Scriptures have no authority but for the Decree of the Church they mean the Roman Church by whom it (7) Caranza Controvers 1. And no marvel when another affirmeth that the Scripture hath no more authority than Aesop's Fables V. Bailly Tract 1.9.17 ought to be regulated and not the Church be regulated by it and the reason is because as it is (8) Peter Sutor Translat Bibl. c. 22. confess'd that the people would easily be drawn away from observing the Church's i.e. Romish Institutions (9) Consil de Stabilienda Rom. sede p. 6. And though the Papists do cashier the publick use of the Holy Scriptures and fly to as they pretend an Infallible Judg yet are they not agreed among themselves who that should be These Learned Romanists following contend that the priviledg of Infallibility belongs only to the whole Church militant and neither to the Pope nor General Council nor to the Body of the Clergy Occam Dial. p. 1. l. 5. c. 25 29 3. when they should perceive That they are not contained in the Law of Christ and that their i.e. Popish Doctrines are not only different from but repugnant to the Holy Scriptures Hence doth the Church (10) Cusanus Concord Cathol l. 2. c. 3. Antoninus Sum. Summarum p. 3. Tit. 23. c. 2. § 6. Panormitan Decret p. l. l. 1. Tit. de Elect. Cap. significasti Mirandula de fide ordine credend Theor. 4. of Rome under severe penalties forbid the Laity the perusal of them and thereby involves every Lay-man in the guilt of being a Traditor which in the (11) In fine Concil Trident. Reg. 4. first Ages of Christianity was a crime (12) Hence comes it to pass that not only the Popish Laity but even the Priests themselves are very ignorant in the Holy Scriptures so that once a Schoolman in the last Age being to preach at Paris where the famous Melancthon was his Auditor took a Text for want I suppose of a better Book out of Aristotle's Ethicks Sixtinus Amama Orat. de Barbarie ex Melancth next door to Apostasie Which Act doth not only imply That the Popish Church refuseth to be try'd by the Test of God's Word but is diametrically opposite to the practice of the Primitive Christians as appears in the following Quotations The Romish Tenet of slighting the Scriptures is contrary to the Word of God Joh. 5.39 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Contrary to the Fathers Clemens Romanus Epist ad Corinth p. 58 61 68. Irenaeus l. 2. c. 47. Idem l. 3. c. 1. c. 2. Tertullian adv Hermogen c. 23. Clemens Alexandrinus Stromat l. 7. Origen in Esai Hom. 2. Idem in Comment in Josh p. 27. Id. Homil. in Leviticum 9. Comment in Matthaeum p. 220. Cyprian Epist 74. Eusebius adv Sabellium l. 2. Constantinus Magnus apud Theodoret. Histor lib. 1. c. 7. Athanasius in Orat. adv Gentes de Incarn Christi Hilarius ad Constant Optatus l. 5. de Schis Donat. Basil de Sp. Sancto c. 7. Id. de verâ ac piâ fide Tom. 2. Op. Graec. Lat. p. 386. Id. in Ethicis Reg. 16. Tom. 2. Id. Hom. 29. de Trinit Tom. 1. Gregor Nyss in Dial. de animâ ac Resurrect Hieronymus in Comment in Esa cap. 19. Id. in Epist ad Laetam Id. adv Helvid Id. Praefat. Comment in Epist ad Ephes Chrysostom 13 Hom. in Gen. Id. Hom. 52. in Joh. Id. Homil. 4. in Lazar. Id. Hom. 34. in Act. 15. Id. Praefat. in Epist ad Rom. Id. Hom. 13. in 2 Cor. 7. Id. Hom. 9. in Coloss 3. Id. Hom. 3. in 1 Thessal Id. Hom. 3. in 2 Thessal 2. Id. Hom. 8. in Epist ad Hebr. c. 5. Augustin Epist 3. Id. de Doctrinâ Christi l. 2. c. 6. 9. Id. de Vnitat Eccles c. 3 4 5 12. Id. Epist 157. Id. de Bapt. c. Donat. lib. 1. c. 6. l. 2. c. 3. 14. That passage in St. Augustin Ego Evangelio non crederem c. contr Ep. fundam c. 5. is interpreted by these Learned Papists following To be meant of the Primitive Church and those men who saw and heard our Blessed Saviour and not that the Fathers should be of more authority than the Scriptures John Gerson de vitâ Sp. Lect. 2. Hic aperitur modus c. Joh. Driedo de Eccl. Script Dogm l. 4. c. 4. Th. Wald. Doctrinal l. 2. c. 21. Sufficiat universali Ecclesiae pro preconio potestatis suae modernae c. who is very smart upon such as held the contrary Idem Epist 48. Tom. 2. Epist 19. Cyril Alex l. 7. adv Julian Theodoret Dial. 2. Id. Qu. 45. in Genes Theophilus Alexand. in 2 Pasch Homil. Cyril Hieros Cat. 4. Vincentius Lirinensis contra Haeres cap. 2. c. 41. Justus Orgelitanus in c. 4. Cantic Gregorius Magnus in Ezekiel l. 1. Hom. 9. Tom. 2. Id. Moral l. 8. c. 8. Id. in Cant. c. 5. Id. Moral l. 16. c. 17. Tom. 1. Id. l. 4. Ep. 40. ad Theod. Medic. Tom. 2. Id. Epist ad Leand. c. 4. Praefat. in Job Tom. 1. That the Holy Scriptures could not be corrupted but those corruptions would have been discover'd See Augustin de util lit credendi c. 3. Id. c. Faustum l. 11. c. 2◠and Confess'd by Bellarmin That the Scriptures could not be corrupted but those Corruptions would be discovered by Catholicks de V. D. l. 2. c. 7. Consult in this point Bishop Jewel's Treatise of the Holy Scriptures who in his excellent Apology handles all the main points in Controversie betwixt us and the Church of Rome and Article 15 against Harding Dr. Stillingfleet's Rational Account of the Grounds of Protestant Religion Reprinted in 1681 Part 1. c. 7 8 9. Chillingworth's Religion of the Protestants a safe way to Salvation Part 1. Chap. 2. Lively Oracles by the Author as it 's said of the Whole Duty of Man SECT II. We receive no other Books of Scripture for (13) Article 6. Canonical in the Church of England than (14) Concil Trident. Sess 4. such as of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church The Church of Rome doth make the Books commonly call'd Apocrypha of equal authority with those of the Old and New Testament which neither the (15) Witness the two Learned Jews Philo Judaeus apud Euseb de Praeparat Evangel l. 8. and Josephus apud Euseb Histor Eccles l. 3. c. 9. alias 10. and this is fully confessed by Bellarmine de Verbo Dei l. 1. c. 10. Jews to (16) Rom. 3.2 whom were committed the Oracles of God nor the Primitive Church nor (17) As for the third pretended Council of Carthage alledged by some Papists St. Austin who was one of the chief therein votes in this point for the Doctrine of our Church de Civitate Dei l. 17. c. ult alibi And though they pretend that the Book of Baruch held by us as Apocryphal was declared Canonical in the Council of Florence yet did
in the Apostles Creed and explain'd in those others call'd the Nicene and Athanasian which may be prov'd by the Scriptures and have been approved by the Universal Church by the Decrees of the first General Councils and Writings of the Fathers The Popish Church especially that part of it which is called the Court of Rome obtrudes and imposes new Articles of Faith making (44) Bellar de Eccles l. 3. the Bishop of Rome the Infallible Judge and Arbitrator of all Doctrines enjoyning an implicit faith and blind obedience to his Dictates wherein we must renounce (45) M. Cressie in his Appendix c. 7. Sect. 8. saith That the Wits and Judgments of Catholicks he means Papists is to renounce their Judgment and depose their own wit I will make no Application let the Reader do it himself our very Reason so that (46) Exercitia Spiritualia Ign. Loyolae Tolosae 1593. p. 173. Reg. 1. if he call that white which we see to be black we are to say so since he hath as (47) Turrecremata summae de Ecclisia l. 2. c. 103. Petrus de Ancorano de Haerit n. 2. Augustinus Triumphus de Ancona p. 59. a. 1. art 2. And this knack of making new Creeds is very agreeable to that fancy of Salmeron Non amnibus omnia dedit Deus ut quaelibet aetas suis gaudeat veritatibus quas prior atas ignoravit Dis 57. in Ep. ad Rom. they say the power of making new Creeds Contrary to Scripture Gal. 1.8 9. Contrary to St. Augustin de Vnit Eccles contr Epist Petil. c. 3. and all the Fathers who shew an esteem for the Scripture Confess'd By Cardinal Bellarmine That till above a thousand years after Christ the (48) Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 4. c. 2. Sect. Secunda opinio Popes Judgment was not esteemed Infallible nor his (49) Id. de Concil lib. 2. c. 13. Authority above that of a General Council much less then is it above that of the Holy Scriptures Hence must it necessarily follow That it is a new Article of the Creed to believe that the Pope can make new Creeds Consult Dr. Stillingfleet's Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome Chap. 4. SECT V. Our Church useth the same (50) Article 25. Sacraments which our Saviour Christ left in his (51) Mat. 28.19 Luk. 22.19 20. Church and no other to wit Baptism and the Lord's Supper which both the (52) Article 30. Laity and Clergy in our Communion receive intire without mutilation according to our Blessed Saviour's Institution (53) Mat. 26.27 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. the practice of the Apostles and of the Latin Church for (54) Concil Constantiese Anno Dom. 1414. Sess 13. fourteen hundred years after our Saviour's Incarnation and of the (55) Apud Chytrae de Statu Eccl. Orient Primum Patriar Resp p. 149 c. The Greek Patriarch Hieremias's Letter to the Tuling Divines bearing date May 15. 1576. Greek Church in the last Age if not until this day The Church of Rome doth not only clogg its members with the number of (56) Concil Trident. Sess 7. seven Sacraments which precise number of Sacraments was not held for Catholick even in the Roman Church till above a thousand years after Christ and therefore far from Primitive Christianity but deprives the Laity (57) Concil Constant Sess 13. of the Cup in the Eucharist contrary to our Saviour's Institution which is at once the highest presumption and withal not one degree remov'd from Sacriledg The number of Seven Sacraments Contrary to the Fathers Justin Martyr Apol. 2. whom even Bellarmine himself confesses to have mentioned but two Sacraments de effect Sacram. l. 2. c. 27. Sect. venio Tertullian advers Marcion l. 4. c. 34. Id. de coronâ militis c. 3. Cyril of Jerusalem in his Catechisms S. Ambrose in his Books de Sacramentis Augustin de Doctr. Christi lib. 3. c. 9. Id. de Symbolo ad Catech. Tom. 9. Id. Epist 118. ad Januar. Tom. 2. Junilius in Genes Confess'd That Peter Lombard Master of the Sentences who liv'd Anno Dom. 1144. was the first Author that mentioned the precise number of Seven Sacraments and the Council of Florence held Anno Dom. 1438 was the first Council that determined that number By Cardinal Bellarmin de Sacram. lib. 2. c. 25. and Cassander Consult de num Sacram. Communion in one kind Contrary to Scripture Matt. 26.26 27 28. Luk. 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. Contrary to the Fathers Dionysius Areopagita Eccl. (58) Although some Learned men in our own Church will have Apollinaris who liv'd in the fourth Century to be the Author of that Book See Dr. Stillingfleet's Answer to Cress Apolog c. 2. §. 17. p. 133. and Dr. Cave in the Life of Dionysius Areopagita p. 73 74. Hierarch c. 3. which Author I quote in the front of the Fathers because the Papists would have him to live in the first Age though it is more probable that he liv'd later albeit not so late as Monsieur Daillé would have him Ignatius Ep. ad Philadelph Justin Martyr Apol. 2. in fine p. 162. Clemens Alexandrin Stromat l. 1. p. 94. Id. Paedagog l. 2. c. 2. p. 35. Tertullian de Resurrect c. 8. Id. l. 2. ad Vxorem c. 6. Origen Hom. 16. in Num. Cyprian Epist 54. Tom. 1. l. 1. Epist 2. Gregor Nazianzen Orat. 11. in laud. Gorgon Orat. 40. in Sanctum Baptism Tom. 1. Athanasius Apol. 2. contra Arrianos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ambros in Orat. ad Theodos apud Theodoret. Hist Eccles l. 5. c. 18. Hieronymus Epist ad Rusticum Tom. 1. Id. sup Sophon c. 3. Tom. 6. Chrysostom in 2 Cor. Hom. 18. Tom. 3. Edit Savil. p. 646. Augustin 4 Qu. 57. in Levit. Leo Ser. 4. de Quadrages Gelasius Decret 3. part de Consecrat dist 2. cap. Comperimus Hincmar in the Life of the Archbishop Rhemes who converted King Clovis of France to the Christian Faith reports that the Archbishop gave a Chalice or Cup for the peoples use with this Motto Hauriat hinc populus vitam de sanguine sacro Injecto aeternus quem fudit vulnere Christus Remigius domino reddit sua vota sacerdos è Cassandri Liturg. c. 31. Pamelii Liturgic p. 618. Tom. 1. Gregorius Magnus Dial. l. 1.4 c. 58. Id. Dial. l. 3. c. 36. Tom. 2. Id. in Sab. Paschae Homil. 22. Tom. 2. Confess'd That Communion in one kind is against the practice of the Apostles by Paschasius Radbertus de corp sang domini c. 19. Confess'd That it was a General Custom for the Laity to Communicate in both kinds by Salmeron Tract 35. Confess'd By Cassander (59) Consult Sect. 22. That it was receiv'd in both kinds for above a thousand years after Christ by (60) In tertiam partem S. Thomae tom 3. Quaest 80. Disp 216. Art 12. cap. 3. nu 38. Vasquez and Thomas (61) In
ad Virgines Chrysostom in Matth. Homil. 53. Id. ad Stelechum de compunct cord ed. Savil. Tom. 6. p. 157. Jerom super Ephes 2. Tom. 9. Id. l. 6. in Isai c. 13. Id. lib. 17. c. 64. Tom. 5. Leo Serm. 1. de assumpt Id. Serm. 12. de pass dom Theodoret in Rom. 6. v. ult Id. in Rom. 8. Augustin Confess l. 10. c. 4. Tom. 1. Id. super Johan Tract 3. Tom. 9. Id. Tom. 8. in Psal 109. Fulgentius ad Monim l. 1. c. 10. Justus Orgelitanus in Cantic cap. 2. Cassiodore in Psal 5. Council of Orange 2. Can. 20. Caranza in summa Concil Gregor Magnus Tom. 2. in Ezech. ad finem Id. moral l. 5. c. 8. l. 9. c. 14. l. 29. c. 9. l. 35. c. ult Id. Psal 1. Paenit Tom. 2. Merit Not allow'd of in Anselm's time who liv'd An. Dom. 1086 as appears from him in upon Rom. 12. nor in S. Bernard's days as appears from him in Cant. Serm. 73. where he saith That the Saints had need to pray for their Sins that they may have Salvation through Mercy and not trusting in their own Righteousness So far was S. Bernard who liv'd An. Dom. 1120 from owning the Popish Doctrine of Merits Confess'd By Bellarmin That Good Works are rewarded above their deserts de Justi l. 1. c. 19. Concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass Consult Bishop Jewel 1 and 17 Article against Harding Bishop Morton of the Mass Dr. Brevint's Depth and Mystery of the Roman Mass Mons Rodon's Funeral of the Mass c. 7. and 8. Concerning the Popish Doctrine of Merits see Birckbeck's Protestant Evidence Article 9. That Men are not Justified by Faith only and for the Merit of our Saviour but by their own good Works too by which as the Papists hold they merit eternal happiness is Contrary to Scripture Rom. 3.28 and c. 4.4 5. and c. 5.1 2 3. and c. 11.6 Ephes 2.8 9. Contrary to the Fathers Irenaus l. 4. c. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus Padagog l. 1. c. 6. Stromat l. 5. Origen l. 3. in Epist ad Rom. c. 3. Ambrose or some in the same Age with him as Bellarmin confesseth de Justif c. 8. in his Comment upon Rom. c. 4. and in 1 Cor. c. 1. Theodoret de curandis Graecar affectib l. 7. Chrysostome in Rom. 1.17 Homil. 2. Id. in Tit. 1.13 Homil. 3. Augustin l. 1. contr duas Epistol Pelag. c. 21. Id. in Psal 8. concion 2. Primasius in c. 2. ad Galatas Fulgentius de incar grat c. 16. Confessed By Cardinal Bellarmin That it is most safe and sure to place all our trust upon the only Mercy of God because of the incertainty of our own Justice and the danger of vain glory De Justif l. 5. c. 3 after he had Confessed That good Works are rewarded above their deserts Id. de Justif l. 1. c. â—â— Consult herein Birkbeck's Protestant Evidence Article 8. SECT VIII Our Church performs all her Prayers and other Divine Offices and administers the Sacraments with such Rites as are agreeable to the Word of God being for (84) 1 Cor. 14.40 Decency and Order in a Language understood (85) Article 24. by all those that are concern'd therein The Popish Church (86) Harding against Bp. Jewel Article 3. Missal Rom. approbat ex decreto Concil Trident. Bulla Pii 5. Cherubini Bullar Tom. 2. p. 311. hath her Prayers in an unknown Tongue to which if the people do say Amen it is without understanding Which is not only an unreasonable Service but an abominable Sin Robbing God of his Honour and Men of their Devotion Prayers in an unknown Tongue are 1 Contrary to Scripture 1 Cor. 14. 2 Contrary to the Fathers Origen contra Cels l. 8. Basil lib. Qu. ex variis Script locis Q. 278. Ambrose in 1 Cor. 14. Chrysostom Hom. 18. in 2 Cor. Hierome Tom. 1. Epist 17. Augustin Epist 178. Id. in Psal 18. con 2. Id. de doctr Christ l. 4. c. 10. Bede Hist Angl. l. 1. c. 1. 3 Contrary to Councils and Papal Decrees Concilium Moguntinum An. Dom. 812. cap. 45. Concil Lateran An. Dom. 1215. c. 9. Greg. l. 1. titul 31. cap. Quoniam plerisque Baronius Tom. 10. A. D. 88. N. 16. Histor Boem c. 13. Written by Aeneas Sylvius who was afterwards called Pope Pius 11. 1 Confessed to be against Edification in Spiritual matters by Lyra and Cardinal Cajetan in 1 Cor. 14. Cassander in Liturgic c. 28. Consult Art 24. 2 Confessed to be Contrary to the Practice of the Primitive Church by Aquinas and Lyra in 1 Cor. 14. Consult herein Bp. Jewel against Harding Article 3. Bp. Taylor 's Dissuasive Part 1. ch 1. Sect. 7. SECT IX As our Church employs such persons in the Ministry of God's Worship and Sacraments and in feeding and governing the Flock of Christ as are (87) Article 36. Book of Ordination Mason of the Consecration of Bishops in the Church of England Archbishop Bramhal's works Tom. 1. Discourse 5. Tom. 4. Discourse 6. lawfully called to their Office and Ministry and are Consecrated and Ordained according to the Scriptures and Canons of the Universal Church and of whose Bishops we can shew (*) Which the Roman Ch. notwithstanding its big pretences to constant succession cannot justly challenge and that both from its five vacancies making up almost Nine years when Rome had no Bishop at all and the many Schisms by some Chronologers reckoned up to be Twenty nine a fair number indeed by Onuphrius to be Thirty and by Bellarmin himself to be Twenty six Whereof the Twentieth Schism lasted Twenty years and the 21st lasted 36 years during which time the Church of Rome had two Popes which excommunicated each other the 26th continued saith Genebrard Chron. l. 4. An. Dom. 1378. from Vrban 6. till the Council of Constance which was at least Thirty five years Baronius ad Annum 1044. Sect. 5. Tom. 11. calls the three Popes who then contended for the Papal Chair a Beast with Three heads ascending out of the bottomless Pit Add to these the 70 years stay of the Popes at Avignion which quite joints their boasted Succession For during these times where was the true Successour of St. Peter Or was the Church in their sense so long without an Head a Succession to the Apostles of our Saviour as fully as any other Church at this day can do so do we leave all (88) Article 32. Ecclesiasticks whether Bishops Priests or Deacons to Marry at their own discretion as they shall judge the same to serve better to godliness since (89) Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable in all and not forbid but permitted and in Cases so requiring enjoyned by God's Law and practised as well as taught by persons of the same function i. e. Priests in the best and purest Ages of the Church as may be seen in the following Quotations The Church of Rome (90) Bellarmin lib. 1. de Cleric c. 20. Sect. Respondeo
was that damnable Treason designed by Gunpowder against the Person of King James the First of blessed Memory and the two Houses of Parliament to which the Pope himself as we (100) Delrio disq Magic l. 6. c. 1. are credibly informed was not only privy but its director too Pursuant thereof that Pope Clement VIII a little before that time gave order That no Priest should discover any thing that came to his Knowledg in Confession to the benefit of the Secular Government I think there needs no better evidence of the Pope's good intentions towards the Secular Government nor what ill effects the practice of this sort of Confession can and may produce than this And that it still may be used as an Instrument in procuring the ruine of Princes and subversion of Kingdoms Let us hear their i. e. the Popish Doctors opinion of its virtue and use One of them then tells us That the Seal of Auricular Confession which they hold to be of Divine Institution is so Sacred that it may not be broken open to save (101) Tolet. Instruct Sacerd l. 3. c. 16. the Lives of Princes or of the whole Commonwealth Another (102) Henriquez de poenit l. 2. c. 19. n. 5. goes further and saith That the Seal of Confession is not to be broken no not to save all the World Here the Reader may see for this is not only the opinion of one or two private men but runs with the stream of their (103) See Eudemon Joannes in his Apology for Garnet Binet Suarez c. Writers what may be expected from the Charity of their Popish Priests what an unlucky tool Auricular Confession is in (104) And yet they can say that it is of Divine Right See Biel l. 4. dist 17. Q. 1. Scotus ibid. Bonaventure ibid n. 72. which if it had been the Fathers would never have writ against it nor would it have been disanhull'd For private Confession of crimes was a rogated a out An. Dom. 396. upon the discovery of a Whoredom committed betwixt a Deacon and a Noble Woman Histor Tripartit l. 9. c. 35. And though it was practised several years before yet was it not enjoyn'd as a necessary Act of Salvation before the Council of Lateran An. Dom. 1215. under Pope Innocent III and therefore far from true Antiquity their hands Besides to how great an awe of and respect for their Confessor to whom they are bound as I have already said to discover all their Sins under pain of Eternal Damnation To what Pride and Insolence to what Lust and Revenge to what Avarice and Rapine are not only the meanest Men but even Persons that make the greatest figure exposed unto by Auricular Confession in Popish Churches It is a slavery so great and intollerable that the Israelitish Tasks in Egypt were a pleasure or at least a divertisement in comparison of it Auricular Confession to a Priest under point of Salvation and Damnation and that people cannot be saved without it is Contrary to Scripture Isai 55.7 Acts 2.38 and c. 3.19 and c. 16.30 31. Rom. 10.3 Contrary to the Fathers who when they did speak of the necessity of Confession generally meant Confession before God only or a publick acknowledgment of some publick crimes incurring the censure of Excommunication and that in an Ecclesiastical Assembly Origen in Psal 37. Hom. 2. Cyprian de lapsis Serm. 5. Chrysostom Hom. 4. de Lazaro Id. Hom. 2. in Psal 50. Homil. 31. in Epist ad Hebraeos Hom. 5. de incomprehensibili nat Dei Hom. 8. de paen Hom. de poenit Confessione Augustin Confession l. 10. c. 3. Auricular Confession acknowledged not to have been Instituted by our Saviour and that it is not of Divine Institution by these Learned Papists Cardinal Cajetan in Joh. 20. Scotus in sent 4. dist 17. Q. 1. Maldon in summa Qu. 18. Art 4. Bell. de poenit l. 1. c. 4. Acknowledged by others That it is better to say that it was Instituted rather by the Tradition of the Universal Church than by the Authority of the Old and New Testament And yet it is denyed That this Tradition is Universal and that it is not necessary amongst the Greeks because this Custom i.e. of private Confession sprung not up among them de poenit dist 5. in principio Gloss Again it is Confessed That the Fathers scarce speak of it as of a thing commanded by Rhenanus in admonitione de Tertullian Dogmat. Lastly It is Confessed That we may obtain Pardon though our Mouths be silent then we do not confess And our Lord doth shew that a Sinner is not cleansed by the Judgment of the Priest but by the Bounty of Divine Grace Gratian dist 1. cap. Convertimini What clashing and enterfering is here Is this the pretended solid Union of the Popish Church in matters of Salvation and which she enjoyns under pain of Damnation Have they no better Grounds for their Articles of Faith than these Can Auricular Confession be of Divine Institution and yet neither be Instituted by our Blessed Saviour nor mentioned by the Fathers as a Divine Precept nor imposed by an Universal Tradition of the Church And lastly can it be necessary to Salvation and yet we can obtain pardon of Sins without the use of it Let any Papist reconcile me these erit mihi magnus Apollo Consult herein Bishop Taylor 's Dissuasive Part 1. ch 2. Sect. 2. F. White against Jesuite Fisher p. 189. Concerning the Marriage of the Clergy see Bishop Jewel's Defence of the Apology of the Church of England Part 2. p. 180. and Part 5. p. 456. Bishop Hall's Honour of the Married Clergy SECT X. As I have all along shewed the vast difference in Doctrines betwixt the Protestant Church of England and the Church of Rome so will I put a Period to this Discourse after I have done the like in that of Obedience Which I shall not as I have hitherto argue from the Articles and Homilies of our Church the Decrees of their Church the Writings of the Fathers and from Ancient Councils because that hath been sufficiently canvassed of late years but only subjoyn the undenyable Testimonies of King James I. and King Charles the Martyr of ever-blessed Memories and the Royal Grandfather and Father of our present Gracious Soveraign to determin the Case of Protestants Loyalty and Popish Rebellion King Charles I. in his Excellent Book entituled Εικον Βασιλικε chap. 27. to our Late Gracious King and then Prince of Wales saith King James I. in His Works p. 504. saith The best Profession of Religion I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England in which you have been educated (105) Yea it was but two days before his death that he told the Princess Elizabeth That she should dye for maintaining the true Protestant Religion In this I charge you to persevere as coming nearest to God's Word for Doctrine and to the Primitive Example for Government I tell you
AN IMPARTIAL SURVEY AND COMPARISON OF THE Protestant Religion As by Law Established With the main Doctrines of Popery Wherein is shewn That Popery is contrary to Scripture Primitive Fathers and Councils and that proved from Holy Writ the Writings of the Antient Fathers for several Hundred Years and the Confession of the most Learned Papists themselves Whereby the Papists vain pretence to Antiquity and their reproaching the Protestant Doctrines with Novelty is wholly overthrown By a True Son of the Protestant Church of England as established by Law LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXXV ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 16. In vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Matt. 15.9 But from the beginning it was not so Matth. 19.8 Non audiatur haec dico haec dicis sed haec dicit dominus Augustin de unit Eccles contr Petil. c. 3. Id verius quod prius id prius quod ab initio ab initio quod ab Apostolis Tertullian advers Marcion l. 4. c. 5. Id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterinum quodcunque posterius Idem advers Praxeam c. 2. THE PREFACE TO THE Protestant Reader AS we have immortal Souls of infinite more value than all transient glories and sublunary advantages so ought we both in obedience to the tender and compassionate advice of our Blessed Redeemer who purchased them with his own dear Blood and out of a true concern for our Eternal Welfare to live such lives here as we may be happy hereafter Pursuant to this excellent design We ought carefully attend to that Holy Religion we have so long professed which teaches no Doctrines that are not agreeable to the Holy Scriptures and to the practice of the best and purest Ages of Christianity A Religion which neither robs God of his Honour nor the King of his due a Religion whose venerable Rites keep a just medium betwixt vain Popish Pomp and Fanatical Indecency a Religion that not only teaches us how to be good but obliges us so to be that is a Religion truly Christian and a Copy of that perfect Original which our Lord and Saviour hath left us for our direction And therefore as nothing ought to be dearer to us so we cannot be sufficiently thankful to his Sacred Majesty whom God preserve for the Gracious assurance he has given that he will support it and defend us in the profession of it A King whose Royal Progenitors of Immortal Memory for above 100 years have not only been the Ornaments but the supports too of the Protestant Religion His fam'd Grandfather King James Learnedly defending it by his Pen and thereby justly meriting the glorious Title of its Defender His Excellent (c) For so doth Mons Militere in his Epistle to His late Majesty confess Father dying a Glorious Martyr and his late dearly beloved Brother being a long time Exile for our Reformed Religion Let us then strive to shew that we are not unworthy of so Illustrious and Valiant a Protector by our Loyalty to him not unworthy of such a Religion by our conformity to its Principles in Holiness Sobriety and Charity and a stedfast adherence to it in opposition to any other that will destroy that which our Church hath built upon so sure a foundation And that we may rightly understand what this Religion is and the difference betwixt that which is established in our Church and what is owned in the Church of Rome I have made the following Collection wherein is demonstrated how contrary the Popish Religion is to our Church and how inconsistent with Scripture the practice of the Primitive and best Ages of Christianity and that prov'd not only from the Writings of the Apostles and choice Records of Antiquity but even granted to be so by the most (d) Vives de Instrumentis probab learned and no less impartial Papists themselves which as it is the testimony of one Friend against another is lookt upon as an undenyable Evidence Before I conclude I must admonish the Reader that I have not rendered the Authors at large but so quoted them that the Learned may examine them nor have I drawn Arguments as usually from them because that would have made this Book design'd for a Pocket-companion to have swell'd into a great Volume yet to make requital for that just omission I have at the conclusion of each Section directed the Reader to other Writers of our Religion which treat of that particular Controversy at large May then the All-wise God by whose Divine permission thus much hath been perform'd so bless this poor labour of his unworthy Servant that it may be instrumental to the good of his Church and the confirming of all our weak Brethren in our most Holy Faith which was the principal design of its publication THE INTRODUCTION THE Church of Rome though she talk aloud of the Antiquity of and an universal consent in her Doctrines is so far from either That therein she will be tied to no Rule nor observe any Law as if she would verify that Remarque of (1) Crantzius Metropol 7.45 Crantzius upon her in another Case Nunc ad se omnium Ecclesiarum jura traxit Romana Ecclesia That she hath engrossed to her self all the priviledges or rights of other Churches Her greatest (2) Bellarmin de verbo dei l. 4. c. 4. Pighius Eccles Hierarch l. 3. c. 3. Pool de primatu Romanae Ecclesiae fol. 92. defendants reject the Scripture though given forth by (*) 2 Tim. 3.16 Divine Inspiration and do say it is no more to be believed in saying it is from God than Mahomet 's Alcaron c. And good reason why (3) Concil de stabilienda Rom. sede p. 6. because her Doctrines are repugnant to the Holy Scriptures What then will she trust to Tradition that she equals with (4) Concil Trident. Sess 4. decret 1. the Scriptures themselves And yet her great Annalist Cardinal Baronius who was once as it were a living Library while he kept the Vatican (5) Dr. James his Corruption of the Fathers Part 4. p. 26. (6) Anno 44. Sect. 42. confesseth That he despaired to find out the truth even in those matters which true Writers have recorded because there was nothing which remained sincere and incorrupted This blow given by so skilfull an Artist dashes all the Characters wherein the defence of Oral Tradition should be legible And if Tradition in true Writers be so difficult to preserve how can it be expected to be safe from spurious ones or without any Writers at all However though the Papists do not grant that this ruins their Tradition I am sure it cuts off that definition of it by (†) Bellar. de 〈◊〉 cap. 9. Cardinal Bellarmin who affirms that to be a true