was no more feare of persecution which was the only reason why these men did not professe their religion And therefore that being taken away if there had been any such invisible Protestants they would have showen themselvs visible acknowledged their brethren run and ioyn'd hands with them and said Behold this is the faith which we alway's beleeved although we did not or durst not professe it But no such persons did appeare when they might safely and ought in all duty to have appeared Therefore there was no lurking Protestant Church before Luther and consequently the Protestants had no Church at all before him neither visible nor invisible This may be yet further illustrated confirmed For there may be conceived two kinds of invisible Protestant Churches The first is a Church which believed in their hearts the Protestant faith and yet made profession of the contrary religion to witt of Popery The second is a company of people beleeving also internally the same faith but making no profession of a contrary religion And between these two extreames there is no medium But the Protestants had neither of these two invisible Churches before Luther Therefore they had none at all Not the first which although they had could not have been the true Church of Christ or a society of faithfull Christians but rather was a miserable crue of dissembled Sycophants for so they behoved to be who beleeved one thing professed the contrary which they thought grosse superstition Idolatry Not the first I say For such a dissembled Church behoved to beleeve the Protestants faith in their heart and professe the contrary against their consciences But there were none before Luther who beleeved the Protestant faith in their hearts c. because Luther himself beleeved the Roman Catholique faith in his heart and of this there can be no greater evidence then his own testimony against himself For he professeth that he honoured the Pope for conscience sake and thought that he would have been severed from God if he had been separated from the Pope and much more to this purpose Therefore Luther was not a dissembled Protestant but rather a sincere Papist before he began to oppose the Pope Neither were there any other before him who believed the Protestant faith professed the contrary because his followers were ignorant of the Protestant religion till Luther taught it and shew them the light This is witnessed by prime Protestants who say It 's ridiculous to think Cont. Shlus in Theol. Cal. l. 2. f. 131. that any man before Luther did attayn vnto the true doctrin or that he receiv'd it from others and not others from him That all the world was overwhelmed with more then Cimmerian darknesse that Luther was sent to dispell it and to restore the light of true doctrin Besids that chief article of Iustification by faith only was altogether vnknown before Luther Fox Acts. p. 402. so that M. Fox affirmeth that Luther by opening that veine which lay a long time hid overturned the foundation of Popery M. Wotton averres that Luther may truly glory that he was the first who taught Christ especially concerning that principal Euangelâ—cal doctrin of Iustification by faith alone VVotson in Exam. tit Rom. Therefore saith he It was a great honour to Luther to have been a Son withovt a Father and a Disciple without a Master All which testimonies do evince that there was not so much as a dissembled Protestant Church before Luther Neither as I conceive will any iudicious Protestant plead much for such a Church which although it had been could not be the Church of Christ but rather the Synaguogue of Sathan and so not the true Church which we are now searching after Neither had the Protestants that other kind of invisible Church before Luther which beleeved the Protestant faith in their hearts and made no profession of the contrary For first Luther his followers did not beleeve it till he opposed the Pope as hath been presently proved Secondly they professed themselves both by words actions to be Roman Catholiques and so made profession of a religion contrary to the Protestant Therefore in both these conditions this invisible Protestant Church is visibly deficient and consequently there was no kind of an invisible Church before Luther neither a sincere nor a dissembled Church if we will iudge of it by the persons who mâ—de it visible Neither were there any other lurking Protâ—stants for they would have shown themsâ—lves when there was no more danger for them as hath been said which they dâ—d not or if they were lurking they are still lurking and will ever lurk vnto the day of Ivdgment For there is no more reason that they shall appeare at any time hereafter then now or in the time of Luther Therefore this invisible Protestant Church is a meer Chimeâ—a fiction without all ground and against sense experience The Independents who arosâ— within these twelve years or thereabout and who before had been for the most part violent Presbyterians may pretend vpon the same groundlesse fancy that their Church had alway's endured invisibly The same might also pretend the Quakers who are more lately sprung vp But if any of these Congregations were so vnreasonable as to make that pretext which they may as lawfully do as any other Protestâ—nts who would be so vnreasonable as to beleeve them or who could be so simple as to be decived by them the beginning and progresse of those Congregations being so well known so late and fresh in all mens memories In the Presbyterian sense any person although never so great a liar might take vpon him to be a Prophet For albeit he foretold things never so false which never came to passe yea that fell out quite contrary he might say with the Presbyterians they were all fulfilled but invisibly Now what is more foolish then this device What would be more ridiculous in the iudgmâ—nt of Iewes and Pagans and more iniurious to the truth of the Christian religion For if they would demand how are the prophesies concerning the perpetuity of Christs Church fulfil'd How are his clear promises to his Church kep't And if it were an swered as the Presbyterians do that they were all fulfilled and kept but invisibly What could more confirm these men in their infidelity then this answer What could make the Christian religion appeare to them to be more false and ridiculous S. Augustin did far otherwise vnderstaâ—d the proâ—hesies of the Scripture concerning the Church For writing against the Donatists on this same subiect of the Church he saith Let vs heare some few things out of the Psalms so long ago sung and foretold and let vs now with ioy see them fulfil'd Again Aug Vnit Eccl. Heare this out of the Divine booke how it was foretold and see now in the world how it is at complish'd Therefore as there is no other way to make a prophesy true but
hath had her gates continually open day night in all generations to receive the strength of the Gentils and in a word which has made the world Christian This is the Church which alone in allâ—ges has opposed all the heresies which did arise in their diverse ages from the beginning of Christianity and albeit they all have shut out their hornes against this Church and both by slight might have endeavoured to destroy her yet she alone hath fought against them all and gloriously triumphed over them all This is the Church which has held all the General Councels which hath condemned all errors and heresies which has had Pastors and people professing the faith in all ages without interruption and in which all the Saints Martyrs and Doctors have lived These things might be shown by a particular Catalogue of this Churches chief Pastors Councils Nations converted and publique Professors in every age if it were not too longsome and besids it is so clear that it is not here necessary especially seing the Lutheran Centurists who have raked together all they can both for themselves and against the Roman Church yet can shew the succession and continuance of no other but only of this Church And the reason of this is clear because this Church and she alone hath so clearly this succession that no other Churches which carie the name of Christian can so much as pretend to have it in the least degree of probability For it is evidently certain that all other Churches which are separated from this Church were once of her faith Communion and went vndeniably out of her and therefore they cannot be so ancient as she and consequently they have not alwayes had a continued succession from the Apostles and if they pretended it they would be most ridiculous making an evident lie against sense Therefore the Protestants wisely pretend no such thing Yea their whole Reformation is grounded vpon a contrary pretext that the whole Church had fallen into desolation grosse Errors Heresy and Idolatry which is in-indeed to pretend that the succession of the Church had failed and that they were now sent to set her vp again By all which it is seen that the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles and that so clearly that no other Church can pretend to have it This same truth was testifyed by the holy Fathers in their time S. Hierom 〈◊〉 said above that he would bring a clear declaration of his mind that that is the true Church that hath still endured to witt the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which he esteem's so much to be the true Church that he affirmes those who have no Communion with her to belong not to Christ but to Anti-Christ For thus he writes to S. Damasus Bishop of Rome With the successor of the Fisher and with the disciple of the Crosse I speak I Hior epist ad Damas following none chief but Christ hold the fellowship of Communion with thy Holynesse that is with Peters chaire Vpon that rock I know the Church to be built Whosoever shall eate the lambe without that house is a prophane person c. He that gathereth not with thee scattereth that is saith he who is not Christs is Anti-Christs This old doctrin is far different from the Presbyterians new opinions S. Cyprian saith Cyp. tract de simplicitate Prâ—tator who leaves the Chaire of Peter vpon whom the Church was built does he think to be in the Church But let vs hear S. Augustin the most glorious Doctor of the Church shewing this same truth For after he had spoken much of the sincere wisdom great holynesse and fruits of piety of the Church and of the great authority which God hath conferr'd on her he subioyns these remarkable words to his friend Honoratus Aug. de vtilite crede c. 17. Seing therefore we see so great help and assistance from God shall we make any doubt or question at all of retiriing into the bosome of that Church which to the Confession of mankind from the sea Apostolique by the succession of Bishops hath obtain'd the Soveraignity principal authority Heretiques in vain barking round about it being condemned partly by the gravity of Councels partly also by the Maiesty splendour of Miracles vnto which not to grant the chief place is either indeed an extream impiety or a very rash and dangerous arrogancy Thus he Here we see what Church in the time of the holy Fathers had this continued succession and the same is no lesse evident to this day In the Scriptures we read the prophesies and Christs promises of his Church and in this Church alone we see no lesse clearly the performances What the Scripture had foretold Aug. de vnitate Eccl. c. 8. in ps 149. here with ioy as S. Augustin speaks we may see fulfilled The Church before was only read in books and now it is seen in Nations By all which authorities evidences both the Maior and the Minor of the argument proposed are sufficiently proved to be manifest truths to witt That that is only the true Church which has had a continued succession from the Apostles to this time And that the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession From which the Conclusion followes clearly Therefore the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome is the only true Church of Christ You see this reason is neither new nor obscure For it was vsed by the holy Fathers as a most clear short and convincing way whereby the true Church may be known If it was so easy strong then it is no lesse but rather more evident forcible now If the succession of the Church for 3. or 4. hundred years and of 30. or 40. Roman Bishops was esteem'd so strong by the Fathers to prove the true Church how much more forcible is the successioÌ„ of the Church for above 1600. yeares above 2. hundred Bishops of the sea Apostolique to prove the same truth Nothing could be said by the AncieÌ„t Fathers in confirmatioÌ„ of this truth which may not as iustly be said now and nothing can be pretended now by the present Enemies of the Roman Church against it which might not have been as iustly preteÌ„ded by her ancient enemies the old heretiques Neither is there any way to shun the force of this Demonstration but either by affirming that the true Church had perished which is detestable blasphemy or by saying she became invisible which we have shown above to be a grosse falshood and desperate folly This whole matter may be further illustrated and confirmed There is nothing more clear in the Scripture then that the Church of Christ must still endure or have a continued succession of people professing the same faith which was taught by the Apostles Now it is no lesse clear it
at last betwixt these two Ministers to make them abstaine from their publique and scandalous contradictions yet that concord did not laste long their inward fire did shortly burst forth For one day after Sermon the Independent inviting the people to his Communion which he was to give the next Sunday he was publickly interrupted by the Presbyterian who accused him of Apostasy from the Covenant and Presbytery and straitly charged the people to receive no Communion from him And with this confusion the meeting ended but the Ministers bauling continued a space thereafter The event did shew that the Presbyterian got the better of this conflict for the other did not appeare at the day appoynted to give the Communion as he had promised Yet the fulnesse of the Presbyterians victory was much diminished by reason the others place was supplyed by his Colleague who besids others had both the Presbyterians daughter and son-in-law for two of his Communicants I conceived that all these dissensions and divisions did fall forth by Divin providence to give people sufficient notice that a Church of so great confusion cannot be the true Church of Christ which ought to be a house of great order and Vnity and to shew that these Ministers who are the Rulers or rather M s-rulers of such a confus'd Church and who bragge so much of the Spirit are not led by the Spirit of God which is not contrary to himsef but by the Spirit of errour and giddinesse And although sometymes the Ministers to cover the vgly deformity and great scandals of all their dissensions would pretend that their differences were not in fundamentall points yet at other times their words did varie and their actions contradicted ever their words For they changed their tongue as the diversity of questions did trouble them or the interest of their cause did presse them When they were not vrged with their dissensions then they cry'd vp Presbytery as the only scepter of Christ the only governement of the Church iure divino the only means to vphold Christs Kingdome and to hold out the wild boare of Anti-Christianity It 's well knowen also how necessary and fundamentall a point the Covenant was esteem'd and how the Ministers put it very neare in ballance with the booke of life But their actions did shew more sensibly then their words that they esteem'd their dissensions to be in substantiall and fundamentall matters Or else they have been voyde not only of Christian charity but also of humane discretion For how could they haue embroyl'd all these kingdomes into so great confusion and bloodshed for such matters as themselves esteem'd only circumstantiall and not substantiall How could they with any discretion force these points of their now Reformation which they thought only ceremoniall and not substantiall so furiously and substantially vpon others But whither their differences were in fundamentals or not for the Matter It 's euident that they were substantiall and fundamentall for the manner to the substantiall destruction of one and other and almost to the fundamentall subversion of three kinhdomes Yea I found that the Presbyterians in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames time were more ingenuous and confessed freely that their differences from the English Church were in weighty and substantiall matters For thus they speake in M. Rogers M. Roger praefat Doct. Aug. num â—1 13. The controuersy betwixt them and vs is not as the Bishops and their favourers would deceive the world concerning Corner Capes Surplices c. but of more weighty matters as of the true Ministery the Governement of the Church And againe wee contend with the Formalists whither Iesus Christ ought to raigne In this cause we ought so to oppose Ever the Conformists that if we had as many lives as we have haires we ought rather to loose them all then to leave off our enterprise Vpon the other part the English Church or the old Protestants do acknowledge that they differ Substantially from the Presbyterians Covell iust d f. art 11. p. 67. This Doctour Covel plainly protesteth in all their names Least any man Saith he should thinke our contentions with Puritans were in smaller points and difference not great each side hath charged one the other with heresies if not infidelities yea euen with such as quite owerthrow the Principall foundation of our Christian faith And albeit they would not confesse their differences to be in fundamentalls yet it is evident they are so For what is more fundamentall to a Church then the Gouernement established by Christ what is more fundamentall then the foundation of faith to wit the Apostles Creed what more fundamentall then the Sacraments of the Church and the Lords prayer And in all these they have Tragicall differences besids in many other points no lesse substantiall although not so sensible as in Predestination and Reprobation Vniversall grace whether God absolutly decerns or only permits sin whether the Sacraments confers grace whither Christs body be really present in the Eucharist Whither Christ redeem'd the world by shedding his blood and corporall death or by suffering in his soule the paines of Hell Whither man after the fall hath free will and many more which may be seen collected in the Protestants Apology Apol. Protest tract 2. c. 3. sect 5 sub 2. 3. ad 10 in all which the old Protestants and the Presbyterians do teach ooposite doctrines and accuse others of grosse errours and sometymes of blasphemies Having then diligently considered these things I made this reflection with my self How can this Scottish Church which is like a Babel of confusion be the true Church of Christ which for order and Vnity ought to be like to the heauenly Ierusalem How can that Church which is the vnhappy roote of so much Dissension and Division be the Church of Christ which is no lesse the roote of Vnity then it is the pillar and ground of verity I see that ever one sect begets an other which not only divids but strives also like vipers brood to destroy the former Such confusion and Dissension becomes not the Church of Christ but are more proper for the Synagogue of Anti-Christ If the true Church may be knowen by her Vnity then the false Church is no lesse but more easily discerned by its Dissension Math. 7.16 Our Saviour saith of all false Prophets who appeares at first in sheeps raiment you shall know them by their fruits Aug. in psal 149. and S. Augustin sheweth that their fruits are dissensions We sought saith he among them the fruits of charity and we find the thornes of Dissension If therefore we observe our Saviours rule and iudge the Ministers by their fruites we will soone find them not to be true Prophets and their Church wherein their is such Dissension not to be the true Church of Christ but rather a Babel of confusion Therefore I will endeavour by Gods assistance to seek out a Church which hath not only constancy but
the same the divine word of the Apostle doth teach And after he hath proved from the words of the Apostle above cited that Bishops who have power of Iudgeing Priests are above Priests then he proves also the Bishops Superiority by their power of Ordination How is it possible saith he that a Bishop and a Priest can be equall For that Order begetteth Fathers vnto the Church but the other hath no power to beget Fathers it only begets Children vnto the Church by the lauer of regeneration and not Fathers and Masters And how is it possible that one can ordaine a Priest who hath got no imposition of hands Aug. lib de haeres hare 53. for Ordination S. Augustin also reckons vp this errour of Aerius in his booke of heresies Yea S. Hierom who of all the holy Fathers doth most extoll the order of Priestood and brings it as would seem in some comparison with Episcopacy excepts alwayes the power of Ordination for thus he writes Hier. epist. ad Euagr. What doth a Bishop except Ordination that a Priest doth not also By all which it is manifest that if the Presbyterians had been living above tuelve hundred yeares ago they had been condemned in this point as Heretiques by the holy Fathers and that with more reason then the Aerians who never proceeded to their hight of arrogance to call the Office of Bishop vnlawfull and Anti-Christian Now against all this what brings the Presbyterians for themselves pure Scripture at least they pretend so which is an ordinary custome to all those whose errours are most against Scripture They bring ordinarly two places wherein they have greatest confidence The first is Math. 20.26 where our Saviour saith vnto the Apostles You know that the Princes of the Gentiles overrule them and they that are the greater exercise power against them It shall not be so among you c. The like words are repeated the 22. of S. Luke v. 24. The second place is 1. Tim. 4. v. 14. where the Apostle saith to Timothee Neglect not the grace that is in thee which is given thee by prophecie with imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie or of the Eldership as some of their bibles translates it I considered diligently these places and the rest which they bring and I could not find in any of them either Superiority of Pastours condemned nor Equality approved much lesse a Iudicatorie of 9. or 10. Ministers with a changeable Moderator established to Iudge over their brethren in all matters Ecclesiasticall There needs no more to know the truth here but to open our ey 's and read the places for impudence it self cannot affirme that the Scripture doth there expresly condemn the one or approve the other Therefore it 's a vaine and false pretence of the Presbyterians to alledge their disciplin to be contain'd expresly in the Scripture After expresse Scripture failes them then they run to their owne glosses and Consequences vpon the Scripiure which they will have the people to believe as Scripture wherein they commit a double deceit 1. To promise pure Scripture and then in place of it to give yow their owne glosses or rather guesses which are not to be found in Scriâ—ture 2. To oblige yow to believe these glosses and humane inventions to be Scripture or as Scripture As if one who had promised to give an other a quantity of gold and in place of it would give himonly brasse and then after this deceit would also oblige him to esteem the brasse to be Gold But albeit these glosses and consequences be not in Scripture yet it may be they are cleare of themselves and necessarly deduced from the Scripture as the Presbyterians pretends I found this pretence also to be false For if they were so evident and necessary then men of iudgement would easily see such glosses and make such consequences But the holy Fathers who were not only men of great Iudgement but were also most Eminent for learning and holynesse never made any such interpretations and consequences vpon the Scripture Therefore the Presbyterian glosses c. cannot be clear and evident which such holy and piercing ey 's could not see or if they saw them it was only to condemn them as hath been shewed And albeit this authority be more then sufficient to overthrow the pretended clearnesse of all these new glosses yet when I considered that the most learned of all the Protestants side as all the Lutherans in Germanie Suedland and Denmark who have their Superintendents and the late Protestant Church of England Scotland and Ireland and which is to be much here considered the Scottish Church at its first Reformation never made any such Interpretations vpon these Scriptures but had their Bishops and Superintendents then I esteem'd it a madnesse to imagin that these Presbyterian glosses could be clear and necessary which neither the holy Fathers the whole primitive Church and so many Learned Protestants and all their Churches could not see And albeit the French Protestants do admit of the Consistorial disciplin yet they do not declare Episcopacy to be absolutly Anti-Christian or that their forme is only Christian much lesse do they think it so necessarie as to overturne Kingdomes Commonwealths for setting it vp Of which Beza and du Moulin may be sufficient witnesses Beza cont Errast fol 1. Mons Moulin buck 30. aâ—t sect 12. The first saith Whosoever doth iudge this disciplin not only vnprofitable but hurtfull to their Churches Let them enioy their owne sense And much more to this purpose The other saith In so much as coÌ„cerneth Ecclesiastical disciplin we do not hold that equality of Pastors is absolutely necessary Who esteem not that order a point of faith or a doctrin of Salvation we live thanks be to God in brotherly concord with our neighbouring Churches which follow an other forme where there are Bishops some Superiority In Veron tom 2. contro de Hier. And Mons r Blondel a famous Minister in France hath lately written a booke entitled of the Primacy in the Church where he teacheth that although Superiority of Pastours be not by Divine right yet it is not against Divin right and therefore neither is equality of Pastours by Divine right All which are very far from the doctrines and practises of our Scottish Presbyterians who stands very single and bare of all authority Divine and Humane having all the world against them not only the holy Fathers and whole ancient Church but also all the old Protestants both Lutherans and Calvinists And if we shall add vnto these the Independents and Anabaptists and other new Protestants who admits of an equality among Pastours but condemns Presbyterian power and Tyranny their small authority and number is yet much diminished and the clearnesse of their glosses is much obscured Lastly if we will take away from the Presbyterians number all these who by deceit or force were gain'd vnto it their authority will appeare
counsel And againe Let vs believe saith he the Symbol of the Apostles which the Roman Church doth ever preserve and keep 's inviolate And if we will ascend higher S. Iren. lib. 1. c. 2. lib. 3. c. 4. S. Clement epist 1. ad frat Domini Basil de de Sp. S c. 27. S Ireneus Bishop of Lions and disciple of S. Polycarpus sheweth that diverse Nations believed without Scriptures by tradition which certainly was of the Apostles Creed S. Clement the disciple of S. Peter Coadiutor of S. Paul doth testify the same Diverse other Fathers may be seen cited in Cardinal Bellarmin tom 1. de verbo Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 4. S. Basil doth reckon the Apostles Creed as a principal Apostolique tradition And in a word I found that all Christian Nations and Ages have borne testimony of this truth Moreover I found that in the primitive times this Symbol was holden in so great reverence that in General Councels it vsed to be first recited Baron vbi su pra Aug. de Symb. and lay'd downe as the ground of the whole Ecclesiastique building as Baronius doth shew To this purpose S. Augustin calls it The foundation of the Catholique faith vpon which the edifice of the Church built by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles did rise ad Cat. lib. 3. c. 1. Leo ad Pul. Aug. ep 96. And S. Leo saith that this short and perfect Confession of the Catholique Symbol which is sealed by 12. sentences of the Apostles is so furnished with heavenly armour that by this sword alone all opinious of Heretiques may be cut of As I found such greet testimonies to prove the Apostolique authority of the creed so I did find that the holy Fathers did highly praise the excellency of it as of a worke worthy of such diuine Architects S. Augustin calls it Aug. ser 42. de trad Symb. The comprehension perfection of our faith It 's simple saith he short full That it's simplicity might serve the rudnesse it 's shortnesse the memory its fulnesse the instruction of the hearers Elswhere he calls it the Compend of the Scriptures lib. 1. ad Catech. Id. m ser in Vigil Pentecost And againe he saith This is a Symbol briefe in words but large in mysteries For whatsoever is prefigured in the Patriarchs whatsoever is declared in the Scriptures or foretold by the Prophets c. is contain'd and briefly confessed in it And in his Sermon above cited de Traditione Symboli speaking of the Creed he saith These are not humane words but heavenly mysteries of our Lord. But most notable and efficacious are the words of Rufinus to this purpose The Apostles Rufin in praef de expos Symb. saith he being to part from one an other to preach they lay'd downe this marke of their faith and agreement Not as the children of Noe being to part from each other rearing vp a tower of bricke and slime whose top should reach vnto the heauens but building the fortresses of faith of liuely stones and heavenly pearles which should stand stedfast against the face of the enemy which neither the winds should shake nor floodes subvert nor boysterous stormes or tempests move They therefore being to separate building the tower of Pride were deservedly punished with the Confusion of tongues that not one could vnderstand the speech of his neighbour but these who built the tower of Faith were endued with the skill and knowledge of all languages to the end that the one might be the marke of Sin and the other the monument of Faith Thus Ruffinus Lastly the same holy Fathers do shew the frequent laudable vse of the Apostles Creed in the primitive Church It was first taught and delivered vnto those who desired Baptisme and it was required to be publickly said by them immediatly before their baptisme This custome as Ruffinus sheweth was carefully observed in the Roman Church Ruffin ibid vt supra S. Augustin also doth witnesse how the God-fathers did say it in name of the Infants whom they presented to Baptisme and therefor he earnestly exhorts every Christian when he comes to the yeares of discretion to say frequently the Apostolique Creed which he professed by the mouths of those who presented him to Baptisme and call's it the Mirrour of a Christiā Render saith he your Symbol render it vnto the Lord Aug. homil 42. be not weary to rehearse it the repetition of it is good least forgetfulnesse creep on thee Do not say I said it yesternight I said it to day I say it every day I haue it well Remember thy faith behold thy self Let thy Creed be a Mirrour vnto thee there see thy self if thou believe all that thou confesses thy self to believe and reioyce dayly in thy faith Let it be thy riches the dayly Apparell of thy Soule Do you not cloath your self when you rise So by remembering thy Creed cloath thy Soule least peradventure forgetfulnesse make it naked S. Ambrose calls it the Seale of our heart which we ought dayly to review and the Watch-word of a Cristian Amb. lib. 3. de Virginib tom 4. which should be in readinesse in all dangers By all which irrefragable testimonies the sacred authority great excellency and frequent laudable vse both in publick and private of the Apostles Creed did appeare sufficiently vnto me So that I found for it the consent of peoples and Nations the testimonies of the holy Fathers the Martyrs Saints and Christians of all ages that is of the Vniuersal Church the piller ground of truth which are the greatest assurances that can be had vpon earth And therefore I rested fully satisfyed with them But I was much more confirmed in this resolution when I vnderstood by a serious conference with a friend that there was the same certainty for the Creed that there is for the Scriptures to witt the Tradition or testimony of the Church S. Augustin delivers clearly this truth concerning the Scriptures Aug. cont epist fund c. 5. I would not haue believed saith he the Euangel unlesse the authority of the Catholique Church had moved me c. and that authority being once weakned neither can I believe the Euangel This testimony authority of the Catholique Church was proved to me to be the most easy manifest and infallible ordinary way that can be had on earth to come vnto the certaine knowledge of what books are Scriptures yea it was clearly proved to be the only way so that if once this testimony be weakened there is nothing left but guessings wanderings after the manner of blind men as experience doth shew in the difference between the Lutheranists the Calvinists who agree in all their supposed wayes of knowing the Scripture and yet can never agree in the same Canon of the Scriptures But of this matter we shall haue occasion to speake more fitly hereafter in the question of the Church If then the
Scriptures cannot be certainly knowen but by the testimony authority of the Church and are to be believed for the samâ— as S. Augustin doth affirme the Creed also may be knowen and ought to be believed to be Apostolical for the same very reason since the same testimony authority are for both Yea the Tradition Testimony of the Church for the Apostles Creed hath in a certaine manner some preeminence above that which is for the Scripture For it is more ancieÌ„t more vniuersal more manifest More ancient because the holy Fathers and the whole Church do constantly affirme that the Symbol was composed by the Apostles before any part of the new Testament was written It was more vniversal because it was received every where at the very first plantation of Christianity whereas diverse parts of the Scripture being directed only to some particular Churches could not be communicated but after some space to the whole Church It was also more manifest because there were some bookes of the Scripture doubted of by some of the ancient Fathers till the Vniversal Church did determin the Canon of the Sciptures but there was never any ancient Christian who doubted of or denyed the Apostles Creed there was such a clear and Vniversal tradition for it And besides the Creed in it self is very clear as being a short rule of faith ordain'd for the capacity of the most simple according to which the Scriptures that are more obscure ought to be vnderstood Seing then the whole Church in the primitive times and in all ages hath professed that the Apostles made taught the Creed it remaines most certaine that the Apostles did teach it for greater certainty then this cannot be had If the Apostles taught and delivered it vnto the first Christians then they being so taught were obliged to receive it with the sâ—me reverence wherewith they did receive the Scriptures which were delivered or directed vnto them by the same Apostles And if the first ChristiaÌ„s were so obliged why not also their children their childreÌ„s children so downeward froÌ„ age to age vntill the end of the world shall haue the same obligation If this obligation held in the first age why not also in the second and in every succeeding age Or when should this obligation cease Or why more at one time then at an other since the same assurance remaines at all times Or why should it cease more for the Creed then for the Scripture since the same testimony is for both and if there be any preeminence in this matter the Creed hath it as has been shewed Wherefore as I was by these considerations fully satisfyed of the Apostolique authority laudable vse of the Creed in the primitive Church so I could in no wise approve the Presbyterians innovations against it but rather did much admire of their presumption For by their denying the Creed to be Apostolique I saw they denyed the clear rule and endeavoured to subvert the very foundation of the Christian faith By their taking away both the publick and private vse of it they would haue robbed Christians of the heavenly apparell and spiritual armour of their soules as the holy Fathers above call it And all this they do relying vpon no other grounds but their owne gesses which they oppose and would haue to be preferred to the constant testimony and irrefragable authority of the whole Christian world The Iewes brought at least Aug. in psal 63. v. 7. sleeping witnesses against the resurrection of Christ for which folly S. Augustin mocks theÌ„ and saith that they theÌ„selves were sleeping and failed in their search But the Presbyterians bring neither sleeping nor waking witnesses and yet they will blindly iudge in a matter done above 16. hundred yeares ago and boldly pronounce sentence against an ancient fundamental truth which had been received professed by the Christians of all ages But albeit the Presbyterians do reiect the authority testimony of the Church yet I saw if they followed their owne principles they might as easily discern the Creed to be Apostolique as they pretend they can know the Scriptures For the Maiesty of the style the harmony of the parts the purity of the doctrin and the like do concurre in the Creed in an eminent degree as we haue seen above out of the holy Fathers who do so highly praise it for its perfections as a worke Worthy of such heavenly Architects And the matter being considered in it self the Creed in all these qualities is equal if not Superiour by outward apparance vnto the Scriptures For in them there are many seeming contradictions hard to be explained but none in this Many things in Scripture not so full of Maiesty as about S. Pauls cloke c. 2. Tim. 4.13 but the creed is totally replenished with most sublime divine mysteries Therefore if the Presbyterians could by these marks discern the Scriptures they might as easily discern the Creed to haue been made by the Apostles Albeit I admired much how the Presbyterians could vpon so weake grounds deny the Apostles Creed against such invincible authorities yet I was much more stricken with admiration when I considered what they brought in place of it For in place of the Apostles Creed we got the Presbyterians Covenant As that was denyed to be Apostolical so this was cry'd vp to be Divine for it was called Gods Covenant the Confession of faith c. As parents were accustomed at the Baptisme of their children to say the Apostles Creed in which they promised to bring them vp so now they were made promise to breede them in the Covenant which was too long to haue by heart or to be repeated This was truly a rare exchange to deny the Creed to be Apostolique to cry vp the Covenant to be Divine To rob vs of a most ancient clear briefe positive Sacred Confession of faith made by the holy Apostles famous in all ages vniversally received troughout the whole world full of great mysteries divine expressions And to give vs in place of it a new long obscure negative Confession or rather Confossion of faith full of terrible oaths execrations combinations devised by some few discontented heads by cunning and force obtruded vpon this Nation much suspected at the beginning to be nothing but a meer pretence of religion as it was notoriously knowen to be a humane invention and as it 's now at lenth after all its disguises manifested for such vnto the world It 's good fame hath not lasted long neither at home nor abroad It got some footing in England by cunning and worldly interest but these soone failing it was quickly detected and reiected The Christlan Moderator saith to this purpose Christ Mod. p. 2. That the last Reformation setled with so solemn a Covenant and caried on with so furious a zeal is already by better lights discovered to be meerly humane therefore deservedly lay'd aside Therefore to
how much lesse can they as they are now being in many places hard and obscure These Protestants who reiect all but Scripture would make Christ to have been the most imprudent Lawgiver that ever was in ths world to have left vs only a written law or a book in many things very obscure and expose it to every man to scance vpon without assigning an Interpreter who could give vs full assurance of the true sense of it That way would never bring men to the sure knowledge of Christs doctrine and the true sense of his law but would make all things vncertain and bring in a confusion more worthy of Babel then of the house of God But his divine wisdom hath otherwise provyded We haue seen then said the Catholique that the testimony of all Christians in every generation is the only sure infallible way Now we shall see that it is the most easy vniversal way to attayn vnto the certain knowledge of what Christ his Apostles taught For what is more easy then to hear a continued testimony of Pastors people who constantly depose that this is the doctrin which they have receiued from their Forefathers what can be more easy then to open our eys and see the practise of all Christians No man of sense will deny if the true doctrin can be surely known hereby but it is a much mor easy way then by the Scriptures which are so hard and obscure or by any written word although never so cleer And it is also evident that it is more vniversal for the Scriptures are only for those who can read and vnderstand them but this serues for all sortes of persons learned or vnlearned these who can read or cannot and even for the meanest capacities This was certainly the meaning of God when he promised vnder the Gospel a direct way so that fooles cannot erre by it Therefore this being so sure Esay 35.8 so easy so vniversal a way the wisdom goodnesse of God who disposeth all things wisely and sweetely has made vse of it This may be yet further illustrated and confirmed by the manner how the Christian religion was planted First the Apostles stayd long in one place that they might diligently inculcate the Christian doctrin as S. Paul said to the Ephesians Acts 20 27.31 I haue not spared to declare vnto you all the Counsell of God c. For three years night day I ceased not with teares to warn every one c. Secondly the Apostles earnestly exhorted their disciples to keep carefully what they had received 2. Timoth 2.2 Galat. 1.9 to entrust it vnto faithfull witnesses and not to admit any doctrin contrary to that which they had received not although an Angel from heauen should preach otherwise Thirdly The mysteries of the Christian religion were not only sensibly taught to the eare but they were rendred visible to the sight by the â—ractise devotion of the Christian people Fourthly The Christian religion was planted at once in many diverse nations Therefore it was easy for the primitive Christians to know what was the Apostles doctrin which they had heard so often beaten into their eares which they saw practised with their eys and which was profest through out the whole word and great reason had they not to receive any doctrin contrary to it It was also easy for them to discern hold out all new false doctrins For although some would pretend never so much the Scriptures against the publique doctrin of the Church yet the ancient Christians knowing certainly that the Scriptures are not contrary to the doctrin which the Apostles had clearly delivered by lively voice and publickly establish'd in the Church they vnderstood the Scriptures according to the clear rule of faith left by the Apostles They did not vpon pretext of contrariety between the doctrin of the Church the Scriptures abandon the Apostles clear lively doctrin vniversally establisht and follow a new glosse of their writings contrary to it which had been indeed grosse follie and directly against the Apostles command in the Scriptures as has been shown And as this was an easy way in the first ages to know the truth and to discern error so it has been in the succeeding ages For the rule of faith ought to be immoveable as the faith it self is God himself promiseth the continuance of this easy way when he said by Esay Esay 59.21 My Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed for ever And again Vpon thy walls ô Ierusalem Esay 62.6 I haue appointed watchmen all the day all the night c. The Scripture directs vs to this way Deuter. 32.7 Remember the dayes of old saith Moyses Consider euery Generation ask thy Father and he will show thee thy Elders they will tell thee God himself saith in Ieremy Ieremie 6.16 stand you in the ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall find Rest to your soules Because many leave this old good way we see they change many wayes and can find no rest and never will vntill they return again to the old good way which they foolishly abandoned Christ directs vs to this way Math. 18.17 when he saith Tell the Church and who heares you heares me c. The holy Fathers followed this way S. Augustin shewes that this is the way to put an end to all doubts to attayn vnto the truth to be at rest which he knew by his own experience Aug. de vtilitate cred cap. 8. If thou seeme to thy self saith he to have been already sufficiently tossed and would make an end of these labours paines Follow the way of the Catholique Disciplin which has proceeded from Christ by his Apostles even vnto vs and from hence shall descend and be conveighed vnto posterity Tertullian affirmes there is no other way to know the Apostles doctrin Tertull. de praescrip c. 21. What the Apostles taught saith he I will prescribe ought no otherwise to be proued then by these Churches which the Apostles founded And that we must begin with the testimony of the Church in the time wherein we live to ascend by every generation vnto the ancient Church and so to the very mouth of Christ his Apostles the same Tertullian shewes who makes this ladder of belief Tert. de praes c. 21. What I believe I receiued from the present Church the present Church from the Primitive the Primitive from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ c. According to this tradition the holy Fathers did vnderstand the Scriptures Vincent Lyr. cont heres c. 1. S. Vincentius Lyrinensis shewes the necessity of this rule to avoid the turnings and windings of diverse errors where he cites and commends the following words of
how can he be goodnesse itself and the Author of goodnesse if he be the Author of wickednesse A holy Father saith Basil quod Deus noe sit auctor malor It 's the same madnesse to deny God and to say he is the Author of sin For if he be the Author of sin he is not good if he be not good he is not God The Manicheans taught the same impiety but with this difference that they made not the good but the evil God the Author of evil Moreover it 's evident that God cannot be the Author of that whereof he is the punisher But he is the punisher of sin Therefore he cannot be the Author of it I know some Protestants strive to make a faire face vpon this doctrin of Calvin but all in vain for it is so black and vgly of it self in the tearmes which he vseth that as it is in the proverb these who would blanch it vndertake to wash a black-Moore The text is so bad that it can admit no good Commentarie Feuardentius lib. 2. Theomachiae Calvinisticae cap. 12. So that the Lutherans in Germanie have condemned it as contumelious against God pernicious to mankind and the Zuinglians of Berne caused Calvins books wherein these black errors were contain'd to be burnt publickly by the common Executioner He teacheth also some doctrin no lesse pernicious in the iudgment of many concerning predestination as that God by his only will has ordaind many without any consideration of their merits to damnation Cal. lib. 3. Inst c. 22. par 2. His words are these By his only will and without any consideration of their merits they are predestinated to eternal death Such doctrin which transformes God into the Devil and represents him as the greatest Tyrant imaginable cannot be holy no more then he who taught it can be heavenly albeit he be much esteem'd by the Presbyterians who keep still this doctrin lying at their hearts though vpon some occasions they are ashamd to profess it Secondly As he robs God of his goodnesse so doth he also spoile man of his free-will which is not only false against common experience and the confession of mankind for as S. Augustin saith no fewnesse of the learned Aug. lib. de vera relig c. 14. no company of the vnlearned do deny it but also in the iudgment of many Protestants it makes all exhortations admonitions and threats which are so frequent in the Scriptures both vselesse and ridiculous it hinders all exercise yea and attempt of vertue holynesse and with the opinion of Gods absolute decree of reprobation it brings men to despaire Thirdly their doctrin of the impossibility to keep the divine commandments even with the assistance of Gods grace we have seen above to be iniurious to the goodnesse wisdom and iustice of God to be a great hindrance of the growth of piety and of the care of a good life from which wicked doctrin flowed the impious sect of the Anti-Nomians To which if we shall add that doctrin which they call the life of their religion to witt their iustification by a special faith only whereby they beleeve that all their sins are forgiven them what a wid gate is opened to all licentious liberty to the neglect of piety and of all good works Their doctrin also concerning the Sacraments is not holy which robs them of all grace and vertue of sanctification In a word if the proper doctrines of the Presbyterians be impartially considered there is almost nothing amongst them which hath appearance of holynesse or any invitation to it For they do not esteem their Churches holy they have no holy ornaments no holy Vessels no holy rites or Ceremonies no holy dayes or festivities no holy forme of publique worship or service of God and nothing that setteth forth the Maiesty magnificence of God or that can breed respect or reverēce in man Yea their principles if they be followed lead to prophanesse or Atheism whereof I will bring some few instances The first is of one named Godefridus a Valle who wrote a book Becan opusc disp An Deus sit Auctor peccati cap. 17. which he entitled Of the art of beleeving nothing In which he said all other things false and one only thing true as Becan relates to witt that he who would become an Atheist should first be a Calvinist as himself had been For from that doctrin of Calvin that God is the Author of sin and that by his absolute decree of Reprobation he had preordain'd the most part of men vnto damnation without any regard of their works but only for his own pleasure he collected that such a God was a most cruel Tyrant Therefore he would rather deny there was a God then acknowledge such a God And therevpon he became a profest Atheist and was burnt publickly in Paris in the yeare 1572. Another instance fell out not long ago in our own Countrey on another subiect For as the Presbyterian Ministers generally teach that the Church is no more holy then any other place nor no more reverence due vnto it except only when the Minister is preaching so a great Apostle of the Covenant taught that doctrin very eagerly in Aberdeen the fruite whereof did shortly thereafter appear For a covenanting souldier of the Saints army was found within few dayes in the Colledge Church of that town in vncivil conversation with a woman and being brought before the same Minister as I was credibly informed who did exaggerate the grievousnesse of the crime from the holynesse of the place he answered that there was neither preaching nor praying in the Church at that time By which he confounded the Minister Now of a long time they keep their Churches shut both night and day except only at such times as the Minister is to preach I knew also a young Lady who took great scandal at a Ministers sermon wherein he vndertook to prove against the Papists the impossibility of living chastly which doctrin she truly said was very dangerous to young people and loosed the reines to all lasciviousnesse So that in many points both concerning God and man the Sacraments the Commandments we see the Presbyterian Church is not holy in doctrin But on the other part the Church in Communion with the Sea of Rome teacheth most holy doctrin in all these points For first concerning God she teacheth that in him there are all perfections in an infinit degree that he is not only good in himself but the fountain of all goodnesse and that no evil can proceed from him That he is neither the cause Author or approver of sin That he is so good that he would not permit sin to be vnlesse he could draw good from it That he has predestinate no man to damnation but only for sins which they willingly freely commit This is the doctrin of the Catholique Church and of the holy Fathers Aug. in Enchir. c. 100. S.
of them of some excellent privilege For they spoile God of his goodnesse by making him the Author of sin Christ of his merits by denying he dyed for all and the holy Trinity of Glory They spoile the Angels and the Saints of their felicity and of all respect and reverence from men They rob the Church of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost Man of his free-will the living of the prayers of the Saints and the faithfull departed of the suffrages of the living They rob the Sacraments of Grace and the Commandments of obedience Yea what have they left vntouched in the Church They have taken away many books of the Scriptures almost all the Sacraments all Traditions Priesthood Sacrifice Vowes set Fasts Festival Dayes Altars Reliques Holy Images all Monuments of Piety all the antient Ecclesiastical Lawes all Order and Disciplin all Comlinesse and beauty from the House of God They have abolished the Apostolique Government denyed the Apostles Creed subverted the Divine Commandments and abiured all the Evangelical Counsels and many more points have they destroyed as we shall see in the progresse of the Covenant so that never any heresy deserved more the title of Destroyer never any heretical Confession of Faith deserved so much the Title of the Negation of Faith as the Covenant For never any heresy or negative Confession denyed so many points of the Catholique faith and so overturn'd the Christian Religion both in doctrin disciplin in all the Monuments and helps of Piety As the matter of the Covenant is very large containing so many points of the Catholique Faith which it deny's so the manner how it doth renounce them which is as it were the life and forme of the Covenant is very considerable For it doth not only deny these articles but it detests and abiures them yea and blasphemes them adding a blasphemous Epithet almost to every point For thus it speaks We renounce and detest the Vsurped authority of the Roman Anti-Christ his wicked Hierarchie his Devilish Masse Blasphemous Priesthood Profane Sacrifice Bastard Sacraments Doubtsome Faith Desperat Repentance c. Behold said the Catholique to me what a Rapsodie of lies and calumnies against manifest sense and experience against the ancient faith and true religion was fathered vpon God the Author of truth and was called his Covenant Behold what a blasphemous Negation of the Faith was entitled the Confession of Faith Behold what a monstrous Idol of lies execrations blasphemies the Covenanters did so highly honour reverence as if it had been Gods vndoubted truth and not only did Idolatrize it themselv's but with furious zeal and rigour enforced others to adore it against their Consciences S. Cyptian affirmes that the Devil Cypr. de simâ—l Praelator Hieron in EsaiaÌ„ c. 21. in place of the old Pagan Idols has invented the deceits of Errors Heresies and S. Hierom saith that all Heretiques are Idolaters adoring their own fictions and imaginatio s as divin truths According to this doctrine if the Covenant containe heresies as we shall see it containes not a few the Covenanters have been great idolaters The old Pagans did indeed adore false Gods and the works of their own hands but never any carying the name o Chr stians did more Idolatrize the fancies of their own braines then the Covenanters have done The prosperity of the Covenant for a time did blind many but now the Visitation which God has sent vpon it has opened the ey 's of a great part so that the Covenant which was before the obiect of their greatest reverence respect is now become the subiect of their laughter sport The Prophet Ieremy foretells that these miseries should befalls to all Idols They are vain things Ieremy 10.15 Hieron â—u hunc loâ—um saith he and a work worthy to be laughed at in time of their Visitation they shall perish Which words S. Hierom applies excellently to Heresies Who would not laugh saith he when he considers the Idols of Heretiques c. Heresies prevaile only for a time that these who are chosen may be made manifest and be approved But when the Visitation of God comes and his eys do behold their fooleries then all are quyet and siâ—e it And so now is the Covenant silent and fallen asleep But enough for our intended brevity of the false Titles of the Covenant and of the grosse vntruths in it against sense We shall now run brieflâ— through the Spiritual vntruths of it against Faith SECTION III. Of the Covenantes vain pretext of the word and Spirit of God and of the marks by which they describe their Relâ—gion THAT this matter may proceed more clearly we shall set down in order the words of the Covenant and then subioyn the Observations we made vpon them The Preface then of it goes thus Covenant Wee all and every one of vs vnderwritten protest that after long due examination of our Consciences in matters of true false religion Wee are now throughly resolved of the truth by the word Spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God the whole world that this only is the true Christian faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which now is by tho mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks Realms but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Maiesty and the three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal Truth and only ground of our Salvation as more particularlâ— is confessed in the Confession of our faith established and publickly confirmed by Sundry Acts of Parliament and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Maiesty and whole body of this Realm both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion we willingly agree in our Consciences in all points as vnto Gods vndoubted Truth and Verity grounded only vpon his written word To passe by the first sensible vntruth about the long and due examination of their consciences which was lately touched they pretend next that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word and Spirit of God But this is no new song neither is it only peculiar to them All sects although never so monstrous which receiv'd the Scriptures have made and do make the same pretexts And this they must all do or else they would get few followers But that the Covenanters make this pretext as falsly as any other sects is very evident For first they falsly pretend to be perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word of God seing they beleeve diverse points as principal articles of their religion which are expresly against the word of God Which may be shown by many Instances but we shall be content with two or three The Covenanters beleeve as
practice of the whole Church against whose custome to dispute as S. Augustin affirmes is most insolent madnesse Therefore without or rather against all reason do you detest the Ceremonies of the Catholique Church No religion can be without Ceremonies and we see in the Scripture that all great mysteries are accompanyed with sublime significative Ceremonies as our Saviours Nativity Baptism Transfiguration Resurrection Ascension the Descent of the holy Ghost c. Our saviour also at all great solemn actions vsed many Ceremonies as at the raising of Lazarus the cureing of the man who was both deaf dumb Mark 7.33 and vpon many other occasions all which Ceremonies serve as Ornaments of religion presenting an external Maiesty to the senses and making the spiritual mysteries to be more clearly vnderstood to be received with greater reverence and to be more deeply imprinted in the hearts of the beholders The same might be easily verifyed of the Catholique Ceremonies Therefore you who vnder pretext of spirituality are profest Enemies to all Ceremonies do not take heed that you take all order decency from the Church service of God that you oppose the practice of Christ his Apostles and of the whole Primitive Church and do render the sublime mysteries of the Christian religion contemptible You renounce also to vse your words the Popes 5. bastard Sacraments But that is only proper to adulteresse Churches to have bastard Sacraments The Catholique Church has none but lawfull Sacraments instituted by her heavenly Spouse Iesus-Christ of admirable vertue grace as we have seen all these 5. to be But indeed you have made even those two which you keep bastard Sacraments by robbing them of all vertue and grace We shall only speak a word of your other Detestations which follow in this Section because some of them have been touched above First vnder the name of the Pope you detest the iudgment of the Catholique Church as cruel against infants dying without Baptism and for the absolute necessity of Baptism But this was also the iudgment of the Primitive Church yea of Christ himself who has said Iohn 3.5 vnlesse one be borne again of water the Spirit he shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven And therefore is not cruel as has been shewed above at more length Whereas your iudgment is both false and cruel against many children dying with Baptism excluding them from heaven Yea not only your Iudgment is cruel but also your practice suffering many children to dye without Baptisme Confer Hampton-Court for which cruelty King Iames affirmed that your Ministers who were guilty of it would be damned You accuse next the Catholique Church of blasphemy for beleeving the Reall Presence or Transubstantiation which you wisely make all one question and for teaching that the wicked receive the body of Christ But they are not blasphemous who do beleeve Christs words expressed by 3. Evangelists and one Apostle and who follow the constant doctrin of the holy Fathers of the auncient Church as the Catholiques do in this matter as has been shewed above And if the wicked did not receive the body of Christ how could they be guilty of it as the Apostles affirmes the vnworthy receivers of it to be But you are rather guilty of blasphemy even in the iudgment of Protestants who will not beleeve Christs clear words and deny thereby his Omnipotency Luther your first Apostles gives this Iudgment of you We censure as heretiques aliens from the Church of God the Zuinglians all Sacramentaries Luth. cont Lovanien Thes 27. who deny the body blood of Christ to be received with the Carnal Mouth in the Eucharist And a famous Doctor of his Church continues the same opinion of you for speaking of this same matter he saith the sect of the Calvinists is grown to such blasphemy and madnesse Conrad Shlussel Theol. Calvin l. 1. c. 3. that they dare call in question Gods omnipotency Then you accuse the Pope Catholique Church for Dispensations in solemn Oaths and Periuries But these are either vain or false allegations For it is certain that the Church may dispense sometimes with the bond of oaths as she may loose from punishments and free men from the bonds of sins according to that power which Christ gave to her saying whatsoever thou shall loose on earth Math. 16 shall be loosed in heaven c. But it must be for a iust cause and without the iust preiudice of others as Becan shewes Becan de ur iustitia quest 88. q. 11 or else the dispensation is not valid Periuries or false oaths need no Dispensations as you mistake or calumniate but must be only taken away by true Repentance as other sins are purged It is strange that you should deny the lawfull power of dispensing to the whole Catholique Church such as S. Paul vsed with the incestuous Corinthian and yet appropriate it to every one of your selves and should obiect that falsly as a crime to others whereof yourselves are so deeply guilty For it is known how many oaths vowes your first Reformers did either break or dispense with at their own hands and if we will beleeve King Iames Basilicon Doron p. 41. you are not behind with any in these enormities You accuse also falsly the Pope Catholique Church for dispensing in degrees of Mariage forbidden by the word of God that is by the Law of Christ vnlesse you will have the Ceremonial Law of the Iewes to be the Law of Christ and to oblige all Christians whence it would follow that if a man died without issue Deuter. 25.5 his brother should marie the Widow which yourselves do not observe but deny that it ought to be done The Church is so far from dispensing in degrees forbidden by the eternal Law of God that she has made Lawes forbidding dissolving Mariages in degrees not prohibited by the Eternal Law of God which serve as out-works to guard the divin Law She dispenseth indeed sometimes vpon good reason in her own lawes but never in the eternal Law of God which she professeth to be altogether indispensable Neither is the Pope and Catholique Church guilty of cruelty against the innocent divorced by forbidding them to marie vnlesse Christ himself and S. Paul be cruel and the Primitive Church which taught the same doctrine Luke 16.8 Our Saviour saith every one that putteth away his wife and marieth another committeth adulterie and he that marieth her committeth adulterie 1. Cor. 7.10 S Paul saith not I give commandment but our Lord that the wife depart not from her husband if she depart to remaine vnmaried or to be reconciled to her husband Whence it is clear that neither of the parties can marie so long as the other lives This was the doctrine of the holy Fathers and of the ancient Church S. Augustin proveth this in his bookes de adulterinis coniugijs
might be chased away Wherevpon one went and offered vp saith he there the Sacrifice of the body blood of Christ to the end that the vexation might cease and by Gods mercy it did cease immediatly As therefore it is evident by what has been briefly said from the Scriptures holy Fathers that there is nothing more holy divine in the whole Christian religion then the Christian Sacrifice of Christs pretious body blood vnder the formes of bread wine which was foretould by the Prophets instituted and offered vp by Christ himself and was thereafter offered vp by the holy Apostles and their Successors so you very wickedly call it Devilish For that cannot be Devilish which was ordain'd by God himself and whereby he is most honoured that cannot be Devilish which chaseth away Devils But your railing against it and abolishing it must be Devilish because the Devil by his principal instrument the great Anti-Christ is to abolish it in the later dayes Daniel 11.31 and Luther your first Reformer Luth. de Missa pri tom 7. by a strange divine Providence did confesse to the world that the Devil did stirre him vp by many arguments to abrogat it And as the Sacrifice is most holy divine so is the office of Priesthood by which it is offered most sacred and venerable If the Aaronical Priesthood whereby only bullocks and beasts were Sacrificed to God was so sacred how much more sacred excellent must be the Christian Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech by which the body blood of Christ are offered vp vnto God a pure Oblation And therefore you very wickedly call the office of Priesthood blasphemous and by dishonouring it you dishonour God himself who did institute it as S. Ignatius the Disciple of the Apostles affirmes when he saith that Priesthood is the Top of all Honours Ignat. epist ad myrn that are amongst men which if any man dishonoureth he dishonours God our Lord Iesus-Christ the alone chief Priest of God by nature Your Ministerial office is rather blasphemous against God which robs him of his supreme worship by Sacrifice which has been given vnto him since the Creation That the Christian Sacrifice is offered vp for sins our Saviour shewes when he saith This is my blood which is shed for many to the remission of sins And that it is profitable also for remission of sins to the faithfull departed the holy Fathers do teach by the Scriptures and practice of the whole Church Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis c. 1. S. Augustin saith We read in the Books of the Machabees of Sacrifice offered for the dead but though it were no where read in the old Testament yet not smal is the authority of the Vniuersal Church which shines in this custome where the commendation of the dead hath its place in the prayers of the Priest which are powred out to our Lord God at his altar lib. 9. Con. c. 3 And in his ninth book of Confessions he tells vs His Mother Monica desired on her death-bed that memory should be made of her at the Altar from whence she knew the holy Sacrifice to be dispensed wherewith the indictment against vs was blotted out Where you may see also the Saints call that a Holy Sacrifice which you call profane SECTION IX Of the Canonization of Saints Invocation of Angels and Saints Worshiping of Images Reliques and Crosses Dedicating of Churches Altars c. NOW follow these words of the Covenant We detest his Canonization of men calling vpon Angels or Saints departed worshiping of Images Reliques Crosses Dedicating of Kirks Altars Dayes and Vowes to Creatures We shall now for brevities sake run speedily through all the rest of the Covenant First you blame here the Catholique Church for a most laudable custome which she has ever observed of Canonizing that is declareing some persons who had been eminent for holynesse to be glorifyed Saints in heaven There have been indeed different wayes by which this Canonization has been performed For sometimes it was done by the voice of the people with consent of their Prelats or by the Prelats the people not controuling But since the year 800. none have been Canonized but by the Sea Apostolique according to the decree of Pope Leo the third Whence it is that this action is performed with greater diligence and more exact trial both of life miracles then when it was done in a popular manner What then can you iustly blame here But indeed you are to be blamed who Canonize in your own manner not Saints but sinners that break mortaly every day Gods commandments and such was your Covenanting Army which you ordinarly called the Army of the Saints You passe next from detesting the Catholiques Canonizing of Saints to detest the Invocation both of Angels Saints But indeed you cannot detest that vnlesse you detest also the Scriptures the practice of the Saints of the whole Primitive Church For did not Iacob invocat an Angel when blessing Iosephs children he said The Angel Genes 18 16. Osee 12.4 which delivered me from all evil blisse these children Doth not the Prophet Osee testify the same saying Iacob prevailed agrinst the Angel he wept prayed to him Did not also Abraham Lot Gedeon pray to Angels as may be seen recorded in the Scriptures Genes 18.4.19.1 Iudges 6.3 Therefore in detesting the invocation of Angels you detest the Scriptures practice of the Saints The same may be also said of the Invocation of Saints departed For if it be lawfull to invocat the Angels why not also the Saints of Heaven whom our Saviour affirmes to be equal vnto the Angels Luke 20.36 Yea if it be lawfull to invocat Saints and sinners living vpon earth and to desire the assistance of their prayers why is it not lawfull to invocat the Saints raigning in Heaven and desire them to pray for vs To say that they do not hear our prayers and know not what is done here below which may concern them Luke 15.10 is most false For our Saviour sheweth that there is ioy among the Angels of Heaven at the Conversion of a sinner Therefore they must know it And shall the Angels know such things and reioyce at them and the glorifyed Saints who are of our own nature be altogether ignorant of them and have no fellow-feeling with vs Shall some Saints living here on earth know the secrets of others hearts know what is done at a distance as is recorded in Scripture of Samuel in relation to King Saul 1. Kings 1.19 and of Elizeus in regard of his man Giezi 4. Kings 5.25 to passe by other instances of Daniel S. Peter shall I say these Saints have such knowledge in their exile here on earth and shall the glorifyed Saints in their Countrey in the presence fruition of God be ignorant of such things and so be in a worse condition No that cannot be for
worship to any Creatures but not the holy Images of Christ his Saints nor a competent worship due vnto them Did not God himself in the same book command the holy Images of Cherubins to be made and due Veneration to be given vnto them Adore you his foot-stoole c. Is God contrary to himself or will he command Idolatry Secondly you falsly alleadge that the Catholiques take away the second Commandment whereby you deceive many For they make only that a part of the first commandment which you make the second and therein they follow the authority of S. Augustin who expresly saith Aug. q. 71. sup Exod. that more conveniently three precepts of the first Table are to be reckoned then foure and that these words Thou shalt not make any Idol are indeed an explication of the former Which division of the commandments was also shown to me to be most agreeable to right reason Thirdly you falsly calumniate the Catholiques for Idolaters seing they do not worship holy Images as Gods with divine worship but with a respect infinitly below that like vnto the honour which the people of God gave vnto the Arke and the Cherubins and which is given by all good Christians to the letters of the holy Scriptures But indeed all these accusations which you bring falsly against others may be iustly retorted against your selves For though you adore no Idols made with hands yet you adore many Errors fancies of your own braines which S. Hierom calls the Idols of Heretiques And you have not taken away only one but in effect all Gods commandments by denying the possibility of keeping them What has been said of holy Images may also be vnderstood of Crosses Then for Reliques the Scripture Fathers and right reason are so clear for dutifull respect veneration to be given vnto them that there can be no doubt of it Do we not read in the Scripture how the woman in the Gospel by touching respectfully the hem of our Saviours garment was cured of her bloody flux Math. 9.21 How S. Iohn Baptist did so respect honour the latchet of our Saviours shoe that he esteem'd himself vnworthy to vntye it Mark 1.7 How the Napkins that had but touched the body of S. Paul cast out Devils and cured diseases Acts 19.12 How the ancient Church did reverence Reliques Aug. ep 103. S. Augustin testifyeth saying They bring the Reliques of most blessed Stephen the Martyr which your Holynesse is not ignorant as we also have done how conveniently you ought to honour And in his 22. book of the Citie of God he sayes At the Reliques of S. Stephen only there were in a short space so many Miracles wrought that they might fill many Volumes It is also agreeable to right reason to honour Reliques For the very light of Nature teaches vs to honour the Instruments of supernatural effects and to carie due respect vnto the bodies of the Saints But these who dishonour and destroy them imitat the old Pagans and the enemies of the Christian religion You accuse lastly in this place the Catholiques for dedicating Churches Altars Dayes Vowes to Creatures But it is sufficient against your accusations to know that they observe the custome of the holy Fathers ancient Christians who dedicated Churches Altars c. not to Creatures but to God the Creator albeit in memorie of the Saints Martyrs So S. Augustin saith Aug. lib. 20 cont Faust c. 21. The Christian people celebrateth the memories of Martyrs with fuligious solemnity c. but yet so that we apwant Altars to none of the Martyrs but vnto the God of Martyrs though in memorie of the Martyrs The same he affirmeth of Churches saying We build not Churches vnto our Martyrs Aug. lib 22. de Civ c. 10. as vnto God but Memories as vnto dead men whose Spirits live with God Then for Dayes they are principally dedicated vnto God though in honour and memorie of the Saints As also Vowes are properly principally made to God as vnto the first Principle Author of all good but when they are made to the Saints they are made in a secondary manner as vnto the Friends of God by whose prayers intercession we receive benefits from him which is a respect infinitly inferiour to that which is given by vowing to God as may be seen in Bellarmin lib. 3. de cultu Sanctor c. 11. But indeed you are iustly to be blamed who dedicate no Churches nor Altars to God but have destroyed profaned many that were consecrated to his service and have abolished the festival dayes not only of the Saints but of Christ himself and are so far from honouring the Saints whom you call very simply Creatures with Vowes that you have taken away that worship respect from God the Creator which had been alwayes given to him both in the Law of Moyses in the Law of Nature SECTION X. Of Purgatory Praying for the dead Praying in an vnknown Tongue Processions Litanies Auricular Confession c. YOV go on in your Covenant saying We detest His Purgatory Prayer for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language with his Processions blasphemous Litanies and Multitude of Advocats or Mediators His manyfold Orders Auricular Confession As you are pleased to father all the points of the Catholique faith vpon the Popes as if they were their Inventions so you father this point of Purgatory vpon them in a special manner crying out that it is a meer fiction a late invention of the Popes for their own gaine that it was not beleeved by the Primitive Church with which vain fancies you fill your peoples eares But having found you already to be so often false Accusers we will not think it strange to see you here like your selves For the holy Fathers of the Primitive Church not only beleeved there was a Purgatory that is a third place of temporal punishment where some soules are purged and punished after this life for venial sins and for the temporal punishment due to their mortal sins not fully satisfyed in this life but also they proved it by the Scriptvres whereof we shall bring two or three testimonies The first is of S. Paul 1. Cor. 3. where he saith the work of every one of what kind it is the fire shall trie c. if any mans work burne he shall suffer detriment but himself shall be saved yet so as by fire which words S. Augustin bringing speaks thus Because it is said Aug. in psal 37. He shall be safe that fire is contemned yet that fire shall be more grievous then what ever a man can suffer in this life Purge me Lord in this life and make me such an one as shall not need that mending fire S. Ambrose expounds it after the same manner saying But whereas S. Paul says Amb. in cap. 3. ep ad Cor. Yet so as by fire he shewes indeed that he shall be saved but yet shall suffer
the punishment of fire that being purged by fire he may be saved and not tormented for ever as the Infidels are with everlasting fire The second place is in S. Mathew ch 12. v. 32. where our Saviour saith He that shall speak against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Vpon which S. Augustin saith Aug lib. 21. de Civit. c. 24. Neither could it be truly said of some That they are neither forgiven in this life nor in the life to come vnlesse there were some who though they are not forgiven in this life yet should be Ber. ser 66. sup Cantic in the life to come S. Bernard brings this same testimony by which alone he thinks to have sufficiently confuted the Petro-brusian heretiques who denyed Purgatory in his time The third place is Math. 5.26.27 where our Saviour saith Amen I say to thee thou shalt not goe out from thence till thou pay the last farthing Vpon which S. Hierom. This is that which he saith Hieron in c. 5. Math. thou shalt not go out of prison till thou shalt pay even thy little sins By all which it is evident that Purgatory was beleeved by the holy Fathers by the Primitive Church and that it has good ground in the Scriptures Yea the same was also beleeved by the ancient Iewes as it is clear out of the 2. book of the Machabees 12. ch and it is also known that the Iewes to this day pray for the dead to speak nothing that the very Heathens of old held and the Mahumetans hold the same Bellar. l. 1. de purg c. 11. as Bellarmin sheweth Therefore it is not only a false but also a shamelesse calumnie which you Covenanting Ministers do make when you say that Purgatory is a late invention of the Popes and they are miserably deceived who give credit to you But indeed you ought not to be so great enemies to Purgatory seing you must either grant a certain Purgatory after this life or else none of you can go to Heaven as has been shewed above out of your own principles For seing according to your doctrine Supra p. 188. the filthinesse of your sins alwayes remaines in you dureing this life it must either be taken away purged after this life and so consequently you must grant a Purgatory or else you will not be admitted into that heavenly City where no vnclean thing can enter Purgatory then being so firmly established by the the Scriptures Fathers Tradition of the whole Church the question of Prayer for the dead which has such affinity with it is soone determined S. Augustins testimony alone shall be sufficient because it shewes the practice of the whole ancient Church Aug. de Verbis Apost ser 34. It is not to be doubted saith he but the dead are eased by the prayers of the holy Church by the wholsome Sacrifice and the almes which are given for the soules departed so that they are more mercyfully dealt with by our Lord then their sins do deserve For this being delivered by the Fathers the whole Church observeth And that this was not a new doctrine or practice Calvin himself confesseth granting that it was a custome to pray for the dead 13. hundred years before his time Cal. l. 3. inst c. 5. par 10. You detest next the custome of the Catholique Church in offering vp her publique prayers in a language not vulgaire But you do this without solid reason For first the Church has introduced no Novelty in that matter but has still retain'd her Liturgies in the same Tongues which she had vsed from the first time of her founding by the holy Apostles Secondly The Church has thought more fitting to retain her Liturgies in these ancient sacred and vnchangeable languages though not commonly now known then to subiect her Liturgies to all the inconveniences that are occasioned by the changes of vulgaire tongues which are in a continual ebbing flowing This custome may be confirmed by the practice of the ancient Iewes who having corrupted their language by the long continuance of the Babylonicall captivity speaking commonly Syraick did not leave of for that to continew their office in the Hebrew tongue for which our Saviour did not reprehend them which certainly he had done if it had been an vnlawfull thing Thirdly The command and practice of the Church ought to be obeyed and followed in matters of disciplin where God has commanded nothing as he has done nothing here concerning the language of the publique Liturgie Lastly there is no necessitie of vseing a vulgaire tongue in the publique prayers of the Church seing they are directed to God who vnderstands all languages for the good of the people who are sufficiently instructed in these matters by continual Catechizing preaching and interpretation in their vulgaire languages And hence it comes to passe that the service of the Church is more venerable being in an ancient vnchangeable language not known to all and by that means also the Communion of the Churches service is more spread it being in a Common language Therefore we may iustly conclude that you vniustly blame the Catholique Church for vseing this ancient venerable custome But you may be iustly blamed who although you pray not in a strange language yet you oftentimes pray ex tempore in a strange sense yea you have committed a greater absurditie For you have put Latin which you call a strange language in your Confession of faith this same very Covenant when you abiure opus operatum as we shall see presently and which is more you do not interpret and explain it which experience sheweth none or few of you can doe If it be amisse as you alleadge to pray vnto God in a strange language albeit he vnderstands all languages it is much more faulty in you to put Latine in your Confession of faith which the people does not vnderstand and yet not only require them to say but also enforce them to swear Amen to it as you have done with your Covenant Vnlesse perhaps you think it a sin to pray vnto God in a strange language but not to swear or curse something in it You are Enemies also to the most laudable Ceremonies and devotions of the Catholique Church as vnto Processions Litanies by which Gods glory is manifested and his Iudgments have been often prevented First concerning Processions we read in the Scripture how acceptable to Christ was the procession of the children people of Ierusalem Math. 21. when he entred into that Citie vpon Palmes-Sunday throwing down their garments before him carrying braunches of Palmes and singing Hosanna in imitation of which the Catholique Church vpon that day makes solemn processions by carrying the holy Sacrament strawing of flowers and bearing of Palmes All which is done to the honour of Christ In the old Testament also we read of the solemn Processions that
by fulfilling it so there is no other way to know it to be fulfilled but by visible and sensible performance of it By what is said may be easily seen that the complaint of Elias which is alway's in the Puritans mouth makes nothing for their invisible Church before Luther For first Elias was only speaking of Israel as a famous Protestant confesseth Enoch Cleopham in Antidot Schism p. 17. in these words Our vnskilfull Reformers say that the Church was invisible in the time of Elias but the holy Spirit testifyeth that he spake this of Israel and not of Iuda for he knew that good Iosaphat was reigning in Iuda and that the Church was not only visible there but also floorishing in great piety Wherefore it is an evil parity to say the Iewish Synagogue was invisible a short time in one province albeit it was visible at the same time in another Therefore the Christian Church may be or was invisible throughout the whole world for a thowsand years above 2. These who were lurking in the time of Elias bowed not their knees to Baal which if they had done they had not belong'd to the invisible Church of God But all the suppos'd invisible Protestants as Luther and his followers bowed their knees to the Masse which they esteem Idolatry as hath been shewed Therefore they could not be the invisible Church of God 3. Although these good Israelits were invisible to Elias at such a distance when he fled yet he knew many of them to be visible both to others 3. Kings 18.13 and among themselves For Abdias told him a little before that he had hid 100. Prophets of the Lord in two Caves where he fed them But all Protestants before Luther were invisible both to others and themselves For not so much as one person knew himself to be a Protestant before Luther taught that religion as hath been proved 4. Although the whole Iewish Synagogue had been invisible which is most false yet it followes not the whole Christian Church may be or was so too For this as S. Paul testifyeth is founded vpon better promises 5. Heb. 8.6 Salvation was not altogether tyed before Christ to the Iewish Synagogue for there were some faithfull Gentils as Melchisedeck Iob c. But the Presbyterians by making the whole Christian Church to be invisible for many ages take away all the ordinary means of salvation which only can be had in the visible Church Lastly Albeit all the faithfull both Iewes and Gentils had been invisible in the time of Elias yet this would make nothing for Protestants vnlesse they had been also invisible before Luther But de facto there were no lurking Protestants before him as hath been clearly proved Therefore although the Church could be invisible yet the Protestants had no invisible Church before Luther And besides the reasons brought above against this invisible Church it may seem truly strange that for so many ages not so much as one person of it was heard of or known never so much as one false brother could be found among them to reveale them And which is most strange when this invisible Church became visible not so much as one person did appeare who had been a lurking member of it Such groundlesse conceipts require strong imaginations to fancy them but much more credulous hearts to beleeve them Wherefore Elias complaint for many reasons makes nothing for Protestants but is cleary against them So is also their other refuge to the Church of the predestinate which they say was invisible before Luther For 1. there is no such Church because Christs Church is a Congregation of all true beleevers as well reprobate as predestinate Math. ch 3. ch 13. There is in his floore both wheat and chaffe and in his field both corne tares 2. The Predestinate are as visible as the reprobate S. Peter was as visible as Iudas 3. Although it were granted there had been some invisible Predestinate before Luther yet none of them could be Protestants because none believed the Protestant faith till Luther taught it as hath been proved 4. Either these supposed Protestants before Luther professed their faith or not If they professed it then they were not invisible Rom. 10.10 If they profess'd it not then they were not predestinate For with our heart saith S. Paul we beleeve vnto iustice and with our mouth Confession is made to salvation 5. It is at least requisite that the predestinate should not deny their faith if they will not confesse it or else they cannot be predestinate But all the supposed invisible Protestants before Luther denyed their faith by professing Popery as hath been shewed 1. Cor. 11.19 Therefore they could not be predestinate Lastly heresies and persecution make the predestinate more conspicuous Heresies saith S. Paul must be that these who are approved be made manifest among you Who are more approved before God then the predestinate Who are made more manifest before men then they especially when heresy persecution do arise For then by their close adhereing to the true faith and their profession of it whereas others either through error or feare fall from it they are rendred more conspicuous as the Scripture shewes and therefore they are not made hid invisible as the Puritans do alleadge Hence it is that the Church is so far from being invisible in the predestinate more then in others that vpon the contrary when that might happen in others either by error infirmity or feare of persecution then the true Church shall be most manifest in the predestinate Aug. epist 48. ad Vincent and is principally conserved in them For then as S. Augustin speaks In suis firmissimis eminet she shines in her most stedfast members Predestination indeed is invisible and so is reprobation but the predestinate are as visible as the reprobate yea Mel. in locis com cap. de Eccles they are the most eminent members of the visible Church out of which they cannot be found as Melanchton confesseth Let vs not dreame saith he that the elect can be found any where but in the visible Society of the Church But the Protestants had no visible Church before Luther therefore they had no predestinate and so many wayes this Babel is overturned The Apostles and all the ancient Christians who were predestinate were members of the visible Church and professed their faith in the time of the Heathen persecutions which were more cruel vniversal then any that has hapned since They had not Giges ring to make themselves invisible not the black arte of dissembling in religion as the invisible Protestants if there were any behoved to have which are qualities very vnbeseeming the predestinate By all which it remaines sufficiently proved that the Protestant Church cannot be the true Church For to resume briefly the argument The true Church must have still continued since the ascension of Christ to this time But the Protestant