believe him all is for the interest of the Government when in truth such Villains pretences are the greatest Affronts in the World to the Government and will no doubt in due time be deservedly punisht as such Quod defertur non aufertur Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY June 9. 1682. An non nimiae Impudentiae est Excusare opus quo Deus contutumeliâ afficitur proximi impelluntur ad exitium A further detection of the sin of going to Mass and complying with Papists in their wicked and Foppish Ceremonies The Case of Naaman the Syrian explained TO deterr any Sober Christian from daring to be present at the Popish Mass he needs only consider the horrible Idolatry that is there committed where a bit of Bread is adored for God and no longer esteemed Bread but God himself 'T is most true were the Lords Supper there rightly Administred there would then be there a true Exhibition of the Lords Body and Blood but it would not therefore follow either that the substance of the Bread is chang'd into the Body or that the Body lies included under the Bread For the end of Instituting that Sacred Supper is to elevate our Minds to Heaven not to detain them in the visible Elements but indeed by what right does that promise This is my Body which shall be delivered for you at all belong to the Mass Before our Lord promises any thing there of that kind he commands the Sacrament to be distributed amongst the Faithful Is this done in the Mass No but on the clean contrary the Priest dispatches it all alone as a private affair and on such a manner as if he purposely meant to Excommunicate himself from the whole Congregation Christ adds another Command that we should do This in remembrance of him shewing forth the inestimable benefit of his Death with Thanksgiving But how can this be done in the Mass where not one word is understood but all things are whisper'd by the Priest with an obscure murmur and unknown Furthermore the Lord directs his word to his Disciples when reaching forth the visible sign Bread he promises them the Communion of his Body but in the Mass there is no such thing but the Priest after the manner of Conjurers or Jugglers blows upon the Bread sufflation they call it that with a secret Exorcism he may Inchant it And what is there in all this of God's Institution can day and night be more different than our Lord's Supper and this Romish Pageantry What then shall we account the Adoration paid there to the Bread Must we not confess it execrable Idolatry more gross than ever was practised amongst the Heathen and if so tell us with what fore-head with what Conscience can any Christian man dare resort thereunto that he may seem to Conform and do as others do Here 's an Idol erected to that very purpose that it may be Worshipped and Invoked in God's stead I come and down on my knees and publickly profess to adore it what Fig-leaves what excuses what evasions can palliate so shameless a wickedness But let us in some other particulars consider what these complying men must do if for sinister ends and temporal respects they will against the convictions of their Consciences joyn in outward Communion with the Papists They must not only on Sundays come to the Holy water Bottle and Mass but also on Holy-days a great part of which are instituted by Superstition then there is a Mass sung in honor of such or such an He or She Saint Now to omit that many of their Saints were little better than Devils and that several of them as St. Christopher c. were mere Phantasms Romantick Hero's that never had Being but in the Lying Legend c. passing by all this I say and supposing they were all Saints in good earnest yet still here is a Mass sung in honor to a person dead Now what can be more vile than that the Supper of our Lord should be transported to such an abuse Besides what Prayers are there used are they not for the most part impious an fill'd with Blasphemies and yet will you voluntarily interest your self in these Profanations and countenance them with your presence and complying approbation and yet hope to escape guiltless in the terrible judgment of a jealous God who is of purer Eyes than to behold vanity or connive at sin There is none of us I speak of those to whom God hath vouchsafed the Light of his Gospel but is well satisfied that the Obsequies of the dead as they are practised amongst the Papists with the Masses attending them and other appurtenances are meer abominations as well because they are falsly feigned against the manifest word of God as more especially because they extenuate and depreciate the effect and vertue of the Death and Passion of our Blessed Saviour But now if it happen any of your Relations Friends or Neighbours dye you that call your self a Christian come with others to attend the Funeral you are prefent at the Masses and pretend with the rest to pray for the Soul of the deceased dare you offer to justify all this if it be your Father or Mother that is departed you will presently be smelt out for an Heretick if you do not only approve of this Sacriledge but purchase it with your money and give so many shillings to some Priests to say so many Masses to redeem their Souls out of Purgatory I will not mention the damnable Superstitions you must run through at Easter when you must prostrate your self before the Vicar of Antichrist some wicked Popish Priest who by the authority of the Pope gives you Absolution and injoyns you pennance which perhaps may it self be as great a sin as any you have committed as to murmur over so many Ave Maria's to say so many Prayers before a Crucifix to buy so many Masses c. and to what end all this why forsooth that thereby as so many Compensations you may satisfie God for your sins if this can be approved and justified I know not what ought to be Condemned But furthermore when a man has thus spun out his days in Hypocrisie and liv'd in this filth the last Scene is still the worst in the Tragedy and that is when he comes to dye then come the Priests and the Monks the Devils Fans to Winnow him like Wheat and though he knows they are the very Locusts that proceed out of the bottomless pit yet out of complaisance he must seem to hearken unto them to be satisfied with their gibberish prayers to be content with their lew'd Absolution and ridiculous extream unction and under what throws and pangs and tortures of Conscience must such a poor soul lye when he perceives he must immediately appear before the Tribunal of that Judge whose Truth he dares not to acknowledge especially when this Sentence
Tory. Well go on and prosper I hear Natt is like to have but a hard Bargain of it But I am for Sam 's Coffee-house to wait on the Guide to the Inferiour Clergy the Reverend Squire Roger how neatly he comes off about saying That he would not License a Narrative of Sir Ed. B. Godfreys Murder for fear of offending some Great Persons at White Hall Pap. Well! what says he to that I hear 't is Sworn against him Tory. Why he says What if the Printer do swear it 't is not the first time that a Perjur'd Rascal has Sworn against L'Estrange Papist Yes and in the same Observator Num. 114. is very angry with some body for declaring That he would rather believe Prance he should have added and Three more upon Oath than Mr. L'Estrange's single Protestation on the Sacrament Well if the World can meet with no better proofs than these and his Preface to the Proposals for Reunion with the Church of Rome to prove L'Estrange no Roman Catholique I shall still have the Charity to esteem him One and so my Service to him Printed for Langley Curtis 1681-2 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY March 31. 1682. Nulla Ratione fieri potest ut in rectè factis effugias Invidiam Quis enim Umbram effugiet Invidiae nisi pariter Virtutis Lucem effugerit The Story of Sir John Old-Castle continued A severe Law against Lollards A note touching the Oath of Sheriffs The strange manner of putting Sir John to Death Tyburn whence the Word deriv'd Sir John vindicated from Treason and the Imputation of Debauchery the reason of that latter Scandal OUr last acquainted you with the Grounds of Sir John Old-Castle's Troubles and what an honest Christian Answer he gave in Writing to the Bishops touching the Four Articles whereon principally they accused him yet therewith they were nothing satisfied but would needs have a more direct Answer and giving him time to consider of it that he might know how to please them sent him a silly Blasphemous Scroll containing their Creed and Determination in those Points which was as follows First The Faith and Determination of Holy Church touching the blessed Sacrament of the Altar is this That after the Sacramental Words be once spoken by a Priest in his Mass the material Bread that was before Bread is turned into Christs very body And the material Wine that was before Wine is turned into Christ ' s very Blood And so there remaineth in the Sacrament of the Altar from thenceforth no material Bread nor material Wine which were there before the Sacramental Words were spoken How believe you this Article Secondly Holy Church hath Determined That every Christian Man living here bodily upon the Earth ought to be shriven to a Priest Ordained by the Church if he may come to him How feel ye this Article Thirdly Christ Ordain'd St. Peter the Apostle to be his Vicar here on Earth whose See is the Holy Church of Rome and he granted that the same Power which he gave unto Peter should Succeed to all Peters Successors which we now call Popes of Rome by whose Power in Churches particular be Ordained Prelates as Arch-bishops Bishops Parsons Curates and other Degrees more whom Christian Men ought to obey after the Laws of the Church of Rome This is the Determination of Holy Church How feel ye this Article Fourthly Holy Church hath Determined That it is Meritorious to a Christian Man to go on Pilgrimage to Holy Places and there especially to Worship Holy Reliques and Images of Saints Apostles and Martyrs Confessors and all other Saints besides approved by the Church of Rome How feel ye this Article I cannot say whether the Lord Cobham on the Receipt of this Scrole did more admire or pity their Blindness But on the Twenty fifth of September in the before mention'd Year 1413. he was again Conven'd before them where the Arch-bishop telling him That he was Cursed and adviseing him to desire Absolution The Knight reply'd God had said by his Holy Prophet Maledicam Benedictionibus vestris Mal. 2. 2. Which is as much as to say I will Curse where you Bless And afterwards kneeling down on the Pavement and lifting his hands towards Heaven he said I here Confess me unto thee my Eternal Living God That in my frail Youth I Offended thee most grievously in Pride Wrath and Gluttony Covetousness and Letchery and many Men have I hurt in my Anger and done many horrible Sins for which Good Lord I ask thee Mercy And then weeping bitterly he said to the People who in great Numbers flock'd to hear his Examination Behold good People for the breaking of God's Law and his great Commandments they never yet Cursed me but for their own Laws and Traditions most cruelly do they handle me and other Men. And being question'd by the Arch-Bishop about his Belief he Answer'd I Believe fully and faithfully the Vniversal Laws of God I Believe that all is true which is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible Then proceeding to Examine him touching the Four Articles before specified A Long Discourse happen'd which you may Read and worth reading it is in Foxe but too tedious to be here Recited his Answers were quick and pertinent and amongst others he has this Expression Rome is the very Nest of Antichrist and out of that Nest come all the Disciples of him the Pope is the Head the Prelates Priests and Monks are the Body and these pil'd Friars are the Tail In fine they proceeded to a Definite Sentence against him whereby they Condemn him as a most pernicious detestable and obstinate Heretick and order him to be delivered over to the Secular Power to be put to Death in pursuance whereof he was carryed back to the Tower from whence he made some means shortly after to escape and remain'd for near Four Years in Wales till he was taken and put to Death as by and by we shall acquaint you This Escape of his enraged the revengful Clergy and therefore a Sham-Plot was set on foot to bring all his Friends and whoever had any favour for Wickliffs Doctrine into a general odium and danger In those days it seems St. Giles's Fields were a Woody lonesome place full of Bushes and Thickets and very probably being so near the Town many good People not daring for fear of Discovery to Assemble in the City might meet there for the Worship of God and hearing his Word This according to the Common Construction of Malice is Rumour'd to be a Conspiracy against the Government and upon this suggestion our Historians who by the way either were Monks or such as borrow from those that were came thither at Midnight and finding some persons there caused them to be Apprehended and shortly after Sir Roger Acton and several others of them Parsons in his Second Part of Three Conversions pag. 197. says Thirty seven but Sir Richard
being abandon'd by Ladislaus King of Sicily and seeing it was impossible for him to stem the tide of opposition thought it would be more Honourable for him to seem to part with his pretended Popedome freely of his own accord than to be turn'd out And so sends Charles Malatesta his Proctor to make a Renunciation for him who to perform the Pageantry came into the Council all arraid in the Pontifical Robes and was seated in the Chair of state wherein Gregory's name he solemnly Renounces the Papacy and in token thereof pulls of all his Trinkets decently and in order which so pleased the Reverend Gray beards that they presently made Gregory Legate of Pisa And so good Night poor Pope Gregory But the third Gamster stout Benedict defies the People at Constance and all their works He swears he is Christs Viccar I marry is he and so he will continue in spight of their Teeth He says Constance is not a place fit or free and therefore none of his Subjects shall come there However the Synod at Constance Cite and cite him again and again to appear before their Worships but he seem'd to reguard them no more than Parson Hickeringal in our times does the Gentlemen of Doctors Commons And tho after several Messengers in vain the Emperour himself undertook a tedious journey to persuade him to submit yet still he stood it out not only contemning their Authority but thundring out Curses Deprivations and Excommunications and abundance of such Church-Granados at them all which they declare Null and void and proceed against him very vigorously and in the up shot declare him to be a Perjurer a Sâ—â—ndalizer of the Church an Abetter and promoter of Schism 〈◊〉 Heretick wandring out of the way of Faith c. And for these and the like offences they sentence him not only to be depriv'd of his Papal Dignity but also to be cut off from the Church as a dried and withered Member and withall forbid all Persons to obey him on pain of Excomunication But all this would not do for tho almost all his Consorts of Eminency and Power had abandon'd him for Rats always fly from a falling house yet he still persisted in his pretensions to the Popedome continuing saith Crantzius in Metrop l. â— c. 1. Idolum cum Idolis suis Cardinalibus An Idol with the Idol Cardinals of his own making Yea in ipso mortis articulo when he was just going out of the World Anno 1414. he adjur'd the Cardinals that remain'd with him in the Fortress of Paniscola whether for safety he had retreated that they should forthwith chuse him a Successor Which accordingly they perform'd Electing one Giles Munion a Chanon of Barcelona whom they call'd Clement the Eighth but this pitiful shadow of a Pope about 4 years after Renounced his Charge was content to stile himself Pope no longer and what afterwards became of him we do not at present meet with in the Histories of those times Having thus clear'd the decks of the Three contending Popes and for 2 years or upward there having been never an one at all during which time the Council lookt upon themselves as keepers of the Liberties c. They now began to bethink themselves of chusing a new Pope but first to prevent such Rogues as the last John was from vaulting into the Chair they contrive a Test to be taken by all succeeding Popes in the words following â— N. Elected for Pope profess with heart and mouth unto Almighty God whose Church I take upon me to Govern by his help and to blessed St. Peter the prince of the Apostles so long as I shall continue in this frail life firmly to believe and hold the holy Catholick Faith after the Traditions of the Apostles of general Councils and of other holy Fathers and namely of the 8. general Councils the first of Nice the second of Constantinople Ephesine the third 〈◊〉 the fourth the fifth and sixth of them of Constantinople the seventh of Nice and the eighth of Constantinople and also of the general Councils of Lateran Lions and Vienne willing to observe the same Faith inviolate even to the uttermost and to Preach and defend the same even to the spending my Blood and Life as likewise by all means possible to prosecute and observe the Rites of the Sacraments Canonically delivered to the Catholick Church And this my profession and confession by my command being written out by the Notary of the Arches of the holy Church of Rome I have subscribed with mine own hand and sincerely with a pure mind and devout Conscience I offer it to Almighty God upon such an Altar c. In the presence c. Then they appoint a Committee to proceed to the Election who in 4 days agree upon one Columna who being chosen on St. Martins Eve would needs call himself Martin the 5 th and being brought in before the Emperor and Council was Enthron'd with mighty Pomp and Solemnity THE COURANT. Tory. BUT were not you too rash last bout in stiling Mrs. J. Mother Cellier's younger Sister Truem. I hold my self as much oblig'd to retract any thing that may seem a Scandal on the innocent as I do esteem it my duty to Advertise the publick of ill Peoples designs Now tho there were probable inducements that the Paper emitted in her name might be put upon her as the Narrative which Celliers own'd is known to have been seen in Gadburies Hand-writing before 't was in Print yet since I am satisfied that Mrs. J. has always professed her self of the Church of England and never that I can find Herded with the Romanists but on all occasions has expressed a superlative Zeal and Affection to His Majesties Person and Government I must wish a Deleatur on that passage for as I am resolv'd ever to oppose and detect the designs of Papists so never in the least to reflect on any tho of never so inferior quality that are His Majesties Friends Tory. I wish the Observator would practise the same Candour for in the midst of his pretended concern for his native Country Norfolk he most scurrilously reflects on a Reverend Magistrate by calling him tho unhappily true short sighted Pug and we expect by his ungrateful returns that in his next he will reproach him too for taking Bail for Murder and living Litigiously amongst his Parishioners and Neighbours but if he do the Devil a Peny more of Contribution shall he get from the Crape-Gowns of Dumpling-shire Truem. This to me is all Arabick prethee no riddles how go matters in the Town Tory. Hang 't I know not what to think on 't 'T is pitty that excellent Writ De Haeretico Combâ—rendo is out of date some Friends of mine in the West would have made brave use on 't is it not pitty that those who can send an honest Christian to the Devil for not paying an Easter-twopence cannot plague him for the sin of not putting off his Hat But have the
of October 1678. to License Thompson's Narrative touching the manner of finding Sir Edm. Godfrey's Body assign'd for a Reason That he did not know but if he should License it he might offend some great persons at Whitehall Tory. O! but Thompson Numb 128. says That 's a false and scandalous Aspersion And Observator Numb 111. says 'T is a damn'd Lie Truem. 'T is not a Straw matter what those two Gentlemen say their veracity is notorious Mr. L the Printer went with Thompson then to L'Estrange stood by heard the words and at that instant took particular notice of them because he admir'd what might be the mysterious meaning and is ready to depose the same upon Oath when ever-lawfully required And as for the reason L'Estrange now gives viz. It was before the King and Council and he durst not meddle with it That 's no reason at all for tho the Inquiry after the Murderers might be before the Honourable Board as indeed it was before all the Magistrates in the Nation yet what harm or offence could it be in the mean time to publish a true Narrative of the matter of Fact when how and in what manner the Body was found It might also be noted That L'Estrange refused to License two Elegies on the same Gentleman which were both Licensable as appears in that one of them after his refusal was Licens'd by my Lord Bishop's Chaplain who sure understood his business as well as Roger and the other after a long ruffle and threatning to Complain Roger made shift to License himself but not without 2 or 300 Oaths and Curses Tory. I confess I always observ'd Mr. L'Estrange mighty tender in Licensing any thing that might reflect on the Roman Catholicks 'T was sometime before the discovery of the Plot the Parsons Sons had a publick Feast and some body had made a Copy of Verses on that occasion wherein having reckon'd up what excellent Men in all Professions Clergy-mens Sons had prov'd the Author concludes thus Blush Romanists at your unjust Restraints Our Church fills Earth with Hero's Heaven with Saints Whilst from your Cells a spurious Issue springs To â—ifle Subjects and to Murder Kings These two last Lines were such an abomination to our Friend that he would not License the Paper unless they might be cross'd out and cross them he did before he would sign it tho in some of the Copies the Printer maâ—e bold to insert them Mr. Birch was the Bookseller who is ready to attest this business And so much at present for L'Estrange Now here 's Thompson's second Letter to Mr. Prance what have you to say to that Truem. I say That Paper is the perfect Resemblance or indeed a Demonstration of the whole Genius and Nature of Popery in general for what is Popery but Lies and Nonsense obtruded upon the World with the height of Impudence And just such is that Letter The shameless Author of which opposes Legal Oaths and Judicial Records with pitiful Surmises and forged Flams Affirms over and over again with a ridiculous Effrontery things that half the Town know to be false and others which common sense can never admit as that of his Shoes being glaz'd with walking on the Grass and the Hay seeds in the sâ—ams and his Face being Fly-blown c. and all this in the midst of a very cold snowy October Is it not pleasant to hear him tell the world That Mr. Brown the Constable who first moved the Body and the Surgeons that view'd it and the Maid that wash'd the Clothes who have all sworn there was no Blood are no competent Witnesses and yet this Sir Nicholas Nemo with his unknown Knights of Bo peep on their bare Say so 's must be credited Does not Thompson own himself a prodigious wretch in putting his name to this Paper so directly contrary to what he himself printed just at the time when the thing happen'd and yet now to take not one word notice thereof tho so home charg'd upon him by the Ghost Is it not absurd vapouring to cry Such and such and such things shall be prov'd by undeniable Witnesses and yet after so many Challenges not be able to name one 'T is true he intimates as if one Wren had something to say but sure I am it cannot be that Sir Edm Godfrey kill'd himself for I my self have many times heard that Wren say and swear That he deserv'd part of the 500 l. Reward as being an occasion of the discovery of Mr. Prance's being in the Murder and that before ever Mr. Prance was seiz'd he had such violent Suspitions or Impulses as he call'd them that he was concernâ—d in 't that he could not rest in his Bed a nights And will this Man after all this swear That Prance knew nothing of it Tory. There is I am told another Gentleman tho not named yet hinted at in that Paper that is to help on the Job with a civil Oath or two upon occasion a certain pragmatical primatical Tittle-tattlecal pretended Councellor at Law But we 'l Adjourn our Discourse of him 'till next bout Printed for Langley Curtis 1681-2 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY March 24. 1681-2 Omne meum Nil meum An Apology in Answer to an Accusation of Plagiarism Tolling of Ave's in honour of our Lady People forc'd to do Penance for not bringing Litter for a Proud Prelates Horses as he would have them The story of the Lord Cobham and Sir Roger Acton entred into T Is pleasant to consider how many little Artifices the Devil and his Instruments ill Men have vented their Malice against this poor innocent Weekly Sheet and how Sedulous they have been and are either if they could totally to suppress or at least to asperse and Calumniate It. This makes me hope It may have done some Execution against the Kingdom of Antichrist or that it may be of use to the Protestant Religion since the Advocates of Popery do so Rave and fret against it But that which I shall particularly take notice of at present is The Gentleman that calls himself the Observator who Numb 14. has the Forehead to Affirm That All the Pacquets are stoln A charge so general and apparently False that it deserves no Answer but Contempt or Pity But afterwards he comes and Asserts That out of Foxes Acts and Monuments and the Magdeburgh Centuries I furnish this Weekly History To this I Reply First That if any body pretends to give the World an Account of things Transacted Two or three hundred Years or more before himself was Born 't is twenty to one if he will deal like an honest Man but he must Consult Historians that have Treated of those Affairs else what he Writes will be Fiction and Invention not History Secondly If he means that I make use of no other Authors but Foxe and the Centuriators 't is notoriously False I having for carrying on this Work perused many
and False Doctrines then obtruded in the Church which much Incensed the Prelates with Rage and particularly observing that Sir John Old-Castle a valiant Religious Knight of Kent and who in the Right of his Wife was Lord Cobham to be a great Favourer of that Doctrine they resolve to take him to task but first of all Complain of him to the King in the first Year of his Reign who sent for and discoursed him to whom the Lord Cobham declared his Loyalty and Obedience but added That as touching the Pope and Prelates he ow'd them neither Suit nor Service for that by the Scriptures he knew the Pope to be Antichrist c. Upon which the King would talk no further with him Then Arundel the Arch-bishop began to Cite him before him and not being obey'd Pronounc'd him guilty of Contumacy at last the Lord Còbham drew up a Confession of his Faith being an Explanation of the Apostles Creed and very Orthodox with which he repaired to the Court and humbly tendred it to the King but he refused to receive it and by the Kings Commandment he was sent to the Tower and in the 23 d. of Sept. 1413. Conven'd before the Arch-bishop and the Bishops of London and Winchester The chief Objections against him were That he held Erroneous and Heretical Opinions in these Four Points viz. Touching the Sacrament Touching Pennance Touching Images And touching Pilgrimages Therefore he delivered in to the said Bishops a Writing Indented containing his Opinion in each of these Particulars which not being long we shall here recite Verbatim I John Old-Castle Knight Lord of Cobham Will That all Christian Men Weet and Vnderstand that I Clepe Almighty God into Witness that it hath been now is and ever with the help of God shall be mine intent and my will to Believe faithfully and fully all the Sacraments that ever God Ordain'd to do in Holy Church and moreover to declare me in these four Points I Believe that the most Worshipful Sacrament of the Altar is Christs Body in the Form of Bread the same Body that was Born of the Blessed Virgin our Lady Saint Mary done on the Cross Dead and Buried the Third Day Rosâ— from Death to Life the which Body is now Glorified in Heaven Also as for the Sacrament of Pennance I believe that it is needful to every man that shall be Saved to forsake Sin and do due Pennance for Sin before done with true Confession very Contrition and due Satisfaction as Gods Law limiteth and Teacheth and else may he not be Saved which Pennance I desire all Men to do And as of Images I Vnderstand that they be not of Beleeve but that they were Ordain'd sith they beleeve was zewe of Christ by sufferance of the Church to be Calenders to Lews Men to Represent and Bring to mind the Passion of our Lord Jesu Christ and Martyrdom and good Living of other Saints and that who so it be that doth the Worship to dead Images that is due to God or putteth such hope or trust in help of them as he should do to God or hath Affection in one more than in another he doth in that the greatest Sin of Maumetrie Also I suppose this fully That every Man in this Earth is a Pilgrim towards Bliss or toward Pain and that he that Knoweth not ne will not Know ne Keep the Holy Commandments of God in his Living here albeit that he be go on Pilgrimages to all the World and he die so he shall be Damned he that knoweth the Holy Commandments of God and Keepeth them to his End he shall be Saved though he never in his Life go on Pilgrimage as Men now use to Canterbury or to Rome or to any other Place The COURANT. Papist and Tory. Tory. WEll and how go Cases now Papist Not altogether so well as we expected The heat against Dissenting Hereticks in many places begins to Cool not can we get the people to believe That Godfrey Murder'd himself Tory. Murder'd himself Why Thompson Num. 131. talks as if he were still alive and expected next fair Wind. For he says the Truth of his Two Sham-Letters will be as effectually prov'd as the Appearance of the Viscountess Cambaen's Steward did clear that business Which can no otherwise so effectually nor indeed at all be done without Sir Edmund Bury's appearing alive again and indeed I have often wonder'd that the Church which boasts of Miracles for one of her Notes hath not all this while wrought One by raising that Gentleman again to Life which undoubtedly would destroy the suspition of the Plot for ever Pap. Tush I may tell you as a Friend we are better by half at Raising of Lies than at Raising the Dead This Godfrey's Ghost always haunts us and all the skill of the South-sayer Gadbury the Hagg Celier or our Saterdotal Conjurers cannot tell how to Lay it How many Devices have we started to Evade not the Guilt but the Scandal of having Murder'd him Once we would have put it upon the Earl of D. to which purpose we scatter'd about a Libel call'd Reflections c. But that not taking comes in Macgrath and his Crew and they were for Swearing That he hang'd himself and his Man Mr. Moor cut him down This being likewise Confuted we revive our first story and Now we would make the World think he Murder'd himself with his own Sword Tory. If you had left the Management of this Intrigue to Roger he would have dispatcht it better by half than Natt for to speak Truth all the Priests are but Bunglers to him Pap. O but he had formerly given it under his hand That he did not in the least doubt but Sir Edm. Godfrey was Murder'd by Papists Tory. No matter for That He shall unsay it again for Two pence and prove that they were Presbyterians kill'd him and then we will have a new Setâ— of Abhorrencies go about to Abominate Detest and Defie John Calvin and all his Works This were somewhat to â—he purpose but to come as Natt does with Ifs and ands If Sir E. B. Godfreys Body were full of Blood If his Nostrils c. were fly blown If his Body stunk and Cakes of putrified Blood were found in his Cloathes c. Well what then Why then if all this were true Natt Thompson is a Lyer for Printing in October 78. a Narrative upon his own personal view quite contrary to all these Assertions But Friend Natt the Whiggs have often told you That these Suggestions are All notorious Lies forg'd out of a devilish Design to Conceal Murder and stifle Treason c. and they have Challeng'd you to produce the Witnesses that you boast of and you have not been able to name One except it be Mr. W. and him the very next Week you uâ—braid with Tankard stealing Pap. Well! well a little patience we have a parcel of Witnesses on the Stocks and as soon as we can Equipp and Rigg them something may be done
but is sick of a Canker or rather of a Leprosie or rather of a Pestilence insomuch that she is past hope of Recovery 3. Dr. Whitaker de Eccles Cont. 2. Quaest 6. C. 1. handling this Question exactly An Ecclesia Romana sit vera Ecclesia Christi visibilis whether the Church of Rome be a true visible Church of Christ resolves it in the Negative and goes on eam nos non modo non solam Catholicam c. we say not only that it is not the only Catholick but not at all Catholick Not Only Not Catholick that is Vniversal but we affirm it is not a true particular Church of Christ Quare deserendam esse ab omnibus c. And therefore we say she the Church of Rome ought to be forsaken of all who would be saved as the Synagogue of Antichrist and Satan it is not any Church at all nullam in eâ salutem in eâ sperandam esse there is no salvation to be hoped for in it With which home Testimony of so great Luminary of the Church of England we shall conclude The COURANT. Truem. VVHat hast got there so busily poring upon Tory. By the Mass a most Divine Scrol and as I am credibly assured found in the Friary at the late Fire at St. James's I 'e warrant ye if I knew the Holy Father that lost it and did but Restore it he would streight forgive me all my Drinking and Whoring Truem. Ah! but how would you come off for your Lying and Slandering the Whiggs with notorious scandals which is your daily practise Tory. Pshaw all that 's so far from Criminal that 't is meritorious but there 's another thing troubles me the Plague on 't is though the Priest compound one's sins with Heaven he cannot get Releases from stubborn Earth if he would but as easily wipe out my Landladies Chalk and cross my Chirurgeons Bills as he can mutter out an absolvo te he were a rare fellow indeed However I 'le away to Thompson or L'Estrange they are the two great Internuntii of Intelligence between the Cloyster'd Monks and the Lewd world and have an Advertisement and make the most on 't Truem. Prethee let 's hear it first Tory. I 'le warrant you had rather hear one of Baxter's tedious Sermons but to vex thee and shew thee what a dainty curious Religion we may with good Industry one day arrive at I 'le read it from the original Copy if that be not one of Heraclitus's Bulls as follows A Revelation from God Almighty done unto St Bridget First Printed at Rome in the Italian Language afterwards in Dutch in French and now in English Know my loving Friends that when I was Apprehended of the Barbarous Jews I received a hundred Buffets upon my Cheeks and upon my Lips thirty blows with Fists when I was taken in the Garden of Olivet I fell seven times going from one side to the other I fell often and to make me rise up again I received of the Jews two hundred and five Kicks I also received seventy two upon my Arms and eighty two Blows upon my Shoulders I also received twenty two Blows round about my Loyns they drew me up by the Hair eight and thirty times I was shouted at a hundred and five times I have been drawn up by the Hair of my Head from the Earth eight and thirty times upon the Pillar I received one deadly wound and on the same Pillar received six thousand six hundred fity six Blows I was whipt to the Bones too and twenty times they gave me a hundred deadly wounds with pressing on the Crown of Thornes I had three deadly wounds upon the Cross they spit upon my Face two and twenty times the Soldiers that apprehended me wâ—â—â— five hundred and eight in number and they that followed me were three hundred and three of them that led me bound there were three hundred and three I spilt out of myâ— Body three millions eight thousand four hundred and thirty six drops of Blood They that pray daily seven Pater Noster's and seven Maria's until the number is filled of my Drops of Blood I will give them five Graces The First he shall not come in Purgatory Secondly the same Graces as if he had shed his Blood for the Catholick Faith Thirdly the Soul of his Friend shall have hope not to come to Purgatory Fourthly if he die before the number is finished it shall be holden as if it were accomplished Fifthly they that carry this about them in Devotion shall not die without being visited of the most Blessed Mother Mary Set thy Intention to give God daily thanks that God for thy Salvation hath spilt so many Drops of Blood that thereby thou may gain God's Grace Amen Truem. This is goodly Gear in Earnest I wish you a good Market for 't but in the mean time prethee what 's the meaning of your friend Hodg with his Sham-Letter from Scotland Tory. Troth I think the old fellow 's mad or has an ambition not to be out rival'd by Thompson in Roguery of that kind what the Devil need he take such pains publickly to be the Papists Advocate they can shift well enough for themselves his Post is to pelt the Non-Con folks really the man is grown too open of late and our friends of the Crape-gown are forc'd to be asham'd of him If he continue to scribble so many Observators a week till the Dog-daâ—s there 's no remedy we must prvide a Lodging for him at Hogsdon or an Apartment opposite to his quondam fellow Servant Oliver's Porter Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The fourth Volume FRIDAY June 2. 1682. Quid primum discendum est in Scholâ Christi nisi ut Renunciemus nobis Whether any Protestant may in compliance or for fear c. be present at Mass without grievous sin IN discharge of our promise N. 18. we now come to consider this Question Whether any Person that has been Educated in the Protestant Religion and rightly instructed in the Doctrine of the Gospel may if he happen to live amongst Papists or Popery should prevail be present at their Mass and Communicate with them in the rest of the Ceremonies by them used without offending of God and hazarding his Soul By our stating this Quaere the Reader may perceive we speak not here of those who out of curiosity happen to go into a Popish Chappel or the like meerly to see the manner of their Foppish Ceremonies though yet I must say even this is not unattended with danger for as those that out of wantonness imitate Stammerers many times come to stammer themselves against their wills so if People will thrust themselves into Temptation who knows but God may give them up to believe Lies But that which we intend in this Discourse relates to such as know already what the Mass is but for some carnal reasons out of fear or in
compliance with the times c. do resort thereunto and this we averr they cannot do without great and dangerous sin For 1. Though God by the wise Preacher saith to every man My Son give me thy heart and that without the inward affection all external Postures of Devotion are vain yet it is also true that God requires the whole Man and we must serve him with our Bodies as well as with our Spirits for which he himself in his Holy Word Assigns the Reason viz. Because the one as well as the other is his since our Bodies are Redeemed with the Blood of a Crucified Jesus of infinite value shall we dare to prostitute the same before an Idol since they ought to be Temples of the Holy Ghost will you pollute them with abominable Sacriledge since they are designed for a blessed Immortality and to be partakers of Divine Glory How vile a thing is it to sully them with assisting at loathsome Superstitions St. Paul envying against Vncleanness uses this very Argument Your Bodies are Members of Christ how monstrously wicked then is it to make them Members of an Harlot when the Lord speaks of his faithful Servants he Characterizeth them by this special note They have not bow'd the Knee to Baal nor have kissed his Hand He might have said they are not corrupted with Superstition or they do not own Baal for God but to express that the same was not enough the Holy Spirit by name declares that they have not so much as by outward gesture exhibited any worship to the Idol and does he not by this Description admonish us also to abstain from all such Pollution if we would be accounted of the number of his people But you will say you keep your hearts right to God and whatever others do you fix your Devotion on him and know that 't is abomination to direct your prayers unto or to expect help from an Idol and therefore you address your prayers only to God though with your Face directed towards an Image With this very pretence the Corinthians of old endeavoured to excuse themselves when Paul reprehended this Crime in them 1 Cor. 8. They went to the Feasts which were kept in honour of Idols and with others were partakers of those solemn Banquets But did they do this superstitiously No for Paul as in their person brings in this excuse We know that an Idol is nothing whatever men esteem it and that there is but one God But the Apostle does not take this for a sufficient Plea but tells them that for all that a weak Brother that sees them may conclude that they do it in honour to the Idol and so by your example may be tempted to Idolatry When the wicked Sacrifice to the Devil whoever in such an action mixes himself with them adjoyns himself to the Devil you cannot at once be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of Devils whoever chuses the one must of necessity renounce the other Were such evasions of a good Intention to be allow'd how rashly and foolishly did Daniel's Companions expose themselves Could not they thus have concluded amongst themselves others indeed will Worship the Image which the King hath set up but we though we bow before it will still Worship the living God In the mean time to avoid danger we will go with the Crowd and pretend to do as they do would such a Cavil have excused them before God sure none will dare to say it What then shall we â—ame them for an inconsiderate Zeal that they would rather be cast into a fiery Furnace than by dissembling derogate from the Honour of God This we cannot do because the Holy Ghost expresly commends them for this noble Resolution and Constancy and Heaven gave Testimony to it by a Miracle and what is written is for Example and Instruction But how witty is man to find out Glosses and Colours to palliate his Crimes some fancy to eyade all this by saying These things are true of Heathen superstitions who sinned not only in using ill Ceremonies but also by Worshipping false Gods and therefore 't is no wonder if the Lord did so abominate their Rites but this is nothing to the Papists for though the Worship of God be corrupted amongst them yet they have no other intention but to Worship the true God But to this I answer whenever the World goes about to Worship God in a perverse and unlawful manner at the same Instant it Adores an Idol with whatsoever varnish it may colour its impiety In vain do those that set up Superstitions Condemned by God alleadge that they mean thereby to Worship God for since that the Lord neither hath instituted nor will accept thereof such Worship is exhibited to the Devil rather than to him For which cause the Apostle Paul speaking of those who turn ' 〈…〉 Corruptible Image says they served the 〈…〉 Brazen Serpent was not made by the Capricio of men but by the Command of God nor was it only a Symbol of a Divine Benefit but also a Type of Christ In after-times this was abused to Idolatry nor did that abuse want a specious pretext of the name of God Now suppose any one had feigned to Worship that Serpent to accommodate himself to the Superstition of the Rabble would any say he were guiltless The Golden Calf was made by Aaron to represent the true God but being against God's Command and contrary to Truth the Lord pronounc'd it Idolatry The like may be said of Jeroboam's Calves for he did not pretend to Introduce any new God only set up those Figures to prevent his people's going up to Jerusalem to pay their Devotion whereby he thought the State of his Kingdom would be endangered yet still it was gross Idolatry because he instituted a Rite without warrant from the Word of God and contrary to the Divine Command Now if any one had offered Sacrifice there not cordially but only in Complement to the King would he have been innocent or do we read of any of the Servants of God paying their Devotions there or rather on the contrary do not we find that God by his Prophets continually did forbid and condemn the same Was the Temple at Samaria Dedicated to Jove or Mars to Baal or Ashdod No no 't was Consecrated to the God of Israel but was it ever the more lawful to Worship there Secret Idolatry though varnish't with the name of God is prohibited as well as that which is open as was that of the Gentiles But the better to understand wherein and how far it may be lawful for a Christian to whom God hath made known the Abominations which abound in the Popish Church to Communicate with them we must note that of those things wherein they place the Worship of God some are inventions directly contrary to God's Word some other are depraved and corrupted by latter use though originally not evil 2. Some of their Ceremonies are in no sort to