man who is bound in conscience to supply the necessities of the poor Baunius as cited in the Jesuits Morals pag. 341. affirms that a man is not bound to restore what is taken by many petty thefts whatever the total sum thereof may amount to The Author of Pyrotechnica Loyolana pag. 44. shews from the mystery of Jesuitism that they hold a Son may steal from the Father that Servants may rob their Masters to make their wages proportionable to their service that a Religious man may quit his habit to go and steal as well as go incognito to the Stews that Cheating is lawful under the notion of their contract Mâ—hatra yea Baunius as cited in the Jesuits Morals pag. 343. saith that a Wife or Children being called into Judgment to see themselves ordained to confess what they have put aside taken or usurped of the moveables inheritance or goods of the deceased are not in Conscience to confess it and because they may be brought upon their Oaths and obliged to swear before a Judge he gives them this expedient Nevertheless that they may not lye and so doing forswear themselves the prudent Confessor shall teach them that they are to frame a conception in their minds according to which they may form the Answer and Oath which they may make by the Command of the Judge to justifie and make him believe their Innocence Is not this to add perjury to theft Of the theftuous practises of Jesuits according to these their principles a large account is given in a Tractate entituled The Moral practise of Jesuits Nay they teach how to make Simoniacal transactions without sin by ordering of the intentions as is shewed in Pyrotechnica Loyolana pag. 44. I only add tenthly that Jesuits teach gross violations of the ninth Command not only by their equivocations and mental reservations at which I hinted before but also by saying that it is allowable to defame an Adversary by charging him with crimes whereof he is not guilty as is shewed by Montalt Epist 15. These Principles of Lying being instilled by Jesuits into the Emperesses Ladies the whole Court was put into a combustion by false reports until Quivoga the Capucin convinced the Empress of these pernicious lying Principles of Jesuits Time would fail me in reckoning forth the impious Doctrines of Jesuits these few hints I hope may suffice to demonstrate that the Doctrines of Popery and more especially as maintained by Jesuits have a Native tendency to impiety Well did the Apostle 2 Thes 2. term it a Mystery of Iniquity The Pharisaical Cob-webs of pretended Piety wherewith this Pamphleter from pag. 199. would commend their Religion are easily swept away As 1. He talks of the glorious Temples and Hospitals c. which they have built Have not Heathens and Mahumetans done the like How glorious was the Temple of Diana at Ephesus How stately are the Mosche's of Mahumetans at Constantinople Did not Herod build the Temple of Jerusalem with such magnificence that some think it did exceed the glory of Solomon's Temple Did not Pharisees build the Monuments of the Prophets Is it not said of Apostate Israel Hos 8. 14. he hath forgotten his Maker and buildeth Temples Doth he not remember that the same Objection was made of old both by Heathens against Christians and by Arrians against the Orthodox In a word therefore we do allow comely Edifices for the Worship of God and endowments for pious uses It 's the observation of that Learned and Ingenuous Person Doctor Don Serm. on Matth. 5. 16. that there have been more endowments for pious uses in this last Century since the Reformation in England than was in any one Century when Popery prevailed only this I must add it 's not curious Fabricks but pure Doctrine and spiritual worship which do demonstrate a true Church but Popish Temples are full of Idols Superstition and Idolatry He objects secondly they have thousands of Monks who have renounced the world and live chastly and contemn riches and pleasures and so have Mahumetans their Votaries and Recluses I believe it will trouble Romanists to give a Scripture Warrant or President from the first times of the Gospel Church for those who could be useful to the Church to shut themselves up in Cells from all converse with men Who knows not how unlike the Monastick life at this present in the Romish Church is from that which at length crept into the Church in ancient times yet we should not so much blame them who betake themselves to Monastick retirements if they gave themselves to the serious study of Mortification and to the true exercise of Religious Duties prescribed in the holy Scriptures But the devotion of Romish Monks is for most part meer Superstition consisting in the observation of some Rules invented by superstitious persons as Francis Dominick c. What impiety is acted under a pretence of Monastick austerity I hinted before Now let any consider what great Mortification it is under a pretence of Poverty to go into stately Palaces endued with rich Revenues under a pretence of Fasting to feed on such chear as a Sensual Epicure would prefer before sumptuous Feasts under a pretence of Chastity to Vow against Marriage which is Gods Ordinance but not against other fleshly impurities Hence Bell. gives this reason why it 's less sin for a Priest to Fornicate than Marry because by Marrying he violates the Vow of Continency implying they vow not against Concubines Lastly many who retire to Monasteries do it either on a tedium of worldly business or discontent or superstitiously to expiate some atrocious crime desperatio facit Monachum But thirdly says he they have Saints as Gregori 's and Leo 's and Caelestin ' s. c. But who gave their Pope power of Canonizing Saints Is not this an Innovation unknown to Antiquity How can the Pope infallibly know the Sanctity of others when he cannot be sure of his own Nay have not many of them lived like incarnate Devils Have they not Canonized some for Money others to promote superstitious ends yea some who never were Do not their own Authors such as Cardinal Cajetan question the Popes Infallibility in Canonizing c. I suppose he will not say all their Pope Leo's and Gregori's were Saints I believe not Greg. the Second who pronounced Hezekiah an Heretick for breaking of the Brazen Serpent nor Greg. 9. who tyrannized over Frederick the Second Who may not pass for a Saint among them seeing Greg. 7. that Brand of Hell has a place in their Calendar why have they not added Leo the Tenth who looked on the Gospel as a Fable to bear him company As for Caelestin's was that Sanctity or Simplicity in Caelestine the Fifth to be cheated by Boniface the Eighth out of the Popedom to an Hermitage But Boniface fearing he might revoke that Sanctity shut him up in Prison where he died for displeasure that he had been fooled out of the Papacy But fourthly He pitches on
THE Church of ENGLAND Vindicated against Her Chief Adversaries OF THE Church of Rome WHEREIN The most Material POINTS are fairly DEBATED and Briefly and Fully ANSWERED By a Learned DIVINE LONDON Printed for C. Wilkinson T. Dring and C. Harper and are to be Sold at their Shops in Fleetstreet 1680. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ARTHUR Earl of Anglesey Lord Privy Seal and one of his Majestys most Honourable Privy Council My Lord THough learned Pens in most countries of Europe have travelled successfully these many years in discovering the impostures of Rome so as it might seem sufficient to let the world enjoy the tractates already extant on that subject Yet the sedulity of the ministers of that Church in proposing Sophisms often and long ago confuted in a new dress as if they were new topicks yea unheard of demonstrations thereby to ensnare unwary Readers doth impose a necessity upon sincere Lovers of Truth for undeceiving the simple to resume old Grounds from Scripture Antiquity and reason formerly improved by our renouned Heroe's This had the stronger influence upon me to write these cursory animadversions upon a Popish Pamphlet otherwise of small significancy because some through a lazy humour will not others being immersed in worldly entanglements hardly can peruse the large volumns of Chamier Whittaker Calvin Zanchius Jewel Usher Junius Chemnitius Gerard and other Champions for the Truth yea some are smitten with such a fancy of Novelty tha nothing doth relish with them unless it come smoaking from the Press I shall not deny but I was likewise moved with a just indignation against the disputing party among Romanists many of whom being by assed with interest seem to violent their own consciences in obtruding impostures on the World Can it be supposed that men of such raised parts and eminent learning who cannot but be sensible from their own failours of the weaknesses attending humane intellects should believe the infallibility of the Papal chair in Dogmatical decisions seeing those who often sit therein are known neither to be men of greatest learning and Piety nor ever did God since the foundation of the World entail infallibility upon an elective succession of persons chiefly when secular interests and intrigues of Policy have the chief stroke in the election Can they believe an universal Monarchy over all Princes and Churches to be setled by a divine denation on the Bishop of Rome seeing Scripture hath no vestige of that fifth Monarchy unless it be in the Apocalyptick predictions and the Fathers of the ancient Church have not spared to contradict the Popes of Rome in their Dogmatical definitions Can they believe the lawfulness of Image-worship whatever Metaphysical distinctions they have coyned to put a fair gloss on the matter it being so expresly prohibited in the decalogue and no practice there of occurring in the Chatholick Church for three Ages and upwards after Christ whereof those great Antiguaries cannot be igno ant Can these great masters of reason believe the prodigius figment of transubstantiation which may vye with any of the Fables of Apuleius Ovid or Aesop and is so lueulently repugnant to the common sense and reason of all mankind that a great man among themselves going to Mass is reported to have been so ingenuous as to say Eamus ad communem errorem Can they justifie the Lawfulness of half Communions without fighting with their own consciences these being confessedly opposite to the primitive institution and to the known practice not onely of the Catholick Church but also of the Roman for many Ages who would not be moved with indignation that men should upon designe abuse their parts and wit to cheat the World I know not how to reconcile these men to themselves unless it be supposed that because they received not the Truth in love they are given up to strong delusion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I grant Bellarmine Barronius Perron and others of that Cabal have said much for an ill cause They have indeed shewed themselves to be men of great parts but of very evil consciences They who devote their endowments to the patrociny of heresie would remember that errors in religion are such creasy and burdensome superstructures that the strongest shoulders must needs shrink under them My bowels in the mean time do yern toward the sequacious multitude in the Roman Communion who in the Simplicity of their hearts surrender themselves to the conduct of such teachers How grateful is it to these who love easie methods of Religion among whom are not only those of the meaner sort of people but also many of greater quality to be â—red from serious inquiries after divine truths by an implicite submission to infallible guides and having once intrusted their faith to those teachers how secure do they judg themselves being taught by no meaner Casuist then Cardinal Tolet that its not onely safe but also meritorius to believe the doctrines taught by their teachers though false on the matter untill they know that the Roman Church teaches otherwise Thus the leaders of these deluded people cause them to err Nor will the pretended infallibility of their teachers be sufficient apology for them at the great day This rather will be their condemnation that upon such a pellucide and improbable pretence they should have made small account of the truely infallible Canon of holy Scripture which God hath charged those to search who would find eternal Life Joh. 5. 34. From this search nothing doth more deterr people then the thorny and litigious debates raised by School-men and Controversists as if men behoved turn Scepticks in religion if they did not implicitly intrust the conduct of their Faith to a Romish infallible guide But blessed be our God it s not a matter of such insuperable difficulty to find out the truth of Religion in the holy Scripture as they who design the inslaving peoples consciences do pretend If prejudices once being laid aside men would apply themselves sincerely to the use of appointed means For the wisdome of God hath with a perspicuity accommodated to the weakest capacities revealed these things which are necessary to Salvation according to that of Hilary In absoluto facili est Aeternitas Non per difficiles questiones nos ad vitam Aeternam vocat Deus and a greater then Hilary the Apostle of the Gentiles 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost and a greater then both our Saviour Christ Joh. 7. 17. If any do the will of God he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God One thing I am sure it s much more easie to find out the true religion in Scripture then by any means whatsoever to attain a rational evidence of Papal or Council infallibility which yet ought to be presupposed before an implicite submission to Pope or Council Among the many evils of this generation nothing should more awake the friends of Truth zealously to appear for her interests
inform thee according to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee Learned Rivet in Cathol Orthod tract 1. q. 8. observes the place to be thus sensed by famous Authors in the Romish Church by Cajetan the Author of the Glossa Ordinaria Lyranus and Hierom Oleastrius and that Lyranus from the restriction according to the Law refutes that absurd gloss of the Jewish Rabbins that if the Judge should say that the right hand were the left and the left hand the right talis sententia est tenenda like to which is that forecited saying of Bell. lib. 4. de Pontif cap. 5. If the Pope command Vice and prohibit Vertue the Church were bound to believe Vice to be good and Vertue evil But we have not so learned Christ the Judge was to give sentence according to the Law or as Ezek 44. 24. According to the Judgments of the Lord. I am not ignorant of the ordinary Cavil of Romanists that then the people were to judge of the sentence of the Sanedrim whether it were according to the Law I distinguish They were to judge of the sentence of the Sanedrim by an Authoritative Judgment it does not follow by a judgment of discretion in order to their own practise I grant This Romanists cannot deny unless they would devest the people of Reason and turn them into Bruits When Romish Missionaries labour to Proselite people to the Romish perswasion do they not labour to convince them that it 's more rational to believe their Church than to adhere to the Religion of Protestants Is not this to grant them a judgment of discretion How then can they condemn us for that which themselves allow Excellently said Clemens Alex. Stromat lib. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I confess the Learned Grotius in loc will not have these words according to the Law to be restrictive yet he denies that from the place the infallibility of the Sanedrim can be concluded the scope of the Statute being not to enjoyn all to believe what the Sanedrim did Decree but only non contra agere non contra docere not to act or teach contrary to the sentence of the Sanedrim How warrantably he thus glosses is not my concern now to examine only it overturns the notion of infallibility But are we not commanded to hear the Church Mat. 18. 17. Yes But does it therefore follow that the Church that is her Pastors assembled in a General Council cannot err in matters of Faith who would not smile at such an inference Are we not also commanded to hear not only the Catholick Church in her Oecumenick Councils but also in National or Provincial Assemblies yea and particular Pastors Luke 10. 17. He that heareth you heareth me Yet Romanists I hope will not thence conclude either Provincial or National Assemblies let be particular Pastors infallible Can any Romanist prove that the Church Mat. 18. 17. is only taken for a Pope or General Council Is there a Text in all the Bible where the Church signifies the Pope of Rome I appeal all the Order of Jesuits to instance it if they can Doth not the word Church in this Scripture comprehend all those Churches which cognosce of offences if therefore that Scripture furnish one argument for infallibility then the particular Churches of Scotland and England might claim infallibility as well as Rome Is it not evident from that context Mat. 18. 17 that there we are commanded to hear and obey the Church in her Censures and yet Romanists cannot deny but in her Censures she may err and proceed clave errante because in her decisions of that kind she depends on humane testimony See Lombard lib. 4. sent dist 18. it 's manifest therefore nothing can be concluded thence as to infallibility But how then are we commanded to hear the Church Answ In so far as she adheres to her Commission the Rule of Gods Word and thus she cannot deceive us if she or an Angel from Heaven go beyond that Rule they are not to be heard Gal. 1. 8. Yet lastly Giving and not granting that a General Council could not err whatâ—s that to the Pope and his Schismatical Conventicles which have no more of a General Council praeter nomen inane But Matth. 16. 18. The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church I ask what Church if the invisible of the Elect then it touches not the question in hand concerning a visible Judge if the Catholick visible Church in her diffusive capacity then it 's yet from the purpose for as such she exercises no Juridical Power if the Catholick visible in her Representatives then he might as well conclude her impeccability as her inerrability for the Devil prevails over Souls by sins of practise as well as by errours in judgment But it 's confessed by all that impeccability of Councils cannot be concluded therefore neither inerrability I must remember him that his Fellow Jesuit Tirin as cited by Maresius controv 5. num 3. says it 's uncertain whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against which should be construed with the Rock or with the Church if it relate to the Rock then the words only affirm that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Rock upon which the Church is built which as Austin and many other Fathers expound is Christ himself yet granting that it were here said that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against the Church how can it be proved that when the Pope or the major part of a General Council is smitten with a lesser Doctrinal errour that the Gates of Hell prevails against the Church Hath he not heard the distinction that albeit in such a case the Gates of Hell valent yet non prevalent they hurt the Church but do not wholly overthrow the Church To conclude all that I suppose can be inferred from that Scripture is that the whole Catholick visible Church shall not err in Fundamentals Indeed if the whole diffusive did err in Fundamentals the Gates of Hell should prevail then the Church should be extinguished But to prove the inerrability of the Pope and his Council from this Scripture the Pamphleter may improve all the assistance Rome can give him in his next Reply But hath not Christ promised to his Church Mat. 28. 20. Loe I am with you to the end of the world Answ If every one be infallible who have a promise that God will be with them then every Believer may claim infallibility because of the promise Joh. 14. 23. Is the presence and assistance of Christ with every one in the same measure and degree wherein it was to be with the Apostles Is not the promise of the presence of Christ Mat. 28. 20. conditional Doth he not say Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and then Loe in so doing I am with you to the end of the world Hath not then the Church of Rome forfeited her Claim to this Promise by enjoyning
3. de orig animae cap. 15. Iste animus etiam in dictis per ignorantiam non Catholicus ipsa est correctionis praemeditatione Catholicus a Soul maintaining errours contrary to Catholick Doctrine yet willing to submit upon conviction upon that virtual repentance or premeditation of correction to use S. Austins word is truly Catholick namely when the Errours strike not at the Foundation as the same Father spoke in the forecited testimony lib. 1. contra Julian cap. 6. Against this the Pamphleter objects pag. 92 93. many Fathers S. Athanasius in his Creed S. Hierome lib. 3. cont Russin Nazianzen tract de fide S. Basil in Theod. lib. 4. Hist cap. 6. and Tertull. lib. de praescript as if they all had held that an errour in Faith would damn a Soul and consequently every point of Faith to be Fundamental He would do well to look better to his citations hereafter for Theod. lib. 4. hist cap. 6. makes no mention at all of S. Basil but only relates the Ordination of S. Ambrose But to pass this escape I answer that Fathers indeed held an errour in Fundamentals of Faith to damn a Soul but not one in integrals especially when it 's maintained without pertinacy That Fathers admitted such a distinction in points of Faith may be apparent because they did accuse one another sometimes of errours in Religion as S. Cyprian was accused by the Bishops of Rome for maintaining Rebaptization as an errour in Religion and yet him the Catholick Church ever held for a Saint and Martyr S. Austin lib. 3. de orig animae cap. 15. charges Victor with eleven errours contrary to the Catholick Faith yet had so much charity to him that he said Absit ut arbitreris te haec opinando à Catholica fide recessisse quamvis ea fidei adversa sunt Catholicae therefore they held not every point of Faith Fundamental The severe sentence pronounced in the Athanasian Creed which yet I must advertise the Pamphleter to be doubted whether it were drawn by the Great Athanasius is only against those who deny any Article of that Creed Now Creeds of the Ancient Church are supposed by Judicious Divines to contain Fundamentals as contra-distinguished from integrals That of Nazianzen tract de fide Orat 49. relates to Arrians against whom he there disputes who certainly erred fundamentally at whom also S. Hierom Apol. 3. contra Ruffinum seems to hint for their denying the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Pamphleter himself grants that Tertull. is speaking against Valentinus whom all know to have erred fundamentally so that from none of these testimonies can any thing be inferred against this distinction yet I freely grant that sometime opposition to an integral of Faith may also damn a soul namely when it is joyned with pertinacy but then it is not the simple not believing of the truth which condemns the man but his pertinacy But says the Pamphleter the English Church Excommunicates them who hold any thing contrary to the 39 Articles ergo they hold all the 39 Articles to be Fundamentals Answ Is it not more safe to judge of the thoughts of the English Church concerning the 39 Articles by the writings of eminent Divines in that Church approved by the Church of England then by the topical discourses of a nameless Romanist Now Learned Stillingfleet in his Vindication of the Bishop of Canterbury against T. C. Part. 1. cap. 2. Sect. 6. says that the Church of England never pressed the subscription of the 39 Articles as being all Fundamentals of Faith and for this also cites luculent testimonies of Bishop Bramhall Primate of Ireland She excommunicates them for their pertinacy and for their breaking of the Peace of the Church not that she supposes them all Essentials of Religion To the like purpose speaks D. Fern in his Preface against D. Champny We acknowledge saith he that he who shall pertinaciously and turbulently speak and teach against the Doctrine of the Church in points of less moment may deserve to be Anathematized or put out of the Church for such a one though he deny not the Faith yet makes a breach of Charity whereby he goes out of the Church against which he so sets himself What the Pamphleter cites of the Athenian Laws savours of Draco's severity who wrote all his Sanctions in blood and made every trespass Capital a fit President for the sanguinary proceedings of the Romish Inquisition Josephus lib. 2. cont Appion doth only say that the punishment allotted to the Violaters of the Jewish Law for most part was death If this Romanist be so bloody that he would have the Gospel Church in this to Judaize his preposterous Zeal deserves such a rebuke as those who would have commanded fire to come down from Heaven on the Samaritans Luke 9.54.55 As for the angry expressions of Luther against them he callâ—d Sacramentarians it 's true of him what was said of Elias Jam. 5. 17. that he was a man subject to the like passions with others Yet that Luther before his death was convinced of the truth of our Doctrine concerning the Sacrament Boxhornius lib. 3. de harm Eucharist proves by many testimonies from Melancthon Cruciger Alesius yea and out of Luthers own writings As for that heavy sentence Revel 22. 19. it holds forth what de Jure is due to all who derogate any thing from the sacred Canon of Scripture And the like sentence is pronounced upon them who add ought thereto v. 18. which speaks sad things against Romanists who have added all the Apocryphal Books But it doth not say that all who are not convinced of the Canonical Authority of every Book of Scripture shall de facto be damned if otherwise pious and penitent and ready to acknowledge the Divine Authority thereof were they satisfied in their Consciences thereannent Do Romanists conclude their famous Cardinal Cajetan a damned Heretick who questioned the Canonical Authority of sundry parts of Scripture To conclude this Section E. W. the Author of Protestancy without Principles that is Edward Worsley an English Jesuit at Antwerp discourse 3. cap. 4. c. hath much spongious talk to confute the Protestants distinction of Fundamentals and Non Fundamentals as unreasonable and false I should but beat the Air to examine all Himself comprizes the substance of what he has said in this one argument Every revealed Article is asserted by an Infinite Verity but an Infinite Verity delivers all it speaks with one and the same infinite certainty Ergo all Articles of Faith have one and the same like infinite assurance consequently one is as ponderous as another and equally Fundamental To this I briefly answer forbearing to reflect again upon the formality of a Jesuits Syllogism granting as uncontroverted the whole Syllogism viz. that there is an equal objective certainty in all divinely revealed Articles in a compounded sense with divine Revelation it being absolutely impossible that divine Revelation should be false but withal peremptorily denying the Corallary
also are religiously to be adored It s a Fundamental that God is to be invocated but who warranted them to invocate Angels or departed Saints It s a Fundamental that there is an Hell and Heaven but who warranted them to add a Purgatory for expiation of venial sins and the temporal punishment due to mortals sins It s a Fundamental that God is pleased to reward good works with eternal life but who warranted them to add that good works are meritorious of eternal life Many more of this kind may be added by which consequently they destroy the true Fundamentals As for Instance if there be a daily propriatory sacrifice in the Mass if there be a Purgatory for expiating sins of just men if there be merit of good works then Christ has not fully satisfied for all the sins of the elect nor fully merited eternal life to us Thus as Romanists do in directly overturn the soveraignity of princes by ascribing to the Pope a dominion over them in ordine ad spiritualia so also they overturn indirectly the Fundamentals of Religion by a super-addition of new Fundamentals SECT VI. Were the Waldenses Wicklevists and Hussits of the same religion as to Fundamentals and Essentials with Protestants BEcause I maintained the affirmative the Pamphleter pag. 94. 95. c. writs one invective against me But he might have known that this is no singular notion of mine the same being asserted by the learned Vsser de success eccles Cap. 6. Voet. desper caus Pap. lib. 3. Sect 2. Cap. 9. Morney myster iniqui pag. 730. edit 2. Flaccus Illiric catal test Verit. col 1498. c. edit Salmurien anno 1608 Dr. Francis Whyt in his reply to Jesuit Fisher pag. 105. 130. 139. Prideaux praelect de visib eccles Sect. 11. printed anno 1624. Hottinger hist eccles saeculo 12 Sect. 5. Cade Justif of Church of England lib. 2. Cap. 1. Sect. 3. Birbeck Protestants evidence Cent. 12. Paul Perrin in his History of the Waldenses Samuel Morland in his history of the evangelical Churches in the valleys of Piemont and by many others which were here tedious to relate The harmony as to substantials of Religion betwixt these witnesses of truth and the Protestant Churches the author mentioned have copiously confirmed both by the confessions and by the Apologies of the Waldenses and Bohemians and by the testimonies of learned Romanists particularly of Thuan Guicciardin Surius yea of Cochlaeus Bell. Gretser c. Hath not Voetius loc cit Sect. 4. shewed that the confession of Faith set forth by the Bohemians and Hussits was approved by Luther Melanchton Bucer Musculus and the University of Wittenberg that Wendelstin one of Luthers first adversaries pronounced the Lutherans novos Germanos Waldenses and that Jesuit Gretser called the Waldenses And Albigenses Calvinianorum atavos the Calvinists Progenitors Yea Pope Leo. 10. in his letter to Frederick Duke of Saxony recorded by Sleidan Comment lib. 2. sayes expresly of Luther quod Wickleffi Hussi Bohemorum haereses antea damnaâ—as resuscitet That he revived the old condemned heresies of Whickleff Huss and of the Bohemians Certain it is that the remains of the Waldenses in France are incorporated to the protestant Churches But why should I resume what the forcited Authors have so largely demonstrated viz. that Lutherans derived their doctrin from Hussits and Hussits from Wicklevists and Wicklevists from Waldenses Mr. Perrin and Morland make mention of many of the ancient writings of the Waldenses which hold forth the conformity of their Doctrins with the Doctrins of Protestants particularly one written anno 1120. entituled What thing is Antichrist another about the same time entituled The dream of Purgatory and a third as ancient as the other two entituled The cause of our separation from the Church of Rome I shall only desire thee Reader to ponder the Articles of doctrine which were charged on the Waldenses either as related by the Magdeburgians cent 12. Cap. 8. Col. 1206. 1207. or by Reginaldus in Calvino Turcismo lib. 2. Cap. 5. So virulent an adversary that modest Vsher calls him Turco-papista or as they are rehersed out of Aeneas Sylvins afterward Pope Pius 2. by Bishop Vsser and Voetius and than Judge whether in substantialls they agree with Protestants I exhibit only a few of them 1. That the Scripture is the compleat rule of Faith 2. That the reading of the holy scriptures ought to be granted to all ranks of persons 3. That there is no purgatory but that departed Souls go immediately either to Eternal torments or Eternal joyes 4. That it s in vain to pray for the dead that being but one artifice to satisfie the avarice of Priests 5. That the Pope of Rome hath no supremacy over the Churches of Christ 6. That Masses are impious yea that its a fury to celebrate them for the dead 7. That the Sacrament of the supper ought to be given in both kinds 8. That its Idolatry to invocate and religiously adore departed Saints 9. That the Images of God and Saints ought to be destroyed 10. That confirmation and extream unction are not to be held among the Sacraments of the Church 11. That auricular confession is not necessary 12. That oyle ought not to be mingled with water in the administration of Baptism 13. That the consecration of holy water and palm crosses are ludibrous 14. That its improfitable to implore the necessity and suffrages of departed Saints 15. That saying of Canonick hours is but a trifling of time 16. That the order of begging Friers were invented by the devil 17. That the Romish Synagogue is the whore of Babylon these and diverse other Articles of their doctrin are collected out of the forcited authors by Vsser Cap. 6. Sect. 17. 18. Now whether they who believed the ancient Creeds and assented to the decrees of the first 4. general Councils and maintained these particulars did not agree with Protestants in the substantials of Faith Let those judge who know the doctrine of Protestants But sayes the Pamphleter pag. 94. If I look upon them as being of the same religion as to substantials with us then I should justifie the erroneous and unchristian opinions which the Authentick records of those times testifie they did maintain Answer the contradictions of those records to one another in the particulars charged on the Waldenses have given just occasion to learned Protestants to convict those records of falshood and to vindicate the Innocency of the Waldenses see this prolixly done by Vsher lib. cit cap. 6. from § 19. to the end Voet. disp causa papâ—ius lib. 3. Sect. 2. cap. 9. as also Hottinger and Birbeck in the places forcited did I not in my tenth paper against Mr. Dempster pag. 130. bring in Paradius in his Annals of Burgundy and Gerrard in his french History testifying that impious opinions were maliciously imposed on them quod vitia corruptelas principum liberius repraehenderent should I then justifie what themselves did not
the Primitive Church in those times Nay so clear are Reformed Churches in this matter that we appeal all the Enemies of the Reformed Religion to try our conformity to the ancient Christian Church in all Essentials with the most rigid discuss that is imaginable But on the other hand the disconformity of the present Romish Faith with that ancient Catholick Faith may be obvious to any by comparing those ancient Creeds with the present Popish Creed of Pope Pius the Fourth in which a multitude of Articles are super-added such as the Septenary number of Sacraments the propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass Transubstantiation Purgatory Innovation of Saints Adoration of Images and Reliques the power of Indulgences the Magisterial Supremacy of the Church and Pope of Rome over the whole Catholick Church yea and all the Articles of the Council of Trent are concluded as necessary to Salvation Which certainly are not to be found in any of the ancient Creeds Nay the Roman Creed subjoyns these to the Constantinopolitan Creed as superadded thereto as is to be seen in vitâ Pij 4ti set forth by Onupbrius and in the Confession annexed to H. T. his Manual as a test of the Romish Religion therefore the present Romish Religion is not the true ancient Christian Religion but a bundle of innovations tyrannically imposed upon Consciences of People Yet because this impostor pitches upon ten Articles controverted betwixt us and Romanists wherein he affirms that the Fathers of the first three ages speake clearly against Protestants it may contribute both for the further clearing of the truth and discovering of Roman perfidy to trace him throw these particulars SECT 1. The Pamphleters first Instance of Novelty touching the Popes Supremacy briefly canvased and retorted upon Romanists HIs first instance Pag. 139. is concerning the Popes Supremacy as being says he the most principal thing It s indeed the most principal thing with the Popes Parasits hence Bell. lib. 2. de concil cap. 17. Greg. de Val. lib. 8. de anal fid cap. 7. and other Jesuits give the Pope a supremacy over the whole Catholick Church yea and over general Councils as Pope Boniface the 8. extrav commun unam Sanctam had defined that subjection to the Pope is of necessity to Salvation to every Creature But this is as opposit to the faith of the ancient Church as East to West Had this been the faith of the Church in those times then it had been defined according to the Pamphleters Principle by the infallible visible judge of those times Why then does he not produce such a definition among his citations Doth not the world know that in those three ages there was not one Oecumenick Council except that at Jerusalem Act. 15. unless with Binius and the Ordinary gloss those other three Conventions of the Apostles Act. cap. 1. 6. 21. be also held for Oecumenick Councils But sure it is that none of all these made any definition for the Popes supremacy Consequently there was no infallible visible judge in those times to make such a definition I did always apprehend that the seat of the pretended Romish infallibility had been the seat of their supremacy How then is it that though Pope and Council were insinuated by this Pamphleter Sect. 3. to be the seat of infallibility joyntly Yet now the Pope alone is made the seat of supremacy Is he alone supream but not infallible Is their Church bound to obey and believe a fallible Pope teaching lyes and blasphemies as having supremacy over them though not infallibility Had the Churches in those three ages believed the Popes supremacy as necessary to Salvation would Polycrates and the holy Asiatick Fathers in the second Century have withstood the Pope so resolutly in the matter of Easter as is witnessed by Euseb lib. 5. cap. 22 Would Cyprian so holy a Father and Martyr with the Affrican Fathers in the third Century so vehemently have opposed Pope Stepbanus in the matter of rebaptization as is acknowledged by Bell. lib. 4. de Pontif. cap. 7 Would he have so zealously opposed appeals to Rome as he does Epist. 55. or censured Popes so sharply for admitting them which is to strike at the root of this pretended supremacy Would the fourth Oecumenick Council at Chalcedon Act. 15. can 28. and Act. 16. in which were 630. Fathers have defined in foro contradictorio after debate with the legats of Rome that the Bishop of Constantinople should have equal priviledges with the Bishop of Rome Would the second Council of Milevis can 22. have ordained them to be excommunicated who should make transmarin appeals Would the same African Fathers among whom Austin was one in the sixth Council of Carthage have so stoutly opposed appeals to Rome as Barron ad annum 419. cannot deny though both he and Bell. lib. 2. de Pontif. cap. 25. endeavour by some slight evasions to palliat the matter the falshood whereof is luculently evicted by Chamier Panstrat tom 2. lib. 14. cap. 3. 4. yea the case is so clear that Stapleton relect princip controv 3. quest 7. Is not ashamed to condemn the proceedings of that ancient African Council against the Popes of Rome Such is the respect of Romanists to Antiquity when it crosses their interest Had the Popes supremacy been an essential of the Christian Faith Would Greg. 600. Yeares after Christ lib. 4. Epist 32. 34. 38. 39. have condemned the Title of universal Bishop as a Title of Novelty error blasphemy the universal poyson of the Church contrary to the Ancient Canons contrary to Peter and to God himself a Title which none of his predecessors assumed and who ever did presume to challenge it was a for runner of the Antichrist It s a manifest forgery contrary to all truth which Bellarmin lib. 2. de Pontif. cap. 31. and other Romanists use to elude those luculent testimonies of Greg. as if he had only condemned the title of universal Bishop in that sense wherein John of Constantinople did claim it Namely so as he alone should be Bishop and other Bishops should not at all be Bishops but his Vicars Whereas John of Constantinople never claimed that Title in any other sense then it is this day used by the Bishops of Rome for 1. the oriental Bishops consented with John of Constantinople that he should be termed universal Bishop but it s hardly credible that they would all have consented that themselves should be degraded But secondly Romish Authors particularlarly Platina in the Life of Boniface the third doth testify that the same dignity which John did effect Boniface obtained from that bloody Murtherer Phocas not without much ado magna tamen contentione says Platina Doth not the opposition which the Ancient Brittish and Scottish Churches made to Austin the Monk to Laurentius and Mellitus sent over to England by Greg. the first in the matter of Easter and celebration of Baptism of which see Bede Hist lib. 2. cap. 2. and 4. and Barronius ad annum
Leo was so beaten that for a time he lost the use of eyes and tongue and thereupon some Flatterers rumoured that a Miracle was wrought to recover the Pope But grant that all were true what point of Religion was confirmed by that Miracle that tumult was raised against him not by Pagans as this Pamphleter alledges but by the Friends of the last Pope not for any point of Religion but because he was betraying the Roman Liberties to Charles the Great and does God work Miracles to confirm seditious practices or must the Prodigies of seditious persons be held for Miracles to confirm the Popish Religion If famous Miracles were wrought by those three Popes Stephanus the Fifth Paschalis the First and Formosus as this Pamphleter affirms how was Platina so deficient as to mention none of them Nay of Formosus he saith he came to the Papacy largitione potius quam virtute rather by Simony than Vertue yea and by Perjury also if he wrought Miracles I am sure Pope Stephanus the Sixth had little regard to them when he raised his Corps and degraded him after his death and cut off the Fingers he used in Ordinations and Sergius the Third proceeds yet further and not only raises his Corps again but throws it into Tiber. I confess Platina in vita Serg. 3. saith there was a rumour that the Fishers finding his Body brought it to Peter's Church and buried it which as they were doing the Images in Peter's Church did obeysance to the dead Body of Formosus but Platina himself questions the truth of it If there were a reality therein how was not Pope Sergius the Third stricken with remorse for the injury done to Formosus the Images of S. Peter's Church giving such a signal testimony against him As for S. Dunstan Thom. Fuller in his Ch. Hist cent 10. lib. 2. pag. 128. Sect. 12 13. tells that he was banished the Court of England as a Magician The Reader may judge of the rest of his Miracles by that Romance of his holding the Devil by the Nose with a pair of Fiery Pincers but the Legerdemain trick which he was said to use against the poor Secular Priests at Calne in Wiltshire was most pernicious they being at a great Debate with the Monks whom Dunstan owned against the Seculars it 's reported he had so ordered that the Timber should fall on the Seculars and destroy them to terminate the Debate If these be the Romish Miracles the good Lord preserve us from them The story of that Magician Saint is largely related by Fuller It seems they must be scarce of Real Miracles when among the Workers of them they reckon Greg. 7. seditious Hildebrand whom Cardinal Benno holds for a Magician did it not savour more of Magick than of Apostolick Miracles to shake fire out of his Gown-sleeves A world of noise is made concerning the Miracles of Malachy whom they call the Apostle of Ireland whose life is said to be written by Bernard It 's not without cause that D. Morton's Appeal lib. 3. cap. 18. doubts whether these things were really done by Malachias or recorded by Bernard sometimes the Writer of these Miracles compares him to Elias too high an Elogy doubtless at other times he attributes to him ludibrious Miracles as operum Bernardi col 1942. edit Paris 1615. that he turned equum runcinum subnigrum a rusty brown Jade in praetiosum album palefridum into a choise white Palfrey neither is there more credit to be given to the pretended Miracles of Bernard reported in his life for Bernard himself confesses in Serm. de Benedict col 121. that he wrought no Miracle And among the miracles ascribed to him in his life some are really ludibrious as col 1981. that he killed Fleas by Excommunication and that by saying a piece of the Lords Prayer he made a Horse that had broke his Bridle and run away into a Meadow return of his own accord that he had driven away the Devil from a Woman whom the Devil had carnally used many years by laying his Staff by her in the night that he excommunicated the Devil and thereby disabled him from medling in this sort any more with Women It 's tedious to me to transcribe the imposterous Cheats of S. Francis S. Dominick Katherine of Siena c. the Cheats of these dissembling Hypocrites having been so often laid open to the World Concerning Dominick I remit the Reader to Hospin lib. 6. de Monachis cap. 7. fol. 199. Concerning Francis to the same Author ibid. cap. 13. fol. 214. Concerning Katherine of Siena to him likewise cap. 41. fol. 258. Is it not ludibrious to hear that Christ Jesus in the presence of the Virgin Mary John and Paul the Apostles at the request of the Blessed Virgin should have betrothed Katherine of Siena to himself by a Ring David with his Harp making Musick to the Solemnity What Christian ears can endure such impious Fables This Pamphleter here cannot omit the miraculous translation of the Virgin Mary 's House to Loretto I doubt if there be any more ridiculous Fiction either in Ovid's Metamorphosis or in Aesop's Fables It would be perhaps a divertisement to the Reader to hear the Narration but seeing these Papers are swelling to a nimious bigness I must remit the Reader to Hospin de Templis pag. 394. Excellently doth Crakanthorp defens Eccles Anglic. cap. 66. Sect. 14. compare it to that Mahumetan Romance that when the Temple of Meccha where Mahomets Tomb is was to be built all the adjacent Hills did bring stones thither of their own accord Among all these Legends of Fictitious Miracles shall Jesuits have no share It had not been for the Honour of the Society that the Pamphleter had forgotten Ignatius Loyola and Xavier Alphonsus de Vargas de stratagem Jesuit c. 2 3. gives them this testimony that never a Generation among Mortals was more impudent in obtruding imposterous lyes on the world than Jesuits which the Author confirms by remarkable instances nay so ingenious are they in such devices they could hold the world in hand with a miraculous impress of Garnet's Image upon a Straw at his execution But not to digress from Loyola and Xavier I cannot deny that Maffeius and Ribadeneira Jesuits report strange Miracles of Ignatius Loyola as that he would hang in the Air with a wondrous splendour that he did with corporal eyes behold Christ in the Sacrament yea and the Trinity that Christ and the Virgin Mary often appeared to him that he would beat the Devil with a Rod and conjure him with a Letter that he would behold the Souls of dying Jesuits ascending to Heaven that he hath helped Women in hard labour and those that have been smitten with the Pestilence and other grievous diseases as if Ignatius were to make a Monopoly of the imployment of other petty Saints such as Saint Roch who did Patronize them who had the Plague Saint Cosmas and Damian the Patron of Physitians c.
his considerations of the Church of England Reformed cap. 4. Secondly according to the principles of both these not only of them who hold the Pope to be a Petit Antichrist and a Fore-runner of the Great One but also of them who affirm him to be the Grand Antichrist our Lord under the Papal Tyranny preserved a Church in these Western parts and consequently many great truths such as the Trinity and Incarnation and the substantials of many Ordinances particularly of Baptism and of Ordination albeit both of them were clogged with additional corruptions yet in evidence that the Reformed Churches held their Baptism and Ordination valid they did not rebaptize or reordain those who had been baptized or ordained by the Church of Rome Neither need any think strange at this who remember that it 's predicted of the Great Antichrist 2 Thes 2. 4. that he shall sit in the Temple of God From which it follows that though Popes be the Great Antichrist yet Orders being one of these remains which God had preserved under Antichrists Usurpation Ordination conferred by Antichristian Ministers not in so far as Antichristian but as retaining some of Christs goods might be valid Thirdly I add that in this the Wisdom and Goodness of God doth greatly appear that under the prevalency of the Tyranny of the Papal Faction he would preserve a Church and thereby transmit to Posterity the Holy Scriptures which did luculently discover the corruptions of that Apostatized Church and convey down orders to Ministers who by vertue of their Ordination were authorized and obliged to endeavour the Reformation of the Church Fourthly that our Reformers did not set up a new Church but did reform the old Apostatized Church so that there needed no new Ordination or immediate Call but only faithfully to improve the power given them in their Ordination to shake off and witness against the corruptions of that lapsed Church And fifthly and lastly this must be added though Ordination was clogged with corruptions at the time when our Reformers received Ordination in the Church of Rome yet was not Ordination in the Romish Church by far so corrupt as now it is for then Pope Pius the Fourth his impious Oath which he imposed upon all persons to be Ordained was not contrived By all this I hope it may appear that our Reformers Ordination was valid though received by Romish Ministers and yet the Romish Party not vindicated from Antichristianism It 's further objected that Protestants look upon Romanists as Hereticks and consequently ought to look upon Ordination from them as null Answ That sequel is null Do not Romanists maintain that Orders imprint an indeleble character on the Soul which neither Schism nor Heresie can extinguish and that Sacraments conferred by Hereticks are valid and particularly of this Sacrament of Orders Jesuit Connick Tom. 2. de Sacram. disp 20. dub 9. Num. 84. concludes Certum omnino est Episcopum Excommunicatum Haereticum degradatum validè conferre ordines i. e. It is altogether certain that Orders conferred by a Bishop Excommunicated Heretical and degraded are valid And though Protestants acknowledge no such Sacramental character impressed on the Soul yet they affirm that by Ordination a power is conferred which is not utterly made void by every Schism or Heresie so that though Schismaticks or Hereticks act irregularly in ordaining yet Orders conferred by them are not null and void Neither are they whom Schismaticks or Hereticks ordain bound in conscience to propagate the Schism or Heresies of those who ordained them yea by relinquishing the Schism and Heresies of their Ordainers what irregularity was in their Ordination is supplied and they come into a capacity of conferring Orders regularly which their Ordainers abiding in Schism or Heresie could not do Hence it apparently follows that though Romanists be both Schismatical and Heretical and act irregularly in conferring Orders yet the Orders conferred by them to our Reformers were not only valid but also the Reformers by relinquishing the Heretical Doctrines and Schismatical principles and practices of the Church of Rome and by owning the Catholick Truths oppugned by Romanists had the defects and irregularity of their Ordination supplied Thus Romanists themselves answer concerning the Bishops whom they own who had been ordained by Cranmer in the time of Schism as they call it saying they attained the regular use of their Orders by returning from Schism and Heresie in Queen Mary's time when they were reconciled to the Church of Rome they ought not then offend at us for making use of the same Reply to them I shut up this Answer to this Objection with that saying of S. Austin Epist 165. Et si quisquam traditor subrepsisset albeit some Traytor had crept into the Church he means the Roman in which too too many Judasses have been seen since that time nihil praejudicaret Ecclesiae aut Innocentibus Christianis it should nothing prejudice the Church or Innocent Christians From pag. 203. to 207. he breaks forth into a Flood of Thrasonick Clamours as void of truth as of sobriety as if Protestants acknowledged the Popish Church to be the most Ancient Church and ever to have possessed the greatest part of the Christian World converting Nations working Miracles and that the Church before Luther should have been destitute of the true Letter and sense of Scripture and thereupon vainly misapplys to the Romish Church that word of Tertull. Olim possideo prior possideo The falshood of all these hath been already as copiously demonstrated as the nature of this Tractate would permit And particularly it hath been shewed that one of our great Exceptions against the Popish Church is her Novelty under a Mask of falsly pretended Antiquity That the Complex of their Trent Religion is latter than Luther and that the truly Catholick Church continued in all Ages having both the Letter and sense of holy Scripture and Substantials of Faith maintaining the same Religion which the Reformed Churches do to this day consequently the Reformed Churches are truly a part of that Catholick Church from which Romanists do Schismatically separate themselves Though Romanists had more Antiquity than they have yet that of Tertull. lib. de Veland Virg. Cap. 1. might stop their mouths Nec veritati praescribere potest Spatium temporum vel patrocinia personarum vel privilegia Regionum Neither length of time nor Patrociny of persons nor priviledges of Countries can prescribe against Truth SECT V. A Brief Reparty to his Conclusory Knacks THe vain Knacks where with he shuts up his Treatise pag. 207 208. are solidly confuted to my hand by Learned and Judicious Mr. Rait in his Vindication of the Protestant Religion pag. 268. for with the same froathy talk his Adversary also had concluded his Scriblings It shall be enough therefore to me to make this Retorsion on Romanists They have Faith without Verity Unity of Interest without Unity of Judgment a Catholick Church without Catholicism excluding the greatest part of
is wanting else the first Apostolick Church which succeeded to none had been no true Church yea there should hardly be a Church to day upon the Face of the Earth there hardly being a Church founded by the Apostles in which alas for pity the Lyn of Succession hath not some time or other been perturbed with the intervention of Heresie the Roman not excepted Greg. de Valentia Tom. 3. Disp 1. q. 1. punct 6. acknowledges some Doctrines of Faith either thorough negligence errour or wickedness of men may for a time be as buried which afterward thorough the Churches diligence may be revived But as for the Roman Church she hath neither Doctrinal nor Personal Succession not Doctrinal as I have proved cap. 7. yea it will be hard to prove that the Complex of their present Religion is elder than the Council of Trent Nor Personal Is it not evident from History that some have taken the Papal Chair by Force some by Fraud some by Simony some by Magical Arts yea and some of them have been openly Heretical as Romanists themselves reckon Heresie if Arrians Nestorians Montanists Eutychians Monothelites be Hereticks Hereof we gave a touch Cap. 2. Sect. 2. Arg. 3. Sure I am the rest of the Patriarchs of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Jerusalem can instruct a personal Succession no less than Rome Excellently did one compare the Pope of Rome pretending to succeed Peter because he sits in the Roman Chair unto Vibius Ruffus of whom Xiphilinus in the Life of Dion reports that because he sat in Julius Caesar's Chair therefore he gloried as if he had been Caesar The chief Cavils moved by Romanists against our Succession relate to the Call and Mission of our Reformers and succeeding Pastors which though this Pamphleter hath not touched yet seeing others lay so much stress upon them and they may appear somewhat specious to less discerning persons I judged it might not be unfit briefly to resolve the more important of them First then they object this The Call and Mission of our first Reformers was neither extraordinary and immediate nor ordinary and mediate and consequently null not extraordinary and immediate else it had been confirmed by Miracles and extraordinary Credentials nor mediate and ordinary there being none by whom they could have a mediate Mission but by the Ministers of the Church of Rome whom the most of Protestants hold to be Antichristian But the Ministers of the true Church of Christ cannot receive their Mission from the Ministers of Antichrist supposing by thi◠Argument the nullity of the Call of our Reformers to be evicted the nullity of succeeding Pastors is also concluded as deriving their Mission from the first Reformers and so a non habentibus potestatem Yea lastly hence the nullity of all Protetestant Churches is inferred because as Jerom contra Lucifer pronounces Ecclesia non est quae non habet Sacerdotem It can be no Church that hath no Ministry I know no Sophism wherein Romanists do more triumph or the not penetrating the fallacy whereof hath driven weak and less considerate Protestants upon more Precipices This one Cavil is more specious than all our Pamphleter said But I shall not decline to grapple with them where their chief strength doth lye In discovery therefore of the fallacy of this Sophism I shall begin at the last and chief inference of the nullity of the Church from the nullity of the Ministry concerning which I propose these two distinctions First where there is no Ministry there is no Organical Church compleatly furnished with her Officers it 's granted no Entitative Church or no Society professing the Catholick Faith it 's denied else when the Ministers and Officers of a Church are removed by death the Church should perish but Act. 14. 23. it 's said the Apostles ordained Elders in every Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it seems to be supposed they were Churches for a time without Pastors that is they were Societies of visible Professors of the Faith of Jesus Christ But take this other distinction there is no Catholick Church without a Ministry it 's granted no particular Church is denied It 's true Ephes 4. 11 12 13. there is a promise of perpetuity of a Ministry in the Catholick Church for the edifying of the body but it 's no where promised that particular Churches should never be deprived of their Pastors for a time And so though these Churches Act. 14. for a time wanted Pastors to take particular inspection of them yet even then there were Pastors in the Catholick Church as the Apostles and others and this is all which either Jerom in the place cited or Cyprian Epist 69. in a like testimony intended From which I infer though it were granted which yet is splendidly false that there were no lawful Pastors in the Reformed Churches yet the nullity of these Churches could not be concluded but only a defect of needful Organs and Office-bearers yea though there were neither Pastors in Reformed Churches nor in the Roman yet would it not follow that the Catholick Church had no Pastors for the Catholick Church extends it self far beyond them both But in the next place I examine their first medium and so overthrow all it 's a splendid falshood that the call of our Reformers was null for it had the Essentials requisite to the call of Pastors consequently succeeding Pastors are ordained ab habentibus potestatem as to that Dilemma which hath been so often canvased and confuted I answer the Call of Reformers was mediate and ordinary and so needed not extraordinary Credentials They were not called to any new Function or to preach any new truths whereas some have said their Call was extraordinary It is to be understood only quoad modum non quoad substantiam or in regard of Heroick and in some sort extraordinary endowments wherewith they were fitted for reviving collapsed truths as is largely expounded by Voetius lib. 2. desper caus Pap. Sect. 2. cap. 24. and D. Prideaux de vocat Minist § 7. But it 's urged that then they have had their Mission from Ministers of the Church of Rome whom many Protestants hold as Antichristian It 's readily granted and that without the least advantage to the Romish Interest or detriment to the Reformed Religion For satisfying those that are judicious herein let these few things be considered And first Though all Protestants be not agreed that the latter Popes of Rome are the grand Antichrist yet they who speak most mildly in the thing cannot but acknowledge that Romanists hold many Antichristian Doctrines and that the spirit of Antichrist hath long wrought in the chief Rulers of the Church of Rome both in regard of their Heretical Doctrines especially that of Papal Infallibility then which not one can better serve the turn of Antichrist and of the exorbitant power usurped by Popes not only over all Bishops but also over Kings and whatsoever is called God See of this D. Fern in