might ask who those Cardinals be whom they call Princes of the Church and upon whom the Church is said to rest and move as a doore on the hinges for from the word Cardine is Cardinall taken and it is known to every man that some of them are simple Priests others Bishops and others neither Priests nor Bishops but ordinarily great Lords and Princes to whom that dignitie is given for the greatnesse of their family the most part of them being very rich and abounding in wealth and pleasures who represent neverthelesse as they say the Apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ although the difference be as great betwixt the Cardinals and the Disciples as betwixt day and night and a great Chaos between those conditions and neverthelesse these are the guides and leaders of the flock of Christ the Counsellours of the universall Pastor and the onely men can give a Pastor to the Church But consider I pray you what prejudice it is to Princes and Kingdoms hereby the Popes labouring to perpetuate that Primacy within the families and confines of Italy make of purpose a great number of Italians Cardinals for one of other countreys and I am full perswaded if there be sixtie Cardinals there are ever more than fourtie of them Italians and it may be three or foure of every other Nations and when the Pope is dead there being but 16. or 17. dayes purposely to conveene and make a new election there are none but the Cardinals in Italy can be present so it is not to be marvelled if the Pope who is now adayes created is ever an Italian it being impossible to other Cardinals who are imploied in their charges or about their Princes to be present in time their number being even too small to contradict or carrie it although they were there But I would willingly ask who hath made Italy dearer to God than other Kingdoms and Nations to carry this priviledge and to give and impose a Law upon all other Christians of the world Was Christ Jesus and St. Peter born in Italy they were born and issued from Judea ought Italy which is but a small peece of ground to give Laws to the whole world and to bring all other Christians under their yoke Is it a Nation of greater worth then is France Spaine Germany or other Kingdoms greater and richer more powerfull and renowned than she is to bring them also under her Empire if the Head of the Church ought to be created by election to make the election just equitable and lawfull all Kingdoms should be advertised of the day of the election that they may have time to come or send their deputies thither Let them have equalitie of voice as many and no more of Italy than of France or Spaine let Italy although but little hold the place of a Kingdom and have as many voices if they will as a greater and more powerfull Kingdom that might be suffered and it is all the favour it could pretend let the election be made at Rome and let the Pope live there if he list this might be born with providing all the Christian Kingdoms might have time to send their deputies and be received with equalitie of voice and suffrage so he who should be chosen in this manner might more lawfully be esteemed head of the Church if not by divine at least by humane right and Ecclesiastical policie and Christians having after this manner contributed and consented to his election might have some reason to acknowledge him for superiour and obey him But to be elected as he is now adayes although in all times there had been a head in the Church he who is elected after this manner cannot be justly and lawfully esteemed for such a one for the election is altogether unjust and consequently invalid and therefore none are bound to obey him I speak even according to the Laws of the Romish Church supposing also that Jesus Christ had had intention to leave another Head than himself to the Church on earth I marvell that Kings and Princes who have so great power and so wise Counsell neer them should so suffer this great injustice to be done to all Christians that depend on their Authority and take no order with it are there not as wise men and capable to govern the Church in their Dominions as in Italy Is it necessary that it be continually governed at this day by an Italian and that all the Congregations and orders of the Romish Church be also governed by men whom the Pope laboureth by his policy to have ever of his Nation to reign and maintain himself with more full power Those whom this doth concern know sufficiently what I mind to say And must all the goods and almes of Christians serve onely to augment and inrich all the families of Italy one after another and that strangers can never pretend any part in that wherein they have as much interest as the others and the materials of which they furnish at their proper charge and to the great oppression of the people which might be much eased if those innumerable summes of gold which go every yeer out of their Dominions to maintain the dissolutenesse and excesse of the Pope and his Court did remain within the countrey or were converted to the use of the Kings and Princes nor is it without cause that the Italians mock other Popish Nations for suffering themselves to be so gulled by them and truly they have good reason Let those who have the authoritie and power in their hands look to it if they please I speak this even according to the maximes of the Romish Church and their worldly policie but this is not the greatest evil nor the thing I intend most in this discourse By this it may be seen how the Pope of Rome abuseth the bountie of Princes and Christians to maintain himself in his authoritie and howsoever S. Peter and the other Apostles were subject to Princes he himself in his 1 Epist 2 Chap. 13 verse exhorting Christians to all dutifull obedience 1 Pet. 2.13 and especially that obedience and subjection that is due to Kings and Princes Notwithstanding the Pope at this day saith that he is exempted from all spirituall and temporall Laws and jurisdiction thinking he holdeth of none but himself on earth labouring to usurpe the same authoritie over Kings and Princes that the Son of God had and applying to himself that of our Saviour Mat. 28.18 Matth. 28.18 All power is given to me in heaven and earth but with this difference that although Christ had the authority yet he made no use of it but ever submitted himself to Princes and Kings of the earth and the Pope having not this power usurpeth it neverthelesse so farre as he can Thence cometh it to passe that he would bring under his authoritie and Dominions Kings and Princes and pretendeth them all to be subject and tributarie to his power not onely in spirituall but even in
temporall things and that with that subtiltie and craft which Bellarmine and other Romish Doctors call indirect jurisdiction and power whereby he maketh all the States Empires and actions of Princes liable to his authoritie it being impossible but some interest or pretext of Religion or spirituall good be alwayes mixed with it over which the Pope pretendeth direct authoritie c. And therefore it is a Maxime in the Romish Schooles that he may depose establish and excommunicate Kings interdict their Dominions and Kingdoms give all their estates in prey to the first Conquerour under the pretext and colour of Religion and if he think them not stongly addicted to maintain his faith and doctrine or rather if they shew not themselves zealous of the augmentation and conservation of his greatnesse and authoritie for this is the word of the Caballe and the true cause of the usurpation of such a power besides the infallible ambition which is naturall to every one And grounded upon this maxime the Pope hath made use of that authoritie upon all occasions and doth it yet so much as he can Witnesse that which the Pope hath lately done upon the Dukedomes of Ferrara and Vrbin in Italy which States he hath handsomely seized upon and would questionlesse do the same or worse with all other Princes if his power did equall his will But men are not now so simple as formerly and the Popes Canons fright now adayes but few for now they begin to crack and most Princes are too strong and wise now to be led so by the nose or submit their necks under his feet as some of their Ancestors did although I beleeve there would be many Pope Innocents found if there were any Prince like Frederick Barbarosse but they of our time are not so simple Neverthelesse he desisteth not as he did in ancient time to abuse timorous spirits and make the name and interests of St. Peter to resound loud every where if a Prince take back that which the Pope had usurped upon him he crieth that he robbeth St. Peter if he beg any thing from them to make up his greatnesse it is saith he for S. Peter and S. Paul if any refuse him they refuse S. Peter saith he Oh but St. Peter will be warie to take part in all those greatnesses and worldly vanities which are so contrary to his exhortations so far from his examples and so little beseeming the office of a true Pastor of souls and a Christian Priest But those pretexts have served him very much to deceive and cozen a number of simple Princes with whose goods he being once enriched thereafter becometh more potent and proud to make war against them and ruine them utterly and their successours or else hath inriched his kindred and increased and augmented his estate in such sort that it far exceedeth at this present that of the greatest Princes of Europe For what Prince is there at this present in Europe who hath 24000. crowns to spend every day as the Pope of Rome and all this either begged or usurped under the name and pretext of St. Peter But I would willingly demand if he worketh the works of St. Peter and liveth as he did so to borrow his name had St. Peter as great wealth did he make as great chear and keep such a Court or so much inriched his kindred did St. Peter govern his Church with so great state and pompe Yes truly with greater povertie zeal and modesty with greater sanctitie and edification and I fear much that those who use so wrongfully the name of St. Peter be condemned one day by the example of St. Peter whose name and cloke they use not imitating his works I know they find reasons to cover that magnificence and glistering vanity but there is nothing in the world how absurd and bad soever but the spirit of man can give some reason for it and if the foolish and ridiculous fashion should come in the world to walk with the feet upwards and the head downwards some reason might be given of it as did that people which cut off young girles feet in their Countrey but if those reasons be worthy to be received let men judge And if the Popes complain as they do of the contempt of the Princes of our age towards them let them live as did St. Peter whose name they carrie then Princes and all Christians will respect them as St. Peter Indeed every one now seeth and confesseth that the lay Lords have been in a manner too simple suffering themselves to be so easily cozened by the craft and insatiable avarice of the Romish Clergie who under pretext of devotion of Purgatory and long prayers as saith the Evangelist have snatched the pleasantest and sweetest part of all the wealth in Christendome But of this perchance in another place At this time men are wiser and go no more in procession from far countreys to kisse the Popes pantofle and if any go for the present it is more through curiositie than for respect and devotion though they cease not to transport many Millions of gold daily out of some Kingdoms to the great grief of many wise and good men and carry it to Rome to entertain the Popes Court in the pleasures and insolencies known to most men to inrich his Nephews and kinsfolks and whorle the Cardinals with a cortage of fourty or fiftie Coaches in a word to maintain the Romish Clergie in such abominations and dissolutenesse that S. Lewes King of France could never have the heart to see them they surpassing in excesse and dissolutenesse all the Cities of the world even those where Christ Jesus and Gods Name is not known Let the Pope of Rome have whereon to live and make good cheer if he will so long as he liveth that were sufferable but to have 24000. crowns to spend every day is a little too much for an old Priest and I beleeve that the over-plus would do an infinite of good to many poore Christians Priests and Prelates also both learned and understanding who are constrained to live poorely all the rest of their daies and I may say to fast that they may send excessive Annates to Rome to feed his hounds and maintaine his excesse Happy and wise are those Kingdomes and States who have freed themselves from that tyranny and withdrawne their necks from under that hard and unsupportable yoake I know the Pope is much grieved and fretteth daily for having by his presumption and obstinacy given occasion to those Princes to open their eyes and see the darknesse and captivitie wherein they lived and will beware to stirre so much another time for feare his throne should fall flat to the ground But there is no remedy for that which is past nor is there any appearance they will ever returne and come back to the ancient collection of Peters penny Mens eyes are too open now againe to be deceived and their noses too apt to smell out their plots
dissention and strange scandall in the Church of Rome that they of that partie are ashamed and know not what to think on and it is probable that ere it be long the interchucks of those great and heavie clouds will make terrible thundrings I pray God the lightnings may be good and the effects happie But certainly it is not without subject if the Bishops complain so much to see the Pope of Rome whom they esteeme but their equall under pretext of his usurped authority send them fellow-helpers in their Diocesses without their consent and even against their will and inclination which say they have more power than themselves and brag they are exempted from their jurisdiction preaching in their Diocesse against their will and confessing in despight of them and all the Pastors and who by their Indulgences and Papall priviledges and other Monasticall allurements withdraw their sheep out of their Parish and common fold causing schismes in their Churches especially by the means of certain congregations and brotherhoods invented of purpose to bind the people to them and draw from them their wealth and possessions which is the drift and end of the mystery and truly it would vex a Saint as they say and if the Bishops power were answerable to their good will there would in a short time be no religious nor Monks in the world acknowledging at their own cost too late that institution never to have been of Christ nor his Apostles but onely a humane invention which the Popes have made use of to maintain their authoritie amongst the people especially against the contradictions of the Bishops and truly the Pope hath nor any stronger pillars at this present in the world for he maintaineth them by priviledges and immunities and they defend him by their tongue and writings so one hand scratcheth another Now if the Bishops complain so much seeing their authoritie so far wronged in and by them the kingdom republiques and Cities do no lesse at this present finding their shoulders loaded and their purses extremely lightned thereby for the most part of them are open or secret beggars who calling themselves voluntarily poore are shamelesse and beleeve mens whole estate belongs to them and that every one is bound to give them and who by their stratagems and importunitie can suck the very blood of families leaving often nothing but the bones for the poore children to gnaw for if you chase them out by the one dore they will returne by the other If they be refused by word they enter againe by friends and other inventions if you give them a flat deniall they calumniate you amongst your neighbours as an avaritious or ungodly man if yee give to one yee must give to twenty nay even to all for feare of incurring their disgrace and the bad effects of their tongues which are rather beleeved of the people when they lie than others when they speake truth and are Trumpets that sound every where it is impossible to content them all otherwise men must have the riches of Salomon Moreover they are insatiable so that an honest man that would maintaine his family in any good fashion and shew that his children may obtaine better matches if he cannot give those men proportionably to that which they see appeare outwardly he is often redacted to such extremities that makes him send a thousand complaints and sighes unto heaven against the institution and establishment of those kinde of men It is impossible to hinder them when they have a minde to settle themselves in any Citie or Bishopricke for being troopes composed of a number both of quick and dull spirits they finde easily friends strong and able enough to force and constraine the wills even of Princes and if Kings refuse them they set new inventions and practices on foote to move and stirre up Queenes to prosecute their designes so that it is not to be marveiled if they enter wheresoever they will and there maintaine themselves against the will and combination almost of all And which is worse there is almost no religious Order which hath not a desire to multiply inlarge and establish themselves every where to possesse and governe all themselves alone and when they are established they move heaven and earth to hinder least any companions should come and live neere them or be admitted not onely where they remaine but in all the Circumference and Sphere of their activitie I know a certaine Order which being established in a Towne hath to my knowledge assayed all meanes for divers yeares to hinder the Orders of Jesuits Recolects Penitents Minims Fathers Oratories Feuillants shod and bare-footed Carmelites Pyramidall Augustines and others to settle neere them Now if so much good commeth from those Orders as they make the people beleeve I would gladly aske wherefore they trouble and disquiet themselves so much to hinder others from being admitted and received with them to contribute to the Common good as they doe considering the spirits and inclinations of the people to be different and one will like one Order who will dislike another seeing also as they often preach there cannot be too many good men in the world but charitie say they beginneth at home or to speake the truth covetousnesse commandeth them as well as other passions especially vanitie and pride I remember I have heard many great Preachers and Doctors yea even Prelates of especiall learning and examplary life in the Romish Church apply to them in their Sermons the words spoken by our Saviour of the Pharisees and Scribes Mark 12.38 Mar. 12.38 Beware of the Scribes who love to goe in long cloathing and love salutations in the Market places and the chiefest seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost Roomes at feasts which devoure widdowes houses and for a pretence make long prayers those shall receive greater Damnation And many among them did confesse the application was good enough for the most part and they seemed to suffer it as persecution for Justice notwithstanding under-hand they left nothing unassayed whereby to be revenged and hinder them to preach any longer for feare they should reveale other things and discover more of their mysteries For my part it is not my designe here or desire to speake any thing either of particular persons or Congregations although it may well be beleeved that if I would open my mouth or move my pen I know many singularities concerning the disorders which have been committed and which are committed there every day to shame many but as I pretend nothing but the weale and conversion of soules not their confusion I desire rather to bury all in silence than discover any thing I will say no more of it except some froward and impertinent spirit as there are diverse will tax me of lying and imposture in this Discourse and give me occasion to explaine my selfe more cleerly and produce more evident examples and proofes to justifie my selfe of this crime and so constraine my nature and
of all question doth proceed that great ignorance which is to be seen amongst the people in the Church of Rome there not being ten amongst an hundred instructed sufficiently to salvation or that can give a sufficient reason of their beliefe I say even according to the doctrine of their own Church This is specially to be seen in the Countrey Parishes and in many Cities also where though there be more frequent preaching the Communion and confession be oftner haunted yet the people are nothing the better instructed in the faith for all that nor know they sufficiently that which concerneth their salvation this defect can be imputed to no other cause but the forbidding the reading of the Scriptures which is the Booke of life appointed by God for the instruction and consolation of the faithfull for howsoever they make many Catechismes and the Preachers endeavour often to instruct the people in their beliefe they are but little the wiser or better instructed for all that for they nourish them not with the Book of life to wit the Word of God which is the true bread of the faithfull instituted by God for their instruction and comfort Where on the contrary in the Churches of the reformed Religion there is not one almost but he can give a reason of his beliefe if he have any judgement and is instructed in the faith though often they cannot reade but have onely heard the Scripture read and you shall finde in many places an infinite number of simple and ignorant people in humane learning who know the Bible a great deale better than many great Bishops in Popish Universities and famous Preachers among them which I protest I have often seen with great admiration as did many others also to the great confusion questionlesse of the Romish Church what ever they can alledge As for my part I confesse I could never finde any sufficient reason in that prohibition for reading the Scriptures for if the Scripture we call the Old Testament is the same Word of God that was left unto us by Moses by the Prophets and servants of God as is most certaine I see nothing more common in that Word than straight commands to reade heare meditate ruminate and observe the same to write it upon the posts of our houses and carry it tyed to our fingers that is to have it continually before our eyes and in our hearts I should make too large a volume contrary to my intention if I should cite all the passages which are clearly to be seen in it to this effect peruse but the Bookes of Deuteronomy and Numbers the Proverbs of Salomon the Psalmes of David and divers of the Prophets All those commandements and exhortations are given to all men as well the learned as the ignorant the poore as the rich which cannot be understood of the Bible onely in a strange tongue but in a language that is best understood of every one which is the vulgar That which is said of the old Testament may be more easily proved of the New which is as the last Will Christ Jesus our Father hath left us as his children by which we must know his intentions and that which he desireth us to doe to become worthy children of so good a Father and to possesse the inheritance he hath purchased for us through his merits and bloud Is there any man of judgement in the world who can beleeve that he hath left us his Commandements last Will and intentions as altogether needfull to salvation and not suffer us to reade the same and that there was but one man in the world to wit the Pope who had power to reade and explaine the same to others Where is that so important prohibition set downe Where is it so spoken have not we as much part in the inheritance of Christ Jesus as our Father the Pope By what right should Christians be deprived of the reading of the will and intentions of their Father the will of God and his holy Commandments which they ought to know and doe under paine of eternall damnation Is there any power or authoritie under heaven that can hinder them seeing God enjoyneth and commandeth the same the thing being of so great importance to them that none can be answerable for them in the day of Judgement Is there any power on earth that can dispence them No no this prohibition is altogether unjust and against both reason and the will of God Yes but some will say the intentions of God his Testament and the holy Scripture are made knowne to Christians by the sermons which they call commonly the Word of God It is true the preaching of the servants of God and Orthodox Preachers are highly to be esteemed for they may learne and profit much thereby but there is great difference betwixt a mans and the Word of God because the Word of God is altogether divine and holy and the infallible truth of which we cannot doubt and the Sermons of Preachers howsoever they be called the Word of God are not to speak properly the Word of God except onely that which is simply produced out of the holy Scripture the rest are onely humane words subject to faults and defects to passions and errors especially in the Romish Church where many among them cite oftner Plato Seneca Plutarch or some other than they doe the holy Scriptures and if they cite them it is so far from the true meaning thereof that they may rather be tearmed prophane than piously cited and sincerely explained Finally it is to deceive Christians to make them beleeve that Sermons should serve them in place of reading the holy Scriptures the Word of God is filled with a better spirit than all the best Sermons in the world for there it is the holy Spirit who speaketh to us whereof we ought not to doubt nor can we enter into any suspition of deception but Sermons being onely the words of men instituted to instruct and stirre us up to God wee ought indeed to respect them much and heare them willingly but we are not obliged to heare and receive them with so great respect as the holy Scriptures and we ought also to examine and confer them with the Scriptures as did those Noble Bereans having heard St Paul preaching to see if that which he said unto them was conformable to the Word of God as it is set downe Act. 17.11 neither did St Paul nor St Luke Act. 17.11 nor any other ever blame them for that action And our Saviour himselfe reproaching the Jewes that being sent from God his Father they would neither receive him nor beleeve in him saith to them Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 for in them yee thinke to have eternall life for they are they which testifie of me And in the History of poore Lazarus and the wicked rich man is written in St Luke chap. 16. Luk. 16.28 when this damned wretch desired that God would shew miracles and raise some
from the dead to convert his brethren God who is understood by Father Abraham did he not answer They have Moses and the Prophets let them harken to them that is let them reade and see what they say for Moses and the Prophets were already dead and could not speake but by their Bookes St John the Evangelist having written the Apocalyps which is the most obscure and difficile Booke of all the Scripture in the opinion of all the learned whereof St Jerome saith that it containes as many mysteries as words yet St John who writ it forbiddeth not the reading thereof to Christians nor saith that none but the Pope of Rome or the Bishops and Doctors have power and presumption to reade it but stirreth up every one to reade it and proclaimeth a blessing upon all those that reade it by those words Blessed is he that readeth Apoc. 1.2 and they that heare the words of this Prophesie and keepe the things that are written therein Apoc. 1.2 When Philip went out of Jerusalem by the commandement of the Lord Act. 8.27 to goe for Gaza he did meet with the Eunuch of the Queene of Ethiopia who being a man that sought the Kingdome of God did reade the old Testament the Apostle did not reprove him for reading the Scripture but explained to him a Prophesie of Isaiah that was difficile to be understood and that reading was a means and helpe to finde true faith and to embrace Christian Religion In the time then of Jesus Christ and his Apostles the reading of the holy Scripture was not forbidden neither was it thought to be pernicious The Romish Church commendeth also St Cecill whose feast they keep as of a great Virgin and Martyr for carrying continually in her bosome the Books of the Evangelists and they hold she lived in the times of St Clement who is esteemed one of the first Bishops of Rome after the death of St Peter The Scriptures then were not as yet prohibited nor the reading of the same thought pernicious or dangerous to the simple sort for she was but a simple young damsell brought up in Paganisme As we reade of St Jerome who lived about three hundred yeares after that he did recommend nothing to Paula and Eustochium Mother and daughter both great Romane Dames so much as the assiduous reading of the holy Scriptures and that it should be their most ordinary study and frequent meditations By these and an infinite of other examples which I might alledge if I feared not tediousnesse we see that the reading of the Scripture was permitted yea recommended and laudable in Christians and that neither by Christ Jesus nor his Apostles nor the Romish Church in those times was it thought to be pernicious None will say that the Gentiles Jewes and Christians of those times were of greater judgement than those of our times or that they were more capable to read the holy Scriptures and the most difficile Prophesies for that should be ridiculous Neither dare any one say that the Prophets and Apostles and Jesus Christ himselfe or the first Pastours of those times had not as much and more understanding than the Pope or the Church of Rome in our time and yet they did not conceive that some would abuse such reading for that should be a great impietie notwithstanding this must be the inference from such a prohibition But to speake truth it appeareth to be no other thing but a policy and malicious subtiltie of the Romish Church for the present too much corrupted or rather from those who governe the same for feare that the people reading the holy Scriptures perceive the errours and falsenesse of the doctrine therein preached seeing so little conformitie in it with the Word of God And truly according to the Maxime of policy and for the conservation and upholding of their doctrine they have as great reason as Mahomet had to destroy all the Universities and Colledges of learning within the reach of his authoritie for my part I doe not remember to have seene any Christians who have not in reading the holy Scriptures faln soon to an infinite number of doubts about the beliefe of the Romish Church it being almost impossible to be otherwise and as black is never better seen than when it is brought neere to white in the light so the lies and false doctrine being confronted and placed by the truth cannot but appeare immediately And there are but few learned men who perceive not this cleerely enough but being interessed in that party and being bound to it with humane cords and bands they strive to dissemble the same that they may conserve their goods and dignities and by the spirit of pusillanimitie or avarice endeavour to suffocate and tread underfoot the prickings motions caused by the truth but blessed are they whom neither wealth nor honours nor any worldly or humane consideration hinder to come to Christ and who embrace his holy doctrine and can say with St Paul Phil. 3.8 Phil. 3.8 I account all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Saviour Since then courteous Reader the reading of the holy Scriptures is of such vertue that it discovereth the lies and is so much recommended to us by God the Father who hath spoken to us by his Prophets and servants and by his Sonne Jesus Christ who hath preached it to us from his owne mouth and by the holy Spirit who hath charged us therewith by his Apostles and Evangelists be in love with it reade it againe and againe without wearinesse Let no power nor authoritie in the world no prohibition of any whosoever hinder you from the reading of it for it being against the will and intention of God there is no power nor authoritie in the earth can binde us from it On the contrary God who commandeth it must rather be obeyed than all the Popes that forbid it although they were universall Pastours as they falsely brag themselves to be and undoubtedly it is a great sin to neglect and set at naught the commandements of our God in that point to obey man and therefore I exhort you againe to read the holy Scriptures couragiously and often to have them continually before your eyes to compare the whole doctrine of our salvation with them and hold them for a sure rule of all truth to meditate and ruminate them uncessantly and obey the holy Spirit who preacheth to us therein for I doubt not but yee may reape great profit for your soules necessary instruction for your salvation and a singular consolation And because that some one by Gods punishment and just judgement abusing the same finds death instead of life is that a sufficient reason to deprive others thereof forbid the reading of it Because the Sunne the fire or the water occasions sometimes great damage to certain persons ought the use thereof be forbidden to all men therefore as most dangerous some there are who abuse both
when Printing did begin they being either lost or consumed by fire or time or by the Wormes or a multitude of other accidents which we see doth eat and consume the very stones and Iron Now those first Manuscripts have been copied out by divers Writers and that from hand to hand from time to time to be dispersed and preserved from age to age and run over Kingdoms and after a multitude of Transcriptions passed by example since our Saviours time to us how many faults and what alteration have been made in those Books and in the doctrine of those Fathers for there is no man almost how able soever who can brag that he can transcribe a sheet of paper without committing some one or more faults how many will there be then in a great Volume as one of St Augustins or St Chrysostoms And as those Clerks or Transcribers who were called Amanuenses were for the most part mercenary and did all for money and profit living by that trade it is likely they took not much care but thought onely upon a quick dispatch that they might gaine the more and when they found any thing that seemed a fault to them whether it was really so or not they changed and corrected it according to their minde and passion it faring with faults as with balls of snow which the more they are rolled grow the bigger so far was their faults to be lesned by their Writers thav they were rather augmented and multiplied the old continuing or rather growing worse and daily more new ones being made so that some little time after it might be said of every Book that it was in a manner no more the same Book but altogether another being so much changed and altered And the Romish Church growing in power and authoritie when shee found any thing in those Books contrary to her doctrine and the increase of her greatnesse or against her designes and intentions shee did condemne the same as falsified and falsly attributed to the Fathers and correct it after her own minde and fancy and when Printing was come in use shee made choice of that which was most conformable to her doctrine or rather moulding and forming it by her agents and supporters to her own minde caused it so to be printed suppressing and forbidding other Copies as spurious and corrupted said they by some heretiques or malicious people or falsly attributed to their Authors and so who can now say in the world certainly that the writings fathered upon Irenaeus Cyrillus Augustin and other ancient Fathers are the true and genuine Writings of those Fathers not falsified or supposed And if it hath been so hard a matter to preserve the holy Scripture which is but a little Book in comparison of those others in its purity through so many ages when Printing was not in use What can we say of those great Volumes which were not in so great request nor so much respected and where the change and alteration was not of so great importance to care so much but where every one took often the authoritie to change according to his fancy and accommodate the Father to his minde to authorise his beliefe I think there is no man of good judgement in the world who seeth not cleerly the force and power of this so manifest truth and that it is impossible to ground any certaine beliefe such as that of faith ought to be upon so uncertaine grounds Besides that though they were most certaine yet being men subject to mistakes and errours wee were not obliged to make their opinions our Judges if they be not conformable to the Word of God which is the rule of all truth For which cause I shall not strive in this Booke to alledge many passages of Fathers but onely shew my opinion grounded upon strong reasons and upon the vertue of the Scripture My intention not being to make a great Volume but onely a little Book of small cost and little time and paines both for my selfe and the Reader CHAP. VIII Concerning the chiefe point of Controversie to wit that St Peter had no primacy in the Church and that the primacy of the Pope is an unlawfull usurpation AS I have ever beleeved that the chiefe and most important point among all the controversies betwixt the Catholique reformed and the Romish Church is that of the Primacy of the Pope and whether he be Vicar of Christ Jesus on earth universall and generall Bishop over all Christians and be head and superiour of the Catholique Church So it was the first motive of my conversion and that which I esteemed to have most need to be well considered and examined as being the ground of all the Romish beliefe which once over-turned shee must of necessitie fall to the ground And howsoever there be many other points of great importance this neverthelesse is as the Center where all the rest do meet and the axletree on which they all move and the foundation that upholdeth them because that whatsoever point of faith or Scripture is in controversie those of the Romish Church will have none but the Church for Judge or as I have shewed the Pope saying he is Vicar of Christ Jesus and head of the universall Church and consequently sole Judge in matters of faith And being the Pope of Rome pretendeth this authoritie onely so far as he vaunteth himselfe to be successour of St Peter to whom he saith that Christ Jesus hath given this power I have diligently examined the question to see what reason and ground the Doctors of the Romish Church have to maintaine the same and howsoever they reject the Scripture and will not admit it to be Judge of controversie they are neverthelesse necessitated to have recourse to it and receive it for Judge in this point For the question being of the Pope he must not be Judge and party and it would be an insufferable impertinency to goe about to prove the Pope by the Pope and maintaine that he is head of the Church because maintaineth he and affirmeth it he must then of necessitie declare and produce his other titles and shew by what vertue he posseseth this authoritie there being no proscription in matter of faith and conscience for otherwise the Religion of the Gentiles and Idolaters would have been thought the best and the doctrine of the Evangelists would never have been planted for which cause also he laboureth to prove this his Article by the Scripture And to that end we shall first set downe the strongest of his reasons by way of objection the weaknesse and nullity of which I shall shew And although it be sufficient enough for evidencing his power to be unlawfull and usurped making it appeare that his titles are false and of no force and that wee are not obliged to bring proofes out of the Scriptures for that which is not a point of our faith it being sufficient for us that it is not in the Scripture which we hold for sole rule
unto him goe and governe my subjects well what foole is there in the world will beleeve that by these words the King giveth him an ample unlimited power over all his Kingdome subjects and createth him thereby his successour in all his estates after his death would not he be thought to be hypocondriacally affected who would make himselfe beleeve it the King understandeth questionlesse thereby his people and subjects which are in the Province and place where he is sent as Governour and not those who are in other places If a Bishop send a Priest to governe a Parish or a Church and say to him goe I recommend my people and my sheep unto you teach them well and instruct them faithfully take great care to feed my flock with good doctrine ought this Priest therefore to imagine with himselfe that all the people in his diocesse are subject to him and that the Bishop giveth him ample power over all his Bishopricke and maketh him his successour by those words Let him perswade himselfe as much as he can as doe the Hypocondriaques but I beleeve he should finde some to speake withall if he would undertake the exercise of such authoritie without some other Commission for by that it is sufficient he beleeves that the Bishop recommendeth to his charge the sheep which he hath committed to his guard and leading So it is without sence and reason they imagine to inferre by those words that Christ hath given all power over the Church to St Peter and established him his Vicar and Successour in his place but onely he commandeth him to preach and declare the Gospel every where as he did in other places to all the other Apostles without distinction of Jewes or Gentiles Countreyes or Estates but generally in every place where they should be sent And after this manner doth the Romish Church use the holy Scripture to prove the Articles of their beliefe Another objection of the Church of Rome is Our Saviour cōmanded St Peter Mat. 17.27 Mat. 17.27 To take the first fish he could catch and take a piece of money out of its mouth and pay the tribute for them two therfore he made him his successour after his death and hath given him the Primacy over the whole Church and over the other Apostles See here the meaning of this history some Collectour or Publicane cometh to St Peter who was with our Saviour as the first he found it may be or perhaps the most ancient and considerable of all and said unto him that their Master did pay no tribute to the Prince St Peter telleth it to Christ who commandeth him to go to the sea and the first fish he could catch to take a piece of money which he should find in his mouth and pay for him and himself to the publicane to eschew scandalls hereby it appeareth that he maketh him his successour and vicar after his death and that he hath the Primacy and superiority over all the other Apostles and Christians Is not this a consequence handsomely deduced by wise men and neverthelesse it is one of the Romish Church The publicans and collectours for the Prince come to a noble man to ask of him some subsidy and tribute they addressed themselves to the first they met withall or to some old servant and tell him that his Master hath not paid the subsidies the servant goeth and telleth it to his Master who commandeth him to go to such a place and take money to pay for him and himself which he doth to shunne noise and scandall this servitour ought he here for to presume with himself that he will succeed to all the goods and estate of his Master and that thereby preheminence is given unto him over all his other companions and fellow-servants and should he not shew himself altogether ridiculous who would maintain the same to draw such consequences and to found one Article of faith and the most important of them all upon so frivolous conjectures and weak proofs is to make fools of men there must be other proofs and more authentique and clearer declarations to pretend lawfully the greatest power and most advantagious succession in the world Take here yet another parcell of the same dough or rather more frivolous St Peter say they was the first who was called to the Apostleship therefore Christ made him his Successour and Vicar and gave him after his death the superiority over his fellows and the whole Church St John saith that Andrew having found Jesus Christ Ioh. 1.41 went and told his brother Simon and brought him to Christ so that by that means Andrew should be the first of the Apostles who found the Messiah and knew Christ but put the case it were Peter and that he was the first chosen of the Apostles and called to the Apostleship will it follow thence that Christ Jesus made him his Successour The first souldier that is inrolled in a Company by his Captain is he for that his Successour after his death must he have the superiority after his Captains death over all the rest without other declaration or title at all especially the Captain having never declared any thing that way but provided other waies for the government and leading of his company there is certainly neither rhyme nor reason for deducing such consequences so all this serveth onely to deceive the simple and weaker spirits but every man of judgement seeth well enough their weaknesse to believe or give credit thereto Now I protest they are the strongest arguments the Romish Church produceth out of the holy Scripture to prove the primacy of St Peter and consequently that of the Pope for there is nothing spoken of the Pope in the holy Scripture nor doth he pretend any right thereto but so farre as he termeth himself the Successour of St Peter and if they be attentively considered as they ought I perswade my self there is no man in the world provided he hath any sparks of common reason who will not judge them too small and weak to prove so important a doctrine which is the foundation of all the Romish belief and this certainly is more then sufficient to shew that the power of the Pope is usurped that he hath not the authority he pretendeth over the Church and that wrongfully he calleth himself the universall Pastour over all Christians and Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth he not being able to shew or prove his succession and power by any passage of Scripture which hath any strength or likelihood But I minde not to stay there not for any obligation but for greater satisfaction of those who are desirous of salvation and the truth I will prove the negative by Scripture and thereby shew that our Saviour had never intention to leave St Peter nor any other Successour or Vicar in his place and that the Apostles never acknowledged S. Peter nor any other for universall Pastour but Christ we shall also see hereafter how the
ground but when I came to consider and examine the ground more narrowly I thought they had reason sufficient for so doing especially for attributing to himselfe the infallibilitie which is onely proper to God and which is the most execrable blasphemy Antichrist can commit and the greatest of his offences mentioned by St Paul in those words 2 Thess 2.4 Even to sit as God in the Temple of God and exalting himselfe above every thing that is called God for truely the Pope in this maketh himselfe as God appropriating to himselfe infallible truth which is onely proper to the Godhead and is the Godhead it selfe Making himselfe further to be adored as God yea more than God causing men to carry him upon their shoulders at the Procession of the Sacrament where that which they call the Hoast or body of the Son of God is onely carried on horsebacke causing Christians yea Nobles and Princes to kisse and adore his feete and laying the holy Scripture at his feete And when he celebrateth the Masse his Chaplaines use a great deale more reverence and ceremony about his person than they doe about the Altar and Hoast with an infinite number of other things proper to the sonne of perdition described by St Paul and by other Scriptures which to shunne tediousnesse I passe by remitting the Reader to those who have expresly and amply written on this subject CHAP. XVI The summe and conclusion of the former Discourse concerning the usurped Primacy and infallibilitie of the Pope YOu have seen good Reader how I have clearly shewed that the Romish Church which maketh the primacie and infallibilitie an Article of faith set down especially in the Confession of faith of the Councell of Trent can produce no passage of holy Scripture that proveth it with the least ground or reason you have seen how I not being obliged to prove the negative by Scripture have notwithstanding by the same word of God shewed cleerly enough that Christ Jesus had never intention to give that primacy to S. Peter as the Apostles did never beleeve nor acknowledge it and that S. Peter himself did never think it nor make use of it and consequently that it is falsly attributed to the Bishop of Rome although he were successour to S. Peter in the Bishoprick of Rome which is a great controversie You have also seen that the Bishop of Rome was never called nor acknowledged for head of the Church or universall Pastor the first 300. yeers without controversie yea for almost 500. yeers which is a very great and long time and further that he never assumed but rather rejected that title as wicked damnable and arrogant and proper to Antichrist never using that Authority It hath been shewed you how this usurpation was brought in and how it hath been maintained in what case it may be in at this present and by what unjust and tyrannicall means that unlawfull Authoritie reigneth in the world to the great prejudice of Princes and oppression of Prelates and to the great scandall and hurt of all poore and simple Christians Lift up therefore the eyes of your understandings and conclude with me that this power being usurped is unlawfull and void as it appeareth is in vain and without reason said to be the rule of faith that it appropriateth to it self the infallible explication of the holy Scripture and the priviledge to declare the Articles of faith It is in vain then that it sendeth us to its Synods and Councels which presume to have no authority but from him who hath none himself neither to call nor confirm them and all the Canons that were ever made under that unlawfull authoritie have neither force nor vertue neither can they oblige any Christians All the Canons and Constitutions therefore established and confirmed by the Popes of Rome and their Councels are of no force nor strength neither can they oblige any man Therefore all the Excommunications and Anathema's all the commandments and prohibitions issuing and coming from such an Authority which are numberlesse ought to be rejected and set at naught if they have no other authoritie from the Word of God as void and unlawfull and cruell burthens laid on mens shoulders to hold them in slaverie as those of the Pharisees condemned and accursed by God himself Compare I pray you courteous Reader the Commandments of God with those of the Church and Pope and you shall see that the Commandments of God are easie Mat. 11.30 and his yoke is light as he hath said and that the commandments of the Church which the Pope affirmeth to be of equall authoritie with Gods are insupportable burthens and cords to strangle the consciences and snares to precipitate them into hell Open therefore your eyes O ye people and behold your blindnesse and the captivitie in which ye live so miserable Isa 52.2 Loose the chains from off thy necke poore slave and captive daughter of Sion may I say unto you with Isaiah I know that many Bishops and Prelates men of great learning and honest conversation yea the most part of the Prelates of the Romish Church mourn and groan under the weight of that yoke and wish nothing more than the happy occasion to see themselves delivered complaining often amongst themselves and making their complaints resound in the eares of their trusty friends I know assuredly as having heard it from their mouthes that they are of the opinion of the ancient Bishops that the Apostles were equals according to the testimonie of the Scriptures and that the Bishop of Rome is no more than their equall their fellow Bishop and brother not their superiour although one of the greatest amongst them because of the greatnesse of the City of Rome where he resideth as they of the first ages did esteeme I know they see and acknowledge that it is nothing but an usurpation begun by the liberality of great Princes and brought in by the ambition of the Popes and the indiscretion of the wicked Emperour maintained by force during the weaknesse and calamities of the Emperours and the dissention and division of States and yet tontinue at this present by unlawfull policies and courses under the bountie of soveraigne Monarchs who suffer it All the learnedst and most judicious of the Romish Church see and deplore this miserie and tyranny but to open their mouth aloud and in publique is a thing which none dare attempt under the Popes authoritie for besides the excommunications and Anathema's which will not be wanting to terrifie the simpler besides the prisons and other corporall punishments where the Inquisition reigneth they must expect where the Pope hath any credit with Princes to be quickly deprived of all the Church Revenues they possesse and out of hope to get any more which verily are too strong motives to retain many who have not sufficient courage and who by pusillanimity and those temporall respects are forced to keep silence and yeeld as dumbe dogs which dare not barke
be agreeable to God God not blessing those humane inventions And yet secular persons do but seldome possesse that favour amongst the people as to have Images and be accounted holy and blessed because their parents finding not so great profit to make them passe for Saints or blessed men as doe the religious orders they care not so much for except it may be a little honour to their families there is nothing but great charges and expences to them But there is no Saint nor miracle beleeved or esteemed among the religious orders which bringeth them not great profit and abundance of Almes because they well know that the more they are accounted holy the more are the people inclined to doe them good in hope of their prayers and to participate of their merits as they often tell them and if there were no gaine to be made by exposing of Saints and Miracles to the people there would not be so many seen in the Romish Church but the profit is worth the paines And the better to colour their mystery they make Princes and Kings speake as being intrest in the glory of the Saint Besides this being not done without great charges and much money which they must give to the Popes Commissaries and Officers they labour to ingage them that they may have the helpe of their purses Thence cometh it to passe that poore people who want competent meanes or have not so easie accesse to great ones as the religious orders may never pretend to be adored for Saints and canonized in the Church of Rome whatsoever vertue or perfection they may have but there be few of the moderne Saints who are not of those Orders and there is no Order that hath not a great number and exposeth not every day new ones for that trade is very profitable and the invention gainfull And if those of the Romish Church brag so much of their Miracles which they say are so easily and often done I marvell much they chase not the devills out of the bodies of a number of persons who as they say are so long time afflicted and possessed that would be great charitie and that onely were capable to canonize them during their life and make them passe for Saints before the people although it be easie to use imposture therein there they say hath been a great number in our dayes whether by Sorcery or otherwise I leave that to others where the Romanists may have faire occasion for the fiction is easie there and the devill doth his best to authorise the lye Now I know that those who are esteemed most holy in the Romish Church have been sent thither even by the Princes command and have tryed all their faith merits fastings austerities reliques blessed beads prayers and exorcismes yet there is none can say they have been delivered by them But I have seene that after a great many had been much troubled with a certaine Wench that was possessed whom I knew to deliver her at last a certaine Monke of a certain order whom I also knew bethought himselfe to take her in pilgrimage of seven or eight dayes Journey to a certain Church where many demoniacks were said to have bin healed in old times but he returned her with the Devill in her body and a little Monk in her belly which shee got of him by the way I have knowne a multitude of such like accidents which I might set downe but I choose rather to passe them over with silence Now a thing which seemed most miraculous to me of all that I did see in the Romish Church was certaine companies and fraternities of people who have not their name from any Saint but from charitie whose profession is to bury the dead yea even those who dye of the Plague and yet doe they not contract any evill themselves nor those who frequent them and I verily beleeve this cannot be done without some particular assistance and preservation from the bounty of God that blesseth this good worke But the Romish Church hath no reason to glorifie and prefer it selfe to others for it because that is also done in this Kingdome and in the reformed Churches of other Kingdoms even with a better successe for not onely they who have care of the body but I have even seen those who have onely a care of their soules and who are ordained to minister spirituall comfort and assistance to them in their sicknesse render them freely that service without catching any evill or danger either for themselves or those who are conversant with them where of an hundred that I have seen imployed in that Charge in the Romish Church I have not knowne ten that escaped although they ever lived sequestred from all conversation and commerce with the whole But if we must acknowledge a Miracle it is the delivery which it hath pleased God of his mercy to worke for me not onely in bringing me out of the errour and abuse wherein I was but also out of straight prison into which I was brought by the onely perfidy and treason of my owne brethren for being detained there under five locked doores some of them halfe a foot thicke barred and boulted strongly all the windows grated after the same fashion and watched so carefull that I could neither write nor speake to any but to my Keeper who was forbidden to have any discourse with me except for necessary things and was chosen to that from among five hundred for the great trust they reposed in him but not so much as to entrust him with the key of my innermost dore which for greater securitie was kept under two other locks and given to another in custody who was commanded to carry them about him day and night so that to speak in worldly appearance there was no hope of my deliverance but having called on God and put my whole confidence in him he moved the heart of my Keeper in such manner that he not onely resolved to leave the errour of the Romish Church after my example and perswasion but even exposing himselfe to all danger to set me at libertie he had by Gods favour the industry to come by the key which was so carefully locked up without any noise or appearance of opening and our good God gave us the grace to elude all their pursuing of us even with royall Authoritie and to passe through the midst of them that pursued us and even among my own brethren without being perceived and however they thought they had stopped all the Ports and passages for us neverthelesse to escape by that onely which was most convenient and ready for us and where I may say the onely providence of God towards us blinded them they should not mistrust that he might save his poore servants who had no other hope but in his bountie And in this doubtlesse we must confesse that God is marveilous in his wayes and that there is even no wisdome councell nor power against the Lord and if I
words of God even in the matter of the Sacraments But the Pope doth not onely extend those words unto internall and externall sins but perswading himself that it was especially said to him All that thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and all that thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed He taketh upon him to loose the bands of oaths loose and exempt Subjects from the subjection and fidelity they owe to their natural Princes and children from the obedience they owe to their fathers and mothers when they become Religious in any Monasterie by the same authoritie they loose marriage lawfully contracted if it be found that the husband and the wife together have presented a child to be baptized or be allied by the confirmation and so it seemeth that the Scripture is onely alledged by the Papists to uphold and maintain the power of the Pope Now what ever is the controversie among them for this passage it sufficeth that it manifestly appeareth through the whole Scripture that Christ did never command Auricular Confession but repentance and amendment and that the Apostles did neither command nor practise it which if they had done it would questionlesse have been mentioned in the Scripture in some places of their writings or in the History of the Acts of the Apostles and if the confession were of such importance as they would have it in the Romish Church the Apostles doubtlesse should have preached it and even practised it often amongst them confessing one to another For all the Doctors confesse that they might commit if not mortall yet veniall sins and when they did declare the faith to the faithfull they would also have preached the sincere confession of their sins and taught them the true manner of the same and even to make generall confessions as they had preached the practise and exercise of other vertues which not being found in any part we must conclude that in their time confession was not in use and that it is an humane invention proceeding neither from Christ nor his Apostles but instituted established and maintained by the Clergie for the great temporall profit they draw from it I say moreover in the time of the primitive Church Auricular confession was not in use and was neither thought an obligation nor command nor of such importance as it is at this present which that it may be most cleerly seen I intreat the Reader and especially them of the Romish Church to see in the life of their Saints which they hold for their Bible and holy Scripture there let them read the life of all the Apostles and holy Martyrs nay even of all those whom they call the Confessors of the first ages as of St. Augustine Chrysostome Athanasius and Basilius who is esteemed to be founder of the orientall Monks of St. Anthony and St. Paul the Hermits Finally of all those of the fourth fifth and sixth ages yea and since I am assured they will never find that any of those ancient Fathers did make any auricular and secret confession to the Priests Notwithstanding they are esteemed to have been very zealous men in Christian Religion and men of vertue and exemplary perfection who would never have omitted it if it had been of so great importance See both their life and death there is never a word spoken of Auricular confession which if they had used it would questionlesse have been mentioned some where in some one of those lives which are in great number And he especially who not long ago hath gathered and collected all those lives and who hath omitted nothing which he thought might be usefull to the Romish Church would never have left out this point if he had found the least traces of it in any places and I even marvell he hath not added it as he hath done many other things of his own invention but we must say that either he did not bethink himself of it or God hath not permitted it to confound this new doctrine of the Romish Church by looking to the ancient and the practise of those Fathers And mark how the same Author forgetteth not to mention this point in the times of those where he findeth it to have been used and because that this Auricular confession hath been in greater estimation within this short time than ever before so there is no Saint in those last ages in whose life there is not very speciall mention made of their frequent confessions and their sincerity therein but in the lives of the ancients there is no mention made of it at all Moreover I marvelled often that there was no more spoken of it in the books of the ancient Fathers Turn over I pray you Augustine Irenaeus Theodoret Chrysostome and Cyprian and see if there be any thing spoken of Auricular confession to the Priests it may be they speak of some exomologese and confession but that was publike and not secret confession to the Church for satisfaction and edification and not secret and Auricular confession to the Priests for sacramentall Absolution Remarke also if yee finde in any place of them any examination of the conscience with which all the Books of this time are filled in the Church of Rome see if any of them hath written any cases of conscience to teach the manner of confession as we see a great multitude in our dayes there yee will finde no such things and is it not a strong proofe if it be not found in those Fathers that Auricular confession was not in use in those dayes for they being so godly men and the most famous of their ages they would often questionlesse have used it and recommended it to others and it is not credible they would have composed so big volumes without making cleare mention in some place nay even in many places of that which is esteemed so necessary a Sacrament and of so great importance Furthermore Yee will find in the Book of the lives of the Saints and in the History of the ancient Hermits attributed to St Jerome how those Ancients were sometimes nay even often and in many places of Aegypt foure or five thousand Hermits or Cenobites or more under one Superiour Master accustoming themselves to the singing of Psalmes reading and meditation of the holy Scripture for it was not as yet forbidden in those times and to work with their owne hands and bodyes to winne their livings and be burdensome to none as St Paul did and commonly there was but one Priest for that great multitude who often did not live amongst them but came to see them every Sabbath to celebrate divine Service unto them Now there is no appearance that the confession was in use in those times for one or two Priests would not suffice to confesse often so great a number and though a man should doe no other thing in a fortnight he were not able to confesse two thousand And those Books of their lives make no mention that they
to my choice and will besides the Medails and Benedictions which I might have another way to distribute to whom I would And I may truly say this of St. Paul 1 Cor. 13. in this point and others 1 Cor. 13. When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childishnesse For I confesse to my confusion now that I was very superstitious towards those Indulgences and did make use of them very often as well for my self as for others and I did it so much the more willingly to others that howsoever I took never any monies nor made ever any temporall profit of them Neverthelesse I did perceive it was a strong mean to me to draw people after me and render them more affectionate to the doctrine which I would preach to them and I know by long experience there is almost nothing more efficacious to allure the people especially the simpler sort to do any thing they desire than the distribution of Indulgences And at what time the Popes did bethink themselves to make the people beleeve that by those Indulgences one might be delivered from the fire of Purgatory and free others also they found that doctrine to be exceeding profitable as well to fill their coffers with money at the Jubilees which were termed the Popes harvest as to leavie strong Armies of Souldiers to defend their estates and Territories and make warre against their enemies So that by the means of those Indulgences they have often got many Millions and leavied numberlesse armies of Christians which they sent out of their own countreys to barbarous and remote countreys where the most part lost both their lives and estates and that which in the beginning was onely done against the Turks as enemies of the Christian faith but especially great enemies of the wealth and revenues of the Bishop of Rome who can pretend nothing where there is no Christians was afterwards practised even against Christians for particular quarrels of the Pope often injust and passionate Now for that mystery of the Indulgences it is to seek the darknesse at noon day to think to find them proved and authorised by the holy Scriptures and I could never see any passage taken out of the old or new Testament that made any wayes for them The onely place they think to be strongest is that in St. Matth. 18.18 which serveth to prove all things Matth. 18.18 and on which the authority of the Popes is especially grounded the words are All that ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. which they extend even to the things under the earth to Purgatory to wit which they say is under the earth But this passage hath been sufficiently explained in the precedent Chapters of Auricular Confession and of the Primacie of St. Peter without staying any more upon it to which places I remit the Reader without further answer to shun prolixitie Onely telling them here that according to the letter of this passage if it should be understood as they will have it the full power of Indulgences should be given to all the Pastors who call themselves successours of the Apostles in their office and ministry but the Pope who cannot endure so many corrivals in his authoritie hath divided this power betwixt himself the Cardinals and the Bishops but very unequally So that the Bishops may give Indulgences but for fourty yeers the Cardinals for an hundred and he onely ample and full ones and for all the time and yeers a soul must be in Purgatory for its sin Notwithstanding they give them not continually full but sometime limiteth them to fourty yeers sometimes to an hundred and sometimes to a thousand as in the Treasure of Indulgences of St. Francis girdle there is an Item that hath for every day from the nativity of our Lady there are 800. sixtie and two thousand yeers and an hundred dayes of Indulgences and the remission of the third part of them this is certainly a long time and behold a fair Indulgence for all the time from the creation of the world to this time is nothing in comparison with this it being not six thousand yeers and here above eight hundred thousand and yet this is not the greatest besides the full ones for sometimes he gives Indulgence and pardon for eighteen or twenty thousand and some hundreds of yeers and so many fourty and odde dayes there wanteth nothing but some houres and minutes This Theology is not to be found explained in S. Augustine nor Athanasius nor others of the Ancients for it was not in use then yet many find and large Commentaries are to be seen amongst the Moderns to clear all the mysteries of those thousand yeers fourty dayes and the third part of sins but after reading them again and again and often times I could never understand any thing in it for the height and profoundnesse of the matter Now the thing that moved me to despise them and maketh all men of understanding in the Church of Rome vilifie them is that nothing of this is found taught by Christ nor practised by his Apostles and I marvell much if it was of divine institution they did not use it to the weale and profit of poore Christians which lived in their time and that they did not apply to them by Indulgences besides the merits of Christ the merits of Moses Abel Joseph Jacob and John the Baptist S. Stephen and of all just and holy men to deliver them all quickly out of the fire of Purgatory or hinder them from going thither and that when they did preach or passed through Cities they gave them not besides their benedictions a number of Indulgences as the Pope and the Bishops do now a dayes in visiting their Churches for they wanted not charity for the good and prompt happinesse of Christians and we may well say if that doctrine be true that the Christians of our times are more beloved of God and more fortunate than were they of the Apostles times and of the ages past for that Treasure of Indulgences whereof there was no mention made in their time is very liberally opened at this day and the Indulgences which at their first institution were but seldome given and onely for fourty or few yeers and at great solemnities as at the consecration of a Pope or a Bishop at the dedication of some mother Church or some like occasion are now almost ever given full and that to them indifferently who will honour the Pope so much as to ask them they make also great catalogues and Items of all sorts either in favour of the canonization of some new Saint or some Embassador or Prince or some such like occasion And if a young Gentleman go to Rome and have a desire to bring some thing to his Countrey that costeth not much whereby he may oblige his friends at his return if after he hath
kissed the Popes pantofle he ask him some Indulgences he will give him ten or twenty thousand without difficultie for there needeth but a word and an hundred thousand doth cost no more than two neither in the giving nor in the carriage if it were duckats he would not be so liberall Now it may be he will say to him I give you twenty thousand benedictions of such a Saint or Prince that is to say the power to apply twenty thousand Indulgences of such a Tenure to twenty thousand beads Medals Images or Crosses and the like in such sort that he who shall have one of those about him in saying some Pater or Ave or using some such devotion may deliver himself when he will from all the time he should be in Purgatory from his birth even to that day although he were an hundred yeers old and can often deliver the souls of his friends which are in Purgatory and do them that courtesie when they think least of it and the Gentleman when he returneth will give one half of them it may be to his Mistresse to oblige her and mark that it often doth and may fall out that he who can dispose of so great and considerable a portion of the treasure of the merits of Christ and the holy Martyrs and Confessors to deliver himself and many others out of Purgatory when it pleaseth him is an Atheist a blasphemer murtherer and a man given to all vices having neither God nor soul and who beleeveth neither an heaven nor hell neverthelesse according to that good doctrine it must take effect and be of force especially in others for such is the will disposition and resolution of the holy Father the Pope who can bind and loose how and when he will and dispose of the merits of Christ Jesus and the Saints as of the Cabage in his garden God knoweth and all men of any understanding in the Church of Rome I say nothing here but that which is commonly practised and which ought to be beleeved of all good Papists who are the true children of the Pope But if it be difficile to beleeve all this without the Word of God let them remember themselves they should have a blind faith and not be so curious nor to be disciples of Christ but to be disciples of the Pope CHAP. XXV Of the Congregations and religious Orders BEcause the learnedst and most judicious of the Romish Church confesse that the profession of the three Monasticall and religious vows is not an institution of Christ there being no such thing found in the holy Scripture nor practised by the Apostles but onely an humane invention which had its beginning many ages after and which by the industrie and diligence of the Popes who for their particular profit did take them almost from the beginning in their speciall protection have been augmented and maintained even to that degree wherein we see it at this day and because all those professions have their straightest obligation onely from the authoritie of the Pope who dispenseth on it when and to whom he will which sheweth he beleeveth not himself there is any divine obligation but onely humane having proved sufficiently in the former Chapters that this power of the Pope is void and usurped it is hereafter needlesse to trouble our selves any more to shew the nullity and invaliditie of those professions to oblige any one whatsoever so we shall content our selves to shun prolixity with this foundation which we have laid for this point and others the like and onely say here that as the Indulgences have served in former times the Bishop of Rome to inroll an infinite number of Souldiers under his Ensignes to make war for the conservation and augmentation of his revenues and estate they have been also very usefull to gather a multitude of Christians under a great number of fraternities congregations and other orders which the Pope having instituted and established under the name and at the instance of some particular persons especially for the defence and augmentation of his power and authoritie in time of peace against his enemies and evill willers hath shortly after furnished and gratified them with an infinite number of Indulgences priviledges and immunities as well to unite them and make them more affectionate to him gratifying them with so many favours as to allure to themselves more people under colour and pretext of the great number of pardons and graces both for themselves and their friends knowing that the greater and stronger those companies should be the stronger ane surer should be his partie And howsoever the Popes in the beginning did favour some companies and orders more than others either because they were taken from amongst them or for particular affections or other respects Neverthelesse they have been constrained in the end to avoid jealousie to make all common and make a great Bull to that effect which they have called the great Sea Mare magnum in which they have swallowed up all those favours and priviledges and made them common to all the orders so for the present they are all omnipotent on earth in matter of exemptions priviledges and Indulgences and there is not almost a simple Priest amongst them who hath not greater power than the whole body of Bishops together in that which concerneth their estate Those sweet and forcible inticements of Indulgences and priviledges have much served many Orders to allure an infinite multitude of followers and to win the affections of the people and oblige them to give great Alms and their means liberally that they may partake of their favours and Indulgences and the plentifull effects of this are to be seen in many Monasteries and Houses so rickly founded in Churches and Chappels so sumptuously builded and enriched and in an innumerable and insupportable multitude of Monks and religious persons which live there and are entertained in plentie although at the cost and almost generall complaint of all the Provinces republiques and Cities through the Christian world where they are and to the great discontentment of Bishops and prejudice even of secular Priests both because they run as they say on their Marches and being companies furnished with all sorts of spirits and appearance of holinesse know better how to snatch the substance of the people and because they are more prodigall of their Sermons often than they are desired they keep by that means the Priests and Pastors in ignorance and negligence there being few Priests and Pastors principally because of that in the Romish Church who imploy themselves in preaching as they ought where we see in the places and kingdoms where those orders or rather disorders are not almost all the Ministers give themselves to that Noble and commendable exercise and for the most part with great successe And for the great enterprises upon the rights of the Clergie grounded say they on their Buls there is at this day betwixt them the Bishops and Priests such a notable
by post in Coach on foot heat cold hungar and thirst good and evill for to them that love God say they all things worke to the best according to the Apostle Finally of all the works and many more which are done amongst them and by that means simple people think they go to heaven in their clothes never seeing so much as a sparkle of the fire of Purgatory how great sinners soever they can or will be and imagine they may so sleep soundly But all those Letters are properly accounted among them nothing but cozening tricks as are all those congregations third Orders fraternities of the great and small Cord of the Scapulate and others such small trifles and inventions which have continually faire and devout pretexts But which in truth tend onely to the temporall profit of the ghostly fathers I will say no more for here is a gulfe of mysteries and confusions which I will not discover it being not my purpose CHAP. XXVII Of the heavinesse of the yoke of the Church of Rome in comparison of the yoke of Christ AS the comparison which I made of the doctrine of the Romish Church with that of our Saviour Christ made me see so great a difference therein that I judged with great reason it was not the same doctrine but another invented by men so have I oftentimes compared the yoke of Rome with that of Christ Matth. 11.30 and found his to be light and easie as he saith Matth. 11.30 and the Romish cruell and insupportable instituted rather for the destruction and death of souls than for their salvation and profit as I shall easily make it appear by the consideration of Gods Commandments with those of that Church It is known to every one that God was content onely to give us ten commandments by his Prophet Moses which Christ hath recommended unto us assuring us that if we shall keep them we shall enter into life eternall If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments saith he to the young man in the Gospel and truly howsoever we are conceived in iniquitie and naturally inclined to do evil yet there is none of how little breeding soever who will not judge the commandment of God light and easie to be obeyed by the assurance of his holy Spirit which is never deficient to the faithfull for they are onely grounded upon those two commandments of love to wit to love God and our neighbour which are commandments sweet and easie to everie good nature and soul that is desirous of its salvation Moreover the most part are onely negative that we may abstain from doing evill as not to adore false gods not to sweare not to kill not to steal and the like which seem not to be so hard to every good and honest nature And although all our actions be corrupt and imperfect and we cannot do any thing here perfectly and without fault yet I doubt not but there are many faithfull who keep the Commandments of God sufficiently to hope for eternall life by faith in the blood and merits of Christ But the Pastors of the Romish Church or rather the Bishop of Rome going beyond the Commandments of God by his traditions is not content with the ten Commandments of God but attributing to himself the authority and power of God over man he hath imposed six or seven more commandments upon them besides the ten which are for the most part positive and seem indeed to be but seven but contain above three hundred which every Christian is obliged to accomplish every yeer under pain of eternall damnation if he be in the belief of the Romish Church and the most part of them are so difficult for most men to accomplish that they may rather be said to be gives and snares to cast souls into perdition than a furtherance and help to salvation as I shall clearly shew in the manner following As the Doctors in the Romish Church disdaining to use the termes of the holy Scripture have summed up the ten Commandments in French Rhime and so read them to the people they have done also with the commandments of their Church and say them publikely after this manner The Church commandeth every one to sanctifie the holy dayes On every Sabbath hear the Masse they must and one the Feasts likewise All Lent foure times and Saints Eves for to fast And no flesh Saterdayes nor Fridayes feasts Thy soule sincerely once a yeer confesse Thy Maker humbly also take at Passe Pay all the tithes and duties to the Church I remember when I was a little child they taught us onely six and I have seen for a long time the Commandments of the Church but six in number but within this little time that of Tithes is crept into the books and is read at this day with their other Commandments as of equall obligation with the rest which is obligation of damnation and eternall death according to their common doctrine for they teach and all their Doctors and Canonists hold that those commandments of the Church are of the obligation of mortall sin as well as the ten Commandments of God although there be no mention made thereof in the holy Scripture which is properly to go beyond the Commandments of God with the traditions of men And however they seem to be but seven commandments notwithstanding they will be found to be about 300. or more which every Christian is obliged to accomplish every yeer under pain of eternall damnation except in case of manifest necessitie so there is few dayes in the yeer wherein there are not some one or more to observe besides the obligations we owe to the Commandments of God This may be cleerly proved after this manner for the first Commandment which obligeth men to sanctifie all the feasts instituted that is to say that all the holy dayes which are commanded by the Romish Church be observed and kept as the Sondayes and that the people work none of them nor do any handie nor servile work there being above 50. Holidayes every yeer besides the Sondayes behold alreadie fifty more commandments to be observed every yeer by every faithfull person The second Commandment is to hear the Masse the holy dayes and Sondayes here it is to be noted that it is not sufficient to be idle and abstain from all labour and handy works as well the Sabbaths as all the fiftie holidaies Neither is it sufficient to give themselves to prayer to read and hear the Sermon or be imployed in any pious exercise but moreover they must hear the Masse with attention and reverence so that there being everie yeer above an hundred Sondayes and holidayes there are also above an hundred obligations and commandments under pain of sin and damnation to every Christian every yeer so there is above 150. every yeer The third commandment is to fast all the Vigils the foure times and all Lent where ye are to observe that there are twelve dayes in the foure