it seems for he doubted of hell of the resurrection and of God surely Gregory the IX was none he called Christ an Imposter Yet the Pope pretends Christ's name titles himself by him will be Christ's Vicar beare Christ's name above all men affect Christs titles above all men his attribute of Holinesse Men on earth Saints in Heaven are but called holy Peter is no more his Predecessor sanctus Petrus Christ's Mother is no more sancta Maria holy Peter holy Mary God's selfe rests in it too every person holy Father sayes Christ John 17. The sonne sanctus Dei God's holy one Mark 1. the Spirit the holy Ghost The Pope likes not this positive degree he will be stiled Sanctissimus the most holy 't is not likely that iniquity is in this man this most holy man Lutherans and Calvinists charge him with much both his person and his doctrine but they are lyars hereticks all Sacriledge and Symony Incest and Adultery setting of Subjects against Soveraignes King against King Murther and Massacre infinite iniquities sic that holy Father Pope should doe such things they are not Calvin's calumnies nor Luther's lyes but confest by their owne Writers nor doe Popes thus in person onely that craves some pardon But 't is their Doctrine too their Churches Doctrine That a Priest of Jesuit may forsweare deny his parents defraud his friend betray his country kill his King fie that holy Mother Church should teach such things This theame some may say sits not this place neither the Pope is not here c. In his Sermon upon Quadragessima page 122. line 10. page 124. line 37. the Licenser hath quite expunged these following lines How then is the Popedome in the Devils gift if Kingdomes be not Satan gives it and it is a kind of Kingdome Regnum sacerdotale a priestly Kingdome The Pope a Melchesedeck King and Priest wears a Crowne beares a sword both Regallities three Crownes multa diademata Christ does Revel 19. and he is his Vicar two swords Ecce duo gladij hic Popes are Kings betters Cardinals Kings Peers is the Pope the Devils creature and not Kings But the Popedome is not Satans gift neither Aeneas Sylvius himselfe sometimes a Pope writes that one got the Popedome fraude diabolica we beleeve it moe then one Silvester the Nccromancer Boniface 7. Gregory 7. all fraude diabolica by devillish machinations that does not prove the Devill made them or construe it if you will by the Devils meanes it will not serve so neither so Kings come often to their Crownes by devillish meanes and yet God gives them God may be the author of an act whereof Satan may be in the meanes God gave his Sonne to death for us yet the Devill had his hand in it John sayes the Devill put in Iudas heart to betray Christ God destroyes Ahaz but the Devill was his meanes a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets God would afflict Iob the Devill was his instrument 't is plaine in the story For the poynt as I would not belye so I would not rob the Devill of his right the Popedome is of God but the Papacy is of Satan To be a Prince and Bishop yea I will yeeld him highest Bishop too God gives him that but his universall Prelacy and presumption over Princes the Devill gives him that his power is from God but his pride is from the Devill Satan is yet more frank The Pope Patrissall playes satan some here craves not prostraction onely least happily you say that 's but civill reverence and yet saving his reverence 't is more then the greatest Monarch craves in all our Westerne Kingdome I say he craves not prostraction onely but adoration too Worship divine worship what else meant the cry of the Cicilian Ambassadours prostrate before him Tu tollis peccati mundi misereri nostri O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy upon us c. Ibid. page 172. line 4. this is deleted by the Licenser Was not Iudas an Apostle Origen sayes he was the Gospell sayes he was among the twelve Apostles not Disciples onely but Apostles Saint Matthew reckons him here is then a place put for the Papists which they never yet observed for their Apostolicall Traditions here is Traditio Apostolica indeed Here I observe it not what doe they else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trechery their occupation Treason the Pope's trade best they leave it 't is Iudas act and brings a sort of them to Iudas end it will strangle the Papacy it selfe at length In his second Sermon upon severall occasions page 293. l. 10. the Licenser deletes And there 's a man in Rome the Pope will be as God the Sonne for he is his Vicar Ibid. page 495. l. 22. Gods Peere that 's little will be his superior will be worshipt Paul sayes above all that is called God Who is that even the Pope c. This Monster c. Let every soule be subject to the higher Powers Paul bids be the Clergy exempt they are not bound to the Lay barre Thou shalt not make an Image nor bow downe to it thou shalt doe both Gods lawes are strait the Pope will dispence with them break thy Oath marry thy wives sister thine owne sister thine Aunt keep a Concubine be a Catamite or Sodomite kill a King though a catholike the Pope will absolve thee Hold we the Pope arrogant in the title of Christs Vicar he is more his power it seems is above Christs Page 296. bids God a Bishop be the husband unius of one Wife the Popes bids nullius marry not at all forbids the Cup at the Communion of the Lord though Christ have ordained it Scripture Gods Word sayes Sylu Perer hath none authority but from the Pope I must end the Pope is Omnipotent Gods Attribute yet one cals this Pope so He can doe all things yea he is all things Gods peculiar too so he is Gods Peere behold the man is become like one of us Idem page 301. There 's a people in Affricke curse the Sunne because it fireth them there 's a Pope to curse the Starres Mars Venus Iupiter and Mercury because he lost at dice gamesters here curse Cards and Dice bite them teare them that 's all at most banne one another tame Protestants and base spirited learne of holy Father Pope to curse the Heavens and God why wrong I our brave spirits as hereticall as the Pope was not Christ God his passions wounds nayles blood and death yea heart and soule black mouthed blasphemy what dares it not doe against Heaven in execrable Oathes The Law c. page 338. The Popes Mint can coyne words too to his Forge nothing comes amisse in its Scriptures Fathers Counsels yea if it needs be hee in a word writes too In spite of all Gramarians if the Pope say but. Fiatur page 344. Balaak of Spaine heires Balaam of Rome to curse Israel his brothers
and most Honourable my singular good Lord the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane Chancelour of Oxford and one of the Lords of his Mijesties most honourable Privy Counsell present these And after the receit thereof thus indorsed with the Arch-bishops owne hand Rec. Jan. 22. 1639. L. B. Exon. concerning some amendments in his book for Episcopacy In this Letter of the Arch-bishops and the answer to it besides the grand designe of asserting Episcopacy of divine Right and Institution we may observe these considerable particulars First that he blames Bishop Hall for being a little too favourable to the forraigne Protestant Churches and their authors Secondly for passing by the Sabatarians or strict observers of the Lords day without any touch at all which he desires him to rectifie and help by some touches of shapnesse against them this is his charity to the Protestants and Sabatarians or Puritans of you please they were too candidly handled and therefore must be more harshly dealt withall but now on the other hand mark his extraordinary affection to and care of the Popes honour and reputation He doth in the third place tax the Bishop for bestowing the title of ANTICHRIST on him three or four times in his Book positively determinately This was such a transcendent crime that he must needs acquaint the King himselfe with it of his owne native disposition without any other Monitor and procures a speciall royall command to him from his Majesty to expunge those scandalous and dishonourable clauses against his Holinesse out of his Treatise Fourthly in the reason which he renders for acquainting his Majesty herewith and desiring him to make this change there are these considerable things to be taken notice of First that King James himselfe did in his printed Works at large prove and declare the Pope to be Antichrist by very strong proofes Secondly that when the Spanish match was in agitation and the Popes Dispensation required for the facilitating of it being one of the first Articles in the Marriage Treaty he was challenged by the Pope and his agents for it but not before Thirdly that King James hereupon to satisfie the Pope and gaine his favour was put to a hard shift and enforced to coyne a new distinction which he never thought of till then to excuse the matter That he writ thou not concludingly but by way of Argument onely c. Fourthly that he made this answer and distinction when King Charles went into Spaine and acquainted him with it by word of mouth that he thereby might satisfie the Pope and his party Fifthly that this whole passage was knowne to him and he privy to this secret not knowne formerly to others therefore he was certainly one of the Cabinet-counsell who was privy to the Kings going into Spaine and to the private instructions given him by King James before his departure hence yea very likely one who suggested this distinction to King James to please the Pope and promote the Match and therefore HE COULD NOT BUT SPEAKE WITH THE KING ABOUT IT who hereupon commanded this Bishop to qualifie his expressions in these particulars and so not differ from the knowne judgement of his pious and learned Father from whose orthodox judgement notwithstanding the Arminians might freely dissent both with his Majesties and this Arch-prelats approbation Whereupon we find that these passages were qualified according to his desire although Bishop Andrewes positive opinon in sundry passages was that the Pope was Antichrist All which considered we may infallibly conclude from his owne pen that all the forementioned purgations of passages against the Papacy Pope and his being Antichrist were made by this Arch-bishops owne speciall direction without any other suggestion but his owne Romish Genius and good affection to the Pope to induce a more easie reconciliation with him and this in direct opposition First to the severall Statutes of 16 R. 2. c. 5. 25 H. 8. c. 19. 20. 21. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 37 H. 8. c. 17. which tacitely define the Pope to be the Antichrist who did obfuscate and wrest Gods word Testament a long season from the spirituall and true meaning thereof to his worldly and carnall affections as pompe glory avarice ambition and tyranny covering and shadowing the same with his humane and politick devices traditions and inventions set forth to promote and stablish his onely dominion both upon the soules and also the bodies and goods of all Christian people excluding Christ out of his Kingdome and rule of mans soule as much as he may and all other temporall Kings and Princes out of their Dominions which they ought to have by Gods law upon the bodies and goods of their subjects whereby he did not onely rob the Kings Majesty being onely the supreame head of this his Realme of England immediately under God of his honour right and pre-eminence due unto him by the law of God but spoyled this his Realme yeerly of innumerable treasure and with the losse of the same deeemed the Kings loving and obedient Subjects perswading to them by his lawes buls and other his deceivable meanes such dreames vanities and fantisies as by the same many of them were seduced and conveyed unto superstitious and erronious openions Secondly to the book of Homilies in the second part of the Sermon for Whit-Sunday page 316. and the 6. Sermon against wilfull Rebellion page 316. which determines the Pope to be Antichrist in these tearmes Wheresoever you find the spirit of envy hatred contention robbery murther extortion witchcraft neeromancy c. assure your selves that there is the spirit of the devil and not of God albeit they pretend outwardly to the world never so much holinesse c. such were all the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appeare by the story of their lives and therefore they are worthily accounted among the number of the false Prophets and false Christs which deluded the world a long while The Lord of heaven and earch defend us from their tyranny and pride that they never enter into his Vine-yard againe c. and he of his great mercy so work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the holy Ghost that the comfortable Gospel of his Sonne Christ may be truly preached truly received and truly followed in all places to the beating downe of sinne death the Pope the devil and ALL THE KINGDOME OF ANTICHRIST c. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindnesse ignorance of Gods Word and superstition of English men ond how much they were inclined to worship the BABYLONISH BEAST OF ROME Thirdly to the 80. Article of the Church of Ireland defining the Bishop of Rome to be THE MAN OF SINNE foretold in the holy Scripture Fourthly to the Book of Common-prayer appointed for the fifth of Novemb. stiling the Pope Papists and Jesuits A Babylonish and Antichristian sect and to the Kings Letters Patents forementioned defining
endeavours to subvert the rights of Parliament and auncient Course of Parliamentary proceedings and by false and malicious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments contained in the 14. Originall and 1. 9. 10. Additionall Articles The first Specificall branch of the Charge against the Archbishop touching his Trayterous endeavours to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established among us to introduce Popish Superstition and Idolatry in liew thereof and to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome by severall stepps and practises with the copious evidences produced to manifest the same at his Tryall THE true Religion by Law established being that which is most pretious claiming proceedency of all other sublunary things in respect of its owne intrinsicall Excellency that which is nearest and dearest to every conscientious Christian the undermining and alterations where of doth most concern and reflect upon the Archbishop in respect of his calling as a Minister of his Ecclesiasticall dignity as an Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and of the speciall trust reposed in him by his Majesty who wholly committed the care of Religion of all Church affaires within his Dominions to this Arch-Prelates Care mannaging and his Charge concerning the Alteration and subversion of it being that which he most of all openly protested against both in the beginning proceeding conclusion of his long Tryall and on the very Scaffold at his death we shall begin with the Commons evidence given in against him concerning his endeavours practises to alter and subvert the same and introduce Popish superstition and Idolatry into our Church Wherein notwithstanding all his specious pretences confident Protestations reiterated deep Asseverations of his Innocency of his cordiall syncerity to the true Protstant Religion wherewith he hath deceived many over-credulous people we doubt not but upon the perusall of the various evidences against him in this particular he will appeare the most desperat cunning violent palpable underminer corrupter alterer subverter of the true reformed Religion by Law established in our Churches of one who professed himselfe a reall Protestant and zealous maintainer of the same that ever was yet heard of in the Christian world Prisca parem nescit aequalem poster a nullum Exhibitura dies He alone by his policies and power corrupting undermining our Religion advancing Popery more in the few yeares of his Predominency then the Pope with all his Consederates both at home and abroad could doe in almost fourescore yeares before by all their Plots and Potency as shall be irrefragaly demonstrated by his Actions which cry louder and give in stronger evidence against him then all his fraudulent verball protestations or printed funerall Orations can doe for him His Charge concerning the Alteration and subvertion of Religion laid downe in the Articles consists of these two generall Members First That he hath Trayterously endeavoured to subvert Gods true Religion by Law Established in this Realme and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Jdolatry Secondly That he hath Trayterously and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome The latter of these is but the issue of the former the first in projection but the last in execution and the proofe of the one an indubitable evidence of the other which shall be prosecuted in their Order The evidence to prove the first generall branch of his Charge concerning the alteration ub version of Religion THe Archbishop in his Speech in Justification of his Innocency and sincerity in matters of Religion made at the Lords Barre at the entrance of his Tryall most peremptorily challenged all that was betweene Heaven and Hell justly to tax him in any one particular savoring either of Popish superstition or Idolatry But on the contrary the Committee of the House of Commons might more justly have challenged him in their entring upon his Charge to nominate any person whether Prelate Minister or Laick in any age professing himselfe a Protestant who during his aboad on earth twixt Heaven and Hell was so guilty so peccant in this nature as they shold undeniably manifest him to be wherefore if they allotted him any place at or after his death but Hell it selfe it must be either a Popish Purgatory or such a middle place as some Papists assigne to that Newter Erasmus betwixt Heaven and Hell perchance some losty Gibbet or Pinacle in the Ayre whereon his Head and Quarters might be hanged up for a lasting Monument of his Treason in this kind which they manifested him to be guilty of by these ensuing particular evidences First by his endeavours to set up and introduce all kind of Popish superstitious Idolatrous ornaments furniture ceremonies in our church formerly cast out of it upon the reformation In pursuit whereof they first trailed this Romish Fox to his own Kennel at Lambeth where having unkenneled they chased him from thence by his hot Popish sent to the Kings own royall Chapel at Whitehal Westminster Abby from thence to the Vniversities of Oxford and Cambridge from thence to Canterbury Winchester and most other Cathedralls in England and from them to our Parish Churches and Chapels all which he miserably defiled corrupted with Popish superstitious Crucifixes Altars Bowings Ceremonies Tapers Copes and other Innovations To begin with his owne Kennel at Lambeth We shall first lead you by the hand into his publike Chapell there a place devoted to Gods worship and evidence what Popish Superstitious Pictures Vtensils Vestments Ceremonies Innovations he there introduced and constantly practised since his instalment in the Archbishopricke of Canterburie never heard off in any his Predecessors dayes since the beginning of reformation in King Edward the 6th and Queene Elizabeths reignes First we shall manifest what Idolatrous superstitious Popish Pictures were there newly repaired furbished erected by him in this Chappell to the great scandall of our Religion and encouragement of Papists in their Idolatry contrary to our Statutes Articles of Religion Homilies Jnjunctions Writerâ— the established Doctrine of our Church wherein the matter of fact stands thus In the beginning of Reformation by vertue of the Statute of 3. and 4. Ed. 6. c. 10. for the abolishing defacing and putting away of divers Bookes and Jmages then standing in any Church or Chapell of the severall Homilies against the Perill of Jdolatry then published by Authority of Queen Elizabeths subsequent Jnjunctions given by her as well to the Clergy as Laity of this Realme by the advise of her most honourable Councell in the first yeare of her Raigne for the advancement of the honour of Almighty God and suppression of superstition throughout her Realmes Injunction 2. 3. 23. 25. and Articles of inquiry thereon Artic. 2. 45. which enjoyned All Pictures Paintings Images and other monuments of Idolatry and superstition to be utterly extinct removed abolished and distroyed so that there remaine no memory of the same in
God of Glory hath invested mortall men withall in which respect it hath been said and not otherwise the head of the Emperor hath beene subjected to the Priests hands Priests onely have this Commission from Christ unto whom he said As my father sent me so send I you and receive you the Holy-Ghost whose sinnes you remit they are remitted And in his Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi prioris Pars posterior p. 464. to 470. Printed at London 640. he largely asserts Sacerdotes remittunt peccata quomodo Non annunciative tantum aut optativè SED AVTHORITATIVE as he briefly expresseth himselfe in his Index thereunto This Popish Doctrin of his with some additions touching confession of sins to Priests their power to remit them was publikly justified by M. Sparow in a Sermon preached by him in St. Maries church in Cambridg for which he being questioned by the Vice-Chanceller Posted up to London to the Archbishop his Chaplaines for sanctuary and procuring his Sermon to be there forthwith Licensed and printed he hereupon turned in triumph to Cambridge to the great griefe and discouragement of the Protestant but extraordinary encouragement of the Popish party there In which Sermon of his touching Confession we find these Popish passages Page 10. Our Confession must be integra perfecta not by halfe All our sins must be confessed omnia venialia omnia mortalia pag. 14. 15. Thus have we seene the nature of Confession and by that learn how to confesse sed ubi Confessarius where is a Confessor all this while where is any to take our Confessions here is none in the Text to confesse to if we had a mind to it None indeed expressely named but here is one plainely enough described here is one that can pardon our sinnes would you know who this he is I even I saith God am he who blotteth out all your iniquities to him even to him let us confesse be sure this is necessary and no pardon to be hoped for unles we confesse to him at least But there is another Confessor that would not be neglected Qui confiteri vult ut inveniat gratiam quaerat Sacerdotem saith St. Augustine He that would be sure of pardon let him seeke out a Priest and make his humble confession to him for God who alone hath the prime and originall right of forgiving sinnes hath delegated the Priests his Judges here on earth and given them the power of absolution so that they can in his name forgive the Sinnes of those that humbly confes unto them but is not this blaspemy said the Scribes once is it not Popery say some with us now Take the Councell that is given in Iob cap. 8. v. 8. enquier of the former Generations aske the Fathers and they shall tell thee Heaven waites and expects the Priests sentence here on earth for the Priest sits Judge on earth the Lord followes the servant and what the servant bindes or looseth here on earth clave non errante that the Lord confirmes in Heaven Words so cleare for the Juditiary formall absolution of the Priest as nothing can be said more plaine Please you next to enquire of Saint Ierome who is said to be the Patron of that opinion that holds the Priests power barely declarative and so indeed none at all yet he speakes home in his Epistle ad Heliodorum c. pag. 16. Heare what St. Gregory the great saith The Apostles and in them all Priests were made Gods vicegerents on earth in his name to retaine and forgive sinns not declaratively only but juditially Animarum Iudices fiunt as he goes on they are made the judges of the Soules of men casting the obstinate down to the gates of Hell by the feareful power of Excommunication and lifting the penitent into Heaven by the blessed power of absolution whatsoever sins ye remit c. here is plainly a power of remitting sins not by preaching as some expound it nor by Baptizing as others guesse c. pag. 18. Confesse also to the Priest if not in private in the eatę since that is out of use male aboletur saith a devout Bishop 't is almost quite lost the more the pitty yet however confesse as the Church appointed publikely c. Doctor Pocklington who among other Popish Errors which he maintained long since in Cambridge justified Auricular Confession to Priests hath divers short passages tending to the same effect in his late published Popish scandalous book intituled Altare Christianum set forth by the Archbishops Command and licenced by Dr. Bray his househould Chaplaine pag. 24. To the Chancell belonged the Vestry Lavatory Repository and Relcinatories for hearing of Confessions How prone those who confessed their sinnes to Priests were to receive absolution from them hee thus expresseth in the same Booke pag. 143. Their Penitents used adgeniculari to fall downe upon their knees taking absolution before the Altars Old doting Shelford who in the Title of his Treatises which he presented to the Archbishop stiles himselfe a Priest to make himselfe more fit to say Masse and heare Confession vvrites thus pag. 71. 119. Then they confessed their sins to God and their Minister for spirituall comfort and Councell c. Confession and absolution is flat Popery with such and all is superstition save a Sermon from the spirit c. Christopher Dow a great favorite of the Archbishops in his late Authorized book against Mr. Burton intituled Innovations unjustly charged determines thus Page 55. To advise and urge the use and profit of private Confession to the Priest is no Popish Innovation but agreeable to the Constant and resolved Doctrine of this Church And if any shall call it Auricular because it is done in private and in the eare of the Priest I know not why he should therefore be condemned of Popery But this Doctrinall Popery is more clearely and fully expressed in a Booke written in Latine by John Lanspergius a Carthusian Fryar translated into English Licensed for the Presse by Dr. Baker and printed at London for Will. Brooks 1637. intituled Christs Epistle to a Devoute soule p. 237. Thou shalt do well every month once at least to confesse thy sins Sacramentally to receive the Sacrament of my blessed body and this thou mayest do also upon speciall festivall dayes as upon the feast of my Resurrection at Penticost also and at the Assumption of my blessed Mother and at the joyfull Feast of all my Saints c. P. 246. Promise thy Obedience herein to thy Confessor or to some other man that feareth me c. Pag. 251. Thou must confesse thy sinnes often to an approved Confessor Pag. 252. Say some devoute prayer or doe some greater pennance as thou and thy spirituall Director shall thinke fit c. This was seconded by another Booke licensed by Doctor Haywood the Archbishops Popish Chaplaine the selfe same day that Christs Epistle was by Doctor Baker and for the same party Books compiled by a Popish Bishop of
the lower world The alone faire the alone lovely P. 32. Glorious Empresse Pag. 21. White spotlesse Soule illuminated with Revelations by the divine Object of her chast vowes Pag. 150. Womans dearest Mistresse Pag. 197. Our sweetest Lady P. 158. In all things the very figure and resemblance of Sanctity it selfe P. 148. 149. he thus approves of Nunneries and prayers on Beads to the Virgin before her Image with Christ in her Armes You who have lived spirituall Amourists whose spirits have triumphed over the flesh on whose cheekes solitude prayers fasts and austerity have left an amiable pale you who ply your sacred Arithmeticke and have thoughts cold and cleare as the Christall Beads you pray by you who have voud Virginitie mentall and corporall you shall not only have ingresse here but welcome Approach with comfort and kneele downe before the Grand Immaculate Abbesse of your Snowy Nunneries and present the all-saving Babe in her Armes with due veneration Never thinke more of the Faecunditie of Wedlocke since you see here that God himselfe is the fruit of Virginity P. 153 154. He thus commends the burning of Tapers and saying Masses on Candlemasse day in honour of the Virgin Mary This day is called Candlemasse as much to say the day of lights on which while Masse was singing very many Tapers were burning in the Church Innocentius thus propounds and solves the Question What is the reason that on this day we use so many lights in the Church The cause of this institution is twofold The first is that a heathenish custom may bee converted into a Christian Right or Ordinance and that which was performed by superstitious Idolaters in honour of Ceres and Proserpina may be turned into the praise and glory of the Virgin Mary The second is that they who by Grace are purified by this Ceremony may be admonished to imitate those prudent Virgins who as the Evangelicall parable testifieth came not without their Tapers lighted to the Nuptialls of Christ their Spouse Pag. 209. There is the Picture of her fabulous assumption into heaven cut in Brasse after the popish forme with men and women devoutly kneeling and praying to her and these verses written under the same What Honour could to this GREAT QVEENE be done More then be taken up to Heaven high And there have God for Father Spouse and Sonne The Angels wayte the world stand wondring by After which hee spends many pages to prove the Verity or probability at least of her Assumption into Heaven Soule and Body which saith he by many of the Fathers all of the Romish Church and some of the Reformd is held for an undoubted truth when as indeed it is a meere Popish ridiculous false Legend And to prove this hee makes her to be borne without sinne Pag. 212. Dammianus argues That as conceiving without sinne shee brought forth her sonne without paine a curse laid on all other women so might it well be that she who was without sin might overcome death the reward of it P. 119. 120. hee writes That the Virgin is not to bee considered as a meere Woman but as a Type or Idaea of an accomplisht piety Adding They erre not so much in my judgment in the adoring extreame as some too severe maintaines of the former doe in the neglecting They are so farre from praising her themselves that they most unjustly deprive her of the praise given her by others They reject all testimonies of her worth as Haile Mary full of Grace c. They abhor to heare her called Domina c. Concluding this point in these termes pag. 223. Of one thing I will assure them till they are GOOD MARIANS they shall never be good Christians while they derogate from the dignity of the Mother they cannot truely honour the Son pag. 228. 229. Erasmus stiles her His SAVIORESSE which he cites with approbation p. 230. to 237. He proceeds thus in her prayses All parts of the world have produced admirers of her worth Syria hath brought forth Ephâ—aim Antiochia Saint Chrysostome Capadocia Saint Basill and Saint Nazianzen Constantinople Germanus and Proclus Dalmatia Saint Hierome Germany Rupertus Albertus and Agrippa England Beda France Bernard Spaine Alphonsus Italy Aquinas and Bonaventure Africke Saint Cyprian and Saint Austine Greece Dionisius Areopagita c. To these succeede famous Christian Poets ancient and moderne who have written Pannegrricks upon her as Beda Gregorius Nazianzenus Innocentius Pontifex Actius Sanazarius Adam de Sancto Victore Alcimus Aâ—tus Antonius Muretus Aurelius Prudentius Baptista Mantuanus Clandiarus Franciscus Petrarcha Godfridus Viterbiensis Hieronymus Vide Paulinus D. Philippus Menzelins Rudolphus Agricola Sedulius Venantius Fortunatus To these I add many Emperours Princes and Princesses and a world of devoute great ones who have beene her prosessed admirers as Constantine the Great Charles the Great Pulcheria Augusta Henry the second Emperor Alphonsus the Chast in SPAINE Edwardus in Hungaria Bolislaus in Polonia Venceslaus in Bohemia All which are Canonized for Saints and have erected and dedicated Temples to her memory Neither have the Princes of this our Ile bin defective in doing her all possible honour and in consecrating Chappell 's and Tempells to her memorie Fredericke the third Emperour made the contemplation of her almost his onely foode Stephanus King of Hungarie called his Kingdome the Marian Family In this glorious Family whole Kingdoms and Common-Wealths have enrolled themselves My Arithmeticke wil not serve me to number all those who have registred their names in the Sodalitie of the Rosary of this our Blessed Lady the Originall of which is derived from the battaile of Naupactun gained by Iohn of Austria and the Christians which Victory was attributed to her intercession with her sonne The Colonian Sodallity first Instituted had out of Lovaine 4000. of Brabant 30000. out of Gueldria 4000. out of Holland and Zeland 7000. c. Many holy Orders also are of this Sodallity as the Benedictines the Franciscans and Carthusians and many others If all these Testimonies and examples of great worthy people will not move us to honour her we shal be judged both unworthy of this life and ignorant of that better to come For shame let not us alone deny her that honour and praise with all the world allowes her Pag. 247. Hee Invocates her saying O pardon Gracious Princesse my weake indeavours to sum up thy value c. And Pag. 248. Thou deservest a quire of Queenes here and another of Angells in Heaven to sing thy praise c. And I confesse my sweetest Lady Page 249. To give thee an estimation answerable to thy merit is a thing impossible I must therfore be content to do by thee as the Ancient Heathen did by the Images of the gods when by reason of their height they could not place the Crowns on their heads they humbly laid them at their feet In his Epistle to his Feminine Reader speaking of the Virgin Mary This is she who was on earth a
The Woman is discribed c. All Princes have become his Vassals and I think he tyed them to pay tribute and blood so pleasing to the Pope's pallate that howsoever they have differed in their lusts to meats some to Peacock and some to Porke all of them have liked one kind of drink and that is blood Let no man wrangle c. What doth the Pope pop us in the mouth with Emperours Julian the most malicious of them all vexed the Christians but would shed no blood but the Pope is all for blood his Buls and Briefes like Dracoes lawes writen not with Inke but blood I plead not for the Hereticke as if I held he might not suffer death such may be the Heresie but the Pope maintaines distinction between mortall sinne and veniall holds it towards God and failes it to the Pope are some veniall to Gods selfe and all mortall to God's Vicar pardons may be purchast for offenders against God but he must dye the death that trespasseth the Pope The least ill word Pope Alexander punished with death their owne liege people write it Onuphrius c. Bona verba quaeso it is the Pope the shamefuller his sinne the holy Father to spill holy blood belike as Parsons said he had a holy Italy so the Pope happily hath a holy thirst for why not why not sacra sitis as well as sacra fames or doth his Holinesse mistake the blood he might if Popes could erre but they cannot and he doth not but wittingly and willingly he sheds the blood of Saints Faine would he cover this impious blood thirstinesse by calling them Hugonists Lollards and Heretiques For the two first of them I know no harme in them and for the third what Harlot will not call an honest woman whore The faith which they have suffered for and their holinesse have Sainted them without the Popes canonization They may be Saints though not of his making and of a better order then the Popes to wit of the holy Ghosts he is the right Saint maker c. So sweet is blood to the throat that he sheds it where he finds it be it of what rank what sex what age soever etiam in infantem saith Tertullian nullius hostem nullius reum c. the harmlesse Infant that hath done no hurt that doth think no hurt even his blood will this Herod have what doe I call him Herod a more inhumane blood-sucker then ever Herod was then ever Pharaoh was both of them shed the blood of babes new borne this monster spils the blood of babes unborne a Kid night not be sod in the mothers milke this beast spares not the babe in the mothers wombe c. A woman that affects the title of Holinesse her head the Popes holinesse her selfe holy Mother-church can this holy woman murther holy men shee that canonizeth Saints the founder of their feasts the builder of their Temples the adorner the admirer the adorer of Saints can shee shed the blood of Saints shee can shee does and that in such abundance Drunkennesse beseems any ill a Bishop worst of all men Church-men should be sober what a sight is this John sees here a Bishop drunken the Universall Bishop the Prince Patriarch the Pope drunken for we are bold under his benedicite to make that man this woman not wine-drunke though by their leave some of these are noted for that too as Leo 10 and Nicholas 5. but blood-drunken c. Wherefore are the Jesuits in France and here and every where but to be his slaughtermen to shed Kings blood their feet swift to spill it because his throat lusts to swallow it be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be learned by France O ye Princes of the earth at least let the Lyon learne by the Flower de luce to watch not the Jesuit onely whose fingers itch to spill his blood but the Recusant also as very a Traitor in his heart as he the Lord convert their persons and confound their plots as many as look at Jacob with an Esan-eye c. The woman that rid on a beast of hell hammers her bloody plots from the forge of hell the Pope c. The wicked Antichrist would purchase heaven by sending us to hell had the Romish Canibols thirsted for our blood yet charity would they should have wished well to our soules but the Pope like Satan the sonne like to the sire malices even our soules he would have sacrificed our blood and our soules should have ascended into the flames of the Altar not like Manoahs-Angel into heaven but our soules and bodies too into that part of the Ayre where the prince of the Ayre and his angels have their residence that is in votis the Pope wished it so I will not say c. Their Jupiter Latialis their Lord God the Popel or their Jupiter Infernalis their Lord God the Devil should have many Hecatombees c. The Vicar of Christ a sticker of Christians the successor of Saint Peter a worker with salt-peter he that makes God's blood of Wine to drinke mans blood as Wine In Doctor Clarkes second Sermon on the fifth of November page 237. the Licenser hath obliterated three whole leaves together against the tyranny bloodinesse and viciousnesse of Popes and their Instruments so as they cannot be read and in the same Sermon page 234. 235. 237. he hath deleated these clauses and phrases The spawne of Antichrist Romes Martyrs and canonized Saints I hold them neither All Martyrs are Christs Martyrs of Jesus A discription of Antichrist the Romish Antichrist There are two Antichrists Gog in the west and Magog in the east Nay beside Magog the Turke Rome hath two at times First the Empire then the Papacy this woman in the latter described here Aristotle makes mention of one so inhumane that shee would rip up womens wombs to eat the infants Saint John's woman here hath been as savage hath not spar'd a babe springing out of the wombe of the mother at the stake Into the fire with it 't is a young Heretick In his 23. Sermon page 463. this passage is deleated Popes are free peradventure nay it is past peradventure my Text sayes every man one Pope was free he was a woman nay all are free for Popes are Gods 't is their own phrase Our Lord God the Pope or if not God yet not meere man something between both their saying too but by good chance 't is not here every man but every one who will scare that yet as the Devil would not be belyed so neither would the Pope be wrongd Preaching against iniquity let me doe none 'T is every one that cals on Christ's name some Popes doe not Julius the second called on the Devils name In nomino omnium diabolorum in all the Devils names at his losing of Raveâ—na But take the passive sense all that are called by Christ's name Christians Popes are all so not all so neither Paul the III. was no Christian
glorified The first link whom he had predestinated c. they loosen by making the decree of predestination conditionall and uncertaine The second link whom he called c. they loosen by making the grace of vocation both universall and resistable The third link whom he hath justified c. they loosen by making the act of justification repealable and the habit of Faith amissible But St. Austin clincheth them all fast whom he hath predestinated them he hath called to wit with a calling according to purpose not others therefore but whom he hath so called he hath justified neither others but such whom he hath predestinated called and justified them he hath also glorified How can a man that is effectually called and justified finally fall away and depart from the living God who is locked in the middle of this chaine and fastened to Christ with the Adamantine links on the one side of predestination on the other side of glorificaon neither the antiquity of Basilides nor the wit of Pelagius nor the subtilty of the School-men nor industry of the Jesuits nor the vehemency of the Lutherans nor the sophistry of the Remonstrants shall ever cast such a grosse mist before the eyes I say not of faith but of reason as to perswade us that he can fall finally whom God hath predestinated to stand that he may be condemned whom God hath justified that he shall ever be a vessell of dishonour whom God hath glorified illo utique fine qui non habet finem as Saint Austin speaketh that he may be cast into hell whose name is written in heaven that he can be in danger of the second death on whom it hath no power at all but every regenerate Christian and true Beleever is effectually called and therefore predestinated is justified by faith and therefore saved from wrath hath part in the first Resurrection and therefore the second death hath no power over him is received into the Church of the first borne and therefore his name is inrolled in heaven Are not all that are born againe of water and the spirit the sonnes of God if sonnes then also heirs it is the Apostles consequence Are not all true beleevers lively members of Christs mysticall body which is the true Church if they are so they must continue so that Christs body be not maimed c. Saint Austin and Gregory make good the inference Saint Austin expresly denying that to be Christs body in truth and consequently those members to be members of his body in truth which shall not continue so for ever St. f Gregory thus Comenting upon the words of Solomon King Solomon made himselfe a bed or Chariot of the wood of Lebanon the wood of Lebanon is said never to corrupt or rot Solomon therefore made his bed or Chariot he meaning the spirituall Solomon Christ of the wood of Lebanon because according to the grace of his prescience he hath built a holy Church of Saints that shall continue so for ever P. 18. Indeed if this affection were grounded upon any thing in us or depending upon the liberty of our will our changeablenesse might make us suspect the constancy therof but sith all the graces and vertues that shine in the faithfull are but the reflections and glissonings of the beams of his grace which beginneth and consummateth all good in us working in us both the wil and the deed how should this heavenly fire of Gods love ever go out c. Mark the rayes of the visible sun how constant they are being not moved at all by the motion of the Object but immoveably flowing from the body of the sunne though blustering winds tyranize in the ayre and remove it a thousand times out of his place in an hour yet the sun beams keep to their object which they enlighten and stir not at all in like manner our affections are transported with every gale of prosperity and storm of adversity and our wils somewhat yeeld to every wind of temptation yet Gods affections like the beams of the sun remain immovable where they are once fixed for they depend not upon any qualities in us but upon his owne immutable essence who is more constant then we are inconstant more strong then we are weak more sufficient then we are insufficient we praise and dispraise with a breath frowne and smile with a look love and hate with a conceit but Gods affections are not like ours nor are his thoughts our thoughts neither are his wayes our ways for whom he loveth he loveth to the end though we be unmercifull yet he still abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Page 19. But I subsume all true beleevers are the elect of God how then can they perish if the election of all the faithfull be not as evident as the salvation of the elect in Scripture why doth Saint Paul stile faith the faith of Gods elect why doth St. Luke assigne election as the proper cause of faith as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved as for the reprobates if we beleeve the ancient Fathers they are as farre â—om faith as from salvation all reprobates saith Saint f Gregory are without the â—â—unds of the Church although they seem to be within the pale of faith and as farre from â—â—e repentance as from faith God bringeth none of these saith Saint Austin to healthfull and spirituall repentance whereby a man is reconciled to God and as farre from Charity as from both for this gift of the holy Ghost saith the same Father is peculiar and proper to them who shall reigne with Christ The faith of hypocrits is resembled by our Saviour to seed sowne upon stony ground which because it had no root soone withered but true faith to seede sowne in good ground which took deep root downward in humility and grew upword in hope and spread by charity and brought forth fruits of good works abroad in great abundance it is the plant which our heavenly Father planteth in our hearts and shall never be rooted out it is the true Amaranthus that never fadeth but after all the flowers are blown away or fall with the leafe being watred at the root reviveth and serveth for winter garlands even so a grounded belief after the flowers of open profession of Christ are blown away by the violent blasts of persecution or temptation being moistened with the water of penitent teares reviveth againe and maketh winter garlands for Christs spouse Page 769. 1. Of the supposition when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse is not this supposition impossible can the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked doth I answer First vvhether he can doe so or no the Prophet here determineth not but in case he doe so he pronounceth his doome Secondly vvhatsoever interpretation vve make of this Scripture it favoureth not the Popish or Semipelagian tenet concerning
meeting a Pupill of his at Paris in France when he waited on Sir Thomas Edmonds as his Chaplaine there which Pupill had turned a Papist discoursing with him concerning this Arch-bishop then resident in Saint John's Colledge in Oxford he told him that Doctor Laud his Tutor was against the Popes supremacy but did maintaine many Catholike points of their Religion The second is Sir Nathaniel Brent his owne Vicar-generall who deposed at the Barre that this Arch bishop while he continued in Oxford was there generally reputed to be popish that he and others conceived him so not upon any fained but upon very probable grounds one whereof then generally taken notice of was that when he did his exercise for Batchelour of Divinity he tooke his supposition almost verbation out of Bellarmine which he remembers the better because one Mr. Dale then Proctor his Opponent who took exceptions at it shewed him his supposition in Bellarmines Works concerning the necessity of Baptisme which was consonant to the tenent of Rome Another ground of this opinion of him was that he held acquaintance and most familiarly conversed with those in the University who were most addicted to Popery and reputed Papists and had sundry differences bickerings disputes with many sound Divines about points in Religion particularly he had very intimate acquaintance with and oft frequented the company of one Browne reputed a Papist in his life and found to be so after his death there being a manuscript writ with his owne hand and thought to be his owne found in his Study in defence of popery and maintaining among other things that one might be a Minister officiate and actually remaine in the Church of England and yet be actually reconciled to the Church of Rome This book King James hearing of sent for it which being brought to him when he had read this passage he said if this position of his were true he could not now tell whom to trust And that there was such a generall report of the Arch-bishop then he thought himselfe would not deny and for that he had seen that book of Browns a petition of this Bishops in a great mans hands to whom King James delivered them wherein healleaged that he was traduced to be a Papist but desired his Majesty not to think so of him To these testimomies we shall adde a notable passage in Doctor Abbot's Sermon at Saint Peters in Oxford on Easter-day Anno 1615. formerly touched on p. 155. on which you may reflect That some were partly ROMISH partly English as occasion served them that a man might say unto them Nosteres an adversariorum who under pretence of truth and preaching against the Puritan strike at the heart and root of the faith and Religion new established among us c. That they cannot plead they are ACCOUNTED PAPISTS because they speak against the puritan but because BEING INDEED PAPISTS they speak nothing against them If they doe at any time speak against the papists they doe but beat a little about the Bush and that but softly too for fear of waking and disquieting the birds that are in it they speak nothing but that wherein one Papist will speake against another as against Equivocation the Popes temporall authority and the like and perhaps some of their blasphemous speeches But in the point of Freewill Justification Concupiscence being a sinne after Baptisme inherent righteousnesse and certainty of salvation THE PAPISTS BEYOND THE SEAS CAN SAY THEY ARE WHOLLY THEIRS AND THE RECUSANTS AT HOME MAKE THEIR BRAGS OF THEM AND IN ALL THINGS THEY KEEP THEMSELVES SO NEERE THE BRINK THAT UPON ANY OCCASION THEY MAY STEP OVER TO THEM Now for this speech that the Presbyterians are as bad as the Papists there is a sting in the speech which I wish had been left out for there are many churches beyond the seas which contend for the Religion established among us which yet have approved and admitted the presbytery and this is to make them as bad as the papists Besides there have lived among us many reverend and worthy men which have not rejected the presbytery taking it even for Lay-Elders and among the rest Doctor Nowell late Deane of Pauls in his Larger Catechisme pag. 29. 71. affirmeth that in every well-governed Church there was a Presbytery and yet this Catechisme by the late reverend Arch-bishop of Canterbury was commanded to be had in every Grammar Schoole Which surely he would not have done if the presbyterians were as daâ—rous or bad as the papists And now that I have cleered my selfe from this imputation of being for the presbytery it will lye upon them to CLEARE THRMSELVES IF THEY CAN FROM THEIR SUSPITION OF POPERY For as Saint Hierom speakes In crimine haereseos patientem esse non decet And for their speech of preferment it s not that I look for I make account I have lived to the end of a Students life and God forbid that now for the hope of a little preferment I should betray the cause of Christ I have been ever of this mind if there be no preferment on earth there is enough in Heaven And my desire is while I live here to walk in sincerity and truth If I should doe otherwise how should I look my Saviour in the face might he not say uto me what art thou ROMISH or English PAPIST or PROTESTANT or what art thou A MONGRELL OR COMPOUND OF BOTH A Protestant by Ordination A PAPIST in the point of Freewill inherent Righteousnesse and the like A Protestant in receiving the Sacrament A PAPIST in the Doctrine of the Sacrament What doe you thinke are there two Heavens If there be get you to the other and place your selves there for into this where I am yee shall not come These Notes of Doctor Abbots Sermon were found in this Arch-bishops Study written with his owne hand produced and attested by Master Prynne inclosed in a copy of a Letter of his to the then Bishop of Lincolne under his owne hand too thus indorsed by him April 18. 1615. The copy of a Letter which I sent to the Lord Bishop of Lincolne concerning a Sermon in which Doctor Abbot HAD WRONGED ME IN THE UNIVERSITY In which Letter he inclosed these Notes for his Lordship to peruse complaining thus therein I came time enough to be at the rehearsall of this Sermon upon much perswasion I went to Church where I was faine to sit patiently and heare my selfe abused almost an hour together yet I was pointed at as I sate for this present abuse I would have taken no notice of it but that THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY APPLIES IT TO ME and my owne friends tell me I shall sink my credit if I answer not Doctor Abbot in his own kind Neverthelesse in a businesse of this kind I will not be swayed from a patient course Onely I desire your Lordship to vouchsafe me some direction what to doe c. By which it is cleere
Pope corrupt Ordinances Sacraments and a meere Idolatrous supersticious wil-worship Thirdly no true Ministry nor government of Christs institution Fourthly she yeelds no true Subjection nor Obedience to Christ his laws word spirit but opposeth him and them in all Fiftly she is over-spread with a Leprosie of damnable Errours in Doctrine corruptions in Faith Manners Ordinances Government Sixtly the definition of a true visible Church in our Homilies and Writers agrees not to her Seventhly our Homilies Writers define her to be a false Church not a true who are all mustered up together by Master Burton in his Babell no Bethell where she is largely proved to be no true Church For his distinction that she is a true Church Veritate Entis though not Moris as a Thiefe is a true man it is a meere childish evasion For it is not the meere entity and being of a company of men that makes up a Church or true Church for if so the Turks Pagans or any assembly else should be a true Church as well as the Protestants but a company of men rightly qualified to wit professing the true Christian Faith among whom the Word of God is truly Preached and the Sacraments duly administed To set then the distinction and comparison right If one should demand of the Archbishop Whether a Theefe be a true man or no as this phrase true man in our ordinary language signifies an honest just-dealing man with reference to his qualities morals not his Entity or being as a meer man himself grants that he is no true man but a false one in this sense in this very distinction and to answer that he is a true man in regard of his essence therefore a true man in respect of his Morals were a meer impertinency Nonsequitur By the selfe-same reason when we demand of him Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church and he answers She is so Veritate entis for she consists of a company of persons or reall men not veritate moris for that they are not so truly qualified in those Morals or rather supernaturall principles which makes them to be a true Church Himselfe must needs grant that his distinction is fallacious in applying this veritas entis to them as they are a Church not men or else yeeld that they are a false but no true Church because his not veritate Moris can be applyed to nothing else but to such morall and divine qualifications as should make them a true Church so as his owne distinction directly subverts this his false conclusion of her being a true Church and his charging her with grosse Corruptions Errors Superstitions to the endangering of salvation doth the like Secondly it was retorted that his distinction of her erring onely circa fundamentalia not in Fundamentalibus was a falshood For first her affirming the Church to be built upon Peter and the Pope not Christ the chiefe corner-stone Her denying the Scriptures to be Scriptures but as they are grounded on confirmed and expounded by the Authority of the Church and Pope Her making Apochryphall Scriptures Canonicall and so adding to the Scriptures Her giving the Pope power to null and dispence with things against the Scriptures Her resolving the foundation of all our Faith into the Church To beleeve as the Church beleeves not into the Scriptures themselves Her deifying of the Virgin Mary Saints Images in praying to and adoring them with divine worship Her joyning of Saints Merits and Mediations with Christs and making them joynt Saviours Mediators Advocates with him Her turning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper into a Propitiatory Massing Sacrifice of as great or greater Merit as Christs own Sacrifice on the crosse adoring the consecrated Bread as their Lord God and Christ himselfe Her taking away the Sacramentall Cup from the Laity point-blanke against Christs owne Institution Her giving Christ an ubiquitary body on earth instead of a glorified body in heaven her tying people to pray to God in an unknown tongue with her creating a new head of the Church in Christs stead the Pope who hath the Keyes of Heaven Hell and Purgatory too and can pardon sins release Soules out of Hell and Purgatory at his pleasure with her abolishing the second Commandement out of the Decalogue What are they all but Fundamentall Errors nullifying that Church which maintaines them and not Errors onely about the foundation For his foure instances that circumstances may undermine and destroy the Foundation We answer First that neither of all these instances concerne the Papists or Church of Rome the subject in question therefore altogether impertinent Secondly they are not meer circumstantials but fundamentals because directly contrary to the expresse words of Scripture and Articles of our Faith of which they are unseparable parts which if false in any part may and will be false in the whole and no ground of Faith at all For the rule of the Schools we agree it but how he applyes it to his distinction or the Church of Rome we cannot yet discerne Thirdly it was replyed That the Religion of the Church of Rome and England is not one and the same For that which they repute the maine part of their Religion is no Christian Religion at all nor part of the Christian Religion but meere Antichristian Errour Superstition corruption Idolatry And in his Booke he doth no more charge her with some grosse corruptions endangering Salvation then she chargeth us as the perusall of his words demonstrates Fourthly his justifying salvation to be had in this false Antichristian Church and Religion denying the foundation is contrary to the opinion of all Otthodox Protestants who make her damnable Errours the ground of their separation from her And though some affirme that divers in the Church of Rome are saved yet none are saved by being of that Church or by that Faith and Doctrine which she properly cals her Faith and Religion wherein she differs from us but by their relying onely on Christs merits which she disclaimes Fiftly his deleting all phrases clauses calling or intimating the Pope to be the Antichrist is a cleer evidence that he holds him not to be so Else his sinne fault will prove the greater in purging out that as Heterodox and scandalous which himselfe beleeves to be a truth For our Statutes Homilies Writers they define the Pope either in direct termes or equivalent expressions to be Antichrist and our Church yea State in them at leastwise in our forecited Statutes and the Subsidy Act 3. Jac. penned by the Convocation As for the Articles of Ireland though they bind us not yet being taken out of the Articles and Homilies of England they sufficiently declare the resolution of our Church as well as theirs that the Pope is Antichrist and Doctor Vsher Primate of Armagh in a Letter of his to the Archbishop himselfe Jan. 4. 1635. the very day of his birth writes That this conceit is so rife in the minds and mouths of the Papists
make the Word of God quarrell with and thwart and crosse it selfe Example they would prove Rom. 3. 28. 4. 25. to be false by Iam. 2. 21. Now we know these expositions to be false because the establishing of the one place is the demolishing of the other Fol. 276. Thirdly the Papists have Rimes which must be said over three or four times every day certainly with a little pains a man might make a good Parret a good Papist for he might be taught to speak all this Fol. 476. Q. Wherein are the Papists to blame concerning the Augmentation of Faith Answ They are faulty in two things Negant fiduciam certitudinem fidet they grant faith but deny both confidence and certainty of faith c. fol. 52. Answ But the Monkish life is not persecution except thus because the Locusts which are no other but Monks and Fryars Revel 19. doe bite and sting like Serpents that is do secretly wound mens consciencex and four lines after Thirdly all go not to Christ that come into Monasteries but rather goe from him they living after another rule then Christs for Francis their great founder erected a new sect of Monkery and found out a new rule for them which he called regulam Evangelicam the rule of the Gospell as though Christs rule were not sufficient Many other passages of like nature over-numerous to recite were blotted out of this Author by the Licenser We shall conclude with such passages as Doctor Bray with the Arch-bishop's privity purged out of Doctor Featlyes Sermons wherein some Texts of Scripture were expunged to do Popish Priests seducers a favour p. 90. What are the great Foxes but the Priests and Jesuits what are the little Foxes but the Demipelagian cubs which will spoyle our fairest clusters the Colledges of both Universities if in time they be not looked unto as they have done already in our neighbour Vine in the Low-countryes c. page 472. If these cries of the soules under the Alter awake not the zealous Magistrates whom God hath made protectors of his Spouses to draw out the sword of wholsome Statutes out of the scabbard to wound the hairy scalpe of the Strumpet yet let them at least take compassion on the soules of the living even their sonnes and daughters who are dayly enticed by secular Priests and Jesuits and by their Agents conveyed over beyond the Seas to be sacrificed to the Molech at Rome What or how shall I speake unto you beloved brethren I need rather teares then words to bewaile the great losse our Church sustaineth of hundred nay thousand of soules that have been drawn out of the right way and are fallen into the snares of Satan and den of the Beast c. Here though I lose my voyce by it I cannot but cry aloud with zealous Bullenger What clemency call you this to suffer the Lords Vineyard to be spoyled and layd waste by ugly monsters what mercy to spare the Wolves which spare not Christs sheep redeemed with his procious blood Ubinune lex Iulia dormis To what purpose serves our wholsome Lawes and Statutes if they rust as the Orator speaketh like swords in the scabbards and are never drawne upon the sworne enemies of our Church and state c. page 485. That the severity of our Lawes and Canons should fall upon straying Doves silly seduced persons without any gall at all whilst the Black-birds of Antichrist are let alone if chaste Lydia be silenced for her undiscreet zeale let not Jezabel be suffered to teach and to deceive Gods servants c. page 495. I know to restraine such abuses is the peculiar duty of the Ecclesiasticall and civill Magistrates but to detect and discover them to authority and to refraine from society or Idolaters is the duty of us all and I beseech you for the love of him who hath espoused your soules to himselfe and decked them with the richest Jewels of his grace and made them a Joynture of his Kingdome beware of Jezabels Panders who goe about to entice you to spirituall fornication If they be your brethren the sonnes of your mother or your owne sonnes or daughters or the wife that lyeth in your bosome or your friends that are as your owne soules that solicite you in this kind ye are to renounce them and by the law of God to see justice executed upon them c. p. 796. Beware therefore deare brethren beware of the Panders of Antichrist who goe about to intice you not to corporall but which is farre worse to spitituall whoredome If they be your brethren the sonnes of your owne mother or your owne sonnes or daughters or your wives that lye in your bosome or your friends that are as your owne soule that intice you to goe to Masse and partake with the Romanists in their manifold idolatries you are bound by the Law of God to be so far from consenting to them or hearing them that you are to account of them as your capitall enemies and proceed against them as you would against those who have plotted your utter ruine and overthrow Good God! that such patheticall clauses as these against seducing popish Priests and Jesuits nay the very words of sacred Scripture it selfe should be thus obliterated in our Protestant Church by the Arch-bishop's owne direction who professeth himselfe such an enemy to Priests and Jesuits Doubtlesse his vapouring protestations against them were all meere delusory complements to beguile the over-credulous since all these purgations proclaime both him and his agents to be their most endeared friends as they openly vaunted them to be at Rome and to hold most strict intelligence with them From these purgations against Popery Popes Papists Priests Jesuits Monks and other Romish vermine in the generall we shall next proceed to sundry expunctions against doctrinall poynts of Popery in particular which we shall prosecute in an Alphabeticall manner the first whereof is this 4. That the Absolution of Priests is but declarative and that they cannot bind and loose men at their pleasures against Gods Word as the Papists hold their Priests can doe IN Doctor Clerkes Sermons Sermon 3. of the Nativity page 23. the Licenser hath expunged these words Nay nor bind nor loose sinne neither but declarativè the Priest does but pronounce the absolution c. So that in this purgation Christ is but the Physick the Priest is the Physitian or Apothecary at least but he wants Heleborus to purge his braine In Master Richard Ward his Comentary upon Matthew the Licenser hath quite obliterated this passage as erronious Matth. 18. 18. Whatsoever ye bind c. the Papists hold this grosse opinion that men are bound and loosed in Heaven according to the will and pleasure of every Priest exercising the Keyes upon earth and this Tenet they ground upon the generality of these words Whatsoever sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whatsoever you bind on earth should be bound
in heaven in this verse and in John 20. 23. Remist Annot. John 20. 23. These places are not so to be understood as though God were bound to ratifie every decree of men upon earth For First this power is given to all lawfull Pastors who maintaine and hold the Apostolike faith and not to idolatrous ignorant and blasphemous Priests such as most if not all the popish Priests are Secondly they must decree in the earth according to Gods will and therefore John 20. 22. out Saviour dotb first breath his Spirit upon his Apostles and then giveth them their Commission signifying thereby that they must execute this power as they shall be directed by Gods Spirit yea hence Matth. 18. 20. it followeth that they must be assembled in the name of Christ that is according to Christs rule and the direction of his Word they must bind and loose and not at their owne discretion There are divers other purgations of this nature which brevity enforceth as to omit 5. Clauses against adoring the Eucharist and consecrated Bread in the Sacrament expunged MAster Ward in his Comentary on Matthew had this memorable clause against Papists adoring the Eucharist purged out by the Licenser Object The Eucharist is to be adored because Christ is very God Answ He should have assumed the Eucharist is very God which is blasphemy to say and therefore not to be uttered by any but by Babylons brood unto whose Prince and head is given the name of Blasphemy Revel 13. 1. yea a mouth speaketh blasphemies verse 5. even against the most high God verse 6. and therefore we leave this opinion to the Papists to whom properly it belongs The Licenser it seems would have Protestants embrace this opinion as well as Papists and therefore purged out this clause as heterodox Doctor Jones in his Comentary on the Hebrewes had the like purgation page 20. Then how sharply are the Papists to be reproved that worship a peece of bread in the Sacrament Strange that such a passage should be deleted but that our bowing to and toward the Altar because there 't is hoc est corpus meum tended to introduce the selfe same adoration of the Eucharisticall Bread among us by degrees 6. Passages expunged averring That the Pope is Antichrist of which see Section 2. before YOU have already heard of sundry purgations of this nature in the premises we shall present you with others not formerly remembred Doctor Clerke in his sixth Sermon of the Nativity page 53. line ult had this clause But the Pops is the Antichrist which the Licenser thus transformes but one is Anchrinst easing the Pope of this title Master Ward in his Comentary upon Matthew page 303. had this whole discourse concerning Antichrist expunged by the Licenser How many wayes is this name Antichrist taken in the Scriptures that our Saviour saith many shall come in his name affirming that they are Christs First it is taken somtimes commonly and thus his name Antichrist belongeth to all who are enemies to Christ and these are either 1. open professed enemies as the Iews Turks and Infidels in which sense the word is not used in Scripture or 2. covert and close enemies who professe themselves christians and under the name and profession of Christ oppugne Christ and his truth and thus it is taken either 1. more largely to signifie the whole body of hereticks as 1 John 2. 18. 22. or 2. more strictly and so it signifies the society of them who having made an Apostacy from Christ have received the marke of the Beast and these we hold to be the Apostaticall Church of Rome Secondly this name Antichrist is sometimes taken properly or rather peculiarly and so it belongeth to the man of sinne and the sonne of perdirion a Thes 2. 3. who after a more generall manner is the head of all hereticks and more specially of that society which hath the mark number and the name of the Beast Revel 13. 17. and this we hold to be the Pope of Rome as is abundantly proved by Davaeus Bishop Downame and Master Squire and that not onely because he is the head of the Antichristian body but also because he being in profession the Vicar of Christ is indeede Aemulus Christi i. e. an enemy opposed to Christ in emulation of like honour as if we should say a counter-Christ as the word Antichrist doth also signifie How doth it appeare that there are many Antichrists for although Christ saith here that many shall come in his name yet many deny this affirming that the Antichrist shall be but one particular person and consequently that there shall not be many Antichrists but one onely That Antichrist is not one singular man but a whole state and succession of men and consequently that there shall be many Antichrists pecularly or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called will appeare by these Arguments First if Antichrist were in the Apostles time and was to remaine untill the second comming of Christ then Antichrist is not one singular man but a succession of men but Antichrist was in the Apostles time and is to continue untill the second comming of Christ as both Saint Paul 2 Thes 2. and John 1 cap. 2. 18. 4. 3. 2 John 7. testifie Therefore Antichrist is not one singular man but a succession of men Secondly that in the 7. and 11. of Daniel and in 13. and 17. of the Revelations is described under the name and figure of a Beast is not one singular thing or person but a whole state or succession But Antichrist in these places is described under the name and figure of a Beast Therefore Antichrist is not one singular person but a whole state or succession Thirdly the seven heads of that Beast which signifieth the Roman state are not so many persons but so many heads or states of Government whereby the Common-wealth of the Romans hath been at divers times governed the sixth head was the state of Emperours the seventh Antichrist as the Papists confesse the eighth which is also one of the seventh the state of Emperours revived whereby it evidently appeareth not onely that Antichrist is not one man but also that the Pope who is the seventh head is Antichrist if the Reader would see the two former Arguments enlarged and another added not here mentioned then let him read Bishop Downame de Antichristo lib. 2. cap. 20. to 32. Page 16. this clause is deleted Ob. Antichrists name shall not be knowne untill he come c. Answ 2. Secondly Antichrist is already come yea the Pope of Rome is this Antichrist as is abundantly proved by many of our Divines and therefore his rise seat and name are knowne well enough page 14. Ob. 5. Whosoever shall put away his wife the Pope is called the adversary or he who opposeth himselfe against Christ 2 Thes 2. 11. and is justly so called because he and his Divines doe maintaine assertions directly contrary to