with any of those horrid Works of Darkness whereof many of its Professors and the Religion it self are accused And this may serve for my old Friends Now as for your self and all other candid disinterested Persons I know it will be satisfactory to put you in mind that to impute my Proceedings to the frowning of the Times on that Party is Fallacia non Causae pro Causa a Mistake of the Adjunct or Circumstance of Time for the Principal Motive The Conversion of a Sinner is the Work of Omnipotence who as he is most free in all his Actions ad Extra so especially in the reclaiming of a strayed Sheep He is no wayes tied up to the Circumstances of Whom How Where or When. Nescit tarda Molimina Spiritûs Sancti Gratia sayes S. Bernard And if he were graciously pleased more effectually to touch my Heart now than at any other time and times of Affliction are his especial Seasons Afflictio dat Intellectum Cum Occideret eos c. I know no other Account can be given of it than that of our B. Saviour Even so Father for so it seemed Good in thy Sight Nay I have before demonstrated that these Thoughts have been long hovering in my Mind though perhaps they had not been altogether so suddenly declared but out of a deep Resentment of the Dangers of any further neglecting the Divine Call and a seasonable Desire to Testifie to the World my perfect Abhorrence of such desperate Practices and Principles which I am convinced are pernicious both to Publick Polity and Civil Society And I hope none can reasonably be angry that I have gained more Experience now I am thirty six years old than I had when I was but twenty These are the Principal Matters I thought worth your Knowledge at present wherein I protest before God and Man that I have no other Design but the Quiet of my Conscience and the Salvation of my Soul And when I have given a publick Tolerable Account of this Affair I will take my leave of this Noble Science of Controversie as Mr. Serjeant calls it having alwayes been more addicted to Ascetick Theology and sit down with Divine Anselm's Resolution Quid restat per Totam Vitam meam nisi ut Defleam Totam Vitam meam Crosses and Afflictions are no more than I expect and deserve having hitherto been so little acquainted with them The Wise man hath read my Doom to me Fili accedens ad servitutem Dei praepara Animum tuum ad Tentationem As for the sincerity of my Resolutions I can but Appeal to that Great Searcher of Hearts and Tryer of Reins And though some Folk talk of Dispensations from Rome for the taking All Oaths and Complying with All Externals and no meaner a Person than the Author of the Difference between the Church and Court of Rome out of Arch-Bishop Spotswood's History mentions some such like thing practised in Scotland yet with submission to the Learned Author I conceive there is no such matter since the Pope himself could never be induced to Approve even the single Oath of Allegiance but expresly condemned it and severely prohibited the taking of it as containing saith he divers Points contrary to Salvation And moreover put case any thing of that nature were in Being I here solemnly Avow that I disown all such Pretended Authority One Circumstance not very Material I confess but I would not too much swerve from the Accurate Exactness of Writers of Epistles Apologetical though Mr. Cressey observe it in the Beginning and I in the Conclusion must not be forgotten and thus it is To you above all Persons living I have an Obligation to recurr in Spiritual Concerns for I am your Parishioner Holborn having been the place of my Nativity I have nothing more but with all Respect and Gratitude to assure you I am Reverend and Honoured Sir Your most obliged and Humble Servant T. S. December 15. 1678. Several Weighty CONSIDERATIONS Humbly Recommended To the Serious Perusal of ALL especially the Roman Catholicks of England IT is a very good Rule prescribed by some Spiritual Writers That in Converse we should rather discourse of Things than Persons And I intend as much as the Matter will permit to observe it in this subsequent Treatise carefully avoiding all personal Reflections especially upon such as are living and shall only bring some Doctrines and Practices to the Test which though they pass for currant with many will yet be found adulterate and contrary to Holy Scripture the best Genuine Antiquity and Right Reason highly scandalous to the Christian Religion in General destructive of Civil Government fatal to Humane Society and very pernicious both to the Spiritual and Temporal Concerns of the Practisers even in their private Capacity In short I shall very plainly and briefly endeavour to make good two Assertions 1. That there is no sufficient Ground for any one to forsake the Communion of the Church of England and incorporate with that of Rome 2. That there is all Reason imaginable both for such as have been educated in the Roman Communion to Reform and for such as have unwarily ingaged with her to Return This was the happy Result of these following Considerations upon my own Heart And it shall be my Prayer that they may have the same Blessed Effect in the impartial Perusers of them The sacred Oracles of the Holy Scriptures deservedly Command our first Inquiry We have Cardinal Bellarmine's own Concession that in the grand Question of the Church the Scripture is better known than the Church Consequently then not only her Authority but her very Being must be subordinate to it And therefore in the first place let us see what Sentiments the Church of England hath of these Heavenly Records and whether Hers or those of the Roman Church be more Consonant to Pure Antiquity Reason and Holy Writ it self All Protestants and particularly the Church of England Artic. 6. look upon the Holy Scriptures to contain all things necessary to Salvation so that whatever is not read in them or cannot be proved from them is not to be Imposed on any to be received as an Article of Faith or a Necessary Requisite to Salvation Whence it appears that they take Them to be the Onely Complete and Adequate Rule both of Faith and Life sufficiently intelligible and easie in matters that concern what is simply necessary to make us Good and Happy They consequently hold that since Holy Scripture is the Rule of our Faith it must have an exact Proportion to that whereof it is a Rule So that Matters of Faith are not to be extended beyond this Rule nor can any unwritten Traditions any way be pretended to appertain to the Substance of Faith Moreover the Rule being the Idea Model and great Exemplar of what is regulated by it it is in order of Nature before the thing so regulated And if the word of God be antecedent of Faith it self it must likewise precede the
made to appear that as many Acts and Monuments of Real Charity have been exhibited since the Reformation as were in many Ages before But for those Works of Supererrogation as they are called whereby we are presumed to perform more than is our Duty this Church worthily disowns them as savouring of too much Pride and self Conceitedness in us who at the best are but unprofitable Servants You have here a just and Competent Authority allowed to the Church of appointing Decent Rites and Ceremonies and of determining Controversies in Religion provided she decide nothing Repugnant to the Holy Scripture And the Apostles themselves challenged no more Witness S. Paul Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ You have here a Lawful Call to and Succession in the Ministerial Function and this Succession if need were may be shewn to be more Sincere and less Interrupted than that in the Roman Church As likewise those Three most Antient degrees of Bishops Priests and Deacons and the manner of their Ordination most conformable to God's Word and Primitive Constitutions and Practice You have here all the Divine Services and Administration of the Sacraments performed in the known Vulgar Tongue of the Country to the Edification of the People and according to Divine Precept On which Subject S. Paul hath written a whole Chapter 1 Cor. 14. no ways reconcilable to the Practice of the Roman Church which herein is confessed to disagree with Antiquity by the most Learned of our Adversaries and many of them wish that the Custome were abolished Nor doth their Common Plea avail that God understands any Language for many parts of their Service are addressed to the People and not to God as the Instructions out of the Epistles and Gospels Orate Fratres c. and many Occurrencies in the Administration of the Sacraments Here you will find the two great Sacraments of the New Law Baptism and the Sacred Eucharist The first never so much as questioned by our Adversaries as to its Validity And the other Administred in the due Matter and Form of Divine Institution and that intirely without committing that Grand Sacrilege of taking away the Cup from the Layity And if the Church of England Embrace all that is Really conveyed to us in those High Mysteries viz. The Application of those Ineffable Benefits and Advantages of the Sacred Body and Blood of Christ it is as much as every Good Christian can desire and enough if duly received to make him Happy And as for that Wonderful Doctrin of Transubstantiation we have the Romanists own Acknowledgment that it was not believed in that Church till the Councel of Lateran which likewise Decreed the Deposing of Kings and I am sure the Church of England hath Scripture Antiquity Reason and the concurring Testimony of all our Senses when she acknowledges a Real Presence to the True Believer without Annihilating the Substance of the Elements I am sure our Blessed Saviour at the Institution calls the whole Action a Commemoration and in the Consecration of the Cup he most apparently uses a double Figure both in the Cup used for what is in it and the Testament for what is conveyed by it He himself calls it the Fruit of the Vine And S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.26.27 28. in 3 verses together expresly calls it Bread even after the Consecration Whoever shall eat this Bread c. As often as ye eat this Bread c. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread And whereas our Saviour saies This is my Body to omit the multitude of Authorities that might be produced let the great S. Augustin speak the sence of All Antiquity Christ did not stick to say This is my Body when he gave the Sign of his Body in Psalm 98. and de Doctrin Christian l. 3. c. 10. he lays down this notable Rule If you find a Commandment that forbids a Crime or injoins any good Action then its sense is not Figurative but it is otherwise when it seems to command a Crime and prohibit a good Action Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you saies Christ That word seems to command a Crime it is therefore a Figure which bids us Communicate in the passion of our Lord and call into our Memories with sweetness and benefit that his Flesh hath been wounded and nailed on the Cross for us Thus doth S. Augustin teach And indeed nothing is more frequent in Holy Writ than such manner of Speech This is the Lord 's Passover I am the true Vine c. But to examine this business fully would require a just Volume and it is already done by very able Pens The 5 other Sacraments in use in the Roman Church are solemnly used by the Church of England though not under that notion excepting the Ceremony of Anoynting which was a Miraculous guift of Healing peculiar to the Apostles In the Church of England you may injoy the true use and Advantage of Confession and Absolution in a far more serious and less suspicious manner than in the Roman Church And as for Absolution even the Form of it is as full and Compleat as theirs I will set it down here as it is found in the Service for the Visitation of the Sick Our Lord Jesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to Absolve all Sinners who truly Repent and Believe in him of his Great Mercy forgive thee thy offences And by his Authority committed to me I absolve thee from all thy Sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Her Churches are decently kept and adorned at least it is her desire they should be so though not crowded with Images the Historical use of which she rejects not but the Adoration of them she worthily esteems most Dangerous and Detestable And truly for my own part I think that Dr. Stillingfleet now the Reverend Dean of S. Pauls hath little less than Demonstrated it to be Idolatry Let any but impartially examin the general practice of the Church of Rome especially on Good-Friday in creeping to the Cross and he will find an undeniable proof of their Adoring Images The Priest by degrees uncovers the Crucifix lifts it upto be Adored with these words Ecce Lignum Crucis c. Behold the Wood of the Cross come let us Adore it Then first he himself then all that are present with three Prostrations of the Body even to the Kissing of the very Earth approach to it and with all Reverence Imaginable Adore it The Worship and Invocation of Saints and Angels is here looked upon as at least very Dangerous and not having any President in the Old or New Testament S. Paul hath imparted his mind to us in this matter Coloss 2.18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen The Doctrines of
The Sincere Popish Convert Or a brief Account of the REASONS WHICH Induced a Person who was some Years since seduced to the ROMISH CHVRCH to relinquish Her Communion and return into the Bosom of the Church of England WHEREIN THE Holy Scriptures Are clearly proved to contain all things which are necessary to be Believed and Practiced by Christians in order to their Salvation and are justly Vindicated from those odious Imputations which the Papists profanely cast upon them WITH An Epistle to the Reverend and Learned Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Paul's I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Act. 26.9 He is not joyned to the Church who is departed from the Gospel S. Cypr. de Lapsis LONDON Printed by J. Grover and are to be sold by Norman Nelson at Gray's Inn-gate 1681. TO THE Right Reverend and Honourable HENRY LORD BISHOP of LONDON Dean of His Majesties Chapel and one of his most Honourable Privy Council My Lord I Have some Years since met with a Prophecy and many talk of such things at this Time which may yield a little Comfort in this Day of our Visitation The Original it self I have not seen but it is taken out of Telesphorus de Tribulat and thus cited by Dr. John White Antichristus non poterit subjugare Venetias nec Parisios nec Civitatem Regalem Angliae The Memorable Baffle that the Venetians gave to Paul the Fifth the frequent Picqueering of the Sorbon with the same See may in part Justifie But the Wonderful Preservations both Antient and Modern of this Kingdom and Metropolis from the Restless Attempts of many of that Faction will I hope Evince its Probability How Instrumental your Lordship hath been towards that Security and Happiness we yet Enjoy how Indefatigable your Pains how Undaunted your Courage in the most Critical Conjunctures is with Gratitude and Applause proclaimed to the World not only by your own Large and Numerous Flock but by the Loud Acclamations of the Whole Nation And though I never was so fortunate as to be an Eye-witness of those Heroick Vertues which daily Influence Your Charge rendring You so Amiable to the Churches Friends and at the same time so Formidable to her Enemies yet that Universal Character which is every where given of You engages me to look on you as no less than a Person in whom Concentre those Requisites which some Criticks in Morality how justly I dispute not have exacted to make up a Compleat Christian They are these The Orthodox Faith and Loyalty of a true English Protestant the Zeal and Good Works of a Roman-Catholick the Gratious Words and Painful Preaching of a Puritan And all these Inculcated by your Life as well as Injunctions on your most Learned and Religious Clergy But I must remember my self at the Judges Barr and not at the Heralds Office and that this Paper attends You as a Petition and not as a Panegyrick Your most Gracious Approbation of my Desires intimated to you by the Reverend Dean of St. Pauls Invites the one as Your undoubted Worth and Honour Extorts the other Vouchsafe then my Lord to Accept into the Arms of your Noble Charity what is penn'd purely with a Spirit of Charity They are such Reflexions as Reclaimed my self and may with Gods blessing contribute to the Reducing of some others as unwarily mis-led as I was To which purpose I endeavour Brevity and Perspicuity designing this Discourse for the Vulgar the Learned have richer Mines to recurr to and therefore waving that Accurateness of Method and Expression which Your Lordships Judicious Eye may expect but neither my Intent the present Affliction I lye under the unsettledness of my Affairs nor Absence from my Books all which afford not that Tranquillum Scribentis otia will admit However when all Athens was Busie and in Motion the Cynick for Company would needs rowl about his Tub. And if so obscure a Person as my self intrude into the Crowd of those Many Able Contenders for the Faith once delivered to the Saints which daily almost appear upon the Stage I have St. Augustines Advice for my Apology De Trinit l. 3. c. 3. In places infected with Heresie all men should write that have any faculty therein though it were the same thing in other words that all sorts of People among many Books might light upon some and the Enemy in all places might find one or other to encounter him Besides I thought this the best Expedient Publickly to testifie my Sincere Re-union to that Church in which I received my Baptism and Education and how faithfully I am and resolve by Gods Grace to continue My Lord Your Lordships most Humble and Obedient Servant T. S. AN EPISTLE From a Late Roman Catholick To the Very Reverend Dr. EDWARD STILLINGFLEET Dean of St. Pauls c. Very Reverend and Honoured Sir THough I am not altogether Ignorant of your Person yet my chief Acquaintance is with those Learned Works of Yours the best Representative wherewith you have enriched this Age obliged the Church of England and I speak it experimentally given the greatest Satisfaction to ingenious Minds that sober and unaffected Reason I do not mean such stuff as Mr. White 's and Mr. Serjeant's Demonstrations can possibly perform And thus Sir I have been your most intimate Friend and Servant these seven or eight years All which space I have been a very attentive Spectator of your famous Encounters and to my Comfort seen single Truth and modest Reason combate with whole Troops of Old Subtle Confident Cholerick and I may add Malicious Adversaries And I hope I shall have Cause to bless God to all Eternity and thank you for so Glorious a Sight But before I return my full Acknowledgments to you I must crave Leave to give you a Short but True Narrative only be pleased not to believe it as you style Mr. Cressey's a Legend of my self I had my Education in one of the chiefest Free-Schooles in London under the Care of a very able Instructor and by him was fitted for the Vniversity But about a year before my advancing thither it happen'd that an ancient Gentleman came frequently to divert himself in a Walk that was near the School and so took Occasion to discourse with divers of the Lads I being the Head of the School at that time he pretended a particular Complacency though I know not why in my self He never conferred about any Point in Religion but still entertained me with speaking Latin which he did very fluently and politely and his constant Discourse was about the rare Method of Education used beyond Sea the great Number of their Students the Diligence of their Tutors the Exactness of their Discipline and much more to the like Effect What this Conversation would have produced at last I know not But the chief Master of the School perceiving me often with him at last forbad me his Company and told me
This was a very great Scandal to all that heard of it both Protestants and Romanists and for my own part I was so Concerned in it that I writ expresly to my old Learned Friend F. Fran. Ã S. Clara to be satisfied Who quite contrary to my Expectation and which hath much diminished the Esteem I had for him gave we this Answer in Writing That he had done nothing amiss nor misbeseeming an Honest man Nay then thought I the Good Lord open our Eyes And to deal plainly with you from that very Moment I have been very much unsatisfied whether the Roman Principles be safe to Dye in much less to Ruin Estates and Dye for Thus Sir being very timorous of diverting your many Weighty Employments I have given you a Cleer Faithful and Succinct Account of my self And so now Laqueus contritus est c. The Snare is broken and we are escaped My remaining Business is as speedily as I can procure it to be received into the Bosome of my antient Mother the Church of England whom with unfeigned Contrition of heart I acknowledge to have forsaken before I throughtly understood and purpose by Gods help to Evidence to the World that I have far more Considerable Motives to return than I had to Wander And though I shall not make such a noise as Those who have Published Exomologeses Challenges c. yet I hope I shall make it appear that the Change I now make is done upon the maturest Deliberation back'd by the most earnest Imploring of the Divine Assistance About five years since it was my hap at the Instance of a Person of Quality who had Considerable Sums to Dispose of to publish a Small Tract entituled The Case of Interest or Usury as to the Common Practice examined in a Letter to the same Person It is the onely Piece I ever yet penn'd and I mention it that if you please you may perceive that I alwayes proceeded upon Principles of Honesty Conscience and Moderation and even then had an Honourable Regard for the Church of England But Good Lord what Outcries were then made against it by the Jesuitical Party who look'd on it as purposely written to affront their Trade what Excommunications threaten'd by others So you may easily foresee what I am to expect when I disingage my self of the Promise I just now made you But a Good God a Good Cause and a Good Conscience will I question not carry me through all It is no small Comfort to me when I think how that Vast Wit Mr. Chilling-worth could not escape those very Snares that I have been entangled with And I presume it may serve as an Apology for the Slips and Failings of my Weak Intellectuals when such a Great Master of Reason as He was for a time led Captive Yet at last he most happily Discovered and Proved The Protestant Religion a Safe way to Salvation Those whom I forsake have a Tradition as indeed they have too many That none ever Retire from their Communion but they presently become depraved in their Morals If they mean the Jesuits Morals it is no great Matter I have no wayes to Confute them fully but as Diogenes did Zeno by Walking viz. with a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and Man And if they shall after their Charitable Method think to bespatter me for any thing past I have such Publick Authentick and Late Testimonies under Hand and Seal from the Chief among them of my Comportment though I will not disown the Allayes of Common Frailties and Imperfections that shall be able to Silence the most Impudent Calumny But I fear I have already trespassed upon your Patience and I must referr what else I had to propose till such time I am so happy and truly till then I shall neither be happy nor satisfied as to see you Many Doubts I have to Object fitter to be committed to a Ghostly Father's Ear than to Paper and many Particulars there are wherein I may perhaps gratifie your own Curiosity But having been so long a Romanist and being still a Reputed one I should he loth that Disobedience to Royal Proclamations however they have been slighted by some should be the first fruits of my Conversion And therefore I must patiently attend that good hour when I may satisfie both my Obedience and my Inclinations together In your Conference with Sir P. T. and Mr. Coleman that Wretched man who had he meddled with nothing but what he then pretended himself so desirous to be resolved in had never come to that sad Catastrophe you express so much Candour Meekness Christian Zeal and Charity for Satisfying those Dissenters who in reality did nothing but shuffle with you that it emboldens me to Address a Request to you besides my Thanks which most Cordially I do by these Presents viz. That because I apprehend Danger from some of those I relinquish having already tasted a little of their kindness that way and because I would not long remain in an Vnfix'd Neutral posture you would be pleased to procure leave that I might come up to London where I may attend you and both Give and Receive all desired Satisfaction possible I know you so Eminent that you may procure a License This would Complete my Felicity and as for your own Reward besides the Complacency you take in the very Performance of such Charitable Offices I can but referr you to that of St. James cap. v. ult Brethren if any of you do err from the Truth and one Convert him Let him know that he who converteth a Sinner from the Error of his wayes shall save a Soul from Death and shall hide a multitude of Sins There is one Cavil I must needs remove and it is this How chances this Change just now why in this present Conjuncture It is to be suspected you act more out of Fear than Conscience This Surmise I insinuated before and partly adverted to it But more particularly I have these things to offer in Reply I might ad hominem put the Objectors in Mind how Dr. Vane Mr. Cressey and others forsook the Church of England when it was in a very low persecuted Condition and were not ashamed in their Writings to intimate as much For one of the Motives of their withdrawing was that She never had been well grounded and therefore God seemed to forsake her and Lopt off her Head with much more to the same Purpose as is particularly to be seen in Dr. Bailey's End to Controversie But I scorn such Disingenuous Mean-spirited Principles And I desire that they would withal consider that the Church of England was then reduced to those Exigences for her constant and never blemished Loyalty Whereas divers of themselves now stand charged with something else besides Idolatry and Phanaticisme But to answer for once and all I confess I do it out of Fear not of any temporal Incommodity for that might several other wayes be avoided but of having Fellowship
the Waters as in Genesis but along besides the Waters c. Nothing is more talk'd of than the Infallibility of the Church of Rome and this I know to be a most tempting Bait to get Proselytes especially amidst those Many Dissentions in the Christian World at this Day But because this Pretext hath been utterly destroyed by the Lord Falkland Mr. Chillingworth and other most Learned Pens I will only Recommend this Single Consideration to All Judicious Roman Catholicks who would not be chouced out of their Wits Estates and Liberties by a Gang of Ecclesiastical Mountebanks viz. That this Huge Swelling Prerogative of Infallibility is so Sensless a Thing so Ungrounded that no Romanist according to his own Principles can have so much as a probable Moral Assurance of that wherein he thinks himself Infallible And unless every one in particular be Infallible it is to little purpose to boast of an Infallible Judge For a Man may as well mistake the Meaning of his Sentence as the Sentence of one who proceeds only upon prudent Moral Assurance and we see that thousands do erre in the Intepretation of those acknowledged Infallible Oracles the Holy Scriptures The Consideration I recommend is this That after All the Stirr that is made about Infallibility the Learnedest amongst them knows not where to meet with it nor in what cases it is annexed to that Chair in what it forsakes it Some as the Jesuits generally will have it in the Pope but then whether with his Cardinals or by Himself is controverted very briskly Others will have it in a General Council and this Opinion is backt by no less Authority than the Councils of Basil and Constance But then the Church hath been very long without it and possibly may never injoy it by means of a General Council to the End of the World That wherein they fix it with most plausibility is both the Pope and a Council together But even here we are at a great many losses For as to the Pope no man can be assured of his being a true Pope considering the various defects that may render him otherwise as a fundamental Error in his Election Simoniacal Induction the female Sex Want of true Baptism and Holy Orders both which depend upon the Intention and Validity of those from whom he receives them and theirs upon the like Qualifications in their Predecessors c. Occult Heresie and Many others And then as to a Council which consists chiefly of Bishops tho the Popes for some ends best known to themselves have now pack'd in Cardinals Abbots Generals of Orders c. besides that the Validity of a Council depends upon the uncertainty of the Pope's being truly Qualified the very same Difficulties occur in every particular Member as did in respect of the Pope himself The like uncertainty appears in every Sacrament administred in that Church some whereof are absolutely necessary both Necessitate Medii Praecepti v. g. in Baptism Absolution Consecration of the Host which if it be not duly performed Idolatry is committed by the People in adoring it even by their own Concessions Azorius the Jesuit Enchirid. c. 8. openly proclaims That it is a more tolerable Error in them who worship Golden and Silver Statutes as the Gentiles did their Gods nay a piece of red Cloth on the top of a Spear as the Laplanders are reported to do than in those who adore a piece of Bread And now I would fain know of a Lay-Roman-Catholick what is become of his Infallibility where it is and to what purpose it serves him No where is it to be found as I know of but in the bold Assertion of every pragmatical Confessor Who bids you be sure to look to your Faith who are the Solifidians now to believe as the Church believes and then all is safe for the breach of the Ten Commandments there are Merits and Indulgences enough in the Church which being mixt with a little Attrition and Confession will do the work Though in the mean while He himself can neither tell where this Infallible Church is nor what she certainly believes Methinks S. Paul spoke as much like a Prophet as an Apostle as if he foresaw the Haughtiness of the Members of that Church to which he wrote And therefore to curb them and banish from their Minds all such vain conceits of Infallibility he tells the Church of Rome she stood on no firmer grounds than her Neighbours His words are these worthy to be had in everlasting Remembrance by All Roman-Catholicks Rom. 11.18 19 Boast not against the Branches c. Well because of unbelief they were broken off and Thou standest by Faith Be not high-minded but fear For if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he also spare not Thee Behold therefore the Goodness and Severity of God on them which fell Severity but towards Thee Goodness if Thou continue in his Goodness otherwise Thou also shalt be cut off Which words need rather your Practice than my Paraphrase How much Safer and more Satisfactory is it to rely on the Holy Scriptures themselves which by all Sides are acknowledged Infallible For as much as they were divinely Inspired by that great Infallible Truth which neither can be deceived nor deceive his Creatures which can make you wise enough to Salvation and who hath promised to every humble Petitioner and devout Practiser a sufficient Competency of Knowledge in what is necessary for his present Condition and Eternal Happiness Now all this you will find abundantly provided for in the Doctrine and Constitutions of the Church of England Here is the Word of God faithfully Translated and exactly as far as the Idiomes of Languages will permit compared with the Originals and All those Books received of whose Authority there was never any doubt made in the Church Some others called Apocryphal are read indeed but as Ruffinus in Exposit Symboli speaks non ad Fidem firmandam sed ad Mores Instruendos Not for confirming Faith but for direction of Manners And they are excluded from the Canon upon very weighty Reasons For that they were never committed as of Divine Authority to the Jews to whom the Oracles of God were intrusted Rom. 3.2 Nor are they to be found in the Hebrew Canon They are never found cited by Christ or his Apostles and in some places they contain things manifestly false contradictory both to themselves the other Genuine Prophetical Writers You have here the three Creeds the Apostles that of the Nicene Council and that of S. Athanasius together with the four first General Councils which represent to us the Sincere Scheme of Apostolical Primitive Doctrine and Discipline You have here good works Recommended Preach'd and Practiced as the Fruits of Faith and Evidences of our Justification and though not as Expiatory for our Sins yet as in Obedience to the Divine commands and as a Sacrifice acceptable to God And even in this Degenerate Age of Christianity it might be
Merit Indulgences Purgatory c. are presumptuous at best and full of Abuses contrived more for the Priests profit than the Penitents comfort All which considered together with the small grounds for the belief of them they are worthily disowned by the Church of England Nor was Bellarmin when out of the heat of School Disputes of a Different Judgment l. 5. de Justif c. 7. Propter incertitudinem c. By reason of the Uncertainty of our own Justice and the Danger of Vain Glory Tutissimum est c. It is the safest course to repose all our Confidence in the alone Mercy and Benignity of God In short you will find that the Church of England in her Reformation which was most Regular and by the Supreme Authority of the Whole Nation retains all the Essentials of Christianity and onely Rectified such things as She found and the whole World complained were some Ridiculous some Impious Others Sensual and Cruel Such are the Innumerable Crossings Repetitions of Names Kissings of the Pax and Images Offering up of Incense and Candles Impertinent Pilgrimages c. and a Thousand the like absurdities Such as teach men to put their Confidence in Bless'd Beads and Medals Counterfeit Relicks Confraternities Sodalities to trust to Mundayes Prayers for the Dead and our Ladie 's Litanies and Ascribe to pieces of Wax called Agnus Dei's Divine power and Efficacy even as much as is due only to the Pretious Blood of the Son of God Nor is this the belief and practice onely of a few Old Wives but the Authentick Book of the Sacred Ceremonies of the Roman Church tells us how Vrban V. sent three Agnus Dei's to the Greek Emperor with most Blasphemous Rythmes annexed concerning their Virtue Amongst others this is Verbatim set down Peccatum frangit ut Christi sanguis et angit that it Destroys Sin as the Blood of Christ doth And this was not the Practice of one Phantastical Pope alone but according to the foresaid Book l. 1. Every Pope in blessing these Agnus Dei's uses this Prayer That it would please thee O God to bless these things which we purpose to pour into this Vessel of Water prepared for thy Name so as by the Worship and Honour of them we thy Servants may have our heinous offences done away the blemishes of our Sins wiped off and thereby we may obtain pardon c. No Meaner a Person than the Angelical Doctor S. Thomas Aquinas attributes the same Virtue of taking away Venial Sins to Holy Water And likewise 3. qu. 25. a. 3. in c. most Orthodoxly defends That Stocks and Stones I mean Images are to be worshipped with Latria the same Honour that is due to the Creator Suarez and Vasquez teach the same To Conclude this Discourse In the Church of England You will meet with all that is Good and Warrantable in the Church of Rome what ever is Necessary to Salvation and that by the Confession of the Learnedest Romans Let Bellarmin speak for all l. 4. de Verbo Dei c. 11. The Apostles themselves never used to Preach openly to the people much less propounded as Articles of Faith other things than the Articles of the Apostles Creed the Ten Commandments and some few of the Sacraments because saies he These are simply Necessary and Profitable for All Men the Rest besides are Such as that a Man may be Saved without them This made Antonius de Dominis Archbishop of Spalatto even at his Return to Rome to acknowledg the English Church to be a True Apostolical Church And Father Fulgentio the Venetian Companion to Father Paul the Famous Compiler of the History of the Council of Trent had a most High value and Tender Respect for this Church as having in it all the Requisites for Faith Manners and Discipline And that Incomparable Man Hugo Grotius had so Venerable an Affection for her above all other Reformed Churches that he told our Embassador in France That he Intended after his Return from Swedland whither he was designed Embassador from the States General to transport himself with his whole Family hither on purpose to dye in the Bosome of the English Church In such Repute is She even with Foreigners And to speak one word to the Roman Catholicks of England even in their own Language By their own Concessions the Church of England is safer to Communicate with than that of Rome For To Believe onely what is in the Scripture is as much as is necessary as Bellarmin Confesses To worship God without an Image is acknowledged by all both safe and acceptable To pray immediately to God and use the Lord's Prayer without Repeating so many Ave Maria's to perform the best works we can and not stand on the point of Merit c. and so of the other matters in Controversie is by both Sides granted secure Whereas the other Things in debate are strongly disputed by very Learned and Pious Men. Now what would a Man require more than what all acknowledge to be in the Church of England viz. Means effectually conducing and sufficient to Believe Well to Pray Well to Live Well and to Dye Well It remains onely that the Truly Devout and Loyal Persons in our Nation that are of the Roman Persuasion will but vouchsafe to take the Courage and Pains following Our Blessed Saviour's Advice John 5.39 Search the Scriptures and S. Paul's 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things 2 Cor. 13.5 And examine your selves whether you be in the Faith A POST-SCRIPT To the Roman Catholicks of my Acquaintance Ever Honoured and still Respected Friends HAving thus fairly and ingenuously unbosomed to you the very thoughts of my Heart I beseech You not to take with the Left Hand what I offer with the Right Many of You I know to be Truly Vertuous Noble and Loyal to Many I have most Endearing Obligations and I think none can contradict me if I affirm That my Converse among You was repay'd with Love and Esteem and I take Heaven and Earth to witness that I still value you as tenderly as I do my own Soul God onely knowes how many Throes and Struglings I had to part with those whom I so Earnestly affected But Truth at least as it seems to me is Great and will prevail My Request to You All is That You would not let us break in point of Charity though our Opinions are not altogether Coincident That You would for the removing any scruples that may arise believe me as I shall answer at the Last Tribunal That I was not onely Sincere but Zealous while I remained among You and that whatever I performed was with the perfect Intention of and Compliance with the Roman Church and as Validly done as any Actions of that nature are capable of admitting Lastly I desire for God's Religion's and Your own sake that we may refrain from All Contumelious Reflexions on one another In that Long Converse and Great Familiarity I had with you it is impossible but Failings and Imperfections must be discovered on both sides Let All be concealed Under the Mantle of that Charity which hides a multitude of Sins still think of me as you ever found One that sought not Yours but You an honest plain down-right meaning Person And as for my present Proceedings Leave me to stand or fall to that Great Judge to whose and his Churche's Censure I with the most profound Obedience Submit whatever I Write or Do. And Once more I recommend to your most impartial and serious Consideration this Important Quaery Whether it be not Sufficient Ground to withdraw from the Communion of a Church when She is convinced publickly to Teach Practise and Command Treason and Rebellion to its Members Sicut Repurari cupiunt Haberi Fideles as the Lateran Council Thunders it out as they desire to be Accounted and Treated as Christians As to the Traiterous and Monstrous Plot now in Question What Mr. Oats and Mr. Bedlow with the rest of the Informers Evidences are I know not nor am I much Inquisitive His Sacred Majesty and his Great Council are Judges of that But of this I am as sure as I can be of any humane Transaction That the Roman Church Teaches and Commands such Practices That they have been frequently put in Execution abroad and especially at Home And that consequent to such Doctrines Mr. Coleman by his own Confession and Letters which he did not deny was very Busie in attempting to Dissolve the Parliament and in procuring Assistance from the French King by the interposition of Monsieur le Chese the Jesuit who was that King's Confessor to use his own words To Carry on the Mighty Work in their hands no less than the Conversion of Three Kingdoms and the Utter Subduing of a Pestilential Heresie which hath Domineer'd over a great part of this Northern World a long time and that there never was such hopes of success since the days of their Q. Mary as now in These days And I am sure that a most Worthy Justice of Peace was Barbarously Murder'd who took the Examinations upon that occasion and that many other Insolent Actions were committed by that Party Nor can it be any satisfaction to the Nation for well-minded Persons to say they Disclaim and Detest such Actions unless they Renounce the Principles and Disown the Authority which have promoted and still are ready to prompt men to such Desperate Practices God Almighty grant Us All his Grace to Consider in This Our Day the Things that Belong to Our Peace before they be Hid from Our Eyes Amen FINIS
Difficulty even at our first setting out namely Whether S. Peter whence all this Power and Soveraignty is pretended were himself Bishop of Rome or were indeed ever at Rome I will not Deny either because I know many of the Antients plead for both But the Point being onely grounded on Humane Authority for Divine Authority seems rather to contradict it i. e. Ecclesiastical History and the Differences among the Reporters being so Many and so Considerable both in Chronology and divers other Weighty Circumstances and the Probabilities that are produced against it being not altogether Contemptible I hope a Man may be excused from being a Damn'd Hererick if he do not believe it to be a Fundamental Article of Faith The Article of the Standing or Falling Church sayes a Modern Famous Controvertist and consequently hath a Meaner Esteem for all that prodigious Train of Positions which are thence deduced These following Inducements make it at least Doubtful whether S. Peter ever was Bishop of Rome or was ever there For his ever having been at Rome we do not much stand upon it But the Reasons and Testimonies brought out of Humane Histories which onely mention it are so uncertain and involv'd with such difficulties as may make any Man deservedly question it Vellenus hath published several Demonstrations that he was never there And those Authorities of the Fathers that are alleged for it are so Various that the Learned'st Romanists cannot reconcile them Marsilius Patavinus in his Defens Pacis part 2. c. 16. sayes By Scripture it cannot be made out either that S. Peter was Bishop of Rome or that he was ever there at all and when he considers the Ecclesiastical Historians that affirm it he doth it so that it is evident he doth not believe them It is true S. Peter in his 1. Ep. c. 5.13 writes as from Babylon but that Babylon was in Assyria For though in the Apocalyptical Visions Rome is designed by Babylon yet in a plain Epistolary Salutation there was no reason at all for such a Trope Nor doth S. Paul or S. Luke who make frequent mention of Rom ever call it Babylon There is indeed an Old Chair at Rome pretended to be S. Peter's and on certain daies it is shewn to the people as likewise a Sepulchre and certain parts of his Body as Relicks But the Jugling and Imposture with Reliques and such like Trumpery is so well known that the World hath long since lessen'd her Credit to such Monuments Nor hath it been the lowest part of Rome's Policy for many Ages with Feigned Miracles Counterfeit Relicks and Forged Records and Legends to raise in the Vulgar an Opinion of her Holiness and so maintain her Grandeur But we have been too long on this Impertinency Whether He was ever Bishop of Rome deserves our stricter Examination Holy Writ seems not silent here as in the former Case but fully Opposite S. Peter and S. Paul by the Instinct of the Holy Ghost made an Accord that S. Peter should Preach to the Jews and S. Paul to the Gentiles Whereupon in the Sacred Text S. Peter's peculiar Title is The Apostle of the Circumcision and Consequent to his Charge we see that he wrote his Epistles to the scatter'd Jews neither did he direct any to or date any from Rome So that it is incredible he should be Bishop or Resident there for 25 years Whereas S. Paul was the Great Doctor and Apostle of the Gentiles and both writ to the Romans and taught and was imprisoned at Rome for several Years as is evident from Scripture Again the Authours of this Story the first whereof were probably Papias and Dionysius the one too Credulous and Erroneous the other a Counterfeit are wholly at a loss in declaring when S. Peter came to Rome how long he sat there when he dyed and who were his Successours And the most tolerable Account that is given by the best Writers How S. Peter the 5th Year after Christ's Passion went to Antioch and there fix'd his Episcopal See for 7 years thence removed to Rome and there continued 25 Years is no waies coherent with what is related of S. Peter Galat 1. 2. Act. 12. 15. From which places it is manifest that S Peter's most usual Abode was at Jerusalem at least till the 18th year after Christ's death and the 17th of S. Paul's Conversion Nor is it likely that S. Peter setled his Chair at Antioch so long since Galat. 2. we read only of his passing by there and that he was so far from behaving himself as their Bishop that he seems to have understood little of the Affairs of that Church till S. Paul had rightly informed him In the 16. to the Romans St. Paul salutes very many by name yet takes not the least notice of S. Peter nor gives them the least account where he was or how he did which seems something odd if S. Peter had then been their Soveraign Pastor And when S. Paul was himself at Rome and writ diverse Epistles in the Reign of Nero at which time Bellarmin would have S. Peter to have been at Rome though he make mention of many others of inferior rank yet not one syllable of S. Peter Nay he generally denies that there was any such present with him Colos 4.11 And 2 Tim. 4.16 he grievously complains that at his first Answer when he appeared before Nero All men forsook him And when S. Paul came first to Rome the Jews there who were S. Peter's peculiar charge seemed to know nothing of the Gospel Act. 28. Thus S. Peter must be Bishop of Rome 25 years and yet never be at Rome when ever the Scripture mentions the Roman Church And S. Paul could never find him there though he is reported to be Martyred there at the same time with him We see then upon how tottering a Foundation this mighty Fabrick depends I mean how justly Questionable the Papal Monarchy is even in matter of Fact and to its very An sit But perhaps it may plead better for it self in point of Right and Equity We will briefly here inquire into two things 1. What Authority S. Peter had 2. What Authority the Pope pretends to derive from him and how justly That our Lord and Saviour never intended such an Absolute Arbitrary Soveraign Monarchical Government in his Church as the Pope at this day exercises both over Clergy and Layity is as evident in the Gospel as any Truth there contained Matth. 20.25 You know saith Christ that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them c. But it shall not be so among you Whesoever will be great among you let him be your servant And the Apostle Eph. 4.11 reckoning up the whole Sacred Oeconomy Ministry and Government of the Church le ts not fall one word concerning a Visiole Monarch He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pasters and Teachers for the Perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the Body of Christ And
when he recommends Unity by reason of one Body one Spirit one Hope one Faith one Baptism one Lord there is no mention at all of any Pontifical Monarch In all the New Testament there is not any one called the Head of the Church but only our Blessed Saviour Eph. 1.22 God hath put all things under his feet and given him to be Head over all things to his Church And chap. 4. 15. Grow up to him in all things who is the Head even Christ Colos 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church Wherefore they are highly injurious to our Saviour who set up any other Nor do Protestant Princes take themselves to be Heads of their own particular Churches in any other sence than the good Kings of Israel and Juda were to defend the Orthodox Religion and maintain good Order and Discipline in the Church and take cognizance of abuses crept in among any persons Ecclesiastical or Civil and reform what they find amiss according to the Canon of the Scripture by the advice of their Chief Clergy And not as the Papists impertinently object concerning Q. Elizabeth that she had assumed power to preach administer the Sacraments c. And all this as I said before is the undoubted Right of Soveraigh Princes in their own Territories and was practised by the Good Princes under the Old Law with great Commendation and Reward It was likewise promised to the New That Kings should be Nursing Father's and Queens Nursing Mothers to the Church In fine that Paternal Wisdom and Providence of God which so plentifully revealed to us All matters of importance for our own private Good for the Being or Well being of his Church and certainly this great pretended Jurisdiction must be of that Nature that the most Curious Inquirer can desire nothing more and which did under the Mosaical Dispensation so exactly describe the Condition and Power of the High Priest even to the minute Circumstances of his Garments so that none could be so stupid among the Jews but if he read the Books of Mises he might sufficiently understand that there was a High Priest constituted and what Authority he had would certainly have left us some intimation of the like Regiment under the Gospel had there been any such matter to be expected Whereas on the contrary we cannot there find so much as the Name or Title of any such Dignity nor of any Seat appointed for his Residence no singular Office is assigned to him above others no Ensigns of Soveraignty are recorded whereby He might be distinguished from others no manner of Succession is provided for nor is there the least practice or exercise of such a singular Absolute Power so much as hinted at in the whole New Testament And therefore we may justly conclude it to be an upstart Usurpation and no Authority of Divine Institution There are but two passages in Scripture that with any tollerable shew can be made use of to countenance this Supremacy that is so much urged to be conferred on S. Peter and intayled on his Successors The one wherein it seems to be promised the other wherein they say it was actually bestowed The first is that famous place the Achilles of the Roman Cause Matth. 16.17 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it And I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven These words which they think so plain and obvious do yet contain two Metaphors of a Rock and the Keys and I cannot find in any other part of Scripture that they are explained in the Romanists sence Simply and without a Metaphor I am sure they were not so easie to the Apostles themselves nor did they understand thereby any principality intended for S. Peter as appears by sundry contentions among them after these words were spoken who should be the Chiefest Nor can the Antient Fathers Good men discover any such Energy or Prerogative in them for S. Peter or the Pope For our Saviour doth not plainly and literally affirm that he will build his Church upon S. Peter but upon the Rock which he confess'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this Rock not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this Peter Non dictum est illi Tu es Petra sed Tu es Petrus Petra autem erat Christus It was not said to him Thou art the Rock but Thou art Peter for the Rock was Christ says S. Augustin Retract l. c. 21. The same Father in his 124 Tract on S. Joh. Ser. 13. de Ver. Dom. thus paraphrases this Text Vpon this Rock which thou hast confessed upon this Rock which thou hast acknowledg'd saying Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God will I build my Church that is upon my self the Son of the Living God will I build my Church I will build Thee upon Me not Me upon Thee For the Rock was Christ whereon Peter himself was built I am punctual in citing this Great Doctor and Father of the Church because the Romanists give out that they desire to stand to the alone Judgment of this Learned Father The Holy Martyr S. Cyprian could not apprehend any such Intrigue in these words l. de Vnit Eccles The rest of the Apostles saith he were the same that Peter was being endowed with an equal share both of Honour and Power Nor S. Ambrose Serm. 66. S. Peter and Paul were eminent among the Apostles and it is doubtful which is to he preferred before the other S. Hillary l. 6. de Trin. S. Chrysost hom 55. in Matth. Euseb Emissen Greg. the Great V. Beda Haymo the Gloss of Gratian Lyra and a multitude of others understand the Text of S. Matthew as S. Augustin doth Cardinal Cusanus l. 2. c. 13. Concord Cath. is very positive that nothing was here said to S. Peter but what was said to the rest of the Apostles And the words of Sixtus Senensis a very Learned Pontifician Biblioth l. 6. are worth our notice We believe and acknowledge with a sure faith that Christ is the first and Chief Foundation of the Whole Ecclesiastical Edifice But we also affirm that upon this Foundation there are other Rocks lay'd namely Peter and the rest of the Apostles whom John in the Apocalypse names the Twelve Foundations of the Heavenly Jerusalem In sum I find three Interpretations of these words among the Antients viz. That Christ is the Rock That the Confession Faith and Doctrine of Christ is the Rock and that S. Peter himself as an Apostle is Metonymically a partial Rock All which meanings agree very well together but nothing favour the Supremacy that the Romanists desire Nor do the Protestants deny S. Peter a Primacy of Authority and Spiritual Jurisdiction over the Church as an Apostle or in respect of his Fellow