The Brutish Thunderbolt, Declaration 1 · Part 4
Of feigned religions.
THe third argument of the popes impietie remaineth. For although we hauehave both a forme of Chriſtian religion, and alſo to worſhip God, preſcribed both by Chriſt and alſo by his apoſtles, and though we hauehave the ſame deliuered vntounto vsus in the bookes of the new Teſtament, and God doth accurſe thoſe ſo often, which bring in feigned religions into the Church: yet the papacie hath brought in new inuentions of religion, ſo abſurd and rediculous, that in ſo great calamitie we muſt notwithſtanding giuegive thankes to the immortall God, that he hath ſuffered ſo great wickednes to befall the dull wits alone. The inuentions of religions are theſe in a maner: firſt the innumerable troupes of Munks, as Auguſtinians, Battuti, Benedictines, Bernardines, Carmelites, Capuchines, Cartuſians, Caeleſtines, Dominicans, of ignorant Friers, Franciſcans, Hieronymitans, Maturines: of which euerye order hath his particular forme of cowléd gownes diſtinct from the reſt, and of diuers colors: eueryevery one of them hauehave their proper and ſeuerall preſcript forms to worſhip their Gods, and (as they ſay in plaine words) their preſcript forms of their religion, their rites and ordinances, far vnlike to the reſt. Yet there is ſuch a multitude of them, that in our Europe the number is thought to amount to fiue hundred thouſand. Which we may eaſily coniecture. For Sabellicus hath left in writing *, that the ſect of Franciſcans did Ennead. 9. li. 6.ſo ſwarme throughout the whole world, that there were of them fortie prouinces, and that vnderunder euerie one there were ſundry kéepers of the conuent (Wardons they call them) and thréeſcore thouſand men. So that the maiſter of the whole order, which they call their generall, hath oftentimes béen heard promiſe the pope, at ſuch time as he was to ſet out an army againſt the Turke, of the familie of the Seraphicall Francis thirtie thouſand men of war, which coulde play their parts ſtoutly in the wars: without any hinderance of the holie ſeruice. Againe, their inuentions of miracles and doctrines are ſo falſe, that now the moſt of them are not onelie wearie, but alſo aſhamed of ſo great follie. Neither would it ſéeme to be a thing like to be true in any mans iudgement at this time, that the vanitie of mankind was ſo great in times paſt, and that the darknes of religion was ſo great, vnleſſe there were proofes héerof extant more cléere than the ſunne. For no man in déed denieth, that amongſt the Romans, and other profane nations there were moſt abſurd inuentions of religions: but ſillie men liued then in cruell and darke clouds, and as it were in a night when the moone ſhineth not, that is, without any moniments of holie ſcripture. But when as the ſame bookes of ſcripture were extant, where Chriſt gaue light to mankind as the ſunne beame, who would thinke, that ſathan and the pope could preuaile ſo much by their meſſengers, that in ſo great light, they ſhould notwithſtanding blind mens eies, and as it were kéepe them faſt bound with bands? Go to then, let vsus alſo fet out of the moniments of the Franciſcans and Dominicans ſome examples of this kind of forgerie. For ſéeing this pope Sixtus came out of that crew and ſinke, we muſt ſée what maner forme of religion he bringeth vsus out of that ſchoole. Therfore let be ranged in the firſt ranke that common oracle, which we wil prooue out of the booke of the Conformities of Francis, to be commonly receiued and approoued in the church of Rome, that Francis ſonne of Peter Bernardo, was in a trance conioined with Chriſt, and had as many ſtripes & marks, and was pricked by Chriſt in the ſelfſame places, as Chriſt had when he hanged vponupon the croſſe: and that for this cauſe he was called the Typicall Ieſus: that is, as it were a type and figure of Chriſt crucified. So that as the ſeale or print maketh a marke in the wax, ſo Chriſt did imprint his wounds in the bodie of Francis: like Ieſus Chriſt is the image of the father, ſo is Francis the image of Chriſt: finally, that Chriſt appéereth in the bodie of Francis as the image in the glaſſe. Wherupon commeth that wicked and blaſphemous verſe in the beginning of the ſame booke:
Franciſce, Ieſu typice, dux normáque minorum,
Sedes nobis perpetuè da regni coelorum.
Francis whom Typicall Ieſus we call,
The captaine and rule of Minorites all,
Grant vsus in heauen places perpetuall.
And now that eueryevery one may vnderſtand what maner marking that was, which the church of Rome ſetteth downe to be beléeued of all the faithfull, it is woorth the pains to marke the very words of the writer: or rather of our Frier pope Sixtus, which hath decréed that that writer be beléeued, and reuerenced commonly. For he ſaith *, Not onelie his hands and feet, were bored, Fol. 228.but alſo nailed, ſo that the nailes might be ſeene in them. Againe, the heads of the nailes were blacke: whereas notwithstanding they ſhould hauehave beene like to the fleſh or ſinewes, whereof they were made: thirdly, the heads of the nailes were very long, and turned backe againe, wheras notwithstanding there was neither hammer nor ſtroke: fourthly, the marks were imprinted in a bonie place, and not in any ſoft place: fiftly, though the nailes were fleſhie, or ſinowie, yet were they hard as iron, ſtrong & ſolid: ſixtlie, the nailes themſelues were not ſhort, hauing onelyonly tops or heads, but they were long, and went through: ſeauentlie, the nailes did not ſticke out on the other ſide, but they turned backe, ſo that you might thrust your finger in vnderunder the crooke and bent thereof: eightlie, though the nailes were made of fleſh or nerues, and were bent on both ſides of his feet and hands, and were longer than they were thicke, truely neither his handes nor his feete were disfigured or drawen togither: ninthlie, the nailes were on eueryevery ſide ſeperate from the other fleſh, ſo that there were tents put in on euerie ſide, to ſtay the blood: tenthlie, the nailes did wag, and yet they could not be remooued from his handes or feete, though S. Clare and others had aſſaied to do this: eleuently, the markes of the nailes and of his ſide during this long time were not putrified, namely for the ſpace of two yeeres and vpward: tweltfthlie, the wound of his ſide was like the wound of Chriſts ſide. Moreouer it was a woonder how S. Francis (ſeeing his paine was ſo great by reaſon of the opening of his bodie in fiue places, namelie in his hands, feet, and ſide, and the blood iſſued thence continually) could liue ſo long, to wit aboue two yeeres, all which time he liued after he had gotten his markes. Our cowled frier heareſt thou this, who ſéeing thou haſt ſo manie yéeres béene a generall chiefetane of the Franciſcane order, and a great maiſter, haſt taught theſe fables in thy ſchooles, being now the chiefe ſtay and top of the ſame order, and being become the paſtour of the vniuerſall church (as thou ſaieſt) thou goeſt about to deliuer vntounto vsus theſe ſame monſters in ſtéed of diuine oracles? What? If there were in thée and thy Franciſcanes any ſhame or ſhamefaſtnes, ſhould there remaine & continue at Bleſe a noble citie in France, that wicked ſuperſcription written openlie vppon the church doores touching Francis Bernardo: His ſinne ſhall be ſought: And it ſhall not be founde? But it delighteth vsus a little to declare whence theſe oracles hauehave their authoritie. For a few lines after he writeth thus: The deuill ſaide, that when Christ ſawe that Francis was giuen him to be the ſtanderd-bearer of ſo great an order, he imprinted in him the markes of his wounds, and the nailes in his hands and feet, and the wound in his right ſide. Thus ſaith the deuill. And why it was done, the deuill being coniured by a certaine prieſt to tell the troth, after more things, by the mouth of a woman abiding at Rauenna, called Santeſe, ſaith thus: There be two in heauen that are marked, namelie Chriſt, & ſtout Francis. Therfore when Chriſt knew that he would giuegive ſtout Francis the bull of his markes, he did not ſuffer him to receiue a bull from the pope, made with mans hands. Thus ſaid the deuill. Theſe Fol. 230. col. 4. & fol. 231. col. 1.words are written in as many letters out of the ſame book of Conformities. Wherby we may vnderſtand what authoritie is due to theſe oracles, and to this woorthy teſtimonie of theirs vttered by ſathan: although neither Chriſt, neither yet his apoſtles could abide that he ſhould beare anie witnes of them. Now let the noble and famous Counſellors of France conſider according to their ſingular wiſedome, ſéeing that Sixtus the fourth, and Sixtus the fift, being both Franciſcanes, and preſidentes of the Franciſcanes, & many other popes hauehave brought in theſe forged and blaſphemous fables into the church, and hauehave confirmed them ſo long by their authoritie, and do ſo greatly confirm them at this day, whether they be iuſtly or vniuſtlie condemned by the moſt part of Chriſtendome, of impietie and wickedneſſe. Whereof that they may the more commodiouſlie conſider, we wil alſo adde another place out of the ſame booke, where it is thus written: Francis was bodilie lifted Fol. 231.up in the holie mountaine of Aluerne, as frier Leo his fellow ſaw him. For ſomtimes he found him in the aire, lifted vp ſo high, that he could ſcarſe touch his feete, and then he did imbrace them with teares: ſometimes he found him lifted vp from the earth; halfe as high as beeches: ſometimes he founde him lifted vp ſo high that he could ſcarce ſee him. And frier Leo did oftentimes finde him ſpeaking with Christ. O good Ieſu! Who is he that doth not ſhake euerie iointe when he heareth theſe monſters of words? For what other thing is it to deliuer theſe things to the people in ſermons, than to make Francis a bodied God, and to ſet him foorth to be worſhipped of the people of Chriſt? And yet there followe more cruell, and filthy things. For Francis himſelfe is brought in ſpeaking thus. After theſe things Chriſt Ieſus crucified, laid his hands to my bodie, and Fol. 232.first to mine hands, and ſecondlie to my feete, thirdlie, I felt the marke of his ſide with great paine: and he did imprint them eueryevery time, when I cried out ſore, and he told me certaine ſecret words, which I neuer told any as yet. Doth our cowled Sixtus thinke that there is any ſo void of vnderſtanding in this our age, that he doth beléeue theſe blaſphemous and wicked fables? Doth he thinke that the Counſellers of the king of France and the Senators of the Parleament are ſo dull and ſottiſh, that they do not deteſt theſe wicked inuentions togither with their author the ſonne of Peter Bernardo? Vnleſſe peraduenture ſome man will ſay, theſe things are ſhut vp in the ſelfe-ſame cloiſters and priſons of Munks, and are kept in as myſteries of Ceres, there where they firſt tooke their beginning: and that no man is at this day ſo void of wit, that he doth not know that theſe are old wiues fables, and dreams of doterels. But on the other ſide behold, we hauehave in our hands the fearfull decrées of the popes, wherein they moſt ſharply forbid that no man preſume to doubt of the credit of theſe hiſtories: and they decrée that they be receiued in the catholike Church of Rome: that if any man thinke otherwiſe, he be counted an heretike and a ſchiſmatike. For in the ſame booke *Dist. 22. c. omnes., it is thus written: Pope Gregorie the 9. hath made ſundry buls of the holines Fol. 234. col. 3.of S. Francis and his marks, wherein he affirmeth that S. Francis had truly in his bodie imprinted by Christ the marks of the L. Ieſus; And he commandeth all the faithfull to hold this, and to beleeue it, and that the wiſe man oppoſing himſelfe against it, be puniſhed for an heretike. The Lord Alexander the fourth, who ſaw the marks of S. Francis with his owne eies, whiles S. Francis was yet aliue, ſpeaketh thus in his bull. The eies that ſawe faithfully, ſaw, and the moſt ſure fingers of thoſe that handled, felt, the marks in the bodie of the ſame S. whiles he was yet liuing. Thirdly, the L. pope Nicolas the 3. gaue the like bul. Fourthly, the L. pope Benedict the 12. And foraſmuch Dist. 11. in fi. dist. 12. c. 1. & ſeq. & dist. 22. c. reputatur dist. 22. ca. omnes in fine.as the determination of the holie Church of Rome is moſt true and certain (for the Church of Rome must be followed as a mistreſſe in all things: and he that ſpeaketh against hir is counted an heretike *24. q. 1., bicauſe ſhe hath neuer erred frō the path of the apostolike tradition *dist. 11. c. palam. dist. 12. c. praecep. 24. q. 1. c. quoties. 11. q. 3. epiſcop. § Sola. 17. q. 4. nemini., vntounto which we must hauehave recourſe in doubtful and hard matters *, and ſhe is of force to iudge all, and none is permitted to iudge hir *) and the ſame church of Rome hath declared that S. Francis was marked by Christ, as it appeereth by the foreſaid buls. Wherefore this must be holden most firmly as true, and he that holdeth the contrarie must be deſpiſed of all as an heretike: and eſpecially ſeeing the foreſaid two popes Gregorie and Alexander did not onelie ſee it with their owne eies, but do alſo expreſſely ſay that it hath beene witneſſed by witneſſes woorthie of credit. And ſtreightway. Sixtly, Col. 3.the marking of S. Francis is made authenticall euen by the testimonie of the wicked ſpirits, of whom we hauehave ſpoken before. Thus far out of Fol. 234.the booke of the Conformities, ſo that all men may now plainly ſée, that it is not for nothing that we do ſo greatly vrge theſe things. For our frier the excommunicator of kings and princes will not ſuffer theſe things to be counted but trifles: eſpecially ſéeing he hath tumbled ſo long in the filth of the Franciſcans, and doth now profeſſe himſelfe to be a patrone and defender of that order, and commandeth that they be counted heretikes, which will not beléeue and highly eſtéeme of the church of Rome in all points. Whereof that no man may doubt, theſe things are taught not in one place of that booke, that is fol. 234. but euen in the verie entrie of the booke alſo *, Fol. 3.in theſe words: In what ſaint was the monſtrous marking made? Surely in none other, but in our holie father Francis: as the church of Rome doth auouch, and commandeth the faithfull to beleeue. Secondly, pope Benedict alſo granted the order a feast to be celebrated and kept for the marks. Moreouer Antoninus biſhop of Florence ſaith thus: Pope Alexander the 4. anno 1254. taking into his ſpeciall Lib. hist. 3. tit. 24. § 10.protection immediately the mount of Aluerne bicauſe of the impreſſion of the holie marks made there in the bodie of S. Francis, and making the ſame ſubiect to the church of Rome, and giuing S. Francis great commendation, he gaue an effectuall commandement that the friers ſhould neuer forſake that holie mountaine. The ſame yeere being at Anagnia, he ſent a ſeruant to carrie letters to the faithfull ſeruants of Christ, according to the tenor of Gregorie the 9. touching the holie marks of Saint Francis, wherein he affirmeth that he ſaw them with his owne eies. Alſo he ſent other letters to the Archbiſhop of Genua, commanding that he ſhould perſonally cite and call before him thoſe that had maliciouſly put out the marks of the image of S. Francis in the church of S. Marie and ministerie of S. Xistus, to be puniſhed as they had deſerued, inhibiting vnderunder danger of curſing, that no man heereafter ſhould attempt to do the like. Nicolas the third being pope about the yeer 1280. ſent letters to al the faithfull ſeruants of Chriſt, containing a certaine teſtimonie of the holie marks of Francis. Thus writeth Antoninus. So that no man ought now to doubt, but that all Chriſtians, eſpecially ſo long as this Franciſcane frier beareth rule in the Church, muſt prepare themſelues either to abide the puniſhment appointed for ſchiſmatikes and heretikes: or elſe to imbrace theſe inuentions of the Franciſcanes for diuine oracles, giuen by the church of Rome. And that we may hauehave other and more commodious ſtore of choice, it ſéemeth not vnappertinent, to cite out of the ſame booke of Conformities certaine other notable things, ſuch as is that: A certaine citizen, Fol. 66.ſaith he, ſlept, and was rapt vp into heauen, where he ſaw Christ and S. Marie, and other Saints, all which went as they go on proceſſion, giuing reuerence to Chriſt and his mother. But when he ſaw not S. Francis, he ſaid to the Angell that led him, where is S. Francis with his crue in this place? The Angell anſwered; Tarie, and thou ſhalt ſee S. Francis, and in what ſtate he is, and he ſaw: and behold Christ lifted vp his right arme, and out of the wound in his ſide came Saint Francis with the banner of the croſſe diſplaied in his hands, and after him a great multitude of friers, and others. Then that citizen gaue his goods to the friers, and he became a frier minor. Alſo: S. Francis Fol. 2.making a repreſentation of the natiuitie, had Christ in his armes, and whiles he praied the virgin that ſhe would grant him comfort of hir ſonne Ieſus, the most beautifull virgin hir ſelfe ſtood by him, and gaue him to S. Francis to hold in his armes and kiſſe, from the euening till it was day. Some will ſay theſe are toies: and very bables: but theſe trifles (as it was ſomtimes ſaid) are counted among them matters of weight. Alſo by theſe we vnderſtand how wickedly theſe former popes hauehave mocked the Church of Chriſt in feining religions, vſing the helpe of one Bartholomew Piſanus in patching theſe fables togither, and in forcing them vponupon the vnſkilfull multitude in ſtéed of holie ſcripture. What? Whether may we call theſe trifles, or rather deteſtable and execrable things, which are written in theſe words: Francis was more than Iohn the Baptist, Fol. 18.bicauſe Iohn Baptist was onelie a preacher of repentance: Francis was both a preacher, and alſo an ordainer of the order of Repentance. He was a fore-runner of Christ: Francis was a preacher and ſtanderd-bearer of Christ, wherin he ſurmounteth Iohn Baptist. Alſo, Francis went before Iohn, bicauſe he conuerted more vntounto the Lord, and in more places, namely in the whole world. Iohn preached but two yeeres and a little more: but Francis preached eighteene yeeres. Iohn receiued the word of repentance from the Lord: Francis receiued it both from the Lord and the pope: thats more. It was told by an Angel to Iohn Baptists father, it was declared by the holie Ghost and the prophets what a one he ſhould be. But S. Francis was declared to his mother and the ſeruants in the ſhape of a ſtranger by the prophets, the Lord Ieſus Christ, and alſo by an Angell. S. Iohn propheſied in and without his mothers wombe: S. Francis foretold with ioy in the wombe, that is, being priſoner at Peruſius, that he ſhould bee ſome great man. S. Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome: S. Francis was like the Lord Ieſus Christ. Iohn was the most ſingular in the world for holines: Francis was the most excellent of all other with Christ, for the conformitie of his marks. S. Iohn was aduanced in the Seraphicall order: S. Francis was placed in the verie ſame order in the place of Lucifer. What is it to mocke Chriſtian religion, and to deride the ſacred hiſtorie of S. Iohn Baptiſt, if this be not? O God, thou Lord of vengeāce, how long wilt thou ſuffer theſe monſters of popes to mocke thy moſt holie maieſtie ſo reprochfully? How long wilt thou ſuffer them to rage in thine holie temple? But ſurely there is another place in that ſame ſtorehouſe of blaſphemies, almoſt more deteſtable. For * he ſaith: Francis Fol. 39.is better than the Apoſtles, bicauſe they forſooke onelyonly their ſhip and other things, but yet not their garments, which they had on their backe. But S. Francis did not onelyonly forſake all earthly things: but he did alſo cast from him his clothes and breeches, and offered himſelfe being cleane both in bodie and mind, to the arms of the crucified: which we read not of any other Saint. Wherefore he might well ſaie to Christ, I hauehave forſaken all, and followed thee. Where be thoſe Pharaos, and the woorſer champions of the Pharaos, which count the iuggling caſts of the magitians better than the miracles of Moſes: and make ſemblance that they take delight in theſe munkiſh monſters, that they may remoue the vnſkilfull people from reading the holie ſcripture, and from ſtudieng the ſame, and that they may abuſe their ſubiects as beaſts? And yet theſe things were beléeued in former ages: and no maruell, ſith Paul foretold ſo plainely that Antichriſt ſhould come with the effectuall working of ſatan, with all power, and ſignes, and lieng woonders: and with all fraud of vnrighteouſnes, in thoſe that periſh, bicauſe they receiued not the louelove of the truth, that they might be ſaued. Therfore God ſhall ſend vntounto them the efficacie of deceit, 2. Theſ. 2.that they may beléeue a lie: that all that hauehave not beléeued the truth, may be condemned.