The Ancient Faith of the Romans and the Romish Religion, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
I Laſtly note in this Epiſtle to the Romans, what kinde of treaſure it is, that he purpoſeth to bring vntounto them,What treaſure Saint Paule brought to the Romans. when he commeth vntounto them. I warrant you nothing ſo glorious and gliſtering as the Popes Iewels are. I deſire (ſaith he) to ſee you that I may impart or beſtow among you ſome ſpirituall gift, Rom. 1. 11.that you might be ſtabliſhed. Againe I am ſure that when I come vntounto you, I ſhall come with aboundance of the bleſſing of the goſpell of Chriſt. Rom. 15. …9.We ſée then what are the giftes and graces, that he is minded to giuegive them, what is the ſtore, what are the bleſſings, that himſelfe reioyceth in, and ſéeketh to comfort them, in that he is ſure he ſhalbe furniſhed with them, when he commeth among them. It is the miniſterie of the word, the preaching of the goſpel, the glad tidings of ſaluation, that he promiſeth to them: which he alſo calleth a ſpirituall gift, becauſe it teacheth heauenly and ſpirituall things, it reioyceth, and inſtructeth, the ſpirit & inward man, it is not effectuall and powerfull but by the ſpirit. And hée calleth it a bleſſing, as in trueth it is the greateſt benefit and bleſſing that héere we can hauehave. His meaning is to labour earneſtly among them in preaching the word, as he did in all places where he came, to teach them, that they may knowe their duety, to exhort them that they may do it. To reproue them if they be negligent, to councell them when they ſtand in néed, to comfort them when they are in heauines, and all by the goſpell of Chriſt, and this is it that he calleth The bleſſing of the goſpell of Chriſt.
To conſider how S. Paul was exerciſed at Rome, and to ſee how the Pope is there occupied, it would make a man to maruel that euer thoſe prophane mē dare giuegive vntounto themſeues the name of holy father, in whom you cannot find one ſparke of that heauenly knowledge, painefull diligence, vigilant care, and continuall trauell in labouring in the word that ſhould be in a holy father,The Popes bleſſings. or was in Paul, in Peter, or the other Apoſtles. But I pray you what are the ſpirituall bleſſings that this holy father of Rome beſtoweth. Sometime he wil ſend to ſome of his dear ſons, a golden roſe conſecrated, or ſome picture conſecrated, ſometime a ſword in token that he would hauehave them fight for him, yea perchaunce to embrew in the bloud of the Saints, and all muſt be hallowed that he doth ſend. Sometimes perchaunce a Cardinals hat, to one that hath ſhewed himſelfe ſtubborne enough againſt his Prince. Sometime he will beſtow Kingdomes, if they vponupon whom he beſtoweth them, can get them from the right heires. Sometime he will beſtow vponupon ſubiects, immunities from performing their dutyfull obedience, as he doth many times by his priuiledges. As for indulgences and pardons, any bodie that will pray and pay for them, may hauehave them. And they that dwell at Rome get yet another maner of bleſſing with his two fingers, wherwith he bleſſeth the people, that gaze at him when he is caried abroad. To be ſhort, at certain times he bleſſeth thoſe that are called bleſſed graines, or Agnus dei, or ſuch like ſtuffe, and cauſeth theſe to be ſent into Countries far and neer, deluding and deceiuing by ſuch toyes the hearts of the ſimple,Rom. 16. 18. & therwithall filling their owne panches and purſes, as though they had gotten, or thoſe had giuen ſome great ſpirituall gift, when they hauehave ſome ſuch toy conſecrated by the Pope. Theſe are his gifts, ſuch are his bleſſings.The Pope doth no duties of the miniſterie. If you would hauehave better, he cannot afford them. For he is not for the moſt part able to preach & teach; It is againſt honour and eſtimation to ſeek to comfort the afflicted conſcience. No neither the Pope nor his Colledge of Cardinals, will buſie themſelues in the Miniſterie of the word, in the abundant bleſſing wherof Saint Paule reioyceth. Is the darkneſſe more contrarie to the light,Epiſt. Iud. 12. then are theſe vain promiſes or ſhewes of ſpirituall comfort (verie cloudes without water, and trees without fruit of true conſolation) to that perfect peace of mind, and ioy of conſcience, which the Apoſtle promiſeth vntounto them, and purpoſed to work among them, by the powerful preaching of the Goſpell of peace. This, this is in deed a true conſecrated ſword, which ſhall pierce euen to the heart and conſcience of the ſinner, and make a deeper wound, then all the hallowed ſwords, that the Popes can ſanctifie. And thus (to be ſhort) we ſee, that where Paule commeth, he bringeth with him ſpirituall gifts, euen abundance of bleſſing by the miniſterie of the word. But the Pope, becauſe he cannot skill of ſuch bleſſings vſeth other, be bleſſeth fire, water, ſalt, oyle, ſwords, roſes, books, belles, candles, palmes, aſhes, wax, paper, parchments, lead, pictures or payntings, falſely perſwading ſillie ſoules, that hee is able to put holineſſe into them. And thus it appeareth, that if we conſider the doctrine of the Church of Rome, examining it with that that was taught in the dayes of Saint Paul and Saynt Peter, they are nothing like. If their practiſe, they are cleane contrarie, ſo that the new Romiſh Church, hath no cauſe to brag of that old faith of the Romanes.