left destitute and naked stripped of all light life grace blessing and goodness before call'd by the hand of God to a most high and soveraigne dignity and honour now blindly fallen from that most lamentably to the devils jaws before an obedient child now factus liberâ— voti-fragus before a chaste and Evangelical Missioner now sacrilegus scortator before reputed an honest man questuosus mercator now fugitivus Apostata seditiosus sectarius factus before rasi'd from a Sall to be a Paul a preacher of the word and pennance now turn'd to be a Sall persecuting warring in a most furious manner against the heavenly fortress of true faith the pillar and foundation of truth and so become a wretched Iying and vile protestant wallowing like a nasty sordid and stinking sow in the mire of liberty libidinous lust pride and concupiscence retire retire poor Andrew to your interiour man have a care of your drooping soul minde eternity fieres si scires tuum tua tempora mensem rides cum non sit forsitan una dies Micheas understanding that he was rob'd of his domestick Idols ran after the Robbers crying most lamentably and being questioned what was the matter with him and why did he cry mourn and lament he answered my gods which I made for my self are stolen away my priesthood which were all my riches and comfort Jud. 18. all what ever was dear unto me taken away from me therefore why should I not mourn I ask if this wretch kept such a deplorable stir for having lost but Idols he vainly imagined that losing them he lost all that had been precious unto him oh Andrew why will you not grieve cry mourn and with bitter tears lament the losse of the true living and dreadfull God for the losse of divine grace of your sacred function of your fame and estimation security of conscience and the peace of your heart the pledge of eternal glory O madness O blindness oh woful catastrophe of apostasy Oh poor Andrew you fell from the mother-Church grounded not on sands or quagmires as protestanism into which you miserably declin'd you imagine to impugn and beat down the glory lustre and triumph of the same alas alas all your venome you may spit and bark like a mastiff and fill the ears of your deluded audients with those â—ould railing and lying empty assertions calling the Roman Church superstitious erroneous the horrid beast and the whore of Babilon and such like sapius indies repetita in your tub-pulpits but all signifies nothing but to heap judgments and confusion on your head oh Andrew all shall recoile upon you Niteris incassum Petri submergere Navem fluctuat ast nunquam mergitur illa Ratis you deserted a Church in which onely is Faith Religion priests Sacrifice Altars Sacraments and Reall Remission not onely of original sinne but also of actual mortal sins all which is excluded and exploded and quite abolished by your protestant Sect as it 's prov'd in the Reasonable Reply to the seasonable discourse you deserted a Church out of which there are no sure inducements or means for salvation for there can be but one true Church left by Christ out of which no assurance of his doctrine nor of the divine ordinance instituted by him for salvation mark pray what S. Joh. 10. says erit unum ovile unus pastor there will be one fold and one pastor one fold ordained by Christ that is one visible Congregation of men in a common union of one faith and government under one visible pastor Universal Vice-gerent of Christ and undoubted Successor of S. Peter with true Orthodox preachers with all other sacred ordinances obliging all faithful under pain of eternal damnation to embrace follow and practise the same with an absolute promise to maintain it to the end of the world by divine protection but alas poor Andrew you well know in your Conscience that no other Sect or visible Congregation could yet have or enjoy these divine and supernatural qualifications and heavenly perfections but only the Roman Catholick Church therefore the same and no other is the one fold and one congregation enjoying without intermission one Visible Universal pastor in communion with one faith necessary for salvation Further this Church onely hath a visible head â—nder an invisible head Christ tu es Petrus super hanc Petram c. the delivering the Keys of heaven to Peter is nought else but a full and soveraign power for to govern the Church to him said Christ pasce oves â—eas tu aliquando confirma fratres tuos â—o one of the other Apostles were these words intimated but to Peter only hereticks will reply that all the Apostles received plenary power for binding and absolving I answer that the rest of the Apostles received immediatly that power from Christ yet the power of Peter has been more absolute and excellent because he received that power as ordinary which thereore did flow and doth passe to his Successors the rest of the Apostles only received a delegate power which do not passe to theiâ— successors but is in them expired and sâ— S. Peters power was absolute and the highest to which the power of the rest had alâ— ways as annexed to it a kinde of subordination and subjection to Peter to whom only Christ said tibi dabo claves pasce ovemeas agnos meos confirma fratres tuoâ— against which the gates of hell shall neveâ— prevail that is neither Turks Pagans Jews Hereticks nor wicked livers shalâ— never beat it down hence he is called caput omnium Ecclesiarum potestate authoritate Vniversalis Patriarcha Mater omnium summus Pontifex Apostolicae sedis Antistes Ecclesiae Pater Rector Caput anâ— Justinianus the Emperour said of him summi Pontificatus apicem apud Romam esse nemest qui dubitet ad Romanam fidem perfidia noâ— habet accessum because Christ said rogavâ— pro se Petre ut non deficiat fides tua and thiâ— moved S. Jerom to say that true Religion cannot be conserved without the Empire oâ— a head or great authority of an universalâ— Pastor and Vice-gerent of Christ Ecclesisalus a summi sacerdotis dignitate dependeâ—â— without which there will be made daily in finite schisms divisions and subdivisions iâ— kingdoms as we may see now in pooâ— England so as the true Church hath two heads one invisible viz. Christ fundamentum aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod posttum est quod est Christus who is fundamentum fundamentorum but Peter is the second cleaving to Christ and placed on Christ we believe in the first principal head or fundamental stone Christ the second Peter wee onely obey Christ is the primary foundation basis and prop of our faith because we believe all those things to be true which he as the first infallible verity did reveal to be believed we believe God to be one and three the word made flesh and so forth not that Peter Paul
that this faith or beliâ—ving was to be sealed in the understanding that the understanding was to submit nâ— arrogantly to dispute And that this Act 〈◊〉 believe was a command or precept of Alâ— mighty God who will have his will obeyeâ— by all his subjects and the not obeying 〈◊〉 which is punished with eternal damnatâ—on Lastly consider Hebr. 10.23 let us hoâ— fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithfull that hath promised That faith is truly divine must be an infallible assent of our understanding submitting it self obediently to believe the Revelationâ— of God for otherwise faith consequently all Religion may be no more then fancy oâ— opinion and then no ways certain and if so then no obligation Now it must follow first that there must be some means appointed by God by which we may know this one true faith from all false Sects and opinions whereas to require one to believe upon pain of damnation not to give him any means whereby he may know what to believe for salvation in this Religion or that sect were to require him to walk without leggs these means must be infallible for we cannot be brought to an infallible assent by fallible and uncertain means as God would not require us to assent to an Authority which may deceive us then our understanding must of necessity submit to those â—eans under pain of damnation O terrible â—r if our understanding were at liberty to â—bmit or not submit to the means by which â—ving Faith is conveyed unto us it would â—en be no sin not to believe consequently â—od would not jnstly damn us for not beâ—eving and withall whosoever shall reâ—se to be governed by those heavenly â—eans and the same authority that God â—ath appointed to govern us he shall be a â—ebel against God and a vile Traitor Lastâ—y I say that two men of two differing â—iths or beliefs cannot be saved for both of â—hem knowing that they are bound to be guided and governed by those means which God hath appointed to convey saving faith â—o them and one of them flatly refusing to submit this person who refufeth must be guilty of disobedience and refractoriness to Gods Command and consequently cannot be saved And so to our present purpose ignorant people by reasonable and earnest diligence as it is very tollerable to humane frailty and very possible and easy for them may come by Gods grace to the true knowledge of these means otherwise God would have appointed means which would prove unprofitable to the end and so the far greater number of souls for whom Christ died would not be sufficiently provided for by Gods sweet providence 〈◊〉 that prophesy would prove also ineffectual Esay 35. Say to them that are of a fear fâ—â— heart be strong fear not behold your Gâ—â— will come and save you then the eyes of thâ— blinde shall be opened and the eares of thâ— deaf unstopped c. and one high way shall 〈◊〉 there and a way and it shall be called the holy way that way-faring men though foâ—â— shall not err therein It cannot be denyed bâ—â— this wholsome doctrine is agreeable with all sorts of people Apostats sectaries oâ— Dissenters from the Mother Church for it must be granted that there must be a way and a Rule there must be means appointed there must be a governing power to judge and decide all arising doubts and teach aâ— the world the true way and path to heaven with certainty but when we come to findâ—â— it out all persons will agree That they are obliged under pain of damnation to submit to it receive it and embrace it and walâ— according to it as to the Apostles if they were actually living or to Christ himself 〈◊〉 and when you understand this Rule and guide then you cannot but believe all and every article of faith which we the Roman Catholicks did all along from the Apostles time and this day do unanimously believe and practise this is the main point which will allay all controversies contests wranglings ammosityes and hatred between Roman Catholicks and all dissenters the God â—f union and truth open the eyes and illuâ—inate the understandings of apostats to â—ake right use of this my labour Now I â—t them know that neither private spirit or natural reason of any man can possibly 〈◊〉 this Rule and Judge for this must subâ—it as a subject and Vassal to that Rule and â—udge and it 's always fallible and strangdly â—t to mistake misleade which is against â—e nature of the true Rule and Judge to be â—r if God should oblige us upon pain of â—amnation to submit unto and to be goâ—erned and ruled by an Authority that might receive and might teach for a truth what 〈◊〉 not we should be bound to believe that 〈◊〉 true which is not so and yet be damâ—â—d for not believing the truth further â—our private spirit or reason were to be â—is Rule and Judge then it would follow â—â—ntrary to the scripture that it is not imâ—â—ssible to please God without faith for â—â—ason would sufficiently teach us how to â—ease God yet it would be a breach of this â—ule to believe what we do not understand would likewise follow that every preâ—â—nded Religion would be the truth and 〈◊〉 contradictions would be true and there would be not only one faith but no faith 〈◊〉 all but reason above which faith is for reason excludeth faith and there 〈◊〉 scarce that man living but his reason diffeâ— from anothers understanding judgmenâ— differing as much as their faces therefoâ—â— none that follows his own Reason could 〈◊〉 justice be condemned by God and so 〈◊〉 ilation all men would be saved unleâ—â— peradventure you will say that in a buâ—â—ness of such main consequence as the salvâ—tion of souls our primate reason perswadâ— us to prefer the authority of such as aâ— wiser then our selves before our own judâ—ments which is most true But I then infeâ—â— that Roman Catholicks are the most ratiâ—nal most learned most wise most godly most unbiased people now in the world aâ— consequently have the best Religion 〈◊〉 acting most conformably to reason in the belief for they rely still on the authority 〈◊〉 General Councils consisting of the able and most learned men of all Nations whiâ—â— is the greatest authority to be found 〈◊〉 Earth especially having the assistance of tâ—â— holy Ghost visum est spiritui sancto 〈◊〉 bis as it appears they have both by thâ— testimony of the Scripture and the constaâ—â— tradition of all ages Upon these ground we may be sure that certainly God in hâ—â— good providence had appointed a moâ—â— sure Guide Rule and Judge to bring maâ— to the infallible faith for salvation the Reason and proud spirit otherwise God is defective in necessaries and that Religion were no more then fancy and opinion and it is worth observation how for the first two thousand years before any Scriptures were written the visible
that never heard a word oâ— Christs Religion neither have had any kindâ— of impulses for to inquire and embrace thâ— same such shall not be damned for infidelâ—ty if none such sins they have committed either they will be illuminated by Godâ— that they come to the knowledge of saving faith or if they die in their natural innocenâ—cy they shall incurr only the poena damnâ— not of sense in the other world If a proteâ—stant living and dying so if he die in thâ— estate of innocency he shall enter into heaveâ— because baptized in Christ O Andrew râ—turn to your bleeding Mother she is youâ— true Mother while you remain abroaâ— with the harlot you can have no quietness no comfort no grace no ease no refresâ—ment no food but husks being destitute 〈◊〉 the help of the Sacraments which are the heavenly conduits through such divine grace is conveyed to Drooping souls you are destitute of the true Word of God of the prayers of the Church the Congregation of faithful Christians you are destitute of good and laudable examples you are destitute of a dread sacrifice destitute of faith destitute of Religion you have lost all devotion all Mortification and even the fear of a living God consider your lamentable state you are become one of a Sect where there is no Guide Rule or Judge or authority which God hath appointed for your direction and to teach and continue true faith in the world the Guide Rule Judge and Authority which Roman Catholicks follow is such and the same in effect is which the first Christians follow'd in the time of the Apostles and in every respect able and sufficient to execute its function and indeed the only means imaginable not only to teach and convey true faith unto the world but also to reconcile all differences arising in matters of faith as also to evince condemn all hereticks schismaticks so establish that union that becoms the Church of God which Christ Jesus our all-wise Legislator hath setled in the world and this Guide and Judge which Catholick do follow is infallible and hath sufficient credentials from heaven to prove her self to be so consequently that we are all obliged to captivate our understanding to the obedience of Faith Adhortatio Paranetica ad Sacrilegum Apostatam Cassellensem Salve Andrea me tantisper accipe A roaring Lion by Christs most heavenly call From Saul became a Gospel preaching Paul Thou Sall from Priest and preaching childe of Paul Beguil'd art turn'd to be a black curs'd Saul Your proud wâ—ll shak'd off the yoke of Faith Pursuing â—an n'â— lies illusions and deceit Lord what 's caitiff flesh when left to it self Faith needs must wreck when mâ—n is his own shelf How vain is humane confidence how frail Only Faiths true ways can our souls avail Vae impio in malum retributio manuum ejus fiet ei Isa 3. Who cannot Sir but stand amazed and startle at your dismal fall from the true ancient Church of Christ you a professor of Divinâ—ty though of no solid intensive learning a Religious priest of a Society most renown'd for learning sanctity piety vertue and blessings you a preacher of the word and pennance you who cleav'd so fast to the Rock Christ now to be so easily and so suddenly by the sâ—ubtil wiles cunning crafty slight and sophistry of crafty seducers hurried away to a Religion false tracherous and destructive of salvation and metamorphosed into the likeness of a loathsome and deformed villain and now in your old age become like a childe against that wholsome advice of S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. nolite pueri effici sensibus children commonly never regards precious things carts coaches and wheels made of earth delights them more then the rich brave painted coaches of Kings of great State and magnificence for these little ones are only led by their sences as you shall see a childe break to peices books of high esteem and value throw away precious gems and most noble Jewells and take up a black coal kiss it and eat it c. such a little childe you Andrew Sall is become of late when you made choise of darkness for light black coals of heresie apostasie liberty illusions falshood and sordid ways and such as please your wretched blinde sences and shamefully condemn most solid most precious and most soveraign things as true un-erring faith Religion glorious vertues Sanctity grace mortification purity of life and conversation devotion sasting prayers contemplation and sweet retirement all which are leading to eternal glory O stark blindness hinc lacrimae this wretched exchange sure must proceed from very gross ignorance pride and carelesness for the mind of man being the lowest among rational natures addicted to senses and carnal actions apprehends nothing perfectly beside sensible external temporal things as honour riches voluptuousness pleasures contentments c. and cannot apprehend spiritual and heavenly things viz. the beauty of vertue the pleasures and sweet enjoyments of eternal happiness the beatifical vision and fruition of Gods most glorious face the onely source of ful content and never-ending felicity I say these things they apprehend but very weakly and even in a confus'd and languishing manner whereas the affection of the will still follows strongly the apprehension as when a man doth taste of the deluding sweetness of terrestriall happiness he vainly imagines the same to be far greater then really it is even so when one tastes a little of the roughness difficulty and loathsome bitterness of vertue doth likewise fondly imagine the same to be more craggy intollerable and loathsome then truly it is and so falls back and desists from going forward in the quest happy pursuit of solid vertue O Andrew non erit tibi amplius infans dierum senex qui non impleat dies suos quoniam puer centum annorum morietur Isa 65. that is to say if any old man be found of childish behaviour and becoming a puer centum annorum and yet would prove a childe in his senses in a vicious life and conversation that man shall not persevere in the Militant to pass to the Triumphant Church but shall be precipitated into everlasting darkness and flames oh Andrea haec te horrenda terreant how come you in your old age to be so enchanted and so miserably to revolt from a true antiently revealed Faith how come you to fly wretchedly from Religion piety pennance and austerity of life c. but because you doted you proved puer centum annorum becoming a scandalous Apostate a vile protestant and a pittifull object of scorn to boys and lackeys so as you may say with King David 2 Reg. vivit Dominus quoniam filius mortis est qui hoc fâ—cit The antient Philosophers were accustomed to compare weak effeminate men who easily would part with some most precious thing for a bubble or trifle to a fish call'd polype which cleaves so fast to a rock that it will be sooner
Roman-Catholick Church cannot endure division the soul must not be divided it must cleave altogether to the true Mother-Church Christ's spouse the house and temple of God the pillar and foundation of Truth it must believe all the Seven Sacraments all articles of faith believe all tenents and revealed mysteries propounded as means for salvation with S. Paul we captivate our understandings to the obedience of her true and un-errable faith but the false Mother will have the soul divided in two she is for division and for halfs seeking to bring into the house of God an anarchy of the children of Belial a division a destrustion of union and of Monarchical heavenly Government diuidatur infans the protestants say they have faith but will have no works of fasting watching praying pennance nor mortification c. they beleeve that their laick Minister doth abolish original sin in baptism but will not beleeve that Christ left power to true and lawful priests to absolve from actual mortal sins they will have the Lords Supper but will not believe Christ's words Hâ—c est corpus â—â—cum the reality of his body in a most miraculous manner in the Eucharist they will follow Scripture but only what is pleasing to them and what is contradictory to flesh and unbridled appetites they do reject and deny these words per solam fidem by bare faith you are saved are welcome to them but good works maceration of the body and austerity of life they cannot endure erescite multiplicabini pleases them serviti venâ—ri libidini c. but other words of Scripture they will not liâ—ten to as fides sine operibus est mortua poenitentiam agite sic luceat lux vestra ut videat opera vestra bona Regnum coelorum vim patitur violenti râ—piunt illud castigo corpus mâ—um ad implco in carne mea ea quae desunt passioni Christi these places of Scripture they will not follow Is not this to divide the childe dividatur infans they are altogether for division and confusion they have Churches but without lawful priests altars without sacrifice and religion every religion either true or false in all ages had always a sacrifice as a protestative signe of acknowledgement of divine excellency and supreme majesty In the Law of nature from the very beginning we finde sacrifice begun by Abel which after continued by the Patriarchs Noe Abraham Isaac Jacob In the written Law so many sacrifices according to Leviticus and if we look upon Idolaters the Gentiles we shall finde them given to many different sacrifices so as a sacrifice is inseparable from the law according to S. Paul Heb. 7. saying Translato Sacerdotio necesse est ut leg is translatio fiat S. Paul said that Priesthood being removed or translated the law of necessity must be removed if priesthood be abolish'd the law likewise must be for to every law or religion sacrifice and priesthood is connatural intrinsecal and inseparable being correlatives for priesthood is in order to sacrifice establish'd and the law is ordained in order to sacrifice and priesthood delivering precepts and ceremonies relating to priesthood translato sacerdotio c. dividatur infans the protestants they have our temples but alâ—s bare walls no priests no sacrifice consequently no law or religion therefore qui sine lege vivâ—nt sine lege peribunt they have sheep without pastors pastors without mission function order consecration character or true commission Christians without grace by hand imposition prophets without miracles faith without works and charity without effects behold Sall excellent peeces forsooth of a reformed Church to which you adhere you see all is but division and subdivision you separated your self from the Catholick Church which acknowledgeth a visible head an universal Pastor Vice gerent of Christ on earth established by the express words of Jesus Christ in S. Matth. 16.17 18 19. averred by all the holy Fathers confessed by the continuation of a lawfull succession in the revolution of so many ages without any interruption and Sall must blindely divorce and separate himself from it withstanding the force of Gods spirit what will Sall be able to alledge in his defence at the dreadful Judgement that expects him ah he will say that he thought the protestant was the true and lawfull Church Miserable wretch seest thou not that the memory of all ages the consent of all Nations the very ancient stones of temples bespeak thy damnation what miracles hast thou seen or ever heard of wrought to this day among protestants what Angel hath spoken to thee to remove to them what sanctity and holinesse of life hast thou noted in the authours of this sect or in their deluded proselites wert thou Andrew so bereav'd of humane understanding as not to see palpably that a pretended Religion which begun by breach of promises made to God by the sacriledges and impurities of Apostates by a general revolt against God against King against divine and humane laws by the liberty filth and ordure of the carrion the flesh by the dissolution of good manners by bloud tyranny and furies could take its source from the holy Ghost didst thou not set before thy eyes the desolations of thy poor countrey the robbing and prophaning of Churches Gods houses and the ruine and impoverishings of thousands of brave ancient Families to take thence and from no other their source and origin Oh but you will say I found that this sect had the Scripture of its side ah lamentable illusion to whom Sall did the Scripture send thee if not to the priests and lawful Pastors what said the Scripture but that thou oughtest to keep the traditions thou oughtest to obey the Church and Prelats thou oughtest not to trust thine own judgement thou oughtest to captivate thy understanding in matters of faith and that it is better to beleeve with a holy simplicity then as you do and question with a proud peremptory and vain curiosity could'st thou be ignorant that the devils and all damn'd hereticks had taken the same pretext of Scripture only to colour their ignorance malice and apostasie and that with passages which had a fairer shew and appearance then those now of thy deluded deluding Ministers and yet all that followed them are miserably damn'd and so are you vile varlet unlesse you sound a timely retreat freely confessing you have erred as man and protest you will not persevere in apostasie mischief and rebellion from the Church the womb of your beginning and bosome of your repose Open thine eyes poor beguiled Andrew at least to the wonderful and heavy judgements of God which thou hast so long shut to thy duty consider that the last verdict and sentence of thy unhappy sect is already written in heaven and that it must soon yield and fall to nothing as other blinde heresies have done what can hinder you Sall from returning to the bosom of the Roman-Catholick Church which ceaseth not to