assured and persuade your selves that you have not sufficient Authority to make her Highness Supream Head of the Church of Christ here in this Realm The Second Point of Spiritual Government is gathered out of these words of our Saviour Christ spoken to St. Peter in the 20th Chapter of St. John's Gospel Pasce Pasce Pasce That is Feed my Lambs feed my Lambs feed my Sheep Now whether your Honours have Authority by this Court of Parliament to say unto our Sovereign Lady Pasce Pasce c. That is to say Feed you the flock of Christ you must shew your Warrant and Commission for it An further it is evident that Her Majesty being a Woman by Birth and Nature is not qualified by Gods word to feed the Flock of Christ appears most plainly by St. Paul in this wise Taceant Mulieres in Ecclesus sicut lex dicit Let Women be silent in the Church for it is not Lawful for them to speak but to be in subjection as the Law saith And it followeth in the same place Turpe est enim Mulieris loqui in Ecclesiâ that is for that it is not seemly for a Woman to speak in the Church And in his Second Epistle to Timothy Dominari in virum sed esse silentes that is to say I allow not that a Woman be a Teacher or to be above her Husband but to keep her self in silence Therefore it appears likewise as your Honours have not Authority to give her Highness this second Point of Spiritual Government to feed the Flock of Christ So by St. Pauls Doctrine her Higness may not intermeddle her self with the same And therefore She cannot be Supream Head of the Church here in England The Third chief Point of Spiritual Government is gathered out of those words of our Saviour Christ spoken to St. Peter in the 22th Chapter of St. Lukes Gospel Ego rogavi pro To ut non deficiat fides Tua Tu aliquando conversus confirma fratres Tuos That is I Prayed for Thee that thy Faith shall not fail and thou being converted Confirm thy Brethren and ratifie them in wholesome Doctrine and Administration of the Sacraments which are the Holy Instruments of God so Instituted and Ordained for our Sanctification that without them his Grace is not to be received But to Preach or to administer the Sacraments a Woman may not be admitted to do neither may she be Supream of Christ's Church The Fourth and Last chief point of Spiritual Government which I promised to Note unto you doth consist in Excommunication and Spiritual Punishment of all such as shall approve themselves not to be the Obedient Children of Christ's Church Of which Authority our Saviour Christ speaks in St. Matthew's Gospel in the 18th Chapter saying If your Brother offending will not hear your charitable admonition whether secretly at first or yet before one or two Witnesses then we must complain of him to the Church and If he will not hear the Church let him be taken as an Heathen or Publican So the Apostle did Excommunicate the notorious Fornicator that was amongst the Corinthians and by the Authority of his Apostleship unto which Apostles Christ Ascending into Heaven did leave the whole Spiritual Government of his Church as it appears by those plain words of St. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians Chap. 4th saying Ipse dedit Ecclesiae suae c. He hath given to his Church some to be Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors and Doctors for consummation of the Saints to the work of the Ministry for edifying of the Body of Christ But a Woman in the degrees of the Church is not called to be an Apostle nor Evangelist nor to be a Pastor as much to say a Shepheard nor a Doctor or a Preacher Therefore she cannot be Supream Head of Christ's Militant Church nor yet of any part thereof For this high Government God hath appointed only to the Bishops and Pastors of his People as St. Paul plainly witnesseth in these words in the 20th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles saying Attendite vohis universo gregi c. And thus much I have here said right Honourable and my very good Lords against this Act of Supremacy for the discharge of my poor Conscience and for the Love and Fear and Dread that I chiefly owe unto God to my Sovereign Lord and Lady the Queens Majesties Highness and to your Honors All. Where otherwise without mature consideration of all these Premises your Honors shall never be able to shew your faces before your enemies in this matter being so strange a spectacle and example in Christ's Church as in this Realm is only to be found and in no other Christan Realm Thus humbly beseeching your Honors to take in good part this my rude and plain Speech which here I have used out of much Zeal and fervent good will And now I shall not trouble your Honors any longer Thus at to this Speech But notwithstanding this Speech or whatever else could be said against it the Act passed and this Supremacy was granted to the Queen A further Prosecution of the Settlement of this Change of Religion Established by Parliament and of the Opposition of the Catholick Clergy against this strange Innovation By which my dear Country-men may see as is prov'd by their own Histories how you are seduced into Erronious Religions endangering thereby no less than their Salvation Dr. Heylyn pag. 108. NOw for the better exercising and enjoying the Jurisdiction thus acknowledged in the Crown there was this Clause put into the Act That it should be Lawfull for the Queen to give Power to such as she thought fit to exercise all manner of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and to vist reform redress order correct and amend all kind of Errors Heresies Schisms c. With this Proviso notwithstanding that nothing should from henceforth be accounted Heresie but what was so adjudged the Holy Scripture or in one of the four four General Councils or in any other National or Provincial Council determining according to the word of God or finally which should be adjudg'd for the time to come by the Court of Parliament This was the first Foundation of the High-Commission Court And from hence issued that commission by which the Queens ministers proceeded in that visitation in the first year of her Reign for rectifying all such things as they found amiss There also pass'd another Act for recommending and imposing the Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments according to such Alterations and Corrections as were made therein by those that were appointed to review it In performance of which service there was great care taken to expunge out of all such passages in it as might give an Scandal or Offence to the Papists or be urg'd by them in excuse for their not coming to Church In the Litany first made and published by King Henry the Eighth and afterwards continued in the two
the Vocation in which you are called and a little after carefully to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace One Body and one Spirit as you are called in one hope of your Vocation one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Your Faith i. e. the Roman is spoken of throughout the whole World i. e. is Catholick Romans 1.8 Although we or an Angel of Heaven Preach to you any other Gospel then that which we have Preached to you be he Anathema Gal. 1.8 Therefore if we or an Angel Preach any other Gospel then that the Roman Faith is the Catholick let him be Anathema Again Brethren stand ye fast and hold ye the Traditions which ye have received whether by word or by our Epistle 2 Thessal 11. 15. Here are both Written and Vnwritten Traditions given equally in Charge and the Vnwritten named first Remember the Prelates who have spoken to you the Word of God Whose Faith follow Obey your Prelates and be subject to them for they watch as being to render account for your Souls Heb. 13.7 17. Contend earnestly for the Faith once Delivered to the Saints S. Jude 3. How was this Faith once Delivered to the Saints Faith comes by Hearing Rom. 10.17 Whom did the Saints hear Hear the Church If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican S. Matth. 18.17 Which is the Church that if I neglect to hear I am as an Heathen and a Publican That which is built upon S. Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it S. Matth. 16.18 No Author of our side denied S. Peters being at Rome Note that till we discerned the Consequence That upon his Personal Being there they grounded a Primicy in that See. See Dr. Donne Serm. in Psalm 11.3 pag. 25. Elsewhere thus Pope Hyginus who was within 150 years after CHRIST and the Eighth Bishop of that See after S. Peter Dr. Donne Serm. in S. John 10.22 The Church 3 Reg. 8.14 Matth. 18.17 The Church Unity figured by Noah's Ark. Gen. 6.14 1 Pet. 3.20 By the new Jerusalem Apocalips 21.2 See also Cantic 4.12.6 8. Psal 79.9 Cantic 2.15 Isaiah 5.2 Jerem. 2.21.12.10 Matth. 20.1 Mark 12.1 Luke 5.3 Mat. 13.47.13.24.25 The Church the Pillar of Truth and Infallible Isa 29.21 Matth. 16.18 Mac. 28.20 Luke 22.32 John 14.16.16 13.17 11 20. 1 Tim. 3.15 1. Jo. 2.27 The Church the Body of CHRIST Cantic 4.7.9 11 12. Ephes 1.22.4.4.5.23 1 Corinth 12 27. Jo. 14.23.2 Corinth 6.16 The Church of the Faithful planted and propagated by sound Doctrine Jo. 1.12.3.3 Rom. 8.13.9.8 Gallat 3.20.4.19 Ephes 1.50 Tit. 1.1 1 Cor. 4.15 Philem. 10. 1 Peter 1.27 1 Jo. 3.9.5.1 18. Jam. 1.18 The Church the Spouse of CHRIST Psal 44.11 Ezech. 16.9.2 Cor. 11.2 Ephes 5.5.26 Apocal. 19.8.21.10 CHRIST the Head of the Church Osea 2.2 1 Cor. 12.27 Eph. 1.22.4.15.5.23 Colos 1.18.2.10 The Keys of the Church and their Power Promised Delivered Exercised Matth. 16. 18. Jo. 20.23 Matth. 18.17 Excommunication instituted by CHRIST Matth. 5.29.16.19.18.8 18. Mark 9.42 Jo. 20.23 In use with the Apostles 1 Cor. 5.3.10 2 Thess 3.6.14 1 Tim. 1.20 Tit. 3.10 Matth. 18.17 Confession of Sins Gen. 41.9 Levit. 16.21.39.26.40 Number 5.6 Jos 7.19 2 Reg. 24.17 1 Esdras 9.6 2 Esdr 9.2 Psal 27.7.31.5.37.18.94.2 Proverb 16.3.18.17.28.13 Eccl. 4.25.31.7.34.17 27. Isa 38.15 Daniel 9.5 Matth. 3.6 16.19 Luke 11.4.18.13 Jo. 20.23 Jac. 5.16 1 Jo. 1.8 9. Of Hereticks and false Teachers See Jud. cap. 1. 1 Cor. 11.19 1 Tim. c. 1. v. 20. 2 Tim. c. 2. v. 18. 1 Jo. 2.18 2 Jo. 7. Apocol 2.15 Mat. 24.5.24 Jo. 5. 43. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1.5 2 Pet. 2. 1.3.3 Deu. 13.1 Mat. 7.15 Rom. 16.17 Tit. 3.10 2 Thesal 3.14 Joan. 2.10 Deut. 13.5.18.20.3 King. 18. 40.4 K. 10.25 Heresie is a Spiritual Fornication and Idolatry Deut. 31.16 Jude 2.17.27.33 Isa 1.21.57.3 Jer. 3.1 Ezeck 6.9.19 Osea 1.2.2.4.4 Apoc. 18.3 Testimonies of the Fathers shewing their Affection and Zeal to Catholick Unity and their Detestation of Schism and Divisions In Psal 54. saith St. Austin 1. OF the Donatists We have each of us one Baptism in this they were with me we Celebrated the Feasts of the Martyrs in This they were with me we frequented the Solemnity of Easter in this they were with me But they were not in all things with me in Schism they were not with me in Heresie they were not with me in many things they were with me and in some few things they were not with me but in those few things in which they were not with me those many things do not profit them in which they were with me 2. Speaking to the Donatists Epist. 48. saith You are with us in Baptism in the Creed and in other Sacraments of the Lord But in the Spirit of Vnity in the Bond of Peace and finally in the Catholick Church you are not with us 3. To the same purpose Writteth St. Cyprian in his Book Deunitate Ecclesia One Church saith he the Holy Ghost in the person of our Lord designeth and faith one is my Dove This Unity of the Church he that holdeth not doth he think that he holdeth the Faith he that withstandeth and resisteth the Church he that forsaketh Peters Chair upon which the Church was built doth he trust that he is in the Church Where the blessed Apostle St. Paul also sheweth this Sacrament of Vnity saying one Body and one Spirit Ephes 4.4 which Vnity we Bishops especially that Rule in the Church ought ot hold fast and maintain that we may prove the Episcopal Function also it self to be One and undevided 4. And again in one of his Epistles Epistle 40. There is One God and One Christ and One Church and One Chair by our Lords Voice Founded upon Peter Another Altar to be set up or a New Priesthood to be made besides one Altar and one Priesthood is impossible Whosoever gathereth elsewhere Scattereth It is Adulterous it is Impious it is Sacrilegious whatsoever is instituted by Mans fury to the breach of Gods Divine Dispensation Get ye far from the Contagion of such Men and fly from their Speeches as from a Canker and Pestilence our Lord having premonished and warned us beforehand saying they are Blind leaders of the Blind Matth. 15.14 5. St. Augustin says of the Donatists De Bapt. l. 1. cap. 8. Those whom the Donatists heal of the wound of Idolatry and Infidility they themselves wound more dangerously with the wound of Schism 6. And again Super. Gest Emerit Out of the Catholick Church an Heretick may have all things but Salvation he may have the Sacraments he may sing Hallelujah he may Answer Amen he may keep the Gospel he may have the Faith and preach it only Salvation he cannot have 7. In like manner St. Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria as Eusebius witnesseth hist l.
THE SPEECH OF Nicholas Heath Lord Chancellor of England Lord President of Wales Bishop of Worcestor And afterward Archbishop of YORK and Ambassadour into Germany delivered in the Upper House of Parliament in the Year 1555. On occasion of the Supremacy Proofs from Scripture That Christ left a True Church and that there is no Salvation but in the Catholick and Apostolick Church Proofs from the Fathers That there is no Salvation to be expected out of the True Catholick and Apostolick Church Certain Principles of the first Authors of the Reformation not so well known to many of their followers The Principles of the Catholick Apostolick Church Testimony of the Fathers touching the Real Presence LONDON Printed for the Author 1688. TO THE READER I Cannot but admire to see most Protestants so negligenn in their search of Truth so seemingly secure and so indifferent in the buying and reading Controversial Books which abound now a days more than ever when yet in their Hearts they know they may be in Errour for even by their own Principles they dare not so much as affirm they are Certainly in the right The swarms of Books about Religion that have these two last years fill'd the Press render it impossile to say any thing New on this Occasion and therefore farther indeavours to write Controversy may seem vain and unnecessary and indeed if all the Catholick Books that have been lately Publish'd were read by the Protestants with the same Spirit of Humility with which they were wrote all prejudice passion and interest laid aside there would be abundantly enough to open the eyes of the people and satisfie all discerning Men that Popery is not that Antichristian Monster which it has for so many years been painted in England but that it is indeed the true Antient Catholick and Apostolick Faith which our Saviour deliver'd and taught his Apostles and which has continued since and been believed in the Church in all succeeding Ages But since we find too many stop their ears against all the charms of Truth since we find still such mighty numbers of Men continue in entertaining their old barbarous conceits of the Catholick Religion and either through malice or negligence very slow in Reading what might Inform their judgements and settle their Consciences it cannot be esteemed improper for every honest Man to contribute his Mite and endeavour what he may to rouse up some by a third or fourth call who have refused the first and second and for as much as many are discouraged by the length and some by the dearness of the Book I have resolved to remove these two Impediments an hours reading with the expence of two pence is all the time and the charge that needs be spent upon this Pamphlet It must not be expected I should launch out into those prolix Disputes that have almost at this day tir'd the Pens of Schoolmen I intend only to establish two or three most important Truths on which the Catholick Faith does more immediately depend What I may beside insist on shall only be in general so as to give the Reader an occasion of seeking elsewhere more particular Information and that with as much brevity as Y can or the nature of the thing will admit I shall take the liberty to suppose in as much as many Protestants own as much that there has been in all Ages since our Saviour Christ planted the Gospel a true Church on Earth or to express my self more in the Protestant Phrase that there has been in every Age since Christ a company of Men who have retained that Orthodox Faith deliver'd in the Gospel I dare not think there is a Protestant living will deny this because he would by so doing first maintain there was an Age since Christ where in all the Articles of the Creed were not true viz. that there was no Holy Catholick Church seconly he would make Christ a false Prophet who has declared he would never depart from his Church but that he would be with her even unto the end of the World and that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against her Matt. 16.18 I will in the second place make bold to suppose that his true Church or this company of Orthodox Men has been visible in all Ages If there be a Protestant in the World so weak as to imagine the true Church was not visible in all Ages I desire him to consider that so much is implyed in the very nature and essence of a Church as to Preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments which even in his own notion are Visible Signs without which a Church can no more subsist than a Man without a Head or a House without a Foundatian And Secondly seeing Preaching the Gospel and Administring the Sacraments are Actiors Visible and Conspicuous the Church that does these things must by necessary consequence be Visible and Conspicuous likewise there is no Sophistry in this but what any one that pleases may reduce to a plain and easy Syllogism And indeed is there any thing in Nature more absurd and contradictory than to affirm the true Church was at all times and yet not at all times Visible What the Church daily does and what she must of necessity do to deserve that name are things as manifest and evident to humane sense as teaching a School or the Rule of a Commonwealth and will any man affirm that a School can be Taught or a State Governed in an invisible Manner Surely no neither then may any Protestant be so absurd as to believe the Church of Christ was at any time Invisible and not rather Visibly Apparent in her Rites and Sacraments as well as in her Assemblies on those occasions Taking it then for granted that there has been a true Church at all times since Christ and that this Church has been at all times visible it follows by an easie Consequence which every body can infer that what ever Church is not able to prove her Being since Christ and her being visible all that time cannot be the True Church But neither the Church of England nor that of Luther or Calvin nor any Protestant Reformed Church have been Visible in all Ages since Christ therefore neither the Church of England nor any other Protestant Church is the True Church I would fain see to this a plain and possitive answer given 't is what has not yet been given by any defender of the Protestant Cause nor I suppose will ever be to the end of the World. How ridiculous is it and how unbecoming any reasonable Creature what Protestants urge in this matter that their Principles were taught and believed in the Primitive Church till she fell into Idolatry and Superstition where she lay buried for above 1000 years till God rais'd up Luther and Calvin and the other Reformers to remove the Errors and raise up a new Glorious Orthodox Church I have often admir'd how such palpable Nonsence and such gross Contradictions came to
be proposed but much more how they ever came to be received in the World For what can be more ignorantly Blasphemous than to say God raised up Men to restore his Church who yet could by no means Agree among themselves in matters of Faith as hereafter will appear and whose Followers do at this day pursue each other with Excommunications and Anathema's If Calvin was the Messenger of God then was Luther a Sacrilegious Impostor if the Church of England be Orthodox then were Luther and Calvin both Impostors and if any other of the Reformers were in the right the Church of England is in the wrong Which then of the Dissenting Protestants Doctrin shall we say was the belief of the Primitive Church Were all these at once the Primitive Faith. or was some one Denomination of Protestants the primitive Believers and those of all other Denominations in the wrong It being impossible as I have proved that the True Faith should ever be Invisble at any time if therefore Protestancy had ever been professed it could never have been totally extinguish'd Though most certain it is that no footsteeps of any of the Reformers Principles were known for almost 1500 years in the Christian World except in some Heresies condemned in several Ages of the Church which do indeed much resemble the Innovations of our Modern Reformers as their Doctrine of the Sacrament in the Heresie of Berengarius of Invocation of Saints in the Heresie of Vigilantius of Prayer for the Dead in Aerius of Images in Xenias and the Iconaclasts of Confession in the Novatianus their practice of no mingled Chalice in the Heresie of the Armenians and of Priests Marriages in Jovinian as Luthers Marrying a Nun borrowed from Marcions corrupting a Virgin and to add no more their Famous Naggshead Consecration copied from Novatus that was made a Bishop in a Tavern and deposed by Cornelius And now for the Church of England she must ever stand or fall on her own Bottom having so notoriously condemned all other parts of the Reformation That the Lutherans are condemn'd by the Church of England every body knows and that the Calvinists are so too I will in one word plainly shew A Protestant Parson that comes from France from Holland or Geneva to be Beneficed in England cannot be admitted to Preach nor Administer the Sacraments after the Rites of the English Church till he has renounced that Mission he had before and taken new Orders according to the form of the Church of England which to all Men of sense implies that the Church of England does assuredly believe the Calvinist Teachers are false Imposters that they have no Mission no Authority no Ordination and by consequence no Sacraments being in their conceits purely Lay-men From hence I take the liberty to ask the Doctors of the English Church how they can in honour and conscience call them their Brethren as they do of the Reformation from whom they have seperated at so great a distance as to reject all their Ordinations at once as null and void and how they can suffer the French and Dutch Hugonots to have Churches and free exercise of their Religion here and some of them also the Church of Englands Liturgy at the same time as they believe them neither to have Priesthood nor Sacraments and by consequence no such thing as a Church at all Seeing then the Church of England look on themselves as the only Church of the Refonmation it follows that she must accordingly prove her self the true Church and shew how that Sum of Christian Doctrin which she now holds has been constantly held in all past Ages of the Church which I am sure all the English Doctors in the World will not make out nay I think they do not so much as pretend to For to end all Controversies let them shew but one Service-Book in all the 1500 years before Luther in any one vulgar Tongue which agreeth with their Service Book and for that one Book sake we will submit the cause no they say contrariwise that for about 1000 years Popish Superstition was the only Religion known in the World Which Superstition as they call it I shall now endeavour to prove to be that true Religion which has been from our Saviours time and which must Infallibly last to the end of the World. The Arguments by which I have briefly and I hope evidently shewn that the Protestant Church neither single nor aggregate can be the true Church do at the same time as evidently prove the Church of Rome to be so For as the Protestant Churches want of Antiquity their not having been from the beginning of Christianity nor Visible till within 200 years proves them not to be the Catholick Church so the Antiquity of the Church of Rome her having been from the beginning and continuing still Visible by propagating the Gospel and Administring the Sacraments in all Ages since Christ does as plainly evince her to be the only true Church the spouse of Christ and Pillar of Truth I demand has not this Church in all Ages had a visible Succession of Bishops a settled Government with a visible Head from St. Peter to this very day Has not this been the only Church that has duly planted the Faith and as duly suppressed Heresie and Schism Is not this the Church that has held all General Councils and has not the Bishop of Rome Presided in the four First seemingly allowed of by the Church of England Is not this the only Church that has sent Apostles and Missionaries out to plant the Gospel in all the Infidel corners of the Earth and from whence England first received the Christian Faith Is there any other Church that can pretend to have been assisted by God Almighty in the working of Miracles and in the Conversion of Nations What other Church can shew an Army of Martyrs and Confessors a number of Men that lead most Holy and Austere Lives forsaking the World to follow Christ What other Church in the World can pretend either to Unity or Universality to be every where the same and to have all her Children at perfect Agreement in matters of Faith and Doctrine for the disputes of Catholicks are about matters not defin'd and so controvertable but never about a Doctrine that has been once determined in a General Council These are the Marks and essential ones of the true Church but these agree to no other Church but that of Rome the Church of Rome is therefore the only Church Whatever the Grecian or the Abyssine Churches have to say in answer to this which does not much concern us sure I am the Church of England has nothing plausible to excuse her Schism and Rebellion against her Mother Church and under whose subjection she has been bred and maintained for many Ages in the World. Every one knows and no Church of England Man can deny that this National Church was in all Ages subject to and a part of the Western
Lady our King and Queen our Empress and Emperour And if further than this we acknowledge Her to be Head of the Church of England we ought also to grant that the Emperour or any other Prince being Catholick and their Subjects Protestants are to be Heads of their Church Whereby we shall do an Act as disagreeble to the Protestants as this seems to Catholicks If you say The Supremacy consists in Spiritual concernments Then it would be considered what the Spiritual Government is and in what points it doth chiefly consist Which being first agreed upon it would be further considered of your Wisdoms whether this House may grant it to her Highness or not And whether her Highness be an apt Person to receive the same So by through Examination of these parts your Honours shall proceed in this matter groundedly upon such sure knowledge as not to be deceived by ignorance Now to the First Point wherein I promised to examine what matter of weight danger or inconvenience might be incurred by this our forsaking and flying from the Church of Rome if there were no further matter therein than the with drawing our Obedience from the Popes Person supposing that he had declar'd himself to be a very Austere and Severe Father to us then the business were not of so great importance as indeed it is as will immediately here appear For by relinquishing and forsaking the Church or See of Rome we must forsake and fly from all General Councils Secondly from all Canonical and Ecclesiastical Laws of the Church of Christ Thirdly From the Judgement of all other Christian Princes Fourthly and Lastly we must forsake and fly from the Holy Unity of Christ's Church and so by leaping out of Peter's Ship we hazard our selves to be overwhelmed in the waves of Schism of Sects and Divisions First Touching the General Councils I shall name unto you these Four The Nicene Council the Constantinopolitan Council the Ephesine and the Chalcedon All which are approved by all Men. Of these same Councils Saint Gregory writes in this wise Sicut enim Sancti Evangelii quatuor Libros sic haec quatuor Concilia Nicenum Constantinopolitanum Ephesium Chalcedonense suscipire ac venerari me fateor That is to say in English I confess I do receive and reverence those Four General Councils of Nice Constantinople c. even as I do the Four Holy Evangelists At the Nicene Council the first of the Four the Bishops which were there Assembled did write there Epistles to Sylvester then Bishop of Rome That their decrees then made might be confirmed by his Authority At the Council kept at Constantinople all the Bishops there were obedient to Damasus then Bishop of Rome He as cheif in the Council gave Sentence against the Hereticks Macedoneus Sabillius and Eunomius Which Eunomius was both an Arrian and the first Author of that Heresie That only Faith doth juctifie And here by the way it is much to be lamented that we the Inhabitants of this Realm are much more inclined to raise up the Errors and Sects of Ancient condemned Hereticks than to follow the True Approved Doctrine of the most Catholick and Learned Fathers of Christ's-Church At the Ephesine Council Nestorius the Heretick was condemned by Celestine the Bishop of Rome he being chief Judge there At the Chalcedon Council all the Bishops there Assembled did write their humble Submission unto Leo then Bishop of Rome wherein they did acknowledge him there to be their Chief Head Six Hundred and Thirty Bishops of them Therefore to deny the See Apostolick and its Authority were to contemn and set at nought the Authority and Decrees of those noble Councils Secondly We must forsake and fly from all Canonical and Ecclesiastical Laws of Christ his Church whereunto we have already professed our Obedience at the Font saying Credo Sanctum Ecclesiam Catholicam that is I believe in the Holy Catholick Church Which Article contains That we must receive the Doctrine and Sacraments of the same Church obey her Laws and live according to the same Which Laws do depend wholly upon the Authority of the See Apostolick And like as it is there openly professed by the Judges of the Realm that the Laws agreed upon in the Higher and Lower Houses of this Honourable Parliament be of small or none effect before the Royal Assent of the King or Prince be given thereunto Even so Ecclesiastical Laws made cannot bind the Universal Church of Christ without the Royal Assent and Confirmation of the See Apostolick Thirdly We must forsake and fly from the Judgement of all other Christian Princes whether they be Protestant or Catholick Christians when none of them do agree with these our doings King Henry the VIII being the first that ever took upon him the Title of Supremacy And whereas it was of late here in this House said by a Nobleman That the Title of Supremacy is of right due to a King for that he is a King then would it follow That Herod being a King should be Supream Head of the Church at Jerusalem And Nero the Emperour Supream Head of the Church of Christ at Rome they being both Infidels and therefore no members of Christ's Church And if our Saviour Christ at his departure from this World should have left the Spiritual Government of his Church in the hands of Emperours and Kings and not to have committed the same to his Apostles how negligently then should he have left his Church It shall appear right-well by calling to mind That the Emperour Constantinus Magnus was the First Christian Emperour and was Baptized by Sylvester Bishop of Rome about Three hundred years after the Ascension of Christ Jesus If by your Proposition Constantine the first Christian Emperor was the First Head and Spiritual Governor of Christs-Church throughout his Empire then it follows That our Saviour Christ for the space of Three Hundred years unto the coming of this Constantine left his Church which he had so dearly bought by effusion of his most precious Blood without any Head at all But how untrue the saying of this Nobleman was it shall further appear by the Example of Ozia and also of King David For King Ozia did take the Censor to do Incense to the Altar of God. The Priest Azarius did resist him and expelled him out of the Temple and said unto him Non est Officii tui Ozia ut adoleas Incensum Domino sed est Sacerdotam Filiorum Aaron Ad hujusmodi enim Officium consecrati That is to say It is not thy Office Ozia to offer Incense to the Altar of God. But it is the Priests Office and the Sons of Aaron for they are Consecrated and Anointed to that Office. Now I shall most humbly demand this question When the Priest Azarius said to the King Non est Officii tui whether he said Truth or not If you answer that he spake the Truth then the King was not Supream Head of the Church of the Jews
Liturgies of King Edward the sixth there was a Prayer to the deliver'd from the Tyranny and all the detestable enormities of the Bishop of Rome which was thought fit to be left out as giving matter of Scandal and dissatisfaction to all that Party In the first Liturgy of King Edward the Sacrament of our Lord's Body was deliver'd with this Benediction that is to say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for the Preservation of thy Body and Soul to Life Everlasting The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Which being thought by Calvin and his Disciples to give some countenance to the Carnal presence of Christ in the Sacrament which pass'd by the name of Transubstantiation in the Schools of Rome was altered into this Form into the second Liturgy that is to say Take and Eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and feed on him in thy Heart by Faith with Thanksgiving take and drink this c. But the Revisors of the Book joyn'd both Forms together lest under colour of rejecting a Carnal they might be though also to deny a real presence as was defended in the Writings of the Antient Fathers Upon which ground they expunged also a whole Rubrick at the end of the Communion Service By which it was declar'd That kneeling at the Communion was required for to other reason than for a signification of the humble and grateful acknowledgment of the Benefits of Christ given therein unto the worthy Receiver and to avoid that Prophanation and Disorder which otherwise might have ensued And not for giving any Adoration to the Sacramental Bread and Wine there bodily receiv'd or in regard of any Real or Essential Presence of Christ's Body and Blood. This Rubrick is again lately inserted And to come up closer to those of the Church of Rome it was order'd by the Queens Injunctions That the Sacramental Bread which the Book requir'd only to be made or the sinest Flower should be made round in the fashion of the Waters used in tâ—e time of Queen Mary She also Order'd that the Lord's Table should be placed where the Altar stood and that the accustom'd Reverence should be made at the Name of Jesus Musick retain'd in the Church and all the other Festivals observ'd with their several Eves By which compliances and the expunging of the passages before mentioned the Book was made more plausible And that it might pass the better in both Houses when it came to the Vote it was thought requisite That a Disputation should be held about some Points which were most likely to be keked at Two speeches were made against this Book in the House of Peers by Scot and Feckenham and one against the Queens Supremacy by the Archbishop of York But they prevail'd little in both Points by the Power of their Eloquence In the Convocation which accompained this present Parliament there was little done because they despaired of doing any good to Themselves or their Cause The chief thing they did was a Declaration of their Judgments in some certain Points Which at that time were conceiv'd fit to be commended to the sight of the Parliament that is to say First That the Sacrament of the Altar by vertue of Christ's Assistance after the words of Consecration are duly pronounced by the Priest the Natural Body of Christ conceiv'd of the Virgin Mary is really present under the species of Bread and Wine As also his Natural Blood. Secondly That after the Consecration there remains not the Substance of Bread and Wine nor any Substance but the Substance of God and Man. Thirdly That the true Body of Christ and his Blood is offer'd for a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Quick and Dead Fourthly That the Supream Power of Feeding and Governing the Militant Church of Christ and of Confirming their Brethren is given to Peter the Apostle and to his lawful Successors in the See Apostolick as unto the Vicar of Christ Fifthly That the Authority to handle and define such things as belong to Faith the Sacraments and Ecclesiastical Discipline hath hitherto ever belonged and only ought to belong unto the Pastors of the Church whom the Holy Spirit hath placed in the Church and not unto Lay-men These Articles they caused to be Engrossed and so commended them to the Care and Consideration of the Higher House presented by Boner to the Hands of the Lord Keeper Bacon by whom they were candidly receiv'd But they prevail'd no further with the Queen or House of Peers when imparted to them than that possibly they might help forwards the afore-mention'd Disputation It was on the four and twentieth of June that the Publick Liturgy was to be officiated in all the Churches of the Kingdom In the performance of which service the Bishops giving no encouragement and many of the Clergy being backward in it it was thought fit to put them to a Final Jest and either to bring them to Conformity or to bestow their Places and Preferments on more tractable Persons The Bishops at that time were reduced into a narrow number than at any other time before there being no more than fifteen of that sacred Order left These being call'd by certain of the Lords of the Council were requir'd to take the Oath of Supremacy Kitchen of Landaff only takes it Who having formerly submitted to every Change resolv'd to shew himself no Changling in not conforming to the pleasures of the Higher Powers By all the rest it was refus'd Whereupon they were depriv'd of their Bishopricks The Bishops being thus put out the Oath is tendred next to the Deans and Chapters and lastly to the rural Clergy Thus Dr. Heylyn It is here to be noted That during the fore-mentioned Convocation there came from both the Universities a Writing sign'd by a publick Notary by which they both signified their concurrence to the aforesaid Articles only with a little alteration of the last But these Declarations and Protestations of the whole Representative Clergy and Universities were not like to signifie much since a Change of Religion was absolutely resolv'd on An account of the Years in which these Changes in Religion were made IN her First year she being resolv'd upon an Alteration of Religion as knowing well that her Legitimation and the Pope's Supremacy could not stand together called a Parliament which totally complied with her Designs in order to such a Change. But the Convocation of the Clergy which accompanied this Parliament totally oppos'd it And thereupon were depriv'd of their Ecclesiastical Benefices a company of Ignorant and Illiterate Men being Substituted in their places Which gave occasion to the Calvinists or Presbyterians to obtain great Ecclesiastical Preferments here By which they have continually laboured to supplant and undermine the Church of England It was the Second year of her Reign before any Protestant Bishops were elected The main cause for keeping the Episcopal Sees so long vacant was that in the mean time the best Flowers might be
Jesus Christ the Son of God who establisht the Church that this is the Doctrine of our Reformation is apparent for it is Scripture as Interpreted by Ochinius a Man of sound judgement whom all Italy could not match says Calvin In whose presence England was happy and unhappy in his absence says B. Bale Ochinus speaks thus a In Prefat Dialog Considering how the Church was establisht by Christ and washt with his Blood and considering again how it was utterly overthrown by the Papacy I concluded that he who establisht it could not be Christ the Son of God because he wanted providence and upon this reflection he renounced Christ and became a Jew And no man can say but that he acted and behaved himself like a true Child of the Reformation in so doing for he followed Scripture as he understood it and as he was a true Reformed Child in forsaking Popery because he understood by Scripture that the Reformation was better so since he understood by reading Scripture more that Judaism was better than the Reformation he acted like a good Reformer in chusing that which he understood by Scripture to be best this is the Reformers Rule of Faith. And if one chuse to believe that there is a Church establisht of Earth by Christ you must beware never to persuade your self we are bound to believe her Doctrine or live in her if you do not judge by Scripture that she teaches the Doctrine of Christ This is the most essential point of Popery an obligation of submitting our judgements to the Church and believing her Doctrine without any more examining and in this the Church of England is much like the Popish Church which by Acts of Parliaments and other severities would oblige all men to believe her Doctrine Rites and Ceremonies No God has given us Scripture for our Rule of Faith as we forsook the Popish Church because we discovered by Scripture her many errours in Doctrine so we are not bound to believe the Doctrine of any other Church but as we find by Scripture her Doctrine is true Do and speak as Luther to 1. Edit Jen. in result I will be free and will not submit to the Authority of Councils Popes Church or University to the contrary I will confidently teach whatever I judge to be true whether it be the Catholick Doctrin or Heretical condemned or approved Must I own and believe that the Doctrin of Jesus Christ delivered to his Apostles and the Church is true Doctrine The Reformation teaches it is and you may safely believe it You may as safely believe it is not after the principles of the Reformation because it teaches the Christ err'd in Doctrin and Manners Verè Pharisaei erant viri valdè boni says Luther b Serm de 50 Artic. in summa summarum Christus minimè debuit eos taxare and Calvin says c In Harm super Luc c. 8. it 's a folly to think he was not ignorant in many things lastly David George d Epitom Cent. 16. par 2. a man of God and of a holy life says Osiander writes If the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles had been true and perfect the Church which they planted had continued but now it is manifest that Antichrist hath subverted it as it is evident in the Papacy therefore it was false and imperfect See these words quoted in the History of David George Printed by the Divines of Basil at Antwerp Anno 1668. both Doctrines are Scripture as Interpreted by Men of sound judgement and so a Child of the Reformation may believe which he will Zninglius e Tom. 2. cont catabapt fol. 10. one of the greatest Oracles of our Church says It 's a great ignorance to believe any Infallinble Authority in the Gospels or Epistles of the Apostles Beza not inferiour to Zuinglius blotted out of St. John the History of the Woman Adultress judging it a Fable Clebitius affirms that Luke's relation of Christ's passion is not true because it does not agree with that of Matthew and Mark and more credit is to be given to two than to one g In cap. 2. ad Gal. Calvin says Peter consented to and added to the Schism of the Church to the overthrow of Christian liberty and Christ's Grace h de Eccles cont Bellarm cont 2. q. 4. Whitaker says f Victoria verit arg 5. It 's evident that after the Descent of the Holy Ghost the whole Church even the Apostles erred and Peter erred in Doctrin and Manners i To. 5. Wettem an 1554. in Epist ad Gal. c. 1. Luther says Peter liued and taught extra Verbum Dei and Brentius k In Apol Cof c. de Concil his Disciples say that Peter and Barnabas together with the Church of Jerusalem erred after receiving the Holy Ghost If our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it undoubtedly this must be the Doctrin of the Reformation and may be believed by and any Reformed since it is Scripture interpreted by such renowned men As to the true Canonical Books of Scripture The Reformation teaches and you may believe with the Church of England that St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews those of James and Jude the 2 of St. Peter the 2. and 3 of St. John are true Canonical Scripture the Reformation also teaches they are not Canonical because Lutherans deny them believe which you like best But if you 'll live in peace and out of strife with Protestants Lutherans and others who dispute whether that of this or that Church be Canonical Scripture your readiest way will be to say there 's no true Canonical Scripture Scripture is no more to be regarded than other pious Books if you say this is not the Doctrine of the Reformation read de expresso Verbo Dei lib. de Har. where he relates this to be the Doctrine of the Swinckfeldians as good Reformers as the best of us they say that we are not to regard any Instruction from Man or Book but Gods immediate inspiration which speaks secretly to our hearts for which they alledge those comfortable words of the Prophet I will hear what my Lord my God will speak in me for say they the Book which we call Scripture is a Creature and we must not seek for light and instruction from any Creature but from God the Father of Lights This is Scripture as interpreted by men of sound judgement any Child of the Reformation may believe it It is the doctrine of the Reformation that you cannot because God has forbid it add to and take away from his Word It is also the doctrine of the Reformation and the practice of our best Reformers when the Text does not speak clear enough that to refute Popery and establish our doctrine we may add or diminish a word or two which is not to change the Word of God but to make it speak more expresly as when Luther had a mind
matters of Faith do destroy Souls like as Wolves do destroy Sheep and that it is as impossible that their Followers should acquire by their teaching Divine Faith and True Sanctity as it is impossible that Thorns should bring out Grapes or Thisles Figgs The same Doctrine is taught by the Apostle who affirms That Hereticks are subverted Tit. 3. And Subvert the Faith of others 2 Tim. 2.18 That they make Shipwrak about Faith 1 Tim. 1.19 That they depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 That they are Reprobate about Faith 2 Tim. 3.8 and the like Which mischief they fall into themselves and bring upon their followers though they Err but in one Article of Faith as Himenaeus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2.18 But Note here That the Apostle in the places cited doth not mean that Heretical Teachers do so Subvert and Ruine the Faith of their Followers that they leave them no Faith at all but that they subvert their Divine Faith which is the Gift of God wholly overthrowing that though they leave them store of Humane Faith to which seduced people firmly sticking yea sometimes even to Fetters and Death do reap thereby nothing at all but Temporal Commodities and Vain glory purchased with the Eternal loss of their Souls Secondly Doth appear out of the same Doctrine the great Obligation that Christian People have to keep themselves within the Bosom of the True and Catholick Church of Christ Because that this Church being continually assisted by Christ himself Matt. 28. 20. And taught all Truth by the Holy Ghost John 16.13 doth propose unto her followers in her Doctrine of Faith nothing buth Truth whereby their Faith doth easily come to be Divine and the Gift of God his Havenly Grace Co-operating with them It doth also appear how deeply they are obliged to take heed of and to shun and avoid false Prophets false and heretical Expounders of God's Word which run of their own accord not being sent authroized or allowed of by the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Ever Visible and Catholick Church of Christ And how wary they ought to be not to have itching Ears after new Masters 2 Tim. 4.3 Or greedily to hearken to their Novelties in Matters of Faith which upon the reckoning will be found to be no better than Fables that is than the Fictitious and Self-inventions of mens brains Though these busie Teachers palliate them with specious terms and bear their Hearers in Hand That these their new devices are the Pure Light of the Gospel For by forsaking the Doctrine of the Church the Spiritual Mother and Mistress of all Nations and as the Apostle terms her 1 Tim. 3.15 The pillar and Ground of Truth and following such New Teachers they make shipwrack of their Divine Faith and run themselves assuredly upon the Rock of Perdition Thirdly It appears how dangerously those are deceived who think they have Faith enough to Salvation if they believe those Points of the Christian Religion about which Catholicks and Protestants agree esteeming themselves not obliged to believe any of those Articles about which the Learned of these two Religions do differ and contend As though Christian people were not obliged under pain of Damnation to beware of false Prophets Matt. 7. To shun Heretical Teachers Tit. 3. To obey their Lawful Prelates and to be subject unto them in matters of Faith and Religion Heb. 13. To hear those Teachers whom Christ doth send Luke 10. To hear and obey the Voice of his Church if they will not be held to be in as ill case as Publicans and Ethnicks are Matth. 18. Or as though they were not bound to know the right means by which they are to be Justified cleansed from Sin and Saved to Believe rightly and to Receive worthily the great Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. Joh. 6. And as though they were not obliged under the same Penalty to believe and profess the True Gospel the True Faith and Religion of Christ and to Serve and Worship God rightly Seeing those which believe not his Gospel that is the whole Sum of Divine Doctrine taught by his Apostles and by their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church are to be Damned Mark. 16 As those also are Which deny Christ before men Matth. 10.33 Which Crime all commit who deny themselves to be of the True Religion as is manifest by the Example of St. Peter who denying only that he was a follower of Christ and of his Company was reputed to deny Christ even as those will be who culpably profess a False Religion For such by their very Fact deny the True and themselves to be of the Communion thereof and of the Company and Society of the True Followers Disciples and Servants of Christ whereby at his Judgement-seat they will be reputed to have forsaken and denied him But to open this Point a little more because many even of the better sort are brought thereby into no small danger of Perdition this their conceit is not grounded upon any clear Text of Gods Word or upon the Authority of any Vnerring Church but meerly upon a Mistake of their own by which out of one or two Truths they infer a pernicious falshood upon which while they trust they trust to a broken staff which at their last Leap will let them fall into the deep Ditch of Perdition if before their Death they cast it not away Which presumptuous discarding of Divine Verities revealed by Christ to his Apostles for the direction of mankind to Eternal happiness and by them laid up in the Treasury of the Church as a Sacred Depositum 1 Tim. 6.20 under the sure Custody of the Holy Ghost is no less than High Treason against Christ our Saviour in regard that it raises a most pernicious Rebellion in his Spiritual Kingdom bringing part thereof again under the Tyranny of the Devil It frustrates the full Operation of his Passion extinguishes the true and right Worship of God despoils Christian People of Divine Faith and thereby of the true means of Salvation It deprives the Saints of due Honour defrauds the Faithful departed of necessary Relief It robs Heaven of Souls and inriches Hell with innumerable unwary and most unhappy People For which respects it is rightly stiled one of the greatest Sins and of the loudest crying Crimes that is Note That God cannot stir up and draw men by this his Heavenly Grace to believe these Verities unless they be proposed to be believ'd without all mixture of falshood for if any falshood be packt in among them and proposed with them for a Divine Truth revealed by God he cannot draw Men by his Grace to believe them thus mingled and preposed with Falshood as is manifest because he cannot induce men to believe any Falshood at all And therefore whosoever doth thrust in among some Divine Vereties any false Doctrine contrary to that which God hath revealed proposing the same to be believed as a
Divine Truth and therein stubbornly contradicting the Teaching of the Church he debars God from co-operating with his Grace and from drawing people to believe with Divine Faith the Doctrine so mixt and proposed It appears how just cause all Protestants have to return with speed to the Roman Church in which they may assuredly be saved even by the Judgement of the most Learned among them because it is more than probable that the Protestant Profession is not a saving Religion in regard that the Doctrine of Faith which it imbraceth is not nor cannot be wholly true but really and certainly is mixed with much Falshood 1. Because in divers weighty Points of Faith it directly contradicts the express Word of God as I before have shewed 2. Because this Doctrine of Faith is not directed by any sure Rule of Faith by any Infallible Interpreter of the Scriptures by and Un-erring Judge of Controversies nor proposed by any sure and Infallible Proposer 3. Because Protestants are divided into several Branches or Sects which greatly differ and are contrary one to another in divers weighty Points of Faith as I have before Noted And 4. Because Protestants hold that all Churches are subject to erring yea and have erred in their Doctrine of Faith. What assurance then have they that theirs doth not err none at all The Religion of the True Messias is not to be introduc'd amongst the Nations of the Earth or in one Year or in one Age But by degrees and by the Labours and Charitable Endeavours of many Ages Because the same is not to be brought in by Force but by Fair Means Not by the Souldiers Sword but by the Teachers Word Not by Violent Compulsion but by Gentle Perswasion such as the Apostles and Apostolical Teachers have ever us'd Going saith our sweet Saviour Teach all Nations Matth. 28. And therefore this must needs be a work of long continuance the Nations of the Earth being so many as they are so dispers'd over the whole World and dis-joyn'd one from another by Mountains and Seas so Barbarous so Drench'd in Sin inur'd to Carnal and Brutish Customs And the Religion of the Messias being so Holy and Profound as Gods Religion must be Yea this Divine Work of notifying the Messias to all the Nations of the Earth and of Converting them or at least part of each of them to him is to endure and last even till the end of the World as is manifest out of our Saviours words before alleadg'd out of the 24 of Matth. See the place and weigh it well The Nations of the Earth I say for above these twelve hundred years have not been Blessed in Jesus by believing in him for want of a True Religion though very many of them within the space of time have been Converted to him by the Roman Church by the Labours and Industry of Papists both in Europe Asia Africa and the New-found World Neither are they ever likely to be Blessed in Him For if already he hath not taken order to preserve a True Divine and Pure Religion among them to bring unto them the Promis'd Blessing that is to Sanctify and Save them He is never likely to do it For he is not likely to be wiser or better or more powerful hereafter than he hath been heretofore Neither is he likely to come into the World again to found a new Church and Religion and to establish it better than He did his first for the Salvation of Mankind I demand of Protestants if the Church of Christ hath err'd as they say in her Doctrine of Faith from whence proceeded this her erring Did this happen because Christ could not keep her from erring or because he would not If he could not how is he God How is he Omnipotent How is it True that he had All Power given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 If Christ could enable his Apostles to Preach his Religion over the World without danger of erring and of deluding the Nations of the Earth why could not he also enable their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church to Teach and continue the same Religion in all succeeding Ages without danger of erring and of misleading his People If God could direct men to write his Holy Scriptures without danger of erring why can he not direct men to explicate the same Holy Scriptures in all Ages without danger of erring in matters of Faith Well then Protestants must say that Christ could have preserv'd his Church in all Ages from danger of erring in her Doctrine of Faith but would not But why would he not Did the Increase of his own Credit and Glory move him to this neglect or the good of Mankind not the Increase of his own Credit For what Credit Honour Glory could acrew and rise to him by the erring of his Church Doth this commend his Workmanship in Founding her His Wisdom Goodness Power in Governing her I think not Nay could it become the Wisdom of a Discreet man to take so great Pains and to suffer so Painful and Ignominious a Death as Christ did for the Founding of an Erring Church which should delude and mislead the World Would any Honest Protestant if he had the like Power that Christ had have Founded so miserable a Church as they esteem Christ to have Founded I believe not Was it then the good of Mankind that invited Christ to Constitute an erring Church Truly no. For no good can come to men by such a Church but rather much harm yea infinite mischief As endless Discord Broils Contentions Bloody Encounters uncertainty in matters of Faith happen as amongst the Reformers contempt of all Religion and the ruine and destruction of Infinite Souls For the Devil would never go about to seduce the Church and to Pollute her Doctrine with Errours and Superstitions but to do Mischief and to bring Souls to Perdition Wherefore seeing that it could not redound either to the Glory of God or the good of Men that Christ should Found an Erring Church it is very gross Errour to hold that he did And those who so think do greatly mistake and exceedingly wrong the Wisdom and Goodness of our Saviour as will more clearly appear in the ensuing Discourse If it be true that the Church of Christ for so many Ages hath Err'd in her Doctrine of Faith Imbracing as it were with both her Arms and instilling into her Followers many Pernicious Errors many gross Superstitions Notwithstanding that Christ her Spouse and Saviour Promis'd Matth. 16. That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against her That the Holy Ghost should Abide with her Pastors for ever St. John cap. 14. and should Teach them all Truth Joh. 16. That he himself would be with them All days even till the end of the World Mat. 28. And notwithstanding that God Promis'd that His Spirit and Word should never depart from this Church Isaias 59. That she should Stand for ever Daniel 2. And should Never be
Corrupted Daniel 7. Being indeed the Pillar and ground of Truth as the Apostle affirms 1 Tim. 3. If I say the Doctrine of Protestant Teachers about the Erring of the Church of Christ being so contrary to the Word of God as it is be true I demand of Prudent and Understanding Protestants how it can be defended that God is truly Good hath a fatherly care of Men doth truly love them and tender their Spiritual good and hath a true desire of their Eternal Salvation Seeing that whereas he doth freely permit the Devil to fill the World with false and wicked Religions with Abominable and Detestable Worships to bring Men assuredly to ever lasting Dammation He himself though he could most easily do it doth not continue maintain and uphold in the World in all Ages so much as one True Religion so much as one Holy and Divine Worship to bring them to Salvation No not after that his Blessed Son made Man by Infinite Humility by Innumerable Labours undergone for his sake by shedding his most precious Blood had endeavour'd to appease his Indignation to mitigate his Wrath and to gain and purchase Love and Mercy for them What Christian Breast can believe so monstrous a thing as this Or who can Harbour so base a Thought of the Wisdom Goodness Sweetness and Mercy of God Or how come Discreet and Understanding Protestants to swallow so gross an Absurdity as this If the Tenet of the Protestant Teachers touching the Erring of the Church be true how is that true which Christ says John. 3.16 That God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that every one that believeth in him perish not but may have Life everlasting For God sent not his Son to judge that is to damn the World but that the World may be Sav'd by him Or that which St. Paul says 1 Tim. 2.4 God will have all men Sav'd and come to the knowledge of the Truth How I say are these Divine Assertions true if to bring Men to Salvation God doth not ever preserve a True Religion in the World Doth not ever uphold the Truth of his Gospel For by false Religions no man can be Saved in regard that the Devil and not God is the Author and Suggestor of False Religions by which he intends the Damnation of Men and not their Salvation as is manifest Yea he neither can nor will induce men to invent a Religion able and fit to save men in Mark this well and also Note that our Saviour in the Sentence alleadg'd by the word World doth not mean that only Age in which He and his Apostles liv'd nor those men only which then liv'd But all following Ages and all that were to live even till the day of Doom All which God would have to come to the knowledge of the Truth namely of his Divine Gospel and to save them all he sent his blessed Son into the World. And therefore we must of necessity grant that he provideth the People of all Ages of a True and Visible Church by which they may be Sav'd And that he ever preserves in all Ages the Truth of his Gospel of which the Apostle speaks in the Sentence alleadg'd that so men may come to the knowledge thereof For if the true Gospel of Christ be not extant in all Ages how hath God a true Will and Desire that the People of all Ages should come to the knowledge thereof Neither is it sufficient that it be extant in the BIBLE for all to come to the knowledge thereof For all cannot read the Bible neither can those which are skill'd in Reading thence pick out the true Gospel without the help of a True Interpreter But it must be ever extant in the Sums of Christian Doctrine left in the Church with the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Church whom others are bound to Hear and Obey Luke 10. Heb. 13. And of whom they are to learn Divine Faith which is gotten by Hearing Rom. 10. which is clear out of Matth. 24. where Christ expresly foretells that his True Gospel viz. the same that he Taught should be Preached to all Nations even till the end of the World And therefore the True Gospel must not be reserved only in the Bible but be ever extant in the Preaching of the Church Out of that which hath been spoken in thsi Dicourse who doth not see that the Prime and Fundamental Article of the Protestant Religion doth not only extreamly Disgrace the Wisdom Goodness and Mercy of God and extenuate the Merits of Christ but doth also tend to the Denial of all Christianity to the utter neglect of God Yea and to plain Atheism it self For who will think that the Son of God really Dy'd for Mankind if he gain'd so little for them Or that there is a God that doth truly love Men and tender their good if he be so unmindful of them and of their Eternal Happiness and Salvation The tending then of the Protestant Religion so much to the Disgrace of Christ and of God doth clearly shew who was the first Founder of it Wherefore as certain as it is that there is a God who is Infinitely Wise Good and Merciful and who doth truly love Mankind and tender their Eternal Good And as certain as it is that Christ the Son of God Died for us took a most provident course for our Salvation and that his Merits are of inestimable worth So certain is it that God hath ever preserv'd in the World a True and visible Church in which Men may be Sav'd if they will. For Christ did rot Light up a Candle to put in under a Bushel Mat. 5. And so certain it is that the Protestant Religion which is Erected upon so bad a Foundation as the Erring of the Church is is neither good nor sufficient to Salvation Testimonies of the SCRIPTURE evidently convincing that there can be no hope of Salvation for such as are separated from the Church which is the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church by Heresie or Schism I Beseech you St. Paul Rom. 16.17 18. Brethren observe those who make Schisms and Scandals contrary to the Doctrine which you have been taught and avoid them For such men serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own Belly and by kind Speeches and Benedictions seduce the hearts of the simple Now to manifest how much such Heretioks are to be Detested he writes thus to Titus Tit. 3.10 11. A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition avoid knowing that he is such an one is subverted and Sinneth being condemned by his own judgement To Prevent the making a Schism in this Body the Church he says 1 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all say one thing and that there be no Schisms among you but that you be perfect in one sense and in one knowledge Again Eph. 4.1 I beseech you that you walk worthy of
6. c. 45. Writing to Novatian saith A Man ought rather to endure all things than to consent to the Division of the Church of God since that Martyrdom to which men expose themselves to hinder the Dismembring of the Church is no less Glorious then what a man suffers for refusing to Sacrifice to Idols nay in my Opinion this seems of the two the more Glorious Martyrdom for in the other cause he that suffers is a Martyr upon his own account but in this he is a Martyr for no less than the Body of CHRIST the Church 8. Also St. Cyprian lib. Deunitat Eccles Do they think saith he that Christ is among them when they are Assembled I speak of those which make Assemblies out of the Church of Christ no although they were drawn to Torments and Execution for the Confession of the Name of Christ yet this pollution is not washed away no not with their Blood. This inexpiable and inexcusable crime of Schism is not purged away even by Death it self That a man cannot be a Martyr that is not in the Church 9. And Again he saith He cannot have God for his Father that has not the Church for his Mother 10. So likewise St. Pacianus in one of his Epistles Epistle 2. ad Sempr. Although that Novatian saith he hath been put to Death for Christ yet he has not received a Crown and why because he was separated from the peace of the Church from Concord from that Mother of whom whosoever will be a Martyr must be a Portion To the same purpose also these words of Lactantius are very remarkable It is the Catholick Church only that keeps the true Worship of God. This is the Fountain of Truth this is the House of Faith this is the Temple of God into which if a man enter not or from which if any man goes out he is an Alian and Stranger from the hope of Everlasting Life and Salvation No man must by obstinate Contention flatter himself for it stands upon Life and Salvation St. Cyprian 55. ad Cornel. Num. 3. says The Church never departs from that which she once hath known and St. Irenaus lib. 1. cap. 3. That the Apostles have laid up in the Church as a rich Treasury all Truth It were an infinite labour to recite all that the Fathers say of this matter all counting it a most Pernicious Absurdity to affirm That the Church of Christ may err in Doctrine of Faith. For example How could God glory in the multitude of such as follow his Church if by so doing they should be led into Errour And yet Isaias 2. God seems to Glory in the multitude of those who confidently resort to the Church as to a Mistress of assured Truth to be instructed by her saying v. 3. Let us go up to the Mountain of our Lord and he will teach us his ways and we shall walk in his Paths and he shall judge among the Nations Behold Christ Erecting a Court or Tribunal in his Church to judge among Nations and deside all their Controversies which must needs suppose Obedience to be yielded to this Judgement Yea the same Prophet adds Ch. 54. v. 17. That no Weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every Tongue resisting thee in judgement thou shalt condemn And the Prophet there from the beginning manifestly speaks of Christ's Church Thirdly Isaiah Ch. 60. 12. The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish Under pain of perishing the Church must be obeyed Whence Fourthly Ezek. ch 44. v. 23. They that is the Priest shall teach the people what is between a Holy thing and a thing Polluted and the difference between clean and unclean They shall shew them and when there shall be Controversie they shall stand in Judgments This being their Office the peoples Office must needs be not to Judge them but Obey them Fifthly Christ Matth. 18.17 commands to Obey the Church under pain of being held here on Earth as Publicans and Heathens and of having this sentence ratified in Heaven ' Tell the Church saith he And if he will not hear the Church let him be unto thee a Heathen and a Publican and I say unto you whomsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever you shall loose upon Earth shall be loosed also in Heaven Here you see obedience to be yielded under pain of being held as a Publican or an Heathen and this Sentence to be ratified in Heaven Now if the Church could Err in teaching for Example that Christ is truly present in the Sacrament and hence obliged all to Adore him therein as much as they Adore him in Heaven and could oblidge them to this under pain of being held as Publicans and Heathens and held so as well in Heaven as upon Earth surely this cannot be an Errour for then in Heaven this Sentence would never be ratified St. Aug. Cont. Epist Fundam c. 5. I would not believe the Gospel unless the Authority of the Church moved me What ways the Church has made use of to settle mens minds in the Doctrin of the Sacrament of the Eucharist or the Lord's Last Supper TO make this appear more fully I will give you a brief Relation of the past Proceedings of the Church in the Decision of the Disputes concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament and in the Substantial Conversion of the Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. This Real Presence and Substantial Conversion Berengarius and some Followers of his long ago denied Who being complained of two Councils were called one after another at Rome and Verseilis Anno Domini 1050 Berengarius Summoned and he not appearing his Heterodox Opinions were condemned He according to the new Protestant Grounds thinking his a Doctrine of great consequence and the Decrees of the two Councils a manifest Error and that himself had manifest Scripture and Demonstration against it judged himself freed from the obedience of silence or noncontradiction of these Councils And so he and his Followers publickly justified his Tenet desiring a reversion by some new Council of the former sentence against it Upon this revived Disturbance of the Church another Council five years after is Assembled at Tours Anno 1055. not far distant from Angiers where he was Archdeacon Here himself with others of his Party were present his Cause pleaded his Demonstrations considered and after all his Opinion again condemned himself also Recanting it The Council dismissed he finds yet other new Reasons and a greater strength in his former and falls again to the abetting maintaining and spreading abroad his old Doctrin A Fourth Council upon these new Troubles of the Church Anno 1059. Four years after the last was called at Rome where himself also was present Some say long Disputation there had his new Plea for it was found too light and rejected And his Opinion opposing Substantial Conversion again condemned both by himself and