Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n
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A51738
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The considerations which oblig'd Peter Manby dean of London-dery, to embrace the Roman Catholic religion humbly dedicated to His Grace the Lord Primate of Ireland.
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Manby, Peter, d. 1697.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing M384; ESTC R7924
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16,848
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24
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Indignation to see so much Stripping and Plundering of God's House under pretence of Resorming it Tu abominaris Idola Sacrilegium facis Rom. 1. 22. FAREWEL May it please your Grace I Humbly beg leave to send Your Grace this short Account of my Reconcilement to the Roman Catholick Church God be praised it was not any consideration of Temporal Interest that inclin'd me to it as all that have known me these several years past can witness But having often reflected on the uncertainty and variety of the Protestant Spirit and perused the Books of Catholicks without prejudice especially the Mass it self I found my self deceiv'd by the Reports which I had entertain'd of Catholick Religion THere are three Points chiefly wherein I could never satisfy my self since I began to Study the Controversy between both Churches One is the Authority or Mission of the first Reformers The second is the want of Confession in the Church of England The Third is the Answer given by Protestants to that Question in His late Majesties Papers Where is that one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church which we do profess to believe in the two Creeds As to the first I have seen Dr. Bramhall's and Mr. Mason's Vindications of the Church of England but could never find any satisfactory Answer to this Question Who Authoriz'd the first Reformers to Preach their Protestant Doctrine and Administer their Protestant Sacraments Their Priestly or Episcopal Character whether valid or no I meddle not with to prevent Disputes Although I think it no easy matter to find out who Ordain'd the first Protestant Bishops there being none to do it except Roman Catholick Prelates who never use to Consecrate any Protestants This Testimony I lately met with in the Records annexed to Dr. Burnet's second Volume of his History of the Resormation In the Month of March anno 1553. Queen Mary sent this amongst other Articles to the Bishop of London viz. Touching such persons as were heretofore meaning the days of Edward the VI. promoted to any Orders after the new sort and fashion of Orders considering they were not order'd in very deed the Bishop of the Diocess finding otherwise sufficiency and ability in those men may supply that thing which wanted in them before and then according to his discretion admit them to Minister c. This Royal Testimony with the Honest Protestant Reader will not be despisable I shall not insist upon it but only observe at present that Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Latimer Bishop of Worcester at the time of their Confecration were profess'd Roman Catholicks in all points except perhaps the Pope's Supremacy But afterwards turning Protestants and pronouncing the Church of Rome Idolatrous I would fain know by whose Authority The truth is they were first Ordain'd Catholick Bishops according to the Roman Pontifical and afterwards made themselves Protestant Bishops But I understand not how a Man can forsake the Church of England and Preach Presbyterian Doctrine by virtue of his Protestant Orders nor how any man can justify his Protestant Doctrine by Authority of his Popish Mission This was Cranmer and Latimer's case who at the time of their Consecration which was in the days of Henry the VIII professed Seven Sacraments whether they believ'd so many is a Question Afterwards anno 1536. retrenched them to Three that is to say Baptism Penance and the Lord's Supper Then to Two anno 1548 By whose Authority or Mission I cannot tell So that Protestancy seem to me to have been born into the World not like Honestly begotte Children whose Parents are known but rather like a By-blow whose Father is doubtful I have known some Pre byrerians when question'd about their Mission pretend they did receive it from the Church of England Prelates But being further interrogated Did that Church Authorize you to Preach against her Sacraments or Liturgy There was no Answer to be had I know it will be said that the Protestant Religion is Authoriz'd by Act of Parliament and so is not Presbytery A Parliamentary Mission then our first Reformers had and no other that I can find But whether the Parliament being a Civil Authority has Power to send Missioners to Preach the Gospel and Administer Sacraments I do not well understand If they have I suppose every Member of Parliament may Preach and Administer Sacraments if he pleases because no man can give that Authority unto others which he hath not himself And if English Parliaments may Preach and Administer Sacraments I doubt not but the French Spanish Scotch and Irish may do the same and then what Unity of Spirit or agreement in Faith Christians are like to have I could never understand To this two Answers are wont to be given which I will not conceal from the Reader One is that Cranmer and his Associates were sent and ordered by the Roman Pontifical to instruct the people according to the Scriptures This is the Answer of Dr. Burnet The Church saith he was over-run with Errours and Corruptions this Cranmer saw and was obliged to undeceive the people Very good But I intreat the Reader to inspect the Records aforesaid published by the Doctor himself and annexed to the first and second Volume of his History where he shall find Cranmer and one or two Bishops more pretending Errours and Corruptions and driving on a Reformation against the Major Vote of the English Bishops He shall find the same Cranmer at the time of his Consecration owning and professing those very Doctrines which afterwards he called Errours and Corruptions so that still I must ask the old Question by whose Authority did he condemn that Church from whom he receiv'd his Mission and Holy Orders I desire to know whether an honest Man can Preach against the Liturgy Sacraments or Constitution of any Church by virtue of any Commission he received from it And whether such Preacher be not liable to the Censures of that Church Did ever any Church Authorize her Priests or Bishops to go and Preach the Gospel according to their own private Sense and Conscience in contradiction to her declared Doctrine and Worship Does the Church of England give any such Power at this day No by no means Read the Form appointed by her for the Ordination of a Priest where the Bishop is to interrogate the Party thus viz. Do you think in your heart that you be truly called according to the Order of this Church of England to the Order and Ministry of Priesthood The Answer is I think so Will you then saith the Protestant Bishop give your diligence always to Minister the Doctrine and Sacraments as this Church and Realm hath received the same according to the Commandments of God The Answer is I will do so by the help of God. So that as no honest Man can turn Presbyterian or Independant Preacher by virture of his Protestant Mission so neither can he Preach Protestant Doctrine by pretence of a Commission he received from the Church of
Rome If any body should ask me what if the. Church be manifestly corrupted with Superstition and Idolatry In this case why may not able Men Preach without any Mission I must beg leave to ask him again what if the Church finds those Men of Abilities manifestly intoxicated with mistakes of Holy Scripture With a Spirit of perverseness and a desire of change Or perhaps an evil Eye at the Lands of the Church What is to be done in this case Let the Scripture he will say determine the business But the Scripture admits of various Interpretations and I would fain know what Rebel or Heretick shall ever be convicted that must be tryed by a Law whereof himself must be the Interpreter Well but Cranmer tho' he had no Mission to Reform was perhaps a Holy Man as for his Sanctity the Reader may be pleased to see him subscribing to a Letter in Foxes Acts and Monuments for Excluding his Lawful Sovereign the Princess Mary from Succession to the Crown And afterwards Recanting the Protestant Religion and relapsing into it again when he saw no hopes of a Reprieve The truth is when I reflect that Cromwel and He were the chief Engineers of the Reformation first to Divorce Henry VIII from his most Virtuous and Innocent Wife Queen Katherine then to Marry him to Anne Bolen and afterwards to dissolve that Marriage Then to destroy Religious Houses and hang up the poor Abbots disband four or five Sacraments set the People a madding after new Lights I cannot but look upon those two Politicians as the Ring-leaders of all that Confusion and Mischief which has since broke out upon the Stage of Great Britain So much for the former Answer that Cranmer and his Associates were sent and ordain'd by the Roman Pontifical to teach the People according to the Scriptures which they did according to their own Sense of the Scriptures If it be said that he Preach'd no new Doctrine nor Administred any new Sacraments but only the Primitive Doctrine and Sacraments of Jesus Christ according to the Sense of the Antient Fathers which is the second Answer I pray the Reader to remember that this was the very Answer of Luther Socinus Zuinglius Calvin and other Reformers I am not disputing what Doctrine he Preach'd but who sent him to Preach his Protestant Doctrine and Adminster his Protestant Sacraments 'T is not his Doctrine but Mission I am now enquiring after How shall they Preach except they be sent saith St. Paul. 'T is not a pretence of true Doctrine without External and Lawful Mission that makes a Man a Preacher of the Gospel The necessity of Mission appears from God's own word Jerem. 23. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they Prophesied vers 21. Therefore they shall not profit this People at all saith the Lord verse 32. There are but two sorts of Mission in Holy Scripture the one Ordinary the other Extraordinary The former is the License and Approbation of the Church in being The latter is the immediate Voice and Inspiration of God himself ever attested by Miracles Prediction of future and publick Events c. Now as for the first Preachers of Reformation some body must send them by an Ordinary or Extraordinary Commission or they must run on their own heads Fur latro est says St. Cyprian qui à nemine Missus nisi à seipso That is to say he enters not by the Dore as honest Men do but seeks Windows Corners or By-ways of his own as if the Divine Providence were wanting when necessity requires to send Preachers into the Church or to furnish them with sufficient Credentials so as to leave us without excuse Did not the Hand of God strike Vzzah with sudden death for presuming to put forth his hand un-commanded to support the Ark from falling 2 Sam. 6. And King Vzzah with a Leaprosy to the day of his death for Offering Incense which appertain'd to the Priests alone Are not these things Recorded for our instruction The not considering this matter hath brought a World of confusion upon these Kingdoms and till the people can be brought to understand it we are never like to see an end of our Religious Distractions For why may not I may a Presbyterian Minister say having the same Authority of Scripture as Cranmer pretended to Preach against the Superstition of Common-Prayer as well as He against the Idolatry of the Mass The second point wherein I was disatisfy'd was the want of Confession to a Priest I found Protestant Sermons had some Authority with the people but not much for lack of this Curb upon their Vices Catholicks commit sin 't is true but call themselves to an account for it by Confession and Submission to their Ghostly Fathers Protestants sin likewise without calling themselves to any such reckoning because they can make a shift without it I have divers times discoursed with Protestant Ministers and some Protestant Bishops about this matter I was sorry to find no Harmony in their Opinions Some said it was a thing allow'd by the Church of England as very expedient in some cases but no matter of necessity Others thought it but a Pick-Lock of secrets and a matter of ill consequence But when I urg'd that the Church of England seems to require it in her Offices for the Communion and Visitation of the Sick the reply was she does it with this Proviso If a man be troubled with any doubts or scruples Which reply did but add more to my dissatisfaction For thought I is Confession nothing else but to be resolv'd in our scruples and doubts I have sometimes wish'd her Exhortation before the Communion otherwise worded then saying If there be any of you which cannot quiet his own Conscience let him come to Me or some other Learned Minister of Gods Word and open his grief c. Which words seem to allow as much as that sinners may satisfy their own Consciences well enough without troubling themselves for the Absolution of a Priest although a Priest may be had In short I confess my dulness understands neither the Piety nor Policy of leaving off the practise of a thing so approv'd and frequented by all the Christian World except the people of our Islands and some few others that call themselves Reformed And that only for some Abuses which possibly may attend it By this means the Church of England appears to me to have lost that Interest in the Consciences of the People which both the Roman and Greek Priests are happy in at this day And what if some Catholicks are never the better for it What are many Protestants the better for all the Sermons they hear and Sacraments they receive If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins saith St. John. Faithful and just to what Even to his own promise which he hath thrice repeated in the Gospel Whosoevers sins ye remit they are remitted