and consequently Anne Bullen could not be during her life and Queene Elizabeth must needs be a bastard Cecil and others whose fortunes were to be built upon the ruine of the ancient Religion and Nobility perswaded the Queene that her security was not consistent with the Popes supremacy and authority in her Dominions therefore it was necessary to declare her selfe a Protestant and supreme Governesse of Christs Church She followed his advice and tooke the spirituall government so vainely upon her that she visited Diocesses invented now Ceremonies rejected what she pleased of the old reprehended Preachers in their very Sermons and which is most ridiculous of all consecrated with her faire hands Master Whitgift pretended Archbishop of Canterbury if they both be not very much wronged by persons of integrity that related the story as a most certaine truth to Fitz Herbert a man well knowne for his profound judgement great learning and solid vertue We may believe without the least note of credulity what he printed an 1612. after setting downe this story of a reformed Ordination related by Scherer A few yeares since not farre from Vienna Scherer postilla de sanct conc â— de S. Steph. a certaine noble woman did call the Master of her children to the office of a Preacher or Minister and did order and consecrate him by the imposition of her hands and of her apron which she did use instead of a stole Whether any such imposition of hands Fitz Herbert in the Preface to Persons discussion of Master Barlowes answer in sine aprons or Kyrtles were used to the first Prelates by Queene Elizabeth saith Fitz Herbert I knowe not but I have beene credibly informed that Master Whitgift would not be Bishop of Canterbury untill he had kneeled downe and the Queene had laid her hands on his head by which I suppose ex opere operato he received no grace According to Protestant principles Queene Elizabeth might and ought to ordaine Bishops seeing she was baptised and Ordination is but Baptisme in their Religion Let not our modern Protestants censure Master Whifgift he understood the grounds of Reformation and their practise also in those dayes better then any that now will condemne his receiving Ordination by imposition of Queene Elizabeths gracious hands if the was Pope why could she not give orders and consecrate Archbishops 2 The change of Religion which the Queene made in England was by corrupting most of the Nobility though I belive more of them stood for the Catholick Faith then the Earle of Shrewsbury and Viscount Montacute Camd. in Eliz. I admire how Camden saith that onely a Talbot and a Browne opposed the intended Reformation whereas all other Authors affirme that Catholick Religion was cast by one onely voice or three at most It s certaine that all the Bishops did their duty in defending the true Faith and that many of the Nobility were perverted by the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Arundell One of 14. Bishops that were in Parliament of whom there was an opinion of sanctity when he perceived how flexible many of the Lords were to the Queenes desires in changing the ancient Faith and establishing Protestancy uttered these terrible words The curse of God and of mine fall upon your selves and your posterity which will be destroyed by this very Religion that ye have voted for this day Whether this was a prophecy or no I will not dispute but what the Bishop foretold is now visible to the whole world There is not upon the face of the earth a more contemptible generation of men then the English Nobility at this present One simple Souldiour or Read-coate is sufficient to keepe them all in awe and three or foure Troopers may disarme three hundred and be more uncivill if they please If Catholick Religion had stood the Nobility had never fallen from their ancient splendour they had beene as famous abroad and beloved at home as their renowned Ancestors who were all Roman Catholicks Policy never thrives long against Religion and fortunes built upon the ruines of the Church seldome descend to the fourth generation and often vanish away from the first The Duke of Norfolk head of our Parliament Polititians that gathered votes for the Queene and Protestancy lost his head upon a block when it was thought he was in hopes to have it crowned by marrying the Queene of Scotland Many others of the English Nobility and Gentry had â—he same unfortunate end and their posterity is like to continue that slavery which for them hath beene purchased by their Grandsires at so deare a rare as the exchange of Catholick Faith for Heresy They may attribute their owne misery and captivity to the liberty which they gave in that fatall Parliament to the people of interpreting Scripture as they should thinke fit It was no lesse want of Policy then Religion not to stick to the old Roman infallibility seeing they could not make their Enghlish Church infallible The Popes supremacy and infallibility is not so prejudiciall to the world as Hereticks pretend it takes away all ryranny and rebellion that may be covered with a cloake of Religion if both Prince and people will submit their judgements to his who is an indifferent person All England hath reason to curse Queene Elizabeth and her first Parliament for depriving them of so necessary a support of the Soveraignes authority and the Nations liberty as the Popes spirituall jurisdiction and authority 3 After that the Catholick Religion was voted downe in Parliament the Queene commanded that all the Catholick Bishops should be deposed he of Landaffe onely excepted an old and simple man because he tooke the oath of supremacy as some of the rest had done in King Henry the VIII his time yet the Hereticks who were named to succeede in the other Bishops Seas could not prevaile with Landaffe to consecrate them at the Nags-head in Cheapside where they appointed to meete him and therefore thâ—y made use of Scory who was never ordained Bishop though he bore the name in King Edwards reigne kneeling before him he laid the Bible upon their heads or shoulders and bid them rise up Sacrobosco Fitz Simons Constable Champney Fitz Herbert in his Preface to F. Persons and many others with Harding and Stapleton and preach the Word of God sincearly This is so evident a truth that for the space of 50. yeares no Protestant durst contradict it nothing being more common in England as hath beene lately demonstrated in a booke called A Treatise of the Nature of Catholick Faith and Heresy to which I remit the Reader where he will see how the Protestant Ministers abuse the world with cheating tricks and false records to cry downe this most certaine story The Bishops named by the Queene were Parker for Canterbury Grindal for London Horne for Winchester and Iewell for Salsbury besides many others who were all or most of them at Franckford in Queene Maryes time and there named a
left meanes in it to end controversies of Religion with peace and unity of Catholick Faith 9 There cannot be a greater foppery then to thinke that God instituted his Church without possibility of obtaining the end or its institution The end of the Catholick Church is our salvation by one and the same supernaturall and undoubted Faith communicated by preaching and hearing Rom. 10. this one and undoubted Faith in this manner is impossible If there be not at least one infallible Pastour when there are no generall Councells who may by his definition declare what is Catholick Faith what heresy whensoever the Church is troubled with diversity of opinions it s as evident therefore that the Popes infallibility is not superfluous as it is cleare that God did not deprive his Church of meanes without which its impossible to compasse the end he aymed at in its institution If Profestants themselves judge it a most absurd and destructive Tenet in any Commonwealth See the late Kings answer to the Remonstrance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament 26. May 1642. in answer to the businesse of Hull that a murtherer or felon cannot be apprehended condemned or punished by any other authority then that of Parliament even when it actually sits how much more absurd and destructive must they grant it would be in the Church that a murtherer of soules and an Heretick cannot be declared and condemned by any other authority or infallibility then that of a generall Councell not actually sitting nor likely to be assembled in a long time Doe they imagine that God would institute a Church more absurdly then themselves would order a Commonwealth As in all well ordered Commonwealths there must be meanes to suppresse sedition at any time before it comes to be rebellion so in the Church of God there must be meanes to condemne dangerous opinions and growing heresies before they come to spread and infect Christian soules If there be no infallible and visible Judge of controversies besides a generall Councell none will alter his opinion untill the generall Councell be gathered and then it will be too late to apply the remedy An exteriour acquiescence doth not change mēs opinions nor free their minds and thoughts from heretical errours none thinkes himselfe obliged to forsake his owne opinion for that of other men If theirs be noe more then probable Therefore some infallible authority there must bee at all times in the Church whereby men may bee obliged to condemne even their owne opinions and errours and none doth as much as pretend to it but the Roman Bishop 10 The infallibility of some visible Judge of Controversies alwayes at hand especially when generall Councells can not meete conveniently is soe agreable to evident reason and soe necessary for the unity of Faith and peace not onely of the Catholick Church but also of the Christian Commonwealth that the Protestants who were most against it are now most for it and wish that the Pope if hee bee not were as infallible as wee pretend If their wish bee rationall as without doubt it is wee are to presume that God the Author of reason was as rationall in this particular as they can wish And though it bee strange how they can imagine that God can bee unreasonable in any matter and in one that soe much concerned his Church yet they are convinced by wofull experience that our belief of the Popes infallibility is as beneficial to Catholicks as their obstinacy against it hath beene prejudiciall to Protestants who make Scripture the ground and warrant of all attempts and rebellions against their Soveraignes whereas wee submit our judgements to the ancient and setled interpretation of Gods Word and when that is not cleare we conforme our selves to the sentence of the Pope a very indifferent person and supreme Judge in matters of Christian Religion at least he is more unpartiall to Princes then their owne subjects interpreting Scripture by fancy interest or passion Why should wee Catholicks believe that the Bishop of Rome is infallible and Christs Vicar upon earth rather then hee of Constantinople or any other is as much as to demand why doe wee rather believe that Philip the 4. or Lewis the 14. are lawfull Kings of Spaine and France then other men that never could pretend right to those Kingdomes See the Protestants Apology for the Church of Rome tr 1. see 3. subd 10. see 7. subd 5. 9. tr 2 see ◠3 subd 10. There is not any man upon earth who can pretend right be bee infallible in determining controversies of Religion but the Bishop of Rome Hee hath a more constant and universal tradition for his spiritual jurisdiction and infallible authority then any King hath for his temporal superiority Why should wee deny to the Pope what all antiquity acknowledged and all men must grant if it bee not out of animosity against his person or obstinacy against his prerogative which wee ought not to measure by his personal merits but by Gods providence and the publike good and necessity of the Catholick Church If wee looke upon the greatnesse of the prerogative it s more probable that one man may deserve it better and bee more capable of it then every one of them who concurre to the infallible definition of a generall Councell neither ought it to seeme soe strange that God should bee pleased to make one Pope infallible in S Peters chaire if wee believe that every Bishop is infallible in a Councell who concurres to a definition when all Christendome is assembled together in an universal Synod Noe Catholick doth believe that the Pope is infallible in all his words and actions or as a particular Doctor but onely when he proposeth or speaketh any thing in Gods name and as his Interpreter to the Catholick Church CHAP. X. That the foundation of Iustice and forme of Iudicature is wholy destroyed by penall Lawes and oathes against any point of the Roman Catholick Religion 1 THe foundation of Justice and Judicature is evidence of lawfull witnesses against whose testimony the accused person can have no rationall exception As the judge must have evidence of witnesses for the sentence he pronounceth so must the witnesses have some evidence for the testimony they give There is a great difference betweene the evidence of witnesses required against persons accused for Religion and for other crimes Eye-witnesses have best evidence against malefactours apprehended for civill crimes but in matters of Faith and religion all goeth by heare-say Rom. 10. he is the best witnesse who relyes least upon his owne knowledge his best evidence is the testimony of others dead before he was borne and though their bodies lye rotten in graves their Faith and Doctrine must be fresh in the memory and testimony of the present Catholick Church and Christian posterity 2 As the Judge must have evidence for his sentence and the witnesse for his testimony so must the Legislatour
Cap. 7. sect 2. Petenda est haec per suasio ab arcano spiritus testimonto c sect 2. Non aliud loquor quà m quod apud se expetitur fideltum unusquisque c. sect 5. for our instruction I cannot deny there is great difficulty in believing that every thing which the Church proposeth as revealed is Gods revelation yet this pill must be swallowed if we resolve to believe God who cannot be believed if he speakes in his owne voice and tone because it is evidently inseparable from truth and we cannot believe what by force of cleare evidence we cannot deny Hence by the way it followeth that no Protestant or Puritan doth believe God if they ground their faith upon the evidence they pretend to have of Scriptures being Gods Word or upon that of their private spirit both which saith Calvin are discerned as clearly by himselfe and his brethren to be Divine evidences and not Diabolicall as white is discerned from black sweete from soure and light from darknesse It s very improbable that God deprived himselfe of his right and was contented not to be believed that Calvin and his Protestant crue might be eased of a duty which they exact and receive from every person that hath a good opinion of their honesty 3 Supposing it is as evident that there is a Church of God upon earth as it is reasonable he ought to be believed by men we must endeavour to finde it our The Church is an infallible Guide to lead us to God but who is the infallible Guide to had us to the Church Reason But reason in obscurity may be mistaken and what is more obscure then the way to the true Church environed with so many false Sects If our bel efe were limited to naturall verities reason might make some shift every man might pretend that his owne wit would be a sufficient guide for himselfe but seeing Christian Faith must stretch further then humane capacity there must be some supernaturall helpe In obscure matters saith Aristotle with all wise men reason must be contented with cleare signes and not expect evidence of the truth And because the Church or God doth propose supernaturall truths the signes must be also supernaturall And because there is so great difference betweene humane understandings God hath beene pleased to make his Church discernable by sensible and visible supernaturall signes that they who have least understanding may not have lesse faith then the most witty and learned if they will but open their eyes and reflect upon what they see This is the reason why so few can pretend ignorance of the true Church if they have any sense in them they may easily distinguish it from all hereticall Congregations The evident signes therefore whereby the true and Catholick Church is knowne consisteth not in exteriour formalities that may take their beginning from humane policy or from a naturall inclination to decency and good order The Protestant Church of England had as few signes of supernaturall grace as any other pretending Reformation yet in the eyes of some it lookt pretily and was more decent in the service then other Northerne Churches of Lutherans and some of their Nags-bead Ministers affected a certaine Ecclesiasticall gravity in their garb and habit notwithstanding in my opinion a secular dresse would better become their meere secularity and want of ordination The Ministers in Germany looke more Protestantlike in their short cloakes spade beards and blew starcht ruffs then our English Common-prayer Ministers doe in their long cloakes and surplises which they weare more for policy then Religion 4 Seeing Reason must be contented with cleare signes when the truth is not evident and that no evident or cleare supernaturall signes appeare in any Congregation of men but in the Roman Catholick it must be concluded that the true Church is that onely Congregation of men which professe the Roman Catholick Faith That no signes of grace doe appeare in any Church pretending Reformation is as cleare as it is that all the world is not blind for as yet neither themselves nor any other could see in any of their Sects one miracle or any other thing that lookt like supernaturall though they tell us of some Divine motions and impulses of the private spirit they are as incredible as it is impossible that God should oblige any man to take a Protestants bare word against the tradition and testimony of the Christian world informer ages confirmed with undeniable miracles and sanctity of life But some seeing the private spirit is ridiculous would faine perswade us that we may read their Reformation in Scripture so evidently declared that they wonder how we can have the least doubt against it We Catholicks have beene above a hundred yeares turning and tossing the Bible with as great care and study as the matter required and yet we could never hit upon one Protestant Tenet â—n Scripture though we have reason to thinke that we understand it as well as our neighbours which is very strange if their Doctrine be evidently contained in it But there is nothing more obscure the evidence wherein men equally learned and honest doe not agree Nothing can make them disagree in the interprettation and sense of Scripture but the obscurity thereof or obstinacy or ignorance if they be obstinate they are not honest if ignorant thâ—y are not as learned as their adversaries and its certain we doe Pro estants a favour in comparing or making them equall w th Catholick Doctors in either but when men dispute he that hath evident truth on his side may grace his adversary with any advantage as I doe at the present supposing not granting that Protestant Ministers were equall with Catholick Doctors in learning and vertue that thereby it may appeare how obscure the Scripture is wh re Protestants pretend it to be cleare and the sense most manifest 5 I will not make a long Litanies of the supernaturall and visible signes which app are in the Roman Catholick Church Miracles have beene in all ages and are now so frequent amongst us that there is not a Countrey or Province wherein the Roman Religion is professed which doth not produce testimonies so prudently credible of true and supernaturall miracles that to deny them were to destroy all human faith and reduce men to credit nothing that is affirmed by men however so well qualified with sound judgement great learning and knowne integrity Yet Protestants object its strange themselves never see any miracle being so desirous and miracles so frequent as we pretend Herod was also very desirous to see a miracle but his curiosity excluded him from that favour men who belive nothing but what they see deserve not to see miracles because they are obstinate Yet there are few Protestants who doe not see miracles what greater miracle then that all Catholicks turne not Protestants If tâ—e continuall victory over naturall and vehement inclinations doth require a miracle of supernaturall grace we are
of any words when he disguiseth himselfe and desires to be incognito is too much curiosity and ill manners But a resolution not to believe any words proposed as Divine revelation by the Church because it is not evident that God is the Author of them is hereticall obstinacy For its unreasonable to exact a clearer knowledge of the Author then of the truth of the words if we are bound to believe the truth though it be not evident we can have no reason to exact evidence of the Author especially when the truth of his words must be evident if he be knowne and consequently our resolution doth extend it selfe to this that we will not believe untill the truth be evident which is not onely obstinacy but manifest foppery because it is as much as to say We will believe nothing at all It s therefore as evident an injury to God to deny the Doctrine of the Roman Catholick Church though it be not evident that God is the Author thereof as it is to deny the truth of any mens words when they speake themselves though the truth be not evident unlesse perhaps we thinke it reasonable to exact of God what we cannot of men to wit whensoever he speakes not to believe his words unlesse we have evidence of their truth for if God be truth and we are resolved not to believe his words unlesse he manifests himselfe we are resolved not to believe them untill their truth be manifest seeing God is the truth of his owne words because he is truth by essence Of men we exact not so much we believe their words though the truth be obscure 10 This injury which is done to God consists in calling in question his veracity which is an inclination to speake truth Gods veracity is called in question whensoever any thing is sufficiently proposed as his Word and yet it is not believed that it is his Word or revelation Whether the matter sufficiently proposed by the Church as Gods Word and consequently as truth be great or small absolutely necessary or not it matters not as to the deniall or doubt of Gods veracity because he is as necessarily inclined to speake truth in a matter of little concernment as in the greatest Seeing therefore that the deniall or doubt of mens veracity consists in questioning what is sufficiently proposed as their sense and meaning and that the Doctrine and sense of Scripture embraced by the Roman Catholick Church is sufficiently proposed by its testimony and evident supernaturall signes to be the sense revelation and meaning of God his veracity must be as much questioned by calling in question the least Doctrine of the Roman Church as the veracity of men is called in question by doubting of their words whereby their thoughts and meaning are sufficiently proposed 11 From what hitherto hath beene said it s as evidently concluded that the Roman Catholick Church is infallible in all matters great and small proposed by it as Divine revelation as it is cleare that God would have men believe him or that he hath a regard to his owne honour and veracity he is not concerned in either if he permits any one falihood in the least matter necessary for salvation or not necessary to be sufficiently proposed by the Church as his Word or sense seeing he may so easily prevent it and not permit the Roman Catholick Church to erre in any proposall How can God exact or expect from us an undoubted or infallible beliefe when he speaketh and dâ—clareth his minde by men if those very men be not infallible in declaring his minde What injury can it be to God that we doubt of his veracity if in his owne hearing and presence his owne Interpreter the Church is by himselfe permitted to erre and abuse his name and authority We may lawfully suspect his sincerity in greater matters seeing the least blemish is as much as the greatest inconsistent with the infinite perfection of his Nature Therefore either God is contented not to be believed and to forfeit his honour and the esteeme of his veracity or that Church which hath evident and supernaturall signes of being his Interpreter which is the Roman Catholick alone is infallible in all matters great and small proposed as Divine revelation 12. Hence you may gather to what great fopperies hereticall obstinacy doth lead some of the most learned Ministers of the English Church when they print that God is satisfied with an exteriour acquiescence to the definitions of a generall Councell and of that Church which alone hath the signes and markes of being the true Catholick though there remaineth an inward doubt of the controversy defined This is as much as to say that God is content you give him the lye or afront him in private so you be pleased to say nothing of it in publick God is as much injured by thoughts as by words and an exteriour acquiescence is no satisfaction to him without interiour submission of judgement It s true some of these Hereticks grant that when all the Patriarchs and Christian Churches of the world conferre notes and are assembled together in a Councell which is not likely to be as farre as the present state of the world doth promise untill we all meete in the Valley of Iosaphat then is the time to submit our judgements which in plaine termes is to put of all Christian beliefe and obedience to God in his Church and remaine obstinate in heresie untill the day of judgement But of this more when we speake in particular of the English Church in King Iames and his sonnes reigne As for that other shame full shift of theirs to make all Christians the Catholick Church and every reformed Sect part thereof and the same with us in fundamentall articles I remit my Reader to a Treatise lately printed concernig the Nature of Catholick Faith and Heresy with reflexion upon the nullity of the English Protestant Church and Clergy and will now shew in particular CHAP. V. That all Religions pretending to reforme the Roman Catholick are but human inventions grounded upon weake policy strong fancy and sensuall pleasures 1 PRotestancy or Reformation in generall is a text of Scripture corrupted or fondly applied by the first Reformer to his owne fancy dreames or pleasure by Princes and Polititians to worldly interest and by the vulgar sort to liberty of life and rebellion against their Soveraignes Let the most zealous Protestant have so much patience as to read over this Chapter and I am confident he will be convinced by the very history without disputing that his Religion is not injured by this caracter or definition And as for our Polititian he may learne in this historicall part of his Cathechisme as many necessary precepts for his instruction as there are examples of Divine Providence against the Authors and Protectors of pretended Reformation That all may appeare without confusion I will divide this Chapter into Sections and in first place recount the beginning and
we Roman Catholicks follow either for Transubstantiation communion of the layty under one kinde worship of images c. was never contradicted by any that were not knowne and judged Hereticks by the Catholick Church of those times wherein our Tenets were questioned this our sense of Scripture hath miracles to confirme it and other supernaturall signes theirs is backt onely by hereticall obstinacy and impudence pretending evidence of Scripture in obscurity and light in darknesse If all Roman Catholicks had beene in times past and were at this present idiots or naturall fooles Protestants might perswade them that they doe not see what is cleare and evident in Scripture in behalfe of Protestancy but untill Reformers prove that we are all idiots or resolved to be damned by contradicting Gods cleare Word they cannot ground their Reformation upon the clearnesse of Scripture nor reject that sense of it which Catholicks were in possession of before their Sects were heard of in the world 5 That Scripture is not cleare for Protestants is evident because Catholicks who understand it as well as they differ from them in the interpretation And in case it be obscure to both its cleare that the tradition and practise of the ancient Catholick Church is a better Interpreter of Gods meaning then any Protestant pleasure policy or fancy It s as unreasonable therefore to dispossesse Catholicks of their ancient Tenets and sense of Scripture upon the score of a Protestant interpretation as it is to dispossesse a Gentleman of his ancient inheritance at the suite of a coveteous and impudent Mountebank that can produce no other evidence for his pretence then his fond interpretation of the very writings in vertue whereof the Gentleman and his Ancestors have beene confirmed in the peaceable possession of their estate by the sentence of all Courts in former ages and never opposed but by such as were convinced and condemned of manifest knavery Here I need not mention how many times Protestant Judges condemne their Religion in their owne Courts by just sentences whensoever they judge according to the Lawes of the Land interpreted by the ancient and continuall practise of the Courts and contrary to the fancy of ignorant and absurd pleaders they give sentence against Protestancy for the Roman Catholick Religion though in a different subject whereby it is evident how little beholding Protestancy is to that Policy which is not able to defend reformed Churches in the very Protestant Courts That Religion is farre from supernaturall appearance which hath not the least colour of naturall equity But now let us see how little beholding Policy is to Protestancy and prove CHAP. VII That Policy hath destroyed it selfe by courting Protestancy as being neare allyed to Atheisme the greatest enemy of civill government 1 POlicy without Religion is a body without a soule The motions of a politike body must have their beginning from Religion because without it the Princes and Magistrates are too weak for the managing of so great a machine as a Commonwealth The power of the people must be employed against themselves and the multitude must be subdued and kept in subjection by their owne forces all the difficulty and policy consists in persuading men to a thing so much against their naturall inclinations Some greater power must be inculcated and because that is not visible the very Pagans thought it necessary to create a beliefe in their Subjects of invisible Deities to which both Prince and Subjects professed obedience being convinced in their judgements that all policy is weake without power either reall or imagined to back it and that the best States-man is he who can persuade the people that he is more powerfull then themselves This is the reason why Polititians though Atheists persecute Atheisme because if the multitude thinke that there is no such thing as God or another life they will soone discover their owne strength and apply it against Princes and Magistrates without feare of being overpowerd by the invisible hand of God in whom they doe not believe but fancy to be impossible 2 Atheists and Protestants being sworne brothers and judging of others by themselves are of opinion that the Roman Catholick Religion is but a politick invention to set up the Pope and enrich the Roman Clergy by Purgatory Indulgences Masse and pilgrimages to Images If the Roman Catholick Laity were as apt to be cheated as Protestants thinke the Roman Clergy apt and inclined to cheate their opinion would be more plausible but whosoever will reflect upon the manifest miracles and supernaturall signes whereby these and all Catholick Tenets have beene in former ages and even in this present confirmed and moreover will consider how maturely many Roman Catholicks of the Layty most prudent and politick men have examined the grounds of our Religion and how impossible it is that so many former ages different interests and opposite Nations and families should all concurre and conspire to maintaine for Head of the Catholick Church a man they never knew nor expect any benefit by whosoever I say will reflect upon these things will clearly see and be convinced that no humane policy can reach so farre nor secrecy be so well kept that amongst so many millions of persons the cheate and mystery should not breake out and never hitherto be discovered to Protestants that are no lesse curious to knowe it then vaine in imagining so ridiculous a foppery But in case they are resolved to be as obstinate in this mad fancy as in their other heresies they must grant that we have better successe in our politick ends then themselves and if they will needs call us knaves they cannot thinke we are fooles whereas they may to their owne first Reformers without injury attribute both denominations because they shewed so little wit in framing their new Religions that they made them as inconsistent with government as inseparable from Atheisme destroying the very interest they intended to promote by reformation 5 Atheists and Protestants doe agree in rebellion against God and in being refractory against supreme authority but with this difference that the Atheist declares against God himselfe the Protestant against his Church which is Gods Liutenant upon earth He that rebells against the Kings Liutenant will soone declare against himselfe and this is the reason we see so many Protestants become Atheists and of no Religion As rebellions growe to a height by degrees first they point at evill Counsellours then at the Favorite at length at the Kings person so Atheisme possesseth mens mindes first by vice then by Protestancy and at last by no Religion The ground of all Religion and of obedience both to God and men is the appearance of a lawfull authority and soveraignty adhearing to the person that pretends it If the signes of his superiority and jurisdiction be evident he may challenge an evident right to our obedience and beliefe we are obliged to honour him according to his appearance This ground of Religion and
have evidence that his Law or Statute doth not contradict the Law of God his legislative power must be subordinate to Christian Religion Henry the VIII Edward the VI. and Queene Elizabeths penall Statutes are evidently against the Law of God and Christian Religion if we may credit antiquity and stick to the Faith and practise of the Church and Catholick Princes that went before them not onely in England but in all other Christian Kingdomes No persons living have any other evidence for the Law of God and Catholick Religion but the test mony of the immediatly precedent age confirmed with supernaturall signes all former ages speake to us by the mouth of the last with which we conversed we must cake their word for all the rest and for the sense as well as for the letter of Scripture The 14. age delivered to the 15. the Roman Catholick Faith which we now professe assuring that it was the true sense of Scripture which they had learned from the 13. age and so forth to the Apostles What evidence had Henry the VIII or his daughter Queen Elizabeth to oppose against the testimony of all former ages confirmed with so many miracles and to make Statutes against the knowne and practised Law of God and Christianity His luxury and his daughters bastardy are the onely evidence which Protestants can produce for the ground of penall Lawes against the Popes supremacy and other points of the Roman Catholick Religion an excellent foundation of Protestant Lawes Justice and Judicature 3 To pronounce sentence of death losse of goods or banishment against persons without any proose is rather tyranny then injustice The greatest crimes even that of treason require at least one lawfull witnesse let Protestant produce but one lawfull witnesse against the Religion of Catholicks and their sense of Scripture and we will not murmure against their penall Lawes and rigourous proceedings Antiquity affords them none because though in divers ages some odde men did testify sometimes one errour of theirs sometimes another they were in those very times contradicted by the whole Catholick Church and declared infamous Impostours and Hereticks In this present age no Protestants can be lawfull witnesses for their owne Religion or against ours because their testimony cannot be valid against so constant and universall a tradition as we Catholicks have for our Doctrine and sense of Scripture It s as ridiculous and unjust in a Judge to pronounce sentence against Roman Catholicks for their Religion upon the evidence and testimony of Protestancy as if he had in open Court condemned men to forfeit their estates and ancient inheritance upon the word of a mad fellow that produceth no other evidence to confirme his claime but interiour motions of the spirit of coveteousnesse and ambition or some obscure text of the Law appliable to all cases and subjects for all the Protestant evidence is reduced to the private spirit and the pretended clearnesse of Scripture If this be not to destroy the foundation of Justice and the forme of Judicature Protestants have a different way of proceeding from all other Nations and have altered the stile of naturall reason humane nature and the practice of all antiquity 4 They cannot excuse their persecution against Catholicks with the example of Christian Emperours and Kings that both for zeale of Religion and humane Policy to avoid the danger of rebellion made Lawes and Statutes against Hereticks and Innovatours of the ancient Faith and sense of Scripture which descended to them by tradition from the Apostles Protestants take the quite contrary way they make Lawes and Statutes against the ancient Religion and knowne sense of Gods Word and persecute Catholicks for professing it whereas their Predecessours Emperours and Kings punished new Religions and Novelists This last was lawfull in secular Princes but the practise of Protestants is unjust and wicked because it destroyes Justice and the true Religion confirmed by the publike testimony and practise of the Christian world since the Apostles time to this present If the Roman Catholick Religion were not the true Apostolicall Faith but as new as Protestants pretend how is it possible that in history there should be no mention made of any person that suffered as an Heretick for broaching or maintaining any one point which we now professe If any Doctrine of ours were judged an heresy or a novelty by antiquity without doubt we had not all escaped the rigour of penall Lawes made against Hereticks and Novelists I am sure Protestants cannot brag nor say so much for their owne Doctrine many if not all the points whereof have beene condemned as heresy by the Church in ancient times and punished as novelties by Christian Kings and Emperours which was the onely reason that moved the first English Protestants to cause the young child Edward the VI. when he knew not what he did to repeale all the Lawes and Statutes that any Christian King of England and the Kingdome had made against Hereticks being convinced that themselves and not Catholicks were comprehended in that number All who suffered persecution or death for any point of the Roman Religion were looked upon by the Catholick Church in all ages as glorious Confessours and renowned Martyrs Amongst the most pretious jewells of the Easterne Church were accompted such as were put to death for defending the worship of Images against the Iconuclasts Baron an 723. Conc. Nicaen 2. Act. 5. who were the first that persecuted Christians for that Doctrine at the instance of one Serantapicus a Magician and a Jew that promised to Gizedo Prince of the Saracens he should live 30. yeares if he would command all Images to be taken away and not worshipped in his Dominions by the Catholicks But Gizedo dying within a yeare and a halfe his sonne Vlidus condemned the Jew to death as a perfidious lmpostour and the Images were worshipt as formerly untill three yeares afterwards Leo Isaurus the heretick Emperour at the instance also of Jewes Concil Nicaen 2. Baron an 726. raised that most terrible persecution against the Catholick Church for practising so pious a custome which had continued amongst Christians without the least danger of idolatry since the time of the Apostles to that present and t will not be interrupted untill the day of judgement notâ—ithstanding the clamours endeavours and vaine pretended feares of Protestant zealots in behalfe of Serantapicus their Patriarch and his Hebrew tribe their loving brethren 5 Their persecution against Catholicks can be no more excused by the proceedings of the Spanish and Italian Inquisition Of the Inquisition then their penall Statutes have beene by the Lawes of ancient Kings and Emperours against Hereticks 1. Because the Inquisition proceeds according to the rules and forme of Justice none is declared an Heretick or guilty by a new Law or oath made onely to the end that by them men may be intrapped both in soule body and estate it was no crime in England to be a Catholick before