Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
B26348
|
The prodigal return'd home, or, The motives of the conversion to the Catholick faith of E.L., Master of Arts in the University of Cambridge
|
E. L. (E. Lydeott)
|
1684
(1684)
|
Wing L3525
|
135,459
|
418
|
true Church who knows himself by communicatory Letters which anciently were in use to be a Member of the Roman Church in which the Primacy of the Apostolical Chair always flourish'd More need not be said at present to shew that to be true Members of the Catholick Church is to live in the same communion with the supreme Pastor thereof under the same Government in the acknowledgment of the same Articles of Faith in the participation of the same Sacraments in the same manner of worship brought down to us by Tradition from Christ and his Apostles And to be separated from this One and Catholick Communion after once we have been Incorporated by Baptism is formal Schism pertinaciously to contradict her Doctrines of Faith is formal Heresie Thus the Scripture and Ancient Fathers concerning the nature of Heresie and Schism Now let us see whether the Protestant Church of England by separating from her Catholick Mother in Doctrine and Government be not both Schismatical and Heretical whatever is pretended to the contrary SECT II. Wherein is shew'd that the Protestant Church of England is guilty of Schism and Heresie by their Separation from the Roman THe Separation of the English Protestants from the whole body of Christians into a Church by themselves is a matter of Fact not so Ancient that it cannot be easily traced The Case in short was this King Henry the Eighth was of the same Faith and Communion with his Pious Predecessors from the very first Conversion of our Island and the whole Church in all Ages 'till the Popes Spiritual Power did cross his Amorous desires And then alas the unruly passion of Love so blinded his Reason that he could not see or would not longer acknowledge the Primacy of the Church of Rome which not long before he had so famously maintain'd against Luther the Apostate that deservedly he was rewarded with the glorious Title of Defender of the Faith For giving way to his Intemperate pleasure he fell passionately enamour'd on Anne Bullen who being of a subtil wit and perceiving the King charmed with her Beauty was resolv'd not to yeild to his Will unless he would first marry her This her resolute denyal did blow up the fire of his Love to a greater height and he being toss'd up and down with the billows of several passions determin'd at last with himself to quench those raging flames with her embraces according to her own terms though the impendiments seem'd almost insuperable and the consequences might prove very sad Hereupon he pretends scruples of Conscience about his Marriage with Queen Catharine no less then 22 years after their solemn Espousals sealed with the endearing pledge of Issue to succeed him in the Royal Throne And upon his hot Devotion to his new Saint he grew suddenly so tender-hearted in the point that by all means his former Marriage must be disannull'd that the storm and inquietude in his breast might be appeased And forthwith Addresses are made to the Pope to Commissionate Legates in England to hear and determine the business with all possible speed But the Queen appealing from them to Rome by the advice of her most Learned and Counscientious Councel and the Pope understanding the equity of her Case and how much it might be endanger'd where the King had so much power accepting of her Appeal recals the hearing of it to Himself and after mature deliberation notwithstanding all attempts and political motives to the contrary gave it as he was bound in Conscience on the Queens side against the King Which indeed was no more then to ratify what before had been adjudg'd lawful both by the Apostolical Chair with the approbation of the Christian World His Majesty now perceiving that all hopes were pass'd to procure from Rome a Divoce from his Lawful Wife and Vertuous Queen whom he could not but Honour even while he persecuted and a Dispensation to Marry his Beloved he grew highly enraged and passion so far prevail'd that abandoning Catholick Christian Peace and Unity he renounces all obedience to the Church casts the Popes Authority out of England under pain of death to the Acknowledger makes himself sole Head of the Church in his own Dominions and consequently Judge in his own Cause and then no question all things must pass for him and an usurped power would effect what Justice could not In a word he Divorces himself from his most Religious and Vertuous Queen shakes hands as I may say with Religion and joyns himself to Anne Bullen This was the original of this fatal Schism from this impure fountain stream'd a deluge of miseries upon our 'till then most happy Island For no sooner had he to satisfy his lusts remov'd the rampire of Church Government the sole preservative of Faith and Unity but an inundation of Evils broke in violently upon us and with Schism likewise Heresie Sacriledge Oppression ruine of Churches and Monasteries extirpation of Holy Orders contempt of Religion by making it lyable to perpetual changes uncertainties and and confusions as sad experience hath but too clearly manifested Thus was the Protestant Reformation as they call it in England first brought forth into the World and these are the Miseries which attended it I wish this point might be serionsly and impartially weighed and I doubt not but by God's Grace it would prove to others as it did to me a strong motive to return to Catholick Unity And here it will not be amiss to take notice what mark the Holy Scriptures have stamp'd upon Schism and Schismaticks to be known by Among your selves saith Act. 20. St. Paul shall arise men teaching perverse things to draw Disciples after them So did their first Reformers being Members of the Catholick Church till they contradicted the Doctrine which they before believ'd with the whole Body of Christianity to come from Christ himself and his Apostles teaching new Doctrines to draw Disciples after them They went out from us 1 John 2. saith St. John And so did they erecting a new communion distinct from the universality of Christians under a new Church Government it being never heard of before that a Secular person should be Head of a Spiritual Body or that Christ had left such an Oeconomy in his Church Scripture then condemns them for it condemns such Who will not hear Mat. 18. the Church it condemns such who 2 Thess 3. will not obey the word of her Governours it condemns such who sepeperate St. Jude Rom. 16 17. themselves who cause Dissention and Scandals contrary to the Doctrine delivered to the Saints And such were they as evidently in matter of fact as any thing that 's left upon Record in the World If therefore whosoever before them in the like sort separated themselves from the Church were accounted Schismaticks by all Catholick Christians how came they to be no Schismaticks by their Separation Never let them pretend any cause given on the Church's side to justify them for the Church
Fruits Mat. 7. 16 17. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mark our Blessed Saviour refers us to in such Cases From all which it appears That the general Piety and singular Sanctity taught and practis'd in the Church of Rome proceeds from the Author of all Holiness and that their tree of Reformation could never take rooting or influence from Heaven which brings forth such evil fruits upon the earth The Conclusion ANd now 't is high time to indulge my Pen which I little thought when first set to Paper would have laboured so long in this employment However I shall not repent of my pains though so much exceeding the limits of my intentions in the Essay if any poor wandring Soul receive hereby the least light to guide her towards the Mansions of Blessed Eternity and so prove instrumental for her Salvation This is my aim and hopes also and yet though they should become wholly unsuccessful I shall rest satisfied in that I have used the best of my endeavours towards my Countries good in matters of the highest importance and especially the Spiritual profit of my dear Protestant Friends and Relations whom the more I love since this happy change wrought in me the less perhaps am I beloved of them Amongst whom some I know for certain who have so alienated their hearts meerly for Religions sake as to return me hatred for my good will But I do and shall betake my self unto Prayer for such Objects of pity and compassion with a hopeful perswasion that they will be Converted as well as more moderate tempers seeing all things are alike equal to an Omnipotent goodness and experience tells us that the most violent Protestants have sometimes become the most zealous Catholicks By the mighty working of him who is able to Phil. â—21 subdue all things unto himself 'T is true the Case with Catholicks in England is sad by reason of those oppressive Laws which are in force against them and doubtless is the cause why some forsake us for the love of the World and do not actually unite themselves to the true Church In a word Temporal Advantages Worldly Interests and Prosterity standing on the Protestants side Persecution and present Sufferings on ours renders the Conversion or at least the Profession of the Faith to many ineffectual Let one be convinc'd and he replyes What shall I do with my Wife and Children Would you have me ruine my Estate and Fortune O miserable England where Truth is oppressed And O unhappy those who yeild so cowardly in the time of Tryal and Temptation Had the primitive Christians been thus minded the Catholick Faith long since had been buried in oblivion and such glorious Saints as Martyrs had never been known What is Time to Eternity What are Friends and Relations to the everlasting Society of Saints and Angels What are Worldly Advantages to Heavenly Riches Shall we not endure a momentary Cross for an Eternal Crown Is it not the high commendation of Moses the Faithful Servant of God That he chose rather Affliction with the People Heb. 11. 25. of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Know we not That he who loveth Father or Mat. 10. 37. Mother or Son or Daughter better than Christ is not worthy of him Alas What will it profit a man to Mat. 16. 26. gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul Certainly whoever lays this sadly to heart cannot but cry out with that devout Saint Deus meus omnia Malem Crucem cum Christo quam Coronam cum mundo Whatsoever I lose I 'll not not part with my Saviour he 's all in all I had rather have him with a Cross than a Crown without him This is indeed an Heroick resolution becoming a Christian and answerable to the nobleness of our Religion which appears in nothing more then the contempt of this World and this resolution is agreeable to the Purity of our Holy Faith This is the Promise we solemnly made to God at our Baptism in the presence of the Church Militant and Triumphant why will we become Renegadoes from our Colours Why will we not couragiously fight the good fight of Faith under the glorious Standard of Christ against all the enemies of our Salvation Whatsoever we part withall for God's fake we shall not be loosers by it He will superabundantly reward us who hath promised Mat 19. 29. That whosoever leaveth Houses Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Childâ—en or Lands for his Names sake shall receive a hundred fold here and hereafter inherit everlasting Life Believe me dear Country men 't is very true I know the first by happy experience If spiritual riches as St. L. 3. in Mat. ca 19. Hierom expounds it and comforts pass for payment and wait for the latter in Gods good time But alas things Spirital are little operative 'till we have a gust and feeling of them which cannot be without some progress in Spirituality and things eternal are further off and seldom apprehended with fixed thoughts while Worldly contents and advantages being present and visible work strongly on us to win and fetter our affections to them And therefore many of us living more by sense then faith or reason are willing to possess our Souls with patience in sufferings for Christ and expectation of that far more exceeding weight of glory which they work for us We think it intolerable to part with any Temporal Possessions for an Heavenly Inheritance And so procrastinating our receptition into the Catholick Church from time to time refer all to Gods Mercy and a Death-bed repentance A sad case this yet too common among us A case wherein I might have perish'd eternally had not the infinite goodness and extraordinary favour of God vouchsafed unto me with patience and long sufferance at last loosed my bonds and fetters and brought me into the bosom of his Catholick Church setting my feet at liberty to walk in the path of Holiness to ever-blessed Eternity The Psal 113. snare is broken and my Soul is delivered And blessed be the God of Psal 107. my Salvation My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and Psal 115. give praise I will now pay my vows in the presence of his Saints and call upon the name of the Lord. I will offer to God the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and praise his Name while I have my Beeing All creatures in Heaven and Earth bless God for me Psal 102. and bless God with me Praise thou the Lord O my Soul Amen Amen Soli Deo Gloria FINIS