they might have true Faith in him Which they could not have but by Believing the Word of God The Apostle saying Rom. 10. Faith is by Hearing and Hearing is by the Word of Christ Whilst such then Heard and Believ'd The Doctrine of the Church that is the Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church they Heard and Believ'd the Word of God The same do Papists now Futhermore it cannot be doubted but that the Gospel and Voice of Christ is the Word of God and that those which hear these hear the Word of God. But the Preaching and Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church of Christ is the Gospel and Voice of Christ Ergo c. This is clear out of Matth. 24. where Christ says This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preach'd in the whole World for a Testimony to all Nations and then shall come the Consummation For who do Preach this Gospel in all Ages till the end of the World but the Doctors and Pastors of the Church Their Preaching then is the Gospel of Christ and consequently the Word of God. Christ likewise says John 10. speaking of his Sheep which he is to gather out of the Gentiles even till the end of the World Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold that is of the Flock of the Jews Them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice Christ did not nor doth not Preach to the Gentiles to gather his Sheep from amongst them in all Ages by his own Corporal Voice But by the Voice and Teaching of the Pastors of his Church Their Voice then is his Voice and consequently the Word of God. Which is yet further shew'd out of Luke 10. where Christ says to his Pastors and Teachers He that heareth you heareth me Wherefore while Papists do hear the Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church lineally succeeding the Apostles they hear the Word of God the Gospel of Christ the Voice of Christ yea Christ himself And therefore they cannot be justly said to believe in matters of Faith the Doctrines of men Or to hazard their Souls upon the Doctrines of men But upon the Authority of God speaking in and by that Church which his continual assistance maketh to be The Pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. But the Case is not so with Protestants For they do not only rely and hazard their Souls upon the Doctrines of Men But they also prefer the Doctrines of men before the express Word of God. For in divers most weighty Points of Religion they leave not only the Antient Fathers the General Councils and the ever visible and Catholick Church of Christ but even the Word of God it self to follow the Teaching of their new Masters This will seem at first a strange or rather a very Injurious and Contumelious Imputation But let us make it plain by some examples The Word of God says James 2. 24. Do you see that a man is justify'd by Works and not by Faith only But Protestant Teachers say that a man is justify'd Not by Works but by Faith only Mark how directly they contradict the Word of God. For that says By Works and not by Faith only And these do Protestants believe rather than the express Word of God in the weighty point of Justification On which their Salvation depends which is not obtain'd but by the true manner of Justification Secondly The Word of God says Luke 1. 6. That the Parents of John the Baptist Were both Just before God walking in all the Commandments and Justifications of our Lord without blame Whence it clearly follows that this Holy Couple kept all Gods Commandments For he that breaks them doth not Walk in them without blame The Word of God likewise says 1 John 5. 3. This is the Charity of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not heavy But Protestant Teachers generally affirm that the Commandments of God are Impossible are such as no man can keep are Insupportable And confequently they must say that no man is bound to keep them For no man is bound to do more than he is able By which Doctrine they do not only loose the Bridle to all Vice and make God more Indiscreet and more Tyrannical than any other Commander in the World But They also flatly contradict the word of God Which not only shews that some men have kept the Commandments but also expresly affirms that they are not Heavy And yet Protestants rather believe these than the Word of God in this most weighty point But Note well what follows against these Teachers out of the Word of God 1 John 2. 4. Which there says He who saith he knows God and does not keep his Commandments is a Lyer and the Truth is not in him But Protestant Teachers affirm that they rightly know God but do not nor cannot keep his Commandments Ergo They are Lyars Our Saviour Instituting the Holy Eucharist says Luke 22. 19. This is my Body which is given for you But English Ministers generally say That the Eucharist is not Christ's Body which was given for us that is his True Body But a Figure or remembrance of it Christ says My Body which is given for you That is my True Body For his True Body was given for Us suffer'd for Us and not a Figure or Remembrance thereof But these new Teachers say Not his True Body not that which was given for Vs that suffer'd for Vs But a Figure of it which the Word of God no where Teaches And thus they flatly contradict the Word of God in this most important Article of Faith On the right Belief and Use of which Salvations depends as is manifest out of the 6 St. Joh. and out of the 11. of the 1 of Corinthians And yet These our English Protestants believe rather than the Word of God though it expresly says That the Eucharist is the Body of Christ The Flesh of Christ He himself saying John 6. 51. The Bread which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World. 4ly Daniâ—l 2. 44. The VVord of God says In the days of those Kingdoms the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that is the Church of Christ that shall not be dissipated for ever And his Kingdom shall not be deliver'd to another people And it shall break in pieces and shall consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Of which Church of Christ speaking again c. 7. He saith His Power is an Eternal Power that shall not be taken away and his Kingdom that shall not be corrupted Conformable to which clear Prophecy of Daniel concerning the Perpetuity and Incorruption of the Kingdom and Church of the Messias Christ speaking of his Church Matth. 16. says And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against her That is The Power of the Devil and false Doctrines by which men are seduc'd and brought to Hell. John 14. 16. He says That
the Holy Ghost should Abide with his Apostles for ever That is with them and their Successors the Doctors and Pastors of his Church For they were not in their own Persons to abide for ever with the Church to Teach and Guide her And John 16. 13. He says That the same Divine Spirit should Teach them all Truth In respect of whose continual abode with the Church to Teach her in matters of Faith and Religion All Truth St. Paul stiles her 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Pillar and ground of Truth But Protestant Teachers say that the Church of Christ Hath been Corrupted That the Gates of Hell that is the Devil and his Instruments Have prevail'd against her and have fill'd her with Pernicious Errors and Superstitions for above these thousand years That the Holy Ghost hath not taught her All Truth but hath given place to the Devil permitting him to replenish her with Errors and Superstitions to the ruine and loss of Infinite Christian Souls That She is not the Pillar and ground of Truth But the receptacle and sink of falshood And thus they directly contradict the Word of God about this prime and most important Article of the Truth and Incorruption of the Church of Christ in matters of Faith and Religion And yet Protestants rather believe Them than the clear Word of God so much doth draw and blind the Love of Novelty and Liberty But they will say we leave not the Word of God to follow the Teaching of Men But to follow the right meaning of the Word of God deliver'd unto Us by our Teachers I answer First Have you just cause to think that these your Teachers who have neither Unity nor Sanctity nor Antiquity nor the Gift of Miracles nor any true Calling and sending from God do rather deliver unto you the right meaning of the Word of God than the Antient Fathers General Councils and ever Visible Church of Christ guided by the Holy Ghost I believe not I Answer Secondly That you are mistaken For you leave the Word of God to follow the Interpretation of your Teachers Which Interpretation is not Gods Word but their Word their Conceit their Doctrine and Explication of Gods Word To follow which you leave as I have shew'd the express Word of God. And therefore most true it is that you leave the Word of God to follow the Doctrines of Men If your Teachers be men Thirdly I answer That if Affection did not make your Judgements miscarry you might easily see that the Doctrine of your Teachers being so directly contrary to the VVord of God cannot be the meaning thereof For God in his Sacred VVord Ordain'd to instruct and not to delude us and in his profound Mysteries doth not use to speak one thing and to mean the clean contrary To say that the Eucharist is his Body and to mean That it is not his Body but a Figure of it To say that men are justify'd by Works and not by Faith only And to mean that they are not justify'd by Works but by Faith only For this manner of dealing is fitter for a Jugler than for God And if the same be once allow'd of what foolish wicked damnable Heresie can there be that may not be thus defended by Scripture Or what Articles of the Christian Faith may be firmly prov'd out of the Word of God if wilfull head-strong Presumptions Teachers may in this sort Explicate Delude and Contradict the clear plain and Literal Sense thereof If any one desire to see more places of Gods word contradicted in this manner by Protestant Teachers let him look in the Industrious Collation of Doctor Smith formerly Bishop of Calcedon and he shall there find demonstrated to his Eye that these men by their new Doctrine do oppose the express VVord of God in above two hundred Points of Religion now Controverted betwixt the Catholicks and them So far off they are from Teaching the Pure VVord of God as they make their Credulous Followers believe And so wide their Doctrine is from being the True Light of the Gospel as they usually stile it VVhereas in very deed it is only their own new Interpretation of the Gospel not the Gospel it self As is evident by the multitude of Sects which are amongst them Some being Lutherans others Swinglians others Anabaptists others Calvinists others new Arians others Quakers some Puritans some Arminians some Parliamentary Protestants and the like VVhich could not happen if all their Teachers indeed did follow the VVord of God that being but one and not their several Explications and Interpretations of it VVhence it doth clearly appear that the state of Protestants is most dangerous Because in those Points of Doctrine in which they differ from the Old Religion instead of following the VVord of God they meerly follow the VVord of Men. Question VI. Whether God hath left to Christian People any sure Rule of Faith any certain Guide in matters of Religion any Infallible Interpreter of his Word TO discover to Protestants the true Root of their Division into so many Sects I demand of them whether they have any certain Rule of Faith or no That is whether they have any sure and un-erring Guide to Direct them in matters of Faith to the right meaning of the VVord of God Any Infallible Proposer of their Articles of Faith Any un-erring Director in the profound Mysteries of the Christian Religion and in the practice of the Worship of God If they have none of these How can their Faith be certain If it be uncertain doubtful wavering as indeed it is for want of a sure Rule to guide it by With what Prudence may Christian People hazard their Souls therein If Protestants have any certain Rule of Faith why do not the Learned of their Churches make use thereof to agree and attone the Controversies which are among them That they are divided into such several Branches as I a little before nam'd cannot be deny'd That they jar and contend about weighty Points of Religion is manifest For they differ about Predestination the Cause of Sin the Redemption of Christ his Descending into Hell his Ascension up to Heaven and sitting at the Right-hand of God his Equality with his Father the Baptizing of Infants the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist Church Government Ceremonies and like Which to be weighty matters and such as wring the Conscience beside the Nature it self of these things is clearly shew'd by the Reluctation of our English Non-conformists But to avoid the Disgrace of uncertainty in Matters of Faith some Protestants will say that they want not a Sure Rule to square out their Faith by For the Scripture to them is a certain and Infallible Guide But to manifest how defective this Answer is I demand whether the Scripture of it self or Interpreted be a sure Rule of Faith If of it self without the help of an Interpreter it be such a Rule Why have not all that read it
unto us and to guide us in Matters of Faith and Religion if ever they mean to repress justly the Irreligious boldness of Fanatical Interpreters and to see Peace again restored to the Christian World. Which Root of Dissention is no other thing than that liberty to Read and Interpret the Holy Scriptures which the Protestant Religion instilleth into Men while it denieth the Infallibility of the Church admitteth of no certain and un-erring Judge of Controversies to whose definitive Sentence all are bound to submit and maketh the written Word of God of it self without an Interpreter the sole Rule of Faith by which all Men ought to square out their Belief and Religion By all which it appeareth to be manifest That according to the Grounds and Tenets of the Protestant Religion the Sacred word of God is not only unprofitable but even hurtful and pernicious to Mankind for want of a Sure Interpreter appointed by God to guide us in Faith and Religion to the right Sense and Meaning thereof As beside the Reasons given the manifold Examples of divers unfortunate Men do convince who by over-boldly searching into the Bible have either crack'd their Brains or fallen into despair or turned Jews Turks or Atheists or imbraced absurd and ridiculous Opinions for what made Hacket formerly Naylor and others lately to give themselves out for New Christs What made so many false Prophets and Prophetesses appear in the late Confusions of England Or what occasion'd then so many Sacriledges Barbarities and Cruelties but too much poring into and medling with the Bible Question VIII Whether the State of the Great Family City Kingdom Commonwealth Army of Jesus Christ that is of his Church do require a Supream Spiritual Head or no ALL understanding Protestants will easily grant that no Family City Kingdom Commonwealth Army or Navy can be fittingly and rightly ordered and govern'd without some Head or Supream Magistrate to whom Subjects may have recourse and from whom they may receive Directions as need shall require Which being so I demand of Protestants whether the State in Earth of the Great Family City Kingdom Commonwealth Army of Jesus Christ that is his Church doth of necessity require for the fit Uniform and peaceable Government thereof a Supream Head a Supream Spiritual Magistrate to whom the Subjects thereof may have Recourse and from whom they may re-receive Directions in matters of Faith and Religion as need shall require To deny the Necessity of such a Supream Magistrate for the fit Government of the Church of Christ consisting of Men yea of so many several Nations differing in Laws Customs Affections Empire and the like is manifestly against Reason And to affirm that although such a Magistrate be extreamly needful for the due Government of His Church yet he neglected to provide Her of any such is to accuse him of want of Wit and Discretion for there was never yet amongst Civil People so simple a Founder of a Commonwealth or so simple a Law-maker that ordained no Supream Power in his Commonwealth no Interpreter of his Law no Judge to decide and end Controversies Christ then being Founder of the best Commonwealth that ever was and maker of the best Law that Mankind ever received it can be no less than Blasphemy to affirm that he left this his Noble Common-wealth without a Supream Magistrate to whom his People might have recourse and his Divine and Evangelical Law containing so many obscure Verities so many profound Mysteries without an Interpreter without a Judge to decide and end Controversies Moreover If Christ hath ordained no such Supream Magistrate Head or Guide of his Church in things Spiritual appertaining to Faith and Religion it seems to follow clearly and manifestly that every man is at liberty to believe what he list and to practise what Worship of God he thinks best What Unity then in Faith what Uniformity in the Worship of the Divinity can there be in the Church of Christ Or what sure means have Christian People to know who be right and who Heretical Believers Or to discern their true Prelates whom they are bound to obey Heb. 13. 17. from False Prophets from Heretical Teachers whom they are to shun under pain of Damnation Matth. 7. Tit. 3. Yea How can any man be proved to be a false Teacher if there be not some known true Teacher If no man hath Power and Authority from God to direct the Faith of others If no man be bound and obliged by Christ to Believe or to Teach as an other would have him how can any man be justly esteemed to Believe or Teach amiss Or why should he be reputed to Believe or Teach amiss if he be not bound to limit and square out his Faith and Teaching by the Judgement and Discretion of some other Wherefore either we must say that the Church of Christ is not to be obeyed that false Prophets are not to be avoided that no man doth Believe or Teach amiss so long as he Believes and Teaches well in his own Judgement and that no man is or can be in respect of Men an Heretick or a false Prophet All which is contrary to the Word of God and plainly overthroweth all Christianity or else we must affirm as the certain Truth is that God hath ordained and appointed some to teach and to direct others what they ought to Believe and Practise to obtain Life everlasting and others to be taught and guided What will Protestants to this Will they deny all possibility of Vnity and of Order in the Church and Family of Christ or else will they grant as Reason and as the Truth requires that God hath ordained some visible Ministerial Head some Supream Spiritual Magistrate in his Church to whom all may have Recourse in the Affairs of Religion and by whom all are bound to be directed in Points of Faith and in the Practise of his Divine Worship If this they grant I demand which is this Head this Spiritual Magistrate and in whom doth reside this Supream Spiritual Power and Authority Doth it reside in Supream Spiritual or in Supream Temporal Magistrates If in Supream Temporal doth it reside in one or in many If in one who is this Supream Temporal Magistrate Who hath Power and Authority even by Gods Ordination to direct the whole World all the Nations of the Earth in matters of Faith and in the Practise of Gods Worship And how is this proved out of the Word of God If this Supream Power reside not in any one Supream Temporal Magistrate Doth it by Gods Ordination reside in many that is in the Supream Temporal Magistracy of each Common-wealth in such sort that the Supream Temporal Magistrate Prince or King of each Commonwealth or Kingdom hath Power and Authority from God to direct the Subjects thereof in Faith and to appoint them what Religion they shall follow what Worship of God they shall practise If so then the Subjects of each Commonwealth are bound under Pain of
the Old Religion to be such so Vile Absurd and Superstitious as the false Tongues and Pens of divers of their Teachers who like to those of Isaias 28. 15. make Lying their Hope and are protected with Lying depaint it to be that so with more tranquility of mind they may enjoy the Liberty of their New Religion esteeming the Absurdities reported of the Old to warrant them sufficiently not only not to look after the same but also utterly to hate and detest it Yet in a Business of so great importance as is the Salvation or Damnation of their Souls they might remember that one Tale is good till another be heard and the rather for respect to their Noble Progenitors and to the numerous Troops of Blessed Souls now reigning with Christ in Glory which have liv'd and dy'd in the Old Religion But seeing that neither the Wisdom and Sanctity of these nor the earnest Cries of Catholicks now living who continually avouch that Protestants are mis-informed mistake mis-construe mis-understand the Tenets and Practises of the Catholick Religion can move them to make a serious Scarch into Religion Catholicks must comfort themselves to think that howsoever their Religion is here dis-esteem'd yet the Haters Impugners and Oppressors thereof will be of another mind at the Judgement Seat of Christ when their great Account must be made when Pleasures Riches Honours will be past when Obedience to Christ and his Church when a Holy and Mortify'd Life will be priz'd and when the Glorious Troops of Holy Doctors and Pastors and of innumerable other blessed Men and Women will stand up in Judgement with great constancy against all that have neglected vilified contemned derided their Authority Teaching Practice Examples as many of the New Gospellers usually do Question IX Whether the Way to Salvation be narrow or no IN the Ninth Place I demand of Considerate Protestants whether the Way to Salvation be narrow or no If this happy Tract be not indeed a narrow Way Why did Christ with a kind of Admiration say Math. 7. 14. How narrow is the Gate and straight the Way that leadeth to Life and how few there are that find it Was he deceived or did he intend to deceive us if neither because in very Truth this Way to Flesh and Blood is narrow and not to be kept and travelled without much Labour great Difficulty and frequent Mortification both of the Body by crucifying the Flesh and the Concupiscences thereof Gal. 5. 24. and also of the Mind by subjecting the Will to the Laws of Charity 1 Cor. 13. and by bringing the Understanding into Captivity for Obedience to Christ in believing as the Apostles and their Successors do teach 2 Cor. 10. 5. without suffering much for the Love of God for the Practice of Virtue for the avoiding of sin and for the Profession of our Faith if a storm of Persecution arise If I say for These and such like respects the Tract of Salvation be indeed a narrow way as the Blessed Son of God affirms who best knew this matter How may any Protestant Prudently perswade himself that the Protestant Religion is really this hard and narrow way seeing that it is one of the easiest Religions in the World one of the widest and broadest ways For what greater ease and freedom in Religion can there be than to be ty'd to no sharpness and Mortification of Body And to be at liberty in Mind to believe in matters of Religion what we think best our selves VVhich liberty most certainly all Protestants have by the very Tenets and Principles of their Religion which freeth them from being bound in their own Conceit to Believe as the Church Teaches And takes from them in the same manner the yoke of Fasting of Confession of Pennance Freeth them from all necessity of doing good VVorks to be Sav'd Yea and of keeping the Commandments of God as most Protestants hold And Teacheth them to esteem themselves justify'd from Sin and secur'd from all pain in the next Life and sure of Salvation by only Faith by Believing only and stedfastly that the Lord hath dy'd for them and pay'd the shot of their Sins That this is so not only their express Doctrine but even also the Lives of Protestants especially of their Teachers and Ring-leaders do evidently convince And therefore seeing that no doubt can be made but that the Protestant is a most easie Religion and exceedingly pleasing to Flesh and Blood There can no doubt also be made but that it is not that narrow way of which our Saviour did speak which leadeth to Salvation But rather the broad way which leadeth to ever-lasting Perdition VVhat satisfying Answer to this Protestants may make I see not And therefore such of them as truly desire to secure their Souls and to avoid everlasting misery may do well and wisely to return whilst they have time to that Religion wherein their Fore-fathers for the space almost of a thousand years were Sav'd And wherein also they may be Sav'd if they will even by the grant of their own Learned men as hereafter shall appear which Religion if they will practice exactly they shall find it indeed to be a Narrow-way to Flesh and Blood Yet sweet and easie to Minds elevated by Grace and inflam'd with the Love of Heaven Question X. How it can be defended that Jesus was the True Messiah promis'd in the Old Testament if the Church which he Founded err'd so many Ages in her Doctrine of Faith. IT is a certain undoubted and undenyable Truth and not to be question'd amongst Christians that Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary is the true Messias the True Christ promis'd in the Old Testament the Omnipotent Son of God Truly God Truly Man and the true and sole Redeemer of the World. This I say is a most certain Truth and not doubted of by any but wicked Miscreants Yet to discover the Nature of the Protestant Religion and to shew clearly to my Dear Countrymen whether it tendeth that thereby if they will they may receive the less hurt by it I must crave leave to demand how this prime and Fundamental Truth of Christianity can be defended and maintain'd against Atheists Turks and Jews if we admit for a Truth that That Church which Jesus founded and which his Apostles planted in the World hath grievously and perniciously err'd in her Doctrine of Faith and in the practice of the Worship of God for many Hundred years Yea almost even since the times of the Apostles That the Church of Jesus hath so Erred is the Main Prime and Fundamental Ground of the Protestant Religion as is well * The Homily against the Perils of Idolatry p. 57. known For upon This as upon a sure Foundation Protestant Teachers have raised all their New Buildings Upon this as upon a sufficient Cause they have forsaken the Old Religion of the Christian World pretending it to be Erroneous Superstitious Idolatrous and have undertaken their various and discordant
prove even in this Sense their Religion to be Apostolick Question III. If the Protestant Religion be Truly Catholick When was it spread over the World and what Heathen Nations hath it Converted to Christ IF the Protestant Religion be truly Catholick as the Teachers thereof do stile it it is now and in former Ages must have been spread over the World. For Christ as Daniel foretold c. 2. Was to grow into a Mountain that is into a Church which is his Mystical Body that was to fill the whole Earth And as the Royal Prophet Sung Psal 2. He was to have the Gentiles for his Inheritance and the ends of the Earth for his Possession The Christians also of all Ages were bound to believe a Catholick Church according to the Creed of the Apostles as I before shew'd Which being so if Protestants have been this Catholick Church and their Religion the most common and Vniversal Religion believ'd over the World They must have spread themselves and their Religion over the World by Converting Heathen Nations to Christ according to the clear Promises of God made to the Patriarchs that in their Seed that is in Christ all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Which Promises you shall find in my tenth Question and according to the words of Christ Matth. 24. saying This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preached in the whole World for a Testiomny to all Nations And then shall come the Consummation That is the end of the World. Now then I demand of Protestants what Heathen Nations in this and in former Ages they have Converted to the Belief and Practice of their Religion and have thereby spread the same over the World as the True Catholick Faith of Christ ought to be spread If they cannot truly name any such Nations as indeed they cannot unless they will feigne Let them confess as the certain Truth is that their Religion is neither Truly Catholick but so term'd to delude the simple nor the true Faith of Christ by which in him the Nations of the Earth are to be Blessed Let each Prudent Protestant who truly seeks Salvation thoroughly weigh this Point Question IV. What likelihood there is that to bring to pass and effect the great and Merciful work of the Conversion of the Nations of the Earth and of their Kings to Christ God hath never yet made use of the True Religion of Christ and of the Pure Light of his Gospel IT is certain out of the Word of God alledg'd in the last Question that Christ was to have the Gentiles for his Inheritance and the ends of the Earth for his Possession as the Royal Prophet foretold Psal 2. 8. That is He was to destroy false Religions and the Worship of False Gods and of the Devil through the World and to introduce his own Divine and most Holy Religion and the True Worship of one God amongst the Nations of the Earth Thereby to bring unto them the Blessing Promised Gen. c. 12. c. 22. c. 26. c. 28. and Psal 71. 2ly It is also certain that Christ was to enter upon this his Inheritance and to begin the ruine of Idolatry and the Conversion of the Gentiles by the Preaching of his Apostles within some few years after his Ascension As is clear out of the Commission which he gave them Matth. 28. saying Go Teach all Nations and out of the words of St. Paul Act. 13. saying to the Jews To you it behoov'd us first to speak the Word of God But because you repel it and judge your selves unworthy of Eternal Life behold we turn to the Gentiles for so our Lord commanded us I have put thee to be the Light of the Gentiles that thou mayest be Salvation unto the utmost of the Earth Isaias 49. Thirdly It is certain that although the Conversion of the Gentiles was to be begun by the Apostles yet it was not to be compleatly finish'd by them but was to be continued by their Successors the Doctors and Pastors of the Church Ephes 4. 12. And not to be accomplish'd till toward the end of the World as is clear out of Gods word Matth. 24. Where our Saviour being ask'd a Sign of his coming to Judgement and of the end of the World gave the compleat Preaching of his Gospel to all Nations for a sign thereof saying This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preached in the whole World for a Testimony to all Nations and then shall come the Consummation This also is manifest out of Isaias by whom God foretold the conversion of the Kings of the Earth to Christ his Son and their lowly subjection to his Church saying v. 7. c. 49. Kings shall see and Princes shall arise and Adore for the Lords sake And again Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers and Queens thy Nurses With Countenance cast down toward the ground they shall Adore thee and they shall lick the Dust of thy feet And c. 60. Thy Gates shall be open continually day and night they shall not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their Kings may be brought For the Nation and the Kingdom that shall not serve thee shall perish And a little after speaking again of the Church of Christ gather'd out of the Gentiles he says For that thou wast forsaken viz. in the time of the Law of Moses and hated and there was none that pass'd by thee I will make thee to be the pride of Worlds a joy unto Generation and Generation And thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles And thou shalt be Nursed with the Teats of Kings Out of which clear Prophesies it seems to be manifest that the chief Conversion of the Gentiles was to be effected long after the times of the Apostles When the Roman Empire the strength then of the Gentiles in the time of Constantine the Great And in the following Ages the Kings and Princes of Spain France England Scotland Ireland Denmark Norway Swedeland Poland Hungary and of other Countries were Converted to the Faith of Christ and wonderfully Honour'd and Inrich'd his Church as the Laws of exemption which they made or receiv'd the Edifices which they Built and Bishopricks and Monasteries which they Founded and Endowed do abundantly testify For in the Apostles days and some Ages after was rather fulfill'd the Prediction of Christ foretelling Luke 21. That his Disciples and Servants should be Hated before Kings and Presidents and should be Despis'd Persecuted and Kill'd by them Which things being so I demand of Prudent and Considerate Protestants what probability there is that to bring to pass the Divine and Merciful work of the Conversion of the Nations of the Earth and of their Kings to the Chaste and Holy Faith of Christ and to the Worship of the true God from the Impure Service of False Gods and detestable Worship of the Devil God hath never made use of the True Religion of Christ and of the Pure Light of his Gospel if
Divine Faith that is the Gift of God no Man can be saved according to the settled Ordination and Providence of God as I before have clearly shewed out of his Word Out of this Doctrine which is most True doth appear First The Reason of the Doctrine of Christ deliver'd Matt. 7. where he declares That false Prophets that is false Expounders of the Word of God in Matters of Faith do destroy Souls like as Wolves do destroy Sheep and that it is as impossible that thei Followers should acquire by their Teaching Divine Faith and True Sanctity as it is impossible that Thorns should bring out Grapes or Thistles Figgs The same Doctrine is taught by the Apostle who affirms That Hereticks are Subverted Tit. 3. And Subvert the Faith of others 2 Tim. 2. 18. That they make Shipwrack about Faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. That they depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. That they are Reprobate about Faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. and the like Which mischief they fall into themselves and bring upon their Followers though they Err but in one Article of Faith as Himenaeus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2. 18. And as Arius did at the first denying the Equality of the Father and the Son. But Note here That the Apostle in the places cited doth not mean that Heretical Teachers do so Subvert and Ruine the Faith of their Followers that they leave them no Faith at all but that they Subvert their Divine Faith which is the Gift of God wholly overthrowing that though they leave them store of Humane Faith to which seduced People firmly sticking yea sometimes even to Fetters and Death do reap thereby nothing at all but Temporal Commodities and Vain-glory purchased with the Eternal loss of their Souls Secondly Doth appear out of the same Doctrine the great Obligation that Christian People have to keep themselves within the Bosom of the True and Catholick Church of Christ Because that this Church being continually assisted by Christ himself Matth. 28. 20. And taught all Truth by the Holy Ghost John 16. 13. doth propose unto her Followers in her Doctrine of Faith nothing but Truth whereby their Faith doth easily come to be Divine and the Gift of God his Heavenly Grace Co-operating with them It doth also appear how deeply they are obliged to take heed of and to shun and avoid False Prophets False and Heretical Expounders of God's Word which run of their own accord not being sent authorized or allowed of by the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Ever Visible and Catholick Church of Christ And how wary they ought to be not to have itching Ears after new Masters 2 Tim. 4. 3. Or greedily to hearken to their Novelties in Matters of Faith which upon the reckoning will be found to be no better than Fables that is than the Fictitious and Self-inventions of Mens Brains Though these busie Teachers palliate them with specious terms and bear their Hearers in Hand That these their new devices are the Pure Light of the Gospel For by forsaking the Doctrine of the Church the Spiritual Mother and Mistress of all Nations and as the Apostle terms her 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Pillar and Ground of Truth and following such New Teachers they make Shipwrack of their Divine Faith and run themselves assuredly upon the Rock of Perdition Thirdly It appears how dangerously those are deceived who think they have Faith enough to Salvation if they believe those Points of the Christian Religion about which both Catholicks and Protestants agree esteeming themselves not obliged to believe any of those Articles about which the Learned of these two Religions do differ and contend As though Christian People were not obliged under pain of Damnation to beware of False Prophets Matth. 7. To shun Heretical Teachers Tit. 3. To obey their Lawful Prelates and to be subject unto them in Matters of Faith and Religion Heb. 13. To hear those Teachers whom Christ doth send Luk. 10. To hear and obey the Voice of his Church if they will not be held to be in as ill Case as Publicans and Ethnicks are Matth. 18. Or as though they were not bound to know the right means by which they are to be Justified cleansed from Sin and Saved to Believe rightly and to Receive worthily the great Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. Joh. 6. And as though they were not obliged under the same Penalty to believe and profess the True Gospel the True Faith and Religion of Christ and to Serve and Worship God rightly Seeing those which believe not his Gospel that is the whole Summ of Divine Doctrine taught by his Apostles Apostles and by their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church are to be Damned Mark 16. As those also are Which deny Christ before Men Matth. 10. 33. Which Crime all commit who deny themselves to be of the True Religion as is manifest by the Example of St. Peter who denying only that he was a Follower of Christ and of his Company was reputed to deny Christ even as those will be who culpably profess a False Religion For such by their very Fact deny the True and themselves to be of the Communion thereof and of the Company and Society of the True Followers Disciples and Servants of Christ whereby at his Judgement-seat they will be reputed to have forsaken and denied him But to open this Point a little more because many even of the better sort are brought thereby into no small danger of Perdition this their Conceit is not grounded upon any clear Text of Gods Word or upon the Authority of any Vnerring Church but meerly upon a Mistake of their own by which out of one or two Truths they infer a pernicious Falshood upon which while they trust they trust to a broken Staff which at their last Leap will let them fall into the deep Ditch of Perdition if before their Death they cast it not away The first Truth is that the Illiterate Simple Unlearned of the True and Catholick Church of Christ are not bound to know and expresly believe that is with Faith explicit as Divines speak all the Articles of Faith which the Learned Doctors and Pastors of this Church do know and believe But such do satisfie the Precept of Faith if they believe with Faith explicit the prime and more celebrated Articles and Misteries of the Christian Religion contained in the Creed or solemnized by the Church which appertain to the right knowledge of the Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection of Christ and which concern the Redemption Justification Sanctification and Glorification of Man so that they believe the rest with Faith implicit that is so that they believe as the Church believes being ever ready in Heart and Affection to submit their Judgements in matters of Faith and Religion to the Judgement of the Church and to believe as She shall teach But yet although such are not bound to believe expresly and in
particular all the Articles of Faith which the Learned Pastors of the Church believe yet they are bound under the Penalty of Eternal Damnation not to deny wittingly any one of them nor to doubt stubbornly of the truth of them nor to believe wittingly the contrary for he that so doth falleth thereby into the damning Crime of Heresie Which ever includes an Election or Culling out of certain Articles out of the Doctrine of the Church which are imbraced for true and a Rejection of the rest as Doubtful False or Erronious Which presumptuous discarding of Divine Verities revealed by Christ to his Apostles for the direction of Mankind to Eternal Happiness and by them laid up in the Treasury of the Church as a Sacred Depositum 1 Tim. 6. 20. under the sure Custody of the Holy Ghost is no less than High-Treason against Christ our Saviour in regard that it raises a most pernicious Rebellion in his Spiritual Kingdom bringing part thereof again under the Tyranny of the Devil It frustrates the full Operation of his Passion extinguishes the true and right Worship of God despoils Christian People of Divine Faith and thereby of the true means of Salvation It deprives the Saints of due Honour defrauds the Faithful departed of necessary Relief It robbs Heaven of Souls and inriches Hell with innumerable unwary and most unhappy People For which respects it is rightly stiled one of the greatest Sins and of the loudest crying Crimes that is Although I say the Unlearned of the Church are not bound to believe explicitly all Her Sacred Verities yet they are bound not to deny any one of them wittingly even as they are not bound to know all that is in the Sacred Scripture yet they are bound not to deny any thing therein contain'd though it be never so small a thing because all is warranted by the Authority of God which is of equal Force and Worth of equal Truth both in great and in small things which therefore are of equal Certainty it being as far from God to lie and deceive in small things as in great And therefore prudent Men in Matters of Faith and Religion seek no farther than whether this or that be warranted by Gods Authority or no which they learn by the Teaching of the Church guided by the Holy Ghost for there is no other sure and infallible Means on Earth to direct us in the obscure Misteries of Faith about which anew God now reveals nothing but leaves us to the Teaching of his Church guided as I said by the Holy Ghost which makes all Discreet Christians to submit so humbly their Judgements to the Church and to relie so securely upon her Authority God himself assuring them that She is the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Second Truth is That the Subjects of the Church of Christ are not bound either to know or believe certain disputable Points of Divinity not defin'd by the Church which are controverted among the Learned The pernicious Falshood inferred out of these Truths is That Christian People who are not Learned are not bound under hazard of their Souls to believe those Articles of Faith taught by the the True and Catholick Church of Christ which false Prophets which Heretical Men reputed Learned do question deny and dispute against As though the Bad Proud Rebellious and Ungodly proceeding of these Men were a sufficient Warrant unto others to doubt of the Truth of Gods revealed Verities to mangle and believe by halves his Sacred Religion to disobey their Lawful Prelates to deprive their Souls of the fruitful use of Christs Divine Sacraments to contemn the Doctrine and to forsake the Communion of the Church Which is manifestly absurd and untrue being contrary both to Reason and Scripture as I have shewed Which teach that Christian People in the profound Mysteries of the Christian Religion are bound to be guided by those Doctors and Pastors Act. 20. which God hath placed in his Church and authorised to Teach Direct and Guide them And that they are likewise most deeply obliged to beware of and to shun false Prophets and Heretical Teachers and not to heap to themselves new Masters with itching Ears leaving the Truth of the Pillar of Truth the Church of the Living God and turning to Fables that is either to their own Self-conceits or to the Self-conceits of others which in the Mysteries of the Christian Religion when they swerve from the Doctrine of the Church are no truer than Fables though they be gilded over with the fair Title of the true Light of the Gospel and therefore the Faith of those who are guided by such Conceiters is never Divine never the Gift of God never available to Salvation For the clear understanding of which Assertion Note First That most true it is that God hath revealed many profound Misteries and Divine Verities for Men to believe to be thereby directed fittingly what to hold and to practise for the obtaining of ever-during Happiness Note Secondly That it is also most true that Man of himself without the Aid of Coelestial Grace is not able to believe these Verities fittingly and suitably to his Supernatural End. Note Thirdly That God cannot stir up and draw men by this his Heavenly Grace to believe these Verities unless they be proposed to be believ'd without all mixture of Falshood for if any Falshood be packt in among them and proposed with them for a Divine Truth revealed by God he cannot draw men by his Grace to believe them thus mingled and proposed with Falshood as is manifest because he cannot induce men to believe any Falshood at all And therefore whosoever doth thrust in among some Divine Verities any false Doctrine contrary to that which God hath revealed proposing the same to be believed as a Divine Truth and therein stubbornly contradicting the Teaching of the Church he debars God from co-opperating with his Grace and from drawing People to believe with Divine Faith the Doctrine so mixt and proposed Note Fourthly That Gods revealed Verities will fall out to be of no utility at all to Mankind but rather a Trap to ruine them unless there be some sure un-erring and infallible Proposer of them who doth propose them to Gods People without any mixture of Falshood at all in such sort that he doth not propose any thing as an Article revealed by God which is not so or which is false and contrary to that which God hath indeed reveal'd And therefore that God may draw men by the special aid of his Grace to believe with Divine Faith his revealed Misteries and Verities he must cause them to be proposed to men sincerely and without all mixture of Falshood He I say must cause them to be so proposed because no man of himself without the continual guidance and assistance of the Holy Ghost is able always so to propose them All then that will have Divine Faith must be guided by Gods Proposer of Divine Doctrine and
believe as he doth teach For if they follow any contrary Proposer who does mingle Truth with Falshood contrary to the Doctrine of the right Proposer their Faith cannot be Divine nor avail them to Salvation If any one ask who is Gods un-erring Proposer of Divine Verities I answer now as I answer'd before no other but the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the ever visible and Catholick Church of Christ which Doctors and Pastors among other things propose as a Divine and certain Truth that out of the Communion of the True and Catholick Church no Salvation can be had out of whose Communion those most certainly do live who are separated from the Chair of St. Peter and profess Riligions by it condemned And therefore those which esteem themselves secure by believing only those general Points of the Christian Religion which are not controverted betwixt the Learned of the Protestant and of the Roman Church are greatly deceived they being not only destitute of Divine Faith but also very far off from performing the Duty of good Christians as may sufficiently appear by what is said And therefore this their Conceit serves to little else but to bring them to Hell with a quiet and unfrighted Conscience Fourthly Out of the Grounds laid a sufficient Reason doth appear of the Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers who constantly taught that out of the Catholick Church there is no Salvation which Catholick Church they esteemed to be no other than that which is joyned in Communion with the Chair of St. Peter Hear a word or two out of those ancient Worthies St. Athanasius in his Creed approved of and received by the whole Church speaketh thus Whosoever will be saved before all things it is needful that he hold the Catholick Faith the which unless one keep entire and inviolate without all doubt he shall perish eternally St. Cyprian De Simpl. Prelat And St. Augustin De Simbol l. 4. c. 10. saith If any one be found without the Church he shall be an Alien from the Children of God neither shall he have God for his Father who would not have the Church for his Mother The same St. Augustin speaking of Emeritus a Donatist and a Bishop saith Serm. de gestis cum Emerito He cannot have Salvation but in the Catholick Church out of the Church he may have all but Salvation He may have Honour he may have the Sacrament he may sing Alleluja he may answer Amen he may hold the Gospel he may both have and preach Faith in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but Salvation he can no where have saving in the Catholick Church Where note that Bishop Emeritus being a Donatist was not so much separated from the Roman Church as Protestants are And yet this Learned Father and great Light of Gods Church esteemed him to be out of the Catholick Church and out of the State of Salvation In vain then do Protestants confide that they are within the Catholick Church they being farther separated from the same than this Bishop was St. Fulgentius De Fid. ad Pet. c. 39. saith Most firmly hold and in no sort doubt that each Heretick or Schismatick Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost if he be not restored to the Catholick Church how great Alms soever he give yea though he should shed his Blood for the Name of Christ yet he cannot be saved Thus these Holy and Learned Fathers with whom in this Point agree the rest Fifthly It appears by the Grounds aforesaid that there can be but only one saving Faith and Religion in the World because there can be but only one Doctrine of Faith that is wholly true and free from all mixture of Falshood for all other Doctrines of Faith must of necessity be mixed and stain'd with some Falshood more or less according as they do more or less differ from and contradict that one Divine Doctrine of Faith which is wholly true as is manifest And therefore God cannot draw men to believe any of them with Divine Faith required of necessity to Salvation And so no Religion whose Doctrine of Faith is mixed with Falshood is truly and really a saving Religion how much soever it be adorned by the seducing Teachers or the seduced Followers thereof with the gay Title of the pure Light of the Gospel Sixthly It appears how just cause all Protestants have to return with speed to the Roman Church in which they may assuredly be saved even by the Judgement of the most Learned among them as hereafter shall appear because it is more than probable that the Protestant Profession is not a saving Religion in regard that the Doctrine of Faith which it imbraceth is not nor cannot be wholly true but really and certainly is mixed with much Falshood 1. Because in divers weighty Points of Faith it directly contradicts the express Word of God as I before have shewed 2. Because this Doctrine of Faith is not directed by any sure Rule of Faith by any Infallible Interpreter of the Scriptures by any Un-erring Judge of Controversies nor proposed by any sure and Infallible Proposer 3. Because Protestants are divided into several Branches or Sects which greatly differ and are contrary one to another in divers weighty Points of Faith as I before have noted And 4. Because Protestants hold that all Churches are subject to erring yea and have erred in their Doctrine of Faith. What assurance then have they that Theirs doth not err none at all But to come now to the principal Point intended in this Question I affirm that out of the Grounds laid which Christianly cannot be deny'd it clearly follows that according to the main Tenet and Ground of the Protestant Religion Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary was not the true Messias promised in the Old Testament nor the true Saviour of the World. This monstrous Falshood and detestable Blasphemy I say doth clearly and inevitably follow out of the chief and Fundamental Ground of the Protestant Religion For if the Church which Jesus founded came to erre in her Doctrine of Faith in the Ages after the Apostles and to be corrupted with many pernicious Falshoods and Superstitions as Protestant Teachers affirm the Promises of God concerning the Messias made so seriously to the Patriarchs of the Old Testament cannot possibly be verified of Jesus and consequently he was not the true Messias the true Christ and Saviour of the World for of the true Messias these Promises must be verified most certainly in regard that God cannot be false of his Word Thus then he promised to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. In thee shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be blessed Gen. 18 18. In him Abraham are to be blessed all the Nations of the Earth To Isaac Gen. 26. 4. In thy Seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth To Jacob Gen. 28. 14. In thee and in thy Seed all the Tribes of the
Earth shall be blessed That is in Christ in the true Messias as the Apostle does interpret Gal. 3. 6. Of whom also the Royal Prophet sang Psal 17. 7. All the Tribes of the Earth shall be blessed in him all Nations shall magnifie him Now then out of these places of Holy Writ it seems clear First That according to Gods often re-iterated Promise all the Nations of the Earth are truly to be Blessed in the Messias the Hopeful Seed of the Patriarchs Secondly It seems clear that this so Solemnly Promis'd Blessing was not chiefly to consist in Earthly Temporal Transitory Riches and Happiness but in Heavenly Spiritual Eternal Thirdly It seems clear that the Nations of the Earth are to obtain this Blessing by Receiving Believing Practising that Religion and Worship of God which the Messias was to institute and to introduce amongst them by the Teaching of his Doctors and Pastors See Ephes 4. 12. Fourthly It seems clear that the Religion of the True Messias is not to be introduc'd amongst the Nations of the Earth in one Year or in one Age But by degrees and by the Labours and Charitable Endeavours of many Ages Because the same is not to be brought in by Force but by Fair Means Not by the Soldiers Sword but by the Teachers Word Not by Violent Compulsion but by Gentle Perswasion such as the Apostles and Apostolical Teachers have ever us'd Going saith our Sweet Saviour Teach all Nations Matth. 28. And therefore this must needs be a work of long continuance the Nations of the Earth being so many as they are so dispers'd over the whole World and dis-joyn'd one from another by Mountains and Seas so Barbarous so Drench'd in Sin inur'd to Carnal and Brutish Customs And the Religion of the Messias being so Holy and Profound as Gods Religion must be Yea this Divine Work of notifying the Messias to all the Nations of the Earth and of Converting them or at least part of each of them to him is to endure and last even till the end of the World as is manifest out of our Saviours Words before alleadg'd out of the 24 of Matth. See the place and weigh it well Fifthly It is certain out of the grounds before laid that the Nations of the Earth cannot believe the Religion of the Messias availably to Salvation and gain thereby the Promis'd Blessing without the help of Divine Grace That is unless by the special working and Aid of God they be effectually mov'd stir'd up and drawn to forsake their Old and Blind Traditions their False and Idolatrous Worships their Beastly and Abominable Manners to imbrace and practice Religiously the Holy Difficil and deep Religion of the Messias believing the same with such and so Divine a Faith as really is the Gift of God without which no man can be Sav'd Sixthly It is also certain out of the same grounds that God by his Grace and special Aid cannot stir up and effectually draw the Nations of the Earth to Receive Believe and and Practice the Religion of the Messias unless it be wholly true Unless I say it be wholly True wholly Pure from Errors and Superstitions For if with such stuff it be mix'd corrupted defil'd and made displeasing to God and hurtful to the Soul of Man it is impossible that God by his Aid and Grace should induce and draw Men to Believe it As the very Light of Reason doth Teach Note This well And therefore as the Work of the Conversion of Nations to the Messias that they may be made Blessed in him must continue in all Ages even till the end of the World So most certainly the True Messias must ever preserve in the World even till the end thereof a Holy and Divine Religion a Doctrine of Faith intirely and wholly True intirely and wholly Pure from Errours and Superstitions that so the Blessed Majesty of Heaven by his Divine and Powerful Grace may draw the Nations of the Earth to Believe this his Religion and to practice it Religiously that thereby they may become Blessed in Him. All this is clear and manifest out of the Word of God the Light of Reason and the grounds laid But Jesus for above these thousand twelve hundred or fourteen hundred years hath not had any Religion spread over the World among the Nations of the Earth and Preach'd unto them to make them Blessed in Him which hath been wholly True and Pure from Errors and Superstitions if Protestant Teachers say true and do not most dangerously mistake to the Perdition of themselves and their Followers Ergo Jesus is not the true Messias the True Christ and Saviour of the World according to the General Tenet of all Protestant Teachers and the main ground of the Protestant Religion For the True Messias must of necessity have such a Religion in all Ages that thereby the Nations of the Earth may be Blessed in him As I have clearly deduc'd and shew'd But Jesus according to the Doctrine of Protestants hath not had such a Religion scarcely since the Apostles times And therefore the Nations of the Earth have not been Blessed in Him And consequently if their Divinity be good he is not the True Messias The Nations of the Earth I say for above these twelve hundred years have not been Blessed in Jesus by believing in him for want of a True Religion though very many of them within this space of time have been Converted to him by the Roman Church by the Labours and Industry of Papists both in Europe Asia Africa and the New-found World Neither are they ever likely to be Blessed in Him For if already he hath not taken order to preserve a True Divine and Pure Religion among them to bring unto them the Promis'd Blessing that is to Sanctify and Save them He is never likely to do it For he is not likely to be wiser or better or more Powerful hereafter than he hath been heretofore Neither is he likely to come into the World again to found a new Church and Religion and to establish it better then He did his first for the Salvation of Mankind Out of all which it follows clearly and manifestly that according to the Doctrine and fundamental ground of the Protestant Religion which is that the Church of Jesus for many hundred years hath shamefully and perniciously err'd in her Doctrine of Faith and in the True Worship of God it follows I say out of this Assertion clearly and manifestly that Jesus was not nor is not the True Messias the True Christ and Saviour of the World. Behold here the true depth of the Protestant Religion and whether it directly leads if it 's search'd to the bottom And doubt not but that the Bird is naught that lays so bad an Egg. What will Protestants answer here to struggle out of these narrow straits Will they say that although Jesus had not for so many hundred years any Visible True Religion yet he had an Invisible True Religion by
and the ruine and destruction of Infinite Souls For the Devil would never go about to seduce the Church and to Pollute her Doctrine with Errours and Superstitions but to do Mischief and to bring Souls to Perdition Wherefore seeing that it could not redound either to the Glory of God or the good of Men that Christ should Found an Erring Church it is a very gross Errour to hold that he did And those who so think do greatly mistake and exceedingly wrong the Wisdom and Goodness of our Saviour as will more clearly appear by the next Question Question XII If the Church of Christ did Err for so many Ages How can it be Defended that God is Truly good and doth Truly desire the Salvation of Mankind TWelfthly If it be true that the Church of Christ for so many Ages hath Err'd in her Doctrine of Faith Imbracing as it were with both her Arms and instilling into her Followers many Pernicious Errors many gross Superstitions Notwithstanding that Christ her Spouse and Saviour Promis'd Math. 16. That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against her That the Holy Ghost should Abide with her Pastors for ever St. John cap. 14. and should Teach them all Truth Joh. 16. That he himself would be with them All days even till the End of the World Mat. 28. And notwithstanding that God Promis'd that His Spirit and Word should never depart from this Church Isaias 59. That she should Stand for ever Daniel 2. And should Never be Corrupted Daniel 7. Being indeed the Pillar and ground of Truth As the Apostle affirms 1 Tim. 3. If I say the Doctrine of Protestant Teachers about the Erring of the Church of Christ being so contrary to the Word of God as it is be true I demand of Prudent and Understanding Protestants how it can be defended that God is truly Good hath a Fatherly care of Men doth truly Love them and tender their Spiritual good and hath a true desire of their Eternal Salvation Seeing that whereas he doth freely permit the Devil to fill the World with False and Wicked Religions with Abominable and Detestable Worships to bring Men assuredly to everlasting Damnation He himself though he could most easily do it doth not continue maintain and uphold in the World in all Ages so much as one True Religion so much as one Holy and Divine Worship to bring them to Salvation No not after that his Blessed Son made Man by Infinite Humility by Innumerable Labours undergone for his sake by shedding his most Precious Blood had endeavour'd to appease his Indignation to mitigate his Wrath and to Molify his Heart and to gain and purchase Love and Mercy for them What Christian Breast can believe so monstrous a thing as this Or who can Harbour so base a Thought of the the Wisdom Goodness Sweetness and Mercy of God Or how come Discreet and Understanding Protestants to swallow so gtoss an Absurdity as this If the Tenet of Protestant Teachers touching the Erring of the Church be true how is that true which Christ says John 3. 16. That God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that every one that believeth in him perish not but may have Life everlasting For God sent not his Son to judge that is to Damn the World but that the World may be Sav'd by him Or that which St. Paul says 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will have all men Sav'd and come to the knowledge of the Truth How I say are these Divine Assertions true if to bring Men to Salvation God doth not ever preserve a True Religion in the World Doth not ever uphold the Truth of his Gospel For by False Religions no man can be Saved in regard that the Devil and not God is the Author and Suggestor of False Religions by which he intends the Damnation of Men and not their Salvation as is manifest Yea he neither can neither will induce men to invent a Religion able and fit to Save men in Mark this well and also Note that our Saviour in the Sentence alleadg'd by the word World doth not mean that only Age in which He and his Apostles liv'd nor those Men only which then liv'd But all following Ages and all that were to live even till the day of Doom All which God would have to come to the knowledge of the Truth namely of his Divine Gospel And to save them all he sent his Blessed Son into the World. And therefore we must of necessity grant that he provideth the People of all Ages of a True and Illustrious Religion by which they may be Sav'd And that he ever preserves in all Ages the Truth of his Gospel of which the Apostle speaks in the Sentence alleadg'd that so men may come to the knowledge thereof For if the true Gospel of Christ be not extant in all Ages how hath God a true Will and desire that the People of all Ages should come to the knowledge thereof Neither is it sufficient that it be extant in the BIBLE for all to come to the knowledge thereof For all cannot read the Bible neither can those which are skill'd in Reading thence pick out the true Gospel without the help of a True Interpreter as I before have shew'd But it must be ever extant in the Doctrine and Teaching of the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Church whom others are bound to Hear and Obey Luke 10. Heb. 13. And of whom they are to learn Divine Faith which is gotten by Hearing Rom. 10. which is clear out of Matth. 24. where Christ expresly foretells that his True Gospel viz. the same that he Taught should be Preached to all Nations even till the end of the World as I have before Noted And therefore the True Gospel must not lurk in the Bible but be ever extant in the Preaching of the Church Out of that which hath been spoken in this Question who doth not see that the Prime and Fundamental Article of the Protestant Religion doth not only extreamly Disgrace the Wisdom Goodness and Mercy of God and extenuate the Merits of Christ but doth also tend to the Denial of all Christianity to the utter neglect of God Yea and to plain Atheism it self For who will think that the Son of God really Dy'd for Mankind if he gain'd so little for them Or that there is a God that doth truly Love Men and tender their Good if he be so mindless of them and of their Eternal Happiness and Salvation The tending then of the Protestant Religion so much to the Disgrace of Christ and of God doth clearly shew who was the first suggestor of it Wherefore how certain it is that there is a God who is Infinitely Wise Good and Merciful and who doth truly Love Mankind and tender their Eternal Good And how certain it is that Christ the Son of God Died for us took a most Provident course for our Salvation and that his Merits are of inestimable worth So
Church Which hitherto have been the Converters of Heathen Nations Certainly none at all And as little solid hope can Protestants have that they shall one day be gathered together by the Holy Angels and placed amongst the Elect of God For certain it is that the Elect of God are to be gathered out of the Professors of the True Faith and Religion of Christ which is but one as I have already shewed and as the Apostle affirms Ephes 4. 5. One Faith one Baptism one God and out of his True Church and Fold Which also is but one as he himself doth teach John 10. 16. And other Sheep I have that are not of this Fold Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice And there shall be made one Fold and one Pastor Out of which words note First That Christ speaking of his Church as she was to be after the Conjunction of the Jews and Gentiles together in one Faith assures us that she should be One Fold namely under one Visible Head one Jurisdiction one Government having one Faith one Worship of God one Communion one means of Sanctification for the Flock of this Fold Note Secondly That by this One Pastor that was to be made after Christ spake these words may well be meant not only Christ himself who was then the Good Pastor ver 11. and was not so made after this time but some other Supreme Ministerial Pastor made by Christ after the speaking of these words to preserve Unity in his Church and fittingly to govern her under himself Which was no other but blessed Peter made Supreme Pastor of the Flock of Christ John 21. which Office he left to his Successors Thirdly note That the Voice of the Church of Christ preaching in all Ages to the Nations of the Earth to bring them to his Fold is the Voice of Christ by his own acknowledgement And they saith he shall hear my Voice According to that of Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me And so Christ hath hitherto preached and doth yet preach to the Gentiles not by his own Corporal and Personal Voice but by the Voice of his Apostles and of their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church Whose Voice is his Voice because by him they are sent to teach and by him in their teaching are Guided And in like manner the sound of the Apostles doth yet go forth into all the Earth Psal 18. Rom. 10. And must go forth even till the day of Doom for a Testimony to all Nations Matth. 24. 14. Now then seeing that the Elect of God are to be gathered out of all the World and out of the Fold and Flock of Christ And that Christ verily and really hath but one Fold one Church one Faith one Flock and one Supreme Pastor under himself to guide fittingly this large Fold this great and numerous Flock spread over the VVorld And seeing also that the Protestants are neither spread over the VVorld that the Elect of God may be gathered out of them nor united to that Flock nor participants of that Faith which is spread over the VVorld nor within that Fold that is One nor under the Government and Feeding of that one Supreme Pastor of whom Christ speaketh Deplorable for the present is their Case most dangerous their State vain their Labour and fruitless their Hope And so it will ever be until they return to this Flock and Pastor again VVhich return how safely in Conscience and prudently they may make my next Question will declare Question XVI Whether Protestants or Catholicks do take the surer way to Eternal Happiness Where it is shewed That Papistry by the judgement of all Learned Protestants is a Saving Religion and consequently the securer way THe Doctrine delivered to Christian People concerning Heaven and Hell doth teach the one to be a place of such unspeakable Happiness And the other of such inexplicable Misery that no discreet Man among them will stick to say if he be asked that every Man and VVoman doth stand most deeply obliged out of their Duty to God and the natural Love they owe to themselves to take the surer way when doubt is made to gain the one and to avoid the other To take I say the surer way when doubt is made about the ways which are said to lead to Heaven or to bring to Hell. Amongst which ways two are of chief esteem the Catholick and the Protestant the Old and the New Religion Both which are said to be sure ways to Heaven yet both are doubted of The Old is doubted of among Christians only by a few of the Protestant Party who are neither of the best Learned amongst them nor of the most discreet For Learned Protestants generally hold that the Old Religion that is Papistry is a Saving Religion and a secure way to Heaven and that those which live and dye therein may be saved Here this witnessed by their own Pens and first by Doctor Covel in his defence of Mr. Hooker's Books of Ecclesiastical Polity Published by Authority Where he teacheth this at large saying Page 77. We affirm them of the Church of Rome to be part of the Church of Christ and that those which live and dye in that Church may notwithstanding be saved The same is taught by Doctor Field in his Third Book of the Church cap. 46. pag. 182. saying We doubt not but the Church in which the Bishop of Rome with more then Lucifer-like Pride exalted himself was notwithstanding the True Church of God And that it held a saving Profession of truth in Christ and by force thereof did Convert many from Errour And by Doctor Some in his defence against Penry pag. 182. saying In the Judgement of all Learned Men and all Reformed Churches there is in Popery a Church a Ministry a True Christ And pag. 176. If you think saith he that all the Popish sort which died in the Popish Church are damned you think absurdly and dissent from the Judgement of Learned Protestants Thus these Prime and Learned Protestants to whom I could add many more of later date but that it is needless in regard that all moderate Protestants do grant that Papists may be saved Yea this is the common Tenet of all Learned Protestants and of all Reformed Churches as you have heard out of Doctor Somes And not without cause in regard that Learned Protestants see well enough that if this they should deny they should not only very rashly and without any sure ground condemn to Hell all their Fore-fathers and the rest of the Christian World for above a Thousand Years before Luther not being well able to save from this Censure the Antient Fathers and innumerable other Learned Men and Holy Saints but should also lay open a fair way to plain Atheism to the utter denial of Christ and of God as my Tenth Eleventh and Twelfth Questions do very clearly demonstrate And therefore I may without danger of slander
settled amongst them to follow another of their own inventing Especially seeing that living so near the time of our Saviour and of his Apostles they could not be ignorant what Religion He and They had Taught and Planted Did they more esteem of the Religion of Christ than of all their Worldly Contents and prefer the Profession thereof before their own Lives and yet did they wittingly and willingly abandon and forsake it not for the good and safety but even to the certain perdition of their Souls Who will so judge but mis-led and blinded Souls 3. Because such a change as this in the Religion of Christ which is the Heart and Marrow of his Church is directly contrary to the predictions of the Prophets and Promises of Christ himself For Daniel foretold cap. 2. and cap. 7. That the Kingdom that is the Church of Christ should stand for ever and should never be corrupted Isaias foretold cap. 59. that the Word and Spirit of God should never depart from the mouth that is from the teaching of the Church Christ promised Mat. 16. that the Gates of Hell should never prevail against his Church that the Holy Ghost should abide with his Apostles for ever that is with them and their Successors even to the end of the World Joh. cap. 14. and should teach them all truth John cap. 16. All which had been false if the Protestant Religion planted by Christ and his Apostles by the Folly and Wickedness of the Successors of the same Apostles had been rejected and abandoned as Protestants imagine and Papistry brought in instead thereof 5. The impossibility of such a change is clearly shewed and plainly convinced out of the natural Inclination and common custom of all Societies of men which is as evident experience doth teach rather to descend then ascend rather to fall than to rise rather to slide to looseness and to more liberty than to aspire to more strictness and to greater Sanctity unless the special Grace of God do stay them and incite and stir them up which must not be here admitted of because God by his Grace doth not use to draw men from the pure Light of the Gospel to embrace false and erroneous Doctrine and to follow superstitious and Idolatrous practises as Protestants imagine Christians to have been drawn in the primitive Church And therefore it cannot be deny'd with any colour of Truth but that good Discipline Conscientious Dealing virtuous courses strictness of Life and the practice of Godly Actions do rather decay by tract of time than get ground and increase in all Communities and Societies of Men And on the contrary Liberty Ease Idleness Sensuality do ever rather increase than decay and vanish away of themselves as evident experience doth teach For as the Poet saith tendimus in vetitum semper cupimusque negata We tend toward things forbidden still and covet things denyed This is manifest First by the decay of good Order of honest and upright dealing in Commonwealths which hath caused so many new Laws so many new Orders and Statutes to have been made Decreed and Enacted by Supream Authority to repress the bad and vicious Inclinations of men 2. By the decay of Ecclesiastical Discipline from time to time in the Church of Christ which hath occasioned the Pious Endeavours of so many Zealous and Apostolical Preachers of so many Holy Biships of so many Godly Emperours Kings and Princes to reform and restore the same by the help of General of National of Provincial Councils 3. By that which hath happened to most of the Religious Orders of the Catholick Church For although these Holy Congregations have ever begun with great Zeal and Fervour and have been furnished with special Helps to continue the same yet through Humane Frailty by tract of time they have so fallen off that Reformation hath often been needful 4. In Cities in Colledges in particular Families Reformation is often and vigilancy of Superiours is ever needful Yea who is it though never so Saintly though never so well inclin'd and accustomed to Virtue that finds not that his Inclinations have ever need of repressing and his Manners often of Refining 5. The same appeareth evidently in all the Nations of the Earth which hitherto have been Converted to Christ which ever by degrees fall from their first Fervour Zeal and Devotion of which we have a clear example in the Word of God Rev. 2. 4. I have against thee saith Christ to the Bishop and Church of Ephesus a few things because thou hast left thy first charity Be mindful therefore from whence thou art fallen and do pennance and do thy first Works c. If Pennance was needful so quickly if even in the times of the Apostles Charity Zeal Fervour Sanctity decayed among Christian people how much more afterwards in the Ages following How then is it so much as probable yea rather how is it not altogether improbable and even incredible that the Christians of the Primitive Church through all the World of themselves of their own accord without any Warrant from Christ and his Apostles but rather contrary to His and their Doctrine and Practice without any good to themselves yea even contrary to the Eternal Good and safety of their Souls did cast aside fall from abandon the easie belly-pleasing and sweet liberty of the Protestant Gospel to embrace and practice the hard harsh austere and mortifying Discipline of Papistry In such sort that neglecting the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and the example of their Lives yet fresh in memory amongst them they fell to believe contrary thereunto as Protestants imagine that we are justifyed not by Faith only but by Faith Hope Charity and other Divine Virtues that we have Free-will in the Works of Grace that Works of Grace done in the state of Grace do truly merit the increase of Grace and of Glory That we are bound under pain of Damnation to keep the Commandments of God by abstaining from all great and mortal Sins such as are the Profession of false Religions the denyal of the Truth Perjury Murder Fornication Theft in a notable quantity Cousenage Vsury and the like that we are able to keep them by the help of Divine Grace of which God for the merits of our Saviour doth measure to every Man a sufficient quantity That we are bound under pain of Damnation to Confess all our mortal Sins so far forth as with reasonable Diligence we can call to mind to some lawful Priest or other That we are bound under the same Penalty to restore all Goods and Lands unlawfully gotten to Fast and to abstain from Flesh as the Church appointeth and commandeth That ordinarily when our Sins are forgiven God doth reserve some Temporal Pain or Punishment for which if we get it not released in this Life by Prayer Fasting Alms-deeds and other holy laborious and penitential works we shall suffer terribly in the purging Fire of the next That to Vow perpetual Poverty Chastity