and height of an amourous passion was so blinded that to satisfy his carnal lust he assumed and annexed a spiritual supremacy to a temporal Crown may be attributed to the fondness and fancies of love That a Babe K. Edward 6. was taken with such a bable as that same supremacy may be imputed to the tenderness of his age and to the imprudence of his Vncle and Protector Somerset who by promoting that Oath and the Protestant reformation put the Kingdom into a Babylonical confusion That Dudley Duke of Northvmberland seing the Church and state so confounded did ground a title for the Lady Jane Grey and for his own son to the Crown vpon the principles and Zeal of Protestancy is but the ordinary practise of Politians that the Lady Elizabeth did reâ—â—ive her Fathers supremacy and the Protestant reformation wherby alone shee could pretend to be legitimat against two acts of Parliament never yet repeald is not so blameable in her as in them that but four years before had by an vnanimous vote in both Houses declared An Bullens marriage voyd and that same supremacy and Protestancy to be heresy That K. Iames did pardon and promote his mothers murtherers and conform himself to that Religion wherby shee and himself had bin so long excluded from their right was great clemency or a cuning compliance without which he covld hardly have compassed his ends and restored the line of the Stenarts to the British Empire That K. Charles 1. did endeavour by Ordinances and Laws to restrain and reduce the variety of Protestant opinions grounded vpon the liberty of interpreting Scripture to some kind of vniformity and subordination to Princes and Prelats had bin an act of great prudence if it had not shaken and shock't the very fundation of all Protestant Reformations that consists in an arbitrary interpretation of the obscure Texts of Scripture from which foundation and fountain necessarily floweth the priviledge of denying obedience to all civil and Ecclesiastical authority that commands any thing contrary to those interpretations of Scripture wherby every privat person or any leading men of the Protestant Congregations will be pleased to direct themselves or guide others That the Zealous and precise sort of Protestants did convene and covenant against the King and Bishops for endeavoring to deprive them of this their Evangelical liberty of the Reformation was but a natural result of the same fundamental principle of Protestancy That Oliver Cromwell by counterfaiting Zeal and piety and by humoring the privat spirits and interpretations of Protestant Sectaries did ruin his King and rais himself from a mean subject to be absolut Soveraign needs not to be enumerated among the casualties or favors of fortun there being not any thing more feasible then to dethrone a Protestant Monarch by his own Religion because it is nothing but an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture and by consequence gives such a latitud for justifying rebellion vpon the score of refining the reformation by a new sense of Scripture that every Protestant without violating the principles but rather sticking to the prerogative of Protestancy may embrace any more pleasing and popular sense of the Text however so prejudicial it prove to his lawful Soveraign or however contrary it be to the sense of Scripture established by law or by acts of vniformity But that notwithstanding so many warnings and wars as we have had so great and grave a Councel as the Parliament of England should think fit to continue the same vnsuccessfull cours of setling Monarchy the same statuts wherby Q. Elizabeth excluded the right heirs and now reigning family the same fundamental Tenet of the Reformation wherby every subject is made interpreter of Scripture and by consequence Iudge of his Soveraign and of the Government which must be subordinat to Scripture is not only to me but to the Christian world the cause of greatest admiration And becaus every Religion hath some incomprehensible mysteries I will number this among those of Protestancy but withall must beg pardon for thinking that it is rather against then above reason for to grant the principle wherupon the independency or Soveraignty of every Protestant subject is grounded and yet to make Acts of Parliament in favor of the Church of England against the same subjects independency or Soveraignty is a kind of contradiction So discerning a people as the English can hardly be hindred from seing the manifest connexion that is between the Protestant subjects liberty of interpreting Scripture and the not submitting their judgments or actions to any human laws or Government if contrary to their own interpretations And so Religious and scrupulous a people as they are will not be easily persuaded that an Act of Parliament is sufficient to dispense with their obligation and inclination of sticking to that fundamental Tenet of Protestancy I confess that in some Countreys as in France the Protestant people are now kept in so great subjection that they dare not go so far as the principles of Protestancy lead and in other more Northern Climats they are of so dull and peaceable a constitution that they want either curiosity to examin or courage to assert the priviledges of the reformation and therfore are apt to submit their Iudgments by an implicit faith to the opinions of Luther or Calvin or of their own Clergy But with us where every one thinks his own spirit as divin and his Iudgment as good as that of Luther or Calvin or of the Bishops where the stoutness and stubborness of our nature makes us venture vpon any thing wheâ—her sacred or profane where every Peasant is warranted by the law to question the prerogative of his Prince in such a Countrey I say and in such a constitution of the Government it is not to be expected that men will be less contentious in the Church then they are in the Courts nor content with less then with that supremacy of judicature allowed by the principles of Protestancy to be the spiritual-birth-right of every Protestant subject These are some of the inconveniencies whervnto the government is lyable by the principles and profession of Protestancy and though I humbly conceive that nothing but liberty of conscience can content so many dissenting parties yet I am of opinion that before such a liberty be granted some previous conferences concerning Religion like that of Hampton Court in K. James his reign be allowed but without excluding from those Conferences Papists or any party that will offer to give reason for their Religion For as to accept of a Bill of comprehension before men examin the consequences and qualifications of the Religions comprehended may breed greater confusion so to except any Christian Religion from being examined doth argue that in our Conferences we consult not conscience But it is to be feared that education and interest the two greatest prejudices not only against truth but against the examination therof will make the Bishops and their Bigots avers from any
are now superfluous and disrespectfull to the Royal Family that Reigns but such as have the honor to know him best assure us his Lâ—p is no great friend to Pâ—pists Lastly whosoever will call vnto mind the mis-chief which but a few members of the House of Commons of the long Parliament wrought against the late King and will observe how popular others of the same stamp are now and how apt the giddy multitude is to be fool'd again into Rebellion by the like madd zeale against Popery will be of opinion that not any on thing can be of so great prejudice to the peace and prosperity of England as the continuance of lawes which if executed make the Nation and Government SVBSECT II. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statuts against Popery I Will conclude this matter with answering the vulgar Objection made for vindication of the penal and sanguinary lawes of Queen Elizabeth against Roman Catholicks grounded vpon a parity of the like lawes executed by Queen Mary and the Jnquisition against Protestants The disparity will discover the fallacy and dissolue the force of their argument Neither Queen Mary nor the Jnquisition made any lawes against Protestants they were made by the first Christian Emperours and accepted by all Catholick Kings into the statuts of their Kingdoms and confirmed by their Parliaments The ancient Christian Soveraigns not only believed that the Roman faith was the Apostolick but found by experience the same Roman Catholick faith had peaceable principles agreablâ—â—o just Government and therfore they enacted lawes of death infamy confiscation of goods c. against all such as presumed to alter that doctrin declaring such as contradicted the Tenets therof to be Innovators and Hereticks When protestancy began in England they who preach't the new doctrin being conscious of their own guilt and of having incurred the penalties of these ancient Christian lawes then in force against Innovators and Hereticks and in particular against the marriage of Priests with Nuns proceeded other-wise Zozomen hist. lib. 6. cap. 3. affirmeth how that the Christian Emperour Jovinian who was in course the third Emperour after Constantin the Great published an Edict that who allured a Nun to mariage should be therfore punished with the loss of his head And this law is yet extant Câ—d l. de Episcopis Câ—â—ricis But they I say petitio to the Parliament of Edward â— to have those 〈◊〉 repealed wherby you may see how they acknowledged their own doctrin was Heresy whervpon they werâ— dispensed with to marry and all the 〈◊〉 lawes against Herâ—tickâ— and heresiâ—â— were repealed Queen Mary succeeding restored the ancient lawes that had bin repealed by King Edâ—â—â—d 6. togeather with the ancient Religion but she was not the Author of them as Queen Elizabeth was of the penal and sanguinary statuts against Priests and Roman Catholicks which never had bin heard of before her time in a Christian Kingdom or Common-wealth Jn like manner the Inquisition maâ—â— no new lawes against Protestants neither do they sentence them to death they only declare that they are Innovators of the ancient Catholick doctrin or Hereticks and then the secular Magistrats do execute the temporal lawes in foâ—â—e against such persons If protestants had not found themselves guilty of heresy why were they so solicitious to have the laweâ— â—hat had bin â—â—acted against hereticks not lately but during those venâ—â—â—ble 〈◊〉 of the priâ—â—tive Church repealed why did 〈…〉 if their doctâ—â—â— was the â—â—me with that of â—he ancient Fathers that lived in times wherin the Imperial lawes were made and in force what needed they to except against lawes which had bin enacted to favour the doctrin of those Fathers with whom they pretend to agree Queen Mary therfore and the Inquisition who proceeded acâ— willing to those ancient â—â—wes against protestants did nothing but what all Christian and Catholick Emperours and Kings had don for the space of 1300. years against hereticks But Queen Elizabeth took the quite contrary way she observed that according to the principles of Christianity as also according to the ancient and modern lawes of England her self could not enjoy the Crown having bin declared illegitimat by sundry Acts of Parliament never repealed nor the Stewards be excluded they being the lawfull and immediat Heirs and because the Queen of Scots from whom they derived their title was a Catholick Queen Elizabeth made her-self and England Protestant that is by Acts of Parliament she declared that all the Catholick Emperours Kings and Churches of the world for almost 1300. years had bin superstitious and Idolatrous that the Bishop of Rome was Anti-Christ the Catholick Clergy Cheats the sea of Rome the whore of Babylon spiritual Jurisdiction a shee and secular supremacy the sacrifice of Christ's body and bloud a blasphemy five of the seaven Sacraments human invention and corrupt following of the Apostles Priesthood and Episcopacy nothing but a lay Ministery authorised vnder the Soveraign's great seâ—le all lawfull Priests and Bishops Traytors all Catholicks Hereticks c. And all these absurdities were made legal in England to make her Father's marriage with Anne Bullen seem lawfull wheras it had bin declared null and invalid by so many Parliaments of England that her self durst not attempt an immediat and cleer repeale of Acts so notoriously inconsistent with the right that herself pretended â—o the Crown Tâ—at 〈…〉 and men who expected favors from her should so metamorphose sacred things into profane Scripture into fancy and illegitimacy into legitimacy we do noâ— admire neither is it strange that illiterat people after a Century of years continuance and education in such a Religion should be zealous in the maintenance therof or that a Clergy which hath no other livelyhood nor hopes of promotion but by justifying these proceedings should endeavor to continue her lawes against orthodox Christianity and the known truth for their own interest are frailties incident to men but that the nobility and Gentry of England being so well vers'd in their own Chronikles and in the Histories of other Nations that persons of so much witt knowledg and judgment should not when they meet in Parliament move and resolve to restore Christianity and rectify so gross and vulgar mistakes especialy since the family against whose succession the statuts had bin introduced is restored to the Crown this 〈◊〉 or oblivion I say of the English 〈◊〉 and nobility iâ— hardly excusable And if the 〈◊〉 will not be moved out of charity to their fellow subjects and 〈◊〉 to abolish the sanguinary and penal Laws against Roman Catholicks let them do it out of civility to the Royal Family against whose party and Title so injust Laws were â—â—acted There is not therfore any thing 〈◊〉 more Queen Elizabeths penal statuts then to compare 〈◊〉 wiâ—h Queen Mariâ—â— and the Inquisitions proceedings against Protestants It 's now time that we pass from the examination of
singular glory and vain reputation conceive sundry suttle and disloyal practises for the interruption and breach of the sayd most lawful and Godly concord And endeavering to put the same in vre devised first to insinuat a scruple into the King your Father's conscience of an vnlawful marriage between him and his most lawful wife the Queen your Highnes's Mother pretending for the ground therof that the same was against the word of God And thervpon ceased not to persuade continualy vnto the sayd King your Father that he could not without daunger of the loss of his soule continue with his sayd most lawful wife but must be separated and divorc'd from her And to this intent caus'd the Seals aâ— wel of certain Vniversities in Italy and France to be gotten as it were for a testimony by the corruption of mony with a few light persons Schollers of the same Vniversities as also the Seals of the Vniversities of this Realm to be obtained by great travail sinister working secret threatnings and intreatings of some men in authority especialy sent at that tyme thither for the same purposes And how that finaly Thomas Cranmer newly made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury most vngodly and against all laws equity and conscience prosecuted the same wicked device of divorce and separation of the said King your Father and Queen your Mother caled before him ex officio the hearing of the same matter of marriage and taking his foundation partly vpon his own vnadvised judgment of the Scripture ioyning ther with the pretended Testimonies of the said Vniversities and partly vpon bare and most vntrue conjecturs gathered and admitted by him vpon matters of no strength or effect but only by supposal and without admitting or hearing any thing that could be sayd by the Queen your Mother or by any other on her behalf in the absence of the sayd late your Mother proceeded pronounced and discerned declared and gave sentence the same most lawful and vndoubted matrimony to be naught and to be contracted against God's law and of no value but lacking the strength of the law and the said most noble King your Father and the said noble Queen your Mother so married together did separat and divorce and the same your most noble Father King Henry the 8. and the said noble Queen your Mother from the bands of the same most lawful matrimony did pronounce and declare by the same his vnlawful sentence to be free discharged and set at liberty Which sentence and judgment so given by vnlawful and corrupt means and ways by the said Archbishop of Canterbury was afterwards vpon certain affections ratified and confirmed by two several Acts the one made in the 25. year of the raign to the said King your Highnes's Father and intituled an Act of declaring the establishment of the succession of the Kings most Royal Majesty of the Imperial Crown of his Realm The other Act of Parliament made in the 28. year of the raign of the said King your Highnes's Father intituled an Act for the establishment of the succession of the Imperial Crown of the Realm In the which said two Acts was contained the illegitimation of your most noble Person which your sayd most noble Person being born in so solemn a mariage so openly approued in the world and with so good faith both first contracted and also by so many years continued between your most noble Parents and the same Mariage in very deed not being prohibited by the law of God could not by any reason or equity in this case be so spotted And now we your Highnes's sayd most loving faithful and obedient subjects of a godly heart and true meaning frely and frankly without fear fancy or any other corrupt motion or sensual affection considering that this foresayd mariage had it's beginning of God and by him was continued and therfor was received and is to be taken for a most true just lawful and to all respects a sincere and perfect mariage nor could nor ought by any man's power authority or jurisdiction be dissolved broken or separated for whom God joyneth no man can nor ought to put a sunder and considering also how during the same mariage in godly concord the Realm in all degrees flourished to the glory of God the honour of the Prince and the great reputation of the subjects of the same and on the other side vnderstanding manifestly that the ground of the sayd divice and practice for the sayd divorce proceeding first of malice and vaine glory and afterward was prosecuted and followed of fond affection and sensual fantasie and finaly executed and put in effect by corruption ignorance and flattery and not only feeling to our great sorrow dammage and regret how shamful ignominies rebuks slanders and contempts yea with death pestilence and wars disobedience rebellions insurrections and divers other great and grievous plagues God of his Justice hath sent vpon vs ever since this vngodly purpose was first begun and practised But also seing evidently before our eys that vnless so great an injustice as this hath bin and yet continued be rebuked and that the sayd fals and wrongful process Iudgment and sentence with their dependances be repealed and revoked nothing is less to be doubted then that greater plagues and stroaks are like to encrease and continue dayly more and more with in this Realm do beseech your most excelent Majesty as wel in respect of your own honours dignity and just title as for truth's sake wherwith we doubt not but your Highness also will be specialy moved in conscience and also for the intire love favour and affection which your Majesty beareth to the common wealth of this Realm and for the good peace vnity and rest of vs your most faithful subjects and our posterity that it may be enacted by your Highness with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled And be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that all and every decree sentence and Iudgment of divorce and separation between the sayd King your Father and the sayd late Queen your Mother and all the process commenc'd followed given made or promulged by the sayd Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Canterbury or by any other person or persons whatsoever wherby the same most just pure and lawful marriage between the sayd late King your Father and the sayd late Queen your Mother was or is pronounced or in any wise declared to be vnlawful or vnjust or against the law of God be and shal be from the beginning and from hence forth of no force validity or effect but be vtterly naught voyd frustrat and annihilat to all intents constructions and purposes as if the same had never bin given or pronounced And be it also enacted by the authority aforsaid that as wel the said Act of Parliament intituled an Act declaring the establishment of the Succession of the King 's most Royal Majesty to the Imperial Crown
of this Realm made in the 25. year of the reign of the King your Father be repealed and be it voyd and of no effect as also all and every such clauses Articles branches and matters contained and expressed in the afforsaid Act of Parliament made in the said 28. year of the Reign of the said late King your Father or in any other Act or Acts of Parliament as wherby your Highness is named or declared to be ilegitimat or the said marriage between the said King your Father and the said Queen your Mother is declared to be against the word of God or by any means vnlawful shal be and be repealed and be voyd and of no force nor effect to all intents constructions and purposes as if the same sentence or Act of Parliament had never bin had nor made and that the said marriage had and solemnized between your said most noble Father King Henry and your said most noble Mother Queen Catharin shal be definitivly cleerly and absolutly declared deemed and adjudged be and stand with God's law and his most holy word and to be accepted reputed and taken of good effect and validity to all Intents and purposes c. Notwithstanding that the force and fraud vsed by King Henry 8. Cranmer and others engaged in this divorce were so plainly manifested the Catholicks faith reestablished the folly and falshood of former schisms and heresies publickly acknowledged yet no sooner was Queen Mary deceased then Queen Elizabeth and her Protestant faction resolved to return to the former errours whervnto vicious persons who always are the greatest number were as vehemently inclined as men are to enjoy their liberty and to excuse the sensuality which they practised by the principles of that Religion And though it seemed a busines of great difficulty for Q. Elizabeth and her Councel to revive a Reformation which had bin so lately cryed down as schism and heresy by the vnanimous concurrence of a ful and lawful Parliament yet her Regal authority her sex and words wrought so strongly vpon the weakness of some and vpon the ambition of others that she gained the greater part of the house of Lords and yet but by on only voice for establishing Protestancy the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Arundel employing in her service all their interest with friends and relations against the Religion of their Ancestors And such Lords and Gentlemen saith D. r Heylin as had the managing of elections of their several Counties retained such for members of the house of Commons as they conceived most likly to comply with their intentions for a reformation Besids saith he the Queen was young vnmarried and like enough to entertain some thoughts of a husband so that it can be no great mervail not only if many of the nobility but some even of the Gentry also flattered themselves with possibilities of being the man whom she might choose to be her partner in the Regal Diadem Which hopes much smoothed the way to the accomplishment of her desires which otherwise might have proved more rugged and vnpassable c. Notwithstanding all these devices and compliances they never passed an Act in Parliament for the validity of her Mothers marriage on which saith Heylin her title most depended It seems the late former Act declaring the validity of Queen Catharins mariage deter'd her from attempting an other incompatible therwith and wherin men must have had contradicted themselves most imprudently as also the truth asserted by the many witnesses and confirmed with such individual circumstances that without infamy to the late Parliament they could not take from Queen Elizabeth the brand of bastardy Yet they resolved it should be no bar between her and the Crown and so they thrust her into the Throne which of right belonged to Mary Steward Queen of Scotland as is manifest to all that are not persuaded Catholick Religion doth make soveraigns incapable of Regal jurisdiction SECT VII Other effects of Protestancy after it was revived in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown of the nulity of her Clergy's caracter and jurisdiction By King Henry 8. his revolt from the Church of Rome not only the Religion but the realm of England was so embroyl'd that very many who had no right entertained hopes of ascending into the Royal Throne some by fishing in troubled waters others by marrying Q. Elizabeth others by their descent from the younger daughter of King Henry 7. all mention of the heires of the elder Sister having bin omitted or blotted out of the last will and Testament of K. Henry 8. and Q. Elizabeth having bin declared ilegitimat by three Acts of different Parliaments which never yet were repealed very few there were that did not hould their own title to be more legal then hers This confusion also made the Queen of Scots known right to be neglected But the French King who was concerned therin commanded her to be proclaimed Q. of England and quarter'd the Arms of great Britanie with his lilies Q. Elizabeth apprehended some daunger from a title so cleere seconded with the power of France and Scotland and therfore by the advice of Secretary Cecil and others resolved upon the chang of Religion and the destruction of the Catholick party and Clergy which favoured the Stewards claim The Protestant Reformation as being sutable both to her birth and interests was revived and a new caracter of Priesthood and Episcopacy devised not imprinted in the soule by imposition of Episcopal hands according to the Ghospel but in wax as if forsooth by the weight of the great seal and the vertue of a shee supremacy a woman or lay men might make Bishops This superficial formality was declared a sufficient caracter and ground of Episcopacy by a Junta of her Majesties lawyers and Divines as appeareth in their definitive sentence and her Commission to the Consecraters of her first Bishops D. r Parker and others wherin she dispenseth with all the inhabilities and incapasities even of their State and Condition because the true Bishops refused to ordain her Clergy and a Clergy she was resolved to have that would vote in Parliament and instruct the People as should be thought fit for her Succession and security And because the Roman Catholick Writers of those tyms laught at the Protestant Bishops Episcopacy and bid them shew the letters of their Orders not the letters patens of the Queen and tould them a secular Prince might give them the revenues of Bishopricks but not the Caracter of Bishops and that the same Catholick writers insisted much vpon their Adversaries not being able to name what Bishops did consecrat them and besids pleaded in the publick Court they were not realy nor legaly ordained and that afterwards it appeared so to the Iury appointed for the examination therof both the Queen and her Bishops found it absolutly necessary for her credit and their caracter to ratify all Acts and things
chalenged them to name him Who hath layd hands on you how and by whom are you consecrated saith Harding and Stapleton How chanced then Mr· Iewell that you and your fellowes bearing your selves for Bishops c. have taken vpon you that Office without any Imposition of hands J ask not who gave you Bishopricks but who made you Bishops Me thinks Iewell and his Camerades the first Protestant Bishops might easily have answered by only naming the person who consecrated them and the place of their consecration But not a word of this point Iewell indeed once attempted to answer something but it had bin better for himself and his Companions he had sayd nothing for his silence to the question might have bin interpreted a slighting of the demand by the Bigots of his Church that endeavor to make the most palpable absurdities probable answers in this and other Controversies Iewell therfore saith himself was a Bishop by the free and accustomed Canonical election of the whole Chapter of â—â—lesbury but to the question how he or Parker together with the first Bishops were consecrated or by whom not one 〈◊〉 After having first contented himself and by conseâ—â—nce Arch-bishop Parker and his other Camerades that were â—â—â—stioned with a bare election of the Chapter insteed of an Episcopal consecration yet he adds our Bishops are made in form 〈◊〉 Order as they have bin ever by free election of the Chapter 〈◊〉 consecration of the Arch-bishop and three other Bishops Heere we may observe both fraud and folly because he doth not answer to the question his adversary askes him how himself and the first protestant Bishops wherof Arch-bishop 〈◊〉 was one and the chief were consecrated and by whom 〈◊〉 lieu of answering Arch-bishop Parker my self and the other 〈◊〉 Bishop were consecrated by such a man and in such a place 〈◊〉 his Adversary our Bishops are made by consecration of the Arch-bishop c. Perhaps he meant that Arch-bishop Parker conâ—â—â—rated himself by imposition of his own hands therfore Harding tells him and how I pray you was your Arch-bishop himself consecrated For that was the question and main point of the Controversy what three Bishops were there in the realm to 〈◊〉 hands on him c. There were antient Bishops enough in England who either were not required or refused to consecrate you He alludes to the Bishop of Landaff who refused to consecrate them at the nags-head and to the Irish Arch-Bishop Creagh who refused also to lay hands on them though they offered him his liberty being then prisoner in the Tower if he would do them that favor What Parker Horn Jewell and none of the first Bishopâ— could do but some fiue or six yeares after their pretended conconsecration their successors of the Church of England have don above fifty yeares after They shewed in the yeare 1613. a Register not only with the names of Parker's Consecrators but with a description of the tapestry on the east-side of the Chappell read 〈…〉 Sermon Communion concourse of people c. at the solemnity of his consecration at Lambeth forsooth and yet neither Parker himself nor any Protestant or Catholick ever heard of such a solemnity Consecration or Consecrators when both parties were so highly engaged about the names of the place and persons and made it the subject of printed Bookes and all this their contest was in a time that it might have been soon ended by 〈◊〉 or Horn's only writing in their answers to 〈…〉 of their Adversaries the names of 〈…〉 place of their Consecration without troubling themselves with copying 〈◊〉 of the Registers the richness of the tapestry or the color of the cloath c. menmentioned by M. r Mason to make the fable credible by so common and ordinary stuff seing he durst not venture upon more individual circumstances But because no Protestant can believe so great 〈◊〉 was kept about â—â—thing M. r Mason Primat Bramhall D. r Heylin and all other modern prelatick writers endeavor to persuade the layty of the Church of England that the dispute between Harding and Jewell Stapleton and Horn was not about the validity but concerning the legality of the first Protestant Bishops consecration because forsooth Bishop Bonâ—er in his plea and Controvertists in their bookes only pretended that there was no law 1. Eliz. to warrant Edward 6. forme of consecrating Bishops Q. Mary having repealed the same with the booke of Ordination which Stapleton and the rest fancied was not revived with that of the common prayer 2. Elizab. by act of Parliament But though this evasion hath bin sufficiently confuted by the Author of the nullity of the Prelatick Clergy and 〈◊〉 of England against Primat Bramhall yet I admire he omitted these ensuing words of D. r Stapleton's which demonstrate our Catholick exceptions were not grounded upon Stapleton's persuasion of the want of Laws or statuts then in force for confirming the forme or Booke of Ordination but they were â—â—ther grounded upon a cleere evidence that though the sayd forme and Book of ordination was legal then yet there had bin 〈◊〉 Consecration at all performed For thus saith D. r Stapleton to Horn pretended Bishop of â—â—â—chester It is not the Princes only pleasure that maketh a Bishop 〈◊〉 there must be free election without either forcing the Clergy to 〈◊〉 or forcing the Chosen it seems Horn payd a good summ 〈◊〉 his Bishoprick to filthy bribery and also there must follow a 〈◊〉 consecration which you and all your Fellowes do lack and therâ—â—â—â— you are indeed no true Bishops neither by the law of the Church 〈◊〉 yet by the law of the realm for want of due consecration expressly required by an act of Parliament renewed in this Queenes dâ—yes in suffragan Bishops much more in you By which words 〈◊〉 appeares that the exception was not grounded vpon D. r Staâ—â—â—ton or any other Catholicks persuasion that Q. Elizabeth had not sufficiently renewed the booke and forme of ordination by 〈◊〉 act of Parliament 1. Eliz. but on the quite contrary and that though there was an act yet the Bishops could not be vaâ—â—â—ly consecrated according to that Act of Parliament that Stapleton says was renewed 1. Eliz. for want of a true Bishop to â—â—ercise that function not for want of any Law to authorise â—piscopal consecration all the Catholick Bishops who were named in her first commission having refused to act by her order and her Majesties Dispensation in her second commission not only with her own statute but with the very state and condition of the Protestant Consecrators who were not Bishops could not be of force to give them a spiritual caracter Wherfore M. r Parker Grindall Horn Jewell and the rest of the first Bishops who understood better their own condition then their Successours would seeme now to do resolved in their 〈◊〉 1562. to publish the 39. Articles made by Cranmer and his Junra but with some alteration and addition especially to that article
gathered 〈◊〉 in that Councell But this is a foolish fancy and 〈◊〉 fraud of Sutcliff as appeareth by the very letter and 〈◊〉 of the Councell to Pope Leo who after praysing God 〈◊〉 favor and providence in gathering together and 〈◊〉 themselves at Calcedon preferring the notifying of their 〈◊〉 of faith before their Countrey and labour som Journey add over which Priests or Bishops assembled in this Councell you did preside as head over the members by those which 〈◊〉 your place to wit by his legats of whom Leo sayd in his Epistle to the Councell In these Brothers Paschasius and Lucenâ—â—â— Bishops Boniface and Basilius Priests who are directed by 〈◊〉 Apostolick Sea your fraternity may think that I preside in the 〈◊〉 And these legats though two of them were but Priests took place of all Bishops and were acknowledged of so absolute authority that they pronounced sentence against Dâ—â—scorus the Heretik thus in the Popes name The most holy Pope Leo head of the vniversal Church by vs his Legats the holy Synod consenting being indued with the dignity of Peter the Apostle who is called the Foundation of the Church the Rock of faith and Doorekeeper of the heavenly Kingdom have deprived Dioscorus of Episcopal dignity and all priestly function Now this Councell of Calcedon having bin received in England by act of Parliament 1. Eliz. and never yet repealed I see not how Priests can be legaly punished or Catholiks persecuted for acknowledging the Pope's spiritual Iurisdiction in these Kingdoms and maintaining that he is head of the Catholik Church St. Peter's Successor and Christ's Vicar vpon earth much less how could Doctor Sutcliff charge Bellarmin with falsifying the Councell that conâ—esseth the same doctrin in so cleer termes SVBSECT I. How Protestants are convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to cleere them of six only fourteen it seems they câ—â—fess do falsify the Fathers and Catholik Authors about the worshipping of Images CArdinal Bellarmin lib. 4. de notis Ecclesiâ— cap. 9. proves that Protestants are heretiks because they hold many old heresies condemned as such by the ancient Catholik Church wherof he sets down twenty One is that of Xenaias a Persian who saith Bellarmin cit was the first that did openly affirm the Images of Christ and his Saints ought not to be worshiped as wittnesseth Nicephorus lib. 17. cap. 27. Doctor Sutclif sayes that Nicephorus is falsifyed which is most fals for that Nicephorus writing many horrible things of this Xenaias as that he faigned himself to be a Priest yea and got a Bishoprik before he was baptised amongst others saith This Xenaias did first of all others O audacious soul and impudent tongue belch out that voice that the Images of Christ and those that have bin acceptable vnto him are not to be worshiped And this he sayd so is a truth so vndeniable and generaly received that even the Protestant Authors that write the Ecclesiastical history confess it as Functius in his seaventh book of Commentaries vpon his Chronicle an 494. saith Porro is Xenaias primus in Ecclesia bellum contra Imagines indixit Two Pelagian heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to cleer themselves of the one and say nothing of the other WHeras the Pelagians saith Bellarmin according to St. Austin and St. Hierom taught two heresies among others 1. That every sin though never so litle is mortal 2. That there is no original sin in man especialy in Infants of Lawfull parents The first all â—rotestants teach the last Zuinglius Bucer and Calvin but with this difference that Zuinglius doth absolutely deny original sin to be in any man Bucer and Calvin do only deny the same in the Children of the Faithfull whom they say to be born Saints and saved without Baptism Now Doctor Morton not being able to deny the first heresy to be common to Pelagians and protestants would faine make Bellaâ—â—â—â— a falsifier in the second setting down Bellarmin's words both in Latin and English corruptly and contrary to his plain 〈◊〉 as may be seen in Bellarmin's Text thus The Pelagâ—â—â—s did teach that there was no original sin in men and especialy in the Children of the faithfull the same doth Bucer and Calvin teach as though he had sayd that Calvin had denyed with the Pelagians that there is any original sin at all in men much less in the Children of the faithfull and had made no distinction between Zuinglius and Calvins and Bucers opinions And Morton by this fraud would make his Reader believe he had cleered Protestants from both the pelagian-heresies wheras he cleeres them not from either Hear Bellarmin's own words which are Pelagiani duo inter alia docebant 1. non esse in hominibus peccatum originale praecipuè in filijs fidelium c. Hoc docet Zuinglius Bucerus Calvinus lib. 4. instit c. 15. § 20. Nisi quod Zuinglius negat simpliciter peccatum originale in quolibet homine c. Bucerus autem Calvinus solum in filijt fidelium negant peccatum originale quos dicunt Sanctos nasci salvari etiam sine Baptismo Vide. Belar de notis Ecclesia cap. 9. § 14. Two Novatian heresies imputed to Protestants the one they answer with silence the other with falsifying WHeras Cardinal Bellarmin to prove that Protestants do agree with the old Novatian 〈◊〉 alledgeth two particular instances the one in denying the power of the Church to remit sins by priestly absolution or the Sacrament of Pennance the other in denying the vse of holy Chrism in the Sacrament of Confirmation Bishop Morton having nothing to answer to the second replyeth only to the first by an equivocation and falsification for he endeavoreth to confound the Sacrament of pennance with privat repentance or sorrow sighs tears c. for sins and makes beleive that Bellarmin contradicts himself when he grants that Protestants admit the later though they rejectâ— the Sacrament of pennance and to embroyle the Reader and excuse the Novatiâ—ns as if they held but one error cuts short Belarmin's words praecipuus error and post Baptismum Novatianorum praecipuus error erat c. The Manichean heresy against Free will imputed to Protestants and how pittifully answered by Bishop Morton ST Hierom and St. Austin saith Belarmin accuse the Manicheans for condemning the nature of man and depriving it of free will and ascribing the original and beginning of sin vnto the nature of man and not to free will The same is taught openly by all Sectaries Thus Belarmin Morton sets down St. Hierom. and St. Austin's words as if they were Belarmin's being loath to have such great Fathers tax himself and his prelatiks with heresy Then he sayes Belarmin accuseth Calvin of this heresy wheras Belarmin accuseth all Protestants or sectaries not only Calvin and accuseth Calvin in particular of an other Manichean heresy to wit of reprehending and condemning Abraham
convenient and fit for that Uniformity of faith and union of Hearts which cements the People with their Soveraign and among themselves It is indeed so growing a Religion that it hath spread it self over the whole world not by force of Arms but of truth not by allowing leud liberty or licentiousness but by working miracles by professing and observing abstinence chastity poverty and obedience to spiritual and temporal Superiors by mortifying our Passions and the perverse inclinations of a spiritual pride and proper judgment this pride and property of judgment the source of Heresy we renounce by submitting our opinions to the Church acknowledging in the same God's Infallible assistance and authority and this our submission proceedeth not from simplicity credulity or rashness but we are induced thereunto by evident marks of Gods favour and providence clarly appearing in our Roman Catholick Church and in no other as Miracles Conversion of Nations Succession and Sāctity of Pastors c. whereby the most Learned Men of the World in every Age since the Apostles have been evidently convinced of an obligation to conform their Faith to a Church so supernaturally qualified and therefore did prudently believe that none but God is Author of the Roman Catholick Doctrine and we judge our selves bound under pain of damnation to follow their example For these Signs of Divine Providence are so far above the force and course of Nature and so visible to all the World that not only the Learned but all sorts of people who are not wilfully obstinate must confess a sufficient evidence of Gods Commission and Authority in our Church and by consequence they deny Gods veracity who contradict the Doctrine of a Congregation that hath so notorious and significant badges of his Divine trust for proposing Articles of Faith and composing all differences in Religion So that having for our guide a Church of so Authentick Authority a Testimony to rely upon so visibly confirmed by supernatural Miracles marks of Gods Commission the same Church must needs have his Infallible assistance in discharging her trust of instructing Mankind wherefore we Catholicks may do uniformly agree acquiess in her Difinitions with as little fear of being seduced as of God being the Seducer He must be very unreasonable who after being informed of these motives of credibility or marks of Gods Church will refuse to submit his judgment to so convincing arguments of the Divine Authority and this is the reason why not only the Natives of one Country or the Subjects of one Monarch but whole Kingdoms and Kings of most different tempers and interests do so easily constantly and unanimously submit and adhear to the Roman Catholick Religon both now and in former Ages whereas they who at any time opposed the same could never agree among themselves or with themselves but were and are divided into as many opinions as there are fancies or occasions offered of changing their inclinations or of raising their fortunes And now our States-men may easily conclude which of both Religions is not only most conscientious for the soul but most convenient for the power and peace of the State if they will reflect upon the different ways of planting and preserving both Religions the Catholick and Protestant To omit other examples let them consider how St. Austin our Apostle of England arrived at Kent with forty Monks and Preachers entred into Canterbury as our Adversary Fox confesseth p. 150. in procession with a Crucifix carried before him and singing Litanies and how they converted that Kingdom and all England from Paganism to the very same Roman Catholick Religion we now profess in every particular not by force of Arms or by Frauds of falsifying the Letter and Sense of Scripture but by working confessed Miracles in confirmation of our Roman Text and Sense of Scripture which they Preach'd and by the example of a Godly life How this same Religion continued for almost a thousand years in this Island and in all that time never was there any Rebellion upon the score of our Doctrine or of Interpreting of Scripture much less did the Subjects pretend Scripture or the Word of God to warrant a Superiority over their Sovereign or to try Him by a formal Court of Justice On the other side our Statesmen will find in all Histories and this Treatise that in this one Age since Protestancy began that Reformation hath not entered without Rebellion or Tyrany into any one Kingdom Country or City that he who first Preached this Reformation Luther did see it divided into more Sects than himself had years tho' he lived to be an old Man That never any of these Sects continued long without embroyling the State That never Miracle was wrought to confirm any kind of Protestancy nor the Author of any of these Sects or Reformations lived with the esteem I do not say of holy but of honest conversation No marvel therefore if People so naturally honest as the English cannot be brought to uniformity in a Reformation so unlikely to be Divine that was begun by a dissolute and drunken Friar who had no Rule of Faith but his own fancy the marvel indeed is that any sober man can be persuaded 't is possible to bring pious prudent men to reject the old Religion confirmed with so many supernatural signs renouned for so long successful subjection to Lawful Kings for a new fangled device introduced into England by an Illegitimate Queen in opposition to the Title and known right of our lawful Sovereigns Seeing therefore our Adversaries do confess that the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion even in this groaning and sad condition wherein we are kept in these Kingdoms who doubts but that if made the Religion of the State and countenanced by Law or even tolerated it will soon grow to such a hight that all other persuasions will be rendred contemptible and incapable of thwarting the Designs and Decrees that will be resolved upon by the King and Parliament when Law Religion and Reason walk hand in hand there is no room or pretext left for Rebellion upon the score of conscience And what can be more legal than an Act of Parliament what more agreeable to Religion and Reason than that every man ought to submit his judgment to Authority so Authentikly Divine and so prudently judged to be Infallible as that of the Roman Catholick Ghurch For what more convincing arguments can there be of Divine and Infallible authority than the undeniable Miracles Sanctity Succession both of Doctrine and Doctors Conversion of Kings and Nations c. of the Roman Catholick Church He who denies any of these must consequently resolve to believe nothing and even to doubt of himself of his Parents Country and Relations because no Man hath or can have a more credible Testimony or a more constant Tradition for any one of these particulars concerning his Parents Country c. than he hath for the Miracles wrought in
Protestants None could ever prove there was one true miracle wrought to confirm the Protestants doctrin or their pretended authority for reforming the Tenets of the Roman Catholick Church Protestants are forced to say that miracles are ceased and that ours are Diabolical or counterfeit Because no true Bishops were Protestants and by consequence they could have no Priests ordained and so their Priesthood must have perished after the death of the first Apostatas Luther and others the Protestant reformers and Churches taught that all Christians are Priests both men and women and this doctrin is supposed to be true by the Church of England in their 39. articles and in the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. SECT IV. OF the Protestant Prelatick Church of England The occasion of K. Henry the 8. divorce from Q. Catharin and of his revolt from the Church of Rome was his passion to An Bullen the words of S. Iohn Baptist to Herod concerning his brothers wife absurdly applyed to K. Henrys marriage with his Brothers widdow How zealously he had formerly maintained the Popes supremacy how cruelly he afterwards persecuted the professors therof and how impiously he judged S. Thomas of Canterbury robbed his shrine and burnt his Reliques The Catholick Princes rejected his embasies and solicitations for imitating his example in assuming the supremacy And how much the protestant Princes were troubled and ashamed that he made his lust the motive of his reformation How incredible a thing is the English supremacy K. Henry 8. at length resolved to renounce it and returne to the duty of a Christian King but stood upon such termes and differrd it so long that he died in Schism excommunicated and despairing of Gods mercy His last will and testament was broken before his body was buried The Erle of Hartford made himself Protector and brought into England the Sacramenrian or the Zuinglian heresy against K. Henrys last will and the lawes of the land then in force without a Parliament and contrary to the votes of the Erles of Arundell and Southampton and others of the 16. Trustees named Governors by K. HeÌ„ry 8. during the minority of Edw. 6. SVBSECT I. HOw Seamor was directed and destroyed by Dudley Duke of Northumberland The sayd Dudley notwithstanding he was a Catholick in his judgment as himself confessed at his death concurred to establish protestancy in England designing therby to vnsettle the state and make way for excluding the right heirs of the Crown and crown his own family which he effected by excluding Q. Mary for being a Catholick and by marrying his Son to the Lady Jane Grey who had no other right to the Kingdom but what her Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Clergy gave her What wicked men and great cheats were Cranmer and his Camerades that composed the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England and the common prayer book that of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies and how the common people were made believe the change was not of Religion but of language SECT V. OF the 39. Articles of the Church of England they contain only some general notions of Christianity and are applicable to all dissenting Sects of Protestancy as Presbytery Zuinglianism c. The design of the composers having bin rather to give men a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christian Religion then of tying them to any certain points therof or to any faith therfore they declare that the visible Church is fallible and determin no certain canonical Scripture of the new Testament They make the doctrin that Luther learnt of the Devil against the Mass Tradition and praying to Saincts c. part of their Creed as also the Tenet against spiritual Caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood art 25. rejecting imposition of hands as not instituted by Christ. In the 2. last Articles they endeavour in vain to suppress the errors of Anabaptists especialy that of appropriating to themselves other mens goods in vain I say because in their former articles they declare its lawful for Protestants to dispossess the Roman Catholick Clergy of their goods and dignitys by vertue of a privat interpretation of Scripture and the Anabaptists pretend no more but that its lawfull for themselves to deal after the same manner with Prelaticks and t is certain there can be no disparity given So that the two last articles of the 39. as also that of the authority of the Protestant Clergy are against an evident parity of reason in their own Protestant Principles SECT VI. A Particular account of the revolutions which these 39. articles caused in England and how they may work always the same effects if there be such politick and popular heads amongst us as Dudley Crumwell and many of the last long Parliament Q. Maries Reign how much endangered by Protestant designs and rebellions Duke Dudleys speech at his death The Roman Catholick Religion restored by Act of Parliament and the Protestant decreed to be Heresy and Schism as also the force and frauds of K. Henry 8. divorce discovered and his marriage with Q. Catharin of Spain declared valid The Roman Clergys resignation of the Church revenues to the Crown and present possessors Q. Elizabeths intrusion against the right of the Steward 's effected by the zeal of the Protestant faction for suppressing of Popery SECT VII NOtwithstanding that Q. Elizabeth was declared illegitimat by 3. Acts of several Parliaments never yet repealed she possessed herself of the Croun and excluded the Queen of Scots the lawfull and immediat heir to Q. Mary lately deceased By the advice of Cecil and others she revived Protestancy and the Supremacy therby to excuse her illegitimacy She instituted a new Kind of Clergy the Prelatick Protestant Bishops neither had nor have any other caracter of Episcopacy but what the great seal and her temporal laws give them Any Lay person may consecrat a Bishop of the Church of England if he hath the Kings commission to do it all other things being superfluous according to the Act. 8. Eliz. 1. and 25. article of the 39. How the Oath of supremacy divided Protestants and made the Catholicks more constant The simplicity of some Protestant writers pretending that the Pope offered to confirm the English liturgy if Q. Elizabeth would acknowledge his jurisdiction SECT VIII REasons why Q. Elizabeth in her long raign could not settle her Protestant Religion nor gain credit for the Prelatick Clergy Neither is it possible for her Successors to make the generality of her subjects to have any esteem for either SECT IX HOw injurious and prejudicial the Protestant Religion hath been to the Royal family of the Stevards and how zealous they have bin and still are in promoting the same It preferred not only Q. Elizabeth but also any natural child of hers before the line of the Stewards Wherof see the 8. sect â—in How dexterously K. James played his game and how they who murthered his mother were forced to invite him to the Crown
A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WITH Reflexions vpon the Cause and Cure of Englands late distempers and present dangers THE ARGVMENT VVhether Protestancy be less dangerous to the soul or more advantagious to the State then the Roman Catholick Religion THE CONCLVSION That Piety and Policy are mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery by penal and Sanguinary statuts Permissu Superiorum An Dom M.DC.LXX TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE THE DVKE OF BVQVINGHAM c. May it please your Grace THE inconsiderat censures of half witted Critiks have canonized the custom of dedicating books to great persons at least they have so extenuated the crime that I despair not to obtain your Graces Pardon for my presumption of prefixing your name to this Treatise without your consent or knowledge But if the general custom be not a lawful excuse for my ambitious solicitation of your Graces patronage I must transfer the fault from my self the Author and lay it on the Argument of my book which is so proper for a person of your Graces high birth profound judgment and publick trust thus without violence to the work it could hardly be offerd to any other The Argument My Lord of this Book is Liberty of Conscience which is the most reasonable oâ— all liberties it is the spiritual birthright of our souls and the only human prerogative that cannot be forc't or forfeited Though our selves be slaves our thoughts are free and so much our own that none but the searcher of hearts can know them God himself doth not vse violence against our opinâ—â—ns when he commands us â—o change them he doth not compell us by rigor and penalties but convinceth us by reason and miracles My Lord Princes are called Gods in the Scripture and therfore ought to imitat divin perâ—â—â—tions How much your Grace doth excell in this perfection of being avers from compelling mens Consciences is so notorious that any man may without flattery the common vice of Epistles Dedicatory publish and print your vertues In this one of patronizing Liberty of Conscience are so many comprehended that did I vndertake to enumerat and explain them this short Epistle must have bin a vast volum It s an eminent part of Religion to propagat and persuade it by reason Its Charity to consider and commiâ—erat other mens capacitys how capricious soever 〈◊〉 prudence to proportion the laws to tender Consciences On the contrary the zeal of persecution is but a Cloaâ— of ambition for men of one persuasion to exclude all otherâ— from places of profit trust and honor wherof the Zealots would never be thought worthy if such as the penal laws exclude did conform to the Church of England And when any one doth becom a conformist none is more sorry for his Conversion then they that pretended to design and effect it by persecution because the number of Proselits doth diminish the profit and destroy the projects they had of begging Recusants fines and forfeitures Your Genious and generosity My Lord are so much above these base and destructive ways that you are becom the refuge of all persons afflicted for their Conscience To be popular vpon this score and to be the patron of so numerous and conscientious a party as it is the effect of your Wisdom and vertue so it is a just cause for your Prudent Prince to confide in your Ministery and to countenance your popularity I do acknowledge My Lord that in som districts of the Church of Rome men are punished for their Conscience or contumacy by a Court of Iustice called the Inquisition How worthy the Inquisition is of imitation I leave to the Judgment of others But this I do maintain in my book that our penal and Sanguinary statuts are much more severe and vnreasonable then the Canon law wherupon the Inquisitors Sentences are grounded 1. Because the Canons against Innovators of Religion are almost as ancient as Constantin the first Christian Emperor 2. They seemed so conscientious and convenient to all his Catholick Successors and other Soveraigns that they have incorporated into the laws of their Dominions the Canons wherby the Inquisitors are directed to punish heresies or pretended reformations of Religion and therfore the first Protestant Reformers in England durst not publish their doctrin vntill these statuts against heretiks had bin repeald by Act of Parliament 1. Edu 6.3 the Inquisitors pretend not to act by human commission against mens opinions they proceed as spiritual Pastors and the Apostles Successors and therfore endeavor to reduce the obstinat Nonconformists by producing thousands of learned and lawful witnesses to proue that the Roman faith is built vpon the very same Apostolical revelations reasons and miracles wherby the primitive Church and the Catholick world had bin converted from Paganism to Christianity But our English penal and Sanguinary statuts punish men for adhering to the ancient and authentick Religion of Christendom and for not embracing a new interpretation of Scripture for which there is no credible testimony or proof that it is the Apostolical neither is there as much as a pretence of any miracles to confirm Protestancy or that monstrous Shee-supremacy which was imposed vpon men only to make An Bullens daughter Queen of England and to exclude the right heirs and now reigning family from the Crown Notwithstanding this great disparity My Lord between the severity of the Inquisition and of our penal statuts J wish both equally excluded from this Monarchy and that no compulsion be used against Conscience but that every one be left to choos his own Religion according to his capacity it being likely that none will have a greater care of saving any mans soul then himself who is more concerned therin then any other whether Prince Parliament or Pastor That God may inspire into every soul that one faith without which none is saved ought to be the only common prayer imposed vpon us for that by this vniformity of prayer every man is left to his own Inquisition which is much more agreable to our genious then that of Spain and more likely to make us agree amongst our selves then any penal or Sanguinary statuts all which I humbly submit to your Graces Iudgment begging your Pardon for this trouble and your protection for this Treatise Your Graces most obedient and most humble servant IOHN WILSON THE PREFACE THE end which most Authors propose to themselves in writing Prefaces is to incline mâ—n to read their books but the books are now so many and of such groat busks that even the Prefaces are not perused Notwithstanding this superfluity and surfeit of books I have ventured to add this one to the number not without hopes that the Title will invite men to read the Preface and perhaps the Preface may persuade them to read the Book For Religion and Government being the two things wherin mankind is most concerned the one being the ground of everlasting happiness the other of temporal prosperity and I having vndertaken to
him-self was that is to say Consecrators c. If then that which is greather then all be given indifferently to all men and women I meane the word and baptism then that which is less I mean to consecrat the supper is also given to them So much Luther With Luther in this doctrin concurred all the reformed Churches even the Prelatick of England seems to approve therof in the 23. and 25. articles of Religion and M. r Horn Bishop of Winchester in the Harbrough An. 1559. n. 2. saith concerning the Ministery Preaching or Priesthood of women Jn this point we must vse a certain moderation and not absolutly in every-wise debarr women herein c. J pray you what more vehemency vseth S. Paul in forbidding women to preach then in forbidding them to vncover their heads and yet you know in the best reformed Churches of all Germany all the maids be bareheaded They who know this to have bin the Doctrin of Luther and of the reformed Churches are not so much startled at Q. Elizabeths spiritual headship of the Church nor at the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. wherin it is declared that she and her successors may authorise any person whatsoever whether lay man or woman to exercise any spiritual jurisdiction or power in any matter whatsoever even of consecrating Archbishops Bishops Priests c. And albeit afterwards art 27. there hath bin an explanation made concerning the supremacy excluding from the Church a shee or Lay Ministery and Priesthood yet the words of the Oaths both of supremacy and Episcopal homage and the laws of the land especialy this Act 8. Eliz. 1. maks it most manifest that even Prelatik protestancy maks the temporal Lay Soveraign to haue the source of all spiritual power and jurisdiction and that the letters Patents of the Kings of England directed to any person whatsoever renders him capable of consecrating Archbishops Bishops Priests c. as may be seen in the aforesaid Act of Parliament And if any person whatsoever may by vertue of the Kings letters patents consecrat Bishops Priests c. without doubt the King that gives that spiritual authority and the Lay men or women so authorised must of necessity have the caracter of Episcopacy and Priesthood which they communicat to others vnless it be maintained that men can give what they have not themselves Thus was Protestancy begun principled and propagated by Martin Luther and his Disciples and because their Sects agree in nothing so vnanimously as in protesting against the doctrin of the Roman Catholik Church and the Imperial Decrees enacted in behalf therof though some Lutherans only exhibiting the Confession of their faith at Auspurg were the Protesters yet all others who pretend a Reformation like the name and call themselves Protestants thinking it to be more for the credit of their dissenting Congregations to pretend vnity of doctrin by assuming one name then declare the novelty and diversity of their Tenets by calling themselves by the names of their first Authors and Reformers Now it is tyme we treat in particular of the Protestant Church of England SECT IV. Of the Protestant Church of England IT was the misfortune of England to have had in that tyme when Reformation began to spread a vicious King and lewd Court an ambitious Minister of state a timorous Clergy and contemporising Parliament Cardinal Wolsey who had bin raised from the meanest parentage to domineer over the English Peerage not content with his good fortune and the Kings favour would needs be Pope and obtained from Charles V. the Emperour a promise of his best endeavours to promote him to that dignity but perceiving himself deluded when the occasion was offered of performance and that Charles had preferred to the Papacy one of his own subjects that had bin Instructor to him in his tender age he resolved to be revenged vpon the Emperors relations seeing hee could not reach his person And observing that K. Henry 8. was weary of Q. Catharin the Emperors Aunt and desired her death or divorce to the end he might marry and have issue male to succeed him in the Crown The Cardinal discoursed with his Majesty of the doubts which himself had raised and many seemed to entertain concerning the validity of a mariage with one that had bin his brothers wife and proposed the publick conveniency and privat satisfaction the King might receave by taking to wife some relation of the French King with whom he persuaded Henry 8. to make a league in defence of the Sea Apostolick against Charles V whose army at that tyme had sackt Rome and kept the Pope prisoner not doubting that his Holiness so oblidged by Henry and injured by Charles would declare Q. Catharins mariage voyd K. Henry applauded the motion but lik't not so well the French Lady as An Bullen one of his Queens Mayds of honour of whom he was so desperatly enamoured that though he was advertised of her amorous disposition and lewd conversation by one of the Courtiers that sayd he had enjoyed her savours yet she rejecting his Majesties courtship he thought she was not so cunning as chast and persuading himself that a woman so sparing of favours to a King would not be prodigal of them to others he gave litle credit to the publick reports and privat informations of her immodest behaviour and now courted her not as his present Mistriss but as his future wife not questioning but that the Pope whom he had obliged would declare null his mariage with Q. Catharin but his Holiness though much inclined to gratifie the King and incensed against the Emperour for many indignitys resolved neither to reward or revenge by abusing his spiritual authority which he knew could not be extended to dissolve a knot that God had tyed and blessed with posterity his Predecessors dispensation after mature deliberation was found to be valid and no way contrary to Scripture which is so far from prohibiting a mariage with a deceased brothers wife Levit. 18. that it commands Deuter. 25. the brother to marry his issuless brothers widow And when S. John Baptist told Herod it was not lawfull for him to keepe his brothers wife his brother was then living so that these words could not be applyed to K. Henry 8. his case nor occasion any scruple in his conscience He therfore finding by experience that the Sea of Rome was not directed in deciding controversies of Religion by human respects or interest and that the Colledge of Cardinals could not be corrupted with bribes to favour his sute as some Doctors of forreign vniversities had bin nor terified by his threats as was most of the English Clergy he resolved to renounce that spiritual jurisdiction and supremacy the only lett against his lust which all his Christian Ancestors had acknowledged and himself defended in an excellent Treatise against Luther demonstrating as well by Scripture as by reason that the Bishop of Rom's supremacy and jurisdiction was de jure
since the Apostles then to take the bare word of Cranmer a man who married and vnmarried K. Henry 8. to as many women as his Majestie lik't or dislik't dissolving the holy Sacrament of Matrimony as often as the King seemed to be weary of a wife a man whose religion was nothing but his conveniency and incontinency and therfore did alter his faith as often as the tyms changed and factions prevailed and sided with every Rebel against his Prince and was so carnaly given that even in Henry 8. days when Priests were not permitted to have wives he kept a wench so constantly that he carried her about in his Visitations Let any Christian I say be judg whether this man together with Ochinus a Jew Bucer an Atheist Peter Martyr so indifferent for any doctrin that he framed his faith at Oxforâ— according to the news from London and the Parliament Diurnals Hooper Rogers and Latimer ambitious and discontented Presbiterians Bâ—le and Coverdale two lewd and runigad friars whether I say these men ought to be believed in this important point of salvation rather then the holy Fathers and Councels who as hath binâ— said hertofore cal the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisadech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament Must the word of Cranmer and his fellows be a sufficient ground for prudent men to believe as an Article of Religion that the doctrin delivered as Catholick by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church are but fables and themselves but a company of Cheats The 32. Article was made by Cranmer and his Camerades to excuse their lewdness legitimat their bastards and make their wenches wives The second Parliament of King Edward 6. had bin so importuned by Apostata Priests and Friars who had coupled themselves with women that their petition having bin rejected by the first Parliament Edward 6. at lengh against the inclination and judgment of both houses they obtained now by meer importunity an Act to take away all positive Laws of man made against the marriage of Priests statut an 2. Edward 6. cap. 21. But then they are told in the very Act that it were not only better for Priests to live chast sole and separat from the company of women c. but that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavour to keep a perpetual chastity and abstinence from the vse of women And 1400. years before that Origen Hom. 23. lib. 8. contra Celsum declared the doctrin even of the Greeck Church in these words Jt is certain the dayly Sacrifice is hindred in them who serve the necessities of mariage therfore it seemeth to me that it appertaineth only to him to offer the dayly Sacrifice who hath vowed himselfe to dayly and perpetual chastity with whomâ—agree the other Fathers S. Jerom in Apologia ad Pamachium cap. 3. desires them who like not of this doctrin not to be angry with him for telling them of it but with the holy Scriptures vvith all Bishops Priests c. vvho know they cannot offer Sacrifice if they vse the Act of mariage and said to Vigilantius c. 1. who in this point also was a Protestant and seemed to confess his owne frailty What do the Churches of the East of Egipt and of the Apostolick Sea vvho receive none but unmarried or continent Priests or if they have vviues they must cease to be Husbands And against Iovinian cap 19. 14. ad Pamachium Apol. cap. 8. Truly thou dost acknowledg that he cannot be a Bishop vvho in that state getts children if he be convicted therof he vvil not be taken for a Husband but condemned as an Adulterer But it seems out Protestant Bishops know the Scripture and the doctrin and disciplin of the primitive Church better then S. Hierom Origen and all the ancient Fathers and Councels both of the East and West Since the King 's most happy restauration they were not content to enjoy their wives and see the legitimacy of their children approved of but in the first Parliament wherin they were permitted to vote as I have bin credibly informed they atâ—empted the house of Lords should declare their spiritual peerage did communicat the same honours and privileges to their Ladys that the law doth give to Baron's wives but seing the house smile at the motion and one of the first Peers begin to rally according to his witty way vpon a subject so proper for his genius one of the Bishops not so much concerned in the suit because he was not married in the name of all the rest waved the pretention by saying there had bin a mistake in the motion Jn the two following articles they would fain prevent diversity of opinions and schisms among the Protestants of the Church of England and gain authority for the Prelats therof and reverence for their ceremonies and censures But this design is frustrated by maintaining the lawfulness of their own revolt and separation from the Church of Rome as also the Roman Catholick fallibility and fal from the true Apostolick Religion without any farther proofe or evidence of so great a fault or frailty then the fancy and privat interpretation of Scripture of some discontented and dissolute persons pretending divine inspirations and illuminations for the same and for their warant to depose their spiritual Superiours and to reform the doctrin of the whole visible Church which reformation they also introduced in so tumultuous and seditious a manner that none who considers the principles practises and circumstances of the chang can prudently commit his soule to the reformers charg or condescend to any spiritual jurisdiction and authority in their Successours For besids that they have nothing to shew for their presumption and intrusion but obscure texts of Scripture interpreted by them selves in a sense contrary to that of the whole visible ancient Church that hath bin confirmed by continual and vndeniable Miracles they can give no assurance or probability of them selves being or continuing in the right way of saluation because if all the Roman Catholick Churches did err in doctrin how can their reformations pretend not to be subject to the same mis-fortun or mistake And if the supposed frailty and fallibility of the Church of Rome be a sufficient cause to question and condemn it's authority how can the Church of England or any other Protestant congregation exact from their Sectaries greater respect and obedience then the first reformers gave to their Roman Superiours Presbiterians Independents Quakers Anabaptists c. pretend to as pure doctrin as Divine a Spirit and as much Scripture against Prelaticks as Prelaticks do against Papists and thinck there is as much reason for them to be Iudges of the truth of
confirmed by acts of Parliament But that which makes them to be so much insisted vpon is that they are so indifferent and appliable to all Protestant Religions that with much reason he is censured a very wilfull Presbiterian and fanatick who will not submit and subscribe to articles so indulgent and indifferent Therfore not only now but formerly in the beginning of all distempers grounded vpon Diversitie of Protestant opinions it was thought good policy to commit the 39. Articles to the press therby to please all dissenting parties and this hath bin practised not only in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames Reigns but also in King Charles I. an 1640. when the rebellion began to break forth and was cloak't with the authority of a legall Parliament as well as with the zeal of the Protestant Religion against the Church of England And an 1633. when the Symptoms of that rebellion were first discerned there was printed by special Command a Book setting forth the agreement of the 39. Articles with the doctrin of other reformed but rebellious Churches of France Germany Netherlands Basil Bohemia Swethland Suitzerland c. The Title of the book is the Faith Doctrin and Religion professed and protected in the realm of England and Dominions of the same expressed in the Articles c. The sayd Articles analized into propositions and the propositions proved to be agreable both to the writen word of God and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianly reformed Perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publick London printed by John Legatt 1633. So that no mervaile if the 39. Articles have not proved to be a better antidot against Rebellion then we have seen by experience they being so agreable to the doctrin of Churches raised and maintained by rebellious people and principles against their vndoubted lawfull Soveraigns The French Hugonot Ministers in their assembly at Bema 1572. decree that in every citty all should sweare not to lay down arms as long as they should see them persecute the doctrin of salvation c. In the mean time to govern them-selves by their own protestants rules See Sutcliff in his answer to a libel supplicatory pag. 194. See the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England art 19. pag. 94. agreeing here in with Confes. Helvet 2. Saxon. art 11. Wittemberg art 32. Sueu art 15. all quoted ibid. pag. 95. Dresterus the Protestant writer in part 2. Nullenarii sexti pag. 661. acknowledgeth that all the warrs of Germany against the Emperour and lawfull Soveraigns happned ex mutatione Religionis Pontificiae in Lutheranam See Crispinus of the Churches estate pag. 509. how the reformed Church of Basil was founded by the rebellion of some Burgesses against the Catholick Senators whom they ejected c. The Rebellion of Holland and the other Protestant Provinces is well known as also of Geneva Zuitzers or Helvetians See Chitreus in Cron. an 1593. 1594. pag. 74. seq How the King of Swethland being a Catholick was by his Subjects the Lutherans forc't so content him-self with Mass in his in his privat Chapell and to assent that no Catholick should beare office in that Kingdom and at length an other made King We may say without either vanity or flattery that were it possible to maintain the Soveraignty of a King the peace and prosperity of a people togeather with the principles of Protestancy the English Nation would have don it wanting neither witt or judgment to find out the expedients after long experience of 100. years since the pulling down of Popery and yet we see that nothwithstanding the wisedom of them who govern the learning of the Clergy the worth of the gentry the sincerity of the common sort and the natural inclination to loyalty of the whole Nation since Protestancy came among vs we have violated the laws of nature and Nations we have by publick acts of State don many things wherof but one perpetrated by a privat person whithout any countenance from the governement were sufficient to make not only him-self but his whole family and Country infamous Murthers of Soveraigns by a formality of justice breach of publick faith for the Protestant interest were never heard of in England nor acted by English men vntil they were Protestants Therfore the infamy and reproach therof must be left at the doores of the English Protestant Church without blaming our English Nation or nature It is the nature of an arbitrary Religion to pervert good natures It confounds the state more then any arbitrary government The worst of arbitrary governments have some regard to the honour and word of the Prince and to the publick faith An arbitrary religion dispenseth with all An arbitrary government is reduced to one supreme an arbitrary government doth pretend reason for the Prince his ComCommands an arbitrary Religion by pretending to be above reason commands against reason How arbitrary and applicable all Protestant Religions are to every particular interest and fancy notwithstanding their publick professions and confessions of faith is visible by the 39. Articles of the Church of England that hitherto could neither setle the judgments of subjects in any on certain belief nor tye them to their duty and alleigance to the lawfull Prince though the sayd articles wanted no countenance of law to gain for them authority And yet the profession of the 39. Articles togeather with the oath of supremacy is made the distinctive sign of truth and loyalty in our English Monarchy But the Articles being applicable to contrary religions and interests and an oath asserting a thinâ— so incredible as the spiritual supremacy of a lay Soveraign must needs expose the government to continual dangers that flow from a plausible and popular tenderness of conscience and from the contempt of so indifferent and improbable a Religion and therfore though many do abhorr yet few do admire our late King's mis-fortune his Majesty having grounded his Soveraignty and security vpon Councellors servants and souldiers of whose fidelity he had no other evidence but the profession of 39. Articles so vncertain that they signified nothing and dispensed with every thing and an oath of a jurisdiction so incredible that they who took it either vnderstood not what they swore or if they did by swearing a known vntruth disposed them-selves to violat all oaths of alleigance and learn't in all other promises to preferr profit before performance conveniency before conscience Were not this true and were the prelatik Religion with all it's laws and oath's capable of establishing Monarchs or of making subjects loyal and servants faithfull how were it possible that so just and innocent a King as Charles 1. The ancientest by succession and inheritance of all Christendom should be so generally and vnworthyly betray'd by them that profess'd the 39. Articles and took the oaths of supremacy and alleigance By the laws of the land it is enacted and accordingly practised that non be permitted
Confirmation of the Authority Infallibilty and Doctrine of our Church the Sanctity and Succession whereof is as evident also as our converting of Kings Nations from Paganism to Christianity and cannot be contradicted without questioning at least all humane Faith and History A Church and Religion so supernaturally qualified cannot be prudently suspected to be a Cheat or humane Invention And if once I do not say established but permitted in these Kingdoms its Doctrine needeth not be fenced with Sanguinary Statues nor favoured by any Penal Laws and Acts of Parliament for Vniformity all which rigorous proceedings will be superfluous as also the continual care and vast charges of suppressing unlawful Assemblies The absurd gestures and foolish fancies of every humorsom fellow or Hypocrite will not then take with the common people and pass for motions and revelations of the Holy Ghost neither will silly Tradesmen be heard with patience in Pulpits prate non-sense and comment upon Texts of Scripture All these impieties and disorders I say will be quasht when liberty is granted to declare unto the ignorant and misinformed people the Roman Catholick truths and the motives that induce to believe them and no Nations in the World are more inclined to embrace the truth and wholsom documents than these Islands witness the multitude of our antient Saints the magnificence of our Churches even the zeal of the present Seekers and Sectaries in their mistaken way of Salvation By all which it appeareth there would soon be an Uniformity in Religion in these Kingdoms if the Roman Catholick were Tolerated That the King would have a considerable and conscientious Revenue to support the Honour of this Monarchy and suppress all sinister designs by the addition of the Church Livings when resigned by the Roman Clergy needeth no proof I believe there will be found more difficulty in His Majesty to accept than in the Catholick Clergy to offer such a Donative seeing His Piety is now so great towards unlawful Ministers doubtless it would be refined in case He did see the mistake Let us suppose therefore that God hath heard our continual Prayers and will open the eyes of him and of these Nations and that they will acknowledge the Errors of their Education in such a case I say the Roman Clergy ought to press and without doubt will their Revenues upon His Majesty and the Commonwealth 1. To let the World see they seek not so much Worldly Interest as the salvation of Souls 2. Because the Kings Catholick Ancestors and theit Subjects of the same Profession founded all the Bishopricks and Benefices of these Kingdoms and it is a principle and practice of Roman Catholicks that in case of necessity the Heirs of the Founders ought to be maintained and relieved by the Foundations But the principal reason to move His Majesty not to reject and the Roman Catholick Clergy to make so dutiful an offer is the absolute necessity there is of a greater publick revenue then at present the Crown doth possess For though the English Valour should force advantagious Articles of Peace from our Enemies that Peace will not be lasting unless they see we are in a condition to force the performance as well as the Peace if at any time a breach of Articles should happen or new injuries be offered Nothing is more uncertain than the solemn agreement of Princes Their Leagues last no longer than until they be at leasure and recover strength to renew the War and if one of them wants a constant considerable Revenue he and his Subjects will be contemned and his Dominions made a prey to his more powerful Neighbour though lately reconciled Friend The best pledge therefore of a Peace with Foreigners is our own power if we rely wholly upon the word of the French or upon the worth of the Dutch we shall be mistaken and repent our credulity But shall our power so depend of Parliaments that before the Lords and Commons can meet or Taâ—es be rais'd our Enemies may be landed and our selves so distracted that none knows what to do Without doubt our power must depend of Acts of Parliament espicially of one annexing the Church Revenues to the Crown seeing no other found doth appear Never Parliament did give greater proofs of love and liberality to a King than this present but the more people have given the less able they are to give their will is still the same their ability is not what then must Church-men whose profession ought to be poverty especially when the State is empoverish'd think of enjoying Millions of Revenue and see that the Laity is not able to bear the burden of the War or must the Fnglish Monarchy be reduced to such a condition that if the French or Dutch will but send a Messenger to have a Place of importance delivered to them it must be done because the King hath not Money to maintain a War and defend His Subjects I do not say this hath been but I fear it may be the case of England if the King's Revenues be not made much more considerable than they are And how they may be considerably conscientiously and conveniently raised otherwise than I have proposed by the Lands of the Church I do not understand and wish that others find out a better expedient As for relying upon extraordinary Taxes and Subsidies raised from the empoverished and discontented Laity by new Acts of Parliaments according to occasions offered it is not safe for that such Taxes are look'd upon by all wise men to be more dangerous than durable as depending upon a popular Vote and Vogue whereupon neither the secret and solid designs of State nor the Peace of the Monarchy nor the power of the Monarch all which require a constant and sure Revenue can be well built Seeing therefore that extraordinary Taxes cannot be made that ordinary and constant Revenue which is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of Peace as well as of War and that the Laity cannot contribute much more than they have done and that the Revenues of the Clergy may be so conscientiously applied to the Crown I see not any scruple of Sacriledge that may deter the King or Parliament from such a resolution There is not one Catholick Divine thinks it Sacriledge to apply sacred things to pious uses and what use can be more pious than the publick safety the defence of King and Country the ease of poor Subjects the maintenance of Soldiers and Sea-men that venture their lives for our repose or then Pensions to their Widows and Children when themselves perish in the Service Seeing I say this is lawful and laudable in all other Countries I see not why our Bretish Clergy should be excepted from so general a rule and excepted from so particular a Duty The Portugal Nation hath been ever most Orthodox and pious aâ—d since their late separation from Spain they have apply'd the Revenues of the Bishopricks to the maintenance of their War against the Castilians
the examples of other Protestant Churches Whence followeth continual discontents and designs of the generality of these Protestant nations against their prelatick Clergy and the little esteeme and affection there is for the same Clergy among the reformed Churches abroad How vnsafe it is for the Prince and government to establish by law a Religion and Clergy so generaly hated and that acknowledgeth it self to be fallible in doctrin and therfore for all they know lead their flocks to eternal damnation Laws enacted to favor Religion ought to suppose not pretend to make the Religion reasonable Reason is the ground of human laws but human laws can not be the ground of Religion How dangerous it is to press too much the Act of vniformity against so great and zealous a multitude as the Sectaries are Their errors ought to be confuted with reason not rigor The prelatick Clergy whose spiritual Censures and authority ought to quash all dissentions doth cause the mischief and engageth the state in perpetual troubles for maintaining by force of law the improbability of their caracter and jurisdiction against the evidence of reason SVBSECT I. THe prelatick caracter and Religion is so incredible that few serious men in their judgments continue any long time Prelaticks By pretending a mean and moderation between Papists and Presbiterians the Prelaticks fall into manifest contradictions in defending their own caracter doctrin and disciplin How learned Protestants are forc't to confess that the Prince may force his subjects by laws to his Protestant persuasion and that every Protestant subject notwithstanding the Prince his prerogative hath a privat authority to judge of the Prince his Religion and is bound to stick to his own contrary judgment What great confusion this must occasion It is the nature of all Religions that give privat men liberty to judge of Religious controversies to cause such disorders How this inconvenience is prevented in the Roman Catholick One of the differences between it and the Protestant is that when Protestants rebell they do not violat the principles of Protestancy which makes every man Supreme in matters of faith and by consequence of state When Catholicks rebell they go against their principles that give no such supremacy or liberty Jn these last one hundred years there have bin more rebellions vpon the score of Protestancy then have bin since Christs time vpon the score of the Roman Catholick Religion In what sense the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion Whether it be policy to persecute a Religion that encreaseth against the rigor of the lawes and to promote a Religion that doth not encrease with all the helps of lawes and favors of the Prince The sanguinary and penal statuts are thought to be so vnjust even by Protestants that no honest and sober man thinks them fit to be put in execution Whether it be policy to continue such statuts All seditious persons begin their designs against the government with pressing the execution of the statuts and somtimes therby make the zealous and giddy multitude rebell Whether it were not piety and policy to repeal statuts that if put in execution make the nation and government infamous if not put in execution may occasion rebellion by reason of an indiscreet zeal in the giddy multitude Besides their being enacted to suppress the principles and destroy the persons of the Catholick party which maintained the Stevards right to the Crown ought to facilitat the repeal SVBSECT II. THe sanguinary and penall statuts of England against Catholicks can not be justified by the proceeding of the Inquisition or by laws and edicts of Christian Kings and Emperors against hereticks The first English Protestants acknowledged themselves to be hereticks when they petitioned to the Parliament 1. Ed. 6. for a repeal of all ancient statuts against hereticks not daring to preach and profess their reformed doctrin vntill the Parliament had condescended to their petition Queen Elizabeths reformation confirmed by Sanguinary statuts diametricaly opposit to primitive Christianity and therfore very strange that men so knowing as the English nobility and gentry should continue them or that persons so pious loyall and well bred should not either out of Christian charity to Catholicks or out of a dutifull civility to the Royal family that now reigns repeale laws enacted by Q. Elizabeth for ruin of the Stevards party and for excluding themselves from the Crown THE THIRD PART COntaining the conscience and conveniency of tolerating the Roman Catholick religion by Act of parliament proved by the little conscience of the Protestant clergy in maintaining Protestancy with frauds and falsifications and by the great inconveniencies this Monarchy suffers by pressing the prelatick and Protestant Religion vpon tender consciences SECT I. DEmonstrated that either the learned Protestant or the Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats Proved by the impossibility of concealing the truth of Christianity and of the true Church otherwise then by the frauds and falsifications of either Clergy So manifest are the signs of the Catholick Church and so particularly mentioned in Scripture And as one of the two Clergyes are Cheats so either the Catholick or Protestant layty are damnably careless in matters of salvation Reasons why the Catholick layty can not be thought carless the Protestant may How easily the truth may be known and how the Protestant layty may be considerably eased from extraordinary taxes by informing themselves of the truth of Religion The impudency and impiety wherwith Bp. Ievell and the first prelatick clergy imposed Protestancy vpon this nation to favor Q. Elizab pretensions and to raise themselves from Pedantry to Peerage Proved by Ievells Challenge and Sermon at Paules Cross and by his and the Prelatick clergyes Apology for their Church of England pretending that the Catholick Church for the first 600. years was Protestant How this imposture was confuted by the Catholick writers and the Protestant writers forced to acknowledge their own error How the same imposture was again maintained by succeeding prelaticks and how vnsuccesfully How Taylor revived now again the same shamfull imposture and with how great infamy to his person and discredit to his cause The Protestant layty can not without committing a damnable sin give any credit to their Clergy in matters of Religion after so many and so manifest Discoveries of the frauds and falsifications wherby alone they defend Protestancy How a conference and Triall about this matter can not be conscientiously denyed nor the denyall stand with good policy SECT II. THe same further demonstrated and that there can be no reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy SVBECT I. AND II. WHether it be charity to treat Cheats with ceremony when they are convicted of damning souls by frauds and wilfull falsifications And whether the first reformers of the English Church Cranmer and his Camerades ought not to be censured accordingly The frauds and wilful falsifications hypocrisy incontinency impiety and Atheism of the prelalatick Protestant Clergy in K. Edward
ought every one to renounce his own judicature of Religion and Scripture tyed to no rules but to his own discretion and to an indiscernable and privat spirit There is greater danger that Protestants may abuse this spiritual Soveraignty by an indirect application therof to temporal affaires then the Pope his who being a stranger and at such a distance can not if he would have the conveniencies oportunities and occasions of plotting rebellion which Natives and subjects may lay hold on with less danger of a discovery and greater hopes of success It is sayd that in time of a Parliament wherin many of the lower House stood vpon higher termes then was thought convenient for the state though warranted by the purest Protestancy a Gentleman presented a petition to King James who seemed to admire that any would sue to him in a time ther were as his Majesty said three hundred Kings sitting in the House of Commons and therfore bid the Gentleman repaire thither for relief We see in the late long Parliament how some few membres of the House of Commons prevail'd against K. Charles I. in his own Court and Citty by making them-selves popular vpon the score of the Protestant Religion and Scripture How afterwards these and their faction were supplanted by Cromwell's sense of Scripture and how that he wanted only the name of King How after his death every Commander had hopes to succeed him in this power and Protectorship and without question some might had not the Duke of Albermalâ— bin so honest We have grounds therfore to say that every Protestant that hath wit and valor and will take hould of the advantages of his Religion may hope to be a King or Protector and we cannot but admire that any states-man doth except against the Roman Catholick Tenets for admitting of one Pope wheras according to the ground and principles of all Protestant Reformations there are as many Popes as Proâ—â—stants and every one of them much more absolute then the Bishops of Rome and their supremacy less consistent whith the security of Princes and peace of the people then his spiritual jurisdiction Besids the stay and security of a state consists in a discreet distribution of publick charges and employments and this in the choyce of persons qualified with such signs of conscience and loyalty as can hardly be counterfeited or misapplied wherof the principal is the profession of the Religion of the state therfore we see non trusted in weighty affaires of the Common-wealth but such as are of the Prince his Religion But if that Religion have no certain rule or only such a rule that maks men of no certain Religion it can be no more a sign of conscience and loyalty or fit to direct â—he King and Councell in their choyce of persons for their purpose and â—ust then a plume of feathers or a garniture of ribands fancied for it's colours The reason is obvious and concluding because the security of a King and the prosperity of his Kingdoms is grounded vpon the loyalty of his subjects and servants who are intrusted with secret designs and publick employments both in the civill and military list their loyalty is directed by their conscience their conscience by their Religion their Religion by their rule of faith If therfore their rule of faith be but their own fancy of Scripture or Scripture as it is interpreted by every man's privat judgment without any obligation of conscience to submit to the contrary interpretation of their national Synâ—â— or Church because neither of them pretend to be infallible then loyalty conscience religion government and King are as subject to the changes of fortune and animosities of faction as the fickle fancy of every privat person is apt to vary according to his weackness of Iudgment or strength of passion and to declare for that party which will be most for his interest This inconstancy of the reformed Religions is acknowledged by them-selves Duditius a learned and zealous protestant quoted and highly commended by Beza for his piety and elegant witt ep 1. ad Andraeam Duditium pag. 13. lamenteth the condition of his reformed Brethren in these words They are carryed about with every wind of doctrin now to this part now to that whose Religion what it is to day you may perhaps know but what it will be to morrow neither you nor they can certainly tell pag. 5. ep Bezae cit In what head of Religion do they agree that impugn the Roman Bishop If you examin all from the head to the foot you shal almost find nothing affirmed by on which another will not averr to be wicked And their Divines do dayly differ from them-selves Menstruam fidem habentes coyning a monthly faith Now what smale hopes there are of remedying this mis-fortune Sands ingeniously confesseth in his relation fol. 82. The Papists have the Pope as a common Father Adviser and Conductor to reconcile their jarrs to decide their differences to draw their Religion by consent of Councels vnto vnity c. wheras on the contrary side Protestants are as severed or rather scattered troups each drawing adiverse way without any means to pacify their quarrels no Patriarch one or more to have a common superintendance or care of their Churches for correspondency and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councel of their part the only hope remaining ever to assuage their contention To this we may add the saying of Melancton as remarkable as true Quos fugiamus habemus sed quos sequamur non intelligimus we know who we should avoyd meaning the Papists Religions is to believe what you think fit according to your best vnderstanding of a writing you can not vnderstand by any human and privat industry of your own and will not learn from any publik authority of the Church because by following the interpretation of the Church you fancy that you may be mistaken so that for feare of being mistaken in or by publick authority the protestant either falls into obstinacy in his own privat opinion or into an indifferency for all opinions and so becoms to be an Heretick or of no Religion Among the protestant Confessions of faith the 39. Articles of the prelatick Church of England is estem'd an excellent piece and yet the same Articles acknowledg that the visible Church of God hath erred and may err from time to time and by consequence the prelatick may have erred in this very assertion as in most of the 39. Articles How this acknowledged vncertainty of truth can agree with the certainty or Christianity of faith or with any hopes of salvation I can not comprehend But albeit these articles seem as insufficient for salvation as men are vncertain of their truth yet are they thought usefull to the government for though they want the substance that is the certainty of faith yet they have the face of religion and formality of law because they talk of God Christ Trinity c. And are
Danaeus contra Belarmin pag. 781. (c) The title of Zwingitu his writing is Pietate Prudentia in signi Helveti orum Reipublicae Hulde ricus Zwinglius aliique Evangelicae doctrinae Ministri gratia pacem a Deo c. ton 1. fol. 110 See all these words and much more related by him-self 1. sq ad fol. 123. [d] Zwingl tom 3 in lib. de subid Ecclesiae fo 249 The Reformers of the English Church Jn Queen Elizabeth See the nullity of the English Church and Clergy See this in the new Edition of the Common prayr book ritâ—s c. of the Church of England [a] In psal 30. con 2. [b] Esay 2.2 [c] Esay 60.16 [d] Esay 60.9 [e] Esay 60.10.11 Psalm 102.15.22 Esay 62.2 [f] Esay 60.6 [g] Esay 49.23 And see the marginal notes of the English Bible of 1576. in Esay 49.23 [h] Psalm 2.8 [i] The English Bible 1576. in the marginal notes saith The meaning is that Kings shall be converted to the Ghospel and bestow their power and authority for preservation of the Church Luther tom 4. Wittemb in Esay 6. folio 234. Kings shall obey and believe the Ghospel c. The Church is in perpetual vse of converting others to the faith c. For this is signified by her gates being continually open [k] Whitaker in his answer to Mr. William Reynolds in the Preface pag. 37. [l] Centur. 4. col 292. 293. vnder the titles de justificatione bonis operibus where they conclude saying J am cogitet pius Lector quam procul haec aetas in hoc Articulo de Apostolorum doctrinâ— desciverit (m) Centur. 4. col 254. Ad hoc Presbyterâ—m aliquem deputarunt ad quem qui deliquerunt accedentes quae gessissent confiterentuâ— c. Ea lege confitentes absolvebat vt a seipsis poenas commissorum exigerent (n) Centur. 4. col 255. col 256.257 are recited and rejected the particulaâ— sayings of Bazil Ambrose Prudentius Ephrem Athanasius (o) Centur. 4. col 304. Where are recited and rejected the sayings of Lactantius and S. Ierom. (p) See confessed testimonies for Transsubstantiation alleadged by the Centurists cent 4. col 29â— col 985. And cent 5â— col 517. They say Chrysostom seemeth so confirm Transsubstantiation And cent 4. c. 10. col 985. that Eusebius and Emissenus did speake vnprofitably of Transsubstantiation (q) Chemnitius in his examin part 2. pag. 29. alledged the severall sayings of S. Austin S. Ambrose and S. Gregory Nazianzen affirming the adoâ—â—tion of the Sacrament And Orat. 11. de Gorgonia sorore telleth how his deceased sister prostrated her self before the Alter and calling vpon him who is worship'd on it â— miracle saith he the departed presently received health And the Centurists cent 4. col 430. do reprove some prayers of S. Ambrose saying Continent adorationem panis in Sacramento (r) Centur. 3. col 83. they reprove S. Cyprian saying Sacerdotem vice Christi fungi Deo Patri Sacrificium offerre They also say that the writings of S. Ireneus and Ignatius the Apostles scholler are here in incommodious and dangerous And Sebastia Francus in his Epist. de abrogandis Statutis omnibus Ecclesiast affirmeth that presently after the Apostles time the supper of our Lord was turned into a Sacrifice (s) Centur 4. col 456. 457. 482. 1446. Centur. 4. col 602. 1250. 457. And S. Ierom contra Vigilantium cap. 3. affirmeth the estimation of Reliques to be in his time the received doctrin non vnius vrbis sed totius orbis (v) Hemnitius examin part 4. pag. 10 Suscipiebant etiam Peregriâ—â— Nationes ad loca vbi Reliquias Miraculis celebres claras audiebant (x) Centur. 4. col 409. (z) Mr. Fulk against Heskins Sanders c. pag 657. affirmeth that by report of Paulinus the Cross was by the Bishop of Hierusalem brought forth at Easter yearly to be worshiped of the people See Evagrius hist. lib. 4. cap. 25. also Danaeus in respons ad Belarmini controvers pag. 1415. affirmeth that Cyril and sundry other Fathers were plainly superstitious and blinded with inchantment of the Crosses adoration (1) See Mr. Covels answer to Burges pag. 130 136. (2) Cent. 4. col 616. It is alledged out of the Councel of Neocesaâ—ea can 1. Presbyter si vxorem duxerit ab ordine suo illum deponi debere col 486. col 303. col 704. 1293. (3) Centur. 5. col 1274. they charge Gelasius who lived an 480. saying Romanam Ecclesiam jure Divino contendit Gelasius esse omnium primam in epist. ad Brut. c. cap. 11. And Gelasius in decretis cum 70. Episcopis initis saith Romana Ecclesia â—alliâ— Sâ—â—odicis constitut caeteris Ecclesiis praelata est sed Evangelica voce Domini Primatum obtinuit Tu â—s Petrus inquiâ—â—s super hanc Petram c. (y) Centur. 4. col 1329. Et Osiander in epitom cent 4. pag. 454. And Zozimen hist. lib. 6. c. 27. post med reported of S. Paul the Monk In dies singulos trecentas Orationes Deo velut tributum quoddam reddidit ac ne per inprudentiam in numero erraret trecentis lapillis in sinum conjectis ad singulas preces singulos inde ejecit lapillos consumptis igitur lapillis constabat sibi Orationes lapillis numero pares abs se expletas esse And see other like examples of saying prayers by accompt or numbring of them in Palladius his historia Lausiaca cap. 24. cap. 25. [4] Beza cit apud Saâ—â—iâ—â—am in defen Tract de divâ—â—sis gradibâ—â— Ministrorum c. pag. 309. [5] Tertull. lib. de praescr c. 42. Luther in Commentâ—r ad cap. 2. ad Galat. Where it is taught Faith in Christ doth in deed justify but it 's necessary with all to keep God's Commandments because it is writen Jf thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments there Christ is denyed and saith is abolished because that which is proper to God alone is attributed to the Commandments of God or to the law When any one proposeth Moyses with his Commandments to thee and would oblige thee to keep them then thy with thy Moyses to the Jews J will have nothing to do with Moyses nor his law for he is an enemy to Christ. Luther in Collo mens Germ. fol. 152. 153. Si scortus es si scortator si Adulter vel alioquin peccator crede in via salutis ambulas Cum in peccatum demersus es ad summum vsque si credis in mâ—dia beatidudine versaris This doctrin of the Antinomian Lutherans togeather with their rejecting the ten Commandments as impertinent to Christians is censured by the Manâ—feldian Ministers Confess Mansfeld fol. 39. 90. And yet the principle from whence all necessarily follows is maintained Mr. Willet in his Synopsis Papismi pag. 564. saith The law remaineth still impossible to be kept by us through the weackness of our flesh neither doth
God give us ability to keep it but Christ hath fulfilled it for us [a] Luther in his Sermons translated into English an 1578. pag. 147. 176. [b] Acts and Mon. pag. 1338. [c] Mr. Wotten in his answer to the Popish articles pag. 92. pag. 41. [d] Mr. Fulk against the Remish Testament in Epi. Ioan. Sec. 5. fol. 447. Dr. Whitaker de Eccles. pag 301 We say that if a man have an act of faith sins do not hurt him this truly Luther affirmeth this we all say [e] Acts and Mon. pag. 1335. Sinit quisquis vere credit Deum pro se operari disponere sibi vitam aeternam ipse plane ad eam rem nihil operis seu laboris sibi sumens Hofmannus de paenitentia edit 1540. l. 2. fol. 113. Whitaker contra Campian rat 8. pag. 151. Christus conditionem nobis aliam multo faciliorem proponit Crede salvus eris [f] Dr. Fulk in the Tower disputation against Campian the second days conference 1. 6. [g] Whitaker against Campian rat 8. pag. 143. fides aut perpetua est aut nulla est The Protestant doctrin of justifying faith most daÌ„gerous and damnable My Lord Chancellor in his speech to the Parliament at Oxford Luther in postilla super Evang Dom. 1. Advemus Dominica 26 post Trinit [a] Osiander in epitom Centur. 16. part 2. pag. 647 saith of David George vtebatur enim publico vir Dei ministerio Basiliensi egentibus elëemosy nam subministrebat aegrotos consolabatur c. [b] Historia Georgij Davidis published by the Divines of Basil and printed of Antwerp 1568 si Christi Apostolorum doctrina vera perfecta fuisset c. [c] Osiander in epitom Centur. 16. pag. 818. Schlusselb in Theol. Calvin l. 1. art 2. fol. 9. [d] Idem Schlussenburg cit fol. 9. where he brings many other examples of Protestants to the same purpose as also Osiander centur 16. pag. 207.208.209 Concerning that known Text I and my Father are unum one thing Ioan. 10.30 Calvin avoydeth it as the Arians did saying Abusi sunt hoc loco veteres vt probarent Christum esse Patri homousion Neque enim Christus de activitate substantiae disputat sed de consensu c. Calvin in Ioan. 10. Calvin in admonit ad Polonos explant in Tract Theol. pag. 794. Sententia Christi Pater major me est restricta fuit ad humanam ejus naturam ego vero non dubito ad totum complexum extendere Stancarus contra Minist Geneuenses Tigurinos fol. 94. 95. 118. 123. affirmeth that the Reformed Churches professing the faith of Geneva and Tigure be Arian and saith Conclusum est ô Calvine doctrinam tuam de Filio Dei esse plane Arianam a qua resilias quam primum te oro atque obsecro [a] The word Trinity is but a humaÌ„ inventioÌ„ and soundeth couldly Luther in Postil majore Basileae apud Hernagium in enar Evangel Dom. Trinit Calvin ep 2. ad Polonos in tract Theolog pag. 796 saith Precatio vulgo trita est sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nostri mihi non placet ac omnino barbariem sapit (b) Luther in lib. contrâ— JacobuÌ„ Latomum 〈◊〉 2. Wâ—tteâ—b latine edito anno 1551. The later editions are altered and corrupted herin as in many other things Osiander in Epitom cent 16. pag. 169 Symbolum Athanasiivocant doctrinaÌ„ fidem Satanasii vanissime insuper jactitant Lutherum vix tectum Babilonicae turris detex isse se vero ex imis fundamentis eam ex scindere [a] Whitaker contra rat Camp pag. 78. And in his answer to Mr. William Reynolds cap. 6. pag. 135. art 136. saith The Fathers thought by their external disciplin of life to pay the paines due for sin wherin they derogated not a little from Christ's death c. Which though it be an errour yet were they notwithstanding good men and holy Fathers From whence followeth that Indulgences Purgatory Satisfaction Prayer for the dead Merit c. may be held by learned and holy men Mr. Bunny in his treatise tending to pacification sect 17. pag. 104. excusing some points of popery and amongst others the worshiping of images saith in these therfore or such like whosoever will condemn all those to be none of the Church that are not fully persuaded therin as we are c. committed an vncharitable part towards his Brethren See Doctor Some against Mr. Penry pag. 176. Tindall act Mon. pag. 1338. I doubt not but S Bernard Francis and many other holy men erred as concerning Mass. Mr. Francis Iohnson in Mr. Iacob's defence of the Churches and Ministery of England c. pag. 13. Did not Iohn Hus that worthy Champion of Christ and others also of the Martyrs of fore times say and heare Mass even to their dying day c. Did not divers of them acknowledg some the Pop's calling and supremacy some the 7. Sacraments some auricular confession c. Morgenstein in tract de Ecclesia c. pag. 41. These things were pardonable in the Godly who held the Pope to be the Vicar of Christ and Head of the Church the Papacy for the Church Saints for mediators and the Mass for the supper of the Lord. Luther de vtraque specie saith If thou coms't to a place were the Communion is ministred vnder one only kind take it with others The like indifferency is affirmed by Melancthon in centur epist. Theolog. pag. 252. and not denyed by Bishop Iewell in his reply pag. 110. 106. The Roman Catholick Church is a competent and vnpartial Judg of Controversies of Religion Quid praediâ—averinâ— Apostoli quid illis Christus revelaverit c. non aliter probari debere nisi per easdem Ecclesias quas ipsi condiderunt Tertul. l. 1. dâ— praescri c. 6. All Christians were nâ—ver Iudges of Religion one part always submitted to the judgment of the other that was in obedience to and in communion with saint Peter's Successor the Bishop of Rome See Bishop Morton cit and Bishop Taylor in his Dissuasive pag. 8. edit Dubl Protestancy is Heresy Protestancy contradicts God's veracity The infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in matters of faith proved against Protestants The Protestant doctrin of fundamentalls confuted See Ariagae disp 4. de fide sec. 4. per totum The infallibility of the Church proved by God's veracity Heresy explained by Rebellion The vnreasonableness of them who pretend a privat spirit aÌ„d refuse to submit to the authority of the Church for want of cleerer evidence then the Roman Catholick hath of God's authority Esay 49.28 Suinglius lib. 4. Epist. Brentius in Confes. Wittemb cap. de Sacra Script in Prologo contra PetruÌ„ a Sâ—to l. 2. sect 6. pag. 112. See heretofore â— part sec. 1. how the centurists and other learned Protestants confess the Councells and Fathers defended worship of Imamages TransubstantiatioÌ„ Purgatory Indulgences and all other points of Popery Bale in his Act. Rom.