to receive Appeals in a famous Council of Carthage An. 419. which Canons they pretended were made in the aforesaid Nicene Council but these Canons wholly differed from all the best Manuscripts of that Council then extant particularly from two eminent ones which the African Fathers sent for from Constantinople and Alexandria nor do they agree with those genuine Editions of the Nicene Council now extant and indeed the Council of Carthage received not these pretended Canons of Nice but esteemed them to have been corrupted as we do at this day Not long after to abet the Roman Supremacy Pope Leo writing to Theodosius the Emperor cites a Canon of a particular and dubious Council at Sardiâ—a of later Date and less Authority affirming it to be a Canon of the general Council at Nice The Edition of the Councils put out by Dionysius Exiguus about An. 520. being for a long time the sole approved Copy extant in these parts of the World doth in favour of the Popes Supremacy leave out divers Canons even of General Councils which seem to make against it though the said Canons are recorded in Zonaras and Balsamon and in this Age confessed to have been made in those Councils by the Romanists themselves but in the Time when the Supremacy was in hatching it was not thought expedient those Canons should be known It were endless to reckon up all the Additions Diminutions and Alterations which all the Roman Editions of the Councils since are guilty of and because an ingenious Essay hath been made that way by a late Author I shall refer my Reader thither and out of infinite Examples conclude with one Evident piece of Falsification The xxxv Canon of the Council of Laodicea Forbids the faithful to call on the name of Angels which being a condemnation of the Doctrine and Practice of Rome in Praying to Angels The Later Editions of this Council have impudently put in Angulos Angles or Corners instead of Angelos Angels though all the Greek Copies and Fathers read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the old Latin Exemplars have Angelos Yea Pope Adrian himself before this worship of Angels came up read it Angelos in that Epitome of Canons which he sent to Charles the Great An. 773. Thus they corrupt the Councils to suit them to their own Opinions Nor have single Fathers and Ancient Authors fared better S. Cyprian put out by Pamelius is altered in many places contrary to the Ancient Copies for Example where the Father saith the Church is founded Super Petram Pamelius changes it into Super Petrum upon Peter instead of upon a Rock And Ludovicus Vives a Romanist assures us that there are Ten or Twelve lines positively asserting Purgatory put into the Printed Copies of S. Aug. de Civitate Dei lib. 21. cap. 24. contrary to the Ancient Manuscripts Fulbertus Carnotensis quotes S. August saying of the Sacramental bread This then is a figure the Roman Editions put in As a Heretick will say when indeed S. Augustine says so and speaks his own sense Aimonius speaking of the Eighth Council saith They determined about Images otherwise than the Orthodox Fathers had Decreed and so Baronius reads But the Modern Printed Copies quite contrary put in according as the Orthodox Fathers had Decreed But why do I stand upon particular Instances This wickedness which all other men account the same Villany with suborning false Witnesses stopping the mouths of the True and counterfeiting Hands and Seals is owned by the present Church of Rome And Sixtus Senensis doth highly extol Pope Pius 5 th for his most holy Decree to burn all Books which were accounted Heretical To purge and cleanse all Catholick Authors and especially the Writings of the Fathers Now in what manner they effect this most holy work the Belâ—ick Inquisitors appointed by the Roman See shall tell you We strike out say they many Errors in other of the Ancients we extenuate and excuse them or by feigning a Commentitious gloss either deny or fix a commodious sense to their words Thus they served S. Ambrose his works cancelling and altering whole pages together contrary to all the Old Manuscripts as appeared by the Original Papers which Savarius the Stationer shewed to Francis Junius according to which the Inquisitors had ordered him to Print that Edition Lugdun An. 1559. Thus they left the story of Pope Joan out of the Copies of Anastasius Biblioth though the Manuscripts had the said story in them as Marquar Freherus testified who lent them the said Manuscripts And I might fill a Volume with Instances of like unjust dealings but I will only add the memorable account which Boxhornius one of your Divinity Professors at Lovain gives of himself viz. That he having been employed by the Inquisitors to strike out at least six hundred places of the Ancients which seemed to make against the Roman Doctrines was so troubled in mind upon it that it was an occasion of his turning Protestant and made him resolve to quit that Religion which could not defend it self without such manifest Impostures And I wish the consideration thereof might have the same effect upon you for the matter of Fact is so evident that the Index Expurgatorius the Book which directs these Falsifications is now come into Protestant hands to the eternal Infamy of the Roman Church whose people cannot rationally trust to any Author which comes through their Priests dishonest hands And since false Books are invented true and genuine Writers altered and corrupted or else wholly prohibited if they seem to make against them for which cause Clement 8 th puts the Bible into his Index of prohibited Books and all Editions but their own condemned and burnt by the Roman Church the people must needs be deluded into a perswasion that all these New Doctrines are Primitive Truths when indeed this abominable Forging evidently shews that the Pope and his Conclave think that both Scripture and Antiquity do make against these Innovations and would discover the Imposture if they were suffered to speak out to whom I may justly apply the words of Arnobius To intercept what is written and to design to smother published Records is not to defend the Gods but to fear the Testimony of the Truth And because Good men as S. Augustine saith will not deceive but neither good nor evil men would willingly be deceived I may suppose that the most Devoted Romanists cannot but discern how unsafe he is in believing as those men teach him who make no Conscience to invent impose and pretend things never so false provided they may thereby advance their Churches Interest or their own private ends They who dare write Lies will not be afraid to speak them and they who corrupt the Remains of the Holy Saints deceased are not to be trusted with the Souls of the living And whoever gives himself up to such Guides unnaturally
charged with And if it do not gain such persons yet it will teach them to censure mildly and to dissent from us with more moderation and as the volume is small and so may invite those to its perusal who are delighted with brevity so the style is as mild as the matter would allow and can give no just offence to any the particulars are so plain and so fully proved more at large by others that the Author resolves not to dispute but in pure charity to advise the Romanists not to resist apparent truth and reason having no worse intentions towards them than to set them into the best way to Heaven and if any be angry at him or you for this they are the greatest enemies to themselves and more concerned for their present Opinions than for their everlasting Salvation but it is to be hoped the sincerity of your intention to do good may oblige some kindly to accept this Manual at least as a testimony of your love to whom if you have the liberty of discourse you shall do well to clear those exceptions which Prejudice may suggest and at least to obtain from them a resolution impartially to enquire into the truth of that which they so confidently do believe and sure it is infinite pity that persons of excellent reason should be so much enslaved as not to dare to ask the right way to bliss of any but those who have an absolute dominion over them nor once to go about to judge for themselves in a case of so great Concernment I would be loath to think so hardly of their Superiours as to suppose they interdicted their Adherents from all converse with us for this were the exact parallel of the Muscovian policy where it is death for any to travel out of their own Kingdom without especial license for fear they should never endure their former bondage when once they have seen the freedom of other Nations and if once you can prevail so far that they will impartially compare their own Opinions with ours it is probable they may become our friends I shall add no more but to wish this Token may be as kindly accepted as it will be charitably offered by you and to assure you you shall never want his prayers for your success who is Sir Yours to serve you TO His esteemed Friend M r. W. R. Concerning this present Edition SIR YOVR account of the speedy dispersing of this Little Tract encourageth me to hope it hath not only been acceptable to the World but also blessed by God to the reducing some from the Roman Opinions and the establishing others in the Protestant Faith And that it may more effectually serve to these desirable Ends I have been content to obey your Request in reviewing it in order to another Impression which You tell me is now desired In which Review I have rectified the Method of the whole and illustrated and strengthened every part with the Addition of so many of the most convincing Instances and Authorities as could be put in without too much swelling the Bulk I confess I did suppose the things to be so evident and so plainly proved in larger Discourses that I was not curious before always to bring Proofs for my Assertions But now your Letter acquaints me both that some Romanists who resolve boldly to deny what they cannot otherwise evade have questioned the Truth of some parts of this charge And also that those Protestants whose Charity hath invited them to seek their Friends Conversion have desired I should add my Authors to confirm these Allegations Therefore for the full satisfaction of both Parties I have proved all the particulars by the Testimony of such Authors whose Evidence is unquestionable chusing usually the plain Confessions of Popes and Cardinals or other approved Writers of the Roman Church that so those of that Party may believe these Matters from the mouth of those whom they esteem their best Friends which they would suspect if we related upon our own Credit whom they unjustly account their Enemies And though their present Romish Priests should deny those things which the most Eminent Writers of their own Church have formerly acknowledged they are not to be doubted of upon that account since the Confession of former Writers against their own Party is better Evidence than the denial of the later can be for it for No man will lye saith Tertullian to his own disgrace but rather for his credit And it is more fit to believe such as confess against themselves than such as deny for themselves So that none can justly doubt of these Truths thus attested And he that once believes them and yet retains the Religion of Rome must be of a humor differing from the rest of Mankind who cannot chuse a known delusion nor delight in sitting under apparent abuses I must expect the Admirers of that once famous Church will entertain these just and necessary Accusations thereof with some little heats of Passion but I hope it will calm those hasty motions when they deliberately consider that since I say no more than Truth I do no injury to Rome and the Charity which I have for them obliges me to say so much And why saith the Philosopher art thou displeased at me who have done no more than a Looking-glass doth to the deformed having only shewed thee to thy self as thou art Shall the Physician be said to reproach him whose disease he discovers to him They will remember I hope that I have undertaken the office of a Friendly Counsellor whose duty according to the Graecian Sage is Not to advise that which is most pleasing but that which is most profitable And if in compliance with this Rule I shall somewhat displease them to their Advantage I shall not only obtain a Pardon but merit their Thanks also in the end However I ask no more than that laying aside their Prejudices they will put on so much affection to their own real interest as to weigh the Reasons and Arguments upon which my Advice is grounded and if they be convincing and perswasive I desire them not to resist their own Freedom nor despise him that sincerely seeks their good but if they absolutely resolve the most rational and just Motives shall not perswade them to alter their Old Opinions I shall pity and pray for them but can use no other Methods in this case for it is Counsel and not Command which I give since men should be reasoned and not forced into a right Faith and would God the Roman Church had never obtruded her Opinions upon the world by any other means but these gentle and rational perswasions her Neighbours then would not have had so just cause to complain of her And now Sir since I write and you and other zealous Protestants act by these fair Methods if our endeavours for our Countrymens Conversion be not maliciously misconstrued they cannot be censured to tend to the harm of any
they confess he is principally so but add that Saints and Angels are so in an inferiour manner which we utterly deny We say Christ is really present in the Sacrament of the Altar this they confess but add he is corporally there by the Transsubstantiation of the Bread c. and this we deny We say the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith and they will not absolutely deny it but add their own Traditions which we reject We say there are XXII Books of the Old Testament Canonical and they confess these all to be so but they add divers and call them Canonical which we affirm to be Apocryphal I could give more instances but these may suffice to shew that the Protestant Doctrines look most like the Ancientest as being received by both Parties but the Roman Opinions are Novel Enlargements of Old Catholick Truths so that a Protestant becoming a Romanist must take up many Articles barely upon the credit of that Church and begin to believe many things anew questioned by the bigger part of Christendom but a Romanist turning Protestant retains all the Old Essentials of his former Faith and doth only become a Primitive Roman Catholick III. The Discipline and Government of the Church of England are more agreeable to Primitive patterns than those of the present Roman Church are Our King hath the same Power that the Religious Kings of Judah had the same which the great Constantine and the succeeding Emperors for many years enjoyed the same power which the Ancient Kings of this Nation exercised viz. A power to convene his Clergy and advise with them about affairs of the Church A power to ratifie that which the Bishops and Clergy agree upon and give it the force of a Law A power to chuse fit persons to Govern the Church A power to correct all Offenders against Faith or Manners be they Clergy or Lay-men And finally A power to determine all Causes and Controversies Ecclesiastical and Civil among his own Subjects by the advice of fit Counsellors so as there lies no Appeal from his Determination and this is that we mean when we call him Supreme Governour of this Church which our King must needs be or else he cannot keep his Kingdoms in peace Besides for Spiritual Jurisdiction and sacred Administrations we have a Patriarch of our own The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England whom Vrban the Second call'd the Pope of the other World And his See was usually styled The Chair of the English Patriarch and is reckoned among the Patriarchates by a Forreign Writer And now his Priviledges and Liberties are restored by Law and his Title and Authority confirmed so that there lies no Appeal from him but to the King we have also Right Reverend Bishops together with other inferiour Priests and Deacons the only Primitive and proper Orders of the Clergy who can prove their Ordination to be as goodas any of the Romish Priests can do And are now Consecrated and Ordained by a more excellent Form and more agreeing to the eldest times than Rome it self can shew and if you will Judge impartially it must be confessed that the Clergy of England are altogether as Learned and generally more painful and pious than in any Catholick Country whatsoever Our Canons for Ecclesiastical Government are all founded on the Canons of Ancient Councils as I could shew by particular induction if time would permit and for the Exercise of our Discipline it is managed with more moderation and ease to the People than that of the Roman Church is IIII. You may consider our Divine Service and Sacred Administrations which as far as ever God made necessary to Salvation may be had in this Church We have the Holy Scriptures plainly translated Learnedly interpreted and practically Preached We have daily Prayers by a Form so Grave and so Agreable to the undoubted parts of Ancient Liturgies that it may challenge all Christendom to produce any thing so consonant to the purest Primitive Devotions A Form which hath all those parts of the Roman Offices which were known and used in the first three Centuries but wants all the Innovations and Corruptions of the present Mass And is used in English for the benefit of the meanest Christian in our Assemblies We have also those two Sacraments which Christ ordained and many of the Elder and Later Doctors own no more As for the other five Rites falsly called Sacraments viz. Confirmation Matrimony Holy Orders visiting of the Sick Repentance and Satisfaction for wrongs done we retain these but not by the name of Sacraments keeping the Primitive and main part of them only attended with fewer Ceremonies We press and practice also Charity and good works as much as the Roman Church doth and it may be demonstrated that more and greater gifts have been given in England to pious uses by private persons since the Reformation than in two Centuries before And though we dare not say we shall merit Eternal life by them because that is the gift of God yet we believe none can come to Heaven without good works In a word the Church of England worships God as he hath prescribed in Holy Scripture She commands all that he enjoyns and forbids all that he prohibits and therefore wanteth nothing that is necessary to Salvation V. You may look upon our Ceremonies which are few and easie Ancient and Significant and though we do not place so much Religion in Externals as the Church of Rome doth yet here is prescribed all that is needful for decency and order viz. That the Clergy always wear Grave and distinct habits and have peculiar Garments in Divine Administrations that Churches be adorned and neat that the People be Reverent in Gods House that the memory of our Saviours chief Acts and the Festivals of the Holy Apostles be religiously observed That Lent with the Vigils of great Feasts the Ember weeks and all the Fridays in the Year be kept as days of Fasting or Abstinence and if some Protestants do not observe them yet others do and are commended for it and you may follow the best not the most you will have more liberty by turning to the English Church as to Circumstantials and greater helps as to the Essentials of Religion So that it is upon all accounts your wisest and safest course to embrace this so true so Primitive so Pious and so rational a Religion Let me therefore shut up my Charitable and Friendly Advice by Requesting you to consider all these things without prejudice or passion and then I hope you will perceive how much the Religion of this Church excells that of Rome in Antiquity Integrity and Usefulness and no longer suffer your selves to be so sadly imposed on and so miserably made to serve the ends of Avarice and Ambition And if you have taken such prudent and pious Resolutions you shall not only be freed from the inconveniences you complain of here but also have