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
the Protestant Profession be Christ's True Religion and the Pure Light of his Gospel but hath ever made use to effect this admirable work of his Power and Mercy of the Blind and Superstitious Religion of the Papists That God for the space of above a thousand years in the Conversion of Heathen Nations and their Kings hath ever made use of Papistry is evident out of the Histories of former times which relates the Conversion of Nations Yea even in these latter times in which since the rising of the Protestant Religion the Faith of Christ hath been infinitely spread in the East and West-Indies and in divers vast Islands of the Sea amongst Heathen and Barbarous Nations God hath utterly neglected the True Religion and the pure Light of the Gospel that is the Protestant Religion And hath made use only of Papistry to make these Nations Blessed in Christ Now is not this a very likely thing if Papistry be a False and Protestancy the True Religion As likely certainly it is as that the Sea doth burn as that the Sun is dark and Snow black For to speak plain English If Protestancy be Gods Religion and Papistry the Devils in regard that God cannot in very deed be Author of both these Religions they being opposite and contrary one to the other How can God neglect the Protestant Religion and make use of Papistry to spread the Faith of his Son over the World to make thereby the Nations of the Earth Blessed in him Nay how can they be made Blessed in Christ by the help of the Devils Religion How can it become the Wisdom and Goodness of God to neglect his own Religion and to spread increase and exalt the Devils To neglect the True Light of the Gospel and to delude the Nations of the Earth with the Superstitions of Papistry Who then is so short and dim sighted that he doth not see that even from hence is most clearly prov'd that the Protestant Profession is not Gods Religion is not the Pure Light of the Gospel ordain'd by God to give Light to the Gentiles and to make them Blessed in Christ But a late and new Invention suggested by the Enemy of God to destroy in these Northern parts of the World that Religion which God made use of heretofore to root out Him and his Idolatrous Worship and to make these Nations Blessed in his Son I conclude then this Question with this Syllogism That is Gods Religion and the True Gospel and Doctrine of Christ which is Preached over the World to spread therein the Name and Faith of Christ for a Testimony to all Nations But Papistry and not Protestancy is so Preach'd over the World Ergo Papistry and not Protestancy is Gods Religion and the True Gospel and Doctrine of Christ The Major is certain and clear out of the Words of Christ Matth. 24. above-related The Minor is certain and also clear out of the Histories of former Times and also of this present Age. The conclusion follows well And so it rests demonstrated that the Holy Catholick Roman Faith Nick-nam'd Papistry is Gods Religion and the True Gospel of Christ Which will appear yet more clearly out of the Questions following Question V. Whether it be not a very inconsiderate thing and full of danger to prefer in matters of Faith and Religion the Teaching of Men before the Word of God ALthough the Arguments of the precedent Questions be firm and strong and sufficient to make Considerate Protestants to look about them yet many of them will be little mov'd therewith because they are possess'd with a strong imagination that Their Religion is grounded upon the word of God is squar'd out thereby and wholly or at least very much cleans'd from the Doctrines of men To free them from which false and dangerous Conceit and Perswasion I here demand Whether it be not a thing of great Inconsideration and of no small danger to prefer in matters of Faith and Religion the Teaching of Men the Doctrine of This or That Preacher before the Word of God Yea in effect to hazard and pawn ones Soul that the Teaching of these or those new Masters is truer and rather to be follow'd than the express word of God it self This will seem to Protestants a strange demand because they esteem Papists not a little culpable for relying too much upon the Doctrines of Men And therefore they will here bid me take my self by the Nose Nevertheless whatsoever they imagine I will easily here free Papists and prove them guilty of preferring the Doctrines of Men before the express Word of God. That Papists are not guilty of this Crime is clear enough First Because no Text of the Word of God taken in its proper Sense and as the Antient Fathers the general Councels the ever visible Catholick Church of Christ did take it doth directly contradict any Article held by the Roman Church For example no Text doth say that we are not justify'd by Faith and Good-Works That Works of Grace done in the state of Grace are not Meritorious That the Body of Christ is not really in the Holy Eucharist That Lawful Priests have not Power as Gods Instruments to Absolve from Sins rightly Confess'd That no Satisfaction is necessarily requir'd on our Parts That there is no Purgatory That it is not Lawful or Profitable to Pray to Saints to Honour them as Sanctify'd Creatures to respect Reverently their Reliques to have Holy Pictures and Reverently to regard them for the Love of Christ or his Saints and the like No Text I say of the Word of God doth expresly condemn These and the like Articles believ'd by Catholicks Though many make expresly for them as Catholick Divines do shew Secondly Although all True Catholicks do Humbly and Obediently believe as the Church Teaches And thereupon do firmly imbrace divers Articles propos'd by Her which are not in express Terms found in the Scriptures Yet in these very Points they do not believe the Doctrines of men or prefer the Doctrines of men before the express Word of God or hazard their Souls that the Teaching of Their Pastors is truer or rather to be follow'd than the Word of God But in these particular Articles they rely upon the Authority of God and believe the Word of God speaking in and by his Church which will not be hard to shew For the Office of Preaching the Word of God by Christ committed to his Apostles dy'd not with them but continu'd with their Successors And so the Preaching of their Successors was the Preaching of the Word of God not only in the first Age after the Apostles but in all succeeding Ages the Holy Ghost Ever abiding with them John 14. And Teaching them all Truth in matters of Faith John 16. Moreover in the Ages after the Apostles not only those who had Skill and Means to Read the Scriptures But those also who could not Read them might believe in Christ and might be Saved by him And consequently
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
these Ancient and most Learned Fathers were great Praisers and Practisers of austere and penitential works consisting in frequent Prayer in much watching in severe fasting in hard lodgings in course and spare Dyet in wearing of Hair-cloth and the like They lived single Lives Many of them bestow'd their Wealth upon the Poor and other Pious Uses and professed Voluntary Poverty following therein the counsel of Christ given Matth. 19. 21. and they not only allowed of but also most highly extolled the observing of perpetual Chastity and Virginity preferring the same far above Matrimony Were not these men then strange Protestants Thirdly Take notice that these Ancient Worthies even by the Confession of all Protestants were Men of excellent Wits of excellent Learning If then they had found in the word of God as Protestants say they find that only Faith does Justifie That Good Works are not meritorious That in Works of Grace Men have not Free-will That they are not able to keep the Commandments That it is not in the power of Man or Woman to live perpetually chaste That Virginity is not more pleasing to God than Matrimony That to give all to the Poor to Fast Pray and watch much and to undergo other Austerities and mortifications of the Body doth not profit and inrich the Soul That there is no Purgatory no Pennance to be done no satisfaction to be made for Sin no punishment to be inflicted upon the Faithful for them after this Life If I say the ancient Fathers had found these and the like Doctrines of Protestants in the Scriptures and why should they not have found them there if there they had been they being so Wise so Learned and so industrious Searchers of the Word of God as they were If there I say they had found these things and had believed them as Protestants do they would have lived as Protestants do for why should they not If these pleasing Doctrines which are light and easie to Flesh and Blood and the sweet Liberty of the new Gospel had as feelingly pierced and as strongly possessed the Hearts of those Antients as it did and doth the Breasts and Bowels of Luther Zwinglius Bucer Peter Martyr Calvin Beza and their Followers the Teachers of the Protestant Religion they would without all doubt with these have preferred Pleasures before Pennance Feasting before Fasting the delights of the Conjugal Life before the continent and single And in a word Riches Honours Pleasures before the labours and smart of a penitential and mortified Life before voluntary poverty and the vexing Attire of Hair-cloth or else they had been mad had they believed as most Protestants do that such Exercises as these are needless fruitless yea and superstitious Toys But the Truth is that those ancient and shining Lamps of Wisdom and Sanctity did not believe as Protestants do and therefore they liv'd not as they do for they were otherwise instructed in the School of Christ they read and learned another Lesson in his Divine Gospel even the same that Papists now do and therefore they instituted their Lives as they did and were in very deed as much Protestants as the Pope and his Priests and Fryers now are and no more most certainly unless we will have them to have been Sots and Mad-men If a douzen Protestant Ministers now should consociate themselves together and shaking off the Delights of the World should apply themselves fervently to much Prayer Fasting Watching lying on hard Couches wearing of Hair-cloth and such other austerities of Body and forbearing to marry should highly extol the single Life perpetual Chastity and should exhort young Maidens Noble Gentlewomen Princes Daughters to the perpetual keeping of their Virginity and Consecrating of it to God would they be held for sincere and well-grounded Protestants I think not Nay would they not presently be suspected for Papists No doubt but they would the institute of their Life plainly breathing Papistry and wholly swerving from the Belief and practise of Learned Protestants Let not then my Noble and dear Countrymen the misreports of some of your Teachers so far prevail with you as to make you believe the better to keep and quiet you in Protestantism that the Fathers of the primitive Church were Protestants For certainly those Blessed Servants of Christ were as far from being Protestants as the most zealous of your Teachers are from being Papists yea from being Monks or Fryers and from instituting their Lives as those Ancients did If then you truly prize the Learning and Sanctity of the Primitive Church and Christians become of that Belief which their Lives and Practices do Preach unto you If you think them saved be not so hardy as to seek a new way to Heaven for the safety of your Souls is of greater moment then so to be exposed to hazard being there can be but one saving Faith as my Tenth Question will make plain unto you Eternal Glory is not easily to be set upon the Dice when you may take a secure way to it Become then of the Communion of that Church in which the Fathers lived and dyed that therein seconding your Belief with a Virtuous Life you may assuredly attain to everlasting Happiness which I cordially wishing unto you shall infinitely rejoice if these my Questions which I now leave to your perusal shall further or occasion your return to that Religion which assuredly leadeth thither As most certainly they will Gods Holy Grace concurring if you will but attentively and with impartial Eyes read them and not be shuffled off with frivilous Answers or rest satisfyed untill you see my Arguments solidly refuted which you will never see if you look well to their Fingers who shall undertake the answering of them And so beseeching God to prosper your Reading and Meditation to his own Glory and the Salvation of your Souls I remain unfeignedly A Well-wisher of Your Eternal Felicity T. K. THE CONTENTS Question 1. WHere was the Protestant Religion believ'd and practis'd the last Five Hundred Years before Luther Page 1. Question 2. If Luther was not the first Teacher of the Protestant Religion to whom did he immediately succeed in the Office of Teaching the same Where also is treated of the Mission of Protestant Teachers p. 4. Question 3. If the Protestant Religion be truly Catholick when was it spread over the World and what Heathen Nations hath it Converted to Christ p. 11. Question 4. 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 the Gospel p. 12. Question 5. Whether it be not a very inconsiderable thing and full of danger to prefer in matters of Faith and Religion the Teaching of Men before the Word of God p. 16. Question 6. Whether God hath left to Christian People any sure Rule of Faith
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
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
which the Nations of the Earth were made Blessed But then I demand 1st With what Spectacles do these men who thus Answer see this Invisible Religion Or how do they know there was any such in the World What Text of the Bible what History makes mention thereof 2ly Who were the Preachers of this Invisible Religion Who the Followers What Nations receiv'd it What Sacraments had it What Divine Service or Worship of God In what Churches was it practic'd or Caves or Desarts How did the Followers thereof know one another What Candles did they use at their Meetings all being Invisible amongst them 3ly What Foolish Heretick may not by thus Answering maintain that his Devises were ever extant though Invisibly and that the Nations of the Earth by them have been Blessed yet Invisibly This Answer then being too too Absurd and Ridiculous Will other Protestants hope to evade by saying That although the Faith of the Roman Church grew by degrees to be full of Errors and Superstitions yet the Nations of the Earth were Sav'd thereby and thereby were made truly Blessed in Jesus But then I demand first whether the Faith of the Roman Church be truly Holy truly pleasing to God and profitable to Man or no If it be not how could God draw Men by his Heavenly Grace to believe it But if it be why did Protestants at the first revolt from it Or how durst they lately Persecute it May they securely Persecute and seek to ruine that Religion by which for so many hundred years the Nations of the Earth have been made Blessed in Jesus I believe not Secondly I demand by what Text of Scripture or light of Reason will Protestants maintain that God by his Grace and special operation can draw men to believe a false and Superstitious Religion A Religion that had so great need of Reforming that the World was to be turn'd up-side down and Infinite Tumults and Bloody Broils to be set a foot rather than not to undertake it If God can draw men by his Grace can move and stir them up to imbrace and believe Errors and Superstitions or Religions that are Erronious and Superstitious how is he not in this respect as bad as the Devil Or upon what firm ground can we maintain that the Religion of Moses the Religion of Jesus was Pure and Holy By saying and proving that God was the Author of these Religions That proves nothing if God by his Grace can draw men to believe Errors and Superstitions Thirdly I demand If Jesus was the true Messias and that God did intend to draw the Nations of the Earth to believe in him and to make them Blessed by him was he not able to provide himself of a True Holy and Divine Religion to which with his Honour he might draw them But must he needs make use of a False Blind Superstitious one to the extream Disgrace of himself These Answers then being Absurd and far from satisfying Prudent men To maintain that Jesus is the True Messias and that the Promises of God made to the Patriarchs have been really fulfill'd in him Will considerate Protestants grant and acknowledge that he hath ever had in all Ages a Divine Religion wholly True and truly Saving spread over the World to bring to the Nations thereof the promis'd Blessing If this they will do they shall do like Good Christians But then they must name a Divine Pure and Illustrious Religion different and distinct from Papistry which hath Converted the Nations of the Earth to Jesus and in all Ages hath made them Blessed in him Which is impossible for them to do Or else they must acknowledge and grant that Papistry is a Divine Religion is wholly true is the True Light of the Gospel of Christ is his only Saving Faith and abundantly apt and able to bring to the Nations of the Earth the Promis'd Blessing all which is most true as I hope they will grant rather then deny that Jesus was the True Messias and Saviour of the World as some Protestants have done to the assured damnation of their Souls Being by this Argument choak'd and not able to find any satisying Answer thereunto unless they would yield that Papistry is a Holy and Saving Religion and the true Light of the Gospel of Christ Which they being unwilling to yield unto either for shame or for their extream hatred thereof turn'd either Jews Turks or Atheists and so made sure their Eternal Damnation But our Protestants I hope will be Wiser and will rather return to the Faith of their Noble Progenitors in which they may assuredly be Sav'd than run into so great madness and thereby perish Eternally Question XI Did the Church of Christ err heretofore because Christ could not preserve her from erring or because he would not MY Eleventh Demand of Protestants is if the Church of Christ hath err'd as they say in her Doctrine of Faith from whence proceeded this her erring Did this happen because Christ could not keep her from erring or because he would not If he could not how is he God How is he Omnipotent How is it True that he had All Power given him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. If Christ could enable his Apostles to Preach his Religion over the World without danger of erring and of deluding the Nations of the Earth why could he not also Enable their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church to Teach and continue the same Religion in all succeeding Ages without danger of erring and of misleading his People If God could direct men to write his Holy Scriptures without danger of erring why can he not direct men to explicate the same Holy Scriptures in all Ages without danger of erring in matters of Faith Well then Protestants must say that Christ could have preserv'd his Church in all Ages from danger of erring in her Doctrine of Faith but would not But why would he not Did the Increase of his own Credit and Glory move him to this neglect or the good of Mankind Not the Increase of his own Credit For what Credit Honour Glory could acrew and arise to him by the erring of his Church Doth this commend his Workmanship in Founding her His Wisdom Goodness Power in Governing her I think not Nay could it become the Wisdom of a Discreet man to take so great Pains and to suffer so Painful and Ignominious a Death as Christ did for the Founding of an Erring Church which should Delude and Mislead the World Would any Honest Protestant if he had the like Power that Christ had have Founded so miserable a Church as they esteem Christ to have Founded I believe not Was it then the good of Mankind that invited Christ to Constitute an erring Church Truly no. For no good can come to men by such a Church but rather much harm yea infinite mischief As endless Discord Broils Contentions Bloody Encounters uncertainty in matters of Faith contempt of all Religion
for them to give a proper and True Definition of an Heretick but therein they must involve and inclose Luther Calvin Zwinglius and such other prime Founders of the Protestant Religion How improbable then a thing is it that God among so many Wise Learned and Holy Men as flourish'd in his Church in the long tract of above a thousand years could not find any fit to be by him particularly imploy'd for the restoring of the True Light of his Heavenly Religion to the World again if it were lost till Luther and his carnal and jarring Off-spring appear'd And how slenderly do Protestants provide for the safety of their Souls who hazzard them upon so manifest a Falshood as this Question XIV Whether God by Miracles can draw and incline men to believe a false Religion or no Where it is shewed that God by Miracles did draw our Fore-Fathers at their first Conversion to Christanity to believe Papistry MY Fourteenth Demand is Whether God by Miracles can move and draw Men to believe a false Religion or no Or thus whether Men may safely and without danger of their Souls esteem that Religion False VVicked Pernicious and worthy to be hated and persecuted to believe which God doth stir up and induce men even by Miracles as by curing the Lame Blind and the like I think no understanding Protestant will be so ill advised as to affirm this for he that should so do should utter a manifest Blasphemy tending to the denial of God and of all Christianity For he that draws men to believe false Religions cannot be a good Spirit but a Bad cannot be God but the Devil as is manifest or the Devils Agent God being infinitely VVise Good and True and a zealous Hater of all Falshood Moreover what certainty can we have of the Truth of the Scriptures of the Doctrine of Moses and of Christ or that Christ was the true Messias and Saviour of the VVorld if God by Miracles may draw and induce men to the imbracing of a false Religion Far then be it from all true Christian Breasts to hold so great a Blasphemy as this and therefore let me lay for a sure and uncontroulable Ground that God by Miracles cannot draw men to imbrace a false or bad Religion and that therefore that Religion to believe which God by Miracles doth stir up and induce is not Bad Superstitious and False but true Holy and Divine yea wholly True and the only Saving Faith of Christ because there can be but only one Faith but only one Religion in the VVorld that is intirely True and truly Saving as I before have shewed This Ground being agreed upon which Christianly cannot be denied I propose to all prudent and considerate Protestants this Syllogism That Religion to believe which God by Miracles doth stir up and draw is wholly True Divine and Saving But God by Miracles doth stir up and draw men to believe Papistry Ergo Papistry is wholly true Divine and Saving yea it is the only Saving Faith of Christ The Major is clear and certain out of the Ground laid The Minor I could prove by the Testimony of innumerable grave Authors and by relating the Conversion of divers Heathen Nations to Christ brought to pass in former Ages and also in our Times But omitting these to avoid Prolixity I will only insist upon the Conversion of our own Nation to Christ which was effected a thousand years ago by forty Holy Monks sent hither by Gregory the Great then Bishop of Rome St. Austin the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury being the Cheif of them who converted our Fore-fathers not to the Protestant Faith which then was not so much as thought of in the VVorld but to Papistry for what Religion should the Pope send in and Monks bring in but Papistry This is manifest by the Churches Altars Abbeys Monasteries Nunneries which our first Christians built By the Names which they imposed upon Churches and upon sundry Days of the Year as Christmas Ash-Wednesday Palm-Sunday By the Crosses which they every where erected By the Pictures wherewith they adorned their Altars and the Glass Windows of their Churches By their perpetual Subjection to the Pope and the Paying of the Peter-pence unto him from the Time of King Inas even to Henry the Eighth Yea This is so evident that even the most earnest of the Protestants cannot deny it Bale Cent. 1. Fol. 3. saith That Austin was sent from Gregory to season the English Saxons with the Popish Faith. Doctor Fulk Confu of Purg. pag. 333. for this cause tearms our Conversion to Christ our Perversion Danaeus Resp ad disput Bellar. Part 1. pag. 780. Terms the same The Inebriation of the VVhore of Babilon Mr. Ascham Apol. pro caena pag. 33. Calls St. Austin who brought our Fore-fathers from worshipping the Devil to worship Christ The Overthrower of true Religion and the Establisher of Popish Doctrine Mr. Harrison in his Description of Britanniae set before Hollinshead in plain terms confesses That Austin came and brought in Popery Bale in Catalog cent 14. pag. 117. saith That Austin by his Interpreters taught our People the Papistical Faith. The same is clear out of the Magdeburgians Luke Osiander and others who shew that scarcely there is a Ceremony now used by Papists that was not then brought in by St. Austin And so there can no doubt be made but that our Fore-fathers by their first Converters were made Papists and that that Faith in Christ to which God by his Grace did draw them was Papistry It rests then to prove that to this Faith God did convert and draw our Fore-fathers even by Miracles VVhich Point being well and firmly proved no prudent man will deny but that Papistry is truly and really a Holy and a Divine Religion yea the true Light of the Gospel and the only Saving Faith of Christ as my former Syllogism doth demonstrate That God then by Miracles did incline and draw our Fore-fathers to believe and imbrace that Faith and Religion which Austin taught that is Papistry is testified first by Venerable Bede a Holy Grave and Learned Author who living near the Time of our Conversion while things were yet fresh in Memory and writing out of the assured Records of the whole Business then extant and to no meaner a Person than a King is not likely to have erred through ignorance or to have feigned This wise then and Holy man in his first Book C. 26. speaketh thus But when the King himself being much delighted with the Purity of their Life namely of Augustin and his Associates and the Example of their Godly Conversation as also with their sweet Promises which to be true they proved by working many Miracles did believe and were Baptized there began more and more daily to resort unto their Sermons and renouncing the Rites of their old Gentility to joyn themselves by Faith to the Vnity of the Holy Church of Christ Thus in this place Bede Who in his Second
the Scandal of the King and his People in the Infancy of their Christianity which many then living could easily have controulled if a VVorker of Miracles Austine had not been But hear the Epitaph recorded by Bede Lib. 2. c. 3. Here resteth Blessed Austine the first Arch-bishop of Canterbury who was sent hether by Blessed Gregory Bishop of Rome and aided by God with the Operation of Miracles did bring King Ethelbert and his People from the Worship of Idols to the Faith of Christ and fulfilling in Peace the Days of his Office dyed the Seventh of the Calends of June the same King yet Reigning Thus the Epitaph into which no man of VVit Modesty or Honesty would have inserted the Gift of Miracles if it had not been notoriously true that this our Apostle was therewith adorned and by the help thereof did convert the English from Idolatry to the Faith of Christ And so it resteth inevitably proved that God by Miracles did draw our Fore-fathers to Papistry Whence it as evidently followeth yea much more evidently that Papistry is a Divine and Holy Religion intirely True and really the True Light of the Gospel and the only saving Faith of Christ which no Man can Hate Impugne Persecute without the high offence of God and extream peril of his own Soul. This I say is most clearly proved and evicted by the Argument drawn from the Miracles which it pleas'd God to work for the Conversion of the English Neither let any Protestant flatter and delude himself by thinking that a satisfying Answer may be made thereunto for certainly it cannot for neither can it be deny'd with any colour of Truth that such Miracles were done for the Conversion of the English as are certified by Bede by Gregory by the Epitaph Neither can it be maintained that God by Miracles may draw Men to a false and wicked Religion And as impossible it is to prove that the Devil was the Author of the Miracles wrought by Saint Austin For if the Devil could never yet effect such Miracles to draw Men to false and wicked Religions as to Judaism Arianism Turcism Paganism or to the direct and express worship of himself How great madness is it to think that he wrought these Miracles to draw Men from himself to Christ From the worship of False Gods to the worship of the True God If any protern and wrangling Wit will reply that the Devil effected these Miracles not to draw Men to Christ but to Papistry which contains the worship of Saints and Angels a thing very pleasing to the Devil I demand whether it be more pleasing to the Devil and displeasing to God to have Christ worshipped for God and his Angels and Saints honoured not as Gods for that is the Fiction of Protestants not the Fact of Papists but as sanctified Creatures dear to God and by his Grace Dignify'd and made worthy of Respect and Honour then to have wicked Men senseless Creatures the Devil himself worshipped for Gods May not a Jew a Villain a Miscreant wrangle according to this Example and say That the Miracles which are said to have been wrought by Christ and his Apostles were wrought indeed by the Devil to draw Men from the True Worship of God prescribed by the Law of Moses to the False Worship of a Crucify'd Man Far then be it from the hearts of prudent and sober Men to attribute to the Devil the manifest works of the Holy Ghost so to maintain a Faction to their own Perdition against the True and Saving Faith of Christ proved most clearly by the Miracles of S. Austin to be no other but the Roman Catholick Faith styled by Protestants Papistry and Popery Question XV. Out of which Religion the Elect of Christ are to be gathered at the day of Judgement BEcause divers Protestants especially of the purer strain esteem themselves to be the Elect of the Lord and adorn not seldom their Brotherhood with this goodly Title That these Men may see the folly of this their proud presumption I demand Whether the Elect of God are to be gathered out of all Ages and out of all the Quarters of the World Or out of some few Ages and out of some small Parcel of the World If they are to be gathered only out of some little part of the World How is that true which our Saviour says Matth. 24. 31. And he the Son of God shall send his Angels with a Trumpet and a great Voice And they shall gather together his Elect from the four Winds from the farthest parts of Heaven even to the ends thereof Or that true which the Elect themselves say Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy O Lord to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof Because thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God in thy blood out of every Tribe and Tongue and People and Nation Or that which St. John says Rev. 7. 9. After these things I saw a great multitude which no Man could Number of all Nations and Tribes and People and Tongues standing before the Throne c. How I say are these most express places of God's Word true if his Elect are to be gathered only out of some small Parcel of the World possessed by the purer sort of Protestants But if according to these express and clear places the true Elect of God are to be gathered out of all the quarters of the World and Nations of the Earth as most certainly they are How dangerous is the state of all Protestants and how ridiculous the presumption of those Purelings who being but Birds of Yesterdays Hatching and Nestled only in a Corner of the World will needs be forsooth the Elect of the Lord and the only Guests that must be admitted to his Banquet But let not Protestants here deceive themselves by imagining that although for many Ages they were not extant not ever hitherto spread over the World yet that hereafter they shall arrive to this happiness For first If God hath not yet made use of their endeavours to convert the Heathen Nations of the Earth to his Son when is it likely that he will change his Stile and rejecting his old Workmen imploy the Leaden Zeal of these new Laborers shall I say or Loyterers 2. When will the Needle of these Mens Zeal point toward the Conversion of Heathen Nations seeing that when it was newly touched and in it self most vigorous and active it only turned toward the perverting of old Christians never minding the misery of Heathens 3. What real hope can there be that Protestant Teachers will ever spread their Religion over the World by converting Heathen Nations to Christ seeing they are destitute of Vnity in Doctrine of excellent Sanctity of Life and of the gift of Miracles All which are necessary for the effecting of so hard and Divine a work as the Conversion of Heathen Nations is as is manifest by the Example of the Apostles and of all the excellent Labourers of the Catholick