Pius V. his profession of Faith Declarations against new heresies are no new Creeds they are but explanations of the old not new articles of Faith One article of Faith may be divided into many branches how many doth Saint Athanasius set downe in his Symbol of the Trinity and Incarnation The Catholick Church did alwayes practise this way when it was necessary to confute heresies If it was lawfull for the Church of the fourth age to command all Christians to professe and believe the Symbol of Saint Athanasius which was but an explanation of particulars contained in the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation why cannot the Church now explaine more particularly the Apostles Creed and any part of Scripture impugned by Hereticks and command all Christians to believe the same All the pretended new articles are contained in the Apostles Creed implicitely as in that of the Communion of Saints Remission of sinnes Catholick Church c. or at least in some text of Scripture as Transubstantiation in Christs words This is my Body The petty Ministers of the English Nags-head Church presume to make a new Creed of 39. articles protesting against the ancient Faith of Christendome and they admire that the Vicar of Christ and a generall Councell should warne all Catholicks to beware of their heresies and to that end declare in a Symbol of Faith more particularly the received Doctrine of the Church of God Away with these shamefull shifts of Hereticks whose last excuse for their Schisme is that they who begunne it were Roman Catholicks So were Rebells once loyall Subjects and yet that doth not excuse themselves or their adherents from the guilt of rebellion With these hereticall devises are many poore idiots misled by ungodly and wicked Preachers who gaine their living and credit by the damnation of soules that Christ our Saviour purchased at so deare a rate 6 The last thing I proposed in the title of this Chapter was that its a greater foppery in Protestants then in Catholicks to deny the Popes infallibily in deciding controversies of Christian Religion That it is a foppery in both must be evident to all persons that will reflect upon the nature of Christian Faith and the Bookes of holy Scripture When men believe as Christians they must exclude all manner of doubts and feares of being mistaken from the act wherewith they believe they cannot defend themselves from a new heresy by onely protesting against it by word of mouth they must detest it with their heart and understanding and believe the quite contrary truth There was never Heretick so simple as to broach an errour upon his owne score he alwayes pretends Gods Word for its fundation and backs it with as many texts of Scripture as Catholicks oppose against his heresy This was the practise of Arrians Nestorians and all other ancient Hereticks which Protestants doe now adayes imitate If the true meaning of Scripture were as visible to us as it is infallible in it selfe no Heretick would make use of the words of holy Writ because his fancy or interpretation would be easily discerned from the sense which God intended at least by combining and comparing one text with another but experience demonstrates that notwithstanding all combinations of one place of Scripture with another the controversy remaines and cannot be decided by Scripture alone To imagine that all which cannot be decided by Scripture alone is superfluous and the beliefe thereof not necessary for salvation is to dispense with the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation seeing the Councell of Nice Soz. lib. 1. c. 16. Athan Apol. 2. and Saint Athanasius that great Champion of the Catholick Church confuted and condemned the Arrians not by Scripture alone but by tradition and adhearing not onely to the words but also to that sense of Scripture which that present Church had received from the former 7 Seeing therefore that controversies of Christian Religion must be decided by the sense as well as by the words of Scripture and that the said sense is more clearly delivered to us by tradition and the testimony of the Church then by the words themselves in controverted texts and that Hereticks may endeavour to confound their owne tradition with that of the true Catholick Church as the Quartadecimans did in the celebrating Easter and that they may invent new heresies never thought of in former ages supposing I say that all this is possible the remedy of these evills in the Church cannot be impossible and truly the remedy is impossible at least at all times to wit when generall Councells are not assembled if the Pope be not infallible in declaring what is heresy divine Faith and Catholick tradition Such few Catholicks as called in question the Popes infallibity excused their errour not onely with the infallibility but also with the morall possibility of a generall Councell whensoever a new heresy would be invented but they were grossely mistaken as experience doth demonstrate and a perpetuall generall Councell was never intended by God who commandeth the Bishops and Prelates to have a care of the particular Churches which he committed to their charge a thing not compatible with their continuall assistance in Constantinople Trent or any other one City where the Councell is assembled But Protestants hitherto have denyed even the English Church in the 21. of their 39. articles that generall Councells arc infallible and consequently must say that God commanded an impossibility bidding us beware of new heresies Act. 20. and not believe false Prophets when he left us no infallible Judge or Pastour to declare unto us what doctrine is heresy and who are the false Prophets No Catholick was ever so unreasonable as to defend such a foppery 8 And though of late some of our Nags-head Doctours contrary to the 21. article of their Creed and English Church acknowledge that generall Councells are infallible in deciding controversies of Faith and to their eternall shame and the infamy of their venerable Mother the Protestant Church of England are now forced to call the 39. Articles of their Religion by the name of onely probable opinions yet such a definition or description they give in their printed bookes of a generall Councell with so many odde conditions and so insuperable difficulties that onely mad men may hope to see such a Christian Assembly meete and much lesse agree in condemning any heresy or declaring what is Catholick Doctrine This new definition of a generall Councell is but a meere put of to gaine time that Nags-head errours may last as long as their Ministers but they are evidently convinced and condemned by the absurdity of their poore shift it s a greater foppery to admit of infallibility in an impossible Councell then to admit of a possible Councell without infallibility The first is an absolute Chimaera contrary to the evident light of naturall reason the second seemeth onely impossible to Christians that grant there is a Church of God upon earth and that be hath
France now with Spaine because they are not able to stand upon their owne legs When the petty Church of England cannot defend it selfe against Catholick arguments then they side with Puritans or any others that will take them into protection and when Puritans and other Hereticks reject them then they pretend to be the same thing with us and goe by the name of Catholicks which becommeth them as ill and no lesse ridiculously then Spanish attire doth a Frenchman The title of supreme Head of the Church so spiritualized in Queene Elizabeths that she dispensed with all invalidities of Ordination and in King Iames that he dispensed with Abbats of Canterbury his irregularity when shooting at a Buck he killed a man was in King Charles his dayes limited onely to temporall affaires and all spirituall functions declared to he out of the supremacies reach and clement But rather then it shall be restored back againe to the Pope some of their chiefe Doctors bestow it upon the Sea of Saint David or some other Welch Bishoprick by reason of their obstinacy against Saint Augustin the Apostle of the Saxons who commanded the ancient Brittans to accommodate themselves to the Roman Church in celebrating Easter wherein alone they differed from it And the maine argument now alleaged for the old Brittains or Welchmens independency of the Sea of Rome is a Welch proverbe which for my ignorance of the language I cannot explaine but onely assure you that it was no more then a Welch proverbe and in all likelyhood of late date since the beginning of moderne heresies 7 Other Doctors of the English Church thinking it more for their honour and interest to have an independent Patriarch rather at Canterbury then in Wales were eager to comply with Master Lauds ambition by whom they might be exempted from dependence of Rome whence for themselves they could expect no preferment and exalted above the despicable and miserable tribe of Puritanicall pensionary Ministers Whereupon they framed a new Idea of a Nationall Faith as we see of Nationall fashions endeavouring To perswade the ignorant that a Nationall Synod of England alone was sussicient to frame a Faith and to shew the way for English men to take in their journey to heaven but this appearing ridiculous that Faith being universall to mankinde should be shaped to the severall fashions fancies customes and interests of different Nations they were forced for meere shame to appeale to Oecumenicall or universall Councells yet finding themselves in many of them plainely condemned they appealed to the foure first not as discovering in them any more ground of assurance then in others following bâ—t because they treated of matters that are not disputed in these times or at least amongst such as they regard For in those time there was no man so fond or foolish as to call our present controversies in question But upon further instance made against them that Christ had left meanes to confute errours emergent in ages following as well as in former and consequently it being no lesse possible that Luther Calvin Tindal and Fox might as well broach Heretick doctrines as Arrius Eutyches Eunomius and Nestor they were forced to admit the necessity of generall Councells in these our present and future ages Whereupon seeing themselves engaged to fall under the Censure of the Councells of Lateran and Trent which were as universall as by all humane industry could possibly considering the circumstances of time be procured and were as universally accepted as to points of doctrine as can be required and with much lesse opposition then some of the first foure which Protestants themselves are pleased to accept of there was no other remedy left to shuune their returning to Rome where they knew there was more wit then to trust men of no Religion in Ecclesiasticall government but to frame a Chimaera of a Councell morally impossible consisting of a joynt Assembly of those Patriarchs and subordinate Churches which for their long education in confessed heresy and strict subjection to the Turkes tyranny a jealous enemy of Christian Assemblies were sure never to be got together in the meane time which time they confided would serve their turne they perswaded the people to a superficiall acquiescence in the publick government and thereby in themselves without any regard to the substance of interiour intellectuall Faith and submission of judgement whereupon the worke of our salvation is built 8 They were no lesse cautious in avoyding the Censure of generall Councells then in determining that Doctrine which they pretended might onely be censured being resolved to have two strings to their bowe Upon this score they admit and absurdly apply the distinction of articles of Christian Religion into fundamentall and not fundamentall and to call that alone a fundamentall article of Faith which no Heretick ever denyed Whosoever say they doth confesse that IESVS is the Sonne of God is a Catholick and hath as much Faith as is necessary for salvation provided he doth professe to believe the Apostles and Athanasian Creed which he may interpret as he thinks most for his conveniency As for all other articles of Faith controverted betweene the Roman Catholick Church and Sectaries they looke upon them as we Catholicks doe upon some schoole speculations rather impertinent then profitable or necessary Hence you may gather that the Protestant Church of England is more beholding to their Neighbours for the little they yet retaine of Christian Religion then to their owne Doctors and Preachers the multitude and consent of believers in some generall points of Christianity is the motive of their beliefe and therefore it s meerly historicall grounded upon humane persuasion and not upon supernaturall inspiration If Protestants had conversed as frequently and familiarly with Turkes and Jewes as with Christians the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation would be esteemed no more necessary or fundamentall then that of Transubstantiation Truly Mahomets story of his familiar commerce with the holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove is every jot as probable as Luthers extraordinary vocation to reforme the Doctrine of the Church or Calvins fantasticall private spirit and would be no lesse credited by Protestants if to them it were as frequently and advantagiously recounted they would content themselves with believing that there is but one God Creator and Remunerator of mankinde 9 This want of supernaturall Faith and Christian Religion was not discovered by many who were much taken with the exteriour formalities and splendour of the English Protestant Church which looked as fresh and faire as the aples of Sodome and Gomorrha thougb in the inside all was trash and ashes it was a well adorned sepulchre of dead soules without Faith stuffed with stinking Atheisticall principles and abominable corruptions the Court seemed to be zealous for the Church and the Church for the Court but neither for God and true Religion policy and ignorance had the greatest share in their designes and decrees Heresy being thus raised to
left meanes in it to end controversies of Religion with peace and unity of Catholick Faith 9 There cannot be a greater foppery then to thinke that God instituted his Church without possibility of obtaining the end or its institution The end of the Catholick Church is our salvation by one and the same supernaturall and undoubted Faith communicated by preaching and hearing Rom. 10. this one and undoubted Faith in this manner is impossible If there be not at least one infallible Pastour when there are no generall Councells who may by his definition declare what is Catholick Faith what heresy whensoever the Church is troubled with diversity of opinions it s as evident therefore that the Popes infallibility is not superfluous as it is cleare that God did not deprive his Church of meanes without which its impossible to compasse the end he aymed at in its institution If Profestants themselves judge it a most absurd and destructive Tenet in any Commonwealth See the late Kings answer to the Remonstrance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament 26. May 1642. in answer to the businesse of Hull that a murtherer or felon cannot be apprehended condemned or punished by any other authority then that of Parliament even when it actually sits how much more absurd and destructive must they grant it would be in the Church that a murtherer of soules and an Heretick cannot be declared and condemned by any other authority or infallibility then that of a generall Councell not actually sitting nor likely to be assembled in a long time Doe they imagine that God would institute a Church more absurdly then themselves would order a Commonwealth As in all well ordered Commonwealths there must be meanes to suppresse sedition at any time before it comes to be rebellion so in the Church of God there must be meanes to condemne dangerous opinions and growing heresies before they come to spread and infect Christian soules If there be no infallible and visible Judge of controversies besides a generall Councell none will alter his opinion untill the generall Councell be gathered and then it will be too late to apply the remedy An exteriour acquiescence doth not change mēs opinions nor free their minds and thoughts from heretical errours none thinkes himselfe obliged to forsake his owne opinion for that of other men If theirs be noe more then probable Therefore some infallible authority there must bee at all times in the Church whereby men may bee obliged to condemne even their owne opinions and errours and none doth as much as pretend to it but the Roman Bishop 10 The infallibility of some visible Judge of Controversies alwayes at hand especially when generall Councells can not meete conveniently is soe agreable to evident reason and soe necessary for the unity of Faith and peace not onely of the Catholick Church but also of the Christian Commonwealth that the Protestants who were most against it are now most for it and wish that the Pope if hee bee not were as infallible as wee pretend If their wish bee rationall as without doubt it is wee are to presume that God the Author of reason was as rationall in this particular as they can wish And though it bee strange how they can imagine that God can bee unreasonable in any matter and in one that soe much concerned his Church yet they are convinced by wofull experience that our belief of the Popes infallibility is as beneficial to Catholicks as their obstinacy against it hath beene prejudiciall to Protestants who make Scripture the ground and warrant of all attempts and rebellions against their Soveraignes whereas wee submit our judgements to the ancient and setled interpretation of Gods Word and when that is not cleare we conforme our selves to the sentence of the Pope a very indifferent person and supreme Judge in matters of Christian Religion at least he is more unpartiall to Princes then their owne subjects interpreting Scripture by fancy interest or passion Why should wee Catholicks believe that the Bishop of Rome is infallible and Christs Vicar upon earth rather then hee of Constantinople or any other is as much as to demand why doe wee rather believe that Philip the 4. or Lewis the 14. are lawfull Kings of Spaine and France then other men that never could pretend right to those Kingdomes See the Protestants Apology for the Church of Rome tr 1. see 3. subd 10. see 7. subd 5. 9. tr 2 see ◠3 subd 10. There is not any man upon earth who can pretend right be bee infallible in determining controversies of Religion but the Bishop of Rome Hee hath a more constant and universal tradition for his spiritual jurisdiction and infallible authority then any King hath for his temporal superiority Why should wee deny to the Pope what all antiquity acknowledged and all men must grant if it bee not out of animosity against his person or obstinacy against his prerogative which wee ought not to measure by his personal merits but by Gods providence and the publike good and necessity of the Catholick Church If wee looke upon the greatnesse of the prerogative it s more probable that one man may deserve it better and bee more capable of it then every one of them who concurre to the infallible definition of a generall Councell neither ought it to seeme soe strange that God should bee pleased to make one Pope infallible in S Peters chaire if wee believe that every Bishop is infallible in a Councell who concurres to a definition when all Christendome is assembled together in an universal Synod Noe Catholick doth believe that the Pope is infallible in all his words and actions or as a particular Doctor but onely when he proposeth or speaketh any thing in Gods name and as his Interpreter to the Catholick Church CHAP. X. That the foundation of Iustice and forme of Iudicature is wholy destroyed by penall Lawes and oathes against any point of the Roman Catholick Religion 1 THe foundation of Justice and Judicature is evidence of lawfull witnesses against whose testimony the accused person can have no rationall exception As the judge must have evidence of witnesses for the sentence he pronounceth so must the witnesses have some evidence for the testimony they give There is a great difference betweene the evidence of witnesses required against persons accused for Religion and for other crimes Eye-witnesses have best evidence against malefactours apprehended for civill crimes but in matters of Faith and religion all goeth by heare-say Rom. 10. he is the best witnesse who relyes least upon his owne knowledge his best evidence is the testimony of others dead before he was borne and though their bodies lye rotten in graves their Faith and Doctrine must be fresh in the memory and testimony of the present Catholick Church and Christian posterity 2 As the Judge must have evidence for his sentence and the witnesse for his testimony so must the Legislatour
in a Taverne with their Camerades With much adoe we have brought them to confesse that the Pope is not Antichrist yet you may be sure they will easily bring themselves to comply both in words and deeds better with Antichrist himselfe if he chance to come in their time then they have hitherto done with the Vicar of Christ they will sooner goe in pilgrimage to Babylon to receive there the caracter of Antichrist then repaire to Rome for the supply of that other which they undoubtedly want by the manifold and manifest defects of their fond and feigned Ordination at Lambeth I will detaine thee no longer in the entry of this worke but wish thee as desirous to see the truth as I have beene solicitous to set it downe without any disguise or designe of any thing but truth it selfe knowing full well that the God of truth is not served his owne way not onely by maintaining falshood but even by pretending to maintaine truth by forged arguments or false histories neither can I hope that God should concurre with such meanes without whose concurrence all my endeavours are of no effect neither can I neede for the proofe of things so manifestly and visibly true to suborne false witnesses and I should most absurdly contradict my owne principles if I should â—old it the duty of a Christian to support by falshood true Christianity whereas I teach a Polititian that it is against the very rules of meere humane policy to goe about the compassing his ends by untruths and impostures Lastly I should too fondly forget my selfe by laying that imputation of false dealing upon the defence of Catholick Religion whereof I so frequently condemne the Authors and Abettors of hereticall innovation against whom I inveigh not through any bitternesse of passion towards their persons but through a tender compassion of others misled by their lyes and deceits to their eternall perdition THE INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. 1. HOw men come to be Atheists and whether it may be demonstrated by reason that there is a God Providence and another life Chap. 2. VVhether it be a manifest foppery not to believe that there is a God though his existence were not demonstrated and whether Atheisme alone without any other sinne be a reasonable and sufficient cause of damnation Chap. 3. VVhether God ought to be served his owne way and in what manner Chap. 4. That to believe God and consequently to serve him his owne way its necessary to repaire to an infallible guide which is no other but the Roman Catholick Church Chap. 5. That all Religions pretending to reforme the Roman Catholick are but humane inventions grounded upon weake policy strong fancy and sensuall pleasures Sect. 1. Of Lutheranisme Sect. 2. Of Anabaptisme Sect. 3. Of Zwinglianisme Sect 4. Of Calvinisme Sect. 5. Of the Reformation in Holland and the united Provinces Sect. 6. Of the Protestant Church of England in King Edward the VI. his time Sect. 7. Of the English Protestant Church in Queene Elizabeths reigne Sect. 8. Of the English Protestant Church in King Iames and his Sonnes reigne Sect. 9. Of the Kirk of Scotland Chap. 6. That no Policy could heretofore or can for the future give any supernaturall appearance to the reformed Churches whereby any rationall persons may be mistaken in their way to heaven by confounding them with the true Catholick Church Chap. 7. That Policy hath destroyed it selfe by courting Protestancy as being neare allyed to Atheisme the greatest enemy of civill government Chap. 8. That Protestancy inclines the Prince to Tyranny and the Subjects to Rebellion Chap. 9. That the Popes spirituall jurisdiction is nothing dangerous to Soveraignes but raâ—her that the ground of fidelity and obedience due to them is utterly destroyed by denying the Popes supremacy and that it is a greater foppery in Protestants then in Catholicks to deny his infallibility Chap. 10. That the foundation of Iustice and forme of Iudicature is wholy destroyed by penall Lawes and oathes against any point of the Roman Catholick Religion Chap. 11. That it is impossible to be a wise Statesman and effect businesses without morall honesty and that it is most dangerous for a Prince to have Counsellours that are dishonest men Chap. 12. That it is impossible for a Polititian to compasse his designes by untruths and impostures and that nothing is more contrary to Policy then vanity Chap. 13. How necessary it is for a Statesman to be a man of honour and of his word and how great a difference there is betweene Policy and Craft Chap 14. That nothing is more dangerous to a Prince or contrary to Policy then to make use of Ministers of State odious to his owne Subjects either for their vices or misfortunes Chap. 15. That it is great wisdome and policy in Princes to make use of Clergy-men in State affaires THE POLITITIANS CATHECHISME CHAP. I. How men come to be Atheists and whether it may be demonstrated by reason that there is a God Providence and another life 1 THERE is a generation of men half witted and not so much as half learned but wholy vicious who persuade themselves that the soule is a blast of wind the other life an imaginary Vtopia God a Chimaera which onely hath a being in the weake braines of ignorant people Heaven and Hell old wives tales invented by States men to keepe the Subjects in awe and pliable to the Prince his will and pleasure by the dreadfull notion of Eternity The multitude say they must be cheated into its owne good and consequently into peace and subjection and no cheate is more plausible or lesse suspected then that which men call Religion provided that such as have least and governe the Commonwealth counterfeit most and seeme to be more zealous for the establishment of the Church then solicitous for themselves or their posterity 2 Men are not borne Atheists neither are their mindes possessed of these extravagant fancies on a suddaine they fall by degrees first from the love of God and then from his knowledge From the love of God they fall by every mortall sinne but from his knowledge by a custome and excesse of sinning and by drowning themselves in sensuall pleasures which divert their thoughts from the consideration of spirituall things and even from the best part of themselves the soule Notwithstanding this distraction and their being so bewitched and besotted with sense now and then they feele a certaine remorse and guilt of conscience which remorse and guilt of conscience strikes them into a terrour or feare of divine justice this feare degenerates into despaire of mercy feare of justice and despaire of mercy doe so trouble their soules and understandings that they recurre to the will to be eased which endeavoureth to helpe them with a fond wish or desire that no such thing there were as God Providence and another world this desire creates a fancy like unto it selfe and that without any difficulty because men are apt to soothe
in that excellent Booke The Protestants Apology for the Church of Rome 4 Whereas ceremonies be the object of phantasy and ours are so decent that no phantasy can except more against them then against those of the Law of Moyses instituted by God himselfe and approved by Protestants the aversion which they manifest against our Ceremonies cannot proceed so much from their fancy as from their understanding dissenting from that Doctrine to which the Ceremonies relate To kneele is not an object ridiculous or offensive to the fancy the most precise practise it out of Churches and at Court and yet all Protestants cry abomination against kneeling to our Lord Iesus Christ in the Sacrament or worshiping himselfe or his Saints in Images these ceremonies agree well enough with their fancy but their understanding cannot brooke them A weake understanding may occasion as great errours as a strong fancy 5 Some fantasticall and fanaticall fellowes call the Roman Catholick Religion an Apith Keligion because forsooth it hath so many odde ceremonies But the fault is not in the Roman Religion or ceremonies they have Apish understandings they looke as Apes upon our ceremonies without considering the mysteries All the ceremonies of the Masse relate to Christs Passion others to the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation If it was lawful and laudable in the old Law to practise ceremonies representing things that were to come why should we Catholicks be censured for ceremonies that put us in minde of past mysteries and mercies We ought not to be unmindfull or ungratefull and there is not a more efficacious way to preserve a gratefull memory of past benefits then by representing them in ceremonies to the light 6 I must confesse that all Sectaries have as great cause to cry downe ceremonies as we Catholicks have to uphold them Because the strongest pillar of the true Church is a continuall tradition of Catholick Doctrine from the primitive times to this present and this pillar of Tradition is much strengthened by the practise of ceremonies relating to that Doctrine delivered from hand to hand which we now maintaine as Catholick against Heresy or pretended Reformation To adore the blessed Sacrament both in Church and Processions is a strong argument of Christs reall presence not onely in the act or use of Communion but also before and after What mervaile therefore that they who deny Christs reall presence or grant it onely in the actuall use of Communion should oppose the adoration whereby their false Doctrine is so clearly condemned by the practise of the faith full these and other Catholick ceremonies are not odious to Protestants because they are ceremonies but because they put them in minde of the ancient Faith and Doctrine of Christs Church To reject some of the ancient ceremonies and retaine others as the Nags-head Congregation doth is to furnish their adversaries Catholicks and Puritans with unanswerable arguments their choice of ceremonies doth prove their choice of Doctrine and their choice of Doctrine demonstrates them Hereticks an Heretick being he who chooseth out of the Doctrine delivered by the Church what he fancies rejecting what he thinkes not fit for his purpose Our Prelaticall Protestants must with the rest cast away their Bishops bonnet lawne sleeves he white surplise and black scarfe if not they may cast their cap and despaire of answering to Catholick or Puritan objections they must keepe all or nothing unlesse they can produce better evidence for their pretended Reformation then the fancy of 7. or 12. men in King Edward the Sixth his time confirmed by the authority of a yong head of the Church and a Parliament called by the Protector Seamour to establish in England Zwinglian fopperies and reject the Christian Doctrine and discipline of our Catholick Ancestors they must not rely upon Queen Elizabeths she supremacy or their Nags-head Ordination and Synod with their London Assemblies and Hampton-Court Conferences of lay Ministers God must be served his owne way and not by framing Religions â—o the humor of people or interests of Kings Queenes Parliaments and Protectors But before we goe further in censuring these Protestant wayes let us prove CHAP. IV. That to believe God and consequently to serve him his owne way its necessary to repaire to an infallible Guide which is no other but the Roman Catholick Church 1 THe first step in the way of Gods service is to believe God a step of no lesse difficulty then necessity Suppose there were a man dropt downe from the heavens graced with this singular privilege that the sound of his words could no sooner be at our eares then the evidence of their truth before our eyes whatsoever he said in the same instant we did see confirmed by the reall appearance of the objects and our own experience This singular privilege would deprive him of another common to all men of worth and integrity it would make him uncapable or being believed all who heare him would assent to what he said but for their owne evidence not for his veracity When any thing is evident to our understanding or to our eyes we believe our selves and not others though they should tell us the same we doe experience If God were pleased to manifest himself to men in such a manner that they had evidence it is he who speaketh to them he had deprived us of the merit of Faith and himselfe of that duty which we are obliged to give every honest man for though Divine Faith doth exclude all doubts and feares of falshood yet it supposeth in the subject a possibility of doubting if men will be obstinate and imprudent but there is none so obstinate and imprudent that can doubt of the truth of Gods words if it be evident to him that God spoke them Though we heare men speak we doe them a courtesie in believing them because they are fallible and we doe not read the truth in their words though we believe them but if we had evidence that God uttered any words the truth of them must be as cleare as it is that he can neither lye nor be mistaken and if the truth be cleare and evident to our understandings we believe our selves and not God though he should speake it To believe is to trust and he that hath evidence of any truth doth as little trust the speaker as we rely upon anothers credit for the money we have in our own coffers 2 Seeing therefore that either God must not be believed by men or that he must disguise himselfe and speake to them by others who can be so impudent as to deny that we deserve damnation if we doe not believe and obey God in that Church which he hath beene pleased to institute as his owne Interpreter Quod autem rogant unde persuadebimur à Deo fluxisse Scripturam nisi ad Eccleisae decretum confugiamus perinde est ac si quu roget unde discemus lucem discernere à tenebris album nigro c. lib. 1. Inst
Cap. 7. sect 2. Petenda est haec per suasio ab arcano spiritus testimonto c sect 2. Non aliud loquor quà m quod apud se expetitur fideltum unusquisque c. sect 5. for our instruction I cannot deny there is great difficulty in believing that every thing which the Church proposeth as revealed is Gods revelation yet this pill must be swallowed if we resolve to believe God who cannot be believed if he speakes in his owne voice and tone because it is evidently inseparable from truth and we cannot believe what by force of cleare evidence we cannot deny Hence by the way it followeth that no Protestant or Puritan doth believe God if they ground their faith upon the evidence they pretend to have of Scriptures being Gods Word or upon that of their private spirit both which saith Calvin are discerned as clearly by himselfe and his brethren to be Divine evidences and not Diabolicall as white is discerned from black sweete from soure and light from darknesse It s very improbable that God deprived himselfe of his right and was contented not to be believed that Calvin and his Protestant crue might be eased of a duty which they exact and receive from every person that hath a good opinion of their honesty 3 Supposing it is as evident that there is a Church of God upon earth as it is reasonable he ought to be believed by men we must endeavour to finde it our The Church is an infallible Guide to lead us to God but who is the infallible Guide to had us to the Church Reason But reason in obscurity may be mistaken and what is more obscure then the way to the true Church environed with so many false Sects If our bel efe were limited to naturall verities reason might make some shift every man might pretend that his owne wit would be a sufficient guide for himselfe but seeing Christian Faith must stretch further then humane capacity there must be some supernaturall helpe In obscure matters saith Aristotle with all wise men reason must be contented with cleare signes and not expect evidence of the truth And because the Church or God doth propose supernaturall truths the signes must be also supernaturall And because there is so great difference betweene humane understandings God hath beene pleased to make his Church discernable by sensible and visible supernaturall signes that they who have least understanding may not have lesse faith then the most witty and learned if they will but open their eyes and reflect upon what they see This is the reason why so few can pretend ignorance of the true Church if they have any sense in them they may easily distinguish it from all hereticall Congregations The evident signes therefore whereby the true and Catholick Church is knowne consisteth not in exteriour formalities that may take their beginning from humane policy or from a naturall inclination to decency and good order The Protestant Church of England had as few signes of supernaturall grace as any other pretending Reformation yet in the eyes of some it lookt pretily and was more decent in the service then other Northerne Churches of Lutherans and some of their Nags-bead Ministers affected a certaine Ecclesiasticall gravity in their garb and habit notwithstanding in my opinion a secular dresse would better become their meere secularity and want of ordination The Ministers in Germany looke more Protestantlike in their short cloakes spade beards and blew starcht ruffs then our English Common-prayer Ministers doe in their long cloakes and surplises which they weare more for policy then Religion 4 Seeing Reason must be contented with cleare signes when the truth is not evident and that no evident or cleare supernaturall signes appeare in any Congregation of men but in the Roman Catholick it must be concluded that the true Church is that onely Congregation of men which professe the Roman Catholick Faith That no signes of grace doe appeare in any Church pretending Reformation is as cleare as it is that all the world is not blind for as yet neither themselves nor any other could see in any of their Sects one miracle or any other thing that lookt like supernaturall though they tell us of some Divine motions and impulses of the private spirit they are as incredible as it is impossible that God should oblige any man to take a Protestants bare word against the tradition and testimony of the Christian world informer ages confirmed with undeniable miracles and sanctity of life But some seeing the private spirit is ridiculous would faine perswade us that we may read their Reformation in Scripture so evidently declared that they wonder how we can have the least doubt against it We Catholicks have beene above a hundred yeares turning and tossing the Bible with as great care and study as the matter required and yet we could never hit upon one Protestant Tenet â—n Scripture though we have reason to thinke that we understand it as well as our neighbours which is very strange if their Doctrine be evidently contained in it But there is nothing more obscure the evidence wherein men equally learned and honest doe not agree Nothing can make them disagree in the interprettation and sense of Scripture but the obscurity thereof or obstinacy or ignorance if they be obstinate they are not honest if ignorant thâ—y are not as learned as their adversaries and its certain we doe Pro estants a favour in comparing or making them equall w th Catholick Doctors in either but when men dispute he that hath evident truth on his side may grace his adversary with any advantage as I doe at the present supposing not granting that Protestant Ministers were equall with Catholick Doctors in learning and vertue that thereby it may appeare how obscure the Scripture is wh re Protestants pretend it to be cleare and the sense most manifest 5 I will not make a long Litanies of the supernaturall and visible signes which app are in the Roman Catholick Church Miracles have beene in all ages and are now so frequent amongst us that there is not a Countrey or Province wherein the Roman Religion is professed which doth not produce testimonies so prudently credible of true and supernaturall miracles that to deny them were to destroy all human faith and reduce men to credit nothing that is affirmed by men however so well qualified with sound judgement great learning and knowne integrity Yet Protestants object its strange themselves never see any miracle being so desirous and miracles so frequent as we pretend Herod was also very desirous to see a miracle but his curiosity excluded him from that favour men who belive nothing but what they see deserve not to see miracles because they are obstinate Yet there are few Protestants who doe not see miracles what greater miracle then that all Catholicks turne not Protestants If tâ—e continuall victory over naturall and vehement inclinations doth require a miracle of supernaturall grace we are
as naturally and vehemently inclined to their Religion as we are to our owne liberties and pleasures what greater miracle then that sober and learned men should be perswaded that their senses are deceived in the Sacrament of the Altar and that they should suffer death for the mystery of Transubstantiation These must be effects of supernaturall grace and Not of ignorance or obstinacy which cannot be laid to our charge seeing we submit our judgements to every definition of the Roman Church and our very adversaries knowe we are learned 6 Sanctity of life is a supernaturall signe and effect of grace and of the true Church This sanctity is evident in the Roman Church Not to speake of Antomes Hilarions or Stilluas lets drawe nearer our times and consider the lives of Saint Bernard Saint Dominike Saint Francis Saint Vincent Ferrer Saint Francis of Paula Saint Charles Borromeus Saint Teresa Saint Francis Xaverius and many more who were knowne Roman Catholicks professing the same Tenets and obedience to the Pope which we now maintaine against pretended Reformation And not to speake onely of the dead let any indifferent person consider how in all vocations of both Clergy and Layty we have many persons eminent in vertue farre above that degree of morality to which some Protestants may attaine as well as some Pagans and Philosophers who were farre from Christian perfection called sanctity of life Let our English Protestant be pleased to weigh with himselfe whether yong Ladies of as great quality fortunes and gifts of nature as England doth afford could forsake their native Countrey kindred and friends contemne all pleasures of the world and themselves by embracing a religious poore and penitent life in perpetuall end sure submitting their wills to the obedience and humour of a woman could this I say be performed by so many so continually and with so great alacrity and content of minde without a miraculous and supernaturall grace of the Almighty In my judgement it s a greater miracle that such persons should resolve by a voluntary banishiment to dye to their Countrey and friends and to the whole world by a religious profession and to bury themselves alive in a Cloyster then if they had restored life to others and banisht death from graves and monuments 7 Now after that our Protestant Gentleman hath considered our Catholick Monasteries let him examine whether in his owne Church there hath beene or now is any thing resembling so much Religion and supernaturall vertue as that which amongst us is not admired though admirable because so ordinary This kinde of life is as farre from Protestants practise and Doctrine as it is from naturall inclination Yet I have heard that Master Laud of Canterbury was once inclined to erect some Protestant Nunneries in England I believe it would occasion as great stirres as his Reformation did in Scotland because no thing is more opposite to the Tenets of the reformed Ghospel and first Reformers then to make vowes of poverty chastity and obedience Protestancy begunne and is founded upon the dissolving of Monasteries and religions vowes and is not compatible with their observance if things must be carried on by the same meanes that acquired them a being It s very true that Cranmer of Canterbury the first Patriarch of Protestancy in England caused an enclosure of wood to be made I meane a Chest wherein he shut up his woman and carryed her along with himselfe wheresoever he travailed whereof ensued an odde accident at Gravesend where the Chest being much rccomended to those that carryed it to the Inne as containing pretious stuffe belonging to my Lords grace they severed it from the rest and put it up end-long against the wall in my Lords chamber with the womans head downward which putting her in jeopardy to breake her necke she was forced at length to cry out and so the Chamberlins helpt her out of her enclosure This is amost certaine story saith my Author in his Examen of Fox his Calendar cap. 7. n. 27. and testified at this day by Cranmers sons widdowe yet living The Prelates of the Catholick Church carry portable Altars but the first Protestant Prelate and reformed Apostle of England could not travaile without his portable Monastery farre more agreable to the Religion he planted then Matter Lauds intended plantation of religious and chast Nunneries 8. The conversion of Nations to Christianity is not onely a signe of the true Church but also the end of its institution This is so proper to the Roman Catholick even at this present that none who heard the names of America Angola China Monomotappa India or Iaponia can be ignorant of our pious endeavours and miraculous successe in preaching the Ghospel to so remote Nations where nothing that is coveted in this world could be aymed at or expected by our Apostolicall Preachers I will not say any more concerning the signes of the true Church these being susficient to convince any person that desires to be saved that out or the Roman Church there is no salvation seeing it alone hath supernaturall and visible signes whereby God doth declare sufficiently that it is an infallible guide to informe men of his mysteries and direct them in the way he hath prescribed for his Divine service commanding all mortalls to heare and obey it as they would heare and obey himselfe Whosoever doth the contrary injures God and calleth his Divine veracity in question 9 God is as much injured by Protestants and all others who deny or doubt of what the Roman Catholick Church proposeth in his name as any man can be injured by not being believed when he speakes The injury done to men when they are not believed consists in not trusting them or in not taking their word for the truth though the truth doth not appeare If we doe not trust God and take his Word as it is uttered by the Roman Catholick Church for truth we are resolved not to trust him at all because when any truth is evident to us we cannot receive it by trust from another and if God should speake immediatly to us and declare that himselfe speaketh the truth of his words is as evident to us as it is that he cannot lye and by consequence there is no roome left for trust Therefore either we must trust him and take his Word for truth when he speakes by that Church which hath supernatural signes or not at all and that Church is onely the Roman Catholick That God doth not speake to us immediatly by himselfe as men doe but by the Church doth not diminish the injury but makes it possible It doth not diminish the injury clone to God because it doth appeare as clearly and suffiently by the testimony and supernaturall signes of the Roman Catholick Church that what is by it proposed is Gods Word as it doth appeare by any mans owne testimony and signes of integrity and sincerity that he speaketh truth To be solicitous to knowe evidently who is the Author
of any words when he disguiseth himselfe and desires to be incognito is too much curiosity and ill manners But a resolution not to believe any words proposed as Divine revelation by the Church because it is not evident that God is the Author of them is hereticall obstinacy For its unreasonable to exact a clearer knowledge of the Author then of the truth of the words if we are bound to believe the truth though it be not evident we can have no reason to exact evidence of the Author especially when the truth of his words must be evident if he be knowne and consequently our resolution doth extend it selfe to this that we will not believe untill the truth be evident which is not onely obstinacy but manifest foppery because it is as much as to say We will believe nothing at all It s therefore as evident an injury to God to deny the Doctrine of the Roman Catholick Church though it be not evident that God is the Author thereof as it is to deny the truth of any mens words when they speake themselves though the truth be not evident unlesse perhaps we thinke it reasonable to exact of God what we cannot of men to wit whensoever he speakes not to believe his words unlesse we have evidence of their truth for if God be truth and we are resolved not to believe his words unlesse he manifests himselfe we are resolved not to believe them untill their truth be manifest seeing God is the truth of his owne words because he is truth by essence Of men we exact not so much we believe their words though the truth be obscure 10 This injury which is done to God consists in calling in question his veracity which is an inclination to speake truth Gods veracity is called in question whensoever any thing is sufficiently proposed as his Word and yet it is not believed that it is his Word or revelation Whether the matter sufficiently proposed by the Church as Gods Word and consequently as truth be great or small absolutely necessary or not it matters not as to the deniall or doubt of Gods veracity because he is as necessarily inclined to speake truth in a matter of little concernment as in the greatest Seeing therefore that the deniall or doubt of mens veracity consists in questioning what is sufficiently proposed as their sense and meaning and that the Doctrine and sense of Scripture embraced by the Roman Catholick Church is sufficiently proposed by its testimony and evident supernaturall signes to be the sense revelation and meaning of God his veracity must be as much questioned by calling in question the least Doctrine of the Roman Church as the veracity of men is called in question by doubting of their words whereby their thoughts and meaning are sufficiently proposed 11 From what hitherto hath beene said it s as evidently concluded that the Roman Catholick Church is infallible in all matters great and small proposed by it as Divine revelation as it is cleare that God would have men believe him or that he hath a regard to his owne honour and veracity he is not concerned in either if he permits any one falihood in the least matter necessary for salvation or not necessary to be sufficiently proposed by the Church as his Word or sense seeing he may so easily prevent it and not permit the Roman Catholick Church to erre in any proposall How can God exact or expect from us an undoubted or infallible beliefe when he speaketh and dâ—clareth his minde by men if those very men be not infallible in declaring his minde What injury can it be to God that we doubt of his veracity if in his owne hearing and presence his owne Interpreter the Church is by himselfe permitted to erre and abuse his name and authority We may lawfully suspect his sincerity in greater matters seeing the least blemish is as much as the greatest inconsistent with the infinite perfection of his Nature Therefore either God is contented not to be believed and to forfeit his honour and the esteeme of his veracity or that Church which hath evident and supernaturall signes of being his Interpreter which is the Roman Catholick alone is infallible in all matters great and small proposed as Divine revelation 12. Hence you may gather to what great fopperies hereticall obstinacy doth lead some of the most learned Ministers of the English Church when they print that God is satisfied with an exteriour acquiescence to the definitions of a generall Councell and of that Church which alone hath the signes and markes of being the true Catholick though there remaineth an inward doubt of the controversy defined This is as much as to say that God is content you give him the lye or afront him in private so you be pleased to say nothing of it in publick God is as much injured by thoughts as by words and an exteriour acquiescence is no satisfaction to him without interiour submission of judgement It s true some of these Hereticks grant that when all the Patriarchs and Christian Churches of the world conferre notes and are assembled together in a Councell which is not likely to be as farre as the present state of the world doth promise untill we all meete in the Valley of Iosaphat then is the time to submit our judgements which in plaine termes is to put of all Christian beliefe and obedience to God in his Church and remaine obstinate in heresie untill the day of judgement But of this more when we speake in particular of the English Church in King Iames and his sonnes reigne As for that other shame full shift of theirs to make all Christians the Catholick Church and every reformed Sect part thereof and the same with us in fundamentall articles I remit my Reader to a Treatise lately printed concernig the Nature of Catholick Faith and Heresy with reflexion upon the nullity of the English Protestant Church and Clergy and will now shew in particular CHAP. V. That all Religions pretending to reforme the Roman Catholick are but human inventions grounded upon weake policy strong fancy and sensuall pleasures 1 PRotestancy or Reformation in generall is a text of Scripture corrupted or fondly applied by the first Reformer to his owne fancy dreames or pleasure by Princes and Polititians to worldly interest and by the vulgar sort to liberty of life and rebellion against their Soveraignes Let the most zealous Protestant have so much patience as to read over this Chapter and I am confident he will be convinced by the very history without disputing that his Religion is not injured by this caracter or definition And as for our Polititian he may learne in this historicall part of his Cathechisme as many necessary precepts for his instruction as there are examples of Divine Providence against the Authors and Protectors of pretended Reformation That all may appeare without confusion I will divide this Chapter into Sections and in first place recount the beginning and
lives in attempting an imagined liberty due to them by Luthers reformed Dutch Ghospel Whereby our Polititian may learne how ordinarily speaking Gods providence doth chastise wicked men by the same instruments they employ against the Church and Clergy in compassing their politick ends Luther was the occasion of the destruction of the Franconian Nobility which had made him an instrument to destroy the Clergy and dissuaded him from retiring into Bohemia promising they would protect him We may see also how dangerous it is not onely to Religion but to the interest of Princes that liberty which Protestants have of reading the Scripture without any obligation of conscience to submit their judgements in the interpretation thereof to any of their owne Churches When a Religion is made to comply with as many contrary humours and interests as Luthers was we must expect no other fruit of it but sedition and rebellion it is the apple of discord and the occasion of all mischiefs in Christian Commonwealths 6 From Germany this plague of Lutheranisme went into Swethland Swethland perverted Ioan Magnus in Pontif Psal lib. 6. by meanes of one Olaus Peters a Deacon and Luthers Scholler who in the yeare 1523. returning from Wittemberg to his own Countrey became acquainted with Laurence Andrewes Archdeacon of Stronghen an ambitious man the Bishop of that See dying Laurence Andrewes pretended and failed of the Bishoprick which was given to another farre inferiour to him in his owne opinion Olaus Peters tooke this occasion to make him a Lutheran and declare to him that all Christians were Priests by Baptisme and that there was no difference between a Priest and a Bishop but the revenues Whereupon they both declared their errour to Gustavus King of Swethland which he approved of as advantagious to that poore Crowne Therefore he declared to all his Subjects as a learned Scholler of Luthers teaching that Priesthood and Episcopacy were but formalities and privileges depending upon the Prince his will and favour and that it was his pleasure to take all their authority and lands into his owne hands he did not onely deprive the Bishops of their dignities and revenues but imprisoned them all because they opposed the change of Religion and their owne destruction Whereby we may perceive that poverty and coveteousnesse in a King and ambition in a Subject was the ground of Swethlands Reformation 7 In the yeare 1537. Iohn Bugenhagius who had beene a religious Priest put Christierne the Third King of Oenmarke in minde of what advantages his Neighbour Gustavus had made of Luther Doctrine and he upon the same grounds followed so meane an example deposing and imprisoning all the Bishops of his Kingdome who were but seven and made Iohn Bugenhagius Pope of his Northerne climat because he gave him authority to name seven Superintendents that succeded in the Bishops Seas but not in their ordination or revenues which were forfeited to the Crowne and was the greatest fault that the King found in Catholick-Religion It s great pitty that so many millions of soules doe perish through the coveteousnesse of those two Northerne Princes but the people may curse their Ancestors as much as their Kings who did not attempt the innovation of Religion before they felt the pulse of their Subjects consciences and perceived their soules to be as full of vice as their Countrey is of pitch and tarre and as disposed for heresy and hell as their woods are for fire Luther the Incendiary of all these Countries lived untill the yeare 1546. and died at Isleb where he was borne the 18. of February betweene two and three in the morning after that he had feasted himselfe and beene very merry that same night in the house of his death he pronounced these words to his Disciples Pray for our Lord God and his Ghospel that it may have good sucesse because the Council of Trent and the abominable Pope are great enemies Whether this blasphemy proceeded from Atheisme or drunknesse let Protestants determine my opinion is that Luther was both Atheist and Drunkard though Lutherans call him the Saint and Prophet of Germany Iustus Ionas de morte Lutheri notwithstanding that they acknowledge his last prayer to be the aforesaid blasphemy But now let us goe to the branches of his pretended Reformation SECT II. Of Anabaptisme 1 IN the yeare 1523. Nicholas Stork one of Luthers Schollers saw no reason why he might not invent a new Religion as well as his Master and at length resolved to goe to Switzerland where by counterfeiting revelations communicated to him by Saint Michael the Archangel he gained much credit amongst the simple people and persuaded them what he pleased confirming his mad fancies with texts of Scripture fondly applyed and by the Sermons of one Thomas Muntzer from both these Apostles the Sect of Anabaptists had its beginning their principall errour is grounded upon the words of our Saviour misinterpreted Whosoever will believe and be baptised shall be saved Therefore say they children ought not to be baptised before they come to yeares of discretion and capacity of beliefe or at least they ought to be rebaptised whereas it is cleare by the Scripture and not onely by the practise of the Church in all ages that children ought to be baptised seeing they are reasonable Creatures because Christ commanded his Disciples to baptise all Creatures but the continuall tradition is that whereby this errour hath beene and must be confuted which is the best explication of doubtfull texts of Scripture as Oecolampadius who formerly rejected Tradition as Roman superstition was forced to confesse Lindan in Dubit Prateol Methon Hist Anabap. lib. 5. when he disputed with the Anabaptists at this very time in Switzerland from whence they were banished by proclamation for their Doctrine against the obedience due to civill Magistrats and many other mad fancies whereby they practised bloody practises upon others and even upon themselves they were divided into many Countreys and Sects and in few yeares had more then 44. different Religions as Sebastian Francus doth testify in his history and is very credible because they are a people much given to believe dreames and to take fancies for revelations None is more dangerous then that assurance they pretend to have of themselves alone being Saints and the elect of God excluding all other men not onely from heaven but even from all right to lands or inheritances here upon earth according to the Doctrine of their booke which they intitle Restitution composed at Munster when their Prophets and Kings did domineere in that City Iohn Mathews gave himselfe out sometimes for Moyses sometimes metimes for Enoch and celebrated a Synod at Amsterdam breathed the spirit upon his twelve Apostles and sent them to preach his Ghospel to the world whereof some repented their madnesse others were punished and himselfe was killed at Munster his royall Seate 2 But after him succeeded for Prophet and King of the Anabaptists in the same City Iohn
and consequently Anne Bullen could not be during her life and Queene Elizabeth must needs be a bastard Cecil and others whose fortunes were to be built upon the ruine of the ancient Religion and Nobility perswaded the Queene that her security was not consistent with the Popes supremacy and authority in her Dominions therefore it was necessary to declare her selfe a Protestant and supreme Governesse of Christs Church She followed his advice and tooke the spirituall government so vainely upon her that she visited Diocesses invented now Ceremonies rejected what she pleased of the old reprehended Preachers in their very Sermons and which is most ridiculous of all consecrated with her faire hands Master Whitgift pretended Archbishop of Canterbury if they both be not very much wronged by persons of integrity that related the story as a most certaine truth to Fitz Herbert a man well knowne for his profound judgement great learning and solid vertue We may believe without the least note of credulity what he printed an 1612. after setting downe this story of a reformed Ordination related by Scherer A few yeares since not farre from Vienna Scherer postilla de sanct conc â— de S. Steph. a certaine noble woman did call the Master of her children to the office of a Preacher or Minister and did order and consecrate him by the imposition of her hands and of her apron which she did use instead of a stole Whether any such imposition of hands Fitz Herbert in the Preface to Persons discussion of Master Barlowes answer in sine aprons or Kyrtles were used to the first Prelates by Queene Elizabeth saith Fitz Herbert I knowe not but I have beene credibly informed that Master Whitgift would not be Bishop of Canterbury untill he had kneeled downe and the Queene had laid her hands on his head by which I suppose ex opere operato he received no grace According to Protestant principles Queene Elizabeth might and ought to ordaine Bishops seeing she was baptised and Ordination is but Baptisme in their Religion Let not our modern Protestants censure Master Whifgift he understood the grounds of Reformation and their practise also in those dayes better then any that now will condemne his receiving Ordination by imposition of Queene Elizabeths gracious hands if the was Pope why could she not give orders and consecrate Archbishops 2 The change of Religion which the Queene made in England was by corrupting most of the Nobility though I belive more of them stood for the Catholick Faith then the Earle of Shrewsbury and Viscount Montacute Camd. in Eliz. I admire how Camden saith that onely a Talbot and a Browne opposed the intended Reformation whereas all other Authors affirme that Catholick Religion was cast by one onely voice or three at most It s certaine that all the Bishops did their duty in defending the true Faith and that many of the Nobility were perverted by the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Arundell One of 14. Bishops that were in Parliament of whom there was an opinion of sanctity when he perceived how flexible many of the Lords were to the Queenes desires in changing the ancient Faith and establishing Protestancy uttered these terrible words The curse of God and of mine fall upon your selves and your posterity which will be destroyed by this very Religion that ye have voted for this day Whether this was a prophecy or no I will not dispute but what the Bishop foretold is now visible to the whole world There is not upon the face of the earth a more contemptible generation of men then the English Nobility at this present One simple Souldiour or Read-coate is sufficient to keepe them all in awe and three or foure Troopers may disarme three hundred and be more uncivill if they please If Catholick Religion had stood the Nobility had never fallen from their ancient splendour they had beene as famous abroad and beloved at home as their renowned Ancestors who were all Roman Catholicks Policy never thrives long against Religion and fortunes built upon the ruines of the Church seldome descend to the fourth generation and often vanish away from the first The Duke of Norfolk head of our Parliament Polititians that gathered votes for the Queene and Protestancy lost his head upon a block when it was thought he was in hopes to have it crowned by marrying the Queene of Scotland Many others of the English Nobility and Gentry had â—he same unfortunate end and their posterity is like to continue that slavery which for them hath beene purchased by their Grandsires at so deare a rare as the exchange of Catholick Faith for Heresy They may attribute their owne misery and captivity to the liberty which they gave in that fatall Parliament to the people of interpreting Scripture as they should thinke fit It was no lesse want of Policy then Religion not to stick to the old Roman infallibility seeing they could not make their Enghlish Church infallible The Popes supremacy and infallibility is not so prejudiciall to the world as Hereticks pretend it takes away all ryranny and rebellion that may be covered with a cloake of Religion if both Prince and people will submit their judgements to his who is an indifferent person All England hath reason to curse Queene Elizabeth and her first Parliament for depriving them of so necessary a support of the Soveraignes authority and the Nations liberty as the Popes spirituall jurisdiction and authority 3 After that the Catholick Religion was voted downe in Parliament the Queene commanded that all the Catholick Bishops should be deposed he of Landaffe onely excepted an old and simple man because he tooke the oath of supremacy as some of the rest had done in King Henry the VIII his time yet the Hereticks who were named to succeede in the other Bishops Seas could not prevaile with Landaffe to consecrate them at the Nags-head in Cheapside where they appointed to meete him and therefore thâ—y made use of Scory who was never ordained Bishop though he bore the name in King Edwards reigne kneeling before him he laid the Bible upon their heads or shoulders and bid them rise up Sacrobosco Fitz Simons Constable Champney Fitz Herbert in his Preface to F. Persons and many others with Harding and Stapleton and preach the Word of God sincearly This is so evident a truth that for the space of 50. yeares no Protestant durst contradict it nothing being more common in England as hath beene lately demonstrated in a booke called A Treatise of the Nature of Catholick Faith and Heresy to which I remit the Reader where he will see how the Protestant Ministers abuse the world with cheating tricks and false records to cry downe this most certaine story The Bishops named by the Queene were Parker for Canterbury Grindal for London Horne for Winchester and Iewell for Salsbury besides many others who were all or most of them at Franckford in Queene Maryes time and there named a
in the pulpit on a suddaine he became speechlesse carried out of the Church he recovered strength the use of his toungue but returning to the pulpit his speech failed him the second time returning the third time to preach he never spoke word more and was carried into a Catholick Gentlemans house his great friend and old acquaintance who perceiving that Iewell had not lost his senses with his speech sent for pen inke and paper put the dying man in minde of Gods mercy desired him not to despaire of it and to recant his heresy and his seducing of the simple people contrary to his owne conscience Iewell tooke the pen and he writ these words I am sorry for the many falsifications I have made both of Scripture and Fathers with that the pen fell out of his hand and he expired These are our Protestant Euangelists and Bishops 8 As for their inferiour Clergy I will give you a briefe Catalogue made by that famous Doctor Stapleton Counterblast lib 4. num 481. printed an 1567. who lived in those times And wherein I pray you saith he resteth a great part of your new Clergy but in butchers cookes catchpoules and coblers diers and dawbers fellons carrying their marke in their hand instead of a shaven crowne fishermen gunners harpers in keepers merchants and mariners netmakers potters potycaries and porters of Belingsgate pinners pedlers ruffling ruffins sadlers sheermen and sheaperds tanners tilers tinkers trumpeters weavers Whenrymen c. This rable rout of meane and infamous persons did cast so foule an aspersion upon our Protestant Clergy that even to this day the most ordinary Citizens thinke their family disgraced when any of their nearest kindred become Ministers though they be in a most certaine way to the best preferments an evident argument that either their function is but a meere mockery or that their layty hath no Religion I attibute this contempt to a malediction of God that hangs over the heads of false Preachers unsent uncalled unconsecrated as on the other side it must be a blessing of God that in the Roman Catholick Church Priests and Religious are more esteemed for their function and profession then for their abilities and quality be they never so great notwithstanding that in all Countreys many of the best Nobility and Gentry consecrate themselves to God in a religious and ecclesiasticall state of life a thing so rare amongst Hereticks that when they come to Catholick Kingdomes they are apt to mistake and talke of Priests and Friers as they did at home of their owne Nags-head Ministers but I hope they will learne good manners how obstinate soever they remaine in their errours 9 The triumphant Protestant Church doth not a little resemble their militant described by Stapleton Whosoever will peruse Fox his Acts Monuments and Calendar with Persons his Annotations may easily discerne what great difference there is betweene Protestant and Catholick Saints their miracles and ours The Protestant Legend and Martyrologe is stuffed onely with tinkers coblers butchers taylors and their pratling wives put to death in Queene Maries reigne by vertue of the ancient Lawes of Christian Emperours and Kings of England such as are yet in force against the Jewes but Queene Elizabeth made new Lawes against Catholicks and put them to death for not embracing a new heresy for which her selfe would have beene burnt in any Christian Countrey few yeares before if she had professed the same doctrine that now she imposed upon others That you may guesse at their Saints by their miracles I will give you a sight of Two propheticall and miraculous visions described by honest Iohn Fox in this manner Fox pag. 1843. See Persons his third part of the three Conversions of England cap. 7. n. 62. The Friday night before Master Rough Minister of the Congregation in London who was a Dominican Friar in Scotland was taken being in his bed he dreamed that he saw two of the guard leading to prison Cuthbert Simpson Deacon of the said Congregation Whereupon being sore troubled he awaked and called his wife saying Kate strike light for I am much troubled with my brother Cuthbert this night When she had so done he gave himselfe to read on his booke And then feeling sleepe to come upon him he put out the candle and so gave himselfe to rest againe but being a sleepe he dreamed the like dreame and awaking therewith said 0 Kate my brother Cuthbert is gone And so they lighted a candle and rose This is one miracle which Fox recounteth 10 Now shall you heare another miracle of Simpson himselfe set downe also in Fox his owne words Fox pag. 1844. The day before Simpson was condemned saith he Cloney the keeper of his prison being gone forth about eleven of the clock towards midnight Cuthbert Simpson whether in a slumber or being awaked I cannot say heard one coming in first opening the outward dore then the second after the third and so looking in to the said Cuthbert having no candle nor toarch that he could see but giving a brightnesse and light most comfortable and joyfull to his heart saying Ha unto him and so departed againe Who it was he could not tell neither dare I define saith Fox But I dare say it was Cloney the keeper that came to watch his prisoner with a light in his hand or perhaps the Protestant Deacon dreamed or fancied in the darke that one came in and said Ha unto him which may passe for a Protestant supernaturall vision and miracle Fox maketh a long discourse why the dreame of a married Friar and the imagination of Simpson the Deacon ought to be looked upon and believed as miraculous and would have all Catholick visions mistrusted and rejected though never so authentically related or recorded 11 But the greatest miracle of the English Protestant Church was Queene Elizabeth her selfe that embrued her cruell hands in the royall bloud of Mary Steward lawfull heire to the Crowne of England this English Iezabel not content to usurpe The Kingdome deprived her also of her life and put to death many noble persons that by their innocent bloud she might colour her supremacy and bastardy I will not relate what others write of her life and manners for honour of the English Nation her miracles were to have raised upstarts and hereticks from nothing and annihilated the ancient Nobility and Gentry that continued Catholicks contrary to her penall Lawes and Statutes In the beginning of her reigne was celebrated that venerable Synod or Nags-head Ministers and reverend coblers tinkers c. wherein the Protestant Creed of 39. articles was coyned the greatest part whereof consists in not believing and declaring against the Catholick Religion As her Majesty lived betweene Maid and Wife so did her Protestant Church florish betweene hauke and buzard betweene Calvin and Luthers Reformation It s strange to see how even to this day Protestant Ministers doe extoll this Queene as if she were the patterne of Religion and
Christianity either altogether or by halfe Hobbes saith Subjects may renounce all Christian Religion by words so they believe in their heart our Doctors of the English Church say Subjects may deny such points of Christian Religion as have beene renounced by their Soveraignes And when the Soveraigne will if ever that should happen deny all Christianity and believe no more then Turkes or Jewes it evidently followeth out of their principles though hitherto they durst not say it that the Subject may doe the same by an exteriour acquiescence untill the contrary be decreed in an imaginary generall Councell of their owne making and morally impossible to come together as hath beene said in the 7. Chapt. sect 8. for what reason can they have to accommodate themselves to their Prince and Church in denying some articles of Christian Religion and not all They have none I am sure to be angry with Master Hobbes who sayes nothing but what they also must say if they will sticke and be consequent to Protestant principles and particularly to the doctrine of the Church of England 3 That Protestancy doth incline the Subject to rebellion against his law full Prince is more evident then I wish it were by so many woefull experiences Their Reformation begunne in all places with rebellion and is like so to continue notwithstanding the vigilant care of wise Princes and Counsellours The reason is manifest because it s morally impossible that the conveniency of the Court should alwayes agree with the interest of the people and many times the Lawes of the Land being made to favour both are not so cleare in the behalfe of either The contrary being railed who must decide it Not the people saith the Prince because they are Subjects Not the Prince say the people because he is a part and Subject to Gods Law Both appeale to Scripture the sole Judge of Protestants controversies If the Scripture could speake and pronounce the sentence without an Interpreter all might end in peace and quiet but amongst Protestants every Subject speakes for Scripture and consequently for himselfe If every man be naturally inclined to favour himselfe and looke with a partiall eye upon his owne interest it s more then probable that Scripture interpreted by the Subjects will second their owne inclination and conveniency against that of Prince and Court neither is it lesse evident that the Prince and his adherents will not submit their judgements and wills to the finall and scripturall sentence of every Subject so that the sword and rebellion must end the controversy in that Religion where all men are supreme Judges and Interpreters of Scripture 4 And though the Prince may endeavour to incorporate the legistative power and the interpretation of the Lawes of the Land into his owne prerogative the Protestant Subjects will oppose it not onely as unreasonable but also as Antichristian pride and tyranny inconsistent with their Euangelicall liberty They will inferre this consequence If God hath made us Interpreters of his divine Law how can a Creature exclude us from interpreting the Lawes of the Land wherein we are so much concerned and which ought to be subordinate to Scripture Truly seeing no Protestant Prince or Church doth pretend to be infallible in declaring the true sense of Gods Word they can hardly condemne the Subjects private interpretation as contrary to Gods meaning all their Synodicall Decrees and legall Declarations against the Subjects fancy or pretended inspiration in favour of the Prince will be lookt upon by them who oppose his designes as suggestions of obsequious Courtiours and flattering Clergy and the people will stick to their owne interpretation of Scripture backing it with the words of the Apostles Act. 5. God ought to be more obeyed then men And if the Prince should declare that their text is but a pretext of rebellion they will retort his argument and say that his texts are but pretexts of tyranny and proclaime him a Rebell against God for the meanest of Protestant Subjects with a Bible in his hand is as absolute as his King with a Scepter nay more because he lookes upon the Scepter as subordinate to his Bible Thus you see how the liberty of interpreting Scripture is no lesse the ground of rebellion then of Protestant Faith and how politick Princes by undermining the ancient Catholick sense of Scripture with new fancies and interpretations have plotted their owne ruine and their posterities destruction And that this may appeare yet more evidently I will endeavour to prove Chap. IX That the Popes spirituall jurisdiction is nothing dangerous to Soveraignes but rather that the ground of fidelity and obedience due to them is utterly destroyed by denying the Popes supremacy and that it is a greater foppery in Protestants then in Catholicks to deny his infallibility 1 PRotestant Princes looke upon their Subjects with as jealous an eye as Spaniards or Italians doe looke to their wives The word forreigne jurisdiction though onely spirituall sounds to them as harshly and troubles them no lesse then the most injurious terme doth a suspicious husband This jealousy of Protestant Princes is no lesse fomented by the stupidity of some of their Writers then by the ambition of others Some as Master Hobbes for one looketh so dully upon man Leviathan part 3. ch 39. and government that he maketh no distinction betweene Spiritualists and Temporalists betweene the Church and State betweene the sword of Iustice and the shield of Faith betweene Christian and Man and is of opinion that out of such distinctions must needs follow faction and civill warre in the Commonwealth But other Protestant Writers admit these distinctions because they hope by them to reape some benefit or benefice Doctor Bramhall in his replication pag. 163. Nay of late some have printed that the King notwithstanding his supremacy is subject to the Archbishop of Canterbury in spirituall affaires and under the jurisdiction of his ordinary Ecclesiasticall Pastors but by no meanes under that of the Pope thinking it to be more for their Soveraignes honour to obey his Subjects then Saint Peters successor 2 That God should commit the charge of soules or any spirituall jurisdiction to temporall Princes is as incredible as it is evident that he did foresee what an ill accompt they would give of their Subjects Religion if they had the management of their owne consciences If they be so jealous of the Pope that notwithstanding he being a stranger and so farre of yet they feare he may reduce all temporall matters to his spirituall jurisdiction how doe they thinke it possible that God should not he jealous of trusting them with the soules of their owne Subjects seeing they may reduce all spirituall matters to temporall and abuse their power with much more ease and successe then the Pope can misapply his spirituall jurisdiction I am sure they ought to be more jealous of any of their owne Subjects supremacy then of the Popes spirituall jurisdiction and authority because
before to his Brother in the Lord and these two Ministers were the onely witnesses that proved Master Hindes murther whereof they had no other knowledge but what he told them in cofession whereupon sentence of death was pronounced against him by Judge Nicholas and executed at Worcester He reflected upon the Religion of his Confessours and witnesses and resolved to change his owne concluding that it could not be the true one which alloweth such treacherous dealings and obligeth men to reveale Sacramentall confessions making it Gunpouder treason not to betray God and the trust which he reposeth in the Ministers of his holy Sacraments as was declared in Garnets case Master Hinde therefore sent for a Priest and was reconciled to the Roman Catholick Church and I hope is saved not by virtue but by the occasion of his Protestant confession whereof I trust in God himselfe will not be the last that will make good use for the salvation of soules by forsaking so false a Church and so treacherous Clergy whereby mens lives are entrapt and their sinnes not absolved By this and other examples its manifest that Protestant Ministers are as unfit to be Counsellours as Confessours and that the Catholick Priests who will rather dye then betray a secrecy have a great advantage of seculars as to this so necessary a part of a Statesman 6 We see also how men besotted with drink and bewitched by bribes are subject to betray their trust in greatest secrecies and I believe it will not be hard to finde at least in this our Northerne Climat where this kinde of debauch is taken not onely for a remedy of melancholy but a point of gallantry Lay Polititians proceed now and then to such excesse as to ease not onely their stomachs but hearts to the great distemper of the Commonwealth As for bribes those who have most expenses and most to provide for and suffer lesse infamy if discovered and ordinarily are lesse provided with grace to resist cannot choose but be more lyable to the danger of this temptation as it appeares by these circumstances and much more by too frequent and knowne experiences 7 These amongst many others are the reasons why Catholick Princes make so frequent use of the Roman Clergy And though Hereticks and Polititians should misinterpret their good zeale they must have patience and not desist from their godly endeavour assuring themselves that though bad Christians carp and repine at the confidence and reâ—pect which Catholick Princes and Ministers of State shew to their Clergy by trusting them with their consciences and affaires that will not diminish but rather encrease their credit A Prince may erre in making choice of a Churchmans person but he cannot be mistaken in choosing one of that function which hath more advantages over a secular vocation as to the management and trust or businesses then I have set downe in this Chapter though I am confident enough is said to vindicate the State of the Catholick Clergy from any incapacity in State affaires and to commend the judgement of the Princes by whom they are employed with no lesse evidence of their talents then satisfaction of their services 8 Now is it time to put an end to this Cathechisme and exhort my Polititian 1. to resolve upon some Religion if he hath none 2. To consider how all Religions pretending to reforme the Roman are but humane and fond inventions grounded upon false interest transitory pleasure and mad fancies contrary to the rules of sound Policy 3. How the Roman Catholick Religion cannot be an invention of men having so many evidences of supernaturall signes and power to confirme its Doctrine 4. In case our Polititian will neither believe in God nor Catholick Church let him consider that the greatest and most effectuall engine to worke his owne interest is truth morall vertue and honour In the last place I must desire my Reader not to be offended with me if I am more bitter against the Protestant Clergy then by nature or custome I am enclined whosoever will reflect upon the prejudice and misery they have drawne upon the three Nations since they planted heresy and how by meere impostures they endeavour to maintaine those errours which have beene the cause of all our misfortunes will easily perceive that our English Ministers ought to be beaten not courted out of their destructive Tenets and practises I b seech almighty God to convert them and others misled by their example and doctrine and grant to all Polititians light to see this manifest truth that a man without Religion is void of reason and Policy without honesty is but a base wicked and witlesse knavery FINIS LIbellus hic cui titulus The Polititians Cathechisme Anglico idiomate conscriptus à Theologo mihi noto lectus altero praelo dignus est Datum 14. Martij 1658. GUIL BOLOGNINO Can. Eccl. Cathed Libr. Censor Antuerp
obedience is equally destroyed by Atheisme and Protestancy Though the signes of a supreme Deity be as evident and visible to the eyes of Atheists as this world and all its creatures yet they deny obedience to that supreme Deity and though supernaturall signes as miracles and sanctity of life be as evident to the eyes of Protestants in the Roman Church and no other as any thing can be yet they deny obedience to the said Church both agree in destroying that principle upon which the obligation of beliefe and obedience is grounded Policy and civill government can as little stand without this principle as a house can without out a foundation Atheists and Protestants doe agree in undermining not onely Religion but also the authority of Princes and Commonwealths and therefore both doctrines ought to be equally prohibited and suppressed 4 In one respect Protestancy is more dangerous to civill government then Atheisme An Atheist expects not any invisible power providence to support him because he believeth none a Protestant persuades himselfe that God will second his zeale for the Ghospel and consequently is more resolute and daring if God to punish the sinnes of others permits a Protestant to have good successe in his first attempts he thinks that successe is a new engagement to proceed further looking upon himselfe as an instrument of providence to carry on the imaginary worke or the Lord. The Atheist thinks of no such providence or engagement but attributeth his successe to his owne industry and is not so fierce constant and dangerous an enemy to the civill government as a Protestant Though all this had not beene evident by reason as necessarily following out of Protestant principles yet its manifest by experience and history as we have seene in this Treatise Chap. 7. but because in the next I am to treate of the tyranny and rebellions of Protestancy I will end this with onely assuring my Reader that Polititians were never more unhappy or more grosely mistaken then in the beginning and promoting a pretended Reformation that doth not onely lead men to Atheisme but makes them incapable of being governed after they have shaken of the yoke of obedience to divine Authority appearing more sufficiently and evidently in the Roman Catholick Church then any Kings authority doth appeare in his Lieutenant or subordinate Officers But now let us proceed and descend to particulars by shewing CHAP. VIII That Protestancy inclines the Prince to Tyranny and the Subjects to Rebellion 1 PRinces may be Tyrants though the Religion they professe be good but that Religion cannot be good which inclines Princes to tyranny A Tyrant is he who rules either without or against Law making his owne will and pleasure the modell of his government To rule against the knowne and practised sense of the Law is to rule against Law because the essence of a Law consists in the sense not in the letter The fundamentall Lawes of a Christian Commonwealth are the holy Scriptures to rule against the knowne and practised sense of these Lawes is the greatest tyranny because it is to rule without and against Law it is to rule without Law because Gods sense is left out and the Reformers fancy or the Prince his pleasure is thrust into its place and Scripture is not Gods Law without Gods sense It is also to rule against Law because the Protestant sense of Scripture is contrary to the knowne and practised sense of Gods Word whereby the Church hath beene governed since the time of the Apostles This proves nothing lesse then I supposed in the title of the Chapter it demonstrates clearly that when Protestant Princes are not Tyrants we may thanke themselves and not their Religion which is directly opposite to the Law of God and inconsistent with the duty Princes owe to divine Majesty whence also it followed that it is an inclination to Tyranny against the Lawes and liberties of the Land because he that governeth without and against the Law or God is in a faire way and at least inclined to governe without and against the Lawes of men 2 I heare some Doctors of the English Protestant Church seeme to be much scandalized at Master Hobbes his Leriathan because he attributes so much to a Soveraigne and saith that Christian Subjects may in the exteriour profession of their Faith accommodate themselves with the Prince whether Turke or Jew I cannot answer for Master Hobbes his Christianity but this much I will say in his behalfe that I have not seene Protestancy better expressed nor more consequently deduced out of its principles then in this Authors Leviathan he is a good Protestant and an ill Christian How can any Protestant sinde fault with Master Hobbes See the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion confirmed by K. Charles an 1642. for making the Prince Head of the Church and sole Interpreter of Scripture Why should 12. or 7. men in King Edward the VI. time or a few Ministers in Queene Elizabeth and King Iames his reigne assume to themselves a power of framing a new Religion and coyning a new sense of Scripture contrary to antiquity and the knowne practise of all Christian Churches and in particular that of England Why should they I say assume this unlimited power to themselves and deny it to their Soveraigne 3. Ed. 6.12 5. Ed. 6.1 and his Counsell If they examine well they will finde Master Hobbes doth no more And if they acknowledge this great power in spirituall affaires to be inherent to the Soveraignes person as they doe 8. Eliz. 1. even by their Acts of Parliament how can they deny him in the temporall as absolute and unlimited a power as Master Hobbes is forced to grant by the foundation and principles of Protestant Religion Doe not the Doctors of the English Church averre that from the Popes Primacy and Headship of the Church must evidently follow an Antichristian Tyranny inconsistent with the prerogative dominion and security of Kings and the liberty of Subjects why doe they not inferre die same consequence from the Soveraignes supremacy I am sure they attribute greater power to their Kings Queenes and petty Doctors then Catholicks doe to the Pope or generall Councells who according to our Tenets cannot pare of any thing from the matter and forme of Sacraments nor alter the ancient sense of Scripture contrary to tradition and the practise of the Catholicks Church but Protestancy acknowledgeth all this power to be inseparable from the Kings and Queenes of England and yet doth confesse that both King and Protestant Church may erre against Christian Faith in their Reformations no Subject notwithstanding must speake a word against those errours he must accommodate himselfe to them in all his exteriour actions though he be convinced in judgement that they are against Catholick Religion I would faine knowe in what doth this doctrine of theirs differre from Master Hobbes Both agree in the substance both grant that men may dissemble their Faith and deny