testimonies of our Sauiour himselfe may finde so much grace and fauour with your Maiesty as to be credited it is manifest that by this testimony and description of his Church that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith CHAP. XII Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Apostles that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith FIRST Saint Peter speaking of the estate of the Church planted by our Sauiour saith MOYSES indeed said that a Prophet shal the Act. ◠22. Lord your God raise vp to you of your brethren as my selfe him shal you heare according to al things whatsoeuer he shal speake to you And it shal be euery soule that shal not heare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people And al the Prophets from Samuel and afterward that haue spoken could of these dayes you are the children of the Prophets and of the Testament which God made to our Fathers saying to Abraham and in thy seed shal all the Families of the earth be blessed To you first God raising vp his Sonne hath sent him blessing you That this Seed heere spoken of is the Church of Christians our Sauiour and Saint Paul do witnesse saying The good seed those are the children of the Kingdome Againe If you Matth. 13. 38. Galath 3. 29. be Christs then are you the seed of Abraham heires according to promise That this blessing can no way bee verified vpon Protestantisme is manifest for that it vanished away presently after the time of the Apostles and for faureteene hundred yeares together there is not to be found one man that professed it much lesse one Family or all the Families of the earth That this blessing in generall hath been verified vpon Roman Catholikes Protestants themselues confesse some Protestants affirming that Papistry hath been spread ouer the world for nine hundred yeares some for a thousand some for twelue hundred and some for more as it is set downe in the third Chapter So if the testimony of Saint Peter Moyses and all the Prophets from Samuel and afterward may finde so much grace and fauour with your Maiestie as to be credited they all affirme that our Sauiour was to bee the Author of our Catholike Romane Faith And supposed that there were Protestants in our Sauiours and the Apostles times who after their departure vanished away as Protestants affirme it is manifest by the testimony of Moses and Saint Peter that they were enemies of Christian Religion and so were destroyed from among the people according to the words of Moyses and Saint Peter saying Euery soule that shal Act. 3. Deut. 18. not heare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people Secondly Saint Poter speaking of the estate of the Church saith Behold I put in Syon a principall corner-stone 1. Pet. 2. elect preciaus And he that shal beleeue in him shal not be confounded To you therefore that beleeue honor but to them that beleeue not the stone which the builders reiected the same is made into the head of the corner and a stone of offence and a Rocke of scandall to them that stumble at the Word c. But you who beleeue are an elect generation a Kingly Priesthood a holy Nation a people of purchase that you may declare his vertues which from darknesse hath called you into his marueilous light Now supposed that there were Protestants in our Sauiours time yet these words of Saint Peter cannot be verified vpon them that they should not bee confounted but honored and made an elect generation a Kingly Priesthood or holy Nation a people of purchase to declare our Sauiours vertues in fulfilling the promises by conuerting the Gentiles to the Christian Faith Since they vanished away presently after the departure of the Apostles Thirdly Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come saith Christ ascending on high he led captiuity captiue he gaue gifts to men And he gaue some Ephes 4. 8. Apostles and some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastors and Doctors to the consummation of the Saints vnto the worke of the Ministery vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we meet all into the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God that now we be not children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine in the wickednesse of men in craftinesse to the circumuention of error So Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come If this be spoken of the Church of Protestants where were their Protestant Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors and Doctors for fourteene hundred years together Since for all that time they are not able to assigne one man who held the doctrine they now hold much lesse one Apostle Euangelist Pastor or Doctor and yet Saint Paul saith that they should teach and preach truth euen vnto the Consummation of the Saints that the Church might not be wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine in the wickednesse of men wherby we see that if Saint Paul were a true Apostle and Prophet the Church of Protestants is a false Church That this Prophecie of S. Paul is verified vpon Roman Catholikes is manifest for that Romane Catholikes haue had Doctors Preachers and Teachers in all ages as we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Againe Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church to come saith God according to his promise Act. 13. hath brought forth to Israel a Sauiour Againe We preach Act. 13. 32. vnto you that promise which was made to our Fathers which was I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen Gen. 22. c. As God spake to our Fathers to Abraham and Luke 1. 55. his seed for euer which words and preaching of Saint Paul should be false if Protestantisme were the Faith and Religion planted by our Sauiour and Preached by Saint Paul since it hath been so farre off from fulfilling the promise that it vanished away presently after the Apostles times Againe Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church saith By the offence of the Iewes saluation is to Rom. 11. 11. the Gentiles that they may emulate them And if the offence of the Iewes be the riches of the world and the diminution of the Iewes the riches of the Gentiles how much more the fulnesse of them Againe If the losse of the Iewes Rom. 11. 15. be the reconciliation of the world what shal the receiuing be Againe Blindnesse in part hath chanced in Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles might enter and so all Israel might be saued Which cannot bee verified vpon Protestātisme supposed it were in the Apostles times since Protestants haue neither been so eminent as that the Iewes should emulate them nor the riches of the Gentiles neither hath the world been reconciled to Protestantisme neither hath the fulnesse of the Gentiles entred into Protestantisme
ought to conuert into Councels and put them in prisons and leade them to Presidents and Tribunall seats and make their Religion Fellony and Treason Againe he saith When yee enter into Matth. 10. 12. the house salute it saying Peace be to this house He doth not say you shall send Pursuiuants to ransacke and spoyle the house Againe he saith The good Pastor giueth Iohn 10. his life for his sheepe The theefe commeth not but to steale and kill and destroy He doth not say the theefe giueth his life for his sheepe and the good Pastor commeth not but to steale kill and destroy Wherefore so much as is lawful for poore subiects wee humbly beseech your Majestie that conuerting of vs by killing imprisonments confiscation of goods ransacking and spoyling by Promoters and Pursuiuants c. laid aside at which the Christian world is scandalized it would please your Majestie to giue order that Disputations Conferences and sweet meanes may be vsed for the discussion of truth according to the doctrine of our Sauiour and his Apostles which is Peaceable modest suasible consenting to the good full of mercie and by those meanes if â—â—mâ—s 3. 17. we should be in error your Majestie might easily gaine vs. And if your Majesty be amisse as errare facile est wee may gaine your Majesty and bring all things to his happie issue that God Almightie may be glorified by the saluation of our soules and your Highnesse may to our great comfort so raigne ouer vs vpon earth that you may also raigne amongst vs in heauen which with all my heart I desire and to that end proceed to set downe the grounds and foundations of our Catholike Faith and Church by way of an Appeale vnto your Highnesse this being the best way as your Majestie most graciously hath signified vnto all your Subiect in your Speech in the Star-chamber vpon the twentith of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1616. in these words Why should you spare to complaine vnto me that being the high-way and not go the other by-way and back-way in contempt of our authority According to which speech worthy of a Royall King with Saint PAVL in the like case of Religion I appeale to Acts 25. 11. CAESAR your Majestie my dread and Supreamest Soueraigne as followeth THAT OVR SAVIOVR PLANTED the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. I. Wherein is proued by the Scriptures that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted by our Sauiour and how it hath continued and shall continue amongst the Romans vntill the day of Iudgement FIRST that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith which our Sauiour planted Saint Paul witnesseth saying To all you that be at Rome beloued Rom 1. of God called Saints grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ First truely I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for all you Because your faith is published throughout the whole world c. I desire to see you and to bee comforted in you by the faith which is mutually yours and mine Which desire afterward he obtained And tarried in Rome full two yeares Act. 28. 30. in his hired lodging and he receiued all that came vnto him preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching the things that concerne our Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence without prohibition Whereby it is manifest that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith planted by our Sauiour and that their faith was published throughout the whole Rom. 1. world and was Catholike and Vniuersall Secondly that the Romans were to continue in this their Catholike Faith thus planted amongst them vntill the worlds end is manifest by the Scripture saying I Isa 66. will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the Sea into Africa and Lydia into Italy and Greece c. And they shall shew my glory to the Gentiles c. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuites saith our Lord. Because as a new heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name And there shall be moneth after moneth and Sabbath after Sabbath Againe the Scriptures speaking of the Romans who at the comming of our Sauiour were the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles say The strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee Againe And Isay 60 5. thy gates shall be open continually day and night they shall not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee Againe You shall eate the strength of the Gentiles and in their glory you shall be proud c. For as the Earth Isay 61. 6. bringeth forth her Spring and as the Garden shooteth forth her seed so shall our Lord God make Iustice to spring forth and praise before all the Gentiles Againe Thus saith our Isay 66. 12. Lord Behold I will decline vpon her as it were a floud of peace and as a torrent ouerflowing the glory of the Gentiles the Roman Empire which at the birth of our Sauiour was the glory of the Gentiles that it might be verified which was spoken by the other Prophets saying I will make Gen. 12. 2. thee into a great Nation and I will blesse thee and magnifie thy name and thou shalt be blessed Againe I will put him Psal 88. 28. the first begotten high aboue the Kings of the earth And I will keepe my mercy vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull vnto him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his throne as the dayes of heauen Againe Aske of me and Psal 2. 8. I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance not the refuse of the GeÌ„tiles but the Roman Empire the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles and not onely for a short time But as a new Heauen a new Earth which I make Isay 66. to stand before me so shall your seed stand and your name according to the words of the Prophet Isay before rehearsed Whereby it is sufficiently manifest that the Romant receiued the same Faith they now professe from the Apostles and they from our Sauiour and that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted vpon earth by our Sauiour and hath continued and shall continue Catholike or vniuersally published throughout the world vntill the day of Iudgement CHAP. II. Wherein is proued that the Catholike Roman faith was planted in this Iland of great Brittaine by the Apostles or Disciples of our Lord and hath continued heere euer since without alteration or change except in the keeping of Easter and some ceremonies in Baptisme and that no other doctrine but it can be taught for Christian doctrine without incurring the penaltie of Anathema and separation from God for euer THE Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour Matth. 28. 19. going by his appointment to teach all Nations to obserue and doe all things
Papistrie since that the Brittans receiued it as is before said from the Apostles or Disciples and they from our Lord and perseuered in it with Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine and the rest of the Christian world without any alteration or change sauing some mysteries vsed in Baptisme and the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday In all things else they were so agreeable to the Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine held and taught that these two things reformed he desired their helpe and assistance in the conuersion of the Pagan English Nation by preaching vnto them the Word of God which hee neither could nor would haue done had they not both these two things excepted agreed in one in al points of Faith and Religion neither did S. Austen labour to teach or reforme the Brittaines in any thing else and seeing in these two things which to Protestants seeme of little moment Saint Augustine made so great difficultie that hee would not receiue them into the Communion of the Catholike Roman Church vntill they condescended to reforme them far greater difficultie would he haue made in receiuing them if they had held any point of Protestantisme and had denied the Masse prayer for the dead worship of Images and esteemed him an Antichristian man or Idolater c. Neither would he though they should haue offered themselues haue admitted them to preach and contradict and defame him amongst the English Pagans or Gentiles vnto whom hee was sent as an Apostle much lesse would he haue required their ayde and assistance in preaching vnto them if they had accused him as Protestants do now of Idolatry Antichristian doctrine and to haue been sonne of the Whore of Babylon c. That the Catholike Roman Faith which Saint Augustine planted amongst the English Saxons is at this day and in all ages and times since the said planting hath been confessed by some knowne English inhabitants in this Iland all our Writers Chronicles Histories and Monuments Lawes in ancient time made in fauour of it Statutes of late yeeres made to suppresse it the death of many for it and the prisons full of such as at this instant doe professe it giue ample testimony and if any require further proofe I referre him to a booke intituled The prudentiall Ballance of Religion which treateth hereof at large Whereupon I conclude that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith and that the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday and some mysteries vsed in Baptisme excepted it hath in al ages and times since the plantation thereof by the Apostles or Disciples continued in this Iland and that no man can or may preach or teach any doctrine for Christian doctrine but the Catholike Roman Faith vnder paine of Anathema c. according to the words of Saint Paul saying Although we or an Angell from Galath 1. 8. heauen Euangelize to you besides that we haue Euangelized to you be he Anathema as wee haue said before so now we say againe If any Euangelize to you besides that which you haue receiued be he Anathema that is seperated from God according to the words of our Sauiour saying Depart from mee yee accursed into euerlasting Matth. 24 41. fire which was prepared for the Diuell and his angels So I appeale to your Maiestie well pleased to consider the wrong and iniustice your Protestant Ministers doe vnto vs Catholikes your ancient subiects in persecuting vs for professing that Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and euen from the Apostles times vntill this day hath continued in this Iland and humbly beseech your Highnesse that you would not thinke vs disloyal or vnfaithfull to your Person or State for that we will not become Anathemaes from God For the difference which was betweene the ancient Brittans and Saint AVGVSTINE about the time of the keeping of Easter it is manifest by Saint Beda lib. 3. cap. 4. that the Brittans fell into this error for want of skill in Astronomie For they knew saith Saint BEDA as Christen men doe that the resurrection of our Lord ought alwayes to be celebrated on Sunday But as Wilfred in S. Beda l. 3. ca. 25. ignorant men in Astrologie they had not learned when that Sunday should come That the Brittans fell into this error after Constantine his time is manifest by Eusebius who lib. 3. de vita Constantini cap. 8. affirmeth that the same keeping of Easter was obserued in the Citie of Rome in Italy Africke Aegypt Spaine France Britanie Lybia and all Greece in the Diocesse of Asia and Pontus and finally in Cicilia with one vniforme consent CHAP. III. Wherein is briefely proued by the generall consent of all knowne Christian people who liued in all ages and times betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith which Protestants call Papistrie knowne Heretikes on both parties only excepted FIRST Protestants themselues confesse That the true Church so they call their Church decayed presently after the Apostles times So Fulke in his answere to a Counterfeit Catholike page 35. Sebastianus Franciscus in his Epistle de abrogandis statutis ecclesiasticis affirmeth That for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church of Protestants hath been no where externall and visible Peter Martyr de Votis page 477. saith That errours so they call our Catholike Faith did begin immediatly after the Apostles times And page 476. he saith That presently after their age men began to decline from the word of God so they esteeme their Protestantisme The Protestant Author of the booke intituled Antichristus siue Pronostica finis mundi page 13. affirmeth That from the Apostles times till Luther the Gospell of Protestants had neuer open passage Melancthon in 1. Cor. cap. 3. affirmeth Thet presently from the beginning of the Church the ancient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning the iustification of Faith encreased Ceremonies and deuised peculiar Worships Whereupon Peter Martyr de Votis page 476. saith As long as wee shall insist vpon Councels and Fathers we shall be alwayes in the same errors And Whitaker in his Controu 2. quest 5. page 299. de Ecclesia saith BELLARMINE doth bring foorth certaine testimonies out of Caluin and the Centurie Writers who haue noted certaine errors of the ancient Fathers which they hold common with Papists that is to say of Free-will of Merit of the Limbe of Inuocation of Saints of the Vnmaried life of Bishops of Iustification c. I answere that it is true which Caluin and the Centuries haue written that in many things the ancient Church hath erred as of the Limbe of Free-will of the Merit of Workes and in other things which are aboue rehearsed WHITGIFT in his Defence to the Answere to the Admonition page 473. saith How greatly were almost all the Bishops and learned Writers of the Greeke Church and Latine also for the most
part spotted with doctrine of Free-will of Merits of Inuocation of Saints and such like And page 473. he saith Surely you are not able to reckon in any age since the Apostles times any company of Bishops that taught and held so sound doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England doe at this day Whereupon Luther in his booke De seruo arbitrio tom 2. Wittenb 1551. affirmeth the Fathers to haue been blinde and most ignorant in the Scriptures to haue erred al the time of their liues from his doctrine and that vnlesse they were amended before their deathes they were neither Saints nor pertaining to the Church of Protestants And in his Colloquijs mensalibus he saith In the Writings of Hierome there is not a word of true faith in Christ and sound religion Tertullian is very superstitious I hold Origen long since accursed Of Chrysostome I make no account Basil is of no worth he is wholly a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine The Apologie of Philip Melancthon doth farre excell all the Doctors of the Church and exceede euen Augustine himselfe POMERAN a Protestant vpon Ionam saith Our Fathers whether holy or not holy I esteeme nothing they haue been blinded with the Spirit of Montanus by humane traditions and doctrine of diuels c. They doe not teach purely of Iustification Beza in his Preface vpon the New Testament Dedicated to the Prince of Condy printed 1587. affirmeth That euen in the best times the ambition ignorance and lewdnesse of Bishops was such that the very blinde may easily perceiue how Satan was President in their assemblies or Councels because they taught opposite doctrine to the doctrine of the Protestants of this age Whereupon Perkins in his Exposition of the Creede page 400. in behalfe of himselfe and all Protestants saith Wee say that before the dayes of Luther for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie from Protestantisme as hee meaneth ouer-spread the whole face of the earth and that our Church of Protestants was not visible to the world And many more Protestants confesse that the Faith or doctrine which Protestants now teach and professe hath been no where visibly knowne published or preached since the Apostles times vntil Luther as is set down more at large in the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church And it is of it selfe so manifest that no Protestant hath hitherto bin able to assigne in the time betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther one onely Protestant Minister Doctor Writer or Teacher that held professed or taught the doctrine which Protestants doe now hold and teach Whereby it is manifest that in all that time which is about the space of one thousand foure hundred yeares there were no knowne Protestants but all knowne Christians who liued within the compasse of these yeares were either Roman Catholikes or reputed Heretikes by both parties Whereupon we rightly inferre that all knowne Christian men who liued in all ages since the time of the Apostles vntill the rising of Luther knowne Heretikes and so reputed by both partie onely excepted doe testifie that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Romaine Faith euery Christian beleeuing that our Lord Iesus Christ was the Author of this Religion and Planter thereof vpon earth Now that there were knowne Roman Catholikes liuing and being during these fourteene hundred yeares Protestants themselues confesse Fulke in his Treatise against Stapleton page 25. affirmeth Some Protestants haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundred yeares some say a thousand some one thousand two hundred some nine hundred And the same Protestant in his retentiue Motiues pag. 248. speaking of Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome the first of them liuing about the yeare of our Lord 440. and the second of them about 590. saith The mystery of iniquitie so he calleth the Pope and our Catholike Faith wrought in the Sea of Rome neare fiue or six hundred yeares before them MIDLETON in his Papisto-mastix page 193. affirmeth saying Wee are sure that the mysterie of iniquitie so he pleaseth to call the Pope and our Catholike Faith did worke in Pauls time and fell not a sleepe as soone as Paul was dead c. and therefore no maruell though perusing Councels Fathers and Stories from the Apostles forward wee finde the print of the Popes feete SEBASTIAN FRANCVS in his Epistle De abrogandis Statutis ecclesiasticis affirmeth That for certaine through the worke of Antichrist so he calleth the Pope and our Catholike Faith the externall Church of Protestants together with the Faith and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure So potent were the Pope and Roman Catholikes euen in the Apostles times that presently after the Apostles departure they were able to make the externall Church of Protestants together with the Faith and Sacraments of Protestants vanished away as this Protestant affirmeth Brokard in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 110. affirmeth That the Church of Protestants was troden downe and oppressed by the Papacie euen from Syluesters time vnto these times Which he there and page 123. accounteth to haue been for the space of 1260. yeares Napper in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 68. saith Betweene the yeare of Christ 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papisticall raigne began raigning vniuersally and without any debatable contradiction 1260. yeares and pag. 145. he saith euen 1260. yeares the Pope and his Cleargie hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians Yet the Pope and his Cleargie could not come to raigne vniuersally and without any debatable contradiction vpon a sudden as wee see by experience in Protestant Ministers who haue beene now about an hundred yeares and yet doe not reigne or possesse their Religion in any one Countrey without some opposition whereby it is manifest that the Pope and his Cleargie were many hundred yeares before they could obtaine to reigne vniuersally without any debatable contradiction Downham in his Treatise of Antichrist lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 25. affirmeth That the generall defection of the visible Church foretold in the second of the Thessalonians which hee esteemeth to haue beene wrought by the Pope and Roman Catholikes began to worke in the Apostles times Caelus secundus Curio in his booke De amplitudine Regni Dei lib. 1. pag. 43. saith Are we ignorant in how great darkenesse blindnesse and ignorance so he calleth our Catholike Faith the world hath continued almost from the Apostles age to these very times in which aboue all expectation our Lord began to manifest himselfe And Perkins vpon the Creed page 307. affirmeth That during the space of nine hundred yeares the Popish heresie so he pleaseth to call the Catholike Roman Faith hath spread it selfe ouer the whole earth whereby appeareth that it was fiue or sixe hundred yeares before since it could not spread it selfe of a sudden ouer the whole earth And by these confessions of Protestants themselues and by many
multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore that presently after the Apostles times it became no where externall or visible as we haue shewed in the precedent Chapter And it is of it selfe so manifest that Protestants are not able from the time of the Apostles vntill the rising of Luther which is during the space of fourteene hundred years or thereabouts to assigne one knowne man of the Religion they now professe If this oath be made to Protestantisme where is the seede of Protestants multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea-shore Seeing that for many hundred yeares neuer a Protestant Starre appeared And if this oath was made to Protestants That they should possesse the gates of their enemies and that in their seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed As he spake to Abraham and his seede Luke 1. for euer How commeth it to passe that presently after the Apostles times Protestants were so ouercome by Roman Catholikes that from that time vntill Luther they haue been no where visibly knowne but so latent and inuisible as for all that space they cannot produce one Protestant Minister or Doctour who taught or maintained the doctrine they now teach If it be true that the God of the Protestants hath made these promises and this oath to them it must needs be that he is a very wretched vnfaithfull God that hath for fourteene hundred or fifteene hundred yeares together violated his oath and promises And I appeale to your Maiestie well pleased to consider how great injustice it is to haue your ancient Subjects spoyled of their Lands Goods Libertie and Life and be condemned as Fellons and Traytors for that they wil not beleeue in such a prejured God And how happie a thing it is to be a Roman Catholike seeing this oath of God is so manifestly fulfilled in them that as it is set downe in the last Chapter euen our Aduersaries themselues confesse for twelue hundred ceares together they haue bin dilated ouer the world and possessed the gates of their enemies and blessed all the Christian Families of the earth with temporall and spirituall birth by regeneration in Baptisme and education c. These are the seed of Abraham his seruant Psal 104. the children of Iacob his elect he is the Lord our God in all the earth are his iudgements he hath bin mindfull for euer of his Testament of the Word which he commanded vnto thousand generations Our Lord is not as Deut 32. 31. their Gods our enemies also are Iudges It may please your Maiesty to obserue the notes and markes of our Catholike Romane Church and Faith heere set downe in this oath of God to Abraham viz. Vnity Vniuersality and Succession The Vnitie is promised in these words Thy seed not diuers seeds that there might bee as many sects as men as some Elizabethians some Lutherans some Caluinists some Hussites some Anabaptistes some Armenians some Gomaristes some Trasquits all differing in Faith and Religion but one seede Faith or Word of God planted in the hearts of men by the preaching of our Lord as witnesseth our Sauiour expounding the Parable of the Cockle of the field said to his Disciples He that soweth good seed is the Sonne of man Againe Matth. 13. 37. The good seed those are the children of the Kingdome Matth. 13. 38. Againe O Father the words which thou gauest me I Io. 17. 8. haue giuen them and they haue receiued and knoweth in very deed that I came forth from thee and haue beleeued that thou diddest send me to fulfill the promises made to Abraham the Patriarkes and Prophets The second marke is Catholike or Vniuersall heere promised in these words And I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen which doe manifestly appeare and shine in all Countries And God brought Abraham Gen. 15. 5. forth abroad and said to him Looke vp to heauen and number the Starres if thou canst And he said to him so shall thy seed be as the Starres of heauen shining in all Countries not onely in Brittanie France or in Germany but in all Nations according to the oath of God saying In thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth Whereupon our Sauiour said He that soweth good seed is the Sonne of Man c. and Matth. 13. 37. the field is the world Againe You are the light of the Matth. 5. 15. world Againe Teach yee all Nations c. The third marke is Succession which is promised in these words Thy seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies Gen. 12. As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. seed for euer not that the Succession should decay or become inuisible that there should neede new missions but that it should continue vntill the worlds end according to the words of our Sauiour saying I haue Ioh. 15. 16. appointed you that you go and bring fruit and your fruit abide Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdome shall be Matth. 24. 14. preached in al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world Againe The gates of hell shall not Matth. 24. 3. preuaile against it c. And the like three markes or notes of the Church which was to be planted by our Sauiour your Maiesty may obserue to be set downe almost in euery Prophecie though I omit to speake more of them for breuities sake Secondly God Almightie promised to Isaac saying I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham Gen. 26. thy father and I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen and in thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my precepts and Commandements Thirdly hee promised to Iacob saying Thy seed Gen. 28. shall be as the dust of the earth thou shalt be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy seed all the Families of the earth shal be blessed and I will be thy keeper wheresoeuer thou shalt go and I will bring thee againe into this Land neither wil I forsake thee vntill I haue performed whatsoeuer I haue spoken Which Prophecies we see haue been manifestly fulfilled in our Catholike Roman Faith which hath been vniuersally and successiuely dilated ouer all Nations according to these Prophecies as we haue proued in the former Chapters and can no way be verified vpon Protestantisme since it decayed presently after the Apostles times and for a thousand and foure hundred yeares together was neuer knowne to haue been taught or practised and now is but scattered in diuers corners of the earth diuided into many sects teaching opposite doctrine in matters of Faith and heere we seeke for one Faith or seed dilated ouer the world God Almightie heere saith I will performe the oath which
I sware to Abraham neither will I forsake thee vntill I haue performed whatsoeuer I haue spoken And I appeale to your Maiesty wel pleased to consider whether it bee more conuenient to beleeue the words of God when hee saith hee will performe his oath and promises then the words of Protestant Ministers who affirme that the seede of Christ hath failed and now after a thousand and fiue hundred yeares they are sent to plant it in corners of the earth What is found more madde saith Saint AVGVSTINE then this folly or August cont epist Parmeniani lib. 1. rather frenzie In so many Nations of the world and for the most part God hath fulfilled and doth yet fulfill vntill it come vnto all which he hath promised who said I will not leaue thee vntill I doe these things which I haue spoken vnto thee And now these Protestants doe beleeue such as tell them that it is not fulfilled what God promised and that therefore the seed of Abraham which is Christ to haue decayed in those parts of the earth in which it was planted and that the promises of God are voide because they are not admitted into their Communion amongst whom it is fulfilled Thus Saint Augustine So If the oath of God or the Promises made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob written by Moyses may finde grace and credit with your Maiesty it is manifest by their testimonies that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith CHAP. V. By the testimony of the Prophet DAVID and the Psalmes our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith OVR Sauiour saith That all things must Luke 24. 44. needs be fulfilled which is written in the Psalmes of him So we will examine what the Psalmes say of our Sauiour and his seede the Christians that wee may see whether the Prophecies contained therein be verified vpon Romane Catholikes or vpon Protestants it being now a thousand and six hundred yeares since the Natiuitie of our Sauiour those must needs be his seed and true Christians vpon whom they are verified seeing that it is impossible Hebr. 6. for God to lye First the Psalmes say Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee the Psal 2. 7. Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Secondly All the ends of the earth shal remember Psal 21 27. and be conuerted to our Lord and all the Families of the Gentiles shall adore in his fight Because the Kingdome is our Lords and he shall haue dominion ouer the Gentiles Thirdly For thy fathers there are borne sons to thee Psal 40. thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth they shall be mindefull of thy name in all generation and generations for euer and for euermore Fourthly The God of gods our Lord hath spoken and Psal 49. 1. hath called the earth from the rising of the Sinne vnto the going downe thereof Fiftly Their sound is gone into all the earth and their Psal 18. words into the ends of the world Sixtly He shall descend as raine vpon a fleece of wooll Psal 71. 6. and as the drops distilling vpon the earth In his dayes shal arise Iustice and abundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth And he shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the end of the world Seuenthly I will put him the first begotten higher Psal 88. 27. then the Kings of the earth I will keepe my mercies vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull to him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his Throne as the dayes of heauen But if his children shall forsake my Law and keepe not my Commandements I will visite their iniquitie with a rod and their sinnes with stripes but my mercy I will not take away from him neither will I hurt in my truth And many more the like Prophecies of the conuersion of the Gentiles and propagation of the Faith or seede of our Sauiour ouer the world for euer which cannot bee verified vpon Protestants or Protestantisme who haue beene so farre off from hauing the Gentiles for their inheritance and their Possessions vnto the ends of the earth or conuerting all the Families of the Gentiles or from hauing abundance of peace as long as the Moone endureth or from hauing their seed to endure for euer and their throne as the dayes of heauen that in all the time which was betweene the death of the Apostles and the rebellion of Luther which is for one thousand and foure hundred yeares or thereabouts they are not able to assigne one Doctor Preacher or Writer that held or taught the doctrine Protestants doe now preach and teach That our Catholike Romane Faith was planted by the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and hath continued successiuely dilated ouer the world according to these Prophecies we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Whereupon wee rightly inferre that by the testimonie of Dauid and the Psalmes our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith and conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AVGVSTINE saying We may see many accuse themselues of their former August epist 48 blindnesse who could beleeue that Christ was exalted aboue the heauens though they did not see it and yet did deny that his glory was ouer all the earth although they did see it When the Prophet hath so clearely comprehended them both in one sentence saying Be exalted aboue the Psal 107. heauens O God and thy glory ouer all the earth CHAP. VI. By the testimony of the Prophet Isay our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Isay speaking more abundantly of the seed Faith and Religion which was to be planted by our Sauiour then the rest of the Prophets saith It is a small thing that thou Isay 49. shouldest bee my seruant to raise the Tribes of Iacob and to conuert the dregges of Israel Behold I haue giuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be saluation euen to the furthest part of the earth Kings shall see and Princes shall rise and adore for our Lords sake because he is faithfull and for the holy one of Israel who hath chosen thee Againe Behold I will Isay 49. 22. lift vp my hand to the Gentiles and to the people I will exalt my signe And they shall carry thy sons in their armes and thy daughters vpon their shoulders And Kings shal be thy nursing fathers and Queenes thy nurses with countenance cast toward the ground they shal adore thee and they shal licke vp the dust of thy feete and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. This Prophecie cannot be verified of Protestanisme First for that they were neuer yet any light to the Gentiles and a saluation to the furthest part of the earth that they might become Christians many Protestants denying Christianity become Turkes in
Transiluania and Hungary and many English at Tripolis Algiers and Tunis And some learned Protestants as Sebastian Cestalio Bernard Ochine Dauid George Adam Neucers and others who being obstinate against Catholike Religion either turned Turkes or Iewes seeing the Prophecies not fulfilled in Protestantisme Secondly for that they are not able to produce any one Heathen or Pagan King or Queene that hitherto hath embraced Protestanisme Your Maiesty and other Christian Kings and Queenes your Predecessors in the Kingdome of Great Brittanie haue had no other Christendome then that they haue receiued from Catholike Romane Priests Thirdly It is not the custome of Protestants to adore their God with such respect or reuerence as the Prophet Isay heere speakes of euery Protestant is so well assured of his saluation that hee hath no need to humble himselfe befor his God to aske forgiuenesse of his sinnes or saluation of his soule Not a Protestant Boy or Girle that doth not vse more respect or reuerence to their masters when they speake vnto them and all Protestants in their degrees and estates to their temporall Lords and Princes then they doe when they pray or speake to their God When they speake to their earthly Lords or Kings either they Note stand or kneele handsomely with their hats in their hands but when they speake to their God commonly they either speake sitting with their cappes on as haile fellow well met with their God or else with their noses thrust into their hats for feare as it seemeth that the euill smelles which come from their God should infect their braines Their Temples and Synagogues are not so neate as their Bed-chambers Galleries or Chambers of Presence or audience and when they come into their Temples to treate with their God or heare his Word or Law vnlesse it be for respect of some man there euery one without respect to his God sitteth him downe and putteth on his cap In so much as the God of the Protestants is the most vnciuill euill-mannered God of all those who haue borne the name of Gods vpon earth yea worse then Pan the god of Clownes that can endure no ceremonies or good manners whereby it is manifest that this Prophecie is not verified vpon so vnciuill and vnmannerly a Religion as Protestantisme is but vpon our Catholike Romane Faith and Religion which all the knowne Christian Kings and Queenes that euer haue been before Luther professed reputed Heretikes by both parties onely excepted as we haue set downe in the third Chapter Againe God Almightie by the Prophet Isay saith to the Gentiles whom he calleth the barren women for that before the Incarnation of our Sauiour they were without fruit of eternall life Prayse O barren Isay 54. 1. woman which bearest not sing prayse and make ioyfull noyse which diddest not beare because many are the children of the desolate of the Gentiles which were before the comming of Christ desolate of spiritual helpe more then of her that hath a husband the Synagogue of the Iewes enlarge the place of thy tent and stretch out the skins of thy Tabernacles for thou shalt penetrate to the right hand and to the left and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles Againe For a moment a little while haue Isay 64. 7. I forsaken thee and in great mercies will I gather thee in a moment of indignation haue I hid my face a little while from thee and in mercies euerlasting haue I had mercy on thee saith thy Redeemer our Lord. As in the dayes of Noe is this thing to me to whom I sware that I would no more bring the waters of Noe vpon the earth So haue I sworne not to be angry with thee and not to rebuke thee for the mountaines shal be mooued and the little hils shal tremble but my mercy shal not depart from thee and the couenant of my peace shal not be mooued saith our Lord thy Miserator Againe Euery vessel that is made against Isay 64. 17. thee shal not prosper and euery tongue resisting thee in iudgement thou shalt iudge This is the inheritance of the seruants of our Lord. This Prophecie of Esay cannot bee verified vpon Protestantisme for that since our Sauiours time there hath not been more Protestants then Iewes neyther haue the children of the Protestants bin more in number then the children of the Iewes who are a great people in number and haue continued visible in great numbers dispersed through many parts of the world as Protestants themselues confesse as the Centurie Writers in the fourteenth and fifteenth Chapter of euery Centurie where they make mention from time to time of their abode and at this day the Synagogue of the Iewes is more dilated and greater then any one Sect of Protestants in the world Secondly neither can this be verified of Protestantisme that after our Sauiours comming They should enlarge the place of their tents penetrate to the right hand and the left and that the seed of Protestants should inherite the Gentiles Neither could this oath of God bee made to Protestants I haue sworne not to be angry with Protestants and not to rebuke them for the mountaines shal be moued and the little hils shal tremble but my mercie shal not depart from Protestants and the couenant of my peace shal not be moued saith our Lord thy Miserator vnlesse they will make God Almighty forsworne since they themselues confesse that Protestantisme vanished away presently after the Apostles times and was so extinguished that for a thousand and foure hundred yeares they cannot name one Protestant man that taught the doctrine they now teach In such sort as this malediction of the Prophecie is fulfilled in them as vpon the enemies of our Sauiour where it is written Euery vessel that is made against thee shal not prosper And all the blessings of this Prophecie are verified vpon our Catholike Romane Faith which was planted by the Apostles and hath beene dilated ouer the world and embraced of all Christian people who liued betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther reputed Heretikes to both parties only excepted as wee haue prooued in the first second and third Chapters And by this oath of God heere set downe it is as certaine that the Catholike Roman Church and Faith shall neuer bee suppressed as it is certaine that the world shall not be drowned with water any more the oath and promise of God Almightie being equally giuen for assurance of both saying As the day of Noe is this thing to me to whom I answere that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe vpon the earth so haue I sworne not to be angry with thee or rebuke thee for the mountaines shal be moued and the little hils shal tremble but my mercy shall not depart from thee and the couenant of my peace shal not be moued saith our Lord thy Miserator And your Maiestie may be pleased heere to obserue that those Kings and people who persecute
the Catholike Romane Faith do but bring misery and vnhappinesse vpon themselues according to the word of God in this Prophecie saying Euery vessel that is made against thee shal not prosper and after all their rage and crueltie of hanging drawing and quartering imprisonments and seuere Lawes made against Romane Catholikes they must come to be judged by them according to the words of God in this Prophecie saying That euery tongue resisting thee in iudgement thou shalt iudge this is the inheritance of the seruants of our Lord Iesus Christ and their iustice with me saith our Lord to bee Iudge of those who resisted them in judgement Againe God Almightie speaking of the encrease of Christian Religion saith Arise be illuminated Ierusalem Isay 60. because thy light is come the glory of our Lord is risen vpon thee Vpon thee shal our Lord arise and his glory shal be seene vpon thee And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and Kings in the brightnesse of thy rising lift vp thine eyes round about and see al these gathered together they are come to thee thy sonnes shal come from a far and daughters shal rise from thy side Then thou shalt see and abound and thy heart shal maruaile and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted vnto thee the strength of the Gentiles shal come to thee Againe For Isay 60. the Ilands expect me or the ships on the sea in the beginning that I may bring thy sonnes from far Againe And Isay 60. thy gates shal be open continually day night they shal not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their Kings may be brought For the Nation and the Kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish Now suppose that there were Protestants in our Sauiour and the Apostles times yet is it manifest that these Prophecies cannot be verified vpon them That the Gentiles should walke in the light of Protestantisme and Kings in the brightnesse of their rising and the multitude of the sea be conuerted vnto them and the strength of the Gentiles or that the Islands did expect Protestantisme and the ships of the sea in the beginning or that the gates of Protestants Temples were open continually day and night that the strength of the Gentiles might be brought to Protestanisme and their Kings Since the Protestants themselues confesse that after the Apostles times Protestantisme vanished away and was no where so much as visible for a thousand and foure hundred yeares In such sort as within all that space they are not able to name any one man much lesse one Heathen or Pagan King conuerted to the Religion they now professe So suppose that in our Sauiours time there were Protestants it is manifest that they were these enemies of Christian Religion vpon whom was verified this part of the Prophecie saying The Nation and the Kingdome that shall not serue thee shall perish Againe God Almightie speaking of the Christians after our Sauiours comming saith by the same Prophet I will giue their workes in truth and make a Isay 61. perpetual couenant with them and they shall know their seed in the Gentiles and their bud in the middest of peoples all that shall see them shall know them that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Againe Vpon thy Isay 62. walles Ierusalem I haue appointed watchmen al the day and al the night for euer they shal not hold their peace And you that remember our Lord hold not your peace and giue not silence to him vntil he stablish and vntil he make Ierusalem the praise in the earth Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strength If I shall giue thy wheate any more to be meate to thy enemies and if the strange children shall drinke thy wine wherein thou hast laboured Because they that shall gather it together shall eat it and shall praise the Lord and they that caried it together shal drinke it in my holy courts Suppose that there were Protestants in our Sauiours the Apostles times yet these Prophecies could not be verified vpon them that God Almightie should make a perpetuall couenant with Protestants visibly to maintaine their seed in the Gentiles and their bud in the midst of peoples Neither can this oath be verified vpon Protestants Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the hand of his strength that he would giue the wheate of Protestants no more to be meat for their enemies and that strangers should not drinke the wine wherein Protestants haue laboured who decayed presently after the Apostles times as they confesse and were so farre off from enioying these blessings heere promised that all the maledictions prophecied to wicked and impious men enemies to Gods truth fell vpon them in such sort that there is lesse memorie of them then of Sodom and Gomorra which was destroyed with fire from heauen or of Coar Dathan and Abiron who were swallowed vp quicke into the earth of whom there is some mention made in other mens writings But of Protestants liuing after the Apostles times who should before Luther hold and teach the doctrine they now teach No Author doth giue testimony of any such men or make so much mention of them as of any of their names or Countries where they dwelt or where they were destroyed wherefore it seemeth that if euer they were in these times they were enormous wicked vile people cursed of God aboue all the men that euer liued vpon the face of the earth euen such abominable people as all men were ashamed to name or make any mention of any one of them people that descended into hell quicke of whom they would keepe no memory Now that all these Prophecies are verified vpon our Catholike Romane Faith and Religion we haue sufficiently shewed in the first second and third Chapters of this booke whereupon we inferre that by the testimonies of the Prophet Isay our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith and planter of it vpon earth And so conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AVGVSTINE saying What can be exacted August de Vnit. Ecclae to be spoken more manifestly Behold how many and how cleare testimonies haue been brought out of one Prophet and yet there is resistance and contradiction made not to any man but to the Spirit of God and to the most euident truth And yet the glory of Christ is enuied by those who will boast of the name of Christians that those things wbich haue been so long before foretolde of him may not be beleeued to be fulfilled whereas now they are not foretold but shewed seene and possessed So Saint AVGVSTINE and we with him That these Prophecies of Isay are spoken of the Church of Christ Protestants themselues confesse in the Collections of the Contents of the Chapters set downe before euery Chapter in their English Protestant Bibles CHAP. VII