ought to conuert into Councels and put them in prisons and leade them to Presidents and Tribunall seats and make their Religion Fellony and Treason Againe he saith When yee enter into Matth. 10. 12. the house salute it saying Peace be to this house He doth not say you shall send Pursuiuants to ransacke and spoyle the house Againe he saith The good Pastor giueth Iohn 10. his life for his sheepe The theefe commeth not but to steale and kill and destroy He doth not say the theefe giueth his life for his sheepe and the good Pastor commeth not but to steale kill and destroy Wherefore so much as is lawful for poore subiects wee humbly beseech your Majestie that conuerting of vs by killing imprisonments confiscation of goods ransacking and spoyling by Promoters and Pursuiuants c. laid aside at which the Christian world is scandalized it would please your Majestie to giue order that Disputations Conferences and sweet meanes may be vsed for the discussion of truth according to the doctrine of our Sauiour and his Apostles which is Peaceable modest suasible consenting to the good full of mercie and by those meanes if â—â—mâ—s 3. 17. we should be in error your Majestie might easily gaine vs. And if your Majesty be amisse as errare facile est wee may gaine your Majesty and bring all things to his happie issue that God Almightie may be glorified by the saluation of our soules and your Highnesse may to our great comfort so raigne ouer vs vpon earth that you may also raigne amongst vs in heauen which with all my heart I desire and to that end proceed to set downe the grounds and foundations of our Catholike Faith and Church by way of an Appeale vnto your Highnesse this being the best way as your Majestie most graciously hath signified vnto all your Subiect in your Speech in the Star-chamber vpon the twentith of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1616. in these words Why should you spare to complaine vnto me that being the high-way and not go the other by-way and back-way in contempt of our authority According to which speech worthy of a Royall King with Saint PAVL in the like case of Religion I appeale to Acts 25. 11. CAESAR your Majestie my dread and Supreamest Soueraigne as followeth THAT OVR SAVIOVR PLANTED the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. I. Wherein is proued by the Scriptures that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted by our Sauiour and how it hath continued and shall continue amongst the Romans vntill the day of Iudgement FIRST that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith which our Sauiour planted Saint Paul witnesseth saying To all you that be at Rome beloued Rom 1. of God called Saints grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ First truely I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for all you Because your faith is published throughout the whole world c. I desire to see you and to bee comforted in you by the faith which is mutually yours and mine Which desire afterward he obtained And tarried in Rome full two yeares Act. 28. 30. in his hired lodging and he receiued all that came vnto him preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching the things that concerne our Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence without prohibition Whereby it is manifest that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith planted by our Sauiour and that their faith was published throughout the whole Rom. 1. world and was Catholike and Vniuersall Secondly that the Romans were to continue in this their Catholike Faith thus planted amongst them vntill the worlds end is manifest by the Scripture saying I Isa 66. will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the Sea into Africa and Lydia into Italy and Greece c. And they shall shew my glory to the Gentiles c. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuites saith our Lord. Because as a new heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name And there shall be moneth after moneth and Sabbath after Sabbath Againe the Scriptures speaking of the Romans who at the comming of our Sauiour were the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles say The strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee Againe And Isay 60 5. 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 Againe You shall eate the strength of the Gentiles and in their glory you shall be proud c. For as the Earth Isay 61. 6. bringeth forth her Spring and as the Garden shooteth forth her seed so shall our Lord God make Iustice to spring forth and praise before all the Gentiles Againe Thus saith our Isay 66. 12. Lord Behold I will decline vpon her as it were a floud of peace and as a torrent ouerflowing the glory of the Gentiles the Roman Empire which at the birth of our Sauiour was the glory of the Gentiles that it might be verified which was spoken by the other Prophets saying I will make Gen. 12. 2. thee into a great Nation and I will blesse thee and magnifie thy name and thou shalt be blessed Againe I will put him Psal 88. 28. the first begotten high aboue the Kings of the earth And I will keepe my mercy vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull vnto him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his throne as the dayes of heauen Againe Aske of me and Psal 2. 8. I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance not the refuse of the GeÌ„tiles but the Roman Empire the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles and not onely for a short time But as a new Heauen a new Earth which I make Isay 66. to stand before me so shall your seed stand and your name according to the words of the Prophet Isay before rehearsed Whereby it is sufficiently manifest that the Romant receiued the same Faith they now professe from the Apostles and they from our Sauiour and that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted vpon earth by our Sauiour and hath continued and shall continue Catholike or vniuersally published throughout the world vntill the day of Iudgement CHAP. II. Wherein is proued that the Catholike Roman faith was planted in this Iland of great Brittaine by the Apostles or Disciples of our Lord and hath continued heere euer since without alteration or change except in the keeping of Easter and some ceremonies in Baptisme and that no other doctrine but it can be taught for Christian doctrine without incurring the penaltie of Anathema and separation from God for euer THE Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour Matth. 28. 19. going by his appointment to teach all Nations to obserue and doe all things
Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophet Ieromie that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Ieremie speaking of the estate of the Church after our Sauiours comming saith Behold the dayes Ierem. 31. 37. shall come saith our Lord and I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel c. And this shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will giue my Law in their bowels and in their heart I will write it I wil be their God and they shal be my people And a man shal no more teach his neighbour and a man his brother saying Know our Lord for all shal know me from the least of them euen to the greatest saith our Lord for I wil be merciful to their iniquitie and their sinne I wil remember no more Thus saith our Lord that giueth the Sunne for the light of the day the order of the Moone and of the Starres for the light of the night that troubleth the sea and the waues thereof doe sound the Lord of hostes is his name If these Lawes shal faile before me saith our Lord that there be no more Sunne for the light of the day and Moone and Stars for the light of the night and ebbing and flowing of the Sea then also the seed Israel shal faile that it be not a Nation before me for euer Wherupon our Sauiour saith This Gospel of the kingdome shal be preached in the whole Matth. 24. world for a testimony to al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world and the Sun shal be darkened and the Moone shal not giue her light and the stars shal fall from heauen Vntill then if wee will beleeue the Word of God the seed of our Sauiour the Church of God shall in all ages and times so flourish vpon earth as that the Christians shall not neede secretly one to teach another But all shall know our Lord from the least of them to the greatest and be a visible Nation for euer So I appeale to your Maiesty well pleased to consider how ignorant hee should bee in the Scriptures that should make himselfe of the Congregation of Protestants in hope to enter into this Testament with God when they haue been so inuisible for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that they are not able to assigne one man who for all that time professed the Faith they now hold much lesse one Nation So if Protestants would prooue by the Scriptures that their Religion which hath been so many hundred yeares vnknowne were the Faith planted by our Sauiour they should first proue that for one thousand and foure hundred yeares there hath been no Sunne for the light of the day or Moone for the light of the night to make good the Word of God otherwise they proue nothing but that they are ignorant in the Scriptures and in effect and deede blaspheme God and his holy Word by affirming him in effect and deed to be a violater of his promises written in the Scriptures That this promise of God heere spoken of is to be performed in and vpon Christians Saint Paul witnesseth in the eight to the Hebrewes where he repeateth the foresaid words of Ieromie as to be fulfilled in and vpon Christians That our Catholike Romane Faith hath successiuely continued according to this Prophecie wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. VIII Wherein is proued by the testimony of Ezechiel That our Sauiour was the Author of the Romane Catholike Faith THE Prophet Ezechiel speaking of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour saith I will saue Ezech. 34. my flocke and it shal be no more into spoile c. And I will raise vp ouer them one Pastor who shall feed them my seruant Dauid he shal feed them and he shall be their Pastor And I the Lord wil be their God and my seruant Dauid the Prince in the middest of them I the Lord haue spoken and I will make a couenant of peace with them and will make the cruel beasts to cease out of the Land And they that dwell in the desart the Hermits and religious men who now and in the Primatiue Church liued in the desart as witnesseth Saint Austine Epist 121. shall sleep secure in the forrost And I will put them round about my hill his Church a blessing And I will bring downe the shower in his time there shall bee raynes of blessing abundance of spirituall graces and consolations of the holy Ghost according to the words of our Sauiour saying He that beleeueth in me out of his belly shal Iohn 7. 38. flow riuers of liuing water And the tree of the field our Sauiour the Vine or Oliue tree shal giue his fruit and Iohn 15. Rom. 11. the earth humane nature of which it is said thou art earth shal giue his spring and they shal be in their Land Gen. 3. without feare and they shal know that I am the Lord when I shal haue broken the chaines of their yoke and shal haue deliuered them out of the hand of those that rule ouer them And they shal be no more for a spoile to the Gentiles neither shal the beasts of the earth deuoure them but they shal dwel confidently without any terror and I wil raise vp to them a bud of name and they shal be no more diminished for famine in the Land neither shal they beare any more the reproach of the Gentiles This Prophecie to be spoken of our Sauiour vnder the name of Dauid first Protestants in their Bibles confesse it secondly it is manifest for that Dauid the Prophet was dead many yeares before the time of Ezechiel Yet this Prophecie cannot bee verified vpon Protestants that Protestants shall liue in their Land without feare deliuered out of the hand of those who rule ouer them and bee no more for a spoile to the Gentiles nor be any more diminished nor beare any more the reproch of the Gentiles since they haue bin so spoiled and oppressed for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that during all that time they are not able to assigne one knowne man who professed the Religion they now professe This Prophecie to be verified vpon Romane Catholikes wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. IX Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophets Daniel Ioel Micheas Abacuc and Zacharias That our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith AND in like manner all the rest of the Prophets as often as they haue occasiō to speake of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour say that it shal be vniuersally dilated ouer the world for euer as Daniel saying In the dayes of Dan. 2. 44. those Kingdomes the God of heauen wil raise vp a Kingdome that shal not be destroyed for euer and this Kingdom
whatsoeuer hee had commanded them came within so short a time after the death of our Lord into this our Iland of great Brittan as that the Britaines ancient inhabitants of this Iland receiued their Faith and Religion from Saint Simon Zelotes Saint Paul Saint Ioseph of Aramathia a Disciple of our Lords or from all or some of them as besides these ancient Writers Theodoret de cur Graec. affect lib. 9. Dorotheus Bishop of Tyre in suo Synopsi Apostolorum Aristobulus in his Epistle which he writ to the Romans Guildas cap. 7. Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 40. doe affirme also these Protestant Authors Camden in his Britania pag. 40. 52. and 157. Bale Cent. 1. cap. 26. Doctor Caius de Antiq. Cantab. Harrison in his Description of Brittaine annexed to Hollinshead his great Chronicle of the last edition vol. 1. pag. 23. Clapham in his Soueraigne remedie against Schisme pag. 24. Fulke in his booke against Heskins Saunders c. pag. 561. and in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 332. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops pag. 1. Barlow in defence of the Articles of the Protestant Religion pag. 21. Mayson in his booke of the Consecration of Bishops c. That it might be verified which was spoken by the Prophet Isay saying I will send of them that shall bee saued to Isay 66. 19. the Gentiles to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me Againe The Ilands expect mee and the Isay 6. 9. ships of the sea in the beginning that I may bring thy sons from a farre c. That the Brittans the ancient Inhabitants of this Iland did perseuere in this said Christian Faith and Religion which they receiued from the Apostles or Disciples not onely these ancient Writers doe testifie euery one for his time Tertullian lib. contra Iudaeos Origen in Ezechiel hom 4. Athanasius in his Epistle to the Emperour Iouinian Theodoret hist Eccles lib. 1. c. 10. But also Protestants themselues giue ample testimonies that the Britaines who inhabited that part of the Iland which is now called England being destroyed and their name extinct by the Pagan Saxons yet the remnant of the Brittans which remained in Wales retained the Faith and Religion which they receiued from the Apostles or Disciples euen vnto the comming of Saint Augustine into this Iland for to conuert the English Pagan Saxons which was about the yeare of our Lord 599. as Bale in his Pageant of Popes where he saith The Brittans being conuerted by Ioseph of Aramathia held that faith at Augustines comming And Fulke in his Answere to a Counterfeit Catholike pag. 40. where hee saith The Brittans before Augustines comming continued in the Faith of Christ euen from the Apostles times FOX his Act. pag. 463. printed 1576. saith The Brittaines after the receiuing of the Faith neuer forsooke it for any maner of false preaching of others And Midleton in his Papisto mastix pag. 202. proueth by the testimony of the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages that the Brittaines did not forsake the Faith and Religion which they receiued from S. Paul and Saint Simon Zelotes and Saint Ioseph of Aramathia but continued in it with the Catholike Christians in other parts of the world That this Faith and Religion which the ancient Brittaines receiued from the Apostles or Disciples and perseuered in vntill the comming of Saint Augustine into this Iland did not differ from that Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine professed and planted in this Iland amongst the English except the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday out of ignorance in Astronomie and the accomplishment of some mysteries vsed in Baptisme besides the testimony of Saint Beda hist lib. 2. cap. 2. these Protestant Authors do affirme Francis Mayson in his book of the Cōsecration of the Bishops of the Church of England pag. 58. where he saith that Augustine said to the Brittaine Bishops If you will in these three things obey me that is in celebrating of Easter in due time in accomplishing the mysteries of Baptisme by which we are borne to God according to the maner of the holy Roman and Apostolicall Church and last of all in preaching with vs to this English Nation the word of our Lord all your other ceremonies fashions and customes though they be contrary to ours we will willingly suffer and be content to beare with And the like affirmeth Hollinshead Vol. 1. pag. 103. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops pag. 6. And the Protestant Author of the History of Great-Brittaine printed 1606. lib. 3. page 133. Whereby it is manifest that the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday and the accomplishment of the mysteries of Baptisme excepted Saint Augustine and the ancient Brittaines held professed and taught one and the same Faith and Religion and planted it amongst the English of this Iland who then were Pagans That the Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine professed and planted amongst the Pagan English of this Iland was the same which at this day the Roman Catholikes of this Iland doe professe not onely all Catholike Authors doe affirme but also Protestant Writers doe confesse as Iohn Bale Cent. 1. cap. 73. where he saith That King Ethelbert an English Pagan King First of all English men receiued of Gregory the first Bishop of Rome by Augustine the opinions of the Roman Religion And Cent. 13. cap. 1. hee saith That AVGVSTINE brought in amongst the English who before were Pagans Monkes Altars Vestments Images Masses Chalices Crosse Candlestickes Banners holy as they call them Vessels holy water and bookes of Roman custome Their chiefest studies were about the oblation of Masses Doctor Humfrey in his Iesuitisme part 2. pag. 5. and 627. affirmeth That Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine professed and taught Masse Purgatory Oblation of the holesome Hoast prayer for the dead Relikes Transubstantiation hallowing of Churches Indulgences Monkish life Papacie and the rest of the caos of Popish superstition as he calleth it And these saith he did AVGVSTINE a great Monk taught by GREGORY a Monke bring to the English who before were Pagan Ascham in his Apologie pro Caena Domini contra Missam pag. 33. affirmeth That Augustine was The establisher of all Popish doctrine HARRISON in his last edition of his Description of Brittanie Vol. 1. pag. 27. saith That Augustine brought in Poperie amongst the English Saxons who then were Pagan And the like affirmeth Osiander in his Epitom hist Eccl. Cent. 6. pag. 289. The Century Writers in the 6. Cent. chap. 10. col 748. and other Protestants set downe more at large in the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church Now seeing that the Brittaines the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday the accomplishment of the mysteries vsed in Baptisme excepted were all of one Faith and Religion with Saint Augustine and Saint Augustine was in Faith and Religion a Roman Catholike or Papist we rightly inferre that our Sauiour was Author of that Faith and Religion which Protestants doe call
more set downe in the Protestants Apologie it is manifest that the Catholike Roman Faith did begin euen in the Apostles times and hath raigned vniuersally ouer the visible Church of Christians 1260. yeares if wee will beleeue the confession of our Aduersaries themselues So dread Soueraigne if the testimonies of all known Christian men who liued in all ages and times from the Apostles times vntill the rising of Luther may find grace and credit with your Maiestie they all knowne Heretikes and so reputed by both parties onely excepted doe witnesse that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith for that they all beleeued and esteemed our Lord to be Author of that Religion they themselues professed And this were sufficient to shew vnto your most excellent Maiestie that the Sonne of God was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith but because Protestant Ministers do so often bragge that the Scriptures or written Word of God doth make for them I will further examine the Scriptures to see what they say of the Religion which was to be planted by our Sauiour and wil begin with the old Testamēt according to the directions of our Lord saying Search the Scriptures the olde Testament for as then no part of the New Iohn 5. 39. was written for you thinke by them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimony of me and after descend downe vnto the New and so prooue by the generall consent of the whole Scriptures that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. IV. Wherein is proued by the testimony of Moyses and the Patriarkes that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith TO discerne the true Prophet from the false and to discerne the word of God from the words of arrogant men God Almightie gaue vs this rule saying If in secret cogitation thou answere How Deut. 18. 21. shall I vnderstand the word that our Lord spake not This signe thou shalt haue that which the same Prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord and commeth not to passe that our Lord hath not spoken But by the arrogancie of his minde the Prophet hath forged it And the Prophet that being depraued with arrogancie Deut. 18. 20. will speake in my name the things that I did not command him to say shall be slaine Whereupon our Sauiour saith All things must needs bee fulfilled which are written in the Luke 24. 44. Law of Moyses and the Prophets and Psalmes of mee otherwise Moyses and the Prophets should haue been false Prophets and our Sauiour none of the Messias but a seducer and deceiuer and the God of the Scriptures a false God So supposing that our Sauiour was the Messias promised to be sent for the redemption of mankinde and that the Prophets of both Testaments were true Prophets and not guiltie of death but prophecied things which must be infallibly fulfilled We will seeke out what they say of the Seed Faith Religion or Gospell which was to be planted by our Sauiour vpon earth And to let passe other promises and prophecies written by Moyses we will begin with that great promise and oath made by God to ABRAHAM the Father of all that beleeue Whereupon is grounded and Rom. 4. 11. founded the succession of the Church in all ages the oath of God being the highest act that can bee made in heauen or in earth in confirmation of a truth it cannot bee contradicted without great impietie or denied to be fulfilled without making the God of Abraham our Lord to bee forsworne and a false God which is the highest kinde of vntruth opposite to the greatest truth that can be giuen Abraham going to sacrifice his only begotten son Isaac according as God had commanded him so greatly pleased his diuine Maiestie in that act of obedience that he confirmed his former promise made vnto him that he should be heire of the world by an oath saying By my owne selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord Gen. 12. 3. and 15. 5. Rom. 4. 13. Gen. 22. 16. because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely begotten sonne for my sake I will blesse thee and I will multiply thy seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea-shore thy seede shall possesse the gates of his enemies and in thy seede shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth because thou hast obeyed my voyce He saith not saith Saint Paul and to seeds as in many Galath 3. 16. but as in one and to thy seede which is Christ That in Christ Iesus the Sonne of Dauid the Sonne of Abraham not the Nation of the Iewes or Brittans onely but all the Nations of the earth should be blessed and become children of Abraham and sonnes and seede of Christ Iesus borne againe as Saint Peter saith not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. Whereupon Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians In 1. Cor. 4. 6. Christ Iesus by the Gospell I begate you And to the Ephesians he saith That the Gentiles are coheires and of the same body and partakers of his promise by the Gospel And so saith That Christ hath redeemed vs from the Galath 5. 14. curse of the Law that on the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might be made in Christ Iesus that we may receiue the promise The Scriptures foreseeing that God instifieth Galath 3. 8. the Gentiles by Faith shewed vnto Abraham before that in thee shall all Nations be blessed Not for a day or a yeare but for euer according to the words of Saint Luke saying He hath receiued Israel his childe Luke 1. 55. being mindfull of his mercy As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer So likewise God said to ABRAHAM SARA thy wife shall beare thee a son Gen. 17. 19. and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my couenant to him for a perpetuall couenant and to his seed after him Whereby wee see that this oath of God to Abraham is to bee fulfilled in and vpon Christians professing the Faith and Gospell planted by our Sauiour and that those Christians vpon whom this oath can or may be fulfilled are the seede of our Sauiour and the children of his Kingdome and heires of the Promises none else vnlesse we will make God Almightie forsworne which is too great impietie and a vanitie for any man to acknowledge him for a God whom he professeth in deeds to be a violater of oathes and promises So it resteth to examine whether this oath of God be verified vpon Roman Catholikes or vpon Protestants that we may clearely see which of them are true Christians and heires of the Promises and seed of our Sauiour And as for Protestants they themselues confesse that their Faith and Religion which they now professe hath been so farre off from being
shal not be deliuered to another people and it shal breake in peeces shal consume al those Kingdoms it self shal stand for euer Which Prophecie we finde verified by experience vpon the Catholike Roman Church which as Protestants themselues confesse was so potent presently after the Apostles times that it destroyed and consumed the Church of Protestants and for these one thousand and two hundred yeares hath raigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction as is set downe in the third Chapter Againe we see by experience that all other Kingdomes and Monarchies of Christians haue been interrupted and changed as the Empire first from the West vnto the East and after into Germany Spaine was first possessed by the Romans after by the Goathes and lastly for many yeares by the Moores France was long time tributarie to the Romans and about the yeare of our Lord 451. the Franck Germanes who dwelled beyond the Rhyne began to conquer them and in processe of time obtained their Kingdome and changed their name from Gaules to French and about the yeare 461. elected Mirouee for King after France was possessed by the English and Henry the sixt was crowned King of France about the yeare 1422. from which time the Kings of England haue alwayes challenged to be Kings of France England was vnder the Romanes vntill the time of Honorius and shortly after it was conquered by the Saxons and then by the Danes and last by Norman French In so much as that it is manifest to experience that the Catholike Romane Church is the Kingdome raysed vp by God which shall not bee destroyed for euer Whereupon the Prophet Ioel saith Yee children of Ioel 2. 23. Syon the Church of God reioyce and be ioyfull in the Lord your God because he hath giuen you a Doctor of iustice and hee will make the earely and the late showre to descend to you as in the beginning And the floores shal be filled with wheate and the presses shall ouerflow with wine and oyle And I wil render you the yeares which the Locust the Bruke and the blast and the Eruke hath eaten my great strength which I haue sent vpon you And eating you shal eate and shal be filled and you shal praise the name of the Lord your God that hath done maruailes with you and my people shal not be confounded for euer And you shal know that I am in the middest of Israel and I the Lord your God and there is none besides and my people shal not be confounded for euer So the Prophet Micheas saith And thou Bethelem Mich. 4. 2. Ephrata art a little one in the thousands of Iuda out of thee shall come forth vnto me he that shal be the Dominator in Israel and his comming forth from the beginning from the dayes of eternity c. and the remnant of his brethren shal be conuerted to the children of Israel And he shal stand and feed in the strength of our Lord in the height of the name of our Lord his God and they shal be conuerted because now shal he be magnified euen to the ends of the earth c. And the remnant of Iacob shal be in the Gentiles in the middest of many peoples as a Lyon amongst the beasts of the forrest and as a Lyons whelpe amongst the flocke of cattell who when he hath passed and trodden downe and taken there is none to deliuer Thy hand shall be exalted ouer thine enemies and thine enemies shall perish So the Prophet Abacuc saith God wil come from Abac. 4. 3. the South and the holy one from the shady mountaine his glory shal couer the heauens and the earth is full of his praise That is saith S. AVGVSTINE the Gospell shall begin from Ierusalem and Mount Oliuet and so be dilated ouer the world For Ierusalem saith Saint AVGVSTINE is placed Southward as is read in the Aug. â—p 166. booke of Iesus Naue from whence the name of Christ hath been spread and there is a shadie mountaine Mount Oliuet from whence he ascended into heauen that his vertue might couer the heauens and the Church might be filled with his praise throughout the whole earth So the Prophet Zacharias saith Behold thy King will come to thee the lust and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Colt the Fole of an Asse c. He shal speake peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers of Iordan Matth. 5. 13. where he was baptised euen vnto the end of the earth not for a day or a month or a yeare But as he spake to Luke 1. 55. our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer These Prophecies to be verified on our Catholike Roman Faith we haue shewed at large in the first second and third Chapter and are so far from being verified vpon Protestantisme that for a thousand and foure hundred yeares together Protestants are not able to name one man who held and taught the doctrine they now hold and teach So dread Soueraigne if the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophets may find grace and credit with your Maiesty they affirme that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith as we haue abundantly shewed Yet the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophets were of such force with our Sauiour as he bringeth in Abraham saying If they heare not Moyses and Luke 16. 31. the Prophets neither wil they be perswaded though one rise from the dead Againe hee saith to the incredulous Iewes Had you beleeued Moyses you would peraduenture Iohn 5. 46. haue beleeued me for he wrote of me And if you beleeue not his writings which are confirmed by so many oathes and promises and found true by experience how wil you beleeue my words And so I conclude the Prophecies of the old Testament with the words of Saint Augustine saying The Aug. in Psal 30. Prophets haue spoken more obscurely of Christ then of the Church I thinke because they did see in spirit that men would rebell against the Church and would not haue so great strife concerning Christ but would raise vp great contentions concerning the Church therefore that about which men were to make great strife was more plainly foretold and more manifestly prophecied that it might serue for their condemnation who did see it and fled out CHAP. X. Wherein is proued by the testimony of Angels that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith HAVING most dread Soueraigne according to the counsel of our Sauiour Iohn 5. 39. sought the old Testament to see what it saith of the Faith Seed and Children of the Messias and hauing found that by it our Lord was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith Seed or Religion we will now descend downe vnto the New to see what it saith in generall of the Faith Seed Word or Gospel which our Sauiour planted vpon earth that wee may also see whether
according to the testimonie of the new Testament our Lord was Author of our Catholike Faith and Religion And first the Angell Gabriel foretelling the estate of the Church to come saith to our blessed Lady Thou Luke 1. 31. shalt conceiue in thy wombe and shalt beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shal be great and he shal be called the Son of the most High and our Lord God shal giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shal be no end And in like manner an Angell of our Lord said vnto the Shepheards Behold I euangelize Luke 2. 10. to you great ioy that shal be to al people not to one people of Brittans or Germans but to al people because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie a multitude of Angels praysing God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in earth Peace to men of good wil. As it was foretold by the Prophet Isay saying A little childe is borne to vs c. His Empire shal be multiplied and there shal be no end of peace he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome that he may confirme it in iudgement and iustice from this time and for euer That the Kingdome heere spoken of is the Church professing the Faith or Gospell planted by our Sauiour our Lord himselfe doth witnesse saying In the Matth. 13. 14. end of the world the Sonne of Man shall send his Angels and they shal gather out of his Kingdome all scandals and them that worke iniquity Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdom shal be preached in the whole world Againe Matth. 24. 14. And Iesus went about teaching and preaching the Gospel Matth. 4. 23. of the Kingdome So if the Angels of God and multitude of his heauenly Armie may finde grace and credite with your Maiestie to be beleeued by their testimonies it is manifest that our Sauiour came to plant the Catholike Romane Church and Faith which as we haue proued in our first Chapter was taught by our Sauiour and planted by the Apostles amongst the Romans hath continued and shall continue amongst them vntill the day of Iudgement and as is confessed by Protestants hath reigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction 1200. yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter CHAP. XI Wherein is proued by the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith OVR Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ foreseeing that many Heretikes would arise and say that his Seede Faith Word Church or Gospell had failed and decayed and that they were immediatly sent from God to plant a new Faith or reforme or restore the Gospell c. To preuent their hereticall falsehood hee warneth all his faithfull that they should not beleeue them saying Doe not thinke that I came to breake the Law the olde Matth. 5. 18. Testament or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfill for assuredly I say to you Till heauen and earth passe one iot or one tittle shall not passe of the Law the olde Testament till all be fulfilled and the Church of Matth. 5. 2. God begunne in Ierusalem and Iuda be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South as God spake to Abraham and his seed for euer Luke 1. 55. So supposed that our Sauiours words are true and that hee was the Messias and came to fulfill and performe the things promised by the Prophets and not to breake or violate their promises the Sunne was neuer more manifest in the moneth of August then it is manifest that he fulfilled the Prophecies by planting the Catholike Romane Faith and not by planting Protestantisme since Romane Catholikes haue been visibly multiplied ouer the world for many hundred yeares some Protestants say for nine hundred years some say for a thousand other Protestants say for twelue hundred and others say for more as is set downe in the third Chapter whereas the Prophecies haue beene so farre off from being fulfilled in Protestantisme that presently after the death of the Apostles it vanished away and hath been no where visibly knowne for one thousand foure hundred yeares So we may speak to Protestants who imagine that their Religion is true or was the Faith planted by our Sauiour and say to them in the words of our Sauiour Doe not thinke that our Sauiour came to break the Law or the Prophets Matth. 6. 18. he came not to breake but to fulfill Secondly our Sauiour foretelling the estate of his Church to come saith All things must needs be fulfilled which are writted in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets Luke 24. 44. Gen. 22. and the Psalmes of me And the Law of Moyses saith I wil multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen c. The Prophets say Behold thy King will come to thee the Iust one and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Zach. 9. 9. Asse c. He shal speake Peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth Againe And I wil send of them that shal be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Asricke Isay 66. and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glory And they shal shew forth my glory to the Gentiles and they shal bring of your brethren of al Nations a gift to our Lord vpon horses and in chariots and in horselittors and on Mules and in coatches to my holy mountaine Ierusalem Because as new heauens and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shal your seed stand and your name The Psalmes say Al the ends of the earth shal remember and be conuerted to our Psal 41. 28. Lord and all the families of the Gentiles shal adore in his sight Againe Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten Psal 2. 7. thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Againe I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne Psal 88. as the dayes of heauen I haue sworne in my holy if I lye to Dauid his seed shal continue for euer All which and many more the like promises and Prophecies of the encrease continuance and dilatation of the Christians the seed of our Sauiour the seed of Dauid the seed of Abraham ouer the world must as our Sauiour Luke 24. 44. saith needs be fulfilled and yet we see by experience that they are fulfilled in no other people kindred or Nation but Romane Catholikes whom Protestants confesse to
haue reigned vniuersally ouer the world for twelue hundred yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter And so I conclude out of our Sauiours words that the Catholike Romane Faith must needs be the Faith and Religion which our Sauiour planted and that Romane Catholikes are true Christians since neither the promises in the bookes of Moyses nor in the Prophets nor in the Psalmes are or can bee verified or fulfilled in or vpon any other Thirdly our Sauiour speaking of the estate of his Church saith The Kingdome of heauen is resembled vnto a man that sowed good seed in his field but when men Matth. 13. 24. were asleepe his enemies came and ouer-sowed Cockle among the Wheate and went his way and when the blade was shut vp and had brought forth fruit then appeared also the Cockle And the seruants of the Good-man of the house comming said to him Sir diddest thou not sowe good seed in thy field Whence then hath it Cockle and he said to them the enemie man hath done this And the seruants said to him Wilt thou we goe and gather it vp And he said noe lest perhaps gathering vp the Cockle you may roote vp the Wheate also together with it suffer both to grow vntill the haruest and in the time of haruest I wil say to the Reapers Gather vp first the Cockle and bind it into bundles to burne but the wheate gather yee into my Barne And expounding this Parable of the Cockle of the field he said to his Disciples He that sowed the Matth. 13. 37. good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world and the good seed those are the children of the Kingdome and the Cockle those are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that sowed them is the Diuell but the Haruest is the end of the world and the Reapers are the Angels So our Sauiour in describing his Church by which description it is manifest that our Sauiour sowed the Catholike Romane Faith and that Romane Catholikes are the children of the Kingdome of God and all other Sects of what kinde or sort soeuer are Cockle sowed by the Diuell after death or at the end of Matth. 13. 38. the world to be gathered vp and cast into a Furnace of fire Since there neither is at this instant nor yet hath been heretofore any Nation People Faith Religion or Sect which challenged the name of Christians that hath been successiuely dilated ouer the world according to our Sauiours description but the Catholike Romane Faith which as Perkins a Protestant saith Vpon the Creed fol. 307. During the space of nine hundred yeares spread it selfe ouer the whole earth Fourthly our Sauiour speaking of his Church saith The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a mustard-seed Matth. 13. 31. which a man tooke and sowed in his field which iâ— the least surely of all seeds but when it is growne it is greater then all hearbes and is made a tree so that the fowles of the ayre come to dwell in the branches thereof Againe The Kingdome of heauen is like to Leauen which Matth. 13. 33. a woman tooke and hid in three measures of meale vntill the whole was leauened Againe The Kingdome of heauen Matth. 13. 47. is like to a net cast into the sea and gathering together of all kinde of fishes Which words of our Sauiour cannot bee verified vpon Protestantisme supposing that it was in the Apostles times as they affirme since it did not encrease or grow greater then al other sects nor leauened the whole world nor gathered together all kinde of people But so vanished away after the Apostles departure that for fourteene hundred yeares together they are not able to assigne one man professing the Religion they doe now Fiftly Our Sauiour setting downe the state of his Church to come saith I chose you and haue appointed Iohn 15. 16. you that you go and bring fruit and your fruit abide Againe This Gospell of the Kingdome shal be preached in Matth. 24. 14. the whole world for a testimony to all Nations and then shal come the consummation Againe Holy Father I pray Iohn 17. not that thou take them away out of this world but that thou preserue them from euill c. And not for the Apostles only do I pray but for them also that by their words shal beleeue in me Againe Teach yee all Nations and Matth. 28. behold I am with you all daies euen to the end of the world Which words of our Sauiour cannot be verified vpon Protestants that our Sauiour hath appointed Protestants to goe and preach in the world and bring fruit and their fruit abide or that Protestantisme should be preached to all Nations or that our Sauiour prayed that Protestants should not be taken away out of the world but be preserued from euill or that our Sauiour would be with Protestants ayding and assisting them in the conuersion of Nations euen to the consummation Matth. 28. 20. of the world since wee see it false by experience Sixtly Our Sauiour speaking of the estate of his Church saith to the chiefe Priests and Ancients of the people Haue you neuer read in the Scriptures The stone Matth. 21. 42. which the builders reiected the same is made the head of the corner By our Lord was it done and it is marueilous in our eyes Therefore I say to you that the Kingdome of God shall be taken away from you and giuen to a Nation yeelding the fruit thereof And he that falleth vpon that stone shal be broken and on whom it falleth it shal al to bruise him These words of our Sauiour cannot be verified vpon Protestants that our Sauiour should become head to vnite Iewes and Protestants together in one family of Christians or should take away his Church and Kingdome vpon earth from the Iewes to giue it to Protestants or that the Church of Protestants should yeeld more fruit then the Church of the Iewes or he that should fall vpon the Church of Protestants should be broken since as Sebastianus Francus a Protestant In epist de Abro stat Eccl. affirmeth That for certaine through the worke of Antichrist the external Church of Protestants together with the Faith Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church of Protestants hath bin no where external and visible Which being so dread Soueraigne I appeale to your Maiestie wel pleased to consider how ignorant hee should be in the Scriptures that should make himselfe a Protestant out of hope to become one of the Kingdome of God heere spoken of That all these promises and Prophecies of our Sauiour are verified vpon Papists Protestants themselues giue sufficient testimonie who affirme that Papistrie began in the time of the Apostles and hath raigned vniuersally for twelue hundred yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter So if the words and
testimonies of our Sauiour himselfe may finde so much grace and fauour with your Maiesty as to be credited it is manifest that by this testimony and description of his Church that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith CHAP. XII Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Apostles that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith FIRST Saint Peter speaking of the estate of the Church planted by our Sauiour saith MOYSES indeed said that a Prophet shal the Act. ◠22. Lord your God raise vp to you of your brethren as my selfe him shal you heare according to al things whatsoeuer he shal speake to you And it shal be euery soule that shal not heare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people And al the Prophets from Samuel and afterward that haue spoken could of these dayes you are the children of the Prophets and of the Testament which God made to our Fathers saying to Abraham and in thy seed shal all the Families of the earth be blessed To you first God raising vp his Sonne hath sent him blessing you That this Seed heere spoken of is the Church of Christians our Sauiour and Saint Paul do witnesse saying The good seed those are the children of the Kingdome Againe If you Matth. 13. 38. Galath 3. 29. be Christs then are you the seed of Abraham heires according to promise That this blessing can no way bee verified vpon Protestantisme is manifest for that it vanished away presently after the time of the Apostles and for faureteene hundred yeares together there is not to be found one man that professed it much lesse one Family or all the Families of the earth That this blessing in generall hath been verified vpon Roman Catholikes Protestants themselues confesse some Protestants affirming that Papistry hath been spread ouer the world for nine hundred yeares some for a thousand some for twelue hundred and some for more as it is set downe in the third Chapter So if the testimony of Saint Peter Moyses and all the Prophets from Samuel and afterward may finde so much grace and fauour with your Maiestie as to be credited they all affirme that our Sauiour was to bee the Author of our Catholike Romane Faith And supposed that there were Protestants in our Sauiours and the Apostles times who after their departure vanished away as Protestants affirme it is manifest by the testimony of Moses and Saint Peter that they were enemies of Christian Religion and so were destroyed from among the people according to the words of Moyses and Saint Peter saying Euery soule that shal Act. 3. Deut. 18. not heare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people Secondly Saint Poter speaking of the estate of the Church saith Behold I put in Syon a principall corner-stone 1. Pet. 2. elect preciaus And he that shal beleeue in him shal not be confounded To you therefore that beleeue honor but to them that beleeue not the stone which the builders reiected the same is made into the head of the corner and a stone of offence and a Rocke of scandall to them that stumble at the Word c. But you who beleeue are an elect generation a Kingly Priesthood a holy Nation a people of purchase that you may declare his vertues which from darknesse hath called you into his marueilous light Now supposed that there were Protestants in our Sauiours time yet these words of Saint Peter cannot be verified vpon them that they should not bee confounted but honored and made an elect generation a Kingly Priesthood or holy Nation a people of purchase to declare our Sauiours vertues in fulfilling the promises by conuerting the Gentiles to the Christian Faith Since they vanished away presently after the departure of the Apostles Thirdly Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come saith Christ ascending on high he led captiuity captiue he gaue gifts to men And he gaue some Ephes 4. 8. Apostles and some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastors and Doctors to the consummation of the Saints vnto the worke of the Ministery vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we meet all into the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God that now we be not children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine in the wickednesse of men in craftinesse to the circumuention of error So Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come If this be spoken of the Church of Protestants where were their Protestant Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors and Doctors for fourteene hundred years together Since for all that time they are not able to assigne one man who held the doctrine they now hold much lesse one Apostle Euangelist Pastor or Doctor and yet Saint Paul saith that they should teach and preach truth euen vnto the Consummation of the Saints that the Church might not be wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine in the wickednesse of men wherby we see that if Saint Paul were a true Apostle and Prophet the Church of Protestants is a false Church That this Prophecie of S. Paul is verified vpon Roman Catholikes is manifest for that Romane Catholikes haue had Doctors Preachers and Teachers in all ages as we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Againe Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church to come saith God according to his promise Act. 13. hath brought forth to Israel a Sauiour Againe We preach Act. 13. 32. vnto you that promise which was made to our Fathers which was I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen Gen. 22. c. As God spake to our Fathers to Abraham and Luke 1. 55. his seed for euer which words and preaching of Saint Paul should be false if Protestantisme were the Faith and Religion planted by our Sauiour and Preached by Saint Paul since it hath been so farre off from fulfilling the promise that it vanished away presently after the Apostles times Againe Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church saith By the offence of the Iewes saluation is to Rom. 11. 11. the Gentiles that they may emulate them And if the offence of the Iewes be the riches of the world and the diminution of the Iewes the riches of the Gentiles how much more the fulnesse of them Againe If the losse of the Iewes Rom. 11. 15. be the reconciliation of the world what shal the receiuing be Againe Blindnesse in part hath chanced in Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles might enter and so all Israel might be saued Which cannot bee verified vpon Protestātisme supposed it were in the Apostles times since Protestants haue neither been so eminent as that the Iewes should emulate them nor the riches of the Gentiles neither hath the world been reconciled to Protestantisme neither hath the fulnesse of the Gentiles entred into Protestantisme
which for fourteene hundred yeares together was not knowne vnto the men of the earth That all these words of Saint Paul are verified vpon Romane Catholikes Protestants themselues giue ample testimony as is set down heretofore By these and many more Prophecies of the estate of the Church to come set downe by the Apostles and Euangelists it is manifest that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith So dread Soueraigne if the Generall consent of both Testaments the testimonie of God of Angels of Patriarkes of Prophets of Apostles of Euangelists and of all knowne Christen men that euer were before Luther may find grace and credite with your Maiesty to be beleeued they all reputed Heretikes by both parties onely excepted affirme that the Sonne of God was Author of that Catholike Romane Faith which is now persecuted within your Dominions CHAP. XIII Answeres to Obiections OBIECT 1. ALL Protestants doe not affirme that their Congregation hath been inuisible for these fourteene hundred years which were betweene the death of the Apostles and the rising of Luther but some say that they were visibly conuersant in the world administrating the Sacraments and preaching the pure Word Ans These Protestants did not liue in any of those ages to affirme that which they did see Reuelations Miracles Traditions they deny Writings Records Antiquities Councels Histories or any ancient testimony of such a visible company so administrating of Sacraments they haue none yet there is no other meanes of knowing things past but by a vaine imagination of an idle braine proper to lunatike men in Bedlam and Bridewell who talke of strange phantasies and chimeraes we looke for a people that should be made Princes ouer all the earth To whom Kings were Psal 44. nursing fathers and Queenes nurses That did ouerflow Isay 66. the glory of the Gentiles That did possesse the gates of their Gen. 22. enemies in whose seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed And they tell vs of a people that supposed they were yet they were the most base vile contemptible and wretched people that euer liued vpon the earth such lyars and dissemblers as that it could not be knowne what Religion they professed So impious that it is neuer heard of that euer they vsed any Sacraments Sermons or Prayers So barbarous that it is not found vpon any Record that euer they were married but if they were it seemeth that they accompanied together like horses and dogges so ignorant that there is not found one man amongst them that euer writ any thing so vile that they neuer did any thing worthy of memory So lawlesse that there is not found any Order Statute or Decree they had such Rogues and Vacabonds that none vntill this day can finde out where any of them dwelt Such enemies of Christ and Christianity that not any testimonie can be found of their being Baptized or Christened So if they were it seemeth that they were rather the seed of the Diuell then of Abraham or Christ Iesus or of any Christian man Obiect 2. Waldo who liued in the yeare of our Lord God 1220. and Wickliffe who liued in the yeare of our Lord 1370. and Iohn Husse who liued in the yeare 1400. were Protestants and held and taught the same doctrine Protestants doe now Answ First Waldo did so extoll merit for good works that he did forsake all things to become poore and follow Christ and euangelicall perfection as witnesseth Doctor Humfrey a Protestant in his Iesuitisme part 2. fol. 270. Secondly hee denied the Sabbath in regard whereof the Waldenses were called Insabbatists that is to say people who had no Sabbath as affirmeth Fox Acts and Monuments fol. 41. Thirdly hee taught that Lay-men and women might consecrate the Sacrament and preach Fourthly that there should be no diuision of Parishes Fiftly that men ought not to sweare in any case Sixtly That neither Priest nor Ciuill Magistrate being guiltie of mortall sinne did enjoy their dignities or were to be obeyed and many the like as witnesseth ILLIRICVS in catel testium veritatis Wickliffe taught that if a Bishop or Priest were in deadly sinne his ordaining of Priests Consecrating and Baptisme was not Valide and that Ecclesiasticall Ministers should not haue any Temporall possessions Fox Acts fol. 96. Moreouer hee condemned lawfull oathes as affirmeth Osiander in his Epito hist. Eccles fol. 459. Yet maintained he the worshipping of Images intercession to our blessed Lady the Masse and seuen Sacraments as is manifest in his bookes And for Iohn Husse except the doctrine of the Communion in both kinds which he would haue giuen to Lay-men and the doctrine of Wickliffe in defending that if a Prince Priest or Bishop committed mortall sinne they did lose their dignities and were not to be obeyed for the most part he retained the Articles of our Catholike Faith as the Seuen Sacraments the Popes Primacie the Masse in so much as Luther in Colloquijs Germanicis ca. de Antechristo saith of him The Papists burned Iohn Husse when as yet he depapted not a fingers breadth from the Papacie for he taught the same which Papists doe Obiect 3. The Church of the Protestants was in that of the Papists so if Protestants were not neither should Papists be Ans That is to confesse that the Papists Church is the true Church and that Protestants are Schismatikes or Heretikes according to the Scriptures saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had Iohn 2. 19. been of vs they would surely haue remained with vs. Againe Out of your selues shall arise men speaking peruerse Act. 10. 30. things Obiect 4. The Church is compared to the Moone so it may encrease and diminish and yet bee a true Church Ans The Church is compared to the Moone not for that it waneth increaseth euery month as the Moon in our Horison doth but for because what it loseth in one Countrey it gaineth in another as what light the Moone wanteth on the one side it hath on the other and so as the Moone changeth his light sometimes on the one side and sometime on the other according to the aspect â—e hath to the Sunne and yet except it bee by an Eclypse for a little while alwayes hath his full light So the Church of God vnlesse it be for a little Eclypse of persecution is alwayes dilated ouer the world though more manifest in one Countrey then in another as wee see by experience that the losse which the Church hath in England and some corners of the earth is more then restored in Asia America So it was promised by the Prophet saying Thy Sunne shall go downe no more and thy Moone shall not be diminished Isay 60. 20. because our Lord shall be vnto thee for an euerlasting light As our Sauiour said I am with you all dayes euen Matth. 28. 20. to the consummation of the world And this was the promise of