cleansing and taking away of original sin derived to all the relative descendants of Adam is a supernatural doctrine absolutely necessary to bring mankind to beatitude that Christ taught this doctrine and that the same the Apostles and the Church by him planted received it from him immediately and that this Doctrine was ever conserved practiced and deliverd over from hand to hand by the Primitive best Fathers and Luminaries of that Church untill this very day without any interruption which to deny were not only most impious and heretical but most absurd to whosoever considereth the infinite goodnesse providence wisedom and omnipotency of the Almighty yet notwithstanding Pelagius a Welchman and is usually stiled Pelagius the Brittan to distinguish him from Pelagius the Samosatensian Bishop his name in Welch was Morgan which signifies the Sea This pernicious wretch lived in the time of the Emperour Theodosius the younger and Honorius about the year of our Lord 416. This man I say and his followers Julianus Celestius maintained damnable Heresies against Christs express doctrine for they taught Adams sin to be noxious to himselfe only and not to his posterity and theâ—e to be no original sin Lust and concupiscence being natural not to be evill but rather good and sin not to be propagaâ—ed by generation The former being granted children to have no original sin from their parents and children though not baptized to be saved See Pontanus Cath. Heretic This Pestilent Heresie was spread abroad in many places but chiefly in England because Pelagius being driven from Rome came thither and infected it with his execrable Erroâ—s But by the diligent travels and great zeal of one Germanus Altisidorensis and Palladius sent from Celestinus Pope both England and Scotland became free from those his Errors solemnly condemned in the Synod of Carthage An. 415. in which there were assembled 2â—7 Bishops in Numidia and in the Arausican in Franc. You may find his errors set down by August Hierome Ambrose Isidor Prosper and Fulgent yet notwithstanding in these our late Error-abounding dayes partly through the instigation and malice of Satan and partly through the power of the Almighties wrath punishing the contempt of his revealed truth those damn'd Heresies of Pelagius doth begin to be covertly revived by the crafty insinuating conveyance of one Dr. Taylor the great Luminary and Pillar of the Protestant Church in England the only Idol of the Nation and whose writings are generally cryed up and highly extoll'd by the unsteady multitude for no other reason that I can imagine but for his sympathizing correspondency with them in blindnesse inconstancy and ignorance yet he is a man that hath his senses or fantasie so depraved as to take imperfect and maimed impressions of outward objects and the powers of his understanding so weak and perverted as to make preposterous and disorderly collâ—ctions out of them and whose judgment is so misguided by pre-occupation of self affection or particular ends as himselfe becomes most lamentably deceived feeding his soul with falshood iâ— stead of truth blindly wading too far without and above his obscure capacity and low proportion of knowledg into particular uselesse subtilties doting about frivolous questions and logomachies whereof commeth no fruit other then presumption dissention railings dissolution â—vill surmisings conâ—empt of Christ of his Doctrine Sacraments and divine Ordinances leaving every man to the dictamens of his own private judgment according to the several tempers and circumstances that sway in every particular which leadeth on inevitably to Atheism and unchristianity and all this for sordid apprehensions of base commodity to himselfe having imployed the faculties of his understanding contrary unto their naturall inclinations to the maintaining of lyes and the deceiving of others expresly against Scripture and the generally received Doctrine of all the Orthodox Fathers in all Ages perspicuous and eminent in knowledge of tongues inâ—ight into Antiquity profoundnesse in Sciences Perfection and true Sanctity of life which have shined most rarely in them and none will deny but these are the likeliest meanes to gain a right intelligence of the true and deep sense of Scripture and not the vain dreams and deluding suggestions of the private spirit of any Taylor Sailer Cobler Body seller Tinker or such like swarm of Locusts which have so miserably invaded and infected this brave Island all pretending to have their commission and power derived from Jesus Christ with so much intemperate boldnesse as if they were the only persons employed and entrusted by him to doe oâ— undoe as they please But let them pretend what they will its manifest Christ concluded of such John 10. 1. He that entreth not in by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber Our Saviour himselfe was the door to his Apostles and his Apostles and their Successors the door to all that ever were admitted Shepherds in a regular and Apostolick manner Now if any desires to know who are the false Prophets false Teachers Dr. Taylor shall resolve him in his Doctrine delivered in his Episcopacy asserted where he holds forth that Christ did institute a government to order and rule his Church by his Authority and that this government was delegated to the Apostles by immediate substitution by Christ in traditione clavium inspiratione spiritus c. And he holds further that this power was not to expire with their personâ— for when the great Shepherd had reduced his wandering sheep into a fold he would not leave them without guides to govern them so long as the woolf might possibly prey upon them and that is till the last separation of the sheep from the goats and this Christ intimates in that his promise Eâ—vobiscnm not with your persons for they dyed long ago but vobiscum vestri similibus with Apostolical Successors of yours till the end of the woâ—ld anâ— therefore that the Apostolat might be perpetuall and successive Christ gave them a power of Ordination that by imposing hands on others they might impart thâ—t power which they received from Christ which was both ordinery and extraordinary as immediate Miâ—lion unlimited Jurisdiction and miraculous Operations It followes therefore that there must remain a power of giving faculty and capacity to persons successively for the execution of that in which he promised perpetuall assistance which were the Offices and Powers of Preaching Baptizing Consecrating Ordaining and Governing necessary for the perpetuating of a Church unlesse men could be Christians that were never Christned become Priests without Calling of God and Ordination have their sins pardoned without Absolution be Members Parts and Sons of a Church whereof there is no codunation no Authority no Governour It follows therefore out of this Doctrine that if Dr. Taylor or all other Proiestant Ministers Teachers or Preachers in England have not received lawful power mission Apostalical faculty or ordination by hand-imposition from true Apostolical Successors they all
are reduced to the Nonsuch of their Calling become meer Laicks and incapable of any colourable pretence to any successive Ministerial Apostolical Ordination or Mission derived from Christ and his Apostles left as unfit dispensers of the mysteries of the Kingdome Then pray by what power or commission doth Dr. Tayler and other such giddy pretending spirits preach teach guide soules plant Religion interpret Scripture and administer Sacraments intruding themselves and with a sottish arrogancy usurping those sacred Functions sure the result of this his doctrine is that both he and all other such Ministers Preachers Doctors c. of the now Protestant Church in England must be Roman Catholicks or claim not at all a pretence to any true Apostolical successive ordination or mission deriv'd from Christ ex ore tuo te judico serve nequam Thus you see the Doctor pledg'd in his own cup and proved a destroyer of his own Doctrine and pretended Ministery I pâ—tty the soules of his misguided and deluded Proselytes Notwithstanding this his Doctrine in his Episcopacy asserted you shall find quite contradictory in his Epistle Dedicatory to his liberty of Prophesying and all along in that his work where he allowes an indifferency or countenance to all Sects and new Religions teaching and encouraging varieties of Sects and contradictions in opinions that men may be saved in any Religion what is this other then to overthrow all Successive Apostolical Ordination and Mission derived from the Apostles for Baptizing Preaching Consecrating and administring Sacraments allowed and taught by him in his Episcopacy asserted and to open a wide gate and make way for all Schism irreverence pride of understanding and for a colluvies of Heresies and by consequence destroy all Religion and for to justifie forsooth the new birth of his rebellious brain the first stroke of his pen must be to lay a taint of ignorance and error upon the whole Current of ancient Fathers of the Church and General Councils and to blast their authority whose names and records ought to be sacred with posterity and to settle a like beliefe in all men he gives no general and certain rule but leaving every man to the dictamen of his own private judgment hence must result as by dire experience may be seen a variety of dayly new opinions as those dictamens of private spirits are different for who is able to number all the divisions and subdivisious of all the new Sects that these later dayes have hatch'd in England occasioned by the large liberty of Prophesying and interpreting Scripture given by our new Dr. to all Laicks to preach teach guide souls administer Sacraments interpret Scripture and invent new Religions and what not Oh times oh manners is this the frâ—â—t of the new wayes fresh wâ—â—s and dayly inventions whereby the utter desolation is day by day consummated are these our new pretended Reformers and Lights Sure they are but meer exhalations sulphureous Mâ—tâ—ors igues fatuâ— good for nothing but to lead men into lakes and ditches If the Reader will but seriously consider and peruse with attention this loose and Independent doctrine of Dr. Tayler he will finde him like the Chamelion changing himself unto all colours and inventing a trick to minâ— this doctrine as may be most serviceable to his particular Design and Interest for sometimes he steers according to the expresse doctrine of Roman Catholickâ—s he so much declames against sometimes according to the face of a rigid Presbyterian sometimes according to the successe and atchievements of illiterate Anabaptists sometimes according to the itch and inclination of Independents and finally according to the genius of damned Pelagius of whom Luther said that he was so called from Pelagus the Sea whereas his most impious erors like the Sea did in a manner overflow the world Might not Dr Tayler as well out of his name Tayler be not unfitly call'd cauda Draconis the erring tail of the Dragon meant by S. John Revel. 12. 4. who saw clearly in a Vision that a time would come when the tail of the Dragon should draw the third part of the stars from heaven A man may think now the time to be iâ— which that Revelation is fulfilled in Dr. Tayler the posthumus hereticorum filius cauda for doth not he vigorously endeavour to overthrow and quite abolish the efficacy of Baptism made the Characteristick note of a Christian from an Heretick Jew or Infidell shewing himselfe to be of so strange and imperious a spirit as that he would fain confine all the Wits in England to his particular erroneous fancy so far mistaking himselfe as to think his bare assertions without competent proofe should be received for Oracles What is this but to aime from the blind tail of the people to advance himselfe to such a pitch of presumption as to pretend to trample upon the Head Sacraments and all the mystical body of Christ the universal Redeemer and bring consequently Religion State and â—all to ruine and confusion Take fâ—om Plutarch to this purpose a story of a serpent whose tayl was discontented that the head should have the power to govern and carry it which way soever it pleased the tayle therefore petitioned that the same power might reside in it which being unwarily granted upon greaâ— importunity the tayl a member oâ— a very active and stirring nature but withall blind carried the head breast and body through many holes and crevises untill at last 〈◊〉 brought it selfe into such narrow straits that it could not stir but both head body and tayle were all destroyed This though but a Fable hath in it an important morall truth and may pertinently be applyed by the ingenious to Dr. Tayler Doe but observe what a brave flourishing Island most famous for Learning Piety Sanctity and true Religion setled by Christ the divine Architect has England been while soules were governed and ruled in the way to common salvation by the Head viz. by the true Apostolical Doctors and Preachers sent and authorised with divine Power Ordination and Commission by fit and legal Ministers of the mysteries of the Kingdome by Christs Emyassadors for Peace and Reconciliation Then indeed the saving doctrine purely extracted from the true Fountain did at all times most perspicuously appeare against all avouch'd Heresies and intolerable Blasphemies Then there has been seen a blessed harmonious union in all fundamental principles of Religion constantly maintain'd and preserv'd both in Church and State But alas since the planting of new fangl'd Religions and the rule and government of soules has been by usurpation assum'd by the over-bufie blind and erring tayle viz. by Dr. Tayler and other such like upstart subpedanean Divines made Ministers only according to the new model by humane ordination and now justly cast out of Church-government and levelled to the rank of the unsteady vulgar this gallant Nation is become inglorious the light and liberty of the Gospel extremely ecclips'd if not quite extinguish'd new inventions
Where the Protestants do teach that in the Eucharist the body and blood of Christ is not only signified and offered but also really substantially and truly presented exhibited and communicated and consequently that the bread is not a bare sign significative only but also exhibitive of Christs body See Vsher's Sermon before the Commons Page 16. Edit. 2. Sure had Christs body been only figuratively presented he would have removed the doubt when he saw the Jews offended at the reality as Hereticks be now a days John 6. and he would not have confirmed and repeated his saying in terminis with promise of a greater wonder John 6. 62. The Lutherans believe our Saviour to be as really in the Eucharist as he was upon the Crosse but do not adore him the Roman Catholiques both believe the reality of it and adore it For my part I should clearly hold with these for S. Paul and all the four Evangelists unanimously teach the Doctrine of the reall presence and not one single place produceable that in direct terms calls the B. Eucharist a sign or figure of Christs body notwithstanding the vain cursed maintainers thereof admit no proof as authentical but the prâ—cise Text of Scripture but in this so important controversie they fly to logical inferences and Philosophical discourses and so make their own bare reason the Judge and not the word of God rendering by their new and private interpretations this great Sacrament inferiour in dignity not only to the Paschal Lamb a type of Christ but even to Manna which was but a figure of this very mystery Surely if we shall add to so many and so evident Texts of Sâ—ripture the constant judgement of the Fathers and the universal practise of the whole Christian world for above a thousand years we may safely conclude the doctrine of our Saviours presence in the B. Eucharist to be most probable and true and consequently Roman Catholiques in no wise accusable of rashness or obstinacy in believing a position so efficaciously recommended to them and conveyed from hand to hand therefore what can be more dangerous and pernitious to any Kingdom then to quite abolish such a dread Sacrament plainly invincible which adorneth and graceth the whole universe fomenteth innocency extirpats vice and by most evident ways demonstrate that a living God lieth under it and set up in its place a piece of prophane bread which never yet discovered more grace or force in the Ministers hand then it brought out of the Oven As it s evinced out of Christs repeated words By this so important digression we have the omnipotencie of God against all weaknesse idle curiosities sophisms and artificial falsities of new wits as a pledge sufficient enough to evince and secure the reality of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar and believe that under the Sacramental species sensible and corruptible our Saviour subsisted with a glorious body which is called by S. Paul spiritual body because it s dignified with qualities and conditions of spirit though it lose not the essence of a body adoring therein with all humility that which cannot be sufficiently comprehended but by expresse passages of Scripture clear decision of 40. Councels the testimony of above 500. Authors antient and holy which ought to be preferred to the chimeras imaginary figments and bare assertions of any particular Lay-man and if plain Scripture-Texts with the Church Saints and general Councels exposition be not sufficient for a man to rest both his Science and Conscience upon I know not where he will find a resting satisfiable place it may shoot at randome but never come to take a right aim It being the most palpable folly which can creep into the brain of man to desire wisedom contrary to the wisedom of Saints my firm hope is that Doctor Taylor having with so much labour and charges indeavoured to honour Christ in a meer shadow will now in the name of God turn his tongue and pen to honour and glorifie him in his true real and substantial body and receive those rules of Religion ever unalterable eternal universal and constant and not any longer to run with the Jews after simple figures and weak elements Now it s more then time to look after Christs true Church still the same without opposition to it self in any fundamental doctrine when all other arising Sects are notoriously known to contradict both their Associates and themselves at the end Behold more then sufficient cause and ground for all those that pretend to any fear of God any care or regard of their souls eternal welfare utterly to detest and anathematize all novellism and damnable principles now its time to return to the Catholique Church setled by Christ upon a Rock never to be prevailed against by humane or divels power Cause enough there is to take warning for the future not to remit the planting of religion to every giddy pretending spirit Now it s more then time that truth the centre of our understanding maugre never so long or strong opposition should powerfully work upon those very many Machievillians of our times that seriously and deliberately say Pox on it I 'l be of any Sect rather then hazard my liberty honour or fortunes I 'l keep my consciene to my self but I 'l never lose my Land for want of outward compliance or conformity with the prevailing lâ—bertines Alas how many brave ancient families are quite extinguished and brought to nothing for want of compliance or conformity with God and his holy revealed Ordinances as it s by woeful experience obvious to any judicious person for non est prudentia non est concilium contra Dominum for my own part I cannot but wonder that any man acknowledging his sould immortal and that either Hell or Heaven must be the eternal domicil after this life withal acknowledging that a false wavering religion cannot be the way to beatitude shall not desert that sect of whose falsenesse and damnablenesse to mans soul and inconsistency with a well ordered Church he hath so many and pregnant demonstrations to the eye Finally its time for all to begin to follow the main current and generality of Religion ancient and well grounded Erubescat senectus quae se emendare non potest nullus pudor est ad meliora transire S. Ambros. Ep. 31. ad valent And now that we see the Protestants fighting writing and preaching against Protestants for Protestant Religion The old Catholique Religion must be the white at which we must all aim out of which none can hope for salvation I beseech God the Father of light and mercy may open the heart and eyes of our Doctor and of his Profelytes and resolve them herein for to receive that faith which hath God himself for object Let me now end with two words concerning the B. Virgin Mother ever most highly reverenced under God by all Christians upon earth as the blessed instrument of our welfare who but a turbulent Momus or a