The Safe Way Leading All Christians, Section 3
Sect. 3. Corruptions both in faith and manners confeſſed by the members of the Romane Church, and yet the reformation denyed by the Pope, and why, &c.
IF we looke vponupon the latter ages, wee ſhall eaſily diſcerne an alteration of Religion by the complaints of Head and members in the ſame Church:Anno 1411. Dixit quòd ipſe volebat vacare circa reformationē Eccleſiae, &c. Pope Alexander the fifth, in the yeare 1411. promiſeth ſolemnly to intend the Reformation of the Church: and for that purpoſe to aſſemble the moſt learned of all Nations: yet nothing was performed: At the Councell of Senes in the yeare 1423. this propoſition of Reformation was reuiued:Anno 1423. but withall it was adiourned de die in diem, Quaeſtorum abuſus— quorum malitia ita quotidie magno fideliū ſcandalo & querela deprehenditur vt eorum emendatione ſpes nulla relicta videatur. Concil. Trident Seſſ. 21. c. 9. Bin. Cum multa iam ſiue tē porum vitio ſiue hominū in curia & improbitate irrepſiſſe vi deantur quaeà tanti ſacrificij dignitate aliena ſunt. Concil. Trident. Seſſ. 22. Decretum de obſeruandis & euitandis &c.and the day of their reformation is not yet come. If we come nearer to theſe times: the Councell of Trent in Paul the thirds time complained of Indulgences, an Article of the Romane faith: That the Popes officers in collectings of mony for thoſe Indulgences, gaue a ſcandall to all faithfull Chriſtians which might ſeeme to be without all hope of remedy. They complained in general that there were many errors and corruptions crept into the Maſſe by the error of time and wickedneſſe of men: they confeſſe in particular, that Prieſts for couetouſneſſe and gaine made contracts and bargaines to ſay Maſſes for money: in ſo much it was obſerued that the Prieſt alone ſaid ſtragling Maſſes in a corner of the Church for a Teſter at the requeſt of him that payed for them: Moulin of the Euchar. cap. 21.they confeſſe that wanton and laſciuious ſongs were mingled with the Organs and other Church muſicke: Ab Eccleſijs vero Muſicas eas vbi ſiue organo, ſiue cantu, laſciuum aut impurum aliquid miſcetur, &c. Concil. Trid. ibid. Agrippa de vanit. Scien. cap. 18.and this is likewiſe complained of by their owne Agrippa: Hodie, &c. (ſaith he) At this day obſoene and filthie ſongs hauehave their intercourſe with the Canon of the Maſſe: and as concerning ſuperſtitious Ceremonies, as namely, the certaine number of their candels at their Maſſes, they confeſſed, they were firſt inuented rather out of ſuperſtitious deuotion then true Religion: Quorundam vero Miſſarum & candelarum certum numerū qui magis à ſuperſtitioſo cultu quam à vera religione inuentus eſt, omninò ab Eccleſia remoueant Jdem ibid.neither did theſe men ſeeke a reformation in manners onelyonly, but in the doctrine it ſelfe; they confeſſed that the Maſſe wherein the Prieſt and people did communicate together was more fruitfull, Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 22. c. 6. Optaret ſacro ſancta Synodus, &c.they profeſſed openly and wiſhed vnfainedly that priuate Maſſe might be reſtored to the ancient cuſtome, and the practiſe of the Reformed Churches which communicate ioyntly and ſeuerally with Prieſts and people together. And as concerning Latine Seruice in their Church, although the councell did not allow that at all times and in all places it ſhould be celebrated in the vulgar tongue: yet they confeſſe that the Maſſe doth containe great inſtruction for the faithfull: Etſi Miſſa magnam cō tineai populi fidelis eruditionem non tamen expedire viſum eſt Patribus vt vulgari lingua paſſim celebrar tur: quamobrem ne oues Chriſti eſuriant neue paruuli panem petant & non ſit qui frangat ijs. Mandat ſancta Synodus Pastoribus & ſingulis curā animarum gerentibus vt frequentèr inter M…ſſarū celebrationē vel per ſe vel per alios ex ijs qu…e in Miſſa leguntur aliquid exponant, at que inter …etera ſanctiſſimi huius ſacrifi…ij myſterium ali quod declarent. Seſſ. 22. c. 8.and therefore (ſay they) leſt the ſheepe of Chriſt ſhould thirſt: and the children ſhould craue bread and none ſhould be preſent to breake it to them. Mandat ſancta Synodus, &c. The holy Synod commands all Paſtors hauing cure of ſoules that frequently at the celebration of the Maſſe either by themſelues or by ſome others, to interpret and declare the myſterie of the Sacrament vntounto the people. How neare theſe men doe come to our doctrine who doth not perceiue? For touching p…incipall points of their doctrine: Firſt, their great Councell of Trent declares it for a point of faith, that the vſe of Indulgences is moſt wholeſome for the people: Bulla Pij quarti Artic. 10.yet they confeſſed the ſcandall that came by them was very great, and without hope of reformation: their Councell accurſeth all thoſe that ſhould hold priuate Maſſes vnlawfull: yet they wiſh they were reſtored to the cuſtome of the reformed Church, where Prieſt and people communicate together: the Councell accurſeth all thoſe that condemne the practiſe of the Romane Church, for deliuering the Canon of their Maſſe in a ſilent or an vnknowne tongue, and yet ſhee commands all Maſſing Prieſts to explaine and expound the meaning of thoſe words deliuered in a ſilent and vnknowne manner.
From theſe and the like confeſſions of diuers errours in the Church,Decretum de Reformatione Seſſ. 22 cap. 9 Biniuus. the Biſhops and Fathers of the Councell made a Decree for a Reformation: the Pope himſelfe cauſed many Cardinals to aſſemble and conſider of the errors, and for the eaſier redreſſe they were commanded to bee propoſed to the Pope and Cardinals in the Conſiſtorie: and if you queſtion me who did hinder the reformation, I muſt ſay with Caſſander, they were ſuch who were puffed with Eccleſiaſticall authoritie, and reputed principall members in the ſame Church: Nicholas Scomberg by profeſſion a Dominican, by place a Cardinall, oppoſed the Reformation, and preſſed the Pope and his Cardinals with theſe and the like reaſons:Hiſtor. of Trent li. 1. p. 83. Engl. It would giuegive an occaſion to the Lutherans to bragge that they had enforced the Pope to make that Reformation, and aboue all, it would be a beginning to take away not onelyonly the abuſes but good vſes alſo, and ſo to endanger the whole ſtate of Religion: for by the Reformation it would bee confeſſed that the things prouided againſt were deſeruedly reprehended by the Lutherans which would bee a great abetting to their whole doctrine.