all honest minded people which cannot endure Gods infinite iustice and goodnesse to be blasphemed doe hate and execrate them For my selfe I say Perfecto odio oderam illos with Dauid I hate them as Psal 139. 22. the Lords enemies with a full and perfect hate But that you may consider vpon how sandy a ground you haue builded this your last reason call to mind how your owne Remists translate Saint Paul writing to the Thessalonians of Antichrist and his miracles thus they 2. ad Thess 2. v. 9. 10. 11. 12. there read whose comming is according to the operation of Satan in all power and lying signes and wonders And in all seducing of iniquitie to them that perish for that they haue not receiued the charitie of the truth that they might be saued Therefore God will send them the operation of errour that they may beleeue lying that all may bee iudged which haue not beleeued the truth but haue consented to iniquitie thus they translate the Apostle Where now is your forehead Master Flood who write the flat contradictorie of this and dare twit Gods prouidence that he will not permit such things whereof the holy Apostle so clearely pronounceth and so I obserue how idly you applie that of Saint Iames Deus intentator malorum God is no tempter of Iam. 1. â— euill for though God doe tollerate and permit these things yet he is not the Tempter but Satan Antichrist and his Ministers Further the Reader may obserue how toyishly you come in with your toies and trifles and tell vs a tale out of Saint Austen of the Donatists dreames and visions Newtons vision and phantastick delusion you should rather haue tould vs of Master Newtons vision at Staunford against the Oath of allegiance of which your Gatehouse Candidates were so iocond that they consulted whether it were not meete to send the same to a Person of very great and high note thereby to make him a popish Conuert But lest you should be taken after tripping to halt altogether you confesse a little after that Antichrists miracles indeede shall be greater notwithstanding they shall be such that the vanitie thereof a constant faith with competent diligence may easily discouer It is the Mat 24. 24. 2 Thessal 2. Apocal. 13. truest sentence of yours in your whole booke Antichrists miracles indeede shall be greater and such as may be discouered for alreadie though they be great strong many as che scriptures speake yet they are discouered and by them the man of sinne is reuealed And he who will be pleased to read but what your owne men Canus Espencaeus Lyra Baronius Halensis with diuers others yea Popes haue deliuered concerning some of your lying signes and wonders whereof your legends and Portesses haue beene full will easily discouer Antichrists pawes to bee in them I dare vndertake out of your owne legends and popish Authours to discouer diuers hundreths of miracles which you your selues will acknowledge either in part or wholy to bee forged or else such as by themselues will appeare whose brattes they are Whereas you adde insulting lie that your Catholike miracles are many and great and most witnessed wee ingenuously See S Gregory in Iob lib. 33. cap 25. lib. 34. cap. 3. confesse it in part for so the holie Scriptures haue deliuered that those of Antichrist shall be such but when you adde that your aduersaries doe confesse that they are done by Gods owne hand before we can yeelde thereunto we must needs examine your proofe which thus followeth Mr. FLVD pag. 153. num 37. Now their last refuge is that which your greate Champion master Whitaker betakes himselfe e e Whitaker de Eccles p. 348. nen ignoro vera miracula non nisi diuina visieri posse vnto to wit that true miracles which none but God can doe though knowne to be such f f Ex neutro genere miraculotam sufficiens testimâ—nium aut certum argumen tum câ—lligitur doe not demonstrate the truth of religion be giueth this desperate reason g g Constat deum non modo veris sed falsis doctoribus vim tribuere hutusmodi miracula faâ—endi non tamen quo câ—nfirmet eorum falsa dogm it a sed quo tentet eos ad quos mittantur to wit that God doth giue power to worke true miracles to false teachers not to confirme their false opinions saith hee but to tempt those to whom they are sent Can any doctrine be more dreadfull or harsh in a Christians eare then this How can any man know that God doth not allow that doctrine which false Prophets say he doth allow and shew his broad seale for their saying But this master Whitaker cannot deny but that Catholikes in the day of iudgement may haue that plea which a learned and ancient Father thought inuincible which he sets downe for our comfort in these words h h Ricard de Sancto victore lib. 1. de Trinit c. 2 domine si error est quod eredin us a te decepti sumus O Lord if it be an error which we beleeue we are deceiued by thee for thou hast confirmed these things vnto vs with such signes and wonders which could not be done but by thee Protestants will grant that we are deceiued by God by the wonders and miracles which our teachers say that he wrought and worketh by them to confirm this truth yet say they we must be damned ANSWER When you haue but an inch granted you will take an ell you may be ashamed of your impertinencies But to answer your inference That verie learned and reuerend Clarke Master Whitaker as I gather out of your marginall notes for I haue not his booke saith onlie that God may worke some true miracles by false teachers though not to confirme their doctrine but onlie to proue and make triall of his seruants you translate his word tentet tempt wheras it is euident he hath it here for to trie or proue Now master Flud if master Whitaker must be put to his purgation for this his saying what then will become of Moses who saith in expresse termes thus euen as much as master Whitaker doth if not more Deut. 13. v. 1. 2. 3. c. If saith Moses there shall arise in the middest of thee a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and shall tell thee a signe or a wonder and the signe or wonder come to passe whereof be speaketh to thee saying let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them Thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of that Prophet or dreamer rf dreames for the Lord your God tempteth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God withall your heart and withall your soule Thus Moses speaking the same which master Whitaker doth Now cry out against Moses master Flud say vnto him can any doctrine be more dreadfull and harsh in a Christian mans eare then this what
custome of them mankind should waxe cold at the new appearance whereof it was all on fire thus he So that you Mr. Flud requiring miracles now in these times as necessarie to auoyde defect in Gods prouidence to conserue loue feare in mens hearts seem to be one of those prodigious ones which S. Austen twitteth who will not beleeue credente mundo the whole world beleeuing Like Lib. 22. de Ciuit. 8. to what I haue cited out of S. Austen you may finde in Gregorie Chrysostome Aquinas others yea your d Bellar de notis Ecclâ—s cap. 14. Nota 11. Bellarmâ—ne Gregor apud Pâ—ter in 2. ad Thessal 2 lib. 27 moral 11. laying his cheifest foundation for his Note of his Church by miracles affirmeth thus directly Miracula sunt necessaria ad nouam fidem vel extraordinari am missioneÌ„ persuadendam Miracles are necessarie to perswade a new faith or an extraordinarie Mission If this Bellarmiâ—ian foundation be true take you heed jest your ouer eager contention for your miracles put this perswasion in your Readers minde that you perswade necessitie of miracle because your Faith is new and your Mission extraordinarie out of order Which conceit I ingenuously confesse the very reading of this your reason at first glimpse did put into my minde â—hilest I was yours and wholly yours in my ignorance Thirdly is it not a point of highest impietie to giue by so pretended an occasion inducements for Christians Mr. Fluds hird blasphemie to fall into despaire euen then whenas most speciall coÌ„forts shall be most needful Now that this your doctrine Temptation tryeth and examine hâ— Christian Bâ—sil hom 〈…〉 annos Call to minde thâ— practise of Daâ—â—d in the deâ— Joh vpon thâ— dunghill Iosâ—h in prison Dâ—uid Jeremiâ— Isâ—y c. none of them challenged as a necessâ—rie point of Gods helpe miraculous deliuerances Apoc. 13. 10. so doth I make it thus manifest This your doctrine doth require yea challenge from God if hee will not have his prouidence reputed defectiue then to send greatest miraculous deliuerances to his friends and seueâ—est extraordinarie punishments to his enemies in the time of Antichrist and euen when he shall be in his greatest ruffe Whereas the holy Scriptures in that time doe especially require from the seruants of Christ fidem patiâ—ntiam faith and patience Hic est fides c. Here saith the booke of Reuelation pointing at the dayes of Antichrist is the faith and patience of the Saints that is in these times their faith and patience is tryed and exercised Here they must not glory in the faith of miracles but in the faith of expectation and hope Here they must not looke for present miraculous helps but with patience beare whatsoeuer that cruell Tyrant shall impose vpon them Doth not Gregorie the Great say that Greg lib. 32. Mor. cap 12. related approuingly by Bell lib. 3 de Pont. cap. 15. in those times etiam tortores ipsorum Sanctorum MartyruÌ„ tunc prodigia signa facturos Yea saith he the executioners and tormenters of the holy Martyrs shall doe prodigies and signes How euen in the very sight and presence of the tormented But we stand not vpon Gregories authoritie but we produce vnto you that of our Sauiour himselfe that in the daies of Antichrist the false Prophets Math 24. shall doe so many signes and wonders that if it were possible the very elect that is all the elect both learned and vnlearned high and low simple and prudent should be in danger to be seduced and drawne away by them We produce that of the Apostle that the comming of Antichrist 2 Thessal 2. shall be with all power and signes and lying wonders We point you to the Reuelation where Antichrist and his Apoc 13. 12. 13. 14. false Prophets are described to doe so many signes prodigies and wonders that thereby the whole earth shall admire after the beast c. This being the case of those times according to the tenent of sacred Scripâ—ures and ioynt consent of Ancient Fathers how blasphemous is Mr. Fluds Diuinitie to perswade Christians in the time of Antichrists ruffe before hi destruction by the breath of Christs mouth to looke for many miraculous helps and deliuerances Yea how blaspherrous is his impure Mr. Flods 4. blasphemie mouth who as it were in expresse termes to confront against Christ yea and to giue c. to the sacred Scriptures he dareth thus to write that Antichrist and his Flud pag. 152. num 30. shall doe no other then a few toyes and trifles which God shall permit him to doe to try the constancie of his faithfull And so let this be your fifth blasphemie that so you may haue aboue a messe in the first seruice to wit that Mr. Flâ—d fifth blasphemie for so much as lyeth in you you make way for Antichrist and are one of his Iohn Precursors For what doe you else then make way for Antichrist by taking away one of his cheifest markes and Characters by which hee is to bee knowne according to the expresse tenent of Scriptures and sense of all the Ancient Church And if the true Christians should when Antichrist shall bee in his glory haue power to oppose miracle against miracle so that for number and greatnesse of miracles they might contend with Antichrist and his false Prophets as Moses did with the Egiptian Magicians if this shall Exod 7. 8. be so Sir then I beseech you what great danger should the Elect be in to be seduced by his signes prodigies and lying wonders in as much danger surely as Moses and the Israelites were when his Serpent deuoured the Serpents of the Magicians or when he did such prodigies that the very Magicians themselues confessed the finger of God to be with Moses against them But leauing these impietie iustly retoâ—ted vpon your owne Fatherhood let vs trace you in your elegant footsteps How idle is that you adde that if this be so then the Deuill shall rule all the rost Not so good Sir for although S. Paul say Antichrists comming shall be in omni 2 Thessal 2. potentia in all power his meaning is not that God shall leaue to haue a carefull prouidence ouer his Elect. He granted and permitted power to Satan ouer and against Iob. Hee graunted to Antiochus ouer and against the Church of the Iewes yet the Deuill did not rule the roste in those times Thinke of those and take them for resemblances of the powerfull times of Antichrist who was powerfully and aboue measure to vexe the bodies of Gods seruants but God shall so inwardly illustrate with faith and patience the hearts of his said seruants that they shall not be daunted with all the fiery darts of Antichrist his Non collidentur quia Dominus supponit manum they shall not be broken for God will beare them vp To proceed It may seeme lost labour to answer your brauing eloquence
before hee pretended by vertue of the lambes hornes that is Christs Vicarian power to bee absolute and supreame in spiritualls hee was so reuiued and animated by the curing of his deadly woundes that since he hath challenged an absolute Monarchie both in spiritualls and temporalls so that by this meanes we haue an eighth Beast Antichrist in his perfection which was of the Gregory dareth to call him that challengeth to be vniuersall Bishop Antichrist Greg. epist 76. lib. 4. seuen of the seuen for his spirituall Supremacie and vniuersall Episcopacie in spiritualls in time of the Gothes Eighth for his Monarchicall and Emperiall Papacie in temporalls In the first he pretendeth and pretended like the lambe with the lambes power In the second he roareth like the Dragon his lambe-like pretences sound in all their pulpits his Dragon-like roares haue filled all Kingdomes and prouinces so that hee hath fought against the Saints and for a time hath ouercome them These pointes though cleare in themselues yet Apoc. 13. 7. may seem darke and obscure vnto vs but let the Intelligent Reader compare this my discourse with the Euents of things and accordingly iudge That which I haue here breifly set done I shall if God please and occasion doe require it more amply declare and confirme and so I come to my second ground of my reasons which is the generall qualities and properties of Antichristian miracles deliuered in the holy Scriptures out of which I argue thus CHAP. XI Wherein is examined the generall properties of Antichrists miracles FIrst out of the greatnesse quantirie of them they Reason 1 must be great for quantity and many for number for so our Sauiour hath foretould in Saint Mathewes Math. 24. 24. Mark 13. 22. Gospell and other passages of Scripture and the ioynt voice of the Ancients doe deliuer as much Now which of the Pontifician can or will denie their miracles to be many which of them doth not exult and insult against vs for the greatnesse of them doth not Master Floode heere both for number and excellencie compare them with those of the primitiue Church this point is cleare I goe on Secondly I argue out of another condition of Antichristian Reason 2 miracles that they shall be mendaeia falsa lying and false The miracles of Antichrist are called in Scripture mendacia lying not because all of them shall be fictious or forged nor because all of them shall indeed tend to the perswasion of lyes but also in this respect they are called mendacia mendacious lying because many of them shall be counterfet for Antichrist and See Bellar. lib. 3. de Pont. cap. 15. 2 Thessal 2. 10. his amongst many great miracles they shall doe shall also pretend many false and counterfet ones in fallacia erroris in the deception of errour saith the Apostle And I suppose there is no Pontifician will denie this so likewise no ingenuous Pontifician can denie but that there is store of mendacious and counterfet miracles related by the Legendaries of their Church Many are the wonders See Canus Lec lib. 11. cap. 6. Lira in Dan. which are recounted in the booke of Franciscan Conformities but how many of these are derided and scorned by many learned of that Church Great are the miracles and many which our late Ignatians doe father vpon their Founder Ignatius Loiola but small esteeme The great superstitious Vicount of Sussex reading the tale of S. Francis his preaching to the Wolfe at Engubium laughed heartily at the same is made of them either by the Benedictines or by White or Blacke Fryers and by their superstitious Allies in name the Iesuattes I my selfe haue heard diuers laughing at the Ignatians policie who so long after the day begin to set Ignatins his miracles vpon the stage the reason doubtlesse is lest if they had produced them sooner some might haue been found liuing who knew the Souldier and could haue reproued their forgeries The matter is plaine I need not stand vpon it for there would be no end if any should stand to relate an infinitie of lying narrations which many of themselues deride Thirdly I argue out of the effect of Antichristian miracles Reas Third to wit that many shall be seduced by them yea the Matth 24. very elect if it were possible and that for them the whole Mar. 13. 2 Thess 2. 10. Apoc. 13. world should admire after the Beast the which how it is accomplished in the Roman Synagogue where there is such a confluence of people of all Nations after their miracles where all the world admireth the Romane Papacie for the number and greatnesse of their miracles who seeth not who obserueth not Fourthly I argue out of the manner by which the Antichristian false Prophets doe their miracles to wit Reason 4 they shall doe them in the very name of Christ himselfe Many saith Christ speaking of them shall come in my Matth 24. 5. 23. 24. Marc 13. 6. 21. 22. Luc 17. 22. 23. name to wit as pretending his faith his power for by no meanes it can be vnderstood in that sort as the Pontificians commonly expound it that is that many shall come in the name of Christ pretending themselues to be Christ and denying Christ himselfe For if such a thing were prophecied by Christ how could his infinite wisedome haue added that the very elect should be in great danger to be seduced by them What are the elect such inconstant reedes to be shaken with that which euerie common Christian at the first sound would abhorre hate and detest No no sir Antichrist and his shall come in the name of Christ pretending his doctrine they shall make an apostacie from Christ yet not professe the same by denying Christ their working shall be as the Apostle termeth it mysterium iniquitatis a mysterie 2 Thess 2. 7. 10. See Apoc 7. 5. of iniquitie in fallacia erroris in the deception of errour Now manifest it is that the miracles done in the Pontifician Church are pretended to be done in the name of Christ and therefore it is that so many are seduced by them therefore it is that when some Christians of the reformed Churches doe heare of the same they do as it were in some sort begin to stagger to heare that Rome doth flourish with the glory of miracles which they pretend to be done onely in the name of Christ This indeed is a dangerous blocke at which the very Elect might be in danger to stumble were they not vpheld by him who hath promised that no man shall take his sheep Ioh 10. 28. out of his hands Fifthly I argue out of an vniuersalitie of Antichristian Reason Fifth miracles which shall be done by Antichrist and his ministers in all places for the whole world must admire after Apoc 13. 13. them they must be done in conspectu hominum in the fight of men and view of the world Now the same is punctually performed
or pretended to be performed by the Pontificians who haue in all such Countries as obey their Pope some Miracle-Sanctuaries as for example at Burgis Compostella Montserrato in Spaine at Lile Sichem Arras Mechline Hall in the Low-Countries at Rhemes Shallon in France And in England time was we had the Ladies of Ipswich Walsingham c. It bootes not to adde of other Countries the point is cleare Sixthly I argue out of the specialtie of the Ministers Reason Sixth of these miracles It is apparant in holy Scriptures that they are not to be the ordinarie followers of Antichrist Matth 24. 24. Mar. 13. 22. Luc 17. 2 Thess 2. Apoc 9. 13. but they are to be his speciall Deuoutes and as it were sworne slaues Now in Poperie it is most cleare that their Miraculists are Monkes Fryers Abbots or Bishops such as are by a more speciall bonde and linke more then ordinarie people or Priests tyed fast in slauerie and subiection to the Sea of Rome This point is cleare so cleare that I vndertake there is not any of their Church if zealous who will dare to attribute the ordinarie working of miracles to any that are not at least in profession deuoted to their Holy Father For this cause they cannot endure to heare that Ignatius the blessed Martyr and Patriarke of Constantinople did any miracles because he did oppose against the Popes arrogating iurisdiction ouer the Churches of Bulgarie Seuenthly I argue out of the circumstance of the Reason 7 time when Antichristian miracles are to be most rife The time is pointed out vnto vs in holy Scriptures at 2 Thess 2. Apoc. 13 17. the dissolution of the Roman Empire and at the setting vp and in the time of another Monarchicall Rome Gouernment in steed thereof which that it is now accomplished See aboue in my first ground of reasons who seeth not The Romane Emperour being a meere Nominall a very shadow of the Imperiall dignitie resting in the Bishop of Rome who is his absolute Lord the Emperour his Substitute the Pope the Liege the Emperour the Liegeman and hath in the opinion of the Pope his Purpuratts and other no more Soueraigntie in Rome then the King of Spaine hath And hereout ariseth another consideration of time to wit that at the very time when Antichrist his ministers shall doe many and great miracles then the true Christians shall worke either none at all or else so few that in comparison of the great multitudes that Antichrist Seé aboue saepe and Greg. lib. 33 34. mor. in Job christ and his shall do they will seeme none at all Now cleare it is that the Popish Church aboundeth with wonders and doth with insultation twit and reproue the reformed Churches for want of the same and this is a very expresse Antithesis or opposition which is to be betwixt the true Christians and the false in the time of Antichrist Chrysâ—st vel Author imperf in Mat. hom 49. Greg. sapissime the false shall exult in their miracles which to the true seruants of Christ shall be matter of tryall and probation and hereout Eightly I argue thus In the time of Antichrist such Reason Eight people as shall be of his damnable profession shall be eager and greedie after miracles in which his chiefe ministers Apec 13. 2 Thess 2. and false Prophets shall egregiously exult Contrariwise the true Christians shall recurre only vnto the Scriptures rest onely vpon Christs promises and assurance of their faith according as S. Iohn saith Hic est fides patientia Sanctorum Here Saints must vse their Apoc. 13. 10. faith and patience This is now clearely accomplished in the Popish Synagogue the disciples whereof are greedy and most eager after miracles which appeareth by their most tedious Pilgrimages Contrariwise those of the reformed Churches are very well contented to want the same relying onely vpon the assurance of their faith in Christ and his promises deliuered in sacred Scriptures and confirmed by such miracles as are there recommended and so hereout Ninthly I argue that in Antichrists time those that reason Ninth are his as they are eager after miracles so they shall also be very prone to beleeue them the which is so apparant in all the whole popish Congregations that I dare boldly say that if they were not bewitched fascinations erroris 2 Thessal by the spirit of errour they would be ashamed to be so ouer-credulous of euery tale that is told them I confesse ingenuously when I was amongst them and was ouer-zelous for all doctrinall points of Poperie yet I should sometimes be amaz'd to obserue such an ouer-credulitie in many of them such an admiring after new wonders and I was not sometimes without trouble of minde and some scruple to consider how both men and women otherwise of honest conuersation and zelous profession in that kinde would giue credit to such trifles as I knew in my knowledge and reading to be meeâ—â—aâ—ities and fables and so reputed of by their great Clerkes When I considered these things then I could not diuine from what Spirit such illusions might arise to obserue the best and most zealous of that profession to be commonly most inueigled in that kinde but now I obserue it was no other then what S. Paul hath foretold that God should permit such to beleeue 2 Thess 2. 11. Apoc 13. 3. lyes and that as S. Iohn hath foretold they should admire after the Beast and his wonders I could here adde very many particulars especially of English Papists who are most prone and inclinable to beleeue any tale that is told them of any of their martyrs witnesse the fabulous narration of the shining face of Frier Buckley vpon London Bridge as also of the miraculous stopping and staying of the horse that drew the hurdle witnesse the prodigious standing of a pixe with an host-Christ in it vpon a table in a Chamber A purseuant searching the chamber round about and yet could not see the God Witnesse the glorious end of mistrisse Line taken in Fetter lane and executed some 15. yeeres since Witnesse their many miraculous escapes of some of their Priests as they pretend witnesse Doctor Norris his impassible Agnus Dei that the fire would not touch c. Thus I haue cleerly though briefly fastened all the generall qualities and conditions of Antichristian miracles recounted in holie Scriptures vpon the Popish so intirelie and fast that I dare vndertake neither you master Flud nor any other shall be able to remoue them I vndertake further that all other circumstances of the same recounted in Scripture will easily and with great facilitie be iustly applied to your Popish miracles And so I come to examine some speciall passages of sacred Scripture by which as by a line of truth we are led to the finding out of Antichristian miracles and excepting two I will especially examine some that are not much looked into by others all I cannot
presumptuous Canonizing into the ranke of sacred Scriptures apocriphall bookes of errable men so reputed and esteemed by venerable antiquitie Againe their vaine presumption in defining their metaphysicall and paradoxicall transubstantiation by which out of those most venerable and sacramentall words of Christ this is my body by an admirable Math. 26. Luk. 22. kinde of logicke neuer heard of nor dreamed of in the auncient Fathers they doe by transubstantiation place and set their Christ in such a manner of being site and disposition of body within the round wafers which they consecrate that I could neuer as yet heare any one of them dare to affirme in what sort Christ is there whether sitting standing or lying whether prone or supine with his face vpward or downeward whether like Ianus bifrons double-fore-headed or with as many faces as there be imaginary parts in the wafer This only by the way I giue the Reader to vnderstand that when their famous Vasquez publike Reader of diuinitie Vasquez his chimericall conceit touching transsubstantiation in the Ignatian schooles at Rome was treating of the manner of Christs being in their sacrament he did then and there not without admiration and astonishment to my selfe deliuer that looke howsoeuer and in what sort and manner soeuer the deuout Receiuer will imagine Christ to be there whether as standing vpright or as sitting or like as hanging vpon a crosse hee shall so haue him truely and realy his reason was because Christ is in the sacrament in like sort as mans soule is in his body totus in toto totus in qualibet parte whole Christ in euery part of the wafer and whole Christ in the whole wafer so that although the whole face of Christ be in the whole wafer and in euery part of the wafer and the feet of Christ be in the whole wafer and in euery part of the wafer yet it is said hee in the power of the Receiuer to imagine the face to be in one part the hands in an other the brest in the third and the rest in other parts in such sort as might best serue for his deuotion And that this doctrine was there publikely deliuered I call the heauens to witnesse but what neede I so to do when this their superstitious diuinity is so frequently taught and deliuered in their meditations and pulpits and it is so agreeing to that their principle that Christ is wholie in euery part and wholy in the whole wafer that by necessary consequence it followeth thereout as the intelligent Reader will easily obserue Further a third instance I adioyne of their doting and fatuouse indulgences which are so farre from being founded and grounded in any expresse practise of the primitiue Church that the acutest of themselues confesse and acknowledge that they were only implicitely deliuered in those words to Peter whatsoeuer thou Math. 16. shalt binde shall be bound and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose shall be loosed which wordes being by their inerrable Iudge expounded for their indulgences thereupon they haue coyned according to their diuinity a new article of faith By all which with infinite more instances it is as cleere as the very heauens that they doe beleiue many things as necessary points of religion which the ancient Church neuer dreamed of And when vpon this point they are vrged and tould as Christ taxing the Iewes errours spoke to them that ab initio non erat sic from the beginning it was not so Abraham non fecit sic Math. 19. 8. Christ his Apostles the primitiue Church did not so then they recurre to their rotten sanctuary that although the primitiue Church did not so expressely yet they did so implicitely although they did not so beleiue in expresse tearmes yet they did so beleiue in principijs in those principles and premisses out of which their Holy father by his vnerring Spirit hath deducted these new conclusions and vpon whose declaration wee receiue and beleiue them as the very Oracles of God But how is this diuinitie confronted by the Apostle Galat 1. 8. 9. who hath denounced an Anatheme to him whosoeuer shall deliuer as matter of faith for so the Apostle must be vnderstood beside what was then deliuered how can the Pontficians shew me any commandement of God by which I am bound to beleeue new articles of faith which were not expresly beleeued and receiued in the Apostles times and primitiue Church by what This is catholike faith and profession which the Apostles haue deliuered Martyrs haue confirmed which the faithfull hitherto do keep Vigil against Eutich principles can they euince that the faith which was sufficient for the Apostles and their immediate schollers is not sufficient for the faithfull of this time by what scripture or authoritie of any ancient Father can they shew that the Pope can deliuer new Articles of faith touching manners which were not beleeued in the primitiue Church surely by none and yet they trauaile egerly therein but their issue being fruitlesse and they not being able to be deliuered of a masculine childe to defend this their paradoxe they recurre and runne to that vaine and fond bulwarke of all Heretikes and false Prophets miracles forsooth prodigyes visions and wonders must be deuised there they rest there they triumph and sing but before the victorie as easily I by Gods assistance will make it manifest in this my discourse rest they triumph they insult they neuer so much The manner of the Papists vrging of their miracles prodigyes and visions is so peculiar and essentiall to Antichristianisme and to the great Patriarke of the same the man of sinne and sonne of perdition that I suppose there are no passages of sacred Scripture which do more clearely euince poperie to be Antichristianisme and the Pope to be the man of sinne then that they so egregiously insult for their false prodigyes and tryumph for their lying visions that if it were possible they would Matth 24. Marc. 13. draw the very elect into errours and heresies were they not vpheld by the hand of him qui nouit qui sunt cius 2. Timoth 2. who knoweth his and were they not taught by his voice Ioh 10. and fortified by his holy inspirations to flee from the hearing of any Alien in matters concerning faith religion and worship of God but being by his holy word and spirit sufficiently instructed whensoeuer they heare the sound of any errours broched from Rome though for continuance they might haue a thousand yeeres of age vsed in times of errour ignorance and superstitious darknes yet if that of Christ Ab initio non erat sic from the beginning it was not so in the Apostles time it was not in certaine ages after it was not so may Matth 19 8. iustly be opposed against them they dare constantly auouch such customes to be not christian but hereticall not antiquities but long inserted nouelties not able to prescribe against Christ his
from the faithfull in the holy Church And then the old enemie shall in that damned man Antichrist appeare conspicuous against them by many prodigies that by how much he is puffed vp with his signes by so much with greater praise he may be ouercome by the faithfull for although signes shall not altogether be wanting to the faithfull in that conflict notwithstanding his shall be so great note these words that ours will seeme few or none at all whose vertue shall be stronger then all his signes spurning with the heele of inward constancie against all that which is so terribly shewed by him but the malignant enemie shall by so much vse greater immanitie against them behold the Romane practise by how much he shall greeue to see himselfe despised in the midst of his shining miracles therefore he will wholy recollect himselfe for their destruction and will kindle vp all the reprobates with one minde and like crueltie to the destruction of the faithfull And so the proud loftinesse of Antichrist ouer reprobate mindes shall be raised vp with the fast how cleare is this in the sonne of perdition sitting at Rome and pompe of secular glory so that a sinfull man and yet despising to be esteemed as a man that is a pure man only will lyingly affirme himselfe to bee a God ouer men obserue these words a God ouer men wherevpon the Apostle Paul saith so that he will sit in the temple of God shewing himselfe as if he were a God thus farre Saint Gregorie with much more to like purpose And although this Father in this place doe seeme to teach that Antichrist shall directly and expresly extoll himselfe aboue God which none of the Popes haue yet done as some Papists may obiect and that therefore this Antichrist here described by Gregorie cannot be the Pope For my part I thus resolue the doubt that all the Fathers discourse may most fitly be applyed to the Popes vnmeasurable extolling himselfe aboue the lawes of God challenging power to dispense in all vowes and oathes challenging power to annexe to base creatures more spirituall efficacie against sinnes and wicked Spirits then he himselfe and his doe giue to the Sacraments of Christ challenging the very name of Vice-god challenging all that honour and adoration For the Popes insolent pride read the dictates of Gregor 7. in Baron anno 1175. which is vpon earth giuen vnto him for that he is a Vice-God a God substitute vpon earth sitting in the temple of God But setting this circumstance at this present aside by this Fathers whole discourse agreeing to sacred Scriptures and his iudgement it is manifest that to abound with miracles and wonders against that Church which hath few or no miracles in comparison shall professe Christ and only Christ is an euident signe of Antichristianisme the which how fitly it squareth to the Romanists no man cannot but see whose eyes the 2. Cor 4. God of this world hath not blinded To proceed Concerning the time when the miracles of false prophets were to be most flush and like shoales to flee abroad the reuelation of Saint Iohn hath Apoc 13. v. 2. 11. 13. 14. it so cleare that nothing can be more clearely or liuely expressed For there the Prophet deliuereth the great power authoritie miracles and wonders of the Beast and of the false Prophet hauing two hornes like the lambe Miracles ceased for most part in the time of Aust See August de vera relig Chrysost in 1. ad Cor. cap. 2. hom 6. Greg. hom 29. in Euang. which must be towards the later times of the Church after the substraction of miracles from the true Church which hath passed long agoe to worke great prodigies and wonders pretending the very power and place of the lambe as Popes doe yet speaking like the dragon denouncing proclayming blood ruine fire sword proditions perditions against all such as shall denie his monarchicall Papacie against all such as shall refuse that power by which he challengeth authoritie to dispose of kingdoms and depose Kings for the saluation of soules and this he doth as if it were with the hornes of the lambe pretend thereby cloaking and couering his ambitious loftie and fastuous spirit And if your holy Father the Pope do not pretending the two hornes of the lambe worke prodigies and wonders sitting in the temple of God then bring me ô yee Pontificians some one man that euer did it or that is likely to doe it in any other sort and manner then the Pope now doth it Deny it if you can that he hath spoken like the Dragon when as by his bloody sentences he hath in all Christian kingdomes Apoc. 6. 13. that euer were at one time or other taken peace from the earth the proper worke of the Dragon and to presse you further was there euer yet any man who hath deceiued the dwellers vpon earth by those miracles which he had power to doe in the sight of the Beast but the Bishop of Rome who in his prophane legends though termed by their Genitours and forefathers Aureae Legendae Golden Legends of doting Metaphrastes fabulous Lippoman lying and voraginous Iacobus superstitious Antonine confuse Vincentius hath so cloyed the dwellers vpon earth with delusions lyes and impostures that for very shame they haue pared out of their Portesses and Breuiaries many and sundry of their fabulous histories and for the derisions and out-cryes of Christians against them haue exploded no small members of their Golden Legends May I not fitly vse against them those words of the Apostle what fruit was there in those things whereof you are now ashamed with which you Rom 6. 21. are now confounded and worthily confounded to consider that your Progenitours your Pillars of the inerrable Church should set forth Legends yea golden Legends written by Bishops Archbishops authorised by publike authoritie read in your publike seruices concerning miracles that neuer were and of men that neuer were liuing vpon the face of the earth Your Didimus Verdicus Claudius Espencaeus telleth vs that your Legends â—spencae in 2 aâ— Timoth. and like digress lib 2. cap. 11. and Portesses were full of fables as any stable could be fuâ—l of dung and I dare constantly say more full of vanities and lyes then the stable of Augias was of dung for that by thousands of oxen might in time be purged but the whole congregation of Roman Repurgers haue not as yet been able to cleanse your Legends which haue filled and deceiued the whole world yea so fresh is the reviuing of their delusions that I dare boldly say that all their old Legends haue not any more vaine more pernicious then some that haue been of late and a fresh published by themselues In this place I mention onely that of Catharine of Sienna Shee forsooth and Life of Cathar of Sienna Christ Iesus by an admirable kinde of permutation did enter change their hearts so that Christ had the heart of
which is litle for the credit of those dialogues which are commonly attributed to Gregorie the Great Againe Leonard Aretine doth iustly taxe this abuse of his brethren the Pontificians he chargeth them with deuysing of dreames visions phantasies and miracles which were neuer done to deceiue and make gaine of their simple Auditory Doth not Antony a Saint of their Church and Archbishop of Florence peremptorily taxe the visions and dreames of some deuised to proue the Virgin Maryes immaculate conception And if this had not beene the practise of Pontificians euen to the deprauation of their seruicebookes Breuiaries c. would Pius the 5. haue acknowledged Pius in prâ—fat Breuiar Rom reformat corruption in the Breuiaries to the eternall ignominy of his Church Aske venerable Bede what a lye was deuised and fathered vpon Melito to proue the Virgin Beda in retract in Act. Apost Maryes corporall assumption the Rhemists themselues haue taken vp the lye and though they obserue the credit of Melito to be casheered yet they haue deuised Annotâ—â— in 1. act Apost a new tricke to corrupt Dionyse who notwithstanding is counterfeit Is it not cleare as the heauens that for very shame they haue exploded diuers of their old Monkes fictions out of their Legends surceasing therefore to adde any thing more for confirming of this iust imputation against them that their Church hath beene a Forger in her miracles visions and prodigies I make this inference that seeing she hath beene found false so often shee deserueth not credit although shee should tell truth Saint Austen in his booke of the city of God so litle August 10. lib. deciuit cap. 16. esteemeth of miracles though wrought by Angells against Christian truth that against them hee boldly pronounceth See Origen contra Celsum lib. 1. thus If saith Saint Austen those Angells which desire sacrifice to be done to themselues should by wonderfull facts moue the mindes of men and those who doe forbid the same and doe command sacrifices onely to bee done to God should not vouchsafe to doe those visible miracles truly then not by sense of body but by reason of the minde their authoritie were to be preferred This doctrine of Austen is confirmed by the like of Saint Chrysostome who expounding those words of Christ if you shall haue faith as Chrysist supra illâ—a Math. si 〈◊〉 t is fidom vt granum a mustard seede c. saith thus where as these things are not now done in the Church may wee thinke therefore that Christians are voide of faith God auert it that wee should speake such bad things of the people of God Iustifying faith is present and not wanting but the faith of miracles hath ceased Thus there But if Chrysostome bee the Author of the imperfect worke vpon Mathew as it is commonly cited by the Pontificians and is of great authority then he goeth further for he writeth thus speaking of the later times Wherefore if a man should long to know where the Chrysist homil 49. in Math. operis imperf true Church is in the middest of so great confusion whither shall he returne but to the Scriptures heretofore also by signes the true and false-Christians were knowne how this False Christians indeede either could not doe the signes as true Christians did or else could not doe such as true Christians did but the miracles they did were vaine causing wonder but hauing no profit as wee haue often expounded but true Christians did perfect signes hauing alwaies some profit and by these things were knowne true and false Christians but now the working of signes is altogether taken away but it is rather found that fained things are done with those who are false Christians but euen as Peter expoundeth it in Clement the power of doing full and perfect signes is to bee giuen to Antichrist Thus farre there with much more to like purpose shewing that the only Anchor in time of confusion and Antichristianisme are the Scriptures not miracles not wonders as our Antichristians would now haue resting for those things which the reformed Churches condemne vpon traditions forged and miracles feigned But yet in this later part of Chrysostomes discourse being thereunto vrged by the force of truth the Rhemists themselues do concurre who vpon the Epistle Annotat. in 2. ad Thess 2. vers 9. in Apoc. cap. 13. vers 3. in marg to the Thessalonians write thus Sathan whose power to hurt is abridged by Christ shall then be let loose and shall then assist Antichrist in all manner of signes wonders and false miracles whereby many shall bee seduced not onely Iewes Thus there And againe vpon the Apocalypse they affirme the like by all which it is most manifest that the working of miracles and wonders can bee no certaine argument for truth seeing that both Heretikes and Schismatikes yea Antichrist and his Ministers shall haue full power to doe the same the which yet I further strengthen with the authoritie of Ignatius and Iustine Ignatius Ignat epist ad Hieronem hath thus Quisquis dixerit c. Whosoeuer shall speake beside those things which are appointed although hee may seeme worthy of credit although he may fast although he may keepe virginitie although he may doe signes although he may prophesie let him be esteemed of thee as a Wolfe vnder a sheepes skinne endeauouring the corruption of the sheepe Thus Ignatius agreeing to whom Iustine affirmeth that Justin ad Orthodox q. 5. if any miracles be done in the conuenticles of Heretikes that their errours may not thereby be more confiâ—med then if any man would teach the impiâ—ty of Gentiles to be gratefull to God because he causeth his sunne to rise on them and doth sprinkle them with dewe from heauen According to all which Austen in his treatise vpon Saint Iohn calleth the miracles August tract 13 14. in Ioh and visions of the Donatistes meere Fables and the Donatistes who gloried triumphed in them mirabiliarios mirabiliarians as the Pontificians now doe in their prodigies deseruing like name Doctour Stapleton a late Achilles of the Popish Sinagogue will not deny but that Heretikes shall and will Sâ—â—plet prompe moral in 24. â—â—minic diuis 4. doe miracles especially in the later times of the Church and this vertue he ascribeth confidently and peculiarly to Antichrist and his Ministers which Ministers hee would gladly make the reformed Churches of these times to be but the good man speaketh it faintly as it were against his owne conscience as it may be obserued in part of his words which are these The deception made by Antichrist and heretikes which are his fore-runners shall be so great in signes wonders that the very strongest in faith shall be in hazard vnlesse they shall beware of this which is foretold especially because such before the comming of Antichrist shall be much more bitter then the former euen as at this day we see for so great and
Edward had passed by your arguments with a scornefull nodd not deigning them so much as a looke I who am not vnacquainted with the boasting ostentation of Popish spirits when any of their bookes or pamphlets passe vnanswered thought it my part being moued with zeale of Gods truth to cast my small mite into Gods boxe and to enter into the lists with you and so to renew our old acquaintance which both at Rome S. Omers and elsewhere hath beene seasoned with diuers disputes concerning sundrie obiects and now again if it please you let vs make triall of our forces what each of vs can say for his assertion I ingenuouslie confesse that I am one of those Priests or Ministers who doe sing this note that your miracles are no other then the Deuills miracles and the lying prodigies of Antichrist which by Gods assistance in this my discourse and answere to your sixe arguments I will make most manifest I purpose to examine your reasons as they lye sentence after sentence In the vewing of which I am sorry to obserue so many false imputations sleight impertinences hainous blasphemies shufled vp together that there are hardly any lines if examined by the leuell of sacred Scripture and morall truth will passe for currant And to digge vp not your fountaine but your puddle à capite where like a flud you calumniously ouerflowe in the pettie preface to your sixe reasons speaking thus some of your writers seeing our relations to be Autenticall c. which of our writers I beseech you doe hold your relations to be autenticall Why name you not them if you had said some of our Preachers I would haue let it passe obseruing it to be too true that in the Church of England there are some secret Iamnes Mambres who couertly resist the truth and equiuocate for your purpose But you pointing at Writers I cannot deuine whom you should meane especially that you speak thus indefinitely without any rescription or limitation that they see your relations to be autenticall which is equiualent with this all your relations to be autenticall had you said some of your relations or narrations to haue beene true at lest in some part you might haue found those who would haue so auerred with you for otherwise your Sinagogue should not be that Apostating Church which is to doe signes and wonders if it were possible euen to the deception of the Elect. This then your first outlashing what shall call it a lying ostentation of an Ignatian I will not Let the reader only obserue what your forehead is to beginne thus But when you adde of your owne as none can be more may I not here iustly thwart you thus Imperet tibi Dominus The Lord rebuke thee What no relations more autenticall Apage sis I would haue thought that all humane relations should haue attended as handmaides and not haue stalked cheek by iole with the euerlasting records of sacred Scriptures I pray you Sir be contented that they may rest in the lowest degree of humane authoritie your Sichem Lile Arras Laureâ—tane and Hallensian relations haue hardly humane credit euen with diuerse of your own Priests Fryers Monkes yet Inhabitants of Babilon I call your selues to witnesse herein that I lie not diuers of your Priests are doubtfull what credit to giue vnto them yet they admit and esteeme of them tanquà m pias fraudes ad faciendum populum as pious fraudes to perswade the people Some fiue yeares since at my second visiting of Sichems Sanctuarie I did in great earnest with a kinde of coniuring in Gods Of like Viues speaketh apâ—d Espen lib. 〈◊〉 1. cap. 11. name importune a person of no small note there what he truly found touching the miracles which were said to be done in that place his answere was charging me to conceale his secret which I will do by Gods assistance by concealing of his name that for his part hee had seene nothing for the time he was there neither did hee giue credit to any of the former relations And knew I said he how to liue elsewhere I would not abide here thus he though doubtlesse in profession a ranke Papist but magna est veritas preualet Truth is great and preuailes As for Hall this I can boldly affirme that none of those quarters are lesse credulous of the incredible narrations there then the Inhabitants themselues Ludunt alios nummos vt lucrentur And Lipsius who professeth to write such thinges which at the commaund of the Archbishops of Meclines had been examined by the Bishop of Anwerpe Miraeus and such other relations as hee receiued from his Countreyman Numan c. is hee able to bring but one eye witnesse as Miraeus Homas Numan or any like who beheld the doing of any such miracles no they are lucifugae nightbirds for my part I confesse ingenuouslie though in my often trauailes in those Countries I was very inquiâ—itiue yet could I neuer meete with one man or woman who could affirme himselfe to haue been an Eye-witnesse of any one miracle done either at Sichem or at Hall and yet now such are the times that the great incredulity of the powerful working of that Image should according to S. Paules rule non fidelibus sed infidelibus 1. Cor. 14. c tongues are signes not for the faithfull but for the incredulous seeme to require some miracle to be done in their open sight not all to be related only as they are vpon heare say and from dead witnesses For my part when I read in Lipsius which also so happened how the miraculous Image was found out I â—ipâ—ius Diua Sâ—â— cap. 3. 4. dare not giue any credit to the same as to a miracle Thus it was the picture first was found by a poore shepheard who for the taking vp of the same was prodigiouslie affrighted but being set vp into the old tree againe from which Dagon-like it was cast downe it was againe taken away the second time and is not yet knowne how or by whom and is as yet still missing The people thereabouts notwithstanding repayred for the space of sixe yeares to the place where the Picture stood crauing helpe O prodigious throne of great Iuno and Sichems numen sell c. and is stolne away not yet restored obtained the same at last one of the Senatours of Sichem A Senatour like as if one of our Countrey Labourers or Rustickes should be so tearmed set vp an other new picture of wood in roome of the former vpon the same olde rotten tree where it also now standeth and is there adored and worshipped When I thinke seriously of this manner of substituting of one picture for another and by so graue a person as a Senatour of Sichem I cannot but suspect some legerdemaine What Mr. Flodd the poore shepheard tooke vp out of a religious deuotion the poore picture which lay basely vpon the ground with purpose to carry it home for saith Lipsius
may dispence what hee will Yea say they if the question were to marry the King of Spaine to an hereticall Princesse the Pope will first dispense him to marry his owne Sister Is not this to go aboue the power of God who hath said of his holy Law that a jot thereof shall not perish nor be changed Well to vrge Theologicall Arguments I will not but I remit your Lordship to search the Scriptures to see who it is there that doth sit in the Church of God and exalt Dan. 11. 2. Thes 2. himselfe aboue all that is called God And now I appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke that the contemplation of so grosse things first such Ethnicke Idolatry that while Paul and Barnabas being aliue did teare their cloathes and runne vpon the people because they would haue adored them saying they were but men like vnto themselues Now so much adoration must bee done to the Statues of their dead bodies that one shall not enter within Saint Peters Church at Rome but we must kneele to salute him where hee sits in brasse we must lay our head vnder his feete and kisse euery one of his â—oes seuerally Then such impious and base auarice in this trade of Purgatory and Indulgences that in their Camera de Componendis there sitteth Simon Magus vnder the name of Simon Peter making sale of the Spirit of God for money of the mercies of God of remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of heauen and that with such insatiable hands that if euer I who came from a remote Countrey to honour the Apostolicall Seat would giue him largely for dispensation hee would willingly embrace it as who knowes what I did pretend to bee the more assured I appeale to your Lordships conscience whether you thinke those were not sufficient to breede doubts of Religion in any man in whom God hath left a sparke of his feare or one graine of right knowledge Assuredly they mooued me to great iealousie and they were to me as the first sight of the Angell was to the poore Asse of Balaam terror albeit I confesse sincerely the strong opinion which I had drunken so long before the plausible shew of things did for a while violently hold me into the same way as Balaam did force his Asse to goe on after the first sight of the Angell But when I begun to looke vpon the manners of the The Manners of Rome people and to consider what were the faults which were so ordinarily and easily pardoned which is the third thing in number of those which I most narrowly obserued what shall I say I know not how to speake the trueth and therewith to prouide that my penne be not slandered for contumelies and Philippicke passions alwayes I shall so limitate my selfe that I shall not blot so graue a purpose with an humour of rayling or shamelesnesse In the day of visitation and punishment I shall beginne at my sanctuary saith the Lord and wherefore is this because Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis as the Prelates be so are the people the example of the Rulers makes the manners of the multitude as the Spirit of God doth testifie by the Prophet Daniel Egressa est Dan. 11. iniquitas à Senioribus ab ijs qui videbantur regere populum Iniquitie hath gon out from the Elders and those who seemed to gouerne the people For this cause in a iust censure of the manners of Rome it cannot be auoided first to looke vpon the Court wherein is to bee seene such fastuous and intollerable pompe and such a degree of glory as hath neuer beene vsurped by any earthly Monarch to behold the maiestie of the Papall carriage borne one mens shoulders auro fulgens smaragdis shining amidst gold and Iewels those who beare him treading vpon fine cloth wherewith the Church pauement is couered accompanied with a fearefull guard the thundering of Canons the sound of trumpets and all sorts of musicall instruments at whose presence numbers of Princes stately Embassadours great parsonages and multitudes of people doe fall to the ground saluting him holy holy as if he would not onely be Christs Vicar vpon earth but also emulator of his diuine glory in the Heauens and be worshipped like that glorious Lambe before whom numbers doe fall downe to crie holy holy holy that vpon the sight thereof I was indeed amased as if it had beene a vision and demaunding a French Gentleman who had newly also arriued with me and was a zealous Papist how he did esteeme of that which he had seene he answered me in the termes of be God that he thought it farre different from the carriage of him who said Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo and who said to his Disciples Exemplum de di vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci it a vos faciatis which answer I haue many times since thought to be as pertinent as if the holy Spirit had inspired it into him For if the kingdome of the world be called the kingdome of sinne and what reason had Mr. Flud to frame his first argument out of the vncertaintie of his Aduersaries opinions Iudge yee c. But put case Mr. Flud that our Diuines were concerning this point of your Popes being Antichrist equally diuided or iust so as you affirme they are what would the same make their doctrine of the Popes being Antichrist to be onely a fancie See then how you may be whipped with your owne rodd Are you a Rabbie in Iezreel and dispute so what then will become of the feast of Conception instituted in the honour of the immaculate and vnspotted Conception of the euer blessed Virgin Mary Are not there many of your Doctors who affirme yea affirme not without the reproching of others with the note of errour heresie c. that the blessed Virgin was not conceiued in original sinne And are there not against them others who peremptorily affirme that shee was conceiued in originall sinne this being so shall your feast of Conception which is indowed with so many Papall indulgences be a fancie God forbid Againe what will become of your making adoring and worshipping of the Image of God the Father as he Abul in deut Duar. alij Bell. de Imag. lib. 2 cap. 8. Nic. act 5. 6. is in the Deitie himselfe Are there not many of your Diuines who condemne the same Doth not Bellarmine affirme it to be in opinione in opinion Did not your second Generall Nicene Sinod condemne and inhibit the same what then shall your generall making thereof and adoring the same be a fancie God forbid it for if so it would proue not onely a fancie but a most damnable impietie as in truth it is Further what then Gentle Sir will betide the inerrable Rule of your Faith the vnappellable Iudge of all controuersies Is it not a dogmaticall position affirmed by your Canonists deliuered
which I hope you will not denie but that it is fallen before this and that the seuenth was shortly to come and to last but for a short time Which seuenth cannot be your Papacie it must then of necessitie be a short Roman Imperialtie or Empire which followed vpon the destruction of the sixt which can bee no other then that of the Gothes which followed instantly vpon the destruction of the sixth that which was in S. Iohns time Now let vs aske all your Historians who succeeded in Romes gouernment without the name of Emperour after the destruction of the Gothes and Lombards and they will all tell you that your holy Roman Pater Patriae Father of the Church Now that this your Holy Father hath in Rome in the Roman Empire and ouer the Romane Empire Regall Imperiall and Sacerdotall power his triple Tiare and Crowne Rocca his Scholia in S. Gregor eiusque Parentum Imagine dedicated to Clem 8 doth euince the same the interpretation of which I will here adde out of Angelus Rocca their famous Scholiast vpon S. Gregorie his words are these Illud autem scitu dignum videtur quod Tiara tribus Coronis c. But it seemeth worthy to be knowne that the Tiare adorned with three Crownes representing to wit Regall Imperiall Sacerdotall power that is plenarie and vniuersall power ouer the whole Popes Turbant interpreted by Râ—cca world was not in vse before Boniface the 8. Pope who was of the most Noble Caietane Familie thus Rocca By which it is as cleare as noone daies that the Pope of Rome who cannot be the seuenth head is the eight hauing Regall Sacerdotall and Imperiall power ouer the whole world without the name of Romane Emperour Whereas you goe on idly and tell vs of the Deuills want of courtesie to mankinde your selfe should haue been more courteous to haue spared your speech in this kinde which is already sufficiently answered You seem ouer-hardie to charge God with hardnesse if he should suffer mankinde to bee intrapped in their soules with multitudes of beneficiall helps what maketh you Sir thus blasphemously presumptuous haue not the Scriptures most expresly expressed that God will suffer such as haue not hearkned to the charitie of truth to be intrapped 2 Thessal 2. and seduced by strong illusions Hath not the spirit of God foretold that vniuersa terra admirabitur post â—estiam Apoc 13. 14. the whole earth will admire after the Beast and that the false Prophet shall deceiue them who dwell vpon the earth by the meanes of those miracles which he hath power to doe in the sight of the Beast Hath not Christ himselfe foretold that many shall be deceiued the Elect shall be in hazard that if the times were not shortned all Matth 24. flesh should not be saued Which being so clearely true and agreeing to Gods iust prouidence what mattereth it whether the deceptions and illusions be altogether by strange prodigies of wonder or partly by them and partly by some beneficiall miracles of helpe and profit And if God permit Antichrist and his to doe the greatest signes to bring downe fire from heauen which are most powerfull to seduce why may â—â— not be permitted to doe the lesse You see vnlesse your Hellen haue made you starke blinde that the Scriptures doe foretell a generall apostacie and defection to be effected by signes what blasphemous idlenesse then is it in you to say that Mr. Flods blasphemeth God will not be so hard to mankinde as to suffer it to be entrapped with multitudes of beneficial helps He suffereth it to be entrapped yea and the Elect to be in hazard which cannot be without miracles of high nature and profitable great and many c. Mr. FLVD pag num ibid. Now the miracles of the Blessed Virgin and other wherewith God doth daily adorne our Churches are sutable to such as Christ wrought and haue still been done by Saints in all ages since as casting out of deuills healing incurable diseases deliuering from dreadfull dangers and the like which either deforme or afflict mankinde some punishments laid vpon blasphemers excepted which are so few as they may seeme a drop or two of gull in a sea of honnie which is a signe they proceed from a boundlesse Ocean of goodnesse through the sweet conduit of the intercession of his blessed mother Yet the benefits which by these miracles come to mens soules are greater when by them some are conuerted from heresie others reclaimed from bad life many perswaded to frequent Sacraments to make sorrowfull confession of their sinnes restore things vniustly taken satisfie for wrongs offered spend much time in prayer to be bountifull to the poore finally to giue themselues to heroicall exercise of Christian vertues which things Catholikes doe daily behold and haue cause therein to glorifie God ANSWER The more I read in you the more boasting I obserue of your multitudes of miracles a fashion familiar to Antichrist and his so not to the Apostles and primitiue Christians if the disciples once gloried for their power Luc. 10. 20. of miracles they were not approued but reproued by Christ How and in what sort your miracles are done you haue taught vs already by the Virgins intercession and Christs power Here you againe adde they proceede from a boundlesse Ocean of goodnesse through the sweet conduit of the intercession of his blessed Mother In that you honour the Mother of our Lord Iesus with the title of Blessed wee gladly approue the same but whereas you make her asweet conduit by whose intercessions Christ bestoweth his benefits vpon mankinde because therein you want warrant and commission for your so saying we dare not ioyne with you Wee are taught by the Apostle that Christ our high Priest is euer at the right hand of his Father interpellans pro nobis making intercession ad Rom 8. 34. ad Hebr. 7. 25. for vs. Why then doe you obtrude vnto vs another Mediatresse Doe you this because hee hath so prescribed Hovv superstitiously you teach concerning the Virgins Mediatorship See Orat. Steph. Archiepisc Patrac in Con. Later sub Leo 10. Sess 10. shew vs the warrant and we will obey Doe you this because shee will be ready to receiue some desperate wretches which Christ her Sonne will reiect if you say so then you make her not Christ the boundlesse Ocean of goodnesse seeing he refuseth some she receiueth all But tell me those that come to her must they not of necessitie come with prone hearts and humbled Spirits You cannot nor dare not say otherwise if so what neede then of going to her seeing there standeth an euerlasting invitation of Christ himselfe recorded in S. Matth 11. 28 Matthew Venite ad me c. Come to me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you I dare vndertake that it is as cleare and as certaine a truth as any is in the Gospell that Christ doth
which they should be armed against the wyles and tyrannies of Antichrist Now signes that they may be according to their nature and kinde significant they must be facill and easie to be vnderstood and must be taken as they sound vnlesse it be otherwise expressed And for this cause as all other signes in this chapter deliuered by our Sauiour are literally to be vnderstood as the Pontificians themselues do interpret them so neither is there any reason why this passage should not be also literally vnderstood it being of so great consequence as concerneth the perdition and saluation of many soules And to adde a confirmation to this reason if these words of Christ were onely to be vnderstood mystically against the assemblies of Heretikes and Schismatikes challenging Christs Church and spirituall presence to be only with them I cannot see for my part what certaintie for the faithfulls instruction might be gathered out of this signe which yet is the importanst of all the rest For is it not most euident by a neuer intermitted experience since Christs time that euery seuerall Congregation of Heretikes or Schismatikes as it challengeth to it selfe the power and mysticall presence of Christ so it obiecteth to all other the lacke of the same yea and the most Orthodoxe Church of Christ it selfe hath her ebbs and flowes and then was shee purest when in criptts desorts secret woods and holes shee made her assemblies Therefore to preach Christ present in secrets in this sense cannot be a note propertie or signe of the great Antichristian Synagogue as by all it is supposed and granted to be and is by the faithfull to be taken according to Christs forewarning A third reason I deduce out of the energie and propertie of certaine words here vsed by our Sauiour I obserue Reason 3 the word Behold thrice repeated which as it is an Aduerbe of Admiration so it is alwaies demonstratiue of some singular matter worthy admiration worthy beleefe as is cleare throughout the Scriptures So that as S. Iohn Baptist pointing the sonne of God to his disciples said Behold the Lambe of God see the Lambe of God Ioh 1. 36. c. so these false Prophets doe pretend to inuite their disciples and followers to behold and see Christ in the deserts secrets closets c. which is egregiously acted by the Papists I obserue also the Aduerbs here and there which euer doe designe some speciall circumstances of place as through the Scriptures it is apparant and if to them we adioyne the specialties of the places in the secrets in the desert the force of the Preposition in and the verbe substantiue is He is in the desert He is in the penetralls my intent will more easily appeare that the false Prophets do pretend some secret corporall presence of Christ requiring faith and beleefe and sigh also with beholding of him which is clearely con firmed by our Sauiours doubled precept and charge beleeue them not and goe not out as if hee should say the false prophets will inuite you both to goe out and to behold and to beleeue that is to see me in that secret manner as they shall preach and yet also to beleeue the hidden mystery of my presence which they teach but looke to it behold I haue foretold you neither goe out to see me in any mysticall or hidden forme or shape nor yet beleeue their mysterious diuinity teaching my carnall presence tending and leading to Idolatry My fourth reason that this prophecy is thus litterally reason Fourth to be vnderstood is this because so vnderstood it is most euidently fulfilled and compleated in the Roman Synagogue who make it a prime mystery yea the corner-stone of their religion to preach and teach Christ to be so in penetralls secrets boxes closets c. A prophecy vntill it be fulfilled is as a riddle or a booke sealed but once fulfilled it is no longer a hidden but a manifest truth Now that it is compleated in the Romane Synagogue it is ouer manifest For this cause they cry out dayly Behold he is in the Tabernacles of our Churches Behold he is in the Penetrals and secrets of our Sepulchers Behold hee is in our Eucharist-arks and miraculous Hostes at Meclines at Brussels c. Behold he is in our lockt Coffers and arkes borne vpon the backes of white ambling Palfreyes preceding our Holy Father whē hee maketh his remoucalls Behold hee is in our secret Chappels locked Coffers priuate closets you must behold cry they the outward accidents but beleeue the inward mystery the true and corporal presence of Christ you must see and beleeue behold and admire And for the further clearing of this matter and to confirme Al circumstances of the prophecy fulfilled in the Papists that this point is fulfilled in the Romane congregation I adde some few obseruations concerning diuers other yea most circumstances of this prophecy obserua ∣ tion First First I obserue that these false prophets were for the confirmation of this their Pseudo-Christianisme to doe many signes and wonders so saith Christ Dabunt signa prodigia magna they shal giue great signes and prodigies Mat. 24 25. So doe the Papists the case is cleere I proceede Secondly I obserue they should seduce many so saith Christ seducent multos they shall seduce and deceiue many obser ∣ uation Second Mat. 24 11. which is most fully accomplished in the Romane Synagogue in which no one point of doctrine doeth more tye and binde their disciples then this point Behold he is in the Penetrals hee is in our Church-tabernacles For this cause if any man would indeuor to draw them from that confusion of errours they will ordinarily obiect thus Alacke you haue taken from vs Christs true corporall presence and would feed vs only with tropes and figures how then shall wee come to you how can wee forsake Christ truely and corporally present and feede onely vpon your bread and wine which you only haue Thus they and yet they doe heerein egregiously calumniate our Sacraments For for as much as doth concerne rem Sacramenti the vertue and efficacy of the Sacrament of grace and of reall communion of Christ by grace we teach and beleeue Christs reall presence onely we deny his carnal fleshly presence and their transsubstantiatiue diuinity There haue been heretofore some as Iudas and Theudas as Simon and Menander who called themselues Christ and the Helcesaeans as Theoderet writeth of them taught two Christs the one in heauen the other vpon earth and England in this most vnhappy hath seen a most wretched Hacket making himselfe Christ but these or few of these except Simō did any wonders or prodigies for confirmation of their impieties and further they no sooner appeared but they vanished away together with their disciples But this Graund Antichrist and his here spoken of were so to preuaile that the world was to bee shortned lest by their seducements no flesh should bee saued Mat. 24. 24. the
Priests did liue in carnall matrimonie and notwithstanding many of them were the freinds of God because they did beleeue with simple puritie that the same did please God to wit that Christian Priests might keepe wiues and liue in matrimonie as the same in the old time of the Iewes had pleased him in the Priests of the Iewes and this was so obserued by Christian Priests for many yeeres but this ancient custome and obseruation did seeme very hatefull and abominable to the whole heauenly Court and to me who did beare his body c. And therfore God himselfe by the infusion of his holy Spirit into the heart of the Pope who then ruled the Church did giue another Law concerning this more gratefull and acceptable vnto himselfe infusing Christ was wise as a little one the Pope as a perfect one into the heart of the Pope that hee should ordaine throughout the vniuersall Church that Priests who should haue so worthy an office as to consecrate this precious Sacrament should by no meanes liue in the contaminous and carnall matrimonial delectatiō after it is added That no Pope may permit Priests to liue in marriage and great punishment is is threatned against it after it is added again thus that if S. Gregory himself had appointed such a thing he should neuer Ibidem haue obtained mercy at Gods hands vnles before his death bee should with humility haue reuoked the sentence What a do we haue in this vision first that the ancient Law of marriage was obserued and kept for many yeeres by such Christian Priests as pleased God liuing in it by which it is euident that the Christian marrying of Christian Priests was more ancient then popish continency Secondly I obserue that this Law of Priests marrying was altered because the Popes God did infuse into the hearts of The Popes for bidding of marriage the doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4. if we beleeue Briget Popes to change and alter the same but what was the cause marry heare flat Manicheisme because saith the vision Priests should not liue in matrimonials contaminosa delectatione in matrimoniall contaminous and polluted delectation for which the virgine sayd that the law of marriage for Priests was hatefull both to her selfe to her sonne and to all the heauenly Court yea so hatefull that towards the conclusion of the vision thus it followeth Nullus Papa potest c. No Pope may permit marriage to Priests vnder paine of damnation What stuffe is heere Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici I desire the Readers to containe their laughter the Popes power is curbed and limited and that from heauen yea and Gregory the Saint is so curbed that if hee should offer to dispense with Priests to bee married hee should infallibly vnlesse he would reuoke his Law bee damned away with this doctrine of Diuels so contrary to the Popes absolute power which may dispence in vowes so contradictorious to Brigets owne narration the Saintesse acknowledgeth that in the Primitiue Church Priests liued in marriage and that liuing in it they were the friends of God because they did beleeue with simple purity that they might so doe but afterwards the case was altered vpon secret reuelation in the Popes heart well saith shee secret reuelation for the Pope had no such reuelation from the Scriptures nor the ancient Church who commanded Priests not to marrie nor liue in marriage after which Law it is not in the holy Fathers power to grant marriage or the vse of marriage to any Priest vnlesse hee will bee damned which may not happen in the men of sin and children of perdition Sometimes when I haue thought with my selfe of the strange paradoxes which are in these reuelations of Briget I haue wondred how men of iudgement should giue credit to the same if the strong illusions of Sathan did not powerfully worke in them foolish is that where Christ telleth Briget that hee is Trinus vnus Three and one And little for the Popes credit is that where Christ himselfe describeth the Pope to bee worse then Lucifer more vniust then Pilate more immane then Iudas more abominable then the Iewes themselues how vaine is that in the title of the first chapter of the booke of the heauenly Emperour which hath thus that God ordained the world to be ruled with a double power to wit Ecclefiasticall and Laicall which are principally designed in Peter and Paul but in the chapter it selfe good God how fondly is Christ brought thus speaking Ego autem habui duos optimos famulos vnus eoxam erat Clericus alter Laieus c. I had two excellent seruants one of them was a Clerk the other a Laicke the first was Peter my Apostle hauing the office of a Clerke the second was my Apostle Paul as a Laick what an excellent inference may heereout be inferred for the Popes power to gouerne the whole Church as a Clerke and the whole world as a Laike For Peter and Paul say they both died at Rome who then shall bee their Successour but the Bishop of Rome which being so I maruell why Briget in her extrauagant reuelations and in her heauenly Emperour touching a certaine Prince that was to bee deprined of his kingdome doth not send the admonition to the Pope but to the Princes Cap. 80. cap. 61. of the Kingdom that they should take armes against their Prince and depriue him why is there no mention made of the Pope if hee bee cheefe vmpire in all such affaires some will perhaps obiect that such fooleries as these either are not in Brigets reuelations or else that they are not authorized by the Romane Church but let such vnderstand that they are both in Briget and that her booke also is authorized as a booke of diuine reuelations One thing amongest someothers the late Answer plan Edition hath scraped out In the fifth of six reuelations which were set before the booke of reuelations after the approbatorie Epistle of Cardinall Turrecremate with subsignation of the Scribe and Notary it was thus written Sicut Iohannes Euangelista c. Euen as Iohn the Euangelist wrote those things which before saw were to come from my Spirit so Matthias thy Father and Ghostly Father whom I haue made a master from the same Spirit vnderstandeth and writeth the spirituall truth of sacred Scripture Againe presently after the prologue thus it is written Benedictus Deus aquo hic liber inspiratus est immediatè diuinitus reuelatus Blessed be God from whō this booke was immediately inspired and diuinely reuealed By which you may see of what authority her reuelations are when both shee and her master Matthias were both immediately inspired from God himselfe See Lib. 6. revelationum chap. 89. for the sayd purpose This which I haue deliuered out of Briget I haue found written in that Edition of hers which was printed at Nuremberg the yeere 15 17. by the great care and diligence of the Fathers
the eternall See of the Church into another place for such a punishment is due to that City as if the Iudge shold say Flay off the whole skinne draw all the blood out of the flesh and cut all the flesh into peeces and so breake the bones that all the marrow may fall out thus their Briget and Spousesse of Christ how much to their content let themselues demurre But we haue a more firme propheticall speech which warranteth vs that the purpured whore by which the Romane Church is denoted which sitteth vpon Apoc. 17. many waters gouerneth many peoples shall be desolated and ruinated by such Princes as had first drunke of the cup of her whoredomes and this is so cleere a truth touching Romes destruction by such Kings that the Pontificians themselues cannot deny it only they would shift it off from themselues and their Popes and lay it vpon some one singular man who shall raigne three yeeres and a halfe and then destroy Rome and with fire consume it wisely indeede Antichrist raigning three yeeres and a halfe shall cause many peoples Kings and kingdomes to drinke of the cup of his whoredomes and yet the same kings and kingdoms within the space of the same three yeeres and a halfe shall vtterly desolate and ruinate Antichrist and his Antichristian kingdome Surely the Pontificians thus aduocating for their Poâ—â—â— are to be pitied for if they should not so say of necessary it would follow that they were seruants of the man of sinne and sonne of perdition The cause which maketh them so eagerly to contend for this their Romane supreme Monarchy is because they account the verie pith and marrow of religion to consist in the continued succession of Bishops in that See wherein their glorying is but vaine for I dare binde my selfe to shew that there is a better and a lesse interrupted succession in the Churches of England then can bee shewed in the Romane Church Alasse for them it is enough if they can shew Church-walls Idoll-Bishops dumbe Ptelates yet for forsaking the coÌ„munioÌ„ of such they wil condemn vs as hereticks Schismaticks This follie the saying of a graue father redargueth non ille de ecclesia c. Hee doth Ambros lib. 6. in lutam not seeme to goe out of the Church who corporally goeth out but he who leaueth the foundations of Ecclesiasticall truth we went from them in body but they from vs in minde we went from them in place but they from vs in faith we left with them the foundations of the walls they left with vs the foundation of Scriptures Which agreeth well with that Prophecy which by some is cited as of Hildegard but by others is deliuered out of Hylarie it is thus Vnum vos moneo canete Orat. contra Auxent See another prophecy of Hildegardis related in my motiues out of Theodorick nieme pag. 49. Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are not well affected with the loue of walls you doe ill worship the Church in couers and buildings you doe ill vnder these pretend the name of peace Is it doubtfull that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines and woods and lakes and prisons are more safe to me for in these Prophets remaining haue by the spirit of God prophecied This prophecie seemeth well for the Papists who glorie so much intemplo Domini in the Temple of the Lord the Romane Church the externall succession and yet but rotten broken often interrupted by Schismes as the Ponficians themselues cannot deny Another prophecie and vision I haue for the Papists Lib. Reuelat. 6. cap. 72. to delight themselues withall it is taken out of their Briget who bringeth Christ speaking thus vnto her Filius dei loquitur c. The sonne of God speaketh to Briget There are two spottes in my Church one is that few are absolued without paying of mony the second is that Parish-Priests dare not absolue sinners from all their secret sinnes but affirming that themselues cannot absolue them in certaine cases reserued to Bishops they doe send such sinners to the Bishops who are so long in examining and discussing vntill such secret sinnes come to be made manifest wherefore those who haue zeale of soules must wholsomly oppose against such things least their soules through shame or obduration doe die in mortall sinnes This vision maketh but little for the Romane abuses in reseruing cases which is growne so intollerable especially since the Tridentine decrees that it cannot sufficiently be detested the Collegiates and fellowes of Iesus societie haue lost nothing by such reseruations for therby hauing greater priuiledges then others haue they make increment in their wealth by marchandizing of soules the which how well they performe setting aside some other examples the curteous reader may obserue by two fresh ones Not long since the mother of Cardinall A payre of Ignatians deluded Sforsa being like to die did through the mediation and intercession of an Ignatian her gostly Father bestow vpon the Ignatians Colledge a 1000 Crownes and gaue her schedule for the same the ghostly father hauing gotten the bill higheth him home looking for thanks sheweth it to his fellow-fathers who considering the bill found that it was not specified in the same what manner of crownes should be paid unto them they therefore perswade the ghostly marchant to returne vnto the Lady and to intreat that the crownes might be specified to be French crownes and of gold but in returning such was the Fathers lucke that he meeteth with Cardinall Sforsa his mother through weaknesse being not to be spoken withall who cunningly insinuateth himselfe into the Fathers businesse which hearing he seemeth to applaude the same and to like very well of the suite with which words the good Father was so â—ulled that he deliuered the former bill to the Cardinall desiring him to procure his Mother to make of ordinarie Crownes Crownes of gold the Cardinall no sooner got the bill but with an Ignatian tricke of equiuocation hee rent it and so the Ignatian lost his errand The like hapned in Naples there was a Noble Woman of great substance much addicted to the Ignatians who vpon speciall intreatie of her Ghostly Father an Ignatian gaue vnto them towards their buildings a 1000 Crownes with which bill the Ignatian going home he is commanded by his Superiours to returne vnto her againe and to intreat of her that shee would make that 1000 Crownes to be 1500 the good Ladie hearing his request was somewhat amated therewith but lothe to offend telleth the Father that if he will stay vntill her Steward come home shee will take care that hee might haue his desire wherevpon the good Father deliuereth backe againe vnto her the bill which shee taketh but vpon the returne of her man and some consultation had with him she altreth her minde and sendeth the bill of a 1000 Crownes which shee had receiued from the Ignatian vnto a certaine Congregation
apprehension and acknowledgement of his manifolde iniquities and corrupt nature by the acknowledging of the same to bring him to such an humiliation and depression of himselfe and within himselfe that for remission of his sinnes and saluation he can looke for no other meanes but the only and alone merits of Christs death and passion And yet this not without store of Christian good workes to admonish the wise and cauilling Papists by the way applied vnto his soule by a liuing and sincere faith in which respect our Christians are or may bee euer preserued in perfect humiliation of their soules and pouertie of spirit As for humilitie towards man good God who obserueth not that the Papists haue lest thereof to particularize though in time of persecution as they pretend do not they in exccesse of apparell surpasse at least equalize our worst and disorderedst Protestants I haue often heard both Ignatian and Secular Priests affirme the excesse and curiositie of fashions to haue beene farre worse amongst Papists then Protestants and if they did not or would not affirme it who seeth it not whence I doe demand of the Papists haue wee our daily innouations of fashions not from out of France where as likewise in Italy the vanity and excesse in apparell is too too vnmeasurable and for brauing ostentation what people vnder heauen come nigh by many degrees to the Hesperian Nation But to reflect vpon their first point of doctrine in this consideration by which they affirme that hee committeth the sinne of presumption who hopeth for saluation without merits it is so far frō assecuring their soules with Christian comfort that it doeth rather cause vnto them endlesse afflictions and torment of minde which I could confirme by many examples out of their owne histories Neuerthelesse to shew how pernicious this their doctrine is for a man any whit to rest vpon his owne merits I will relate perhaps a fable onely one story Coster conc dom 10. post pente which Coster produceth solemnly in his Homilies Thus it was A certaine holy Eremite liuing in a desert being neere his end sendeth for a certaine Abbot dwelling neere by to come vnto him and to housell him hee commeth and vpon his comming by the ringing of a certaine bell a famous theefe and a notorious malefactour draweth neere to the doore of this Eremites Sell where seeing the Eremite vsing such deuotion he in his conceit thinking him to be a very holy and blessed man wished so loudly that the Eremite heard him that hee were like vnto him in holinesse which wishing of the theefe when the Eremite heard he contemned him and said within himselfe that he had well wished that he had beene in holinesse like vnto himselfe and so continuing in such kinde of thoughts of his owne merits the Eremite dyeth vpon and for his death the Monke that came along with the Abbot greatly lamenteth and returning together with the Abbot in the way they finde this theefe of whom we spake before sodenly slaine by some wilde beast at sight of which heauy chance the companion of the Abbot laugheth for which being reprehended by the Abbot hee thus excuseth himselfe that God had reuealed vnto him the different endes of these two of the Eremite that he was damned for pleasing and contenting himselfe in his owne iustice and that was the cause why he so heauily bewailed his death of the theefe and malefactour that he was saued for that he did with humility acknowledge himselfe a sinner and for saluation rested and confided onely in the mercies of God and that was the cause why hee so greatly reioyced at his death This story is related by Coster as many other like ones to the reproouing of sundry Pontifician positions though he bringeth them against vs Christians How dreadfull is that vision related in the great glasse of examples by which it is deliuered how vpon Speeul Mag. Exemp verbo damnatus exē 2 that day when Saint Bernard dyed it was reuealed vnto a certain Eremite that thirty thousand dyed whereof one onely with Bernard went directly to heauen and three others to purgatory which vision if it should bee true what may be thought of those assecurances which they giue in the Popish Church to all such as dye in the same with the copious furniture of their Sacraments and their owne merits Againe workes of charity intended and instituted for the releeuing of the poore are great tokens of true Christianity when they are done purely and meerely for the loue of God The Papists doe bragge much of this but vainely for taking quantity of time for quantity there are who dare vndertake to shew as many workes of piety especially for hospitals and schooles of learning done in the reformed Churches as in any like time of popery and yet such as were done there with them were done alwaies with conceit of merit to cause Friers to pray for themselues or the souls of their friends departed or were mixt with some like respect of selfe loue whereas all like workes done in Reformed Churches haue beene done for no other end but to releeue the poore further godlinesse and please God their doctrine excluding all manner of merit and hope therein and all manner of feare of purgatory flashes Lastly a signe of true Christianity especially towards the end of the world is frequent and deuout meditation in holy Scriptures the which is so plentifully performed by zealous Christians such as are touched with care of saluation in the Reformed Churches that there is no comparison to bee made betwixt them and the Laikes of their Churches who are so farre from daily meditating therein that they dare not nor may not without speciall leaue read in vulgar tongues any parts or parcels of the same which causeth great ignorance of sacred Scriptures in their Laikes as also the ignorance of their Clerkes therein is very grosse as by many particulars might bee shewed one late one I will not heere omit There was of late and yet perhaps is conducted vp and downe London a Champion of the Papists by a certaine Knight this Champion disguised Cauiliere-like either by accident or of set purpose is brought to the house of a certaine Knight where entring into disputation about the Sacrament he went rashly so farre as to teach that the very flesh of Christ is rent and torne in the Sacrament by the teeth of the receiuers Which his manner of speech and defence did not please the Knight his Guide and Leader he holding the contrary He also so profoundly discoursed vpon the Scriptures that he would needes defend that by the word Phase which is interpreted transitus Domini the passing of the Exod. 12. 11. Lord was signified the passing of the children of Israel through the red sea And is not this a iolly Champion to be carried vp and downe the City to encounter either with Protestants or Ministers indefence of Popish religion doubtlesse they are vnstable in
teeth in their head and yet no omen made thereof There was in my Parish of Ebbenye in Kent a woman borne with two teeth in her mouth yet shee neuer trauailed beyond one or two Seas neither fell it out that shee was any great comfort to her Parents shee is dead and hath left behinde her children to her husband for whose teeth he is put carefully to prouide and this was the Omen of hir two teeth And I thinke if all be true I haue heard Mr. Gennings mother tooke no comfort but great griefe at her Sonnes returne though not so great as the mother of Garnet the younger executed at Tyburne did for shee hearing of her Sonnes death therevpon came to be distracted in her witts Such comfort receiued Garnetts Mother at his death but perhaps he was not borne with a tooth in his mouth as Mr. Gennings was Here I wish the Reader to weigh vnto what shifts these auguring Papists are driuen to mee it is a most cleare argument of the badnesse of their cause that they do so hunt after prodigies and miracles for the stilting vp of the same The second wonder I obserue in this Pamphlet is The Martyrs second miracle another Prodigie si dijs placet His belly being opened his bowells cut out and his heart in the Executioners hand yet the Martyr cryeth out Sancte Gregori ora pro me Holy Gregorie pray for me Surely it had beene a greater prodigie if his heart had cryed so or that his tongue being cut out he had so cryed but how impious are these men in their prodigies what were christians euer taught by the example of Christ command of Luc. 23. 46. Act. 7. 59. Scriptures practise of any Orthodoxe seruant of God at their departure hence to commend their soules into the hands of any creature Search the Scriptures inquire of the Ancients and learne vs out of them such a manner of practise If euer surely then we are to commend our soules into the hands of our Creatour when by his Summons we are cited hence Imperet vobis Dominus obstruat ora loquentium iniqua You haue in your Legendaries in your vitis Patrum in your Rosarie beatae Virginis many most idle tales how diuers Penitents by doing some acts of superstition to a Crosse to an Image by praying to some Saints especially the Virgin Marie haue beene prodigiously and miraculously deliuered all these things are feigned to bring the worship of the Creature in steed of the Creator But this which your Gennings did what was it more or aboue that which is ordinarie with superstitious languishing and panging soules in the agonie of death what else was this then an argument that life was not quite extinguished nor his soule departed when the Executioner had your Martyrs heart in his hand I hope M. Gennings that your skill is not so slender in Philosophie as to make the bowells of any man so absolute and totall a receptacle of the soule as that it is so most specially resident in the same that it may not without a speciall miracle for an instant or a short moment continue in the heart head and tongue at the renting out of the bowells of mans bodie The summe is had your Brothers tongue or heart cryed out Sancte Gregori ora pro me after his soule had been departed we might haue reputed the same a Prodigie of the Deuill but not a miracle of God I say a prodygie of the Deuill for I doubt not to call such manner of invocations no other than Satans instigations What did your Gennings more nay he did lesse then that Deuill which being coniured to depart out of a possessed woman and at his departing to say the Pater Noster and Aue Maria he added more and aboue out of his owne deuotion thus Ah Holy Marie pray Ifingrenius apud Powel de Ant. nota 17. for all those that visit this thy Chappell Ah holy Marie pray for them And that yee may be assured that it was the Deuill who so prayed he made his invocation in Latine a point aboue the possessed womans reach And as this Deuill prayed so heartily to the Virgin for such as should superstitiously visit her Chappell so I doubt not to interpret but that the Deuill whereof Caesarius maketh Cesar lib. 5. cap. 36. mention which hauing serued a certaine souldier in the habit of a faire young man a long time at his discharging out of his seruice required a Bell to be bought with the wages which hee accepted for his seruice and the same Bell to be hanged vpon the top of an old Chappell to call the people together I doubt not I say to interpret that this Deuill by such his erecting of a Bell aymed at some such superstitious worship as your Martyrs Sancte Gregori was not at any such worship of God as the holy Scriptures command and commend vnto vs. The third miracle which I obserue in this martyrs The Pamphlet mentioneth onely these 3. miracles Legend hapned thus A certaine namelesse Virgin there was who longing after some of the martyrs flesh approched full of faith vnto the basket into which the martyrs quarters were cast readie to be carried away and to be set vpon London gates but not knowing how to obtaine her desire she presumeth onlie to lay her fingers vpon one of the Saints consecrated thumbes whereupon presentlie obserue the miracle deseruing a Baronius to annalize it that consecrated thumbe which she touched Baronius fableth the like of a tooth for the taking of which out of Cesarius his head three kniues were broken which tooth after prayer came presently out very easily Baroniu An. 11 38. I am sure that neither my selfe some others nor Mr. Copley to whom Iohn Gennings was familiarly known euer heard thereof inuisiblie to all the standers by did miraculouslie yeeld it selfe into her Virginall hands with which she ioyfullie departed keeping the Iewell close and secret vnto her selfe vntill the ariued beyond the seas where and when she made the miracle knowne to Iohn Gennings brother to the said Saint Edmund martyr thus in effect hapned the prodigie concerning which and the manner of it I obserue these points First I cannot without a kind of detestation thinke of the leuitie and pronenesse which is in Papists to admit of a miracle grounded vpon so weake a testimonie of a maid a simple maid a namelesse maid a maid concealing till she were beyond the seas and there so couertly setting her miracle to sale that for ought I could euer heare there were none made acquainted with it vntill now when this idle narration was to be made publicke Voraginous Iacob relateth in the Legend of S. Austen how a great friend of that Fathers bought of a Monke for a round summe of mony a pretensed finger of the same father which neuerthelesse was found to be counterfet though wrapped vp neatlie and charily in a faire peece of silke what could a Monke