Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Part 3 · Chapter 1

Antichrist the Pope of Rome · Part 3 · Chapter 1

p. 301CHAP. I. Touching Antichriſts deluſion of the world, and firſt by ſuppoſed Miracles.

FIrſt, S. Paul, 2. Theſſ. 2.9.10.11. telleth vsus, that Antichriſts comming, ſhall be after the working of Sathan, with all power, and ſignes, and lying wonders; and in all deceiuableneſſe of vnrighteouſneſſe in them that periſh, becauſe they receiued not the louelove of the truth, that they might be ſaued: and that for this cauſe, God ſhould ſend them ſtrong deluſion to beleeue a lye. In which words, we may obſerue fiue things. Firſt, that Antichriſt ſhall come, armed with the power of Sathan. Secondly, that by his power he ſhall deceiue the world. Thirdly, that the reaſon why the world ſhall be deceiued by him, is, becauſe God ſhall ſend vponupon them ſtrong deluſion, euen ſo ſtrong, as to beleeue a lye. Fourthly, that the chiefe meanes whereby he ſhall deceiue, is by lying ſignes and wonders. And laſtly, that they onelyonly ſhall be deceiued by him, that are ordained to periſh, who receiued not the louelove of the truth that they might be ſaued? Now that this Sathanicall deluſion of the world is euidently verified in the Papacy, is ſo manifeſt, that none that hath but the leaſt ſparke of reaſon can doubt thereof: and alſo that this deluſion is effected, as by one ſpeciall meanes, by lying ſignes and wonders. For all the whole rabble of their writers, boaſt of their miracles, as an eſſentiall marke of their Church, which they call Catholike. There is no Temple of any note p. 302in the Papacy, wherein there is not ſome Statue or Image celebrated for miracles, whereunto they go in Pilgrimage for deuotion; nor any …uthor of any ſort of Monkes or religious place, which are not made famous by this marke. Their Monaſteries, their Cloiſters, their Chappels, their Altars, proclaime eueryevery where this deluſion: The Legends of their Saints and ſuch like bookes, whereunto moſt men heretofore gaue as much credit as to the word of God it ſelfe, are ſo prodigiouſly ſtuffed with this traſh, that the very reading of them would aſtoniſh any in whoſe heart there is but the leaſt taſte of piety. Read the conformities of S. Francis, the Hiſtory of the Archbiſhop Antoninus, the flowers of S. Francis, the Golden Legend of Iames De Voragine, the booke of the miracles of the Virgin Mary, the Dialogues of Ceſarius, the Annales of Baronius, the Hiſtory of our Lady of Halls written by Lipſius, the Sermons of Dormi ſecure, with a number other ſuch like; and you ſhall finde neither bancke nor bottome of this foppery: neither moderation, meaſure, nor end, of miracles: Yea, how Sathan hath bewitched their hearts, to beleeue that which is incredible, and to imagine they ſee that which they ſee not, nor can be ſeene. And by this marke (forſooth) they would proue the true Church to be with them, and no where elſe; and challenge vsus to proue our religion and miſſion by miracles; which becauſe we cannot do, they therefore triumph ouer vsus as Heretikes and Schiſmatikes from the true Church: whereas indeed their vaunt of miracles, doth proue them rather to be the Synagogue of Antichriſt, and our want of them, doth clearly deliuer vsus from that ſuſpition.

2. For we are to obſerue here three things in generall, before we come to the particular conſideration of this point. Firſt, that miracles were ordained of God for the ignorant, and ſuch as had not receiued the faith of Chriſt, and that in the prime daies of the Church, when the new and ſtrange doctrine of the Goſpell began firſt to be preached, to the end that they which by reaſon of the ſeeming contrariety of Chriſtian religion, to the principles of humane reaſon, would p. 303not be perſwaded with words, might by beholding ſtrange workes, exceeding the power of nature, wrought by the Apoſtles, be enclined to the entertainement of their doctrine: and ſo there was a neceſſary vſe of miracles, in the infancy of the Church; that thereby vnbeleeuers might be conuerted to the faith. But after the world had receiued the doctrine of the Goſpell, and profeſſed the faith which was before ſo ſtrongly confirmed, there was no further vſe of miracles in the Church: but if any controuerſies did ariſe in religion, men were not to ſeeke the deciſion of them by new miracles, but by the holy Scriptures, which were giuen of God to be the rule of faith, and touchſtone of truth and falſhood, and the ſupreme iudge of controuerſies. Thus ſaith Chryſoſtome, Chryſoſt. in 2. Cor. 2. hom. 6.2 Cor 2Miracles were then profitably wrought, and are profitably now not wrought: for now we confirme our doctrine by diuine Scriptures, and by thoſe miracles which were wrought before. Aug. de vera. Relig. cap. 5.So S. Auguſtine, Our Fathers followed viſible miracles, whereby it is come to paſſe, that they are not neceſſary for their poſterity. Miracles (ſaith Gregory) were neceſſary in the beginning of the Church, that faith being nouriſhed thereby, might encreaſe, Gregor. in Euangel. hom. 29.as we when we plant trees, do water them till they be ſettled in earth, but not afterward. Eſpencaeus alſo faith plainly,Eſpenſ. in 2. Tim. 3.2 Tim 3 That where there are no infidels, there is no neceſſity of miracles: as long as there was a vocation from infidelity to faith, miracles were wrought by Chriſts miniſters: but this vocation ceaſing, and ſeduction from faith to infidelity comming in place thereof, the power of doing miracles, was to be giuen vp to it, as an helpe thereunto. But Stella aboue the reſt,Stella in Luk. 11.Luke 11 diſcourſeth moſt excellently vponupon this matter. For he ſheweth, firſt, that miracles are not now neceſſary in the Church, being growne and confirmed, as they were in the firſt planting thereof. Secondly, that he which beleeueth not for the miracles already done, will much leſſe beleeue if new ones be propounded vntounto him. And thirdly, that miracles now are rather hurtfull then profitable: as a child when he beginneth firſt to go, is ſupported with a little chariot, which would be an hinde…ance vntounto him when he is growne to ſtrength: or as ladders p. 304and ſcaffoldes are neceſſary in the building of an houſe, but when the houſe is finiſhed, they are impediments to the paſſengers: So if now miracles ſhould be wrought, men would ſay that their faith was not ſufficiently confirmed and proued, ſeeing it ſtood in need of more miracles to do the ſame. Thus Stella, a man of their owne ſect and religion: And therefore to conclude againe with S. Auguſtine: Whoſoeuer yet ſeeketh for wonders that he may beleeue, he himſelfe is the greateſt wonder, Aug. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 22. c. 8.who, the world beleeeuing, beleeueth not. Anſwerable to all which, is that of S. Paul. 1. Cor. 14.22. Tongues are a ſigne not to them that beleeue, but to them that beleeue not. So that their vaunt of miracles, is nothing elſe but an Antichriſtian brauado.

3. Secondly, obſerue that miracles are not the touchſtone to try the truth of doctrine by, but the truth of doctrine the touchſtone of miracles, whether they be true or falſe: and ſo of Doctors and Preachers, they are neither to bee proued or diſproued by their miracles, but are to be tryed by their doctrine. This propoſition is euidently proued by two expreſſe Texts of Scripture: the one, Deut. 13.1.2.3. &c. and the ſecond, Mat. 7.22. For albeit, ſuch wonders as are wrought by falſe Prophets for the confirmation of an vntruth, are for the moſt part no true miracles, but counterfeit and fained; neuertheleſſe admit they were true, (as oftentimes God doth co-operate with falſe teachers, for the puniſhment of mens impenitency) yet whether they be true or falſe, doctrine is not to be tryed by them, but they by it.Tertul de praſcript. c. 44. Therefore Tertullian ſpeaking of Heretikes ſaith, That they confirme the faith of their doctrine, by oſtentation of Miracles, as that they had raiſed the dead, cured diſeaſes, and foretold things to come, to the end, they might be counted true Apoſtles, as if it were not written, that many falſe Chriſts, and falſe Prophets ſhould ariſe, that ſhall ſhow great ſignes and wonders to dece…ue, if it were poſſible, the very elect. Mat. 24.24. and all to fortifie vsus againſt hereticall preaching: thus he. By which ſpeech he forewarneth to take heed, that we be not deceiued by the vaunt of miracles, ſeeing they may be common, p. 305aſwell to Heretikes, as true beleeuers. S. Auguſtine is more direct in this point, whoſe words in his booke of the vnity of the Church, are worthy to be remembred: they are theſe: Let none ſay it is therefore true, becauſe Donatus, or Pont…us or ſome other, hauehave wrought great maruailes, or becauſe men praying at the ſepulchers of the Saints are heard, and obtaine their ſuits: theſe are but either the fictions of lying men, or the wonders of deceiuing ſpirits: for either they were not true, or if any wonders be wrought by Heretikes, we ought the more to beware of them. And as for the impetration of mens prayers at the ſepulchres of the Saints, he ſaith: that the Iewes were often heard of God in the high places, which notwithſtanding were abhominable vntounto him: and for viſions and apparitions, he ſaith; that the diuell can transforme himſelfe into an Angell of light, and deceiue by this meanes: nay he ſaith, that the very Pagan, and Iewes, are often heard in their ſupplications, and releeued, either by ſeducing ſpirits, which can do nothing but that which God permitteth: or by God himſelfe, either for the puniſhment of wickedneſſe, or for the comfort of miſery: or as a meanes to make men ſeeke for eternall life: thus he. Where he ſheweth, what little moment miracles are of, ſeeing both Pagans, Iewes, and Heretikes, are permitted to worke them, that wicked men might thereby be more hardened in their malice, and made more obſtinate to their deſtruction: which very thing the Apoſtle auoucheth, concerning the miracles of Antichriſt, 2. Theſſ. 2.10. And therefore the ſame Father writing againſt Petilian the Donatiſt,Aug. contra. Pet…l an. lib. 2. cap. 55. who obiected againſt the Cathol…ks their miracles as markes of the true Church, thus anſwereth in briefe: Seeing many do not ſuch things, which yet notwithſtanding belong vntounto the kingdome of God; and many againe do them, which yet do not belong thereunto: therefore no man ought to boaſt of miracles as markes of the true Church, but ſeeke for it rather in his word that purchaſed it with his blood. S. Chryſoſtome is yet more plaine,Chryſoſt…m Mat. hom. 49. and affirmeth, that Chriſt foretold that falſe Prophets, and Antichriſt, ſhould pretend great ſignes and wonders to deceiue p. 306the world, to the end (ſaith he) that Chriſts true miniſters might not be tryed by their working of miracles, though neuer ſo good; but by this, that they worke no miracles at all. So then, when they ſay, that theirs is the true Church, and their Miniſters the true Miniſters of Chriſt, becauſe it is illuſtrated with miracles; and our Church and miniſteriall miſſion falſe, becauſe we hauehave no miracles: The anſwere is, firſt, that if this were a good argument, then the Pagans and Donatiſts were the true Church aſwell as they, who bragged of their miracles aſmuch as they: and Antichriſt himſelfe ſhould hauehave his miſſion from God, becauſe his comming is with great ſignes and wonders, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. And ſecondly, that our want of miracles, is ſo farre from prouing vsus to be none of Chriſts Church, that it proueth vsus rather to be his Church, according both to S. Auguſtine, and S. Chryſoſtomes opinions.

4. Thirdly, obſerue that miracles are not ſo frequent and common in their Church, as they were in former times: for whereas heretofore they were ſo vſuall, that ſcarſe a day paſſed without ſome new miracle; and ſcarce an Image or Saint, that were not renowned therewith: now we ſhall hardly heare of one in many yeeeres, & that in ſome few notorious places, as at Lauretto, Hals, and Sichem, and ſuch like. Now I demand, where are their miracles that they ſo much bragge of? And if they tell vsus of thoſe that were wrought in former times I aske againe, where is that power now become? Is it flowne into the Indies to be practiſed there by the Ieſuites for the conuerſion of thoſe vnbeleeuing Pagans? So indeed they ſay.Acoſta de ſalute Indor. lib. 6. cap. 4. et cap 12. et c. 17 But their owne Acoſta an eye-witneſſe doth giuegive the lye to this fiction, for thus he writeth: What is our preaching? And what is our confidence? Certainly we worke no miracles to confirme our doctrine, neither is there any neede of them: ſo to ſhine in holineſſe before men, that they ſeeing our good workes, may glorifie our Father which is in heauen, this is the greateſt perſwading miracle that can be. Therefore Melchior Canus thus cenſureth thoſe fabulous bookes,Melchior Canus. loc. lib. 11. cap. 6. that were written of this ſubiect: There are of late (ſaith he) p. 307certaine fables come forth, the Author whereof, and the place where they were acted, are ſo farre off, that it is not poſſible to diſcouer their falſhood: but yet the whole body of the narration is ſo contriued, that the Spaniſh prouerbe may eaſily appeare to be verified in them: Des lueng as vias, luengas meniras, that is, From farre Countries, long lyes. And ſuch are their Indian miracles. But what need they trauaile ſo farre for miracles, if they be neceſſary markes of their Church? And why are they not ſtill wrought, at the ſepulchers and relikes of their Saints, as they pretend they were in time paſt? Marry the reaſon is, becauſe the deuill feares to play his tricks in the day, leaſt he ſhould be diſcouered, but loueth the darkneſſe, as becommeth the Prince of darkneſſe.Nicephor. hiſt. lib. 2. cap. 17. As at the riſing of the Sunne, Owles and Bats, and all night birdes, hide themſelues in their holes: ſo did theſe ſuperſtitious fables, at the breaking out of the Sun-ſhine of the Goſpell. And as at the comming of Chriſt, the Oracles ceaſed, and the great God Pan died; ſo at the preaching of the Goſpell,Plutarch de defectis craculorum. Euſeb. de praepar. Euang. lib. 5. cap. 9. miracles in a manner vaniſhed, and all thoſe ſuperſtitions were aſhamed to ſhew their faces. And this indeed is the greateſt miracle of this Age, that the falſhood of miracles is thus diſcouered.

5. But to leaue the generall, and to come to more particular diſcouery of Popiſh miracles, and to ſhew that they are no better then lying ſignes and wonders, ſuch as are aſcribed to Antichriſt by S. Paul: They may well be diſtinguiſhed into three rankes. For ſome are altogether falſe and counterfeit, yea many ſo ridiculous, that they carry with them no likelyhood of truth. A ſecond ſort are true, but are not miracles, hauing nothing in them that is prodigious or ſupernaturall. And a third ſort there are, which to our ſenſes ſeeme miraculous, foraſmuch as they ſurpaſſe our vnderſtanding; but are wrought by the operation of Sathan, and by the deceite of vncleane ſpirits. And to this diſtinction of Antichriſtian miracles,Bellar. de Rom. Pont lib. 3. cap. 15. doth well agree that of Bellarmine, where he ſaith, that they are lying in reſpect of all the cauſes: the Efficient, the Matter, the Forme, and the End. p. 308The efficient, becauſe they are wrought by the power of the father of lyes, who can effect no true miracles; as the Apoſtle ſaith, that his comming is after the working of Sathan. The matter, becauſe they are not true miracles, but fabulous and counterfeit,Th…odor. in 2. Theſſ 2.2 Thess 2 ſuch as Iuglers vſe to worke, ſaith Theodoret, dazeling mens eyes, and as it were robbing them of their ſight, ſaith Aretas. Forme, becauſe howſoeuer they may ſeeme ſtrange,Aretas in Apoc. 13.Rev 13 yet they hauehave their hidden cauſes, not exceeding the power of nature, as true miracles do. And laſtly, in regard of the end, which is the principall, becauſe they lead vntounto lyes,Chryſoſt. in 2. Theſſ. 2. Aug. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 20. c. 19.2 Thess 2 as Chryſoſtome obſerueth: and ſo are well termed lying wonders, though in regard of matter and forme they be neuer ſo true, as S. Auguſtine noteth.

6. But to follow our firſt diuiſion, which is in effect all one with this. In the firſt ranke we may place an infinite number of Viſions, Reuelations, Apparitions of ſoules out of Purgatory,Melchior Can. lib. 11. cap. 6. and Legendary wonders. For Melchior Canus a great man of theirs, and a Spaniſh Biſhop, affirmeth, that the liues of the Philoſophers were more grauely and truly written by Diogenes Laertius, then the liues of the Saints by Chriſtians: and that Suetonius had more faithfully reported the acts of the Emperours, then Chriſtians had the acts of Martyrs, Virgins, and Confeſſors: and that he was aſhamed of many things written, tending not to the profit, but to the hurt of the Church; the writers rather ayming to pleaſe themſelues in their fictions, then to edifie others; and preſenting vntounto vsus ſuch Saints, which if they could be ſuch, yet would not be ſuch as they make them. For who would beleeue (ſaith he) that S. Francis hauing caught a Flea, would not kill it, but put it fairely againe vponupon him; as if (forſooth) he delighted not onelyonly in pouerty, but in ſluttery and filthineſſe? And how ridiculous alſo (ſaith he) is that which is written of S. Dominicke, that he cauſed the deuill that came to annoy him, to hold a candle in his hand till it was ſpent, and ſo burnt his fingers with great paine and anguiſh? Thus Canus writeth, affirming withall, that the number of ſuch idle fictions is not to be numbred. But I will adde ſome few p. 309to his beginnings, which neuertheleſſe ſhall be but as the gleaning after the harueſt. That it may appeare, how pittifully the deuill hath blinded mens eyes vnderunder the kingdome of Antichriſt. And here to omit, how S. Anthony of Padna cauſed his horſe to kneele downe and worſhip the holy Hoaſt: how a certaine woman to make her Bees fruitfull, put a conſecrated Hoaſt into the Hyue, where the Bees built a Chappell with an Altar, and windowes and doores, and a Steeple, with Bels, and ſung their Canonicall houres, and kept watch like Monkes in their Cloyſters: how Saint Duſta…e pulled the deuill by the noſe or by the lips, (as ſome others ſay) with a paire of Pincers: how a Parrat being like to be ſurprized by an Hawke, flying ouer the ſhrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, cryed Saint Thomas helpe me, when preſently the Hawke fell downe dead, and the Parrat eſcaped: how another being falſly accuſed for ſtealing his Maſters Hawke, and ready to be executed, deſired in his heart helpe of the Lady of Lawretto, when inſtantly the Hawke came flying in the ayre jingling her Bels and lighting vponupon the gallowes, and freed the poore man from the halter: how Saint Aidus in compaſſion giuing eight Lambes to eight hungry Wolues, afterwards by prayer drew them againe aliue out of the Wolues bellies: How Saint Patricke droue with his ſtaffe all the venemous beaſts out of Ireland, and cauſed a ſtollen ſheepe to bleate in the belly of him that had eaten it: how Saint Lupe or Low ſhut vp the deuill in a tankard all night, and made him howle and bray moſt hideouſly, before he could get out: how Saint Barbara turned the ſheepe of a certaine ſhepheard that had diſcouered her to her Father, into Locuſts: how a certaine Kinght being long learning his Aue Maria, and not able to come vntounto Gratia plena, had a flower ſprung out of his mouth in his gr…e, in eueryevery leafe whereof was written in Golden letters, Aue Maria: how Saint Margaret was ſwallowed vp of the deuill in the figure of a Dragon, and making the ſigne of the Croſſe in the Dragons belly, the Dragon burſt, and Saint Margaret came out ſafe and ſound: how Saint Gooderick with the p. 310ſigne of the Croſſe tamed Wolues and Serpents in ſuch ſort, that they lay with him by the fire ſide without offering any hurt: how Saint Chriſtophers ſtaffe being ſtucke into the ground; began preſently to beare leaues, and to burniſh, whereupon 8000. men were conuerted to the Faith of Chriſt. And how Saint Nicholas when hee was an Infant, faſted eueryevery Wedneſday and Friday from ſucking his Mothers teate. How Saint Denis the Areopagitan, carried his head in his hands after it was ſtriken off, two miles: How Saint Bernac turned oake leaues into loaues, ſtones into fiſhes, and water into wine: how a Biſhop called Trian hauing killed his Cow and his Calfe to entertaine Saint Patrick, found them the next morning both feeding in his Meadow: how Saint Dominicks bookes lying three dayes in a Riuer, were taken vp as dry as a feather: how Saint Romual ſpoke Diuinity as ſoone as he was borne, and preached as ſoone as he was baptized: how Saint Chriſtina ſpake when her tongue was cut out: how Saint Ambright Earle of Venice when he could not take the Sacrament at his mouth, layd it on his ſide, which opened then to receiue it, and then ſhut againe: how Chriſt tooke from Saint Katherine at her requeſt her old heart, and gaue her a new in roome thereof: How Saint Margaret catching the deuill by the haire, trampled him vnderunder her feet: how Saint Iuliana bound the deuill, and whipt him, and dragged him along the ſtreets for a laughing ſtocke to boyes, and at laſt caſt him into a Iakes: how Saint Zene ſaw a company of deuils ſleeping on the skirts of a womans gowne, and on a ſudaine tumbling into the durt, whereat hee and the other deuils that followed on foot laughed heartily: and laſtly how the deuils for ſeeing of holy water ran ſo faſt out of the ſicke mans Chamber, that they trod one on anothers heeles for haſt. I ſay, to omit all theſe, with a numberleſſe number more of the ſame kinde, I will inſiſt in ſome onelyonly which are not commonly knowne, and yet are as famous in foolery and falſhood as theſe are.

7. And to begin with Francis their ſo much admired p. 311Saint; if we ſearch the bookes that are written of his acts, we ſhall finde many ſo ſtrange and ridiculous wonders,Flores S. Franciſci. cap. 15 & cap. 20. Lib. conf rmit. S. Franciſe… Chronic. that they deſerue rather laughter then credit. As that he commanded the Swallowes to hold their peace while hee was preaching, and they obeyed him: and that one day ſeeing a great flocke of Birdes together, he ſaid vntounto his Fellowes that were with him in company, Marke me how I meane to preach to theſe Birdes my Siſters: and whilſt hee was preaching, how the Birdes ſate very attentiue, and did not depart thence till he had finiſhed his Sermon, and giuen them his benediction, vvhichwhich they receiued with ſhew of great reuerence, in opening their eyes and beakes, and ſtretching forth their heads and neckes. That hee conuerted a Wolfe in the territory of Augubium which deuoured both men and beaſts, and finding him ſaid vntounto him: Come hither brother Wolfe, I command thee in the name of God, that thou hurt no perſon any more. Whereupon the Wolfe caſt himſelfe at his feet, and lifting vp his paw, put it into Saint Francis his hand, promiſing to doe no more hurt, and ſo followed him vp and downe as his brother, ſo that the very dogs would not barke at him. And againe, that vponupon a certaine time being purſued by the deuill, he fled to a rocke, where finding no place to hide him in, he thruſt his face cloſe to the rocke, which ſoftning like Wax, receiued the impreſſion, and hid him a long time from the deuill. This is a new tricke of eſcaping the deuill by nimbleneſſe of foot, and abſconſion in a rocke: but they are as ſenſeleſſe as rockes that will giuegive any credit thereunto. It was as familiar with him and his Diſciples, to raiſe vp the dead, as to drinke a cup of Wine. At a time in a brauado, he ſlew a mans Sonne, to the end that he might reſtore him againe to life, as he did, if all that is written be true. It is reported alſo of him in the famous booke of his Conformities with Chriſt, that finding at the Maſſe a Spider in the Chalice, hee would not put it out for ſhedding ſome drops of the blood, but dranke it with the blood and all, and that by and by, his thigh itching, the Spider iſſued whole there-out, he hauing no hurt at all, nor yet p. 312the Spider, being both preſerued by the merit of the imagined blood. But the palp…bleſt Lye of all the reſt is this, that God vponupon a time determining vtterly to deſtroy the world for the contempt of the Goſpell, his Sonne Chriſt to appeaſe his anger, promiſed to renew his life and paſſion in Saint Francis, and to imprint vponupon him his fiue wounds; by the vertue whereof, men ſhould be reclaymed from th…ir ſinnes, and ſo ſaued. All which he did to pacifie his Fathers wrath, and alſo promiſed, to draw many thouſand women out of the hand of the deuill, by the virginity of our Lady his Mother, renewed in the body of Saint Clare: both which being effected, God changed his opinion, and pardoned the world: as if the falſe wonders of Francis, and the hypocriſie of Clare, were of as great merit and power with God, as the blood of Chriſt. The like wee read of the Iacobius of the Order of …aint Bennet, who to countenance their opinion againſt the Cordeliers, about the ſinneleſſe conception of the Virgin Mary, ſuborned a nouice of their Couent to counterfeit Saint Francis, and to ſuffer with great torment, fiue wounds to be ſeared into his body, with a number more ſuch like impoſtures; and to declare vntounto the people how all this was done vntounto him by the reuelation of the bleſſed Virgin. The whole ſtory is at large related by Paulus Langius a Monke of the ſame Order: declaring withall, that the Magiſtrates of B…rne where the Tragedy was acted,Pa…l … C…ron. C… zenſ…. …n. 12. 6 finding out their knauery both by diuers euident ſuſpitions, and alſo by the confeſſion of the counterfeit himſe…fe, ſeazed vponupon the Authors thereof, and after degradation, committed them to the fire to bee purged of their villany. If the markes of Saint Francis had bene as well examined, as theſe were of this poore Nouice, I doubt not, but they would hauehave beene proued to be of the ſame nature and ſtampe.

8. But to leaue their Francis, and to come to Dominicke another grand Saint of theirs, and ſome of the reſt of their Saints. This Saint Dominicke hauing a man preſented vntounto him, that was poſſeſſed with deuils, tooke his Stole, and firſt putting it on his owne necke, after incloſed with it the necke p. 313of the Demoniack, and commanded the deuils to torment the man no more, at which command they themſelues were tormented within the man, and deſired of him leaue to depart: but he would not, except they would giuegive a pledge that they would no more returne vntounto him, and the pledge muſt bee the holy Martyrs whoſe bodies lay buryed in that Church: Which after the deuils had (with much adoe) obtained of the Martyrs to be their pledge, and proued it to bee ſo by the turning of their bodies in their graues, their heads being remoued to the place where their feet ſhould be, he ſet them free to ſeeke their fortune in the broad world. This fine Fable is accompanied with another of the ſame mettell. As Saint Dominicke was once preaching in a place,Henr. Stephan pr…p…ſad Apolog. pro Herod. after the Sermon, certaine Ladies which had beene ſeduced by hereſies came and kneeled at his feet, and ſaid vntounto him: O thou ſeruant of God, helpe vsus: if it be true which thou haſt preached, the ſpirit of Error hath hitherto blinded our thoughts. Then he ſaid vntounto them, be ſtill & waite a little, and you ſhall ſee what Lord it is that you hauehave ſerued. And by and by they ſaw leaping into the middeſt of them a great black Cat, with broad flaming eyes, & a bloody huge tongue hanging downe to his nauill, a wreathed tayle turned vp to his backe, ſhewing: his filthy part behind, out of which came an horrible ſtinke, and when hee had encompaſſed round about the Ladies on each ſide, at laſt hee mounted into the ſteeple by a Bellrope, and left a filthy ſauour behinde him. Then the Ladies gaue God thankes, and returned to the Catholike Faith, Au… mentiuntur poetae. I omit how Saint Dominicke forced the deuill that came to tempt him, to hold him the candle till it burnt his fingers, and made him yell and howle; becauſe this is already touched before by Ca…us. But to leaue theſe two, and to come to ſome other of their Saints.

And firſt of Auguſtine the Monke, our pretended Engliſh Conuerter: this man hauing a holy ſtaffe in his hand which he vſually walked withall, on a ſodaine (ſaith his Legend) it flew out of his hand, and pitched three furlongs off, where it founded a plenteous Well, which was neuer ſeene before. p. 314Againe he telleth, that hee curſing the people of Kent for mocking him, their children were preſently borne with ſong tayles in token of Gods vengeance vponupon them for abuſing ſo holy a man. And that which is yet more ſtrangely ridiculous, it relateth that he rayſed vp at a Maſſe two Ghoſts out of the graues, one of a Lay-man that died excommunicate for not paying his tithes and had lyen in hell 150 yeeres, and the other of the Prieſt that accurſt him, who at his requeſt abſolued this poore Ghoſt, and ſo they returned both to their graue in peace. Full of like wonderous lies is that Legend which I forbeare to mention. Next I come to Saint Iuniper who was accounted of Saint Francis for a moſt holy man, of whom in the foreſaid booke of Conformities we finde theſe two ſtories. The firſt is, that on a certaine time he being purpoſed to play the Cooke, ſet on a kettle with Pullets, without pulling, drawing, or waſhing them, together with other fl ſh and rootes in like manner: and hauing made theſe boyle together vponupon a great fire, brought this braue diſh to his compainions, who found no diſtaſt nor ſluttery in it, but all as fine and neat as might bee. This tale cals to my minde another of the ſame nature, but of a contrary effect, to wit of a Pilgrime, that comming to demand iuſtice for the murther of his Sonne of a Magiſtrate, who being then at dinner, was vnwilling to heare him: hee cauſed the Capon that was on the table ready d…eſt and hot, to ſtart vponupon the feet, and to be couered with feathers and flye away, to the end he might thereby iuſt…fie the truth and equity of his complaint. The ſecond ſtory of Friar Iuniper is, that being lodged at a certaine time by a friend, in a faire bed and white ſheetes, hee left behinde him in the bed his filthy Excrements for payment, without bidding his Hoſt ſo much as fare well: now theſe two honeſt ſtories are recited in that booke, to ſhew the humility of this holy Friar: but this is humility with a witneſſe, except he was moued to ſuch an act by reuelation, or that the thing he left behinde him in the bed, was a memphiticall perfume, and not a ſtincking excrement, and then he was a great deale more holy then another Friar called Ruffin, p. 315who made the deuill to flee away with this threat, that h…e would doe a thing in his throat. I could adde to theſe beaſtly tales, another of. S Genoule, who when his wife chanced to ſay, that he could worke miracles as well as her backe ſide could ſing; laid this puniſhment vponupon her, that all the reſt of her life, ſhe neuer opened her mouth to ſpeak, but a cracke with an euill ſauour came out behinde. But to returne to S. Iuniper, it is no maruaile that he was ſo humble to beguild his bed, ſeeing (as it is in the book of Conformities from whence theſe braue ſtories are fetcht) one Friar Iohn de Vallees affirmed, that he ſmelt the ſauour of the ſaid Iuniper 12. leagues off, ſo odoriferous was his ſanctified body. We read in the Legend of Saint Machary, that he did penance ſeuen yeeres, amongſt thornes and buſhes, for that vnaduiſedly hee killed a Flea that bit him; neither can I forget another act of Saint Dominicke, recited towards the end of his Legend, an act to make good companions laugh, and geare at: it is this. There was a certaine Nun called Mary, that was diſeaſed in her thigh for the ſpace of fiue moneths, with great paine and hazard of her life: at laſt ſhe thought with her ſelfe that ſhee was vnworthy to pray vntounto God, and to be heard;Vide Hen. Stephan. prapar. in Apol. pro Herod. & therfore prayed Saint Dominicke to pray for her, that ſhe might recouer her health: after whoſe prayer ſhee fell aſleepe, and in her ſleepe ſaw S. Dominicke ſtanding by, who drew out from vnderunder his Cope an ointment of pleaſant ſauour, and therewith anointed her thigh: and when ſhe demanded the name of the oyntment, Saint Dominicke anſwered that it was the oyntment of LoueLove: this is the tale, and I leaue the interpretation thereof to the Reader, without ſaying what I thinke: onelyonly a merry man may imagine, that it was neither better nor worſe, then the priuacy of Saint Francis with Saint Clare, a holy Virgin, and with Friar Maſſe a beautifull yong man related in the booke of his Conformities.

9. But not to trouble the Reader with more of theſe idle Fables, I paſſe ouer Saint Germaine, who preaching in Britaine, becauſe the King did not entertaine him in his houſe, therefore the next day poſſeſſed him of his Crowne, p. 316and placed a Neat-heard in his roome, that had entertained him: and Saint Coſme and Damicen, who cured a deuout worſhipper of them, of a Gangrene in his thigh, by cutting it off whilſt he ſlept, and fetching a Blackemores thigh that was lately buried, and faſtning it in the place thereof. And Friar Bennet of Arezze, who being a deuout worſhipper of Saint Daniel, whoſe Sepulcher is in Babilon, was carried thither vponupon the taile of a Dragon, and cut off his finger for a Relike, and was brought againe by the ſame meanes he went; and how he being in a tempeſt caſt into the Sea, was like a ſecond Ionas, encloſed with a cloud, and tranſported into Paradiſe; where being asked of Enoch and Elias what he was; he anſwered, I am a brother of S. Francis: which Enoch and Elias no ſooner heard, but they danced for ioy, and led him vp and downe to view that pleaſant place: from whence, he was preſently after taken by a little cloud, and carried againe into the Sea, which men ſeeing, were wonderfully aſtoniſhed. I omit (I ſay) theſe, with a number more, and end with their tales of the bleſſed Virgin, and our Sauiour Chriſt. For as their owne Melchior Canus affirmeth, they hauehave euen dared to abuſe them with their Lyes, as they hauehave done other Saints. For their fabulous tales and miracles concerning Chriſt, I referre the Reader to thoſe Apochrypha bookes which are written of the life of Chriſt, where they ſhall finde a whole thraue of them. As for the bleſſed Virgin, they attribute to her ſuch ſtrange miracles, as doe rather deſerue contempt then credit. As that ſhee changed her ſelfe into the forme and habit of one Beatrix a Nun, and ſerued in her roome fifteene yeeres, whilſt ſhee played the Harlot abroad, and that at length Beatrix being oppreſſed with pouerty, came to the Nunnery gate in a ſecular habit, and asked the Porter whether he knew Beatrix or no,Caeſar. Ill…ſt. miracul. lib. 7. cap. 35. who was ſomtime Guardianeſſe of that Colledge. He anſwered, I know her well, ſhe is a good & holy Dame, & hath liued long without reproch in this houſe: which ſpeeches ſhe wondring at, and departing, the bleſſed Virgin appeared vntounto her, and told her how ſhe had ſupplyed her place in her p. 317habit, and bad her now returne, for none liuing knew her fault. A tale deuiſed by filthy Monkes, to encourage their deuout ſiſters to play the harlots freely, in hope that the Virgin Mary would couer their faults: and thus they make a Virgin, a patroneſſe of whoredome; as may appeare alſo by another tale. A certaine Abbeſſe being with child,Miracoli, della glorieſa Virg. Mar. imprima millian, Anno. 1547. the Virgin Mary to hide her fault, preſented her ſelfe in her ſhape to the Biſhop to be examined, and ſhewed by proofe that ſhe was not with child, and ſo cleared her from the imputation. But they do not onelyonly make her a patroneſſe of whoredome, but of theft alſo, as this tale witneſſeth. A certaine woman hauing robbed her husband, ran away with a Prieſt that had alſo robbed the Veſtery, and being purſued and taken, the Virgin Mary commanded the deuill that had tempted them to this ſinne, to deliuer them againe and reſtore them to their owner; who preſently freed them of their priſonment, and put the woman in bed with her huſband, and the Prieſt in his owne houſe, bringing back againe alſo the things they had ſtollen into both places, and inſtead of them, left two deuils in priſon in their ſhapes: and ſo they denying the fact, & the deuils being found in the priſon who manifeſted what they were, and vaniſhed; the parties were acquit both of their puniſhment, and reproach. What ſhall I relate how another woman tooke the Virgin Maries Son out of her armes, and vowed to keepe him from her, as ſhe did, till ſhe had freed her ſonne which was in priſon? And how they bring her in ſometimes kiſſing an armed man, or a Monke, ſometimes giuing ſucke with her teates, and ſometimes giuing a man a box on the eare, with a number ſuch like vnbeſeeming acts: or how to ſaue the credit of an Abbeſſe who was with child, ſhe commanded two Angels to play the midwiues, and to carry the child in her name, to a certaine Hermite, to be kept for her till it was ſeuen yeeres old: 1Or how ſhe came to the Cell of one Alanus, and was ſo familiar with him, that ſhe not onelyonly eſpouſed him to her husband, but alſo kiſſed him, and opened to him her paps, and poured great plenty of her owne milke into his mouth. Theſe are p. 318ſufficient if not too many, to ſhew, not onelyonly the falſity, but alſo the ridiculouſneſſe, of moſt of their miracles which they ſo bragge of; and how fitly they anſwer thoſe which S. Paul and S. Iohn aſcribe vntounto Antichriſt.

10. To the ſecond ſort of Popiſh miracles, appertaine thoſe things that to the outward enſe ſeeme miraculous, but indeed hauehave nothing of a miracle in them, nor of a ſupernaturall effect.Caeſar. lib. 10. cap. 27.28. As that which Caeſarius reporteth for a miracle, that vponupon the Eue of S. Mathias, a thunder-bolt fell vponupon S. Andrewes towre in Collen: For how often is it heard to thunder, not onelyonly at the end of February, but alſo in the monethmonth of Ianuary, and December? And that in the yeere 1222. thunder falling vponupon a Theater, twenty men were ſtriken dead, and onelyonly one Prieſt aſcaped, flying when hee ſawe the others burning. In briefe, if any one by any meanes were cured of ſome greeuous diſeaſe, or were deliuered out of priſon, or his ſhip after a tempeſt were arriued at a good Hauen, or eſcaped ſhip-wracke, or any ſuch like thing; if the party called vponupon any of their Saints, preſently they cry, A miracle, as if ſome extraordinary matter was happened; when it is meerly the prouidence and goodneſſe of God, that cauſeth the Sunne to ſhine vponupon the iuſt and vniuſt that hath done it: and ſurely in ſuch things if any thing be miraculous, it is the ingratitude of men, who hauing felt the ſuccour ſo preſent of the diuine Maieſty in their neceſſities, in ſtead of offering vp vntounto him the cup of thankſgiuing, they giuegive the glory of their deliuerances to Idols, and dead creatures, and ſo robbe him of the homage which is due vntounto him. Like vntounto Ieroboam, who ſaid of his Calues which he had newly faſhioned,1. King. 12.28.1 Kgs 12:28 Behold thy Gods, O Iſrael, which brought thee vp out of the Land of Aegypt: Dan. 5… 3.Dan 5:3or to Beltaſſar the King of Babylon, who is reproued by Daniel, for magnifying his Gods of Gold, Siluer, Iron, Braſſe, and Wood; that neither ſawe, nor heard, nor vnderſtood; and not praiſing the God of heauen, in whoſe hand was his breath and all his waies: or to the Emperour Marke Aurelius, who hauing by the praier of his Chriſtian ſoldiers, obtained a memorable p. 319and miraculous victory againſt the Marcomans, in ſtead of giuing the glory thereof to the true God, attributed his victory to Iupiter, cauſing it to be engrauen in a pillar in honour of that Idoll, as Baronius reporteth.

11. To this kind, I may referre all ſuch counterfeit miracles, as hauehave appeared ſtrange to the ignorant perſons, as hauehave bene contriued by the ſecret Iuglings and fraud of men: as that of Ioane the holy Maid of Kent, who was long time held for a Propheteſſe, by the ſubtile inuention of the Gray Friars: For they ſaid that ſhe was deſcended from heauen, and that ſhe did neither eate nor drinke, though in ſecret, ſhe banqueted and reuelled with her holy Fathers. Amongſt other things, they perſwade the ſilly people, that ſhe knew the ſinnes of all perſons; and indeed ſhe would tell them that came vntounto her, the ſinnes that they had committed; but it was by this meanes: the Friars …uffered none to come vntounto her, but ſuch as had firſt confeſſed themſelues to their Ghoſtly Father; and ſhe had a place fitted of purpoſe, where this holy Hypocrite might heare their confeſſions, being herſelfe vnſeene: But her coſonage being at length diſcouered, ſhe with her holy Fathers, the deuiſers of this miracle, was executed to death, as our Chronicles witneſſe. Againe, a certaine Pardon pedler of S. Anthony, vſed this tricke of legerdemaine to gaine credit to his Saint and himſelfe: he ſt…owed gunpowder in the neſt of a Pye, that was neere vntounto the place where he was to preach, and then tyed vntounto the neſt a little cord, ſetting fire on the other end thereof. Now as he was divulging his pardons in his Sermon, the Pye ſenting the powder, made a great noyſe, whereat he expecting the ſame, and knowing that the fire was crept neere vntounto the neſt, cryed out: Thou wicked beaſt, that hindereſt this holy preaching, S. Anthony will burne thee with fire: and by and by, the fire being got to the neſt by the cord, burned it with the yong ones that were therein: and ſo a miracle was cryed, to the great gaine of this pardon monger.Ioh. Menard. lib. declar. la regle & eſtat. de. Cor. Achers. The ſame Author reporteth another miracle of the ſame impreſſion: to wit, that theſe Prieſts of S. Anthony, vſed to make p. 320hot their little croſſes or images of braſſe, whilſt the good wife went into her garner or cellar to fetch them their almes: and when ſhe had offered her guift, they cauſed her to kiſſe the ſaid croſſe or Image; which being found hot, they perſwaded the good woman, that S. Anthony was angry, as not being content with her gift; and then in haſt ſhe returned againe to augment the ſame, and finding the image growne cold, it was a ſigne (as they perſwaded her) that S. Anthony was well pacified. He relateth another alſo, acted by the maſters of the ſame faculty, to wit, how a gallant of this trade, being offended that nothing was giuen vntounto him at a poore husbandmans hou e, ſet fire on the ſtable where his Kine were, which burned not onelyonly the ſtable, but the reſt of his houſe, and all his goods: and this went currant for a miracle of S. Anthony, till the villany was diſcouered. He addeth alſo another ſtory of the ſame ſubiect, how another of S. Anthonies Prieſts, cozened a poore butcher and his wife of a peece of linnen cloth, by perſwading his wife, firſt that her two Swine which ſhe had, would ſhortly turne vp their heeles, vnleſſe they were cured by ſome holy bleſſing of S. Anthony. For which, ſhe muſt giuegive him that peece of linnen cloth which was in her houſe, which ſhe did: and then by deluding her husband that purſued him for the cloth, with putting ſome fire into it, which made it to burne and ſmoke, ſo that the poor man aſtoniſhed, gaue backe the cloth to the Prieſt, and cryed the miracle, and went about the Country with him to publiſh the ſame. Againe, in the Country of Berry in France, Vide Henric. Stephan. in praeſat. ad Apol. pro Herod.there was a Chambermaid of a Prieſt (to ſpeake in reuerence to their ſhauen order) that receiued a ſwines blood into a Tinne platter, the Boſſe whereof was faſhioned with the picture of S. Peter, the which plate the Prieſt vſed for the receiuing of his offerings of the people: now it happened that ſome drops of the blood entred into the Boſſe, and there congealed, which afterward being thawed, appeared in the face of S. Peter, and then loe the bels rung, and the people aſſembled together, to ſee this great miracle; and ſo was it beleeued, till by another Prieſt that enuied his p. 321fellow, the cauſe was diſcouered, and the miracle diſmiracled. A like tale the ſame Author reports to hauehave happened at a Caſtle without Bourges, it was thus: It chanced that a Pigion bleeding with a blow which it had receiued, light vponupon the head of an image of our Lady, where it came to paſſe, that the blood ranne downe vponupon her face: preſently a miracle was proclaimed with a loud outcry; but the Kings Lieutenant cauſing the head to be ſearched, found both the feathers of the foule, and blood in the holes thereof; and then the miracle which had bene cryed ſo loud, was faire and ſoft vncryed againe.

12. It is no newes, nor ſtrange thing, to heare of infinite numbers of blinde, lame, and diſeaſed perſons, that hauehave bene cured by ſuch a Saint, or ſuch a Crucifix, or ſuch an Image; and eſpecially by the Images of our Lady at Lawretto, Halls, and Sichem, and other places. But it is to be noted, that though ſome ſuch cures might be wrought by the power of Sathan, to further ſuperſtition; yet moſt of them were meerly counterfeit: for it hath bene an ordinary practiſe of Popiſh Prieſts, to hauehave men to faine themſelues blind, or lame, or otherwiſe ill affected with ſome dangerous diſeaſe, and then to returne as if they were ſound and healed. There be many examples of this kind of impoſture: But I will relate onelyonly three, out of Henry Stephanus Apology. The firſt is of S. Renand at Paris, in the ſuburbes of our Ladie of the fieldes, which Saint, the Monks of that place would make men beleeue, was the moſt holy and greateſt worker of miracles, that was within fifty miles round about. And to this effect, they ſuborned certaine lame, and blind, and other counterfeites, who knew their watch-word, when they ſhould cry, I am cured: But it happened, that one amongſt the reſt, that ſaid he was borne blinde, and making the ſame outcry, I can ſee: a certaine man deſirous to diſcouer the abuſe, bad him if he could ſee, to tell him what colour the lining of his cloake was of; the counterfeit preſently to proue that he could ſee, told him directly the colour: which being heard of many, their knauery was reuealed; for how p. 322could a man borne blind iudge of colours? The ſecond example is, of thoſe that faine themſelues ſicke of the falling ſickneſſe, which is called S. Iohns euill, and therefore they vſe to pray vntounto him for remedy thereof. Some ſuch went vponupon S. Iohns Feſtiuall day, to entreat his helpe, who after they had fomed and cryed a long time, Iohn, Iohn, Iohn, about his ſhrine or image, made ſhew to be healed: wherein is an apparent impudent falſhood, for they that fall of that euill, can neither ſpeake, nor moue, as all know. The third example, is of a certaine Monke of Venice, called Fra. Mathio, to who…e ſepulcher there reſorted multitudes of people, that ſeemed either blind, or lame, or impotent in ſome member, or diſtreſſed with ſome euill or other, and theſe perſons lodged at the beſt Innes, for they were well waged for their paines: but ere they had ſtayed any while there, they be came all ſound and well as they re…orted: howbeit this iugling tricke was eaſily ſpied and diſ…ouered by all men of vnderſtanding, and therefore the Prieſts being aſhamed of it, laid it ſoone aſide; and ſo this holy Monke was not ſo ſoone canonized, but he was decanonize… as ſoone. And this in truth was, and is an ordinary practiſe of Romiſh Monks and Prieſts, deluding poore people, and blinding their eyes with a miſt of ſuppoſed miracles; when indeed there was no ſuch matter, but all hypocriſie and diſſimulation.

13. And to conclude, what ſhould I ſpeake of the ſpeaking, weeping, nodding, ſtretching forth the hand, and ſuch like actions of their images? are they not all forged in the ſame ſhop? The Image of the bleſſed Virgin is ſaid to hauehave ſpoken to S. Bernard, bidding him good morrow, and to S. Hyacynth, entreating him to take her and her Sonne with him, when he fled from the Tartarians: and to Alexius, who ſtaying long in the Church Porch, the image of our Lady bad the Sexton let him in. And the crucifix to Thomas Aquinas, Thou haſt written well of me Thomas, what reward wilt thou hauehave? And to the Councill of Wincheſter gathered together about the queſtion of Prieſts marriages, Take Dunſtanes waies vntounto you, for they are the beſt: as hath bene p. 323declared before. Concerning all which, I may giuegive the ſame cenſure, that Polydore Ʋirgil, otherwiſe a ſtrong Papiſt, doth of the laſt; that they were nothing but the contriuings of ſubtile Prieſts, who hiding themſelues, either behinde or in the hollow of the image, vttered theſe voyces: witneſſe theſe few examples. A certaine Florentine, a deuout worſhipper of S. Iohn Baptiſt, was at a time inquiſitiue of the image of this Saint, whether his wife had euer plaid falſe with him or no: which requeſt being ouer-heard of ſome bon compagnion, he placed himſelfe ſo cloſely behinde the image, that the next day when the deuout iealous foole came againe, he ſpake vntounto him, and bad him come againe the next day, and he ſhould be reſolued of his doubt: he ſuppoſing it to be the voyce of the Saint, came at the time appointed, and then the other not failing to lurke in his old place, told him that his wife had plaid falſe, and that he was a cuckold: at which the poore man, being firſt abaſhed, at length grew into choller, and ſaid to the image: Curſed be thou of God, thou haſt alwaies bene an euill tongued Saint, and therefore Herod cut off thy head: and ſo with other reproachfull ſpeeches he departed in diſcontent. This ſtory is to be ſeene in an Italian booke entitled Piaccuoleze del piouano Arlotto: Vide Hen. Stephan. prapar. ad Apol. pro Herod.and doth not onelyonly ſhew how images ſpeake, but alſo how ſawcily they handle their Saints, when they anger them in any thing. To which purpoſe, the ſame Author reporteth another ſtory, which I will not forbeare to ſet downe by the way, that we may the better iudge of their deuotion: It is this. A Cooke of Florence, that v ed with great deuotion to worſhip an image of a yong Ieſus Chriſt, to wit, of that age which he was of when his mother found him in the Temple diſputing with the Doctors, had but one Sonne, who with a tyle falling on his head, was ſo wounded, that he was like hardly to eſcape. Then the Father runneth in haſt to his little image, and inſtead of a candle which he vſed to offer vntounto it, brought a good rod to terrifie it, praying it ſince he had ſerued him ſo long, & had neuer receiued any boone from him, now to grant him the life of his child, that was all his comfort p. 324and hope: but his Sonne dyed, and he in a rage returned to his little Ieſus, and without either kneeling or reuerence ſaid vntounto him: Thou boy, I renounce thee, and will neuer ſerue thee more: wouldſt thou not grant me this one requeſt, for all the ſeruice I hauehave done thee? If I had prayed to this great crucifix which is hard by thee, I know I ſhould hauehave bene heard, but this it is to deale with boyes, I promiſe thee for thy ſake I will neuer hauehave to do with boyes againe. What ſottiſh ignorance, what prophane ſuperſtition is here? Ignorance, in diſtinguiſhing betwixt a great Ieſus and a little one, an old and a yong: and prophaneneſſe, in defying him whom he had worſhipped as his God. But to returne to my purpoſe of ſpeaking images. There was one that prayed to the image of our Lady, and hearing an anſwer that pleaſed him not, made by ſome iugling Prieſt behind the image, he iudged by the manner of the voyce, that it was not the mother that ſpake, but the child, and therefore ſaid vntounto him, Hold thy peace thou little wagge, ſuffer thy mother to ſpeake, who is elder then thou. By this hand full of flower, we may iudge of the whole batch of talking images: And that the Weeping, Sweating, Nodding, and Mouing of images, is a loafe baked in the ſame ouen, as diuers examples do teſtifie: for their teares and ſweat might eaſily be procured, by diſtilling by night into ſome concauity of the image, either water or oyle: or by annoynting their faces without, and heating them within, with a chafing-diſh of coles. As old men in the Country ſticke not to tell of an image at Berry, neere the Abbey of Ramſey, which vſed to ſweat; and that ſweat was held a ſoueraigne remedy againſt all aches, and weakneſſe in the backe; and therefore happy was he that could get any of it in his handkercheife. So there was a crucifix at Maret, Houeden.neere vntounto Tholouſe, downe whoſe cheekes teares vſed to diſtill ordinarily; but deceitfully, as my Author affirmeth to hauehave bene proued by ſearch. The like may wee thinke of that Roode of P…yteirs, which when William Longſhamp Biſhop of Ely lay a dying, let teares fall aboundantly out of his eyes, as if it had bene a flood of water: but no p. 325maruaile, for they ſay it was the vſe of that Rood alwaies to mourne when a Biſhop departed. Concerning mouing of the hand, the Image of Saint Nicholas at Weſtcheſter, may ſerue to diſcouer the tricke of all the reſt: for at the burning of it in the market place of the City, it was found that the Image was made with ſuch a deuiſe, that if one ſtanding behinde did pull a certaine ſtring which was in the backe part thereof, it would moue the hand as if it bleſſed the people. This is knowne to be true by many of the inhabitants yet liuing. But this was a bleſſing Image: the next I ſpeake of, was hurting and malicious. For when as a certaine Peaſant of Burgundy, neere vntounto a Towne called Chaſcule, was praying to a Crucifix for the ſoule of one newly deceaſed, and for whom the Bels rang, the Crucifix in ſtead of making onelyonly a ſigne to him by nodding his head, by the weight of him that was behinde it, fell downe right vponupon him, and ſo cruſhing the poore man, that the ringers were faine to leaue the Bels, and carry him to his houſe halfe dead; where hee lay ſicke a long time, after which ſickneſſe returning to the Church, and ſeeing a faire young Crucifix with a ſmiling countenance in place of the old, which had broken it necke in the fall, hee could not forbeare but ſay thus vntounto it: What good countenance ſoeuer thou caſt vponupon me, yet I will neuer truſt thee: for if thou liue to the age of a man, thou wilt bee as wicked as thy Father that thought to kill mee. I could enlarge this point with many more ſuch like examples; but theſe I thinke are ſufficient to declare, that a great part of their pretended miracles, are nothing but things either effected by naturall cauſes, or deuiſed by ſubtle Prieſts for their owne gaine. And they themſelues when they call Piae frandes, Agrippa d… v…ritat. ſcient. cap. 97.holy deceites, doe plainely intimate as much: and Caietane a Cardinall and a great learned Diuine faith, that the credit of their miracles dependeth vponupon the report of men, who becauſe they are men, may both deceiue others, and deceiue themſelues.

14. As touching the third ſort of their miracles, they are ſuch as are indeed things admirable to the eyes and opinion p. 326of men, but yet are not true miracles, which cannot bee effected but by a Diuine power: whereas theſe are meerely the workes and effects of euill ſpirits, as were the wonders of Pharaohs Magicians, the deuill heerein ayding his ſeruants, and enabling them to worke meruailes for the aduancement of his owne kingdome. As for example, cannot the deuill willingly quit a poſſeſſed Demoniack, making ſhew to be forced thereunto by Exorciſmes? Cannot he diſturbe the humours in a body, and ſo cauſe ſome ſudaine ſickeneſſe, which ſhall ceaſe as ſoone as hee withdraweth his working? They heale truely, when they ceaſe to hurt. He that deſireth examples of theſe wonderments, ſhall finde a full armefull of them, in the booke of Saint Francis Conformities with Chriſt. For whereas it relateth ſo many healings of the ſicke and diſeaſed, ſo many raiſings of the dead, and other ſtrange things done by him and his diſciples, that it might ſeeme they had all miracles at command, and that it was as eaſie and ordinary for them to worke a miracle as for to eate and drinke: what ſhould we imagine, but that either they are lying Fables, or if true, feates of Sathan to delude mens ſoules? For is it likely that they ſhould exceed Chriſt and his Apoſtles, in the power of working miracles? And to whom but Sathan can we aſcribe it, if it be true that Saint Francis Cowle ſhould be ſo miraclificous, as to giuegive ſight to three blinde perſons, a man and two women? and that his Breeches had that vertue in them, to make women conceiue with Child that were naturally barren? with a number ſuch like. But they bragge of no miracles ſo much as of thoſe that hauehave accompained their Maſſe: and yet can they not produce a ſtranger wonder in this kinde, then that which Irenaeus reporteth to hauehave beene acted by a certaine hereticall Impoſtor,Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 9. called Marke. For in celebrating this Sacrament, he ſo changed the colour of the wine, that it appeared to be very blood, and cauſed a little wine ſo to puffe vp and ſwell, that it filled the whole Cup, and ran ouer, yea and another greater veſſell alſo without any addition or augmentation of the liquor. This muſt needs bee a Sathanicall p. 327illuſion, and ſo it is cenſured by Irenaeus. In like maner in the Church of Rome, Alex. Hales. in 4. ſent. q. 13.one of their owne Schoolmen confeſſeth, that there appeared ſometimes in the Sacrament the very ſubſtance of fleſh, either by the legerdemaine of men, or by the operation of the deuill. And …ell vponupon the Canon of the Maſſe affirmeth, that ſometimes miracles are wrought at Images by the working of deuils, to deceiue ſuch as addict themſelues to thoſe mi ordered ſeruices, God ſo permitting, and their infidelity requiring. They tell how Saint Dominick, and S. Francis, were rauiſhed vp into the aire, which is a ſtrange thing if true but yet ſuch as might be effected by the deuill. For Eunapius in the l…fe of the Philoſophers ſaith, that Iamblicus whilſt he was praying, was hoiſted vp ten cubits from the earth: and themſelues write, that Simon Magus vſed to flye in the ayre, till Saint Peter brought him downe headlong to his confuſion. Caeſarius a Monke, reporteth likewiſe,Caſar. lib. 8. cap. 19. how a certaine Knight called Gerrard of Hollenbach, going a Pilgrimage to Saint Thomas in the Indies, and promiſing his wife to returne within fiue yeeres, or elſe that ſhee ſhould hauehave liberty to marrie, diuiding a Ring betwixt them in pledge of this agreement, vponupon the very day of the expiration of theſe fiue yeeres when ſhe was married to another, was tranſported by a deuill from the Indies to his owne houſe before the new married were got to bed, & being known of his wife by the halfe Ring diſpoſſeſſed the other of his prize. When therefore we read ſuch examples of Monkes and others, tranſported from place to place, why ſhould we not conclude, that the deuill furniſhed them with Horſe, Chariot, and Coachmen, as he doth often to Coniurers and Witches, and not that they were tranſported by a fiery Chariot from heauen, as Elias was? So that when we heare of mouing Images, of Saints going through the fire without burning, of entring Churches and other places the doores being ſhut, of plagues falling vponupon thoſe that deſpiſed their Saints, and ſuch like things; wee ought to remember that Simon Magus did by the power of the deuill as much, or more.Baron. An. …8.2…. Hee (ſaith Baronius) made Images to p. 328walke, rolled himſelfe in fire without burning, flew in the aire, turned ſtones into bread, opened barred doores, broke chaines of iron, cauſed many ſhadowes to walke before him, which he ſaid were the ſoules of men: and laſtly, if any durſt repute him for an Impoſtor, he either afflicted with diſeaſes, or tormented him with euill ſpirits.

15. And indeed what miracles can the Church of Rome brag of, which are not equalled by the heathen through the operation of the deuill? It is written of Apollonius Tyaneus, that he raiſed to life a young Maid laid in her Coffin; that he baniſhed the peſtilence out of Epheſus, for which cauſe the Epheſians erected a Statue vntounto him in their City, and offered ſacrifices vntounto him, as vntounto a God: hee being at Epheſus declared to the Citizens the death of the Emperor Domitian, at the ſame houre that he was ſlaine at Rome: and that which is moſt ſtrange, that he did not onelyonly worke wonders in his life, but alſo after his death, at the Monument which was ſet vp vntounto him. So Seleucus, whilſt hee was ſacrificing, the wood that was aboue the Altar, turned it ſelfe toward the Image of Iupiter, and was fired no man knowing how. A Romane Virgin carried water in a Syue: another drew with her girdle a ſhip that was drowned in the ſand, into the Hauen, which by the ſtrength of Men and Oxen could not bee moued. In the ſecond Punick-warre, an Oxe ſpake, and ſaid; Caue tibi Roma, Beware to thee Rome. The Emperor Ʋeſpaſian (if Cornelius Tacitus may be beleeued) opened the eies to one that was blind in Alexandria, at the aduertiſement of the Oracle of Serapis, and cured one that was lame. And in like manner did the Emperor Adrian, to one that was borne blind, as Spartianus reporteth. But that which Lipſius writeth of a certaine Tablet taken out of the Temple of Aeſculapius, Baron. An. 139. ….confirmed alſo by Baronius in his Annales, is not only ſtrange, but euen a perfect picture of Romiſh miracles; for he affirmeth that in this Tablet it was recorded, that one Caius a blind man worſhiping at the Altar, was reſtored to ſight by touching the Altar with his fingers, and after putting them into his eyes: and how one Lucius deſperately p. 329ſicke of a Pluriſie, was cured with the aſhes of the Altar, mixed with wine and applyed vntounto his ſide; and how one Iulian was cured of an extreame vomiting of blood, by taking a few graines of a Pine-Apple from the Altar, and eating them three dayes being mixed with hony: and how one Ʋalerius Aper a blind Souldier, recouered his ſight by annointing his eyes with the blood of a white Cocke mixed with hony. Now it is to bee noted, that all theſe things were done by the aduertiſement of the Oracle; and that thoſe that were thus cured, returned and gaue thankes vntounto the Idoll, or rather the deuill for their deliuerance. …f theſe reports were falſe, as ſome thinke, then wee may iudge the ſame of Popiſh miracles; and if true, then wee ſee that if ſuch wonders might be done vnderunder the firſt Beaſt, for the vpholding of their heathniſh Idolatries, why not vnderunder the ſecond, for the maintenance of Antichriſtian ſuperſtitions? And that we may ſee that theſe two Beaſts are not vnlike, I will conclude with two notable examples. The firſt vnderunder Pope Adrian the ſixt,Remond de Antich cap 17 Paul… …u…us. hist. lib. 21. when the City of Rome was greatly afflicted with the peſtilence; A certaine Greeke named D…metrio Spertauo, tooke a Bull and cut off a part of his right horne, and whiſpering ſome charme in his right care, made him inſtantly ſo tame, that he led him with a threed tyed to his left horne, to a pillar where hee ſacrificed him, whereupon the contagion preſently ceaſed. This abominable ſacrifice was tolerated at Rome vnderunder the Popes noſe, and at that time when Popery was in the ruffe, and when it was no leſſe then death to preach the pure doctrine of the Goſpell. The ſecond is more horrible, acted by Prieſts at the ſiege of Mount Dragon in Naples: the ſtory is this. The Caſtle being ready to yeeld for want of water, certaine people of the City deceiuing the Watch and Sentinells of the enemies campe in the night, drew to the Sea banke an Image of a Crucifix,Adrian. Pont…. de bello Neapol. lib. 5. and caſt it into the Sea with execrations and imprecations, and in the meane while, the Prieſts ſet an Aſſe at the Temple gate, and ſung him a funerall Hymne as to one abou… to dye, and then put a conſecrated Hoaſt into his mouth, and burned p. 330him aliue at the gate of the Temple, which deuilliſh ſacrifice was no ſooner performed, but the heauen was couered with clouds, a ſtorme aroſe, and with thunder and lightning, a great abundance of raine fell, and ſo the beſieged were deliuered from their danger. Is not this an horrible miracle of Romiſh Prieſts, and can any but the deuill be author thereof? For Chriſt crucified was drowned by them in his Image, and ſurely God could not be preſent at ſuch an abomination. Theſe be their miracles then that they vaunt ſo much of, either ridiculous Fables, or mens deluſions, or ſathan impoſtures. And it is Gods mercy that they bragge of them, ſeeing elſe wee ſhould want one maine Argument to proue the Pope to be Antichriſt, whoſe comming muſt bee with lying ſignes and wonders, and with the efficacy of Sathan to deceiue, if it were poſſible, the very Elect.