occasion and seeing they hold that the Pope can dispense with any oath even after they have taken it as I have proven before And did not Parsons and Campian anno 1580. notwithstanding of their strict oath to obey the Pope in all things procure a dispensation to free all Catholicks from obeying the Popes own declaratory Bull of excommunication against Queen Elizabeth till a better opportunity So you see they can get a dispensation from the Popes own Bull if they find it not seasonable What oath then will bind them especially to these they account heretical For that is one of their principles No faith is to be kept to hereticks as we shewed you They can change themselves Proteus-like in any form When there is no remedy they will yeeld to any thing But when they see their time they will do any thing I shal close all with the testimony of two great Doctors and Bishops in King James time the first whereof is Doctor Andreus Bishop of Winchester who in a sermon on Nov. 5. 1616. speaking of the reason that Bellarmin gives why the primitive Christians did not rise up against persecuting Emperors id fuit quia deerant vires He makes this collection that is as much as to say if they now in these days be so as they were then and carry themselves quietly it is quia non sunt vires and to hold no longer then donec erunt And then you are like to hear of them to have them go again with such another birth Ye shal have them as myld as Gregory the first when they have no strength But as fierce as Gregory the 7. when they have and afterwards thus See ye not next under God whereto to ascribe your safety even to non erant vires there is a point hangs on that for while that lasts while ye keep them there ye shal have the primitive Church of them have them to ly as quiet as still as ever did the barrels in the vault till vires like fire come to them and then off go they then nothing but depose Kings dispose of Kingdoms assoil subjects arm them against their Soveraigns then do they care not what But if the powder take not fire then shal you straight have books tending to mitigation then all quiet again certainly thus standing it were best to hold them in defectu virium to provide ut ne sint to keep them at non sunt vires till time they be better minded in this point and we have good assurance of it for minded as they are they want no will no virus they tell us what the matter is strength they want they write it they print it and si adessent vires they would act it in earnest Thus he The second is Doctor Prideaux in a Sermon on Nov. the 5. who having reckoned up a Catalogue of the damnable doctrines of Popery professeth to have done it To make it appear to these that would willingly be better perswaded of their doctrine that the doctrine it self directly warranteth treason Let the traitors be what they will and that none can be an absolut Papist but if he throughl◠understand himself and live under a Christian Prince that hath renounced the Popes authority must needs being put unto it be an absolut traitor Thus I hope ye have it proved both from their principles and practise that if Popery or Papists get any strength or footing in a Kingdom it will tend undoubtedly to the ruine of both King and Kingdom Yet the Papists are grown so impudent of late as to charge the Protestants integrity of rebellion and rebellious principles and excuse their own rebellious principles As in a Treatise intituled Philanax Anglicus dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury But Peter du Moulin hath learnedly answered it And truly herein they deal with us as Verres did with Tully Verres himself was a very notorius thief and knew that Cicero had much against him in that kind and therefore he knavishly and impudently calls Cicero the thief first though a very true man and noble Orator It is just so in this case Now I pray what case may both King and Kingdom expect to be in if Papists get any strength or power Have they not given infinit proofs both of old and late of their rebellious disposition and treasonable practises SECTION V. Containing some instances in particular of the barbarous and inhumane cruelty of Papists to Protestants where they had the power over them I Have hitherto shown that both the principles and practises of Papists tend to treasons rebellions war and blood-shed I shal in this Section to detect their cruelty give some instances in particular of their barbarous inhumane cruelty to Protestants where ever they get power authority or the upper-hand over them This is so well known that none that knows any thing of History are ignorant of it Ought ever the sad and deplorable case of England in Queen Maries time to be forgotten when either the soul behoved to be ruined by Idolatry or else the body to be burnt in a fire This was an unanswerable Dilemma either soul or body must perish How many hūdreds of Martyrs were burnt in one year all the Countrey over Their inhumane cruelties executed on Protestants are so many and terrible that they would make up many Volumes and make the hair to stand and the ears to tingle What greater torments are imaginable then is used in the Inquisition of Spain and Italy as it is described by M. Clerk in his Martyrologie But that the Reader may know ex ungue leonem their cruel and inhumane carriage to Protestants I shal set down a few instances I shal begin with the Waldenses in Provence against whom Meinerus President of Oppede anno 1545. raised war coming to Cabriers in which there were only 60. poor sick pesants who offered to open the gates and quite the Countrey leaving all their goods behind them but he entering the town caused all the men to be brought in a field and to be cut in pieces The souldiers striving who should show the best manhood in cutting of heads arms and leggs The women he caused to be locked in a barn with much straw and so put fire to it where many women great with child were burnt One souldier moved with pitie opening a hole in the wall that