this special Faith alone to be the cause of Justification that is that man is justified before God in that he believes stedfastly that Christ has fully satisfied for their sins for by this Faith Christ's satisfaction is applied to them and made as it were their own so that by it they are reputed just before God although their Will is not inwardly changed Therefore whilst this Faith remaineth no sin can hurt them because they remain in the righteousness of Christ which they retain firmly by Faith Upon this Doctrine there is no reason to fear the commission of any sin for no punishment no vengeance of God is to be feared since God imputes no guilt to them by reason of Christ's satisfaction communicated to them by Faith Can any Atheist desire a greater liberty to sin and lead as wicked a life as he pleases Certain Presbyterian Ministers in England confess this sufficiently who from this Opinion of Calvin tounhing Justification by Faith only among others deduce and defend these Conclusions 1. That all those err Refert ex Fono Guil. Reinold l. 10. p. 120. which think to be saved for doing many good works 2. That there is no need of labouring to do good Works for the obtaining Eternal Life because we have it already 3. This is one of the chiefest errors reigning in the Christian World to imagine that good Works can any whit avail to Salvotion 4. That our sins nothing diminish the Glory of God all the damage of sin is placed in the scandal of our Neighbour 5. Christh as redeemed us with his Blood and delivered us from all Sins and Laws so that there is no Law which obliges us in Conscience Here we are clearly freed from the Decalogue or Ten Commandments and from all the Sacraments 6. That you are nothing to God but by Faith as to confess Jesus Christ and believe that he is risen from the dead for so you shall be safe in all other things God has left you at liberty to do what you will for you may do all things without any scruple of Conscience Neither can you Perish or be Damned for any thing you outwardly do or leave undone All these things they infer and that rightly from Luther and Calvin's Foundation namely that Man is Justified by Faith only in whose Writings all these things are to be seen almost verbatim Who can wish or desire a greater liberty to be vicious Add hereunto what is above-said in the second Consideration where we have mentioned three other ways whereby this liberty is granted I omit also that Window which Calvin has opened when he teaches F. 3. C. 25. S. 12. That the pain of the Damned is nothing else but to apprehend God to be angry with them and terrifying them although thit punishment is represented to us by corporal things as darkness weeping gnashing of Teeth unquenchable fire c. by which words he sufficiently and clearly shews that Hell is nothing else but a vain fear for if God inflicts no punishment upon the Damned but only terifies them surely that fear is vain and ridiculous and Hell Torments nothing to be regarded The Tenth Reason from raking up and reviving old Heresies EVery Religion is to be avoided which conteins Heresies condemned of old by the Catholick Church which have been always taken for Heresies But these New Religions contain such Heresies yea they seem to be nought else but the very Scum of divers Heresies broach'd by several Arch-Hereticks in former Ages and of old condemned by the Catholick Church therefore we ought to fly them The Minor is to be proved Let us consider then the chiefest Tenets of these Religions First Both Luther and Calvin teach that there is no Free-will And Luther in his Thirty sixth Article affirms this to be the chief Foundation of his Religion But this was the old Heresie of Simon Magus and Valentine as St. Augustine witnesseth August Heres 46. Hier. in Prolog contr Pelag. Clemens l. 3. recognit Concil Const Sess 8. Secondly Both teach That God is the impulsive Cause of all Sin and that all Wickedness is done by the Divine Decree This was the old Heresie of Simon Magus and Florinus Vincen. Liri Euseb l. 5. c. 21. Thirdly They both teach That Good Works are not necessary to Salvation but Faith alone is sufficient This likewise was the old Heresie of Simon Magus and of the Eunomians about the year of our Lord 360. Iraen l. 1. c. 20. August Heres 4. Fourthly They hoth teach That no Sins be they never so many and great can hurt them that have Faith because the Malice of them is not imputed to Believers Which was formerly the Heresie of the Eunomians and of Basilides Carpocratis Witness Irenaeus l. 1. c. 23. 24. August Heres 54. Fifthly Calvin denies the Real Presence of Christ's Body in the Eucharist This was formerly the Heresie of Berengarius about the year of our Lord 1051. where you must note First that although some privately doubted of the matter before Berengarius and raised Questions yet none was so bold as publickly to profess the same Witness Hugo Lingonensis Aldelmanus Brixiensis in Epist suis ad Bereng Paschasius l. de verb. instit hujus Sacram. So that this was the constant Doctrine of the Church untouched by all Hereticks till the time of Berengarius And the Opinion of Berengarius was in his Life-time condemned by Five Councils and himself three times renounced his Opinion and at length died in the Catholick Faith very penitently who being dead this Heresie was extinguished almost 200 years till the Lollards revived it as Trithemius observes in his Chron. to the year 1315. The same Heresie after Wickliff held as 't is manifest in his Third Article When Wickliff died then this Heresie died also for about one hundred years till Zwinglius revived it whom Calvin and some others followed Whereby it manifestly appears that the said Opinion was always reputed in the Church for a notorious Heresie Therefore either the Church always erred in the chief Article of her Faith and so was never the Church of Christ or this Opinion which denies the Real Presence of Christ's Body in the Eucharist is truly a Heresie Sixthly Both of them take away all Traditions and will have all things contained in the Scriptures only This was the Heresie of the Arrians as appears by St. August l. 1. cont Maxim c. 2. ult Also of Nestorius Dioscurus and Eutyches as you may see in the Seventh Synod Act. 1. Seventhly They both deny the Sacrament of Pennance and Confirmation The same Heresie the Novatians taught of old Witness St. Cyp. and Theodor. l. 4. Epist 2. l. 3. Heret Fabul Eighthly They both teach That the Church consists of the Good only That at first it was visible but for many Ages perished yet all that while to exist in them only This was plainly the Heresie of the Donatists as St. Augustine Witnesseth l.
de unitati Ecclesiae Ninthly They both deny Prayer for the Dead Fasts in Lent or at any other time c. This heretofore taught the Arrians Witness Epiphanius Heres 75. and St. Aul de Heres c. 33. Tenthly Both of them deny Veneration to Sacred Images of Christ and his Saints and to Holy Relicks and call it Idolatry The same of old did Vigilantius as St. Hierome witnesseth and so did the Iconomachists witness Zonoras Cedrinus Nicephorus Iconomachis Hereby is clearer than the Sun at Noon day that the Chief Tenets of Luther and Calvin's Religion are old Heresies long ago condemned by the Church and were always taken for Heresies in the Church The same might be easily proved of other Sects Hence it follows that these New Religions are nothing but the Filth and Scum of old Heresies formerly condemned Vid. Bel. de nov Eccl. c. 9. Coccium de sign Eccl. l. 8. c. 30. The Eleventh Reason from the want of a Rule of Faith THese New Religions have no certain Rule of Faith which you may follow Therefore they are not to be allowed For Points of Religion ought to be defined certain and immutable That they have no certain Rule of Faith whereby can be determined what is necessary to be believed and what not is manifest First Because they will not allow the Traditions of the Church nor the Authority of General Councils nor of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church who were before our Debates Luther rejects all Traditions in the First Chapter to the Galat. And Calvin l. 4. Instit And both of them teach That nothing is to be believed nor received which is not contained in Holy Seripture L. 4. c. 8. s 6 7 8. in Antidoto ad 4. Sess Coneil Triden General Councils which have had hitherto in the Church the highest Authority for they are as the Assemblies of Princes and Noblemen in Christ's Kingdom Luther so contemns that whatsoever they have defined he would have it all to be subject to the judgment of every private Person Nay he says 'T is a great madness that Councils should conclude what we are to believe In Art 115. c. Moreover what we ought to believe and what not is to be left to the judgment of every Spiritual Man The same Calvin insinuates saying ' The ' Church ought not to judge what Books are Canonical and what not but this belongs to the private Spirit L. 1. c. 7. s 1.24 Lastly as touching the Fathers Luther ' cares not for a thousand Augustines ' nor a thousand Cyprians Lâ— cont Reg. Augl Calvin also in many places contemns them and averrs that they erred Therefore none of these is a Rule of Faith to them Whether the Scripture is a sufficient Rule of Faith but they say The Scripture it self is their Rule of Faith for this cannot err But 't is easie to shew that this Rule is not sufficient First Because by this Rule we cannot judge of Scripture it self that it is Scripture So that this Rule is uncertain to us which ought to be the most certain of all things For it cannot appear out of Scripture that this or that Book is truly the Scripture that it is not supposititious or counterfeited by some Impostor that this or that Sentence is not perverted c. Lastly that there is nothing added or diminished pertaining to the substance of Doctrine All this cannot appear out of Scripture but is only proved by some humane and weak Conjectures if you exclude the Tradition of the Church and so the whole Foundation of our Faith will depend upon a few uncertain Conjectures Then again the force of Scripture consists not in the sound of Words but in the Sence which is the Life and Soul of Scripture But there may be a thousand Controversies of the Sence which cannot be decided out of Scripture if you exclude Tradition and Exposition of the Fathers as 't is manifest by experience For touching the sence of these Words This is my Body and of many others there is a great dispute between the Lutherans and Calvinists If you say with Calvin that the Judge of Scriptures Whether the judgment of Scripture belongs to the private Spirit and the Sence thereof belongs to the inward Spirit this is nothing else but to constitute the dictamen of the Interior Spirit that is the private judgment of every one to be the chief Rule of Faith For every one may say that he has the Spirit and by his inspiration judges this part to be Holy Scripture and not that this to be the right sence of Scripture and not that So a Lutheran according to his Spirit judges the Epistle of St. James to be straw and the Revelations of St. John to be of doubtful Authority But a Calvinist by his Spirit judges both to be the Word of God So Luther judges by his Spirit to abolish the false Opinion That there are Four Gospels In the Prologue of the New Testament for the Gospel of St. John is the only true beautiful and principal Gospel and to be preferred far before the other three Likewise the Epistles of Baul far excel Peter's The thee Gospels of St Matthew Mark and Luke he would willingly have renounced because they are clearly for Merits necessity of Good Works and Observation of the Commandments and commend Chastity and Poverty But since he durst not totally reject them he is willing to disparage their Authority and to insinuate that they were not written by the Spirit of God In like manner Calvin by his Spirit judges this to be right sence of these Words This is my Body That is This Bread is the Figure of my Body But Luther according to his Spirit judges otherwise and says these Words of Christ This is my Body are thus to be understood This Bread is truly my Body I omit many other sayings whereby it is manifest that according to them the private Spirit of every one makes a Rule of Faith or which is the same thing the Scripture is expounded according to every Ones private judgment Secondly That is not to be held a proper Rule of Faith which is equally accommodated or fitted to all contrary Opinions For all the Sects of this time although they are at Daggers-point about many principal Tenets adopt the Scriptures to be their Rule and fit it for their purpose For the Lutherans say they rely upon Scripture so do the Calvinists and likewise the Anabaptists nor is it any wonder because every one receives the Scripture not according to the common understanding of the Church or exposition of the Fathers as Catholicks do but according to the sentiment of every one's private Spirit So you may easily adapt the Scripture for all Heresies Whence it is plain that a Rule thus framed can be of no moment being referred to every one's private judgment Thirdly If there should be a Judge that should so give sentence in any
have some Rule of Faith and Foundation of their Belief agreeable to Natural Reason namely the consent of their Ancestors or the Scripture interpreted according to the Sence and Religion of their Ancestors But most of the Hereticks of our Times regard not much their Ancestors and Apostles from whom they first received this New Gospel but looking upon them as Men subject to Errour though they also pretended to the Spirit as well as these forsake them and rely totally upon their own judgment or testimony of their own private Spirit or which is all one the Holy Scripture according to the sence of their own judgment or private Spirit which is an evident sign that Satan so effectually operates in them and infatuates their Minds that not only every one frames to himself New Heresies and Opinions but makes his own judgment the foundation of his Faith and Rule of Belief for every one thinks he is taught of God even Women and Children and therefore secure from all Errour What greater facination and Delusion can there be than this Hence it is that they have no certain and established Principles they decree no Body of Doctrine and Religion but ramble in uncertainties as the private Spirit shall drive them Nor can there be any dispute with them about any of their Principles because they stick to none and by reason of their ignorance they know not the Doctrine of their Ancestors But of this Spirit of Giddiness we have said more in our Consultation Consid 9. and Reason 11. Hereby it is manifestly concluded that the whole Foundation of Faith which the Sectaries of our time rely on is deceitful and therefore their Belief which depends on it is unprofitable to Salvation Eighth Reason If every one may be saved in his own Faith that confesses Christ why is there so great a dissension amongst Religions Why do they all condemn one another of Heresie and Thunder Anathema's against each other Why do the Lutherans refuse to acknowledge the Calvinists for their Brethren and publickly in their Sermons and Books avouch them to be impious and blasphemous Why in the like manuer do the Chief of the Calvinists among whom Theodorus Beza is the Father of all after Calvin so treat the Lutherans Why do the Anabaptists call themselves the only faithful Christians and esteem all others as Infidels whereby is apparent that this new fancy of being saved in any Religion is not only against the Catholick Doctrine but also against all the Sects that have any zeal for Religion or Piety and is only too proper for Atheists Ninth Reason That one may be saved it sufficeth not to keep two or three of the Commandments but of necessity he must observe all according to that of our Lord If thou would'st enter into Life keep the Commandments Mat. 8.9 For Example If any one should be an Adulterer or Thief although he should keep the other Commandments yet he cannot be saved without Repentance as the Scriptures every where teach So likewise it sufficeth not to Salvation to believe three or four Articles of Faith but of necessity we must believe all Articles which God hath revealed and propounded to our Faith by his Church For the true Faith is no less necessary to Salvation than Obedience to Gods Commandments nor ought Faith to be less perfect and intire than Obedience and Observation of the whole Decalogue As therefore our Obedience ought to extend it self to all the Commandments so Faith ought to extend it self to all things revealed according to St. James Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one is guilty of all for he that said thou shalt not commit Adultery said also thou shalt not kill Now if thou do not commit Adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a Transgressor of the Law Jam. 2.10 As if he should say he is made guilty of all and shall be punished as a Transgressor or Violator of the whole Law for despising the Law-maker who is the Author of the whole Law Therefore in like manner he that shall deny one Article of Faith although he believes all the rest is become guilty of the breach of his whole Faith and Religion because he contemns God the Supream Truth who revealed no less this than the others He contemns also the Catholic Church 1 Tim. 3.5 which is the Spouse of Christ and the Pillar and Ground of Truth and which proposes to our Belief as well this Article as the rest Note And this is the reason why he is no less an Heretic that obstinately denyeth one Article of Faith than he that denyes an hundred because in regard of this one which he denyes he despiseth God the first Verity which revealed it and he despiseth the Authority of the Church which propounds it he makes the Church also subject to Errors and a Lye whereby he makes all the rest uncertain and destroys all Divine Faith Note For if you take away the Foundation of Divine Faith all Faith must necessarily fall to ruin and decay and only Opinion or human Belief liable to Error remain Tenthly and Lastly This Opinion is very dangerous in the practice for it makes a man not care what Religion he is of what he believes or disbelieves Therefore he seeks not after the Truth and as easily and securely receives Falsehood as Truth And yet not only Catholics but even the more noted Sects such as are more eminent for Learning and Wisdom hold for a certain and undoubted Truth that without the true Faith and Religion none can be saved but will perish everlastingly Therefore the followers of this Opinion are condemned by all wise Men and they promise to themselves Salvation upon no Authority no Testimony of Scripture nor the support of Reason relying meerly upon the vain and foolish Imagination of their own Brains Let them hear therefore out of St. Fulgentius what Antiquity has ever held and what the Church hath taught in all Ages For so he writes as a general Rule of Faith Hold this for a most certain and infallible Truth Lib. de fide ad Pet. 6. Diac. c. 38. That not only all Heathens but likewise all Jews Heretics and Schismatics which end this present Life out of the Catholic Church shall go into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Again Most firmly believe and doubt not in the least chap. 39. That every Heretic or Schismatic baptised in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost if he be not reconciled to the Catholic Church whatever Alms he gives and let him live never so vertuously and devoutly though be should lay down his Life and shed his Blood for Christs sake yet he cannot be saved For every one that sticks not to the Vnity of the Catholic Church neither Baptism nor Plentiful Alms nor Martyrdom for Christ will profit to Salvation so long as any Heretical or Schismatical perverseness remains in him which leads to Death This was always the belief of the Holy Catholic Church and the undoubted Doctrin of all the Fathers which if all who are out of the Catholic Church would seriously and sadly consider and lay to heart they would clearly see what a dangerous State they live in and being sensible of their danger with Holy Resolutions hasten to the Ark of Salvation to preserve themselves from Eternal Ruin Which that they may do Do thou O Christ The True Light of the World Enlighten their Minds Amen FINIS
with greater Reason be said of the true Faith and Religion which is the Foundation of Charity and all other Christian Vertues Thirdly It follows that it is a gross and stupid Errour of some of the Vulgar who esteem it sufficient to Salvation if you only believe in Christ and that he dyed for your Sins altho' as to many other Points of Faith pertaining to the Sacraments and Sacrifice of the Church c. you believe nothing For after this rate almost all sort of Hereticks should be saved For all of them believe in Christ otherwise they were not Hereticks but Apostates and believe some few excepted that he dyed for our Sins Then also the Montanists and Novatians Donatists Sabellians Arrians Macedonians Eutychians Monotholites and the like Pests of the Church shall be saved Why then hath the Church in all Ages so vehemently oppos'd her self against Heresies Why does St. Paul the Apostle command us to avoid the Man that is an Heretick after the 1st or 2d Admonition T it 2. Why does he bid us beware of their Speech which eateth as a Canker 2 Tim. 2. In vain all these things are said and done if Hereticks may be saved I am sure this Fancy is against the Consent of all Ages Let us suppose says St. Augustine a Man to be chast Lib. 4. contr Donat. c. 8. continent not covetous nor idolatrous but bountiful and compassionate to the Poor an Enemy to none not contentious patient quiet envying none sober frugal but yet a Heretick such a one without all doubt meerly because he is an Heretick shall never enjoy the Kingdom of God For as St. James witnesseth he that hath offended in one Commandment is made guilty of all James 2. and Ioseth all Justice though he keeps the rest because he contemns the Law-maker himself who made the whole Law So he that obstinately denies one Point of Faith although he believe the rest is guilty of dis-believing all and loses his whole Faith and Religion because he despiseth the Author of it For it is one and the same first and supreme Verity which hath revealed all Points of Faith and proposed them to our Belief by the Church his Spouse the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. He therefore that shall obstinately reject one Article of Faith and will not acquiesce in the Testimony of the Church is thereby judged to dis-esteem the Authority of God the supreme Verity of whom the Church is the Publisher Interpreter and Organ Neither matters it that there are some principal Points of Faith which he thinks he believes because he does not believe them with Divine Faith which relies only upon Divine Authority that is infallible otherwise he would believe the rest proposed to him in the same manner but he believes them with a kind of Humane Faith that is to say because by his private Judgment he is induced to believe them taking upon himself the Authority of judging and discerning what things are to be believed and what denied and rejected Therefore the chief reason or motive of his Belief is private Judgment and for that Cause all his Faith is humane and unprofitable It is therefore most certain that as true Justice extends it felf to the performance of all the Commandments so the true Faith which is requisite to Salvation extends it self to a belief of all those things which God hath revealed so that we must believe them all either expresly or be ready to believe them if they be propounded to us the right way Hereby is manifest what great Care is to be taken that we chuse and profess the true Faith and Religion since it is the Foundation of our Salvation and that without it we shall certainly be damn'd Whereupon I have undertaken to propound some Considerations obvious and manifest to all rational People whereby they may take a right course in their Choice of the true Religion The first Consideration drawn from the tending to Perfection which Christian Religion excites us to THat Religion is to be preferred which conduces most to Purity and Holiness of Life which draws our Minds from all affection to earthly Things and raises them to the love of heavenly For this is the chief end of Religion to alienate the Minds of Men from Things temporal here below and to elevate them towards the thinking loving and pursuing of such as are celestial and eternal Only the Catholick Religion teaches perfection of Life Now such is only the Catholick Religion For this persuades to abstain from the Pleasures of the Flesh and Snares of this Life This alone teaches to contemn Riches and Honours and to renounce them when possessed for Christ's sake This exhorts to Fastings Hair-cloth and other Afflictions of the Body whereby the Flesh is brought under Subjection and subdued to the Spirit Hence are there such great numbers of Men and Women in the Catholick Church who contemning Riches Honours and Pleasures which they either enjoyed or might have enjoyed have bid adieu to the World and mortifying their Flesh have wholly devoted themselves to the Service of God and Contemplation of Divine Things Amongst these are many Noble Men and their Sons and Daughters many of the rich Gentry and their Children many great Wits many famous for their Eloquence and knowledge in all kind of Literature which is an evident sign of the Divine Spirit and true Religion For that Religion cannot chuse but be Heavenly which withdraws Man's Nature fixed on Earthly Things and raises it up to Heavenly which expels the Love of that which is Temporal and instils an affection to that which is Everlasting and in a word which can work such wonderful Changes in Men. The Tree is known by its Fruits Other Religions especially the Lutheran Calvinist and Fanatick For of these only I intend to treat in this Discourse do no such thing For they are so far from teaching Mortification of the Flesh Other Religions take away the study of Perfection and of all good Works Contempt of Earthly Things and cutting off carnal Pleasures that they call Fasting the Tradition of Men whereby God is worshipped in vain abstinence from Flesh with them is Superstition Monastick Vows they say are impious vain and not at all to be observ'd that Chastity is impossible that all Men are bound to marry and lye with a Woman which Luther affirms to be as necessary as Meat Drink L. de Vit. conjug and Sleep By which Doctrine it is come to pass that none of those who are of these New Religions do either mortifie their Flesh by Fasting or abide continent or abstain from Conjugal and Carnal Pleasures or abandon their Riches and imbrace Poverty for the Love of Christ but all of them are for a sensual easie and Worldly Life agreeable to the Inclination of the Flesh and corrupt Nature None of them have so much as a Notion of what it is to lead an Angelical Life upon Earth as many of the
Saints have done and many still do in the Catholick Church None of them can bring themselves to cast off the Cares and Solicitudes of this Life and break the Bonds of the World that with more Freedom they may follow Christ and imitate his most holy Life in this Mortal Flesh For whatsoever is above the common and vulgar way of living these New Religions dis-allow Who then does not see that none of them is the Religion of Christ For although Christ does not oblige us by Precept to Poverty Chastity single Life c. yet he exhorts and counsels us to practice them promising great Rewards to those that shall imbrace them and has shewn us how to do it by his own Example And by this Counsel and Invitation of Christ innumerable Persons of all Degrees Age Sex Nation and Condition have attained to the highest pitch of Sanctity attainable in this Life and thereby became admirable to the whole World But these New Religions plainly reject such pursuits of Perfection as things impossible or superstitious Nor do they discourage this eminent Sanctity alone but likewise all practice even of good Works For they teach * Luth. art 31. 36. lib. de liber Christiana Cal. lib. 3 Instit c. 12. Sect. 4. c. 14. Sect. 9. Luth. in Assert art 1 Cal. lib. 3. Instit c. 11. Sect. 13 14. c. 19. Sect. 2 4 7. That a Man sins in all his Works although God does not impute this as Sin to Believers Again That Man by all his good Works merits nothing of God nor is he made more gracious to him nor become more just nor shall obtain a greater Reward whether he does many or few good Works or none at all but for his Faith alone God esteems and crowns him If this Doctrine be true who would trouble himself about good Works or give himself to Prayer to Alms-giving to Fasting to help his Neighbour in necessity For if there be sin in all these Works no Merit nor Reward or any thing of Advantage thereby what should move me to do them Who will bestow his Labour and Wealth in vain and forsake the Temporal Commodities of this Life to no purpose These new Religions therefore cut off all good Works leaving only Faith to Men as all in all to attain Salvation Truly it seems not credible that our Lord by so much Labour and Pains by so many Heavenly Admonitions by his Sacred Blood Cross and Death would be the Founder of such a barren Religion Mean while by thus attributing the merit of Eternal Life to our good Works An Objection refuted we do not obscure the merits of Christ as our Adversaries object but rather illustrate and exalt them For the Church hath decreed as an Article of Faith that Christ's Merits are so efficacious and universal Trid. Sess 6. c. 16. that he has not only by them merited for us Everlasting Life but even that strength and power by which we also merit The efficiency of Christ's Merits As he does not diminish God's Omnipotency but magnifies and extols it who says that it not only operates and produces all things but confers also upon Creatures the power of operating and producing the like For there is nothing more declares the excellency and perfection of the Cause than that it is not only able to operate it self but can give strength and ability to others to operate Therefore when we say that Christ not only merited for us Eternal Life but also confers a power to merit it we far more extol the efficacy of Christ's Merits than they who teach he only merited all and gave no power to us to co-operate with his Merits They therefore rather are injurious to Christ who take from him this virtue and efficacy of his Merits As some Philosophers who teach that no Creatures have power to operate in-grafted in them but only the uncreated Power of God doth all things do derogate from God's Omnipotency as if it were not able to confer on them a power to operate and co-operate with God He indeed would be injurious to Christ that should ascribe to Man any virtue of meriting not received from the Merits of Christ as it would be an injury to God to alledge that Creatures have power to operate not derived from God's Omnipotency In a word as the Operations of Creatures are referred to God as the Author of them all because he gives them force and power and concurs together with them as the universal efficient Cause so all the merits of the Just are referred to Christ as the Author of them all because he gives them all the virtue and strength which they have and concurs together with them as the universal meritorious Cause I omit many other things which might be said of this Matter The Second Consideration in that it excludes all Licentiousness to Sin THat Religion also is to be preferr'd as most acceptable to God which admits of no License to Sin but has many ways proper to it self to hinder it For as the Religion which is of God ought to animate and allure Men's Minds to the study of good Works so likewise it should deterr them from sinning by teaching them the fear of God and as much as possibly it can by preventing all Sin Now it plainly appears that such is the Catholick Religion which has many particular ways to cut off all License to Sin First By the Sacrament of Pennance For many are extremely afraid to sin when they perceive themselves obliged to reveal in Confession all their peculiar Crimes and undergo a Penance for them and if they have wrong'd their Neighbour by Word or Deed they are bound to make Restitution and Satisfaction Then again in this Sacrament there is required a hearty sorrow for our Sins and purpose of amendment of Life thereby also is conferred Grace and Assistance from God to perform the same Secondly By the Doctrine of Satisfaction and Purgatory For it teacheth that after the Guilt and eternal Punishment of Sin is remitted there remains oftentimes the Obligation of a grievous temporal Punishment which if it be not expiated in this life by good Works that is by Prayer Alms Fasting and the like we must suffer after this Life the most bitter Torments of Purgatory For God permits no Sin to escape unpunished Thirdly By teaching that we incurr Eternal Damnation by one mortal Sin unless it be blotted out by true Repentance in this Life and that Faith avails nothing to the pardon of our Sins without true Repentance Fourthly By imprinting on Man's Mind the Fear of God several ways as by putting us in Mind of the variety of God's Judgments who will never have us secure of our Salvation but always watch and pray always remain sober and bent to good Works lest some time perchance we fall into Temptation or be supplanted by the deceit of the Devil or trip by Inconsideration or being unprepar'd be surpris'd by
Man is unable to make his ways good or bad For if there is Liberty there is properly no Sin as a Lyon by devouring a Man though he does a mischief yet he sins not because he does it not freely but by the impulse of Nature nor is is it in his Power to moderate this impulse No Man will deserve punishment because what he does is of necessity therefore there will be no Hell nor punishment after this Life For it would be a great and intolerable Cruelty that Men should be condemned to Eternal Torments for doing that which they cannot possibly avoid Why then do they fear to follow the Lusts and Desires of their Heart and commit what Sins soever they list Fourthly When they teach That all the Works of Men as well good as bad are predestinated of God from Eternity Luth. sup Cal. l. 1. c. 17. § 5. c. 13. § 1. and that they may be done in time God inclines incites forces and decrees Man's Will to act them all For if God equally operates good and bad in us there is no reason why we should fly Evil or fear any punishment For God is not a Revenger of that of which he himself is the Author nor can he justly punish us for those Crimes which he will have done and which he forces us to do for this were more than Tyrannical Cruelty which is far from God Hereby 't is clearer than the Noon Day that these Religions four ways shake off all fear of God from Men's Hearts and give as great License to all manner of Wickedness as ever any Atheist And 't is so much the more pernicious because not so openly impious but having a shew and pretence of Religion and Honour of God namely under the specious and plausible Titles of a Special Faith Satisfaction of Christ Liberty of the Gospel and Providence of Divine Predestination Under colour of these fair Words so much Poyson is swallowed as totally corrupts the Minds and Manners of Men. Who therefore that has but a spark of right Reason and Understanding can believe these Religions are of God The Third Consideration from the Sanctity of the Professors THat Religion is to be preferred wherein most are famous for Holiness of Life For it cannot possibly be that a bad Religion should bring us to Piety or that true Sanctity can consist with a Wicked Religion But the Catholick Religion has had many in all Ages that have led most Holy Lives by the General Confession of all Christians Among whom to single out some of each Age and omitting innumerable others I reckon the Great St. Anthony St. Hilarion St. Gregory Thaumaturge St. Nicholas Bishop of Myre St. Athanasius St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Basil St. Symeon Sty lite St. Cyprian St. Hilary St. Martin St. Ambrose St. Hierome St. Augustine St. Benedict St. Gregory the Great St. Vaust St. Amand St. Wineck St. Bertin St. Willebrord St. Romuald St. Norbert St. Dominick St. Boniface St. Bruno St. Bernard St. Francis St. Bonaventure St. Thomas of Aquin St. Francis of Paul and many in our own Age. That all these were of the Roman Catholick Religion is not to be doubted since they adhered to the Roman Church made profession of her Faith and strongly maintained it and because likewise a great many of them were Monks and obliged by their Vows to lead a Monastick Life yea all the Rules of Monastick profession sprung from them That these were most Holy Men is verifyed by the general Confession of all Christians throughout so many Ages wherein each of them lived nor was there ever any question made of it the same being confessed by Hereticks especially of St. Bernard St. Dominick and St. Francis It would therefore be a great absurdity and impudence to deny the Truth of that or in the least question it which is acknowledged by the general consent of all the World If these Men therefore were Saints and Catholicks as all the World believes the Roman Catholick Religion which they held and professed must necessarily be the true Religion and proceed from the Spirit of God First Because 't is impossible that a false Religion can bring us to true Sanctity for Religion is the Foundation of Sanctity That Celestial Edifice cannot be built upon a vain thing upon a pernicious and sacrilegious Lye as every Lye in Religion is It cannot be that a false Religion should withdraw the Mind from Earthly Things and raise it to Heavenly that it should inflame the Heart with Divine Love and urge it to have a care of our Neighbour's Salvation with so much pains and Labour Now the Holy Catholick Religion which these Men professed and practiced perfected all these things in them and therefore it cannot possibly be false Secondly Without the true Religion it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. But by the consent of all these Men pleased God and were his great Friends Therefore their Religion was true For how by a false Religion could they please God who is the Truth Thirdly If their Religion was not true and from God then 't was from the Devil For he is a Lyer from the beginning and the Father of Lies Jo. 8.44 He hath always contrived by his Lyes and Deceits to deprave and corrupt the true Religion to the end to destroy Men's Souls If it were from the Devil how could it bring them to so great Sanctity and Piety and make them the Devil's Adversaries and Friends of God For what Society hath Justice with Iniquity What Communion hath Light with Darkness And what Agreement hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 c. Fourthly 'T is altogether incredible that God should permit so many innocent Men so great Despisers of themselves and all Earthly things so studious of the Divine Glory and such ardent Lovers of God to be deceived for so many Ages in a matter of so great Concern as the business of Religion which is the Foundation of all Piety Who can so wickedly censure the Goodness of God They omitted nothing on their side whereby to please God to advance his Honour and Glory they undertook the greatest Labours and Difficulties for his sake and did wholly consecrate and devote themselves to his service How can it possibly be that this infinite Goodness this true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World Jo. 1.9 should not shew his true Light and Truth to such eminent and beloved Servants but leave them in Darkness and Mortal Errours That would then be false which our Lord with double and repeated Promises so often said Ask and it shall be given you seck and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7.7 Luk. 11. For S. Bernard S. Benedict S. Francis S. Dominick and other Lights and Miracles of the World all their Life-time earnestly craved sought and knock'd to obtain
of our Lord what was necessary to Salvation and to know his Divine Will in all things that they might do it and yet were never the nearer and got nothing That Speech of our Blessed Saviour will likewise prove false If you being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the good Spirit to them that ask him Joh. 11.13 For the good Spirit cannot be had without a good Religion I omit other things which to this purpose might be alledged But if it be Blasphemy to say that God's Promises are false we must needs confess that these Men received of our Lord the true Faith and Religion Wherefore since 't is manifestly apparent that they were of the Roman Catholick Religion and stedfastly adher'd to the Church of Rome and detested any other Faith and Religion contrary to it 't is not to be doubted but that the Roman Catholick Religion is the true Religion and inspired of God and all other false and invented by the Devil To conclude if their Religion were false and that of any of our Adversaries true we must necessarily grant that all those men aforesaid whom the World ever esteemed Saints were not only no Saints nor the Friends of God but also impious and Enemies of God and for that cause damn'd to eternal Torments For without the true Religion it is impossible to please God Heb 11. Neither can it be said that they were excusable for their Ignorance Because Ignorance excuseth not but only in some less principal things and which are less necessary being so only by reason of some positive Precept and not in Fundamentals and first Principles Otherwise every one might be saved without any knowledge of God or Christ which is contrary to Scripture But if these erred as our Adversaries would have it they erred in the chiefest Points 1st because they did not acknowledge a special Faith by which alone we are justified and made partakers of Christ's Redemption and Justice and Sins not imputed to us as the Authors of these new Religions teach Therefore they remain'd in their Sins were destitute of Christ's Justice and consequently the Children of Hell 2dly Because by their own Judgment and Confession they were not of the Church of Christ out of which by the consent of all there is no Salvation but adher'd to the Whore of Babylon for so they call the Church of Rome and were the Ministers and chief Instruments of Anti-Christ 3dly Because they were Idolaters worshipping the Creature namely Bread and Wine in the Eucharist instead of Christ honouring Saints and their Images c. There is no Ignorance which can excuse these things Therefore all these Men were wicked and condemned to Hell-Torments But how improbable and incredible is all this and even against the Common Sence of all Christians that have hitherto been Mean while in all other Religions it is sufficiently manifest that none have ever appear'd of such eminent Sanctity in their Life and Conversation as to breed Admiration in the World For none could ever be named Their first Authors were earthly minded and addicted to Worldly Pleasures nothing exceeding in their Lives above the Vulgar nay rather guilty of the greatest Crimes But of this more shall be said hereafter Nor does it signifie any thing to say that also amongst Catholicks there are many An Objection refuted which are so far from leading holy Lives that they defile their Souls and Bodies with fundry Vices For they do not this by the grant and leave of their Religion which prohibits them and uses all means possible by threats punishments and promises to prevent and deter them Therefore their evil Life is in no wise to be attributed to their Religion nor can it argue the same to be imperfect For since there are three things to divert Man from Evil and excite him to Good that is the fear of Punishment hope of Reward and the beauty of good Works these three things the Catholick Religion most excellently propoundeth and inculcates every where to her Professors Therefore it omits nothing to make them sly Sin and encourage them to Vertue and Holiness And if any don't aspire to it we must not impute it to their Religion but their Free Will which frustrates and contradicts all these motives and encouragements But indeed if Catholick Religion should take away the fear of Punishment and hope of Reward and declare all good Works to be polluted with the stain of Sin then the pravity of Men's Lives and neglect of good Works might worthily be ascrib'd to it For as he that takes away the buttresses and props of a house which keeps it from falling is the cause of the house's Ruine so he that subtracts the fear of God or future Punishment whereby Men are restrain'd and kept back from falling into the gulph of Sin is the cause of their ruine Likewise he that takes away all that which is wont to animate to the study and practice of good Works is the occasion of such neglect and contempt of good Works Hereby is manifest that the neglect of good Works and the evil Life which are discerned in some Catholicks are not to be referred to their Religion but only to the liberty of their Will But in Lutherans Presbyterians and other Professors of new Religions it is to be imputed properly to their Religion which takes away all those things that are a hindrance to Evil and encouragement to Good as plainly appears by their Principles in their Books afore mentioned not excluding also in them that Free Will by which they become guilty in chusing and adhering to such a false Religion The Fourth Consideration from the Miracles of its Professors THat Religion wherein most Miracles have been done in all Ages is to be preferred before others which are without Miracles For Miracles are a kind of Seals and certain divine Evidences whereby Religion is authoriz'd and approv'd For since many things in Religion are above Nature exceeding humane Capacity and cannot be prov'd by natural reason there is need of certain supernatural Arguments to convince Men. These are Miracles But the Catholick Religion only is famous for Miracles therefore the only true Religion and to be esteemed above all others as that only which hath God for its Witness Now that many Miracles have been done in Confirmation of the Catholick Religion throughout all Ages since Christ's and his Apostles time is evident to all Christians by divers Histories the Annals of Kingdoms and the Lives and Acts of Saints But our Adversaries say these Miracles are not true Calv. p. fac in Instit but partly feigned and partly diabolical The which is void of all probability For it is against the Judgment of the whole World and of so many Ages For all Nations so many hundreds of years have without any scruple accounted them true Miracles For whoever doubted the Miracles of St Gregory Thaumaturge St. Anthony the
by the most blessed Virgin Mary which in the places where they are wrought are manifest to all and may he seen by every one with their Eyes and felt with their Hands which also after a strict examination by sworn Witnesses and publick Testimonies are confirm'd But say our Adversaries the true Miracles were to confirm the Gospel yours overthrow it Calv. prefac in Instit by setting up Idolatry that is the Worship of Relicks and Images Invocation of Saints the Mass c. therefore they are from the Devil But this is plain Sophism and is called a begging of the Question for they take for granted as a truth that which is to be proved and whereof the Controversy is For they suppose as a certain and undoubted truth that the Catholick Religion is false and thence they conclude that her Miracles are false and delusions of the Devil like the Scribes and Pharisees who first supposed Christ's Doctrine to be false and against the Law of Moses and then conclude that his Miracles were false and that he cast out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of the Devils Matth. 4.12 So the Heathens calumniated the Miracles of Martyrs saying they did them by Art-Magick And so did the Arians Eunomians and Vigilantians vilifie the Miracles of Catholicks as Victor St. Ambrose and St. Hierome writeth But we on the contrary Vict. Vticen l 2. de persecut Ambr. ser de S. Gervas Protas Hier. contr Vigil by the truth of Miracles which are perspicuous and obvious to all seen with their Eyes and felt with their Hands conclude the verity of the Catholick Religion about which is the Controversie for we read no where that Miracles are wrought in confirmation of false Doctrine as the Saints have done many in confirmation of the truth of the Roman Catholick Faith Did ever any Heretick raise the Dead give sight to the Blind cure the Lame and sick of the Palsie and cast Devils out of Mens Bodies Neither Luther nor Calvin nor their followers did ever any such thing Luther indeed attempted once to cast a Devil out of one of his Disciples but with great peril of his own life as Fredericus Staphylas who was present and an Eye-witness writeth Calvin also tried to raise a man to life who by his perswasion counterfeited himself dead but with that success that of a live man he made a dead one for by the just Judgment of God he who had feigned himself dead was deprived of his life while Calvin was endeavouring to restore him to life In vit Cal. c. 13 This story Hierome Boscus relates at large with the circumstances thereof Wherefore since they are not successful by true or false Miracles they strive to take away the foundation of Miracles from the Catholick Church which is the chiefest and most convincing but with no reason or probability as I have shewn As therefore they who consider the Miracles of our Lord or of his Apostles and ponder them seriously setting aside all Envy Hatred Worldly Interest or other depraved affections cannot doubt but their Doctrine was from God who ratified and confirmed it with so many prodigious Signs and Miracles So in like manner they who laying aside all malice prejudice passion and temporal profit or advantage maturely weigh and reflect on the Miracles which are every Age wrought in the Roman Catholick Church by the Saints thereof living or dead cannot chuse but believe their Doctrine and Religion is of God and the Church to which they adhere to be the true Church of God The Fifth Consideration from the Conversion of Nations THat Religion is to be esteemed the true Religion of Christ and therefore to be embrac'd to which there has been a Conversion of Nations For our Lord hath in divers places of holy Scripture Psal 1.12.21 Osea 1. Matth. Mark Luke ult promised this Conversion of the Gentiles to the true Faith and Worship of God But the Religion to which the Gentiles in all Ages have been converted is the Roman Catholick Religion and therefore not to be doubted but that it is the true Religion of Christ That this Religion to which the Gentiles have been always and even lately converted is the Roman Catholick Religion it is manifest by the things which have been done in this and former Ages In this Age innumerable have been and daily are converted in the East Indies in Japan in the great Kingdom of China and many Islands of the Indian Sea Likewise in America where are many and spacious Kingdoms All these came over to the Catholick Religion and were joined to the Church of Rome and that by Religious Mon sent for this end and purpose by the Authority of his Holiness the Pope And to look back to the foregoing Ages In the Fourteenth Age one Vincentius Ferrerius a Dominican converted to the Catholick Faith Five and Twenty Thousand partly Jews and partly Sarazens as St. Antoninus a Writer of the same Age witnesseth 3 p. Hist tit 23. c. 8. s 4. In the Thirteenth Age many in Tartary were converted to the Catholick Religion by two Dominicans sent by the Pope at the instance of their Emperor which they call the Great Cham as Paulus Venetus writeth who was an Agent to that Emperor In the Twelfth Age were converted the People of Norway by Adrian the Fourth before he was Pope as Platin writes in his Life In the Eleventh Age the greatest part of Hungary was converted and Bishops sent them by the Pope at the request of their King St. Stephen soon after his Conversion as the Centuriators tell us Cent. 11. c. 2. In the Tenth Age many Kingdoms were converted by means of Henry the First Emperor and two Arch Prelates as the Centuriators note Cent. 10. c. 2. In the Ninth Age the Vandals Bulgarians Sclavonians Polonians Danes and Moravians were converted and united to the Roman Church So the Cent. 9. c. 2. In the Eighth age most part of Germany was converted by S. Boniface sent to that end by Pope Gregory the Second Cent. 8. c. 8. In the Seventh age the Franks were converted by S. Kilian who received his Commission from the Bishop of Rome Cent. 7. c. 2. In the Sixth age the English were converted to the Catholick Faith by Monks sent into England by the authority of S. Gregory the Great In Fine Who converted Brabant Flanders Holland Freesland Westphaly France and other bordering Nations Were they not Sons of the Roman Church namely S. Servatius S. Eligius S. Rumoldus S. Amand S. Vaust S. Livinus S. Remigius S. Willebrord S. Swithbert S. Wulfranus and others who were all devoted to the Church of Rome By which it appears that all Nations that have been converted to Christ from Paganism or Judaism for above a Thousand Years were converted to the Roman Catholick Faith and adhered to the Church of Rome as appears not only by what has been already said but is more clearly manifest by the Priests Altars Sacrifice of
the Mass Veneration of Holy Relicks and Images Pilgrimages Invocation of Saints Monasteries Monks Obedience to the See of Rome and other things proper to the Catholick Religion which hath ever flourished among these nations ever since their Conversion till of late they were abolished by these New Religions Who that considers these things can doubt but the Roman Catholick Religion is the true Religion of Christ In it we see this Divine Promise of the Conversion of Nations fulfilled Hereunto so many Peoples so many remote Nations so many potent Kingdoms have fled and forsaking their Idols impurity of Life multiplicity of Wives barbarity of Manners and former licentiousness humbly stoop to the yoke of Christ have imbraced the fear of God conformed to an honest Life and were inflamed with contempt of the World and love of Heaven How can it be that this Religion should be false and impious which makes so great a change in the Minds of barbarous People To conclude how can it be that the Divine Providence for so many Ages should permit all these Nations to be deceived when they willingly forsook their Idolatry imbraced the Truth and united themselves to the Church of Christ and be plunged into other pernicious Errors and a new Idolatry and that by those who in the Church were esteemed by every one the most Lawful Ministers thereof as being famous for Holiness of Life Wisdom and Miracles God forbid we should so judge of the Divine Goodness and Providence which has so much care for the Salvation of Men. But now on the other side there has never been any Conversion of Nations made by the Lutherans Calvinists and Fanaticks never any accession of Pagan Kingdoms to their Religion but only a Revolt of those who bearing the Name of Christians but weary of their former Religion and Discipline have followed their Novelties and Liberty of the Flesh which is a clear Argument of Heresie For Heresie is nothing else but a corruption of the Catholick Doctrine and revolt of Christians from the Primitive Religion retaining still the Christian Name and it is the study of Heretical Doctors not to convert Heathens but to pervert Christians Therefore Tertullian hits them home Lib de Praescrip What shall I say touching the Ministration of the Word since it is their business not to convert Infidels but to seduce Catholicks They take greater Glory to ruine those that stand than pains to lift up them that are down For this Work of theirs is not of their own building but a demolishing of the Truth They undermine our Church to raise their own so that they can easier destroy the House that stands than raise a new Building out of ruines The Sixth Consideration from the Name of Catholick and the thing signified by this Name THat Religion is to be judged the true Christian Religion which has always been accounted and called Catholick according to the Apostles Creed I believe in the Holy Catholick Church But the Roman Church is only called Catholick and the Professors thereof Catholicks Therefore the Roman Catholick Religion only is the true Religion of Christ That it alone has been always and still is called Catholick 't is evident First By the general use of the Name over all the World Hence it is that even Hereticks many times call it the Catholick Religion and the Professors thereof Catholicks nor did ever any Sect merit this Name For the Marcionists Montanists Vid. Pacia Epist denom Cath. St. August c. 4. contr Epist sund Manicheans Donatists Pelagians Vigilantians Waldenses Lutherans Calvinists Anabaptists c. were never called Catholicks nor their Doctrine the Catholick Religion only the Church of Rome and that part of Christianity which adheres to it is called the Catholick Church and the Religion Belief and Doctrine of this Church the Catholick Religion the Catholick Faith and Catholick Doctrine and her Followers Catholicks Secondly Because the word Catholick signifies the same as Vniversal The Catholick Religion is spread over all the World or General spreading over all the World But such is the Roman Religion because being spread over all the known inhabited parts of the World it extends it self to all Nations and Kingdoms For there is no Kingdom nor Nation known to us which has not still this Religion or formerly had it or doth not now begin to profess it yea at this very time there is well near amongst all Nations a publick profession of our Religion namely in Japan China the Indies Persia Tartary Turky Affrica Brazil Peru Mexico c. For in all these places there are Catholicks to be found Churches Altars Images of Christ and his Saints celebration of Mass administration of our Sacraments observation of our Feasts and Fasts and in Fine there is publickly held the Roman Catholick Religion Who can doubt that this is the true religion and the true way of Salvation which our Lord would have proposed and preached to all Kingdoms which he hath made to grow and increase at convenient times in all Kingdoms and which every where in a manner he now preserves causing Catholicks to be dispersed through the whole World that Infidels by them might come to the knowledge of the true Religion Moreover it is Catholick in point of Time as well as Place The Catholick Religion extends it self to all Ages for it has been derived thro' all Ages from Christ's and his Apostle's time For there is no Age since that time can be assign'd wherein this Religion was not held In all Ages Mass was celebrated for the living and dead Festival and Fasting days were kept Monastick Vows were frequented the Saints invocated and their Relicks honoured with other things proper to our Religion in use and practice as 't is manifest by all Ecclesiastick Writers On the contrary if we consider all kind of Sects No Sect is called the Catholick Religion none of them were ever called the Catholick Religion or the Professors of them Catholicks as aforesaid but they took the Name of their Religion from the first Broachers of it as Simonians from Simon Magus Valentinians from Valentine Pelagians from Pelagius Lutherans from Martin Luther Calvinists from Calvin c. and none of their Religions are spread over all the World Nor dilated over all the World At first when the Catholick Religion began to appear and shew it self it was not long before it was diffused over all the World and did increase and fructifie almost in every Kingdom notwithstanding the Persecutions thereof as S. Paul tells us Rom. 10. Colos 1. But the religion of Luther Calvin and Fanaticks now for the time that it hath been in the World which is about 150 years hath made no such progress but being confined only to some few Countries does daily lose ground either by crumbling into other Sects or else by returning into Catholick religion again As also not one of them is of any ancient standing but all of them of new invention but
accord without any Authority or Commission which is a certain sign they ought not to be believed but rejected For how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 He that entreth not by the door into the Sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber but he that entreth in by the door is the Shepherd of the Sheep Joh. 10.1 They enter not in by the door who usurp the Pastoral Office without Ordinary or Lawful Authority Whether Sectaries are sent by Christ But perhaps they will say that they were sent by Christ and received Authority from to reform the Church But 't is not enough to say so for all Arch-Hereticks or Sect-Masters affirm this of themselves therefore they ought to produce their Letters-Patents that Christ sent them whereby to convince us and confirm our Belief as the Apostles confirmed their Mission with great Miracles otherwise we ought not to accept their Reformation but are bound rather to reject them as Imposters Again how did Christ send them when they teach such different and contradictory Doctrine amongst themselves For if Christ sent Luther Calvin could not be sent by him who overthrows Luther's Doctrine in many points and damns it as Heritical On the contrary if Christ sent Calvin Luther then could not be sent by him for God is not contrary to himself nor does the Spirit of the Prophets contradict each other I omit other things which might be said to this purpose The Eighth Consideration from the consent of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors and their decision of Controversies without which there is no certainty THat Religion is to be imputed to Christ and to be preferred before all others wherein there is an unanimous consent of the chief Doctors and Fathers of every Age and Country since Christ about points of Faith which is an easie end to all Controversies and from which if you recede there is nothing to be relyed on for a certainty But such is the Roman Catholick Religion therefore 't is the only true Religion of Christ And First Touching the consent of Fathers about the Tenets of our Religion it appears by their Writings For as many ancient Doctors as have written in Greece in Asia in Egypt in Affrica in Spain in Italy in France in Germany in England of the Mysteries of our Religion are all consenting to Free-Will merit of Good Works the Sacrifice of the Mass for the Living and Dead Monastick Vows Fastings Feasts Invocation of Saints c. which are disowned by these New Religions neither can the Lutherans and Calvinists deny it but say these were the Spots and Blemishes of the ancient Fathers then inclining to Superstition and the Traditions of Men Cal. l. 2. c. 2.5.14 16. l. 3. c. 4 5. whence they fly to the Scriptures according to their own sense and interpretation But how improbable is this that all the ancient Fathers writing of these matters in divers places with so general a consent should err For the consent of many especially before they communiceate one with another in the same opinion is a great sign of Truth attracting their Minds to an unanimous consent thereof by divine illumination For 't is the property of Truth being but One to joyn and unite in consent but of Falsity being manifold to disperse into sundry Opinions and Errors Hence it is that Hereticks in several Countries writing of the same subject scarce ever agree but are divided into many Opinions having once forsaken the Truth Again there is no Tenet of the Catholick Religion can be shew'd which has been introduced a-new by any in the Church which is a manifest sign that it has always been in the Church and descended from the Apostles For if it were brought in a-new after the Apostles against Apostolical Doctrine it could be shew'd in what Generation or Age it was done where and by what Author and who opposed the same For no new Opinion is ever raised without great stir and contradiction Therefore we can shew the rise of all Heresies where when and by what Authors they first began who opposed them what strifes they made and finally what Pope and Council condemned them But if this can be demonstrated of particular Heresies how much more of the chiefest points of Religion if any innovation were made in them It is clear therefore that our Catholick Religion not only by the Succession of Ministers but also by Consanguinity of Doctrine as Tertullian expresseth it Lib. de Prescrip is continued and accords with the Ancient and Apostolical Religion That the Opinions of these New Religions disagree with those of the ancient Fathers Hereticks themselves abundantly confess since in the Chapters aforesaid they blame them of Superstition and averr they cannot be excused of Errour as we shall see more at large hereafter The Controversies of the Cath Church are easily appeased Secondly The Controversies that sometimes arise in the Church are easily decided by the continual practice of the Church For the Catholick Church hath an Infallible Judge of Controversies the Pope with a General Council by which Judge all Controversies have hitherto been easily concluded all Heresies sprung up in divers Ages have been condemned and Catholick People kept in one Faith one Religion and one Doctrine through the whole World In this manner was the Arrian Heresie condemned by the Synod of Nice under Pope Silvester the Macedonian Heresie by the Council of Constantinople under Pope Damasus the Nestorian Heresie by the Council of Ephesus under Pope Celestine the Eutychian Heresie by the Council of Calcedon under Leo the First the Iconomachists by the Second Council of Nice under Adaian the First and to omit others the Berengarian Heresie concerning the Eucharist by the Synod of Rome and Vercelles under Leo the Ninth by the Synod also of Tours under Victor the Second by the Synod of Rome under Nicholas the Second and by another Roman Synod under Pope Gregory the Seventh For all Reason requireth that the Cause of Religion being common to the whole Church should not be judged by private Persons that have obtained no Dignity nor Degree in the Church but by the Supreme Pastor of the Catholick Church together with other particular Prelates to whom the Regiment of the Church is committed and who are the Representatives of the whole Catholick Church As the Controversies about Laws and Privileges of a Kingdom are decided by none but the King and Chief Men who represent the whole Kingdom For to those who are made Superiors in any Community Spiritual or Temporal it belongs to allay Differences and decide Controversies about matters properly pertaining to their Government thereby to take away all contradiction for the suture And indeed unless the Church had this power it would have been very imperfect lamely instituted and more miserable than any Temporal Kingdom or Common-Wealth For there would never have been an end of Disputes and Contentions touching the chief points
of Faith no end of Dissentions and Contradictions and it must necessarily in a short time have been divided into a Thousand Sects as we see it happens by the Conventicles of Hereticks Hence it is that in the Catholick Church all points of Faith are certain and defined and no variation made of them and all Catholicks unanimously consent acquiesce and are satisfied in the belief of them Hereby it follows Thirdly If you depart from the Catholick Religion you have no certainty to depend on for the true way of Salvation For what Religion will you make choice of in so great a variety The Lutheran But why not the Presbyterian or any other Fanatick Why do you profess Luther's Religion before the rest For the Presbyterians and Fanaticks have Scripture for their Religion as well as the Lutherans Again if you will imbrace the Religion of Luther which sort would you have the mild or rigid That pure Religion which Luther the German Prophet recommended or that which Philip Melancton renewed But this also is of divers sorts for the Augustane Confession was often changed If you are for Calvin's Religion why not Luther's since he is the Parent of all and the first that brought into the World this new Light of the Gospel Again if you are for Calvin's Religion whether that of Puritans or Protestants For they are very different as the English well know I omit many differences wherein these Sects are divided There is no solid Reason can be given why you should profess one for the certainly of it rather than the other since they all stiffly alledge the Word of God to be of their side that they have the Spirit of god and that the sence of Scripture is clearly for their Doctrine and that all the rest are false and manifestly against Scripture nor can they otherwise prove it but by saying that 't is clear to every one that has the Spirit Therefore they all urge the same reason for their Doctrine and rely on the same foundation You must therefore be of all their Religions or of none But the Catholick Religion proves her Tenets far otherwise namely from Sacred Scripture according to the exposition of the Holy Fathers and Doctors of all Ages from the Sanctity Miracles and Prophetick Spirit of those that profess this Religion from the perpetuity and uniformity of Doctrine through all Ages from the purity of Life which this Doctrine induceth from the Conversion of Nations to this Doctrine and from all the other Considerations set down in the foregoing Chapters The Ninth Consideration proceeding from divers Reasons why these New Religions are to be suspected and avoided ALL other Religions besides the Catholick expresly and particularly that of Luther Calvin and the Fanatick which I chiefly speak of here ought worthily to be suspected and abandoned as Heretical Sects for many Reasons which I shall here briefly commemorate and referr to your serious Consideration The First Reason from the Novelty of it ALL Novelty or all New Cutts and Fashions as St. Gregory Nazianzen calls it in any Government and chiefly in the Affair of religion are to be shunn'd and avoided The Christian religion is an ancient solid and immutable thing intended to last to the end of the World For it is the Form Strength and as it were the Soul of Christ's Church for as by the Soul the Flesh is animated into a Living Man so by religion an Assembly of Men who otherwise of themselves are but carnal is formed into the Church of Christ which is a Spiritual Kingdom As therefore the Church and Kingdom of Christ is ancient and never to be rooted out as against which the Gates of Hell that is to say no Herefies or other wicked attempts shall ever prevail Mat. ult and with which Christ has promised to remain to the end of the World De August de utit caeden c. 17. Such also must the Religion be by which this Church and Kingdom of Christ do subsist Therefore Novelty is repugnant to the true Religion But that these are New Religions is manifest First Because we can shew the first Authors of them the place time and manner how they began who resisted them what great Commotions Troubles and Mobbs were raised by reason of them and finally by whom they were condemned Now what clearer signs can there be of Novelty In the same manner all Heresies introduced against Apostolick Doctrine are convinced of Novelty because we can shew how they crept into the Church at what time they began in what place by what Author who opposed and condemned them Secondly Before the year of our Lord 1517. Luther's religion was not in the World nor Calvin's nor the other Fanaticks which are but two branches of the Lutheran Religion For it appears by Historians of that time wherein Luther first shew'd Head that there was no religion in the World but the Catholick Religion and a very few Hereticks called Hussites except the Judaick Mahometan and Pagan Religion Thirdly If you should say that some of them were existent in the World namely the Lutheran Religion c. but lay hid I ask in what place it was in what Kingdom in what Town who were the Defenders or Maintainers of it Lastly How do you know it was in Being before since it could not be manifest but by Writers who report no such thing but the contrary Besides when there were in every place Inquisitors of Heresies how could this Religion lie hid so many hundred years and not be discovered and never any one of the Followers of it fall into their Hands and be corrected Never any Heretical Sect could so hide it self but be often taken and publickly called in question and examination Again if this religion was in the World before Luther why did not the Professors of it who have hitherto lay hid come forth and acknowledge him as a Doctor of their Faith and a Champion of their religion Why did they not appear in publick and join with him as their Partner and Patron who had set at liberty their religion before suppressed and persecuted But no such ever appeared that had been of this religion before him but all of them were of the Catholick Religion before they turned to Luther as Luther himself before he revolted was a Roman Catholick and a Friar L. de Missa augular l. 2 contr Swingl and said Mass seriously and devoutly fifteen years together as himself confesseth Whereby it is clearer than the Sun at noon day that Luther's Religion is altogether new and was unknown to the World before his time Not any Congregation of Men and perhaps no single person was ever in Being before him that professed the same Religion that is all the same points of Faith his whole Body of Doctrine For although he might hold some Opinions of ancient Hereticks yet the Relagion of Luther and the ancient Hereticks is not therefore the same but in part For Religion is a
sent immediately from God to teach the people were impowered to work Miracles or supernatural Signs to prove the verity of their Mission So Moses being about to conduct the Children of Israel out of Egypt and give them a Law came with authority to do prodigious Miracles and he himself did innumerable or God also about him who so often appeared to him in a visible shape So all their Prophets proved the truth of the Mission by Miracles or revealing of Secrets The same did Christ himself Lord of the Prophets who although 't was demonstrable in Scripture that he was the Messias and that it evidently appeared by the testimony of St. John the Baptist yet presently at the beginning of his Preaching he shewed that he was sent by his Father for the Salvation of Mankind by many Miracles and said to the Pharisees that out of hatred would not give credit to him if they would not believe him for his own sake at least they should believe him being convinced by the greatness of his Works In like manner all the Apostles proved the legality of their Mission amongst the Jews and Heathens by many Miracles To conclude so did the first Doctors of divers Nations which were converted from Paganism to our Faith Wherefore since their new Prophets say that they were immediately sent from God if they do not confirm it by Miracles or supernatural signs as all others have done whom God immediately sent they ought not to be credited or believed Nor does it avail any thing to say that St. John the Baptist did no Miracles because God work'd many Wonders and supernatural things about him whereby his Mission was sufficiently manifest Also his Austerity of Life and Sanctity of Manners was no small Miracle Therefore no body could doubt but that God sent him Moreover Miracles were absolutely necessary to prove them to be sent not only as Converters of Manners but also as Reformers and Correctors of all Religion to re-edifie the Church lapsed to raise again the Kingdom of Christ extinct and to make all things new How great Miracles had been necessary for them whereby to convince the World that they were bound to believe such Wonders and Paradoxes and to receive them for such Reformers If they had raised a thousand from the dead and cured a hundred thousand lame blind and sick of the Palsie it had been scarce enough to make one believe so great a matter First Because the Apostle saith Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be Anathema that is accursed Gall. 1.8 And repeating the same again for greater confirmation of the matter he adds as I said before so say I now again If any one preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be Anathama Gal. 1.9 If we ought not to believe an Angel from Heaven preaching any thing contrary to the received Doctrine of Faith how many and great Miracles were requisite to be shewed by a mortal Man that preaches contrary to the approved Faith before he is to be certainly believed as that Christ's Church is utterly fallen that Idolatry hath got into it and extinguished the Faith that all are in the state of Damnation that the chiefest points of Religion are to be reformed and that God sent Luther or Calvin to make this Reformation Was it not fit that all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles should have been revived by this Reformer Again because the Catholick Religion which now storishes has been above a thousand years in possession as our Adversaries confess and esteemed over all the World for the true Religion of Christ and they that fell from it were counted Hereticks Therefore without great and evident Miracles to make it appear a wicked and unjust possession it cannot lawfulâ—y be disturbed And the Signs from God ought to be so apparent and convincing that there 's no room left for any Tergiversation or denial otherwise we are not bound to believe them but rather obliged to favour so long a possession and not desert the Catholick Religion I add farther that the Catholick Religion in all those Ages was famous for the Glory of Miracles Wisdom and Sanctity of the Professors and even now is Therefore there is need of many greater and more renowned Miracles to be shewed before she can be lawfully dispossessed cast down and rejected also of greater Wisdom and Piety and that by publick Fame in the followers of these new Religions than were ever in the Professors of the Catholick Religion Lastly When the Religion of the Old Testament amongst the Jews was to be changed and to pass from the Shadow to the Truth from the Type to the Exemplar although our Lord could clearly out of the Scriptures convince that this change was to be made and that God sent him for this purpose yet he was pleased to confirm the same with many and great Miracles thereby to take away all occasion of cavilling and back-sliding How many Miracles therefore shall we think needful when a change is attemted to be made of the Religion of the New Testament which the Scriptures expresly declare shall never be changed but that God will be with it to the end of the World and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it Who can prudently believe without great Miracles a thing so strange and new such a Parodox as well against the Scriptures as the judgment of the Fathers Yea what Miracles can be sufficient to make one to believe it to be probable By this it is plain that we deservedly require Miracles of them and that they deal with us most injuriously and impiously when they command us to believe them in matters of so great weight without any Miracles and unless we do believe them to persecute us grievously But say they we prove our Tenets from the Scripture Whether they prove their Tenets from Scripture True but in your own sense not according to the consent of the Holy Fathers and received Doctors of the Church who lived before our Controversies and therefore could not be partial in their Opinions Again those proofs of yours drawn like a Spider's Web out of your selves are as easily dissolved by Catholick Doctors And there have sprung up so many new Reformers so many Repairers of the ruined Church so many Ralsers of Religion extinguished who though they are very contrary amongst themselves and contradict one another each Sect striving to destroy what the other builds yet all of them confirm their Principles by Scripture all of them relie solely upon this Testimony for their Foundation according to their own Construction Threfore this way of probation must be to all or none And to each of these Expositors it may be said if nothing is to be believed but what is in the Scripture where I pray does it tell you that God sent you to reform the fallen Church or Religion
your own Testimony alone which is to bear Witness of your self But he that gives Testimony of himself his testimony is not true Joh. 8.13 That is is not to be esteemed true unless by some other way he can prove it For Example These Calvinists cannot prove by other ways that they have this private Spirit but would have us believe them upon their bare word and naked assertion whereby they affirm to know it secretly Therefore there is no reason why they should be credited but rather there is great reason why all should be disbelieved for the Spirit of God cannot be contrary to it self but they are contrary to themselves and others also Therefore they are not guided by the Spirit of God And hereunto and this also pertaining to their fraud and deceitful Machinations and Contrivances they revolted from the Antient Faith which had flourished so many Ages and they embraced these New Religions Their Princes according to the custom of the Church received from the time of Constantine the Great would compel them to return to the Antient Religion which sometimes they professed and forsake their Novelties For which cause they rail against Catholick Princes and accuse them of Tyranny call them Enemies of the Gospel and over all the World raise envy against them as those that would do violence to their Consciences against their Eternal Salvation And lastly under colour of this Liberty they raise Sedition and wage War against them But when themselves God permitting it for our sins get possession of our Goods or Estates they grant no Liberty to Catholicks but raise bitter persecutions against them and force them with divers Torments and Confiscation of their Goods to desert their Ancient Religion and embrace the New which they never learned which never had any Name but of their Sect which they owe nothing unto which they never saw confirmed by any rational Arguments but on the contrary condemned by the Church in all the Christian World with the greatest and most-weighty Reasons Is this to deal sincerely candidly and equitably Is not this the Society of Lyons whose Right consists in their Power and Strength who make and unmake Laws for their Interest And what Tyranny of Conscience can be compared to this In the Church none are ever compelled to the Catholick Faith but those who formerly professed it nor they neither but after a lawful and full Proof and Conviction to which the Deserters cannot Answer But these New Reformers compel those that never professed their Novelties and before they have convinced them of Errour In which thing they act against their own Doctrine For they teach that Man has no Free-will but all things are done by the Divine impulse and decree which none can resist and that God infuseth Faith into his Elect only By what Law then do they inforce Catholicks to believe them since it is not in their power Again since the whole cause of believing according to their Decrees is reduced to the Testimony of the private Spirit they do very unjustly in forcing Catholicks to believe them not only against the Testimony of the private Spirit but also against the Testimony of the publick Spirit of the Universal Church For it is certain out of the Scriptures that the Church is governed by the Spirit of God and therefore cannot err but yet this is in no manner certain of private Men. The Eighth Reason from their overthrow of Good Works THat Religion which takes away all Practice of Good Works is not to be imputed to Christ who every where commends Good works and the Observation of God's Commandments But the Religion of Luther and Calvin takes away all desire of Good works therefore neither of them is to be esteemed the Religion of Christ That these two Religions take away all desire of Good works is manifest First Because both teach That Man with all his Good Works is never the juster before God never the more deserves Eternal Reward and shall receive neither more or less Glory in Heaven for doing but a few or many or no Good Works at all That God regards Man only for his Faith That all Justice is contained in Faith alone For thus says Luther I would not give one Half-penny for all the Merits of St. Peter to help me De 10. Precept c. 1. because he cannot help himself but whatever he hath he had it from God through Faith in Christ Here he plainly teaches that St. Peter is never the juster for his own Good works or hath received a greater Happiness in Heaven for the same but was Crowned for his Faith only And again in another place De captio Bacyl cap. de Baptis Do you see how rich a Man is that is a Christian and Baptized who cannot be damned for what sinns soever he commits though he would unless he will not believe for no sins are damnable but only incredulity all other sins if he returns and fixes his Faith upon the Divine Promise are in a moment absorpt through the same belief Again in another place Good Works cannot be taught De Votis Monast without prejudice to Faith since Faith and Good Works in the case of Justificarion are extreamly contradictory in such sort that the Doctrine of Good Works is necessarily the doctrine of Devils and apostacy from the Faith Calvin is of the same Opinion as 't is manifest in his Institutions where he saith The Justice of Good Works can by no means be joyned with the Justice of Faith not only Works done by the force of Nature but all other whatsoever Title they are adorned with are excluded by the Justice of Faith L. 3 c. 11. s 13. l. 3. c. 15. s 2. sequen cap. 19. s 2.4.7 The same he teaches in many other places If there is not Merit in Good Works if they do not render us more gracious and acceptable to God and that for them we shall receive no reward in Heaven why should we trouble our selves about them Why should we spend our Fortunes in works of Mercy and relief of the Poor What should we Fast for and afflict our Bodies Why should we be instant in Prayer 'T is great folly to busie our selves in those things and be sollicitous for that which will redound nothing to our profit or advantage Who sees not by this Doctrine that the study of all Good Works is extinguished Secondly Because both their Religions teach ' That all our Good Works are so far from meriting any thing of God that they are sins and mortal sins too although by reason of Faith they are not imputed to Believers Luther teaches this in many places A just Man says he sins in every Good Work Again A Good Work well done In Presol cont Eckium in assert art 31. is a Venial Sin by the Mercy of God but a Mortal one according to the Judgment of God Again in another place In assert art 32. Our best Works whereby
Hereticks though never so contrary in their Opinions boast and bragg of and from which every one thinks the Truth is revealed to himself which certainly he that is not stark Blind may easily perceive because the Spirit of God cannot reveal contraries Add hereunto that the sacred Scripture no where sends private Men to search the Scriptures in Doubts of Faith but to the Church and those which precede therein So in Deut. 17. they are sent to the Priests in doubtful matters who were then appointed Judges and those that would not obey them were to be put to death Therefore in the Church God hath appointed Pastors and Doctors and would have the Church conspicuous to the whole World the Pillar and Ground of Truth Eph. 4.11 1 Tim. 3.15 that all People might easily consult it and acquiesce secure in her Decrees The Spirit of understanding the Scriputres is not granted to every one as 't is plain by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 1 Jo. 4. ' Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God Therefore although the Spirit should suggest any thing to you yet you are not secure because you are not certain it is of God For 't is manifest that innumerable have been deceiv'd For all Hereticks brag of this Spirit and Satan frequently transforms himself into an Angel of Light Hereby it is manifest that the private Spirit can be no Rule of faith The Twelfth Reason from another great absurdity IF any of these New Religions for example the Lutheran Religion were the true Religion of Christ besides the absurdities afore-mentioned this would follow that all Catholicks which have been hitherto from the time of the Apostles are damned and sentenced to the Eternal Torments of Hell-Fire because according to the chief Tenet of this Religion they wanted justifying Faith and therefore Justice before God so that they remained in their sins and died in them For the Faith necessary to Justification as this Religion teacheth is that whereby a Man firmly believes that he is just before God by reason of Christ's satisfaction which by Faith is applied and imputed to him But 't is manifest that this Faith was unknown to the World till the time of Luther Nor does he deny but rather glories that he manifested to the World the true Nature of Justification hid from the antient Fathers The same is clear by the Writings of all the antient Fathers because besides Faith in Christ they require an inward change of the Will and purpose of keeping the whole Law also for that they condemn this security of Salvation and will have Men to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 and be always sollicitous Hence it is that this peculiar special Faith whereby every one certainly believes he is just they all reject as meer presumption For although we ought to believe that Christ has fully satisfied for us on his part yet it does not appear to us that we have done all things necessary on our part to be made partakers of his satisfaction and that we may not sometime or other fall from him 'T is clear then that all the Antients wanted this Faith Therefore so many Holy Fathers so many Martyrs so many Virgins are damned St. Irenaeus St. Justin St. Gregory Thaumaturgus St. Gregory Nazian St. Basil St. Chrysostome St. Damascen St. Hilary St. Ambrose St. Hierome St. Augustine St. Martin St. Nicholas St. Anthony St. Gregory the Great St. Benedict St Bernard St. Dominick St. Francis are all damned also St. Laurence St. Vincent St. Sebastian St. Catharine St. Caecilia St. Agnes and innumerable others who for Sanctity of Life Miracles and the Honour of Martyrdom were renowned through the whole World are damned To conclude all our Ancestors are damned that have been from the Apostle's till Luther's time and to use the Words of Tertullian The Gospel has been wrong Preached L. de prescrip advers Heret for so many Ages and wrongly believed so many Millions of Men wrong Baptized so many Works of Faith wrong administred so many Virtues and Graces wrong laboured for so many Sacrifices and Divine Services wrong offered and so many Martyrdoms wrong Crowned But how incredible absurd and blasphemous are all these things How contrary to the judgment of the whole World and of all Ages Nor can it be said that they were excused for their ignorance because no Body can be saved without Faith without the justice of Christ without participation of Christ's Redemption as every where the Scripture teacheth especially the New Testament No ignorance can excuse that a Man may be saved without these things therefore there is no refuge here either they are all damned or the Religion of Luther and Calvin in their principal Opinion of Justification is false and impious Behold Twelve Reasons whereby 't is clearly demonstrated that these New Religions are to be avoided as false and pernicious The last Consideration now follows The Tenth Consideration and Conclusion of the whole Consult LAstly That Religion is to be imbrac'd in this Life which Men are most like to be willing to profess at the hour of death and of which they can render a just account at the Tribunal of Christ For in the practice of things we cannot be better advised than by the consideration of Death and Eternal Judgment namely to love that here which at the point of death will be most profitable to us and to shun that which may bring upon us certain ruine and destruction at least put us in great peril of it But the Catholick Religion is such as we shall certainly prefer at the hour of death As is manifest First By the example of many who although they have lived Hereticks yet when they came to die have desired to die Catholicks as judging it the safer way Secondly Because every one wishes then that he had done many Good Works and with great diligence had avoided all sin to both of which the Catholick Religion efficaciously exciteth and to neither of which does the Religion of Luther or Calvin but rather to a contempt of all Good Works and licentiousness of Life Thirdly Because the Catholick Religion has many Remedies which in that dreadful passage are not to be despised as Repentance for Sin Absolution of the Priest the Sacrament of Extream Unction and the Eucharist which give great consolation and confidence to the Faithful For by this means the satisfaction of Christ is communicated to us But bare Faith is a very cold comfort and a weak thing at the point of death For how can you perswade your self that God will be merciful to you that you are just and shall be saved by the Merits of Christ who have despised the Remedies ordained by him and determined to die out of the Catholick Church All the Sects of this time boast of this Faith and yet certainly all are not saved For the true Religion of Christ is but one out of which there is no
Salvation as not only all Catholick but likewise Lutherans Calvinists and Anabaptists teach Therefore your special Faith will avail you nothing unless you have the true Religion of Christ Now that all Professors of the Catholick Religion may easily render an account of their Religion to the Supreme Judge and fear no danger for being Catholicks is manifest For suppose that I stand before that terrible Judgment-Seat of Christ and am asked why I followed the Catholick or as Hereticks call it the Papists Religion and not rather by forsaking it turn'd to the New Reformed Religion of Calvin I will answer with great security Therefore I professed the Catholick Religion because it teaches me to withdraw my mind from the love of earthly things and fix it upon heavenly It teaches me to mortifie the Flesh to fear God to practice Good works to obey my Superiours to be instant in Prayer and to cut off all occasions of Sin I stuck to the Catholick Religion because I saw therein many famous over all the World for Wisdom Holiness Miracles and the Spirit of Prophecy it being impossible for them to be deceived in so great a matter because I saw God hath established this Church for several Ages by many Miracles because I saw therein the Promises of God fulfilled for it is spread over all the World To this Church the Conversion of Nations has been made hitherto and is dayly making In this Church there has been a continual Concord of the Doctors in points of Faith In this Church there has been a perpetual Succession of the Chair and Connexion of all Ministers with the Apostles In this Church there is a speedy decision of all Controversies This Church for many Ages has stood immovable against all Heresies and Persecutions of Tyrants so that the Gates of Hell could never prevail against it Matth. 16.18 But I perceived in all these New Religions all things contrary to this therefore there was no reason for me to renounce the Catholick Religion or in the least to doubt of it But though I should omit all this which I haye said Is not this alone sufficient for my security that I have followed a Religion which those have been of who were most Holy and Famous for Miracles over all the World as S. Benedict S. Bernaod S. Diminick S. Francis c. For it clearly appears that such Heavenly Souls so dear and devoted to God such beloved and familiar Friends could not possibly be deceived in so great a business as the Salvation of their Souls Therefore I may securely follow these Guides in reference to Religion But you now who have followed some other New Religion What a Heretick can answer what account I pray can you make of it when you shall be examined before the terrible Judgment-Seat of Christ Perhaps you will answer the Judge Therefore I deserted the Catholick Religion because I thought it full of Idolatry Superstition and Humane Traditions I thought that Antichrist reigned in it and I thought that Catholicks depended upon their own Merits and not upon the price of your Blood But what if the vail of Diabolical delusion which now blinds you being then taken off you see your self clearly deceived what Counsel will you take For there will be ro more time and place for repentance Perhaps you will plead Ignorance but this will not excuse you because you might have easily known the Truth if you had used that diligence which the matter required nor did you ever want a just occasion of doubting which should have stirred you up to a diligent enquiry As therefore it shall not excuse the Jews that they erred by ignorance because they might have known the Truth if they would so neither shall it excuse you For to depart from the Catholick Religion without sin you ought not only to think and surmise by reason of some slight suspicions but to know certainly that such Evil Doctrine is taught in the Catholick Church by using diligence and setting aside all worldly interest so that no farther scruple could be left nor any just reason to doubt But you are so far from having any such certainty of the Churches Errors that no probable reason can be given for it For what probability or shew of Truth could induce you to believe that Religion was full of Idolatry and Errours which you saw professed by so many eminent Men for Wisdom and Holiness of Life Which you saw or might have seen confirmed with so many Miracles and Martyrs Which you beheld diffused through the whole World In which you saw so great Concord in points of Faith and constant Succession Continuation and Conjunction with the Apostles How could it possibly be that in so many Ages none of the Holy Fathers and Doctors should spy this Idolatry these Superstitions and Errors Again how could you be perswaded to believe that to be the true Religion of Christ which makes God the Author and Forcer of all Sin Which takes away from Men Free-will Which extirpates all Good Works Which opens the Gate to all manner of Wickedness as much as Atheism Which takes away subjection to Laws and obedience to Princes under pretence of Christian Liberty Which recalls from Hell many old and condemned Heresies Whose Authors were renowned for no austerity of Life no Piety no Miracles but Men given to the Pleasures of the Flesh covetous of worldly Goods ambitious slanderous envious seditious infamous for Apostacy sacrilegious Marriages preposterous Lust and inconstancy of Doctrine Lastly If any of these New Religions are true then the Church of Christ is fallen for so many Ages the Kingdom of Christ is overthrown the Divine Promises touching the stability of the Church are frustrated and the Gates of Hell have prevailed against it Then for so many Ages the Gospel has been Preached in vain and in vain believed so many Gentiles have been in vain converted from Paganism in vain Baptized and received other Sacraments in vain they fasted and mortified the Flesh and so many thousands in vain suffered Mrrtyrdom by the effusion of their Blood for the Confession of Christ Then all our Ancestors are perished the Holy Fathers are perished so many Myriads of Confessors which were wholly devoted to God and famous for Sanctity Miracles and Prophecy are all perished and damned For they were all without the true Religion and Righteousness of God and all addicted to Idolatry But if these things are false blasphemous and horrible to think how could it be you did not conceive these New Religions to be false or at least to doubt of them from which such cruel and frightful things are clearly deduced But if you doubted why did you not endeavour to know the Truth upon which your Salvation depends Our Lord admonishes us to beware of False Prophets which come to us in Sheeps-cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves Matth. 7.16 What 's the reason it did not come into your Mind sometimes and make you afraid lest
of the Idolatry Superstition and Abuses of the Catholick Church As that they Worship a piece of Bread for God pray to dead Men Worship Crosses and Pictures trust in their own Merits believe a Man can forgive Sins and many such Fopperies and are possessed with what themselves have been taught that they are afraid to pray to God to have farther information least they should sin by seeming to doubt of the Faith they have been taught by their Parents and their Ministers to whom they have been recommended by them to harken unto as Orthodox Teachers And if they happen to read any Catholick Books and meet with some things they themselves cannot answer their aforesaid prejudice presently suggests to them that those Ministers can answer them and to discourse with some learned Catholick they upon the same ground are afraid because they suspect their integrity and so they remain in the Belief they have been educated in as well satisfied Now I say Let them lay aside for a while this prejudice and but suppose they may be deceived therein and that things are not so as they have been told For at least it seems somewhat incredible that so many most Holy and Learned Men which this Church has always abounded with should never see this Idolatry if there were any or seeing it should not renounce it but on the contrary diligently retain and love it This is an old Calumny of the Mahometans and Iconomachists or Image-Breakers And there was never any Sect of Hereticks which did not forsake the Church with envious and malicious Hearts and tax it with horrible Crimes for they are forced to make this pretence that they might seem justly to depart from the Church Secondly Let them daily beg of God to enlighten them that they may clearly know which is the true Religion and Church of Christ and shew themselves ready prepared to imbrace the same No Man can come to me says Christ unless my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 None can come to Christ by true Faith without illumination of the Heavenly Father Therefore let them humbly and daily pray to God that he would vouchsafe them a Beam of Light to see and profess the true Belief saying with the Prophet David Lighten mine Eyes lest I sleep the sleep of Death lest my Enemy say when I depart out of this Life I have prevailed against him Psal 13 3 4. Send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles Psal 43.3 Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul unto thee Deliver me from the Enemies of my Salvation O Lord I fly unto thee teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God and the like Thirdly Let them add to their Prayer Alms and Bounty to the Poor How prevalent these two things are to obtain of God a Light of the true Religion the Example of Cornelius the Centurion shews to whom the Angel said Cornelius thy Prayers and thy Alms are come up for a Memorial before God and now send Men to Joppa and call for one Simon whose Sirname is Peter he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do Act. 10.4 Let them imitate the Example of this Man that earnestly desired of God to be directed in finding out the true Religion Lastly Let them diligently with an ardent desire of knowing the Truth consider what is said in this Consultation and if they have any doubt or dissatisfaction let them address themselves to the Catholick Doctors or Priests who will easily resolve them in all points of Faith so that at length they shall obtain by the Grace of God a quiet Conscience and full satisfaction in the knowledge of the true Religion This is the Prayer and Supplication of all the Children of this Holy Mother in their behalf That thou O true and everlasting Light the Enlightner of Men and Angels wouldst enlighten their Minds and inspire them to do what is here advised them For although they are seduced by the deceit of the Devil and have departed from thee and thy Church yet they are thy Creatures made according to thy Image and Likeness redeemed with the price of thy Sacred Blood and called to the Inheritance and Society of thy Celestial and Eternal Kingdom Let no so Glorious a Work of thine perish which cost thee so dear which may render thee Eternal Praises by the Knowledge of the Truth and redound to thy Eternal Glory Dispel this black Cloud which obscures their understanding remove the Fascination of the Devil which blinds the Eyes of their Mind and perverts their Fancy and Judgment strike in them a horrour and fear of that Fire inextinguishable and those Eternal Flames prepared for all those that are destitute of the true Religion infuse into them an ardent Love and Desire of obtaining the knowledge of the Truth to the Salvation of their Souls Shew them the light of thy Mercies that they may know thy Sheep-fold and understand that That was none of thy Sheep-fold which they were in before but the Devils in which whosoever remains are reserved as Sheep not to Life but to Perdition that they may be Fuel for Hell fire and Food for death Death shall feed on them Psal 49.4 Bring them back again to thy Sheep-fold that being refreshed with the wholesome Food of thy Doctrine and of thy wonderful Sacraments they may be healed of their old Wounds made by Satan and grow in thy Spirit the Spirit of Humility and fear of our Lord the Spirit of Meekness and Charity and be quickned to Eternal Life that after this momentary Life they may be partakers of thy Eternal Glory and Happiness and praise bless and glorifie thy Name for ever and ever Amen Now Lastly I admonish all Catholicks An admonition to all Catholicks that they would seriously consider with themselves what a great benefit it is that God by his special favour before innumerable others has made them Professors of the true Religion in what a strict obligation of gratitude they are bound to the Divine Majesty for so great a Mercy How few have this Gift of Faith if you reflect on the infinite Number of those who go astray or doubt and therefore the more to be esteemed Let them consider that amongst all worldly Goods nothing is to be compared to it neither Pleasures nor Honours nor thousands of Gold and Silver nor Sceptres and Crowns The Jewel of true Religion is infinitely better and more precious than all these He that has it is truly rich although poor in Earthly goods as being a Citizen of the Saints a Child of God an Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven and Coheir with Christ if he lives according to the profession of his Faith He that is without the true Religion is thrice unhappy and miserable though he should abound with the Goods and Prosperity of this World 'T is most certain there is but
Christians about it out of hatred to Christian Religion or any other cause they render themselves inexcusable before God For the Affair of Religion and Salvation is of so great moment and concern that it is to be preferred before all other things and ought with the greatest care and diligence to be sought after where there is just occasion to doubt although you were to go into the remotest Countries for satisfaction The Second Question THe other Question is Whether it be sufficient to Salvation to believe in Christ and that he died for our Sins although we refuse to believe many other things Many especially the Vulgar think this to be sufficient if they believe those things concerning God and Christ which are contained in the Apostles Creed all other matters they count indifferent and that every one may believe of them as he is really convinced for they think that every one may believe the Creed according to his own sense and interpretation Therefore they judge that every one which confesseth Christ may be saved in his own Faith or Belief whether he be a Papist or Lutheran or Preâ—byterian or Anabaptist or of any other Sect For all these hold the same Head which is Christ Col. 1.19 and 2.8 all rely on the same Foundation which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Therefore they cannot fail of their Salvation although they dissent in many other things Hence it is that some Princes which are of these New Religions labour very much to establish and amplifie their Dominions by making the Lutherans and Calvinists but one Church and endeavouring to perswade the People that there is no difference amongst them but only in some small Matters and Ceremonies But this Opinion brings with it many ill Consequences First Because it saves almost all ancient Hereticks This Opinion is confuted with Ten Reasons First Reason For many of them confessed Christ and believed the Apostles Creed according to their own interpretation The Arrians then may be saved in their Heresie who deny the Son of God to be of the same Substance with his Father The Macedonians who made the Holy Ghost inferiour to the Son The Nestorians who held two Persons in Christ The Eutychians who affirmed that the Flesh of Christ was converted into his Divinity The Apollinarists who held the Divine Word instead of a Rational Soul united to the Flesh of Christ The Monotholites who maintained that there was but only one Will and Operation in Christ The Pelagians who denied Original Sin and taught that Man by the force of Nature might be able to merit the Grace of God and Salvation The Donatists who averr'd that the Church of Christ was every where perish'd but only in their own Communion The Novatians who denied repentance to faln Sinners The Montanists who thought Montanus was the Holy Ghost All these according to this Opinion are saved in their several Faiths and Heresies because they believed in Christ and the Apostles Creed as now the Lutherans and Calvinists do But what can be counted more absurd and a greater Paradox in the Church of Christ For if Salvation may be had by such a Faith why were so many Councils by a Convocation of Bishops throughout the whole World celebrated at so great labour and charge against these Heresies Why were they so often Anathematized Why did the Holy Fathers strive so much to extirpate them Why were Catholicks so much afraid of society and familiarity with those Hereticks Why did many of them rather suffer banishment death and all kind of torments than subscribe to any of their Heresies Certainly all these things were done in valn foolishly and injuriously if Salvation might be obtained in these Sects which since no Wise Man can affirm we must needs confess that these Heresies are the Plagues of the Mind and no Salvation can possibly consist with them Second Reason Because it condemns all Antiquity of Errour which always judged that Hereticks could not be saved and therefore so fiercely opposed them and always studied so carefully to confute them Third Reason Because it condemns the Apostle who thus writes to Titus A Man that is an Heretick after the First and Second Admonition avoid knowing that he that is such a one is subverted and sinneth being condemned by his own judgment Why is he commanded to avoid him if his Errour was not prejudicial to Salvation Why does he say that he is subverted Again Their Speech spreads as a Canker or Gangreen 2 Tim. 3.17 As therefore a Canker is Mortal to the Body unless it be cut so is an Heretick to the Company of the Faithful and therefore they are forbid to hear their Sermons or read their Heretical Books which are infectious spreading like a Canker But it may be some will say that no Body is to be esteemed a Heretick unless he denies Christ or some Article of the Apostles Creed But this is altogether ignorantly and absurdly said for then he would not be an Heretick that should renounce the Old and New Testament and say that it is connterfeited or written by the Spirit of Man and liable to many Errours as are the writings of prophane Authors He would not be an Heretick that should deny Hell or Eternal Punishment or that should hold that all the Devils shall be saved since none of these things are in the Apostles Creed He would not be an Heretick that should condemn Marriage and alledge that Matrimony is Diabolical that should judge some Meats to be impure or unclean of their own Nature which the Apostle esteems Heretical Lastly he would not be an Heretick that should affirm that there were Two Persons in Christ whom St. John calls an Heretick and Antichrist 1 Epist c 4. nor would he be an Heretick that denies Baptism and all the Sacraments Lastly none of those fore-mentioned should be reckoned Hereticks which is repugnant to all Antiquity and all Doctors of the Church since the Apostles days Fourth Reason This Opinion renders all Heresies and Sectaries equal with the Orthodox Faith judging Salvation may as well be obtained by them as by it Then the true and Orthodox Religion will be no better than Arrianism Pelagianism Nestorianism Eutychianism and other false Religions whieh is in it self most absurd and nothing else but to introduce meer Atheism For to grant all Religions to be good and that it concerns nothing our Salvation what Religion we profess is to regard no Religion at all For if there be any Religion this can be but only one as there is but one Truth one Justice one Faith one Beatitude one God and Lord of all things one Mediator of God and Men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Fifth Reason 'T is ridiculous to say that it is enough for a Man to believe the Creed Of the Faith of the Creed according to his own sence or meaning since there is but only one Truth which if he does not attain to then he believes falsely but what