practise wherein they differed from and apparently came short of the English Church were indeed of so high a nature as to dishearten me from embracing their communion any other way then by allowing them my Charity in not condemning them which I also afforded even to the Roman Church it selfe 2. Now among the differences where in all other Sects pretending to a Reformation were distinguishable from the English as wanting certaine priviledges and commendable qualities which she enjoyed some I found to be commune to all those Sects especially the Lutherans and Calvinists Others to be proper and peculiar to each Concerning these latter I found it to little purpose to spend much time in examining them because the former commune ones did more then sufficiently dishearten me from adjoyning my selfe to their Communion And those were especially these five viz. 1. Their grounding their beliefe both of the bookes of Scripture and the true sence of them not upon the universall Tradition of the Church but their owne private Spirit which as they pretended assured them that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authors of them and that the sences which they collected from them were the true undoubted sences of them 2. Their apparent want of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers joyn'd with an unsufferable presumption in condemning of Tyranny that Government of Bishops which had been apparently setled in the universall Church without contradiction since the Apostles Times 3. Their Doctrines and practises of Sedition and Rebellion 4. Their professed hatred of peace and Reunion with the Catholique Church 5. The prodigious personall qualities of Luther and Calvin which shewed them to be persons extreamly unfit to be relyed upon or acknowledged for Apostles and Reformers 3. Concerning the first commune difference namely The Calvinist's and Lutheran's grounding their beliefe of Christian Doctrines and their sence of them and generally of the bookes of Scripture not upon the authority and Tradition of the Church so much as upon a private Spirit testimony or suggestion pretended to bee infused from the Spirit of God by which they took upon themselves to be assured of the truth of Christianity of their expressions of severall Articles of Faith and of their perswasion that the Apostles and Evangelists were the Authours of those Divine writings what little satisfaction I found in this maine Foundation of their Religion I shall reserve to demonstrate hereafter For the present I desire that to bee mistaken when I call this one of the differences and disadvantages which the Lutherans and Calvinists c. have in comparing them with the English Church For though it bee true that by rationall consequence from the grounds declared of the English Church the former position will evidently follow notwithstanding shee ha's beene more moderate and wary then publiquely to pretend to such a Private Spirit and by consequence has left a latitude and liberty for them in her Communion to renounce it as many of the most learned among them have done CHAP. X. Apparent want yea renouncing of a lawfull succession of Ecclesiasticall Governours and Teachers among Lutherans and Calvinists I. A Second thing wherein the Lutherans and Calvinists agreed to disagree with the Church of England was their want of Bishops and by consequence of a lawfully ordained Clergy This was an inconvenience so much the more hard to be digested by mee and which deserved neither excuse nor commiseration because by reason of their want of Bishops at their first pretended Reformations they came to that shamelesnesse as to seeke to palliate this defect by a desperate condemning of the Order it selfe as a tyranny and usurpation crept into the Church against the expresse Order of Christ and his Apostles And though they especially the French Calvinists might afterward have in some sort remedied this defect by receiving a Cleargy by the Ordination of the English Bishops whereto they have beene earnestly follicited as namely by Bishop Morton notwithstanding they utterly persisted in the utter refusall of suffering this important disadvantage to be cured which perverse Spirit of theirs Arnobius cont Gen. lib. 6. elegantly describes in these words Quod semel fine ratione fecistis ne videamini aliquando nesciisse defenditis that is That thing which yee once unreasonably did to avoid the imputation of having beene ignorant yee still maintaine Yea to that ridiculous impudence have they arrived in Scotland not many yeares since as to admit one to publique Penance in the Church onely for having beene a Protestant Bishop 2. I cannot forbeare to give a taste of Luthers Spirit with reference to this subject lively represented in a Bull by him published to this Tenour Anno Domini M. D. XXIII Nunc attendite vos Episcopi imò larvae Diaboli Doctor Lutherus vult vobis Bullam Reformationem legere quae vobis non bene sonabit Doctoris Lutheri Bulla Reformatio Quicumque opem ferunt c. That is Now bee attentive O yee Bishops or rather disguises of the Devill Doctour Luther will reade to you a Bull which will not sound pleasingly unto you The Bull and Reformation of Doctour Luther Whosoever brings assistance spends Body Life and Honour to the end that Bishopricks may be wasted and the Government of Bishops extinguished such are the beloved children of God and true Christians observing the Commandements of God and resisting the Ordinances of the Devill Or if they be not able to doe thus much let them at least condemne and avoid that Government But on the contrary whosoever maintaine the Government of Bishops and obey them voluntarily such are tho very Ministers of the Devill and resist the Ordinance and Law of God Hitherto is Luthers Bull. And I desire that any reasonable Christian would confesse whether he can chuse but believe that the very same whom Luther himselfe confesseth to have beene his Counsellour and perswader to leave Masse was his Secretary likewise to write this Bull And that a man should not think that this was onely one of Luthers frantick extravagancies the horrible effect will demonstrate the contrary which was a fearfull insurrection and Rebellion of a World of Countrey people combined by Oath to the ruine of severall Ecclesiasticall Princes in Germany who were content in that cause to stand to Luthers judgement Who when he perceived they were unfurnished of armes and unlâ—kâ—ly to prosper in their designe lest their Rebeâ—lion and the effects of it should be imputed to him was content to exhort them to obedience 3. Calvin and Beza c. though more subtile yet were not lesse malicious against Episcopacy as appeares in severall of their Treatises and Epistles Yea Calvin ascended to that height of arrogance as to professe that that Order and Discipline which hee had forged in Geneva and whereof not one single patterne can be given since Christs Time was not onely justifiable but necessarily obliging all Christians to conforme unto 4. Whether it may in some
measure bee attributed to my education in a Church which challenged to it selfe a priviledge beyond all other Sects from a succession of Bishops or to the evidence of reason and authority which convinced mee of the necessity of such a succession However it came I found it was impossible for mee to suffer my selfe to be perswaded that Episcopacy was a Government condemnable or that a legitimate succession of Holy Orders was not necessary to the constitution of a Church Or lastly that the supereminence of Episcopacy above Priesthood the appropriating thereto of the power of Ordination Confirmation and giving suffrages in Councells was an usurpation crep'd into the Church immediatly after the Apostles Times and contrary to their intention Considering that the Primitive Churches were extreamly and punctually scrupulous in maintaining the very phrases of traditionary Doctrines and Formes of customapractises In so much as when the least innovation in either was discovered all men conspired to condemne the innovatours Witness the controversies about Easter Rebaptization of Heretiques c. Was it imaginable thought I that those first Bishops who even by their Officers were more peculiarly Canditati Martyrii should so suddenly degenerate from the Apostolicall Spirit of Humility as universally to conspire to set up that pretended Tyranny over the rest of the Cleargy and the whole Church Or supposing that in the midst of such dire persecutions they had the will and leasure to designe such ambitious projects is it credible that the whole Ordor of Bâ—esbyters would suffer themselves to be excluded from their Priviledges and Officers so very lately bequeathed them by Christ and conferr'd by the Apostles and this universally through the whole World and not one single Presbyter appeare that should protest against such an usurpation Certainly it was much more probable that Luther and Calvin were either deceiveâ—s or deceived then that all Primitive Bishops were Tyrants and all Primitive Preists fooles or rather betrayers of that power and duty left and enjoyn'd them by the Apostles 5. But though I could have digested this what arts or violence could I make use of against mine owne reason and conscience to perswade my selfe to live in a Church in which there were neither Bishops nor Priests but a new Order and Title of Ministers made by a conspiracy of ignorant laymen a Church that took upon her to degrade and annull the Orders of the whole Christian World because they had not been communicated to her a Church which notwithstanding the expresse words of S Paul Epb. 4. who tells us that one of the speciall gifts which oâ—r Saviour upon his Ascension received from his Father to enrich his Church withall was that subordination of severall Orders of the Cleargy which was to continue till the consummation of the Saints or end of the World yet professeth that there is no such subordination and that there were no lawfull Bishops or Pastours in the Church for many hundred yeares before Luther broke his vow of Chastity to make himself fit to propagate them and before Culvin escaped from Noyon to Geneva there to maintaine the gates against the Bishop and to create Ministers under himself and in his Princes place CHAP. XI Consent of Fathers against Calvinists and Lutherans 1. UPon such grounds of Calvinists and Lutherans if they could possibly appeare to be true what impudence and folly must we needs impute to all the ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Church who never fayle in disputing against all sorts of Heretiques or Schismatiques to insist unanimously upon this Quere By what lawfull succession from what Apostolique Seate their first Teacher derived himselfe And professing that it was necessary to insist upon the point of succession as to examine the truth of the Doctrines themselves according to that Speech of S. Chrysostome Hom. 11. in Ephes. Suppose you that it is sufficient to say they are Orthodox and in the meane time Ordination is lost and perished To what purpose is the rest this being not made good For wee ought no lesse to contend for it then for the Faith it self 2. Witnesse hereto S. Ireneus Lib. 4. cap. 45. Where is it then that a Man shall find such Pastours S. Paul teacheth us when hee sayes God hath placed in his Church first of all Apostles secondarily Prophets in the third place Doctors There then where the Gifts of our Lord are placed in the same place must wee seeke for the truth among whom the succession of the Church since the Apostles and the purity of Doctrine is maintained in its integrity Witnesse S. Cyprian in Ep ad Magnum Whereas some alledge that they acknowledge the same God the Father the same Sonne Jesus Christ and the same Holy Ghost this can nothing availe them viz. being a Schisme For Core Dathan and Abiron acknowledged the same God that Aaron the High Priest and Moses did living under the same Law in the same Religion They invoked that one and true God who is to be worshipped and praid to Yet in as much as exceeding the limits of their Ministery they assumed to themselves the licence to sacrifice in opposition to Aaron the High Priest who by the ordination of God had before obtained the lawfull Priesthood they being supernaturally strucken presently received the just punishment of their unlawfull attempts And againe Novatianus is not in the Church neither can be accounted a Bishop who despising the Evangelicall and Apostolicall Tradition succeeding to no person has been ordained by himselfe And againe How can hee be acknowledged to be a true Pastour who the true Pastour beeing alive and by a successive Ordination presiding in the Church without succeeding to any one beginns from himselfe And again Ep. ad Flor. Christ sayes to his Apostles and by them to all Prelates who succeede the Apostles by a substitute ordination Vicariâ Ordinatione He that beareth you heareth me Witnes S. Athanasius de Synod How can they be Bishops if they have received their Ordination from Heretiques even by their own accusation Lastly to omit infinite passages in Tertullian S. Augustin Opâ—atus c Witnesse S. Hierome who speaking of H lary the Deacon authour of one of the Sects of the Luciferians in Dial cont Lucifer saith Together with the man his sect likewise is perished because a Deacon could not ordaine a Clearke to succeede after him Now it is not a Church which hath no Priests 3. Were such arguments as those I would faine know logicall and efficacious in the third and fourth century of Christianity and are they of no force now When was it that they began to lose their vertue Did all the Ancient Martyrs Bishops and Doctours of the Church Champions of Christian Religion confound all the ancient Heresies by demonstrating that the Authours of them had no personall legitimate nor Doctrinall succession And shall wee be made believe that such a succession now is not onely not necessary but that it is rather a prejudice yea that it
church as a doctrine Traditionary and moreover it is attested by all antient Records of the Fathers of the church nemine explicite contradicente and it ha's been practised by Councells in all ages not one Catholique renouncing his obedience In so much as to my understanding there is not one Christian doctrine delivered with so full an assurance nor in the sense and meaning whereof it is lesse possible for a man to be mistaken Now by vertue of this speciall truth of the churches authority Universall Tradition which of it self is most credible and certain being believed and attested by the present church becomes most necessary to be believed by us the Church supplying the place not only of a witnesse but of an Embassadour likewise instructed and employed by Christ himself as S. Augustine most effectually maintains so that in believing and obeying her we believe and obey Christ himself according to Christs own expression He that heareth you heareth me and If any one heareth not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And therefore they that believe Christian doctrines only because they think they find them in the Scripture and believe the Scripture only because their reason or fancy which they miscall the testimony of Gods Spirit tells them that it is the Word of God though the doctrines themselves believed by them be true yet it is a hazard as to them whether they be so or no or however whether that be the sense of them or no it being all one as if a man by some casualty had found a transcribed copy of some part of an Embassadors Pattent or instructions Whereas Catholiques receive the commands of their heavenly King and Master from his Embassadours own hands which not only will not conceale any thing necessary or requisite from them but likewise will be able upon occasion to cleare all manner of difficulties that may arise about the sense of the said instructions or Patent having received glorious promises of continuall residence among us and of divine assistance to preserve him from any at least dangerous error 8. These things thus supposed Mr. Chillingworth's pretended circles and absurdities in the Resolution of Catholique Faith doe clearly and evidently vanish For a Catholique does not only or chiefly believe the Churches authority because to his privaâ—e understanding and reason the Scripture seems to say so but because he knows that the present Catholique Church teacheth so both by profession and practise and that she teacheth this as a Catholike Tradition believed and practised in all ages then which it is impossible there should be any testimony more assured and infallible so that if a man can be sure of any thing done before his own times as all reasonable men do agree that one may he cannot avoid being most sure of this if his passion or interests do not hinder him from searching into the grounds of it I need not therefore particularly give an answer to Mr. Chillingworth's discourse before produced since it wholly proceeds upon a mistake of his adversaries and other Catholiques grounds and since himself in the close of it seemes to confesse by objecting to himselfe Universall Tradition that if this doctrine of the Churches authority could be made appear to be grounded upon Catholike Tradition it would be as much credible as if the Scripture had expresly testified it since in his opinion the Scripture it selfe and nothing besides enjoyes its authority because it is delivered by Universall Tradition and by consequence would not be lyable to any circles or absurdities So that truly I wonder why seeing Mr. Chillingworth could not be ignorant that Catholiques do generally pretend that this doctrine comes from Tradition besides the proofs of it out of Scripture he should notwithstanding dispute against it as if there were no other ground for it but two or three questionable passages of Scriptâ—re CHAP. XLIII An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's allegations of pretended uncertainties and casualties in the grounds of the faith and salvation of Catholiques 1. THere is in Mr. Chillingworth's book another rank of objections which though they do not directly combat the churches infallibility or authority yet they had great effect upon me because they seemed to infer that the faith and salvation likewise of Catholiques depended upon extreme uncertainties and casualties and by consequence that a Catholique could not give any assurance that his faith was safely grounded For thus he argues c. 2. parag 63. ad 68. The salvation of many millions of Papists as they suppose and teath depends upon their having the Sacrament of Penance duly administred to them This again upon the Ministers being a true Priest which is a thing that depends upon many uncertain and very contingent supposalls As 1. That he was baptized with due matter 2. With due forme 3. With due intention 4. That the Bishop which ordained him Priest ordained him likewise with due form intention c. 5. That that Bishop himselfe was a person fitly qualified to give orders that is was no Simoniake c. 6. That all that Bishops Progenitors were fitly qualified and so till he arrive to the fountain of Priesthood Now he that shall put together and maturely consider all the possible wayes of lapsing and nullifying a Priesthood in the Church of Rome I believe saith he will be very inclinable to believe that in an hundred seeming Priests there is not one true one But suppose this inconvenience assoyled yet still the difficulty will remain whether he will pronounce the absolving words with intent to absolve you for perhaps he may be a secret Jew Moor or Antitrinitarian which if he be then his intention which is necessary to the validity of a Sacrament will be wanting c. 2. Hereto I answer 1 That such kind of pretended uncertainties or nullities in particulars do not prejudice the authority and stability of the church in generall but that if it be true which ha's alwayes been believed in the church viz. That Christ ha's promised to continue till the worlds end a church governed by lawfull Pastors and preserved in all truth he will engage his omnipotency to make good his fidelity and by consequence he will take care to prevent or remedy all obstacles that can be imagined to be otherwise able to evacuate such his promises and I suppose two such Attributes of Christ are a foundation strong enough to build a faith not obnoxious to such a world of casualties as Mr. Chillingworth suspects 2. That Mr. Chillingworth's whole discourse proceeds upon a mistake of the established doctrine of the Catholique Church which ha's not declared all those things to be nullities nor any of them in the sense that he alledges It is true in the Canon law and among Câ—suists there are mentioned many nullities of Orders and other Sacraments as Simony or Heresie or Schisme are said to nullifie the Ordination of a Bishop or Priest But how to nullifie it by taking away the
least pretence of any charge of sedition or Treason But for this only crime of being of that heavenly Vocation to which the Spirit of God had called and the sacred authority of the Church had exalted them And for a conscionable discharge of that calling they were arraigned condemned drag'd to the place of execution there ignominiously hang'd among thieves and murderers and their half-living bodies most inhumanely quartered and exposed to the sun and weather 2. This crime was the more inexcuseable because committed by Englishmen who though violent enough in their passion when it is provoked yet are apt in a short time to relent and by English Protestants a Sect pretending above ordinary to moderation and clemency But the truth is the Calvinisticall Spirit ha's been working in that state and government ever since the beginning of Q. Elizabeths reign for the Calvinists were the Councellors that first suggested those cruelties which their descendents have since eagerly pursued and acted by the hands of others till their so long projected designs succeeding they might have the pleasure to glut themselves with Christian bloud even to vomiting as they have of late done 3. Now that this is no false character of that Calvinisticall Spirit besides many wofull experiences in other countreyes our great Presbyterian contrivers and managers of the late war have given severall testimonies irrefragable who whensoever they were pressed with want of treasure knowing the complexion and temper of their own faction in London how delightfull a spectacle of bloud would be had no readier ways to extort supplies of money from them then by feasting and regaling them with the cruell execution of a Catholique Priest or shedding the bloud of their own Archbishop or of some other considerable Royaltist I beseech almighty God that when the time shall come that he will make inquisition for bloud he would sever the innocent from the guilty and not impute to the whole Nation the cruelty of that one bloudy Faction there CHAP. VI. The Authors sadnesse for the sins and miseries of his countrey What remedies and lenitives he found for this sorrow 1. A Sad meditation on such arguments as these was the exercise of my thoughts at my departure out of England and a good while after during my first abode in France And though God be thankedâ— I could not accuse my self of having contributed any thing directly or otherwise then all other sinners before Almighty God doe to the present desolations of my poore beloved countrey and there ought to have contented my selfe with an entire resignation of the whole matter into the hands of a most mercifull however infinitely provoked God praying for the peace of that Ierusalem without unnecessary afflicting mine own soule Yet I willingly deceived my selfe into a kind of pleasure of greiving with this false beliefe that in such circumstances to do any thing but grieve were to renounce not onely humanity but likewise that duty which the Law of Christ obliged me to performe in the behalfe of his Church 2. But time and better instruction from spirituall Persons especially Catholiques whose councels in matters of practises in such cases I thought it not unlawfull to hearken to did at length reduce my minde into a more calme temper toward the tranquility I was much advanc'd by an obstinate resolution not only not to be inquisitive after newes good or bad but to avoyd those conversations where I might be in danger of such a mortification and withall by employing my time and thoughts in that charge which I had undertaken and in mine own private studies CHAP. VII A Scruple suggested to my minde viz. To the Communion of what Church I should adhere upon supposition that the Church of England should faile 1. NOt long after this there was I know not how suggested to my understanding a thought which I could not at pleasure silence and which interrupted much my extreame eagernesse of reading it was this A supposition being made that it should please Almighty God to put a period to the Church and Ecclesiasticall government in England to what Churches Communion I should then adjoyne my selfe 2. It was not any reason I had to dispayre of the Kings condition that occasioned such an inquiry for at this time he was in a state to dispute upon even termes the victory with his enemies nor any jealousie of the truth of the English Religion But knowing that the English Church considered as distinct not only from the Roman but from all other Sects in separation likewise from it was not nor ever pretended to be either indefectible or infallible Nay more considering that the Ecclesiasticall government in England depended absolutely upon the firmnesse or weaknesse of the Kings authority there by whose absolute power only and according to whose interests it was framed at first And perceiving but too well that for many yeares there had been a powerfull malicious contriving faction of Calvinists equally enemies to Monarchy and Episcopall Government as they have given proofe to the full and which had intruded themselves and were generally incorporated both into the inferiour Cleargy Universities chiefe Bourgeosies and places of Judicature whose designe received from their forefathers it had been to omit no occasion to ruine both the civill and Ecclesiasticall State whereto the whole Kingdome of Scotland would be sure to give their brotherly assistance Lastly being assured that the maine thing and to me the most considerable advantage which the English Church had above all others pretending to a Reformation namely a succession and authority of Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall Orders received from the Roman Church was never confidently and generally taught in England to be of divine right and by consequence tooke no firme rooting in the consciences of English subjects Upon which ground I easily foresaw that though perhaps many would adventure far to support the Reall authority yet if ever the title of Episcopall Jurisdiction should be separated from the Rights of the King there would but very few appeare that would hazard their fortunes or lives for that which though they preferred infinitely before the Presbyterian Tyranny yet they had never been taught that it was an essentiall condition of a Church Yea on the contrary they had seen both King and Cleargy and generally the whole Kingdome looke upon the Calvinist and Lutheran Churches as brethren of the same Religion in substantialls sending Bishops and other Ecclesiastiques to sit with them in their Synods maintaining their quarrells commending their principall Authors harbouring releeving and preferring their exiles In a word upon the title of Brotherhood assisting them with treasure and forces in their Rebellions 3. Upon such grounds as these considering the unsure foundation of the English Church I thought it not unreasonable to spend some thoughts upon that enquiry viz. To what Churches Communion I should adjoyne my selfe upon supposition that the English Church should come to sayle I thought my self the rather obliged to pursue
the universall Christian world Again The letters of Bishops may be corrected by Nationall Councells and Nationall Councells by Plenary ones and former Plenary Councells may be corrected by others that succeed And again We should not have the boldnesse to affirm any such thing were it not that we are confirm'd by the most unanimous authority of the universall Church Now I suppose their intention is not to refund all authority finally upon the ignorant people but upon the whole Body of the Prelates admitting and attesting what was decreed by a few in Councells by which means the universall Government of the Church sets their seal to the Doctrine of Faith and vertually or by consequence in and with them all Christians universally in their communion and under their charge By this means indeed all possible objections will be taken away and the Decisions of Councells will be the Acts not of ten Bishops representing a hundred and perhaps giving suffrages to Doctrines never questioned or debated by them but of all the Bishops of the Christian world Now it is not necessary according to these Authors grounds that there must be such a Reception of conciliary acts by particular Pâ—â—â—â—â—s â—â—prossely fâ—â—mally and directly it being sufficient â—hat it be done interpretatively that is when such Doctrines are known and permitted to be published â—emine reclamante And till this be done shy they the Councell though in it self it be very legitimate and deserving the â—itle of Oecumonicall yet it does not sufficiently and evidently appear to be so whereas a Provinciall Councell yea a Private Fathers or Doctours opinion so received ha's in it the vertue of a Generall Councell 4. Now this opinion maintained by such considerable learned Catholikes and not apparently contrary to any decision of the Church though I did not intend to subscribe to as undoubtedly true for my resolution alwaies was not to engage my self in any private Sects or topicall opinions and least of all in such as appeared to be exotick and suspitious notwithstanding I was very well contented to perceive that it was at least an allowable opinion For I found it of great convenience to my self to free me from many difficulties For thereby 1. Here is no entrenching on the points of controversie between Catholiques and Protestants since they are all not only decided by the authority of Councells but likewise actually assented to and imbraced by all particular Catholique Churches neither as matters of controversie do now stand is it necessary to require any more from Protestants then what ha's been so both decided and received 2. Hereby all the objections which Protestants make from certain reall or imaginary contradictions which may be found in decrees of Councells about other points not now in controversie are apparently rendred ineffectuall for if that be to be only necessarily accounted an article of Catholique Faith which is actually acknowledged and received by Catholiques and since contradictions cannot be actually assented to it will follow that whatsoever decisions of Councells may seem to oppose such articles are not necessarily to be accounted Catholique Doctrines and by consequence not obligatory 3. That so much objected speech of S. Augustine de Bapt. Dom. l 2. c. 3. viz. The letters of Bishops may be corrected by Nationall Councells and Nationall Councells by Plenary ones and former Plenary Councells may be corrected by others that succeed though it be understood of points of Doctrine as it seems to require such a sense because S. Augustine speaks it upon occasion of rebaptization yet makes nothing against Catholiques who upon the forementioned grounds and authorities need account that only to be Catholique Doctaine which is actually imbraced by Catholiques Yea upon the same grounds the like may be said of that yet more bold speech of Cardinall Cusanus viz. It may be observed by all experience that an Universall Councell may fail Cusan concord l. 2. c. 14. 5. But to proceed to the severall grounds upon which I conceived Stapleton determined this question with a greater latitude and indulgence then most other Writers and yet notwithstanding he hath escaped the censure of any being commended even by those who use much more rigor in it then he has done The first is That no Doctrine can be called an Article of Faith but what was in the beginning revealed and delivered to the Church by Christ and his Apostles 2. That these doctrines have been preserved and continued to these times by Tradition that is not only in books approved and delivered Traditionally but rather in an orall practicall Tradition from one age to another For the Church pretends not to any new immediate revelation though she enjoys an effectuall assistance of Gods holy Spirit 3. That there is a double obligation from decisions of Generall Councells the first an obligation of Christian belief in respect of doctrines delivered by Generall Councells as of universall Tradition the second only of Canonicall obedience to orders and constitutions for practise by which men are not bound to believe that these are inforced as from divine authority but only to submit to them as acts of a lawfull Ecclesiasticall power however not to censure them as unjust much lesse to oppose and contradict them 4. That many I may say most constitutions of Councells in order to practise do yet vertually include some degree of belief as that of Communion under one kind of the use of Images in Churches and upon Altars c. of residence of Bishops of authorised Translations of Scripture c. And that in such cases we are not obliged to believe that Christ or his Apostles gave order that such practises should follow but only that considering Christs continuall care over his Church so clearly promised neither these nor any other orders universally established and practised are destructive to any substantiall doctrine or practise of Christianity and that the authority left by Christ in his church was so large and ample as that when she shall judge it fit considering the various dispositions of succeeding timesâ— she may alter externall practises and formes not essentiall orâ— of the substance of Christian Religion even in the Sacraments themselves as we see acknowledged in some cases by all Christian churches as about the altering of the time and posture of receiving the Eucharist the triple immersion in Baptisme abstaining from things strangled and from bloud c. 5. That doctrines determined by Nationall Councells lay no obligation at all upon any other churches but only those whose Bishops meet together and all the obligation even of those Christians who live within such Provinces is only not to contradict they are not bound to receive such decisions as Articles of Faith the reason being evident because one Nation cannot be a competent judge of Catholique Tradition and there neither is nor can be any Article of Faith but what is delivered that way 6. That the authority of the Pastours of the present Church is not of
is an argument for Heresy That it is a proofe of a truely pure Reformation to abjure not only all the ancient Ceremonies of Ordination but even the Officers yea the very names of all Ecclesiasticall Orders For mine own part I must acknowledge my want of courage I durst not range my selfe in such a Congregation where I should be exposed point blanck to receive all the shot which so many by all acknowledged Saints have darted against the ancient Heretiques CHAP. XII Seditious Doctrines universally taught by Calvinists c. 1. A Third important inconvenience which I could not see any meanes to avoyd being adjoyned to the Lutheran or Calvinist Churches was the scandall of Sedition Rebellion An imputation this was which I could never perceive that any of those two factions and principally the Calvinists took any care to clear themselves of any other way then by recrimination upon some particular persons among Catholiques Never could I meet with or heare of any decree Synodicall any treatise or writing by which they pretended to free themselves from this charge or to give security to Princes in whose Dominions they lived of their intention to be loyall and obedient 2. Indeed at the end of the Confession of Faith of the French Calvinist Churches there is a seeming plausible acknowledgement of obligation to submission to lawes and Magistrates but with this expresse reservation moyennant que l' Empire Souverain de Dieu demeure enâ—son entier that is upon condition that Gods supreme authority remaine inviolated a reservation so large and so ambiguous that they having both by writings and too frequent practises declared that they conceive themselves in conscience and by vertue of Gods law obliged to maintaine the pretended-true Religion not by suffering for it but by active opposing whatsoever humane authority shall seeke to destroy it Yea more that they are obliged to use all endeavours to destroy Idolatry that is say they Catholique Religion this restriction mentioned in their Confession seemes to have beene intended on purpose to put them in mind of their duty to rebell whensoever they have opportunity to maintaine or propagate their owne or chase out and exterminate Catholique Religion For mine â—owne particular I professe I never yet conversed with any of them so ignorant but when wee spoke concerning this argument was able to say some thing to any objections and many of them had arrived to the skil to alledge the subtillest reasons that that their infernall book stiled Iunius Brutus ordinarily attributed to Bâ—za did suggest And by one tryall made since I came into France I am become confident that if the next Synod of Charenton were summoned by such as might constrein them to explaine themselves Whether incase of Religion they might not actively oppose the presâ—n supreme authority or whether if in France they had the same advantage over Cotholiques which Catholiques have over them they would allow the same freedome they would endeavour to give an answer as unsatisfactory as their Confession of Faith 3. It was not altogether the many seditious passages in Luther's and Calvin's writings which scandalised mee so farre as to conceive my self by communicating with them engaged to profess at least not to professe against such horrid doctrines for liberty is sometimes taken by them to renounce some particular Texts even of Calvin but the not seeing any one protesting against or disavowing such scandalous assertions I confesse I wondred how they could hope to make any Christians believe that their pretended Reformation proceeded from the Spirit of Christ when instead of those spirituall armes of charity humility patience most indispensable obedience even to Nero himself by which Christ enabled his Apostles to conquer the world to the belief of the Gospel Calvin and Luther put into the hands of their Sectatours malice pride hatred to suffer for conscience sake active resistance against all authority in a word the very same weapons that the Devill suggested to Mahomet 4. Now to make this appear to be no wrongfull imputation besides the manifest experience of all the blood shed in Germany France England c. and besides such bloudy treatises of Beza Knox Good-man and others of these later times I will produce expresse testimonies out of the writings of Luther and Calvin First Luther loc com class 4. c. 30. directing his speech to one Spalatinus hath these words I will not endure that which thou sayest viz. that the Prince will not suffer that any thing should be written against the Electour of Mentz nor any thing that my disturbe the publique peace I will rather confound both thee and the Prince For if I have opposed the Pope which is his Creatour why should I not oppose the creature And Is it not a pretty opinion of yours that the publique peace ought not nion of yours that the publike peace ought not to be disturbed but the eternall peace of God may No such matter Spalatinus no such matter And again cap. de Bapt. We are exempted from all humane lawes by the Christian liberty given us in Baptisme Then for Calvin Calv. Inst. l. 4. c. 20. p. 10. com in Dan. c. 2. v. 39. c. 5. v. 5. Id. in Dan. c. 6. v. 2. 25. it is observable first how in severall places he labours to discredit Monarchy in general then how seditiously he speaks elswhere as in this expression Earthly Princes devest themselves of their power when they oppose themselves against God yea they are unworthy to be reckoned in the nâ—mber of men And therefore it is fitter that a man should spit in their faces them obey them when they grow so sawey as toâ—be willing to deprive God of his right Lastly D. Bancroft Archbishop of Canterbury in his Booke of dangerous Positions pag. 9. imputes to Calvin this damnable position openly both in writing and deeds defended by his followers viz That it is lawfull for subjects if Princes will not to reforme Religion and that by force and armes if it can be done no other way 5. I should have been willing to let such horrible speeches as these pass for personall faults and have attributed to them Luthers frenzy and Calvins malicious spirit if any of their party would have thought fit to disavow them or if the yet more horrid books of Beza other of Calvins disciples had not justified their Masters to have beene â— modest in comparison of them and lastly if I had not knowne that when any among them I never heard that any put it in a publique tryall but one to whom such damnable doctrines have appeared odious and were willing to publish their detestation of them had not been interrupted and publikely silenc'd in such a dsigne But to give a proof irrefragable that this Sect especialy of Calvinisme is bred and nourished with this poyson of sedition and that even in the infancy thereof not being able to keepe in the sting when it was so weake as
same Author l. 5. c. 19. taught his Disciples many Traditions not written Again S. Dyony Arcop Hier. Eccl. c. 1. at least even by acknowledgment of the most learned Protestants an Author of the second or third age Those prime Captains and heads of our Hierarchy thought it necessary to deliver unto us those sublime and supersubstantiall Mysteries both in written unwritten instructions Again S. Fab. Pope â—â— Martyr Ep. 1. ad Episc. Orientis speaking of holy Chrisme to be renewed every yeare of which no mention is in Scripture addes These things we received from the Holy Apostles and their successors which we require you to observe Againe Tertullian de Cor. Mil. cap. 4. discoursing as he often does of severall rites and practises not mentioned in Scripture concludes in one place thus Of all these and other disciplines of the like nature if thou shalt require a law out of Scripture thou shalt finde none Tradition shall be alledged to thee for the Author Custome the confirmer and Faith the observer Againe S. Irenaeus Cont. Haer. lib. 3. c. 4. What if the Apostles had not left us Scriptures ought we not to have followed the Order of Tradition which they delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches to which ordination give proofe many nations of those Barbarous people who beleeve in Christ having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit without characters or inke and diligently observing the ancient Tradition Againe the Fathers assembled in that ancient Councell of Gangres Can. 21. We desire that all those things which have been delivered in divine Scriptures and by Tradition of the Apostles should be observed in the Church Againe S. Basil de Spir. Sanc. to cap. 27. 29. of the dogmes and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved in the Church some we have by written institutions others we have delivered by the secret Tradition of the Apostles Both which sorts have the same authority for as much as concernes piety and there is no man will contradict this that is never so little experienc'd in the law of the Church The same Father in the same Chapter The day would faile me if I should produce all the Mysteries which the Church observes without writing And a little after I account in an Apostolique thing to persist constantly in observing Traditions not written Againe Eusebius Caesariensis de dem Evang. lib. 1. who having said that Christ did not as Moses leave his Law written in Tables or Paper but in the hearts of his Apostles who likewise following the example and intention of their Master Have consign'd their doctrines some indeed in writing and others they have delivered to be observed by lawes unwritten Againe S. Chrysostome 2 Thes. cap. 2. From hence it appeares that the Apostles have not delivered all things by Epistles but likewise many things without writing now both those and these deserve to be equally believed Againe S. Epiphanius haer 61. We must likewise make use of Tradition for all things cannot be taken out of Scripture And therefore the Holy Apostles have given us some things in writing and others by Tradition Againe S. Augustin de Bap. cont Don. lib. 5. cap. 23. speaking against those that maintained that Haeretiques ought to be rebaptised The Apostles sayth he have prescribed nothing concerning this thing But this custome which was opposite to S. Cyprian ought to be believed to have taken its originall from their Tradition as there are many things which the uniuersall Church observe â—â—h and for that reason are rightly beleeved â—â— have been commanded by the Apostles although they are not found in their writings These quotations seemed sufficient to me to shew the generall Opinion of the Fathers to be consonant to the Conclusion before mentioned CHAP. II. The Roman Church agreeing with Fathers in the same Rule of Faith All Sects of Protestants disagree with the Fathers 1. NOw to the end to confront with Antiquity the present Roman and Protestant Churches that it may appeare which of them are the true legitimate children of those Fathers Wee will begin with the Roman Church whose mind we finde clearly expressed in the Decree of the Councell of Trent Sess. 4. concerning Canonicall Scriptures in these words Sacrosanâ—â—a c. Tridentina Synodus c. Perspiciens hanc veritatem c. that is The most holy c. Synod of Trent c. Clearly perceiving that this truth and discipline namely the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles is contained in bookes written and unwritten Traditions which were received from Christs Mouth or delivered as it were from hand to hand from the Apostles to whom the Holy Ghost dictated it hath arrived even to us Following the Oxthodox examples of the Fathers receives and venerates with an equall affection of duty and reverence all bookes as well of the Old as New Testament since one God is the authour of both as likewise the Traditions themselves whether perteining to Faith or Manners as dictated either by Christs own Mouth or by the Holy Ghost and by a continued succession preserved in the Catholique Church Thus far the Councell of Trent 2. Whether the Roman Church has indeed made good this her profession viz. That in this decree shee followes the Orthodox examples of the Fathers besides so many formall proofes before alledged the confession of many learned Protestants will justifie her As Cartwright Cartw. Witgift Def p. 103. speaking of the forementioned or like quotations out of S. Augustin saith To approve this speech of Augustin is to bring in Popery c. So likewise Whittaker Fulk Kemnitius c. Whit. de Laec. Ser. p. 678. 681. 690 c. Fulkâ— con Purg. p. 362. 397. Kemnit Exam. part 1. p. 87 c. for such like assertions of the Fathers condemne then generally and by name Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Epiphanius Tertullian Augustin Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Eusebius Baesile Leo Maximus Theophilus Damascene c. 3. In opposition to this decreed Doctrine of the Roman Church and by consequence to the Orthodox examples of the Fathers aâ—â— manner of Sects that have separated from the Church or from one another since Luthers â—â—me agree almost in no other point unanimously except in this That the Scripture conteins in it expresly all things both concerning beliefe and practise which are necessary or but requisite to salvation And by consequence that no man is or ought to be obliged to submit to any Doctrine or precept any further then as it can be proved manifestly to him to be conteined in the written word of God 4. The Church of England Art 6. of English Church in particular makes this one of her peculiar Articles That the Holy Scripture conteineth all things necessary for salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or to be thought requisite necessary to salvation
Scriptures any example of such a thing yet the truth of the same Scriptures is held of us in this matter when we doe that which pleaseth the whole Church the which the authority of the same Scriptures doth commend that because the holy Scriptures cannot deceive us whosoever feareth to be deceived with the obscurity of this question let him require the judgement of the Church which the Holy Scriptures without any ambiguity doe demonstrate to the end that because the Scriptures cannot deceive us whoseover is afraid to be deceived by the obscurity of any question may have recourse to the Churches judgement concerning it the which Church the Holy Scriptures demonstrate without any ambiguity 6. Witnesse S. Vincentius Lyrinensis c. 2. Inasmuch as all do not take the Scripture in the same sense by reason of it's profundity but some on one fashion some on another so that almost as many sences may seem to be drawn from it as there are men for Novatianus expounds it one way Photinus another Sabellius another Donatus another Arius Eunomius Macedonius another Apollinarius and Priscillian another Iovinian Pelagius Caelestius another And lastly Nestorius another For this reason to avoyd the labyrinth of so many contrary errours it is very necessary that the line of Propheticall and Apostolicall conceptions should be drawn according to the rule of Ecclesiasticall and Catholique sense or intelligence Witnesse lastly S. Leo It is not to be doubted but that all Christian observance is of divine institution and that whatsoever is received by the Church into the custome of devotion doth come from Apostolicall Tradition from the doctrine of the Holy Ghost who doth also now preside over his own institutes in the hearts of the Faithfull that all both obediently observe and wisely understand them Serm. 2. de Ieiun Pent. CHAP. XX. Quotations out of Antiquity for the authority of Councells A contrary character of Heretiques 1. TO the former quotations so expresse so efficacious to assert the Churches authority in points of Religion from which there lyes no appeale I will adjoyne other testimonies of Antiquity to demonstrate the veneration given by all Orthodox Fathers to the Councells of the Church their acknowledgement of their obliging authority and how in obedience to them they submitted their owne particular opinions Witnesse hereof may be either the Apostles themselves or Apostolique Fathers at least in those most ancient Canons whereto S Clement also gives testimony who appointed that Bishops should twice in the year keep Councells and among themselves examine the decrees of Religion and compose such Ecclesiasticall controversies as should arise the first in the fourth week after Pentecost and the second on the twelfth day of Hyperberitaei Octob. Witnesse S. Ignatius Ep. ad Smyrn Do you all follow the Bishop as Christ did his Father Without the Bishop let no man praesume to do any of those things which belong to the Church The same Holy Father Ep. ad Policarp testifieth that it was the order in his time that Syâ—ods and assemblies of Bishhops were frequently celebrated Witnesse Tertullian cont Psych cap. 13. In those countrys of Greece there are assembled in certaine appointed places Councells out of all Churches by which both things of higher importance are agitated in commune and the representation of the whole Christian name is celebrated with great veneration Witnesse that glorious Emperour Constantine in his Epistle to the Churches mentioned by Socrates Hist. Eccl lib. 1. cap. 6. where he saith Whatsoever is decreed in the Holy Councell of Bishops that is universally to be ascribed to the Divine Will Witnesse S. Gregory Nazianzen Ep. ad Chelid Those that agree with Apollinards say that they were admitted by the Councell of the West or Roman Bishop by whom it is manifest they were once condemned Let them shew this and we will yeild for then it is manifest that they assent to the true doctrine for it cannot be otherwise if they have obtained this Witnesse S. Ambrose de Fid. ad Grat. lib. 3. c 7. who calls the decrees of the Councell of Nice haereditariâ— signacula not to be violated by the rash boldnesse of any man And many expressions to the same effect are extant in S. Hilary in his booke addressed to the Emperour Constantius 2 Witnesse S. Augustin con Don. lib. 7. con Crescon lib. 1. It is to us a safe thing not to rush forward in any rashnesse of opinion concerning those things which neither have been agitated in any Catholique-National-Synod nor determined in any Occumenicall but to maintaine that with the assurance of a secure voice which in the government of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ hath been strengthned with the consent of the universall Church And againe In the former ages of the Church before the Schisme of Donatus Id. de Bapt. con Don. I. 1. The obscurity of that Question viz concerning Rebaptization of Haeretiques compelled great persons and endued with great charity to dispute and debate among themselves however without any breach of peace In so much that in severall Countreys for a long time the decisions of severall Councells did vary and clash among themselves untill in a Plenary Councell of the whole world that which was soundly believed was without all manner of doubt confirmed Again Id. con Parm Ep. lib. 2 the question being whether Baptisme can be given by those men also who never have been Christians we ought not to affirme determinately any thing therein without the authority of a Councell so great as may be answerable to the greatnesse of the matter But concerning those who are separated from the unity of the Church there is no question at all but that they doe both reteine it and communicate it and that they do both perniciously reteine and perniciously communicate it without the bond of Peace for this hath been already agitated considered perfected and confirmed in the unity of the whole world And againe Id. de Bapt. con Don. lib. 2. cap. 4. Neither durst we affirme any such thing if we were not well grounded upon the most uniforme authority of the universall Church unto which undoubtedly S. Cyprian would have yeelded if in his time the truth of this question had been discussed and declared and by a Generall Councel established Lastly to omit many expresse testimonies of Vincentius Lyrinensis Facundus c. the last witnesse shall be S. Gregory the Great Ep. 24. who professeth that he receives and venerates the fower first Generall Councells no otherwise then the fower Gospells as likewise that he doth in like manner embrace the fifth Councell This was the language of the Catholique Fathers when they wrote many of them purposely upon this very Question And besides these testimonies other will be produced occasionally in the following discourse 3. On the contrary Haeritiques as S. Basile observes doe generally agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to raise an altar in opposition to the altar of the
return that shall return which was before Again Mat. 6. Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it And again Joh. 14. The Spirit of truth shall remain with you for ever And again Let both grow together unto the harvest And againe Mat. 18. If any man will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican Upon which S. Augustine lib. 5. de Bapt. thus descants the which house likewise hath received the keyes and a power of loosing and binding Whosoever shall contemne this house reproving and correcting him let him saith he be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican And lastly The Church which is the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 4. CHAP. XXVIII The validity of such Texts c. 1. UPon these and other such Texts of Scripture joyn'd with Tradition and uninterrupted practise the antient Church grounded upon her authority the antient Councells their power of anathematizing all gain-sayers and the antient Fathers all their arguments and discourses against all sorts of Heretiques arguing thus That if the promises of Christ were true that his Church should continue for ever and so continue as that she should alwaies be preserved in all truth so that the gates of hell should never prevail against her then whatsoever Heretiques opposed or Schismatiques separated themselves from the present Church either gave Christ the lye or acknowledged themselves to be a Congregation exempted from these promises concluding that no pretence could be sufficient to warrant any man at any time to separate from the Church to which such promises have been made Hence that great Alexander Bishop of Alexandria Theod. Hist. Eccl. l. 1. c. 4. We acknowledge one onely Church Catholique and Apostolique which as she can never be rooted out although the whole world should attempt to fight against her so she surmounts and dissipates all the impious assaults of Heretiques Hence likewise S. Athanasius The Church is invincible although hell it selfe should oppose her Hence lastly Theophilusâ— God at all times affords the same grace unto his Church namely that the body should be preserved entire and that the poysons of hereticall doctrines should have no power over her V. S. Hierom. Ep. 67. 2. Now if these promises of Christ be not both infallible and likewise absolute and unlesse the Church to which such promises belong be not only visible but by the weakest understandings discernable from all other factions and Congregations and lastly unlesse upon the same grounds that all the Fathers took advantage from such promises to condemn all Schismes and Heresies against the Catholique Church of their times all succeeding Catholiques might with as much reason and justice from the same promises conclude as efficatiously against all following Heresies and Schismes whatsoever hath been said by all these Fathers especially the writings of S. Augustine against the Donatists will prove to be the most foolish impertinent jugling discourses that ever were yea that were too mild a censure I should say the most blasphemous and pernicious to Christianity For by ascribing to the present Church respectively such sanctity authority and indefectibility if such titles could not be warranted from Scripture and Tradition all possible means of taking away scandalls and errours among Christians would be utterly lost it would be unlawfull for any men to preach truth and piety or reform vice in a word that fearfull comminatory curse in the Revelation would be converted into an Evangelicall precept Qui nocet noceat adhuc qui in sordibus est sordescat adhuc Let him that doth mischiefe proceed to do more mischiefe still and let hiâ— that is filthy be filthy stil Apoc. 22. I might ad Et qui incredulus est incredulus maneat Let him that is a disbeliever take care that he continue a disbeliever still for whosoever reforms these things are Heretiques and Schismatiques 3. But such promises are too expresse in Scripture the Tradition of them too constant and universall the Fathers too good Christians to leave any suspition in mens minds that they should either lightly imprudently or wickedly make use of arguments to destroy heresies which in future times would be as proper yea far more efficacious to destroy truth Therefore if all antiquity conspired to argue thus Christ has expressely promised and foretold that his Church shall be as a City set upon the top of a hill and that he by his Spirit will be with this his Church to the end of the world in which Church notwithstanding there shall be a mixture of good and bad till the day of Judgement but however the Church it self is without spot or wrinckle Therefore it is a blasphemy in you Manicheans Donatists Pelagians c. to say the Church of Christ was perished or invisible or a harlot till you revived reformed and purified it I say if the Fathers had reason from such promises to argue thus in the second third and fourth Centuries their Successours had as good reason to make the same deductions from the same principles in the fifth and sixth ages and so downward till these very times For as Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever so likewise are his promises and by consequence so likewise is his Church since he ha's engaged his omnipotence to make good such his promises to his Church untill the worlds end 4. If not Let those that forbid such a method of arguing name how long a time and how far those promises are to be extended Let them name the Climactericall year when the effect of them is to cease or what constellation ha's over-ruled the operation of Gods holy Spirit To conclude let them give some reason why the Donatists who though in all points of Christian Doctrine agreed with the Catholique Church yet because for I know not what pretended misdemeanour of one Bishop they separated from his Communion and afterward from all those that communicated with him that is the whole Church are therefore so highly condemned by the Fathers for this their Schisme that they professed the same heaven could not hold them both yea that Martyrdome it selfe could not blot out that crime What priviledge can all those Sects of this age alledge for themselves that the same arguments and judgements of the Fathers should not be applied to them who to their Schisme from charity have added a division from and contradiction to not only the Catholique Church but all manner of Congregations praeexistent in so many points of doctrine and faith of so high importance 5. I confesse I could not imagine what could be opposed to this and therefore I could not but conclude that the antient Fathers Logick was concluding yea that such unanswerable arguments of theirs were powerfull means preordained by Christ for the accomplishing of his good promises to his Church inasmuch as by them the gates of Hell that is as severall Fathers
expound Heresies have been so far from prevailing against the Church that they are utterly vanished and the Church built upon that Rock which gave Peter that his new name continues firm and unmoveable and no doubt will do so to the end of the world whatsoever engines of cunning malice or rebellion the Calvinists and other bloudy Sects do raise against it to batter it with greater violence then ever before 6. I am the more confirmed in joyning thus with the Fathers because I perceive that they yea that one single Father of the first magnitude S. Augustine ha's already answered all the most considerable arguments which the Protestants of these times are ready to borrow of their Fathers the Donatists c. to destroy the authority of the Church He ha's already cleared the objection from the example of the Jewish Church reduced to such an almost invisible estate that there were left no more then seven thousand men and those hidden which had not bowed the knee to Baal And from that speech When the â—on of Man comes shall he find faith upon earth and Come out of Babylon my people and from the example of that great Eclipse in the Catholique Church during the interregnum of Arianisme S. Aug. collat post con Don. cap. 20. id l. 81. quaest qu. 61. id dâ— Un. Eccl. S. Hier. con Lucif S. Aug. Ep. 48. CHAP. XXIX The Objection from the overflowing of Arianisme in the Church answered Mr. Chillingworth's objection That Christs promises are conditionall answered 1. THis last objection concerning Arianisme because even the-now-English-Protestants think they have great advantage from it I am not in so much hast to draw towards an end of this conclusion but I can be content to set down S. Augustin's answer to it with a short Appendix It seems the Donatists took the advantage from some hyperbolicall language of S. Hilary concerning the great deluge of Arianisme upon the Church to enervate the promises of Christ concerning the extension and duration of it To this S. Augustine Ep. 48. thus answers That time concerning which Hilary wrote was such that thou hast thought that thou mightst privily assault such a number of divine testimonies as if the Church were perished out of the world c. Hilary therefore either blames only the tares which were in the ten Asian Provinces and not the wheat or he thought fit therefore the more profitably by how much the more vehemently to blame the wheat which by some default was in danger For even the Canonicall Scriptures have this customâ— in reprehensions that the word seems to be addressed to all when it reaches home only to some few 2. For confirmation of this answer of S. Augustine it may be observed 1. That the violent brunt of that Persecution of the Catholiques by the Arrians lasted scarce four years namely from the Councell of Ariminum to the death of the Emperour Constantius 2. That during that time the Western Churches felt little change by that Persecution 3. That those who subscribed the cunningly contrived Creed at Ariminum did not intend to prejudice thereby the faith of the Councell of Nice since the new Creed was capable of a Catholique sense 4. That even in the East very many glorious Catholique Bishops survived the fury of the Arrians 5. That the succession of Catholique Bishops was so far from being interrupted thereby that S. Hierome who lived neer those times professeth that in his daies there was not one Bishop in the Catholique Church that was not a legitimate successor of those glorious Prelates of the Councell of Nice From all which considerations we may rationally collect that our Lord in this example gave a warning to the Rulers of his Church to be vigilant to prevent the like dangerous Heresies for the future but withall to be confident in his promises since he had been so carefull to perform them that when Heresie had all imagineable advantages yet he provided so for his Church by putting an end to those tentations that the succession of lawfull Bishops was not at all interrupted by them 3. Beside these Mr. Chillingworth produceth an engine his friends know from what forge to invalidate as he believed all manner of advantage which Catholiques reap from the promises of Christ concerning a perpetuall succession of his Church by saying that those promises are onely conditionall viz. If Christians would make use of and improve those meanes that Christ had left for the propagation of his Church otherwise not 4. But hereto the answer is very ready For 1. All that is alledged is spoken meerly gratis there being no warrant from any circumstance in those Texts wherein such promises are contained for such an interpretation and therefore when plain Texts are and have been interpreted in a sense absolute by all Catholiques of all times a new unnecessary interpretation will certainly find no entertainment with any unlesse it be such as make antiquity a prejudice to truth 2. M. Chillingworth applies this interpretation to future times onely not to passed or present so that thereby it shakes onely our hope for succeeding times not our faith for the passed or present and therefore it is not availeable in the dispute in hand concerning the Roman Catholique Church which all English Protestants acknowledge to be a true Church of Christ defective in no necessary truths all the fault being her superabundance 5. And for this reason it was that generally he was blamed and I my selfe have often taxed him for serving himself of so scandalous and as we thought so uselesse an interpretation But upon more serious consideration I judged not him unreasonable for it but my selfe and others not quick-sighted enough to perceive the necessity he had though he never discovered himselfe plainly to any man as far as I know to make use of so desperate a glosse For doubtless he saw clearly that if there were such absolute Promises of indefectibility and divine assistance to the Catholique Church none could with any justice challenge them but the Roman Church since she only appropriates them to her present Communion all others laying down their claim The speciall allegations which she may produce to prove her self in a speciall manner interessed in these promises I shall take notice of in the last conclusion Lastly S. Augustine will afford us a satisfactory answer who to the like objection of the Donatists viz. Men would not persevere and therefore Christian Religion hath failed out of all Nations except only the party of Donatus Answers him As if the Holy Ghost was ignorant what would be the future wills of men which yet foreseeing notwithstanding foretold that the Church of Christ should endure for ever De unit Eccl. c. 12. CHAP. XXX The generall ground of the Churches authority viz. Christs promises The severall subjects and acts thereof 1. TO return therefore to the authority of the present Catholique Church by vertue of which she obligeth all men in her communion
not only to receive the Scriptures from her as a depositary of them but the true interpretation likewise of them preserved by her together with all other Traditions as much as concerns the substance of Christian Religion This authority seems to be grounded especially upon the promise of indefectibility an indefectibility I mean of the Church considered as one body composed of parts ruling and obeying teachers and persons instructed as S. Paul describes the Church as it is to continue to the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4. Not as Mr. Chillingworth who would make our Saviours meaning to be no more but that till his second coming his Gospell should not be so utterly rooted out of the world but that somewhere or other there should be some that should professe it 2. By vertue of this promise the Church is assured 1. not to be deprived neither of any necessary truths nor of lawfull Pastors to teach those necessary truths when I say necessary I mean not absolutely necessary to every single person considered in any circumstance exigence or extremity as Mr. Chillingworth and Doctor Potter c. through their whole books understand it whether mistaking their adversaries or no I thought it unnecessary to trouble my self to examine but I am sure without any prejudice to the established doctrine of the Church which remains untouched though all the inferences which they would make from such a notion of the word necessary were allowed them but I mean truths necessary to the constitution of a glorious visible Church which must be furnished with a world of Doctrines and Orders which to all single persons are far from being necessary to be believed or known much lesse to persons wanting abilities or means or time to be instructed 2. She is secured from Schisme or Heresie for remaining to the worlds end one holy Catholique Church as we professe in the Creed how can she be divided from her self either in Faith or Charity For unlesse all Bishops in Councells Oecumenicall and indeed all Christians should conspire to renounce that truth to day which they believed yesterday how can novelty or heresie enter universally into the Church under the notion of Tradition 3. Concerning the subject of this authority the principall subjects are indeed the Governours and Pastours of the Church with whom Christ hath promised that he will be to the end of the world But the adequate subject are all Catholique Christians as well instructers as instructed since Tradition is continued by them both shining in the doctrines taught and received in devotions exercised and in outward practises and ceremonies celebrated by all Christians 4 Now of this authority of the Church there are generally speaking two acts 1. An Obligation lying upon all Christians to acknowledge that doctrine to be true and necessarily to be believed and those practises necessarily to be conformed to which are taught and received by the whole Church and all this upon penalty of being accounted Heretiques that is no members of the Church and therefore by consequence divided from Christ the head of the Church which inspires life into it here and will glorifie it hereafter 2. A coërzion or infliction of spirituall penalties and censures as suspensions deprivations excommunications c. on those that persist stubbornly in opposing those truths and practises And this belongs to the Teachers and Governours of the Church more or lesse according to their severall qualities For every Parish Priest ha's some degree of this coercive power over his stock every Bishop over both Priests and severall congregations within his Diocesse ha's more every Metropolitan a yet larger power A Provinciall Synod above a single Bishop or Metropolitan c. And in conclusion the supreme Ecclesiasticall tribunall is a Synod Occumenicall lawfully called confirmed and some adde universally received by all Catholique Churches that is by their Prelates from which there is no appealing for if there were all authority would be vain enjoying the name but without any effect or use at all as shall be shewed hereafter 5. Concerning the former act of Ecclesiasticall authority viz. an Obligation lying upon all Christians under pain of Heresie to receive the doctrines and practises of the universall Church that it is in the Church antecedently to a generall Councell appears by this namely that there were in the Church very many Heresies taken notice of acknowledged for such by all Catholikes and dissipated before any generall Councell had been called as the Ecclesiasticall history S. Epiphanius will assure us And this is grounded ◠Upon evident reason for what is heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a relinquishing of a former received opinion or practise and the choice of a particular new one an act this is which implies an extreme contempt of the whole mysticall body of Christ and a preferring ones own single judgment or wilfullnesse before whatsoever els is prudent or sacred in the world 2 Upon expresse Scripture for S. Paul commands the Thessalonians and S. John all Christians to abstain from the conversation of and not so much as to bid God speed to all disordinate walkers swerving from the rule established and all introducers of novelties in the Church Yea S. Paul sayes that an Heretique even before the Bishops censure is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned by himself that is as severall Fathers expound it voluntarily and by himselfe separated from the body of the faithfull so that the solemn excommunication of the Bishop against him may seem to be onely a ratifying of that mans censure against himselfe For I conceive it can hardly be affirmed of all Heretiques in generall that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned that is professing and maintaining errors against their own conscience and knowledge 6. Now this authority residing in the whole body of the Catholique Church I must adde of the present Catholique Church has been in all times preserved so inviolable that besides the fore-cited testimonies of the Fathers this observation will sufficiently justifie it viz. That there was never in any age of the Church as far as I have been able to inform my selfe any one single person esteemed a Catholique that ever either spoke against or in the least degree censured or seemed to render suspitious any doctrine or practise universally believed or received by the Catholique Church during the time that he lived Many Fathers have been very bold and eager against abuses and errours particular some of them perhaps too largely dispersed but never any of them whether private person or Governour learned or unlearned taxed the Church either of errour in doctrine or of superstition prophanenesse or any other enormity in practise Many of them have earnestly called for a free Councell to reform particular disorders and errours in the lives and writings of both Clergy and Laity sometimes not sparing Popes themselves but never to have the Church it self to alter any of her doctrines or to change any of her practises
Character wholly No. But the Church to shew her detestation of those sins suspends the authority of exercising those Offices from any one that is guilty of those sinnes and likewise from those that are ordained by such Simonicall or Hereticall Bishops till they have given satisfaction to the Church And therefore in that moderate judgement of Pope Melchiades so much commended by S. Augustine Ep. 162. when he decreed that if the Donatists would return to the Catholique Communion their Bishops if the more antient in any City should be acknowledged the lawfull Bishops of such a City or if the younger should succeed upon the first vacancy there was no mention made of a reordination of such Hereticall or Schismaticall Bishops or of any Priests made by them 3. It is not true that the salvation of Catholiques doth absolutely depend upon the Sacrament of Penance lawfully administred For though it be necessary to the being of the Church in generall that that and all other Sacraments be lawfully administred and by consequence we may be assured that Christ will in generall prevent all reall wants and obstacles thereto yet it is not necessary that this should be affirmed of each Catholique in particular For to Christians which are adulti that is capable of the exercise of Faith Hope and Charity even actuall Baptisme lawfully administred is not absolutely necessary for in such persons the Votum Baptismi will supply all wants or defects impossible to be avoided and much more certainly will the same Votum serve for other Sacraments as the Eucharist Penance c. 4. Concerning intention which the church in the Councell of Florence in Instr. Arm. and in the Councell of Trent Sess. 7. ca. 11. ha's indeed defined to be a necessary requisite to denominate a Sacrament to be lawfully administred in these words of the Councell of Florence Sacraments are perfected by three things the Matter Form and Person of the Minister conferring the Sacraments with an intention of doing what the church doth of which if any one be wanting the Sacrament is not perfected And these of the Councell of Trent If any man shall say That in Ministers when they administer the Sacraments there is not required an intention at least of doing what the church doth let him be Anathema Mr. Chillingworth might and I am confident did know that the Intention required was such an one as might be found even in Pagans Heretiques Jewes c. administring Baptisme so they do it as executing the Office hypocritically intruded into by them in the due form and with a right pronunciation of the words of the church although in the mean time in the secret of their hearts they did renounce deride and detest that Sacrament and all the efficacy ascribed to it as appears by the Decisions of antient Councells against the Donatists and the Rescripts of Pope Nicholas the first and Alexander the third And hereupon S. Thomas treating of this subject delivers his sense in these words Some answer better sayes he that the Minister of the Sacrament doth operate in the person of the whole Church whose Minister he is and in the words of the church which he pronounctth is expressed the churches intention the which sufficeth to the perfection of a Sacrament unlesse there be an outward expression of the contrary on the part of the Minister or receiver of the Sacrament Upon which grounds I suppose it was that Salmeron the Jesuite and Scribonius Marius a learned Franciscan highly esteemed by Cardinall Perron besides some antient Schoolmen do after this manner with a far greater latitude then generally Controvertists or Schoolmen doe allow endeavour to expresse their sense of S. Thomas and the Decrees of those two Councells viz That in the Minister there may be a twofold intention 1. Meerly speculative inwrap'd in the secrets of his heart and of which no outward sign does appear nor indeed no sufficient one can of this intention the church judgeth not 2. Practicall which relates to the outward act and is thereby really accomplished The former say these Authors unlesse the church shall define the contrary as hitherto to their seeming she ha's not can neither profit nor prejudice in conferring Sacraments If it be an ill malitious intention it may help to damn the person but it will not hinder the validity of the Sacrament nor the efficacy of it The later practicall intention is that which is only to be considered here As a servant that is sent by his Master to deliver possession of a house if he really perform the legall ceremonies and pronounce the words requisite whatsoever thoughts of unwillingnesse reluctancy or contradiction lurk in his breast the delivery will be valid And truly it seems not intelligible how it can be possible for a Minister as a Minister of the Church not compell'd by force nor drawn by promises that knows what he does and clearly shews that he will do what he knows should as the church commands him with all due formality perform a Sacrament and yet at the same time intend or resolve not to do what he does He may possibly have in his wicked heart inward wishes that the Sacrament might want effect or a misbelief that the Sacrament is nothing valuable but a meer superstitious vain or noxious ceremony But as for the thoughts by which performing a Sacrament he would endeavour to intend not to doe that which he intends to do such thoughts seem to be meer aeriall fancies Indeed if he shew his contradiction or intention by any outward sign by which it may be judged that though he observe all the requisite formalities yet he intends them meerly in a mockery as if an Actor upon a Stage should personate the conferring a Sacrament and much more if he neglect the due form of words He will thereby declare that really that is not a Sacrament which he performes but a meer mockery and malitious scornfull Pageantry Those learned and as yet uncensured Authors therefore whose opinions I do here relate only historically do conceive the meaning of the church in the forementioned Decisions to be only this viz. That it is requisite to Sacraments that they be onely this viz. that they be not administred jestingly histrionically and ridiculously but after such a manner that it may reasonably be judged that he who administers them intends to perform his duty and office imposed on him by the church that is to perform and confer a Sacrament and not to play the fool Not that the church ever intended that the Sacraments should be valid or null according to the inward fancies of the administrer or that it should be in the power of an atheisticall or malitious Bishop or Priest to damn all his Diocese and Parish And for a further proof of this it is observeable that even at the very time when this Article concerning the necessity of intention was debated and concluded in the Councell of Trent Catharinus Bishop
the doctrines which the Protestants call errours and those in themselves damnable unlesse where invincible ignorance shall perhaps excuse and therefore obliging all Christian people after having received a new light by the preaching of Luther Tindall c. to forsake them and the communion of all those that persisted in the maintaining of them I say it is confessed that all such pretended errours were spread through the whole Catholique Châ—rch in Communion with the Romane in the age before Luther began his Apostacy nemine contradiceute Now by the way how this can agree with that sense which they give to the promises of Christ that he would preserve his Church in all truth so that the gates of hell should not prevail against it I confesse I cannot comprehend For if all Heresies be the gates of hell as the Fathers say then much more Heresies in themselves damnable although the church had not condemned them because against essentiall truths Besides they will not deny but that invincible ignorance may possibly excuse Pelagianisme Photinianisme Arianisme c. so that upon their grounds notwithstanding the promises of Christ all Christians for above a thousand years together might as well have been infected with these Heresies also 3. It is secondly confessed that excepting two or three and those not of the most considerable opinions all the rest now condemned by Protestants were publiquely and generally embraced and professed for severall ages before Luther I will adde by all ages and churches till S. Gregories dayes inclusive that is for about one thousand years I might go further and justifie my assertion clearly and evidently but for the present let us pitch upon S. Gregories time For warrant of what I have said besides the testimony of S. Gregories writings Liturgy Rituall Missall c. and besides the antient ecclesiasticall history especially of England and the Synods antiently assembled there I appeal to the confession of the most learned Protestants as Humfrey Fulke the Centuriators of Magdeburg c. whose words describing the Religion brought into England by S. Gregory and S. Augustine The Benedictin Monke are these They brought in say they Altars holy Vestments Images Chalices Candlesticks Censers sacred Vessells holy Water and sprinkling with it Reliques and the translations of them Dedication of Churches with the bones and ashes of dead men Consecrations of Altars of Chalices of Corporalls of Baptismall Fonts of Chrysme of Oyle of Churches by using sprinkling of holy water celebration of the Masse use of the Archiepiscopal Pall in the solemnizing of the Masse books of Roman Ritualls and a burden of ceremonies free-will merit and justification by works penance satisfaction Purgatory single life of Priests publique invocation of Saints and worship of them veneration of Images Exorcismes Indulgences Vowes Monachisme Transubstantion Prayer for the dead exercise of the Jurisdiction of the Romane Bishop and his primacy over all Churches in a word the remaining chaos as they call it of Popish superstition 4. It is thirdly evident that within that time in severall Councells Provinciall at least most of the points in debate between Protestants and the Roman Church have been either decided or the belief of them supposed and all the practises which Protestants condemne justified and commanded no better proofe of which assertion need be sought for then that Tome of English Synods published by Sir Henry Spelman And on the contrary that it does not appear in any Synod that any of those doctrines or practises have been condemned nor in the least degree censured so that if there were any authority in the Catholique Church for above one thousand years together if she could challenge either belief or but non-contradiction to her decisions they cannot be excused who not only not receive but oppose yea condemn yea blasphemously calumniate her both for doctrines and practises so unanimously professed and embraced and all this even then when they acknowledge her to be the object of that Article of the creed Credo unam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam But how unam if they may yea ought to divide and tear her in pieces How sanctam if defiled with so much prophanenesse superstition and Idolatry and all this not only permitted but commanded by her How Catholicam if contradicting the antient universall church Lastly how Apostolicam if so evidently condemnable by Apostolique writings as is pretended 5. In the fourth place it was to me an irrefragable testimony of a strange watchfulnesse of divine providence over the church to preserve it from the gates of hell that is established and dangerous errors that during those worst times thereof when ignorance worldlinesse pride tyranny c. raigned with so much scope I mean during the time of about six ages before Luther when the Popes so wicked so abominable in their lives enjoyed so unlimited a power even over secular Princes themselves and much more over the Clergy yet notwithstanding we do not find that there was any innovation at all in any points that concern doctrine defined by Councells nor particularly that the Popes though in practise they assumed to themselves a vast exercise of externall Jurisdiction yet that they ever attempted much lesse effected the introducing any decision as de Fide of their power above that which was universally believed not only in the former ages after S. Gregories times but in times immemoriall before that 6. In the fifth place concerning the time between the first Councell of Nice and S. Gregory it appeared to me evidently that many points now in controversie have been defined expresly against Protestants That many have been universally reputed Heteriques for maintaining the very same opinions now again innovated by Protestants as Aërius Vigilantius Iovinian c. That scarce any point of doctrine of the Roman church but is expressely maintained by the Fathers generally That whatsoever passages seemingly contradicting to Roman doctrines are out of the Fathers produced by Protestants do at the most onely argue want of memory in the Fathers opposing that in one obscure place which they had plainly affirmed in twenty That those Fathers who were so quick-sighted to take notice of and so zealous to condemn any innovation in doctrine or practise yet neither have observed nor opposed any one point either of doctrine or practise received in S. Gregories time and continued to these as an innovation That the generall language of the Fathers when they spoke ex professo concerning Prayer for the Dead Purgaetory the blessed Sacrament the Primacy of the Pope c. was like those of these times the antient outward form of the church like that of the present And on the contrary all these both expressions and Liturgies and outward face of the antient Church much more unlike to the Temples of the Calvinists or Lutherans c. yea or English Protestants in things wherein they differ from the Roman when they were from the Congregations of antient Heretiques 7. In the last place
hath upon Psalm 56. and in his 166. Epistle ad Donat and on 1. Ep. of S. John Tract 2. c. And again in Psal. 70. The Christian world is promised and this is believed by them This promise is fulfilled and it is contradicted by them And againe If the church shall not continue here on earth even to the end of the world to whom did our Lord say Behold I am with you even to the end of the world And again de Bapt. con Don. l. 3 If from the time of S. Cyprian the church perished from whence did Donatus appeare out of what earth did he bud out of what See did he arise from what heaven did he fall And again cont Jul l. 5. If by those holy Priests of God and famous Doctors Irenaeus Cyprian Rheticius Olympius Hilary Ambrose Gregory Basile John Chrysostome Innocent and Hierome the Manicheans have violated and corrupted the Church Tell me Julian who was it that brought thee forth was it a chast Matron or a Harlot who in her travelling brought thee forth by the wombe of spirituall Grace into that light which thou hast forsaken I willingly omit infinite other passages especially out of S. Augustine to the same purpose because even Protestants generally do not question the substance of that truth herein contained CHAP. LII Application of these proofes to the advantage of the Romane Catholique Church and against Protestants c. 1. THe cause therefore is clear in the generall Thesis that the Fathers opinion was that by vertue of Christs expresse promises his church was to continue visible and distinguishable from all other unlawfull congregations to the worlds end This I do not find denied by the English Protestants I mean neither that this was the sense of the Fathers nor that this sense was ture 2. The great controversie therefore is in the Hypothesis or application of the generall Thesis viz. whether that such conclusions as the Fathers deduce from the visibility of the Catholique church in their dayes may rationally be inferred from the Roman Catholique church visible in these dayes For example that it is unlawfull upon any pretence of errors or abuses in practise to separate from the externall communion of that church which now calls it selfe the Catholique Church which is only the Roman for the Grecian churches though they challenge the title of Catholique Churches that is true members of the Catholique yet I doe not find that they make an association to their externall communion a necessary condition to all Christians 3. The English Protestants say no against all Roman Catholiques who unanimously affirm that since such discourses of the Fathers were grounded upon Christs promises to his church which were to be effectuall to the end of the world that therefore they are as fitly and necessarily to be applied to the present as to the antient Catholike church and that no other church but that in communion with the Roman can make any valuable or legitimate pretentions to that title Though the truth is if it be to be granted that there is any visible Catholique church at all whose externall communion is necessary the Protestants are inexcuseably culpable since they neither would nor could upon their grounds communicate with any church in the world that was in being when Luther began his Apostacy 4. In this controversie therefore upon these following considerations and grounds I fully satisfied my self that the plea of Roman Catholiques was just and reasonable For â— Though English Protestants deny the Roman church to be the Catholique church cum Emphase yet they acknowledge her to be a true member at least of the Catholique church being forced hereto for their own interest to justifie the lawfulnesse of their Ordinations c. And this acknowledgement alone is sufficient to condemne them for their separation as guilty of Schisme since he who separates from an acknowledged true member of the Catholique church doth consequently separate from the Catholique church 5. Secondly they acknowledge that the whole body of the present Catholique church enjoyes the same priviledges and authority that it did in the times of the antient Fathers that a Schisme from it is as pernicious as antiently that a truly Generall Councell now is as obliging and unappealable from as heretofore And upon these grounds they will condemn themselves since it is apparent that if the Easterne churches were assumed together with the Western to make up the full body of the Catholique most of the opinions and pretended errours upon which they ground the lawfulnesse and necessity of their separation will appear to be the doctrines of the church called Catholique even in their sense as e. g. acknowledging the blessed Sacrament to be a proper Sacrifice propitiatory for quick and dead the Reall Presence per modum transmutationis Prayer for Dead and Purgatory Invocation of Sâ—ines Veneration of Images c. And therefore if all the four Patriarches had met at the Councell of Trent they had Infallibly concur'd in condemning the Protestants as Heretiques in these points and their separation upon such grounds is Schisme properly so called 6. Thirdly it appeared evidently to me that those communions and congregations of Christians which acknowledge subjection to the Pope could only rightfully challenge the name of the Catholique church For 1. I took it for granted that that which was called the Catholike church after the times of the four first Generall Councells when the Aâ—â—ans Photinians Macedonians Nestorians Eurychians c. were anathematized was indeed the onely truâ— Catholique church by which account the Abyssine churches as being at least antiently Eutychians and severall Eastern churches as Nestorians Jacobiâ—es c. were and are to be excluded from that denomination which yet the Protestants now although they dare not communicate with them would admit into the body of the church but most unreasonably for if the Abyssines continue yet Eutychians the Protestants of England who receive the foure first Generall Councells do thereby acknowledge them to be Heretiques if they have quitted Eutychianisme and really adjoyned themselves to the Roman church according to severall Embassies mentioned by Damianus à Goes c. then Protestants will find it so much more to their disadvantage to argue any thing from the Abyssine churches 2. I could observe nothing which could make me doubt that that which was called the Catholique church from the four first Generall Councells to S. Gregories the Greats dayes inclusivè was indeed so For if in S. Gregories dayes there was a Catholique church is Protestants grant there was then that which was in communion and subjection to him was only it since none that I know pretend to allow that title to any congregation divided from him Now in the church of S. Gregories time it is apparent that in a manner all points of Doctrine now by Protestants called errours and causes of their separation were universally acknowledged as Catholique doctrines as I shewed before by a joynt confession
of the most learned Protestant writers by which they vertually confesse that if they had lived in S. Gregories dayes they would as well have separated from him Besides it appeares by S. Gregories Epistles that he as Pope enjoyed a supereminent authority and sollicitously exercised a care over all Christian churches As for his Jurisdiction as Patriarch and the extension thereof that I took not here into consideration since it is not a point pretended to be an Article of Faith 3. From S. Gregories dayes till the separation of the East from the externall jurisdiction rather then the Faith of the Pope and Western churches the whole body of the church under one visible Head remained as it did before enjoying the title of the Catholique church no other pretending thereto 4. Since the Division of the East from the Westerne churches caused as I conceive upon a quarrell about the Popes Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not any point of Doctrine the limits of the Catholique church seem to be much streitned Concerning which Schisme if it be indeed a Schisme properly so called I apprehended no necessity to be very curious to inform my self being perswaded during the time of my being a Protestant that as for that one point of belief concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost wherein the Greek church expresseth her self otherwise then the Roman if in substance and sense there be a reall difference that the Roman church was Orthodox And besides that I know not any point of doctrine wherein the Greek church agrees with Protestants to condemn the Roman church It is true they communicate in both kinds but I could never find that the Greeks made that point any pretext of their division from the Roman neither indeed can they since they also give the Eucharist to the sick onely in one kind acknowledging withall that such communicants receive the whole effect of the Sacrament As for the story of the Schisme it was begun by Photius the Pseudo-Patriarch of Constantinople upon ambition and interest because the Pope would not confirm his illegall intrusion into that Chair which generally ha's been a fatall occasion of almost all Schismes as long since S. Cyprian hath observed Lastly it is manifest that those rights of Jurisdiction also which since that Schisme have been denied by the Greeks to the Pope were not then begun to be demanded but had been possessed by him for severall ages so that there was at least injustice if not error on the Grecians part 7. Fourthly that the Pope as successor of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles ha's a primacy and superiority over all Bishops and Patriarchs yea an authority over the whole Catholique church so that he may truly be called the Head of the Church ha's been delivered by so constant and universal a Tradition that it cannot without extreme impudence be denied Now how far this superiority and authority extends I thought it needlesse curiously to inform my self since as far as I can learn all that the church requires in this point even from ecclesiasticall persons is a subscription to this profession mentioned in the Bull of Pope Pius IV annexed to the Councell of Trent and collected out of the same viz. Romano Pontifici Beati Petri Apostolorum Principis successori ac Jesu Christi Uicario veram obedientiam spondeo ae juro i. e. I do promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome successor of blessed S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ. 8. Now that thus much is of universall Tradition what greater proof can be desired then may be afforded us in a late book entituled Les Grandeurs dell ' Eglise Romaine where such a world of testimonies out of Councells Occumenicall and Provinciall Popes Fathers both Eastern and Westerne Histories Ecclesiasticall c. are produced to maintain the Co-union of S. Paul with S. Peter in at least some degree of his universall authority which not withstanding are not an hundredth part of that which may be alledged out of antiquity for S. Peters Principality and the Popes as his successor Yea that great Councell of Chalced on acknowledged and received in England even when it endeavoured to deprive the Pope of some part of Jurisdiction yet acknowledged this his superiority and authority as Pope the Bishops there calling him their Head and themselves with all Christians members under that Head Moreover Socrates and Zozomen writers far from being partiall for the Pope yet mention antient immemoriall canons of the church wherein at least a negative voice is given to the Pope in any thing that shall be introduced to oblige the whole church To conclude Monsieur Blondel the most learned French controvertist that ever undertook their common quarrell against the Pope in that large volume which is spent in confuting particular extravagant opinions concerning that subject as touching the infallibility and Monarchicall Omnipotence of the Pope his Lordly and domineering headship and a Monarchicall power usurped by him by which to subdue all the members of Christ c. yet notwithstanding which is very remarkable he confesseth himself that never any Councell or Nation no not that of Florence nor Trent it self ever adventured to define any thing concerning such excessive titles and power as the Popes Partizans do attribute to him But on the contrary that the titles of the Apostle S. Peter ought not to be put in debate since that the Grecians and Protestants also do confesse that it hath beone believed and that it might be indeed that he was the President and Head or Chiefe Chef of the Apostles the foundation of the Church and possessor of the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven Yea moreover That Rome as being a Church consecrated by the residence and Martyrdome of S. Peter whom antiquity hath acknowledged to be the Head Chef of the College Apostolique having been honored with the title of the Seat of the Apostle S. Peter might without difficulty be considered by one of the most renowned Councells viz. that of Chalcedon as Head Chef of the Church Which is in effect to acknowledge that the necessary doctrine of the Roman church concerning the Popes Primacy and Authority is Orthodox 9. Upon which grounds since it appeares to have been an universall Tradition of the church besides expresse words of Scripture that the Catholique Church was to remaine visible to the end of the world that is a church possessed of all substantiall Christian doctrines preserved in all truth governed by lawfull Pastours as one body consisting of ruling and ruled members under one visible head which S. Cyprian makes the foundation of Unity Ecclesiasticall I concluded as I thought rationally that that part of the Christian world which continued in Communion with and obedience to this so acknowledged Supreme Authority might and ought most justly to challenge the title of the Catholique Church 10. Therefore though the priviledge of an independent Patriarchall church which the English Protestants
the substance of the three first of which is this Because we ought to believe that the Indulgences now in use in the church are the same that were antiently practised as the Councell of Trent expressely sayes Now saith he we find no other Indulgences in the antient church and Councells but such as we have mentioned Again It was the custome of the church to add this Particle to the Indulgences given De Pooeitentiis injunctis since therefore saith he the church hath so warily expressed her self it would be temerarious to interpret her meaning otherwise The same doctrine is strongly maintained likewise by Estius in 4. Sent. dist 20. ◠10. 9. In the next place concerning the conditions required to receive benefit by Indulgences all Catholiques agree that these three are necessary 1. Authority in him that grants them 2. A just reason for the granting them 3. Due dispositions in the party receiving them Now for this last point Card. Cajetan as he is quoted by Bellarmine l. 1. de Indulg c. 12. maintains That besides the conditions of being in the state of Grace and of accomplishing the actions ordained for the gaining of Indulgences there is a third condition necessary to him that would receive fruit by them which is that he have a will to satisfie God by his own labours as much as he can and that Indulgences are of no profit to those who will not satisfie for themselves when they can From whence he concludes That in such an infinite number of persons that visit the churches in the times of the solemn Stations and the like Indulgences there are but very few that reap the profit of them iudeed This opinion saith Bellarmine is profitable and pious though perhaps it is not true But since Card Bellarmine the learned Estius Chancellor of Doway professes his belief that this opinion is not only profitable and pious but very true See his Comment in 2. Ep. ad Cor. cap. 2. v. 11. as likewise in 4. Sent. dist 20. Sect. 10. The like is strongly maintained by Comitolus a learned Jesuit in Resp. Moral q. 36. who confirmes his opinion by the testimonies of Antisiodorensis Henricus à Gandavo Adrian VI. Boniface VIII Sylvester c. Now the aforesaid Authors who teach that Indulgences are onely relaxations from Penances enjoyned vel ab homine vel à . Canone do not therefore believe that they are satisfactions only to the Church and not to God for Maldonate expressely declares the contrary in these words in the forecited place Cùm injungitur poenitentia ab Ecclesia c. when the Church enjoynes any Penance she enjoynes it not only to the end that by such a Penance we should satisfie the Church but God also Now the Indulgence is answerable unto the Penance enjoyned and by consequence it is granted us not onely to the end that this penalty should be remitted us before the Tribunall of the Church but before Gods Tribunall likewise And from thence he concludes that though Indulgences do regard directly onely Penances which are enjoyned to be accomplished in this world notwithstanding they do consequently deliver from the paines of Purgatory likewise For saith he since God does not punish the same fault twice and since the penalty which men pay in Purgatory is the same with that which they ought to have paid in this world if the Church by the means of Indulgences does remit the penalty which in this life is due to the Justice of God it follows that she remits likewise that which shall be due in Purgatory that is to say that which those living persons to whom such Indulgences are granted ought otherwise to suffer in Purgatory Now whether this Doctrine deserve a separation let all reasonable moderate Christians judge Of Publique service in the Latin tongue 8. This is a matter which concerns only the outward order and decorum of the church an whereof Ecclesiasticall Governours are only to be judges and disposers so that if there be any excesse or inconvenience they only are answerable before Almighty God particular persons are not at all concerned in it Indeed if the Church had appointed her service in the Latin tongue on purpose that the people should not understand it Or if she had decreed that it was a thing unlawfull that any body should praise God with the understanding but onely Priests and Bishops and learned men Protestants might have some pretence for their clamor in this regard But 1. since the Church found her Liturgies in the same tongue through all the Westerne world from the beginning of Christianity 2. Since no example can be found in any antient churches Jewish or Christian Eastern or Westerne that the languages of Publique Service have beene altered though those of the Countryes have beene insomuch as in our Saviours time the Jewish Devotions were performed in Hebrew when the people only understood the Syrian tongue so the Cophtites so the AEthiopians and so the Jewes to this day 3. Since it is apparently both of great comelinesse and benefit that there should be an uniformity in Gods publike worship so as that wheresoever a Christian travels he may as well joyne himself with other Christians in the service of God as when he staid at home 4. Since particularly for the Masse the greatest part of it from all Antiquity was performed in a low voice by the Bishop or Priest the people neither hearing nor in the antient Church seeing him by reason of a vail or curtain which was drawn between the Altar the people excepting only at some certain peculiar times as at the Elevation c. 5. Since the church permits the translating and publishing of her Liturgies since she commands the Priests to explain and inculcate unto the people the meaning of all mysteries and since she furnishes even the most ignorant persons with devotions suitable to their capacities and far more beneficiall to them then the hearing the Psalms and other parts of Scripture read so difficult and abstruse that even the most learned must confesse their inability to comprehend them Lastly since an indiscreet promiscuous exposing of Scriptures hath beene the occasions of so many inconveniences a better though sadder proof whereof cannot be given then in the present state of England where every one reading Scripture and all visible authority of interpreting it so as to oblige others to receive such interpretations being disclaimed every one of those infinite numbers of Sects believe that they find in Scripture sufficient warrant for all such horrible seditions and murders as have lately been committed there Therefore the Catholique church hath esteemed it a thing befitting her wisdome to continue an uniformity in her publike worship received from our Fathers and her care and charity to appoint respectively to every condition and state of Christians their proper allowance and dimensum of spirituall food and to imitate our Saviour who would not reveale even to his Apostles themselves all the mysteries of the
most perfect will of God by which in time there is made a perfect denudation mortification and annihilation of a mans own private will and a suffering ones self to be inacted and moved immediately by Almighty God and at last a contemplation of the divine essence without any medium without all help of grosser imaginary forms an absorption of all operations called by them a divine idlenesse whereby the soul reposeth securely and with unspeakable pleasure in the bosome of her heavenly Bridegroom I speak not now of strange effects outward and respecting the body as Elevations Extasies c. which though admired at by others yet are neglected and even pray'd against by spirituall persons themselves 6. Now to prove that these are neither dreams of ignorant souls nor sublime extravagances of soaring spirits we may consider that 1. The greatest understandings that many of the last ages have brought forth as S. Bernard S. Thomas Aquinas S. Bonaventure and I. Picus Count of Mirandula c. have all written uniformly upon the same subject and have shewed clearly that what they wrote was not meer speculation but comprehended practised and felt by them 2. That even the meanest capacities have arrived to the perfection of contemplation as S. Isidore a plain husband-man in Spain S. Teresa S. Catherine of Siena and of Genoa silly ignorant women that unparallel'd young Heremite Gregorio Lopez Insomuch as whosoever shal with a true resignation pure intention enter into this life of the Spirit though his understanding be not able to give him entertainment for meditation yea though he be not able to help himself with reading others yet if being informed of the necessary points of Catholike Faith he humbly constantly move his wil to frame cordially acts of love and resignation c. to God even such a man or woman shall not fail to arrive it may be to a higher degree of union then the most learned and skilfull Doctors even to that perfection of which S. Paul speaks Crucifigor cum Christo vivo jaem non ego sed vivit in me Christus i. e. I am crucified with Christ and I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 3. To the end to be secure of delusions it is observeable that whereas in other Sects â—â—â—re are certain counterfeitings of such a mysticall familiarity with God joyned with strange motions and effects as awong the Anabaptists Famulists Quakers Ranvers c. strange examples whereof in the last age we may read in Florimundus Raemundus yet now daily out-done by those Sects in England as at Malton in Yorkshire London and other places where they abound yet such illuminations discover their black Author in that the persons are far from being cleansed of their carnall lusts pride malice c. and the design appeares commonly to be the troubling the world with some new pretended Revelation and Reformation c. Whereas among spirituall persons in the Catholique Church the inseparable qualification for contemplation is a deep humility a most tender charity and love of Catholique unity 4. Lest a suspition should arise that this mysticall Theology and doctrine of contemplation should be an invention of Religious Orders to magnifie themselves in the worlds opinion as having means to a neerer approach to Almighty God then the rest of the world We may consider both that the same rules for substance are found in the writings of the antient Fathers as S. Dâ—onisius Aroopagita S Augustine S. Basil Joannes Cassianus S. Hierome c. and that even those most active Fathers and Bishops of the church have notwithstanding attained to a great perfection of contemplation yea that in this last age there have not appeared any more perfect therein then those two famous Bishops viz. B. Francis de Sales Bishop of Geneva and S. Charles Barromée that most unwearied sollicitous Arch-Bishop of Milan and Cardinal and Antonio de Roias a Spanish secular Priest Though withall it cannot be denyed but that a retreat and disengagement from the world solitude silence and other austerities be very powerfull and effectuall dispositions thereto But concerning Mysticall Theology I shall refer those that desire further information to the writings of Thaulerus Harphius Rusbrochius the Bishop of Geneva S. Teresa and many others Particularly the severall Treatises as yet Manuscripts of that late very sublime contemplatiue F. Augustine Baker a Monke of our English Congregation of the Holy Order of S. BENET The yet imperfect sum of whose methodicall instructions concerning Internall Prayer having happily met withall at Rome I found my self pressed to hasten my reconcilement to the Church because I thirsted to become capable of practising those heavenly instructions And afterward in France but especially in my passage through Cambray having seen many more of the same Authors writings the Spirit of which did eminently shew it selfe in the lives of those excellently devout and perfectly religious Benedictine Dames there and being by them informed which within a few dayes mine own eyes assured me of that the same doctrine was received and practised by their Fathers at Doway I presently contrary to all my former resolutions to dispose my selfe only among strangers in a religious life determined to fix my self at Doway I forbore in the former Impression to mention this Author among the rest because I thought his books were confin'd to Cambray where they were written or to his own Convent at Dowvy But being since assured that they were largely dispersed even among the secular Clergy I could not without ingratitude now omit his name and I hope that e're long a ful account of his spiritual instructions concerning the severall Degrees of Internall Prayer shal be happily communicated to the world methodically digested authoritatively published to the glory of God great advancement of devout souls in his divine love 7. For my present purpose it will suffice that by that short enquiry I made I satisfied my self that in no other Congregation but the Catholique Church only were to be found either rules in writing or living directors for a true spirituall life in any comparison approaching to those before named Insomuch as I have often wondred why Protestants would not at least borrow and transcribe such writings for their own use and practise and all that I could say for answer to my self was 1. That according to that saying of the Fathers Spiritus sanctus non est extra Ecclesiam i. e. The Holy Spirit resides not any where out of the Church that is disperses not his extraordinary favours and sublimer gifts any where else 2. Because Protestant Religion c. renouncing all Evangelicall Counsells of perfection as voluntary poverty chastity c. and their avarice having swallowed all the revenews which nourished men in a solitary life of meditation and contemplation they both want such effectuall helps thereto and dare not for fear of being censured as half-Catholiques commend or practise the means proper and conducing to it
equally very artificiall and very naturall 6. Thus much of the Preface therefore being acknowledged to be unanswerable the designe of all that follows is 1. To shew that the doctrine of the churches Infallibility is of all others most generall and comprehensive and which if it could be demonstrated would immediately decide all other controversies 2. That therefore none can seriously think Protestants so unreasonable but that if they were perswaded of the truth of this they would presently submit and leave all disputing 3. But yet since it seems evident to them that some Decisions of the Church are contradictory to the Scriptures which Catholiques propound as infallibly true Therefore it is necessary that Infallibility ought to be demonstrated at least to a higher degree of evidence then they have of the contradiction of the Churches Decisions to the infallible Rule of Gods Word 4. That no such demonstration hath been made by Catholiques the great Defenders of the Church of England have very excellently and fully demonstrated 5. And this with such successe that the very name of Infallibility begins to be burthensome even to the maintainers of it in so much that one of their latest and ablest Proselytes Hugh Paulin de Cressy as the author stiles him which is a title that the same Serenus Cressy for that is henceforth his name assumed in Religion utterly renounces is most certain the Author can never justifie against such a world of much more able Proselytes hath acknowledged the same word Infallibility to be an unfortunate word and too advantagious to Protestants and therefore fit to be forgotten and laid by Wherupon the Author gives scope to a fit of triumphing at the strength of reason and power of truth that a Catholique is forced or renounce so fundamentall a doctrine which yet notwithstanding is not found in any Councell c. 6. Now lest it should be thought to be only the word Infallibility but not the notion of it intended by Catholiques and understood by Protestants that is deserted by Mr. Cressy the Author sayes that Protestants never impugned it by Nominall Arguments producing a passage out of Bellarmine to justifie the acknowledged sense of that word 7. Hereupon the Author imputes to Mr. Cressy unreasonablenesse in answering Arguments made against that which himself confesses cannot be maintained 8. And yet greater unreasonablenesse in the manner of his answer because deserting Infallibility he answers only for the authority of the Church and so makes this authority answer for that Infallibility From this last he draws three consequent absurdities which shall be set down when their place comes to be answered 9. Hereupon he profesles that having considered the inconsiderablenesse of M. Cressy's whole discourse he changed his resolution to answer it as judging it not to deserve an answer 10. And lastly he concludes the invinciblenesse of my L. Falklands discourse of Infallibility 7. This is the mind and whole importance of the Preface which whether rationall or no shall be examined but it is confess'd to be orderly enough and therefore shall be endeavoured to be answered according to its order and the Paragraphs and divisions made by me not himself CHAP. IV. An Answer to the four first Paragraphs of the Preface 1. THat which the Author of the Preface sayes in his first Paragraph viz. That the Doctrine of the churhes Infallibility is of all other most generall and comprehensive and which if it could be demonstrated would immediately decide all other controversies is so conformable to evident reason that it cannot be denied And that which reason requires of me to acknowledge in the first Paragraph charity would invite me to grant universally in the second viz. That if Protestants were perswaded of the truth of this they would presently submit and leave all disputing Were it not that I. P. himself discourages me I doubt not but both himself and many others if they were absolutely convinced of the churches Infallibility would not wilfully detain the truth in unrighteousness by continuing in an obstinate and then an acknowledged disobedience to the church But they behave themselves in the search of the truth as if they were afraid to find it They come with extreme prejudice and partiality to the examination of the controversie and if they can find but any small advantage against any passage in Catholike writers though the churches doctrine be not at all concerned in it they presently give the cause decided according to their own minds and interests which partiality of theirs seems much more intense and withal heightned with fâ—â— greater Passion since the downfall of their Church then ever it was before for indignation to see the extreme weaknesse of their cause imbitters them much more in their disputes against Catholikes and encreases their obstinacy against the authority of Gods church as if they would be revenged against God for giving such an advantage to his Church Proofs of this given by too many others will appear in the whole contexture of this Preface as I shall demonstrate 2. Thirdly J. P. sayes That since it seems evident to them that some decisions of the Church are contradictory to the Word of God which Catholiques propound as infallibly true Therefore it is necessary that Infallibility ought to be demonstrated at least to a higher degree of evidence then they have of the contradiction of the Churches decision to the infallible Rule of the Scriptures Truly this is not altogether unreasonable therefore to give him satisfaction I will fix a good while upon this point though I shall be forced to say over somewhat said already Therefore according to the grounds of the precedent Book I will endeavor to clear the controversie of Infallibility as it is there handled from the mistakes of J. P. and to effect this more prosperously I will peruse this supposition 3. Let it be supposed that the Church of England did pretend to an Infallibility or if you will to an authority of obliging all Christians under pain of Damnation to submit to her Decisions This being supposed and that I desirous to enquire into the grounds of this pretension should betake my selfe to a meeting of severall learned Protestants and say to them since it is so necessary that all Christians should receive information in Christian Doctrine from you Pray let me know where I shall find it This request would presently raise a murmure amongst them and there is onely one answer in which they would all agree which is this That that only is to be accounted the doctrine of the Church of England which ha's been determined by the authority of the English Bishops ratified by the secular head of the Church the King yet with the advice of the Parliament and embraced by all the children and Subjects of the English Church But when they would descend more particularly to signifie the speciall repositories of this Doctrine there would be great variety of answers For the most moderate of them would
Universal Church But they are not satisfied that they ow that submission to the Roman and if not to the Roman they know not to what Church Sol. 16. To say somthing for the clearing this difficulty I shall desire them to consider 1. That whilst the Eastern and Western Churches were joyned in one External communion it is apparent that that Body was the Catholick Church to which the Promises of Christ were made and to which Protestants themselves would not have refused submission 2. That a breach hapning between these Churches is not mortal to the whole Body but onely to that Member that did unlawfully separate 3. By consequence that both the Title and real Authority of the Catholick Church remains in the innocent Part that is either in the Roman or Eastern Church 4. That whethersoever of these two be the Catholick Church English Protestants are Schismaticks since they are divided from both and the pretended grounds of their Divisions are Doctrines received by them both 5. That in case English Protestants would now take into debate to whether of these two parties they should re-adjoyn themselves by that means to become Catholicks again they must be forced to quit both a greater number of their Topical Doctrines and more fundamental ones to fit themselves to an union with the Eastern then with the Roman Church 6. That if they will needs out of Passion prefer the Eastern their Passion will be evident since that whensoever either remorse of conscience or the approaches of death made them see their unsafe condition thousands of them have fled to the Roman Church for shelter but never any to the Grecian or any other but the Roman 7. That as long as they are out of the Roman Church they are in a headless trunck divided from the successor of St. Pèter whom St. Cyprian St. Hierome Optatus c. acknowledged to be the foundation of Unity Order c. Ob. 17. Now if among Protestants any out of a perverse condescendence shal grant that the grounds alledged for the separation of the Eastern Western Churches are not in themselves of such main importance as to hinder them from being really one Catholick Church And therefore that before the present controversies can be decided a general Assembly of them all must be expected Sol. 18. to this they must give me leave to say 1. That they make the Promises of Christ to be casual temporary and obnoxious to critical daies and seasons if they think that the changes of Kingdoms or that the humors of an earthly Tyrant can either evacuate or suspend the force of those promises by which our Lord hath obliged himself to provide that the Gates of Hell that is heresies shall not prevail against his Church The effect of which promise in the opinion of such Objectors must be delayed till the Grand Signior will allow the Grecian Bishops to meet with the Western to consult of and procure the peace and union of Christendom 2. In case they should be permitted to meet Protestants may without the spirit of prophesie foretel their own most solemn condemnation For since both the Eastern and Western Churches do already agree in most doctrines renounced by Protestants viz. Transubstantiation Adoration of the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the Dead and by consequence a Purgatory in which souls are capable of refreshment by such Prayers Veneration of Images Relicks c. Invocation of Saints Indulgences Merit of good works c. In which Doctrines they do agree as acknowledging them to be Traditionary It is impossible they should ever be perswaded to revoke any of them being met in an Assembly unless they will renounce all order and manner of proceeding in former General Councels which is not according to the Method of Protestants Viz. Endlessly to dispute every controverted Point by Texts of Scripture but to judge of the Truth of Points and the sense of Scripture by Traditien In such Assemblies therefore Bishops will ask one another Have your Fathers delivered to you that Bread after consecration becomes the Body of Christ That this body in the Sacrament is to be adored That we ought to pray for Souls departed in the Faith of Christ c. If so Servetur quod traditum est Now it being apparent that at the present all agree that such Doctrines both in the East and West have been delivered by Tradition and that their meeting together in a Councel will not help to make a contrary Tradition possible It will follow that whether divided or united whether alone or in Assembly they are and ever will be at least so far united as to joyn in the condemnation of Protestants CHAP. V. An Answer to the Remainder of the Preface 1. THe rest of the Preface of I. P. touches my self onely and pretends to shew what success the writings of those great Defenders of the Church of England have had against me in particular forcing me to confess That Infallibility is an unfortunate word That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated it with too great success so that I would wish the word were forgotten or at least laid by c. Now since the Church is not at all concern'd in this but my self onely who am charged with writing an incongruous impertinent Book a Book that deserves no answer but answers it self since it maintains that which its Adversary did not combat c. Truly were it not for I. P. and his friends sake more then mine own I would not answer for my self But since I perceive that the word Infallibility is as unfortunate a word to them as it was to me I will endeavour to take order that it shall be so no more 2. First therfore I say with Mr. Veron that the word Infallibility has been found out by the Schools that love to find out as short waies to express their notions as possibly can be And the world finds very great convenience by it Therefore with reference to the Church Schoolmen and from them Controvertists desirous to express the great veracity of the Church considered as a Judge or witness of Divine Truths deposed by God with her and withal the utmost obligation that all Christians have to beleeve truths so determined and witnessed by her found out this single word Infallibility to express both these by But yet the Church her self hath not as yet assumed or borrowed this word in any of her Decisions from the Schools and therefore being none of the Churches word we are not oblig'd to make her to speak it and the truth is though it comprehends al that they intend by it yet it is no adaequate measure of those conceptions because Infallibility may comprehend a great deal more for truth and our obligation to beleeve it is yet in a higher degree in Scripture then in the Decisions of the Church as Bellarmine acknowledges For the Scripture in all points both of Doctrine and Story and all circumstances is infallibly true not so the Decisions of the
Church in which the simple conclusion decided is onely accounted infallibly true not so the principles upon which it depends or reasons by which it is proved and much less are orders made by Councels which depend upon information yet notwithstanding we cannot finde a more energetical word to express the unquestionable and unappealable authority of the Church then Infallibility We may proceed further and say that Divine truths revealed internally after a supernatural manner to the Prophets Apostles c. and by intellectual images are yet more infallible then the same truths revealed by words becaus words being but the Images of Images are further removed from that prime Exemplar of truth which is God and besides are in themselves unavoidably ambiguous and so do not convey truth so infallibly as Internal illustrations yet what can we say more of these then that they are Infallible Lastly there is no Image so perfect but in as much as it is an Image it comes short of the Exemplar which is truth it self that is God and by consequence differs from it yet the supremest title that we can give to God himself in this regard is Infallibility But to instance more familiar examples of the several degrees of Infallibility I am infallibly assured that I cannot repeat all the words I have spoken this last year and yet I am more infallibly assured that I cannot say over again all I have spoken in my whole life I am infallibly assured that if I threw a thousand dice they will not be all sixes and yet I am more infallibly assured that the same cast upon so many dice cannot be a thousand times successively repeated Of all these impossibilities I have several degrees of assurance and every degree in a certain sense infallible but in a severe acception of that word the very highest is not rigorously infallible because none of the cases alledged are absolutely impossible if we speak of the highest degree of impossibility for such imply a flat contradiction as that a part should be equal to its whole or any thing be and not be at once a kinde of certainty that is appliable even to very few Demonstrations we are not so sure that the light of the Moon is borrowed from the Sun or her Eclips by the interposition of the Earth yet these are reckoned amongst demonstrations in Astronomy and no man in his wits ever doubted of either Methinks if God have furnisht his divine and supernatural truth with evidence equal to this that the Sun will shine to morrow or that there will be a spring and harvest next year we are infinitely obliged to bless his providence and justly condemned if we refuse to beleeve the least of such truths as shewing less affection to save our souls then the dull Plowmen to sow their corn who certainly have far less evidence for their harvest then Catholicks for their faith they insist not peevishly upon every caprichious objection nor exact an infallible security of a plentiful reaping next Summer but notwithstanding all difficulties and contingencies proceed chearfully in their painful husbandry and here I shall beg leave to ask the Reader this serious question supposing not granting that the greatest assurance the Church can give abstracting from the promises of Christ be of no higher infallibility then the lowest degree we have mentioned would you venture your soul that a thousand dice being thrown out of a box would come forth all sixes Do you not see by this argument that it is a thousand to one the Catholick is in the right and consequently a thousand to one the Protestant is in the wrong and this will necessarily follow for in Religion we cannot stand by and look on but we must absolutely engage on one side and therefore it is a desperate shift of such Protestants as think that because they see not a clear demonstration of the Churches Infallibility in the severest importance of that word they may therefore safely continue in their schism unless they be hardy enough to venture their souls in a way where it is at least a thousand to one they lose them So that though humane wit should by captious objections seem to trouble the clearness of the Infallibility of the Catholick Church which is in it self really impossible to be endangered yet are the motives of adherence to that Communion so highly credible even in a rational natural consideration that it were an absolute madness to prefer any other separated Church or Congregation which cannot pretend to the least credibility to support it 3. These things being thus premis'd since there are so many degrees of truth or veracity and Infallibility and yet the same word Infallibility applied to them all it may be very reasonable that great Caution should be used in the application of it that is that it should be expressed in what sense and degree the word is taken before it be urged or disputed upon So that if it be advanced to a more sublime degree then the matter requires no wonder if there be misunderstanding between Disputants and not only a prolonging of Disputations but also an impossibility of ending them Now whether it is the fault of Catholick Controvertists for want of explication and clearing of the sense of this word Infallibility that hath given an advantage to Protestants I examine not but sure I am Protestants have taken advantage from the ambiguousness of this word Infallibility to embroile the controversie of the Churches authority and to spin it out endlessly insomuch as there is not one Author of them I ever met with that treating of this controversy disputes to the point or so much as aimes to combat against the Churches Authority but against an image of Infallibility created onely by their own fancies 4. For proof of this to omit the ordinary Polemical writings of Protestants who wast paper and time onely in combating particular unnecessary points controverted by Catholicks themselves I shall desire any ingenuous Protestant to examine the proceedings of Mr. Chillingworth and even my noble Lord too in this little Treatise and he wil acknowledge what I say to be true yet certainly no English writers ever professed to come closer to the point then they 5. First for Mr. Chillingworth what a brand â— shing and flourishing doth he keep with his pen and what a great proportion of his book is spent in Discourses by which he would pâ—etend to enervate the Churches Infallibility which do not so much as approach towards it For suppose a Pope were Simoniacally elected or a Bishop unlawfully consecrated or a Priest not baptized or that any of these had a perverse intention in administring the Sacraments would the Church for all this fail in being an Infallible Guide or would all Christians be turned out of their way to salvation Did not or might not he easily have been informed that excepting in Infants even Baptism it self and much less any other Sacrament unlawfully and invalidly administred
be doubtful that he is wrong A Guide that the Scripture never mentioned and the Church never heard of but supposed by being called a Chruch that it never should be hearkned to so that whether Scripture or Tradition or Church or all of them be followed such a Guide ought to be deserted and renounced A Guide that two persons cannot possibly follow together because no two persons that ever followed any other Guide beside Authority did or could think all things to be reasonable that any other thought so And lastly by consequence such a Guide that as long as he continues in the office there cannot possibly be any Church any where And is not this an infallible Eviction that this is an imaginary seducing Guide since it is impossible that that should be a Guide appointed for any Christian which neither Christ nor his Apostles nor any of their followers ever mentioned yea which does formally destroy one of our twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam 12. And yet when all this is said even this is a less unreasonable and less unsafe Guide then any divided particular Church can be For this hood-wink'd Guide inquiring into Scripture and searching after Tradition may possibly stumble upon the way to Unity and Truth that is the true Catholick Church for private Reason professes the exclusion of partiallity and will not refuse to take into consideration whether it self ought not to be renounced and Authority submitted to and if it chance to finde Reason for Authority it will resign its Office and cease to be a Guide any longer or private Reason any longer whereas particular Churches being founded upon the renouncing of Universal Authority in practise and yet usurping that Authority which they renounce doe not onely mis-lead their followers but having seised on them do chain and fasten them in that Dunge on CHAP. VII A concluding Exhortation wherein all are invited to Catholique UNITY 1. FOR a farewell to I. P. and all his Brethren and to all my dear mislead Countrymen of what Religion Sect or Faction soever but principally the Protestants Presbyterians and Independents I beseech them all to suffer a word of Exhortation made by St Paul to the Philippians Phil. 2. Si quae ergo consolatio in Christo si quod solatium c. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Charity if any society of the spirit if any bâ—â—els of Compassion fulfill the joy of St Paul and all Saints that you be of the same Judgement having the same charity being of one mind thinking the same thing That is Think Catholique Unity a desirable thing and pursue the ways to attain it 2. Now the Sun shines not clearer at Noon then this Truth That there is no possible Unity without Authority nor no Christian Unity without an Infallible Authority all other Authority is meer Faction and Rebellion an Authority that reaches to the outward appearance or that bindes onely the purse If there were any true Spiritual Authority lately in England or now at Geneva c. it would engage the consciences of those that are under it and that not as English men or French but as Christians And by consequence all Christians should be obliged to submit to it a thing that themselves do not so much as pretend to Therefore by all those passionate exhortations of St. Paul I conjure you be no longer averse from Catholick Unity and Catholick Authority for be assured without such Unity and Authority submitted to you will finde no consolation no not in Christ himself no comfort in the charity of the Father nor society with the â—â— Spirit c. 3. Do not according to your mistaken custom account us uncharitable in professing that salvation cannot belong to any that are estranged from our Catholick Communion we could not be Catholicks if we said not so Thereby we approve our selves to be the lawful children of the Ancient Saints Martyrs Confessors c. all which out of their burning charity not pride or malice protested damnation to all out of their Communion For how could they or we be the true Church unless we excluded false Churches St. Augustin was the benignest humblest charitablest soul in his Age yet who thunders so loudly and so terribly against Schismaticks as he And his enemies the Donatists pretending to be the Catholick Church to the end to justifie seemingly their false plea were forced to denounce damnation to all from whom they were divided otherwise they would not have had so much as the shew of Catholicks 4. More particularly addressing my self to my most dear friends the English Protestants of whose communion I once was a seduced Member consider I beseech you that that which at the first composing of this Book I onely suspected might possibly happen is now abundantly effected God has in part visited on you the persecution and injustice you laid upon us Now do you not see that your Church was the meer creature of State-Policy If it had had the power of Religion the decay of your Ecclestical estates or imprisonment of your Bishops would not have destroyed Authority among you The censures of a captive Pope or Excommunication of a Synod meeting in a Grot were as terrible to irregular disobedient Catholicks as if they had thundred from the Capitol or the Emperial Pallace in Constantinople Where are the proofs now of your Spiritual Power Why do not you thunder out your Excommunications against the Subverters of your Religion or against your own daily revolting subjects Alas who would be frighted with such Anathema's Or what subjects have you now after the loss of your temporal Lordships And which way shall those Lordships be regained that you may become a Church again Those that were once content you should enjoy them will not adventure their own estates to recover them for you the Lutherans are too far off and the Calvinists too neer you may comfort your selves with your Liturgy and perhaps your Surplices worne in private Conventicles But as for a succession of Priests or Bishops that is not to be hoped much less a restauration of your Religion which is now quite out of date 5. To what Church will you now apply your selves To the Scotish Kirk or your own Presbyterians the first incendiaries of all these troubles the Idumaeans that cried Exinanite Exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea Or to their successors of a thousand names and shapes and all of them frighrful What is it that holds you from returning to Catholick Communion What other injuries have we done you except that we have forced you to blush to see how patiently we suffred your injustices oppressions and persecutions But the Truth is you were not so much our Persecutors as that poysonous generation of Calvinists among you they were those who instill'd fury into our Kings and Parliaments and poison into the laws against us Which very lawes are still kept in force against Catholicks