Sermon Preached 14 February 1607, Part 20
The twentieth wound.
THe last point wherewith I will charge the Romish Church and religion, is not so fitly to bee called a wound, as a leprosie, or a generall consumption; but all to one end: for as it is no difference vponupon the matter, whether a man bee deepe and desperately wounded, or hauehave a leprosie over all the body, or a generall consumption, for both are deadly, and both incureable: so is it in this case; wherein the exception I take against them, is, that their Church & State declined long agoe, into that general corruption & vniuersall pollution in all estates,41The 20. wound. A generall corruption of manners in all estates. That the prophanenesse, licentiousnesse, and sinfulnesse of all sorts of people in that Church, both head & members, is like a spirtuall leprosie without, or a generall consumption within, threatning ruine to the whole body. This point is worthy to bee enlarged: but I must deferre it, and referre the Reader to the records of antiquity, I meane such as be their owne men, but hauing some remorse of conscience, & feare of God did confesse freely, and bitterly deplore the miserie that the sinfulnesse of the popish Church, and religion would bring vponupon all the world. Let them read (that hauehave them,) these bookes named in the margent,qVide Gersonis opera passim. Reuelationes Brigittae… Vincentij Ferrariens. prognostic. Petrū de Aliaco de reformatione eccl. Nicolai de Clemangiis opera: in Bibliotheca Patrum, editionis primae. and those that hauehave them not, it may bee shortly they may hauehave some helpe therein, and then you will graunt with mee, that former and better times, confessed that which I now laie to their charge.
I will insist particularly but vponupon two: the one of so greate antiquitie,Poem…ta Walteri Mapes. Maillardi & Menotti Sermones. Holcot in Sapient. lect. 82. & passim. & Onus Ecclesiae passim the other of so greate authority, as both are beyond exception. Some 400 years ago liued a Monk learned for those times, called (as Posseuine confessethrVide Posseu. in Appar. sae. In apped. priori ad tom. 1. lit. B. Bernardus Morlanensis: he wrote three bookes of the contempt of the world, in an artificiall kind of Poetry, but much more artificially describing, and zealously deploring the sinfulnesse of the Romish Church, and state in those daies, from the head to the foote, describing particula…lie their adulteries, drunkennesse, ambition, idlenesse, dissimulation, deceits, cosenages, murders, whooredomes of all estates: then particularly for their Clergie, their ignorance and negligence, their Sodomie, their Simonie and other corruptions in attaining places in the Church; and then at last comming to Rome it selfe, so layes open the filthinesse of the whoore of Babylon, as it is doubtfull whether her sinfulnesse be more hateful then his boldnesse is admirable. Let him that would be able to answere all their false slanders, which they lay to the charge and disgrace of Protestant Churches; and to retort vponupon themselues their obiection of the liues of our Professors; and he that would see the Church and state of Rome in her her owne naturall colours; let him, I say, reade but that one Author: who beside that hee is Manuscript in many Libraries, was also published at Amsterdam, or somewhere neere thereabouts, this present yeare 1607.
And after he hath discouered her corruptions, and layd open her sinnes from head to foote, then he vrgeth her vehemently to repentance and reformation: which because he seeth no hope of, but that still shee falleth from euill to worse; therefore hee denounceth Gods iudgements against her, and assures her, that vengeance, ruine and destruction shall fall vponupon her. Some part of his owne words I hauehave heere put downe in Latine, but not in English, because the sinnes hee laieth against her are such, as some of them are better vnnamed then reprooued. What can they say to it? Is he some fained and forged new found Author, deuised by some of vsus, or was he some late writer hired by Luther, or suborned by Caluine to raile on the pope or poperie? Nay, Posseuine the Iesuite confesseth in the place aforenamed (and if he did not, it is well enough knowne by other good and ancient records) he was a professed Monke, and liued aboue foure hundred yeeres ago: therefore his testimonie in this case is beyond exception.
Now whether these wounds and corruptions in the Romish Church and state were healed, in the subsequent ages, or no; if any man doubt, let him looke vponupon the Authors named afore, who liued in the ages succeeding, one after another. Gualterus Mapus, and their Saint Brigid, not much more then a hundred yeeres after him: about 100. yeeres after them, Bonauenture and Wicklieffe: about a hundred yeeres after them, Gerson, Clemangius, Vincentius, & others: these if any man look vponupon, he shall see that those wounds stood vnhealed, and those corruptions vnreformed, vntill we come to the yeere 1500 namely to this last age of all: and though Posseuine malitiously conceale the name of Gualter Mapes, because he is too plaine, yet he cannot deny, but many, whereof some hee nameth,dPosseu. Appar. sac. tō. 2. lit. I. Iacobus Iunterbeck German Carthus. anno. 1460. scripsit auisamentum ad papam. pro reformatione Ecclesiae, &c. did in all ages write to the Pope for reformation, and tolde him plainelie what would follow if hee did not reforme the Church.
Now what good all these men could doe, and what reformation followed at last, let a pope himselfe speake, one of the honestest hearts that euer had the hindrance, to be a Pope, Adrian the 6. the best that was these many yeeres, and of whome (if it bee possible of any) there was expectation of some reformation in the Church: for, as Peter Mathew in his life confesseth, hee was not so proud, nor couetous, as most of them are.ePetr. Matthaeus in Cō ment… suis ad papales cōstitut. de Adriano 6. How hee found the Romish Church when he came to it, and how hee left it at his sudden taking from it, iudge by his owne pitifull and passionate speech, which hee commanded his Nuntio to deliuer from him, and in his name to the assembly of the States of Germanie, in their Imperiall parliament, about the yeer 1522. These be his words as Epencaeus a learned Bishop of their owne reporteth.
Tell them from vsus, that we freely confesse, God hath sent this trouble and affliction vponupon the Church, for the sinnes of men, and especially of Priests and prelats, from whose sinnes (the scriptures are plaine) be deriued the sinnes of the people: therefore our Sauiour (about to heale and reforme Ierusalem a diseased citie) first enters into the Temple, that first of all he may correct the sinnes of the Clergy (especially concerning buying the good Physition, who begins to heale a wound at the roote and bottome.
We know, that for many yeeres there hauehave beene many abhominations euē in this holy Apostolike seat, abuses in the cariage of maters spiritual, excessiue enormities in our commadements, & in a word, all things turned topsy turuy, & from ill to worse; and no maruell if the disease grow frō the head into the members, that is, frō the popes into common persons.
I confess, all we (that is, all prelats of the Clergy) hauehave gone out of the way, each one into our owne waies, neither hath there been of a long time any that did good: therefore there is good reason that wee all giuegive glory to God, & humble our selues, eu… ̄ our soules vntounto him: let each one of vsus remember whence we are fallen and rather iudge our selues, then stand to be iudged of God in his wrath and furie.
Wherein, for our parts, make promise in our name that we will giuegive all diligence, that first of all this our Court of Rome may be reformed; from which it is likely al this mischiefe hath proceeded: that so, health & reformation may begin there, to the good example of al, whence the corruption first bred, and spred to the ill example and hurt of all. To the furtherance and effecting of which happie reformation, wee hold our selues so much the more straitly obliged, by how much the more earnestly we see the whole world to expect & desire it.
These were the wordes of this good man, too good to be a Pope, at least too good to be long a Pope: for after that hee had so much forgot himselfe, and his papall dignity, and the honor of his Apostolicall seate (which cannot erre nor doe amisse, as hee like a foole confessed) to graunt, that not the Church alone, but the holy Court of Rome did need reformation, forthwith there was order taken that hee should not trouble the world nor disgrace his place any longer; for shortly after he died: and for his sake, they prouided that their seate should neuer bee so far abused & abased againe by any plaine hearted Northren man,Since Adriā, hauehave bin. 15. Popes, but all Italians. making sure from that day to this, that the Popedom should not be trusted out of the hands of an Italian, lest hee should euer hauehave a thought of reformation. For what followed after all this? Was there any reformation in the Romish Church? were any of the euills and diseases, confessed by Adrian, redressed? I had rather Espencaeus their owne Bishop should tel, then I: which because he doth very largely, I will contract it into a compendium and hope that some will take paines to put all that wise and learned discourse of his, into our vulgar tongue: the rather for that it containeth much matter of greate moment, and yet not vulgarly knowne to this daie. Meane time the effect of it is this:
fLegatur Espencaeus in Comment. ad Titum cap. 1. à pag. 65. ad. 91.That after all Christendome had complained of the enormous and intolerable grieuances, sustained from the Pope and his Court of Rome, al which and more the good pope Adrian had confessed (but was taken away, lest hee had redressed) and after at their motion, hee had intended a Councell should be called for reformation: all this determined by his death. His successor Clement the 7. was not so idle to hearken to such toyes, nor giuegive way to such innouations, hee would hauehave no Councell, hee saw no cause of reformation. But from his successor Paul the 3. plaine necessity did wring out an vnwilling consent: and so after many difficulties, the Councell of Trent was called, wherein first of all this point of reformation was so vrged, that a Committee was chosen of nine principall Diuines, some of them Cardinalls, to consider what reformation was requisite in the Church. Who after mature deliberation, plainely told the pope, that all these euills proceeded from the abuses raigning in the Court of Rome: and concluding something for reformation of pluralities (one onelyonly abuse) the pope did so interpret it, and alter it, when it came to him, as it did no good but hurt. He then dying, and the Councell being intermitted, was set on foot againe by his successor Iulius the 3. who also confessed there were innumerable abuses in administring the Sacraments: but when it came to reforme them, instead thereof hee suspended the Councell; though many Bishops that desired reformation, did protest against it, affirming confidently that they had not as yet dispatched one of the businesses, for which they had assembled: but the pope preuailed, and so for tenne yeeres it was discontinued. And at last being again assembled by Pius the fourth, he made shew he would referre the whole matter of reformation to the Fathers of the Councell: but when it came to trial, it was with a prouiso, that, First, they should not meddle with the Court of Rome: Secondly, that in their reformation, laid vponupon other persons and places, they should alwaies enact it thus; Sauing alwaies holy and vntouched the Authority of the Apostolicall Sea: for which their courtesie to him and his seate, hee afterward gaue them thanks in an Ora…ion in the Consistory at Rome, assuring them (out it was in the worde of a Pope) that he would bee more rigide and seuere in purging his owne Court, and house and offices, then they would hauehave beene. With these good words, the pope dissolued the Councell. But frō that day to this (saith this Bishop) through these so many yeeres, nothing is done, nothing is changed, nothing is amended in the Church: and no maruell (saith hee) for nothing hauehave they amended in Rome vnderunder their owne nose, where they might reforme any thing if they had conscience and will to doe it. So that now, seeing all is finally referred and reserued to the Pope, there is (saith hee) no more hope of anie reformation left, nor any thing else remaines, but to see one miserie after another fall vponupon the Apostolicall seate, and the whole Church of Rome: to which let all good Christians say Amen.
These and many more words, to this purpose, hath this wise and learned Bishop. Out of all which I conclude: Therefore 30. or 40. yeeres agoe in the daies of Espencaeus, the Church of Rome, beeing found and confessed to be most fearefully corrupt, is not healed no… reformed, nay that al hope of reforma…n is now taken awaie. Since which time, I shall thanke him that will shewe mee that there hath beene any publike and generall reformation of the notorious abuses in that Church: prouided hee prooue it out of as good records,For as for the third point I hauehave vndertaken, namely, that in steade of beeing healed & reformed, there hauehave contrariwise growne vp in the Romish Church, more horrible and hainous practises, more erroneous & impious doctrines, then euer before were knowne or heard of, and at this day stand maintained… at least vnreproued by their church: This, I' say, I must bee constrained to refer to a peculiar Treatise by it selfe. and with as faire euidence, as I hauehave done the contrary. Which as I should reioice in my heart once to behold: so till then I must needes with griefe of heart conclude, that The Romish Church is that Babylon that will not bee healed.
And wil she not? what then remaines? but as our text leades vsus, Let vsus forsake her.
But how? not in louelove or affection; let vsus neuer cease to wish to her as to our owne soules: nor let vsus cease to pray for her, publikely and priuately; yea let vsus blesse her when she curseth vsus.
But let vsus (as we hauehave well begun) proceed to separate our selues from her society, and empty our Church and kingdome of her and hers. And if they say we be schismatiks for separating from her: we answere nay; she is the schismatike that hath separated herselfe from Christ.
Now therefore you honourable Magistrates and Iudges of this nation, set your shoulders to the work of your God, rouse vp your spirits to execute the good lawes your selues and your forefathers hauehave enacted: our lawes are enow and good enough, they want nothing but execution, and that belongs to you: vntounto which dutie wee of the Ministery doe exhort you in the Lord: execute our lawes against them, yet rather against poperie then the papists: remember the blessed promise in the Psalme; though it was spoken of literal Babylō,Psal. 137. 8. 9. it hath a mystical & true relation to spirituall Babylon: O daughter of Babylon, worthy to be destroied, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vsus, yea blessed shal he be that taketh thy yong children and dasheth them against the stones. Oh pull this blessing on your heads, kill her infants, that is, her errors, impieties, superstitions, blasphemies, idolatries, equiuocations, treasons, &c. these be her Impes, her naturall brood; but, now they are of more age & grown to greatnesse, the more daunger is there of them, and more cause to kil them; which if you doe with diligence & discretion, you see you draw a blessing from heauen vponupon your selues. If you doe not, you do for a time maintain pricks in your eyes, and thornes in your sides, and your negligence will prouoke the great & iust Lord, to take the matte… into his owne hands: which as hee hath already, not onelyonly threatned, but begun, so he will, (though he deferre it till his owne time) bring it to full execution: For Her iudgement is come vp into heauen, and lifted vp to the clouds.
And then when she hath drunke vp the d…egges of the cup of Gods wrath, & by the breath of his mouth is fearefully confounded, then I say, shall all her Merchants and al her louers (whereof we hauehave too many that lurke amongst vsus, and euen some that notwithstanding will needes bee of vsus) be ashamed for their louing of her, whom they see God hated; & for their labouring so basely to couer her filthy skirts, which God would hauehave to her shame discouered to the view of the world: and then shall they shrinke to beare a part of her punishment, which so much delighted to wallow with her in her pollution. Therefore let the holy Ghost make the conclusion, and giuegive vsus our last lesson: Go out of her my people, and be not partakers of her sinnes, Reuel. 18. 4.least you receiue of her plagues. From both which, the good Lord deliuer vsus. Amen.
And thus much for the kingdome of Antichrist.
There is also another mysticall Babylon, and that is the kingdome of sinne, the throne whereof is in this world; for hell is the place of execution, rather then of sinning: of this also is this text verified: for we do naturally (without grace) so louelove this world, that though we finde it miserable and confused; yet by our sensuality, and dayly deuising and practising new pleasures, we endeauor to heale it, and to make it a paradise, and they that are bewitched with it, would here set vp their rests. But when all is done that can be, it cannot be healed, but it is still a very Babel of confusion and disorder, a miserable worlde, a vale of teares, and a sea of trouble and turmoile to whosoeuer hath the sweetest portion of it. Therfore though wee bee in it,1. Cor. 7 31. yet let vsus vse it as though wee vsed it not, let vsus not set our hearts vponupon, but let vsus for sake it, and go eueryevery one to his owne country, that is to our blessed inheritance the kingdome of heauen, that is a Christians mans countrie: for as for this world, her sinnes are so vile, that her iudgement is gone vp vntounto heauen, & God will assuredly destroy it. But there is a better world, euen an inheritance, immortall, vndefiled, & that fadeth not, which is reserved in heauen for vsus: 1. Pet. 14.hereof wee are borne heires by grace in Christ. Therefore forsaking the wicked Babylon of this world in our hearts and affections (seeing it is past cure) let vsus aspire after that, and long to hauehave our parts in it.
Now there are also besides these two greate Babels, certaine other little petty Babylons, namely, incureable sinnes amongst vsus, which are Babels, or atleast daughters of Babylon, and sprigs of that cursed roote. As,
1. That great Sacriledge and Church-robbing committed by Impropriations, (in which case at this day almost halfe of this kingdome is) whereby it comes to passe (aboue any other one meanes) that an ignorant and vnteaching Ministery is set ouer a great part of our people; which is the sourse and foūtaine of all other euils in our Church: this is a deep wound, yet once was it cureable enough, namely, when the Abbies were first dissolued; and since was it cureable enough: but now (alas) how incurable it is, and by the crafty plots of the diuell how incureable it is made, more and more, hee obserues but little that sees not. Oh happy hee that can say in his conscience, I would hauehave cured this daughter of Babell: and happy also hee (though not so much) that hath had no hand in making this wound incurarable: such plots and deuises arise out of hell, & heauen will confound them, though the earth for a time beare the burden of them. Meane time, vnlesse the Kings Maiesty vouchsafe to take the matter into his hands, and to heale the wounds that he neuer made; (otherwise it is incureable; or as the Kings euil, to be healed by none but by a King) till then wee may say with griefe of heart; It is an impe of Babylon that will not be healed.
2. The vngodly Playes and Enterludes so rise in this nation; what are they but a Bastard of Babylon, a daughter of error and confusion, a hellish deuice (the diuels owne recreation, to mock at holy things) by him deliuered to the Heathen, from them to the Papists, and from them to vsus? Of this euill and plague, the Church of God in all ages can say, truely and with a good conscience, wee would hauehave healed her. The ancient Fathers, in the time of the Primitiue Church, spared no paines to discouer the vilenesse and vnlawfulnesse of themgTertullian: Cyprian: Chrysostome. &c. Deut 22. 5.: in these latter daies, manie holy and learned men hauehave laboured by preaching, writing, and conferring to hauehave healed them, and neuer was there Diuine of note and learning, that I know, that durst so farre prostitute his credite as to write for them. They know all this, and that God accounts it abomination for a man to put on womans apparell, and that the auncient Fathers expound that place against them:hCyprian: Chrysost. Sexta Synod… in Trull. Can. 62. they know that Cyprian resolued, (being asked the question) iCyprian… in Epistola 61. Oh that all players would reade that Epistle, and regard it…that a player ought not to come to the Lords table; and that he that teacheth children to play, is not an instructer, but a spoiler & destroyer of c…ildrē: they know they hauehave no calling, but are in the … warts on the hand, or blemishes in the … they know, that therefore they are saine to sh…ud themselues vnderunder such shelters, as at the hou…e of death, & day of iudgement, will proue but figge leaues: …y know they are defended with the same arguments, as the stewes in Rome bee, and little better defence can be made for them, being as they are.
All this they are daily made to know, but all in vaine, they be children of Babylon that will not bee healed. Nay, they grow worse, and worse; for now they bring religion and holy things vponupon the stage: no maruell though the worthiest and mightiest men escape not, when God himselfe is so abused: Two hypocrites must be brought foorth; In a Church in London, euerie day in the week praiers, & a sermon at 6. of the clock in the morning: ablessed and rare example.and how shall they bee described but by these names, Nicolas S. Ant…ngs, Simon Saint Maryoueries? Thus hypocrisie a child of hell must beare the names of two Churches of God, and two wherein Gods name is called on publikely eueryevery day in the yeere, and in one of them his blessed word preached eueryevery day (an example scarce matchable in the world): yet these two, wherein Gods name is thus glorified, and our Church & State honoured; shall bee by these miser…ants thus dishonoured, and that not on the stage …nely, but euen in print. Oh what times are wee east into, that such a wickednesse should passe vnpunished… I speake nothing of their continuall profanenesse in their phrases, and sometime Atheisme and blasphemie, no… of their continuall profaning of the Sabbath, which generally in the country is their play day, and oftentimes Gods diuine seruice hindred, or cut shorter to make roome and giuegive time for the diuels seruice.
Are they thus incurable? then happy hee that puts to his hand to pull downe this tower of Babell, this daughter of confusion; happy he that helpes to heale this wound in our State: but most happy that Magistrate, who, like zealous Phin…hes, takes some iust vengeance on that publike dishonor laid vponupon our Churches. But if wee bee negligent in this cause of God, then he himselfe will take the matter into his owne hand, whose Church, whose religion, whose holy ordinances and most holy name are dayly profaned by them: for as their iniquities are hainous, and their blasphemies against heauen; so doubtlesse their iudgement is gone vp vntounto heauen and lifted vp vntounto the cloudes. So wishing their repentance, I proceed.
3. The horrible abuse of the Sabbath day, in this citie, and ouer this kingdome: in some places by Faires and Markets, by May-games and Moricedancers, by Wakes and Feasts: in all places (almost) by buying and selling, and bargaining: in this citie by cariages in and out, by selling betimes in the morning and after dinner: by playing in the streetes, and in the fields.
Oft hath this bin complained of, and some hauehave endeuoured to heale it: but it is an Impe of Babylon that will not be healed, but rather it creepes as a canker duplicate page duplicate page thorow our whole State, from the foote to the head. But let vsus take heed: for it will eare out the heart and life of a State,Ierem. 17. euen this one sinne. Did not our Fathers thus (saith noble Nehemiah) and therfore God brought all this euill vponupon vsus? Nehem. vlt.See; captiuity, destruction, and desolation of a goodly and flourishing setled kingdome, for the publike profaning of the Sabbath: O therefore happy hee that puts to his helping hands to heale this wound, which yet is cureable enough, if wee would doe our duties: for the Commandement is, thou and all within thy gates, The fourth Commandement.Keepe my Sabbath. Now who is there within this Realme, but is within the gates of the Kings house? who within this Citie, but within the gates of the Lord Maior? who any where, but is of some mans family, & within some mans gates? If then Fathers and Magistrates would looke to all within their gates, this sinne could not bee so grieuous, this wound not so wide and desperate as it is. Therefore you my Lord Maior bee exhorted to attempt the healing of this wound, in your yeare; set before your eyes, the noble example of worthy Nehemiah: Nehem. vlt.it will excite you to this holy dutie; and then at the end of your yeare, you may with the comfort of a good conscience say with him; Remember mee O my God in goodnesse, Nehem. vlt. 1…according to all that I hauehave done for this people. But if we still neglect this cause of God, and suffer his Sabbath daily thus to bee profaned; then let vsus looke for nothing but continuance and increase of these grieuous plagues that hauehave so long lien vppon vsus: and let vsus be assured, God will take the matter into his owne hands, and some way or other get himselfe glorie vponupon vsus. For hee will lose his honour at no mans hand: but whosoeuer will not glorifie him in his conuersion, hee will glorifie his owne name vponupon him in his confusion. Which heauie iudgement that God may turne from vsus, let vsus turne to him, &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Crashaw, Sermon Preached 14 February 1607 (1609)