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
they are Gods Elect yet to speak precisely no mortal eye can infallibly discern them to be such since many times the Bristol-stone glitters as bright as the Diamond and Hypocrites make as fair outward shew as the real Saint The second sort therefore of the militant Church are Hypocrites and â—nâ—ound members who are not effectually called but disobey the truth whereof they make profession These distinctions being thus premised we proceed to acquaint you what we mean by a true Church of Christ and we shall do it in the very words of our mother the Church of England in the 19 th Article of her Faith The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly Administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of Necessity are requisite to the same So that here we see wherever the word of God is sincerely preach'd and heard and the Sacraments Administred according to Christs Institution there is a Church of God for those are the marks whereby the Church may be known So that the visible Church which is also Catholick or Vniversal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true Religion And particular Churches which are members thereof are more or less pure according the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced Ordinances Administred and publick Worship perform'd more or less pure in them And not only the purest particular Churches under Heaven are subject both to mixture and Error but some may and have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagoges of Satan tho yet there shall to the end of the world be a Church on Earth to Worship God according to his will against whom the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Now whether the present Church of Râ—me be not one of these Apostatized Adulterous Churches against whom such a Divorce is sued out we shall proceed to Inquire as soon as we have told you what we mean by the Church of Rome And that is The whole Church of Rome as it is a Body consisting of one vissible head the Pope and of all Papists wheresoever Clergy and Laity professing themselves members of that Head and owning the Faith and Doctrine thereof This Body or Company I say is not in any sort to be accounted a true visible Church of Christ which I conceive will appear by diverse Arguments of which I shall give you one at present That Church which over throweth the main and proper cause of our Salvation is no true Church of Christ But the Church of Rome overthroweth the main and proper cause of our Salvation Therefore the Church of Rome is no true Church of Christ The Major I presume no man will deny and for the Assumption 't is notoriously evident for they have overthrown the principal and fundamental Article of Justification which is the Head and summ of all Religion they err in the Efficient Cause of our Justification which is the free Grace and favour of God which they deny building it upon mans merit of Congruity or works preparatory and dispository to Justification c. Coupling it with mans free-will They Err in the material cause Christ Obedience this they deny to be our Obedience or the matter of our Justification They Err in the Form of our Justification which it the Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto us They Err in the Instrumental cause to wit the Justifying Faith denying is to be a certain particular trust or Assurance in Gods mercy for the Pardon of our Sins They Err in the very Meritorious cause Christ our Redeemer several ways overthrowing all his Offices They Err also in the final cause of Justification being the free Gift of Eternal Life while they say the same is merited by the Condignaty They overthrow the very Fundamentals of Religion by denying the sufficiency of the Scriptures for the Rule of Faith and the necessity of its being known to Gods people They deny the right use of the Sacraments whilst they attribute unto them Grace ex opere operato and teach that their efficacy depends on the Intention of the Priest They deny the truth of Christs humane Body by their absurd whimsey of Transubstantiation and the vertue of His only and all alone sufficient Sacrifice by their propitiatory Masses c. So that 't is plain they have Corrupted or abandoned the main and proper Fundamentals of Salvation consequently has no Claim to the Title of a Church of Christ THE COURANT. Tory. HAVE you seen the famous Panegyrick the Sacrificâ— to the Rising-Sun Truem. No nor can guess what you mean But I have heard that amongst all sorts of Idolaters they were only a parcel of forlorn servile debauch'd effeminate Hen-hearted Chicken-soul'd Persians that worship'd the Sun rising And since you mention that word it puts me in mind what I read the other day in a Pamphlet Entituled A warning against the dangerous practises of Papists written by one Thomas Norton in good Queen Bess's days Anno 1586. Let it be well-weigh'd saith he what they mean to the Realm That under colour of Succeeding so far undermine the Head of our Country that they convey the countenance favour and supportation of a great corrupt number of such as may frame themselves any hope of Gain that way to persons that by such kindled Ambition may be the more hastily embolden'd This to do is to shew us a Sun rising to whose Worship they would fain draw us from our Sun declining as they suppose No no our Queen is our true Sun and whatever shining Thing they would set up in her time is no right Sun but an unlucky Comet And it is not yet Noon I trust with our Sun or if it be I hope yet God will lengthen the day to our Sun for his Honour-sake as he did to Joshua and rather have all good Subjects so to hope if the residue of that day may be so spent as Joshuah spent it and for which God did prolong it viz. To rid the World of God's Enemies Let it be considered what Hopes Anticipation and most dreadful Mischiefs which I fear and abhor to name the encouraging of such succeeding which is the work of Papists may minister where the only Person of our most dear and precious Soveraign standeth between them and their desired Effect the utter undoing of us all and specially where the power of Revenge may by possibility fall into their hands for whose sake it should be attempted It is no small mischief danger and appalling of our Faith and Courage when our Prince must be defended against those that by possibility may aspire to be our Princes themselves and to 〈◊〉 it upon good Subjects I dispute no Titles I have no reach beyond our Queen I can see nothing beyond our Queen 〈◊〉 a Chaos of Misery therefore I am
that was Canonization which he bestowed one Edmund of â—â—â—terbury one Vincent in Spain and several others that as little dâ—â—â—rv'd that Title as he had just power to bestow it which Bessâ—â—â—â— seeing and especially how rashly and indirectly the same 〈◊〉 manag'd was not a little scandaliz'd thereat Tâ—ese New Saints quoth he make me doubt of the old Langeâ— in praefat But he that was for â—btrâ—ding Saints upon Heaven was no less busy in robbing Princâ— of their Rights upon Earth for Alphonsus King of Naples dying this Calixtus publisht his Bulls declaring that the Realm of Naples being vacant appertain'd only to him as a Fiefe of the Church and commands Ferdinand the Son of Alphonsus that neither he nor any other should call himself King thereof on pain of Excommunication whereupon Wars were like to ensue but the same was happily prevented by the Popes death who was called out of this World in the year of our Lord 1458 leaving behind him in his Coffers One Hundred and Fifteen thousand pieces of Gold as Platina affirms a Treasure very different from His that said Silver and Gold have I none and yet these Money monging Popes are not asham'd to boast themselves his Successors The COURANT. Unum aliquem voluptate ac deliciis fluere gementibus undique ac lamentibus aliis hoc non est Regni sed Carceris esse Custodem Tho. Mor. Utop Truem. VVHether so fast man Tory. To the new Academy Truem. What to learn to ride an Hobby-horse and practice the noble science of defence with Bean stalks and Bull rushes Tory. No no our's is not Monsieur's vaulting-room but a Schola Illustris that undertakes to new model all Arts and sciences Truem. A gallant enterprize as how I prethee Tory. Why first we begin with Grammer and Correct the old fashion'd use of words and Phrases as for Example to Elect two persons shall henceforwards mean to chuse but one the lesser party is to be call'd A Majority Confirmation shall signifie He-go-mad or a fatal necessity of approbation without a dram of free-will in the Case and to desire people to do a thing must be interpreted that you do thereby actually do it your self in spight of their teeth in Geometry and Arithmetick our Doctors of the Chair teach that a part is greater than the whole and Twelve hundred more by a bundance than Four and twenty hundred Logick they affirm ought not to be the Art of Reasoning but of Scolding Truem. Nay then by my Vote Roger L'Estrange shall be constituted Logick-Reader to both Universities Tory. I must tell you there are some there think themselves not a little oblig'd to that Reverend Guid else they would never have made him such a present Truem. Yet I have heard of a certain Squire Tyburn-wards that owes a Gentleman near Cambridge the Sum of Twelve Pound upon Note or Bond and having been several times dunn'd for it has promised payment and bound those promises with Oaths and Execrations as solumn and dreadfull as those wherewith with Roger uses to disprove himself a Papist yet has not paid the money at least it was not paid just before the time he received the Guinnies nor is it as we believe satisfied to this day Mr. L'Estrange would do well to give an account of that affair in his next Observator 'T would be altogether as edifying to the publique as Brass-screws or his being sent for to the old Dog Talk no more of debts and duns how goes the business in the City Truem. Alas it does not go sir but 't is driven Tory. What may be the grounds and design of all this bustle Truem. As far as I can learn on the one side the Generality of the Citizens have a mind to preserve their Right of Chusing of Sheriffs and acting in Common-Hall as time out of mind hath been accustomed on the other side there are some that scarce know what they would have themselves but however they make a horrid noise and clamour and every body that will not be as mad and silly as themselves they count a Traitor and a Fanatick many of these are influenc'd by Strangers that endeavour by rudeness and ill Language and all kind of Affronts to provoke and raise some tumult or disturbance and rather than fail will swear it on the most peaceable Or if we may beleive what a printed paper relates and names the person one of these sticklers confessed lately that the business so strugled for was to get Sheriffs to hang up half a score that were uneasy c. But as one Innocent mans blood is enough to draw down divine vengeance on the whole Nation so who knows where Blood hounds if once flesht would stop as to the present Controversy is it not fit to be consider'd 1. If my Lord Mayor be allow'd a Right to chuse one of the Sheriffs against the mind of the Common Hall then whether the Cities late plea to the quo Warranto in defence of the Charter be not thereby confess'd to be false and invali'd 2. If the Sheriffs for the time being have not a right to declare the free choise of Sheriffs for the year ensuing and to manage the Poll if any be demanded then whether we have had any Sheriffs duly chosen this hundred years for 't is certain the Sheriffs not the Mayors have done it nor did ever any Mayor Adjourn the Common-Hall before the business dispatcht but Sir Samuel Starling and he paid for it being cast at Law upon serious consideration of all the Judges Tory. But what have you to do with these matters Truem. Just as much as the Observator therefore I humbly conceive may do it altogether as lawfully Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY July 28. 1682. Dividimus muros et moenia pandimus Vrbis The History of Aeneus Sylvius or Pope Pius the II the Arts used by him to get the Chair how strangly he was thereby altered Certain notable sentences of his VVE hasten Because sooner than intended we must it seems close these unwelcome and ungratefully received sheets Who would suspect that in a Protestant Kingdome and in an age too wherein one of the most damnable Popish Plots that ever shockt a State was so providentially discovered and is it not still apparently working An History of Popery manag'd with an exact fidelity and some small neither unusefull nor unpleasant digressions for the Readers Entertainment should even amongst Protestants meet with misconstruction and Contempt But let them slight on Those that love Lees and loath the generous Wine We envy not their Pallate's with the Swine Pope Calixtus being dead there were but Two Competitorâ— for the Papacy viz. Cardinal Rotomagensis and Aeneas Sylvius so that during the four days space wherein the matter was debated in the Conclave the only difficulty was which of these they should chuse nor was either of them wanting to
Sacrament of the Body of Christ saying that it ought to be Ministred in both kinds and that after the words of Consecration pronounc'd there still remaineth material Bread in the Sacrament 2. He doth Err as touching the Church for that he doth not allow and admit that the Church signifieth the Pope Cardinals Archbishops and Clergy but saith this signification was drawn from the Schoolmen 3. That he hath said That Tempral Princes and Lords may take away the Temporal possessions of the Church and Clergy without any offence 4. He teacheth that all Priests are of like power and therefore affirms That the reservations of the Popes Casualties the ordering of Bishops and the Consecration of the Priests were invented only for Covetousness 5. That he erreth concerning the Church forasmuch as through Contempt he doth not fear Excommunication 6. He erreth by holding That a Man being once Ordain'd a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden from the Office of Preaching c. Upon these and other the like Articles the Council proceeded against him in his sickness and tho he often offer'd to defend his Cause yet they would neither allow him any Advocats nor permit him publickly to be heard And in their Ninth Session they declared Quod non obstantibus salvis Conductis Imperatoris Regum c. Possit per Judicem competentem de Haeretieâ pravitate inquiri That notwithstanding any safe Conduct granted by the Emperor or any Kings Inquisition many be made against any Man for Haeresy by a Competent Judge and process to be made according to Law To relate the whole proceedings would be too tedious how malicious and unjust his accusers were how stout and faithful to him were several Bohemian Noble Men representing his Innocence to the cruel Fathers but all in vain nothing but his Blood would satisfy and so they proceed to pass the following sentence upon him The most sacred General Council of Constance Congregated together and representing the Catholick Church for perpetual memory of the thing As truth doth witness that an evil Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit so it cometh to pass that the Man of most damnable memory John Wickliff through his pestiferous Doctrine not through Jesus Christ by the Gospel as the holy Fathers in times past have begotten faithful Children but contrary to the wholesome Faith as a venemous root hath begotten many wicked and pestilent Children whom he hath left behind him successors and followers of his perverse and accursed Doctrine against whom this Sacred Synod of Constance is forced to rise up as against Bastards and diligently with a Sharp-knife of Ecclesiastical Authority to cut up Errors out of the Lords field as most hurtful Brambles and Briars lest they should grow up to the destruction of others Forasmuch then as in the holy General Council lately celebrated at Rome it was decreed that the Doctrine of John Wickliff of most damnable memory should be Condemned and his Books burnt as Haeretical yet 〈◊〉 John Hus here personally present in this Sacred Council not the Diciple of Christ but of Wicliff an Arch Haeretick hath taught and affirmed the Articles of Wickliff which were Condenm'd by the Church of God Wherefore after diligent Deliberation and full Information this most Sacred Council declareth and determineth the Articles abovesaid which are sound in his Books wrot with his own hand and which he hath own'd not to be Catholick nor worthy to be taught but that many of them are erroneous some wicked other some to be offensive unto godly Ears many of them to be temerarious and seditious and the greater part of them to be Notoriously Haeretical and doth condemn all and every the Books which the said Hus hath wrot in what form or phrase soever they be or whether they be Translated by others and doth decree That they shall be publickly burnt in the presence of the Clergy and People c. And the said Synod doth pronounce the said John Hus an Haeretick and a Seducer and obstinate Person and such an one as doth not desire to return again to the Lapp of our holy Mother the Church neither to abjure the Errors and Heresies which he hath openly Preached and defended wherefore this most Sacred Council decreeth and declares That the said John Hus shall be deposed and degraded from his Priestly Orders and Dignity Since this sentence mentions Degrading it will not be amiss to consider the manner how that Ceremony is perform'd Which is thus The party to be degraded is attir'd in all his Priestly Vestments and holdeth in the one hand a Chalice filled with Wine mixed with Water and in the other a Guilt Paten with a Wafer Then kneeling down the Bishops Deputy taking from him these Trincats Charges him to say no more Mass for the Quick or the Dead Secondly scraping with a piece of Glass his fingers ends he Enjoyns him never to Hallow or Consecrate any thing and Thirdly rasing his shaven Crown and stripping 〈◊〉 of his Priestly Vestments he is Clothed in a Lay habit and delivered into the Power of the Secular Magistrate Thus was poor Hus serv'd and withal a Capp put on his head all painted over with Devils and this word Haerisiarcha or Ring leader of Hereticks inscribed thereon and so was burnt in the Month of July 1415. He behav'd himself at his Martyrdom with a wonderful Cheerfulness and seems to have had a Spirit of Prophecy for whereas Hus in the Bohemian Tongue signifies a Goose he told them You now roast a Goose but after a 100 years there shall a Swan rise up out of my Ashes which was fulfill'd in Luther who just 100 years after Hus's Death began to appear in opposition to the Pope Likewise during the time of this Council one Jerome a Learned Godly Man of the City of Prague hearing of the manyfold injuries done unto Hus voluntarily came to Constance with an intent to defend his Cause but not being able to procure any safe Conduct there was returning back again to his own Country but taken on the Road and brought bound into Constance and there by the Council Condemn'd and Burnt and his Ashes thrown into the River Rhyne as Hus's likewise had been so Industrious were the Romish Clergy to destroy all Memorials of these faithful Servants of God whose Names do yet survive all their impotent malice and remain Registred in the Book of Life in Heaven and pretious to all good Men on Earth What esteem the godly Nobles of that Age had of Mr. Hus may partly appear by a Letter of 54 Noble Men of Morauia under their Hands and Seals to the said Council THE COURANT. Tory. PRethee are Miracles ceas'd No no There 's a New Saint lately come over call'd Cess Process that does daily Wonders Dam Ignoramus is an Ass to her Tory. What kind of Feats does she Profess can she sham Godfryes Murder and Esquire Thin's and make the World believe That they both kill'd themselves or that it was done Justly
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
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