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
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
by the Christians of the preceeding age makes the doctrin of every following age the same with the doctrin of the preceeding age and so makes the doctrin of all after ages the same with the doctrin of the first age For suppose that the Church now in this age relies vpon that principle to believe nothing as Christs doctrin but what her predecessors of the 15. age taught her to be his doctrin it is evident that the doctrin of these two ages will be the same And the Church of the 15. age relying vpon the same principle must hold the same doctrin which the Church of the 14. age held and so vpward the doctrin of the third age will be the same with that of the second and the doctrin of the second will be the same with that of the first and so if this principle has been carefully observed in all ages the doctrin of all ages will be the same with the doctrin of the first age which is the doctrin of Christ and of his Apostles The Maior then is evident The Minor is proved thus The Church now in Communion with the Roman sea holds in this age that principle For she professeth to believe nothing contrary to the doctrin of her immediat Ancestors and presumes to add nothing as Christs doctrin vnto the doctrin of her Ancestors Therefore she professeth to believe nothing as Christs doctrin but what she received as such from her immediat Ancestors If the Church of the present age professeth so as it is evident she doth then the Church of the fifteenth age behoved to make the like profession or else the Church of this age could not make it For so many persons as are now in Communion with the Roman Church cannot concurre to make so notorious sensible a lye as to say they professe nothing but what was profes't and taught by their immediat Ancestors if these of the 15. age had not made truly such a profession of the same doctrines And for the same reason these of the 15. age could not make that profession and teach it vnto this age vnlesse the 14. age had done the same and so you may ascend vpward even vnto the first age Therefore the Church professing to observe this principle now in this age hath profes't it alwayes If she has profes't it alwayes she has also observ'd it alwayes for the same reason because so many Nations as are in Commmunion of the Roman Church cannnot make so notorious a lye as to say they believe nothing but what they received from their immediat Ancestors if they believed any thing else as Christs doctrin which they had not received Therefore seing they affirm in all ages even vnto the first that they received all their doctrin from their Ancestors it must be true that they did receive it all and it must be also true that with the other doctrine they received and observed this principle To believe nothing but what has been delivered by their immediat Ancestors For this is as it were the rule ground of all particular doctrines So that by proving that the present Church in Communion with the sea of Rome professeth to observe this principle it 's proved she profes't it alwayes and by proving that she profest it alwayes it is shown she has observ'd it alwayes and this principle been alwayes profes't and observed it has been ever delivered with the rest of the doctrin as the main ground whereon the Church hath relyed by which men may come vnto the sure knowledge possession of the true doctrin which was taught by Christ his Apostles So that if the whole Church hath not made a notorious sensible lye in one age to damn themselves and their whole posterity she hath ever received all her doctrin from her immediat Ancestors and so it will be true that the doctrin of all ages is the same with the doctrin of the first age which is the true doctrin of Christ his Apostles Now it rests to be shown that this Church alone observes the former principle which is easily done For if there had been any other society of Christians which had constantly kept that principle it had also kep't the same doctrin which the Roman Church keeps as is evident by what hath been said Secondly No other Churches and especially the Protestant can so much as pretend to keep this principle For they are so far from professing to receive all their doctrines from their immediat Ancestors that at their first rising they accuse their Ancestors and the Church in their time of Errors whereof they professe themselves to be Reformers and that not by doctrin which they had received immediatly from others but what they had received or pick't out from the Scriptures by their private collections which has been the ordinary custom of all heretiques And this is evident in Protestants who do acknowledge that they have their doctrin not by the testimony of the age immediatly preceeding Luther but from him who opposed the whole Church in his time and for many ages before him which he pretended to reform by the Scriptures The whole strength of this proof is grounded vpon this manifest truth that a full report from whole worlds of fathers to whole worlds of Sons of such things as they heard and saw is altogether infallible since sensible evidence in a world of eye witnesses vnanimously concurring is altogether infallible And such is the test mony of the whole Church in every age for her doctrin that it is the very same which was delivered by Christ and his Apostles and therefore it was truly delivered by them For neither can the Church be mistaken in this testimonie since whole Nations cannot be deceived in what is told them not once or twice but what is dayly beaten into their ears what they are bred with and what they see dayly with their eyes or else we may say the whole world erres in iudging white from black Neither can all the Christians in the world dispersed through so many Nations malitiously conspire to make so notorious a lie as to say they heard this taught and saw it practised if they had not seen and heard it For that were to testify a lie in a matter subiect to sense against their greatest interest to witt the Salvation of themselvs of their posterity If it be impossible that all the persons of a great Citie and much more of a whole Nation should think affirm that they saw and heard such things which truly they neither saw nor heard How much more is it impossible that all Christians Cities Nations should think and affirm they were instructed in such doctrines saw such practices if it were not really true that they had received these doctrines seen these practices Hence it remaines evident that this continued testimony of so many Christian in every generation is a most sure infallible way to attayn vnto the certain knowledge of what
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
that could not stand with the goodnesse of God happinesse of their Estate Yea does not S. Iohn expresly deliver that the Saints in heaven do not only know our prayers Apocal. 5.8 but also offer them vp to God when he saith that the foure beasts and the foure and twentie Elders fel before the Lambe having every one harpes and golden Vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints Lastly what was the doctrin practice of the Primitive Church may be known briefly by the testimonies of the two great lights S. Ambrose S. Augustin The first saith We must pray to the Angels Ambros lib. de viduis who are given to be our defenders we must pray to the Martyrs c. For they are able to pray for our sins who have washed away their own The other having invocated the blessed Virgin and many Angels Saints by name concludes saying Aug. Medit. c. 40. I beseech you interceed for me a sinner vnto God that I may be delivered from the iawes of the Devil and everlasting death So you may see how vnreasonably you detest so holy a doctrine so profitable a practice which has been vsed by the greatest Saints Now we are come to that point to witt the worshiping of Images wherein you pretend great advantage For first you give out that the Catholique doctrin practice in this matter is directly against the Scriptures and particularly against the second Commandment Secondly you affirm with great clamours that the Catholiques prevarication is so evident here that to conceale the matter from the people they have taken away the second commandment And for this cause especially you accuse the Catholiques and condemn them for Sacrilegious Idolaters But all these were shown me to be vain pretences For first it is clear in the old Testament that the ancient Synagogue of the Iewes had their holy Images and that by Gods own appointment Secondly that they did also reverence and honour them with competent worship The first part is evident Exodus 25. where God said to Moyses Two Cherubins of beaton gold shalt thou make on both sides of the Oracle Moyses did obey this command chap. 37. Moreover King Salomon did adorne the famous Temple of Ierusalem with diverse pictures 3. Kings c. 6. v. 28. To speak nothing of the brasen serpent which God gave order to make Behold here the commandment of God for making placeing of holy Images in the Tabernacle vpon the Ark notwithstanding the Iewes were most prone to Idolatrie And that these Images were also honoured by the auncient people of the Iewes is evident For the Cherubins were the chief part and Ornament of the Ark and the whole Ark was honoured as may appeare first because it was put in the Holy of Holys as in a most honorable place Heb. 9.4 Secondly it was translated with great honour to the house of Obededom Thirdly it was only lawfull to the Priests Levits to carie it 3. Kings 5.6 Fourthly the Philistims were punished with diverse plagues because they kept it beside themselvs without due honour and vpon the contrary Obededom was blissed for keeping it honorably in his house 1. Kings 5.6 and 6.11 Yea God himself commāded by the mouth of David Psal 99. saying Adorato scabellum pedum eius Adore his footstoole This is vnderstood of the Ark as appeares by Davids words 1. Chron. 28. v. 2. And what ever it be it is not God and yet the Iewes were commanded to adore it Now can any man of solid iugment and consideration think that God did prohibite all Images and veneration of them by that which the Protestants call the second commandment to witt Thou shalt not make any graven Idol and yet immediatly thereafter should command Moyses to make Images and to hold them in such Veneration Or rather is it not evident that the Protestants do apply very falsly what is spoken in Scripture against Idols to the holy Images of Christ his Saints Therefore it is evident that the Iewes had not only holy Images by Gods appointment which were set in their Tabernacle Temple and most holy places but also that they did lawfully and religiously worship and honour them albeit with an honour infinitly inferiour to that which is due to God And as the Iewes had their holy Images so with as good if not more reason had the auncient Christians theirs which they placed in their Oratories and reverenced with due honour S. Chrysostom saith in his Liturgy the Priest bowes his head vnto the Image of Christ Bas lib. de Sp. S. c. 18. Basil affirmeth that the honour of the Image is referred to the Exemplar Many more testimonies were shown me from the Fathers and Ecclesiastical Histories but for brevities sake I forbear to cite thē as also it was shewed Concil 2. Nicen that these who were enemies to the holy Images of Christ his Saints were condemned by the auncient Church as most furious Heretiques called the Iconaclasts who concur'd in this impiety against Christ his Saints with the profest Enemies of Christ as Iulian the Apostat the perfidious Iewes Mahumetans destroying where euer they could the Images of Christ his Saints against whom God by many miracles has manifested the truth as he did once against the Iewes by making aboundance of blood to flow from our Saviours Image which they had pierced crucifyed in the Citie of Berytum in Syria By which miracle by the miraculous cure of the sick who were anointed with that blood the whole multitude of Iewes in that place was converted Athan. lib. de P ssione Imag. Christi c. 4. as S. Athanasius testifyeth By which it is evident to passe by diverse other Miracles recorded in Ecclesiastical Histories that holy Pictures are capable of dishonour and therefore also of competent honour that Catholiques by keeping them giving due reverence vnto them follow the practice of the ancient Christians and Tradition of the Apostles as S. Basil testifyeth Basil ap Con. Nicen. 2. act 2. saying I honour the histories of the Saints Images and I openly adore them For this being delivered by the holy Apostles is not to be forbidden but in all our Churches we erect their histories And it is no lesse evident that you Covenanting Ministers who furiously break deface all holy Pictures Crosses do thereby dishonour Christ his Saints go against the practice of the ancient Christians follow the example of furious heretiques of other profest Enemies of Christ You without all reason detest the Catholiques worshiping of Images but you ought rather to detest your own profaneing of them which indeed many Protestants do detest Hence may be easily discovered the Vanity of all your former pretensions as first when you say that Images are forbidden to be made worshiped by that which you call the second Commandment For there are only forbidden Idols and all divine
reckons in the first place Basil l. de Sp. S. c. 27. Aug. tract 118 in Euang. Ioan Chrys iul quod Christus sit Deus Nazian orat 1. in Iulian amongst the Apostolical Traditions and which S. Augustin call the sign of Christ without which no benediction is rightly perfected It was so much honoured in the primitive times that it was erected as S. Chrysostome testifyes vpon the topes of Kings Crownes Scepters and imprinted vpon the front or head of man the most noble member of his body as vpon a living pillar and it is most efficacious against temptations and the affrightfull apparitions of Devils whereof Iulian the Apostata found experience as S. Gregory Nazianzen relates with many circumstances Therefore you are very rashly Enemies to this glorious sign of the Son of man and some of you very wickedly do call it the sign of the beast and it may be iustly said the Catholiques Crossings are much better then your cursings By detesting the anoynting of the Catholique Church you detest S. Iames Iames 5 Mark 6.13 who prescribed it and the holy Apostles who practiced it as S. Mark testifies saying They anointed with oile many sick the Primitive Church which vsed it Aug. in Pref. psal 26. enarr 2 whereby S. Augustin shewes the excellency of Christians to whom all now Vnction belongs which was only proper before to Priests Kings By detesting the hallowing of Gods good Creatures you detest your own practice in blissing your meat with long graces and the elements of your Sacrament with long prayers S. Paul shewes that Every Creature may be sanctifyed 1. Timoth 4.4.5 by the word of God and prayer The hallowing of Gods Creatures to pious vses is not superstition but the contrary practice is profanation The Popes worldly Monarchie as you call it has agreed better with all the Monarchs of the world and that for many ages then your worldly Democracy has consisted with one or two Monarchs in one corner of the world for the few years you have lasted And the Sacred Hierarchie of the Church which you without all modestie call wicked has not produced such wicked effects for the space of 16. hundred yeares and above as the Anarchy of your Presbytery has done in lesse then the space of twentie You abiure also the three solemn Vowes of voluntary chastity poverty obediēce which have been shown above to be works of greater perfection This shewes that the Prophet Esay did not mean of you but of the members of the true Church when he prophesied of them Esay 19 21. saying They shall Vow Vowes vnto our Lord pay them But your first chief Reformers Vowed these solemn Vowes and brake them And it may be iustly said that these 3. Solemn Vowes are much better works then your solemn League Covenant You renounce also the Clerical Tonsure which you call shavelings of diverse sorts But that this was a most ancient Ceremony Dionys lib. de Eccles Hierarchia c. 6 Athan. lib. de Virginitate Hier. epist ad Savinianum Beda hist. Anglor lib. 5. c. 22. S. Denis Athanasius Hierom and others do testifie◠and Venerable Bede affirmes that S. Peter did first of all carrie a Crown of haires the rest of his head being poll'd The mysterious significations of this ceremony may be seen in Bellarmin lib. 2. de Monachis cap. 40. And albeit no other reason be brought the very venerable antiquity of it alone is sufficient to shew that these shavelings of sundry sorts are better then your new Round-heads of sundry sects Then you detest according to your phrase the Popes corrupted bloodie decrees made at Trenf But that is ordinary for all Novelists to carrie hatred to and calumniate these Sacred General Councels by whose authority their corrupted errors are condemned so did the Arians to the great Councel of Nice That which you speak of a cruel bloody Band subscrybed there is a meer calumnie for no such thing was done there But indeed it is no calumnie to call your Covenant which was approved and subscrybed at your Assembly of Glasgow a cruel and bloudy Band as the effects have proved It is by such cruel and bloudy Bands that false religions must be propagated or rather enforced against mens Consciences But the Catholique Church trusting in the promise of Christs assistance and being armed with the force of truth goes on vpon other principles You are pleased also not only to detest the Decrees of the Councel of Trent but likwise the subscrybers Approvers thereof whom you call Conspirators against the Kirk of God But albeit your passion leads you to detest their doctrines yet civility should oblige you not to detest their persons especially since some Approvers thereof are the most Eminent Princes of the world to whom you ought to carrie respect And whereas you take vpon you the name authority of the Church of God it has been shewed above that your Kirk has lyen too long hid to be the Kirk of God You call your Kirk a Reformed Kirk but it ought rather to be called a new formed Kirk because it is substantially different from the old and it is so far from being truly Reformed that it is deformed in the principal points of the Christian religion as we have seen concerning the Apostles Creed our Lords prayer the Commandments Sacraments besides many other substantial articles above touched That which you say of the Popes Vain Allegories Rites Signs is frivolous It is known that these Allegories which you blame were vsed by the holy Fathers particularly by S. Augustin who excelled in the Allegorical sense of the Scriptures whose Allegories are not vain but most grave and will be preferred by all sound iudgments to your Ministers vain Tropes and figures against the clear Scriptures as we have seen in the matter of the holy Sacrament Of Traditions we have spoke sufficiently above All the rest that followes in your Covenant excepting the two vntruths touched above in the first section and your Oath for maintaining the Kings authority is nothing but a concatenation of most fearfull and horrible Oaths whereby you tye yourselves vnder highest curses and paines to maintaine these your grosse errors and Heresies which ought rather to be deplored then confuted especially since you are begun to find the effects of these enormities Thus I have briefly collected the principall observations which my Catholique Friend and I made vpon the Covenant although I have passed by many things that were in his papers that this book might not exceed the iust bignesse But by what has been said may be in some measure seen what counterfeit mettal the Covenant is and what a masse of Errors and old condemned heresies it containes ioynd with blasphemous Execrations of the principal points of the holy Catholique faith and what an Idol the simple people was made to adore It is truly to be regrated that our Nation which
conclude this point I found clearly that the Creed hath been alwayes held to be is Apostolique that it is the foundation perfect rule of the Christian faith that it is a worke worthy of the holy Apostles that it is such a strong heavenly fabricke that it cannot be overthrowen by no stormes nor tempests by no force nor violences and that it overcomes all heresies that the ancient custome of saying it publickly at Baptisme and often privatly and dayly is most laudable and profitable to Christian people And vpon the other part I found that the Presbyterians by denying the Cred to be Apostolique haue denyed the foundation clear rule of the Christian faith most vnreasonably haue worne out both the publick private vse of it And that they compleated their new Raformation when they not only reiected the Creed but obtruded the Covenant in place of it And lastly I found that as the Presbyterians new doctrin in this matter is most erroneous and presumptuous so that all their endeavours have proved vaine frivolous For that fortresse of faith which was built by the holy Apostles of lively stones heavenly pearles as Ruffinus speaks hath held out stronger tempests then the Presbyterians weake blasts and therefore it still stands immoveable Whereas the Babel of their Covenant which they were so diligently building and vpon which they could never get the Capstone as they often regrated hath ended in Confusion and in a short space hath come to ruine Now all these things being considered I refer my self to any man voyde of passion if I could reasonably much lesse Christianly exchange the pearles of the Apostles Creed for the drosse of the Presbyterians Covenant CHAP. XI Of the Article of Christs Descent to Hell perverted by the Presbyterians AFTER that the Presbyterians had thus endeavoured to shake the authority of the Apostles Creed least peradventure their small authority might not prevaile against all Christianity what they could not get effectuated by denying the letter they laboured to performe by corrupting the sense and especially of that article Short Cotech Vv st in fine He descended into Hell For in their new Catechismes they interline or put on the margent this glosse with it He descended into Hell that is He continued in the state of the dead and vnder the power of Death till the third day I Observed that although we had and said the words of the Creed before the Covenant began yet we did not know the true sense of it in this and some other articles albeit as S. Augustin shewes it was made plaine short that it might serve the capacity vnderstanding memory of the simple For there was a great quarrelling before these greater troubles among some of the Ministers for the sense of these words He descended into Hell Some publickly taught that they behoved to be literally vnderstood of a real and local descent others of the preciser sort called that a Papistical interpretation against which they did most sharply inveigh and taught according to Calvin that the sense of them was that Christ did suffer in his Soule the horrible torments of a coÌ„demned and forsaken man which glosse was called by the former Ministers a horrible blasphemy To come then to the true sense of this article about which there was such contrariety among the Ministers I had my recourse to the holy Scriptures Fathers and I found that there was scarcely any article of our faith more clearly contain'd in the Scriptures and more vnanimously avowed by the holy Fathers who brand those who do not believe it literally with the name of Infidels And lastly I found that diverse grosse wayes have been devised by the Ministers since their pretended Reformation to pervert and obscure it and when the falshood of one is discovered they alwayes find out an other but will never embrace the true sense of it The light of reason doth shew to every Christien that it is not sufficient for mans Salvatian to hold the words of the Creed but it is necessary also to follow the true sense of it This the holy Fathers do teach who shew likwise that as Heretiques ever endeavoured to pervert the true sense of the Creed so the true Church doth ever retaine maintaine it S. Cyril with the Alexandrin Synod writes to this purpose to Nestorius Who pretended to believe the Nicen Creed yet denyed the blessed Virgin to be the Mother of God Cyril Alex. cum Syn. Alex. epist 10. ad Nestor Aug. tom 3. de fide Symb c. 1 It 's not sufficieÌ„t saith he that you professe with vs the Symbol of faith c. For you do not vnderstand nor expound it rightly but rather perversly although you Confesse the words of it with your tongue S. Augustin also saith to the like purpose Vnder the few words contained in the Symbol many Heretiques haue endeavoured to hide their poisons to whom the Divine mercy hath resisted and doth resist by spirituall men who haue not only merited to believe and receive the Catholique faith in these words but also by the revelation of God to vnderstand know it So the Presbyterians although they have denyed the Creed yet vnder the words of it they endeavour to hide their poisons Although the article of Christs descent to Hell were not in the Creed which is a clear and easy rule of faith that ought to be plainly and literally vnderstood yet it is so clearly in the Scripture that it cannot be denyed without wresting of it S. Peter in his first Sermon doth apply vnto Christ Psal 15. v. 9 10. a prophesie of Dauid in the 15 Psasme which saith My heart hath been glad my tongue hath reioyced my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my Soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption â—cts 2.30.31 After S. Peter hath proved that this Prophely cannot be vnderstood of the Prophet Dauid he sheweth that Dauid mean't of Christ in these words Whereas therefore he was a Prophet c. forseeing he spake of the resurrection of Christ For neither was he left in Hell neither did his flesh see corruption There is both the old new Testament fot this truth The Prophet Dauid foretelling and the Apostle S. Peter expounding and shewing the fulfilling of it to witt that Christs soule was not left in hell neither did his flesh see corruption What can be reasonably more required by any Christian Aug. epist ad Exod. 99. But let vs heare S. Augustin so vnderstanding it That our Lord saith he being mortifyed in the flesh did goe into Hell is very certaine For that prophecy which saith Thou wilt not leave my Soule in Hell cannot be contradicted which least any man should presume to vnderstand otherwise the same Peter doth expound it in the Acts of the Apostles c. And then he concludes in these words Quis ergo nisi
that for this one testimony which saith that our sins are covered they should deny so many which shew that sins are taken away and will not rather confesse with the Scripture that they are both covered and taken away S. Augustin sheweth excellently on this place how God doth both For comparing him to a Surgeon or Physician Aug. â—narr in Ps 31. he saith that God doth so cover the wound with a plaister that he cureth it and taketh it away Calvin his followers make Christ to be a very imperfect Spiritual Physician who can neither heale the sick nor cure the wounded soules but only can cast a cover vpon them Such a Physician of the body who could do nothing but throw his cloake vpon the sick or wounded and neither be able to take away the sicknesse or wounds would be in small esteem and little employed The second grosse errour of Calvin which denyeth inherent iustice is sufficiently above refuted Where it was shewed out of the Scriptures Fathers that we are quickned by Christ and that iustice or grace proceeding from the iustice of Christ the meritorious cause of our iustice is the spiritual life of the Soule which quickens it and therefore must be internal and inherent within vs. For as one cannot live naturally vnlesse he have internal life within him so neither can one live Spiritually by any thing that is without him but he must necessarly have the life of grace or iustice within him This truth is so strong that Calvin did sometime acknowledge it for he saith Cal. lib. de refrom Eccl. p. 316. that we are never reconciled to God but we are also gifted with inherent iustice But at other times he frequently opposeth it affirming that the most holy and iust persons are nothing inwardly but filthy sinners and that all their iustice consists only in the external iustice of Christ which is imputed to them and with which their sins and filthynesse are covered Math. 23.27 So that Calvins iust men are not vnfitly by some compared to whited Sepulchres to which our Saviour compared the Pharisees that outwardly appeare vnto men beautifvll but within are full of dead mens bones all filthinesse So the Presbyterians would appeare beautifull outwardly by the iustice of Christ but inwardly they are full of filthinesse iniquity They are also like Wolves in sheeps clothing who haue an external shew of meeknesse iustice but inwardly are ravenous creatures But as sheeps clothing doth not make a wolfe to become a lamb so neither will the external iustice of Christ that innocent lamb with which a sinner would cloth himself outwardly and yet remaine still in his sins make him a Saint Iohn e ist 1 â—hap 3. v. 7. S. Iohn giveth a serious warning to this purpose Little children saith he let no man seduce you He that doth iustice is iust even as he also that is Christ is iust Therefore they are seduced who think to be iust and yet will do no iustice as Christ did The third errour to witt that faith alone doth iustify is also above refuted For 1. it hath been shewed not to be in Scripture And therefore the Presbytetians make it very vnreasonably against their own principles the principal article of their religion 2. It is not only not to be found in Scripture but it is expresly word by word against Scripture as hath been seen out of S. Iames. Therefore the Presbyterians brags of great advantage in this point are very false and groundlesse 3. It is also against the holy Fathers who condemned it as we haue seen in some ancient heretiques Yea S. Augustin doth affirm that because it had risen in the very time of the Apostles by misinterpreting the words of S. Paul the other Apostles as S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn did direct the intention of their epistles and wrote most earnestly to roote out that errour from the minds of men And S. Paul also did expresse himself sufficiently against this errour when he said that albeit he had all faith so that he could remove mountains if he had not charity 1. Cor. 13.13 which he calleth greater and more excellent then faith and hope he would be nothing and his faith would profite him nothing Whence S. Augustin saith that it is charity Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. cap. 27. Leo serm de collect Shel p. 108. 108. which makes all vertues profitable and that faith may be present but it cannot profite without charity and S. Leo saith that charity quickens faith it self by which the iust man lives Yea M. Shelford the Protestant Minister above cited saith expresly that Charity is the most precious grace of God and is the greatest mean instrument of our Iustification And that he meaning Calvin who preferreth faith before charity in our Iustification would elude S. Pauls demonstration But there is another part or branch of this third errour much more dangerous then the former For as they teach that faith alone doth iustify and yet they require with it charity other vertues which makes the difference to be more nominal then real so they teach that this iustifying faith is nothing else but a sure persuasion that every one ought to have of the forgivenesse of his sins for the merits of Christ and that he is iust in the sight of God This is the special faith which they say is only given to the elect and these who once have it can never fall from it and they are sure of their election predestination In this matter the Presbyterians differ substantially from the Catholiques who require also faith to Iustification but of a far different nature from this of Calvin which they esteem not to be faith but rather a phanatical fancy and high presumption Against which I found some solid reasons which I will briefly touch 1. No maÌ„ ought to believe any thing as an article of faith but that which God hath revealed But God hath not revealed that every maÌ„s sins are forgiven him Therefore he ought not to believe it much lesse although he believe it is he iustifyed by it 2. There is neither precept nor example in the whole Scripture of such a special iustifying faith Therefore it is not to be admitted 3. It is far different from the faith of Abraham the father of the faithfull by which he was iustifyed which faith the Apostle in the same epistle to the Romans doth highly extoll For he was iustifyed by believing the promise of God which was revealed to him to witt that he should be the Father of many nations and that his seed should be as the starres of the heauen and the sand of the sea This is the faith which the Christians of all ages ever required before Luther Calvin arose to believe what God had revealed to witt the articles of our Creed and the other matters contaynd in Scripture accorording to that of the Apostle If thou
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
evidēt marks of the Synagogue of Anti-Christ Neither indeed can any new sects with any probability call themselvs Catholiques For what would be more ridiculous then if the Independents or Quakers who are of so late standing and of so litle extension would stile themselvs Catholiques this word signifying Vniversality both of time place which they evidently want The same may be as iustly said of the Presbyterians or of any other Protestant Congregation And if any of these sects were so vnwise as to call themselvs so they would not be vnderstood but taken for Papists I remember that my Catholique friend shew me that it has been an ordinary custom of those who separat themselv's from the Catholique Church when they see that they neither have the thing signifyed by the word Catholique nor can obtain the title of it to shew themselvs enemies to both This the old Donatists did who pretended that it was not necessary Aug. cont Crescon l. 3. c. 66. the true Church should have communion of Nations or be Vniversal that truth is often among a few and that it was the fault of many to erre This same some Protestants do pretend Against which may be opposed the words of S. Augustin Aug. epist 48 who saith As he shall be Anathema or accursed who preacheth that neither Christ suffered nor rose again because we learned by the Gospel that it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day so he shall also be anathema whosoever preacheth the Church to be elswhere then in the Communion of all Nations because by the self same Gospel we learn in the words next following pennance to be preached in his name and remission of sins throughout all Nations Then for the word Catholique Luther was so great an enemy to it that he tooke it out of the Apostles Creed putting the word Christian in place of it Our Presbyterians ordinarly abstain from the word Catholique turning it Vniversal Beza in praefat novi Testam Beza calls it the vain tearme Catholique A great Apostle of the Covenant shew both his envie anger at this word For when a Gentlemā in the North who had been summoned not long ago to give an account of his faith before the Presbytery of Aberdeen had profest himself to be a Catholique the said Apostle was offended with that title and willed him to call himself a Papist which he neglecting to do the Min̄ister thē enquired of him If the women of his religion called themselvs Catholiques also Which question had such an vncivil sense as he proposed it that some of his more modest brethren sitting in iudgment with him shew both by their Countenance and words their dislike of his vncivility S. Augustin relates how the Donatists also were great Enemies to the word Catholique calling it a humane forgerie or fiction Aug. lib. 1. cont Gaudent c. 33. which the holy Father calls words of blasphemie To conclude therefore this point As it is evident both by the Creed and by the Scripture that the true Church must be Catholique so it 's very clear certain that the Protestant Church before Luther was not Catholique that as yet it is not Catholique and by all appearance never will be For according to the nature of heresie it gote all what it possesseth at the first hurle and these 80. years it hath made no progresse but rather by its own divisions hath gone backward and has been still on the loosing hand Therefore the Protestant Church not being Catholique cannot be the true Church Vpon the other part it is no lesse evident that of all Christian societies the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome was the Catholique Church in the time of the Apostles as it was also in the time of S. Augustin and of the holy Fathers and ever since it has had the Communion of Nations kept all General Councels made decrees condemned all Errors heresies And in a word what the holy Scriptures have so clearly fore-tould of the Vniversality of Christs Church and of the conversion of Gentils from infidelity to Christianity hath been accomplished in this Church alone and performed by her members Therefore this Church and no other is the holy Catholique and true Church of Christ CHAP. XXXV The true Church proved by her continued succession lawfull vocation of her Pastors for which she is called Apostolique BY this note or property of Apostolique the holy Fathers and auncient Councels would have the true Church clearly known and distinguished from all new sects heresies The Church is called Apostolique principally for two reasons First because it was founded by the Apostles and from their time must continue vnto the end of the world Secondly because the Pastors thereof derive their Mission from the Apostles by ordinary calling personal succession In the first sense the true Church is clearly distinguished from all sects and false Churches because they were not founded by the Apostles but by some new pretended Reformers who arose after the Apostles in their several generations and therefore these new Churches founded and erected by them are not called Apostolique but have their denomination from their founders such as the Arians Pelagians Lutherans Calvinists In the second sense she is also clearly distinguished from false Churches because they have not lawful Pastors deriving their vocation from the Apostles by a continued and vninterrupted succession but intrude themselvs into the office of Pastors without any lawfull calling Of the first sense of the word Apostolique we have spoken sufficiently above when we proved the true Church by her perpetuity and continued succession and disproved all false Churches for want of it which proofes need not to be here repeated Of the second sense of the word Apostolique we shall here briefly speak Besids the authority of the Creed it is evident by the Scriptures that there must be alwayes Pastors in the Church lawfully called to that charge God saith by the Prophet Esay vpon thy walls Esay 62.6 ô Ierusalem I have appointed watchmen all the day and all the night They shall not hold their peace for ever Ephes 4.11 The Apostle S. Paul sheweth how our Saviour performed this promise by appoynting Pastors and Teachers To the consummation of the Saints for the work of the Ministerie for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all meet in the Vnity of faith Our Saviour also has promised his continual assistance vnto the Pastors of his Church Behold Math. vlt. I am with you always even vnto the consummation of the world As there must be always Pastors in the Church so they must be lawfully called to that charge or else they are not Pastors but Theeves and Robbers S. Paul saith Heb. 5.4 Rom. 10 15. no man takes vpon him that honour but he who is called of God as Aaron And again how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent◠God in the old Testament reproved
is granted by all Christians that the Church in Communion with Rome had once this succession and professed the true faith at least for some years after the Apostles Therefore either she holds still the same true faith and so has a continued succession from the Apostles or else if she hath fail'd some other Church hath succeeded and kept the true faith in all generations thereafter But no other Church can be assigned which hath still succeeded Therefore either the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which was once vndenyably the true Church is still the true Church and hath ever professed the same true faith or else the true Church of Christ which ought to be perpetual and visible hath perished out of the earth for many ages which no Christian can affirm Moreover as the true Church is clearly easily known by her continued succession so all false Churches are evidently discoverd by their new rising S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 3. The most ancient Father S. Irenaeus having reckon'd out the succession of the Roman Bishops by which he shewes the succession of the true Church from the Apostles saith Haec est plenissima ostensio c. This is a most full demonstration that the same lively faith taugth by the Apostles is still even vnto this day conserved in the Church and truly delivered And by this saith he Confundimus omnes c. We confound all Novelists who cannot shew such a succession S. Hierom saith that any new Church which hath not still endured from the Apostles is not the Church of Christ Hier. dial cont Lucifer vt sup Tertull. de praescrip c. 34. Idem li. advers Hermonem c. 1. but the Synagogue of Anti-Christ For by this same very thing that they are afterwards established they shew themselves to be those whom the Apostle foretold were to arise Tertullian affirmeth that Heretiques are discovered by their age alone Again To cut short all disputes with Heretiques we vse to prescribe them by their posteriority or after rising But it is worth the observation and much illustrates this matter to consider what two contrary things the Scripture foretells of the true Church and of heresies Of the Church it shewes that it hath no later beginning then Christ who founded it and can end no sooner then the consummation of the world Both these truths are contain'd in that one sentence of Christ to speak of no more Math. 16.19 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Of sects heresies it shewes iust the contrary 1. They are not so ancient as Christ but arise afterwards as S. Paul foretold the Ephesians saying I know Acts 20.29.30 that after my departure there will ravening Wolves enter in among you c. and of your selves shall arise men speaking perverse things 1. Iohn 2.19 S. Iohn saith They went out from vs. 2. As they rise lately so they quickly decay S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.9 They shall prosper no further The first two are verifyed clearly in the Catholique Church which being founded by Christ hath continued to this day without interruption and so shall continue vnto the end of the world For this being the work of God cannot be dissolved as Gamaliel wisely or rather divinly foretold The other two are no lesse verifyed of all false Churches For they began of late in several ages after the Apostles and albeit they seem'd sometimes firmly established yet being the works devices of men they were ever at length dissolved The first point to witt late rising is verifyd of the Protestant Churches which were not known before Luther their dissensions changes divisions and subdivisions which every day encrease and for which there is no remedie shew that they cannot endure for ever Is it not then truly admirable that the heresies which have risen against the Church being so many in number for two hundred Heresiarchs are reckoned to have been before Luther some of thē vpheld by great earthly power maintain'd by diverse svbtile and crafty wits covered with the mask of truth and promoved with furious zeal yet never one of them hath endured And vpon the other part the Catholique Church being all alone so ancient so much hated so much calumniated and persecuted by them all hath stood out against them all and endures vnto this day Is it not very considerable that all heretiques having intended by slight and might the destruction of the Catholique Church which some of them have most cruelly persecuted and the building of their own new respective Churches yet they could never get either of these two designs accomplished For the Catholique Church being founded by Christ vpon a rock cannot be shaken Whereas these new Churches albeit sometimes they seem to be brought neer vnto some setling perfection yet before they can get on the Capestone for which the Presbyterians did often in vain cry fall ever into ruin and confusion Who will consider these things may not see the finger of God in protection of his Church the clear performāce of all his promises vnto her And vpon the other part who may not see an evident curse fall vpon all heresies which like Babels can never be perfited being built vpon the sand cannot long stand or being like adulterous plants cannot take deep rootes But that you may discern the better how the true Church is so easily known by her continued succession all false Churches are so clearly discovered by their new rising I pray yow conceive in your mind these following representations which are grounded in the Scriptures holy Fathers 1. Represent vnto your self the true Church as a great River passing from one end of the earth to the other running continually from the time of Christ his Apostles through all generations And such is the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome having succession of Pastors people in all ages like a river ever running in which all the Saints as living waters have flowed vnto paradise But heretical Churches are like little brooks or rainfloods not alway's running but rising at several times after stormes tempests not compassing the earth but overflowing some petty corners of it making for a short space a great noise thereafter running more calmly and in end clean dried vp S. Augustin makes this comparison for on these words of the psalme Aug. in psal 57. They shall come to nothing as water running down he saith Let not my brethren some floods which are called Torrents affright you the water runs down for a time it makes a great noise it shall soon cease they cannot endure long Many heresies are now dead they have run in their streams as much as they could they have run out their waters are dried vp scarcely the memorie of them is to be found c. Thus he You know that the Covenant did not always run and
after it began how furiously it ran what great noise it made how it carried down almost all with it Now you see it runs more calmly it is almost run out and the great noise of it is past Again the true Church is like the Sun ever shining in all generations according to that of the Psalmist He hath put his tabernacle in the Sun Psal 18.6 which S. Augustin expounds thus He hath placed his Church in manifestation And such has been the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome always visible and ever shining since the time of Christ But all heresies are like Comets which arise at certain times being made vp of terrestrial vapours make a great blaze so long as their grosse matter lasts but so soō as that failes they quickly evanish So indeed are heresies made vp for the most part of tēporary interests which make thē for a short time give a great glister but so soon as the grosse matter of these interests failes as it cannot laste long then they begin to shine dimnly then they languish in end evanish How great a light was the Covenant esteem'd What a great lustre did it make in great Britain so long as the interests concurred But these soon failing new lights have risen which have discocovered the former to be meerly humane have made it to languish and in a word have shown it to be a Comet Moreover the Church of Christ is frequently compared by the holy Fathers to a ship strongly built and wisely governed by Christ which ever since his time hath sailed through the seas of this world and notwithstanding the many tempests which the Divel and wicked men have raisd against her yet she riding out them all hath carried in her all these who have been saved vnto the port of Salvation She has been many wayes tossed but could never be overwhelmed For Ambros lib. de Salomone c. 4. as S. Ambrose saith excellently She cannot suffer ship shipwrak because Christ is exalted on the mast that is on the Crosse the Father sits pilot in the sterne and the holy Ghost preserves the fore-Castle Such is the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome as we have seen But heretical Churches are like little boats neither made nor governed by Christ but by new Sect-Masters who foolishly abandoned the ship of the Church Who promise a safe and more easy passage to heaven whereby many are rashly drawn to entrust their soules to them But within a short space the stormes arising these new vnskifull Pilots being of contrary iudgments fall into horrible dissensions and their passingers into bloody factions to the destruction of one another So that in end these boats which came but lately vpon the sea of this world which intended fondly to sink the Church are das't against rocks split in pieces and all these miserable soules which remain'd in them are overwhelm'd with waters Hieron epist ad Damaum For whosoever saith S. Hierom is not in the ark of Noah shall perish by the raging deluge And thus all false Churches after a little time have perished Lastly the Church is compared by Christ vnto a house built by himself as by a wise Master-builder vpon ◠rock which must stand for ever And such is the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which hath stood vnto this day But heresies are new houses built by foolish sect◠masters not founded vpon a rock but vpon the sand which are soon shaken overthrown Wherefore to conclude I hope now through Gods goodnesse that you having seen such evidence for the truth of the Roman Catholique Church will make your self a domestique of this heavenly house which can never be shaken that you will enter into this ship which can suffer no shipwrack that you will walk in this light that can never be eclipsed and that you will runn this channel wherein all the Saints have pas't vnto paradise To this purpose spake the Catholique After I had considered diligently all these things which were given me thereafter in writing and had seen that this reason was so well grounded in the Scriptures and was vsed by the holy Fathers as a most clear and convincing way to prove the true Church I was much satisfyed therewith But yet I desired the Catholique if he would fully satisfie me to shew that the Roman Catholique Church had never changed her doctrin and had still kept that same which she had received from the Apostles For I doubt not said I but you know that the Ministers accuse her to have fallen from the Apostolique doctrin in many points and to have brought in many corruptions Wherevnto he answered that by proving the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and her alone to have had a continued succession he had proved clearly her to be the true Church and so consequently to haue stil retained the same doctrin which was taught by Christ and the Apostles for change of doctrin changeth the Church and so the doctrin being changed the Church had not continued But said he for your more full satisfaction to take away all doubts and to dispell the mists of these calumnies I will prove the same truth by another special way CHAP. XXXI That the Church in communion with the sea of Rome holds now and has still held the same doctrin which was taught first by Christ his Apostles ALBEIT this truth hath been sufficiently proved by the continued succession of the Church yet now it shall be demonstrated by the special manner whereby this Church has received and still conveighed all her doctrin and for more clearnesse I frame my reason thus That Church which in all ages believed nothing as the doctrin of Christ his Apostles but what she received from her immediat Ancestors as their doctrin holds and hath still held the true doctrin of Christ his Apostles But the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome she alone hath in all ages received all her doctrin after that manner Therefore she alone holds and hath still held the true doctrin which was first taught by Christ his Apostles and consequently she has never changed the doctrin which she first received The Maior is proved after this manner That Church which in all ages believes the same doctrin which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age hath ever held the true doctrin of Christ his Apostles But that Church which believes nothing as Christs doctrin but what she received as such from her immediat Ancestors believes in all ages the same doctrin which Christ his Apostles taught in the first age Therefore that Church which receives so her doctrin has ever held the same doctrin which was taught at first by Christ his Apostles The reason of this vniformity of doctrin in all ages is because that principle of receiving no doctrin as the doctrin of Christ his Apostles but what was delivered immediatly
not vsurped For he who is a iust Possessor is no Vsurper Yea he has been so far from vsurping over the Scriptures the Church c. that he has chiefly preserved them from the Vsurpations and corruptions of Heretiques And first it is shewed that he doth not vsurp over the Scriptures as the Covenanters do calumniate For he neither Vsurps over the letter nor the sense of them Not the first For both the Pope whole Catholique Church professe that they only declare that to be Scripture which they received for such from the holy Apostles and it 's by their care diligence that the letter of the Scripture has descended pure free from corruptions vnto our hands whereas it might have been altogether corrupted or totally perished for Protestants Neither do the Pope or Catholique Church vsurp over the sense of the Scriptures but they preserve that sense which is conforme to the Vanimous consent of the auncient fathers of the Primitive Church Secondly the Pope doth not vsurp over the Church because the care and charge of it was committed by Christ to S. Peter and to his Successors as we have seen and he preserves the Church from the Vsurpation of Heretiques Thirdly He doth not vsurp over the Civil Magistrate The experience of many ages in all Christians Kingdomes Common-wealths is more then sufficient to make this good to manifest the impudent falshood of the Presbyterian calumnie to the contrary Fourthly The Pope doth not vsurp over the Consciences of men but as chief Governor of the Church has lawfull authority to make Ecclesiastical Lawes which bind in Conscience as also all the iust Lawes of Kings other Civil Magistrats do bind in Conscience to which their subiects ought to obey according to that of S. Paul Be subiect not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 And the contrary doctrin of Protestants which affirmeth that neither the Lawes of Church Kings or other Magistrates do bind in conscience is much detested by the Catholique Church and opens a broad way to all disobedience But now it will not be amisse to show how yow are destitute of all lawfull authority and deeply guilty of the same Vsurpations which yow falsly impose on others First all heretiques who go out of the Church and having no lawfull calling or authority take vpon them to be Pastors and impose their new doctrines Lawes vpon the Church are truly Vsurpers and are called Theeves by our Saviour who enter not by the doore but climb vp another way So S. Optatus speaks to the Donatists How comes it to passe Opt. lib. 2. cont Parmen saith he that you who are fighting against the Chair of Peter by your presumptions and Sacrilegious boldnesse contend to Vsurp the keies of the Kingdome to your selves Thus Luther Calvin the two chief Apostles of Protestants were Vsurpers who being private men without any lawfull calling or authority would bring in new doctrines and prescribe lawes to the whole Catholique Church And in this the Covenanting Ministers do imitate them Secondly they vsurped in particular over both the letter and sense of the Scriptures For Luther added the word Only to them in the matter of Iustification and tooke the whole Epistle of S. Iames and the Apocalypse from them Calvin also by his private Spirit made vp a new Canon not known before his time expunging many bookes avnciently received out of the Scriptures which new Rule the Covenanters follow Then for the sense they transgressed the bounds set by the Fathers reiecting the auncient sense preserved by the Catholique Church and invented new senses of their own imaginations which they enforced vpon others as divine Truths In this also you Covenanting Ministers have followed closely their footsteps For you have been no lesse fertile in inventing such new senses then active in enforceing them vpon others Thirdly your pretended Reformers were Vsurpers over the Church who having no lawfull calling nor authority tooke vpon them to be Reformers of the Church who would impose their own fancies as lawes divine Oracles on the Church who insolently would take vpon them to iudge and condemn the whole Catholique Church and who vnder pretext of Reformation have destroyed almost all that is sacred in the Church barbarously destroying many excellent Churches and Sacrilegiously vsurping and plundering the riches Ornaments of them This Luther and Calvin did at the beginning and this you have compleated in a great measure above all their progenie Fourthly you are also very guilty of Vsurpation over the Civil Magistrate The late riseing of your religion cannot furnish vs old histories but for your short time you have been prettie bussie and afford vs a good store For in our Countrey there have been only 3. or 4. Princes since your religion Began and none of them has been exempt from your Vsurpation First The Queen Regent was deposed by you from her Regency and died shortly thereafter for grief Secondly How you vsed her daughter Queen Mary Stewart it is notoriously known to the world For after you had imprisonned her enforced her to renounce her Crowne you never desisted till by persecuting of her vnto death you made her purchase a more glorious Crown and yet by your calumnies after her death augment her glory in heaven Thirdly Basili con Doron How you Vsurped over King Iames her Son he himself hath registred to your no small infamy And albeit you did not prevaile against him yet you have payed home that deficiency with Vsury to his Son the late King Charles By this may be seen whither the Pope or yow do Vsurp more over the Civil Magistrate Lastly you have been great Vsurpers over mens Consciences as may be known to passe by all other instances by your furious vrgeing this same Covenant vpon many Protestants against their Consciences for which they give you the Title of Soule-Tyrants By all which may be seen that you are very guilty of the same Vsurpations which you falsly obiect to others SECTION V. That the Lawes of the Catholique Church are not Tyrannous nor her doctrin concerning the Scriptures and office of Christ erroneous AFTER you have renounced the Popes authority as vnlawfull then yow renounce his Lawes as Tyrannous and the doctrin of the Catholique Church concerning the Scriptures the office of Christ as Erroneous For thus you speak in your Covenant We detest all his Tyrannous Lawes made vpon indifferent things against our Christian libertie His Erroneous doctrin against the sufficiency of the written word the perfection of the Law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangel If you renounce all lawes made vpon indifferent things pretending that they are against your Christian libertie then you renounce the most part of all Lawes both Civil and Ecclesiastical which are ordinarly vpon such matters and in a certain manner restrain libertie Then you may renounce also the Lawes of the Apostles Acts 15. for
they made some vpon indifferent things as to abstaine from things strangled and from blood giving them out in the name of the holy Ghost and commanding them to be kept by the first Christians which Lawes albeit they restrain'd libertie yet they were not against Christian libertie which cōsists principally in three things to witt in freedome from the slavery of sin in freedome from the fear servitude of the Moral Law by receiving the gift of Charity through Christs grace whereby we willingly and ioyfully-fullfill the Law and lastly in freedome from the bondage of the Iewish Ceremonial Law which S. Peter calls a heavie yoak These are the liberties wherewith Christ has made vs free as was shown me at more length and are not as the Covenanters do imagine a libertie to do what every man lists or to be vnder no obedience of Spiritual or Temporal Lawes Against which licentious libertie S. Peter gives warning in these words Be subiect vnto every humane Creature for God 1. Pet. 2.13 c. as free and not as having freedome for a cloke of malice And S. Paul to the Galatians You are called brethren into libertie Gal. 5.13 only make not this libertie an occasion to the flesh c. Now all the Lawes of the Catholique Church against which the Ministers make heaviest complaints as about lentfasting abstinence from flesh on frydayes the single life of Church men and the like may be easily shown to have been observed in the primitive times to be most iust nowayes Tyrannous or against our Christian libertie but that they rather tend vnto Christian perfection which is the greatest libertie of a Christian and that the Ministers who speak so much against these holy Lawes make their libertie as S. Paul speaks an occasion to the flesh or as S. Peter saith a cloke of malice But it would indeed seem very strange if it were not so ordinary among you that yourselves do such things without all authority which you blame in the Catholique Church vnto which Christ has given so great authority For have not you dureing the space of some few years heaped vp more Lawes and decrees in your Assemblies then exceed all the body of the Canon Law And yet you cannot deny but the most part of these Lawes is made vpon indifferent things and some of them in the Iudgment of many Protestants vpon false things as your Lawes for swearing subscribing the Covenant You pretend much Christian libertie which you promised to the people but indeed you kept them in more then Iewish slaverie For to passe by many other instances you would not suffer the people vpon Sundayes after they had been much wearied hearing both your long some Sermons prayers to be seen on the streets or to go and recreat themselves in the fields which truly was greater then a Iudaïcal servitude The Catholiques find the yoak of Christ sweet and the Lawes of his Church their loving Mother not heavie But many Protestants find the yoak of your Presbytery which they esteem a cruel step-mother to be very bitter and think your Lawes not only against their Christian libertie but also insupportable Now we come to your other heavy accusations against the Catholique Church which for brevities sake we must only touch Yow accuse her doctrin as Erroneous against the sufficiency of the written word But without all reason For she teacheth that the written word is sufficient in this sense that it containes immediatly the substance of our faith all the articles necessary necessitate medij for mans Salvation and also it containes mediatly all that we are to beleeve in that it remits vs to the Church which it assureth vs is governed by the holy Ghost in all truth Whence it evidently followeth that we draw that truth out of the scriptures which we draw out of the mouth of the Church for whosoever deputes an other to speak for him speaks mediatly by his mouth So S. Augustin reasoneth Aug. lib. 1. cont Cres c. 33. Albeit saith he we can produce no example of Scripture concerning this matter yet hold we the truth of the same Scripture seing we do that which is conformable to the Vniversal Church which the authority of the same Scripture commends vnto vs. And in this sense the written word is most sufficient But it is not sufficient in the common sense of heretiques who will have the dead letter of the Scripture to be sufficient without having recourse to the Catholique Church for the true sense of it and who will have nothing to be beleeved but what is formally expresly containd in it For that is directly against the Scriptures themselvs which referre vs to the Church and bid vs stand fast and hold the Traditions That is also against the doctrin of the auncient Fathers S. Chrysostome saith Chrys on 2. Thess 2. It is evident that the Apostles did not deliver all things by writing but many things without and those be as worthy credit as the others Epiphanius saith to the same purpose We must vse Traditions Epiph. hares 61. for the Scriptures have not all things That is contrary to the practice of the Covenanters who beleeve somethings without Scripture and diverse points against it as we have seen above And lastly it has furnished weapons to the Socinians and Anabaptists to fight against the Presbyterians who now by experience are become more wise then at the beginning For in their new Confession of faith at Westminster Confess West 6.1 art 6. they say That the whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary to Salvation is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture So that the Scripture which was before sufficient without Church and Traditions is now not sufficient to Salvation without Logique and Consequences which doctrin makes them fall into another grosse folly to quite the Church the pillar and ground of Truth and have recourse to Philosophie and fallible consequences wherein these new sects are not behind with them but by the same principle do vndermine them You next accuse the Catholique Church of erroneous doctrin against the perfection of the Law the office of Christ and of his Evangel But you do not make good your accusations neither show yow wherein these pretended Errors do consist Yet it may be easily shown that your accusations are false and that your selves are guilty of the same crimes For the Catholique Church teacheth that the Law of Christ is most perfect and that the very substance of perfection consists in keeping it and that none can be perfect without fulfilling it And albeit it be true that she teacheth there be some Evangelical Counsels which make a man more perfect then the precise keeping of the Law yet that doctrin is nothing against the perfection of the Law For this was the doctrin of Christ of S. Paul and of the holy Fathers Our Saviour having said