more set downe in the Protestants Apologie it is manifest that the Catholike Roman Faith did begin euen in the Apostles times and hath raigned vniuersally ouer the visible Church of Christians 1260. yeares if wee will beleeue the confession of our Aduersaries themselues So dread Soueraigne if the testimonies of all known Christian men who liued in all ages and times from the Apostles times vntill the rising of Luther may find grace and credit with your Maiestie they all knowne Heretikes and so reputed by both parties onely excepted doe witnesse that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith for that they all beleeued and esteemed our Lord to be Author of that Religion they themselues professed And this were sufficient to shew vnto your most excellent Maiestie that the Sonne of God was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith but because Protestant Ministers do so often bragge that the Scriptures or written Word of God doth make for them I will further examine the Scriptures to see what they say of the Religion which was to be planted by our Sauiour and wil begin with the old Testamēt according to the directions of our Lord saying Search the Scriptures the olde Testament for as then no part of the New Iohn 5. 39. was written for you thinke by them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimony of me and after descend downe vnto the New and so prooue by the generall consent of the whole Scriptures that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. IV. Wherein is proued by the testimony of Moyses and the Patriarkes that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith TO discerne the true Prophet from the false and to discerne the word of God from the words of arrogant men God Almightie gaue vs this rule saying If in secret cogitation thou answere How Deut. 18. 21. shall I vnderstand the word that our Lord spake not This signe thou shalt haue that which the same Prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord and commeth not to passe that our Lord hath not spoken But by the arrogancie of his minde the Prophet hath forged it And the Prophet that being depraued with arrogancie Deut. 18. 20. will speake in my name the things that I did not command him to say shall be slaine Whereupon our Sauiour saith All things must needs bee fulfilled which are written in the Luke 24. 44. Law of Moyses and the Prophets and Psalmes of mee otherwise Moyses and the Prophets should haue been false Prophets and our Sauiour none of the Messias but a seducer and deceiuer and the God of the Scriptures a false God So supposing that our Sauiour was the Messias promised to be sent for the redemption of mankinde and that the Prophets of both Testaments were true Prophets and not guiltie of death but prophecied things which must be infallibly fulfilled We will seeke out what they say of the Seed Faith Religion or Gospell which was to be planted by our Sauiour vpon earth And to let passe other promises and prophecies written by Moyses we will begin with that great promise and oath made by God to ABRAHAM the Father of all that beleeue Whereupon is grounded and Rom. 4. 11. founded the succession of the Church in all ages the oath of God being the highest act that can bee made in heauen or in earth in confirmation of a truth it cannot bee contradicted without great impietie or denied to be fulfilled without making the God of Abraham our Lord to bee forsworne and a false God which is the highest kinde of vntruth opposite to the greatest truth that can be giuen Abraham going to sacrifice his only begotten son Isaac according as God had commanded him so greatly pleased his diuine Maiestie in that act of obedience that he confirmed his former promise made vnto him that he should be heire of the world by an oath saying By my owne selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord Gen. 12. 3. and 15. 5. Rom. 4. 13. Gen. 22. 16. because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely begotten sonne for my sake I will blesse thee and I will multiply thy seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea-shore thy seede shall possesse the gates of his enemies and in thy seede shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth because thou hast obeyed my voyce He saith not saith Saint Paul and to seeds as in many Galath 3. 16. but as in one and to thy seede which is Christ That in Christ Iesus the Sonne of Dauid the Sonne of Abraham not the Nation of the Iewes or Brittans onely but all the Nations of the earth should be blessed and become children of Abraham and sonnes and seede of Christ Iesus borne againe as Saint Peter saith not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. Whereupon Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians In 1. Cor. 4. 6. Christ Iesus by the Gospell I begate you And to the Ephesians he saith That the Gentiles are coheires and of the same body and partakers of his promise by the Gospel And so saith That Christ hath redeemed vs from the Galath 5. 14. curse of the Law that on the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might be made in Christ Iesus that we may receiue the promise The Scriptures foreseeing that God instifieth Galath 3. 8. the Gentiles by Faith shewed vnto Abraham before that in thee shall all Nations be blessed Not for a day or a yeare but for euer according to the words of Saint Luke saying He hath receiued Israel his childe Luke 1. 55. being mindfull of his mercy As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer So likewise God said to ABRAHAM SARA thy wife shall beare thee a son Gen. 17. 19. and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my couenant to him for a perpetuall couenant and to his seed after him Whereby wee see that this oath of God to Abraham is to bee fulfilled in and vpon Christians professing the Faith and Gospell planted by our Sauiour and that those Christians vpon whom this oath can or may be fulfilled are the seede of our Sauiour and the children of his Kingdome and heires of the Promises none else vnlesse we will make God Almightie forsworne which is too great impietie and a vanitie for any man to acknowledge him for a God whom he professeth in deeds to be a violater of oathes and promises So it resteth to examine whether this oath of God be verified vpon Roman Catholikes or vpon Protestants that we may clearely see which of them are true Christians and heires of the Promises and seed of our Sauiour And as for Protestants they themselues confesse that their Faith and Religion which they now professe hath been so farre off from being
God to Dauid saying His seed shall continue Psal 88. 37. for euer and his Throne as the Sunne in my sight and as the Moone perfect for euer Obiect 5. Our Sauiour calleth his Church little flocke saying Doe not feare little flocke because it Luke 12. hath pleased your Father to giue you a Kingdome Ans Little in the beginning after to encrease according to the words of the Prophet Isay saying Iacob Isay 27. 5. shall florish and Israel shall grow and they shall fill the face of the earth with seed So our Sauiour compared Matth. 13. 31. his Church to a Mustard-seed which is the least of all seedes when it is sowen but when it is growne it is greater then all herbes And to Leauen which a woman Matth. 13. 33. tooke and hid in three measures of meale vntill the whole was leauened Obiect 6. In the time of Constans Constantius and Constantinus the Arians so preuailed that there remained no Catholike Bishops but Liberius and Athanasius Answ In their times was the Councell of Sardis where were three hundred Catholike Bishops as is set downe in the said Councell Obiect 7. Our Sauiour saith That many are called Matth. 20. 16. but few chosen Ans He hath called the earth from the rising of the Psal 49. 1. Sunne vnto the going downe thereof So in respect of the number of all people of what sect or sort soeuer the Elect shal be but few yet dilated all ouer the earth as our Sauiour witnesseth when he saith That at the day of Iudgement he will send his Angels with a great Matth. 24. 31. sound of Trumpet and they shall gather his Elect from the foure windes from the one end of the heauen to the other Obiect 8. Our Sauiour saith of the Iewes I know Iohn 8 that you are Abrahams seed and yet saith Yee are of your father the Diuell Ans This place demonstrateth that men are not iustified by Faith only shewing that neither the Iews who were Abrahams seed by carnall generation nor the Christians who are his seed by Faith onely shal be saued without good workes saying I know you are Abrahams seed but yee seeke to kill me therefore yee are 1. Iohn 3. 8. of your father the Diuell begotten of him by euill life Catholikes doe not defend saluation by Faith onely but by Faith and good deeds Obiect 9. Some of the Fathers doe vnderstand by Babylon spoken in the 17. of the Apocalyps Rome Apocal. 17. Ans Tertullian lib. contr Iudeos and Saint Ierome Epist 17. ad Marcellum vnderstand by Babylon Rome as it persecuted Christians and worshipped Idols and not Rome Christian S. Augustine vpon the 26. Psalme Aretas vpon this place Haymon and Saint Bede do vnderstand by the great Whore great Babylon c. not Rome but the vniuersall Citie of the Diuell which in Scriptures is called Babylon and is opposite to the Citie of God which is his Church and by the seuen Hills these Fathers vnderstand the generall estate of proud men as the Scriptures vse saying Euery Vally Luke 3. 5. shal be filled and euery Hill shal be humbled Obiect 10. In our Creede we say I beleeue in the Catholike Church but the things that wee beleeue cannot be seene therefore wee cannot see the Catholike Church but must beleeue it onely Ans Herein consisteth the ignorance of Protestants that in one and the same thing they distinguish diuers acts as the act of Faith and the act of corporall seeing both in one and the same man but doe not distinguish in the same men or things diuers obiects as the obiect of the act of Faith and the obiect of the act of corporall seeing So the things that we beleeue we cannot corporally see by an acte of Faith that is true otherwise our Faith should be in our eyes The thing that we beleeue we cannot corporally see with an act of seeing that is false the Apostles did both see and heare our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and beleeued him to bee our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Catholikes can corporally see the Catholike Church but not with an act of Faith proceeding from their eyes and beleeue the same Catholike Church but not with an act of seeing proceeding from their vnderstandings but with an act of Faith proceeding from their vnderstandings and so at the same time though not with one and the selfe-same act both see and beleeue the same Catholike Church But see it as it is obiect of their eyes and beleeue it as it is obiect of their Faith which for the saluation of their soules I wish Protestants could doe Since the same God Almighty and the same Prophets which tell me I must beleeue the Church doe also tell me that it shall be corporally visible according to their descriptions vntill the worlds end and he maketh God and the Prophets lyars that denyeth it Obiect 11. The Protestants yet may hope that the Prophecies may be verified vpon Protestantisme hereafter Answ That were to make Luther the Messias and him and his Ministers of greater power then our Sauiour and the Apostles and is contrary to the promises of God and Prophecies Againe the Prophets do not speake of conuerting Papists but Gentiles to our Lord which are in great part conuerted already and there is no probability that Ministers tyed to women children seruants good fare soft beds commodities of the world and flesh should goe to conuert Gentiles in Africa or America Againe What should they conuert them vnto to beleeue That the God of the Christians hath for fifteene hundred yeares failed of his oath and promises That the Apostles and those men who planted Christian Religion are not to be called nor esteemed of as Saints That Baptisme is not necessarie to saluation That the Sacraments of the Christians doe not conferre grace That the whole Church and Generall Councels of Christians may erre in things that appertaine to God That Fasting and Pennance is not necessarie to saluation That the Masse is superstition That the Romish doctrine concerning Purgatorie Pardons Worshipping and Adoration as well of Images as of Reliques and also Inuocation of Christian Saints is a fond thing These and many the like Articles of the English Creed the Heathen and Pagans beleeue and haue beleeued many hundred years before Luther and Caluin or any Protestant man was borne that held and maintained the same Faith Protestants doe now Obiect 12. The Church of Protestants is farre extended and so in some part the Prophecies may bee verified vpon it Ans Though it were as farre extended as Turcisme yet it would bee inferious to the promises and latitude of our Catholike Church and wanteth the other properties set downe by the Prophets all Heretikes haue possessed some place or Countrey and at this day Protestantisme is but in this corner of the world Thomas Rogers a Protestant seeking out the Rogers vpon the Creede Protestants of other
part spotted with doctrine of Free-will of Merits of Inuocation of Saints and such like And page 473. he saith Surely you are not able to reckon in any age since the Apostles times any company of Bishops that taught and held so sound doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England doe at this day Whereupon Luther in his booke De seruo arbitrio tom 2. Wittenb 1551. affirmeth the Fathers to haue been blinde and most ignorant in the Scriptures to haue erred al the time of their liues from his doctrine and that vnlesse they were amended before their deathes they were neither Saints nor pertaining to the Church of Protestants And in his Colloquijs mensalibus he saith In the Writings of Hierome there is not a word of true faith in Christ and sound religion Tertullian is very superstitious I hold Origen long since accursed Of Chrysostome I make no account Basil is of no worth he is wholly a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine The Apologie of Philip Melancthon doth farre excell all the Doctors of the Church and exceede euen Augustine himselfe POMERAN a Protestant vpon Ionam saith Our Fathers whether holy or not holy I esteeme nothing they haue been blinded with the Spirit of Montanus by humane traditions and doctrine of diuels c. They doe not teach purely of Iustification Beza in his Preface vpon the New Testament Dedicated to the Prince of Condy printed 1587. affirmeth That euen in the best times the ambition ignorance and lewdnesse of Bishops was such that the very blinde may easily perceiue how Satan was President in their assemblies or Councels because they taught opposite doctrine to the doctrine of the Protestants of this age Whereupon Perkins in his Exposition of the Creede page 400. in behalfe of himselfe and all Protestants saith Wee say that before the dayes of Luther for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie from Protestantisme as hee meaneth ouer-spread the whole face of the earth and that our Church of Protestants was not visible to the world And many more Protestants confesse that the Faith or doctrine which Protestants now teach and professe hath been no where visibly knowne published or preached since the Apostles times vntil Luther as is set down more at large in the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church And it is of it selfe so manifest that no Protestant hath hitherto bin able to assigne in the time betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther one onely Protestant Minister Doctor Writer or Teacher that held professed or taught the doctrine which Protestants doe now hold and teach Whereby it is manifest that in all that time which is about the space of one thousand foure hundred yeares there were no knowne Protestants but all knowne Christians who liued within the compasse of these yeares were either Roman Catholikes or reputed Heretikes by both parties Whereupon we rightly inferre that all knowne Christian men who liued in all ages since the time of the Apostles vntill the rising of Luther knowne Heretikes and so reputed by both partie onely excepted doe testifie that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Romaine Faith euery Christian beleeuing that our Lord Iesus Christ was the Author of this Religion and Planter thereof vpon earth Now that there were knowne Roman Catholikes liuing and being during these fourteene hundred yeares Protestants themselues confesse Fulke in his Treatise against Stapleton page 25. affirmeth Some Protestants haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundred yeares some say a thousand some one thousand two hundred some nine hundred And the same Protestant in his retentiue Motiues pag. 248. speaking of Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome the first of them liuing about the yeare of our Lord 440. and the second of them about 590. saith The mystery of iniquitie so he calleth the Pope and our Catholike Faith wrought in the Sea of Rome neare fiue or six hundred yeares before them MIDLETON in his Papisto-mastix page 193. affirmeth saying Wee are sure that the mysterie of iniquitie so he pleaseth to call the Pope and our Catholike Faith did worke in Pauls time and fell not a sleepe as soone as Paul was dead c. and therefore no maruell though perusing Councels Fathers and Stories from the Apostles forward wee finde the print of the Popes feete SEBASTIAN FRANCVS in his Epistle De abrogandis Statutis ecclesiasticis affirmeth That for certaine through the worke of Antichrist so he calleth the Pope and our Catholike Faith the externall Church of Protestants together with the Faith and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure So potent were the Pope and Roman Catholikes euen in the Apostles times that presently after the Apostles departure they were able to make the externall Church of Protestants together with the Faith and Sacraments of Protestants vanished away as this Protestant affirmeth Brokard in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 110. affirmeth That the Church of Protestants was troden downe and oppressed by the Papacie euen from Syluesters time vnto these times Which he there and page 123. accounteth to haue been for the space of 1260. yeares Napper in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 68. saith Betweene the yeare of Christ 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papisticall raigne began raigning vniuersally and without any debatable contradiction 1260. yeares and pag. 145. he saith euen 1260. yeares the Pope and his Cleargie hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians Yet the Pope and his Cleargie could not come to raigne vniuersally and without any debatable contradiction vpon a sudden as wee see by experience in Protestant Ministers who haue beene now about an hundred yeares and yet doe not reigne or possesse their Religion in any one Countrey without some opposition whereby it is manifest that the Pope and his Cleargie were many hundred yeares before they could obtaine to reigne vniuersally without any debatable contradiction Downham in his Treatise of Antichrist lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 25. affirmeth That the generall defection of the visible Church foretold in the second of the Thessalonians which hee esteemeth to haue beene wrought by the Pope and Roman Catholikes began to worke in the Apostles times Caelus secundus Curio in his booke De amplitudine Regni Dei lib. 1. pag. 43. saith Are we ignorant in how great darkenesse blindnesse and ignorance so he calleth our Catholike Faith the world hath continued almost from the Apostles age to these very times in which aboue all expectation our Lord began to manifest himselfe And Perkins vpon the Creed page 307. affirmeth That during the space of nine hundred yeares the Popish heresie so he pleaseth to call the Catholike Roman Faith hath spread it selfe ouer the whole earth whereby appeareth that it was fiue or sixe hundred yeares before since it could not spread it selfe of a sudden ouer the whole earth And by these confessions of Protestants themselues and by many
haue reigned vniuersally ouer the world for twelue hundred yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter And so I conclude out of our Sauiours words that the Catholike Romane Faith must needs be the Faith and Religion which our Sauiour planted and that Romane Catholikes are true Christians since neither the promises in the bookes of Moyses nor in the Prophets nor in the Psalmes are or can bee verified or fulfilled in or vpon any other Thirdly our Sauiour speaking of the estate of his Church saith The Kingdome of heauen is resembled vnto a man that sowed good seed in his field but when men Matth. 13. 24. were asleepe his enemies came and ouer-sowed Cockle among the Wheate and went his way and when the blade was shut vp and had brought forth fruit then appeared also the Cockle And the seruants of the Good-man of the house comming said to him Sir diddest thou not sowe good seed in thy field Whence then hath it Cockle and he said to them the enemie man hath done this And the seruants said to him Wilt thou we goe and gather it vp And he said noe lest perhaps gathering vp the Cockle you may roote vp the Wheate also together with it suffer both to grow vntill the haruest and in the time of haruest I wil say to the Reapers Gather vp first the Cockle and bind it into bundles to burne but the wheate gather yee into my Barne And expounding this Parable of the Cockle of the field he said to his Disciples He that sowed the Matth. 13. 37. good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world and the good seed those are the children of the Kingdome and the Cockle those are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that sowed them is the Diuell but the Haruest is the end of the world and the Reapers are the Angels So our Sauiour in describing his Church by which description it is manifest that our Sauiour sowed the Catholike Romane Faith and that Romane Catholikes are the children of the Kingdome of God and all other Sects of what kinde or sort soeuer are Cockle sowed by the Diuell after death or at the end of Matth. 13. 38. the world to be gathered vp and cast into a Furnace of fire Since there neither is at this instant nor yet hath been heretofore any Nation People Faith Religion or Sect which challenged the name of Christians that hath been successiuely dilated ouer the world according to our Sauiours description but the Catholike Romane Faith which as Perkins a Protestant saith Vpon the Creed fol. 307. During the space of nine hundred yeares spread it selfe ouer the whole earth Fourthly our Sauiour speaking of his Church saith The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a mustard-seed Matth. 13. 31. which a man tooke and sowed in his field which iâ— the least surely of all seeds but when it is growne it is greater then all hearbes and is made a tree so that the fowles of the ayre come to dwell in the branches thereof Againe The Kingdome of heauen is like to Leauen which Matth. 13. 33. a woman tooke and hid in three measures of meale vntill the whole was leauened Againe The Kingdome of heauen Matth. 13. 47. is like to a net cast into the sea and gathering together of all kinde of fishes Which words of our Sauiour cannot bee verified vpon Protestantisme supposing that it was in the Apostles times as they affirme since it did not encrease or grow greater then al other sects nor leauened the whole world nor gathered together all kinde of people But so vanished away after the Apostles departure that for fourteene hundred yeares together they are not able to assigne one man professing the Religion they doe now Fiftly Our Sauiour setting downe the state of his Church to come saith I chose you and haue appointed Iohn 15. 16. you that you go and bring fruit and your fruit abide Againe This Gospell of the Kingdome shal be preached in Matth. 24. 14. the whole world for a testimony to all Nations and then shal come the consummation Againe Holy Father I pray Iohn 17. not that thou take them away out of this world but that thou preserue them from euill c. And not for the Apostles only do I pray but for them also that by their words shal beleeue in me Againe Teach yee all Nations and Matth. 28. behold I am with you all daies euen to the end of the world Which words of our Sauiour cannot be verified vpon Protestants that our Sauiour hath appointed Protestants to goe and preach in the world and bring fruit and their fruit abide or that Protestantisme should be preached to all Nations or that our Sauiour prayed that Protestants should not be taken away out of the world but be preserued from euill or that our Sauiour would be with Protestants ayding and assisting them in the conuersion of Nations euen to the consummation Matth. 28. 20. of the world since wee see it false by experience Sixtly Our Sauiour speaking of the estate of his Church saith to the chiefe Priests and Ancients of the people Haue you neuer read in the Scriptures The stone Matth. 21. 42. which the builders reiected the same is made the head of the corner By our Lord was it done and it is marueilous in our eyes Therefore I say to you that the Kingdome of God shall be taken away from you and giuen to a Nation yeelding the fruit thereof And he that falleth vpon that stone shal be broken and on whom it falleth it shal al to bruise him These words of our Sauiour cannot be verified vpon Protestants that our Sauiour should become head to vnite Iewes and Protestants together in one family of Christians or should take away his Church and Kingdome vpon earth from the Iewes to giue it to Protestants or that the Church of Protestants should yeeld more fruit then the Church of the Iewes or he that should fall vpon the Church of Protestants should be broken since as Sebastianus Francus a Protestant In epist de Abro stat Eccl. affirmeth That for certaine through the worke of Antichrist the external Church of Protestants together with the Faith Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church of Protestants hath bin no where external and visible Which being so dread Soueraigne I appeale to your Maiestie wel pleased to consider how ignorant hee should be in the Scriptures that should make himselfe a Protestant out of hope to become one of the Kingdome of God heere spoken of That all these promises and Prophecies of our Sauiour are verified vpon Papists Protestants themselues giue sufficient testimonie who affirme that Papistrie began in the time of the Apostles and hath raigned vniuersally for twelue hundred yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter So if the words and
which for fourteene hundred yeares together was not knowne vnto the men of the earth That all these words of Saint Paul are verified vpon Romane Catholikes Protestants themselues giue ample testimony as is set down heretofore By these and many more Prophecies of the estate of the Church to come set downe by the Apostles and Euangelists it is manifest that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith So dread Soueraigne if the Generall consent of both Testaments the testimonie of God of Angels of Patriarkes of Prophets of Apostles of Euangelists and of all knowne Christen men that euer were before Luther may find grace and credite with your Maiesty to be beleeued they all reputed Heretikes by both parties onely excepted affirme that the Sonne of God was Author of that Catholike Romane Faith which is now persecuted within your Dominions CHAP. XIII Answeres to Obiections OBIECT 1. ALL Protestants doe not affirme that their Congregation hath been inuisible for these fourteene hundred years which were betweene the death of the Apostles and the rising of Luther but some say that they were visibly conuersant in the world administrating the Sacraments and preaching the pure Word Ans These Protestants did not liue in any of those ages to affirme that which they did see Reuelations Miracles Traditions they deny Writings Records Antiquities Councels Histories or any ancient testimony of such a visible company so administrating of Sacraments they haue none yet there is no other meanes of knowing things past but by a vaine imagination of an idle braine proper to lunatike men in Bedlam and Bridewell who talke of strange phantasies and chimeraes we looke for a people that should be made Princes ouer all the earth To whom Kings were Psal 44. nursing fathers and Queenes nurses That did ouerflow Isay 66. the glory of the Gentiles That did possesse the gates of their Gen. 22. enemies in whose seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed And they tell vs of a people that supposed they were yet they were the most base vile contemptible and wretched people that euer liued vpon the earth such lyars and dissemblers as that it could not be knowne what Religion they professed So impious that it is neuer heard of that euer they vsed any Sacraments Sermons or Prayers So barbarous that it is not found vpon any Record that euer they were married but if they were it seemeth that they accompanied together like horses and dogges so ignorant that there is not found one man amongst them that euer writ any thing so vile that they neuer did any thing worthy of memory So lawlesse that there is not found any Order Statute or Decree they had such Rogues and Vacabonds that none vntill this day can finde out where any of them dwelt Such enemies of Christ and Christianity that not any testimonie can be found of their being Baptized or Christened So if they were it seemeth that they were rather the seed of the Diuell then of Abraham or Christ Iesus or of any Christian man Obiect 2. Waldo who liued in the yeare of our Lord God 1220. and Wickliffe who liued in the yeare of our Lord 1370. and Iohn Husse who liued in the yeare 1400. were Protestants and held and taught the same doctrine Protestants doe now Answ First Waldo did so extoll merit for good works that he did forsake all things to become poore and follow Christ and euangelicall perfection as witnesseth Doctor Humfrey a Protestant in his Iesuitisme part 2. fol. 270. Secondly hee denied the Sabbath in regard whereof the Waldenses were called Insabbatists that is to say people who had no Sabbath as affirmeth Fox Acts and Monuments fol. 41. Thirdly hee taught that Lay-men and women might consecrate the Sacrament and preach Fourthly that there should be no diuision of Parishes Fiftly that men ought not to sweare in any case Sixtly That neither Priest nor Ciuill Magistrate being guiltie of mortall sinne did enjoy their dignities or were to be obeyed and many the like as witnesseth ILLIRICVS in catel testium veritatis Wickliffe taught that if a Bishop or Priest were in deadly sinne his ordaining of Priests Consecrating and Baptisme was not Valide and that Ecclesiasticall Ministers should not haue any Temporall possessions Fox Acts fol. 96. Moreouer hee condemned lawfull oathes as affirmeth Osiander in his Epito hist. Eccles fol. 459. Yet maintained he the worshipping of Images intercession to our blessed Lady the Masse and seuen Sacraments as is manifest in his bookes And for Iohn Husse except the doctrine of the Communion in both kinds which he would haue giuen to Lay-men and the doctrine of Wickliffe in defending that if a Prince Priest or Bishop committed mortall sinne they did lose their dignities and were not to be obeyed for the most part he retained the Articles of our Catholike Faith as the Seuen Sacraments the Popes Primacie the Masse in so much as Luther in Colloquijs Germanicis ca. de Antechristo saith of him The Papists burned Iohn Husse when as yet he depapted not a fingers breadth from the Papacie for he taught the same which Papists doe Obiect 3. The Church of the Protestants was in that of the Papists so if Protestants were not neither should Papists be Ans That is to confesse that the Papists Church is the true Church and that Protestants are Schismatikes or Heretikes according to the Scriptures saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had Iohn 2. 19. been of vs they would surely haue remained with vs. Againe Out of your selues shall arise men speaking peruerse Act. 10. 30. things Obiect 4. The Church is compared to the Moone so it may encrease and diminish and yet bee a true Church Ans The Church is compared to the Moone not for that it waneth increaseth euery month as the Moon in our Horison doth but for because what it loseth in one Countrey it gaineth in another as what light the Moone wanteth on the one side it hath on the other and so as the Moone changeth his light sometimes on the one side and sometime on the other according to the aspect â—e hath to the Sunne and yet except it bee by an Eclypse for a little while alwayes hath his full light So the Church of God vnlesse it be for a little Eclypse of persecution is alwayes dilated ouer the world though more manifest in one Countrey then in another as wee see by experience that the losse which the Church hath in England and some corners of the earth is more then restored in Asia America So it was promised by the Prophet saying Thy Sunne shall go downe no more and thy Moone shall not be diminished Isay 60. 20. because our Lord shall be vnto thee for an euerlasting light As our Sauiour said I am with you all dayes euen Matth. 28. 20. to the consummation of the world And this was the promise of
Countries can find as it seemeth none to name but Suitzerland Basil Bohemia Ausburge Flanders Saxonie Sueuia Wittenberge France yet in France there are ten Catholikes for one Protestant in Suitzerland six Cantons or Prouinces of Catholikes in Bohemia many Catholikes Ausburge but one Citie Wittenberge a Citie and these are but a heap of diuers Sects whereof the chiefe are Caluinists Lutherans and English Parliamentary Protestants The Caluinists who are most in number deny the Supremacie of Kings and authority of Bishops which is Treason amongst the English Protestants the Lutherans hold Consubstantiation in their Communion and deny the Communion of both Caluinists and English Protestants and they both the Communion of Lutherans all of them esteeming their Communion a Sacrament and matter of Faith Many more Sectes there are amongst theÌ„ as Anabaptists Hussites Arians Brownists Family of Loue Thrasquites and others Octiect 13. In time of Elias there was no visible Church Elias saying I alone am left therefore the 3. King 15. Church may decay and become inuisible Ans When Elias spoke those words of lamentation there were two Kingdomes of the Iewes the one knowne and called by the name of Iuda and the other called and knowne by the name of the Kingdom of Israel ouer Iuda at this time reigned Asa a good King ASA did right before the sight of our Lord as 3. King 15. DAVID his Father did ouer Israel reigned ACHAB a wicked King And ACHAB did euill in the sight of 3. King 15. our Lord aboue all that were before him ELIAS speaketh of the Kingdome of Israel and not of Iuda saying The Children of Israel haue forsaken thy Commandement 3. King 15. c. And our Lord said to him I haue left me in Israel seuen thousand men whose knees haue not bowed before BAAL of whom at that time it seemeth Elias knew not of So in the time of Elias the Church was so farre off from being inuisible that besides the seuen thousand in Israel there was the whole visible Kingdome of Iuda vnder Asa and Iosephat his sonne who was likewise a good King IOSEPHAT walked 3. King â—2 in the way of ASA his Father and he did that which was right in the sight of our Lord. Obiect 14. I haue saith the Puritan a true feeling of the Spirit and am assured to be saued all others may erre I am assured I cannot for my spirit doth tell me that I am in the right way of saluation Answ The way of a foole saith the holy Ghost is Prou. 12. 15. right in his owne eyes I desire thee to consider what a misery it is to be obstinate in opinion since it maketh a man to vse all the meanes and shifts he can to get to hell and doth not giue leaue either to reason or to the sences to execute their functions God Almighty hath promised that the Christians shall be as the Stars of heauen Gen. 22. and as the sand that is by the sea shore and that they shall possesse the gates of their enemies the mountaines shal be moued and the hils shal tremble but his mercy shal not Isay 54. depart from them and the couenant of his peace with them shal not be moued According to Gods promise such a seed or succession of Christians wee see Writings Registers Chronicles Antiquities Churches Chappels the report and traditions of our Parents al spake it our Aduersaries themselues confesse it experience doth teach vs that it must be so All seeing it fulfilled from Abraham vntill the Natiuitie of our Sauiour for one thousand nine hundred yeares or thereabouts yet rather then the obstinate man will yeeld to so manifest a truth and saue his souâ— he will seeke out all the corners malice shifts tricks and doubts that can be to denie it and go to Hell and if none will serue to cloake his obstinacie yet rather then hee will change his nature he will go on he will not beleeue any thing but his owne fantasies and imaginations All others may be deceiued he is sure he cannot O be not obstinate but haue pity on thy poore soule Was thou neuer deceiued in any thing in all thy life whereof thou esteemedst thy selfe sure certainly thou hast And if thou wilt not bee an Ethnicke and Publican to thy owne Congregation of Protestants thou must defend that nothing is more certaine then that the Church of Protestants millitant and visible may erre as is affirmed in the English Creed Art 19. prop. 6. Art 21. So if thou beest not already gotten into heauen into a triumphant Church and art become an inuisible man in thy owne militant Church there is nothing more certain then that thou mayest erre Well then thou mayest be deceiued in this that thou thinkest thy selfe so sure of Thou wilt grant mee this principle that God Almightie can neither deceiue nor be deceiued since he is veritie it selfe and the first cause so if hee affirme one thing and thou and Luther and Caluin deny the selfe-same thing yet that must be true which God Almighty affirmeth and that false you affirme Thou willest not deny this But God Almighty affirmeth that the Christians the Seede of Abraham the people of Gen. 22. God should be multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand which is by the sea shore and should possesse the gates of their enemies and bee dilated to the East and to the West and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South for euer Well then it must be true though thou Luke 1. 55. Luther and Caluin deny it But thou wilt say these promises are not made to Christians Againe whom shall we beleeue in this God Almighty or thou or Luther or Caluin God Almighty affirmeth that these oathes and promises of God are to bee fulfilled vpon the Christians saying All things must needs be fulfilled Luke 24. 44. which are written in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets and Psalmes of mee And the like affirme the Apostles as we haue set downe at large in the eleuenth and twelfth Chapter So if thou wilt not according to thy owne confession bee wilfully deceiued thou must beleeue that there must be Christians the people of God the Seed of Abraham embracing one and the same Faith multiplied as the Stars of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore dilated to the East and to the West to the North and to the South possessing the gates of their enemies As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. Seed for euer And if thou doest not beleeue this thou must confesse that that thou art so farre off from being of the Seed of the Faithfull Abraham that thou doest not beleeue the promise which God Almightie made vnto him and so mayest manifestly see thy owne infidelitie And this second principle supposed to be a diuine truth as now thou confessest Art not thou againe wilfully blinde that
Papistrie since that the Brittans receiued it as is before said from the Apostles or Disciples and they from our Lord and perseuered in it with Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine and the rest of the Christian world without any alteration or change sauing some mysteries vsed in Baptisme and the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday In all things else they were so agreeable to the Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine held and taught that these two things reformed he desired their helpe and assistance in the conuersion of the Pagan English Nation by preaching vnto them the Word of God which hee neither could nor would haue done had they not both these two things excepted agreed in one in al points of Faith and Religion neither did S. Austen labour to teach or reforme the Brittaines in any thing else and seeing in these two things which to Protestants seeme of little moment Saint Augustine made so great difficultie that hee would not receiue them into the Communion of the Catholike Roman Church vntill they condescended to reforme them far greater difficultie would he haue made in receiuing them if they had held any point of Protestantisme and had denied the Masse prayer for the dead worship of Images and esteemed him an Antichristian man or Idolater c. Neither would he though they should haue offered themselues haue admitted them to preach and contradict and defame him amongst the English Pagans or Gentiles vnto whom hee was sent as an Apostle much lesse would he haue required their ayde and assistance in preaching vnto them if they had accused him as Protestants do now of Idolatry Antichristian doctrine and to haue been sonne of the Whore of Babylon c. That the Catholike Roman Faith which Saint Augustine planted amongst the English Saxons is at this day and in all ages and times since the said planting hath been confessed by some knowne English inhabitants in this Iland all our Writers Chronicles Histories and Monuments Lawes in ancient time made in fauour of it Statutes of late yeeres made to suppresse it the death of many for it and the prisons full of such as at this instant doe professe it giue ample testimony and if any require further proofe I referre him to a booke intituled The prudentiall Ballance of Religion which treateth hereof at large Whereupon I conclude that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith and that the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday and some mysteries vsed in Baptisme excepted it hath in al ages and times since the plantation thereof by the Apostles or Disciples continued in this Iland and that no man can or may preach or teach any doctrine for Christian doctrine but the Catholike Roman Faith vnder paine of Anathema c. according to the words of Saint Paul saying Although we or an Angell from Galath 1. 8. heauen Euangelize to you besides that we haue Euangelized to you be he Anathema as wee haue said before so now we say againe If any Euangelize to you besides that which you haue receiued be he Anathema that is seperated from God according to the words of our Sauiour saying Depart from mee yee accursed into euerlasting Matth. 24 41. fire which was prepared for the Diuell and his angels So I appeale to your Maiestie well pleased to consider the wrong and iniustice your Protestant Ministers doe vnto vs Catholikes your ancient subiects in persecuting vs for professing that Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and euen from the Apostles times vntill this day hath continued in this Iland and humbly beseech your Highnesse that you would not thinke vs disloyal or vnfaithfull to your Person or State for that we will not become Anathemaes from God For the difference which was betweene the ancient Brittans and Saint AVGVSTINE about the time of the keeping of Easter it is manifest by Saint Beda lib. 3. cap. 4. that the Brittans fell into this error for want of skill in Astronomie For they knew saith Saint BEDA as Christen men doe that the resurrection of our Lord ought alwayes to be celebrated on Sunday But as Wilfred in S. Beda l. 3. ca. 25. ignorant men in Astrologie they had not learned when that Sunday should come That the Brittans fell into this error after Constantine his time is manifest by Eusebius who lib. 3. de vita Constantini cap. 8. affirmeth that the same keeping of Easter was obserued in the Citie of Rome in Italy Africke Aegypt Spaine France Britanie Lybia and all Greece in the Diocesse of Asia and Pontus and finally in Cicilia with one vniforme consent CHAP. III. Wherein is briefely proued by the generall consent of all knowne Christian people who liued in all ages and times betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith which Protestants call Papistrie knowne Heretikes on both parties only excepted FIRST Protestants themselues confesse That the true Church so they call their Church decayed presently after the Apostles times So Fulke in his answere to a Counterfeit Catholike page 35. Sebastianus Franciscus in his Epistle de abrogandis statutis ecclesiasticis affirmeth That for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church of Protestants hath been no where externall and visible Peter Martyr de Votis page 477. saith That errours so they call our Catholike Faith did begin immediatly after the Apostles times And page 476. he saith That presently after their age men began to decline from the word of God so they esteeme their Protestantisme The Protestant Author of the booke intituled Antichristus siue Pronostica finis mundi page 13. affirmeth That from the Apostles times till Luther the Gospell of Protestants had neuer open passage Melancthon in 1. Cor. cap. 3. affirmeth Thet presently from the beginning of the Church the ancient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning the iustification of Faith encreased Ceremonies and deuised peculiar Worships Whereupon Peter Martyr de Votis page 476. saith As long as wee shall insist vpon Councels and Fathers we shall be alwayes in the same errors And Whitaker in his Controu 2. quest 5. page 299. de Ecclesia saith BELLARMINE doth bring foorth certaine testimonies out of Caluin and the Centurie Writers who haue noted certaine errors of the ancient Fathers which they hold common with Papists that is to say of Free-will of Merit of the Limbe of Inuocation of Saints of the Vnmaried life of Bishops of Iustification c. I answere that it is true which Caluin and the Centuries haue written that in many things the ancient Church hath erred as of the Limbe of Free-will of the Merit of Workes and in other things which are aboue rehearsed WHITGIFT in his Defence to the Answere to the Admonition page 473. saith How greatly were almost all the Bishops and learned Writers of the Greeke Church and Latine also for the most
Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophet Ieromie that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Ieremie speaking of the estate of the Church after our Sauiours comming saith Behold the dayes Ierem. 31. 37. shall come saith our Lord and I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel c. And this shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will giue my Law in their bowels and in their heart I will write it I wil be their God and they shal be my people And a man shal no more teach his neighbour and a man his brother saying Know our Lord for all shal know me from the least of them euen to the greatest saith our Lord for I wil be merciful to their iniquitie and their sinne I wil remember no more Thus saith our Lord that giueth the Sunne for the light of the day the order of the Moone and of the Starres for the light of the night that troubleth the sea and the waues thereof doe sound the Lord of hostes is his name If these Lawes shal faile before me saith our Lord that there be no more Sunne for the light of the day and Moone and Stars for the light of the night and ebbing and flowing of the Sea then also the seed Israel shal faile that it be not a Nation before me for euer Wherupon our Sauiour saith This Gospel of the kingdome shal be preached in the whole Matth. 24. world for a testimony to al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world and the Sun shal be darkened and the Moone shal not giue her light and the stars shal fall from heauen Vntill then if wee will beleeue the Word of God the seed of our Sauiour the Church of God shall in all ages and times so flourish vpon earth as that the Christians shall not neede secretly one to teach another But all shall know our Lord from the least of them to the greatest and be a visible Nation for euer So I appeale to your Maiesty well pleased to consider how ignorant hee should bee in the Scriptures that should make himselfe of the Congregation of Protestants in hope to enter into this Testament with God when they haue been so inuisible for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that they are not able to assigne one man who for all that time professed the Faith they now hold much lesse one Nation So if Protestants would prooue by the Scriptures that their Religion which hath been so many hundred yeares vnknowne were the Faith planted by our Sauiour they should first proue that for one thousand and foure hundred yeares there hath been no Sunne for the light of the day or Moone for the light of the night to make good the Word of God otherwise they proue nothing but that they are ignorant in the Scriptures and in effect and deede blaspheme God and his holy Word by affirming him in effect and deed to be a violater of his promises written in the Scriptures That this promise of God heere spoken of is to be performed in and vpon Christians Saint Paul witnesseth in the eight to the Hebrewes where he repeateth the foresaid words of Ieromie as to be fulfilled in and vpon Christians That our Catholike Romane Faith hath successiuely continued according to this Prophecie wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. VIII Wherein is proued by the testimony of Ezechiel That our Sauiour was the Author of the Romane Catholike Faith THE Prophet Ezechiel speaking of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour saith I will saue Ezech. 34. my flocke and it shal be no more into spoile c. And I will raise vp ouer them one Pastor who shall feed them my seruant Dauid he shal feed them and he shall be their Pastor And I the Lord wil be their God and my seruant Dauid the Prince in the middest of them I the Lord haue spoken and I will make a couenant of peace with them and will make the cruel beasts to cease out of the Land And they that dwell in the desart the Hermits and religious men who now and in the Primatiue Church liued in the desart as witnesseth Saint Austine Epist 121. shall sleep secure in the forrost And I will put them round about my hill his Church a blessing And I will bring downe the shower in his time there shall bee raynes of blessing abundance of spirituall graces and consolations of the holy Ghost according to the words of our Sauiour saying He that beleeueth in me out of his belly shal Iohn 7. 38. flow riuers of liuing water And the tree of the field our Sauiour the Vine or Oliue tree shal giue his fruit and Iohn 15. Rom. 11. the earth humane nature of which it is said thou art earth shal giue his spring and they shal be in their Land Gen. 3. without feare and they shal know that I am the Lord when I shal haue broken the chaines of their yoke and shal haue deliuered them out of the hand of those that rule ouer them And they shal be no more for a spoile to the Gentiles neither shal the beasts of the earth deuoure them but they shal dwel confidently without any terror and I wil raise vp to them a bud of name and they shal be no more diminished for famine in the Land neither shal they beare any more the reproach of the Gentiles This Prophecie to be spoken of our Sauiour vnder the name of Dauid first Protestants in their Bibles confesse it secondly it is manifest for that Dauid the Prophet was dead many yeares before the time of Ezechiel Yet this Prophecie cannot bee verified vpon Protestants that Protestants shall liue in their Land without feare deliuered out of the hand of those who rule ouer them and bee no more for a spoile to the Gentiles nor be any more diminished nor beare any more the reproch of the Gentiles since they haue bin so spoiled and oppressed for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that during all that time they are not able to assigne one knowne man who professed the Religion they now professe This Prophecie to be verified vpon Romane Catholikes wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. IX Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophets Daniel Ioel Micheas Abacuc and Zacharias That our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith AND in like manner all the rest of the Prophets as often as they haue occasiō to speake of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour say that it shal be vniuersally dilated ouer the world for euer as Daniel saying In the dayes of Dan. 2. 44. those Kingdomes the God of heauen wil raise vp a Kingdome that shal not be destroyed for euer and this Kingdom
multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore that presently after the Apostles times it became no where externall or visible as we haue shewed in the precedent Chapter And it is of it selfe so manifest that Protestants are not able from the time of the Apostles vntill the rising of Luther which is during the space of fourteene hundred years or thereabouts to assigne one knowne man of the Religion they now professe If this oath be made to Protestantisme where is the seede of Protestants multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea-shore Seeing that for many hundred yeares neuer a Protestant Starre appeared And if this oath was made to Protestants That they should possesse the gates of their enemies and that in their seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed As he spake to Abraham and his seede Luke 1. for euer How commeth it to passe that presently after the Apostles times Protestants were so ouercome by Roman Catholikes that from that time vntill Luther they haue been no where visibly knowne but so latent and inuisible as for all that space they cannot produce one Protestant Minister or Doctour who taught or maintained the doctrine they now teach If it be true that the God of the Protestants hath made these promises and this oath to them it must needs be that he is a very wretched vnfaithfull God that hath for fourteene hundred or fifteene hundred yeares together violated his oath and promises And I appeale to your Maiestie well pleased to consider how great injustice it is to haue your ancient Subjects spoyled of their Lands Goods Libertie and Life and be condemned as Fellons and Traytors for that they wil not beleeue in such a prejured God And how happie a thing it is to be a Roman Catholike seeing this oath of God is so manifestly fulfilled in them that as it is set downe in the last Chapter euen our Aduersaries themselues confesse for twelue hundred ceares together they haue bin dilated ouer the world and possessed the gates of their enemies and blessed all the Christian Families of the earth with temporall and spirituall birth by regeneration in Baptisme and education c. These are the seed of Abraham his seruant Psal 104. the children of Iacob his elect he is the Lord our God in all the earth are his iudgements he hath bin mindfull for euer of his Testament of the Word which he commanded vnto thousand generations Our Lord is not as Deut 32. 31. their Gods our enemies also are Iudges It may please your Maiesty to obserue the notes and markes of our Catholike Romane Church and Faith heere set downe in this oath of God to Abraham viz. Vnity Vniuersality and Succession The Vnitie is promised in these words Thy seed not diuers seeds that there might bee as many sects as men as some Elizabethians some Lutherans some Caluinists some Hussites some Anabaptistes some Armenians some Gomaristes some Trasquits all differing in Faith and Religion but one seede Faith or Word of God planted in the hearts of men by the preaching of our Lord as witnesseth our Sauiour expounding the Parable of the Cockle of the field said to his Disciples He that soweth good seed is the Sonne of man Againe Matth. 13. 37. The good seed those are the children of the Kingdome Matth. 13. 38. Againe O Father the words which thou gauest me I Io. 17. 8. haue giuen them and they haue receiued and knoweth in very deed that I came forth from thee and haue beleeued that thou diddest send me to fulfill the promises made to Abraham the Patriarkes and Prophets The second marke is Catholike or Vniuersall heere promised in these words And I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen which doe manifestly appeare and shine in all Countries And God brought Abraham Gen. 15. 5. forth abroad and said to him Looke vp to heauen and number the Starres if thou canst And he said to him so shall thy seed be as the Starres of heauen shining in all Countries not onely in Brittanie France or in Germany but in all Nations according to the oath of God saying In thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth Whereupon our Sauiour said He that soweth good seed is the Sonne of Man c. and Matth. 13. 37. the field is the world Againe You are the light of the Matth. 5. 15. world Againe Teach yee all Nations c. The third marke is Succession which is promised in these words Thy seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies Gen. 12. As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. seed for euer not that the Succession should decay or become inuisible that there should neede new missions but that it should continue vntill the worlds end according to the words of our Sauiour saying I haue Ioh. 15. 16. appointed you that you go and bring fruit and your fruit abide Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdome shall be Matth. 24. 14. preached in al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world Againe The gates of hell shall not Matth. 24. 3. preuaile against it c. And the like three markes or notes of the Church which was to be planted by our Sauiour your Maiesty may obserue to be set downe almost in euery Prophecie though I omit to speake more of them for breuities sake Secondly God Almightie promised to Isaac saying I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham Gen. 26. thy father and I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen and in thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my precepts and Commandements Thirdly hee promised to Iacob saying Thy seed Gen. 28. shall be as the dust of the earth thou shalt be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy seed all the Families of the earth shal be blessed and I will be thy keeper wheresoeuer thou shalt go and I will bring thee againe into this Land neither wil I forsake thee vntill I haue performed whatsoeuer I haue spoken Which Prophecies we see haue been manifestly fulfilled in our Catholike Roman Faith which hath been vniuersally and successiuely dilated ouer all Nations according to these Prophecies as we haue proued in the former Chapters and can no way be verified vpon Protestantisme since it decayed presently after the Apostles times and for a thousand and foure hundred yeares together was neuer knowne to haue been taught or practised and now is but scattered in diuers corners of the earth diuided into many sects teaching opposite doctrine in matters of Faith and heere we seeke for one Faith or seed dilated ouer the world God Almightie heere saith I will performe the oath which
according to the testimonie of the new Testament our Lord was Author of our Catholike Faith and Religion And first the Angell Gabriel foretelling the estate of the Church to come saith to our blessed Lady Thou Luke 1. 31. shalt conceiue in thy wombe and shalt beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shal be great and he shal be called the Son of the most High and our Lord God shal giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shal be no end And in like manner an Angell of our Lord said vnto the Shepheards Behold I euangelize Luke 2. 10. to you great ioy that shal be to al people not to one people of Brittans or Germans but to al people because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie a multitude of Angels praysing God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in earth Peace to men of good wil. As it was foretold by the Prophet Isay saying A little childe is borne to vs c. His Empire shal be multiplied and there shal be no end of peace he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome that he may confirme it in iudgement and iustice from this time and for euer That the Kingdome heere spoken of is the Church professing the Faith or Gospell planted by our Sauiour our Lord himselfe doth witnesse saying In the Matth. 13. 14. end of the world the Sonne of Man shall send his Angels and they shal gather out of his Kingdome all scandals and them that worke iniquity Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdom shal be preached in the whole world Againe Matth. 24. 14. And Iesus went about teaching and preaching the Gospel Matth. 4. 23. of the Kingdome So if the Angels of God and multitude of his heauenly Armie may finde grace and credite with your Maiestie to be beleeued by their testimonies it is manifest that our Sauiour came to plant the Catholike Romane Church and Faith which as we haue proued in our first Chapter was taught by our Sauiour and planted by the Apostles amongst the Romans hath continued and shall continue amongst them vntill the day of Iudgement and as is confessed by Protestants hath reigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction 1200. yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter CHAP. XI Wherein is proued by the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith OVR Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ foreseeing that many Heretikes would arise and say that his Seede Faith Word Church or Gospell had failed and decayed and that they were immediatly sent from God to plant a new Faith or reforme or restore the Gospell c. To preuent their hereticall falsehood hee warneth all his faithfull that they should not beleeue them saying Doe not thinke that I came to breake the Law the olde Matth. 5. 18. Testament or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfill for assuredly I say to you Till heauen and earth passe one iot or one tittle shall not passe of the Law the olde Testament till all be fulfilled and the Church of Matth. 5. 2. God begunne in Ierusalem and Iuda be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South as God spake to Abraham and his seed for euer Luke 1. 55. So supposed that our Sauiours words are true and that hee was the Messias and came to fulfill and performe the things promised by the Prophets and not to breake or violate their promises the Sunne was neuer more manifest in the moneth of August then it is manifest that he fulfilled the Prophecies by planting the Catholike Romane Faith and not by planting Protestantisme since Romane Catholikes haue been visibly multiplied ouer the world for many hundred yeares some Protestants say for nine hundred years some say for a thousand other Protestants say for twelue hundred and others say for more as is set downe in the third Chapter whereas the Prophecies haue beene so farre off from being fulfilled in Protestantisme that presently after the death of the Apostles it vanished away and hath been no where visibly knowne for one thousand foure hundred yeares So we may speak to Protestants who imagine that their Religion is true or was the Faith planted by our Sauiour and say to them in the words of our Sauiour Doe not thinke that our Sauiour came to break the Law or the Prophets Matth. 6. 18. he came not to breake but to fulfill Secondly our Sauiour foretelling the estate of his Church to come saith All things must needs be fulfilled which are writted in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets Luke 24. 44. Gen. 22. and the Psalmes of me And the Law of Moyses saith I wil multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen c. The Prophets say Behold thy King will come to thee the Iust one and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Zach. 9. 9. Asse c. He shal speake Peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth Againe And I wil send of them that shal be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Asricke Isay 66. and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glory And they shal shew forth my glory to the Gentiles and they shal bring of your brethren of al Nations a gift to our Lord vpon horses and in chariots and in horselittors and on Mules and in coatches to my holy mountaine Ierusalem Because as new heauens and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shal your seed stand and your name The Psalmes say Al the ends of the earth shal remember and be conuerted to our Psal 41. 28. Lord and all the families of the Gentiles shal adore in his sight Againe Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten Psal 2. 7. thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Againe I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne Psal 88. as the dayes of heauen I haue sworne in my holy if I lye to Dauid his seed shal continue for euer All which and many more the like promises and Prophecies of the encrease continuance and dilatation of the Christians the seed of our Sauiour the seed of Dauid the seed of Abraham ouer the world must as our Sauiour Luke 24. 44. saith needs be fulfilled and yet we see by experience that they are fulfilled in no other people kindred or Nation but Romane Catholikes whom Protestants confesse to