of Sacriledge is the ordinary and almost necessary attendant of Schisme and Haeresie That great Patriarch of both Calvin would not vouchsafe to impart his skill in these two qualities to them of Geneva till they had by a solemne publique oath obliged themselves indispensibly to embrace whatsoever doctrines he should establish among them and till they had charged a curse upon themselves and their posterity for ever if afterward they did repent themselves of that Perjury and Rebellion against their lawfull Prince and Bishop 2. Concerning England the poore subjects there ever since Schisme and Haeresie found entrance have beene as of course accustomed to be constreined to forsweare themselves by publike Order and in a most solemn fashion whensoever either the lusts or interests of their Princes have moved them to introduce any novelties among them First Henry the eight without giving his subjects leave or space to studie the point of Controversie which yet indeed was then no controversie at all with forced consent of his Parliament constreined them generally to renounce one Article of that Faith namely Obedience to the Visible Universall Pastour of the Catholique Church wherein they and their Ancestors for many ages had been bred a doctrine introduced and generally embraced there ever since the Nation was converted from Heathenisme by their glorious Apostle S. Augustine the Benedictin Monke delegated thither by the more glorious Pope S. Gregory the Great To effect which Perjury the meaner sort of people were forced by Tyranny and the Great-ones allured by partaking in the spoiles of Sacriledge 3. After his death those sacrilegious persons who governed the Kingdome during the reigne and minority of his Son caused the Parliament a second time to impose upon the whole Nation a yet greater Perjury namely entirely to sweare away a great part of that Faith which made them Christians And though they willingly repented their former Perjuries and impieties returning to their ancient Beliefe and Obedience during the short reigne of that Catholique Princess Q. Mary Yet the interests of her sister successour Q Elizabeth prevailed so far as to make them repent their repentance and to sweare over againe all their former Perjuries her cunning Counsellours by all unlawfull wayes of violence and allurements surprising the Parliament corrupting the Cleargy and violencing the consciences of the subjects and so contriving their designs as that they confidently imagined that Schisme and Haeresie were established in England irremoveably being setled by a law as irrevocable as that of the Medes and Persians 4. But in vaine For Schisme and Heresie wanting firme and reall foundations and being built only upon secular interests when those interests come to faile as all worldly things must in time naturally sinke lower and lower into that gulfe which hath no bottome For it is remarkable that Heresie being the ruine of Faith as Schisme is of Charity all changes that are made in them are still to the worse Faith is continually more and more undetermined and Charity more and more cryed downe and made unlawfull A fearfull example of this hath been represented to the world in this late Schisme in England from a former Schisme For heretofore the English Protestants pretended that by their Separation from the Catholique Church there was made a rent only in the semelesse garment of Christ but yet so that the parts hung together still allowing the Catholique Church to be a true Church of Christ but preferring their part of it as better cleansed and washed than the other But now Christs garment is torne by them into I know not how many rags all pluck'd entirely from one another and this with such violence and injusitice as Mahomet himselfe would have abhorred 5. But to returne to Perjury a most usefull and necessary engine in Schisme certainely never any Carthaginian or Barbarian hath given such prodigious Examples as the Presbyterian Calvinists For Persons who make it a foundation of their Sect to acknowledge a private spirit to be the only judge of Scripture and points of Religion renouncing all externall Ecclesiasticall authority as to such a purpose for such men I say to force other men without any new information or instruction to forswear whatsoever the law of God as they believed and most certainly the lawes of the Kingdome then in force obliged them to is an attentat most horrible But by a new oath and that explicitely commanding persons to preserve their loyalty to their Prince and to maintaine the Lawes and Religion of the Kingdome by such an oath I say to oblige the same Persons at the same time to seeke the destruction of their Prince and of the same Lawes and Religion and to spend their fortunes and lives in the defence of a Religion not yet in being but promised to be contrived no man knowes when nor by whom and to sweare that that unknown Religion yet in the forge was true and only conformable to the word of God What name can be found out for such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an execrable renouncing of God as this And yet all this hath been in the face of the sun and this must in England be stiled a Reformation and such an one as might deserve to be purchased with that Sea of blood which hath lately flowed there 5. Surely this one example alone may suffice to advertise all those who have seperated from the unity of Christs Church what are and probably will be the dire effects of Schisme Let them not cast their eyes so much upon those frequent seditions and Rebellions and those rivers of Christian blood which under a pretence of Reformation have been shed in Christendome since Luthers Apostacy But let them rather consider this as a judgement more terrible then all the former namely that for a punishment of Schisme and such crimes as are the naturall fruits of it Almighty God has given up England to this more then Atheisticall wanton petulant contempt and defiance of his heavenly Majesty 7. Therefore such abominations as these Sacriledge and Perjury then which no Heathen could imagine any more abominable and these so great abominations exalted to the utmost degree and circumstance of aggravation having thus universally infected and envenomed all the severall Orders and degrees of men in England could I possibly remaining a Christian or not becoming a profest Aâ—heist escape fearefull apprehensions that the end of such things would be yet more terrible and that such execrable crimes would require a long time for expiation CHAP. V. The sanguinary lawes and cruell execution of them upon Catholique Priests in England 1. THere was one sinne more of which the English Government since the Schisme there was guilty which God seldome leaves unpunished and for which even during the time of my being a Protestant I apprehended some time or other as a sharp visitation which was the enacting and putting in execution those bloudy lawes against poor Catholique Priests against most of whom there was not the
of me in Faith and Jesus Christ Conserve that good thing committed to thy charge by the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us And againe 1 Tim. cap. 2. ver 2. The things which thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses consigne them to faithfull men which may be capable to teach othâ—â— also And lastly 1 Tim. cap. 3. ver 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth 4. To elude such Texts as these so expresse in themselves so stringent and convincing without any leave given to any rationall contradiction so unanimously acknowledged by the ancient Fatherâ— in the plaine importance of them for there was no need to call their commentaries interpretations there being not the least difficulty or obscurity in them to be cleared Protestants especially the Calvinists for the Church of England hath been more ingenuous have been forced to make use of the poorest guiltiest shift imaginable which is to translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enseignements instructions or by any other word but what reason and rules of Grammar would require namely Traditions That which moved them hereto was apparently a resolution to seduce the people for nourishing them up in the hatred of the Church in contempt of her authority in rejecting all her Traditions so far that whatsoever is proposed under that title of Tradition is not only not accepted but scornfully rejected by them as supposed most certainly false and superstitious if it should appeare that the Scripture it selfe should referre us to Christian doctrines under the notion of Traditions the very sound of that word in Scripture would perhaps make them suspect that their Ministers had abused them 5. But moreover for a helpe if this poore subtility should come to be discovered by their Proselites it is further answered by them that S. Paul might very well referre Timothy or the Thessalonians to the summe of Christian doctrine by him before preached and not yet reduced to writing because the entire Canon of Scripture was not yet compleated and sealed up but when that was finished afterward Christians were not to trust to their memories but to have recourse to expresse Scripture as is implyed by severall Texts of Scripture denoting its abundant sufficiency for all uses and necessities 6. For answer to this way of arguing it will be sufficient to say that whatsoever is here alledged by Protestants is meerly gratis dictum there being not the least intimation given by S. Paul or any other Evangelicall Author that the Apostles had any intention to write among them a body of the Christian law searce any booke of the New Testament having been written but only upon some particular occasion and for the use of some particular person and Church and on the contrary it appearing expresly both by Scripture and Tradition that the Apostles in all the Churches founded by them left a depositum both of the doctrines and discipline of Christianity uniforme and compleate not relating at all to any thing already or afterward to be written CHAP. VI. Two principall Texts of Scripture alledged by Protestants to prove it's sufficiency and against Traditions answered 1. COme we now to consider a while those Texts of Scripture pretended by Protestants to be so expresse uncontroulable and pressing as to justifie them from blame in not only opposing the former evident quotations for Traditions but in dividing from and condemning all Antiquity that taught the contrary and not onely so but relyed upon Tradition alone in severall points confessed by them not to be visible in Scripture and yet condemn'd anathematized and utterly vanquished severall Heretiques who thought it a sufficient warrant to be dispensed from severall doctrines taught and practises continued in the Church because the Scripture was silent in them 2. Of all others the most considerable Text of Scripture alledged by Protestants and most prized by them as efficacious to prove its perfection sufficiency to be an intire Rule of Faith is this speech of S. Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. c. 3. v. 16. 17 Omnis Scriptura divinitius inspirata utilis est c. All Scripture divinely inspired is profitable for teaching for arguing for reproving and for instructing in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to every good worke Here say they it is apparent that S. Paul acknowledges Scripture to be profitable for all kindes of spirituall uses teaching arguing c. and moreover in such a perfection that by it not onely ignorant persons but even the man of God that is he who is a Teacher of Gods people who by his office is obliged to a higher perfection of knowledge may be made perfect and that to every good worke 3. To this it is answered 1. That by reading the verse immediately going before we shall be informed both of what Scriptures S. Paul there speakes and in what sence and with what conditions they are profitable for the forementioned uses and ends the words are Tu verò permane c. Doe thou â—â— Timothy persevere in those things which thon hast learned knowing of whom thou hast learned them and because from thy childhood thou hast knowne the Holy Scriptures which may instruct thee to Salvation by faith which is in Christ Jesus For all Scripture divinely inspired is profitable c. By the connexion of these words it appeares that those Scriptures to which Saint Paul gives this testimony and glorious character were the same in which Timothy now a Bishop had been instructed from his childhood that is the Scriptures of the Old Testament For how few of the Evangelicall writings were published even now that he was a Bishop and certainly scarce any at all when he was a child Sâ— Pauls designe therefore in this passage is evidently this viz. to exhort Timothy to remaine constant in iis quae ei tradita fuerant in those Christian verities and precepts by the Apostle delivered in trust to him not in writing but orall Tradition For which purpose he uses these motives namely 1. the consideration of the sublime Apostolicall Office of himselfe his instructour immediately and miraculously called and enabled to that imployment by Christ from heaven therefore he sayes knowing of whom thou hast learned these Evangelicall truths 2â— The conformity of these new revelations to those ancient ones of the Old Testament in which Timothy had been instructed from his childhood in which he might perceive though obscurely traced certaine markes and Prophecyes of the Gospell and so be easilier enclin'd to beleive what S. Paul had plainly delivered to him 3. Upon this occasion he declares the great profit which a Christian may find by having recourse to the old Testament as having great efficacy to make a man wise unto salvation but this not of themselves alone but joyned with the Faith which is in Christ Jesus and perseverance in believing the Christian verities delivered by orall Tradition So that the Apostles might very well conclude All Scriptures
Infallibility he did ill and even enviously to their glory that he did not name those worthies for my part besides the noble Author of the following Discourse whom certainly he means for one and by consequence Mr. Chillingworth I cannot remember that ever I heard any great Elogium in this respect given to any English writer Yet it may be he might have an eye upon the last Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his late enlarged Dialogue which if he did then I conjure I. P. that he would once more peruse the said Arch-bishop's Discourse and single from it whatsoever is impertinent to the main essential controversie that is whatsoever touches particular debates of Catholicks about the Popes infallibility and the exceptions that may be found against certain Councels as likewise about the several qualities and conditions required to an acknowledged obliging Councel all which things are nothing to the purpose And lastly that laying aside all these unnecessary velitations he would apply the Arch-bishops most efficatious arguments to an Oecumenical confirmed Councel especially if he will add the condition too of being actually received by the Church and my life for his he will see reason to acknowledge that all that discourse is of no force at all against the Church yea that the Archbishop himself never intended it should However the Calvinists or fantastical private Spiritists or exalters of humane reason might deal against the universal authority of Gods Church the Prelates of England were too wise to judge that people would be so blinde as to think any obedience could be due out of conscience to a National Church begun and continued upon secular and indeed unlawful intrests if that Church should build its authority upon a profession of renouncing all authority And therfore though they were very earnest in the controversie about Ecclesiasticall Authority when they were to write or proceed juridically against Presbyterians or Separatists yet they loved not to talk of it against the Catholick Church yea it was from the Catholick Church onely that they borrowed their Arguments against their Schismaticks as may in a good measure appear in the printed Reasons of the University of Oxford against the Covenant Negative Oath and Ordinances concerning Discipline and Worship approved by generall consent in a full Convocation June 1. 1647 and it was under the shadow of their pretence to be still a member of the Catholick Church and to have received their Authority and Succession from it that they obliged good easie Protestants to continue their subjects But this is but a guesse that I. P. in this passage reflected upon the late Archbishop or any other English Prelaticall Writer 13. Certain it is he must intend my Lord Falkland as one of the great Defenders of the Doctrine of the Church of England since he speaks this in his Preface to his Discourse of Infallibility and with an evident design thereby to recommend both the Author and his work This being so I. P. will give me leave to use his own words O the strength of Reason rightly managed O the power of Truth clearly declared Yea O the force of a guilty conscience For what else but the irresistable power of truth and evidence of reason and acknowledgement of guilt could move him so publickly to condemn his own Church and to confess its â—surpation impossible to be justified Behold O Protestants how your Church is defended here is a discourse that undertakes to demonstrate and if you will believe your brother I. P. has admirably and unanswerably performed it that upon earth there neither is nor ever was any Guide that could oblige any other to follow his direction and that every mans conscience is to be guided by his own single naturall Reason chusing that Faith which is most agreeable to Nature and holding it onely so long as Nature likes it and then changing it for another In fine a Discourse that gives you leave yea almost invites you to return to the Religion of the old Philosophers those Epoptes and Priests of Nature If there be any force in this your Defenders discourse what becomes of your Articles and Canons your Synods and Convocations your Infallible Acts of Parliament and Proclamations It is evident he might as well yea more reasonably have said That the Councell of Trent is a great defender of the Church of England for that indeed justifies Ecclesiasticall Authority whereas this discourse directly and purposely and universally destroyes it But the meaning or that which should be the meaning of I. P. is this That the Authority of the Church of England is impossible to be maintained for if as the Catholick Church avows there be in the Church by Christ's appointment any Authority Ecclesiasticall obliging in conscience it is certain it is not inherent in the Church of England that began but yesterday and is not now at all and when it began it began by the renouncing of all visible authority Again if as this discourse pretends there be no obliging authority that is no infallible one for surely none can be obliged to an authority that confesses it self questionable then both the Catholick Church and the Church of England are meer names and verbal sounds that signifie nothing This is so evident that it is pitty to insist longer upon the persecuting of good I. P. that here publishes his conviction and confession and must either tear out this Preface before such a discourse or abjure his Church of England if ever it appear again 14. By what hath been said it is apparent that the doctrine of the Infallibility of the Church speaking by a lawful Oecumenical Councel is delivered by as full a Tradition as it is possible for a doctrine to be delivered And therefore Protestants are inexcusable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since receiving such special Books of Scripture upon no other grounds but Tradition they yet renounce the Churches authority which is more universally and authoritatively delivered and confirmed The same Truth is unanswerably grounded upon what hath formerly been proved in this Book viz. That it is impossible that that which any one à ge agrees in as Tradition should not be so because that would argue that some former whâ—le Age hath agreed to deceive their posterity Ob. 15. But perhaps I. P. or his friends will say That though what hath been asserted may be effectual to demonstrate the Infallible Authority of the universal Church yet not so to demonstrate that the Roman is that Infallible Catholick Church since the Greeks may put in their plea at least to be a very considerable part That they are not unwilling to submit to the Universal Church though she should condemn them For though the importunate restless malice of som Calvinistical spirits among them hath procured some uncivil and indeed unchristian Clauses to be put into the English Articles derogating from the Authority of General Councels yet the true English Protestant hath alwaies been ready to protest submission to the
by passengers of withdrawing mine cares from being wounded with fresh relations of new bloodshed and massacres 2. I confesse that war was to me an object not only of horrour but even astonishment as having never read or heard of any other that could enter into any comparison with it 3. Now that which astonished me in the present Commotions was 1. To consider that fatall concatenation of a world of dispositions and circumstances praeceding this war so strange that no humane prudence could have foreseen or suspected them if any of which had not happened there had been no possibility of any prosperous successe to the Anti-Royallists 2. To observe an event incredibly successefull to designes the most unreasonable and seemingly ridiculous that ever were For for example who could imagine that an inconsiderable number of peevish ignorant Presbyterians should ever come to be able to constreine a whole kingdome to forsweare the Religion in which they had been bred and to subvert their own Church upon a groundlesse suspition that the King had a designe to change his Religion who yet was almost the only person that remained constant in it so as to hazard not only the ruine of his estate but the losse of his life also For the time was when if he would have given up Episcopacy he might have obteined in all other respects very tollerable conditions Whereas severall of the wisest and learnedst of his Cleargy have been content to buy their security with a voluntrry degrading of themselves from their offices and titles yea it may truly be said that though many of them have suffered in extremity yet it was not properly with an eye to their Religion but rather their fidelity and loyalty to their Prince or upon quarrells against Episcopall Tyranny to perswade a Nation to accept of Presbyterian Tyranny infinitely more unreasonable and intollerable And which is beyond beliefe that they should be perswaded to imbarke themselves in a warre wherein so many myriads of Soules have perished when the only differences by the confession of the chiefe incendiaries the Calvinist-Ministers and their partisans in France were only trifling inconsiderable ceremonies and circumstances Blessed God what a strange furious spirit is this which has from Calvin descended upon his followers that moves them to such horrible resolutions and extremities even for matters in their owne opinion of no considerable moment and to the end to enforce their novelties and fancies upon the consciences of others against all justice and reason For what is more unreasonable then that Sects whose essentiall grounds are Scripture alone with a renouncing of all visible authority to interpret it should yet assume to themselves an authority to enforce their opinions upon the consciences of others 4. Was it possible to consider these things without astonishment Is not the hand of God as manifest to the eyes of mens understandings in this businesse as the hand from heaven was to Baltassar when by the help of Daniel he read the finall doom of his own and his kingdomes ruine in those words MANE THE CEL PHARES I must needs confesse that though at my leaving of the kingdome the affaires between the King and Anti-royallists stood almost in aequilibrio there being no considerable advantage on either party notwithstanding I could not free my selfe from grievous apprehensions that Gods Providence had not been so busie and vigilant in contriving such a concurrence of ominous and prodigious events to the end to suffer all things quickly to conclude in peace and tranquility CHAP. II. Sacriledge and Perjury acknowledged even by Heathens to be principall causes of publique calamities 1. FRom a view of our present miseries in England and a sad presumption of yet worse to succeed I turned my thoughts to a modest consideration and probable divination of what might be supposed to be the causes of so so daine and dismall a change there that is what peculiar nationall sins have lately reigned in that kingdome and awakned the just severity of God to make it such a spectacle of desolation and Proverbe of misery above any other nation 2. Even the Heathens themselves take notice of two especiall sinnes so immediately and directly contumelious to the Divine Majesty and therefore in themselves so heynous that they never escaped any long time an exemplary vengeance and the punishment ordinarily inwrapped even the posterity of the delinquents Yea though they had been committed only by a private person and that only inwardly and in designe yet the Divine Iustice did commonly extend the punishment to a whole nation such sins the Graecians therefore called A' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is piacular extermnating crimes among which the principall were esteemed Sacriledge and Perjury so that whatsoever calamities seised any time upon any Nation if it could be found out that either of these two heynous crimes had been committed though but by a few particular persons they presently absolved their Gods from any imputation of rigour and much more of injustice 3. Of this argument Plutarch speakes excellently in his booke de ser â Numinis vindictâ And particularly of Sacriledge there is extant in Elian vaâ— Hist. lib. 3 cap. 43. an ancient memorable Delphian Oracle to this effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Divine vengeance delayeth not to pursue those that are guilty of this crime of Sacriledge neither can they deprecate or avoyd it no not though they were the off-spring of Jove himselfe but it hovers continually over the heads of the guilty and their Children also and one calamity on their family overtakes another An example whereof we find mentioned by Strabo and Gelâ—ius in that so known History of the Gold of Tholouse Strab. Geogr. lib. 4. A. Gell. lib. 3. cap. 9. 4. Then concerning Perjury there is a remarkable example in Herodotus of Glaucus Epicydides who could not escape punishment for having only deliberated and in his thoughts designed the forswearing a thing committed to his trust where likewise this Pythian Oracle is mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is To a perjurd person there is an ofspring given obscure without name maimed in hands and lame in feet and this judgement seises upon him suddenly and irrcsistably never quitting him till it have brought to desolation all his flocke and family CHAP. III. England prodigiously guilty of Sacriledge since the Schisme Visible judgements have continually pursued this crime there 1. NOw how dreadfully and universally the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland have beene guilty of these two scandalous and even to Heathens abominable crimes Sacriledge and Perjury since the time that the schisme from Catholique Unity began is notoriously apparent to all the world and with a secret remorse bewayled even by the English Protestants themselves No man therefore can jnstly blame me as a discoverer and publisher of the faults of my
that it had no power of wounding as soone as it gets strength it fayles not to dart it out to the destruction of never so many thousands that oppose it I shall for proofe onely desire that men would cast their eyes upon the condition of England since the late Calvinisticall faction there got a fatall opportunity to discharge freely that poyson which for a long time it was forced to keepe closed up in it's entrals where after the best enquiry I could make I could not finde or heare of during the time of these late bloody commotions so much as one single person of the Presbyterian-Calvinist party but did actively oppose his King Nor one single Minister of that party but was a Trumpet io incite to war And all this not to free themselves from any danger they were in for their consciences for before the warre broke out his Majesty had offered them sufficient security but to destroy the present government of that Church and to set up their owne in place of it And as for their Brethren in France to this day it has beene in vaine attempted to perswade them to signifie the least dislike of these their practises the most infamous and scandalous to Christianity that ever were 6. If all these considerations together doe not more then sufficiently prove that without partaking of the scandall I could not adjoyne my self to the communion of these Sects let all the world judge Especially I being before yet remaining absolutely perswaded that it is utterly unlawfull upon praetence of defending Religion or avoyding persecution to oppose actively that peaceably settled Government under which I live Much more to seeke the alteration or ruine of that Government upon designe of introducing that Religion which I thinke to be true And truly I cannot but acknowledge it a great blessing of God that though I had the misfortune to be bred in Schisme yet it was in such a Church the forme whereof having been moulded by authority if not according to the interests of the Civill Governours in which continuing it was besides the obligation of my conscience mine own secular interests also to be loyall to the King with whom that Religion did before stand and is now in great danger to fall for by this meanes I had no tentation at all to study waies to elude those expresse commands of Christ by S. Paul Rom. 13. to be obedient not only for wrath but even conscience sake to my worldly Governour and of Christ himselfe immediately Mat. 5. to seeke for blessednesse by suffering for the righteousnesse of the Gospels sake not by opposing with active violence the Governours that sought the ruine of it much lesse under present here of by persecuting and destroying others Divine Providence seeming on purpose to order the publication of these truly Christian doctrines under the reigne of Tiberius Caligula and Nero then which the sunne never saw more abominable Tyrants and enemies to Religion to the end that in future ages no pretence should serve to dispense from Obedience And this doctrine of Obedience truly Christian which I learned in England being now by Gods goodnesse a Catholique I do and by the grace of God will to my death retaine and the rather because I shall now embrace it meerly for the authority of Christ and in imitation of his Apostles and ancient Christians afterward whose heroicall subjection to persecuting Emperours even then when it was in their power to revenge themselves among other writers Tertullian most divinely expresseth in his Apology and elsewhere and that most victorious Thebaean Legion gave an illustrious example Whereas in England that the interest of state had a great influence even upon this doctrine of obedience appears in this that when Q. Elizabeth conceived it convenient for her worldly designs to take on her the Protection of the low-Countreyes against the King of Spaine She employed D. Bilsou Bishop of Winchester one of her learnedst Cleargymen to write his booke of Christian subjection in which to justifie the revolt of Holland he gave strange liberty in many cases especially concerning Religion for subjects to cast off their Obedience But that book which serv'd Q Eliz. worldly designs by the just judgement of God hath contributed much to the ruine of her successour K Charles For there is not any booke that the Presbyterians have made more dangerous use of against their present Prince then that which his Predecessour commanded to be written justifie her against the K. of Spaine CHAP. XIII Protestants recriminating Catholiques for Rebellion answered 1. I know well that the Lutherans but especially the Calvinists triumph much that they can finde so few Catholiques that have been as wicked in this nature as their best and most authentique teachers most unjustly imputing to Catholique Religion the most abhored desperate acts of a few Traytors and the seditious bookes of a few Authors Whereas not onely all Catholiques in generall doe abhor those Acts renounce and condemne those Writings but the whole body of the French Iesuits in Paris to whom especially the Calvinists declare war in this point being in the yeare 1625. met in a full Assembly have publiquely and unanimously disavowed condemned and detested such seditious positions and writings universally agreeing to condemne that scandall wherein I never yet saw them imitated by any one Calvinist Particularly for English Catholiques their innocence and clearnesse in this point of Obedience was to me sufficiently apparent even before I left that Kingdome besides other proofes testifyed in a Petition offered to the Parliament immediately before the late Commotions as in the name of all of that Religion in England In which the profession of their loyalty was according to the tenour following The Catholiques of England do acknowledge professe K. Charls now reigning to be their true and lawfull King supreame Lord and rightfull sovereigne of this Realme and of all other his Majesties dominions And therefore they acknowledge themselves to be obliged under paine of sin to obey his Majesty in all civill and temperall affaires as much as any other of his Majesties subjects and as the lawes and Rules of Government in this Kingdome doe require at their hands And that notwithstanding any power or pretention of the Pope or See of Rome or any Sentence or detraction of what kind or quality soever given or to be given by the Pope his predecessors or successors or by any authority spirituall or temporall proceeding or derived from him or his See against their layd King and Countrey they will still acknowledge and perform to the utmost of their abilities their faithfull loyalty and true allegeance to their said King and Countrey And they doe openly disclaime and renounce all forreine Power be it either Papall or Princely Spirituall or temporall in as much as it may seem able or shall pretend to free discharge or absolve them from this obligation or shall any way give them leave or licence to raise tumults
of Minori declared openly this sense of that Article against certain disputing Schoolmen and during the sitting of the Councell published a book to the same effect no man censuring or condemning him Although indeed his manner of expression was far more unwary and more approaching to the sense of the Lutherans and Calvinists then the forecited Authors Salmeron and Scribonius Marius the further fitnesse of which opinion I leave to the judgement of the Catholique Reader my intention being only to make a Narration of what I was told or did read in others 3. And these are the principall arguments produced by Mr. Chillingworth against the infallibility as he loves to call it of the Church at least such of them as had the greatest effect upon me during my time of Protestancy to hinder me from submitting my selfe to the authority of the Catholique Church or indeed to any authority at all as obliging in conscience which arguments when I came to examine them appeared to me in generall not to touch the established doctrine thereof at all Whether they were of greater force against his particular aduersary it concerned not me neither had I commission or authority to examine 4. It is not my purpose in this Narration to give particular answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all his objections Onely this I professe that I doe neither remember any one through his whole book which formerly had any strong influence upon me nor since my becoming a Catholique after not a perfunctory per-usuall of it have I met with any which to mine own understanding upon the grounds by me formerly laid doe not seeme to me easily answerable And I am confident that if any Protestant shall apply Mr. Chillingworth's discourses to the established doctrine and expressions of the Catholike Church he will acknowledge that notwithstanding any thing said by him this may remain true That the Catholique Church hath authority to propose points of Faith and to interpret Scriptures and that no particular Churches or Christians may or ought to contradict or refuse to submit to her determinations and interpretations Insomuch as if Mr. Chillingworth had been so fortunate as to have undertaken no more then to examine the doctrine of the church he would scarce have made use of and much lesse would he have relyed so confidently upon the strength of any of those arguments which he ha's produced against his adversaries Positions He must have been forced either to acknowledge the truth of the churches doctrine or have put himself to the trouble of inventing other kind of arguments then any I could yet meet with either in his or any other Protestants writings CHAP. XLIV Dangerous consequences of Protestants doctrine against the authority of the Church 1. I Will at length put an end to this tedious but that it is so necessary discourse upon this second conclusion concerning the Judge of Controversies and authoritative interpreter of Scripture by shewing among many some speciall enormous and unavoidable consequences of the doctrine of Protestants concerning this point who refuse yea oppose the consent of the present and antient Catholique Church propounding doctrines of Faith and interpreting Scripture and submit to their own particular reason or private Spirit 2. The first is an impossibility of Unity yea though reason were suffered to proceed simply without mixture of passion and interest as experience and reason it self shews and it hath been already proved 3. The second an evident contradiction to Universall Antiquity which will not afford one example of any Catholique Writer that either hath affirmed that in interpreting Scripture every man is to follow the guidance of his own reason or private Spirit against the authority of the present church or that hath himself refused or taught others to refuse upon any pretence to submit to the determinations of the present Catholique Church 4. The third is that if the universall testimony of the present church either by her publique profession and practise or in her decisions in a Generall Councel do not indispensably oblige all Christians to obedience upon this pretended exception that no expresse mention is made in Scripture of such an unlimited power given to any church of one denomination then it will follow that those churches and Councells which have assumed to themselves this authority to exact subscription to any decisions of any doctrines other then expresse quotations of Scripture to be understood by every one according to his own fancy and that hath accursed all gainsayers are guilty of insupportable uncharitablenesse injustice and tyranny Upon which grounds all Protestants are obliged to anathematize the four first Generall Councells as well as all the rest which follow yea above all other the Councell of Nice since therein were anathematized all those that did not subscribe to an expression of one Article of Faith which notwithstanding those Fathers acknowledged to be so far from being contained expressely in Scripture that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which occasioned so many Tragedies was not so much as of Tradition but only invented by them as proper to oppose the Heresie of the Arians and to expresse the sense of the Traditionary doctrine of Christs eternall Divinity and equality with the Father 5. The fourth is that upon Protestants grounds it is impossible they should rationally call any doctrine Heresie or any separation Schisme without condemning themselves For concerning Heresie if they following the antient Church define Heresie to be a relinquishing or opposing the belief of any doctrine generally professed in the Catholique Church or defined by a lawfull Couucell they will include themselves within the lists of Heretiques since if for severall ages before Luther there were either any Churches Catholique or any authority to make a lawfull assembly they have done apparently the same But defining as they do Heresie to be a contradiction of a Fundamentall Article of the Christian Faith expressely contained in Scripture and not naming but rather explicitly renouncing any visible Judge authorized to determine whether such or such an Article be to be accounted to be expressely contained therein against those who deny it it is impossible to come to an issue between parties contradicting one the other 6. I will give only two instances in two points acknowledged in England the first in that great point controverted between the English Protestants and the Socinians The English Protestants call the Socinians Heretiques because they deny the eternall Divinity of the second Person in the blessed Trinity because this is say they a fundamentall Article of Christian Faith and expressely contained in Scripture But this the Socinians confidently deny yea they professe that the contrary rather is expressely contained in Scripture for say they Neither the word Trinity nor Personality nor Consubstantiality c. are to be found in Scripture neither can any Texts be produced which witnesse in formal words that the Son is equall to the Father in respect of the Godhead yea many Texts expressely
of the most learned Protestant writers by which they vertually confesse that if they had lived in S. Gregories dayes they would as well have separated from him Besides it appeares by S. Gregories Epistles that he as Pope enjoyed a supereminent authority and sollicitously exercised a care over all Christian churches As for his Jurisdiction as Patriarch and the extension thereof that I took not here into consideration since it is not a point pretended to be an Article of Faith 3. From S. Gregories dayes till the separation of the East from the externall jurisdiction rather then the Faith of the Pope and Western churches the whole body of the church under one visible Head remained as it did before enjoying the title of the Catholique church no other pretending thereto 4. Since the Division of the East from the Westerne churches caused as I conceive upon a quarrell about the Popes Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and not any point of Doctrine the limits of the Catholique church seem to be much streitned Concerning which Schisme if it be indeed a Schisme properly so called I apprehended no necessity to be very curious to inform my self being perswaded during the time of my being a Protestant that as for that one point of belief concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost wherein the Greek church expresseth her self otherwise then the Roman if in substance and sense there be a reall difference that the Roman church was Orthodox And besides that I know not any point of doctrine wherein the Greek church agrees with Protestants to condemn the Roman church It is true they communicate in both kinds but I could never find that the Greeks made that point any pretext of their division from the Roman neither indeed can they since they also give the Eucharist to the sick onely in one kind acknowledging withall that such communicants receive the whole effect of the Sacrament As for the story of the Schisme it was begun by Photius the Pseudo-Patriarch of Constantinople upon ambition and interest because the Pope would not confirm his illegall intrusion into that Chair which generally ha's been a fatall occasion of almost all Schismes as long since S. Cyprian hath observed Lastly it is manifest that those rights of Jurisdiction also which since that Schisme have been denied by the Greeks to the Pope were not then begun to be demanded but had been possessed by him for severall ages so that there was at least injustice if not error on the Grecians part 7. Fourthly that the Pope as successor of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles ha's a primacy and superiority over all Bishops and Patriarchs yea an authority over the whole Catholique church so that he may truly be called the Head of the Church ha's been delivered by so constant and universal a Tradition that it cannot without extreme impudence be denied Now how far this superiority and authority extends I thought it needlesse curiously to inform my self since as far as I can learn all that the church requires in this point even from ecclesiasticall persons is a subscription to this profession mentioned in the Bull of Pope Pius IV annexed to the Councell of Trent and collected out of the same viz. Romano Pontifici Beati Petri Apostolorum Principis successori ac Jesu Christi Uicario veram obedientiam spondeo ae juro i. e. I do promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome successor of blessed S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ. 8. Now that thus much is of universall Tradition what greater proof can be desired then may be afforded us in a late book entituled Les Grandeurs dell ' Eglise Romaine where such a world of testimonies out of Councells Occumenicall and Provinciall Popes Fathers both Eastern and Westerne Histories Ecclesiasticall c. are produced to maintain the Co-union of S. Paul with S. Peter in at least some degree of his universall authority which not withstanding are not an hundredth part of that which may be alledged out of antiquity for S. Peters Principality and the Popes as his successor Yea that great Councell of Chalced on acknowledged and received in England even when it endeavoured to deprive the Pope of some part of Jurisdiction yet acknowledged this his superiority and authority as Pope the Bishops there calling him their Head and themselves with all Christians members under that Head Moreover Socrates and Zozomen writers far from being partiall for the Pope yet mention antient immemoriall canons of the church wherein at least a negative voice is given to the Pope in any thing that shall be introduced to oblige the whole church To conclude Monsieur Blondel the most learned French controvertist that ever undertook their common quarrell against the Pope in that large volume which is spent in confuting particular extravagant opinions concerning that subject as touching the infallibility and Monarchicall Omnipotence of the Pope his Lordly and domineering headship and a Monarchicall power usurped by him by which to subdue all the members of Christ c. yet notwithstanding which is very remarkable he confesseth himself that never any Councell or Nation no not that of Florence nor Trent it self ever adventured to define any thing concerning such excessive titles and power as the Popes Partizans do attribute to him But on the contrary that the titles of the Apostle S. Peter ought not to be put in debate since that the Grecians and Protestants also do confesse that it hath beone believed and that it might be indeed that he was the President and Head or Chiefe Chef of the Apostles the foundation of the Church and possessor of the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven Yea moreover That Rome as being a Church consecrated by the residence and Martyrdome of S. Peter whom antiquity hath acknowledged to be the Head Chef of the College Apostolique having been honored with the title of the Seat of the Apostle S. Peter might without difficulty be considered by one of the most renowned Councells viz. that of Chalcedon as Head Chef of the Church Which is in effect to acknowledge that the necessary doctrine of the Roman church concerning the Popes Primacy and Authority is Orthodox 9. Upon which grounds since it appeares to have been an universall Tradition of the church besides expresse words of Scripture that the Catholique Church was to remaine visible to the end of the world that is a church possessed of all substantiall Christian doctrines preserved in all truth governed by lawfull Pastours as one body consisting of ruling and ruled members under one visible head which S. Cyprian makes the foundation of Unity Ecclesiasticall I concluded as I thought rationally that that part of the Christian world which continued in Communion with and obedience to this so acknowledged Supreme Authority might and ought most justly to challenge the title of the Catholique Church 10. Therefore though the priviledge of an independent Patriarchall church which the English Protestants
aequivocatio nam etiam indigni possunt esse fideles verùm hoc dico ad majorem cautelam De reliquo nemo tenetúr jurare in verba Scholasticorum sufficit te contra communem Patrum Ecclesiae consensum nunquà m modum istum velle interpretari nec determinate Cavendum tamen est ne sub terminis tuis oppositum aliquid transubstantiationi inhaereat animo Qu. 4. Utrùm ille dici possit admittere Canonem 2. siss 21. Concil Trident. de communione sub una specie qui quamvis ipse nullas videat sufficientes rationes negandi communioneâ— utriusque speciei tamen profitetur se piè credere fuisse aliquas quae proculdubio Concilio videbantur justae sufficientes canonicè submittit se iste alterationi Resp. Affirmativè Inquirat tamen hic Christianus si doctus sir corde recto motiva Concilii in hâ—c parte justiâ—sima statim inveniet Qu. 5. An fit de fide licitum esse coërcere punire vel tradeâ—e puniendos morte exilio vel aliis civilibus poenis haereticos convictos Resp. Subjectum quaestionis non esse materiam fidei ac proinde nihil esse de fide in illâ materia Veruntamen ceâ—â—â—ssimum esse rebelles à side ab Ecclesia coërceri punâ—â—i posse poenis nimirùm spiritualibus id est censuris Ecclesiasticis à superioribus suis Ecclesiasticis Et poenis temporalibus id est incarceratione exilio similibus à superioribus suis temporalibus Morte verò puniri posse haereticos etiam convictos immò relapsoâ— vel obstinatissimos modò à seditionis rebellionis in Remp. defuerit omne periculum nunquam fuir totius Ecclesiae dogma Catholicum Quicquid autem sit de praxi Inquisitionis jam receptaÌ„ Catholici plurimi immò doctissimi praecipuè in Gallia nostra hoc semper improbarunt sed haec quaestio facti est seu prudentiae non doctrinae Qu. 6. Utrùm quatenùs liceat Catholico optare suadere concessionem utriusque speciei Reformationem abusuum in Reliquiis Imaginibus Indulgentiis c. Liturgiam Preces in linguâ notâ intellectâ c. Sciticet tanquam media admodùm efficacia ad reünionem Eoâ—lesiarum Resp. Cùm subditorum non sit superiorum suorâ—m leges ad libitum interpretari immò nec sub reformationis specie quamcunque praxim authoritato stabilitam corrigere hâ—ec enim propria seditionis ratio est nemini Catholicorum licet publicè repraehendere nec verbo nec scripto Ecclesiae diseiplinam canonicè erectam Labefactatam verò restaurare dummodò prudenter fiat poterit unusquisque suo modo conari Cum autem Episcoporum ac pastorum sit quos posuit Spiritus sanctus regere Ecclesiam Dei imposturas omnes authoritate publicâ prohibere ac tollere his omnium est sobriè indicare quos manifestè perceperint Religionis abusus tùm in Clero tùm in populo Verùm nec licet nec convenit privato cuicunque suadere mutationem praxis cujuscunque quam vel ab Ecclesia sancitam vel in Ecclesia consuetudinâ— generali antiquâ usurpatam novimus De communione sub utraque specie ac liturgiâ seu precibus Ecclesiasticis in linguâ vulgari habendis si qua spes esset illud obtinendi apud haereticos parùm valeâ—et De reliquiis Indulgentiis Imaginibus c. multa forsà n modò caurè fieret monenda suadenda forent Quicquid sit Ecclesiarum ut vocas reünionem sperare nequaquà m fas est nisi priùs rebelles in sponsam Christi submissis cervicibus potestati à Deo ordinâtâ— cordatum jurent obsequium Vale. A Table of the Contents of the several Chapters Sect. 1. Cap. 1. THe occasion of the Authors departing out of England Bloody commotions of Calvinists there The horribleness and strangeness of them p. 1. Sect. 1. Cap. 2. Sacriledge and Perjury acknowledged even by Heathens to be principal causes of publick calamities p. 4. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. England prodigiously guilty of sacriledge since the schism Visible judgments have continually pursued this crime there p. 7. Sect. 1. Cap. 4. Perjury how frequently and how heinously committed in England since the Schism p. 12. Sect. 1. Cap. 5. The sanguinary Laws and cruel execution of them upon Catholick Priests in England p. 16. Sect. 1. Cap. 6. The Authors sadness for the sins and miseries of his Country What remedies and lenitives he found for this sorrow p. 18. Sect. 1. Cap. 7. A scruple suggested to my minde viz. To the Communion of what Church I should adhere upon supposition that the Church of England should fail p. 20. Sect. 1. Cap. 8. A Reflection upon several Sects And first upon the Socinians p. 22. Sect. 1. Cap. 9. A Reflection upon the Calvinists and Lutheran Churches Their first disadvantage in comparison with the English Church p. 27. Sect. 1. Cap. 10. Apparent want yea renouncing of a lawful succession of Ecclesiastical Governors among Lutherans and Calvinists p. 29. Sect. 1. Cap. 11. Consent of Fathers against Lutherans and Calvinists p. 34. Sect. 1. Cap. 12. Seditious doctrines universally taught by Calvinists c. p. 37. Sect. 1. Cap. 13. Protestants recriminating Catholicks for Rebellion answered p. 44. Sect. 1. Cap. 14. A fourth scandal among Calvinists viz. their aversion from unity p. 47. Sect. 1. Cap. 15. The scandalous personal qualities of Luther and Calvin p 51. Sect. 1. Cap. 16. The Authors unquietness not being able to communicate with Calvinists c. Reflection upon the several Eastern Churches p 57. Sect. 1. Cap. 17. Necessity of the Authors examining the grounds of the Roman Church Several advantages acknowledged to be in that Church p 59. Sect. 1. Cap. 18. Preparations to the examining of the grounds of the Roman Churches Authority p 66. Sect. 1. Cap. 19. What prejudice the Author received by receiving the doctrine of the Roman Churches authority expressed in School language p 70. Sect. 2. Cap. 1. The first conclusion concerning the Rule of Faith Testimonies of Fathers acknowledging Doctrines Traditionary as well as Scripture to be a Rule of Faith p 77. Sect. 2. Cap. 2. The Roman Church agreeing with Fathers in the same rule of Faith All Sects of Protestants disagree with the Fathers p 82. Sect. 2. Cap. 3. English Protestants unwilling to justifie this Position and why Mr. Chillingworth's late book against the Catholick Church and the Character given of it.p. 85. Sect. 2. Cap. 4. Inconveniences following Protestants Position of onely Scripture Fathers refuse to dispute with Hereticks from onely Scriptures p 90. Sect. 2. Cap. 5. Weakness of Protestants proofs for onely Scripture Texts of Scripture alledged by Catholicks vainly eluded by Protestants p 97. Sect. 2. Cap. 6. Two principal Texts of Scripture alledged by Protestants to prove its sufficiency and against Traditions answered p 101 Sect. 2. Cap. 7. Reasons and Texts produced by Mr. Chillingworth to prove onely Scripture to be the rule of Faith p