Protestant Church of England Pag. 62. Cranmer a meer Cotemporiser and of no Religion at all Pag. 63. Who fram'd the 39 Articles Pag. 64. Of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Pag. 67. Protestant Bishops well pleas'd to see themselves Religiously Worship'd Pag. 70. Protestants though they have chang'd their Form of Ordination yet cannot have a true Clergy till they change also the Character of the Ordainers Pag. 80. Of the Effects immediatly produc'd by the 39 Articles Pag. 82. Dudely Earl of Warwick's Endeavours to have his Son to Reign after K. Edw. His Marrying him to the Lady Jane Gray Pag. 83. Queen Mary's Troubles Pag. 84. The Roman Catholicks willing Resignation of the Church Livings to the Crown Pag. 86. An Act of Parliament in the first year of Q. Mary concerning the fraud and force of K. Henry the VIII's unlawful Divorce from Q. Catharine Pag. 88. Other Effects of Protestancy after it was reviv'd in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown And of the Nullity of her Clergies Character and Jurisdiction Pag. 95. Decreed in Parliament that any Natural Issue of Q. Elizabeths Body should enjoy the Crown after her Death and so the Line of Stewards to be Excluded Pag. 100. Reasons why Q. Elizabeth in her 44 years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable Pag. 103 How Injurious Protestancy hath been to the Royal Family of the Stewards and how Zealous they have been in promoting the same Pag. 109. K. James the I. declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no Hand in Gun-powder Treason Pag. 112. Of K. Charles the First Pag. 112. Part. 2. Of the Inconsistency of Protestant Principles with Christian Piety and Peaceable Government THe foundation whereon all Reformations are built Pag. 117. The Protestant evasion of the clearness of Scripture against Roman Catholick Doctrine and also of the Invisibility of their own Church Confuted And the Incredibility of the suppos'd Change and Apostacy prov'd by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant Principles Pag. 121 Protestants mistaken in the Canon of the Scripture maintain'd by the Church of England and by Dr. Cousins Bishop of Duresin Pag. 131. Dr. Couzins Exceptions and Falsifications against the Councel of Trent's Authority answer'd Pag. 137. New Definitions are not New Articles of Faith Pag. 141. Protestants so grosly mistaken in their Letter and Translation of Scriptures that they cannot have any Certainty of Faith And are forc'd at length by their Principles to question the Truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical Books thereof Pag. 149. Particular Instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible Pag. 157. Protestant Interpretation is not the true Sense of Script Pag. 163. Protestants Mistaken in the Ministry and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the Sanctity and Honesty of their Reformers Pag. 168. Calvin's Miracle Pag. 180. Beza's Lasciviousness He prefers his Boy Andibertus before his Girle Candida Pag. 181. Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophesies of Scripture concerning the Conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretold as an Infallible Mark of the True Church and whereof the Protestant is depriv'd Pag. 183. Calvin sends Ministers to Convert Gallia Antartica from Heathenism And what success they had Pag. 190. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their Justifying Faith with Justice or Civil Government Pag. 193. The Protestant Doctrine of Justifying Faith most dangerous and Damnable Pag. 198. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian Faith Humility Charity Peace either in Church or State with their making Scriptures as interpreted by private Persons or Fallible Synods or fancied General Councils composed of all Dissenting Christian Churches the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39 Articles or the Oath of Supremacy a distinctive Sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings Pag. 207. How the Fundamental Principles of Protestancy maturely examin'd and strictly followed have led the most Learned Protestants of the World to Judaisme Atheism Arianisme and Mahometanisme c. Pag. 222. The Protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania deny the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Pag. 230. How the Indifferency or rather Inclination of Protestancy to all kind of Infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick Doctrine and distinction of Fundamental and Not Fundamental Articles of Faith The design of their fundamental distinction laid open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church And how it has the Authority of Judging all Controversy of Religion Pag. 233. The Roman Catholick Church is a Competent and Impartial Judge of Controversies of Religion Pag. 241. Of the Justice and Legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy Pag. 242. All Christians were never Judges of Religion one Party always submitted to the Judgment of the Other that was in Obedience to and in Communion with St. Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome Pag. 247. Gods Veracity is deny'd by Protestancy and by the Prelatick Distinction and Doctrine of Fundamental and not Fundamental Articles of Faith Pag. 251. Protestancy is Heresie Pag. 254. Protestancy contradicts Gods Veracity Pag. 255. The Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in Matters of Faith prov'd against Protestants Pag. 256. The Protestant Doctrine of Fundamentals Confuted Pag. 257. The same further demonstrated and prov'd that neither the Protestant Faith nor the Faith lately Asserted in a Book call'd Sure footing in Christianity is Christian Belief Pag. 260. The Resolution of Protestant Faith Pag. 262. The Infallibility of the Church prov'd by Gods Veracity Pag. 268. Heresie Explain'd by Rebellion Pag. 269. The Unreasonableness of them who pretend a private Spirit and refuse to submit to the Authority of the Church for want of Clearer Evidence than the Roman Catholicks hath of Gods Authority Pag. 269. Reasons for Liberty of Conscience And how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the State by continuing and pressing the Sanguinary and Penal Statutes against the Roman Catholick Faith and the Act of Uniformity against Sectaries Pag. 271. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions Severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statutes against Popery Pag. 283. Part 3. Containing a plain Discovery of the Protestant Clergys Frauds and Falsifications whereby alone their Doctrine is supported and made Credible The Conscience and Conveniency of Restoring or Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion Demonstrated THat either the Learned Protestants or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every Illiterate Protestant may easily discern by which of the two Clergies he is Cheated And therefore is oblig'd under pain of Damnation to examine so near a concern And to renounce the Doctrine and Communion of that Church wherein he is Cheated Pag. 287. With what Impudency and Hypocrisy Bishop Jewel
Helvidius Jovinian Faustus and Ebion hereticks saying that works of supererogation that is not commanded but councel'd by God cannot be taught without arogancy and impiety and yet Christ taught them and S. Paul commends them In the three subsequent Articles they seeme to agree with all Christians But in the 19. they differ from all Catholicks And as the Arians did maintain the fallibility of the Nicen Councel and the Donatists the fal or invisibility of the whole Church â—o do Protestants and therby open a wide gap for all heresies In the 20. they contradict themselves and the former articles by saying that the Church hath power and authority to decree controversies of faith for there can be no authority in a Church to decree or define matters of faith without there be in the faithful an obligation of conscience to submit and conform their judgments to the said Decrees and definitions and sâ—ure there can be no obligation of conscience in any man to submit or conform his judgment in points of faith to a Church that doth acknowledg it self may err therin and lead men to heresy idotry and damnation True it is that the Protestant Church of England can never remedy it's want of authority vnless it pretends to infallibility and that now can hardly be don seing in the 2â— Article next ensuing it denys that same prerogative to general Councels which are of greater authority then our English Convocations In the 22. Article Cranmer and his Associats because all other Sects of Protestants do the same speak cleerly against the Roman Catholick doctrin of Purgatory Pardons worshiping of Images Reliques and invocation of Saints and are pleased to censure it a fond thing invented and grounded vpon no waranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God as if forsooth the Jews Atheists and Apostata Friars who composed these 39. Articles knew better the right sense of the word of God then the whole Catholick Church and the general Councels which practised and thaught the Roman doctrin and the lawfulness of these things and condemned the contrary as heresy These errors were rays'd by Aërius n. 342· Xenaias and other hereticks Aërius because he was refused a Bishoprick taught that Episcopacy was not distinct from single Priesthood He denyed Prayrs and masses for the Dead ought to be offerred and by consequence the doctrin of Purgatory as also that the Church could command men to fast but that every man might fast when he thought fit Xenaias was the first who made war against Images· Vigilantius against Reliques praying to Saints c. S. Hierom. ad Ripar Desider Presbiteros Vigilantius orsus est subito qui contra Christi spiritum Martyrum nâ—gat sepulchra veneranda damnatqae Sanctorum Vigilias ex quo fit vt Dormitantius potiùs quam Vigilantius vocari debeat Haeretici assumunt sibi linguas suas vt cordis venena ore pronuncient O proescindendam itaque linguam in partes frusta lacerandam meam injuriam patienter tuli impietatem contra Deum ferre non valui S. Hierom laughs at the folly of Vigilantius the heretick and cals him Dormitantius for being in these points a Protestant and says that his tongue ought to be cut and carved into a thousand pieces for blaspheming against God in his Saints And truly it is a hard case that Scripture should warrant our worshiping of Prophets or recommending our selves to the Prayers of Saints when they convers with vs vpon earth and yet that it should not be lawful for vs to do the same when they ar in heaven as if their enjoying the presence and sight of God did diminish their dignity or charity Or as if a Saint in Gods glory were not as fit an object and as capable of our Religious worship as a Prophet Apostle or Bishop is in this world to whom we kneel out of the religious respect we own to their spiritual caracter or Ecclesiastical dignity though their natural qualities deserve not such respect My-Lord of Canterbury they say commends very much the religious piety of some Ladys for craving his benediction vpon their knees which reverence is not exhibited by them nor expected by him as he is M·r Sheldon but as he pretends to be Archbishop of Canterbury And if it be not only lawful but comendable to kneel to his Grace or at least to others who are true Bishops and to shew a religious respect of the like nature to his picture or presence and that all this may bee don without daunger of Idolatry or of derogating from the Deity I see no reason why men should condemn in vs the like worship of Saints in their Images or Reliques It is not the outward action but the inward intention that maks the worship unlawful So long as we do not adore Images as Gods or Idols we may bow and kneel to them with as much ceremony as Protestants do to their Prelats or Episcopal pictures The simplest Papist can hardly be so stupid by nature or at least so destitut of instruction as to believe a stock or stone can be God or that there is no difference between the worship due to Saints whom they know to be but Gods servants and the worship due to their Master and Creator The 23. Article is set down in such general and ambiguous terms that neither Presbiterian nor Prelatick Clergy is therby established nor any caracter of Priesthood or Episcopacy asserted but according to the doctrin of all the first Reformers a private ministery of preaching and baptising insinuated to be common to all Christians Be you most certain saith Luther lib. de Captiv Babylon and let every-man who is a Christian know that we are all equaly Priests that is we have the same power to preach and administer the Sacraments The same doctrin teacheth Zuinglius and Caluin Though to avoyd confusion it be not lawful for any man to take vpon him the office of publick preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully caled and sent to execute the same And because in the 25. Article they declare it is not necessary that this caling or ministery be ordination by imposition of Bishop's hands or by Apostolical succession and by consequence may be extraordinary vocation or election they leave the authority of caling as doubeful as not determining whether the power be in the secular Magistrat or in the ecclesiastical Congregation albeâ—â— they seeme by virtue of the English Supremacy to place it in the King their words are And those we ought to judg lawfuly caled and sent which be caled and chosen to this work by men who have publick authority given vnto them in not by the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyeard So that they seem to place all spirtiual authority and jurisdiction in the Kings and reserve only the application therof and the choice of the persons authorised to themselves But they were loath to explain
enjoying their temporal liberties and much more vpon the spritual prerogative of Protestancy which according to Luther the first Author and Apostle therof is omnia judicemus regamus Let us judg and govern all things and not only his German Scholler Brentius but our English Bishop Bilson and all Prelaticks grant that the people must be discerners and Judges of that which is taught And the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England explaining the 39. Articles therof saith Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg controversies of faith c. And this is not the privat opinion of our Church but also the judgment of our godly brethren in forain Nations And it is not only the Tenet of Calvin but of all Protestant Writers that temporal laws oblige not in conscience any Christians to obey It being therfore a principle and priviledg even of Prelatick Protestancy and agreable to the 39. Articles that every member of sound judgment in the Church hath authority to judg controversies of faith and by consequence all other differences that may be reduced thervnto how is it possible for any King to be a Soveraign among Protestants who are all supreme judges both of faith and state for that State-affairs are subordinat to Religion and must be managed according to the Protestant sense of Scripture that is according to the judgment and interpretation of every particular Protestant or of him that can form or foole the multitude into his own opinion Wherfore we ought not be astonished that men constituted supreme Iudges and Interpreters of Scripture by the legal authority and articles of the Church of England and by the Evangelical libertys of Protestancy should presume to make them-selves the King's Iudges For my part I shal thinck it a great providence of God and extraordinary prudence in the government to see any King of England during the profession and legality of such principles in his Kingdom escape the like daunger and do continualy pray that their good Angel may deliver them from the effects of their own Religion His Majesty that by miracle now Reigns long may he live and prosper hath bin forced to lurck for his life in one of those secret places wherunto Priests retire when they are search't for God giving him to vnderstand therby that the most powerfull Princes where Protestancy prevails even in their own Kingdoms are never secure and may be often reduced to as hard shifts and as great extremities as the Poorest Priests and meanest Subjects RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE SECOND PART Of the inconsistency of Protestant principles with Christian piety and peaceable Government SECT I. Proved by the very Foundation of the Protestant Reformation which is a supposition of the fallibility and fal of the visible Catholick Church from the pure and primitive doctrin of Christ into notorious superstition IN the beginning of the first Part it hath bin sayd that the groundworck as wel of Policy as of Peace and Piety consists in making that persuasion to be the Religion of the State which is most credible or most agreable to reason because no commands duties taxes or charges will seem intolerable to subjects for the preservation and propagation of such a Religion nor for the maintenance of the spirititual and temporal Ministers to whose charge is committed the government of such a Church and Common-wealth How far all kind of Protestancy even the Prelatick is from having this prerogative we shall demonstrat in this Part of our Treatise and in this Section prove the same by the absurdity of the fundamental Protestant principles Common as well to the Prelatick as to all other Reformations The foundation wherupon all Protestant Reformations are built is this incredible or rather impossible supposition Viz. That all the visible and known Christian Churches of the world â—ell from that purity and truth of doctrin which they had once professed into superstition and damnable errors vntil at length in the 15. age God sent the Protestant Reformers to revive the true faith and Religion whose separation from the Roman Catholick Church and all others then visible is pretended to be free from sin and Schism by reason of the falshood of the Roman Catholick doctrin not consistent with saluation But this supposition is incredible 1. Because Protestants confess the fall and change of Religion was not perceived vntil 1300. or vntil at least 1000. years after it happned and such an imperceptible change in Christian religion involues as plain contradictions as a silent thunder For either it must be granted that all the Pastors and Prelats who lived in the time that any alteration of doctrin began were so stupid as not to take notice of so important and remarcable an object or so wicked as to observe and yet not oppose novelties so destructive to the souls committed to their charges Both which are proved to be groundless calumnies by the acknowledged zeal learning and integrity wherwith many Prelats and Pastors were endued in every age since the Apostles as their works yet extant do testify The truth of this Protestant supposition is not only incredible but impossible because the supposed chang of Christian Religion into Popish superstition is not pretended to have bin only a chang of the inward persuasion but of the outward profession visible and observable in ceremonies and practises answerable to the Mysteries believed as the adoring of the B. Sacrament worship of Jmages Communion in one kind publick prayer in vnknown languages c. How then is it possible that any Christian man or Congregation could begin so discernable and damnable novelties as according to the opinion of our Adversaries The adoration of the Sacrament Transubstantiation worship of Jmages Communion of the layty vnder one kind the Sacrifice of the Mass and publick prayers in an vnknown language the Pop's supremacy the doctrin of Purgatory Jndulgences Praying to Saints the vnmarried life of Priests c. How is it possible I say that any one should begin to teach and practise any of these supposed damnable doctrins and yet never be noted or reprehended by any one Prelat Pastor or Preacher who ar according to Esay the watâ—chmen of te visible Church vntil Luther's times or at least vntil these supposed superstitions had bin so vniversally spread so deeply rooted and plausibly received as Catholick truths and as ancient Traditions of Christ and of the Apostles that they who censured and opposed any of them were for so doing immediatly cryed down and condemned by the then visible and Catholick Church and Counsels as notorious hereticks How come the Preachers and Professors of these pretended Popish errors to escape for so many ages as Protestants confess they had continued vncontroul'd from the censures of Christ's pure Protestant Congregation if there was any vpon earth during that time was there not one Bishop Priest or Preacher in all the world for so many ages
singular glory and vain reputation conceive sundry suttle and disloyal practises for the interruption and breach of the sayd most lawful and Godly concord And endeavering to put the same in vre devised first to insinuat a scruple into the King your Father's conscience of an vnlawful marriage between him and his most lawful wife the Queen your Highnes's Mother pretending for the ground therof that the same was against the word of God And thervpon ceased not to persuade continualy vnto the sayd King your Father that he could not without daunger of the loss of his soule continue with his sayd most lawful wife but must be separated and divorc'd from her And to this intent caus'd the Seals aâ— wel of certain Vniversities in Italy and France to be gotten as it were for a testimony by the corruption of mony with a few light persons Schollers of the same Vniversities as also the Seals of the Vniversities of this Realm to be obtained by great travail sinister working secret threatnings and intreatings of some men in authority especialy sent at that tyme thither for the same purposes And how that finaly Thomas Cranmer newly made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury most vngodly and against all laws equity and conscience prosecuted the same wicked device of divorce and separation of the said King your Father and Queen your Mother caled before him ex officio the hearing of the same matter of marriage and taking his foundation partly vpon his own vnadvised judgment of the Scripture ioyning ther with the pretended Testimonies of the said Vniversities and partly vpon bare and most vntrue conjecturs gathered and admitted by him vpon matters of no strength or effect but only by supposal and without admitting or hearing any thing that could be sayd by the Queen your Mother or by any other on her behalf in the absence of the sayd late your Mother proceeded pronounced and discerned declared and gave sentence the same most lawful and vndoubted matrimony to be naught and to be contracted against God's law and of no value but lacking the strength of the law and the said most noble King your Father and the said noble Queen your Mother so married together did separat and divorce and the same your most noble Father King Henry the 8. and the said noble Queen your Mother from the bands of the same most lawful matrimony did pronounce and declare by the same his vnlawful sentence to be free discharged and set at liberty Which sentence and judgment so given by vnlawful and corrupt means and ways by the said Archbishop of Canterbury was afterwards vpon certain affections ratified and confirmed by two several Acts the one made in the 25. year of the raign to the said King your Highnes's Father and intituled an Act of declaring the establishment of the succession of the Kings most Royal Majesty of the Imperial Crown of his Realm The other Act of Parliament made in the 28. year of the raign of the said King your Highnes's Father intituled an Act for the establishment of the succession of the Imperial Crown of the Realm In the which said two Acts was contained the illegitimation of your most noble Person which your sayd most noble Person being born in so solemn a mariage so openly approued in the world and with so good faith both first contracted and also by so many years continued between your most noble Parents and the same Mariage in very deed not being prohibited by the law of God could not by any reason or equity in this case be so spotted And now we your Highnes's sayd most loving faithful and obedient subjects of a godly heart and true meaning frely and frankly without fear fancy or any other corrupt motion or sensual affection considering that this foresayd mariage had it's beginning of God and by him was continued and therfor was received and is to be taken for a most true just lawful and to all respects a sincere and perfect mariage nor could nor ought by any man's power authority or jurisdiction be dissolved broken or separated for whom God joyneth no man can nor ought to put a sunder and considering also how during the same mariage in godly concord the Realm in all degrees flourished to the glory of God the honour of the Prince and the great reputation of the subjects of the same and on the other side vnderstanding manifestly that the ground of the sayd divice and practice for the sayd divorce proceeding first of malice and vaine glory and afterward was prosecuted and followed of fond affection and sensual fantasie and finaly executed and put in effect by corruption ignorance and flattery and not only feeling to our great sorrow dammage and regret how shamful ignominies rebuks slanders and contempts yea with death pestilence and wars disobedience rebellions insurrections and divers other great and grievous plagues God of his Justice hath sent vpon vs ever since this vngodly purpose was first begun and practised But also seing evidently before our eys that vnless so great an injustice as this hath bin and yet continued be rebuked and that the sayd fals and wrongful process Iudgment and sentence with their dependances be repealed and revoked nothing is less to be doubted then that greater plagues and stroaks are like to encrease and continue dayly more and more with in this Realm do beseech your most excelent Majesty as wel in respect of your own honours dignity and just title as for truth's sake wherwith we doubt not but your Highness also will be specialy moved in conscience and also for the intire love favour and affection which your Majesty beareth to the common wealth of this Realm and for the good peace vnity and rest of vs your most faithful subjects and our posterity that it may be enacted by your Highness with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled And be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that all and every decree sentence and Iudgment of divorce and separation between the sayd King your Father and the sayd late Queen your Mother and all the process commenc'd followed given made or promulged by the sayd Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Canterbury or by any other person or persons whatsoever wherby the same most just pure and lawful marriage between the sayd late King your Father and the sayd late Queen your Mother was or is pronounced or in any wise declared to be vnlawful or vnjust or against the law of God be and shal be from the beginning and from hence forth of no force validity or effect but be vtterly naught voyd frustrat and annihilat to all intents constructions and purposes as if the same had never bin given or pronounced And be it also enacted by the authority aforsaid that as wel the said Act of Parliament intituled an Act declaring the establishment of the Succession of the King 's most Royal Majesty to the Imperial Crown
so frequently objected they were for meer shame corrected in the new Translation seâ— forth by order of King James And then appeared the forged Register of Mason to supply the 〈◊〉 of that falsification and to make the world believe that the first Protestant Bishops Parker Jewell Horn 〈◊〉 had bin consecrated by imposition of Episcopal hands with great solemnity and all due formalities at Lambeth wheras for the space of above â—0 years before that time as hath 〈◊〉 said â—â—â—tofore no man could tell or hear where or by whom these men had bin made Bishops for at the Nags-head they were rejected by Lâ—â—daf and Sâ—ories consecrating form in the same place was ridiculous notwithstanding that it had bin the greatest controversy between Catholicks and Protestants and the name of the place and 〈◊〉 continually demanded in print If an authentick Register 〈◊〉 my credible witness had bin produced when some such 〈◊〉 was called for by D. r Harding and 〈…〉 50. yeâ—rs before Mason appeared in print the dispute had bin ended 〈…〉 great honour of the Prelaticks and Confusion of the 〈◊〉 but they were answered only with an Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. declaring that whatsoever had bin don in virtue of the great soule of England and the Queens supremacy was well don and should stand legal and valid The falsification of Images for Idols was corrected t' is true in the new Testament but in the ould exod 20.4 and in the ten Commandments and Catechisms for Children they 〈…〉 corruptions translating graven Images for graven thing against all Texts Hebrew Greek and Laâ—â—n for that the hebrew word pesel is the very same that sculpâ—â—â— in latin that is a graven or carved thing and the Greek 〈◊〉 eidâ—â—lon an Jdol So that by this fals and wicked practise 〈◊〉 Protestant Clergy doth still endeavor to discredit the Roâ—â—n Catholick Religion and therby continue their own auâ—â—ority and Beneficies making the layty believe contrary to their own consciences and corrections in the new Testaâ—â—â—â— that popery is Idolatry for admitting worship of Images 〈◊〉 if Image and Idol were the same thing and equally forbidden by Scripture and God's Commandements To confirm their flocks in this persuasion they tell them the reason why Catholicks leave out some repetitions of the first Commandement in their Catechismes is because they know that to worship Images is against Scripture wheras in our Latin and many vulgar Roman Catechismes nothing is omitted and in such short ones wherin all the words are not expresly mentioned it 's don only not to charge Childrens memories with more then with the substance of every Commandement and the substance of the first consists in the first â—ords therof In the last Commandement also we put in brief only these words Thou shalt not covet an other man's goods Omitting Oxes and Asses c. If our design had bin to corrupt 〈◊〉 conceale the words and sense of Scripture in the first comâ—â—â—dement in favor of Images we would not have set down the Text so cleerly in any of our larger Catechismes and much less in our Latin and vulgar Translations of the Bible Hence it followeth that we do not take away the second Commandement as Protestants object who begin the second precept from these words Thou shalt not make to thee a graven thing c. which we make part of the first and with S. Austin q. 71. in Exodum we divide the first table into three precepts directing vs to God the second into seaven belonging to our selves vpon this reason among others because to make or have any graven thing or similitude of any creature to the end to adore it as God were indeed to have a strange God which is forbid in the first words of the first Commandment and so all that followeth to the commination and promise forbiddeth false Gods and appeareth to be but one precept in substance But the desire and internal consent to adultery and theft differ altogeather as much as the external acts of the same sins and therfore seing adultery and theft are forbidden by two distinct precepts the prohibition of the internal desire doth also require two precepts To maintain their heresies against the single life of Priests as also against the excellency of Virginity vowes of Chastity free will and the possibility of Keeping God's Commandments they corrupt the Text of Math. 19.11 translating contrary to all Copies both Hebrew Greek and Latin All men can not receive this saying in steed of all men do not receive this saying for we may have the gift of continency if we will S. Austin lib. de gratia lib. arbit c. 4. faith whosoever have not this gift given them it is either for that they will not have it or that they fulfill not that which they will and they that have this gift or attain to this word have it of God and their own freewill And Origen explaining this very text tract 7. in Math. saith this gift is given to all that ask for it To authorise the Protestant error of Iustification and Salvation by faith only set down as an article of saith in the 39. of the Church of England they translate Luc. 18 4â— Receive thy sight thy faith hath saved thee insteed of Receive thy sight thy faith hath made thee whole it being cleere that the blind man who answered Christ's question desired corporal sight and that our Saviour accordingly granted what he asked in the same manner and with the same words he did to others that he cured of the same disease Mark 10.52 Luke 8.48 50. which places are corrected and rightly translated but as they did in the translation of Images for Idols leave some places vncorrected so they thought fit to do in this particular to the end some places or other of their Scripture might remain still â—â—â—tore against Popery as Rom. 11.4 they translate for Bâ—al the Jmage of Baal c. Acts 19.24 they translate for Temples of Diana Shrines 〈◊〉 make shrines of saints Bodies and of other Reliques odious â—nd vers 35. they add Image to the Text which is not in any Copy Greek or Latin to condemn the worship of Images And Chap. 20. v. 28. to attribute the rule and Government of the Church to the King principaly and more properly then to Bishops Insteed of rule the Church of God they translate take heed therfore vnto your selves and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God And with the same fraud and flattery they translate 1. Pet. 2.13 Be subject to every human Creature for God thus Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake as though it were all one to be subject and obey every temporal Prince in things lawfull and to obey every ordinance and by consequence in spiritual as well as in temporal maters In the same place also wheras in K. Edward 6. dayes the English Bible had To
of Paris a secular Court would fain have pressed vpon the French Clergy king since and the Jansenists lately but now dare not mention any such thing the Pope having lately censured their presumption of intermedling with matters aboue their jurisdiction and the King not giving them thanks for their officiousness Protestants can not cleere their Religion from the doctrin and danger of deposing Soveraigns and disposing of their Kingdoms NOw that we have cleered 〈…〉 Roman Catholik Religion from the aspersions of our 〈…〉 and shewed how 〈◊〉 dangerous the Pope's spiâ—â—â—ual supremacy can be to the temporal Soveraignty even of protestant Princes I would willingly vnderstand how the protestant and prelatik Clergy can vindicat their own principles 〈…〉 from deposing of as many Monarchâ— and Magistrat◠〈◊〉 did not conform to their Reformations whersoever they pâ—â—vailed Let them name but one protestant Kingdom Principality Commonwealth or Citty wherin protestancy hath not bin promoted by rebellion and exclusion of the lawfull Soveraign or Magistrat let them read the Histories of Germany Geneva France England Holland Suethland Suitzerland Vallies of Saâ—â—y Scotland c. 〈◊〉 they will find that as we do not exaggegrat so they can 〈◊〉 excuse the crime or except any of this number from notorious guilt therof So vniversal a conspiracy against lawfull Sâ—â—eraigns in nations so distant and different agreeing almost 〈◊〉 nothing but in the fundamental grounds of protestancy 〈◊〉 particularly in their maxim of the lawfulness to rayse 〈◊〉 settle the reformation vpon the ruins of all superiority 〈◊〉 spiritual and temporal that will not submit to the arbiâ—â—â—â—â— interpretation of Scripture of every Protestant prevailing 〈◊〉 must needs be a convincing proof that nothing can 〈◊〉 allyed to rebellion then the Protestant Religion which 〈◊〉 content to depose only Catholik Kings for Popery doth 〈◊〉 the same authority against their own protestant Kings 〈…〉 they conform not even their reformed Tenets to the 〈…〉 fancies of an illiterat giddy multitude And even the Cavaleers the wisest and most faithfull 〈◊〉 have given sufficient ground for men to suspect 〈…〉 think it no discredit to their prelatick Religion nor 〈◊〉 to themselves to trouble and question their Kings 〈◊〉 he and his privy Councell should think fit to vse a 〈◊〉 moderation towards Papists their late speeches in the 〈◊〉 of Commons against his Majesties Declaration is too cleer 〈…〉 for this censure Let themselves now be Judges 〈◊〉 the Roman Catholik Religion notwithstanding its 〈◊〉 of the Popes spiritual supremacy be not more 〈◊〉 â—o Kings then the best Protestant Reformations and 〈◊〉 the Papal spiritual Iurisdiction over souls be not 〈◊〉 with a temporal Soveraignty in Kings over their 〈◊〉 They will find this difference between both Religions that the Roman Catholik admits of and submits to Soveraignty however so addicted the Soveraigns are to Protestancy even the most precise Papists allow not of resistance against the royal authority in any case but only in that of forcing conscience by persecution but both Presbyterian and Prelatik Protestants think it lawfull to depose their Soveraigns if the Soveraigns SECT X. That Protestants could never prove any of the wilfull falsifications wherwith they charge Roman Catholik writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime whersoever they attempted to make good their charge against vs. SOME Protestants either out of ignorance or malice confound our Index expurgatorius with wilfull falsifications of ancient Fathers aÌ„d modern Authors wheras the sayd Index is a professed correcting not of the Fathers but of modern Authors opinions and Comments no concealed corrupting of their writings It doth not change any thing in ancient Fathers works though Protestants themselves confess 〈◊〉 of them have ambiguous and erroneous sentences but such are either sufficiently explained or corrected by themselves in other â—â—â—ces or condemned by the ancient Church and the geneâ—â—â— concurrence and consent of the other Fathers teaching and â—â—â—â—ifying the contrary to be Catholick doctrin So that we 〈◊〉 excuse our Adversaries either ignorance or impudence when they say we make the Fathers speake what is most pleasing to vs by our Index Expurgatorius This you may see solidly proved against Bishop Taylors Calumnies and falsifications in his Dissuasive and the thing is evident by the Index it self and the rules therof Kemnitius and other Protestants object some few texts of Scripture in the vulgar latin which they pretend were changed by vs and corrupted But Cardinal Bellarmin answers to all the objections so well that nothing can be replyed and all the world must confess we Roman Catholiks translated not any thing in that version to favor our Religion against Protestants seing our Latin Vulgata hath his vsed in the Church 1â— hundred years before their pretended reformation was heard of Iewell Morton and others object that Zozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus three Popes that lived in Saint 〈◊〉 â—ime and are much commended by him for holy men forged a Canon of the first Councell of Nice in favor of their own supremacy but they are sufficiently cleered from that aspersion by all Catholick Writers who agree in this that the heretiks did corrupt and Conceal some Canons of that Councell which are now wanting But as for that of appeales to the Pope which was the 〈…〉 it is in the Canons of the Councâ—ll 〈…〉 wayes held especialy in the west Church for 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 Councell because the same 〈…〉 both And St. Austin himself did appeale to 〈…〉 those three Popes whom Protestants would 〈◊〉 make 〈◊〉 in the cause of 〈◊〉 Bishop of 〈…〉 in his own Epistle about that matter Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of 〈◊〉 the general Councell of Calcedon 〈◊〉 favor of the Pope's sâ—â—remacy one of the foure first and received in England by act of a Protestant Parliament MR. Sutcliff in his Challenge and defence of the same chargeth Cardinal Bellarmin with many falsifications which you may see reâ—orted vpon himself in Walsingham's Search of Religion I will relate but one which is the third in Sutcliff's order In the same Book and Chapter saith Sutcliff Bellarmin falsifyeth the acts of the Councell of Calcedon And for proof of this falsification he sayes wheras Bellarmin 〈◊〉 that the Councell acknowldedged and called Pope Leo 〈◊〉 Ecclesias Head of the Church Which name saith Bellarâ—â—â— the Councell of Calcedon about 1200. years past doth 〈◊〉 an epistle to Pope Leo saying quibus tu velut membris 〈◊〉 praeras over whom you as head over the members do beare 〈◊〉 And in the first action of the Councell the Roman Church 〈◊〉 the Head of all Churches Sutcliff letting pass this last 〈◊〉 vpon the words quibus tu velut membris caput praeeras saying that this is referred to certain Priests of Leo his order in which Rank he shewed himself principal c. so as he saith that these words of the Councell do acknowledge only that Leo 〈◊〉 of certain Priests but not of the Bishops
of St. Bernard let them see how he condemned all their opinions against the Roman Catholick faith as heresys in the Petrobusians Henricians and Apostolici and then I hope they will acknowledge their error in not tolerating Popery St. Bernard doth relate in the life of St. Malachias whose Successor Doctor Taylor is not either in caracter or Doctrin that he cured a lunatick child in confirming him with the sacred vnction A miracle saith Holinshead seen and confessed by many hundreds of people and therupon blown through the world St. Optatus l. 2. contra Donatistas reporteth how the heretick threw out of the window ampullam Chrismatis a viall of Chrisme holy oyl to the intent to break it the which being stayd by an Angels hand God preserved and did light safe among the stones A Miracle of the Sacrament of Extreme vnction OF the Sacrament of Exteeme vnction St. Austin giveth this testimony So often as any infirmity chanceth let him that is sick receive the body and blood of Christ and after that let him annoint his body that that which is written Iac. 5.14 may be accomplished in him Is any sick let him bring in the Priests and let them pray over him annointing him with oyl in the name of our Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sicke And our Lord shall lift him vp and if he be in sins they shall be remitted him I doubt Doctor Taylor and his prelatick Convocation will not allow in this controversy of Extreme Vnction the testimony of St. Malacly to be as pious as they did in the former of Confirmation And if you ask the cause they can give no other but that their Episcopacy is not so much concerned in maintaining extreme Vnction as Confirmation We shall notwithstanding relate St. Bernards words and St. Malachias work and desire Doctor Taylor to let us know why he thinks the testimony of one and the example of the other to be more credibles and imitable in the point of Episcopacy then in other articles of Christian doctrin A noble man saith St. Bernard in vita Malachiae dwelled neere the Monastery of Benchor whose wife being sick Malachias was requested to anoyl her which was deferred till morning afterwards a sudden outcry being made that she was dead Malachias came and when he certainly found that she was dead he was greatly troubled in mind imputing the falt to himselfe that she dyed defrauded of the grace of the Sacrament and lifting vp his hands to heaven sayd I beseech thee o Lord c. what more she that was dead opend her eyes c. and Malachias giving thanks praysed God and anointed her Knowing sins to be remitted in this Sacrament Miracles of the Sacrament of Confession IT is written Act. 19.18 that many of those primitive Christian that belived came confessing and declaring their deeds Therfore St. Austin sayth to some who thaught it not necessary to confess their sins to Priests Do ye penance such as is don in the Church that the Church may pray for you Let no man say within himself I do it in secret J do it before God alone God who pardoneth me knoweth that I do in my heart Was it therfore sayd in vain whatsoever you shall loos in earth shall be loosed in Heaven Were the keys given to the Church of God in vain Do we frustrat the Ghospel of God Do we frustrat the words of Christ Do we promise you that which he denyeth Do we deceive you And in an other place there are saith he that do think it sufficient for their salvation if they confess theire sins to God alone vnto whom nothing is hidden and every mans conscience lieth open For they will not or they are ashamed or they disdain to shew themselves vnto Priests Whom yet our Lord hath by Moyses ordained to discern between leper and leper But J wil not have thee deceived with this opinion and be ashamed therby to confess them vnto the Vice-gerent of our Lord either languishing with â—hamfastnes or stiffnecked with indignation For of reason in like manner must we admit him for our Judge which our Lord doth not disdain to be his Vicar St. Cyprian saith I beseech you my brethren every one to confess his sin whilst yet he that sinneth remaineth in this world whilst his confession may be admitted whilst every mans satisfaction and remission given by the Priests is acceptable vnto our Lord. St. Basil the great saith Jt is judged necessary that sins be confessed vnto those to whom is committed the dispensation of the mysteries of God for so the very penitents of ancient times are found to have confessed their sins vnto holy men Sundry miracles wrought by God to confirm our Catholick doctrin of the Sacrament of Confession every one may read in Joannes Climacus grad 4. in S. Petrus Damian in ep ad Desiderium In Petrus Cluniac lib. 1. de Mirac cap. 3.4.5 6. J will relate one or two out of S. Bede of whom Fox pag. 165. sayes As touching the holines and integrity of his life it is not to be doubted And saith of his learning ibid. so notable and famous was the learning of Bede that the Church of Rome both stood in need of his help and also required the same about the discussing of certain controversies apperaining to learning Moreover the whole Latin Church at that tyme gave him the mastery in Iudgment and knoweldge of the holy Scriptures And yet this holy Man who was such a Master in all learning and Scripture in his history of the Church of England recounts Miracles either seen by himself or so credibly reported that he being of so sound a Judgment as Fox confesseth beleived and writ them for authentik to confirm every point of our doctrin wherin we differ from Protestants Let us hear one of Confession In the time of Conrede saith St. Bede l. 5. c. 14. hist. who reigned after King Edilrede there was a certain Captain in great favor with the King for his valor but careless of his soul. Wherfore the King often admonished him to make humble confession of his sins and amend his life least by deaths sudain prevention he might loos time of repentance but he notwithstanding this gentle admonition of his Souveraign deferred his confession In the mean time being visited with sicknes the King came to his Chamber for he loued him tenderly and exhorted him that at the least now he would confess before he died No quoth he J will not be confessed now but when J am well recovered I will least if I should now do it my fellows would say that I did that for feare of death which I did not in health When the King came the next day to visit him and give him good councel he cryed out incontinent with a pitiful and lamentable voice saying Alas what mean you Sir why come you hither you are not able to do me any good The King