or Writing has declared the contrary to either of these or engaged his soule in the Covenant so great so horrible a Scandall as that certainly ought not only to be repented of but a publick revocation of it to be made And moreover my Lords the Bishops his Superiours deale but too mercifully in not requiring also a Recantation from him of what he has written destructive to the Ecclesiasticall Government of that Church in whose revenues they have now given him so great a share But I despair of being able to extort from the Doctour a free expression of his mind touching these two Points which involue a secret never to be discovered At least then he may with Civilitie be entreated to satisfy the world touching the sense of the two Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which he has taken already as appears by the Preferments he enioys unles perhaps for the tendernes of his conscience he has been dispensed with taking them I doubt not but that in the Oath of Alleagiance he cheer-fully renounced all Authority in the Pope or any forrain Potentate to absolue Subiects from their Allegiance but will he doe the same with regard to any domestick Power Assembly or State at home This were worth the knowing 82. And next touching the Oath of Supremacy the Doctour during the late execrable Vsurpers time publishing in his Irenicum the Iudgement touching Church Government of the prime Patriarch of the English Reformation stiled by him that most worthy Prelat and glorious Martyr Archbishop Cranmer a Martyr indeed if an impenitent Traytor may be called a Martyr and his judgment declared in an answer to a Petition of the Clergy in the Convocation was in brief That Princes and Governours may make Bishops and Priests as well as Bishops may And that a Bishop or a Priest made by them needeth no Consecration by the Scripture Moreover the Doctour signifies that he had in his possession an Authentick Copy of the same Cranmers Answer in resolution of certain doubts propounded by the same Clergy touching Doctrinall Points as about the Masses institution nature receiving c. But this Secret the Doctour envyed his Readers Notwithstanding we may collect the sense of Cranmers Answer from the Subscription to both the Resolutions the Form whereof is this T. Cantuariens This is mine Opinion and Sentence at this present which I do not temerariously define but do remit the judgment thereof wholly to your Majesty So that it seems a finall judgment both touching Government and Doctrin is by the Prime Bishop referred to a Child of about nine years old a great glory surely to the English Clergy for the knowledge of which they are beholding to the Doctour as the Doctour was to Cranmer for confirming the substance of his Book touching Church Government very advantageous to my Lords the Bishops 83. Now this being premised and notice being taken that this Book attributing all this power to the Supreme Civill Governour was printed in Cromwells time he cannot surely refuse to declare whether he intended in taking lately the Oath of Supremacy to acknowledg as much in the King whose Title by Law is Supreme Head and Governour of the Church of England and whether by the Church of England is to be understood only the Prelaticall Church so as that all the Doctours other Protestant Churches are to be supposed exempt from his Iurisdiction For if they be not it is expected that the Doctour should declare that the King as Head of the Church may ordain Bishops and Priests for his own Church and Presbyters for the Presbyterians Ministers for the Independents Holders-forth for Anabaptists Declarers for Quakers and Tub-preachers for that sort of Fanaticks But this is not all For the Doctour if holding to his Book seems obliged to assert a power in the King to appoint also Articles of Belief a hundred ways varying and contradicting one another to fitt the fancies of each respective Congregation But how would the Doctour advise him about Fifth Monarchists Thus much at present upon this Subiect by occasion of the Doctours requiring an account from Catholicks touching their Fidelity which account none were less fitt to require then the Doctour Causa patet 84. But after all did it become a Doctour of such reputation though having a design to doe all the mischeif he could to Catholicks who never provoked him to call into his ayd two such Authours as the Answerer to the Apology for Catholicks and the Answerer to Philanax For touching the former he cannot but know that his barbarous Answer has mett wich a Reply already from an Honourable pen. And for the other where was the Doctours modesty when he stiled himr a worthy Authour for belying most horribly a party among Catholicks as if they had had an influence and had joyned with the Doctours friends in the most barbarous effects of Fanaticism here in the murther of a most excellent Prince Does he not know how oft and particularly how upon the complaint of the late Queen-Mother of most precious memory he has been summoned to make good that his forged calumny but all in vain Js that wretched Serpent to be stiled a worthy-Authour who if he had not been warmed and thawed by English preferments had never been able to hiss in his own countrey and much less to disgorge his poyson to the disturbance of our Island Js any credit to be given to him who would haue that to be believed in England which all France knows to be false viz. That his Father was a loyall subiect to his King that is that he was an Apostar from Huguenotterie where Confession of Faith obliges them to be Traytours and Rebels whensoever the Honour of God that is the Defence of their execrable Religion is concerned 85. If the Doctour had had the patience to delay a while the publishing his Book he might both haue cowntenanced and strengthned his cause very considerably by imploring the succours of another of the same French Huguenot brood of the loyall family of the Du Moulins One by Profession of late God Help us à Physician but heretofore as is said for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presented to Cromwell in which he celebrated his victories created by him a publick Reader of History in the Vniversity then he became a Controvertist and Teacher of Diuinity the Diuinity doubtles then in fashion and pernicious to lawfull Soverains Jt seems the poor Snake not thâ—iving by his Drugs for he finds very few of the English Holy Tribes weary of living long betakes himself to his former Trade of railing at Papists a Trade at all times but now especially which brings in as certain a Revenue as if he had sett up an Alehouse This doughty Controvertist to putt the world in mind of his first Trade of Surgery has giuen Catholick Religion as he alone thinks a deadly wound in cutting the very Iugulum causae Jf his Book had come abroad time enough the Doctour could
Book truly I cannot determine Only this I may say That if Prelaticall Protestants do allow him for their Champion and approve the Grounds of his Religion it is one of the most Signall Victories that in any Age has been gained by a single Doctour over a whole Church the Governours whereof will be forced to acknowledge that they have no Authority to teach truth or condemn Errours that all the people formerly under them are becom Prophets and that all their Articles Constitutions and Ordonances have been compâ—seâ— and enioyned by an usurped Authority of which they are not willing to be despoyled and perhaps after the example of a late Scottish Bishop to do Pennance for their fault of being Bishops But certainly my Lords the Bishops will hardly with all the Doctours eloquence be perswaded to this compliance with him Regard both to the Kings and Kingdoms safety and their own Character will not permit them to yeeld to an Anarchy first in the Church and presently after in the Kingdom 97. Notwithstanding it cannot be denyed but the Doctour may expect more then ordinary indulgence from them since during their late calamities he did not joyn in the clamour for destroying them He was no Root and branch enemy but on the contrary generously undertook their defence and with great boldness told his then Maisters that though Episcopall goverment and Ordinations as likewise Deans and Chapters which anciently were the Bishops Counsell were not necessary nor perhaps convenient as matters then stood yet neither was their utter destruction they might if the State pleased be retained without sin upon condition that for their Maintenance the ravenous beasts then in power would be content to vomit up three or four hundred thousand pounds of yearly â—ents But my best course is to leave the Doctour to plead his own cause much better then I can doe And I assure him I would not have touched this String nor calld to mind these things passed were it not that hitherto he has made no retractation of any thing written by him and also if his Principles newly published should prevayle in mens minds they would be more destructive to both Kingly and Church goverment then all the Writings of Presbyters and Independents c. 98. But perhaps after all the said Principles though pernicious to Superiours may at least produce Vnity and peace among the people For a man would think if every sober enquirer and who thinks not himself such anone may be allowed to chuse a sence of Scripture for himself what can he desire more Every one then surely will be quiett and contented But I must tell him Quid verbo audio cum facta videam If indeed men could be content to enioy their Faith to themselves and not think themselves obliged to propagate it if they could with patience see their Doctrins confuted their actions derided and their designs opposed peace perhaps might be hoped for ad Graecas Calendas 99. Yet I confess that according to the Welsh Proverb The Gospell and a Stone will drive away a dogg the Doctours Principles and a severe Civill government ioynd together that is a charitable indulgence to tender consciences with a watchfull care to prevent quarrells and eager disputes about Religion may produce that peace which has hitherto never been seen in England since the Reformation and mens minds being enured to tast the pleasure of such a peace may probably in a short time becom as zealous against quarrelling as they are now for it 100. But there is another sort of Peace and Vnity more fitt to be the argument of Writings composed by Ecclesiasticall persons that is Vnity of Faith and Doctrin And this Vnity was intended certainly by Christ when he left his Church established under Spirituall governours to continue in an orderly Succession till the worlds end and was Signifyed by S. Paul saying There is one Body and one Spirit one Lord one Faith and one Baptism c. who also declares that this one Body and one Faith is preserved by Apostles and other Governours instituted by Christ in his Church To the end that Gods people may not be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrin c. This Unity also is proposed and professed by us in the Creed I believe one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Now this Vnity the Doctour seeing utterly chaced out of his Churches principled by him earnestly endeavours to prove it a stranger to the Catholick Church also and would seem to intimate that if it be possible to be attained it must be by his Principles And the truth is if men might enioy their consciences and would be induced to abstain from quarrelling persecuting and hating one another Truth in the end would probably prevaile were there not one hindrance more I feare insuperable which is that Truth or true Religion has no other passions and Carnall affections to combat withall besides quarrelsomnes It requires a bending and even breaking of the Will to the Obedience of Lawfull Superiours it requires yet further a captivating even of the Vnderstanding to the Obedience of Faith taught them by the same Superiours It requires also a free discovery of the most secret and most difficult to be acknowledged crimes in order to painfull Satisfactions to be undertaken for their expiation and for obtaining Absolution and pardon of them It requires from many a totall renouncing of all carnall Lusts and all Externall remedies of quenching them These and many other severe exactions are required by true Religion and only by itâ— and therefore no wonder if Sects dispensing in these things prevaile so much against it Yet Gods grace is omnipotent and can work greater and more difficult effects in the hearts of his servants when he is pleased to exert it 101. It is truly an Attempt worthy so heroicall a Champion to pretend to bring proofs from which saith he it appears that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in point of Vnity above his Protestant Churches which is in effect to demonstrate that one Article of our Faith ceases to be true 102. Let this be examined and first let us enquire what helps for Unity I mean Unity of Faith and Doctrin Protestants have and then compare them with those of Catholicks First for the Doctour himself who as yet must pass for the common Advocate of Protestants till he be disavowed surely he will not pretend to contribute the least advantage to such Unity unles he hopes to perswade any one That a licence given to every Christian to chuse his own Faith out of Scripture be a probable way to make all agree in the same Faith which Licence he gives and justifying it is the principall Design of all his Principles Is not this all one as to say Let every man in England think and doe what he pleases and by this means all will agree to be Good Obedient Subiects to the King Yet the Scripture argues
Councill to declare un-appealably the Truth and to do iustice upon the guilty parties Thus the Catholick Church is furnished against Schisms and none of these Defensive arms will the Doctour allow to any of his Protestant Churches and yet he confidently avows that Catholicks have no advantage 109. But let us consider what argumēts an over-weening witt can alledge to prove so strange an affection for he might as well have said That Goverment and such Government as obliges the conscience has not so much force to preserve men in Vnity as Anarchy has 110. As touching his Proofs which take up above an hundred pages our answer to them must be that we may yield him in a manner all the Premises of his faulty Sillogisms and must deny the Consequence of the Conclusions he would draw from them He tells us many Tragicall Stories of miscarriages of Popes how they revolted from the Empire and upon such revolting layd the foundation of greatnes to their See How afterward challenging to themselves a Supreme Temporall Dominion over the whole world they quarrelled with Emperours and other Christian Princes from whence followed rebellions massacres and a whole Iliad of all sorts of mischiefs Well this being granted what follows Therefore says he Papall authority in Gods Church is no good mean to produce peace and order nor consequently Kingly authority in the common wealth since notwithstanding it many Kings have exercised Tyranny and could not always prevent rebellions But S. Peter and S. Paul never thought of such an argument when the most abominable Monster that ever lived governed the Roman world It was to Nero that they commanded Christians to be subiect to pay taxes to yeeld honour c. and this not only out of feare of his power but also for conscience sake It was such an argument as this as the Doctour has reason to remember that was made use of to the destruction of the best King that ever governed this Island Be it therefore granted that after a thousand years of excellent order produced in the Christian world by the government of Popes some of their Successours for about an age or two caused intolerable disorders in the Church and Empire What follows Therefore a Supreme authority in Gods Church is of no good use at all Nay more all manner of Authority is useles for if any authority then Subordination and if Subordination then of necessity a Supreme 111. From hence the Doctour descends to a way of arguing yet less reasonable then this for he tells his Reader of I know not how many Schisms yet all of them after the Church was above twelve hundred years old for before there were scarce any and of yet later disorders since S. Bernards time by reason of quarrels between Bishops and Monastick orders about Exemptions and Priviledges likewise between Regulars and Seculars the other day in England and much more such stuff which Popes either would not or rather could not compose for feare of greater disorders by endangering Schisms yet more pernicious to the Church then the former And what would he conclude from hence The very same as before for his argument in brief is this Subiects are oft times rebellious to their Superiours therefore it were better there were no Superiours at all But might he not as rationally argue that God is Governour of the world yet notwithstanding this the far greatest part of the world not in one or two but in all ages from the beginning hath been rebellious to him therefore his Government is of small benefitt 112. As touching certain truly scandalous quarrells between Bishops and some Regulars concerning Episcopacy and the Churches Government the Doctour ought to have taken notice that never any Regular pretended Episcopacy to be Antichristian as the Doctours freinds the Presbyterians Independents and other later Sects have done Neither have they declared a Government by Bishops to be in it self indifferent or that Ordination and Consecration of Bishops and Priests is a meere Ceremony and conferred as well and Legally by Lay Magistrates as by Ecclesiasticks as the Doctour himself has done The whole controversy consisting among Catholicks about restraining some part of Episcopall Iurisdiction and maintaining Priviledges granted by some Popes to certain Regulars A vast difference therefore there is between Catholicks and Protestants in Disputes touching Church Government and utterly irremediable on the Protestants side whereas wee see it ended or at least silenced among Catholicks 113. But differences of this Nature are not considerable compared to those obiected by the Doctour in the last place which are touching Matters of Doctrin and as he pretends of Faith in which regard he says that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in point of Vnity above others And further he not content with this adds That the Popes Authority being acknowledged by Catholicks the fountain of Vnity and all Catholicks not agreeing in the Popes Infallibility Whereas both Catholicks and Protestants agree in the Infallibility of Scripture which is to Protestants a more certain way of ending Controversy therefore he concludes that Protestants have a more certain and safe way of Vnity then Catholicks For that the Pope has not a sufficient power to reduce to Vnity parties dissenting in Doctrinall Points of weight such as are the Controversies between the Iesuits and Dominicans about Grace and Free Will between the Dominicans and Franciscans about the Immaculate Conception c. is he saith evident since those quarrels have to this day continued many ages and are prosecuted with great eagernes 114. In this manner argues the Doctour whereto the Answer is obvious For. 1. he trifles with and abuses an unskilfull Reader in telling him that the Scripture being acknowledged on both sides to be infallible is a more certain way of ending Controversies then the Popes determination who is not by many Catholick believed to be infallible For how can a Writing the sense whereof is controverted end a Controversy And to say that a writing is of it self a surer mean to end debates then when interpreted by a Iudge to say this and to think to be believed is to call his Readers brutish irrationall creatures and to make all Tribunalls ridiculous 2. It is not the Popes Infallibility but his Authority which ends the Controversies either by Determining the Point in Controversy so as his Determination is accepted by the Church or at least by imposing Silence among Disputants till himself in a Councill unappealeably decide it By which way of imposing Silence severall eager Disputes have been ended by Popes as this age can witness 3. Though all Catholicks do in thesi acknowledge that they are obliged at least to silence when imposed by the Pope Yet it cannot be denyed but that some have not complied with this Obligation But this is not to be imputed to want of Authority in the Pope but to the unrulines of mens passions and pride And the same fault we see in Secular Tribunalls
But truly we have great obligation to the Doctour though I believe he does not expect wee should thank him for imputing to the Church the frantick Preachings and practises of Mad-men and at the same time telling us that they were excommunicated and other wayes punished by Popes Princes and Bishops Indeed it is a terrible Argument to prove it dangerous to live in a Church because there Heresies false Revelations and impure actions are condemned by it If Holy Institutours of Religious Orders could with their Rules give also power and will to their Subjects not to transgress them the world would be even too happy But this exceeding a Created power to doe it is even necessary that Scandalls should follow such as were given by a Sect of Mendicants the Authours of the horrible Evangelium aeternum the Followers of Petrus Ioannis de Oliva the Beguini Fraticelli Beguardi the Illuminati or Alumbrados of Spain and such other Monsters raised up by the Devill in a cursed imitation of the Graces and Gifts communicated by God to his devout and faithfull servants But the Doctour who can no doubt commend Luther for opposing and dividing Godâ— Church though Luther himself tells him that he did it by the Devills instigation Scornfully derides and reviles any one who shall pretend to defend the Church by Gods Inspiration or Miracles But 〈◊〉 Calvin had not failed in his designed Miracles by raising a man from the dead the quite contrary way the Doctour perhaps would have been reconciled to Miracles and Inspirations 75 Thus we see that nothing that God has done or perhaps can do for the benefit of his Church will please the Doctour If Catholicks live abstracted lives in the Exercise of pure Spirituall Prayer or if God confers on any of them Supernaturall Gifts all this must passe for meer Enthusiasme though the persons with perfect humility submit all to lawfull Authority and though the Doctour alledges nothing to disprove any of these things 76. But least we may in the end hope that he will permitt and encourage us to keep to the Externall Devotions and Publick Liturgy By no meanes there must nothing be thought or done by the Children of the Catholick Church but must be found fault with The Liturgy saith he is a tedious and Ceremonious way of externall Devotion as dull and as cold as the Earth it self Hereto quia de gustibus non est disputandum all that I conceive needfull to say is that the Doctour seems to me not yet cordially reconciled to the Ceremonies and Common Prayer Book of his own lately adopted Church which he knows to have been borrowed from the Catholick Liturgy and for that reason hated by his freinds the Presbyterians and Independents and by them esteemed a tedious and ceremonious way of Externall Devâ—tion as dull and as cold as the Earth it self §. 5. Resisting Authority falsely imputed to Catholick Religion 77. WE have hitherto seen the Doctors charge of Fanaticism on the Catholick Church and his proofs also such as they are But he concludes this his accusation with an Epiphonema truly of great importance if rightly applied which is The Fanaticism of Catholicks in resisting Authority under a pretence of Religion 78. To make this good he very ingenuously absolves the Catholick Church her self and layes this fault only on the Principles and Practises of the Iesuiticall party a party saith he most countenanced and encouraged by the Court of Rome And for proof of this he produces severall Books written and actions done by them in the last age 79. Hereto our Answer must be that Scandalls in Gods Church are unavoydable as our Saviour tells vs. But where will he find any Catholick who will be answerable for all the actions of the Court of Rome or all the Writings of a single party The Popes are absolute Princes as well as Prelats and if some of them have been tainted with ambitiâ—n and a desire to invade the rights of other Princes For what Courts have ever been entirely free Such can never want Ministers zealous diligent and inventive to justify all their pretentions and designs whatever they are Vice will never want Instruments and supporters till the Devill himself be converted and become a good Christian and it will be long before this happen 80. But it is well known that in this Point Princes and States are generally become more clear sighted and more wise then formerly they have been and by consequence the Court of Rome also 81. But to be more particular If the Doctour will think good to consult the Iesuits I believe they will tell him That if they find speciall favour in the Court of Rome it is not with regard to any such Books or Actions imputed by him to their fore fathers and which they are far from defending That they have other Merits and endowments to recommend them to the Popes Favour And particularly that this is not reckoned among their Merits their equally free access and more then ordinary interest of favour in the Court of France where the Doctour knows such Doctrins are far from being admitted will more then sufficiently testify They will further tell him that for as much as concerns the unsafe Antimonarchicall Doctrins contained in the foresaid Books cited by him it is almost a whole Age since that they have been by their Generall forbidden under paine of Excommunication and other most greivous Censures to iustify them either in Writing preaching or disputing and more over which is very considerable this Prohibition was not only made before the condemnation of these Books in France but also was known to the Pope and permitted by him I am moreover confident that he cannot with any tolerable proofs make good his accusation of their being wanting in their fidelity to his Majesty or his Glorious Father during the late rebellious warr which was raised and prosecuted by the Doctours best quondam freinds And more over I may assure the Doctour that if an Oath were framed free from ambiguity and without odious phrases inserted in it wholly unnecessary to the substance of it they would not make any Scruple of ioyning with all their Catholick Brethren in taking it But then what thinks the Doctour of these two Propositions to be sett in the scale against his 1. That it is absolutely unlawfull to Subiects by arms to propagate or defend Religion against their Lawfull Prince 2. That I say not by the Pope to this he and his brethren are as forward as any but by no Assembly Civill or Ecclesiasticall Subiects can be authorized by arms to oppose their Prince upon any pretence what soever Are he and his quondam party ready to declare these Will he or they damne the execrable Covenant Surely the Kings safety and the publick Peace are far more concernd in these then in the former This therefore would be a task in which his Learning and Eloquence would be worthily employed And more over in case himself either by Preaching
the contrary saying That because there was no King in Israel everyone went severall ways doing what was good in his own eyes So that by the Doctours way of proceeding one would almost believe that his meaning was that our Saviour had no intention that his Church should be one and consequently that Generall Councills which took great paines to procure Vnity transgressed therein our Saviours order 103. But all Protestants are not of the Doctours mind for though they generally make Scripture not only the Rule but judge also of Faith when controverted Yet they do not so neglect Vnity but that they profess a willingnes to submit their judgments for the sence of Scripture to a Lawfull generall Councill This the Doctour cannot doe now that he has sett forth his Principles unless he will confess the foundation of his Protestant Religion to be unsound He might well enough have done it before whilst he was a Defender of Archbishop Lawd but now it appears that the Archbishops Principles and his are not the same nor probably ever were and I doe assure my self that if the Archbishop were alive none could be more ready to condemn them 104. Other Protestants therefore refuse not submission to Councells as may appear by their confident demanding them For Gesner speaking in their name thus writes We with the loudest voice we can cry out again and again and with all our power we humbly and earnestly beg of Christian Kings and Emperours that a free Christian and Lawfull Councill may be convâ—ked in which the Scripture may be permitted to be the Iudge of Controversies And our Countreyman Sutcliff confidently cryes out that Catholicks are afraid of Councills Yet all the world sees that if a Lawfull Generall Councill were called according to the order of all past lawfull Councills even those received by Protestants they must necessarily be condemned 105. This some others more wise then these loud Sollicitours for Councills saw and therefore when a Councill was ready to be called they providing for themselves would not permit any Point to be decided by Catholick Bishops alone but euery Minister yea Lay-men must have votes in them and a plurality of Suffrages was not to prevayle but an equall number on both sides must dispute and Lay Judges decide that is declared Hereticks must enioy greater Priviledges then Catholicks and instead of a Councill there must be an Assembly of wild beasts consulting to establish Unity in Gods Church which it seems was only to be procured by confusion and not by Order Therefore a certain Lutheran said well of Calvinists calling for a Lawfull Councill that they did imitate a well known Buffon calld Marcolphus who was wont to say That after all his search he could never find a fitt tree upon which he could willingly be content to be hanged Such a tree would a Legitimate Councill prove to the Doctours Principled Protestants 106. Yet there is one expedient for producing Unity which the Doctour may doe well to advise upon for if it take it will certainly have that effect even the Quakers themselves and Fifth Monarchists will not refuse to be of the Doctours Church if they be not already Nay which is more the Catholicks will come in too This is no invention of mine but was many years since suggested by one of the Doctours Protestants Robert Robertson an English Anabaptist of Amsterdam This surely well meaning man perceiving how litle success Scripture alone had to vnite Sects agreeing only in opposing Popery in the year sixteen hundred and two printed a Book in Holland in which he proposed to them all this means of Vnity viz. That they should all ioyn in a common Petition to the States to give them leave to assemble themselves in some Town or field and there each Sect severally to pray to God one after another that he would shew some evident Miracle for decision of their Controversies and declaring which among them had the Truth which he supposed vndoubtedly was not among Catholicks And to the end the Devill might not enter in and deceive them with a false Miracle the man told them he had thought of one allowed by Scripture and which he was sure the Devill could not work namely to make the Sun stand still for a certain considerable time not doubting but that God of his great Goodnes would not refuse to condescend to the Petition of such devout servants of his in a matter so iust and necessary 107. I suppose the Doctour will not deny this design if succesfull to be a most powerfull and unfaileable Mean of producing Vnity which his Principles have utterly destroyed and rendred impossible if not unlawfull And let him with all his wit and invention devise any other more probable since the Catholick Churches Authority is reiected by him and them 108. Notwithstanding all this the Doctour according to his custom and nature is confident that he has demonstrated that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in Point of Vnity above his medley Church Now to the end any impartiall Reader may be a competent Judge between us I will briefly set down the Instruments and Means of Vnity left by our Lord to his Church to 〈◊〉 end the Truth of this Article of our Faith I believe one Catholick Church may remain to the worlds end unalterable 1. Catholicks do ground their Faith on Gods revealed Will in Scripture interpreted by Tradition 2. They believe that God according to his Promise will lead and preserve his Church in all necessary Truth or in the true sense of Scripture 3. That for this purpose he foreseeing that Heresies and Schisms grounded on a false sense of Scripture would in after times come has established in his Church an unfaileable succession of Teachers of his Truth with whom he will continue till the worlds end 4. It is his Will and Command that all Christians should obey these Teachers who are to give an account of their soules 5. These Teachers constitute the Churches Hierarchy 6. The Vniversall Church is represented by these Teachers assembled in a Lawfull Generall Councill 7. Such a Councill therefore is the Supreme Tribunall of the Church from whose Decisions there must be no Appeale 8. But because the difficulties of making such Assemblies are extreamly great therefore it is necessary there should be a standing Authority with power to prevent Heresies and Schisms in the intervalls of Councills arising and disturbing the Church 9. This ordinary Authority is established in the Supreme Pastour the Bishop of Rome 10. His Iurisdiction therefore as to such an end extends it self to the whole Church and is exercised in taking care that the Ordinances of Generall Councills be not by any transgressed and also in case any Heresies arise or that any Controversies in Causis Majoribus can not be otherwise ended either to determine the Points of Catholick Truth opposed or at least to impose Silence upon disputants and Litigants till he can assemble a
woman in the Doctours Parish can conferr as well and validly as himself But who are these Wee who mean no more then this by Priestly Absolution I am sure not the Prelats of his Church But I must not say his Church when I mean the Church of England who all hitherto have justified this as one essentiall Character of the order of Priesthood and Episcopat unles since the New Reformation not yet ten years old they have been content that this Character should be wiped out by the Doctour and that instead of the Fathers of Gods Church Maister Calvin should be the universall authentick Teacher of their Clergy But I believe the Doctour will in vain expect this compliance from them And I am sure the now highest and worthiest of his Prelats will not be of the number of the Doctours Wee who has solidly asserted this Primitive Doctrin and to confute whom perhaps the Doctour has published so pittifull a sense of Absolution to their preiudice ingratiating himself with all other Sects enemies to all Ecclesiasticall Orders and Ordinations and making every one of them as before Iudges of the Scriptures sense so now Vsurpers of their Offices and as they hope ere long of their Revenues 118. The Church then is manifestly free from the charge here imputed to Catholicks by the Doctour and by him made use of to deterr any one from ioyning themselves to her because in her not by her Doctrins are by some taught destroying the necessity of a good life All the Doctour can say is Some reach some such Doctrins which some also refute and the whole Church disavows This being so with what conscience can the Doctour pretend danger upon this account in being members of the Catholick Church whenas in his own Protestant Churches for which he has layd grounds and Principles every Christian is allowed by himself in these Principles to chuse not only what opinions but what Articles of Faith after using a sober enquiry into the Scriptures they like best And what most horrid Doctrins he has thereby excused and defended all Christendom at this time sees with amazement and detestation 119. Surely when the Doctour wrote this passage he conceived himself quarrelling not with Catholicks who constantly assert against Protestants the necessity of good works to Salvation and their Efficacy in it upon Supposition of our Lords gracious Promise to reward them but with some of his own Protestants perhaps with himself who exclude all Merit of good works from a Christians Salvation or with his Patriarch Luther who said that good Works did more harme then good Therefore he may doe well to ask them pardon after Contrition and Confession of his fault 120. Certainly if he could bring himself to a willingnes of informing himself in true Catholick Doctrins he would find that the way to Salvation there taught is much strayter then that which is chosen by Protestants and Holines of Life far more strictly required For proof of which it were sufficient only to repeat what was even now cited out of the Councill of Trent touching the Doctrin of Pennance But a proof visible of late to all our eys are so many Apostats from the Catholick Church Apostats first from Obedience and Chastity and next from Faith For doe not they declare to all the world that Carnall Liberty and Carnall Lusts drove them first out of their Monasteries and next out of the Church As soon as they come into the aire of Protestancy a woman becoms necessary to them and Fasting insupportable and if they can ravish from Christ a Spouse consecrated to him they promise to themselves a more gainfull and honorable reception But if they will needs have Women because the woman is handsom and attractive is therefore the Pope presently turned Antichrist does our Lord cease to be present in the Sacrament is Purgatory presently extinguished doe Angells and Saints no longer deserve to be acknowledged our Protectours in a word have they forgotten what they formerly beleived and are they in a moment inspired to answer to a new Catechism full of new Articles of Faith gravely proposed to them by a Patriarch and Pandar for impure Apostats out of the Pulpitt What influence has the woman upon them to make all this change Truly the very same the Woman had from the Creation She presents an Apple to them which wonderfully delights them to look upon Especially if growing in England where they heare the fairest are to be had But if besides seeing it they get a tast of the Apple their eys are presently opened and as it were in uno radio solis they see all good and evill and nothing appears good but what the woman approves and without which they can not enjoy and maintain the Woman nor make a companion and Mistress to our noblest young Ladyes 121. But leaving these putrid Carcinomata of the Catholick Church and infamous stains to the Protestant is it not apparent that the Doctrin of Pennance and Mortification hath been rejected by Protestants not because they are hindrances of good life as the Doctour says and I dare say not one understanding person in his own Parish beleives him but for the Severity of them and contradiction to Flesh and Blood Besides this where doe we hear of Restitution of goods got by Usury and deceit among Protestants there being among them no obligation of confessing such sins and by consequence of making Satisfaction without which Absolution cannot be granted The Doctour will not allow me here to name those Schooles of Holiness and Devotion Monasteries though from the Primitive times esteemed a principall Ornament of Gods Church because he will esteem them nothing but Schooles of Fanaticism 122. But in generall most certain it is that among Catholicks the Study of ways promoting Holiness and Piety is incomparably greater but withall more painfull then among Protestants 123. But this satisfies not the Doctour who brings in Bishop Taylour using the same argument with him in his Disswasive from Popery viz the no-necessity of forsaking sins in the Catholick Church since if a man commits them again and again he knows a present remedy toties quoties it is but confessing with Sorrow or Attrition and upon Absolution he is as whole as if he had not Sinned Yea if after Sixty or eighty years together of a wicked life he shall doe this in the Article of his death this instantly passes him into a state of Salvation Yea moreover the Doctour afterwards taxes the Indulgence of the Roman Church because in her Rituall she ordains that Extreme-Vnction should be conferred on persons unable to confess as being under a delirium or wholly insensible if before it be but probable that they desired it or gave any signs of Contrition And hereby saith he if any sins have remained upon them they are taken of by vertue of this Sacred Vnction 124. As touching the too great facility allowed by some Catholick Writers in giving Absolution toties