being any shelter to the blasphemy that is deliuered in the whole passage Nor can it bee saide the booke wants authority for it is formally allowed dedicated to the Cardinall Aldobrandinâ— printed at Rome and since often elsewhere and of late both the Author and his booke highlie commended by the greatest Romish censurers So that now I will end my euidence for this point and dare put the matter to a Iurie of any conscionable men whether this wound be healed yet or no. The fourth Wound NOw to go forward from the Person and Maiesty of God let vs proceede to his Holy Scriptures and see how the Romish Church held of olde and yet holdeth and teacheth of them I will not stand vpon those vile and base speeches vttered and written of them by Eccius Pighius Hosius and many other of that generation for that they haue beene both detected and with shame inough reiected by many reuerend men of our nation both in Latine English w Whitaker Fulke lewel Reinolds and others but vpon some that often haue not bin touched by many nor euer can bee sufficiently condemned by any In the Canon Law the Pope spareth not to disgrace the holy Scriptures in expresse tearms sometimes equaling his owne Constitutions with them sometimes preferring them In the decree he shameth not to affirme that 7 The fourth wound The Popes decrees bee equall to the Canonicall Scriptures his decretall Epistles are numbred amongst the Canonicall Scriptures x Decret dist 19. cap. 6. impudently alledgeth Saint Augustine to proue it who neuer spake nor meant any such thing as in the later end of the decree they cannot but confess with shame inough this was his doctrine in the old impressions of the Canon law a hundreth yeares agoe But some will say this wound is now healed No looke in the new impression reuiewed at the Popes commandement and printed by his authority within these few yeares and there stand the verie same wordes without the least reformation in the Rubricke or title of the Chapter The decretall Epistles are numbred and reckoned amongst the Canonicall Scriptures 8 The fourth wound not healed Which is the more shamefull in it self shamelesse in the dooers in as much as in the same new edition they are forced to confesse that Augustine out of whom they cite the whole Chapter did not at all meane the Popes decretall Epistles but the holy and Canonicall Scriptures and no maruell for the name of decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a faire yeare after his daies To conclude let wise men obserue heer this point how vnwilling the Romish Church is to amend or alter any thing especially if it concern Gods honour and not their owne free-hold else why should they maintaine that blasphemy in the Rubrick and title of the Chapter which in the body of the Chapter they condemn But well doe they know that many a man reades the contents of books chapters which neuer read more Therfore because the words of this title giue honour to his decretalls tho they be neuer so dishonourable to Gods holy Scriptures they are suffred to stand whereas they haue put out many things disgracefull to themselues Thus vnwilling is Babylon to be healed in any thing The fift Wounde THis doth but make them equall and that may be thought no great wound in that Church but shall wee see a deeper more deadly namely where the authority and determination of the Pope is made higher and of more respect then the holy Scriptures themselues In the same booke the XL. Dictinction the Pope alleadgeth for good doctrine and canonizeth for a law these words taken out of one Boniface 9 The fift wound The religion of Christianitie is to bee founded rather from the Popes mouth then from the holy Scriptures that is from Gods mouth And certainâ—y all men do yeelde so much respect and reuerence to the Pope of Rome and his chair that they require and seeke for much of the discipline of the holy Canons and the ancient institution of Chrstian religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops of that See then either from the holy Scriptures or the olde traditions all they care for or seeke after is what he wil and what he will not that so they may conform themselues frame their conuersation this waie or that waie according to his will and pleasure Loe what doctrine is heere the discipline nay the religion it selfe of christianity is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at Gods mouth in the holie Scriptures and al that a Christian man cares for is not what God but what the Pope will and what hee wills not and according to that are they to frame themselues Is this a doctrine fit to be inserted in the popes lawe Is this the holie and the onely true Church that teacheth this If to be a Catholicke be to holde this and to denie this to be an heretike I am content to be an heretike let who wil be the Catholicke but if a true Catholicke ought to holde the doctrine of the scriptures and to depend vpon the mouth and reuealed wil of God then woe be to that Church and religion that teacheth wee may rather depend on the Popes mouth then on Gods But some will say this is healed Nay alasse they be so farre from that 10 The fift wound not healed that contrariwise for ought that I know that is not to bee found in the elder editions but I am sure it is in the later and last of all set forth by special authority from the Pope from whence also I cite it at this time The sixt Wound THus I haue shewed First that the Pope makes his Decrees equall with the Scriptures Secondlie that they are of greater authority then the Scriptures Is it possible to haue a worse Yes for the measure of her iniquity will neuer be ful and therfore she goeth one steppe higher in this impiety and teacheth that the holy Scripture is so farre inferiour vnto the Popes decrees that vnlesse hee by his authority giue them strengthâ— they are not of credit nor necessary to be belieued Let me be of no credit nor worthy to be beleeued if I repeate not their words truely out of their owne booke namely their authenticall glosse vpon the Popes Decretalls where the Text of the Decretall being no more nor lesse then only one verse of the 26. Chapter of the Prouerbs the glosse that is the approued Commentarie vpoÌ„ that decretal is in these words * Vide Decretal lib. 2. tit 23. de praesuÌ„ptionibus cap. 1. â—icâ—t Obserue heere that the wordes of the Text are not the wordes of the Pope but of SALOMON in the Prouerbes the sixe and twentieth Chapter but because that Text of SALOMONS is heere canonized by the Pope 11 The 6. wound The holie Scriptures are therefore of credit to be
popery fit for their pulpits and their people and after they be preached worthie to bee published to the world Surely if they graunt these be false doctrines then blame shame belongs to the Papists that preach them write them publish them and allow them for Catholicke doctrine but if they stand to them as true then mark what consequeÌ„ces will follow vpon them first it is here taught that a man may appeale froÌ„ God Hereupon this argument is easily framed but I beleeue not so easily answered Popery teacheth there lies no appeale from the Pope and heere teacheth that there lyes appeale from God But in reason he from whoÌ„ no appeal can lie is greater then he from whom one may Ergo by popish doctrin the Pope is greater then God This conclusion is ineuitable if their doctrine be true Again here it is taught that we may appeale froÌ„ God to the Virgin Mary if that be true let them answere this argument He vnto whom appeale doth lie from anotherâ— is greater then hee from whome it is made this is their owne doctrine But from the Lord God appeale doth lie to the Virgin Marie Ergo shee by popish doctrine is greater then God If this conclusion be heresie and blasphemie then Bernardine de busto his bookes are to be burnt yet they are both allowed commended by the Romish Church but let vs goe forward Thirdly here it is taught that God hath diuided his kingdome with a creature euen with a woman This being true here we learne many points First the reason why they call her in their Seruice booke allowed by supreame and soueraigne authoritie Reginam Coelorum the Queene of heauen for shee that hath got possession of the halfe of Gods kingdome may well and worthily be held the Queen of heauen Secondly heere is a very good reason why the Church of Rome keepes the Bible from the vulgar people and will not haue it divulged in their Mother tongues for if they had it in their own tongues they would startle at this doctrine and when they heard it deliuered in Pulpit that God had diuided his kingdome would soone haue saide that is false doctrine for the Psalme saith The kingdome is the Lords * Psal. 22. 29 and Dauid in his thankesgiuing at the preparation for the Temple building confesseth to God Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and glorie aeternitie and Maiestie Thine O Lord is the kingdome and thou excellest ouer all * 1. Chr. 29. 11. and if the Frier had obiected that the kingdome indeede is Gods yet not so but hee may diuide it to another then they would haue answered that cannot be for he himself sayth I am the Lord c. My glory I will not giue to another a Esa. 42. 8 and if hee still obiected that to be true in the olde Testament when there was none capable and worthy of this honour because then the Virgine Mary was not they would readily answere that in the new Testament after the Virgine Mary was and after shee was the mother of Christ Christ her son speaks to God his Father but not to her his mother Thine is the kingdome power glory b Matâ— 6. 13. The kingdom is Gods and how long not till she be assumed crowned in heauen as they say but for euer and euer And whereas they further teach that he hath kept Iustice to himselfe but committed mercie to his Mother they would crie out vpon that doctrine him that taught it and tell him that they finde it sixe and twentie times in one psalme that Gods mercy endureth for euer c Psal. 136. in euery verse and that his mercy is ouer all his works d Psal. 145. 9 If ouer all then ouer her also or else she is not of his making and if his mercy be vpon her without which shee could neuer haue beene saued then how dare any say that Mercy is hers and not Gods And if mercy bee Gods and that mercy of his endureth his not for the time of the olde Testament onely but for euer Then it is foule and false doctrine to say that now since Christ God hath resigned vp mercie from himselfe to a creature Thus would the people come vpon him that taught this doctrine and vpon the Romish Church that alloweth it and therefore doth not that Church wisely to keep the people from reading the holy Scriptures Thirdly seeing it is doctrine currant in the Romish Church that God hath giuen vp mercie from himselfe to the Virgin Marie heere is a good defence of their Ladies Psalter wherein they turne the Psalmes from Dominus to Domina from GGD to our Ladie and when Dauid saith Lord haue mercy on me they say O Lady haue mercie on me in thee O Lady is my trust They say this was compiled by BonaueÌ„ture but tho he liued in il times yet his other writings giue cause to hope hee made it not for hâ—â— saith that we must take heed wee so inlarge not the excellency of the Mother that we diminish the glory of the sonne Sure hee that saide so would not be so lauish and carelesse of Gods glorie as to turne the Psalmes from him to a creature Fourthly heere we see the reason why the popish Synagogue do maime the Lords prayer leauing out the conclusion For thine is the kingdome and power and glorie for euer and euer h See the Rhemish Testament in Mat. 6â— Luke the 11. all their Miâ—â—als and Breuiaries Manâ—aâ—s and allowed primers in all which they cut short the Lords praier leauing out the words of the conclusion for thine is the kingdom c. For if the kingdom be diuided then it is not all his for euer no maruel therfore though they will haue their Pater noster in Latine for their common people for if it were in English there is none so simple but would see their vngodly dealing But to conclude leauing this robbery and sacriledge in cutting off part of the Lords prayer for another place and purpose it is heere euident that no papist in the World can with a good conscience say the whole Lords prayer For if God haue now diuided his Kingdome then how can he say with Dauid in the olde testament i 1â— Chr. 29. 11. Christ in the new k Mat. 6. Thine O Lord is the kingdome for euer therefore he must either alter the Lords prayer and say Thine is halfeâ— the kingdome c. or neuer say it at all or else curse and detest his own teachers that write and his Lord God the Pope that alloweth such doctrine Alas poore â—oules what should a simple honest hearted papist do in this case See therefore in what pittifull state they liue who haue subiected themselues to such teachers Lastlie let it bee obserued that heere they teach that there bee in spirituall matters touching the soule 2. diuine Courts the one of Iustice and that is
wicked that neuer giue one groane for themselues Nor must we forsake them in prayer but though they seeme to vs neuer so incurable wee must still praie vvithout ceasing to GOD for them for that that is impossible to vs is possible inough with the Lord h God forbid sayth Samuel that I should cease to pray for you i 1. Sam. 12. and so must we say of all euen the greatest sinners saue onely them that sinne against the holy Ghost which no priuate man but onely the whole Church can discerne and iudge of God forbid that I should cease to pray for them Neither must we forsake them by a finall separation neuer to come at them nor to assist them any more but still we must be willing to go againe and do our endeuour if euer there be hope that they will be healed Forgiue saith Christ not seuen onely but 70. times 7. times When a sicke man is froward and impatient then the good Physition must be the patient tho he haue come oft to no purpose yet if at last he will be healed he must not forsake him so must Gods children reioice if after neuer so many repulses the wicked will be content at the last to heare and to be healed Thus wee must still loue and pittie them still pray for them and still be ready to do them good and in these three respects we must not forsake them But wee must forsake Babel First in regard of conuersation we must separate our selues from the wicked mans company and societie as far as lawfully conueniently we may after we see him obstinate and incurable it is Gods commandement Flee from the midst of Babel depart out of the land of the Chaldeans k Ierem. 50. 8. and do not this slackly and slowly like Lots wife l Gen. 19. 26 but be as the hee Gootes before the flock Secondly in regard of the meanes for after that by her often and obstinate refusall ioyned with spightfull contempt both of the meaneâ— and the men that brings them she hath shewed her selfe to be a filthy swine then pearles are no longer to bee cast before her holy things must no more bee giuen to such Dogges but they are to bee left to their vomit and mire till God shew either his mercie or iustice vpon them either in their conuersion or confusion Thus must she be forsaken and the reason why which is the second point is double First in regarde of our selues wee must forsake the wicked when they are incurable lest in steede of dooing good to them wee take hurt our selues by beeing polluted by her contagion or made partakers of her sinnes and consequently of her punishment God giueth this reason himselfe Flee out of the middest of Babel and deliuer euerie man his soule be not destroyed in her iniquitie m Ierem. 51. 6 Therfore after that a christian man perceiues there is more daÌ„ger to get hurt from them then hope to do good to them he is bound no longer to stay nay he is bound to leaue them looke to the safety of his owne soule and body Secondly in regard of the meanes vsed to heale them which because they be the holy ordinances of God pretious pearles therefore are they not to be exposed to the contempt of wicked men not to bee troden vnder the foule feete of their peruerse and scornefull spirits Both these reasons doth Christ cople together Giue not that saith he that is holy to dogs neither cast your pearles before swine least they treade them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rent you n Mat. 7. 6 Christ would neither haue his ordinances abused nor his children hurt by the wicked men Thus we see the maner how and the reasons why Now let vs see the time when Babel must be forsaken when she is incurable but not til then first long time is to be spent all meanes to be vsed all waies to be tried all patience to be practiced all wisedome to be exercised all occasions to bee taken that probably may preuaile to doe them good But if after all this they be incurable and out of hope then must we forsake themâ— but not till then not till there bee no hope at all he that forsakes Babel till then is wanting in his duetie and hath much to answere for before God For if the Physician may not forsake this vile body o Phil. 3. 21. as loÌ„g as there is any hope of life then how may any man forsake the soule that is pretious that cost so pretious bloud p 1. Pet. 1. 19 Surely the spirituall Physician must neuer forsake a Church a people or a man as long as there is any hope of curing and conuerting him Heere is condemned the practise of two sorts of men amongst vs. First such as be now tearmed of the separation formerly vsually called Brownists who forsake our Church and cut off themselues from our congregations and separate themselues to a faction and fashion or as they call it into a coâ—enant communion of their owne deuising these men haue made a grieuous rent and giuen a deepe wound into the peace of our Church they vse this place and others like against vs say Wee would haue healed you but you will not bee healed therefore we forsake you but they abuse the place therefore I will turne the point of this their weapon against themselues I meane against their errors and this their bitter and schismaticall separation To this end I would aske these men but 4. questions whereunto if they can giue me satisfaction I will be one of them First therefore whereas you say that Wee are wounded incurably and will not be healed I aske Wherein are wee deadly or incurably wounded what fundamentall wound is in our doctrine what deadly corruption is in our discipline such as eats out the heart and life being of a Church what booke of Canonicall scripture receiue we not what holde we for Canonicall that is not what sacrament that Christ ordained do we want and what haue we more then Christ ordained what article of faith deny wee or what holde we for an article of faith that is not what fundamentall heresie doth our doctrine maintaine what haue we in our Church that ouerthrowes the beeing of a Church what is necessarily required to make a Church that we do want Do not say These be many questions for if you will haue theÌ„ all in one generall I will end it as I began Wherein are wee deadly incurably wounded if I should walk a while on your owne grounds grant you that which you can neuer proue yet wil it not follow that we are incurably or deadly wounded A man may want a finger or haue some blemishes in his face and yet be a strong and perfect man sound and heart-whole and able to ouerthrow his enemies so tho there were in our Church those wounds
beleeued because they are allowed and authorised by the Pope being so by him authorised they are of as much authority as if the Pope himself had beene the Author of them Therefore it is of credite and implyeth necessity of beeing beleeued or it bindeth as strongly as if it had been pronounced or vttered by the Pope because wee make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestow or impart our authority The high holy God that is the Author of the holie Scriptures be mercifull vnto vs in hauing any thing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemie and graunt that wee may not any way communicate with their sins noâ— haue fellowship with this wicked worke of darkenesse The Impiety and Atheisme that lyeth in it is such as if it had but crept into some secret pamphlet I would neuer haue brought it into light but being that it is registred in the Glosse vppon their lawe a booke of so great authoritie and so common in the hands of all the learned I cannot but discharge my dutie to the trueth tho it may giue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine For what can such men think when they heare him that pretends to bee Christs Vicar and Peters successor teache that Salomons wordes are not of as good authority as his bee when as Christ himselfe did approue and iustifie himselfe and all his wordes and deedes and doctrines by the olde Testament and that the words of God in the olde Testament do therefore binde and are therefore to bee beleeued because the Pope pleaseth to insert and canonize them in his lawe that being by him so canonized they bee therefore as good as if the Pope himselfe had spoken them What I saie can they iudge but that the Pope is one of their profession a plain Atheist that holds the Scripture all religion as farre as pleaseth his humour and serueth his turnes And if any of his faction hold this too hard a censure I would intreate him to answere mee but this question grounded vpon these words of his Whether is God the Author of the olde Testament or no 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21 If they say no Saint Peter answereth that Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were inspired of the holie Ghost If he be then the Prouerbs of Salomon being a Canonicall Booke of the Olde Testament is Gods Booke and the wordes of the Text are Gods words and not Salomons This beeing so let vs then take the wordes as they are in their true and full meaning and see what a peece of Popish diuinitie heere is Obserue that the words of the Text are not the words of the Pope A straÌ„ge peece of popish doctrine that gods word if it bee authorized by the Pope is theÌ„ of as good credit as if the Pope himselfe had spoken it therefore if the Pope please not to Canonize it then it is notâ— So that either Gods word must bâ—e beholden to the Pope for the authority of it or else it hath none but of God but because these words of God are heer canonized by the Pope therfore they are of credit worthy to be beleeued as well as if they had ben spoken by the Pope himselfe Loe heere the Pope in his owne colours this is Diuinity fit to be hatched at Rome and to be coyned in his mintâ— Let the words be examined and see what can follow of them but that either the Pope holdes not the Prouerbs to bee Gods booke but SALOMONS which is horrible Atheism or else if he hold them Gods that the words of God beare no credit nor haue authority to binde mens conscience till the Pope do canonize them and that Gods word in a booke knowne receiued and graunted to bee Canonicall is not of as good authority in that booke as being translated into the Popes Canon lawe If he refuse both these then let him refuse his owne lawe and burne his glosse vpon his decretallsâ— as containing Atheisme and Heresie in a high degree 12 The sixt wound not healed But to goe forward Is this wound healed Surely if they haue left it out or reformed it in any later impression so it be with open confession and detestation of the fault it is wel But sure I am it is in the impression I haue and in al other which I could borrow And further I do not know any Pope or popish writer that hath with authority and allowance condeÌ„ned or reproued this Atheisme if they know any they may doe well to produce them Meane time I am also sure of this that in stead of healing it they haue suffered their Doctors Writers continually since to speake and write almost as ill if not worse In Queene Maries time an English Papist wrote thus c Proctor in his booke called the waie home to Christ printed at â—oÌ„don in 8. Religion is occasioned by Scripture but perfected and authorized by the Church See we are more beholden to the Church then to the Scripture for our Religion About the same time Cardinall Poole out of his Pope-holy deuotion is said to haue affirmed that The written word of God is but a seede of Turcisme d Scriptura scripta est semen turcicum And certaine Popish Doctors in Germanie beeing pressed in a disputation with the euidence of Scripture boldly answered We are not tyed to the Scriptures those goose quils do not tie vs e Noâ— penâ—is illis â—nâ—eri â—is minime suâ—â—â—â— alligati I will not affirme both these two vpon mine owne credit but they haue beene charged with them both manie yeeres agoe and neuer yet disprooued them But that that followeth I speake vpon knowledge A little after a great English Papist pretending to summon a parliament for poperie in his booke so called tells a story of one whome hee hearde vpon reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes earnestly say that The Booke of Ecclesiastes is a naughty booke f Heskins a Doctor of diâ—â—â—â—ty in his parliament of Christ lib. 1. cap. 2. printed at Antwerpe 1â—66â— in folio He voweth to God and cals him to witnesse that this hee heard him himselfe but what was hee that spake it a protestant no a papist and no mad fellow nor ignorant foole nor profane scoffer but sayth Heskins hee was a man of worship of grauity of wisedome of godly life and competent learning able to vnderstand and likewise exercised in the Scriptures and this is all the censure he giues of him that spake these wordes Hee addeth further a litle after in the same Chap. that a popish Gentlewoman hearing a text out of a booke that papists holde to be Scripture which shee misliked and being tolde by him for he heard her speak the words that the booke was Scripture shee answered that if the Scripture had such I will not say what shee saide words in it She would no more beleeue the Scripture for it
was naught g Heskins in his parliament the next page after And what was she that saide this A vertuous Catholick gentlewoman saith Heskins and one that feared God h Obserue wel how a great popish doctor coÌ„mends that man and womanâ— for deâ—oâ—t and zealous papists who blasphemoâ—sly saide that the scriptures were naught not to be belieued and doth not reproue the parties for their blasphemie So little doth it touch a papists hart to heare Gods word abused in the highest kind Lo what tokens poperie giueth of a vertuous Catholick woman and that feares God And tho Heskins cannot but graunt that these are blasphemies Yet did he not reproue the one nor the other but contrariwise coÌ„mends them both turnes it to the aduaÌ„tage of the Romish cause saith that hereby we may see what a perillous thing it is for lay people to read the Scriptures But with his leaue hereby we may see what a filthy heart vile estimation popish doctors haue of the holy scriptures who hearing their disciples thus horribly blaspheme them and God in them doe not reproue it but make vse of it nor burie and quench them but write and publish them rather with an approbation then any detestation of them But will you heare his owne wordes and his owne iudgement not related from others as these but vttered out of his owne heart How little incitement to vertue appeareth to bee in the songs of Salomon yea rather how vngodly and wanton seeme they to be in the outward face rather teaching and prouoking I â—raue pardon of all Christian eares wantonnesse then godlinesse and what can the vnlearned finde or vnderstand in many sentences anie thing to edification of godly life or rather a prouocation to wanton life And after certaine sentences alledged hee concludes The whole booke is no better like vnto these saith he is all that booke You haue heard how the Prouerbs were disgraced in the glosse vpon the decretalls and heere the Canticles Now that Salomon may not haue one book left in credite Heskins addeth touching Ecclesiastes What may appeare more vehement to disswade a man from wisedome then the booke of the Preacher how much is wisedome the goodlâ—e gift of God abused to appearaunce in this booke k Heskins in the same book and Chapter And to conclude of another booke which they hold also to be canonicall scripture some of them to be Salomons he saith that The booke of Ecclesiasticus seemeth to haue such vnseemely wordes in it as an honest men would be ashamed to speake them and I also â—aith he would be ashamed to write them if they were not Scripture l Heskins a little after in the same chapteâ—â— If the words be as immodest as he pretends they be then why do they hold such a booke to be Scripture And if they holde it to be Scripture then how dare a Christian man say that it hath such speeches in it as an honest man would bee ashamed to speake or write I leaue this for them to answere in the meane time I goe forward Not long after comes Hosiuâ— a greate Doctor of theirs and after a Cardinall and writes thus m Hosius editionis vlt. tom 20. lib. de expresso dei verbo pag. 5. The word of God of it selfe doth not but as it is written in the Scriptures it dependeth on the authority testimonie and approbation of the Church and it ought no otherwise nor no further to bee esteemed the word of God then as farre foorth as it is approued by the authority of the Church Lo what doctrine heere is for hence it followeth that therefore if the Church should not allow the new Testament it were not scripture Put all these together and then it will soone appeare how pittifully this wound is healed Nay further if the â—ime present occasion would giue leaue to looke into their latter and moderne Writers we should see by the last and latest of all this wound is so farre from being healed that it rankles further deeper euen like an incurable leprosie that cannot be healed but this may be sufficient Therefore let vs go forward to another wound The seuenth Wounde THey taught the people in olde time namely for two or three hundred yeares past that images were good lay mens bookes and euen then when they denied them the Scripture as vnfit for them and obscure and dangerous for seducing them to heresies were Images allowed and commended vnto them as good meanes of Instruction 13 The seuenth wound Images are good lay mens bookes Some three hundred yeeres ago liued a Frier called Gulielmus Peraldus learned for that time wel approued of their Moderne Censurers hee writes thus As the Scriptures are the bookes and containe the learning of the Clergie so Images and the scripture are the learning and bookes of laie men p Lo heere how Images are associated and ioined with the Bible Search the Scripture saith Christ looke on them and on Images saith the Pope how readest thou saith Christ what â—eest thoâ— saith the Pope It is written saith Christ it is painted and grauen saith the Pope thy word saith Dauid is my light not the golden Cherubins but nowe saith Poperie euen in the new Testament The scriptures and Images are lay mens lights What a wrong is this to God and what an iniurie to his worde But is this healed Oh that it were but let the Reader iudge by that that followeth 14 The seauenth wound not healed but made worse and worse One of their greatest Casuists Laelius Zecchius a great Diuine a famous Lawyer and of late yeares Penitentiary of Bresse writing a great volume of Cases of conscience dedicated to Pope Clement the viij amongst many other strange doctrines touching Images teacheth that It is not lawfull onely but profitable to haue Images in Churches to cherish and encrease charitie towards God and man câ— and to preserue faith seeing Images are to bee held as bookes for them that bee vnlearned to draw them vnto knowledge memorie and imitation of holy and diuine matters c. q Laelius Zecchius Summa moralâ— theolog casuâ— noâ—sci tom 2. cap. 90. art 18. pag. 609. Lo here this doctor who beeing Penitentiary is by his place and calling to heale wounds and satisfie Consciences comming to touch this wound handled it so roughly that in steed of healing it he makes it sorer then it was For whereas Peraldus gaue Scripture so much honour as to be ioyned in commission with Images they 2. to be ioint teachers of the Laity Now comes the great Penitentiary is wel allowed by the Pope to leaue out the scripture as needlesse and to giue all the power to Images not onely to put men in minde but euen to cherish and increase faith and charity And certainly if Images can do so it is no maruell that Papists cast out the scriptures and in roome thereof doe
found them so full of ridiculous absurdities impieties and vntruths that he affirmed him to be a man g Ludouicus Viâ—â—es lib. 2. de Caus. corrupt art de LuÌ„bardica historia of a brazen face and a leaden heart that wrote them Now al these three sorts of bookes are in shew reformed of late but the truth is there is neuer a material vvound healed but rather a number made worse 1. For their Liturgy and seruice either publike or priuate it is coÌ„tained in their books called Missalia Breuiaria Officia Manualia Portiforia and such other all these haue beene reuiewed and as they say corrected since the Councell of Trent h Vide Bullas Pontif. praefixas Missal Breuiareditionis 70. post But let them be examined and compared together I dare say that for one euil taken out there is another put in and tenne stand vnremooued and that both in diuers pictures as also for points of doctrine they are as ill as the former i Compare for this end the Missals breuiaries Manuals Primeri printed before the Councel of TreÌ„t with those printed since at the least 2. Their Ceremonies of state or as they say of deuotion are contained in the bookes called Pontificale Romanum and Ceremoniale Romanum k Adde heereunto also their Processionale Rationale and Sacerdotale Romanum wherin what apish to yes there be what absurdities what superstitions sometimes ridiculous sometimes impious is incredible to them that see it not insomuch as some Papists l Vide Epistolam Alberti Castellani ad Leonem 10. praefiram PoÌ„tâ—fâ— vlt edit Veneâ— yea the later Popes m Vide Bullas praed Clem. 8. haue not spared to confesse that they need great reformation and therefore vndertooke that worke theÌ„selues But if a man did see how they haue amended them they would out of this one if there were no more euidences conclude that Rome is that Babylon that will neuer bee healed for looke into the Pontificale and the Ceremoniale which were reformed and are indeed much altered by the authoritie of Clement the eightth and printed at Rome within these few yeeres and you shall finde some small deformities taken away but many greate enormities suffered to stand some put in that were not that there before n Compare for this end the PoÌ„tificale and Ceremoniale new and old which I will not stand at this time to particularise 40 The 19. wound not healed for al these are as bad still as afore both because the particulars are so manie and also for that seeing the bookes beeing so rare are not for each mans reading it may hap heereafter that the exact comparison of them together the old with the new may be a work of it self not vnworthy of some mens labours 3. * These were read in the Churches when the Scriptures were kept out Their stories or tales are comprised in the bookes called Speculum exemplorum Vitae SanctoruÌ„ LegeÌ„da Festiualia c. These also are lately reformed as they pretend But how If any would know what is done herein take but one exaÌ„ple The Iesuites in the Low countries pretending these Legends or stories needed much reformation tooke the matter vpon themselues because it was of greate waight and consequence and appointed it to some of their societie to be reformed and now of laâ—e they haue published it at Doway some two or three yeeres agoe would make vs beleeue that it is amended in innumerable places o Vide libruÌ„ intitulatum Magnum speculum exemplorum ab innumeris meÌ„dis c. vindicatum per quendam Patrem è societate Iesu per eundem locupletatuÌ„ Duaci anno 1605. But if any man haue lost any time in turning ouer their Legends and perusing the prodigious stories there laid downe let him venture euen a little more and compare this new reformed Speculum exemplorum with the former and if hee finde as impious and ridiculous Legends as improbable and as impossible tales in that as in the other theÌ„ let him make report what good reformers the Iesuites bee and how well the Romish Church is healed in this wound p To this end compare the old Speculum exeÌ„plorum or the Legend with the new Magnum speculuÌ„ exemplorum set out by the lesuites this last yeere The conclusion is that the Missals and Breuiaries though vndertaken by Trent the Pontificall Ceremoniale though vndertaken by the Pope the Legend and Speculum though vndertaken by the Iesuites and all in shew reformed yet stand all at this day as foule and deformed and though some things bee taken out yet all laid together as bad or worse then they were afore These straits of time hinder me from inlarging my selfe any further therfore to conclude and wrap vp all in one generalll exception The twentieth wound THe last point wherewith I will charge the Romish Church and religion is not so fitly to bee called a wound as a leprosie or a generall consumption but all to one end for as it is no difference vpon the matter whether a man bee deepe and desperately wounded or haue a leprosie over all the body or a generall consumption for both are deadly and both incureable so is it in this case wherein the exception I take against them is that their Church State declined long agoe into that general corruption vniuersall pollution in all estates 41 The 20. wound A generall corruption of manners in all estates That the prophanenesse licentiousnesse and sinfulnesse of all sorts of people in that Church both head members is like a spirtuall leprosie without or a generall consumption within threatning ruine to the whole body This point is worthy to bee enlarged but I must deferre it and referre the Reader to the records of antiquity I meane such as be their owne men but hauing some remorse of conscience feare of God did confesse freely and bitterly deplore the miserie that the sinfulnesse of the popish Church and religion would bring vpon all the world Let them read that haue them these bookes named in the margent q Vide Gersonis opera passim Reuelationes Brigittaeâ— Vincentij Ferrariens prognostic PetruÌ„ de Aliaco de reformatione eccl Nicolai de Clemangiis opera in Bibliotheca Patrum editionis primae and those that haue them not it may bee shortly they may haue some helpe therein and then you will graunt with mee that former and better times confessed that which I now laie to their charge I will insist particularly but vpon two the one of so greate antiquitie Poemâ—ta Walteri Mapes Maillardi Menotti Sermones Holcot in Sapient lect 82. passim Onus Ecclesiae passim the other of so greate authority as both are beyond exception Some 400 years ago liued a Monk learned for those times called as Posseuine confesseth r Vide Posseu in Appar sae In apped priori ad tom 1. lit B.
Bernardus Morlanensis he wrote three bookes of the contempt of the world in an artificiall kind of Poetry but much more artificially describing and zealously deploring the sinfulnesse of the Romish Church and state in those daies from the head to the foote describing particulaâ—lie their adulteries drunkennesse ambition idlenesse dissimulation deceits cosenages murders whooredomes of all estates then particularly for their Clergie their ignorance and negligence their Sodomie their Simonie and other corruptions in attaining places in the Church and then at last comming to Rome it selfe so layes open the filthinesse of the whoore of Babylon as it is doubtfull whether her sinfulnesse be more hateful then his boldnesse is admirable Let him that would be able to answere all their false slanders which they lay to the charge and disgrace of Protestant Churches and to retort vpon themselues their obiection of the liues of our Professors and he that would see the Church and state of Rome in her her owne naturall colours let him I say reade but that one Author who beside that hee is Manuscript in many Libraries was also published at Amsterdam or somewhere neere thereabouts this present yeare 1607. And after he hath discouered her corruptions and layd open her sinnes from head to foote then he vrgeth her vehemently to repentance and reformation which because he seeth no hope of but that still shee falleth from euill to worse therefore hee denounceth Gods iudgements against her and assures her that vengeance ruine and destruction shall fall vpon her Some part of his owne words I haue heere put downe in Latine but not in English because the sinnes hee laieth against her are such as some of them are better vnnamed then reprooued What can they say to it Is he some fained and forged new found Author deuised by some of vs or was he some late writer hired by Luther or suborned by Caluine to raile on the pope or poperie Nay Posseuine the Iesuite confesseth in the place aforenamed and if he did not it is well enough knowne by other good and ancient records he was a professed Monke and liued aboue foure hundred yeeres ago therefore his testimonie in this case is beyond exception Now whether these wounds and corruptions in the Romish Church and state were healed in the subsequent ages or no if any man doubt let him looke vpon the Authors named afore who liued in the ages succeeding one after another Gualterus Mapus and their Saint Brigid not much more then a hundred yeeres after him about 100. yeeres after them Bonauenture and Wicklieffe about a hundred yeeres after them Gerson Clemangius Vincentius others these if any man look vpon he shall see that those wounds stood vnhealed and those corruptions vnreformed vntill we come to the yeere 1500 namely to this last age of all and though Posseuine malitiously conceale the name of Gualter Mapes because he is too plaine yet he cannot deny but many whereof some hee nameth d Posseu Appar sac toÌ„ 2. lit I. Iacobus Iunterbeck German Carthus anno 1460. scripsit auisamentum ad papam pro reformatione Ecclesiae c. did in all ages write to the Pope for reformation and tolde him plainelie what would follow if hee did not reforme the Church Now what good all these men could doe and what reformation followed at last let a pope himselfe speake one of the honestest hearts that euer had the hindrance to be a Pope Adrian the 6. the best that was these many yeeres and of whome if it bee possible of any there was expectation of some reformation in the Church for as Peter Mathew in his life confesseth hee was not so proud nor couetous as most of them are e Petr. Matthaeus in CoÌ„mentâ— suis ad papales coÌ„stitut de Adriano 6. How hee found the Romish Church when he came to it and how hee left it at his sudden taking from it iudge by his owne pitifull and passionate speech which hee commanded his Nuntio to deliuer from him and in his name to the assembly of the States of Germanie in their Imperiall parliament about the yeer 1522. These be his words as Epencaeus a learned Bishop of their owne reporteth Tell them from vs that we freely confesse God hath sent this trouble and affliction vpon the Church for the sinnes of men and especially of Priests and prelats from whose sinnes the scriptures are plaine be deriued the sinnes of the people therefore our Sauiour about to heale and reforme Ierusalem a diseased citie first enters into the Temple that first of all he may correct the sinnes of the Clergy especially concerning buying the good Physition who begins to heale a wound at the roote and bottome We know that for many yeeres there haue beene many abhominations eueÌ„ in this holy Apostolike seat abuses in the cariage of maters spiritual excessiue enormities in our commadements in a word all things turned topsy turuy from ill to worse and no maruell if the disease grow froÌ„ the head into the members that is froÌ„ the popes into common persons I confess all we that is all prelats of the Clergy haue gone out of the way each one into our owne waies neither hath there been of a long time any that did good therefore there is good reason that wee all giue glory to God humble our selues euâ—Ì„ our soules vnto him let each one of vs remember whence we are fallen and rather iudge our selues then stand to be iudged of God in his wrath and furie Wherein for our parts make promise in our name that we will giue all diligence that first of all this our Court of Rome may be reformed from which it is likely al this mischiefe hath proceeded that so health reformation may begin there to the good example of al whence the corruption first bred and spred to the ill example and hurt of all To the furtherance and effecting of which happie reformation wee hold our selues so much the more straitly obliged by how much the more earnestly we see the whole world to expect desire it These were the wordes of this good man too good to be a Pope at least too good to be long a Pope for after that hee had so much forgot himselfe and his papall dignity and the honor of his Apostolicall seate which cannot erre nor doe amisse as hee like a foole confessed to graunt that not the Church alone but the holy Court of Rome did need reformation forthwith there was order taken that hee should not trouble the world nor disgrace his place any longer for shortly after he died and for his sake they prouided that their seate should neuer bee so far abused abased againe by any plaine hearted Northren man Since AdriaÌ„ haue bin 15. Popes but all Italians making sure from that day to this that the Popedom should not be trusted out of the hands of an Italian lest hee should euer haue a thought of reformation For