God to Dauid saying His seed shall continue Psal 88. 37. for euer and his Throne as the Sunne in my sight and as the Moone perfect for euer Obiect 5. Our Sauiour calleth his Church little flocke saying Doe not feare little flocke because it Luke 12. hath pleased your Father to giue you a Kingdome Ans Little in the beginning after to encrease according to the words of the Prophet Isay saying Iacob Isay 27. 5. shall florish and Israel shall grow and they shall fill the face of the earth with seed So our Sauiour compared Matth. 13. 31. his Church to a Mustard-seed which is the least of all seedes when it is sowen but when it is growne it is greater then all herbes And to Leauen which a woman Matth. 13. 33. tooke and hid in three measures of meale vntill the whole was leauened Obiect 6. In the time of Constans Constantius and Constantinus the Arians so preuailed that there remained no Catholike Bishops but Liberius and Athanasius Answ In their times was the Councell of Sardis where were three hundred Catholike Bishops as is set downe in the said Councell Obiect 7. Our Sauiour saith That many are called Matth. 20. 16. but few chosen Ans He hath called the earth from the rising of the Psal 49. 1. Sunne vnto the going downe thereof So in respect of the number of all people of what sect or sort soeuer the Elect shal be but few yet dilated all ouer the earth as our Sauiour witnesseth when he saith That at the day of Iudgement he will send his Angels with a great Matth. 24. 31. sound of Trumpet and they shall gather his Elect from the foure windes from the one end of the heauen to the other Obiect 8. Our Sauiour saith of the Iewes I know Iohn 8 that you are Abrahams seed and yet saith Yee are of your father the Diuell Ans This place demonstrateth that men are not iustified by Faith only shewing that neither the Iews who were Abrahams seed by carnall generation nor the Christians who are his seed by Faith onely shal be saued without good workes saying I know you are Abrahams seed but yee seeke to kill me therefore yee are 1. Iohn 3. 8. of your father the Diuell begotten of him by euill life Catholikes doe not defend saluation by Faith onely but by Faith and good deeds Obiect 9. Some of the Fathers doe vnderstand by Babylon spoken in the 17. of the Apocalyps Rome Apocal. 17. Ans Tertullian lib. contr Iudeos and Saint Ierome Epist 17. ad Marcellum vnderstand by Babylon Rome as it persecuted Christians and worshipped Idols and not Rome Christian S. Augustine vpon the 26. Psalme Aretas vpon this place Haymon and Saint Bede do vnderstand by the great Whore great Babylon c. not Rome but the vniuersall Citie of the Diuell which in Scriptures is called Babylon and is opposite to the Citie of God which is his Church and by the seuen Hills these Fathers vnderstand the generall estate of proud men as the Scriptures vse saying Euery Vally Luke 3. 5. shal be filled and euery Hill shal be humbled Obiect 10. In our Creede we say I beleeue in the Catholike Church but the things that wee beleeue cannot be seene therefore wee cannot see the Catholike Church but must beleeue it onely Ans Herein consisteth the ignorance of Protestants that in one and the same thing they distinguish diuers acts as the act of Faith and the act of corporall seeing both in one and the same man but doe not distinguish in the same men or things diuers obiects as the obiect of the act of Faith and the obiect of the act of corporall seeing So the things that we beleeue we cannot corporally see by an acte of Faith that is true otherwise our Faith should be in our eyes The thing that we beleeue we cannot corporally see with an act of seeing that is false the Apostles did both see and heare our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and beleeued him to bee our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Catholikes can corporally see the Catholike Church but not with an act of Faith proceeding from their eyes and beleeue the same Catholike Church but not with an act of seeing proceeding from their vnderstandings but with an act of Faith proceeding from their vnderstandings and so at the same time though not with one and the selfe-same act both see and beleeue the same Catholike Church But see it as it is obiect of their eyes and beleeue it as it is obiect of their Faith which for the saluation of their soules I wish Protestants could doe Since the same God Almighty and the same Prophets which tell me I must beleeue the Church doe also tell me that it shall be corporally visible according to their descriptions vntill the worlds end and he maketh God and the Prophets lyars that denyeth it Obiect 11. The Protestants yet may hope that the Prophecies may be verified vpon Protestantisme hereafter Answ That were to make Luther the Messias and him and his Ministers of greater power then our Sauiour and the Apostles and is contrary to the promises of God and Prophecies Againe the Prophets do not speake of conuerting Papists but Gentiles to our Lord which are in great part conuerted already and there is no probability that Ministers tyed to women children seruants good fare soft beds commodities of the world and flesh should goe to conuert Gentiles in Africa or America Againe What should they conuert them vnto to beleeue That the God of the Christians hath for fifteene hundred yeares failed of his oath and promises That the Apostles and those men who planted Christian Religion are not to be called nor esteemed of as Saints That Baptisme is not necessarie to saluation That the Sacraments of the Christians doe not conferre grace That the whole Church and Generall Councels of Christians may erre in things that appertaine to God That Fasting and Pennance is not necessarie to saluation That the Masse is superstition That the Romish doctrine concerning Purgatorie Pardons Worshipping and Adoration as well of Images as of Reliques and also Inuocation of Christian Saints is a fond thing These and many the like Articles of the English Creed the Heathen and Pagans beleeue and haue beleeued many hundred years before Luther and Caluin or any Protestant man was borne that held and maintained the same Faith Protestants doe now Obiect 12. The Church of Protestants is farre extended and so in some part the Prophecies may bee verified vpon it Ans Though it were as farre extended as Turcisme yet it would bee inferious to the promises and latitude of our Catholike Church and wanteth the other properties set downe by the Prophets all Heretikes haue possessed some place or Countrey and at this day Protestantisme is but in this corner of the world Thomas Rogers a Protestant seeking out the Rogers vpon the Creede Protestants of other
part spotted with doctrine of Free-will of Merits of Inuocation of Saints and such like And page 473. he saith Surely you are not able to reckon in any age since the Apostles times any company of Bishops that taught and held so sound doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England doe at this day Whereupon Luther in his booke De seruo arbitrio tom 2. Wittenb 1551. affirmeth the Fathers to haue been blinde and most ignorant in the Scriptures to haue erred al the time of their liues from his doctrine and that vnlesse they were amended before their deathes they were neither Saints nor pertaining to the Church of Protestants And in his Colloquijs mensalibus he saith In the Writings of Hierome there is not a word of true faith in Christ and sound religion Tertullian is very superstitious I hold Origen long since accursed Of Chrysostome I make no account Basil is of no worth he is wholly a Monke Cyprian is a weake Diuine The Apologie of Philip Melancthon doth farre excell all the Doctors of the Church and exceede euen Augustine himselfe POMERAN a Protestant vpon Ionam saith Our Fathers whether holy or not holy I esteeme nothing they haue been blinded with the Spirit of Montanus by humane traditions and doctrine of diuels c. They doe not teach purely of Iustification Beza in his Preface vpon the New Testament Dedicated to the Prince of Condy printed 1587. affirmeth That euen in the best times the ambition ignorance and lewdnesse of Bishops was such that the very blinde may easily perceiue how Satan was President in their assemblies or Councels because they taught opposite doctrine to the doctrine of the Protestants of this age Whereupon Perkins in his Exposition of the Creede page 400. in behalfe of himselfe and all Protestants saith Wee say that before the dayes of Luther for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie from Protestantisme as hee meaneth ouer-spread the whole face of the earth and that our Church of Protestants was not visible to the world And many more Protestants confesse that the Faith or doctrine which Protestants now teach and professe hath been no where visibly knowne published or preached since the Apostles times vntil Luther as is set down more at large in the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church And it is of it selfe so manifest that no Protestant hath hitherto bin able to assigne in the time betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther one onely Protestant Minister Doctor Writer or Teacher that held professed or taught the doctrine which Protestants doe now hold and teach Whereby it is manifest that in all that time which is about the space of one thousand foure hundred yeares there were no knowne Protestants but all knowne Christians who liued within the compasse of these yeares were either Roman Catholikes or reputed Heretikes by both parties Whereupon we rightly inferre that all knowne Christian men who liued in all ages since the time of the Apostles vntill the rising of Luther knowne Heretikes and so reputed by both partie onely excepted doe testifie that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Romaine Faith euery Christian beleeuing that our Lord Iesus Christ was the Author of this Religion and Planter thereof vpon earth Now that there were knowne Roman Catholikes liuing and being during these fourteene hundred yeares Protestants themselues confesse Fulke in his Treatise against Stapleton page 25. affirmeth Some Protestants haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundred yeares some say a thousand some one thousand two hundred some nine hundred And the same Protestant in his retentiue Motiues pag. 248. speaking of Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome the first of them liuing about the yeare of our Lord 440. and the second of them about 590. saith The mystery of iniquitie so he calleth the Pope and our Catholike Faith wrought in the Sea of Rome neare fiue or six hundred yeares before them MIDLETON in his Papisto-mastix page 193. affirmeth saying Wee are sure that the mysterie of iniquitie so he pleaseth to call the Pope and our Catholike Faith did worke in Pauls time and fell not a sleepe as soone as Paul was dead c. and therefore no maruell though perusing Councels Fathers and Stories from the Apostles forward wee finde the print of the Popes feete SEBASTIAN FRANCVS in his Epistle De abrogandis Statutis ecclesiasticis affirmeth That for certaine through the worke of Antichrist so he calleth the Pope and our Catholike Faith the externall Church of Protestants together with the Faith and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure So potent were the Pope and Roman Catholikes euen in the Apostles times that presently after the Apostles departure they were able to make the externall Church of Protestants together with the Faith and Sacraments of Protestants vanished away as this Protestant affirmeth Brokard in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 110. affirmeth That the Church of Protestants was troden downe and oppressed by the Papacie euen from Syluesters time vnto these times Which he there and page 123. accounteth to haue been for the space of 1260. yeares Napper in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 68. saith Betweene the yeare of Christ 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papisticall raigne began raigning vniuersally and without any debatable contradiction 1260. yeares and pag. 145. he saith euen 1260. yeares the Pope and his Cleargie hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians Yet the Pope and his Cleargie could not come to raigne vniuersally and without any debatable contradiction vpon a sudden as wee see by experience in Protestant Ministers who haue beene now about an hundred yeares and yet doe not reigne or possesse their Religion in any one Countrey without some opposition whereby it is manifest that the Pope and his Cleargie were many hundred yeares before they could obtaine to reigne vniuersally without any debatable contradiction Downham in his Treatise of Antichrist lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 25. affirmeth That the generall defection of the visible Church foretold in the second of the Thessalonians which hee esteemeth to haue beene wrought by the Pope and Roman Catholikes began to worke in the Apostles times Caelus secundus Curio in his booke De amplitudine Regni Dei lib. 1. pag. 43. saith Are we ignorant in how great darkenesse blindnesse and ignorance so he calleth our Catholike Faith the world hath continued almost from the Apostles age to these very times in which aboue all expectation our Lord began to manifest himselfe And Perkins vpon the Creed page 307. affirmeth That during the space of nine hundred yeares the Popish heresie so he pleaseth to call the Catholike Roman Faith hath spread it selfe ouer the whole earth whereby appeareth that it was fiue or sixe hundred yeares before since it could not spread it selfe of a sudden ouer the whole earth And by these confessions of Protestants themselues and by many
testimonies of our Sauiour himselfe may finde so much grace and fauour with your Maiesty as to be credited it is manifest that by this testimony and description of his Church that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith CHAP. XII Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Apostles that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith FIRST Saint Peter speaking of the estate of the Church planted by our Sauiour saith MOYSES indeed said that a Prophet shal the Act. ◠22. Lord your God raise vp to you of your brethren as my selfe him shal you heare according to al things whatsoeuer he shal speake to you And it shal be euery soule that shal not heare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people And al the Prophets from Samuel and afterward that haue spoken could of these dayes you are the children of the Prophets and of the Testament which God made to our Fathers saying to Abraham and in thy seed shal all the Families of the earth be blessed To you first God raising vp his Sonne hath sent him blessing you That this Seed heere spoken of is the Church of Christians our Sauiour and Saint Paul do witnesse saying The good seed those are the children of the Kingdome Againe If you Matth. 13. 38. Galath 3. 29. be Christs then are you the seed of Abraham heires according to promise That this blessing can no way bee verified vpon Protestantisme is manifest for that it vanished away presently after the time of the Apostles and for faureteene hundred yeares together there is not to be found one man that professed it much lesse one Family or all the Families of the earth That this blessing in generall hath been verified vpon Roman Catholikes Protestants themselues confesse some Protestants affirming that Papistry hath been spread ouer the world for nine hundred yeares some for a thousand some for twelue hundred and some for more as it is set downe in the third Chapter So if the testimony of Saint Peter Moyses and all the Prophets from Samuel and afterward may finde so much grace and fauour with your Maiestie as to be credited they all affirme that our Sauiour was to bee the Author of our Catholike Romane Faith And supposed that there were Protestants in our Sauiours and the Apostles times who after their departure vanished away as Protestants affirme it is manifest by the testimony of Moses and Saint Peter that they were enemies of Christian Religion and so were destroyed from among the people according to the words of Moyses and Saint Peter saying Euery soule that shal Act. 3. Deut. 18. not heare that Prophet shal be destroyed out of the people Secondly Saint Poter speaking of the estate of the Church saith Behold I put in Syon a principall corner-stone 1. Pet. 2. elect preciaus And he that shal beleeue in him shal not be confounded To you therefore that beleeue honor but to them that beleeue not the stone which the builders reiected the same is made into the head of the corner and a stone of offence and a Rocke of scandall to them that stumble at the Word c. But you who beleeue are an elect generation a Kingly Priesthood a holy Nation a people of purchase that you may declare his vertues which from darknesse hath called you into his marueilous light Now supposed that there were Protestants in our Sauiours time yet these words of Saint Peter cannot be verified vpon them that they should not bee confounted but honored and made an elect generation a Kingly Priesthood or holy Nation a people of purchase to declare our Sauiours vertues in fulfilling the promises by conuerting the Gentiles to the Christian Faith Since they vanished away presently after the departure of the Apostles Thirdly Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come saith Christ ascending on high he led captiuity captiue he gaue gifts to men And he gaue some Ephes 4. 8. Apostles and some Prophets and other some Euangelists and other some Pastors and Doctors to the consummation of the Saints vnto the worke of the Ministery vnto the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we meet all into the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God that now we be not children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine in the wickednesse of men in craftinesse to the circumuention of error So Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come If this be spoken of the Church of Protestants where were their Protestant Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors and Doctors for fourteene hundred years together Since for all that time they are not able to assigne one man who held the doctrine they now hold much lesse one Apostle Euangelist Pastor or Doctor and yet Saint Paul saith that they should teach and preach truth euen vnto the Consummation of the Saints that the Church might not be wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine in the wickednesse of men wherby we see that if Saint Paul were a true Apostle and Prophet the Church of Protestants is a false Church That this Prophecie of S. Paul is verified vpon Roman Catholikes is manifest for that Romane Catholikes haue had Doctors Preachers and Teachers in all ages as we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Againe Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church to come saith God according to his promise Act. 13. hath brought forth to Israel a Sauiour Againe We preach Act. 13. 32. vnto you that promise which was made to our Fathers which was I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen Gen. 22. c. As God spake to our Fathers to Abraham and Luke 1. 55. his seed for euer which words and preaching of Saint Paul should be false if Protestantisme were the Faith and Religion planted by our Sauiour and Preached by Saint Paul since it hath been so farre off from fulfilling the promise that it vanished away presently after the Apostles times Againe Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church saith By the offence of the Iewes saluation is to Rom. 11. 11. the Gentiles that they may emulate them And if the offence of the Iewes be the riches of the world and the diminution of the Iewes the riches of the Gentiles how much more the fulnesse of them Againe If the losse of the Iewes Rom. 11. 15. be the reconciliation of the world what shal the receiuing be Againe Blindnesse in part hath chanced in Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles might enter and so all Israel might be saued Which cannot bee verified vpon Protestātisme supposed it were in the Apostles times since Protestants haue neither been so eminent as that the Iewes should emulate them nor the riches of the Gentiles neither hath the world been reconciled to Protestantisme neither hath the fulnesse of the Gentiles entred into Protestantisme
whatsoeuer hee had commanded them came within so short a time after the death of our Lord into this our Iland of great Brittan as that the Britaines ancient inhabitants of this Iland receiued their Faith and Religion from Saint Simon Zelotes Saint Paul Saint Ioseph of Aramathia a Disciple of our Lords or from all or some of them as besides these ancient Writers Theodoret de cur Graec. affect lib. 9. Dorotheus Bishop of Tyre in suo Synopsi Apostolorum Aristobulus in his Epistle which he writ to the Romans Guildas cap. 7. Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 40. doe affirme also these Protestant Authors Camden in his Britania pag. 40. 52. and 157. Bale Cent. 1. cap. 26. Doctor Caius de Antiq. Cantab. Harrison in his Description of Brittaine annexed to Hollinshead his great Chronicle of the last edition vol. 1. pag. 23. Clapham in his Soueraigne remedie against Schisme pag. 24. Fulke in his booke against Heskins Saunders c. pag. 561. and in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 332. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops pag. 1. Barlow in defence of the Articles of the Protestant Religion pag. 21. Mayson in his booke of the Consecration of Bishops c. That it might be verified which was spoken by the Prophet Isay saying I will send of them that shall bee saued to Isay 66. 19. the Gentiles to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me Againe The Ilands expect mee and the Isay 6. 9. ships of the sea in the beginning that I may bring thy sons from a farre c. That the Brittans the ancient Inhabitants of this Iland did perseuere in this said Christian Faith and Religion which they receiued from the Apostles or Disciples not onely these ancient Writers doe testifie euery one for his time Tertullian lib. contra Iudaeos Origen in Ezechiel hom 4. Athanasius in his Epistle to the Emperour Iouinian Theodoret hist Eccles lib. 1. c. 10. But also Protestants themselues giue ample testimonies that the Britaines who inhabited that part of the Iland which is now called England being destroyed and their name extinct by the Pagan Saxons yet the remnant of the Brittans which remained in Wales retained the Faith and Religion which they receiued from the Apostles or Disciples euen vnto the comming of Saint Augustine into this Iland for to conuert the English Pagan Saxons which was about the yeare of our Lord 599. as Bale in his Pageant of Popes where he saith The Brittans being conuerted by Ioseph of Aramathia held that faith at Augustines comming And Fulke in his Answere to a Counterfeit Catholike pag. 40. where hee saith The Brittans before Augustines comming continued in the Faith of Christ euen from the Apostles times FOX his Act. pag. 463. printed 1576. saith The Brittaines after the receiuing of the Faith neuer forsooke it for any maner of false preaching of others And Midleton in his Papisto mastix pag. 202. proueth by the testimony of the ancient Fathers in succeeding ages that the Brittaines did not forsake the Faith and Religion which they receiued from S. Paul and Saint Simon Zelotes and Saint Ioseph of Aramathia but continued in it with the Catholike Christians in other parts of the world That this Faith and Religion which the ancient Brittaines receiued from the Apostles or Disciples and perseuered in vntill the comming of Saint Augustine into this Iland did not differ from that Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine professed and planted in this Iland amongst the English except the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday out of ignorance in Astronomie and the accomplishment of some mysteries vsed in Baptisme besides the testimony of Saint Beda hist lib. 2. cap. 2. these Protestant Authors do affirme Francis Mayson in his book of the Cōsecration of the Bishops of the Church of England pag. 58. where he saith that Augustine said to the Brittaine Bishops If you will in these three things obey me that is in celebrating of Easter in due time in accomplishing the mysteries of Baptisme by which we are borne to God according to the maner of the holy Roman and Apostolicall Church and last of all in preaching with vs to this English Nation the word of our Lord all your other ceremonies fashions and customes though they be contrary to ours we will willingly suffer and be content to beare with And the like affirmeth Hollinshead Vol. 1. pag. 103. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops pag. 6. And the Protestant Author of the History of Great-Brittaine printed 1606. lib. 3. page 133. Whereby it is manifest that the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday and the accomplishment of the mysteries of Baptisme excepted Saint Augustine and the ancient Brittaines held professed and taught one and the same Faith and Religion and planted it amongst the English of this Iland who then were Pagans That the Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine professed and planted amongst the Pagan English of this Iland was the same which at this day the Roman Catholikes of this Iland doe professe not onely all Catholike Authors doe affirme but also Protestant Writers doe confesse as Iohn Bale Cent. 1. cap. 73. where he saith That King Ethelbert an English Pagan King First of all English men receiued of Gregory the first Bishop of Rome by Augustine the opinions of the Roman Religion And Cent. 13. cap. 1. hee saith That AVGVSTINE brought in amongst the English who before were Pagans Monkes Altars Vestments Images Masses Chalices Crosse Candlestickes Banners holy as they call them Vessels holy water and bookes of Roman custome Their chiefest studies were about the oblation of Masses Doctor Humfrey in his Iesuitisme part 2. pag. 5. and 627. affirmeth That Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine professed and taught Masse Purgatory Oblation of the holesome Hoast prayer for the dead Relikes Transubstantiation hallowing of Churches Indulgences Monkish life Papacie and the rest of the caos of Popish superstition as he calleth it And these saith he did AVGVSTINE a great Monk taught by GREGORY a Monke bring to the English who before were Pagan Ascham in his Apologie pro Caena Domini contra Missam pag. 33. affirmeth That Augustine was The establisher of all Popish doctrine HARRISON in his last edition of his Description of Brittanie Vol. 1. pag. 27. saith That Augustine brought in Poperie amongst the English Saxons who then were Pagan And the like affirmeth Osiander in his Epitom hist Eccl. Cent. 6. pag. 289. The Century Writers in the 6. Cent. chap. 10. col 748. and other Protestants set downe more at large in the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church Now seeing that the Brittaines the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday the accomplishment of the mysteries vsed in Baptisme excepted were all of one Faith and Religion with Saint Augustine and Saint Augustine was in Faith and Religion a Roman Catholike or Papist we rightly inferre that our Sauiour was Author of that Faith and Religion which Protestants doe call
Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophet Ieromie that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Ieremie speaking of the estate of the Church after our Sauiours comming saith Behold the dayes Ierem. 31. 37. shall come saith our Lord and I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel c. And this shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will giue my Law in their bowels and in their heart I will write it I wil be their God and they shal be my people And a man shal no more teach his neighbour and a man his brother saying Know our Lord for all shal know me from the least of them euen to the greatest saith our Lord for I wil be merciful to their iniquitie and their sinne I wil remember no more Thus saith our Lord that giueth the Sunne for the light of the day the order of the Moone and of the Starres for the light of the night that troubleth the sea and the waues thereof doe sound the Lord of hostes is his name If these Lawes shal faile before me saith our Lord that there be no more Sunne for the light of the day and Moone and Stars for the light of the night and ebbing and flowing of the Sea then also the seed Israel shal faile that it be not a Nation before me for euer Wherupon our Sauiour saith This Gospel of the kingdome shal be preached in the whole Matth. 24. world for a testimony to al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world and the Sun shal be darkened and the Moone shal not giue her light and the stars shal fall from heauen Vntill then if wee will beleeue the Word of God the seed of our Sauiour the Church of God shall in all ages and times so flourish vpon earth as that the Christians shall not neede secretly one to teach another But all shall know our Lord from the least of them to the greatest and be a visible Nation for euer So I appeale to your Maiesty well pleased to consider how ignorant hee should bee in the Scriptures that should make himselfe of the Congregation of Protestants in hope to enter into this Testament with God when they haue been so inuisible for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that they are not able to assigne one man who for all that time professed the Faith they now hold much lesse one Nation So if Protestants would prooue by the Scriptures that their Religion which hath been so many hundred yeares vnknowne were the Faith planted by our Sauiour they should first proue that for one thousand and foure hundred yeares there hath been no Sunne for the light of the day or Moone for the light of the night to make good the Word of God otherwise they proue nothing but that they are ignorant in the Scriptures and in effect and deede blaspheme God and his holy Word by affirming him in effect and deed to be a violater of his promises written in the Scriptures That this promise of God heere spoken of is to be performed in and vpon Christians Saint Paul witnesseth in the eight to the Hebrewes where he repeateth the foresaid words of Ieromie as to be fulfilled in and vpon Christians That our Catholike Romane Faith hath successiuely continued according to this Prophecie wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. VIII Wherein is proued by the testimony of Ezechiel That our Sauiour was the Author of the Romane Catholike Faith THE Prophet Ezechiel speaking of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour saith I will saue Ezech. 34. my flocke and it shal be no more into spoile c. And I will raise vp ouer them one Pastor who shall feed them my seruant Dauid he shal feed them and he shall be their Pastor And I the Lord wil be their God and my seruant Dauid the Prince in the middest of them I the Lord haue spoken and I will make a couenant of peace with them and will make the cruel beasts to cease out of the Land And they that dwell in the desart the Hermits and religious men who now and in the Primatiue Church liued in the desart as witnesseth Saint Austine Epist 121. shall sleep secure in the forrost And I will put them round about my hill his Church a blessing And I will bring downe the shower in his time there shall bee raynes of blessing abundance of spirituall graces and consolations of the holy Ghost according to the words of our Sauiour saying He that beleeueth in me out of his belly shal Iohn 7. 38. flow riuers of liuing water And the tree of the field our Sauiour the Vine or Oliue tree shal giue his fruit and Iohn 15. Rom. 11. the earth humane nature of which it is said thou art earth shal giue his spring and they shal be in their Land Gen. 3. without feare and they shal know that I am the Lord when I shal haue broken the chaines of their yoke and shal haue deliuered them out of the hand of those that rule ouer them And they shal be no more for a spoile to the Gentiles neither shal the beasts of the earth deuoure them but they shal dwel confidently without any terror and I wil raise vp to them a bud of name and they shal be no more diminished for famine in the Land neither shal they beare any more the reproach of the Gentiles This Prophecie to be spoken of our Sauiour vnder the name of Dauid first Protestants in their Bibles confesse it secondly it is manifest for that Dauid the Prophet was dead many yeares before the time of Ezechiel Yet this Prophecie cannot bee verified vpon Protestants that Protestants shall liue in their Land without feare deliuered out of the hand of those who rule ouer them and bee no more for a spoile to the Gentiles nor be any more diminished nor beare any more the reproch of the Gentiles since they haue bin so spoiled and oppressed for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that during all that time they are not able to assigne one knowne man who professed the Religion they now professe This Prophecie to be verified vpon Romane Catholikes wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. IX Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophets Daniel Ioel Micheas Abacuc and Zacharias That our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith AND in like manner all the rest of the Prophets as often as they haue occasiō to speake of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour say that it shal be vniuersally dilated ouer the world for euer as Daniel saying In the dayes of Dan. 2. 44. those Kingdomes the God of heauen wil raise vp a Kingdome that shal not be destroyed for euer and this Kingdom
will not see those Christians the Seed of Abraham the people of God to be the Catholikes whom thou callest Papists since at this day there are no Christians vpon whom this promise can be fulfilled but vpon them and as for former ages thy owne fellow Sectaries confesse that for many hundered yeares The Popish Heresie hath spread it selfe ouer the whole earth as is set downe in the third Chapter and since for one thousand foure hundred yeares together thou art not able to bring forth any writing testimonie antiquitie or euidence of any one Protestant Minister or Doctor that held the doctrine Protestants now teach Wilt not thou then obstinately go to hell that will be a Protestant and in thy imagination find out them which haue not bin to the dishonor of God and thy damnation And willest not see a multitude of men which are and haue been as the Stars of heauen for the saluation of thy soule and glory of God in fulfilling his oathes and promises But thou wilt say that suppose there were such an infinite number of Christians the people of God so visible as that they possessed the gates of their enemies as God Almightie affirmeth yet I cannot finde such a multitude of men professing one and the same Faith To which I answere that hereby thou shouldest most manifestly see that thou art obstinate thou wilt confesse that all Christians which euer haue beene may be comprehended vnder one of these three sorts knowne Heretikes to both parties Protestants and Papists knowne Heretikes on both parties thou wilt confesse not to haue been this seed of Abraham Protestants thou canst not assigne one that taught and held the doctrine thou now holdest in all them one thousand foure hundred yeares See now if thou beest not obstinate that will not know that the seede of Abraham were the Papists when it is so manifest that reputed Heretikes to both parties excepted for one thousand foure hundred yeares together thou canst finde none else Againe knowne and reputed Heretikes thou acknowledgest to haue bin amongst the Christians during the time of them one thousand foure hundred yeares but they were not knowne or reputed such in these ages by Protestants who then were not but by Papists who both spied them out and ouercame them according to these Prophecies So art not thou obstinace that doest not see the Prophecies verified vpon the Papists Againe all the Christian Kings and Kingdomes knowne Heretikes on both sides excepted as their Histories Chronicles Lawes Antiquities reports of Parents doe testifie were Papists then art not thou obstinat that will not see the Prophecies to be verified vpon Papists But thou wilt say that the Papists Church hath failed but so should not the seed of Abraham To which I answere that God Almightie affirmed that his Church the seed of Abraham should not faile and cannot be contrary to himselfe and thou findest no other congregation of men which euen in thy owne judgment hath longer endured according to the Prophecies of the Prophets then the Papists euen admitting the worst thou sayest of it so if thou wilt not bee obstinate and fall into Atheisme thou should conclude certainly it is false that the Papists Church hath failed for when thou sayest that the Church of Papists fell thou canst not say that it fell to Protestantisme so it maketh nothing for thee vnlesse thou wouldest be an Atheist and proue that God Almighty hath violated his oathes and promises and go against the first principle and say that God may be deceiued but man cannot and likewise against the second principle and say there were no knowne Christians of the seede of Abraham vpon earth for many hundred yeares together If thou beest a creature of God Almighties thou art first bound to maintaine his honor and glory and shew vpon what Christians his promises are fulfilled and then thine owne otherwise thou makest thy selfe an Idoll and denyest God So first shew vs Protestants multiplied as the Stars of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore dilated to the East to the West to the North and to the South which possessed the gates of their enemies and then shew vs when and where the Papists Church decayed and what Religion they embraced when they fell from Papistrie That it did decay thou alledgest the authoritie of some few that it did not decay I bring thee the authoritie of Scriptures and the generall consent of all knowne Christians for one thousand foure hundred yeares together knowne Heretikes and so reputed on both parties onely excepted as is set downe in the first second and third Chapters So if any reason may preuaile with thee thou must needs confesse that Papists are the Seede and children of Abraham and that our Lord by the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles and himselfe planted that Religion Protestants call Papistrie Neither mayest thou object that the testimonies of the Prophets concerning our Sauiour and his Church are obscure and their meaning hard to be found out when God Almightie affirmeth by the mouth of Saint Peter That they are as a candle shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1. 19. into which if thou doest but looke and not obstinately shut thy eyes thou mayest see light So open thy eyes and accommodate thy vnderstanding to the Prophets and beleeue firmely that to be the true Seed of Abraham which hath been spread ouer the earth many hundred yeares according to the Prophecies do not accommodate the Prophets to thy vnderstanding take not for a first ground that thy sect is true and then seeke to shape the sayings of the Prophets to thy vnderstdanding and to thy sect so thou shalt make thy selfe an Idoll and be alwayes blinde vntill thou fall into euerlasting darknesse and there lamenting say We haue groaped as blinde men for the wall and as Isay 59. without eyes haue feeled we haue stumbled at none day as in darknesse in darke places as the dead that could not see the Seede of Abraham the Church of Christ a multitude of men which held one and the same Articles of Faith vpon earth without preuaricating in sense when euen in our dayes they were multiplied as Gen. 22. 28. the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore dilated to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South in Europe Asia Affrica and America ouerflowing the glory of the Gentiles and being a light and Isay 49. saluation to the furthest parts of the earth who had Kings their nursing fathers and Queenes their nurses who with countenance cast downe to the ground adored them and kissed their feete Desarts as delicasies and wildernesses Isay 51. wherein liued contemplatiue men as the gardens of our Lord vpon whose walles stood watchmen day and night holding not their peace keeping the Quier in one place or other perpetually Wee sencelesse esteemed their life 〈◊〉 5. 4. madnesse and their end without
Papistrie since that the Brittans receiued it as is before said from the Apostles or Disciples and they from our Lord and perseuered in it with Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine and the rest of the Christian world without any alteration or change sauing some mysteries vsed in Baptisme and the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday In all things else they were so agreeable to the Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine held and taught that these two things reformed he desired their helpe and assistance in the conuersion of the Pagan English Nation by preaching vnto them the Word of God which hee neither could nor would haue done had they not both these two things excepted agreed in one in al points of Faith and Religion neither did S. Austen labour to teach or reforme the Brittaines in any thing else and seeing in these two things which to Protestants seeme of little moment Saint Augustine made so great difficultie that hee would not receiue them into the Communion of the Catholike Roman Church vntill they condescended to reforme them far greater difficultie would he haue made in receiuing them if they had held any point of Protestantisme and had denied the Masse prayer for the dead worship of Images and esteemed him an Antichristian man or Idolater c. Neither would he though they should haue offered themselues haue admitted them to preach and contradict and defame him amongst the English Pagans or Gentiles vnto whom hee was sent as an Apostle much lesse would he haue required their ayde and assistance in preaching vnto them if they had accused him as Protestants do now of Idolatry Antichristian doctrine and to haue been sonne of the Whore of Babylon c. That the Catholike Roman Faith which Saint Augustine planted amongst the English Saxons is at this day and in all ages and times since the said planting hath been confessed by some knowne English inhabitants in this Iland all our Writers Chronicles Histories and Monuments Lawes in ancient time made in fauour of it Statutes of late yeeres made to suppresse it the death of many for it and the prisons full of such as at this instant doe professe it giue ample testimony and if any require further proofe I referre him to a booke intituled The prudentiall Ballance of Religion which treateth hereof at large Whereupon I conclude that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith and that the keeping of Easter vpon a wrong Sunday and some mysteries vsed in Baptisme excepted it hath in al ages and times since the plantation thereof by the Apostles or Disciples continued in this Iland and that no man can or may preach or teach any doctrine for Christian doctrine but the Catholike Roman Faith vnder paine of Anathema c. according to the words of Saint Paul saying Although we or an Angell from Galath 1. 8. heauen Euangelize to you besides that we haue Euangelized to you be he Anathema as wee haue said before so now we say againe If any Euangelize to you besides that which you haue receiued be he Anathema that is seperated from God according to the words of our Sauiour saying Depart from mee yee accursed into euerlasting Matth. 24 41. fire which was prepared for the Diuell and his angels So I appeale to your Maiestie well pleased to consider the wrong and iniustice your Protestant Ministers doe vnto vs Catholikes your ancient subiects in persecuting vs for professing that Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and euen from the Apostles times vntill this day hath continued in this Iland and humbly beseech your Highnesse that you would not thinke vs disloyal or vnfaithfull to your Person or State for that we will not become Anathemaes from God For the difference which was betweene the ancient Brittans and Saint AVGVSTINE about the time of the keeping of Easter it is manifest by Saint Beda lib. 3. cap. 4. that the Brittans fell into this error for want of skill in Astronomie For they knew saith Saint BEDA as Christen men doe that the resurrection of our Lord ought alwayes to be celebrated on Sunday But as Wilfred in S. Beda l. 3. ca. 25. ignorant men in Astrologie they had not learned when that Sunday should come That the Brittans fell into this error after Constantine his time is manifest by Eusebius who lib. 3. de vita Constantini cap. 8. affirmeth that the same keeping of Easter was obserued in the Citie of Rome in Italy Africke Aegypt Spaine France Britanie Lybia and all Greece in the Diocesse of Asia and Pontus and finally in Cicilia with one vniforme consent CHAP. III. Wherein is briefely proued by the generall consent of all knowne Christian people who liued in all ages and times betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith which Protestants call Papistrie knowne Heretikes on both parties only excepted FIRST Protestants themselues confesse That the true Church so they call their Church decayed presently after the Apostles times So Fulke in his answere to a Counterfeit Catholike page 35. Sebastianus Franciscus in his Epistle de abrogandis statutis ecclesiasticis affirmeth That for these fourteene hundred yeares the Church of Protestants hath been no where externall and visible Peter Martyr de Votis page 477. saith That errours so they call our Catholike Faith did begin immediatly after the Apostles times And page 476. he saith That presently after their age men began to decline from the word of God so they esteeme their Protestantisme The Protestant Author of the booke intituled Antichristus siue Pronostica finis mundi page 13. affirmeth That from the Apostles times till Luther the Gospell of Protestants had neuer open passage Melancthon in 1. Cor. cap. 3. affirmeth Thet presently from the beginning of the Church the ancient Fathers obscured the doctrine concerning the iustification of Faith encreased Ceremonies and deuised peculiar Worships Whereupon Peter Martyr de Votis page 476. saith As long as wee shall insist vpon Councels and Fathers we shall be alwayes in the same errors And Whitaker in his Controu 2. quest 5. page 299. de Ecclesia saith BELLARMINE doth bring foorth certaine testimonies out of Caluin and the Centurie Writers who haue noted certaine errors of the ancient Fathers which they hold common with Papists that is to say of Free-will of Merit of the Limbe of Inuocation of Saints of the Vnmaried life of Bishops of Iustification c. I answere that it is true which Caluin and the Centuries haue written that in many things the ancient Church hath erred as of the Limbe of Free-will of the Merit of Workes and in other things which are aboue rehearsed WHITGIFT in his Defence to the Answere to the Admonition page 473. saith How greatly were almost all the Bishops and learned Writers of the Greeke Church and Latine also for the most