Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Part 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. 6. Deluſions by Popiſh Excommunications and Pardons.
1. BEſides all theſe forenamed deluſions, the world hath bene no leſſe inueigled and deceiued by their vſe, or rather abuſe of the Keyes, which the Pope challengeth, to hauehave authority to diſpoſe in the Church, and ſublegateth the ſame to Biſhops and Prieſts. This power is exerciſed two waies: either by ſhutting whom they liſt out of the Kingdome of heauen, by excommunication: or by ſetting open the dore to whom they liſt, by Pardons, Indulgences, and Abſolution. Now their Excommunication is twofold, the leſſer and the greater: the leſſer is nothing elſe but an excluſion from the Sacraments of the Church: and the greater called Anathema, an vtter abſciſſion from the body of Chriſt. And in like manner their Indulgences are of two kinds: one Sacramentall after the Sacrament of Confeſſion and Penance, which is an abſolution from ſinnes: and the other Iuridicall, which is an act of iuriſdiction and Eccleſiaſticall authority, giuing abſolution from the cenſures of the Church: now how both theſe are abuſed, and the world deluded by them, is the point I am to manifeſt in this diſcourſe following.
2. And firſt, I ſay that this power left to the Church by Chriſt, is in many things ſo aviled by the Church of Rome, and in others ſo exalted aboue meaſure, that there remaines little in it of the inſtitution of the Sonne of God. This is a formall abuſe, and one of the feſtered vlcers of the Church of Rome, which requireth a fuller Treatiſe to lanch the ſore thereof, then my intent will allow: I will onelyonly ſearch it a little, though not to the bottome. And to begin, obſerue firſt, how the Councill of Trent, in the 15. Seſſion, and Chapter 3. of the reformation, ſeemeth willing to put it hand to the correction of the abuſes of Eccleſiaſticall cenſures: but all that thoſe holy Fathers do, is nothing elſe but to exalt the authority of Biſhops, and to abaſe that of Prieſts, and to clip the wings of the ſecular Magiſtrate. Secondly, the forme of their Sacramentall abſolution, which is in the Prieſts power to giuegive, is vtterly full of blaſphemy; for they doe not onelyonly abſolue in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, which is agreeable to Chriſts inſtitution, but alſo in the name and merits of the Virgin Mary, Eman Sa Ieſu… …h…ſn. in principio.and all the Saints, and their owne ſatisfactions, which is a manifeſt corruption of the doctrine of ſaluation. Thirdly, this abſolution is giuen vponupon condition, that the ſinner ſhall endure ſome ſatisfactory paines impoſed vponupon him by the Prieſt, as ſome Faſts, ſome certaine Pilgrimages, ſome certaine number of Prayers; which laſt ſeemeth to me a groſſe abuſe, to put prayers amongſt paines, ſeeing good workes cannot be called paines or puniſhments, it being a greater puniſhment to be forbidden them, then commanded. Fourthly, (which is yet worſe) if a man being enioyned this penance hauehave no humour to faſt and pray, or go on pilgrimage, he may redeeme all with a little money, and permute this affliction of his body, into the affliction of his purſe.Can presbiter D ſt. 82. This their owne Canon affirmeth expreſſely. And the gloſſe vponupon it ſaith, that if a man may redeeme his faſt by giuing a peny, much more may one be freed by anothers faſt, and therefore it is an ordinary practiſe amongſt them to giuegive money to ſome religious perſons, to faſt and pray and make ſatisfaction for them, and in their ſteades. But I ſhould feare that if I did my penance by a Proctor, I ſhould alſo be ſaued by a Proctor …aſtly, that which is worſt of all, theſe fellowes vnderunder the colour of ſpirituall ſatisfaction, vſurpe to themſelues a temporall dominion ouer the bodies and goods of men: their bodies, by cauſing them to be whipt and ſcourged,Tollet de inſtruct Sacerd. lib. 1. cap. 14. as Cardinall Tollet witneſſeth. Abſoluatur (ſaith he) cum Pſalmo et oratione deminica et verberibus: and as we hauehave two famous examples in two great Kings, Henry the ſecond of England, to whom Pope Alexander the third cauſed the whip to be giuen by a multitude of Monkes, whereof ſome gaue him fiue blowes, others three, and ſo forth as their humours led them, as it is recorded by Mathew Paris in his Hiſtory. The ſecond example is in Henry the fourth of France, who receiued in the perſon of his Embaſſadour the Biſhop of Eureux, being proſtitute at the feete of his Holineſſe Clement the eight, diuers ſtrokes with a wand, before the King could be receiued into the boſome of the Church of Rome. And how they encroached vponupon mens goods by this meanes, their continuall ſale of Indulgences, for a certaine rate of money, which gaue Luther the firſt occaſion of breach with the Romane Church, doth ſufficiently ſhew: for by this tricke they drayned mens purſes, and amaſſed infinite treaſure into their owne coffers.
3. And becauſe I hauehave mentioned their Indulgences, which are an extrauagant kinde of exerciſe of the Keyes, neither meerely ſacramentall, nor iuridicall, but of a mixt nature partaking of both: let vsus in few words obſerue their abuſe of the world by them; and that ſo groſſe and palpable, as is almoſt incredible, were it not fore-prophecied of them by the Apoſtle, that God ſhould ſend vponupon them ſtrong deluſion to beleeue lyes. This power the Pope challengeth to himſelfe alone: for he (ſay they) being Chriſts Vicar here or earth, hath the keyes of the Churches treaſury tyed to his girdle, which treaſury is filled with the merits of the Saints, to wit, their workes of ſupererogation, which they hauehave more then they neede for their owne ſaluation, mixt with the merits of Chriſt, and all theſe to be diſpenſed and diſpoſed at the Popes pleaſure. By this power the Pope can at an inſtant, deliuer all the ſoules that are in Purgatory, and ſend them into Paradiſe: which if it be true, then it followeth, that if he can do this and will not, he is an vnmercifull Tyrant, in ſuffering ſo many millions of ſoules to lye frying in that furnace, when it is in his power to giuegive them eaſe: if he will and cannot, then hee is a notorious lyer to vaunt of this power. By this ſame power, he taketh vponupon him to giuegive pardons to thoſe that are aliue, and to exempt them from the puniſhment of their ſinnes by plenary remiſſion: but it is with this condition, Si non ponatur obex, If there be not a barre in the receiuer; which barre is want of Faith and Repentance: but this is a moſt intollerable abuſe, for if a man hauehave faith and repentance, he is ſure to be ſaued, whether he hauehave the Popes pardon or no: and if he want faith and repentance, they themſelues confeſſe that the Popes pardon can doe him no good. By this power, they promiſe plenary remiſſion of ſinnes, to all that come to Rome on Pilgrimage, and chaunce to dye by the way, and to them that liue and viſit the holy places there, eſpecially the ſeuen priuiledged Churches. They promiſe to ſome 50. to ſome an 100. to ſome 3000. yeeres of pardon: yea Boniface the eight granted out of his bountifull liberality 82000. yeeres pardon, to eueryevery one that ſhould ſay a prayer of S. Auguſtine, printed in a Table at Ʋenice, and that toties quoties. And Iohn the 22. granted 20. yeeres pardon to eueryevery one that doth but bow his head at the naming of Ieſus: by which account, a man may prouide in one day for millions of Ages, and, that which is remarkable, beyond the worlds continuance; whereas Purgatory laſteth according to their opinion, but till the day of iudgement. By this power, the Pope vſeth to conſecrate and hallow an infinite number of Crucifixes, Medailes, and Agnus Deis, holy Graines, or Beades, and ſuch like traſh, and to ſend them abroad into the world, that whoſoeuer weareth one of them about him, if he be at the point of death, and ſay but in his heart the name Ieſus, ſhall hauehave an abſolute forgiueneſſe of all his ſinnes, though he cannot be partaker of the other Sacraments of their Church …y this power, leaſt Rome ſhould be too farre to fetch theſe pardons, the Pope hath appointed many petty Markets and Faires of them in eueryevery Country, and the Pedlers that carry about this traſh, are the Prieſts and Ieſuites. L…o the tenth, ſent one Terelius about with theſe Pardons, offering to eueryevery one for the payment of ten ſhillings, and not a peny vnderunder, to ſet at liberty the ſoule of any one which they ſhould name in Purgatory. Out of this power iſſueth their odious merchandize and ſetting to ſale of all manner of ſinne called, Taxae poenitentiaria Apoſtolica: whereby impunity is granted, be the ſinne neuer ſo grieuous, ſo the party pay according to the rate for his abſolution: as for adultery or inceſt, foure Turons: for both together, ſix Turons: for wilfull murther being in holy orders, twelue Turons: and ſo in proportion for other offences; ſo that there is no ſinne ſo heynous, for which pardon may not be purchaſed for a ſmall ſumme of money. Now then is it not too too manifeſt, how groſſely the world hath bene deluded by this impious practiſe? For hereby not onelyonly notorious ſinners, as Whores, Theeues, Adulterers, Murtherers, &c. are made ſecure and careleſſe in their ſinnes, ſeeing a pardon is ſo eaſily to be obtained, but they are alſo enboldened to continue in their ſinfull courſes; foraſmuch as they vſe to pardon a ſinne before it be committed: as it is ſaid of Doctor Party, that he brought with him his pardon in his pocket, for murthering our late Queene of happy memory, intended by him: and a certaine Germane, hauing obtained a pardon for the next ſinne he ſhould commit, robbed preſently the Popes Pardoner, and ſo could not be accuſed thereof, becauſe he had his pardon to ſhew. And that this deluſion, though it ranne currant amongſt the ignorant people, was reſente… by ſome of the wi…er ſort, euen in theſe times of darkneſſe, may bee proued by diuers teſtimonies: as of one Oliuer Maillard, a great preacher of their owne, and a Friar, who ſpeaking of theſe pardon-Pedlers, whom he calleth Bullatores, amongſt other hath theſe words: An credit is quod vnus magnus vſurarius plenus vitijs, qui habebit mille millia peccata, dando ſex albos trunco habeat remiſſionem omnium pecatorum ſuorum? Certe durum eſt mihi credere, et durius praedicare. In like manner the Author of the booke entiled Onus Eccleſiae, thus ſpeaketh: Iſt, indulgentiarum Buccinatores omnimodam promittunt ſecuritatem, quae parit negligentiam, et negligentia offenſam Dei: that is, Theſe publiſhers of Pardons promiſe all manner of ſecurity which breedeth negligence, and negligence the offence of God. But moſt pregnant is the complaint of the Germaine Nation in the booke of their Centum grauamina, exhibited to the Popes Legate at Norimberge, An. 1522. for there they thus complaine. By the ſale and Merchandize of this ware, (namely Pardons) not onelyonly Germany is spoiled of money, but Chriſtian godlineſſe is extinguiſhed: for from hence Whoredome, Inceſt, Adultery, Periury, Murder, Theft, Robbery, Vſury, and a whole heape of miſchiefes hauehave preceeded, no man being afraid to commit any ſinne in respect of conſcience, when he was perſwaded that a pardon might be purchaſed at ſo eaſie a price.
4. But enough of this traſh, wherein peraduenture I hauehave ſtayed too long: I come now to their Excommunications, which containe in it ſo many abuſes as is hard to count them. For whereas the Eccleſiaſticall cenſures were admitted to humble ſinners, and ſo to bring them to repentance, the Church of Rome turnes them quite to another end: For they make them ſerue for the finding out of things loſt, and the payment of deſperate debts, and for terrifying from ſinnes not yet committed, ſo laying a plaiſter where there is no wound. For the firſt: if a man hauehave an Horſe ſtollen from him, or any other thing, he may procure an Excommunication againſt the party that had ſtole him though vnknowne, to be of force if he bring him not againe, and ſo the Theefe muſt either gallop away to hell, or returne to the Gallowes, let him chooſe which: and ſo oftentimes it falleth out, that by this meanes, a Father hath vnwittingly excommunicated his owne Son, and for the body of an Horſe,Tollet de Instruct. Sacord. lib. 1. cap 8. Concil. Trident. ſeſſ. 25. ſent his Sonnes ſoule to the deuill. Cardinall Tolet approueth of this kinde of Excommunication, and ſo doth the Councill of Trent. In like maner, the ſame Cardinall alloweth, that an Excommunication may be publikely denounced againſt all ſuch, as ſhall rob ſuch a Lords Orchard, or ſteale his Kine, this is for a fault committed. And if a Creditor be deſirous to be ſpeedily paide his debt, he may by their rules excommunicate the Debtor before hand, if hee come not to giuegive ſatisfaction within a prefixed time. And this is the vſe they make of the power of the Keyes, giuen by our Sauiour Chriſt to his Apoſtles for the ſaluation and humiliation of ſinners.
5. But moſt pernitious is their common rule that a man excommunicate, is ſuſpended from the charge and office he beareth whatſoeuer it bee, and can exerciſe no act of iuriſdiction which is not voide in Law: for this is to ſubiect vnderunder the power of the Pope and his Biſhops, all ciuill Magiſtrates, all the offices of the Crowne, all the Lords of the Councill, yea the very Crownes of Kings themſelues, who after once an Excommunication is darted againſt them, be it wrong or right, are depriued of all authority, and all their Edicts, Ordinances, and Decrees, made vtterly voide and anulled. And yet their interdict of a whole Kingdome for an offence conceiued againſt the King onelyonly, is a matter of greater horror and deteſtation: for then no Bell is ſuffered to be rung in the whole Land, all Diuine ſeruice ceaſeth, hee that would heare a Maſſe muſt goe out of the Land, all the Sacraments of the Church are ſuſpended, except Baptiſme, auricular confeſſion and extreame Vnction: the bodies of the dead are buried in the fields, and all Church-yardes ſhut vp. In this miſerable caſe was our England vnderunder King Iohn for the ſpace of ſix yeeres, during all which time, how many ſoules were ſent into hell (if we beleeue the Pope) as men dying out of the communion of the Church of Rome? And all this for pecuniary quarrels, and certaine temporall rights, which the King denied to the Pope, the people being not the cauſe thereof. But yet it is moſt abominable of all, that remiſſion of ſinnes is giuen as the wages of iniquity, and abſolution to a ſinner vponupon condition that he giuegive his Houſe, or his Land, or his Kingdome to the Pope, for the wages of iniquity: as when hauing excommunicated one Prince, hee giueth his Dominion to another vponupon condition he ſhould inuade and ſacke the others Country, and diſpoſſeſſe him thereof. This is a common practiſe of the Pope againſt Emperors and Kings, as the ſtories of the Emperor Fredericke the ſecond, and his ſonne Conrade, with diuers of our Engliſh Kings ſufficiently witneſſe. And in France during the laſt league, were there not pardons ſet vp in all the principall Cities of the Kingdome, wherein nine yeeres remiſſion was granted to eueryevery one that ſhould rebell againſt the King? as if he ſhould ſay, becauſe thou art wicked, therefore thou ſhalt be ſaued: becauſe thou art a Traytor, therefore thou ſhalt hauehave remiſſion of thy ſinnes, and the kingdome of heauen. And as touching the rauiſhing of mens goods by this meanes, the caſe is ſo cleare by manifold experience, that it admits no deny all; for during the 300. yeeres wherein the Pope quarrelled with the Emperors of Germany, (for ſo long that quarrell continued) did not the power of the Pope encreaſe, and that of the Emperor decreaſe eueryevery day? EueryEvery Pope by the terror of his Excommunication drawing from the Emperor excommunicate, Guifts, Priuiledges, Poſſeſſions and temporall rights, before hee could be abſolued. He gaue abſolution to Ki…g Iohn of England, vponupon condition that he ſhould giuegive him his Kingdome, and become his Vaſſall and Liege-man, paying him a thouſand Markes a yeere, as to his chiefe Lord.
6. And ſure a man would hardly beleeue, how enormous and prophane the abuſe is in their abſolutions from the cenſure of excommunication. The Ieſuite Sa, Eman. Sa. Aphoriſm. in verb… Excommunicat, Tollet. de Inſtruct. Sacerd. cap. 14. Azor. lib. 1. cap. …. q. 2.in his Aphoriſmes ſaith, that an abſolution made vponupon a falſe ground is auaileable: and Tollet, that an vniuſt abſolution ſtands in force: and if a Biſhop abſolue without ſatisfaction, his abſolution holds. As if a Biſhop abſolue a theefe without binding him to reſtore the theft. Beſides, that which is worſe: in the Church of Rome as they abſolue by a Commiſſary, ſo a man may bee abſolued by his Proctor; and that which is yet worſe, a man may be abſolued without his knowledge, and againſt his wil, which is as much as to ſay, thou ſhalt be ſaued whether thou wilt or no.Tollet de Inſtruct. Sacerd. lib. cap. 14. Idem. cap. 15. They teach alſo that an Heretike or Schiſmatike may abſolue an excommunicate perſon at the point of death: and ſo an excommunicate may giuegive communion, that is, that which hee hath not: yea, that a man may be abſolued from his excommunication after his death. But it is pretty which Bellarmine, Sa, and Nauarre affirme, that hee which giueth Indulgences to others, may alſo giuegive them to himſelfe, and ſo there can be no want of pardon, when a man may pardon himſelfe: and yet Maſſe is ſaid for the Pope departed, preſuppoſing that he is in Purgatory, and that he cannot pardon himſelfe. But aboue all, is the Bull of Caena Domini remarkeable, by which the Pope eueryevery yeere vponupon Maundy Thurſday, being mounted on a Scaffold, hauing two Peacocks tayles at his two eares in imitation of the heathen Emperors, (as is reported by Dion in the life of Seueru… ) thundereth out along Excommunication, and ratifieth it by caſting downe from aloft a burning candle wherein are excommunicated, firſt, all Heretikes and Schiſmatikes, with all others that are diſobedient to the Pope. Secondly, all that appeale from the Pope to a future Councill, together with their Counſellors, ayders and fauourers. Thirdly, all Pyrates and Robbers, that ramage the Popes coaſts, from Mount Argentario to Terracina, as if the Pyrates vponupon the coaſts of England, and France, and Spaine, were not as guilty as theſe. Fourthly, all Princes that impoſe any new Taxes, Subſidies, or impoſitions vponupon their people without the permiſſion of the Pope: which clauſe, toucheth all Kings and Princes to the quicke, who are conſtrained by neceſſity of their affaires, and authorized by the word of God to raiſe ſuch Taxes on a ſudaine for their preſent occaſions. Fiftly, all falſifiers of the Apoſtolicall Letters, all that conuey Armes to Heretikes, all that ſtop prouiſion of victuals comming to the Popes Court, all that hinder the voyage of ſuch as goe to Rome on pilgrimage, and all that kill, hurt, ſtrike, or rob a Cardinall, or any other Prelate. Laſtly, all that receiue tythes of the Cleargy, or vſurpe any waies their rights, or take knowledge of cauſes Eccleſiaſticall being Lay-men, which clauſe enwrappeth not onelyonly inferiour officers of ſtate, but euen Emperors, Kings, and Dukes in their Dominions, and is indeed directly aymed againſt them. Here is a roaring Bull indeed, able to terrifie the whole world with his bellowing: but God be thanked, men that are not altogether blinded with ſuperſtition, hauehave learnt out of the word of God, that it is but Brutum fulmen, which hurts none but thoſe Cowards, which a panicke feare can as ſoone ſtrike downe dead as the ſtroke of a Gun. And I hope wee hauehave thouſands that are of the ſame minde with a Pariſian Prieſt, who hauing receiued an Excommunication againſt the Emperor Fredericke the ſecond, which was to bee publiſhed with ſound of Bels, and Candles lighted, and after extinct, thus anſwered: I am commanded to excommunicate the Emperor Fredericke, and not knowing the cauſe, yet knowing that there are great quarrels and an irreconciliable hatred betwixt the Pope and him, and I know that one doth wrong to the other, but which it is I know not: therefore as farre as my power extendeth, I excommunicate him that doth the wrong, whetherſoeuer hee be, and abſolue him that it is done vntounto.
7. Yea ſo infinitly outragious were they in this cenſure of Excommunication, that thereby they brought the necks of Emperors and Kings vnderunder their feet. It is a ſtory notoriouſly knowne, how Pope Alexander trampled vponupon the necke of the Emperor Fredericke, when he came vntounto him to be abſolued from his Excommunication. And how the Emperor Henry the fourth danced attendance bare-footed in cold weather diuers daies before the Popes gate, ere he could be admitted to his preſence: and how for feare of this thunder clap, Kings hauehave waited like Lackeys on the Popes Horſes, and one held his bridle, another his ſtirrop: and how Francis Dandalus the Venetians Embaſſador, crept on his hands and feet, with a chaine about his necke like a dog all along the Popes great Hall, ere he could obtaine an abſolution for the State of Ʋenice from the Popes Excommunication. And how the King of France, and the King of England, attended on the ſame Pope like Lackeys in the City of Bagence. And how Adrian the fourth, cauſed the forenamed Emperor Fredericke to hold his ſtirrop when hee diſmounted from his Horſe, and frumped him for his labour, in holding the right for the left. And how arrogantly Boniface the eight entreated Phillip the Faire, King of France, bragging that for his contumacy the Kingdome of France was fallen to the Church of Rome. And Albert of Auſtria, in refuſing to giuegive him the Imperiall Crowne being lawfully choſen, and vaunting that hee himſelfe was Emperor and Lord of the whole world. Theſe ſtories being at large ſet downe by others, I doe but breefely touch, and as it were by the way.
8. Machiauell vponupon the occaſion of the dealing of Pope Alexander the third with the Emperor Fredericke, hath this notable ſaying; that the Popes were growne great by three things, by Excommunications, by Pardons, and by Armes: for by Pardons they made themſelues to be adored, by Excommunications to be redoubted, and by Armes to bee obeyed, but by all three they raked together infinite Treaſures, and ſo made themſelues great. For touching Pardons, it hath beene ſufficiently declared before: and for Excommunications, their ordinary practiſe was to excommunicate, to the end, that an abſolution might be purchaſed with money,See theſe things more fully diſcourſed of by Mornay in his papatus. Abbot and Downam de Antichriſto. and Hen. Stephen in his Apology for Herod. as the forenamed Fredericke bought his abſolution of Pope Gregory the ninth, for an 100000. ounces of Gold. Boniface the eight in the higheſt degree of impiety, was not content to excommunicate the French King Phillip after the ordinary manner, but together with him, all his, to the fourth generation. Is not this a manifeſt trampling vponupon the necke of Kings, and abuſing of the blindnes of the world? For what appearance is there that any mortall man hath power to excommunicate a man and all his poſterity to the fourth generation? The ſame Pope in deſpite of the forenamed French King, diſanulled all the Indulgences giuen by his Predeceſſors to Frenchmen: a moſt ſtrange and abſurd act: for if theſe Indulgences were of that vertue as they pretend, they muſt hauehave redeemed out of Purgatory millions of ſoules; and if they were by this Decree nullified, then it muſt needs follow, that theſe poore ſoules muſt returne backe againe out of Paradiſe into Purgatory: this concluſion is an Amphiſboena which ſtingeth both waies. And for Armes, the onelyonly vſe of them was, when their ſpirituall cenſures were either reiected or contemned.
9. To conclude, with this thunder and lightning from the Popes ſeate (for ſo it is named by themſelues) men were ſo terrified, that they were driuen into courſes of extremitie and deſperation: for they were perſwaded that they were hereby giuen ouer to the power of Sathan, and vtterly depriued of the protection of God, and his holy Angels, and of the kingdome of heauen.Menot. Concien. fol. 143. Col. 4. And therefore one of their owne Friars ſaith, that it is not fit that this dart ſhould be put into the hands of eueryevery fooliſh Prelate, which notwithſtanding is ordinarily done in the Church of Rome, the Pope lending to Biſhops and Prieſts this thunderbolt, as often as occaſion requireth. And this is the more remarkeable, ſeeing ſuch as are excommunicate are depriued not onelyonly of the communion of Saints for the preſent, but of the very prayers of the Church for the future. For on good-Friday when they pray for Iewes, Turkes, and Pagans, yet they pray not for theſe. Howbeit ſince the light of the Goſpell began to ſhine in the firmament of the Church, the world is growne a little wiſer, and theſe thunderclaps are as much now contemned, as they were before reuered: yea, many of their owne Religion hauehave caſt off the terror of them, and ſot them at naught. Take for example the Emperor Charles the fift, who was not onelyonly a fauourer, but a protector of the Church of Rome: this man being menaced with an Excommunication by Pope Paul the third, if he did not deliuer vp the City Plaiſance into his hands, gaue him to know by his Embaſſador, that if he thundred and lightned with his Excommunications, hee would anſwere him with the thunder and lightning of his Artillery. Their diuelliſh pollicy therefore being thus diſcouered, they fell to other more violent courſes, as the fire and faggots, the bloody Inquiſition, the burning chamber, open warres, ſecret treaſons, ſword, gun-powder, dagge, piſtoll, and poyſon, maſſacres, murders, with all manner of more then Nero-like cruelty, and all too little to maintaine their abominable pompe and ſuperſtition. Theſe are now the engines of their policy, the old ſpirituall cenſures being almoſt out of date, and by theſe they labour both to vphold their Babel, and to ouerturne the truth. But our Lord Ieſus Chriſt hath giuen to the cinders of his bleſſed Martyrs, the vertue which is ſaid to be in the aſhes of the Phoenix, and that with more abundance: for the aſhes of a Phoenix bring forth but one Phoenix; but the aſhes of one faithfull Seruant of Ieſus Chriſt, hath ingendred an infinite number of the ſame kinde, who notwithſtanding all their cruelties and bloody executions, do, and will ſtand for the defence of the truth, and more and more diſcouer the abominations of that purple Whore.