of the English Church as Protestants haue that they haue laboured fully the curing and conuerting of the Roman Of what can M. Crashaw crake that the Brownists may not brag of the like or better That his men haue written many learned bookes specially these later yeares that if he may giue his iudgment the skirts of the Romish whore were neuer more clearely discouered but haue not Brownists also written many bookes Doe not they plentifully alleadg Scripture And if they might speake freely their iudgment at the Crosse as this Wise man doth The Brownists bookes would they not say they haue clearely discouered the skirts of the English Babylon or Whore Will our Bachelour boast of his Churches deuotion and prayer for the conuersion of Rome But can he accuse Brownists as slack in this ponit as not wishing hartily or not praying earnestly for the conuersion of England The Church of S. Antlings in London praying euery morning at six a clock hys example scarse matchable in the world Their prayers are they not all or most of them Brownists and their friends fauourits that fill the Church pray so loud that they be heard to Rome and shame the Pope Their examples and Cardinals for their negligence in this duty Can M. Crashw except against the Brownists example of professing their owne religion in Englands sight How many of that sort liue openly and are knowne generally in the Realme particulerly in London whereas Protestants if any be in Italy or in Rome they are priuy so close that no eye can see them and so sweet that none haue list to smell them out 8. M. Crashaws fourth salue of making lawes executing in iustice and suspending in mercy Brownists yet haue not vsed towardes him and his fellowes because they haue not the sword of temporall authority in their handes which if they get and to get it they haue done and still vse their best endeauours wherein M. Crashaw cannot iustly accuse them of slacknes they will make Protestants vnderstand that they can plaister them with their owne salues both execute in iustice and suspend in mercy aswell as they making Ministers weare sheetes insteed of Surplisses and their Bishops looke through ropes as they do now through Rochets So that I see not which of M. Crashawes salues and plaisters applyed to vs Brownists haue not with their best skill vsed vnto them that were in their power to vse and therfore haue as good testimony to their conscience for their discharge as Protestants can haue nay far better and more assured the reason therof is apparent and a consideration of great moment 9. For the English Church being yet but new errours and wounds in her as she is distinct from the Roman are new and greene and therfore neyther deep nor needing any extraordinary salues The wounds of the Roman if she be wounded must needs be old (q) M. Fulke sayth Some Protestāts haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world some say 900. some 1000. some 1200. years In his Treatise against Staplet and Martial pag. 25. and therfore dangerous and hard to be cured to vndertake the healing of which with only ordinary and vsuall salues as are writing books praying for them giuing example and the like which euery religion doth vse in their kind is the attempt of ignorant and vnskilfull Surgeons or rather fond endeauours of vayne glorious fooles making boasts of their little loue In truth to men of Iudgment that do seriously consider of the matter the vanity of the new Ghospellers must needs seeme admirable who confessing the wounds of the Roman Church to be so old hauing rankled in her body a thousand yeares togeather at least and so deep that the same errours were vniuersally spread yet they come to cure vs with triuiall toyes and trifles If they write three or foure bookes very learned in their owne iudgment Great vanity of Protestāts if in one Church in the world some few of them meet at six a clocke in the morning to pray if some Ministers walke modestly demurely in the streets which very few of them and very seldome they vse they think their prayers are heard ouer the world that the Pope and Cardinalls doe wonder at them and as though all men must needes be straight conuerted that read their books or do but see their outsides they are amazed that all Christendome hath not yet forsaken the faith of their Ancestours which because they haue not done these good Surgeons must needs pronounce them incurable so full of folly and vanity they are and so fondly conceipted of their great skill and excellent salues 10. But are these toyes sufficient meanes to heale old sores Doth God vse to apply no better plaisters when he will haue men forsake the faith of their Ancestors The practice of all ages past sheweth the contrary nay Luther doth himselfe confesse other stronger extraordinary salues are required Vbicumque Deus ordinariāviam mutare vult ibi semper miracula (r) Luther tom 3. Ien. Germ. fol. 455. apud Sleidā l. 3. ann 1525. in loc commū classe 4. pag. 38. Deus nūquam aliquē misit nisi vel per hominem vocatum vel per signa declaratum facit When God intendeth to change the ordinary course of things in his Church he doth euer worke myracles And in another place he biddeth vs examine Surgeons or Preachers when they come to practice their Phisick Vnde (s) Vbi sigilla quod ab hominibus sis missus vbi miracula quae te à Deo missum esse testantur tom 5. Ien. Germ. fol. 491. venis c. Whence commest thou Who sent thee Shew thy Patents if thou be sent from men shew Myracles if thou be sent from God These are the salues which must heale old wounds without which we must not change the old and ordinary way to heauen Now who doth not know but that Luther did change the ordinary course of things and in the same change doth his Posterity continue Who sent him with authority and commission to make this change to preach this doctrine to giue this strange Phisicke If God doth neuer change the ordinary course without myracles doubtlesse he will worke some myracles for the Protestant change if the same be from him and not from the Diuell But haue Protestants done this Haue they myracles to heale vs Haue they proued by this meanes the goodnes of their doctrine and phisick without which we may not admit it What dead men haue they raysed What lame man haue they cured To what blind man haue they giuen sight If since the vnfortunate triall of their Phisicke made by Caluin vpon wretched Bruley (t) Bolsec in vita Caluini c. 13. they neuer durst proue the same by doing myracles vpon men let them shew the vertue therof by working wonders vpon a dead dog or blind cat or lame horse Let them giue life to the one
Nation of all that came from all the Sonnes of Noah be 〈◊〉 your religion All that came from Cham are of ours all that came 〈◊〉 Iaphet are of ours and all that came from Shem but only your selâ—â— c. And during the tyme that you haue had your Kings and Priests shew one Nation by you conuerted or one that came and ioyned with you all thâ—â— tyme c. VVherfore neuer tell vs of healing vs beale your selues seeâ—â— fooles for you haue need as for vs we are well we are far better thâ—â— Isräel can make vs. 4. Thus M. Crashaw who speaking so bitterly againâ—â— Players in the end of his Sermon pag. 170. turneth the Pulpit into a stage and bringeth in a Babylonian to play the Vize which part ended pag. 20. he steppeth in himself to play the Epilogue with all his Ministeriall grauity in these wordes Thus did Babeled away the good counsell the Isräelites gaue them and pleased themselues in the like carnall arguments and fleshly conceipts as Papists in their Popery The prophanesse impieâ—y of the former discourse Which Epilogue if you consider the same well hath dare say more prophanesse impiety and blasphemy conched togeather in few words then those Players whom he doth pursue euer scattered abroad in the longest Playes For wheras other Protestants vse commonly to deny with what probability I will not discusse at this tyme the Church of Rome to be that Christianity that conuerted and ouerran the world that Church which hath lineall succession of Bishops from Christ and his Apostles confirmed by the vniforme consent of ancient Fathers the same that ouâ— Christian Ancestours famous for sanctity did professe which are the true markes of the Church we alleadge thâ— Bachelour seeming to make no bones to graunt vs all faith they are but carnall arguments fleshly and Babylonian conceipts The Bachelour putteth no difference betwixt Christianity and Idolatry not sticking to compare Christianity by the conuersion of Nations vnto Christ gloriously spread ouer the world which we challenge with the Babylonian deluge of Idolatry ouerwhelming the face of the earth the neuer interrupted succession of Bishops from the most Bl. Prince of the Apostles wherin we glory with the Babylonians carnall Pedigree from cursed Cham the authority of ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Church defining Controuersies in generall Councells which we alleage with the soothsaying and diuining of Chaldean Astrologers and their learned interpretation of dreames finally the piety and religion of our most Christian Ancestours which moueth vs to imbrace or rather to continue in their faith with the cruell and bloudy tyranny of Nemrod and other idolatrous Babylonian Monarches Can there be more prophane impiety or greater blasphemy then this to cast as he doth the glorious Iewells of Christian Religion to be troden vnder and defiled by Pagans feet If he were so moued against the Players for bringing two hypocrites on the stage vnder the names of Nicolas S. Anntlings pag. 71. and Symon S. Mary Oueryes two Churches in London which he and his fellow Puritans much haunt such open hypocrisy the meane tyme haunting them as it commeth to be perceaued euen of Players if this child of Babylon as he tearmes it did so offend him that like Phinees full of zeale he passeth the sword of his censure through it exclayming Oh what tymes are we cast into that such a wickednes should passe vnpunished what cause of iust anger haue all Christians against him that in the person of Babylonian Idolaters durst represent in the Pulpit as on a stage our famous Christian Ancestors that liued before Luthers tyme Haue they not iust reason to complaine and exclaime Oh what tymes are we cast into that such a wickednes should passe vnpunished Nay such a prophane play be put in print as the patterne of a modest Sermon 5. No lesse blasphemously in this discourse doth this Pulpit Stage player abuse the ancient Fathers making this Babylonian dispute against Isräelites in the same maÌ„ner which he calls carnall as they did against old heretikes and we against these of our age The very first sentence wherewith he beginneth Can you silly Isräelites teach Babylon a better religion then it hath Is not hers of so many yeares and so many yeares continuance VVas it not the religion our forefathers liued and dyed in This sentence I say is taken almost word by word out of S. Hierome who by this argument carnall in Crassus his conceit casteth of the bringers in of new doctrine against the Church of Rome (a) Quisquis assertor es nouoruÌ„ dogmatum quaeso te vt parcas Romanis auribê° c. Our post 400. aÌ„nos docere nos niteris quod ante nesciuimê° c epist ad PaÌ„machium Oceanum VVhosoeuer thou be saith he that doest bring new doctrine we beseech thee pardon our Romish eares and the faith praysed by the Apostles mouth After foure hundred yeares wilt thou teach vs that which we knew not before Vntill this day the world hath bene Christian without this your doctrine c. S. Hilary discourseth also against hereticks in the same Babylonian manner (b) Tardè mihi hos pijssimos Doctores aetas nunc huius saeculi protulit serò hos habuit fides mea quà m tu eruduisti Magistros l. 6. de Trinit ante medium Lord saith he speaking with Christ this last age hath brought forth ouer late these godly men to be my teachers they came not soone inough to be maisters of my faith which thou hadst before instructed I did belieue in thee when they had not yet preached That great Father of Gods Church surnamed the Diuine famous for sanctity and learning Gregory Nazianzen doth likwise rely his conscience vpon the religion his ancestours liued and dyed in (c) Si triginta his annis fides originem habuit cùm quadringenti anni ferè ab eo tempore fluxerint quo Christus palà m conspectus est inane tanto tempore fuit Euangelium c. Epist 2. ad Cheliâ—on If within thirty yeares saith he true faith began four hundred yeares being almost expired since Christ first appeared in vayne hath the Ghospell beene so long time preached in vayne hath the world belieued in vayne haue Martyrs shed their bloud in vayne haue so many and so great Prelates gouerned Churches Had not this Babylonian thinke you read these sayings of the Fathers at least cited in some Catholicke booke who could apply to his Idolatry their arguments for Christianity almost in their wordes only changing Rome into Babylon 6. The wordes also which follow in the same speach Is not our Religion generall and vniuersall ouer the world and yours only in a corner And is not ours visible doe shew that this Babylonian by some chaunce or other hath had a smack at S. Augustine who shaketh of hereticks with the same maÌ„ner of argument (d) Sivestra est Ecclesia Catholica osteÌ„dite illam per
The second slaunder is that Nauar doth say that Magistrates which doe appoint and set vp houses for these women wherein they may exercise their whorish trade seeme not to sinne Doth Nauar say this No truly but no more then you haue heard that Magistrates may permit the erecting appointing and renting out of such houses but that they may erect or appoint or set out houses themselues Nauar doth not say nay he saith the contrary in expresse (*) Quamuis possit potestas publica permitteremeretri ces adiutores earum tameÌ„ non potest efficere quod illae hi non peccent negari non potest eum qui locat domum meretrici ad meretricaÌ„duÌ„ iuuare ipsam ad illud tearmes in that place Though saith he Magistrates may permit harlots and their counsellers fautours abetters and such as goe to them yet cannot authority make that such as help and fauour them doe not sinne neyther can it be denyed but such as build or set out houses vnto them that therein they exercise their trade doe help and abetter them in their sinne Thus writeth Nauar. Doth the Bachelour blush at his slaunder or hath he the forehead of one of these women which will not blush 4. The second point of Nauars doctrine is that (f) RespoÌ„dimê° secuÌ„dò quòd non licet permittere lupanaria eo modo quo alicubi constituuÌ„tur coÌ„stituendo eis patronos locando domus cariùs quà m locarentur honestis c. Magistrats may not permit as in some places is accustomed stewes appointing them patrons or renting out houses vnto them at an higher rate then vnto honest persons in regard of their more gayn full trade receyuing part of their filthy lucre because saith he this practise implyeth participation of gayne rising out of sinne and as Caietan saith learnedly no permission of sinne is lawfull which is conioyned with participation of lucre giuen before the permission thereof These are Nauars wordes which make me wonder at the strange bouldnes of this Bachelour who in the latyn quotation of Nauar in his margent bringeth these customes of appoynting patrons and framing houses at a dearer price then vnto honest women as part of Nauars doctrine which he taught to please the Popes tooth leauing out and skipping ouer the wordes of Nauar in which he doth reiect and condemne the said custome Can any dealing be more vnconscionable and shameles then this to insult vpon this learned Doctor and whole Spanish Nation for his sake as teaching that doctrine which in that very place had the Minister put downe his wordes he doth openly detest earnestly impugne And yet doth this Doctor proceed further to detest the stewes to shew what a tooth and tongue this Minister hath to slaunder belye Authors that sinne is secretly winked at euen such as are known who they are goe as gay and gallant as any other without any note to be discerned from the rest (l) Constitue meretrices matronarum loco labe ac dedecore omnia dehonestaueris Aug. l. 2. de ord c. 6. Finally such women in Spayne and Italy in the holy tyme of Lent are forced to frequent Sermons and if any be conuerted houses are erected where they may remayne the rest of their life to doe pennance and such as continue obstinate against such exhortations the whole tyme of Lent in some Cittyes are made on good friday to goe bare footed and bare legged in Procession in a scornefull attyre with a red crosse on their backes which pennance were women in London that professe that trade sure to be put vnto once a yeare they would perchance be more restrained thereby then by being a day or two in Bridewell which now and then and very seldome some of them endure for a shew Wherefore whether a better course to keepe this raging sinne within some moderate compasse seeing it cannot be altogeather restrayned be held in Rome or in England a question I say may be moued the decision whereof I am content to referre vnto those that are more skilfull in matters of gouerment and policy then my selfe 8. This I am sure that most Protestants will not thinke probable what the Bachelour saith of the Romans that would the Pope forbid stewes in Rome as he doth Protestant Churches we should soone see as few or fewer whores in Rome then there be good Protestants This prayse of the Romans I say not only Protestants but euen of Catholicks the most affected vnto Rome will scarse thinke likely to be true and I doe much feare that were such a law made there would be then more priuy Queanes in Rome then now are priuy Protestants as M. Crashaw tearmeth his sweet brethren though also I doe not deny but many common Courtezans may be secret Protestants and the publicke stewes their priuy Churches which by the instinct of their religion they haue more deuotion to haunt then Churches holy places reliques tombes of blessed Saynts and Martyrs whereof Rome is full And the falshood of M. Crashawes coniecture about Rome may be proued by the experience of London where stewes are not tolerated yet I thinke he dare not say and sure I am he cannot say with any shew of truth that there are fewer whores in London then Protestants in Rome I know that a Minister of M. Crashawes (m) M. Richard Ieffrey in his sermon at the Crosse the 7. of Octob. 1604. coat in a Sermon at the Crosse made not long before he came to that honour said openly and set it out in print that by the experieÌ„ce in some trauels he had found that more wantonnes was practised generally in England particulerly in the Citty of London then done in Italy it selfe which seeing it cannot be imputed vnto toleration of stewes nor vnto the clymate which doth lesse inclyne to carnall sinne then the Roman may iustly be thought to proceed from the roote and route of the new Ghospell 9. But now to returne to Nauar you see his tooth against stewes who doth absolutely mislike the least permission of them yet perchance he did allow imposts yearely reuenews gathered from them and therefore was for the Popes tooth to which the Bachelour saith all gayne is sweet and all rent welcome though it come from whores Let vs see what he teacheth in this point which is the fifth point of his doctrine (n) Peccatum mortale est quaerere lucrum ex meretricio Hinc infertur saith he esse peccatum mortale c. Hence is inferred that it is a mortall sinne to seeke gayne or tribute from whoring or the vncleane game and trade of such women which lucre or rent Nicephorus (o) l. 16. Histor c. 20. Vectigal impurum detestable absurdum Deoque inuisum terris quibusque barbaris indigum execrandum piaculum doth worthily call an impure impost detestable absurd hatefull before God vnworthy of any sauage and barbarous people and a most execrable cryme This doth Nauar
text (s) Gen. 11. v. 9. euery one into his owne Countrey as the buylders of Babel their toÌ„gues being deuided were dispersed vpon the face of the earth some one way some another into different Sects for number more then the CouÌ„treys of Europe more opposite then the foure corners of the world where euery Babylonian may curse the Pope in his owne language euery Heretike damne him in their owne Sect euery cocke crow at him on his owne dunghill euery Minister rayle at him in his owne pulpit euery good fellow drink to his damnation in the tauerne neere vnto the Church if not rather within it but meet togeather all in one general CouÌ„cell make an end of their disorders agree vpon the same salue or forme of faith in all points this they will neuer do so long as the foure coastes of the world shal be opposit one to the other nor euer so long as (t) Protestants Frigida pugnabunt (u) with Puritans calidis (x) Anabaptists humentia (y) with AriaÌ„s siccis (z) Soft Lutherans Mollia cum (a) with Rigid duris (b) SacrameÌ„taries which deny the Real presence sine pondere (c) with Realists that put it habentia pondus Hoat thinges with cold moisture with drought shall fight Soft thinges with hard and heauy thinges with light Let S. Augustine (d) Aug. de vtilit credend c. 14. Vos auteÌ„ tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quà m nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis August ibid. conclude this Chapter and what he sayd to the boasting Manichees let vs say to M. Crashaw and craking Ministers Redite in latebras vestras returne into your holes in which you lurked like dorme-mice so many ages before Luther Seeke not to impayre the credit of that Church that mayntained the name credit of Christianity before you were knowne The Church of him who bringing a soueraigne medicine to heale the most corrupted manners by miracles wonne authority by authority gayned credit by credit gathered a multitude by multitudes got antiquity by antiquity strenghtned the religion which neither the fond vanity of heretikes by their fraudulent deuises nor the ancient errour of the Heathens by violent fury shall euer be able to ouerthrow but You for number so few for age such vpstarts and for spirit so turbulent and deuided one against the other euery man may see that you carry neyther credit nor authority with you THE SECOND CHAPTER LAYING OPEN The vayne and ridiculous braggs of the Bachelour of foure salues very charitably applied by the Protestant Church to heale the woundes of the Roman THE Bachelour hauing layd no better foundation of his Sermon then you haue heard hauing brought no reasons at all to proue himself and his fellowes to be mysticall Israel and such reason to proue the Church of Rome to be Babylon as he might with more credit haue beene sileÌ„t The Bachelours 4. salues or plaisters yet doth he goe forward in his fancy and beginneth to build the first square of his Babel which is in the prayse of his Churches charity and of the excellent balmes and salues by her applyed to the woundes of Rome to wit these foure pag. 45. Instructions Prayers Examples Lawes by which he saith the heauens haue seene and the world will witnes with them they haue sought to heale Babylon nay such excelleÌ„t salues these are haue beene applyed by them with such admirable dexterity and skill that in his conceipt seing we are not cured he must needs pronounce vs incurable This he preacheth very stoutly and proueth so doughtily that I dare say the iudicious Reader will be moued to laugh at if not rather to pitty the misery beggery of his Church whose Preachers for want of better subiect of her praise are forced to fly to triuiall stuffe which euery hereticall Sect in the world doth brag of and may with as good reason as any this her Procter doth or can alledge in her behalf as will appeare by this short examination of them 2. The first meanes then to heale our woundes which he braggeth of is his Churches Instruction of vs pag. 4â— informing them saith he in the truth and discouering their errours both by holy Scripture and the ancient Fathers of the best and purest tymes Iewell A ValiaÌ„t Vaunt Fuâ—ke Whitaker Reynolds Perkins and many others who now sleep in Christ haue lest behind them such testimonyes of this truth as shall liue while the world lasteth and neuer can be confuted as appeares in that they haue not dared to answere most of their bookes to this day Thus he craketh giuing vs for our salue a plaister of big brags without any proofe For that some of their bookes haue not beene answered to this day the iudicious Reader will easely perceaue the cause to be that by authority they haue wronge the presse out of our handes not permitting vs so much as a corner where such weapons may be cast and keep so carefully the portes that no booke can passe except it be almost inuisible which though they know the world seeth Great vanity of English Ministers yet these ioylly Champions for want of greater proofes of their prowesse blush not to brag of euen in pulpit But might it please his Excellent Maiesty to permit this booke-warre about Religion indifferently on both sides so nothing be written that otherwise may offend the State that we might beare weapons as openly as they you should soone see the learned of our side make M. Crashaw and such Crakers that dare them now they haue nothing in their hands pull their hornes into their shells In other Countryes we doe not heare Protestants brag so much of their vnanswerable bookes in which kind of battayle they haue beene so beaten that now they seeme rather to trust as they thinke vnto stronger weapons 3. But indeed M. Crashaw haue we beene such dastards in England as you seeme to make vs Haue we bene so beaten with your bookes that one may iustly thinke we dare not meet you with such weapons in the field Nay such hath bene the strength of our inuincible cause that not withstanding the great aduantage you haue had to write at your wil yet very few of your books that might seem to need answer but haue returned vnto you with a full answere and many in the height of their pride haue receyued such blowes that their pen beaten out of their hand they were glad to run to take a (a) Iewels vain challeng who hauing dared catholikes to answere him the answere was no sooner come out but he got the same to be forbidden by Proclamation Proclamation for their defence vnto which shamfull shift M. Iewell whom you make leader of your learned army is knowne to haue bene dryuen by Doctour Harding And with far greater reason might we brag of our Hardings Sanders Allens Bristowes
Reynolds Parsons others who haue left behind them many excellent Monuments of our inuincible cause some of which remayne vnanswered euen vnto this day So that things duely considered this book-victory you so much brag of may seeme very doubtfull on your side euen in the iudgment of any indifferent Protestant though Authority hauing bound our hands haue giuen you free leaue a long time to beat vs with your bookes at your pleasure and afterwards sing your owne triumphes as you doe now in pulpit prophesying though you seeme neyther Prophet nor sonne of a Prophet that your writers works shall lyue whiles the world lasteth which I must confesse seemeth scarse credible vnto me hauing read in Storyes that many greater lakes of water to which S. Augustine (b) Non nos terreaÌ„t isti torreÌ„tes multae haereses iam emortuae suÌ„t cucurreruÌ„t in riuis suis decurrerunt siccati sunt riui nec eorum iam memoria reperitur In Psal 56. pag. 44. compareth heretikes falling from proud hills haue for a tyme ouerrun weake and ignorant people in more violent manner yet haue dryed away within few yeares the corne of Catholike doctrine growing where that inundation had raigned 4. But you must expect from this Bachelour no better proofes of what he saith then big words and if the former be not big inough he openeth his mouth yet wyder into the prayse of his later wryters If I may giue saith he my iudgment who can hold a man of his iudgment from speaking of these dayes the skirts of the Romish VVhore were neuer better discouered her grossest absurdities soulest impieties neuer so clearly displayed as they haue bene by Deuines of this present age Thus he This also you see is but a foolish florish in a foule phrase that might better become her mouth whose skirts he doth long to discouer then a Preacher at the Crosse For what Heretike or Sectary in the world might he giue his iudgment as this wiseman doth would not vaunt of the writings of his Church and prefer their bookes before all other as wonderfull salues to cure wounds But if his Doctours be such great Surgeons and so full of charity as he pretends first I aske why none of them durst appeare in the Councell of Trent to conferre with our Surgeons to which they were so inuited that not only charity but euen shame might haue moued them therunto Secondly why do none of these learned troupes so full of charity go to Rome to instruct the Pope Cardinalls other Prelates Doctours of our Church which were an enterprize worthy of their excellent charity learning specially seeing diuers Catholike Priests come to venture their liues and liberty in England to heale their wounds soules prouoking them to dispute euen in their owne Vniuersities Thirdly if his Deuines be so great Champions as he maketh them why durst they neuer yield to a publike Disputation with vs for fourty yeares aboue in the dayes of the late Queene Wheras Catholikes did not feare to graunt theÌ„ diuers such publike disputations (c) Fox giueth testimony hereof in his Acts MonumeÌ„ts one in Paules Church for six dayes p. 905 at Oxford 931. Againe at Oxford pag. 1411. within the fiue yeares of Queene Maryes Raigne 5. Finally I demaund their Surgeons and salues being so excellent what is the cause the body of their Church is and euer hath beene full of woundes or rather rent and torne in many peeces whereas the Catholicke Church which they accuse as mortally wounded is vnited in peace and vnity of doctrine hauing soueraigne salues of instruction to heale any wound of discord or errour that may grow in her body whereof Syr Edwyn Sandes knowne to be zealous against vs writeth in this sort relating what he fouÌ„d experimentally in his trauayles (d) His relation c. fol S. 2. on the B. side The papist saith he hath the Pope as a common Father aduiser and conducter to reconcile their iarres to decide their dissentions to draw their religion by consent of Councells into vnity whereas on the contrary side Protestants are seuered or rather scattered troupes ech drawing aduerse way without any meanes to pacify their quarrells Mark this speach M. Crashaw no Patriarch one or moe to haue a common Superintendency or care of their Churches for correspondency or vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell the only hope remayning euer to asswage their contentions Thus this Protestant writeth of the remedilesse woundes and dissentions of their Church and of the peace and vnity of ours and that which is chiefest of the balme or salue or meanes to keepe and conserue the same amongst vs which Protestants want and euer will want and the woundes of their discord like to rot and rancle more and more for want thereof Which consideration should make euery Christian detest the salue and balme of Bookes which M. Crashaw doth present to cure vs the scope drift of which writings is that forsaking the authority of Gods Church and generall Councells for many ages we reforme and refine our selues by Scripture vnderstood as we thinke best or as such writers shall make vs conceaue which is the very sourge of discord and endles debate Wherefore with more reason might we proclayme our salues which euen our enemyes are forced to admire and say with the Prophet (e) Hier. 3. v. 22. Is there not balme in Galaad Is there not a Phisitian there VVhy then is not the wound of my people recouered What more soueraigne balme to heale discord and dissention then the doctrine taught and decreed by Generall Councells What Phisitian more excellent or more to be desired of Christians then a common Father aduiser and directer to decide their differences to compound their iarres to keepe them being dispersed ouer the world in the vnity of the same faith How great the wounds of the ProtestaÌ„ts discords are Why then do so many Protestant Countryes remayne vnhealed Why doe they still rancle in dissention and discord betwixt themselues Why do they not repayre vnto Galaad where they may be healed where they confesse such a Phisitian and soueraigne salues to be found and out of which they haue no hope to find them in any other 6. M. Crashaw will perchance say that these woundes are not deadly they are not in the head or hart nor such as may endanger life though they doe somewhat blemish her beauty as one saith he may haue a hart sound and strong and yet haue 〈◊〉 blemish in the face or want of a finger But if we looke into the practises and writings which in their Churches an immortall and implacable hatred betwixt them for matter of religion hath brought forth you shall find that in their practises they do not only blemish faces but also seeke to â—tab ech other into the hart and in their writings not only with sharp penknifes of short Treatises cut
off toes or fingers but also with big bookes beat out ech others braynes â—lamning themselues as Heretikes vnto hell mutually not cursing as we may charitably expound but prophesiyng â—ather what wil be their seuerall ends and I feare though in other thinges they be false yet in this they will proue but too true Prophets Which war betwixt them doth appeare both by the Catalogue of their bookes which they haue written one against another set downe by (f) Histo Sacram. part 2 Hospinian a Protestant and (g) Iodocus Coccius in his Thesaurê° c. Tom. 2. Prot. Apo. in the end others as also by the yearely Marts of Franckford in which store of such bookes wherewith they wound ech other mortally neuer want disagreeing in points most essentiall and not in sleight matters only as about Scriptures whether the Epistles of Iames of Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Apocalyps be authenticall or no which not some few but whole Churches and the chiefest (h) Luther Illyricus Chem nitiê° and others See Chem. enchirid p. 63. exam CoÌ„c Trid. part 1 p. 55. pillers of Protestancy deny about Christs Incarnation about the blessed Trinity and such like (i) See Edkandus his enchiridion of Contro betwene Protestant Churches points in which errours and heresies must needes passe to the hart of any Religion 7. As for their practises read the second part of Hospinians SacrameÌ„tary Story which I haue of late perused with great admiration to see how their Churches doe wound teare ech other in peeces for religion who to poore people that know not these things dare auouch their iarres to be tryfles There you may behould how they banish ech other by publike (k) Hospin p. 2. Sacr. Histor fol. 127. p. 2. fol. 227. fol. 389. Proclamation prohibiting the sale reading of ech others (l) 383. books cast ech other into (m) Hospin 393. prison not permitting common hospitality to those of the aduerse part passing by their (n) Hospin fol. 399. CoÌ„rad Schlusselb in his Catal. Haeret. l. 13. pag. 828. Townes rise in armes fight one against another for (o) Hospin fol. 395. OsiaÌ„d epit centur 16. p. 735. Religion finally mangling the very dead (p) Hospin fol 395. corses of the contrary faction not graunting (q) Hosp ibid. sepulture as vnto Christians in their Churches Now M. Crashaw are these woundes in the heele and not in the hart in the finger and not in the head Are these sister-Churches that do thus not onely byte and scratch which might be pardoned vnto their weake sexe and would perchance hurt but face finger but also cruelly cut ech other in pieces for Religion damning ech other to hell in words and sending themselues thither mutually with their swords Are not these deadly wounds euen those wounds wherof all heresies in former times haue euer bled vnto the death If you know not this point of spirituall surgery your Father Luther can teach you it who saith that (*) Neque nâ—vlli vmquam haeretici vi aut astu victi suÌ„t sed mutua dissentioÌ„e c. Tom. 3. VVitteÌ„berg in ps 106 in fine Heretikes neuer at any tyme haue bene ouercome by force or subtilty but by mutuall dissention neyther doth Christ fight with them otherwise then with a spirit of gyddines and disagreement Thus Luther Now M. Crashaw either heale this deadly desperate wouÌ„d in your Church if you be able or else if you be wise neuer brag of your Surgeons and salues hereafter 8. But let vs see whether there be any vertue in the second salue or meanes to hâ—ale vs which M. Crashaw and his Church as he saith hath layd to our woundes This is their deuout Prayers for our conuersion whereof the Minister braggeth in very good earnest pag. 43 45. though most ridiculously as you shall see saying that they haue the testimony of a good conscience that they pray for vs dayly yea continually publikely and priuately euery where ouer the world all of their Church that vse to pray for themselues Which last parenthesis warily put in by him I feare will depriue vs of a great deale of good prayers that exception reaching far and wyde in their Church not only to the swearers swaggerers and swas-bucklers therof but also vnto their purest Preachers and good men of God For to omit others of Iacobus Andreas a man of great credit in their Church as much honoured and famous in Germany as euer was Caluin or Beza in Geneua Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of (r) Hospin p. 2. Histor SacraÌ„ fol 198. Tubinga of whose zeale against the Pope they giue this testimony that (s) Osiâ—nd in Epitom Histor ceÌ„t 16. p. 1044. concionibus suis grauiter in Antichristum RomanuÌ„ est inuectus multas Ecclesias piè reformauit In his sermons he did bitterly inueigh against the Roman Antichrist and piously reforme many Churches Of this great Preacher of the Ghospell reformer of Churches a (t) Nicolas Seluecer Protestant that liued very much with him doth affirme that he could neuer see nor heare nor by any probable coniecture gather quòd vel cubitum iturus â—el de lecto surrecturus autorationem Dominicam recitauerit aut vllam Dei mentionem secerit (u) Hospinian p. 2. Histor Sacram. fol. 389. that going to bed or rising from thence he did euer so much as say the Lords prayer or had any remembrance at all of God What may we thinke of the reformed Churches whose Reformer was so deuout How piously did he teach them to pray for the Pope that was so slack and slouthfull to pray for himselfe And yet did he preach against the Roman Antichrist as zealously as M. Crashaw spake of godlynes no lesse hypocritically reformed Churches more successiuely then euer he is like to do which example may giue vs iust cause to doubt whether such earnest declaymers against the Pope and busy searchers into wounds euer pray for themselues or no. So that this continuall praying for vs by Protestants euery where ouer the world seemeth a very incredible paradoxe and I do thinke most Protestants that should practise the same were it true doe somwhat wonder to see it in print 9. The Bachelour goeth forward to set out the pompe of his praying Church with more magnificent words This our diligence saith he so shamed them Catholikes for their negligence in the same pag. 41. that foure yeares agoe they published at Rome a forme of Letany and publike prayer for the peruerting of the Realmes of England and Scotland to Popery Thus he But if you aske me what valiant exployts I euer heard the Protestant Church to haue performed by praying that may iustly make the Church of Rome so much ashamed or vpon what shew or colour of truth the Bachelour speaketh such strange thinges in so confident manner I plainly confesse I
which makes me more then suspect the prayer came originally from Rome especially seeing he addeth that it was appoynted of old Old M. Crashaw Look well to it that it be not some prayer taken out of an old Missall some skirt of the Romish VVhore which you haue sworne to discouer Will you see that I hit the nayle on the head or rather the Minister on the noddle who so much brags of a prayer Missal RoÌ„ in officio feriae sextae hebdomadae Sanctae or rather a little particle of a prayer taken from that very Church which he reuileth as wanting the charity shewed in it Looke into our Missalls both in the old and new you shall find three prayers besides many others appoynted for good Friday one for Pagans another for Iewes a third for Heretikes which Babylonian Booke such godly Isräelites as M. Crashaw comming to reforme their deuotion to a flesh dynner on Good friday making theÌ„ thinke the Roman morning-prayers ouer long put Pagans Iewes Turkes and Heretikes into one prayer not so long as the shortest of our three in which the Church imitating the charity of her dearest Spouse that day on the Crosse prayeth for her greatest enemies A smal particle of which deuotion found by M. Crashaw in his English Liturgy did so rauish the man in the loue of his Church that lifted vp to the third heauen he bestoweth as you haue heard blessing and blessing and blessing vpon her with an Amen in the end O M. Crashaw that you had grace to consider how blessed indeed you might be did you receaue all the robes and ornaments of the Roman Churches piety and deuotion seeing one only little skirt or particle therof left by great chance in your reformed Church makes you so proud that you spread it abroad like her peacocks tayle full of blessings not looking down to her deformed feet fugitiue from that very Church from whose larger example of louing her enemies praying for them this poore peece of your piety is cut off to adorne if not rather patch with a short shew of deuotion your Communion-Booke 14. Now about the Catholike Church praying for the conuersion of Heretikes though she seeke to make her charity in this point more knowne to God then the world to heauen then earth vnto Saints and Angells then mortall men yet there want not arguments therof which euen our enemies may see if they please to open their eyes For in Iubilyes and plenary Indulgences which are vniuersally graÌ„ted to all and very frequent with vs as themselues complaine is not euer one condition required of Catholikes to gaine them that they pray for the conuersion of Heretikes pag. 109. 112. The like is of the graines the Pope graunteh two copyes of which grauÌ„ts the Bachelour hath inserted into his Sermon vnmindfull of what here he bableth where praying for Heretikes is expressely required by the Pope to gayne the pardon of his graynes vsing that doctrine to their good which they most maligne not sucking siluer out of mens purses by granting pardons as the Bachelour lyeth but seeking to saue such wretched soules as his is that rayle on him if the prayers of all Christendome may preuayle to that effect And as for our priuate deuotions for the conuersion of hereticks especially our deare Countrey our prayers sacrifices disciplynes hayre clothes and others pennances with secret sighes and teares in the eares of God hauing more cause then these counterfait Isräelites to weepe vpon the bankes of Babylon for the desolation of Syon that is of a most florishing Church that was once in our Country now turned into a Congregation of carnall Ministers of these I say and such like thinges we will not boast as the Bachelour doth of his Churches poore deuotion the Father that seeth in secret will doubtles reward them and heare in the end the prayers of the poore the sighes of the humble the groanes of the fettered restoring againe at the tyme his infinite Wisdome hath appointed the buildings which these deformers of Christendome rather then reformers haue cast downe in few yeares but would neuer be able to repayre againe in many ages 15. The third manner of salues or meanes to heale vs that these Surgeons doe brag of in their Church are their good examples pag. 43. professing to vse his owne wordes and practising their owne religion dayly in our sight where first we are not sure of M. Crashaw whether he for his part professe his owne religion and not rather the Kings religion in our sight liking best of another religion in his hart For he is thought of some that know him well to preferre the Lemon-lake before Lambeth which he was wont with his Puritan brethren to to terme Limbo-lake when that voice Crashaw Crashaw gâ—â— to Geneua did ring strongly in his eares And that the same affection doth still reigne in his hart howsoeuer he seeketh to dissemble it in this Sermon desirous as he saith to iustify the state much more then to honour truth doth sufficiently appeare both by his bitter inuectiues against them that persecute the good men of God bannish and force them to fly the countrey and also by his earnest coniuring his brethren the Brownists notwithstanding persecution not to depart from England but still continue The Bachelours exhortatioÌ„ vnto Brownists and labour to heale by their preaching and draw more and more from Protestancy to their sect If saith he they be healed already why doe they not more seriously labour the healing of others They cannot but know there be many in our Church curable inough if they could shew theÌ„ to need their healing VVhy then doe they not stay among vs to heale and help vs He is no good phisitian that flyes and forsakes his Patient In this manner M. Crashaw coniureth them not to forsake their Patient the Church of England which may be well termed M. Crashawes Patient seeing she could indure him so long time togeather crying in pulpit till he was hoarse plaistering or rather pestering her eares with such intolerable fooleryes as haue beene discouered and as is this to intreat sectaryes condemned by her to continue still in the country and labour more seriously to draw men from her vnto their sect 16. Now as for the good examples and practises of his Ghospell done in our sight we know (c) Luther Peter Martyr Bucer their profession hath drawne many professed Nunnes out of their Cloysters to marry a thing punishable with death by the most ancient Christian (d) Vide Zozomen Histor l. 6. c. 3. Cod. i. 1. de Episc Cler. Si quis non dicaÌ„ rapere sed attentare tantùm iungendi causa matrimonij sacratissimas Virgines ausus suerit capitali poena feriatur lawes but of any that by their persuasion haue left the world forsaken the house of their parents professed themselues Virgins to Christ lyuing chast in body and mynd as was the practise of
Apostolicall tymes we can not name so much as one VVe are sure also that many Churches Monasteryes and holy places haue beene ouerthrowne and layd wast by their practise whereas not any Monastery hath beene by them built few places if any made sacred vnto Christ and a rare bird is that Church or Hospitall or Colledge in Christendome that may call a ProtestaÌ„t her founder As for Cathedrall Churches the first ProtestaÌ„t that shall appeare in the world may be thought wil be the most stately and sumptuous that euer was seeing the foundations thereof haue bene aboue these fourescore yeares a laying in half which tyme that famous (*) Six fourty yeares Ioan. 2. v. 20. Temple of Salomon was built 17. And will M. Crashaw be content that we enter into any of their Churches to see them practise their owne religion in our sight euen where their Ghospell is most purely preached euen whither Andreas Musculus a pryme Protestant doth inuite vs (e) Si quis videre volet ingeÌ„teÌ„ turbaÌ„ nebulonum hominum turbulentorum fallaciuÌ„ impostorum foeneratorum ciuitateÌ„ aliquaÌ„ adeat in qua EuangeliuÌ„ purè praedicatur cateruatim tales ibi reperiet c. Conc. 1. AdueÌ„tus If any man saith he be desirous to see a great rabble of knaues of persons turbulent deceiptfull coosoners vsurers let him goe to any citty where the Ghospell is purely preached and he shall find them there by multitudes For it is as manifest as day light that there were neuer among the Ethnicks Turkes and Infidels more vnbridled vnruly persons with whom all vertue and honesty is quite extinct thâ—â— are among the Professours of the Ghospell Thus he Now haue we not seene a goodly spectacle of godly Professors of their own religion in our sight Are not we past cure that are not healed with such good examples Is it not an holy religion which by such examples is made known to the world That the whole world saith (f) Con. 4. ad cap. 21. Lucae Vt totus muÌ„dê° agnoscat eos noÌ„ esse Papistas nec bonis operibê° quicquam fidere illorum operum nullum penitus exercent c. Iacobus Andreas a great man among them may know that they are not Papists nor place any confidence in good workes they doe not any good workes at all Insteed of fasting they spend the day and night in feasting and quaffing In lieu of being bountifull towards the poore they deuoure and flea them with extortions they turne their praying into swearing and blaspheming of Gods name that euen Turkes doe not more impiously blaspheme Christ Is not this holy professing their owne religion in our sight And is not that an holy religion that is knowne and discerned from Popery by such markes 18. You will say we wander far from home Looke into the Church of England you shall there see many professe their owne religion in your sight Well though I could willingly be absent from such a spectacle yet seeing M. Crashaw doth importune vs therunto with sorrow of hart we will cast our eyes vpon his Church in which we may clearly behould how far our deare Countrey hath degenerated from her ancient piety and Religion For who would not weep to behould England in that wofull forme damnable state as M. Richard Ieffery hauing gathered her true Pourtraicture in his trauells to that end made a publike spectacle of her in his sermon at the Crosse some 3. yeares before M. Crashaw came to that honour (g) M. Richard Ieffrey in his Sermon preached at the Crosse the 7. of October anno 1604. p. 31. I may freely speak saith he what I haue plainly seene in the course of some trauailes and obseruation of some courses that in Flanders was neuer more drunkennes in Italy neuer more wantonnes in Iury more hypocrisy in Turke more impiety in Tartary more iniquity then is practised generally in England particulerly in London All this is to be seene c. And were not these thinges worth the â—eeing M. Crashaw were we disposed to iest at your folly â—hat brag of your profession of religion and not rather to weep at the wofull spectacle of our now deformed Countrey that once for her religion and sanctity was so renowâ—ed For doth not this Preacher come neere the place where you so purely preach the Ghospell And that by these good deeds and holy life you professe your owne now English religion in our sight these being the effects of the rifenes of your ghospelling there If you doubt Doctour King now your Bishop of London will put the matter out of question who vpon Ionas writeth in this sort (h) King vpoÌ„ Ionas pag. 442. Lecture 32. So far is it off saith he that we are become by the Protestant reformation true Isräelites with Nathanael or but almost Christians with Agrippa that we are proued fully Atheists And that which Tully reporteth amongst his wonders in nature that in one Countrey drougth causeth dirt and rayne stirreth vp dust may be truly applyed vnto vs that aboundance of grace hath brought â—orth in vs aboundance of sinne and as some tooke occasion by the law to waxe more sinfull so iniquity had neuer bene so ryfe amoÌ„gst vs but through the rifenes of the Ghospell Thus he Is not this a very gracious Ghospell that doth bring forth aboundance of sinne And do you wonder that we hinder as far as we haue forces that the same may not be rife in Catholike Countreys Are you offended that we will not lay these plaisters of your Ghospells examples to our wounds Truly you haue no cause 19. And heere we might make an end of the ProtestaÌ„ts good examples to heale vs but M. Crashaw will needs also apply to our wouÌ„ds the salue of Q. Elizabeths good example professing her owne Religion in our fight VVorthy saith he of eternall memory whose constant zeale to the truth was such About Q. Elizabeth her constant professing her religion in our sight as that all her dayes they could not by their brags and treasons and curses cause her once to feare them Thus doth the Minister fiddle in the praise of this Princesse touching that string loudest which of all other least soundeth of her honour For as I will not deny but that she had many Princely qualityes both of mind and body that made her worthy to haue bene Defendresse of a better Ghospell so likewise he could not possibly haue named any ChristiaÌ„ Queen of our Countrey to whom the note of mutability in matters of Religion might more iustly adhere (i) See the Answere to Syr Edward Cooks Reports c. 15. pag. 363. For to omit other proofes who doth not know that whilest her sister ruled she did not professe herselfe a Protestant but confesse her selfe to a Priest and heard Masse in shew deuoutly coÌ„monly two a f day more then perchance she heard all her lifetime after which doth argue eyther little zeale in so long dissembling
or small constancy in so soone changing 20. But seeing this Queene is now gathered vnto her Father I cannot say Fathers seeing not one of her noble Ancestors besides him were of her faith nor he but in part I will say no more only to her I dare oppose two Catholike Queenes of the same age much more worthy of eternall memory for their constant zeale to the truth two Maryes who chose indeed the best part the one of England the other of Scotland The first was constantly zealous to her religion not only in the dayes of her raigne when Puritans neither by their brags nor treasons nor bloudy bookes froÌ„ Geneua especially those of that Minister whose deeds made him vnworthy of his (k) Goodman name could cause her once to feare theâ— but before also in the dayes of her brother when Protestant ruled and ouerswayed all ventured her Princely life many tymes by the constant practise and profession of her Religion in their sight 21. The second no lesse zealous then the former stood most constantly in the truth euen vnto the death washing her Princely robes in the bloud of the lambe where Protestant Bishops and Ministers fearing to be sent againe as in the dayes of the former Mary into Iury to sing songs of Sion and not be permitted to chaunt Geneua Psalmes on English land had this Catholike Princesse come to the Crowne inciting the Queene in Court the people in pulpit with bloudy slaunders against her made a lamentable proofe what a (l) The executioners name Bull against an annoynted Princesse they can indite when they feare though but a farre off that in tyme they may come to touch their free-hold such a Bull as all their clamours can â—euer proue to haue euer come from Rome Of the bloudines â—f which fact and constancy worthy of eternall memory â—f the Princesse that the Reader may more detest the one â—nd admire the other I will here set downe a few verses of â—hat subiect taken out of an excellent Poeme to requite by â—he way the liberality of M. Crashaw who bestoweth some â—able verses vpon the Lateran Sea Ecce Caledonij commissa piacula Regni Infandumque nefas en Regia colla securis Et (m) Q. Dowager of France and Q. of Scotland geminum diadema ferit quo nulla vetustas Funere maius habet seris nec proseret annis Posteritas magnique necem mirabitur instar Prodigij Regina tuam sed gloria maior Quo tibiculpa minor tantoque celebrius orbe Nomen erit quanto fidei constantia maior Dum iugulum petit intrepidum scelarata securis Quae tibi mens tum lictor erat cum verbere crudo Colla secas quae nec (n) Nolite tangere Christos meos Psal 104.15 manibus contingere fas est Si Marium post Teutonicos morsipsa triumphos Pauit attonito percussor constitit ore Tu Mariam vita priuas nec torpuit ictus Maiestate sacri capitis ferrúmue repressit Dextra nec Augustos acies defecit in artus Heu quantus Regina iacet ter maxima truncus Quae (o) Mother to our dread Soueraigne matres regumque nurus supereminet omnes And this may suffice to lay open to the eye of euery man the â—ntolerable vanity of this bragger of his Churches examples and professing religion in our sight 22. The fourth salue of wholsome lawes Now remayneth that I adde a word or two of the â—ourth sort of meanes or salues that M. Crashaw saith their Church hath applyed to our soares by which were we not â—ncurable we might be healed to wit wholesome lawes which saith he we haue deuised and enacted against their errours superstitions impietyes seditious courses sometymes in iustice executing â—hem sometymes in great mercy suspending them pag. 44. I cannot deny but â—hese haue beene strong salues which flesh and bloud could neuer so long tyme haue endured persisting constantly in the faith without speciall assistance from heauen salues that haue drawne not only goods and lands but also much noble bloud from diuers Catholikes who heires more vnto the vertue of their Ancestors then vnto their liuings haue chosen rather to part with the best bloud from their Noble Progenitors they receiued then from their faith and religion and the hope of eternall saluation and blissefull enioying their desired company euerlastingly in glory Some oâ— them I confesse may perchaunce haue byn executed in iustice that is permitted to hang till they were iust half dead SuspensioÌ„ in mercy no more nor lesse as the law requireth yet other haue bene executed short of iustice cut downe and buâ—cherly vnbowelled being full aliue though I willingly graunt that many also haue bene suspended with great mercy as a fellow cryed out at Oxford at the execution of a Priest Let him hang till he be dead for the Queene is mercifullâ— But how may these lawes be thought salues to heale ouâ— woundes First M. Crashaw graunteth that they were deâ—â—sed and enacted by themselues an euident signe that they Religion also for which these lawes are made was deuised and enacted by themselues otherwise Christian Princes Bishop in former ages would haue made lawes for it had they byâ— of it So that the very salue doth strongly sauour and theiâ— lawes clearly sound the nouelty of the religion that theâ— would force vs to imbrace as Ancient 23. Moreouer that the penall lawes in the late Queen tyme were executed vpon vs any wayes for conscience sake the grauest and greatest of their side doe constantly deny though the euidence of the truth wrung a confession of thâ— contrary from (q) In his Iesuites Ghospell he saith Priestes Iesuites in England dye for the Primary of the Roman Bishop som excepted that died for treasoÌ„ pag. 79. M. Crashaw which may seeme a wondeâ— in so great a Statist who did publish his Sermon to iustifie thâ— State much more then honour truth How can their penall laweâ— heale the wounds of our conscience vnto which they doâ— not apply them as plaisters not punishing vs they say for conscience sake Can the Maister iustly wonder if the Scholler amend not his fault when he will not tell him why he is beaten Catholiks are charged with fines cast into prisons put vnto shamefull deathes for their errours superstitions impieties as M. Crashaw saith yet they must not say nor so much as thinke that Religion is the cause This manner of â—uring vs or proceeding against vs may iustly strengthen â—nd confirme vs in our Religion seeing the maiesty therof â—o be such that euen those that do mortally hate it would â—ot be thought persecutors of it The very instinct of nature â—et downe in the law of Nations doth teach that it is cruelty â—o force any from the faith and beliefe of their ancestors wherin they haue continued time out of mind euen Iewes and Turkes cannot be drawne to be Christians by rigour of â—enall (r) C. Maiores
S. Augustine THE FOVRTH CHAPTER DISCOVERING The Bachelours proud hereticall contempt of Generall Councells and how notoriously he doth falsify diuers Canons taken out of the Councells of Constance and of Trent THE Bachelour hauing commended his owne salues and condemned vs as incurable for not being healed by them now seeketh to discredit the meanes to cure wounds to suppresse errours to reforme abuses vsed by the Catholicke Church specially that which Christ did (a) Matt. 18. v. 17. He that heareth not the Church let him be to thee as an heatheÌ„ appoint the Apostles (b) Act. 15. and the Church since in all ages to practise to wit the definition of Councells You heard before of (c) See the 4. To me of Councels pag. 40. 38. Councells partly Nationall partly Generall some very ancient which the Bachelour blew away with one puffe saying they did establish the Kingdome of Antichrist without bringing any proofe such strong breath these men haue to blow the supposed Antichrist out of his throne that is the Church of Christ and true Christianity out of the world For how can Christian Religion stand if such blowers be permitted If the voyce of so many Councells to which Christ did promise the holy Ghost and his (d) Matth. 18. v. 20 c. 28. v. vlt. assistance may be condemned as the voice of the Diuell by a light-headed Bachelor that could thinke the voice of a boy out of a Chimney or some corner of his chamber crying Crashaw Crashaw goe to Geneua was the voyce of an Angelâ— 2. But the Minister not to stick in the number of 38. which number doth signify weaknesse infirmity as S. (e) Tract 17 in Ioan. NumeruÌ„ quendam languoris Augustine noteth to make the perfect number of fourty falleth to contemne and cauill at two other generall Councells that of Constance and the last of Trent accusing theâ— that they were so far of from healing old woundes as theâ— did contrarywise establish diuers impious errours neuer bâ—fore decreed in the world where he commeth forth with triuiall cauills about Communion in one kind breaking oathes made to Heretikes the Canon of Scripture and theâ— authenticall translation To which cauills Catholikes haue answered many hundred times though they will take nâ— notice therof shewing themselues therin true Bachelours of Babel that will not be healed though our Bachelour hath deuised some new trickes of falshood as you shall see And because heere he beginneth to cyte produce our Authors I desire the Reader to call to mind his promise sâ— strongly made in his Preface to deale faithfully and cyte the tâ—â—â— wordes of our Authors and alleage them according to their true meaning hauing himselfe perused aforehand the whole scope of the place The Bachelours promise of fidelity in quotation of Authors which how he hath performed you shall now begin to perceiue how true my accusation against him is that scarse one Authour doth he alleadge whom he doth not also one way oâ— other very notoriously corrupt to giue their words a harsh sound and wrest them from their plaine meaning which must needs be a signe of great want of conscience 3. Concerning CoÌ„munion in one kind he doth repeat the same accusation againe in his tweluth wound where I haue shewed that he doth notably falsefy the wordes of the Councell to fasten a blasphemy on the Canon and corrupt the story and text of the holy Ghost to make it seeme they defined against Christ To which place I remit the Reader not to weary him with a needlesse repetion of the same things and will come to his second cauill against this Councell In which he doth charge the Fathers therof to haue defined as good Deuinity that oathes and couenants made to heretikes are of no force and bynd not the makers and to haue decreed pag. 48. that though the Emperour or King giue a safe conduct to one accused of heresie to come to a Councell or disputatiâ—n c. and though he bind and confirme that safe conduct with any â—and whatsoeuer and though he would not haue come but vpon the assurance of the safe conduct yet hoc non obstante this notwithstanding â—e may be taken and proceeded against and burned as an heretike without my preiudice to the Catholike faith Thus he makes that Councell â—efine but with such false translating the words of the Caâ—on and concealing particles therof which are of most moment that you will wonder if you thinke the man hath any conscience where the same was He saith the Councell defineth that the Oath may be broken by the maker and â—he Heretike burned without preiudice of the Catholike faith But no such definition is in the Councell but only this (f) Concil Constant sessione 19. Ex eo â—aluo conductu nullum fidei Catholicae vel iurisdictioni Ecclesiasticae praeâ—udicium generari vel impedimentum praestari posse vel debere c. that â—s that such a safe conduct neither can nor ought to put any hinderance let or impediment to the Catholike faith â—r Church or to Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the CouÌ„cell â—ut they may that notwithstanding proceed c. Where you see the Councell doth not say that Oaths may be brokeÌ„ by the makers without preiudice of Catholike faith as this Minister maketh the Canon roare The true definition of the Councell but only that Oathes and promises made by inferiours do not restraine the power of â—uperiours nor the safe conduct of the Emperour oblige a generall Councell nor the Couenants of temporall Princes â—ynd the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of them that are independant of them 4. This is one corruption notorious as you see turning the sense and sound of the Canon quite another way The second is his concealing the iudge or person that may proceed against such heretickes leauing the Reader to thinke that euen the makers of such oathes temporall Princes hauing intrapped heretickes by such oathes may breake the same and proceed against them But the wordes are hâ—c non obstante liceat Iudici competenti Ecclesiastico c. Notwithstanding this safe conduct it is lawfull for an Ecclesiasticall and competent Iudge to wit one authorized by the Councell to proceed against heretickes that scorning the Councells safe coÌ„duct shall come vpon the warrant of a temporall Prince The third is the concealing the last wordes of the Canon wherein the Councell doth define or rather suppose as a thing most certayne that temporall Princes that giue their word vnto heretickes are bound to keepe it aâ— farre as they are able decreeing in these wordes Sic (g) Concil vbi supra pâ—mittentem cùm fecerit quod in ipso ex hoc iam in aliquo non remâ—sisse obligatum That the makers of such oathes hauing donâ— what in them lyeth to keepe the same Princes others that make oathes vnto heretikes are bound to keep theÌ„ doe not remayne further obliged Who doth not
10. lib. 2. de CoÌ„cil c. 12. l. 1. de sacr matr c. 5. Authors Definitions and Decrees of Popes and this is one new trick of falshood Secondly he chargeth vpon the Canon-law that doctrine which euen in that place the new reformed booke of Gratian denyeth in expresse termes putting a maine difference betwixt diuine Canonicall Scriptures Popes Decretall Epistles declaring that the saying of S. Augustine cyted out of a corrupt copy of that Fathers workes (p) Bellar. l. 2. de Concil c. 12. by Gratian that might seem to magnify the Canonicall Epistles of Popes was not referred to the Decretalls but to the Canonicall holy (r) Quae quideÌ„ sententia B. Augustini noÌ„ ad decretales Romanorum PontificuÌ„ sed ad Canonicas sacras Scripturas refereÌ„da est Decr. dist 19. c. 6. In canonicis Scripture Which note the Bachelour doth acknowledge and no meruaile saith he though they confesse it For the name of Decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a fayre yeare after his dayes where his ignorance of Histories might be shewed by many Decretal (s) See their Epistles tom 1. Concil Epistles of Popes as of Anacletus Alexand. Victor Anicetus Marcellus others that liued many a fayre yeare before S. Augustine The Decretall Epistles of S. Leo Pope Protestants themselues do not doubt of who liued in S Augustines tyme and was made Pope not long after his (t) S. Augustine died 430. S. Leo chosen Pope 440. death Likewise the Decretall Epistles of Innocentius the first are no lesse certaine and vndoubtedly his who liued in S. Augustines tyme and dyed some yeares before (u) Innocentius anno 417. him as all that haue any acquaintance with antiquity do know So that this cauill is eyther foule ignorance or a faire lye But that which is most to our purpose the Bachelour cannot deny but that a distinction betwixt the authority of diuine Scriptures and Popes Decretalls is expressely taught euen in this place whence he would inforce the contrary doctrine which is not ignorance only but impudency also 2. Thirdly he doth peruert the playn and cleare meaning of Gratian in that place which I will shew out of that very distinction the more largely to stop the mouth of this Minister and his Mates who still come forth with this trish-trash triuiall slaunder For I demaund of him seeing his Conscience speaketh that he hath perused the whole scope of this place whether he doth not know that Canonicall Scriptures or writinges doe not there signify holy and diuine Scriptures but Codicem Canonum the Booke of Canons or Decrees of Generall Councells to which and not vnto diuine Scriptures Gratian intendeth to proue in that distinction that the Popes Decretalls are equall as appeareth both in the beginning ending body thereof The beginning is De (x) See the beginning of the 19. distinctioÌ„ 1. part Decreti Epistolis Decretalibus quaeritur an vim authoritatis obtineant cùm incorpore Canonum non inueniantur The question is whether the Decretall Epistles be of authority seeing they are not found in the body or booke of Canons This is the question which Gratian handleth in that distinction and maketh answere in the wordes cited by the Bachelour that the Decretall Epistles are reckoned among Canonicall writings concluding in the end with these words (y) Titulus cap. 6. Decretales itaque Epistolae Canonibus Conciliorum pari iure exequantur The Decretall Epistles haue right to be equalled to the Canons of Councells (z) in fine distinctioÌ„is 19. It is then playn that a distinction is made by Gratian betwixt Canonicall writings and holy Canonicall Scriptures and that the Popes Decretalls are said to be of equall authority with the first not with the second Which is yet more playnly set downe in the body of the distinction in the words of Nicolaus Pope about this matter bringing many arguments that the Decretall Epistles of Popes that are not in the Booke of the Canons of Councells are to be reckoned Canonicall and of authority to bynd If (a) cap. Si Romanorum saith he the Decretall Epistles of ancient Roman Bishops were not to be admitted because they are not inserted into the Codex Canonum the Code of the Canons then neither the constitutions of holy Gregory nor of any other Pope are to be receiued because they are not written in the booke of Canons Itaque nihil refert saith he vtrum fint omnia necne Decretalia Sedis Apostolicae coÌ„stituta inter Canones Conciliorum immista cùm omnia in vno corpore compaginari non possint That is It imports not though all the Decretall Epistles of the Apostolicall Sea be not ioyned with the Councells seeing that all could not be compacted into one corps or booke Thus writeth the Pope cited by Gratian. By which it is euident and by the whole scope of that distinction that Canonicall writings signify in that place the Code of Canons and not holy and diuine Scripture What shall we think then of the coÌ„science of this Bachelour which speaketh that he hath diligently perused the whole scope of this place and yet so notoriously falsifyeth the meaning thereof The fifth slaunder That the Popes Decretals are of more authority then diuine Scriptures â— THE second Babel about holy Scriptures and his fifth wound is that we not only equall but also prefer the Popes Decretalls before the holy Scripture for this ambitious Bachelour will needs proceed to higher degrees of slaunder not ceasing to clymbe till out of hatred to the Pope he become graduate in Atheisme a plaine Atheist as you shall heare in his next wound This Babel â—he seeketh to rayse vpon the words of S. Boniface our Countreyman famous for sanctity and learning who conuerted a great part of the Germayne Nation vnto the Christian fayth (b) See Baron tom 9. ann 722. 723. 724. seq and was therfore called the Apostle of Germany where he endured a glorious martyrdome for that cause (c) Vide Baron an 755. This blessed Saint and Martyr sayth That (d) Decret d. 40. in appendice ad cap. 6. all men do so much reuerence and respect the Primacy of the Apostolicall Roman Sea that they seeke some part of the disciplyne of holy Canons (e) NoÌ„nullam SaÌ„ctorum Canonum disciplinam which the Bachlour traÌ„slateth much of the discipline of holy Canons putting in to the text much of his owne and of the ancient Institutions of Christian Religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops thereof then eyther from holy Scriptures or the Traditions of Ancestors and that therefore if the Bishop of Rome be zealous of Gods glory carefull in his office irreprehensible in his life he is able by his doctrine and example to draw great multitudes of all sorts of professions vnto to Christ to the great increase of his reward But if on the contrary side he be carelesse of
his own saluation and negligent in the Pastor ship of others he may be cause of the damnation of very many drawing them by his example ill life into hell cùm primo mancipio Gehenna multi plagis vapulaturus where for the bad performance of his office he shall be punished with many stripes and scourged for euer with the chiefe slaue or Diuell of hell This is the doctrine of that decree and of that blessed Bishop What can any Protestant reprehend or mislike herein Is not the Pope plainly and dreadfully warned of his duty and danger euen in his own Canon law How doth his Canon law exalt him aboue God which telleth him of his Lord and God and that hâ—â— so far from being God that if he looke not to himselfe and his office he may become equall to the Diuell and fall into the depth of hell Doth not this sufficiently declare how impudent and without shame Ministers are that charge vs and the Canon law of equalizing the Pope to God and setting him in Gods Throne 4. But loe saith the Bachelour what doctrine is here The discipline nay rather the religion it selfe of Christianity is sought for rather at the mouth of the Pope then at God mouth in holy Scriptures Thus he wrangleth at words but can any man be so simple as not to see the vanity of this cauillâ— For it is cleare that in the former wordes of S. Boniface is registred a matter of fact not of doctrine a History not a Decree a Relation not a Definition there is taught not whâ—â— reuerence and respect men ought to beare to the Bishop of Rome but what in their present disposition and preparation of mind men did beare and how that might be vsed to their eternall good giuing them exhortations and monitions and examples of good life If a Protestant of England should write that the people do more feare the King theâ— God that they be readyer to obey his lawes then what they are taught to be the law of God that therfore if the King make good and pious lawes tending to their eternall saluation giuing them likewise a commendable example of a Christian life he may draw great multitudes vnto God be cause of saluation vnto many to the great increase of his glory and reward might one thence infer that Protestants of England teach that men ought to feare the King aboue God and say behould the doctrine of the Church of England the King is feared aboue God his law obeyed more then the law of Christ Were it not great babery not to distinguish an historicall narration of a matter of fact from a doctrinall definition of a point of faith Nay this doctrine that Christian religion doth rather depend of the Pope then of God which our Bachelour doth charge vpon S. Boniface was so far from his mind that he doth teach the contrary expressely in the very Canon before cyted that Christianity doth depend on the Pope post Deum after God secundo (f) In eadem appendice ad ca. 6. dist 40. post Deum loco in the second place after God Thus you see you find no soâ—ide substantiall obiection in all the Bachelours wouÌ„ds but the higher he climbeth want of iudgment and conscience doth more and more shew it selfe as shall yet more clearely be demonstrated in the sixt wound The sixt wound In discouery wherof the Bachelour giues aduantage vnto Atheisme â— THIS Babell-builder not content to haue made the Popes Decretalls with the wings of his owne inuentions fly aboue Scripture by a new deuise he breatheth such â—pirit and vigour into them as you shall see them pitched a â—oft by an Atheisticall slaunder many millions of miles aboue God In which conceipt and impious cauill he taketh such pleasure and delight that he saith the blasphemy shall â—ut and this Babell vp though thereby God himselfe be throwne out of his Throne This Atheisme saith he and â—â—mpiety is such as if it had but crept into some secret Pamphlet I â—ould neuer haue brought it into light but being registred in the Glosse of â—heir law a booke of so great authority and so common in the handes of all the learned I cannot but discharge my duty to the truth though it his loue vantage to the Atheist and Libertine Thus he professeth his loue to God and to the Pope resoluing to make them fall both togeather if he cannot ouerthrow one without the other By which you may see the progresse in perfectioÌ„ their Ghospell hath made whose Peosy in the beginning was rather (g) The rebells of Holland at their first rising against their Prince set vp a banner with the Turkish armes this poesy Plutost Tures que Papaâ—x Turkes then Papists but now they mount higher by the winges of M. Crashawes charity ready to be rather Atheists then Papists Then they were ready rather theÌ„ receyue the Pope to deny (h) The Pope is a more daÌ„gerous enemy of Christ then the Turke Horne in his booke of the Q. Supremacy against Felton Christ now they will help away with God also rather then haue the Pope to be his Vicar And hath not this Minister thinke you a very tender conscience who out of duty to the truth cannot hold his peace though such wordes vampe from his mouth as may giue aduantage against the most soueraigne of all truths the very sunne of all verityes that there is a God But seeing as he saith he cannot be silent let vs with horrour heare hiâ— discharge his duty to the Diuell wresting and wringing the wordes of a Glosse to a blasphemous sense which may comfort Atheists as he doth confesse 6. These are the wordes on which this Babel is built to wit a Glosse vpon a chapter of the Decretalls contayning a verse taken out the â—6 of Salomons Prouerbs Obserue saith the Glosse that these words are not the wordes of the Pope but of Salomon but because that text of Salomon is here canonized by the Pope therefore it is of credit and implyeth necessity of being belieued or it bindeth as strongly as if it had beene pronounced or vttered by the Pope because we make all those things as good as our owne vpon which we bestow or impart our authority Hauing cited these wordes this hypocrite falleth to his prayers crauing mercy of God a haue nothing to doe with this vnchristian blasphemy and wicked worke of darkenesse Lutherans did vse to say they would rather fight for the Turk vnchristened then for a Turke Christened meaning the Christian Emperour Erasm in Epist ad frat inferioris Germ. yet few lynes after he saith he cannot let it alone but must needs medle with it euen though he giue Atheists thereby occasion to deny that high and holy God whom he will seeme to craue mercy of But did he indeed belieue that there is a God who heareth prayers and seeth harts he durst neuer haue presented vnto him his hart fuller of
Hebdomada laruis indutos discurrere crapula atque libidine in ipsa sacra Parascene ludibūdos diffluere in omni genere obscoenitatis atque lasciuiae Crecanouius de corruptis moribus c. And yet as though they were great louers of chastity and mourners for our misery the Minister doth conclude Seeing man saith he cannot separate whom the Diuell hath ioyned let vs leaue the stewes in Rome and the Pope in his stewes and mourning for their misery let vs proceed 17. But M. Bachelour if you proceed in this sort you will soone proceed Doctour and put the Diuell in danger to loose his Chayre And though you haue played the Purseuant in Rome seeking into the synkes of the citty to fynd some things against vs and euen into priuyes to find some priuy Protestants and members of your Church yet will I not follow your example to play the Constable in London and search into your dunghills at Pickthach and neere vnto Bedlam and in Shorditch which are places but too well knowne and you know much more probable it is that I might find many Ministers your self among others in one of these haūts then you the Pope in any stewes in Rome But I will spare you at this tyme and only wish you to reflect on that which the world knoweth and some of your side doe much wonder at to wit that when any of our Priests can be kept no longer from stewes they runne incontinently vnto your Churches And tell me I pray you if you know or informe your self (n) Atkinsō Rouse Smith others if you know not whether the first Protestant Church these Conuertites visit and doe their deuotion in be not euer commonly a knowne Conuenticle of your women professors Whether such Penitents be not first admitted vnto the profession of your religion in the lap of that louing Congregatiō where they make the first generall confession of their infirmityes with litle shame and much sorrow to haue bene so long chast where they are absolued from their vow of chastity and in pennance are bound to wallow in the sharp thornes of carnall lust in which the swynish beginner of your Church by mariage with Bore the Nunne doth say that S. Bennet being tempted might better haue rubbed his skyn then in materiall (o) Benedictus fise in sētes vrticas cōiugalis vitae coniecisset plus profecisset cutemque Suā longè meliùs perfricuisset in Alcorano p. 318. Vide Sedul prae scrip aduhaeres 20. n. 6. thornes where finally stript naked of all goodnes they begin to put on the sole-faith-suite of your Ghospell And this manner of receyuing Apostaticall Proselites into the body of your Church being so known yet your Puritanicall sanctity can set a face on the matter as though you longed our conuersion from stewes to your chast conuenticles mourning for our misery vpon the bankes of Babylon who feast and banquet and sing Geneua psalmes for ioy vpon the bankes of the Thames in the sunne-shyne of your new light with your louing sisters by your side where we must leaue you and would willingly leaue to speake further of these vncleant matters but being once in the stewes you will not out till your Sermon be ended His fifteenth wound or slaunder That a man may keepe a wife or a whore as he pleaseth by our practise 18. IN this fifteenth wound which followeth as an Appēdix to that of the Stews he chargeth the Church of Rome with allowing Concubines neuer allowed saith he in the old Testament and absolutely condēned in the new He citeth to this purpose the words of the Canon law He that hath not a wife but for a wife a Concubine let him not for that he repelled from the Communion yet so that he be content with one woman eyther a wife or Cōcubine (q) Is qui non habet vxorē sed pro vxore Concubinam à cōmunione non repellatur Decret d. 34. c. 4. But the Canon law that none might be deceaued but such as would wilfully shut their eyes not to see the truth among whome this Bachelour is one both before after this Canon doth declare in what sense the word Concubine is taken in it By Concubine in the following Canon is vnderstood the woman that is marryed without legall instruments but yet is taken with coniugall affection which maketh her wife though in law she be called Concubine (r) Cōcubina hic intelligitur quae cessantibus legalibus instrumentis vnita est coniugali affectu asciscitur hanc coniugem facit affectus concubinam verò lex nominat which acception of the word Concubine is conformable to the Ciuill law and also to holy Scripture which calleth Agar Gen. 25. and Cecura both wiues and Concubynes of Abraham wiues because they were taken by coniugall affection with obligation to lyue together Concubines because they were not solemnly marryed so that their children had no title to their fathers goods by which you see that it is a manifest lye that we make such Concubines lawfull which were not allowed in the old Testamēt The sense then of this Canon is that the man that will not solemnly and publickly marry may be admitted to the Sacraments so that he marry priuately but such as keep women and will neither solemnly nor yet secretly marry are to be altogeather repelled from the holy communion How impudent is the Bachelour that doth exclayme pag. 143. Is not this a holy table of the Romish Sacrament from which he shall not be forbidden that openly keepes a whore in roome of a wife And to shew that he sinneth not out of ignorance but out of set malice against his owne knowledge I know saith he they haue coyned a distinction wherby they would couer this wound and say that a Concubine heere is to be taken for a woman whom a man hath and keepeth with the affection of a Husband only in outward fashion and solemnity she is not a wife nor publickly marryed Thus he 19. Doe you know this M. Bachelour Doe not you then speake against your owne knowledge that we forbid not the Sacrament vnto such as openly keep a whore in roome of a wife The word Cōcubine very ordinarily in all sorts of Authors doth signifie a wife not solemnly marryed Be all women not publickly marryed whores or rather haue not you the forehead of one of these shameles women that dare openly confesse and glory in your shame but what say you against this distinction You call it a distinction of our coyning but that shewes you to be a Bachlour of small reading this distinction being so common in Authors both Ciuilian and Canonists holy Fathers and diuine Scriptures as may be seene in Iustinian Nouella 18. cap. 5. August de bono coniug cap. 5. Gen. 25. You say the best is naught though you should graunt all that we say but you know not what to mislike Perchance you are offended that we
coguÌ„tur etiam mali bona dicere ep 166. ad Donatist in fine Augustine taught long agoe To the end saith he that none might presume to separate themselues from the vnity of the Church vnder pretence to fly the coÌ„pany of the wicked our heauenly Maister doth make his people secure euen of their bad Pastours least to shun them they should forsake the chaire of sauing doctrine in which euen the wicked are forced to speake the truth For the thinges they speake are not their owne but of God who in the Chayre of vnity hath placed the doctrine of verity Thus S. Augustine shewing that the doctrine of truth cannot be heard out of the Sea of Peter which keepeth the whole Church of God in vnity and peace which we are secure cannot erre that euen the wicked Popes and places haue not power to define any errours 6. Now touching the accusation it selfe I will briefly but cleerly shew fiue thinges against Ministers concerning this point which if they consider well may suffice to stop their rayling mouthes against the life of Catholikes to wit that therin they shew themselues vngratefull vayne impudent malicious and wilfully blind First they are vngratefull vnto the bad life of Catholikes on which Luther built his pleasing and sensuall Ghospell of sole-faith which he could neuer haue done but vpon the corrupted life of Christians among whom had the ancient loue of good works pennance florished he had neuer laid three stones one vpon the other in his building This is not my conceipt nor my hard opinion of his doctrine but that great Architect of Churches doth himselfe confesse the same in expresse termes If saith he the face of the ancient Papacy did now stand (k) In cap. 4. ad Galat. fol. 399. 400. tom 5. edit VVittemberg ann 1562. Si staret illa facies veteris Papatus parùm fortè nostra doctrina de fide contra eum efficeremus presertim cùm iam parùm efficiamus perchance we should not preuaile much against it by our doctrine of faith And more clearly in the same place If Popery had the same sanctity and austerity of life which it had in the tyme of the Fathers Hierome Ambrose Augustine and others what should we be able now to do against it Thus Luther Where you see he doth both confesse that the ancient Fathers most famous for sanctity were Papists the Church in their dayes Popish and that had he preached his Ghospell in their dayes or they liued when he began to preach their sanctity would haue detested the same their learning haue crusht the brat of liberty in the cradle Let the Reader iudge what a Ghospell that is which antiquity would haue resisted sanctity detested the Church of God in her best tymes not so much as haue heard of which finally could neuer haue preuayled but in this last age when dissolution and loue of liberty hath preuayled against the ancient discipline and sanctity of the Church so that by this rayling they defile their owne nest they shake the ground of their Ghospell styr that stinking puddle out of which their Progenitours did issue and shew themselues vnthankefull vnto their Parent and Mother which is the rotten and corrupt life of many Catholikes 6. The second to wit their vanity doth appeare by their ayming at a marke quite opposite to the drift of their Ghospell which is to impugne not the dissolution but deuotion not the sinfulnes but the sanctity not the wickednes but the holines of our Church not our transgressing Gods precepts but our following Christs Counsells This to be their quarrell against vs Luther himselfe their Captaine Generall doth witnesse VVe (l) Non pugnamê° contra Papatum hodie palà m impiuÌ„ sceleratuÌ„ sed contra speciosissimos eius Sanctos qui putant se AngelicaÌ„ vitam agere Luther in c. 4. ad Galat tom 5. fol. 400. fight not saith he against the open wickednes and dissolute life of the Papacy which those that are sound amongst them detest but against her most beautifull Saints which thinke they lead an Angelicall life and that they doe not only keep the commaundements of God but also the Councells of Christ and doe workes of supererogation which they are not bound vnto Thus doth Luther write shewing that his intention is to lay wast the Sanctity of our Church giuing her iust cause to complayne as that womaÌ„ of Thecua (m) 2. Reg. 14. v. 7. Extinguere volum scintillam meam they seeke to extinguish and put out that little sparke of ancient sanctity feruour and charity that as yet remayneth in me To which sanctity Luther was such a deadly foe as he doth professe in the same place he will not spare any most ancient Father or Fathers nor the whole army of them did they now lyue as they once did guilty thereof (n) Fingamus igitur illam religionem disciplinaÌ„ veteris Papatus obseruari illo rigore quo Eremitae quo Hieronymus Augustinus Gregorius c. alij multi obseruarunt c. Let vs suppose or imagine saith he that the piety and disciplyne of the ancient Papacy did now florish and were obserued with the same rigour that the ould Hermits that Hierome Augustine Gergory Bernard Francis Dominick did obserue it yet ought we saith he by the example of S. Paul impugne false Apostles and fight against the Iusticiaryes of the Popish Kingdome and say though you lead a most chast life though you punish and weary your body with frequent pennances though you walke in religion and humility like Angells yet you are slaues of the law and sinne and of the Diuell and to be cast out of the house as children of Agar 7. Thus doth this Saracen inueigh against ancient Fathers the disciplyne and sanctity of the Primityue Church whom he doth slaunder to haue sought saluation by their workes and not by Christ shewing the tooth of his Ghospell to be not against ryot and ribaldry of dissolute drunkards but the pennance and piety of greatest Saynts which being the drift of their sole-faith-sole-faith-religion M. Crashawes long rayling against our sinfull life may seeme from the purpose Yet perchance I may herein be deceaued and he goeth more cunningly about the matter then we imagine For as the Falcon that flyeth at the Herne seemeth often to take a contrary course yet working into the wynd comes before one is aware ouer the Herns head to giue her the deadly stroke so M. Crashaw and other Ministers seeming in their Sermons to take a course against the open dissolution and wickednes of some in our Church as though their desire were to reforme the same they doe so wynd and turne the poore people about that from the hatred of them that are wicked amongst vs they bring them to detest and abhorre euen the sanctity and religious practise of piety in our Church which the Genius of their Iouiall Ghospell cannot endure and at the ouerthrow whereof it doth as
two euery day in the weeke prayers and a Sermon at six a clocke in the morning a blessed and rare example scarce matchable in the world Thus doth he rarify his one Church in the world which howsoeuer coÌ„pared with other Protestant Churches may seeme a great Lady of Isräel yet parallelled with the piety deuotion and continuall prayers practised throughout the Catholike world in many Churches the most fauourable eye can iudge her no more then a little petty Babell For to omit so many thousand of Catholicke Churches in the world where the name of God is daily called vpon publikely before six in the morning what can the Bachelour say to so many hundred Monasteries so many thousands liuing in them that rise euery day in the yeare at midnight to sing Psalmes and praises vnto God to read the diuine Scripture and commonly heare an Homily or Sermon of some ancient Father therupon And not only men but also women true Daughters of Isräel indeed many of Noble families which might haue had great fortunes in the world forsaking the greene woods of fading pleasure haue voluntarily shut themselues vp in the cage of a religious Cloyster to be as it were Nightingals to sing day and night prayses vnto God not fayling in this deuotion euen in the hart of winter when his best and holyest Ministers and euen relapsed Fryers who whilest they were with vs kept this custome snort and sleep soundly in their soft bed with some petty or pretty daughter of Babylon by their side 14. I know Ministers when they heare but the name of Monastery knowing that in so bright a glasse of godlines their wicked or at least worldly and ordinary manner of life would seeme more vgly haue euer at their tongues end a tale to staine and defile the same eyther foolish or fabulous or false or perchance true yet the fault of some few can no more in iustice and equity disgrace the Religious of that family then the treasoÌ„ of Iudas the sanctity of the other Apostles And would Protestants with an vnpartiall eye with the eye aswell of charity as of seuerity looke on such Religious Orders on the close and retyred life of CarthusiaÌ„s the rigour and pennance of Capuchins the Obedience and charity of Iesuits ready to goe to the most sauage people to conuert them wherin so many hundred of them do fruitfully labour and on other holy and pious practises which diuers Relgious Companyes do professe considering these things vnpartially they would not deny the face of Christs Church which (q) Quis nescit sumae contineÌ„tiae hominum ChristianoruÌ„ multitudinem per totum orbem in dies magis magisque diffuÌ„di Multi vsque adeo Dei amore flagrantes vt eos in suÌ„ma contineÌ„tia atque muÌ„di huiê° incredibili conteÌ„ptu etiam solitudo delectet Quis non illos miretur praedicet qui contemptis atque desertis mundi huius illecebris in communem vitam castissimam sanctissimamque congregati simul aetatem agunt viuentes in orationibus lectionibus disputationibus Haec est etiam vita feminarum Deo sollicitè castèque seruientium quae habitaculis segregatae ac remotae à viris quà m longissimé decet pia tantùm illis charitate iunguÌ„tur imitatione virtutis lib. 1. de mor. Eccles Cathol c. 31. S. Augustine described in his tyme is now among vs and that we may truly say vnto Ministers what that Father said vnto the Manichees with whose words I will heale vp this wound seale vp my answere to M. Crashaws wouÌ„ds Look on these men oppose your selfe vnto them name them with disgrace if you can without vntruth compare your fasting with their fasting your chastity with their chastity your attyre with their attyre your dyet with their dyet your modesty with their modesty your charity with their charity and that which doth most import your Orders with theirs you will soone see what a mayne difference there is betwixt vanity and sincerity walking the right way and wandring betwixt truth and hypocrisy solide strength and proud swelling betwixt blessednes and misery superstition and religion (r) De morâ— Eccles cap. 34. the Syrene songs of deceiptfull heresie and the secure hauen of Christian piety THE EIGHT CHAPTER Conteyning a Conclusion of this Treatise SHEVVING The impiety of the Protestant reuolt from the Church of Rome by the same foure arguments wherwith M. Crashaw vrgeth the Brownists for their Shcismaticall separation from the Church of England WE haue seene how M. Crashaw hath builded the two first quarters of his Babel the first of the charity and falues of his Church the second of the obstinacy and wounds of the Roman and haue layd open the ridiculous vanity of his brags about the one and the intollerable falsity of his slaunders touching the other Other two points of his Sermon or quarters of his Babel remayne pag. 16â— pag. 168. to wit the obligation of ChristeÌ„dome to forsake the Church of Rome and his Prophecy that the Church of Rome shall forth with be destroyed and be fearefully confounded by the mouth of God when their separation is ended in Gods good tyme about which I will add a word or two for Conclusion of this Treatise wherein I will not be long neither shall I need the Bachelour is so short saying thereof litle or nothing at all 2. First if the reuolt and forsaking which beganne in Luther by the kindling of that fire that must burne the whore of Babylon two thinges seeme vnto me very wonderfull and strang therein The first is that Luther who was raysed by (g) Fox Act. MonumeÌ„t pag. 400. God as these men say to blow against Antichrist neuer thought thereof till passion and pride against Dominican Fryers made him to puffe and blow to see them preferred before his Order by this accident and chaunce not dreaming of any thing els he fell to blow and belch out the fire of his passions against our doctrine of Pardons Shall the blast of enuy pride passion and hatred be accounted the breath of Christ Had Christ no other instrument to inspire then an vnruly and passionate (h) Hospian p. 2. histor sacram fol. 5. Fryer 3. Another thing is yet more wonderfull and no lesse euident confessed euen by Luther himselfe (k) de Missa angulari tom 7. operum VVittemberg fol. 443. to wit that the Diuell in person came from hell ioyning his mouth with Luthers to blow both togeather against the Pope nay the Diuell was the first that did breath inspire into Luther the doctrine of Christ if the doctrine which Luther preached against the holy Sacrifice of the Masse were Christs (l) Lutherus à Diabolo edoctus quòd Missa priuata res mala sit eius rationibus conuictus eam aboleuit Hospin p. 2. Histor fol. 131. Had Christ no Angell in heauen that might be spared for that office that the Black-smith of hell so the Scripture tearmeth
sight to the other and make the third runne (u) Nullus illorū adhuc extitit qui vel equum claudum sanare potuit Erasmus de libero arbitrio contra Lutherum and then they may giue vs some cause to looke more into their Phisick which now being against the ordinary course of Christianity for so many ages we cannot with a safe conscience so much as intertaine a good conceipt therof according to those rules of Phisick which euen themselues allow 11. The other question we will aske Luther and his cōpany is seeing they will forsake vs Whither will they go M. Crashaw telleth the Brownists that to forsake one thing for another no better is seely but for a worse is folly and madnes And then he asketh them to what other Church will they goe pag. 32. To the low Countreys To the Church of Scotland To the Cantons of Zwitzerland To the States and Princes of Germany To the Church of France or the Church of Geneua or the free Cittyes of the Empire And then he stoppeth their passage to any of these Churches by laying the blocke of an huge lye in their way saying they are all of our Religion At which impudent vntruth as Brownists might be offended so many iudicious Auditors that had trauailed into forrayne parts did no doubt smile to see with what manifest falshods seely people were deluded But let vs now as I sayd examine Luther wither he will goe with his new companie seeing he will needs goe from the Church of Rome Will they goe to the Iewes Or to the Turkes Or to Atheists Such indeed most of the reuolters proued as themselues (x) Doctor King vpon Ionas pag. 442. Caluin de scandalis pag. 118. 127. cōfesse which I suppose at the first they neuer intended Will they ioyne with the Grecian Church That they sought and would fayne haue done but the Grecians did reiect and condemne them as hereticks and would haue none of their company (y) Vide censuram Orientalis Ecclesiae Whither then will Luther goe a Gods name if he goeth not away in the Diuells name rather with whom he did conferre therabout I cannot but conclude in M. Crashawes owne wordes pag. 32. and let the Reader iudge whether the dynt of this weapon doe not pierce into the hart and bowells of his Church VVhither will you goe or what remaynes for you to goe vnto but vnto your corners and conuenticles where you are your owne caruers your owne iudges your owne approuers but haue not one Church in Christendome to approue you Could any thing be spoken more properly against Luthers reuolt then this 12. And that you may better vnderstand how this argument doth wound Protestant religion I will propose a question or two vnto M. Crashaw First whether when Luther made his reuolt any Christianity or Christian Church was in the world or not If not why should any belieue in Christ whose wordes and promises concerning his Church haue proued vayne that the gates of hell should not preuayle against it (z) Matt. 16. v. 18. that he would be with Christians to the worlds end (a) Matth. c. vlt. v. vlt. To omit diuers other Prophesies of the glory and Maiesty of Christs Church which if we find to be false as they must needes be false if the Church of Christ fayled why should we thinke any of the rest deserue credit which depend vpon the infallible word of the speaker But if true Christianity was then in the world then I aske againe whether that was the Church of Rome or some other distinct from it and not subiect to it If the Church of Rome then why did they forsake the Christian Church and the Christianity of the world the very note of heresy as all grant (b) Exierūt ex nobis sed non erant ex nobis 1. ep Ioan. 2. v. 19. Out of your selues shall arise men speaking peruerse thinges Act. 15. v. 24. These be they that segregate themselues Iude v. 19. If that Christianity was distinct and separate from the Roman why did they not ioyne with it Why did they not take their authority and commission from that Church why did they runne into the corner of a new Cōgregation become their owne Iudges and approuers admitting no other Iudge but the Scripture which hath euer bene the refuge of hereticks the practise which themselues do now condemne in the Brownists Let M. Crashaw thinke seriously of a full and cleare answere to this question in the meane tyme I must leaue both Luther and him separated from all Christianity that was when they reuolted in the world changing not only for no better which is seely and for a worse which is folly and madnes but also which is playne infidelity for no Church or Christianity at all except we say that the Christianity which Christ began with so many paynes and prayers did perish but Fryer Martyn by his marriage with Katherine Bore begot a new Christian company which shall continue to the worlds end and neuer fayle 13. If these thinges so necessarily consequent vpon Luthers reuolt be most absurd let Protestants looke backe see what reasons haue moued them to forsake the Church of Rome all Christianity with her that was in the world when they began let them consider another question of M. Crashawes which we will propose vnto them VVherein are wee deadly wounded In which question M. Crashaw making himselfe ignorāt of the woundes which the Brownists charge vpon the Church of England bloweth strongly against them with an interrogatory blast of wordes without substance only repeating the same in a different phrase for halfe a page togeather at which if some Brownist sister might haue startled and soone haue said pag. 62. that it is false the proceeding which M. Crashaw doth allow in his vulgar multitude with our Preachers she would haue layd so many errors to the charge of the English Babylon and haue proued them to be such with so many texts of Scripture that for my part I thinke M. Crashaw would haue bene blowne out of his pulpit and fearfully confounded by the breath of a woman M. Crashawes wounds 14. But we that haue refuted M. Crashawes woundes which he layeth to our charge and haue proued that they are not our errours but his slaunders not our doctrines but his falshoods blasphemies neyther deliuered nor practised by vs but deuised and preached by him we may now confidently demaund of him wherin is the Church of Rome deadly wounded And if M. Crashaw hauing spent the whole course of his studyes in seeking wounds in the diseased body of Popery sparing neyther cost to get nor labour to peruse our Recordes yet was so farre from finding any true woundes that he was forced to teare and rent our Authors sayings into peeces to make our doctrine seeme wounded how hoale sound may the Church of Rome instly be thought which can be traduced
thy sinnes with the water of life she nursed thee with the milk of Christian doctrine she adorned thee with the attyres of all vertues that although all the glory of the Kings Daughter be within (u) Omnis gloria filiae Regis ab intus in fimbrijs aureis Ps 44. v. 14. yet also the very hemmes of thy garment trayling on the ground were of gold I meane Monuments of piety planted vpon the ground Churches Monasteryes Colledges Hospitalls and such like some particles wherof left by thy late Deformers still remaine wonders of ancient piety spectacles of magnificent liberality and are at this day the greatest ornaments of thy land This Church first taught thee a Christian Language turned thy barbarous tongue into the sweet sound of Alleluia banished from thy lips the vncouth names of Paynim Gods put into thy mouth the sauing name of Iesus She fed thee at her owne table with grace which from her Sacraments floweth she gaue thee celestiall educatiō teaching thee to conuerse with God and Angells She by her wordes inspyred into thy hart contempt of the world heroycall thoughts worthy of thy noble birth which made so many of thy Kings (x) Sigebert Elfride Coenrede Offa Inas Ceololfe others Queenes (y) Queen Alfrede Ethelburg wife to K. Inas Etheldred Sexburge c. Princely Children forsake the fading flowers of worldly glory This benefit the chiefe of all others to which compared the rest are nothing hast thou receiued from that Church whom some of thine a degenerous ofspring of so noble a Stock would perswade thee to pursue with sword fire for maintayning that very faith which from Paganisme she conuerted thee vnto A benefit so cleare that without apparent impudency none can deny it so great that whilst thou hast any Christianity in thee thou wilt euer esteeme it (z) Quod nos magno beneficio affecit Gregorius id sēper gratissima memoria recolemus VVhitak lib. 5. cont Duraeum pag. 394. and it is great want of iudgment in any of thy children that desire to retaine the name of Christians to make a shew to contemne it 25. Now if the Roman Church Religiō can bring men vnto God as by this Conuersion of our Countrey it proued to say nothing of so many barbarous Nations that are daily conuerted from Paganisme to Christ by the Ministery of our men Protestants hauing so much busines at (a) Nobisdomi in propinquo satis superque est Beza vbi supra And what busines this is Tertullian told long age Negotium est Haereticis non Ethnicos conuertendi sed nostros peruertendi de prascript c. 42. home that they haue not leasure to attend to it it followeth out of M. Crashaws owne Principles that the Romā Church is not to be forsaken seeing the Church that doth beget men vnto Christ can make them perfect in Christ she that began can effectually finish Gods worke in any man finally the Church that can bring men to God to grace to faith can bring them likewise to saluation and glory And seeing it is most certaine we confesse it Protestants also in the Nicen Creed that the Church is (*) Neque enim multae Sponsae Christi Cyprian epist 75. one that it is Catholike to wit the same euery where ouer the world it is cleare that they which are not one and the same Church with the Roman where God grace faith saluation and glory is found are without true faith out of Gods grace and can neuer attayne to saluation which cannot be had but in the one and Catholicke Church The Paschall Lamb must be eaten in one house quia saith S. Augustine in vna Catholica Ecclesia vera hostia redemptionis immolatur (b) Ser. 10. de tempore because in the one Catholick Church the true Sacrifice of redemption is offered And if you desire to know where this one Church is more particulerly heare the same Father in another place The (†) Munus beatae vitae non nisi intra Ecclesiam reperitur quae supra petrā fundata est quae ligandi soluendi claues accepit l. 4. de lapsis cont Donatist c. 1. gift of blessed life saith he is not found but within that Church which is founded vpon the rock which receyued of Christ the keyes to loose and bynd This Church is one which doth hold and possesse the whole power of her spouse and Lord. Thus S. Augustine 26. VVherfore they do deceaue men who make them belieue that they will bring them from the chamber of their mother because she is an Adultresse in conclaue Patris into the conclaue or closet of the Father not knowing or not vnderstanding or not being willing to belieue the saying of S. Cyprian Adulterari non potest Sponsa Christi the Spouse of Christ cannot be an Adultresse she is vndefiled she is chast she keepeth with inuiolable chastity the sanctity of one chamber (c) Incorrupta est pudica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatē casto pudore custodit ep 73. And what vndutifull children are these that accuse their mother of adultery (d) An vt dogmata Caluiniana defendas coniugis Christi matris suae viscera instinctu nefario non erroris sed furotis infamas August contra Iulian. l. 3. c. 17. without any proofe of the tyme when or the place where or the person with whōe she committed the same She is the Schismaticke saith M. Crashaw for separating her self from Christ The Roman Church saith another is indeed our mother in whom and by whom God did beget vs and brought vs forth the heyres of his Kingdome but because she is a whore and adultresse we contest or beare witnes against her (e) Romana Ecclesia est mater nostra in qua per quam Deus nos regenerauit c. Sed quia Meretrix Adultera est meritò cōtra eam contestamur Sarauia de diuers gradibus Minist p. 57. But can these witnesses tell the tyme when she went from her first faith When she played this foule part No truly Some (*) See the Protestāts Apology tract 1. sect 9. subd 25 say straight after the Apostles others in Constantynes tyme others in S. Gregoryes dayes others some two hundred yeares after Doe they know with whome Some say it was Pope Hildebrand or Gregory the 7. others Boniface the third others S. Leo the great (f) Beza confess general c. 7 sect 12. others S. Siluester (g) Napier vpon the reuelatiōs pag. 43. some think that Antichrist was borne in the Apostles tyme glaūcing at S. Peter as though he were the man (h) Powel l. 1. de Antichristo 34. n. 10. And be these thinke you cōuenientia testimonia agreeing testimonyes Did the testimonies of the false witnesses against Christ more iarre then these doe against his Spouse If the very Iewes in their extremity of malice durst not for