seducentium hominum vocibus temere credas ne pro luce tenebras pro die noctem pro cibo famem pro remedio venenum pro vitae mortem sumas Andrew call to your minde the inexpressible enormity of your Apostasie rebellion for what crime more abominable quam adversas Christum stare quam Ecclesiam ejus dissipare quam contra unitatem Ecclesiae concordem populum Dei haereâ—ice pugnare quam fraternitatem amicitiam Christi sanctorum ejus per Apostasiam deperdere Religionem veram antiquam sanctam blasphemando Oh Andrew reclaim come along enter into Peters ship for safety quam tu in baptismate ascendisti navigaturus in ea ad littus foelicitatis eternae and from which through Satans illusions te in mare magnum errorum praeceps â—rojecisti forsoooth because you could not by your poor reason or sences comprehend the wonders and many miracles in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist you threw your self headlong most precipitously into an ocean of errours and deceit foolishly as it were following the vain steps of Aristotle who despairing of being able to finde out the reason of the Sea's ebbings and flowings threw himself headlong into the main Ocean saying ensentium quia te non capio â—u me cape In all reason I think it is apparent to every one that the will and word of the Almighty cannot or ought not to be subjected to such a poor pitiful thing as man is man must be led by it and not draw it to his â—leasure by adding or diminishing chopping and changing as he lists wherefore our blessed Saviour when some upon the doctrine of the real presence they had heard him deliver doubted and ask'd him with a quomodo how can man forgive sin and again others said how can he give us his flesh to eat It is very observable that our Lord never went about to satisfie their curiosity or declare to them how or in what manner it might be done it being indeed below the Majesty of God to give his vile vassal a reason of his will but he singly repeated again his assertion without shewing the probability or possibility thereof verily verily I say unto you unless you eat of the flesh of man and drink of his bloud you shall have no life in you hereby giving us to understand that the institutions and will of God are not to be subjected to the understanding of man but humbly to be accepted with submission and lowlinesse as the will of that infinite supreme power unto which mans understanding and the whole creation is subjected I contemplate you as becomes another Jonas in the midst of the tempestuous seas of Apostasie heresie and rebellion O utinam utinam summus providentiae Pater qui projecto in mari Jona piscem grandem praeparavit dignaretur me nunc tibi merso in impietate tua loco piscis illiuâ— praeparare ut sicut animam tuam in veâ—tre cordis mei per commiserationem porto â—ta illam in aridum coelestis salutis portum evoâ—ere valuissem O Andrew Let me be to â—ou a whale to comfort and preserve your â—ul from utter ruine be you another Joâ—as accelera veni deglutiam horrendum â—eccatum tuum apostasiam tuam fragilitatem â—uam scandalum magnum datum injuriam per â—e illatam Deo vivo vivo sanctis clero poâ—uloque Hiberniae accede confidenter Andrea secure pacate introducam te in conspeâ—tum offensi Creatoris Redemptoris glorificaâ—oris tui ut misereatur tui come along into the ark of sanctification and mercy with the wandring pidgeon that returned finding no rest abroad and bring in your break that lovely green olive-branch Credo unam sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam abide not abroad with the raven feeding on stinking carrion now I leave you to the sting of your conscience more cruel to you then hellish monsters let it be to you not what Menander confess'd saying mortalibus cunctis conscientia Deus est but a light a guide leading you to do good and decline evil for Synderisis is a practical habit of the understanding not only pointing to you what is good and laudable but inclining you withall to the prosecution of the same this resplendent light insinuates to you not to murther the souls of your brothers by your false erroneous and damnable doctrine it disswades you from cursing your mothers it excites you to give no dishonour affront or the lye to Christ Jesus Now I say to you what God said to Cain si male egeris statim in foribus peccatum aderit and know that poena tibi est inordinatus perversus tuus animus and to conclude do but observe what I say to you there was a man according as S. Ambrose doth relate lib. 6. exam murthered and left dead when many flock'd together to see the cadaver the Murdered mans dog knowing the Murtherer among the croud made at him apprehended him and laid hold of him barking and biting until he was constrain'd to acknowledge the Murther and his heavy guilt oh Andrew the horrour of the haynous guilt of your Apostasy doth and shall perpetually and most grievously bite you sting you and give you no rest until you be brought to acknowledge your horrid crime and humbly cry peccavi Domine miserere which that you may do and not be adjudged to the flames of the damned shal be the daily prayer of your afflicted friends Of Humane Faith Document 6. THe difference between divine and humane faith consists in this that divine faith is most perfect and hath God for its object and is grounded upon divine Authority which doth promise us with infallible unerring and undoubted certainty to enjoy what we believe and hope for but humane faith hath no such object ground â—or certainty but is only a morall casuall and probable belief as for example â—f you Andrew did verily believe that in heaven all great felicities which transcend 〈◊〉 our lower desires are to be found what â—n hinder you but you should at least do as â—uch for obtaining those great felicities as for the lesser the perishable for if you â—ink you may gain them being a protestant â—ith bare faith without works of charâ—â—â—â—liness justice pennance c. than sure â—u have no faith at all for you believe not â—at saying of S. Paul Hebr. 12. follow peace â—â—th all men and holinâ—ss without which no â—an shall ever see God humane saith you â—ay have but not divine for if a man beâ—eves learning to be the only and 〈…〉 â—rnament and beauty of 〈…〉 may enable him to a fair employment in time an honorable memory to succeeding ages this if he believe really and heartily it hath power to make him endure great pains and labour even catarrhs gouts and other diseases to read and write till his eyes are weary to despise the pleasure of idleness or delightfull sports and even to unâ— dervalew whatsoever doth not
of life was drawn S. Mathew sitting in telonio drawn the thief on the Cross Mary of Egipt from the Ordure of her libidinous lust Pelagia from her prostitution and sordid quest of whoredom all these call'd away by several and unknown ways to follow and pursue vertue and the way to heaven so as hereticks and haynous Sinners that sits in the shade of death are illuminated to apprehend their lamentable dark state and look up to Eternity and to the pure light of true life making them from the children of darkness to become the children of grace and all this done by the infinitly great wisdom and Grace of God without which those sit in darkness of ignorance and infidelity in the imminent danger of eternal death having their heart and understanding obscure so as that they are ignorant of God their Maker ignorant of the way to heaven ignorant of the final sovereign happiness for which they were created and do not know themselves nor that they are children of wrath and obnoxious to death being ignorant of their own insufficiency to good ignorant of the necessity of grace and Regeneration ignorant of Christ their Mediator through whose sacred bloud they are restored from death to life but by pure rays of divine faith they come to know all these things and begin to look after earnestly the way of Truth and of life they implore grace they invoke their Mediator and seek after his soul-faving Science and heavenly knowledge according to these words of S. Paul 1 Corin. 4. ille qui de tenebris dixit lucem splendescere ipse illuxit in cordibus nostris c. Of the true Essence of divine Faith 2. Document REason is most properly exercised in tâ—ings of nature and Faith in matters of Religion great witts set up reason instead of faith and the light of nature against divine light which is at once to deprive man of his highest felicity and faculty and God of his greatest Grace the same Word without question which created the world creates a belief in a spiritual understanding by relying on a divine reavealing Authority It s most certain that God is said to Confound the wisdome and learning of the wise by Faith which declared that without believing they cannot be saved and yet without a supernatural Grace they cannot believe and as God is the chief good and perfect happiness of the soul and the object of our beatitude which cannot be comprehended by natural light or knowledge therefore a kinde of supernatural vertue is necessary by which we may attain to his knowledge which is saith the highest knowledge we have in this world by wch the soul injoys him by him the most excellent guifts and graces whereof it is capable according to S. Paul ad Eph. 2.8 gratia Dei estis salvati per fidem hoc non ex vobis Faith is that divine light by which we prepare our journy towards vertue and heaven without faith it 's impossible 〈◊〉 please God By faith Roman Catholicks do â—alk upon the grounds of the Church miliâ—ant where there is infallibly an infusion of â—abitual Grace sanctification in its sacraments and surely transcendent is their commendation for their faithful conservation of â—he sacred Oracles of Truth in all ages to â—his day for their well ordered Zeale for their most ravishing devotions deiform inâ—entions their heroycal acts of fasting praying recollections meditations inâ—roversies their aspirations humiliations mortifications abnegation of themselves and their dayly abdication of all transitory things so as none in his sences can believe that such a tree can be Corrupted in the root which brings forth such heavenly fruits Some properties we may observe of the doctrine of Faith to be true to be revealed of God to be preached and delivered by the B. Apostles The highest ground by which a man is perswaded that his faith is true is the Authority of God speaking and revealing the highest proof by which a man may be assured that his Faith is revealed is the Authority of Christ and his B. Apostles who delivered and preached the same as from God and that from the beginning to this day it is practised without innovation or alteration in all parts of the inhabitable world The Apostles in the time of Christ conversing with them had sufficient Faitâ— to prevail with their wills to command theâ— understanding into the belief of his being God and man consequently an infalliblâ— faith then it doth follow that whatsoeveâ— he taught was to be assented unto as infallibly true and that without being questioneâ— by our weak and limited reason And surâ— this was very necessary for the true Church otherwise they could not have been sufficiently assured that what Christ their Masteâ— taught them was true and so it would noâ— have been a sin in them to have doubted 〈◊〉 This infallible assurance also the Christianâ— that lived in the B. Apostles time and afteâ— Christ Ascension enjoied they had sufficienâ— ground without question to induce them to a belief that the B. Apostles were infallible Guides and Teachers and that whatsoever they taught and commanded was as infallibly true as if God had immediately spoken the same things and no more to be doubted contradicted or disputed against by vain and curious Reason which doubtless were as strong and as good as ours then the immediate words command or dictates of Allmighty God otherwise these who refused to hear and obey them had beenin no fault and it would have been an insufferable boldness in S. Paul to have required such an absolute submission to what 〈◊〉 taught as to oblige Christians of his â—â—â—e not to have believed even an Angel â—om heaven teaching contrary things to â—hat he taught them Hence it is that the â—â—maining writings of the B. Apostles are by â—ll Christians esteemed as the word of God â—nd this was mainly necessary in the ages â—fter Christ for the Church of God in the 〈◊〉 Apostles time to have a living infallible way of direction and this was the way to â—aintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of â—eace so become one body with one heart â—ot as sects divided subdivided scattered â—â—to as many parts and sorts as now are â—nd have gone to cuffs raising civil war for â—he diciding of controversies as we have seen they did since they divided themselves from the holy Catholick Roman Church Mark now those words Heb. 11.6 without faith its impossible to please God and of Math. 16.16 he that believeth shall not be damned and Eph. 4.5 there is but one faith one Baptism one Lord Jesus the faith which is to save us and by the which we are to please God cannot be had but in one Church and that of Christ it cannot therefore be found in Sects in contrary opinions it being of necessity but one of contraries one only must be true Do but observe 2 Cor. 10.5 bringing into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
Church of God was this Rule and Judge was not I pray circumcision and other Rites brought in by Abraham and practised by the Church then without any Scriptures to try them by what would you have said if you had then lived would you have disobeyed the then Church and reject those ordinances because then there were no Scriptures to warrant them The Church of the Jews was so to the Jews after that the Scripture was written and this by the express direction of the Scripture Deut. 17.8 Thou shalt come to the Priests the Levites and unto the Judge and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgments c. and then he that shall do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest or judge even that man shall die and even Christ whilst the Jews his Church was yet in being gave directions Matth. 22.2 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do assuredly God would not direct them and punish them with death for not obeying an authority which might deceive and misleade them would our Lord command the doing of whatsoever should be done by an authority when that authority was capable of mistakings the Church therefore and not the scriptures was the Rule and Judge to them they were to hearken to the priest and Judge upon pain of death The happiness of Christian Religion Document 3. REligion is a sacred vertue of a Superior and divine nature attended with an awfull respect to the worship of one Living God without any superstion in ceremonious observance and withall it may be called the Law of the supreme King commanding and directing that duty and worship which man owes unto him and rewarding man with that true happiness which he may enjoy in him the Athenians inscribed their Altar To the unknown God and their worship was as vain and ignorant whom therefore saith the Apostle ye ignorantly worship him I declare unto you where he plainly sheweth the difference between heathenish worship of God and true Religion it 's true they had some glimmering apprehensions of God but they abused it with their Idolatry and corrupted it with their lives S. Paul directly encountred the Athenian Idolatry plainly preaching to the people the doctrine of the Deity of creation providence sin Redemption Repentance Resurrection and the last Judgment Thus Poets frame Religion according to their fancy vain philosophers according to their imperfect Reason states-men shape it according to policy and Reason of state but the summe and substance of true Religion is sincerely to honour worship love fear and reverence the living God with heart soul and might in the practise of vertues which leads to Eternity of glory Holy and antient Religion is the Basis of the permanent felicity of kingdoms and Religion is said a Religando it binds hearts wills nowrisheth publick societies observes strictly lawes if it be changed nought but confusion disorder darkness discontent disunion discord and animosities can be expected to follow all which Germany England Flanders France Ireland can by wofull experience publish In all ages it was necessary to make open profession of Religion in acknowledgment of humane and exterior worship to a Deity S. Jerom doth advertise That by Tradition of the Hebrews in the law of nature the first begotten had right to the function of priesthood offering sacrifice untill Aarons time Adam by divine instinct instructed his Son Abel to offer sacrifice to God to fear and love God for when Cain said there is no Judgment to come no Judge no other world but this no reward for the Jult no punishments for sinners neither this world is governed by Gods mercy to whom Abel the defender of Truth replied frator ne sic asser as erroniè est enim Judicium est Judex est aliud saeculum est ibi merces pro justis poena pro Impiis Gen. 4. But in the Moysaical law the levits were chosen priests Num. 3. who had power to offer sacrifice to God then Abraham Jsaac Jacob Joseph with 12 Patriarks after these came Moses Aaron Josue together with the 72 Elders that governed the People with many Priests and Prophets all exercising Religion offering sacrifice four hundred years after came David Samuel and Nathan with many holy Prophets after God sent Jeremy Ezekiel Daniel Zachary Aggeus Malachy Nehemias c. for to preserve Religion divine worship Sacrifice faith and Sacrament now I ask what 's the reason that now under the holy law of the Gospel Protestants have no sacrifice the principal point of Religion it is because they have no Priests with true character function holy Orders Mission power and authority from above but from the weak arm of flesh therefore having no true Priests no Religion no Sacrifice no Sacrament no faith but opinion and fancy But the Roman-Catholick Church the mother and Mistrisse of true faith hath lawful Priests Religion Altars Sacrifice Sacraments successive function of Priesthood established by Christ for the perpetuity of his Church and comfort of his flock O mercy and divine providence never to be duely pondered now the infernal Dragon a declared enemy to God because he cannot come near him to hurt or offend him he hurts man the Image of God even as he that is an enemy to a father of a family when he cannot annoy his person endeavours to annoy his possessions his fields his children so the devil cast from Heaven by God hath still enmity against him but not being able to annoy God he endeavours to destroy man Gods image to pervert him to delude him and divert him from true Religion alledging that Christ's Church is not the true Church that it 's erroneous superstitious full of ceremonys c. You may reade in apoc 16. vidi prodire de ore draconis I have seen coming out of the mouth of the dragon the beast the pseudo-prophet three foul spirits like froggs this dragon this beast this pseudo-prophet is Luther the three froggs are understood by many Interpreters the three perverse sordid Sects which did flow from cursed Luther the first that of Anabaptists whose first Author was one Rosmanus before a Lutheran the second that of Sacramentaries the Author whereof was Corolostadius from whom proceeded Zuinglius and Calvin the third is that of Protestants whose Author was Melanchton or rather Henry the 8. for before his dismal Revolt from the Roman Religion there was for 1500. years and above no other Religion in England but the Roman Catholick Religion flowrishing most gloriously in piety learning sanctity prosperity and happiness having had 22. Kings in the opinion of Saints and no memory dream or word of Protestant in England before his Reigne And not unfitly heresy is compared to frogs for sordidness loquacity and for importunity for still you may hear the frogs in quagmires with their harsh unpleasant and troublesome clamors night and day to which the clamors of hereticks is very
that never heard a word oâ— Christs Religion neither have had any kindâ— of impulses for to inquire and embrace thâ— same such shall not be damned for infidelâ—ty if none such sins they have committed either they will be illuminated by Godâ— that they come to the knowledge of saving faith or if they die in their natural innocenâ—cy they shall incurr only the poena damnâ— not of sense in the other world If a proteâ—stant living and dying so if he die in thâ— estate of innocency he shall enter into heaveâ— because baptized in Christ O Andrew râ—turn to your bleeding Mother she is youâ— true Mother while you remain abroaâ— with the harlot you can have no quietness no comfort no grace no ease no refresâ—ment no food but husks being destitute 〈◊〉 the help of the Sacraments which are the heavenly conduits through such divine grace is conveyed to Drooping souls you are destitute of the true Word of God of the prayers of the Church the Congregation of faithful Christians you are destitute of good and laudable examples you are destitute of a dread sacrifice destitute of faith destitute of Religion you have lost all devotion all Mortification and even the fear of a living God consider your lamentable state you are become one of a Sect where there is no Guide Rule or Judge or authority which God hath appointed for your direction and to teach and continue true faith in the world the Guide Rule Judge and Authority which Roman Catholicks follow is such and the same in effect is which the first Christians follow'd in the time of the Apostles and in every respect able and sufficient to execute its function and indeed the only means imaginable not only to teach and convey true faith unto the world but also to reconcile all differences arising in matters of faith as also to evince condemn all hereticks schismaticks so establish that union that becoms the Church of God which Christ Jesus our all-wise Legislator hath setled in the world and this Guide and Judge which Catholick do follow is infallible and hath sufficient credentials from heaven to prove her self to be so consequently that we are all obliged to captivate our understanding to the obedience of Faith Adhortatio Paranetica ad Sacrilegum Apostatam Cassellensem Salve Andrea me tantisper accipe A roaring Lion by Christs most heavenly call From Saul became a Gospel preaching Paul Thou Sall from Priest and preaching childe of Paul Beguil'd art turn'd to be a black curs'd Saul Your proud wâ—ll shak'd off the yoke of Faith Pursuing â—an n'â— lies illusions and deceit Lord what 's caitiff flesh when left to it self Faith needs must wreck when mâ—n is his own shelf How vain is humane confidence how frail Only Faiths true ways can our souls avail Vae impio in malum retributio manuum ejus fiet ei Isa 3. Who cannot Sir but stand amazed and startle at your dismal fall from the true ancient Church of Christ you a professor of Divinâ—ty though of no solid intensive learning a Religious priest of a Society most renown'd for learning sanctity piety vertue and blessings you a preacher of the word and pennance you who cleav'd so fast to the Rock Christ now to be so easily and so suddenly by the sâ—ubtil wiles cunning crafty slight and sophistry of crafty seducers hurried away to a Religion false tracherous and destructive of salvation and metamorphosed into the likeness of a loathsome and deformed villain and now in your old age become like a childe against that wholsome advice of S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. nolite pueri effici sensibus children commonly never regards precious things carts coaches and wheels made of earth delights them more then the rich brave painted coaches of Kings of great State and magnificence for these little ones are only led by their sences as you shall see a childe break to peices books of high esteem and value throw away precious gems and most noble Jewells and take up a black coal kiss it and eat it c. such a little childe you Andrew Sall is become of late when you made choise of darkness for light black coals of heresie apostasie liberty illusions falshood and sordid ways and such as please your wretched blinde sences and shamefully condemn most solid most precious and most soveraign things as true un-erring faith Religion glorious vertues Sanctity grace mortification purity of life and conversation devotion sasting prayers contemplation and sweet retirement all which are leading to eternal glory O stark blindness hinc lacrimae this wretched exchange sure must proceed from very gross ignorance pride and carelesness for the mind of man being the lowest among rational natures addicted to senses and carnal actions apprehends nothing perfectly beside sensible external temporal things as honour riches voluptuousness pleasures contentments c. and cannot apprehend spiritual and heavenly things viz. the beauty of vertue the pleasures and sweet enjoyments of eternal happiness the beatifical vision and fruition of Gods most glorious face the onely source of ful content and never-ending felicity I say these things they apprehend but very weakly and even in a confus'd and languishing manner whereas the affection of the will still follows strongly the apprehension as when a man doth taste of the deluding sweetness of terrestriall happiness he vainly imagines the same to be far greater then really it is even so when one tastes a little of the roughness difficulty and loathsome bitterness of vertue doth likewise fondly imagine the same to be more craggy intollerable and loathsome then truly it is and so falls back and desists from going forward in the quest happy pursuit of solid vertue O Andrew non erit tibi amplius infans dierum senex qui non impleat dies suos quoniam puer centum annorum morietur Isa 65. that is to say if any old man be found of childish behaviour and becoming a puer centum annorum and yet would prove a childe in his senses in a vicious life and conversation that man shall not persevere in the Militant to pass to the Triumphant Church but shall be precipitated into everlasting darkness and flames oh Andrea haec te horrenda terreant how come you in your old age to be so enchanted and so miserably to revolt from a true antiently revealed Faith how come you to fly wretchedly from Religion piety pennance and austerity of life c. but because you doted you proved puer centum annorum becoming a scandalous Apostate a vile protestant and a pittifull object of scorn to boys and lackeys so as you may say with King David 2 Reg. vivit Dominus quoniam filius mortis est qui hoc fâ—cit The antient Philosophers were accustomed to compare weak effeminate men who easily would part with some most precious thing for a bubble or trifle to a fish call'd polype which cleaves so fast to a rock that it will be sooner