be as he is which none doe denie creatour of all men master and monarke of all the World the World then must be one familie one City one kingdome of God no earthly Prince will willingly haue diuers Lawes in one kingdome then shall we thinke that God who is wiser then men and wisedome it selfe would giue seuerall lawes for the word no sure enough all those three be but one Law the light whereof doth shine into the conscience of the Iew and Gentile Turke and Pagan Philosopher and of the stupide multitude signatum est super omnes lumen vultus Domini whereupon it must follow that this light is inextinguishable it is that which we call our neuer dying conscience when a man doth apprehend the knowledge of any thing by the vertue of his intellectuall minde it is science and he is said Scire to haue knowledge the conscience againe is the right application and imployment of this knowledge it is a medium a midst betwixt God and man and the rule whereby we know if any thing be in the counsels of our mind or actions of our will contrary to this naturall light and diuine instinct of reason which God hath placed in our hearts like a cleere lampe to illuminate our intellectuall spirit that it might see and discerne right from wrong and truth from falsehood which is a thing so manifest that the Ethnicke Philosophers and the word of God doe iump vpon it The naturallitie of Cicero and the Theologie of Saint Paul concurre to proue it almost in the same termes Cicero in the third Tusculan Question writing to Brutus sunt enim ingenijs nostris semina innata virtutum quae si adolescere liceret neque illa celeriter malis moribus opinionibusque deprauatis extingueremus ipsa nos natura ad beatam vitam perduceret And the Apostle Paul writing also to the Romanes Quū Gentes quae legem non habent naturaliter ca quae legis sunt faciunt eiusmodi legem non habentes ipsi sibi sunt Lex qui ostendunt opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis It is so plaine for the light of nature excepting alwaies the last clause of Cicero concerning beatitude as if Paul Cicero had conferred vpon it which ground for the first being set down in truth as your Lo sees I craue that you will be content to examine all the points of this Treatise by the touchstone of the diuine light instinct of your conscience where your Lo finde those which as is said are inspirations from heauen contradictory to your opinions that in that case you will suffer your conscience to be directed by this light which God hath giuē you to guide it by that your Lo wil forbeare your pretence of deuote ignorance implicita fides things that do meerely extinguish this light of nature if it please you to do so not to smother vnder a bushel this cleere candle which God hath illuminate in your heart there is no doubt but as Cicero saith that same Natura Dux the very light of Nature which hath a Diuine stampe in your conscience shall shew you an outgate from the childish Labyrinths of superstition that doe inuolue your Lo for if any should say to me seeing there is such power in the instinct of naturall reason flowing from this diuine light how is it that so many millions of those who be indued with the same are induced to idolatrie I can giue no other answere then the wise man hath giuen stultorum infinitus numerus est the number of fooles and those who are mistaken in their owne light is infinite Now I will take my first aduantage of this ground to appeale to the diuine light of your Lo conscience how you do iudge of that which already from so many Texts of Scripture I haue spoken touching the plainenesse and perfection of Gods word since on the one part the spirit of God doth testifie that it is eternall incorruptible and inspired from Heauen able to make the man of God perfect and on the other part this intellectual light of nature seruing as eyes to receiue in our conscience the brightnesse of this word it is so powerfull that very Gentiles haue cleerely knowne it and seeing it is sufficient to conuict the conscience of Turkes and Pagans of contempt and ignorance of this word I aske your Lo how shall it be with vs who beside the hauing of this light haue beene brought vp in Christian Religion haue beene taught Gods word can reade it in seuerall languages and vnderstand it when we shall refuse to beleeue for our faith this word preached in puritie when we shall hold it insufficient for our Saluation embracing in place thereof what an implicita fides an implicite faith the colliers beliefe and what is that I beleeue with the Church and how beleeues shee she doth beleeue with the collier is not this ambulare in circuitu impij as the Scripture saith to walke in the about-gates of the wicked well let vs remember how it shall be worse in that day with Corazim and Bethsaida then with Sodom because they had greater light and did despice it They say ignorance is the mother of Deuotion And the Apostle saith Qui ignorat ignorabitur if ignorance cannot excuse a Turke because of that light of Gods face which is stamped in his heart let any man tell me what it can auaile a Christian to bragge of his deuout ignorance affected ignorance is neuer a whit better then knowledge without beliefe or well doing Let vs heere the Prophet Isay my people is carried captiue because they had no knowledge neither is now a daies any other reason of idolatrous captiuitie then this pretended holy ignorance so that for a Christian man to glorie in it it is to become sicut equus mulus quibus non est intellectus Therefore let your Lo remember you are sealed with this Lumen vultus Dei and that he hath blessed you with knowledge to vnderstand that the holy Scriptures are a perfect and neuer perishing word The second ground I would haue your Lo to condescend vpon with me for preparation of your more indifferent iudgement is a certaine definition of idolatrie which may content your Lo and me both to the end we may the better reason of idolatrous worship For as concerning abuse in religion and impietie in manners they be triuiall points that there can be no mysterie in a suruey of the same Idolon is a Greeke word which literally signifieth as much as a litle Forme or Figure formed or figured but taken as it is spoken in Christian Shooles and according to the best Doctors it is a representation of a false God and a false Deitie or a Creature taken and honoured for God As to say the Statue of Moloch of Iupiter the Sunne or Moone the Hebrew word Elil as I read haue very right this same signification of Idol and is vsed in holy
Scripture to signifie the Pagan gods which were things false and so nothing Esay saith of the gods of the Gentiles Behold you are nothing and your workes are of no worth Vnto the which Saint Paul alluding Wee know said he that an Idol is nothing in the world because howsoeuer it bee made of mettall timber or stone yet because the falshood which it representeth is nothing it is said to be nothing Now so ielous is God of his honour and worship That hee hath not only forbidden materiall images to bow down to them but there is also spirituall Idolatry forbidden whereof there is two sorts The first is of these who directly or indirectly haue society and company with the Diuell and trust in him as Sorterers Magitians Witches Consulters The second is of those who mainetaine any erronious opinion concerning the worship of God or against the word of God or who doe cherish and defend any great and odious vice by a displayed banner against God as the Prophet Samuel speaking of the disobedience of Saul Your rebellion saith he is the sinne of Witchcraft and your trangression Idolatry the reason is because hee who doth obey God after his own fantacie and not after Gods expresse Commandement he doth prefer his own conceipt and make an Idol thereof as Saint Ierome in this same sense shewes how there was oftentimes Idolatry among the Iewes when they had no materiall Idoles as the Gentiles saith he worship corporall Idoles so the Iewes hold for gods those Idoles which they haue forged in their soules and therefore they are Pagans and Idolaters Saint Austen expounding the meaning of Iosua when he exhorted the Iewes newly entred in Palestina to put away their strange gods It is not to be thought that in this time the Iewes had any Pagan god said hee because immediatly before he did praise their obedience neither is it to bee thought that hee spake these wordes without cause so it was said he that the holy Prophet vnderstanding them to haue in their hearts erroneous opinions of God contrarie to his honour hee desired them to leaue them Saint Paul doth cleerely testifie that the auaricious man and the glutton be Idolaters the one of his gold the other of his belly Quorum Deus venter est Many were among the Phylosophers whose wisdome did neuer suffer them to worship Creatures as Idoles yet were they spirituall Idolaters by denying of the Resurrection and of the immortality of the Soule in that true eternity which God hath appointed for it The Iewes and Turkes this day doe not worship any materiall Idol yea they worship the same God whom we doe yet they are Idolaters because they doe not acknowledge him as he is a Diuine Essence distinguished in three persons but after a fantasie deuised by Mahomet here and there be the Cabbalists of whom and of of all such Saint Basil saith Cursed be the men who forge false imaginatione in their owne braines and carry spirituall Idolatrie in their hearts And Gregorie Nazianzene more plainely How is it come saith hee euen to this that euery wicked man doth make a God of his wickednesse his filthy passions his wrath his murthers his lust and drunkennesse and other abominable excesse And Saint Ierome writing vpon Isay and Hosea in diuers places and Augustine in the City of God doth reckon monstrons numbers of false gods whom poore Gentility had forged to themselues aswell in their fantasies as in their Temples both which sorts of Iolatrie God hath very well forseene and very strictly forbidden by his precept of no grauen image in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath wherein no doubt by the heauen are meant not onely the Planeticall bodies but imaginations of Angelicall figures to be counted of vs for gods and all intellectuall phantasies and falsehoods contriued by humane braine in matters of Gods worship that they shall haue no place in our mindes which point your Lo sees how cleare it is It being so then that the poore blinded Pagans who are strangers to doctrine of holy Scripture and kept backe from it by the lawes of Tyrants they are thus conuicted by the Doctors of the Church not onely for materiall Idolatrie but euen for spirituall through the excesse of euery predominant vice or erroneous phantasie which did transport them and that Saint Augustine introduces Iosua as we haue heard exhorting the Iewes to quit their Idolatry of wrongfull opinions I wil in like manner appeale to the diuine light of your Lo conscience how vigilant you thinke a good Christian must be about the points of Gods worship or what warrant there is this description of Idolatry admitted first to erect and maintain such number of images in the Popish Church Secondly what warrant to equall with God the power of the blessed Virgin And lastly and aboue all what warrant presumptuously to affirme that any elementarie thing is really the person of God himselfe I vnderstand that from such grounds as bee in the Romane Church your Lo will giue pretended reason enough but that is contrary to my protestation whereby I haue tyed your Lo. to that which the Diuine instinct of your conscience doth say to you in fauours of the meanest of those superstitions as for the last two of them I need not insist much because I thinke they bee extra controuersiam Idolatries But vnderstanding well how your Lordshippe will holde for the Images by reason of the good meaning and vse which is had of them and from the common ground ab abusu ad non vsum non est argumentum Certainely such fearefull abuses haue I seene which make me to say alas wee doe not remember what a peremptorie terrible and Iealous God hee is in the whole order and in the smallest circumstances of his worship he hath said hee is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and no other will content him Let vs exhauste our whole meanes let vs distill our braines from neuer so good a meaning to worship him if our doing goe not with his owne rule it is hatefull abomination in his eyes and chiefly where any thing is added or altered to the substance and Essence of Gods word giuen out by himselfe it is Idolatry and which is more in the highest degree whereof that one instance of King Saul his disobedience might suffice for a thousand examples who could haue doubted of his extraordinary good meaning in sparing the fat beastes to sacrifice vnto the Lord more who would not haue imagined it should approue his thankefulnesse towards God and yet the Prophet Samuel called it the sinne of Witchcrafte which is Idolatry in the Superlatiue degree and for it had denounced the renting and transferring of his kingdome why because the Lord who knowes the heart of man he did see that Saul by his addition to his Commandement did preferre his owne inuention thereunto hunting thereby after a reputation of zeale in Gods seruice and so honour
to himselfe God lookes to the sinceritie of our spirit to see that no arrogancie be there nor no discrepance from his holy will in matters of his worship how many times did he cast off his people Israel because of their presumptuous confidence in religious Ceremonies in false and Pharisaicall workes because of their lippe-labour and externall shew of pietie saying their heart was farre from him and that he was caried with their tedious and lothsome sacrifices Sisteterint Moses Samuel coram me non est anima mea ad populum istum Euen the best earthly Princes are jealous of their Maiestie but this God of Maiestie he is a consuming fire of jelousie in points of his worship he pronounced Sauls reprobation and ouerthrowe by Samuel for that which appeared to man a light transgression because it was a point of his Maiestie and honour but by the Prophet Nathan hee easily pardoned Dauid for his adulterie and murther which seemed in humane eyes most hainous wickednes because they were not points of his worship but sinnes of weakenesse next he looked to both their hearts in the heart of Dauid it was fleshly corruption which made him to fall in the heart of Saul it was the pride of spirituall Idolatry adding to Gods worship thinking himselfe wiser then God and saying to the Prophet he had obeyed God as it is said in the Church of Rome that worshipping of Images is a point of Gods honour while as it is directly contrary to his Commandement Let all the world tremble at that strict dealing of the Lord with his good seruant Moses in a point of his Commandement at the waters of Contradiction were the Israelites did grudge God said to Moses and Aaron that they should take vp the Rodde and speake to the Rocke of Rephidim and it should yeeld waters loquimini ad Petra◅ because he did strike the Rocke and did not vtter his speaches confidently to Gods meaning saying distrustfully behold rebellious if we may bring water out of this rocke man would imagine that there was but a Peccadiglio a small fault or none at all yet the Lord did not onely impute it for disobedience because thou hast not honoured me before my people said hee but he did punish it in most rigorous manner in mans eies yet iustly hee let him not enioy the fruits of his long paines in the wildernesse preuenting him by death saying for this thou shalt neuer enter into the land considering then that precise Commandement in speciall Thou shalt make no kind of Image in heauen nor earth nor in the waters considering secondly the stricktnesse of Gods word and will in generall wherein Qui cadit in syllaba cadit in t◅to And considering thirdly the greatnesse of his Ielousie what a furious audacity is it that we should sport with God so manifestly to preuaricate in his worship by so many Idoles and strange inuocations by twenty Aue Maries for one Pater noster auowedly repugnant to his precept presuming to excuse it with a good meaning and with I know not what distinctions of Dulia and Latria as if God himselfe could not haue put downe the distinction Certainely I thinke not onely Moses but euen Saul had better excuses for his fault it is no distinction will serue the turne The Lord he is a jelous God and strict in the point of his worshippe They are not founded vpon the Chimeraes of our head but vpon his holy will and who so pleaseth to bee homely with it shall receiue the same doome of Samuel pronounced against Saul that his sinne is a sinne of Witchcraft The most profound Doctor and best versed thac euer hath beene in Gods Law was the Prophet Dauid who speaking in his first Psalme of the iust man sed in lege Domini est voluntas eius whose delight saith he and will is the Law of God which words are obserued to haue a good importance of knowledge noting this much that we must not wry Gods Law to our fancies though it seeme neuer so holy and deuoute nor to our interpretation our will or our delight no but wee must conforme our will and delight to bee in it The Law saies sit irreprehensibilis Episcopus And must we make our owne glose to say it is a Counsell and not a Commande The Law saies Qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendam eam iam maechatus est in corde shall we interpret that it is spoken to Married persons The Law saies Omnis anima subdita sit superioribus potestatibus shall we glose it to be so long as they gouerne vertuously The Lawe saies absolutely thou shalt haue no kind of image to bow downe to it Shall wee forge an exposition with our friuolous distinctions as if God did sophisticate with vs in the directions of his owne worship truely by this sort of doing Lex est in tua voluntate non autem tua voluntas in Lege The Lawe of of God is in your will and not your will in the Lawe therefore Dauid himselfe did not onely presse to keepe the Law but kept in his heart also Gods own pure meaning in the Law In corde meo absc◅ndi eloquia tua He not only obeyed the Law but he obeyed it by the right way of obedience Uiam mandatorum tuorū cucurri For who knowes not this to be true quod iniustus potest facere iusta sed non iuste that an vniust man may doe a iust act but not iustly Therefore wee must not only obserue Gods precepts according to his owne word precisely but which is more we must doe it as Saint Paul saith Ex corde puro conscientia non ficta for this is to doe iust things iustly facere secundum substantiam ◅erum secundum intentionem Legis latoris to doe the substance expressely of that which is commanded and to doe it after the manner and meaning of him who did command it Out of these it did appeare by the diuine light of reason that the worshipping of images in ◅e Popish Church must bee indeede Idolatry regar◅ed chiefelie as they are which I will shortly tell your Lordshippe All the while I was in France my minde was busied in taking pleasure in those exteriour shewes so gracious to my senses and neuer seene of me before that I tooke no leasure to lift vp the vaile which was so delicatly painted that I might see what poysoned and deadly hookes lay hidden vnder such pleasant baites reseruing my chiefe curiositie to haue her contentment in the famous Citie of Rome a place most proper for true discouery and chiefest Theater of the world for knowledge of things from the which no mysterie can remaine vnseene of one who hath ingine and dexterity to explore it For agitation of great Counsels it is like the Primum Mobile which in his Motu rapto carries with him the inferiour orbes so it is the maine spheare that ◅es many States in Christendome that beside their owne naturall
with such personages did grauut him Indulgences very large and bountifull that one would haue thought the ports of hell was not able to preuaile against them and when the Dukes Medalls and Beads came to be blessed vpon the Popes Altar according to the forme there was no famous Whore in Rome who had not also numbers put in for her saying which I haue heard with mine eares The French Indulgences should procure them both English and Spanish money This kinde of Marchandise and publike sale of sinnes is vsed in so lewd and vile a manner that the most simple man in the world would count it to bee a scuruie ridiculous inuention of insatiable auarice During my being at Rome there hapned to dye there a rich Venetian Merchant who left in Legacy a good summe of money to that Church standing vpon the Monte di Trinita for celebration of his Funeralls and seruices for his soule the same day which was appointed for those Funerall Offices I did finde my selfe soone in the morning vpon that Mount because it is a fresh and delectable walke when a number of Fryers with great Torches comming to enter into the Church was demanded of a Gentleman of Rome who was beside me whither they did goe to whom one of them did answere Andiamo cauare del purgatorio Láâ—…ima di quel mercadante Venetiano chi morse láltro iorno which is to say translated sincerely we go to hale out of Purgatory the soule of that Venecian Merchant who died the last day The GentlemaÌ„ replied in bitter speech against the Pope calling him Cuillione Morbidotto which be ignominious conteÌ„ptible words because saith hee hee doth not keepe in Purgatory to the worlds end all those wretched soules of Uenice who doe so disturbe the Apostolike Seat for it was in the meane time of those late broyles betwixt the Pope and the Venetians Can any iest in the world be more worthy of derision then this or any thing more like the pittifull Idolatry of the Gentiles where the Priests made the sensles people to thinke there was no way to make their gods propitious but by their rich Offerings This sort of doing is so frequent there that we see no other businesse and if it be true which they hold Quel che fa sua santita è fatto that which the Popes Holinesse doth is done certaine all those of those Countries must bee in heauen before their feete be cold as wee say because the most wicked and godlesse among them neuer departeh this life but laden with Pardons And this farre I thinke is enough to prooue that the abuse is not onely authorised but as it were married with Religion seeing vpon the meanes thereof they doe found Cloystrall societies And this onely speaking de facto for to reason Quo iure these are practised it is Theologicall alwaies the most learned among them haue said to me touching the Popes power Ilnostro signore è dio sopta la terra Our Lord the Pope he is God vpon earth hee may dispence what hee will Yea say they if the question were to marry the King of Spaine to an hereticall Princesse the Pope will first dispense him to marry his owne Sister Is not this to go aboue the power of God who hath said of his holy Law that a jot thereof shall not perish not be changed Well to vrge Theologicall Arguments I will not but I remit your Lordship to search-the Scriptures to see who it is there that doth sit in the Church of God and exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God And now I appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke that the contemplation of so grosse things first such Ethnicke Idolatry that while Paul and Barnabas being aliue did teare their cloathes and runne vpon the people because they would haue adored them saying they were but men like vnto themselues Now so much adoration must bee done to the Statues of their dead bodies that one shall not enter within Saint Peters Church at Rome but we must kneele to salute him where hee sits in brasse we must lay our head vnder his feete and kisse euery one of his toes seuerally Then such impious and base auarice in this trade of Purgatory and Indulgences that in their Camera de Componendis there sitteth Simon Magus vnder the name of Simon Peter making sale of the Spirit of God for money of the mercies of God of remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of heauen and that with such insatiable hands that if euer I who came from a remote Countrey to honour the Apostolicall Seat would giue him largely for dispensation hee would willingly embrace it as who knowes what I did pretend to bee the more assured I appeale to your Lordships conscience whether you thinke those were not sufficient to breede doubts of Religion in any man in whom God hath left a sparke of his feare or one graine of right knowledge Assuredly they mooued me to great iealousie and they were to me as the first sight of the Angell was to the poore Asse of Balaam terror albeit I confesse sincerely the strong opinion which I had drunken so long before the plausible shew of things did for a while violently hold me into the same way as Balaam did force his Asse to goe on after the first sight of the Angell But when I begun to looke vpon the manners of the people and to consider what were the faults which were so ordinarily and easily pardoned which is the third thing in number of those which I most narrowly obserued what shall I say I know not how to speake the trueth and therewith to prouide that my penne be not slandered for contumelies and Philippicke passions alwayes I shall so limitate my selfe that I shall not blot so graue a purpose with an humour of rayling or shamelesnesse In the day of visitation and punishment I shall beginne at my sanctuary saith the Lord and wherefore is this because Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis as the Prelates be so are the people the example of the Rulers makes the manners of the multitude as the Spirit of God doth testifie by the Prophet Daniel Egressa est iniquitas à Senioribus ab ijs qui videbantur regere populum Iniquitie hath gon out from the Elders and those who seemed to gouerne the people For this cause in a iust censure of the manners of Rome it cannot be auoided first to looke vpon the Court wherein is to bee seene such fastuous and intollerable pompe and such a degree of glory as hath neuer beene vsurped by any earthly Monarch to behold the maiestie of the Papall carriage borne one mens shoulders auro fulgens smaragdis shining amidst gold and Iewels those who beare him treading vpon fine cloth wherewith the Church pauement is couered accompanied with a fearefull guard the thundering of Canons the sound of trumpets and all
hoode to couer their hypocrisie or what Saint Dominicke against the beastlie pride of his successors and what holie Saint Augustine against idle pretenders of his profession which was to be Flagellum hareticorum infidelitatis to plague heresie and infidelitie Now to finde among them one of the true succession of those noble Macharij Hillarij Antonij Pauli Ignatij Tertulliani Hieronimij Cyprianij Augustini or such like of that trewe christian race it is a dreame for nothing is to be seene there but those sometime sacred mountaynes and those holie solitudes of retyred sanctitie become the desertes of Iericho the darknes of Egypt the tower of Gyantes the Furnace of Babilon the shippe of Tarsus that beleeue me it did almost moue me to teares and make me to say with the Prophet Super montes assumpsi fletum lamentum super speciosa deserti Planctum Aime Domine clamabo speciosa deserti consunipsit ignis The fire alas hath consumed the beautie of the deserts those prophane fiers of Nadab and Abihu which burne at the daylie Sacrifice that destroying fire of ambition auarice and Lecherie which is neuer furnished with fuell sufficient that fire of the loue of the flesh whereat while S. Peter stood to warme him he denyed his master It doth still burne in the hal of Calphas O oursed fire which is not on ly cōtent to burne in the coūtrey in the citie in the court in the Palaces of Prelats and rulers of the Church but it hath also spoyled the holie deserts and destroyed the beauty of the Cloyster speciosa deserti consumpsit ignis making our christian religion the opprobrie and scandall of Turkish impietie as if there were no veritie in Gods word Corruit in plat◅is veritas saith the prophet Equitas non potuit ingredi facta est vdritas in obliuionem O poore and neglected veritie now are come to passe thought I the visions of leremie Quid vides Ieremia ficus bonas bonas valde quid vides Ieremia ficus malas malas valde quae comedi non possunt So to close also this point of fleshlie concupiscence or kingdome of the world I doe appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke things being as I haue related That the Pope hath holden the bargaine which our Sauiour did refuse in accepting from Satan this worldlie kingdome whether your Lo doe not thinke that the Rulers of Rome be of such as the Lord God spake of to his people Israel by his prophet Esai My people the Rulers haue corrupted the way of thy footesteps It is they who haue burnt vp my vineyard saying againe thereafter I shall enter in iudgement with you Rulers whether your Lord doe not thinke that God is entered in iudgment alreadie with them and as it was pronounced against the Scribes and Pharises auferetur a vobis Regnum Dei dabitur Genti facienti fructum Hath he not taken from them his kingdome by remoouing the candlestick which keeps the true light the Lamp which keeps the liuelie oyle the libertie of the Gospell and hath giuen them ouer to induration which of all chastisments is the most fearefull vt credant mendacio qui non crediderunt veritati as he also no question some day shall dissipat destroy their worldly kingdome according as he hath done to the Iewes if they doe not repent Now for the last of abuses whereof I will speake I go to treate of the papall Soueraignitie as it is wickedlie and iniustlie vsurped ouer temporall kingdomes CHAP. V. The Orthodoxall authority of Christian Princes in the Primatiue Church The Papall Soueraignetie The Iesuiticall trade The opinion of the French Church concerning Princely authoritie Detection of the Iesuiticall ambition THe pernitious Doctrine of this Tyrannicall Supremacie vnknowen to antiquitie lately conceiued in the bosome of the treacherous Iesuite tending to a monstrous ambition as we shal see to the ouerthrow of good Princes and people and dissolution of all Christian discipline and obedience it doth enuenome the mindes of men with diuelish errours and armeth their hearts with odious and treasonable attempts It is that wormewood whereof the Prophet of the Gospel Saint Iohn maketh mention in his visions of the Apocalips Cecidit de coelo stella magna ardens tanquam fauilla nomen stellae dicitur absinthium facta est tertia pars aquarum in absinthium plarimi mortui sunt de acquis quia amarae factae sunt saith he there fell from the heauen a great starre burning like a flame and the name of the starre was Wormewood and multitudes died by the waters because they were become bitter It was no true starre which the Prophet did see because the true starres bee fixed and doe not fall Stell◅ manentes in ordine suo cursu aduersus Siseram pugnauerunt saith the Scripture the holy Spirit in the word of God doth compare Prelates Pastors and Rulers of Gods people to starres Qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos quasi stellae ad perpetuas aternitates saith Daniel They who instruct and teach many righteousnesse and godlinesse be like vnto starres fixed to perpetuity As for those which appeare to be falling starres as this vision of Saint Iohn they are but grosse vapours lightned by agitation of the ayre which do quickly vanish and keepe no true light So the Iesuites lately bred in the distemperate and tempestuous ayre of the Papall tyranny they appeare to be but are not true starres in Gods Church they bee but filthie vapours which shall disappeare within short time as the whole Clergie almost of the Romane Church it selfe doth hold after the example and fortune of the famous order of the Knights Templarij whose insolencie and pride was abhorred of Christian Princes and Prelates But in the meane time they haue poysoned by the wormwood of this diabolicall doctrine the puritie of our waters euen the waters of life the word of the Gospel the Lord Iesus Christ who calleth himselfe so of which poyson who would know how many millions haue died let him read the Histories of the holy League and the Histories of France and the Netherlands for these yeeres passed and because it is so pregnant and perilous an error I will insist in it at greater length to deduce it from the fountaines of sacred and primitiue veritie For your Lordships information and many others of your profession who if you will not quit this ground to beleeue as the Church of Rome doth command you cannot want a scruple in your conscience for hauing so absolutely taken the oath of obedience seeing the contrarie is strongly maintained in Rome in meeretermes of a point Doctrinall which albeit your Lo would not credit vpon my reletion after my comming from thence where I was both care eye witnes and brought with me a true transcript of the ordinance it selfe yet now all the world doth know it since the
these iniquities and idolatrie that wee may call it like vnto that monstrous Minotaure kept in the Labyrinth of Daedalus Alter a parte hominem alter a parte bouem when the mother of this monster went in to see it her naturall affection did neuer suffer her to behold the beastly part of it It is iust so with many men when they are brought where they may haue a perfect discouerie of this forged and monstrous worship their naturall inclination to superstition will neuer permit them to behold the wicked and impious parts of it and therefore as multitudes who entred within that Labyrinth were deuoured of that monster because they knew not the way to returne till Theseus did deuise a meanes of retreat by tying a thread to the entire by the one end and carrying the other with him he did come backe by the same Euen so who doth eter within the mysticall Labyrinth of these cunning and craftie superstitions deuised by many Dedalean artificers he is neuer able to make recourse nor to saue himselfe vndeuoured of that monster without he be tyed to the thread of Gods word And he who is so shall not onely passe most securely through the most secret places thereof but as Dauid got out of the hands of Goliah that speare wherwith he slew him so shall he bring as many arguments from that which he shall see among them as shall suffice to confound themselues wee slide into errors peece and peece and peece and peece we must recoile from them we are not to looke for suddaine and miraculous conuersions for that blow comming from heauen which strooke S. Paul to the ground suddainely draue the diuell out of him for that diuine light which in an instant remoued the darkenesse of his soule and made him crie Lord what wilt thou I am heere The dayes of miracles are past we haue Moses the Prophets and Apostles we must follow the rule of Christ Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriprures because they giue testimonie of me The way of conuersion to Gods truth is by diligent Reading of his word by diligent hearing of the preachers of the same by diligent prayer who doth hold the bookes of holie Scripture insufficient hee reades in vaine who prayeth with the Church of Rome which thinkes she cannot erre she hath no need of reformation such Pharisaicall prayers are also in vaine And therefore I meane now to giue your Lordship a Christian aduise first by telling your Lordship by what naturall defects many men lie ouer in this blindnesse Secondly by shewing vnto your Lo that which happened vnto my selfe and by what meanes and degrees I was freed from those errors wherein you are And thirdly by pointing vnto your Lordship out of these a way which I would wish you to follow in particular for your helpe for the first I say that the diuell seekes craftily to ouerthrow vs with our owne weapons also hee worketh vpon the infirmities of our nature he maketh aduantage of our naturall weakenesse he assalteth the walles of our minds there where the breach is likeliest as he wil sooner tempt a man of a fierce and tygrish disposition to commit murther then him who is naturally milde modest and meeke so I hold this ignorance of men giuen ouer to Idolatrie to proceede from one of those two faults in themselues either it is a naturall inclination to superstion that while they will not beleeue the holy Scriptures to be sufficient they will giue faith enough to the most ridiculous Aniles fabulae of the legendaries to the relation of a Straw miracle pretended to bee done heere or there in which kinde of foolishnesse I must say some of our Catholicke Romanes within this kingdome bee the poorest men vnder the heauen Well Pharaoh did see in the myracles of Moses the finger of God working Ego te constituam Deum Pharaonis but he gaue more credit to the Magicall miracles of his Sorcerers and why because his heart was hardned Let vs beware of this fearefull Iudgement therefore which I haue told your Lordship doth follow vpon Idolatrie to be abandoned of the Lord vt credant mendacio qui non crediderunt veritati that they may beleeue lyes and follies who would not beleeue the truth Indura cor populi huius occoeca occulos claude aures c. Obdurate the heart of this people close their cares blinde their eyes that they doe not heare see nor vnderstand lest they turne to me and I heale them saith God to the Prophet Or next this obstinate and wilfull ignorance wherein men cannot be broken no not from one point of most grosse things it proceedes as we haue obserued in many forbearing to iudge so of your Lordship from a secret selfe-loue glorying to be called constant and inflexible Surely constancie and good resolution it is a Cardinall vertue and perseuerance in faith is the height of all Christian vertues but beleeue me this sort of constancie is a despightfull pride it is to haue that which all the herefiarches haue had hereticum ingenium an hereticall inflexible and rebellious ingenie of Nature such were Manicheus Marcion Arrius Pelagius c. Such an heretike was not the good Father Augustine who fell but Timide and Languide into the Manichean opinion and was easily againe reformed by his good and toward nature by the inspiration of Gods Spirit willingly to heare the Sermons disputes and conferences of the holy Saint Ambrose Secondly I will tell your Lordship syncerely by what steps it pleased God to grant me retreait foorth of this fearefull Labyrinth of Idolatrie your Lordship hath heard how I already did distast these things which I did see in Italy but that did not serue the turne it was indeede a good beginning vpon my backe comming to France and new conference with that famous Protestant Mounsieur Causabon resident then at Paris in the seruice of the late King with whom I was familiar before who now finding me somewhat better disposed hee did farre second those beginnings of mine saying to mee that howseeuer it was the tricke of the Consistorie of Rome to deny any cause of reformation on their side and to disclaime generall Councells yet if it pleased God to inspire the hearts of Princes to challenge that auhoritie ouer Ecclesiasticall gouernment which was due to their Predecessors in the primitiue Church that the body of the Catholike Church might be easily reformed he told me that designe of Charl. 5. as I haue relared it vnto your Lordship he told me that two Emperours his successors Ferdinand Maximilian did much labour for the same In token whereof there be yet extant numbers of their letters sollicitatory to that most graue and profound Doctor of the Romane Church George Cassander most zealously entreating him touching his opinion of the deciding of Christian Controuersies which Booke with diuers other learned Treatises of other pacificators he gaue me to read as also these Theames written De auferibilitate
In nequissimo pane murmurabit ciuitas The mouthes of many shall blesse him who is liberall of his bread and the City shall murmure against him who doth it not and they shall call his wretched conquest Panem nequissimum A knauish bread If a Bishop study to bee rich hee is neither Starre nor Angell nor no matter heauenly Si terram cogitas terraes If a mans minde be muddy hee is mudde himselfe riches are indeed a blessing of God but wee finde seldome mention in the Scripture of a rich man in good termes but with hard title Salomon saith Alia infirmitas sub sole Diuitiae conseruatae in malum Domini Riches heaped vp for the mischiefe of their Master and the Euangelist speaking of a rich man Mortuus est Diues sepultus in Inferno The rich man died and was buried in Hell Againe our Sauiour saith It is as impossible for a rich man to enter into heauen as for a Camell to passe thorow the eye of a needle and the holy Spirit speaking by Saint Iohn in the second of the Apocalips to the Angell or Bishop of Laodicea Dicis quia Diues sum nullius egeo ecce miser pauper caecut nudus Thou sayest thou art rich and needest nothing behold thou art miserable poor blinde naked Wherby wee see that earthly desires in a Bishop be wretched nakednesse terra inanis erat vacua saith the Scripture The earth was empty and barren so be all the Prelates who delight in riches and earthly pleasures Againe Bishops must resemble the heauens being cleane in their very hearts they must not say Placet quicquid licet That uery thing doth please them which is lawfull but they must forbeare many pleasures lawfull to others that being cleane they may clense others Non valet tergere sordes manus quâ—… lutum tenet The hand which is spotted with clay it cannot purge filthinesse They must be well and perfectly ordered in their behauiours hauing them seasoned with wisedome and discretion as Christ faith to his Apostles habeto in vibis salem That they should haue salt whereof we see if there be too much in meat it makes it bitter if too little vnsauoury if a discreet measure it makes it pleasant and delicate to the Taste they must be round as the heauens we know that a circle is figura capacissima simplicima a most simple and capable figure which hath no Angle crooke point nor diuision shewing how euill lasinesse rest duplicity or crooked wayes become a Prelate Finally they must still moue as the heauens doe going from vertue to vertue from good to better for the common good of those who be vnder them Woe were vnto the infeiour world if the Celestiall spheares should intermit their course and stand stil euen as the round wheele when it beginneth to stand presently it goeth backe so In via Domini non progredi regredi est not to goe forward in the way of the Lord is to goe backward because in that circular and continuall motion which should be in pastorall piety there is no station nor repose Hec fuit iniquitas Sodoinae abundantia otium Therefore finally they must like vnto the heauens make continuall influxion of life and light in the inferiour members of Christ Church seeing it hath pleased God to let vnto them his Vineyard they are to remember the saying of our Sauiour Omnis arbor quae non facit fructum bonum excidâ—… per ignem mittetur Euery tree which brings not forth good fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire It is neither the blossome the flower nor the leafe which will please God but the fruit neither shewes of piety nor learned preachings but the edification of Christian soules will content God Exemplum dedi vobit vt quemadmodum egofeci ita vos faciatis saith Christ I haue giuen you example that as I haue done so might you doe The first Adam did feed vpon the fruits of the trees in Paradise but the second Adam vpon the fruits of his Saints who are the mysticall trees of this Vineyard as may be marked out of that answere giuen to his Apostles saying to him Rabbi manduca ego habeo alium cibum manducare quem vos nescitis I haue other meat to eat which you doe not knowe and this was the fruits of the Garden of Israel euen then transplanted for example the conuersion of the Samaritan woman was his thirst and vpon the Crosse he cryed sitio langushing for the like wing-grapes seeing Bishops are the chiefest trees in the Vineyard they must striue to produce the most excellent fruits of Christian vertues specially that euery one of their actions bee witnesses of their humility The tree the more it hath the roote humble and deepe in the earth it makes the fairer fruit the Prophet Esay doth affirme it Mittet radices deorsum faciet fructus sursum And the Wise-man saith Odibilis Deo hominibus superbia Pride is hatefull to God and man The Prelates be as is said before the head the heart and the stomacke of the spirituall body which being in good and wholesome constitution the members haue also their full vigour and strength The Prophet Ieremy speaking of the reformation of the people beginneth at the heads Si feceritis iudicium inter virum proximum eius aduenae viduae pupillo If you will iudge betwixt a man and his neighbour iustly and if you doe iustly to the stranger widdow and Orphane Therfore if Prelates would haue people purged from those damnable vices of ambition auarice pride and Atheisme they must keepe themselues reformed summarily they may cast backe their eyes a little to looke vpon the ruines of their Predecessours the late Bishops of Scotland who because they fell away from vprightnesse and sincerity and did abandon themselues to publike vices the Lord did spew them out Malos male perdidiâ—… loâ—…uit vineam suam alijs he made the wicked to perish wickedly and did let his Vine-yard to others CHAP. XI Why the Organs Glericall Vestiments and ancient Ceremonies which be vsed in the Church of England are againe to be receiued of vs in Scotland IT followes now for the happinesse of our domesticke vnion to speake of the ceremonies of the Church of England which as they are no many in number that I will heere treate of so they require no ouer long and tedious discourse They are conuersant about our two principall sences the one as Aristotle calleth it the sence of science and discipline the eare The other as Horace sheweth the conduit and inlet of the most deepe and firme impressions our eyes Segnius irritant animos demissaper aures quamqua sunt oculis subiecta sidelibus Vpon the first the admirable and diuine gifts of Musique doth worke vpon the second the graue and Maiestique yet plaine and sober habite of vestments both haue three operations on vs
I demand what it is that shall make that lawfull and conuenient for Gods seruice Is it the signification of the words or the melodie of the tune and symphonie If the first then singing is not recommended as it is singing but rather as saying and then it were better such psalmes or hymnes were barely pronounced or read for so their sence and signification is best vnderstood If the second then instrumentall musique must likewise be admitted wherein the same sounds for tune and concord of parts are by the same rules of art practised and expressed But it may be oueradded that the musique of the voice is passable as hauing both these together and performing them with one breath Most true and therein is the chiefe excellency of that guift of God that in one and the same sound it edifieth both the vnderstanding and the affections Yet the other which cannot act but one of his properties is not therefore to bee condemned or contemned In physique some ingredients worke attrahende by their searching and vigorous quality of attraction others only adiuuando by diffusing the stronger simples and so helping the operation of them and without these the other would be lesse actiue and profitable Euen so in sacred musique the chiefe vigour of our praiers and adoration commeth from the ditty which worketh immediately vpon our vnderstanding but that is much helped and quickened by adding thereto a proportionable temper of artificiall harmony which shall make it penetrate the deeper into our affections As the Church militant in the three forenamd estates and seuerall times so and much more the Church triumphant in eternity doth out of the Scriptures supplie vs with proofe of the conueniency of setting foorth the praise of God with mellodious harmony For when in reading the Scriptures I view that little yet sufficient for our knowlepge which God hath reuealed concerning the state of the blessed Angels Saints in heauen mee thinkes it must needes bee great rashnesse to condemne that as superstitious or superfluous if imitated heere on earth which the spirit of God testifieth to bee the endlesse imployment of those that see God face to face in heauen Is not the Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all into whose bosome we hope to be gathered Is it not that which wee hope and grone for in the vale of this flesh to become once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to the Angells Is it not that which we daily pray for that Gods will may be done on earth as it is in heauen why then may wee not why ought we not euen now to imitate the worke of the Angells in their adoring the most High and as farre as we can performe that in our Churches the type of the euerlasting Temple which we shall when we are hereafter cloathed with immortalitie intend in heauen perpetually If we will open the booke of God the very window of heauen wee shall there see heare the blessed Seraphins thus blessing and adoring him that sitteth on an high throne crying to one another saying Holy holy holy Lord of hosts The whole world is full of his glory If we looke in further we may see the foure Euangelists figured out by the foure beasts full of eyes encompassing the throne without ceasing day and night singing the like Antiphone Holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and which is and which is to come If wee will yet view to the vtmost end we may behold Gods champions after their conquest ouer the beast holding in their hand as banners of that victory displaied more audibly then visibly the harpes of God The melody of which instruments they doe animate by singing the song of Moses the seruant of God and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty c. Apo. 19. 6. The voyce of a great multitude as the voyce of manie waters and as the voice of strong thundrings saying Halleluiah verse 3. And againe they sayd Halleluiah Loe here we haue plainly represented vnto vs not only singing and that by repetition againe againe but interchangeable chaunting in the Seraphins in that they are sayd to cry one to another holy holy holy which three sacred words the embleme of the euer-blessed Trinitie when I heare in the Te Deum in the vulgar tongue with a point of maiesticall correspondence grauely and reuerently sung in the Cathedrall Churches of England how others are affected I know not but for my selfe me thinks the very Celestiall Temple of God is brought downe among vs or we in these bodies rapt vp among the Seraphims and bearing parts in the Quyre of heauenly souldiers More ouer vnto such vocall singing here is distinctly added the other helpe of adoring and adorning the heauenly Maiestie by instrumentall harmonie the harpes and they honoured with an attribute euen the Harpes of God so styled either in regard of the subiect to whose praise they are vsed or of the Author by whose gift that and the like blessings are afforded to the best of the creatures both wayes designing one and the same fountaine GOD. I will not heere lest I should lose my selfe intrude into the search of hidden secrets treasured vp in heauen how and in what sense Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are to be vnderstood to sing before the throne of the Almightie whether this be in the Scripture described in a sensible forme onely for our capacity but to bee interpreted in a spirituall and allegoricall allusion surely if the substance of Angels and soules of men be not meerely incorporall it is not absurd to maintaine that they may immediately ex iunatis principijs similitudine substantiae in the most pure body or space of the heauen of heauens the seat of the blessed both raise such reall and corporeall voyces also be affected with the sweet harmonie and proportions of such sounds And when after the resurrection the soules of the faithfull shall bee clothed againe with their bodies it is not amisse to thinke that the bodie shall partake with the soule as of fullnesse of ioy so of the act and exercise of perpetuall adoration And as our naturall eyes shall then really and corporally behold the most beautifull obiect of our Sauiours glorified humanitie oculis meis videbo Redemptorē meū saith Iob so it is not against the analogie of faith to thinke that our tongues and mouthes may then employ them selues in endlesse vocall hymnes and songs of thanksgiuing of glory and worship to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe who by his bloud hath redeemed vs out of euery kindred and tongue people and nation and hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his Father And sithence I haue been comforted from probable sweet and reuerend contemplations of the more learned to thinke that some sympathie may be betwixt the musicall Harmonie and the Angelicall nature it maketh me to presume a
that the Spaniard who is the strong Atlas that beares vp the same can aboue any Christian King establish the assurednesse of his affaires vpon the ruines thereof Fourthly all the orders of the Papall Clergy are bent to ouerthrow the Iesuites who are the onely cunning craftsmen who build and vphold this Babilonian tower Fiftly the meanes which God seemeth to put into the person of his Maiesty our gracious Soueraigne to sway the world to peace and vnity in Christian Religion as well by the weight of his power as by the vertue of his temperate wisedome and solid learning which hath procured vnto his Maiestie authority not onely with all Protestant people but with the best of the Opponents Sixtly the absolute credit giuen vnto the primitiue Church against which there is no side of Christian Clergy that taketh exception All which things well considered what I pray you is wanting heere to reforme the holy Church but these two Courage to vndertake it and this one word from the mouth of God Benedicamus And seeing the world pointeth at your Maiesty as the onely man to whom that courage doeth belong it compelleth mee to turne my speech vnto you O great and mighty Monarch As they haue seene how God hath made your Maiesty like Hereules able to ouercome the Gigantine forces of these Kingdomes dispairefully disseuered by inueterate and implacable emulations placing your Maiesty in a triumphant Throne ouer this fortunate Isle that Cyrus-like your Maiesty hath your foot vpon the midst of the hyde that no side thereof can reuolt and hath giuen your Maiesty ample dominions without and that in a miraculous sort hauing no concurrance of humane helpe making your Maiesty alone both the Actor and the Instrument Therefore doe they looke that your Maiesty should in like manner cry with Cyrus The Lord God of heauen hath giuen me the Kingdomes of the earth and hath commanded mee to restore Ierusalem and to deliuer his people from captiuity because they see how almighty God hath furnished your Maiesty with prudence and power like armed Pallas to execute the same your Maiesty hath hitherto well followed the example of the powerfull Moses in this toilesome gouernment whereunto the Lord hath brought you but the chiefest praise of Moses was his perseuerance non coronabitur nisi qui legitime certauerit when hee came vp to the mountaine hee was commanded to put off his shooes to shew plainely that hee might make himselfe light and able to walke to shew figuratiuely that hee must shake off all fleshly desires and affections which burden our mindes and pull them downeward from a familiar conuersation with God O what a laborious thing it is to come vnto this mount the vallies bee rich full of sensuall pleasures and of easie passage and therefore they are inhabited of the multitude of the world the mountaines are steepe and precipitious and it is hard to clime vp into them and yet there it is where the Lord hath euer almost shewen himselfe as mount Sinai mount Horeb mount Tabor mount Oliuet mount Caluarie and diuers others declare to signifie how difficult a thing it is to exalt our selues aboue the sensuality of the world and how few are worthy to come into the familiar mount of God onely Iosuah was found worthy to ascend with Moses all the rest were commanded to remaine at the foote of the mountaine with Aaron and Hur which made his charge to bee the greater for not onely did God command him to come vp but sayd the Lord ascende in montem esto ibi Come vp and see thou be there by which words hee would stirre him vp from lazines to think that he must not only be there but be watchfull there as it is sayd Non dicitur vemsse qui non steterit who standeth straight in the mountaine he seeth euerie thing which passeth by below him but to him who wearieth and lieth himselfe down to repose all the things which are vnder him be hidden and if the enemies come to spoyle the vallies he can neuer discouer it As your Maiestie hath beene most watchfull hitherto So let your Highnesse thinke that the worke of God doth but begin in you and that he hath called your Ma to come vp to the Mount not like a fainting Eliah who in his voiage to the mountaine to talke with God tired or delighted with the beauty or freshure of the tree fell asleepe vnder the Ginobre but like vnto a vigilant Moses who stood vpright fortie dayes in the Mountaine without refreshment not like vnto a timorous Eliah who was afrayd at the voyce of a woman but still like a couragious Moses who being of his owne nature the most milde among men yet when he found the people in Idolatry of the Calfe at his returning from the Mount he was enraged and commanded the Leuites to be armed and stood in the gates of the Campe till punishment was executed Let your Maiestie therefore haue watchfull eies to penetrate the latent things of your popular vallies that no distemper grow among them which may renuerse your Maiesties former cares Doe specially Sr. ouerwatch these two things First that this lurking Gangrene of pretended Puritanisme doe spred no further nor lie in waite to trouble the settled order of your Maiesties gouernment But to the end your Maieiesty and your Royall posterity may euer hit surely in that marke which your Maiestie hath so long shot at to reestablish into this Isle the primitiue and orthodoxall policie of the Church Imitate the skilfull Archer by chusing your arrowes of that wood which is most proper for your Maiesties aime by receiuing into Episcopall dignities those who bee most religious and sincere rather the best then the most learned considering how many men in these daies doe carry Letters as Uria did to cut his owne throat like vnto those vnhappy Carpenters who builded an Arke for the safety of Noah and his family while they themselues did miserably perish in the flood Since your Maiestie hath now store of men both of conscience and learning who are resolued enough in the Question of the Church Policy let them see how your Maiesty thinketh no man so worthy of the Episcopall chaire as he who commeth vnto it after the sort of that tradition which we haue of Gregorius Magnus who being chosen for his meere vertue was sayd to flie into the wildeines til he was discerned by a piller of fire which kithed aboue him Let the light of their learning their zeale integtity of their life shining aboue them where they are be their onely recommendations to Ecclesiasticall preferment to the effect that your Maiestie may in that manner stoppe malignant mouthes and take away all pretext of discontentment or disconformity from these who say that your Maiestie doth not preferre the vertuous So that the treacherous lesuite who like the crafty fish conueyeth himselfe into troubled waters may want a couert to hide his head which is