Caesariensis before quoted expresseth it not with ink on paper but by his Spirit in the hearts of his people according to the ancient Prophecies concerning him in the Old Testament And hereupon the Fathers observe that our Saviour left nothing at all in writing neither did he lay any injunction upon his Apostles to write bookes And therefore the same Eusâ—bius Hist. Ecel l. 5. cap. 8. 24. expresly affirmes That the Apostles had the least regard to writing The like is noted by Saint Chrysostome in his frist Homily upon the Acts where he gives the reason why the booke of the Acts does onely or principally conteine the occurrences concerning S. Paul and not those neither to the end of his life But an assurance of this irrefragable is given by Saint Paul himselfe who in severall places of his Epistles referres to the doctrine setled by orall instruction as when he sayes Gal. c. 1. If any one shall preach otherwise then ye have received let him be Anathema And againe Phil. cap. 4. Those things which ye have been taught and received and heard and seen in me doe ye And againe to shew the uniformity of the doctrine every where he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of wholesome words And againe We write no other things unto you then what you have known And againe 1 Cor. cap. 14. 15. As I teach in all Churches And againe So we have preached and so ye have believed Hence S. Augustine makes this rule The Scripture is wont for brevities sake to be silent of many things which are to be learned from the order of Tradition For this reason it was as antiquity observes that S. Paul kept his residence so long a time in many Cities after he had setled Churches there to the end to inculcate into their memories the substantiall doctrines preached over and over unto them and to establish an uniforme order and discipline among them which by that meanes continued in an exact conformity for severall centuries of yeares in the Catholique Church all the world over as Tertullian S. Basil S. Augustin c. observe 3. Now this way of setling Religion by Tradition and outward practise was much more secure and lasting and far lesse subject to corruptions then writings without unappealable interpreters especially could possibly be If it be objected that memory is not so safe a depositary as written records which are made use of to supply the defects of memory It may be answered that that is true of preserving doctrines meerely speculative but not so of such as may be made as it were visible by practise as almost all Evangelicall doctrines are For as for bookes we see by experience that those which of all other in the world ought to have been preserved with the most exact care and wherein the most scrupulous curiosity was commendable I meane the Sacred Evangelicall writings have not been able to escape the inevitable fate of all bookes especially such as every one almost will thinke himselfe concern'd to transcribe that is to have infinite variety of readings much more then any other bookes that I know of whatsoever and principally in in the originall tongues which were not read in Churches Insomuch as in my hearing Bishop Usher one of the most learned Protestant Prelats in England professed that whereas he had had of many yeares before a designe to publish the New Testament in Greeke with various lections and Annotations and for that purpose had used great diligence and spent much money to furnish himselfe with Manuscripts and Memoires from severall learned men abroad yet in conclusion he was forced to desist utterly from that undertaking lest if he should ingenuously have noted all the severall differences of readings which himselfe had collected the incredible multitude of them almost in every verse should rather have made men Atheistically to doubt of the truth of the whole booke then satisfie them in the true reading of any particular passage An evident signe this is that the ancient Governours of the Church did not suppose that Christian Religion did onely or principally rely upon what was in writing For if they had they would doubtlesse either have forbidden such a multitude of transcribers or have preserved the Originall copies or at least have imitated the exact diligence and curiosity of the Jewish Masorites in their preserving the Old Testament entire for the future namely by numbring all the letters and points and signifying where and how oft every one of them were found in Scripture None of which preventions and cautions notwithstanding have been used in the Christian Church Yea so farre is it from that that at least one whole Epistle of S. Paul to the Laodiceans and that most ancient Gospel in Hebrew secundum Nazaraeos are at this day utterly lost not to speak of severall bookes mentioned in the Old Testament not now to be heard of 4. Well but how casuall soever bookes may prove to be yet it does not hitherto appeare how Orall Tradition and Practise can demonstrate it selfe a way more secure and free from hazard than they I will therefore endeavour to resolve this seeming difficulty by asking these Questions Can any one reasonably say that for example the doctrines of Christs death for mankinde commemorated in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist of his reall unfigurative presence there have beene or could possibly have beene more securely propagated and more clearely and intelligibly delivered to Posterity in bookes written which may be lost and will be corrupted by some transcribers and every transcribers copy is as authentique as any others or as they have been in the Tradition and universall Practise of the Church and in a continuall visible celabrating of those divine Mysteries where every action they did performe published the truth which they believed where their thanksgiving for Christs Passion dayly renewed the memory manner and end of it where their prostrations and adorations demonstrated their assurance of his reall Presence where every mans saying Amen at the Priests pronouncing Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi expressed their confession of that Presence with exclusion of all Tropes and Metaphors in the businesse Againe is not the true inward sence of these Christian Doctrines conveyed more intelligibly and represented more exactly lively and naturally by such practises and solemne spectacles than by bare words though they had beene never so eleare and of never so studied a perspicuity With relation to which expresse impossible to be mistaken way of propagating the Mysteries of Christian beliefe and reflecting in his minde thereupon S. Paul in all probability thus reproved the Galatians for their inconstancy in these words of wonder and indignation Gal. c. 3 v. 1. O insensatiGalatae O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been lively represented being Crucified among you As thinking that nothing of lesse power than a charme could
of Sacriledge is the ordinary and almost necessary attendant of Schisme and Haeresie That great Patriarch of both Calvin would not vouchsafe to impart his skill in these two qualities to them of Geneva till they had by a solemne publique oath obliged themselves indispensibly to embrace whatsoever doctrines he should establish among them and till they had charged a curse upon themselves and their posterity for ever if afterward they did repent themselves of that Perjury and Rebellion against their lawfull Prince and Bishop 2. Concerning England the poore subjects there ever since Schisme and Haeresie found entrance have beene as of course accustomed to be constreined to forsweare themselves by publike Order and in a most solemn fashion whensoever either the lusts or interests of their Princes have moved them to introduce any novelties among them First Henry the eight without giving his subjects leave or space to studie the point of Controversie which yet indeed was then no controversie at all with forced consent of his Parliament constreined them generally to renounce one Article of that Faith namely Obedience to the Visible Universall Pastour of the Catholique Church wherein they and their Ancestors for many ages had been bred a doctrine introduced and generally embraced there ever since the Nation was converted from Heathenisme by their glorious Apostle S. Augustine the Benedictin Monke delegated thither by the more glorious Pope S. Gregory the Great To effect which Perjury the meaner sort of people were forced by Tyranny and the Great-ones allured by partaking in the spoiles of Sacriledge 3. After his death those sacrilegious persons who governed the Kingdome during the reigne and minority of his Son caused the Parliament a second time to impose upon the whole Nation a yet greater Perjury namely entirely to sweare away a great part of that Faith which made them Christians And though they willingly repented their former Perjuries and impieties returning to their ancient Beliefe and Obedience during the short reigne of that Catholique Princess Q. Mary Yet the interests of her sister successour Q Elizabeth prevailed so far as to make them repent their repentance and to sweare over againe all their former Perjuries her cunning Counsellours by all unlawfull wayes of violence and allurements surprising the Parliament corrupting the Cleargy and violencing the consciences of the subjects and so contriving their designs as that they confidently imagined that Schisme and Haeresie were established in England irremoveably being setled by a law as irrevocable as that of the Medes and Persians 4. But in vaine For Schisme and Heresie wanting firme and reall foundations and being built only upon secular interests when those interests come to faile as all worldly things must in time naturally sinke lower and lower into that gulfe which hath no bottome For it is remarkable that Heresie being the ruine of Faith as Schisme is of Charity all changes that are made in them are still to the worse Faith is continually more and more undetermined and Charity more and more cryed downe and made unlawfull A fearfull example of this hath been represented to the world in this late Schisme in England from a former Schisme For heretofore the English Protestants pretended that by their Separation from the Catholique Church there was made a rent only in the semelesse garment of Christ but yet so that the parts hung together still allowing the Catholique Church to be a true Church of Christ but preferring their part of it as better cleansed and washed than the other But now Christs garment is torne by them into I know not how many rags all pluck'd entirely from one another and this with such violence and injusitice as Mahomet himselfe would have abhorred 5. But to returne to Perjury a most usefull and necessary engine in Schisme certainely never any Carthaginian or Barbarian hath given such prodigious Examples as the Presbyterian Calvinists For Persons who make it a foundation of their Sect to acknowledge a private spirit to be the only judge of Scripture and points of Religion renouncing all externall Ecclesiasticall authority as to such a purpose for such men I say to force other men without any new information or instruction to forswear whatsoever the law of God as they believed and most certainly the lawes of the Kingdome then in force obliged them to is an attentat most horrible But by a new oath and that explicitely commanding persons to preserve their loyalty to their Prince and to maintaine the Lawes and Religion of the Kingdome by such an oath I say to oblige the same Persons at the same time to seeke the destruction of their Prince and of the same Lawes and Religion and to spend their fortunes and lives in the defence of a Religion not yet in being but promised to be contrived no man knowes when nor by whom and to sweare that that unknown Religion yet in the forge was true and only conformable to the word of God What name can be found out for such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an execrable renouncing of God as this And yet all this hath been in the face of the sun and this must in England be stiled a Reformation and such an one as might deserve to be purchased with that Sea of blood which hath lately flowed there 5. Surely this one example alone may suffice to advertise all those who have seperated from the unity of Christs Church what are and probably will be the dire effects of Schisme Let them not cast their eyes so much upon those frequent seditions and Rebellions and those rivers of Christian blood which under a pretence of Reformation have been shed in Christendome since Luthers Apostacy But let them rather consider this as a judgement more terrible then all the former namely that for a punishment of Schisme and such crimes as are the naturall fruits of it Almighty God has given up England to this more then Atheisticall wanton petulant contempt and defiance of his heavenly Majesty 7. Therefore such abominations as these Sacriledge and Perjury then which no Heathen could imagine any more abominable and these so great abominations exalted to the utmost degree and circumstance of aggravation having thus universally infected and envenomed all the severall Orders and degrees of men in England could I possibly remaining a Christian or not becoming a profest Aâ—heist escape fearefull apprehensions that the end of such things would be yet more terrible and that such execrable crimes would require a long time for expiation CHAP. V. The sanguinary lawes and cruell execution of them upon Catholique Priests in England 1. THere was one sinne more of which the English Government since the Schisme there was guilty which God seldome leaves unpunished and for which even during the time of my being a Protestant I apprehended some time or other as a sharp visitation which was the enacting and putting in execution those bloudy lawes against poor Catholique Priests against most of whom there was not the
that it had no power of wounding as soone as it gets strength it fayles not to dart it out to the destruction of never so many thousands that oppose it I shall for proofe onely desire that men would cast their eyes upon the condition of England since the late Calvinisticall faction there got a fatall opportunity to discharge freely that poyson which for a long time it was forced to keepe closed up in it's entrals where after the best enquiry I could make I could not finde or heare of during the time of these late bloody commotions so much as one single person of the Presbyterian-Calvinist party but did actively oppose his King Nor one single Minister of that party but was a Trumpet io incite to war And all this not to free themselves from any danger they were in for their consciences for before the warre broke out his Majesty had offered them sufficient security but to destroy the present government of that Church and to set up their owne in place of it And as for their Brethren in France to this day it has beene in vaine attempted to perswade them to signifie the least dislike of these their practises the most infamous and scandalous to Christianity that ever were 6. If all these considerations together doe not more then sufficiently prove that without partaking of the scandall I could not adjoyne my self to the communion of these Sects let all the world judge Especially I being before yet remaining absolutely perswaded that it is utterly unlawfull upon praetence of defending Religion or avoyding persecution to oppose actively that peaceably settled Government under which I live Much more to seeke the alteration or ruine of that Government upon designe of introducing that Religion which I thinke to be true And truly I cannot but acknowledge it a great blessing of God that though I had the misfortune to be bred in Schisme yet it was in such a Church the forme whereof having been moulded by authority if not according to the interests of the Civill Governours in which continuing it was besides the obligation of my conscience mine own secular interests also to be loyall to the King with whom that Religion did before stand and is now in great danger to fall for by this meanes I had no tentation at all to study waies to elude those expresse commands of Christ by S. Paul Rom. 13. to be obedient not only for wrath but even conscience sake to my worldly Governour and of Christ himselfe immediately Mat. 5. to seeke for blessednesse by suffering for the righteousnesse of the Gospels sake not by opposing with active violence the Governours that sought the ruine of it much lesse under present here of by persecuting and destroying others Divine Providence seeming on purpose to order the publication of these truly Christian doctrines under the reigne of Tiberius Caligula and Nero then which the sunne never saw more abominable Tyrants and enemies to Religion to the end that in future ages no pretence should serve to dispense from Obedience And this doctrine of Obedience truly Christian which I learned in England being now by Gods goodnesse a Catholique I do and by the grace of God will to my death retaine and the rather because I shall now embrace it meerly for the authority of Christ and in imitation of his Apostles and ancient Christians afterward whose heroicall subjection to persecuting Emperours even then when it was in their power to revenge themselves among other writers Tertullian most divinely expresseth in his Apology and elsewhere and that most victorious Thebaean Legion gave an illustrious example Whereas in England that the interest of state had a great influence even upon this doctrine of obedience appears in this that when Q. Elizabeth conceived it convenient for her worldly designs to take on her the Protection of the low-Countreyes against the King of Spaine She employed D. Bilsou Bishop of Winchester one of her learnedst Cleargymen to write his booke of Christian subjection in which to justifie the revolt of Holland he gave strange liberty in many cases especially concerning Religion for subjects to cast off their Obedience But that book which serv'd Q Eliz. worldly designs by the just judgement of God hath contributed much to the ruine of her successour K Charles For there is not any booke that the Presbyterians have made more dangerous use of against their present Prince then that which his Predecessour commanded to be written justifie her against the K. of Spaine CHAP. XIII Protestants recriminating Catholiques for Rebellion answered 1. I know well that the Lutherans but especially the Calvinists triumph much that they can finde so few Catholiques that have been as wicked in this nature as their best and most authentique teachers most unjustly imputing to Catholique Religion the most abhored desperate acts of a few Traytors and the seditious bookes of a few Authors Whereas not onely all Catholiques in generall doe abhor those Acts renounce and condemne those Writings but the whole body of the French Iesuits in Paris to whom especially the Calvinists declare war in this point being in the yeare 1625. met in a full Assembly have publiquely and unanimously disavowed condemned and detested such seditious positions and writings universally agreeing to condemne that scandall wherein I never yet saw them imitated by any one Calvinist Particularly for English Catholiques their innocence and clearnesse in this point of Obedience was to me sufficiently apparent even before I left that Kingdome besides other proofes testifyed in a Petition offered to the Parliament immediately before the late Commotions as in the name of all of that Religion in England In which the profession of their loyalty was according to the tenour following The Catholiques of England do acknowledge professe K. Charls now reigning to be their true and lawfull King supreame Lord and rightfull sovereigne of this Realme and of all other his Majesties dominions And therefore they acknowledge themselves to be obliged under paine of sin to obey his Majesty in all civill and temperall affaires as much as any other of his Majesties subjects and as the lawes and Rules of Government in this Kingdome doe require at their hands And that notwithstanding any power or pretention of the Pope or See of Rome or any Sentence or detraction of what kind or quality soever given or to be given by the Pope his predecessors or successors or by any authority spirituall or temporall proceeding or derived from him or his See against their layd King and Countrey they will still acknowledge and perform to the utmost of their abilities their faithfull loyalty and true allegeance to their said King and Countrey And they doe openly disclaime and renounce all forreine Power be it either Papall or Princely Spirituall or temporall in as much as it may seem able or shall pretend to free discharge or absolve them from this obligation or shall any way give them leave or licence to raise tumults
beare armes or offer any violence to his Majesties Royall Person to the High Court of Parliament to the State or Government Being all of them ready not only to discover and make known to his Majesty and to the high Court of Parliament all the treasons conspiracies made against him or it which shall come to their hearing but also to lose their lives in the defence of their King Countrey to resist with their best endevours all conspiracies attempts made against their said King or Countrey be they framed or sent under what pretence or patronized by what forreigne authority soever And further they profess that al absolute Princes supream Governours of what Religion soever they be are Gods Lieutenants upon earth and that Obedience is due unto them according to the lawes of each Commonwealth respectively in civill and temporall affaires and therefore they doe here protest against all doctrine and authority to the contrary And they doe hold it impious and against the word of God to maintaine that any private Subject may kill and murther the Annointed of God his Prince though of a different beliefe and Religion from his And they abhor and detest the practice thereof as damnable and wicked And lastly they offer themselves most willingly to accept and embrace the late Protestation of union made by the High Court of Parliament excepting only the clause of Religion Professing that they cannot without sin infringe or violate any contract or break their words and promises made or given to any man though of a different faith and beliefe from the Church of Rome All which they doe freely and sincerely acknowledge and protest as in the presence of God without any equivocation or mentall reservation whatsoever 3. Now I desire to know what security beyond this any State can expect from any Christian or indeed any man What jealousie can reasonably be given by persons thus clearly and ingenuously professing their consciences and protesting their obedience yet notwithstanding the English Catholiques are ready to give a security even beyond thisâ— the Catholique Bishop pro tempore formerly residing in England having as I have been credibly informed offered his owne person and life as a pledge of the loyalty of all his Cleargy c. under his obedience in so much as if any of them shall be found guilty of disloyalty the Bishop will be obliged to produce such a delinquent to condingne punishment or pay the defect of it with the forfeiture of his owne life These things considered I should not deny even during the time that I was a Protestant but that it was with great impudence and injustice that Catholique Relegion was accused by those two Sects of disloyalty a crime universally and only adhering th themselves and abhorr'd by all sorts of persons all Orders and degrees among Catholiques CHAP. XIV A fourth scandall among Calvinists c. viz. their aversion from unity 1. A Fourth great discouragement which I had to joyne in Communion with the Lutheran or Calvinist Churches was their manifest renouncing of Christian Charity and the peace of Gods Church their unwillingnesse to abate the least point of doctrine even to a very phrase or to alter any thing in discipline though to gaine thereby the greatest good which is unity and reconciliation in a word the Spirit of Donatisme a Spirit of Separation out of the love of Separation it selfe 2. Whether it was a naturall inclination in me to hate all quarrells unlesse most extreamely necessary and unavoidable or my education in the English Church which of all other Sects doth most professe moderation I have alwaies dearly esteemed those writers whether Catholique or Protestant which have endeavoured to lessen the number of differences between Christians to give the most moderate qualified sences to differing opinions and to attempt all probable waies of reconciliation as Hofmeisterus Wicelius Franciscus à Sancta Clarâ c. among Catholiques And Bishop Andrewes Montague Grotius Monsicur de la Millitiere Acontus c. among Protestants I was moreover in mine owne understanding convinc'd that in very many points the differences between Catholiques and Protestants was onely in words while in the meaning both parties agreed as concerning Freewill Predestination Iustification Merit of Good workes sinnes Mortall and Veniall c. Nay further that some negative points of doctrine were maintained even by the Church of England contrary to their owne grounds that is contrary to the Universall consent of Primitive antiquity as denying Sacrifice and Prayer for the dead and by consequence Purgatory sacrifice of the Altar Monachisme Difference betweene Evangelicall Councels and Precepts vowes c. 3. Hereupon it was that mine owne reason assisted by my love to Christian unity perswading me that for worldly respects or out of feare of consequences ungratefull even the Church of England had divided it selfe from the Catholique to a further distance then justice truth and charity would permit I could not answer it to mine owne reason and conscience if instead of approaching to the Catholique Church I should run quite out of sight from it by communicating with those Churches whose generall designe and study it is to make the wound of division incurable and the breach every day wider and wider among whom it is a crime to talke of Reunion in a word who call it zeale to professe division from the Catholique Church even in those very points wherein their consciences cannot but tell them that they doe really agree with it 4. Manifest testimonies of this more then Donatisticall Spirit have been given by Calvin in his most barbarous censure of that too too moderate condescending booke of Cassander D E OFFICIO PII VIRI and by the Calvinist-Churches in France in their comportments towards Mâ—ssicurs Grotius and de la Millitiere upon occasion of those treatises by them published tending to union Yea so in love have they shewed themselves with Schisme quatenus Schisme so zealous to renounce that precious legacy of Peace which our Saviour at his last farewell to the world left to his Church that they multiply division upon division even among themselves making Frusta de frusto of the seamelesse garment of Christ denying Communion to one another even for points in their own opinion of no considerable importance The Lutherans will not communicate with the Calvinists nor the Remonstrants with the Contra-remonstrants nor the Separatists with the English Protestants And whatsoever union the French-Calvinist Churches boast of they owe it entirely to the civill Power there for if that would allow them the liberty they would fall into as many devisions as any of their brethren 5. If sometimes an extraordinary fit of seeming charity have come upon them the Circumstances demonstrate that it was not love of unity or conscience that begat that good mood but meerly temperall hopes or feares I remember S. Augustin Ep. 50. ad Bonifas Speaking of those professed Masters of Schisms the Donatists gives
and alluring qualities especially being of such a disposition that is one that above all things in the world abhorred quarrelling one who though he durst not betray necessary truths by professing the contrary yet in many cases would willingly have purchased peace with silence lastly one that alwaies suspected his owne reason and that was desirous to find out authority which might deserve to have his reason submit it selfe to it 5. Yet notwithstanding all these invitations so prepossessed was I with the invinciblenesse of Mr. Chillingworth's arguments against the infallibility of the Church joyn'd with an opinion that it was an essentiall requisite to Communion with the Roman Church to acknowledge infallibility in the notion that I apprehended it that it was not without much violence to my selfe that I could obteine from mine owne reason permission to make a serious enquiry into the grounds of it But at last because I would not accuse my self afterward of want of ingenuity and fidelity in denying that to the Roman Church alone which I had performed in respect of all other Churches besides even to the Socinians Nestorians and Eutychians and besides the affaires of England growing every day in the greater decadency I found that I was likely to be forced to a reall necessity of resolving that that Question which at first I reflected on onely upon an imagined supposition namely Supposing the Church of England should come to faile to the Communion of what Church I should then adjoyne my selfe 6. A Question this is which I am confident never any one person of any one Sect of Christians before was effectively forced to determine For never before was there any Religion so wholly appropriated to any Kingdome or Government as that such a Government decaying the whole frame of that Church sunk the professors thereof not being able to find in the whole world any Church into which without renouncing their maine distinctive principles they could enter Since the time that it was Gods good pleasure to rejoyne mee to the Rock from whence I was hewn leading me into the unity of his Church I have conceived that I might attribute this decay and now almost vanishing of the English Church to a double intention of almighty God the first To shew that when Religion in substantiall doctrines especially is framed according to interests of State it does thereby as it were renounce and exempt it selfe from Gods Protection and by consequence not deserving his care is not likely to be long-liv'd the second to the end to shew the curse that lies upon Schisme in generall it may seeme to have been Gods pleasure that that Church which had more shew of excuse than any other whatsoever and that better represented a form of the Ancient and most glorious Church than any other Sect should be the first that should be undermined to the end that others seeing what has been done to a tre◠which had some greennesse in it might thereby prophecy what shall become of their rotten and drye ones CHAP. XVIII Preparations to the examining of the grounds of the Roman Churches authority 1. VVEll at last lifting up my heart in dayly and almost hourely fervent prayers unto almighty God for the direction of his Holy spirit a practise which God knowes I never discontinued from the beginning of my search but now a more urging necessity sharpned the intention and fervour of my heart and striving all I could to cleanse the scals wherein I was to weigh this so important a merchandise from all externall prejudices or allurements or any thing that might hinder my enquiry from being perfectly ingenuous and unpartiall and almost vowing that if God would be pleased to set me on a rock higher than my selfe giving repose unto my minde that onely knew quid fugeret but not quò fugeret I would consecrate the remainder of my life to blesse and serve him in the best and strictest manner I could finde and lastly resolving to purchase truth at the dearest rate possible though with the losse of fortunes hopes friends or Countrey I applyed my minde earnestly and diligiently to the examination of the authority and so much disputed infallibility of the Roman Church to Catholiques a rock of foundation upon which all Religion relyed but to me hitherto a rock of offence and the maine considerable prejudice which drove me back whensoever I endeavoured to make any appoaches toward that Church 2. My next preparation and provision for this businesse was to informe my selfe not so much from particular Catholique Doctors as from the Church it selfe in the decisions of her Councels what was her doctrine in this point and in what manner and termes expressed my designe being to learne onely what was so necessary to be believed in this Article as that without it a man could not call himselfe a Catholique and with subscription to which alone a man might sufficiently justifie himself against all exception to deserve that title For this purpose I applyed my selfe to the Study of the ancient received Councels I perused diligently the Codex Canonum Ecclesiae Universae Burchardus Wormatiensis Caranza's summe of the Councels but especially the Councell of Trent and the Bull of Pope Pius quartus desiring further information from severall learned Catholiques If I perused any particular Controvertists it was with intention to take notice of such unquestioned and unsuspected Authors as had most retrenched from this controversie all particular opinions and had expressed their understanding of the Churches meaning with the greatest condescendence and qualification 3. Having made extraits pertinent to my purpose out of the forementioned Councells and Authors and having digested them I deduced corrollaries out of them importing what authority the Church assumed to her selfe whence derived and how limitted And distrusting mine owne Collections to confirme my selfe further and to assay whether those deductions would be allowable by Catholiques sufficiently informed of the true sense of the Churches doctrine I gathered out of my extraits certaine Conclusions which I digested into a forme of Questions These I sent to a worthy and learned friend a Doctor of the faculty of Paris desiring his resolution whether such senses as I had given of the points mentioned would be receivable among Catholiques or no. His kindnesse and Charity moved him not onely to take the trouble upon him of answering my Questions but likewise voluntary to publish in print the Questions with his answers to the end satisfaction might be given that he had said nothing therein that any Catholique would question Which resolutions of his I thought fit to annex to this treatise 3. Besides all this for my further information and because even during my education in Protestancy I had been advised and was consequently resolved to embrace those doctrines which were most conformable to the profession of the Ancient Church I conceived it necessary to study diligently such Fathers writings especially as had been forced to maintaine the Churches
I believe necessary to be believed and I do not begin to believe so now I was taught so when I lived in England CHAP. XVI The second Conclusion out of the Fathers concerning a Iudge of Controversies The Authours confession of his willingnes that his opinion against the Churches infallibility might appeare to have been groundlesse II. Conclusion The second Conclusion out of the Fathers c. was this viz. That it belongs alone to the Catholique Church which is the onely depositary of Divine Revelations authoritatively and with obligation to propose those revelations to all Christians c. to interpret the Holy Scriptures and to determine all emergent Controversies and this to the end of the world in as much as the Church by vertue of Christs promises and assistance is not onely indefectible but continually preserved in all truth 1. IN this conclusion there are severall parts as 1. That the Catholique Church is the depositary of all Divine Revelations written and unwritten 2. By consequence that it belongs to her to propound them to all persons 3. That she has authority and that such as requires submission from all not only to propound but also to expound these Revelations and finally to determine all emergent controversies And 4. That this authority is sufficiently grounded upon the great promises of our Saviour made unto his Church Now of these severall Propositions the two former not being questioned by me when I was in England I conceived it not suitable to my designe which was a narration especially of mine owne doubts and resolution with as much brevity as possibly I could to fill paper with quotations of Fathers or other proofes to resolve that of which I was resolved before My only scruple was concerning the third and fourth Propositions Or to speake properly it was not a scruple for I was on the contrary fully resolved and to my thinking satisfied that there was not upon earth any visible authority that could so interpret Scriptures or determine Controversies is that all men should be obliged necessarily to embrace her interpretations and determinations And therefore my purpose is to insist principally upon his Architectonirall controversie not neglecting in the meane time to examine likewise the other propositions but briefly and quasi aliud agens 2. It may be believed and since this treatise is intended by mee for an Exomologesis or publique Confession I will not forbeare to confess it that when the progress of my enquiry after a Church led me at last to take into debate even those grounds of which before I had not the least scruple at all namely Whether as the Roman Church professed there were extant in the world visible any such authority I could not free my selfe from so much partiality against my owne understanding as to wish that it could be made appeare unto me that there were to be found any tribunall whose decisions I might believe my selfe obliged to follow without any scruple or â—ergiversation For then I should not onely in a moment be free from all scruples and doubts in particular points proposed by that authority in which they would all be swallowed up but likewise from a world of inconveniencies inevitably attending upon my position viz. That in doubts of Religion we had onely a Rule of it selfe indeed infallible but challenged by all Sects and no Judge to apply that Rule when necessity required every man being left to his own reason at his own perill to take heed that he wrested not that Rule according to his owne interests or prejudices CHAP. XVII The Calvinists c. presumtuous renouncing of the Churches authority even in proposing of Scripture And pretending to an immediate Revelation 1. BUt before I proceed further to shew how and upon what grounds I found satisfaction in this point of the Churches authority after which I could not long remaine unsatisfyed in all other points beside I have somewhat though not much to say concerning the first part of this Conclusion namely of the Churches being depositary of divine Revelation I do not remember that the Church of England hath said any thing of it more then what may be inferred from those words in the 6. Article In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonicall bookes of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church By which expression She seemes to make the Churches authority the onely ground that may ordinarily be relyed upon for the discerning which books are Canonicall and which not And this Mr. Chillingworth acknowledges in severall passages of his booke 2. But as for the Calvinist Churches in France whether the Lutherans agree with them or no I had not meanes to informe my selfe I could not without both indignation and shame read how they have declared their mindes touching this Point in their publique Confession of Faith Where after the premising what particular bookes of Scripture they received as Canonicall they adde these words Nous recognoissons c. that is We acknowledge these books to be Canonicall and a most certaine Rule of Faith not so much for the commune agreement and consent of the Church as for the Testimony and inward perswasion of the Holy Spirit which makes us able to discerne them from the other Ecclesiasticall books upon which although they be profitable cannot be grounded an Article of Faith By which expression they do clearly tell the world that their meaning is not to ascribe to the assistance of the Holy Spirit this their beliefe for generally all Christians doe acknowledge a necessity of such an influence upon the soule whereby the understanding is perswaded to captivate it selfe to the beliefe and the will inclined to the love and acceptation of all divine revelations proposed by the Church But that they have a new immediate distinct revelation and testimony of the Holy Ghost inwardly informing them what bookes are Canonicall and what not And this not only more certaine then the testimony of the present Church but likewise contrary thereto inasmuch as thereby they renounce severall books which the Church proposes as divine and Canonicall 3. Was it possible that reasonable men could write such things and ever hope to finde any other men foolish enough to believe them There seems to have been many persons conspiring to the writing or at least the signing of this Confession Had all these this testimony of Gods Spirit revealing to them and so enabling them to judge and discerne which particular writings are Canonicall and which not And does this testimony which certainly if not falsely pretended to is infallible extend to all the particular passages and Texts in these books without which the believing of the books in grosse would be uselesse VVell since they may say what they please without feare of being silenced and so may all their Off-spring For what other way is left to silence him that sayes he has the Spirit but only Exorcismes Yet for
of Minori declared openly this sense of that Article against certain disputing Schoolmen and during the sitting of the Councell published a book to the same effect no man censuring or condemning him Although indeed his manner of expression was far more unwary and more approaching to the sense of the Lutherans and Calvinists then the forecited Authors Salmeron and Scribonius Marius the further fitnesse of which opinion I leave to the judgement of the Catholique Reader my intention being only to make a Narration of what I was told or did read in others 3. And these are the principall arguments produced by Mr. Chillingworth against the infallibility as he loves to call it of the Church at least such of them as had the greatest effect upon me during my time of Protestancy to hinder me from submitting my selfe to the authority of the Catholique Church or indeed to any authority at all as obliging in conscience which arguments when I came to examine them appeared to me in generall not to touch the established doctrine thereof at all Whether they were of greater force against his particular aduersary it concerned not me neither had I commission or authority to examine 4. It is not my purpose in this Narration to give particular answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all his objections Onely this I professe that I doe neither remember any one through his whole book which formerly had any strong influence upon me nor since my becoming a Catholique after not a perfunctory per-usuall of it have I met with any which to mine own understanding upon the grounds by me formerly laid doe not seeme to me easily answerable And I am confident that if any Protestant shall apply Mr. Chillingworth's discourses to the established doctrine and expressions of the Catholike Church he will acknowledge that notwithstanding any thing said by him this may remain true That the Catholique Church hath authority to propose points of Faith and to interpret Scriptures and that no particular Churches or Christians may or ought to contradict or refuse to submit to her determinations and interpretations Insomuch as if Mr. Chillingworth had been so fortunate as to have undertaken no more then to examine the doctrine of the church he would scarce have made use of and much lesse would he have relyed so confidently upon the strength of any of those arguments which he ha's produced against his adversaries Positions He must have been forced either to acknowledge the truth of the churches doctrine or have put himself to the trouble of inventing other kind of arguments then any I could yet meet with either in his or any other Protestants writings CHAP. XLIV Dangerous consequences of Protestants doctrine against the authority of the Church 1. I Will at length put an end to this tedious but that it is so necessary discourse upon this second conclusion concerning the Judge of Controversies and authoritative interpreter of Scripture by shewing among many some speciall enormous and unavoidable consequences of the doctrine of Protestants concerning this point who refuse yea oppose the consent of the present and antient Catholique Church propounding doctrines of Faith and interpreting Scripture and submit to their own particular reason or private Spirit 2. The first is an impossibility of Unity yea though reason were suffered to proceed simply without mixture of passion and interest as experience and reason it self shews and it hath been already proved 3. The second an evident contradiction to Universall Antiquity which will not afford one example of any Catholique Writer that either hath affirmed that in interpreting Scripture every man is to follow the guidance of his own reason or private Spirit against the authority of the present church or that hath himself refused or taught others to refuse upon any pretence to submit to the determinations of the present Catholique Church 4. The third is that if the universall testimony of the present church either by her publique profession and practise or in her decisions in a Generall Councel do not indispensably oblige all Christians to obedience upon this pretended exception that no expresse mention is made in Scripture of such an unlimited power given to any church of one denomination then it will follow that those churches and Councells which have assumed to themselves this authority to exact subscription to any decisions of any doctrines other then expresse quotations of Scripture to be understood by every one according to his own fancy and that hath accursed all gainsayers are guilty of insupportable uncharitablenesse injustice and tyranny Upon which grounds all Protestants are obliged to anathematize the four first Generall Councells as well as all the rest which follow yea above all other the Councell of Nice since therein were anathematized all those that did not subscribe to an expression of one Article of Faith which notwithstanding those Fathers acknowledged to be so far from being contained expressely in Scripture that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which occasioned so many Tragedies was not so much as of Tradition but only invented by them as proper to oppose the Heresie of the Arians and to expresse the sense of the Traditionary doctrine of Christs eternall Divinity and equality with the Father 5. The fourth is that upon Protestants grounds it is impossible they should rationally call any doctrine Heresie or any separation Schisme without condemning themselves For concerning Heresie if they following the antient Church define Heresie to be a relinquishing or opposing the belief of any doctrine generally professed in the Catholique Church or defined by a lawfull Couucell they will include themselves within the lists of Heretiques since if for severall ages before Luther there were either any Churches Catholique or any authority to make a lawfull assembly they have done apparently the same But defining as they do Heresie to be a contradiction of a Fundamentall Article of the Christian Faith expressely contained in Scripture and not naming but rather explicitly renouncing any visible Judge authorized to determine whether such or such an Article be to be accounted to be expressely contained therein against those who deny it it is impossible to come to an issue between parties contradicting one the other 6. I will give only two instances in two points acknowledged in England the first in that great point controverted between the English Protestants and the Socinians The English Protestants call the Socinians Heretiques because they deny the eternall Divinity of the second Person in the blessed Trinity because this is say they a fundamentall Article of Christian Faith and expressely contained in Scripture But this the Socinians confidently deny yea they professe that the contrary rather is expressely contained in Scripture for say they Neither the word Trinity nor Personality nor Consubstantiality c. are to be found in Scripture neither can any Texts be produced which witnesse in formal words that the Son is equall to the Father in respect of the Godhead yea many Texts expressely
present age that so the former ages delivered to her What shall we say then when to the evident testimony of the present age for Catholike verities may be added a world of testimonies both of Scripture and antient writers beyond all comparison far more then for her enemies contradictory assertions even those enemies themselves being judges as will appeare undeniably to any man that will consult that one book of Brercley's Apology of Protestants for the Catholique church CHAP. II. Of the Reall Presence and Transubstantiation Of the Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament and of Communion under one Species 1. THe six speciall controversies which I shall briefly consider shall be 1. Concerning the Eucharist and therein of the Reall Presence of Christs body by way of Transubstantiation as likewise Of the Adoration of our Lord present in the Sacrament and communion under one Species 2. Of Invocation of Saints 3. Of Veneration of Images 4. Of Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory 5. Of Indulgences 6. Of the Publike Service in Latin The reason why I make choice of these is both because these are the especiall controversies wherein there is a reall and manifest difference between Catholiques and Protestants who make these points the principall causes of their separation For as concerning the debates about Grace and Free-will Predestination and Justification as likewise the merits of good works though ignorant-popular-preaching Protestants make a great clamour about them yet I was most assured that there was indeed a reall agreement when they came to explaine themselves sensibly about them As for the controversie concerning the Pope I have spoken sufficiently in the 52. chapter at the latter end of the fourth conclusion 2. First therefore concerning the Reall presence of Christs body in the Eucharist and that by way of Transubstantiation In discoursing upon which because my designe is not to write the controversie in generall but only in reference to the doctrine which following the church of England I was taught there it will be sufficient for me to signifie that by that church I was taught that in the blessed Sacrament the body and bloud of our Lord were really present exhibited and received by the Communicants really I say not onely as the objects of Faith or not onely as really exhibiting the effects of Christs suffering but as truly and properly as the Roman church professeth onely I was forbidden to say that there was any reall change made in the bread and Wine which remained after Consecration as they were before In a word I was taught to say what neither I nor any other was able to expresse save onely that the Romish doctrine was false which taught that that presence was made by a presence of Christs body under the Species which only remained of the visible elements 3. Now when I say that I was taught to expresse my belief thus by the church of England my intention is not that that church obligeth every one to believe thus For the truth is so a man will but renounce the two words of Transubstantion and Consubstantiation he may preserving the terme really interpret himself as if really signified only figuratively or as the object of the understanding as we see a world of writers allowed there to have expressed themselves Yea in the 28. and 29. Articles of that Church there are certain clauses which require only a figurative sense to be understood as when it is said The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the supper only after an heavenly and spirituall manner and the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the supper is Faith And again The wicked c. are in no wise partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing Which clauses being allowed those Articles do admit yea require not only the Calvinistical but even the Zuinglian sense concerning that point Yet notwithstanding this whether the Calvinisticall party there had with their usuall importunity extorted the inserting of those clauses into the Articles I know not yet those that followed the Prelaticall Governing Faction never considered those expressions but without any Calvinisticall hypscrisie professed that they believed the Reall Presence as truly and really and properly as the Catholiques did And so King James commanded Monsieur Casaubon to signifie his sense to Cardinall Perron in the words of Doctor Andrews then Bishop of Ely 4. Now what other reason can be imagined should move the most learned and prudent part of the English Clergy to expresse themselves so neer the Catholique sense but only a conviction that besides the formall words of Scripture the Ecclesiasticall Tradition and generall doctrine of the Fathers enforced such a sense But by what mystery it came to passe that they should dispense with themselves for following Tradition no further but that under a pretence that the Sacrament was a mystery inexplicable they should forsake the same Tradition and Fathers who generally professe that that presence is made by a reall transmutation of the visible elements into the very Body and Blood of Christ this I confesse I could never comprehend 5. Now that such was the Traditionary doctrine of the Catholique church besides the testimony of the present age which will be of infinite weight to any one that duly considers it and to omit a world of quotations out of Councells and Fathers wherein expressions to prove the same are as full yea perhaps more rigid then the Decision of the Councell of Trent it selfe I became convinced from these considerations viz. 1. Because in all the antient Liturgies that ever I saw there are expresse mention of the verity and reality of this change and not any the least intimation of a figurative sense there are expresse prayers that God would by his omnipotent power cause the Bread and Wine to become the Body and Bloud of our Lord and not the least intimation that the way of communicating of these mysteries should be only by Faith or by the operation of the understanding 2. Because in the form of communicating both in the Easterne and Westerne churches which form or Canon S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Basile c. attribute to the Apostles themselves as authors there was required from the communicants a confession of their beliefe of the reality of this change or to expresse it in S. Ambrose his language de Sacr. l. 4. c. 3. The Priest viz. presenting to thee that which before consecration was bread saith unto thee This is the body of Christ and thou answerest Amen that is to say it is true That which the tongue confesseth let the heart believe 3. Because generally the Fathers when they speak of this argument have recourse to the omnipotence of the Word of Christ and to wonderfull operations exalted above all humane credibility as the cause of this change thereby leaving no doubt that they understood a
Universal Church But they are not satisfied that they ow that submission to the Roman and if not to the Roman they know not to what Church Sol. 16. To say somthing for the clearing this difficulty I shall desire them to consider 1. That whilst the Eastern and Western Churches were joyned in one External communion it is apparent that that Body was the Catholick Church to which the Promises of Christ were made and to which Protestants themselves would not have refused submission 2. That a breach hapning between these Churches is not mortal to the whole Body but onely to that Member that did unlawfully separate 3. By consequence that both the Title and real Authority of the Catholick Church remains in the innocent Part that is either in the Roman or Eastern Church 4. That whethersoever of these two be the Catholick Church English Protestants are Schismaticks since they are divided from both and the pretended grounds of their Divisions are Doctrines received by them both 5. That in case English Protestants would now take into debate to whether of these two parties they should re-adjoyn themselves by that means to become Catholicks again they must be forced to quit both a greater number of their Topical Doctrines and more fundamental ones to fit themselves to an union with the Eastern then with the Roman Church 6. That if they will needs out of Passion prefer the Eastern their Passion will be evident since that whensoever either remorse of conscience or the approaches of death made them see their unsafe condition thousands of them have fled to the Roman Church for shelter but never any to the Grecian or any other but the Roman 7. That as long as they are out of the Roman Church they are in a headless trunck divided from the successor of St. Pèter whom St. Cyprian St. Hierome Optatus c. acknowledged to be the foundation of Unity Order c. Ob. 17. Now if among Protestants any out of a perverse condescendence shal grant that the grounds alledged for the separation of the Eastern Western Churches are not in themselves of such main importance as to hinder them from being really one Catholick Church And therefore that before the present controversies can be decided a general Assembly of them all must be expected Sol. 18. to this they must give me leave to say 1. That they make the Promises of Christ to be casual temporary and obnoxious to critical daies and seasons if they think that the changes of Kingdoms or that the humors of an earthly Tyrant can either evacuate or suspend the force of those promises by which our Lord hath obliged himself to provide that the Gates of Hell that is heresies shall not prevail against his Church The effect of which promise in the opinion of such Objectors must be delayed till the Grand Signior will allow the Grecian Bishops to meet with the Western to consult of and procure the peace and union of Christendom 2. In case they should be permitted to meet Protestants may without the spirit of prophesie foretel their own most solemn condemnation For since both the Eastern and Western Churches do already agree in most doctrines renounced by Protestants viz. Transubstantiation Adoration of the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the Dead and by consequence a Purgatory in which souls are capable of refreshment by such Prayers Veneration of Images Relicks c. Invocation of Saints Indulgences Merit of good works c. In which Doctrines they do agree as acknowledging them to be Traditionary It is impossible they should ever be perswaded to revoke any of them being met in an Assembly unless they will renounce all order and manner of proceeding in former General Councels which is not according to the Method of Protestants Viz. Endlessly to dispute every controverted Point by Texts of Scripture but to judge of the Truth of Points and the sense of Scripture by Traditien In such Assemblies therefore Bishops will ask one another Have your Fathers delivered to you that Bread after consecration becomes the Body of Christ That this body in the Sacrament is to be adored That we ought to pray for Souls departed in the Faith of Christ c. If so Servetur quod traditum est Now it being apparent that at the present all agree that such Doctrines both in the East and West have been delivered by Tradition and that their meeting together in a Councel will not help to make a contrary Tradition possible It will follow that whether divided or united whether alone or in Assembly they are and ever will be at least so far united as to joyn in the condemnation of Protestants CHAP. V. An Answer to the Remainder of the Preface 1. THe rest of the Preface of I. P. touches my self onely and pretends to shew what success the writings of those great Defenders of the Church of England have had against me in particular forcing me to confess That Infallibility is an unfortunate word That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated it with too great success so that I would wish the word were forgotten or at least laid by c. Now since the Church is not at all concern'd in this but my self onely who am charged with writing an incongruous impertinent Book a Book that deserves no answer but answers it self since it maintains that which its Adversary did not combat c. Truly were it not for I. P. and his friends sake more then mine own I would not answer for my self But since I perceive that the word Infallibility is as unfortunate a word to them as it was to me I will endeavour to take order that it shall be so no more 2. First therfore I say with Mr. Veron that the word Infallibility has been found out by the Schools that love to find out as short waies to express their notions as possibly can be And the world finds very great convenience by it Therefore with reference to the Church Schoolmen and from them Controvertists desirous to express the great veracity of the Church considered as a Judge or witness of Divine Truths deposed by God with her and withal the utmost obligation that all Christians have to beleeve truths so determined and witnessed by her found out this single word Infallibility to express both these by But yet the Church her self hath not as yet assumed or borrowed this word in any of her Decisions from the Schools and therefore being none of the Churches word we are not oblig'd to make her to speak it and the truth is though it comprehends al that they intend by it yet it is no adaequate measure of those conceptions because Infallibility may comprehend a great deal more for truth and our obligation to beleeve it is yet in a higher degree in Scripture then in the Decisions of the Church as Bellarmine acknowledges For the Scripture in all points both of Doctrine and Story and all circumstances is infallibly true not so the Decisions of the