A Pleasant Purge for a Roman Catholic, Epigram 7 – Epigram 30
On Saint Dominicks viſion of Fryers of his Order hid in heaven under the Virgin Maries Peticote; and on the Reliques of her Garments which Papiſts keepe and ſhew in ſundry places.
SAintaSum. part. 3. tit. 23. c. 3. f. 159. 160. Antonine of Dominicke doth write,
That he to heav'n was rapt up in his ſprite,
Where he Monkes of all Orders did eſpie,
But of his owne, not one could there deſcry:
Whereat amaz'd, the Lord Chriſt bids him be
Of good Cheere, for of his owne companie.
There were great troopes in heaven bid, (where I wot?)
Ʋnder the Ʋirgin Maries Peticoate;
Whom he there ſhew'd him; none being ſo nigh
Or deare to her as his fraternitie:
This ſtorie's Canoniz'd, we muſt give faith
To what this Saint ſaw, and another ſaith.
Belike this chaſt pure Virgin, who bLuk. 1. 34.here fled
Mans carnall knowledge, and the Marriage bed,
Mounted to heaven, and in ſtate of joy
Is growne more wanton, common, not ſo coy
As here ſhe was; or hath forgot, caſt by
Her Virgins ſtate, and Priſtine chaſtity,
Since ſwarmes of Leacherous Fryers thus reſide
Under her coates, too neare her skin, thighes, ſide.
T'was well this Order had no being when
She was on earth; Sh'ad ſcarce beene Virgin then.
Theſe Jacobines who now ſo neere her lye,
I doubt had rob'd her, of her chaſtity.
But is the Virgin in her Robes there clad?
This news perchance may make ſome Monks look ſad.
The cSee Tho Beacons Reliques of Rome. Hoſpinian De Origine Templorum: cap. Reliquiis.Relikes of her Garments they ſhew here
Will prove all falſe, hath ſhe her Wardrobe there;
Unleſſe they ſay, ſhe left her cloathes behind:
How doe they then her Coates in heav'n thus find?
Perhaps ſhe hath new ſuites made there, her old
She them be queath'd to be kept, ſhew'd, bought, ſold.
If ſo, then Taylors ſhall be ſav'd, and skip
To heav'n, to make Coates for her Lady-ſhip:
Have they no merits, faith, grace, yet their trade
Will ſave them; elſe her cloathes could not be made.
And to make robes for Her deſerves doubtleſſe
A place in heav'n, ſhe cannot give them leſſe.
But how came Fryers by thoſe cloathes which ſhe
Here wore on earth? or how can they or we
For certaine know them to be hers? ſince they
So rich, freſh, gawdy, not like her aray,
(Not heard off in the world nine hundred yeares
Or more from her deceaſe,) may breede juſt feares
They are*See Caſſandri Conſultatio, cap. De Veneratiene Reliquiarum, p. 973. 974. Where he freely confeſeth, that moſt of the Reliques Papiſts now ſhew, are great and deteſtable Impoſtures, & therefore wiſheth that all ſhewing of Reliques ſhould be utterly aboliſhed. not hers? nor can they ſhew us by
What truſty hands they were kept anciently,
And thence tranſmitted to them, for to make
Blind ſots adore them for the Virgins ſake.
Beſides, her cloathes were old when firſt off caſt;
Full ſixteene hundred yeares ſince that are paſt,
They then were rotted, periſht long agone,
And ſo the freſh, rich Ragges, they ſhew are none
Of hers, no doubt; unleſſe they chance to ſay
New ſhreds of Reliques drop from heav'n each day
From her into their Wardrobes; whence their dSee Tho Beacons Reliques of Rome.ſtore
Of Reliques now is more than heretofore;
Sagreat, that they ten thouſand times or more
Ex…eede all Garments which on Earth ſhewore:
Their ſtore of new, ſine, gaudy Reliques now
Muſt needes then fall from heav'n to them below:
She's now a Queene, a Lady, hath each day
Or weeke at leaſt, rich ſuites of new aray,
Which once put on, the old droppe to them here,
Becauſe none will adore ſuch Reliques there,
As*See Tho. Waldenſis, Tom 3. Tit. 23. c. 164. 165. & Tit. 21. c. 161. ſome doe here, and trot from place to place
In pilgrimage them to ſee, kiſſe, embrace.
Againe, her Robes are now of eEratque hoc tantae capacitatis & immenſitatis veſtimen…um, quod totam caeleſtem patriam amplexando dulciter continebat. Antoninus: Hiſt. pars. 3. Tit. 23. c. 3. f. 159. b.larger ſize,
Sith under them an Hoſt of Fryers lies:
I wondred much how Papiſts got ſuch ſtore
Of Maryes ragges, but I wonder more,
They have ſo few, ſince her Coate is ſo wide
And long, that it whole tooopes of Monkes can hide.
O Mary! now thou haſt a monſtrous traine,
Me thinkes its weight, length, breadth, ſhould thee lade, paine,
And ſinke to earth, unleſſe ſupported by
Thoſe ſtrong fat Monkes who under it hid lye.
On, and againſt Papiſts reſerving the Hoſt and carryning it in Proceſsion.
VVHy doth Rome keepe Chriſts Body *See Tho. Becons. Reliques of Rome. Vol. 3. …ol. 328. b.priſoner ſtill
Within her pixes, quite againſt his will?
Nought of the Paſchall Lambe (whichfCor. 5. 7. 8. typified
Chriſt and his Supper) mightgExod. 12. 10. c. 29. 34. remaine, abide
Ʋntill the morning, if ought did they then
Muſt burne it in the fire forthwith: yea when
Chriſt did his Supper inſtitute, he ſayd,
hMat. 26. 26 Mar. 14. 22. Luc. 22. 11. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24.Take Eate forthwith, and nothing then up laid,
Reſerv'd within a pix: Chriſts gueſſe muſt eate
Not keepe nor Cloſet up their ſacred meate.
TheiExod. 12. 46. Paſchall Lambs fleſh none were to carry
Abroade out of the houſe; to Typifie,
That none muſt carry Chriſts body abrode
Out of the Church, the place of its abode.
Yet Rome in herkConcil. Colonienſe ſub Adolpho. An. 1549. c. 17. 22. Surius Tom. 4. Concil. p. 853. 854. Proceſſions carries it
Abroad about the ſtreetes, and deemes it fit.
Chriſt rode but once, and then upon anlMat. 20. 5. to 11. Mar. 11. 7. 8. 9. Luk. 19. 35. 36. 37. Aſſe;
But now he doth oft in ſtate, triumph paſſe
On great Mens ſhoulders in Proceſſion,
As if he could not ſtand, walke, goe alone:
By which they turne Chriſts Supper tomQua: (k) before. a play;
When they Proceſſions goe, they ever ſtray.
Beſides, Rome doth her Hoſts ſtillnSee Miſſale Romanum: & the Cannon of the Maſſe Acts and Monuments. in the old Edition: p. 891. to 897. Tho. Beacons Reliques of Rome. p. 385. a. elevate
And them adore; theſe cuſtomes are but late.
Chriſt, the Apoſtles, neither us'd nor taught
Them; doubtleſſe, than they are not good, but naught.
Rome may ill boaſt of her Antiquity,
Her pactiſe in all this is Novelty.
But here oGeorge Douley Prieſt, his briefe Inſtruction. p. 175.Rome pleads, that Aaron did reſerve
ApExod. 16. 32. 33. 34. pot of Manna, and the ſame preſerve.
Within the Arke, by Gods Command: therefore
She may and doth her Hoſts reſerve in ſtore,
Thus in her pixes: But this will not ſerve
Her turne, for he the Manna did reſerve
By GodsqExod. 16. 32. expreſſe Command: But ſhe hath no
Command from God her Hoſts to pix up ſo,
But onelyonly them rMat. 26. 26.to Eate without delay,
AssExod. 16. 19 20. 22. 23. Manna eaten was the ſelfe-ſame day:
By Gods procept, and might not be kept till
The morrow, as her Sacred Hoſts are ſtill.
Beſides, this Manna was not kept to eate,
As are her Hoſts: nor did they oft repeate,
Renew the ſame; when Rome her Hoſts ea…h day
Or weeke doth change; nor did Manna decay,
Or putrifie, as tSumma Angelica: Euchariſtia. 1. Sect. 38. 39. 40.Romes hoſts oft times doe,
Wanting Chriſts warrant to reſerve them ſo;
Nor was it kept, but for a vExod. 16. 32. 33. 34.memory,
To ſhew unto the Jewes poſterity
In future ages, when all Manna ceaſt,
With what bread God did their fore-fathers feaſt
In wilderneſſe, when he from Egypt Land
Them brought, and reſcude with a potent hand:
So is the Text expreſſe: Now Hoſts remaine
And ſhall not ceaſe till Chriſt ſhallx1 Cor. 11. 25. 26. come againe.
You then no ground from Manna have to ſtore,
Reſerve your Hoſts in Pixes any more,
But rather not to doe it; ſince none might
yExod. 16. 19. 20.Reſerve their Manna till the next dayes light:
And Manna was azJoh. 6. 31. to 52. type of ſacred bread,
Of Chriſt, wherewith our ſoules are nouriſhed.
Nor is the Arkes removing, any ground
Whereon Rome can her Hoſts Proceſſions found,
For that remov'd not but by GodsaExod. 17. 1 c. 40. 36. 37. 38. Num. 9. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Command
Whilſt Iſrael journeyed towards Cana's land;
Wherein when they were ſeated, it did b2 Chron. 6. 41. Pſal. 132. 5. 8. 2 Sam. 6. 10. 11. 12. 17. 1 Sam. 7. 2.reſt
Still in one place, which by it was much bleſt.
Nor did the Arke once in Proceſſion ride
About the ſtreetes, as your Hoſts doe: beſide
When it remov'd none did fall downe before
And worſhip it, as you your Hoſts adore
In your Proceſſions, on ſet dayes kept ſtill:
Whereas the ArkecNum. 9. 15. to 23. remov'd ſtill at Gods will:
But you have no command your Hoſts to beare
Thus in Proceſſion, and you ſeated are
In peace within your Countries; therefore you
To theſe Proceſſions muſt quite bid adue
Till God command them, and you journey to
The Land of Canaan, as the Jewes did tho.
On Popiſh Tapers.
TApers at noone day burning? why? to light
A blind Religion to which day ſeemes Night.
Papiſts thinke all elſe blinde: How blind are they
Who thus need burning Torches at Noone-day?
But tis todFox Acts and Monuments. p. 685. in the old Edition, Tho. Waldenſis. Tom. 3. Tit. 24. c. 166. ſhew, that Chriſt is this worlds light:
Doth not the ſhining Sunne ſhew this more bright
Than any Tapers? which giveseGen. 1. 16. Pſal. 136. 7. 8. Pſal. 19. 1. 2. Light to all
The world alone, and is the Radicall
Fountaine of all light; whereas Tapers give
Light but to few, who cannot well perceive
Their Light at Noone-day: None then neede ſuch light
But Romiſh Owles who hate the Sunne, love Night;
And are ſo ſenſeleſſe, that they cannot ſee
Feele, taſte, their Sacred Hoſt ſtill Bread to be.
fNum igitur mentis ſuae compos putandus eſt, qui auctori & datori luminis can delatum aut cerarum lumen offer… pro munere? De vero Cultu. l. 6. c. 2.Lactamius deem'd this Madneſſe heretofore
In Pagans; then in Papiſts 'tis much more.
On S. Michaels Buckler and Poynard, kept for a Relique in the Chapple of S. Michaels Mount in Normandy.
INgTho. Beacons Reliques of Rome: Vol. 3. f. 90. a. Declation du Pere Baſil. a S…dan. 1637. p. 84. Michaels Chappell in S. Michaels Mount
Is kept a Relique of no ſmall account,
Arch-Angel Michaels double Buckler, made
Of fine red velvet, which doth never fade;
And his ſteele Poynard, with which Armes he fought
Againſt thehRev. 12. 7. to 14. Dragon, when he caſt him out
Of Heaven, with all his Angels: certainely
Theſe famous Reliques are a forgery,
Since AngelsiPſal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 7. Spirits) in a Spirituall
Warre, as this was, could uſe no corporall
Armes, inſtruments of warre; nor doe I finde
By Scripture, they had weapons of this kinde:
I doubt theſe Armes were forg'd by Romes Clergie,
Who uſe ſuchkSee Platina, Balaeus, Benno Cardinalis, Creſpin and others in the life of Pope Hildebrand, and other his ſucceſſors. Armes, and lay devotion by
In all their warres, ſince Michael as they ſay
Clad with theſe Armes, not Prayers got the day
Of the red Dragon, Satan, and his Hoſt;
Who elſe perchance the day and field had loſt.
How Spirits can repel'd, or conquered be
With ſwords and Bucklers, I cannot yet ſee.
Thoſe who this Dragon will repulſe or ſlay
Muſt uſe no Armes, but onelyonlylMat. 17. 21. Eph. 6. 11. to 19. 1. Pet. 5. 8. 9. Jam. 4. 7. faſt and pray,
And neede no other Buckler, ſhield, or ſword,
But Prayer, Faith, and Gods moſt Sacred Word
Saint Michaels Buckler, Poinyard, and ſuch Armes
Cannot defend men from the Devils charmes.
On the Reliques of Ioſephs Han, and the Aſſes tayle.
IN France, at mDeclaration du Pere Baſil. p. 85.Courchiverni neere to Blois
Within a Bottle they keepe, ſhew the Noyſe,
Or H…n which Joſeph, (Chriſts reputed father)
Ʋs'd when he cleft wood, or when ſquar'd it rather.
A famous Relique: 'twas, a skilfull man
Who could both catch and bottle up his Han
In ſuch good pickle, that it keepes freſh ſtill
For ſixeteene hundred yeares and more: what ill
Fortune had Joſephs Body to decay,
When as his breath and Han laſt to this day,
And are preſerved with ſuch ſpeciall care,
When as his body, bones, fleſh periſht are.
His Han at firſt was not ſeene, onelyonly heard;
Now onelyonly ſeene, not heard; tis falſe, or mar'd:
The nAt Genes: See Tho. Beacons Reliques of Rome. Vol. 3. f. 90 a.Aſſes tayle whereon Chriſt rod, which they
Have yet to ſhew, to this Han joyne they may,
Nay weare the Aſſes tayle, eares, skin and head,
Since they ſuch Lyes for Truths have credited;
Which Fooles and Children would deride and jeare:
They are more ſottiſh than the Aſſe, I feare.
On the Popiſh Sacrifice of the Maſſe.
VVHat, Maſſe no Sacrifice? this mine heart cooles
Yet courage; tis theoEccleſ. 5. 1. Sacrifice of Fooles.
Why ſo? they thinke Prieſts offer Chriſt againe,
Yet doe not, cannot do't: thepHeb. 9. 12. 25. 26. 27. 28. c. 10. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 17. 18. Text is plaine.
They ſay, qSee Beller. de Sacrificio Miſſae. Declaration du. Pere Baſil c. 1. Tho. Beacons Reliques of Rome, Vol. 3. f. 366. 367.it is for uſe, worth, better, more
Than that which Chriſt made on the Croſſe before.
As if that Pictures were more excellent
Than any Perſons which they repreſent.
It ſtrangles, murders, Chriſt a freſh each day;
And yet it is unbloody, as they ſay:
Yea meritorious; then the High-Prieſts, Jewes
For killing Chriſt, Heav'n merit, its ſtrange newes.
It doth availe (they hold) both quicke and dead:
True; Prieſts who live, by it are nouriſhed;
Yea much inricht, and buried ſumptuouſly
When dead; thus quicke and dead Prieſts gaine thereby;
When as Lay-men by it are oft undone;
The deade mans Maſſe, quite breakes his living Sonne.
On Romes ſeven Sacraments.
TWo Sacraments? No more? too few by five,
Had Popes no more to ſell they could not thrive:
rSee Bella…. De Sacramentis: Contr. 6. de Numera Sacramentorum. And Ameſii. Bellarminus Eu…ruatus. Tom. 3. c. 6. f. 52. 53.Seven's a compleate number; they may ſell
One Sacrament each day, and ſo gaine well;
Its fit each day ſhould have its Sacrament
To vent, elſe Popes would hardly be content,
Now they may Market keepe all weeke, yeare; this
Popes well remembring, thought it not amiſſe
To adde five Sacraments to Chriſts owne two,
The ſale of which if loſt, would them undoe.
On Romes ſeven deadly Sinnes.
BUt sOfficium beatae Mariae: Ledeſma. c. 14. Caniſius. ſum. Doct. Chriſtianae p. 237. 238.Seven deadly Sinnes Rome? if thou ſell
All ſinnes but theſe, thou mayſt thrive pretty well:
But thou to raiſe thy Holy Fathers rents
Mak'ſt veniall all thy ſeven Sacraments:
The ſale of each which is a mortall ſinne:
Thou muſt thy tale of deadly ſinnes begin
To double, ſince they ſeven Sacraments
Thus ſold, prove deadly ſinnes in their events
But are theſe deadly, ſith thou ſelſt them all?
Not ſo: at Rome all ſinnes are Veniall.
On Romes Latine prayers.
ROme will have none buttSee Miſſale Romanum, Officium B. Mariae. Fox Acts and Monuments. p. 1717. to 1721. in the old Edition. Latine prayers to God;
Twere juſt to whip her with the ſelfe ſame rod;
Give her but Latin, henceforth, and no Coyne,
She will to Latin any Language joyne:
Nay damne the Tongue, and to gaine Gold good ſtore,
Sweare ſhe will ne're receive the Latine more.
On Popiſh Miracles.
MIracles ſtill? after ſo many done?
Is ſuch a wonder as the world might ſtonne.
Doth Romes faith ſtagger? is ſhe yet in doubt
That ſhe forvTho. Waldenſis de Sacramentalibus. Tom. 3. Tit. 14. c. 124. 125. p. 239. to 233. Miracles thus ſtill cryes out?
Either the old were falſe,xMar. 16. 17 20. Heb. 2. 4. Joh. 4. 48. the Faith untrue
They did confirme, elſe ther's no neede of new.
The old Faith's loſt in Rome, ſhe hath a new one,
She needes new wonders, it to make a true one:
ySee Surius, Ribadeneira; Antoninus and others in the lives of the Saints: Maffaeus his Hiſtory of India, & the Jeſuites letters thereto annexed from thence.Such ſhe hath ſtore of too, and yet ſhe cryes
For more: I doubt ſhe knowes they are but lyes,
And falſe impoſtures, elſe ſhe would not call
For freſh, her new falſe faith to keepe from fall.
Hold then thy peace Rome, elſe I muſt thee tell
Thy faith is falſe, and thou an Infidell;
On Popiſh whippings and Satisfactions.
IF whipping might ſinnes purge and ſatisfie;
Each Bridewell ſhould then be a Purgatory;
And Rogues there dayly whipt, ſhould merit more
Than all the members of the Roman whore;
Who now to ſatisfie and merrit well
Should ſtill be kept, whipt, tortur'd in Bridewell.
On Papiſts abſtaining from fleſh on faſting dayes.
PApiſts inzSurius Concil. Tom. 2. p. 1048. Summa Angelica Tit. Jejunium. Lent, on faſting dayes will Eate
No roaſt, boyld, backt fleſh: its unlawfull meat,
Yea, mortall ſin to taſte it, yet they will
On all theſe dayes of raw fleſh take their fill
Rome againſt dreſt fleſh, on theſe dayes hath Law;
She might doe well to make ſome Acts 'gainſt raw:
Gainſt fleſh in Chambers, not in Halls onelyonly;
For her their Faſts, prove Feaſts of Venery.
How ever its no aSee Summa Angelica Tit. Jejunium. Ambroſe ſe Elia & Jejunio.Fast no fleſh to eate,
And yet to feaſt on fiſh or better meate;
As Papiſts doe, who on their Faſt dayes feede
On choyceſt fiſh, and in their Cates exceede.
Which doe their fleſh more pamper, more inflame
Their luſts, than fleſh, which they for this cauſe blame.
On Papiſts making marriage a Sacrament, and forbidding Prieſts to marry, yet permitting them to keepe Whores.
ROme bConcilium Senonenſe An. 1528. Decreta fidei. c. 10. 8. Surius Tom. 4. Concil. p. 627. 729.Marriage makes one of her Sacraments,
Yet that her Prieſts ſhould marry diſaſſents:
They are too Holy, wives to have; yet they
KeepecAgrippa de Vanitate Scient. c. 63. Eſpenca us de continentia. l. 3 c. 4. Grauamina Geimaniae. Whores good ſtore; Rome will not ſay them nay,
But force them to it by an annuall rent:
She ſhould make whoredome then a Sacrament
Not marriage, ſince to her Sacred Clergie
She doth the laſt, not firſt, as ill, deny:
It is no Sacrament, but thing unclean▪
Which doth dSurius. Concil. Tom. 3. p. 158. Fox Acts and Monuments p. 924. Iohn Bales Acts of Engliſh Votaries. Gratian. Diſſ. 26, to 46.unprieſt, unhallow Sacred men:
This marriage doth, not whoredome now in Rome,
Nought is her Sacrament then but whoredome.
On Romes extreame unction, and its being a Sacrament.
APoſtles eMark. 6. 13. Jam. 5. 14noynted ſicke men to reſtore
Them to their health againe, onelyonly, wherefore
Doth Rome then noint them ſoly at the laſt,
To dye, when all hopes of health, Life are paſt?
Well may ſhe this her Unction terme, Extreame;
Tis extreame madneſſe, folly or a dreame:
She ſaith afConcilium Senonc…ſe An. …527. c. 10 Surius Tom. 4. p. … …. Summa …. Tit. … 6. Sacrament too; this I doubt
Since ne're done in the Church, but alwayes out.
It is a Chamber, not Church Sacrament;
In this it doth from all the reſt diſſent.
On Papiſts implicit Faith, and Images.
PApiſts have no faith: for they*Rhemiſts annot. in Lu. 12. 11. all beleeve
As doth their Church; they hang all on her ſleeve;
Their ſaith is in their Church, not gAs all true faith is in the perſon beleeving. 1 Pet. 3. 15. 2 Tim. 1. 5.them; they then
Are Infidels, at leaſt wiſe Faithleſſe men:
There is nohSee D. Rainolds Theſes; and M. Burtons Bable no Bethel. true faith in their Church now left,
They then of all faith muſt needs be bereft:
We may then call each Papiſt Infidell,
Who hath no faith, or what he cannot tell.
No wonder than if Papiſts ſo delight
In Images, they onelyonly walke by ſight,
Not i2 Cor. 5. 7. c 4. 18.Faith; and ſo muſt have before their eye
The *See Tho. Waldenſis Tom. 3. Tit. 19. c. 155. and Tit. 20. c. 158.Pictures of Chriſt and the Deity;
Which cannot ſtand with Faith, the kHeb. 11. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 7.evidence
Of things not ſeene, not ſubject unto ſenſe.
On Popiſh blind obedience.
PApiſts muſtlTollet. de Inſtruct. Sacerdotis. l. 4. c. 3. Cuſanus. Exiſt. l: 2. & 6. See Sir Humfry Lynde his By-way-Sect. 22. ne're once doubt what Prieſts have told:
Why tell they then Prieſts money, weigh their gold?
Belike their Doctrine's currant, not their ſcale:
Their Cayne not Doctrine, needes both Weights and Tale.
If they may erre, cheate, prove falſe in their coyne;
Why may they not then in faith erre, purloine?
[Which they than money leſſe mind, and eſteeme;]
Its ſafe to try their faith by weight and Beame.
ThemAct. 17. 11 12. Noble wiſe Bereans heretofore
By Scripture try'd Pauls Doctrine, you much more
Then ought ton1 Theſ. 5. 20. 1 Joh. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 39. 2 Cor. 13. 5. prove your Prieſts by Scriptures teſt,
Since they are ſinnefull, erring men at beſt.
On Popiſh Pilgrimages, Offerings, Kneelings Prayers to the Images of the Virgin Mary; and their Worſhipping of her and them.
VVHat,*See Tho. Waldenſis: Tom. 3. Tit. 15. c. 134. to 138. Pilgrimages ſtill? Croſſe too and fro?
They erre no doubt, who thus a wandring goe;
Their way, light, guide are loſt, yea faith, I doubt;
Perhaps they Straggle thus to finde them out.
TheoMat. 2. 12. 8. wiſe Men which came to Jeruſalem
Out of the Eaſt, when Chriſt at Bethlehem
Was newly borne, led by a wondrous Starre,
Tooke all this Paines and Pilgrimage ſo farre
To worſhip Chriſt alone; whom when they found,
Saw with his Mother Mary, to the ground
TheypMat. 2. 11. fall and worſhip Him, not her; preſent
Their gifts, Gold, Incenſe, Myrrhe, with joynt conſent
To him alone, though then a Babe; but to
His Mother they no gifts give; nor yet doe
Her any Worſhip that we reade off: Why
Doe fooliſh Papiſts then quite contrary
To theſe wiſe men,qTho. Waldenſis. Tom 3. Tit. 15. c. 134. 135. 136. 137. trotting in Pilgrimages
From place to place? to ſundry Images
(Not Perſons) of the Virgin; and before
Them fall downe on their knees andrSee Tho. Beacon. Vol. 3. f. 232. 233. and Tho. Waldenſis. Tom. 3. Tit. 19. c. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. to 159. Petr. de Cabrera, in 3. part. Thom. queſt. 25. Art. 3. Diſp. 2. num. 15. 32. Lyndewood Conſtit: prouinc. lib. 5. de Haeret. cap. Nullus. them adore,
Preſent with gifts, pray, ſupplicate for Grace;
Whilſt Chriſt in all this Worſhip hath no place,
Or very little; no nor yet his Mother,
Whoſe Images ador'd are, and not her.
But they them for hersTho. Waldenſis qua. 1. Catechiſmus. Rom. part. 3. c. 2. Sect. 14. ſake alone adore,
And Honour thus: What then? theſe heretofore
Did not her Perſon Worſhip, when they came
Into her Preſence, nor fall to the ſame,
But Worſhipt Chriſt alone; Why then give you
More to her Picture than was ever due,
Or done unto her Perſon anciently?
No doubt it is moſt groſſe Idolatry,
Point blanke againſt Gods Law: which doth defend
MentExod. 20. 4. 5. Den. 4. 15. to 21. c. 5. 8. 9. c. 16. 22. Levit. 26. 1 Pſal. 97. 7. Exod 23. 24. Joſh. 23. 7. Judg. 2. 12. 13. 14. 15. 1 King. 18. 19. 2 King. 17. 35. 36. 37. c. 19. 18. 2 Chr. 25. 24. Iſa. 2. 8. 9. 20. c. 30. 22. c. 31. 7. c. 44. 15 17. 18. 19. 20. to; before an Image once to bend
Bow, fall, or Worſhip; though the Imagry
Be of no Creature, but the Deity.
If then none muſt Gods, Chriſts Statues adore,
Nor make; much leſſe may they bow, kneele before
The Virgins; or as Pilgrims to them goe
To offer gifts; the Wiſemen did not ſo;
And thoſe who theſe Wiſe Mens ſteps will not trace,
No doubt are errant Fooles, Sots, Voyd of grace;
We finde a vMat. 8. 2. c. 9. 18. c. 28. 9. 17. Mar. 1. 40. c. 5. 6. 22. Luk. 5. 12. c. 24. 52. Joh. 9. 38. Mat. 15. 25. c. 20. 20.Leaper, Jairus, one borne blinde,
A Man poſſeſt, two of the female kinde,
Both Maries, the Diſciples, worſhipping
Chriſt, and to him falling, kneeling, praying;
But reade not in the whole New Teſtament
Of any that in Pilgrimage once went
Unto the*Who went in perſon to viſite her coſen Elizabeth, Lu. 1. 39. to 45. not Elizabeth to viſit her. Virgins Perſon, or that pray'd,
Or made ſuite to her for grace, helpe, or Ayde,
Or once ador'd, or worſhipt her: What ground,
What ſhew have Papiſts then whereon to found
Their worſhip of, their Offerings, Pilgrimages
And prayers too, before her Images;
Their Ladies-Maſſes, Pſalters, Houres? truely
None that I know, but their Prieſts knavery;
Who to enrich themſelves make fooles by flockes
To Run, pray, Offer, to their Ladies Stockes:
Subſtract theſe offerings, then your Prieſts will ſay
You neede not to her Statues runne, kneele, pray,
As now you doe without all warrant, ground;
Take heede leſt God your Soules for this confound.
On Romes Worſhipping the Croſse, Nayles and what ever touched Chriſts Body, with Latria or Divine Worſhip.
ROme holds for truth, that whatxTho. Waldenſis Tom. 3. Tit. 13. c. 120. 121. f. 223. 224 toucht Chriſts Body
Muſt be adored with Divine Latry.
Hence, ſhe adores the Croſſe, Nayles, Speare with it
And makes them Saints (at leaſt the*Whom they ſtile S. Longinus the ſouldier that pierced Chriſts ſide and S. Eloi, which was but the Nayles. See Surius and Ribadeneira in their lives of the Saints. Speare) tis fit
They ſhould adde Judas to this Number, who
HathyMat. 26. 48. 49. Mar. 14. 43. 44. 45. Luk 22. 47. 48. kiſt his Lippes, betray'd and kild him too,
And toucht him oftner, hurt him more than Croſſe
Or Nayles; his Saint-ſhip muſt not ſuffer loſſe;
Rome muſt adore him too; with all the traine
ThatzMat. 26. 67. c. 27. 26. to 37. Joh. 19. 16. 18. led Chriſt to the Croſſe when he was ſlaine;
Each thorne that Crown'd him, all his veſtments; yea,
TheaMat. 25. 2. to 10. Joh. 12. 14. 15. Aſſe he Rode on, Earth he trod on, Sea
HebMat. 14. 25. Mar. 6. 48. walkt on,cMat. 8. 23. 24. c. 13. 2. c. 14. 13. Shippes wherein he ſate, or Sail'd,
All thoſe his verydMar. 6. 56. touch to cure prevail'd.
If theſe be not Enough, Rome, to adore,
I will yet ſhew thee ſomething elſe in ſtore,
Thou muſt adore his very Excrement;
Twas in him, from him, hath a pleaſant ſent:
All other reliques, hadſt thou ſtore of theſe,
Would loſe their Honour, worſhip, dignities,
There is one yet left, thou doſt moſt adore,
The Devill, will you know the cauſe wherefore?
HeeMar. 4. 1. to 12. Luk. 41. to 10. toucht Chriſts body too oft times, when be
Firſt tempted him, as we in Scripture ſee,
Proffring him all Earths Kingdomes, Glory, ſtore
If he would fall downe, and but him adore;
Chriſt then reſus'd his bribe, and worſhip too
His Vicar takes it, will the Homage doe
Not for the bribe; no, he dothfRev. 9. 20. him adore
Becauſe he toucht Chriſts Body heretofore;
And that not with Dulia, but Latrie;
Yet Rome is guiltleſſe of Idolatrie.
On Romes Prayers to dead Saints, and for the dead.
ALL Men beleevefPſal. 65. 2. God heares them when they Cry:
Where Saints doe ſo, gPeter Lombard ſentent. l. 4. art. 25. ſee Scotus and others on that place: and Gabr. Biel. in Can. Miſſae c. 31.moſt doubt; ſome quite deny.
Its madneſſe then to leave a certaine way
And chuſe a doubtfull, when we goe to pray:
Saints cannot …eare,hBiel Ibidem Scotus. in 4. Sent. Diſt. 45. qu. 4. unleſſe God firſt reveale:
Why doe they then from him to them appeale?
This done; they muſt rebound prayers back againe,
Why doe they trouble God and Saints in vaine?
In fine; not they, but God alone muſt grant:
Why run they then to Saints for what they want?
Fly then to God alone who heares, grants all:
Its iSee Eccleſ. 9. 5. 6. Joh. 14. 20. 21. Iſa. 8. 19. c. 38. 10. 11. c. 63. 16. Heb. 7. 23. 24. 25.booteleſſe, ſenſeleſſe, on dead Saints to call.
Rome Prayes to, and for dead men; well ſhe may;
Her prayers dead are, fit for none elſe but they.
Th'one heares them not; th'other no good thereby
Reape; they that make them leſſe; ſuch Prayers then fly.
Prayers to, and for dead men, well agree;
They both dead, faithleſſe, booteleſſe, ſinfull be.
On Romes Divine adoration of her painted Croſſes.
ROme thy Croſſe-worſhip now is at a loſſe,
Not one of all thy Reliques of Chriſts Croſſe,
Or peeces of his veſtments did once kSee (x) before. See T. Beacons Reliques of Rome.touch
His body; for his Garments were no ſuch.
But grant theſe did, yet ſure not one of thy
Carv'd, painted Croſſes had this dignity,
Unleſſe thou ſay his Bodie's Nail'd to all
Thoſe Croſſes before which thou now doſt fall:
Thou muſt then make as many Chriſts or more,
As thou haſt Croſſes, or not one adore.
On the Papiſts ſuppoſed Looking-glaſſe of the Trinity, for their Saints to ſee Prayers in.
STrange newes! Romes God is now alSee Scotus, Durandus, and others Schoolmen in. 4. Sent. diſt. 25. Looking-glaſſe
(A brittle God) to which her Prayers paſſe
That Saints may there behold them; She doth feare
Her Saints are deafe, and cannot prayers heare;
Nor ſee at all unleſſe God turne a glaſſe,
God is no God; Saints deafe, or Rome an Aſſe:
Glaſſes Denſe bodies are, not ſpirits, Frayle;
God is no God, but Glaſſe, if Rome prevaile.
She hath no Glaſſe, if God; if Glaſſe, no God:
Thy Glaſſe I doubt is now become thy rod.
No Glaſſe, no prayer to Saints, their ſight is gone;
A Glaſſe, no God, but thy deafe Saints alone.
Prayers, were onelyonly m1 King. 8. 30. 34. 36. 39. 43. 45. Pſal. 4. 1. 3. Pſa 17. 1. 6. Pſ. 20. 1. 6. 7. Dan 9. 27. 18.heard, not ſeene of old,
Now ſeene, not heard by Saints, as we are told,
Saints can doe more than God;nPſal. 65. 2. Pſal. 84. 8. Joh. 11. 42. he doth but heare,
They ſee Romes Prayers, they ſure have loſt their eare,
Or elſe their Eares are all turn'd into Eye,
That they no Prayers now heare, but all eſpie.
Nothing is ſeene but what is coloured,
Corporall, painted, guilt or varniſhed:
Romes Oriſons are ſuch of late, therefore
Her Saints muſt onelyonly ſee, not heare them more:
But if they barely ſee them, and not beare,
They will not grant, nor anſwere them I feare;
Sith God, men never anſwere nor reply
But when they heare, as well as ſee Men cry;
Yet ſay they did, I doubt Romes painted prayre
Which muſt be ſeene, will vaniſh in the Ayre,
Before it can aſcended above the skie
Into this new Glaſſe of the Trinity:
See then they frenzie, pray no more to Saints,
They cannot heare, grant, nor yet ſee thy Plaints:
Sounds are the proper Objects of the eare,
You cannot ſee, ſmell, taſte, feele them, but heare
Them onelyonly; you may colours heare, as well
As ſee mens prayers; it is impoſſible
As all men know well by experience
For eyes to ſee the Objects of eares ſenſe.
Romes Looking-Glaſſe then is a meere fancie,
And Saints ſight of prayers in it, a groſſe Lye.
On Prayers in an unknowne Tongue.
PRay inoSee 1 Cor. 14. a tongue unknowne, to God? to Saints?
Neither, I doubt, will heare or know your plaints.
Its fit that thoſe who know not what they pray'd,
Should not be underſtood, or elſe gaine-ſayd.
On Romes Idoll and Idle Worſhip.
ROme thou haſt in thee Idoll and Latrie,
Conjoyne them, then, thou haſt Idolatrie:
Deny me Idols; Idle, and Latrie
Thou muſt yeeld; joyne them, here's Idel-Latrie:
Idoll, or Idle Worſhip, chuſe thee whether,
If neither like thee, take them both together.
On Tranſubſtantiation.
PArdon great Rome, I hope it is no Treaſon,
To call thy Tranſpanation voyd of Reaſon:
Its Non-ſenſe to the Eye, Hand, mouth which finde
The ſubſtance of the Bread ſtill left behinde:
It is Non-reaſon, yea, *1 Joh. 1. 2. 3. Joh. 20. 19. to 30. Luk. 21. 35 to 45. c. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 1. to 10.Non-ſcripture then,
Becauſe Non-ſenſe to all the Senſe in Men;
Sith nought is Reaſon, but what firſt is ſenſe,
Its voyd of Reaſon than, becauſe Non-ſenſe.
If ought be loſt in Tranſubſtantiation,
It is Romes Senſes onelyonly; and her Reaſon:
She cannot finde what all elſe feele, taſte, ſee,
And findes that there which is not cannot be.
If Senſe may erre, then (ſweet Rome) tell me why
Thy Vicars, Prieſts, all elſe by ſenſe doe …y?
They know the Bread, Wine, which before them are
Then to be hallowed, ſuch, and ſo declare
ForpSumma Angelica. Tit. Euchariſtia. 1. certaine by their ſenſe; yet preſently
When ſacred, 'gainſt ſenſe they it bread deny.
If ſenſe were certaine, at the firſt, to know
Them Bread and Wine; how doth it ſenſeleſſe grow
Within a Moment? ſure thy ſenſe is fled,
Elſe thou muſt judge them ſtil but Wine and Bread:
Thy meate thou tryeſt by ſenſe; thy ſilver, gold
By ſenſe are alwayes felt, weigh'd, try'd and told.
Thou ever ſel'ſt, but never takes backe Lead
For Gold: thy Senſe here erres not, nor is dead.
If then Rome tries all elſe ſo ſure by ſenſe,
She muſt, her Hoſt judge nought but bread from hence,
Since Chriſt himſelfe hath made theqJoh. 20. 18. 20. 25. to 30. c. 1. 14. 15. 31. 32. 33. c. 19. 35. Luc. 1. 1. 24. 35. to 45. Act. 1. 3. 4. 10. 11. c. 10. 40. 41. 1 Cor. 15. 1. to 9. 2 Pet. 1. 16. 17. 18. 1 Joh. 1. 1. 2. ſenſe onelyonly
The Proper judge of his humanity,
Birth, Miracles, Death, Reſurrection,
The truth whereof are prov'd by ſenſe alone.