These few Proofs drawn out of the most authentick Rules of the Roman Church will be a pattern more than sufficient to shew to any man that is not resolved to lose himself and that seeks instruction that the Roman Church can err 4. Our Adversaries do devise many Notes whereby their Church is descried Driedo and P. a Soto would have three Hosius four Sanders six Michael Medina ten Cunerus twelve Bellarmine fifteen Socolovius twenty Doctor Favour chap. 4. one the true and oldest Antiquity But there are seven principal which they do most stand upon Antiquity Vniversality Succession Vnity the Power of Miracles the Gift of Prophecy Prosperity Of Antiquity THe Papists make great brags of the long continuance of their Church yea that they can shew the descent of their Church from Adam but they must come short of our Saviour Christ and the Apostles times by five or six hundred years for the most of the Opinions which they now hold The Romanists adulterate Antiquity because it is a Pearl of greatest price but a skilful Lapidary can soon espy the Alchymy it seemeth Gold yet is but brandished Brass it seems a Ruby one of the Stones in Aarons rich array or a Foundation of New Jerusalem where is no counterfeit but it is only a polished Garnet it beareth resemblance of a Diamond but it is digged out of Saint Vincents Rock as good as a Saint Martins Chain So many things are offered by the Papists for Antiquity which upon trial prove meer Novelty worse Vanity a plain Nullity The Roman Church in this point is intolerable for she boasteth of Antiquity but will not suffer the truth of her Doctrine to be examined she will have us to judg of the Truth by Antiquity whereas we ought to judg of Antiquity by the Truth and by Conformity to the Word of God which is the first Antiquity Anno 420. Zosimus Bishop of Rome challenged a prerogative above other Churches that it might be lawful to make appeals from other Churches to that See and to set the better colour upon it he falsly alleadged a Decree of the Nicene Council but there was no such thing found there wherefore it was decreed in the Council of Carthage at that time that none should appeal to Rome Boniface the third purchased of the wicked Emperour Phocas the Title of Universal Bishop Transubstantiation was first concluded against Berengarius anno 1062. under Pope Leo the ninth but not publickly enacted before anno 1216. under Innocentius the third The Dominick Friers were brought in at the same time Auricular Confession was brought in the year before under the same Pope Telesphorus brought in their Lenton Fast Calixtus instituted the four Ember Fasts Hyginus brought in Chrism It is easie to shew by whom every piece of their blasphemous Mass hath been patched together Marriage was first prohibited by Pope Nicholas the second Alexander the second Gregory the seventh The Communion in one kind forged urged and decreed in the Council of Constance not much above two hundred years agone The Church of Rome boasteth of Antiquity and yet as one saith brings new things every day she makes a shew of some old patched Clothes to make the world believe that she comes from far as the Gibeonites did but let a man examine her Doctrine by pieces he shall find she comes not from very far and almost all is new It cannot be proved that the antient Church in many ages after the Apostles excluded the people from the Cup or kept them from reading the holy Scripture or made Pictures of the Trinity or yielded veneration to the Images of Saints or call'd the Virgin Mary the Queen of Heaven or made mention of the Roman indulgences or of the power of the Pope to depose Kings and fetch Souls out of Purgatory c. In a word saith old Doctor Du Moulin as it is now another Doctrine so it is another Church because it is another Religion That true Antiquity is not of our Adversaries side 1. The Greek Church testifieth for the Grecians affirm that their Church is the Mother of the Roman Church and hath born the first prerogative in the orthodoxal verity The Syrians boast themselves to be the first Christians in the world because that St. Peter had his Seat seven year at Antioch before ever he went to Rome 2. The Eastern and Southern Churches do give the priority and priviledg of Antiquity unto the Church of Antioch before Rome Symmachus a Pagan Symmach writing to the Christian Emperours Valens Theodosius and Arcadius he desireth them to have a reverence for the Pagan Religion by reasonÌ„ of her Antiquity If saith he the length of time gives authority to Religion we must keep Faith to so many Ages and follow our Fathers who have so happily followed theirs Then he personates the old Pagan Rome thus speaking to the Emperours Good Princes Fathers of your Countrey respect my years unto which the pious Ceremonies have brought me permit me to use the Ceremonies of my Ancestors This Religion hath subjected the World unto my Laws these holy Services have beaten back Hannibal from the Wails and the Senones from the Capitol Have I been preserved unto this time that I should be rebuked in mine old age The Correction of old age comes too late and is injurious What could Ambrose and Prudentius answer who confuted that Epistle but that the Law of God is more antient than Numa Pompilius the Author of those Ceremonies and that all is new which is not from the beginning and that Errour cannot be authorized by the number of years Our Fathers received it of their Fathers August saith Cresconius sed errantes ab errantibus saith Saint Augustine Of Universality THe Papists say their Church is universal both in respect of time person and place it hath always been in the world and hath flourished in all Countries and Nations ergo it is the true Church That it is universal they first prove by the name of Catholick But if the name Catholick were an unchangeable mark or natural property of any real Church it should be of the Greek Church or Nation unto which the name of Catholick is prime and natural If the real property answering to this name had belonged to the Romish Church the Holy Ghost would have expressed it by a Roman Name and have called the Roman Church the Universal Church at least the Romanists should have called themselves Universals not Catholicks as the learned Doctor Jackson noteth It is easie to consider the vanity of this Assertion Jackâ—on de Eccl. that a Name should be an unseparable property proceeding of the nature of any reality But the Name of a Christian is a more honourable Title than the Name of Catholicks for this was used in the Apostles time Act. 11.26 and by the Apostles themselves allowed but it is not certain that the Name Catholick came from the Apostles Secondly they prove their Universality by the
Mass pag. 51 Of their manifold Errours concerning the Church How the Papists devise many notes whereby their Church is described pag. 53 Of Antiquity pag. 71 Of Universality pag. 76 Of Succession pag. 79 Of Unity pag. 80 Of the Power of working Miracles pag. 82 Of the Gift of Prophecy pag. 87 Of Prosperity pag. 89 XX Errours concerning the Members of the Church the Clergy and Laity pag. 97 XI Errours concerning justifying Faith pag. 102 XXX Errours concerning Repentance which they call Penance pag. 104 Five kinds of Indulgences a sixfold profit of them pag. 113 Of the Disposition required to be in those that receive Indulgences shewed in Six things pag. 116 How the Papists hold that Indulgences are profitable for the Dead shewed in Seven things pag. 117 XI Errours concerning Fasting pag. 119 Of their dispensing with Fasts pag. 123 XVII Errours concerning Oaths and Vows pag. 127 XII Errours concerning Marriage Of their divers Rites and Ceremonies in Marriage pag. 131 VII Errours touching Extream Unction Of the Rite and Ceremony used by the Priest therein pag. 135 VI Errours concerning their Sacrament of Order pag. 137 VII Errours concerning Confirmation Their manner of administring the Sacrament pag. 139 Of their Corruptions in Worship pag. 144 Of their Latin Service pag. 145 Of praying for the Dead pag. 148 Of the Canonizing of Saints and the manner of Canonization pag. 149 Of Invocation of Saints of the several persons that are invocated in their Litany pag. 152 Of their Distinction of the two kinds of Worship Latria and Dulia 155 Of Image-Worship of the manner of Worship they give to Images Of the manner of making and way of Consecration of Images 157 Of the Image of the Cross 160 Of Reliques XII errours and abuses noted in the Papists by Chemnitius with divers other things 163 Of the Vigils annexed to Festival-days 172 Of their Wax-Candles and Tapers 173 Of their Holy Water 175 Of their Pilgrimages 177 Of the Agreement between Paganism and Popery shewed in Three and Twenty particulars 181 Of the Papists imitating the Jews and Pharisees shewed in Ten particulars 205 How the Church of Rome now varieth from the old Church of Rome shewed in Twenty particulars and how the Doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is contrary to the Doctrine of the present Church of Rome THE ANATOMY OF POPERY CHAP. I. THat all men may take a full view of the Papacy and see how it hath encroached upon Heaven and Earth let us consider the Fraud that hath been used by the See of Rome by bringing in Corruptions in matter of Doctrine and Worship Popery is not a single Heresie like that of â—utyâ—hes Arius or Nestorius but a System of Heresies and a common sink of abominable Errours and therefore called Ἀπστασία a general revolt Their Errours about the Scripture are 1. Vid. Turnb Tetrag c. 2. That the Church doth regulate the Scripture and is not regulated by it so making the Church the Rule of Faith That the holy Scriptures are not the only and whole Rule of our Faith and Life in all matters necessary to Salvation 2. That the Church hath Authority to alter as well the things contained in holy Scripture as those that are delivered in the Church by Apostolical Tradition yea the Papists affirm that it is in the power of the Church to alter that which God commandeth in Scripture that is to make Commandements contrary to Gods Commandements And they are divided in the main viz. what this Church is which is the infallible Judg Bâ—xters Sate Religion whether it be the present Church or the former Church whether it be the Pope only at least in case of difference between him and his Council or whether it be a general Council although the Pope agree not as the French and Venetians say yea whether it be the Clergy only or the Laity also that are this Church 3. Bellarm. l. 3. c. 3. They also assert that it is lawful to allegorize Scripture both in the Old and New Testament 4. Ecchii Enchirid. loc de authorit Eccles Pigg l 1. de Hierarch â—ccl s That the Pope is the supreme Judg of all Controversies and that the Scripture hath no authority in respect of us but what is granted to it by the Church For adding some Books to the Scripture which were not from the beginning The Papists being bold upon the Decree of the Council of Trent will that among these the Books of Tobit Judeth Wisdom Ecclesiasticus the first and second of Macchabees should be Canonical likewise the Additions to Esther Baruch with the Epistle of Jeremiah and the Additions to Daniel these they call δευτεÏοκανονικοὶ Canonical in a second degree 5. Stapl. tâ—n l. 3 c. 36 That the Canon of Scripture is imperfect wanting many Divine Revelations therefore some Books have been received as Canonical at one time and not at another some some have been received as Canonical in some Churches not in other Vid. Downham 6. They prefer the Faith and Judgment of the Church of Rome which they say is the internal Scripture written by the hand of God in the heart of the Church before the holy Scripture 7. Bellarm. de verb. Dei l. 1. c. 2. That unwritten Traditions are to be equally believed and to have as great authority as the Scripture that Traditions which they call the unwritten Word are the Rule of Faith 8. They contend that the Customes and unwritten Opinions of the Church of Rome are most certain Apostolical Traditions 9. Blondel Dalaeus They number the Popes Decretal Epistles with the holy Scriptures when yet it is most cleerly proved by Blondel in a just Volume that abundance of them are forgeries and Dalaeus proves it particularly of the Clementines 10. Wide Downham Catal. They say it is Heresie for any to say that it is not altogether in the power of the Church or Pope to appoint Articles of Faith 11. That the Scripture is not sufficient for the refuting of all Heresies as if there were any Heresiebut what is against Scripture 12. Id ibid. That the Church is ancienter than the Scripture that is than the Word of God which is now written because it is ancienter than the writing of it as if it were not the same Word of God which was first delivered by voice that is now in writing 13. That it is not necessary nor convenient for the common People to read the Scriptures but rather dangerous and hurtful 14. That the translating of the Scriptures into vulgar Languages is the fountain of Heresies and they that do it deserve ill of Christian Religion 15. That the Hebrew Copy of the Old Testament the Greek of the New Testament is not authentical 16. Bâ—llaâ—me de verbo Dei l. 3. That the Scriptures are very obscure and hard to be understood even in things necessary 17. That it belongeth not to all the faithful to search into the meaning
THE ANATOMY OF POPERY OR A Catalogue of Popish Errours in Doctrine and Corruptions in Worship Together with The AGREEMENT between Paganism Pharisaism and Popery Nostrae Regulae noster sunt Decalogus imò Decalogo praestantiores quoniam illic mandata hîc consilia Jac. Crusius Jesuita in Hossem ca 5. LONDON Printed by Tho. Milbouâ—â— for Tho. Passenger at the Tâ—â—ee Bibles on London-Bridge 1673. To the much honoured Sir FRANCIS POPHAM of Littlecott in the County of Wilts Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath To Sr. Thomas Dolman of Shaw in the County of Berks Knight and and to William Ashe of Heitesbury in the County of Wilts Esquire the Author wisheth an encrease of all Heavenly blessings Honoured Sirs GRreat was the goodness of God after our Saviours Resurrection and Ascension that he sent down cloven Tongues from Heaven like as fire upon his Apostles which was a visible sign of those invisible â—ifts of the Spirit poured down abundantly upon them for the service of the Church and the enlightening of the World with the knowledg of Salvation by Jesus Christ and that even after the Nations of the Earth had so many Ages sate in darkness and in the shadow of death a dark Cloud of Barbarous Heathenish errours and superstitions having over-spread the face of the whole Earth insomuch that wicked Men and Women Adulterers and Adulteresses Stocks Stones and other Creatures were mistaken for Gods and Goddesses The times of this Ignorance as the Apostle calls them Act. 17.30 were woful but then let us see the goodness of the Lord who restored the light in so plentiful a manner that as that Cloud which Elijah's Servant saw at the first rise up like a man's hand had in short time over-spread the Heavens so that little Lamp which at first being put into the hand of Adam gave light to his House and Family became now like the Sun in the Firmament and shined to all Nations the knowledg of God being plentifully dispersed all abroad as the Sun-beams diffused through the whole body of the ayr But then again that evil Angel of the bottomless pit sent out a smoak in the Ages following which darkened the face of the Heavens and the light of the Church The Devil raised up divers Instruments not only open and notorious Hereticks but those of all others most dangerous who closely promoted the mystery of Iniquity never ceasing their secret workings until they had lifted up Antichrist into his Chair of Pestilence and by degrees corrupted the simplicity of the Truth darkning the knowledg of Christ with corrupt traditions errours contrary to the Faith defaceing the glory of Christ his full satisfaction and perfect merit with their own merit and works of supererogation and pretended Treasury of the Church joyning with Christ other Mediators and finding other ways to Heaven which the Holy Ghost never taught the Gospel of Christ never mentioned So that we may as truly say of them as of the Heathens Professing themselves Wise they became Fools Foolishly bragging of an infallibility nailed to their Popes Chair that it was impossible for him to erre or be deceived they fell into gross and monstrous errours and led many thousands away by their strong delusions to destruction who had pleasure in Vnrighteousness and received not the love of the truth that they might be saved The Romanists have used abundance of lyes and cunningly devised fables for the maintenance of their Tenets and the defence of their supposed truths as also for the defacing and blemishing of the undoubted truth of God They used not only fabulous specches but also fabulous actions too viz. lying wonders How many false miracles have they hatched for the defence of their Religion their Purgatory Praying for the Dead Invocation of Saints Transubstantiation Worshipping of Images c Would not these much trouble many weak minds had not the spirit of God expresly foretold that this should be the practice of Antichrist that man of sin whose coming should be with signes and lying wonders and all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish 2 Thes 2. So that that which they make use of to prove their Religion by when they want proofs in the Word of God we are taught by the word to make use of as a proof that their Pope is the very Antichrist and they the followers of the Beast What shameful lyes do they bring also to prove their Tenets that are in Controversie How do they abuse Scripture and as much as in them lyeth put lies into the mouth of the holy spirit of truth for the maintenance of their false doctrine for what is it else when men will wickedly go about to make the Scripture speak that which the Spirit who endited it never meant wilfully perverting plain Texts of the Word to serve their base ends and to confirm those falshoods which they have learned from the Father of lyes On the other side how many wicked Tales have they devised to suppress deface the Truth That edious lye concerning Luthers death and that of Beza's death and falling from the Truth to Popery cast abroad in his life-time which himself lived to confute to their shame what doth it but shew by what Spirit they are led what shameful lyes have they devised against many other special Instruments of God's Glory They hope it seemeth that some will be found so foolish as to believe their loudest lies yea do not many of them maintain lying as lawful for defence of Religion that Faith is not to be kept with those whom they call Hereticks and that Equivocation a more cleanly kind of lying is lawful insomuch that when Tresham one of the Powder-Traitors in articulo mortis lying on his Death-bed in the Tower denied by solemn Oath what he knew to be most true to save the life and credit of Garnet the Superiour of the English Jesuits and a man of great account among them and when the thing was proved manifestly and Garnet was asked what he thought of his case he said he knew not unless Equivocation might excuse him But if their doctrine be true it cannot want truth to defend it if false as it is all the lyes in Hell will not hold it up against the power of Truth no more than the darkness which silleth the ayr at night can resist the Sun-beams at his rising for as darkness is but a shadow and so cannot withstand the light so lyes are but shadows and fancies there is nothing selid in them and they are not able to resist the power of truth which is divine and cometh down from the Father of Lights and God of Truth Worthy Sirs P It is lamentable to consider what the Pope of Rome and his Clergy in this Land did heretofore practise upon the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation suffering them to live in Ignorance whereby they might not boggle at any looseness or wickedness of life that so the Clergy might afterward
denieth the temporal Sword to be in Saint Peters power doth not regard well the Word of the Lord who said Put up thy Sword into thy Scabbard And to prove that the Temporal of Princes is subject unto the Pope he alledgeth Jer. 1.10 See I have this day set thee over thee Nations and over Kingdoms And he will have that meant of the Ecclesiastical that is the Papal Power which he saith cannot be judged of by any because Saint Paul said The spiritual man judgeth of all things yet he himself is judged of no man Finally he concludes thus Whosoever then resisteth that Power ordained by God resisteth the Ordinance of God c. whereforewe declare say define and pronounce that it is of necessity to salvation to be subject to the Roman Prelate That venerable Pope hath found a proof of his Primacy in the first words of the Bible God in the beginning made heaven and earth These are Laws and Papal Ordinances pronounced with all the forms and inserted into the body of the Pontifical Decrees which to excuse from Errour one must want both conscience and common sense Anno 14.14 a Council was held at Constance to reform the Church in that Council three contending Popes were deposed of whom John the XXII was one for 71 Crimes among others for publickly denying the immortality of the Soul and maintaining that there was neither Paradise nor Hell To that Council J. Husse and Jerome of Prague were invited to defend their cause a safe conduct of the Emperour Sigismond was given them and Faith was sworn unto them that no harm should be done unto them But after some form of Disputation they were seized on and burnt alive And because the Emperour made a scruple to break his Faith the Council declared unto him that he was not bound to keep Faith with Hereticks for which purpose a Canon was made in this form This holy Council declareth that the safe conduct given to Hereticks or defamed for Heresie by the Emperour Kings and other secular Princes thinking thereby to turn them from their Errours with what Bond soever they be bound brings no prejudice to the Catholick Faith or to the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Neither can put any hindrance but that it may be lawful for a competent and Ecclesiastical Judg notwithstanding the foresaid safe conduct to make inquisition of the Errours of such persons and duly to proceed against them as much as Justice shall require if they obstinately refuse to renounce their Errours although they be come to the place of Judgment trusting to that safe conduct declaring that he that made that promise remains not obliged by it after he hath done that which lieth in him The same Council in the fifteenth Session makes an enumeration of the Errours of John Husse The nineteenth Errour for which he is condemned is for saying that the Popes and the Bishops Pardons avail nothing That Council declareth that the Popes Pardons serve a sinner although God hath not pardoned him which is putting the Pope above God since he pardoneth those that have offended God without Gods pardon and since the Popes pardons are in force though God approve them not The same Council takes away from the people the Communion of the Cup. They add that although Jesus Christ did after Supper institute the Sacrament under the two kinds yet the custom of giving to the people one kind only which is the Bread must be held for a Law and those that say the contrary must be driven away as Hereticks and grievously punished by the Inquisitors of heretical perversity In the year 1423. Martin the fifth held a Council at Siena where the same Indulgence was granted to them that would fall upon the Hereticks as to them that go to defend the holy Land Thus Remission of sins and Salvation is proposed as a reward of cruelty and popular fury as if the Pope had said because thou art a murtherer and a wicked man thou shalt have eternal life In the year 1440. the Council of Florence assembled by the authority of Pope Eugenius the fourth defineth and declareth in the last Session that the Roman Church can add to the Symbol and that the Pope hath the primacy over the whole world In the end of the last Lateran Council you have a thundering Bull against Luther who then began to preach there thirty nine Heresies are reckoned the seventh whereof is that the best penitence of all is a new life which yet is a choice sentence of the spirit of God Rev. 2.4 The twenty sixth Heresie of Luther mentioned in that Bull is this assertion It is certain that it is not at all in the power of the Church Pope to make Articles of Faith If this be an Heresie we may expect other Articles of Faith from the Pope and Christian Religion is not yet perfected since other Articles of the Christian Faith may be added such as we know not and such as the Apostles have never taught either by Word or Writing At last the Council of Trent came which having begun in the year of our Lord 1545 lasted 18 years In the fourth Session it was decreed that unwritten Traditions must be received with the same affection of piety and reverence as the holy Scripture That is that the Invocation of Saints the Distinction of Meats the Adoration of Relicks the Honour yielded unto Images the Consecration of Agnus Dei's and of blessed Beads together with many other things must be received with the like Piety Faith and Reverence as the Law of God and the Doctrine of our Redemption in Christ Jesus contained in the holy Scriptures The same Council cannot be excused of Errour for pronouncing in Session the fifth that the Concupiscence forbidden in the Law is no sin The same Council cannot be excused of Errour for decreeing that the Latin vulgar Version of the Bible should be the only authentical thereby authorizing a thousand depravations of the true original Text which are Hebrew and Greek yet since the time of the Council of Trent several Popes have caused that vulgar Version to be revised and have altered many things in it Salmeron the Jesuite endeavoreth to excuse that Decree of the Council speaking thus The holy Synod would oblige us to embrace that Latin Edition and follow it in all things yet not absolutely but upon condition that it be cleansed and re-purged from the Vices and Errours which are crept into it The same Council of Trent hath devised a crafty by-way to prohibit the reading of Scripture unto the people and many Prelates and Doctors in that Council were named and appointed to make an Index or List of Books the reading whereof must be prohibited Now the very first of these prohibited Books is the holy Scripture of which they say in the fourth of those Rules they have set before that Index that the reading of the Bible in the Language of the Country being indifferently permitted brings more harm than benefit
the vertue of natural causes false Miracles may seem to the weakness of men to be above the power of Creatures but are not so many of them are effected by natural means though in a secret and cunning way others of them are delusions of the Senses Satan cannot work the least Miracle by the power of his word No power of the Devil can raise the dead to life which is a work simply above the power of Creatures This Christ did with a word Mark 5.41 42. V. The ends for which Divine Miracles are wrought are always good chiefly for the promoting of Gods Glory and Mans Salvation So the Miracles wrought by the power of Christ tended to declare him to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World that men might receive him and believe in him to Salvation to prove and confirm the heavenly Doctrine of the Scripture to seal the truth of the Gospel to confirm the Minds of men in this assurance that the way of holy worship commanded in Scripture is appointed by the Lord himself by whose Almighty Power these Miracles are wrought but the lying wonders among the Papists wrought by the cunning and power of Satan are for evil and cursed ends like their Anthor to draw people from the truth to confirm them in Errours in Superstition praying for the dead and to the dead worshipping of Images establishing Monkish dreams of Purgatory and the like forgeries and absurdities Miracles are neither necessary nor perpetual in the Church If any bring in a new Doctrine it behoveth him to do Miracles But we of whom Miracles are demanded bring no new Doctrine Of the Gift of Prophecy THis the Papists hold also to be a perpetual mark whereby to know the Church for they say that the true Church of God wanteth not those which are endued with the spirit of Prophecy and they tell us that in every age there hath flourished some Prophet in their Church And for this they produce a few forged examples of Saint Bernard and Saint Francis a Popish Saint and the Founder of the superstitious Order of the Franciscans and of such others It is true there have lived some among them in their Church which in those days were counted Prophets and Prophetesses as Hildegardis anno 1146. likewise Bridget Catharine Senensis whom Bellarmine reckoneth up among others that wrought Miracles But concerning these a learned man answereth as the Jesuit doth for Sibilla a Prophetess among the Heathen that she prophecied as touching such matters as should fall out to the Church for a testimony of the Faith of the Christians and so to be counted herein a Prophetess of the Church rather than of the Heathen So if those three above-named were Prophetesses they were of our Church and not theirs for they prophecied of the decay of their Church and raising up of ours The Devil deluded many Popish Monks with strange Raptures and Visions though in their nature far different from those mentioned in the holy Scripture For Saint Paul in his Revelations was caught up into the third Heaven whereas most Monks with a contrary motion were carried into Hell and Purgatory and there saw apparitions of strange Torments Fuller in Vita Hildegaâ—d Also Saint Johus Revelation forbids all addition to the Bible under heavy penalties their Visions are commonly on purpose to piece out the holy Scripture and to establish such Superstitions as have no footing in Gods Word as a judicious Divine of ours hath well noted We read of a notable Popish Prophetess in King Henry the eighths daies Elizabeth Barton a Nun commonly called the holy Maid of Kent who being instructed by the Friers seigned as though she had many Revelations she prophecied that if the King proceeded in his Divorce then in question between him and Queen Catharine that he should not be King one year no not one month but he lived almost twenty years after that and this Prophetess worthily suffered for her demerits with all her accomplices Of Prosperity which the Papists make another Mark of the tâ—ue Church NOw see how unlike the condition of the false Church of Rome is to the condition of Saint Peter and the true Church of Christ Saint Peter reckoneth upon suffering persecution and death for the Gospel of Christ this he had from the mouth of Christ himself after his Resurrection and so we see that the Church of Christ is not exempted from the Cross by the Victory of Christ or by his Resurrection from the dead But wherein doth the Church of Rome which pretendeth it self to be Saint Peters Bishoprick and Diocess and its Bishop to be its Successor glory In a flourishing Church-Monarchy sufficient to make Kings Princes Emperours to wait at their Gates to hold the Popes Stirrup lead his Horse lay their Necks under his Feet kiss his Foot sufficient to depose Kings and Emperours sufficient to kill with Fire and Sword those that oppose their Decrees and Inventions though not convinced of any on Errour by the Word of God rightly understood And in this estate they bragg that their Church hath continued many hundred years without any interruption Could the true Church of Christ ever say so much in any age May not the Church say as Saint Paul of himself Bonds and imprisonment abide me poverty contempt from the world I am made a spectacle to Angels to the world and to men This true Kings Daughter is all glorious with in her Beauty consisteth in inward spiritual Graces not in Purple and Scarlet Gold and precious Stones The truth is the Popish Church glorieth in her shame and that which she boasteth of is a good argument to prove that she is not the true Church and Spouse of Christ who do talk so much of the Cross and make so much of the sign of the Cross as the Pope and his Followers But who do less bear the Cross of Christ than they they lay it upon others backs with great cruelty and violence even themselves that instead of being a suffering Church it is a persecuting Church instead of giving its Blood for the Truth it doth so outragiously spill the Blood of others that it should make any one that is not fearfully blinded to renounce it and to come out of her as an accursed Babylon a Cage of unclean Birds Are not the Popish cruelties registred as it were in Letters of Blood consult our Book of Martyrs what banishing excommunicating cursing imprisoning racking reviling drawing beheading hanging burning famishing tormenting divers ways sometimes of single persons sometimes of Towâ—â—… and Cities sometimes by the common Executioner sometimes by great Armies as may be instanced in the Waldenses and Albigenses somewhat more anciently of later times in Germany France Italy Spain England Scotland Ireland The scarlet-Whore seemeth as it were to have surfeited on the Blood of the Saints our Country hath been polluted with horrible Murthers until the Reign of King Henry the seventh for the space of three
Sacrament of Orders they say is to imprint a certain indelible character and mark in him that is ordained which can neither by Sin Apostasie or Heresie be blotted out and therefore a Priest once ordained can never lose his Orders or become a Lay-man again Their Errours concerning Confirmation 1. THat Confirmation is properly and truly a Sacrament it was so decreed in the Council of Trent 2. The Matter of this Sacrament they say is Oyl mixed and tempered with Balm first hallowed and consecrated by the Minister thereof and striked in manner of a Cross upon the forehead of him that is to be confirmed 3. As to the Minister of Confirmation the Papists are here divided Some think that the Bishop is so necessarily the Minister of Confirmation that it can in no wise be committed to Presbyters other of them are of opinion that it may be extraordinarily ministred by Presbyters But Bellarmine saith the Bishop is the ordinary Minister thereof 4. That by this holy Chrism smeered on the forehead the Holy Ghost is given for strength and corroboration against all our spiritual Enemies and to stand constantly in the Confession of our Faith even to death with great encrease of Grace And in this respect say they it giveth more abundant Grace in strengthening us against the Devil than Baptism doth 5. That he will never be a Christian that is not by Episcopal Confirmation chrismated 6. There are God fathers and Godmothers between whom and the Child that is confirmed by that Sacrament there is a spiritual Parentage begotten which hindereth Marriage and which also causeth the dissolution of Marriage notwithstanding the prohibition made by Jesus Christ forbidding the dissolution of Marriage unless it be for Adultery 7. That it ought to be celebrated Fasting 8. That it imprints an indelible character in the Soul 9. This Sacrament is administred in this manner Du Moul. Buckler of Faith p. 337. A Child is presented to the Bishop by a Godfather if it be a Son or by a Godmother if it be a Daughter The Bishop sits down washeth his hands layeth them upon his Breast saith certain Praiers by which he asketh or requireth the seven-fold Spirit Then he asketh the Godfather the Childs Name and dipping his right thumb in the sacred Oil which is called Chrism which they bring in a bottle whereon the Bishop breatheth to sanctifie it speaketh to the Oil saying Ave Chrisma I salute thee Chrism That done the Bishop anointeth the Childs forehead therewith in manner of a Cross saying Bellarm cap. 10. Signo te signo Crucis confirmo te Chrismate salutis in nomine Patris Fili. Spiritus sancti I mark thee with the sign of the Cross and confirm thee by the Chrism of Salvation in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost After that he gives the Child a blow on the Ear to strengthen him in the Faith then he kisseth it and having rubbed his thumbs with crumbs of Bread after many signs of the Cross by him made he commandeth the Godfathers and Godmothers to teach the Child the Creed the Pater noster and Ave Maria. While this is doing the Child if it can stand upright setteth his right foot upon the right foot of his Godfather or Godmother The action ended they bind the Childs forehead with a cloth and upon the Band put certain Golden Spangles in manner of a Cross and so the whole action is ended The Church of England retaineth that which is commendable in this custom where Confirmation is no other thing but a Profession which the Child having attained to the age of discretion maketh to keep the Promise which his Godfathers and Godmothers made in his name when he was baptized and answereth touching his Faith and Instruction which done he receiveth the Imposition of Hands and the Blessing of the Bishop which is not called by them a Sacrament The French Churches instead of that cause Children to be presented at Catechizing and to answer publickly touching their Faith before they admit them to the Lords Supper which is done with Praier that it will please God to extend his Blessing on them CHAP. III. THis is especially to be observed that their Errours are not only about many particular Points but about the fundamental Rule of Faith the holy Scriptures which makes the Disease the more dangerous and the cure more difficult Of their Corruptions in Worship NOw for their Corruptions in worship many are implied in their corrupt Doctrines for they that corrupt the purity of holy Ordinances do frame their Doctrines accordingly seeking to colour such abuses and refusing to reform their Corruptions by the Scripture They seek to wrest the Scripture and corrupt the Sense of it that they may seem to favour at least not to condemn their Inventions Of their Latin Service ALl that is spoken in the Church should be to edification 1 Cor. 14.6 but it is impossible to edifie by that which we cannot understand If we understand not our selves when we speak then we edifie not our selves if our hearers understand us not then we edifie not our hearers if neither of us understand then neither of us is edified I know what they plead for their Latin Service and their Latin Praiers that though it be a Tongue not commonly understood yet it is none of the strange Tongues that the Apostle speaks against for it is one of the learned Languages and besides it was dedicated to the use of the Church upon our Saviours Cross I answer that the Greek and Hebrew are learned Languages too and that they were dedicated upon our Saviours Cross as well as the Latin nay all Languages were as well and better dedicated to the use of the Church by the coming of the Holy Ghost than those by Pilat's writing upon our Saviours Cross It follows not because it was one of the learned Languages it is none of the strange Tongues for any Tongue not understood is to him that heareth it barbarous and strange not ob naturam vocis sed ob imperitiam as Chrysostome noteth on that place Against the use of all such the Apostle speaketh and sheweth that they be as Trumpets uncertainly sounding therefore they serve not for edifying in utiles sunt in quantum ignotae sunt they be unprofitable so far as they be unknown for we cannot say Amen to a Praier when we understand not the matter of a Praier I had rather speak five words saith Saint Paul to the understanding than five thousand in a strange Language Illud plus ostentationis habit iscud plus utilitatis there may be more ostentation on in that but there is more edification in this As it is the work of an Architect to build up an house so of Christians by spiritual endeavours to build up one another but that which is not for the understanding of Christians cannot be for the building up of Christians therefore of no use in the Church
and sanctifieth and purgeth them that are defiled and multiplieth such Goods as we have need of and turneth away all the deceits of the Devil and defendeth men from all wicked fancies Are not the Scriptures here well applied doth not this Ceremony turn Christ out of Office with all his works and merits Gulielmus Durandus saith that the holy Water hath deserved to have of God so great vertue that as outwardly it washeth the Body from filthiness so it inwardly cleanseth the Soul from sin O intolerable blasphemy When men sprinkle themselves with this Water in the Church-Porch before they enter into the Church they are taught and commanded to say Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus vita c. let the blessed Water be unto me health and life grant me O Lord by this creature of the sprinkling of Water health of mind wholeness of body defence of health safeguard of hope strengthening of faith now and in time to come Of Pilgrimages 1. THe Papists hold that Pilgrimages made to Rome and to Jerusalem and the holy Land as they call it and to the memories of the Saints in other places to ask and obtain their help are godly and religious and to be much used of Christians 2. Large Indulgences were promised to Pilgrims especially to visit St. Peter and St. Paul the Apostles Pope Anacletus excommunicated cursed and pronounced all such guilty of Sacriledg as should hinder any man to go on Pilgrimage or to visit the Sepulchres of Saints Pope Calixtus ordained that whosoever spoileth robbeth or hurteth any such as go in pilgrimage to Rome or to any other holy places of Saints the same should be excommunicated and accursed 3. â—reg â—â—â—â—en Some desired to worship in that place where Christs feet had walked Some superstitiously attributed more sanctity to that place than to any other Gregory Nyssen hath a whole oration of this matter against those who go in pilgrimage to Jerusalem This going in pilgrimage is in a manner to deny the coming of Christ for if Christ be come there is no more difference in regard of holiness between one ground and another Whether it were then or not now I am sure it is a fond superstition for any to ask as Naaman the Syrian did for two burthens of earth out of that Country as more holy than any other dust 2 Reg. 5.17 Such idle vagaries do the Papists make to some other special places where perhaps the Devil hath obtained leave to work some jugling feats and lying miracles Then presently the Saint his name is up and well is he that can spare time and money for a visitation of a sensless stock Yea many a Saint as good as he or she shall be passed by with little more than a good morrow while the heat of their blind devotion carrieth them on to this selected one Yea now and then the same Saint shall have little courtesie at their hands if they meet any where but at his Manner-house as it were Saint James at Compostella is taken for a better man than when they find him other where Such brutish follies the Holy Ghost himself disdaineth with an heavenly scorn as appeareth by Elijahs mocking of Baals Priests and Isaiahs character of the blind Idolater The Writer of the History of the Holy War tells us Fuller Suppl of the Hist of thâ— Holy War that besides those that went many were either driven or fled to the Holy Land Those were driven who having committed some horrible sin in Europe had this penance imposed on them to travel to Jerusalem to expiate their faults Many a Whore was sent thither to find her Virginity many a Murtherer was enjoyned to fight in the Holy War to wash off the guilt of Christian blood by shedding the blood of Turks The like was in all other offences Now God forbid saith my Author we should condemn them if truly penitents for impious But we find that many of them reverted to their former wickedness Others fled thither who having supererogated the Gallows in their own Countries by their several misdemeanours to avoid the stroke of Justice protected themselves under this voyage and coming to Palestine so profited in those Eastern Schools of Vices that they learned to be more artificially wicked Thus He. Of the Agreement between Paganism and Popery NOw let me shew how the Papists in their Religion have borrowed many things from the Pagans I will here insert them as I find them in the Writings of divers Learned Men. I. The Heathen had their Pilgrimages The Heathen were wont to go on Pilgrimage to such an Idol So do the Papists they go many of them on Pilgrimage to our Lady of Lauretto to St. Michael to St. James to visit the Holy Sepulchre and the Holy Hand-kerchief which is a Relique in Rome wherein they say the Picture of Christ's Face is after it was wiped therewith But concerning Pilgrimages I have spoken in the former Section II. The Heathen made great Feasts and kept a great number of solemn Holy Dayes in honour of their Idols And have not the Papists brought in many Holy Dayes instead of the solemn Feasts of the Heathen Calvin speaking against this Superstition Calvin Serm in Dâ—ut 12. in one of his Sermons upon Deuteronomy saith men will say we must not now do as the Heathens did for that were a serving of the Devil But every Parish will have a Church-Holy-day to Play to Dance and to feed in till they burst again and all in the Honour of God Besides this every one had his Patron whom he worshipped and said they these things are not done any more in Honour of the Idols but in Honour of St. Martin And let them Dance and play the Drunkards all is well enough so it be done in Honour of God and his Saints 1. Twelftide was an Imitation of the Saturnales in which the Servants were Masters And the Lord of Misrule in Christmas is also a trace of the Saturnales at that time of the Year 2. Ashwednesday falls much upon the same time as the Day of Purifications and Propitiations for the Dead in the Pagan Rome which was upon the Eighteenth of February 3. As for Candlemas Rhenanus acknowledgeth that Candlemas is an imitation of the Februal Ceremonies of the Romans and the Insolencies of Shrovetide came from the Bacchanales 4. The Rogations and Processions about the field of Corn have succeeded to the Processions called Ambarvalia 5. The Heathens were wont to keep an Holy-day which they called the Feast of all Spirits And the Papists change the word and have the Feast of All-Souls III. The Heathens had a Temple which they called the Temple of all their gods The Papists call such a Temple the Church of All-hallowes the Church of All-Saints and they added a Church Holy-Day unto it IV. The Heathen had their Sacrifices to their gods And the Papists have their Masses set up in the room of them The Pagans had