Jesus Christ the Son of God who establisht the Church that this is the Doctrine of our Reformation is apparent for it is Scripture as Interpreted by Ochinius a Man of sound judgement whom all Italy could not match says Calvin In whose presence England was happy and unhappy in his absence says B. Bale Ochinus speaks thus a In Prefat Dialog Considering how the Church was establisht by Christ and washt with his Blood and considering again how it was utterly overthrown by the Papacy I concluded that he who establisht it could not be Christ the Son of God because he wanted providence and upon this reflection he renounced Christ and became a Jew And no man can say but that he acted and behaved himself like a true Child of the Reformation in so doing for he followed Scripture as he understood it and as he was a true Reformed Child in forsaking Popery because he understood by Scripture that the Reformation was better so since he understood by reading Scripture more that Judaism was better than the Reformation he acted like a good Reformer in chusing that which he understood by Scripture to be best this is the Reformers Rule of Faith. And if one chuse to believe that there is a Church establisht of Earth by Christ you must beware never to persuade your self we are bound to believe her Doctrine or live in her if you do not judge by Scripture that she teaches the Doctrine of Christ This is the most essential point of Popery an obligation of submitting our judgements to the Church and believing her Doctrine without any more examining and in this the Church of England is much like the Popish Church which by Acts of Parliaments and other severities would oblige all men to believe her Doctrine Rites and Ceremonies No God has given us Scripture for our Rule of Faith as we forsook the Popish Church because we discovered by Scripture her many errours in Doctrine so we are not bound to believe the Doctrine of any other Church but as we find by Scripture her Doctrine is true Do and speak as Luther to 1. Edit Jen. in result I will be free and will not submit to the Authority of Councils Popes Church or University to the contrary I will confidently teach whatever I judge to be true whether it be the Catholick Doctrin or Heretical condemned or approved Must I own and believe that the Doctrin of Jesus Christ delivered to his Apostles and the Church is true Doctrine The Reformation teaches it is and you may safely believe it You may as safely believe it is not after the principles of the Reformation because it teaches the Christ err'd in Doctrin and Manners Verè Pharisaei erant viri valdè boni says Luther b Serm de 50 Artic. in summa summarum Christus minimè debuit eos taxare and Calvin says c In Harm super Luc c. 8. it 's a folly to think he was not ignorant in many things lastly David George d Epitom Cent. 16. par 2. a man of God and of a holy life says Osiander writes If the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles had been true and perfect the Church which they planted had continued but now it is manifest that Antichrist hath subverted it as it is evident in the Papacy therefore it was false and imperfect See these words quoted in the History of David George Printed by the Divines of Basil at Antwerp Anno 1668. both Doctrines are Scripture as Interpreted by Men of sound judgement and so a Child of the Reformation may believe which he will Zninglius e Tom. 2. cont catabapt fol. 10. one of the greatest Oracles of our Church says It 's a great ignorance to believe any Infallinble Authority in the Gospels or Epistles of the Apostles Beza not inferiour to Zuinglius blotted out of St. John the History of the Woman Adultress judging it a Fable Clebitius affirms that Luke's relation of Christ's passion is not true because it does not agree with that of Matthew and Mark and more credit is to be given to two than to one g In cap. 2. ad Gal. Calvin says Peter consented to and added to the Schism of the Church to the overthrow of Christian liberty and Christ's Grace h de Eccles cont Bellarm cont 2. q. 4. Whitaker says f Victoria verit arg 5. It 's evident that after the Descent of the Holy Ghost the whole Church even the Apostles erred and Peter erred in Doctrin and Manners i To. 5. Wettem an 1554. in Epist ad Gal. c. 1. Luther says Peter liued and taught extra Verbum Dei and Brentius k In Apol Cof c. de Concil his Disciples say that Peter and Barnabas together with the Church of Jerusalem erred after receiving the Holy Ghost If our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it undoubtedly this must be the Doctrin of the Reformation and may be believed by and any Reformed since it is Scripture interpreted by such renowned men As to the true Canonical Books of Scripture The Reformation teaches and you may believe with the Church of England that St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews those of James and Jude the 2 of St. Peter the 2. and 3 of St. John are true Canonical Scripture the Reformation also teaches they are not Canonical because Lutherans deny them believe which you like best But if you 'll live in peace and out of strife with Protestants Lutherans and others who dispute whether that of this or that Church be Canonical Scripture your readiest way will be to say there 's no true Canonical Scripture Scripture is no more to be regarded than other pious Books if you say this is not the Doctrine of the Reformation read de expresso Verbo Dei lib. de Har. where he relates this to be the Doctrine of the Swinckfeldians as good Reformers as the best of us they say that we are not to regard any Instruction from Man or Book but Gods immediate inspiration which speaks secretly to our hearts for which they alledge those comfortable words of the Prophet I will hear what my Lord my God will speak in me for say they the Book which we call Scripture is a Creature and we must not seek for light and instruction from any Creature but from God the Father of Lights This is Scripture as interpreted by men of sound judgement any Child of the Reformation may believe it It is the doctrine of the Reformation that you cannot because God has forbid it add to and take away from his Word It is also the doctrine of the Reformation and the practice of our best Reformers when the Text does not speak clear enough that to refute Popery and establish our doctrine we may add or diminish a word or two which is not to change the Word of God but to make it speak more expresly as when Luther had a mind
THE SPEECH OF Nicholas Heath Lord Chancellor of England Lord President of Wales Bishop of Worcestor And afterward Archbishop of YORK and Ambassadour into Germany delivered in the Upper House of Parliament in the Year 1555. On occasion of the Supremacy Proofs from Scripture That Christ left a True Church and that there is no Salvation but in the Catholick and Apostolick Church Proofs from the Fathers That there is no Salvation to be expected out of the True Catholick and Apostolick Church Certain Principles of the first Authors of the Reformation not so well known to many of their followers The Principles of the Catholick Apostolick Church Testimony of the Fathers touching the Real Presence LONDON Printed for the Author 1688. TO THE READER I Cannot but admire to see most Protestants so negligenn in their search of Truth so seemingly secure and so indifferent in the buying and reading Controversial Books which abound now a days more than ever when yet in their Hearts they know they may be in Errour for even by their own Principles they dare not so much as affirm they are Certainly in the right The swarms of Books about Religion that have these two last years fill'd the Press render it impossile to say any thing New on this Occasion and therefore farther indeavours to write Controversy may seem vain and unnecessary and indeed if all the Catholick Books that have been lately Publish'd were read by the Protestants with the same Spirit of Humility with which they were wrote all prejudice passion and interest laid aside there would be abundantly enough to open the eyes of the people and satisfie all discerning Men that Popery is not that Antichristian Monster which it has for so many years been painted in England but that it is indeed the true Antient Catholick and Apostolick Faith which our Saviour deliver'd and taught his Apostles and which has continued since and been believed in the Church in all succeeding Ages But since we find too many stop their ears against all the charms of Truth since we find still such mighty numbers of Men continue in entertaining their old barbarous conceits of the Catholick Religion and either through malice or negligence very slow in Reading what might Inform their judgements and settle their Consciences it cannot be esteemed improper for every honest Man to contribute his Mite and endeavour what he may to rouse up some by a third or fourth call who have refused the first and second and for as much as many are discouraged by the length and some by the dearness of the Book I have resolved to remove these two Impediments an hours reading with the expence of two pence is all the time and the charge that needs be spent upon this Pamphlet It must not be expected I should launch out into those prolix Disputes that have almost at this day tir'd the Pens of Schoolmen I intend only to establish two or three most important Truths on which the Catholick Faith does more immediately depend What I may beside insist on shall only be in general so as to give the Reader an occasion of seeking elsewhere more particular Information and that with as much brevity as Y can or the nature of the thing will admit I shall take the liberty to suppose in as much as many Protestants own as much that there has been in all Ages since our Saviour Christ planted the Gospel a true Church on Earth or to express my self more in the Protestant Phrase that there has been in every Age since Christ a company of Men who have retained that Orthodox Faith deliver'd in the Gospel I dare not think there is a Protestant living will deny this because he would by so doing first maintain there was an Age since Christ where in all the Articles of the Creed were not true viz. that there was no Holy Catholick Church seconly he would make Christ a false Prophet who has declared he would never depart from his Church but that he would be with her even unto the end of the World and that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against her Matt. 16.18 I will in the second place make bold to suppose that his true Church or this company of Orthodox Men has been visible in all Ages If there be a Protestant in the World so weak as to imagine the true Church was not visible in all Ages I desire him to consider that so much is implyed in the very nature and essence of a Church as to Preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments which even in his own notion are Visible Signs without which a Church can no more subsist than a Man without a Head or a House without a Foundatian And Secondly seeing Preaching the Gospel and Administring the Sacraments are Actiors Visible and Conspicuous the Church that does these things must by necessary consequence be Visible and Conspicuous likewise there is no Sophistry in this but what any one that pleases may reduce to a plain and easy Syllogism And indeed is there any thing in Nature more absurd and contradictory than to affirm the true Church was at all times and yet not at all times Visible What the Church daily does and what she must of necessity do to deserve that name are things as manifest and evident to humane sense as teaching a School or the Rule of a Commonwealth and will any man affirm that a School can be Taught or a State Governed in an invisible Manner Surely no neither then may any Protestant be so absurd as to believe the Church of Christ was at any time Invisible and not rather Visibly Apparent in her Rites and Sacraments as well as in her Assemblies on those occasions Taking it then for granted that there has been a true Church at all times since Christ and that this Church has been at all times visible it follows by an easie Consequence which every body can infer that what ever Church is not able to prove her Being since Christ and her being visible all that time cannot be the True Church But neither the Church of England nor that of Luther or Calvin nor any Protestant Reformed Church have been Visible in all Ages since Christ therefore neither the Church of England nor any other Protestant Church is the True Church I would fain see to this a plain and possitive answer given 't is what has not yet been given by any defender of the Protestant Cause nor I suppose will ever be to the end of the World. How ridiculous is it and how unbecoming any reasonable Creature what Protestants urge in this matter that their Principles were taught and believed in the Primitive Church till she fell into Idolatry and Superstition where she lay buried for above 1000 years till God rais'd up Luther and Calvin and the other Reformers to remove the Errors and raise up a new Glorious Orthodox Church I have often admir'd how such palpable Nonsence and such gross Contradictions came to
Socinians c. and do the like Have not we many examples of this in our best and most renowned Reformers Did not Ochinus that great Light says B. Bale in whose presence England was happy reading Scripture judge the Reformation to be better than Popery and of a Capuchin Fryar became one of the Reformed after some Years reading Scripture he judged Judaism to be better than the Reformation and became a Jew Did not Martin Bucer one of our first Reformers of England reading Scripture judge Lutheranism to be better than Popery and of a Dominican Fryar became a Lutherian Soon after reading Scripture he judged Zuinglianism to be better than Lutheranism and become a Zuinglian not long after he became a Lutheran again as he Confesses Epist ad Noremb in Comment in 70.6 16. Mat. Theol. Calvin l. 2. fol. 70. and forsook Lutheranism the second time and returned again to Zuinglanism as Skluser says Did not Cranmer one of our sirst Reformers here in England and Composers of the 39 Articles a Wise and religious Man profess Popery in Henry the Vill's time and Compose a Book in defence of Real Presence then in Edward the VI's time upon better Consideration he professed Zuinglianism and writ a Book against the Real Presence then again in Queen Mary's Reign being Sentenc'd to Death he declared for Popery but seeing his Recantation would not preserve his Life he renounced Popery and died a Zuinglian I could tire your Patience in reading and Mind in relating the number of our Prime and most renowned as well first Reformers as Learned Doctors who without any scruple chang'd several times their Religions nor in the Principles of our Reformation ought they to be blam'd For whereas our Rule of Faith is Scripture as with the assistance of Gods Spirit we understand it who doubts but we may to day judge sincerely Luther's sense of it to be true to morrow we may read with more attention and judge Arius his sense to be true next day that of Calvin and so of the rest I do not think but that we have in England many Abbettors of this Doctrine Alas how many Bishops Deans and rich Parsons do we know and have we known who are zealous Presbyterians and declared Enemies of Protestancy in our Gracious Soveraign's Exile and no sooner was he restored and had Bishopricks and Ecclesiastical Dignities to be given but they become stiff Protestants Observe the difference betwixt the Papists and us if of a Papist you become of any other Congregation the Popish Church Excommunicate you thou art lookt upon as an Heretick and Apostate a stray'd Sheep they will not admit you to their Communion or Liturgy nay could they well avoid you they would never admit you to their Company and why because they are fondly persuaded their own is only true Rellgion and all others to be Synagogues of Satan and if any of us will become a Papist he must sirst abjure his former profession But if of a Protestant you should become a Presbyterian a Lutheran Quaker or of any other of our Societies you are never looked upon to be a jot the worse for it we are not a whit scandalized at such changes which we daily see and it is an unspeakable blessing with what Accord Unity and Charity you may see at our Liturgy and Communion the Protestant Presbyterian Anabaptist Socinian and Hugonot all praising the Lord in One Congregation in our Church none bid out of the Church none Excommunicated no previous abjuration required of their former Tenets and there 's nothing more frequent among us than to go to the Protestant Liturgy in the Morning in the Evening to the Presbyterian especially if our Interest or Convenience requires it Can there be a more convincing Proof that we esteem it all alike what Religion and Tenets we profess Let a Lutheran go to France Alas he will never stick to go to the Hugonots meeting and Service let a Protestant go to Germany he will go as cheerfully to the Lutheran Church as in England to the Protestant Let a Hugonot or Presbyterian go to Hungary or Poland he is welcome to the Trinitarians and Socinians and when any of them returns home he will be as before Is this Doctrine by the Testimony of any of our Synods Did any teach that we may with a safe Conscience change our Religion Yes I can produce one The Synod of Charent on in France held about the Year 1634. expresly says That for our Salvation it 's all alike whether you be a Calvinist Lutheran or of any other Congregation of the Reformed because says this venerable Synod they all agree in Fundamental Points and the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship Change then as often as you list be a Lutheran be a Presbyterian be an Anabaptist by the mouth of this Synod you are assur'd you 'l never miss to hitright And I pray can any Synod of our times have more Authority in point of Doctrine then Luther our first Reformer a man extraordinarily raised by God says the Synod of Charrenton and replenisht with his spirit to repair the ruins of his Church In parva Confes Germ. fol 55. in Col. log fol 100 He Teaches the Elevation of the Sacrament is Idolatry that he did practice it and commanded it should be practised in the Church of Wittemberg to spite the Devil Carolostadius Giving you to understand that for just reasons you may teach now our Religion then another Zuinglius also whose vertue and learning is known to the World says To. 2. fol. 202. That God inspired him to Preach what Doctrine was suitable to the times which as it often changes you may often change your Doctrine And consider you if it be not therefore that Christ our Lord says his Yoke is easie and his burden light that is Religion because we can withdraw our Necks from it as time and just reason requires What greater Authority has a Synod of England to prove a Doctrine to be of the Reformation than a Synod of France which I have produced or than Luther and Zuinlius our first Reformers inspired by God to teach us the purity of the Gospel Was it not from Luther and Zuinglius that England received the Reformation and if England can be so bold as to say they reed in this what assurance can we have that they erred not in the rest But since nothing will please you but a Synod of England you shall have not one but many Can there be any Synod of England of so great Authority as our wise and prudent Parliament Read our Chronicles and you 'l sind that in a few years time they changed and established different Religions by publick Acts of Parliament In Henry the VIIIs Reign they Voted for Popery and made Acts and Statutes against the Reformation in Edward the VI's time they banisht Popery and voted for Zuinglianism in Queen
Interpreted by Luther Calvin Willet and several others that it 's impossible to any man assisted with what Grace soever to keep the Commandments None has ever yet says our great Calvin and God has decreed none shall ever keep the Commandments Again u Harm Evang. in Luc. c. 10. verse 26. the Law and Commandments were given us to no other end but that we should be damn'd by them t Lib. 2. Instit c. 7.5 inasmuch that it is impossible for Us to do what they Command The same Doctrine is taught by Luther in several places of his Works by Willet x In Synop. Papismi pag. 564. and by our Brethren the Gomarists of Holland and many of our French Synods Believe which you please both Doctrines are of the Reformation It is also the Doctrine of Luther and Calvin that God does not cast Men into Hell because their sins deserve it nor save Men because they merit it but meerly because he will have it so He crowns those who have not deserved it says Luther y Lib. de Servo Arbit cont Erasm 2. Lib. 3. Inst c. 21. sect 5. 7. c. 22. sect 11. cap. 13.1 and he punishes those who have not deserved it 't is Gods Wrath and Severity to damn the one 't is Gods Grace and Mercy to save the other Calvin also z Men are damn'd for no other cause but because God will have it so he is the cause and Author of their Damnation their Damnation is decreed by God when they are in their Mothers Womb because he will have it so this is also the belief of our Gomarists in Holland of many French Churches and of several learned Calvinists though the Church of England denies this Doctrine none will dare say it is not the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent men of our Church The Church of England understands by Scripture that God is not the Author nor cause of sin that does not force us to sin who doubts but that this is therefore the Doctrine of the Reformation But Calvin Brentius Beza and several others understand by Scripture that God is the cause and Author which forces our Will to Sin That Man and the Devil are but Gods Instruments to commit it That Murthers Incests Blasphemies c. are the Works of God that he makes us commit them And who doubts but this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation being Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent and sound judgement God says Calvin a Lib. 2. Inst c. 4. sect 3. lib. 1. c. 18. sect 2. lib. c. 23. sect 4. Lo. 1. de deprovid c. 6. in Synops pag. 563. In manifest stratag Papist directs moves inclines and forces the Will of man to sin insomuch that the power and efficacy of Working is wholly in him Man nay and Satan when he impells us being only Gods Instruments which he uses to make us sin Zuinglius Willet Beza teach the same The Church of England has Scripture for her Rule of Faith and gives us the liberty to Interpret Understand and Believe some Text of it as each one thinks best and so permits Presbyterians to deny Episcopacy Lutherans to deny Figurative Presence c. and confesses they are all her Brethren of the Reformation but she will give no liberty at all to Interpret other Texts but all must understand them as she does or all must be Hereticks and damn'd Men No that Text My Father and I are one must be Interpreted to signifie the Unity and Nature of the Father and Son as the Church of England believes none must interpret it otherwise So that the difference betwixt the Popish Church and that of England is the first gives us no Liberty at all the second gives us some Liberty the first robs us of all the second but of one half The Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils the Rule of Faith in the Church of England as to some Articles is Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England and as to other Articles Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and thus Protestants are but half Papists and half Reformed Let any unbyass'd and impartial man judge if the Church of England proceeds justly in this For if our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and if as the whole Reformation believes we are not to be constrained to believe any Church Council or mans sense of Scripture if we do not judge by the Word of God it 's true by what Authority Rule or Reason can the Church of England give me Liberty to understand and believe some Texts as I please and deny me Liberty to understand and believe others as I judge by Scripture they ought to be understood I pray observe well this Discourse here are Luther Calvin Beza Zuinglius and our other first Reformers they Interpret some Texts against the Doctrine of the Church of England They are praised for the first and esteemed Apostolical Reformers because without any regard of what the Church of Rome said they freely taught and believed what they judged by Scripture to be true why must not they be praised and esteemed true Reformers also for not regarding what the Church of England or any other says but teach the impossibility of Gods Commandments the sufficiency of Faith alone and all those other Tenets which you much mislike since they judge by Scripture such to be true Doctrine Are they bound to submit their judgements to the Church of England more than to that of Rome The Veneration and use of the Sign of the Cross is flat Popery in the judgement of all our Congregations yet any Reformed Child may laudably and piously use it inasmuch as our Common Prayer in the Administration of Baptism Commands the Minister to use it saying We sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Chrst Crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil And in our Kalender printed since his Majesties Restauration it is called the Holy Cross Our Congregations generally believe it is Popery to keep Holy-days except the Sabbath-day and Saints-day to Fast Lent Vigils commanded Ember-days and Fridays and yet all this is recommended to us in our common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book and the Minister is commanded in the Administration of the Lords Supper to publish the Holy-days of the Week and exhort us to Fast and surely he is not commanded to teach or exhort us to any thing but the Doctrine of the Reformation It is true the Students of our Colledges of Oxford and Cambridge are much troubled with scruples in this point these Pauperes de Lugduno are compelled to fast all Fridays throughout the year and it is not hunger that makes them complain but tenderness of Conscience because they fear