THE ROCKS, OF CHRISTIAN SHIPWRECK, Discovered by the holy Church of CHRIST to her beloved Children, that they may keep aloof from them. WRITTEN IN ITALIAN BY THE MOST REVEREND FATHER, MARC ANT. DE DOMINIS, Archb. of Spalleto, And thereout translated into English.   depiction of a fleet of ships sinking on rocks, and a fleet of ships afloat sailing towards a haloed female figure in the clouds 
CITO: LONG: NUNQVAM.  
LONDON, Printed by JOHN BILL. M.DC.XVIII.   

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST TO HER MOST dear children wisheth saving health, and peace.  
MY beloved children, If the spiritual Wrack of Christian souls could in the approach be sensibly discerned, it might of itself serve for a warning-marke, and all both eminent Rocks and under-water shelves would be descried, and so shunned. But so much the more dangerous, and pernicious is that woeful shipwreck, which swalloweth up an infinite number of you, my dear children, in that those, that undergo it, neither know, nor once all their life long heed this their own ruin. Can I then your dolorous Mother, can I brook this miserable loss? can I suffer so many of my children to be cast away? No, I cannot. Needs must I impart the truth unto you; I am resolved to hide nothing from you.  
When in my young & first teeming days I felt the wounds, and torments of Heathenish persecutions, very bitter, alas, was the anguish of my soul, to behold on all sides streaming rivers of the blood of my tender children so impiously shed by most cruel Tyrants, & persecutors of the faith of JESUS CHRIST my Spouse, and Lord. No sooner ceased these tyrannous persecutions, but I was beset with other more dangerous afflictions of Heresies, whereby the bitterness of my soul was more increased: In asmuchas that first kind of persecution was only outward, slaying the bodies of my children, but not hurting their souls, nay rather much benefiting them. But this latter pierced inward, destroying the souls of many, and wounded my very heart, even the faith of my Spouse. At length the storm of heresies was hushed; and so I sat me down in peace, enjoying a fair and goodly calm, when, behold, 
Isa. 38.17.  my grief was most bitter in peace. Peace brought upon me a greater bitterness than any of my former. The persecutions of the Heathen, and the mutinies of the Heretics were indeed a bitter service to me; but yet they both had their sweetening. For, by the former I was made a more fruitful mother, 
Tertul. Apol. adverse. gent.  The blood of the Martyrs being the seed whereout more Christians grew; and by occasion of the latter my Officers, and Ministers became the more watchful, and furnished themselves with more store of knowledge of sound doctrine, and pure faith, and also fed my children with so much the more exact spiritual nourishment. But the bitterness, which mine own Officers and servants have, by reason of peace, through their own idleness, brought upon me, is become divers ages since, but in these days more than ever, distasteful to me.  
From these my Ministers comes this your shipwreck; they have set in your way all these Rocks, & Shelves, & Quicksands, whereby so many of you are cast away. Peace, and idleness have been my bane. As standing-water in wells, ditches, and puddles through want of motion quickly corrupteth, and breedeth worms, toads, snakes, and other such vermin: so peace, and idleness hath been to my chief Ministers, Bishops, & Prelates the cause of putrefaction. And so they following the crooked bent of corrupt nature, and running a-madding after their own concupiscences, have first given over themselves in prey to Avarice. Very large have been of old the alms, and oblations of faithful, and very devout people, for the maintaining of their spiritual fathers After these followed the bounty of Emperors, and other Christian Princes, and benefactors; they, in their unadvised devotion heaping upon me more and more riches, have, I may say to you, brought my Ministers to a good pass. For my part, I was at my highest, and in best esteem, whilst I went in a thin coat, such as I was clad withal when my Spouse Christ jesus betrothed himself to me. My most proper ornaments, my truest greatness consisteth, not in outward pomp, nor superfluous worldly commodities, but in spiritual, and inward virtues. My beloved David wrote concerning me, 
Psal. 45.13.  that the king's daughter is all-glorious within. And my worthy son St. Hierome hath noted concerning me, that, 
Hiero. de vita Malchi.  after that I was entertained by Christian Princes, I grew greater in state, and wealth, but abated much in virtue. In thus saying, (alas the while) he came too near the truth. Yet this was none of my fault: It was mine own Ministers, that have brought this scar upon me: especially in that they, without my allowance, or weet, have divided among themselves that stock of temporal goods, which, by my appointment, for divers ages remained in common, and whereout, by the public dispensers, or stewards, daily, or monthly portions were wont to be allotted to every of those my Ministers for their necessary maintenance; but afterward by their Avarice properly was brought in. And I would to God they had there stayed, and contented themselves with their parts so assigned to them: then had that been tolerable, and now perhaps were necessary. But (as the guise of the covetous man is never to say he hath enough) they have gone on, inventing new devices of purchase, though with the apparent danger of their own, & their peoples, my children's, souls, and to the no small hindrance of all kind of spiritual gain.  
Having afforded some, but never full, content to Avarice, they, by the sway of natural corruption, cast themselves farther in prey to Ambition. They saw themselves esteemed, and exalted by me, like father's respected, reverenced, and honoured by my children: whereupon, forgetting that they were no other than my Ministers, and servants, and that their office, and charge was to serve my children, rather than to command, (even as they were taught by the example, and precept of my Spouse, their and my Lord and Master, who came not to be ministered unto, 
Matth. 20.28.  but to minister) they began to think so highly of themselves, and to swell so big with the conceit of their office, that they pretended themselves to be Lords over my house, and very Princes, and so carried very small respect to me, whose ministers, and servants they are. After that this Infernal spirit of Ambition had entered into them, they now, not deigning any longer to employ their joint pains in digging my vineyard, (which is the very office allotted them by my Christ jesus) set themselves to contend with one another about Primacy, & Ancestry, and one to domineer over the other, and to play the commander, as is well observed, and declared by my Eusebius. 
Euseb. histor. lib. 8. cap. 1.   
These be the two horrible wild beasts, these the two monsters, namely Avarice and Ambition, which have cast my Officers headlong into very important errors, so that, putting away a good conscience, they have also made some shipwreck concerning the faith: And, that which is worse, to bolster out their Covetousness, and Ambition, they of their own head, without my foreknowledge, or consent, nay to my great grief, & notwithstanding my ceaseless reclaims, and continual protests against than, even to the stopping of my mouth, by downright violence, they have thrust upon the world their own inventions, and established their own ordinances, not drawn out of that Testament, which my Spouse left to me, and them, namely the holy Scriptures; but craftily hammered out of their own capricious projects, and tending to the prejudice, downfall, and ruin of your poor souls, my dear children. These their fancyfull devices, and monstrous inventions, brought in after those many ages of my purity and singleness, were past, these being founded upon Avarice, and Ambition, and cunningly couched under the water, yet so that they stand near the top of it, are the Rocks, and Shelves, and Quicksands, upon which full many a wrack is made in the chiefest parts of my Dominions.  
Now therefore, my beloved children, especially you, that find yourselves, though to my dishonour and great prejudice, under the yoke of my daughter of Rome, I will discover to you all these Rocks, as I have formerly discovered them to diverse other my daughters, whereby they have been much secured from danger. Afford me attention with diligence, for your part. I, for mine, protest in the presence of my Spouse, your Lord, and mine, and forewarn you, that from henceforth the shipwreck, which you shall suffer, shall be your own fault, and not mine, if upon vain scruples, or fears suggested by the devil, and cherished by those, who in name and profession bear themselves as my servants, but are indeed my most deadly enemies, and rebels against me, you shall forbear to open your eyes, and to be advertised of those dreadful Rocks, which for your everlasting good I here compendiously, as in a Sea-mappe, decipher out before your eyes, to the end that you, escaping out of them, or rather keeping far and wide from them, may every of you guide the vessel of his soul with all safety to the haven of eternal salvation. Give ear therefore to me. And although Covetise hath risen before Ambition, and given the first blow to my Ministers; yet, forasmuchas Ambition hath been the first of the two that hath built to your cost, I will therefore begin with the Rocks, which Ambition hath laid, and afterward will pass to those which grew out of Avarice.   


THE FIRST PART hath these Rocks.  
1 THE Papacy. Fol. 1.  
2 Temporal power. 30.  
3 Enfolded faith. 38.  
4 Excommunication. 45.  
5 The Commandments of the Church. 56.  
6 False union. 69.   

THE SECOND PART hath these Rocks.  
1 THE Mass. Fol. 73  
2 Auricular, Confession. 97.  
3 Purgatory, together with Satisfactions and Indulgences. 117.  
4 Invocation of Saints. 142.  
5 Images and Relics. 148.  
6 Merits. 158.   PROVERB. 1.20. 
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets. She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates, in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will power out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.   

THE FIRST PART. ¶ The rocks, which are founded on Ambition.  

The first Rock: The Papacy.  
CHRIST my Lord, and Spouse, the Saviour of my body, 
Ephes. 5. c 3.  mine only true, and living Head, as he hath promised to be with me always, 
Matth. 28.20.  even unto the end of the world; so he never would like, that I should acknowledge any other spouse, or Lord, or Head, than himself. Indeed once he died, and that was to wash me with his own blood, to make for me a vital bath, and laver of salvation; but he quickly rose again, and dieth no more, 
Rom. 6.9.  death hath no more dominion over him: and howsoever in his most sacred manhood he remaineth in heaven, far distant from me in regard of bodily presence; yet notwithstanding by his Spirit he is here upon earth continually present with me; and so by way of Headship, or Lordship he hath no need of any Successor, or Lieutenant, in that himself, being mine own, and only Head, doth infuse into me all vigour, all motion, and all direction, which I, being his Body, receive from him, being such an Head, as is not dead, but living, not severed from me, but still growing to me. What need then have I of a visible Head? Whatsoever an head usually doth, or can do to its own body materially, all that is spiritually wrought in me by my Christ, and that with abundant sufficiency. I am indeed a body, but rather an invisible and spiritual one, then visible, and material: in regard whereof my employments are for the most part spiritual, and invisible. And therefore I have need of such an Head, as, by his spiritual and invisible influence, may keep me in life, and govern me, and furnish me with strength for my performances. In this behalf a visible head can stead me just nothing. And as for that small deal of visibility, and outwardness, which concerneth me in this world, I have no need, in that behalf, of any head for influence, but of a Ministry only for execution, which is very sufficient for me. So have I need of visible hands and feet, but not of a visible head; inasmuch as that, which is to be wrought visibly, and outwardly in me, is fully, and completely performed by the only Ministry of my members, without any proper office of an Head.  
Hence was it that my Christ, as soon as he espoused me, did appoint me divers Ministers, who in my visible employments should all of them serve my turn, but as members only, and not as an Head. Of this the first were the twelve Apostles, who were no other than mere Ministers both unto Christ, and to me also, not masters, nor Heads properly so called. Neither was it his pleasure, that any of them should be set over me, as a proper Head, or as a Lord, or Master in any wise: but his appointment was, that, under himself my only King, Lord, Master, and husband, I should be left, as Lady and Mistress over all his, and my Ministers, or servants: which is acknowledged by S. Paul styling himself my Minister. 
Col. 1.25.  As indeed were likewise all the other Apostles, even S. Peter himself; who avoucheth as much, 
Acts 1.17.  whilst he calleth his Apostleship a Ministry. And surely he never had, nor professed himself to have any such Headship, or Lordship over me, but was entertained in my service only, as were the rest also. Neither can it ever be found, that Christ committed to S. Peter any greater, or other charge, dignity, jurisdiction or authority, then to the other Apostles, who all, and every of them were, by the institution of Christ himself, absolutely equal in all charge and office, which they bore in respect of me. Nay, my Spouse was so far from affording to any of them a pretended title of greatness above the rest of his fellows, that, when as they divers times cast out words among themselves, and disputed concerning Sovereignty, he always checked them, 
Luke 22.26.  and would have them to remain as brethren, and jointly to attend his service, and mine, and to keep themselves from affecting dominion, either over me, or among themselves. And when he took his leave of them at his departure up into heaven, they still dreaming on this idle fantasy, and ask him whether he would then restore the Kingdom to Israel, 
Acts 1.6.  (namely, that hereby they might know which of them should be exalted above the rest) they had the repulse of him in this behalf, with intimation that they should attend, and that jointly with equal charge and office, no other thing, then to be throughout the world witnesses unto him of his resurrection. Certes, if ever there were a time for him to speak plain, and to declare, that he left in his room his Lieutenant Peter, or some other, to be their, and mine Head, than most of all it behoved, when in regard of his bodily presence he gave them his farewell: and yet he then recommended me, his Spouse, to them all together jointly, and equally, that they might employ their attendance on me: 
Hane sponsam suis amicis sponsus abiens commendavit. Aug. count 2. Gaud. epist. lib. 2. cap. 12.  Which is well observed by my holy doctor S Augustine.  
There was no reason for it, nor decency in it, that I, being his Spouse, and an universal Mother, should be domineered over, and lorded by any one of mine own members, mine own sons, nay mine own servants. As for my Peter, certainly he neither exercised, nor ever challenged any such sovereignty over me, or over his Colleagues, and fellows; neither did he pretend to be an universal Pope, or only vicar-general of Christ. One of the first actions of employment about me, after the ascent of my Spouse into heaven, was the ordaining of Deacons, which should take care of the widows, and poor. And this action was neither performed, nor governed by Saint Peter, but by all the twelve Apostles jointly. This being my perpetual ordinance, 
Acts 6.2.  as I have received it from my Spouse, that my Ministers, and Officers all together jointly should treat concerning the external good guidance of my family: So likewise, when there were some to be sent into Samaria, 
Acts 8.14.  to finish the good work of their conversion, Saint Peter was so far from taking upon him to send whom he pleased, that he himself was by the whole body of the Apostles chosen and sent thither, as one of the many. When the first controversy, broke out in Antioch concerning the observation of the ancient judaical Ceremonies, to whom did Paul and Barnabas think they ought to have recourse, for certain resolution in that point? Surely if Christ had left Saint Peter his Vicar, they ought to have addressed themselves to him principally; yet did they say among themselves, and resolve, that it behoved them to go up to jerusalem, to consult about this question with the Apostles, 
Acts 15.2.  and Elders of that City. Which accordingly was done: and there was gathered a Council, and that summoned, and ordered, not by Peter alone, but the Apostles, of themselves, jointly met together, with the Elders also. And howsoever Saint Peter (as the most stepped in age, and the most ancient Apostle, and much respected by the rest of the Apostles) was the first that delivered his opinion; yet Saint james prosecuting the same, did further add of his own, & did strike up the matter. And the public letters, dispatched in that behalf, were not styled in the name of Saint Peter, but of all the Apostles, and Elders in common. Neither was it a sleight check, or reproof, wherewith St. Paul openly took up Saint Peter, 
Galat. 2.11.  for halting in the instruction of the faithful: which he might do; being the Apostles were, in their office, and care of my affairs, all of them equal, and even brothers among themselves.  
And howsoever ye read in the Gospel, that Christ said to Peter, Thou art Peter, 
Matth. 16.18.  and upon this rock will I build my Church, yet are ye not therefore to deem, that Peter had hereby committed unto him any dominion, or command over me, or that he was entrusted with a larger cure, than the rest of the Apostles. For, these words (according to the interpretation of them communicated to me by the spirit of my Spouse, and declared by my most sincere, pure, and holy Doctors) import, that that confession, made by Saint Peter, saying, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, must be that Rock, whereon was to be grounded that faith, which is indeed my foundation and supporter. By this Rock is also understood he, whom Peter confessed, even Christ, who is my true foundation, whereon, and not on Peter, I was built: for, if Peter had been my foundation, certes more than once should I have fallen by his falls. 
Matth. 26.70.  But if any man will press yet further, 
Galat. 2.12.  that Christ doth in these words promise that I should be built upon Peter, let him understand withal, that to build my house is nothing else, but to get and provide petras, stones, and to rear them up in my walls; that is to say, to preach the Gospel, to convert the unbelievers, and to bring them home to me. And forasmuch as Peter was to be, of all the twelve (or rather by the default of judas, eleven) Apostles, the most fervent, and most diligent in converting a many of souls, therefore to him, as to a principal Minister, and Builder, there was a prediction made of the work, which he was to perform, and that I was to be built upon him; namely that Christ had especial confidence in his care, for the building of my house, as being more zealous than the other ten Apostles. But it followeth not thence, that he was the only builder, or that he was chosen for the only Architect, or Chiefe-builder: for, the other Apostles also were Masteres of this Art, and laid to their hands for the rearing up of my Fabric, and in special, Saint Paul laboured more abundantly, 
1. Cor. 15.10.  than they all, and so surpassed, even Saint Peter himself, in edifying me, and hath acquit himself for a skifull Master-builder. 
1. Cor. 3.10.   
In like manner, when ye hear it said to Saint Peter, 
Matth. 16.19.  I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven; ye are to remember, that the same was also spoken to all the rest of the Apostles. So likewise, though the keys were promised to Peter, 
Matth. 18.18.  yet it was never said to him, I will give the keys to thee only. And when this promise was performed, it was accomplished, not in Peter only, but in all the Apostles jointly, when Christ said to them, Go, and teach all nations. 
Matth. 28.19. joh. 20.21.  As my father sent me, so send I you: namely with the same authority, and power, but yet ministerial in you, which is principal in me. What power therefore had Peter, other then that, which all the rest had, to whom Christ imparted his own power? Moreover, Christ gave the keys to them all, as also the power of binding, and losing, when he said jointly to all, Whosoevers sins ye remit, 
joh. 21.23.  they are remitted unto them: and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained. Therefore Saint Peter had no other part in my service, nor other power, than the rest of the Apostles had.  
Lastly, 
joh. 21.15.  if it was said to Peter, Feed my sheep and my lambs: know ye likewise, that feeding is principally preaching, instructing, and administering the Sacraments. All which was committed to all the Apostles, Go and teach all nations, baptizing them &c. As my Father sent me, so send I you. Nor did Christ say to Peter; Be thou the only shepherd of my sheep: But he, by a special application, thus bespoke him, to feed his sheep, that he might comfort, encourage, and revive him, whom he saw then cast down with grief, for having so lately showed himself a Renegade, whereupon he might with good reason misdoubt himself, to have lapsed from his Apostleship. But Christ recomforteth him by this his speech, as saying to him, I restore thee to thy Apostleship, and, in recompense of thy crime in base denial of me, I now enjoin thee the more zeal, and charity in feeding, and attending my poor flock; and therefore, in am of thy thrice denying me, I will, that thou thrice confess thy love to me: and so I recommend this office to thee in a more special manner, even by way of penance, which in general I have committed also to the rest jointly: but to them I do not redouble my charge, because they have not as thou, denied me. And even this he required of him, when he foretold his fall, and said to him, I have prayed for thee, 
Luk. 22 32.  that thy faith fail not: therefore, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. That is to say, if thou shalt see the faithful, which hereafter shall believe in me, to fall sometimes by weakness and infirmity, it is your part to animate, and strengthen them by your own example, whom being fallen I have raised up again: and with this care of confirming thy brethren, I burden thee in special more than the rest; for that thou by thine ensample canst do this, whereas others are like to do that office by their exhortations only, and not by so lively an example of their own.  
And if any doubt arise in your minds upon Christ's speaking only to Peter in the presence of the rest of the Apostles, and of such things, as were to be imparted unto all, and if thereupon ye should surmise, that he did this to intimate hereby to the rest Peter's Sovereignty over them, as if he were to be the Chief, and ordinary Pastor, and all the rest as his adjutors, and assistants, you must awake out of this error. Verily Christ never had any such purpose, or intention, nor (as I have proved) can he now suffer any such construction: neither did ever any such interpretation come into my head. But well may ye know, that, in this action, not any such Primacy of Peter, but other mysteries are included, which be these:  
Christ giving charge concerning that, which was to be committed equally to them all, 
Cypr. de unit. Eccles.  yet directeth his speech only to one, that it might hence be gathered, that I, his Spouse, was to be but one, and that they should not imagine that every of them might make a several foundation of their own, by schisms, and divisions, but that their joint labours should bring forth one, and the same work, namely me, being one, and the same Church. And this is Saint Cyprian's interpretation.  
Christ in speaking only with Peter, doth appoint him, as the Head in order, and the Precedent of the Apostolic College, which is a dignity, and pre-eminence, not of authority, nor jurisdiction, but only of rank, and title; that thereby the Apostolical Company might attain to a perfect collective unity, such as is in a Collegiate-Chapter with their Deane, or in a Senate with their Precedent; and that hereby the Apostles might gather, how well unity did please their Master, in that, he speaking to Peter only, 
Hieron. l. 1. adverse. jovin.  as to the Head in order, and Foreman of that Society, they should in no wise fall asunder in divisions, but keep themselves in perfect union, and so, holding all together, they might the better set themselves to tend me, who am but one. And thus Saint Hierome expoundeth it.  
Only Peter was spoken to, as being my type, and representing me. Christ did then treat with him, as with my Proctor, or Aturney: and so when Christ delivered him the keys, he took say sin of them, not to his own private use, but to mine, and in the name of the public. For, there were then included, and represented in Peter, all my Prelates present, or succeeding: and so in the name of them all, and to the use of them all he both received the keys, 
Aug. de Agon. Christ. c. 30. & in psalm. 108. & in Io. tract. 124. etc. Ambr. de dig. Sacerd. c. 2.  and the charge of feeding my flock, and building my house. Not that he had liberty to bestow those keys at his pleasure, or to appropriate them to any one, whom he would make his successor: but that I, in his person, did then take them to the use of my Prelates. Like as an Attorney taking Livery and seisin for an incorporation, doth not receive it as an owner, or disposer, nor hath thereby authority to do his pleasure with it, but by this Attornement the right, and property inureth to the Body or Society represented. And, as for the person of Peter, he received indeed the keys for himself also, inasmuch as himself was one of them, in whose name he took them: And this is Saint Augustine's judgement.  
Lastly, Christ maketh this conference with Peter only, that all Prelates, casting their eye on Saint Peter, might from him take a just model and pattern of gentleness, 
Leo. Serm. 3. de sum. Assump.  and other Episcopal virtues: Which is the exposition of Saint Leo.  
These, and other like mysteries have I always understood concerning this action of Christ with Peter: but that therein should be comprised any Sovereignty, or Papacy, or commission for the only ordinary Pastorship, there hath not been in all my house, for the first five hundredth years, any one found so idle, as to dream of such an invention.  
And though I should be so prodigal, as to grant, that which I have showed to be most false, namely that Saint Peter was ordained by Christ an universal Pope over me, yet what hath the Bishop of Rome to do with St. Peter? The holy Scriptures give-in no evidence at all, that ever Peter was at Rome. Only human histories report it. And as for divine Records, they plainly show, that he departed not from the coasts of judea till the fiftieth year of our Lord. Thereafter we find in the Ecclesiastic histories, that before his going into the West, 
Hieron. in Pet.  he preached the Gospel in the Eastern parts, in Pontus, Cappadocia, Asia, Bythinia, etc. for the space of divers years; and that he suffered martyrdom in Rome, about the sixty eight year of our Lord. It is not possible therefore, that he could have been Bishop of Rome so long as fifteen years, much less twenty five: Which space of time is very unadvisedly assigned him by some passable ancient writers.  
But, to omit these arguments from computation, surely neither Saint Peter, nor any other Apostle was ever made Bishop of any particular City, whereto his seat might be entailed by a perpetuity. This is repugnant to the very office of Apostleship, which was by Christ their Chief Lord instituted an order of professed errants throughout the whole world, when he gave them their commission, 
Matth 28.19. Mar. 16.15.  to Go and teach all Nations, and to preach the Gospel to every creature, that is to say, to all men wheresoever throughout the world. They had no power therefore to fix themselves on any particular place, nor to bind themselves to it, but their duty was to attend the enlargement of my tents, 
Act. 1.8.  beginning from jerusalem, to the utmost parts of the earth: and when they had founded any particular Church, and united it to me the universal Mother, they were then to pass on for new plantations. Who therefore is so hardy, as to coop up Saint Peter at Rome, and to bind him to a particular Bishopric there till the day of his death? And if he finished his course at Rome, certainly he died not with the title of Bishop of Rome, but of an universal Apostle. For, neither that, nor any other See could be chosen by him, as proper to him, being by his function, and calling to pass to and fro through the world. But if he ended his life in any heathenish place, where, as then, there was no Church planted, who then was to be his successor in the Papacy? It is therefore a groundless, and idle assertion, to name personal successors to any of the Apostles; whenas none of them all was a local Bishop, (for, as for james Bishop of jerusalem, 
Constit. Apost. lib. 6. c 14. & Doroth. in synopsi etc.  he was none of the twelve Apostles, but a Disciple beside that number) and therefore all Bishops succeed all the Apostles in Solidum, that is to say, every particular Bishop, whatsoever he be, holdeth the place, and office of the Apostles, who by Christ's institution committed their charge, and office to the Bishops, and those to other Bishops, and so to others by continual succession till the end of the world; and that by virtue even of those words of Christ to the Apostles. 
Io. 20.  As the Father hath sent me, so I send you. That is to say, As the Father hath given me power to send you, so I give power to you to send others, and to give them likewise the same missive power, which I give you, and the Father hath given me. And hereupon it followeth, that every Bishop, in respect of the divine institution, hath the very Apostolical power, that is, universal in habit, or general qualification, which he is enabled to exercise actually in any part of the world. But, in regard of my restraining precept, for the avoiding of disorder, and confusion, there are long since limitations set down, and particular distinctions of every one's Diocese. Now therefore, when as there is no personal succession unto any of the Apostles, who can fetch his claim from Peter? who from john? who from any other of the Apostles? Nay, if such plea were good, there could not be above 12. or at the most 13. Bishops in the world. And to afford personal succession to Peter only, with denial of it to all the rest, is to beat the air with idle words, and to go against the Scriptures.  
certainly for a thousand years and more, I never heard in all my family from the mouth, or pen of any pious and holy Author, that the Bishop of Rome was acknowledged for an Universal Pope. Indeed the Bishops of Rome themselves have endeavoured to make me an underling, and to put me under their feet, and to make themselves my Head, and Lord, and Master, with great wrong to my true, and only Head, Lord, and Spouse CHRIST JESUS: but they have long attempted it in vain. For they have met with stout oppositions. St. Polycrates a most holy Bishop of Asia did strongly oppose S. Victor B. of Rome. S. Irenaeus B. of Lions did the like; and this befell near the times of the Apostles. 
Cypr. l. 1. ep. 3. & l. 3. op. 13. Apud. Cypr. ep. 74. Pamel.  S. Cyprian beareth himself as a companion, and Colleague with S. Steven, and S. Cornelius both Bishops of Rome, even in the Universal government of the Church; and spareth not to hold his own against them. S. Firmilian B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia handleth the same Steven of Rome very homely, and setteth nought by his excommunications. 
Euseb. l. 7. c. 4. julij Epist. ad Orientales & Socrat. l. 7. c. 5. & Sozom. l. 3. c. 5 etc.  The Church histories are plentiful in showing, how lightly S. julius, though B. of Rome, was overpassed by the Bishops of the East, and by the Council of Antioch, (which, for the more part of it, was Catholic, and Orthodox) for no less matter, then that he would make himself an Universal judge, even in the causes of the Eastern Church, and yet in the end he was feign to sit down, and be quiet. The Council of Nice acknowledgeth not the B. 
Con. Nic. can. 6  of Rome for any other, than one of the three then Patriarches, who had their limited jurisdictions: so also doth the first Council of Constantinople, and the Council of Chalcedon. None of the ancient fathers my dearest children, for the space of 600. years together, hath any the least impression of the Roman Papacy; by whom the B. of Rome was never taken for other, then at the most for Patriarch of the West. The African Church (in those days one of my most noble daughters,) affronted the Roman Church, and would not in any wise, that she should exercise any power over her in the ordering of the Ecclesiastical policy; and went so far, as in open Counsels to resist her, in which even the renowned S. Augustine bore his part. The like hath been many times practised by the Churches of Ravenna, of Aquilege, & of Milan. And S. Gregory in opposing the title of Universal Bishop in the Patriarch of Constantinople, must needs oppugn the same in the Roman also by force of very strong arguments.  
It is to no purpose therefore to seek here upon earth one vicar-general for my Spouse Christ, who hath no need of a successor or Vicar, inasmuch as he is head of my body, and his Spirit is sufficient for me, only Ministers, and labourers are needful for him, and for me: and those were, first the blessed Apostles, and after them their successors. So that, in respect of labouring, and working, and setting right also the external government of my family, 
Cypr. l. 4. ep. 3. & l. 3. ep. 13. & de Simpl. Prae. lat. Ambr. in 1. C●. 11. Chrysost. hom. 17. in Mat. etc.  those Apostles all jointly, and in solidum, (as S. Cyprian expressly affirmeth) hold the place of Christ, and are equally his Vicars, but in labouring, and working for my behoof: and all Bishops likewise are with very good reason by my holy doctors, styled by this title of Christ's Vicars, and not S. Peter only. And so in respect of my true Head, and Spouse, I am under a perfect Monarchy: but as for the work of my Ministers, they perform their office in a kind of aristocraty, without any Monarchy at all amongst them. They are like a company of workmen, which have undertaken a large Vineyard, every man his parcel: or like a troup of many shepherds all servants of one great Shepherd, who parcel out among themselves the feeding of a very great flock, whereof there is one entire Lord, and Master, that only grand Shepherd. And surely when the owner of a vineyard hireth many labourers to dig it, he doth not give any dominion, or jurisdiction to any of them, over either the vineyard, or their fellow-workemen; and, if it be his pleasure to appoint any to assist the workmen, and to direct them in their labours, either he cometh among them himself in person, or sendeth one of his sons, or his factor, or deputy, whose office then must be, not to delve, and toil with the rest of the labourers, but only to oversee, and to provide, that they do their task. I pray you ask Saint Peter whether he were hired by Christ to be a labourer in his vineyard, or to be a surveyor. Verily he will answer you, that he was one of the labourers, and diggers in my vineyard, and not a factor, or surveyor, or deputy. His office therefore was, not to command others, but to work himself. 
1. Cor. 9.9. 1. Tim. 5.18.  For, all the Apostles were Oxen for the plough and for treading out the corn: nor would Saint Peter have suffered his neck to be withdrawn from this yoke. Let not therefore the Bishop of Rome thus without all ground vaunt himself for the only Vicar of Christ, nor under this title (equally common to all other Bishops with him) keep me down, and oppress me, and together with me all my children.  
Nor may you suffer yourselves to be deluded by a false, but very common, imagination, that it behoveth me to have one visible Head, and one universal Governor. For, in such cases, as this, ye are not to set down for good, that, which men's fancies do conceive; but ye are to have an eye to that, which Christ himself hath ordained. And forasmuch as he, as I have showed, will be my only Head, and sole Commander; and, for external managements, hath appointed that his labourers should among themselves in common, and in solidum, without Monarchy, in a kind of Aristocratical form, join together, for the directing of my affairs, by way of Synods and Counsels, as necessity shall require; therefore one supreme visible Head over me neither is necessary, nor was ever ordained, nor is desired. And if so many temporal Estates in this world are sufficiently governed, without a Monarch, in a democratical, or Aristocratical form, why do ye suffer your brains to be pestered with a false imaginary necessity of having a mere man to be the Monarchical governor over my house? and consider not what a woe case I were in, if I should hang on the sleeve of one man, who hath no privilege against any error, or misery.  
Perhaps ye will ask me, how then crept the Papacy into Rome, where now it carrieth so high a sail? whereto I am sure, that, whilst I was a young, and small tenderling, both the Apostles, and likewise those Bishops, which immediately succeeded them, did indifferently, without any jealousy of concurring jurisdictions, or affectation of sovereignty, agree together in the ordaining of other Bishops, and Ministers, and committing to them the preaching of the Gospel and planting throughout the world new particular Churches. Which young daughters of mine being thus multiplied, and enlarging me far and near, the necessity of preventing confusion did bring into my house, an wholesome, holy, and necessary ordinance, that there should be division of Provinces, and in Provinces distinct Bishoprics, and Dioceses; and so the Bishops of one Province should attend the directing, and guidance of their own precincts only, and not intermeddle with the Provinces of others, unless they were thereto requested, or public necessity so urged. Myself, seeing this custom brought in by necessity, approved the same, and did moreover ordain, that in every Province the Bishop of the Mother City (that is of the place, which was the seat of the chief Magistrate, or otherwise conspicuous for some civil respect) should be the chief, and consecrate the Bishops of that Province, and in the stead of the Synod of his whole Province, should dispatch certain affairs pertaining to me, that so the Bishops of that Province might not be encumbered with meeting together upon every small occasion. And because in the Roman Empire, which at the time of my espousal to Christ, and for three or four ages after, was in its greatest flourish, there were then three most renowned Cities, 
Hegesip. de excid. Hieros'. l. 3. c. 5.  most eminent above the rest in honour, and secular power; namely first Rome in Italy, the chief and principal seat of the Empire; secondly, Alexandria in Egypt, where the Emperor's Deputy remained; thirdly, Antioch the mother-City of all the East; in regard hereof the Bishops of these three grand Cities were the three first metropolitans. Afterward also the number of Churches so increasing, that these three sufficed not, and the Provinces which grew too large, being thereupon, for my conveniency, divided into more, and lesser Provinces, (with appointment, that always the Bishop of the principal City of such a Province should be the Metropolitan thereof) the three aforesaid, in regard that they had been my first metropolitans, were honoured with the titles of Patriarches, and endued with certain privileges, which I was not unwilling that they should enjoy. To whom also I did afterward, by way of privilege, add two other Patriarches, one of Constantinople, (as soon as that City became a seat of the Empire being called another Rome) and the other of Jerusalem.  
Thus my unthankful daughter the Church of Rome, having been courteously entertained, ennobled, enriched, and exalted by divers devout Emperors, using the advantages, which by little and little she gained, partly by temporal greatness, which then shined fair upon her, partly for that I had often good use of her help in the midst of my troubles, and garboils, which heresies brought upon me, wherein she stood me in good stead, by procuring me favour, and countenance of Catholic Emperors, as also by the credit and reputation she had abroad from those great Apostles S. Peter, and S. Paul, which were her fosterers, and breeders up, yet she, I say, impudently abusing all this, did about a thousand years ago enter into a bold rebellion against me, not vouchsafing to remain still my daughter, nor acknowledging me for her mother in any wise, but seeking to make herself my mistress, and to domineer over me. But most of all about 550. years after, since the times of that firebrand Hildebrand, and since the total ruin of the Roman Empire, this daughter of mine, being high-grown in greatness, and pride, as she began to withdraw her neck from the yoke of a temporal Lord, who with his rod might hold her in obedience to me, so would she needs also abandon her due place, which she held with me, of being a member of my body, from which she rend herself by an horrible schism; and disdaining to be a member of it, would have no nay but perk above me, and make herself my Head by tyrannical usurpation. And whereas, first, according to the appointment of my Spouse, she should receive life, and vigour from me, as every member of the Body doth, from its conjunction with the whole, as being a part thereof, she, by tearing herself off from being a member, to put forward for the Headship, hath instantly lost all that spirit, and vigour, which every particular Church partaketh with and from me, 
Cypr. de unit. eccles.  even as branches derive their vigour from the root, streams from the fountain, and beams from the Sun; which is S. Cyprians comparison. And moreover she hath been so bold with me, as to despoil me of my robes, and ornaments, and to rob me of my proper name; and now she, she only must be styled the universal Church, the Catholic Church, the mother of the faithful, the pillar of truth, the Spouse of Christ, etc.  
Behold therefore here an infamous, and dreadful rock. For, whosoever abandoneth me, to cleave to her, he is out of the Ark of Noah; he, not having me to his mother, 
Cypr. ibidem.  hath not God to his father. Whosoever is a follower of that tyrant, which usurpeth my dignity and trampleth down my authority, he certainly followeth not Christ my true Spouse, but Antichrist. No Church can be under Christ, unless it be first united to me: and all Churches, that enjoy the graces flowing from Christ, do partake them by my means, and so far forth, as they are my daughters, and limbs growing unto me, who am the Body of Christ. Therefore the Roman Church, inasmuch as a daughter, or member she will not be, and mother or Head, which feign she would, she cannot be, between both sure she hath no part in me. And whosoever danceth after such a schismatical and rebellious ringleader, must needs himself be a schismatic, and rebel: and who so followeth the usurping Pope, must engage himself to believe every falsehood, and fiction that is thrust upon him, and so shall be sure to tumble down headlong after such a guide. Thus the Papacy showeth itself to be the grand and most dangerous rock of all the rest, against which so many poor Christian souls daily dash themselves. And so much for this mother-Rocke. The rest I shall pass over more briefly.   

¶ The second Rock. Temporal Power.  
SO far have my Churchmen been puffed up with Ambition, that they have not only claimed, but also professed, and exercised temporal power in many merely civil, and temporal affairs, challenging to themselves, as in my right, a power over Clerks to imprison, and banish them, and to inflict real forfeits, and corporal pains upon them; yet can none of my Prelates pretend for any power otherwise, then as the same belongeth to me. And I, for my part, from my conscience confess, that I have not received from my Spouse any the least temporal power concerning any temporal affair whatsoever: but all the power I have, is wholly and merely Spiritual. For, the end, whereto I am ordained, being wholly, and only spiritual, (namely to guide the souls of my children unto eternal blessedness, which is supernatural and spiritual) it followeth, that all the means which I am to work by, must be of their own nature Spiritual, and supernatural: and therefore mine own, and proper power can extend itself no further, then to things Spiritual only. My Lord Christ himself, what other power did he exercise, then merely Spiritual? Did he ever thrust himself into any temporal affair? S. Paul saith, that Those that are set over my children, 
Heb. 13.17.  are to watch over their souls, and to render account of them. My care therefore properly, and wholly concerneth men's souls. As for their bodies, and bodily, or civil affairs, they have other governors, namely temporal Princes. The same S. Paul saith also, that No man, 
2. Tim. 2.4.  that warreth unto God, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Moreover, by the joint acknowledgement of my holy doctors, it is manifest, that my employment is wholly and only in cure of soul, which also is not denied by divers the most renowned Bishops of Rome: as Hormisda Epist. 21. Gelasius de Anath. vinc. & Epist. 10. Symmachus in Apologet. Nicolas the 1. Epist. 8. And why, I pray you, is my power described ordinarily in holy writ by the name of a Chair, 
●●●th. 23.2.  but that it consisteth in teaching, and directing, this power of mine being principally instructive, and doctrinal? Christ said to his Apostles, 
Luke 22.25.  that The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them, But ye shall not be so: thereby inferring, that it belongeth not to the officers of my family to exercise dominion, or civil coactive jurisdiction. S. Hierome saith, that King's rule over men, 
Hieron. ep. 3.  will they, nill they; but the priest ruleth only those, that are willing to be subject to him. The reason is, for that it is not in my reach to enforce any man. S. chrysostom very well saith of me, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Chrys. hom. 3. in Act. Apo.  that I cannot impose any thing by authority; that is, in such manner as pretending power to compel others to obey me.  
True it is, that religious, and devout Princes, to do me honour, and for my sake to vouchsafe some privilege to my officers, have afforded me the favour, to have the exercise of a certain civil, and criminal jurisdiction over my own Ministers: but such grants as these are at the courtesy, and in the liberty of the grantors. And yet hereupon my Prelates carry their heads too high, and lay claim to exempt from the civil Magistrate, all clerk, and Monks, with their very hangs-by, and lickspits. And this Rock is very dangerous, even to my Clergy themselves, who not only are hereby emboldened openly to disobey the Magistrate in his civil government, but also hide under this cloak of exemption a foul heap of heinous sins, and enormities, living as they do, debauchedly, and without fear, either of God, or of the civil sword: the execution of justice in such cases by my Ministers being either too too gentle, slack, and sleepy, as it is ordinarily, or, on the contrary, sometimes too cruel, bloody, and barbarous.  
This Rock is so much the more harmful, and dangerous, in that the Bishops of Rome, cloaking themselves with my mantle, thereby make pretension to mount above Princes, Kings, and Emperors, and to be judges over them, arrogating to themselves authority to overrule them at their pleasure, in their civil government, and in their laws; nay, moreover to deprive them of their kingdoms, and free their subjects from their bounden duty, and oath of fealty: and this not only in case of heresy, but upon any other occasion which the Popes in their humour shall conclude to be important, and sufficient. An horrible and abominable pretension, and altogether contrary to the law of God. This Rock surely is founded by the Devil himself, whereat so many of my children split themselves, and for the maintenance of the Pope's ambitions, forfeit their goods, honours, fame, liberty, life, and soul. By this hellish pretension, rebellions are raised up in Kingdoms, infamous and execrable murders of Kings are plotted, the peace of the whole world is troubled, brutish enormities are committed: and all this springeth only from Papal ambition.  
It is most certain, and notorious, that by the law of God, and of nature, expressly confirmed in the holy Scriptures, every one ought in conscience, under the guilt of most heinous mortal sin, to obey his lawful Prince, in matters concerning the civil estate, whether the same Prince be good, or evil. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. 
Rom. 13.1. 1. Pet. 2.18.  Be subject to your Masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. And for certain, I never received any power to disannul the bond of God's laws. Whence therefore hath the Pope gotten such power, that he presumeth to disoblige subjects from that natural bond, which tieth them to be entirely subject to their lawful Prince in civil matters, and those things which concern the temporal government? It is a mere gull, & foppery, that he should pretend to depose Kings from their thrones, and deprive them of their crowns, and in this wise to let lose their subjects from their obedience, whenas, without all dobut such deprivations, and depositions, are mere temporal businesses; and no power of mine extendeth itself beyond spirituals. The Pope's arch-flatterers confess, that it followeth hence, that he cannot directly depose Kings; yet will they have him enabled to do it indirectly, namely as such matters are occasion of some spiritual good, or evil. But this, say I, is impossible. For, a thing is said to be done indirectly, when it necessarily followeth upon another thing which is done directly. As for example, when a thief robbeth a trayvailer of his clothes, and he, thus left naked, dieth with cold, this thief hath rob the man directly, but killed him indirectly. In like manner it should be shown what spiritual action the Pope doth directly, by his spiritual power, whereupon necessarily, but indirectly the deposition of a King, or depriving him of his temporals doth ensue. But it is impossible that any such action should be showed. For there cannot be any greater spiritual action achieved by my proper power, than Excommunication. And who would ever come to that height of absurdity, as to say (and yet some have said it, and believed it) that a Prince being excommunicated is held in the same instant to be also deprived of his kingdom, and deposed? And yet my very novices know, that excommunication meddleth not with any temporals. A rich man being excommunicated doth not thereby lose his possessions; nor a noble man his nobility; why then should a King by excommunication lose his crown?  
Now therefore see what a terrible Rock this is. A toy takes the Pope in the head to bear the people in hand, that their Prince is an heretic, and excommunicate, and so deprived of his kingdom, and that they are to rise against him, and to call in another to reign over them: These simple wretches, being misled by the Pope's false doctrine, will needs disobey God, to obey the Pope. And thus first they herein sin mortally, and cast away their souls; then are they also most justly punished for traitors, as they are, and so farewell goods, life, and all. Neither will the matter be salved up by that, which the Romanists reply, saying, Obey your Prince, and swear fealty to him in civil obedience: but when the case so falleth out, that the Pope commandeth you otherwise, then renounce this obedience. Nay, but obedience due to Princes is perpetual, absolute, and without any reservation, or condition: for, God so commandeth. 
Act. 5.  And we must obey God, rather than men. It behoveth therefore by God's law to swear obedience, and fealty, in matters concerning the temporal government, unto every natural liege Lord, without any reservation; and consequently every subject aught to declare himself, when he is so required, that he swears, and promises perpetual, and absolute obedience, any whatsoever, or whosesoever, declaration, commandment, excommunication, or sentence to the contrary notwithstanding. For, in this world there is no power, that can disoblige a man from this perpetual, and absolute obedience commanded by the law of God himself. And in like manner the deposing, or depriving Sovereign Princes is to be attempted by none but God's immediate hand, to whom only it belongeth to translate kingdoms. 
Dan. 4.25.  And, as for any power of mine, especially that cannot in any manner, neither direct nor indirect, lawfully attempt any such deprivations. Let every one therefore remain subject, and obedient unto his own Prince, in things concerning temporal government: nor let him think, that he ever can be assoiled by any power on earth, though Ecclesiastical, from such his entire obedience.   

¶ The third Rock. Implicit Faith.  
Cruel, and pestilent ambition! The Pope, to the end that his usurped tyranny may not be discovered, and that he may be taken for a god upon earth, by simple seduced people, or rather that they may be made pliable, and capable to admit for good any falsehood, and forgery, which the Pope, for the advancing his own greatness, shall propound to them, causeth them to be persuaded, and taught, that in matter of faith, it is sufficient for every of them to believe, whatsoever the holy, Catholic, Roman mother-Church doth hold, and believe. Verily I, that am the universal Church, I, 
Mat. 28.20. 1. Tim. 3.15.  to whom the continual assistance of the Spirit of my Spouse is promised, (and not to the Roman) I, that am the pillar, and ground of truth, yet dare not be so bold, as to assure my children, that this enfolded faith sufficeth them, namely, to believe under general terms, whatsoever I believe. How then she, now swarming with errors, and falsehood, and being nothing, but ambition and avarice, how dares she be thus bold? My beloved Saint Paul would not have his Corinthians think, 
2. Cor. 1.24.  that he would bear dominion over their faith, which he did sweetly instill into them, and not thrust it upon them by command and domineering. But Rome will have every man, will he, nill he, by all means to believe, and rest in, whatsoever she determineth, and commandeth, and to subscribe his belief to all that she believeth and maintaineth, or rather to whatsoever she inventeth and imagineth, though indeed herself believe it not, nor hold it for any point of faith, but for a matter of state; & upon this point of policy she taketh order, that those inventions, which she knoweth to be no matters of faith, but only to serve her ambition, and covetousness, must be given out for points of faith.  
Rome cannot abide, that ye, my children, should be zealous in seeking to know what it is that ye are to believe; for, by such inquiry you would discover her tricks: and therefore she telleth you, that you are safe, if ye have this enuelopped faith, and believe all that she believes. And if so be any of you make a stand upon any particular, being one of those articles, which she in point of policy hath invented, (and which shall hereafter be declared by me in my descry of these Rocks) than she presently mufleth up your eyes, and blindeth you, and sendeth to you her own attendants, the Priests, and Friars, preachers, and confessors, who wholly depending on her, are all at her devotion, & they declare unto you, that Rome hath decided the point to be an article of faith. And thus, when ye are bound to believe all that the Church of Rome believeth, and maintaineth, that is, whatsoever she teacheth, and avoucheth, as fit to be held, and believed, ye must needs play at hoodman-blind, and being loaden with dangerous scruples, stumble upon the rock of many an error, and fiction, and so incur miserable shipwreck.  
There is indeed a kind of unwitting obedience, which is holy, and good, nay necessary, but unfolded, which concerneth the fundamental articles of my faith. Such as are, the unity of the Godhead, and Trinity of persons in one essence, and nature: the incarnation of the Word, with the conjoining of two distinct natures, the divine and human, in the one only divine person of my Spouse Christ: that he suffered, and shed his blood, and gave his life upon the Cross for my redemption: that he rose again by his own power: and that he ascended, and is glorified in heaven, where he remaineth my true Mediator, and continual Advocate with the Father: and that he is to be judge of all men, to give to every one according to his own works, either life, or death everlasting. In the believing these, and other such Articles, every child of mine must yield his eyes closed up by obedience, without curiosity, or recalling them to the principles of human reason. For these are the fundamentals, wherein all Catholic Christendom is well resolved, and settled with absolute agreement. But in many other points, either necessary, or not necessary to salvation, there is danger, 
2. Cor 21.  that ye may be deceived. (For, oftentimes Satan transformeth himself into an Angel of light.) Therefore every of you, that hath any heart, and spirit at all, aught to open his eyes, and look well into that, which is propounded to him, to be believed, either by implication, or expressly, and to examine it with Christian, and sober diligence, whether that, which your Preachers, and confessors, and writers teach you concerning spiritual things, (who too often, under the name of my Ministers, are wolves in sheepes-cloathing, and nothing else, but the ministers of human ambition, and avarice) be conformable to the holy Scriptures, and unto my refined and throughly-established judgement; mine, I say, that is, of the Universal Church, such as I was for the first four, or five uncorrupted ages, and still am also in regard of myself; but not such as the Roman, by usurping my name, doth disguise, and vaunt herself to be. For if you shall walk on blindfold, under this enfuddling faith, after blind guides, ye shall, they, and you too, hit upon the rocks, and tumble into the infernal pit.  
For these respects, which I have named, Rome would feign have you remain still muffled up with this cloudy faith; and, to keep you in your spiritual blindness, she hath deprived you of the use of holy Scripture; she will not suffer it to be imparted to all the people in the vulgar tongues; she prohibits it, she hinders it. Verily a most horrible cruelty. God commanded, not only Moses, not Aaron only, and the rest of the Priests, not only the Scribes, and doctors of the Law, and Pharisees; but generally all his people, that they should always have the Scripture before their eyes. In this is stored up your daily bread: but in stead of making you abound with this bread, those, whom you call your spiritual fathers, take it from you; and so may ye starve, for them. Nay, in stead of this bread, they put into your hands either the stones of strange doctrines, which are marvelous hard for you to chew, as that you are to spend your lives for the maintenance of the Pope's humours, or else the scorpions of errors, and falsehood, which bite, and sting your very souls, or, at the most, the course brown-bread of their pamphlets concerning Christian doctrine, and other manuels which they name spiritual. Wherein, because they can do no less, (for, then should they appear to be open professed wolves) there are set down some good foundations of many good Catholic verities, but under the crust of this good wheaten-bread, the course crumb is delivered to you, or rather the poison of the manifold errors, and superstitions of human, if not devilish, doctrine; thereby to cherish in your simple souls such reverence, and obedience to the Pope, Prelates, Priests, and Friars, as their ambition, and avarice gapeth after. As for other books, which discover these their jugglings, Rome doth slanderously bruit them to be heretical, and prohibiteth them by vain, and childish terrors of excommunications: and all this, that ye may not open your eyes, but remain blind for ever. Look well to this.   

¶ The fourth Rock. Excommunication.  
IT is a wonderful, or rather miserable devise and crafty trick of the Popes, for the maintaining their tyranny over your souls, and making themselves to be reverenced, feared, and held for gods upon earth; that they project to bear you in hand, that the keys, given me by Christ my Spouse, are thunderbolts, and fiery darts in the hands of the Bishop of Rome, as being the successor of jupiter Capitolinus. Behold the deceits, and cunning of this new jupiter. There was never any thunderbolt, that struck, or hurt any man, unless it were actually darted out: but they put a vain ridiculous scarecrow upon you, making you believe, that they have certain close thunderbolts in a corner, which of themselves fly abroad, and smell out, even in the most secret closerts, those that do, or say any thing which may displease the Pope, though neither the parties themselves be known to him, nor any hint given what they do. Alas, what poor fools are they, that give credit to this?  
These my keys, which you see in my hands, no doubt, are mannageable by my Prelates and Ministers, and have power sometimes also to thunder out an Excommunication. But you must know, that I am to carry an hand in the guiding of such thunderbolts: and, if they be darted forth contrary to my order prescribed me by my Spouse, they are of no force at all, and have no other operation, then to make a vain rumbling to scare young children withal.  
Excommunication, my beloved children, is of divers sorts in my family. The first is, when any of my children, having committed some grievous, public & notorious crime, whereby he hath scandalised all his brethren of that particular Church, where he remaineth, for the recalling him unto true, wholesome, inward repentance by outward medecinall shame, is not only reproved by the Prelate in the public Congregation, when my children come together unto spiritual exercises, but also is expressly forbidden to receive the sacred communion of the holy Eucharist, and of the Lord's Supper: and so is kept off for some time, until he make satisfaction unto God inwardly, and to the Church outwardly, by penitential works imposed upon him by the said Prelate.  
A second sort of Excommunication is something more rigorous; when as one of my children, being a public, and notorious sinner, is, for one, or more, grievous, and scandalous faults, not only put back from the holy Communion, but also from all other meetings, that is, from all holy assemblies, and is prohibited from entering into the Church with the rest of the faithful brethren to whatsoever sacred exercise, whether hearing of the word of God, or receiving the holy Sacraments, or being present at the public holy Service, & prayers: and this restraint to endure for a time, by way of wholesome & medicinal penance, that by this his confusion of face, both he may conceive grief for his sin committed, and others may take example by him, and be stricken with an holy terror, for the shunning of such sins. Both the one, and the other of these two Excommunications is taken away by public Reconciliation, when he, having with due humiliation performed what was imposed on him, and given the Church outward evidence of his true inward repentance, is now readmitted both to the Church, and to the holy Communion: and both these may truly be called the lesser Excommunication.  
The third, and most terrible Excommunication, which I have learned out of the Gospel is, when one of my children, having been given over in prey unto grievous, public, notorious, and scandalous sins, after he hath been tried, but all in vain, by the two precedent medicinal Excommunications, being now incorrigible, is wholly cut off from the number of the faithful, and utterly cast off from being my child, and severed from my body, that is, from the body of Christ my Spouse, and cut off, as a dead, and rotten member, and consequently delivered up unto Satan, and held as if he were a Gentile and Publican, deprived of all the blessings, graces, and heavenly riches, which are to be found within my house. This is the true, and dreadful thunderbolt, which may most fitly be called the greater Excommunication.  
Thus you see that the two first Excommunications are rather outward, then inward, rather medicines, than punishments; having external effects, and not inwardly working upon the soul, otherwise then indirectly, and by divers deductions: namely so far, as upon the two first Excommunications the remission of the sin remaineth in a sort suspended, etiam in coelo, even in heaven also, until it be remitted him by me on earth according to the promise made unto me by Christ my Spouse. And only the third (if it be executed without any error in the keys) hath its operation directly upon the soul. But all these three Excommunications then only are Excommunications, and then only have their operation, when they are made in special, and actually sent forth, and employed, not before the fact done, but when the crime is already in being.  
Therefore observe what a trifle that is, which the Popes, and their flatterers have invented, in enacting one Excommunication à iure, & ipso facto, and another ab homine, that is to say, that there is an actual Excommunication, which worketh actually, and by the deed itself, and not by way of threatening only; and that, by virtue of the law before made, and written, it always worketh of itself, without coming to any special act of excommunicating the particular offender, as often as he committeth such, or such an offence before forbidden by the Law: The other is that, which, without being made universal by the laws, is, from time to time darted out by the Prelate against a particular man by name, for some fault committed by him. This distinction is both false, and manifestly deceitful; and it is that very devise, whereof I spoke before, namely, to dream of a thunderbolt, which doth not only affright a man, but also beat him down to the ground, without being darted forth: and so there can be no secret among Christians, which by this means the Pope cannot pierce into. Surely as for the two first Excommunications, if they be not sent forth from time to time against the parties by name, no man will ever abstain from the Communion, or from spiritual conversation in spiritual meetings, (for as for civil and human commerce, no Excommunication can hinder it.) In the third Excommunication likewise, it is certain, that no effect can follow upon it, unless it be actually (but without error) thundered out. Where was it ever seen, that a Delinquent was bound to execute a penalty upon himself? True it is, that every man is bound to bear with patience his own just punishment; but no man can be bound to execute it on himself, and to be his own hangman. How then is it possible, that any of my children, by virtue of a wandering, uncertain, universal Excommunication, which is indifferent by the law, should, upon an ipso facto, be truly, and actually excommunicated: that is, dissevered, and cut off from my body, unless he himself, being the only man, that knoweth himself to have committed that fault, shall of himself be executioner of the punishment upon himself? For my part, I have no spiritual power to chastise secret sins, no nor open neither, until they come unto my notice: and yet these men would most fond inflict actual punishments for faults unrevealed to them, and upon Delinquents utterly unknown.  
Let no man therefore be afraid of these Excommunications injure, although they be ipso facto, upon the very deed, or latae sententiae, upon the general sentence, which is an error: nor is it possible that such Excommunications should work ipso facto: neither doth God hold any man for excommunicate, until he be namely bound, and actually excommunicate. Let every one be afraid of sin, though never so secret, and let him look for punishment from God; but let him not fear any excommunication of mine, unless it be actually brandished out against him by his lawful Prelate, and that upon good cause: nor can this third Excommunication otherwise work any whit upon the soul.  
Moreover I advise you, that, if a Prelate excommunicate any of you, and that upon just cause, for some offence deserving excommunication, if he do not either by word, or deed, declare with which of these three Excommunications he doth strike you, this his excommunicating, though it be special, and actual is either none at all, or at the most it is to be understood of the second, and not of the third. Neither can that stand, which the new Canonists avouch, that by the indefinite name of Excommunication the greater is to be understood. For, they confound the second with the third, which notwithstanding are most different one from another's; and they would have the second to be the greater, because it taketh away Ecclesiastical conversation from the excommunicate party. It must be understood therefore of the second, but as not amounting unto the third, which third is the true Excommunicatio maior, the grand excommunication. For, it is true, that in the later, the former are included, but not the later in the former.  
Besides this, you are to understand, that, by my rules taught me by my Spouse, none of these Excommunications, especially the third, can be of force, but when the crime is grievous, public, notorious, and very scandalous, and such as giveth, first very great offence to God, and moreover much scandal to the Church. And he, that is clear in his own conscience, and knoweth that he doth not offend in the sight of God, and that the act, for which he is excommunicated (especially by the Excommunication in iure only) is not of itself abominable, nor repugnant to God's Law, let him never fear any excommunication at all, as making him guilty before God. Whilst therefore a Prelate commandeth, or forbiddeth any act of its own nature indifferent, which is neither commanded, nor forbidden by the word of God, and imposeth this his command under pain of Excommunication, you may laugh in your sleeves at it. For the not obeying a Prelate in such things, as in their own nature are indifferent, seldom amounteth to a mortal sin; and, though it were mortal, yet it is not such, as can deserve the third Excommunication. And so when you hear Excommunications thundered out for reading of books, for not paying of pensions, for punishing Priests, and wicked Friars, according to law, with civil punishments, and such like causes, you may take such Excommunications to be made in jest, and need not be afraid of them: for I hold them to be nothing worth; neither was it ever my mind, that this sword of mine should ever serve the turn, either for temporal affairs, or for the private ends of my Prelates.  
Take also this with you, which is one of my principal ordinances concerning Excommunications, that none can excommunicate any other than those that be in proper subjecteth to him, and of his Diocese. And so the Bishop of Rome cannot excommunicate those, that are out of the Diocese of Rome. And whosoever excommunicateth any, that are not subject unto him, his Excommunication holds not: and in this case the Pope's thunderbolt is of no more force, then that of the Bishop of 
* A petty Bishopric in Italy, in the dominions of Venice.  Caurole. Indeed any Bishop, upon great cause, may deny to another Bishop his communion, that is his communication, and brotherly complying, and spiritual correspondence. So also may any particular Church deny its communion to another, (and this may be called a fourth kind of Excommunication) but it hath no operation upon the soul, nor is exercised with any power, or jurisdiction of one Church over another: and the action itself is merely negative, not positive, nor operative: namely, when, upon evidence, or deep suspicion of another's spiritual corruption, mutual correspondence is shunned. And yet in this sort of Excommunication there is very great danger, inasmuch as upon it foul, & turbulent schisms do ensue.  
This Rock, as you see, becometh very dangerous unto you, whilst it makes you stumble upon fears, and terrors, which withhold you from many actions, that would be profitable, and commodious to you, and also it maketh you run headlong into the actions of blindefold obedience, whence indeed cometh your ruin; seeing they will not suffer you to walk in the highway of your salvation, but amuse you in the by-ways of eternal perdition, and hold you in subjection to an Idol, and to him that would have you deem him a god upon earth.   

¶ The fift Rock. The Commandments of the Church.  
THis is a very great Rock, or rather a main Sea of Rocks, and shelves heaped up together, and appointed for the spiritual ruin of you, my dear Children. The ambition of Popes hath hitherto usurped a lawmaking power through my whole family; and would have me bound, under pain of mortal sin, to observe their laws. Verily it belongeth to me in my Synods, and Counsels, to set down certain practical rules concerning rites, and outward worship: which rules are nothing else, then certain good directions, and public instructions, requisite, and necessary, for the establishing of good order, for the preventing of confusion, and for the increase of piety. But I never pretended, that they should have the very nature of laws, but only of good ordinances: and therefore my will was to call them Canons, that is to say, Rules, but not Laws, nor Commandments, unless I procure the secular power to give them the force of laws. From which secular powers, Christ hath not freed either me, or any of you, as he hath freed us from the legal Ceremonies, and from the yoke and burden of that law, which, being no part of the Decalogue, pertaineth to the government of the soul: there yet remaining most full power in Princes; and Magistrates, as far as concerneth temporal government, whereto all the sort of you are subject, not only by constraint, and for fear, but also for conscience-sake, as Saint Paul instructeth you. True it is, 
Rom. 13.5.  that there is also an obedience due unto the spiritual Overseers; but this is to be understood of following their good instructions in matter of faith, and concerning Christian life. Neither was it the mind of Christ to load me with a multitude of external obligations, over and above the moral natural law, and a few other precepts, when as himself commanded me, that I should beware of making his yoke heavy unto my Children, by multiplying upon them human Commandments, and precepts: and sharply rebuked the Scribes, and Pharisees of his time, upbraiding them with that speech of Esay; 
Esay 29.13. Matth. 15.8.  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me: in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. They overpast the Commandments of the law, and taught the silly people, certain observances invented by themselves, and established by human traditions only. In a manner even so it befalleth you, my Children, now a days; ye are plied might and main, with certain precepts, which, usurping my name, they call the Commandments of holy Church, in which notwithstanding I have no part at all, and as for God's Commandments, they lie by the walls. You take far more heed, that you omit not a Mass upon an holy day, and many of you also upon the working-days, then that you leave not your neighbour without help, when he is in great misery. Ye take more care of offending in eating flesh on prohibited days, then of committing fornication, or adultery. And hence it is that more scruples are started up in your consciences, and more ado against you by your Confessors, Preachers, and Inquisitors, if you have but once supped half a mess of flesh-pottage upon a Friday, then if you had committed fornication an hundred times.  
Know ye therefore, that, in undergoing such scruples upon these Church-commandements, ye are plainly tyrannised over, and are brought unto a butchery, shambles, & slaughter-house of the conscience. 
2. Cor. 3.17. Gal. 4.31.  Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, concerning all indifferent things: which liberty Christ hath bestowed on you. I have indeed authority upon occasion of public spiritual affairs, to intimate fastings, prayers, and alms; but with sweetness, and gentleness, without imposing any yoke, or impeaching this liberty, to the end that every one of you likewise should of your own voluntary sweetly, and charitably compose himself to such holy exercises, and thereby conform himself to my intention, which is always hortatory, rather than mandatory, with compulsion. I do not hold myself to have authority to command upon the guilt of mortal sin, which I find no otherwise defined, then to be that, which is spoken, done, or thought against the eternal Law of God; 
August count Faust. li. 22. cap. 27.  it is not said against the commandment of the Church; whereas principally I either command or forbid that, which in itself is indifferent, and neither commanded, nor forbidden, by God's Law. So the holy Apostles, gathered together in the Council of jerusalem, did resolve, that the new Christians, especially those that were converted from Gentilism, in respect of outward obligation, besides the moral natural Law of the Decalogue, should not be bound in conscience to any other thing, 
Acts. 15.29.  except abstaining from meats offered to Idols, and from blood, and from things strangled: and moreover to beware of fornication, not that this is not comprised in the Decalogue, but for that the Gentiles for the most part were in this error, to think that simple fornication was not forbidden by the Law of nature. In other things the Apostles left them entire liberty of their conscience. 
Rom. 14.3.  And S. Paul adviseth, 
Coloss. 2.16.  that he, which eateth not, should not judge those that eat, and that none ought to judge the faithful for eating, and drinking. Briefly, I conclude, you are to conform yourselves unto the well-grounded and well-instructed devotion of abstinence, of fasting, of prayers, of divine Service, and other spiritual exercises; especially upon the Sundays, and more solemn Feasts. But beware of two extremes; On the one side, lest you fall into superstition, and bring yourselves to such anxiety, and scrupulosity, as will oppress the inward liberty of the conscience; and therefore you are to put from you all fear of mortal sin, if sometime by negligence, or for your own conveniency (so it be without contempt, or scandal) you omit such devotions appointed, and ordained by me, who am your indulgent Mother: and pretend not to hold you to it with such rigour. The other extreme which you are to beware of, is, that hereupon you do not run into carnal liberty, by contemning, and utterly neglecting my good, and holy ordinances, setting at nought the pious, and devout exercises appointed by 〈◊〉 whereby the holy worship of God is maintained, and the inward spirit is furthered in Christian virtues, especially in religiousness.  
These Commandments therefore, in such sort as they are imposed on you by the Pope, are very Rocks, he making use of them principally to the end he may exercise his dominion over me, with a Law-giving power; but secondarily also for other indirect ends, tending unto covetousness: they are (I say) Rocks, because, when as by Preachers, Confessors, and petty doctrinal pamphlets, it still ringeth in your ears, that those Church-precepts do bind you under the pain of mortal sin, they being little observed: by this your erroneous conscience you make the omission of them to become in you mortal sin indeed; whereas otherwise it would be no sin at all. An erroneous conscience is that, which believeth a thing to be a sin, which in truth is none: and whosoever committeth, or omitteth that, which he deemeth a sin to be done, or not done, though in truth this be not a sin, yet he by his erroneous conscience sinneth mortally herein: and this is a dangerous pit, and deep breakneck of souls. Now therefore when as you learn by me, that my precepts (those that are merely mine) do not include any obligation unto mortal sin, be not you troubled with scruples, when, without contempt, or scandal, you find them not observed by you: and so much the rather, because some of those observations have a tang of superstition, whereupon it is not only no sin to omit them, but also it would be oftentimes a sin to observe them: I will declare myself more particularly.  
There be five precepts, which ordinarily pass under the name of my Commandments, as common to all the faithful: and yet in very deed there are to be found in the body of Canons now a days in force, a thousand such precepts, even more than ever the jews were burdened withal; which is a thing very intolerable. Those five are these; 1. To hear Mass on Sundays, and established holy days: 2. To fast in Lent, in the four Ember-wekes, in the Vigils, or eves; and to abstain from flesh on Fridays, and Saturdays: 3. To be shriven by your own Priest at least once a year: 4. To be houseled at Easter: 5. To pay tithes according to custom.  
The keeping of the Lords day, which succeeded the ancient Sabaoth, is derived rather from the divine, or moral Law, then from mine: but let the obligation of that observance be what it may, I mean not now to trouble you with it. I must remember you, that the Sunday, and other ancient Feasts established by me upon mature deliberation, are to be fully observed by you according to my ancient use, and declaration, with abstaining from servile works, as much as moral necessity, and other urgent occasions will suffer; that you may then apply yourselves to the worship of God, and to the spiritual profit of your souls; namely, by gathering together, especially to hear the word of God; to join in public prayer; and oftentimes to be refreshed with the most holy Sacraments. What hath Rome done by adding this particular command of hearing Mass, (since the Mass is degenerated into an abuse, as I will shortly show you, and hath much superstition in it,) but that all you should hold yourselves to have sufficiently discharged your duty of keeping holy all Feasts, by abstaining from servile works and hearing the Mass, and nothing else? For your Confessors require nothing else of you upon the commandment of sanctifying the Feasts. The word of God either is not preached at all, or, if it be preached, it is not heard, or, if heard, that is only upon courtesy, and curiosity, and not upon duty. The divine Service is said, or sung, but in a language not understood by the vulgar: whereupon it falleth out for the most part, that those, that are there present, spend the time in prattling, whispering, and, which is worse, in courting, and obsenities, and other such intertainments, very abominable to be used in the house of prayer. As for the Sacraments, I will speak of them afterwards. And this is your first Church-commandement, which doth much more hurt then good. You, my children, shall duly sanctify the Feasts, if upon such days, avoiding these vain, and superstitious, (and I would to God I might not say Idolatrous) Masses, and, now that your spiritual fathers, or rather step-fathers', afford you no good spiritual exercises, forbearing also to hear the Sermons of your Friars, which are full of leasings, and deceits, you would spend some time in your own houses in reading, in godly meditations, and prayers; and thus should you very well keep holiday, till it should please God to give you true, pure, and uncorrupt exercises in your own Churches.  
In the second precept, which concerneth fasting, and abstinence, I like very well, that those, who can, do fast on the fasting-days, especially in the Lent, which is a very ancient institution. And let this be a true fast, tending to the mortification of the flesh, with abstaining, not only from eating flesh, eggs, and whitmeats, as the manner is, but also from all delicate, and high feeding viands, especially, if they be incentive, as are salt meats: Let the fast be kept with herbs, with pulse, with cheap ordinary fish, and only one meal a day. Your fasting is very ridiculous, and loathsome, both to me, and my Spouse: to abstain from such course meat as beef, and to seek out the most delicate fish of the highest price, and other choice dainties, to please the palate, with variety also of spices, and sauces. O, how much more perfect a fast would it be, and more acceptable to God, to take one light meal of flesh, than a delicious banquet of fish. But, as I said, if any of you be not disposed to fast, or to forbear flesh, even in Lent, let him not be scrupulous thereupon: for, my precepts do not bind on pain of mortal sin: yet notwithstanding he shall be very blameworthy, if, being able, yet he do not accommodate himself to the rest of the faithful. Of Confession, and receiving the Communion, I will speak afterwards.  
As for tithes, they are ill ranged under my precepts: for, I hold them to appertain to God's law, either natural, or positive, at least, where my Ministers receive from thence their necessary sustenance, and in such quantity, and manner, as custom hath long confirmed. And this charge of overruling matter of tithes, where they need rectifying, is proper to the secular Princes, every of them in their own dominions, inasmuchas tithes are external goods: and they are to see to it, that, where necessary Ministers have not decent maintenance, supply be made by the Parishioners; and where too much abundance, and superfluity is, and the same luxuriously employed, that it be moderated, by transferring from those Priests, which have too much, unto others, which have too little. They are also to provide that the Bishops entertain so many clerk, as are necessary for their Churches, and to restrain them from making a number of idle, and superfluous Priests: and so shall all of them be well provided for: but much the better, if, by the authority of Princes, and temporal Lords, the world were disburdened of such rabble's of Friars, and Monks, and Regulars, of the Religions now out of square, and dissolute: reducing also the other Orders, which keep as yet some form of regular life, unto the entire obedience of those Bishops, in whose Cities, and Dioceses, those Convents are; and withal utterly dissolving, and annulling, all form of Commonwealth amongst them, wherein all the Regulars are combined together; so that they may remain either mere clerk, and simple Priests, or else become Monks of the old fashion, without holy Orders, and without revenues. And so their exorbitant possessions will make a supply to help Bishops of small means, and poor parish-Priests, and will serve the turn to ease the people, in maintaining their parish-Priests, & in founding of Colleges, and Seminaries for students in the Universities, and somewhere also for the support of the Military profession.   

¶ The sixth Rock. False Union.  
Verily I am but one, being the only Spouse of Christ; and though my daughters, the particular Churches, be many, yet I am nothing else, but they all joined together. And forasmuch as I am only one, and they altogether are one with me, even as all the members united make only one body, and the head of this my body is no other but Christ alone; therefore this my union consisteth in our being built all upon one, & the same foundation, which is only one and the same Christ, only one and the same Gospel, only one and the same faith, only one and the same Baptism; and in that we love, and embrace one another in perfect charity. And those Churches, which do not in this manner unite themselves unto me, have no part in this union, nor pertain to this body. And in these particulars, my holy Fathers have always declared this necessary union to consist, the foundation whereof is faith, and charity the bond which combineth it. It must needs be therefore very lamentable to behold some Churches my daughters, or my parts, or members, that is, limbs of my body, to agree with me in the foundation, but will not be united by charity, under vain pretences of frivolous dissenssions in points, that are not fundamental: and thus they foully break me this union.  
But that, which most of all offends me, is, that the Pope, my Capital enemy, doth destroy, and break, and dissipate this my so important union, drawing it mischievously to himself, and urging, that union consisteth in being subject unto him, as a visible head. Yet have I showed, that there is no relation of an head in him, and that he is merely my minister, and servant. Indeed he is, as every other Bishop, the visible head of his own Church only, my daughter of Rome: and he it is, that giveth union to that Church; for, every particular Church is visibly one, whilst it depends of her own only principal minister. A Church (that is, a particular Church) saith Saint Cyprian, 
Cypr. lib. 4. Ep. 9  is a people united to their Pastor: But in me, that am the universal and total Church, there is no union made by any other then by my true and only head Christ, and all particular Churches bring forth that goodly, and necessary union, by being united with me upon the same foundation, and under the same head Christ, and that by way of charity, and concord. 
Idem. lib. 4. Ep. 2.  To this purpose well said the same Cyprian, that the Church of Christ is one, being divided throughout the world into many members, and that there is only one Bishopric, which is diffused by the agreeing multitude of many Bishops: 
Ibidem. Ep. 3.  Moreover he saith, though we be many Pastors, yet we feed one flock only. And again, being that the Church, which is one and universal, is not broken, nor divided, she is also united, and combined by the bond of Priests conjoined among themselves. Therefore Cyprian never could find, that this union consisted in one of the Bishops, by the reducing all others to him, as to an head, but that all Bishops united together in faith and charity did cause this union of mine.  
It is a grievous injury, which my ungrateful daughter of Rome doth offer me, whilst she, forgetting that she is my daughter, maketh herself my Mistress, and usurps my Robes, and my Titles, as if she were the universal Church, when she herself is a particular Church, one of the many. It is I, that am the truly universal, who stretch forth my arms from East to West, and from North to South: and how can she be universal, or total, being only a part, and member? All the many are gathered together and united in me, and not in her: for even she, if she will be Catholic, must of necessity be united to me, as a part to the whole, as a member to the body, under mine, and her head, Christ jesus.  
Behold therefore the Rock, whereupon ye run, whilst ye are willing to reduce yourselves unto an union invented by the Pope, that he might thereby become my head, and tyrannize over me, and whilst ye yield obedience to him, instead of remaining in union with me, ye separate yourselves from me, and, instead of making and procuring unity, you break it, and divide it. For, he is not in the Catholic Church, that is not in the universal Church, which am I: and whilst the Bishop of Rome packeth a faction, which receiveth union from him only: surely that sect of his can be neither Catholic, nor universal, nor Church: therefore his party is not the universal Church, but a devilish schism, wherein there cannot be any sound and holy union, but a conspiracy and combination of a Sect, not of a Church. Now let us pass on to the Rocks of Avarice.    

THE SECOND PART. ¶ The Rocks founded on Avarice.  

The first Rock. The Mass.  
THAT exercise, wherewith I have been furnished sincerely for above four hundred years, which now adays you call the Mass, was, by the first institution thereof, nothing else, but a consecrating of the Bread of the holy Eucharist for the communion of the faithful, and that to represent the Passion and death of Christ, and to make commemoration of that most blessed sacrifice, wherein Christ himself, being both Priest, and Sacrifice, did offer up his most sacred Body, and precious blood, upon the Altar of the Cross, only once for my redemption, and for remission of sins: and this was then instituted by Christ, when in his last Supper he made his Apostles Communicants of that mysterious Bread, and Wine, which represented his Body and Blood, saying unto them, Do this in remembrance of me. That therefore, which Christ gave unto his Apostles, namely. Bread, and Wine, for them to eat, and drink, was the Sacrament, a true, and real Sacrament, but not a true, and real Sacrifice, other than commemorative. For, this Sacrament was given them, as in very deed an actual Sacrament, and bearing with it Sacramental fruit and benefit, but as a commemoration only, and representation of the future sacrifice. When therefore he said unto them, Do you this, What else could he understand, but this, ye also shall deliver unto others actually this true, and real Sacrament, but so, that it be commemorative, and representative of my Sacrifice then overpast. And in this sense did all my ancient Fathers always understand this sacred exercise (now called the Mass) for the introductions used in the making a real, and actual Sacrament, and for a Sacrifice, not actual, but only commemorative, and representative. 
Chrysost. in epist. ad Heb. hom. 17.  Listen to S. chrysostom, We make an offering every day, but we do it in remembrance of the death of Christ: there is only one Sacrifice, which was only once offered in the Holy of holies: but this Sacrifice is a type or model of that: And this which we now perform, we do only in commemoration; As he said, Do this in remembrance of me. We perform not another Sacrifice, as the Priest then did; but we offer always the same, or rather, we do celebrate the memory of that Sacrifice. So plainly speaketh S. chrysostom, that this action now called the Mass, is not itself a Sacrifice, but a memory, and representation, & after-draught of a bypassed Sacrifice.  
What hath the Avarice of Rome done in this? This sacred exercise, which, in regard of the real action, produceth the Sacrament, is by them entitled to a true and real un-bloody Sacrifice under the name of the Mass, and so they will needs have their Priests truly, and really to sacrifice Christ: And to this their Sacrifice, as real, and properly so called, they attribute the true properties of an actual Sacrifice, making it propitiatory, impetratory, and satisfactory: their end herein is, that you, my poor, and simple children, believing these their fictions, may ply them to say Masses for you, but tendering beforehand your money to the priests, and oftentimes driving the bargain for more or less to eke it out for the quick, and the dead. And so you, finding yourselves deeply drenched in sin, that you may save the labour of a true, and due sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart: 
Psal. 51.17.  thus trusting more to this unbloody Sacrifice, which will stand you in but a few pence, you think that you bring with you in your pocket an undoubted remission of your sins. O fearful rock! O doleful wrack! O hateful avarice!  
The Pope will needs have a great Army of innumerable Priests, and Friars, whom he pretendeth, and, in despite of Secular Princes, maintaineth, to be his only, his Subjects, soldiers, and servants: but, he is more thrifty then to allow them wages of his own pay, or table of his provision; and therefore he hath invented, for their maintenance, such devices as this, to nimme the coin out of your purses: Which ye give down very gently, that you may have your part in these sweet Sacrifices, not by way of commemoration of the benefit which you have received by Christ, but by way of bargain, and hire for the remission of your sins, and the freedom of souls out of Purgatory for petty peniworthes. And that you may ply their shop the oftener, and become daily customers for Masse-bargaines, they tell you that one Mass will not do the feat; that you are not always rightly disposed to be capable of the benefit of this Sacrifice; that for every sin you must have at least one Mass; with such like devices: and then let them alone to make their ware saleable: they will find you miracles enough begotten by their Masses, and store you with visions, revelations, and many other such tricks, and slights coined in the forge of covetousness.  
But what think you of the superstitious ceremonies of the Mass? they are a many of devices broached to astonish the simple vulgar, and to ravish them with admiration of hidden and unknown mysteries, without common sense, without signification, without any contents in them, other then mere superstition. The masspriest sometimes beats his breast; one while lifts up his eyes, otherwhile casts them down; one while joins his hands together, otherwhile spreads them at large; one while holds his fingers close, otherwhile displays them: sometimes he makes crosses in the air, in a certain prefixed number, and with so nimble motion, as if he would beat away flies, sometime he bends himself down, lowting low with Spanish crindges: sometime he stands upright, sometime stoops, sometime mumbles in secret, otherwhile he chants it aloud: one while he turns to the people, otherwhile to the Altar: which are gesticulations fit for the stage, then for the Church, and to procure laughter, then to stir up devotion. Set habits I mislike not; for, in my first, and best times my Ministers were in their holy functions adorned with proper habits for that purpose, which indeed were not so costly and stately, as now adays I see them in some Churches, nor so slovenly and nasty, as I see them in other, especially amongst those Friars, which love their broth well, and take more care to have their diet large and fat, then to have their Vestry furnished and neatly dight.  
As for the Sacrament, whilst the Communion of the faithful, either all, or many, or some is in celebrating, then is the fit time for that, which is called Mass, which should indeed be the Liturgy, and, not a private, but public exercise, even for the said Communion, and no other use: for, this only was the first, and pure institution thereof. But Romanists have brought-in an innovation, that for the most part the Communion should be celebrated without Mass, or Liturgy: for, they make boxes to be kept full of these Hosts: there one comes, another goes, and the Priest, without Mass, without prayers, affords to every stander-by the Communion, or rather the half Communion; it being a maimed Sacrament, and full of undecent enormities. Hence I infer, that the private Mass, as it is now adays celebrated, is in many respects frivolous, and causeth the ruin of many souls. One reformation of it would be, by cutting off many parts of it, and generally all those strange gestures, and by celebrating it for the Communion only. Whereupon it follows, that in one and the same Church all the Altars, except one principal, should be demolished, as superfluous. For, in one Congregation one Mass is enough for the people's Communion, where the multitude of Altars, and Masses is nothing but a mere superstition, and erroneous opinion of a Sacrifice.  
But the greatest enormity, and most intolerable error of the Mass, now adays is, that you, poor souls, are made believe, that in it the bread is converted, or (as they speak) transubstantiated into the true, and real body of Christ: so that the bread after the consecration must be no more bread, no not in substance, but Christ's true and real body, with his true, & real presence in body, and soul, and the Deity united thereto; with his head, eyes, hands, and feet, the very same, that was borne of the Virgin Mary, which was fastened on the Cross, which rose again, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father; a thing beyond all understanding, and utterly imperceptible, which I could never apprehend, nor approve. Surely the Scripture always calleth the Eucharist, even after consecration, bread; Saint Luke calleth it the Communion of breaking of bread: 
Act. 2.46.  Saint Paul also saith, 
1. Cor. 10.16.  That the bread, which we break, is the communion of the body of Christ; and speaking of the due preparation before the Communion, after a man hath proved himself, and purged his conscience, 
1. Cor. 11.28.  then, saith he, let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. So likewise all the ancient Fathers acknowledged true bread in the Eucharist; neither ever heard they news of this transubstantiation, it being an utter stranger in my house; and for above eight hundred years after Christ neither heard of, nor thought on. And whensoever the ancient Fathers do call the Eucharist by the name of Christ's body, their meaning is, that the bread is Christ's body Sacramentally, without ceasing to be bread still: even as the water of holy Baptism is sacramentally the blood of Christ, which washeth the soul, yet notwithstanding remaineth it still water.  
And, if ye ask me, what the Eucharistical bread doth get by consecration more than it had before, and what manner of transmutation, or change that is, which the holy Fathers acknowledge to be in the bread after consecration; I answer, that the bread before consecration is nothing else, but ordinary bread, and only material food for the body; but upon consecration it is altered, and changed, and that spiritually, and not materially: for, it becometh Sacramental bread, and by so being it attaineth a very great and marvelous privilege, that whosoever doth worthy lie eat it in the holy Communion, doth receive the true body of Christ in a certain unspeakable, but spiritual, and Sacramental manner: Christ having ordained and promised, that whensoever this bread being made Sacramental by consecration, shall be eaten worthy lie, he will give his body spiritually, and all other admirable spiritual benefits for the nourishment of their souls, to those that shall thus worthily communicate. And, in regard of this spiritual effect of receiving the body of Christ spiritually, as often as the consecrated bread is worthily received in the act of communicating, the Fathers are wont to call that bread the body of Christ: And in this sense, Christ, when he gave the Communion to his Apostles in his last supper, did call that bread, which he delivered to them, his body. So also must we understand the consecrated wine, which being drunk corporally in the Sacrament, the very blood of Christ is drunk, but spiritually, & not corporally: and so in the blessed Sacrament of bread and wine, there is spiritually the true body, and the true blood of Christ, with their true, and real effects, wrought in the soul of the worthy Communicant: but there is neither the body, nor the blood corporally, and that which is there corporally, is very bread, and very wine, employed Sacramentally, as I have declared.  
The like is to be understood also of the water of holy Baptism: for, that also, before the invocation of the most holy Trinity in the act of baptizing, is no other, then mere ordinary water, but by that invocation it is consecrated in the very act of Baptism, and so at one & the same time, both the water is consecrated, and of ordinary becometh Sacramental, and withal there is performed the Sacrament of Baptism, with the inward effect of purging the soul: whereas in the Eucharist the consecration goeth before, whereby the bread, and wine are made Sacramental; and afterwards follow the eating, and drinking of them: in which actions consisteth the very Sacrament, and the body & blood of Christ is given inwardly to him, that worthily eateth and drinketh this Sacramental bread, and wine; but whosoever doth eat and drink them unworthily, without examining himself, and first being cleansed from sin, he doth not eat, nor drink any other thing, than bread, and wine. For to those, that are unworthy, Christ affordeth not spiritually his body, nor his blood, howsoever they do eat, and drink the consecrated bread, and wine: which consecration hath this operation, that it maketh the bread, and wine Sacramental unto those that Sacramentally receive them, and are only fit for them; whereas the unworthy receive them not as a Sacrament, Christ denying unto them his body, and blood; and so to them this eating and drinking is no Sacrament, and that by their own default: This consecration therefore doth them no good at all, but is the occasion that they eat and drink, not a Sacrament, nor Christ's body, 
1. Cor. 11.29.  and blood, but judgement, & condemnation, as St. Paul denounceth, because they do not discern the body of the Lord; that is, they put no difference between ordinary bread, and this consecrated bread, which in the Sacramental eating doth spiritually exhibit the true body of Christ to the worthy receivers; they making no other preparation for it, then if they were to receive their common, ordinary, and mere corporal food. So also, if, by any mischance in the time of communicating, any unreasonable creature should eat that consecrated bread, it eateth no other than mere bread; inasmuch as Christ doth not afford his body with the consecrated bread, but only unto those, who are capable of the Sacrament, and are made worthy of it, or, at least, do not unworthily approach unto it.  
And because Christ performeth not this wonderful work of giving his body, and blood, (in such sort as I have declared) but only by occasion of the Sacrament; and forasmuch as, likewise the Sacrament itself consisteth wholly in the actions of eating, and drinking, who seethe not, that such consecrated bread, whilst it is not employed in those actions, remaineth pure and ordinary bread? for, the consecrating of it served only to make it Sacramental bread, & surely it is not Sacramental otherwise then as it is to be eaten Sacramentally in that spiritual banquet, which then is in celebrating, although the same should continue many hours, or there were some sick persons to communicate of it, who lie in their beds at home, even though they were some ten miles distant thence, in as much as this may be held morally one banquet or Communion.  
Whereupon you may easily perceive the error of those, that term by the name of the most holy Sacrament that consecrated bread, which after the Communion finished, is kept in pixes and cabinets, where it is not to be eaten by any, but after certain days, and weeks, and months, and perhaps not by men at all, but by mice, or other vermin, and yet surely it is no Sacrament, but only in the act of eating: therefore in these pixes, and closerts there is contained, not only no Sacrament, but not so much as Sacramental bread, the force of consecration being already vanished; inasmuch as that bread was consecrated only to the end it might be eaten in that meeting Sacramentally; and therefore afterwards it becometh ordinary bread: which notwithstanding, in reverend regard that this very bread was consecrated to the Communion, is to be eaten by those, that are in sacred function, and not to be brought unto the common dining-table, nor to be used as ordinary food. And yet (alas) even to this bread thus reserved, there are usually prayers made, and adoration performed, as unto the only true God, which is most express, proper, and formal Idolatry.  
Consider also the gross absurdities, and manifest impossibilities, which they are feign to maintain, who hold transubstantiation: that the accidents of bread, namely colour, quantity, smell, savour, and such like, remain without any subject, wherein they should inheare, or substance, whereby they should be supported. Surely nothing can subsist in its actual being whensoever it looseth its very essence; and all Philosophy proclaimeth, that Accidentis esse estinesse, the being of an accident, or quality consisteth in being supported by a substance, or subject. So that by this reckoning these accidents are in being, because they are seen, and felt, and yet are not in being, because their own being is denied them: and that which essentially hath no being of itself, but wholly dependeth of another, it is unpossible that it should exist without that, by which it is that it is. So every accident in its own essence is an appurtenance to another thing, namely, unto substance; and he, that withdraweth substance and subject from an accident, stealeth away the very essence thereof: and so, as I said, these accidents are something, because they are visible, and palpable, and yet are nifles, because there is no substance left to support them; and so they are appendents, and no appendents. And, as for divinity, that acknowledgeth, that even to God himself those things, which imply contradiction, are not feasible.  
But what would they say concerning the power of nourishing, which is always to be found in the Eucharistical bread? Certainly he, that should eat no other meat, nor drink no other liquor, than these Sacramental elements, should find himself nourished as much as with any ordinary bread and wine: And being that a man's body is not an accident, but a substance, of necessity it must be nourished with substances and not with accidents, the substance of meats being always turned into the substance of the body nourished by them: here therefore is no other starting-hole left, then to run to a miracle, that forsooth God doth create a new substance, whereby he, that thus eateth, is nourished, and so in truth they might as well say, that he liveth and is nourished without eating, and drinking: for, to eat and drink without receiving the substance of meat and drink is indeed not to eat and drink at all.  
Here I may add the greatest impossibility of all, and even open contradiction hence following, namely, that Christ's body shallbe a body, and no body: it cannot be denied that corporeal, and incorporeal substances are so far in their nature, and essence distinguished, that neither of them can have the properties of the other, nor be despoiled of their own properties, without the total destruction of one of them. To be in a confining circumscribed place; to have quantity, and parts one distinguished from the other; to be either heavy, or light; to be sensible; are properties, which arise from the internal essence of things corporeal. To be indivisible; to be uncircumscribed by any place; to possess no situation; to be wholly in the whole, and all in every parcel of the whole, are properties of substances abstract, immaterial, and incorporeal. Well indeed may it be granted, that God's Almighty power can displace some of these properties in bodies, by putting in another property contrary thereto, but yet corporeal; as he can make a body, which is naturally heavy, to become light, and that, which is hot, to become cold; but to make a body still to remain an entire body, yet so, that it shall retain no corporeal quality, but assume incorporeal properties, is utterly impossible, even to God's omnipotency: for it should be at the same time both a body and a spirit; and so a body, and no body. To this are the Papists driven, turning the body of Christ into an abstract, immaterial, and incorporeal substance, and giving it the true properties of a spirit, and depriving it of all bodily qualities. And yet when the Disciples, after the resurrection, upon Christ's appearance amongst them, 
Luke 24.37.  and saying unto them, Peace be unto you, were terrified and affrighted, supposing they had seen a spirit; for the driving this error out of their heads, Christ, showing them his hands, and feet, and body, said, Handle me and see; for, a spirit hath not flesh, and bones. It is therefore a sound position by Christ's own argument, that that, which consisteth of flesh and bones, cannot have the properties of a spirit, nor a spirit have the properties of a body; otherwise Christ's argument would not pass for currant, if it were possible, that a man's body might be without palpable flesh, and bones, and that a Spirit might consist of palpable flesh, and bones. But the Papists will needs drive the body of Christ, which of necessity hath visible, and palpable flesh, and bones, to be a mere spirit: and so they make the same body, remaining continually in heaven, and not departing thence, to come down to the earth, into the hands of the Priest, and that without passing through the heavens, or the air: and that the same entire body must be in the same moment of time, both in heaven, and upon an infinite company of Altars in the earth: and that not only in the whole contents of the consecrated Host, but in every little particle thereof, though no bigger than the point of a needle, there must be the large entire body of a man fully grown, together with all his flesh, and bones, with his hands, and feet, and with all the rest of his members. A very mere vanity, whereat the Infidels our adversaries may well make themselves merry, and mock at our faith, for maintaining things so repugnant to all reason, which we cannot salve up, no not by running to God's omnipotency.  
There is no necessity at all, whereby we should be driven to these absurd assertions. True it is, that Christ speaking of the holy Bread, said, This is my body, but even so it is said of iron heated red-hot, this is fire, not because it ceaseth to be iron, but because that iron is accompanied with fire, together with the properties thereof, as heating, enlightening, and such like. So, this bread is his body, because, in the Communion, the body of Christ doth spiritually accompany this bread, and doth bring spiritual effects with it.  
So also Christ said of S. john Baptist, that he was Elias, 
Matth. 17.12.  yet he was not in person that ancient Elias, but he, that was prefigured by him. jesus Christ therefore spoke mystically and Sacramentally; as likewise when he said of himself, that he was the living bread 
john 6.55.  that his flesh was meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed. Some of the holy Fathers understand this place in S. john, not of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, but of faith, and in a mysterious sense, that he, that believed in him, did thereby eat the true bread, which was given from heaven. And those among the Fathers, which, by this flesh and blood thus promised by Christ for nourishment, understand the Sacrament, do mean also, that this flesh, and this blood is to be eaten, and drunk by faith, whilst the Sacramental Bread, and Wine is eaten, and drunk by the corporal mouth.  
From this main error concerning this impossible, and unconceivable transubstantiation, whereby they will have a true, and real transmutation of the Bread into the true, real, living, entire, and total body of Christ, doth arise a true, and real Idolatry in the Mass: wherein the consecrated Host is lifted up, that it may be adored for very Christ, very God; and yet in realty and truth it is true and real bread.  
Another branch springing from this error is, that upon this occasion they have maimed the Sacrament in the people's Communion, by saying, that in receiving of the body of Christ in the Bread, there is received the flesh, and so the blood also by concomitancy. And upon pretence of certain vain, and fruitless reverences, lest by any mischance the consecrated wine should be spilled upon the ground, and so the very blood of Christ be trod under feet, they have to prevent this mischief rob the people of the use of the cup. Wherein they err more ways than one; first, in running to this devise of concomitance, whereas Christ in his Institution of this holy Sacrament did employ both Bread, and Wine, commanding all both to eat and drink, and giving order to his Apostles, that they, and their successors after them should in the very same manner minister the Communion unto the faithful people.  
Moreover, by taking away from the Sacrament the signification thereof, they do, in whole, or in part, destroy the Sacrament itself: namely, as far as the thing signified is more, or less defalked. Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the form of a meal, a banquet, a refection, for the increase of amity, and love among the faithful, (whose charity is much employed in these mutual entertainments and feasts) as also to signify, that he would hereby refresh, and nourish our souls. Now he, that debars drink from his board, and feeds his guests with meat only, surely maketh but a dry feast; and he, that feeds only on meat, without any drink at all, is but ill refreshed, and very imperfectly nourished. When therefore the faithful come together to the Lord's Supper, they ought, even in the outward action, not only to eat, but also to drink together, to express in this complete manner their mutual love, and union: and if they only eat together without drinking, they cannot taste the entire signification of this spiritual Feast, which consists in an entire, and total charity. And he that outwardly receiveth meat only, without the Cup, cannot thereby represent to his understanding the inward receipt of a complete spiritual refection.  
They have therefore done very ill to take away the use of the Cup, to the grievous maiming of the Sacrament, and robbing of you, my dear children, of a great part of the fruit of the Eucharist, whilst they give it you in this manner, lame and dismembered. And this reverence, which they pretend, is a vain excuse: for, such care, and diligence, as by men can be performed in this behalf, is sufficient to prevent undecent handling of those sacred mysteries; and there being no danger at all, that the very body, or the very blood of Christ should be materially trampled or trodden under foot; but surely, their keeping their Sacrament thus in boxes and shrines (which is indeed no Sacrament whilst it is not thereto employed) is hereby exposed to danger of being gnawn, and consumed by mice and worms: and in this their case of danger, they are driven to say, that a mouse, eating those species, doth receive into itself the very body of Christ, and the entire Sacrament, though it receive not rem, & effectum Sacramenti, the Sacramental thing and effect thereof: and whilst these species remain in the belly of this mouse, it must needs follow, according to their doctrine, that in the mouse's belly there is included the true and real body of Christ. And is not this, I pray you, a greater absurdity, then if some drop of the sacred wine, though it were indeed the very blood of Christ, should be spilled upon the earth, whence it may either be gathered up, or wiped away without being trodden on at all?  
In the mean while here also they use their ambitious tyranny, making themselves absolute Lords over holy things, and mysteries ordained by Christ himself, whereof they ought to be dispenfers only, and not commanders, nor masters to give or deny what they please, even to those, who are worthy receivers of them. And besides this fuel of their ambition, whereby they maintain transubstantiation, to make their Priests and Friars to be more highly esteemed, and reverenced of the people, (as those who manage, and handle Christ, and cause him to come down from heaven) hereto is to be added also the part, which covetousness hath in this lot, by squiesing your purses, and drawing from you the larger offerings by this vain fancy put in your heads, & selling their Masses at so much the higher rate, which they see cannot have the name of a propitiatory Sacrifice, unless the very body of Christ be offered in them. And thus you see these so high mysteries, for the private ends of those that manage them, enwrapped with gross and palpable errors; from which I advise you to keep aloof, as from most pernicious Rocks.   

¶ The second Rock. Auricular Confession.  
ONe of the precious treasures, which my jesus Christ hath laid up in his house, and mine, is the remission of sins, which cannot be had, or found anywhere else, then in my precincts: This in most full manner is granted first in Baptism unto those, who, being of ripe understanding, do seriously come to the holy laver. And you my children, by reason of your corrupt nature, cannot remain any long while in this mortal life without falling into sins, whereupon the true and general remedy for remission of sins committed after Baptism, is Repentance.  
But I would have you be advised, that ye by no deed, that you can do, though supported with God's grace, can ever purchase, or merit this Remission, as if doing one or more good actions, and presenting them to God, ye might pretend, that he is bound to pardon you, especially concerning the act of justification; wherein of an impious sinner remaining under God's wrath, a man becometh the son of God, and is reconciled to him, and accepted of him. This is a grievous error, and dangerous Rock, inasmuch as neither repentance, nor Confession, nor any other act done by a sinner, can bind God to afford him remission, to whom only it belongeth to remit sins. And this remission hath my only Spouse your Lord, and mine, jesus Christ purchased, and merited with his bitter Passion, by shedding of his most precious blood, and dying upon the baleful tree of the Cross: and the remission of your sins consisteth in this only, that God through his mere grace and mercy accepteth Christ's satisfaction instead of that satisfaction, which a sinner ought to pay him for his sins, by the everlasting punishment of eternal damnation. And so a sinner becometh just, whilst God doth derive upon a sinner the justice of his son, and doth apply it unto him with this only condition, that the sinner by faith do unite himself unto Christ, and believing in him do lay his whole confidence on him only, and not on any work or merit of his own. For, all your works, if they be merely natural, are filthy, & of no worth to obtain any supernatural good: and if they be done with faith, and by the help of grace, besides that they are always full of imperfections, and tainted with some spots, they are not indeed to be counted yours, but to be attributed to God and his grace; and are also a debt due unto him in many respects: for, whose the tree is, his also is the fruit that it beareth; and to him that is master of a slave, belong also the children, the work, and the purchase whatsoever the slave getteth. Ye can never therefore bring unto God your works as your own free gift, whereupon you might expect recompense of pardon: and so much the more, in that there is no proportion between your works, which are finite, and of finite value, (if of any at all) and the offence of infinite demerit. Suffer not therefore yourselves to be deceived by the covetousness of the Priests, and Friars, when they tell you, that you may obtain justification, and remission of your sins how heinous soever, by your good works, especially by giving alms. Neither put you any confidence toward the remission of sins in any, saving Christ alone, and in his merits; 
Rom. 3.24.  for, he freely justifieth you, without any merit of yours.  
True it is (and therefore take heed of the other extreme) that no man can present himself to God, nor rely upon Christ's merits, that goeth on in a wicked resolution to continue still in sin against his conscience. And therefore I told you, that you must address yourselves unto Christ to obtain this remission, but with faith, that is, with a true and lively faith, 
jam. 2.17.  not with that faith, which without works is dead, but with such a faith in the mind, which is accompanied with holy affections, and that is to believe in Christ, to be subject unto him, to obey him, with detestation of faults committed, and intending of a new life, and yielding up a man's self to the keeping of God's holy Commandments. And whosoever doth not this, in vain shall he rely upon Christ and his merits, neither shall he ever obtain remission of his sins. This rising up from sin, and submitting to the observance of God's Commandments, as far as human frailty will afford, is not in you any merit, whereto remission should be repaid as due, but it is a necessary disposition, and taketh away the impediments, that otherwise would hinder remission of sins. And herein consisteth Penitence, being both the inwards of true repentance, (which is the most principal disposition requisite for remission) and the outside also of penitential works, as fasting, alms, mortifying the flesh, and other works of piety, which are indeed no merits, nor causes of forgiveness, but fruits of inward true repentance, and a fit appurtenance unto the inward good disposition, and unto due humiliation.  
These dispositions being forelaid, as necessary, & required by God, let a man hold himself to his faith, and confidence in Christ, and by his mercy he shall without fail obtain remission: and the whole conveyance between God and a sinner, is carried in this manner by the means of Christ, mine and your only Mediator, without any necessity at all of any other Confession made unto man; due Confession made unto God being of itself sufficient, whereby a sinner, being humbled, doth not any more defend his sins, but confesseth to God, 
Chrys. in ep. ad Heb. hom. 31.  that he hath sinned. I do not advise thee (saith Saint chrysostom) to lay thyself open, nor to accuse thyself to others, 
Psalm. 57  but to obey the Prophet, who sayeth, Reveal thy way unto the Lord. Confess thy sins before God, declare thy offences before the judge, though not with thy tongue, yet with thy memory, and then hope that thou shalt obtain mercy: So saith that worthy holy Father.  
I do not know, that I ever entertained in my house any such Sacrament appointed me by my Spouse, as a true and proper Sacrament, whereby he hath obliged himself to give remission of sins after Baptism: I believe indeed, that whosoever groaning under the load of sin, shall with true inward pentience, and real repentance approach unto the holy table, and receive the Communion with due preparation, shall receive remission of his sins. For, although this Sacrament was principally instituted by Christ, and committed to me for the spiritual feeding of the soul, and for the preserving of charity among my children; yet in that it is also a remembrance of the Passion of Christ, it availeth much for the remission of sins; for the obtaining whereof Christ's body was sacrificed upon the Cross, & his most precious blood shed: and therefore in his first giving the Communion to his Apostles, he said unto them, 
Luc. 22.19. Math. 26.28.  that that was his body which was given for them, and his blood shed for the remission of sins.  
You must understand also, that Auricular Confession, and Priestly Absolution, which are the ground of this Rock, now set before your view, is neither practised aright, nor well understood by those that follow the Roman doctrine, who hereupon have built a shop of money-mart and gain. Recall, I pray you, to your remembrance that, which I observed before in the fourth Rock of the first part, concerning the two first medicinal Excommunications, and you shall find that my ancient custom prescribed unto me by my Spouse, and practised by my holy, and learned Ministers, of at least four of the first Ages, was publicly to correct grievous, and scandalous offenders, and, according to the authority committed to me by Christ, to bind them in their sins, and afterwards to lose them again, and in this manner to employ the keys about the remitting of sins; namely, to debar such offenders for some while from the holy Table, & sometime also from all other Congregations, and meetings of the faithful for spiritual exercises, as heinous delinquents drowned in their sins, and unworthy of such participation, unless they should first recall themselves unto due inward penitence, and give also outward satisfaction unto me, by penitential works enjoined them by me, and my Ministers, when they thus had by scandalous sins disgraced me, and not yet made me any due satisfaction. And yet in due time, according to the pious discretion of my Ministers, such as these were loosed, and reconciled, and were anew admitted to the holy meetings with others, and to the Communion of the Lord's Supper.  
This was a course taken to very good purpose, and at length did work great settledness, and comfort in the consciences of such offenders, though perhaps it did go down with some bitterness, and shame. For, such a sinner being in this manner bound by me upon earth, was infallibly also bound in heaven, nor could obtain remission at God's hands, though he were never so well disposed by penitence and inward contrition between God and him: for, that promise, made by Christ, is most certain, and cannot fail, 
Matth. 18.18.  that he would bind in heaven all those, whom I had (without error) bound upon earth, 
john 20.23.  and that he would withhold and suspend all remission from those sinners, whose sins I had withheld, namely by the aforesaid retention, or excommunication, or solemn penance: and as soon as such a sinner, thus first bound by me, was afterward reconciled, and remaunded to the Church, and restored to religious commerce, and to the participation of the holy Sacrament, he did without fail obtain remission of Christ himself, by virtue of his aforesaid promise, that he would release, and forgive the sin assoon as I had loosed the person, and released the sin by this external remission: and so the internal remission afforded by Christ in such a case, dependeth upon the external remission given by me; which truly was a way of dealing on a very sure hand. And moreover, many grievous, and also secret offenders, nay perhaps all the sort of them, in regard of the surety of this course, came to their Bishop, or to some other deputed by him, who was afterward called the Penitentiary, or Confessor; and, some openly with a loud and audible voice, others more privily unto the ear, but in a public place in the Church, confessed their sins, those sins, I mean, that were very grievous, and enormous; and caused themselves in this manner, as I have said, to be bound or excommunicated, and to have penance enjoined them, that they might afterwards in fit time get reconciliation by the power of the keys, and consequently forgiveness in heaven without fail.  
And here you are to observe, that the Keys were employed only upon great and enormous crimes (for as for more light, and ordinary sins, though mortal, there were other external remedies, as I shall hereafter show,) and that by way of accusation, either by others, or by the delinquent himself: but the binding, and reconciling, and whole process was in the same manner. Whereby you may perceive, that this was not a Sacrament, as the Romanists would now have it: for, upon the accusation of others, and judicial conviction, they proceeded unto this binding, and injunction of penance, after which, the party accused, aswell not confessing, as confessing publicly, or privately, was absolved with the same for me of reconcilement: neither is there to be found in those days any other Confession, or Absolution. Moreover, that this was not then any Sacrament, it appeareth in that there was not any verbal Absolution, nor any ordinary form of absolving, but this alone was sufficient, that the Bishop, or his Substitute did give leave to the penitent to come into the Church, even into the place where the other people remained, which were not in penance, and to partake the Communion with them. And this was always called Reconciliation, not Absolution. And howsoever afterwards there were brought-in certain prayers, which were pronounced over the penitent in the act of his reconcilement, yet all was by way of supplication, and not by authoritative Absolution, as may be yet seen in the Roman Pontifical.  
And as for other sins, which were not so grievous, and enormous, howsoever mortal of themselves, God, in his mercy, doth require less disposition, and less ado concerning them: and so supposing always inward repentance, namely detestation of those sins, and firm removal of the will from them, and lively faith, and due confidence, God hath promised to acquit them much more easily, upon some performances taught, and imposed in the holy Scripture: as principally the Lord's prayer taught by my Saviour Christ. For, assuredly upon the presenting that petition, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, there followeth the remission of lighter and smaller sins; which S. Augustine, and other holy Fathers do understand of sins, which are in truth mortal, howsoever they style them by the name of venial, not that a venial sin is not mortal, (for every sin, that is truly a sin, is mortal, and, if not mortal, it is no sin) but because it is in that sort mortal that God vouchsafeth to deem it venial, that is, fit to be pardoned with more facility, than other heinous offences, which by the holy Fathers are called crimes, and distinguished from ordinary faults; yet both the one, and the other are mortal. In like sort these lesser, or venial sins are canceled upon giving of Alms, (for, as water putteth out fire, 
Ecclus. 5.30.  so Alms extinguisheth sin) as also upon undergoing tribulations with faith, and patience. 
Ecclus. 2.11.  God is full of compassion, and very pitiful, and forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction: 
Luke 6.37.  Also upon pardoning of injuries, Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you: Also at my requests, and intercessions such sins are remitted, 
Amb. depae. nit. l. 1. c. 1. & l. 2. c. 7. Aug. l. 3. de bapt. c. 17. Chrys. in ep. ad Rom. home 24.  and gemitu columbae, by my groaning, as you may find in S. Ambrose, and S. Augustine: with other convenient ways also taught, and allowed by holy Scripture, and expounded by S. chrysostom.  
But beware, lest you believe, that any sins, howsoever venial, are canceled by the holy-water-sprinkle: this is a mere superstition. Where doth the holy Scripture ever teach, that sins are washed away by water of the Priests hallowing? This were to bring in a second Baptism. They will have this effect to arise, either ex opere operato, or else ex opere operantis. That is to say; They will have this effect to be wrought either by the water itself, through the virtue of the benediction of it, if there be no impediment in him, that is sprinkled with it; or else they will have it to come of the devotion of him that useth this water. If they say by the deed done, (as for the most part they avouch) this is an intolerable impudence, namely to avouch, that the hallowing of this water doth give unto it a certain supernatural force to cleanse sins, without any further divine institution or promise, and so this becometh the dotage of the Turks, who by often washings hold themselves to be purified from their sins without fail: and how then can there be a more formal superstition, then to give to things merely natural and humane a certain supernatural force? If they will say, that it cometh ex opere operantis, to what purpose then serves that water, otherwise then to bring-in the superstition? The other operation, which they attribute hereunto, is the scaring away of Devils: which certainly this water cannot do, unless God do impart such virtue unto it: And where, I pray you, hath God bound himself to give such virtue to a creature by the blessing of a Priest? I would have you therefore to fly from holy Water, as from an idle superstition; so also take heed you believe not, that blessings given by Pope, Bishop, or Priest, whilst they make the sign of the Cross over you in the air, can cancel your sins though but venial; which is likewise a superstition of the same kind; whereto I may add the Agnus Dei, and other such idle trinkets.  
Well may ye collect out of that, which I have said, and observe how manifold, & great are the abuses of the Roman faction about Confession. First, they make a Sacrament where none is, taking the word Sacrament in the proper, and strict sense. Secondly, they allow an efficacy to authoritative absolution, which is neither necessary, nor hath any force at all; Reconciliation being sufficient, which in ancient times might be performed even by my Deacons, but so as in my name. Thirdly, they make Auricular Confession necessary (at least in men's desire of it when it cannot be had) for the remission of every mortal sin. Yet have I showed you, that it is left to your liberty thus to work, or no, your own security, by first causing yourselves to be bound by the keys, that afterwards you may be let lose by the same. And this retention, or binding, or discommuning, ought not to be undertaken by me for petty sins, but only for those, that are heinous and scandalous; there being in my family so many other means for remission of venials, yet always supposing Repentance. Fourthly, they do first absolve, and afterwards impose the penance; that is to say, they lose him, whom they never bound, and then they bind him again, whom they never lose afterward. And yet, for my part, I cannot lose, but that only, which myself have bound; and my order is first to bind, and then to lose; which is the true use of the keys. True it is, that every sin doth presently before God bind every sinner, and of this binding Christ did not speak, when he said, Whatsoever ye shall lose in earth, shall be loosed in heaven: inasmuch as my losing is a relative unto my binding; and therefore Christ there understandeth not that bond, whereby a sinner is bound before God, but that bond which is knit by me; whatsoever, saith he, ye shall bind: and when a sinner doth bind himself before God by his sin, it is not I that bind him, but he bindeth himself by sinning. Therefore I let loose nothing, but that, which myself have bound, and so the binding goeth before, with imposing of penance, and satisfaction, and then in good order followeth losing. And he, that is bound only before God, and not in respect of me, cannot be loosed by me; because I never bound him: but he must seek his losing of God, and carry this business between God and him alone, and then he knocketh at the right door for Absolution. Which if he desire to have at my hands, let him first come to have me bind him, and subject himself to my wholesome censures, and then in fit time I may let him loose again, inasmuch as I have bound him. Thus, and not otherwise, standeth the case of Absolution by my keys, there being also a liberty left to every grievous offendor to use, or not to use the benefit thereof; being, that even without these keys he may be assoiled from his sins: always excepting those offenders, who being accused before me, though against their own wills, stand bound by me. And for such as these, my Spouse committed the keys to me to bind, and lose withal; but he dothnot oblige any man to come to me, that I may bind him, and afterwards lose him, there being other ordinary means of remission provided for such, namely Repentance: only those, that either with, or against their own wills have been bound by me, are obliged by me to wait their deliverance at my hands, without which my release (except in case of necessity) by virtue of Christ's own words, they shall never be loosed in heaven. And in this manner I exhort all of you, my beloved children, in grievous sins always to seek to have remission by my keys, subjecting yourselves voluntarily to my binding, but secretly, that you may afterward obtain at my hands Reconcilement, whereupon infallibly followeth losing in heaven.  
Behold this Rock of Confession, and Absolution, which are so corruptly, and preposterously handled by the Romanists. They load you with more bonds than you are liable unto: they bear you in hand with a Sacrament, where indeed there is none: they secure you with Absolution ex opere operato; whereupon you, putting such trust in the power of this Absolution, especially in that it beareth the name to make you ex attritis contritos, it maketh you cast away all care, and lulls you fast asleep, so that you look not after true inward repentance, without which it is not possible to have true remission, and you rely too-too much upon this Absolution, which is given you without first being exercised in penance. And, alas, how many wretches be there among you, that lead still a wicked life upon presumption of the great force of Absolution, saying thus to themselves, When I shall be at the brink of death I will confess me, and receive Absolution, and so I shall stand on a sure ground. But Saint Augustine saith to such as these, 
Aug. lib. 50. hom. 41. & serm. 47. de temp.  that indeed he will not deny them reconciliation presently upon their confession, but he will not be their warrant, that it will boot them at all; because there doth not come between their Confession, and reconcilement such penitence as is necessary. And so in a most important business concerning your souls, you my children, that are blind, are lead by blind guides, and both of you fall into the gulf, and beat your ship against this infamous Rock of Avarice: for your Confessors (excepting some few good ones) ordinarily, when as they see your alms prepared, especially when it glisters rather yellow, then white, they presently absolve you, when you are nothing fit for it; or, to entertain the more pay, they shuffle up the business, that they may run over others, and so they dispatch you without examining, without sifting your consciences, without due considering your estate as well, or ill disposed for Absolution.  
I pass over the abominable abuses of making advantage of Confession, either to discover the secrets of Princes, & States, or to make way for inclinations to foreign Princes, or to fish for inheritances, and legacies, or to satisfy their own wanton lusts. I pass by the errors, and gross enormities, whereby, upon pretence of the secrecy of the seal of Confession, rebellions, conspiracies, king-killing, and such like abominations are couched, cherished, & secured. judge you therefore, if this be not an horrible and dreadful Rock: Let us pass on to the rest.   

¶ The third Rock, with two blind Rocks abutting, namely Purgatory, together with Satisfaction, and Indulgences.  
THe distinction of fault, and punishment in men's sins, being an upstart invention, yet some Ages since devised by my stubborn unruly daughter the Church of Rome, for the feeding thereby her unsatiable avarice; this distinction, I say, hath laid the foundation of that harmful Rock of Purgatory, enlarging itself with those two underlurking companions, Satisfaction after absolution, or Penance, as they call it, and Indulgences. I, for my part, through many the purer ages, have always published absolute, and entire pardon, and complete remission of sins; for such I have learned of my Spouse, of whom it is long since testified in the Psalm, that with him there is plenteous redemption; 
Psalm. 130.7.  neither did I ever find, that he, in pardoning of sins, and giving Absolution from the fault, did at any time change the eternal punishment into temporal, or ever enjoined any punishment, 
Luke 7.48.  or satisfaction. Behold the example of the sinful woman: 
Matth. 9.2.  of the man sick of the palsy: consider the parable of the debtors, I forgave thee all thy debt. 
Matth. 18.32.  So also by Ezechiel, that, God, when he pardoneth a man his sins, mentioneth them to him no more: 
Ezech. 18.22.  whereas, if he left their debt of punishment unsatisfied, certainly he should remember it until the said punishment were wholly performed. And how can it be said that a man doth pardon his enemy, if, forbearing to take away his life, he should make reservation unto himself of some other revenge upon him, though not mortal: Alas, what a pinching pardon were this.  
Are Christ's satisfactions sufficient for the whole fault, and are they not for the whole punishment? Or rather, hath not Christ taken upon himself entirely all my both faults, and punishments? And as for human satisfactions, so vile as they are, what price can they carry, being also due debt unto God in many other respects?  
But if you look back unto my continual practice, which I laid open to you in the discovery of the last-touched Rock, ye shall find that after Reconciliation, (which they now adays call Absolution) I did never impose any satisfaction or penance upon Penitents. I did indeed, before the losing such offenders, impose upon them some penal works, yet not as satisfactory, nor that by them they might rid themselves from the bonds of punishment due to their sins, whether temporal, or eternal; (What acceptable satisfaction can he give, who as yet is in disgrace) but that thereby they might stir up inward repentance, and show forth their humiliation, and edify their brethren scandalised by their heinous sins. Even as the penitence used by King Ahab, when he fasted, and put on sackcloth, was approved, and accepted of God, not as satisfactory, but as an outward sign of inward humiliation: 
1. King. 21.29.  Seest thou (saith God to Elias) how Ahab is humbled before me? because he humbleth himself, therefore I will not bring that evil in his days. And this is that, which was said by penitent David, A contrite & humbled heart, O God, 
Psal. 51.17.  thou wilt not despise. Contrite by true inward repentance, and humbled with those outward signs, namely, lowly, and penal works, by which the penitent showeth, that he will not stand out with God: but that laying aside all haughtiness, he subjecteth himself to God's hand, and mercy; So also did the Ninivites, humbling themselves with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, going so low, that they made the very beasts to fast: Which fasting surely could be neither meritorious, nor satisfactory: but to the end that the fairer evidence might be given of their own true repentance, they desired that their humiliation might appear even in the very beasts. To this end have I made the pious institution of Lent, which in order of time is to go before Easter, to the end that my children might be the better prepared by fastings, prayers, and other actions of devotion, to receive afterward in the holy feast of Easter reconcilement, and full remission of their sins; and by this institution, Penance is to go before Remission, or Absolution, and not to follow after it.  
It cannot be denied, that oftentimes by the scourge of outward afflictions and tribulations, 
Hebr. 12.6.  God doth bring those, whom he loveth, to this aforesaid necessary humiliation, and also hereby trieth them, as gold is tried in the furnace, and is content that such chastisements as these, inflicted by him, shall stand in the stead of punishment due to their sins: 
1. Cor. 11.32.  but withal he doth moreover apply his own mercy, and pardon, which he affordeth them both of fault, and punishment: and such favours vouchsafed by God are not halved, nor pinched, but full and complete. When therefore he receiveth a man unto favour, he pardoneth him all: yet doth God sometimes before hand, in pardoning an heinous crime, join also some notorious temporal chastisement; the execution whereof may endure even after the remission of the sin; which penalty God himself doth inflict, and expressly enjoin, and refers it not to the voluntary undertaking, or executing by the penitent: 
2. Sam. 12.22.  As upon david's Adultery he inflicted for a temporal penalty the death of the child; which David could not put by, by any humiliation that he could undergo, or prayers that he could make: So likewise that punishment of division of the Tribes, which was the just reward of salomon's misdeeds, 
1 Reg. 11.31.  came to pass after his death, and perhaps after that his sins had been remitted, as we may with good reason presume: So likewise Ahab's punishment was accomplished in his son's days; 
2. Reg. 9.29.  and in like manner other penalties also inflicted by God without remission. But all these are extraordinary cases, and open chastisements, but not satisfactory: and all of them executed in this present world. As for us, we are to hold to that, which is ordinary.  
Being therefore that there neither aught, nor can remain any obligation unto any punishment after the sin is remitted, (for, true remission is of the punishment, aswell as of the fault) therefore Penances, and Satisfactions, after Absolution must needs be one of these two, either works of humiliation done out of season preposterously, which for the most part are also neglected, and omitted by the penitents, having got their Absolution before hand: or else they are the gains, and purchases of the Confessors, who ordinarily, as oft as they can, fly upon money-mulcts under the name of Alms, or for saying of Masses, which those Confessors offer themselves ready to perform, and tell a tale, that they have in their hands some private good business, which would fitly be set forward with such Alms, as themselves thus impose in penance and satisfaction; and by this means they draw store of water to their mill. And, that which is worse, the Confessors contrive certain necessities of restitution, and perhaps sometimes bear them in hand, that they are bound to restore, whereas indeed there is no such cause, and so compound with the penitent, that he may give them a set price, and by that means obtain complete Absolution. O what a deal of chaffering do they use under this vain pretence, that after the remission of the fault there remaineth yet a temporal punishment to be satisfied!  
Behold here the foundation of Purgatory; a vain, and groundless foundation, laid in the air, raised by imagination, being a mere trick to bring-in money to the Priests, and Friars, and besides them to my Grandees also. Purgatory by deceitful devices hath founded the richest Abbeys, and Priories, and other Religious houses: Purgatory maketh fair possessions, and inheritances to start over to my having Churchmen: Purgatory makes so many idlesbies to swim in delicacy, and voluptuousness: those I mean, that defile the living, and feed upon the dead. For the Preachers, and Confessors still crying aloud, that it is not enough to receive Absolution, and remission of sins, as far as concerneth the fault itself, but that after all this there remains a debt of temporal pain, which whosoever doth not undergo in this life, it lieth upon him to make the score even with smart enough in another life in Purgatory; and for as much as most men are very backward in performing these Satisfactions, at length when they come to the point of death, then are they much affrighted with those grievous pains, which, as they are borne in hand, do await them in Purgatory, and then the poor wretches, to scape this brunt, give what they can to the Church, that is, to the bellies of the Priests, and Friars, by whom they are persuaded, that this is the only way to overleap Purgatory. And if he, that lies thus at mercy, drop away without paying such ransom, than they beleaguer his children or other his heirs, or executors, urging them, for the pulling their fathers, or brothers, or husbands, or sons soul out of the horrible torments of Purgatory, to make allowance for the singing of so many Masses: or to found, and endow an Altar, a Chapel, a Church, a daily Mass for ever, and a day, or some such like erections. So that this same Purgatory is the nurse, and chief susteiner of an infinite rabble of most irregular, and lewd priests, who still ring in your ears, that Masses are true and propitiatory Sacrifices for the living, and for the dead.  
As for Purgatory, as it hath no foundation, nor reason whereupon to build it, so the holy Scripture hath none, no not the least, mention of it: but on the contrary it hath many authorities, and grounds, a little afore pointed at by me, which prove that it may not in any wise be maintained. The Papists have long gone afishing to find some place in Scripture, which may make a semblance of Purgatory, but all in vain. Surely whatsoever God would have me to know as an Article of faith, or as a necessary point, or very important for the salvation of my children, he hath set it down in the Scripture in such manner, that I may, and aught thence to draw, and avouch it; but he will not in any wise, that any of my family out of his own capricious conceit, should devise an opinion, and propound it to my children, and after he hath thus of his own head avouched it, then to go a begging for some fragment of a word in Scripture, to maintain it, as they have done about Purgatory: alleging for it some places, which are subject to many expositions, whereof none at all have any acquaintance with Purgatory.  
Verily I neither can, nor may deny, that from my very ancient times I have always had a good liking, and so have provided, that in the death of my children (such as died not in very ill, and desperate estate) there should prayers be made, and other devotions to God, and that for divers reasons. First that funerals, and obsequies, being an universal, and moral custom, entertained by all Nations, and used by all sorts of men, and in that behalf not to be neglected, they might be continued in my Family, not barely as human, and natural ceremonies, but also as Christian and religious, and that with giving thanks to God, that such, or such a son of mine had rendered his soul to his Creator, and had passed with his holy faith from this my house militant to that other Congregation of the first borne: whereby I did revive unto those, that were present at the funeral, the memory of the soul's immortality, of the expected resurrection of that dead body, and of the strict union that is between me and my dearest sister now triumphing, to whom in these my prayers for the dead I did direct that soul, with very good hope that it was to arrive there.  
Moreover, besides this, those my prayers, and supplications, which ought to have been made over the party ready to die, whilst he being now in his last agony cannot perform any longer the actions of penitence and humiliation before God, nor acknowledge his own guilt, nor crave pardon for his daily sins, I, doing the office of a mother, present them for him in his funeral, together with the company of his brethren, and utter those prayers over him now dead, which should have been uttered over him dying. And if you would thoroughly sift your Masses framed for the dead, & the ancient prayers, which are set down in them, being currant at this day throughout the Papacy, you should find that they are prayers to be used rather over him, who is at the last gasp, than who is already dead. For in them I pray for remission, not of any temporal pains, but of the sins themselves, yea even mortal sins, and for deliverance from hell; as also in Masses for the dead, ye shall never find any prayers for freeing the soul out of Purgatory, 
Libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis Inferni, & deprofundo lacu; libera eas de ore Leonis, ni absorbeat eas Tartarus, nec cadant in obscurum. In Missa pro defunctis.  but expressly out of hell. Deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell, and from the deep lake: free them from the mouth of the Lion, that hell do not swallow them up, and that they fall not into the dark: so that it is a mere foppery to go about to pick Purgatory out of these prayers. Likewise those tridualls, or thirday-masses; those trentals, or moneths-mindes; those anniverssaries, or yeeres-dirges, or such like trinkets are the mere inventions of Avarice aforesaid, and therefore their thrusting of Purgatory upon you is a very collusion.  
They avouching, and teaching, that there remain certain temporal punishments for your mortal sins (which sins yet are forgiven in this life) do hereupon enjoin Satisfactions after remission. And here we find them entangled in many difficulties: which of them knoweth the quantity of those temporal pains, which God left to be undergone by the penitent, after that he is accepted into grace? how can they enjoin a true proportion of Satisfaction? If they shall impose more than his debt requires, they shall do him wrong, and deal unjustly with him: if they give him short measure, they deceive him, and defraud him of his entire deliverance, and so the Confessor by his own fault tumbles this poor soul into Purgatory after death. For, if he had imposed sufficient Satisfaction, he had clean wiped out the score, and had left the penitent never a farthing in debt to Purgatory. And as for this Satisfaction, by what operation doth it cancel the punishment? it were fit that they should declare whether it work ex opere operato, or ex opere operantis, by the deed done, or by the disposition of the doer. And here again they dash upon hard difficulties. Besides this, where hath God bound himself to release the punishment of sins by any action of man? When doth he, pardoning the fault, leave a guilt of temporal punishment? Do you see into what perplexities, into what dangers they thrust you? They make you believe that Christ's satisfactions are unsufficient, seeing that now ordinarily they do not take away all the punishment with the fault. They make you to trust upon your own Satisfactions, as more able to cancel the punishments, then can be done by Christ's Satisfaction. They make you remain in a perpetual perplexity and doubt whether you have fully satisfied, or no: They make you lazy and negligent in going thoroughstitch with true Repentance, such as God requireth of you, and whereupon he would give you a full pardon both of fault and punishment: for you deem their Absolution to be sufficient for you, and that it doth without fail make riddance of your fault: and, as for the backe-reckoning of punishment, ye cheer up yourselves, that a little taste of Purgatory shall make you freemen: and so it falls out that you pass to another life perhaps (which God forefend) with your whole load both of fault, and also of obligation unto eternal punishment. But when you know there is no Purgatory at all, you will, for the scaping of hell, look better to your tackle: and you will not then say, as I hear many among you now speak, I will not perform the penance, that is enjoined me: I am content rather to make it up afterward in Purgatory: And your instructors teach you, that you may lawfully say, and do thus.  
The other hidden Rock, that groweth to this Rock of Purgatory, are Indulgences. It is a shameless boldness to say, that Christ indeed hath fully satisfied for all the punishments due to every sinner, which addresseth himself unto him: but yet that the applying of Christ's merits goes in this manner: the Confessor, when he absolveth thee, apply the merits of Christ unto thee, only in respect of the fault, and the eternal punishment, but as for temporal punishment, that lies still at thy door: and that therefore, in respect of this punishment, it is in the Pope's power to apply the said merits of Christ for the remitting the said punishment in part, or in whole, as he shall think good. But I say, if the Confessor absolve by the power of the keys, who hath restrained him in this Absolution to the fault, & not to the entire punishment? who hath halved out unto him the power of the keys, that by them he should apply the merits of Christ for the taking away only of the fault, and of the eternal punishment, but not of the temporal? Surely the keys contain entire remission; who then thus hath minced it out? And if the Confessor can impose such satisfaction, whereby all kind of punishment may beecancelled, (and certainly, as the Papists teach, this satisfaction worketh by the power of the keys, being Sacramental) than his power extendeth also to the whole punishment: and by absolving and by Absolution applying Christ's Satisfactions unto the penitent, he doth apply them with all the power, and virtue, which is either in Christ's merits, or in the keys, or in the Minister himself, that worketh by them: there is therefore no kind of punishment, which he hath not remitted: and what then remains behind for Indulgences to work upon?  
I say nothing of the merits of the Saints Supererogation, which they shuffle into this Treasure among Christ's merits, with as great falsehood, as wrong, and injury done to Christ himself: The falsehood lies in this, for that the works of any Saints whatsoever, both as they are meritorious, (if they may be called meritorious at all) and also as satisfactory, are wholly paid for the Saints own debt; nor is there any overplus left for others in case they were sufficient for the Saint himself, as I shall afterward declare. To Christ himself great wrong is done, as if a man should pour a drop of water into the Sea, and should say that this drop carries every ship to the haven: but especially he is wronged, in that only he, and none else, being appointed of God the Mediator both for faults, and punishments of the world, and all men in it, it must needs be an odious blasphemy, to say that the merits of Saints do serve for the taking away of the punishments of sins; for the canceling whereof God accepteth nothing else, but the blood of his onely-begotten Son: as also he hath sent none other, nor chosen any other for that office, than this his only Son; neither is any other money currant in God's Treasury for our complete redemption, either from fault, or from punishment, than the treasure of the blood, & merits of Christ, stamped with the image of Christ himself: all other money used for this purchase is false coin, and is rejected by the mintmaster of heaven.  
But, besides this, how is the Pope enabled to apply the treasure of Christ's merits? who hath made him Master of it? who hath put into his hands only the keys of it? I have heard, that the principal key, which leads to this treasure, lieth open in public, to be used by every one, that will take it, and that the hand, by which every one may take it, is true, and lively faith, nor is there any need to ask this key of the Pope, or of any other man, it lying open to all; nor to beg of any man the favour to be made partaker of this treasure, which Christ hath made common, without giving the custody thereof to any man in the world. I have indeed a particular key committed unto me by him, but without any prejudice to the common key, which lieth open to all, and this is that key, by which I bind, and lose; and this is equally in the hands of every of my Ministers, and specially of my Bishops: and this key doth after a sort apply unto the penitent that treasure, namely the merits of Christ, according to the promise of Christ himself, who, whensoever he remits the fault, remitteth also all kind of punishment; neither is it in my power, or in the power of any that useth this key of mine, to separate the punishment, or any part thereof from the fault: for the money of this treasure pays all in the total, and that is the currant rate of it. It is therefore open tyranny in the Pope, to encroach this key into his own hands only, and to impart it to whomsoever he please, and in what degree he thinks good: whereas this key was given to me, and I have committed it to the hands of all, and every my Ministers equally, without distinction. And if there were any true Indulgences to be had, it were a great folly in you to seek them of the Pope, when as your own Bishops can aswell grant them, as the Pope himself: and this is not denied by the doctors of his own side, namely, those that yield, that Bishops have all their authority, power, and Episcopal jurisdiction from God, and not from the Pope.  
To comprise this briefly; There are only three Keys, which keep the treasury of my house: The one is common to all my children, lying open to every man, as I said, and not committed specially to the hands of any: the other two are in the hands of my Officers, and of every of them; for, by them only are they to be employed, but to the benefit of all the faithful. One is of the holy Sacraments, namely of Baptism, and the Eucharist: the other is for binding, and losing, as I have declared. And whosoever brags, that he hath another key besides these (as the Pope vaunteth that he hath the key of Indulgences) he both is deceived himself, and deceiveth others. For we have in the Scriptures express Patent for those three sorts of Keys: but of that fourth no grant appears, but forgery, and usurpation; and if it be one of these three, it cannot have any proper and distinct name, nor different effect, neither can it be appropriated to any, more than they: neither can it be used otherwise, then in remitting the whole punishment together with the fault, and so it will not be divers from them.  
There hath been indeed in my house, and still may be the use of certain Indulgences, but without employing any Treasure in them (from whence those false Indulgences have occasionally taken their beginning, and not from Apostolic tradition, as is pretended.) and this was, when as some Penitent being bound by me in manner aforesaid, with injunction of penance for some prefixed, and determinate time, wherein the Penitent was to give evidence of his repentance, and to be taken down to a fit degree of humiliation, (which course of time for performance of penance, was now and then the space of seven whole years together) yet upon the good behaviour of the party, and out of my own compassion, and mercy towards him, as also by the instance and prayers of my children, I was wont to shorten this time, and to moderate these penalties, and so to grant him reconciliation sooner, as S. Paul did to the incestuous Corinthian. 
2. Cor. 2.10.  And this was my Indulgence which, as you see, hath nothing to do with the punishment of sins, nor with Purgatory. For these works of Penance enjoined the Penitent before his Absolution, were not punishments otherwise due unto the sin by God's justice, but mere signs of repentance, and of necessary humiliation: the true punishments of sin being canceled by his Reconcilement, and consequently, by the applying of Christ's treasure in such sort, as I have declared, and not by abbreviating the time of precedent trials, and humiliations.  
So here ye see the blind-Rocke of those Indulgences, that nowadays are used, A Rock whereat many do suffer shipwreck. The main mischief of it is, that it taketh away clean out of the world, and disannulleth true Christian repentance, and so robbeth many a soul of the true remission of their sins. I will demonstrate this to you. A sinner heavieloaden with heinous crimes, putting his confidence in the great virtue of Sacramental Absolution, which, ex opere operato, by the deed done, must remit sins, and make ex attrito contritum, of a bruised heart a broken heart, hereupon doth not hate his sin, nor abhor it, and so he doth not rise up from sin; but he goes to find one of these trivial Confessors, with a brace of sixpences in his hand, and for more, or less upon the bargain, without any troublesome examination, he gets Absolution; and now he holds himself secured from his sins, in respect of the guilt, and of eternal punishment; And as for the temporal punishment, there are imposed upon him so many fasts, so many Masses, such a quantity of Alms; which he accepts, but with intent to perform never a whit of them. He is content to leave them on the score for Purgatory: and yet he hath a trick to escape that payment too: he will gape after a planary jubilee, or rather he will take a gainer way: he hath in his Bead-row, or Rosary certain beads, crosses, and medals, which have been all to be-blest by the most holy Father, and these contain in them Indulgentiam plenariam, a full Indulgence over, and over: and so with chewing over threescore and three Ave-maries, and seven Paternosters, he hath rid himself of all this troublesome matter: and thus without Penance, without Satisfaction, and without Purgatory, he is more than certain of Paradise. And when these devilish inventions were first in ure, Indulgences à culpâ, & paenâ, aswell from all fault, as punishment, were granted, even without Confession, and without Absolution to all, that would put to their helping hand, so that it had money in it. But nowadays (gran-mercy Luther) the Pardon-mongers are somewhat more moderate, though not reform. For they do not now truck for the fault, but for the punishment only. Where you may note, at least, the goodly beginning of these Indulgences, with marting the remission of sins, at What will you give.  
And yet notwithstanding, for the gain, that cometh of them, they are defended, and extolled by the Papists, as likewise the Stations to such, and such Churches, the visiting of such an Altar, or such Relics, with so much ado in jangling the Bells for many days afore, and setting up titles and banners in the chief corners, and eminent places of the City, with vehement urging these things in the pulpit. Such doings as these, whither else do they tend, but to rob you, my simple children, of your money? But such Stations as these, and Indulgences, lest they should pass without income to the Pope, they are not granted, but in his Court of Chancery, in form of Bulls; and this is a very good means for the engrossing up of money at Rome. To prevent murmurs of the people, there was a new devise brought into Rome for the speeding of Indulgences, per Breve, & gratis, by Breves, without fees, but nowadays again he, that will have any of these gainful Indulgences, must go the old way by the Chancery, and by Bulls; as for Breves, they are rarely granted, and they also now not altogether gratis.  
But it is an excellent trick of thrift the Pope hath gotten up, both in levying forces and Soldiers in foreign Estates for his own enterprises, as also in giving of presents, which, as a temporal Prince, he is to bestow on other Princes, and on their Ambassadors: he, to save his own purse, puts his hand into the endless treasure of Indulgences, and loads them with whole bags full of blessed beads, medailes and crosslets of copper, & paltry pictures printed on paper, with a catalogue of Indulgences belonging to them: whereof more account is made by the Pope's gentle customers then of so many Spanish Doublons. Such trinkets as these, together with the trick of a plenary Indulgence, and of opening the gate of Paradise, fly abroad upon every design of the Popes. And yet all this while this treasure shrinketh not, but it bulks up every day by the canonizing of new Saints, and with their merits and works of supererogation. O woeful blindness of men, which take no knowledge of such abuses and deceits!  
The Pope not content with the Keys of heaven, and earth, will needs have his keys reach under the earth also, and exerciseth his omnipotence upon the souls, which are in the centre of the earth, stretching forth his Indulgences unto the imagined Purgatory, per modum suffragij, by way of suffrage; but so, that they may have their certain effect without fail, as much as concerneth his authority, if the indisposition of the souls themselves do not hinder it: and all this for the whetting on of simple men, especially silly women in the behalf of such a soul to multiply Masses at privileged Altars, to lay on load of Alms, to give large legacies to Chapters, Convents, Schools, Chapels, and Altars: To this end also they bring fabulous Legends, they devise miracles, and revelations from another world, with a thousand pretty leasings to gull simple people. Behold here new Articles of Christian Religion made out at the finger's ends, whereof nets are knit to fish for gold, and silver. These be the Rocks, and undershelfes, which split many a poor soul: I would have you, my children, know how to escape them.   

¶ The fourth Rock. Invocation of Saints.  
THis Rock also hath need of wary observation. It is good in this present life, for one to recommend himself to the prayers of another, and chief to the prayers of a whole particular Church. In this manner S. Paul oftentimes recommends himself to the prayers of the faithful people, to whom he writes; but in this case there is no Religious Invocation, neither are those, to whom a man thus recommends himself, called upon as Mediators between God and him, but as companions, and brethren, which both hear, and understand that, which is recommended unto them. There is no doubt at all, but that the holy Angels, and blessed souls in heaven, according to their inflamed charity, do intercede with God for me, and all you, they being (as S. 
Cypr de mortalitate.  Cyprian saith) in sure possession of their own glory, and careful for the salvation of you, my children: and therefore no Catholic man will ever deny such intercession of the Saints. But to make religious Invocation of them, that is, to call upon them with a certain affection, and opinion of a kind of Deity in them, whereby they may hear, and attend us, or, as mediators appointed us by God, to treat of our salvation with him; this is a perilous matter, and smells strong of Idolatry. And certainly this cannot be done without great wrong unto Christ, who is appointed by the Father for our only Mediator, and Advocate. Why therefore should we here overpass Christ, whose proper office it is to be our Advocate, and, in stead of him, hold ourselves to his servants. They neither do, nor can hear the prayers of men: and whosoever calls them thus to be his help, and invoketh them, supposeth an infinite, and plainly divine virtue in them, that they can hear all. If the most blessed Virgin the mother of Christ could hear, and listen to all particular men, who throughout the whole earth pray to her, and call upon her, and very many of them at the same moment, she should be God, and not a creature: or, if God were pleased to reveal such prayers unto his Saints, and that such Invocations were acceptable to his heavenly Majesty, certainly the Scripture would either expressly deliver it unto me, or would imply it in some degree, whereas it doth plainly teach me the contrary, nor will suffer me to invocate any other, but God, and his onely-begotten Son my Spouse.  
Know you therefore, that the disorders of this invocation, hath run on so much the farther, in that the common people put far more confidence in the Virgin Mary, or in some other he or she Saint (who perhaps is not in heaven) then in Christ himself, and certainly they do make more prayers and Masses to the blessed Virgin, or to some Saints, then unto Christ: and howsoever in the Litanies and public prayers under the Papacy, they say, ora pro nobis, pray for us, yet if you examine silly women, and men of the vulgar sort, you shall find, that they call upon them properly as on so many gods, and that they use ordinarily to say, Saint Mary help me, Saint Charles Borromeo save me. Go to Milan, and inquire among the people, and you shall find that this same Charles hath not only driven the renowned St. Ambrose out of their hearts there, (who now in comparison of this Saint Charles, is much abated in his reputation) but also that they put more trust in their new Saint Charles, then in Christ. The reason is, because they see the solemnities of St. Charles set out with far greater pomp than those of Christ: which doth infallibly breed this error in the minds of the vulgar.  
The great ones of Rome do willingly cherish these Invocations and Idolatries, and make them Articles of Faith, that the Statues, and Images may be of more force to move you to make large contributions for the building of Churches, and Monasteries to their names, and to endow them with fair revenues. I know well, that some witty and subtle brains can by certain metaphysical formalities frame and accommodate the conscience to digest this kind of Invocation: but by their leave, it is far more safe to hold off from it: and therefore ye shall do well to abstain, forasmuch as this your abstaining tendeth not to any contempt of the Saints themselves, but to the keeping yourselves from falling into these errors: neither will Christ take it ill, that you keep yourselves from such Invocations, lest you should dishonour him; and the Saints themselves, if they were to counsel you, would speak thus: Imitate our holy actions, conform yourselves to our lively faith, and holy life; honour us in your hearts, as the faithful servants of God, and in thus doing ye shall yield us all the respect you own us. The most holy Mother of my Saviour, for her part, would give you the very same counsel, and that with more vehemency: for, she would tell you, that it is irksome, and loathsome unto her, that you thus call upon her, and make recourse ever and anon to her: she would tell you also, that those glorious titles of Queen, Hope, Salvation, Advocate, sound abominably in her ears, and make her sick again, she acknowledging herself to be none other than the handmaid of the Lord; 
Luk. 1.38.  therefore take heed of this Rock also. And when you repeat the ave-mary, recite it historically in remembrance of the Incarnation of the Son of God in the most chaste womb of the Virgin. Profane it not with that Invocation, Sancta Maria, matter Dei, ora pro nobis, etc. Holy Mary, the mother of God, pray for us, etc. For, certainly in ancient times those words were not wont to be added in my house, as also you shall find the ave-mary without them in the later Catholic councils of Germany, before that of Trent.  
And because it is a laudable devotion which hath anciently been used, to make commemorations of Christ's Incarnation three several times in the day at the public tolling of a bell, which is called the ave-mary, namely, at Sunne-rise, at noon, and Sunset, it were good that you would first purge or reform it, and then being reform use it zealously and unto edification. You shall reform it, if kneeling down upon your knees you shall say in this manner. The Angel of the Lord brought a message to the virgin Mary saying to her, Hail Marry full of grace, the Lord is with thee, thou art blessed among women; and she said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. Then the word was made flesh, and dwelled among us: O thou that didst believe this, thou art surely blessed, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, jesus. O Lord God, pour down thy grace into our souls, that we, which by the message of an Angel have known the Incarnation of thy Son jefus Christ, may by his Cross, and Passion, be lead to the glory of his holy resurrection, Amen.   

¶ The fift Rock. Images, and Relics.  
PIctures, and Statues in ancient times were used, as in private houses, so also in public Churches, only for remembrance of sacred histories, and for the benefit of them, that could not, or would not read books. Wherein they beholding the representation of Christ upon the Cross, of the martyrdoms, and memorable actions of holy men, might for their own particular remember the benefit of their redemption, and propound unto themselves examples for imitation in the maintenance of our holy faith, and the exercise of christian virtues. Otheruse of Images than this, which is civil, I was not acquainted with for many Ages; But after that the covetousness of men did run on, inventing and forging of miracles to draw on the people's devotion towards some Image, and so their contributions under pretence of lamps, ornaments, and other material embellishments; thence began they to teach, that there was a certain proper religious worship due to the Image itself, and then my idle Ministers began to light lamps to them, to burn incense to them, to adore them, to kneel down, and make their prayers before them. Hence arose that abuse, that none under the Papacy knoweth how to pray, without he have before him some petty statue, or picture, either painted, or printed, especially of the Crucifix, and of our Lady. And the Churchmen do wilfully infuse true and proper Idolatry into the minds of the ignorant common people, whilst they erect stately Churches, curious chapels, with so many enclosures, vesteries, curtains, lamps, torches, indulgences: whilst they carry them in Procession with such furniture, and outward pomp, being an external religious worship, which pertaineth unto God: they command, and compel every man to fall down on his knees, and adore them, whereupon the silly people conceiveth a certain divinity to be in them, and without any reflection at all ad prototypum to the principal copy, they offer their vows, and their prayers to that stock, or stone; to this cloth, or tablet, and expect immediately from that very Image the grace, which they request, even of eternal life. It is not to be doubted, but that the more part of the vulgar commits most proper, and formal Idolatry with some Images. And the doctrine, which some learned Papists do teach, namely, that unto Images, as Images, a proper religious worship is due, must of necessity make even the wise, & learned amongst them to Idolatrize formally.  
A wooden Crucifix representing Christ on the Cross may awake the mind of a Christian to adore with his soul him, that is represented, namely true Christ: but to teach a proper worship, besides that, which is due unto the prototype, and a proper adoration to be due to a Crucifix made of wood, only because it represents the true Christ, this is to bring-in flat Idolatry. If they shall tell you, that a certain human, and civil reverence is to be given to the Images of Christ, and also of the Virgin Mary, and eminent Saints, such as are canonised by holy Scripture, such respect, I say, as is due to the Images of great Princes, and Emperors, and famous benefactors, or of the progenitors of noble families, publicly advanced, or privately respected; in this there were no error, nor any danger at all. But whilst they will needs have it to be religious, and spiritual worship, let them clothe it as cunningly as they can, with the names of dulias, or hyperdulia to baulk the name of latria, yet in the end it cometh to be a very latria, divine worship: inasmuch as religious, and spiritual worship is, nor can be any other than latria, which is the very adoration performed inwardly in the mind and spirit, and outwardly by the body unto the only true God.  
And why did God so severely command in the first table of his lively, and eternal law, that his faithful people should beware of making any Images of what sort soever, to be used in any religious worship, if not, because he knew, that all such worship of them must needs be Idolatry? Think you that the Idolatrous Gentiles did indeed worship those Statues of marble, wood, and metal, as thinking that they were the very gods, whom they adored? It is a folly so to deem. But in that they gave honour, and reverence unto those Statues, as representing those men, whom they held for gods, nay otherwhile representing such beasts, as they thought had a kind of divinity in them; in this respect our sacred Scripture doth deride them, 
Psal. 115.5.  saying, The Idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands: they have mouths, but they speak not, eyes have they, but they see not, they have ears, but they hear not, etc. Whereby their Idolatry is reduced, not only to their adoring, for gods, very men, or very beasts, (which is indeed the most proper Idolatry of all) but also much more, because they, having made those their Statues, & Images, did render unto these very same Statues, and Images a certain proper worship, as being the Statues, and Images representing those, whom they held for true Gods. In like manner also, whilst Christians do yield unto an Image a certain proper religious worship, though only as it representeth the true Christ, the holy Scripture by the same reason will say of them, The Christians Images are wood or cloth, the work of men's hands: they have mouths, and speak not, eyes, and see not, etc.  
Neither doth it excuse the matter, to say, that in the Image, the prototype or first pattern is adored. For, the action in itself is unlawful, and directly importeth Idolatry: and therefore it ought of itself and in its own nature to be shunned, as Idolatrous, as long as religious worship is yielded. For, otherwise it were not Idolatry to worship the very Idols of the Gentiles made of any material stuff, being that in that very matter whatsoever, there is the presence of the true God. Nor will that excuse serve in saying, I do not adore the Statue, or Image; but God in them. The action in itself is directly terminated upon the Statue, or Image: neither doth it suffice for the preventing of Idolatry, that the intention is directed unto God, because there doth remain at the least material, and external Idolatry even in the judicious and learned, that know how to frame these abstract notions: but in the vulgar idiots there will be no less than formal Idolatry. And therefore on all hands, all religious worship of Statues and Images, even of the Cross, and of Christ himself, would be altogether banished out of Christendom: much more those of Our Lady, and of other Saints, being that no religious worship at all is due unto those Images, or to those Saints, whom they represent. Remember how Saint john the Evangelist, when he would have worshipped the Angel, was by the Angel himself forbidden with this Caveat, See thou do it not; for, I am thy fellow-servant. 
Revel. 22.9.  And surely Saint john never meant to adore that Angel as God, with the worship called latria, proper to God only: for, he well knew, that this was an Angel: but because he bowed himself to him with a religious act, the Angel hindered him, knowing that such an act was unlawful: how much more unlawful were it to be done to an Image?  
But if you would clear the matter, whether this worship be used to be given to the Image itself, as an Image, or to the prototype in the Image: look into your Churches, & houses, whether the same adoration be yielded to all Crucifixes, & to all the Images of the Virgin Mary equally, of all which the prototype or principal is the same: or whether there be not rather a difference in the adoring them. Surely you shall find very great difference between one Image and another, both being of the same principal. Of Our lady's Images you shall have in the same City in divers Churches, and houses some, that are not so much as looked after, and yet one of them in some other Church shall be frequented with infinite concourse of people. That of Loretto shall have far better doings, then that of Mont-ferrate, and so likewise of others. Therefore the usual worship is proper unto the Image, and not to the prototype, or original which it represents.  
Observe also the disorders which are to be found, not only in the common people, and simple women, but also in those, that are reputed discreet, and grave: when they come into a Church, if there be there any famous Statue, or Image of Our Lady, loaden with vows, glistering with tapers, richly clad in gold and silver, shut up in shrines, and such like, this must be the first, that is visited: after they have adored the Image of the Virgin Mary, then, for fashion sake, they go to the Altar of the most blessed Sacrament, as they call it, where they suppose, that Christ himself is really and corporally present: or if there be no such Altar there, than they first worship Our Lady dight in that manner, and go afterwards to the Crucifix; or rather for the most part do not at all visit it. How many huge tapers, and whole torches shall you see burning before the Image of St. Francis, of St. George, of St. Charles, or some other Saint, but before the Crucifix either none at all, or a petty farthing-candle. Is this to reflect from the Image to the prototype? Is not this to commit Idolatry, and to prefer the servant before the Master, the creature before the Creator? Is not this to put more affiance in a Saint, then in Christ, and to expect more help from a Saint, then from Christ himself? There is no one thing, whereby poor I am more defamed, and shamed among the jews, Turks, and Pagans, then by these Idolatries: Fly therefore from them.  
The Relics of Saints, if they be true, and proved so to be, are to be laid up in honourable burial, and kept in decent places, and are to serve your turn, my Children, as a memorial of the holy actions of that Saint for your imitation. Ye are therefore to respect them with civil honour, as the members of God's principal servants: but as for religious and spiritual worship, as it cannot without Idolatry be afforded to their souls now glorified in heaven, so is it much less due unto their ashes, and dead bones, and least of all to their Images: those Relics having in themselves no divine power at all, nor any Spiritual quality, whereby they may do you any help. And if God, in love unto his Saints, that remain with him in glory, vouchsafe to do you any favour, it is he himself, that doth it, and not the Saint, much less any Relic, or image of a Saint. So also when God did patiently bear with the sins of the children of Israel, even to the pardoning them their Idolatries, for the love which he bore to Abraham, Isaac and jacob: and when he deferred the dismembering of Salomon's Kingdom, and pardoned many faults to his successors Kings of judah for his beloved Dauid''s sake, the thanks then were not due nor rendered to Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, nor to David, but to God. So also may you entreat God to grant you some favours for the love, which he beareth unto his Saints: but ye are not to beg those favours of the Saints themselves, nor of their Relics, nor of their Images: and having obtained those favours, you are to repay your thanks, and show your gratitude to God only, not unto the Saints, nor to any their Relics, or Images. But, besides all this, you may be sure, that there are innumerable impostures put upon you concerning Relics, and that, perhaps for the most part, the bones of knaves are showed to you for the bones of Saints.   

¶ The sixth Rock. Merits.  
THe Popish Masters extol Meritorious works, especially Alms; and will have them deserve eternal life: but their intent is, that you, being drawn on with the hope of so great gain, may put out your money to use into their hands, to bring in a most plentiful interest of an hundred for one; but in the mean time they themselves take the money, and make God your debtor both for the principal, & for the use, in the life to come. And this their bearing you in hand with hope of so certain, and infallible gain makes the Priests and Friars to ruffle it out upon your purses: and you for your parts, if you be not the wiser, and take not heed of this dangerous Rock, shall lose both your stock and interest; and suffering shipwreck, are like to be drowned in the gulf of eternal punishment.  
Know ye therefore, that the principal works, which are necessary, next after faith, to obtain remission of sins, and God's grace in this life, with eternal glory in the next, do consist in the due observation of God's Commandments: that so by God's help he may keep sin aloof from him. These works therefore, which consist in keeping the Commandments, are necessary, in as much as God will not justify, nor save any man, that obstinately remaineth in sin, and resolutely holdeth on his way in offending his heavenly Majesty. Therefore a true and lively faith, whereby a Christian layeth hold on Christ, hath this operation, that it mollifieth, and sweeteneth his affection, and love towards God, and so it holdeth him off from sin, and maketh him hate it. But these works being necessary dispositions, without which God admitteth none into favour, do not merit any supernatural reward. For, God doth not therefore receive thee into favour, because thou hast kept his Commandments, as though he were bound to receive thee into his favour for such thy observance: it is not so. In these performances thou hast but done thy duty, removing for thy own behoof the obstakle & impediment of sin, but God by his mere grace doth accept thee as his own: neither were it a receiving thee into grace, if thy works did deserve grace: for, reward is given unto desert, nor by way of grace, but by way of justice. And yet justification itself, remission of sins, and adoption to become a son of an enemy, these come from God, as a mere grace, mere bounty, and mere mercy. Thou art not therefore to boast of any such works, nor to flatter thyself for them, nor to acknowledge any merit at all in them: When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, (saith Christ) then say, 
Luk. 17.10.  We are unprofitable servants, we have done that, which was our duty to do. Moreover, such performances have in them, for the most part, so much imperfection, that perhaps they have in them more sin and demerit, than Merit, in regard of either vain glory, or other human ends, and such like faulty circumstances.  
Only Christ's Merits are they, which being duly applied unto a man, make God to hold himself fully satisfied for the dishonour, and offence taken at man, and by virtue of such, and no other satisfaction, God receiveth a man in favour, because he seethe him by a lively, and working faith invested in Christ as with the wedding-garment; and for this garments sake he accepteth him at the marriage of glory: but whosoever entereth into that heavenly banquet arrayed only with his own garments, his own works, and proper merits, if he come not in covered with this nuptial garment of Christ's righteousness, and Merits, he shall be sure to be cassiered; and cast out into utter darkness, where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. And therefore, not only justification, remission of sins, adoption into God's Sonship are to be accounted the free grace of God, which hath no other foundation, than Christ's only Merits, applied unto man by God's mere grace and bounty, but also essential glory itself, and eternal life is to be attributed to the same. For, God, when he adopteth for his son a man justified by him, and that through his mere grace, for the Merits of Christ only, at the same time also, for full measure of the same grace, and for the same Merits alone, God doth destinate unto him the everlasting inheritance of the essential glory of Paradise. And therefore to affirm, that Christians by their good works do purchase eternal life, is to avouch a gross and sinister falsehood: as also to affirm that good works, done even in grace, are meritorious of eternal life. For, eternal life is a mere favour done unto men, being purchased for them by the only Merits of Christ.  
Yet for all this, good works are not to small purpose, or unprofitable to men. First, because the keeping of the Commandments is always necessary, in such sort as I have declared; and without them shall no man ever be saved, though no man be saved by them. Moreover other good works, which of themselves come not under commandment, are many times very profitable, and sometimes necessary also for the keeping of the Commandments: as mortification of the flesh, to the end that concupiscence draw not to disloyalty; for which cause even S. Paul kept his body under, 
1. Cor. 9.27.  and brought it into subjection, lest by any means he, preaching to others, might himself be a castaway. And for the same cause he exhorted the Colossians also to mortify their members. Hither look all fastings, 
Col. 3.5.  watchings, continual prayers, and other such holy exercises; not to any making God a debtor, nor to any obliging him to recompense them with eternal life; nor to any hoarding up a treasure of men's own merits, but to resist evil desires: and therefore a man is bound even under pain of sin to undergo them for his own behoof, and for the great need, which he hath to stand aloof from sin. To this only purpose long since in my young years, Monasteries, deserts, solitary places, caves, and dens were replenished, not to procure merit by such exercises, nor that they might thus purchase Paradise, but that the losing of it might be thus prevented, and that the walk of the Tempter might be stopped, and the near occasions of sin taken away: Whereas now many Monasteries are the schools of vice, and of many heinous impieties, and, in a manner, the proper lodges of sin and Satan; or, at the best, the Seminaries of ambition, the receptacles of avarice, and the sties to fat up idle fellows: and generally all of them are the garrisons of the Pope's soldiers, and of his catchpoles for the maintenance of the Papacy, with all the enormities thereof, by the help of these irregular Regulars, who are bolstered up with many privileges granted by the Popes, being withdrawn from the jurisdiction of Bishops, to the end that they may become spies, champions, and very Panders to the Papacy, not for venery, but to serve his turn for worse usurpations, and oppressions.  
Another benefit of good works is, that they serve to discharge the obligation, and debt, wherein every Christian is bound to be answerable in his duty to God, and to serve him faithfully, and to promote the glory of so great, and bountiful a Master. A bondslave, if he be good, will of himself, without looking for stripes, seek out occasions faithfully to serve his good Master, and, doing his devoir, doth not thereupon reckon his diligent service upon the title of his own loans, and of his Master's debts. 
Mat 7.17.  A good tree of itself bringeth forth good fruit: yet doth not the planter and owner take up that fruit on credit, or account himself a debtor to the tree; but enjoys the fruit, as his own, and due to him, gramercé his good planting, and husbanding. To this purpose said Christ, Let your light so shine before men, 
Mat. 5.16.  that they may see your good works, and glorify your father, which is in heaven. Likewise Saint Peter maketh the same use of them, 
1. Pet. 2.12.  That the Gentiles beholding your good works may glorify God. And to this glorifying of God every of you is bound in duty, nor can challenge any reward upon so doing.  
Moreover good works done in grace, do help on the increase of your love toward God, and towards your neighbour, and set forward a just man to become still more just. In relation whereunto some kind of merit, but very improperly so called, may be attributed unto good works; in that God in his bounty is content to reward man's imperfect operations, with such increases of his heavenly gifts, and graces. So Saint Paul exhorteth the faithful to serve righteousness, unto sanctification: 
Rom. 6.16.  that is, that they might become still more holy.  
Semblable thereto is that in the Revelation, He that is just, 
Revel. 22.11.  let him be made just still. Yet is not this any true merit: because the works of themselves, though done in grace, yet have no proportion to such a reward; and, if it were not for God's gracious promise, they should never receive such a reward, as by justice is not due unto them. For, even these works are to be attributed rather to the grace of God, by whose help they are performed, then unto man. Therefore God, in bestowing these gifts, doth rather reward his own gifts, and graces, than any work of man. And yet for all this no man can be said to merit eternal life by his works, as you see.  
Lastly, good works performed in the state of grace by the faithful, (especially those, which in the aforesaid respects do neither directly, nor indirectly come under necessary obligation) have from God, out of his mere bounty, and liberality, a promise of reward, which shall be afforded them in the world to come: And this reward is not the essentials of eternal life itself, but certain degrees, and over-measures of glory. The Psalmist saith to God; 
Psal. 62.12.  Thou renderest to every man according to his work. And St. Paul, 
2. Cor. 4.17.  Our light affliction worketh for us an eternal weight of glory. And Christ himself promiseth, 
Marc. 9.41.  that whosoever shall give his Disciples a cup of cold water in his name, shall not lose his reward. Of which kind of promises the Scripture hath plenty: Yet doth it not thereupon follow, that such works are truly merits, or meritorious. For, that only is true merit, to which the reward is due by justice, without the intercourse of any favour at all. And, where grace is afforded, 
Rom. 11.6.  there all merit is excluded. But in these good works grace bears a great part. First, in that a man doth them by the power of grace: and therefore S. 
Aug de gra. & lib. arb. c. 6.  Augustine said, that God crowneth not man's merits, but his own gifts. Also because it is out of mere grace that God promiseth a reward; such promises being made, not out of justice, but from mere bounty. As when a Prince, not being obliged to any, proclaimeth a prize for him, that shall run best in a race, it is certain that this running is not properly a merit; being it hath no proportion with the prize, which is of great value: and if it were not for the bounty of the promise, that running were not of any worth at all.  
But yet, all these graces being supposed, when as the Scripture willingly calleth by the name of rewards all those gifts, and heavenly remunerations, which are promised unto works, some kind of merit cannot be denied. For, surely reward doth imply a relation, and correspondence to some merit. But ye must take with you, that this merit hath no relation to the essentials of eternal life; as also that it supposeth all these graces. Whereupon you are not to rely upon your merits, nor to build the frame of your salvation upon them; being that Christ is your entire foundation. Therefore put all your hopes, both in life, and death, in him only, and build no foundation at all, for your hope of eternal life, and of your everlasting salvation, upon your own works done, or to be done in pious Legacies, in Masses, in Alms, or for Altars, or Churches. For, if you do not take another course to obtain eternal life by a true and lively faith, which worketh by love, 
Gal. 5.6.  removing also betimes the obstacles of sin by true, and sincere repentance, your own merits shall not (much less any others) any whit benefit you, but as for increase of glory, and augmenting of your joy, good works will be very helpful to you, so that they be thoroughly purified, and employed on lawful things, and free from superstition, and evil circumstances.  
THus have I discovered to you, my most dear children, twelve principal very dangerous Rocks: which I have but briefly showed, and little more than pointed at; inasmuch as I have sure confidence in my Spouse (by whom I have been put in trust to give you the discovery of them) that he will himself at length open all your eyes. I see, that he hath very very long had patience with the many errors of that, his, and mine, ungrateful daughter, your, not loving mother (for that am I) but cruel stepdame; and that now, beholding her at her highest, he will no longer bear with her. He by his gentle Spirit worketh in the hearts of great Princes, (yea and of great Prelates too) his, & my sons: he goes on taking away the manifold false preiudices, and delusions: he by little and little mollifieth those obdurations, & obstinacies, whereby enormities, so prejudicial to me, and so pernicious to you are wilfully maintained. They begin to acknowledge, that in Rome, not Christ, but the world swayeth the sceptre, and that all my affairs there are reduced to temporal ends only. He putteth these Princes in remembrance, that they are my nursing-fathers', my protectors, my defenders; and moreover, that it lieth on them, to bring home all my daughters to me their universal Mother; and not to suffer one of them to tyramnize over both her Mother, and other sisters. Whereupon myself, with very good hope, do expect from Christian Princes, and Commonwealths all good issue of a perfect peace, union, & concord on my behalf. In the mean time I advise you, to take good notice of these Rocks, and to take such heed of them, that ye may eschew your own lamentable wrack. So the blessed gale of the holy Spirit conduct you safe to the haven of eternal happiness. Amen.    

THE AUTHOR TO the godly Readers.  
LEt this Manuel, Christian Readers, serve you only for an essay, or rough-draught of a larger work, wherein the same Heads, which are here but briefly pointed at, as also other matters bordering thereon, are to be more particularly prosecuted, and commodiously enlarged. And I hope, that I shall let in so much light unto you, that you shall by God's grace be enabled to entertain many truths belonging to your soul's health, which for long time have been, with no good meaning, kept out of your sight. If you please to accept these my first lineaments, you may expect from me the more diligent accomplishment of the entire work: wherein will appear other Rocks also worthy the discovering, to the praise of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, to the safety of our souls, and to the confusion of the Devil. God be with you evermore.