thing to be examined by you to know the Author matters nothing I desire not that Athistâ—â— read my writings such as 〈◊〉 not in God can make no 〈◊〉 fit of Godly things for my part I make more Esteem of a Pagan that adores stocks anâ— stones thinking there is a Deit â— in them then of Aâ—hises Neâ—ther is it my ayme thaâ— Maho metans or Jewes read this worke the first not believing Christ to be the Sonn of God though they hold him to be a holy Prophet and borne of a Virgin the other believe not the Mesias is yet come whose Fathers Crucify'd him when hee was borne and came among them and made Evident by wonders and miracles that hee was the true Sonne of God and the now living Jewes as blinde and obstinate as theire Fathers tred theire stepps spitting on the Crucifix and whipping it in theire Chambers and stobbing with poyniards the H. Sacrament with horrour and extream Malice wherof there are Many Authentique Histories My wish is this Book be only read by Roman Catholicks and by Protestants the first will likely be well satisfyed with this my endevours and from the protestant reader I only pray that hee will be pleased with atention and without prejudging to read all and after to speak with God alone about the state of his owne Soule and what Religion hee will Chuse for his eternall salvation The argument I doe not handle Scholastically conceiving not that the better way to haue my sence rightly understood I am for the way of fact declareing ingeniously what happen'd in England upon the comming in of both Religions what kinde of men were instrumentall in bringing them in what theire manners vertues or vices who of them were of Sanctity and who not who of them wrought Miracles which are Evident signes of true Religion which was brought into all Kingdoms Countrys and Provinces by Sanctity and Miracles I deny what Sall falling from his faith who gave me the occasion of writing afirms to witt That the Roman Catholick Religion is repugnant to humaine reason It were to make Religion fabulous and foolish to say it is contrary to wisdome and reason for what can be oppositt to wisdome and reason but folly and fables As Scripture by which soly many Protestants will haue Religion try'd excluding tradition even Apostolicall it selfe though it be Verbum Dei non Scriptum is the Word of God supernaturall written in paper with the hands of his holy scribes by Revelation so is Reason Gods naturall Word and Gods truth written by his owne hand in our soules Signatum est super nos Lumen vultus tui Domine Doth not all this prove a great agreableness between Religion and reason whereby is clearly evinced that Religion is not repugnant to humaine Reason Haue not Pagan Philosophers even by the light of reason without any other teaching perceiued in many things what is honest and what dishonest what just and what uniust what vertue what vice this is that light in mans soule which S. Basill calls Iudicium quoddam naturale per Bas homilia aâ—â— populum quod ab iniquis bona facile discerniâ—us And S. Augustin accounted soe much of reason that hee said Recta ratio vertus est And S. Aug. de util Credendi Cap. 12. if Caluins Authority were worth any thing he says Semen Religionis est in mente humana But I pray you heare S. Paul telling you the Philosophers were unexcusable for not hauing made the right use they could and should haue made of the knowledg they had of Cod by the light of reason Because saith Ad Rom. Cap. 1. hee whereas they knew God they haue not glorify'd him as God or given thanks but are become vaine in theire cogitation and theire foolish hart hath bin darckned How have these Philosophers knowne God not by faith but by the light of reason and knowing him soe they should have as the Apostle teaches glorify'd him as God I shew in this Book the number of Catholick Arch-Bishops that sate upon the Chaire of Canterbury to haue bin sixty one many of these haue bin nobly borne and many of them very learned and vertuous twelve haue bin canonized saints Your number of Protestant Arch-Bishops have not as I think bin aboue six as Parker VVhitgift Grindal Branckfort Abots Laud and Sheldon all of them lowly born and as wee heare meanly Learned of theire vertues wee heard Little And could those few and less learned and vertuous know more of Gods verity and holy will then soe many Eminent Catholick Arch-Bishops what in Gods name would make any man think soe You had fifty two Catholick Monarchs of England Kings and Queens I speake nothing here of seventy small Kings when England was devided into seven Kingdoms many of these haue bin of the Gallantest Princes in Christendome as Egbert that first reduced England to a Monarchy Ina Edgar Canut William the conquerour Henry the second Edward the third Henry the fifth and Henry the seventh many of them vertuous and Godly Princes and som of them acknowledged for Saints by all the Church of God the Protestants have had but five in all the first a Child of nine yeâ—ars Edward the sixth the second a Woeman Queen Elisabeth a Cruell a woeman who put to death Queen Mary of Scotland the present Kings great Grandmother which was an open Murther and soe Esteemed by all the world as alsoe in the tyme of her raigne 200. Priests and Religious men soly for theire Religion A woeman druncken Apâ—c Cap. 17. of the blood of Saints and of the blood of the martyrs of Iesus A woeman fitter for Brauery then devotion thee other three King James a lerrned and wise Prince his Sonne Charles a sober and good King the last our present Souveraigne King Charles the second of him let those speak that shall survive him But certain it is Protestant Historians will not preferr those Protestant Princes in vertue valor glorious atempts and magnificence to the Catholick Princes To speak of both Religions Catholick and Prorestant and which of them is safest for salvation I offer you here a remarkable reflexion and consideration as thus Ask of the Mahometan the Jew and of the Scismatick Christians as the Ruthenians Armenians and all of the Greeck Church yea and of the Lutherans and Calvinists that disagree among themselves which is the best and safest Religion they will all say after their owne the Roman is the safest which is an Evident Jugment that the Roman is the fafest of all much like that the grave Judges gave for the Lacedemonians when all the Provinces of Greece claimed for the Palm and praise in the glorious victory they obtained against the Persians Those excellent Judges before whome the cause was brought demanded of every one of them whome they thought to have deserued best after themselues and all answering that the Lacedemonians the wise Iudges gave sentence that indeed the Lacedemonians had
faith To vanquish a coward that makes noe resistance is but a smale Glory and Victory for a Champion the tentation that mastered you was like to such a Champion Illa tentatio vicit te non quia non potuit ipsa vinci repelli sed quia tu qui victus es nullarum virium fuisti That tentation mastered you not because the tentation was strong and could not be vanquished but because you that was vanquished was of noe force or resolution Tertulian speaks much to the same purpose in those tearms Hereses de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quod valeant non valentes si bene valentes fidem incurrant That is to say Hereses take theire force from the weakeness of some but would have noe force if they encountred men strong in faith You have beene indeed cast downe because you would not stand and fight for I dare affirme there are hundreds of simple honest lay-men Catholicks borne in Ireland would have rather suffered torments and death it selfe then abjure theire faith as you have don for that they would have made good use of the Grace God hath given them as you have not done but like a languishing man hast yielded to that black temptation over which they would have tryumphed It was exellently said of the formentioned Tertulians Nemo saepiens est nisi fidelis nemo major nisi Christianus nemo Christianus nisi qui usque ad finem perseveraverit Behold this Sage Father holds noe man wise but a man strong in his faiih noe man great or noble but a Christian noe man a Christian but hee that continues stout and faithfull to God in Combatts and temtations and more especialy when the storme of persecution rises upon this tryall you fainted and forsooke your Master and your Religion and now of what Religion I beseech you are you I am say you a Protestant a true Child of the Church of England but of what Sect or kind of Protestants are you is a new Queere for under this Notion of Protestant pass Lutherans Calvinist Moderat and Rigid Swinglians Anabaptists Phanaticts or the last Sect which calls themselves Quakers Shall I speak my mind to you having gone out of the Roman Catholick Church and quit the faith therin professed all along from the Apostles tymes till this day you are of noe Religion for all the rest is but Paganisme Judaysme and Heresy This assertion is evident out of the great Doctor of Nations in his Epistle to the Ephesians where hee says plainely Vnus Dominus una Fidos unum Baptisma Ad Ephes cap. 4. One Lord one Faith one Baptisme Ergo there are not two faithes to be sau'd in but one only and that the Roman Catholick Faith that noe man can be sau'd without this sole only faith Saint Paul teacheth clearely in his Epistle to the Hebrewes as thus Sine fide autem imposibele est placere Deo the words following give evidently the reason Credere enim eportet accedentem ad Deum Epist ad Hebr. cap. 11. quia est inquirentibus se remunerator sit But without faith it is imposible to please God for hee that cometh to God must believe that hee is and is a rewarder to them that seek him That the Roman Catholick Faith is that only true faith wherin men are to be saued is evidently confirmed for that it is taught and defended only in the Roman Catholick Church which hath the true signes and propertys of a true Church for that shee is one only and can not be many that shee is visible and visibly dispersed over the whole world and therfore Catholick and Universall that shee is infallible and can not be deceived nor deceive depending in her Doctrin upon the infallible Revelation of God being assisted with Christ's promise of the perpetuall presence of the Holy Ghost with her and consequently can neuer faile or fall into error that shee containeth not only the good or the elect in this life but alsoe divers wicked members as the barne doth both wheat and chaff that likewise shee hath continued perpetually visible from Christ to our days by manifest Successions of Popes and Bishops knowne to the world and shall soe to the end that there is noe hope of salvation out of this Church and without this Faith though aman live otherwise neuer soe well or give neuer soe much Almes or give even his blood or suffer neuer soe much for Christ his name Wee know there are some that say and hold that Catholicks and Protestants can be sau'd each in his owne Religion But that is a desperate Opinion and the refuge of a very Carless Conscience if not voyd of all faith Noe Catholick is of this mind they are only Protestants that say soe for wee Catholicks hold with the Fathers of the Church that salvation is only as before was said to be found in the Catholick Church among others Sainct Irenaeus and Tertulian neare the Apostles tyme and after them Epiphanius Theodoret and Saint Augustin doe specially treat of this matter The reason is evident in as much as Catholicks and Protestants doe disagree in substantiall Articles and Theorems of Christian faith theire disagreements being knowne to be in above a hundred points great and small partly about the God-head of Christ his Church head members and Authority therof in his descent to hell remission of sinns all which are Articles of the common Creed partly about the Sacraments both of theire nature number force and efficacy about the Real Presence the effect of Baptisme externall Sacrifices Purgatory and the Invocation of Saints praying for the dead faith and workes manner of Justification and the like All which are knowne to be very substantiall points It is therfore very absurd and plainly tending to a secret kinde of Athisme to uphold the Catholick and Protestant Religion doe not differ in substantiall points and the differrence being supposed as it must be it is an Heresy to hould the Catholicks and Protestants may be sau'd each in his owne Religion and Profession but Catholicks can be sau'd in theirs which can not be said of the Protestant and his for being out of the Arke Debet perire as Saint Jerom says regnante deluvio Consider therfor Sall having departed out of the Catholick Church what Eternity you may wait for an Eternity of Flames darkness and inconsolable lamentation Vbi ignis Sulphur spiritus procellarum pars calicis eorum this shall be your inheritance I must confess learned men unless careless are not soe easily intrapped by Hereticks for all this I see with all your Mastership of Philosophy and Divinity in Spaigne you haue bine deluded and circumvented by the Protestant Arch-Bishop of Cashel who likly is not an unlearned man hee hath not been carless in working your eternall ruine and undoeing and it is usually the principall care of Hereticks to pervert true believers as Tertulian doth excellently teach Studium est saith hee Heriticis
however wee must leave him a Saint to fill up that new Calendar Fox is not ashamed to place in his Calendar Lollards a Sect of Hereticks ancienter then Wicklifians by 50 years who in some things held with the Protestants and Wicklisians against the Roman Church as against the Invocation of Saints Fastings Prayers and the Sacraments of Pennance Matrimonie Extrem-unction and the like they had alsoe particular Opinions of there owne against Baptisme Eucharist and the like They had alsoe theire peculiar fanatick Opinions as Tritemius saith 1. That Lucifer with the rest of The peculiar oponions of the Lollards according to Tritemius his Angells were injuriously thrust out of heaven by Michael and his Angells and consequently to be restored at the day of iudgment And that Michael and his Angells are to be damned for the forsaid Injury and to be delivered over to everlasting punishment from the day of Iudgment forward 2. That our Lady could not beare Christ and remaine a Virgin for that soe hee should have been an Angell and not a man 3. They held that God did only punnish such wickedness as is done upon Earth But if any thing be done underground it is not punishable And therfore in caves and sellers under-ground they were accustomed to exercise all abomination And of this hee relateth a certaine Story happened in Germany which was that one Gisla a young Woeman of theire Sect comming to be burned for Heresie shee was asked whether shee were a Virgin or noe wherunto shee answered that above-ground shee was but under ground not This Heresie the Lollards grounded upon that saying of the Psalme Terram Psal 113. autem dedit Filiis hominum That is God hath given the Earth to the Children of men I will conclude in this place with Fox a Father os lyes the greatest Hypocrit and Falcificator of that age or this for proofe heerof I remitt you to Father Persons a famous man of blessed memory a great Ornament to his Order and all the Church of God in the third part of his treatis in the Addition hee made or the Relation of the tryall made before the King of France in the year 1600. between the Bishop of Euâ—eux and the Lord Plessis Mornay Page 59. 60. 61. I have had Occasion these montheâ— The words of Fr. Persons past to peruse a great part of his last Edition of Acts and Monuments printed the fifth tyme in the yeare 1596. and doe find it soe stuffed with all kind of falshood and deceitfull mannerof telling tales as I could neuer truly have beleeved it if I had not found it by my owne experience And I doe persuade my selfe fully notwithstanding all his Hypocriticall words and protestations which are more and oftener repeated by him then in all the writers together that I have read in my life that there is scarce one whole Story in that huge volume told by himselfe except when hee relateth other mens words out of records and therby is bound to the formality therof but that it is falsified and perverted one way or other either in the beginning middle or end by adding cutting of consealing false translating wrong cyting or cunning jugling and falsification Hee saith further A certaine learned Student of Divinity brought to mee of late 30. places taken out of two only leaves of Fox his booke to witt from the 12. to the 14. which I looking upon found them all most evident by conference of the Catholick Authors aleaged by the said Student and moreover besides these thirty I did discover soe many other plain Falshoods and manifest willfull lyes in those only two leaues as might well double the former number and I doe offer to prove them one by one if any Frind of Iohn Fox will joyne issue with mee upon this poynt Infine Father Person concludes with Fox that if all the Falsifications and lyes in his great volume of Acts and Monuments were well siffted the number and account would swell soe high as it would much surpass Iohn Sleydans Story in this kinde though hee bee the Protestants Protochronicler out of whome noe lesse then an eleven thousands lyes were gathered by the Catholick writers of Germany Let Fox goe along for his Companion if not master in the art of lyeing XVI CHAPTER The fift Quaere what Company hath Sall forsaken and who are they hee now sticks unto TO this Quaere an answer is Soon given that Sall having shamfully deserted the Catholick Faith hath alsoe abandoned theire side and hath passed to those that profess the Religion or rather Heresie hee hath imbraced This is made manifest out of his owne words in his Recantation All considered well saith hee I did conclude the way of the Church of England to be safer for my Salvation wherfore resolved to declare as I Out of Salls Recantion doe hereby seriously and in my hart without any Equivocation and mentall Reservation in the presence of God and this Congregation I declare that I doe give my full and free assent to the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England for holy and wise and grounded upon the infallible word of God acknowledging the Romish Tenets against them to bee false and superstitious especially that of Transubstantiation as forcing upon Christians a beleefe of monstrous Miracles repugnant to human reason and not grounded upon devine Testimony Sall there is an end of you goeing out of the Arck not like the Doue that returned carrying in its mouth a branch of an Olive tree but like the crow that neuer came back againe it may be much feared this may be your dismall end But having now bid adieu to us whither doe you goe you pass indeed from us to a great Congregation of men who all of them put in a just claime to have you of theire Company and Communion All out of the Arck are your Companions of these you have in the Law of Nature in the written Law and the Evangelicall All these wee call them Hereticks were Armyes fighting against the eternall Verity and the goodness of God all are your Companions I remember to have said aboue out of Tertulian that Protestants and other Hereticks being not able to shew the succession of theire Church were forced to grant it was for a tyme invisible which is against the nature of a true Church yet for all this I cannot deny but that Heresie is ancient and had its being before man was created The first Hereticks therfore and before mans creation was Lucifer with some rebellious Legions that with him stirred up sedition in heaven when Lucifer out of Pride would bee esteemed an Anti God with him joyned in the quarrell severall Bands of Angells and fell all with him And there was Apocal. cap. 12. seen saith the Book of Revelations another signe in heaven agreat red Dragon and his taile drew the third part of the starrs of heaven and cast them to the Earth The sedition and Rebellion is
Scriptures wherin those Miracles are found as for Church Miracles they seem to make noe more account of them then of fables or of ridiculous things but holy men and those that feare God doe much esteem them by Church Miracles I first understand such as the most antient fathers have left upon record never questioned never call'd into doubt by any 2. I understand by Church Miracles such as in latter ages have been aproved by the Sea Apostolique chiefly at the Canonization of Saints wherof wittnesses have been produced upon oath and all Imaginable sinserity or severity rather used to avoyd heresies and to make truth openly knowne Wee Catholicks distinguish between the received Miracles of the Church and those which particular men relate wherof some are only probable others Dubious others false the Protestants doth not distinguish them but make all fish that coms to Nett The Catholicks alsoe distinguish the Miracles of Christ and other Miracles those of Christ are immediatly wrought by God and the other by Gods servants but In Nomine virtute Dei soe that Christ is the Magnus Thaumaturgus quia sine illo nihil possumus facere when one baptizeth Saint Augustin doth affirme that Christ doth Baptize with him even soe wee say when any of Gods servants workes a wonder Christ works that Miracle with him and consequently all the Miracles of the Saints are Christs Miracles If Sall and other Protestants shall deny Gods servants to have received from Christ the power of working Miracles I say Sall and his Companions in this doe not beleeve the Prophesie of Christ saying expresly Amen Amen I say unto you hee Ioan. cap. 14. that beleeves in mee the works that I doe hee alsoe shall doe and greater works then these shall hee doe These are Christes owne words who cannot deceive or be deceived For a more exact notice of the nature of Miracles and how they are differenced I remitt my reader to an excellent Treatise printed at Antwerp anno 1674. Thus intitled The Infallibility of the Catholick Church and her miracles Now that Miracles are not Monstrous as Sall prophanely speaks but Glorious and the true seals and Characters of the true Religion and Church the ensuing Chapter will declare XXI CHAPTER Of undeniable Miracles proving the Faith and Sanctity of the true Church Mi ∣ racle 1 VVHen the people of Israel were most devided in matter of Religion and very many of them bended theire knees to Baal the Prophet Elias said to them in zeale and Anger How long halt you of two sides if Lib. 3. cap. 18. our Lord be God follow him if Baal follow him And the people did not answer him aword Such a zealous postulation is necessary to those that are neither hott nor cold in Religion but luke-warme such as the Angells themselves detest Apocall Cap. 3. then the Prophet made a motion to them of clearing the truth in point of Religion between him and the Priests of Baal by that famous undoubted Miracle of burning an Ox upon the Alter without kindling fyre under this way was well approved of by the people and they all answering said a very good proposition Gods Prophet was but one and alone in this conflict and the Prophets of Baal then present 450. The reason wherfore the people willingly condescended to the Prophets proposition was that in common sence they judged that God would not permitt a falshood to be confirmed by Miracle in soe publique a tryall where the veracity of God was soe particularly concerned on the other side the Prophets of Baal durst not refuse soe faire an ofter as Elias made in the presence of all the people fearing they would fall from them and the Worship of Baal their God What end say you had this faire Tryall who had the Victory who but Elias the true servant and Prophet of God The Priestes of Baal began to pray and cry upon Baal theire God with great fervour and many Ceremonyes they cryed till noon-day the tyme the Sacrifice should be burnt but their God Baal sent them noe fyre Then Elias after gering the foolish prayres and exclamations of those 450. Prophane Priestes of the Idol Baal began to pray to the living God in this kind Lord God of Abraham and Isaac and Israel shew this day that thou art the God of Israel and I thy servant and that according to thy Commaundement I have done all these things Heare mee Lord heare mee that these people may learne that thou art our Lord God and that thou hast converted theire hart againe And the fire of our Lord fell and devoured the Holacaust and the wood and the stones licking alsoe the dust and the Water that was in the Water gutter Which when all the People had seen they fell on theire face and said Our Lord hee is God our Lord hee is God Sall two things you may here observe the first that the people of Israel seeing the Miracle of the fyre coming from heaven detested Baal and adored God crying out Our Lord hee is God our Lord hee is God Secondly That the Devills power was here restrained and soe chained that hee was not able to help those Priestes of Baal demaunding fyre from him to burne the Holocaust and soe it is still when Miracles are attempted for the Tryall of truth then only truth will be testifyed and Sathan confounded having noe power to the contrary which is according to that of Saint Mark Our Lord working with Mark cap. 16. all and confirming the Doctrin with signes following And why should not I in this place in the name of the Catholick Church make such an offer to Sall and all his Protestants in England Ireland and Scotland as Elias made to the Priestes of Baal I hope they will be asham'd to refuse it for that were to confess that the Roman Doctrin is true and theirs false The Roman Church the true Church and the Protestants the false Sall let us not delude the people with School subtilitys or obscure Texts of Scripture If the Church of England or Scotland or any other reformed one be the true Church and its Doctrin the true Doctrin let that be try'd by Miracles I shall try ours of Rome by that Test I challenge then all the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England and all those of the Reformation or all the Protestants of the World to work or mention any one Miracle ever yet wrought by any Protestant to confirme any one point of Doctrin or Religion wherin they differ from the Roman Catholick Gentlemen summon your Synods search into all Historyes Prophane and Sacred set your heads to gether and produce at least some probable testimony of as much as one Miracle to grace your Reformations Mi ∣ racle 2 When the same Prophet Elias raised from death to life the child of the Widow of Sareptha of the Sidonians and delivered him to his Mother and Lib. 3. Regum cap. 1â—8 said to her behold
hand of God All which Articles saith this Doctor doth Calvin willfully corrupt in his expositions in the favour of Iewes Arians and other such enemyes of Christ which hee proveth by alleadging above forty or fifty places citing Calvins owne words and commentaryes therupon soe clearly and perspicuously against sence and expositions of all holy Fathers that if his commentaryes therin were to bee admitted those foure named points or Articles of Christian Religion can not be defended against the force and adversaryes of Christes name And is not this a brotherly agreement between Lutherans and Calvinistes in Principall points and misteryes of Religion but the Lutherans have the best of it for wheras Luther and his followers to this day condemne the Calvinists as Hereticks especially for not beleeving the Body of Christ to bee realy and substantially present in the Sacrament of the Altar the Protestants of England who are Calvinists and deny the Real-presence hold Luther for a holy man and theire Father and hold all the Lutherans theire very deare bretheren in Christ as Doctor Whitaker above cited doth averre To leave Germany and to speak of the Professors of Protestanisme in England Scotland doe not many of them entertaine quarrells and falings-out among themselves about Principall Articles of Religion doe not the greatest part by much of the Protestants in England hold the King is supreme head of the Church all of one opinion with the Bishops maintaine this as an Article of Religion in that Protestant Church but the Protestants of Geneva and all depending upon theire Doctrin in France and elswhere doe not hold this Kingly supremacy for an Article of Faith and are not Catholicks punished by Law and somtymes put to death for denying this supremasy which would be a meer murthering of them and the greatest cruelty in the World if those that put them to death did not hold that supremecy to be an Article of Faith Now if you will be pleas'd to demaund what those Protestants in England and Scotland caled Presbiterians or Puritans say to this Article they flattly deny this supremacy to be an Article of Faith though none of them did ever suffer death for denying the same nay they are esteemed not with standing theire opinion in this to be of the Protestants communion A gaine all Protestants that follow the Bishops hold the dignity and superiority of Arch-Bishops and Bishops to be agrecable to Gods word and as the Devines speak de Iure Devino and what say the Presbiterians to this By theire Champion Martin Mar-Prelate and his mutenous moke-bates that band under his cullors cry all of them in the Name of the Lord as Thomas Rogers doth attest That the calling of Bishops is In his Sermon printed by Iohn windet 1590. pa. 13. unlawfull that they be Ministers of Antichrist worss then Fryers and Monks Deuills Bishops and Deuills In-carnate Sall you must grant mee these dissentions between Protestants and Protestants in England and Scotland about the Kings supremacy and the Order and Dignity of Bishops are not Triueall but Fundamentall and they have been now many years contending in theire Writings and Conferrences and still are about these points and others that are the very sinews and Soule of theire Religion in endless quarrells and Contensions If that were my Business I could sett downe many and great differrences quarells and contensions between these two kinde of Protestants In this place I think it pertinent to say somthing particularly of the Protestants called Presbiterians who were neuer by any act of Parlament that wee could heare of proscribed from the Communion of the Protestants that stick to the Religion of the King and the Bishops Impiety Fury and Rebellion gave beginning to this Sect and Religion in Scotland as hath been aboue said in Page 164. and 165. They had two Reformations the first was begun by Iohn Knox an Apostata Priest and though his Reformation was ungodly and unreasonable the second was farre more unreasonable and ungodly A Presbiterian that was converted to the Catholick Faith describes the Presbiterian Piety in this kinde There was among us a pretext of Piety but wee had not the substance of it wee had indeed much preaching praying fasting and such like exercises but our long preachings were nothing but continuall prayses of the Covenant the solemne League which they cry'd up to the heavens butt wee omitted as our Saviour observed of the Pharisies the weighty Matters of the Law as Iudgment Mercy and Faith Our Ministers told us wee were the happiest People of the World for they said wee only of all Nations had the honour to be Covenanters with God and that wee had the truth of the Ghospell in greater purity then Geneva it selfe that wee had soe cleare a light that the like had not shined to any Nation since the tymes of the Apostles yea one who was esteemed a principall Apostle among us did not stick to say in the pulpitt amidst the many Miserys Confusions and Troubles which then lay upon this Church and Nation That the Angells and Saints of heaven if they could leave the sight of God would be glad to come downe and see the admirable beauty of the Presbiterian Church of Scottland Soe farre this new Catholick And was not this ridiculous preacher with the beauty of his Scottish Kirck a great Hipocrite and Pharisie It was much observed that shortly after solemne fastes of Presbiterians the country and state was allways sure of some unhappy claps the puritan fast was still fatal and ordinarily a preparation to some violence or evill worke that was intended this made many understand what Queene Mary Stuart meant by that famous saying That shee was as much affraid of a fast of the Ministers as of an Army of Souldiers for experience taught her that those fasts were prognostick signes of ensuing tempests theire long prayers alsoe did not prove them to be Saints more then the like did sanctify the Pharasyes they bragged much of the spiritt but shew'd noe fruites therof these bee the fruites of the spiritt which Saint Paul recounts to the Galatians The fruite of Ad Galat. cap. 5. the spiritt saith hee is love joy peace long suffering Gentelnesse goodness Faith meekness c. This second Presbiterian â—eformation beganne with a prodigious abolishment of all holy things Mala arbor Malos fructus faciâ— 1. They condemned and cast downe Episcopacy this they doe whersoever they have power quite contrary to the Law of God for Episcopacy is de Iure Divino This order and degree they abhor'd as Tyrannicall and Anti-Christian yet Saint Paul writing to Timothey saith If a man desireth a Bishops Office hee desireth 1. Tim. cap. 3. a good thing The Apostle likewise affirmeth that Bishops are to Order Priests and Iudge them wherfore hee saith in his Epistle to Titus That hee left Ad Titum Cap. 1. him in Cret to Order Priestes by Cittys By this it is plaine and evident that
first fruits of Luthers extraordinary mission Mala arbor malos fructus facit Will you have all this evidently proved by the Testimony of prime Protestant Authors wherof Luthers is one Hee speaks thus The World Luth. in Postilla super Evang. groweth dayly worse men are now more revengefull covetous licentious then they were ever before in the Papacy when wee were seduced Dom. 1 Adventus Dominica 26. post Trinit by the Pope every man did willingly follow good works and now every man neither saith nor knoweth any thing but how to gett all to himselfe by exactions pillage theft lying usery c. The second Author is Erasmus one of Mr. Fox his Saints and Confessors in his acts and monuments hee says Circumspice populum istum Evangelicum c. Eras in Epist ad vulturiam neocomum written anno 1529. profer mihi quem istud Evangelium ex commessatore sobrium ex impudico reddiderit verecundum ego tibi multos ostendam qui facti funt scipsis deteriores That is Look upon those Evangelicall people bring mee one glutton that this Ghospell made sober an incontinent man made chast I will shew you many that have exceeded even themselves in wickedness and hee further saith Quos antea noveram puros c. That is Who I have knowne before pure cleane sincere and voyd of craft and knavery I have seen these men after professing this new Evangelicall Sect beginne to speake of mayds c. to Eras in Epist ad Fratres idferiores Germani◠leave of theire prayers to become very impatient and vaine and meer vipers in theire manners and have as it were cast of human nature I speake what I know And hee saith yet further there Nov◠monachum qui pro una duxerit tres c. I knew a Monk who insteed of one wife marryed three and I knew a Priest that after hee had marryed a wife found out that shee was marryed to another before I will not name to you a certaine Priest whipt here at Basille about the streets for his wickedness being of the same profession with these Ghospelers c. Hee testify'd publickly that after hee had once addicted himselfe to that Sect hee rann into all kinf of wickedness I will not say what hee told of the whole Sect c. hither to Erasmus Musculus a famous Lutheran saith Muscul Dom. 1 Adv. in Lib. Thus stands the case at present with us Lutherans that if any bee desirous to see a great rabble of knaues of de Prophesia Christi turbulent persons deceitfull Coseners Userers let him goe to any Citty where the Ghospell is purely preacht and hee shall find them there by multitudes for it is more manifest then the day-light that there were neuer among the Ethnicks Turks and other Infidells more unbridled and unruly persons among whome all vertue and honesty is quite extinct then are among the Professors of the Ghospell And Sall is not this a faire Testimony Musculus gives of the first fruits of your Reformations Perhaps good works and Sanctity some years after follow'd your new Doctrin and Ghospelling I cannot finde it soe but quite contrary for Mr. Stubbs in his Motives to good works printed anno 1596. In his Epistle to the Lord Major of London saith That after his trauel in compassing all England round about I found the people in most parts dissolute proud envious malicious covetous ambitious carless of good works c. And after him Mr. Richard Giffery a Protestant Devine in his Sermon at Pauls Gross 7. Octob. Printed 1604. page 31 saith I may freely speake what I have plainly seene in the course of some travells and observation of some courses that in Flanders was never more Drunckenness in Italy more wantonness in Iury more Hypocrisy in Turky more Impiety in Tartary more Iniquity then is practised generally in England particularly in London And if wee may give credit to the relation of some Catholicks and Protestants that come a broad it is noe whit better there at present The Centuristes Cent. 7. c. 7. Col. 181. Complayning of the want of good works among those of theire owne Profession and speaking of the Catholick common people in the blindness of Papistry as they term it say thus They were the Catholicks soe attentive to theire prayers as they bestow'd almost the whole day therin c. They did exhibit to the Magistrat due obedience they were most studious of amity concord and Society soe as they would easily remitt inivryes all of them were carefull to spend theire tyme in an honest vocation and labour to the poore and strangers they were most courteous and liberall and in theire Iudgments and Contracts most true Sall is not this a faire Testimony wee Catholicks have from our adversaryes of vertue piety and good works strong it must be coming from adversaryes Now I would faine know how can Luther and his new Reformation save those that received his Doctrin hee cannot doe it by good works wheras himselfe Erasmus Musculus and the Centuristes Confess they had noe merita bona but multa merita mala Noe good works noe justice noe piety hee answers let them live as they please and doe noe good works let them have faith and live neuer soe wickedly they are sau'd for this is a principall Article of Lutheran Faith and Doctrin that Who doth once truly believe though hee committed thousands of Murthers Adulteryes and most wicked sinns cannot be seperated from God nor fall from his Grace and which is more cannot loose his Faith by any sinn Let any man judge if ther can bee any principle and Article of Faith more desperate and impious then this XI CHAPTER Of Calvins Doctrin his Calumnies against Catholicks and of his Life and Conversation Iohn Calvin borne at Noyon in France an eloquent man and famous with Protestants for his writings especially his Books of Institutions which are more esteemed in England and whersoever his Sect beares sway then the Cannons of holy Church and the Doctrin and Authority of the ancient Fathers Hee is very well described by a French Author as thus Calvin comme une meschante Georg. l'Apostre contre les 150. Heresies du Ministre la Bansserie c. Arraignèe a couru par dessus toutes les Heresies passees e de chacun en succèe le venin le plus pernicieux en compaesant une venenade en a enbevionne la Christiente That is Calvin like a venomous spiderr hath runne over all Heresyes of former tymes and hath suckt out of each of them the most pernitious venim and made therof a poysened Potion and gave therof to drinck to the Christian World Hee raked up many old Heresies from hell but nothing can be more blasphemous then two Articles of his Doctrin The one that hee makes God Author of sinne affirming that hee damnes soules to Hell by an eternall inevitable and unalterable decree and Iudgment without any regard
to see or discerne though all the world knew him to be Summersets competitor This crafty man though hee had bin allways a Roman Catholick in his Iudgment yet as many polititians use to doe hee dissembled his belief and soothed the Protectors inclination to the Protestant Reformation and made account those new men for Propagation and Preseruation of theire new Ghospell and Doâ—trin would fix upon himselfe for theire chief Patrone and Director and take with him whome hee would appoint for Soueraigne of the Land and to this purpose hee much humored their madness and zeal while they were intoxicating the people with the liberty and pleasure of the new Religion Dudlay being all in all with the Protector and having gotten the power of the Militia into his owne hand hee began to settle a new Religion in England upon the score of a refined Reformation and to unsettle the goverment and ancient faith and in doeing all this hee gave the world to understand the Protector did all and therby made him soe odious that none could indure to heare his name or to live under his goverment This wicked Earle compassed what hee went about to his owne desire his impious drift was to make his Sonne King who was marryed to my Lady Iane Gray of the Blood-Royall and a Protestant Infine hee contrived the Protectors distruction and had him put to death the young King to be poysoned the Princes Mary afterwards Queen to be excluded and the Lady Iane Gray to be Crowned Queen of England For preparing the way to all those sadd things this cruell impious man by force of the Army which was in his hands against his owne Conscience in the first Parlament and yeare of King Edwards Raigne obtained in favour of Protestancy and these new men an act of indemnity for the new Preachers and Hereticks from pennaltyes inacted by the ancient Lawes of the Land against marryed Priests and Hereticks and a repeal of the English Statutes that had tyme out of memory confirmed the imperiall Edicts and Lawes against Heresies But in the second year and Parlament of Edward VI. it was carryed though by few votes and after along debate of aboue foure months that the Zwinglian or Sacramentarian Reformation should be the Religion of England O tempora ô mores ô exicrabilem Parlamenti Anglicani impietatem ô scelus Cleri Apostatantis Who the Contrivers of the XXXIX Articles and first Reformers of Protestant Religion TRue Faith and all Sanctity being chased out of England by the sinns of the Clergie and the wicked laymen in the Parlament the Charge of framing Articles of this new Religion as alsoe of composing the Liturgie and a Book of Rites Ceremonies and Administration of Sacraments was committed to Thomas Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and to som other Protestant Devines who were all married Fryers and Priests lately come out of Germany with their sweet harts videlicet Hooper and Roger Monks Coverdale an Augustin Fryer Bale a Carmelit all these Englishmen Peter Martir a Chanon Regulare Martin Bucer a Dominican and Bernardus Ochinus a Capucin these three strangers came over with three galloping Nuns invited by the Protector and Cranmer out of Germany and apointed to preach and teach in both Universityes and at London who were to agree with the rest in the new modern forme of Religion which was a matter of great difficulty because the tenets which they untill then had professed were irreconsilable For that Hooper and Rogers were fierce Swinglians that is Puritans or Presbiterians and joyned in faction against Cranmer Ridly and other Prelaticks Hugh Latimer of great regard with the common people hee opposed himselfe to Cranmer and others for their opposing his pretention to the Bishoprick of Worsester Coverdale and Bale were both Lutherans and yet differed because the one was a riged the other a milde or halfe Lutheran Bucer had alsoe professed a kind of Lutheranisme in Germany but in England was what the Protector would have him to be and therfore would not for the space of a whole yeare declare his opinion in Cambrid though pressed to it by his schollers concerning the Real Presence untill hee had heard how the Parlament had decided the Controversy at London and then hee changed his opinion and became wholy a pure Zwinglian The same tergiversation was used by Peter Martir at Oxford and soe ridiculously that coming sooner in the first Epistle of Corinthians which hee undertook to expound to the Words HOC EST CORPVS MEVM then it had bin determined in Parlament what they should signify the poor Monk with admiration and laughter of the University was forced to divert his Auditors with impertinent comments upon the precedent Words Accipite manducate fregit dixit c. Which needed noe explanation At length when the news was com that both houses had ordered these Words HOC EST CORPVS MEVM should be understood figuratiuely and not literally Peter Martir sayd hee wonderd that any man could be of another opinion though hee knew not the day before what would be his owne opinion As for Bucer hee was a concealed Iew joyned in Contriving the XXXIX Articles only to make good days with his Nun and dyed a Iew being asked confidently his opinion of the Sacrament by Dudley Duke of Northumberland in the presence of the Lord Paget then a Protestant who testifyed the same publickly afterwards hee answered that the Real Presence could not be deny'd if men believed that Christ was God and spoke the Words THIS IS MY BODY But whether all was to be believed which the Evangelistes writt of Christ was a matter of more Disputation Peter Martir who came to England to Cherish in pleasures his wanton Nun whose death hee lamented efeminatly was noe Protestant in Iudgment as is cleare by what is said and yet hee joynd in the XXXIX Articles Bernardus Ochinus who loved Woemen soe well as by an express written Book hee affirmeth Polligamy or the lawfullness of having two Wives together dying professed himselfe to be a Iew and soe whilest hee lived in England was but a counterfeit Protestant to make bon-chear with his Nun and for this cause agree'd to the XXXIX Articles Cranmer was a meer contemporiser and of noe Religion at all Henry the eight raised him from Chapline to Sr. Thomas Bullen Ann Bullens Father to be Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the end hee might divorse him from Queen Catharin and marry him to said Ann Bullin which hee did Afterwards by the Kings Order hee declared to the Parlament that to his knowledg Ann Bullen was never lawfull wife to his Maiesty by which hee let the World know Elizabeth her daughter had noe right title to the Crowne of England After this hee marryed the King to Ann of Cleves and when the King was weary of her Cranmer declared this marriage alsoe null and married and unmarried him soe often that hee seemed rather to exercise the office of a pymp then the function
faith Doctor Vsher found between the Greeks Ruthenians Armenians c. For bringing them into his owne Church and Communion but if they agree in any Articles with the Protestant though they differ'd in many more 't was enough for Vsher to make them all Protestants as Fox made Saints of all Sectarys as in what wee have said before is prou'd But wee Catholicks doe not nor may not receive into our Communion and Church the said Greeks Ruthenians c. Though agreeing with us in many Articles becaus they differ in others according to that of Saint Iames Qui offendit in uno factus est omnium reus Wee are now to speak or to deal with Sall for his contumelious Language to witt for saying that the tenets of the Roman Church against the XXXIX Articles are false and Superstitious especially that of Transubstantiation as forcing upon Christians a beleef of monstrous Miracles c. of which I shall treat in the ensuing Chapter XX. CHAPTER Miracles are ttue and cleare marks of a true Religion and the power of working them hath been given to the true Church and remaines therin The Anger Sall hath conceived against Gods wonders caling Miracles Monstrous gave mee occation of enlargeing this Chapter A furious zeale in his new Religion hath made the man ungodly It was not enough for him in his Recantation to declare his minde in the ensuing words Wherfore I resolved to declare as I doe hereby seriously and in my hart without Equivocation or mentall Reservation in the Presence of God and this Congregation declare that I doe give my full and free assent to the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England for holy and wise and grounded upon the insalliable word of God But hee must alsoe add Acknowledging the Romish tenets against them to be false and Superstitious especially that of Transubstantiation as forcing upon Christians a beleefe of Monstrous Miracles repugnant to humane reason and not grounded upon divine Testimony nor necessary either for verifying Christ his words in the Institution of this Blessed Sacrament or for the effects of it Sall verè durus est hie sermo quis potest eum audire Let any Catholick Reader tell mee Nonquid haec est atrox homuncionis insultantis Christo Ecclesiae rabies I did not think poor Sall was come to such a hight of Impiety as to belch up soe virulent a contumely against Gods Wonders But let him bee as much discontented as hee will Miracles are owned by the pious and learned by the Bishop and the Peasant and by all true and Godly beleevers because they are wrought In Nomine virtute Dei omnipotentis wherfore the Doctrin of Miracles is well grounded and delivered from hand to hand a long from the Apostles Tymes and the Church is called Ecclesia Sancta Sanctitate Miraculorum It is true Sall you have passed to a Congregation of men that deny and contemne manifest Wonders because noe Miracles were ever done in theire Church I defy you to shew mee one Miracle wrought by any of Foxes Saints or any Protestant since your holy Father Luther first brought in Protestanisme tell mee when and where and the man that did the Wonder Sall I see you deale with Miracles as the Fox did with a faire ripe bunsh of grapes hee jumpt and leapt to bring downe the grapes but when hee could not reach them said they were green and worth nothing But whether I pray you shall I beleeve you in a kinde of rage against Gods wonders caling them Monstrous or Saint Thomas the Prince of devines teaching What a Miracle is dicit enim Quod S. Tom. part 1. quest 105. a 7. nomen Miracâ—li ab Admiratione sumitur Admiratio autem consurgit cum effectus sunt manifesti causa occulta That is The Word Miracle coms from Admiration and this Admiration doth arise when the effects appeare and the cause is hidden Likewise Saint Augustin tells us what a Miracle is cum Deus saith the Saint Aliquid facit S. Aug. lib. de quest contra cognitum nobis cursum solitumque naturae magnalia vel mirabilia dicuntur When God doth any thing against the knowne course of nature and custome therof they are caled Magnalia or wonderfull things I pray you good Sall give God leave to doe wonderfull things by his Saints and servants to his owne Glory when it shall soe please him and be not angry therwith caling impudently these wonders Monstrous Miracles take rather Saint Augustins good Counsell speaking thus to you and mee and all men Dicamus Aliquid Deum posse quod nos fatemur investigare non posse in rebus enim mirabilibus tota ratio saciendi est potentia sacientis That is Let us say God is able to doe somthing that wee must confess wee are not able to search into or comprehend in wonderfull things the whole ground of doeing them is the power of him that can doe them That God hath Impowered those hee sent by an extraordinary way for converting Nations with the grace of working Miracles is a truth you will not deny having been evidently made appeare in the written Law and Law of Grace when the people see Miracles they beleeve the man that doth them is sent from God This made Moyses when hee was commaunded by God to lead the Israelits out of Egypt to answer God in these Exod. cap. 5. tearms The people will not beleeue mee nor heare my voyce but they will say our Lord hath not appeared to thee Hee proposed the difficulty of the Embassy wisely and God iudgd what hee sayd to carry great reason and therfore gaue him the power of doeing wonders and this suffised to make the people beleeue hee was sent from God with an extraordinary Authority Sall wee are still demaunding from your Prophets and Doctors Luther Caluin and the rest of them who say they were sent from God by an extraordinary mission to sanctify the world and to pull downe the whore of Babilon soe they name the Roman Church and alsoe you of England and all Protestants affirme the same to wit that Luther Calvin and the rest were impowered with extraordinary authority even as the true Prophets of God and other holy men that wrought Miracles for proving theire mission were sent from God in former ages but till this day you could never name any Miracles wrought by your Doctors Now if the Israelits would not take Moyses his word though hee was a holy man that hee was sent from God without doing wonders shall wee take Luther or Calvins word who shew'd noe Sanctity in theire manners but much impurity that they are sent from God without working Mitacles to prove it this would be in us a great folly There are three kinde of Miracles those of Christ those of the Apostles and Church Miracles if Sall and those of the English Church will not beleeve the two first kinde of Miracles they doe not credit the
but one mouth Can this be said of the English Church Noe but all is truly verifyed of the Roman Catholick Church Saint Cyprian doth likewise confirme this Unity of beleefe in the Church Exordium Ecclesiae S. Cypr. de Vnitate Ecclesiae ab unitate profisiscitur primatus Petro datur ut una Christi Ecclaesia Cathedra una Monstretur That is The beginning of the Church proceedeth from Unity and concord primacy is given Peter that the Church of Christ may be proved to be one and the Chaire one Let Saint Pauls Words give undenyable weight and creditt to what is said One To the Ephesians cap. 4. Body saith th' Apostle and one Spiritt as you are called in hope of your Vocation One Lord one Faith one Baptisme One God and Father of all which is over all and by all and in all us The Devines of England would faine perswade us there is noe contention or difference in Fundamentall Points or Articles of Faith between Protestants as for example between Lutherans and Calvinists soe teacheth Docter Charke saying in his reply to the defence of the Censure that in Principall points of Faith the Lutherans and Calvinists agree and are bretheren And Doctor Whitaker signify's the same saying wee reverence Luther as a Father and the Lutherans and Zwinglians our very deare Bretheren in Christ See above page 83. This hee would not say if hee held they disagree'd in Principall points of beleefe But the matter is otherwise as will appeare to those will examine the great contentions between Lutherans and Zwinglians Luther holds the Zwinglians for Hereticks being Sacramentarians the same Iudgement hee gives of Calvinists saying of them Hereticos serio Censemus alienos ab Ecclesia Dei c. That is Wee doe seriously censure them for Luther contra Artic. Lovan Thes 27. Hereticks and aliens from the Church of God As alsoe hee affirmeth that theire first Author Zwinglius Latro mortuus est That hee dyed a theefe and in his Iudgment was damn'd Which Iudgment hee saith Christ doth commaund us to pronounce upon such as deny him in this life as Zwinglians did in denying the Real-Presence of whome hee says further that hee held him not in the number of Christians Quia totum Christum amiserat for that therby hee had lost Christ all together And furthermore hee said that hee held said Zwinglius his books and Doctrin for nothing else but for venenum tartarei daemonis That is The poyson of the Deuill of hell and that hee would never have more conversation either with him or with those of his sect how doth Chark tell us that Lutherans and Zwinglians are bretheren in Christ agreeing in fundamentall points of Doctrine seeing Luther holds all Zwinglians and Calvinists Hereticks for denying the Real-Presens and damned Soules and theire Doctrin for poyson of the Deuill Surely the Protestants of England if they hold Luther for a holy man and true Doctor and reverence him for a Father haue great cause to tremble and feare seeing hee holds them all for Hereticks in a fundamentall Article of Faith that of the Real-presence whose Faith in this point is that of Zwinglius censured as was now said for an Heresy There are other pâ—incipall points of Religion in which Lutherans differ from Calvinists Franciscus Stancarus a Stanca Lib. contra Calvin N. 4. famous Protestant Preacher in Polonia hath particularly written against Calvin Cave Christiane Lector c. That is Beware Christian Reader of the Books of Calvin especially in the Articles about the Blessed Trinity Incarnation of Christ and his Mediation about the Sacrament of Baptisme and Predestination Continent enim Doctrinam impiam blasphemias Arianas That is For that they containe impious Doctrine and Arian Blasphemyes Another famous Protestant writer of the Lutheran party called Conradus Conradus de Theol. Calrin Lib. 1. Art 18 Schlusselburgius writeth thus Albeit saith hee in the beginning the Controversy of the Sacramentaryes was only about one Article yet by theire naughty Disputations the Calvinistes are passed now soe farre as they have brought into doubt noe small number of cheefe Articles of Christian Faith for now is the Contention between us and them of the Omnipotency of God of the Vnion personall of two Natures in Christ de Comunicatione Idiomatum of the Comunication of Names in the Blessed Trinity of the glorious Body of Christ of his Assention into heaven of the differrence of Sacraments of the old and new Testament of the force and efficacy of Baptisme of the prerogative of Infants borne of Infidels of the supper of our Lord of Predestination c. Noe man will deny these to be great Controversyes and Articles of Religion in all which the Lutherans and Calvinists disagree and how then will Charke prove them to agree in fundamentall points of Religion as Bretheren in Christ The said Conradus hath written three whole Books principally to prove this point that Lutherans and Sacramentaryes but especially Calvinistes are Irreconsilable in the very chief Controversyes of Religion And in his second Book and thirteenth Article hee hath these Words Nos negamus inter nos Calvinistas in Doctrinae fundamento esse consensum That is Wee deny that there is betwixt us and Calvinistes any consent or agreement in fundamentall points of Doctrine And hee further in the very Title of his Book affirmeth his cheefe purpose to be to demonstrate to the eye as in a Table that the Calvinistes De nullo ferè Christianae sidei Articulo Rectè sentiunt have noe right Faith allmost in any one Article of Christian Religion Likewise one Samuell Huberinus writt Samuel Hube rinus in Antith a Book whose Title was Antithesis Lutheranae Calvinisticae Doctrinae in praecipuis fidei Articulis That is The Contradiction or contrariety between Lutheran and Calvinian Doctrin in the principall Articles of Faith Yet was this Huberinus a zealous Protestant I will conclud with the Iudgment of Doctor Aegidius Hunnius publick Reader of Divinity in the Lutheran University of Wittembergh of Calvins writing upon the Scriptures his Book was printed in the same place Anno Domini 1594. In the beginning of his Book hee hath this Assertion that hee will shew most clearly and evidently Quod Ioannes Calvinus Illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca Testimonia de gloriosa Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti in primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de adventu Messiae nativitate ejus Passione Resurrectione Ascensione in caelos sessione ad dexteram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non exhorruit That is That Iohn Calvin in his commentarys upon the bible was not afrayd to corrupt most detestably the most clearest places and testimonys of holy Scripture concerning the Glorious Trinity the God-head of Christ and of the Holy Ghost and Principally the forretellings of Prophets of the coming of the Messias his nativity passion Resurection Ascention into heaven and his sitting at the right
Apostolicale will you heare these holy men speake in theire owne Cathechisme Albe it say they the substance of the Doctrine comprised Catebhisme VVest infine in the abridgment commonly called th' Apostles Creed be fully sett forth in each of the Cathechismes soe as there is noe necessity of incerting the Creed it selfe Yet it is here anexed not as though it were composed by the Apostles What new masters or rather Monsters are these What ungodly pestiferrous Doctrin is this to say and teach the Creed is a human Collection and not made by the Apostles this they declared as was said and after such Declaration they did not say it neither did they require it to be said any more of others as the custome was formerly at Babtising infants all this they did to put the Creed out of Estimation and use now this Innovation calling the Creed in question the beleevers therafter could be sure of nothing Thus the Presbyterians indeavered to dash th' Authority of the Cymbol the principall foundation of Religion O abomination of furious zealots that would change the Apostolicall Creed which was taught for such and soe beleeved and esteemed in all ages by the consent of all Christian Nations and said dayly by all the Servants of God young and old But against the Impiety of those men wee have the Authority and Testimony of all the ancient Fathers for the Credit and Estimation of the Creed Cardinall Barronius in the first tome of Baron Tom. 1. Annal. an 44. N. 15. seq his Annals doth shew by the Testimony of the holy and ancient Fathers that the Creed was composed by the holy Apostles a little before they were to part and goe into severall Countryes to preach the Ghospell unto the Gentils to the end there might bee a certaine short cleare rule of Faith in which they all agreed wherin they were to instruct all persons and by which as by a certaine badge all Christians might be knowne Be pleased now to heare the Fathers speak of the Symbol Saint Ambrose saith Let us beleeve the Symbol S. Amb. Serm. 18. Epist 81. of the Apostles which the Roman Church doth ever preserve and keepe inviolate Saint Hierom saith The Symbol of our Faith and hope which was delivered by th' Apostles is not written in Paper or Ink but in the fleshly Tables of the hart Saint Augustin speaks thus The comprehension Aug. Serm. 42. de trad and perfection of our Faith is the Creed It is simple saith hee short and full That its simplicity might serve the rudeness its shortness the Memory And its fullness the Instruction of the hearers Else where hee saith this is a Symboll brief in words but large in Misteryes for whatsoever is declared in the Scriptures or foretold by the Prophets c. is contained and briefly confessed in it To show the excellency of the Creed which is therfore to be often sayd Saint Augustin speaks thus Render Aug. homil fortitu your Symboll render it unto the Lord be not weary to rehearse it the repitition of it is good least forgetfullness creep one thee doe not say I sayd it yesternight I sayd it to day I say it every day I have it well Remember thy Faith Behold thy selfe let thy Creed be a mirrour unto the there see thy selfe if thou beleeve all that thou confessest thy selfe to beleeve and rejoyce dayly in thy Faith Let it be thy Riches the dayly apparell of thy Soule Doe you not cloath your selfe when you rise Soe by remembring thy Creed cloath thy Soule least per-adventure forgetfullness make it naked Saint Ambrose cales this the Seale of our Ambr. lib. 3. de Virgin Tom. 4. hart which wee ought dayly to review and the Watch-word of a Christian which should bee in a readiness in all dangers Wee have the Creed by an assured Tradition and Testimony of the Church which Saint Augustin holds of noe less certainty then the Scriptures as is signifyed by these words I would not have beleeved saith the Saint Aug. Cont. Epist fund Cap. 5. the Ghospell unless the Authority of the Catholick Church had moved mee c. And that Authority being once weakned neither can I beleeve the Ghospell Seeing these Presbiterians have abollished the Authority of the Crâ—ed saying it is not Apostolicall what in Gods-name have these Doctors given to the People in place of the Symboll The holy Covenant and as the Creed is denyed by these men to be Apostolicall soe is the Covenant cry'd up to be Divine for they call it Gods Covenant and the Confession of the Scottish Kirck This was truly a rare exchange to deny the Creed to be Apostolique and to cry up the Covenant to be devine To Rob us of a most ancient clear briefe positive sacred Confession of Faith made by the holy Apostles famous in all ages and Universally received throughout the whole world full of great Misteryes and divine Expressions and to give us in place of it a new long obscure negative Confession or rather noe Confession of Faith full of terrible oathes Execrations and Combinations devised by some few discontented heads and by cunning and force obtruded upon the Nation much suspected at the beginning to bee nothing but a meere pretence of Religion as it was notoriously known to be a humane Invention and as it 's now at length after all its disguises manifested for such unto the World It 's good fame hath not lasted long neither at home nor a broad It gott some footing in England by cunning and worldly interest but these soone failing it was quickly detected and rejected The Christian Mediator sayth to this purpose That the last Reformation Christ Mod. pag. 2. settled with soe solemne a Covenant and carryed on with soe furious a zeal is already by better lights discovered to be meerly humane and therfor deseruedly layd aside These are the words of the converted Presbyterian Sall I would now faine know what is your Iudgement of these kinde of Protestants perhaps you will say they are noe Protestants but Geneva the acknowledged school of English and Scottish Protestants will tell you that Presbiterians are the purest Protestants of all and for ought I could ever learne the Church of England held and holds them soe according to Doctor Whitakers manner of speaking Tell mee Sall have you ever seen any act of Parlament in England declaring that Presbiterians are not Protestants or any penal lawes enacted against them noe such thing though they differ as was said from the Episcopall or Royall Protestants in fundamentall points of Religion that of the order and dignity of Episcopacy which they hold to bee Anti-Christian and Tyranicall and noe way de Iure Divino The other of the kings supremacy in Spiritualibus which they flatly deny they alsoe differ from the Kings Protestants in abollishing the Lords prayer and the Hymne of Glorification to the B. Trinity and in denying the Greed to be Apostolicall
which are flatt Heresies and for all these Impietyes and abominations there are not that I heare of any Lawes made in Parlament for punishing these Presbiterians Noe but all the lightning thunder and tempest of the Bishops and that kind of Protestants and of the Presbiterians likwise doth fall upon the poor Catholicks our Religion is made treason to owne the Pope head of the Church in Spiritualibus as realy hee is is punish'd with death to worship Images superstition to invocate the Angels and Saints Idolatry wee suffer disgrace in Court and Country wee suffer the loss of livings wee suffer Imprisonments and death it selfe the Extirpation of our Faith is desired sought and put in Execution and men receive pleasure which is inhumane and cruell in our Miserye and Distruction and all these Afflictions fale upon us soly for the hatred men have to Religion What comfort can wee finde in these Extremityes That only and that is enough which our Saviour hath promised to his Servants Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur Math. Cap. 4. propter Iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est Regnum Caelorum That is Blessed are they that suffer Persecution for Justice for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Sall wee heare you have preached in July 1674. before the Lord Lieutenant and State in Christ-Church in Dublin a long premeditated Sermon for Justifying your departure from the Romish Communion and you then told your Auditors that you had found in the Romish Church three Abominations to wit Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny and those you called Abominationem desolationes stantem in loco Sancto And that therfore according to our Saviours Admonition you departed from that Congregation But I tell you you have forged a pernitious Calumnie and Imposture in charging the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches with Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny And I further say my Opinion that an Idol which is found in all your Congregations the pride of the privat Spiritt that Spiritt Doctor Whitaker see Pagina 17. discribed made you charge the Church of Rome with Idolatry Sir your zeal in your new Religion is soe furious that you have render'd your selfe at present incapable of Councell and all advice but in tyme you may become colder Non est abrevitae manus Domini And think better of what you have done however for the true love I have for you and especially for your Soule which is the maine and principal part ought to bee taken care for I hartily pray you what kinde of thing is Parlament Religion a ssippery and changable Religion which is thus declared For Satisfying King Henry the eight The Parlament changed some Articles of Faith as soone as hee dy'd they changed that Faith into Zwinglianisme to comply with the Protector Summerset young King Edward the sixt his Vncle within two or three years after they changed Zwinglianisme into Calvinisme and at the sute of Calvin reformed the Liturgy accordingly After the young Kings death they return'd with good Queen Mary to the old Faith and by new acts abolished those acts they had lately made before against Catholick Religion with Queen Elizabeth they restored againe the new Religion with some Alterations when King Iames succeeded they changed the translations of Scripture and other things In King Charles the firsts tyme Prelatick Protestancy was puld downe by Presbitery and this by IndePendency and the last puld downe quite Kingly Authority and took of the good Kings head from his Body Prelatick Protestancy being restored by King Charles the second the forms of Ordination where upon depends the validity of the Protestant Ministry Church and Sacraments being not thought sufficient were amended and are now changed into more Catholick Forms adding to the Forms the words Priest and Bishop which hath quite discredited theire Character of Priesthood and Episcopacy for those two Words being held by them as Essentiall in these two Forms the former orders given without these Words must have been invalid and in like manner all things in theire Ministry that depends upon Ordination are uncertaine and doubtfull for if the Church of England hath acknowledged to have erred in a thing of soe great importance as the Forms of Ordination what reason can it have in not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in the Kingdome of England in one age have made more changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued What I have sayd being duly examined tell mee Sall is not Protestant Religion slippery and changable and consider well what shall become of you in the sad exchange you have made The fourth Advertisment Learned Protestants of the Church of England doe confess that English and Irish Pagans venerable Beda called them Slaves of Idols were converted to Christian Faith by men sent from the Popes of Rome holy men that wrought Miracles in those Conversions IF any shall demaund to what end doe I make Mention of these Protestant Authors what doe I inferr from theire Testimoneys I make this Illation that said Authors did attest the Conversion of those Pagans to have beene made by those sent from Rome to a true and sauing Faith and for this Verity there are two convincing reasons The first that the Veracity of God was herein concerned which neuer confirm'd by Miracles a false Faith The second that the Goodness of God would not have Pagans brought from Idolatry to Heresy or to such a Religion wherein they would bee as certainly damn'd as in Idolatry to Iudge this of the goodness of God were a horrible Blasphemy for it were noe less then to cale him a cheate Sall examin now seriously what Faith that was the Saints Fugatius Damianus sent from Pope Eleutherious taught to the Pagans of England when King Lucius the first Christian King his Queen and thousands more were converted what the Faith which Saint Augustin the Benedictin Monk sent from S. Gregory Pope denounced to the Saxon Pagans In what Faith did S. Parrick sent from Pope Celestinus instruct the Idolaters of Ireland doubtless you will confess it was the same Faith then professed in Rome and by all the People that obey'd the Pope now all these professed as Articles of Faith the Real-Presence in the Eucharist the Invocation of Angells and Saints the seven Sacraments the Sacrifice of the Mass worship of Images and the like And aforesaid Saints Fugatious Damianus c. delivered them for such to the Pagans of both the Nations they likewise wrought Miracles for proving the truth of the Religion they taught and the Pagans seeing those Miracles beleeved they were sent from God They were indeed sent to those Idalaters as Moyses Elias and others Prophets to the People of Israel and as the Apostles to the Gentils doeing wonders In Nomine Virtute Dei. I observe in this place that the Religion the S S. Fugatious Damianus Patrick and Augustin preached to the Pagans of these countryes was not the Faith now Professed by Sall and
the Congregation of the now English Church ergò the Protestant Authors attesting the verity of the Religion taught by Fugatious and the rest and confirm'd by Miracles give Testimony against theire owne Religion I meane the Protestant My last illation from those Protestant Authors and against theire owne Religion and for mine is that Sall hath cause to feare his owne Damnation for having deserted the true Faith those holy men sent from Rome denounced to the Infidels Imbraceing a new Religion opposit to the ancient and orthodox The names of the Protestant Authors Devines and Historians testifying the Conversion of England and Ireland from Idolatry by the aforesaid Saints sent from Rome 1. Abbots pretended Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that writt against Bellarmin 2. Bale pretended Bishop of Ossory in Ireland reckened among theire learned men hee writ Centurys of the writers of Britaine and said of himselfe hee had read the Historys and Chronicles allmost of all Antiquitye 3. Bilson pretended Bishop of Winchester esteemed a learned writer 4. Caius Doctor of Phisick soe well seen in Antiquity as an Oxonian Orator tearmed him the Antiquary 5. Camden well knowne for his Discription of Britany an excellent Antiquary 6. Couper pretended Bishop of Lincolne and after of Winchester well knowne for his Dixionary and his Chronicle 7. Dangerous positioner some say it was D. Banckrofte pretended Arch-Bishop of Canterbury others say it was Doctor Sutclife 8. Fox most famous amongst Protestants for his acts and monuments of theire Martyrs 9. Fulk Doctor of Divinity and a great writer against Catholicks 10. Godwin a devine Sonne to Godwin pretended Bishop of Bath 11. Holinshed notorious for his great Chronicle and mosT earnest against Catholicks 12. Humphery Doctor of Divinity and the Queens Reader therof in Oxford 13. Iewell soe famous and known to Protestants as I need say nothing of him 14. Reynolds Doctor of Divinity famous with Protestants 15. Stow well knowne for his Chronicle and other his writings of Antiquity 16. Sutelife Doctor of Divinity and Dean of Exetor and a great writer against Catholicks 17. Surueyer soe I call the unnamed Author of the Suruey of the pretended holy Discipline 18. Whitaker Doctor and Professor of Divinity and a great writer against Catholicks very famous in the English Church tearmed by some a worthy learned man by others a Godly learned man These and thus esteemed are the Protestant writers that give Testimony of the Conversions of England by Saint Augustin and other Saints It is therfore agreed upon by Catholick and Protestant writers that King Luctus sent to Pope Eleutherius two holy men Elvanus of Avalonia and Medwinus together with these came commissionated from said Pope two other holy men Fugatius and Damianus who baptized the King and Queen and those of theire Family and many more that imbraced the Christian Faith Authors Catholick and Protestant stile these Legats of Pope Eleutherius Prelatos Episcopos for without such Authority and Character they could not erect Bishopricks consecrate Churches dispence Orders and the like this conversion was made and the King and Queen baptized anno Domini 183. to which Conversion agreeth Fox Jewell Godwin Abbots Fulk Whitaker Sutelife Reynolds Couper Stow Holinshed Camden Bale and others Bale one that would write nothing to the Credit of Rome if not convinced Bale Cent. 1. cap. 19. by evident Verity doth attribute this Conversion to Pope Eleutherius and with him joyned in this the Magdeburgenses Of the Conversion of the Irish Idolaters by Saint Patrick Saint Prosper that lived at the same tyme giveth a clear Testimony and after him venerable Bede Marianus Scotus and others who affirme alsoe that Saint Patrick dyed in the yeare of Christ 491. being 122. years Paladius was indeed sent to that work before Saint Patrick but though hee Religiously behaved himselfe in that divine Function the Glory of Converting the whole Nation from Paganisme was reserved for Saint Patrick who is therfore Iure merito stiled Apostle of Ireland Let us now heare Bale I pretermit other Protestant Authors that testify the conversion of the Irish Idolaters confirming the coming of Saint Patrick from the Sea of Rome and how hee gave the light of Faith to the Irish Pagans the testimony taken from an Enemy such as Bale against Catholicks is of the greater weight and force against himself Bale then who usually cal'd the Pope Anti-Christ and the beast and named the Primitive Church of England in the tyme of its greatest purity a Carnall Synagogue as great an enemy to the Pope as hee was speaks of Saint Patrick coming from the Pope thus Patrick saith hee surnamed Bale descrip Britan. Cent. 1. fo 250. Magonius who studied Divinity at Rome sent by Pope Celestinus did preach the Ghospell to the Irish-men with incredible feruour of Spiritt for forty years together and did convert them to the sincere Faith of Christ hee was most excellent in Learning and Holiness and among other Miracles hee did continue in Prayers and Fasting for forty days and forty nights founded many Churches healed many Sick delivered many possessed of Deuills and raysed to life sixty that were Dead Thus far Bale Behold here how Iohn Bale confesseth Saint Patrick was sent by Pope Celistinus and soe sent hee converted the Irishmen to the sincere Faith of Christ what more can any man say or more honourably of the Pope clearly allowing of Authority and power in him to send Doctors and missioners for converting nations to the true Faith In speaking of Saint Patrick hee mentions truly the vertues and duty of Apostles and preachers sent from Rome to enlighten nations as to fast and pray to found Churches heale the sick and worke Miracles Let Bale himselfe tell us if the blouddy Reformers of the Kirk of Scotland or himselfe Peter Martyr Buaer and the rest at the tyme of the Innovation they made in England did any of those holy works done by Saint Patrick and such Missioners as were lawfully sent from the holy Sea into the vineyard of our Lord I dare challenge in this place all the multitudes of those new men repayring as themselves say the house of God to give one Saint Patrick or Saint Augustin that fasted and prayed healed the sick and wrought Miracles I defye Bale to doe this with all his studyed tomes of centuries or Fox esteemed by the Protestants a most holy grave and pious man and plainly a devine man with his great and numerous volume of Acts and Monuments of theire Ridiculous Martyrs soe Credited in England as they have beene set in divers of theire Churches to be read by all or delicat Calvin the great Patriarck of Geneva with his soe adored books of Institutions or wanton Beza Reforming forsooth the Church of France with legions and troopes in set Battailes and beseeging the Kings goodly Cytties Garded by two fierce Giants in steele the Prince of Conué and the Admirall Coligny As Bale hath testifyed Saint Patricks Miracles soe