The Christian and Catholike veritie; or, The reasons and manner of the conversion of Francis de Neville;: formerly a Capuchin, preacher, the Popes missionary, and superiour in sundry covents of the same order. A treatise very usefull for all Christians, and especially for such as are popishly affected, or not fully setled in their beliefe; and for the further confirmation of the faithfull. Wherein many secrets of the Romish clergy, heretofore unrevealed, are discovered. Dedicated by the author to the high court of Parliament now assembled, 1642. See the contents at the next page.

CHAP. XVIII.

That Profit temporall is the cause of the Invocation of Saints and Images in the Romish Church.

AS it is manifest that the Romish Church is wholy builded upon utilitie and profit, so is game and lucre the principall cause of the article of the invocation of Saints and images; for when the Clergie did perceive that the people (commonly incli∣ned to superstition) using to passe many nights at the Sepulchres and Tombes of the Martyrs in fasting and prayers, praysing and blessing God for their constancy, did begin to pray to them upon the assurance of their felicitie, and hope that their soules being im∣mortall might heare them, and have credit enough with God to

helps them, and charitie sufficient to imploy themselves for them; they did not reprove them for this superstition, but were glad to finde out these means, and use the occasion to draw profit there∣from.

Thence came to passe, that the Priests did resolve to place the Images of such Saints and Martyrs in their Temples, although they were not buried there, to the end the people relinquishing the Tombes and Sepulchres where their bodies did rest, might come see and pray to them represented in their Churches; and so com∣ming to make their prayers, might leave some offering, imagining well they would not returne without shewing their liberalities in favour of the Saint, but where the Priest & the keeper of the Saint should ever have the best part.

And that abuse in short time grew to such a disorder, that every Priest laboured in emulation one of another, to place the most Ima∣ges of Saints, as was possible in his Church, especially to set up those the people most esteemed, and to which they came most wil∣lingly and furthest; so that in the end many Temples are become true Pantheons, there being no corner where some big or small Saint had not place; and I have seene in some Churches where for want of place to erect all their Images in Bosse, their Pictures were confusedly drawne one by another; as the 15000 Virgins are, shewing onely their faces; to the end that whatsoever Saints the people desired to adore and pray to, they might be found in their Temples.

And when they perceived some Saints to be more prayed to, and in greater request than others, they were not content onely to set their Images in the Churches, to dedicate and consecrate Tem∣ples to them: but the avarice of Priests hath invented fraternities and Congregations in their honour, which bearing their name, professe themselves chiefly affected and devoted to those Saints; and to combate and live under their assistance and protection; these congregations and fraternities being often erected in emu∣lation one of another, and alwayes to the utilitie of the Clergie, which can well make profit thereof.

But as all things have their time, so have the Saints had theirs in estimation & honour in the Romish Church; and the Apostles and auncient Martyrs, whom they had in great veneration and esteeme in old time, at this time have lost almost all their credit among them, there being few that pray (in private especially)

to S^t John the Baptist, S^t Matthew, S^t Luke, S^t Peter, and S^t Paul, and others of the most renowned among the Saints; and for the holy Patriarchs of the old Testament, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and David, whose faith and vertue are recommended by the holy Scriptures, which giveth us a most sure testimony of their beatitude and sanctitie; and of whom Christ and his Apostles have spoken so much good; have never had the happinesse (for any thing that can be perceived) to have been in veneration and honour in the Romish Church; nor had never any candles offered them; but they especially which have had much honour and repu∣tation amongst them, have been and are yet some new Saints, ca∣nonized by the Pope alone, without any other certaine revelation and testimony of the Word of God; and to them doe they pray, and honour them more than all the Apostles of Christ Jesus toge∣ther, and all the Patriarchs that ever were; as if they had not so much power and credit with God, and were not so great Saints in Paradise, as those which are canonized by the Pope.

But I would willingly demand how the Pope can assure us of the felicitie of another, being not certaine of his owne? and some Pope is said to have canonized Saints, whom they of the Romish Church thinke damned for his execrable life and death; and he may have canonized a man who is now in hell: Notwithstanding such is the abuse, that they whom the Pope hath declared Saints, are in greater estimation, than those of whose sanctitie we are assu∣red by the holy Scripture, and that man would be derided now, who should say, S^t Abraham, S^t Isaac, S^t Jacob pray for me, or set their portraicts or images in the Churches to be adored, or erect some fraternitie or congregation in honour of them.

But all the devotion a la mode is onely towards some Saints of a new stamp, & the virgin Mary, who alone hath more Masses, pray∣ers, Chappels, and fraternities erected in her honour, than all the persons of the most holy Trinitie have together; and for one Masse, one Congregation or prayer to the holy Trinitie, there are an hundred to the Virgin Mary; to whom they pray oftner with∣out all comparison than to God, giving her more honour than God; which certainly is a great offence, not onely to God; but al∣so to her, who questionlesse abhorreth and detesteth all those ho∣nours which shee knoweth to be due not to her but to her God; shee having no other honour nor consolation, than to see her God and Son honoured,* 1.1 to whom alone all honour and glory doth appertaine, (as witnesseth the Apostle Paul.)

And neverthelesse, it is the trade and custome of the Romish Church, never almost to pray to God, but to the Virgin Mary; to make no more vowes to God, but to the Virgin, and the Pater-noster, which is the prayer the Son of God taught us to pray when wee are to pray, is little in use for the present; but onely prayers to the Virgin, and to Saints; and on the beads, for one Pater-no∣ster, there be alwayes ten Avemaria's; and when the Bell touleth in the morning, at noone, or at night, there is no prayer said to God, but to the virgin Mary; and the Preachers at their Sermons say never the Pater-noster, but the Ave maria, and the sancta; and he who in place of Ave maria should say the Pater-noster, and for praying to the virgin Mary, should pray to God, and say the Lords Prayer, would be reprehended and censured, as having a bad opinion of the faith.

Now what is all this (I pray you) but errour, superstition and Idolatry? and to give greater honour and glory to the Saints than to God? to the creatures, than to the creatour? and have the vir∣gin Mary and the Saints in greater estimation than our Lord Je∣sus himselfe, our perfect Mediatour, Advocate, and Intercessour, so established for us by the testimony of the Scriptures, to recon∣cile us to God, to entercede for us with God, and appease God his Father for us. And what is all this (I pray you) but to make void the will of God, to follow the inventions of men, and to expose themselves to the condemnation pronounced from Gods owne mouth against that in S^t Mat. 15.3. and in an number of other places.* 1.2

Now for the adoration the Romish Church giveth to Saints and Images, although (it may be) the most understanding and lear∣ned of that Church adore them not as God; and that by the di∣stinction of adoration of Dulia and Hyperdulia, they thinke to ex∣empt themselves from Idolatry; or if they were content to keepe their pictures in their houses, as they doe those of the Caesars, or other excellent personages, without exhibiting to them any reli∣gious adoration, that might be tolerated; but exposing those ima∣ges to the people, and setting them in the Churches to be adored, they are the causes (at least) the people commit Idolatry towards Saints and Images; for they adore the Saints, and pray to them, and speak to Images as to God; demand health and remedy from the Saints and Images as from God; and if the Images be onely drawne on Tables, they make not so much account of them; but

if they be in Bosse, and well made, they speake to them, as if they were alive, and carry themselves altogether towards them, as did the Idolaters towards their Idolls. See what is said in the Booke of Wisdome, which is holden to be Canonicall among them, and judge you if all doth not agree to the most part of people in that Church.

* 1.3In the thirteenth Chapter, verse fifteenth, it is said, speaking of Idolls and the Images of the Gods; He will make a convenient habi∣tation for it, set it in a wall, and make it fast with Iron; for he provi∣deth for it, that it may not fall; knowing that it is unable to helpe it selfe; for it is an Image, and hath need of helpe; Then maketh he his Prayers for his goods, his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life; for health he calleth upon that which is weake; for life prayeth to that which is dead; for ayde humbly beseech∣eth that which hath least means to helpe; and for a good journey he ask∣eth of that which cannot set a foot forward; and for gaining and getting and or good successe at his hands, asketh abilitie to doe of him that is most unable to doe any thing.* 1.4 Againe, in preparing himselfe to saile, and about to passe through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood, more rotten than the vessell that carrieth him; for verily desire of gaine devised that, and the workman built it by his skill.

Judge I pray you, if all this doth not agree, and is not found in the simple people of the Romish Church; and if there be not as great reason to condemne them of Idolatry, as those of whom it is spoken in this place; and are not they which place those Images and expose them to the people, which authorise them by their doctrines, and sollicite the people thereunto, the causers and pro∣tectors of Idolatry? But as the Booke of Wisdome saith in that place; The desire of game hath devised that; for it especially hath been the onely covetousnesse of Priests and Clergie to gaine and gather the money and offerings of the people, which hath made them expose the Images and erect them in the Churches; there be∣ing many of those Images worth great revenues to the Clergie; and I know some worth above ten thousand Crownes yearely to their Priests; and therefore we need not marvell that the Romish Clergie, so carefully maintaine the doctrine of invocation of Saints and Images.

For as the people goe but seldome to God but by the Saints, so doe they but seldome goe to the Saints but by the Priests, to wit, by their Masses, Pilgrimages, and other the like means; and how∣soever

the saints in heaven take no money for their paines, they having no need, they neverthelesse which are on the earth can well take it, refusing nothing although they have no hands; but the Priests have hands enough for all; for, they take that which is of∣fered them with one hand, & with the other that which is offered to their Images; so they handsomely take (as men commonly say) two maulters of one sack; and know how to flea the poore beast without noise; caring little whether the people commit Ido∣latry or not, provided they find their profit.

And howsoever the Priests know well enough, that the people commit idolatry with the Saints and Images in rendring to them the honour that is due to God, neverthelesse that doctrine being so profitable to them, they are loath to preach against it or re∣prove it.

And as a notable and very learned Bishop of the Romish Church who is yet alive, and whom I well know, (a man un∣blameable in his conversation) did begin not long ago eagerly to preach and write against those great abuses, against the congrega∣tions and Tiercers, against pilgrimages, and those artificiall super∣stitions, and the Idolatries practised by the ignorant with vitious simplicities, and invented of purpose by the Priests to snatch mens money; those who were the more interressed, rose up against him incontinent, and prevailed so far by their practises with the great∣est, that he was forbidden to preach and write, and hath been dis∣graced and banished these many yeers; although he was esteemed for that of the most judicious, and even of them who did solicite against him; but profit and gain suffocate and strangle oftentimes the reason and truth, especially in the Romish Church.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Tim. 6.16.
• * 1.2

  Mat. 15.3.
• * 1.3

  Sap. 13.15.
• * 1.4

  Sap. 14.1.