MOst excellently, as he doth all other things, hath the holy Ghost by the mouth of S^t. Paul, numbred vp amongst the works of the flesh, contentions, emulations, anger, quarrels, discentions, andGal. 5. 20. sects; for I haue had too much triall in my selfe of the vnhappy fruit of this vnluckie tree; And now hauing receiued a potion of Diuine grace for my recouery, must vomit out that filthinesse, which before through the sicknesse of my minde, and corruption of my taste, I had greedily deuoured: which that I might the more safely and speedily performe, and correct my selfe in publicke before all the world, and condemne to the pit of hell my infinite errours sprung from the wicked intention of my first going into England; I haue taken that good counsell, first to leaue the Schoole of errours, lyes, and heresies: and then of mine owne free will to returne to the holy Romane Church, the one, and onely piller and excellent ground of Catho­licke truth, and the Mother of all Catholickes, from whom I had most wickedly departed. First, therefore I will prosecute this my correction, condemnation, and detestation of my errours, and afterwards I will declare the other causes why I left England, and all o­ther hereticall Countries whatsoeuer, and returned to the holy Catholick Romane Church.

2 It is the most auncient disease of our corrupt hu­mane nature descended from our first Father vnto all his posterity, that when we fall into any errour, or slide into any vice, we doe either finde out filthy ex­cuses [Page] (as the woman which thou gauest me to be my fellow Deu 3. 2. companion, gaue me of the tree, and I did eate) or else we defend our faults, and endeuour to couer them with a counterfait cloake of Iustice, and honesty: and I confesse that this was my case, for which I am very sorrie. The disease of my minde (in which before my departure from the Romane Church I languished) was, that contrary to the wholesome counsell of the wise man, I trusted too much to mine owne prudence, andPro. 3. 5. out of the confidence of my owne wit being no body, I would giue very rash iudgement in matters of faith, vnto which also was ioyned a certaine frenzie of anger. Not that, which some weake Schollers at my going out of England imputed vnto me, because I was de­nied vaine pretended dignities; but it proceeded alto­gether out of mine owne vnreasonable impatience, by taking in euill part to be made subiect to others of whom I did vndeseruedly complaine in my booke of the cause of my departing. These things draue me vp­on the quicke sands and shallowes; these cast me vp­on the Rockes; these sharpened my wit to inuent pe­stiferous cogitations; these made me vainely to pittie the errours of the Romane Church, thereby to excuse my departure from it; these made me to transcend all limits. And that I might seeme to haue done well in leauing the Church of Rome; and auoide by some meanes the brand of impudencie, rashnesse, and here­sie; in defence of my departure, I set forth first an ex­position of mine intent, and afterwards certaine vo­lumes, and little bookes, into which I thrust what the Art of counterfaiting, and dissimulation had inuented, and aduice of the flesh suggested. And so as long as the inward disease increased, and the spurres of anger pricked my exulcerated minde; the itching of my [Page] tongue and pen, brake forth into madnesse: and now my vnderstanding being darkened, many things which the Enemies of the Apostolicall sea (transported with heresie) did beleeue, affirme, and professe; seemed vn­to me credible and some-things also true, as long as I did not try the Doctrine in controuersie by the touch­stone of true Diuinity, nor perfectly discusse them: for at that time I had neither finished, nor yet begun some of the parts of the Ecclesiasticall Common-wealth, in which I had purposed to treat of the decrees, and rules of faith, howsoeuer in the booke of my intent of leauing the Romane Church, I affirmed that I had them all ready for the Presse; and being thus blinded, and relying rashly more vpon the false accusations of the heretickes, then vpon the truth of the Catholick faith; I wrote the little bookes of the intent of my depaerture, from the Romane Church, and the Rockes of Christian shipwracke, and a certaine Sermon stuffed with errours and heresie; and out of my then conceiued hatred, which for the most part I bare to the holy Romane Church, the Apostolicall sea, and the Pope; I affirmed these things, and many more to be true, which before I writ them, I knew to be false, and hereticall; and afterwards in some part corrected them, and with my whole heart detested them, euen when I writ them; and now also I abhorre and detest these little bookes, because they containe manifest heresies against Catho­licke truthes, and are repugnant to sound Doctrine; that is to say, to the Doctrine which the holy Catho­licke Romane Church doth, and hath alwayes main­tained; against which Doctrine whatsoeuer I haue spoken, or written, that I doe wholy condemne, and detest; and by the grace of God I will more amply, and largely condemne, and detest it, in the confutation of [Page] my bookes of the Ecclesiasticall Common-wealth, and of the other bookes, which I haue written: for I doe wholly submit my selfe, and all my bookes to the most holy iudgement, and censure of the holy Romane, and Apostolicke sea, the chiefe of all Churches whatso­euer.

3 In the meane space, it is necessary in this my se­cond and truly sound determination, to detest that in­tention of my vnhappy departing from the Romane Church, and the infamous Rockes, shipwracks chiefly to my selfe and heretiques, and not of Catholicks, and also that Sermon. Neither will I be ashamed by pul­ling off my garments, which I had forged to my selfe, to lay open my nakednesse, because I haue not beene ashamed against all right and honesty, to breake forth into vaine lyes, manifest slaunders, and silthy heresies. The stinging and venome of the Scorpion is cured by the bruising of the same Scorpion which pricked: and if the voluntary contrition, and bruising of my selfe,Diascor. lib. cap. 44. may heale the venomous wounds of others (if any be wounded by me) I will esteeme this my bruising, hu­miliation, and mortification most happy. Let the glo­ry of the Catholicke Church, and of the Apostolicall sea, remaine vnmoueable, although it be with the losse of whatsoeuer I haue in this life, seeing I haue sought to diminish it: for at last, that losse must needs before God be glorious to me also: Wherefore I doe first confesse, and truly and sincerely out of my owne conscience, doe giue testimony, that I did not write the intent of my departing from the Romane Church, and the Rockes and the Sermon out of sincerity of heart, or out of a good conscience, or faith not fained: but that I might couer with some excuse my shamefull depar­ture, and be more gratefull and acceptable to hereticks, [Page] to whom (wretch that I was) I ranne in hast, and with whom I familiarly conuersed. The ten yeares labour which in the booke of the intent of my departing I boa­sted of, were not spent in mature deliberations, graue and aduised Counsels, or other discreete discussions of the truth: but contrariwise mispent, in vaine, vnprofi­table, and malicious purposes, and preparations, how I might boldly vent and put in practise my hereticall lyes and inuentions, thereby to satisfie my malitious anger: insomuch, as my vocation to doe it, was not a Diuine vocation, but a deuillish suggestion, stirred vp in me not by the holy Ghost, but by a wicked spirit, a spirit of giddines worse then was that of Saules. And I do not doubt to attribute my returne back againe, to a true Diuine vocation; the holy Ghost calling me to returne vnto my Mother, the Catholicke Romane Church.

4 I said that the manners of the Court of Rome, did cause mee alwayes to abhorre it. This I acknow­ledge to haue bin wickedly spoken, for neither then, nor yet is wanting in Rome very many notable exam­ples of piety, and all Christian vertues, which may both delight, and incite religious mindes to further deuotion. I said that by forbidding the reading of bookes written against the Doctrine of Rome, there a­rise some euill suspitions, which gaue credit to the wri­ting of hereticks, and made men beleeue that there is some thing in them secretly, which Catholicks are not able to answere. This I confesse to haue beene iniuri­ously spoken of me against the Catholicke faith, who found in the bookes of hereticks, false, hereticall, scan­dalous, and pestiferous Doctrine; from the reading whereof the faithfull are to be kept, least it infect their soules. Neither is it a thing befitting priuate men to [Page] read such bookes, but the iudgement in matters of such alwayes did, and now doth belong vnto the Shepheards, who finding venomous Pastures, should remoue their sheepe as farre from them as they can: Moreouer, the arguments of hereticks are deceitfull, Sophisticall, and easie to be answered. I said that the Doctrine of those who opposed themselues against the Romane Church, did either nothing, or little differ from the Doctrine of the auncient Church: and this is false: for the opinions wherein they differ from Catholicks, are wholly differing from the Doctrine of the auncient Church; and nothing can more connince them, then the authority of the auncient Church, from which they by their nouelties haue so farre departed, that worthi­ly for this respect they are condemned for hereticks, by the Church of Rome. It is therefore detestable, and I detest that which I said, that their Doctrines were therefore condemned onely by the Church of Rome, because these things they said, were repugnant vnto the sensuality, and corrupt manners of the Court of Rome. I said also, that at Rome they coyned new ar­ticles of faith by maine force. And this I said truly a­gainst my conscience, for I neuer obserued it at any time, and I certainely know, that it cannot be obser­ued by any man. For the declarations and explications made by holy Church touching articles and mysteries of faith (collected out of Diuine Scriptures, and tradi­tions of the Fathers, and out of the very rules of faith) cannot any wayes be termed new coyning of articles. Moreouer, I endeauoured to take away the title of Catholicke and vntuersall, from the Church of Rome, in which I erred very much; for by the Catholicke Ro­mane Church, is vnderstood not onely that speciall and perticular Church which is at Rome, but also the whole [Page] multitude and company of all the Churches adhearing vnto the Church of Rome in the vnity of faith, and in obedience to the Pope in what place soeuer they be, yea in the vtmost confines of the earth. And it is most true, and was approued by me both by word of mouth (as England it selfe may witnesse) and by writing (in my Treatises of the Ecclesiasticall Common-wealth, in that part which I heare is lately set forth in Germany) that no Church is Catholicke but the Romane, and such as are vnited vnto her. For all other congregations of Christians being stayned with heresies, and deuided and seperated by Schisme from the Romane Church are, and be excluded from the Catholicke, vniuersall and true Church of Christ: and being as it were blin­ded, together with their blinde Guides doe rush, and runne headlong into the bottomlesse pit of perdition, which I wickedly affirmed of the Romanes to their great wrong: For from the Church of Rome at all times, a most glorious light of pure and incorrupted faith came forth, and doth at this present lighten all other Churches of Christ whatsoeuer. But I remem­ber that in the preface of the bookes of the Christian Common-wealth, among other things I vsed some words, in which I seeme to put and place in the Ca­tholicke Church, all them who haue receiued Bap­tisme in the name of the Blessed Trinity, and in so say­ing, althought the words sound euill, and make the he­reticall Churches true and sound members of the true Catholicke Church, which is most false and hereticall; yet my meaning was, vtterly to exclude the Arrian, Nestorian, and Eutichian heresies, and all hereticall Churches condemned in former times, and to retaine them onely that were Orthodoxall: But herein I was deceiued in that I esteemed, that there were many [Page] more Orthodoxall Churches then are, for I erroniously beleeued, that many Churches which are infected with the heresies of these later Times, and deuided by Schisme, did appertaine vnto the Catholicke Church, which although it be called Catholicke, for that it is vniuersall; yet vniuersality doth not comprehend any but those that be Orthodoxall, and true beleeuing, and dilated ouer all the world, and continuing in the Catholicke vnity with the Romane. For the vniuersa­lity of the Romane Church, consisteth not onely in the perpetuall, and neuer interrupted or to be interrupted continuance and firmenesse of faith, but is also vniuer­sall; because her Identicall, or selfe same faith and so­ueraigne gouernement, hath beene dilated and spread ouer all places, and into Nations after the comming of Christ; for which respect euen in these later times and ages, it is to be called Catholicke, no lesse then it was in the times of the auncient Fathers; seeing that the faith of the Romane Church is dilated in these our times into the farthest, and most vast or remote Regi­ons of the East, and West, and euen to the vttermost confines of the earth. So that her children trauelling too and fro, from the rising of the Sunne vnto the set­ting thereof, professing the faith of Christ, and offe­ring cleane sacrifices, doe especially at this time fulfill, that which our Lord spake by the mouth of Malachie, saying, chap. 1. ver. 11. From the rising of the Sunne vn­to the goinng downe thereof, great is my name amongst the Gentiles, and in euery place it is sanctified, and a pure oblation is offered vnto my name. Neither was it a lesse iniury and slaunder, when I said, that I clearly saw innumerable nouelties & errors in the Court of Rome, which nouelties & errors I doe neither see, nor yet did euer see: and I acknowledge and confesse that it was [Page] most false, that at Rome there was then, or now are any errours, by which any destruction of soules may follow, or the peace of the Church be disturbed, or publique scandalls committed: For in truth all the peace & all the tranquility of the Catholique Church, and the eternall saluation of Soules, after God is to be attributed to the care and trauell of the Church of Rome. I said that the mightier Bishops vnder the Pope were Bishops onely in name, and this saying con­taineth in it both falshood and wrong, and therefore I doe condemne it, as euill spoken, for they be true and lawfull Bishops, made by lawfull ordination. I said that the others who were not great men and Prin­ces in temporall things, had lost the proper dignity, and power of Bishops; and this truly is a slaunder, for the Hierarchicall subordination, was alwayes necessa­rie in the Church: much more I condemne as an here­sie those words where I said, that vnder the Pope was no more a true Church; for as I said and seriously af­firmed before, onely the Church of Rome with her ad­herents, is the true Church of Christ; and the others are not Churches. And in fewe words, to comprehend much, I perceiued that in my former intention I chiefly indeauoured to weaken the supremacie of the Pope, and in so doing, I confesse that I haue spoken against the faith of the whole Catholique Church, and haue er­red greeuously. For it is euident both by the very in­stitution in the Gospell, and by the Apostolicke tradi­tion, and the dcfinitions of holy Synods, and generall Councels, and very many decrees of the Pope, and al­so the common testimony of the Fathers and Ecclesia­sticall Histories, that the Bishop of Rome was institu­ted chiefe head of the whole Church immediatly by Christ our Lord as a singular Oracle, vnto whom both [Page] the East and West Churches in all doubts of Faith, should haue recourse for instructions, definitions, and other sound doctrine in matters of Faith, as vnto a Ma­ster giuen them from heauen, who by his office should teach the Church. And any one that is but meanly read, may easily finde out very many examples, where the Popes of Rome established, remooued, corrected, taught, condemned, absolued, deposed, restored, and reprehended, according to ther office, euen the Patri­archs and Prymats of the East; And thus reprehended, they humbly heard, and simply obayed the Popes without resistance, or repugnance. And to be short, it is manifest by the confession of the whole Church, that all the spirit of Christ (for so much as doth belong vnto the decision of matters of faith) doth rest vpon one Supreame visible head of the Church, which is onely the Pope and chiefe Bishop, S^t. Peters successour.

5 I doe ingenuously confesse, that the booke which I called The Rockes of Christian shipwracke, did much displease me, presently after it was set forth; for I wrote it in hast without either study, or examining what I did. The intent which I had in writing of it, was onely to flatter & allure the English by all meanes possible to conceiue a good opinion of me at my first comming, and so I had no regard whither that I writ and printed were true or no: But my desire was to say that which might please the Enemies of the Catholicke Church, and especially the ignorant common people. And when the doctrine contained in this little booke, was by the King and some of the Nobility objected a­gainst me (at my preparing to depart from England) I did euen then in expresse words detest it; and after­wards prepared my selfe with all my force to resist the greater part of the heresies which were in it: All which [Page] heresies I doe now againe reject, detest, and abhorre; and they are these: That the Pope of Rome is not the Vicar of Christ vpon earth, nor visible head of the whole visible Church of Christ; That hee hath no power in temporall thinges; That an implicit faith profiteth nothing, but much hurteth the faithfull: That the Excommunications of the Law are vaine threats: That the precepts of the Church binde not vpon paine of mortall sinne: That the vnity of the Church is not to be sought for from one onely visible head: That the Pope is a deadly Enemy of vni­uersall Church: That the Masse is not a true sacrifice: That the Ceremonies of the Masse are Apish toyes: That there is no Transubstantiation: That Auricular confession with absolution is not a true Sacrament: That there is no Purgatory: That Satisfaction after the fault forgiuen, is not necessary for the remission of the punishment: That there be no Indulgences but of things enjoyned for penance. That Saints are not to be prayed vnto: That the worship of Images and Re­liques are not lawfull: That there is no merrit of eter­nall life by workes. These and the like errours and ma­nifest heresies, not so much mine, or newly inuented by me, as by the olde and new hereticks, whose fancies and madnesse haue beene from time to time by the Church in generall Counsels condemned: for they are miserable Rockes, vnto which if any approach, they are assured to suffer a lamentable shipwracke of faith and eternall saluation: And therefore I departed from them as farre as I might, and least I should be vtterly de­stroyed by them in England, it was necessary for me to depart from thence, and to returne to the Church of Rome the true port of Catholickes, with the which Church I reject, detest, and accurse all the afore said [Page] errours, and all others opinions whatsoeuer (if there be any more in those bookes) which doe not agree with the faith expressed in the Church of Rome, and in the sacred Counsels, especially in the Counsell of Trent: and I doe constantly affirme and embrace the contrary verities, viz. That the Pope is by the institution of Christ his Vicar vpon earth, and the visible head of the whole militant Church (which hath alwayes beene visible) with full power receiued from God; to rule and gouerne her: That he hath also indirect power in tem­porall matters, for the better aduancement of spiritual. That an implicit faith is profitable, and many times ne­cessary, viz. when the explicit faith of some articles is not required vnder penalty: That the excommunica­tions according to the Law, or de facto pronounced, are of force, and ought to be feared, as brought into the Church with great reason, and by lawfull authori­ty: that the Pope may excommunicate the faithfull wheresoeuer they are: That the precepts of the Church binde vnder paine of mortall sinne: That the vnity of the Church dependeth chiefely of one onely visible head of the same Church: That the Pope is the true and lawfull Pastor of the whole Church, and accor­ding vnto his obligation is zealous of the good of Christs flocke, by daily thirsting after, and most care­fully procuring their eternall saluation: That in the Masse is offered, a true, proper, and propitiatory sa­crifice vnto God: That the ceremonies of the Masse instituted by the holy Fathers, and Pastors of the Church (by the inspiration of the holy Ghost) are ho­ly, mysticall, profitable, and ought to be obserued and kept: That in the Sacrament of the Alter, there is tran­snbstantiation, that is to say, a conuersion of all the sub­stance of bread into the body, and of wine into the [Page] blood of our Lord Iesus Christ: That in the sacramen­tall absolution which the Priest vseth in absoluting from sins, is exercised the true and proper power of binding, & loosing sins, which our Lord hath deliuered or giuen to the Ministers of his Sacraments in the Church: That there is a Purgatory after that manner and sort which the holy Romane and Apostolicke Church doth affirme it to be: That satisfaction is of great power, after the fault remitted for the remission of the punishment also: That the vse of Indulgences in the Catholicke Church (vnto whom Christ hath giuen authority to bestowe them) is very auncient, very profitable, and approued by the authority of holy Councels: That we may not onely lawfully pray vnto Saints, but also that it is a good and profitable thing to flye for helpe vnto their prayers, and ayde: That the worship of Images and Reliques, is good, lawfull, and profitable, and cannot be rejected without the blot of heresie: That the mer­rit of eternall life dependeth vpon good workes; Also I often times loathed and despised the later generall Councels (which be of high authority in the Church) especially the Councels of Florence and Trent, and sometimes that of Constance. And by my meanes it came to passe, that a certaine History of the Councell of Trent was published, whereof I could haue no cer­taine knowledge, for that it was iustly suspected of forgerie; and in these things also I confesse that I haue maliciously erred, and now affirme that all the most wholsome decrees of these Councels are worthy of credit, and ought to be embraced.

6 In a certaine Sermon of mine on the first Sonday of Aduent, made at London in the Italian tongue, and printed, I published almost the same errours, which I repeated after in the booke of the Rockes, all which I [Page] doe now deepely detest. In that Sermon I faigned a certaine darke night of Popish errours, and of the Church of Rome, when in very deede in the onely Church of Rome, and in the Churches connexed vnto her, is a true and cleare Sunne-shining day, and out of her (especially in England) there is a perpetuall night, and most obscure darknesse. The light of truth, and the true and right vnderstanding of the Scriptures, which is in the Church of Rome, driueth farre from her the mistes of all these errours, wherewith wretched England being ouer-clowded, walketh, as a blinde man groping for the wall at mid-day. I said in the same Sermon, and I repeated the same in the little booke of the Rockes, that Peter was neuer at Rome, yet notwithstanding I know that this is a grosse and an ig­norantlye, and therefore I doe ingenuously confesse, that it ought to be rejected of all men. I made the Apostles equall in founding and ruling the Church; when yet euen out of the very Gospels, and Aposto­licall tradition, the Supremacie of Peter (aboue them) is apparant. I said that the Bishops succeeded the A­postles with equall power, and that they were Bishops of the vniuersall Church in grosse, when as they are but Pastors of perticular Churches, in their sole particular cares or charges: the generall Primacie belonging vnto him who succeeded Peter, which is the Pope. I said that holy water, graynes, crosses, holy Images, the Popes or Bishops benediction, Stations, habites, girdles, belts, the visitations of Churches Altars, Beades, Processions, and the like, were meere toyes; when yet it is certaine, that the vse of almost all these things is well approued, and very auncient in the Ca­tholique Church, and ought to be preserued together with the vse of other things of later times added, as [Page] prouokements to piety aad deuotion. I affirmed that there were onely two Sacraments, Baptisme and the Supper, when yet the Catholicke Church illuminated by the holy Ghost plainely teacheth and defineth, that there are seuen true Sacraments: All which, and what­soeuer other heresies condemned by the Catholicke Romane Church, I also condemne, and the things con­trary to them being defined by the same, I also with a firme faith beleeue, holde, and professe. For most cer­taine it is, that in the decrees of the holy Romane Church, reason is not seperated from authority, and that the Doctrine of the Schoolemen is altogether con­sonant vnto the sence of the holy Fathers, especially in articles of faith. I also confesse that I did vndeseruedly in these little Pamphlets complaine of the Court of Rome, as if she had vsurped other mens rights; for ex­cept she preserue by her lawfull authority ouer them, the Bishops, and Archbishops in their duties, there would presently follow a generall violation of her lawes by them: And the Church is then very happy, when all her perticular Pastors vnder the most vigilant and highest Pastor, doe readily receiue and execute both reformation in manners, and the custody of sound and sincere Doctrine, from him who hath the soue­raigne authority. And verily, except the benigne and paternall care of the holy Inquisition, had watched se­riously ouer our Lords flocke, the scabbed cattell should not receiue any cure, but the filthy Canker would daily encrease. The ordinary Armour of that Tribunall, is found Doctrine, and charitable instructi­ons, and not those instruments which (out of a minde corrupted with malice) in my Pamphlets I haue ex­agerated by lyes and slaunders, and yet sometimes when rotten vlcers cannot be cured with gentle medi­cines, [Page] it is both fit and necessary that the Physitians should vse more forceable remedies.

7 But when the inward burning of the infirmities of my minde was alayed almost by a miracle about the beginning of the Popedome of the most holy Gregory the 15. (whose rare piety, singular prudence, and con­tinuall holinesse of life was such, as that I doe not doubt but that it was cause of his aduancement to that high dignity) the holy Ghost illuminating me with a cer­taine diuine light, my minde began to thinke vpon wholsome courses, And then the dangers into which I had cast my soule, began also euery day more clearely to muster themselues in troupes before me, and I did wonder how I had fallen into so great madnesse and er­rour, as to ioyne my selfe vnto them who were here­ticks, and absolute and manifest Schismaticks. In olde time so great was the crast of a fewe Arians in the Councell of Arminium, that by a cunning sleight they almost drew all the Catholicks to seeme Arians: And then saith our S^t. Hierome against the Luciferians) all the world lamented, and wondred how it became in­fected with Aranisme: But (with griefe I speake it) so it happened vnto me, and much worse; and I would wonder and mourne to see my selfe an heretick among hereticks, and a Schismatick with Schismaticks. But heerein let not the English complaine that I wrong them: but rather let them plainely know, that I haue done well, and as I ought to doe, in departing from them, and returning vnto my mother the holy woman-Church. And as for the laying open of their here­sie and Schisme, I am compelled to doe it, for that it is not fit for mee to be poysoned any longer there­with.

8 Concerning Religion, there are in England sundry [Page] Sects: There are Puritanes that is the rigid Caluinists; There are some milder, who call themselues onely Pro­testants, and reformed: There are Anabaptists who are also deuided into diuers Sects: There wanteth not Arians, nor Photinians, and such a like mish-mash of wicked people, who though they be not permitted to professe their errours publiquely, yet are they not cast forth of their Church nor punished, but tollerated whilest they publish their poyson. Moreouer, that the Anabaptists swarme with heresies, none but the Anna­baptist himselfe will denie it, yet they haue their free meetings in England, and the Kings Matestie one day tolde me, that lately at London a woman did in an as­sembly of Anabaptists both make a publicke Sermon, and also administer their supposed Sacraments. The heresies of the Puritanes are well knowne, which are these: That there is no free will: That God is the Au­thor of sinne: That God for his pleafure condemneth many without cause: That Christ did not dye for all men: That Christ did sustaine the paines of the dam­ned: That Infants dying after Baptisme, may be dam­ned, &c. The milder Protestants, although they en­deauour by all meanes to free themselues (for as much as concerneth their opinions) from heresie, for that they seeme neither wholly to follow Luther nor Cal­uine: but the pure Doctrine of the English Church which they call reformed; yet can they not be free from the heresie both of the Puritanes, and Anabaptists; for that they communicate with them without scruple; and if any Puritane or Anabaptist come to their Eccle­siasticall assemblies, they neither auoyde, nor exclude him. And the Puritane Ministers (who are almost all wholly infected with all heresies, or at least with the heresies of Caluine) doe administer the very Sacra­ments [Page] of this false English Church. And if that Acatius of Constantinople, because he communicated with Pe­trus Moggus an hereticke of Alexandria, if all the East because it persisted in the communion of Acatius, was seperated by a long enduring curse from the West, how much more are all the English Protestants to be accounted hereticks, for that they doe commu­nicate continually with hereticks, and doe neither con­demne them, nor seperate themselues from them, but admit them euen when they communicate with them in diuine things? Doth not the deformed English Church publickly and openly professe a communion and Ecclesiasticall league with Geneua the mother of the Puritanes, and other outlandish Sects infected with Caluinian poyson? In the Royall Citie of London by publicke leaue of the King, are not the Churches of the French, Dutch, and Italian Caluinists open, and esteemed most louing Sisters of the English Syna­gogue, although they detest the English doctrine, pro­fession, and rites, and be the chiefest fauourers, and promoters of Puritanisme in England: And also the English Synagogue as much (as in her lyeth) is most ready to communicate with the Lutherans, being pol­luted with the filthy dregges of many heresies, and earnestly laboureth that these Monsters may growe vp together with her into one Hydra, that there may be made an vnion of all the reformed Churches as they call them; and yet haue no care, nor take any paynes to purge their faith, and doctrine, and pull vp their he­resies; although the Lutherans hate the Sacramentaries worse then the dogge doth the Snake. Of the other English heresies about Faith, and Workes, and Iustifi­cation, about the blessed Sacrament, and priuate Mas­ses, about Merits, and inuocation of Saints, the vene­ration [Page] of holy Images, holy Ceremonies, the soules of the departed, and the like, which these hereticks con­demne in their hereticall spirit, and which I also in their companies with the same spirit of heresie in for­mer time haue in some part condemned, it is not now my intent to speake much, by and by I will giue them a touch according to the nature of this place: at some other time I will speake more largely of them, now I come to speake of their Schisme.

I haue no doubt at all, but that the English Sect, which the stayned English call the reformed Church, is much more deuided and seperated from the true Ca­tholicke Church: then Brittany it selfe is deuided from the rest of the world. They themselues will willingly confesse, and it is a thing of it selfe most manifest, that they are wholy deuided & seperated from the Church of Rome, and from all the Churches which are subiect vnto her, and liue in community with her. And seeing that the Romane Church with those which adheare vn­to her, is according to Catholicke faith, truly and pro­perly the Catholicke Church of Christ: Doth it not then necessarily follow, that the English congregation which they call a Church, is altogether seperated from the true Catholicke Church? and consequently neither to be the body of Christ, nor the house of God, nor ab­solutely a Church? which thing as soone as I plainely vnderstood, I could not stay any longer in it. But they will say it appeareth now vnto thee so: who yet in thy bookes of Ecclesiasticall Common-wealth hast called Rome Babylon, who hast denied that there was any Church in Rome, and also hast taught vs that it was properly a Schismaticall Church: But that which thou fayest of our Church is not manifest vnto vs: Where­fore I will endeauour that it may be also manifest vnto [Page] the English. They know very well that I am not Py­thagoras, whose onely authority amongst his Schollers was accepted for proofe, wherefore they should not haue beene moued at these things I spake, seeing they were but have astertions, and for this cause my words euen yet are vaine; for when I bring forth the proofes and examples they are without force and ground. The reason whereupon sgrounded my position of Rome to be Babtlon was, because the Prophesie in the 18. of the Apocalips could not be interpreted of Rome, be­fore it receiued the Christian faith, and whilst it was the habitation of the Gentiles: But this reason is of no force; for suppose that it were true, yet it doth not follow that Rome being now Christian should be that Babtlon spoken of in the Apocalips; for it is the opi­non of many Catholicke Interpreters, that in the per­secution of Antichrist, the Ethnick Idolaters, and the Enemies of the Christian name shall (perhaps) subdue it, and of such that prophesie (not yet fulfilled) may be fitly verified, yet in such sort, as the faith of the Catholicke Church may continue safe and found: Whereby now you see that my applying it to Chri­stian Rome, is but a meere calumniation; for I know that Christian Rome is not Babylon, neither can it be so called without great iniurie, and God forbid that by this Prohesie, we should vnderstand the same Romane Church, which is the Mother, and the head of all, ei­ther to haue beene, or hereafter to become Babylon; for those things which are spoken of the Citie, are not to be transferred vnto the Church. I denied that there is a Church at Rome, but I did not proue it; therefore that negation must be layed vp amongst my euill spee­ches, reproaches, and heresies, and conuincing my selfe within my selfe being ouercome by reason euen in [Page] the same Treatises, I constantly affirmed, that the Ro­mane Church with her adherents was the only Church of Christ, and now I doe most earnestly professe and affirme it. I said it made a Schisme, when I had not yet exact consideration what a Schisme was; and in this I erred grosly, this being a manifest falsehood, and the proofe which I brought in confirmation is of no force: For he who is lawfully appointed head of a Bo­dy, and calleth and publisheth himselfe for head of the same body, doth not seperate himselfe from the body, neither casteth away the body from him, but ioyneth himselfe vnto the body, which hath no coherence with a Schisme: yet I will handle this matter more at large in the correction of that worke. Now I proceede to declare how it is euident to me, that the English Secta­ries, and much more all the other Sectaries of our age, are truly and properly Schismaticks, because they haue seperated themselues without any lawfull cause from the true Church of Christ, which is the Catholick Ro­mane Church, and her adherents.

10 There can be onely two causes of a lawfull sepa­ration, why one, or more Churches of Christ (and yet not commit Schisme) should abandon one or more o­ther Churches from their communion: The one is he­resie, and the other is Schisme it selfe. This is well knowne vnto all the faithfull, that the hereticall Chur­ches which are incorrigible, are to be auoyded by Ca­tholickes, and that with such, they ought not to haue any Ecclesiasticall communion. I enquired often times of the English, why they seperated themselues frō the church of Rome & her adherents, whither for any here­sie? And truly not none of them could either by words or writing, shew me that the Romane Catholicks either of our time, or in the time of our auncestors in their [Page] generall publi ke profession were at any time stayned with any heresie. The Kings Maiestie himselfe of great Eritanie, granted to me publickly, and plainely, and so did the wiser sort of their Ministers of all sorts, and not a fewe of their learned men, that the Church of Rome did not erre in fundamentall poynts of Faith; where­fore the Church of Rome is not hereticall, if we will take but that which they graunt. Perhaps they will say the Church of Rome doth not erre in fundamentall poynts of faith (which thing I also seemed to teach, especially in the causes of my departing, and in the Sermon I preached at London) yet they erre, and are fallen into heresie in other articles of faith, which be not fundamentall: But first, I know not what article it may be of true faith, which is not fundamentall; for neither could I vnderstand, nor they explicate vnto me, how there may be such a distinction made or ad­mitted, that some be fundamentall and some not: I haue alwayes thought, that all and the sole articles which are truly articles of faith were fundamentall, yet I errred when I excluded many true articles from the fundamentall; which being true, were also fundamen­tall articles, and without heresie, could not be denied: although they be not of those principall articles of the Trinity, incarnation, necessity of grace, Baptisme in the name of the Trinity, &c. such as are the Sacraments, iustification, necessity of workes, merrits, indulgences, and the rest, which I haue before rehearsed, as already limitted in the Church, because those things relye no lesse vpon the reuelation of God then the former, and for that cause appertaine no lesse vnto faith then those. For he that thinketh God to be a deceiuer in any one article whatsoeuer it be must of necessity also acknow­ledge him to be a deceiuer in all the rest. Then I en­quired [Page] often times of them who dealt seriously in the businesse, to shew some article of faith, in which the Church of Rome thought, & taught erroniously. They vse to bring the article of Transubstantion of the bread into the body of Christ, frō which they gather (as they think) some heresies, viz. That Christ hath not a true body, but a phantasticall, if that in the least crum of the bread we put that whole body, so that a body should not be a body. Item, that Christ is not in heauen, if he be vpō the Altar on earth, which is contrary to the article of the ascension of our Lord. Itē, that Christ is not borne of the virgin Mary, if that we do make him of bread. In these men it is most true, that which S^t. Hierome saith vpon the Epistle vnto Titus, cap. 3. There is no Schisme that doth not inuent some heresie vnto it selfe, that it may seeme to haue departed frō the Church vpon a iust cause. But transubstantiation which the Catholicks professe, is very far distant frō those heresies; for all the properties of a body in thēselues are safe, although they be put in a crum of bread; but the same proprieties in order vnto the place which is externall to the body, be seperable from it by the diuine omnipotencie, which our School­men explicate sufficiently. But what heresie can they find in vs, if we all doe constantly confesse, that we be­leeue as an article of faith that Christ had, & hath a true body, with all his naturall proprieties in himself, which we beleeue, & confesse, may be kept by the same om­nipotencie euen whē the body is brought into the least externall place: neither can any impugne this Theologi­cally; and humane Philosophy neither can, nor ought to measure the diuine power. Let naturall Philosophy iudge what may be done by nature; but let her reue­rence, and not iudge those things that be aboue nature. Neither doth it follow that the body of Christ is not in heauen if it be vpon the Altar, we all confesse that we [Page] beleeue by a diuine faith, that Christ ascended into heauen, and there sitteth continually at the right hand of the Father: But yet we say, that by dinine power, one and the same body may be in sundry places at one time, at least sacramentally: neither can that be im­pugned but out of humane philosophie, and apparent­ly only. And to conclude, we doe not say that bread is made a body which was not before, but we say that the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ, which body was before the consecration of the bread: so likewise the body of Christ borne of the Virgin Mary was before this transubstantiation, and by con­lecration the Bread is transubstantiated into it. Truly they deuise out of their owne heads, these heresies something grossely; for he is an hereticke who main­taineth heresie directly; But if they aske of vs what we thinke of the verity of the body of Christ, of his ascention; of his Incarnation; they shall receiue from vs a true beliefe in all these things; although we af­firme some things whereon they thinke errours may follow, which we truly denie, and they will ne­uer be able to proue Theologically the contrary. Wherefore as for heresie, they cannot make, or alleage any pretext from hence, why they haue iustly and rightfully seperated themselues from our Church.

11. The milder sort of English Protestants, who are not infected with Puritanisme, doe not much charge the Roman Church with heresie; and yet there­by they doe not free themselues from the crime of Schisme, but they talke much of Idolatrie, and the pressing of new articles of faith vpon them, wherein they contend that the Roman Church and her adhe­rents (that is to say, the very Catholicke Church) hath reuolted from the true faith; And by this they doe [Page] principally defend the equitie of their seperation. They esteeme that it is manifest Idolatry to worship, and pray vnto Saints, and to reuerence Reliques, and Images, but most of all to adore the blessed Sacra­ment; They say likewise there is a secret Idolatry in the confidence we put in the salt, water, and oyle, and other things exercised, and blessed. They com­plaine that the Catholicks thrust vpon them new arti­cles in so many definitions made in the councell of Trent about Iustification, workes, merits, purgatory, Indulgences, &c. But these are vaine words: if wee Catholicks were truly Idolaters, we should not only be hereticks, but much worse also then many here­ticks; and then we were worthily to be auoyded, and to be cast out from the socyetie of all faithfull people, But I maruell how he that is well in his wits can im­pute Idolatry vnto them, who daily professe them­selues to beleeue in one God, and are ready to shed their blood for this foundation of faith, who continu­ally preach that Gods worship is not to be giuen to any pure ereature? So this is but a vaine Calumniati­on. If for the inuocation of Saints, the worship of Images, the adoring of the blessed Sacrament, they suspect vs to become guilty of Idolatry, let them but seeke, search, and know what we thinke of the vnity of the true God, and what of the not giuing diuine ho­nour vnto creatures, and then they shall easily finde themselues to be notorious fooles, who thinke that we be Idolaters, that is adorers of creatures with diuine worship, neither should they breake out into schisme vntill they first finde in vs true Idolatry.

12. None of vs at any time said, that holy men al­ready dead, or Angels were to be worshipped with diuine worship, we are not yet become such, fooles. [Page] Vigilantius obiected this against the Catholicks in old time but slanderously, as S. Hierome writing against him doth declare. As in other things, so in this wee haue approued masters (viz.) the old Fathers: we doe not dissent, we donot depart, we do not disagree from them; we willingly embrace, and diligently put in practise whatsoeuer wholsome catholick precepts the Fathers haue left conferning the Saints, as Origen. lib. 8. contra Celsum. Epiphanias, heres. 79. Augustm epist. 44. Et lib. de quantitate auimae, ca. 34. Et lib. de vera relig. ca. 55. Et contra faustum lib. 20. ca. 21. C [...]rit [...] Alex. lib. 6. contra Iulian. Theodoret in hist. Sanctorum Patrum ca. 24. whose words I cice not at large, be­cause this little booke doth not beare it. From whence therefore haue these blinde masters receiued new eies, seeing that long before they were; the holy Catholike Church was perfectly adorned with most bright and glorious lights.

13 Vnto the honour of Saints belong the Feasts which are celebrated in memory of them, praising God, and giuing him thankes that he hath preferted mortall men to that high degree of Sanctitie: neither is it a new thing in the Catholicke Church to celebrate festiuall daies yeerely in the honour of Saints. It is an ancient thing which may worthily be referred vnto an Apostolike tradition, besides the Lords day to cele­brate the birth-dayes of the Saints with festiuall so­lemnities; for I see it is approued by the ancient cu­stome of the Catholicke Church: I finde Cyprian lib. 3. cpist. 6. to haue vsed diligence, that the dayes on which the Martyrs lost their liues for the faith should be care­fully set downe, that on such dayes (saith he) we may make oblations, and sacrifices for their commemora­tions. S. Iohanes Chrysostome, serm. in Martyrem Pe­lagiam. [Page] and S. August. psalm 88. part 2. in the end doe exhort the people to celebrate deuoutly the solemni­ties of the Saints: wherefore I cannot but much won­der at the new scruples of the Protestants, who will seeme to know more then is true, whilest they esteeme that the feasts of all the Saints, and also of the blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, and of the Apostles, and most famous Martyrs ought to be abrogated, al­though in England they haue left somewhat in this kinde, yet very little.

14 They say it is all one to pray vnto Saints that be dead, and to haue many Gods, and that the inuocati­on of Saints, and worshipping of Images doth not dif­fer from the customes of the heathen, for which cause they hate vs very much. But it were easie for vs if this place would beare a longer disputation (about the in­uocation of Saints) to refell all the slaunders of these hereticks, for first they are compelled, if they will giue credit vnto the holy Scriptures to grant, that the soules of the Saints doe make intercession vnto God for vs mortall men euen in particular: and it is very well knowne that the faithfull in this life, doe finde helpe before God by the prayers of the just men here vpon earth: for Moyses many times auerted the anger of God from the people of Israel, and God perswadeth the friends of Iob ca. 42. 18. to procure Iob to pray for them, that they might obtaine remission of their folly. Paul many times commendeth himselfe to the prayers of the faithfull Ephes. 6. 19. Colos. 4. 3. 1 Thess. 5. 23. 2 Thess. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 18. &c. and they may learne if they will, that the Saints deceased whose soules liue before God, and raigne with Christ make intercession for the liuing of the millitant Church, Hierom. 15. 1. Ezechiol 14. 14. Apoc. 5. 8. and 8. 3. And it is likewise [Page] recorded in holy Scriptures that God doth grant many things in lauour of his Saints deceased, Gen. 26. 45. 24. Exod. 32. 13. 3. Reg. 18. 36. 1. Paral. 29. 18. 3 Reg. 11. 12. 32. 34. 15. 4. and 4. Reg. 8. 19. & 19. 34. & 20. 6. and Isa. 37. 35. Looke vpon the Comentaries which are called Chrisostomes hom. 2. psalm. 50. Christ admonisheth vs to make friends of the Mammon of iniquitie, Luc. 16. 9. That when you shall fasle, they may receiue you into the eternall tabernacles, and by vertue of this place S. Augustine de cuutate dei lib. 21. ca. 27. doth attribute much vnto the intercession of Saints.

15 This intercession of Saints the Fathers acknow­ledge, admit, and confirme: and of Angels, the Lad­der of Iacob is knowne. Gen. 28. 12. other mysteries of Angels are knowne, Heb. 1. 14. See Origen against Celsus lib. 8. of the Angels attending on vs, and Au­gustine cpist. 122. and of the Angell-keeper the Scrip­tures speake very plainly, Gen. 48. 16. Exod. 23. 20. Psal. 33. 8. Math. 18. 10. Act. 12. 15. and the Fa­thers most manifestly, Greg. Wissen. de vita Moysis. Basil vpon the psal. 33. Hierom in Math. ca. 18. &c. And if euery one haue by him the Angel of our Lord, why should he not call vpon him for helpe. I my selfe heard in England with great pleasure, one of my Cha­nons of Windsor preaching before the King, and ex­pressely affirming, that there was no cause why euery faithfull man should not turne himselfe vnto his Angel-keeper, and say, O holy Angel-keeper pray for me. Of the intercession and Ministeries of Angels for our benefit, you may also see other Fathers, as Anthony the father of Monckes, epist 2. ad Arsenoitas, Anastatius of Synay in Herem. lib. 5. Antiorhus the Abbot hom. 61. Chrysostome de incomprehons: des Nat. hom. 3. and [Page] hom. in Martyres agiptios. Hierom epist. 1. Cirill Alex. apud Anastasium Nicenum. quest. 91. Theodoret in the same place, Damoscen lib. 1. Paralel. ca. 7. &c.

16 But of the intercession of the other Saints, we haue the common consent of the Fathers. See Cyprian lib. de mortalitate. Hierom against Vigilantius Aug. de baptismo. lib. 5. ca. 17. lib. 7. ca. 1. and de verbis Apo­stoli. Serm. 47. and Serm. 46. of the Saints, and lib. 9. of his confessions cap. 3. lib. de cura pro mortuis cap. 16. and against Fanstus lib, 20. ca. 21. and in his Meditati­ons, cap. 20-Leo the great Serm. of St. Laurence. Gan­dentius Brix. serm. 17. Greg. the great lib. 7. indict. 2. epist. 53. Bernard vpon Cant. Cantic. serm. 77. I omit innumerable others that be later. Seeing the Scrip­tures, the Fathers, and the vniuersall consent of the Church doe certainly affirme that the Angels, and soules of holy men deceased, doe pray for the li­uing, and in particular; why then should not euery faithfull man be incouraged to pray vnto them, whom he knoweth for certaine to pray for vs in heauen?

17 Wherefore it is most certaine that this inuoca­tion of Angels, and Saints (desiting them to pray for vs, and to ioyne prayer with vs as St. Chrysost. spea­keth, Serm. in Sanctum Meletium) cannot be denyed. And we haue very notable examples for vs to pray vnto the blessed Virgin, the Mother of God, that she would make intercession for vs vnto her Sonne; Irene­um lib. 5. 19. Athan. in Euang. de Deipara. Nazaan­zen: orat. in Cyprian: Basil: Selenciae, Orat. 1. de verbo incarnat. Aug. serm. 1. de Anunciat: Cosmam Hieroso­lymi: Sophronium item Hyerofalymi: orat, 6. de Ange­lom, excellencia.

18 And likewise the most ancient practise of the Church doth confirme the imsocation of other Saints. [Page] besides the blessed Virgine: so that the inuocation of Saints may be derined from an Apostolicall Tradition: for the inuocation of Saints was alwayes in vse, and neuer reprehended of any one, who was not accounted an hereticke. It would be too long here to rehearse the Fathers who prayed vnto Saints, or them that affirme they are to be prayed vnto: I haue performed it at large in another place, and this perpetuall custome of calling vpon the Saints to pray for vs, and to helpe vs with their prayers, was neuer reprehended; but rather the contrary errour was condemned by S^t. Hierome against Vigilantius, which condemnation the whole Church approued: Therefore by the iudgement of all the holy Church, our new Vigilantians are to be con­demned, whose rashnesse is very great, whilest they imagine a crime of Idolatry in our inuocatiō of Saints. Neither haue these Vigilantians any sollid argument, or obiection to make against this inuocation. All their obiections I haue answered fully in another place; as also I thinke that I haue sufficiently defended the vene­ration of holy Reliques in another place, which Re­liques God hath confirmed to be gratefull vnto him by manifest myracles.

19 But our aduersaries doe constantly affirme, that in the worship of holy Images we commit Idolatry, and for this cause they pretend that their departure from vs is iust: but this their pretext is most vaine; neither can they by this free themselues from the foule brand of filthy Schisme; for if we reuerence holy Ima­ges with any proper honour, besides the honour and worship which is due to the first patterne; that is not the honour and worship of Latria, nor that true adora­tion which is due to God alone. Therefore when wee most clearely professe that godly honour and the wor­ship [Page] of Latria is due, neither to Saints, nor to their Re­liques, or Images, why doe they obiect vnto vs Idola­try? the vse of Images doth belong vnto Ecclesiasticall ceremonies; but as much as concerneth these things, the safe, certaine, and infallible rule to know whither they be lawfull or no, is the practise and vse of the pri­mitiue Church; so that all those rites be lawfull, and good, which either the Apostles themselues, or Apo­stolicall men haue instiuted, or else haue allowed with silence, or expresse leaue. But it is most certaine that the Christian Church, yea the most auncient, and vni­uersall, with a full consent without any opposition, or any contradiction hath worshipped, and reuerenced pictures and holy Images. Iohn Damascenus hath col­lected great store of testimonies in the three Orations which he wrote for Images, and so did the Fathers of the seauenth generall Synod, and after-them many lear­ned Catholicks of later times. Therefore what vpstart Nouice dare condemne that, which the most holy and learned Fathers haue commended, taught, and pra­ctised, that which the Catholick Church it selfe taught by the Apostles, and hath kept in all times, that which God himselfe hath also diuers times confirmed with myracles. Are not they then (according to the saying of S^t. Augustine) most insolent and mad, who doe notEpist. 118. retaine and keepe deuoutly: but cast away, and reiect the vse of Images together with their due honor, when neither the worship of Latria, which is due to God, nor of Dulia, which is due vnto the Saints themselues, is giuen vnto them.

20 Our aduersaries chiefly vrge two arguments a­gainst this our worshipping of holy Images, which they thinke so strong, as that they imagine we can by no meanes auoyde them, and free our selues from the [Page] crime of Idolatry; and by these they confirme their Schisme to be lawfull. The one is the commandement of God, forbidding Images to bee made: The other, that they who doe adore the true God in any externall signe which is a pure creature, cannot be excused from extreame Idolatry: for, they say with Caluine, that the Calfe was made by the children of Israell, Exod. 32. 4. to represent the true God. And in this poynt, especially Raynolds the English man, an earnest Puritane, streng­theneth and foundeth his Treatise of the Idolatry of the Romane Church: But I doe not doubt, neither can the learned Aduersaries doubt, that the most auncient holy Fathers, and the Catholicke Church it selfe did know the commandements, and the History of the Calfe, and neuerthelesse without all difficulty, or any scruple, they vsed holy Images in euery place with worship and ho­nour. But this disputation becommeth not this little booke, and I hope I shall haue oportunity hereafter to confute at large Raynolds booke of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome: by the authority of which booke, England doth now chiefly defend her Schisme. In the meane space, let me change a fewe words with them. I desire them to remember the works of Salomon, who indued with heauenly wisedome, beautified the Tem­ple which he built not onely with those Images, and artificiall workes which God himselfe had commanded to be made, such as were the Cherubims, &c. but also of his owne deuise added many Images, and engrauen trees and beasts, as brasen Bulles, Palmes, and Pome­granets; and adorned also his throne with Lyons, and Lyons whelpes of gold. 3. Reg. 10. 19. 20, &c. There­fore Salomon vnderstood and expounded vnto vs suf­ficiently, that the precept of the Decalog forbidding grauen Images, was neither perpetuall, nor yet for­bidden [Page] by the diuiue naturall law (which prohibiteth the adoration of Latria towards Images) but onely of the law of God positiue, for a time and conditionall to be kept then, and so long, as there was present danger of committing Idolatry by hauing Images. Now be­cause there is no danger of committing Idolatry in Images by vs, who are well instructed: Therefore that prohibition of the Decalog which forbiddeth simi­litudes to be made, hath no place amongst vs: and for this cause the Iconomochi abollishing the vse of holy Images, and breaking them, and abusing them vnre­uerendly, were in all times accounted by the Catholick Church for pestilent wicked hereticks, and reckoned amongst the Enemies of Christian religion.

21 It is most certaine that the children of Israell committed Idolatry in the adoration of the Calfe; but I will neuer graunt that the Calfe did onely represent vnto them the true God; And it is most false, and a­gainst the true sence of the holy Scripture, to affirme that the Israelites did adore the true God in that Calfe. They adored the golden Calfe it selfe, and erring most wickedly, they thought that it had the Diuinity of the true God: And I doe not doubt but that I shall easily demonstrate this out of most plaine places of the holy Scripture in his time and place, and then I will dissolue the subtill reasons of Caluin and Reynolds, and shew that the true God may euen in corporall signes be ado­red with compleat Latria▪ without all danger of com­mitting Idolatry, to the end that it may more mani­festly appeare, that the English are grosly deceiued while they dreame by the fopperies of Reynalds, to triumph ouer the Catholick Romane Church, as fallen into Idolatry, and therefore iustly forsaken by them. Seeing there is neither euill circumstance, nor scandall [Page] in our vse of holy Images; because we liue not amongst Idolaters, and are, or may be sufficiently instructed a­bout their lawfull worship, how farre it is different from true Latria, therfore we may lawfully fall downe before an Image, and so adore with true Latria the primatiue patterne, if it be to be adored with true La­tria; As the children of Israell did, when they adored God in the cloud, at the dore of the Tabernacle, and did not adore the cloud, Exod. 33. 10. and when they ado­red him in the fire. 2. Paralip. 7. 3. and yet herein they did not commit any Idolatry, though they adored God in corporall signes. They therefore who condemne such like adoration as truly and properly Idolatricall, are ig­norant of all true and sollid Diuinity: Therefore in vaine doe the Protestants cauill at this Idolatry, to de­fend their Schisme and seperation from the Romane-Church, and hereby first they pollute themselues with manifest heresie, and remaine true Schismaticks for that herein there was no lawfull cause of seperation.

22 They doe obiect vnto vs a most open Idolatry in adoring the B. Sacrament, for that we adore it with true Latria, and by this also our Aduersaries doe ex­cuse themselues from Schismes: But they are much deceiued; for we are most certaine, that the reall and corporall presence of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ, in the holy mysteries of the Eucharist is present: we adore the very body of Christ, which is to be adored with true Latria of it selfe, by reason of the hypostaticall vnion lying hid vnder the formes of bread and wine: but this question doth not belong vnto this place. Wee suppose this reall and corporall presence, which supposition is assured vnto vs by faith, for that we take it from the Gospell, Christ saying, when hee held the Bread in his hands, This is my body, according [Page] to the promise he had made, saying, Ioan. 6. 51. The bread which I will giue is my flesh. Wherefore our ad­uersaries cannot so much as imagine that we in this a­doration are guilty of Idolatry, and therefore they cannot aleage it in any excuse of their schisme. But they are not only truly and properly Schismaticks but also hereticks: and therefore I was bound of necessi­tie to forsake them, vnlesse I would haue consented vn­to their errours.

23 They impute vnto vs secret Idolatry, for that we place a spirituall confidence in salt, water, oyle, and the like after exorcismes and benedictions; But these things they heape together, to the intent that they may disgrace, and defame vs, and excuse their schisme by what meanes soeuer; for they know well, that we doe not put any certaine confidence in these things, as if we thought that these creatures receiued any certaine, and infallible force, or power by our ex­orcismes, and benedictions: and we doe not call these things Sacraments, but holy things which we vse for the increase of our deuotion, and put all our confi­dence in God alone, who hearing the prayers of his Church doth distribute his gifts by these creatures through the vertue of the same prayers and benedicti­ons of his Church; And the greatest part of these and such like rites we haue receiued from Apostolicall Tradition, and succession from the most ancient Church, which who so followeth cannot erre, and he who contemneth and reiecteth such things, is to be cast out as an haire-brained enemy of the Church, Tertullian lib. de Baptismo setteth downe the vse of hal­lowed oyle, August. epist. 119. numbereth also oyle amongst holy things. The consecration of water for baptisme, hath beene kept time out of minde in the [Page] Church; for Cyprian lib. 1. epist. vlt. maketh mention of the water, and oyle of consecration, and anoyn­ting. We haue in Optatus Miliuitanus. That the ho­lyLib. 2. c [...]e: Par ent. Temples if they were polluted, by any meanes were wont to be hallowed againe with exorcismes, and washing of the walls, St. Basil deduceth from tra­ditionLib. de Spirita Sanct. ca. 27. the vsuall rite of annointing the baptized with oyle. Antiquity teacheth that the signe of the crosse was wont to be vsed in the hallowings, and consecra­tions of all things. Iustin quest. 118. Nazianzen, O­rat. 1. against Iulian, and in the Orat. at the Funerall of his Father Chrysost. 55. in Matheum. August. tract. 118. in Ioan. and serm. 3. of the Annunciation, and serm. de tempore 181. cap. 3. Areopagita and others. There are perhaps amongst vs some Rytes not so anci­ent, in which we vse hallowed, and consecrated things: but seeing the Primatiue Church instructed by the Apostles feared no danger of secret Idolatry, when she vsed consecrated oyle, and the like, why should we now feare, who attribute no more vnto these conse­crated things, then the old Antiquity did vnto theirs? Therefore to runne into schisme for these things is great impiety. These rites are good, seeing most of them are instituted by the Apostles, and others sprung forth from the deuotion of Catholicke Churches, and all are in no part contrary to faith; but rather conso­nant vnto faith. There was in old time diuersity of rytes, and ceremonies in diuers Churches, and yet they did not therefore depart from a mutuall Communi­on. For as Sozominus saith, They esteemed it to be fri­uolous, and that worthily, that they who agree together in the principall heads, or points of Religion, should be se­perated one from another, for the difference of a Ceremo­ny. Therefore the seperation of the English (by which [Page] they haue deuided themselues from the true Catho­licke Church, and broken out into a manifest schisme) is friuolous, rash, and impious; And to communicate with them in diuine matters, is to consent vnto their most wicked, and pestiferous schisme.

24 I will not here (for feare of being too long) dispute of the supposed new articles, whereupon they ground their complaints, and endeuour to excuse their schisme: But will reserue this matter to be handled in another place. Now I aske them this question. Whi­ther they thinke that those which they call new articles be contrary to faith or no? if they should be contrary to faith, then they should be heresies, and should make vs heretickes worthily to be auoyded, and to be seperated from the Communion of the catholicke Church. But I haue proued already that there is no heresie in the Catholicke Roman Church, and the Kings Maiestie of great Britaine, and many learned men in that kingdome haue confessed, that the Church of Rome doth not faile, or erre in fundamentall points of faith; and I haue already proued before, that there is no true article which is not fundamentall, and to be firmely beleeued; therefore it maintaineth no articles which are contrary to the Catholicke faith; and since they be not contrary to the true faith: but containe the true faith, they cannot minister a iust cause to begin a schisme. But Protestants say the Church of Rome doth seperate, and deuide vs from her, because we respect those articles. But I am sorry, and lament, that they had made a most foule, and grosse schisme before any thing was spoken of concerning these arti­cles which they call new; Therefore it is great folly in them to alleage these new articles, as a cloake for their schisme; for the effect cannot goe before his [Page] cause. I defend that they haue made a schisme with­out cause, and by this I knew that they were manifest schismatickes, and therefore haue departed from them. And those same articles which Protestants affirme to be new, may be euidently demonstrated out of Scrip­tures, Traditions, and Fathers to be true; and the con­trary articles which they set downe may be conuinced out of them to containe manifest heresies, If the sence of the first Authors be retained: for some milder Pro­testants now of late in matters of Controuersie (as I haue heard) doe vse fauourable explications, not much dissonant from Catholicke doctrine, by which they seeme to tend to a pious Reconciliation.

Who without a pernitious errour, or rather plaine heresie, can put all his saluation in faith only, and ex­clude the necessitie of good workes, and absolutely denie our merits; and affirme that grace once had can­not be lost, and that the iust cannot sinne? They who hold with tooth, and nayle, that these, and the like are articles of faith; and that the contrary are here­sies, doe without question erre in matters of faith, and declare themselues to be hereticks, and by conse­quence are worthily numbred amongst hereticks by Catholicks in their definitions: Therefore not any he­resie of the Church of Rome, or her manifest, or secret Idolatry could giue an occasion vnto the Protestants schisme. Neither can they obiect schisme vnto the Roman Church, for she made not the schisme, but they made it, and she endured it: for, from her Luther and Caluin, and the rest seperated themselues first, and not she from them. When they obstinatly reiected the Iudgement of the Church, then they made a schisme. Then they deuided the Coate of Christ, then they er­rected one Altar against another, then they forsooke the true Church.

25 Besides the causes before rehearsed, and exa­mined, they also pretended for their schisme, a neces­sitie of Reformation in the Church; But I could neuer yet see any reformation amongst them: but to say the truth I obserued many deformations: for the care of conscience is vtterly neglected, and cast away amongst them; some few accepted, the rest haue no scruple of conscience to commit adultery; violent extertion, trea­cherie against their neighbours, cosenage, vsury; as people who haue impiously abollished auricular con­fession, fastings, penance, and such like holy exercises. And suppose that they had found amongst vs any thing to be reprehended either in our manners, or in our actions, or in our gouernment, that should not be imputed to the defects of the Church, but vnto par­ticular men, whose actions are not allowed; but re­proued by Catholicks, neither ought they to haue rai­sed a filthy schisme for those smaller matters, when the foundation of faith remained firme, stable, and vnsha­den in the Church of Rome: And suppose that we had builded vpon it, Wood, stubble, or Hay, as it is said in 1. Cor. 3. 12. Yet we should not be excluded from sal­uation. But the Protestants haue left the foundation, they haue forsaken the foundation it selfe: and the gold, and siluer, and pretious stones which they vaine­ly brag of, and vaunt to be theirs, are more base then the filth and mire in the streets, vnlesse they be built vpon the true foundation which is Christ. There is one foundation; not two foundations; one Church, not two; one Christ not two. If Christ be our foundati­on which they cannot deny, then he is not theirs; They haue made another Church deuided and seperated from ours, and that cannot be the Church, for that the Church is one and not two; He that will be a member [Page] of that Church, must needs be without the true Church of Christ.

26 I confesse that the English Protestants deceiued me, before that I had exactly considered the nature of a schisme; for when I obiected schisme vnto them, some answered that it was not their fault, that they did not communicate with the Church of Rome, they were ready to be in vnion, but the Pope would not re­ceiue them into his communion, but reiected them with an anathema. This excuse seemed to me for a time to be iust, and reasonable, but after I begun out of this ground in my priuate arguments, and publike Sermons to vrge an vnion, which vpon their words seemed to me somewhat easily to be concluded; and so thrust my finger further into the wound; then I per­ceiued that in England they did not vse the English confession (or authorised articles) for a rule of their faith, (which as they affirmed were very modest.) But the Confession of Caluin, and many grosse errours of Luther. And this I perceiued more euidently, when I looked into the counterfeit Sinod of the Pro­testants at Dort, in which the puritanicall articles of Caluine by consent of the English Agents were con­firmed, with the good liking of the English sect. And if the English confession which is deuided into certaine articles doth not include in them those puritanicall ar­ticles of Dort, why did they giue their consent, and voyces vnto the Caluinian excesses in the name of the English sect? Moreouer, how can they, which pro­fesse themselues mortall Enemyes to the Church of Rome be thought to desire an vnion with the Church of Rome; and that the defect of agreement is not on their parts? How can they cast the causes of schisme vpon the curses of Rome, and Councell of Trident, [Page] when before the said curses they had deuided them­selues by schisme, from the Catholicke Church: and by such a schisme as in some respect was farre worse, and more foule, then was the schisme which was first raised by Luther, and increased by Caluine? For that England at the beginning abstained from the opinions of Luther and Caluine, neither did they charge the Church of Rome either with heresie, or Idolatry (which the Lutherans and Caluinists made the pretext of their schisme) and yet neuerthelesse, without any appa­rent cause, long after, they yealded vnto the common schisme of these hereticks: And now at this time, the Englishmen (for the most part) doe not onely com­mend, and defend the deuision, and seperation made, but striue by all force to maintaine it: for they flye backe from vnion, cast away charity, and doe all they can to hinder peace, and brotherly Loue, in such sort, as that many of them say, they will sooner, and more willingly enter into allyance or league with the Turks, then with the Papists. Call you this a minde ready to agree or to make an attonement? is it likely to be true that the fault is not theirs why they doe not communi­cate with the Romane Church? No, it cannot possibly be, that the vnion whereof I had some hope should take effect, except they doe first detest all heresies, and heretickes, and beleeue aright with the Catholicke Roman Church, and be conioyned vnto it in perfect Charitie.

27 Henry the 8. made little difference but with the Pope onely, whose primacie he denied, with an he­reticall spirit, and moued with some distempered hu­mours, violently tooke vnto himselfe onely the Eccle­siasticall supremacie, and carried himselfe more mode­gatly in other things which belonged vnto the faith, and [Page] diuine seruice, and ceremonies of the Catholicke Re­ligion. Vnder Edward his sonne a childe, and much more vnder Elizabeth they departed not onely from the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, and supreame Pastor of the whole Christian slocke, but also the diuine seruice, and worship of God, was taken away from the Catho­licks by maine force and iniury, and forbidden by the publique secular lawes. What, was there any lawfull Synode first called? were the obiections against the Catholicks examined and discussed? were their an­swers heard? were they conuicted of any errour, or impiety in Religion? was the iudgement giuen by any competent Iudge? No such matter. Doth not the same violence, the same iniury, the same impietie continue? for what labour and paines doe they (who haue the chiefe charge of their Religion in England such as it is) daily take, least that the diuine, anncient, pious, and prescript seruice, should be restored vnto Catholicks? And are not they then in the fault, that the Schisme is not taken away? They vrge Reformation; yet Refor­mation although it be iust, and necessary, if it be done with Schisme, is a most foule, & hatefull deformation. That is reformed, which continuch the same in sub­stance: Therefore the Catholicke Religion, and her substantiall exercises, ought to haue remained in Eng­land: and if any thing therein had been to be reformed, it should haue beene put vnder a lawfull reformation (seruatis seru [...]ndes) without taking away necessaries: And they should not haue brought in another Religi­on, and suppressed the former, or thrust it into a cor­ner, thereby to make two contrary, and repugnant Re­ligions: so as the first is not reformed, but as much as in them lyeth lestroyed, and a new forged. Moreouer, there cannot be two Religions of Christ, but one onely [Page] which is ours, as I haue shewed, because there is but one Church, one foundation, and one Christ.

28. Therefore when amongst other euils, I saw my selfe enuironed on euery side with an inuetterate Schisme, and that there was no hope of vnion: an Al­tar being erected against an Altar, and disioyned from the charity of the Church; I neither ought, nor could stay with them any longer with a safe conscience: Wherefore the remorse of conscience compelled me to returne vnto the Catholicke Church; My Agar hearing the voyce of the Angell reprouing her, and saying: Returne vnto thy Mistris, and humble thy selfe vnder Gen. 16. 9 her hand: was forced of necessity to returne vnto the most holy Church her Mistris. Moreouer, my slight could bring me nothing, but shame, and destruction. God commaunded me to be humble vnder the hand of my Mistris, and in this thing especially it behooued me to follow God. I wish to God that they vnto whom I foolishly fled, would acknowledge their most misera­ble spirituall estate, not onely for their heresies, but al­so for their lamentable Schisme, from which as I haue shewed them they cannot be excused, because they haue seperated themselues vniustly, and without cause from the true Church of Christ, which is our Catho­licke Romane Church; And this thing terrisieth me: for Schismaticks exclude themselues from being the sonnes. of God, as Cyprian affirmeth, saying; They haue not God Ioh. 11. 52. De [...] [...]. [...] [...]. to their Father, who will not haue the (true) Church for their mother. Christ died to gather into one the sonnes of God which were dispersed. Therefore the death of Christ did not onely worke, and doth worke the redemption of men, but also the vnion of the Church. Before the death of Christ the children of God were deuided and scattered, some vnder the law of Moyses, others vnder [Page] the law of nature; all were deuided one from another into seuerall congregations. But now since the com­ming of Christ, the diuine wisedome would that all his faithfull beleeuer, and true children by faith, should make one onely societie throughout the whole world, vnder their Captaine, and Emperour Iesus Christ, and serue him in his warres vnder the standard of the holy Crosse, with the same colours and Ensignes of the Sa­craments. And this society and vnity is a notable ef­fect of the death of Christ, which death hath brought to passe, that disagreeing Sects, & innumerable formes of Rites, and Religions amongst themselues opposite, should ioyne together into a Christian vnity by him, Who is our peace, and hath made both one, and this by the Ephe. 2. 14. Lib. 3. Hexem. Crosse, whereupon Anastasius of Mount Sinay saith, that these words, Let waters be gathered into one place, are to be vnderstood of the Church, assembled toge­ther of diuers people, and Nations, and Sects, vnder the vnity of faith: For which cause Christ also said of his Crosse, If I be exalted from the earth, I will draw all Ioh. 12. 32. things vnto my selfe. Athanasius in his Treatise of the Incarnation of the word of God, sayeth, Our Lord ex­alted in the Crosse, stretcheth forth both his armes to in­vite vnto himselfe onely, both the Nations of the Iewes and Gentiles, that by embracing them, he might gather them both into his bosome: but there is but one onely bosome betweene the armes of our Sauiour.

29 And Athanasius in the same place thinketh, that it is not without mysterie, that Christ did choose the death of the Crosse, and not the cutting off his head, by which his precursor S^t. Iohn Baptist lost his life, nor the deuiding of his body into parts, which I saie suffered: that in his death he might without dismembring keepe his body whole and intire, and take away all excuses from [Page] Schismaticks, who desire to deuide the Church into parts. And Christ our Lord was so pleased with this vnity, that with a most seruent prayer in the very last night of his life, he required of his Father, that he would not suffer his Disciples, and the other beleeuers to depart from this vnity: and said twice, that the cause why heIoan. 17. 11. 20. 21. prayed for the preseruation of this vnity was: That the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me. But our Ad­uersaries nothing considering these things, as much as lyeth in them, would haue the death and crosse of Christ, to be without this most excellent fruit of vnity; and by deuisions and schismes giue vnto the Iewes and Pagans occasion to speake ill of, and to blaspheme Christ, by saying that he was not the sonne of God, nor sent by God, seeing the vnion which he ordained did not continue, but now and then was broken into parts. The Church of Christ is one house, and one family; he who shall withdraw himselfe from this family, or go­eth out of this house, doth not appertaine vnto the fa­mily of Christ, but is excluded from saluation, euen as they who were without the Arke, perished in the flood.Gen. 8 The Protestants haue cut off themselues from the body of Christ, which is the sole Catholicke Romane Church, with her inseperable adherents: Therefore there be not members of Christ, nor is Christ their head; neither are they partakers of his holy spirit, or gifts. They are rot­ten members, and already cut off, for that they haue by their owne free will impiously cut off themselues from the body. They are branches cut off from the Vine, good for nothing but for the fire: Neither can he (saith S^t. Augustine) be partaker of Diuine charity, who is an enemie of vnity.

30 By Schisme they haue inenrred the losse of all spirituall goods, if they thinke they possesse any; If I [Page] speake (saith S^t. Paul) with the tongues of men and An­gels, 1 Cor. 13. 1. and haue not charity, I am nothing: it doth profit me nothing, &c. According to these words of St. Paul St. Augustine saith, that Schismatickes doe not profit [...] 1. de Bapt. [...]. [...]. 4. [...] 2. by doing good workes. Cyprian affirmeth the same many times, saying, Although a man be slaine for the name of Christ after he is out of his Church, and deui­ded from vnity, and charity, he cannot be crowned in his death, and repeateth the same lib. 1. epist. 1. and vnto Iuba [...]num, and in his bookes de Simplicitate Praeleth­rum, or, de vnitate Ecclesiae, and de oratione dommica, Chrisostom in epist. ad Ephes. hom. 11. followeth him, and saith the same.

31 I wish they would consider what a horrible sin they haue committed, by making this damnable sepe­ration. For that Schisme is the destruction of holy Church according to the words of Christ, saying, E­uery Kingdome euided against it selfe be made de­solate. Luk. 11. 17. Galat. 5. 15. And S. Paul saith, Take heed, how you bite one another, least you be consumed one with another, and St. Lib. depoenit. [...] 4. Ambrose proueth, that this wickednesse of destroy­ing the Church, may be that sinne against the holy Ghost, which Christ said is not remitted, neither in thisMat. 12. 31. 3 [...] 6. world, nor in the world to come. So that wicked har­lot had rather to haue the childe destroyed, then to be restored into the bosome of the owne mother, and therefore cryed against her, be it neither mine nor thine, [...] 10. [...]. but let it be deuided. So Schismatickes, least the faith should be conscrued aliue, and whole in the bosome of the true mother the Church, doe what they can to deuide it, that it may be dead to them both. But they labour in vaine, to the verifying vpon themselues this saying, He that breaketh the hedge, a Serpent shall byte him. And it is no wonder that in these dayes the [Page] English are fallen into many heresies, and that Purita­nisme doth so much raigne amongst them, although at the first seperation, they were not polluted with the Lutheran or Caluinian heresies: For Ireneus doth ex­cellentlyLib. [...]. cap. 40. & li. 4. ca. 43. teach, that they who are cut off from the Church, doe not drinke of the Fountaine of the spirit of God: but digge vnto themselues olde Cisterns, and fall into most filthy errours against the true faith. And so Gyprian maketh the Catholicke Church a Roote, aLib. de s [...]p. Pralater. [...]. Fountaine, a Sunne, so that as the braunch hath life from the roote, the Brooke hath water from the Foun­taine, the rayes light from the Sunne, euen so the since­rity of faith cannot be had, but by coniunction to the Catholicke Church. They therefore who haue sepe­rated themselues from it, cannot receiue the verity of faith, but of necessity they must fall into errours; for they be trees without a roote, they be Brookes with­out a Fountaine, and Rayes without a Sunne. Where­vpon the Fathers in many places by these, and the like reasons doe manifestly proue, that Schisme doth at length breake out into heresie: For hee who doth re­fuse to haue communion with the Catholick Church: he also will refuse to learne of it the verities of Faith, of which shee onely is the keeper and conseuer. There­fore very well did Augustine conclude, That an inuet­terate Cont. Cr [...]scon. lib. 2. cap. 7. Lib. 1. epist. 6. Schisme is euen heresie it selfe. And rightly did Cyprian finde in euery Schisme this heresie at least, that by it are taken away these two articles out of the Creed: I beleeue the holy Catholick Church, and the re­mission of sinnes. For they that beleeue the holy Catho­licke Church to be the true Church of Christ, cannot depart from the same, if they so beleeue: But if they doe depart, certainly they doe not beleeue, that the Ca­tholicke Church is the true Church of Christ. So Au­gustine [Page] saith, that the Donatists had turned the [...] [...]. Schisme into an heresie. And Ambrose approuing his fact, who had fled from the Churches of the Luciferi­tes. a [...] haue now done from the English, said: Hee thought there was no faith in the Schisme, for though they kept the faith to God, yet they did not keepe it to the Church, whose limbes they suffered (as it were) to be de­uided, and members to be rent in pieces▪ for seeing Christ d [...] sufer for the Church, and the Church is Christs bo­dy, they seeme not to beleeue Christ, who make his passion voyde, and teare his body in peeces.

33. Should I therefore haue stayed among Schis­matickes, and hereticks with such danger vnto my soule? God forbid. I repent me with all my heart, that I haue remained so long amongst them, and haue taken vp and vsed wicked Armes against my Mother, the Catholicke truth, and haue written bookes of the Ecclesiasticall Common-wealth full of heresies, which I sincerely hete, and detest, and was a Souldier in that gracelesse Campe to the perpetuall infamy of mine owne name; And now it doth both grieue, and vexe me, that I haue beene the Author of so great wicked­nesse. Therefore with all humility and reuerence, I aske and craue pardon and forgiuenesse for my wicked offence of God Almighty, of Christ our Sauiour, and of the Pope his Soueraigne, and chiefe Viccar vpon earth; and doe wholy submit my selfe; and faults vn­to the great clemency of the same Pope, who sitteth supreme Iudge of vs all, and not to be iudged of any vpon Earth, for that he representeth the person of Christ in his Church. And euen as our Lord himselfe doth open willingly his bosome of mercy vnto him that is penitent, so am I in good hope that I shall bee receiued into the armes of the Clemency of his holi­nesse. [Page] The example of St. Cyprian against Stephen the Pope (much reproued and condemned in the Catho­licke Church) some times confirmed me in my wic­kednesse, of striuing, and resisting against the supreme Pastor; But now my foule fall hath taught me to my losse, that those Bishops wander, and goe astray from the right path of Faith, who doe refuse to be guided by the only Pole-starre which is the Pope of Rome, to follow wandering fiery Meteors to their destruction. Would to God euen as the diuine Cyprian by the effu­sion of his owne blood for Christ, did wash away the staine of his former Audacity, so I heartily desire that there might be giuen vnto me (who in the multitude and hainousnesse of my faults haue surpassed incom­parably his fall) the oportunitie and grace, to deface and blot out my foule staines and filthinesse, and beare witnesse of the truth of the Catholicke faith with the shedding of my very blood: which staines and fil­thinesse I am most ready [...] the helpe of God when Inke should faile, to signe with my proper blood, to the praise and glory of God, the Exaltation of the ho­ly Catholicke Church, and to the honour, and dignity of the Apostolike Sea, which God grant.

At Rome. 24. Nouembris. Anno. 1622.