in poperie and therefore was hee enforced to vse this sillie sillie euasion viz. that the church doth tollerate them because it cannot altogether abolish the same Fourthly that God doth suffer myracles or strange euents to bee done by the power of the diuel that so the wicked for their iust deserts in regard of their former sinnes may be more confirmed in their superstitious dotage and receiue due punishment for their vaine credulitie Fiftly that not to take a â—ourney or not to doe such a thing on such a day which many Papistes obserue most superstitiously for feare of some misfortune or ill successe is heere condemned for superstition by this famous Papist Sixtly that popish priestes which daily and vsually take vppon them by their exorcismes to cast out diuells are by this learned Papist accused and condemned both of infidelitie and of temeritie And his reason is this because that the diuell cannot bee compelled to doe anie thing vnlesse it bee by the speciall and myraculous worke of God Seuenthly that the diuel therefore faineth himselfe to be compelled by such wicked rites superstious dealing thâ— his worshippers may thereby be the more deeply confirmed in their superstitious dotage and vaine credulitie To which I must needs adde as a delicate pâ—st-past for all the Iesuits and Iesuited papists that the supposed myracles done by papists are often counterfeit and plaine Legerdemaine This I wil not barely say but after my wonted maner proue it euen by the testimonie of their owne popish writers Marke well gentle Reader what I shall truely deliuer thee in this behalâ— The papists in their booke intitulted the Iesuits Catechisme haue these expresse words The kingdome of Portugall being fallen to Sebastian the holy Apostles the Iesuits conceiued a hope that by this meanes it might descend vnto their Familie and dealt with him many wayes that no man might from thence forward be capable of the crowne of Portugall except the were a Iesuit and chosen by their societie as at Rome the pope is chosen by the colledge of Cardinals And for as much as he although as superstitious as superstition it selfe could not or rather durst not condescend therevnto they perswaded him that God had appointed it should bee so as himselfe should vnderstand by a voyce from heauen neere the sea-side Insomuch as this poore prince thus carryed away resorted to the place two or three seuerall times but they could not play their parts so wel as to make him heare this voyce Thus write the learned papists of France in their booke called the Iesuits Catechisme Which booke vpon the good liking thereof the English Secular priestes haue translated into our vulgar language to which storie I adde this for explication sake that this yong king 〈…〉 vp vnder the Iesuits therefore they thought to haâ—e drawne him to their lure and bate And when they could not preuaile that way they disswaded him from marriage and to goe personally to the warres in such sort as they designed him By which vnchristian meanes he was cut off and the kingdom devolued to the King of Spaine For their onely intent was this to maintaine poperie and to suppresse the Gospel I haue proued this else-where where I haue made euident demonstration that poperie is inseperably lincked with treason and cannot consist without the support of the Spanish king There may the Reader finde at large many other like miracles wrought by the Iesuits as also their seditions and traterous dealing euery where It were expedient for all simply seduced papists and for all such as are by any meanes carryed and led into errour by the Iesuits of which faction there is too great plentie in this Realme to prouide my Anotomie and to read it againe and againe for in so doing I am perswaded and fully resolued that all carefull of their saluation would vtterly abhorre and detest all popish faction The Iesuitical religion which is the Popes owne doctrine is nothing els but an hoge-poge of Omnigitherumâ— as the secular popish priests haue constantly avouched in their printed books divulged to the whole world Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church bewitched vs. CHAP. XIX Of Popish adoration and invocation of Saints COncerning this controuersie I haue written else-where at large I deeme it here to be enough to vnfold that great superstition and grosse idolatrie which the papists commit in this behalfe The popish invocation of Saintes this day vsed in the Romish Church is the selfe same which the Gentiles vsed in olde time when they did invocate false gods I proue it because they haue pecular saints for their seuerall necessities viz. Saint Loy for their horses S. Anthonie for their Pigges S. Roch for the pestilence S. Steuen for the night S. Iohn for the day S. Nicholas for their studies Saint George for their warres S. Cosma and S. Damian for their sores S. Appolonia for their teeth S. Agnes for their Virginitie and others innumerable for the like ende and effect they errect Churchâ— to their saints they frame images to them they carry their images about in Procession they consecrate alters to them they dedicate Holy-dayes to theÌ„ they make vowes for the honour of them they offer presents to their altars and images they put Lampes tapers torches and lights before their images they kneele downe before their images they touch them they embrace them they speake to theÌ„ they intreat them as if they were yet liuings yea they seem to surpas the folly impietie of the Gentiles For they ascribe their saluation to their saints euen to such saints as of whose saint-hood wee may well stand in doubt They invocate Campion Sherwin Ballard Hart Nelson and the rest of that seditious faction Alphonsus the Iesuitâ— and late Rector of the English Colledge at Rome caused the Organs to be sounded and all the Students to come to the Chappell where himselfe hauing on his backe a white Surplesse and the stole about his necke sang a Collect of Martyrs so after his maner canonizing Campion the Traytor for a Saint Such is the seditious impudencie of newly hatched Râ—mish Iesuits of which cursed broode I haue written at large in my Anatomie And least any Iesuit or Iesuited Papist shall bee able to denie that they ascribe their saluation to saints for they vse to say they make them but Mediators of intercession and not of saluation or redemption I will proue it flatly out of their owne Bookes yea euen out of their Church-seruice which I wish the Reader to marke attentiuely In the Prayer of the Church of Rome vpon Thomas Bâ—â—kets day some-time the Arch-byshoppe of Canterbury I finde these expresse words Deus pro cuius ecclesia gloriosus pontifex Thomas gladijs impieruÌ„ occubuit prasta quasumus vt omnes qui â—ius implâ—rant â—â—xiliâ—â— petitionis suâ—â—alutarem consequantur effectum Englished thus O God for whose Church the glorious Byshop Thomas was put to death by the
THE VVoefull crie of Rome Containing a defiance to popery With Thomas Bells second challenge to all fauorites of that Romish faction Succinctly comprehending much variety of matter full of honest recreation and very profitable and expedient for all sorts of people but especially for all simply seduced Papists Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receiue not of her plagues Apocal. 18.4 LONDON Printed by T.C. for William Welby and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Grayhound 1605. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber TO THE RIGHT HONOVRAble my very good Lord Thomas the Lord of Ellesmere Lord high Chauncellour of England SAint Paul that chosen Vessell of God Right Honourable made a base reckoning of all other things in the world in respect of the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. This knowledge was so deare to the Princely Prophet Dauid that he desired to be but a doore-keeper in Gods house rather then to dwel in the goodly Pallaces of great Parsonages esteeming one day better in Gods Church then a thousand otherwhere This knowledge yeelded so sweete a sauour in the nosethrels of holy Moses that he chose rather to be the childe of God then to be called the sonne of King Phoraohs daughter This knowledge was to the wisest King so precious that hee reputed it not onely the beginning of wisedome but euen the finall ende which he aymed at with the loue of which knowledge hee was so rauished Oh most excellent knowledge that hauing in his owne free election what hee would receiue at Gods hands hee desireth neither long life which the greater part of people thirst after nor riches which are the greatest ioyes of al couetous worldlings nor yet the death of his enemies which the dauncing Damosell preferred before a Kingdome but he humbly asked an vnderstanding heart that he might discerne between good and euil and iudge aright Gods people committed to his charge a most wise and holy request This petition pleased God so well that he gaue the King a wise and vnderstanding heart so that there was neuer any either before or after him comparable or like vnto him And no marueile that the true Children of God desire the true knowledge of God before all other things For as our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs this knowledge is life eternall the ioy of all ioyes But my good Lord it may here bee demaunded how this most excellent knowledge can bee attained To which I answere euen by dilligent reading of the holy Scriptures For Saint Paul writing vnto Timothie commendeth his knowledge in the holy Scriptures which he had attained of a childe and he yeeldeth this reason therof because forsooth saith the Apostle the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation Is this possible is it so indeed euen so doubtlesse Gods Spirit cannot lye Howe then commeth it to passe that the late Byshops of Rome now Cat ' e'xochen called Popes doe this day suppresse the light of the Gospel and forbid the Lay-people to read the holy Scriptures in their vulgar language How chanceth it that none may read any Commentaries vpon the old and newe Testament nor any other bookes compiled for the furtherāce of mans knowledge in that behalfe vnlesse either the said bookes Commentaries be composed by professed papists or the readers being the Popes sworne vassals haue his dispensation and licence so to doe This my good Lord is the reason that cannot in truth be denied They that doe euill hate the light fearing that it should reproue their naughtie deedes And for this end is it that the Pope can not endure the manifestation of Gods word which is a lanterne vnto our feete a bright shining light vnto our soules directing vs the path-way to heauen For this light if the pope did not smoother it vnder the ashes and violently keepe it vnder a bushell would in short time so enlighten the hearts of all well disposed people that all the world would detest the Pope all popish superstition heresies and blasphemies and all his bloodie tyrannicall and plaine antichristian dealing In regard hereof most honourable Baron and most worthy zealous christian vpright and religious Magistrate because it is not enough for a Christian to know God himselfe but he must withall heartily wish and effectually procure so much as lyeth in him that others may also know and worship the euer-liuing God with him I haue employed my studie diligence care and industrie to deliuer a very compendious enchiridion to al simple seduced Papists to other thankfull Readers wherein they may behold as cleerely as the noone-day the original of popish falsly pretended Primacie the meanes by which the Byshops of Rome aspired thereunto the royall titles and power plaine diuine ascribed to the Popes the liues maners and conversation of Popes the rotten foundations vpon which and by which Poperie is builded and vnderpropped the originall and sundry grounds of Popish Purgatorie the vanitie and vncertaintie of Popish Succession the popish execrable Excommunications Superstitions Adorations and many other matters of great moment By the due and serious consideration whereof the indifferent Reader cannot but behold the abhomination of late Romish Religion and consequently loath detest and vtterly renounce the same for euer The worke such as it is I haue dedicated vnto your Honour for two speciall causes First to intimate to the world my inward conceiued comfort ioy and solace which either is or at least ought to bee common to my selfe with all other honest and true harted English Subiects of your Lordships most honorable zealous christian conscionable vpright painefull and religious care vigillancie holy constant indeuours vnder God and his most exellent Maiestie both for the indifferencie of iustice extended at al persons aswel to the poore as to the rich which is not the vsuall practise of many Magistrates alas for the pittie and also generally for the common good and peaceable gouernment of this Kingdome Secondly to giue at the least some smal signification of a thākfull minde where power is wanting for your Lordships most honourable yea vnspeakable fauours towards me from time to time euen such and so great as without which I could not this day breathe vppon earth much lesse make vse of my small talent Quod sentio quam sit exiguum for the common good of others The Almightie giue your Lordship many long ioyfull and happy yeares with much increase of vertue holy zeale and true honour in this life and with life eternall in the world to come Amen From my Studie this first of Aprill 1605. Your Lordships most humble and bounden T. Bell. Thomas Bels defiance to Poperie with a second challenge CHAP. I. Of the originall of Popish Primacie I Haue proued at large elsewhere how Poperie crept into the Curch by peece-meale and how she receiued her daily
the six ferie after the feast of Vdabricus Hierome being kept in prison a long time after when hee would not recant was burnt in like maner on the Saboath before the exaltatiō of the holy crosse in the yeare of our Lord 1415. they both suffered death with a constant stout courage they made hast to the fire as though they had been inuited vnto a banquet they vttered not a word which could giue any signe of a sorrowful heart When they began to burne they sang an hymne which the flame noise of the fire was scarse able to stint when their corpes were burnt their ashes were cast into a lake least their countyemen the Bohemians shuld carry them away their Disciples tooke away the earth though the ashes were gone wher the fire was made and carried the same with them into their countrey as an holy relique Iohn Hierome deserued no lesse honour of martyrs with the Bohemians then Peter and Paul with the Romans Thus writeth Nanclerus Out of whose words I obserue sundry very memorable points of Doctrine wishing the reader to ponder them seriously for his godly instruction and Christian edification First that this Nanclerus was a great papist highly renowned in the church of Rome and consequently that hee will testifie no more against the Papists then the truth it selfe doth extort from his penne Secondly that the Papists most cruelly condemned Maister Hus to the fire albeit hee had the Emperours free pasport and safe conduct freely to goe and freely to returne Thirdly that the godly Martyr Hieronimus de Praga came boldly of his owne accord vnto the councell and they stoutly defended the truth maugre the malice of the pope all his popish vassals Fourthly that the burning of Maister Hus could not terrifie Maister Hierome of Praga nor make him deny the truth of Christs Gospell Fiftly that both Maister Husse and Maister Hieronimus de Praga went as merily and as ioyfully to the fire to bee burnt as if they had beene inuited to a royall banquet Sxtly that in the midst of the late fire they ioyfully and Christianly sang an Hymne to the honour and praise of the euerliuing God Seuenthly that the furie and rage of the hote burning fire O most worthy and constant Martyrs of Iesus Christ coulde not stay them from singing and from praysing our mercifull God Eightly that the cruell papists after they had burnt the blessed Martyrs and consumed their bodies and their bones to ashes did cast their ashes into a deepe poole of water Ninthly that these two blessed men Iohn Hus and Hierome of Praga were no lesse honoured for martyrs in Bohemia then Peter and Paul were in Rome Yea their death was so pretious with God and so honorable with the godly in their countrey that mauger the Pope and all his Romish tyrannie the Gospell hath euer since their burning continued there which is for the space almost of two hundred yeares euen within the kingdome and dominion of that Empire a thing impossible to bee done by man if God did not support the same The like crueltie was extended vppon the body and bones of Maister Bucer that holy man profound Doctor and stout champion of Gods eternall truth For after the blessed man had beene dead and a long time couered with earth in his graue his body was taken vppe fast bound with an yron chaine to a stake and burnt with a great fire vpon the market day in open place Insomuch that some of the market-folkes when they perceiued the wonderfull affaires in hand saide merily one to an other what neede is there of yron chaines and Armed men against dead bodies that haue beene a long time in the graue for they can neither resist nor yet flye away but the late popes are so bent to brutish cruelty that the like tyranny hath beene by one Pope to an other For pope Sergius the third caused the corps of pope Formosus who now had beene dead almost ten yeares to bee taken out of his tombe and to bee set in a chaire with the pontificall attyre vppon him O braue gallant and that done hee commaunded his head to bee cut off and to bee cast into the riuer Tyber He disanulled the actes and orders giuen by pope Formosus insomuch as all were enforced to take orders again O holy romish priesthood ô indelible characer who had bin ordered by pope Formosus And all this was done forsooth because Formosus had kept this Sergius from the Pope-dome Thus write Martinus Polonus Baptista Platina two famous popish doctors whereof the one was the popes Poenitentiarius and the other his Abbreuiator Apostolicus Thus much for a taste of popish more then sauage tyrannie who so listeth to know more thereof may peruse my booke of Suruey What a thing is this we beleeue many of vs that the popes are Christs Vicars vpon earth and yet we see they are most cruell tyrants euen the catch-poles and bond-slaues of the maister Diuel of hell What shall I say of reuerend Cranmer graue Latimer learned Ridley zealous Bradford and of 500. more most worthy men who in the yeare 1555. were burnt with fire and faggots for the testimonie of Christs Gospel Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church bewitched vs. CHAP. XII Of the abhomination of popish proceeding THe villanie and abhomination wherewith the popes Religion is vnderpropped and maintained is such and so notorious that the truth it selfe hath inforced the popes owne dearest vassals to declame in printed bookes against the same The famous popish canonist Nauarrus hath these expresse words papa potest despensare cum monacho iam professo vt contrahat Matrimonium imò de facto multi papae dispensarunt consentit ipse Caietanus Antoninus Paludanus Englished thus The pope may dispense with a Monke already professed that hee may marry for many popes haue De facto so dispensed Caietanus Antoninus and Paludanus are of the same opinion Franciscus a Victoria the popish famous Schooleman and religious Fryer lamenteth the popes dealing but dareth not plainly vtter his minde Thus doth he write Multi tenent quod papa non potest dispensare in votis quia dispensatio proprie est relaxatio iuris vnde cum sit de iure diuino dispensatio erit iuris diuini relaxatio quo◠sane ad papam non spectat vtinam haec opinio non sit vera Englished thus Many hold that the Pope cannot properly dispense in vowes because dispensation properly is the relaxation of the Law wherefore seeing a vow is of the law diuine dispensation must also be remission of the law diuine which thing doubtlesse belongeth not to the pope and would to God this opinion were not true Loe this religious Frier is so zealously affected and to carefull of his popes credit that he wisheth the opinion were not true because it controwleth the popes abhominable dealing The popes famous Canonist most reuerēd Archbyshop Covarruvias deliuereth the
I boldly auouch that Serenus had for his example both the fact of the good King Ezechias who breake in pieces the brazen Serpent when the people began to adore it albeit God himselfe had appointed it to be set vp and also the practise of S. Epiphanius who seeing the Image of a Saint hanging in the church rare the same asunder and aduised the warders to burie some poore body with the vaile and to see that thenceforth no such vailes should be hanged vp in the church Some againe will say that many myracles haue bene done by Images and that such as adored worshipped them haue thereby receiued their health To whom I will answere euen as their owne deare Doctor Grabriel Riel doth His expresse words are these Quod si aliquando miracula fiunt hominibus etiam ad eas confluentibus adiutoria aut sanitates praestantur non haec virtute imaginum sed virtute dei ministerio bonorum angelorum ad intercessiones sanctoruÌ„ contingunt vel etiam non nunquaÌ„ operatione daemonum ad fallendum inordinatos cuitores deo permittente exigentem taliuÌ„ infidelitate Englished thus If miracles be sometime done and men also resorting to theÌ„ be holpeÌ„ or receiue their health yet are not these things done by vertue in the Images but by the power of God ministry of the good Angels at the intercessioÌ„ of the saints Yea sometime by the operation of the dâ—uels to deceiue the inordinate and superstitious worshippers by Gods permissioÌ„ their infidelitie so requiring Thus writeth Frier Biel out of whose words I obserue first that myracles are somtime done when the people worship adore Images Secondly that such myracles are done by the power of the diuel Thirdly that God permits them to be done for the punishment of their infidelitie who are polluted with the superstitious worship of Images The same reason yeeldeth an other famous papist M. Gerson sometime the Chancellor of Paris of an other different subiect in deed but wholy plainly to the same effect These are his expresse words Arguunt iteruÌ„ nos in similem causum trahere â—atagum Noâ—ne inquiuÌ„t talia similiter fueriut aut tolerantur ab ecclesia in peregrinationibus certis in cultu imaginum in cereis in aquis benedictis in exorcismis nonne dicâ—tur quotidie si nouem diebus perdurat in hac ecclesia si ex aqua illa perfundatur aut si tali se vâ—veat imagini aut si aliquid talium faciat ipse mox sanabitur vel opâ—ato potietur fateor abnegare non possumus multa inter Christianos simplices sub spâ—â—iâ— religionis introducta esse quorum sanctior esset omissiâ— tolerantur tamen quia nequeâ—ut fundit 〈◊〉 erus Englished thus They obiect againe and labour greatly to draw vs into the like cause doth not the church say they either practise in like maner such things or at least permit such things to be done in going on pilgrimage in worshipping Images in Torches Tapers and Candles in holy Water and in exorcismes Is it not daily sayd if one abide nine dayes in this church if he be sprinkled with that water or if he make vowes to such an Image or doe any such thing hee shall presently bee healed or haue his desire I graunt wee can it not denie that many thinges are practised among Christians vnder colour of religion which to omit and leaue vndone were a more holy thing neuerthelesse the Church doth tolerate them because she cannot vtterly abolish the same Againe the same Doctor hath these wordes At obâ—jciunt quare non possumus daemonem cogere ad prâ—standum humana quadam obsequia cum sacerdotes hoc facere tentant ordinarie respondeâ— si coactio daemonis aliter expectetur quam per miraculum Deo specialiter cooperante â—stud falso creditur periculâ—â—è quaeritur falso quidâ—â—â—propter libertatem daemonibus insitam quae nec ab istis corporalibus quibus perfectior est nec a carminibus cogitur isâ—â—d antem periculose quaritur quia hostis est dolosissimus tunc fingit se compelli per tales ritus impios quibus honorari quaerit animas perdere Englished thus But they obiect why may we not compell the diuell to doe humane duties seeing the Papistes doe dailie take in hand to doe it I aunswer if the compulsion of the diuell bee otherwise expected then miraculouslie by Gods speciall handy-worke it is both faâ—ly belâ—eued and dangerously assayed falsly by reason of the naturall power of diuels who neither can bee forced by verses nor yet by any corporall creatures of lesse perfection then themselues dangerously because the diuel is a most subtile enemie who then faineth himselfe to bee compelled by those impious rites with which he seeketh to be honoured and to destroy our soules The same learned writer in an other place hath these wordâ— Sicut vera Christiana fides mirabilia operatur in bone oradeutibus sic falsâ—â— malâ— creduliâ—â—â— deo permittente 〈…〉 vel 〈…〉 dominus 〈◊〉 adharere aâ—quibus vanis observantijs permittit aliquos eventus contingere ita eos plus consequenter firmari in taâ—i opinione vt maior fiat cacitat corum in laqueum cadant quem sibi fecarunt Quicquid n. mali evenit tâ—li die imputant malitiae â—iri 〈◊〉 aspeciunt ad ea quae benâ— prosperè successerunt tali die a deo Vnde merito deus permittit tales deciâ—i in laquâ—â—s suâ— credulitatis vâ—nâ— incidere Englished thus As the true Christian faith worketh myracles in the true beleeuers so doth a wicked false credulitie by Godâ— permission worke sometime or rather demerite euill events Yea while the Lorde perceiueth them to be too much giuen to vaine and fond obseruations and superstitions hee permitteth suche euents or myracles to happen and consequently them by that meanes to be more confirmed in such an opinion that their blindnesse may be the greater and they catched in their owne snare For whatsoeuer euil chaunceth such a day they impute it to the wickednes malice and ill fortune incident to the day and they regard not those things to which God hath giuen good and prosperous successe vpon such a day Wherefore God doth worthily suffer such to be seduced and to fall into the snares of their vaine credulitie Thus writeth Maister Gerson a verie famous papist and a learned man indeed Out of whose doctrine I obserue sundry important documents as well for the instruction of the indifferent Reader as for confusion of the obstinate papist First that many things are done in the popish churches like vnto things done by Art-magicke by the power of the diuel Secondly that the popish vsage in gadding on pilgrimage in worshipping Images in Tapers Torches Candles Exorcismes and other like popish superstitions may well be resembled to the practise of Sooth-sayers Coniurers and Magicians Thirdly that the learned papist could not excuse such superstitions vsed