Idolatry by worshipping of Idols or images Wee Christians should incurre the same crime and endure the like censure Worshipping of images hath beene occasion of much mischiefe in the Christian Churches and therefore to bee left Doe not you your selfe thinke there is much knauerie in some to make the images to weepe or swette What a iest is it to beleeue or to make the simple people beleeue that the diuell cannot abide the image of Saint Michael or the signe of the Crosse I am halfe ashamed to see the indeuotion and superstition of your vulgar people how they post vnto your images and happy is hee that can come soonest to hang some piece of gold or siluer about the images necke or to cloth it with some rich garment or other or leaue it in some place of the Church where it may be seene What say you to apparrell of cloth of siluer or of gold The images haue no sence in them and is God delighted with gold or precious stones Diamond Saphirs or Smaragds Thus doe the rich giue and ouer-giue and study or vie who shall giue most when the tradesman offers but a candle or the country peazant but an egge or two and if it be to shew that he is no Hugaenot or Lutheran What say the Papists to the worshipping of bawdie and beastly images or prodigious and vgly ones Wicelius complanineth of the one and Gregorius Gyraldus of the other I now come to the last Proposition of all The sixth Proposition It is very much impugned by the Papists themselues of the better sort PApists of the better sort are against the adoration of Images I will reckon them vp ordine regrado reâ—rogrado as they come promiscuously First Ant. de Dominis Secondly Polyd. Virgil Thirdly Vatablus and Rob. Stephanus Fourthly Desid Heraldus Fifthly Papyrius Massonius and sundry others if I list either to be tedious or vaine-glorious but I conclude with Saint Iohns exhortation My little children beware of Idols Against the Inuocation of Saints THis controuersie of the Inuocation of Saints to goe at large may be reduced vnto two propositions wherunto the best of the Papists haue willingly subscribed The Propositions are these First God alone is to be worshipped adored inuocated Secondly The Saints neither may can nor will be inuocated of vs but with impietie and no profit The first Proposition God alone is and ought to be worshipped adored and called vpon GOd alone is to bee worshipped inuocated trusted vnto hoped in all our trust and confidence must bee placed in him we must pray vnto none but to him serue none but him no creature is venerable but the increated nature What dependance vpon any other What profit I conclude therefore with Erasmus It is the safest course for all men vpon all their incident occasions to go streight vnto him others perhaps would but cannot God is both able and willing And thus this first Proposition standeth like a Rocke immoueable against all the assaults and batteries of our Aduersaries The second Proposition Saints neither will nor can be inuocated of vs. FIrst it may bee doubted who are Saints not all that are called or catalogued or canonized for Saints many whose seules frie in Hell there is no certaintie of their cononizations But imagine there be some true Saints and true Miracles whereby they are discouered to bee true Saints yet sith Almighty God is the beginning and fountaine of good and Saints at the most but a kind of conduits or pipes to conueigh the same vnto vs Oh let vs not be so pious to Men or Angels that we prooue impious towards God worship the Lord and him onely serue is the common voyce both of Men and Angels Will a man that is wise beg and sue to the seruant when he may haue free accesse to the Master of the house Such preposterous worshipping of Saints such confiding and trusting to any deriuatitious sanctitie is not able to open vnto vs when we knocke at Heauen gates The wisest and sobrest amongst the Papists leaue it as one of Gods secrets either our knowledge of the Saints or the Saints knowledge of vs and expectnothing more then the pious imitation of their vertuous deeds which all of them commend vnto vs as the most acceptable seruice both vnto them and to God they would not haue vs to confide or repose our trusts either in Christs Humanitie or his Mothers Virginitie nor in any hee or shee-Saint in Heauen It was a hard constitution that was obtruded vnto them by the Church against a plaine Text of Scripture Cursed bee he that putteth his trust in Man and the Christian Religion had thriued farre better amongst vs if wee had not giuen so much vnto inuocation of Saints and so little vnto the seruice of God The 25. Article Penance is no Sacrament PEnance is one of the seuen Sacraments say the Papists it is no Sacrament saith the Church of England It is easier to say what it is not then what it is But I will not greatly stand with them for a Sacrament vpon hope of better agreement in other matters of greater consequence take it strictly it is no Sacrament they haue better eyes then I if they can see more Sacraments then two in the Gospell take it largely it may passe well enough for a Sacrament such a one as it is and to gratifie the Papists if the number of seuen be so gratefull vnto them I will helpe them vnto seuen times seuen Sacraments vpon reasonable conditions out of Saint Austen It is called metanoea or resipiscentia in Latin and as I take it repentance in English but this word repentance or resipiscentia is so dreadfull a word to the Church of Rome that there is Hue and Cry made after it and hauing apprehended it they haue condemned it to perpetuall silence it must neuer be mentioned againe they haue purged it out of their bookes I would to God they were as well purged out of this Kingdome I will quote a few Authors and places that you may measure the rest by these few quotations They diuide it into three parts into Confession Contrition and Satisfaction how wisely we shall see hereafter Their penance consisteth in outward affliction of the body and maceration of the flesh our repentance is inward and spirituall in the grace and faith of Christ Wee know but one Name that can saue vs their penances may be commuted or redeemed with money ours onely by the blood of Christ To conclude it consisteth not in payning the body or afflicting the soule A man may weare haire-cloth and be neuer a whit the more either attrite or contrite for I haue learned to make no diuision of these two termes your Schooles doe
of the Pontificians which reckon them in the second Classis of Authors prohibited which is the note of Papists bookes forbidden but whether they be or bee not the question is prooued without their testimonies which you may take or follow at pleasure 4. By those Authors that are vnquestionably theirs by them expunged by me vsed it appeareth euidently that the Church of Rome in point of Doctrine had need of reformation when they did so often and so many of them call for it before Martin Luther pressing and expressing it in their learned Writings which were printed at Rome Venice Madrill Paris and other Popish places 5. That their bookes were many of them examined before they came vnto the Presse and accordingly corrected in many places and afterwards printed permisses superiorum with these very notes which wee present vnto you 6. These Aduersaries of ours and Writers of theirs who write and speake many things in our behalfe forced by truth not inuited by charitie though their authoritie of it selfe were of small account yet they are to be esteemed and good reckoning is to be made of them when they speake in fauour of vs because their owne consciences freely and vncoactâ—dly induce them in such matters of weight to depose against themselues and against the oath of their owne confederacie and so rest condemned by their owne Records and guiltie of errour in themselues and iniquitie against God I. N. in his Preface to his learned Workes could any man if he had been hired haue spoken more properly and pertinently to our purpose I commend his iudgement and shall like it the better whilest I know him knowne him I haue and ere long we shall be better acquainted 7. The testimonie of these Writers by mee alleaged which vncoacted and forced by truth doe pleade for our Religion are pertinent and to the purpose for else what need had you to raze the Records and as it were to embezell their Writings 8. To say as some doe that our Mother the Church may correct her disobedient children and reduce them into the right way of truth when they reclaime or swarue from the truth may perhaps be true prouided that it bee knowne which is the true Church secondly that it haue a certaine infallible and inerrable rule whereby all doctrine must be squared and lastly that the Author bee sent for by himselfe or his friends his errour shewed and reasons conuicted But for the first you haue no Church if you haue lay the Pope aside whom you would faine make your inerrable Dictator and tell me where it is and who it is and wee shall haue some hope of agreement in this point Secondly as you haue no Church so you haue no certaine Rule to proceed by your doctrine is yet to seek your Religion to be made except transubstantiation your doctrine against Priests Marriage some few points more that are in some sort in some Councels concluded shew all points of your doctrine your additaments determined before the Councel of Trent you shal haue them for me As for the Councell of Trents determination it neither maketh our religion schismatical or heretical nor yours truly Catholike and Orthodoxe Lastly that which you practise vpon your owne Writers by way of expurgatioÌ„ is not done with their priritie but altogether against their wils and consents 9. It will not auaile the Papists to say that they purge not the words of the Text in any Romish-Catholike Author but some scattred Annotations in the Margent or Indices of some Writers I reply that the Indices and Margents speake nothing different from the text and whether the Text be not thorowly expunged and some whole sentences pages yea sixtie in follio together blotted out I referre my selfe to any indifferent Popish Arbiter to arbitrate and sentence this controuersie betweene vs for being reduced vnto a Controuersie of fact euery Lay Gentleman if his eyes be matches becommeth a fit Iudge of these Controuersies your owne Smith truly saith it and I beleeue it But you cry out still Shew vs the bookes printed accordingly as Auentinus Cranzius Ferus Espencaeus or Stella Let me see whether the sentences you speake of or those that you haue produced in this very booke be omitted or no I answere This obiection hath a good varnish or glasse set vpon it but glasse is brittle and varnish will not long hold to say the truth your men speak they know not what in defence of their Indices you haue their toungs and they haue your eares to pawne and which is more your soules and consciences What you heare your spirituall Gouernours say you beleeue assuredly what so you beleeue you are ready to depose if need be against your consciences For example If one of your spirituall fathers should tell you that the house at the Blacke-Friers fell vpon a Puritane Preacher and his Psalming Auditorie to bring Gods Iudgements vpon them would you not beleeue him Doubtlesse he is a Iesuite ergo impeccable or a Father of the Societie and therfore to be beleeued chiefely in ordine ad Deum Or what if another of the same Societie should bring you a booke of my Lord of Londons Legacy a Legacy without a Will or a Will but neuer prooued how gladly would you reade and receiue hugge and embrace it as the words of a dying Saul so lately so miraculously conuerted to the Romane Faith Yet Preston that is said to be his conuerter denieth it saith plainly in Peters word but with more truth I know not the man his eldest son that was with him his Chaplains seruants that were about him know no such things Let other meÌ„ coniecture what they will of this rumour if I might freely deliuer vnto you my conceite this false report was hatched first in the Spanish Embassadours house by him is was rumoured abroad beyond the Seas and by him and his it was bruted here in England I haue my reasons to thinke it and thinke it againe for that about the same time there was a booke either going to the presse or newly printed wherein it was auouched that his most sacred and pious Maiestic was deposed by the Puritantes But I do but lightly passe ouer this as beeing a matter of State wherein it is not fit for Ministers to enterdeale I willingly forbeare But this story that followeth I cannot choose but relate it it lyeth aspersions on the late King scandalizeth the State pardon my iust indignation and true zeale that prickes me forward and maketh me for the good of the Kingdome and State to venture a chiding Thus then it is there is one D. B. Cleremond that hath made bold more bold then wise to make a most lewde and spightfull Commentarie vpon his Maiesties Lawes and Proclamations against Recusants vpon occasion of that about the powder raitours hee is bold not to deny the fact for then he must haue renounced his eyes or discredited the
A MANVDVCTION OR INTRODVCTION VNTO DIVINITIE CONTAINING A Confutation of Papists by Papists throughout the important Articles of our Religion their testimonies taken either out of the Indices Expurgatorii or out of the Fathers and ancient Records But especially the Manuscripts By THO. IAMES Doctor of Diuinitie late Fellow of New-Colledge in Oxford and Sub-Deane of the Cathedrall Church of Welles This marke †noteth the places that are taken out of the Indices Expurgatorij And this ☞ a note of the places in the Parchments Imprinted for Henry Cripps and Henry Curteyne at â—â—â—ord 1625. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND Father in God John Bishop of Lincolne Lord Keeper of the Great Seale and one of his Maiesties most Honourable priuy Councell Right Honourable my very singular good Lord BEing incouraged by your Lordships fauorable acceptation of some small Labours of mine heretofore presented vnto your Honour I presume to offer vp these few but important and chiefe Articles of our Religion vnto your Lordships farther consideration as they are maintained and explained by Primitiue Fathers knowne Papists and ancient Manuscripts a threefold corde which in my coniecture cannot easily be broken As concerning the Manuscripts they are ancient but not many innominable as yet but not long so to continue if their names can bee redeemed by any meanes and y t they cannot well be excepted against by the common Aduersarie being written long before Luther Hus VVicklife or VValâ—o as the Character plainely sheweth And if they were not old enough it would be easie for me to euicl the true Antiquitie of our Religion â—ut of that great Treasure of Bookes amassed together by that iudicious Knight Sir Robert Cotton the truest Philobiblos of our Age in his kind For the Papists whose words and workes are often cited by me though the Papists would seeme to elude their testimonies or expunge their Sentences in thâ—â—r vnsufferable and vnwarrantable thrise-accursed Indices Expurgatorij yet they speake fully and home for the truth of ours and the falshood and nouellisme of their Religion and doe the Papists what they can as what hath not been done by their close Indices Yet all the water in the maine Ocean will neuer be able to wish their testimonies out of our Bookes Ours I call them because though bred and brought vp in the bosome of their Romane Church they are but seeming Papists so called as Montes are a non mouendo or Paâ—cae a non pâ—rcendo being easily mooued to take part with vs and if need were to defend and subscribe vnto the Articles of our Religion so vniformely so Catholikely agreed vpon by the Prelates of our Religion in the yeare 1562. Lastly for the Fathers whom they would faine make Partiaries and defenders of their new and vpstart opinions it is not to bee marueiled when they haue squeazed out the iuyce of their Bookes Text or Glosse pared them to their purposes and purged them to their minds or fancies rather For if they also chance to erre or mis speake in their iudgements as the best haue failed sometimes and in some things they haue a delâ—antur for them also they shall be no longer Fathers but Sonnes and therefore subiect to their censures and in plaine tearmes purgeable as Gretser the Iesuite hath long since from Ingolstad aduertised vs. But let them leaue the Fathers of the purer Ages in puris naturalibus without mixture or mutation of theirs pure and sincere and wee doubt not but the truth of our Religion will as clearely appeare as the Sunne shine at mid-day which I shall beleeue till I shall see a round and plenarie Refutation of the defence of â—ewels Apologie which was threatned to be answered in the late Councell of Trent and our Countriman Master Harding hath challenged it here and there of some mis-quotations which the learned Bishop doth confesse most ingenuously and retort the like and greater escapes vpon the Challenger but wilfull or purposed corruptions idque cum authoritate such as theirs are he cannot he shall not find in him nor any of his supposts This small Worke of mine Right Honourable such as it is and better it had been if due encouragement health and meanes had not fayled me I willingly submit vnto your iudicious Fatherhood and graue wisdome hoping some small good may accrew thereby vnto my deere Mother the Church of England a sound member and obedient child whereof I professe my selfe to be farre from Poperie and farther distant if farther may be from all itching vpstart Schismaticall humor going the Kings High-way and fighting as others haue done before me contra Dextrarios sinistrarios I haue better learned my Religion out of Tertullian and others that the first Religion is the best and that the higher we steppe the neerer we approach vnto the truth And if this small attempt of mine graced by your Honourable Patronage shall but worke in my poore seduced Countrymen and Compatriots a true loue of Antiquitie and detestation of all Popish corruptions in defacing and dâ—sgracing of all manner of good Bookes to God onely be the glorie I haue my desire Resteth nothing but to shew my willing readinesse and ready willingnesse to be imployed by your Honourable Lordship in any seruice that commeth within the compasse and spheâ—re of my small knowledge and poore abilitie and so I rest Lond. 26. April 1625. Your Honourable Lordships in all dutie to command Tho. Iames. The points that are briefly handled in this Booke OF the sufficiencie of holy Scripture for saluation c. 1 2. Of the iustification of Man 14 3. Of good Workes 19 4. Of Priests Marriage 23 5. Of the authoritie of generall Councels 27 7. Of the Ciuill Magistrate 29 7. Of Purgatorie 57 8. Of Indulgences 61 8. Of Prayers for the Dead 67 9. Of Reliques and Pilgrimages 67 10. Of Funerals and Diriges 72 11. Of Adoration of Images 73 12. Of the Inuocation of Saints 81 13. Of the Sacrament of Penance 83 14. Of Auricular Confession 85 15. Of Satisfaction and Contrition 88 16. Of the authoritie of the Church 90 17. Of the Lords Supper 95 18. Of the certaintie of Saluation 97 19. Of Rome 98 20. Of Cardinals and Bishops 101 21. Of Popish Priests 103 22. Of Popish Monkes and Friars 109 23. Of Miracles 114 Errata Pag 3. b â—â—milio reade â—unilio p 4. c pretera r preterea ib. l. 2 collected summed vp r. collected and summed vp ib. esta perfecta r. esca perfecta p 6. c. Iud r. â—nd ib. â— confugium r. confugimus p. 7. p poâ—iendâ— r. ponenda ib. x Val r. Vat. p 8. z Luic in ex r. Lincoln in ep ib. b scita decretas r sciâ—a decretaque ib. c disputandi r disputanda ib. f curiosaâ— r. curiosae ib g Quaedam esca est praelator est perfect r quaedam esca est praeâ—atorum perfect p 8 It s common r Its commones ib i qui nouit r. quod nouit ib. k coarctatuu
the Emperours soueraigntie aswell ouer the Priests that fight Gods battels as ouer the souldiers that warred vnder his conduct Regist lib. 2. Ep. 64. And after Gregorie and Chrysostome Bernard a late Writer in his to Henrie Archbishop of Senes Ep. 41. argueth after this manner out of the words Euery soule If euery soule then yours he that would haue you conceiue otherwise of these words doth but deceiue you follow not their counsels Espenc ep ad Titum cap. 3 pag. 513. And not long after If Princes haue nothing to do with Religion and sacred businesses what makes so many Imperiall lawes and constitutions for Religion in the Code Nouels and Authentikes And to what purpose doe wee reade of so many Royall Edicts and Parliaments in the Annals of all Christian Princes for the settling and establishing of Religion As I heare when those horrible fires were lighted throughout all the kingdome of France for the burning of men and women aliue Oh that was a matter of the Church appertaining to Religion But when there was speech of reforming the Clergie conforming Monkes to their primitiue orders and sending Non-residents home to their Cures to care for their flocks that matter was not to be spoken of by the temporall Magistrate it was to be treated of in a Councell or before the Popes Holinesse for so I haue heard and doe well remember that our Bishops were wont to distinguish after this manner as if Princes were not to be zealous and carefull in point of Religion but to commit the care thereof not only to men very indiscreet but altogether ignorant and so to become meere executioners of their cruell designes as if they were not sonnes of our Mother the Church and chiefe propugnators propagators and defenders of the same Wee haue heard what Espencaeus iudgement is of Princes intermedling in Ecclesiasticall affaires heare wee now a man nothing inferiour to him for learning Andreas Masius writing vpon Iosua what saith he If it should chance that the Priests forgetting their duties doe against the Lawes of God Customes of the Church or approoued Ceremonies and Rites of Gods worship and doe performe the seruices of God either negligently and disorderly or do violate and breake them or by their lewd liues and wicked actions doe trouble and disquiet the settled state of the Common-wealth we may not say that it belongeth not to the office of a Lay Prince to put them in mind of their duties and to admonish them and if this will not serue to bridle their audacious actions by his Princely authoritie and this doctrine I take to be well warranted by the letter and examples of the Scripture If out of the mouthes of these two witnesses this doctrine be not sufficiently concluded we will indeauour to euince the same out of the Pragmaticks of France and Courts of Iustice here in England and first of France The Vestall Virgins are not free from the punishment of the Temporall Magistrate and who more sacred And as learned Budaeus saith there was a French King that made their Cardinals and Bishops quake and who so great But optima prima his gouernment was too good to last long he was soone sent packing with a figge in his mouth or a peare or some such thing as the Deuill would haue it Boniface the eighth brought an error into the Church which was greatly preiudiciall to the Pragmattick of France one Tanquerel openly in Paris tooke vpon him to defend the same but a good paire of legges were his owne best defence he ran away and one P. Gustus in his steed before fiftie Doctors of Diuinity and Sorbonists in their Schoole stood bare a prettie while and then shamefully acknowledged his errour and not onely his but Boniface the eighths and forthwith their chiefe Diuines offered themselues prompt and ready to take the Oath of Alleageance or to giue any satisfaction to the King or Courts of Iustice But why dwell wee so long in France when domesticis exemplis abundamus England is sufficiently prouided to furnish vs with examples out of Westminster or the Tower as may appeare by the diligent hand of a most knowing Lawyer who hath collected them together sending them to a reuerend friend of mine who coppied them out and imparted the Transcript vnto mee whence I gather that it was a familiar matter in old time when the State stood Popish and the Iudges stood too much affected with that which they now call the Romane Religion to sue fine and imprison Archbishops Bishops Deanes and Clergie men for beating wounding burning houses killing of men cutting of lippes and not so onely but about Prohibitions in Prouisions out of the Realme Appeales to and Buls from Rome and it would not serue a Bishops turne so carefull were the Iudges of keeping and preseruing the ancient liberties and customes and the King his Crowne and dignitie that though they reuerenced the Church according to their blind deuotion yet a Bishop comming before a Lay-Iudge pleading that hee was an anoynted Bishop Brother to the Pope and an Ecclesiasticall person that he was a Clerke neither of both could be heard but in the Tower Marshalsey Kings-Bench c. or fined and ransomed brought they Letters Prohibitions and Buls from Rome the very bringing whereof was no lesse danger then a Praemunire I know you expect proofes and not words Records and no other proofes and therefore I proceed and shew out of the Records that For Archbishops and Bishops Anno 27. R. Henrici filij Iâ—nioris there came a precept to the Iudges of the Kings-Bench to proceed against Robert Bishop of Worcester and others in a cause of Prohibition as being against the Kings Crowne and Dignitie The Bishop of Exeter lost his Temporals for not admitting the Kings Clerke to the Church of Southwell The Bishop of Ely for being accessary to the burning of Blanch Wakes house and murdering of Will Holme which was killed in a Wood by his seruants and intertained by him after the fact was done was put vpon his twelue Godfathers Walter Bishop of Exceter for appealing to the Court of Rome to the Kings great preiudice finds sureties to answer the matter before the King Anno 6. Edw. 1. Semblably Ralph Bishop of Bath and Welles was proceeded against for summoning men to Rome Anno 19. Edw 3. William Bishop of Norwich had his Temporals seazed on for excommunicating one Richard that brought the Kings Prohibition Anno 20. Edw. 3. Adam Hereford for partaking with Roger Mortimer is tainted in Parliament notwithstanding the Archbishops challenge Anno Edw 17 Rob. Archbishop of Canterburies body was to bee taken for excommunicating the Sherifes when he came to serue the Kings Warrant Anno 32. Edw. 1. And to see how small a matter would incense the King and how sharpe his punishments would be against the Clergie there was a warrant sent downe to the Sherife of Worcester to serue vpon him for hunting only in
the young man started vp and if this bee not true the Sea burnes Would you know what became of this wonder-working Iudas He was baptized not long after by the name of Quiriacus and in time anno nullo regnante nemine the time certainely cannot be assigned was made Bishop of Ierusalem and was put to death by Iulian the Emperour after most exquisite torments This Quiriacus vpon intreatie of the same Empresse was so happy as to find out the Nayles wherewith our Sauiour was crucified glistering in the ground as it were any gold How Helena disposed of them I leaue to Gregorius Turonensis and other Fablers to informe you for my part I beleeue neither part nor parcell of this Story as it is here related though I doe not denie but such Nailes might be found and perhaps stucke in Constantines Helmet and one of them was throwne into the Hadriatique Sea which hath been the quieter euer since neuer a whit yet all this will not make me beleeue that the Feast of the Inuention of the Crosse commonly called Holy-roode day tooke its originall from this Iudas Helena That which I inferre out of all this long and tedious legendarie Storie let the Papists ecclesiasticate and magnifie it neuer so much is that there is no certaintie either of the one or of the other Next touching the parts and parcels of the Virgin Maries Sepulchre I will not say that these are as certaine as her assumption or her houses transumption both which are written in the backside of my Creed but I will say confidently and peremptorily that the Councel of Trent hath long since condemned these fopperies and vanities and it will be now high time for vs to leaue them But perhaps there may bee a good constat for the Apostles Reliques Nay nay they may goe with the rest the Disciples are not aboue their Master Christ or their Mistrisse the Lady Marie Queene of Heauen and Empresse of the whole World But of these Polâ—dore Virgil said long agoe I doe not beleeue his words for Gospell you know how he is iustly censured both by Protestants and Papists that said Tam certo scio c. but I beleeue it coniecturally that there are very few that can tell vs where the very bones of the Apostles lye vnlesse they lie themselues It would make a Horse breake his bridle to runne ouer two or three lists of Reliques that I find registred in a Masse-booke from Exeter the Antiquities of Glaston and the third of the Reliques of Saint Cuthbert in Durham and did we but peruse all the Reliquiaries in the World how much more of these sleights and cousenages in ordine ad Deum would come to light How many heads hands and toes should we find that each of them had as if they had been Monsters in Nature bicipites or tricipites two-headed or three-headed and more fingered then some mightie men in the Bible But I know you will obiect that though all the World may bee deceiued in discerning the Apostles bones yet the Apostolicall Church of Rome cannot deceiue nor be deceiued I pray say not so for this were to take from God and giue vnto your Romaine Church bringing Romaine in steed of Catholike into the Creed I haue read in a good Historian that our Romans were deceiued in carrying another mans bones instead of Saint Bartholmewes bones to Rome the Author is Crantzius his Religion Popish Thus haue you been deceiued in worshipping Saint Michaels skull and these cousening Knaues that made not righteousnesse great gaine but a gaine of righteousnesse and a prey of Religion shewed you this and that for filthy lucres sake some butcher or harlotry fellowes shares instead of Beckets whom yee haue sainted long since and I know who hath dis sainted him very lately and you know and allowing besides when he was first declared to be a traytor and his bones publikely burned by the Hangman Yea you haue worshipped some mens bones that were hanged by the common Bureno and sometimes the bones of Asses and brute beastes instead of men your blind deuotion hath reached not onely to the worshipping of ashes and bones but of smockes and shirts and breeches and shoes and I know not what yea the very excrements I meane the hayres of the head which hath been so highly accounted of you that you haue made more reckoning of one little sinew or ragge of some blind Saint then of the whole body of the greatest Soueraigne in the World Yea I feare to say it but you feare not both to speake it and beleeue it most blasphemously you confide as much in the blood of some Saints as you doe in the blood of our Sauiour Time would and my promise bindeth mee to make good my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but since the Papists cannot shew me any true certaine Reliques but such as must be maintained either sola fide onely by faith which is the Protestantes Cape or by tradition onely which is the errour of the Iewes and most Papists and the very sinew that knits the scattered parts of their religion together to the Church and the Church to the Pope and that is a very Gordian knot which as strong as it is Ant de Dominis that Caiaphas or high Priest with vs for a yeare or two hath cut a sunder and giuen full sore against his will such a blow to our fantasticks and Rome-gadders or Relique-worshippers that they will hardly be in any state of health to go to this present Iubilee but if needs they will bee trudging let them well consider into what dangers they run that thus run their Countries with hazard of liues wiues losse of goods and good manners and last of all of God and true comfort in Christ and because in changing their places they change not their faces nor alter their natures but are as impudent in the one as they are obstinate and peeuish in the other I would wish them to stay at Rome when they are once there if they returne let it be at their owne perill praedictum est caue if the Praemonere take not place I am sure the Praemunire will and here I leaue them Of Funerals and Diriiges OF these Funerals and Diriges I haue little to say because Erasmus Rhenanus Wicelius and others before me of their owne side haue scored vp their abuses in cousening men with a tale of Robin Hood or of some hood or other of Dominick or Francis which is able to send them streight to Heauen so that they shall neuer need to goe by the way of Purgatorie prouided perhaps that they bee truly contrite for mis-giuing their lands from their wiues and children vpon these Gorbellies and Lasie-bones no there is no such matter prouided that they giue liberally to their Couents and Monasteries No penny no Pater noster and it were tolerable if they would stay till it were giuen
forced through it owne pouertie to sustentate and support it selfe for the time by maintaining assertions repugnant to the prouidence and charitie of God towards Man and to all light of naturall reason So that we must as my Lord of London did if they could tell the time when beleeue that doctrine which is accompanied with so many true and celebrious Miracles wrought by God alone without any secondary humane meanes whatsoeuer Master Io. Brereley hath likewise in his of S. Aug. religion spent his 18. Chapter and all his Sections vpon this matter so that now the matter is made cock-sure Against all which is brought by him and his fellow Musket whosoeuer shall oppose his owne bare vnwarranted deniall we leaue saith hee that man as much more worthy of contempt then farther reply But stay now you Master Musket haue spent all your powder or if you did shoote bullets you haue wounded or killed none but your owne men as may appeare Not to speake of the Auctour vpon the vnperfect worke vpon Mathew very ancient although not Chrysostomes whose words are so plaine for vs both in the affirmatiue that there is no note note-worthy or proofe of the true Church nisi tantummodo per Scripturas spoken more then once or twice in the same place and in the negatiue that miracles may proue a false Church and be done by Heretickes which your Inquisitors haue purged out of the Auctour That miracles stupendious miracles such as your Historians doe swarme with namely Antoninus Aido Saxo Grammaticus Sigebertus Phreculphus Nauclerus Marianus Vrspergensis Ammonus Turpinus Guaguinus and all your old Annalists aske your owne Bodin and he will tell you so much they were done and not done made or rather feined by helpe of Deuils or of the black Art by your false Prophets to draw men to superstition from the reading of Gods word Such were those that Gregory the seuenth vsed against Henry the fourth Foure Monkes that at Berke would needes counterfeite the fiue wounds of Christ your Tablets of the virgin Mary that fell from heauen or of gallant virgin Mary either at Reginoburg or Lisbon or of Oeting of your miracles of old of Transubstantiation or of late within these one hundred yeeres wherewith you haue blinded the simple people and cast a mist before there eies they are infinite in number that haue beene wrought by Xauier and his fellow cheaters and so shall those bee that Antichrist shall bring to passe in the latter end of the world to the seducing of the very elect of God if it were possible and therefore I cannot be perswaded that there are any true miracles wrought amongst you they were needefull in the infancy but not in the groweth of the Church and aske not mee but S. Austine a reason why miracles doe now cease in these times of the Gospell or rather your owne Geo Venetus to come neerer home and they will bee able well to ensorme you in this point and therefore ring your belles preach your miracles and make no small gaine of them before them simple people or poore Indians Let your men vrge them and presse them and make their station in them taking them vp of trust one from the other as Bede from S. Gregory and S. Gregory from others I am fully resolued by your owne men that miracles without faith can neuer be effectuall but true faith without miracles may bee acceptable both to God and men as I haue formerly shewed As concerning Master Brerelies fond obiection because I perceiue by the casting away of his bookes that hee is weary or ashamed of them and is now casting about how he may frame a conuenient answer though it bee but in shew to him that wrote against him I will not trouble his patience at this time but stay till hee reioyne and then I doe binde my selfe by promise to ioyne issue with him and to answer whatsoeuer hee shall obiect either about miracles or any thing else that shall concerne the substance of our religion Whilst hee vrgeth Protestants and Papists I will assure him that I will vrge none but Papists and especially those that are marked with a black Theca in their Indices expurgatorij And for a conclusion to all seeing they vrge vs so farre vpon the point of miracles I will commend these few miracles that follow to their most Christian consideration If they proue not miracles yet I beleeue they will proue miraculous and stupendious actions and such as doe note forth vnto vs the great prouidence of God in preseruing his little flocke his true Church amidst the furie and fierie assaults of his and their great enemies beyond the degree of admirations First when the deluge of superstition had wel-nigh ouer whelmed the arke of the Church when that abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel and forespoken by S. Paul began to sit in the Church and to exalt himselfe against God or all that is called God God had his Waldo in France and Wickleph here in England and Hus a little after in Behemia that did preserue the truth of religion intire and vncorrupted and themselues except Iohn Hus vntoucht and vnhurt being but a handfull of men against so many and potent Aduersaries Secondly how their followers beeing persecuted with bell booke and candle with fire and sword multiplied whilst they groaned like the Children of Israel vnder Pharaoh into thousands and stood out against the Pope and his Croisadoes and some of them to this present day in the Conualles remaine that neuer yet bowed the knees to Baal nor receiued the marke of the Beast in their fore-heads Thirdly that blinde Ziska and his poore Thaborits should conquer three hosts of the Pontificians that were thought to be iuincible and to haue beene an armie sufficient to haue encountred the great Turke and to haue beaten him out of all Natolia Fourthly that the slaughtering and murdering of men and women in their bloody vnholy Inquifition hath bene a speciall cause of the encrease of the Church and the conuersion of diuers Sauls into Pauls which of bloody Inquisitors became afterwards patient Martyrs to the astonishment of most men who wondered not a little that so many of both sexes especially of the simpler sort should lay down their liues so readily for the testimony of the Gospel it made them as I say wonder what that religion should bee Fistly their Inquisition of bookes aswell as of men the especiall Ramme found out in the Councell of Trent by the instigation of the Diuell as the chiefe meanes to establish their new and vnheard of religion partly by prohibiting of whole bookes partly by purging of some Tracts in some bookes hath proued beeing discouered vnto vs by the finger of God the chiefest instrument of Gods glory whereby so many witnesses of the truth are knowne now vnto vs to speake wholly and often and earnestly for the reformation which was made by Luther in these
to their office and functions to assist the Pope in doing good and preaching the Gospell or visiting the sick or suruaying their Diocesses Lastly 〈…〉 Pope to whom he poore Wicelius deceiued by a counterfcite Epistle of Anaclâ—tus erring the errour of the Pontifician by misinterpreting the words of our â—uiour Thou art Peter giueth a kind of Supremacie but not in that latitude that now it is taken hee summoneth to appeare before the Tribunall Seate of God if he did not his best to reforme the corruptions of the Clergy in generall not exempting his Holines as some flatterers and pick-thankes did and the foule abuses of the Court of Rome which were spread abroad throughout all the World in bookes printed to the shame of that See and iust reproofe of his Holinesse and hee did verily thinke in his conscience that if they did not the sooner begin to reforme the Sectaries by Colloquies or Councels not by fire and sword ere long be they would loose all Germanie that began then to dance after Martins Luthers Pipe and greedily to imbrace his doctrine for the very filthinesse and abominable or innominable sinnes of their Clergie 14. Lastly what shall I speake of their Holy water qua nihil immundius that was vnholy their Thurification that was to be reiected because the sent thereof was not pleasing in Gods nostrils abuse of Confession Baptisme Excommunication which were too too much abused You see our Wicelius was a true reformer of the Church a moderate Papist at the least and no dissembler of the faults of his age of the Church doubtles in time he might if he had not bin too much awed by their great ones to whom as became a peaceable man he shewed all manner of outward obedience I say he might haue prooued an other Martin Luther though moued with a cleane coÌ„trary spirit so powerful is the Spirit of God to change our purposes and alter our nature when and as it pleaseth the Diuine prouidence Concerning Ant. de Dom I know not well what to say but to cry out Digitus Dei God had a finger in disposing of his comming ouer and suffering him to fall that other might rise and to write so directly against the Church of Rome as to my seeming for the most points no man hath done better though himselfe were neuer in the right hauing a good head but a corrupt and equluocating heart from the beginning which well became him that was tutored by and brought vp vnder the Iesuites Now albeit his conuersion were most fained and his Apostacie most certaine and true whatsoeuer he proposed to himselfe the heart is a Closet wherein none may enter but God God so disposed of both for his glorie that his person should relapse from our Religion and himselfe returne with the Dog to his old vomit and his elegant and substantiall bookes though they be mute should speake and proclaime to all the World the vnauoideable truth of our Religion now publikely professed and established in the Church of England Thus doth the diuine prouidence bring light out of darknesse and make good effects spring from the roote of euill causes as better shall appeare when we come to giue you my obseruations about the bookes that are purged I will onely touch vpon the Author of the Historie of the Councell of Trent whom because Ant. de Dominis whom I cannot call Ant. de Dommo because hee serued more Masters called Pietro Soare I will also call him by that name doth so farre shew to euery one-eyed Reader that the Councell of Trent though it were called against and condemned Martin Luther and his Religion yet if the Councell had been free and their voyces decisiue without the Pope though the Italian Bishops were three to one in number and there had been no foule play in calculating the voyces still I say leauing the Clokebag behind the Councell of Trent might haue turned Lutheran and sate at Witenberge aswell as there for their propositions and reasons which as D. Stapleton saith may be fallible and deceitfull but the conclusion is that which they did and we must look after if we will suffer our selues to be hoodwinckt and as very fooles as they I am not ignorant that there be some in the world moderate Papists that haue taken as iust and as great exception as we doe or can vnto the Councell of Trent and I would not haue the Christian Reader ignorant of this that I haue intreated of this largely in another set Treatise which if it shall be thought worthy by the Church of England to whom I doe yeeld and owe all submission may haue the happinesse with some other Treatises of mine to see the light Of the bookes printed vnpurged so much by way of caueat for the printed purge Copies take gentle Reader these few notes into thy Christian consideration 1. That I propose not to my selfe any exact handling of the Controuersies questioned betweene vs and the Papists per viam Thomae as they say by way of opposition or obiections and answeres out of Scripture Councels Fathers midled aged first aged and all aged Writers before Martin Luther my weake and wearied legges at this time will not suffer me to expatiate so farre yet my studies I confesse and naturall disposition to rip vp and vnfold the controuersies and vnriuit them out of the secrets of true Antiquitie driue that way my purpose is if God will to giue you a taste onely of that fruit which may be expected out of their sundry Indices Expurgatorij if they be well and narrowly sought after and looked into I haue but seuen or eight of them some that fell into my hands by casualty at the surprizall of the Towne of Cadiz others by the prouidence of God and great care and industrie of the Founder of our great Librarie Sir Thom. Bodley the Pâ—olomey of our â—ges and wonderfull preseruer of bookes I haue by my selfe and my friends amassed and shouelled together some thirtie Quire of Paper of Catholike restitutions and restored some one or two hundred seuerall Authors and out of them I haue gathered this small Introduction or Manuduction vnto Diuinitie sorted according vnto the especiall Articles of Religion controuerted at this day betweene vs and the Papists deliuered in as plaine and familiar manner as I could possibly deuise for the capacitie of the vulgar Protestant or Papist 2. I haue not taken all that may be taken or gathered out of the Articles that the booke might not rise to too great a bulke I haue neither collected all that is contained in the seuerall Indices but a third or fourth part only nor all that is contained in my said collections but the most pertinent and proper places 3. Neither is it to be vnderstood that all that are recorded by them for Papists are indeed Papists but supposed ones as Laeuinus Lemnius Io. Spondanus c. whose testimonies are sparingly miscited by mee in following the common errour
summes for to haue had the bookes againe they feared belike that their knauery would come forth and the mystery bee vnfolded of this worke of darkenesse which since that time hath lyen no more secret in corners but is now knowne to the body of all Christendome and herehence by sight of your bookes thus scored or printed occasion is giuen to the wiser sort of Papists to thinke it must needes bee a weake and bad cause that needeth to be supported by weake and bad shifts But the last obiection of all is that the Fathers are not purged no text of the Fathers in any Index is purged or expunged say ye so what say ye to Saint Cyrill Eucherius Intextu deleatur the like may bee said of Greg. Nyssene Saint Iohn Chrysostome Agapetus and diuers others either in their owne workes or in other mens workes of great Antiquitie purged and repurged and expurged againe What your purpose is I know not I do easyly imagine that it is to no great good of our religion that you haue fiue times at the least printed seuerall Editions of the Bibliotheca Sanctorum Patrum first printed by Bigne and lately at Coleyne with additions of I know not how many volumes with Iesuiticall notes and Annotations in Greeke and Latine and so much for this ninth obseruation which I haue the rather insisted vpon so long because it containeth the marrow and pith of all the rest 10. These men that beare witnesse for vs are no meane Fellowes abiect Writers or contemptible persons but the glory of those dayes the honour of those times the great Lampes and Ornaments of their Romish Church some of them Inquisitors but grone now vnder the Inquisition themselues quis enim custodiat ipsos custodes but as I haue elsewhere and may hereafter more fully shewed there is no more certaintie in their censures then there is assurednesse in their religion which is iust none at all But briefely and orderly that you may know of what great account they were at the latter end of this booke you shall perhaps haue an Alphabeticall Table that out of their own censures shall demonstrate this point to the full Lastly you see by these Indices if flesh and blood might haue preuailed by the secret operation of the Deuill how the Pontificians would haue taken from vs and the World so many testimonies of Fathers middle aged Writers and of all sorts all at one time and as it were blowne them vp like Faâ—xes in the Vaught but that God is mightier then men the truth then lyes by this one act of theirs and that a diuelish one But God hath blowne as it were the Powder into their owne faces filling them with shame and confusion laying their nakednesse open to the eye of the World insomuch that all wel-minded men doe either hisse or laugh at it seeing our Religion reasonably well confirmed and established by their owne men What pittie had it been that so many Noble Writers and worthy Authors should haue perished from vs and them And thereby any man of the meanest capacitie may thence draw forth this conclusion that God had his Church in the middest of Poperie and speciall men that in euery age did reclaime and declaime against their foule abuses both in doctrine and life These are the knees that neuer bowed to Baal the men that truly serued God though it were in secret which if they had been free to speake their minds and their minds had been fully knowne to vs they would most willingly haue imbraced our Religion and made a greater reformation then that of Luthers and that of the Princes of Germanie which was by the secret Iudgement of God to be performed in ore gladij cruentati as was long prophecied before I close vp all with this admonition that all the materiall places by me cited and by them expunged or expurged carry this note †of the Crosse before them to shew that the Authors endured the Crosse for Christ and were persecuted for righteousnesse sake Concerning the Manuscript Copies by me cited they are after proofes and not many hauing the figure of a hand ☞ to direct you Rome was not built vpon a day I haue cited but a few and those for the most part neglected and trod vnder foote they are all of them almost innominable bookes but not feigned by me but written and vrged many yeares agoe the character and letter will best shew the time and some circumstances may hereafter better discouer vnto vs the Authors but be they who they will in many points of doctrine they are wholly ours By that time we haue gone ouer all the vnprinted Manuscript Copies in both Vniuersities the famous Librarie of Sir Robert Cotton and other priuate Libraries is there not great hope of much good to bee done for the publike benefit of the Church If I had but halfe a dozen of such as I know that are both willing and able for pittie let not the Iesuite vpbraide vs any longer with his Nemo eos conduxit for want of due incouragement and imployment in this sacred and weightie businesse Some such matter hath been motioned in Conuocation Oh let it not be said as it was once spoken of of our Conuocations and Congregations here in Oxford that they were cause of much euill because they were inutiles sine fructu I complaine not for my selfe I thanke God I haue somewhat to liue on and to pay euery man his owne but there is somewhat else to be done vnlesse I would bee an Infidell and deny the Faith of the Church of England notwithstanding all their flatteries and false promises I haue gotten those small Benefices that the late Lord Bishop of Canterbury and this present with my Lord of Bath and Wels euer to be remembred by me with all thankefulnesse freely and without sute or seeking without gift or reward without cure of soules or charge of men Let any Priest or Iesuite beyond the Sea shew mee that their Abbots and Bishops haue done the like so freely so vnasked and I will resigne these vp vnto them which I am not minded yet to doe as my Predecessor did shewing one Italian tricke for our learning And thus taking my leaue I rest yours in the Lord wishing the Aduersaries to answere this booke if they haue a mind to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by snatches and catches as some haue done but punctually and throughly auoyding personall calumniations and truly quoting their authorities in the beginning or end of their bookes HERE FOLLOWETH A PROFESSION OF THE Catholike Faith set out according to the Decree of the Councell of Trent I.N. doth with a steadfast faith beleeue and professe all and euery point contained in the Symbole of the Faith that the holy Romane Church doth vse to wit to beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of Heauen and Earth of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus