CHAP. XXX. Their Impudent slanders. The horrid Lyes against Luther and Calvin, insisted on by the Marquess
CHAP. XXX. Their Impudent slanders. The horrid Lyes against Luther and Calvin, insisted on by the Marquess of Worcester, and their common Writers.
D etect. 21. Another of the Papists ways of deceiving is, by impudent Lyes and Slanders against their Adversaries; which they vent with such confidence, that the seduced people easily believe them. They that are taught to believe their Priests against their own seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling, must needs believe the vilest Lyes that they are pleased to utter, in cases where the miserable people are unable to disprove them. I will give you but a few of that multitude of Instances that might be given.
1. In a Manuscript of the Papists which I lately received from a Neighbor of Sturbridge, as sent from Wolverhampton, there are these words, with which they conclude [Luther having richly supped, and made his friends merry with his facete conceits, died the same night. This is testified by Cochleus in vita Lutheri. And John Calvin, a branded sodomite, consumed with lice and worms, died blaspheming and calling upon the Devil. This is registered by Schlusselburge and Bolseck; these were the Ends of the Parents of the Protestant and Presbyterian pretended Reformed Religions.
And as if their own tongue must sentence them to Hell, in the very words before they say [All Liars, their part shall be in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death] And so make Application of it to the Protestants, as being Liars; and when they have done, conclude with the two forecited impudent Lies of Luther and Calvin. The like words of Calvin hath the late Marquess of Worcester (or Dr. Bailey for him) in his Papers to King Charles; the whole writing being stuffed with such impudent Lies, that one would wonder that human nature should be capable of such wickedness, and that the silly people should swallow down such heaps of falsehood. And it is not these two alone, but multitudes of Papists that have written these Lies of Luther and Calvin. Thyraeus the Jesuit in his Book de
Daemoniacis, part. 1, c. 8, p. 21, tells us this story: that the same day that Luther died, there was at Gheola a Town in Brabant many persons possessed of Devils, that waited on their Saint Dymna for Deliverance, and were all that day delivered: but the next day they were all possessed again; whereupon the Exorcist or somebody asked the Devils where they had been the day before; and they answered, that they were commanded by their
Prince to be at the Funeral of their fellow Laborer Luther. And for proof of this, Luther's own servant that was with him at his death, looking out at the window, did more than once, to his great terror, see a company of ugly spirits leaping and dancing about without: and also that the Crows followed the Corps all the way with a great noise.]
O wonderful patience and mercy of God, that suffereth such abominable Liars to live, and doth not cause some sudden vengeance to befall them!
Reader, I will tell thee now the case of these two servants of Christ that are thus reviled (even as their Master was before them, that was said to do
Miracles by the power of the Devil.)
As for Luther, he was oft taken with a great pain in his breast, about the mouth of the stomach, and thought his Death when it came would be sudden; which made him say, Feri Domine, feri clementer, quia ipse paratus sum: strike Lord, strike mercifully, for I am ready] Having preached his last Sermon at Wittenburg, Jan. 17th, he took his journey the 23rd, to Count Mansfields Country, whither he was called. When he came thither, he was grown so weak, that they almost despaired of his life; yet by the use of somentations he had so much ease, as that he preached sometime, and did other work from Jan. 29th, to Feb. 17th. The last day of his life, though he was weak, yet he sat at the table with them, and at Supper his discourse was upon the Question, Whether we shall know one another in Heaven? Which he affirmed and proved, in that Adam knew Eve as soon as he saw her, that she was flesh of his flesh: and therefore much more shall we know one another in Heaven, &c. After Supper, he withdrew himself as he used, for private prayer; but the pain of his breast increased on him. When he had taken a medicine, he lay down on a Couch and slept sweetly two hours, and then went to his Chamber, saying to those about him [Pray God to preserve the Doctrine of the Gospel to us; for the Pope and Council of Trent have strange Contrivances.] When he was laid down and had slept a while he awakened, and found by the increase of his pain, that he was near his End, and spoke to God as followeth in their hearing [O my heavenly Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all Consolation, I thank thee that thou hast revealed to me thy Son Jesus Christ, in whom I have believed, whom I have professed, whom I have loved, whom I have
Celebrated (or Honored) whom the Pope of Rome and the rest of the rabble of the ungodly do persecute and reproach: I beseech thee O my Lord Jesus
Christ receive my soul. O my heavenly Father, though I am taken from this
life, and though my body must now be laid down, yet I know certainly that I shall abide with thee forever, and that none can take me out of thy hands.]
Then he said [So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life]
Then he repeated part of the 68th Psalm: and when he had drunk a medicine that was given him, he said [I go hence: I now return my spirit unto God] presently adding [Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, thou hast
Redeemed me O God of Truth] And so he died as if he were setting himself to sleep, without any sign of further pain: but when they saw him dying, Dr.
Jonas and Caelius cried to him [Reverend Father; do you die constant through Christ in his doctrine which you have hitherto preached?] And he answered [Yea] and never spoke more. When he was dead (at Islebe) Count
Mansfield would have kept his body, but the Duke of Saxony would not suffer him, but caused it to be brought back to Wittenburg, and there with great solemnity interred.] This is the true report in brief of Luther's Death, delivered to the world by those that stood by him, and were eye witnesses. And yet these impudent
Lying Papists have persuaded their followers that the Devils were seen dancing about him, that when he should be buried there was a horrible thunder, and the body was taken away out of the Coffin by the Devil, and a stink of Brimstone left behind, with more such stuff as this, which they have printed, and which one would think the Father of Lies should be ashamed of.
And for Calvin, not only those before mentioned, but also Bolsecus, Surius, Prateolus, Demochares, Lindanus, Sanctesius, Cahierus, and others publish to the world, not only that he was an Epicure, but a Sodomite, and was burnt on the shoulder for Sodomy with a hot iron at Noviodunum
where he was born. Yea Lessius the Jesuit impudently calls Christ to witness, that shall judge all men according to their works, that he doth not devise these things of his own brain, but from good authors, and forty years currant fame. And his Authors are these Papists, Bolsecus, Brigerus,
Stapleton, Campian, Duraeus, Surius, and Reginaldus. Hath Hell any greater calumnies then these to fill the mouths or writings of men withal?
Reader, I shall show thee what credit these men are of by this instance. As for the time when they say he was stigmatized for Sodomy, it was when he was a Papist, and therefore if it had been true, it had been a greater dishonor to them then to us. But its a mere forgery of the Devil and a Friar. Jerome
Bolseck a Friar, seemed to turn Protestant, and coming to Geneva, he began to preach the Pelagian doctrine there, and openly contend against the Pastors in the Congregation; and being confounded by Calvin, the Magistrates imprisoned him, and banished him for sedition. Then he betakes himself to the neighbor Towns, to play the same game there: but the Magistrates of Bern also banish them out of their Country. Whereupon he turned Papist again, and when Calvin was dead, he wrote all these abominable lies of him, and all the rest (with Schlusselburgius the Lutheran, an enemy of Calvin's) do take up the report from this one Lying heretical
Papist: and so it becomes a currant fame with them, as if it were as true as the Gospel: Whereupon our writers call to them, provoke them, challenge them to search the Records at Noviodunum, where they say the thing was done, and prove that ever there was such a thing, or else bear the open shame of Liars. But they can bring no proof, but call on us to disprove it:
When the City are Papists, and haters of Calvin. But after all this, as God would have it, the Papist Dean of that City, called Jacobus le Vasseur, publisheth at Paris, 1633, the Annals of their Cathedral Church, and therein
pouring out his hatred against Calvin, and saying what he can against him, doth yet out of their records clear him of all these accusations, and lets the world know that there was never any such thing, and that they had no crime at all against him, but that he turned from the Papists; and that the Major or chief Governor of the City went away with Calvin, when he was forced to fly from his native Country. He recites all the passages of Calvin's life there, but professeth that they had no more against him. Thus God confounded the Lying Papists by one of themselves, and the Records of that City, where they said the thing was done. And yet they believe one another, and carry on the Lye to this day.
Mr. Rob. Amstrowther, Chaplain to the King of England's Ambassadors with the Emperor, being at Vienna, heard the Jesuits and other repeating confidently this slander of Calvin; Whereupon he opened to them this
Evidence against it; and satisfied them of the falsehood, so that they told him, they never knew so much before, and promised him they would never mention it more.
If any would see the very words of their own Records, and Doctor Vasseur, he may read them in Rivets Sum. Contr. against Bailey, and again in his Jesuita Vapulans, c. 2.
And as for the life of Calvin after he forsook the Papists, if you will but believe that the City of Geneva, and all the Ministers and others that were about him, in his life and at his death, did know better than Bolseck, a fugitive Apostate Papist that was his enemy, and then far off, you may see at large in Melchior Adamus, and Beza, the description of such a shining burning light as Rome hath not to boast of. He was a man of admirable wit, judgment, industry, and piety. When he had forsaken his own Country for the Gospel sake, and taken up in Geneva, and planted the Gospel there, with
Farellus and Viretus, at last the ungodly part getting the Head, the Ministers were banished. And so he settled in in another City. The four Bailiffs of Geneva that banished the Ministers, within two years were ruined by the judgments of God. One of them accused of sedition, seeking to scape through a window fell, and was broken to death. Another was put to death for murder. The other two being accused of Mal-administration, fled and were condemned. Calvin is sent for and entreated to return to Geneva: which by importunity, and Bucer's persuasion, he yieldeth to. There was he continually molested by the ungodly, and loved by the good. The Malignants whom he would restrain by Discipline from Whoredom, drunkenness, and other wickedness, were still plotting or raging against him, and called their Dogs by his name. But shame was still the end of their attempts. His revenge was to tell them [I see I should have but sorry wages if I served man: but its well for me that I serve him that always performeth his promises to his servants] As for his work, he preached every day in the week each second week, and besides that, he read three days a week a Divinity Lecture. And every Thursday he guided the Presbytery; and every
Friday at a meeting he held an Expository conference and Lecture: so that the whole came to almost twelve Sermons a week. Besides this, he wrote
Epistles to most Countries of Christendom (in Europe) to Princes, Divines and others; And he wrote all those great volumes of most Learned judicious
Controversies, Commentaries, and other Treatises, which one would have thought might have been work enough for a man that had lived a hundred years, if he had done no other. And many Heretics he confuted, and some convinced and reduced. He set up among the Ministers a course of teaching every Family from house to house, of which he found incredible fruit; For all this his labor he endured the affronts, contradictions, and reproaches of
the rabble, yea and sometime hath been beaten by them: because he would not administer the Sacrament to ungodly men, that were rulers in the place, he was at first banished, and after threatened, and continually molested by them, and railing fellows set to preach and write against him. And whether he were an Epicure, you may soon judge: He always used a very spare diet: and for ten years before his death did never taste one bit, but at supper, as his constant course so that every day was with him a better fast then the Papists use to make on their fasting days. By this extreme labor, speaking, and fasting, and watching (for he dictated his writings as he lay in bed much,) he overthrew his body, and falling first into a Tertian, and then into a Quartan, after that he fell into a Consumption, with the gout and stone, and spitting of blood, and the disease in the Hemorrhoid veins, which at last ulcerated by over much fasting, speaking, and use of Aloes; besides the headache which was the companion of his life. In these sickness he would never forbear his labor, but when he was persuaded to it, he told them, that he could not bear an idle life. And when he was near to death was still at work, asking those that entreated him to forbear, Whether they would have
God find him idle? Under all these pains of Gout, Stone, Collick, Head-ach, Hemorrhoids, Consumption, &c. those that were about him testified to the world that they never heard him speak a word unbeseeming a patient
Christian. The worst was that oft repeated word [How long, Lord! How long!] as being weary of a miserable world. Witnesses he had enough; for he could scarce have rest, for people crowding to him to visit him. On Mar.
23nd, he went among the Ministers to their Meeting, and took his farewell of them there. The next day he was wearied by it: but the twenty seventh day he was carried to the Court to the Senate of the City, where he made a speech to them, and took his farewell of them, with many tears on both
sides. April. 2nd, he was carried to Church, and staid the Sermon, and received the Sacrament. Afterward the Senate of the City came to him, and he made a heavenly Exhortation to them. On April 25th, he dictated his
Will, which I would his slanderers would read. His Library itself, and all his goods being prized, came scarce to three hundred Crowns. May 11th, he wrote his farewell to Farellus. May 19th, all the Ministers came to him, with whom he sat, and did eat, and cheerfully take his leave of them. On the twenty seventh of May his voice seemed to be stronger, and so continued till his last breath that day, which was with such quietness as men compose themselves to sleep. The next night and day the City Magistrates, Ministers,
Scholars, people and strangers, were taken up in weeping and lamentation.
Everyone crowded to see the Corps, among whom the Queen of England's Ambassador to France was one. He was buried according to this desire in the common Church-yard, without any Monument or Pomp: and hath left behind him such a Name, as in despite of all the Devils in Hell, and all the Papists on earth, shall be precious till the coming of Christ; and such writings hath he left as are the comfort of the Disciples of Truth, and the shame of the reproaching Adversaries.
Reader, this is that Calvin that is so hated by the bad, and loved and honored by the good: whom these Papists have called an Epicure and Sodomite, and said that he died blaspheming, and calling upon the Devil, and was eaten with lice and worms. Is not God exceeding patient, that will suffer such wretches to live on the Earth? What man could they have named since Augustine, yea since the Apostles days, that was more unfit for such a slander then Calvin? Yet because one man Bolseck that was banished and turned Papist, and lived then I know not in what Country, hath written these things against him, the rest of them, even as much as the late Marquess of
Worcester, take them up as confidently, as if the infallible Chair had uttered them.
But yet if thou think this Enemy Bolseck is more to be believed then those that lived with Calvin, and the City of Geneva, that had continual access to him, I will give thee such a Testimony as shall shame the Papists, that have a spark of modesty. Hear then what other Papists themselves say that knew better what they said, or made more Conscience of their words.
Florimundus Raimundus a Papist of Burdeaux (or the Jesuit Richeome that wrote in his name) writing for the Pope and against Calvin, hath these words of him. [Under a dry and lean body he had a sharp and lively wit, ready in answering; bold in attempting; a great faster; even from his youth, whether for his health to overcome the headache, or for his studies—There is scarce a man found that ever matched Calvin in Labors: for the space of twenty three years, in which he remained in the Episcopacy of Geneva, he preached every day once, and twice on the Lord's day of times. And every week he read public Lectures of Divinity (besides) and every Friday he was at the conference of the Pastors: The rest of his time he spent either in writing Books, or answering letters.] Reader, is this Testimony from a Papist like the rest? But yet thou shalt have more. Papirius Massonius a Learned Papist, and Scholar to Baldiom one of Calvin's Enemies, wrote Calvin's life; and he saith of him, [No day almost passed in which he did not preach to the Citizens. Thrice every eight days as long as he lived, he professed (or publicly taught) Divinity (in the Schools;) being Laborious, and always writing or doing something.—Of a weak body, but worn by watchings, reading, writing, meditations, diseases, businesses, preachings. He took very little sleep; and therefore much of his works he dictated in bed to his servant that wrote them from his mouth. He
did eat but once a day: and confessed that he found not a more present or surer Remedy for his weakness of stomach and headache. His clothing was of small price, to cover him rather than adorn him.—At Worms and Ratisbone he exercised the strength of an excellent wit with so great applause of the Germane Divines, that by the judgment of Melanchthon and his Associates; by a peculiar privilege he was called The Divine. He wrote as much and as well as any man of the contrary parties, whether you respect number, acuteness, language, sharpness, emphasis, or subtlety: not a man of all his Adversaries, whether Catholics, Anabaptists, Lutherans, Arians, or the forsakers of his Party, that wrote against him, did seem to match him in gravity of writing, and weight of words and sharpness, in answering his principles. He almost terrified Pighius himself discoursing of free will, and Sadaletus.] These are the words of a Learned Papist.
But this is not all. Abundance of Papists tell us of a story how Calvin hired one in Geneva to take on him dead, that he might have the honor of raising him from the dead. This the Jesuit Thyraeus de Daemoniacis writes, and many others, and it goes among them for a currant truth; and all from the report of Bolseck. But, as God would have it, Pap. Massonius confuteth this also, and saith, that his Master Baldwinus knew nothing of it, who lived at Geneva, and after turned Papist, and Calvin's enemy: and other reasons he giveth to disprove this and the other slanders that were raised of Calvin, saying, that they were but scriptores plebii, maledicendi studio, &c. vulgar
Writers, that study or love to reproach or speak evil, that vend these things.
And so much shall serve against the Papists Lies against Luther and Calvin.
If you would see more of that heap of Lies confuted, which the Marquess of Worcester gave in to King Charles, read Mr. Chr. Cartwrights Reply to them, where part of them (and but part) are detected.
And as they have done by these, so by others also. When Beza was eighty years of age, a false report came to the Papists that he was dead. Whereupon
Claudins Puteanus with his Jesuitical Companions wrote a Book, that at his death he turned Papist and renounced his Religion: so that the old man (that lived seven years longer) was fain himself to write against them, to prove that he was not dead, nor turned Papist: These be the means by which men are reconciled to the Church of Rome.
They have printed also a story that Calvin's own Son being bitten by a mad dog, was sent by his Father to one of their Saints Images for Cure, when no other means would serve; and being cured, he turned Papist: when as the world knew that Calvin never had a Son. Also they tell us of a saying of Luther's, that [This Cause was not begun in the Name of God, nor will it be ended in the Name of God] This Luther spoke of Eckius and the other
Papists, as himself professeth in his Answer to Eurferus, Tom. 1, fol. 404.
And these shameless Liars confidently publish that he spoke this of himself, as the Marquess of Worcester to King Charles did.
Another saying of his they as impudently abuse, viz. [If the wife will not, let the Maid come,] persuading the world, that Luther would have a man lie with his Maid, if his Wife refuse: whereas he only labors to prove, that Desertion is a sufficient cause of divorce: and that if the Wife refuse, she should be warned again and again before others and the Judges, and in Case of utter refusal and desertion, Vasthe may be rejected, and Hester the Maid taken to Wife: which many a Papist is ready to justify.
Yea they annex that Luther would have men Contain but five days; when as he vehemently detesteth it, and urgeth the contrary, telling them that God no doubt will enable them to be Continent, if they will use his Means, Tom.
5, serm. de Matrimon. They forgot that the 5th supposititious Epist. of their
Clement pleading for the Community of all things, adds [In omnibus autem sunt sine dubio & Conjuges] [Among these All no doubt but Wives and Husbands are contained.] Of the horrid Lyes of Genebrard, Possevine, and other Papists against Peter Martyr, Beza, Calvin and others, see Dr. Reynolds ad Anglica.
Seminar. ante lib. de Idololatria Rom. Eccl. 5, p. 20,21,22,23.
When the fall of their house at Black-friars had killed their Priests, and such abundance of the people that were hearing him in the midst of the Sermon, they printed a Book to persuade the people beyond sea, that it was a company of the Heretics or Puritans that were killed at the hearing of one of their preachers: Dr. Gouge tells you when and where it was printed, and many read it.
When the Gunpowder Plot was in hand, they had contrived presently to give it all abroad that the Puritans did it: Read Mr. Samuel Clark of it in his
Mirror of God's Judgments, Fol. and you shall find this fully detected.
When Fisher the Jesuit had held his conference with Dr. Featley, and Dr.
White, there being present two Earls, one of them (the Earl of Warwick) having business shortly after beyond sea, fell unknown into Dr. Westons company at Saint Omers, who presently tells it him for news, how Fisher had confounded the Protestant Doctors, and that two Earls and so many people were turned by it to the Church of Rome; not knowing that he that heard him was one of the two Earls, and that there were not so many people there, and how they were confirmed against Popery by that Dispute. And when the Earl of Warwick brought home this jest, Dr. Weston hearing what sport was made with it in England, writ a simple excuse for his Lying, which I have at hand, but find it had been better for him to have said nothing.
Should I recite but half the forgeries of this nature, by which the Priests and Jesuits cheat the poor people, I must be voluminous.
But alas, their very worship of God is much of it composed of Lyes, and is not that like to be acceptable worship? How their Offices and Legends are stuff with fictions, Cano and many of their own confess. And Cassander saith that so few of the relics in all Germany would be found true ones if examined, that its better quite take off the people from the veneration of them. Instancing in one of old that was worshipped as a Saint, and upon enquiry was found to be the bones of a Thief.
Agobardus Bishop of Lions (saith Usher) complained about eight hundred years ago, that the Antiphonary used in his Church had many ridiculous and phantastical things in it: and that therefore he corrected much of it, cutting off what seemed superfluous, or light, or lying, or blasphemous. Agobard. ad Cant. Lugd. de Correct. Antiphon. p. 396. And not long since Lindanus made the like complaint, that [Not only Apocryphal matters out of the Gospel of Nicodemus and other toys are thrust in, but even the secret prayers, (yea, alas for shame and grief, the very Canon varying, and redundant) are defiled with most filthy faults.]
Reader, I will trouble thee no more with stirring in this puddle; but only warn thee, as thou lovest thy soul, trust it not on the bare reports of such
Liars, but try before thou trust, and give not up thy sense and Reason to men that make so little, or so ill a use of their own. If thou refuse this
Council; say not but thou wast warned.