and this without the Popes positive approbation How much more lawful would it be for our Catholick Clergy to resign with the Poprs consent their Right and Revenues to the King upon so pious and publick a consideration as Liberty of Consciâ—nce and a Toleration of our true Faith and how rationally may it be presumed the Pope and all therein concerned will consent thereunto But in such a case how shall the Roman Catholick Clergy be maintained by Gods Providence and Christian Charity as they have been when our Ancestors were first Converted How are they now maintained in England Holland Japan and China Let us not be Solicitous for things of this World let us seek the Kingdom of Heaven and we shall not want There was never more Piety in the Church than when the Ministers thereof had no Lands Let the Finances or found of the Exchequer be settled in such a manner that the King need not trouble His Subjects unless it be upon some very extraordinary occasion and we may be confident that what can be spared will not be denied All must be left to the Piety and Prudence of His Majesty and His Ministers Let us who are but Passengers and private persons in this great Ship of the Commonwealth pray for fair weather that the Sun of Justice may shine and discover the dangers both of Soul and State whereunto these our floating Islands have been driven by the tempestous and cross winds of Protestancy and leave the rest to God and to such as he hath placed at the Helm The mist of Protestant Frauds and falsifications once disperced and falshood vanished into its own nothing through the force and evidence of truth our Masters will not be necessitated as now they are to steer the State according to the deceits of a mercenary Clergy or to the Decrees of a fallible Church And as they will enjoy the benefit of our Catholick Doctrine so we ought not to doubt but that we shall find the effects of their Christan Charity Peace and Plenty thus established at home then we may think of our Right and Interest abroad It s undeniable that the two best Provinces of France Normandy and Aquitain are our Kings antient Patrimony and undoubted Inheritance neither can his right to that whole Kingdom be much questioned seeing that the Salick Law if ever any such thing was extended no further than Franconia a Province of Germany and had it been intended for France the Line Male of the Kings thereof had not been so frequently changed but it seems the French would have one Law for us and another or none at all for themselves Our antient Kings regarded not this Salick Pretext they claimed by Law and conquered by Arms that great Empire But the difference between the white and red Rose occasioned the loss of our French Lillies when those differences were compos'd and the Titles of York and Lancaster united in King Henry 8. instead of recovering France he made a breach with Rome and by the Protestant Reformation which he began and his Successors continued they have been so diverted and distracted at home that they wanted both means and opportunity to prosecute their claim to the best Kingdom of Europe And indeed so long as Protestancy doth so much prevail in these Islands we may despair of having any Dominion in the Catholick Continent We have had late experience how the two emulous great Crowns of France and Spain conspired to recover contrary to the ordinary maxims and practises of state Dunkirk out of our hands neither was it bestowed upon us with any other intention then of taking it from us when a peace should be concluded tho' Cardinal Mazarin endeavour'd to make Cromwell believe the contrary But that which must make our hopes even of Normandy and Aquitain quite vanish is the prejudice which the generality and nobility of France and of those two mention'd Provinces retain against the Reformation which our former Kings not only professed but pressed upon others The Normans and Gascoins do love our King as their undoubted and natural Prince but they are so averse from being of his Religion that they had rather endure the hardships of a Jealous but Catholick Government then try and trust the Faith and Caresses of a Protestant And truly our proceedings in Ireland and the Principles whereupon we have grounded the Settlement of that Nation seem to have so little regard to the performance of Promises Solemnity of Treaties and engagements of publick Faith made to Roman Catholicks that few of that Profession will be induced to take a Protestants word or trust his Religion in another occasion seeing that notwithstanding the Kings inclination and Declaration to make good his Articles of Peace such is the priviledge of Protestancy and the Power or Prerogative it gives to the Protestant Multitude that a King cannot be just to Papists without running the hazard of being injurious to himself and of loosing his Crown by a Protestant Rebellion Is it likely that Catholick strangers will become Subjects to this Monarchy when the Catholick Natives are by our Laws made Strangers and incapable of Trust or Employment only because they are Catholicks Is it credible we shall maintain the Priviledges and Rights of Foreign Catholick Corporations when we make a Law that no Catholick shall enjoy his own Lands or freedom in our Corporations notwithstanding the express Articles of a proclaim'd Peace to the contrary in favour of the Catholick Natives Therefore unless we resolve to be more moderate in our Religion at home it is a vanity to claim our Right or to think of diverting our Enemies abroad As for designs built upon the Strength of the French Hugonots they can have no other ground but our desires that Party is brought so low in France that the King made his aversion to their Religion and Themselves no state secret and scrupled not to tell their Agents representing Grievances that though his Grandfather loved them and his Father feared them yet he did neither love nor fear them And truly all that England can expect from them is but the Presbyterian Prayers of Charenton and of their other Calvinian Congregations for the good success of Puritans against Prelaticks and Royalists But if the Catholick Religion were Restored or at least Tolerated in these Kingdoms by Act of Parliament we should be more formidable to the French Kings then ever our Ancestors have been and no less successful Normandy and Aquitain could have then no pretext to except against their Lawful Princes the Scots who always hindred would now help to Conquer the rest of that Kingdom The Princes of the French Blood could not be kept in such awe as they are at present if we had any footing in France and the odious Name and Faith of Protestants were by granting liberty of Conscience a little sweetned otherwise if the Princes who perhaps desire to favour any Foreigner whether Protestant or Catholick to make their Cousin less
Absolute did joyn with Protestants their Power would be rendred useless and themselves odious because they joyned with Persecutors of the Catholick Faith Besides the Spaniard whose Interest it is to have France divided and embroil'd would countenance our Designs and contribute to our Conquest if we Tolerated Catholicks which now he dares not do either for scruple of Conscience or at least for fear of loosing the Reputation and Name of the Catholick King that gets him so many grants of Church Revenues Comiendas and Cruzadas and so great Contibutions from the Clergy If he joyn'd with us as now we are in recovering our Right he would only gain the Name and Opinion of a Fautor of Hereticks and loose the Donatives and Devotion of his Church Friends and perhaps the duty of his Lay Subjects But if England did grant liberty of Conscience it were much more for his Interest to dispose of his Daughters and with them of Flanders to our Royal Family than to the German House of Austria Hitherto the Polititians of Europe have been employed in keeping the scales equal between France and Spain to the end neither of those two great Crowns might gain too far upon their Neighbours and so by degrees devour all petty States and Princes and afterwards endanger other Monarchs hence every Crown concerned it self not only in protecting Allies but in fomenting Rebellions as Q. Elizabeth did that of Holland and of the other Vnited Provinces But of late the case is altered Holland now Copes with England the Spaniard hath had so many losses of Armies Navies and Kingdoms that now he is more pittied then feared or envy'd and France is arrived to such a height of Power by uniting to it self the Provinces of Lorain Alsatia and Rossillon the Cities of Perpignan and Pignorole the Keys of Spain and Italy the greatest part of Artois And the most important Towns of Flanders and other Provinces and moreover the French King hath setled so vast a Revenue upon his Crown independent of his Parliament or of the vote of the People that he and France is become a terror to all Christian Princes which therefore censure our English Statesmen for not having closed in time with Spain and for having supported Portugal immediately after our Kings restauration we should rather say they have permitted Spain by recovering of Portugal to counterpoise France and put it self into a condition of revenging the manifold injuries done by the French to the Catholick and British Monarchies and thereby secure our selves and frustrate the designs and attempts which were foreseen would be made by so Powerful Prudent and warlike a Monarch as Louis 14. against England it being the likliest Kingdom to check his greatness and prevent his being universal Monarch Besides they say we could not but expect a visit from so unquiet emulous and neighbouring a Nation as France in case they were peaceable at home and Spain busied with Portugal we having visited them so often heretofore in their own Country and Court and indeed they never since have been at leasure nor in a Posture to return us a visit until now These reasons might have moved us to have had been more kind to Spain especially seeing our Alliance with Portugal for which we forsook Spain added not the Islands Azores or Terceras to our Empire as the World imagin'd it would the Portugueses not being in a condition to refuse any demands when they sought our Friendship and were abandon'd by the rest of the World This is the Discourse and Censure of strangers which being a meer matter of State we wave as improper for our Profession Yet common sense doth tell us that the Azores or Terceras could not be easily obtained at least not long enjoyed by Protestants seeing the Natives of those Islands are all Catholicks and rather then live in Persecution under a Protestant Government would in all likelihood have submitted to the Spaniard and we been Catholicks or tolerated Catholicks without doubt those Islands might have been ours What little advantages our Soveraigns are like to have in the other World by being Protestants hath been hitherto sufficienly declared in this Section we only shew how much they loose in this World by their Protestant Zeal of not Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion King James as the World knows was a very Wise Prince and thought it was the Interest of England to be in a perpetual League with Spain against France How far the Spaniards will engage with us at present or trust Promises and Articles confirm'd by the Protestant publick Faith I do not know but if by Act of Parliament we did tolerate Roman Catholicks it would be evident to the Spaniards themselves that it were greater conveniency and security for the Spanish Monarchy to Maâ—ch continually with the Princes of England then with the German Austrians and that it would be more for their purpose to give the Netherlands which are a vast charge to Spain and of no concern but to busie France as a portion with their Infantas to our Kings then to the Arch-Dukes or to the Emperors The reason is clear Our Kings cannot be diverted from Invading France and Relieving Flanders or Spain it self by Turks Swedes German Princes or Electors as the Emperor and Austrians may our King may secure their Spanish West-India Fleets frustrate all Attempts against them which the Emperors cannot Our Kings have an Hereditary Right not only to Normandy Aquitain and Anioâ— but to all France and this Right together with our former Successes in that Kingdom makes us look upon it still more as our own then some Titular Kings of Jerusalem do upon the Holy Land we retain still hopes of Calais the loss whereof occasioned Q. Maries Death This Hereditary Right and Hopes of recovering France makes us as irreconciliable to the French as the Spaniards are The German House of Austria hath no such grudge or ground of a perpetual and immediate quarrel against the French and therefore is not so fit to joyn in a league offensive and defensive with Spain against the French Kings as England is And the Peace of Munster shews that the German Austrians will forsake the Spanish Austrians sometimes and that their Interests may be separated as relating to France but the English and Spanish Interest in opposition to France are not separable Wherefore if any shall live to see England Tolerate Catholick Religion I doubt not but that he will see a more strict League and Alliance between England and Spain then ever hath been seen between Spain and Austria not only by Marriages of the Royal Families but much more by a mutual Wedding of each others Interest and then we may rationally expect at least Cautionary Towns in Flanders as convenient Places for our Retreat and for a free Passage into France or rather as absolute a Donation of the whole Countrey as the Arch-Duke Albertus had whereas whilst we continue Protestants or at least Persecutors neither will
the Spaniards hear of such a Proposition nor the Catholick Natives accept of us if their Masters would grant it The Spaniards understand how interwoven the Interest of their Monarchy is with ours in case we gave liberty to Catholicks but think it not policy to trust us much upon any other Terms and desire our Conversion or a Toleration not only out of Charity to others but out of Conveniency to themselves and therefore they were so earnest with our late King in Spain to renounce his Protestancy and some attribute to his aversion against the Catholick Profession the breach of the Spanish Match We see how they sent three Ambassadors one upon another to demand the late Royal Princess of Orange for the Prince of Spain not doubting but that in her tender years she would have been brought to be of her intended Spouse his Religion We have indeed been most Happy in the Person and Royal Issue of our Vertuous Queen and Gracious Queen Mother and yet the French confess they did not that Favour unto us for any Happiness they wished us but to compass their own ends and obtain some advantages of our late King when the Passion of love to his beautiful Spouse made him forget the reasons he had to be averse from matching in her Family Our Alliances with Spain are Conjunctions of both Monarchys against an irreconciliable and common Enemy France They are not only private Contracts between the Married Princes but publick concerns of their Loyal People The Puritans always oppos'd them for that they knew Matches with Spain engaged that Monarchy in crossing their Presbyterian Plots and designs against our Monarchs They would not have presumed to Rebel against Charles the I. had it not been the Interest of the French King to foment Rebellion against the Lawful Kings of England and the English Kings of France Whereas on the contrary 't is the interest of Spain to maintain the Right of our Kings encrease their Power and offer them Conveniencies and help to recover their own in France We may therefore say with Truth that the French King and Ministers seek our Alliance thereby to lessen our Power But the Spaniards to increase it We must judge of the Intentions of Princes by their Interests it is the Interest of Spain that England be Powerful it is the Interest of the French King to destroy both it and that Line which claimes a Right to France We see how much addicted he and his Ministers were to the late Usurpers and Rebels By their Kindness to Cromwel and to his Sons it doth appear they had rather any Line should reign then the Right And because our Kings Antient Right to France if they did favour Catholicks would in all liklihood give them footing in Normandy and Aquitain some Politians are of opinion that the French Statesmen like well enough of Protestancy in England How far their Christianity doth incline them to wish our Kings and these Kingdoms were Catholick we cannot tell but their Policy and Proceedings seem not shew any great Zeal for our Conversion fearing perhaps that Popery may make us Popular in France and put us into a condition of recovering our own To conclude this matter of State wherein I am engaged against my Will by the Impertinency and Importunity of our Adversaries pretending that our Cotholick Religion is disadvantagious to these Kingdoms and by reason of the too great influence such humane considerations as these have upon state Ministers in their choice and settlement of Divine Worship in Commonwealths I desire the Judicious Reader will reflect upon the Situation and Fertility of these Islands the honest disposition and Warlike Genius of the Inhabitants the irreconciliable quarrel of the French Kings to ours the interest of Spain in promoting these our Rights and then after mature consideration let him be Judge whether any Monarchy in Christendom hath such means and may make such Friends to raise it self without injustice into a great Empire And what great pity 't is that all these means and Friends are rendred unprofitable by our persecuting the old Faith and by professing a new Religion that divides us at home makes our Government odious to such as ought to be our Subjects abroad and deprives us of the true Friendship and Succours of Spain whose interest it is that we were or at least did Tolerate Catholicks and were so considerable as to gain our own or by endeavouring to regain France were able to divert the French from invading Spain Italy and Flanders This is as much as I thought fit and perhaps more then some will think I ought to say in a matter of this nature But something must have been answered to stop the mouths of our politick Controversors who continually harp upon this string of reason of state in their Books against the Roman Catholick Faith pretending to demonstrate that it is inconsistent with the Interest and Greatness of our Kings with the Peace and Prosperity of their Subjects Therefore leaving this Argument I will return to that which is more proper for my profession and shew how manifestly God hath confirm'd our Catholick Faith and confuted the Protestant persuasion by Miracles which are the greatest Evidence that is consistent with the nature and merit of Christian belief For every point wherein Protestants we differ I will relate Miracles wrought in favour of our Doctrine and our sense of Scripture against theirs not recorded by uncertain or obscure Authors but by the prime Saints and Doctors of the Catholick Church in the Ages wherein they lived THE FOVRTH PART The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant confirmed by vndeniable Miracles SECT I. That such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true miracles and the doctrin which they confirm can not be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he doth not reflect vpon them in confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith BY Miracles approved by the Roman Catholick Church I vnderstand such Miracles as induced the said Church to canonize and worship for Saints the persons by whose prayers or reliques they were wrought As for other miracles though I know many not mentioned in the Acts and Processes of Saints Canonizations are true so doubt I not but some vulgarly reported may be fals but that is a thing wholy impertinent to my design and the dispute against Protestants 'T is sufficient for my purpose and their confusion that some true miracles have bin and are wrought in confirmation of that Roman Catholick Doctrin which they deny or doubt of and we believe And first we are to know that no Confessors Martyrs have a priviledge Martyrdom it self being a notorious miracle are canonized or worshiped by the Roman Catholick Church before the Pastors therof see authentick proofs of supernatural miracles wrought by those Confessors or their Reliques
Matth. hom 20. saith Omnes infideles qui sub Diabolo sunt non sunt vnum nec vnum sapiunt sed sunt per diversas opiniones dispersi alius quidem sic dicit alius sic c. Eo modo perfidia Haereticorum qui nunquam sapiunt vnum sed quot sunt tot sententias habent Hilar. lib. 7. de Trinit saith Haeretici igitur omnes contra Ecclesiam veniunt sed dum Haeretici omnes se invicem vincunt nihil tamen sibi vincunt victoria enim eorum Ecclesiae triumphus ex omnibus est dum in eo Haeresis contra alteram pugnat c. S. Athanas. Orat. 1. contra Arianos saith Jllud quoque prorsus admirabile omnes quot sunt Haereses in fingendo diversa pugnantiaque inter se adferre nec alibi nisi in falsitate sibi invicem consentire See the Centurists [e] almost in every age attributing the Roman Catholick Miracles to the Devill V. g. Centur. 9. cap. 13. And Osiander in Epitom Cent. 9. pag. 63. saith the same and in particular of St. Bernards St. Francis's Miracles c. Whitaker [f] de Ecclesia pag. 348. And Daneus in his answer to Belarm part 1. pag. 784. [g] Luther in proefat assertionis articulorum a Leone Pontif. damnatorum saith Scripture must be the Iudg of all controuersies and that it is cleerer then the comments of the Fathers upon it But that to the proud and vnfaithfull Papists he meanes it is obscure See him also in lib. de servo arbitrio [h] Luther in his Translation to assert his justification by only faith added to the text of Scripture the word alone against all Originals and Copies Swinglius to maintain that the Body and Bloud of Christ were not realy present in the Sacrament of the Altar in steed of Christs words This is my Body translateth This signifieth my Body See herafter more of this and of the English Bibles corruptions [i] Luther tom 2. lib. de Ministris Ecclesiae instituendis fol. 368. 369. lib. de abrog Miss privat tom 2. fol. 249. in lib. de captiv Babylon cap. de Ordine Luther in assertionibus damnatis per Leonem cap. 10. art 13. saith In the Sacrament of Confession and remission of sin the Pope doth no more then the meanest Priest nay where a Priest is not every Christian can do as much though a child or a woman c. That in the absence of a Priest a child or a woman and every Christian may absolve is cleer out of Math. 18. Where Christ saith to all Christians Quodcumque solveritis super terram c. An' BulleÌ„'s incest and leaudness was afterwards punished with her death and that of her brothers of Brueâ—ton Weston Norris and Sineton all of the Kings privy Chamber Another escaped death because he advertised his Majesty of her immodesty before the mariage S. Ambrose vseth this very argument to the same purpose Sand. lib. 1. Cochlaeus lib. contra Morison The Kings of France preteÌ„ded to the Gallical liberties and the Kings of Spaine to their Sicilian Monarchy and other privileges The kings of England also when they were Roman Catholiks pretended to the like priviledges presentations c. Stat Henry 8 34. 35. Be it enacted thaâ— all manner of books of the old and new Testament in English being of the crafty â—â—alce and â—ntrue Tranâ—lation of William Tyndall and all other books and writings in the english tongue teaching or compassing any matter of Christian Religion contrary to that doctrin which since the year of our Lord 1540. is hath or shall be set forth by his Majesty is cleerly and vtterly abolished The first Reformers of the Prelatick protestant Church of England Statut 28. Henry 8 cap 17. an 1536 See his letters in Fox 1279 and in Stow pag. 1036. Doctor Bruges in his post script to D. r Pearson edit 1660. (a) See the ancient Fathers affirming it was the constant practise and principle of Hereticks to appeale to Scripture alone S. Austâ—n l de vnit Eccl lib. cont a Maximinum S. Hilarius l. contra Constantium S. Basiâ—ius l. de Spiritu S. c. 27. 29. S Epiphaniâ—s haer 69 73. (b) S. Athanasius in l. 1 de decret Nicen Synodi contra Euseb. (c) S. Epiphanius haer 64. Theodorâ—â— lib. de haeres (d) August de fide oper c. 14 de haer c. 54. Mat 19.27 1. Cor 7. v. 25.28.38 (e) The Protestant Bishops are wel pleased to see themselves religiously worship't or respected and yet exclaim against Catholicks for shewing the like respest to Saints [f] See Martin Luther the first founder of Protestancy ep ad Bohem. in declarat Euchar. in ser. de Euch. hath these words Although truly it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Eucharist and Christ in this thing hath commanded nothing as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and vnity which Christ hath commanded vs to follow then to contend about the kinds And lib. de Captiv Babyl Cap. de Euch. They sin not against Christ who vse one kind seing Christ hath not commanded to vse it but hath left it to the wil of every one c. Philip Melancton in 2. edit loc com impres Argent an 1525. fol. 78. He erreth that thinketh it impious to eat swin's flesh As also these things are indifferent and placed in our power and so I judg of the Eucharist that they sin not who knowing and believing this liberty do vse either part of the sign Bucer alloweth the same indifferency and Iewel in his reply to Harding pag. 108.109 110. John Pezibram a Bohemian Protestant in his book de professione fidei Cathol cap. 19. Heere fearing God and taking notice of the evil custums of others I do confess that I do not intend to condemn or censure for hereticks any such persons of the Church as do impugn the communion of the faithful vnder both kinds which yet of necessity must have don if he had thought that Christ had recommanded it The 2. Councel of Carthage contradicts this article Can. 2. Omnibus placet that Bishops Priests and Deacons c. abstaine from wives that what the Apostles have taught and hath bin observed by antiquity we may keep See Clement l. 6. Constit. Ap. c. 17. Consil. Aâ—â—â—rcan 10. Concil Neocesariense c. 1 Consâ—l Nic. can 34. And Euseb. de demonstrat Evangelica lib. 1 c 9. Epiph. haer 59. ante med Basâ—l ep 1. ad Amphilocium ca. 6 epist. 17 ad ParagonuÌ„ Presbiterum and Cicil. Hierosolomy Catech 12. See the new Ritual of the Church of England published since his Majesties happy restauration D. r Heylin Eccles. restau Q. Mary pag. 19. D. r Heylin cit pag. 33.34 35. Heylin pag. 35 Cap. 14 D. Heylin Eccles. resta in the Histor. Q. Mary pag. 43. Stat. an 1. 2. Pbil. Mar cap. 8. Dr. Heylin Q Elizabeth pag. 107. Act. 14. v. 23.
tom 5.22 * See thee nulity of the Prelatick Clergy of England cap. 2. and D. Bramhal in his vindication therof pa. 92. pag. 10â— Dr. Stapleton in his return of vntruths against Jewel fol. 130. and in his Counterblast against Horn fo 79 301 Dr. Harding Confut. Apol. fol. 57. 60 part 2. fol. 59. edit 1563 fol. 57. 59 edi 1566 Stat. 8. Elizabeth 1. Stat. 8. Eliz. 8. See the nullity of the Clergy and Church of England edit 1659. Bramhal in his vindicâ—tion pag. 132. Demonstrat Discipl cap. 8. ¶ 1 2. pag. 43. 2. part See this Act of ParliameÌ„t in the life of the Queen of Scots Written by Mr. V. dal and dedicated to King James pag. 200. 201. See 1 p. seâ— 1. Primat Bramhal's succession and vindication of the Prelatick Clergy was answered by the Author of the nullity of the Church of England and by an other book after he had both these aÌ„swers by him and durst not reply but rather coÌ„curred with his Brethren in adding the words Priests and Bishop to their forms of ordination as appeareth in their last edition of the CommoÌ„ praier rites c. of the Church of England See in the epistle Dedicatory and our Preface the Act of Parliament preferring any natural issue of Queen Elizabeth to the Crown before the royal family of the Stewards See Udal a ProtestaÌ„t in his history of the Queen of Scots wher he proves how the bastard Mâ—rry by the means of John Knox and others that he employed changed the ancient Religion in Scotland to the end him self might be made King by the Protestants and how afterwards by the same way he murthered King James his Father and persecuted King James and his mother all vnder the pretext of a Protestant Reformation Luther in epist. ad Argentinenses anno 1525. Christum à nobis primò vulgatumau demus gloriari See part 2 sect 5. n. 5. See M. r Belson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference c. part 2. pag. 353. See M. r Rogers in the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England pag. 103. pervsed aÌ„d published by the Lawful authority of the Church of England an 1633. Calvin in Dan c. 6. v. 22. 23. Abdicant se potestate terreni Principes duÌ„ insurgunt coÌ„tra Deum c potius ergo coÌ„spicere oportet in illorum capita quam â—llis parere c. (a) Perkins in his exposition vpon the Creed p. 400. vve say that befor the days of Luther for the space of many hundred years an vniversal Apostacy overspread the vvhole face of the earth and that our Church vvas not then visible to the world Mr. Napper upon the revelations dedicated to King Jams pag. 143. saith from Constantin's time vntill these our days even 1260 years the Pope and his Clergy hath possessed the out ward visible Church of christianity [b] vpon thy vvalls ö Jerusalem have I set vvatchmen all the day and all the night for ever they shal not be silent Esay 62.6 see Ephes. 4.11 (c) Dr. Powel in his consideration of the Papist's supplication pag 43. Buchanan in loc com pa. 466. And Whitaker contra Camp rat 7. pag. 101. 102. contr Duc. pag. 277. This Whitaker after vainly attempting to shew the beginning of Popery and seing the insufficiency of his particular instances doth at length acknowledg his weakness and runs with the rest of his Protestant Championâ— to divert the Reader from the evidence of truth so deceitful and silly similituds (d) Luther tom 2. Wittemb anno 1551. lib. de se. arbit pag. 434 [e] Luther in parâ—a Confess to 3. Germ fol. 55. in Colloq mons Germ. fol. 210. (f) Mr. Gabriel Povvel in his consideration of the Papists supplication pag. 70. [g] Fox act and Mon. pa. 40 Jewel in his Apology p. 4. c. 4.5 2. and in his defence of the Apology edi 1571. p. 426 (h) Andreas Museâ—lus in praef in libellum Germ. de Diaboli Tyranide Nicolaus Androphius Conc. â— de Luthero [i] Conrad Schlusletbur Catal. haeret l. 13. pa. 314 seqq (k) M. Cartwright in M. whit gifts defence pag. 17. [l] Luther contra Regem Angliae fol. 344. I pass not if a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians a thousand King Henry's Churches stood against me Et libro de se. arbit contra Eras. edit 1. Lay a side all the arms of orthodox antiquities c. see also nullus and nemo G. 6. pag. 153. And Cnoglerus his symbola tria pag. 152. [m] Danaeus pag. 939. in his answer to Belarm of the confess'd austerity of life of S. Bernard S. Francis S. Dominick the Monks c. says they were all fools And M. r Willet who maketh a special Treatise against the austerity of the ancient Fathers in pag. 358. of his Synopsis reproved S. Bazil S. Gregory Nazianzen for plucking down themselves by immoderat fasting and concludeth Wher in all the Scripturs learn'd these men thus to punish their bodys Oseander reprehended S. Anthony the Eremit for the same and saith his Religion was superstition And Calvin lib. 4 cap. 12. sect 8. that the austerity of the ancient Fathers was not excusable and differeth much from God's prescript and is very dangerous And Iunius in his animadversions pag. 610. 611 attributs S. Simon Stilletes his austerity and Miracles to cunjuring melancoly and his prophecies to suggestion from the Devill [n] Bucer one of the Composers of the Common prayer-book and of the Religion of the Church of England whom Mr. Withguift Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence pag. 522. termeth a Reverend learned painfull sound Father teacheth in his applauded work of the Kingdom of Christ and translated into English that it is lawful to procure liberty by a libel of divorce to marry again not only in the case of adultery but in case of the on 's departure from the other in case of homicide theft or repairing to the company or banquets of immodest persons likewise in case of incurable infirmity of the woman by Child birth or of the man by lunacy or otherwise See his own words in the aforsaid work l. 2. c. 26. 27. pag. 99. 100. cap. 28. pag. 101. saies that who ever will not induce his mind to love his wife with conjugal charity that man is commanded by God to put her away and marry an other And in Math. cap. 19. saith that the wife repudiated either justly or vnjustly if she hath no hopes to return to her husband and desirs to live piously and wants a husband may be marryed to an other without sin The whole University of Cambridg comends this Bucer for a man most holy and truly devine and this letter of commendations is printed with Bucer's Book wherin he teacheth this doctrin see it pag. 944. Luther's words in Serm. de Matrim are notorious If the wife will not or can not come let the mayd come Et ibd fol. 123. tom 5.
length most vnworthily murthered by the joynt consent of a Protestant Queen and Parliament and her son and Family excluded from the British Empire in case Queen Elizabeth should have or at least own any natural issue which many suppose was the true cause why she or the Parliament would never declare her Successour King James having bin brought vp in this schoole of affliction attained to more then ordinary wisdom dissembled with his enemies in England and strengthned him-self with as many friends and Allies as he could in foreign Nations to the end he might recouer his right after Queen Elizabeths death which he and the best part of the world every day long'd son He kept faire with France Spain and even with the Pope He succord Tyrone Tirconel and the Jrish Scots in Irland against Queen Elizabeth but vnder hand He corresponded with the Catholick party in England and was civil even to that party that contrived and pressed his Mothers murther By his marriage he obtained the confederacy of Denmarck and the Protestant Princes of Germany for recovering of England Cecil and others of the English Councel observing how prudently this young King had ordered his affairs and prepared him-self for being their Master courted him and vnknown to the Queen gave him dayly intelligence and thought it their best course to fix vpon him for her Successour seing they could hardly keep him out they invited him to the Throne after his enemie's death and he finding that very Protestancy by which his mother and him-self had bin so long excluded from their right and would have bin for ever if Queen Elizabeth had bin as capable as t' is sayd she was desirous of Posterity was deeply rooted in the hearts of most of his English subjects who either did not see he chang or not observe the motives and Mysteries therof King James J say reflecting vpon this inclination of the people to Protestancy conformed him-self vnto that Reformation which had bin setled by law in England discountenanced the Puritans by whose doctrin he had bin persecuted in Scotland and would have tolerated the Catholick if the gun powder Treason wherunto some few discontented and desperat Papists were cunningly drawn by Cecil to make their Religion odious had not blasted our hopes and blotted out of his Majestie 's memory what we had suffered for his Mother and how not only our persons but our principles had bin persecuted for supporting the title of his Family to the British Empire By King James his learned works and discourses it is manifest he had a design to reform the principles of Protestancy and reduce them to some rules of reason and confine that dangerous liberty which they give to every privat Protestant of being supreme Judg in all spiritual Controversies to one certain interpretation of Scripture that might be less prejudicial to Monarchy Monarchs peace and all civil Government then the Protestant arbitrary interpretations have proved hitherto To that purpose he commanded the Bible to be truly translated and those fraudulent and foolish corruptions to be corrected which had bin imposed vpon the people for God's word by Queen Elizabeths Clergy for maintaining her title and securing the revenues of the Church to them selves But his command was not obey'd some falcifications in the ould and new Testament were corrected but very few in respect of what remain and pass now current for true Scripture He declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no hand in the gunpowder treason those few persons excepted which had bin executed He was not afraid to acknowledg that the Pope was the first Bishop of Christendom and Rome the mother Church he suspended the rigor of the sanguinary and penal Statuts commended not apostatised Priests that became Protestants as he said to get wenches and benefices These things he did not out of any inclination to Popery but out of his zeal to Protestancy which he perceived would in a short time become as infamous as it is intolerable to Monarchs in case it's principles were not corrected and brought neerer vnto Catholick Tenets After King Iames his death his son King Charles 1. pursued the Father's design but found by sad experience that the Protestant liberty of interpreting Scripture cannot be restrained to reason by any human industry of the wisest Princes especialy so long as they are guided by a fallible Church that confesseth it's own vncertainty of doctrin King Charles the 1. was persuaded by his Councel and Clergy that the Laws which had bin enacted in favour of the Prelatick fallible Church and doubtful jurisdiction were of sufficient force and authority to contain Protestant subjects in awe and obedience and to stop the cours and consequences of those fundamental and violent principles of their reformation against superiority at the Church of Rom's doore and keep them from passing further or entrenching vpon the Church of England But the mistake soon appeared they who are allowed by the Prelatick principles to rebell against their Roman Superiours vnder the pretence of a Religious interpretation of Scripture and evangelical Reformation could not then nor cannot for the future be contain'd or deterr'd by any authority from rebelling against their Protestant Kings and Bishops vpon the same score whose superiority could not be more authentick then the Roman Catholick And therfor because the King had engaged in the Bishops quarel he drew vpon himself the odium of all Protestants that with the spirit and zeal of Reformation stuck to the fundamental principles of Protestancy which is to contemn all authority both spiritual and temporal which any privat person judges contrary to his own interpretation of Scripture and seeng the Prelatick Church of England doth grant this doctrin was lawful in Luther Calvin Cranmer Parker and other particular persons Churches and States against the Pope and others their then acknowledged spiritual and temporal superiours it will be very difficult to shew why now a Presbiterian or Fanatick Congregation may not as rationally pretend and as lawfully practise the same doctrin as their primitive Protestant Predecessours had don And so in vertue of this fundamental principle of Protestancy was the sacred person of a good King judged and murthered by a rude and wicked multitude without regard to innocency or respect to Soveraignty And by a remarkable revolution of tyms and interests the grandson came to loose his head for vpholding that same Prelatick Religion and Clergy which by Q. Elizabeth had bin rays'd for the destruction of his Grand-mother and the exclusion of his family from the crown Since Christian Soveraigns have reign'd the like Tragedy hath not bin acted many Princes have bin murthered by their Subjects but never by any such formality of Law and a publick Court of Judicature pretending superiority in themselves and Scripture for their rule and warrant Wherfore they that looke into the principles and privileges for the future in so zealous and resolute a people as the English who stand much vpon
confirmed by acts of Parliament But that which makes them to be so much insisted vpon is that they are so indifferent and appliable to all Protestant Religions that with much reason he is censured a very wilfull Presbiterian and fanatick who will not submit and subscribe to articles so indulgent and indifferent Therfore not only now but formerly in the beginning of all distempers grounded vpon Diversitie of Protestant opinions it was thought good policy to commit the 39. Articles to the press therby to please all dissenting parties and this hath bin practised not only in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames Reigns but also in King Charles I. an 1640. when the rebellion began to break forth and was cloak't with the authority of a legall Parliament as well as with the zeal of the Protestant Religion against the Church of England And an 1633. when the Symptoms of that rebellion were first discerned there was printed by special Command a Book setting forth the agreement of the 39. Articles with the doctrin of other reformed but rebellious Churches of France Germany Netherlands Basil Bohemia Swethland Suitzerland c. The Title of the book is the Faith Doctrin and Religion professed and protected in the realm of England and Dominions of the same expressed in the Articles c. The sayd Articles analized into propositions and the propositions proved to be agreable both to the writen word of God and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianly reformed Perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publick London printed by John Legatt 1633. So that no mervaile if the 39. Articles have not proved to be a better antidot against Rebellion then we have seen by experience they being so agreable to the doctrin of Churches raised and maintained by rebellious people and principles against their vndoubted lawfull Soveraigns The French Hugonot Ministers in their assembly at Bema 1572. decree that in every citty all should sweare not to lay down arms as long as they should see them persecute the doctrin of salvation c. In the mean time to govern them-selves by their own protestants rules See Sutcliff in his answer to a libel supplicatory pag. 194. See the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England art 19. pag. 94. agreeing here in with Confes. Helvet 2. Saxon. art 11. Wittemberg art 32. Sueu art 15. all quoted ibid. pag. 95. Dresterus the Protestant writer in part 2. Nullenarii sexti pag. 661. acknowledgeth that all the warrs of Germany against the Emperour and lawfull Soveraigns happned ex mutatione Religionis Pontificiae in Lutheranam See Crispinus of the Churches estate pag. 509. how the reformed Church of Basil was founded by the rebellion of some Burgesses against the Catholick Senators whom they ejected c. The Rebellion of Holland and the other Protestant Provinces is well known as also of Geneva Zuitzers or Helvetians See Chitreus in Cron. an 1593. 1594. pag. 74. seq How the King of Swethland being a Catholick was by his Subjects the Lutherans forc't so content him-self with Mass in his in his privat Chapell and to assent that no Catholick should beare office in that Kingdom and at length an other made King We may say without either vanity or flattery that were it possible to maintain the Soveraignty of a King the peace and prosperity of a people togeather with the principles of Protestancy the English Nation would have don it wanting neither witt or judgment to find out the expedients after long experience of 100. years since the pulling down of Popery and yet we see that nothwithstanding the wisedom of them who govern the learning of the Clergy the worth of the gentry the sincerity of the common sort and the natural inclination to loyalty of the whole Nation since Protestancy came among vs we have violated the laws of nature and Nations we have by publick acts of State don many things wherof but one perpetrated by a privat person whithout any countenance from the governement were sufficient to make not only him-self but his whole family and Country infamous Murthers of Soveraigns by a formality of justice breach of publick faith for the Protestant interest were never heard of in England nor acted by English men vntil they were Protestants Therfore the infamy and reproach therof must be left at the doores of the English Protestant Church without blaming our English Nation or nature It is the nature of an arbitrary Religion to pervert good natures It confounds the state more then any arbitrary government The worst of arbitrary governments have some regard to the honour and word of the Prince and to the publick faith An arbitrary religion dispenseth with all An arbitrary government is reduced to one supreme an arbitrary government doth pretend reason for the Prince his ComCommands an arbitrary Religion by pretending to be above reason commands against reason How arbitrary and applicable all Protestant Religions are to every particular interest and fancy notwithstanding their publick professions and confessions of faith is visible by the 39. Articles of the Church of England that hitherto could neither setle the judgments of subjects in any on certain belief nor tye them to their duty and alleigance to the lawfull Prince though the sayd articles wanted no countenance of law to gain for them authority And yet the profession of the 39. Articles togeather with the oath of supremacy is made the distinctive sign of truth and loyalty in our English Monarchy But the Articles being applicable to contrary religions and interests and an oath asserting a thinâ— so incredible as the spiritual supremacy of a lay Soveraign must needs expose the government to continual dangers that flow from a plausible and popular tenderness of conscience and from the contempt of so indifferent and improbable a Religion and therfore though many do abhorr yet few do admire our late King's mis-fortune his Majesty having grounded his Soveraignty and security vpon Councellors servants and souldiers of whose fidelity he had no other evidence but the profession of 39. Articles so vncertain that they signified nothing and dispensed with every thing and an oath of a jurisdiction so incredible that they who took it either vnderstood not what they swore or if they did by swearing a known vntruth disposed them-selves to violat all oaths of alleigance and learn't in all other promises to preferr profit before performance conveniency before conscience Were not this true and were the prelatik Religion with all it's laws and oath's capable of establishing Monarchs or of making subjects loyal and servants faithfull how were it possible that so just and innocent a King as Charles 1. The ancientest by succession and inheritance of all Christendom should be so generally and vnworthyly betray'd by them that profess'd the 39. Articles and took the oaths of supremacy and alleigance By the laws of the land it is enacted and accordingly practised that non be permitted
are now superfluous and disrespectfull to the Royal Family that Reigns but such as have the honor to know him best assure us his Lâ—p is no great friend to Pâ—pists Lastly whosoever will call vnto mind the mis-chief which but a few members of the House of Commons of the long Parliament wrought against the late King and will observe how popular others of the same stamp are now and how apt the giddy multitude is to be fool'd again into Rebellion by the like madd zeale against Popery will be of opinion that not any on thing can be of so great prejudice to the peace and prosperity of England as the continuance of lawes which if executed make the Nation and Government SVBSECT II. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statuts against Popery I Will conclude this matter with answering the vulgar Objection made for vindication of the penal and sanguinary lawes of Queen Elizabeth against Roman Catholicks grounded vpon a parity of the like lawes executed by Queen Mary and the Jnquisition against Protestants The disparity will discover the fallacy and dissolue the force of their argument Neither Queen Mary nor the Jnquisition made any lawes against Protestants they were made by the first Christian Emperours and accepted by all Catholick Kings into the statuts of their Kingdoms and confirmed by their Parliaments The ancient Christian Soveraigns not only believed that the Roman faith was the Apostolick but found by experience the same Roman Catholick faith had peaceable principles agreablâ—â—o just Government and therfore they enacted lawes of death infamy confiscation of goods c. against all such as presumed to alter that doctrin declaring such as contradicted the Tenets therof to be Innovators and Hereticks When protestancy began in England they who preach't the new doctrin being conscious of their own guilt and of having incurred the penalties of these ancient Christian lawes then in force against Innovators and Hereticks and in particular against the marriage of Priests with Nuns proceeded other-wise Zozomen hist. lib. 6. cap. 3. affirmeth how that the Christian Emperour Jovinian who was in course the third Emperour after Constantin the Great published an Edict that who allured a Nun to mariage should be therfore punished with the loss of his head And this law is yet extant Câ—d l. de Episcopis Câ—â—ricis But they I say petitio to the Parliament of Edward â— to have those 〈◊〉 repealed wherby you may see how they acknowledged their own doctrin was Heresy whervpon they werâ— dispensed with to marry and all the 〈◊〉 lawes against Herâ—tickâ— and heresiâ—â— were repealed Queen Mary succeeding restored the ancient lawes that had bin repealed by King Edâ—â—â—d 6. togeather with the ancient Religion but she was not the Author of them as Queen Elizabeth was of the penal and sanguinary statuts against Priests and Roman Catholicks which never had bin heard of before her time in a Christian Kingdom or Common-wealth Jn like manner the Inquisition maâ—â— no new lawes against Protestants neither do they sentence them to death they only declare that they are Innovators of the ancient Catholick doctrin or Hereticks and then the secular Magistrats do execute the temporal lawes in foâ—â—e against such persons If protestants had not found themselves guilty of heresy why were they so solicitious to have the laweâ— â—hat had bin â—â—acted against hereticks not lately but during those venâ—â—â—ble 〈◊〉 of the priâ—â—tive Church repealed why did 〈…〉 if their doctâ—â—â— was the â—â—me with that of â—he ancient Fathers that lived in times wherin the Imperial lawes were made and in force what needed they to except against lawes which had bin enacted to favour the doctrin of those Fathers with whom they pretend to agree Queen Mary therfore and the Inquisition who proceeded acâ— willing to those ancient â—â—wes against protestants did nothing but what all Christian and Catholick Emperours and Kings had don for the space of 1300. years against hereticks But Queen Elizabeth took the quite contrary way she observed that according to the principles of Christianity as also according to the ancient and modern lawes of England her self could not enjoy the Crown having bin declared illegitimat by sundry Acts of Parliament never repealed nor the Stewards be excluded they being the lawfull and immediat Heirs and because the Queen of Scots from whom they derived their title was a Catholick Queen Elizabeth made her-self and England Protestant that is by Acts of Parliament she declared that all the Catholick Emperours Kings and Churches of the world for almost 1300. years had bin superstitious and Idolatrous that the Bishop of Rome was Anti-Christ the Catholick Clergy Cheats the sea of Rome the whore of Babylon spiritual Jurisdiction a shee and secular supremacy the sacrifice of Christ's body and bloud a blasphemy five of the seaven Sacraments human invention and corrupt following of the Apostles Priesthood and Episcopacy nothing but a lay Ministery authorised vnder the Soveraign's great seâ—le all lawfull Priests and Bishops Traytors all Catholicks Hereticks c. And all these absurdities were made legal in England to make her Father's marriage with Anne Bullen seem lawfull wheras it had bin declared null and invalid by so many Parliaments of England that her self durst not attempt an immediat and cleer repeale of Acts so notoriously inconsistent with the right that herself pretended â—o the Crown Tâ—at 〈…〉 and men who expected favors from her should so metamorphose sacred things into profane Scripture into fancy and illegitimacy into legitimacy we do noâ— admire neither is it strange that illiterat people after a Century of years continuance and education in such a Religion should be zealous in the maintenance therof or that a Clergy which hath no other livelyhood nor hopes of promotion but by justifying these proceedings should endeavor to continue her lawes against orthodox Christianity and the known truth for their own interest are frailties incident to men but that the nobility and Gentry of England being so well vers'd in their own Chronikles and in the Histories of other Nations that persons of so much witt knowledg and judgment should not when they meet in Parliament move and resolve to restore Christianity and rectify so gross and vulgar mistakes especialy since the family against whose succession the statuts had bin introduced is restored to the Crown this 〈◊〉 or oblivion I say of the English 〈◊〉 and nobility iâ— hardly excusable And if the 〈◊〉 will not be moved out of charity to their fellow subjects and 〈◊〉 to abolish the sanguinary and penal Laws against Roman Catholicks let them do it out of civility to the Royal Family against whose party and Title so injust Laws were â—â—acted There is not therfore any thing 〈◊〉 more Queen Elizabeths penal statuts then to compare 〈◊〉 wiâ—h Queen Mariâ—â— and the Inquisitions proceedings against Protestants It 's now time that we pass from the examination of
Bishops Bible This Bible thus caled as also of the large Volume was printed first at Paris Fox relates the story That some heresies having bin discovered therin Coverdale was sent for who did oversee the printing of his own and Tyndal's work but having some warning of what would follow saith Fox he with other English posted away from Paris as fast as they could to save them-selves leaving behind them all their Bibles of the great Volume c. but after they had recovered some of the same Bibles which the Lieutenant Criminal of Paris had not burnt with the rest moved therunto by covetousness they reprinted the same Bible in London but yet not without great loss and trouble for the hatred of the Bishops namely Stephen Gardiner and his fellows who mightily did stomack and malign the printing therof This is Fox his own story of the English Translation of Scripture which Protestants hold to be the true word of God though it was burnt as fals and heretical in France and condemned as such by act of Parliament in England and two Thousand falsifications discovered in the new Testament 〈◊〉 by learned 〈◊〉 Bishop of Dâ—resme Sanders â—â—counts how Miles Coverdale hearing that the University of Oxford was much bent against 〈◊〉 reformation in Edward 6. 〈◊〉 and that 〈…〉 â—aught at Coverdale for keeping 〈…〉 have bin his wife he came to confute and to convâ—â—◠〈◊〉 famous University and there in the pulpit told his audience he would 〈◊〉 of the Controversie of the Real presence having therfore first vehemently inveighed against such as murmured at his keeping a woman which he termed va◠〈◊〉 he added that he ought to be credited in the dispute of the Eucharist for that having inquired into the diversity of opinions and examined the Catholicks Transubstantiation the Lutherans Impaâ—ation the Zuingliâ—ns â—â—re figurative presence the Calvinists addition to 〈…〉 certain efficacy and energy of grace he could deliâ—er 〈◊〉 them what he had found out at last after 14 years stud◠〈…〉 matter having spoken thus in very good earnest most then thought he was distracted for non in his 〈◊〉 could seriously endeavor to persuade Christians to build their 〈◊〉 vpon a fâ—llows fancy 〈◊〉 confessed him-self knew not what to believe for the space of 14 years vntill that present wherin at length he professed to take a new way of his own different from all others that vntill then had bin professed either by Roman Catholiks or others But if Protestants take his fals Translation for 〈◊〉 word of God with 〈◊〉 doubt they will not scruple to take his fantastical opinion for the sense of Scripture and rely â—pon his fond Interpretation of these words This is my body These were the prime Apostles and first Founders of the Protestant Church of England this the Scripture which they delivered to the people for God's word These the men whose sincerity the English Clergy doth now defend imitat and rely â—pon men who to enjoy Benefices and women persuaded silly soules to become the Devill 's Martyrs in Q. Maries dayes making them believe that Tindal and Coverdales falâ— Translations were the very word of God and every on 's privat Interpretation the right sense of the holy Ghost This the poore people erroneously and obstinatly maintained after that such of these their Masters as could escape fled begond the seas and left their Proselits in the lurch when them-selves could not any longer enjoy Bishopricks and wenches here in England Ambition and sensuality led them into novelties which most of them-selves knew to be heresies though once ingaged therin according to the custom of hereticks many refused to recant and would needs cast them-selves into the fire to dye forsooth with their honour which they vainly imagined lay at the stake and could not be preserved if them-selves were not tyed to a stake Fox tells us how Laurence Sanders a Priest was so fond of his wench and child that seing his litle son rejoyced more to have such a boy then if 2000. pounds were given him c. saying what man fearing God would not lose his life present rather then by prolonging it here he should adjudge this boy to be a bastard his wife a whore and him-self a whore-monger yea saith he if there were no other cause for which a man of my estate should lose his life yet who would not give it to avouch this Child to be legitimat and his mothers marriage to be lawfull and holy vpon such motives was the obstinacy of this Clergy grounded in dying How litle the poore Tinkers Tanners Coblers Spinsers and simple women could say for the errors in maintenance wherof they would needs dye you may guess by their incontinent Priests and their Patriarch and Apostle Cranmer's answers for his new saith which I will copy out of Fox himself who excuseth the weakness and absurdity therof by saying pag. 2053. that he believes the Notary who was Bishop Ievell chosen by Cranmer him-self did conceale the Arch-bishop's answers to favour the sea of Rome But then Fox ought to have supplied Ievellâ— ' defect and have shewed how Cranmer might and probably did answer the popish arguments and not conâ—â—â—t him-self with telling us that the reporter leaveth the 〈◊〉 raw and weak on Doctor Cranmer's side Thus then saith Fox SVBSECT IV. Talke between Doctor Martyn and the Arch-Bishop related by Fox DOctor Martin You have told here a long glorious tale c. you say you have once sworn to K. Henry 8. against the Pope's Iurisdiction and therâ—â—â—e you may never forsweare the same c. Here Mr. Cranmer I will ask you a question or two what if you made aâ— Oath to a Harlot to live with her in continual adultery ought you to keep it Cranmer I think no. Doctor Martyn Herod did swear what soever his harâ—â—â— asked of him he would give her and he gave her Iohn Baptist's head c. Then Mr. Cranmer you can no less confess but that you ought not to have conscience of every oath but if it be just lawfull and advisedly taken Cranmer So was my oath Martyn That is not so for first it was vnjust for it tended to the taking away of an other man's right It was not lawfull for the lawâ— of God and the Church were against it Besides it was not voluntary for every man and woman were compell'd to take it Cranmer It pleaseth you to say so Martyn Let all the world be Judge But Sir you that pretend to have such a conscience to break an Oath I pray you did you never swear and break the same Cranmer I remember not Martyn J will help your memory did you never swear obedience to the Sea of Rome Cranmer In deed I did once swear vnto the same Martyn Yea that you did twice as appeareth by records and writings here ready to be shewed Cranmer But I remember J saved all by a Protestation that I made by the Councell of the
of Paris a secular Court would fain have pressed vpon the French Clergy king since and the Jansenists lately but now dare not mention any such thing the Pope having lately censured their presumption of intermedling with matters aboue their jurisdiction and the King not giving them thanks for their officiousness Protestants can not cleere their Religion from the doctrin and danger of deposing Soveraigns and disposing of their Kingdoms NOw that we have cleered 〈…〉 Roman Catholik Religion from the aspersions of our 〈…〉 and shewed how 〈◊〉 dangerous the Pope's spiâ—â—â—ual supremacy can be to the temporal Soveraignty even of protestant Princes I would willingly vnderstand how the protestant and prelatik Clergy can vindicat their own principles 〈…〉 from deposing of as many Monarchâ— and Magistrat◠〈◊〉 did not conform to their Reformations whersoever they pâ—â—vailed Let them name but one protestant Kingdom Principality Commonwealth or Citty wherin protestancy hath not bin promoted by rebellion and exclusion of the lawfull Soveraign or Magistrat let them read the Histories of Germany Geneva France England Holland Suethland Suitzerland Vallies of Saâ—â—y Scotland c. 〈◊〉 they will find that as we do not exaggegrat so they can 〈◊〉 excuse the crime or except any of this number from notorious guilt therof So vniversal a conspiracy against lawfull Sâ—â—eraigns in nations so distant and different agreeing almost 〈◊〉 nothing but in the fundamental grounds of protestancy 〈◊〉 particularly in their maxim of the lawfulness to rayse 〈◊〉 settle the reformation vpon the ruins of all superiority 〈◊〉 spiritual and temporal that will not submit to the arbiâ—â—â—â—â— interpretation of Scripture of every Protestant prevailing 〈◊〉 must needs be a convincing proof that nothing can 〈◊〉 allyed to rebellion then the Protestant Religion which 〈◊〉 content to depose only Catholik Kings for Popery doth 〈◊〉 the same authority against their own protestant Kings 〈…〉 they conform not even their reformed Tenets to the 〈…〉 fancies of an illiterat giddy multitude And even the Cavaleers the wisest and most faithfull 〈◊〉 have given sufficient ground for men to suspect 〈…〉 think it no discredit to their prelatick Religion nor 〈◊〉 to themselves to trouble and question their Kings 〈◊〉 he and his privy Councell should think fit to vse a 〈◊〉 moderation towards Papists their late speeches in the 〈◊〉 of Commons against his Majesties Declaration is too cleer 〈…〉 for this censure Let themselves now be Judges 〈◊〉 the Roman Catholik Religion notwithstanding its 〈◊〉 of the Popes spiritual supremacy be not more 〈◊〉 â—o Kings then the best Protestant Reformations and 〈◊〉 the Papal spiritual Iurisdiction over souls be not 〈◊〉 with a temporal Soveraignty in Kings over their 〈◊〉 They will find this difference between both Religions that the Roman Catholik admits of and submits to Soveraignty however so addicted the Soveraigns are to Protestancy even the most precise Papists allow not of resistance against the royal authority in any case but only in that of forcing conscience by persecution but both Presbyterian and Prelatik Protestants think it lawfull to depose their Soveraigns if the Soveraigns SECT X. That Protestants could never prove any of the wilfull falsifications wherwith they charge Roman Catholik writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime whersoever they attempted to make good their charge against vs. SOME Protestants either out of ignorance or malice confound our Index expurgatorius with wilfull falsifications of ancient Fathers aÌ„d modern Authors wheras the sayd Index is a professed correcting not of the Fathers but of modern Authors opinions and Comments no concealed corrupting of their writings It doth not change any thing in ancient Fathers works though Protestants themselves confess 〈◊〉 of them have ambiguous and erroneous sentences but such are either sufficiently explained or corrected by themselves in other â—â—â—ces or condemned by the ancient Church and the geneâ—â—â— concurrence and consent of the other Fathers teaching and â—â—â—â—ifying the contrary to be Catholick doctrin So that we 〈◊〉 excuse our Adversaries either ignorance or impudence when they say we make the Fathers speake what is most pleasing to vs by our Index Expurgatorius This you may see solidly proved against Bishop Taylors Calumnies and falsifications in his Dissuasive and the thing is evident by the Index it self and the rules therof Kemnitius and other Protestants object some few texts of Scripture in the vulgar latin which they pretend were changed by vs and corrupted But Cardinal Bellarmin answers to all the objections so well that nothing can be replyed and all the world must confess we Roman Catholiks translated not any thing in that version to favor our Religion against Protestants seing our Latin Vulgata hath his vsed in the Church 1â— hundred years before their pretended reformation was heard of Iewell Morton and others object that Zozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus three Popes that lived in Saint 〈◊〉 â—ime and are much commended by him for holy men forged a Canon of the first Councell of Nice in favor of their own supremacy but they are sufficiently cleered from that aspersion by all Catholick Writers who agree in this that the heretiks did corrupt and Conceal some Canons of that Councell which are now wanting But as for that of appeales to the Pope which was the 〈…〉 it is in the Canons of the Councâ—ll 〈…〉 wayes held especialy in the west Church for 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 Councell because the same 〈…〉 both And St. Austin himself did appeale to 〈…〉 those three Popes whom Protestants would 〈◊〉 make 〈◊〉 in the cause of 〈◊〉 Bishop of 〈…〉 in his own Epistle about that matter Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of 〈◊〉 the general Councell of Calcedon 〈◊〉 favor of the Pope's sâ—â—remacy one of the foure first and received in England by act of a Protestant Parliament MR. Sutcliff in his Challenge and defence of the same chargeth Cardinal Bellarmin with many falsifications which you may see reâ—orted vpon himself in Walsingham's Search of Religion I will relate but one which is the third in Sutcliff's order In the same Book and Chapter saith Sutcliff Bellarmin falsifyeth the acts of the Councell of Calcedon And for proof of this falsification he sayes wheras Bellarmin 〈◊〉 that the Councell acknowldedged and called Pope Leo 〈◊〉 Ecclesias Head of the Church Which name saith Bellarâ—â—â— the Councell of Calcedon about 1200. years past doth 〈◊〉 an epistle to Pope Leo saying quibus tu velut membris 〈◊〉 praeras over whom you as head over the members do beare 〈◊〉 And in the first action of the Councell the Roman Church 〈◊〉 the Head of all Churches Sutcliff letting pass this last 〈◊〉 vpon the words quibus tu velut membris caput praeeras saying that this is referred to certain Priests of Leo his order in which Rank he shewed himself principal c. so as he saith that these words of the Councell do acknowledge only that Leo 〈◊〉 of certain Priests but not of the Bishops
that neither expose their persons nor open their purses for the defence of their King and Countrey notwithstanding that his Majesty the Nobility and people are so deeply engaged for the safety honor and trade of this Empire in a defensive war against the vnited powers of most powerfull Enemies and that the Parliament was forcit for want of other means to feed the King and be his faithfull souldiers with smoak of Chymnys whilst a mean Ministery raised by Q. Elizabeth in opposition to the Royal family of the Stewards doth swallow vp the substance of these Kingdoms How ridiculous it is to hear these Protestant Ministers cry out Sacrilege at this our proposal as if they had any spiritual caracter or any right to what they possess or though they had as if the Church ought not to contribute in cases of extreme necessity to the defence of the Commonwealth The vndoubted Catholick Clergy will rid the layty of any scruple of Sacrilege for applying the goods of the Church to the necessary defence of the Countrey We know the ancient Pastors and Bishops of Gods Church did not scruple in such cases to sell the very Chalices and vestments of the Altars much less to spend their revenues for the safety of their Flock But indeed they had no wives nor Children and therfore needed not be solicitous to buy estates for their sons or to setle jointures on their wives or to rayse portions for their daughters out of the patrimony of the Church which of right belongs to the poor and who is more poore then our soldiers and seamen or then Husbandmen and Tradesmen that hitherto contributed nay then our King that sacrificeth his revenue to the maintenance of the land forces and navy But if the Protestant Clergy be confident of the Iustice of their cause why do they not come to a tryal why do they oppose liberty of Conscience why do they with so many artifices decline reasoning and delude the people 〈◊〉 their Religion be true we Roman Catholicks will not â—â—pine at their riches nor at the rigor of the laws made by Queen Elizabeth against our Religion and against the interest of the Stewards or at least we will not be such fools as not to be hastily and heartily converted to protestancy seing therby we may not only be saved but share with the Protestant Clergy enjoy very many conveniences and free our selves from the penalties and incapacities wherunto we are subject for being Papists Herein they may believe us there being no likelyhood we shall be obstinat against a truth if protestancy appear in our desired Conference to be a truth every way so advantagious to our selves But an ill cause dreads nothing so much as a free and publick hearing since protestancy was intruded into England by Q. Elizabeth the Catholicks have continually petitioned and pressed for a publick trial but never could obtain that favor Arch-bishop Laud pag. 445. against Fisher gives this reason that the King and the Church of England had no reason to admit of a publick dispute with the English Romish Clergy till they shall be able to shew it vnder the seal or powers of Rome That that Church will submit to a third who may be an indifferent Judge between them and us or a General Councell which Councell though general he sayes pag. 194. is not infallible And as for any other indifferent and infallible Judge the Bishop thinkes there is none as yet in the world and yet its certain that a Iudge or Councell that is not believed infallible is not for the purpose because neither party can be obliged to submit their judgments to its sentence in matters of faith So that though the controversy could be decided by a fallible Judge or Councell we should remain still divided and that the Bishop well knew but some thing he must have sayd to divert the well meaning Protestant layty from questioning the sufficiency or sincerity of their own Clergy observing their backwardnes in giving satisfaction to our so just demand And yet we granted to them in Q. Maries reign as free a disputation as they desired we gave them their choice of books and notaries and time not only to put in their arguments and answers in writing but to review and correct what they dislik't vpon more mature deliberation To Arch-bishop Lauds reason for not allowing a Conference is answered that we desire so much the salvation of souls and service of the state that we will give vnder our own hands and seals the powers of Rome we cannot Command that if Protestants will admit of such a Trial as was granted to them in England and to their party in France which we have related in this Treatise we are content to submit to my Lord keeper of England and other noble persons judgments therin And let our Adversaries choos either to argue or answer let them object falsifications of Scripture and Fathers against us or answer to such as we shall charge them withall And if they cannot maintain their Reformation without such fraudulent dealing as we object against them let them loose the Church revenues if we can not defend our Religion without the lik fraud let us not only be debarred from liberty of Conscience but loose our lives Notwithstanding my Lord keepers known inclination to favor Protestancy we will not except against his and the Committees sentence so confident are we of the justice of our cause If they refuse so fair an offer though they keep their revenues without doubt they will forfeit their credit and be as much lost in the opinion of their own Prelaticks as of Fanaticks And as the Protestant Clergys diffidence must breed doubts and diminish the esteem of the Pastors in the mynds of their flocks so may it give the Protestant layty full assurance there can be no danger in embracing our Religion which so learned persons as are in the Protestant Clergy dare not encounter Besides the late change of their prelatick formes of Ordination hath so discredited their caracter of priesthood and Episcopacy that no sober lay-man will fight for a priestly function confessed by the Priests themselves to be invalid and what confession of invalidity can be more plain then to add vnto their old forms the words Priest and Bishop forc't therunto by the arguments of their Adversaries demonstrating that neither of those functions had bin hitherto sufficiently expressed in their Rituals and by consequence that the caracter could not be given by forms so vnsignificant and so imperfect I have often considered what could move the Clergy of the Church of England to condemn in this particular of their form of Ordination their first Protestant Ancestors and to condescend to their Catholick adversaries in a matter so important as that of the validity of their priestly and Episcopal caracter and to acknowledge by this change judged hitherto by themselves to be at least superfluous that they
for refusing to Roman Catholicks a publick Trial of Falsifications and an amicable Conference of Religion makes the refusal yet more unreasonable Popery saith every Protestant is a growing Religion if disputes thereof be admitted we shall turn all Papists If they be not persecuted their profession will prevail If liberty of conscience be granted very few will frequent Protestant Churches The prelatick Clergys last reason is Venient Romani tollent locum nostrum If we come once to reason the matter with Roman Catholicks infallibly we shall loose our Revenues But I may assiure them that the Roman Clergy covet not their revenues if it be found that we have any right to the Church livings we will lay our pretensions at his Majesties feet and Petition the Pope as we did in Queen Marys days to leave all to the King and Parliaments disposal for the ease and defence of our fellow Subjects and the terror of our Enemies And as for our Religion being a growing Religion we cannot deny it and rejoyce that our Adversaries confess so much how could it otherwise be the Catholick or become universal Protestancy is confined to this Northern Climate notwithstanding its liberty of open and sensual allurements the Mahometan perswasion is propagated by force of Arms and multiplicity of Wives the Greek Schism is but a spite and spleen against the Primacy of Rome and therefore is justly Become a Slavery to the Turk No Religion but the Roman Catholick doth grow and flourish maugre the Storms of outwaâ—d Persecutions and the strength of our inward perverse inclinations aganst it we follow reason against the appearance of sense we prefer vertue before vice the judgment of the Church before our own and Heaven before Earth and therefore we are made Strangers in our own Country Straglers abroad Tennants at will of our own Estates and our lives stand at the mercy of every base Informer that will press the law against our Conscience and yet in this sad condition and circumstances our Religion doth increase and is acknowledged to be a growing Religion Ergo it is the true Catholick and not only the most safe for the Soul but the most convenient for the State especially of Great Britain as now shall more particularly appear SECT XIII The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how advantagious it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands THree things must concurr to make a Monarchy Powerful and Peaceable 1. Uniformity in Religion or at least Liberty of Conscience 2. Great Revenues of the Monarch without empoverishing by unusual and unimerciful Taxes the Subjects unless they be slaves 3 Men fit for Sea and Land Service These Islands afford the last the other two we want but may have them if we will by an Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience or for tolerating the old Faith of our Ancestors wherewith this Kingdom flourished in Peace and Prosperity for the space of 1000 years Such an Act I mean as may make legal one Profession but wherein there ought to be a Proviso that none of another suffer for his Conscience or Religion especially for the Roman Catholick That without Uniformity in Religion or without Liberty of Conscience it is impossible for a Monarchy to be long peaceable or powerful is manifest by Reason and Experience Reason doth dictate that when Mens minds are Discontented and Oppressed by Persecution for their Conscience they will hazard their all to be satisfied and saved their Rebellion against the Soveraign will be thought the ground of their Salvation or at least the only way to preserve their Posterity from being damned and brought up in the state false Religion Experience doth shew that diversity of Opinions if but one be permitted doth not only occasion Domestick differences as the parting of Man and Wife of Parents and Children Brothers and Sisters c. But is the cause of publick Inconveniencies as jealousies between Princes and Subjects from whence proceed civil Wars which are the greatest obstacle of Prosperity in an Empire or Commonwealth Whilst the Hugonots were persecuted in France France was not so considerable Here in England we are more afraid of persecuted Presbyterians Fanaticks and other Sectaries than of the French Danes and Dutch seeing therefore Liberty or Uniformity in Religion is so necessary for the Peace and Power of a Monarchy all States-men must grant the Religion fittest for the State is that which is most likely to be generally embraced if Men may have their free choice Now whether that be Protestancy or Popery is the question It is not Protestancy because 't is now a hundred years and more since it hath been endeavoured by all ways imaginable to bring the Subjects of the Crown of England unto an Uniformity in Protestancy even by Sanguinary and Penal Statutes and yet the design doth not take and indeed cannot Because it involves a contradiction for to be a Protestant is to have the liberty of opâ—ning and the gift of interpreting Scripture which Liberty and Prerogative is not consistent with a subjection of Judgment to the Authority and Interpretation of any Church or Councel and by consequence not with Unity of Faith Besides the Protestant Church whether Prelatick Presbyterian or Fanatick is not as much as pretended to be Infallible in Doctrine or in its Interpretation of Scripture and it 's a great vanity for a Church that professeth Fallibility in explaining the Scriptures and admitteth a liberty or Latitude of applying the Letter of the same to every private mans Spirit and Interpretation to oblige men to any unity or certainty of Faith and therefore our Acts of Parliament are so inefficacious Again Faith is not Christian unless the Believers hold it certain and no Believer can hold his own Faith certain if he submits and comforms his Judgment to the Doctrine and Decrees of a Fallible Church For that no man can think himself certain of what he knows may fail evident therefore it is that the Protestant Faith is neither Christian nor certain because the Professors thereof if they be guided by their confessed fallible Church must know that their Faith may be False The Roman Catholick Church seeing it is believed Infallible by all Catholicks may teach a Faith which must be thought by us to be Certain Conscientious Christian and by consequence convenient fit for both Soul and State How conscientious and Necessary it is for the Salvation of the Soul we have proved in this whole Treatise as also how convenient for the State now I will shew the same in a word and by the confession of our Adversaries It is a growing Religion say they therefore I infer
a ridiculous Church of Protestants he fancies and deduceth only from the time of Pope Innocent 3. and composeth of a rablement of all sectaries divided among themselves and dissenting also from Protestants Proved in particular instances of VValdenses Albigenses Wickleff and others His three simple Miracles of Luthers and how Fox describes a revelation of his own and how he was made a fool by revelation The Prelatik clergy recommend Fox his works to all Godly people though the learned of them know it to be a collection of frauds follies and fables SUBSECT I. IOhn Fox his Calendar of Protestant Saints In all 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. and Cranmer the principal by him you may judge of the rest Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. Edward 6. Other men and women Martyrs 393 other men and women Confessors 57. The greatest disputers against the Catholick Bishops of these Martyrs were a Cook a Cowheard a Taylor a Blaksmith a millers wife a Cutlers wife and a married mayd So Fox calls her How madly these poor souls ran to the fire Fox his Martyrs were all fanaticks SUBSECT II. WIlfull falsifications committed by John Fox in his acts and monuments He falsifies St. Bede and an ancient english Synod to make them Quartodecimans and to favor the Protestant doctrin of divorces He falsifies also St. Antoninus to discredit Pope Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand and a Councell to favor the mariage of Priests The ancient Greeks and Latin Churches held the single life of Priests 120. lyes in three leaves of Fox his book and more in the whole then in Sleydans History though eleven thousand are gathered out of Sleydan by the German writers His censuring Acts of ancient English Parliaments for condemning Rebells and heretiks His falsifying Sr. John Oldcastles profession of faith to make us believe he was a Protestant in the point of Purgatory SUBSECT III. DOctor Charks egregious falsification of St. Austin and how falsly he excuseth Luthers doctrin of the lawfulness of Adultery and incest SUBSECT IV. ARch Cranmer and Peter Martyrs falsifications against transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. SECT VI. HOw some Protestant writers in Q. Elizabeths time seing their fellows proved falsifiers waved the testimonies of the ancient Fathers and Councells and yet the others continued their former cours of falsifying both Fathers and Councells Of Whitaker Arch. Whitgift and Fulk How they contemn the Fathers and Church when they relate ancient condemned heresies that Protestants now profess Doctor Willet a great Impostor how impudently he falsifies taking God to witness he will speak nothing but truth it is the general custom of Protestant writers SECT VII FAlsifications and frauds of the prelatick and Protestant Clergy ever since the beginning of K. James his reign for continuing and maintaining Protestancy SUBSECT I. THeir corruptions of Scripture notwithstanding that the King commanded the English Bibles to be corrected They corrected some few things that gave advantage to the Puritans against Episcopacy leaving other corruptions as formerly Insteed of correcting their fals Scripture they forged new Registers How they falsify Scripture in the first commandement Exod. 20.4 and yet object against vs Catholiks that wee take away the 2. commandement How absurd this their objection is See also how they corrupt Scripture to humour K. James in the supremacy divers others Arch. Abbots and the Bp. of Glocester altered the true translation of St. Peters epistle to impugn Purgatory accused of this impiety by Sir Henry Savill that translated it rightly How they corrupt Scripture against prayer to Saints That Saints in heaven do hear our prayers proved by reason and authority Whether it be not more then credible that Arch. Abbots who falsified Scripture would forge Registers How vnreasonably the prelatick Clergy in their Dedicatory to King Iames set before the new translation of Scripture desire his Majesty to protect the same against the objections of Puritans and Papists SUBSECT II. OF Dean Walsinghams scruples and Search into matters of Religion and how by discovering the frauds and falsifications of his own Protestant Clergy he became a Roman Catholick The occasion of his doubts His memorial to K. Iames as being head of the church for satisfaction His reading of the Defence of the Censure and his judgment therof How that book proves Scripture is more cleare for Catholick Tenets then for Protestant of Dean Walsinghams appearance before his Grace at Lambeth his conference with Doctor Covell This Doctors fraud and folly in diverting Walsingham from the truth Of Dean Walsinghams third and fourth appearance before my Lord of Canterbury How he was abused and threatned by his Grace for desiring to know the truth Of the Knight of the corner Perkins and his persuasions How the Archbishop to be rid of a man that pressed to know the truth remitted Dean Walsingham to the Commissary of St. Albans and to others who gave him no satisfaction Of Bells libells delivered by the Arch-bishop to satisfy Mr. Walsingham His last appearance before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and an assembly of Diuines How in their presence he produced the corruptions and falsifications of the Protestant books recommended vnto him by his Grace and yet neither he nor that assembly durst compare Mr. VValsinghams notes of frauds with the same books as Mr. VValsingham desired but dismissed him wishing he were far enough for discovering their cheat and the weakness of their Religion SUBSECT III. REflexions vpon Mr. VValsinghams Relation This like case and cheat doth happen as often as the Protestant Clergy observeth any conscientious person troubled in conscience through the vnreasonableness of their Religion A case of conscience concerning one millions of revennue proposed and desired it be decided by the Parliament and that some knowing person my Lord Chancellor be the Moderator of the conference for that purpose SUBSECT IV. A Relation of a Trial held in France about Religion How necessary the like is in England for the credit of Protestants and convenience of the state SECT VIII PRotestant falsifications to persuade that the Roman Catholick doctrin is inconsistent with the Soveraignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants How the Protestant writers having bin worsted at Scripture Councells Fathers c now endeavour to defend Protestancy by reasons of state and become vnfortunat Polititians Divers falsifications touching this subject published by Morton Bishop of Duresm How he answers some objections with new lyes others whith laying the blame vpon the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Stork c. To most objections he gives no answer The whole National Synod and Protestant Clergy concurr in an imposture concerning the sign of the Cross in Baptism against Roman Catholicks The Protestants falsifications of the Canon Law about deposing of Kings About cheating excommunicated persons About murthering and massacring Protestants Diuers falsifications to assert a spiritual Supremacy in Kings According to the