and other Prelatick Writers began to maintain the Protestancy of the Church of England And how they were blam'd for appealing to Antiquity by some of their own Brethren Pag. 293. A Strange Expression of Mr. Hooker in favour of Bishop Jewel Pag. 294. The Centurists and other Learned Protestants Confess that the Councils and Fathers Defended Worship of Images Transubstantion Purgatory c. Pag. 295. How particularly the Protestant Clergy is Charg'd with Frauds and Falsifications in maintaining their Religion Pag. 298. There can be no Reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy in Matters of Religion And that Protestancy cannot be maintain'd otherwise then by Impostures Whereof there are such Evidences that to give the Protestant Clergy any Credit in matters of Religion is a sufficient Cause of Damnation Pag. 300. Of Edward VI's Protestant and Prelatick Clergys Frauds Falsifications and Forms of Ordination their Hypocrisy Incontinency Atheism c. And whether it be fit to term them and others like them Cheats when they are Convicted of wilful false dealing in matters of Religion Pag. 303. Of Thomas Cranmer his Birth Marriages Treasons Cheats Heresies c. And of Latimer and Ridley Pag. 304. Of Hooper's Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale's Hypocrisy and Impiety Pag. 312. A Prophesy of Rogers's Pag. 314. John Bale's account of his Education and how he scarp'd out the Cursed Character of the Horrible Beast by Marrying a Nun c. Pag. 315. Of Coverdale and his Bible Pag. 317. A Discourse between Dr Martin and the Arch-bishop Cranmer related by Fox Pag. 320 Of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Mary's Reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their Frauds Factions Cheats and Changes of the English Protestant Religion during their Exile in Germany Pag. 326 Abominable frauds amd wilful falsifications of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths Reign to maintain their Doctrine set forth under the name of an Apology and Defence of the Church of England Pag. 332 The Protestant Clergy Convicted of falshood in their Apology concerning Communion under one kind Pag. 334 How Jewel and the Church of England make the very same Holy Fathers they appeal'd to in other matters wicked Hereticks because they condemn'd Priests Marriage Pag. 337 Bishop Jewel and his Associates wickedness in charging Cardinal Hosins and all Catholicks with a contempt of Holy Scripture against their own knowledge after they had been admonished of the Imposture Pag. 338 Falsifications and Frauds against the Bishop of Rom's Supremacy Pag. 341 Frauds and fond Devises of the Protestant Clergy of England to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of the Mass. Pag. 343 Prelatick Falsifications and Corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist And Succession of Bishops a Mark of the Beast Pag. 346 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heresy Pag. 348 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings Pag. 350 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that St. Augustin the Apostle of our English Saxons was an Hypocrite and no Saint as also to dicredit Catholick Writers Pag. 351 Of the Protestant Clergy's Frauds and Falsifications of Scriptures and alterations of their XXXIX Articles of Religion to make the People believe that they have true Priests and Bishops in the Church of England Pag. 352 An Advertisement to the Reader concerning Bishop Jewel Pag. 357 Examples of Learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Religion by observing the Frauds and Falshoods of the Apology of Jewel and of the Protestant Clergy for the Prelatick Church of England Pag. 359 Frauds Follies and Falsifications of John Fox his Acts and Monuments and of his Magdeburian Masters in their Centuries the little Sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such false Dealing Pag. 362 John Fox his Revelation Pag. 368 The Foxian Kalender Pag. 371 Wilful Falsifications committed by John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Pag. 374 Dr. Chark's Falsification of St. Augustin and how he excuses Luther's Doctrine of the Lawfulness of Adultery and Incest Pag. 379 Falsifications of Cranmer and Peter Martyr against Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Pag. 381 How some Protestant Writers in Q. Elizabeths time seeing their Fellows were prov'd Falsifiers waved the Testimonies of the Antient Fathers and yet the other continu'd their former course of falsifying both Fathers and Councils Pag. 384 Falsifications and Frauds of the Prelatick English Clergy to maintain Protestancy since the beginning of King James's Reign THeir Corruptions of Scripture for maintaining their Character continued in the Bible tho' commanded by King James it should be reviewed and corrected Pag. 391 Dr. Abbot and Dr. Smith Bishops of Canterbury and Glocester corrupted the Translation of Scripture which had been sincerely perform'd by Sir Henry Savill Pag. 397 Of Dean Walsingham's Search into Matters of Religion before his Change to the Catholick How he repair'd to King James as to the Head of the Church for a Resolution of his Doubts who remitted him to the Lord of Canterbury and he to other Men and how after finding no Satisfaction he betook himself to the Reading of Catholick and Protestant Authors for discerning on what side was the true and false Dealing Pag. 403 Dean Walsingham's Doubts and Difficulties in Reading the Catholick Book Pag. 406 The Substance of Dean Walsingham's Memorial to the K. Pag. 409 Dean Walsingham's Appearance before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at the Councel-Table Pag. 410 His Appearance before him at Lambeth Pag. 414. His third and fourth Appearance before him Pag. 416 How loath the Protestant Clergy is that the King or Great Persons should examin their Doctrine or way of defending it Pag. 417 What Cheating and Unconscionable ways were taken to frighten Dean Walsingham from examining of the Truth Pag. 417 What pretty Books the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury commended to Dean Walsingham to inform him of the Truth They prov'd after Examination Rediculous Libels Pag. 420 Dean Walsingham's Address Mr. Rolfe Commissary of St. Albans and of his Conference with Dr. Downham c. Pag. 421 What foolish Answers the most Learned Protestants are forc'd to give to Catholick Arguments Pag. 422 Mr. Walsingham found no satisfaction in the Answer to the Defence of the Sensure Pag. 425 Mr. Walsingham's last Appearance before my Lord of Canterbury and his Doctors Pag. 427 How the Arch-Bishop and his Assembly of Divines refus'd to confer Dean Walsingham's Notes of Mr. Bell's Corruptions with the Fathers Quoted notwithstanding the Books were in their presence Pag. 428 Reflections upon Mr. Walsingham's Relation Pag. 431 A brief Relation of a Tryal held in France about Religion whereof the Lord Chancellor of France was Moderator Pag. 437 A Copy of a Letter Written by a Person of Quality about this Conference Pag. 441 K. Hen. IV's Letter to the Duke of Espernon upon the same Subject Pag. 441 The Authors falcify'd and therefore the Sentence given against Plesses Pag. 442 Protestant Falsifications to persuade that the Roman
to the Earl of Arundell that she would marry him and by promising other favours to the Duke of Norfolck had by their solicitations gained most of the nobility and the Lords and Gentlemen who had the managing of elections in their several Counties had retained such men for 〈◊〉 of the House of Commons as they conceived moâ—â— likely to comply with the Queens new design in reviving that Religion which but five years before them-selves and the whole Kingdom had rejected as damnable heresy and groundless novelty devised by some lâ—w'd revolted Friars and Priests and had observed how all sober and conscienâ—ious men weâ—â— troubled to see so shamefull a change introduced only for maintaining the weakness of a title against the cleer right of the Stewards and fearing least this scruple might spread and work vpon the consciences of the illiterat multitude it was thought fit to command Bishop Iewell the fittest man for so impudent an vndertaking to assert the antiquity of the particular Tenets of the New Church of England and so in forme of a Challenge against all Roman Catholicks he published at Paules Cross that the Religion which the Queen and Parliament had then established by Law was no novelty nor new invented sense of Scripture but the same which our Saviour and his Apostles delivered to the Church and all Orthodox Christians held for the first 600. years which thing he vndertook to demonstrat by vndeniable Testimonies of the Holy Fathers that lived in those six first Centuries The words of this Challenge we have set down heretofore as also the confutation therof One Rastal having writ against this challenge Iewell togeather with the rest of the Bishops and learned Protestant Clergy composed that famous Apology for the Church of England both in Latin and English it came out first in the name of their whole Church though I believe Iewell had the wording of it because afterwards his name was set to it and to the defence therof but without doubt all the able men of the English Clergy had their hands and heads in the work Against it divers appeared in print Stapleton Sanders and Harding whervpon saith Dean Walsingham in his search of Religion pag. 166. Mr. Iewel within few years after set forth the reply to D. r Harding which was esteemed to have bin made by joynt labours of the most learned men in England both in London and the Vniversities But in these their labours they were convicted of a thousand and odd falsifications and yet saith Harding of 26. articles only five have passed our examination Imagin then what number is like to rise of the whole work I will mention but one or two of every controversy I hope that is sufficient to prove that no one point wherin Protestants differ from Roman Catholicks can be maintained even by the most learned Protestants without frauds falshoods and impostures And do choose to instance particulars out of this Apology and defence of the Church of England because it is not only the work of their first Bishops and Clergy and the very bulwork of their Church but as D. r Heylin truly says the Magazin from whence all the Protestant Controversies since that time have furnished them-selves with arguments and authorities We will omit most of their corruptions of Scripture in the Apology because we have convicted them elâ—â—where of that crime but that they may not imagin we what matter even in this work of theirs let the curious read 〈…〉 Epistle to M. r Jewell set before his return 〈◊〉 vntruthâ— where he tells him you have falsifyed and mangled the very Text of Holy Scripture namely of Saint Paule in one Chapter nine times as the reader may see in the third article of his Book fol. 107. SVBSECT I. The Protestant Clergy convicted of falshood in their Apology concerning Communion vnder one kind BIshop Iewell and his Associats maintain with most Protestants that to receive the B. Sacrament 〈◊〉 one kind only is against the institution of Christâ— and therfore could not be allowed nor practised by the Church nor ever was during the first six hundred years So that the Controversy between the Church of England and Harding is whether in the first 600. years after Christ any Communion were ministred vnder one kind or no which they vnder the name of M. r Jewell deny against whom Harding giveth an instance out of the Ecclesiastical History of one Serapian that was Communicated in his death vnder one kind only Mr. Iewell seing him-self convicted replieth That it is not our question we vnderstand not of privat Communion but of publick in the Church and yet in the first proposing of the Question there was no mention of the Church or Publick and the whole controversy between Catholicks and Protestants is whether with out breach of Christ's Institution any man might communicat vnder one kind only Then Mr. Iewell is demanded whether if it may be proved that sick persons have received the Communion vnder one kind in the Church it will satisfie him wher to he answereth no saying the only thing that I denied is that yee are not able to bring any one sufficient example or authority that ever the whole people received the Communion in open Church in one kind within that time then he is vrged further whether if it can be proved that in closs chappels and Oratories in wilderness and caves in time of persecution the communion was practised vnder one kind this would satisfie him for so mucâ— as this proveth Christ's Institution not to forbid Communion vnder one kind But M. r Iewel leapeth also from this saying the question is whether the Holy Communion were ever ministred openly in the Church It being manifest that for the first 300. years vntill Constantin's time the Christians in most places particularly at Rome had no open Churches but privat Oratories and caves At length being demanded whether Infants receaving the Communion vnder one kind openly in the Church was a sufficient example Jewel answereth Mr. Harding maketh his whole plea vpon an Jnfant and yet of Infants as he knoweth I spake nothing Mr. Harding presseth him with the example of the two disciples to whom Christ our Saviour did give the Communion vnder one kind only at Emaus as by the Text of Scripture and Jnterpretation of ancient Fathers is plain he alledgeth also the examples of S. t Ambrose and S. t Basil who receaved the Sacrament vnder one kind though they were Priests Wherunto M. r Iewel answereth this is not to the purpose for the question is moved of lay people M. r Harding bringeth examples of Christ and two disciples who were of the number of 72. and therfore it may well be thought they were ministers and not of the lay sort I demanded of the layty M. r Harding answereth of St. Ambrose and St. Basil which were Bishops Which evasion is not only fraudulent but foolish as if forsooth Priests
and Bishops might receive and communicat vnder one kind lay men might not But any weak answer is sufficient for credulous people to persist in obstinacy At length being convicted by his Adversary of an example where the layty and whole people receaved openly vnder one kind and in the Church he answereth this is not sufficient for saith he the point demanded is that the Sacrament was never ministred vnto the people vnder one kind onlâ— in any Congregation or in open order and vsage of any Church and that it will not follow that this was the common order of the Church By which new addition of Common Order and Vsage the whole state of the Question is changed and Iewel convicted as you see of many frauds and falshoods And not only he but all the Protestant Clergy who notwithstanding the acknowledged evidence and their conviction by these examples and many others wherof they are not ignorant that Christ did not command the Communion to be given vnder both kinds to the Layty nor even to Priests when they do not oâ—â—er Sacrifice yet are they so inconscionable as to impose vpon illiterat people that they ought not to be of the Roman Catholick Church because we deprive them contrary to Christ's Institution and precept of one half of the Communion without which they cannot be saved SVBSECT II. How Iewel and the Church of England make the very same Holy Fathers they appealed vnto in other matters wicked Hereticks because they condemned Priests marriage JEwel's Adversaries having quoted against his bould assertions the vnanswerable sayings of sundry Fathers of the first 600. years condemning the marriage of Priests and Votaries the English Clergy by Jewel's pen rather then acknowledg their error and relinquish their wenches and pretended wives resolved to declare the holy Fathers Hereticks saying divers of the holy Fathers have writen ouer bâ—sely J will not say vildly and scandalously of the state of matrimony in generall calling it in all kind of men fornication an evill thing and like to adultery Therfore J say they may much less be taken as indifferent Iudges in Priests marriages So that the Church of England in their Apology and Protestants now a days would fain make the ancient Fathers and all who write against the marriage of Priests to be those hereticks St Paul sayd would teach doctrin of Devills and speake against marriage in generall witness Iewell with the first Bishops and Clergy of Queen Elizabeth But because Jewell and his fellow Bishops would not seem to want examples of holy Bishops that were actualy husbands they corrupt the Ecclesiasticall History and bely the Authors therof Niceph. lib. 10. Hist. c. 10. Zozon lib. 5. c. 11. Cassiod lib. 6. cap. 14. and pretend that they recount how Eusychius Bishop saith Iewel of Cesaraea dyed in martyrdom having married a wife a litle before wheras the sayd Authors have not on word of his being Bishop or Priest but rather do evidently shew that he was a lay nobleman Patricius Cesaraeae Cappadociae a Sentaor's son of that Citty highly commended for that having newly married a wife yet was so constant in his martyrdom In like manner do they falsify Apol. 2. c. 8. St. Gregory Nazianzen Pretending he saith speaking of his own Father that a good and diligent Bishop doth serve in the Ministery never the worse for that he is married but rather the better and this falsification being objected by Harding Iewel and his Camerades prove it by pretending that St. Gregory acknowledged his mother was his father's Teacher and leader in Ecclesiastical functions as perhaps some Protestant Bishops wives are wheras it is evident that the Saint spoke of his father when he was not a Christian and because he was converted by his Mother aâ— St. Monica converted St. Austin's Father see Harding detect fol. 63. SVBSECT III. Bishop Iewel and his Associats wickedness in Charging Cardinal Hosius and all Catholicks with a contempt of Holy Scripture against their own knowledg and after that they had bin admonished of the imposture CArdinal Hosius in his Book de expresso verbo Dei as also in an other de haeresibus against Brentius complain'd of the multitude of Sects and Heresies sprung vp in our days all of them pretending Scripture for their ground So far forth that Luther him-self seing the event therof sayd the Bible was now become liber haereticorum the Book of Hereticks and then further the same Cardinal shewing that there was a new later brood sprung vp of Zuinck feldian Hereticks who by pretence of Scripture did take away all authority of writen Scriptures persuading men only to attend to inspirations and inward revelations alleadging for that their doctrin the words of the Psalm J will hear what the Lord speaketh in me and many other such Texts misconstred Mr. Iewel and the English Protestant Clergy would needs publish this as Hosius his own words sense and meaning with great out-cryes and invectives against both him the Pope and all Catholicks as though we had bin of opinion that all writen Scriptures were to be rejected as may be seen in his Apology both in Latin and English and Doctor Harding's confutation of the same and notwithstanding that before this Apology was printed in Latin they were told of his mistake yet they would needs have it pass And when the sayd Apology was translated into English they were put again in mind of his malitious and fraudulent dealing and earnestly desired to correct this wilfull mistake but they rather did aggravate the calumny then confess their error for they commanded it should be printed and sought by some additions in the English Text more then was in the Latin to justify this former villany Harken saith the Apology how holily and how Godly on Hosius writeth of this matter a Bishop in Polonia as he testifyeth of him-self a man doubtless well spoken and not vnlearned and a very sharp and stout Maintainer of that side Thou wilt mervail I suppose how any good man could either conceive so wickedly or write so dispitefully of those words which he knew proceeded from God's mouth and especialy in such sort as he would not have it seem his own privat opinion alone but the common opinion of all that Band. He dissembleth J grant you indeed and hideth what he is and setteth forth the matter so as though it were not he and his side but the Zuink feldian Hereticks that so did speak We saith he will bid away with the Scriptures wherof we see brought not only divers but all contrary Interpretations we will hear God speak rather then resort to the naked elements or bare words of the Scripture c. Having writen this and other such speeches as proceeding from Hosius Iewel and his Camerades conclude thus This is Hosius his saying vttered togeather with the same spirit and the same mind wherwith in times past Montanus and Marcion were moved c. And then exclaims against
desired him at her death to remember her in his Sacrifice of the Altar Calvin saith it was but an old wives request which her son never examined according to the Scriptures and after his own privat affection would have the same approved by others As Calvin Luther and all the first Protestant Reformers contemn the Catholick Churches authority in matters of doctrin when it is contrary to their new interpretations and extravagant fancies of Scripture so do they and their Successors in that of miracles Jf any Miracles be recounted that confirm the mysteries which Protestants reject though delivered by the same Author and in the same book they must needs be old wives tales not duly examined c. And yet the foolish and fals stories of such a frantick and crackt-braind fellow as Iohn Fox was known to be and his Acts and Monuments shew him to have bin are credited by persons that have no other ground to beleive his fables and follies but their education in Protestancy and aversion to Popery His lies and simple storyes must pass for a true Ecclesiastical History notwithstanding that they are contradicted by all the Histories of the world and that many of his Martyrs were found following their trades after that he had described their torments and deaths very particularly and patheticaly his miracles in confirmation of protestancy and indeed his whole book are so ridiculous that I admire some Protestant zealots if they would have the reformation be thought a Religion do not suppress or reform the work He tells for a stupendious miracle that a stone fell from a ruinous building vpon Luthers stool after he had bin eased or weary of sitting vpon it An other that a multitude of German Clowns debauched Clergy men and libertins embraced Luthers reformation it being so indulgent to liberty sensuality and vice and that the Bishop of Rome and other Catholick Prelates Censures did not stop the violent cours and Torrent of their pervers inclinations He makes dreams revelations Merchants Expounders of the Apocalyps and not to seem partial how himself was made a fool by revelation But in steed of suppressing or correcting Fox his foolish Acts and Monuments the Protestant Clergy have reprinted that book divers times since his death with new comments chronologies and great commendations of the work every Parish Church is to have one and few privat families will endure the want of so great a spiritual treasure And though the Bishops know it is not only a very absurd piece but also the chief thing that makes Puritanism and Presbytery spread and so popular in England yet becaus it persuades the simple and vulgar sort that Popery is idolatry they countenance a book so prejudicial to themselves Our Catholick miracles are of a different nature and not related by such lying foolish fellows as Fox but by the greatest Saints and wisest men of Gods Church men so much esteemed for their vertue learning and judgment that Protestants themselves are ashamed to vndervalue their testimony in matters of faith and a fortiori ought to beleive them in matters of fact if they intend to believe any thing at all that is not mentioned particularly in Scripture I say particularly because Christ our Saviour assured us in generall as our Adversaries confess that miracles should continue in the Church forever as signs of the true belief Marc. 16. 20. Ioan. 14.12 2. Cor. 12.12 The Conclusion I have sayd as much as I think necessary for the information and instruction of such Protestants as desire to know the truth and do not find my conscience guilty of any one falsification in this whole Treatise And truly it were a great absurdity in me to commit wittingly that crime which J so much cry down in others Such mistakes as have crept into the printed book will J hope he attributed to the Printer or Transcriber I am sure I have bin so diligent in examining the quotations and assertions pro and con the Catholick cause that want of care cannot be objected and if there be no want of sufficiency in the work that commendation is not due to me but to the goodnes and evidence of the cause I maintain For what acutenes of wit is requisit to defend a Religion that never was impugned but by persons so leud and vnreasonable that at the very first appearance of their opposition they were condemned as hereticks by the whole visible Church that then was What profundity of judgment can be thought necessary to demonstrat that the ancient primitive letter and sense of Scripture ought to be preferred before the Devils interpretation therof embraced by Luther or before any new Canon and fancies of the like debauched fryers and Priests What litle learning is not more then sufficient to discover so palpable frauds and falsifications as the Protestant Writers practise to make their Reformations seem agreable to Gods word What Erudition is so mean that doth not surpass the history of one age or of Protestancy a Religion so lately sprung vp and raysed from the pride ambition liberty and lewdnes of the first reformers and confined to the Northern parts of this least part of the world How can such a Religion be Catholick either in length of time extent of Territories or Conversion of Nations Jts true that for the space of 100. yeares England hath bin so blind as not to see such gross errors but this misfortune was occasioned by their fondnes of Q. Elizabeth to make good her title to the Crown they separated themselves from the communion of the Church and when her interest vanished with her death and for want of posterity few were living after her long reign that observed the motives of her reformation most Englishmen beleived the changes she made had no relation to her illegitimacy but proceeded from pure zeal of the Ghospell Her new Clergy both then and eversince have endeavored to confirm the people in that persuasion by falsifying Scripture Councells and Fathers but the discovery of the frauds and the principles of Protestancy practised against the late innocent King have opend the eyes of many to discern the flaws of the Reformation and the fallacies of their own education And now that it is as much the concern of the whole Nation to tolerat the Roman Catholick faith as it was Q. Elizabeths interest to change it into protestancy I doubt not but that every particular persons ease in the addition of a revenue to the publick will excite both conscience and curiosity to examin whether the prelatick Religion and Clergy of England have not more of human invention then of divin institution And if after perusing this Treatise and proposing the arguments and instances therof to their learned Ministery no satisfactory answer can be given to the particulars wherwith their doctrin and function is charged to what purpose should men continue in mistakes so damnable to the soul and dangerous to the state But if the Protestant Clergy
6. reign What a wicked man Arch. Cranmer was of Peter Martyr Echinus Bucer Latimer and Ridleys impieties SVBSECT III. OF Hooper Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale Hooper and Rogers combined against Crāmer and Ridley How Latimer joyned with them Their Project of Puritanism How Hooper inveighed against plurality of benefices when he had none and enjoyed two Bishopricks when his faction prevailed and left his friend Rogers in the lurch How Rogers and Coverdale conspired with Tyndall to falsify Scripture Bishop Poynets contest and Suit in law with a Butcher about the Butchers wife notwithstanding that Poynet had one of his own But Sentence was given for the Butcher against Poynet contrary to the Principles and liberty of Protestancy and to what the protestant Church had resolved before in the like case between Sir Ralph Sadler and one Barrow whose wife was decreed to be married to Sir Ralph during Barrows life Bishop Bales conversion to protestancy related by himself and attributed to his beloved Dol. What an impostor he was Bish Coverdales drunkenes and corruptions of Scripture How corrupt and vngodly a Scripture is the English translation of the Bible It was condemned by act of Parliament as fraudulent ād fals Notwithstanding which censure it was and is imposed vpon the Nation as the word of God sometimes it was called Mathews Bible othertimes the Bishops Bible or the Bible of the large volume with litle or no alteration Coverdales vanity in attempting to convert to protestancy the Vniversity of Oxford Laurence Sanders a Protestant Martyr and Priest his resolution to dy for legitimating his little bastard SVBSECT IV. ARch Cranmers conference with Doctor Martyn and other Catholicks How weakly he defended the Protestant cause How vainly Protestants pretend Scripture for their doctrin as all heretiks do How Cranmer was proved to be an heretick by the definition of Origen Tertullian c. SECT III. OF the Protestant Clergy in Q. Maries reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their frauds factions cheats and changes of the English Protestant religion during their exile in Germany Related by Dr. Heylin How the German Protestants called the English Protestants the devils Martyrs and would not entertain their banished Clergy and Confessors How therupon the English clergy changed and accommodated their Religion to that of the places wherin they lived and printed books at Frankford and Geneva containing contrary doctrines for humoring dissenting churches How often they changed their Liturgy at Frankford Of Grindall Horn Sandys Chambers Pakhurst Whithead Whittingham Williams Goodman Wood Sutton Fox their frauds factions divisions and books against Q. Mary c. How vnfit men to be Bishops and to found a Church and yet they were the chief pillars and Prelats of Q. Elizabeths reformation SECT IV. ABominable frauds and wilfull falcifications of the protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths reign to maintain their doctrin set forth vnder the name of an Apology and defence of the Church of England How Q. Elizabeth gained the Nobility and House of Commons to vote in Parliament for reviving Protestancy Of Bish. Iewells ridiculous challenge at Pauls Cross. How all the Protestant Clergy conspired with him in his impostures How they were confuted by Doctor Harding Stapleton and other Catholicks All the Protestant writers borrow from Jewells impostures their arguments and authoritys against the Roman Catholick Religion Acknowledged by Dr. Heylin in his history of the Church of England SVBSECT I. THe Protestant Clergys fraud and falshood against Communion vnder one kind It was a thing indifferent in the ancient Church Proved by several instances Jewells ridiculous evasions SVBSECT II. JEwell and the Protestant Clergy censure as hereticks the same ancient Fathers they appeal vnto in other controversies for condemning the mariage of Priests They corrupt the Ecclesiastical history for the same reason and bring an example of an imaginary Bishop to confirm their corruption and pretend that S. Gregory Nazianzen says that a Bishop may minister the better in the Church for having a wife in his house and that his own Father was instructed in Ecclesiastical functions by his wife SVBSECT III. IEwell and his Prelaticks charge Cardinal Hosius and all Catholicks with contemning the holy Scriptures contrary to his own knowledge and even after he had bin admonished of the imposture SUBSECT IV. FAlsifications and frauds against the Bishop of Rome his Supremacy scripture falsified to impugne the same SVBSECT V. PRotestants frauds and falsifications to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of Mass. Their pretence that the ancient Mass was the same thing with the English communion or Liturgy Iewells impudency SUBSECT VI. PRotestant falsifications and corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist and the succession of Bishops a mark of the beast Q. Elizabeths first Bishops were violently bent against Episcopal Succession because it was notorious that themselves wanted such a succession Want of Succession a mark of hereticks Proved by Fathers SVBSECT VII PRotestant falsifications to prove that Popes may and have decreed heresys SVBSECT VIII ITem to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings SVBSECT IX ITem to prove that S. Austin the Apostle of England was no Saint but an hypocrit as also to discredit Catholick Writers SVBSECT X. PRotestants frauds and falsifications of Scripture as likewise their altering of the 39. articles of Religion to make the laity believe that there are true Bishops and Priests in the Church of England Jtem their forgery of records The Evasions of Primat Bramhal and others concerning their Episcopal succession confuted SVBSECT XI XII AN advertisment to the Reader concerning Bishop Iewell of some learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Faith by discovering the falsifications and frauds of his books Mr. Hookers sincerity questioned for his immoderat praises of so great and notorious an impostor in his Eccles. Polit. A feigned Protestant story of the two Doctors Reynolds How Iewell excused his falsifications in presence of the Erle of Leicester by saying that Papists must be dealt with as Papists SECT V. FRauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts of monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries The litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such fals dealing All sober men that read the works of the Magdeburgian Centurists must conclude they composed them rather in drinking stoves then in retired studies so rash and foolish are their censures of the greatest Doctors and Saints of Gods Church Valētia the Iesuit aptly compared these centurists to malefactors that confess all the knowing and honest men of the country or citty witness that they are theeves and hereticks c. And then these malefactors refute all this by only saying that the sayd knowing and honest men so highly esteemed by all the world for their knowledge and integrity spoke incommodiously and ignorantly when they accused the theeves Iohn Fox his absurdity in making the true Church visible to Protestants and invisible to Catholicks What
direct men to the best Religion wherof depends the best Government the Conscience of some and the curiosity of others will furnish me with Readers Some Raylers I must expect to have because I endeavor to demonstrat that the Crown may lawfully seise on the Church Revenues but I am content to bâ—â—â—ld at so the commonwealth be not rallied out of so necessary a support And least J should be thought too partial â—o my own Religion I desire but a tolâ—ration for it as I do for all other Christian professionâ— albeit to obtain this toleration for the Catholick I am forc't to compare it with the protestant and to prove thâ—â— no Religion is so conscientious or so convenient as the Roman The truth of this may â—â—â—ily be discerned by a Comitâ—e of the layty if publik conferences of Religion be permittâ—d in English And truly 〈…〉 Scriptures are permitted to be read and interpreted by every English lay man J seâ— not why the layty may not judge of Controversies and conferâ—â—ces of Religion and according 〈◊〉 they find the interpretations of every Congregation consistent with the word of God grant or not grant liberty of Conscience There are few who 〈…〉 often heard how pressingly aâ—â—â—ertinently som of the wisest members of Parliament have spoke for Liberty of Conscience in the late sessions how they made it appear that our decay of trade and our fall of rents wherof Merchants and Land-lords do so much complain is wholy occasioned by the severity of our laws against Recusants and nonconformists for what credit or security can Merchants or Tradesmen have in England when their stock and substance may be legaly confiscated whensoever they refuse to take an oath or frequent a Church contrary to their conscience what commerce or correspondence can we expect from beyond the Seas when he that this day is an able Banquier amongst vs to morrow must turn Bankrupt if he will not contrefait himself a Conformist The Tenants Cattle and Corn may be seised vpon and by consequence the Landlord deprived of his Revenue whensoever a ceremonious Parson or an officious Church-warden or a malicious neigbor will inform that they come not to the common Prayer or Communion so that the Nonconformists being two parts of England in a few years two parts of the Kingdom will be destroyed If our penal statuts against Non-conformists did make this Monarchy as peaceable as they make it poor perhaps som Polititians might think it advisable to continue them But seing it is impossible to govern an empoverish't multitude without a standing Army which England will hardly brook and that Religion persecuted makes Rebellion plausible all disinteressed persons may with reason admire that the Bishops themselves do not Press and pray for liberty of conscience For though they should be so short-sighted as not to foresee future inconveniencies yet they cannot be so insensible as to forget the former effects of persecutioÌ„ And they will find great difficulty in persuading even the most devoted to their own calling that the same cause will not produce in 70. the same effects we have felt since 40. If they imagin that their spiritual censures will prevail against the temporal power of a discontented multitude they must maintain contrary to late experience that God will work Miracles to support the Church of England against Presbyterian sectaries § As for the Kings restauration I confess it looks like a Miracle but why our English Bishâ—ps should attribut so great a blessing rather to Gods will of countenancing their strange caracter then to his will of continuing lawful Monarchy or of manifesting the late Kings innocency or of rewarding the constancy and of relieving the indignity of the Cavaleer party can never be vnderstood by any that knows the grounds of our Protestant Episcopacy and how it was raised by Q. Elizabeth rather to exclude the succession of the Stevards from the Crown then to establish a succession of true Bishops in the Church There is much more reason to think that his Majesties restauration was decreed by God in order to the performance of his Declaration at Bredà for liberty of conscience then in order to the non-performance of so publick and solemn a promise And albeit I cannot say that our desired peace will be so absolutly secured by liberty of conscience in England as it is in other Countries by the Tenets and vniformity of the Roman Religion yet is it manifest that persecution for promoting Prelatick Protestancy will rather increas our confusions then work our conversion not only becaus the non-conformists are the more numerous party and by consequence can hardly be forc't to obey laws against their Consceince but also becaus it is confessed by the very Prelaticks that Christians may be saved though they do not conform to the Church of England nay they must grant that such as do conform to its doctrin and disciplin may be damned for so doing becaus it is a fallible and by consequence for ought they or any one knows a fals Church That a Church believed by the members therof to be infallible and the only way of salvation doth persecute such as revolt from its faith and obedience is thought by some a rational though by me a rigorous practise but that the Church of England wherof it is a fundamental Article that the whole visible Church or all Christian Congregations and by consequence it self hath erred or may err in doctrin should persecute such as revolt from it or men of a contrary persuasion for having a stronger faith grounded vpon Christs promis of never forsaking vs and a better opinion of Gods providence and of their own Churches doctrin seems not agreable to the rules of the Ghospel nor of human prudence For whether the Protestants sectaries persuasion of their own privat spirits infallibility or the Roman Catholicks belief of their general Councells infallibility be true or fals the Church of England will never be able to persuade or prove that any Christians ought to be persecuted by penal and sanguinary statuts for not exchanging that assurance of Divine faith which themselves are persuaded they have for a bare Prelatick probability of the same faith or for a confessed possibility of being mistaken in the doctrin of salvation Seing therfore of two evils the least ought to be chosen and that if liberty of conscience be an evil it is a less one then persecution becaus it will cause less dangers and disturbances in the Nations then laws which force the Prelatick probability and vniformity It seems to be against the rules as well of piety as of policy to continue the penal and sanguinary statuts in favor of the confessedly fallible Church of England And when I plead for liberty of conscience in England for Presbyterians and Fanaticks I hope it will not be ill taken that I beg the same freedom and favor for Roman Catholicks especially if I prove as I have vndertaken that our principles are not
Protestant Church of England Pag. 62. Cranmer a meer Cotemporiser and of no Religion at all Pag. 63. Who fram'd the 39 Articles Pag. 64. Of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Pag. 67. Protestant Bishops well pleas'd to see themselves Religiously Worship'd Pag. 70. Protestants though they have chang'd their Form of Ordination yet cannot have a true Clergy till they change also the Character of the Ordainers Pag. 80. Of the Effects immediatly produc'd by the 39 Articles Pag. 82. Dudely Earl of Warwick's Endeavours to have his Son to Reign after K. Edw. His Marrying him to the Lady Jane Gray Pag. 83. Queen Mary's Troubles Pag. 84. The Roman Catholicks willing Resignation of the Church Livings to the Crown Pag. 86. An Act of Parliament in the first year of Q. Mary concerning the fraud and force of K. Henry the VIII's unlawful Divorce from Q. Catharine Pag. 88. Other Effects of Protestancy after it was reviv'd in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown And of the Nullity of her Clergies Character and Jurisdiction Pag. 95. Decreed in Parliament that any Natural Issue of Q. Elizabeths Body should enjoy the Crown after her Death and so the Line of Stewards to be Excluded Pag. 100. Reasons why Q. Elizabeth in her 44 years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable Pag. 103 How Injurious Protestancy hath been to the Royal Family of the Stewards and how Zealous they have been in promoting the same Pag. 109. K. James the I. declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no Hand in Gun-powder Treason Pag. 112. Of K. Charles the First Pag. 112. Part. 2. Of the Inconsistency of Protestant Principles with Christian Piety and Peaceable Government THe foundation whereon all Reformations are built Pag. 117. The Protestant evasion of the clearness of Scripture against Roman Catholick Doctrine and also of the Invisibility of their own Church Confuted And the Incredibility of the suppos'd Change and Apostacy prov'd by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant Principles Pag. 121 Protestants mistaken in the Canon of the Scripture maintain'd by the Church of England and by Dr. Cousins Bishop of Duresin Pag. 131. Dr. Couzins Exceptions and Falsifications against the Councel of Trent's Authority answer'd Pag. 137. New Definitions are not New Articles of Faith Pag. 141. Protestants so grosly mistaken in their Letter and Translation of Scriptures that they cannot have any Certainty of Faith And are forc'd at length by their Principles to question the Truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical Books thereof Pag. 149. Particular Instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible Pag. 157. Protestant Interpretation is not the true Sense of Script Pag. 163. Protestants Mistaken in the Ministry and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the Sanctity and Honesty of their Reformers Pag. 168. Calvin's Miracle Pag. 180. Beza's Lasciviousness He prefers his Boy Andibertus before his Girle Candida Pag. 181. Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophesies of Scripture concerning the Conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretold as an Infallible Mark of the True Church and whereof the Protestant is depriv'd Pag. 183. Calvin sends Ministers to Convert Gallia Antartica from Heathenism And what success they had Pag. 190. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their Justifying Faith with Justice or Civil Government Pag. 193. The Protestant Doctrine of Justifying Faith most dangerous and Damnable Pag. 198. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian Faith Humility Charity Peace either in Church or State with their making Scriptures as interpreted by private Persons or Fallible Synods or fancied General Councils composed of all Dissenting Christian Churches the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39 Articles or the Oath of Supremacy a distinctive Sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings Pag. 207. How the Fundamental Principles of Protestancy maturely examin'd and strictly followed have led the most Learned Protestants of the World to Judaisme Atheism Arianisme and Mahometanisme c. Pag. 222. The Protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania deny the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Pag. 230. How the Indifferency or rather Inclination of Protestancy to all kind of Infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick Doctrine and distinction of Fundamental and Not Fundamental Articles of Faith The design of their fundamental distinction laid open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church And how it has the Authority of Judging all Controversy of Religion Pag. 233. The Roman Catholick Church is a Competent and Impartial Judge of Controversies of Religion Pag. 241. Of the Justice and Legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy Pag. 242. All Christians were never Judges of Religion one Party always submitted to the Judgment of the Other that was in Obedience to and in Communion with St. Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome Pag. 247. Gods Veracity is deny'd by Protestancy and by the Prelatick Distinction and Doctrine of Fundamental and not Fundamental Articles of Faith Pag. 251. Protestancy is Heresie Pag. 254. Protestancy contradicts Gods Veracity Pag. 255. The Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in Matters of Faith prov'd against Protestants Pag. 256. The Protestant Doctrine of Fundamentals Confuted Pag. 257. The same further demonstrated and prov'd that neither the Protestant Faith nor the Faith lately Asserted in a Book call'd Sure footing in Christianity is Christian Belief Pag. 260. The Resolution of Protestant Faith Pag. 262. The Infallibility of the Church prov'd by Gods Veracity Pag. 268. Heresie Explain'd by Rebellion Pag. 269. The Unreasonableness of them who pretend a private Spirit and refuse to submit to the Authority of the Church for want of Clearer Evidence than the Roman Catholicks hath of Gods Authority Pag. 269. Reasons for Liberty of Conscience And how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the State by continuing and pressing the Sanguinary and Penal Statutes against the Roman Catholick Faith and the Act of Uniformity against Sectaries Pag. 271. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions Severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statutes against Popery Pag. 283. Part 3. Containing a plain Discovery of the Protestant Clergys Frauds and Falsifications whereby alone their Doctrine is supported and made Credible The Conscience and Conveniency of Restoring or Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion Demonstrated THat either the Learned Protestants or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every Illiterate Protestant may easily discern by which of the two Clergies he is Cheated And therefore is oblig'd under pain of Damnation to examine so near a concern And to renounce the Doctrine and Communion of that Church wherein he is Cheated Pag. 287. With what Impudency and Hypocrisy Bishop Jewel
Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and to some other Protestant Divins who were all married friars and Priests lately come out of Germany with their sweet-hearts viz. Hooper and Rogers Monks Couerdale an Augustin friar Bale a Carmelite Martin Bucer a Dominican Bernardin Ochinus a Franciscan and Peter Martyr a Chanon Regular these three last were invited by the Protector and appointed to preach and teach in both the Vniversities and at London and were to agree with the rest in the new model and form of Religion which was a matter of great difficulty because the Tenets which vntil then they had professed were irreconciliable Hâ—â—per and Rogers were fierce Zuinglians that is Puritans or Presbiterians and with them was joyned in faction against Cranmer Ridly and other Prelaticks for that they opposed his pretension to the Bishoprick of Worcester Hugh Latimer of great regard with the common people Couerdale and Bale were both Lutherans and yet differed because the one was a rigid the other a mild or half Lutheran Bucer also had professed a kind of Lutheranism 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 Cambridg though pressed to it by his Schollers concerning the real presence vntil he had heard how the Parliament had decided that controversy at London and then he changed his opinion and became a Zuinglian The same tergiversation was used by Peter Martyr at Oxford and so ridiculously that coming sooner in the first Epistle to the Corinthians which he vndertook to expound to the words Hoc est Corpus meum then it had bin determined in Parliament what they should signifie the poore friar with admiration and laughter of the University was forc't to divert his Auditors with impertinent Comments vpon the precedent words Accipite manducate fregit dixit c. which needed no explanation And when the news was come that both houses had ordered they should be vnderstood figurativly and not literaly Peter Martyr said he admired how any man could be of an other opinion though he knew not the day before what would be his own But as for Bucer he was a concealed Jew or Atheist for being asked confidently his opinion of the Sacrament by Dudly Duke of Northumberland in the presence of the Lord Paget then a Protestant who testified the same publickly afterwards he answered that the real presence could not be denied if men believed that Christ was God and spoke the words This is my Body but whether all was to be belived which the Evangelists writ of Christ was a matter of more disputation Bernardin Ochinus dyed a Jew in his opinion he writ a book to assert the lawfulness of having many wives at once this together with his profession of the Mosaick law at his death proved that he was but a counterfeit Protestant Cranmer was a meer Contemporiser and of no Religion at all Henry VIII raised him from Chaplain to Sr. Thomas Bullen to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury to the end he might divorce him from Q. Catharin and marry him to An' Bullen afterwards by the Kings order he declared to the Parliament that to his knowledg Anne Bullen was never lawfull wife to his Majesty when he married the King to An of Cleves and when the King was weary of her Cranmer declared this marriage also nul and married and vnmarried him so often that he seemed rather to exercise the Office of a Pimp then the function of a Priest which to requite one courtesy for an other made the King connive at his keeping a wench and at some of his opinions though contrary to the Statut of the 6. Articles In King Henry VIII days he writ a Book for the Real presence in King Edwards 6. days he writ an other Book against the real presence He conspired with the Protector Somerset to overthrow K. Henry 8. will and Testament and afterwards conjured with Dudly to ruin the Protector He joyned with Dudly and the Duke of Suffolk against Q. Mary for the lady Jane Grey and immediatly after with Arundell Shreusbury Pembrouk Pageâ— and others against the same Duke Finaly when he was condemned in Q. Maries reign for treason and heresy and his treason being pardoned hoping the same favor might be extended to his heresy he recanted and abjured the same but seing the temporal laws reserved no mercy for relapsed hereticks who are presumed not to be truly converted or penitent he was so exasperated therby that at his death moved more by passion then conscience he renounced the Roman Catholick Religion to wich he had so lately conformed These were the men who framed the 39. Articles of Religion the Liturgy and the Book of Sacraments rits and ceremonies of the Protestant Church of England and though it may seem incredible that a Iew an Atheist a Contemporiser or meer Polititian a Presbiterian a rigid Lutheran half-Lutheran and an Anti-Lutheran or Sacramentarian should all agree to make one Religion yet when men do but dissemble and deliver opinions to please others and profit themselves and have no Religion at all they may without difficulty concurr in some general points of Christianity and frame negative articles impugning the particular truths therof This was the case of the Church of England For though Hooper and Rogers were prity obstinat in the Presbiterian or Zuinglian doctrin of the Sacrament and prevailed therin so far by the Protectors countenance as to reform the common praier-Book and to confound the caracter of Episcopacy with single Presbitery as if there had bin no real distinction between both nor no imposition of Episcopal hands required for either but only a bare election of the Congregation or Magistrat yet rather then loose the revenues of benefices and Bishopricks they were content contrary to their solemn confederacy to connive at the Episcopal disciplin and ceremonious decency of surplises square Caps and Rochets The names of Priests and Bishops they were content to admit of in the common praier-Book so the caracter were not mentioned in their new form of ordaining them but rather declared not to be of divin institution nor a Sacrament In like manner Hooper at length condescended to take the Oath of supremacy and conformed thervnto his conscience when the Bishoprick of Worcester was added to his former of Glocester though vntil then he agreed with Calvin in impugning the Kings ' spiritual headship As Hooper condescended to the Kings ' Supremacy to the Prelatick disciplin and ceremonies so Cranmer and his prelatick party condescended to the Presbiterian doctrin because they were indifferent for any that would alow them wenches and not deprive them of their revenues And as for Ochinus the Jew Bucer the Atheist and the rest of the protestant Divines their vots as wel as their livelyhoods depended of Cranmer his wil and pleasur Besids Cranmer perceived the Protector inclined to Zuinglianism and the Presbiterian
doctrin and therfore resolved to accomodat the doctrin of the Church of England to his humour Hooper and Rogers agreed vpon an ecclesiastical Government inconsistent with Monarchy which was that over every 10. Churches or Parishes in England there should be a learned Superintendent appointed who should have faithful readers vnder him and that all Popish Priests should clean be put out And to draw all publick matters of state and Religion to them-selves they composed a Treatise to prove That it is lawful for any privat man to reason and writ against a wicked Act of Parliament and vngodly Councel c. see Fox pag. 1357. col 1. num 72. And Hoopers prophecy against the Prelatick protestants for not conforming them-selves to his Puritan and Presbiterian disciplin pag 1356. And of his contention with Cranmer and other Prelatick protestants about the oath of Supremacy c. Fox pag. 1366. Both Cranmer and Ridly made apear to the Protector and Councel that Hoopers Presbiterian disciplin was not consistent with the Constitution of Parliaments and the refusal of the oath of Supremacy to be of dangerous consequence in a tyme that Deuenshir Northfolk and many other Shires had taken arms in defence of the Roman Catholick faith It was further considered that so sudain a change from on extreme to an other in matters of religion as it would have bin from ceremonious Popery to plain Preâ—bitery was against the rules of policy therfore seing the people had bin so long accustomed to the Mass and to Ecclesiastical ceremonies it was judg'd expedient to make the vulgar sort believe the chang was not of Religion but of language that the common prayr was the Mass in English that the substance of the Catholick faith was retained in the Prelatick caps copes and surplises and what alteration there seem'd to be was but of things indifferent or petty circumstances and had bin resolved vpon by the King and Parliament more to preserve vniformity then to promote novelty as may be seen by any that wil observe the words of the statuts confirming the common prayr book administration rits ad ceremonies of the Sacrament 2. Ed. 6.1 and the Councels letter to the Bishops recited by Fox pag. 1184. col 1. Whereof long tyme there had bin in this Realm of England divers forms of common prayer And where the Kings Majesty hath hereto fore divers tyms assayed to stay innovations or new rits To the intent that an vniform quiet and godly order should be had concerning the premises hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury should draw and make one convenient and meet order of common Prayer and administration of Sacraments to be vsed in England Wales c. The which at this tyme by the ayde of the holy Ghost with vniform agreement is of them concluded c. in the Statut. But in very deed the whole substance of Catholick Religion was changed and nothing retained but so much therof as seemed necessary to keep the name of Christians and had not bin rejected by most of the ancient condemned hereticks as shal appeare by our obseruations vpon the 39. ensuing articles of Religion of the Church of England SECT V. Of the 39. Articles of the Church of England WHosoever considerâ—â— these 39. Articles of Religion composed by Cranmer and his Divines may easily perceive their drift was rather to humour factions at home and dissenting Protestants abroad to countenance sensuality and grant a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christianity then to instruct men in the doctrin of Christ or to prescribe any certain rule of Faith For their method is to word so the matter of the Articles that where Protestants disagree among themselves every one of the dissenting parties may apply the Text to his own sense In so much that the Presbiterians except not against the doctrins themsel-ves rightly explained that is according to their explanation but against the wording and expressions therof which say they are ambiguous and capable of more senses then one and so may be and are wrested to patronise errors In the mistery of the real presence they speak clearly against it because it was resolved in Parliament That England should be Zuinglian in that point against the Catholick faith of Transsubstantiation Wherfore after Cranmer and the other his Contemporisers had set down in five of their six first Articles the belief of the Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection wherof no Protestants then doubted they dare not declare themselves in the third wheein they speak of Christ descent into Hell whether it was to that of the damned or to a third place for that if they denyed the first they would have offended Calvin Jf they denyed the last they were sure to disoblige some Lutherans that admitted of Lymbus or a third place In the sixt Article they free all men from an obligation of believing any thing that is not read in Scripture or proved therby and make it their ownly rule of faith and themselves the Judges therof wherin they agree with the ancient Hereticks Arians Donatists Eunomians Nestorians c. But for that some Protestant doctrins are expresly reproved by many Parts of Scripture they make those parts Apocrypha because forsooth they were doubted of by some Churches in the primitive tymes And truly if a man will reflect vpon these words of thâ—ir sixt Article We do vnderstand those Canonical Books of the ould and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church he may cleerly see that they believe many parts of the new Testament not to be Canonical Scripture because many parts therof have bin doubted of in the Church before the Canon was determined See after part 2. In the 7. they only declare that Christians are not bound to observe the ceremonial but only the moral law of Moyses In the 8. they tel vs of foure Creeds wherof S. Athanasius his symbol is one are to be believed because they may be proved by Scripture and yet S. Athanasius himself declared in â—he Councel of Nice that the doctrin of his Symbol that is the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation could not be proved by Scripture alone or without Tradition In the 9. and 10. Article they follow the heretick Proclus the Messalians Zuinglius Luther and Calvins doctrin concerning Original sin In the 11. Article they teach with some of the Pseudo-Apostles with Eunomius and with the same Zuinglius Luther and Calvin that men are justified by faith alone See herafter of the justification by only faith how inconsistent with any solicitude or care for good works And in the 12. would faine but in vaine free themselves and their Doctrin from the aspersion of neglecting good works though they maintain them not to be necessary for justification In the 13. Article they say all virtuous moral actions of men â—hat are not in grace have the nature of sin And in the 14. they follow Eunomius Vigilantius
since the Apostles then to take the bare word of Cranmer a man who married and vnmarried K. Henry 8. to as many women as his Majestie lik't or dislik't dissolving the holy Sacrament of Matrimony as often as the King seemed to be weary of a wife a man whose religion was nothing but his conveniency and incontinency and therfore did alter his faith as often as the tyms changed and factions prevailed and sided with every Rebel against his Prince and was so carnaly given that even in Henry 8. days when Priests were not permitted to have wives he kept a wench so constantly that he carried her about in his Visitations Let any Christian I say be judg whether this man together with Ochinus a Jew Bucer an Atheist Peter Martyr so indifferent for any doctrin that he framed his faith at Oxforâ— according to the news from London and the Parliament Diurnals Hooper Rogers and Latimer ambitious and discontented Presbiterians Bâ—le and Coverdale two lewd and runigad friars whether I say these men ought to be believed in this important point of salvation rather then the holy Fathers and Councels who as hath binâ— said hertofore cal the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisadech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament Must the word of Cranmer and his fellows be a sufficient ground for prudent men to believe as an Article of Religion that the doctrin delivered as Catholick by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church are but fables and themselves but a company of Cheats The 32. Article was made by Cranmer and his Camerades to excuse their lewdness legitimat their bastards and make their wenches wives The second Parliament of King Edward 6. had bin so importuned by Apostata Priests and Friars who had coupled themselves with women that their petition having bin rejected by the first Parliament Edward 6. at lengh against the inclination and judgment of both houses they obtained now by meer importunity an Act to take away all positive Laws of man made against the marriage of Priests statut an 2. Edward 6. cap. 21. But then they are told in the very Act that it were not only better for Priests to live chast sole and separat from the company of women c. but that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavour to keep a perpetual chastity and abstinence from the vse of women And 1400. years before that Origen Hom. 23. lib. 8. contra Celsum declared the doctrin even of the Greeck Church in these words Jt is certain the dayly Sacrifice is hindred in them who serve the necessities of mariage therfore it seemeth to me that it appertaineth only to him to offer the dayly Sacrifice who hath vowed himselfe to dayly and perpetual chastity with whomâ—agree the other Fathers S. Jerom in Apologia ad Pamachium cap. 3. desires them who like not of this doctrin not to be angry with him for telling them of it but with the holy Scriptures vvith all Bishops Priests c. vvho know they cannot offer Sacrifice if they vse the Act of mariage and said to Vigilantius c. 1. who in this point also was a Protestant and seemed to confess his owne frailty What do the Churches of the East of Egipt and of the Apostolick Sea vvho receive none but unmarried or continent Priests or if they have vviues they must cease to be Husbands And against Iovinian cap 19. 14. ad Pamachium Apol. cap. 8. Truly thou dost acknowledg that he cannot be a Bishop vvho in that state getts children if he be convicted therof he vvil not be taken for a Husband but condemned as an Adulterer But it seems out Protestant Bishops know the Scripture and the doctrin and disciplin of the primitive Church better then S. Hierom Origen and all the ancient Fathers and Councels both of the East and West Since the King 's most happy restauration they were not content to enjoy their wives and see the legitimacy of their children approved of but in the first Parliament wherin they were permitted to vote as I have bin credibly informed they atâ—empted the house of Lords should declare their spiritual peerage did communicat the same honours and privileges to their Ladys that the law doth give to Baron's wives but seing the house smile at the motion and one of the first Peers begin to rally according to his witty way vpon a subject so proper for his genius one of the Bishops not so much concerned in the suit because he was not married in the name of all the rest waved the pretention by saying there had bin a mistake in the motion Jn the two following articles they would fain prevent diversity of opinions and schisms among the Protestants of the Church of England and gain authority for the Prelats therof and reverence for their ceremonies and censures But this design is frustrated by maintaining the lawfulness of their own revolt and separation from the Church of Rome as also the Roman Catholick fallibility and fal from the true Apostolick Religion without any farther proofe or evidence of so great a fault or frailty then the fancy and privat interpretation of Scripture of some discontented and dissolute persons pretending divine inspirations and illuminations for the same and for their warant to depose their spiritual Superiours and to reform the doctrin of the whole visible Church which reformation they also introduced in so tumultuous and seditious a manner that none who considers the principles practises and circumstances of the chang can prudently commit his soule to the reformers charg or condescend to any spiritual jurisdiction and authority in their Successours For besids that they have nothing to shew for their presumption and intrusion but obscure texts of Scripture interpreted by them selves in a sense contrary to that of the whole visible ancient Church that hath bin confirmed by continual and vndeniable Miracles they can give no assurance or probability of them selves being or continuing in the right way of saluation because if all the Roman Catholick Churches did err in doctrin how can their reformations pretend not to be subject to the same mis-fortun or mistake And if the supposed frailty and fallibility of the Church of Rome be a sufficient cause to question and condemn it's authority how can the Church of England or any other Protestant congregation exact from their Sectaries greater respect and obedience then the first reformers gave to their Roman Superiours Presbiterians Independents Quakers Anabaptists c. pretend to as pure doctrin as Divine a Spirit and as much Scripture against Prelaticks as Prelaticks do against Papists and thinck there is as much reason for them to be Iudges of the truth of
length most vnworthily murthered by the joynt consent of a Protestant Queen and Parliament and her son and Family excluded from the British Empire in case Queen Elizabeth should have or at least own any natural issue which many suppose was the true cause why she or the Parliament would never declare her Successour King James having bin brought vp in this schoole of affliction attained to more then ordinary wisdom dissembled with his enemies in England and strengthned him-self with as many friends and Allies as he could in foreign Nations to the end he might recouer his right after Queen Elizabeths death which he and the best part of the world every day long'd son He kept faire with France Spain and even with the Pope He succord Tyrone Tirconel and the Jrish Scots in Irland against Queen Elizabeth but vnder hand He corresponded with the Catholick party in England and was civil even to that party that contrived and pressed his Mothers murther By his marriage he obtained the confederacy of Denmarck and the Protestant Princes of Germany for recovering of England Cecil and others of the English Councel observing how prudently this young King had ordered his affairs and prepared him-self for being their Master courted him and vnknown to the Queen gave him dayly intelligence and thought it their best course to fix vpon him for her Successour seing they could hardly keep him out they invited him to the Throne after his enemie's death and he finding that very Protestancy by which his mother and him-self had bin so long excluded from their right and would have bin for ever if Queen Elizabeth had bin as capable as t' is sayd she was desirous of Posterity was deeply rooted in the hearts of most of his English subjects who either did not see he chang or not observe the motives and Mysteries therof King James J say reflecting vpon this inclination of the people to Protestancy conformed him-self vnto that Reformation which had bin setled by law in England discountenanced the Puritans by whose doctrin he had bin persecuted in Scotland and would have tolerated the Catholick if the gun powder Treason wherunto some few discontented and desperat Papists were cunningly drawn by Cecil to make their Religion odious had not blasted our hopes and blotted out of his Majestie 's memory what we had suffered for his Mother and how not only our persons but our principles had bin persecuted for supporting the title of his Family to the British Empire By King James his learned works and discourses it is manifest he had a design to reform the principles of Protestancy and reduce them to some rules of reason and confine that dangerous liberty which they give to every privat Protestant of being supreme Judg in all spiritual Controversies to one certain interpretation of Scripture that might be less prejudicial to Monarchy Monarchs peace and all civil Government then the Protestant arbitrary interpretations have proved hitherto To that purpose he commanded the Bible to be truly translated and those fraudulent and foolish corruptions to be corrected which had bin imposed vpon the people for God's word by Queen Elizabeths Clergy for maintaining her title and securing the revenues of the Church to them selves But his command was not obey'd some falcifications in the ould and new Testament were corrected but very few in respect of what remain and pass now current for true Scripture He declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no hand in the gunpowder treason those few persons excepted which had bin executed He was not afraid to acknowledg that the Pope was the first Bishop of Christendom and Rome the mother Church he suspended the rigor of the sanguinary and penal Statuts commended not apostatised Priests that became Protestants as he said to get wenches and benefices These things he did not out of any inclination to Popery but out of his zeal to Protestancy which he perceived would in a short time become as infamous as it is intolerable to Monarchs in case it's principles were not corrected and brought neerer vnto Catholick Tenets After King Iames his death his son King Charles 1. pursued the Father's design but found by sad experience that the Protestant liberty of interpreting Scripture cannot be restrained to reason by any human industry of the wisest Princes especialy so long as they are guided by a fallible Church that confesseth it's own vncertainty of doctrin King Charles the 1. was persuaded by his Councel and Clergy that the Laws which had bin enacted in favour of the Prelatick fallible Church and doubtful jurisdiction were of sufficient force and authority to contain Protestant subjects in awe and obedience and to stop the cours and consequences of those fundamental and violent principles of their reformation against superiority at the Church of Rom's doore and keep them from passing further or entrenching vpon the Church of England But the mistake soon appeared they who are allowed by the Prelatick principles to rebell against their Roman Superiours vnder the pretence of a Religious interpretation of Scripture and evangelical Reformation could not then nor cannot for the future be contain'd or deterr'd by any authority from rebelling against their Protestant Kings and Bishops vpon the same score whose superiority could not be more authentick then the Roman Catholick And therfor because the King had engaged in the Bishops quarel he drew vpon himself the odium of all Protestants that with the spirit and zeal of Reformation stuck to the fundamental principles of Protestancy which is to contemn all authority both spiritual and temporal which any privat person judges contrary to his own interpretation of Scripture and seeng the Prelatick Church of England doth grant this doctrin was lawful in Luther Calvin Cranmer Parker and other particular persons Churches and States against the Pope and others their then acknowledged spiritual and temporal superiours it will be very difficult to shew why now a Presbiterian or Fanatick Congregation may not as rationally pretend and as lawfully practise the same doctrin as their primitive Protestant Predecessours had don And so in vertue of this fundamental principle of Protestancy was the sacred person of a good King judged and murthered by a rude and wicked multitude without regard to innocency or respect to Soveraignty And by a remarkable revolution of tyms and interests the grandson came to loose his head for vpholding that same Prelatick Religion and Clergy which by Q. Elizabeth had bin rays'd for the destruction of his Grand-mother and the exclusion of his family from the crown Since Christian Soveraigns have reign'd the like Tragedy hath not bin acted many Princes have bin murthered by their Subjects but never by any such formality of Law and a publick Court of Judicature pretending superiority in themselves and Scripture for their rule and warrant Wherfore they that looke into the principles and privileges for the future in so zealous and resolute a people as the English who stand much vpon
enjoying their temporal liberties and much more vpon the spritual prerogative of Protestancy which according to Luther the first Author and Apostle therof is omnia judicemus regamus Let us judg and govern all things and not only his German Scholler Brentius but our English Bishop Bilson and all Prelaticks grant that the people must be discerners and Judges of that which is taught And the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England explaining the 39. Articles therof saith Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg controversies of faith c. And this is not the privat opinion of our Church but also the judgment of our godly brethren in forain Nations And it is not only the Tenet of Calvin but of all Protestant Writers that temporal laws oblige not in conscience any Christians to obey It being therfore a principle and priviledg even of Prelatick Protestancy and agreable to the 39. Articles that every member of sound judgment in the Church hath authority to judg controversies of faith and by consequence all other differences that may be reduced thervnto how is it possible for any King to be a Soveraign among Protestants who are all supreme judges both of faith and state for that State-affairs are subordinat to Religion and must be managed according to the Protestant sense of Scripture that is according to the judgment and interpretation of every particular Protestant or of him that can form or foole the multitude into his own opinion Wherfore we ought not be astonished that men constituted supreme Iudges and Interpreters of Scripture by the legal authority and articles of the Church of England and by the Evangelical libertys of Protestancy should presume to make them-selves the King's Iudges For my part I shal thinck it a great providence of God and extraordinary prudence in the government to see any King of England during the profession and legality of such principles in his Kingdom escape the like daunger and do continualy pray that their good Angel may deliver them from the effects of their own Religion His Majesty that by miracle now Reigns long may he live and prosper hath bin forced to lurck for his life in one of those secret places wherunto Priests retire when they are search't for God giving him to vnderstand therby that the most powerfull Princes where Protestancy prevails even in their own Kingdoms are never secure and may be often reduced to as hard shifts and as great extremities as the Poorest Priests and meanest Subjects RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE SECOND PART Of the inconsistency of Protestant principles with Christian piety and peaceable Government SECT I. Proved by the very Foundation of the Protestant Reformation which is a supposition of the fallibility and fal of the visible Catholick Church from the pure and primitive doctrin of Christ into notorious superstition IN the beginning of the first Part it hath bin sayd that the groundworck as wel of Policy as of Peace and Piety consists in making that persuasion to be the Religion of the State which is most credible or most agreable to reason because no commands duties taxes or charges will seem intolerable to subjects for the preservation and propagation of such a Religion nor for the maintenance of the spirititual and temporal Ministers to whose charge is committed the government of such a Church and Common-wealth How far all kind of Protestancy even the Prelatick is from having this prerogative we shall demonstrat in this Part of our Treatise and in this Section prove the same by the absurdity of the fundamental Protestant principles Common as well to the Prelatick as to all other Reformations The foundation wherupon all Protestant Reformations are built is this incredible or rather impossible supposition Viz. That all the visible and known Christian Churches of the world â—ell from that purity and truth of doctrin which they had once professed into superstition and damnable errors vntil at length in the 15. age God sent the Protestant Reformers to revive the true faith and Religion whose separation from the Roman Catholick Church and all others then visible is pretended to be free from sin and Schism by reason of the falshood of the Roman Catholick doctrin not consistent with saluation But this supposition is incredible 1. Because Protestants confess the fall and change of Religion was not perceived vntil 1300. or vntil at least 1000. years after it happned and such an imperceptible change in Christian religion involues as plain contradictions as a silent thunder For either it must be granted that all the Pastors and Prelats who lived in the time that any alteration of doctrin began were so stupid as not to take notice of so important and remarcable an object or so wicked as to observe and yet not oppose novelties so destructive to the souls committed to their charges Both which are proved to be groundless calumnies by the acknowledged zeal learning and integrity wherwith many Prelats and Pastors were endued in every age since the Apostles as their works yet extant do testify The truth of this Protestant supposition is not only incredible but impossible because the supposed chang of Christian Religion into Popish superstition is not pretended to have bin only a chang of the inward persuasion but of the outward profession visible and observable in ceremonies and practises answerable to the Mysteries believed as the adoring of the B. Sacrament worship of Jmages Communion in one kind publick prayer in vnknown languages c. How then is it possible that any Christian man or Congregation could begin so discernable and damnable novelties as according to the opinion of our Adversaries The adoration of the Sacrament Transubstantiation worship of Jmages Communion of the layty vnder one kind the Sacrifice of the Mass and publick prayers in an vnknown language the Pop's supremacy the doctrin of Purgatory Jndulgences Praying to Saints the vnmarried life of Priests c. How is it possible I say that any one should begin to teach and practise any of these supposed damnable doctrins and yet never be noted or reprehended by any one Prelat Pastor or Preacher who ar according to Esay the watâ—chmen of te visible Church vntil Luther's times or at least vntil these supposed superstitions had bin so vniversally spread so deeply rooted and plausibly received as Catholick truths and as ancient Traditions of Christ and of the Apostles that they who censured and opposed any of them were for so doing immediatly cryed down and condemned by the then visible and Catholick Church and Counsels as notorious hereticks How come the Preachers and Professors of these pretended Popish errors to escape for so many ages as Protestants confess they had continued vncontroul'd from the censures of Christ's pure Protestant Congregation if there was any vpon earth during that time was there not one Bishop Priest or Preacher in all the world for so many ages
were censured in these four first Councels with the Protestant exceptions and objections against the Councel of Trent especily if they wil pervse but the very first leaves of Cardinal Palavicino his confutation of Fr. Paulo Suarez or Servita his history wherin they wil find above tree hundred lyes and calumnies of that Apostata Friar in matter of fact so notorious and vndeniable that our English Prelatick Clergy wil or ought to be ashamed of the Preface they have set before it and of abusing King Iames and his Subjects with such impostures by their extolling so improbable and infamous a Libel Seing therfore the supposed change and fall from primitive Protestancy to popery hath bin from presumption and pride of a privat and censorious judgment against the publick testimony and sense of the visible Church to submission and humility of an obsequious and prudent belief from notorious rebellion against spiritual and temporal superiours to religious and dutifull obedience from gluttony to abstinence from incontinency to chastity from sincerity to flattery from Cloysters and austerity to Sacrilege and liberty from a pretence of faith alone to the Christianity of faith and good works c. It must be concluded that either Protestancy was not the pure and primitive Religion or if it was that the change therof into popery hath bin for the better and by consequence that the first Papist introduced into the world a more sacred and sincere profession then had bin taught by Christ and his Apostles But this being impious and as impossible as it is that men abandoned by God should exceed God's servants in piety or that they should establish and practice more Godly principles and more zealously promote virtue when they fel from God and the way of salvation then when they were in the same it must be granted that Popery is the pure and primitive Religion taught by Christ and his Apostles and that only weak brains or such tender plants as in their infancy received strong impressions of the possibility and existence of an invisible Christian Church vpon earth can fancy an insensible change of it's doctrin profession and ceremonies into so remarkable and different a worship of God as Popery is compared with Protestancy Congregations of Protestants living in the same Provinces Citties and Parishes with Papists and dissenting from them in the outward and oral profession of faith if they did not profess protestancy which they suppose was Christ's faith with the mouth they were dissemblers and could be no part of the true Church in the Canon and sense of Scripture in the administration and number of Sacraments in Rites and Ceremonies in the substance and language of the Liturgy in adoring the B. Sacrament in worshiping of Images in receiving of the Communion c. such Protestant Congregations I say to be invisible and never heard of in 1500. or 1000. years nor observed nor persecuted by the prevailing Papists among whom they lived is not a thing possible or intelligible much less prudently credible We see by experience in these Kingdoms how impossible it is for a Recusant not to be discerned and discovered Papists are known though not convicted Many of them through the mildn'ss and prudence of the government escape the penalties and rigour of the Law but none the observation of their neighbours and very few the menaces of both ecclesiastical and civil Courts The invisibility therfor of the Protestant Church and the insensibility of it's change to Popery is a fitter subject to ground ther-vpon a ridiculous Romance then a religious reformation Perhaps it wil be sayd that Protestants were vntil the last age among the ten tribes as the Jews of whose appearance ther hath bin of late so much talk but we heare not of Protestants among them neither did Luther Zuinglius Cranmer or Calvin pretend that they came from those Israelits or from Terra australis incognita they were born and bred neerer and they brag'd that them-selves were the first Reformers Now to their Scripture SECT III. Protestants mistaken in the Canon of Scripture maintained by the Church of England and by Doctor Cousins Bishop of Duresme OUr second Argument against the probability or possibility of Protestancy being the word or work of God is taken from the Protestants mistake of Scripture and their altering of the Canon And wheras our learned Adversaries do agree with vs in saying that neither the Scripture it-self nor the privat spirit can determin which parts of Scripture are Canonical or holy but confess that this controversy must be decided by the Testimony and authority of the Church and that above 300. years after the Apostles some of their writings were not held by all orthodox Catholicks to be Canonical which now are comprehended in the Canon and admitted as the word of God by many Protestants it foloweth 1. That the Canon of Scripture was not so sufficiently proposed to the whole Church for the three first ages as to make the denial or doubt therof Heresy 2. That the 6. Article of the Prelatick-Religion of England which admitted only such books of Scripture for Canonical of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church is false and the ground therof fallible For as all men vers'd in the Ecclesiastical History wel know and learned Bilson the Protestant Bishop of Winchester doth acknowledg in his survey of Christ's sufferings c. printed 1604. pag. 664. The Scripturs were not fully received in all places no not in Eusebius his time which was above 300. years after the Apostles he saith the Epistles of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of John are contradicted as not written by the Apostles the Epistle to the Hebrews was for a while contradicted c. The Churches of Siria did not receive the second Epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalips c. The like might be sayd for the Churches of Arabia Wil you hence inferr that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolick or that we need not receive them now because they were formerly doubted of This Argument of Bishop Bilson we apply to the Machabees and to the other books declared by the Church of England to be Apocryphal Doctor Cousins writ a book caled a Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture for which him-self and his friends think he wel deserved the Bishoprick of Duresme that he now enjoys in defence of the Prelatick Protestant Canon and of the 6. article of the Church of England And because he tels us in his Preface that men of knowledg pressed him to publish it as a piece that would give more ample satisfaction and cleere the passages in antiquity from the objections that some late Authors in the Roman side bring against Protestants then those other writings of home or foreign Divines have don that are extant in this kind I thought fit to give Protestants a proof of the soundness of
holy Doctor and then approv'd of by all the world and ever since accepted and applauded in God's Church be defective or deceitfull then a translation made since the pretended Reformaâ—ion by men not only engaged in that new doctrin but maintain'd therby and so addicted to the pleasures and profits of this world as the first Reformers and their Successours the Protestant Clergy are known to be not only in England but in all other parts of Christendom Let them be pleased also to consider whether the judgment of the Roman Catholick Clergy in these Kingdoms who in being of that judgment can have no motive but conscience as is manifest by the incapacities and penalties lay'd vpon them for not conforming to Protestancy be not a more impartial and less to be suspected rule for any prudent person to follow then the judgment of the Protestant Clergy rewarded and promoted to the greatest employments both in Church and state for being of that opinion they profess and who would forfeit all their being if they declared them-selves contrary to Protestancy This being as maturely and impartially considered as the importance of the matter doth require non will believe that the vulgar Translations made by Protestants is holy Scripture they being so contrary to our vulgata in latin translated out of the true Greeck and Hebrew copies writen first by a holy Martyr and after revewed by a St. whose sincerity and learning were sufficient to canonize his Translation had it not bin the word of God and most holy of it self and so declared by the testimony and approbation of the Church for the space of 1200. years before the Councel of Trent In vain therfore do Protestant Writers tell us that theiâ— Translations are taken immediatly from the fountains of the Greek and Hebrew so is our vulgata only with this difference that ours was taken from the fountains when they were cleere and by holy and learned men that knew which were the crystal waters and true copies but theirs is taken from fountains of trouble'd waters by lewd and vicious persons and after that the Arians and other Hereticks had poyson'd and corrupted them with their false and filthy doctrin Thus much against the Protestant letter of Scripture now to their sense of Scripture SECT V. The Protestant interpretation is not the true sense of Scripture THE principal part and as it were the soule of Scripture is the sence which was delivered to the Church togeather with the letter For as St. Hierom in ep ad Galat. sayth the Ghospel is not in the word but in the sence not in the bark but in the sapp not in the leaves of the words but in the root of the meaning So that though we should grant the Protestant Translations to be true yet if we prove their interpretation false we demonstrat they have no Scripture nor the least pretext or colour for their Reformations And first that the Church received togeather with the letter the true sense of Scripture is as evident as it is that God would not speak words without sense or leave the interpretation of them to men whose capacities reach not the mysteries of Religion contained in the words Therfore our learned Adversaries are obliged to confess that no man doubteth but that the primitive Church received from the Apostles and Apostolical men not only the text of Scripture but also the right and native sense therof The dispute therfore between Catholicks and Protestants is not whether the Church ever received the true sense of Scriptures but whether that sense continued as well as the letter in the Church and whether the interpretations of Luther Calvin Cranmer Hamond c. or of the Prelaticks of England ought to be preferr'd before that of the Roman Catholick Church because the true sense of Scripture is supposed by all Protestants to have bin lost for many ages and that the whole visible Church of God was either so careless as to forget the ancient sense or so wicked as to forge a new sense of Scripture And first it seems against reason to believe that any Christian Congregation could be less carefull of the sense of Scripture then of the letter because the sense is that which importeth most for preservation of the faith Therfore if the Prelats and Pastors of the Church have bin so watchfull and diligent in all ages as to find out and correct all heretical corruptions of the letter of Scripture how is it possible they would neglect the same industry for preservation of the sense which is the principal part of God's word And if Protestants think the letter was safe in the custody of the Roman Chatholick Church from which they received it how can they suspect the purity of that sense which was kept and delivered to them by the same Church and authority And if God's providence as they confess was engaged in keeping the leaves and letter of Scripture from corruption surely it could not be so vnconcern'd for the integrity of the sence and substance as to permit it to perish Besides it is much easier to keep the sense of Scripture incorrupt and pure then the letter The letter was writ only in paper or parchment the sense in the heads and hearts of the Bishops Doctors and People of the Church a dash of a pen may alter the letter but cannot have access to the sence which lodgeth in the hearts and heads of the faithfull The precept of receiving the sense of Scripture from the Church is not only agreable to reason but prescrib'd in Scripture as the only way of saluation Go not from the doctrin of the elders for they have learned it from their Fathers and of them thou shalt learn vnderstanding and to answer in the time of need Eccles. 8.8 The first Protestant Reformers observed not this they went to no precedent Church nor Fathers for their interpretation of Scripture and therfore the words of Ieremy 18.15 may be literally applyed to them They have stumbled from the ancient ways to walk in ways not troden The Protestant Clergy ought to say and confess ingeniously that of holy Iob 8.8 Jnquire therfore I pray thee of the ancient generation and prepare thy self to search of their Fathers for we are but yesterday and ought not intrude their own Imaginations as the true explanation of God's word They do not imitat St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil who as Eusebius relates Hist. l. 11. cap. 9. did seek the vnderstanding of the Scriptures not from their own presumption but from the writings and authority of their Ancestors They do not follow the rule of Origen saying tract in Math. 29. That in our vnderstanding of the Scripture we must not dâ—part from the first Ecclesiasticall tradition nor believe other-wise but as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us Nor that of Tertulian l. 1. de prescrip c. 6. What the Apostles preach'd what Christ reveal'd to them ought not be otherwise proved
confirmed by acts of Parliament But that which makes them to be so much insisted vpon is that they are so indifferent and appliable to all Protestant Religions that with much reason he is censured a very wilfull Presbiterian and fanatick who will not submit and subscribe to articles so indulgent and indifferent Therfore not only now but formerly in the beginning of all distempers grounded vpon Diversitie of Protestant opinions it was thought good policy to commit the 39. Articles to the press therby to please all dissenting parties and this hath bin practised not only in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames Reigns but also in King Charles I. an 1640. when the rebellion began to break forth and was cloak't with the authority of a legall Parliament as well as with the zeal of the Protestant Religion against the Church of England And an 1633. when the Symptoms of that rebellion were first discerned there was printed by special Command a Book setting forth the agreement of the 39. Articles with the doctrin of other reformed but rebellious Churches of France Germany Netherlands Basil Bohemia Swethland Suitzerland c. The Title of the book is the Faith Doctrin and Religion professed and protected in the realm of England and Dominions of the same expressed in the Articles c. The sayd Articles analized into propositions and the propositions proved to be agreable both to the writen word of God and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianly reformed Perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publick London printed by John Legatt 1633. So that no mervaile if the 39. Articles have not proved to be a better antidot against Rebellion then we have seen by experience they being so agreable to the doctrin of Churches raised and maintained by rebellious people and principles against their vndoubted lawfull Soveraigns The French Hugonot Ministers in their assembly at Bema 1572. decree that in every citty all should sweare not to lay down arms as long as they should see them persecute the doctrin of salvation c. In the mean time to govern them-selves by their own protestants rules See Sutcliff in his answer to a libel supplicatory pag. 194. See the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England art 19. pag. 94. agreeing here in with Confes. Helvet 2. Saxon. art 11. Wittemberg art 32. Sueu art 15. all quoted ibid. pag. 95. Dresterus the Protestant writer in part 2. Nullenarii sexti pag. 661. acknowledgeth that all the warrs of Germany against the Emperour and lawfull Soveraigns happned ex mutatione Religionis Pontificiae in Lutheranam See Crispinus of the Churches estate pag. 509. how the reformed Church of Basil was founded by the rebellion of some Burgesses against the Catholick Senators whom they ejected c. The Rebellion of Holland and the other Protestant Provinces is well known as also of Geneva Zuitzers or Helvetians See Chitreus in Cron. an 1593. 1594. pag. 74. seq How the King of Swethland being a Catholick was by his Subjects the Lutherans forc't so content him-self with Mass in his in his privat Chapell and to assent that no Catholick should beare office in that Kingdom and at length an other made King We may say without either vanity or flattery that were it possible to maintain the Soveraignty of a King the peace and prosperity of a people togeather with the principles of Protestancy the English Nation would have don it wanting neither witt or judgment to find out the expedients after long experience of 100. years since the pulling down of Popery and yet we see that nothwithstanding the wisedom of them who govern the learning of the Clergy the worth of the gentry the sincerity of the common sort and the natural inclination to loyalty of the whole Nation since Protestancy came among vs we have violated the laws of nature and Nations we have by publick acts of State don many things wherof but one perpetrated by a privat person whithout any countenance from the governement were sufficient to make not only him-self but his whole family and Country infamous Murthers of Soveraigns by a formality of justice breach of publick faith for the Protestant interest were never heard of in England nor acted by English men vntil they were Protestants Therfore the infamy and reproach therof must be left at the doores of the English Protestant Church without blaming our English Nation or nature It is the nature of an arbitrary Religion to pervert good natures It confounds the state more then any arbitrary government The worst of arbitrary governments have some regard to the honour and word of the Prince and to the publick faith An arbitrary religion dispenseth with all An arbitrary government is reduced to one supreme an arbitrary government doth pretend reason for the Prince his ComCommands an arbitrary Religion by pretending to be above reason commands against reason How arbitrary and applicable all Protestant Religions are to every particular interest and fancy notwithstanding their publick professions and confessions of faith is visible by the 39. Articles of the Church of England that hitherto could neither setle the judgments of subjects in any on certain belief nor tye them to their duty and alleigance to the lawfull Prince though the sayd articles wanted no countenance of law to gain for them authority And yet the profession of the 39. Articles togeather with the oath of supremacy is made the distinctive sign of truth and loyalty in our English Monarchy But the Articles being applicable to contrary religions and interests and an oath asserting a thinâ— so incredible as the spiritual supremacy of a lay Soveraign must needs expose the government to continual dangers that flow from a plausible and popular tenderness of conscience and from the contempt of so indifferent and improbable a Religion and therfore though many do abhorr yet few do admire our late King's mis-fortune his Majesty having grounded his Soveraignty and security vpon Councellors servants and souldiers of whose fidelity he had no other evidence but the profession of 39. Articles so vncertain that they signified nothing and dispensed with every thing and an oath of a jurisdiction so incredible that they who took it either vnderstood not what they swore or if they did by swearing a known vntruth disposed them-selves to violat all oaths of alleigance and learn't in all other promises to preferr profit before performance conveniency before conscience Were not this true and were the prelatik Religion with all it's laws and oath's capable of establishing Monarchs or of making subjects loyal and servants faithfull how were it possible that so just and innocent a King as Charles 1. The ancientest by succession and inheritance of all Christendom should be so generally and vnworthyly betray'd by them that profess'd the 39. Articles and took the oaths of supremacy and alleigance By the laws of the land it is enacted and accordingly practised that non be permitted
subordination the man of sin shall not be revealed So that Succession which by all the ancient and Holy Doctors is believed and defended to be a mark of the true Church is affirmed by Iewell and the first Protestant Bishops to be a mark of Anti-Christ and to prove this their non sense they are pleased to falsify Scripture and all this was don because they knew them-selves wanted succession and imposition of Episcopal hands and were made Bishops only by the Queen's letters patents and dispensation with the inhability of their very state and condition and legitimated or made legal by an Act of Parliament 8. Elizabeth 1. SVBSECT VII Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes may and have decreed Heresies IN the Apology of the Church of England part â— cap. 5. Iewell and the English Clergy affirm that Pope Iohn 22. held a wicked and detestable opinion of the life to come and Jmmortality of the soule which accusation they had out of Calvin whose words are that Pope Iohn affirmed man's soule to be mortal This being proved to be a lye by Doctor Harding Iewell and his Clergy replyed in the defence of the Apology thus Gerson writeth in Sermons Paschali Pope John 2â— to have decreed that the soules of the wicked should not be punished before the day of the last Iudgment by which words as you shall see insteed of cleering one fals accusation against Iohn 22 they bring in another for Gerson hath no such words but the true controversy was indeed whether the soules of the just not of the wicked should see God face to face before the day of Iudgment or not wherin Pope Iohn being Reader of Divinity in France before he was Pope inclined to the negative part the Controversy was decided after Pope Iohn's death iâ— the extravagant of Pope Benedictus Not content with this Jmposture they add an other greater in confirmation of their former Charge fathering in the same and these ensuing words vpon the Councell of Constance Quinimo Ioannes Papa 22. yea Pope Iohn the two and twentith held and believed obstinatly that the soule of man did dye with the body and was extinguished as the soules of the bruit Beasts And more over he sayd that a man once dead is not to rise again no not at the last day First this Testimony doth not touch Pope Iohn 22. at all but an Anti-Pope Iohn vsurping the Popedom and calling him-self Iohn 23. and this a hundred years after Pope Iohn 22. 2. These words are not words of the Councell but words of an accusation vsed by a certain man that did accuse him in the Councell of Constance vnder the name Baltazar de Cossa calling him-self Iohn 23. where laying against him 35. articles concerning his wicked life before he took vpon him the sayd name of Pope which Articles were proved but not this point of Heresy SVBSECT VIII Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings THe Apology of the Church of England doth set forth how a Pope commanded the Emperour to go by him at his hors bridle and the French King to hould his stirrop and the like which Mr. Harding proveth to be lyes then it says that the Pope hurled vnder his table Francis Dandalus the Duke of Venise King of Creta and Cyprus fast-bound with chains to feed of bones among his doggs But neither Francis Dandalus was Duke of Venice when he was sent to the Pope in this Embassage neither was he King of Creta nor Cyprus that name of King not being tollerable in the free State of Venice and as for the Duke at that time his name was Johannes Superantius and Dandalus was but a privat man sent Embassador to Clement 5. then Pope to obtain the revocation of an Jnterdict which was layd vpon the sayd Citty and finding the Pope some what hard to yeeld to his supplication he devised of him-self this Stratagem to cause an Iron chain to be put about his own neck and to creep in vpon his hands and knees while the Pope was at dinner and there lay down vnder the Table and would not rise vntill he had obtained pardon and remission for his Country and this Doctor Harding proveth out of the principal Authors and writers of the Venetian Commonwealth SVBSECT IX Prelatick Falsifications to prove that S. Austin the Apostle of our English Saxons was an hypocrit and no Saint as also to discredit Catholick writers BIshop Iewell and his Prelatick Clergy in their reply to the Objections against their Apology for the Church of England pag. 185. speak thus of St. Austin the Monk and Apostle of England He was a man as is judged by them that 〈◊〉 and knew him neither of an Apostolicall spirit nor any way 〈◊〉 to be called a Saint but an hypocrit and a supperstitious 〈◊〉 cruell bloudy and proud out of measure There is no â—riting extant of any man that saw him and knew him alive but only of St. Gregory the Great who commended him exceedingly and of St. Bede that lived not very long after him who writeth also much of his Sanctity and miracles who then 〈◊〉 those who lived with him and knowing him did Iudge him to be so bad a man Iewell citeth only in the margent Greffey of Monmouth who lived neer six hundred years after St. Austins dayes Bishop Iewell and his Camerades say also that Ioannes de Magistris he would have sayd Martinus writ in his Book de Temperantia that fornication is no sin but this Author houlds the quite contrary and proveth it by six several conclusions and by St. Paul saying that it excludeth from the Kingdom of heaven but yet for that he saith in the beginning Arguitur quod non it may be objected to the contrary the Apologists foolishly and fraudulently accuse in this Author Roman Catholicks with damnable doctrin Much more might be sayd of their fals dealing in this Apology defence and reply of the Church of England but we remit the curious to Doctor Harding Stapleton c. SVBSECT X. Of the protestant prelatick Clergies frauds and falsifications of Scripture and alterations of their 39. Articles of Religion to make the people believe that they have true Priests and Bishops in the Church of England THe point most insisted vpon by Dr. Hâ—rding Stapâ—â—tâ—n c and all 〈◊〉 Catholick 〈◊〉 their Booâ—◠〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of the Church of England was that it could not 〈◊〉 Church because it had not any one true Bishop and according to St. Hierom saith Harding 〈◊〉 non est quae non habet 〈◊〉 which word 〈◊〉 signifieth Bishop as well as 〈◊〉 That the Church of England had 〈◊〉 in the beginning of Queen Elizaâ—â—â—â— Reign whom Harding and Stapleton writ against it as much as one Bishop validly consecrated they proved because not one of them was consecrated by a true Bishop or by imposition of Episcopal hands and if they durst say they were Harding and Stapleton
wherin they speak of the Sacraments for wheras Cranmers 25. or 26. article says nothing of Holy orders by Imposition of Hands or any visible sign or ceremony required therin Parker and his Bishops having taken vpon themselves that calling without any such ceremony of Imposition of Episcopal hands declared that God ordained not any visible sign or ceremony for the five last commonly called Sacraments wherof Holy Orders is one This alteration and addition you may see in D. r Heylin's appendix to Ecclesia restauratâ— pag. 189. And by order of the same Convocation was printed the Scripture and in that their edition of 1562. Ordination by imposition of hands was translated ordination by election as you may see part 1. and part 2. of this Treatise And though Cranmer cared as litle for any visible signes or ceremonies in ordinaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the other first Protestant Reformers and according to their 〈◊〉 had abjured the Priestly and Episcopal caracter which he had received among Catholicks 〈◊〉 you may gather by his own words related by John Fox in his degradation thus Then a Barbar dipped his hair round about and the Bishop scraped the tops of his fingers were he had bin annointed wherin Bishop Bonner behaved himself as rougly and vnmanerly as the other Bishop was to him soft and gentle Whiles they were thus doing All this quoth the Archbishop needed not I had my self don with this 〈◊〉 long ago Albeit I say Cranmer cared not for any Episcopal Ordination which he had received in the Catholick Church yet he did not think to make the denial therof an article of the Protestant faith but Q. Elizabeths English Church in their Convocation 1562. seing they could not obtain the Episcopal caracter by Imposition of true Bishops hands thought 〈◊〉 to make it a part of the Protestant belief that no such visible 〈◊〉 or ceremony was necessary or instituted by Christ and therfore concluded holy Orders was not a Sacrament And though the prelatick Clergy now teach and practise the contrary and 〈◊〉 K. Iame's reign Ordination by imposition of hands was restored to the Text of Scripture and by consequence ordination by election declared to be a Cheat or corruption yet this change of the matter doth no more make them now true Priests and Bishops then their last change of their forme of Ordination since the most happy restauration of K. Charles the 2. SVBSECT XI In Advertisment to the Reader concerning Bishop Iewell BEcause Jewell was the most famous and learned man of the Church of England in so much that M. r Hooker termes him the worthiest Divine that Christendom bred for 〈◊〉 hundred yeares past and that his Apology and defence of the Church of England was the work of that whole Clergy and that Withaker after Iewell 's death sayd to Campian Jewell's chalâ—â—â—ge and speech concerning the first 600. yeares was most true and 〈◊〉 all the Church of England did stand to it and that Heylin 〈◊〉 all the Protestant Controversors since Iewell take from his Apology and defence their arguments and authority Because 〈◊〉 the man is such a pillar of English Protestancy and most 〈◊〉 that Religion pin their Faith upon his sleeve and work and think the Holy Ghost directed his pen in his Apology and defence of their Prelatick Church I thought fit to let them Know that they who were intimatly acquainted with him give this testimony of him he was first a Catholick and continued so untill Protestancy was made the religion of the state in Edward 6 Reign then he turned Protestant and remained so untill Queen Maries dayes then he abjured protestancy as heresy and seemed to be so forward and zealous in professing the Roman faith that he was permitted to be one of the Notaries of Cranmer and Ridleys diâ—â—putations in the Vniversity D. r Heylin sayes all this his forwardness in Popery proceeded from feare When Queen Elizabeth succeeded in the Kingdom Jewell embraced her Religion and writ what you haue seen against our Religion which himself had twice professed as the only Catholick This much is confessed on all sides Chark or Fulk I know not which of them is Author in the Answer to the Censure Edit 1583. fol. 78. complains that as Papists say Luther was the son of an Incubus or the Divill and dyed drunk Oecolampadius was killed by the Devill or by his own hands Peter Martyr had a familiar Martin Bucer consulted with his Cow and his Calf so they say that Iewell had all his knowledge from his Cat or from a Weesel and dyed recanting his opinions embracing a Popish Cross with protestation that he sinned against his own conscience and knowledge That Jewell sinned against his own conscience and knowledge is 〈◊〉 by his falsifications which we have set down having bin himself a learned man and besides having bin advertised of them by others and therfore his mistakes could not proceed from ignorance And that he said to some of his friends who put him in minde of his fals dealing the Protestant Religion could not be otherwise defended we have heard credibly reported as also how he replied to his Amanuensis that excepted against some of his falsifications that not one Reader amongst a thousand would examin his corruptions and Translations or compare them with the Text all which makes it â—â—â—dible enough that he went against his knowledge but for my own part I am not beholding to the relation of others for my ill opinion of Jewell I am convinced that he was a wilfull falsifier and Impostar and do Iudge his own writings to be the best evidence therof If he recanted at his death I hope he was saved though he hath bin the damnation I feare of millions that have bin seduced by his Books And as for his cat and his Wesel I dispute not whether the Devill vsed to conferr with him in such shapes But I am sure the substance of his Apology and the manner of defending his doctin could proceed from no better Author and I belieue every rational man will be of the same opinion if he peruse and examin his workes SVBSECT XII Examples of learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Religion by observing the Frauds and falshoods of the Apology of Iewell and of the Protestant Clergy for the prelatick Church of England THough it is to be feared that millions of soules have perished by the falsifications and frauds of Iewell and of the Protestant Clergy in publishing and maintaining even to this day their Apology and defence of the Church of England yet many have bin saved by occasion of the notoriousness of the falshoods therin contained I will speâ—â—fy only three mentioned by the learned Author of the three conversions of England who had it from their own mouthes â—â—mitting others saith he which for just respects may not be named Heare his own words The first is S. r Thomas Copely who oftentimes hath related unto me with much comfort of
his soule how that being a zealous Protestant and very familiar to the Earle of Leicester in the beginning of this Queenes dayes when M. r Iewell 's Book was newly come forth and being also learned himself in the latin tongue took paines to examin several leaves therof and finding many falshoods therin which were inexcusable as they seemed to him he conferred the same with the Earle who willed him that the next time M. r Iewell dined at his table he should take occasion after dinner to propose the same which he did soon after and receiving certain trifling answers from M. r Iewell he waxed more hot and urged the matter more earnestly which Iewell perceiving told him in effect that Papists were Papists and so they were to be dealt with all and other answer he could not get which thing made the good Gentleman make a new resolution with himself and to take that happy course which he did to leave his Countrey and many great Commodities which he enioyed therin to enjoy the liberty of conscience for salvation of his soule The second example which I remember of my own knowledge is M. r Doctor Stevens a learned man yet alive who being Secretary or Chaplyn to M. r Iewell for I remember not well whether and a forward man in Protestant Religion at that tyme espied certain false allegations in his Master's Book whilst it was yet vnder the print in London wherof advertising him by letters for that he supposed it might be by oversight the other commanded notwithstanding the print to go forward and passed it over as it was which this man seeing that had a conscience and sought the truth indeed resolved to take another way of finding it out and having found it in the Catholick Church where only it is to be found he resolved also to follow it and so he did and went voluntarily into banishment for the same where yet he liveth vnto this day in Finance with good reputation both of learning and godliness The third example that I call to mind is the worthy man before named M. r William Reynolds who being first an earnest Professor and Preacher of Protestant Religion in England he fell in the end to read over M. r Iewell 's book and did translate some part therof into latin but before he had passed half over he found such stuff as made him greatly mislike of the whole Religion and so he leaving his hopes and commodities in England went over the sea into these parts and the last yeare of Iubily to wit 1575. he came to Rome and brought that book with him and presented both himself and it to the Tribunal of Inquisition of his own free motion and accord c. And himself after absolution received from his former errors which he with great humility and zeale required and myself also at that time did speak with him in that place he returned into France and Flanders and there lived many years with singular edification for his rare virtue and learning and how heartily indeed he was converted may well appeare by his zealous writings both in Latin and English in defence of Catholick Religion Thus much the Author of the three Conversions I am credibly informed by a person then present that Primat Bramhall and some of his Majesties Chaplains who now are Bishops persuaded or endeavored to persuade our most gratious Soveraign Charles 2. who was then at Bruges that this Doctor Reynolds was made a Papist by disputing with an other Doctor Reynolds whom he intended to make a Protestant And that the Roman Catholick Doctor Reynolds at the same time turned Protestant Some think this story was feigned to make the King believe that there is as much to say for the Protestant religion as for the Catholick And to the end his Majesty might not reflect vpon the falshood of a Religion forsaken out of meere conscience by it's greatest Doctors when they were most applauded and when they had reason to expect the richest Benefites and greatest honours From the Apology of the Church of England we will pass to John Fox his Acts and Monuments a Book no less commended by the Protestant Clergy then the former because by frauds and lyes it serves their turn to foole the well meaning Layty who take it to be a true Ecclesiasticall History of the persecuted Church of Christ. SECT V. Frauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts and Monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries the litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such falls dealing AFter that Luther and Calvin's desperat shift of the invisibility of Christ's Church for more then a thousand years before their pretended reformations had bin evidently confuted as not only impossible but as repugnant also to Scripture which compares the Church to a Citty placed vpon a mountain and a shining Sun c. Their schollers vndertook to shew a succession of the Protestant Church and to that purpose some drunken Germans as any sober man must judge them to have bin by their writings whose names were Flaccus Illyricus Joannes Vigandus Matheus Judex and Basilius Faber met togeather in some warme stoue of Magdeburg and there tipling took vpon them to Iudge of the writings doctrin and miracles of all the ancient Fathers from the first Century to the last Of the very next Century to the Apostles these merry Companions were pleased to give this Censure in the very title of the Chapter Inclinatio Doctrinae complectens peculiares incommodas opiniones stipulas errores Doctorum quae palam quidem hoc est scriptis tradita sunt The declining of Christ and his Apostles doctrin conteining the peculiar and incommodious opinions of Doctors their errors straw and stubble which were left publickly by them that is to say in their writings And thus they Censure St. Iraeneus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Methodius c. saying they abuse and wrest the Scriptures intolerably and grossly to favor popish opinions These foure merry saxons reprehend Ignatius St. Iohn's scholler for vsing the phrase offerre sacrificium imâ—olare St. Cyprian for saying sacerdotem vice Christi fungi Deo patri sacrificium offerre St. Martial scholler of the Apostles saying sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur in Ara. Martial in Ep. ad Burdegal and so all other points wherin Protestants and Catholicks do disagree calling the antient Fathers stubble Doctors the same they say of St. Basil Lactantius Gregory Nissen Hilary Nazianzen Ambrose Ephrem and Hierom c. and pretend their doctrin to be against Scripture and the Miracles they relate to be either forged or Diabolicall or at least wrought by God to punish the credulity of Christians But the errors of ancient condemned Hereticks to be the true and sincere primitive faith and produce no other proof for this their drunken foolery but their own presumption and privat interpretation of Scripture Wherfore Valentia a learned Jesuit
that from Christ to the victory of Constantin against Maxentius there are assigned by Eusebius 318. years and yet did not this persecution cease then neither but continued vnder Licinius and other Tyrants for divers years after see then how just these numbers fall out neither more nor less all which being considered I find no one thing so true or credible in all this revelation saith the Author of the three Conversions who confuted Fox his Acts and Monuments as those words of the spirit vnto him saying Thou fool for that this maketh him a fool indeed by revelation What credit Protestants give to Fox his revelations I do not know but sure Iam they give too much to his relations notwithstanding the absurdity of the whole work in composing a Catholick Church of condemned hereticks without subordination or succession and making wicked Malefactors Câ—â—â—st's Martyrs the Protestant Clergy who could not be ignorant of so abominable a deceit cryed vp the book as a most godly and sincere history and by publick authority endeavored to make it authentick placing one in every Parish Church like a fifth Ghospell recommending the reading therof to all persons both in their houses and Congregations All this was don with design to make the Roman Catholick religion odious and to exasperat the generality of the people against the Priests and professors of the same And though judicious Readers may easily discern in perusing the Book the weaknes of the Author and of the cause he vndertakes to maintain yet the vulgar sort are much taken with both and doubt not but that Protestants have as much reason to put Catholiks to death as Catholiks had to punish those mad fellows whom Iohn Fox calls Martyrs and would needs dy rather then recall those blasphemies against God or submit their fond opinions to that sense of Scripture which our Saviour and his Apostles delivered to the Church and had bin derived by the publick Testimony and vndeniable Tradition both of holy Fathers and general Councells from one age to an other vntill this present To the end silly seduced souls may see their mistake and how litle credit Iohn Fox his Protestant Church and Martyrs deserve compared with the Roman-Catholick I will set down his Calendar SVBSECT I. The Foxian Calendar THe number of all his saints are 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. to wit Cranmer Ridley Hooper Farrar and another whom I remember not What litle credit they deserved we have shewed heretofore every one of them changing his religion with the times and their opinions having bin confuted as heresy in vniversities by publick disputations Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. who was Edward 6. other men and women Martyrs 393. other men and women Confessors 5â— These were of divers sects and opinions and contrary in many points one to the other as for example Waldesians and Albigensians 13. Lollards and Wickleffians 36. Hussits and Lutherans 78. Zuinglians and Calvinists 268. Anabaptists Puritans and doubtfull of what sect 59. Again of these were husbandmen Weavers sawyers shoomakers Curriers smiths and other such like occupations 282. poore women and spinsters 64. Apostata Monks and Friars 25. Apostata Priests 38. Ministers 10. publick Malefactors and condemned by the lawes for such 19. of age running away from his Master and finding an old English Bible sincerely translated you may be sure lying in 〈◊〉 the Chappell of Burntwood fell to reading therof and therby presently became a Protestant in divers opinions and would needs burn for the same Rawling White is recounted by Fox to have bin an old poore fisherman in Wales and hearing of certain new fresh doctrin to be had out of the Scriptures in English and grieved that himself was not able to read them he put his litle boy to schoole to learn to read which being somewhat instructed in that art he caused him to read Scriptures vnto him and profitted so much therin with in a litle time that the old fisherman began to be a preacher and so leaving his occupation went vp and down Wales with his boy after him bearing the Bible out of which he took vpon him to preach at every town and Tavern therof seeking therby to pervert such as were no wiser then himself nor could he be restrained from this folly vntill the Bishop of Cardiff apprehended him whom afterwards they were forced to burn for that he stood obstinat in his fantasticall opinions which were extravagant and â—â—â—rce agreed with any sect of Protestancy We have seen heretofore how Laurence Sanders the married Priest seing a litle bastard of his was so tenderly affected therunto as in great vehemency of spirit he sayd to the standers by what maâ—â— of my vocation would not dy to make this litle boy legitimat and prove his mother to be no whore And indeed such of the Protestant Clergy as were executed were brought to the stake for the love they had to their wenches and bastards and because they thought it was against their honor to recant It 's remarkable that of some hundreds of Heresiarchs who have since the preaching of the Apostles risen against the doctrin of the Catholick Church not above two or three wherof Berâ—â—garius was one would recall their opinions no marvaile therfore if Cranmer Latimer Ridley c. should be so obstinat These motives and persons I say well considered rational Protestants will find no parity between Foxian and Catholick Martyrs nor any reason to persecute Priests and Papists by their new Statuts because Protestants and sectaries were persecuted by Q. Mary and other temporal Soveraigns according to the ancient Laws of all Christendom They will find a parity between Fox his Martyrs and Fanaticks for the old Protestants were look't vpon in those days when they first began as themselves look now vpon fanatiks and Quakers only with this difference that these may complain of harder measure now received from their prelatick Brethren then prelatick Protestants from papists because prelatiks have nothing against presbitery 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 that their doctrin and conventicles are prohibited by the temâ—â—â—al lâ—â—es of the Land which can not be a competent rule of faith they can not condemn them by any Pâ—â—â—â—stant general Councells ancient Tradition or by the primitive Protestant principles or by any sense of Scripture ever yet held to be Catholick by the visible Church of Christendom wheras Roman Catholicks did and may censure prelatick Protestants by every one of these rules and do demonstraâ—â— that their prelatick reformation is contrary to all the Testimonies and evidences of Christian and Catholick antiquity SVBSECT II. VVillfull falsifications committed by Iohn Fox in his acts and Monuments FOx having searched and inquired after Protestants and their Church and not finding any one person he durst call by that name for the first 1200. years after Christ and that particularly here in England the Roman Catholick Religion as his
learned adversary proves had continued the very same notwithstanding many temporal changes from our first conversion vntill K. Henry 8. and Q Elizabeths reigns and was that very faith which we papists now profess rather 〈◊〉 Fox would confess this truth he resolved to falsify and corrupt venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History and a provincial Synod of the English Clergy held at Hartford by Theodoâ—â—â— Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 673. the decrees wherof he doth so alter that comparing them with themselves â—s they are in St. Bede whom Fox pretends to follow they do not seem to be the same and this he doth also to discredit the Catholick Church of England charging it with decreeing a condemned heresy about keeping of Easter The first decree of this synod was saith Fox that Easter day should be vnformally kept and observed throughout the whole realm vpon one certain day videlicet Prima 14. Luna mensis prioris That is to say vpon the first 14. moon or day of the moon of the first month to wit of March which is just as the Iewes do observe it contrary to the Councell of Nice Well then let vs see what the words of St. Bede himself are in this synodical Decree Primum Capitulum saith he relating it out of the words of the Canons themselves vt Sanctum diem Paschae in communi omnes servemus Dominica post 14. Lunam primi mensis The first article of our decrees saith the Councell is that we do all in common observe the holy day of Easter vpon the sunday next after the fourteenth moon of the first month This is quite contrary to that which Fox relateth he putting out Dominica which maketh or marreth all the matter and then for post decimam quartam lunam written at large in Bede he putteth in prima 14. luna short in numbers only to make it more obscure adding prima of his own and putting out post from the words of this Councell more over he addeth of his own these words vpon one certain day which the Decree hath not meaning therby that this 14. day must be observed with such certainty as it may not be altered or differred to any Sunday in which consisteth the heresy of the Quarta decimans and therby to make the ancient Church of England in St. Theodores time guilty of that heresy To favour the doctrin and practice of Protestants in putting away their wives for fornication and marrying an other he quotes the tenth Decree of the same synod and sets down such words only as seemed to authorise his error and then breaketh off as if the Decree ended there Thus he citeth the Canon Tenthly that no man put away his wife for any cause except for fornication 〈◊〉 the rule of the Ghospell and there stops wheras the Canon is Nullus conjugeâ—â— propriam nisi vt sanctum Evangelium docet fornicationis causa relinquat Quod si quisquam propriâ—m expulerit â—â—njugem legitiâ—o sibi matrimonio conjunctam si Christianus esse recte voluerit nulli 〈…〉 sed ita permaneatâ—aut propriae reconcilietur Conjugi Let no man leave his own wife but only as the holy Ghospell teacheth vs for the cause of fornication and if any man should put away his wife that is joyned to him by lawfull marriage if he will be a true Christian let him not marry another but either remain so in continency or be reconciled to his own wife again Hee wasteth much paper in discrediting Pope Gregory the 7. by Protestants called Pope Hildebrand whom notwithstanding the chief writers of his time exceedingly commend for a Saint and a learned man as you may see in Bellarmin But Fox saith Antoninus writeth that Hildebrand as he lay a dying desired one of his Cardinals to go to the Emperour and desire him forgâ—â—â—ness absolving both him and his partners from excommunication c. Which he relateth to the end his Reader might think that the Pope went against his conscience in excommunicating the Emperour and that St. Antoninus believed the same story to be true wheras St. Antoninus his words are that it was reported how Gregory 7. had sent a Cardinal to the Emperour and to all the Church to wish him Indulgence which yet for many causes saith Antoninus I do not believe to be true These words honest Fox omitteth And it is recorded by an Impartiall German Author that Pope Gregory 7. last words lying on his death-bed in Salerno were these Dilexi Iustitiam 〈…〉 iniquitatem propteria morior in exilio c. I have loved 〈◊〉 and hated iniquity and for this do I dy in banishment Being driven away from his Sea by the violence of the Emperour I read and find saith Fox that in a Councell holden â—t Rome by Pope Hildebrand and other Bishops they did 〈◊〉 three things 1. That no Priests hereafter should marry wives â— Thâ—â— all such as were marryed should be divorced 3. That none hâ—â—â—fter should be admitted to the order of Priesthood but should 〈◊〉 perpetual chastity But he quoteth not one Author for 〈◊〉 three lyes and in the lines immediatly following where 〈◊〉 down in English the Copy of Pope Gregory 7. Bull 〈◊〉 this matter he sufficiently proves his own sayings to be lyes for thus saith the Bull If there be any Priests Deacons or 〈◊〉 deacons that will still remain in the sin of fornication which 〈◊〉 is not applicable to marriage we forbid them the 〈…〉 till they amend and repent But if they persever in their sin we charge that none presume to hear their service And â—â—cordingly it 〈◊〉 the Canon Officium Symoniacorum in 〈…〉 scienter nullo modo recipiatis And Tritemius relateth the matter thus Pope Gregory forbad men to hear the mâ—st of such Priests as were known to have Concubines But Fox 〈◊〉 other Protestants would needs face vs down that Hildebrâ—â—d was the first who prohibited Priests marriage wheras Origen above 1400. years ago tells even of the Greek Church 〈◊〉 solius est offerre Sacrificium qui perpetuae se devoverit castitati To him only belongeth to offer sacrifice who hath vowed himself to pâ—â—petual chastity And Eusebius one of the first Councell of Nice 〈◊〉 of them who were made Priests being married that it becommeth them to contain themselves for the time to come from all dealing with wives And Marianus Scotus speaking of Gregory 7. and of that Roman Synod being in his own time saith Pope Gregory 7. having made a Synod did according to the decree of St. Peter and St. Clemâ—â—t his successor and of other holy fathers forbid vnto Clergy men c. to have wives or dwell with women And Pope Alexander 2. and Pope Nicholas 2. Predecessors to Gregory 7. made the same decree that Hildebrand did as appeareth in their Canons yet exâ—ant It were both endless and needless to set down all John Fox his willfull lyes the fraudulent and â—â—olish tricks and devices wherwith he and
these are his words and concealed by the Bishop who also striks out of Vincentius Lirin other words wherby it did appear what a kind of keeper the Church is of the truths deposited with her and how litle danger there is of corrupting the old or admitting of new doctrin The Bishop pag. 38. sets down the sentence thus Ecclesia depositorum apud se dogmatum Custos c. Denique quid vnquam Conciliorum Decretis enisa est nisi vt quod antea simpliciter credebatur hoc idem postea diligentius crederetur c. But in Vincentius Lirinensis It is thus Christi vero Eoclesia sedula cauta depositorum apud se dogmatum Custos here first he skips over these two words sedula cauta diligent and wary because they spoiled his plot of persuading us that the Church might by negligence of its Pastors be insensibly changed and corrupted To the same intent he conceales with an c. the rest that followes which would have cleered all and left no room for the Bishops fraud for Vincentius Lirin his words are But the Church of Christ is a diligent Depositary or Keeper of the truths committed to her never changes any thing at all in them lessens nothing adds nothing nether cuts away things necessary nor adjoyns things superfluous neither looseth what is hers nor vsurpes what belongs to others Let any Christian or honest Pagan Iudge whether these words be not Diametrically contrary to what the Bishop pretends vnto in this passage viz. suspition and possibility of the Churches adding novitia veteribus novelties to the old doctrin of making a change of that faith she first received from Christ and his Apostles and of becoming Lupanar errorum which this good man and holy Martyr sayes he is loath to english and yet leaves out cuts and corrupts the Latin text of set purpose to fix vpon Christs Espouse the greatest infamy How Bp. Laud falsifies Occham to infringe St. Austins authority concerning the infallibility of the Church in succeeding ages as well as in that of the Apostles and is forced by his error to resolve his prelatick faith into the light of Scripture and the privat Spirit of Fanaticks which he palliates vnder the name of grace and therby warrants all rebellions against Church and state AN act of divine faith must be prudent that is men are not bound to believe any article therof v. g. that Scripture is the word of God vnless there evidently appear prudent and sufficient motives to exclude all moral possibility that any but God is the Author of the doctrin proposed to be believed These motives of credibility we call the signs of the Church and are the miracles of Christ and his Disciples sanctity and succession of his doctrin and Doctors Conversion of Kings and nations to christianity c. These signs or motives of credibility though they do not evidence demonstratively that our faith is true or that the Church or Congregation of men wherin they be found is the Catholick yet they demonstrat an obligation in us of believing it as we have proved elsewhere in so much that if no such signs or motives of credibility had bin none would be bound to believe any point of Christian Religion with certainty of faith and therfore St. Austin sayd he would not believe the Scripture had he not bin moved therunto by the authority of the Church because Scripture of it self hath no sufficient arguments and signs to ground a prudent and undoubted belief of its being the word of God but the signs and motives of credibility invest the Church with sufficient authority to declare both that and all other mysteries of faith and to make our Ecclesiastical Ministery and Mission more authentikly divin then any Regal Commissions or human Badges can set forth the truth and dignity of Ministers of state and officers of war Therfore as not to believe or to contemn men so qualified when they command in the Kings name is by the light of reason and consent of all nations judged obstinacy and rebellion not to be excused by pretending ignorance or want of greater evidence then those vsual signs of their employments afford so must it be obstinat heresy not to believe that what is proposed by the Church qualified with the aforesaid signs is revealed by God This supposed the main Controversy between Protestants and Catholicks is about the resolution of Christian faith for though both parties pretend that they believe because God revealed to the Prophets and Apostles the Mysteries of faith yet we say that Protestants can not shew how it may be prudently believed that Christ preached or revealed any such doctrin as is pretended vnless it be acknowledged that the Church of every succeeding age was and this present is as truly and realy though perhaps not so highly quoad modum infallible in delivering the Apostles doctrin as the Apostles were in delivering that of Christ. We do not say that Tradition or the Testimony of the Church confirmed by the foresaid signs is the prime motive and last resolution of faith but that the Tradition and Testimony of the present Church is infallible to the end it may infallibly apply the prime motive which is Gods veracity to vs and we prudently assent thervnto But the Bishop denying this is driven with Presbyterians and Fanaticks to an inbredâ—light of Scripture and to the privat Fanatick spirit with this only difference that where they say they are infallibly resolved that Scripture is the word of God by the Testimony of the Spirit within them his Lordship pag. 83.84 averrs he hath the same assurance by grace And because we object and admire that no Catholick could ever perceive this inward and inbred light of Scripture wherby all Protestants pretend they are assured it is the word of God he concurrs pag. 86 with Fanatitks in telling vs that blind eyes can not and pervers eyes will not see it It s strange his Lordship did not foresee the sad effects which this Protestant principle and presumption wrought against himself and his Prelatick Church within a very short time after he writ this doctrin and applyed the same against the Roman Catholicks He might be sure it would be retorted against the Church of England for why may not every Protestant Sectary pretend that the Prelatick Church of England is as blind and pervers in not seing the light of Scripture as Luther and Laud pretend the Roman Catholick is It is but every particular mans fancy and word no other proof is required by Protestants nor indeed can any better be produced to make good that so many honest and learned searchers of Scripture as have bin and are in the Roman Catholick Church can not or will not see the pretended light of Scripture so largely diffused among Protestants and distributed to every Fanatick Presbyterian and Prelatick whose faith can not be maintained without this rash judgment and most dangerous
that neither expose their persons nor open their purses for the defence of their King and Countrey notwithstanding that his Majesty the Nobility and people are so deeply engaged for the safety honor and trade of this Empire in a defensive war against the vnited powers of most powerfull Enemies and that the Parliament was forcit for want of other means to feed the King and be his faithfull souldiers with smoak of Chymnys whilst a mean Ministery raised by Q. Elizabeth in opposition to the Royal family of the Stewards doth swallow vp the substance of these Kingdoms How ridiculous it is to hear these Protestant Ministers cry out Sacrilege at this our proposal as if they had any spiritual caracter or any right to what they possess or though they had as if the Church ought not to contribute in cases of extreme necessity to the defence of the Commonwealth The vndoubted Catholick Clergy will rid the layty of any scruple of Sacrilege for applying the goods of the Church to the necessary defence of the Countrey We know the ancient Pastors and Bishops of Gods Church did not scruple in such cases to sell the very Chalices and vestments of the Altars much less to spend their revenues for the safety of their Flock But indeed they had no wives nor Children and therfore needed not be solicitous to buy estates for their sons or to setle jointures on their wives or to rayse portions for their daughters out of the patrimony of the Church which of right belongs to the poor and who is more poore then our soldiers and seamen or then Husbandmen and Tradesmen that hitherto contributed nay then our King that sacrificeth his revenue to the maintenance of the land forces and navy But if the Protestant Clergy be confident of the Iustice of their cause why do they not come to a tryal why do they oppose liberty of Conscience why do they with so many artifices decline reasoning and delude the people 〈◊〉 their Religion be true we Roman Catholicks will not â—â—pine at their riches nor at the rigor of the laws made by Queen Elizabeth against our Religion and against the interest of the Stewards or at least we will not be such fools as not to be hastily and heartily converted to protestancy seing therby we may not only be saved but share with the Protestant Clergy enjoy very many conveniences and free our selves from the penalties and incapacities wherunto we are subject for being Papists Herein they may believe us there being no likelyhood we shall be obstinat against a truth if protestancy appear in our desired Conference to be a truth every way so advantagious to our selves But an ill cause dreads nothing so much as a free and publick hearing since protestancy was intruded into England by Q. Elizabeth the Catholicks have continually petitioned and pressed for a publick trial but never could obtain that favor Arch-bishop Laud pag. 445. against Fisher gives this reason that the King and the Church of England had no reason to admit of a publick dispute with the English Romish Clergy till they shall be able to shew it vnder the seal or powers of Rome That that Church will submit to a third who may be an indifferent Judge between them and us or a General Councell which Councell though general he sayes pag. 194. is not infallible And as for any other indifferent and infallible Judge the Bishop thinkes there is none as yet in the world and yet its certain that a Iudge or Councell that is not believed infallible is not for the purpose because neither party can be obliged to submit their judgments to its sentence in matters of faith So that though the controversy could be decided by a fallible Judge or Councell we should remain still divided and that the Bishop well knew but some thing he must have sayd to divert the well meaning Protestant layty from questioning the sufficiency or sincerity of their own Clergy observing their backwardnes in giving satisfaction to our so just demand And yet we granted to them in Q. Maries reign as free a disputation as they desired we gave them their choice of books and notaries and time not only to put in their arguments and answers in writing but to review and correct what they dislik't vpon more mature deliberation To Arch-bishop Lauds reason for not allowing a Conference is answered that we desire so much the salvation of souls and service of the state that we will give vnder our own hands and seals the powers of Rome we cannot Command that if Protestants will admit of such a Trial as was granted to them in England and to their party in France which we have related in this Treatise we are content to submit to my Lord keeper of England and other noble persons judgments therin And let our Adversaries choos either to argue or answer let them object falsifications of Scripture and Fathers against us or answer to such as we shall charge them withall And if they cannot maintain their Reformation without such fraudulent dealing as we object against them let them loose the Church revenues if we can not defend our Religion without the lik fraud let us not only be debarred from liberty of Conscience but loose our lives Notwithstanding my Lord keepers known inclination to favor Protestancy we will not except against his and the Committees sentence so confident are we of the justice of our cause If they refuse so fair an offer though they keep their revenues without doubt they will forfeit their credit and be as much lost in the opinion of their own Prelaticks as of Fanaticks And as the Protestant Clergys diffidence must breed doubts and diminish the esteem of the Pastors in the mynds of their flocks so may it give the Protestant layty full assurance there can be no danger in embracing our Religion which so learned persons as are in the Protestant Clergy dare not encounter Besides the late change of their prelatick formes of Ordination hath so discredited their caracter of priesthood and Episcopacy that no sober lay-man will fight for a priestly function confessed by the Priests themselves to be invalid and what confession of invalidity can be more plain then to add vnto their old forms the words Priest and Bishop forc't therunto by the arguments of their Adversaries demonstrating that neither of those functions had bin hitherto sufficiently expressed in their Rituals and by consequence that the caracter could not be given by forms so vnsignificant and so imperfect I have often considered what could move the Clergy of the Church of England to condemn in this particular of their form of Ordination their first Protestant Ancestors and to condescend to their Catholick adversaries in a matter so important as that of the validity of their priestly and Episcopal caracter and to acknowledge by this change judged hitherto by themselves to be at least superfluous that they
Fallaise in so much as she persuaded her husband to leave Geneva and go to Lansanâ—â— where she revealed the whole matter Mahomet t is true was a Cheat but a mere cunning cheat then Luther Calvin or Cranmer c. for by his Dove or fitts of the falling sickness he made people believe that the holy Ghost appeared and inspired to him the Alcoran but the Protestant Reformers had not so much to shew for their new doctrin Canon Translations and their new sense of Scripture Mahomet was constant to his principles the Protestant Parliament and Reformers were as changable as the times and humors of the giddy people and therfore may with more reason then the Turks give the Moon crescent for the Crest of their Religions as Catholicks do the Cross. Here in England they changed with Henry 8. the Roman faith for Articles of Religion devised by the Kings Majesty As soon as he dyed they changed that faith into Zuinglianism to comply with the Protector Somerset within two or three years after they changed Zuinglianism into Calvinianism at the suit of Calvin and reformed the Liturgy accordingly After K. Edward 6. death they returned with Q. Mary to the old faith With Q. Elizabeth they restored the new but with some alterations When K. James succeeded they changed their Translations of Scripture and other things In K. Charles 1. time prelatick Protestancy was pulled down by Presbytery this by Independency c. Prelatick Protestancy being restored again by K. Charles 2. the formes of Ordination wherupon depend the validity of the prelatick Ministery Church and Sacraments were not thought sufficient and therfore are now changed into more Catholick forms and therby all is left doubtfull and changeable for if the Church of England acknowledgeth to have erred in a thing of so great importance what assurance can it have of not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in this one Kingdom and in this one age have made moâ—â— changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued and in the greatest part of the world which they have conquered These things maturely considered makes Mahometism as probable a Religion as the best kind of Protestancy and therfore it would be no great wonder if they who believe the Protestant and Prelatick Clergy and take their word and fancies for true Scripture and Christianity should alter their belief vpon the change of that Clergys testimony acknowledging that hitherto they had bin mistaken which they may confess at any time becaus their Church is acknowledged fallible and that now they find the Turks have the true faith for that they reject all such books of Scripture as any Christians ever doubted of and that as lawfully as the pretended apocrypha are rejected by Protestants vpon the same ground and likewise believe all Protestant fundamental points necessary for salvation seing they believe of Christ as much as Arians Socinians and Chillingworth with his Sect of wits nay as much as the moderat and modern Prelatick writers who say that it is sufficient to believe Christ is the word and son of God which Mahomet never denyed If any Mahumetan Prince could pretend a title to this British Monarchy with probability of prevailing why may not we think he would find the Protestant Clergy as ready to comply with his Religion therby to secure their own and promote his interest as they were ready to change the Catholick and legal Religion which was professed in Q. Maries time for complying with Q. Elizabeth and fortifying her weak title against the legitimat and vndoubted Heirs All things weighed there is less difference between Mahumetism and prelatick Protestancy then between prelatick Protestancy and Popery for that Popery and Protestancy agree only in the name of Christianity in the motive and manner of faith they differ and in the ground therof as also in the Canon letter and Sense of Scripture but Mahumetism and Protestancy though they agree not in the letter of Scripture Protestants admitting into their Canon more books therof then the Turks yet they both agree in the rule of Religion though not in the application as also in the rule wherby their Canon and sense of Scripture is discerned which is every mans privat judgment in controverted matters in that point which is not controverted to wit one Deity the consent and concurrence of the generality of the world or evident reason is the foundation as well of Mahumetism as of protestancy as also in the point of the immortality of the soul. Therfore I see no impossibility or improbability said this great wit why Mahumetism may not in time be made the Religion of these Nations without violating the principles or altering the grounds of Protestancy and the prelatick Clergy be as much applauded and rewarded for the one change as for the other The greatest obstacle is that no Mahumetan Prince can pretend a title even such as Q. Elizabeths was to the Crown God almighty deliver us from so great evils and open the eyes of them that do not see the precipices wherunto their souls are led by such principles and grant the learned prelatick Clergy grace to prefer truth before falshood conscience before conveniency and eternity before the few days which they are to enjoy Benefices and Bishopricks But in case they do not for fear of loosing their credit and conveniences recant their errors J hope the Protestant Layty will have so much curiosity as to examin whether it be possible that so many Catholick Authors as have written books of Controversies should damn and discredit themselves by forging and feigning Protestant frauds and falsifications quoting the very places and pages where they are to be found affirming that without such practices protestancy cannot be maintained to examin I say whether we Catholicks can be so wicked and witless as to accuse men of such grievous crimes without hopes of any honor or profit to our selves but rather with a certainty of an immediat discovery of our impostures If this one thing be maturely considered the Protestant Layty and their vnlearned Clergy that rely so much vpon the sufficiency and sincerity of Cranmer Jewel Fox Morton Andrews Whitaker Fulk Perkins Vsher Laud Abbots Chillingworth Bramhall Cosins Hamond Taylor c. will believe us or at least examin and certainly find most palpable vnexcusable corruptions and contradictions in every one of their own Authors books composed against the Roman doctrin and conclude with us that Piety and Policy is mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery and that a good revenue may be conscientiously setled if legaly demanded vpon the Crown and vpon the poor soldiers and seamen that defend these nations against forreign invasions and rebellious insurrections Seing the Pope and his Roman Catholick Clergy in all likelihood will be content to resign their right and interest in the Church revenues to his Majesty as they did in the like occasion to Q. Mary who notwithstanding
Protestants None could ever prove there was one true miracle wrought to confirm the Protestants doctrin or their pretended authority for reforming the Tenets of the Roman Catholick Church Protestants are forced to say that miracles are ceased and that ours are Diabolical or counterfeit Because no true Bishops were Protestants and by consequence they could have no Priests ordained and so their Priesthood must have perished after the death of the first Apostatas Luther and others the Protestant reformers and Churches taught that all Christians are Priests both men and women and this doctrin is supposed to be true by the Church of England in their 39. articles and in the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. SECT IV. OF the Protestant Prelatick Church of England The occasion of K. Henry the 8. divorce from Q. Catharin and of his revolt from the Church of Rome was his passion to An Bullen the words of S. Iohn Baptist to Herod concerning his brothers wife absurdly applyed to K. Henrys marriage with his Brothers widdow How zealously he had formerly maintained the Popes supremacy how cruelly he afterwards persecuted the professors therof and how impiously he judged S. Thomas of Canterbury robbed his shrine and burnt his Reliques The Catholick Princes rejected his embasies and solicitations for imitating his example in assuming the supremacy And how much the protestant Princes were troubled and ashamed that he made his lust the motive of his reformation How incredible a thing is the English supremacy K. Henry 8. at length resolved to renounce it and returne to the duty of a Christian King but stood upon such termes and differrd it so long that he died in Schism excommunicated and despairing of Gods mercy His last will and testament was broken before his body was buried The Erle of Hartford made himself Protector and brought into England the Sacramenrian or the Zuinglian heresy against K. Henrys last will and the lawes of the land then in force without a Parliament and contrary to the votes of the Erles of Arundell and Southampton and others of the 16. Trustees named Governors by K. HeÌ„ry 8. during the minority of Edw. 6. SVBSECT I. HOw Seamor was directed and destroyed by Dudley Duke of Northumberland The sayd Dudley notwithstanding he was a Catholick in his judgment as himself confessed at his death concurred to establish protestancy in England designing therby to vnsettle the state and make way for excluding the right heirs of the Crown and crown his own family which he effected by excluding Q. Mary for being a Catholick and by marrying his Son to the Lady Jane Grey who had no other right to the Kingdom but what her Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Clergy gave her What wicked men and great cheats were Cranmer and his Camerades that composed the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England and the common prayer book that of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies and how the common people were made believe the change was not of Religion but of language SECT V. OF the 39. Articles of the Church of England they contain only some general notions of Christianity and are applicable to all dissenting Sects of Protestancy as Presbytery Zuinglianism c. The design of the composers having bin rather to give men a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christian Religion then of tying them to any certain points therof or to any faith therfore they declare that the visible Church is fallible and determin no certain canonical Scripture of the new Testament They make the doctrin that Luther learnt of the Devil against the Mass Tradition and praying to Saincts c. part of their Creed as also the Tenet against spiritual Caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood art 25. rejecting imposition of hands as not instituted by Christ. In the 2. last Articles they endeavour in vain to suppress the errors of Anabaptists especialy that of appropriating to themselves other mens goods in vain I say because in their former articles they declare its lawful for Protestants to dispossess the Roman Catholick Clergy of their goods and dignitys by vertue of a privat interpretation of Scripture and the Anabaptists pretend no more but that its lawfull for themselves to deal after the same manner with Prelaticks and t is certain there can be no disparity given So that the two last articles of the 39. as also that of the authority of the Protestant Clergy are against an evident parity of reason in their own Protestant Principles SECT VI. A Particular account of the revolutions which these 39. articles caused in England and how they may work always the same effects if there be such politick and popular heads amongst us as Dudley Crumwell and many of the last long Parliament Q. Maries Reign how much endangered by Protestant designs and rebellions Duke Dudleys speech at his death The Roman Catholick Religion restored by Act of Parliament and the Protestant decreed to be Heresy and Schism as also the force and frauds of K. Henry 8. divorce discovered and his marriage with Q. Catharin of Spain declared valid The Roman Clergys resignation of the Church revenues to the Crown and present possessors Q. Elizabeths intrusion against the right of the Steward 's effected by the zeal of the Protestant faction for suppressing of Popery SECT VII NOtwithstanding that Q. Elizabeth was declared illegitimat by 3. Acts of several Parliaments never yet repealed she possessed herself of the Croun and excluded the Queen of Scots the lawfull and immediat heir to Q. Mary lately deceased By the advice of Cecil and others she revived Protestancy and the Supremacy therby to excuse her illegitimacy She instituted a new Kind of Clergy the Prelatick Protestant Bishops neither had nor have any other caracter of Episcopacy but what the great seal and her temporal laws give them Any Lay person may consecrat a Bishop of the Church of England if he hath the Kings commission to do it all other things being superfluous according to the Act. 8. Eliz. 1. and 25. article of the 39. How the Oath of supremacy divided Protestants and made the Catholicks more constant The simplicity of some Protestant writers pretending that the Pope offered to confirm the English liturgy if Q. Elizabeth would acknowledge his jurisdiction SECT VIII REasons why Q. Elizabeth in her long raign could not settle her Protestant Religion nor gain credit for the Prelatick Clergy Neither is it possible for her Successors to make the generality of her subjects to have any esteem for either SECT IX HOw injurious and prejudicial the Protestant Religion hath been to the Royal family of the Stevards and how zealous they have bin and still are in promoting the same It preferred not only Q. Elizabeth but also any natural child of hers before the line of the Stewards Wherof see the 8. sect â—in How dexterously K. James played his game and how they who murthered his mother were forced to invite him to the Crown
the examples of other Protestant Churches Whence followeth continual discontents and designs of the generality of these Protestant nations against their prelatick Clergy and the little esteeme and affection there is for the same Clergy among the reformed Churches abroad How vnsafe it is for the Prince and government to establish by law a Religion and Clergy so generaly hated and that acknowledgeth it self to be fallible in doctrin and therfore for all they know lead their flocks to eternal damnation Laws enacted to favor Religion ought to suppose not pretend to make the Religion reasonable Reason is the ground of human laws but human laws can not be the ground of Religion How dangerous it is to press too much the Act of vniformity against so great and zealous a multitude as the Sectaries are Their errors ought to be confuted with reason not rigor The prelatick Clergy whose spiritual Censures and authority ought to quash all dissentions doth cause the mischief and engageth the state in perpetual troubles for maintaining by force of law the improbability of their caracter and jurisdiction against the evidence of reason SVBSECT I. THe prelatick caracter and Religion is so incredible that few serious men in their judgments continue any long time Prelaticks By pretending a mean and moderation between Papists and Presbiterians the Prelaticks fall into manifest contradictions in defending their own caracter doctrin and disciplin How learned Protestants are forc't to confess that the Prince may force his subjects by laws to his Protestant persuasion and that every Protestant subject notwithstanding the Prince his prerogative hath a privat authority to judge of the Prince his Religion and is bound to stick to his own contrary judgment What great confusion this must occasion It is the nature of all Religions that give privat men liberty to judge of Religious controversies to cause such disorders How this inconvenience is prevented in the Roman Catholick One of the differences between it and the Protestant is that when Protestants rebell they do not violat the principles of Protestancy which makes every man Supreme in matters of faith and by consequence of state When Catholicks rebell they go against their principles that give no such supremacy or liberty Jn these last one hundred years there have bin more rebellions vpon the score of Protestancy then have bin since Christs time vpon the score of the Roman Catholick Religion In what sense the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion Whether it be policy to persecute a Religion that encreaseth against the rigor of the lawes and to promote a Religion that doth not encrease with all the helps of lawes and favors of the Prince The sanguinary and penal statuts are thought to be so vnjust even by Protestants that no honest and sober man thinks them fit to be put in execution Whether it be policy to continue such statuts All seditious persons begin their designs against the government with pressing the execution of the statuts and somtimes therby make the zealous and giddy multitude rebell Whether it were not piety and policy to repeal statuts that if put in execution make the nation and government infamous if not put in execution may occasion rebellion by reason of an indiscreet zeal in the giddy multitude Besides their being enacted to suppress the principles and destroy the persons of the Catholick party which maintained the Stevards right to the Crown ought to facilitat the repeal SVBSECT II. THe sanguinary and penall statuts of England against Catholicks can not be justified by the proceeding of the Inquisition or by laws and edicts of Christian Kings and Emperors against hereticks The first English Protestants acknowledged themselves to be hereticks when they petitioned to the Parliament 1. Ed. 6. for a repeal of all ancient statuts against hereticks not daring to preach and profess their reformed doctrin vntill the Parliament had condescended to their petition Queen Elizabeths reformation confirmed by Sanguinary statuts diametricaly opposit to primitive Christianity and therfore very strange that men so knowing as the English nobility and gentry should continue them or that persons so pious loyall and well bred should not either out of Christian charity to Catholicks or out of a dutifull civility to the Royal family that now reigns repeale laws enacted by Q. Elizabeth for ruin of the Stevards party and for excluding themselves from the Crown THE THIRD PART COntaining the conscience and conveniency of tolerating the Roman Catholick religion by Act of parliament proved by the little conscience of the Protestant clergy in maintaining Protestancy with frauds and falsifications and by the great inconveniencies this Monarchy suffers by pressing the prelatick and Protestant Religion vpon tender consciences SECT I. DEmonstrated that either the learned Protestant or the Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats Proved by the impossibility of concealing the truth of Christianity and of the true Church otherwise then by the frauds and falsifications of either Clergy So manifest are the signs of the Catholick Church and so particularly mentioned in Scripture And as one of the two Clergyes are Cheats so either the Catholick or Protestant layty are damnably careless in matters of salvation Reasons why the Catholick layty can not be thought carless the Protestant may How easily the truth may be known and how the Protestant layty may be considerably eased from extraordinary taxes by informing themselves of the truth of Religion The impudency and impiety wherwith Bp. Ievell and the first prelatick clergy imposed Protestancy vpon this nation to favor Q. Elizab pretensions and to raise themselves from Pedantry to Peerage Proved by Ievells Challenge and Sermon at Paules Cross and by his and the Prelatick clergyes Apology for their Church of England pretending that the Catholick Church for the first 600. years was Protestant How this imposture was confuted by the Catholick writers and the Protestant writers forced to acknowledge their own error How the same imposture was again maintained by succeeding prelaticks and how vnsuccesfully How Taylor revived now again the same shamfull imposture and with how great infamy to his person and discredit to his cause The Protestant layty can not without committing a damnable sin give any credit to their Clergy in matters of Religion after so many and so manifest Discoveries of the frauds and falsifications wherby alone they defend Protestancy How a conference and Triall about this matter can not be conscientiously denyed nor the denyall stand with good policy SECT II. THe same further demonstrated and that there can be no reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy SVBECT I. AND II. WHether it be charity to treat Cheats with ceremony when they are convicted of damning souls by frauds and wilfull falsifications And whether the first reformers of the English Church Cranmer and his Camerades ought not to be censured accordingly The frauds and wilful falsifications hypocrisy incontinency impiety and Atheism of the prelalatick Protestant Clergy in K. Edward
people are abused Many Protestant mistakes wherwith the common sort were fooled are now cleered and their own conveniency wil invite them to examin further the errors of doctrin incident to education from which errors the Protestant Church doth acknowledge it self not exempted If the Protestant faith be true such a trial as we desire will be of great satisfaction to the Professors therof and confirm them in their religion and convert Papists and Sectaries to the same if it be falfs besides the salvation of souls by a discovery and prosession of the Roman truth these kingdoms will be able not only to defend themselves but offend foreign Enemies after we are enabled thervnto by a conscientious addition of a million sterl per an to the publik revenue No danger of sacriledge in applying the Church revenues to pious and publick vses for the preservation of the people practised by the ancient Catholick Clergy Not one good reason why the Church of England ought not to admit of such a publick conference as we propose and desire Bishop Lauds reason to the contrary confuted The denying and differring it a sign that Protestants are guilty Catholicks grant conference to Protestants whensoever they demand it The Protestant layty have reason to question their Clergies Ordination and caracter as well as their doctrin The new change of their formes of ordination very suspicious That the Roman Religion is such a growing Religion proves it is the true Religion fit to be made the Religion of the state THE FOURTH PART THe Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant is confirmed by considerable Miracles recorded not in vain Legends or modern Authors but in the most authentick histories of the world and by the ancient Fathers and Doctors of Gods Church SECT J. SUch Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholik Church are true Miracles The doctrin confirmed by those Miracles cannot be rejected without doubting of Gods Veracity Every Protestant doth see though not observe true Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick faith What great scrutiny is made by the Roman Catholick Church into true Miracles and the lives of men that are to be canonized for Saints There can be no combination or cheat in such matters Some Miracles permanent that be seen by all men as that of S. Ianuarius in Naples An vndeniable Miracle of S. Francis Xavier wrought vpon Marcello Mastrilli most remarkable for many circumstances Miracles to confirm Popery related by the Magdeburgian Centurists but by them absurdly attributed to the Devil or said to be seigned True Miracles cannot be wrought to confirm falshood 't is against Gods veracity to permit the same Miracles oblige vs to believe the doctrin in confirmation wherof thy be wrought The difference between Antichrists and Catholicks Miracles or true and fals Miracles That all the Roman Catholicks adore the Sacrament and believe Transsubstantiation as also other points of Popery is an evident Miracle of God and can not proceed from the Devils power or art The Devil temps men to be hereticks by the means and ministery of their senses and by humoring the same not against the evidence and inclination of sense The general signs and marks of the Church are vndeniable Miracles No other Church besides the Roman Catholick can shew those signs SECT II. OF particular miracles that confirm the Roman Catholick Tenents and our sense of Scripture related by S. Chrysostome S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Austin S. Nilus S. Cyprian the Martyr S. Optatus S. Gregory the great and others in confirmation of adoring the B. Sacrament Transsubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion vnder one kind prayer for the dead and Purgatory Primat Vshers falsifications and fraud to discredit some of these Miracles discovered Of Miracles in England related by Waldensis and recorded by the Archbishops of Canterburyes Register How Protestants falsify the very statuts and law books Miracles wrought by S. Bernard to confirm every controverted point of the Roman Catholick doctrin against the Protestant Protestant writers confess S. Bernard was a Saint and yet say his Miracles were wrought by the Devil How absurd SECT III. MIracles to confirm the worship and vertu of the sign of the Cross recorded by St. Paulinus St. Cyril of Jerusalem St. Athanasius St. Hierom St. Gregory Tuâ—onensis Nicephorus and Theodoret. How by Tradition from the Apostles the primitive Christians were accustomed to sign themselves frequently with the sign of the Cross. The first and worst Heretiks were enemyes of that sign Christs Cross multiplyed by miracle in St. Paulinus his time Protestant miracles are but cheats Not one of them true Protestants agree with Pagans heretiks and Magitians in contemning miracles and the sign of the Cross. How the Devils dread the same SECT IV. MIracles in confirmation of the Catholick worship of Jmages related by the most eminent authors of the Ecclesiasticall History and by the 2. Councell of Nice an 787. wherin were 350. Bishops St. Peters shaddow was the Image of his body and by scripture Act. 5.15 it appears to have wrought Miracles The Protestant Imposture concerning Christs statue that Iulian the Apostata broke confuted S. Iohn Dâ—mascens hand that was cut off by the practises of Image-breakers restored by his praying at our Ladies Image The Protestant evasion of civil and religious worship confuted SECT V. MIracles related by S. Austin S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostom S. Hierom S. Optatus S. Bede S. Bernard S. Anselm and others in confirmation of prayer to Saints worshipping their Reliques of the vertue of holy water the Sacraments of Confirmaon Confession and extrem Vnction The doctrin of Indulgences confirmed by the same Miracles that confirm worship of Saints Pilgrimages c. The truth of all S. Thomas of Canterburyes Miracles evidenced by one that Fox recounts and picks out to discredit the test What litle reason Protestants have to suspect our Catholick Miracles of forgery How severe the Roman Church is in the scrutiny and punishment of such Impostures Reflections vpon Bishop Taylors Treatise of Confirmation Confession and extrem Vnction maintained to be Sacraments by ancient Fathers S. Bedes holiness and learning acknowledged by Protestants He relates Miracles wherby the errors of Protestancy are confuted How absurdly Protestants contemn the authority of the holy Fathers in Miracles admitting it in matters of faith How ridiculous John Fox his Miracles are how vnwisely the Prelatick Clergy countenance his Acts and Monuments that have so spread Puritanism in England A Paralell between Protestancy and Mahometism FINIS THE CONCLVSION To the right Honorable the Committee OF PARLIAMENT FOR RELIGION May it please your Honors VEnerable St. Bede in his History of the Church of England recounteth how St. Austin the Monk and our Apostle Sent by St. Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome to convert our Saxon Ancestors from Paganism to Christian Religion arriving at the Isle of Tanet in Kent gave notice vnto King Ethelbert then a
tom 5.22 * See thee nulity of the Prelatick Clergy of England cap. 2. and D. Bramhal in his vindication therof pa. 92. pag. 10â— Dr. Stapleton in his return of vntruths against Jewel fol. 130. and in his Counterblast against Horn fo 79 301 Dr. Harding Confut. Apol. fol. 57. 60 part 2. fol. 59. edit 1563 fol. 57. 59 edi 1566 Stat. 8. Elizabeth 1. Stat. 8. Eliz. 8. See the nullity of the Clergy and Church of England edit 1659. Bramhal in his vindicâ—tion pag. 132. Demonstrat Discipl cap. 8. ¶ 1 2. pag. 43. 2. part See this Act of ParliameÌ„t in the life of the Queen of Scots Written by Mr. V. dal and dedicated to King James pag. 200. 201. See 1 p. seâ— 1. Primat Bramhal's succession and vindication of the Prelatick Clergy was answered by the Author of the nullity of the Church of England and by an other book after he had both these aÌ„swers by him and durst not reply but rather coÌ„curred with his Brethren in adding the words Priests and Bishop to their forms of ordination as appeareth in their last edition of the CommoÌ„ praier rites c. of the Church of England See in the epistle Dedicatory and our Preface the Act of Parliament preferring any natural issue of Queen Elizabeth to the Crown before the royal family of the Stewards See Udal a ProtestaÌ„t in his history of the Queen of Scots wher he proves how the bastard Mâ—rry by the means of John Knox and others that he employed changed the ancient Religion in Scotland to the end him self might be made King by the Protestants and how afterwards by the same way he murthered King James his Father and persecuted King James and his mother all vnder the pretext of a Protestant Reformation Luther in epist. ad Argentinenses anno 1525. Christum à nobis primò vulgatumau demus gloriari See part 2 sect 5. n. 5. See M. r Belson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference c. part 2. pag. 353. See M. r Rogers in the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England pag. 103. pervsed aÌ„d published by the Lawful authority of the Church of England an 1633. Calvin in Dan c. 6. v. 22. 23. Abdicant se potestate terreni Principes duÌ„ insurgunt coÌ„tra Deum c potius ergo coÌ„spicere oportet in illorum capita quam â—llis parere c. (a) Perkins in his exposition vpon the Creed p. 400. vve say that befor the days of Luther for the space of many hundred years an vniversal Apostacy overspread the vvhole face of the earth and that our Church vvas not then visible to the world Mr. Napper upon the revelations dedicated to King Jams pag. 143. saith from Constantin's time vntill these our days even 1260 years the Pope and his Clergy hath possessed the out ward visible Church of christianity [b] vpon thy vvalls ö Jerusalem have I set vvatchmen all the day and all the night for ever they shal not be silent Esay 62.6 see Ephes. 4.11 (c) Dr. Powel in his consideration of the Papist's supplication pag 43. Buchanan in loc com pa. 466. And Whitaker contra Camp rat 7. pag. 101. 102. contr Duc. pag. 277. This Whitaker after vainly attempting to shew the beginning of Popery and seing the insufficiency of his particular instances doth at length acknowledg his weakness and runs with the rest of his Protestant Championâ— to divert the Reader from the evidence of truth so deceitful and silly similituds (d) Luther tom 2. Wittemb anno 1551. lib. de se. arbit pag. 434 [e] Luther in parâ—a Confess to 3. Germ fol. 55. in Colloq mons Germ. fol. 210. (f) Mr. Gabriel Povvel in his consideration of the Papists supplication pag. 70. [g] Fox act and Mon. pa. 40 Jewel in his Apology p. 4. c. 4.5 2. and in his defence of the Apology edi 1571. p. 426 (h) Andreas Museâ—lus in praef in libellum Germ. de Diaboli Tyranide Nicolaus Androphius Conc. â— de Luthero [i] Conrad Schlusletbur Catal. haeret l. 13. pa. 314 seqq (k) M. Cartwright in M. whit gifts defence pag. 17. [l] Luther contra Regem Angliae fol. 344. I pass not if a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians a thousand King Henry's Churches stood against me Et libro de se. arbit contra Eras. edit 1. Lay a side all the arms of orthodox antiquities c. see also nullus and nemo G. 6. pag. 153. And Cnoglerus his symbola tria pag. 152. [m] Danaeus pag. 939. in his answer to Belarm of the confess'd austerity of life of S. Bernard S. Francis S. Dominick the Monks c. says they were all fools And M. r Willet who maketh a special Treatise against the austerity of the ancient Fathers in pag. 358. of his Synopsis reproved S. Bazil S. Gregory Nazianzen for plucking down themselves by immoderat fasting and concludeth Wher in all the Scripturs learn'd these men thus to punish their bodys Oseander reprehended S. Anthony the Eremit for the same and saith his Religion was superstition And Calvin lib. 4 cap. 12. sect 8. that the austerity of the ancient Fathers was not excusable and differeth much from God's prescript and is very dangerous And Iunius in his animadversions pag. 610. 611 attributs S. Simon Stilletes his austerity and Miracles to cunjuring melancoly and his prophecies to suggestion from the Devill [n] Bucer one of the Composers of the Common prayer-book and of the Religion of the Church of England whom Mr. Withguift Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence pag. 522. termeth a Reverend learned painfull sound Father teacheth in his applauded work of the Kingdom of Christ and translated into English that it is lawful to procure liberty by a libel of divorce to marry again not only in the case of adultery but in case of the on 's departure from the other in case of homicide theft or repairing to the company or banquets of immodest persons likewise in case of incurable infirmity of the woman by Child birth or of the man by lunacy or otherwise See his own words in the aforsaid work l. 2. c. 26. 27. pag. 99. 100. cap. 28. pag. 101. saies that who ever will not induce his mind to love his wife with conjugal charity that man is commanded by God to put her away and marry an other And in Math. cap. 19. saith that the wife repudiated either justly or vnjustly if she hath no hopes to return to her husband and desirs to live piously and wants a husband may be marryed to an other without sin The whole University of Cambridg comends this Bucer for a man most holy and truly devine and this letter of commendations is printed with Bucer's Book wherin he teacheth this doctrin see it pag. 944. Luther's words in Serm. de Matrim are notorious If the wife will not or can not come let the mayd come Et ibd fol. 123. tom 5.
the 12. to the 14. see Persons in his relation of a tryall held in France about religion pag. 60. which he offers to prove one by one If any of Iohn Fox's friends will ioyn issue with him vpon that point he is of opinion that the lyes of the Acts and Monuments will surpass those of Iohn Sleydan's History and of which eleaven thousand were gathered by German writers Fox in his protest pag. 10. Fox pag. 314. of the old edition In that of 1632. It is pag. 728. lib. 1. de nupt conc c. 23. 25. Fox pag. 1617. Fox pag. 1605. Fox pag. 1602. Doctor Fulk against Doct. Bristows motives pag. 54. Fulk against Bristow's motives pag. 35. Fulk against Allen pag. 303. Persons in his quest and sober Rock p. â—96 against â— p Morton Willet pag. 263. Willet in his Tetractyâ—â—ns defence See Walsingham's search falsities objected to Willet· See heretofore part 1. 2. Willet Synopsis pag. 219. and in his defence pag. â— 142. Bern. ep 126 St. Bern. 66 in Cantis Willet in his Synopsis pag. 297. Aug â—p 106 lib. 5. contra Haustum Catholicks do not take away the second Commandement Se the Remish Test. anot vpon 20. Exod. 4. Calvin's Instit lib. 2. c 16. ser. 10. in Catechism That Christ despaired see Calvin in Math. c. â—7 â— 46. 47. 〈…〉 Calvin's words are sed abâ—â—â—dum videtur Christo elapâ—â—m desperotionis vocem Respondeâ— hanc desporationem 〈◊〉 sensu carnis profectaâ—â— And again sed videmus omni ex parte fuisse vâ—xatum vt desperationâ— obrutus ab invocando Deo absisteret quod eraâ— saluti renunciare Knot in his protestancy condemned pag. 89. S. Chrysostom vpon that place of Esay I will break the brazen gates and brâ—ise the Iron barrs in peeces and will open the treasures darkned c. so he calleth Hell saith he Hoâ—â— Christus siâ— Deus 1.5 for although is vnto hell 〈◊〉 is held the holy soules and pretious vessels Abraham Isaac and Iacob St. Hierom. in c. 13. esau saith hell is a place wherâ—â— soules are included either in rest or in paines according to the quality of their deserts Seâ— St. Austin in psal 85. v. 13. Hebrew 9. v. 8. heb 10.20 Doctor Gregory Martyn in his discoverâ— pag. 10. The Saints in heaven do heare our prayers Hieron ibid. Reynolds 〈◊〉 de Ido Rom. Eccl. c. 3. Ambr. l de viduis Hierom l. contra vigilan August l. de cura pro mortuis Naz. orat fun sor Gorg. Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis St. Gregory lib. 5. c. 30. exâ—poundeth this of Job 5.1 that Saints were to be invocated in a Good cause And it is cleere by the 72. Interpreters saying Jnvocate if any will answer thee or if thou canst behold any of the holy Angells Theodoret. q. 67. in exod Nâ—zia orat 〈◊〉 Basil. Hierom. in Epitaph Paulâ— Nyssen Orat. in Theodor. Aug. de Bap. l. 7. c. 1. Athan. Serm. de Deipara Aug. Serm. 18 de Sanctis Ephrem orat in â—â—ud B. Virginis Concil Calcedonense act 11. Flâ—viaÌ„us post mortem vivit Martyr pro nobis Oret See the defence pag. 28. Defence of of the Censure fol. 81.82 c. Defence of the Censure fol. 86.87 c. Defence pag. 73. Luther epiâ—t Harnagiâ—in tom 7. Witt. fol. 380. Answer to M. r Charks preface p. 25. How loath the Protestant Clergy is that the King or 〈◊〉 persons should examin their doctrin or way of defending it What cheating and vnconscionable ways were taken to fright Dean Walsingham from examining of the truth Search into Religion pag. 53. Pag. 65. of Walsingham's search Search Wals p. 71. Antonin 3. part act 1. c. 11. Search pag. 77. Mr. Walsingham found no satisfaction in the answer of the defence of the Censure Search pag. 78. How the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his Assembly of Divines would not conferr Dean Walsingham's notes of Bell's corruptions with the Fathers quoted notwithstanding the books were in their presence or on the next roome Perkins Subsect 2. num 19. Subsect 2. nu 40. See in the epistle dedicatory to the King edit Angl. P. Fronto Duceus Burdeg Apply this to Bp. Taylors Dissuasive wherof himselfe sayes in his preface he was but the Amanuensis all the Protestant Church of Ireland in a solemn convocation having layd their heads together for composing so substantial and convincing a peece Persons sober reck pag. 318. Reynold de justa Reip. auctoritate c. l. Pag. 100. An imposture continued against the Catholick doctrin by the national Synod of the Church of England see inf See constitutions Ecclesiast printed at London by Barker an 1604. Can. 30. The whole Convocation of the Protestant Clergy convicted of fals dealing against Catholicks See the summe of the CoÌ„ference pag. 37. Thirdly printed an 1604. Extravag communium de Major obedientiat vnam sanctam Preamb. p. 11. Preamb. pag. 104. See heretofore Full satisfa pag. 38. Bellarm. l. 4. de Rom. Pont. c. 2. Carer l. 1. c. 24. Azor. l. 5. â— 14. GratiaÌ„ Can. si Papa dist 40. Bellarm. l. 2. de Pontif. â— 30. Bouchet in Sum. Beneficial tit puissance edit Paris 1628. a pag. 812. vsque ad 853 pag. 844. vsque ad 847. Of the index expurgatorius Bellarm. l. 2. de verbo Dei cap. 12.13.14 Hardings detection l. 4. fol. 249. Aug. l. 2. de gratia Christi c. 2 6. contra Dic. Epist. Pelagij c 4. Concil Afric ep ad Bonifacium See Baronius tom 5. Stapletons return of vntruthes art 4. p. 29. Sanders de visib Monarch l. 7. p. 356. Bellarm. l. 2. de Rom. Pontif c. 24. 25. Aug. ep 261. Walsingham's search pag. â—07 Bellarm. l 2. de Rom. Pontif cap. 13. §. 7. Tom. 2. Concil ed. venet pag. 342. extat Epistola concilij ad Beatum PapaÌ„ Leonem de omnibus gestis c. Sutcliff challenge 2. part 2. fol. 159. Niceph. lib. 17. c. 27. Aug. l. 6. contra Julian c. 2. 3. 4. ad Bonifac. c. 2. 4. Hierom. l. 2. contra Pelagian Preamb. pag. 63. Preamb. pag. 63 See Parsons sober Reckoning with Morton a pag. 159. vsque 166. Belarm lib. 4. de notis Ecclesiae cap. 9. §. Novatianorum Hierom in praefat Dialogorum contra Pelagianos Aug. de haeres c. 46. Belarm cit Preamb. pag. 64. Belar cit § Ariani Preamb. pag. 64. Belarm l. 1. de Eccles. c. 1. Valentia tom 4. disp 6. q. 3. p. 1. §. Item Belarm de Euch l. 1. cap. 1. Belarm cit cap. 1. Calvins contradictions and non sense in the mystery of the Eucharist Calvin in fine consens cum Pastor Figurinis Calvin in 26 Math. lib. 4. Instit. c. 17.5 Lib. Instit. cap. 17. §. 5.10 32. Lib. 4. Instit. c. 17. §. 5.31 Ibid. § 33.34 Ibid. §. 2.5 lib. de Caena cap. 3. See Belarm lib. 1. de Euch. cap. 1. per tot in fin Zozomenus lib. 7. hist. cap. 12. Belarm lib 4. de
A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WITH Reflexions vpon the Cause and Cure of Englands late distempers and present dangers THE ARGVMENT VVhether Protestancy be less dangerous to the soul or more advantagious to the State then the Roman Catholick Religion THE CONCLVSION That Piety and Policy are mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery by penal and Sanguinary statuts Permissu Superiorum An Dom M.DC.LXX TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE THE DVKE OF BVQVINGHAM c. May it please your Grace THE inconsiderat censures of half witted Critiks have canonized the custom of dedicating books to great persons at least they have so extenuated the crime that I despair not to obtain your Graces Pardon for my presumption of prefixing your name to this Treatise without your consent or knowledge But if the general custom be not a lawful excuse for my ambitious solicitation of your Graces patronage I must transfer the fault from my self the Author and lay it on the Argument of my book which is so proper for a person of your Graces high birth profound judgment and publick trust thus without violence to the work it could hardly be offerd to any other The Argument My Lord of this Book is Liberty of Conscience which is the most reasonable oâ— all liberties it is the spiritual birthright of our souls and the only human prerogative that cannot be forc't or forfeited Though our selves be slaves our thoughts are free and so much our own that none but the searcher of hearts can know them God himself doth not vse violence against our opinâ—â—ns when he commands us â—o change them he doth not compell us by rigor and penalties but convinceth us by reason and miracles My Lord Princes are called Gods in the Scripture and therfore ought to imitat divin perâ—â—â—tions How much your Grace doth excell in this perfection of being avers from compelling mens Consciences is so notorious that any man may without flattery the common vice of Epistles Dedicatory publish and print your vertues In this one of patronizing Liberty of Conscience are so many comprehended that did I vndertake to enumerat and explain them this short Epistle must have bin a vast volum It s an eminent part of Religion to propagat and persuade it by reason Its Charity to consider and commiâ—erat other mens capacitys how capricious soever 〈◊〉 prudence to proportion the laws to tender Consciences On the contrary the zeal of persecution is but a Cloaâ— of ambition for men of one persuasion to exclude all otherâ— from places of profit trust and honor wherof the Zealots would never be thought worthy if such as the penal laws exclude did conform to the Church of England And when any one doth becom a conformist none is more sorry for his Conversion then they that pretended to design and effect it by persecution because the number of Proselits doth diminish the profit and destroy the projects they had of begging Recusants fines and forfeitures Your Genious and generosity My Lord are so much above these base and destructive ways that you are becom the refuge of all persons afflicted for their Conscience To be popular vpon this score and to be the patron of so numerous and conscientious a party as it is the effect of your Wisdom and vertue so it is a just cause for your Prudent Prince to confide in your Ministery and to countenance your popularity I do acknowledge My Lord that in som districts of the Church of Rome men are punished for their Conscience or contumacy by a Court of Iustice called the Inquisition How worthy the Inquisition is of imitation I leave to the Judgment of others But this I do maintain in my book that our penal and Sanguinary statuts are much more severe and vnreasonable then the Canon law wherupon the Inquisitors Sentences are grounded 1. Because the Canons against Innovators of Religion are almost as ancient as Constantin the first Christian Emperor 2. They seemed so conscientious and convenient to all his Catholick Successors and other Soveraigns that they have incorporated into the laws of their Dominions the Canons wherby the Inquisitors are directed to punish heresies or pretended reformations of Religion and therfore the first Protestant Reformers in England durst not publish their doctrin vntill these statuts against heretiks had bin repeald by Act of Parliament 1. Edu 6.3 the Inquisitors pretend not to act by human commission against mens opinions they proceed as spiritual Pastors and the Apostles Successors and therfore endeavor to reduce the obstinat Nonconformists by producing thousands of learned and lawful witnesses to proue that the Roman faith is built vpon the very same Apostolical revelations reasons and miracles wherby the primitive Church and the Catholick world had bin converted from Paganism to Christianity But our English penal and Sanguinary statuts punish men for adhering to the ancient and authentick Religion of Christendom and for not embracing a new interpretation of Scripture for which there is no credible testimony or proof that it is the Apostolical neither is there as much as a pretence of any miracles to confirm Protestancy or that monstrous Shee-supremacy which was imposed vpon men only to make An Bullens daughter Queen of England and to exclude the right heirs and now reigning family from the Crown Notwithstanding this great disparity My Lord between the severity of the Inquisition and of our penal statuts J wish both equally excluded from this Monarchy and that no compulsion be used against Conscience but that every one be left to choos his own Religion according to his capacity it being likely that none will have a greater care of saving any mans soul then himself who is more concerned therin then any other whether Prince Parliament or Pastor That God may inspire into every soul that one faith without which none is saved ought to be the only common prayer imposed vpon us for that by this vniformity of prayer every man is left to his own Inquisition which is much more agreable to our genious then that of Spain and more likely to make us agree amongst our selves then any penal or Sanguinary statuts all which I humbly submit to your Graces Iudgment begging your Pardon for this trouble and your protection for this Treatise Your Graces most obedient and most humble servant IOHN WILSON THE PREFACE THE end which most Authors propose to themselves in writing Prefaces is to incline mâ—n to read their books but the books are now so many and of such groat busks that even the Prefaces are not perused Notwithstanding this superfluity and surfeit of books I have ventured to add this one to the number not without hopes that the Title will invite men to read the Preface and perhaps the Preface may persuade them to read the Book For Religion and Government being the two things wherin mankind is most concerned the one being the ground of everlasting happiness the other of temporal prosperity and I having vndertaken to
conferences of Religion wherby their title to the churchs-livings may be questioned They will pretend and preach â—hat it is against the rules as well of piety as of policy to inquire into the truth of doctrin or into the right of possession after 100. years prescription But they do not consider or at least would not have others consider that the Roman Catholicks prescriptioÌ„ of 1000. years in England and our Prelats legal possession of lands for the same space of years was not judged by Q. Elizabeths Bishops or Parliaments a sufficient Plea against the pretensions of the Crown to the Church revenues notwithstanding the Church then was thought to be infallible in doctrin and the revenues therof were first intended for and annexed to the Prelats and preachers of the same Roman Catholick doctrin and Church Now if the Protestant Bishops think that the Catholick Bishops were legally and lawfully dispossessed of their revenues and their Doctrin legaly and lawfully condemned and changed by Luther Calvin Cranmer or the Prelaticks interpretation of Scripture confirmed by Act of Parliament how can they imagin to make the world believe that it is now either a sin or sacriledge to be dispossessed themselves of the Church revenues by an Act of Parliament confirming as probable an interpretation of Scripture as theirs or as that of Luther or Calvin is especially seing they confess their doctrin fallible and that the revenues were never intended by those that gave them for preaching or promoting any kind of Protestancy Doubtless this incoherency and their backwardness in reasoning of Religion will render their Zeal for the Church revenues as much suspected as their forwardnes in persecuting tender Consciences hath renderd their persons odious And that there may be no ground for them to work vpon nor to doubt of the Roman Catholick Clergy's loyalty and sincerity in petitioning and pressing for publick conferences of Religion it will be found I doubt not in case any such security be desired or valued that we shall as readily now as in Queen Maries reign resign all the right we can pretend to the revenues of the Church and as then bestow them vpon the Crown for the use and ease of our Country By this it may appear that we have no design but the duty of subjects or the devotion of Christians in desiring that the Protestant Clergys title be examined But they deterr the illiterat layty from this necessary scrutiny by often repeating the word Sacrilege without declaring its signification We know and so do they that it hath bin the ancient practise of God's Church to contribut with all that is Sacred without the least fear or scruple of Sacriledge to the maintenance of the State when the layty is so much empoveris'ht with wars and taxes as we are both in England and Ireland Wee see that in all Catholick Countreys the Clergy doth imitat the example of the ancient Church in the same practise Why our English Bishops Deans and Chapters ought to be exempted from so reasonable and general a custom vnless it be that they are burthend with wives and Children I do not vnderstand But sure their having wives and Children can neither â—make their revenues more Sacred nor â—heir Contributions more Sacriledge on cases of publick necessity As a â—ompetency of maintenance for themselves and for their Childrens education and application to some honest Trades is an act of Charity so to apply the rest of the Church revenues to publik uses for soldiers and seamen and to the payment of the Crown debts is not against Christianity In the conclusion of this Preface I must endeavor to excuse the bulk of my book and the positivenes of my Assertions For the first I could hardly draw into a narrower compass so transcendent a subject and yet I have placed in the end of this Treatise an Index wherin the substance of the whole book is contained to the end every one may find out with ease any point he hath a mind to read As to the positivenes of my assertions most of them being articles of my faith or deductions from my Creed I could not but utter them in the Tone of our infallible Church But becaus I speak to Protestants that condemn our infallibility I attempt to demonstrat their censure against the same is as rash as they fancy our belief is ridiculous J must also ingenuously confess that it is part of my design to diminish the authority of the Protestant and Prelatick writers but seing my arguments are taken out of their own writings and are no other then their wilfull and vndeniable falsifications of Scripture and Fathers I hope none that detests so horrid a crime will condemn my Censure or defend their credit Whether I have bin faithfull in setting down their falsifications I must submit to the Iudgment of my Readers as also beg pardon for intermedling with so much of government as necessarily depends of Religion and ought to be proportioned therunto our Protestant Statesmen will not only pardon but protect me when they reflect vpon the impossibility there is of regulating the motions or appeasing the mutinies of a body politik by a faith so vncertain as that of the fallible Church of England or by a rule of Religion so applicable to rebellion as the letter of Scripture is when left to every privat mans arbitrary interpretation THE TABLE Part I. Of the Beginning Progress and Principles in general And of the Prelatick Church of England in Particular HOw necessary a rational Religion is for a Peacable Government Pag. 1. Wherein the Reasonableness of Religion Consists Pag. 8. How dangerous it is for a Temporal Soveraign to pretend to a Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Subjects Pag. 10. The Grounds of Peace Piety and Policy Pag. 10. The Catholick World ever acknowledg'd the Bishop of Rome's Spiritual Jurisdiction over all Christians Pag. 11. The same Religion which St. Gregory the great held was by St. Augustine taught to our Ancestors Pag. 19. Of the Author and beginning of Protestancy and of Luther's Disputation and Familiarity with the Devil Pag. 22. How weakly Protestants Excuse Luther's Conference with the Devil Pag. 29. The Mass a Visible and True Sacrifie proved by the Councils and Doctors of the Church Pag. 36. The Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the Dead Pag. 37. Of the Principles and Propagation of Protestancy Pag. 39. The Fundamental Principles of Protestancy Pag. 43. Protestants affirm that if a man have an Act of Faith sin does not hurt him Pag. 46. Protestants affirm that all Christians Men and Women are Priests by Baptism Pag. 50. Of the Protestant Church of England in K. H. VIII's Reign Pag. 53. Henry the VIII weary of Queen Catharine Pag. 53. Anne Bullen's Incest and Leudness Pag. 54. Henry the VIII's Tyranny Pag. 56. Tyndal's Translation of the Bible abolish'd Pag. 59. Of the English Religion and Reformers in K. Edw. VI's days Pag. 60. The first Reformers of the Prelatick
Catholick Doctrine is inconsistant with the Sovereignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants Pag. 443 Bishop Mortons Falsifications about the Lawfulness of killing a Tyrant Pag. 444 Bishop Mortons Falsification of Catholicks against the Sovereignty of Princes and how he excuses himself by saying he received it from the Archbishop of Canterbury Pag. 445 Mortons Answer in which see an Imposture continu'd against Catholicks by the whole Convocation of the Protestant Clergy in their Synod held Anno 1603. Pag. 546 The Protestant Falsification to perswade that the Canon-Law doth warrant deposition of Kings by the Pope Pag. 447 A Protestant Falsification to perswade that Catholicks may cheat any Excommunicated Persons of their Lawful Debts Pag. 449 Bishop Mortons Falsification to perswade that Catholicks hold it Lawful to Murther and Massacre Protestants Pag. 451 Bishop Morton's Falsification to Assert the Kings Supremacy Pag. 453 Ten Falsifications set down together by Bishop Morton to prove that we hold that Popes cannot be deposed nor be Hereticks Pag. 457 Primate Bramhalls Falsification to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heretical Doctrines Pag. 458 It is prov'd by Reasons and Examples that no Religion is so little dangerous to the Sovereignty and safety of Kings or so Advantagious to the Peace and Prosperity of Subjects as the Roman Catholicks notwithstanding the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy Pag. 459 Protestants cannot clear their Religion from their Doctrin and danger of Deposing Sovereigns and Disposing of their Kingdoms Pag. 470 That Protestants could never prove any of the wilful falsifications wherewith they charge Roman Catholick Writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime wheresoever they Attempted to make good their charge against us Pag. 473 Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of Falsifying the General Council of Chalcedon in favour of the Popes Supremacy Pag. 474 How Protestants are Convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned Heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to clear them of six only fourteen seems they confess do falsifie the Fathers and Catholick Authors about worshipping of Images Pag. 476 Two Pelagian Heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to clear themselves of the One and say nothing of the other Pag. 477 Two Novatian Heresies Imputed to Protestants the one answered with Silence the other with Falsifying Pag. 478. The Manichean Heresie against Freewill Imputed to Protestants and how pittifully Answered by Bishop Morton Pag. 479. How Bishop Morton Answers to Bellarmin's Imputation of Arianisme unto Protestants Pag. 479. How Morton Falsifies and Abuses Bellarmine who Imputes the denyal of Christs Real Presence in the Sacrament to Protestants Pag. 480. Falsifications Objected against Cardinal Baronius by Mr. Sutcliff Pag. 483. Calumnies and Falsifications of Luther Calvin Archbishop Laud and Primate Usher to Discredit Catholick Religion against their own Knowledge and Conscience Pag. 487. Of Calvins Calumnies against Catholicks and their Doctrine Pag. 488 Frauds Falsifications and Calumnies of Primate Usher against the Real Presence and Transubstantiation Pag. 491. Usher's Falsifications against Confession Pag. 492. His Falsifications against Absolution of Sins Pag. 493. Against Purgatory Pag. 494 Against Worshiping Saints and their Reliques Pag. 496 Against Prayer to Saints Pag. 499 Of Archbishop Laud's Frauds and Falsifications HOw unsincerely Bishop Laud would fain Excuse the Modern Greek Heresie concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost Pag. 502 How Bishop Laud Abuses St. Augustine to make Protestants believe that General Councils may Err against Scripture and evident Reason Pag. 504 Vicentius Lirinensis abus'd by Laud to prove the Fallibility of the Church c. Pag. 507 How Bishop Laud falsifies Occham to infringe St. Augustin's Authority concerning the Infallibility of the Church in succeeding Ages as well as in that of the Apostles And is forc'd by his Error to resolve the Prelatick Faith into the Light of Scripture and the private Spirit of Phanaticks which he Paliats under the Name of Grace and thereby Warrants all Rebellions against Church and State Pag. 509 Divers Frauds and Falsifications of Bishop Laud to defend that Protestants are not Schismaticks Pag. 512 Whether it be Piety or Policy to permit the Protestant Clergy of these three Kingdoms to enjoy the Church Revenues for maintaining by such Frauds and Falsifications as hitherto have been alledged the Doctrine of the Church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know false And hâ—re the said Revenues may be Conscientiously apply'd to the Vse and Ease of the People without any danger of Sacriledge or any Disturbance to the Government if a publick Tryal of both Clergies Sincâ—rity be allowed and Liberty of Conscience granted Pag. 521 The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how Advantageous it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands Pag. 534 The King 's Right to France Pag. 544 My Lord of Clarendin's Policy Censur'd by all Wise Men. Pag. 548. Part 4. The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherein it differs from the Protestant confirmed by undenyable Miracles THat such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true Miracles and the Doctrine which they Confirm cannot be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he does not reflect upon them in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith Pag. 553 The Miracle of St. Januarius of Naples Pag. 555 The Famous and undenyable Miracle of St. Francis Xaverius wrought on the Person of Marcello Mastrillo Pag. 556 Antichrist's Miracles are not Credible if compar'd with Ours Pag. 561 Of Visible Miracles seen though not observ'd by every Protestant in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith The difference between true and false Miracles Pag. 562 Of True Miracles related in the Ecclesiastical History by men of greatest Authority in every Age to confirm the particular Mysteries of our Catholick Faith and that sense of Scripture wherein Roman Catholicks differ from Protestants Pag. 566 Of Miracles related by St. Chrysostom St. Gregory Nazianzen c. in Confirmation of Transubstantiation Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion under one Kind and Purgatory Pag. 567 Primate Usher's Falsification to discredit two Miracles Pag. 569 How Protestants falsify and corrupt the very Statutes and Law-Books Pag. 572 Miracles for the Mass. Pag. 573. Miracles for Purgatory Pag. 573 Miracles to Confirm the Worship and Virtue of the Sign of the Cross. Pag. 576 Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick Worship of Images Pag. 581 The Protestant Distinction of Civil and Religious Worship misapply'd by Ministers to delude
their own Canon and sense of Scripture and of the falshood of the Canon and sense of Scripture of the Church of England as there is for the English Church to make it self judg of the falshood of the Canon and sense of the Church of Rome As for the authority which the Prelatick religion receives from the laws of the land that gives but little advantage seing the Roman Catholick doctrin hath bin confirmed by the temporal laws of every Kingdom Country and Citty besor and at the tyme that Protestancy succeeded and prevailed and yet that legality was not valued by the Reformers The 35. Article is to authorise some Puritan homilies as the 2. wherin the danger of idolatry in Popery is much insisted vpon as if Christians could easily mistake Images for Idols or Saints for Gods Jews and Hereticks have often endeavoured to confound the one with the other Catholicks never The ancient Fathers as also the second Councel of Nice have long since declared the Protestant Doctrin against Images to be heresy and the Councel of Trent confirms the same decree of Nice and demonstrats how far that the Catholick doctrin of worshiping Images is from any danger of Idolatry The words of the Councel sess 25. are The Images of Christ of the Virgin Mother of God and of other Saints are to be had and retained especialy in Churches and that due honour is to be imparted vnto them not for that any Divinity is to be believed to be in them or vertue for which they are to be worshipt or that any thing is to be begg'd of them or that hope is to be put in them as in tyms past the Pagans did who put their trust in Idols but because the honour which is exhibited to them is referr'd to the first pattern which they resemble So that by the Images which we kiss and before which we vncover our heads and kneele we adore Christ and his Saints whose likness they beare we reverence that which is ratified by the Decrees of Councels especialy of the second of Nice against the impugners of Images In the 36. they make it an Article of Religion that their new form of ordaining Priests and Bishops is valid and containeth all things necessary but since his Majesty's happy restauration they have judged the contrary and therfore thought necessary to add thervnto the words Priest and Bishop Yet this wil not serve their turn for before they can have a true Clergy they must change the Caracter of the Ordainers as wel as the form of ordination a valid form of ordination pronounced by a Minister not validly ordained gives no more caracter then if it had continued invalid and never bin altered The present Protestant Bishops who changed the form of their own Ordination vpon their Adversaries objections of the invalidity therof might as wel submit to be ordained by Catholick Bishops as alow by altering the from after so long a tyme and dispute that it was not sufficient to make themselves and their Predecessours Priests or Bishops In their 37. Article they give a spiritual supremacy to the temporal Soveraign But because the world laught at that vanity and at the statuts 1. 8. Eliz. 1. Wherin is declared that the English Soveraignty is so spiritual as that it may give to any person whatsoever whether man or woman lay or ecclesiastick power and authority to exercise any spiritual function and consecrat Priests and Bishops they would fain make vs now believe that they did not attribut to the Queen and her Successours any power of ministring God's word or the Sacraments notwithstanding that the aforesaid Statuts yet in force certify the contrary And indeed if none can give what himself hath not seing the Kings of England can give power and authority to any person watsoever to consecrat Priests and Bishops and to exercise all kind of spiritual ministery and jurisdiction concerning God's word and Sacraments this power and ministery cannot be denyed to be inherant in themselves In the 38. and 39. articles they endeavour to supress some errors of the Anabaptists which necessarily follow from the foundation and principles of Protestancy for if it be lawfull to deprive men of a spiritual authority and jurisdiction wherof they are in present possession and which their Predecessours had peaceably enjoy'd tyme out of memory the consequence of the lawfulness to deprive men of their temporal jurisdiction Dominions riches and goods is evident by a parity of reason for if peaceable and present possession confirm'd by a prescription of many ages be not sufficient to ground right for the Roman Bishop and Clergy to govern souls and to enjoy the Church livings ther is no temporal Prince or person can be secure or have a right to govern subjects or possess his Dominions So that by the same warrant wherby Prelatick Protestants have taken from the Pope and Roman Clergy their spiritual jurisdiction and temporalities the Anabaptists and all others may evidently demonstrat that all goods are common and no one person can pretend right to Superiority or any thing he doth possess SECT VI. Of the effects which these 39. Articles of Prelatick Protestancy immediatly produced in England and may produce at any tyme in every state wher such principles are made legal and how the Roman Catholick Religion was restored by Act of Parliament of Queen Mary AFter that Prelatick Protestancy had not only bin permitted but established by Parliament in England ensued the destruction of many thousand innocent people as also of the Protector Seamor and K. Eduard 6. togeather with the exclusion of Q. Mary and others the lawful Heires of the Crown and the in trusion of the Lady Jane Grey and in her of Dudly's son and family vnto the Royal throne These were effects of Protestancy not events of fortunc they were designs driven and directed by the principles of the Reformation the like wherof any politick and popular subject may compass as wel as Dudly witness our late long Parliament and Oliver Cromwel's proceedings Though K. Edward 6. was but a Child and his vncle the Protector no great Polititian yet they had a grave and wise Councel but against the liberty and latitude which men are allow'd by the principles of Protestancy no conduct can prevail nor government be safe as appeareth in many examples and in our late Soueraign's Reign and death Jt's in vain to make particular articles of Religion or temporal Statuts if there be a general principle admitted as if it were the word of God wherby both are rendred vnsignificant One of the general principles and indeed the foundation of Prelatick Protestancy is that it is lawful for privat men and subjects such were all the first Protestant Reformers to despise and depose their spiritual Superiours by their own arbitrary interpretations and applications of Scripture notwithstanding the peaceable possession immemorial prescription legality and exercise of their sayd Superiour's authority and jurisdiction From hence it
of this Realm made in the 25. year of the reign of the King your Father be repealed and be it voyd and of no effect as also all and every such clauses Articles branches and matters contained and expressed in the afforsaid Act of Parliament made in the said 28. year of the Reign of the said late King your Father or in any other Act or Acts of Parliament as wherby your Highness is named or declared to be ilegitimat or the said marriage between the said King your Father and the said Queen your Mother is declared to be against the word of God or by any means vnlawful shal be and be repealed and be voyd and of no force nor effect to all intents constructions and purposes as if the same sentence or Act of Parliament had never bin had nor made and that the said marriage had and solemnized between your said most noble Father King Henry and your said most noble Mother Queen Catharin shal be definitivly cleerly and absolutly declared deemed and adjudged be and stand with God's law and his most holy word and to be accepted reputed and taken of good effect and validity to all Intents and purposes c. Notwithstanding that the force and fraud vsed by King Henry 8. Cranmer and others engaged in this divorce were so plainly manifested the Catholicks faith reestablished the folly and falshood of former schisms and heresies publickly acknowledged yet no sooner was Queen Mary deceased then Queen Elizabeth and her Protestant faction resolved to return to the former errours whervnto vicious persons who always are the greatest number were as vehemently inclined as men are to enjoy their liberty and to excuse the sensuality which they practised by the principles of that Religion And though it seemed a busines of great difficulty for Q. Elizabeth and her Councel to revive a Reformation which had bin so lately cryed down as schism and heresy by the vnanimous concurrence of a ful and lawful Parliament yet her Regal authority her sex and words wrought so strongly vpon the weakness of some and vpon the ambition of others that she gained the greater part of the house of Lords and yet but by on only voice for establishing Protestancy the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Arundel employing in her service all their interest with friends and relations against the Religion of their Ancestors And such Lords and Gentlemen saith D. r Heylin as had the managing of elections of their several Counties retained such for members of the house of Commons as they conceived most likly to comply with their intentions for a reformation Besids saith he the Queen was young vnmarried and like enough to entertain some thoughts of a husband so that it can be no great mervail not only if many of the nobility but some even of the Gentry also flattered themselves with possibilities of being the man whom she might choose to be her partner in the Regal Diadem Which hopes much smoothed the way to the accomplishment of her desires which otherwise might have proved more rugged and vnpassable c. Notwithstanding all these devices and compliances they never passed an Act in Parliament for the validity of her Mothers marriage on which saith Heylin her title most depended It seems the late former Act declaring the validity of Queen Catharins mariage deter'd her from attempting an other incompatible therwith and wherin men must have had contradicted themselves most imprudently as also the truth asserted by the many witnesses and confirmed with such individual circumstances that without infamy to the late Parliament they could not take from Queen Elizabeth the brand of bastardy Yet they resolved it should be no bar between her and the Crown and so they thrust her into the Throne which of right belonged to Mary Steward Queen of Scotland as is manifest to all that are not persuaded Catholick Religion doth make soveraigns incapable of Regal jurisdiction SECT VII Other effects of Protestancy after it was revived in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown of the nulity of her Clergy's caracter and jurisdiction By King Henry 8. his revolt from the Church of Rome not only the Religion but the realm of England was so embroyl'd that very many who had no right entertained hopes of ascending into the Royal Throne some by fishing in troubled waters others by marrying Q. Elizabeth others by their descent from the younger daughter of King Henry 7. all mention of the heires of the elder Sister having bin omitted or blotted out of the last will and Testament of K. Henry 8. and Q. Elizabeth having bin declared ilegitimat by three Acts of different Parliaments which never yet were repealed very few there were that did not hould their own title to be more legal then hers This confusion also made the Queen of Scots known right to be neglected But the French King who was concerned therin commanded her to be proclaimed Q. of England and quarter'd the Arms of great Britanie with his lilies Q. Elizabeth apprehended some daunger from a title so cleere seconded with the power of France and Scotland and therfore by the advice of Secretary Cecil and others resolved upon the chang of Religion and the destruction of the Catholick party and Clergy which favoured the Stewards claim The Protestant Reformation as being sutable both to her birth and interests was revived and a new caracter of Priesthood and Episcopacy devised not imprinted in the soule by imposition of Episcopal hands according to the Ghospel but in wax as if forsooth by the weight of the great seal and the vertue of a shee supremacy a woman or lay men might make Bishops This superficial formality was declared a sufficient caracter and ground of Episcopacy by a Junta of her Majesties lawyers and Divines as appeareth in their definitive sentence and her Commission to the Consecraters of her first Bishops D. r Parker and others wherin she dispenseth with all the inhabilities and incapasities even of their State and Condition because the true Bishops refused to ordain her Clergy and a Clergy she was resolved to have that would vote in Parliament and instruct the People as should be thought fit for her Succession and security And because the Roman Catholick Writers of those tyms laught at the Protestant Bishops Episcopacy and bid them shew the letters of their Orders not the letters patens of the Queen and tould them a secular Prince might give them the revenues of Bishopricks but not the Caracter of Bishops and that the same Catholick writers insisted much vpon their Adversaries not being able to name what Bishops did consecrat them and besids pleaded in the publick Court they were not realy nor legaly ordained and that afterwards it appeared so to the Iury appointed for the examination therof both the Queen and her Bishops found it absolutly necessary for her credit and their caracter to ratify all Acts and things
had made or don by any person or persons in or about any consecration confirmation or investing of any person or Persons elected to the office or dignity of Archbishops or Bishops by vertue of the Queens letters patents or Commission since the beginning of her Reign So that to know whether D. r Parker and his Camerades were true Bishops none must have examined whether they had bin consecrated by other Bishops but only whether the person or persons that were the Consecrators whether lay men or Ecclesiastick it matter'd not performed that ceremony by virtue of the Queens letters patents or commission If they could shew her great seal they might vse what matter and form they pleased for by the Act 1. 8. Eliz. there was given to the Queens Highness her Heires c. full power and authority by letters patents vnder the great seal of England from tyme to tyme to assign name and authorise such person or persons as she and they shal thinck meet and convenient any lay man or woman would serve turn to exercise use enioy and execute vnder her Highness all manner of jurisdictions Priviledges preheminences and authorities in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical power or jurisdiction within this Realm or any other her Majesties Dominions or Countrys Now priesthood being nothing but a spiritual power to Consecrat Christ's Body and Bloud and forgive sins and Episcopacy including besids the same a spiritual power to consecrat and ordain other Priests and Bishops who can doubt but that by these words and Statut the Queen might and her Successours may by their sole letters patents and great seal make any lay man whether Carter or Catchpole a Protestant Bishop or Priest seing therby he receiveth ful power to exercise vse execute c. all manner of jurisdictions preheminencies and authorities in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical power c. And because ther might remain no ambiguity or scruple of Parker and the first Protestant Bishops valid and legal Consecration the same Statut 8. Elizabeth 1. assures us that the Queen in her letters patents for that purpose directed to any Archbishop Bishops Or Others mark the word Others for the confirming investing and consecrating of any person elected to the Office or dignity of any Archbishop or Bishop hath not only vsed such words and sentences as were accustomed to be vsed by the late King Henry and King Edward her Majesties Father and Brother in their like letters patents made for such causes but also hath vsed divers other general words and sentences wherby her Majestie by her supreme power and authority hath dispensed with all causes or doubts of any inperfection or disability that can or may in any wise be objected against the same as by her Majesties sayd letters patents remaining on record more plainly wil appeare Now Mr. Bramhal the late Primat would fain make the Parliament so sensless and his Readers so simple as to referr the words mentioning and comparing the records of the Queen and her Father and Brother's tyme in this Act to the Archbishop of Canterbury's Register and not to their Majesties letters patents wher as by the whole context and discourse it is evident that the Parliament's drift is to shew no such ceremonious solemnity as of late hath bin pretended and printed by Mr. Mason was necessary Had ther bin any such legal or formal Consecration at Lambeth as 50. years after was forged and foisted into the Archbishop's Register the Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. would have remitted us therunto named Lambeth and not insisted al-togeather vpon the Queen's dispensation for the validity and legality of her first Bishops Consecration and caracter Many ar the reasons lately printed and not like to be answered that persuade all prudent men who have not too great a passion for the Prelatick Clergy to believe that Mr. Mason's new found Register of Lambeth is forged 1. It was never produced nor mentioned by the first Bishops so much pressed by their Adversaries to shew some Register or any evidence for their Consecration 2. They were only desired to let the world know wher when and by whom they had bin made Bishops questions easily answered had they bin consecrated at Lambeth or any Register then extant when Dr. Harding Stapleton and others charged them with nulity and illegality of Episcopal caracter 3. It 's no more credible that such knowing and conscientious men as Stapleton Harding Fitzherbert c. then living in England and probably at London would question so publick and solemn an action then it is that a sober man would now cal in doubt King Charl's 2. coronation at Westminster or ask in print who set the Crown vpon his head pretending he neuer had bin crown'd And though Bishop Godwin and other Prelatick Writers abuse Dr. Harding Holiwood Fitzsimons c. for relating the meeting of the first Protestant Bishops with a design to be ordained at the Nagshead in Cheap-side yet all the world knows that albeit there could be no design to feign that story yet our Controversy with the Prelaticks is not whether their first Prelats were ordained there but whether they were ordained any wher We know Bishops might be as validly consecrated in a Tavern though not so decently as in a Church But t' is fit they also consider that if Dr. Parker and their first Bishops were so narrowly watch't by Mr. Neal and other Catholicks whom Primat Bramhal doth cal Spies that they could not be merry in a Tavern without their knowledg they could hardly perform so serious and solemn an Action in a Church as the first Consecration of a Protestant Archbishop without their observation it being a matter then so much sought after and controversed of so great curiosity in it self and of greatest concern to us the total credit and being of their new Reformation depending therupon And yet for aboue 50. years none of the Writers of either side Catholick or Protestant who mentioned all other particulars relating to the reformation writ or spoke a word of this solemnity at Lambeth The Puritans indeed upraided the Prelaticks with saying their Episcopal ordination in England had it's beginning and progress in a corner not in a Congregation but we can not imagin they could mistake the Archiepiscopal Chappel of Lambeth for a corner or deny that the great Assembly pretended to have had bin at Dr. Parker's Consecration deserved not to be caled a Congregation Queen Elizabeths Clergy thus created by her patents and Parliaments they endeavored to shew themselves gratful to her Majesty by making the people believe that Popery by the principles wherof she was vncapable of the Crown was Idolatry the Pope Antichrist c. And to that end corrupted Scriptures in their English Translations as shal be proved herafter And because their frauds and follies were discoverd by Catholick Priests the sanguinary and penal laws were enacted and executed
with great cruelty But that which most troubled the Queen and her Clergy was the life and right of the Queen of Scots they found an expedient to rid themselves of both that innocent Queen was murthered and seing Queen Elizabeth was not inclined to marry it was decreed in Parliament that in case there should be any natural issue of her body it should enjoy the Crown after her death and so the line of the Stewards was excluded and for that the doctrin of the Roman Catholicks favored their Title all persons of that profession were discountenanc'd and persecuted And albeit this setlement both of the Crow'n and Clergy of England seem'd very absurd to all that reflected vpon the principles of Christianity and the practise of God's Church yet they who were guided only by Maxims of human policy excused the Queens proceedings and condemned not her Clergy for accepting of those revenues and dignities which they could not acquire by honest and ordinary ways their learning being but vulgar and their birth obscure Had not her Majesty exalted those mean persons from nothing to be a legal though not lawful Clergy she could not have had any Clergy at all for that no man of conscience or honour would have gain'd his living by damning souls and corrupting Scripture nor received a spiritual caracter from a secular seal and she supremacy And indeed even to this day very few or none of the Protestant Nobility or prime gentry vndergoe that cours of life and the better sort of Trads-men take it for no great honour when any of their Relations becom Ministers And becaus the foundation of the Queens legitimacy and of her Clergys caracter and jurisdiction was King Henry 8. and her own supremacy an oath of the same was pressed vpon the subjects and proposed in the Parliament The temporal Lords who were wiser then to believe that Christ committed the government of souls and of the Church to women or lay Princes all of them one excepted having bin for the three first Centuries Idolaters and many for some succeding ages notorious hereticks and for the future may prove no better refused to concurr with their votes for passing of the Oath unless the Peerage were exempted from taking it this being condescended vnto they consented to make that Oath legal which themselves had rejected as vnlawful and yet is this oath even in our tims made the distinctive sign not only of Prelatick Protestancy but of Cavallier loyalty and Christian honesty But this policy of State neither then nor now could worck that vnity of faith and vnion of hearts for which it was devised It divided Protestants into Puritans and Prelaticks and confirmed Papists in their own belief as being scandalised to see others make a thing so incredible the foundation of their faith The Puritans agreed with the Papists in denying the Queen's spiritual supremacy but differ'd from them in the ground of the denial and in the person wherunto they granted that prerogative The Papists continued it in the Pope the Puritans vsurped it to themselves The Papists grounded their belief concerning the Pop's supremacy vpon the common and continual consent of all Catholicks acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to be de jure Divino S. Peter's Successour the Puritans rejected that consent and Tradition relying vpon their own privat spirit and fond interpretation of Scripture And though it be more dangerous for Souveraigns to alow of this spiritual superiority in their own subjects then in a stranger whose parentage generaly speaking is not considerable and whose power is not durable as coming very late into his hands and not surviving his person by descent to his posterity or relations yet Queen Elizabeth was more jealous of the Pope then of the Puritans becaus the generality of the Irish and a great part of the English were Papists and according to their principles the Stewards ought to have bin in possession of the British Empire and the Pop's censures in behalf of the Queen of Scots had wrought already vpon some of their consciences But the Puritans hated her Religion person and posterity and were the chief instruments that Queen Elizabeth employ'd in embroyling Scotland and sheading of her Royal bloud and therfor they were not only tolerated but many of them exalted to places of trust honour and profit On the contrary the Roman Catholicks were persecuted as a party that not only wish't but wrought what was possible for the Queen of Scots liberty relief and the restitution of the Crown to her self and to her line wherof it had bin so vnjustly deprived by the principles and practises of Protestants wherof some were so ignorant or impudent as to give out then and even now Dr. Heylin pag. 131. doth rashly maintain that the Pope offered to confirm her English Liturgy vpon condition she would acknowledg his supremacy This was then and is now reported to the end illiterat Protestants may believe there is no great difference between their Reformation and the Catholick Religion and that the Bishops of Rome and the Councel of Trent proceeded rashly in their Censures or at least may now and would then contradict former definitions vpon more mature deliberation or for some temporal respects But they who know it is not in the Pop's power to legitimat a spurious brood on begot and born in adultery as Queen Elizabeth and that he would be deposed from his Papal dignity if he offered to confirm or alow any of the many defin'd heresies contain'd in the English Liturgy They I say will not believe the Bishop of Rome could be so fond of Queen Elizabeth or forgetful of him-self as to become a Protestant and chang the revenues of his Popedom for the vncertainty of her pension in case she would value his kindness so much as to bestow a pension vpon him By such follies and frauds is Protestancy supported in the opinion of credulous and carless people and their Clergy kept in possession of a vast revenue SECT VIII Reasons why Queen Elizabeth in her 44. years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable neither is it possible for her Successours to gain credit and esteem for the same THe setlement of a Christian Religion or Clergy doth not consist in making them legal by Acts of Parliament but in persuading the people that both the Religion and the Clergy is Apostolick and by consequence that the Acts of Parliaments wherby they are confirmed are lawful Notwithstanding the great severity of Queen Elizabeths laws and the litle sincerity of her Clergy in pulpit press and privat conversations against the Roman Catholick Religion for the space of aboue 44. years of her Reign though Popery was therby rendred odious and ridiculous to simple men silly women children and others whose want of capacity and even of curiosity made them not reflect vpon the drift of Protestant Preachers nor vpon the reasonableness of Catholick Tenets yet their Prelatick Protestancy did and doth
way in externall matters concerning disciplin they have troubled the Church another way in opposing themselves by new quircks and devices to the soundness of doctrin among Protestants And truly to pretend with all reformed Churches that the Pope is Antichrist and the man of sin and at the same time profess as the learned Prelatick writers do in their books that without his caracter of Priesthood there can be no orthodox Clergy or Christian Church are things that do not hang wel togeather neither is it credible that so zealous Protestants as were the first English reformers Cranmer Coverdale Bale c. who strained Scripture in their Translations and made formal abjurations against the caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood which they had received in the Church of Rome or that Parker Jewel Horn c. who received that same doctrin and excluded those caracters by an express Article of their 39. of Religion from the Church of England and from their form of ordination it is not I say credible that these and the like men did maintain in their convocations the late Prelatick contrary doctrin or that they exercised or recorded any such Popish formalities of consecrating Priests and Bishops by imposition of Episcopal hands as M. r Mason pretends he found in Parker's Register at Lambeth as appeareth also to any that wil consider the homely choyce and caling of the primitive Pastors and Preachers of our Prelatick Protestancy objected to themselves in print when they were living and yet could not deny the fact neither did they go about to excuse it not taking it to be a fault D. r Kelison in his survey pag. 373. 374. saith of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizab. time Lay men were taken of which some were base artificers and without any other consecration or ordination then the Prince's or the superintendent 's letters made them Ministers and Bishops with as few ceremonies and less solemnity then they make their Aldermen yea Constables and cryers of the market D. r Stapleton in his Counterblast lib. 4. num 481 saith And wherin I pray you resteth a great part of your new Clergy but in Butchers Cooks Catchpols and Coblers Diers and Dawbers fellows carrying their mark in their hand insteed of a shaven Crown c. Seing therfor our Catholick Arguments convince all disinterest'd persons that weigh them of the absurdity and novelty of Protestancy in general and such as do not take them to be of any weight because themselves are byassed and bent against vs by education or interest must needs take notice if they think seriously of any Religion or of their own Protestant principles that the Prelatick Reformation is but a politick appendix or addition of Q. Elizabeth in pursuance of her Father's passion and by her self resolved vpon more for securing a Crown then saving the soule and therfor containing more mysteries of state then of faith and more regarding conveniencies then conscience as appeareth by the layty of her Clergy by her She-supremacy by the anticipated Royalty of her vnlawful issue in case she would be pleased to own any these things I say being no calumnies of malignant pens or persons but most manifest by her own Articles of Religion and Acts of Parliament can hardly be digested by honest subjects much less settled as Divine truths in Christian souls or carry the face of a pious and plausible Religion even amongst the most silly sort of people Yet far be it from our thoughts to censure with folly or impiety such as suck't with their Nurses milk the poyson of this Prelatick Protestancy no we know they want neither piety nor policy according to their own principles but I hope they wil not be offended if according to ours we do pitty their condition and pray for their conversion we believe their zeale against our catholick Religion proceeds not from malice but mistaks and desire they may likewise believe our intention is only to expel by this antidot the poyson which others have infused into their brains This humble apology and explanation doth not relate to them that made the chang of Religion for preferring Q. Elizabeth and any natural issue of her body to the Crown befor the lawful heires who by God's providence since her death and at this present enioy right nor to any that wil obstinatly maintain such proceedings It is intended for all wel meaning Protestants that believe themselves to be Catholicks and if they be not wish they were and that the true Religion were setled in these Nations But what mervaile is it that privat persons be mistaken in Protestancy when the Royal family of the Stewards against whose title and succession it was introduced and established both in England and Scotland in England by Q. Elizabeth in Scotland by the Bastard Murry are so much in love with that Religion devised for their own ruine So bewitching a thing is education engrafted in good dispositions and so dangerous if not cultivated and corrected by our own more mature reflections when we arrive to years of discretion SECT IX How injurious Protestancy hath bin to the Royal family of the Stewards and how zealous they have bin and are in promoting the same AFter that King Henry 8. had vsurped the Pop's Supremacy and divised certain Articles of Religion he desired his Nephew K. James 5. of Scotland to follow his example which that Catholick Prince refus'd to do King Henry in his last will and Testament confirmed by his Protestant Parliament excluded the Royal family of Scotland from their right and succession to the Crown of England preferring before the Stewards not only his illegitimat daughter Elizabeth but the Grays and all others that descended of the yonger sister Queen Dowager of France and Dutchess of Suffolk King James 5. deceased his wife the Queen Regent of Scotland and his young daughter Queen Mary were so persecuted by the Scotch and English Protestants that the Queen Regent was deposed and Queen Mary was forc't to fly for refuge into France After her return into Scotland the King her Husband was murthered by the Protestants his subjects and the innocent Queen trepan'd by her protestant Bastard Brother to marry Borthvel one of the murtherers with a design to diffame and depose herself from the government which the Bastard had vsurped and had murthered likewise King James 6. an infant but that God prevented his wicked designs by permitting him to be killed by the hand of a Hamilton Other Protestants succeeded the Bastard Murry in the government and though King Iames escaped the dangers and designs they had layd for his life yet they perverted his soule and when he was but 13. months ould Protestancy was set vp in his name his Mother being driven out of her own Kingdom by those Protestants that deposed herself and abused her Son's minority was contrary to the publick faith and privat promises of Queen Elizabeth imprisoned in England her Rebels countenanced and her self at
doctrinal Reformation he and all Reformers after him pretended an extraordinary and immediat vocation and mission from God to teach an other faith contrary to that which the then visible Church professed and could not be proved that any precedent Congregation ever held If there had been right beleevers saith Georgius Milius pag. 138. that went before Luther in his office there had then bin no need of a Lutheran Reformation Therfore we say that Luther was raised vp divinitus extra ordinem by God's special apointment and extraordinarily See Luther in loc Com. class 4. pag. 51. Bucer in epist. ad Episcop Hereford calls Luther the first Apostle of the reformed doctrin Beza in epist. Theolog. ep 5. Ergo de extraordinaria vocatione videamus Huic vero tum demum locum esse dicimus cum vel nulla vel penè nulla est ordinaria vocatio sicut nostris temporibus accidit in Papatu cum expectari extraordinaria vocatio quae nusquam erit nec debuit nec potuit Bishop Iewell in his Apology for the Church of England part 4. cap. 4. divis 2. And in his defence of the Apology pag. 426. The truth was vnknown at that time when Martin Luther and Vldrick Zuinglius first came vnto the knowledg and preaching of the Ghospel Mr. Parkins in his exposition vpon the Creed pag· 400. and in his works printed 1605. fol. 365. And in his reformed Catholick pag. 329. We say that before the days of Luther for the space of many hundred years an vniversal Apostasy overspread the whole face of the earth and that our Church was not then visible to the world Calvin in Institut lib. 4. cap. 3. sect 4. Quod Dominus nobis iniunxit c. Lascicius in proof of his extraordinary vocation lib. de Russorum Relig. pag. 23. alledgeth Calvin saying Because the succession or Series of ordination hath bin interrupted by the Pop's tyranny there is need of a new subsidy c. And this guift was altogeather extraordinary Mr. Fulk against Stapleton pag. 2. The Protestants that first preacht in these last days had likwise extraordinary calling Mr. Perkens saith the same in his works printed 1605. fol. 916. Mr. Symonds pag. 123. vpon the Revelations affirmeth a calling to preach by the civil Magistrat a holy and sufficient calling saith he in the time of these confusions But this pretext and presumption of theirs is groundless 1. Because the ordinary Ministery of Christ's Church being to continue as S. Paul says to the consummation of Saints and end of the world there could be no necessity of an extraordinary contrary mission or ministery but rather it must be concluded that there is an impossibility therof seing it is impossible that God should send men to contradict him-self or that doctrin which he promised should continue vntill he day of judgment by the Ministery and means of the ordinary Pastors and Doctors of the Church 2. Whensoever God sent any extraordinary Ministers or Reformers he confirm'd their mission and Ministery with vndoubted miracles as is manifest by the example of Moyses and the Prophets of the old Testament and of the Apostles in the new But no such thing appeared in Luther or any Protestant Their ordinary excuse that Miracles are ceased in the Church is confuted by their own acknowledging that in the Indies God by means of the Jesuits and other Catholick Preachers worketh Miracles for the conversion of Pagans And Philippus Nicolai confesseth that the Jesuits and other Spanish and Portugal Preachers converted both Indies Iapon Cataia c. And wrought many true Miracles in those parts and in our age but Withall addeth lib. 1. of his Comentaries de Regno Christi pag. 91. 312. 313. 314. 318. 219. That such Miracles wrought by the Jesuits and other professed Papists proceed not from their faith as it was Roman Catholick but as it was Lutheran See him pag. 91. 53. pag. 91. he sets down some mysteries of Christianity wherin Lutherans agree with Roman Catholick and attributs the Miracles to them only concluding Hucvsque enim Lutheranisant Wheras it is well known that the Jesuits inculcat to their Prâ—selits in all parts of the world the Romnn Catechisms and in the Indies Iapon China c. bid them beware of the English Holanders and other Protestants doctrin as of heresy And many of their Miracles are wrought at â—he intercession of our B. Lady S. Jgnatius S. Francis Xaverius c. and by application of their Reliques Mr. Hartwell is more reasonable he confesseth loc cit that the conversion of Congo was accomplished by massing Priests and after the Romish manner and this action saith he which tendeth to the Glory of God shall it be concealed and not committed to memory because it was perform'd by Popish Priests and Popish means God forbid Now if God works miracles for the Conversion of Pagans to our Catholick Religion it must be confessed that either ours is the true Religion or that God deceives those poore soules which by our Ministery and his miracles are thervnto converted Besid's if what Protestants say and that whervpon they ground their Reformaâ—ions be true viz that for above 1000. years the true Church hath bin invisible or suppress'd and the world abused by Popish Impostors and counterfeited miracles c. the innocent and illiterat Papists who are supposed to have bin seduced seeme as fit an object for Divine mercy and miracles as the Indian Idolaters But seing not one vndoubted miracle hath ever bin wrought to convert them from Popery to Protestancy it must necessarily follow that either God doth not approve of Protestancy or hath altered the vsual Stile of his providence which never failed to work miracles for the conversion of the Israelits and Hereticks when most guilty of heresy and idolatry T' is strang he should not observe the same custom with Popish Christians and convert them by the means and miracles of holy Protestants if these be his chosen people and sent by him to preach the Ghospel Not on Protestant Preacher could hitherto be prudently taken for an ordinary Prophet or for a person of extraordinary piety even the first Protestant Reformers are convicted of dishonest dealing and scandalous conversation and are farr from that degree J do not say of sanctity but of morality requir'd in men pretending to reform others We grant that a true Religion may be abused by the wickedness of it's Professors yet never was the truth of Religion planted or revived by the ministery of wicked persons Let us run over all Christendom and we shall find every Province therof converted to the Roman Catholick Religion by men not only Apostolical in their lives and conversation but also in Miracles We shall find not to leave our own Ilands an Austin in England a Patrik in Ireland a Columban in Scotland and almost in every county of these Kingdoms a miraculous Saint that converted our Ancestors to Popery How
Protestancy an infallible mark of a false Church and of Hereticks whose endeavor saith Tertullian Is not to convert Pagans but to pervert Christians Negotium est illis Haereticis non Ethnicos convertendi sed nostros evertendi Their success in that particular is no argument that God approves of their Religion but is only a sign of our human frailty and perverse inclinations to vice and liberty And they who say that the Protestant Reformation needs no other miracle to prove that it is Divine but it's propagations mistake and misapply the argument the miracle consists not in that many embraâ—â— Protestancy but rather in that any at all reject or forsake a Religion so favorable to sensuality of liâ—â— and singularity of judgment Is it not an argument and a miracle of God's special and super-natural grace that any one temporal Catholick Soveraign reject so absolut and advantagious a jurisdiction over these Subjects as the spiritual supremacy That Bishops preferr the Catholick subordination to the Pope before the Protestant equality That Catholick Priests contemn the conveniences and coâ—â—â—nt which Protestant Ministers find in a married life 〈◊〉 â—hat the Catholick laytâ— change not their wives or husbands according to the principles and practises 〈◊〉 Protesâ—â—â—cy and not only contradict their senses in the 〈…〉 Transubstantiation but dis-own the Protestant pretended right of every privat person to judg according to his own sense of 〈…〉 all controversies of Christian Religion A Reformation so indulgent and obliging to every man and woman of what â—â—ate and condition soever could as litle want Proselies as the 〈◊〉 neither is the multitude of believers more a miracle 〈…〉 Pâ—â—â—estant then in the Mahometan or any other popular 〈◊〉 pleasing Religion SECT VIII Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their justifying faith with justice or civil Government Demonstrated in the new setlement of Irland and in the persecution against Catholicks in England and yet the King and his government vindicated from the note of Tyrany or the breach of publick faith because his Ministers are compell'd by a necessity of state to run with the spirit and principles of Protestancy Notwithstanding all which the Irish and English Roman Catholicks are bound in conscience not to attempt the recovery of their right or Religion by arms but rather to submit them-selves to his Majesty and suffer their crosses with Christian patience All Protestants agree in the doctrin of Iustification by only faith but seem to differ in that of good works And though all necessity of good works be in very deed excluded by the pretended sufficiency and efficacy of the Protestant justifying faith for in what need can a man stand of good works if he be sure of his justification and by consequence of his salvation by only faith But the scandal of the world at their dispensing with the observation of the ten Commandments as things not required by Christians and cleerly inferred from their Iustification by only faith was so general that they disguised but never disown'd the doctrin and do yet stick to their principle though they dare not openly allow the consequences They speak so sparingly in favour of good and gracious works that no one Protestant Church will attribute to them any merit congruity or influence vpon either justification or salvation In so much that our Prelaticks who are more modâ—â—at then any other Protestants in this particular will not grant that good works are commanded by God as if they were depending of our liberty or relating to our endeavors but only are commanded as vnavoydable effects flowing necessarily from a Protestant and justifying faith as heat from fire or fruit from the tree The Prelatick Church of England in the 11. Article of it's Religion saith We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our own works or deservings Wherfore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholsom doctrin and very full of comfort And in the 12. Article declares All beit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification can not put away our sins and endure the severity of God's Judgment yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith in so much that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit This explanation concerning the necessity of good works makâ— men as carless of them as if they had bin impossible or not at all requisit Because we are not solicitous of what we are sure of he who is well clad and sits by a good fire fears not to be starv'd with could neither doth he think it necessary to vse any other exercise or diligence for keeping him-self warm If therfore good works do spring out as necessarily of a true and lively faith as heat from fire or fruit from the tree any Protestant that supposeth him-self hath that faith needs not be solicitous of good works they will spring as a necessary consequent from his faith But because experience doth shew that the Protestant who pretends to a justifying faith hath not always good works and many who are not Protestants exercise moral virtues it is further declared by the Church of England in the 13. Article for the comfort of Protestants and confusion of Papists That even the best moral works and virtues when they spring not of faith in JESUS Christ are no way pleasing to God but rather have the nature of sin Hence it is our English as well as other Protestants hould expressly with Luther That good works take their goodness of the worker and that no work is disallowed of God vnless the Author be dis-allowed before that sin is not hurtfull to him that actually believeth and therfore when the faithfull do sin they diminish not the glory of God all the danger of sin being the evell example to our neighbour That David when he committed adultery was and remained the Child of God that sin is pardoned as soon as committed the believing Protestant having received forgivness of all his sins past and to come And that there is no work better then other to make water to wash dishes to be a Sower or an Apostle all is one to please God That he who doth once truly believe cannot afterwards fall from the grace of God or loose his faith by any sins and therfore faith is either perpetual or no faith What a wide gap is opened by this wicked doctrin to all kind of vice libertinism and rebellion is more visible in it self then considered by well meaning Protestants who may tax the most dissolut of their brethren with being evill Christistians but must withall confess them to be good Protestants as not violating the principles of their Religion by which they are encouraged to justify the most wicked actions by
1260. years And pag. â—4â— From the time of Constantine vntill these our days even 1260. years the Pope and his Clergy hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians And their chief Doctors ingeniously acknowledg that their Churches were either so obscure or so opprest that notwithstanding their own serious examinatiâ—â— and diligent search into all histories both sacred and profane they can not find in the space of at least 1300. years as much as a record or Tradition of any on person to beare witness that their faith sense of Scripture or Reformation was preach't by Christ and his Apostles Sebastianus Francus in ep de Abrog Statutis ecclesiast saith Statim post Apostolos c. Presently after the Apostles times all things were turneâ— vpside down c. And that for certain through the work of Anti-christ the externall Church togeather with the faith and the Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these 1400. years the Church hath bin no wher externall and visible Peter Martyr so much commended by Calvin and sent for by Cranmer to help to frame the Religion of the Church of England pag. 462. of his work de caelibatu votis saith as for the judgment of the Fathers because our Adversaires the Papists both in this and other controversies are accustomed to appeale to them J do not think it the part of a Christian to appeale from the Scriptures of God to the judgments of men And pag. 476. So long as we go no further then the Councells and Fathers we shall always remain in the same errors This Sophister would faine make Protestants believe that the question is whether the Fathers sense of Scriptures ought to be preferred before the sense of the Protestants them-selves confess that both Councells and Fathers are contrary to their interpretation Whitaker on of the learned'st Protestants that ever writ answering Duraeus and acknowledging the truth of the assertion coms off with this poore evasion l. 7. pag. 478. Jt is sufficient for us to know by conferring the Popish doctrin with Scripture that they do not agree let Histories say what they list So litle do the Ecclesiastical Annals favour Protestancy that never any point therof is mentioned without mentioning also how it began and was comdemned as heresy Now let Protestants examin our Roman Catholick witnesses we do not stop as they must at the last age 1500. we produce in every Century of years the most eminent persons for Sanctity and learning that then lived who not only professed our faith living but also dying as by the Traditions of all Christendom their own writings and the confession of our Adversaries is manifest wherof the Divines of Magdeburg hertofore quoted writ copiously in their Centuries These Fathers and Doctors of the Church in each respective Century delivered the Roman Catholick faith to the next succeeding not as a privat opinion of their own but as the publick pure primitive Apostolick saith which they had received as such from the precedent age confirmed by the vnanimous testimony of their known Catholick immediat Predecessours What exceptions or objections can Protestants pretend against the holy and learned Fathers so impartial Iudges and witnesses They could not be ignorant of what was the publick and vniversal faith or Church in their times and they were men of so great integrity that they would not for any temporal interest conceale the truth in a matter wherof depended eternity They were not angry saith S. Augustin disputing against the Pelagians advers Julian l. 2. prope finem lib. 3. c. 17. lib. 4. c. 12. neither at you or vs what they have found in the Church that they have holden they have taught what they have learn't what they have received from their fore-fathers they have delivered to posterity The most learned Protestants decline the Fathers judgment and testimony for no other reason but because they find them to be Roman Catholicks in their writings so that the question is not whether they by for vs but whether their testimony for vs averring that the Roman Catholick sense of Scripture is the same which Christ and his Apostles deliuered ought to be preferred before the contrary testimony of Luther Calvin Cranmer or of the other Convocations and Parliaments of England of Edward 6. and Queen Elizabeth who prove not their reformed sense of Scripture by ancient tradition but by a new arbitrary interpretation of Scripture And in what Court of Judicature would such an vncertain guess pass for a legal proof Wheras tradition is the only evidence wherby the greatest civil controversies even of regal successions and titles are decided in the Protestants Courts Therfore it ought not to be excluded as superfluous or superstitious from the Church SVBSET III. AS to their exception that the Roman Catholick Church is but a part and ought not to be judge of all other Christians we answer that not by all Christians but by on part were all controversies in the Church decided since the Apostles times and the other part which did not submitt to the judgment of that one in matters of faith and disciplin were censured hereticks That the Judgment and censures in all ages were issued but by on part and this the Roman Catholick party that lived in communion with the Bishop of Rome and the Councells that acknowledged his jurisdiction we prove by the confessed examples of every Century In the first the controversy of the legal ceremonies was determined by S. Peter and the Apostles in a Councell wherin S. Peter presided Act. 15. In the second Century the Christians were divided about celebrating E'aster the controversy was decided by S. Victor Bishop of Rome as S. Peter's successor and because the Churches of Asia would not conform themselves to his sentence he excommunicated them Euseb. l. 5. hist. c. 23. 24. And though S. Irenaeus approved not of S. Victor's severity yet he never questioned his jurisdiction or supremacy or the legality of his censures And because some Christians persisted obstinatly in not conforming to the Pop's Decree of celebrating Easter they were for that obstinacy declared hereticks and as such numbred in Catalogues by S. Epiphanius haeres 50. S. Augustin haeres 26. and by Tertullian de praescript in fine and called Quarto-decimans In the third Century by the Pope Cornelius and his Roman Councell the Novatian heresy was condemned Euseb. ex versione Rufini lib. 6. histor cap. 33. and though there were not as many Bishops in that Roman Councell as at Trent yet the whole Church thought the authority sufficient and legal to declare the Novatians hereticks The same Pope and Stephen his Successour condemned such Christians as thought and taught that they who had bin baptised by hereticks ought to be rebaptised In the forth Century the Arian heresy was condemned by the Councell of Nice wherin were but 318. Bishops whose testimony was thought sufficient and legal against a far greater
would follow the greater the authority is the more slow we ought to be in submitting therunto or which is the same the more inclined God is to truth and the more powerfull he is to practise the same and to keep the Church stedy to truth the more slow we ought to be in believing the Church or God's known Ministers and Messengers SECT XIV Reasons for liberty of Conscience and how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the state by continuing and pressing the sanguinary and penal statutes against the Roman Catholick faith and the Act of vniformity against sectaries THere is not any thing more damnable to soules or more dangerous to states then to make the laws of the land the rule of faith and temporal statuts the ground of spiritual jurisdiction It is endeed Christian piety to fence and favour Religion with Imperial edicts and Royal Decrees and therfore it was prophecied of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Mothers but to found the belief of eternal verities and of Christian Religion vpon temporal statuts and to frame the doctrin of the Church and the Caracter of the Clergy according to Acts of Parliament and to the interest of the Prince is neither piety nor policy in lawfull and vndoubted Soveraigns What Queen Elizabeth did to salue the sore of her illegitimacy was as great a prejudice and ought as litle be made a president to the royall family of the Stewards as Oliver Cromwel's Tyrany the laws and Religion of both equaly tending to it's total ruin and exclusion from the Crown with this only difference that Queen Elizabeth destroy'd the Stewards by reforming the Old Religion whervpon their right was grounded but Cromwell destroy'd them by reforming the New Religion whervnto they had conformed and wherby they endeavored to setle their Throne And indeed Souveraigns can expect no greater security or better success then the Royal family of the Stewards hath had whilst the Religion which their Subjects profess hath no other certainty or setlement but what is received from an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture confirmed by temporal statuts That the Protestant prelatick Religion hath no other rule but this and the laws of the Lands is manifest by so many changes of it's articles liturgy caracter and Translations of Scripture by publick and Parliamentory authority That it hath no certainty from it's own principleâ— is manifest by the acknowledged fallibility of that Church and by the liberty of interpreting God's word and by the prerogative of judging controversies of faith which the Tenets of all the Reformations and example of the first Reformers allow to any particular person that will claim the privilege of a reformed Christian or the spirit of a godly or guifted Protestant This liberty of professing and the vncertainty of protestancy having proved in all places and persons wherunto it had access a seed of rebellion destructive not only of the substance of Religion but of the tye of alleigance it was thought necessary for the preservation of Princes and the peace of their subjects to reduce the variety and regulat the extravagancy of the dissenting reformed doctrines into publick professions of protestancy as sutable to the interest of the souveraigns and inclinations of the subjects and customs of their Countries as could be devised And because the government of England continued Monarchical and that Episcopacy doth favor Monarchy and is essential to Parliaments the protestancy of the Church of England was made prelatick notwithstanding the incoherency of Episcopacy with the very foundation of the first and pure pretended reformations And seing ther is such antipathy between the caracter of Episcopacy and the principles of protestancy that the Church of England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths reign durst not claim that caracter or any spiritual jurisdiction by succession from the Apostles and their successors the ensuing Catholick Bishops it was content to receive both as also the confirmation of it's prelatick doctrin from an vnheard-of spiritual supremacy of a lay Prince and from Acts of Parliament and so was it made the legal Religion of the state contrary to the principles both of the ancient Catholick faith and of the new protestant reformations How contrary this setlement of prelatick protestancy by a persecution of Popery is to Christian piety may easily appeare to them who will remember what hath bin sayd hertofore of the sanctity antiquity and continuall succession of the Roman Catholick Religion from the Apostles to this present and reflect vpon the principles begining and progress of protestancy in general and of the prelatick in particular How inconsistent with policy it is to press by the severity of laws a profession so generally dislik't as the prelatick it being contrary to the ancient Religion and not agreeing with the new Reformations experience hath demonstrated when not only all foreign Roman Catholick Princes and people stood neuters not much concerned whether Protestant Prelacy or Presbytery should prevaile in England they pittied indeed the Royal family and wish'd them good success against their rebellious subjects but this they wish'd to them as Princes not as Prelatiks not only Isay foreign Catholicks were neuters but all the Protestant Churches abroad were more inclined to favor the Presbiterian and fanatick English and Scotch Congregations then the King's Religion for that they come neerer to them and to the primitive and fundamental principles of Protestancy The reason why the Prelatick persuasion is so odious to the reformed Churches abroad and so opposed by Presbiterians and other Protestant Congregations at home is because the formality of it's ceremonies and the legality of it's discipline are incompatible with the primitive spirit liberty and principles of protestancy The protestant Bishops would fain Lord it over their brethren not content with the name and power of Protestant superintendents they strive to imitat the authory and severity of the Catholick Episcopal jurisdiction in their Courts and do what they can to retain a ceremonious decency in there Churches but neither is agreable with the nature and spirit of the Protestant Reformations which consist in an independency and exemption from all spiritual superiority and ceremonie of a particular person being supreme Judge and Interpreter of Scripture This spiritual judicature is the spiritual birth-right of every Protestant and the ground wherupon Luther and his followers raised their reformations and their new sense of the Ghospel Wherfore the resâ—raiâ— of this Protestant evangelical liberty and birth-right by the rigor of our lawes in favor of the prelatick jurisdiction and disciplin must needs make the law-makers and their religion as odious to all zealous Protestants as liberty of opinion and fancied Scripture are deere to a stubborn and humorâ—om peopâ—â— Let it then be maturely considered whether any thing can be more daungerous to the safety of the Soveraign or to the tranquillity of the state then to enact lawes
are now superfluous and disrespectfull to the Royal Family that Reigns but such as have the honor to know him best assure us his Lâ—p is no great friend to Pâ—pists Lastly whosoever will call vnto mind the mis-chief which but a few members of the House of Commons of the long Parliament wrought against the late King and will observe how popular others of the same stamp are now and how apt the giddy multitude is to be fool'd again into Rebellion by the like madd zeale against Popery will be of opinion that not any on thing can be of so great prejudice to the peace and prosperity of England as the continuance of lawes which if executed make the Nation and Government SVBSECT II. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statuts against Popery I Will conclude this matter with answering the vulgar Objection made for vindication of the penal and sanguinary lawes of Queen Elizabeth against Roman Catholicks grounded vpon a parity of the like lawes executed by Queen Mary and the Jnquisition against Protestants The disparity will discover the fallacy and dissolue the force of their argument Neither Queen Mary nor the Jnquisition made any lawes against Protestants they were made by the first Christian Emperours and accepted by all Catholick Kings into the statuts of their Kingdoms and confirmed by their Parliaments The ancient Christian Soveraigns not only believed that the Roman faith was the Apostolick but found by experience the same Roman Catholick faith had peaceable principles agreablâ—â—o just Government and therfore they enacted lawes of death infamy confiscation of goods c. against all such as presumed to alter that doctrin declaring such as contradicted the Tenets therof to be Innovators and Hereticks When protestancy began in England they who preach't the new doctrin being conscious of their own guilt and of having incurred the penalties of these ancient Christian lawes then in force against Innovators and Hereticks and in particular against the marriage of Priests with Nuns proceeded other-wise Zozomen hist. lib. 6. cap. 3. affirmeth how that the Christian Emperour Jovinian who was in course the third Emperour after Constantin the Great published an Edict that who allured a Nun to mariage should be therfore punished with the loss of his head And this law is yet extant Câ—d l. de Episcopis Câ—â—ricis But they I say petitio to the Parliament of Edward â— to have those 〈◊〉 repealed wherby you may see how they acknowledged their own doctrin was Heresy whervpon they werâ— dispensed with to marry and all the 〈◊〉 lawes against Herâ—tickâ— and heresiâ—â— were repealed Queen Mary succeeding restored the ancient lawes that had bin repealed by King Edâ—â—â—d 6. togeather with the ancient Religion but she was not the Author of them as Queen Elizabeth was of the penal and sanguinary statuts against Priests and Roman Catholicks which never had bin heard of before her time in a Christian Kingdom or Common-wealth Jn like manner the Inquisition maâ—â— no new lawes against Protestants neither do they sentence them to death they only declare that they are Innovators of the ancient Catholick doctrin or Hereticks and then the secular Magistrats do execute the temporal lawes in foâ—â—e against such persons If protestants had not found themselves guilty of heresy why were they so solicitious to have the laweâ— â—hat had bin â—â—acted against hereticks not lately but during those venâ—â—â—ble 〈◊〉 of the priâ—â—tive Church repealed why did 〈…〉 if their doctâ—â—â— was the â—â—me with that of â—he ancient Fathers that lived in times wherin the Imperial lawes were made and in force what needed they to except against lawes which had bin enacted to favour the doctrin of those Fathers with whom they pretend to agree Queen Mary therfore and the Inquisition who proceeded acâ— willing to those ancient â—â—wes against protestants did nothing but what all Christian and Catholick Emperours and Kings had don for the space of 1300. years against hereticks But Queen Elizabeth took the quite contrary way she observed that according to the principles of Christianity as also according to the ancient and modern lawes of England her self could not enjoy the Crown having bin declared illegitimat by sundry Acts of Parliament never repealed nor the Stewards be excluded they being the lawfull and immediat Heirs and because the Queen of Scots from whom they derived their title was a Catholick Queen Elizabeth made her-self and England Protestant that is by Acts of Parliament she declared that all the Catholick Emperours Kings and Churches of the world for almost 1300. years had bin superstitious and Idolatrous that the Bishop of Rome was Anti-Christ the Catholick Clergy Cheats the sea of Rome the whore of Babylon spiritual Jurisdiction a shee and secular supremacy the sacrifice of Christ's body and bloud a blasphemy five of the seaven Sacraments human invention and corrupt following of the Apostles Priesthood and Episcopacy nothing but a lay Ministery authorised vnder the Soveraign's great seâ—le all lawfull Priests and Bishops Traytors all Catholicks Hereticks c. And all these absurdities were made legal in England to make her Father's marriage with Anne Bullen seem lawfull wheras it had bin declared null and invalid by so many Parliaments of England that her self durst not attempt an immediat and cleer repeale of Acts so notoriously inconsistent with the right that herself pretended â—o the Crown Tâ—at 〈…〉 and men who expected favors from her should so metamorphose sacred things into profane Scripture into fancy and illegitimacy into legitimacy we do noâ— admire neither is it strange that illiterat people after a Century of years continuance and education in such a Religion should be zealous in the maintenance therof or that a Clergy which hath no other livelyhood nor hopes of promotion but by justifying these proceedings should endeavor to continue her lawes against orthodox Christianity and the known truth for their own interest are frailties incident to men but that the nobility and Gentry of England being so well vers'd in their own Chronikles and in the Histories of other Nations that persons of so much witt knowledg and judgment should not when they meet in Parliament move and resolve to restore Christianity and rectify so gross and vulgar mistakes especialy since the family against whose succession the statuts had bin introduced is restored to the Crown this 〈◊〉 or oblivion I say of the English 〈◊〉 and nobility iâ— hardly excusable And if the 〈◊〉 will not be moved out of charity to their fellow subjects and 〈◊〉 to abolish the sanguinary and penal Laws against Roman Catholicks let them do it out of civility to the Royal Family against whose party and Title so injust Laws were â—â—acted There is not therfore any thing 〈◊〉 more Queen Elizabeths penal statuts then to compare 〈◊〉 wiâ—h Queen Mariâ—â— and the Inquisitions proceedings against Protestants It 's now time that we pass from the examination of
could not otherwise be admitted but however though it was lawfull to begin with such beggarly rudiments yet it behooved the learned grave and godly Ministers of Christ to endeavour farther and set forth somthing more refiâ—ed from filth and vncleaness How great a Cheat Calvin was had bin partly sayd heretofore but whosoever desires to be fully informed of his particular villanies and hypocrisy let him read his life writen by Ierom Bolseck Anno 1577. There he will find how Calvin continued to practise his execrable Sodomy adultery c. How he compassed the Heretick Servetus his death vnder the pretence of Heresy though Calvin him-self wrot a book a litle before to prove that no Heretick ought to be put to death for his Religion but the true cause oâ— his quarell to Servetus was the frauds and falsifications that Servetus had discovered in Calvin's Institutions and published them How he banished from Geneva divers Ministers and Gentlemen that did not favour his way and how he forged letters and suborned an Italian to make Peter Waldâ—â—â—â—â— and the Balâ—asars Traytors but they cleered them-selves and the Lords of Bern gave publick Testimony of their innocency and of Calvin's knavery How this Cheat to make him-self famous devised divers letters and other works in praise of him-self and published them vnder the name of one Galatius and others But Peter Veretus Minister of Lausaâ—a found out the truth and threatned to discredit Calvin who to pacify Veretus writ to him that it was expedient by such means to get in credit for their cause and that he meant shortly to do as much in the commendation of him and Farellus also and so stopt his mouth How Calvin after that he had broken and defaced the Jmages of Christ and Saints in Geneva caused his own picture to be set vp in divers places and vsed also to give litle pictures and Images of him-self to Gentle-women and Gentle-men to carry about their necks And when on tould him that some thought much of this he answered he that cannot abide it let him burst for enuy And twenty more the like But from their Apostle Calvin let us return to his flock the English exiled Clergy This Sentence of Calvin saith Heylin was of such prevalency with all the rest of that party that such who formerly did approve did afterwards as much dislike the English Liturgy and those who at first had conceived only a dislike grew afterwards into an open detestation of it But in the end to give content to such as remained affected to the former Liturgy it was agreed vpon that a mixt form consisting partly of the order of Geneva and partly of the Book of England should be digested and received till the first of April consideration in the mean time to be had of some other cours which should be permanent and oblidging for the time to come Here the Reader may observe the hipocrisy and impiety of this Protestant Clerâ—â— In England they imposed this Liturgy vpon the whole Kingdom as agreable to the word of God and the work was pretended to have bin composed by the assistence of the Holy Ghost words of the Statut wherby it was made legal and thousands of Catholicks were slain in many shires of England by the Protector 's forces because they would noâ— accept of it in steed of the Mass and now they who preach'd and press'd this violence against Recusants contemn and reject their own doctrin and disciplin But as soon as Queen Elizabeth was in possession of the Crown these very men who in Germany had so often changed and condemned their English Liturgy and Religion now to become Bishops turned again in England with the times and were the chief 〈◊〉 of that Church Horn was named to the Sea of Winchester Grindal to that of London Sandys to Worcester Parkhurst to Norwich and Whitehead was offered if you believe Heylin the Archbishoprick of Canterbury c. And being thus exalted were never contented vntil they had penal and sanguinary Statuts enacted against Priestâ— and Popish Recusants for not conforming to that doctrin and Liturgy these godly Prelats had so much sleighted and altered in Germany and postpon'd to â—â—lvin's disciplin and were ready to do the same or wors again in England if occasion had bin offered After that the English Liturgy had bin thus forsaken and despised in Germany D. r Kâ—x who had bin Schoolmaster and Almonâ—er to King Edward 6. arrived at Franckford and could with no patience saith Heylin endure the rejection of that Liturgy in the drawing vp wherof him-self had a principal hand and therfore disturbes the new disciplin Wittingham and Knox procured an Order from the Magistrat against Kox his desâ—ign but Kox accuseth Knox for treason against the Emperour and therfore Knox is commanded by the Senat to depart from Franckford Kox procures Whitehead to be chosen for the principal Pastor appoints two Ministers for Elders and foure Deacons for Assistants then gives an account to Calvin excusing him-self that he had proceeded so far without his consent By the way you may see that Kox was then a good Calvinist in disciplin though afterwards he became a Prelatick 1. Eliz. when he got the Bishoprick of Ely Whitehead not able to rule such a contentious Congregation resign'd his place to Horn between whom and on Ashley were such factions and divisions that Horn with his Elders were forc't to forsake their Offices and Ashleys party got the better and composed a Book of disciplin according to the rules wherof the Congregation was govern'd The Magistrat not able to agree the difference sends for Cox and Sandys to compose it but to no purpose They who stood for Ashley's new disciplin got the power into their hands whervpon Horn and Chambers depart to Strazburg Such were the troubles and disorders saith Heylin in the Church of Franckford occasioned first by a dislike of their publick Liturgy before which they preferred the nakedness and simplicity of the French and Genevian Churches and afterwards continued by the opposition made by the general Body of the Congregation against such as were appointed to be Pastors and Rulers over them An other argument of the sincerity and Religion of this Clergy is that during the Reign of Queen Mary in England they taught and printed that the Government of women is against the Law of nature and not to be endured by Christians but as soon as she dyed they writ and preached the quite contrary in favour of Queen Elizabeth whom they were not content to make temporal head of the common-wealth but supreme Governess of the Church in all Spiritual affaires we have seen their proceedings in Queen Maries days now to Queen Elizabeths SECT IV. Abominable Frauds and willful Falsifications of the Protestant Clergy in Queen Elizabeths reign to maintain their doctrin set forth vnder the name of an Apology and defence of the Church of England AFter that Queen Elizabeth by giving hopes
chalenged them to name him Who hath layd hands on you how and by whom are you consecrated saith Harding and Stapleton How chanced then Mr· Iewell that you and your fellowes bearing your selves for Bishops c. have taken vpon you that Office without any Imposition of hands J ask not who gave you Bishopricks but who made you Bishops Me thinks Iewell and his Camerades the first Protestant Bishops might easily have answered by only naming the person who consecrated them and the place of their consecration But not a word of this point Iewell indeed once attempted to answer something but it had bin better for himself and his Companions he had sayd nothing for his silence to the question might have bin interpreted a slighting of the demand by the Bigots of his Church that endeavor to make the most palpable absurdities probable answers in this and other Controversies Iewell therfore saith himself was a Bishop by the free and accustomed Canonical election of the whole Chapter of â—â—lesbury but to the question how he or Parker together with the first Bishops were consecrated or by whom not one 〈◊〉 After having first contented himself and by conseâ—â—nce Arch-bishop Parker and his other Camerades that were â—â—â—stioned with a bare election of the Chapter insteed of an Episcopal consecration yet he adds our Bishops are made in form 〈◊〉 Order as they have bin ever by free election of the Chapter 〈◊〉 consecration of the Arch-bishop and three other Bishops Heere we may observe both fraud and folly because he doth not answer to the question his adversary askes him how himself and the first protestant Bishops wherof Arch-bishop 〈◊〉 was one and the chief were consecrated and by whom 〈◊〉 lieu of answering Arch-bishop Parker my self and the other 〈◊〉 Bishop were consecrated by such a man and in such a place 〈◊〉 his Adversary our Bishops are made by consecration of the Arch-bishop c. Perhaps he meant that Arch-bishop Parker conâ—â—â—rated himself by imposition of his own hands therfore Harding tells him and how I pray you was your Arch-bishop himself consecrated For that was the question and main point of the Controversy what three Bishops were there in the realm to 〈◊〉 hands on him c. There were antient Bishops enough in England who either were not required or refused to consecrate you He alludes to the Bishop of Landaff who refused to consecrate them at the nags-head and to the Irish Arch-Bishop Creagh who refused also to lay hands on them though they offered him his liberty being then prisoner in the Tower if he would do them that favor What Parker Horn Jewell and none of the first Bishopâ— could do but some fiue or six yeares after their pretended conconsecration their successors of the Church of England have don above fifty yeares after They shewed in the yeare 1613. a Register not only with the names of Parker's Consecrators but with a description of the tapestry on the east-side of the Chappell read 〈…〉 Sermon Communion concourse of people c. at the solemnity of his consecration at Lambeth forsooth and yet neither Parker himself nor any Protestant or Catholick ever heard of such a solemnity Consecration or Consecrators when both parties were so highly engaged about the names of the place and persons and made it the subject of printed Bookes and all this their contest was in a time that it might have been soon ended by 〈◊〉 or Horn's only writing in their answers to 〈…〉 of their Adversaries the names of 〈…〉 place of their Consecration without troubling themselves with copying 〈◊〉 of the Registers the richness of the tapestry or the color of the cloath c. menmentioned by M. r Mason to make the fable credible by so common and ordinary stuff seing he durst not venture upon more individual circumstances But because no Protestant can believe so great 〈◊〉 was kept about â—â—thing M. r Mason Primat Bramhall D. r Heylin and all other modern prelatick writers endeavor to persuade the layty of the Church of England that the dispute between Harding and Jewell Stapleton and Horn was not about the validity but concerning the legality of the first Protestant Bishops consecration because forsooth Bishop Bonâ—er in his plea and Controvertists in their bookes only pretended that there was no law 1. Eliz. to warrant Edward 6. forme of consecrating Bishops Q. Mary having repealed the same with the booke of Ordination which Stapleton and the rest fancied was not revived with that of the common prayer 2. Elizab. by act of Parliament But though this evasion hath bin sufficiently confuted by the Author of the nullity of the Prelatick Clergy and 〈◊〉 of England against Primat Bramhall yet I admire he omitted these ensuing words of D. r Stapleton's which demonstrate our Catholick exceptions were not grounded upon Stapleton's persuasion of the want of Laws or statuts then in force for confirming the forme or Booke of Ordination but they were â—â—ther grounded upon a cleere evidence that though the sayd forme and Book of ordination was legal then yet there had bin 〈◊〉 Consecration at all performed For thus saith D. r Stapleton to Horn pretended Bishop of â—â—â—chester It is not the Princes only pleasure that maketh a Bishop 〈◊〉 there must be free election without either forcing the Clergy to 〈◊〉 or forcing the Chosen it seems Horn payd a good summ 〈◊〉 his Bishoprick to filthy bribery and also there must follow a 〈◊〉 consecration which you and all your Fellowes do lack and therâ—â—â—â— you are indeed no true Bishops neither by the law of the Church 〈◊〉 yet by the law of the realm for want of due consecration expressly required by an act of Parliament renewed in this Queenes dâ—yes in suffragan Bishops much more in you By which words 〈◊〉 appeares that the exception was not grounded vpon D. r Staâ—â—â—ton or any other Catholicks persuasion that Q. Elizabeth had not sufficiently renewed the booke and forme of ordination by 〈◊〉 act of Parliament 1. Eliz. but on the quite contrary and that though there was an act yet the Bishops could not be vaâ—â—â—ly consecrated according to that Act of Parliament that Stapleton says was renewed 1. Eliz. for want of a true Bishop to â—â—ercise that function not for want of any Law to authorise â—piscopal consecration all the Catholick Bishops who were named in her first commission having refused to act by her order and her Majesties Dispensation in her second commission not only with her own statute but with the very state and condition of the Protestant Consecrators who were not Bishops could not be of force to give them a spiritual caracter Wherfore M. r Parker Grindall Horn Jewell and the rest of the first Bishops who understood better their own condition then their Successours would seeme now to do resolved in their 〈◊〉 1562. to publish the 39. Articles made by Cranmer and his Junra but with some alteration and addition especially to that article
for refusing to Roman Catholicks a publick Trial of Falsifications and an amicable Conference of Religion makes the refusal yet more unreasonable Popery saith every Protestant is a growing Religion if disputes thereof be admitted we shall turn all Papists If they be not persecuted their profession will prevail If liberty of conscience be granted very few will frequent Protestant Churches The prelatick Clergys last reason is Venient Romani tollent locum nostrum If we come once to reason the matter with Roman Catholicks infallibly we shall loose our Revenues But I may assiure them that the Roman Clergy covet not their revenues if it be found that we have any right to the Church livings we will lay our pretensions at his Majesties feet and Petition the Pope as we did in Queen Marys days to leave all to the King and Parliaments disposal for the ease and defence of our fellow Subjects and the terror of our Enemies And as for our Religion being a growing Religion we cannot deny it and rejoyce that our Adversaries confess so much how could it otherwise be the Catholick or become universal Protestancy is confined to this Northern Climate notwithstanding its liberty of open and sensual allurements the Mahometan perswasion is propagated by force of Arms and multiplicity of Wives the Greek Schism is but a spite and spleen against the Primacy of Rome and therefore is justly Become a Slavery to the Turk No Religion but the Roman Catholick doth grow and flourish maugre the Storms of outwaâ—d Persecutions and the strength of our inward perverse inclinations aganst it we follow reason against the appearance of sense we prefer vertue before vice the judgment of the Church before our own and Heaven before Earth and therefore we are made Strangers in our own Country Straglers abroad Tennants at will of our own Estates and our lives stand at the mercy of every base Informer that will press the law against our Conscience and yet in this sad condition and circumstances our Religion doth increase and is acknowledged to be a growing Religion Ergo it is the true Catholick and not only the most safe for the Soul but the most convenient for the State especially of Great Britain as now shall more particularly appear SECT XIII The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how advantagious it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands THree things must concurr to make a Monarchy Powerful and Peaceable 1. Uniformity in Religion or at least Liberty of Conscience 2. Great Revenues of the Monarch without empoverishing by unusual and unimerciful Taxes the Subjects unless they be slaves 3 Men fit for Sea and Land Service These Islands afford the last the other two we want but may have them if we will by an Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience or for tolerating the old Faith of our Ancestors wherewith this Kingdom flourished in Peace and Prosperity for the space of 1000 years Such an Act I mean as may make legal one Profession but wherein there ought to be a Proviso that none of another suffer for his Conscience or Religion especially for the Roman Catholick That without Uniformity in Religion or without Liberty of Conscience it is impossible for a Monarchy to be long peaceable or powerful is manifest by Reason and Experience Reason doth dictate that when Mens minds are Discontented and Oppressed by Persecution for their Conscience they will hazard their all to be satisfied and saved their Rebellion against the Soveraign will be thought the ground of their Salvation or at least the only way to preserve their Posterity from being damned and brought up in the state false Religion Experience doth shew that diversity of Opinions if but one be permitted doth not only occasion Domestick differences as the parting of Man and Wife of Parents and Children Brothers and Sisters c. But is the cause of publick Inconveniencies as jealousies between Princes and Subjects from whence proceed civil Wars which are the greatest obstacle of Prosperity in an Empire or Commonwealth Whilst the Hugonots were persecuted in France France was not so considerable Here in England we are more afraid of persecuted Presbyterians Fanaticks and other Sectaries than of the French Danes and Dutch seeing therefore Liberty or Uniformity in Religion is so necessary for the Peace and Power of a Monarchy all States-men must grant the Religion fittest for the State is that which is most likely to be generally embraced if Men may have their free choice Now whether that be Protestancy or Popery is the question It is not Protestancy because 't is now a hundred years and more since it hath been endeavoured by all ways imaginable to bring the Subjects of the Crown of England unto an Uniformity in Protestancy even by Sanguinary and Penal Statutes and yet the design doth not take and indeed cannot Because it involves a contradiction for to be a Protestant is to have the liberty of opâ—ning and the gift of interpreting Scripture which Liberty and Prerogative is not consistent with a subjection of Judgment to the Authority and Interpretation of any Church or Councel and by consequence not with Unity of Faith Besides the Protestant Church whether Prelatick Presbyterian or Fanatick is not as much as pretended to be Infallible in Doctrine or in its Interpretation of Scripture and it 's a great vanity for a Church that professeth Fallibility in explaining the Scriptures and admitteth a liberty or Latitude of applying the Letter of the same to every private mans Spirit and Interpretation to oblige men to any unity or certainty of Faith and therefore our Acts of Parliament are so inefficacious Again Faith is not Christian unless the Believers hold it certain and no Believer can hold his own Faith certain if he submits and comforms his Judgment to the Doctrine and Decrees of a Fallible Church For that no man can think himself certain of what he knows may fail evident therefore it is that the Protestant Faith is neither Christian nor certain because the Professors thereof if they be guided by their confessed fallible Church must know that their Faith may be False The Roman Catholick Church seeing it is believed Infallible by all Catholicks may teach a Faith which must be thought by us to be Certain Conscientious Christian and by consequence convenient fit for both Soul and State How conscientious and Necessary it is for the Salvation of the Soul we have proved in this whole Treatise as also how convenient for the State now I will shew the same in a word and by the confession of our Adversaries It is a growing Religion say they therefore I infer
convenient and fit for that Uniformity of faith and union of Hearts which cements the People with their Soveraign and among themselves It is indeed so growing a Religion that it hath spread it self over the whole world not by force of Arms but of truth not by allowing leud liberty or licentiousness but by working miracles by professing and observing abstinence chastity poverty and obedience to spiritual and temporal Superiors by mortifying our Passions and the perverse inclinations of a spiritual pride and proper judgment this pride and property of judgment the source of Heresy we renounce by submitting our opinions to the Church acknowledging in the same God's Infallible assistance and authority and this our submission proceedeth not from simplicity credulity or rashness but we are induced thereunto by evident marks of Gods favour and providence clarly appearing in our Roman Catholick Church and in no other as Miracles Conversion of Nations Succession and Sāctity of Pastors c. whereby the most Learned Men of the World in every Age since the Apostles have been evidently convinced of an obligation to conform their Faith to a Church so supernaturally qualified and therefore did prudently believe that none but God is Author of the Roman Catholick Doctrine and we judge our selves bound under pain of damnation to follow their example For these Signs of Divine Providence are so far above the force and course of Nature and so visible to all the World that not only the Learned but all sorts of people who are not wilfully obstinate must confess a sufficient evidence of Gods Commission and Authority in our Church and by consequence they deny Gods veracity who contradict the Doctrine of a Congregation that hath so notorious and significant badges of his Divine trust for proposing Articles of Faith and composing all differences in Religion So that having for our guide a Church of so Authentick Authority a Testimony to rely upon so visibly confirmed by supernatural Miracles marks of Gods Commission the same Church must needs have his Infallible assistance in discharging her trust of instructing Mankind wherefore we Catholicks may do uniformly agree acquiess in her Difinitions with as little fear of being seduced as of God being the Seducer He must be very unreasonable who after being informed of these motives of credibility or marks of Gods Church will refuse to submit his judgment to so convincing arguments of the Divine Authority and this is the reason why not only the Natives of one Country or the Subjects of one Monarch but whole Kingdoms and Kings of most different tempers and interests do so easily constantly and unanimously submit and adhear to the Roman Catholick Religon both now and in former Ages whereas they who at any time opposed the same could never agree among themselves or with themselves but were and are divided into as many opinions as there are fancies or occasions offered of changing their inclinations or of raising their fortunes And now our States-men may easily conclude which of both Religions is not only most conscientious for the soul but most convenient for the power and peace of the State if they will reflect upon the different ways of planting and preserving both Religions the Catholick and Protestant To omit other examples let them consider how St. Austin our Apostle of England arrived at Kent with forty Monks and Preachers entred into Canterbury as our Adversary Fox confesseth p. 150. in procession with a Crucifix carried before him and singing Litanies and how they converted that Kingdom and all England from Paganism to the very same Roman Catholick Religion we now profess in every particular not by force of Arms or by Frauds of falsifying the Letter and Sense of Scripture but by working confessed Miracles in confirmation of our Roman Text and Sense of Scripture which they Preach'd and by the example of a Godly life How this same Religion continued for almost a thousand years in this Island and in all that time never was there any Rebellion upon the score of our Doctrine or of Interpreting of Scripture much less did the Subjects pretend Scripture or the Word of God to warrant a Superiority over their Sovereign or to try Him by a formal Court of Justice On the other side our Statesmen will find in all Histories and this Treatise that in this one Age since Protestancy began that Reformation hath not entered without Rebellion or Tyrany into any one Kingdom Country or City that he who first Preached this Reformation Luther did see it divided into more Sects than himself had years tho' he lived to be an old Man That never any of these Sects continued long without embroyling the State That never Miracle was wrought to confirm any kind of Protestancy nor the Author of any of these Sects or Reformations lived with the esteem I do not say of holy but of honest conversation No marvel therefore if People so naturally honest as the English cannot be brought to uniformity in a Reformation so unlikely to be Divine that was begun by a dissolute and drunken Friar who had no Rule of Faith but his own fancy the marvel indeed is that any sober man can be persuaded 't is possible to bring pious prudent men to reject the old Religion confirmed with so many supernatural signs renouned for so long successful subjection to Lawful Kings for a new fangled device introduced into England by an Illegitimate Queen in opposition to the Title and known right of our lawful Sovereigns Seeing therefore our Adversaries do confess that the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion even in this groaning and sad condition wherein we are kept in these Kingdoms who doubts but that if made the Religion of the State and countenanced by Law or even tolerated it will soon grow to such a hight that all other persuasions will be rendred contemptible and incapable of thwarting the Designs and Decrees that will be resolved upon by the King and Parliament when Law Religion and Reason walk hand in hand there is no room or pretext left for Rebellion upon the score of conscience And what can be more legal than an Act of Parliament what more agreeable to Religion and Reason than that every man ought to submit his judgment to Authority so Authentikly Divine and so prudently judged to be Infallible as that of the Roman Catholick Ghurch For what more convincing arguments can there be of Divine and Infallible authority than the undeniable Miracles Sanctity Succession both of Doctrine and Doctors Conversion of Kings and Nations c. of the Roman Catholick Church He who denies any of these must consequently resolve to believe nothing and even to doubt of himself of his Parents Country and Relations because no Man hath or can have a more credible Testimony or a more constant Tradition for any one of these particulars concerning his Parents Country c. than he hath for the Miracles wrought in
and this without the Popes positive approbation How much more lawful would it be for our Catholick Clergy to resign with the Poprs consent their Right and Revenues to the King upon so pious and publick a consideration as Liberty of Consciâ—nce and a Toleration of our true Faith and how rationally may it be presumed the Pope and all therein concerned will consent thereunto But in such a case how shall the Roman Catholick Clergy be maintained by Gods Providence and Christian Charity as they have been when our Ancestors were first Converted How are they now maintained in England Holland Japan and China Let us not be Solicitous for things of this World let us seek the Kingdom of Heaven and we shall not want There was never more Piety in the Church than when the Ministers thereof had no Lands Let the Finances or found of the Exchequer be settled in such a manner that the King need not trouble His Subjects unless it be upon some very extraordinary occasion and we may be confident that what can be spared will not be denied All must be left to the Piety and Prudence of His Majesty and His Ministers Let us who are but Passengers and private persons in this great Ship of the Commonwealth pray for fair weather that the Sun of Justice may shine and discover the dangers both of Soul and State whereunto these our floating Islands have been driven by the tempestous and cross winds of Protestancy and leave the rest to God and to such as he hath placed at the Helm The mist of Protestant Frauds and falsifications once disperced and falshood vanished into its own nothing through the force and evidence of truth our Masters will not be necessitated as now they are to steer the State according to the deceits of a mercenary Clergy or to the Decrees of a fallible Church And as they will enjoy the benefit of our Catholick Doctrine so we ought not to doubt but that we shall find the effects of their Christan Charity Peace and Plenty thus established at home then we may think of our Right and Interest abroad It s undeniable that the two best Provinces of France Normandy and Aquitain are our Kings antient Patrimony and undoubted Inheritance neither can his right to that whole Kingdom be much questioned seeing that the Salick Law if ever any such thing was extended no further than Franconia a Province of Germany and had it been intended for France the Line Male of the Kings thereof had not been so frequently changed but it seems the French would have one Law for us and another or none at all for themselves Our antient Kings regarded not this Salick Pretext they claimed by Law and conquered by Arms that great Empire But the difference between the white and red Rose occasioned the loss of our French Lillies when those differences were compos'd and the Titles of York and Lancaster united in King Henry 8. instead of recovering France he made a breach with Rome and by the Protestant Reformation which he began and his Successors continued they have been so diverted and distracted at home that they wanted both means and opportunity to prosecute their claim to the best Kingdom of Europe And indeed so long as Protestancy doth so much prevail in these Islands we may despair of having any Dominion in the Catholick Continent We have had late experience how the two emulous great Crowns of France and Spain conspired to recover contrary to the ordinary maxims and practises of state Dunkirk out of our hands neither was it bestowed upon us with any other intention then of taking it from us when a peace should be concluded tho' Cardinal Mazarin endeavour'd to make Cromwell believe the contrary But that which must make our hopes even of Normandy and Aquitain quite vanish is the prejudice which the generality and nobility of France and of those two mention'd Provinces retain against the Reformation which our former Kings not only professed but pressed upon others The Normans and Gascoins do love our King as their undoubted and natural Prince but they are so averse from being of his Religion that they had rather endure the hardships of a Jealous but Catholick Government then try and trust the Faith and Caresses of a Protestant And truly our proceedings in Ireland and the Principles whereupon we have grounded the Settlement of that Nation seem to have so little regard to the performance of Promises Solemnity of Treaties and engagements of publick Faith made to Roman Catholicks that few of that Profession will be induced to take a Protestants word or trust his Religion in another occasion seeing that notwithstanding the Kings inclination and Declaration to make good his Articles of Peace such is the priviledge of Protestancy and the Power or Prerogative it gives to the Protestant Multitude that a King cannot be just to Papists without running the hazard of being injurious to himself and of loosing his Crown by a Protestant Rebellion Is it likely that Catholick strangers will become Subjects to this Monarchy when the Catholick Natives are by our Laws made Strangers and incapable of Trust or Employment only because they are Catholicks Is it credible we shall maintain the Priviledges and Rights of Foreign Catholick Corporations when we make a Law that no Catholick shall enjoy his own Lands or freedom in our Corporations notwithstanding the express Articles of a proclaim'd Peace to the contrary in favour of the Catholick Natives Therefore unless we resolve to be more moderate in our Religion at home it is a vanity to claim our Right or to think of diverting our Enemies abroad As for designs built upon the Strength of the French Hugonots they can have no other ground but our desires that Party is brought so low in France that the King made his aversion to their Religion and Themselves no state secret and scrupled not to tell their Agents representing Grievances that though his Grandfather loved them and his Father feared them yet he did neither love nor fear them And truly all that England can expect from them is but the Presbyterian Prayers of Charenton and of their other Calvinian Congregations for the good success of Puritans against Prelaticks and Royalists But if the Catholick Religion were Restored or at least Tolerated in these Kingdoms by Act of Parliament we should be more formidable to the French Kings then ever our Ancestors have been and no less successful Normandy and Aquitain could have then no pretext to except against their Lawful Princes the Scots who always hindred would now help to Conquer the rest of that Kingdom The Princes of the French Blood could not be kept in such awe as they are at present if we had any footing in France and the odious Name and Faith of Protestants were by granting liberty of Conscience a little sweetned otherwise if the Princes who perhaps desire to favour any Foreigner whether Protestant or Catholick to make their Cousin less
Absolute did joyn with Protestants their Power would be rendred useless and themselves odious because they joyned with Persecutors of the Catholick Faith Besides the Spaniard whose Interest it is to have France divided and embroil'd would countenance our Designs and contribute to our Conquest if we Tolerated Catholicks which now he dares not do either for scruple of Conscience or at least for fear of loosing the Reputation and Name of the Catholick King that gets him so many grants of Church Revenues Comiendas and Cruzadas and so great Contibutions from the Clergy If he joyn'd with us as now we are in recovering our Right he would only gain the Name and Opinion of a Fautor of Hereticks and loose the Donatives and Devotion of his Church Friends and perhaps the duty of his Lay Subjects But if England did grant liberty of Conscience it were much more for his Interest to dispose of his Daughters and with them of Flanders to our Royal Family than to the German House of Austria Hitherto the Polititians of Europe have been employed in keeping the scales equal between France and Spain to the end neither of those two great Crowns might gain too far upon their Neighbours and so by degrees devour all petty States and Princes and afterwards endanger other Monarchs hence every Crown concerned it self not only in protecting Allies but in fomenting Rebellions as Q. Elizabeth did that of Holland and of the other Vnited Provinces But of late the case is altered Holland now Copes with England the Spaniard hath had so many losses of Armies Navies and Kingdoms that now he is more pittied then feared or envy'd and France is arrived to such a height of Power by uniting to it self the Provinces of Lorain Alsatia and Rossillon the Cities of Perpignan and Pignorole the Keys of Spain and Italy the greatest part of Artois And the most important Towns of Flanders and other Provinces and moreover the French King hath setled so vast a Revenue upon his Crown independent of his Parliament or of the vote of the People that he and France is become a terror to all Christian Princes which therefore censure our English Statesmen for not having closed in time with Spain and for having supported Portugal immediately after our Kings restauration we should rather say they have permitted Spain by recovering of Portugal to counterpoise France and put it self into a condition of revenging the manifold injuries done by the French to the Catholick and British Monarchies and thereby secure our selves and frustrate the designs and attempts which were foreseen would be made by so Powerful Prudent and warlike a Monarch as Louis 14. against England it being the likliest Kingdom to check his greatness and prevent his being universal Monarch Besides they say we could not but expect a visit from so unquiet emulous and neighbouring a Nation as France in case they were peaceable at home and Spain busied with Portugal we having visited them so often heretofore in their own Country and Court and indeed they never since have been at leasure nor in a Posture to return us a visit until now These reasons might have moved us to have had been more kind to Spain especially seeing our Alliance with Portugal for which we forsook Spain added not the Islands Azores or Terceras to our Empire as the World imagin'd it would the Portugueses not being in a condition to refuse any demands when they sought our Friendship and were abandon'd by the rest of the World This is the Discourse and Censure of strangers which being a meer matter of State we wave as improper for our Profession Yet common sense doth tell us that the Azores or Terceras could not be easily obtained at least not long enjoyed by Protestants seeing the Natives of those Islands are all Catholicks and rather then live in Persecution under a Protestant Government would in all likelihood have submitted to the Spaniard and we been Catholicks or tolerated Catholicks without doubt those Islands might have been ours What little advantages our Soveraigns are like to have in the other World by being Protestants hath been hitherto sufficienly declared in this Section we only shew how much they loose in this World by their Protestant Zeal of not Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion King James as the World knows was a very Wise Prince and thought it was the Interest of England to be in a perpetual League with Spain against France How far the Spaniards will engage with us at present or trust Promises and Articles confirm'd by the Protestant publick Faith I do not know but if by Act of Parliament we did tolerate Roman Catholicks it would be evident to the Spaniards themselves that it were greater conveniency and security for the Spanish Monarchy to Maâ—ch continually with the Princes of England then with the German Austrians and that it would be more for their purpose to give the Netherlands which are a vast charge to Spain and of no concern but to busie France as a portion with their Infantas to our Kings then to the Arch-Dukes or to the Emperors The reason is clear Our Kings cannot be diverted from Invading France and Relieving Flanders or Spain it self by Turks Swedes German Princes or Electors as the Emperor and Austrians may our King may secure their Spanish West-India Fleets frustrate all Attempts against them which the Emperors cannot Our Kings have an Hereditary Right not only to Normandy Aquitain and Anioâ— but to all France and this Right together with our former Successes in that Kingdom makes us look upon it still more as our own then some Titular Kings of Jerusalem do upon the Holy Land we retain still hopes of Calais the loss whereof occasioned Q. Maries Death This Hereditary Right and Hopes of recovering France makes us as irreconciliable to the French as the Spaniards are The German House of Austria hath no such grudge or ground of a perpetual and immediate quarrel against the French and therefore is not so fit to joyn in a league offensive and defensive with Spain against the French Kings as England is And the Peace of Munster shews that the German Austrians will forsake the Spanish Austrians sometimes and that their Interests may be separated as relating to France but the English and Spanish Interest in opposition to France are not separable Wherefore if any shall live to see England Tolerate Catholick Religion I doubt not but that he will see a more strict League and Alliance between England and Spain then ever hath been seen between Spain and Austria not only by Marriages of the Royal Families but much more by a mutual Wedding of each others Interest and then we may rationally expect at least Cautionary Towns in Flanders as convenient Places for our Retreat and for a free Passage into France or rather as absolute a Donation of the whole Countrey as the Arch-Duke Albertus had whereas whilst we continue Protestants or at least Persecutors neither will
the Spaniards hear of such a Proposition nor the Catholick Natives accept of us if their Masters would grant it The Spaniards understand how interwoven the Interest of their Monarchy is with ours in case we gave liberty to Catholicks but think it not policy to trust us much upon any other Terms and desire our Conversion or a Toleration not only out of Charity to others but out of Conveniency to themselves and therefore they were so earnest with our late King in Spain to renounce his Protestancy and some attribute to his aversion against the Catholick Profession the breach of the Spanish Match We see how they sent three Ambassadors one upon another to demand the late Royal Princess of Orange for the Prince of Spain not doubting but that in her tender years she would have been brought to be of her intended Spouse his Religion We have indeed been most Happy in the Person and Royal Issue of our Vertuous Queen and Gracious Queen Mother and yet the French confess they did not that Favour unto us for any Happiness they wished us but to compass their own ends and obtain some advantages of our late King when the Passion of love to his beautiful Spouse made him forget the reasons he had to be averse from matching in her Family Our Alliances with Spain are Conjunctions of both Monarchys against an irreconciliable and common Enemy France They are not only private Contracts between the Married Princes but publick concerns of their Loyal People The Puritans always oppos'd them for that they knew Matches with Spain engaged that Monarchy in crossing their Presbyterian Plots and designs against our Monarchs They would not have presumed to Rebel against Charles the I. had it not been the Interest of the French King to foment Rebellion against the Lawful Kings of England and the English Kings of France Whereas on the contrary 't is the interest of Spain to maintain the Right of our Kings encrease their Power and offer them Conveniencies and help to recover their own in France We may therefore say with Truth that the French King and Ministers seek our Alliance thereby to lessen our Power But the Spaniards to increase it We must judge of the Intentions of Princes by their Interests it is the Interest of Spain that England be Powerful it is the Interest of the French King to destroy both it and that Line which claimes a Right to France We see how much addicted he and his Ministers were to the late Usurpers and Rebels By their Kindness to Cromwel and to his Sons it doth appear they had rather any Line should reign then the Right And because our Kings Antient Right to France if they did favour Catholicks would in all liklihood give them footing in Normandy and Aquitain some Politians are of opinion that the French Statesmen like well enough of Protestancy in England How far their Christianity doth incline them to wish our Kings and these Kingdoms were Catholick we cannot tell but their Policy and Proceedings seem not shew any great Zeal for our Conversion fearing perhaps that Popery may make us Popular in France and put us into a condition of recovering our own To conclude this matter of State wherein I am engaged against my Will by the Impertinency and Importunity of our Adversaries pretending that our Cotholick Religion is disadvantagious to these Kingdoms and by reason of the too great influence such humane considerations as these have upon state Ministers in their choice and settlement of Divine Worship in Commonwealths I desire the Judicious Reader will reflect upon the Situation and Fertility of these Islands the honest disposition and Warlike Genius of the Inhabitants the irreconciliable quarrel of the French Kings to ours the interest of Spain in promoting these our Rights and then after mature consideration let him be Judge whether any Monarchy in Christendom hath such means and may make such Friends to raise it self without injustice into a great Empire And what great pity 't is that all these means and Friends are rendred unprofitable by our persecuting the old Faith and by professing a new Religion that divides us at home makes our Government odious to such as ought to be our Subjects abroad and deprives us of the true Friendship and Succours of Spain whose interest it is that we were or at least did Tolerate Catholicks and were so considerable as to gain our own or by endeavouring to regain France were able to divert the French from invading Spain Italy and Flanders This is as much as I thought fit and perhaps more then some will think I ought to say in a matter of this nature But something must have been answered to stop the mouths of our politick Controversors who continually harp upon this string of reason of state in their Books against the Roman Catholick Faith pretending to demonstrate that it is inconsistent with the Interest and Greatness of our Kings with the Peace and Prosperity of their Subjects Therefore leaving this Argument I will return to that which is more proper for my profession and shew how manifestly God hath confirm'd our Catholick Faith and confuted the Protestant persuasion by Miracles which are the greatest Evidence that is consistent with the nature and merit of Christian belief For every point wherein Protestants we differ I will relate Miracles wrought in favour of our Doctrine and our sense of Scripture against theirs not recorded by uncertain or obscure Authors but by the prime Saints and Doctors of the Catholick Church in the Ages wherein they lived THE FOVRTH PART The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant confirmed by vndeniable Miracles SECT I. That such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true miracles and the doctrin which they confirm can not be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he doth not reflect vpon them in confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith BY Miracles approved by the Roman Catholick Church I vnderstand such Miracles as induced the said Church to canonize and worship for Saints the persons by whose prayers or reliques they were wrought As for other miracles though I know many not mentioned in the Acts and Processes of Saints Canonizations are true so doubt I not but some vulgarly reported may be fals but that is a thing wholy impertinent to my design and the dispute against Protestants 'T is sufficient for my purpose and their confusion that some true miracles have bin and are wrought in confirmation of that Roman Catholick Doctrin which they deny or doubt of and we believe And first we are to know that no Confessors Martyrs have a priviledge Martyrdom it self being a notorious miracle are canonized or worshiped by the Roman Catholick Church before the Pastors therof see authentick proofs of supernatural miracles wrought by those Confessors or their Reliques
blessed water saying In the name of â—â—sus of Nazareth whom my Fathers crucified let there be vertue 〈◊〉 this water for the dissolving the charms don by these men Then 〈◊〉 Epiphanius he took some of the water in his hand sprinâ—â—â—â— the several enchanted Furnaces with it dissoluta sunt inâ—â—â—amenta the witchcraft ceased the fire burned the people who 〈◊〉 the wonder cryed aloud One God there is who helpes the Chriâ—â—â—â—ns and so departed Epiphanius cited in the precedent page relates an other miracle don by Ioseph upon a possessed man Ioseph saith he having shut the doores took water in his hands blessed it with the sign of the Cross besprinkled the raging man with it commanded the Devil in the name of IESUS to be goâ— and the possessed party was cured This miracle saith Epiphanius the Iews knew and great talk there was of it some sayd Iosephus had opened the Gazophylacium and finding there the name of God writ did the wonder by force of this name It was true he did the miracle but not as the Iews imagined Thus St. Epiphanius Of our Catholick Churches severe inquiry discovery and punishment of Counterfeits in this kind and al other sorts of miracles our Adversaries give testimony see Osianders epitom Centur 16. pag. 32. And the book intituled Two Treatises the first of the lives of Popes c. The second of Masse c. also of fals miracles wherwith Mary de la Visitation Prioresse de la Anunciada of Lisbon deceived very many and was discovered and condemned Englished and printed 1600. And see in the Addition in the end of that book an other like discovery and punishment in Sevill of one Father Lion See also such an other Discovery of fals miracles in St. Thomas Moores dialogue of veneration of Images Reliques c. l. 1. c. 14. so that our Catholick Bishops and Inquisitors are so far from contriving and concealing such practises that they publish and punish them with extreme rigor And this our sincerity in publishing fals miracles is the only evidence Protestants have to say that the true miracles are fals for thus they argue against us such a Nun or Friars miracles and revelations were fals as appeareth by our own discovery and punishment of the cheat therfore we have reason to suspect that none are true wheras if obstinacy did not prevail with them more then reason they should have inferred and believed the quite contrary conclusion Madre Luisa de Charion notwithstanding her prediction to our late King Charles that if he did not become a Roman Catholick he should be the most vnfortunait Prince in the world after some years of prosperity Notwithstanding I say this and many other predictions her continual fasting and seeming miracles she was by the Jnquisition kept in prison all her life and never declared innocent or free from illusions vntill after her death when God seemed to approve of her sanctity by vndeniable signs and testimonys Miracles of the Sacrament of Confirmation COnfirmation is a Sacrament of the new law as sacred and holy saith St. Austin lib. 2. contra lit Peril c. 104. as Baptism it self it is ministred vnto the baptized with the imposition of the hands of a Bishop and the amoynting with holy Chrism And therfore St. Vrban Pope and Martyr an 227. in his letter to all Christians saith All the faithfull ought to receive the holy Ghost after Baptism by the imposition of hands from a Bishop that they may be found perfect Christians becaus when the holy Ghost is infused the faithfull heart is dilated to prudence and constancy And an other Pope and Martyr Euseb. cp ad Episcop Tust Campan The Sacrament of imposition of hands is to be had in great reverence which cannot be don by any other but by the high Priests neither is it read or known to have bin don by any other in the Apostles tyme but by the Apostles themselves And Tertullian de carniâ— resurrect cap. 8. in lib. de Bapt. alluding to the nature of oyl wherwith we are anointed in the Sacrament saith the flesh is anointed that the soul may be consecrated the flesh is signed that the soul may me be fensed the flesh by imposition of hands is overshadowed that the soul by the spirit may be illuminated Hitherto Prelatick Protestants according to the 25. article of their 39. of Religion contemned the holy Sacrament of Confirmation as superstitious and corrupt following of the Apostles but since Episcopacy was cryed down in England by the Puritans they writ whole Treatises of the necessity and prayses of Confirmation not so much I fear out of any devotion themselves have to that Sacrament as to be end the people may bee devoted to their Episcopal caracter it being granted that only Bishops can confirm Christians Doctor Taylors Discours of Confirmation is an excellent Interlude all circumstances considered He proves the necessity and holines of Confirmation contrary to the 25. article of his faith then he proves that only true Bishops can confirm whence some say it followes that his Protestant Episcopacy is not for that purpose 3. he pretends that the Jesuits though he knowe the contrary are enemies to this holy Sacrament The question between Doctor Smith Bishop of Calcedon and them was not whether Confirmation were not necessary when it might be had conveniently but whether it were so absolutly necessary for salvation that the Catholicks of England ought to bring vpon themselves new persecutions for maintaining and harbouring a Bishop in that Kingdom to confirm them And Taylor approves pag. 66. the same by saying that Confirmation is not absolutly necessary for salvation 4. It is ridiculous to see how Doctor Taylor quotes Authors and books for Confirmation that in all other points of doctrin he rejects as vnworthy of credit amongst others a book of miracles wherof he believeth not one the old Ordo Romanâ—â—â— pag. 24. St. Iohn Damascâ—n pag. 76. Melchiades Pope pag. 44. the Apostolical Constitutions pag. 16. which in other matters he rejects as apocryphal Rupertus pag. 4. who in any thing not favouring Episcopacy Taylor contemnâ— as a Novice and too modern St. Bernard the Monk and St. Malachias the Bishop two acknowledged Papists 5. He is much troubled to see that these Authors call Confirmation a Sacrament and knows not how to English Sacramentum at last he resolves to translate it Rite and therfore these latin words of the Ordo Romanus which he sets down pag. 24. Omnino praecavendum esse ut hoc Sacramentum Confirmationis non negligatur the Bishop doth English thus we must by all means take heed that the Rite of Confirmation be not neglected And pag. 5. he saith St. Bernard in the life of St. Malachias my Prodecessor in the See of Down and Connot reports that it was the care of that Good Prelat to renew the rite of Confirmation in his Diocess Seing Protestants with Doctor Taylor value so much the testimony and faith
greater miracle then the propagation of Mahomets Religion SECT VIII OF the Protestant justifying faith how absurd and inconsistent with Christian virtues how dangerous to Princes and all civill government Cromwell was directed by it and it may raise many Cromwells It s as dangerous an opinion as Atheism and therfore cryed down by K. James in the Conference at Hampton Court yet can it not be disowned by the Church of England without disowning Protestancy and the Prelatick Religion How much the best Protestant Princes and their Ministers are forced to suffer by this justifying faith of their subjects what great errors in policy they much condescend vnto Proved by the settlement of Ireland The late Earle of Straffords project and policy to make Roman Catholicks considerable in Irland Protestant Monarchy is more supported by Jrish Popery then by Scotch or English presbitery How fallacious and dangerous a thing it is they call the English Protestant interest in Irland Jn all parts of the world where Protestancy is professed their own Authors confess that vice and villany must reign and there most where their justifying faith is purest The Roman Indulgences and Iubilees give no such liberty or indemnity as the justifying Protestant faith Wee Roman Catholicks ought to praise and thank our Soveraign and his Ministers for not feeling wors effects of this justifying faith and of Protestancy To vse us with Christian moderation they strive against the principles of their own Religion SECT IX THat the rule of the Protestant faith and judge of controversies which is Scripture as interpreted by every Protestant is not consistent with Christian Faith humility Charity peace either in Church or State All hereticks appeale to the letter of Scripture therfore Luther called it the book of hereticks Every particular person according to the fundamental principle of Protestancy must be a Supreme Iudge of Scripture Councells and Fathers and of the whole Church How ridiculous it is to see shallow wits and silly women explain Scripture condemn Councells Fathers and the whole Catholick Church which folly proceeds from want of judgment humility charity and Christian faith It occasioned our late troubles and rebellion which was grounded vpon the Principles of Protestancy A Protestant people cannot be otherwise governed then a people wherof every one by priviledge or birthright may appeale from the law interpreted by publick Courts of Judicature to the law interpreted by every privat person The Protestants imaginary general Councells and their appeales therunto discovered to be a cheat to divert and delay any determination of religious controversies Every Protestant is a Pope more absolute and dangerous then the Bishop of Rome K. James his saying that every Protestant in the house of Commons was a King by his Religion How little the oath of Supremacy contributes to the Kings Soveraignty or Security or to the subjects loyalty The Protestant rule of faith is but every ones fancy applyed to the words of Scripture And therfore they often change according to their weakness of judgment or strength of passion Auditius his expression of their monthly faith and Melanctons saying both Protestants that they knew whom to avoid but knew not whom to follow are ingenuous The Protestant confessions and articles of faith composed and professed by every national Church oblige not the members of those Churches because the Collectors and composers of such articles are not infallible and will be thought not to agree with Scripture at least as every particular person will explain it The 39. Articles of the Church of England are so ambiguous that they may be applyed to all dissenting Tenets of Protestants both at home and abroad and therfore are printed and pressed in England to satisfy disagreeing parties and yet no party is contented with that indifferent symbol though each party callenges them in some occasions as favoring their own opinions nor any thing more contrary to piety and policy then articles so applicable to contrary Tenets and interests An arbitrary Religion is more dangerous and prejudicial to a state then an arbitrary government How vnfit the 39. articles and the Oath of Supremacy are to be made the distinctive sign of trust and loyalty to the King A man is more engaged to stick to the King by a red scarf or a garniture of ribands of the Kings colours then by an oath of so incredible a thing as the Supremacy and so vnsignificant articles as those of the 39. that contradict the Roman Catholick doctrin That Religion that hath not a more certain or infallible rule of faith then the Protestant Prelatick of England hath is not fit to be made the distinctive sign of trust or loyalty or the Religion of the state SECT X. HOw fundamental principles of the Protestant reformations maturely examined and strictly followed have led the most learned Protestants of the world to Judaism Atheism Arianism Mahometism c. And the protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania to deny the mystery of the Trinity and our best modern English witts and writers to admit of no other rule of Religion but natural reason Instanced in Castalio Bucer David George Bernardin Ochin Neuserus Calvin Alemanus Socinus Chillingworth Stilling fleet Faukland c. How prelatick Protestancy is contemned by the best protestant wits and writers as being incoherent to the principles of protestancy and contradictory in its own Tenets How Presbiterians agree with the Anti-trinitarians in their way of reforming A Prelatick is a Presbiterian against Papists and a Papist against Presbyterians His own Religion includes both their Tenets though contradictory he hath but one Tenet wherunto he is constant and that is Episcopacy de Iure divino Calvinists are sayd by Lutherans to be baptised Jews and that Mahometism Arianism and Calvinism are 3. pair of hose of one cloath All protestant reformations are remnants of the same piece though with different trimmings according to the diversity of their reformers fancyes Why our English protestants deny not the Trinity as well as those of Hungary without violating the principles of protestancy they may doe it Articles of Christian Religion against conclusions cleerly deducible from the principles of protestancy are not valued by protestants It is the case of the Church of England SECT XI THe indifferency or rather inclination of Protestancy to all kind of infidelity is further demonstrated by the prelatick and Calvinian doctrin of fundamental and noâ— fundamental articles of faith The design of this new distinction manifested and frustrated The design is to make all Christians though declared hereticks that dissent from Roman Catholicks one Church and of the Protestant communion The Greeks and others reject Protestants as hereticks By their doctrin of fundamentalls Turks and Iews may be of one Church and communion with Christians Protestants proceed in matters of Religion as weak Statesmen do in state affairs For their separation from the Roman Catholick Church they cannot be excused from a damnable sin and schism Their writers
Law of England our Kings may minister all ecclesiastical functions consecrat Bishops and their letters patents are sufficient to give any lay person man or woman power to consecrat Bishops and Priests Ten wilfull falsifications set down together by Bish Morton for proving that Catholicks hold the Pope cannot be deposed nor become an heretick Primat Bramhalls falsification to prove that Popes may and have decreed heretical doctrin SECT IX PRoved by reasons and examples that no Religion is so little dangerous to the soveraignty and safety of Kings or so advantagious to the peace and prosperity of subjects as the Roman Catholick notwithstanding the Popes spiritual supremacy Bellarmin the Author most excepted against in the opinion of deposing of Kings sayes that a King cannot be deposed for being an heretick vnlesse he forceth his subjects to heresy The Author of this Treatise doth not intend to promote Bellarmīs doctrin but only sheweth there can be no danger in it though it were allowed as true Not any thing more contrary to sound policy then to lay for the foundation of loyalty an Oath or engagement against opinions plausible popular and practised The best way to suppress them is to silence the Authors not censure their doctrin How litle the Popes power is feared by protestants though they make it the pretext of persecuting Catholicks How little his censures can disturb the government in regard of the notoriousness of the fact and the solemnity of his sentences required for their validity How Arch Laud and other protestants contradict them selves in this matter A fancied possibility without probability can bring no danger to the government How vnreasonable it is to exact a more strict profession of allegiance from catholick subjects to a protestant Soveraign then is given by any other Catholicks to their Catholick Soveraign That the french Kings exacts such engagements or Remonstrances from their subjects against the Popes authority as is required in England and Ireland from Catholiks against the same is a gross mistake All such disputes are prohibited in France as tending to sedition and no way profitable The Censure of the Parliament of Paris and some Doctors of the Sorbon against the Popes authority disanulled by the King and privy Councell in France Protestants cannot cleare their own principles in this particular from the aspersions they lay on the Catholick Tenets One of the fundamental principles of Protestancy is a power in the people to depose Soveraigns and dispose of their Kingdoms for the use of the Ghospel Proved by the examples of all Kingdoms and States that received the Reformation even the Prelatick of England SECT X. THat Protestants could never prove any of the wilfull falsifications wherwith they charged Roman Catholick writers but on the contrary themselves are convicted of that crime whensoever they attempted to make good their charge against us Of the Index Expurgatorius Bp. Taylors objections in the Dissuasive as also Bp. Mortons Bp. Jewells c. retorted vpon themselves Item Sutcliffs accusations against Bellarmin The Councell of Calcedon confirmed by Act of Parliament of Q. Elizabeth and by consequence the Popes spiritual supremacy which that Councell asserts SUBSECT I. PRotestants convicted by Belarmin of holding 20. ancient condemned heresies and how fourteen are admitted by them or at least vnanswered and the other six wherof they endeavor to cleere themselves are excused only by falsifying Fathers and Catholick Authors among which are two Pelagian heresies two Novatian one Manichean and one of the Arians Besides these Protestants maintain Iustification by only faith with the Simonians and Eunomians That God is the author of sin with the Florinians That women may be and are Priests with the Peputians That Concupiscency is a sin with Proclus That the true Church was invisible for many ages with the Donatists That men ought not to fast the Lent pray nor offer Sacrifice for the dead with the Aerians That Saints ought not to be prayed vnto nor their reliques or images worshipt with Vigilantius SVBSECT II. FAlsifications objected against Baronius by Dr. Sutcliff How ridiculous The difference between the falsifications objected by Catholicks and those that are objected by Protestants SECT XI CAlumnies and falsifications of Luther Clavin Arch-bishop Laud and Primat Vsher to discredit the Roman Catholick Religion and vphold Protestancy against their own conscience and knowledge What impudent impostors were Luther and Calvin Proved in many particulars Frauds and falsifications and calumnies of Primat Vsher called the Irish Saint by Protestants against the real presence and Transsubstantiation Against sacramental Confession Against absolution of sins by a Priest His cheat concerning Duli◠nd Latria No new invention of Jesuits but the ancient doctrin and distinction of the Fathers Against prayer to Saints His imposture of the Breviary of the Premonstratensian Order SVBSECT I◠OF Bp. Laud the English Protestant Martyr How fraudulently he would fain excuse the modern Greeks from being hereticks notwithstanding his 39. Prelatick articles condemn their doctrin of the holy Ghost as heresy He abuseth S. Austin to make Protestants believe that general Councells may err against scripture and evident reason He abuseth Vincentius Lyrinensis laying to that ancient Fathers charge his Graces own blasphemy and commits therin many frauds He falsifies Orcam and resolves the Prelatick Faith into the imaginary light of Scripture and the priva◠spirit and therin agrees with Presbiterians and Fanatiks And pretends that Prelaticks are not Schismaticks and Sectaries But to excuse them commits divers frauds His pretence of the lawfulness for privat Churches to reforme themselves confuted His doctrin doth justify all the sectaries proceeding against himself and the Church of England His vanity in pretending that the Church of Britain is independent of the Pope as also that the Pope can not be judge in his own cause His fraudulent and absurd explanation of S. Ireneus against the primacy of Rome item of the gallican libertys His abusing and corrupting S. Greg. Nazian because that Saint asserteth the infallibility of the Roman Church His falsifying of Gerson vpon the like accompt A faire offer to Protestants for the trial of falsifications SECT XII Whether it be piety or policy to give the Protestant Clergy of these 3. Kingdoms a million sterl per an for maintaining by such frauds and falsifications as hitherto have bin alledged the doctrin of the church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know fals And how the sayd million per an may be conscientiously applyed to the vse of the people without any dangerous disturbance to the Government It was policy in Q. Elizabeth to make such a clergy and Religion but not piety The case being now altered neither piety nor policy to preserve either No seditious or interessed persons can disturb the Government by pretending zeal for preserving a Religion and Clergy so prejudicial to the soul and state if liberty be granted to discover the cheat wherby the
but many ways ought to be examined that perhaps hitherto were supposed vnlawful Wherfore as the French King hath lately commanded a severe scrutiny to be made into a new pretended Nobility of a hundred years standing reducing them to their own Rank and quality of Citizens and hath by penalties and payments of the Taille raised very considerable summs of money I presume to suggest vnto your Honors who are appointed to rectify the mistakes and correct the abuses of Religion the Equity and conveniency of the like scrutiny into Queen Elizabeths pretended Clergy and dare engage my life that after your Serious examination of those Protestant Ministers right to the Church livings and the Roman Catholick Clergys resignation of their right to his Majesty yee will find a just title in the Crown to a revenue sufficient not only to prevent all domestik dangers but also to secure us from all foreign disturbances whether Popish or Protestant This human consideraâ—ion is noâ— offered to so zealous and pious persons as your Honors are known to be for a motive of Changing Religion 't is only intended for a matter worthy your Judicious reflexion whether men of so much conscience and crediâ— as our Catholik Authors are reputed to be in the most considerable parts of Christendom would so particularly frequently and confidently in their printed Books accuse the Protestant Clergy of wilfull and vnexcusable falsifications and offer to own the charge in a publik Trial and pretend that without such practises the Protestant Divines can not maintain their reformations how is it possible I say that knowing and conscientious persons can be such impudent Impostors or if yee think our Catholick Clergy can impose such manifest vntruths vpon our own layty as the Protestant Ministers pretend wee doe when wee condemn Protestancy why may not the Prelatik Clergy of England be Subject to and suspected of the like impudent practises There being therfore as fair a possibility of gaining a million per an for the Crown as it is incredible that men of reputation would publish impostures so easily discoverable without any hopes of profit therby to themselves but rather with an assurance of discredit to their cause and of credit to their Adversaries and nothing lost but a little time in that Your Honors will be pleased to appoint a time and place for a publick trial therof it being but a matter of fact and soon determined I humbly beseech Your Honours that you will be moved with conscience curiosity and conveniency so to order this affair that the world may be satisfied which of the two Clergys Catholick or Protestant abuseth their Flocks by a cheating Religion Not many years since one Mrs. Stanhop an English Protestant Gentlewoman that resided in Paris had thoughts of changing her Religion her chief motive being the novelty of Protestancy Dr. Cossins now Bishop of Duresme after taking vpon himself in that Citty the Charge of the English Prelatick Congregation notwithstanding his conformity with the Presbyterian Hugonots and his frequent excursions to Charenton and being vexed to loose so vertuous and exemplar a soul as Mrs. Stanhop was reputed to be in his Protestant Church he seriously endeavored to persuade her that the antient Religion of England was Protestancy and that Popery was the novelty But it seems the Gentlewoman though shee had not pervsed S. Bedes Ecclesiastical History had read our Cronicles the Annals of Iohn Stow and other Protestant lay-writers much more sincere then Dr. Cossins and whereas before his discours shee only doubted after shee had considered and reflected vpon the improbability and extravagancy of his imposture her doubt changed into a certainty of the falshood of Protestancy seing so learned a Doctor could not maintain its antiquity and truth by a better argument I Think shee is yet living and a Religious in Paris I am sure many persons of credit and quality yet living can testify the truth of this passage which is but a petty Protestant fraud in respect of other sleights and Falsifications mentioned in this Treatise wherin Dr. Cossins also beareth a part I have not presented Your Honors with this story of Doctor Cossins as if it had bin a rarity it is the ordinary practise among Protestant Prelats and Preachers to feed their Flocks with such stuff there can be no other against the vniversal tradition and all the Histories of Christendom My design in recounting such a passage is only this that your Honors may be pleased to consider whether Doctor Cossins or any other Protestant Prelaâ— to continue in his Bishoprik or Benefice will not do as much now for keeping his Royalties and Revenues of the County Palatin of Duresm as he did then to be a petty Pastor of a privat Chappell in Paris Will any learned Protestant Minister stick to imitate such an example knowing it is the only way for such persons as they are to thrive and become great in the English Church and State Your Honors Charity may be so great as to suspend your Iudgments concerning their sincerity but your consciences are so tender that you will not keep these Actions in suspence of a matter wherin they are so much concerned The only way to satisfy them and your selves as I said before is that yee be mediators to the King and Parliament for a Publik Trial either of the Protestant Clergys cheat or of the Catholick Clergys Calumnies If what is layd to the protestant Clergys charge in this Treatise be proved the Crown gains a million sterl per an If not the Protestant Church and Clergy gains credit so that these nations can be no loosers by the Trial we humbly desire for that if granted it will be known which of both is the true Religion and perhaps that may appear to your selves to be the true Religion which offers to treble the publik revenues and to make this Monarchy not only the most Christian but the most considerable of the Vnivers and then will be fulfilled the vulgar prediction of our King Erit Carolo Magno Major and your Honors will be the chief instruments in making him so great and his subjects happy which is the only design of Your Honors most obedient and most humble servant J. W. see herfter â—ar 3. sect 9. Thomas Bonart in Concordia scientiae cum fide How fallacious are our philosophical definitions and demonstrations concerning the nature and essence of any thing Jnstanced in the nature or essence of a Body Pag 259 Bonart in concordia pag 301. 304. passim pag. 297. Bonart lib 5. passim Wherin consisteth the reasonableness of Religion The grounds of peace piety and policy †¶ Doctor Philip Nicolai in Comment de regno Christi chargeth the Apostles and the first next succeeding Bishops of Rome with affectation of the Roman Supremacy And S. Victor Pope and Martyr who lived in the next age to the Apostles is reprehended by Nutton Polanus Spark and other Protestants for hauing exceeded his
had bin members of Christ if any contradicts this sentence he is belieued not to be a Christian but an Eunomian or a Vigilantian S. Aug lib 3. c. 4. contra lit Petil chargeth and reproueth Petilian with his foul mouth he proceedeth to the dispraysing of Monks of Monasteries He also chargeth the Donatists Circumcellions with the same crime saying they use to say what meaneth the name of Monks shew where it is to be found in Scripture Aug. in Psalm 132. S. Hierom contra Vigillan c. 1. saith What do the Churches of the East What those of Egypt and of the Apostolick Sea Which receaue Priests either Virgins or Continent or if they haue wiues they cease to be husbands S. Epiphanius haer 59. But you will tell me that in some places Priests Deacons and Subdeacons haue children But that is not according to the Canon but according to mens minds c. S. Aust. de vnit Eccl. c. 12. reporteth the Donatists as heretiks for saith he they vsed to collect certaine places of Scripture ea detorquere in Ecclesiam Dei that it might seem to haue perished in the whol world And in Psalm 101. conc 2. relateth their words the Church hath apostatised and perished in all nations this they say who are not in the Church O impudentem vocem [g] Bishop Ieuell in his sermon at Pauls Cross and iterated challeng appeales for the truth and purity of the Protestant Religion to S. Gregory the great Bishop of Rome And so also doth Whitaker in respons ad Campian rat 5. pag. 50. in behalf of all the English Clergy his words are O Campian the speech of Jeuell was most true and constant when provoking you to the 600. yeares he offered you c. It is the offer of us all the same we do all promise and will be as good as our vvords which was to be Catholicks if any Father of the first 600. yeares wherof S. Gregory the Pope was named had any sentence in fauour of Popery Bishop Godvvin [h] in his Catalogue of the Bishops of England pag. 3. saith that blessed and holy Father S. Gregory was the occasion of replanting the Christian Faith in our Country The same in substance saith Whitaker c. contra Duraeum lib. 5. pag. 394. D. r Humfrey in Iesuitismi part 2. rat 5. pag. 624 Gregorius nomine quidem magnus re vera magnus Vir magnis multis divinae gratiae dotibus c. M. r Thomas Bell in his suruey of Popery pag. 187. termeth him S. Gregory surnamed the Great the holy and learned Bishop of Rome S. Damascen a Father of the Greck Church in Orat. de Defunctis saith Gregory Bishop of the more ancient Rome as all haue known as well for Holiness of life as learning excelent and famous Isidore de Scriptor Eccles. c. 27. saith Gregory Bishop of the Apostolick Sea of Rome c. was by the grace of the holy Ghost so greatly endued with light of knowledg as no Doctor of this present age or in tyms past was equal to him S. Gregories communion with the Bishops of Greece may be seene l. 4. epist. 56. vniversis Episcopis per Hollodiam c. l. 1. epist. 43. l. 4. epist. 7. Vniversis Episcopis per Illyricum d. l. 4. epist. 53. Episcopo Corinthiorum For the Patriarchs of Constantinople see l. 7. ep 64. Ioanni Episcopo Syracusano ep 65. For Africk see in l. 7. ep 30. l. 5. ep 60. His Epistles to Eulogius Patriarch of Alexandria and see l. 4. ep 3. l. 6. ep 32. Dominico Episcopo Cartaginensi item l. 6. ep 2. Columbo Episcopo Numidiae For Asia see his Epis. to Isicius Bishop of Hierusalem l. 9. ep 40. see further l. 9. ep 27. Maximiano Episcopo Arabiae In his epistle to the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch l. 6. ep 24.32 ep 24. [i] See Holinsheads Chronicle vol. 1. l. 5. c. 21. pag. 102. acknowledging how St. Austin Monck restored sight to one that was blind as Bede recounts it hist. l. 2 c. 2. whervpon the Britans present ther at acknowledged that his doctrin was true See Holinshead also pag. 100. and Mr. Fox Act. and mon. printed 1576. pag. 117. and Bishop Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops pag. 4. see Holinshead also in his great Chronicle volum 2. pag. 108. 109. and Fox cit pag. 120. 121. [k] This letter of St. Gregor is extant in Bede hist. l. 1. c. 31. and mentioned by Holinshead pag. 102. [l] Dr. Humfrey in Jesuitismi part 2. rat 5. 627. [m] The Century writers of Magdeburg in their 6. Century cap. 10. col 748. and collecting elswher in the same Booke out of St. Gregories own writings by them cited his Popish Tenets They do in the Index of that 6. Century after the first edition therof at the word Gregory specially set down his supposed Popish errors as Mass Purgatory c. and particularly with his claim and exercise of Iurisdiction and Supremacy over all Churches col 425. usque ad 432. Concerning his other Popish doctrin see them c. 10. col 748.369.376.381.384.364 seqs 693. seq col 425. usque ad 432. [n] Carion in Chron. l. 4. pag. 567. seq [o] Luke Osiander in his Epitome Hist. Eccl. Centur. 6. pag. 288. seq 289. John Bale in Act. Rom. Pontif. edit Basil. 1558. pag. 44.45.46.47 Centur. 1. fol. 3. Fulck in his Confutation of Purgatory pag 333. Mr Willet in his Teâ—rasticon papismi pag 122. Osiander in Epitâ—m Centur 6. pag 290. [a[ Luther in his epist. to his father extant to 2. Wittemberg fol. 269. saith It seemeth that Sathan did forsee somthing in me of what he now suffers and therfore endeavoured to destroy me by incredible stratagems [b] Mallius Luthers own Scholler in loc commun pag. 42. 43. saith that always after the apparitions of firebrands in the night to Luther his head did ake grieuously And at Coburg one of these apparitions of three flying firebrands was so terrible that he was almost cast into a sound in prevention wherof oyle was distilled into his eare and his feet rubb'd with hott Cloaths c. [d] See Luthers words in Sleydan l. 13. fol. 177. [e] Luther in appellatione prima ad Leonem X. tom 1. Wittemberg fol. 219. [f] Luther apud Sleydan l. 13. fol. 177.178 [c] Cochleus a vertuous and learned man who lived with Luther many years and writ his life very exactly from year to year sets down therin as a known truth how that one day when the Ghospell Matthew 9. of Christs casting out a dumb and deaf Devill was read in the quire Luther fell down to the ground and cryed non sum non sum I am not and without doubt if Luther was possessed it was not by a dumb Devill [g] Sleidan l. 1. fol. 10. saith Martin Luthers Appellation from the Pope being contemned his offers despised looking for no more help nor health at the Popes hands
a ridiculous Church of Protestants he fancies and deduceth only from the time of Pope Innocent 3. and composeth of a rablement of all sectaries divided among themselves and dissenting also from Protestants Proved in particular instances of VValdenses Albigenses Wickleff and others His three simple Miracles of Luthers and how Fox describes a revelation of his own and how he was made a fool by revelation The Prelatik clergy recommend Fox his works to all Godly people though the learned of them know it to be a collection of frauds follies and fables SUBSECT I. IOhn Fox his Calendar of Protestant Saints In all 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. and Cranmer the principal by him you may judge of the rest Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. Edward 6. Other men and women Martyrs 393 other men and women Confessors 57. The greatest disputers against the Catholick Bishops of these Martyrs were a Cook a Cowheard a Taylor a Blaksmith a millers wife a Cutlers wife and a married mayd So Fox calls her How madly these poor souls ran to the fire Fox his Martyrs were all fanaticks SUBSECT II. WIlfull falsifications committed by John Fox in his acts and monuments He falsifies St. Bede and an ancient english Synod to make them Quartodecimans and to favor the Protestant doctrin of divorces He falsifies also St. Antoninus to discredit Pope Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand and a Councell to favor the mariage of Priests The ancient Greeks and Latin Churches held the single life of Priests 120. lyes in three leaves of Fox his book and more in the whole then in Sleydans History though eleven thousand are gathered out of Sleydan by the German writers His censuring Acts of ancient English Parliaments for condemning Rebells and heretiks His falsifying Sr. John Oldcastles profession of faith to make us believe he was a Protestant in the point of Purgatory SUBSECT III. DOctor Charks egregious falsification of St. Austin and how falsly he excuseth Luthers doctrin of the lawfulness of Adultery and incest SUBSECT IV. ARch Cranmer and Peter Martyrs falsifications against transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. SECT VI. HOw some Protestant writers in Q. Elizabeths time seing their fellows proved falsifiers waved the testimonies of the ancient Fathers and Councells and yet the others continued their former cours of falsifying both Fathers and Councells Of Whitaker Arch. Whitgift and Fulk How they contemn the Fathers and Church when they relate ancient condemned heresies that Protestants now profess Doctor Willet a great Impostor how impudently he falsifies taking God to witness he will speak nothing but truth it is the general custom of Protestant writers SECT VII FAlsifications and frauds of the prelatick and Protestant Clergy ever since the beginning of K. James his reign for continuing and maintaining Protestancy SUBSECT I. THeir corruptions of Scripture notwithstanding that the King commanded the English Bibles to be corrected They corrected some few things that gave advantage to the Puritans against Episcopacy leaving other corruptions as formerly Insteed of correcting their fals Scripture they forged new Registers How they falsify Scripture in the first commandement Exod. 20.4 and yet object against vs Catholiks that wee take away the 2. commandement How absurd this their objection is See also how they corrupt Scripture to humour K. James in the supremacy divers others Arch. Abbots and the Bp. of Glocester altered the true translation of St. Peters epistle to impugn Purgatory accused of this impiety by Sir Henry Savill that translated it rightly How they corrupt Scripture against prayer to Saints That Saints in heaven do hear our prayers proved by reason and authority Whether it be not more then credible that Arch. Abbots who falsified Scripture would forge Registers How vnreasonably the prelatick Clergy in their Dedicatory to King Iames set before the new translation of Scripture desire his Majesty to protect the same against the objections of Puritans and Papists SUBSECT II. OF Dean Walsinghams scruples and Search into matters of Religion and how by discovering the frauds and falsifications of his own Protestant Clergy he became a Roman Catholick The occasion of his doubts His memorial to K. Iames as being head of the church for satisfaction His reading of the Defence of the Censure and his judgment therof How that book proves Scripture is more cleare for Catholick Tenets then for Protestant of Dean Walsinghams appearance before his Grace at Lambeth his conference with Doctor Covell This Doctors fraud and folly in diverting Walsingham from the truth Of Dean Walsinghams third and fourth appearance before my Lord of Canterbury How he was abused and threatned by his Grace for desiring to know the truth Of the Knight of the corner Perkins and his persuasions How the Archbishop to be rid of a man that pressed to know the truth remitted Dean Walsingham to the Commissary of St. Albans and to others who gave him no satisfaction Of Bells libells delivered by the Arch-bishop to satisfy Mr. Walsingham His last appearance before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and an assembly of Diuines How in their presence he produced the corruptions and falsifications of the Protestant books recommended vnto him by his Grace and yet neither he nor that assembly durst compare Mr. VValsinghams notes of frauds with the same books as Mr. VValsingham desired but dismissed him wishing he were far enough for discovering their cheat and the weakness of their Religion SUBSECT III. REflexions vpon Mr. VValsinghams Relation This like case and cheat doth happen as often as the Protestant Clergy observeth any conscientious person troubled in conscience through the vnreasonableness of their Religion A case of conscience concerning one millions of revennue proposed and desired it be decided by the Parliament and that some knowing person my Lord Chancellor be the Moderator of the conference for that purpose SUBSECT IV. A Relation of a Trial held in France about Religion How necessary the like is in England for the credit of Protestants and convenience of the state SECT VIII PRotestant falsifications to persuade that the Roman Catholick doctrin is inconsistent with the Soveraignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants How the Protestant writers having bin worsted at Scripture Councells Fathers c now endeavour to defend Protestancy by reasons of state and become vnfortunat Polititians Divers falsifications touching this subject published by Morton Bishop of Duresm How he answers some objections with new lyes others whith laying the blame vpon the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Stork c. To most objections he gives no answer The whole National Synod and Protestant Clergy concurr in an imposture concerning the sign of the Cross in Baptism against Roman Catholicks The Protestants falsifications of the Canon Law about deposing of Kings About cheating excommunicated persons About murthering and massacring Protestants Diuers falsifications to assert a spiritual Supremacy in Kings According to the