conformable to the common Rule of all Christians let them not instance in the Unity of one God the adorable Trinity of Persons in the Godhead the Incarnation of the second person in our nature who is call'd J. Christ His death which was the Ransom and Redemption of mankind his Resurrection which hath ascertain'd ours his Ascension which hath open'd Heaven and made way for our admission his sitting at the Right hand of his Father who hath constituted him Lord and King of the Church and of the World his Intercession which procures for Believers all the good that is necessary to their Eternal Blessedness the Efficacy of the Redeemer's blood with respect to men The Life Everlasting the Resurrection of the dead and the last Judgment Let them not I say instance in any of these to prove the agreement of their Religion with the H. Scripture for 't is not to the purpose All that is Christianity and not Popery 't is my Religion as well as theirs We know very well that Christianity hath continued in the Papacy but we know likewise that Paganism hath been built upon it in the Church of Rome and this is that which makes it truly Antichristian Popery is that which constitutes a particular Sect and distinguisheth it from all others and this we assert hath no kind of Conformity to the Law of J. Christ The Sacrisice of the Mass hath no foundation in Scripture Let us instance in the Sacrifice of the Mass a point of very great importance if in any Religion there be any such because it concerns the sacrifice of a God unto God thereby to obtain Eternal Life the remission of sins and all the blessings of Heaven and Earth for mankind Because it treats of establishing a new Priesthood and new Priests and such as in the act of sacrificing are superior to their own God who is but a meer victim Now in making this Sacrifice I assert that they have altogether neglected and slighted the H. Scripture and had no regard at all to the revelation and Law of J. Christ After the establishment of this Sacrifice it was thought fit to search the Scripture for arguments to prove it but antecedent to such an establishment this was not thought of insomuch that the passages brought to prove the Sacrifice of the Mass seem to be collected and produc'd for no other end than to expose the Christian Religion to the scoffs of the Profane and the raillery of Infidels From the old Testament these words in the book of Genesis are quoted Genes 14. 1 Sam. 2.34 that Melchisedeck brought forth or offer'd unto Abraham bread and wine those words of God to Eli I will raise me up a Faithfull Priest who shall do according to that which is in my mind and in my heart And that which the wise man saith in the book of Proverbs Chap. 9.1 Wisdom hath built her an house c. she hath furnished her Table and the words of the Prophet Malachy In every place Incense shall be offer'd unto my name and a pure offering 1. C. 11. From the new Testament are alledged the words of our Lord to his Apostles Do this in Remembrance of me 26. Matth. And these of our Lord to the Samaritan Woman Believe me the hour cometh 4 John 21. when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in Spirit and Truth And those words of S. Luke 13 Acts. v. 2. And as they ministred to the Lord and those of S. Paul to the Corinthians You cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devills you cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devills and in another place we have an Altar whereof they could not partake who served at the Tabernacle One would wonder how these Texts should be produc't as Proofs in this case Where is the Victim where is the Priest where are the Ceremonies the Consecration Elevation Adoration and Oblation of the Sacrifice where are the Introitus the Gradual the Canon the Offertory used by the Romanists If the Jews to maintain their worship their Sacrifices and the different orders of their Ministers who serv'd at their Altats their High Priest their Feasts their Pascal Lamb their Continual Sacrifice Morning and Evening their Scape-Goat their Ark their Mercy-seat their Cherubims their Distinction of Meats their Circumcision if I say to justifie these things the Jews had produced such Texts of Scripture and said these contain the Proofs of our Religion this is our Authority for it I 'am confident they would have past for Mad-men and if the World were once cured of their Prejudices they would say as much concerning the Papists This is one great point wherin Popery is not sollicitous to keep any agreement with the Scripture the common Rule of all Christians There is no Scripture Evidence for the Pope There is another Instance no less notorious than the former After the Sacrifice it naturally followes that we consider the Priest now Popery hath an High Priest and Head of the Universal Church a Vicar of J. Christ a Lieutenant of God on Earth This is the binding stone of the Arch 't is the Center of the Union So capital an Affair that there is no salvation without adhereing to this High Priest and must we be put off to Tradition for the proof of such an Article as this what Title is there in the scripture to this great Office what Call to such a Charge This is alledged Thou art Peter and on this Rock will I build my Church and what thou hast bound on earth shall be bound in Heaven feed my sheep I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not All this is spoken by our Ld. to the Apostle Peter and this is the establishment of the office and Imployment of High Priest which the Pope claims as his peculiar I would that a meer Turk who is not prepossest with the sentiments of a particular sect might be our judge in this case Let him look upon the Infallible man at Rome with his Triple Crown on his head who pretends to be the Judge the King the Spiritual Soveraign of all Christians even of Kings themselves and examin those passages cited out of our Law in savour of his Pretentions 'T is manifest that this Turk would believe you mockt him Where is there any thing here would he say of the City of Rome where are the Cardinals where is there any appointment of this Soveraign Tribunal to which all the World must appeal If those words bestow any special priviledge upon S. Peter is it said he must have a Successor in those Prerogatives and if he was to have a Successor is there any one syllable that should make us imagine that this Successor must have his Seat at Rome 'T is certain they may say that S. Peter was at Rome that He did
most Holy Virgin Mary the Mother of God almost every thing which is in the H. Bible In prosecuting this design the Virgin Mary must be found in the first word of the Bible By the Heavens which God created in the beginning we must understand the Empyreal Heaven i. e. the Lady of the World the V. Mary When God said Let there be Light the meaning is Let Mary be begotten and born Every thing that is Great and Singular in the Antient History is Mary She is the Altar which Noah built to God after the Deluge the Holocaust in which God will smell a sweet savour is the Prayers of the same Virgin the Virgin is the Bow in the heavens of which 't is said when I bring a cloud over the Earth the bow shall be seen She is the mystical Ladder which Jacob saw in a Dream for by her the Son of God descends to us and by her we ascend to him she is the Gate thro which we enter into the Kingdom of God 't was of the Virgin that Jacob spoke when he said how dreadful is this place 't is the House of God the Gate of Heaven The Jewish Tabernacle and all its parts did respect the Virgin. She is the Ark of the Covenant that is gone into Heaven before us to prepare us a place there She is the Mercy-seat of pure Gold because she was sanctifyed above others in her Mothers womb She is also the Altar of Burnt-offerings because she is the Reconciler and hath taken this Office at her going into Heaven We may judge of the whole piece by these small shreds A thousand and a thousand Copies have been taken from these two famous Originals the antient Preachers of the Roman Church adorned their discourses with these excellent flowers For example in Solomons Song they found a large field for these profane applications There the H. Spirit in a mysterious manner sets forth the Wonders of the Union between J. Christ and his Church by the Emblems of a Bridegoom and a Spouse These profane wretches apply all this to the Virgin as if the Mysteries of our Redemption and Union with J. Christ were verifyed and fulfill'd in her And to give greater authority to all these shameless applications they were brought even into the Hymnes of the Roman Church In them they say to the Virgin Tu quoe furentem Leviathan serpentem tortuosumque c. Thou bruisest under thy feet the furious Leviathan and the crooked Serpent an Elogy which the Oracle in Genesis gives to the Blessed Seed i. e. to J. Christ Another hymn speaks thus to her Scala Jacob ora pro nobis Jacobs Ladder pray for us Nor is less done to the other Saints every one of 'em hath his proper Votaries especially the modern Saints are much more feasted and caressed than the old The book of the Conformities between S. Francis and J. Christ is full of these Abominations That Author will have that God had his eye on S. Francis when he Created the first man. For to him those words ought to be applyed Let us make man in our Image after our Likeness and let them have dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl c. There are none who have been so extravagant in abusing the H. Scripture as the Preachers of the Papacy For they have adopted all these profanations and over and above have peculiar ones of their own 'T was their profession to make the Scripture ridiculous and absurd by impertinent Expositions by expressions fit for the Stage and by the language of a Farce which they still used in all their discourses If any should dare to deny this we have at this day enough to convince the incredulous in the Sermons of Menot of Maillard of Barelette V. Exceptions from which we have made considerable citations and the consulting them will be useful to let us see the Character of Popery Tho their Preachers are not so sottishly extravagant in this age yet 't is certain that the same Character is to be discern'd in those who are newly come out of the Convent and have not convers'd with the world The Writers of Controversy Scripture abused by Controversial writers ought to be much more exact and circumspect in the using of the H. Scripture Preachers and those who write Books of Devotion have some Priviledge in this matter and may take some liberty in their Applications of Scripture provided that these applications are sutable to bring the soul unto God. But when we alledge Scripture as an evidence to decide a Controversy we must keep close to the true Intent of the H. Spirit Nevertheless one would pity and blush for the Controversial writers of the Church of Rome who boldly abuse and wrest the Scripture to prove their Doctrines We have ground already to say that all the proofs she brings from Scripture are real Abuses of it And what we have discoursed above to prove that the Papacy is not in the least sollicitous to have a conformity to the Rule of Christians might be repeated here But besides those abuses which the Papists are forced to employ otherwise they must in plain terms grant that the Scripture is not their Friend besides those I say we may find others which they could have spared Are not the words of Christ to S. Peter Thrust out a little from the land Panigarola and Launch out into the deep an excellent proof that S. Peter was first to erect his Episcopal Seat at Antioch and afterward to erect the Popes See and the Soveraign Tribunal of the Church in the City of Rome Psal 110.2 The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thy enemies Behold an express Text to prove the same thing viz. that Rome is to be the Metropolis of the Church the Queen of the world Christ saith to Peter Bozius Follow thou me i. e. Go and place thy Seat and that of my Kingdom at Rome Behold I lay in Ston for a foundation a tryed stone a pretious Corner stone i. e. I will establish the Pope to be the Lieutenant of God and the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth Bellarmin There is one Lord i. e. The Pope is the only Soveraign of the world Where two or three are gatherd together in my name Panigarola there I will be in the midst of them i. e. The Pope alone hath Authority to call general Councils Bellarmin Let a man so account of us as stewards of the mysteries of God i. e. There is a Treasure of Indulgences in the Popes keeping which he may dispense as he pleaseth Verily I say unto you Eckius this generation shal not pass away till all these things be fulfilld This signifieth that there shall be a constant succession of Bishops in the Roman Church Loose him and let him go did Christ say concerning Lazarus And this denotes that
others calls her at every foot Diva i. e. Goddesse My Goddesse the Iesuite Iames du Iardin The Iesuite Rapin who is now living famous for his Writings in prose and verse saith of her Diva quam rebus trepidis benignam Lipsius calls our Lady of Hall Dea Hallensis the Goddesse of Hall. These are Poets you 'le say therefore that none may lay the blame of such language on the license of Poesy we must know that Philip Berâ—ald Ambrose Catharini Cardinal Bembo in their prose call her by the same Name of Goddess Bernardin de Bustis Antonin Archbishop of Florence would have her styl'd Dea dearum the Goddess of Goddesses Now these Goddesses over whom the Virgin presides are all the Saints of Heaven And thus we have as many female deities as there are Canonized Women in the Calender They do not only style the Virgin a Goddess but prove her to be so and take their Arguments from this That there is an infinite difference Between Her and Her Servants even as there is an infinite difference between God and his Worshippers and from this Viridarium Viepas Alanus de Rupe Alexis de Salo. That we may measure the divine Greatness by the Greatness of the Virgin and from this That she is the most noble chamber of the most H. Trinity and from this that God sayd to Her Thou shalt be changed into me and again from this that besides a being of Glory and Grace she hath esse dei the Being of God and lastly from this that God is not only in Her by his Grace but in the way of identity i. e. is become one with her Viridarium Pelbatt Binet Alexis de Salo. If the Virgin be a Goddess and all the other Shee-saints be inferior Goddesses and consequently all the Men-saints be inferior Gods it must not be doubted that all our good things come from them both At this rate these devout Gentlemen speak Bernardin Stellarium No favour comes down from God to us but thro the hands of the B. Virgin. The Virgin is the Queen-regent of Paradise the Country of Grace and Mercy The Treasures of the H. Spirit were given her as her dowry and Paradise as her Portion Therefore all the Gates of Heaven are at her devotion 'T is thro her hands that all the Happiness which Heaven lets Fall into our soules doth pass She is the Lady-Treasurer of Heaven the dispenser of all the Gifts of God She is the Neck thro which Iesus Christ sends down all spirituall sense and motion unto his Church Methodius Ozotius Albett Biblia Mariae She ruleth over Earth Heaven and Hell. She is the high and mighty Princess of the heavenly Potentates She is universal Queen A Queen seven ways for she hath seven Kingdoms The most important Affairs of the Trinity pass thro her hands Alanus de Rupe so that all the Citizens of Heaven the inhabitants of Earth the Souls in purgatory nay in Hell Antonin Biel. do acknowledge her as their Mistress and humbly bow the Knee before Her. J. Gerson The Angels are the souldiers of the Virgin. Missels She saith to one Go and to another Come Hymns She turns about the Heavens giveth light to the Sun Methode and governs the World. Her dominion is vast Admirable for she not only commands the Creatures but even God himself as being his Mother She hath a power over her Son Bonaventure founded upon a better right than that of other Mothers Lvo Carnet For our Saviour hath a greater Obligation to the Virgin Mary Salmeron than other Children have to their Mothers She hath requited God for all that she received of him Conformities She hath discharged herself by way of retribution yea she hath requited God for all that we receive from him Carolus 'T is true Scribanius we are Debtors to God but as for the Virgin God is a Debtor to her for the Virgin hath done more or as much for God as God hath done for mankind Iesus Christ by imitating the Virtues of Mary discharged his Office of Saviour The Virgin together with her Son is the cause of the Creation of the World 't is for her and for him that God created the whole universe All believers are elected and predestinated thro the Virgin. She is the Book of Life She merited to be the mother of God and to be the Mother of all Mankind Every thing that is spiritual flowes from Iesus as the Father and from Mary as the Mother of it She is more merciful to Sinners that Iesus Christ 'T is not possible that those should be saved from whom Mary turns away the eyes of her Mercy and 't is absolutely necessary that those should be justifyed toward whom she turns her Eyes 'T is against her alone that we sin If a man finds himself prosecuted by the justice of God he may appeal to the Virgin. The Mothers Mercy hath often saved thâ—se whom the Son hath a mind to damn one condemned by the Son is saved by the Mother If a man were in Hell the Virgin is able to fetch him out Every body hath heard of the Red Ladder and the White Ladder the Red is that of J. Christ the White is that of the Virgin. All those who had a mind to go up by the Ladder of J. Christ were tumbled down from the top to the bottom and all those who went up by the Ladder of the Virgin got into Paradise 'T is the Virgin that gave her Son to men and sacrificed him for them She offerd him by agreement with the Father and by conformity to the Son and thus offering him for all she hath procur'd the salvation of all The Clients of the Virgin represent themselves as in suspence between the Son and the Mother between the Milk and the Blood not knowing which way to turn 'T is easy to conclude what kind of worship ought to be given to one that is and doth so many things Therefore they say that the Invocation of the Virgin Salazar Binet Coster Alexis Vasques is of absolute necessity and that those who pray not to her are as bad as those who blaspheme her They beg of her in express terms whatever is desir'd from God Heaven Pardon of Sin Grace Repentance Victory over the Devil F. Sufften Viridarium Crasser 'T is not enough to pray to the Virgin you must adore her every knee must bow to her adoring her as soveraign Queen of Men and Angels And this Adoration is not to be a meerly external Adoration but internal The Angels themselves adore the Virgin and have adored her ever since she was born On the account of her own Holiness men owe Dulia to her on the account of her maternal relation they owe her Hyperdulia and because she toucht our Saviour the adoration of Latria is due to her Those who well perform these services tho never
of the Antiquities of Rome confess it The Pantheon is now the Church of the V. Mary surnamed the Rotunde Twelve Idol Temples are reckon'd that have the same Honour i. e. to be consecrated to the Virgin. The Primitive Christians did so abhor Paganism that they would not for any thing in the world have celebrated their Mysteries in Pagan Temples But Popery which came in afterwards makes use of any thing of the Pagans their Temples their Images their Ceremonies I know not how any one can look on this Conformity otherwise than a certain Character of Antichristianism CHAPTER XVIII The Eleventh Character of Antichristianism that is found in the Papacy a Spirit of Lying and Fables Falsehoods to sustain the Authority of the Pope A short account of the Romance of the V. Mary The Antichristian spirit must be a spirit of Lying and Fables ALL Heresies and false Religions in general have the Father of Lyes for their Author But yet 't is certain that there are some Sects that are distinguisht by this and have a Spirit of Lying for their Character 'T is plain by Scripture predictions that this was to be the Spirit of Antichristianism This is signified by those V. 13. Three unclean Spirits Apoc. 16. that come out of the Mouth of the Dragon and of the Beast and of the false Prophet V. 14. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth These Spirits of Devils are those Lying Spirits who by Fables and false Miracles deceive the Inhabitants of the Earth 'T is of the same Spirit of Lying and Imposture that this Prophecy speaks V. 13. And he doth great Wonders Cap. 13. so that he maketh Fire come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men V. 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by means of those Miracles These Wonders are Lying Miracles Delusions Impostures or Fables This is also predicted by St. Paul in his 2. Epist to the Thessalonians V. 9. Whose coming viz. of the Mystery of Iniquity is after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders But above all this is the Character that the same Apostle expresly giveth the cursed Authors of the Antichristian Apostacy telling us that the Worship of Demons and Spirits as Mediators was to be set on foot by V. 2. Men 1 Tim. 4. speaking Lyes in Hypocrisy having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron The true Spirit of Popery is lying Fables and Imposture and consequently it is Antichristianism Let none wonder that we detain the Reader longer than usual on his Point For there is not a more sensible and palpable evidence that the Papacy oweth its Original to the Devil than this All false Religions have their fabulous Stories Paganism had its Fables corrupted Judaism had theirs But all the Fables of all the false Religions put together do not come near those of Popery either for number or horridness And those who will not see its Falsehood and Vanity by this prospect will never discern it by any other I promise once again that I do not call Popery that which remains of Christianity in the Roman Church for instance the Divinity of Christ his Resurrection his Redemtion and Judging the World c. Popery works no Miracles but to confirm its Superstitions These grand Truths are supported by Miracles and Wonders which were wrought by the Apostles and by Apostolical Persons The Papacy is not at all concern'd to support the Christian Truth by their Lying Miracles it takes little or no eare to preserve any part of it Or rather God hath not permitted that his holy Mystery should be disparaged by fabulous Evidences and Impostures of the Devil But the Papacy not being able to work true and real Wonders to confirm their Doctrines hath framed most horrid Relations fill'd with Lyes and ridiculous Fables to support the Popes Supremacy and Empire the Invocation of Saints the Adoration of the Virgin the Sacrifice of the Mass the Real Presence the Adoration of the Eucharist and of Images We must with some exactness view some Instances of these Lying Histories that we may understand the spirit of Popery Fables invented to set up the Popes Supremacy One of its principal Articles is the Authority of the Pope his Infallibility his unlimitted power his Succession to the Apostelship and Supremacy of St. Peter These things must be found in Tradition for Scripture saith nothing of them And to find them there they must be put into it for they were not there neither To put them into it for want of History they must weave together a heap of Fables Therefore in the first place they must without any proof suppose that St. Peter after he had been seven years Bishop of Antioch came and made himself Bishop of Rome and that he sat there five and twenty years that he was crucifyed with his head downward and at his death appointed a Successor to whom he bequeath'd a full Authority over the Vniversal Church This Successor of St. Peter left his and this third another so that in a continued Succession until this day the Popes of Rome have always been Soveraigns of the Church Umpires of all differences Judges without appeal of all Controversies and Liege Lords of all the Kings of the Earth but all this is founded on meer Fables Fables concerning the abode and actions of St. Peter at Rome First The Journey and Death of St. Peter at Rome are not very certain 'T is true antient Authors have said so But it doth not in the least agree with the History of the Acts of the Apostles or with the Chronology of St. Paul's Epistles That Apostle made two Journeys to Rome where he was twice a Prisoner In his second Imprisonment they will have him suffer Martyrdom with St. Peter 'T is very surprising and astonishing that the Apostle who in his Epistles written at Rome mentioneth so many persons of a mean quality should say nothing of St. Peter The Mystery of Iniquity began to work in Saint Paul's time this Journey and Martyrdom of St. Peter at Rome whether true or false was to be the principal foundation of the vain pretences of this Counterfeit Monarch of the Church 'T is not improbable that this Spirit of Lying which sowed the first seeds of Antichristianism persuaded the Antients of the second Century that S. Peter had appointed the Bishop of Rome to be his Successor tho this was plainly false For St. Peter had the charge of the Jews and of the Church of the Circumcision Now the Jews were very inconsiderable at Rome where they had no more respect than those Fortune-tellers whom we call Gypsies have among us The greatest and most considerable part of the Jews were about Babylon and 't is there that St. Peter dates his first Epistle As to the pretended Episcopacy of St. Peter at Rome which lasted five and twenty years
Woman who observed the Birth-day of the Queen of Heaven nay further they know the very House where she was born it was scituated in Jerusalem very near to the Pool by the Sheep-market This the great Damascene hath told us who was honour'd with this Revelation very likely for his great zeal for the Adoration of the Virgin 's Images there were not less Miracles nor less Alterations in Heaven and Earth at the Birth of the Mother than there were afterward at the Birth of the Son. For whole Troops of Angels came down from Heaven and sung Hymns and melodious Songs in Honour of the newly born Spouse of the Eternal King. And the Holy little Girle which as soon as She was born had the use of her Reason was wonderfully pleased and rejoyced to hear them And which is still more strange this Melody of the Angelick Choir was every year repeated on the same day 'T is a Saint St. Bernardin de Bustis who tells us this and consequently we cannot doubt of it At the Birth of the Son there was the apparition of a New Star in the Air but there was a great deal more at the Birth of the Mother The Light of the Sun was doubled for a day and a night that of the Moon was so augmented that it was taken to be the Sun and more than all this close to the Body of the Moon there appeared a great Star of an extraordinary clearness and splendor Lastly an Angel gave the little Girle her Name and call'd her Mirjam which signifieth The Star of the Sea as the Monks explain it who are very skilful in the Hebrew and Rabbinical Language Because Mary was to succeed Venus who was begotten of the Scum of the Sea and the Seed of Caelus The Mother of the Messiah is at this day the Christians Venus the Morning-Star which guides them thro all Dangers to conduct and pilote them to the Haven of Grace Anna the Mother of Mary to obtain this Child had vowed to give her to God even as Anna Samuels Mother had vowed to give him To perform this Vow Anna the Wife of Joachim presented her Daughter when three years old to the Priests for the service of the Temple 'T was very wisely contrived to consecrate a Girle to the service of the Temple into which no Woman might so much as enter there being an outward Court which was appropriated to that Sex. Neverthless the Priests received her and put her into the Holy of Holies to keep the Cherubims company There she was fed eleven years by Angels After eleven years the Priests held a Consultation to know what they should do with this Holy Virgin the conclusion was that they should commit her to the keeping of Joseph who had given great evidences of his Virtue and Continence It had been far more sutable to have committed her to some venerable Matrons to keep But the Authors of this Romance did not judge this expedient because of something that was to follow upon this She was fourteen years old when she was committed to the custody of that good old man Joseph she was hansome and had every thing that was proper to inflame Love But the good Man went no further than as her Guardian to inspect and watch over her Three Months after this when she was in the first quarter of her fifteenth year she was honour'd with the Salutation of the Angel and with Marriage to the third Person of the adorable Trinity It would have seem'd more convenient for them to have made the Mother of our Lord to be of riper years as to her Body but especially as to her mind that she might be capable to reflect with more attention and judgment upon the Miracle which was wrought upon her The Virgin was but 15. years old when She ceiv'd by the Holy Ghost But the Legendaries are wiser than we and knew doubtless by Revelation that the Heavenly Bridegroom had most mind to young and growing Beauties She then becomes a Mother at fifteen years old And by reason of the Miracle which God had wrought in her Womb she was obliged to live with Joseph under the name of his Spouse to maintain her reputation among those who were ignorant of this Mystery It is not certain whether the Priests knew all this who committed her to the Custody of Joseph if they knew not that she had conceived by the Holy Ghost they had no great reason to be well pleased with Joseph who had been no more careful to preserve the Virginity of the Damsel put under his Tuition and Care. They who are contemplative as well as devout are extreamly puzled to know how this Miraculous Conception was made and of what matter Jesus was form'd for they think it not becoming the Majesty of the Lord Jesus that he should be formed of that Blood that which falls into the parts appointed for Conception Therefore they very piously tell us that the Holy Ghost took out Three Drops of Blood from the Heart of Mary and conveyd'em into the Vterus from thence to frame the body of our Saviour They who are not of this opinion yet confess that 't is a very devout and pious Contemplation When the B. Virgin had brought forth the Redeemer into the world and the rumor began to spread that it was by the Holy Ghost that She had conceiv'd and that She was delivered of a Son without blemishing the Marks of her Virginity there were multitudes who would not give credit to it And as we read of a Thomas who would see and put his Finger into the Side of Christ to be the better assured of his Resurrection so there was a certain Woman named Salome who would see and feel and search the Virgin-Mother with such Circumstances as would cause the most impudent of Women to blush and yet the Protoevangelium attributed to St. James hath related the whole Story at length The rest of the Life of Mary is wrote after the same strain and with the like degree of Modesty but that I may not enlarge too much I pass it over and come to her Death and Assumption which is the principal thing in this piece The Fable of the Assumption of the Virgin. because 't is on that especially they would ground her advancement to the Right Hand of God and the Divine Honours which are given to her Let us see then after what manner She dyed Mary had lived to the Age of 58. years others say 63. and others make it more 'T is very strange that knowing so exactly as they pretend all the rest of her Life that they should be no better informed concerning the length of it but the reason is because it is a matter of no great moment as to their design The Holy Virgin being weary of living earnestly intreats her Son to take her out of this World. Iesus sends an Angel to her with the promise and assurance that within three days it should
to oblige the Clergy to behave themselves with more discretion But how long hath this continued and how far doth it reach 'T is in this present Age that the Bishop of Bellay hath set forth the Cloisters as the Receptacles of Idle Drones who live on the charge of the publick and their Practice is nothing but a company of Tricks to procure Gifts Legacies by Will Alms the Estates of the Poor of the Widows and Orphans 'T is in our dayes and within these 20 years that the Behavior of all the Convents of Cordeliers in all France hath been discover'd The Factum of the Nunns of Province the most notable piece that hath seen the light these hundred years hath told us that these wretches turn the Nunneries which are committed to them into infamous places to game and Drink in where they converse very lasciviously with the Nunns where both words and actions are licentious where the highest Debauches are acted where the Nunns take the Monks into their Beds and suffer themselves to be debaucht even at the foot of the Altar This I say is very lately done yea 't is universal 'T is not one Convent alone that is thus guilty the Factum tells us that the very same is acted in all the rest The piece is too curious and too remarkable to be neglected It ought to be read that we may there see the present and modern Holiness of the Papacy the Copies are not yet so rare but they may be had and large Citations may be read in our Legal Exceptions against Popery The History of Magdelen of Bavent a Nun of the Convent of Louriers in Normandy is of as fresh a date This wretched Creature together with the greatest part of the Nunns of that Convent acted such Abominations that would make one tremble at the instigation of two Priests who were Directors of that House These cursed monsters were wont to say Mass to the Honour of the devil and made use of the consecrated Hosts when they lay with the Nunns in such a manner that I dare not express it 't is to be read in the Process which we might set down whole if it was necessary The matter was examined in the Parliament of Rouan the Convent was razed the Directors were burnt Magdelen Bavent was imprison'd several of the Nuns were sentenc'd and dispers'd into obscure places Some were punisht with perpetual imprisonment The business was husht up to prevent the scandal Thus when the Vail is never so little drawn aside we discry Villanies cover'd with a pretence of Reformation In earnest is a man edifyed by the Lives of our Court-Bishops by their Luxury their Prodigality the Costliness of their Furniture of their Tables and Equipages by their irregular licentious Lives nay scandalous as to women Is not every Satyr fill'd with their Disorders and Debauches Shall they persuade us that the Court of Rome is reformed Those who are dayly Witnesses of what is done there do they not give such descriptions of it as are almost the same with those we read in old Writers I conclude therefore that in the History of the Manners of the Papacy we meet with an exact Accomplishment of what was foretold concerning the desperate Corruption of the Manners of Babylon This is the Fifth Character of Antichristianism we may proceed to the sixth CHAPTER X. The Sixth Character of Antichristianism which is found in the Papacy viz. Excessive Pride Texts that foretell the pride of Antichristianism PRide and Covetousness may be ranked among the branches of Corruption of Manners But these two Vices are so distinctly set down in Scripture that they must be the principal Characters of the Monarchy of Antichrist We ought not to put them into the croud we ought to handle them distinctly seeing the H. Spirit doth so We begin with Pride Of this S. Paul speaks in the second Ch. of the 2 Epistle to the Thessalonians where he describes that Man of Sin who was to be revealed V. 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is call'd God or worshipp'd so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God. I sit as a Queen and am no widdow Chap. 18.7 and shall see no Sorrow saith the Whore in the Revelation The Waters which thou sawest Chap. 17.15 where the whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues 'T is neither Right nor the Gift of God that raises her thus above the Nations 't is her Pride 'T is a Beast that claims worship And they worship'd the Dragon Chap. 13.4 which gave power to the Beast and they worship'd the Beast V. 5. And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and Blasphemies These are the arrogant Titles and proud Authority which he claims Lastly as Christianity is a Dispensation of Humility and self-abasement Antichristianism which is in all things contrary to it must be a Dispensation of Pride Let us see whether there was ever any pourtrait more drawn to the life and so exactly like the Original In the Papacy Pride is got to that height as was never seen any where else Pride of the Popish Divinity Such a Divinity hath all along been taught in the Papacy as inclines the Soul towards Pride It is Pelagian it makes Man Master and Disposer of his own Salvation it as good as abolisheth Grace to give all away to the power and will of Man. It cherisheth this proud conceit in men that they are saved by their own Merit that their Perseverance depends on themselves that they are able to do more good works than they are obliged to do that the overplus makes satisfaction for those who have not enough of their own A few disciples of S. Augustine the Jansenists who are hid in the crowd and at this day dare not show their heads are not considerable enough to make an exception from this general Rule The vast number of vain Services the mortifying of the Body the Ropes the Haircloaths of which the Papacy so much boasts of as Instances of Humility are really sources of Pride A man that hath been singular on earth for his observing these things believes that God doth owe him a good recompense in Heaven Our Angelical Archangelical Seraphical Fathers do revive the Proud Sect of the Pharisees 'T is the Papacy that hath afforded such proud Impostors as d' Aviano who go from one place to another to get the Hommages of all the Fools and that people may cry out as they go along The Holy Man the Holy Man. Pride of the Clergy in general If we consider the Clergy in general 't is a Company of the proudest Creatures that ever was in the world Without any compliment or blushing they stile themselves The Princes of the world if you will take their word V. Hallior de Hierarchia lib. 3. art 3. parag 1. The meanest Priest is a spiritual Emperor to compleat an
Emperor in his own Order that nothing is wanting to his Imperial dignity His anointing makes him a King of the Church and he acquires the whole perfection of the Quality of a Prince as soon as he gets subjects i. e. when a Priest gets a Cure and Parishioners They talk continually of the Clerical eminence and sublimity They tell us that the Clergy doth the neerest approach to and bears the most exact resemblance of God yea that those of the under-Clergy are Superiors to any of the Laity At this rate not long ago a Doctor of the Sorbon discourst in his Book against the Jesuit Cellot Is not this very like the description which our Lord Jesus Christ hath made of his Ministers The Kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them but ye shall not be so but whoever will be great among you let him be your Minister or servant Not lording it or affecting dominion over the Heritage A little ordinary Priest hath the greatest Monarchs lying at his feet and with a tone of Authority giveth 'em Absolution and remission of Sins They set up themselves as so many Judges between God and men and dispose of Heaven and Hell as if they were their own They take place and the upper-hand without any scruple of the greatest personages Of the three States which Commonwealths are divided into viz. the Nobility Clergy and Commons the Clergy which ought not to be reckon'd as the Tribe of Levi was not among the rest of the Tribes notwithstanding hath the precedence and consequently place themselves above Kings who are only the first or chief Nobles of their Kingdoms The Tribe of Levi had no inheritance in Canaan it was not reckon'd among the rest because it was the portion of God and he was their portion But the Clergy in the Papacy hath renounced their share of heaven and taken possession of the earth they make no account of God but take for their portion the chiefrank in the dignities of the world The Bishops will be styled My Lords and whenas Princes have only the title of Monsieur these monsters of Pride will be call'd by every body Monseigneur Read the Acts of their Assemblies T is pleasant to see how in every line they style themselves Monseigneur or My Lord. My Lord of Agen sayd thus My Lord of Tulle My Lord of Paris c. reported thus Their houses are stately their equipages are magnificent their tables sumtuous they live like Princes Is not this very sutable to the Ministers of Christ Nay is it not evident that these are the Officers of Antichrist The Clergy make themselves to be a Kingdom within a Kingdom Pride of the Bishops they exempt themselves from the Jurisdiction of their lawful Soveraigns By virtue of their Priviledges and immunities they must be free from all charges They have their own Courts their own Judges will have every body appear at their Tribunals but will themselves appear at none as if they were Soveraign Princes We read in History that these proud Prelates have resisted their Soveraigns have excommunicated and made them hold the stirrup for them to get a horseback In these later ages Kings have taken a little heart and refused such submissions But upon this the Clergy complains lamentably of oppression and violence offer'd to them Pride of the Coatâ— of Rome and the Cardicals If we would see the Pride of the Papacy in its height we must cast our eye on the source the Court of Rome the proudest that ever was in the world there we see some beggars whose first rise was to be scullions in a kitchin or valets de chambre and at the same time the Pathick to some Church man such fellows I say leap so high as to become Princes of the Church Pillars of the world Senators of the Universal Church these are the titles of Cardinals who pretend to be the superiors of Kings For on their grand solemnities the Seignior Cardinal Bishop Ceremon lib. 3. and lib. 2. sect 1. sits next after the Emperor above all the Kings of Christendom as is appointed by the Roman Ceremonial In all places they will go before Princes who are not Kings whatever Race and family they are of At Rome they dwell in stately Palaces have Bishops for their domesticks and often times there is not one of their servants who is not of a better family than they Pride of the Pope Lastly 't is in the Pope himself in whom we have an exact accomplishment of the Scripture predictions that paint forth the Seat of Antichrist as a Seat of Pride he will be styld Sanctissimus Dominus noster Our most holy Lord. A true name of blasphemy seeing that the true head of the Church J. Christ never would be styl'd other than Our Lord without addition But the Pope will on many occasions be call'd Our Lord God the Pope his divine Majesty The victorious God and man in his See of Rome Deus Optimus Maximus Soveraign Monarch and Vice-God named God by the pious Emperor Constantin and adored as God by that Emperor The lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world The most holy who carrieth the most holy i.e. the H. Sacrament which being in their opinion Jesus Christ himself behold the Pope in the same rank with Christ This is he who will have men to say of him that he is greater than all the saints in heaven yea greater than all the Angels greater than the whole Church That he cannot be judged by any that he cannot be censured or absolved that tho he should carry along vast multitudes to hell none may say to him what doest thou That he ought to be adored by all nations that he exactly resembles God that 't is written of him let all the Kings of the earth worship him that he hath power in heaven and in earth and ought to rule from sea to sea Behold what things he saith of himself and orders to be said in his Decretals in his Councils in his Bulls in Inscriptions Nothing in all this is aggravated 'T is transcribed word for word Exceptions 1. and 7. the citations are to be seen in our Leg. Exceptions Pride of the Popes pretentions T will be objected that Titles signify nothing but these Titles are so many real pretentions And these pretentions are prodigies of pride that were never heard of in any Throne nor in any person He pretends to have alone Right to make new Lawes to employ the forces of the Empire in his own service that Princes ought to kiss his feet that there is no other name in the world but that of the Pope that he may depose Emperors Kings and all Soveraigns that he can give away Crowns to whom he pleaseth that he can absolve subjects from all Oathes of Allegiance that he hath authority to dispense with Law against Right against the Gospel against the Apostles That God made two great Lights that the Pope
Father Crasset treats those who are incredulous as to these things As to other Miracles such as Curing diseases opening the Eyes of the Blind and the Ears of the Deaf restoring broken Limbs or paralitick wither'd Members or when half hath been lost c. These are little inconsiderable things which the Legend hardly thinks it worth while to take notice of I know not whether the Reader will not be weary of such stuff for my own part my patience is almost tired and I shall here conclude the Chapter of the Fables and Romances made in favor of the Invocation of Saints and pass to the Fabulous History of their Reliques CHAPTER XXI The fabulous History of Reliques of Images of the real Presence of the Adoration of the Host of the Sacrifice of the Mass of Purgatory of Founding the Orders of the Monks MOnks Adoration of Reliques and the Spirit of Lying came into the Church in the same Age. The Monks are those Cheats and Impostors who according to St. Paul's prediction were to set on foot the Worship and Doctrine of Demons or secondary Mediators And Reliques were the first step that led men to the diâ—iâ—al Superstitions which we have spoken of in the preceding Chapters If we should undertake to write the Annals of Reliques of their discovery of their Translations and Miracles down from the sourth Century they alone would make a vast Library but withal a very monstrous one for this is one of the most filthy and shameful Raggs which Popery hath sewed to Christianity Yea the very drawing up an Inventory of their Reliques would suffice to shew the filth of this piece of Popery One might sind at Rome an inexhaustible spring of Reliques and Cheats which is called the Catacombs These are Caves and Sepulchres Catacombs at Rome whence Reliques are now taken where the Romans of old buryed their Slaves and arterward all their dead When they gave over the Custom of Burning them which was after the time of the Antonins These Catacombs that were once the Sepulchres of Heathen Slaves are become the Quarries where the Gods of Christians are digg'd From thence some Bones are taken and baptiz'd with the name of some Saint who often never was in the world and are distributed into all Countreys Even those Papists who retain any Common Reason do abhor and deride them Marolles Abbot of Villeloin who dyed but a few years ago said That if a Church or a Community wanted Reliques they needed only to address to the Pope and most humbly desire his Holiness to give them some Who takes out of the Catacombs as many as he pleaseth and after an exact Tryal made he baptizeth them as they call it and giveth them their proper name whether by inspiration or because he hath a mind to do so is no matter Witness the chests fill'd with Reliques that were taken out of these Catacombs and which Pope Alexander VII and his Successor Clement the IX sent into France as a rich present Head of â—â—â—tunatus that was made of â—â—â—â—â—oard Among which was that miraculous Head of St. Fortunatus which the Physicians found to be made of Pastboard and the body of St. Ovidius which at this day worketh so many Miracles in the Convent of the Capuchius What a Pity it is that this Saint who was never known in the Martyrologies or History hath lost his time so sadly for twelve or fifteen Ages together what Miracles are lost which had been wrought if they had digg'd him up sooner Reliques of the Virgin. If we designed to make an Inventory of Reliques we ought to begin with those of the Virgin before we come to those of her Son. But since her Body as well as Soul is in Heaven these Gentlemen her Devoto's are deprived of the grand help to their Devotion because they can shew none of her Bones But to make amends for this they have made a curious Collection of her Linnens and little Cloaths They have her Girdles her Ropes her Sandals her Quoifs her Shifts her Wast-coats They have her Hair the Parings of her Nailes and her Milk in great quantity All this was never heard of till the sixth and seventh Centuries yea the most of these Reliques of the Virgin were not known a long time after But God who intended to honour these blessed Reliques with Altars and Adoration did carefully preserve them in little Corners that none knew of and after eight or ten Ages brought them to light to warm again the cold devotion of the Church They have good Warrant and Sureties for the truth of these Reliques for the Virgin hath taken care to assure some honest Monk or some boly Nunn by Dreams and Revelations If this will not serve they have a sure way to confirm their Faith as to these things viz. the Miracles that have been done by these Reliques And lastly If all fail they have Holy Tradition that cannot lye and this assureth us of the truth of these holy Reliques Reliques of J. Câ—rist His Foreskin Jesus Christ being also alive in Heaven with his Body we have not his Bones But this is no great loss for excepting these the Church hath almost every thing which she could desire She hath the glorious Foreskin of the Lord Jesus Christ The Physicians say that there can be no more than one but in favour of the Devout God hath made several Foreskins of Christ for there is one at Rome in the Lateran Church formerly there was one at Antwerp one in the Abby of Charrone another at Langres but as to this last the Abbot of Ville-loin dare not be very positive This multiplying of the Foreskin of Jesus Christ is not the thing that most troubleth the learn'd men of the Roman Church but 't is a question among them whether our Lord can have left his Foreskin on Earth for if he hath the Body of Jesus Christ in Heaven is not compleat and intire About this these Gentlemen have many pretty imaginations which may be seen in Suarez But the Devoto's who trouble not their heads with these deep and knotty questions do most piously adore all these Foreskins They mean well and this is enough They cannot want the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for he shed it on several occasions at his Circumcision as his bloody Sweat in the Garden of Gethsemene in Caiphas's Hall when he was Scourged on the way to Calvary at his crowning with Thorns and lastly on Mount Calvary where we must not doubt the Holy Women had brought Vessels on purpose to preserve his Blood. I say Holy Women for the Men have always been less devout Perhaps there did not run much Blood out of his Wounds for three or four nails which stop up the Wounds made by them do not leave much space for the Blood to run out which also presently congeles at the Orifices 'T was this which made the death of the Cross tedious and lingring For if the Blood had
us by the Titles of the Beast the City and the Empire by which 't is represented to us V. 5. And there was given to him a mouth Rev. 13. â— speaking great things and Blasphemies and power was given to him forty and two moneths i. e. twelve hundred and sixty years to reign and have Authority in V. 7. She hath glorifyed herself Chap. 18. and lived deliciously She saith in her heart I sit a Queen and shall see no sorrow The Church must be meaâ— and afflicted On the contrary every Body knoweth the Holy Scripture represents the true Church as a Society that must be persecuted afflicted under the Yoke and under oppression until the end of the sixth Period The faithful Witnesses must prophecy clothed in Sackcloth during the 1260 years of Antichrists Reign The Woman which had brought forth the Man-child must be hid in the Wilderness for the space of three Prophetick years and a half Let us now see to whom this Character of a long and constant prosperity belongs It doth not to the Christian Church of the three first Centuries for she was always in flames and blood It doth not belong to the Church of the fourth and fifth which kept as yet some purity for in those Ages the Church was cruelly persecuted by the Arrians and other Hereticks But as soon as the Church of Rome began to be corrupt and became Antichristian she began to have rest If she was opposed by some she did in conclusion rid herself of 'em she hath kill'd burn't and dispatch't those who had a mind to oppose her Doctrines and her Tyranny And she had the most desirable success until the last Age when the fatal ruin of the Papacy began Yea even after the Wound that she got a hundred and fifty years ago she is so recovered and hath got such strength that she was scarce ever more glorious She hath subdued new Kingdoms instead of those that were taken from her She hath persecuted at her old rate and always overcome she hath made others bear the Cross but hath boâ—n none herself Is this the Character of Christianity or of Antichristianism I ' le make the Bishop of Meaux Judge in the case Let us hear him speak The Bishop of Meaux confesseth that the Cross is inseparable from the Church The most peculiar Law of the Gospel saith he is the command of bearing the Cross The Cross is the true evidence of Faith the true foundation of Hope the perfect resining of Charity in one word the way to Heaven Jesus Christ dyed on the Cross he bore his Cross all his life On these terms he biddeth us follow him He makes this the price of Eternal Life The first to whom he particularly promised the Rest of the next World is a Companion of his Cross This day saith he to him thou shalt be with me in Paradise As soon as he was hung on the Cross the Vail that conceal'd the Sanctuary was rent in two from the top to the bottom and Heaven was opened to holy Souls 'T was presently after the enduring of the Cross that he appeared to his Apostles glorious and a Conqueror of Death to let 'em know that himself must enter into glory by the Cross and that he had told his Children of no other way thither Thus in the person of J. Christ was set before the world the Idea of acomplete Virtue that hath nothing and expects nothing upon earth which men require only with continual persecutions which â—easâ—th not to do 'em good and draweth on itself the last and worst punishments by its own benefits Jesus Christ dyeth not finding gratitude in these whom he had obliged nor fidelity in his Friends nor equity in his Judges His innocence tho it was confessed did not save him yea his Father in whom alone he had put all his trust withdraweth all the tokens of his Protection The just one is given up to his enemies and dyeth forsaken of God and men c. The wisest of the Philosophers searching after the Idea of Virtue concluded that of all wicked men he is the worst who can so conceal his wickedness as to pass for an honest man and by this means enjoys all the credit that virtue can bestow And on the other hand he is without doubt the most vertuous whose virtue by its perfection draweth on him the jealousy of all men so that he hath none to befriend him besides his own Conscience and seeth himself exposed to all sorts of injuries and even to the death of the Cross whilest his virtue cannot do him the small kindness of exemting him from such a punishment Is it not probable that God inspired the mind of this Philosopher with this marvellous Idea of Virtue intending to give an instance of it in the person of his Son and to let us know that the Righteous man hath another Glory another Rest and another Happiness than that which can be had on earth Behold how his heart speaks when he is not on his guard against the Calvinists when he frameth his Idea's from Reason Gospel and Experience It must be granted that these Reflexions would a little better fit the mouth of a persecuted Protestant than that of a person who liveth at the greatest ease in a persecuting Court. However I stand to the Decision of the Bishop of Meaux That the most peculiar Law of the Gospel is that of bearing the Cross But let 'em shew me what Cross the Church of Rome hath born from the time that she hath made material Crosses of Wood Stone and Metal the objects of Worship Where are her Martyrs where are her Persecutions Is it not a prodigy that for these seven or eight hundred years past she lives at the greatest ease always victorious Or if she hath endured any shakings her own restlesness Ambition Covetousness and Cruelty have caused ' em If she will have the honour of bearing the Cross and of reckoning the Persecutions that she hath suffer'd she must bring into her account the troubles she hath endured from the Emperors of Germany the oppositions they have made to her grandeur the bounds they endeavour'd to set to her pride the Arms they were forced to take up for repressing her insolencies I know of no other sufferings that the Papacy hath endured Indeed you shall hear Cardinal Baronius and his fellows tell us very seriously that the Emperors the Henries the Fredericks the Lewis's of Bavaria were cruel Persecutors of the Church and that under them the Church was miserably afflicted because sometimes they undertook to chastise the Ambition of the Popes 'T is true if they make Martyrs of all those who dyed in the Wars against those Emperors and of all the Guelfes who were slain by the faction of the Gibellines they will not want Confessors and Confession But I doubt whether they of Monfr de Meaux's principles do like these Martyrs and believe that the destiny of the Church