the Presbiterians gain-say Saint Paul Hee saith the office of a Bishop is a good worke and they say it is Tyrannicall and Anti-Christian wherin they show themselves prophane presumptious fellows in seeking to distroy the Doctrin of the Holy Ghost pronounced by the Mouth of the great Apostle two evills they doe in this They contradict the Oracle of God secondly they incurre the curses threatned by the Prophet Woe unto them who call evill good and Isay Cap. 1. good evill Let us for confounding those Presbiterians cite in this Matter some of the ancient Fathers Saint Augustin upon that place of Saint Paul who seeks a Bishops Office desireth a good thing saith th' Apostle would show what the Office of a Bishop is to witt A Name of Aug. lib. 19. deCivi Dei cap. 19. Labour and not of honour that hee may know himself not to be a Bishop who desires to preside and not to profitt Saint Hierom says That in the primative Church the calling of a Bishop was the next degree to Martyrdom wherfore saith hee the Office of a Bishop being soe Hier. Ap. Cornel. in hunc Loc. high and excellent soe hard and dangerous it was noe wonder th' Apostle required many excellent quallitys and vertues in a Bishop to exercise profitably his Office which Saint Paul calls a good worke Saint Ignat. Epist ad Tarscens Ignatius Bishop of Antioch Disciple of th' Apostles and a holy Martyr describes an excellent subordination of Pastors in the Church Priests saith hee be subject unto your Bishops Deacons unto Priests and you People unto Priests and Deacons who shall observe this comlyness of Order I would willingly change my Soule with theirs and our Lord be with them for ever 2. The second comly worke of the Presbiterians Reformation was to lay a side the Lords prayer and to put it out of use and creditt and all sett Prayers was not this a horrible Tentation of the Deuill What more sublime holy and devine then our Lords Prayer Christ made this Prayer the Scripture containes it our Saviour taught his Disciples to say it when you pray said Christ say Father hallowed Luke cap. 11. be thy Name Children learn this Prayer sucking theire Mothers Brest The Church of God hath ever esteem'd and practis'd it wherfore th'Abollishment of the Lords Prayer must come Tert. lib. de oratio from the Deuill there is noe way of excusing it This Prayer is short devine and substantiall according to that of Tertulian Our Lords Prayer is short in words but large in sense The Waldenses defended an error just Gualter Chron. Saecul cap. 11. de VVal. Errore conttary to this of the Presbiterians for they maintain'd noe other Prayer should be said noe other forme to be admitted but this of the Lords Prayer this had som collour of Piety and speciall respect done to that devine Prayer but to abollish it as the Presbi exâ—ans have done is a most execrable Impiety Could a Christian man beleeve there would be Christians found on Earth that would contemne this devine Prayer instituted by Christ Iesus and commaunded to be sayd commended by the holy Fathers and practised by the whole Church tyme out of memory and speak contumeliovsly against the use of it A great Rabbin and Preacher of the Covenant called publickly the use of saying often the Lords Prayer a Papisticall Charme and another Minister in Galloway did Glory that hee had bannished The impious words of a Minister out of his Parish two Idols to wit Our Father which c. And God of Glory and peace c. A short Grace that was said ordinarily after meat but a Lay-man answered the impudent Minister in these Words If you have bannished these two which you call Idols I feare you will bring in worss Idols in theire place O God! thy Patience is great with these prophane wicked men the seed of Canaan Qui claudunt ora Laudantium te And that forbid men to speak to your devine Majesty in a Prayer made by your Sonne Iesus and commaunded by him to be sayd by all 3. From Laying aside the Lords Prayer the Presbiterians goe a stepp farther in theire holy Reformation what think you doe they a wicked business They abollish that hymne of praysing God usually sayd in the end of each Psalme Glory to the Father the sonne and Holy Ghost c. even by the Protestants themselves singing the Psalmes which hymne doubtless had its begining out of holy Scripture as this passage of Saint Iohn may testifye And saith the Saint A voyce came out from Apocal. cap. 19. v. 19. the throne saying say prays to our God all ye his servants and you that feare him little and great The Presbiterians in theire hott zeal contradict Saint Iohn and hinder little and great to sing this mellodious hymne of prayse to the Holy Trinity can any thing bee more impious then men acknowledging the Mistery of the Blessed Trinity If Presbiterians doe acknowledg it to abollish this divine Hymne wherby the Trinity is glorifyed It happened after they had agreed upon this ungodly Reformation that the People in the Church singing the Psalms and knowing nothing of the determination they had made coming to the end of a Psalme sayd as they were wont to doe Glory to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost c. The Presbitertan Minister hearing them cry'd out in a fury noe less ridiculously then scandelously Noe more Glory to the Father noe more Glory to the Father c. Was ever the like heard among Christians The Arians who deny'd the Divinity of Christ and that hee was equall to his Father did mainly strive to change and pervert this Hymne for as they had changed the forme of Baptisme by saying I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost Baron Tom. 3. Anno 323. N. 174. Soe alsoe they corrupted this Hymne of Glorification by singing Glory to the Father by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost But the great Saint Basile shewes how Basil ad Amphilich dispute 5. the Hymne of Glorification was used from the tyme of th' Apostles for when the Sacrament of Baptisme was administred by the Priest when hee said I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost The faithfull present answered Glory bee to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost The Holy Counsell of Niâ—e was pleased to add to the said Hymne this Appendix As it was in the begining and now and ever shall be World without end Amen Which clause appears in my Iudgmentâ— like a Prophesy serving not only for the Confusion of th' Arians but alsoe of the Presbiterians 4. What more holy things did remaine in the Church to bee reformed by the Presbiterian congregation The Creed stood in theire way they would have it discredited and not to bee esteemed or caled
England Nicolaus Sanderus a famous Doctor N. Sanderus de Scismati Anglieano lib. 3. Leges depotestate Regia in rebus Ecclesiasticis Anno 1. Elizabethe Latae of Divinity showes the latitude of this Vsurpation out of the English Lawes made in Parlament Ita inquit habet lex Omnia Privilegia praeeminemiae praerogativae superioritates spirituales quae ab ulla potestate vel humano vel Ecclesiastice Iure haberi aut exerceri possunt quoad visitationem correctionem seu reformationem Cleritotius seu quarumcunque personarum Ecclesiasticarum ad cognitionem etiam ac punitionem omnium errorum Haerefum Schismatum abusuam c. volumus in posterum quod Regio Sceptro in perpetuum sint annexa Decernimusque Reginam suosque Haeredes ac in regali dignitate Successores habere habiturosque efse deinceps omnimodam potestatem nominandi substituendi quoscunque voluerint qui eorundem vice ac auctoritatate candem Jurisdictionem Ecclefiastieam exerceant pro beneplacito suo personas visitent Hareses Schismata errores abusus castigent aliudue quiduis juris vel potestatis exerceant quod ab ull◠unquam Ecclesiastico Magiftratu exerceri potuit aut oportuit Decernitur item ne clerus ad synodum ullam aliorum quam Regiis literis mandaris conveniat neve ullum Canonem Legem Constitutionem Synodalem seu Provincialem vel faciat velexequatur sine expresso Majestatis suae consensu licentia hujusmodi Canones faciendi promulgandi vel exequendi sub poena carceris mulcta pro Reginae arbitrio Imponenda Decernitur ne quis exeat regnum ditionesque suae Majestatis ad ullam Visitationem Consilium Conventum aut Congregationem quae Religionis causa uspiam fiet sed ur talia omnia Regiâ auctoritate intra regnum fiant Item ne Episcopi vel ullius Nominatione vel Electione vel ulla Auctoritate aliâ quà m Regiâ creentur neve Iurisdictionem potestatemque Episcopalem teneant aut exerteant nisi ad beneplacitum Reginae nec aliter nisi per ipsam a regali MAjestate derivatam auctoritatem Such saith hee is the Law All Priviledges Prehemenensies Prerogatives Spirituall Superiorityes which can be had or exercised from any power or any right human or Eeclesiasticall as to Visitation Correction or Reformation of the whole Clergy or of any Eeclesiasticall Persons whatsoever to the knowing and punishing of all Errors Heresies Schisme Abuses c. Wee will hereafter that they be annexed to the Royall Scepter for ever And wee decree that the Queen and her heires and all her Successors in the Royall Dignity have and possess and shall have hereafter all power of nominating and substituting whosoever they shall please to exercise by theire Authority and Order and according to theire good pleasure may exercise the same Ecclesiasticall lurisdiction that they vissit persons that they correct Heresies Schismes Errors and Abuses and that they exercise all right and power which could or ought to be exercised and practised by any Ecclesiasticall Iudge or Magistrate It is determind and enacted that the Clergy may not meete or assemble themselves in a Synod otherwise then by the Royall Letters and Mandats nor may they make any Canon Law Constitution Synodall or Provinciall or execute any such without the express Consent and allowance of her Majesty and licence of making such Canons and of promulgating or putting them in Execution and this under the penalty of imprisonment and of fyne or mulct to bee imposed according to the Queens pleasure It is further determind that none may part out of the Kingdome and her Majestyes Dominions to any Visitation Councell Meeting or Congregation which shall be any where made for Matters of Religion but that all such things be done within the Kingdome by Authority Royall Likwise that Bishops be created by noe other Nominatiou or Election or any other Authority whatsoever other then by Royall Authority nor that they hould or exercise Episcopall Iurisdiction and power but only ad beneplacitum Reginae that is according to the Queens good pleasure and that they have noe Authority but dependant of her and derived from the Royall Majesty Sall you see here all Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power and Iurisdiction given by the Parlament to Queen Elizabeth goe now I pray you and read all the Annalls and Church Histories of the world and then tell mee was ever any thing heard of in the World more prophane and impious then men that held themselves to be Bishops to agree with such a Parlament and to hold for an Article of Faith a woeman to be head of the Church in Ecclesiasticis Spiritualibus Whereas Saint Paul commaunded woemen should not soe much as speak in the Church Mulieres saith Epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 14. the Apostle in Ecclesiis taceant non enim permittitur eis loqui sed subditas esse sicut lex dicit siquid autem volunt discere domiviros suos interrogent Turpe enim est Mulieri laqui in Ecclesia That is Let woemen hould theire peace in the Church for it is not permitted them to speak but to be subject as alsoe the Law sayeth If they will learne any thing let them ask theire husbands at home For it is a foule thing for a woeman to speak in the Church The Apostle teacheth the same writing to Timothy Mulier in silentio Epist 1 adTim cap. 2. diseat cum omni subjectione Docere autem Mulierinon permitlo neque dominari in virum sed esse in silentio Let a woeman learne in silence with all subjection But to teach I permitt not unto a woeman nor to have Dominion over the man but to be in silence The Matter went quite otherwise in England after the XXXIX Articles came in force forasmuch as Bishops themselves could not speak in the Church without a woemans that is the Queens Licence nor exercise any power Iurisdiction or function Episcopall which lookes like a kinde of abomination Sall I see you are gon a way in Opinion with those Bishops and Clergy that reverenced to much that Queen and loved woemen to much and continency to little Et idto prophanus factus es negans comedere agnum cum Sancto Ieronimo in Donio Dei eligens comedere cum impio Calvino extra Ecclesiam renuis cum hoc Sancto in arca contineri hinc miser peribis deluvio regnante And therfore you are becom prophane and denying to eat the Paschall Lamb with holy Hierome in the House of God and Chusing to eat the same with impious Calvin out of the Church you deny to be in the Arck with Saint Hierome wherfore miserable man you shall perish in the deluge Sall I shall pray you to ponder maturely the important saying of Saint Augustin Disputare saith the Saint contra id quod totum per orbem frequentat Ecclesia insolentissim a in sania est That is To dispute against that which the Church houlds over
have said of this Miracle is but a Papisticall dreame or fable if hee say soe the Testimony of the Miracle before soe many thousands and the Examination therof upon the Saints Canonization will prove him impudent and if hee shall say that Consecrated Host which Saint Bernard held between his hands over the Patena which the Saint said was the same Body that took Flesh from the Body of the blessed Virgin was not the true Body of Christ hee affirms the Saint to bee a cheat and if this hee says wee shall make bold without being unmannerly to averre that hee belyes the Saint and that what hee says is a callumny In a word there is noe way left for Sall to discreditt this Miracle The other Miracle wher with Saint Bernard daunted and terrify'd William Earle or Duke of Aquitaine and changed as wee may say a Lyon into a Lamb happened thus This Duke took part with Antipape Petrus Leo against Innocentius the true Pope and in this Opposition shew'd great obstinacy and used great Tyranny against all those that obeyed Innocentius and stuck to him in his Canonicall Election hee deprived severall Church-men of their Benefices thrust out violently Bishops out of their Chaires and Churches and did very great Outrages against many of his subjects It was found meet and fitting to reason with this furious man and try if hee could be reduced to a due obedience and agreement with the Popes party to this purpose Saint Bernard the Bishop of Chartres with many other persons of quallity came to conferr with the Duke The holy man seeing him stubborne and refusing to reconsile himselfe to the Bishops and Church-men hee had oppressed betook himselfe to stronger weapons that is to say began Mass with great feruour and deuotion and coming to Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi c. Came abroad the Duke being forbidden to assist at Mass did not enter the Church with the Sacrament over the Patena and began to handle this proude Prince in this kinde The above mentioned Author of Saint Bernards life relates the History in this manner Homo Dei c. That is The Guliel Abbas in vita S. Bern. lib. 2. cap. 6. man of God not now carrying himselfe like an ordinary man puts the Body of our Lord upon the Patena and takes it with him and with an angry countenance and flaming eyes not praying but threatning came a broad and setts upon Duke William with the ensuing vehement words Wee have hithertoe pray'd you and you have dispised us in our last meeting of some servants of God the whole multitude humbly besought you and you contemned us all behold now coms to you the sonne of the virgin who is head and Lord of the Church whome you persecute thy Iudge here is present in whose name all knees bend in heaven on Earth and in Hell thy Iudge is present in whose hands thy Soule shall com Will you dispise him as you have contemned us his poore Servants All then upon the place powered forth teares and all attentive to theire Prayres waited for the end of the bussiness and cogitations of all suspended did expect some devine and great Matter to be done The Duke seeing the Abbott coming upon him in a vehement Spiritt and carrying in his hands the most Blessed Body of Christ feared mainly and trembling in all the members of his Body was like a man stiff of cold in this trembling and feare fell upon the ground and lifted up by the Soldiers fell againe upon his face nor had hee power to speak a word nor look upon any Body his great beard all defiled with spittle breathing out deep sights look't like a man in the Fallen-sickness Then the man of God came neare unto him and touching him with his foot commaunded him to rise and stand upon his feet and heare the Sentence and Iudgment of God upon him Heer is present saith the Saint the Bishop of Potiers whome you violently thrust out of his Church goe and make peace with him and bring him back to his Church and for Satisfying God give him Glory for the contumely you have show'd and in all your Dominions commaund your People to obey Innocentius the true Pope and have noe more to doe you nor they with Anti-Popes What will you doe William of Aquitaine imbraced the Bishop of Potiers and the rest and obeyed in all glorify'd God and became afterwards a great Saint Sall doe you take the tameing of this fierce Lyon of Aquitaine by the Lamb of God Christ Iesus in the Sacrament in the hands of his servant Saint Bernard wrought by him take you this I say for a Miracle Noe man will bee soe impudent as to deny the creditt of the History published and beleeved over all the World and beleeving the History you must confesse this Wonder was done in Confirmation of Transubstantiation Did ever your Piece of Bread in your figurative Sacrament cast to the ground a furious impious Tyrant as Duke William was or cast out a Devill as the Sacrament in Saint Bernards hands did in Millan Goe now Sall a furious zealott in your new Religion and Preach to your Bretheren that Miracles are Monstrous XXIII CHAPTER Certaine Advertisments to said Sall. First Hereticks are knowne by certaine Marks 1. HEreticks deny and hate Tradiditions soe saith the Counsell of Nice 2. Hereticks accuse the ancient Fathers of Ignorance and blindness soe saith Saint Bernard 3. Hereticks dispise thâ— head of the Church and speak contumeliously of him soe affirms Saint Cyprian and Augustin 4. Hereticks say and uphold there is noe need nor use of Miracles 5. Hereticks say they are sent extraordinarily from God to reforme the Church and sanctify the World and yet they work noe Miracles the true signes of such a Mission 6. Hereticks mock the simplicity of Priests Innocent the third a learned Popâ— affirms this saying Simplicitatem Sacerdotem illudunt Heretici 7. Hereticks cannot give reason of theire Chaire nor prove theire Succession from the Apostles 8. Hereticks are still disputing but will in the end beleeve nothing but what themselves hold 9. An Heretick defends his owne opinion with pride and obstinacy soe saith Saint Augustin Cap. 10. Lib. 9. De Civitati Dei 10. Hereticks love not the vettue of chastity they hate saith Saint Hierom the Virgin and Virginity Difficile est saith Tertulian Hereticum invenire qui diligat castitatem It is hard to finde an Heretick that is a lover of Chastity These are the marks of an Heretick as ancient Fathers obseru'd I leave Sall to consider to whome these marks can be fittly atributed to Roman Catholicks or Protestants Wee come now to a Litany of Hereticks George l'Apostre a French Author hath this Litany in a worke intitled Le Tombeau des Heretiques Hee calls the Litany La Litanie Hugenote Hee begins thus 1. CAin denyed the Providence of God and the meritt of good VVorks and then says to the Hugenotes Vous
which are flatt Heresies and for all these Impietyes and abominations there are not that I heare of any Lawes made in Parlament for punishing these Presbiterians Noe but all the lightning thunder and tempest of the Bishops and that kind of Protestants and of the Presbiterians likwise doth fall upon the poor Catholicks our Religion is made treason to owne the Pope head of the Church in Spiritualibus as realy hee is is punish'd with death to worship Images superstition to invocate the Angels and Saints Idolatry wee suffer disgrace in Court and Country wee suffer the loss of livings wee suffer Imprisonments and death it selfe the Extirpation of our Faith is desired sought and put in Execution and men receive pleasure which is inhumane and cruell in our Miserye and Distruction and all these Afflictions fale upon us soly for the hatred men have to Religion What comfort can wee finde in these Extremityes That only and that is enough which our Saviour hath promised to his Servants Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur Math. Cap. 4. propter Iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est Regnum Caelorum That is Blessed are they that suffer Persecution for Justice for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Sall wee heare you have preached in July 1674. before the Lord Lieutenant and State in Christ-Church in Dublin a long premeditated Sermon for Justifying your departure from the Romish Communion and you then told your Auditors that you had found in the Romish Church three Abominations to wit Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny and those you called Abominationem desolationes stantem in loco Sancto And that therfore according to our Saviours Admonition you departed from that Congregation But I tell you you have forged a pernitious Calumnie and Imposture in charging the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches with Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny And I further say my Opinion that an Idol which is found in all your Congregations the pride of the privat Spiritt that Spiritt Doctor Whitaker see Pagina 17. discribed made you charge the Church of Rome with Idolatry Sir your zeal in your new Religion is soe furious that you have render'd your selfe at present incapable of Councell and all advice but in tyme you may become colder Non est abrevitae manus Domini And think better of what you have done however for the true love I have for you and especially for your Soule which is the maine and principal part ought to bee taken care for I hartily pray you what kinde of thing is Parlament Religion a ssippery and changable Religion which is thus declared For Satisfying King Henry the eight The Parlament changed some Articles of Faith as soone as hee dy'd they changed that Faith into Zwinglianisme to comply with the Protector Summerset young King Edward the sixt his Vncle within two or three years after they changed Zwinglianisme into Calvinisme and at the sute of Calvin reformed the Liturgy accordingly After the young Kings death they return'd with good Queen Mary to the old Faith and by new acts abolished those acts they had lately made before against Catholick Religion with Queen Elizabeth they restored againe the new Religion with some Alterations when King Iames succeeded they changed the translations of Scripture and other things In King Charles the firsts tyme Prelatick Protestancy was puld downe by Presbitery and this by IndePendency and the last puld downe quite Kingly Authority and took of the good Kings head from his Body Prelatick Protestancy being restored by King Charles the second the forms of Ordination where upon depends the validity of the Protestant Ministry Church and Sacraments being not thought sufficient were amended and are now changed into more Catholick Forms adding to the Forms the words Priest and Bishop which hath quite discredited theire Character of Priesthood and Episcopacy for those two Words being held by them as Essentiall in these two Forms the former orders given without these Words must have been invalid and in like manner all things in theire Ministry that depends upon Ordination are uncertaine and doubtfull for if the Church of England hath acknowledged to have erred in a thing of soe great importance as the Forms of Ordination what reason can it have in not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in the Kingdome of England in one age have made more changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued What I have sayd being duly examined tell mee Sall is not Protestant Religion slippery and changable and consider well what shall become of you in the sad exchange you have made The fourth Advertisment Learned Protestants of the Church of England doe confess that English and Irish Pagans venerable Beda called them Slaves of Idols were converted to Christian Faith by men sent from the Popes of Rome holy men that wrought Miracles in those Conversions IF any shall demaund to what end doe I make Mention of these Protestant Authors what doe I inferr from theire Testimoneys I make this Illation that said Authors did attest the Conversion of those Pagans to have beene made by those sent from Rome to a true and sauing Faith and for this Verity there are two convincing reasons The first that the Veracity of God was herein concerned which neuer confirm'd by Miracles a false Faith The second that the Goodness of God would not have Pagans brought from Idolatry to Heresy or to such a Religion wherein they would bee as certainly damn'd as in Idolatry to Iudge this of the goodness of God were a horrible Blasphemy for it were noe less then to cale him a cheate Sall examin now seriously what Faith that was the Saints Fugatius Damianus sent from Pope Eleutherious taught to the Pagans of England when King Lucius the first Christian King his Queen and thousands more were converted what the Faith which Saint Augustin the Benedictin Monk sent from S. Gregory Pope denounced to the Saxon Pagans In what Faith did S. Parrick sent from Pope Celestinus instruct the Idolaters of Ireland doubtless you will confess it was the same Faith then professed in Rome and by all the People that obey'd the Pope now all these professed as Articles of Faith the Real-Presence in the Eucharist the Invocation of Angells and Saints the seven Sacraments the Sacrifice of the Mass worship of Images and the like And aforesaid Saints Fugatious Damianus c. delivered them for such to the Pagans of both the Nations they likewise wrought Miracles for proving the truth of the Religion they taught and the Pagans seeing those Miracles beleeved they were sent from God They were indeed sent to those Idalaters as Moyses Elias and others Prophets to the People of Israel and as the Apostles to the Gentils doeing wonders In Nomine Virtute Dei. I observe in this place that the Religion the S S. Fugatious Damianus Patrick and Augustin preached to the Pagans of these countryes was not the Faith now Professed by Sall and
thing to be examined by you to know the Author matters nothing I desire not that Athistâ—â— read my writings such as 〈◊〉 not in God can make no 〈◊〉 fit of Godly things for my part I make more Esteem of a Pagan that adores stocks anâ— stones thinking there is a Deit â— in them then of Aâ—hises Neâ—ther is it my ayme thaâ— Maho metans or Jewes read this worke the first not believing Christ to be the Sonn of God though they hold him to be a holy Prophet and borne of a Virgin the other believe not the Mesias is yet come whose Fathers Crucify'd him when hee was borne and came among them and made Evident by wonders and miracles that hee was the true Sonne of God and the now living Jewes as blinde and obstinate as theire Fathers tred theire stepps spitting on the Crucifix and whipping it in theire Chambers and stobbing with poyniards the H. Sacrament with horrour and extream Malice wherof there are Many Authentique Histories My wish is this Book be only read by Roman Catholicks and by Protestants the first will likely be well satisfyed with this my endevours and from the protestant reader I only pray that hee will be pleased with atention and without prejudging to read all and after to speak with God alone about the state of his owne Soule and what Religion hee will Chuse for his eternall salvation The argument I doe not handle Scholastically conceiving not that the better way to haue my sence rightly understood I am for the way of fact declareing ingeniously what happen'd in England upon the comming in of both Religions what kinde of men were instrumentall in bringing them in what theire manners vertues or vices who of them were of Sanctity and who not who of them wrought Miracles which are Evident signes of true Religion which was brought into all Kingdoms Countrys and Provinces by Sanctity and Miracles I deny what Sall falling from his faith who gave me the occasion of writing afirms to witt That the Roman Catholick Religion is repugnant to humaine reason It were to make Religion fabulous and foolish to say it is contrary to wisdome and reason for what can be oppositt to wisdome and reason but folly and fables As Scripture by which soly many Protestants will haue Religion try'd excluding tradition even Apostolicall it selfe though it be Verbum Dei non Scriptum is the Word of God supernaturall written in paper with the hands of his holy scribes by Revelation so is Reason Gods naturall Word and Gods truth written by his owne hand in our soules Signatum est super nos Lumen vultus tui Domine Doth not all this prove a great agreableness between Religion and reason whereby is clearly evinced that Religion is not repugnant to humaine Reason Haue not Pagan Philosophers even by the light of reason without any other teaching perceiued in many things what is honest and what dishonest what just and what uniust what vertue what vice this is that light in mans soule which S. Basill calls Iudicium quoddam naturale per Bas homilia aâ—â— populum quod ab iniquis bona facile discerniâ—us And S. Augustin accounted soe much of reason that hee said Recta ratio vertus est And S. Aug. de util Credendi Cap. 12. if Caluins Authority were worth any thing he says Semen Religionis est in mente humana But I pray you heare S. Paul telling you the Philosophers were unexcusable for not hauing made the right use they could and should haue made of the knowledg they had of Cod by the light of reason Because saith Ad Rom. Cap. 1. hee whereas they knew God they haue not glorify'd him as God or given thanks but are become vaine in theire cogitation and theire foolish hart hath bin darckned How have these Philosophers knowne God not by faith but by the light of reason and knowing him soe they should have as the Apostle teaches glorify'd him as God I shew in this Book the number of Catholick arch-Arch-Bishops that sate upon the Chaire of Canterbury to haue bin sixty one many of these haue bin nobly borne and many of them very learned and vertuous twelve haue bin canonized saints Your number of Protestant Arch-Bishops have not as I think bin aboue six as Parker VVhitgift Grindal Branckfort Abots Laud and Sheldon all of them lowly born and as wee heare meanly Learned of theire vertues wee heard Little And could those few and less learned and vertuous know more of Gods verity and holy will then soe many Eminent Catholick Arch-Bishops what in Gods name would make any man think soe You had fifty two Catholick Monarchs of England Kings and Queens I speake nothing here of seventy small Kings when England was devided into seven Kingdoms many of these haue bin of the Gallantest Princes in Christendome as Egbert that first reduced England to a Monarchy Ina Edgar Canut William the conquerour Henry the second Edward the third Henry the fifth and Henry the seventh many of them vertuous and Godly Princes and som of them acknowledged for Saints by all the Church of God the Protestants have had but five in all the first a Child of nine yeâ—ars Edward the sixth the second a Woeman Queen Elisabeth a Cruell a woeman who put to death Queen Mary of Scotland the present Kings great Grandmother which was an open Murther and soe Esteemed by all the world as alsoe in the tyme of her raigne 200. Priests and Religious men soly for theire Religion A woeman druncken Apâ—c Cap. 17. of the blood of Saints and of the blood of the martyrs of Iesus A woeman fitter for Brauery then devotion thee other three King James a lerrned and wise Prince his Sonne Charles a sober and good King the last our present Souveraigne King Charles the second of him let those speak that shall survive him But certain it is Protestant Historians will not preferr those Protestant Princes in vertue valor glorious atempts and magnificence to the Catholick Princes To speak of both Religions Catholick and Prorestant and which of them is safest for salvation I offer you here a remarkable reflexion and consideration as thus Ask of the Mahometan the Jew and of the Scismatick Christians as the Ruthenians Armenians and all of the Greeck Church yea and of the Lutherans and Calvinists that disagree among themselves which is the best and safest Religion they will all say after their owne the Roman is the safest which is an Evident Jugment that the Roman is the fafest of all much like that the grave Judges gave for the Lacedemonians when all the Provinces of Greece claimed for the Palm and praise in the glorious victory they obtained against the Persians Those excellent Judges before whome the cause was brought demanded of every one of them whome they thought to have deserued best after themselues and all answering that the Lacedemonians the wise Iudges gave sentence that indeed the Lacedemonians had
one God have mercy upòn us pleaseth mee not for it wholy tasteâ—h of Barbarisme Said Doctor King further teacheth in these motives that foule dèceipts and sleights and falcifications are practised by Protestant writers that your XXXIX Articles of Protestancy are Heresyes that true Miracles have beene wrought for proof of the Catholick Religion but neuer any for Protestancy that there is unity in Catholick Religion and disagreements in Protestancy that the Doctrin of Catholick Religion tends directly to Vertue of Protestancy to vice and liberty When you shall attentively read this learned mans motius why and wherfore hee quitted the Protestant Religion and became Catholick you must hold your selfe for a madd man for having forsaken the Catholick Religion to become Protestant The last motive the 12. which is most to be considered of all in order to safty is that Salvation may be had in the Catholick Religion even by the Confessions of Protestant Devines and Writers and likely some of them have signed the XXXIX Articles whence hee Derives an undeniable Consequence that the Catholick Religion is the safest hee discourseth to this purpose both the sides and the learnedest of both the sides Confess and agree salvation can be obtained in the Roman Catholick Faith that same faith which hath beene professed and maintaned by Popes Catholick Bishops and Catholick Congregations directed and governed by them in Spiritualibus in Confirmation of which the Catholick Saints in our Littanys are acknowledg'd for Saints by the Protestants but all the Catholick side hould that Protestants cannot be saued in theire Religion the Religion of the XXXIX Articles Ergo saith Doctor King it is Wisdome and the safest way to Imbrace the Catholick Religion acknowledged by both sides for the safest to Salvation I will conclude this discourse in giving you Doctor Kings owne words upon this subject with which hee coucludes his book of motives excellent perswading words But heere doe present unto us saith Doctor King two Porismata or resultancyes out of the premisses of this passage The first that all true reason perswadeth The 12 Motive pag. 165. 166. 167. me to implant and ingraft my selfe in that Church which I finde to be ackowledged for the true Church promising salvation tâ— her members even by her adversarys For if I dye Catholick my life being agreeable thereto both Catholicks and Protestants warrants my Sâ—lvation but dying in the Faith of Protestancy the Protestants alone and this in honour of theire owne Religion assure mee of it for there is neuer a learned Catholick wryter in the world an observation much to be weighed who granteth that a Protestant dying with a positive setled and coutumacious neglect of the Catholick Church and Faith can be saved This then being â—hus shall I in soe great a bussiness leave a certainty for an uncertainty God forbid Wee Protestants expeot to be believed in other our positions and Doctrins why not then in this Since then the Protestants doe teach that Catholicks soe dying are in state of Salvation I am resolued my Brethrens wrytings shall have that powerfull Influence over mee as what themselves doe heerin teach I will through Gods Grace put in Execution And soe my will shall become in this point a ready and seruiceable handmayd to theire Iudgments The second The wrong which wee Protestants commit in afflicting the Catholicks and in unnaturally beâ—rampling upon theire dejected estates only for matters of Religion Alas by our owne Doctrin they are neither Babylonians nor Aegyptians both they and wee being as wee teach Israelits why then should Israel thus persecute Israell Are wee not become the gaze of Christendome thus to fight without an Enemy thus for Kindred to wound its owne Kindred yea often the Father the Sonne soe turning our owne Swordes into our owne Childrens breasts wee still inciting his Majesty to greater severity a Prince of his owne Disposition of the most benigne mercifull and commiserating nature that the world at this day enjoys and all this for the Catholicks living in that Faith and Religion in which our selves teach they may be saved thus doe wee make the confessed hope of theire Salvationâ— to be the sole cause of theire pressures and callamityes Good God! who would think that Christians the chiefest Articles of whose Faith are either reputed but as indifferencyes or which is more believed for true Doctrin by theire oppressours whose Church is acknowledged to be the d D. Morton ubi supra Church of God houlding the foundation of the Ghospell the e M. Hooker ubi supra family of Iesus Christ it being noe severall f M. Bunni ubi supra Church from theirs nor theirs from it houlding g D. Field ubi supra a saving Profession of the truth in Christ in which many h D. Covell with theother doctors ubi supra dying are by their adversaries registred for most glorious Saints Should neuer the less bee persecuted by either Christians of their owne Country yea their owne flesh for theire only persevering in the a foresaid Church with Confiscaâ—ion of goods restraint of body someâ—ymes with sheeding of most innoâ—ent blood and suffering a cruell death Obstupecite e coeli super hoc portae â—jus desolamini vehementer Heere now I will stay my penne making this last motive as a fitting Catastrophe for all Since that Closure i Hierem cap. 2. and end is warrantable enough which evicteth from the ingenious Confessions of the most learned Protestants that I may be saved in that Religion wherein I am resolued to dye I think Sall you can not meet with a stronger argument then Doctor Kings unanswerable discourse for bringing you backagaine to your Mother the Catholick Church V. CHAPTER TO the fourth Quere Who are Ad quartum the Doctors Sall parted from and who those new ones hee imbraced It is easily answered hee hath quitt the four great Doctors of Gods Church holy Saints Gregory Ambrosse Augustin and Ierome and all the ancient Fathers and Catholick Doctors how famous these foure Doctors were for great Sanctity Learning and Authority is sufficiently knowne over all the world They have beene the Lights Pillars Champions and Ornaments of the Church profound in humility flaming with Charity Conspicuous in their Conversation sublime in their Comtemplation zealous in converting Souls and defending the House of God they have beene such as Saint Paule desires Gods Servants to bee Abnegantes impietatem secularia desideria Ad Titum cap. 2. sobrié justé pié viventet in hoc seculo expectantes beatam spem adventum Gloriae magni Dei salvatoris nostri Jesu Christs Cum quo jam triumphant in Caelo That is denying Impiety and wordly desires living soberly justly and Godly in this world expecting the blessed hope of the great God and our saviour Iesus Christ with whome they now tryumph in heaven What more glorious then Gregory and what more humble then hee set on the
holy Chaire of Peter noe less praised and honoured for flying and hyding himselfe from that highest Dignity on earth then in enjoying it Did the world see a more holy and stouter Bishop then Ambross what Combats had hee with Emperours and potentates for Piety and Religion and in all had the Victory Soone after being consecrated conferring with the good Imperour Valentiniane the elder about great affaires of Church and Common Wealth hee complained in a grave speech for hee was very eloquent that Potentates in those days much oppressed the People instigated therunto by wicked members that were about them this worthy Emperour was noe way offended with this Christian and Priestly Liberty but praising Ambross his Candid minde said to him Noveram prius hanc tuam Ambrosi libertatem macte igitur vertute age quod tui muneris est cnra ut res Christiana consistat incolumis ut vetteris Religionis Disciplina incorrupta perseveret doce quae amare doce quae sugere debeamus That is Ambross I knew your Liberty take Courage doe what appertains to a good Bishop have a care that the great affaire of Christians be safe and sound that the Discipline of the ancient Religion persever untoucht teach us what wee ought to love and what to fly O wise and Godly Emperour thus began Ambross with a holy freedom and soe persevered till his dying day One of the greatest Combats hee had for Religion and the Glory of God was with Iustina the Empress a perverse Arrian and a fervent protectrix of that Sect. This Lady after the death of her husband Valentinian in whose life tyme shee dared not declare her selfe to be what shee was an Arrian shee began to belch out the poyson within her and to afflict sharply Saint Ambrose Shee furiously angry against the holy man for opposing himselfe to the Arrians resolved to have him bannished thinking by that meanes to pull downe a strong Pillar of Gods House and to raise up Arrianisme shee made account shee was able to accomplish her wicked undertaking her Sonne Valentinian the Emperour being yong and in her power and Disposition to him shee complained that Ambrose had contumeliously dishonoured her here upon the yong Emperour who much lou'd his Mother became incensed against the good Bishop and commaunded him being there unto incited by his Mother and others of that Religion to come to court and dispute with some of the Arrians but hee refus'd to come saying hee would not honour obstinate Hereticks with any conferrence or Disputation they being obliged to believe as the Universall Church did otherwise were lyable to punishment according to the laws made against Hereticks in that case this denyall being made the Empresse procured a peremptory commaund from her Sonne to Ambross to deliver up a Basilica or great Church to the Arrians for their Communion and a band of Souldiers imploy'd to that effect were to bring him prisoner if hee refus'd it The Saint was then praying God in the Church and singing Psalmes with his flock the people though unarmed profered to defend their Father but hee would have noe resistance made hee was sure the Angells of God attending their Lord in the House of Prayer would defend him and soe it happened for the Souldery did not lay hands on him but asked him with all mildness and humility in the Emperours name a Church for the Arrians but hee flattly denyed what the Emperour demaunded and said hee neither would nor could deliver to the Empress Gods inheritance his Church to be poluted by Hereticks that in this matter hee could not obey the Emperour and that hee feared not prison or death it selfe in soe good a quarrell It was then hee spake that Devine and magnificent Language Soluimus quae sunt Caesaris Caesari Ambr. Tom. 3. 5. Epist Oratin Auxentium de Basilicis tradendis quae sunt Dei Deo tributum Caesaris est non negatur Ecclesiae Dei est Caesari utique non debet addici quia jus Caesaris esse non potest Dei Templum quod cum honorificentia imparatoris nemo dictum potest negare quid enim honorificentius quam ut imperator Ecclesiae Filius esse dicatur quod cum dicitur sine peccato dicitur cum gratia dicitur That is Wee have payd to Caesar what was Caesars and to God what was Gods tribute is due to Caesar it cannot be deny'd the Church is Gods it can not be given to Caesar because the Temple of God cannot be Caesars right which noe man can deny is said with honour to Caesar What is more commendable and honourable then for the Emperour to be cal'd a Child of the Church which is spoken without sinn and without offence of Caesar and with great Grace and respect After this by a letter to his sister Marcellina hee gave an ample account of what had past in this bussiness and said these words Mandatur denique tradi Ambr. Tom. 3. E. L. Epist 33. ad Marcelinam Sororem Basilica respondeo nec mihi fas est tradere nec tibi accipere imperator expedit allegatur imperatori licere omnia ipsius esse universa respondeo noli te gravare Imperator ut putes te in ea quae Divina sunt imperiale aliquod jus habere noli te extollere sed si vis diutius imperare esto Deo subditus scriptum est quae Dei Deo quae Caesaris Casari That is It was commaunded by Caesar a Church should be given up I answer I have noe power O Emperour to give a way a Church nor is it expedient for you to receive it It is aleadged all things are lawfull to the Emperour that all apertaine to him I answer doe not trouble your selfe O Emperour doe not think you have any imperiall right to those things that are Devine doe not extoll your selfe but if you have a minde to raigne long bee subject and obedient to God for it is written quae Dei Deo quae Caesaris Caesari What speech was ever spoken by a Bishop more sound and glorious then that of Saint Ambrose to Auxentious the Arrian Imperator bonus intra Ecclesiam non supra Ecclesiam est That is a good Emperour is within the Church not aboue the Church And after said to the Emperour himselfe Domum-privati non potes jure temerare Domum Dei existimas auferendam You cannot rightly violate a privat man's House and doe you think the House of God can be taken away and said further Ad Imperatorem pertinent Palatia ad Sacerdotem Ecclesiae publicorum tibi moenium jus Commissum est non Sacrorum That is The Palaces appertaine to the Emperour Churches to the Priest To thee O Emperour the right and defence of the wales of the Citty is committed not of Churches or holy Places Saint Ambress his minde is cleare and evident by his words to wit that hee acknowledges the Emporour Lord of Pallaces and of the Wales of the Citty
Iustinian hee caused the Mother and boy to be Baptised which because the obstinate Father refused to yeild unto by the Emperors commandment hee was hanged upon a Gibet I Will now relate a story saith Waldensis wherof I my selfe was an eye Wittness in the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul in London where the venerable Thom. VV aldensis Tom. 2. de Sacra Eucha cap. 62. Arch-Bishop Thomas Arundell of happy memory the Sonne and Brother to an EarI sat in Iudgment in his Bishops Chaire assisted by Alexander the Prelate of the Church of Norwitch and others At which tyme hee proposed certaine Interrogatories concerning the Faith of the Eucharist unto a Taylor of the parts of Worcester shire taken in the crime of Heresie but when that the obstinat fellow could not be persuaded by any reason to embrace the right Faith nor would believe nor call the consecrated Host any other thing but only Holy Bread hee was at last commaunded to Worship the said Host but the blasphemous Heretick answering said Verily a spider is more Worthy to bee worshiped then it is When behold a monstrous horrible Spider came suddainly sliding downe by her thred from the top of the Church directly unto the Blasphemers mouth and endeavoured very busily to gett entrance even as hee was speaking the Words neither without much adoe could the many hands of the standers by keep her from entring into the wretch whether hee would or noe Thomas Duke of Oxford and Chancellor of the Realme was there present and saw this Wonder Then the Arch-Bishop stood up and declared to all that were present that the revenging hand of God had denounced the man to be a Blasphemer Saint Bernards Miracles THe Learning Devotion Sanctity and Miracles of this Saint are soe generally confessed by Protestant writers as Whitaker saith I realy beleeve VVhit de Ecclesia pa. 369 Osian Cent. 12. Bernard was a true Saint Osiander likwise saith Saint Bernard Abbot of Clarivall was a very pious man c. Yea Doctor Stillingfleet himselfe in his late Comedy of the Idolatry Fanatiscisme of the Church of Rome durst not bring Bernard upon the stage All the World lookt upon this Saint as the Apostle of that age wherin Divers Heresies were broacht by the Waldenses Apostolici Henricians and others These two last Sects had infected a great part of France especially about Toulouse theire chief Errors were against the Sacrifice of the Masse Transubstantiation Purgatory Prayer for the Dead Prayer to Saints theire Worship that of Images the Popes Supremacy c. Even the same Protestants hould in our days The Pope sent a Legate and Saint Bernard to confute them It is to be noted that Protestants Challenge these as Members and Martyrs of the Protestant Church as every one may see in theire Catalogue of the wittness of truth printed 1597. Among other Miracles one is recounted by Godefridus in vita Bernardi Lib. 3. Cap. 5. And by others of the same Tyme as followeth There is a place in the Country of Tolouse caled Sarlatum where after Sermon was done they offerd to the Servant of God as every where the use was many loaves to bless which hee lifting up his hand and makeing the signe of the Cross in Gods Name blessing said thus In this you shall know that these things are true which wee and that those other are false which the Hereticks labour to persuade you that whosoever they be of your diseased Persons that tast the loaves shall be healed to the end you may know us to be the true Ministers of God The Bishop of Chartres a great Frind to the Saint thinking this Proposition to generall told the People they were to understand it conditionally if they did eat of the loaves with Faith Saint Bernard suddainly replied My Lord I doe not meane soe my meaning and saying is that all sick Folks who shall eat of these loaves shall recover their health to the end it may be knowne wee are Gods true Ministers And accordingly it fell out not one diseased Person that did eat of the Breadâ— mist of being cured and the Miracle being thus dâ—uulged by its effects soe huge a multitude of People came to thank and admire the Saint that hee declined the common roads and went by by-ways to Tolouse Two other excellent Miracles of Saint Bernard the one in Millane the other in Aquitaine THat in Millane was of an old woeman possessed for many years the Devill had taken from her speech Veran Dom. Gulielmus Abbas in vita Saint Bern. lib. 2. cap. â—â— sight and hearing her Breath was stincking her face gashly her presence uggly infine shee was the most miserable spectacle in the World The Saint in tyme of Masse began to vex this evill Spiritt that for many years had vexed the poore old woeman And immediatly after saying the Pater Noster in the Mass the holy man holding over the Patena the Body of our Lord and turning his face towards the People and to the lamentable and tormented possessed said these strong and vehement words Adest inique Spiritus c. Thou impious Spiritt hee is heere present who before his Passion said Now Sathan the Prince of the World shall bee cast out this is the same Body that took flesh from the Body of the blessed Virgin that was stretched upon the beame of the Cross that was layd in the Sepulcher that did rise up from death that ascended in to heaven his disciples viewing that strange Mistery Therfore in the terrible power of this great Majesty I commaund thee malignant Spirit to goe out of the Body of this handmaid of God and that thou shalt noe more touch or molest her The Saint then turned to the Alter and persued the rest of the Mass Now what happened The Devill cast out fled away quite mute the woeman came to her selfe and recovering her reason and senses drew in her tongue that hung downe at a great length and thank't God for his mercy towards her and beholding holy Bernard that cured her cast her selfe at his feet owneing the great benefitt shee had receiv'd from him Then says the Author Ingens per Ecclesiaâ— attolitur clamor omnis aetas Iubilat Deo personant aeramenta benedicitur ab omnibus Deus That is A great Cry of Joy was raised over all the Church young and old praised God the Organs sounded melodiously and God was honoured of all This renowned wonder being done in the sight of thousands of Soules was recorded in the Archives of Millan and now I would faine know what may be Salls Iudgment of this Miracle wrought for Confirmation of Transubstantiation the real and true Presence of Christ his Body in the Sacrament the Worship of Adoration due therunto and of the power and Majesty of Christ in the Sacrament Will hee dare call this Miracle Monstrous let him be aware of speaking soe Non enim irridetur Deus or will hee perhaps tell us that all wee
doe other Protestants the Miracles of Saint Augustin Holmshed one of these saith King Ethelbert was Holin in dese Britan. persuaded by the good example of Saint Augustin and his company and for many Miracles shew'd to bee baptized And againe hee saith page 602. Augustin to prove his opinion good wrought a Miracle by restoting to sight one of the Saxon nation that was blind And Stow acknowledgeth the same in his Chronick Pag. 66. Protestant Authors doe likewise confess Saint Augustin was sent from the Sea of Rome to convert the Saxons then Pagans Fox doth affirm this in his Acts and monuments lib. 4. Pag. 172. Holinshed saith Augustin was sent Helin in dese Britan. Lib. 11. Cap. 7. by Gregory to preach to English men the word of God who were yet blind in Pagans Superstition And Camd. in dese Britan. pa. 104. Camden writeth that Saint Augustin having rooted out the monsters of heathenish superstition ingrafting Christ in English-mens mindes with most happy success converted them to the Faith Protestant writers doe likewise acknowledge that 69. Catholick arch-Arch-Bishops sate upon the Chaire of Canterbury The first Saint Augustin above mentioned and after him ten Saints more to wit S. Laurence S. Melite S Iustus S. Honorius S. Theodor S. Dunstan S. Anselme S. Thomas S. Edmund S. Elpheg All these were Canonized Saints and theire Memoryes are in the Roman Martyrologe All these Arch-Bishops were of the Roman Catholick Religion and Communion all received theire Pall and Confirmation from Rome all were Legats of the holy Sea One of thâ—m only and the last of all but one Thomas Cranmer turned Heretick of whome wee have said much before in pagina 176. 177. 178. the 169. and last of all was the noble Godly learned Cardinall The great nobility rare Learning of Card. Poole Regmall Poole Consecrated anno 1555. great and departed this Life 1558. the same yeare and day that Queen Mary dyed Hee was Son to Sir Richard Poore Cossin-german to King Henry the 8. and of Margaret Countess of Salsburie Daughter of George Duke of Clarence and Brother of King Edward the 4. Hee was saith Godwin a Protestant of manifold and excellent parts not only very learned which is better knowne then it needeth many words but alsoe of such modesty in behaviour and integrity of Life and Conversation as hee was of all men both loved and reverenced Hee was by the Confession of Ridley in Fox Edit 1596 pag. 1595. A man worthy of all Humility Reverence and Honour and indued with manifold Graces of Learning and Vertue But Bale according his wicked bitter Spirit speaks ill of this noble Cardinall and saith Hee was a Cardinall Soldier of Anti-Christ not to bee Bale Cent. 8. cap. 100 commended for any Vertue by the Servants of God And saith further of this excellent Ornament of the English Nation That hee was a horrible Beast a rooter out of the truth of the Ghospell a most wicked Traytor to his Country and prayeth God to confound him The Protestant writers doe alsoe agree with the Catholick Authors about the number of Kings Roman Catholicks there were of Monarchs of all England 53. Egbert was the first Monarch of all England William the Conquerour was the 33 'th the last Queen Mary and with her Welaway an Eclips came upon the holy Catholick Church in England Besides those absolute Monarchs there were 70. and odd of the smaler Kings Catholicks when England was devided into seaven Kingdoms Behold Sall the happy Continuation of the Catholick Faith in England in the Succession of 53. absolute Monarchs of that Land many of them have beene of the most valiant victorious glorious and holy Kings of Christendome Of the smaler Kings have been ten Saints and 14. that forsaking theire Kindoms became Monks to live in Mortification and solitude for gaining the Kingdome of heaven or that went in Pilgrimage to Rome there were alsoe 13. Queens Nuns You must then Sall confess there was a holy Church and Kingdome in England in those Catholick Tymes wherin the Church of England was called Ecclesia Primogenita Because Lucius King of that Land was the first Christian King Will you dare then tell us as you have preacht in Dublin that Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny dominered in the Church of Rome to whome the English then obey'd with all Veneration in those dayes of Joy and Sanctity What kind of Church is now in England wherof you are a new member and burning zealot I am not willing to write let others tell you who can easily inform you that the number of your Protestant Arch-Bishops were few and noe way famous you had noe Arondells among them nor Pools noe men either of Sanctity or any great Tallents or Learning The Protestant Monarchs are alsoe easily numbered they were but five in all Edward the sixt a child a weak head to govern a Church Queen Elizabeth a monstrous head upon your new English Church noe Historyes or annals will ever tell you of a woeman that in any land or Nation headed a Church in Spiritualibus before this Iesabell the third was King Iames a learned and wise Prince After him Charles the first a just and chast King murthered by perfidious Rebels his head being taken away from â—his Body upon a Scaffold in the View of the World Coram Sole and before his owne Pallace dore by the hand of an infamous Hangman The fift is King Charles the second now Raigning whome God long preserve I am certaine Catholicks will neuer doe him harme undertake you Sall if you can for the Protestants who distroyd his Father God of his goodness grant him the greatest blessing that can befall him to Imbrace the Roman Catholick Faith the Religion of soe many vertuous noble and invincible Kings his Ancesters The fift Advertisment I offer here certaine learned Catholick Authors to bee perused by Sall likely they came not all of them in his way SAll let mee for our ancient Amity intreat you to read Attento Animo the ensuing Books Comede precor Volumina ista you will finde in them I promise you great Learning strong Arguments sound Verity sublime Conceits and great Variety of Matters but prepare your minde well for reading them profitably and begg humbly of God to send you from heaven Light and Fyre Light to disperse the Cloudes of Darkness your Soul 's wrapt in and Fyre to inflame your frozen Affection Cry unto God with holy David Cor mundum crea in me Deus Spiritum rectum innova inviceribus meis The first Author THe prudentiall Ballance of Religion an excellent worke printed anno Dom. 1609. Second Author THe Christian Manna or a Treatice of the most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist written by a Catholick Devine through Occasion of Monsieur Causabons Epistle to Cardinall Peron printed Anno Dom. 1613. Third Author CAlvinoturcismus composed by that famous man Mr. Reynolds once agreat Preacher of the Protestant Church and sharpe Disputant a
hand of God All which Articles saith this Doctor doth Calvin willfully corrupt in his expositions in the favour of Iewes Arians and other such enemyes of Christ which hee proveth by alleadging above forty or fifty places citing Calvins owne words and commentaryes therupon soe clearly and perspicuously against sence and expositions of all holy Fathers that if his commentaryes therin were to bee admitted those foure named points or Articles of Christian Religion can not be defended against the force and adversaryes of Christes name And is not this a brotherly agreement between Lutherans and Calvinistes in Principall points and misteryes of Religion but the Lutherans have the best of it for wheras Luther and his followers to this day condemne the Calvinists as Hereticks especially for not beleeving the Body of Christ to bee realy and substantially present in the Sacrament of the Altar the Protestants of England who are Calvinists and deny the Real-presence hold Luther for a holy man and theire Father and hold all the Lutherans theire very deare bretheren in Christ as Doctor Whitaker above cited doth averre To leave Germany and to speak of the Professors of Protestanisme in England Scotland doe not many of them entertaine quarrells and falings-out among themselves about Principall Articles of Religion doe not the greatest part by much of the Protestants in England hold the King is supreme head of the Church all of one opinion with the Bishops maintaine this as an Article of Religion in that Protestant Church but the Protestants of Geneva and all depending upon theire Doctrin in France and elswhere doe not hold this Kingly supremacy for an Article of Faith and are not Catholicks punished by Law and somtymes put to death for denying this supremasy which would be a meer murthering of them and the greatest cruelty in the World if those that put them to death did not hold that supremecy to be an Article of Faith Now if you will be pleas'd to demaund what those Protestants in England and Scotland caled Presbiterians or Puritans say to this Article they flattly deny this supremacy to be an Article of Faith though none of them did ever suffer death for denying the same nay they are esteemed not with standing theire opinion in this to be of the Protestants communion A gaine all Protestants that follow the Bishops hold the dignity and superiority of Arch-Bishops and Bishops to be agrecable to Gods word and as the Devines speak de Iure Devino and what say the Presbiterians to this By theire Champion Martin Mar-Prelate and his mutenous moke-bates that band under his cullors cry all of them in the Name of the Lord as Thomas Rogers doth attest That the calling of Bishops is In his Sermon printed by Iohn windet 1590. pa. 13. unlawfull that they be Ministers of Antichrist worss then Fryers and Monks Deuills Bishops and Deuills In-carnate Sall you must grant mee these dissentions between Protestants and Protestants in England and Scotland about the Kings supremacy and the Order and Dignity of Bishops are not Triueall but Fundamentall and they have been now many years contending in theire Writings and Conferrences and still are about these points and others that are the very sinews and Soule of theire Religion in endless quarrells and Contensions If that were my Business I could sett downe many and great differrences quarells and contensions between these two kinde of Protestants In this place I think it pertinent to say somthing particularly of the Protestants called Presbiterians who were neuer by any act of Parlament that wee could heare of proscribed from the Communion of the Protestants that stick to the Religion of the King and the Bishops Impiety Fury and Rebellion gave beginning to this Sect and Religion in Scotland as hath been aboue said in Page 164. and 165. They had two Reformations the first was begun by Iohn Knox an Apostata Priest and though his Reformation was ungodly and unreasonable the second was farre more unreasonable and ungodly A Presbiterian that was converted to the Catholick Faith describes the Presbiterian Piety in this kinde There was among us a pretext of Piety but wee had not the substance of it wee had indeed much preaching praying fasting and such like exercises but our long preachings were nothing but continuall prayses of the Covenant the solemne League which they cry'd up to the heavens butt wee omitted as our Saviour observed of the Pharisies the weighty Matters of the Law as Iudgment Mercy and Faith Our Ministers told us wee were the happiest People of the World for they said wee only of all Nations had the honour to be Covenanters with God and that wee had the truth of the Ghospell in greater purity then Geneva it selfe that wee had soe cleare a light that the like had not shined to any Nation since the tymes of the Apostles yea one who was esteemed a principall Apostle among us did not stick to say in the pulpitt amidst the many Miserys Confusions and Troubles which then lay upon this Church and Nation That the Angells and Saints of heaven if they could leave the sight of God would be glad to come downe and see the admirable beauty of the Presbiterian Church of Scottland Soe farre this new Catholick And was not this ridiculous preacher with the beauty of his Scottish Kirck a great Hipocrite and Pharisie It was much observed that shortly after solemne fastes of Presbiterians the country and state was allways sure of some unhappy claps the puritan fast was still fatal and ordinarily a preparation to some violence or evill worke that was intended this made many understand what Queene Mary Stuart meant by that famous saying That shee was as much affraid of a fast of the Ministers as of an Army of Souldiers for experience taught her that those fasts were prognostick signes of ensuing tempests theire long prayers alsoe did not prove them to be Saints more then the like did sanctify the Pharasyes they bragged much of the spiritt but shew'd noe fruites therof these bee the fruites of the spiritt which Saint Paul recounts to the Galatians The fruite of Ad Galat. cap. 5. the spiritt saith hee is love joy peace long suffering Gentelnesse goodness Faith meekness c. This second Presbiterian â—eformation beganne with a prodigious abolishment of all holy things Mala arbor Malos fructus faciâ— 1. They condemned and cast downe Episcopacy this they doe whersoever they have power quite contrary to the Law of God for Episcopacy is de Iure Divino This order and degree they abhor'd as Tyrannicall and Anti-Christian yet Saint Paul writing to Timothey saith If a man desireth a Bishops Office hee desireth 1. Tim. cap. 3. a good thing The Apostle likewise affirmeth that Bishops are to Order Priests and Iudge them wherfore hee saith in his Epistle to Titus That hee left Ad Titum Cap. 1. him in Cret to Order Priestes by Cittys By this it is plaine and evident that