the Sacraments and the bounty of God yet no man will judge them so pernicious and of so dangerous consequence that they ought to be abstained from and the Popes prohibition is grounded upon a too frivolous weak and ridiculous reason to have any weight or authoritie in the judgements of the wiser Neither is there any who doe not sufficiently see it to be meerly a humane and a politique invention to conserve a false doctrine and an usurped jurisdiction if he will but strictly remarke it as God hath given mee grace to doe CHAP. V. Of Traditions and that they ought not to be taken for Iudge or Rule of our Faith THe Romish Church finding her selfe but weakly sustained by the Scriptures and not being able to maintaine her doctrine by the written Word of God hath be thought of an unwritten word called Tradition making it of the same power with the holy Scriptures and is therefore called Divine Tradition and Apostolique and not humane which seemed to me a brave field to lay open all her fancies Now the rule and way of the Romish Church to know and declare those Apostolique Traditions is this When the beginning and originall of any doctrine or Ecclesiasticall ceremony is not knowne neither exactly by whom or in what yeare it was instituted since the time of Jesus Christ and his Apostles it is holden amongst them of Divine and Apostolique Tradition As for example because it is not certainly knowne who was the first that invented holy-water and imployed it in Baptisme and to other uses it is esteemed to come from Christ Jesus and his Apostles although it appeare sufficiently from the holy Scripture that Christ and his Apostles did never use that ceremony but onely baptized with pure and naturall water So because it is not knowne who it was that first did pray to the Saints that doctrine is said to be of Apostolique and divine Tradition and to come from Christ and his Apostles although it appeare not in any place of Scripture that ever any Apostle did pray to the Saints that were before them or recommended it to us but the contrary and so of the rest of their Traditions Is not this a fine rule and prety invention whereon to ground an infinite number of divine and Apostolique Traditions for Printing not being in use but within this two or three hundred yeares there were but few things written before that and that seldome to be left to posteritie and that which was written for the most part dyed and vanished by the death of the Author or shortly after for not being transcribed as it is with a great number of particular writings especially if they doe not concerne temporall things So that in so many ages an infinite number of things ceremonies doctrines and errors have been invented in the worship of God by the superstition vanitie and presumption of some particular men of which now it is impossible to know the originall and first Author either because it was never written by any or if it hath been written the writings have been lost if therefore all those things must be esteemed divine and Apostolique out of question there will be a numberles number of divine and Apostolique Traditions And upon these considerations I marveiled no more at the great number of Traditions that are in the Romish Church which I can assure you to be such that if they were all redacted to one volume it would assuredly be greater than all the books of the Bible for their number is almog infinite and not certainly known to this day the number yet not being perfect and hardly is there any generall Councells in which some one or more new ones are not discovered Those of the Romish Church who will not admit nor acknowledge the Scripture as Judge of faith strive neverthelesse to serve themselves with it the best they can to confirme their doctrine But I pray you with what reason in the point of Traditions To prove that the holy Scripture is not a sufficient rule of faith and that we must have recourse to a word not written which they call Tradition 1 Thes 2.15 they alledge this of St Paul Wherefore my Brethren be yee stedfast and hold fast the Traditions which yee have learned either by word or by our Epistle Thence they inferre that St Paul had preached many things to the Thessalonians which he had not written to them in his Letters and therefore wee must beleeve more things than those which are written We ingeniously confesse that the whole doctrine of salvation and that which St Paul might have preached to the Thessalonians is not in these two little Epistles and affirme that we must beleeve more things than those which are conteined in them but thence it will not follow that that which St Paul had preached to the Thessalonians of the necessitie of faith and salvation is not conteined in the Old and New Testament for there is great difference betwixt the two little Epistles to the Thessalonians and all the rest of the holy Scripture and the consequence is very bad as every one may judge Besides when St Paul saith Keep the Traditions it will no more follow that by this word Traditions an unwritten word ought necessarily to be understood and that besides the written word of God there is yet an unwritten word equall in authoritie to the other for by the word Tradition may be understood that which is given and left either by word or writing and not necessarily some word not written for the holy Scripture is also a tradition that is a doctrine which hath been left us And although wee should grant that St Paul had preached to the Thessalonians many things which are not written in the holy Scriptures and exhorted them to keepe them it will therefore not follow that he did exhort them to keep all those Traditions as necessary to salvation for there are none who will not confesse that St. Paul might have preached and said many things which were not absolutely necessary to salvation nor faith but onely convenient and helpfull as our Saviour did in his preaching and although our Saviour should give us charge to remember them all and keepe them he doth not therefore meane that wee should be equally obliged to keep them all and that wee should keep them otherwise and in another fashion than he gave them to us that is the Articles of faith as Articles of faith and necessary to salvation the Commandements as Commandements the examples and parables as such things essentiall to faith as essentiall the ceremony and things accidentall as such and it is a very bad consequence drawne by the Romish Church that because St Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians to keep the Traditions he commandeth us all to beleeve and keep them as pertaining to faith and of equall authoritie with the Scripture a word not written and Traditions meerly humane as divine Traditions and chiefly all the Traditions of the Romish
Church which are almost without number And mark that in all ages this hath been the malice of hereticks to have recourse to Traditions when the Scriptures faile them Tertull. de Monog cap. 2. Joh. 16.12 Bellarm. lib. 5. de verbo Dei so Tertullian being become hereticall in his Booke de Monogania cap. 2. maintaineth the heresie of Montanus by those words of our Saviour I have yet many things to say unto you but yee cannot beare them now Which is the passage Bellarmine citeth for Traditions cap. 5. of his Book of the unwritten Word and yet it appeareth by the following verse that our Saviour by those things which they cannot for the present beare meant the things which are to come as the prophesies concerning the things which were to fall out which are to be seen in the Epistles of the Apostles and in the Revelation of St John and such like things and not any doctrines of faith Irenaeus in the second chap. of his third Book saith Irenaeus cap. 2. lib. 3. that when any did convince the hereticks with Scripture they began to accuse the Scripture saying that the truth could not be found in the Scripture by those who knew not the Tradition because it was not given in writing but onely spoken verbally Now this is practised by the Romish Church more than by any sect that hath ever yet been because seeing Scripture doth faile her to maintaine her tyranny and innumerable superstitious policies she hath invented a word not written which shee calleth Traditions equalling their authoritie with the holy Scriptures and those Traditions are invented and augmented from time to time according to the will and fancy of the Popes for some of them have invented the Masse and some other ceremonies and one or other of them have now and then added to them or taken from augmented or diminished the same some of them have invented Purgatory others Indulgences some the invocation of Saints others the reliques some the Communion under one kinde and yet to this day their number is not perfect neither is it yet known to the Romish Church that which our Saviour preached as necessary to faith and salvation for as there were new Articles of faith made in the Councell of Trent which was the last generall Councell amongst them as that of justification and originall sin so doe they hope to make yet more in the next Councell as it may be of the conception of the Virgin Mary of predestination with or without merits or some others Here is another objection those of the Romish Church thinke to be of great force and which I my selfe have often used disputing against those of the Romish Religion pretending thereby to prove the necessitie of Traditions and to referre our selves to the Church for say they who gave you the holy Scripture but the Tradition and whence know yee the Canonicall Books from those that are not Canonicall but by the determination and tradition of the Church It is true that every particular man receiveth the holy Scripture from the Church he liveth in whether it be a pure or impure Church so the Apostles had received from the Priests and Scribes enemies of Jesus Christ the books of the old Testament but in that the Church doth onely the office of a Witnesse and not of a Judge it onely witnesseth that those Books are holy and Canonicall but it judgeth not them to be holy nor giveth them any authoritie and the Tradition of the Church witnessing those books to be divine and holy is onely a protestation of her subjection to the Scripture and not an usurpation of her authoritie above the written word of God He who sheweth the King to a stranger is not therefore above the King nor giveth he any authoritie to the King and a Book-seller shewing to a buyer the Book of the Statutes of the Kingdome doth not for that authorise those Statutes and some man may receive the holy Scriptures from the Church and afterwards use it to condemne the same Church And as the testimony of innumerable eyes and eares seeing the lightnings and hearing the thunder maketh us say that it thundreth and lightneth so the testimony of innumerable Churches assuring us that the holy Scriptures are from God cause us to give an assent to them as divine Where it is to be noted that as for the Books of the New Testament wee ought to take the testimony of the Churches under the New Testament so for the Books of the old Testament we ought to follow the judgement of the Churches of those times and refer our selves to their testimony without making them for that Judges of the controversie Nor doth it appertaine to him who is to be judged by the holy Scripture and the word of God to make himselfe Judge of that word of God so it is a great impertinency to inferre from this objection the necessitie of Traditions to be of the same vertue with the pure word of God CHAP. VI. Traditions condemned by the holy Scriptures VVE have seen the testimonies of the holy Scripture and the reasons they of the Romish Church bring to establish the doctrine of Traditions Now let us see the testimonies of the same Scripture which the Orthodox and reformed Church alledge to condemne those Traditions and consider which of them are of greatest strength As for mee having maturely considered the passages I cannot see how their force can be eluded or rather that men yeeld not to their cleernesse The Prophet Moses saith to the people of God Deut. 12.13 Deut. 12.13 Yee shall doe that which I command you before the Lord neither adding nor diminishing there from and more cleerly in Chap. 12. Yee shall adde nothing to the word which I command you nor take nothing from it and Salomon in his Proverbs saith Pro. 30.6 Adde thou nothing unto his word least he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar Which being not deniable but that it is said of the Church what doth the Scripture thereby but condemne most cleerly the Traditions which are questionlesse new inventions added to the holy Scripture For my part after I began to consider attentively the words of the Apostle St Paul on this subject I could never see how those of the Romish Church can maintaine the doctrine of their Traditions as pertaining to faith and equall in authoritie to the holy Scriptures Gal. 1.8 Mark I pray you with me those words Gal. 1.8 If we our selves or any Angel from heaven preach to you any other Gospel than that which hath been preached unto you let him be accursed Note these words Let him be accursed which are of no small importance and observe the word besides Praeterquam quod is in the vulgar translation of St Jerome which is more fully expressed by the word besides than by the word otherwise as it is in some corrupted impressions and above all note that he saith not against but besides Praeterquam
THE CHRISTIAN AND CATHOLIKE VERITIE OR THE REASONS AND MANNER OF THE CONVERSION OF FRANCIS DE NEVILLE FORMERLY A CAPVCHIN PREACHER The Popes Missionary and Superiour in sundry COVENTS of the same ORDER A Treatise very usefull for all Christians and especially for such as are POPISHLY-affected or not fully setled in their beliefe And for the further Confirmation of the FAITHFULL Wherein many SECRETS of the ROMISH Clergie heretofore UNREVEALED are DISCOVERED Dedicated by the Author to the High Court of PARLIAMENT now Assembled 1642. See the Contents at the next Page LONDON Printed by T. P. and M. S. for H. Blunden at the Castle in Cornehill 1642. THE CONTENTS OF the CHAPTERS AN Historicall Prelude concerning the Author Chap. 1. How the Romish Church acknowledge no other Judge in matters of Faith but the Pope page 1 Chap. 2. That the holy Scripture is the onely Judge and rule sufficient of Faith and not the Pope nor the Church p. 4 Chap. 3. That the holy Scripture is clear in that which concernes things necessary to salvation pa. 8 Chap. 4. That the holy Scripture is given us by God to read and meditate in the same and that the prohibition of the Pope to read it is altogether unjust and contrary to the will of God p. 12 Chap. 5. Of Traditions and that they ought not to be taken for Judge or rule of our faith p. 20 Chap. 6. Traditions condemned by the holy Scripture p. 25 Chap. 7. That we cannot ground our beleef upon the books of the ancient Fathers p. 27 Chap. 8. Concerning the chief point of controversie to wit that S. Peter had no Primacy in the Church and that the Primacy of the Pope is an unlawfull usurpation p. 30 Chap. 9. Proved from holy Scripture that Christ had never intention to leave S. Peter or any other Apostle for his successour or generall Vicar after him p. 40 Chap. 10. Proved by the holy Scripture that the Apostles did never acknowledge S. Peter for superiour and universall Head of the Church p. 43 Chap. 11. That although S. Peter had had the preeminence the Pope hath no right to challenge it to himself and that the Primitive Church never acknowledged this universall superiority in the Bishop of Rome p. 48 Chap. 12. In what manner and at what time the Bishop of Rome usurped the Primacie pa. 53 Chap. 13. How the Bishop of Rome hath and doth labour to maintain his usurped Primacy and after what manner the Pope is elected at this present p. 57 Chap. 14. A notable reflection upon the usurped power of the Pope and his election and how much all Princes Prelates and Christians even Romanes are interessed therein p. 64 Chap. 15. How absurd is and how little ground hath the pretended infallibilitie of the Bishop of Rome and that it is not without cause he is called Antichrist p. 71 Chap. 16. The summe and conclusion of the former discourse concerning the usurped Primacie and infallibility of the Pope p. 75 Chap. 17. Of the Invocation of Saints p. 78 Chap. 18. That profit temporall is the cause of the Invocation of Saints and Images in the Romish Church p. 84 Chap. 19. Of the Miracles of the Romish Church p. 89 Chap. 20. Of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Communion under both kinds p. 101 Chap. 21. Of the Masse and of Prayers in a strange tongue p. 107. Chap. 22. Of Auricular Confession p. 113 Chap. 23. Of Purgatory p. 122 Chap. 24. Of Indulgences p. 131 Chap. 25. Of the Congregations and Religious Orders p. 136 Chap. 26. Of Justification p. 141 Chap. 27. Of the heavinesse of the yoke of the Church of Rome in comparison of the yoke of Christ. p. 147 Chap. 28. If one can be saved in the Romish Church p. 151 Chap. 29. A comparison of the Protestant Reformed Church with the Church of Rome and in which of them two is salvation most certain pa. 156 TO THE MOST HIGH AND HONORABLE COVRT of PARLIAMENT of England now assembled in the yeer of the Lord 1642. Most Illustrious Assembly WE owe the homage of Service in those places where we first breathed not where we were conceived this little Treatise had indeed his conception beyond the Seas but being brought into the world in the Land and in the time of Your Authoritie it is to You it oweth homage and to whom it is bound to render all the dutifull submissions a vassall oweth to his Lords and will account it self exceeding glorious if ye but daign to vouchsafe it with your favorable acceptance for it trusteth that once being acknowledged for Yours it will be the more welcome in other places and your Patronage alone will be a sufficient protection to defend it against all the attempts of its enemies and evill willers And I am fully perswaded it could never have obtained a more happy nor Honorable protection in this world For that famous Assemblie consisting of the supreme and royall Majesty as the most worthie Head thereof of the Illustrious Nobilitie and the choicest Persons of the whole Kingdom as the Members of it there is none in this State who will not think themselves obliged to receive it favourably and if it shall passe the Seas to travell through forraigne Countreys it will questionles be more regarded there being no Canton in Europe where the wisdome of this Noble Assemblie is not admired and redoubted and where all that it avoweth and protecteth is not highly prized But as there is no good thing in the world which meeteth not with some contrarietie no vertue that is not opposed no prosperity that is not crossed I doubt not but it will find contradictions and obstacles both at home and abroad at home from some evill Christians secret enemies of the peace and tranquillitie of this Church and Estate abroad from the Enemies of the truth and every where from envious and malicious spirits But I trust it shall be as the nest of the little Alcion which under the protection of the most High contemneth the surging billows of the Ocean and which though tossed with the waves remaineth still victorious above the floods Or rather as the Rocks which cannot be moved with stormes but continue firm against all the assaults of winds and tempests So I shall let it travell under those favourable hopes with expresse charge to proclaim in all places where it shall passe the greatnesse of your glorie While in the meane time I shall endeavour to shelter my self here from all dangerous stormes under the shadow of your wings to enjoy the sweetnes of peace and happines which this whole Land expecteth from your wisdom and one who for the glory of God hath sought hither for refuge as I may hope from your bountie And there in greater securitie than the Dove that is chased by the Hawks doth find being once gotten into the holes of the Rock I shall meditate the rest of my dayes the wonders of the Almighty and
quod Now what I pray you are all the traditions of the Romish Church but doctrine and things besides the Word of God Besides that which St Paul and Christ Jesus and the other Apostles did preach yea even contrary for all doctrine taught as necessary to faith out of the Scripture is also contrary unto the Scripture seeing it is against the prohibition to adde to the Word of God Mat. 15.9 and God condemneth them who teach for doctrine of faith the doctrine and commandements of men And mark that Christ Jesus in this chap. of St Matthew did specially condemne the Pharisees because they transgressed the commandements of God by their traditions and what I pray you were those traditions they were not things expresly forbidden in the law of God but simple additions and willing devotions without the word of God and which outwardly smelled of nothing but devotion puritie and holinesse as to fast three times a week to wash the cups the platters to tithe Mint and Annise to make conscience to heal any sick man on the Sabbath day to make long prayers to abstaine from certaine meats and that not through a conceit that those things were polluted but through a willing devotion and humilitie of spirit or through a desire to mortifie the flesh but because those things were taught as being of equall authoritie with the doctrine of faith that is the cause wherefore they are condemned by the Son of God as contrary to his holy Word There is no doubt but by this passage of the Apostle St Paul we cited before are also condemned all the Traditions of the Romish Church which are taught and preached to be of equall authoritie with the holy Scriptures which truely are besides the Word of God and the Gospel that was preached by our Saviour and his Disciples for how cometh it to passe that they should have preached so many things pertaining to faith and salvation and never speak any thing of them in any of their Books nor in the acts of the Apostles which is the History of the most remarkable actions and Sermons of the Apostles for more than twenty yeares see if there be any thing spoken there of the invocation of Saints of Indulgencies Purgatory prayer for the dead of the Communion under one kinde or of the rest and if those and the like things be not in the holy Scriptures they are besides the Word of God and consequently he that preacheth them is accursed and Anathema and they are not to be received as pertaining to faith And to shew that the Traditions which the Church of Rome teacheth as Articles of faith doe not come from Christ Jesus and his Apostles nor cannot be said to be Apostolique nor divine but papall and humane to say no worse there is almost none of them the history of that Church sheweth not by what Pope or Bishop they were invented and at what time they had their beginning Baro. Annal Eccle. Gualter Chronol Durant de ritib. see the Authors who handle the same least I should be too prolix in this matter being desirous to lay open another of not much lesse importance CHAP. VII That wee cannot ground our beliefe upon the Books of the ancient Fathers THose of the Romish Church to authorise their Traditions which are besides nay contrary to the Word of God send us to the Fathers as to other Judges to determine our differences whose doctrine they affirme to be conformable to that which they teach Certainly I have thought Antiquitie in it selfe to be very venerable and worthy to be respected especially the Fathers whose grave and learned Books deserve praise of all good spirits principally if their doctrine be conformable to the Word of God which is the sole infallible rule of all good doctrine And to speak truly I finde that the Fathers of the first ages condemne in a number of places so manifestly the errors and superstitious doctrines of the Romish Church that I have marvailed oftentimes how they can have the boldnesse to alledge them in their favour It is true that as in the time of St Paul the mystery of iniquitie was already working so it is not to be marveiled that they being men some things have now and then insensibly crept into the writings of some of them which were not altogether so pure and seeme somewhat to incline to superstitions which by little and little insinuated themselves into the Church But I beleeve that though all their Books should seeme manifestly to contradict the faith of the Reformed Churches wee are not obliged to receive them as our Judges neither as irreprochable Witnesses and howsoever I esteeme highly of the Authours yet wee cannot ground any Article of faith upon their Writings but so far as wee finde them to conforme to the Word of God which is the toucstone of all truth neither are wee bound to have recourse to them any wayes For if we were obliged to have recourse to them and receive them for Judges of our faith that were to bring our faith and the point of our salvation in an impossibilitie at least morall because all Christians should be obliged to have them and to have them all or the most part which is not possible but to the richer sort and having them they should be obliged to reade them almost all and that wholy to the end they might compare one with another and see if they agree one with another in the same doctrine and if they be conformable to themselves every where and so none but those who had great leasure could reade them and being almost all of them either in Latine or Greeke or other strange tongue but few of them in vulgar tongues what should they doe who understand neither Latine nor Greeke There would be none then but the richer and learneder and those who had no other imployment but to reade could be assured of their faith and so all others should be without faith and knowledge of those things which concerne their salvation and consequently in a manifest way of perdition by their ignorance Notwithstanding our Saviour his coming was to teach the poore as well as the rich the ignorant as the learned the Merchants and Tradesmen as well as those who are not so much imployed Besides it is impossible to build upon their Writings any beliefe of faith for as Printing was not in their time but onely two or three hundred yeares since those who have written in the Primitive Church even to our time since our Saviour which hath been thirteen or fourteen hundred yeares have left us nothing but Manuscripts which behooved to be transcribed that they might be dispersed Now there is no man who will not confesse that the Originals and first Manuscripts written or at least revised and corrected by the Fathers which composed them have been seen but of a few and little or nothing of them all is to be found at this time nor was found
and sing the Masse I confesse truly that Christ and his Apostles did sing Masse and that the faithfull communicating and perticipating of the Sacrament after this manner say Masse But if by the Masse they meane to make a sacrifice upon an Altar covered with three Table-clothes with so many prayers before and after in a strange tongue and unknown to the people with so many Ceremonies and lifting up of their hands and eyes with stretching abroad and folding of their armes fingers hands and body with so many crossings upward and downward on the right hand and on the left on the bread the wine the corporall the Altar the forehead breast and mouth of the Priest and where the Priest communicateth ordinarily alone and almost everie day and the people for a long time onely once a yeer for my part after I had read again and again the holy Scriptures I could never find any such thing or any thing like to it and so it must of necessitie be confessed to be a humane invention for the end which I shall quickly shew you and no Divine institution nor Invention Neither can they in reason alledge here the Apostolicall Tradition and derived from Jesus Christ and his Apostles although there is nothing expressed in the holy Scripture nor any written word for if that mystery were of such importance as the Papists would have it at this day it would have been so also in the time of the Apostles who should have had a perfect knowledge thereof it being a doctrine they should have much preached to the people as a thing of exceeding great importance and they being men of excellent devotion and incomparable zeal for the mysteries of faith they should every day or at least often have said Masse and exhorted the people earnestly to be present and hear the same as they do in the Church of Rome now there appeareth nothing at all of this in the holy Scripture St. Paul indeed speaketh to us especially once of the Sacrament of the Supper and of the preparations wherewith we ought to come to it Furthermore we see that the Apostles and primitive Christians did conveene sometimes about Easter to break bread and participate of that divine mystery together but in no other place is there any mention made of the masse in the Romish fashion nor of any sacrifice without blood as they tearme it which I exhort all the Romanists diligently to consider as I have done and I perswade my self they will no more find it there than I Neither will they find any where that the bread of the Supper was an hoast or a round cake or that they kept it in the Temples with so great ceremony and care in Tabernacles and rich cabins as they now do in the Romish Church and I beleeve no other thing can be concluded but that the Romish Church thinketh her self wiser than Christ and his Apostles in obtruding for an Article of faith a doctrine which was never left by Christ and which was neither preached written nor practised by the Apostles for although they had spoken nothing in their Epistles yet Luke who did write all that he could see and learn of their actions would not have omitted this which is esteemed of so great importance in the Church of Rome So it is clearly to be seen in the Histories that it is an invention of the Popes who have from time to time added to it every one of them according to his fancy to day one ceremony and prayer to morrow another now one ornament and vesture and then another sometimes making it of one fashion sometimes of another till at last it was come to that height wherein it is at this day in the Church of Rome it is now a snare to precipitate many Priests into the bottome of hell for not using that disposition which they know to be required therein and which is the cause of the perdition of an infinite multitude of Christians for not hearing it with that respect the Romish Church requireth which they of that beliefe are obliged to obey and in doing against their conscience although erroneous they are judged culpable of sin and all that according to the doctrine and maximes of that Church Now to define properly or describe the Masse as it is at this present I suppose I may say justly that it is a good trade instituted and invented by the Church of Rome to nourish and entertain an infinite number of Priests who become Priests principally to gain their living thereby fit to inrich the Monasteries and Churches and make all the Monks live finely and whereby the peoples purses are emptied and finally a Trade that serveth to condemne many as well as those who say it as of those who are obliged to hear it This definition seemeth a little too rude and at the first sight ridiculous but it is true and the Romanists themselves may confesse it if they will for the taxes and prises of Masses now adaies are for the most part as of bread in the Market and he that giveth not so much getteth none and because silver was scarcer in former times than now so the Masses were not worth so much and a Masse that will not be said now for eight or ten pence was not worth two or three pence in former times and in many places men had more then they desired at that rate and because all things are dearer now than they were so the masses are also And because the religious orders who are insatiable in wealth and who never refuse any wealth whensoever it cometh were loaded with so many masses that they could not say the half of them the Pope who saith he hath power in heaven and earth hath as they say of many smals made one great and of an infinite number of masses which were founded by particulars he hath made but one wherein all the benefactors are comprehended in grosse and in generall termes and so by an handsome Bull hath discharged them of all scruples which if their founders had mistrusted they would have been wary to have left so great wealth and rents as they have done to that effect so they who live at this present amongst the Papists are become wise at the coast of their Ancestors and are loath to commit any such follies and rob and beggar their children to inrich and fatten the Monks But howsoever commonly he that wants money can have no masses and because the Church of Rome holdeth masses to be the principall meanes to deliver a soul out of Purgatory so there are none but poore people who are to stay a long time in that fire for want of money to buy masses as the richer sort and so to be rich is a great help in the Church of Rome to go speedily to Paradise contrary to that which Christ said in S. Matth. 10.25 that it was very hard for rich men to enter into heaven Matth. 10.25 but it is a Church
earnestly pray to him that it would please him to poure out upon their royall Majesties and their Princely Progenie upon your most Honorable Persons and this whole Land all the heavenly and earthly blessings that can wish Most Illustrious Assembly Your most humble and obedient Servant FRANCIS DE NEVILLE London this 28. of March 1642. Authoris Submissio SAcrosanctae Individuae Trinitatis Catholicae orthodoxae Ecclesiae authoritatis omnis sanae sincerae non praeoccupatae mentis judicio censurae haec quae scripta sunt hic subiecta sunto To the Reader FRiendly Reader if you finde any thing faulty and unpolisht in this Booke Know that the English tongue is strange to the Author to whom newly and as it were miraculously escaped out of Popish persecutions and strict imprisonment Tranquillitie and many other accommodations were wanting requisite for the perfection both of composition and impression yet neverthelesse if you understand French the Authors naturall Language may supply what is here defectuous and if it come againe to the Presse you shall have every thing more exact and perfect in the meane time be favourable in all and especially in some faults occasioned by the Printer such as are these following Errata quaedam PAge 15. v. 24. Bishops leg Doctors p. 43. in Tit. Spirit l. script p. 68. v. ult Infallible l. Insatiable AN HISTORICALL PRELVDE CONCERNING THE AVTHOR CHristian and courteous Reader there is nothing in the world made for it selfe but all for man and man for God who is the last end of all things and as the members of one body doe ayde and serve one another for the enjoying the priviledges and felicitie their nature is capable of so men being Members of the same body 1 Cor. 11.3 whereof Christ is the Head as St Paul saith ought to serve one another to bring themselves to God who is their last end and blessednesse It is that which moved the Apostles to Preach the Gospell through the world with so great travaile and paines It is that motive of charitie that moved St Paul and others to leave unto us the writings and doctrines which we have in the Canonicall Books It is onely this Consideration also that hath engaged mee to undertake this present Treatise wherein I onely intend to lead and conduct you to God If you walke straight to the paths of the true Church and faith I intreat you in reading this Treatise to give thankes and praises unto God with mee for the mercies and marvailous deliverances he hath wrought for mee in bringing me out of darknesse and from the shadows of death If you waver and be in doubt of the truth of the way you will finde here matter to assure and confirme you And if you be gone astray out of this way I hope reading this Discourse you shall be directed into it againe Especially if you be in the Romish Church it is to you chiefly I speake and for whom I write this hoping examples will be of greater power than words with you For friendly Reader I have been a long time even as you in the same blindnesse and doubtings you are in and because I was told that it behooved mee to beleeve without further enquiry and have onely the good faith as they say of the Colliar which is to referre himselfe to the faith of his Curate without further examination I assayed to doe the same bending my will that way but so soone as I began to have a little judgement J had a thousand combats in my minde in that blinde obedience which J could not see grounded upon any sure foundation J heard of an holy Scripture but J was almost twenty yeares old before J knew what it was J was permitted yea and recommended to reade and learne even by heart Virgil Cicero Homer and Plutarch all of them Pagan prophane Authors and proper to teach paganisme the Idolatry of the false gods no man desiring mee to reade or learne the holy Scriptures which the holy Ghost left to make us wise unto salvation and to instruct us in Christianitie and the worship of the true God as the Alphabet and rudiment of Christians Is not this a strange malice or blindnesse All that was spoken to mee in matter of faith was that it behooved mee to beleeve without further search and refer my selfe to the faith of our Teachers And what did J often say in my selfe If those who lead us be blinde or dissemble the truth through perversenesse or for other interests Mat. 15.14 the blind leading the blined both must fall into the ditch if our Leaders will goe to hell and be damned J shall then be as they referring my selfe to them J saw they were but men full of infirmities and imperfections as others that their words were words of men subject to deceit and lyes where J did finde nothing sure to settle a firme beliefe so that J did conclude in my selfe that faith being a certain knowledge and beliefe it could not be sure but upon a certaine and infallible foundation and so J concluded there was nothing but the Word of God alone and not the word of man that could assure us of true faith and of the way to salvation and that that Word of God being left to us in the holy Scriptures it was the dutie of every man to search and examine if the faith and doctrine preached were conformable to it and that no wise and judicious man should refer himselfe to another every one being to give an account for himselfe in the day of Gods Judgement and none received there to warrant and baile another This then moved mee to compare the doctrine of faith which was taught mee with that which Jesus Christ did preach and there J found so great difference in many points that it might be said to be altogether another doctrine than that of the Sonne of God Happy was it for mee J understood the Latine as my Mother tongue for J was above twentie yeares old before J durst reade or keepe by mee the Bible in the vulgar tongue under paine of greater Excommunication said they then is pronounced against one who should reade a Book of the Black Art or kill his father or mother and there is none but the Pope alone hath power to doe it or can give License Even so did J obtaine it by that means but this by the way They produced indeed for every thing the holy Scripture but for the most part in a meaning so far different from the truth that there is no error heresie nor dissolutnesse which may not be grounded and maintained in like manner upon and by the holy Scriptures J did heare them speake of Traditions and that we ought to submit our selves to the meaning and judgement of the Church but when J came to examine the Church and the infallibilitie of those Traditions J found that all was resolved in the judgement and head of the
by post in Coach on foot heat cold hungar and thirst good and evill for to them that love God say they all things worke to the best according to the Apostle Finally of all the works and many more which are done amongst them and by that means simple people think they go to heaven in their clothes never seeing so much as a sparkle of the fire of Purgatory how great sinners soever they can or will be and imagine they may so sleep soundly But all those Letters are properly accounted among them nothing but cozening tricks as are all those congregations third Orders fraternities of the great and small Cord of the Scapulate and others such small trifles and inventions which have continually faire and devout pretexts But which in truth tend onely to the temporall profit of the ghostly fathers I will say no more for here is a gulfe of mysteries and confusions which I will not discover it being not my purpose CHAP. XXVII Of the heavinesse of the yoke of the Church of Rome in comparison of the yoke of Christ AS the comparison which I made of the doctrine of the Romish Church with that of our Saviour Christ made me see so great a difference therein that I judged with great reason it was not the same doctrine but another invented by men so have I oftentimes compared the yoke of Rome with that of Christ Matth. 11.30 and found his to be light and easie as he saith Matth. 11.30 and the Romish cruell and insupportable instituted rather for the destruction and death of souls than for their salvation and profit as I shall easily make it appear by the consideration of Gods Commandments with those of that Church It is known to every one that God was content onely to give us ten commandments by his Prophet Moses which Christ hath recommended unto us assuring us that if we shall keep them we shall enter into life eternall If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments saith he to the young man in the Gospel and truly howsoever we are conceived in iniquitie and naturally inclined to do evil yet there is none of how little breeding soever who will not judge the commandment of God light and easie to be obeyed by the assurance of his holy Spirit which is never deficient to the faithfull for they are onely grounded upon those two commandments of love to wit to love God and our neighbour which are commandments sweet and easie to everie good nature and soul that is desirous of its salvation Moreover the most part are onely negative that we may abstain from doing evill as not to adore false gods not to sweare not to kill not to steal and the like which seem not to be so hard to every good and honest nature And although all our actions be corrupt and imperfect and we cannot do any thing here perfectly and without fault yet I doubt not but there are many faithfull who keep the Commandments of God sufficiently to hope for eternall life by faith in the blood and merits of Christ But the Pastors of the Romish Church or rather the Bishop of Rome going beyond the Commandments of God by his traditions is not content with the ten Commandments of God but attributing to himself the authority and power of God over man he hath imposed six or seven more commandments upon them besides the ten which are for the most part positive and seem indeed to be but seven but contain above three hundred which every Christian is obliged to accomplish every yeer under pain of eternall damnation if he be in the belief of the Romish Church and the most part of them are so difficult for most men to accomplish that they may rather be said to be gives and snares to cast souls into perdition than a furtherance and help to salvation as I shall clearly shew in the manner following As the Doctors in the Romish Church disdaining to use the termes of the holy Scripture have summed up the ten Commandments in French Rhime and so read them to the people they have done also with the commandments of their Church and say them publikely after this manner The Church commandeth every one to sanctifie the holy dayes On every Sabbath hear the Masse they must and one the Feasts likewise All Lent foure times and Saints Eves for to fast And no flesh Saterdayes nor Fridayes feasts Thy soule sincerely once a yeer confesse Thy Maker humbly also take at Passe Pay all the tithes and duties to the Church I remember when I was a little child they taught us onely six and I have seen for a long time the Commandments of the Church but six in number but within this little time that of Tithes is crept into the books and is read at this day with their other Commandments as of equall obligation with the rest which is obligation of damnation and eternall death according to their common doctrine for they teach and all their Doctors and Canonists hold that those commandments of the Church are of the obligation of mortall sin as well as the ten Commandments of God although there be no mention made thereof in the holy Scripture which is properly to go beyond the Commandments of God with the traditions of men And however they seem to be but seven commandments notwithstanding they will be found to be about 300. or more which every Christian is obliged to accomplish every yeer under pain of eternall damnation except in case of manifest necessitie so there is few dayes in the yeer wherein there are not some one or more to observe besides the obligations we owe to the Commandments of God This may be cleerly proved after this manner for the first Commandment which obligeth men to sanctifie all the feasts instituted that is to say that all the holy dayes which are commanded by the Romish Church be observed and kept as the Sondayes and that the people work none of them nor do any handie nor servile work there being above 50. Holidayes every yeer besides the Sondayes behold alreadie fifty more commandments to be observed every yeer by every faithfull person The second Commandment is to hear the Masse the holy dayes and Sondayes here it is to be noted that it is not sufficient to be idle and abstain from all labour and handy works as well the Sabbaths as all the fiftie holidaies Neither is it sufficient to give themselves to prayer to read and hear the Sermon or be imployed in any pious exercise but moreover they must hear the Masse with attention and reverence so that there being everie yeer above an hundred Sondayes and holidayes there are also above an hundred obligations and commandments under pain of sin and damnation to every Christian every yeer so there is above 150. every yeer The third commandment is to fast all the Vigils the foure times and all Lent where ye are to observe that there are twelve dayes in the foure
times and at least as many vigils which make 24. dayes with fourty in Lent which make above threescore and they are obliged every day to fast under pain of mortall sin and there be very few as all the Casuists affirm who are justly exempted for from the age of 21. till threescore all those who are able to fast without great manifest prejudice of their health ought to do it so that those are 60 new commandments which joyned to the former make alreadie above 200. Moreover he must abstain all the fasting dayes from flesh under pain of mortall sin that is to say neither eat flesh eggs nor butter according to the Statute and some one will easily fast who cannot so easily keep this abstinence so there are 60. more commandments from this which being joyned with the former besides Gods ten Commandments make above two hundred and fourscore commandments of the Church which every faithfull person ought to observe every yeer and are onely comprehended in the first commandments besides those of keeping abstinence every Friday and Saterday and others which we might find in them that rest in the last of which onely which is to pay the tithes and dues to the Church a great number might be remarked and so we should have above 300. Now God having given us onely ten Commandments the most part whereof are negatives and the Church of Rome proposing above 300. whereof the most part are affirmative and without holy Scripture of her own authoritie and particular invention may we not say first that she goes beyond the Commandments of God by her traditions and next that the yoke of Christ is light and easie and the Romish yoke heavie and insupportable and if the authoritie of the Church of Rome be true some men might be saved if there were no more but the Commandments of God which will be condemned for not doing those of the Church and an infinite multitude might fulfill the commandments of God sufficiently to be saved which must be damned because they have not fasted or do not fast all Lent over and other fasting dayes or who have not heard the Masse all the Sondayes and holidayes or who have wrought or caused their servants work on them I leave off to speak here of an infinite multitude of other commandments of that Church which are not common to all Christians but to the Priests alone and those who are in Orders and possesse Benefices as every day to say their Brevier which is very long and wearisome as also of all other precepts and commandments particular to every religious Order which truly make a great multitude of poore souls groane and lament who out of simplicitie and ignorance have unhappily suffered themselves to be oppressed under the weight of their burthens But I will let them groane so long as they will if knowing their error and abuse as do the most part they will not take a necessarie resolution to break all those humane bonds wherewith they are detained in that captivity and follow after the doctrine of Christ whose yoke is easie and burthen light CHAP. XXVIII If one can be saved in the Church of Rome IT is certain that no man can be saved but by the faith which Christ did declare and the Apostles hold and preach which is the onely true and perfect faith without which none can hope for salvation Now I having shewed clearly as ye have seen that the faith of the Church of Rome is another different from that of Christ and his Apostles the consequence is easie to be drawn But as I remember never to have hindred those of the Reformed Religion so much to become docile to the doctrine I preached to them when I was in darknesse as when according to the maximes of the Romish Church I preached to them that they would all be damned without remission so that I may not alienate the spirits of those of the Romish Religion from the reading of this discourse and lest that thinking me too severe they rellish not so well the reasons which they might read in this Treatise I chose rather to let them draw the conclusions themselves and remit the decree to Gods judgement to whom onely it appertaineth to pronounce the sentence of the salvation and condemnation of souls But the thing I especially intend in this Chapter is to shew to those of the Romish Church that even according to their proper maximes and doctrine it is impossible for them speaking morally to be saved I know this proposition will seem a paradox to many but if they will onely take the pains to see and examine the reasons on which I am grounded I perswade my self that even the most learned will confesse and acknowledge it with me for they cannot deny it it being the common doctrine of their own Schools and books which questionlesse a multitude of simple people have never been aware of I will not speak here of the difficultie they of the Romish Church may meet withall as do other Christians in the keeping of Gods ten Commandments for howsoever I know certainly and may speak it truly that they are worse kept and fulfilled in that Church than in the Reformed Religion in England or other places which I have seen yet I will leave this point and comparison till the following chapter and will shew this impossibilitie of salvation onely by the commandments which are added by the Romish Church or rather by the Popes of Rome to the ten Commandments of God and I shall shew it especially in the obligation of hearing Masses on Sundayes and holidaies and in the conditions of the mystery of confession for notwithstanding that according to the maximes of their Doctors the obligation to fast all Lent over and at other dayes commanded ought to damne and destroy many who otherwaies it may be are persons unblameable walking straightly in the observation of Gods ten Commandments yea and in many other things but having too much a do to fast do it not although they might do it if they would but endeavour to do the same and be not of the number of them whom the Lawes of fasting exempted And howsoever also the obligation to keep the holidaies strictly without working or causing others to work should condemne according to their doctrine another great multitude by whom this rigid and straight commandment is hard to be kept for the great charge and imployment of their calling yet that is nothing in comparison of the difficultie that is in the commandments of hearing the Masse which obligeth all Christians and the saying over of the Breviary which obligeth the Priests and the obligation of Auricular confession which is common to all Because ye must know according to the Doctors and Casuists of the Romish Church that for accomplishing the commandment of hearing the Masse it is not sufficient to be there bodily present but to fulfill the precept one must be present in attention and devotion so that he who
of all the Casuists Doctors of that Church which is taught in the Schooles preached in the Pulpits and published in all the Bookes which handle this matter and I know that no man of learning dare deny it Oh! how sweet is the yoke of Christ in respect of that of the Romish Church and how it is more easie and sure for to be saved to follow the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles than in following the doctrines inventions of men And can that Church be the true and beloved Spouse of the Son of God that redacteth her followers even to an impossibilitie of salvation and out of hope of eternall glory CHAP. XXIX A Comparison of the Protestant and Reformed Church with the Church of Rome and in which of them two is Salvation most certaine I Have often marveiled that the Church of Rome whose doctrine is so far different from the doctrine of Christ and which accounteth lesse of the Word of God than any other sect that is or hath ever been amongst Christians which preferreth her traditions and inventions to the holy Scripture and followeth the institution of the Sonne of God so little in all his Sacraments which imitateth so little the life order established and followed by the Apostles in her Prelats and Discipline in a word which is so corrupted and vitiated as well both in doctrine and discipline and where Gods Commandements are so little observed his Sacraments so much prophaned the Sabbath so little sanctified where prophane vices and abhominations raigne so much and where disorders and corruptions are to be seen almost in every place and in all sorts of persons that neverthelesse it is shee amongst all others condemneth more freely and quickly others and which braggeth shee onely is in the way of salvation and all others are damned that consent not to her beliefe And upon this doctrine which the Pope causeth his followers preach and maintaine to retaine and draw to him the people by feare being neither able to doe it by Scripture nor reason are builded and published strange conclusions extreamly dangerous and pernicious to all other States but his owne and that by the Jesuits and a number of other Doctors of his faction to wit that all they of all other sects except their own whom they terme all hereticks are worthy of death and their Protectors also that it is a sacrifice to God to exterminate them either by fire or sword or any other meane whatsoever that they are not obliged to keepe promise with them in any thing whatsoever they being unworthy and uncapable of it That a Prince of a contrary Religion to theirs being an hereticke as they terme him is consequently excommunicated by the Pope who pretendeth to have authoritie over him as a Christian and that after the Excommunication thundred out against him he is but a Tyrant and Usurper and falne from all rights and uncapable of the Crowne that no Christians should hold him for King nor are obliged to obey him that it is great pitty they should be suffered to live and possesse the earth which should be onely for them and those of their beliefe and a number of the like seditious doctrines which are written especially by Becanus Mariana Suarez Bellarmine and others And Parsonius an English Jesuit and Rector of the English Colledge at Rome wrote a Booke in the Reigne of that vertuous Queen Elizabeth which went secretly up and downe this Kingdome wherein he laboureth to maintaine that those many hundred years the Kings of England have not been lawfull Kings both for having saith he being criminall of Leze Maty or disinherited or bastards or for being hereticks and so excommunicated by the Popes and fallen from their right and that neither the King of Scotland to wit James of thrice worthy memory nor his posteritie nor any other of his beliefe could pretend nor ought to be admitted to that succession nor yet the Earles of Hertford Darby Hastings and others who were next and indeavoureth to prove that it did appertaine by right to the King of Spaine as heire of Portugall And upon those impertinent propositions and other imaginary pretences the Pope was resolved to seize upon England and supposing the King of Spain and his sister would finde too great resistance he had intention to send his Cosen the Duke of Parma a great friend of his See who being descended from Portugall by his Mother pretended some right to it or else the Cardinall Pharnesius the Dukes yonger brother and procure him to mary the Lady Arabella if need were to accommodate the busines and to that effect many strange practises and factions were at worke as well within as without England by the Papists of the Island which may be seene more at large in a Letter that famous and learned Cardinall Arnauld d' Ossat writ from Rome to Henry the 4. King of France dated the 22 of Novemb. 1601. and is the 191 Epistle of his seventh Booke there he mocketh all those fantasticke designes and writeth besides to the King his Master that the Pope knowing his inclination to assist the King of Scotland in pursuing his just title would labour to divert him so far as he could and make him favour his designes and many other things of this State which are in those curious Letters and shew the great inclination the Pope hath for England not as they say Propter Christum sed propter Lazarum not for the love of Christ but for the love of himselfe And howsoever those practises and maximes and the like dangerous and pernicious opinions rellish not nor are approved of the more judicious and noble spirits of that partie who well see all to be but a Papall invention to multiply his followers and consequently to augment his revenues and tributes for there are no States of his beliefe out of which he draweth not profit and where he hath no subjects there is nothing for him yet they are but too much followed by multitudes of that sect and the attempts against the lives of Kings the abominable treasons execrable plots and conspiracies set on foot both within and without have often been the dangerous effects of that damnable and bloudy doctrine And to speake truth a State of a contrary Religion to theirs is not secure where many of them thinke to have power and pretend to have authoritie for the Pope never faileth to have his Agents amongst them whereof they which are of any religious Order are the most dangerous because they being Members of great companies are men who have intelligence and factions and besides they depending altogether on their Generalls who for the most part are Italians and engaged to the Pope and they having made vow of obedience to him what affection soever they beare towards their Princes they dare not but further and advance the Interests of the Bishop of Rome in every thing for they are destinated to that end and if they faile they