The Prophesies themselves are thus expresly set down in the Old Testament and acknowledged by Protestants to regard the Christian Church The Prophet Isai writes thus Isa. 60. 2 3. The Lord shall rise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee ver 5. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising ver 10. The abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee ver 11. The sons of Strangers shall build thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee ver 14. Thy Gates shall be open continually that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and their Kings may be brought All they that despise thee shall bow themselves at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee The City of the Lord ver 22. A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation Again Isai. 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy nursing Mothers And again Isai. 39. 21. This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Also the Kingly Prophet Psal. 11. 8. I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession This Kingdom saith the Prophet Daniel Shall not be given over to another people but shall stand for ever Dan. 11. 44. These are Gods Promises to his Church so acknowledged by Protestants Now it is manifest out of Ecclesiastical History that these Prophecies began not in a signal manner to be accomplished till the days of Saint Gregory For during the first three hundred years the Church was wholly under Persecution and was encreased chiefly by sufferings In the next three hundred years the Emperour Constantine being converted to Christianity there were but few other Kings Foster-fathers of the Church And besides this several of the Emperours and some Kings during that space turned Arians and Apostates from the Catholic Faith But from Saint Gregories time till Luther it is incredible almost what we read of the Conversion of Nations and Kingdoms and of the wonderful Piety and zeal of once Barbarous Kings and Queens assoon as they had embraced the Catholic Faith Which Conversions were generally made by the fervor care and authority first of St. Gregory himself as England can but most ungratefully will not as becomes her witness and next of St. Gregories Successors Bishops of Rome §. 36. Now Sir consider the force of illgrounded prejudices Several Protestants though they saw all the formentioned Prophesies perfectly fulfilled by Catholic Missioners yet out of the pre-assumed hatred to Catholic Religion they will not acknowledg the forsaking Idols and worship of Devils and the embracing of the Catholic Faith to be a Conversion but rather a Perversion and therefore wonder that they do not to this day see those Prophecies accomplished which were made above two thousands years since In so much as Castalio Professes The more I do peruse the Scriptures the less do I find these Promises performed howsoever they are to be understood David George a Protestant living at Basil upon the same grounds became a Blasphemer of Christ whom he called a Seducer Bernardin Ochin turned an Apostate denying they Divinity of Christ. Adam Neuserus a Calvinist Professor at Heydelberg turned Turk and was circumcised at Constantinople Alemannus likewise renouncing Christianity became a blasphemous Iew. And the principal motive of all these horrible changes was an opinion that these Prophecies were false Dreams or impudent inventions of Sectaries and never fulfilled because forsooth not fulfilled in a Church of their Reformed Religion which Reform'd Religion never banished Pagan Idolatry out of one Village Some conversions indeed of their own particular mode they have made for by seditions they have banished Catholic Religion out of several places And particularly the Hollanders may brag that they have converted the great Empire of Iapan from the Catholic Faith to its pristine most execrable Idolatries to effect which they have procured the most cruel murder of near four hundred thousand Catholic Martyrs themselves in the mean time renouncing the open Profession of Christianity §. 37. Notwithstanding the truth is the wonderful Conversions of Nations in former and later times also by Catholick Missioners have been so illustrious that very many of the soberer Protestant Writers have highly exalted their zeal and unwearied deligence in their Apostolical functions and glorified God for it being forced hereto by the many undeniable Miracles wrought by them Yet the pleasant cunning of one Luther an Writer is very remarkable his name is Dr. Philip Nicolai who having written a Book on this very Argument to wit the fulfilling of the fore-cited Prophesies touching the Conversion of Nations is forced to alledg the examples not only ancient as of the Saxons Frisons Danes Germans c. converted by Catholic Bishops and Priests but later also as of innumerable People in the East and West-Indies reduced from Idols to Christianity by Iesuits and other Religious Missioners and to acknowledge likewise that God testified the Doctrine preached to them by stupendious Miracles All this this Lutheran confesses but then with a turn he deprives Catholics of the glory and merit of all their labours and applies it to his own Sect for he tells his Readers that all these Apostolical Preachers in converting Nations did Luther anizare and that the Iesuits in their first converting the Oriental Indians did shew themselves not Roman Catholics but Lutherans and Evangelicks Might he not have said as well that Christ's Apostles converted Nations not as such but as Lutherans §. 38. Now if these Prophesies be Divine and have indeed been fulfilled they have been fulfilled by Catholics only and consequently Catholic Religion constitutes that Church of Christ to which such glorious Predictions were made I will therefore here adjoyn the words of St. Augustine who having alledged out of the Scripture many such Prophesies concludes thus Whilst thou holdest thy self fast to these Prophesies if an Angel from Heaven should say to thee Leave the Christianity of the whole Earth and chuse the part of the Shismatic Donatus Luther Calvin Tindal c. he ought to be to thee Anathema because he would endeavour to cut thee off from the whole and thrust thee up into one part so alienating thee from the Promises of God §. 39. These Sir among many other are grounds surely sufficient to justifie the Right which the Roman Church has to merit your Obedience I beseech you think seriously on them For mine own part I do sincerely protest to you that unless I would renounce all other Guides to eternal Happiness but an over-weaning Fancie of mine own
Temple These therefore so many and so great bonds keep a believer firm in the Catholic Church although by reason of his natural dulness and perhaps his sins he does not manifestly see and penetrate the depth of Divine Truths But among you Heretics who have none of these advantages to invite or hold me nothing is heard to sound but a vain promise of true Doctrine c. Firmissime tene et nullatenus dubites Hold most firmly and doubt not at all that every Heretic or Schismatic baptised in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost if before he Dies he be not joyned and incorporated into the Catholic Church he can by no means be saved though he should give never so many Alms yea though he should shed his Blood for the Name of Christ For neither Baptism nor liberal distributing of Alms nor the undergoing death for the Name of Christ can profit any one to Salvation as long as Heretical or Schismatical lewdness perseveres in him which leadeth to eternal death §. 3. Of the Catholic Churches Authority Of interpreting Scripture Saint Augustine informs us that a certain acquaintance of his derided the Disciples of Catholic Faith by which men were commanded to believe the Church not being taught by demonstrative Reasons what was true To satisfie this Friend he wrote his Book De Utilitate credendi Ecclesiae in which he writes thus It is fitly instituted by the Majesty of Catholic Discipline that those who come to Religion should before all other things be perswaded to believe the Church But you will say were it not better that Reason should be employed to move me which without any temerity I might follow withersoever it leads me Perhaps it might be so But since to come to the knowledge of God by Reason is a matter of so great importance and difficulty do you think that generally all men are capable of searching into the Reasons by which mens minds may be brought to a knowledg of Divine Mysteries Or are the greatest number of men such or but a few I suppose you will answer But a few If so do you think that the knowledg of Religion is to be denyed to all the rest who have not so piercing a Judgment It is a miserable thing to be deceived by Authority but it is much more miserable not to be moved by it If Gods Providence does not preside over human affairs there will be no cause why we should trouble our selves about Religion We ought not therefore to despair that some Authority is constituted by God by which those who walk doubtfully may be raised up to God Puto si quis Sapiens extitisset I conceive that if there were extant a wise man to whom our Lord had given his Testimony viz. that he should be directed by him and if that man were consulted by us concerning this controversie we should not at all doubt to do whatsoever he enjoyned us least we should be adjudged to oppose our selves not so much to that man himself as to our Lord Jesus Christ by whose Testimony he is recommended Now such Testimony doth our Lord afford to his Church Haeretici qui cum in unitate Heretics who though they be not in Catholic Unity and Communion yet Glory in the title of Christians are compelled to oppose Orthodox Believers and they have the boldness to attempt the seducing unskilful Christians by force of disputing and Reasoning whereas our Lord came with a peculiar Medicine against this when he enjoyned not reasoning but Believing to all people But Heretics are forced to take the way of arguing by reason because they see themselves in a most abject Condition if their Authority be compared with Catholic Authority Therefore they endeavour to prevail by a pretence and promise of Reason against the most unshaken Authority of the firmly established Church This is the uniform and as it were regular temerity of all Heretics But the most clement Emperor of our Faith has fortified with the Citadel of Authority his Church both by numerous Congregations of People and Nations and the Chairs of his Apostles He also by a few piously learned and truly Spiritual men has armed his Church with most copious provisions of invincible Reason But the more secure and rational Discipline is That those who are ignorant or infirm should be received within the Castle of Faith depending on Authority that they may be defended by those who can combate with the weapons of most powerful Reason Noc nos ipsi tale aliquid auderemus asserere Neither durst we affirm any such thing viz. that Hereties ought not to be rebaptized if we were not strengthned by the unanimous Authority of the universal Church To which Authority no doubt Cyprian who held the contrary would have submitted if in his time the truth of this question had been established by the examination and decision of a Plenary Council Proinde quamvis hujus rei certe de Scripturis Canonicis non proferatur exemplum Although no express example can be brought out of Canonical Scriptures touching this Point of rebaptization yet the truth of the same Scriptures in this matter is held by us when we do that which has pleased the Universal Church which the Authority of Scripture themselves does commend That since the Holy Scripture cannot deceive us he whosoever is in fear of being deceived by the obscurity of this question may consult the same Church about it which Church the holy Scripture doth without all ambiguity demonstrate Aliud est cum Authoritati credimus It is one thing when we believe submitting to Authority and another when we yield to reason To believe Authority is a way very compendious and without labour Et si nulla ratione indagetur Whatsoever is from Ancient times preached by our Orthodox Faith and believed through the whole Church though by no search of reason it can be found out and though by no speech it can be clearly expressed yet notwithstanding it is to be acknowledged most true Haeretici sunt sibi arbitri Religionis Heretics are to themselves judges of Religion Whereas the proper work of Religion is the Duty of Obedience to Authority Non ad Scripturas provocandum est We must not disputing with Heretics appeal to Scripture Neither is the debate to be constituted in things in which either no victory at all will follow or an uncertain one or little better than uncertain For though the success of examining Scriptures should not be such that each party should have no advantage over the other yet due order requires that that should be first proposed about which at present we are to dispute viz. to which of the parties the preaching of Faith belongs who have right to the Scriptures from whom and by whom and when and to whom that Discipline has been delivered by which men are made Christians For where the Truth both of Christian
think it reasonable to furnish our selves with such expedients as are proper to put us oft in mind of them which we therefore regard in a far other manner then we do such things as represent to us only indifferent Objects Is not this Sir suitable to Reason Prot. Truly it seems so to me Cath. Then I desire you to examine your self and tell me if whilst your thoughts are employed on vain or perhaps sinful objects one should on a sudden hold before your eyes a Crucifix containing the History of our Saviors Passion would not the fight thereof recal your mind to the contemplation of an Object more noble more heavenly to mediate on which would be very beneficial to you Prot. No doubt it would Cath. Again may not one glance of your eye thereon so refresh your Memory as in a moment to make you call to mind as much of the Story as perhaps the reading of a long Chapter in the Gospel would do Prot. That may be granted §. 94. Cath. May it not likewise have the same effect and be yet more helpful to ignorant persons who cannot read and have weak Memories Prot. It may doubtless §. 95. Cath. And are not such representations beside refreshing the memory proper also to raise in your mind holy affections of love and gratitude to our Saviour Prot. It is confessed But what is all this to worshiping or adoring a Crucifix or other Image Cath. Sir I desire you since these terms of Adoring and Worshiping in our common English are usually made to import the Supreme Honour due to God alone that you would not in imitation of your libelling Controvertists whose only aym is by any arts to render our Religion odious to unwary Readers make use of them in this argument But take the Churches own expression and call the respect we bear to Sacred Images and Relics Honour Reverence or Veneration Prot. I am Content §. 97. Cath. Then Sir give me leave to ask you Whether it is not another kind of special regard which we have to Sacred and Heavenly Objects from that we bear to profane as for example Can you think fit to do all the same things in a Church which you would have no Scruple to do in your house or in an unclean place Prot. No doubt a difference is to be made Cath. And would you not judg that person injurious to our Saviour or to his Blessed Mother who should deface spit upon or defile the Pictures of either of them And on the other side whether seeing another reverently kissing either of them you would not collect thereby that he bore respect to the glorious Persons represented Prot. Let all this be granted Cath. And would you call such a reverent behavior of the latter person Idolatry especially when he with the Church professes that he acknowledges no kind of virtue or Divinity in them for which they should be honoured or that any thing is to be beg'd of them or any trust to be put in them which acknowledgment the Church her self requires from him Prot. I confess I see there no Marks of Idolatry but on the contrary an express renouncing of it §. 98. Cath Well Sir since then Sacred things are otherwise to be regarded then common and profane and again since our Saviour and his Saints may receive testimonies of our Love and Duty as likewise of Hatred and Scorn by our very outward behaviour shewed to their Representations Moreover Since it is that by Representations we are put in mind of Persons and things highly conducing to our happiness and which we cannot without our great prejudice neglect or forget and lastly Since by them the ignorant also may very commodiously be instructed and likewise good affections may by them be raised in all our minds Would you rather forsake the Communion of the Church then with her acknowledg that due honour and Veneration is to be exhibited to them Prot. I have no Scruple to allow thus much Cath. Then surely you will have less scruple to allow the same Veneration to the very Bodies Members or other Relicks of Saints Prot. Be it acknowledged and proceed 13. Of Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory §. 99. Cath. In the next place we will consider what you object against the Churches Doctrine touching Prayer for the Dead which implyes a State in them alterable to the better by our Prayers Alms c. for them Which State is by the Church called Purgatory Now it seems to me a wonderful thing that you should quarrel with Gods Church so as to think Communion with her unlawful because she is charitable and compassionate to her fellow-members as she believes standing in great need of her assistance §. 100. Prot. That which we principally reprehend in this Practice is that your Church without any Warrant from Gods Word will impose this burthen on us Cath. If you had not dismembred that Book of Scripture which the Church once put into your hands you would have found this Duty of Prayer and offering Sacrifice for the faithful departed expresly commended and practised even by the Iewish Synagogue long before our Saviour came into this world So that your Argument is like that of your Patriarck Luther who could not find in Scripture Justification by Works after he had torn the Epistle of St. Iames out of his Book §. 101. Notwithstanding even in your Scripture you find that no unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of God Neither have you any the least ground to believe that Christians full of many unrepented imperfections are perfectly cleansed by Dying Therefore unless after Death there be a place where they may be purified you most cruelly thrust them without hope of redemption into Hell And this you do in contradiction to the greatest Cloud of Witnesses that I think ever gave testimony to any Divine Uerity For besides a world of passages sprinkled in the works of the Holy Fathers among whom some have written Books on purpose to enforce this Charitable Duty towards the Dead there never was any Church since Christ besides yours which in their Publick Liturgies did not employ their Devotions and Sacrifices for the comfort and assistance of their Dead Brethern Yea even your English Liturgy is accused by Presbiterians and Fanatics of the same criminal Charity §. 102. And as for the place it self in which we believe them to be detained stiled by the Church Purgatory what a deal of unnecessary trouble do your Controvertists give themselves in disputing against the fire of Purgatory and touching the Nature intention and duration of the pains suffered there none of which are defined or mentioned in the Churches Decision §. 103. Your partiality is likewise very unreasonable in this matter For Calvin is by you generally esteemed a Patriark of great Authority among all your Sects who notwithstanding assigns to the Souls of the Faithful after death a certain place out of Heaven in which they expect saith he the