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authority_n	book_n	church_n	time_n	2,698	5	3.9344	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26189	Hell illuminated, or, Sancy's Roman Catholic confession wherein are such lessons, which if studiously practis'd, 'tis much to be fear'd, the Devil himself will turn Jesuit.; Confession catholique du sieur de Sancy. English	Aubigné, Agrippa d', 1552-1630.	1679 (1679)	Wing A4187; ESTC R16534	72,199	180

HELL Illuminated OR SANCY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC Confession WHEREIN Are such Lessons which if studiously practis'd 't is much to be fear'd the Devil himself will turn JESUIT LONDON Printed for L. Curtis in Goat-Court on Ludgate-Hill 1679. THE PREFACE By way of Dialogue between a Roman Catholic and a Protestant R. Cath. HAve ye heard the News Pro. No Sir R. Cath. Well because 't is to your prejudice I 'le tell it ye The Devil having lately made public Confession and receiv'd full absolution of his sins from his Holiness himself at Rome has tak'n a Resolution to forsake the Pomps and Vanities of his own wicked world and in his old age to enter into one of our holy Orders according to the example of Charles the Fifth Pro. I took him to have been of your Religion ever since Constantine's time R. Cath. That 's your mistake He was of none at all till now I confess he had like to have bin converted by Martin Luther when he was so long with him in his study and John of Leiden with his back-sword Logic made him stagger cursedly so that he was just tumbling headlong down the Precipice of Huguenotism had not the strong hand of Ignatius Loyala snatch'd him from the misfortune of the fall Pro. Why then if the Devil have the least spark of Gratitude in him that must be the Order he intends to honour R. Cath. 'T is so Pro. In troth you make me smile R. Cath. VVhy so Pro. VVhy so because I see you do not perceive the Devils design For he having intelligence out of the Revelation That he is to Reign a Thousand Years upon Earth at his full swinge and resolving to make use of the utmost extent of his Tyranny beleives it his best way to hide his cloven feet with the Jesuits Cassock foreseeing that successful pretence of Mankind Religion to be the only way for him to carry on his intended mischief Tho there be some that say be does it out of Fear For though Broughton Napier Sedgwick and the rest of those modern small Prophets have promis'd him a full Thousand Years upon their Honours yet I know not what kind of mistrust over-rules him He is loth in the full Gallop of his fury and revenge upon Heaven to be cut off by the hands of an enthusiasm'd Ravilliac or be sham'd out of five hundred of his thousand years by a pair of perfum'd Gloves And therefore like a Devil of Prudence and Foresight he inserts himself into this Order R. Cath. These are meer inventions and reproaches cast upon honest worthy good men Nay you make those Actions to be Criminal which are not so and then throw 'em upon the Jesuits For if a man have a Capital Enemy you 'd have a man love him 'T is true there 's somthing of the Dove but where 's the Serpent There 's Christianity indeed where 's the Policy where 's self preservation and the Law of Nature The Law of Nature was from the beginning written in the heart of man the Law of God long after only cut upon two peices of stone and by Moses broken all at one clap Is it not a shameful thing to see a huddle of old rotten wood'n Buildings disgracing the modern Piles of Brick and Stone Structure therefore is Fire honestly made use of there to refine and beautifie The Jesuits are look'd upon as the most polite and high soaring of the Catholic Orders and therefore if they should not do extraordinary things from whom extraordinary things are expected their Reputation would dwindle away and dye of a Consumption Pro. But do you think it any honour to your Order to have the Devil of your Society R. Cath. Why truly I cannot tell If Satan will make a Confession and throw himself into the Arms of his Mother the Church of Rome I know that our holy Father the Pope has forgiven many an Incarnate worse then he we are apt to remember whatever we think the Devil does amiss why should we forget what he does well And indeed I would fain know what it is that you Huguenots rail so much at the Devil for You 'l say that He maintains a general Antipathy against Heaven so do the Danes maintain a National Enmity against the Suede the French against the Spaniards the Imperialists against the French And yet these National Antipathies are allowable as mainly conducing to cherish that Pride and Animosity which defends and many times crowns them with Victory I would fain know why a man might not write the Life of Satan as well as Katherine de Medecis unless it were out of civil respect to him not to let the VVorld see that a VVoman could out-do him Therefore good Mr. Protestant be not so Captious but read these following sheets Consider what the Prince of the Air says in his own justification weigh his Tropes and his Figures and if he don't argue like a Gentleman and a Scholar Pro. But hold a blow you say this is Signior Diavolo's Confession when the Title says 't is M. Sancy's Confession R. Cath. For that you know Sir 't is the common practice of men of no reputation to borrow the names of men of fame The Devil has learning but no fame He knew Sancy to have both Pro. Indeed I have heard much of this Sancy that he is both a witty an impartial Writer which makes me wonder that he being a man of learning should be drawn aside to be the Devil's Confessour R. Cath. Oh Sir 't is no dishonour to be deluded by the Devil Popes and Emperours themselves have frequently bin gull'd by him that 's more but Sancy was not so for when he heard his tale he presently smelt him and found his Civility to be but an act of Moralty well knowing that had the Devil bin put to have publish'd his Confession in his own name not one in a Thousand would have believ'd the Father of lyes Pro. A very great peice of Civility indeed R. Cath. Yes and I think as I said before of Morality too For when he heard how Lucifer spoke his Conscience and knew it as he did to be real it had been a point of dishonesty to have hindred the discovery of such truths to the World by the knowledg of which the Jesuits have become a mighty Order and the Roman Catholic Religion has bin highly advanc'd Pro. I am satisfi'd now to the Confession it self THE CATHOLIC CONFESSION OF THE Sieur de SANCY FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. Of the Authority of the Church and of its Head IT has been a Controversie frequently debated in these times whether the State be in the Church or the Church in the State Amongst those that would have the State to be in the Church there are some who alledge That it would not be universal should it be circumscrib'd within the State Others taking the same things for Examples Do ye not see say they how the State submits it self to the Church How this

the Bible But that I may seem to have done something more I made use of this advice not to reck'n for Tradition-Mongers those ancient Doctors of the six first Ages wherein the Church was not as yet fully nobilitated when her Sumptuous Buildings were not as yet rear'd when the Popes liv'd up and down in Caverns and in short might pass for the first Promoters of her troubles at what time the Church smelt somewhat strong of Huguenotism or rather of the Faggot I say they wrote nothing boldly or over-confidently in those first times therefore I allow for Traditions the Books corrected by the devout Council of Trent For some time after that we have seen at the Court and we have still some Doctors who affecting squeamishness of Conscience play the Demi-Huguenots and Appointers of Religion This ought to be a fair example to Monseiur Benedict and his Compagnons Berenger and Chauveau in their Deaths of Melancholie or Poyson These Hero's would fain persuade the suppression of a Book entitl'd Index Expurgatorius Accordingly it was one Result of the Council of Trent whereby all Printers were commanded to expunge or correct the most boistrous passages wherewith the holy Fathers had besmear'd the belief of the Church with a Catalogue of such Sentences as it was convenient either to stifle or amend to the end the Heretics might make no use of them These Prudent Worldlings esteeming themselves wiser then the Council would needs have this Expurgatorie Index suppres'd to conceal● as they said the shame of the Church which was not to plead for its self upon false Evidences But they have display'd the shame by thinking to hide it For about 11. or 20. years since the Book I mean a copie of it sign'd by the Council fell into the hands of the Family of Antwerp and is now carefully preserv'd among the Rarities of the Elector Palatine And which is worse some Doctors among the rest Baronius who were chosen to make this Reformation are reformed themselves and have confess'd in their printed writings that one of them had for his part alone alter'd above sixty of those passages Thus the design of the Council being discover'd in going about to suppress this Book we might suppress the Authority of the Church and make it questionable whether it be not lawful to change the Expositions of the Doctors and something of the Text of the Ancients Certainly the Affirmative is to be maintain'd and that the Church ought to change both the old and new Testament without bogling any more at the Translation of the Septuagint then at the Translation of fifteen Score if we would have all the main Principles on our side The Primates of Bourges and Lyons would discard out of the number of Traditions the Conformities of St. Francis the Pattern of Wisdom the Garden of disconsolate Souls Marial the Sermons of Menot Manipulus Curatorum Stella Lavacrum Conscientiae Summa Peccatorum dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Golden Legend the Book of Rates and the Life of Christ A Preacher whose name was Christi preach'd at Nantes to the Ladies in these words My dainty quaint Ladies if I find a Bible or a new Testament in any of your hands you shall tast of my Whip but have always between your fingers the good Vita Christi the Vita Christi who made Vespasian and Titus Christians and brought about the design of the Siege of Jerusalem to revenge the Death of Christ and then he condemn'd and vilifi'd all other Historians to establish the truth of that Book But one of those Prelats might sooner have instructed himself to believe in God then us to believe in Him and it is as difficult a thing to make us quit our love of those Books as to make him quit the love of his kind Sister For those books are the only foundation of our belief Neither do they allow the defeat of Monsieur Cayer They say that the Tales of St. Francis were made at Geneva That 's well for the Alcoran of St. Francis However the studies of these abstemious Find-faults are full of those books of the old Impressions 'T were better for them to defend them and say that they were made with a good Intention As when we read of St. Francis living with his Wife of Snow We ought to speak the best and say the good man did it to cool not only his own naturally sinful heat but as a president to his posterity When he preaches to the flesh thereby it is intimated that when his offspring should preach they would require a mute Auditory When he preach'd it up for a Miracle that God would not suffer the flesh to be drown'd in the Deluge thereby he insinuates that the Miracles of the Church of Rome ought to proceed from natural causes as Richeome labours to make out When he calls the Wolves his Brethren and stroaks them with his hand he did it to show that the Franciscans should be rough footed and surprizers of the Innocent sheep He calls the Swallows his Sisters because their Brothers like them all morning prayer time build their nests i' the Country-mens Houses When the Angel told St. Francis as he was at his devotions that Antichrist should be born of his Order that was because it should not be thought an Indignity to make the Franciscan Friers Popes And when he disrob'd himself before the Women and set up his Crucifix what was that but to display the beauties of Nature as not having eaten of the Tree of Knowledg and to lay open if not the understanding yet the nakedness of Father Adam When St. Germain raises a dead Ass wherefore should not he out of his brotherly love and Asinine commiseration being alive give life to Asses who had bin the death of so many at St. Germans de prez and Auxerrois Blase of Anjou who threaten'd his Son with Excommunication if he offer'd to read one line in the Scripture especially the Commandments at length at the intercession of Aubraye a good Catholic gave him leave to read the Maccabees As for Frier Jacopon when I was a Huguenot there was nothing made me laugh like the Legend of that pious Saint and among the rest how he made Confession of his sins to one of his Brethren by signs These things seem absurd but they work this effect among the people as to lead them into a belief that there is no absurdity in the World And therefore it is that St. Paul calls the preaching of these things the folly of preaching From whence Monsieur Cayer draws this notable Syllogism It pleases God to save Believers by the folly of preaching the folly of preaching is the preaching of Legends therefore God is pleased to save believers by preaching of Legends If any person requires the note of Universality and insists that nothing is to be concluded ex puris particularribus he may do well for the School-men However to conclude from pure particulars is rather the Logic

more generally I saw in France that their resolutions were agitated to the wish of their Enemies That they sought their security other-where then one among another or within themselves That they fix'd their resolutions in their Enemie's Country and not at home as the Switzers do look upon the Peace as concluded before the Treaty was begun and bereav'd themselves of their advantages and distinctions before it was proclaim'd Which is worse we have gain'd three in four of their principles which caus'd them to treat as already sow'd up in the Kings party not in War for they bore Arms for him not in Peace for that their necessity urg'd them to treat not in Truce because they had quitted their Distinctions their Judicature their Treasure and their separate Forces So that being neither in War nor in Peace nor in Truce they fancy'd a fourth condition which never was tossing up one leg i' the Air which could be no steady march Some there were that cry'd shame upon these proceedings others would not seek to remedy these things unless the Grandees who were gain'd by the King would return among them to buoy up their party now patch'd up of several pieces choosing rather to be fat then healthy They apprehended their own weakness without considering the distinction of affairs of State Hence they began to treat with respect to conclude without security They did enough to offend but not to defend Thus were these poor people condemn'd in their simple fidelity to be the sport of the great ones persuaded to have pity upon France when France had no pity upon them to preserve it when they had no interest in it to fortifie it when they had expell'd themselvs out of it But when men have their hands ty'd by the fear of God and a bashful respect of their Prince they should be advis'd of their first motion for whatever Peace they make can be no Peace but a Contract of Servitude CHAP. VI. An examination of some Books of these times WHen Monsieur Confessour came to my Lodging he sent in three Porters Load of Books to enhance the Ceremony of my Conversion Some Censurers of these times have observ'd that we did not lash one of them but that after Dinner we spent all the day in playing at Cent. But I will shew those that were so careful to spie what was done that day that I have well employ'd others in modern Theology to authorize my design I have read the Answers to the book of Plessis Mornay 'T is very great pity he has not had leisure to follow his studies as he did some 18. years ago But since he has had so many affairs of State under his hands so much authority to sustain such a large Family to govern nothing has appear'd lately from him The Theologist of Xantes seeing all our Dogs upon that Bear and that none bit him or durst so much as take him by the Ear gave a leap at him I would every one would do as much For though he answer'd little to the purpose yet what one cannot do singly many may There is the same method to be us'd against this person and matters must d● boldly asserted without coming to the point of close argument for mischief might come of it As for Richeome the Heretics are constrain'd to confess that the style is the genteelest of any that has lately become public at least the Preface and if they say 't is none of his yet it is his either by way of gift or purchase If the body of the work be dull and flat is it not a common Custom for the Youth of these times to wear the fore part of their Dublets of Satin and the hinder part of Canvass Does he not do well to bring three Battalions before the King to persuade him to admit the Jesuits Though in truth three Battalions of eight Thousand men apeice and fifty great Guns would be more persuasive and prove better Advocates then the book of truth defended Now in pursuit of my design I put on my Spectacles as when I play at Tables and viewing at hand these three Battalions in the first Rank I saw none but a Company of Whipper Snappers with Morrions guilt with leaf Gold But any thing for a Civil War At the head of 'em rode a fair Argument to prove Miracles Nature is able to perform this or that Such and such things have bin produced contrary to the order of Nature Ergo. The Miracles of Ardilliers are not false The Colours were of good Taffata He that carry'd the Collonel's colours having a mind to play the Coxcomb and flourish his Colours under Leg as they do at Paris strain'd himself so hard that he befowl'd himself This is the Confession of deceas'd Beza who bequeaths all to his Wife and the rest to the Franciscans dyes a good Roman Catholic and this is that which became of him I am told an old arch Heretic read this book with a great deal of pleasure I would make a slight answer but perhaps he will burst himself with laughing which would be an argument to prove Miracles which is the subject of the book I know abundance of Catholics look upon the supposition of his death as a strange thing But in a book that treats of wonders can any discourse be thought Miraculous For my part I affirm and maintain it to be as true as other Miracles That Beza is dead First by the argument by which we prove Transubstantiation God may cause him to dye Ergo he is dead Then again This book which is in the rank and number of Traditions ought to be sooner believ'd then the Bible as the Curate of St. Gervaise but lately preach'd Traditions said he are sooner to be believ'd then the Old New Testament provided that they are authoriz'd by Traditions and not Traditions by them More then this Beza is Civily dead by Banishment and Spiritually dead by Excommunication But grant he be not dead this news has always serv'd the news has bin still made use of like a Vultur's-skin to the stomach of some weak Catholics to advance the pious frauds of honest Mr. Cardinal according to this book and that of the deceased good Queen his Play-fellow Think you that that same book of St. Clement which Capil the Venetian found in the Isle of Crete has not mainly conduc'd to the establishing private Masses For all the World has not such a quick understanding when they see the letter by which St. Clement advertiz'd St. James of St. Peter's death to know that St. James was dead seven years before the other 'T is a great benefit for an ingenious man to understand who tells truth whether Anaclete who stiles himself Successour to Clement or Ireneus and Eusebius who say that Clement succeded Anaclete who notwithstanding that wrote a very compleat Letter to Clement after he was dead He speaks of the Temple of St. Peter but it was an hundred years before the Christians