is in miserable condition which aboundeth with people but such as are running the way of ruine In the first place I rang religious and solemne Musicke because that doth not onely by the sweet modulation and harmony inchant the eare but much more by the cleare light of the words and sentences tuned to it instruct the mind and affect the will with holinesse The truth by that sweetnesse making way for it is most easily gotten and kept This appeares by the example of Arch-Hereticks and teachers of lies Paulus Samosatenus turned certaine Ecclefiasticall hymnes into obscene and enticing times The Arrians also and the Pelagians by this shooing-horne of errors destroyed the Faith and Discipline of the Church And so farre the audaciousnesse of some proceeded that they brought Soradicall * songs into the Church Nor are our Times made so infamous by the multitude and puddle of Sects by any other meanes so much as by songs that with sweet modulation insinuate heresies and sound forth the disgrace of the Truth Thus the Hymnes of Luther and Beza have slaine more soules then all their writings and declamations Why then should not an Orthodox Prince make use of that for curing which impostors have found out to be a meanes of destroying These things moved Austine of old lib. 10. Confes. cap 33. Oh how much have I wept in hearing of thine hymnes and songs being vehemently moved by the voyces of thy Church sweetly chaunting thy words did flow in at my eares and thy truth was even melted upon mine heart and from thence desires after piety burst out into a flame my teares trickled downe and then was it well with me by means of them And afterwards I flote up and downe betweene the danger of the pleasure and the experiment of the profit of Musicke And yet am I rather inclined not as one uttering an irrevocable conclusion to approve the custome of singing in the Church that the more feeble soule may rise up to affect piety by things which recreate and delight the eare Aristotle in his Bookes De Republica gives many rules about Musicke which yet some have censured as idle or at least dissentaneous to the gravity of the matter hee had in hand But certes Plato the Father of his Common-wealth and in Government a most skilfull Artist concurs with Aristotle Tully also lib. 2. de Legib. speakes to the same effect I assent saith he to Plato that nothing doth so much worke upon soft tender minds as the variety of notes in singing of whom it is hard to expresse how great force they have upon dispositions differently affected for it pluckes up the spirit of them that be ready to sinke and enseebleth them that be jovially disposed it both unlooseth and shuts up the minds of men The keeping to the ancient manner of singing was of great use to many Cities in Greece They whose manners were slipt into effeminate wantonnesse became altered answerable to the alteration of their Musicke either as one thinkes they grew depraved by this inchanting sweetnesse and corrupting Engine or rather when for other their vices their ancient gravity in their Musicke decayed there was then way made in their degenerated eares and mindes for this unhappy change to enter Wherefore that most prudent and incomparable learned States-man of Greece dreaded much this corrupting of Musicke for he denies that the lawes of Musicke can receive alteration without a change of the very lawes of the Common-wealth Germany and France have taught us as much For when they perceived mens minds to beginne to flag and to hang in suspence to whether side they should joyne themselves in stead of the ancient Musicke which was sweetly grave and a promoter of vertue a new kinde of Musicke somewhat more loose and joviall stept in and by the â—ntiseing sweetnesse of it put those embroidered heresies into the hands of uncautious minds to quaffe them off with delight It is therefore now the part of a prudent Physitian to give such a relish and pleasing tast to the truth and holinesse by sweetnesse of harmony excelling that of the other side lest those notes which are more harsh and unpleasant should light upon minds given over to dissolute delicacy and receive a refusall For this cause many learned men have after the example of David Asaph Idithon adornedmany hymnes with Musicall measures and Bishops have brought into their Churches holy songs to be sung in the mother tongue This remedy is pleasing yet not unwholesome That which followes is more severe yet neither injust nor difficult viz. that before the Bannes of Matrimony bee publiquely denounced both the contracted Spouse and his Bride be ordered and compelled to yeeld an account of their faith This course produceth not a few commodities for first they may by this occasion bee instructed and trained up in the truth By this meanes besides some care of Religion is injected into all and so while they promise to continue in the Church and ever to hold fast the antient faith they are by degrees fastened to the truth and cannot but love it Moreover Heretickes are to be hunted and taken with their owne Arts It being once mine hap to heare certaine Lutheraine Youths to vant of terrible designes upon the Calvinists whose Prince notwithstanding having thrust out Luther commanded Zuinglians to be taken into his roome I was cast into a wonder that these daring spirits had not yet driven not all other into that net And when I had demanded the reason how they came so to fall off from Lutheranisme in plaine field the Zuinglian reformation still gayning ground they returned answer that now those Youngsters did frolicke themselves in the liberty of youth not much setting by the threats of a raging Minister but there would come a time wherein they should finde themselves under yoke For when once they begin to aspire the married estate they must then give place to the Consistorian violence and together with a wife bee content to accept of a shamelesse Concubine to wit Calvinisme So hard is the condition of those that marry and are given in marriage among the Hereticks that still a new infection and spreading pestilence in hope to beget a new brood of the same kind must bee led into the marriage bed How then can an Orthodox Prince excuse himselfe to God if hee doe not plot a more effectuall meanes of saveing soules and by a publique law command that men together with the sanctity of that Sacrament and individuall nuptiall knot joyne also the truth of sincere and undefiled religion especially considering that the marriage Covenant is contracted without blemish of sinne onely among those of the Orthodox faith To this of Marriage other things may be adjoyned Let no Ceremonies but those of the Catholike Church approach the Laver of Regeneration Let none have the honour to be Godfathers unlesse they the sincerity of whose faith hath given good proofe of it selfe Let no
Looke About You. The Plot of Contzen the Moguntine Iesuite to cheate a Church of the Religion Established therein and to serve in Popery by Art without noise or tumult Plin. Sec. ad Vocon Nam stultissimum credo ad imitandum non optima quaqùe proponere Imprinted in the yeere 1641. Reader Hem. TRead softly peepe under these Curtaines and view the most lively Pictures of these Times for Innovation of Religion that ever thine eyes or the Sun himselfe beheld A subtile Iesuite like a crafty Cat lustily plaies on his Fidle Iesuited States-men like so many silly Rats and Mice full a dauncing after him as if they were mad The Iesuit laies his plot with no small cunning how to reduce a State to Romish superstition from the true Religion established therein by law and that without any noyse under pretence of bringing backe the true Relig on By the true Religion so often by our Author mentioned he meanes that Devilish fardel of Popish Idolatry which never accounts it selfe in its proper element till it swimme in blood nor ever set foote in any State once purged of it but it certainly overwhelmed if not the whole Common-wealth yet the person and progeny of the Prince that gave it any entertainement or harbour with a dreadfull ruine The use which at the present some Ecclesiasticks in some Countries improve it too is to leade in Arminianisme With this the Politicke Heads of the Popish faction are well content as holding those men the fittest Ministers and Arminianisme the best Engine to bring the Grand Plot to the wished perfection with most safety and speed How exactly these have kept their measures in dauncing after our Iesuits Fidle and how punctually they have observed his Rules and with what successe thou needest not goe farre for proofe scarce any State professing and maintaining the reformed Religion but can produce evidences enough and too many of their unwearied attempts in accomplishing the devilish designe of this Romane Machivell by whose Rules here laid downe they have most accuratly walked Viderit Vitilitas Looke about you The plot of Contzen the Moguntine Iesuite to cheate a Church of the Religion established therein and to serve in Popery by Art without noise or tumult As it is by him drawne out in his 18. and 19. Chapters of his second Booke of Politickes Translated by a Catholicke Spy CHAP. XVIII The way to bring backe the true Religion MOst of the things before spoken * touching the Conservation of Truth and Religion are profitable to reduce such as wander into the way Notwithstanding they must be diversly applyed by Politicke men Hardly is the Truth found out but much more difficult is it to perswade him that erreth It is neverthelesse the duty of a Prince even in this earnestly to bestir him that wicked opinions be taken out of the way Gods honour restored and care had of perishing soules The first meanes What Musitians observe in tuning their Instruments gently setting up the strings by little and little and what in curing diseases Physitians practise abating noxious humours by degrees and pauses the same must bee done in a Common-wealth labouring under the Malady of Errors and Superstitions I approve not lingring and bootlesse proceedings since they often beget a desisting from the designe What ever meanes can be used my counsell is that they be attempted but in a soft and sure pace for feare of a precipice Here mild commands and monitions doe very much further the worke The second this It is no difficult piece for any Prince in Europe to call backe mens minds to the ancient rites of our Predecessours if he list A matter heretofore held impossible to be effected But now men begin againe to love the old Religion Nor can they be so held on by their Ministers but that many doe every yeere returne to the Catholique unity Such force hath Grey Antiquity To turne from beardlesse Novelty What once they most greedily lusted after they now cast aside with disdaine yea they abhorre it That levity of the Vulgar to admire new things and contemne old is fatall Heresie therefore which while it was in the first carrire could by no force be stayed nor by Art restrained afterwards growing weary and faint goes on more leasurely and being in it selfe divided and bruised the violence of it abates and so at last it comes backe to the same point from whence first it departed Many Provinces of Germany have endured many Religions now they retaine none at all being more intent to the will of their Lords One cause of this is as I said but now Levity and ignorance of the Truth Another the impossibility of holding the people long ignorant of the leudnesse of Heresies and Heretickes and that they finde those men to shift their opinions almost every yeere Of their owne accord they depart asunder into divers fractions so that they cannot stand long It is as if you should set out a company of blind men to runne a race sooner would they all misse then any one get to the marke This Argument if a prudent Magistrate please to take up his people loathing so many intricate mazes into which they have beene led and having made triall of the sraudes of ungratious Apostates will readily suffer themselves to be reduced into the way With this lenity must the first proceedings be layd unlesse the Heresies be of that nature that without perill they admit no delaies Such are those of the Muncerians * Anabaptists and of them that rise up against the Magistrate For these like sharpe diseases deny place and opportunity to a slow course of Physicke and therefore must be repressed with a swift and dangerous remedy Thirdly Arch-hereticks and Teachers of Heresies are to be banisht the Common-wealth at once if it may safely be done but if not then doe it leasurely and by degrees There needes no proofe to make this course appeare needfull For turbulent and boysterous winds being sent packing that Sea whose very bottome they seemed to lay bare will of it selfe againe become calme and still and that Error which hath lost its Protector will without opposition put it selfe under ruine Never therefore can those Emperours bee praised enough who with banishment punished Arius Nestorius Nigilantius and other Heretickes But yet the Vandals deserve execration who having gotten together all the Priests and Bishops in Africa ranne upon them with their Horses or else utterly banisht them unto desert places There are many faire reasons of expelling such as being private men attempt alteration in matters of Religion albeit the people should hugge them whiles they scatter their poysons But a Prince may undertake such an enterprize lawfully and justly having meanes enough not to suffer himselfe to come under reproach for so doing Three mighty Princes of Germany to wit the Platine Elector the Landgrave of Hessen and the Marquis of Brandenburg an Elector also effected a change of the Lutheran Religion
all or but newly tainted with evill a good Law will soone cause that their riper age shall yeeld a sweet savour of goodnesse Verily I have knowne many Children Authors of their Parents conversion who also when they are growne up and changing the cloake for the gowne have undertaken either a tribe or a place of judgement approve themselves excellent servants to the Common-wealth This we finde many thousands in Germany especially in Bavaria Stiria Carinthia the Netherlands to make good before our eyes If therefore compulsory reformation should doe no good upon old standards in error yet it renders the younger sort a Catholique Fry The Ninth meanes and of all the rest most effectuall is that such as are in authority doe religiously practise and maintaine integrity of life and purity of manners I promised something of the manner of all sorts of men at the beginning Now I adde this advertisment in particular that the Reformation of Religion will prove very difficult and goe on slowly unlesse the Prelates and Doctors shall out-shine the whole Common-wealth not onely in eminent innocency but in reputation also and same of integrity For whereas superstition is so maglignant and slandering-ripe that it will detract from the vertue and esteeme of the holiest men with forged crimes traduce the most blamelesse Athanasiusses by the mouth of calumniating wretches and with purchased perjuries knights of the Post draw them before Tribunalls as if other mens fault were reason sufficient why they should not finally shake hands with their heresies who can doubt but that the wicked prankes of Priests made publique cannot be tolerated without infinite damage to Religion The filthy life of Clerkes of Clerkes I say it againe of Clerkes I meane evill ones made augmented and still doth uphold the heresies that are I have often entred disputation with Hereticks or their disciples and after that with a very little labour their Arguments have bin answered and retorted upon themselves they betake themselves to accusations of our Clergy and object such things as can neither be denied nor defended What therefore shall a Common-wealth doe in this case First let it labour earnestly that such Bishops and Prelates be chosen as are chast liberall sober couragious faithfull dispencers of Gods law and such as will doe their utmost for reformation of manners Let the Princes themselves also bring all the power they can to the work and so the cure wil not be difficult Let a Regular who is either a drunkard or a whoremonger let a scandalous Parish-Priest be opposed in his wickednesse let another capable of the same place and dignity be set up in his room he that is convicted let him be cashiered and his Bishoprick let another man take If the Prelates seeke to cloake and dissemble their vices and not reforme the sinnes of their Clergy let the Vicar of Christ grant full power and authority to Kings and Princes to reforme the Clergy it selfe as of late he hath done to a certaine renowned Prince to the great benefit of his Country But because I have spoken enough of this matter to wit the peace of Germany before and that this place requires the same things to be repeated I choose rather to transfer hither the things there spoken then in other words here to say over the same things againe In the first place I put downe the restitution of Eccleasticall Discipline where it is decaied and the keeping it still on foote where it is in vigor as the most necessary thing without which peace can neither be at all procured nor continue long if it were recovered The almost onely cause of all heresies and persecutions both ancient and moderne hath been the dissolutnesse of the Christian Clergy and people An old soare in the Church and still so much breaking out afresh that in the whole world it could never yet be anywhere found to wax so decrepit as to die away nor will ever be perfectly cured Our Lord saith St. Cyprian would that his family should be tried when he suffered persecution to breake in upon it he speakes of that which was under Decius when a peace of 38. yeers in Africa had gone before And because a long peace had corrupted that discipline which was given us of God a punishment from heaven rouzed againe that faith which had growne sluggish and I had almost said which slept the sleep of death And yet whereas we by our sinnes deserved to suffer far greater evills the most mercifull Lord so moderated all that all that was done against us seemed but a triall rather then a persecution Now every man turned his studies only to the encreasing of his possessions and men forgetting their faith their former zeale and good works which in the Apostles times so eminently shined and what constantly they should have continued to do with unsatiable covetousnes gave themselves wholy up to the enlarging of wordly pelfe In the Priests there was no devout relion in inferiours no sound faith in mens actions no mercy in their manners no discipline In men might be seene a disguised beard in women a painted beauty The eies adulterated from what Gods hand had made them the haire coloured into a lying hue To deceive the simple cunning frauds abounded and treacherous hearts to circumvent their brethren They joyning in marriage with Infidels and prostituted the members of Christ to Pagans They took liberty not only to sweare rashly but which is yet more to breake out into perjury with proud swellings of heart to contemne those that were set over them with venomed mouthes to speake evill of them and with endlesse hatreds to rend themselves in peeces one from another Many of the Bishops whom it would have well became to reclaime others by earnest exhortation and example despising the administration of holy things tooke upon them the ordering of secular affaires leaving the chaire forsakeing the people committed to their charge and roameing about in other mens Provinces they hunted after opportunities of gainefull merchandise the hungry brethren of the Church they supplied not but got as much silver into their hands as they could they pluckt from others their fields by deceitfull baites and sought by usury upon usury to augment their bankes These thinges uttered that holy Martyr touching such as had fallen euen in an age of Martyrs The causes of our calamities have been yet more grievous to wit a greater decay of discipline a mightier domineering of sinnes which at length brake out into heresie and rebellion Nor is it to be wondred at for without care to keep discipline on foote not onely not the peace of religion but even religion it selfe cannot be held fast Discipline is the guardian of hope the stay of faith the leader of the way to life the nourisher and feeder of towardly disposition the mistresse of vertue it causeth a man to abide in Christ to live unto God and brings to the possession of all celestiall promises and rewards