A Key for Catholics, Treatise 1 · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
Detect. 23. ANother of the Deſigns of the Papiſts is, to bring all the faithfull Paſtors of the Churches into contempt, or ſuſpicion at leaſt with the People, that ſo they may draw them to refuſe our helps, and the Papiſts may deal with them alone, whom they know they are eaſily able to over-reach. Though our people have not that abſolute Dependance upon their Teachers as theirs have, yet an ordinate Dependance is Neceſſary to them, or elſe God would never have appointed Teachers and Paſtors for his Church. The Papiſts dare not truſt their followers ſo much as to read a Bible in their vulgar tongue. Much leſs to Read our writings againſt their errors and impieties: No nor their Prieſts and Fryars ordinarily to read them: No nor commonly to read the writings of their own Party: No not thoſe, nor the ſtrongeſt of thoſe that are written againſt us: for fear leſt the objection ſhould prove too hard for the anſwer; or leſt they ſhould underſtand the truth of our doctrine in ſome meaſure. Sr. Edw: Sands in his Europae Specul. profeſſeth how hard he found it, to meet with the Works of Bellarmine himſelf in any Book-ſellers ſhop in Venice or other parts of Italy. But our people have all leave to keep and read the Papiſts writings: We dare venture them upon the light upon equal terms: But yet we know them to be inſufficient, for the moſt part, to defend even plain and neceſſary truths againſt the Cavils of adverſaries that overmatch them in learning and other abilities. Now leſt we ſhould but afford them our aſſiſtance, the Papiſts principal deſign is to bring them into falſe conceits of the Miniſters, and make us odious to them; that they may neglect our help, and the eaſilyer hearken to other Teachers. And if they can but prevail in this deſign, the day is their own, and the ſouls of our unhappy people are like to be undone.
And the more is it to be feared, leſt at laſt they ſhould this way prevail, both becauſe of the ſin that lyeth on our ſelves in too reſerved and negligent a doing of our work; and becauſe of the great obſtinacy and unprofitableneſs of the people, that hate the light, and unthankfully deſpiſe it, or will not obey it, and work by it while they may.
The deſigns of the Papiſts againſt the Miniſtry are theſe 1. They principally endeavour to delade the Rulers of the Land and ſet them againſt them, of which more anon.
2. They are very buſie to procure an overthrow of their eſtabliſhed maintenance: To which end they animate all ſects to rail againſt Tythes.
3. They labour by ſeoffs and nicknames to make them odious. As they were the Authors or chief fomenters of the old ſcorn under the name of Puritans, ſo are they of many more of late. If in Court, or Parliament, City or Countrey; you hear men ſet themſelves of purpoſe to ſcorn or vilifie the Miniſtry, its very probable that they are either ſecret Papiſts, or their deluded ſerviters. If they ſpeak of men that regard the Miniſtry, and be not hardened as they to a deſpiſing of Chriſt in his ſervants, they call ſuch [Prieſt ridden] and the Paſtors they ſcornfully call [Iack-Presbyters, Drivines,] and many other ſcoffs are at hand, to ſerve the ends of the Devil and the Pope, by alienating the Affections of the people from their Teachers, that ſo they may devour them at pleaſure.
4. Another of their wayes of reproach is, by telling the people what odious diviſions are among us, and how many minds we are of, and how oft we change, and ſuch like reproaches, by their mouthing it they can make ſomething of; while they never tell them how much more changeable they have been, and what diviſions are among themſelves, incomparably beyond all ours. Nor do they ever tell them how far we are united, and how ſmall the differences among us are, and ſuch as muſt be expected while we all know but in part.
5. Another reproach that the Papiſts caſt on the Miniſtry, is Greedineſs, Covetouſneſs, and being hirelings. And therefore they put theſe into the mouths of Quakers and other Sectaries. And whats their ground? Forſooth becauſe we take Tythes, or other ſet maintenance. Becauſe we have food and rayment, and our daily bread. I have ſaid enough of the Cauſe it ſelf in my ſeveral writings againſt the Quakers. If any doubt whether the Papiſts be their Teachers, or of the ſame mind, beſides many greater Evidences, the Manuſcript from Wolverhampton before mentioned may be full ſatisfaction. This tells men that [for filthy lucre ſake we ſcratch itching ears with doctrines of liberty] and thus it learnedly verſifieth.
With Pleaſing words they ſcratch all ears that itch.
That Mammon (whom they ſerve) may make them rich.
For they are Merconaries, that will be hir'd
To preach what doctrines are by men deſir'd.
Anſw. I muſt profeſs unfeignedly that the experience of ſuch horrid wickedneſs of men, is a great help to my faith againſt all temptations that ever would provoke me to doubt whether there be a Hell; When I ſee and hear that unreaſonable villany, that I ſhould ſcarce have believed humane nature could have been capable of, if God or ſuch experience had not told it me. But when I ſee Abominations before my eyes as incredible or horrid as Hell it ſelf almoſt, it ſilenceth temptations to ſuch unbelief.
Reader, I will give thee a brief compariſon between the Papiſts Prieſts and the Miniſters of Chriſt, that thou maiſt ſee whether theſe men be fit to rail at us as Mercenaries, and ſuch as are the ſervants of Mammon.
Its a well known caſe that the Miniſters of this Land, and of all the Reformed Churches commonly do many of them want neceſſaries, and ſome want food and rayment, and the reſt of them for the moſt part have little more: Or if one of an hundred have two hundred pounds a year, its ten to one but taxes and other payments bringeth it ſo low, that he hath no ſuperfluities. And ſome that have not Wives or Children, do give all that they can gather to the poor; and ſome upon my knowledge give more to charitable uſes, then they receive for the work of their Miniſtry, living on their own means. And they have themſelves been the means of taking down the Lordly Prelacy and Riches of the Clergy: and though they would not have had the Lands devoted to the Church to have been alienated, yet they would have had it ſo diſtributed as might but have reacht to have made the maintenance of Miniſters to be an hundred pounds a year. This was the height of their Covetouſneſs and Ambition, as you call it.
And now will you take a view of the Popiſh Clergy, for Greatneſs, Riches, and Numerouſneſs. 1. For Greatneſs, the Pope who is their chief Prieſt, pretendeth to the Government of all the Chriſtian world. Emperors and Kings have kiſt his feet, and held him the ſtirrup. One Emperour was forced to wait bare foot at his Gates a long time in patience, till he pleaſed to open them. Another being forced to proſtrate himſelf to him, the Pope ſet his foot upon his neck, profanely abuſing the words of the Pſal. 91. 13. He ſhall tread on the Lyon and Adder, &c. Divers Princes hath he depoſed: He hath claimed a Supremacy in Temporals and Spirituals, and his more moderate flatterers ſubject Princes to him in ordine ad ſpiritualia. General Councils approved by him, decree that he ſhall Excommunicate and depoſe Princes, that will not extirpate thoſe that he calleth Hereticks, and ſhall commit the Government to others, or give their Countreys to the firſt that can ſeize on them; and abſolve all their V…ſſals from their Allegiance, (in deſpight of Oaths and Gods Commands.) He is a Temporal Prince himſelf, having large Dominions. He hath ſo numerous a Clergy in the Countreys of all Popiſh Princes, as makes him great and formidable to them. His Cardinal Prieſts are equal to Princes, and greater then many Princes are. 2. And for their Riches and Numbers, to ſay no more of their Pope and Cardinals, they have ſuch multitudes of Arch-biſhops, Biſhops, Prieſts, Abbots, Priors, Fryars, Jeſuites, and ſuch others, as take up a great part of the Land where they live. I will at this time give you but one Inſtance, and deſire you to compare it with our Miniſters and their maintenance: and that is of the Popiſh Clergy in France.
Their own writers tells us as followeth. Bodin (a Judge in France) ſaith, (as Heylin Geograph. pag. 148. reciteth it) That the Revenues of the Clergy there are twelve millions, and three hundred thouſand livres, which is one million and two hundred thouſand pounds of our Engliſh money per annum; and that they poſſeſs ſeven parts of twelve of the whole revenue of the Kingdom, which is above half. But we will take up with the lower reckoning of the Book called Comment. de ſtat. and ſaith Heylin, this tells us that the Clergy have near a fourth part of the very Lands of all the Kingdom, beſides the Offerings, Churchings, Bur…als, Diriges, and ſuch like Caſualties, which amount to as much as their Rents, (So that there is another fourth part, which comes to half the Kingdom) upon which Sr. Edwin Sands computes their revenue at ſix millions yearly: And for the number, that one Kingdom hath thirteen Arch-biſhops, an hundred and four Biſhops, a thouſand four hundred and fifty Abbies, five hundred and forty Archpriories: twelve thouſand three hundred and twenty Priories, five hundred ſixty ſeven Nunneries: ſeven hundred Convents of Fryars: two hundred fifty nine Commanderies of Malta; beſides all the Colledges of the Jeſuites. And the Pariſh Prieſts are an hundred thirty thouſand of all ſorts. And whereas the Kingdom is ſuppoſed to have about fifteen millions of people; the Clergy and their Miniſters are judged to be three millions of them.
Judge now like men of reaſon and impartiality, whether the tongues of theſe men be fit to call us Mercenaries, or Hirelings, or ſuch as preach for filthy lucre. Or whether ever greater impudence was manifeſted by the vileſt Son of Adam, then for ſuch men that Lord it over Emperors, Kings and Princes, and devour the wealth of the Chriſtian world, to call poor Miniſters of Chriſt, Covetous, or Hirelings, that are content with food and rayment, and a mean education of their children, and that have done ſo much to take down the Lordlineſs and Riches of the Clergy. Judge of this dealing; and if you had rather have the Popiſh Prieſthood, with the numberleſs ſwarm of Fryars and ſeveral orders, you may take them, and ſay, you had your choice.