reasonable subjection Therfore besids many other works in the yeare 1520. Luther writ a book called Praeludium captivitatis Babilonicae wherin he maintayned that Christians are not subject to human Lawes at least in foro Conscintiae Christ hauing made them all equall by the Gospell but that the Pope Prelates and Princes had tyranically usurped a Iurisdiction ouer them and kept them for many years in gross ignorance and wors then in a Babylonian captivity therfore that God had sent him to reforme these abuses and restore vnto all oppressed people the Christian liberty which they had received in Baptisme and by his reformation they might enjoy so fully as to judg and govern all omnia judicemus regamus Then he published his doctrin of justification by only faith so resolutly that he doubted not to preach though mens words be the greatest blasphemies and their works the most damnable villâ—nies If they haue as much confidence to belieue without doubt as impudence to act without scruple they may be sure that God hath receiued them into his fauor and cannot be damned unless they doubt of their saluation This abominable presumption Luther grounded upon the infinitness of Christs merits as if forsooth our Sauiour had suffered to the end we might not only be happy in heauen but by his passion hah waranted our wickedness upon earth grossly mistaking and confounding the sufficiency of Christs merits with the sufficiency of their application none can deny but that the least drop of our Sauiours Bloud is sufficient to redeeme millions of worlds because it is of infinite value but all Catholicks euer held that though his Bloud and merits be infinitly sufficient in themselues yet are they not sufficiently applyed to sinners unless they concurr to their own reconciliation and justification not only by faith but by good works Sacraments and other meanes which God hath appointed for that purpose Yet Luther pretended that faith alone is a sufficient application of Christs merits and that men needed not mortify their bodys nor endeavour to secure their salvation by good works thinking it a diminution of our Redeemers glory and a disrespect to his person that with our free will we should cooperat with his passion and help our selues and vpon this ground do Protestants raise all their batteries against Indulgences Purgatory Pilgrimages praying to Saints Confession of sins Penance Satisfaction Merit austerity of Monastical life Works of supererogation c. A reformation so indulgent to liberty and sensuality could not want Proselits and in a short tyme appeared the effects therof the Peasants of Germany rebelled against their Princes and Lords in defence of that Euangelical liberty which Luther had preached and in the space of one summer were on both sides a hundred thousand men slain Some Princes to make themselues considerable by heading the multituds which ran to Luther professed his Religion and protected his person and he layd for the foundation of his reformation the ensuing principles SVBSECT I. The fundamentall principles of Protestancy THe first principle and foundation of Luthers and of all Protestant reformations is a supposition that the whole visible Church fell from that primitiue pure doctrin and true meaning of Scripture which Christ our Sauior and the Apostles had planted and the first Christians had professed All râ—formed Churches do and must agree in this supposition the very name of a Doctrinal reformation implies a change and decay of doctrin though they disagree in the tyme and other circumstances of the change Untill Luther had conferred with the Devill he durst not vent this principle he appealed indeed from the Pope to a generall Councell and from a generall Councell when he perceiued one was summon'd to the Church diffusiue but after his conference with Satan he ventured to say Lay aside all the armes of orthodox antiquity Schooles of Diuinity authority of Councells and Popes consent of so many ages and all Christian People we receiue nothing but Scripture yet so that we must haue the certain authority to interpret the same Our interpretation is the sence of the holy Ghost that which others bring though they bee great though many proceedeth from the spirit of Sathan and from a distracted mind The reasons why Luther and all Protestants run this desperat course is because hauing examined and found that orthodox antiquity was Roman Catholik and not one Church parish or person ever Protestant before 1517. they are inforced to maintain by mis-interpreting Scripture that the whole visible Church erred and that God sent them to reform it The second principle of Protestancy is to admit of no rule of faith but only Scripture of no other infallible Judg of the letter or sence of Scripture or of any controversies in Religion but every particular Church and person interpreting Scripture according to their best endeavors and discretion This is expressly declared in the last mentioned words of Luther and inculcated by the Devill to him in his Conference and though few are willing to speake the same words yet is there not one Protestant in the world that doth not practise the very same doctrin and defend it when the matter is argued It necessarily followeth from the first principle Because if the whole visible Church fell from the pure faith and from Gods meaning of Scripture the belief tradition and testimony of that visible Church Councell and Fathers can be no true rule of faith nor themselves fit Iudges of Religion or of the sense of Scripture Therfore every privat Protestant must be his own Guide and Iudg in matters of saluation and Scripture For though Luther Calvin or any Protestant Congregation should pretend that their sense and interpretation of Scripture is that of the holy Ghost and the interpretation of others Diabolical yet no privat Protestant doth look even upon their own reformers or Churches as infallible in this or in any other particular but in as much as he Iudges it agreeth with Scripture and therfore every one that supposeth the fall of the Roman Catholik and visible Church and the fallibility of the Reformers and reformations as all Protestants do will deny that him-self hath any obligation to submit his Iudgment in controversies of Religion to any interpretation of Scripture or decision of doctrin besids his owne and so becoms his owne Guide and his owne Iudg of controversies and makes his owne interpretation of Scripture his only rule of faith The third principle of Protestancy is that men are justified by only faith and that he who hath once justifying faith can neither loose it nor be damned This tenet is cleerly professed as the doctrin of all Protestant Churches in the Catholik doctrin of the Church of England art 11. pag. 5â— seqq And pag. 54. The Papists are declared heretiks for holding that men are to remain doubtfull whether they shall be saved or not From these principles flow that infinit variety of Protestant Religions
only more â—ound in point of Christiatity but more safe in order to the government then any others And though it be a common and true saying that the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men and by consequence not so fit to prescribe rules for governing as wordlings that are not Divines or as wranglers that are Lawyers yet I humbly conceive that when the misfortunes of a government proceed not from want of judgment or resolution in the Councel but from want of faith or which is the same from an acknowledged vncertainty of faith in the Church Catholick Divines seing we are unanimous in matters of Christian belief and do persuade the best part of Christendom that our Church is infallible in the same and if heard we doubt not to prevail with these British Nations also to credit vs in that important point however improbable it may seem to them at first sight I hope this supposed we Catholick Divines may without offence pretend to be better able to shew and salve the spiritual sore of this state then any Protestant Statists or schoolmen who want sufficient unity and assurance of faith in themselves to make their cure and care credible to others Seing therfore the foundation not only of Christian Religion but of a peaceable government doth consist in a firm persuasion of the people governed that the doctrin professed and established by Law is infallible and of Divine inspiration not of human invention and by consequence that the decrees and determinations of the State which in all Governments ought to be proportioned to the doctrin of its Church are lawfull and intended for the common good not designs or devices to fool the multitude feed the ministery or favor the soveraign and that not only evidence of falshood but vncertainty of truth in matters of Christianity must needs render the Church and State that profess such an vncertainty so weak and contemptible that the subjection to either cannot be otherwise secured then by the force and fear of a standing Army and that such a subjection doth savor more of a Turkish slavery then fâ—â—a Christian Society or of a civil subordination to publick authority and therfore is the cause of continual discontents and frequent rebellions and that no Church but the Roman Catholick doth as much as pretend or can persuade it s own infallibility in matters of Religion seing I say all this is manifest by reason and our wofull late experiences I question not but that the Parliament will be pleased to take in good part this humble proposal of saving our souls and of setling this state by the doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church and by the Revenues of the Protestant Prelatick Clergy especially if the corruptions of Scripture and falsifications of Councells and Fathers wherwith I do charge that Clergy and wherby alone they maintain their Protestancy be cleerly demonstrated in this Treatise and patiently heard in a publick Trial. It 's now above a Century of years since the great Statsmen of England have employed their wit and industry in devising how to setle Monarchy vpon Protestancy but vnder favor we Catholick Divines do shew and all Protestants may suspect by the success that in so great an affair they have proceeded like vnskillfull Architects that busy themselves altogether in proportioning and adorning the superstructures without inquiring into the strength and solidity of the foundation They mistook sand for stone fals translations for true Scripture a lay ministery for a lawful Clergy a temporal soveraignty for a spiritual supremacy They layd for the first stone of their New fabrik a sworn spiritual rebellion the oath of supremacy against the chief Prelat and common Father of all Christendom S. Peters Successor No marvail then if this fundation yeelded and the whole fabrik fell to the ground in our late distempers for by an evident parity of reason it must be concluded that it is as lawful for Protestants to depose Kings as Popes by vertue of their privat and arbitrary interpretations of scripture If notwithstanding the legal and long possession or prescription of a suprem spiritual superiority the Bishop of Rome may by the principles and prerogative of Protestancy be reformed and reduced to be only Patriarck of the West or a privat Bishop what temporal soveraignity can be absolute or secure among Protestants The same arguments the same texts of Scripture the same spirit the same interpretations of God's Word that Luther Calvin Cranmer and all other Protestants objected against the Popes supreme spiritual authority did the Presbyterians and other Protestants press by an vnanswerable paralel against the late King 's temporal Soveraignty Wherfore it is much to be feared that notwithstanding the extraordinary prudence of our government we shall be frequently involved in as great troubles and dangers as formerly and that the privat spirit and English Scripture interpreted by Protestants will prevail against lawfull Monarchy whensoever the like circumstances do concurr viz. a Zealous Parliament a mild King a covetous Clergy a stubborn people and resolute Rogues to lead them and declare to the Multitude their own strength as wel as the fundamental principles and priviledges of all Protestant Reformations In Catholick Commonwealths all these circumstances do meet the principles of Protestancy only excepted and yet the Catholick subjects remain immoveable in their obedience in regard of the credit and authority of their Church and Clergy which in privat confessions and publick exhortations continualy inculcat how inconsistant any privat or arbitrary interpretation of Scripture and by consequence any pretext of superiority over the Soveraign is with the Christianity and obsequiousnes of Catholick faith and how principal a part it is of that â—aith to believe not only that the Church is infallible in its doctrin but also that temporal Soveraigns are Gods Vice-regents and absolut in their government and therfore as such ought to be revered and obeyed And when by reason of heavy taxes or other such accidents the fire of sedition somtimes breaks forth among Catholicks it is generally speaking suddenly quencht by the authority and severity of the Clergies Censures against the Authors or by the devotion and reverence which even the most Irreverent of our profession exhibit to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar that is shewn vpon such emergencies to the mutinous people which notwithstanding their fury and madness immediatly fall down to adore their God and Redeemer and for respect of him whom they beleeve to be realy present are appeased or at least give ear to their Pastors reasons and exhortations with more patience and better success then any Protestant people in the like occasions Wherfore though we Catholicks should grant as we neither do nor can that the Protestant or Prelatick reformation is as safe a way to Heaven as the Roman Religion yet methinks such Protestants as desire to live peaceably or govern prosperously ought to preferr Popery before Protestancy That K. Henry 8. in the heat
Protestant Church of England Pag. 62. Cranmer a meer Cotemporiser and of no Religion at all Pag. 63. Who fram'd the 39 Articles Pag. 64. Of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Pag. 67. Protestant Bishops well pleas'd to see themselves Religiously Worship'd Pag. 70. Protestants though they have chang'd their Form of Ordination yet cannot have a true Clergy till they change also the Character of the Ordainers Pag. 80. Of the Effects immediatly produc'd by the 39 Articles Pag. 82. Dudely Earl of Warwick's Endeavours to have his Son to Reign after K. Edw. His Marrying him to the Lady Jane Gray Pag. 83. Queen Mary's Troubles Pag. 84. The Roman Catholicks willing Resignation of the Church Livings to the Crown Pag. 86. An Act of Parliament in the first year of Q. Mary concerning the fraud and force of K. Henry the VIII's unlawful Divorce from Q. Catharine Pag. 88. Other Effects of Protestancy after it was reviv'd in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown And of the Nullity of her Clergies Character and Jurisdiction Pag. 95. Decreed in Parliament that any Natural Issue of Q. Elizabeths Body should enjoy the Crown after her Death and so the Line of Stewards to be Excluded Pag. 100. Reasons why Q. Elizabeth in her 44 years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable Pag. 103 How Injurious Protestancy hath been to the Royal Family of the Stewards and how Zealous they have been in promoting the same Pag. 109. K. James the I. declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no Hand in Gun-powder Treason Pag. 112. Of K. Charles the First Pag. 112. Part. 2. Of the Inconsistency of Protestant Principles with Christian Piety and Peaceable Government THe foundation whereon all Reformations are built Pag. 117. The Protestant evasion of the clearness of Scripture against Roman Catholick Doctrine and also of the Invisibility of their own Church Confuted And the Incredibility of the suppos'd Change and Apostacy prov'd by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant Principles Pag. 121 Protestants mistaken in the Canon of the Scripture maintain'd by the Church of England and by Dr. Cousins Bishop of Duresin Pag. 131. Dr. Couzins Exceptions and Falsifications against the Councel of Trent's Authority answer'd Pag. 137. New Definitions are not New Articles of Faith Pag. 141. Protestants so grosly mistaken in their Letter and Translation of Scriptures that they cannot have any Certainty of Faith And are forc'd at length by their Principles to question the Truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical Books thereof Pag. 149. Particular Instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible Pag. 157. Protestant Interpretation is not the true Sense of Script Pag. 163. Protestants Mistaken in the Ministry and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the Sanctity and Honesty of their Reformers Pag. 168. Calvin's Miracle Pag. 180. Beza's Lasciviousness He prefers his Boy Andibertus before his Girle Candida Pag. 181. Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophesies of Scripture concerning the Conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretold as an Infallible Mark of the True Church and whereof the Protestant is depriv'd Pag. 183. Calvin sends Ministers to Convert Gallia Antartica from Heathenism And what success they had Pag. 190. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their Justifying Faith with Justice or Civil Government Pag. 193. The Protestant Doctrine of Justifying Faith most dangerous and Damnable Pag. 198. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian Faith Humility Charity Peace either in Church or State with their making Scriptures as interpreted by private Persons or Fallible Synods or fancied General Councils composed of all Dissenting Christian Churches the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39 Articles or the Oath of Supremacy a distinctive Sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings Pag. 207. How the Fundamental Principles of Protestancy maturely examin'd and strictly followed have led the most Learned Protestants of the World to Judaisme Atheism Arianisme and Mahometanisme c. Pag. 222. The Protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania deny the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Pag. 230. How the Indifferency or rather Inclination of Protestancy to all kind of Infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick Doctrine and distinction of Fundamental and Not Fundamental Articles of Faith The design of their fundamental distinction laid open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church And how it has the Authority of Judging all Controversy of Religion Pag. 233. The Roman Catholick Church is a Competent and Impartial Judge of Controversies of Religion Pag. 241. Of the Justice and Legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy Pag. 242. All Christians were never Judges of Religion one Party always submitted to the Judgment of the Other that was in Obedience to and in Communion with St. Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome Pag. 247. Gods Veracity is deny'd by Protestancy and by the Prelatick Distinction and Doctrine of Fundamental and not Fundamental Articles of Faith Pag. 251. Protestancy is Heresie Pag. 254. Protestancy contradicts Gods Veracity Pag. 255. The Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in Matters of Faith prov'd against Protestants Pag. 256. The Protestant Doctrine of Fundamentals Confuted Pag. 257. The same further demonstrated and prov'd that neither the Protestant Faith nor the Faith lately Asserted in a Book call'd Sure footing in Christianity is Christian Belief Pag. 260. The Resolution of Protestant Faith Pag. 262. The Infallibility of the Church prov'd by Gods Veracity Pag. 268. Heresie Explain'd by Rebellion Pag. 269. The Unreasonableness of them who pretend a private Spirit and refuse to submit to the Authority of the Church for want of Clearer Evidence than the Roman Catholicks hath of Gods Authority Pag. 269. Reasons for Liberty of Conscience And how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the State by continuing and pressing the Sanguinary and Penal Statutes against the Roman Catholick Faith and the Act of Uniformity against Sectaries Pag. 271. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions Severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statutes against Popery Pag. 283. Part 3. Containing a plain Discovery of the Protestant Clergys Frauds and Falsifications whereby alone their Doctrine is supported and made Credible The Conscience and Conveniency of Restoring or Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion Demonstrated THat either the Learned Protestants or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every Illiterate Protestant may easily discern by which of the two Clergies he is Cheated And therefore is oblig'd under pain of Damnation to examine so near a concern And to renounce the Doctrine and Communion of that Church wherein he is Cheated Pag. 287. With what Impudency and Hypocrisy Bishop Jewel
and reformations They began in Luthers owne days and still continue to increase and multiply having no rule of faith but an obscure text of Scripture nor no Church or Court of judging the controversies therof with an obligation to submit there-unto but every ons privat opinion which must needs breed diuision add confusion And so it happened in the very beginning to Luther For his Disciples observing that every one of them-selves might pretend to be sent by God by an extraordinary vocation as well as Luthers seing he proved not his Mission by Miracles or by any supernatural sign to reforme the Church divers of them separated from him and set up for them-selves as Zuinglius who invented the Sacramentarian Religion against Christs real presence in the Sacrament and Bernard Rotman Father of Anabaptists c. It were tedious to relate all their divisions and almost impossible We will only assure the Reader that in the space of 30. years after Luther began his Reformation it was divided and subdivided in Germany alone into 130. Sects For first his Disciples divided them-selves into four principal Reformations of plain Lutherans halfe Lutherans Antilutherans or Sacramentarians and Anabaptists These plain Lutherans into eleuen Sects and these againe into soft rigid and extravagant Lutherans the semilutherans or half Lutherans also into eleven Sects The Sacramentarians or Antilutherans into 56. and one of these into 9. The Anabaptists into 13. Sebastianus Traneus a Protestant numbreth 70. How all these have bin subdivided since we may guess at by the variety we see in England of Protestant Religions not with standing the severity of the Laws in favor of the Prelatik Not one of these Sects have subordination to another and agree only in some generall Notions of Christianity and in impugning the Roman Catholick Religion one of the marks wherby the Holy Fathers discerned Heresies Each of them pretend to be a true Church and condemn the rest as Schismatical and Heretical Congregations perpetualy quoting Scripture one against the other but understood according to every on s conveniency fancying or feigning that the Spirit of God inspires him to reform not only the Roman Doctrin but the Protestant reformations But when we call to them for their comission which must be signed by Miracles and desire to know by what authority they presume to take vpon them so high an employment they tell vs that Miracles are ceased in the Church and all ours either counterfeit or Diabolicall wrought by the Devill to confirm us in the Idolatry of the Mass Invocation of Saints c. But because our Miracles exceed the Devills power and can be wrought only by God rather then Protestants will embrace the truth by Miracles testified they teach a blasphemy saying that God doth give power of working true Miracles unto false teachers not to confirm their false and Popish opinions but to tempt those the Indians Iaponeses and Chineses unto whom they be sent By which Paradox they call in question Christianity it self for why might not God tempt the Iews and primitive Christians by Christs Miracles as well as the Indians and Iaponians by others of the same nature and as prodigious If the Indians be not bound to belieue the doctrin preach't to them though confirmed by our true miracles why should the Jews or any others be obliged in conscience to belieue Christ For if God may work true Miracles to make a falshood so plausibly credible as to oblige prudent men to belieue it no prudent man is bound to belieue the truth when it is euidently confirmed with true Miracles and by consequence none was or is bound to belieue in Christ which doctrin is impious and contrary to our Sauiours own words Ioan. 5.36 and against 2. Cor. 12. Hebr. 2.4 and Marc. 16.20 and Joan 15.24 Where our Sauiour declares that the reason why the incredulous Jews did sin in not believing his Diuinity was because he confirmed his doctrin with Miracles Jf I had not don among them the works which no other man did they had not sinned As for their authority of reforming the Roman Catholick faith they answered that they needed no other warrant but Scripture which did cleerly condemn the Popish Tenets Being desired to shew what parts or words of Scripture were Contrary to the Popish Tenets for that after comparing all places and Texts very godly and learned men could find no such opposition between Gods word and the Roman doctrin they replied that the reason why the Popish Diuins and Prelats did not see their own errors afterall their search and study was because they had not the spirit of God which had reuealed to Protestants the true meaning of holy writ though they could not deny but that their own interpretation was new and contrary to that which the visible Church of the 15. â—n age had receiued from the 14 th and the 14 th from the 13 th and so forth Therfore they all conspired in maintaining that the visible Church had erred in doctrin and that the mystery of iniquity began euen with the Apostles or immediatly after But because some parts of Scripture are so cleere against their new doctrin that they could not be wrested against the Roman Catholicks nor reach the Protestant thy framed a new Canon of Scripture and excluded as Apocryphall many Books and Chapters which spook cleerly against them and in their translations of the ould and new Testament into vulgar languages they added to and substracted from Gods word what they thought fit to make the illiterat people belieue that their new inuentions were agreable to Scripture and that Popery was quite contrary to the same And because none of the first Reformers was a Bishop and they knew Bishops only could consecrat other Bishops and Priests and that no Congregation could be esteemed a Church with out that caracter and calling according to the receiued maxim of S. Hieron Ecclesia non est quae non habet Sacerdotem Luther And the rest who pretended a Reformation judged it necessary to alter this doctrin and declare that all Christians both men and women are Priests by baptism yet that only such as are chosen by the Congregation or Magistrat ought to exercise the function for the auoyding of confusion Luther endeauors to proue it at large thus The first office of a Priest is to preach the word c. But this is common to all next is to baptyze and this also may do euen women c. The third is to consecrat bread and wyn but this also is common to all no less then Priests and this I avouch by the authority of Christ him-self saying Do this in remembrance of me this Christ spook to all there present and to come afterwards whosoever should eat of that bread and drink of that wine c. This also is wittnessed by S. Paul who 1. Cor. 11. repeating this applyeth it to all the Corinthians making them all as
that received the English extinct Protestancy to have the honor of being Authors or Reformers let him be pleased to read the Cronicles of this Nation and compare the integrity of them that pretended to reform Popery and revive Protestancy with as many more Members of precedent English Parliaments and he wil find there was never found in this Kingdom or in any other such a number of men or a Parliament that deserved less credit in matters of Religion then they who admitted and setled Protestancy He may observe how in King Henry 8. days to humor his lewdness and couetousness they cryed down the Pope and flattered a temporal Soveraign with a spiritual Supremacy and yet persecuted as heresies all other points of the Protestant Reformation In Edward 6. days he may see how the same men to comply with Seamors folly and Dudleys ambition declared the doctrin which them-selves had profess'd as Catholick in King Henry 8. reign to be notorious heresy In Queen Maries time he may read in the statuts and in this Treatise 1. part sect 6. how they recanted and condemned them-selves and censured the King's Supremacy togeather with all points of Protestancy as heresy and with in six years after see them pass the same censure against the Roman Catholick doctrin to which they had bin so solemnly reconciled again and revive the Supremacy togeather with other points of Protestancy So that in the space of less then 16. years they changed their Religion by publick Acts of Parliament five of six tyms to humor the factions which then prevailed Wherfore it cannot be denyed but that these Parliaments and persons deserve as little credit in matters of Religion as Luther Zuinglius Calvin or any other privat sectary SECT VII Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophecies of Scripture concerning the conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretould as an infallible marke of the true Church and wherof the Protestant is deprived SAint Augustin saith Obscurius dixerunt Prophâ—tae de Christo quam de Ecclesia puto propterea quod videbant in Spiritu contra Ecclesiam homines facturos esse particulares de Christo non tantam litem habituros de Ecclesia magnas contentiones excitaturos ideo illud vnde majores lites futurae erant planiùs praedictum est The Prophets did speak more cleerly of the true Church then of Christ him-self and giveth this reason because they did forsee in spirit that there would arise greater doubts and heresies against the Church then against our Saviour Therfore to stop the mouths of hereticks it was fit that God should describe the Church in Scripture by so remarkable and obvious signes that neither ignorance nor obstinacy might be excusable by pretending want of knowledg of the truth or means of repairing to that Guide of faith wherby the illiterat ought to be instructed and the learned directed in all doubts and controversies of Christian Religion Amongst all the marks of God's Church mentioned in Scripture not any is more discernable and less subject to mistakes then the conversion of Kings and Nations from Paganism to Christianity Miracles may admit of disputes whether they be true or false But the conversion of Nations from Paganism to Christian Religion cannot be counterfeited nor concealed If therfore the Protestant Congregations never converted any Kings or Nations of the Gentils to the Christian faith not any nor all of them can be the true Church of God For The Prophet Esay foretelleth of the true Church thaâ— all Nations shall flow to it And concerning the Gentills coming to the Church in abundance Thou shalt see and shine they heart shall be astonished and enlarged because the multitude of the Sea shall be converted to thee the Iles shall waite for thee their Kings shall minister to thee and thy gates shall be continually open neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring to thee the riches of the Gentills And that their Kings may bee brought thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentills and the brest of Kings Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Mothers I will give thee the earth for thy inheritance and the end of the earth for thy possession Thou must prophesy again vnto Nations Peoples Tongues and many Kings Apocal. 20.11 All Protestants as well as Catholicks apply these prophecies to the conversion of the Gentills In like manner do Protestants and Catholicks agree that these prophecies of God have bin accomplish'd but not in the first 300. years because as Barlow saith in his defence of the Articles of the Protestant Religion pag. 34. Jn the primitive Nonage of the Church the promise of Kings alleigance thervnto was not so fully accomplish'd because in those day 's that prophecy of our Saviour was rather verefied you shall be brought before Kings for my nam 's sake by them to be persecuted even to death From the time of Constantin the Great vntill the time of Gregory the great or Boniface the third Bishops of Rome which was 200. and od years few Kings professed the Christian faith the Emperours of the East and West only excepted and even of those some revolted as Julian the Apostat and sundry others were Arians as Constans Constantius Valens c. And in case any illiterat Protestant should pretend that the Religion profess'd by Constantin and propagated in those 200. and do years was not the Roman Catholick but the Protestant we remit him to his own learned Writers and to Eusebius de vita Constantine and particularly to the Centurists in their fowrth Century dedicated to Queen Elizabeth in which they vndertake to deliver to her Majesty the state of the Church which in Constantin's time illustrated the whole world and yet do charge the Fathers and Doctors of that and th' ensuing ages with the Popish doctrines of Iustification and merit by works Confession of sins to a Priest Invocation of Saints Purgatory the real presence and Transubstantiation worshiping of the Sacrament confirmed by miracles offering it in Sacrifice to God as being propitiatory for the living and dead with solemn translating of Saints Reliques and their t worship with pilgrimage to them with Images in the Churches with numbring prayers vpon litle stones or beades worshiping of the Cross and by it's vertue driving away Devills single life of Priests the Bishop of Rome his Supremacy Iure Divino c. So that in those 200. and od years Protestants cannot pretend that any Kings or Nations were converted to their Religion Therfore they desire the decision of this controversy concerning the Conversion 〈◊〉 Pagan Kings and nations to Christianity may be reduced 〈◊〉 these last thousand and od years from St. Gregory the great his time to ours which point being open matter of fact and
counterfeited must needs be the effect of prejudice and passion proceeding from want of christianity especialy when they see that others as learned cautious and conscientious as them-selves after weighing all objections and circumstances submit their judgments to the sufficiency of these signs for making the Roman Catholick authority authentickly Divine and that we believe what is proposed with out the least suspition or feare either of fraud or frailty in the Roman Catholick Councells which are the Proposers and Ministers of God's word Besids if Protestants did consider the nature of Veracity and God's Providence they would never doubt of the application of his power to preserve the Roman Catholick Church from error seing it hath so many signs of his truth and Ministery as the conversion of Nations succession and Sanctity of doctrin and Doctors miracles vnity of faith c. For Veracity as Aristotle and all Philosophers define it is a Virtue inclining to speak truth And he is not inclined to speak truth that countenanceth falshood in so particular a manner as God doth the doctrin and jurisdiction of the Roman Catholick Church A King that might if he would and yet doth not hinder his Ambassadors and Ministers or any other persons from abusing other Princes or his own Subjects by their speaking or commanding in his Majesties name or at least in speaking other-wise then he really intended they should and had prescribed by his commission or instructions such a King I say is not inclined to speak truth because he willingly permits his officers or others that pretend to speak in his name or really do speak by his Orders to vtter falshood and misinterpret his words and meaning notwithstanding that he may easily prevent that fraud and frailty and reapeth no benefit by either an evident argument that he is not avers to such false practises No Protestant doubts but that my Lord Chancellor speaks truly the King's mind and sense when he pursues his Majesties speech in Parliament in his Royal presence and hearing and to think other-wise would be not only to tax my Lord Chancellor with folly but the King with an inclination to falshood and a fault unbeseeming the dignity of a Prince the care and charge of the Country's Father as also the sincerity and veracity of an honest man Seing therfore God is as much inclined to speak truth as any thing can be to love it self for God is truth by essence if it be against the dignity of a Prince and against the nature of human veracity and honesty which is but a shadow of the Divine to permit falshood in Ministers of state or in servants sent but of ordinary errands when their Masters can easily prevent it how much more repugnant must it be to the nature of God and to his Divine veracity to permit the Roman Church in his own presence name and hearing tell lyes and disguise them and it self with so probable and plausible signes of his Divine truth and Commission as to seale it's doctrin with marks and miracles so vndeniably supernatural that the most learned Protestants acknowledg they are and can only bewrought by God's power light can as litle concurre to produce darkness as truth to favor falshood Even men that love truth hate to heare others tell lyes and do contradict vntruths if them-selves be present and quoted for Authors of the stories They will not entertain servants given to that vice nor permit them weare their livery much less employ them in matters of concern wherin they may abuse their Master's word and prejudice his friends or Tenants Can Protestants then imagin that God doth not only permit the Roman Catholick Church to weare his livery and his authority but that he doth promote the stories and lies of that Church in case it's doctrin be fals for the space of so many ages with so great signes and testimonies of his Divine approbation that the wisest and wairiest men of the world after much study and examination did and do still preferr it before all other Religions Do they think that God is not as much concern'd in preventing frauds faults and frailties in his Ministers and Messengers as temporal Princes are concern'd in the credit and truth of theirs Wherfore if Protestants judg it a breach of faith or want of truth and worth in a temporal Prince not to endeavor to the vtmost of his power that his Ministers and messengers deceive not his subjects and Allies by mistaking or misapplying his Commands or demands they can not but see the absurdity of believing that God doth permit Ministers and Messengers so supernaturaly qualified as those of the Roman Church are to err in proposing his revelations vnto all man kind his Veracity being as highly concern'd in the infallibility of the Proposers as his power makes him capable of preventing their human mistakes and of confounding the Devill 's malice But Protestants have found out a new device and defence of their distinction They grant it is against God's Veracity to permit the Roman Catholick Church to err in proposing the Fundamental articles of faith that is such articles as Protestants fancy absolutly necessary for saluation which are say they that Scripture is the word of God and JESUS Christ the son of God and Redeemer of the world some add the Mystery of the Trinity hitherto we could never obtain from them a more exact Cathalogue of their Protestant Fundamentals As for the other doctrines of the Roman Catholick Church 〈◊〉 and proposed as Divine Protestants think they may be denyed and questioned without any offence to God denyal or doubt of his veracity I could never heare any other reason or dispâ—rity for this their distinction but that the measure of the infallibility of the Church ought to be our salvation because it was the end proposed by God in the institution and constitution of his Church In such articles therfore say they as are absolutly necessary for salvation the Church cannot but be infallible in the proposal otherwise we could not believe them and consequently not be saved because we can not be sure that God revealed them But this their Fundamental distinction still destroys the foundation of Christian belief which is God's veracity They make their own conveniency and not God's veracity the motive of crediting the Mysteries of faith as if truth it self or God's inclination to speak truth could be greater in on matter then other or that the belief of any article could be more Fundamental or of greater importance and necessity for salvation then to believe that God is as much concerned and as necessarily inclined to speak truth as well by the mouth of his Church as if him-self spoke immediatly as well also in the least matter as in the greatest and by consequence he is as much engaged to preserve the Church from error in on as in the other So that to believe the testimony or proposal of the Church in a matter
for refusing to Roman Catholicks a publick Trial of Falsifications and an amicable Conference of Religion makes the refusal yet more unreasonable Popery saith every Protestant is a growing Religion if disputes thereof be admitted we shall turn all Papists If they be not persecuted their profession will prevail If liberty of conscience be granted very few will frequent Protestant Churches The prelatick Clergys last reason is Venient Romani tollent locum nostrum If we come once to reason the matter with Roman Catholicks infallibly we shall loose our Revenues But I may assiure them that the Roman Clergy covet not their revenues if it be found that we have any right to the Church livings we will lay our pretensions at his Majesties feet and Petition the Pope as we did in Queen Marys days to leave all to the King and Parliaments disposal for the ease and defence of our fellow Subjects and the terror of our Enemies And as for our Religion being a growing Religion we cannot deny it and rejoyce that our Adversaries confess so much how could it otherwise be the Catholick or become universal Protestancy is confined to this Northern Climate notwithstanding its liberty of open and sensual allurements the Mahometan perswasion is propagated by force of Arms and multiplicity of Wives the Greek Schism is but a spite and spleen against the Primacy of Rome and therefore is justly Become a Slavery to the Turk No Religion but the Roman Catholick doth grow and flourish maugre the Storms of outwaâ—d Persecutions and the strength of our inward perverse inclinations aganst it we follow reason against the appearance of sense we prefer vertue before vice the judgment of the Church before our own and Heaven before Earth and therefore we are made Strangers in our own Country Straglers abroad Tennants at will of our own Estates and our lives stand at the mercy of every base Informer that will press the law against our Conscience and yet in this sad condition and circumstances our Religion doth increase and is acknowledged to be a growing Religion Ergo it is the true Catholick and not only the most safe for the Soul but the most convenient for the State especially of Great Britain as now shall more particularly appear SECT XIII The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how advantagious it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands THree things must concurr to make a Monarchy Powerful and Peaceable 1. Uniformity in Religion or at least Liberty of Conscience 2. Great Revenues of the Monarch without empoverishing by unusual and unimerciful Taxes the Subjects unless they be slaves 3 Men fit for Sea and Land Service These Islands afford the last the other two we want but may have them if we will by an Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience or for tolerating the old Faith of our Ancestors wherewith this Kingdom flourished in Peace and Prosperity for the space of 1000 years Such an Act I mean as may make legal one Profession but wherein there ought to be a Proviso that none of another suffer for his Conscience or Religion especially for the Roman Catholick That without Uniformity in Religion or without Liberty of Conscience it is impossible for a Monarchy to be long peaceable or powerful is manifest by Reason and Experience Reason doth dictate that when Mens minds are Discontented and Oppressed by Persecution for their Conscience they will hazard their all to be satisfied and saved their Rebellion against the Soveraign will be thought the ground of their Salvation or at least the only way to preserve their Posterity from being damned and brought up in the state false Religion Experience doth shew that diversity of Opinions if but one be permitted doth not only occasion Domestick differences as the parting of Man and Wife of Parents and Children Brothers and Sisters c. But is the cause of publick Inconveniencies as jealousies between Princes and Subjects from whence proceed civil Wars which are the greatest obstacle of Prosperity in an Empire or Commonwealth Whilst the Hugonots were persecuted in France France was not so considerable Here in England we are more afraid of persecuted Presbyterians Fanaticks and other Sectaries than of the French Danes and Dutch seeing therefore Liberty or Uniformity in Religion is so necessary for the Peace and Power of a Monarchy all States-men must grant the Religion fittest for the State is that which is most likely to be generally embraced if Men may have their free choice Now whether that be Protestancy or Popery is the question It is not Protestancy because 't is now a hundred years and more since it hath been endeavoured by all ways imaginable to bring the Subjects of the Crown of England unto an Uniformity in Protestancy even by Sanguinary and Penal Statutes and yet the design doth not take and indeed cannot Because it involves a contradiction for to be a Protestant is to have the liberty of opâ—ning and the gift of interpreting Scripture which Liberty and Prerogative is not consistent with a subjection of Judgment to the Authority and Interpretation of any Church or Councel and by consequence not with Unity of Faith Besides the Protestant Church whether Prelatick Presbyterian or Fanatick is not as much as pretended to be Infallible in Doctrine or in its Interpretation of Scripture and it 's a great vanity for a Church that professeth Fallibility in explaining the Scriptures and admitteth a liberty or Latitude of applying the Letter of the same to every private mans Spirit and Interpretation to oblige men to any unity or certainty of Faith and therefore our Acts of Parliament are so inefficacious Again Faith is not Christian unless the Believers hold it certain and no Believer can hold his own Faith certain if he submits and comforms his Judgment to the Doctrine and Decrees of a Fallible Church For that no man can think himself certain of what he knows may fail evident therefore it is that the Protestant Faith is neither Christian nor certain because the Professors thereof if they be guided by their confessed fallible Church must know that their Faith may be False The Roman Catholick Church seeing it is believed Infallible by all Catholicks may teach a Faith which must be thought by us to be Certain Conscientious Christian and by consequence convenient fit for both Soul and State How conscientious and Necessary it is for the Salvation of the Soul we have proved in this whole Treatise as also how convenient for the State now I will shew the same in a word and by the confession of our Adversaries It is a growing Religion say they therefore I infer
of England Of his design to reform the principles and liberty of Protestancy intending therby to render it less dangerous to lawfull Soveraigns and Monarchy How K. Charles 1. pursued his Fathers design but his sufferings and death demonstrat the impossibility of confining the Protestant liberty within the rules of Government or reason By the fundamental principles of Protestancy every particular person is a Supreme Iudge in spiritual affairs and may more easely apply and abuse that prerogative to the prejudice of his Soveraign then the Pope can his papal Supremacy Therfore it s a great providence of God when any Protestant King of England escapes to be judged and deposed by his Subjects THE SECOND PART OF the vnreasonableness of Protestancy and of the inconsistency of the principles of Protestancy with Christian piety and peaceable government SECT I. THe vnreasonableness and inconsistency of Protestancy with Christian piety or policy proved by the very fundamental principle of all Protestant reformations which principle is a supposition of the fallibility and fall of the visible Catholick Church from the pure and primitive doctrin of Christ to damnable errors and notorious superstition Such a change is demonstrated both incredible and impossible SECT II. THe Protestants proof of such a change is their pretended cleerness of Scripture It is demonstrated that their Sense of Scripture is not clear in any texts controverted between Catholicks and Protestants That the principles of Protestancy incline to vice the Catholick principles to vertue proved in many particulars The invisibility of the Church a ridiculous comment SECT III. THe Protestant letter and Sense of Scripture is not the word of God Doctor Cossins his Scholastical History of the English Canon of Scripture confuted as also his exceptions against the authority of the Roman Catholick Canon The Lutheran Churches of Germany agree not with the English Canon of Scripture SVBSECT I. DOctor Cossins now Bp. of Duresme his exceptions against the Councel of Trent answered The legality of a Councel as well as of a Parliament may stand with the absence of many members if they were summoned and expected The absurdity of Protestant writers excepting against the want of Bishops in the Councel of Trent wheras themselves made new Religions and reformations by a Single voice of Luther Zuinglius Calvin c. and in England by the vote of the major part of twelve persons named by the Parliament to determin matters of faith and Sacraments seaven men were thought sufficient to do the work and cast the Roman Catholick Religion Protestant Bishops can no more pretend to sit and define in a general Councel then proclaimed rebells can pretend to vote in a lawful Parliament It s as reasonable the Bishop and Church of Rome should condemn hereticks and judge all controversies of faith as it is that a King and Parliament condemn rebells and judge suites in law A new definition of Pope or Councel is no new article of faith it is only a declaration of our obligation to believe that which formerly had bin revealed but not sufficiently proposed Doctor Cossins his egregious falsification of Belarmin his wresting words of St. Austin and St. Hierom. SECT IV. THe Protestant translations of Scripture are fraudulent and fals no certainty of Christian faith can be built vpon them Protestants admit no Coppy or translation to be authentick to the end they may be at liberty to reject what they do not fancy of the letter of Scripture as well as of the sense The vulgar Latin is authentick Scripture How corrupt are all English Bibles How in K. Edward 6. his reign Cranmer and the first Apostles of English Protestancy changed the very text of Christs words This is my body three several times Protestants make the Apostles fallible in doctrin even after receiving the holy Ghost and by consequence must hold their writings or Scripture to be fallible SVBSECT I. MAny particular instances of Protestant corruptions in the English Bibles to asert the Protestant and prelatick doctrin of the Church of England Against images Against Ordination by imposition of hands Against the single life of Priests Against the Sacrifice of Masse Against vowes of chastity To favor the Kings Supremacy How fondly these corruptions are excused by Whitaker and how absurdly Scripture is made speak according to the Protestant translations What small hopes there are that a Clergie which corrupts Scripture or continueth and countenanceth corruptions of Scripture will repent or recant their errors and how little reason the Protestant layty hath to rely vpon their Clergys sincerity or vpon their English Scripture SECT V. THe Protestant interpretation is not the true Sense of Scripture The principal part of Gods word is the sense he delivered to the Church together with the letter It s against reason to believe that the Church would be more carefull of preserving the letter then of preserving the sense of Scripture and therfore Protestants are vnexcusable for taking the letter from the Roman Church and rejecting the sense The holy Fathers bid us receive the Sense of Scripture as well as the letter from the Church An infallible mark of heresy to do the contrary It is at least 16. to one that the Roman Catholick Sense of Scripture is true and the Protestant fals SECT VI. NO Protestant Church hath a true Ministery Miracles Succession of doctrin or Sanctity of life Their extraordinary vocation is ridiculous and incredible it being impossible that God should send Ministers to contradict doctrin confirmed with so many signs of his own authority and approbation as the Roman Catholick is God never sent such vitious men as the Protestant reformers were to reform his Church either in the old or new Testament If the Protestant doctrin had bin true God would have wrought miracles to confirm it for the conversion of the seduced Papists as Protestants confess he doth for the conversion of the Jndians Iaponians and China What wicked men were Luther Zuinglius Calvin Beza Cranmer and the rest of his Camerades that framed the Religion and Liturgy of the Church of England and how little credit in matters of faith deserves the Parliament that confirmed the same Calvins miracle at Geneva foretold by Tertullian SECT VII THe conversion of pagan Kings and Kingdoms to Christianity foretold in Scripture is a more cleer sign of the true Church then any other miracles and not to be found in any other Church but in the Roman Catholick acknowledged by learned protestants Of Barlows three-score invisible Queens converted by protestants No greater an absurdity then their invisible Church The vain endeavors of Calvin and other protestants to convert Heathen nations Bezas despair of Success in that Ministery and his advice to protestants to leave that labor to the Jesuits and rather busy themselves at home Tertullians saying that its a sign of hereticks to pervert Christians not convert pagans may be properly applyed to Protestants Their success in propagating their new Ghospel no
A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WITH Reflexions vpon the Cause and Cure of Englands late distempers and present dangers THE ARGVMENT VVhether Protestancy be less dangerous to the soul or more advantagious to the State then the Roman Catholick Religion THE CONCLVSION That Piety and Policy are mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery by penal and Sanguinary statuts Permissu Superiorum An Dom M.DC.LXX TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE THE DVKE OF BVQVINGHAM c. May it please your Grace THE inconsiderat censures of half witted Critiks have canonized the custom of dedicating books to great persons at least they have so extenuated the crime that I despair not to obtain your Graces Pardon for my presumption of prefixing your name to this Treatise without your consent or knowledge But if the general custom be not a lawful excuse for my ambitious solicitation of your Graces patronage I must transfer the fault from my self the Author and lay it on the Argument of my book which is so proper for a person of your Graces high birth profound judgment and publick trust thus without violence to the work it could hardly be offerd to any other The Argument My Lord of this Book is Liberty of Conscience which is the most reasonable oâ— all liberties it is the spiritual birthright of our souls and the only human prerogative that cannot be forc't or forfeited Though our selves be slaves our thoughts are free and so much our own that none but the searcher of hearts can know them God himself doth not vse violence against our opinâ—â—ns when he commands us â—o change them he doth not compell us by rigor and penalties but convinceth us by reason and miracles My Lord Princes are called Gods in the Scripture and therfore ought to imitat divin perâ—â—â—tions How much your Grace doth excell in this perfection of being avers from compelling mens Consciences is so notorious that any man may without flattery the common vice of Epistles Dedicatory publish and print your vertues In this one of patronizing Liberty of Conscience are so many comprehended that did I vndertake to enumerat and explain them this short Epistle must have bin a vast volum It s an eminent part of Religion to propagat and persuade it by reason Its Charity to consider and commiâ—erat other mens capacitys how capricious soever 〈◊〉 prudence to proportion the laws to tender Consciences On the contrary the zeal of persecution is but a Cloaâ— of ambition for men of one persuasion to exclude all otherâ— from places of profit trust and honor wherof the Zealots would never be thought worthy if such as the penal laws exclude did conform to the Church of England And when any one doth becom a conformist none is more sorry for his Conversion then they that pretended to design and effect it by persecution because the number of Proselits doth diminish the profit and destroy the projects they had of begging Recusants fines and forfeitures Your Genious and generosity My Lord are so much above these base and destructive ways that you are becom the refuge of all persons afflicted for their Conscience To be popular vpon this score and to be the patron of so numerous and conscientious a party as it is the effect of your Wisdom and vertue so it is a just cause for your Prudent Prince to confide in your Ministery and to countenance your popularity I do acknowledge My Lord that in som districts of the Church of Rome men are punished for their Conscience or contumacy by a Court of Iustice called the Inquisition How worthy the Inquisition is of imitation I leave to the Judgment of others But this I do maintain in my book that our penal and Sanguinary statuts are much more severe and vnreasonable then the Canon law wherupon the Inquisitors Sentences are grounded 1. Because the Canons against Innovators of Religion are almost as ancient as Constantin the first Christian Emperor 2. They seemed so conscientious and convenient to all his Catholick Successors and other Soveraigns that they have incorporated into the laws of their Dominions the Canons wherby the Inquisitors are directed to punish heresies or pretended reformations of Religion and therfore the first Protestant Reformers in England durst not publish their doctrin vntill these statuts against heretiks had bin repeald by Act of Parliament 1. Edu 6.3 the Inquisitors pretend not to act by human commission against mens opinions they proceed as spiritual Pastors and the Apostles Successors and therfore endeavor to reduce the obstinat Nonconformists by producing thousands of learned and lawful witnesses to proue that the Roman faith is built vpon the very same Apostolical revelations reasons and miracles wherby the primitive Church and the Catholick world had bin converted from Paganism to Christianity But our English penal and Sanguinary statuts punish men for adhering to the ancient and authentick Religion of Christendom and for not embracing a new interpretation of Scripture for which there is no credible testimony or proof that it is the Apostolical neither is there as much as a pretence of any miracles to confirm Protestancy or that monstrous Shee-supremacy which was imposed vpon men only to make An Bullens daughter Queen of England and to exclude the right heirs and now reigning family from the Crown Notwithstanding this great disparity My Lord between the severity of the Inquisition and of our penal statuts J wish both equally excluded from this Monarchy and that no compulsion be used against Conscience but that every one be left to choos his own Religion according to his capacity it being likely that none will have a greater care of saving any mans soul then himself who is more concerned therin then any other whether Prince Parliament or Pastor That God may inspire into every soul that one faith without which none is saved ought to be the only common prayer imposed vpon us for that by this vniformity of prayer every man is left to his own Inquisition which is much more agreable to our genious then that of Spain and more likely to make us agree amongst our selves then any penal or Sanguinary statuts all which I humbly submit to your Graces Iudgment begging your Pardon for this trouble and your protection for this Treatise Your Graces most obedient and most humble servant IOHN WILSON THE PREFACE THE end which most Authors propose to themselves in writing Prefaces is to incline mâ—n to read their books but the books are now so many and of such groat busks that even the Prefaces are not perused Notwithstanding this superfluity and surfeit of books I have ventured to add this one to the number not without hopes that the Title will invite men to read the Preface and perhaps the Preface may persuade them to read the Book For Religion and Government being the two things wherin mankind is most concerned the one being the ground of everlasting happiness the other of temporal prosperity and I having vndertaken to
and height of an amourous passion was so blinded that to satisfy his carnal lust he assumed and annexed a spiritual supremacy to a temporal Crown may be attributed to the fondness and fancies of love That a Babe K. Edward 6. was taken with such a bable as that same supremacy may be imputed to the tenderness of his age and to the imprudence of his Vncle and Protector Somerset who by promoting that Oath and the Protestant reformation put the Kingdom into a Babylonical confusion That Dudley Duke of Northvmberland seing the Church and state so confounded did ground a title for the Lady Jane Grey and for his own son to the Crown vpon the principles and Zeal of Protestancy is but the ordinary practise of Politians that the Lady Elizabeth did reâ—â—ive her Fathers supremacy and the Protestant reformation wherby alone shee could pretend to be legitimat against two acts of Parliament never yet repeald is not so blameable in her as in them that but four years before had by an vnanimous vote in both Houses declared An Bullens marriage voyd and that same supremacy and Protestancy to be heresy That K. Iames did pardon and promote his mothers murtherers and conform himself to that Religion wherby shee and himself had bin so long excluded from their right was great clemency or a cuning compliance without which he covld hardly have compassed his ends and restored the line of the Stenarts to the British Empire That K. Charles 1. did endeavour by Ordinances and Laws to restrain and reduce the variety of Protestant opinions grounded vpon the liberty of interpreting Scripture to some kind of vniformity and subordination to Princes and Prelats had bin an act of great prudence if it had not shaken and shock't the very fundation of all Protestant Reformations that consists in an arbitrary interpretation of the obscure Texts of Scripture from which foundation and fountain necessarily floweth the priviledge of denying obedience to all civil and Ecclesiastical authority that commands any thing contrary to those interpretations of Scripture wherby every privat person or any leading men of the Protestant Congregations will be pleased to direct themselves or guide others That the Zealous and precise sort of Protestants did convene and covenant against the King and Bishops for endeavoring to deprive them of this their Evangelical liberty of the Reformation was but a natural result of the same fundamental principle of Protestancy That Oliver Cromwell by counterfaiting Zeal and piety and by humoring the privat spirits and interpretations of Protestant Sectaries did ruin his King and rais himself from a mean subject to be absolut Soveraign needs not to be enumerated among the casualties or favors of fortun there being not any thing more feasible then to dethrone a Protestant Monarch by his own Religion because it is nothing but an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture and by consequence gives such a latitud for justifying rebellion vpon the score of refining the reformation by a new sense of Scripture that every Protestant without violating the principles but rather sticking to the prerogative of Protestancy may embrace any more pleasing and popular sense of the Text however so prejudicial it prove to his lawful Soveraign or however contrary it be to the sense of Scripture established by law or by acts of vniformity But that notwithstanding so many warnings and wars as we have had so great and grave a Councel as the Parliament of England should think fit to continue the same vnsuccessfull cours of setling Monarchy the same statuts wherby Q. Elizabeth excluded the right heirs and now reigning family the same fundamental Tenet of the Reformation wherby every subject is made interpreter of Scripture and by consequence Iudge of his Soveraign and of the Government which must be subordinat to Scripture is not only to me but to the Christian world the cause of greatest admiration And becaus every Religion hath some incomprehensible mysteries I will number this among those of Protestancy but withall must beg pardon for thinking that it is rather against then above reason for to grant the principle wherupon the independency or Soveraignty of every Protestant subject is grounded and yet to make Acts of Parliament in favor of the Church of England against the same subjects independency or Soveraignty is a kind of contradiction So discerning a people as the English can hardly be hindred from seing the manifest connexion that is between the Protestant subjects liberty of interpreting Scripture and the not submitting their judgments or actions to any human laws or Government if contrary to their own interpretations And so Religious and scrupulous a people as they are will not be easily persuaded that an Act of Parliament is sufficient to dispense with their obligation and inclination of sticking to that fundamental Tenet of Protestancy I confess that in some Countreys as in France the Protestant people are now kept in so great subjection that they dare not go so far as the principles of Protestancy lead and in other more Northern Climats they are of so dull and peaceable a constitution that they want either curiosity to examin or courage to assert the priviledges of the reformation and therfore are apt to submit their Iudgments by an implicit faith to the opinions of Luther or Calvin or of their own Clergy But with us where every one thinks his own spirit as divin and his Iudgment as good as that of Luther or Calvin or of the Bishops where the stoutness and stubborness of our nature makes us venture vpon any thing wheâ—her sacred or profane where every Peasant is warranted by the law to question the prerogative of his Prince in such a Countrey I say and in such a constitution of the Government it is not to be expected that men will be less contentious in the Church then they are in the Courts nor content with less then with that supremacy of judicature allowed by the principles of Protestancy to be the spiritual-birth-right of every Protestant subject These are some of the inconveniencies whervnto the government is lyable by the principles and profession of Protestancy and though I humbly conceive that nothing but liberty of conscience can content so many dissenting parties yet I am of opinion that before such a liberty be granted some previous conferences concerning Religion like that of Hampton Court in K. James his reign be allowed but without excluding from those Conferences Papists or any party that will offer to give reason for their Religion For as to accept of a Bill of comprehension before men examin the consequences and qualifications of the Religions comprehended may breed greater confusion so to except any Christian Religion from being examined doth argue that in our Conferences we consult not conscience But it is to be feared that education and interest the two greatest prejudices not only against truth but against the examination therof will make the Bishops and their Bigots avers from any
conferences of Religion wherby their title to the churchs-livings may be questioned They will pretend and preach â—hat it is against the rules as well of piety as of policy to inquire into the truth of doctrin or into the right of possession after 100. years prescription But they do not consider or at least would not have others consider that the Roman Catholicks prescriptioÌ„ of 1000. years in England and our Prelats legal possession of lands for the same space of years was not judged by Q. Elizabeths Bishops or Parliaments a sufficient Plea against the pretensions of the Crown to the Church revenues notwithstanding the Church then was thought to be infallible in doctrin and the revenues therof were first intended for and annexed to the Prelats and preachers of the same Roman Catholick doctrin and Church Now if the Protestant Bishops think that the Catholick Bishops were legally and lawfully dispossessed of their revenues and their Doctrin legaly and lawfully condemned and changed by Luther Calvin Cranmer or the Prelaticks interpretation of Scripture confirmed by Act of Parliament how can they imagin to make the world believe that it is now either a sin or sacriledge to be dispossessed themselves of the Church revenues by an Act of Parliament confirming as probable an interpretation of Scripture as theirs or as that of Luther or Calvin is especially seing they confess their doctrin fallible and that the revenues were never intended by those that gave them for preaching or promoting any kind of Protestancy Doubtless this incoherency and their backwardness in reasoning of Religion will render their Zeal for the Church revenues as much suspected as their forwardnes in persecuting tender Consciences hath renderd their persons odious And that there may be no ground for them to work vpon nor to doubt of the Roman Catholick Clergy's loyalty and sincerity in petitioning and pressing for publick conferences of Religion it will be found I doubt not in case any such security be desired or valued that we shall as readily now as in Queen Maries reign resign all the right we can pretend to the revenues of the Church and as then bestow them vpon the Crown for the use and ease of our Country By this it may appear that we have no design but the duty of subjects or the devotion of Christians in desiring that the Protestant Clergys title be examined But they deterr the illiterat layty from this necessary scrutiny by often repeating the word Sacrilege without declaring its signification We know and so do they that it hath bin the ancient practise of God's Church to contribut with all that is Sacred without the least fear or scruple of Sacriledge to the maintenance of the State when the layty is so much empoveris'ht with wars and taxes as we are both in England and Ireland Wee see that in all Catholick Countreys the Clergy doth imitat the example of the ancient Church in the same practise Why our English Bishops Deans and Chapters ought to be exempted from so reasonable and general a custom vnless it be that they are burthend with wives and Children I do not vnderstand But sure their having wives and Children can neither â—make their revenues more Sacred nor â—heir Contributions more Sacriledge on cases of publick necessity As a â—ompetency of maintenance for themselves and for their Childrens education and application to some honest Trades is an act of Charity so to apply the rest of the Church revenues to publik uses for soldiers and seamen and to the payment of the Crown debts is not against Christianity In the conclusion of this Preface I must endeavor to excuse the bulk of my book and the positivenes of my Assertions For the first I could hardly draw into a narrower compass so transcendent a subject and yet I have placed in the end of this Treatise an Index wherin the substance of the whole book is contained to the end every one may find out with ease any point he hath a mind to read As to the positivenes of my assertions most of them being articles of my faith or deductions from my Creed I could not but utter them in the Tone of our infallible Church But becaus I speak to Protestants that condemn our infallibility I attempt to demonstrat their censure against the same is as rash as they fancy our belief is ridiculous J must also ingenuously confess that it is part of my design to diminish the authority of the Protestant and Prelatick writers but seing my arguments are taken out of their own writings and are no other then their wilfull and vndeniable falsifications of Scripture and Fathers I hope none that detests so horrid a crime will condemn my Censure or defend their credit Whether I have bin faithfull in setting down their falsifications I must submit to the Iudgment of my Readers as also beg pardon for intermedling with so much of government as necessarily depends of Religion and ought to be proportioned therunto our Protestant Statesmen will not only pardon but protect me when they reflect vpon the impossibility there is of regulating the motions or appeasing the mutinies of a body politik by a faith so vncertain as that of the fallible Church of England or by a rule of Religion so applicable to rebellion as the letter of Scripture is when left to every privat mans arbitrary interpretation THE TABLE Part I. Of the Beginning Progress and Principles in general And of the Prelatick Church of England in Particular HOw necessary a rational Religion is for a Peacable Government Pag. 1. Wherein the Reasonableness of Religion Consists Pag. 8. How dangerous it is for a Temporal Soveraign to pretend to a Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Subjects Pag. 10. The Grounds of Peace Piety and Policy Pag. 10. The Catholick World ever acknowledg'd the Bishop of Rome's Spiritual Jurisdiction over all Christians Pag. 11. The same Religion which St. Gregory the great held was by St. Augustine taught to our Ancestors Pag. 19. Of the Author and beginning of Protestancy and of Luther's Disputation and Familiarity with the Devil Pag. 22. How weakly Protestants Excuse Luther's Conference with the Devil Pag. 29. The Mass a Visible and True Sacrifie proved by the Councils and Doctors of the Church Pag. 36. The Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the Dead Pag. 37. Of the Principles and Propagation of Protestancy Pag. 39. The Fundamental Principles of Protestancy Pag. 43. Protestants affirm that if a man have an Act of Faith sin does not hurt him Pag. 46. Protestants affirm that all Christians Men and Women are Priests by Baptism Pag. 50. Of the Protestant Church of England in K. H. VIII's Reign Pag. 53. Henry the VIII weary of Queen Catharine Pag. 53. Anne Bullen's Incest and Leudness Pag. 54. Henry the VIII's Tyranny Pag. 56. Tyndal's Translation of the Bible abolish'd Pag. 59. Of the English Religion and Reformers in K. Edw. VI's days Pag. 60. The first Reformers of the Prelatick
and other Prelatick Writers began to maintain the Protestancy of the Church of England And how they were blam'd for appealing to Antiquity by some of their own Brethren Pag. 293. A Strange Expression of Mr. Hooker in favour of Bishop Jewel Pag. 294. The Centurists and other Learned Protestants Confess that the Councils and Fathers Defended Worship of Images Transubstantion Purgatory c. Pag. 295. How particularly the Protestant Clergy is Charg'd with Frauds and Falsifications in maintaining their Religion Pag. 298. There can be no Reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy in Matters of Religion And that Protestancy cannot be maintain'd otherwise then by Impostures Whereof there are such Evidences that to give the Protestant Clergy any Credit in matters of Religion is a sufficient Cause of Damnation Pag. 300. Of Edward VI's Protestant and Prelatick Clergys Frauds Falsifications and Forms of Ordination their Hypocrisy Incontinency Atheism c. And whether it be fit to term them and others like them Cheats when they are Convicted of wilful false dealing in matters of Religion Pag. 303. Of Thomas Cranmer his Birth Marriages Treasons Cheats Heresies c. And of Latimer and Ridley Pag. 304. Of Hooper's Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale's Hypocrisy and Impiety Pag. 312. A Prophesy of Rogers's Pag. 314. John Bale's account of his Education and how he scarp'd out the Cursed Character of the Horrible Beast by Marrying a Nun c. Pag. 315. Of Coverdale and his Bible Pag. 317. A Discourse between Dr Martin and the Arch-bishop Cranmer related by Fox Pag. 320 Of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Mary's Reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their Frauds Factions Cheats and Changes of the English Protestant Religion during their Exile in Germany Pag. 326 Abominable frauds amd wilful falsifications of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths Reign to maintain their Doctrine set forth under the name of an Apology and Defence of the Church of England Pag. 332 The Protestant Clergy Convicted of falshood in their Apology concerning Communion under one kind Pag. 334 How Jewel and the Church of England make the very same Holy Fathers they appeal'd to in other matters wicked Hereticks because they condemn'd Priests Marriage Pag. 337 Bishop Jewel and his Associates wickedness in charging Cardinal Hosins and all Catholicks with a contempt of Holy Scripture against their own knowledge after they had been admonished of the Imposture Pag. 338 Falsifications and Frauds against the Bishop of Rom's Supremacy Pag. 341 Frauds and fond Devises of the Protestant Clergy of England to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of the Mass. Pag. 343 Prelatick Falsifications and Corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist And Succession of Bishops a Mark of the Beast Pag. 346 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heresy Pag. 348 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings Pag. 350 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that St. Augustin the Apostle of our English Saxons was an Hypocrite and no Saint as also to dicredit Catholick Writers Pag. 351 Of the Protestant Clergy's Frauds and Falsifications of Scriptures and alterations of their XXXIX Articles of Religion to make the People believe that they have true Priests and Bishops in the Church of England Pag. 352 An Advertisement to the Reader concerning Bishop Jewel Pag. 357 Examples of Learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Religion by observing the Frauds and Falshoods of the Apology of Jewel and of the Protestant Clergy for the Prelatick Church of England Pag. 359 Frauds Follies and Falsifications of John Fox his Acts and Monuments and of his Magdeburian Masters in their Centuries the little Sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such false Dealing Pag. 362 John Fox his Revelation Pag. 368 The Foxian Kalender Pag. 371 Wilful Falsifications committed by John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Pag. 374 Dr. Chark's Falsification of St. Augustin and how he excuses Luther's Doctrine of the Lawfulness of Adultery and Incest Pag. 379 Falsifications of Cranmer and Peter Martyr against Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Pag. 381 How some Protestant Writers in Q. Elizabeths time seeing their Fellows were prov'd Falsifiers waved the Testimonies of the Antient Fathers and yet the other continu'd their former course of falsifying both Fathers and Councils Pag. 384 Falsifications and Frauds of the Prelatick English Clergy to maintain Protestancy since the beginning of King James's Reign THeir Corruptions of Scripture for maintaining their Character continued in the Bible tho' commanded by King James it should be reviewed and corrected Pag. 391 Dr. Abbot and Dr. Smith Bishops of Canterbury and Glocester corrupted the Translation of Scripture which had been sincerely perform'd by Sir Henry Savill Pag. 397 Of Dean Walsingham's Search into Matters of Religion before his Change to the Catholick How he repair'd to King James as to the Head of the Church for a Resolution of his Doubts who remitted him to the Lord of Canterbury and he to other Men and how after finding no Satisfaction he betook himself to the Reading of Catholick and Protestant Authors for discerning on what side was the true and false Dealing Pag. 403 Dean Walsingham's Doubts and Difficulties in Reading the Catholick Book Pag. 406 The Substance of Dean Walsingham's Memorial to the K. Pag. 409 Dean Walsingham's Appearance before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at the Councel-Table Pag. 410 His Appearance before him at Lambeth Pag. 414. His third and fourth Appearance before him Pag. 416 How loath the Protestant Clergy is that the King or Great Persons should examin their Doctrine or way of defending it Pag. 417 What Cheating and Unconscionable ways were taken to frighten Dean Walsingham from examining of the Truth Pag. 417 What pretty Books the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury commended to Dean Walsingham to inform him of the Truth They prov'd after Examination Rediculous Libels Pag. 420 Dean Walsingham's Address Mr. Rolfe Commissary of St. Albans and of his Conference with Dr. Downham c. Pag. 421 What foolish Answers the most Learned Protestants are forc'd to give to Catholick Arguments Pag. 422 Mr. Walsingham found no satisfaction in the Answer to the Defence of the Sensure Pag. 425 Mr. Walsingham's last Appearance before my Lord of Canterbury and his Doctors Pag. 427 How the Arch-Bishop and his Assembly of Divines refus'd to confer Dean Walsingham's Notes of Mr. Bell's Corruptions with the Fathers Quoted notwithstanding the Books were in their presence Pag. 428 Reflections upon Mr. Walsingham's Relation Pag. 431 A brief Relation of a Tryal held in France about Religion whereof the Lord Chancellor of France was Moderator Pag. 437 A Copy of a Letter Written by a Person of Quality about this Conference Pag. 441 K. Hen. IV's Letter to the Duke of Espernon upon the same Subject Pag. 441 The Authors falcify'd and therefore the Sentence given against Plesses Pag. 442 Protestant Falsifications to persuade that the Roman
Catholick Doctrine is inconsistant with the Sovereignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants Pag. 443 Bishop Mortons Falsifications about the Lawfulness of killing a Tyrant Pag. 444 Bishop Mortons Falsification of Catholicks against the Sovereignty of Princes and how he excuses himself by saying he received it from the Archbishop of Canterbury Pag. 445 Mortons Answer in which see an Imposture continu'd against Catholicks by the whole Convocation of the Protestant Clergy in their Synod held Anno 1603. Pag. 546 The Protestant Falsification to perswade that the Canon-Law doth warrant deposition of Kings by the Pope Pag. 447 A Protestant Falsification to perswade that Catholicks may cheat any Excommunicated Persons of their Lawful Debts Pag. 449 Bishop Mortons Falsification to perswade that Catholicks hold it Lawful to Murther and Massacre Protestants Pag. 451 Bishop Morton's Falsification to Assert the Kings Supremacy Pag. 453 Ten Falsifications set down together by Bishop Morton to prove that we hold that Popes cannot be deposed nor be Hereticks Pag. 457 Primate Bramhalls Falsification to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heretical Doctrines Pag. 458 It is prov'd by Reasons and Examples that no Religion is so little dangerous to the Sovereignty and safety of Kings or so Advantagious to the Peace and Prosperity of Subjects as the Roman Catholicks notwithstanding the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy Pag. 459 Protestants cannot clear their Religion from their Doctrin and danger of Deposing Sovereigns and Disposing of their Kingdoms Pag. 470 That Protestants could never prove any of the wilful falsifications wherewith they charge Roman Catholick Writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime wheresoever they Attempted to make good their charge against us Pag. 473 Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of Falsifying the General Council of Chalcedon in favour of the Popes Supremacy Pag. 474 How Protestants are Convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned Heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to clear them of six only fourteen seems they confess do falsifie the Fathers and Catholick Authors about worshipping of Images Pag. 476 Two Pelagian Heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to clear themselves of the One and say nothing of the other Pag. 477 Two Novatian Heresies Imputed to Protestants the one answered with Silence the other with Falsifying Pag. 478. The Manichean Heresie against Freewill Imputed to Protestants and how pittifully Answered by Bishop Morton Pag. 479. How Bishop Morton Answers to Bellarmin's Imputation of Arianisme unto Protestants Pag. 479. How Morton Falsifies and Abuses Bellarmine who Imputes the denyal of Christs Real Presence in the Sacrament to Protestants Pag. 480. Falsifications Objected against Cardinal Baronius by Mr. Sutcliff Pag. 483. Calumnies and Falsifications of Luther Calvin Archbishop Laud and Primate Usher to Discredit Catholick Religion against their own Knowledge and Conscience Pag. 487. Of Calvins Calumnies against Catholicks and their Doctrine Pag. 488 Frauds Falsifications and Calumnies of Primate Usher against the Real Presence and Transubstantiation Pag. 491. Usher's Falsifications against Confession Pag. 492. His Falsifications against Absolution of Sins Pag. 493. Against Purgatory Pag. 494 Against Worshiping Saints and their Reliques Pag. 496 Against Prayer to Saints Pag. 499 Of Archbishop Laud's Frauds and Falsifications HOw unsincerely Bishop Laud would fain Excuse the Modern Greek Heresie concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost Pag. 502 How Bishop Laud Abuses St. Augustine to make Protestants believe that General Councils may Err against Scripture and evident Reason Pag. 504 Vicentius Lirinensis abus'd by Laud to prove the Fallibility of the Church c. Pag. 507 How Bishop Laud falsifies Occham to infringe St. Augustin's Authority concerning the Infallibility of the Church in succeeding Ages as well as in that of the Apostles And is forc'd by his Error to resolve the Prelatick Faith into the Light of Scripture and the private Spirit of Phanaticks which he Paliats under the Name of Grace and thereby Warrants all Rebellions against Church and State Pag. 509 Divers Frauds and Falsifications of Bishop Laud to defend that Protestants are not Schismaticks Pag. 512 Whether it be Piety or Policy to permit the Protestant Clergy of these three Kingdoms to enjoy the Church Revenues for maintaining by such Frauds and Falsifications as hitherto have been alledged the Doctrine of the Church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know false And hâ—re the said Revenues may be Conscientiously apply'd to the Vse and Ease of the People without any danger of Sacriledge or any Disturbance to the Government if a publick Tryal of both Clergies Sincâ—rity be allowed and Liberty of Conscience granted Pag. 521 The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how Advantageous it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands Pag. 534 The King 's Right to France Pag. 544 My Lord of Clarendin's Policy Censur'd by all Wise Men. Pag. 548. Part 4. The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherein it differs from the Protestant confirmed by undenyable Miracles THat such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true Miracles and the Doctrine which they Confirm cannot be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he does not reflect upon them in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith Pag. 553 The Miracle of St. Januarius of Naples Pag. 555 The Famous and undenyable Miracle of St. Francis Xaverius wrought on the Person of Marcello Mastrillo Pag. 556 Antichrist's Miracles are not Credible if compar'd with Ours Pag. 561 Of Visible Miracles seen though not observ'd by every Protestant in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith The difference between true and false Miracles Pag. 562 Of True Miracles related in the Ecclesiastical History by men of greatest Authority in every Age to confirm the particular Mysteries of our Catholick Faith and that sense of Scripture wherein Roman Catholicks differ from Protestants Pag. 566 Of Miracles related by St. Chrysostom St. Gregory Nazianzen c. in Confirmation of Transubstantiation Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion under one Kind and Purgatory Pag. 567 Primate Usher's Falsification to discredit two Miracles Pag. 569 How Protestants falsify and corrupt the very Statutes and Law-Books Pag. 572 Miracles for the Mass. Pag. 573. Miracles for Purgatory Pag. 573 Miracles to Confirm the Worship and Virtue of the Sign of the Cross. Pag. 576 Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick Worship of Images Pag. 581 The Protestant Distinction of Civil and Religious Worship misapply'd by Ministers to delude
r. known p. 296 l. 29 for Sect. 8. r. Sect. 3 4 8. p. 30â— l. 8 omitted not p 302 l. 18 for reverences r. revenues p. 309 l. 31 for reverences r. revenues p. 315 l. 8 for became r. began p. 326 l. 17 for foundeth r. founded p. 327 l. 31 omitted Lutheran Book p. 328 l. 12 for tought r. sought p. 341 l. 23 for Pabam r. Papam p. 355 marg l. 3 for fol. 30 r. fol. 301 p. 156 l. 26 for greer r. geer p. 367 l. marg l. ult for 993 r 789 p. 371 l. 21 for 57 r. 53 p. 377 l. 2 Institiam r. Justitiam p. 378 marg l. 20 for three r. two p. 393 l. 4 for eidoolan r. eidolon p. 393 l. 32 for with r. which p. 396 marg l. 9 for Mat. c. 17. r. Mat. c. 27. p. 396 marg l. 11 12 13. these words Et in Harm in Mat. 26. ver 39. are to Be expung'd p. 407 l. 18 for 1 Thess. r. 2 Thess. p. 417 marg l. 5 for orgilat r. or great p. 424 l. 27 for he r. I p. 425 l. 4 for notice r. Notes p. 430 l. 24 the word and must be expung'd p. 444 l. 8 for restored r. retorted p. 453 l. 5 for report r. detort p. 457 l. 31 for rot r. not p. 458 l. 10 for Pramhalls r. Bramhalls p. 473 l. 9 for ad r. and p. 475 l. 7 for praeras r. praeeras p. 481 marg l. 19 for Figurinis r. Tigurinis p. 482 l. 13 for ad r. and p. 482 marg l. 13 for le r. de p. 495 marg l. 17 thy r. they p. 503 l. 30 for at r. as p. 528 l. 11 r. mentibay nefas in the same line r. hoc for tue p. 508 for 22 r. 32 p. 515 l 10 for our r. your p. 525 l. 21 after return is omitted to p. 540 l. 31 for them r. then p. 549 l. 23 for Anion r. Anjou p. 560 marg l. 6 for Matth 11.12 r. Matth. 11.21 Ibid marg l. 7 for Joan. 10.26 r. Joan 10.25 Ibid marg l. 9 for Joan 2.23 r. Joan 3.2 p. 562 l. 20 for receive r. revive p. 566 l. 5 for this r. thus p. 571 l. 16 at Waldensis omitted cap. 63. n. 6. p 573 marg l. 24 for Moral r. Dialog p. 584 l. 15 for 1664. r. 1604. p. 613 l. 27 for Regal r. Legal pag. ult of the Conclusion l. 8 for Actions 1. Nations A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT FIRST PART Of the beginning progress and principles of Protestancy in general and of the Prelatick Church of England in particular SECT I. Hovv necessary a rational Religion is for a peaceable Government What Religion ought to be judged rational That the truth of mysteries of Faith is more credible then cleere A digression concerning the Notions and Natures of things and in particular of a Body Hovv unreasonable it is to judg of impossibilities in order to Gods omnipotency because they seeme so to our human understandings How dangerous it is for a temporal Soueraign to pretend a spiritual iurisdiction ouer his subjects and how the Catolick world ever acknowledged the Bishop of Rome his spiritual iurisdiction ouer all Christians AMongst our Adversaries discourses against the Roman Catholick Religion the inconsistency therof with the soueraignty and safety of Princes seemeth to be most applauded The Protestant Ministers ceas not to proclaim from pulpit and press that Kings are but Tenants at will to the Pope and that his spiritual iurisdiction depriues them of all temporall power We shall rid I hope protestant Princes of that iealousy when we treat of this point by manifesting the calumny In this part of our Treatise we confine ourselues to matters of fact reserving to dispute of the right herafter And indeed none can frame a true iudgment of this or of any other Controuersy before he be informed of the historical part therof Therfore our method is to set down in the beginning of this work the state and belief of the visible Christian and Catholick Church untill the yeaâ—â— 1517. wherin the world heard first of protestancy afterwards we shall proceed to examin whether the soul and state may be better gouerned by the principles of protestancy then of Popery We doubt not with Gods assistance to retort against our adversaries their own arguments and to proue that as no Religion is a safe way to salvation but ours so likewise not any is so fauorable to the soueraignty of lawfull Magistracy and to the peacebleness of human gouernment as the same Roman Catholik We need not inculcat to States-men how euer so Irreligious that the support of gouernment is Religion and that thâ—ir own Masterpiece is to keep the multitude in awe of the lawes not so much by force of armes an expedient more dangerous then durable as by a religious fear of God and a firm persuasion that Soueraigns are his Vice-gerents and divine prouidence so concerned in the maintenance of their authority and prerogatives that neither can be opposed without infallibility of eternall damnation to the opposers This persuasion must not be the sole work or word of the Soueraigns themselves or of their state Ministers their testimony would be suspected by the subjects as partial it must be grounded upon authority credibly reported to be divin as among Christians the holy Scriptures explained by the ancient tradition and sense of Councels and Fathers which by another name we call the Church or Clergy that is men to whom God hath committed the charg of soules and commanded us to follow their directions in spirituall matters as being Jnterpreters of the divin Law which Soveraigns must observe There could not be an expedient more satisfactory then the institution of such a Church Clergy and spiritual Court of Iudicature For if interpretation of Scripture had bin left to the Soveraign the subjects would mistrust his sincerity in explaining the same if to the lay subjects the Soveraign would be as diffident of their explications Wherfore to avoid differences and disputes God appointed the Clergy for spiritual Iudges as being by their institution less concerned in temporal affaires and therfore presumed to be more conscientious and less partial in their sentences then lay persons and Tradition for the rule wherby they must direct their judgments to the end their doctrin be Apostolical not arbitrary or altered from the primitive but rather all novelties and differences concerning matters of Faith be still suppressed and therby all unlawfull pretensions which both Soveraigns and subjects frequently claim under the pretext of Religion be remedied or prevented for that souveraignty is as apt to degenerat into tyranny as subjection into rebellion if not regulated by a religion that makes it as vnlawfull for lay men to intermeddle with the doctrin of the Church as it is improper for Church men to intrude themselves into matters of state But because neither Soueraigns nor subjects are bound to submit their judgments in matters of
his religious habit though he had left the Monastery sayd Mass and was much tormented in his Conscience for running so desperat a cours as to appeale from the authority of Popes Fathers Councels and Church upon a punctilio of his mistaken honour How often saith he did my trembling hart beat with in me and reprehending me object against me that must strong argument Art thou only wise do so many worlds err were so many ages ignorant what if thou errest and drawest so many into error to be damned with thee eternally c. And again Dost thou O sole man and of no accounpt take upon thee so great matters What if thou being but one offendest Jf God permitt such so many and all to erre why may he not permit thee to erre Hitherto apartaine those arguments the Church the Church the Fathers the Fathers the Councels the Customs the Multituds and greatness of wise men whom do not these clouds and doutes yea these seas of examples ouerwhelm Being thus tormented and tossed between his passion of pride and a perplexity of mind himself relates at larg tom 7. Wittemb edit an 1558. lib. 1. de Missa angu how vpon a certain tyme he was sudainly awaked about midnight and how sathan began his disputation with him saying Harken right learned Doctor Luther Thou knowest thou hast celebrated priuat Mass by the space of 15. years almost euery day what if such Masses were horrible Idolaty c. The deuill speaking thus to me I burst forth all into a sweat and my heart began to tremble and leap voce forti gravi utitur the deuill had a graue and strong voice c. And then I learned how it came to pass that somtyms early in the morning men were found dead in their beds To the Deuill I answered I am an anoynted Priest receaued consecration from a Bishop and did all things by order of my Superiors In these streights and agony I would fain vanquish the Devill with the armes of Popery and did object the intention and faith of the Church c. But Sathan with greater force and vehemency did pursue Go to shew where it is writen teaching Luther to appeale to Scripture alone that a wicked and incredulous man can assist at the Altar of Christ and consecrate in the Churches faith c. If men have taught it without the express word of God it is altogether vntrue But in this sort are you acustomed to do all things in the dark under the name of the Church and so set to sale your owne abominations for Ecclesiastical doctrin c. After this disputation Luther was so well acquainted with the Devill that him self saith tom 2. Germ. Jen. fol. 77. Believe me J know the Devill very weell for now and then he walketh with me in my Chamber When I am among company he doth not trouble me but when he catcheth me alone then he teacheth me my manners And in Conc. Dom. Reminiscere fol. 19. apud Cochlaeum J am troughly acquainted with the Deuill for I haue eaten a bushell of salt in his company Yea confesseth in Colloq Germ. fol. 275.281 that the Devill was his Bed-fellow and lay with him more frequently and â—loser to him then his beloved Kate the Nun. And in litteris ad Electorem Saxoniae he saith The Devill doth so run to and fro trough my brain that J can neither write nor read And in Colloq Germ. fol. 283. brags thus J have a couple of rare Devills who attend and wait vpon me most diligently they are no petty Fiends but great Devills yea great Doctors of Divinity among the rest of the Devills One of these two great Doctors of Divinity continued his disputation thus against Luther Now I urge this that thou didst not consecrat in thy Mass but didst offer and adore only bread and wine and proposedst the same to be adored by others c. The institution of Christ is that other Christians may communicat in the Sacrament but thou art anointed not to distribute the Sacrament but to sacrifice and against Christs institution thou hast vsed the Mass for a Sacrifice c. And that which Christ did ordain for eating and drinking for the whole Church and to be given by the Priest to other Communicants c. of this thou dost make a propitiatory Sacrifice O! abomination aboue all abomination And after that Zealous and learned Devill had thus exclaimed and argued against the Sacrifice of the Mass the authority of the Church Transubstantiation and adoring of the B. Sacrament he reasons also against the intercession and prayer to Saints his words are set down by Luther in the same place thus We Spirits being rejected do not confide in Christs mercy neither do we look upon him as a Mediator or Savior but feare him as a cruell Judg such was thine and all other Papists faith c. Therfore ye did shun from Christ as a cruell Judg to Mary and the Saints and they were Mediators betvveen you and Christ so is Christ deprived of that glory In this disputation the Devill had so good success that Luther was convinced and resolued to become a Protestant and to preach and print not only against the Mass and the other particulars mentioned in his Disputation but upon these words of the Devill So is Christ deprived of glory did Luther ground his opinions against the necessity of good works in favor of Iustification by only faith against merit satisfaction Purgatory c. and maintained these his Diabolical opinions with so great obstinacy and so litle respect to Scripture Church Councells Fathers Princes and Prelats that such parts of Scripture as did not favor the Devills argument he either rejected them as apocrijphal or altered the words and sence in his Translations and Comments against all exemplars and copies either in Greek Hebrew or Latin And all Princes and Prelats that contradicted his errors he vilified in so virulent and villanous terms that none but a soule directed by the Devil could resolve to print them His Bull against all Bishops is full of most vile stuffe as also against the Duke of Brunzuick the Elector of Mentz c. In so much that his owne Scholler Sleidan acknowledgeth his manner of writing to be unworthy Base Scurilous c. In his Book and answer against K. Henry 8. he calls him an envious mad foole babling with much spittle in his mouth more furious then madness it self more doltish then folly it self indued with an impudent and vvhorish face without any one veine of princely bloud in his body a lying sophist a damnable rotten vvorme a Basilisk and progeny of an Adder a lying scurill couered with the title of a King a clounish wit a doltish head most wicked foolish and impudent Henry All this he says tom 2. Wittenberg fol. 333.334.335 fol. 338.334 he saith The King doth not only lye like a most vaine scurre but passeth a most wicked knave
do things of themselues good we know he may but when he doth it is always with an euill design and to the end good things may not be well don but that the manner of doing them may vitiat their goodness This Delrius in the place cited by M. r Morton says and proues by many exemples wherof the Mass is one But M. r Morton wilfully conceals and mistakes the truth of the story for Simon the Monk whom the Deuill endeavored to persuade to say Mass was neither Abbot nor Priest but only Diacon as Delrius sheweth and therfore he answered the Deuill that none ought to say Mass without the order of Priesthood and by his aduice to the contrary he was discouered to bee the Deuill though he appeared like an Angell Without doubt this was a Lutheran Deuill and perhaps the same that dissuaded Luther from the Mass because Luther learnd of him amongst other points of the reformation that lay men and euen women are Priests and may consecrat the Sacrament preach and absolue from sins Hauing sincerely related this matter of fact in Luthers own words and not concealed any thing that any of the most learned Protestants could say to interpret or excuse the same and nothing appearing wherby his instruction in protestancy by the Deuill may be denyed or justifyed I leaue it to the consideration of all wise and Religious persons whether it be policy or piety to promote a Religion whose confessed Author or Apostle is Sathan So long as the generality of a people can be made belieue that Luther did seriously and of set purpose belye himself and discredit his own reformation or that the Deuill is a sincere Interpreter of Scripture and Scripture interpreted by him is the word of God so long I say as these Nations can be made belieue so impossible things without doubt both the protestant Church and state may thriue by protestancy but how long so unlikly a persuasion will continue amongst inquisitiue though ignorant people is vncertain as also the greatness grounded thervpon It hath gained more ground in England then could be expected considering the ingenuity of the Natiues but Q. Elizabeths interest went a great way in the begining of her Reign euery Courtier and countrey gentleman expected by giuing his vote in Parliament for reuiuing the Protestant Religion wherby alone she could pretend to be legitimat her fauor and rewards out of the Church liuings and in her long continued gouernment their Children were made belieue that her Reformation was not the work of Cecil but of Christ And euer since their posterity haue bin confirmed in that opinion by false Translations of Scripture and falsifications of Councells and Fathers as shall herafter appeare It s strang so improbable a persuasion can beare such sway and beat down the Catholick truth But as the Deuill insisted most vpon discrediting the Diuine Sacrifice of the Mass in his Disputation with Luther so the Protestant Clergy striue to make that holy Mystery to be lookt vpon by their flock as a blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit We hope notwithstanding that the English Laiety will reflect upon the occasion of their mistake and consider whether it be not a grieuous sin and great folly to preferr Q. Elizabeths temporal interests which now is turned into dust before that of their souls and Whether any thing can be so vnreasonable as to giue more credit to the Deuill and to Martin Luther and his followers debauch't and dissolute Friars and Priests then to the holy Doctors and Martyrs of Christs Church euer since the Apostles in their acknowledgd writings and in general Councels who call the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisedech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament and that it was offered for the health of the Emperor for the sick upon the Sea and the fruits of the earth for the purging of houses infected with wicked Spirits for the sins of the liuing and dead And this is so undeniable that our learned aduersary Crastoius in his book of the Mass against Belarmin pag. 167. reprehended Origen S. Athanasius S. Ambrose S. Chrysostom S. Augustin S. Gregory the great and venerable Bede for maintaining the Mass to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the liuing and of the dead And if there can be no policy of state as things now stand in the English Monarchy to make Q. Elizabeths legitimacy and supremacy a matter or ground of Faith I am sure it cannot be Christian piety to press and preferr the reformation which she and her faction introduced for that reason of state against the Stewards before the Religion of all the ancient and learned Fathers of the Catholick Church though we had no other exception against it but that all the wit and learning of Protestants cannot make it probable in any degree that the Deuill is not the Author of Protestancy SECT III. Of the principles and propagation of Protestancy LVther after his Conference with the Deuill hauing resolued upon that Foundation of his Reformation which hee had learnt from so godly a Master endeauored to gaine as many Poets Players Painters and Printers as he could to discredit with Scoffing Ballads Pamphlets Poems and Pictures the Roman Religion which untill then had bin caled and esteemed the only Catholick and Apostolick and to divulge his nâ—w Doctrin amongst ignorant and vicious People For encouragement of the dissolute Clergy to ioyn with him he taught against the doctrin and practise of the whole Church euer since the Apostles as shall be demonstrated that Priests and professed Nuns might mary and to giue them good example he took a professed Nun for his owne wife And prevailed with this doctrin more then Iouinian the heretik For this liberty together with his principle of justification by only faith drew from sundry parts of Europe incontinent Clergymen wherof the chief were Caroâ—stadius Archdeacon of Wittemberg Iustus Ionas head of a College of Canon Regulars Oecolampadius a Monk of S. Brigits Order Zuinglius a parish Priest Martin Bucer a Dominican friar Peter Martyr a Canon Regular Bernardin Ochinus a Capuchin and some Augustin Friars of Luthers own Order Each of these hauing taken a wench were engaged in Luthers quarrel against the whole Church But their course of life and the nouelty of their doctrin being dislik't by all men that were not Libertins and not countenanced as yet by any Princes or Prelates it was thought necessary for their own preseruation and propagation of their Ghospell to make it plausible to the giddy multititude whose ignorance they knew to be as capable of incredible impressions as their nature is impatient of
doctrin and therfore resolved to accomodat the doctrin of the Church of England to his humour Hooper and Rogers agreed vpon an ecclesiastical Government inconsistent with Monarchy which was that over every 10. Churches or Parishes in England there should be a learned Superintendent appointed who should have faithful readers vnder him and that all Popish Priests should clean be put out And to draw all publick matters of state and Religion to them-selves they composed a Treatise to prove That it is lawful for any privat man to reason and writ against a wicked Act of Parliament and vngodly Councel c. see Fox pag. 1357. col 1. num 72. And Hoopers prophecy against the Prelatick protestants for not conforming them-selves to his Puritan and Presbiterian disciplin pag 1356. And of his contention with Cranmer and other Prelatick protestants about the oath of Supremacy c. Fox pag. 1366. Both Cranmer and Ridly made apear to the Protector and Councel that Hoopers Presbiterian disciplin was not consistent with the Constitution of Parliaments and the refusal of the oath of Supremacy to be of dangerous consequence in a tyme that Deuenshir Northfolk and many other Shires had taken arms in defence of the Roman Catholick faith It was further considered that so sudain a change from on extreme to an other in matters of religion as it would have bin from ceremonious Popery to plain Preâ—bitery was against the rules of policy therfore seing the people had bin so long accustomed to the Mass and to Ecclesiastical ceremonies it was judg'd expedient to make the vulgar sort believe the chang was not of Religion but of language that the common prayr was the Mass in English that the substance of the Catholick faith was retained in the Prelatick caps copes and surplises and what alteration there seem'd to be was but of things indifferent or petty circumstances and had bin resolved vpon by the King and Parliament more to preserve vniformity then to promote novelty as may be seen by any that wil observe the words of the statuts confirming the common prayr book administration rits ad ceremonies of the Sacrament 2. Ed. 6.1 and the Councels letter to the Bishops recited by Fox pag. 1184. col 1. Whereof long tyme there had bin in this Realm of England divers forms of common prayer And where the Kings Majesty hath hereto fore divers tyms assayed to stay innovations or new rits To the intent that an vniform quiet and godly order should be had concerning the premises hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury should draw and make one convenient and meet order of common Prayer and administration of Sacraments to be vsed in England Wales c. The which at this tyme by the ayde of the holy Ghost with vniform agreement is of them concluded c. in the Statut. But in very deed the whole substance of Catholick Religion was changed and nothing retained but so much therof as seemed necessary to keep the name of Christians and had not bin rejected by most of the ancient condemned hereticks as shal appeare by our obseruations vpon the 39. ensuing articles of Religion of the Church of England SECT V. Of the 39. Articles of the Church of England WHosoever considerâ—â— these 39. Articles of Religion composed by Cranmer and his Divines may easily perceive their drift was rather to humour factions at home and dissenting Protestants abroad to countenance sensuality and grant a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christianity then to instruct men in the doctrin of Christ or to prescribe any certain rule of Faith For their method is to word so the matter of the Articles that where Protestants disagree among themselves every one of the dissenting parties may apply the Text to his own sense In so much that the Presbiterians except not against the doctrins themsel-ves rightly explained that is according to their explanation but against the wording and expressions therof which say they are ambiguous and capable of more senses then one and so may be and are wrested to patronise errors In the mistery of the real presence they speak clearly against it because it was resolved in Parliament That England should be Zuinglian in that point against the Catholick faith of Transsubstantiation Wherfore after Cranmer and the other his Contemporisers had set down in five of their six first Articles the belief of the Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection wherof no Protestants then doubted they dare not declare themselves in the third wheein they speak of Christ descent into Hell whether it was to that of the damned or to a third place for that if they denyed the first they would have offended Calvin Jf they denyed the last they were sure to disoblige some Lutherans that admitted of Lymbus or a third place In the sixt Article they free all men from an obligation of believing any thing that is not read in Scripture or proved therby and make it their ownly rule of faith and themselves the Judges therof wherin they agree with the ancient Hereticks Arians Donatists Eunomians Nestorians c. But for that some Protestant doctrins are expresly reproved by many Parts of Scripture they make those parts Apocrypha because forsooth they were doubted of by some Churches in the primitive tymes And truly if a man will reflect vpon these words of thâ—ir sixt Article We do vnderstand those Canonical Books of the ould and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church he may cleerly see that they believe many parts of the new Testament not to be Canonical Scripture because many parts therof have bin doubted of in the Church before the Canon was determined See after part 2. In the 7. they only declare that Christians are not bound to observe the ceremonial but only the moral law of Moyses In the 8. they tel vs of foure Creeds wherof S. Athanasius his symbol is one are to be believed because they may be proved by Scripture and yet S. Athanasius himself declared in â—he Councel of Nice that the doctrin of his Symbol that is the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation could not be proved by Scripture alone or without Tradition In the 9. and 10. Article they follow the heretick Proclus the Messalians Zuinglius Luther and Calvins doctrin concerning Original sin In the 11. Article they teach with some of the Pseudo-Apostles with Eunomius and with the same Zuinglius Luther and Calvin that men are justified by faith alone See herafter of the justification by only faith how inconsistent with any solicitude or care for good works And in the 12. would faine but in vaine free themselves and their Doctrin from the aspersion of neglecting good works though they maintain them not to be necessary for justification In the 13. Article they say all virtuous moral actions of men â—hat are not in grace have the nature of sin And in the 14. they follow Eunomius Vigilantius
since the Apostles then to take the bare word of Cranmer a man who married and vnmarried K. Henry 8. to as many women as his Majestie lik't or dislik't dissolving the holy Sacrament of Matrimony as often as the King seemed to be weary of a wife a man whose religion was nothing but his conveniency and incontinency and therfore did alter his faith as often as the tyms changed and factions prevailed and sided with every Rebel against his Prince and was so carnaly given that even in Henry 8. days when Priests were not permitted to have wives he kept a wench so constantly that he carried her about in his Visitations Let any Christian I say be judg whether this man together with Ochinus a Jew Bucer an Atheist Peter Martyr so indifferent for any doctrin that he framed his faith at Oxforâ— according to the news from London and the Parliament Diurnals Hooper Rogers and Latimer ambitious and discontented Presbiterians Bâ—le and Coverdale two lewd and runigad friars whether I say these men ought to be believed in this important point of salvation rather then the holy Fathers and Councels who as hath binâ— said hertofore cal the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisadech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament Must the word of Cranmer and his fellows be a sufficient ground for prudent men to believe as an Article of Religion that the doctrin delivered as Catholick by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church are but fables and themselves but a company of Cheats The 32. Article was made by Cranmer and his Camerades to excuse their lewdness legitimat their bastards and make their wenches wives The second Parliament of King Edward 6. had bin so importuned by Apostata Priests and Friars who had coupled themselves with women that their petition having bin rejected by the first Parliament Edward 6. at lengh against the inclination and judgment of both houses they obtained now by meer importunity an Act to take away all positive Laws of man made against the marriage of Priests statut an 2. Edward 6. cap. 21. But then they are told in the very Act that it were not only better for Priests to live chast sole and separat from the company of women c. but that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavour to keep a perpetual chastity and abstinence from the vse of women And 1400. years before that Origen Hom. 23. lib. 8. contra Celsum declared the doctrin even of the Greeck Church in these words Jt is certain the dayly Sacrifice is hindred in them who serve the necessities of mariage therfore it seemeth to me that it appertaineth only to him to offer the dayly Sacrifice who hath vowed himselfe to dayly and perpetual chastity with whomâ—agree the other Fathers S. Jerom in Apologia ad Pamachium cap. 3. desires them who like not of this doctrin not to be angry with him for telling them of it but with the holy Scriptures vvith all Bishops Priests c. vvho know they cannot offer Sacrifice if they vse the Act of mariage and said to Vigilantius c. 1. who in this point also was a Protestant and seemed to confess his owne frailty What do the Churches of the East of Egipt and of the Apostolick Sea vvho receive none but unmarried or continent Priests or if they have vviues they must cease to be Husbands And against Iovinian cap 19. 14. ad Pamachium Apol. cap. 8. Truly thou dost acknowledg that he cannot be a Bishop vvho in that state getts children if he be convicted therof he vvil not be taken for a Husband but condemned as an Adulterer But it seems out Protestant Bishops know the Scripture and the doctrin and disciplin of the primitive Church better then S. Hierom Origen and all the ancient Fathers and Councels both of the East and West Since the King 's most happy restauration they were not content to enjoy their wives and see the legitimacy of their children approved of but in the first Parliament wherin they were permitted to vote as I have bin credibly informed they atâ—empted the house of Lords should declare their spiritual peerage did communicat the same honours and privileges to their Ladys that the law doth give to Baron's wives but seing the house smile at the motion and one of the first Peers begin to rally according to his witty way vpon a subject so proper for his genius one of the Bishops not so much concerned in the suit because he was not married in the name of all the rest waved the pretention by saying there had bin a mistake in the motion Jn the two following articles they would fain prevent diversity of opinions and schisms among the Protestants of the Church of England and gain authority for the Prelats therof and reverence for their ceremonies and censures But this design is frustrated by maintaining the lawfulness of their own revolt and separation from the Church of Rome as also the Roman Catholick fallibility and fal from the true Apostolick Religion without any farther proofe or evidence of so great a fault or frailty then the fancy and privat interpretation of Scripture of some discontented and dissolute persons pretending divine inspirations and illuminations for the same and for their warant to depose their spiritual Superiours and to reform the doctrin of the whole visible Church which reformation they also introduced in so tumultuous and seditious a manner that none who considers the principles practises and circumstances of the chang can prudently commit his soule to the reformers charg or condescend to any spiritual jurisdiction and authority in their Successours For besids that they have nothing to shew for their presumption and intrusion but obscure texts of Scripture interpreted by them selves in a sense contrary to that of the whole visible ancient Church that hath bin confirmed by continual and vndeniable Miracles they can give no assurance or probability of them selves being or continuing in the right way of saluation because if all the Roman Catholick Churches did err in doctrin how can their reformations pretend not to be subject to the same mis-fortun or mistake And if the supposed frailty and fallibility of the Church of Rome be a sufficient cause to question and condemn it's authority how can the Church of England or any other Protestant congregation exact from their Sectaries greater respect and obedience then the first reformers gave to their Roman Superiours Presbiterians Independents Quakers Anabaptists c. pretend to as pure doctrin as Divine a Spirit and as much Scripture against Prelaticks as Prelaticks do against Papists and thinck there is as much reason for them to be Iudges of the truth of
every day rather loose then gain ground and the generality of these Nations can not be wrought vpon either by fair or foul means to thinck wel of that Religion or to submit their Judgments and consciences to the direction of the Bishops and Prelatick ministery The reasons are obvious to such as are not obstinat 1. The incredibility of their pretented spiritual caracter and jurisdiction 2. The incoherency of their doctrin with the fundamental principles of Protestancy Their Episcopal caracter and jurisdiction is as incredible as King Henry 8. spiritual supremacy Queen Elizabeths legitimacy and the validity and solemnity of their first Bishops consecrations They have indeed of late endeavored to excuse the latness of their Masonian Registers discovery and to cleere them from the suspitions of forgery but so faintly and fraudulently that their vindication though pen'd and published by on of the ablest Prelats of their Church hath furnished their adversaries with so many new demonstrations against their Caracter that in steed of a reply the Protestant Bishops have resolued vpon a submission to the evidence of our arguments and changed the controverted and essential part of their forms of Ordination As they endeavored of late to vindicat their Registers from forgery so they long since explained the Queens supremacy but so contrary to the known laws of the land and cleer words of their Oaths both of supremacy and Episcopal homage that neither can bear their fond interpretations and if they could the Bishops would have nothing to shew for their pretended spiritual function and jurisdiction it being manifest they cannot deduce either of them by succession from any Apostolick Church or orthodox Councel and therfor must content them-selves with what they can buy from a lay soveraign and temporal Statuts or acknowledg the truth and confess ingeniously they are but lay-men and have no lawful authority to take vpon them a spiritual function and jurisdiction seing they have no Catholick Predecessours and degenerat from the first Protestant Reformers and are ashamed to claim with Presbiterians and Fanaticks the extravagancy of a privat spirit and extraordinary vocation The incoherency also of the Prelatick doctrin maks these nations averse from the Prelatick Church and Clergy â—n the 39. Articles of Religion they declare with Luther and the first Reformers that no visible sign or ceremony and by consequence no such thing as imposition of Episcopal hands was instituted by Christ or is the necessary matter of a Priest's and Bishop's ordination and yet now of late that visible sign and ceremony is held by them-selves to be so essential that without the same no caracter of Priesthood or Episcopacy is thought to be given to the party ordained and therfor they reordain such Presbiterian Ministers as did neglect or contemn imposition of Episcopal hands 2. They maintain in the same 39. Articles that the Roman Catholick Church hath falen into damnable errors and acknowledg that only such a fal can justify the Protestants separation or excuse them from sin and schism And yet when they are pressed with a consequence that necessarily follows out of this supposition to wit that if the Roman and visible Church had so erred Protestants can have no Christian faith nor certainty of the Scriptur's being God's word or of the Trinity and Incarnation c. which they received and retain vpon the sole Testimony of the Roman Catholick Church having in their own 39. Articles declared the Greeck Church Heretical for the doctrin of the Holy Ghost's procession and therfor it 's testimony even in other Articles is invalid and it's concurrence in those other Articles with the Roman Church is vnsignificant And yet they again contradict them-selves and confess that the Roman Catholick Church is infalible in all articles necessary for saluation 3. The same inconstancy and incoherency they shew in denying that doctrinal Traditions are the word of God or that Tradition it self is a sufficient ground of Divine belief and yet when they are demanded to shew a proof by cleer Scripture of the distinction between single Priesthood and Episcopacy v.g. then they maintain that traditional doctrin is God's word and the testimony of the Roman visisible Church a sufficient evidence therof Their wavering and inconsequent way of proceeding doth manifest to the world that as wel in this as in other particulars of Christian Religion nay even in declaring which are necessary or not necessary points of faith the Prelatick Clergy hath a greater regard to their own conveniency then to God's veracity and to the revenues of â—he Church then to the saluation of souls Otherwise why should they take our Roman Catholick word for Episcopacy and not for the Pop's supremacy for the letter but not for the sence of Scripture for not rebaptising or for receiving relaps'd penitents more then for Purgatory or Transubstantiation or for keeping Sonday and not praying to Saints c. Seeing all these doctrins are equaly proposed to them as Catholick truths by the sole credible testimony and tradition of our one and the same Roman Catholick Church the testimony of the Greeck and all other Churches as hath bin sayd being rendred invalid by the hereticks wherwhith Protestants confess they are infected Some are of opinion that if the more modern Prelaticks had not forsaken their ould way of being ordained Bishops by the Queens letters patents or by some such publick testimony and superficial ceremony of their Congregations without troubling them-selves with the doctrin of the inward caracter given by imposition of Episcopal hands so contrary to the principles of the reformation a broad and to the 23. and 25. of their own 39. Articles at home they had not bin so hard put to it by their Presbiterian Brethrens arguments who stick to the Tenets and Rules of pure and primitive Protestancy detesting those formalities and dregs of Popery which Prelaticks of late have so much affected in ordaining of Ministers Mr. Hooker Dr. Couel and some other Prelaticks in their writings towards the end of Queen Elizabeths reign began to inculcat the doctrin of making Ordination a spiritual caracter imprinted in the soul by imposition of Episcopal hands and not a bare formality of the secular Magistrat's election by some outward ceremony or letters patents as all English Protestants had believed and practised vntil Hooker and Couel broacht this among their other Popish novelties and therfor were publickly blamed and complained of by Prelatick Writers and particularly by Dr. Willet in his worck vpon the 112. Psalm printed 1603. and dedicated to the Queens Majesty page 91. he saith From this fountain have sprung forth these and such other whirlpoints and bubles of new doctrine and amongst others he sets down as a novelty in the Church of England this That there is in ordination given an indelible caracter and then addeth Thus have some bin bould to teach and write who as some Schismaticks the Puritans have disturbed the peace of the Church one
way in externall matters concerning disciplin they have troubled the Church another way in opposing themselves by new quircks and devices to the soundness of doctrin among Protestants And truly to pretend with all reformed Churches that the Pope is Antichrist and the man of sin and at the same time profess as the learned Prelatick writers do in their books that without his caracter of Priesthood there can be no orthodox Clergy or Christian Church are things that do not hang wel togeather neither is it credible that so zealous Protestants as were the first English reformers Cranmer Coverdale Bale c. who strained Scripture in their Translations and made formal abjurations against the caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood which they had received in the Church of Rome or that Parker Jewel Horn c. who received that same doctrin and excluded those caracters by an express Article of their 39. of Religion from the Church of England and from their form of ordination it is not I say credible that these and the like men did maintain in their convocations the late Prelatick contrary doctrin or that they exercised or recorded any such Popish formalities of consecrating Priests and Bishops by imposition of Episcopal hands as M. r Mason pretends he found in Parker's Register at Lambeth as appeareth also to any that wil consider the homely choyce and caling of the primitive Pastors and Preachers of our Prelatick Protestancy objected to themselves in print when they were living and yet could not deny the fact neither did they go about to excuse it not taking it to be a fault D. r Kelison in his survey pag. 373. 374. saith of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizab. time Lay men were taken of which some were base artificers and without any other consecration or ordination then the Prince's or the superintendent 's letters made them Ministers and Bishops with as few ceremonies and less solemnity then they make their Aldermen yea Constables and cryers of the market D. r Stapleton in his Counterblast lib. 4. num 481 saith And wherin I pray you resteth a great part of your new Clergy but in Butchers Cooks Catchpols and Coblers Diers and Dawbers fellows carrying their mark in their hand insteed of a shaven Crown c. Seing therfor our Catholick Arguments convince all disinterest'd persons that weigh them of the absurdity and novelty of Protestancy in general and such as do not take them to be of any weight because themselves are byassed and bent against vs by education or interest must needs take notice if they think seriously of any Religion or of their own Protestant principles that the Prelatick Reformation is but a politick appendix or addition of Q. Elizabeth in pursuance of her Father's passion and by her self resolved vpon more for securing a Crown then saving the soule and therfor containing more mysteries of state then of faith and more regarding conveniencies then conscience as appeareth by the layty of her Clergy by her She-supremacy by the anticipated Royalty of her vnlawful issue in case she would be pleased to own any these things I say being no calumnies of malignant pens or persons but most manifest by her own Articles of Religion and Acts of Parliament can hardly be digested by honest subjects much less settled as Divine truths in Christian souls or carry the face of a pious and plausible Religion even amongst the most silly sort of people Yet far be it from our thoughts to censure with folly or impiety such as suck't with their Nurses milk the poyson of this Prelatick Protestancy no we know they want neither piety nor policy according to their own principles but I hope they wil not be offended if according to ours we do pitty their condition and pray for their conversion we believe their zeale against our catholick Religion proceeds not from malice but mistaks and desire they may likewise believe our intention is only to expel by this antidot the poyson which others have infused into their brains This humble apology and explanation doth not relate to them that made the chang of Religion for preferring Q. Elizabeth and any natural issue of her body to the Crown befor the lawful heires who by God's providence since her death and at this present enioy right nor to any that wil obstinatly maintain such proceedings It is intended for all wel meaning Protestants that believe themselves to be Catholicks and if they be not wish they were and that the true Religion were setled in these Nations But what mervaile is it that privat persons be mistaken in Protestancy when the Royal family of the Stewards against whose title and succession it was introduced and established both in England and Scotland in England by Q. Elizabeth in Scotland by the Bastard Murry are so much in love with that Religion devised for their own ruine So bewitching a thing is education engrafted in good dispositions and so dangerous if not cultivated and corrected by our own more mature reflections when we arrive to years of discretion SECT IX How injurious Protestancy hath bin to the Royal family of the Stewards and how zealous they have bin and are in promoting the same AFter that King Henry 8. had vsurped the Pop's Supremacy and divised certain Articles of Religion he desired his Nephew K. James 5. of Scotland to follow his example which that Catholick Prince refus'd to do King Henry in his last will and Testament confirmed by his Protestant Parliament excluded the Royal family of Scotland from their right and succession to the Crown of England preferring before the Stewards not only his illegitimat daughter Elizabeth but the Grays and all others that descended of the yonger sister Queen Dowager of France and Dutchess of Suffolk King James 5. deceased his wife the Queen Regent of Scotland and his young daughter Queen Mary were so persecuted by the Scotch and English Protestants that the Queen Regent was deposed and Queen Mary was forc't to fly for refuge into France After her return into Scotland the King her Husband was murthered by the Protestants his subjects and the innocent Queen trepan'd by her protestant Bastard Brother to marry Borthvel one of the murtherers with a design to diffame and depose herself from the government which the Bastard had vsurped and had murthered likewise King James 6. an infant but that God prevented his wicked designs by permitting him to be killed by the hand of a Hamilton Other Protestants succeeded the Bastard Murry in the government and though King Iames escaped the dangers and designs they had layd for his life yet they perverted his soule and when he was but 13. months ould Protestancy was set vp in his name his Mother being driven out of her own Kingdom by those Protestants that deposed herself and abused her Son's minority was contrary to the publick faith and privat promises of Queen Elizabeth imprisoned in England her Rebels countenanced and her self at
length most vnworthily murthered by the joynt consent of a Protestant Queen and Parliament and her son and Family excluded from the British Empire in case Queen Elizabeth should have or at least own any natural issue which many suppose was the true cause why she or the Parliament would never declare her Successour King James having bin brought vp in this schoole of affliction attained to more then ordinary wisdom dissembled with his enemies in England and strengthned him-self with as many friends and Allies as he could in foreign Nations to the end he might recouer his right after Queen Elizabeths death which he and the best part of the world every day long'd son He kept faire with France Spain and even with the Pope He succord Tyrone Tirconel and the Jrish Scots in Irland against Queen Elizabeth but vnder hand He corresponded with the Catholick party in England and was civil even to that party that contrived and pressed his Mothers murther By his marriage he obtained the confederacy of Denmarck and the Protestant Princes of Germany for recovering of England Cecil and others of the English Councel observing how prudently this young King had ordered his affairs and prepared him-self for being their Master courted him and vnknown to the Queen gave him dayly intelligence and thought it their best course to fix vpon him for her Successour seing they could hardly keep him out they invited him to the Throne after his enemie's death and he finding that very Protestancy by which his mother and him-self had bin so long excluded from their right and would have bin for ever if Queen Elizabeth had bin as capable as t' is sayd she was desirous of Posterity was deeply rooted in the hearts of most of his English subjects who either did not see he chang or not observe the motives and Mysteries therof King James J say reflecting vpon this inclination of the people to Protestancy conformed him-self vnto that Reformation which had bin setled by law in England discountenanced the Puritans by whose doctrin he had bin persecuted in Scotland and would have tolerated the Catholick if the gun powder Treason wherunto some few discontented and desperat Papists were cunningly drawn by Cecil to make their Religion odious had not blasted our hopes and blotted out of his Majestie 's memory what we had suffered for his Mother and how not only our persons but our principles had bin persecuted for supporting the title of his Family to the British Empire By King James his learned works and discourses it is manifest he had a design to reform the principles of Protestancy and reduce them to some rules of reason and confine that dangerous liberty which they give to every privat Protestant of being supreme Judg in all spiritual Controversies to one certain interpretation of Scripture that might be less prejudicial to Monarchy Monarchs peace and all civil Government then the Protestant arbitrary interpretations have proved hitherto To that purpose he commanded the Bible to be truly translated and those fraudulent and foolish corruptions to be corrected which had bin imposed vpon the people for God's word by Queen Elizabeths Clergy for maintaining her title and securing the revenues of the Church to them selves But his command was not obey'd some falcifications in the ould and new Testament were corrected but very few in respect of what remain and pass now current for true Scripture He declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no hand in the gunpowder treason those few persons excepted which had bin executed He was not afraid to acknowledg that the Pope was the first Bishop of Christendom and Rome the mother Church he suspended the rigor of the sanguinary and penal Statuts commended not apostatised Priests that became Protestants as he said to get wenches and benefices These things he did not out of any inclination to Popery but out of his zeal to Protestancy which he perceived would in a short time become as infamous as it is intolerable to Monarchs in case it's principles were not corrected and brought neerer vnto Catholick Tenets After King Iames his death his son King Charles 1. pursued the Father's design but found by sad experience that the Protestant liberty of interpreting Scripture cannot be restrained to reason by any human industry of the wisest Princes especialy so long as they are guided by a fallible Church that confesseth it's own vncertainty of doctrin King Charles the 1. was persuaded by his Councel and Clergy that the Laws which had bin enacted in favour of the Prelatick fallible Church and doubtful jurisdiction were of sufficient force and authority to contain Protestant subjects in awe and obedience and to stop the cours and consequences of those fundamental and violent principles of their reformation against superiority at the Church of Rom's doore and keep them from passing further or entrenching vpon the Church of England But the mistake soon appeared they who are allowed by the Prelatick principles to rebell against their Roman Superiours vnder the pretence of a Religious interpretation of Scripture and evangelical Reformation could not then nor cannot for the future be contain'd or deterr'd by any authority from rebelling against their Protestant Kings and Bishops vpon the same score whose superiority could not be more authentick then the Roman Catholick And therfor because the King had engaged in the Bishops quarel he drew vpon himself the odium of all Protestants that with the spirit and zeal of Reformation stuck to the fundamental principles of Protestancy which is to contemn all authority both spiritual and temporal which any privat person judges contrary to his own interpretation of Scripture and seeng the Prelatick Church of England doth grant this doctrin was lawful in Luther Calvin Cranmer Parker and other particular persons Churches and States against the Pope and others their then acknowledged spiritual and temporal superiours it will be very difficult to shew why now a Presbiterian or Fanatick Congregation may not as rationally pretend and as lawfully practise the same doctrin as their primitive Protestant Predecessours had don And so in vertue of this fundamental principle of Protestancy was the sacred person of a good King judged and murthered by a rude and wicked multitude without regard to innocency or respect to Soveraignty And by a remarkable revolution of tyms and interests the grandson came to loose his head for vpholding that same Prelatick Religion and Clergy which by Q. Elizabeth had bin rays'd for the destruction of his Grand-mother and the exclusion of his family from the crown Since Christian Soveraigns have reign'd the like Tragedy hath not bin acted many Princes have bin murthered by their Subjects but never by any such formality of Law and a publick Court of Judicature pretending superiority in themselves and Scripture for their rule and warrant Wherfore they that looke into the principles and privileges for the future in so zealous and resolute a people as the English who stand much vpon
so zealous as every Protestant is in ours If any Protestants lived then why did not they speack or write were they all Temporisers and Turn-coats or were they all so blind dumb deaf and dull that not one of them could see heare reprehend or observe practises and ceremonies so erronious obvious and offensive The Protestant evasion or answer to this evident Demonstration is both frivolous and fallacious Their chief Doctors acknowledg they can not tell by whom nor at what time the Popish errors were broacht and say that errors in Religion may creep as insensibly into the Church as a building may decay or white haires grow in man's head as if forsooth all and every Christian of the world and particularly the Pastors and Prelats of the Church were as much concern'd in the observation of every gray hair and head or in the preservation of every building from decay as they are in observing and preserving the purity and integrity of every article of faith and in opposing the least novelty contrary to the same Besids the outward profession and propagation of those points of Popery that Protestants suppose to have crept insensibly into the Church could neither be concealed nor confounded with the contradictory principles and practises of Protestancy as a white hair may be easily confounded and concealed with others that cover or come neer it in colour Moreover the chang from youth and stately buildings into gray hairs and ruinous edifices is wrought insensibly by the hand of time without any perceptible concurrence of any other cause Time wears out and consumeth structure strength youth and beauty whether men gaze or not gaze vpon such gay objects but the planting preaching or inculcating of new doctrin and new ceremonies of Religion are of a quite contrary nature they have not such dependency of time alone they must be effects of attention and observation of discourses and disputs of Sermons and Catechisms they must be also professed and practised in the view of the world Time without these and the like notorious practises and observations can not alter Christian Religion nor induce a contrary superstition Lastly Granted there were no fallacy in the similitude nor disparity in the Comparison the examples are better retorted against Protestancy then applied to Popery for though haires may begin to grow white and buildings to decay without any great notice taken of their chang yet when either coms to the height or even to the mediocrity of their chang that chang is observ'd by as many as have eyes to see and is not only observed but resented and remedied according to their power by them who are most concerned in such decays and defects If then a white head is so easily discern'd from black and a ruin'd edifice from a new Palace and a decay'd face from a beauty by all kind of people that make use of their senses and if so much industry is used by them who are most sensible of those imperfections to hinder their further progress or appearance how is it possible that all or any orthodox Christians being so greatly and particularly concern'd in the purity and truth of their Religion and in the observation of it's rites and Ceremonies could be for many ages so stupid as not to distinguish it's doctrin and profession from the quite contrary or so carless in applying remedies against the grouth and continuance of errors both damnable and discernable Is it not more probable and possible that Martin Luther a man so impious proud and passionat that him-self acknowledgeth he did retain Idolatry in the Church at Wittenbergh to vex his Scholler Carolostadius should to disgrace the Pope and Papists his enemies be seduc'd by his confessed disputation and submission in his diabolical doctrin then that the whole visible Church Fathers and Councels before Luther for at least 1000. years should not only forsake Christ's doctrin but mistake the true sence of Scripture now pretended to be so cleer and manifest to every Protestant That all the world did conspire and concurr to such an apostasy is not credible That they who did not concurr should sit quiet and conive is as vnlikly If no Pastor nor Prelat had the courage to oppose Idolatry and superstition sure some one or other would have had the curiosity to describe the occasion beginning and progress of so great and remarkable a change and would mention if not condemn the stupidity of the whole Church in not opposing doctrin so inconscionable and vnreasonable And yet ther is no Tradition therof nor a syllable in any history sacred or profane of this supposed change in any on point of Popery nor so much as the least sign therof in any monument of antiquity SECT II. The Protestants evasion of the cleerness of Scripture against our Roman doctrin as also of the invisibility of their own Church confuted and the incredibility of the supposed change and Apostasy proved by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant principles THE second evasion of Protestant Writers is that they are not bound to inquire when or wher our Popish errors crept into the Church or became so vniversal but think it sufficient to prove by Scripture that Popery is not Christ's doctrin This shift is no less absurd then the former because they suppose for granted what is denyed and the subject to our disputes The controversy between Protestants and Catholicks is whether the Roman Tenets be contrary to Scripture Protestants say they are and prove it because forsooth Scripture is contrary to the Roman Tenets We deny it and they prove it only by pretending that the letter and sense of Scripture is evident for the Protestant doctrin and by consequence they must say that all Papists for the space of 1500. or at least 1000. years have bin either so witless as not to vnderstand what is evident or so wicked as to contradict evidence and the cleerness of God's written-word and meaning Let any Protestant who hath so much sense as to vnderstand that nothing but the obscurity of Scripture can make it the subject of disputs and occasion diversity of opinions among so honest and learned Christians be judg whether the controversies between us and Lutherans Presbiterians and Prelaticks c. be not a demonstration that the true sense of Scripture is not cleer and evident in the controverted Texts And if the dissent and dissentions amongst honest men and learned Scripturists be an vndeniable proof and evidence of Scriptur's obscurity whether it be not great obstinacy in Protestants to maintain that Popery is evidently condemned in Scripture and that so many thousands of honest and learned Papists could not or would not discover what is cleer to every illiterat Protestant or if they did would not embrace that truth to which their judgments and God's cleer word did direct them Until the year 1517. no man euer pretended the cleerness of Scripture for Protestancy at that time Martin Lather seeing all
were censured in these four first Councels with the Protestant exceptions and objections against the Councel of Trent especily if they wil pervse but the very first leaves of Cardinal Palavicino his confutation of Fr. Paulo Suarez or Servita his history wherin they wil find above tree hundred lyes and calumnies of that Apostata Friar in matter of fact so notorious and vndeniable that our English Prelatick Clergy wil or ought to be ashamed of the Preface they have set before it and of abusing King Iames and his Subjects with such impostures by their extolling so improbable and infamous a Libel Seing therfore the supposed change and fall from primitive Protestancy to popery hath bin from presumption and pride of a privat and censorious judgment against the publick testimony and sense of the visible Church to submission and humility of an obsequious and prudent belief from notorious rebellion against spiritual and temporal superiours to religious and dutifull obedience from gluttony to abstinence from incontinency to chastity from sincerity to flattery from Cloysters and austerity to Sacrilege and liberty from a pretence of faith alone to the Christianity of faith and good works c. It must be concluded that either Protestancy was not the pure and primitive Religion or if it was that the change therof into popery hath bin for the better and by consequence that the first Papist introduced into the world a more sacred and sincere profession then had bin taught by Christ and his Apostles But this being impious and as impossible as it is that men abandoned by God should exceed God's servants in piety or that they should establish and practice more Godly principles and more zealously promote virtue when they fel from God and the way of salvation then when they were in the same it must be granted that Popery is the pure and primitive Religion taught by Christ and his Apostles and that only weak brains or such tender plants as in their infancy received strong impressions of the possibility and existence of an invisible Christian Church vpon earth can fancy an insensible change of it's doctrin profession and ceremonies into so remarkable and different a worship of God as Popery is compared with Protestancy Congregations of Protestants living in the same Provinces Citties and Parishes with Papists and dissenting from them in the outward and oral profession of faith if they did not profess protestancy which they suppose was Christ's faith with the mouth they were dissemblers and could be no part of the true Church in the Canon and sense of Scripture in the administration and number of Sacraments in Rites and Ceremonies in the substance and language of the Liturgy in adoring the B. Sacrament in worshiping of Images in receiving of the Communion c. such Protestant Congregations I say to be invisible and never heard of in 1500. or 1000. years nor observed nor persecuted by the prevailing Papists among whom they lived is not a thing possible or intelligible much less prudently credible We see by experience in these Kingdoms how impossible it is for a Recusant not to be discerned and discovered Papists are known though not convicted Many of them through the mildn'ss and prudence of the government escape the penalties and rigour of the Law but none the observation of their neighbours and very few the menaces of both ecclesiastical and civil Courts The invisibility therfor of the Protestant Church and the insensibility of it's change to Popery is a fitter subject to ground ther-vpon a ridiculous Romance then a religious reformation Perhaps it wil be sayd that Protestants were vntil the last age among the ten tribes as the Jews of whose appearance ther hath bin of late so much talk but we heare not of Protestants among them neither did Luther Zuinglius Cranmer or Calvin pretend that they came from those Israelits or from Terra australis incognita they were born and bred neerer and they brag'd that them-selves were the first Reformers Now to their Scripture SECT III. Protestants mistaken in the Canon of Scripture maintained by the Church of England and by Doctor Cousins Bishop of Duresme OUr second Argument against the probability or possibility of Protestancy being the word or work of God is taken from the Protestants mistake of Scripture and their altering of the Canon And wheras our learned Adversaries do agree with vs in saying that neither the Scripture it-self nor the privat spirit can determin which parts of Scripture are Canonical or holy but confess that this controversy must be decided by the Testimony and authority of the Church and that above 300. years after the Apostles some of their writings were not held by all orthodox Catholicks to be Canonical which now are comprehended in the Canon and admitted as the word of God by many Protestants it foloweth 1. That the Canon of Scripture was not so sufficiently proposed to the whole Church for the three first ages as to make the denial or doubt therof Heresy 2. That the 6. Article of the Prelatick-Religion of England which admitted only such books of Scripture for Canonical of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church is false and the ground therof fallible For as all men vers'd in the Ecclesiastical History wel know and learned Bilson the Protestant Bishop of Winchester doth acknowledg in his survey of Christ's sufferings c. printed 1604. pag. 664. The Scripturs were not fully received in all places no not in Eusebius his time which was above 300. years after the Apostles he saith the Epistles of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of John are contradicted as not written by the Apostles the Epistle to the Hebrews was for a while contradicted c. The Churches of Siria did not receive the second Epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalips c. The like might be sayd for the Churches of Arabia Wil you hence inferr that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolick or that we need not receive them now because they were formerly doubted of This Argument of Bishop Bilson we apply to the Machabees and to the other books declared by the Church of England to be Apocryphal Doctor Cousins writ a book caled a Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture for which him-self and his friends think he wel deserved the Bishoprick of Duresme that he now enjoys in defence of the Prelatick Protestant Canon and of the 6. article of the Church of England And because he tels us in his Preface that men of knowledg pressed him to publish it as a piece that would give more ample satisfaction and cleere the passages in antiquity from the objections that some late Authors in the Roman side bring against Protestants then those other writings of home or foreign Divines have don that are extant in this kind I thought fit to give Protestants a proof of the soundness of
their doctrin and of the sincerity of their Doctor And though it seemeth to me impossible for any man to know what parts of the new Testament the 6. Article and Canon of the Church of England declares Canonical it being so intricatly worded that either it must be non sense or els exclude from the Canon the Epistles of Iames the second of Peter the second and third of John the Epistle of Iude the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Apocalips seing the authority of all and every one of these hath bin doubted of in the Church and the 6. Article of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England is that In the name of the holy Scripture we do vnderstand those Canonical Books of the old and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt of in the Church Though I say it 's impossible for me to comprehend how common sense and Christianity can meet in this Article but that if the words therof signify any thing out of the English Protestant new Testament must be excluded all the aforsaid Epistles and Apocalyps yet leaving this difficulty to the decision of that Church I wil suppose at the present with D. r Cosins that all these Epistles and Apocalyps are included in the English Canon and come to the examination of the Arguments wherby he pretends to defend it He therfor foreseing the impossibility of giving any reason why the parts of the New Testament hertofore doubted of should rather be received by Protestants into their Canon then the Books of the Old Testament no more questioned by the Church of Christ then the aforsaid epistles and the Apocalyps thought to avoyd the force of this pressing parity by flatly denying pag. 5. alibi That ever any intire Church or any National or Provincial Counsel or any multitude of men in their confessions and Catechisms or other such publick writings rejected or doubted of the sayd epistles c. In case so many solemnities had bin requisit for the questioning of Canonical authority which his Lp knows are not necessary It seems his lordship did not peruse Eusebius his works though he quotes them very often or at least did not thinck that the ancient Churches of Syria and Arabia deserve to be called Churches not that the Lutherans of Germany Denmark Suethland c. who stick to Luther's principles and Canon can make one or many Churches It s a gross mistake in the Doctor to say pag. 4. 5. that Luther or his Lutherans recalled or recanted their error concerning the Epistle of St. James he might see the contrary in the very book him-self cites of Chemnitius the famous Lutheran whose authority and words he placeth in his addition of certain Testimonies in the same rank with sentences of St. Augustin and St. Thomas of Aquin c. This Chemnitius in most of his works as in his Enchirid. pag. 63 and in his examin of the Councel of Trent p. 1. pag. 55. 56. declareth his own sense and that of his Church in these words The second Epistle of St. Peter the second and third of John the Epistle of Jude and the Apocalyps of John are Apocryphal as not having sufficient testimony of their authority His lordship might also have bin better informed of Luther's sence and Church by the saying of Illiricus an other pillar and Writer therof whom Mr. Bell in his regiment of the Church pag. 28. termeth a very famous Writer and most worthy defender of the Christian truth his words are Luther in his preface vpon St. Iem's Epistle giveth great reasons why this epistle ought in no case to be accompted for a writing of an Apostolick authority vnto which reasons I think every godly man ought to yeeld Luther's reasons are to be seen in the ancient editions of Jene and are comprehended in these few words of his The Epistle of Iames is contentious swelling dry strawy and vnworthy an Apostolick spirit And because these words and others were omitted in the later editions of Wittemberg by some Divins that would fain reform Luther's Canon Religion and Church the chief Lutheran Doctors mett in a Synod at Altembury complained of their Adversaries corrupting Luther's books and resolved to stick to the ancient editions and to the literal sence of his words So that in case it were true the Canon of Scripture could not be sayd to have bin questioned by any Protestant Congregation whithout declaring their doubt in a publick confession of faith we see the Lutheran doth so as also in their confession of Wittemberg quoted by Belarmin lib. 1. de verb. Dei cap. 7. init which is seconded by all hereticks of these tims saith Belarmin the Calvinist only excepted But the Doctor is so much mistaken in the necessity of such a formality that the Arians were condemned as hereticks notwithstanding that in their publick confessions of faith they endeavored rather to disguise then declare their errors It is wel known that Lutheran Churches in Germany not only do reject from their Canon the Epistles of S. Iames Iude the second of Peter and third of S. Iohn the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Apocalyps but are so obstinat in denying them to be in any wise Canonical Scripture that they do not as much as print them in their Bibles And if my Lord of Duresme thinks that the rigid and moderat Lutherans half Lutherans and other Protestant Congregations wherin are many as learned Ministers and Writers as him-self deserve not the name of a Church he may expect that they wil censure his Church after the same manner and perhaps with as much reason But lett them agree as wel as they can it concerns not vs. Yet I hope he wil not pronounce so severe a Censure against the Greeck and Latin Churches and vn-church both Wherof S. Hierom in epist. ad Dordunum testifieth that the Greeks doubted as much of the Apocalyps against the common consent of the Latins as the Latins did of the Epistle to the Hebrews against the common consent of the Church Seing therfor it is evident by the confession both of ancient Fathers and modern Proâ—estants that in the primitive Church the Canonical Scriptures were not generally received all at once but in so great variety of pretended Scriptures great care and search was requisit to determin which Scriptures were Canonical and which not wherby it came to pass thaâ— sundry books and parts were for a long time misdoubted by some Churches and Fathers and by some Councels omitted or not received which yet afterward vpon greater search and consideration were generally acknowledged it must be very great obstinacy in Doctor Cozins and other Protestants to reject the Canon which the Councel of Trent proposeth and embraceth because forsooth some books therin contained were not as soon believed by all Catholicks to be Canonical as the others Or to deny the authority and authentikness of some books of the old Testament because they were not in
the Canon of the Iews as if the Jews might not doubt and omitt to put some books divinely inspired into the Canon as wel as the primitive Christians or as if the Apostles might not supply that defect and declare some books of the old Testament wherof the generality of the Jews doubted to be Canonical SVBSECT I. Doctor Cozins exceptions and falsifications against the Councel of Trent's authority answered The difference between new definitions and new articles of faith explained THe Protestant obstinacy is not excusable by the exceptions made against the number of Bishops that voted in the Councel of Trent or against the pretended novelty of the Canon which they decreed As to their number the authority of defining matters of faith in a general Councel is no more limited or diminished by the absence of members legaly summoned and long expected then the authority of a lawful Parliament by the absence of many Lords and commons especialy if there be a necessity of applying present remedies to the distempers of Church or Common-weal Doctor Cozins doth confess that the Catholick Church stood in need of a reformation and that the Councel was too much diferr'd and delay'd After they had met at Trent Seing the Bishops were not as many as the Pope and his Legats expected and wished for the greater solemnity of so important a decision as that of the Canon of Scripture whervpon they were to ground their further definitions they put of that session for 8. months and at the end of them hearing that besids those who were at Trent many Bishops were setting forth and others in their Journey they differred the definition of Canonical Scripture for three months more to the end as many as could possibly come might be present If through neglect contempt age infirmity or other accidents wherof the Pope was not in fault many Bishops were absent that could no more prejudice the authority of the Councel at Trent then the like circumstances disanull the authority or make voyd the Acts of our Parliaments But sure the learned Protestant Pastors cannot but smile at the simplicity of their illiterat flocks when they consider the zeale and earnestnes wherwith they except against the smal number of Bishops and their presumption forsooth in the Councel of Trent For the declaring the Canon of Scripture and other Divine truths and yet them-selves accept the Canon of Scripture and doctrin of their own Churches vpon the bare word of one Luther Zuinglius Calvin or vpon the sole authority of the 12. or seven men appointed by Parliament in the reign of Edward 6. Besids our Canon of Scripture was confirmed by the whole Councel of Trent afterwards together with the other points of faith therin defined And though Doctor Cozins pag. 208. tels how the Princes and reformed Churches in Germany England Denmark c. immediatly set forth their Protestations and exceptions against the Councel aleadging that the caling of this Councel by the Pop's authority alone was contrary to the Rights of Kings and the ancient Customs of the Church That he had summond no other persons thither nor intended to admitt any either to debate or give their voice there but such only as had first sworn obedience to him that he took vpon him most injustly to be Judg in his own cause c. Yet it is sufficiently manifested to the world by the very Acts of the Councel that the Pope did nothing but what his Predecessors had don and the Catholick Princes and Church had approved in the like occasions and that though Protestants were not admitted to vote at Trent yet they were not only permitted but invited in a most secure and civil manner by the Councel to reason dispute and debate their controversies and answer for them-selves and their doctrin and this way of proceeding is no more vnreasonable in a general Councel then it is in a Parliament not to permit any to vote therin before he taks an oath of alegiance not to say any thing of the oath of Supremacy and much less to admit of Lords or Commons accused of treason or rebellion to sit in the House vntil they prove their innocency or acknowledg their fault and obtain their pardon by a dutiful submission and profession of repentance And granted that nothing had bin resolved in the Councel of Trent by the Fathers therof but what first was canvass't at Rome by the Pope and Conclave which is false yet we conceive that to be no more against the constitution or freedom of a Councel then it is against the constitution or freedom of a Parliament that no Bill pass vnto an Act vnless it be first signed by the King and approved by his Councel and yet we know that to have bin the constant custom in one of his Majesties Kingdoms since the reign of King Henry 7. As for the Pope or Church of Rome being Judg in their own cause it is a prerogative so absolutly necessary for the authority and govermnent of Magistracy and the quiet and peace of the people governed that no Monarchy or Commonwealth can want it without falling into great inconveniences and confusion A subject t' is true may sue the King but the sentence must be given in the King's Courts and by his authority notwithstanding any objected dependency or parciality of the Judg explaining the laws and customs in favor of his Soveraign And he who would not acquiesce in such a sentence but would needs have the cause decided by a foreign Prince or People is a rebel If this be reasonable and just in temporal Courts and fallible sentences how much more in spiritual controversies and infallible definitions of the Church which definitions of the Church if not acknowledged to be infallible the Church can not have any jurisdiction or authority in matters of faith as not being able to satisfie doubts and setle the inward peace of Christian souls either perplexed in them-selves or in daunger of being perverted by others whether hereticks or pagans neither of which can be indifferent Judges or competent Arbitrators between the Catholick Church and her Children And seing doubts and differences are vnavoidable in both Church and Commonwealth and that there can be no appeale to Infidels or Foreigners without doubt it is more agreable to Scripture to the law of nature and light of reason that Parents and Pastors be Judges in any cause of their Children and inferiors then the contrary or that there be no Judg at all nor jurisdiction either spiritual or temporal But that which Doctor Cozins and all Protestants most press against the judicature of Popes and the councel of Trent is that they do not judg according to Scripture and to the right sense therof wheras Kings and their Judges are regulated by the laws of the land even when the suit is against the King or his pretended prerogative To this we answer that Popes and Councels are as much regulated by Scripture in their definitions
as Kings and their Courts by the laws But Protestants do not observe that as the interpretation of the laws depends not of them who sue the King but of the ancient practise of his Judges and Courts so the interpretation of Scripture must not be made by tâ—em who sue the Pope and Councels but by the Bishop and the Church who ar to explain it not according to every on 's privat fancy as Protestants do but according to the tradition customs and practises of the orthodox Christians in former Ages And by this we free the Roman Catholick Church and the Councel of Trent from the Protestant calumny of novelty of doctrin not only in this particular of the Canon of Scripture but in all it 's other definitions Proâ—estants confound our new Decrees with new doctrin wheras nothing is more cleer then that old doctrin may be defined by a new Decree that is made more publick and authentick The Councel tels them sess 4. that it only declares what Canon of Scripture the primitive Church held and quotes for it divers ancient Faâ—hers and Councels and therfor it 's Decree maks no new Canon of Scripture but is a promulgation of the old which induceth an obligation of believing what formerly had not bin so generaly known because it had not bin so cleerly and solemnly proclaimed Methinks none ought to carp less at the novelty of our definitions then Protestants if they would reflect vpon their own reformations They pretend that their doctrin is not only renewed but revived because forsooth the whole visible Church had lost that purity of the Primitive faith for many ages which they now have restored Roman Catholicks are more moderat and modest as having a better opinion of the Church and of God's providence they confess that the doctrin defended by the Councel of Trent was never extinguished in the Church but that it lived in the harts and profession of many faithful though many others of the same communion did not hold them-selves obliged to believe it as a doctrin of faith vntil it had bin sufficiently and solemnly proponed by the Definition of the Church in a general Councel as Divine That being don no addition or alteration was made of divine faith For new definitions are not new articles of faith but promulgations of the old faith or declarations of our obligation to believe as articles of faith those things which had bin formerly revealed but not so sufficiently proposed to the whole Catholick Church Wherfore articles of Faith not believed before they be decreed by a general Councel may be aptly compared to laws or ordinances before they ar published as the publication or proclamation of a law maks not a law but declares the obligation of complying therwith so the definition of a general Councel maks not the article of faith but declareth the obligation of believing that doctrin which before the publication or proclamation of the Church had not bin sufficiently proposed as Divine revelation To what purpose then did Doctor Cozins trouble him-self and his Readers with composing a book against the Catholick Canon of Scripture declared in the Councel of Trent when all his arguments are but sayings of men who doubted of books and parts of Scripture before they were declared and only because they were not declared Canonical by a general Councel He would fain impose vpon the world that S. Ierom was so much a Jew and so little a Christian as for the Canon of the old Testament to rely altogeather vpon the Hebrew Rabins and that he set a greater value vpon their testimony then vpon the authority of the Church or of the great Councel of Nice which received into the Canon of Scripture the book of Judith though rejected by the Jews His proof of S. Jerom's judgment being the same with that of Protestants in this controversy is that in some places of his writings he says the contested books of the old Testament are not in the Canon of the Jews nor received as Canonical by the Christian Church to which is answered that S. Jerom altered his opinion as appeareth in his prefaces prefixed to the said books which he translated into latin at the instance of the Churches and Bishops that held them to be Canonical to whose belief S. Jerom at length conformed his own judgment In his preface to the Book of Tobie he says Yee desire me to translate a booke from the Caldean language to Latin the book of Tobie which the Hebrews admit not into the Catalogue of Sacred Scriptures J have satisfied your desire c. The Hebrews reprehend vs c. Because we have translated into latin things against their Canon But I judged it better to displease the judgment of Pharisees then disobey the commands of Bishops c. In conformity to this he says in his preface of Iudith With the Hebrews the book of Iudith is read amongst the Agiographa the authority wherof is judged less fit to decide controversie c. But because the Nicen Synod is read to have computed this book in the number of holy Scripturs J have acquiesced or complyed with your demand Out of which words it is manifest 1. That St. Jerom was not of the same opinion with the Iews concerning these books because he says he displeased or offended their judgment by his translation as a thing against their Canon which would not have â—in vnless his intention in translating and judgment were known to favour the belief of the Bishops and Christians that held them to be Canonical for the translating them only as pious books could not be offensive to the Iews who acknowledged them for such as Cozins with Chemnitius and all Protestants confess though pag. 82. he contradicts him-self having no other shift left to prove St. Ierom a Iew in this particular And his words of the book of Iudith demonstrat that he opposed the authority of the Nicen Councel against the opinion of the Iews to prove that book Canonical and fit to determin controversies of Religion and in case we should grant he doubted whether the Councel numbred it in the Canon yet non can doubt but that he believed the Councel had authority to declare it Canonical which is the point disputed of But Doctor Cozins would willingly make us believe by a notorious fraud and imposture that Cardinal Belarmin doth not only acknowledg St. Ierom to have persisted still in his former opinion of excluding these controverted books from the Canon but also that the Councel of Nice never received that of Iudith into it and to that purpose pag. 45. quotes Belarmin's words de verbo Dei lib. 1. c. 10. vlt. thus Admitto Hieronymum in ea fuisse opinione quia nondum generale Concilium de his libris aliquid statuerat These words the honest Protestant Bishop of Duresme setts down in capital letters and with them concluds Cardinal Belarmin's sentence and sense concerning Hierom's opinion of the book of Iudith and
of the Councel of Nice and most vnconscionably cuts of the words immediatly following where Belarmin says the quite contrary of what Cozins imposed vpon his Readers to make good his English Canon of Scripture The words immediatly following are Excepto libro Iudith quem etiam Hieronimus postea recepit Except the booke of Iudith which also Hierom afterwards received as Canonical So that where Cozins says Belarmin confesseth that S. Hierom sayd the Councel of Nice declared not the book of Iudith Canonical Belarmin in that very place says the quite contrary And in the same page cap. 12. Belarmin proves by S. Hieroms testimony and words that the book of Iudith was declared Canonical in the highest degree by the Nicen Councel It were to be wished that Ecclesiastical promotions had bin better bestowed then upon 139 men whose labour and learning 〈◊〉 altogeather employed in seducing souls concealing the truth of Religion from their flocks and corrupting the writings of the ancient Fathers and modern Doctors of the Church for no other reason but because they speak so cleerly against the Protestant Doctrine of these times wherby our Prelatick Ministers are maintained vsurping vast revenues from the Crown and come to the greatest preferments both of Church and State I have not seen any one Protestant Writer free from this fault 't is strange that after so manifest and manifould discoverys as have bin made of Mortons Andrews Fox Sutclif Jewell Barlow Whitaker Willet Vsher Lauds and others falsifications frauds and labyrinths there should be men yet found to follow their examples and much more to be wondred that they should thrive by a trade so base vnconscionable and distructive notwithstanding so manifest and frequent discoveries of their impostures As to this work of Doctor Cosins it may be properly called a Cosenage independently of an allusion to his name had not his book bin sufficiently confuted by the absurdity of his fundamental principles denying that the Apostles or Christian Church could declare any book of the old Testament Canonical which the Iews omitted or rejected and affirming that no parts of the New Testament were ever questioned by any Church ancient or modern I should set down many more of his willful falsifications and weake evasions but that labour being rendred superfluous by the incoherency of his own doctrin and by the inconsistency of his principles with including in that Canon of Scripture which he vndertakes to defend the epistles above mentioned of Peter Iohn Paul and Iude and the Apocalyps for it is evident by the quoted testimonies both of ancient Fathers and learned Protestants that these epistles of Iohn Iude Peter and Paul as also the Apocalyps were doubted of by many Christian Churches for three or foure ages I do not think fitt to trouble the Reader nor my self with a more particular confutation of this rather fantastical then Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture fantastical J say because he fancies to him-self that the authority and sayings of men who writ before this controversy had bin decided by a general Councel and at the same time professed a faith which obliged them so submit ther writings and judgments to the decrees of Councels can be of any force against that general Councel by which the contrary was decided and they would have bin guided by if they had bin now living as St. Austin saith of St. Cyprian in a point of doctrine which was determined by a general Councel against the holy Martyrs opinion long after his death Whosoever can take delight in seing the pittifull shifts and sleights wherby interested writers endeavour to blind mens eyes and vnderstandings let him peruse this book of Doctor Cozins and he will find more sport in observing how he tosses and turns the sayings of the Fathers against them-selves then could be wished in so serious a subject When the Fathers call the books of Macabees Tobie Judith c. sacred and Divine Scripture Canonical Scripture prophetical writings of Divine authority c. Holy inspirations revelations c. he tels you pag. 93. alibi passim all this must be understood in a large and popular sence though the contrary may appeare to any vnbyass'd judgment that will read the words by him cited pag. 92. alibi in the Authors themselves as for example let any one observe how Doctor Cozins mingles and mangles S. Austin's words concerning the controverted books of the Machabees and afterwards see what the St. him-self says he will â—â—rce believe the words are the same and may swear the sense is not For S. Austin lib. 2. de doctr Christ. cap. 8. sets down as his own sense the same Canon of Scripture which the Councel of Trent accepts and confirmeth and he subscribed unto in the third Councel of Carthage And because he knew that this Canon had not bin defined by a general Councel and therfore many Churches and Fathers doubted of some books which he and the 3. Councel of Carthage held for Canonical he gives some instructions how they who do not follow his Canon shall proceed vntill they be more fully informed or the matter decided and these instructions which he sets down for others who doubted and differ'd in opinion from him Doctor Cozins wilfully mistakes and misapplies to St. Austin him-self as if he could be ignorant of his own belief of the Canon He is also troubled that St. Austin doth favour so much the doctrine of Purgatory and the authority of the Catholick Church in declaring books of the Old Testament to be Canonical which were rejected by the Iews as to say lib. 18. de Civit. Dei c. 36. That the books of the Machabees are accompted Canonical by the Church although not by the Jews To weaken this testimony he brings an other that strengthens it and quotes St. Austin's words Ep. 61. ad Dulcitium wherin confuting the error of the Circomcellions who to cloake their self-homicides with text and examples of Scripture excused that doctrin with the examples of Eleazarus and Razias related in the Machabees which pretext St. Austin largly confutes not only in his epistle ad Dulcit but in his 2. book against the epistle of Gaudent cap. 23. not by deminishing the Canonical authority of the books of the Machabees as Doctor Cozins falsly imposeth vpon his Readers pag. 108. seq but by declaring how the Scripture doth indeed relate yet not commend the self-homicide of Eleazarus and Râ—zias nor canonize them Martyrs or propose their deaths to be imitated though it cannot be denyed but that they shew'd great worldly courage and contempt of life Did Doctor Cozins imagin that Dulcitius Gaudentius and other learned Circumcellions were such Coxcombs as to prove their Religion by Scripture and then to quote for Scripture a book which their Adversaries admitted not at least for so Canonical as that controversies of Religion could be therby decided or doth he think that St. Austin would not have put them in
mind of that folly in very cleer termes and excuse farther disputes by telling them plainly and without going about the bush that the Machabees was not Canonical Scripture nor fit to be quoted in matters of Religious controversies But the Doctor argues pag. 110. that St. Austin tells Gaudentius the Christian Church receiveth those books not vnprofitably if they be discreetly or soberly read or heard what then All discreet and sober men say the same not only of the books of the Machabees but of all the other books and parts of Scripture and St. Peter sayth the same in substance of St. Paul's epistles Will the Doctor conclude from thense that St. Paul's epistles are not Canonical Scripture because men may read them indiscreetly and deprave them to their own damnation Or that there is no Scripture at all because he himself or some of his Bishoprick of Duresme do not read the Bible with sobriety and discretion these words of St. Austin in the Doctor 's judgment pag. 108. are so cleerly against the Canonical authority of the Machabees that he says Cardinal Belarmin layd his thumb vpon them and durst not relate them I am sure he pointed at them with his Pen and directed all the world to see and examin them by his quoting the book and Chapter where they are as my Lord of Duresme him-self confesseth in the margent neither could Belarmin Peron or any oâ—her Catholick Writer observe any disadvantage to their cause in those following words of S. Austin Which Doctor Cozins pretends to be so notoriously prejudicial Recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter c. The Machabees is received by the Church for holy Scripture not vnprofitably if it be soberly read or heard That is sayth Doctor Cozins pag. 110. As St. Augustin els wher expoundeth him-self but where Doctor Cozins doth not because he cannot tell If those things that we read there be conferred with the sacred and Canonical Scriptures that whatsoever is therevnto agreeable may be approved and what is otherwise may be rejected According to this acute explanation which Doctor Cozins falsly fathers vpon S. Austin the most profane books and Romances Esop's Fables and Don Quixote may be received by the Church for holy Scripture as well as the Machabees if those things that we read therin be conferr'd with the sacred and Canonical Scriptures and whatsoever is thervnto agreable be approved and what is otherwise be rejected It were too tedious to note all Doctor Cozins his mistakes Let these few serve to know by what a pillar the English Canon and Church is supported SECT IV. Protestants so grossly mistaken in their letter and Translations of the Scriptures that they can not have any certainty of faith and are forc't at length by their principles to question the truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical books therof THe holy Scriptures were writen by the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists either in Hebrew Greeck or Latin the old Testament excepting some few parts writen in Chaldaick and Syriack was writen in Hebrew the new Testament for the greatest part in Greeck S. Mathew's Ghospel in Hebrew S. Marck's in Latin We have not the original writings of these Prophets and Apostles nor of the 70. Interpreters who translated the old Testament into Greek some 300. years before the comming of Christ we have only Copies for the truth and exactness wherof we must rely vpon the testimony and tradition of the Church which in so important a point God would never permit to err at least it must have bin so infallible therin as that the Copy be sufficiently authentick to be a rule of deciding controversies of faith and of directing men to holiness of life though perhaps no copy is so exact but therin may remain some erratas of the press and pen yet easily discoverable by it's coherency or incoherency with other parts of the Text. Notwithstanding the necessity of admitting some true and authentick copy of Scripture for what can it availe a Christian to believe that Scripture is the word of God if he be vncertain which copy or Translation is true and authentick Scripture Protestants pretend there is no authentick copy of Scripture in the world as may be seen in the preface of the Tigurin edition of the Bible and in all their books of Controversy seing therin they condemn the Councel of Trent for declaring that the old Latin Translation is authentick and yet themselves name no other for authentick and therfore though the Lutherans fancy Luther's Translation the Calvinists that of Geneva the Zuinglians that of Zuinglius the English some times one somtimes an other yet because they do not hold any one to be infallibly authentick it followeth from their exceptions against the infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in declaring or decreeing a true and authentick copy of Scripture and their confession of the vncertainty of their own translations that they have no certainty of Scripture nor even of faith which they ground vpon Scripture alone Most of the old Testament as it is in the vulgar Latin Translation which the Councel of Trent declares to be authentick was â—ranslated out of Hebrew by St. Hierom and the new Testament had bin before his time translated out of Greek but was by him revewed and such faults as had crept in through negligence of the Transcribers were corrected You constraine me sayth he to make a new work of an old that I after so many copies of the Scripture dispersed through the world should sit as a certain Iudg and determin which of them agree with the true Greek and in this Cathalogue he saith Novum Testamentum graecae fidei reddidi vetus juxta haebraicum transtuli The antiquity and sincerity of the first Interpreter and the great Commendations therof to be seene in St. Austin de Civit. Dei lib. 18. c. 43. Non defuit temporibus nostris Presbiter Hieronymus homo doctissimus omnium trium linguarum peritissimus qui non è Graeco sed ex Haebraeo in Latinum eloquium easdem Scripturas converterit Cujus tamen litterarum laborem Judaei fatentur esse veracem And lib. 2. doct Christi cap. 15. togeather with the eminent Sanctity and learning of S. Hierom forceth our Adversarie Bâ—eza to confess Annotationibus in caput 1. Luc. That the old Interpreter seemeth to have interpreted the holy books with marveilous sincerity and Religion and in praefat novi Testam The vulgar edition I do for the most part embrace and preferr before all others Carolus Molinaeus in nov Testam part 30. I can very hardly depart from the vulgar and accustomed reading which in Luc. 17. he professeth to preferr before Erasmus Bucer Bullinger Brentius the Tigurin Translation and even before Iohn Calvins and all others Doctor Humfrey de ratione interpret l. 1. pag. 74. The old Interpreter seemeth to be much addicted to the propriety of the words and truly with too much
anxiety which I attribute more to Religion then ignorance See also Pelicanus a learned Protestant writer his great prayses of the Translation of the Psalmes in the vulgar Latin edition in praef in Psalterium an 1584. See also Doctor Covell acknowledging in his answer to Burges pag. 94. The antiquity of the vulgar translation to be so great that it was used in the Church a thousand three hundred years agone and concluding pag. 91. That the most approved Translation authorised by the Church of England is that which cometh neerest to the vulgar and is commonly called the Bishops Bible And Doctor Whitaker in his answer to Mr. Reynolds pag. 141. was pleased to moderat his former rayling against our vulgar Translation revewed by St. Hierom at the request of St. Damasus Bishop of Rome saying St. Hierom J reverence Damasus I commend and the work I confess to be Godly and profitable to the Church The reason that moved the Protestants not to accept or acquiesce in our vulgar Latin Translation so much commended by them-selves and the ancient Fathers is because they would have as much liberty to reject the true letter as the true sence of Scripture their new doctrins being condemned by both For had they granted that any one ancient Translation is authentik how could Luther have had the impudence to thrust into the Text the word alone to assert his justification by only faith Rom. 3.28 or how could he omitt 2. Petr. 1. where it is sayd wherfore brethren labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation this particle by good works How could Zuinglius have translated for this is my body this signifies my Body to maintain his figurative signification of the words and cry down Christ's real presence in the B. Sacrament And so of all other Protestants Translations wherof every one hath words added and omitted in the Text which cannot be justified or excused by any ancient copy of Scripture extant in any language whatsoever No mervaile therfore if the Lutherans reject the Calvinists Translation and the Calvinists that of Lutherans the TransTranslation Translation of the Divines of Basile is reproved by Beza who says respon ad defens Cast. that it is in many places wicked and altogeather differing from the mind of the holy Ghost And Molinaeus in Testam part 20.30 c. saith of Beza that in his Translation he actualy changed the Text and of Calvin in Translation Testam nov fol. 110. That he maketh the Text of the Ghospel to leap up and down and that he vseth violence to the letter of the Ghospel and besids this addeth to the Text. As for the English Translation we have King James his true censure in the sume of the conference before his Majesty pag. 46. that he could never yet see a Bible well translated into English His Royall judgment is confirmed by Mr. Carlile of Christ's dessent into Hell pag. 116. where he says of the English Translators that they have depraved the sence obscured the truth and deceived the ignorant that in many places they do detort the Scripturs from the right sence c. The Ministers of Lincoln Diocess in their abridgment of a book delivered to his Majesty the first of December pag. 11. seq say that the English Translation taketh away from the Text addeth to the text and that somtyms to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost Also Mr. Burgâ—s in his Apology sect 6. saiâ—h how shal I approve vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions many additions being somtyms sensless somtyms contrary Other precise and learned Protestants in a Treatise intituled A petition directed to his most excellent Majesty c. pag. 76. say Our Translation of the Psalmes comprised in our book of common prayer doth in addition subtraction and alteration differ from the truth of the Hebrew in 200. places at least And make this the ground of their scruple to make vse of the common prayer And these corruptions are so vndenyable that Dr. Whitaker hath nothing to answer to Dr. Reynolds pag. 255. who objected them against the Church of England but these words What Mr. Carlile with some others hath writen against some places translated in our Bibles maketh nothing to the purpose I have not sayd otherwise but that some things may be amended These corruptions in the English Protestant Bibles are so many and so notorious that Doctor Gregory Martin composed a whole book of them and therin discovers the frauds wherby the Translators pretend to excuse them somtyms they recurred to the Hebrew Text and when that spoke against their new doctrin and translation then to the Greeck when that favoured them not to some copy acknowledged by them-selves to be corrupted and of no credit and when that no copy at all could be found out to cloke their corruptions the book or Chapter of Scripture that contradicts them is declared Apocryphal and when that cannot be made probable they fall down right upon the Prophets and Apostles that writ them and say they might and did err even after the comming of the holy Ghost This is not only Luther's shift all Protestants follow their first reformer in this point having the same necessity imposed vpon them by their own reformations and translations so contrary to the known letter of Scripture Luther being told by Zuinglius tom 2. ad Luther l. de Sacram. pag. 412. seq Thou dost corrupt the word of God thou art seen to be a manifest and common corrupter and perverter of the holy Scriptures how much are we ashamed of thee who have hitherto esteemed thee beyond all measure and now prove thee to be such a man Luther knowing all this to be true had no way left to defend his impiety but by impudency preferring him-self and his own Spirit before that of them who writ the holy Scriptures therfore tom 5. Wittemberg an 1554. fol. 290. in ep ad Galat. cap. 1. after the English Translation fol. 33. 34 he saith Be it that the Church Austin and other Doctors also Peter Paul yea an Angel from heaven teach otherwise yet is my doctrin such as setteth forth God's only glory c. Peter the chief of the Apostles did live and teach extra verbum Dei besides the word of God and against St. James his mentioning the Sacrament of Extreme Unction de Capti Babyl cap. de extrem vnct in tom 2. Wittemberg fol. 86. But though this were the epistle of James I would answer that it is not lawful for an Apostle by his authority to institute a Sacrament this apertaineth to Christ alone As though thas blessed Apostle would publish a Sacrament without warant from Christ. See also what he says of Moyses his writings tom 3. Wittemberg in Psalm 45. fol. 432. 422. tom 3. Germ. fol. 40.41 in Colloq mensal Germ. fol. 152. 153. The Century Writers of Magdeburg follow this doctrin of Luther
Centur. 1. l. 2. cap. 10. col 580. and particularly accuse St. Paul of error by the persuasion of St. Iames. Brentius also whom Bishop Ievel in his defence of the Church of England pag. 473. termeth a grave and learned Father affirmeth in Apol. Confess cap. de Concil pag. 900. that St. Peter chief of the Apostles and also Barnabas after the holy Ghost received togeather with the Church of Ierusalem erred Though Lutherans and Calvinists differ extreamly in many points of doctrin yet in this of fallibility of the Apostles in faith and manners even after the receiving of the holy Ghost they fully agree Calvin him-self in his Comentary in omnes Pauli epistolas in Gallat c. 2. vers 14. pag. 612. reprehendeth Peter Barnabas and others and pag. 150. says that Peter added to the schism of the Church the indangering of Christian liberty and the ouer-throw of the grace of Christ See him also in Act. c. 21. Clebitius a learned Calvinist in his Victoria veritatis argum 5. impugneth St. Lukes report in the history of our Sauiours passion saying Matthew and Mark deliver the contrary therfore Mathaeo Marco duobus testibus plus adhiberi debet quam uni Lucae qui Synaxi non interfuit quemadmodum Mathaeus To Mathew and Mark being two witnesses more credit is to be given then to one Luke And Gualter in Act. 21. reproveth St. Paul's shaving of his head And other Calvinists mentioned in Zanchius his epistle ad misc sayd If Paul should come to Geneva and preach the same houre that Calvin did I would leave Paul and heare Calvin And Lavaterus in his historia Sacramentaria pag. 18. affirmeth that some of Luther's followers not the meanest among their Doctors sayd they had rather doubt of St. Paul's doctrin theâ— of the doctrin of Luther or of the confession of Augusta This desperat shift being so necessary for waranting their corruptions of Scripture and maintaining the fallibility of the Church in succeeding ages for the same reasons which conclude it infallible in the Apostles time are applicable to ours and to every former century other-wise it must be sayd that God's providence and promises were limited to few years and him-self so partial that he regardeth not the necessities of his Church nor the saluation of any person that lived after his Disciples this impiety could not be rejected by the Prelatick Church of England without contradicting their brethren abroad and their own principles at home Therfore B. Iewel in his defence of the Apology for the Prelatick Church of England pag. 361. doth affirm that St. Mark mistook Abracher for Abimelech and St. Matthew Hieremias for Zacharias And Mr. Fulck against the Remish Testament in Galat. 2. fol. 322. chargeth Peter with error of ignorance and against the Ghospell and Doctor Goade in his Tower disputation with Campion the second days conference arg 6. affirmeth that St. Peter did err in faith and that after the sending down of the holy Ghost vpon them And Whitaker de Eccl. cont Belarmin Controv. 2. q. 4. pag. 223. saith Jt is evident that even after Christ's Ascension and the Holy Ghost's descending vpon the Apostles the whole Church not only the common â—ort of Christians but also even the Apostles them-selves erred in the vocation of the Gentills c. yea Peter also erred he further more also erred in manners c. And these were great errors and yet we see these to have bin in the Apostles even after the Holy Ghost descending vpon them And truly if the Apostles were not only fallible but did teach errors in manners and matters of faith after the holy Ghost descending vpon them their writings can be no infallible Rule to direct men to saluation which conclusion is so immediatly and cleerly deduced from this Protestant doctrin that the supposal and premises once granted their can be no certainty in Scripture and indeed this all the Reformers aymed at though durst not say it yet they did as well and sufficiently declare what litle esteem they have for Scripture though they make their ignorant flocks believe they teach them nothing but true Scripture and the infallible word of God SVBSECT I. Particular instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible THough it may seem superfluous to specify any corruptions of the English Translators of Scripture after so cleer testimonies and confessions drawn from men of their own party yet to excite a conscience or at least curiosity in the Protestant Reader of examining further this matter I will mention a few of many which he may find both in Doctor Gregory Martins book of this subject and in the Remish Testament To maintain by Scripture that Popery is or at least savoreth Idolatry by worshiping of Images whersoever the Scripture speaks of Jdols they translate Images as 1. Jhon 4.21 My babes keep your selves from Images And how agreeth the temple of God with Jmages And be not worshipers of Images as some of them c. And 2. Paralip 36. vers 8. they added to the Text words that are not in the Greek Hebrew Latin or any copy however so corrupted The rest of the acts of Ioakim and the rest of the abominations which he did and the carved Images that were layd to his charge behold they are written c. These words carved Images layd to his charge are added by the Protestant Translators and not to be found in any copy or Text of Scripture in the whole world And though for meere shame in some later editions this impiety hath bin corrected and Jdols not Jmages put into the Text yet to make the illiterat sort of people believe that they are the same thing Image is put in the margent and in some places left vncorrected The first Protestant Bishops in Queen Elizabeths reign not being able to prevaile with the deposed Catholick Bishops to consecrat them as Scripture commands by imposition of Episcopal hands and therfore relying for their Caracter vpon the letters patents supremacy and election of the Queen translated the Greek word Kerotonia which S. Hierom and all the Ecclesiastical writers before and after him translate Ordination by imposition of hands they to make good I say their want of such an Ordination by words of Scripture in the Bible which then they set forth translated the said Greeck word Ordination by Election but their Successours who of late pretend to a more lawfull caracter then ever their Ordainers durst profess to have had received or them-selves can make good corrected this translation and restored into the text Ordination by imposition of hands To assert mariage of Priests when St. Paul says Have we not power to lead about a woman they translate insteed of woman wife but when he says in the same epistle and vseth the same word It is good for a man not to touch a woman then they translate not wife but woman To cry down the Sacrifice of the Mass they translate Temple or Table for
Altar elder for Priest To discredit the worship and honour of Saints they corrupt the words of the Psalm 138. Thy friends O God are become exceeding honorable their Princedom is exceedingly strengthned thus How deere are thy Councells or thoughts to me o God How great is the su'me of them To condemn vows of Chastity as impossible to be performed they translate Matthew 19. v. 11. All men do not receive this saying thus All men cannot receive this saying To assert the Supremacy in King Henry 8. and Edward 6. days they translated thus submitt your-selves c. vnto the King as chief head 1. Peter 2. But in Queen Elizabeths reign because she did not think the title of head of the Church so proper for one of her sex they altered their Scripture and translated To the King as having preheminency or as superiour But when King James obtained the Crown and seemed to affect much the supremacy then Scripture spoke according to his humour to the King as supreme To excuse many of their corruptions and falls Translations Doctor Whitaker writ a book wherin he endeavored to shew that some Greek and Hebrew words might be taken in that sense which the English Translators gave them but he never could prove that the profane and Poetical signification wherunto the Translators and he had applyed them could make sense in holy scripture nor be accommodated to ecclesiastical disciplin and Divine doctrin And therfore Doctor Reynolds in his reprehensions of Whitaker's works proves the absurdity of his defence and of the English Translations by this example Suppose saith he that a yong spruce Minister should step into the pulpit and exhort his Parish to prepare them-selves for the holy Communion and the Anabaptists for baptism according to the stile and phrase of the English Protestant scripture wherin Priest is caled elder Church Synagogue holy ghost holy wind Lord Baal Master raine Baptism washing soule carcas Because they had rather bury Christ's soul with his body or deny that he had a soule then confess it went to Limbus Patrum and therfore they also translate Hell grave Sacrament secret Beelzebub lord of afly Angells Messengers The Minister therfore who according to the proper and ecclesiasticall sense of these words might have spoken sense thus I that am your Priest placed in this Church by the holy Ghost for the feeding of your soules do denounce vnto you in the name of Christ our lord and Master that vnless your soules be regenerated by Baptism and prepared for the Sacrament of the Altar you shall be condemned body and soule into hell and your portion shall be with the Devills I say with Beelzebub and his Angels the yong Minister I say in steed of this godly exhortation which might move the Audience to devotion must in his own scriptural language move the parish to laughter thus I that am your elder placed in this synagogue by the holy wind to the feeding of your Carcasses do pronounce vnto you in the name of the anointed our Baal and raine that vnless your Carcasses be regenerated by washing and prepared for the secret of the Table you shall be condemned body and carcass to the grave and your portion shall be with the slanderers I say with the lord of a fly and his Messengers Let none therfore admire if Doctor Gregory Martin so celebrated for his knowledg in the Hebrew and Greek tongues which he taught in Oxford should conclude his Treatie of the English corruptions of scripture with this zealous reprehention of the Protestant Clergy of his Nation Are not your scholars think you much bound vnto you for giving them in steed of God's blessed word and holy scripture such translations Heretical Judaical profane false negligent fantastical new naughty monstrous God open their eyes to see and mollify your hearts to repent of all your falshood and treachery both that which is manifestly convinced against you and can not be denyed as also that which may by some shew of answer be shifted of in the sight of the ignorant but in your consciences is as manifest as the other For my part J will not say much to the Protestant Clergy with any great hopes of their conversion there must by more of Divine inspiration then of human persuasion in bringing men to acknowledg corruptions so abominable in themselves so advantagious to the Contrivers Continuers an Connivers and so much applauded by the poore souls that are seduced My rhetorick is not sufficient to persuade bloud and flesh to recounce the Peerage and profit of their Bishopricks and Benefices and reduce them-selves their wives and Children to their former despicable condition and then either to beg their bread or rely for a lively-hood vpon the charity of those whom they had deceived by their doctrine or disobliged by their censures To attempt so difficult an enterprise would argue as much vanity in me as it doth folly in lay Protestants that thinck them-selves safe in conscience and sufficiently informed of the way of saluation by asking a Protestant Bishop or Minister whether he be a Cheat or which is the same thing whether the doctrine wherby alone he can live and hope to thrive in this world be not sufficient to save the soule Few men will confess their guilt or pronounce an infamous sentence against them-selves though they be guilty neither will it be a tollerable excuse in the day of Judgment for any discreet Protestant to say that he made Judges of his Religion no indifferent but indigent persons that have no other interest credit or lively-hood but to preach and maintain Protestancy whether it be sufficient or not sufficient for saluation the Bishop or Minister lives by saying it is sufficient and the true Religion I can not deny but that some Protestant Bishops and Ministers have recanted and repented their errors but few before they were summon'd out of this world by approaching death or before they had lost their interest and hopes by the violence of warr and the vicissitude of times Wherfore seing the Protestant layty hath so much reason to doubt either of the sincerity oâ— sufficiency of their Clergy in matters of a Religion without which their Ministers can not subsist few of them having either patrimony or a trade let them be pleased at present only to consider whether it be more credible that St. Hierom the greatest Doctor of God's Church and the most skilfull in the three languages wherin Scripture was writen who lived in the primitive times whem perhaps some of the original writings of the Apostles were extant or at least the true and authentick copies in Hebrew and Greeck better known then now they are a man that renouncd ' the pleasures and profits of this world retiring him-self to deserts where he employ'd days and nights in his devotions and study of the Scriptures let them be pleased I say to consider whether it be more credible that a Translation made or received by this most
holy Doctor and then approv'd of by all the world and ever since accepted and applauded in God's Church be defective or deceitfull then a translation made since the pretended Reformaâ—ion by men not only engaged in that new doctrin but maintain'd therby and so addicted to the pleasures and profits of this world as the first Reformers and their Successours the Protestant Clergy are known to be not only in England but in all other parts of Christendom Let them be pleased also to consider whether the judgment of the Roman Catholick Clergy in these Kingdoms who in being of that judgment can have no motive but conscience as is manifest by the incapacities and penalties lay'd vpon them for not conforming to Protestancy be not a more impartial and less to be suspected rule for any prudent person to follow then the judgment of the Protestant Clergy rewarded and promoted to the greatest employments both in Church and state for being of that opinion they profess and who would forfeit all their being if they declared them-selves contrary to Protestancy This being as maturely and impartially considered as the importance of the matter doth require non will believe that the vulgar Translations made by Protestants is holy Scripture they being so contrary to our vulgata in latin translated out of the true Greeck and Hebrew copies writen first by a holy Martyr and after revewed by a St. whose sincerity and learning were sufficient to canonize his Translation had it not bin the word of God and most holy of it self and so declared by the testimony and approbation of the Church for the space of 1200. years before the Councel of Trent In vain therfore do Protestant Writers tell us that theiâ— Translations are taken immediatly from the fountains of the Greek and Hebrew so is our vulgata only with this difference that ours was taken from the fountains when they were cleere and by holy and learned men that knew which were the crystal waters and true copies but theirs is taken from fountains of trouble'd waters by lewd and vicious persons and after that the Arians and other Hereticks had poyson'd and corrupted them with their false and filthy doctrin Thus much against the Protestant letter of Scripture now to their sense of Scripture SECT V. The Protestant interpretation is not the true sense of Scripture THE principal part and as it were the soule of Scripture is the sence which was delivered to the Church togeather with the letter For as St. Hierom in ep ad Galat. sayth the Ghospel is not in the word but in the sence not in the bark but in the sapp not in the leaves of the words but in the root of the meaning So that though we should grant the Protestant Translations to be true yet if we prove their interpretation false we demonstrat they have no Scripture nor the least pretext or colour for their Reformations And first that the Church received togeather with the letter the true sense of Scripture is as evident as it is that God would not speak words without sense or leave the interpretation of them to men whose capacities reach not the mysteries of Religion contained in the words Therfore our learned Adversaries are obliged to confess that no man doubteth but that the primitive Church received from the Apostles and Apostolical men not only the text of Scripture but also the right and native sense therof The dispute therfore between Catholicks and Protestants is not whether the Church ever received the true sense of Scriptures but whether that sense continued as well as the letter in the Church and whether the interpretations of Luther Calvin Cranmer Hamond c. or of the Prelaticks of England ought to be preferr'd before that of the Roman Catholick Church because the true sense of Scripture is supposed by all Protestants to have bin lost for many ages and that the whole visible Church of God was either so careless as to forget the ancient sense or so wicked as to forge a new sense of Scripture And first it seems against reason to believe that any Christian Congregation could be less carefull of the sense of Scripture then of the letter because the sense is that which importeth most for preservation of the faith Therfore if the Prelats and Pastors of the Church have bin so watchfull and diligent in all ages as to find out and correct all heretical corruptions of the letter of Scripture how is it possible they would neglect the same industry for preservation of the sense which is the principal part of God's word And if Protestants think the letter was safe in the custody of the Roman Chatholick Church from which they received it how can they suspect the purity of that sense which was kept and delivered to them by the same Church and authority And if God's providence as they confess was engaged in keeping the leaves and letter of Scripture from corruption surely it could not be so vnconcern'd for the integrity of the sence and substance as to permit it to perish Besides it is much easier to keep the sense of Scripture incorrupt and pure then the letter The letter was writ only in paper or parchment the sense in the heads and hearts of the Bishops Doctors and People of the Church a dash of a pen may alter the letter but cannot have access to the sence which lodgeth in the hearts and heads of the faithfull The precept of receiving the sense of Scripture from the Church is not only agreable to reason but prescrib'd in Scripture as the only way of saluation Go not from the doctrin of the elders for they have learned it from their Fathers and of them thou shalt learn vnderstanding and to answer in the time of need Eccles. 8.8 The first Protestant Reformers observed not this they went to no precedent Church nor Fathers for their interpretation of Scripture and therfore the words of Ieremy 18.15 may be literally applyed to them They have stumbled from the ancient ways to walk in ways not troden The Protestant Clergy ought to say and confess ingeniously that of holy Iob 8.8 Jnquire therfore I pray thee of the ancient generation and prepare thy self to search of their Fathers for we are but yesterday and ought not intrude their own Imaginations as the true explanation of God's word They do not imitat St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil who as Eusebius relates Hist. l. 11. cap. 9. did seek the vnderstanding of the Scriptures not from their own presumption but from the writings and authority of their Ancestors They do not follow the rule of Origen saying tract in Math. 29. That in our vnderstanding of the Scripture we must not dâ—part from the first Ecclesiasticall tradition nor believe other-wise but as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us Nor that of Tertulian l. 1. de prescrip c. 6. What the Apostles preach'd what Christ reveal'd to them ought not be otherwise proved
then by the Churches which they planted Protestants contemn all these rules and because there was never any Church in the world which professed the same faith that any of their Reformers preach't or them-selves now profess they are necessitated to except against all Testimonies of ancient Fathers and Councels and against the continual and common consent of all Christian Churches concerning the proper sense of Scripture delivered to the primitive Christians and will be judg'd therin by none but by them-selves and by their own fancy of Scripture They all follow this rule of Luther the first Reformer which he layd as the foundation of all Protestant Reformations The Governours of Churches and Pastors of Christ's sheep have indeed power to teach but the sheep must judg whether they propose the voice of Christ or of strangers c. Whefore let Popes Bishops Councels c. decree order enact what they please we shall not hinder but we who are Christ's sheep and heare his voice will judg whether they propose things true and agreable to the voice of our Pastor and they must yeeld to us and subscribe and obey to our sentence and censure Luther tom 2. Wittemb cap. de Sacra Script fol. 375. And because B. p Jewel in his challenge thinking that none durst answer or accept it appeal'd to the holy Fathers of the first ages and was thervpon immediatly convicted of hypocrisy and impostures he was grievously reprehended by his own Prelatick brethren as injurious to him-self and as one who had given the Papists too large a scope and after a manner spoyl'd him-self and the Church see Doctor Humfrey in Iewel 's life edit Londin pag. 212. and the same also in Fulk's retentive against Bristow pag. 55. Ever since that foile the Prelatiks have bin more wary and one of their greatest Champions Bilson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference between Christian subjection c. part 2. pag. 353. saith in plain termes The people must be discerners and Judges of that which is taught How contrary to Luther's Reformation was the doctrin of the primitive Church and Fathers we may judg by these words of Gregory Nazianzen in the oration wherin he excuseth him-self for having bin long absent from his flock and not exercised his function Vos Oves nolite pascere Pastores neque super terminos eorum elevamini satis enim est vobis si recte pascimini nolite judicare iudices nec legem feratis legis-latoribus c. Now let any man who hath common sense be Judg whether it be in the least degree probable that not only the illiterat Protestants but even their greatest Doctors and their first Apostles Luther Calvin Cranmer c. should know better the true sense of Scripture that was delivered to the first age then they to whom those of that age told what they were taught by Christ and his Apostles or then the second which told the third what they were taught by the first and so from generation vntill Luther and Calvins tyme. That every age gave this favorable testimony to the subsequent of the sense of Scripture which it delivered can not be denyed otherwise none would have received their sense of Scripture or their doctrin as Divine whether they were sincere in delivering their testimony is the question And because none questions it but Luther Calvin c. and their followers vntill we see be ter evidence and a more cleere cause of their reformed principle and knowledg of the visible Churches apostasy then their privat spirit or Luther and Calvins new and extravagant interpretations of Scripture we dare not condemn the whole ancient visible and Catholick Church nor concurr with it's declared enemies in so rash a judgment as to affirm that the Church betrayed it's trust and posterity which rash judgment is the ground of the Protestant Reformations S. Athanasius in lib. de Decretis Nicen. Synod contra Euseb. Ecce nos quidem ex Patribus ad Patres per manus traditam fuisse hanc sententiam demonstravimus vos autem O novi Judaei Caiphae filii quos tandem nominum vestrorum potestis ostendere progenitores S. Gregor Nazian ep 2. ab Chelid Absconditam post Christum sapientiam nobis annunciant rem lacrymis dignam si enim triginta his annis fides originem habuit cum quadringenti now 1600. fere anni ab eo tempore fluxerint quo Christus palam conspectus est inane tanto tempore fuit Evangelium inanis etiam fides nostra Martyres quidem frustra martyrium subierunt frustra etiam tales tantique Antistites populo praefuerunt St. August de vtilit credendi cap. 14. saith to the Manichees what we may to the Protestant Reformers Vos autem tam pauci estis tam turbulenti tam novi nemini dubium est quoniam nihil dignum autoritate proferetis Seing therfore the Roman Catholick sense of Scripture hath for the space of 1600. years bin delivered by the visible Christian Church from age to age as the true meaning of God's word and that the Protestant sense of Scripture was never accepted of by any but condemned Hereticks and even in this last age was delivered but by a few turbulent and disagreeing persons and obnoxious â—o many exceptions much diminishing the credibility of their testimony it is at least 16. to one not only in the number but also in the quality of the witnesses that the Roman Catholick sense of Scripture is true and the Protestant false and by consequence the Protestants have no Scripture to maintain the doctrin wherin they differ from Roman Catholicks SECT VI. Protestants mistaken in the Ministery and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the holiness and honesty of their Reformers ALbeit God was able to call justify and confirm the elect without any mediat means yet as Protestants confess he was pleased not to accomplish the same otherwise then in and by the ministery of his Church Therfore S. Paul tells vs Ephes. 4.11.12.13 that Christ hath placed in his Church Pastors and Doctors to continue to the consummation of Saints till we all meet in the vnity of faith The chief of these Pastors and Doctors are the Bishops vnto whom as the same Apostle testifieth it belongeth to govern God's Church Act. c. 2â— These Bishops must succeed not only in Doctrin but in caracter to the Apostles which caracter is the ordinary ministery or vocation discern'd and received by imposition of Episcopal hands 1. Tim. 4. But because Luther was only a single Priest and Calvin as most say not so much as a Priest and that both despaired of Episcopal and Priestly succession they resolv'd to remedy that want by saying that the caracter of Priests and Bishops was not distinct from that of Baptism and wheras Luther's ordination or ordinary vocation in the Roman Catholick Church was to preach the doctrin which he had receiv'd from that Church and not his new
incredible therfore is it that Protestancy can be the true Religion seing that in all the world they cannot name one Protestant eminent for Sanctity Miracles or morality Cranmer carried his wench with him in his Episcopal visitations Bale says him-self was inspired to take a sweet-heart called Dol Bishop Poynet went to law with a Butcher for his wife Peter Martyr and Bucer came to preach into England each of them having a Nun for a wife Calvin kept a Gentleman of Lausanna his wife Beza run away with the wife of a Taylor And as for the Protopatriarch and first Apostle of all the Protestant Reformations Luther himself confesseth loc com class 4. pag 50. that from his infancy he was haunted by the Devill and to be rid of him entred the Religious Order of St. Austin but afterwards the Devil prevail'd in a reall not imaginary dispuâ—ation against him concerning the abrogation of the Mass adoration of the Sacrament and invocation of our B. Lady and other Saints and he resolved having bin convicted by the Devill 's argument to for-sake his Order and set vp Protestancy which never had bin heard of before And wheras during the time he lived amongst his friars he acknowledgeth that he lived chastly and virtuously yet after his revolt from the Roman Catholick Religion he professeth in sundry places of his writings that he could not live without a woman and none could serve his turn but a Nun whom he debauched out of her Monastery Luther tom 1. epist. fol. 334. Colloq Germ. cap. de Matri Eight days were now past wherin I neither did write pray nor study being vexed with the temptation of the flesh c. As none can abstain from meat or drink so he cannot from a woman c. But it suffiseth that we have known the riches of the glory of God the lamb which taketh away the sins of the world can not draw us from him although we should commit fornication or kill a thousand times in one day His pride was so excessive that his Disciples are ashamed of him and have endeavored by altering many things in the later editions of his works to conceale the impiety of his Tenets and the imperfections of his person He was a better Drol then Doctor sociable but scandalous Melanchton excusing Luther's scandalous mariage in epistol ad Ioan. Camer pag. 39. saith Est vir iste nequaquam ex iis qui homines oderunt congressus fugiunt quotidianae autem vitae illius vsum non ignoras vnde cogitare te caetera quam me scribere melius ut opinor fuerit He wanted not wit to se the meakness of his Zealous Proselits and was so facetiously wicked as to laugh at them for relying vpon one Luther in a matter of so great importance as the chang of Christian Religion against the testimony of the whole visible Church and the sense of all ancient Fathers and Councels and therfore was vsed to say when he was merry amongst his confidents and Camerades in the Alehouses of Wittemberg Bibentibus nobis cervisiam Wittembergensem crescit Evangelium That the Ghospel was zealously preached by fooles while he made good cheer with friends He spent his life in good fellowship and Sleydan his deer Schollar lib. 3. edit 1521. fol. 29. reporteth how that Luther him-self acknowledged his profession not to be of life or manners but of doctrin wishing l. 2. ed. 1520. fol. 22. that he were removed from the office of preaching because his manners and life did not answer to his profession wherfore it was vsual with such Protestants as knew his life and conversation to say when they resolved to give them-selves to pleasure and debauche bodie Lutheranice vivemus to day we will live Lutheranlike see Benedict Morgensterne in tract de Ecclesia pag. 221. His death was answerable to his life in the morning he was found dead having bin very merry and feasting him-self the night before He attempted in vain two miracles at the importunity of his Schollers the one was to revive a dead man the other was to dispossess one of his own Disciples according to his new form of Exorcisms But Staphylus who was present says Luther was so fouly frighted that in steed of chasing the Devil him-self run away and was in danger of being killed The want of success in these two attemps made him say that miracles were ceased in the Church and that all ours are but impostures or don by compact with Sathan Zuinglius Author of the Sacramentarian Religion having bin tyed by Luther to no other rule of faith besides the letter of Scripture for he had bin Luther's scholler but differing from his Master in the point of the real presence invented a new reformation which he planted among the Suitzers and before he would impart it to them he made his conditions by way of petition yet extant in his works that if the Cantons would permit him and his Ministers who ioyned with him to take wives he would reveale to them the Evangelical doctrin so long hidden An other Epistle to the same purpose he writ to the Bishop of Constance and the reason he gives for his demand is least the soules committed â—o his own and his fellow's charge should be any longer offended by the example of their sensuality We have proved saith he that the weakness of our flesh hath bin O for grief cause of our often falling c. we have burned O for schame so greatly that we have committed many things vnseemingly c. To speake freely without boasting we are not otherwise of such vncivil manners that we should be ill spoken of among the people to vs committed for any wickedness hoc vno excâ—pto this one point only excepted And confesseth tom 1. fol. 115. that he and his fellow Ministers by means of their lustfull desires were made infamous before their Congregations Himself and his Camerades having taken wives or wenches he began to reveale his Ghospel and impugn the Mass by instruction from a spirit that appeared to him Whether black or white he remembreth not Having by this Diabolical dream or apparition resolved to abolish the Mass and change the doctrin of Transubstantiation by altering the Text of Scripture in his Translation dedicated to Francis King of France edit Tigur an 1525. saying This signifieth my Body for This is my Body Zuinglius tom 2. de vera falsa Religione fol. 202. fol. 210. He quotes his own Text of Scripture thus Sic ergo habet Lucas accepto pane gratias egit c. dicens Hoc significat Corpus meum He proceeded after a very strange manner in his design for he confesseth that his doctrin was more accomodated to temporising liberty then to sincerity or truth and that God commanded him to proceed in that manner least his design should be quasht in the very beginning by his Adversaries whom he termes Dogs and Swine Retractamus igitur hic quae illic
diximus tali lege vt quae hic damus anno aetatis nostrae quadragesimo secundo propendeant eis quae quadragesimo dederamus quando ut diximus tempori potius scripsimus quam rei sic jubente Domino vt tali ratione aedificemus ne inter initia Canes Porci nos rumpant He had no great opinion of the Apostles writings as is proved by his altering the very Text of Scripture contrary to all copies both Greek and Latin and by his saying that S. Paul did not attribut so much to his own Epistles as to think that all therin contained was sacred for that were to impute immoderat arrogancy to the Apostle tom 2. Elench contra Catabaptistas fol. 10. And because the other Cantons of the Suitzers would not accept of this Reformation he sticking to the principles therof endeavored by force of arms to bring them vnder subjection and to his own Ghospel and in this attempt Zuinglius was killed sealing with his bloud what he had writ tom 1. in explanat art 42. fol. 84. that Kings and Magistrats may be deposed when they resist the Ghospel that is any privat Protestant interpretation of Scripture As for the Reformers of the Protestant Church of England they were King Henry 8. Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Peter Martyr Hooper Rogers Ridley Bucer Okin The Revivers were Jewel Parker Horn c. of whose lives and conversations we have sayd somthing and enough to prove they were not fit men to reform christian Religion their doctrin they borrowed from Luther and Zwinglius the supremacy only excepted which King Henry 8. invented and therfore Bishop Iewel the chief maintainer both of the Protestant doctrin and Prelatick caracter of the Church of England in his defence of the Apology edit 1571. pag. 426. as also in the Apology part 4. c. 4. thought it necessary for the credit of the 39. Articles of the English Religion which had bin compiled out of Luther and Zwinglius writings to commend those two Pillars of Protestancy as most excellent men even sent by God to give light to the whole world in the midst of darkness when the truth was vnknown and vnheard of As for B. p Iewel him-self we remit the reader to Doctor Hardings Confutation of the Apology wherin he may cleerly discern the false lustre of this counterfeit Jewel and the value which men ought to set vpon this pretious stone layd for a foundation of the Prelatick Church and vpon the rotten stuff which he and his Successours have sould for Divine truth to English Protestants ever since he vndertook to maintaine their cause for as Doctor Heylin ingeniously acknowledgeth in his Ecclesia restaurata all the learned English Protestant Writers have borrowed from B. p Jewel what they have sayd in defense of the Protestant Religion and that is one reason why their works are so full of manifest vntruths and them-selves so frequently convicted of gross mistakes they rely too much vpon this reviver of their faith or at least would make the world believe that he may be relyed vpon in matters of faith But because Doctor Heylin makes it his busines to persuade the world that Ievel then did make good the caracter and ordinary vocation of the Church of England against Harding and that Doctor Bramhall late Protestant Primat of Ireland triumph'd over the supposed Jesuits who renewed Harding's quarrel I judged it necessary to cleer both these mistaks in few words As for Bishop Iewel we have sayd in the 1. part sect 7. of this Treatise how easily he might have stop't Harding's mouth by only naming the Bishop who consecrated Parker and his Camerades for Harding vsed no other Argument against the nullity of the English Protestant Clergy but this A Bishop must be ordained by an other Bishop but Parker and his Camerades were not ordained Bishops by any other Bishop Ergo. His proof that they were not ordain'd by any Bishop was this name the Bishop that ordained them name the place where they were consecrated This was a demand soon satisfied if ever Parker or his fellows had bin ordained Bishops especially with so much ceremony and solemnity as the new records of Lambeth report that matter Yet Jewel could never name Parker's and the first Protestant Bishops Consecrators he named indeed Parker for his own Consecrator but being press'd by Harding to name Parkers insteed of answering Harding's question whervpon depended the whole controversy the credit of his Clergy and the satisfaction of the Reader he maks an impertinent digression and long discours of the obligation which some pretended to have bin in ancient times of consulting the Bishop of Rome before they proceeded to the election and consecration of Bishops but never returned to the point of naming the first Protestant Bishop's Consecrator whom he would have named to Harding if ever they had bin consecrated And this is one part of the great victory which Doctor Heylin so much brags of The other part concerns Bramhall and the supposed Iesuits The true relation wherof is as followeth After that his Majesty and the Royal Family had bin driven out of England and France by the late vsurped powers and all Christian Princes thought it their conveniency to court the Rebells and not entertain in their Dominions the Person of our King much less embrace his quarrell it happen'd on day at Bruges that Doctor Crouder Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Duke of York in his Master's Chamber and presence without any provocation or occasion given by any of the Roman profession vtter'd very intemperat words against Doctor Goff Almoner to the Queen Mother for having taken orders in the Church of Rome after that he had received them in the Church of England To which a Catholick Gentleman answered he had don no more then what all other Protestant Ministers who became Roman Priests had continually practised and as he believed vpon good grounds Whervpon the Doctor notwithstanding the King was come to his Brother's chamber reassum'd his Argument and continued to dispute with such vehemency that being caled to read morning prayers he mistook the time of the day and in the morning read evening prayers to the congregation The cause of his mistake being known and many believing that his excess of choler argu'd a weakness in his cause Doctor Bramhall late Primat of Ireland Writ a Treatise in vindication of the English Clergys caracter which is the book so much applauded by the Prelaticks and by Doctor Heylin as vnanswerable wheras it was sudainly and so substantially answered that Primat Bramhall never durst reply notwithstanding the general concern of his Clergy and his own particular engagement and the Church of England perceiving the evidence of our arguments against the validity of their forms of ordination thought their best answer was to confess the force of our reasons and correct the errors of their Bishops by changing the forms they had composed of Priesthood and Episcopacy
so cleerly mentioned in all Histories and confess'd by Protestants to have bin don by Roman Catholicks and to the â—oman Catholick Religion no demonstration can be more convincing then this is against the Protestant Church and Reformâ—â—â—â—â— In so much that Whitaker lib. de Eccles. contra Belarm pag. 336. hath nothing to say to this our objection of all the converted Kings and Nations since Gregory the great to this present to have bin performed by Papists and to Popery but I answer that those conversions of so many nations after the time 〈…〉 mentioned by Belarmin were not pure but corrupt The like answer and no other is given by Danaeus Symon de Vâ—yon and others But Mr. Barlow in his defence of the articles c. pag. 35. saith The promise by Esay prophecied 〈◊〉 the Church was accomplished and the number so increased though still invisibly that as her love sayd in the Canticles there 〈◊〉 therefore Queen c. so that there were threscore invisible Queens Princes or Kingdoms converted to Protestancy and that performed by Protestants as invisible as they What greater evidence can there be of heretical obstinacy then to maintain the real existence of an impossibility by it's invisibility what is more impossible then that so remarkable things as the conversion of great princes and Nations from Idolatry to the outward profession of Christianity could be invisible or conceal'd I must confess though Mr. Barlow's answer be very absurd yet is it very consequent to the principles of Protestancy for why should not threescore Queens Kings and Kingdoms be invisible as well as the whole Protestant Church wherof they were but a part And if all the Christian world could be insensibly and invisibly changed from pure and primitive Protestancy to superstitious Popery why might not the same world Kings and Queens be invisibly and insensibly changed from Paganism to Protestancy We Catholicks are not forc't to admit of such absurdities our greaâ—est Adversaries name the Kings and Nations by us converted to Christianity Any Protestant may see the particulars confess'd and alledg'd by Iohn Pappus in his Epitom histor Eccl. cap. de conversionibus Gentium pag. 89.91.92.93.94.100.106.107 c. also the Century Writers of Magdeburg mention the conversion of sundry nations wrought by vs since Gregory the first as Germany centur 8. c. 2. col 20. of the Wandals centur 9. c. 2. col 15. of the Bulgarians Sclavonians Polonians the Danes and Moravians cent 9. c. 2. col 18. And of sundry Kings and Kingdoms cent 10. c. 2. col 18. 19. And of a great part of Hungary cent 11. c. 2. col 27. And of the Norwegians cent 12. See the Protestant Writer Osiander in his Epitom histor Eccles. centur 9.10.11.12.13.14 15. mentioning the conversion of many Nations performed by Roman Catholiks as of the Danes the Moravians the Polonians the Sclavonians the Bulgars the Hunns the Normans the Bohemians the Suecians and Norwegians Livonians and the Saxons The Ungarians the Rugij and Thuscans of Candia Majorca of Tunes in Africa c. wherunto may be added not only the like known conversion of our Ancestors the English Saxons Scots and Jrish in more ancient times but in this last age of many Kings and Kingdoms in the East and West-Jndies Africa Iapon and China confessed by our Adversary Symon Lythus in respons altera ad alteram Gretseri Apologiam pag. 931. where he says The Jesuists c. in the space of few years not content with the limits of Europe have filled Azia Afrik and America with their Idols And Philippus Nicolai who writing of the accomplishment of the prophecies concerning the conversion of the Gentils as he professeth in his Preface to the Duke of Saxony pag. 12. is inforced wholy to insist and rely vpon our Popish Preachers and Iesuists in all parts of the world See lib. 1. c. 1. pag. 2. 3. lib. 1. pag. 15. pag. 52. There is not any history profane or sacred ancient or modern which mentioneth as much as one King or Kingdom converted from Paganism to Protestancy vnless they will pretend that their histories and Records are as invisible as their Church had bin before Luther and their Registers of Lambeth before Mason I cannot say that all Protestants wanted â—â—ale to attempt such conversions but theâ—â— zeale wanted success in all their attempts and that proves the prophecies of Scripture pointed not at their Church or Doctrin Calvin sent some Ministers and amongst them Richerus whom Beza termeth a man of tryed godliness and learning into Gallia Antartica to convert the heathens there and he writ to Calvin a letter extant in Calvin's epist. respons pag 438. his words are Latet eos an Deus 〈◊〉 tantum abest ut legem ejus observent vel potentiam bonitatâ—m ejus mirentur ut prorsus sit nobis adempta spes lucrifaciendâ—â— eos Christo quod ut omnium est gravissimum ita inter caetera maximè aegre feremus He saith more over that nothing could be don untill the children which Mr. Villegaignon delivered to the Barbarians to learn their language had bin perfect therin but while the children were learning the heathens tongue Richerus Villagaignon and the other Ministers disagreed so in their doctrin that the whole design fell to the ground and Villagaignon insteed of conventing the heathens forsook his own Religion moved thervnto by the dissentions and inordinat accomplished lusts not to be named of the Protestant Preachers wherof see Launoy 〈◊〉 la Republicque Christiâ—ne c. l. 2. c. 16. fol. 281. and Villegaignon adversus articulos Richeri l. 1. c. 90. Franciscus Gomarus a Protestant Writer ackowledgeth the like want of success in other places and persons se his Speculum verae Ecclesiae pag. 161. 168. And Mr. Hacluits book of voyages and discoveries of the English Nation and their frustrated labours in conversion of the remote northen Nations wherof the Author saith pag. 680. The events do shew that either God's cause hath not bin chiefly preferred by them or ells God hath not permitted so abundant grace as the light of his word and knowledg of him to be yet revealed to those Infidells before the apointed time No mervaile therfore if Beza despairing of any success in the Protestant Church of converting Pagans disclaymeth therin and doth advise his brethren to leave that labour to the Jesuists and so employ them-selves at home among Christians thinking perhaps that to make Papists Protestants is a sufficient accomplishing of Esay's prophecies Nec enim nunc magnopere nobis de legatione ad remotissimas aliquas Gentes laborandum cum nobis domi in propinquo satis suporque sit quod nos posteros nostros exerceat Has igitur potius tam 〈◊〉 peâ—grinationes locustis illis JESU nomen ementientibus relinquamus But as the converting of Gentills to Christianity is an infallible mark of the true Church so is the drawing of Catholicks to
by faith in Christ not by good works which they in no wise did affect We Catholicks do not pretend to have no evill-livers in our Church but this we may say with truth and I hope without offence that the difference between Protestant and Catholick â—â—â—ll-livers is that when Protestants sin they do nothing but what they are encouraged vnto by their justifying faith and the other principles of their Religion but when Catholicks sin they go against the known Tenets of their faith and profession Even our Pardons and Jndulgences how-ever so plenary are so far from encouraging vs to a continuance or relapse of sinning that they involue as a precedent and necessary condition a serious and sincere repentance of our former offences and afirm purpose and resolution of never returning to the like crimes and after all is don we pretend to no such vndoubted certainty of being pardon'd either by confession or Indulgences because we are not certain whether we do al as we ought as Protestants presume to have of their justification and saluation by only faith The nature of this justifying faith and of other Protestant principles considered We Catholicks have reason to thanck God that the prudence â—f the Prince and moderation of his Ministers is so extraordinary that it keeps the indiscreed zeal of a multitude so strangly principl'd if not as much with in the limits of Christianity and civility towards their fellow subjects as were to be wished yet so that the execution of the sanguinary and penal statuts is not altogeather so distructive as the Presbiterians and others endeavor Untill the generality of these Nations reflect vpon the impiety of the first Reformers and vpon their own mistakes in preferring the mad fancies of a few dissolute Friars concerning the nature of Christian faith before the constant Testimony and doctrin of the whole visible Church we cannot expect that they who govern so mistaken a multitude can make justice the rule of the publick Decrees which depend of the concurrence and acceptance of men whose greatest care is to promote Protestancy and persecute Popery SECT IX Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian faith humility Charity peace either in Church or state with their making Scripture as interpreted by privat persons or fallible Synods or fancied general Councells composed of all discenting Christian Churches the rule of faith and Iudg of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39. Articles or the oath of Supremacy a distinctive sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings LVther Zuinglius Calvin Cranmer and all others that pretended to reform the doctrin of the Church of Rome seing they could not prove their new Religions or Reformations by testimonies from antiquity or by probability of Reason were inforc't to imitat the example of all Heretiks who as S. Austin says l. 1. de Trin. c. 3. endeavour to defend their falls and deceitfull opinions out of the Scriptures If on shall ask any Heretick saith that ancient Father Vincentius lyr l. 1. cons. Haer. c. 35. from whence do you prove from whence do you teach that I ought to forsake the vniuersal and ancient faith of the Catholik Church Presently he answereth scriptum est It is written and forthwith he prepareth a thousand testimonies a thousand examples a thousand authorities from the law from the Apostles from the Prophets This shift is so ordinary and notorious that Luther him-self postill Wittemberg in 2. con 8. Dom. post Trin. fol. 118. Dom. post Trin. fol. 118. affirmeth the sacred Scripture is the book of Heretiks because Heretiks are accustomed to appeale to that book neither did there arise at any time any heresy so pestiferous and so foolish which did not endeavor to hide it self under the vaile of Scripture And yet Luther Calvin Cranmer c. finding nothing to say for them-selves either in History or Fathers and seing Tradition so cleerly bent against them that they could not name as much as on Parish or person which ever professed their protestant doctrines they appeal'd from the word of God proposed by the visible and Catholick Church and Counâ—â—ls to their own Canon and Translations of Scripture and from that sense of Scripture which the Church and Councells had follow'd for 1500. years to that which their own privat spirit temporal interest or fallacious reason diâ—â—â—ted to them-selves and so did others that followed their examples making every privat Protestant or at least every reforâ—â—d Congregation Judg of Scripture Church Councells and Fathers In so much that Luther tom 2. Wittemberg cap. de Sacram. fol. 375. setteth down this rule for all Protestants to be directed 〈◊〉 The Governors of Churches and Pastors of Christ's sheep 〈◊〉 indeed power to teach but the sheep must judge whâ—â—â—er they propose the voice of Christ 〈◊〉 of strangers c. Wherfore let Popes Bishops Councells c. decree order enact what they please we shal not hinder but we who are Christ's sheep and heare his voice will judge whether they propose things true and agreable to the voice of our Pastor and they must yeeld to us and subscribe and obey our sentence and censure Calvin though contrary to Luthâ—â— in many other things yet in this doth agree as being the ground wherupon all protestant Reformations must rely in his lib. 4. Institut cap. 9. § 8. he says The definitions of Councels must be examined by Scripture and Scripture interpreted by his rules and Spirit The same is maintained by the Church of England as appears in the defence of the 39. Articles printed by authority 1633. wherin it is sayd pag. 103. Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg controversies of faith c. And this is not the privat opinion of our Church but also the judgment of our godly brethren in foreign Nations And by Mr. Bilson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference c. part 2. pag. 353. The people must be Discerners and Judges of that which is taught How inconsistent this doctrin is with Christian faith is evident by the pretended fallibility and fall of the visible Church which all Protestants do suppose and must maintain to make good the necessity and lawfullness of their own interpretations and Reformations For if the Roman Catholik and ever Visible Church may and from time to time hath erred as the Church of England declares in the 39. Articles no reformed Congregations whether Lutheran Presbiterian or Prelatick can have infallible certainty but that them-selves have fallen into as great errors as those which they have pretended to reform in the Roman Church And if they have not infallible certainty of the truth of their reformed doctrin they can not pretend to Christianity of faith that involves an assurance of truth which assurance is impossible if that the Church can be mistaken in it's proposall So that Christianity of faith including
as an essential requisit the vndoubted assurance of the truth of what is proposed by the Church as revealed by God and Protestancy necessarily supposing fallibility or possibility of error in that same Church and proposal Christian faith is ther by rendred impossible and the Protestant Doctrin demonstrated 〈◊〉 be inconsistent with the nature of Catholick Religion with the certainty of Divine faith and with the Authority of Christ's Church Neither is the Protestant doctrin in this particular less consistent with Christian charity and humility then with Catholick faith For what judgment can be more rash injurious and contrary to Christian charity then to assert that so many holy and learned Doctors as have bin and are confessed Papists and even the whole visible Church for the space at least of 1000. years could either ignorantly mistake or would wilfully forsake the true sence of God's word so cleerly shining in Scripture as every petty Protestant doth pretend or what is more repugnant 〈◊〉 Christian modesty and humility then that homely Doctors and half witted wits should preferr their own privat opinions in matters of faith before the common consent and belief of 〈◊〉 Fathers of the Church the Definitions of general Councels the Tradition and testimony of so many ages Jt is both a ridiculous and sad spectacle to see how every student of the University that hath learn'â— to conster 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 or to quibble or scribble some-what in Greek English or Latin takes vpon him to talk of Religion and to censure St. 〈◊〉 St. Austin St. Christom c. and contemn both ancient and modern Catholick Avthors preferring before the whole Church him-self and his Poâ—antick Tutors or Fellows of Oxford and Cambrige Collâ—gâ—s Nay the illiterat people even the women are grown to that height of spiritual pride an infallible 〈◊〉 of Heresy that they pitty our Popish ignorance and fancy they can 〈◊〉 with the Text of their English Bibles falsly translated and fondly interpreted the greatest Roman Divines So true is the saying of St. Hierom in Epist. ad Paulinum Scripture is the only art which all people teach before they have learn't The pratling woman the old doting man c. And therfore advers Lucifer bids men not flatter them-selves with quoting Scripture to confirm their opinions seing the Devill him-self made vse of God's word which consists more in the sense then in the letter How impossible is it to govern peaceably so pratling and presuming a Protestant multitude either in Church or state is too manifest by the last experiences in England wher the endeavours of reducing this Protestant arrogancy to some kind of reason was the occasion and object of the Rebellion King Charles I. and his Councel for attempting to make the inferiors subordinat to their superiors in doctrin and disciplin and the subjects obedient to the laws of the land were aspers'd as Papists and destroy'd as enemies to the Evangelical liberty of Protestancy and as subverters of the fundamental principles of the Reformation Popish rebellions happen because the Promotors therof fall from that fervor of their faith and devotion which they ought to practise but the English Protestant Rebellion was raised and continued by the most devout pure fervent and zealous sort of Protestants in persuance and maintenance of their Religion Other rebellions are commonly vnexpected chances springing from a sudain fury or feare of desperat people but the late Rebellion was and is to this day pretended by many to have bin a pious and sober proceeding the King's murther only excepted of the prudent and Religious men of the Nation assembl'd in Parliament and is so justifiable by the principles of Protestancy that he must be thought not only a wise but a fortunat King of England that can prevent or suppress the like revolution in his Reign so long as Protestancy doth reign with him The reason is as manifest as the experience and the cause as the effect For if a Common-wealth were so instituted that every privat person might pretend by his birth-right or Privilege to admit of no other Iudg or Interpreter of the laws but him-self or at least might lawfully and legaly appeale from all Courts of Judicature even from the highest which is the Parliament to his own privat Judgment what intollerable confusion would it breed what justice subordination peace propriety or prosperity could be expected in such a government The same laws and authority which ought to decide all differences would be the subject and occasion of perpetual quarrells This is the condition and constitution of Protestant Churches and States Every privat person is a supreme Iudg of Religion and sole Interpreter of Scripture he may appeale both from Soveraigns and Bishops from their temporal and Ecclesiastical laws to his own privat judgment or spirit and him-self must determin the difference and conclude whether the Decrees of Church and State be agreable to God's word that is to his own Interpretation therof which commonly is byassed by privat interest or some singular fancy of his own And though the Governors and Clergy of his Church and Country tell him he ought to suspend his judgment and submit the same to 〈◊〉 Parliament or to a general Councel not like that of Trent but to one composed of all Nations and Christian Congregations called by the joynt authorâ—â—y of all temporal Princes but in the mean time he must 〈◊〉 to the Decrees of the Church and state wherof he is a member when they inculcat this lesson vnto a zealous Protestant◠〈…〉 not so simple as to believe that they who read this 〈◊〉 speak as they think or that they believe any such general Councel is possible for that every 〈◊〉 knows temporal Princes will never agree about the President time place and other circumstances of such a Counceâ—â— and though they should and the Turck and other Infidels give way to such a sâ—spitious Assembly of Christians yet when they mâ—tâ— nothing could be resolu'd â—or want of their agrement in a 〈◊〉 of judging of controversies every sect â—â—icking to it 's own principles and proper sence of Scripture So thaâ— every Protestant vnderstands the design of this doctrin to be but a fetch of their own Clergy to make it-self in the mean time solâ— Judg of Religion contrary to the principles and privileges of Protestancy and therfore laugh at the folly of such a proposal and pretext We Roman Catholicks need no such Devices nor delays we are content to submit to such general Councels as may be had our Popes and Councels define according to the tradition and sense of Scripture of the true Church our Censures must suppose known causes and crimes and if with all these cautions the Pop's spiritual jurisdiction is thought to be so dangerous to the soveraignty of Kings and peace of subjects least forsooth it might be indirectly applyed to temporal matters that all Protestants vpon that score renounce the Papal authority with how much more reason
ought every one to renounce his own judicature of Religion and Scripture tyed to no rules but to his own discretion and to an indiscernable and privat spirit There is greater danger that Protestants may abuse this spiritual Soveraignty by an indirect application therof to temporal affaires then the Pope his who being a stranger and at such a distance can not if he would have the conveniencies oportunities and occasions of plotting rebellion which Natives and subjects may lay hold on with less danger of a discovery and greater hopes of success It is sayd that in time of a Parliament wherin many of the lower House stood vpon higher termes then was thought convenient for the state though warranted by the purest Protestancy a Gentleman presented a petition to King James who seemed to admire that any would sue to him in a time ther were as his Majesty said three hundred Kings sitting in the House of Commons and therfore bid the Gentleman repaire thither for relief We see in the late long Parliament how some few membres of the House of Commons prevail'd against K. Charles I. in his own Court and Citty by making them-selves popular vpon the score of the Protestant Religion and Scripture How afterwards these and their faction were supplanted by Cromwell's sense of Scripture and how that he wanted only the name of King How after his death every Commander had hopes to succeed him in this power and Protectorship and without question some might had not the Duke of Albermalâ— bin so honest We have grounds therfore to say that every Protestant that hath wit and valor and will take hould of the advantages of his Religion may hope to be a King or Protector and we cannot but admire that any states-man doth except against the Roman Catholick Tenets for admitting of one Pope wheras according to the ground and principles of all Protestant Reformations there are as many Popes as Proâ—â—stants and every one of them much more absolute then the Bishops of Rome and their supremacy less consistent whith the security of Princes and peace of the people then his spiritual jurisdiction Besids the stay and security of a state consists in a discreet distribution of publick charges and employments and this in the choyce of persons qualified with such signs of conscience and loyalty as can hardly be counterfeited or misapplied wherof the principal is the profession of the Religion of the state therfore we see non trusted in weighty affaires of the Common-wealth but such as are of the Prince his Religion But if that Religion have no certain rule or only such a rule that maks men of no certain Religion it can be no more a sign of conscience and loyalty or fit to direct â—he King and Councell in their choyce of persons for their purpose and â—ust then a plume of feathers or a garniture of ribands fancied for it's colours The reason is obvious and concluding because the security of a King and the prosperity of his Kingdoms is grounded vpon the loyalty of his subjects and servants who are intrusted with secret designs and publick employments both in the civill and military list their loyalty is directed by their conscience their conscience by their Religion their Religion by their rule of faith If therfore their rule of faith be but their own fancy of Scripture or Scripture as it is interpreted by every man's privat judgment without any obligation of conscience to submit to the contrary interpretation of their national Synâ—â— or Church because neither of them pretend to be infallible then loyalty conscience religion government and King are as subject to the changes of fortune and animosities of faction as the fickle fancy of every privat person is apt to vary according to his weackness of Iudgment or strength of passion and to declare for that party which will be most for his interest This inconstancy of the reformed Religions is acknowledged by them-selves Duditius a learned and zealous protestant quoted and highly commended by Beza for his piety and elegant witt ep 1. ad Andraeam Duditium pag. 13. lamenteth the condition of his reformed Brethren in these words They are carryed about with every wind of doctrin now to this part now to that whose Religion what it is to day you may perhaps know but what it will be to morrow neither you nor they can certainly tell pag. 5. ep Bezae cit In what head of Religion do they agree that impugn the Roman Bishop If you examin all from the head to the foot you shal almost find nothing affirmed by on which another will not averr to be wicked And their Divines do dayly differ from them-selves Menstruam fidem habentes coyning a monthly faith Now what smale hopes there are of remedying this mis-fortune Sands ingeniously confesseth in his relation fol. 82. The Papists have the Pope as a common Father Adviser and Conductor to reconcile their jarrs to decide their differences to draw their Religion by consent of Councels vnto vnity c. wheras on the contrary side Protestants are as severed or rather scattered troups each drawing adiverse way without any means to pacify their quarrels no Patriarch one or more to have a common superintendance or care of their Churches for correspondency and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councel of their part the only hope remaining ever to assuage their contention To this we may add the saying of Melancton as remarkable as true Quos fugiamus habemus sed quos sequamur non intelligimus we know who we should avoyd meaning the Papists Religions is to believe what you think fit according to your best vnderstanding of a writing you can not vnderstand by any human and privat industry of your own and will not learn from any publik authority of the Church because by following the interpretation of the Church you fancy that you may be mistaken so that for feare of being mistaken in or by publick authority the protestant either falls into obstinacy in his own privat opinion or into an indifferency for all opinions and so becoms to be an Heretick or of no Religion Among the protestant Confessions of faith the 39. Articles of the prelatick Church of England is estem'd an excellent piece and yet the same Articles acknowledg that the visible Church of God hath erred and may err from time to time and by consequence the prelatick may have erred in this very assertion as in most of the 39. Articles How this acknowledged vncertainty of truth can agree with the certainty or Christianity of faith or with any hopes of salvation I can not comprehend But albeit these articles seem as insufficient for salvation as men are vncertain of their truth yet are they thought usefull to the government for though they want the substance that is the certainty of faith yet they have the face of religion and formality of law because they talk of God Christ Trinity c. And are
to vote in Parliament or trusted with any employment in the state who professeth not the prelatick Protestant Religion and swears not the Supremacy and Alleigance And yet we see how litle this Religion and oaths wrought vpon the generality of these Kingdoms or availed the late King None that vnderstands the genius of the English Nation will believe that by nature they are so base and treacherous as of late the world hath observed Therfore what they have don amiss so contrary to the generosity and honesty of their dispositions and to the rules of Christianity must be attributed to their Religion Wherfore it must be concluded that any outward sign though it be but a red scarf or garniture of ribands of the King's colours doth engage and confirm more the subjects and souldiers in their duty and loyalty then the 39. Prelatick Articles and the oath of supremacy A Rebell or Roundhead may t' is true weare the King's colours but not with so great danger to his Majesty or dommage to the publick as when he professeth the King's Religion Very few Englishmen will fly from the King's colours they once weare and profess to esteem but many that profess the 39. Articles will fight against the Prelatick interpretation therof for their own privat sense and against that of the King and Church of England So applicable are the 39. Articles to all dissenting Reformations and so pliable to every Rebellion that is grounded vpon any pretence of Scripture SECT X. How the fundamental principles of the Protestant Reformations maturely examined and strictly followed have led the most learned Protestants of the world to Iudaisme Atheisme Arianisme Mahometanisme c. and their best modern wits and writers to admit of no other Rule of Religion but Natural Reason and the Protestants Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania to deny the Mystery of the Trinity SEbastian Castalio termed by Osiander in epitom pag. 753. Vir apprimè doctus linguarum peritissimus Ranked by Doctor Humfrey In vita Ivelli pag. 265. with Luther and Zuinglius and placed by Pantaleon in Chronographia pag. 123. amongst the Fathers and lights of the Church this great and learned Protestant having considered the Prophecies mentioned in Scripture of the conversion of Kings and Nations by the Christian Church and of it's happy state splendor and continuance and compared all with the very foundation and first principle of protestancy to wit with the protestant supposition of a generall apostacy and fall of the visible Church from the true faith and their remaining in superstition and idolatry for so many centuries of years together with the invisibility of the Protestant Church vntill Luther and by consequence it 's not converting any visible Kings or nations from Paganisme to Christianity having I say maturely considered these things was so perplex'd and doubtfull in point of God's providence and veracity that he came at length to believe nothing as may be seen in his Preface of the great latin Bible dedicated to K. Edward 6. where he saith verily we must confess eyther that these things shall be performed herafter or have bin already or that God is to be accused of lying If any may answer that they have bin performed I will demand of him when If he sayd in the Apostles time I will demand how it chanceth that neither then the knowledg of God was altogether perfect and after in so short space vanished away which was promised to be eternall and more abundant then the flouds of the sea And concludeth the more I peruse the Scriptures the less do I find the same performed howsoever you vnderstand the same prophecies Martin Bucer one of the primitive and prime Protestants And an Apostle of the English reformation of whom Sir Iohn Cheek K. Edward 6. Master says the world scarce had his fellow and whom Arch-bishop Whitgift in his defence c. pag. 522. termeth a Reverend learned painfull sound Father c. this great Bucer after his first Apostasy from his Dominican order and Catholik Religion became a Lutheran afterwards a Zvinglian as appaereth in his epistle 〈◊〉 Norimb ad Essâ—ingenses Then he returned again to be a Lutheran as may be seen in the Acts of the Synod holden at Luther's house in Wittemberg an 1539. and in Bucer's own Comentaries vpon the 6. John and 26. Mathew where he asketh pardon of God and the Church for that he deceived so many with the error of Zuinglius and the Sacramentarians And notwithstanding this open repentance he returned again to the same Zuinglianism in England and therfore is reprehended by Schlusselburg in Theol. Calv. lib. 2. fol. 70. At length seeing the incertainty of Christianity wherunto by protestancy he had driven him-self and others that stuck to it's principles at the houre of his death he embraced Judaisme as they who were present therat testify saith Prateolus pag. 107. He declared long before to Dudley Earle of Warwick that he doubted whether all was true that the Evangelists relate of Christ. wherof see hertofore part 1. David George who for many years had bin a pious and publik Professor of Protestancy at Basil and called a man of God for his notorious charity to the poore and sick considering and comparing the aforesaid doctrin of protestancy with the prophecies of Scripture concerning the visible Church became a blasphemous Apostata and affirming our Saviour to have bin a seducer drew many Protestants to his opinion convincing them by their own principles and this argument Jf the doctrin of Christ and his Apostles had bin true and perfect the Church which they planted should have continued c. But now it is manifest that Antichrist hath subverted the doctrin of the Apostles and the Church by them begun as is evident in the Papacy therfore the doctrin of the Apostles was falls and imperfect Bernardin Ochin one of them whose opinions were Oracles to the Composers of the 39. Articles of Religion and the liturgy of the Church of England so much celebrated for his learning and piety that the Protector Seamor and Arch-bishop Cranmer called him out of Germany to help them in their Protestant reformation termed by Bishop Bale a light of the Church and England happy whilst it had him miserable when it lost him highly commended for learning and virtue by Simlerus and Sleydan l. 9. fol. 297. and by Calvin l. de scandalis c. This Ochin whom as Calvin writ all Italy could not match this light whose presence made England happy and whose absence made it miserable this very Ochin considering well the principles of protestancy became a Jew concluding that Christ never had a Church vpon earth When I did saith he in praefat Dialogorum consider how Christ by his power wisdom and goodness had founded and established his Church washed it with his bloud and enriched it with his spirit and again discerned how the same was funditus eversa vtterly over thrown I could not but wonder
and being desirous to know the cause J found there had bin Popes And proceeding from this conceipt of the Popes prevailing against Christ in vtter overthrow of the whole visible Church he concludeth that he who founded and purchased the Church with such pains and at so deere a rate could not be Christ because he wanted power or providence to preserve it and therfore Ochin tourned Iew and taught circumsion and Polygamy Upon the same motives Adam Neuserus a most learned Protestant and chief Pastor of Heydelbergh turned Turk and was circumsised at Constantinople persuading many of his flock to become Mahometans Allemanus esteemed and beloved by Beza for his learning seing that the predictions of the Prophets were not fulfilled in the Protestant Churches and being resolved not to be a Papist held that the Messias was not come and so renouncing Christianity became a blasphemous Iew. Calvin the Oracle of Protestant learning and the most plausible Reformer of Popery is not only by Catholicks but by sundry Protestants charged with Judaism in so much that the famous Protestant Writer Egidius Hunnius Doctor and publick Professor in the University of Wittembergh and chief Disputant in the conference of Ratisbone against the Catholicks writ a Book intituled Calvinus Judaizans And another Protestant book was printed 1586 and reprinted 1592. the Author wherof is the learned Ioannes Modestinus and it's Title A Demonstration out of God's word that the Calvinists are not Christians but only baptized Jews and Mahometans and an other very learned Protestant John Scutz in lib. 50. causarum cap. 48. affirmeth Mahometism Arianism and Calvinism to be brothers and Sisters and three pair of hose made of one cloath The Calvinists do and may say the same of the Lutherans and of every other Sect of Protestants they are all made of one cloath and differ only in the fashion according to the diversity of their fancies They all agree in cloathing and covering their errors with Scripture but some like one mode some an other Calvin and his faction seem to approve most of the Arian to which also most Protestants incline by reason of difficulty they find in the Mystery of the Trinity explained after the Catholick manner But non of them will tye himself to an others fashion seing their Rule of faith is their own fancy Wherfore notwithstanding the Confessions of faith of their sundry Churches they do not hold them-selves obliged to Profess that or any faith longer then it agreeth with every on 's privat sense of Scripture which he changes as often as further study information or seeming reason moves him to the contrary So that not only Mahometism Arianism and Calvinism are three paire of hose made of one Cloath according to Scutz expression but his Lutheranism and all other Protestant Reformations are remnants of the same piece with different trimmings and patches and though they be hose this day to morrow they would perhaps be Turbants or Jews garments had not those formes and fashions bin so generally cry'd down as ridiculous in these parts of the world that the learned Protestants who think them more Religious then their own despaire of ever making them the mode So true it is that the bare letter of Scripture without Tradition the rule of faith makes men Hereticks Turcks Jews and the worst of Infidells The learned Protestants who are not Iews Turks or Arians become Atheists or meer Rationalists Because there is not any thing moves learned men so much either to Atheism or to have no Religion but naturall reason as the diversity of Religions and the confessed vncertainty of such as are professed The interpretation of Scripture and Fathers being left by their principles of the Reformation to every particular person's discretion maks Protestants differ as much in Christian belief as in human opinions concerning any ordinary and obscure matter and their supposition of the fall of the visible Church into errors of doctrin togeather with the acknowledged fallibility and vncertainty of their own Congregations takes away as we proved in the last Section all certainty and Christianity of belief What doubt therfore can be made but that such learned Protestants as turn not Jews Mahometans or Arians will either become Atheists Socinians or meer Rationalists such as observe that the Prophecies sett-down in Scripture concerning the spendor extent and propagation of Christ's Church vpon Earth are not accomplished in their own petty Reformations and withall are so peevish and maliciously bent against the Roman Catholick faith as not to examin it's truth turn Jews Mahometans or Atheists But such as are ashamed or afraid to renounce the name of Christians and yet are as obstinat against the Roman Catholick doctrin as the aforsaid Protestants fall from on reformed sect to an other and at length perceiving there is no reason to preferr on before an other renounce all and rely only vpon their own reason most of them follow Chillingworth Fauckland Stilling-fleet and become Socinians denying or doubting of Christ's Divinity and are driven to that impiety partly by the incoherency of the Protestant Tenets and partly by their contempt of Tradition but most of all by the foolish presumption of their own wit and judgment and by that secret pride so manifest in Protestants and proper to Hereticks There is not any one Protestant Writer in whose works you may not find this heretical Strain Neither is it to be admired that men whose Religion is occasioned by pride and grounded vpon singularity of judgment do betray and declare those passions in their discourses they being the chief ingredients of their Symbols and the Conclusions most cleerly deduced from their principles I will omit all others at present and only mention a passage of Socinus against Volanus pa. 2. wherin you may see to what a pass Protestants are brought by their own proud and privat spirit and by their contempt of Catholick Tradition Thus therfore he saith To what purpose should I answer that which thou borrowest from the Papists c. especially where thou opposest to vs the perpetuall consent of the Church very excellently doubtless in this behalf hath Hosius a Papist discours'd against you wounding you with your own sword And therfore you are no less fals in urging against us the Churches perpetual consent for the Divinity of Christ then are the Papists in their vrging therof against you and vs. And ibid. pag. 222. We propose to vs in this question concerning the Divinity of Christ non for Master or Interpreter but only the holy Ghost c. we do not think that we are to stand to the judgment of any men though never so learned of any Councels though in shew never so holy and lawfully assembled of any visible Church though never so perfect and vniversall Even Uolanus himself disputing against the Iesuits is inforced to reject the examples sayings and deeds of Athanasius Hierom Austin Theodoret and other Fathers whose authority he now opposeth against
vs as sacred Thus much have I thought good to remember that Volanus may receive answer from himself when he so often inforceth against vs the authority of learned men and the consent of the Church c. And truly Socinus doth defend his error concerning Christ with as many and as cleer texts of Scripture not vnderstood in the sense of the Roman Catholick Church as any point of Protestancy is maintained by other Protestants The Puritans now called Presbiterians vse the same way of arguing against the Prelatiks and with no less success then socinus against Volanus as may be seen in Cartwright in his second reply against episcopacy p. 1. pag. 484. And that it may appear saith he how justly we call this Canon of the Councell the first generall of Nice in the Canon touching the Metropolitan which the Prelatiks vrged in favor of Episcopacy vnto the tuch stone of the word of God let it be considered c. In the same Councell appeareth that to those chosen of the ministery vnmarried it was not lawfull to take any wife afterwards c. Paphnutius sheweth that not only this was before that Councell but was an ancient Tradition of the Church in which both him-felf and the whole Councell rested c. If the ancient Tradition of the Church can not authorise this neither can ancient custome authorise the other The Prelatick Clergy would fain hould Episcopacy by virtue of Tradition and of the authority of the Nicen Councell and yet would have Priests marry contrary to the same tradition and authority In like manner as the same Mr. Cartwright well observeth ibid. pag. 582. the Bishops of the Church of England would needs have the Nicen Councell be of sufficient authority to maintain Arch-Bishops but not the Pope wheras the on is as cleerly expressed as the other and no less necessary for the government of the Church If saith he an Arch-Bishop be necessary for calling a Provincial Councell when the Bishops are divided it is necessary there be also a Pope which may call a generall Councell when division is among the Arch-Bishops for when the Churches of one Province be divided from other as you ask me so I ask you who shall assemble them togeather who shall admonish them of their duties when they are assembled If you can find a way how this may be don without a Pope the way is also found wherby the Church is disburdned of the Archbishop When Prelaticks dispute with Presbiterians about Episcopacy and ceremonies c. they extoll the four first general Councells but when they dispute with Roman Catholicks about the vnmarried life of Priests the Pop's supremacy or any other point of Popery then they extenuate the authority of the same Councells and will admitt of no other rule of faith but Scripture So that a Prelatick Protestant against Presbiterians is a Papist and against Papists is a Presbiterian what he is or would be if both did argue against him at the same time is not well known to me nor as I suppose to him-self but if he admits of the two main pillars wherby protestancy is supported which are the pretended fall and fallibility of the visible Church and the arbitrary interpretation of Scripture he may be any thing he pleases and to speak more modestly of him then Modestinus of Calvinists he is in a faire way to be a baptised Iew Mahometan or Arian and can not miss that way if he will be guided by the Protestant principles and follow the track of the most learned of the reformation Both Luther and Calvin dislik't the word Trinity on sayd it sounded couldly the other barbarously and Luther by omitting in his Translation of the new Testament this Text of Scripture There-be three which give witness in heaven the Father the word and the holy Ghost and these three be one sheweth how little inclined he was to believe that sacred Mystery and by saying that his soule hated Homusion and that the Arians did very well to reject that new and profane word from the rules of faith he declareth how his Protestant rule and reformation doth direct men to heresy and to all kind of infidelity for there is not a more refined heresy then Scripture mis-interpreted and mis-applyed and Scripture may be as easily mis-interpreted and mis applyed against the Trinity or the second Person 's equality and consubstantiality as applied to any on point of Protestancy The Anti-Trinitarians of Poland Transilvania and Hungary think themselves as good Calvinists as any French Hugonots and better Protestants then English Prelaticks or German Lutherans because they not only agree with all reformed Churches in the Fundamentalls of Protestancy that is in supposing the Apostacy of the Catholick Church and in reforming it by privat authority and their own interpretation of Scripture but go a step further in the Reformation by denying the Trinity By the principles of Protestancy and the practise of the first Protestant Reformers it is left to the choyce and discretion of every particular Church and person what articles of Popery are fitt to be rejected by their privat interpretation of Scripture and indeed it is impossible for men not tyed to any rule but to their own fancies of Scripture to agree in the points of Popery what to reject or retain They who confine with the Turk's Dominions venture to deny the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ and laugh at their brethrens arguments against their impiety as deduced only from Tradition Councells and Fathers and call them old Roman raggs long since torn in pieces by the Protestants them-selves in other points of Protestancy c. Hi sunt vetusti panni quos vos laceratis in aliis fidei articulis c. lacerata jamdudum calceamenta Nullus Nemo H. 9. They are say they patcht showes worn out long agon but heer in England France c. where no neighboring Nations deny the Trinity or Incarnation Protestants make those Misteries fundamental articles of faith but in Transilvania and Hungary The principles of Protestancy are not kept in such awe as heer they make bold there to apply Scripture against any mysteries of Christianity Wherfore we must not admire that they as Mr. Hooker tells vs Eccles. Polâ—â— l. 4. pag. 183. Of the reformed Churches of Poland think the very belief of the Trinity to be a part of Anti-Christian corruption and that the Pop's triple Crown is a sensible mark wherby the world might know him to be that misticall Beast spoken of in the Revelation in no respect so much as in his doctrin of the Trinity Nor when they say that St. Athanasius his Symbol is the Symbol of Sathan and brag that Luther did scarce vntile the Babilonian Jower of Rome but that they do vtterly demolish it and dig vp its very foundation By which words they give cleerly to vnderstand that the Protestants of Germany England Denmark c. are but superficial Protestants
and are as yet far short of that substantial and fundamental Reformation whervnto the principles of Protestancy and the Protestant rule of faith or an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture doth direct and incline all Churches of the Reformation As for our English Presbiterians and Fanaticks they agree with the Polonian Hungarian and Transilvanian protestant Arrians and Anti-Trinitarians in believing the Protestant Reformations can not be pious and perfect so long as they retain any on point of Popery and indeed there is as much reason and ground in Scripture to reject all as any on and the Protestant principles warant the deniall of the Trinity and Incarnation as well as of the Mass and Transubstantiation The prelaticks perceive this to be true and therfore in the 39. Articles to avoyd scandal and discredit profess the belief of many mysteries that according to the very foundation of their Reformation they ought to deny and though they seem not to be guilty of impiety in their resolution of retaining some yet are they convicted of incoherency in not rejecting all as we shall now manifestly prove SECT XI How the indifferency or rather inclination of Protestancy to all kind of infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick doctrin and distinction of fundamental and not fundamental articles of faith The design of their fundamental distinction layd open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church and how it hath the authority of iudging all controversies of Religion VNity of doctrin being a confessed mark of the true Church which is called One in relation to one and the same faith and Protestants perceiving they want this vnity and the means to bring them to it every particular Church and person challenging a right to interpret Scripture after his own manner as well as Luther and Calvin c. who could not assume to them-selves that liberty without granting it to others and that not only their sundry Churches and confessions differ extreamly in doctrin but even the members of one and the same Congregation agree not among them-selves in the explanation of their Articles nor in the Authority of their Church to command and determin what articles ought to be believed this I say considered by Protestants some of their chief writers and particularly the English Prelaticks have invented a distinction wherby they hope to foole their flocks and make them believe that there is not only an vnity but an vniversality of faith amongst all dissenting Protestants and by consequence that they are true Catholicks They divide therfore the articles of Christian Religion into fundamentall and not fundamentall Fundamentall they call those wherin all Christians do agree not fundamentall they make every article wherof them-selves or any other Christians doubt how ever so fundamentall it may be held by the rest By which doctrin they make Arians Nâ—â—torians and all ancient Hereticks good Catholicks and their errors not fundamentall or destructive to salvation because forsooth they are Christians though deny the consubstantiality of Christ. This is no wrested consequence of ours but their own confessed Tenet The great prelatick writer Doctor Morton late Bishop of Duresme in his approved and applauded book of the Kingdom of Jsrael and of the Church dedicated to Queen Elizabeth pag. 94 sayth The Churches of Arians are to be accounted the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Ghospell which is faith in JESUS Christ the son of God and Saviour of the world And pag. 91. He giveth this general rule Whersoever a company of men do joyntly and publickly by worshipping the true God in Christ profess the substance of Christian Religion which is faith in JESUS Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world ther is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption what soever c. Thus they plead for the Arrians declaring in their favour that consubstantiality of the son or his being the natural son of God is not the substance of Christian belief A man would think that the real presence of Christ in the Sacrament is a substantial point of faith seing ther of dependeth the reality of our Sacrifice the feeding or famishing of our soules and the verifying or falsifying of Christ's plain and express words and yet Bishop Iewel the greatest piller of the Church of England in his Apology for the same pag. 101. edit 1600. obâ—erving that Protestants were divided in the belief of that mystery tells vs it is but a matter of indifferency The Lutherans and Zuinglians saith he are both sides Christians good friends and Brethren they vary not between them-selves vpon the principles and foundations of our Religions c. But vpon one only question the real presence neither weighty nor great Doctor Reynolds in his 5. Conclusion annexed to his conference pag 722. affirmeth the real presence to be but as it were the grudging of a litle ague if otherwise the party hould the Christian faith And all Protestants conspire in this heretical shift because their change and choyce of articles of faith can not be maintained by any other way but by denying that therby they touch the foundation of Christian Religion So Luther defended his Consubstantiation as may be seen in Amandus Polanus in his Synop. pag. 446. And Iacobus Acontius lib. 3. Stratagematum Sathanae pag. 135. saith It 's evident concerning as well those who hould the real presence of Christ's Body in the bread as those others which deny it that although of necessity one part do err yet both are in way of saluation if in other things they be obedient to God Jn this Protestant distinction we must distinguish two things 1. The design 2. The doctrin wherupon Protestants ground their design In this Section J will discover the design and declare the weakness therof In the next I will demonstrat the falshood of the doctrin wherby they intended to carry on their design Protestants proceed in this affair as weak Ministers of state when they find by experience they have bin mistaken in taking their measures and in the management of publick concerns they would fain be reconciled and make strict leagues with such Potentats as formerly they had disobliged and them-selves now stand in need of their friendship and fancy they can effect all by inculcating vnto them general notions of a common danger grounded vpon the power and pride of some neighbouring and emulous Prince So Prelaticks reflecting vpon the weackness of their cause occasion'd through the dissentions of the Reformed Religions and vpon the incoherency of their own 39. Articles with the foundation and liberty of Protestancy would fain by a generall notion of Christianity vnite all heretical Churches to them-selves against the Roman Catholicks pretended pride and power In which proceedings they commit two great indiscretions 1. They do not consider how they have disobliged the Greek and most of the Eastern Churches by declaring in their 39. Articles the doctrin of the Holy Ghost's procession from the Father and
Catholicks were but few and in the later days they will not be many in respect of Heretiks but still it was and will be the Catholick Church Therfore it can not be an argument that a Church in not Catholick or Universal because ther ar more Pagans and Professors of Heresies then of the true Religion Their being more hereticks in number is consistent with the being of many faithfull houlding the Apostolick faith and no more is requisit for a Catholick or Universal Church But sure Protestants forget the invisibility of their own when they except against the Universality of ours If theirs was Catholick or Universal when they were so few that for the space at least of 1000. years not one Protestant could be found in the whole world they have no reason to deny the denomination of Catholick to the Roman which always hath bin so conspicuous and numerous If they will proceed coherently and say that for those 1000. years before Luther ther was no Catholick Church then they must not only reform but alter and cut short the Apostles Creed and blot out at least for those 1000. years that article J believe in the Catholick Church And as Protestants have no reason to believe that the vniversality or Catholicism of the Church consists not so much in the number of persons as in the antiquity and identity of faith of the Professors with that of the Apostles so have they not any reason to object partiality and illegality against the testimony and judicature of the Roman Church and Councells when they censure Protestant opinions Not partiality because when a Iudg or wittness giveth sentence or evidence against his own natural inclination and interest there can be no suspition of partiality nor lawfull exception against his sentence or testimony as too much favoring himself or his relations And truly if Roman Catholicks did judge of controversies of faith according to their own natural inclination and interest and had not in their definitions and testimonies a greater regard to conscience then conveniency they would never witness or define that Priests ought not to marry or that Kings and Bishops ought to be subject to the Pope in spirituall affaires or that men ought to abstain from flesh so many days in the week or that ther is no bread or wine in the Sacrament notwithstanding the appearance of both neither would they part with their lands and mony vpon the score of Purgatory or maintain that privat men or Churches must not take the liberty to themselves of deciding controversies of Religion but on the contrary beleeve that generall Councells are infallible even when they define matters contrary to our sense and inclinations Roman Catholicks are made of flesh and bloud they are naturally as averse from these thoughts and submissions and find as great difficulty in conforming their judgments and testimonies thervnto as Protestants Therfore they cannot be partial in condemning Protestants for not believing these things vnless they be also partial against themselves and nothing but the evidence of their own obligation â—o believe these things strengthned by the grace of God could prevaile with so many learned and sober men as have bin and are known to be among Roman Catholicks to be partial against themselves or to judg and wittness contrary to their own natural inclinations and temporal interest for Popery against Protestancy SVBSECT II. Of the Iustice and legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy NOw as to the legality of the proceedings and censures of the Roman Catholick Church against Protestancy it is as manifest as lawfull witnesses and cleer evidences can make any judgment either in law or equity In all controversieâ— both of law and Religion the Courts and Church must ground their sentences vpon matter of fact All disputes of faith must be reduced vnto and decided by this matter of fact Whether Christ our Saviour and his Apostles taught such doctrin Whether he revealed the reformed not the Roman sense of Scripture This being a thing don 1600. years since neither party can produce new eyes or eare witnesses pretending to an immediat knowledg of what then Christ and his Apostles preach't That immediat evidence ended with the begining of the second age and we must begin our proof with this last and proceed to examin our witnesses by a retrogradation from this present age to the first because the only proof of things which are beyond the reach of our knowledg and memory is the Tradition and testimonies of others vpon which we must rely or resolve not to believe any thing even of our-selves as our names families Countries or of this world and much less of the next Let us begin therfore with the Reformed Protestant Churches and ask them what witnesses have they in this 16. Century to prove that Christ and his Apostles were Protestants or taught their reformed sense of Scripture They will answer they have as many witnesses as ther are Protestants We demand their cause of knowledge such of them as in matters of Religion make any use of reason will not pretend that they know it by privat revelation or by their own proper interpretation of God's Law those are neither Court nor Church evidences but will answer that their Parents and Pastors tould them Christ and his Apostles were Protestants and these were tould so by others their Parents and Pastors vntill passing some few descents they come to Luther or Calvin or Cranmer c. There they must stop for Luther Calvin and Cranmer did not pretend that their Parents or Pastors testifyed to them that Protestancy was the true Religion them-selves having bin the first Inventors or Revivers therof after that it had bin by their own confessions at least 1000. years buried and their Church had bin invisible or enchanted Jt is a remarkable thing that never any ancient Heretick or modern Reformer of the Catholick doctrin could name an inmmediaâ— Preâ—â—cessor much less any Church from which he received his Religion and reformed interpretation of Scripture Optiâ—â—s that ancient Father â— 2. contra â—armeâ— says That Donatus was a son without a Father a Successor without a Predecessor filius sine Patre sequens sine Antecedenâ—e the same we may say of Luther Calvin Cranmer c. And seing ther must be a Succession of faith as well as of meâ— and that as one who can not prove his Father or family to be noble by the testimonies and tradition of others can not pretend to nobility of descent or to right of inheritance so can not Luther Calvin or Cranmer and their followers pretend to antiquity of faith or to be of the Catholick family of Christ without a legal testimony and tradition of their spiritual descent which tradition or testimony they confess to be wanting Mr. Napper in his Treatise vpon the Revelations pag. 43. The Pop's Kingdome hath had power over all Christians from the time of Pope Silvester and the Emperour Constantine for these
when certain officers known by the vsual marks and badges of their Master's Soveraignty and their own military or civil charges propose his orders either by proclamation letters patents or otherwise so Protestants will acknowledg that all Christians are bound to believe it i◠a sufficient proposal of the 〈◊〉 existence of Divine Revelation and that God speaks or commands whensoever his mind is declared to them by that Church and Ministers who beare at least as authentick marks and badges of God's authority and of their own ministery to evidence their trust and jurisdiction as the Officers of state and Justice do in a Republick or 〈◊〉 Government In a word all that we desire of Protestants is that they will give as much credit and respect to God as to Princes and no less to the Ministers of God's Church then to Senators or to the Officers of a King's Court. But their fundamental distinction dispenseth with all such duties and leads them a quite contrary way 〈…〉 not obliged to believe the mysteries of faith as they are proposed by the Roman Catholick Church though the sayd Church be more authentickly waranted thervnto by God then any Ministers or Magistra◠are waranted to 〈…〉 of state by their Prince vnless it be clearly evident 〈…〉 evidently credible will not serve their turn that God revealed what the Church proposeth as his word and command Such Doctrines of the Roman Church as they fancy cleer or self evident either by their owne privat spirit and discourse or by the vnanimous and general acknowledgment of all Christians such and only such do Protestants believe as points of faith and call them fundamental articles or articles necessary for salvation all others either they hould only as probable opinions and things of indifferency or reject as superfluous and superstitious And because the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation are generally professed in these parts of Europe by all Christians though not by all in the Catholick sense but with certain interpretations Therfore the learned Prelatick Protestant Writers both ancient and modern reduce all the articles and the total summe of Catholick faith and of the foure first generall Councells to a belief of the Trinity and Incarnation that is to some Kind of faith though it be but the Arian in JESUS Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world as Doctor Morton Bishop of Duresme and others teach who vpon this score maintain that the Arian Churches and by consequence all ancient hereticks are to be accounpted members of the Church of God We have quoted their words num 3. of the precedent section That no King's Ministers or Magistrats have so authentick marks and badges to evidence in them-selves their Master's authority for exercising their respective charges and jurisdictions as the Roman Catholick Church hath of being entrusted and apointed by God to deliver his Divine doctrin declare his sense of Scripture and decide Religious controversies is manifest by the signs and marks of God's Church compared with the marks and badges of Princes Officiers Omitting many other marks of the true Church J will touch but three which are Conversion of Kings and Nations from paganism to Christianity Succession of Pastors and doctrin from the Apostles to this present and miracles All these are visible only in the Roman Catholick Church and are more authentick because they cannot be easily counterfeited then any human euidences even the most esteemed which is the King's hand and Seale To say because some pretended miracles have bin impostures no miracles at all are true or none ought to be credited is no less vnreasonable then to cry down all current money because there is some fals coyne and is as ridiculous and rebellious as to disobey and reject all royall commissions and orders of Councell because some may or have bin counterfeited and subreptitiously obtained But suppose as Protestants pretend that miracles were ceased I hope the Conversion of so many Nations and Kings of the Gentils to Christianity and a continuall succession of the Roman doctrin and Pastors are neither ceased not counterfeited no other Church but the Roman Catholick hath these signes of God's providence and as non can deny but that they are more convincing arguments and greater evidences of the super-natural Ministery and jurisdiction which the Roman Church doth claim then any human signes badges or commissions can be of the Royal authority exercised by King's officiers either civil or military so likewise it must be acknowledged that there is a cleerer and greater obligation vpon men to submit their judgments and wills to the definitions and Decrees of the Roman Catholick Church and Councells proposing or declaring God's revelations and commands then there can be vpon subjects to obey the orders of temporal Souveraigns published or proclaimed by their chief Ministers and subordinat officers Therfore as it is notorious Rebellion in subjects against their King's authority to contemn his commands when they are proposed by Ministers that shew his commissions so is it manifest heresy and a denial of God's veracity to contemn or doubt of the doctrin proposed as Divine by the Roman Catholick Church so authentickly qualified with the aforesaid supernatural marks And as it is want of duty and alleigance in subjects and a ridiculous excuse for not obeying Orders to pretend they have not cleer evidence that the King signed them or for all they know that his Minister or Officer may be an Impostor and his commission or warrant counterfeit so must it be concluded want of christian belief and excess of hereticall obstinacy in Protestants to excuse their contempt of the Roman Catholick doctrin and authority by pretending a possibility of mistake in the same Church because forsooth they are not convinced of it's infallibility and authority by a Demonstration or revelation so evident that though they would they cannot deny it Such evidences are not necessary nor even compatible with Christian belief as shall be proved herafter less are sufficient to convince them-selves and all rational men of a strickt obligation to believe and obey a temporal Prince and Magistrat and sure they are vnreasonable if they imagin God deserves less belief duty and subjection then Princes That Protestants believe not their own Churches or Congregations with out doubts and feares of being mistaken in the reformed doctrin and authority of proposing the same we do not admire because not any on of their churches doth pretend to infallibility nor could hitherto or can yet shew any sign or seale of God for their sense of Scripture or reformations but that they should think them-selves obliged to take a Herald or Trompeters Coat and a Constable or Cathpol's staffe and other such badges so easily counterfeited for sufficient evidences of the King's authority and yet except against the authentickness of the conversion of Kings and Nations the Succession and sanctity of Pastors and doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church Which are things that cannot be
would follow the greater the authority is the more slow we ought to be in submitting therunto or which is the same the more inclined God is to truth and the more powerfull he is to practise the same and to keep the Church stedy to truth the more slow we ought to be in believing the Church or God's known Ministers and Messengers SECT XIV Reasons for liberty of Conscience and how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the state by continuing and pressing the sanguinary and penal statutes against the Roman Catholick faith and the Act of vniformity against sectaries THere is not any thing more damnable to soules or more dangerous to states then to make the laws of the land the rule of faith and temporal statuts the ground of spiritual jurisdiction It is endeed Christian piety to fence and favour Religion with Imperial edicts and Royal Decrees and therfore it was prophecied of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Mothers but to found the belief of eternal verities and of Christian Religion vpon temporal statuts and to frame the doctrin of the Church and the Caracter of the Clergy according to Acts of Parliament and to the interest of the Prince is neither piety nor policy in lawfull and vndoubted Soveraigns What Queen Elizabeth did to salue the sore of her illegitimacy was as great a prejudice and ought as litle be made a president to the royall family of the Stewards as Oliver Cromwel's Tyrany the laws and Religion of both equaly tending to it's total ruin and exclusion from the Crown with this only difference that Queen Elizabeth destroy'd the Stewards by reforming the Old Religion whervpon their right was grounded but Cromwell destroy'd them by reforming the New Religion whervnto they had conformed and wherby they endeavored to setle their Throne And indeed Souveraigns can expect no greater security or better success then the Royal family of the Stewards hath had whilst the Religion which their Subjects profess hath no other certainty or setlement but what is received from an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture confirmed by temporal statuts That the Protestant prelatick Religion hath no other rule but this and the laws of the Lands is manifest by so many changes of it's articles liturgy caracter and Translations of Scripture by publick and Parliamentory authority That it hath no certainty from it's own principleâ— is manifest by the acknowledged fallibility of that Church and by the liberty of interpreting God's word and by the prerogative of judging controversies of faith which the Tenets of all the Reformations and example of the first Reformers allow to any particular person that will claim the privilege of a reformed Christian or the spirit of a godly or guifted Protestant This liberty of professing and the vncertainty of protestancy having proved in all places and persons wherunto it had access a seed of rebellion destructive not only of the substance of Religion but of the tye of alleigance it was thought necessary for the preservation of Princes and the peace of their subjects to reduce the variety and regulat the extravagancy of the dissenting reformed doctrines into publick professions of protestancy as sutable to the interest of the souveraigns and inclinations of the subjects and customs of their Countries as could be devised And because the government of England continued Monarchical and that Episcopacy doth favor Monarchy and is essential to Parliaments the protestancy of the Church of England was made prelatick notwithstanding the incoherency of Episcopacy with the very foundation of the first and pure pretended reformations And seing ther is such antipathy between the caracter of Episcopacy and the principles of protestancy that the Church of England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths reign durst not claim that caracter or any spiritual jurisdiction by succession from the Apostles and their successors the ensuing Catholick Bishops it was content to receive both as also the confirmation of it's prelatick doctrin from an vnheard-of spiritual supremacy of a lay Prince and from Acts of Parliament and so was it made the legal Religion of the state contrary to the principles both of the ancient Catholick faith and of the new protestant reformations How contrary this setlement of prelatick protestancy by a persecution of Popery is to Christian piety may easily appeare to them who will remember what hath bin sayd hertofore of the sanctity antiquity and continuall succession of the Roman Catholick Religion from the Apostles to this present and reflect vpon the principles begining and progress of protestancy in general and of the prelatick in particular How inconsistent with policy it is to press by the severity of laws a profession so generally dislik't as the prelatick it being contrary to the ancient Religion and not agreeing with the new Reformations experience hath demonstrated when not only all foreign Roman Catholick Princes and people stood neuters not much concerned whether Protestant Prelacy or Presbytery should prevaile in England they pittied indeed the Royal family and wish'd them good success against their rebellious subjects but this they wish'd to them as Princes not as Prelatiks not only Isay foreign Catholicks were neuters but all the Protestant Churches abroad were more inclined to favor the Presbiterian and fanatick English and Scotch Congregations then the King's Religion for that they come neerer to them and to the primitive and fundamental principles of Protestancy The reason why the Prelatick persuasion is so odious to the reformed Churches abroad and so opposed by Presbiterians and other Protestant Congregations at home is because the formality of it's ceremonies and the legality of it's discipline are incompatible with the primitive spirit liberty and principles of protestancy The protestant Bishops would fain Lord it over their brethren not content with the name and power of Protestant superintendents they strive to imitat the authory and severity of the Catholick Episcopal jurisdiction in their Courts and do what they can to retain a ceremonious decency in there Churches but neither is agreable with the nature and spirit of the Protestant Reformations which consist in an independency and exemption from all spiritual superiority and ceremonie of a particular person being supreme Judge and Interpreter of Scripture This spiritual judicature is the spiritual birth-right of every Protestant and the ground wherupon Luther and his followers raised their reformations and their new sense of the Ghospel Wherfore the resâ—raiâ— of this Protestant evangelical liberty and birth-right by the rigor of our lawes in favor of the prelatick jurisdiction and disciplin must needs make the law-makers and their religion as odious to all zealous Protestants as liberty of opinion and fancied Scripture are deere to a stubborn and humorâ—om peopâ—â— Let it then be maturely considered whether any thing can be more daungerous to the safety of the Soveraign or to the tranquillity of the state then to enact lawes
protestant principles to the discovery of the frauds and â—â—â—â—â—fications wherwith the prâ—â—atick Clergy doth disguise them and divert their flocks from reflecting vpon those sad effects which they have wrought and must work wheresoever they are 〈◊〉 the Religion of the staâ—e A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE THIRD PART Containing a plain discovery of the Protestant Clergies frauds and falsifications wherby alone their doctrin is supported and made credible The conscience and conveniency of restoring or tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion demonstrated SECT I. That either the learned Protestant or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every illiterat protestant may easily discern by wich of the two Clergieâ— he is cheated and therfore is obliged vnder pain of damnation to examin so neer a concern and to renounce the doctrin and communion of that Church wherin he is cheated of the true Church being so conspicuous and manifest by such eminent and visible marks Christ might well forbid the faithfull to communicat with Hereticks and Schismaticks for that their conventicles 〈◊〉 never be mistaken for the whole or even a part of the Catholick Church vnless men â—ill be so simple as to take their â—are word when they say Hic est Christus aut illic wheras if it were possible for learned men to be innocently mistaken Christ's command had not bin obligatory for in such â— case we were not bound to believe that Christ is rather in one Church then other seing each Church had reason sufficient to excuse learned parties from schism and â—â—resy But it being impossible that God should command vs to believe on Congregation of Christians and not believe others that pretend also to be the true Church of Christ without confirming the testimony and doctrin of that one Congregation which he bids vs believe and preferr before the rest with such cleer signes of the truth and so evident marks of Divine authority that the others compared therwith can have no probability two things must be granted 1. that the Catholiâ—â— Church of Christ cannot be composed of all or any dissenting Congregations 2. That the one only Congregation which is the true and Catholick Church can never be so eclipsed but that it must appeare much more eminent in sanctity miracles conversion of Nations and much more credible in it's testimonies then any other Wherfore we conclude that either the learned protestant clergy or the catholick must be cheats seing that notwithstanding the evident and eminent signes and marks of God's Church can not be found in both or in any two Congregations dissenting in their doctrin and rule of faith yet each of them make their illiterat flocks believe that their own is the true Church of God whervpon the signes and seales of his authority and veracity do cleerly shine No human art or industry if not born-out with more then ordinary and notorious impudencie can pretend to discredit or darken the spendor of true Miracles Sanctity Successiâ—â— become Masters of the Comerce as shall be proved I hope these considerations will invite and incite them to examin which of both the Clergies the Roman Catholick that petitions for â—r the Prelatick Protestant that opposeth liberty of conscience are the cheats And that they may find it out withouâ— much trouble I have thought sit to lett them know there is not any one controversy between them and vs which hath not bin handled in English and argued to the full on both sides now the summe of our disputes being this whether the primitive Church was Roman Catholick or rather Protestant in the controverted points as Praying to Saints Transsubstantiation Purgatory worship of Images the Canonicall letter and sense of Scripturâ— c. To decide the Controversy each side quotes the words of Scripture Councells and Fathers because the true doctrine hath bin preserved and recorded in these writings Let him therfore that doubts of the sense of the Text and of the sincerity of him that quotes it compare the Authors words with the 〈…〉 he will infallibly find out who is the Cheat. For he that doth corrupt the words or change the sense of Scripâ—â—re Councells and Fathers doth not stick to the doctrin of the primitive Church And because I have spent some time both before and after my conversion to the Catholick faith in examining the falsifications and frauds of Protestants and their objections against Papists in the same kind I may speak with more assurance then others who have not so much experience and do protest that I never thought it possible before I found it was so de facto that men pretending not only to the name of reformed Christianity but to the Reality and Sanctity of an Episcopal caracter and charge of soules could be so vnconsiderable vnworthy and vncharitable in matters of eternity as I have â—ound the Protestant writers and in particular the prelaticks of the Church of England Let any who desires to satisfie his conscience or curiosity pervse and compare either the books of Jevel and Harding or of Bishop Morton and Father Pesons the nature or essence of a body Or whether quantity be a thing distinct from that which we call a corporeal substance SVBSECT I. VVith what impudency and hipocrisy Bishop Ievell and other prelatick writers began to maintain the Protestancy of the Church of England And how they were blamed for appealing to antiquity by some of their own Brethren TO manifest the impudency and hypocrisy wherwith Prelatick Protestancy was broach't and imposed vpon the layty in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reign I will begin with Bishop Jevell's famous challenge and his Seconds that offered to maintain the primitive antiquity of Protestancy and the novelty of Popery His words are As I sayd before I say again I am content to yeeld and subscribe if any of our learned Adversaries or if all the learned men that be alive be able to bring one sufficient sentence out of any one Catholick Doctor or Father or out of any old Generall Councell c. for the space of 600. years after Christ c Protesting also that he affirmeth thus much not as carried away with the heat of zeale but as moved with the simple truth least any of you should happily be deceived and think there is more weight on the other side then in conclusion will be found c. And then he brake into this vehement Apostrophe O mercifull God! who could think that there could be so much wilfulness in the heart of man Then exclaimes O Gregory O Austin O Hierom O Chrysostom O Leo O Dionise O Anaclâ—tus O Calixtus O Paul O Christ Jf we be 〈◊〉 acknowledged the impossibility of defending the Protestant Religion by Tradition or by any monuments oâ— examples from antiquity or by the sayings of Fathers and Councells Insomuch that Archbishop Whitgift in his defence against the reply of Cartwright pag. 472. 473. doth not stick to say that almost all the Bishops and learned Writers of
by falshood notwithstanding J say there can be no hopes of salvation in such a Church no tollerable excuse for such imposturs yet the writers and writings are cryed vp and still in credit because they maintain that mistaken Reformation wherin Protestant have bin brought vp And though this particular case of Doctor Taylors one of the ablest Protestant Divines now living is sufficient to demonstrat the falshood of all Protestants and Protestancy in general yet for information and proofe that his â—rrors fell not by chance from his pen and that he hath not changed the arguments but is constant to the ancient falsifying Method the only way of all his Predecessours the Protestant Writers I will give particular instances of the most renowned from Luther to Taylor himself that is from the very first to the last But before I set down the particulars of Protestant falsifications I will prove in general that the Roman Catholicks can not be prudently suspected of the like practises and that Protestants are cleerly convicted therof SECT II. That there can be no reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy in matters of Religion and that Protestancy can not be maintained otherwise then by impostures wherof there are such evidences that to give the Protestant Clergy any credit in matters of their Religion is a sufficient cause of damnation SVBSECT I. THE first part of this assertion 〈◊〉 easily proved because that which may prudently induce men to suspect the sincerity of any Clergy in proposing the Mysteries of Christian Religion and the true sense of Scripture is temporal interest viz when by changing and corrupting the ancient 〈◊〉 the Clergy 〈◊〉 obtain honours and conveniences wher of they might despaire if they are raised aboue the meaness or mediocrity of their birth and fortune such were the first Protestant-Bishops and Reformers not one of them that J can learn of was born a Gentleman neither could they expect to be raised to any great employment either in Church or state vnless they had embroyled both and fish't in troubled waters and such also were they who pretenâ—ed to reform the ancient doctrin in former ages If we search into the Ecclesiasticall history we shall find that Hereticks always devised novelties to make them-selves considerable by dividing the Church into schisms and factions according to the vulgar saying Divide impera after that they had bin disapointed of some dignity whervnto they pretended and therfore Saint Augustin lib de Pastoribus cap. 8. doth attribute all heresies to pride Theobutes one of the first hereticks having bin refused a Bishoprick saith Aegisippus began to corrupt and perturbe the Church After him Simon Magus broach't his damnable doctrines because the Apostles would not sell to him the spiritual caracter of Episcopacy Act. 8. Then followed Valentinus of whom Tertullian gives this testimony to those of his Sect Valentinus expected to be a Bishop for his wit and Eloquence but being postponed he broke from the rule of the Church as ambitious and revengefull minds vse to do The same saith St. Epiphanius haeres 42. of Marcion Theodoret of Montanus Novatian Arius and Aerius Socrates of Salbatius Waldensis of Wacleff the same we say of Luther Calvin Cranmer c. But the Roman Catholick Clergy are commonly persons of quality that are not put to the shifts of hereticks that is of inventing new doctrin their birth helps to raise them to the dignity of the Church and none can be made a secular Priest that hath not a patrimony wherwith to subsist Besides it is an acknowledged difference between the two controverted Religions that the Roman Catholick is so ancient that even they who charge it with novelty can not tell when it began and grant that it hath bin at least these 1000. years generaly embraced by the visible Church as the very same which Christ and his Apostles taught the Protestant Reformation on the contrary is so modern that they who brag of it's antiquity can go no further then Luther and Calvin or Cranmer Hence it must be concluded that as in temporal Common-wealths they can not be questioned as Usurpers or suspected as Cheats whose possession and succession is so ancient that no memory occurreth to the contrary and moreover shew publick records and sentences of the Courts of Judicature sign'd with the great seale of the Soveraing in confirmation of their Estates and Titles against divers pretenderâ— in sundry ages 〈◊〉 in the Roman Catholick Church the doctrin and dignity of our Bishops having bin derived 〈…〉 and tradition 〈…〉 the contrary and having bin confirmâ—◠〈…〉 of general Councels yet extant vpon recoâ—d 〈…〉 hereticks and signed with God's great sealâ— Miracles there can be no objection but obstinacy against the truth therof nor no prudent ground to suspect the integrity and sincerity of our Clergy in maintaining as well their doctrin as the revenues which were bestowed vpon them for supporting that doctrin and their Ministery Men who have such vndeniable and publick evidences to shew for the truth of their doctrin and for their right to the temporalities of the Church can not be presâ—â—ed to forge or falsify scripture records Councells or Fathers for maintaining their right or reverences they need no such practises which would rather prejudice then profit their cause To what end should Catholick Bishops forge records of their Consecration when their very Adversaries confess the validity and legality therof to be so authentik that their chief study is how to derive their own Caracter from ours To what purpose should we falsify the ancient Councells and Fathers when all the Protestant writers who have any conscience or knowledge grant they are for us And 〈◊〉 such of them as are vers'd in antiquity will not have their reformation tryed by Fathers and Councells but by Scripture alone Why should we corrupt the letter of Scripture when our Adversaries grant our latin vulgata to be the most true and authentik Translation therof as we have proved heretofore Why should we alter the Roman Catholik sense of Scripture that is as ancient as the letter and delivered to us by the same testimony and tradition as God's true meaning But the protestant Clergy who are but vpstarts by brith and doctrin can not be great in Church or state otherwise then by inventing and promoting new religions and to that end do corrupt the letter and change the sense of Scripture which was delivered to the primitive Church pretending that the true Church of Christ was invisible and that the protestant evidences and miracles perished by reason of the iniquity of the times and the persecution of Popes But let us come to the triall and to particular instances of their false dealing SVBSECT II. Of Edward 6. Protestant and prelatick Clergies frauds falsifications and formes of ordination their hypocrisy incontinency Atheism c And whether it be fit to terme them and others like them Cheats when they are convicted of willfull
Bishops Bible This Bible thus caled as also of the large Volume was printed first at Paris Fox relates the story That some heresies having bin discovered therin Coverdale was sent for who did oversee the printing of his own and Tyndal's work but having some warning of what would follow saith Fox he with other English posted away from Paris as fast as they could to save them-selves leaving behind them all their Bibles of the great Volume c. but after they had recovered some of the same Bibles which the Lieutenant Criminal of Paris had not burnt with the rest moved therunto by covetousness they reprinted the same Bible in London but yet not without great loss and trouble for the hatred of the Bishops namely Stephen Gardiner and his fellows who mightily did stomack and malign the printing therof This is Fox his own story of the English Translation of Scripture which Protestants hold to be the true word of God though it was burnt as fals and heretical in France and condemned as such by act of Parliament in England and two Thousand falsifications discovered in the new Testament 〈◊〉 by learned 〈◊〉 Bishop of Dâ—resme Sanders â—â—counts how Miles Coverdale hearing that the University of Oxford was much bent against 〈◊〉 reformation in Edward 6. 〈◊〉 and that 〈…〉 â—aught at Coverdale for keeping 〈…〉 have bin his wife he came to confute and to convâ—â—◠〈◊〉 famous University and there in the pulpit told his audience he would 〈◊〉 of the Controversie of the Real presence having therfore first vehemently inveighed against such as murmured at his keeping a woman which he termed va◠〈◊〉 he added that he ought to be credited in the dispute of the Eucharist for that having inquired into the diversity of opinions and examined the Catholicks Transubstantiation the Lutherans Impaâ—ation the Zuingliâ—ns â—â—re figurative presence the Calvinists addition to 〈…〉 certain efficacy and energy of grace he could deliâ—er 〈◊〉 them what he had found out at last after 14 years stud◠〈…〉 matter having spoken thus in very good earnest most then thought he was distracted for non in his 〈◊〉 could seriously endeavor to persuade Christians to build their 〈◊〉 vpon a fâ—llows fancy 〈◊〉 confessed him-self knew not what to believe for the space of 14 years vntill that present wherin at length he professed to take a new way of his own different from all others that vntill then had bin professed either by Roman Catholiks or others But if Protestants take his fals Translation for 〈◊〉 word of God with 〈◊〉 doubt they will not scruple to take his fantastical opinion for the sense of Scripture and rely â—pon his fond Interpretation of these words This is my body These were the prime Apostles and first Founders of the Protestant Church of England this the Scripture which they delivered to the people for God's word These the men whose sincerity the English Clergy doth now defend imitat and rely â—pon men who to enjoy Benefices and women persuaded silly soules to become the Devill 's Martyrs in Q. Maries dayes making them believe that Tindal and Coverdales falâ— Translations were the very word of God and every on 's privat Interpretation the right sense of the holy Ghost This the poore people erroneously and obstinatly maintained after that such of these their Masters as could escape fled begond the seas and left their Proselits in the lurch when them-selves could not any longer enjoy Bishopricks and wenches here in England Ambition and sensuality led them into novelties which most of them-selves knew to be heresies though once ingaged therin according to the custom of hereticks many refused to recant and would needs cast them-selves into the fire to dye forsooth with their honour which they vainly imagined lay at the stake and could not be preserved if them-selves were not tyed to a stake Fox tells us how Laurence Sanders a Priest was so fond of his wench and child that seing his litle son rejoyced more to have such a boy then if 2000. pounds were given him c. saying what man fearing God would not lose his life present rather then by prolonging it here he should adjudge this boy to be a bastard his wife a whore and him-self a whore-monger yea saith he if there were no other cause for which a man of my estate should lose his life yet who would not give it to avouch this Child to be legitimat and his mothers marriage to be lawfull and holy vpon such motives was the obstinacy of this Clergy grounded in dying How litle the poore Tinkers Tanners Coblers Spinsers and simple women could say for the errors in maintenance wherof they would needs dye you may guess by their incontinent Priests and their Patriarch and Apostle Cranmer's answers for his new saith which I will copy out of Fox himself who excuseth the weakness and absurdity therof by saying pag. 2053. that he believes the Notary who was Bishop Ievell chosen by Cranmer him-self did conceale the Arch-bishop's answers to favour the sea of Rome But then Fox ought to have supplied Ievellâ— ' defect and have shewed how Cranmer might and probably did answer the popish arguments and not conâ—â—â—t him-self with telling us that the reporter leaveth the 〈◊〉 raw and weak on Doctor Cranmer's side Thus then saith Fox SVBSECT IV. Talke between Doctor Martyn and the Arch-Bishop related by Fox DOctor Martin You have told here a long glorious tale c. you say you have once sworn to K. Henry 8. against the Pope's Iurisdiction and therâ—â—â—e you may never forsweare the same c. Here Mr. Cranmer I will ask you a question or two what if you made aâ— Oath to a Harlot to live with her in continual adultery ought you to keep it Cranmer I think no. Doctor Martyn Herod did swear what soever his harâ—â—â— asked of him he would give her and he gave her Iohn Baptist's head c. Then Mr. Cranmer you can no less confess but that you ought not to have conscience of every oath but if it be just lawfull and advisedly taken Cranmer So was my oath Martyn That is not so for first it was vnjust for it tended to the taking away of an other man's right It was not lawfull for the lawâ— of God and the Church were against it Besides it was not voluntary for every man and woman were compell'd to take it Cranmer It pleaseth you to say so Martyn Let all the world be Judge But Sir you that pretend to have such a conscience to break an Oath I pray you did you never swear and break the same Cranmer I remember not Martyn J will help your memory did you never swear obedience to the Sea of Rome Cranmer In deed I did once swear vnto the same Martyn Yea that you did twice as appeareth by records and writings here ready to be shewed Cranmer But I remember J saved all by a Protestation that I made by the Councell of the
to the Earl of Arundell that she would marry him and by promising other favours to the Duke of Norfolck had by their solicitations gained most of the nobility and the Lords and Gentlemen who had the managing of elections in their several Counties had retained such men for 〈◊〉 of the House of Commons as they conceived moâ—â— likely to comply with the Queens new design in reviving that Religion which but five years before them-selves and the whole Kingdom had rejected as damnable heresy and groundless novelty devised by some lâ—w'd revolted Friars and Priests and had observed how all sober and conscienâ—ious men weâ—â— troubled to see so shamefull a change introduced only for maintaining the weakness of a title against the cleer right of the Stewards and fearing least this scruple might spread and work vpon the consciences of the illiterat multitude it was thought fit to command Bishop Iewell the fittest man for so impudent an vndertaking to assert the antiquity of the particular Tenets of the New Church of England and so in forme of a Challenge against all Roman Catholicks he published at Paules Cross that the Religion which the Queen and Parliament had then established by Law was no novelty nor new invented sense of Scripture but the same which our Saviour and his Apostles delivered to the Church and all Orthodox Christians held for the first 600. years which thing he vndertook to demonstrat by vndeniable Testimonies of the Holy Fathers that lived in those six first Centuries The words of this Challenge we have set down heretofore as also the confutation therof One Rastal having writ against this challenge Iewell togeather with the rest of the Bishops and learned Protestant Clergy composed that famous Apology for the Church of England both in Latin and English it came out first in the name of their whole Church though I believe Iewell had the wording of it because afterwards his name was set to it and to the defence therof but without doubt all the able men of the English Clergy had their hands and heads in the work Against it divers appeared in print Stapleton Sanders and Harding whervpon saith Dean Walsingham in his search of Religion pag. 166. Mr. Iewel within few years after set forth the reply to D. r Harding which was esteemed to have bin made by joynt labours of the most learned men in England both in London and the Vniversities But in these their labours they were convicted of a thousand and odd falsifications and yet saith Harding of 26. articles only five have passed our examination Imagin then what number is like to rise of the whole work I will mention but one or two of every controversy I hope that is sufficient to prove that no one point wherin Protestants differ from Roman Catholicks can be maintained even by the most learned Protestants without frauds falshoods and impostures And do choose to instance particulars out of this Apology and defence of the Church of England because it is not only the work of their first Bishops and Clergy and the very bulwork of their Church but as D. r Heylin truly says the Magazin from whence all the Protestant Controversies since that time have furnished them-selves with arguments and authorities We will omit most of their corruptions of Scripture in the Apology because we have convicted them elâ—â—where of that crime but that they may not imagin we what matter even in this work of theirs let the curious read 〈…〉 Epistle to M. r Jewell set before his return 〈◊〉 vntruthâ— where he tells him you have falsifyed and mangled the very Text of Holy Scripture namely of Saint Paule in one Chapter nine times as the reader may see in the third article of his Book fol. 107. SVBSECT I. The Protestant Clergy convicted of falshood in their Apology concerning Communion vnder one kind BIshop Iewell and his Associats maintain with most Protestants that to receive the B. Sacrament 〈◊〉 one kind only is against the institution of Christâ— and therfore could not be allowed nor practised by the Church nor ever was during the first six hundred years So that the Controversy between the Church of England and Harding is whether in the first 600. years after Christ any Communion were ministred vnder one kind or no which they vnder the name of M. r Jewell deny against whom Harding giveth an instance out of the Ecclesiastical History of one Serapian that was Communicated in his death vnder one kind only Mr. Iewell seing him-self convicted replieth That it is not our question we vnderstand not of privat Communion but of publick in the Church and yet in the first proposing of the Question there was no mention of the Church or Publick and the whole controversy between Catholicks and Protestants is whether with out breach of Christ's Institution any man might communicat vnder one kind only Then Mr. Iewell is demanded whether if it may be proved that sick persons have received the Communion vnder one kind in the Church it will satisfie him wher to he answereth no saying the only thing that I denied is that yee are not able to bring any one sufficient example or authority that ever the whole people received the Communion in open Church in one kind within that time then he is vrged further whether if it can be proved that in closs chappels and Oratories in wilderness and caves in time of persecution the communion was practised vnder one kind this would satisfie him for so mucâ— as this proveth Christ's Institution not to forbid Communion vnder one kind But M. r Iewel leapeth also from this saying the question is whether the Holy Communion were ever ministred openly in the Church It being manifest that for the first 300. years vntill Constantin's time the Christians in most places particularly at Rome had no open Churches but privat Oratories and caves At length being demanded whether Infants receaving the Communion vnder one kind openly in the Church was a sufficient example Jewel answereth Mr. Harding maketh his whole plea vpon an Jnfant and yet of Infants as he knoweth I spake nothing Mr. Harding presseth him with the example of the two disciples to whom Christ our Saviour did give the Communion vnder one kind only at Emaus as by the Text of Scripture and Jnterpretation of ancient Fathers is plain he alledgeth also the examples of S. t Ambrose and S. t Basil who receaved the Sacrament vnder one kind though they were Priests Wherunto M. r Iewel answereth this is not to the purpose for the question is moved of lay people M. r Harding bringeth examples of Christ and two disciples who were of the number of 72. and therfore it may well be thought they were ministers and not of the lay sort I demanded of the layty M. r Harding answereth of St. Ambrose and St. Basil which were Bishops Which evasion is not only fraudulent but foolish as if forsooth Priests
all Papists in these words what shall J say here O ye principall posts of Religion and ye Arch-Governors of Christ's Church Is this your reverence which you giue to God's word to bid them avant away c. no mervaile if these men dispise us and all our doings which set so litle by God him-self and his infallible saying Thus they write and inveigh against Hosius and all the Roman Church even after they knew and had bin twice admonished that the whole ground was fals and forged by them-selves Hosius his own words are there is sprung vp a certain new kind of Prophets who have not bin afraid by the authority of Scripture to take away all authority from the Scripture Behould whither Satan at length hath brought this matter c. And after Nihil Scripturâ sanctius c. Nothing is more holy then Scripture nothing more noble or excellent there is nothing next to God himself more worthy of all veneration and reverence but what thing can there be so holy which the enemy of man-kind may not abuse to man's destruction c. Thus Hosius how hardly his words could be wrested or mistaken by Iewel and his Confederats all the world may see and ought to detest a Reformation that can not be otherwise maintain'd then by such palpable impostuâ—es SVBSECT IV. Falsificatïons and Frauds against the Bishop of Rome his supremacy JEwel and his Associats cyting a Constitution of the Emperour Iustinian against the Pope's supremacy say The Emperours words stand thus Sancimus c. Senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum Beatissimum autem Archi-Episcopum Constantinopolios novae Romae secundum habere locum which words Mr. Iewel Englisheth thus We ordain that the Pope of the elder Rome shall be the first of all Priests and that the most holy Arch-bishop of Constantinople which is named new Rome have the second place Of which Mr. Iewell and the English Church inferr that the Pope's Authority and preeminency in those days consisted only in sitting in the first place and that this dignity also was given him by the secular power of the Emperour First Iewell and his Camerades by â—n c. did hope to make the Emperour spiritual head of the Church and by consequence derive the same prerogative to all secular Princes in their own Dominions for they fraudulently omitted the words wherby the whole matter is cleered the words as they stand in the Constitution of Iustinian are these Sancimus secundum Canonum definitiones sanctissimum senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum c. we do ordain according to the determination of the Canons c. But had they not concealed these words they had discovered the weackness of their doctrin of the Queen's supremacy because those few words according to the definition of the Canons import that this ordination or declaration of the Emperour was grounded vpon the authority of the Canons of the Church which he did but confirm and command the execution of the Decrees and Declarations of Councells by his Imperial power The second fraud is that they translate primum esse omnium Sacerdotum thus that he shall be the first of all Priests wheras the Emperour vseth the present tense declaring that the Pope is the Chief of all Priests not shall be By Iewel 's falls Translation they intended to impose vpon such as vnderstand not Latin or at least are so careless as not to compare this Text with the English that Popes had not bin the first or chief of all Priests before that Decree of Iustinian and that spirituall supremacy came to them by vertue therof Not content with this fraud they add an other in the very next words of this Constitution which are these We ordain also that the most Holy Arch-Bishop of Justiniana the first which is our Country shall have for ever vnder his Iurisdiction the Bishops of the Provinces of Dacia Dania Dardania Mysia and Panonia and that they shall be invested by him and he only by his own Councell and that he in the Provinces subject vnto him shal have the place of the Apostolick sea of Rome c. Out of which words Mr. Iewel and his English Prelatick Clergy inferr thus Heere we see the Bishop of Iustiniana set in as high authority and power with in his own Iurisdiction as the Bishop of Rome with in his But had they bin as honest as the Protestant Layty take them to be all the world might have seen the Roman truth and their falshood for they deceitfully cut of the ensuing words that expound and declare the whole matter the words cut of are secundum ea quae sanctus Papa Vigilius constituit we ordain that these things shall be don and observed according to that which the Holy Pope Vigilius had constituted so that as in the former decree the Emperour professeth him-self to have ordained according to the definitions of the Canons so here in particular he professeth to have confirmed the Constitutions of the holy Pope Vigilius who had made the Arch-Bishop of Iustiniana to be his legat and to hould the place of the Apostolicâ— Sea of Rome in those Provinces not vnlike to that of St. Gregory who according to venerable Bede in his history gave the like Authority to St. Augustin our first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by which Concession they have always bin called Legati nati sedis Apostolicae Not content to conceale the words and the truth of Imperial Decrees and Ecclesiastical Histories Iewel and the English Clergy were neither ashamed nor afraid to corrupt Scripture to the same purpose against the Pope's supremacy For pretending that the words of Christ to St. Peter Thou art a Rock and upon this Rock will I build my Church and again feed my Lambs feed my sheep were spoken as well to all the Apostles as to St. Peter in the Apology of the Church of England is quoted for profe hereof an other saying of our Saviour Quod vni dico omnibus dico that which I say to one I say to all which sentence is not found in Scripture but an otherlike it though to an other purpose to wit about the watchfulness which our Saviour would have all men vse for the day of Iudgment Quod vobis dico omnibus dico vigilate That which I say to you here present I speak to all both absent and to come be watchfull of this day wherof Mr. Iewel and his Collegues could not be ignorant and yet thus he insulted Mr. Harding affirmeth That to the rest of the Apostles it was not sayd at all feed ye c. to Peter and to non els was it sayd feed my Lambs feed my sheep yet Christ him-self saith quod vni dico omnibus dico that y say to one I say to all And quoted for it Marck the 13. SVBSECT V. Frauds and fond devices of the protestant Clergy of England to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of the Mass.
DOctor Harding having proved out of the Testimony of Leontius Bishop of Cyprus that John the holy Patriarch of Alexandria sayd Mass and received alone Iewel and his Camerades answer thus A streight case for Mr. Harding to run to Alexandria a thousand miles beyond all Christendom so seck his Mass. As if at that time Alexandria were not almost in the midd'st of Christendom or though it had bin in the midd'st of Infidells as if that could be an argument of any force against the truth of Christian doctrin which was no less pure when it was preached and practised amongst Jdolaters then at this present among Christians Doctor Stapleton confuting some objections of the English Apology against Harding quotes both his words and Iewell 's thus St. Andrew the Apostle saith Mr. Harding touching the substance of the Mass worshiping God every day with the same service as Priests now do in celebrating the external Sacrifice of the Church Mr. Iewel thus answereth The 6. vntruth S. Andrew sayd the Communion not the Mass. Mr. Harding saith further They shall find the same most plainly treated of and a form of Mass much agreable to that which is vsed in these days set forth by St. Dyonise scholler to St. Paul Mr. Iewell The ninth vntruth It is the very form of the Communion and nothing like the privat Mass. Mr. Harding again I referr them insteed of many to the two Fathers Basil and Chrysostom whose Masses be lest to posterity in these times Mr. Iewell the 11. vntruth they contain the very order of the Communion Mr. Harding yet further Among all other Fathers Cyrillus Hierosolimitanus is not to be passed over lightly who at large expoundeth the whole Mass vsed in Hierusalem in his time the same which now we find in ould St. Clement long before him and others Mr. Iewell the 12. vntruth It is the very express order of the Communion And after this â—â—â—â—ulous manner of contradicting without confuting Doctor Harding's particular instances Iewell exclaims O Mr. Harding is it not possible your Religion may stand without lyes so many vntruths in so litle roome without the shame of the world without feare of God c. His fond fraud is detected and his vntruths returned vpon him-self by D. r Stapleton who tells Bishop Jewell that in the Catholick sense the Mass and Communion are the self same thing in substance the Communion being a principal part of the Mass without which there is no sacrificie for which cause the Priest always communicateth either alone or with others when company doth offer it self or are prepared for it and consequently it is a fraud saith he M. r Jewell to put a contradiction between Communion and privat Mass as though the one could not stand with the other saying that the forenamed Fathers which are cited to have sayd Mass sayd the Communion and no Mass where as we saith M. r Staâ—â—â—ton hould that they did both and sayd the one and the other that is they celebrated the dayly sacrificie and therwithall did communicat But if M. r Iewell mean of the English Communion wher in no external Sacrifice nor real presence of Christ's body is acknowledged or believed then proveth D. r Stapleton that the foresaid Fathers cannot possibly be vnderstood to speak of that Communion for that in their said Liturgies they do make express mention of the Real presence of Christ's flesh therin and of the offering vp as the express words of S. Andrew are of the Sacred body and bloud of Christ our Saviour in Sacrifice vnto God his Father And moreover in St. Dionise his Mass there is express mention of Oblation and Consecration of the Misteries of prayer for the Dead of Altars Censing Communion and memory of Saints all which things are not in the English Liturgy or Communion and much more He sheweth the same in the Mass or Liturgies of St. Basil and St. Chrysostom where after the Oblation made of the Sacrifice commemoration is made also of the blessed Saints in heaven and namely of our B. Lady and St. John Baptist and of the Saint of the day and of prayer for the Dead which last clause St. Cyrill doth explicat more particularly saying when we offer vp this Sacrifice after the Oblation we make mention of those which have departed this life before vs And first of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Martyrs that by their prayers and intercessions Almighty God may receive our prayers And then we pray for the Holy Fathers and Bishops departed and lastly we pray for all men which among us have deceased believing it to be a great relief of soules for whom the intercession of that Holy and dreadfull Sacrifice which is layd vpon the Altar is offered These are the words of St. Cyrill whervpon Mr. Stapleton demandeth Is this the express order of your Communion Here you see saith he is Oblation Sacrifice Altar prayer to Saints prayer for the Dead and is all this don in your English Communion And now I hope we may with more reason exclaim against Iewell and the Church of England then they did against 〈◊〉 is it not possible your Religion may stand without lâ—es SVBSECT VI. Prelatick Falsifications and Corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist and Succession of Bishops a mark of the Beast ONe of the things which most troubled Bishop Iewell and the first Protestant Prelats of Queen Elizabeth was there notorious want of Episcopal Caracter and succession derived from the Apostles all the true Bishops of England refusing to ordain them after that them-selves had bin violently deprived of their Seas by the Queen's Command for not conforming to her she supremacy and new doctrin Mr. Jewell therfore and his Camerades observing how much their cause was prejudiced by this want of Succession published and preached many things to discredit the same and to that purpose in the defence of the Apology of the Church of England thâ—â— write thus By succession Christ saith that desolation shall 〈…〉 the Holy place and Anti-Christ shall press into the room 〈…〉 and for proof they note in the margent Mat. 24. And in the same defence pag. 127. they say of Succession St. Paul saith to the faithfull at Ephesus I know that after my departure hence ravening wolves shall enter and succeed me and 〈◊〉 of your selves there shall by succession spring vp men speaking perversly Wheras St. Paul hath never a word of succession 〈◊〉 succeeding neither is there any mention of succession in Matthew 24. But the quite contrary is evident by the nature of the thing it self for that Antichrist entring by violence shall 〈◊〉 dissolue all lawfull succession of Priests and Bishops continued from the Apostles time to his time then enter himself by succession which point seemeth to have bin foretould by St. Paul to the Thessalonians when he saith that except defection or Apostacy go before which is an open breach from orderly succession and
subordination the man of sin shall not be revealed So that Succession which by all the ancient and Holy Doctors is believed and defended to be a mark of the true Church is affirmed by Iewell and the first Protestant Bishops to be a mark of Anti-Christ and to prove this their non sense they are pleased to falsify Scripture and all this was don because they knew them-selves wanted succession and imposition of Episcopal hands and were made Bishops only by the Queen's letters patents and dispensation with the inhability of their very state and condition and legitimated or made legal by an Act of Parliament 8. Elizabeth 1. SVBSECT VII Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes may and have decreed Heresies IN the Apology of the Church of England part â— cap. 5. Iewell and the English Clergy affirm that Pope Iohn 22. held a wicked and detestable opinion of the life to come and Jmmortality of the soule which accusation they had out of Calvin whose words are that Pope Iohn affirmed man's soule to be mortal This being proved to be a lye by Doctor Harding Iewell and his Clergy replyed in the defence of the Apology thus Gerson writeth in Sermons Paschali Pope John 2â— to have decreed that the soules of the wicked should not be punished before the day of the last Iudgment by which words as you shall see insteed of cleering one fals accusation against Iohn 22 they bring in another for Gerson hath no such words but the true controversy was indeed whether the soules of the just not of the wicked should see God face to face before the day of Iudgment or not wherin Pope Iohn being Reader of Divinity in France before he was Pope inclined to the negative part the Controversy was decided after Pope Iohn's death iâ— the extravagant of Pope Benedictus Not content with this Jmposture they add an other greater in confirmation of their former Charge fathering in the same and these ensuing words vpon the Councell of Constance Quinimo Ioannes Papa 22. yea Pope Iohn the two and twentith held and believed obstinatly that the soule of man did dye with the body and was extinguished as the soules of the bruit Beasts And more over he sayd that a man once dead is not to rise again no not at the last day First this Testimony doth not touch Pope Iohn 22. at all but an Anti-Pope Iohn vsurping the Popedom and calling him-self Iohn 23. and this a hundred years after Pope Iohn 22. 2. These words are not words of the Councell but words of an accusation vsed by a certain man that did accuse him in the Councell of Constance vnder the name Baltazar de Cossa calling him-self Iohn 23. where laying against him 35. articles concerning his wicked life before he took vpon him the sayd name of Pope which Articles were proved but not this point of Heresy SVBSECT VIII Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings THe Apology of the Church of England doth set forth how a Pope commanded the Emperour to go by him at his hors bridle and the French King to hould his stirrop and the like which Mr. Harding proveth to be lyes then it says that the Pope hurled vnder his table Francis Dandalus the Duke of Venise King of Creta and Cyprus fast-bound with chains to feed of bones among his doggs But neither Francis Dandalus was Duke of Venice when he was sent to the Pope in this Embassage neither was he King of Creta nor Cyprus that name of King not being tollerable in the free State of Venice and as for the Duke at that time his name was Johannes Superantius and Dandalus was but a privat man sent Embassador to Clement 5. then Pope to obtain the revocation of an Jnterdict which was layd vpon the sayd Citty and finding the Pope some what hard to yeeld to his supplication he devised of him-self this Stratagem to cause an Iron chain to be put about his own neck and to creep in vpon his hands and knees while the Pope was at dinner and there lay down vnder the Table and would not rise vntill he had obtained pardon and remission for his Country and this Doctor Harding proveth out of the principal Authors and writers of the Venetian Commonwealth SVBSECT IX Prelatick Falsifications to prove that S. Austin the Apostle of our English Saxons was an hypocrit and no Saint as also to discredit Catholick writers BIshop Iewell and his Prelatick Clergy in their reply to the Objections against their Apology for the Church of England pag. 185. speak thus of St. Austin the Monk and Apostle of England He was a man as is judged by them that 〈◊〉 and knew him neither of an Apostolicall spirit nor any way 〈◊〉 to be called a Saint but an hypocrit and a supperstitious 〈◊〉 cruell bloudy and proud out of measure There is no â—riting extant of any man that saw him and knew him alive but only of St. Gregory the Great who commended him exceedingly and of St. Bede that lived not very long after him who writeth also much of his Sanctity and miracles who then 〈◊〉 those who lived with him and knowing him did Iudge him to be so bad a man Iewell citeth only in the margent Greffey of Monmouth who lived neer six hundred years after St. Austins dayes Bishop Iewell and his Camerades say also that Ioannes de Magistris he would have sayd Martinus writ in his Book de Temperantia that fornication is no sin but this Author houlds the quite contrary and proveth it by six several conclusions and by St. Paul saying that it excludeth from the Kingdom of heaven but yet for that he saith in the beginning Arguitur quod non it may be objected to the contrary the Apologists foolishly and fraudulently accuse in this Author Roman Catholicks with damnable doctrin Much more might be sayd of their fals dealing in this Apology defence and reply of the Church of England but we remit the curious to Doctor Harding Stapleton c. SVBSECT X. Of the protestant prelatick Clergies frauds and falsifications of Scripture and alterations of their 39. Articles of Religion to make the people believe that they have true Priests and Bishops in the Church of England THe point most insisted vpon by Dr. Hâ—rding Stapâ—â—tâ—n c and all 〈◊〉 Catholick 〈◊〉 their Booâ—◠〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of the Church of England was that it could not 〈◊〉 Church because it had not any one true Bishop and according to St. Hierom saith Harding 〈◊〉 non est quae non habet 〈◊〉 which word 〈◊〉 signifieth Bishop as well as 〈◊〉 That the Church of England had 〈◊〉 in the beginning of Queen Elizaâ—â—â—â— Reign whom Harding and Stapleton writ against it as much as one Bishop validly consecrated they proved because not one of them was consecrated by a true Bishop or by imposition of Episcopal hands and if they durst say they were Harding and Stapleton
his soule how that being a zealous Protestant and very familiar to the Earle of Leicester in the beginning of this Queenes dayes when M. r Iewell 's Book was newly come forth and being also learned himself in the latin tongue took paines to examin several leaves therof and finding many falshoods therin which were inexcusable as they seemed to him he conferred the same with the Earle who willed him that the next time M. r Iewell dined at his table he should take occasion after dinner to propose the same which he did soon after and receiving certain trifling answers from M. r Iewell he waxed more hot and urged the matter more earnestly which Iewell perceiving told him in effect that Papists were Papists and so they were to be dealt with all and other answer he could not get which thing made the good Gentleman make a new resolution with himself and to take that happy course which he did to leave his Countrey and many great Commodities which he enioyed therin to enjoy the liberty of conscience for salvation of his soule The second example which I remember of my own knowledge is M. r Doctor Stevens a learned man yet alive who being Secretary or Chaplyn to M. r Iewell for I remember not well whether and a forward man in Protestant Religion at that tyme espied certain false allegations in his Master's Book whilst it was yet vnder the print in London wherof advertising him by letters for that he supposed it might be by oversight the other commanded notwithstanding the print to go forward and passed it over as it was which this man seeing that had a conscience and sought the truth indeed resolved to take another way of finding it out and having found it in the Catholick Church where only it is to be found he resolved also to follow it and so he did and went voluntarily into banishment for the same where yet he liveth vnto this day in Finance with good reputation both of learning and godliness The third example that I call to mind is the worthy man before named M. r William Reynolds who being first an earnest Professor and Preacher of Protestant Religion in England he fell in the end to read over M. r Iewell 's book and did translate some part therof into latin but before he had passed half over he found such stuff as made him greatly mislike of the whole Religion and so he leaving his hopes and commodities in England went over the sea into these parts and the last yeare of Iubily to wit 1575. he came to Rome and brought that book with him and presented both himself and it to the Tribunal of Inquisition of his own free motion and accord c. And himself after absolution received from his former errors which he with great humility and zeale required and myself also at that time did speak with him in that place he returned into France and Flanders and there lived many years with singular edification for his rare virtue and learning and how heartily indeed he was converted may well appeare by his zealous writings both in Latin and English in defence of Catholick Religion Thus much the Author of the three Conversions I am credibly informed by a person then present that Primat Bramhall and some of his Majesties Chaplains who now are Bishops persuaded or endeavored to persuade our most gratious Soveraign Charles 2. who was then at Bruges that this Doctor Reynolds was made a Papist by disputing with an other Doctor Reynolds whom he intended to make a Protestant And that the Roman Catholick Doctor Reynolds at the same time turned Protestant Some think this story was feigned to make the King believe that there is as much to say for the Protestant religion as for the Catholick And to the end his Majesty might not reflect vpon the falshood of a Religion forsaken out of meere conscience by it's greatest Doctors when they were most applauded and when they had reason to expect the richest Benefites and greatest honours From the Apology of the Church of England we will pass to John Fox his Acts and Monuments a Book no less commended by the Protestant Clergy then the former because by frauds and lyes it serves their turn to foole the well meaning Layty who take it to be a true Ecclesiasticall History of the persecuted Church of Christ. SECT V. Frauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts and Monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries the litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such falls dealing AFter that Luther and Calvin's desperat shift of the invisibility of Christ's Church for more then a thousand years before their pretended reformations had bin evidently confuted as not only impossible but as repugnant also to Scripture which compares the Church to a Citty placed vpon a mountain and a shining Sun c. Their schollers vndertook to shew a succession of the Protestant Church and to that purpose some drunken Germans as any sober man must judge them to have bin by their writings whose names were Flaccus Illyricus Joannes Vigandus Matheus Judex and Basilius Faber met togeather in some warme stoue of Magdeburg and there tipling took vpon them to Iudge of the writings doctrin and miracles of all the ancient Fathers from the first Century to the last Of the very next Century to the Apostles these merry Companions were pleased to give this Censure in the very title of the Chapter Inclinatio Doctrinae complectens peculiares incommodas opiniones stipulas errores Doctorum quae palam quidem hoc est scriptis tradita sunt The declining of Christ and his Apostles doctrin conteining the peculiar and incommodious opinions of Doctors their errors straw and stubble which were left publickly by them that is to say in their writings And thus they Censure St. Iraeneus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Methodius c. saying they abuse and wrest the Scriptures intolerably and grossly to favor popish opinions These foure merry saxons reprehend Ignatius St. Iohn's scholler for vsing the phrase offerre sacrificium imâ—olare St. Cyprian for saying sacerdotem vice Christi fungi Deo patri sacrificium offerre St. Martial scholler of the Apostles saying sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur in Ara. Martial in Ep. ad Burdegal and so all other points wherin Protestants and Catholicks do disagree calling the antient Fathers stubble Doctors the same they say of St. Basil Lactantius Gregory Nissen Hilary Nazianzen Ambrose Ephrem and Hierom c. and pretend their doctrin to be against Scripture and the Miracles they relate to be either forged or Diabolicall or at least wrought by God to punish the credulity of Christians But the errors of ancient condemned Hereticks to be the true and sincere primitive faith and produce no other proof for this their drunken foolery but their own presumption and privat interpretation of Scripture Wherfore Valentia a learned Jesuit
of their Religion which was to recurr to the letter of Scripture conâ—â—â—ning the true sense therof delivered by 〈…〉 and practise of the Catholick Church doctrin 〈…〉 primiâ—â—ve Fathers and General Coâ—â—cells but these vpstarts knowing their new fancies 〈…〉 agreable therunto Insteed of the ancient faith of Christendom they resolved to maiâ—â—ain 〈◊〉 condemned heresies following in this manner of proceeding their first Apostles Luther Calvin c. who would admit of nothing but the 〈◊〉 of Scripture interpreted by themselves after an 〈…〉 manner We will instance 〈◊〉 three Doctor Wiâ—aker Arch-bishop VVhitgift and Doctor Fulk omitting many others Doctor VVhitaker in his answer to Doctor Sanders demonstrations pag. 21. saith we repose no such confidence in the Fathers writings that we take any certain proof of Religion from them because we place all our faith and Religion not in human but in divine authority if therfore you bring vs what some Father hath taught or what the Fathers vniversaly all together have delivered the same except it be approved by Testimony of Scriptures it availeth nothing it convinceth nothing For the Fathers are such witnesses as they have also need of the Scriptures to be their witnesses if deceived by error c. And Yet this same Whitaker vndertook to maintain Bishop Jewell's Challenge by Fathers and Councells Archbishop Whitgift was no less but rather more injurious for in his defence of the Prelatick Church against the Puritan Cartwright pag. 402. 473. he is not ashamed to say that all the learned Bishops and learned writers of the Greek and latin Church for the most part where spotted with the doctrin of free will Invocation of Saints c. And thence inferrs that in no age since the Apostles time any company of Bishops held so perfect and sound doctrin in all points as himself and his fellow Bishops of England To what impiety and impudency are men driven by defending heretical novelties Doctor Bristow alleadgeth the Testimonies of S. Epiphanius S. Hierom and S. Austin condemning the heresies of Aerius Iovinian and Vigilantius against fasting days commanded by the Church prayer for the dead prayer to Saints against the honoring of their Reliques against preferring Virginity before Matrimony c. Doctor Fulk answereth that Epiphanius and Augustin were deceived in recording those for Heresies which are not and that Hierom rather raild then reasoned and that Vigilantius was a good man and his opinions sound 〈◊〉 Chrysostom is alledged for the Mass saying the Apostles â—â—creed that in the Sacrifice of the Altar there should be made prayers for the departed Fulk answereth where he saith it was decreed by the Apostles he must pardon us for crediting him because he cannot shew it us out of the Acts and writings of the Apostles And divers other Fathers being quoted to confirm St. Chrysoâ—â—â—m's testimony Fulk says who is witness that this is the Tradition of the Apostles you will say Tertullian Cyprian Austin Hierom and a great many more But I would learn why the Lord would not have this set forth by Mathew Mark Luke or Paul why they were not chosen scribes hereof rather then Tertullian Cyprian Hierom Austin and others such as you name This desperat shift of slighting the ancient Fathers Testimony was the ordinary way of answering Catholick Books for many years but some of the Protestant Writers observing how the wise and well meaning persons of their own Religion were not satisfied therewith and that there could no reason be given why any Christian should rather believe a Luther Zuinglius Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Thomas Cranmer Chark Fulk Whitaker or VVhitgift then a Cyprian a Tertullian Basil Hierom Chrysostom an Ambrose or an Austin especially in a matter of fact such as our controversies are to wit whether the Apostles and the true Church taught this or that sense of Scripture and doctrin seeing these holy and leaâ—â—ed Fathers lived in the primitive times and more then 12. or 13. hundred years neerer to the Apostles then the aforesayd Protestant Doctors and by consequence might be more easily and exactly informed Some of the Protestant Writers I say observing how much their cause was prejudiced by this conteâ—â—â—â— of antiquity and Fathers resolved 〈◊〉 more to try Iewell 's Method and see whether their impudency in falsifying might have better success then his either for want of courage and means in Catholicks to manifest their corruptions or for the hopes they had to discredit our Testimony and suppress such 〈◊〉 as we should venture to print and publish against themselves and the states Religion which they maintained But no sooner came any Protestant Book to sight but by God's assistance it was answered with all possible speed and it's falsifications discovered and some of our Catholick writers made it their business to manifest the frauds and four beries of Protestant Controversorâ— one of ours say's To declare that this spirit of fals dealing ioyned with necessity and misery of their bad cause is common not only vnto him Morton but vnto many of his brethren and must needs be vnto all them whensoever they take pen in hand to defend the same for that one ly cannot be defended without an other therfore I do produce ten several witnesses two of them called Bishops M. r Iewell and M. r Horn five inferior Ministers M. r Iohn Fox M. r Calfeild M. r Hanmer M. r Chark and M. r Perkins and might have named five times more three lay men also and Knights that have written against us Sir Francis Hastings S. r Philip Mornay and S. r Edward Cook alledging not one but sundry examples out of each of their works and might inlarge myself to a volume in that argument if I would say what I have found in their and their Brethrens works in this kind c. Any man who desires to be rightly informed in this important matter of the Protestant Clergys true or fals dealing in religion may peruse and conferr the Books on both sides I will not detain my Reader longer with Q. Elizabeths Writers being to treat of the same again when we answer the like objections of Protestants against Catholick Writers yet J can not omit to let him see in one person the hypocrisy of many in one I say that professeth as commonly they all do so much sincerity in treating of Controversies as might seem to excuse the necessity of any further inquiry if his fourberies had not bin manifested to the world not only by his accusers but by his own answers so weake and impertinent they are that they conclude nothing but his obstinacy in â—â—thering to his former errors though he be evidently convicted of being an Impostor The writer I speak of is VVillet who as you have seen heretofore makes this protestation I take God to witness before whom I must render account c. that the same faith and religion which I defend is taught in the more substantial points by those Histories
confess a fault in the maintenance wherof their fortunes are concerned and by consequence how accomptable the protestant layty is to God for not mistrusting and examining the truth and sincerity of their own Clergy being so indigent and so interessed persons and so confidently charged and so frequently caught with falshoods what fraud can be more visible then to make men believe that so infamous and dissolute persons as Luther Zuinglius Calvin Cranmer and Beza c. were Saints sent by God to restore his Church vnto it's primitive doctrin and spirit or that they and all protestants do agree in all matters of faith against Papists Their dissentions vices and wickedness are so manifest that they can not be denyed without impudency and without giving the lye to the whole world and contradicting their own writings And yet the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his Junta of Divines would face down Mr. Walsingham that there was no such matter and because the poore man humbly petitioned to have the matter decided by comparing their own books which were in the next roome with his notes he was censured and called a foolish bold Knave impudent fellow sâ—â—cy Companion c. and threatned with prison and pillary And for that they durst not betray the weakness of their cause by so publick and violent proceedings against a known protestant who desired to continue one of themselves if protestancy did not prove to be a mistake of Christianity the Arch-bishop to be shut of him sent him to the Commissary of St. Albans to be resolved forsooth whether Luther acknowledged in his Books that he began the protestant Reformation and impugned the Mass adoration of the Sacrament Invocation of Saints c. moved therunto by the devill 's arguments in a real conference between himself and sathan as if this passage and others of Luther's and Calvin's works were not to be found in London or in his Graces Library at Lambeth as well as at St. Albans And after that by his own importunity Mr. Walsingham had obtained of Doctor Covell to shew him Luther's book wherin he acknowledged this conference and conviction of the Devill 's arguments that the Doctor should interrupt him and divert the whole discourse with a rush you see I have this book and many such like 3. Reflexion By what particular indirect means cavills and Calumnies the Arch-bishop himself endeavored to maintain the protestant Religion and discredit the Catholick delivering to Mr. Walsingham Mr. Bell's libell against the Iesuits as an invincible fortress against the Roman faith and his other book full of corruptions and falsifications as a very sincere and solid piece which falsifications being shewed to them all sitting in their Junta and Iudgment about that affaire the Arch-bishop durst not send into his study for the Fathers works that were affirmed by Mr. Walsingham to have bin corrupted by Bell and Calvin c. His Lordship 's confessed practise also of burning Catholick Books argues the weaknes of the protestant cause and proves how much they are afraid their own false dealing and the impiety of their principles should be discovered 4. Reflexion That Mr. Walsingham's case hath bin and is revived and practised now every day when any conscientious protestant begins to doubt of the safety and sincerity of his Religion The protestant Clergy tells him that he is in a sure way of salvation and yet this assertion is against one of their articles of faith to wit that which acknowledgeth their Church is fallible in proposing Christ's doctrin and the true sense of Scripture and by consequence for all they know themselves may be in damnable errors Then they tell him the Papists are Jdolaters worship Anti-Christ c. that our Books of Controversyes are full of lyes and fables and to make good these their impostures they not only corrupt our Authors but translate into English all infamous libells though they treat not of controversies as the Jansenists Letters Palafox his relations and for the renegat Fr. Paulo his history of the Councell of Trent they swear it is the most exact and sincere work of this age wheras Cardinal Palavicino in his answer to the same and in the very begining hath set down 300. of Fr Paulo's vntruths in matter of fact so palpable that they seem inexcusable in him and render others guilty of vnpardonable rashness and obstinacy who credit so mistaken or malicious an Author and preferr his bare word before the vnanimous Testimony of all Christendom that hath accepted the definitions of the Councell as Catholick truths which they would never have don had they bin such as Fr Paulâ— describes Js it likely that the Bishops Embassadors and Prelats of so different nations and subjects to Princes of so contrary Interests who were present at the Councill and recommended to their flocks and friends the decrees of Trent as sacred would conspire to cheat and damne their Souveraigns relations and neighbors Or that they knew not better how matters went in the Councill or were not more impartial in relating them then one Apostâ—ta Friar or those persons from whom he pretends to have received his papers and intelligence with such pittifull frauds and fashoods are many poor protestant soules deluded and seduced into eternal damnation which they deserve for believing their own Clergy without any further examination of the scruples and doubts which common sense and natural reason doth raise in every one of them that converseth with Roman Catholicks or observeth the incoherency and inconstancy of protestancy together with it's singularity and pride of Spirit contemning the primitive true sense of Scripture declared by vniversal Tradition and the vnanimous consent of all orthodox Fathers and Councills Perditio tua ex te Jsrael 5. Reflexion One of my Lord of Canterburyes reasons to Mr. Walsingham against crediting the Popish book was do you not know when two men go to law together one will speak the worst he can by the other And though this ought not to be practised in law suites much less in controversies of Religion yet seeing my Lord would have protestants read our books with that prejudice reason doth dictat that theirs ought not to be read without caution especially Seeing every protestant â—eader makes himself supreme Judge of Controversies of Religion and no Judge ought to give sentence before both sides be heard Suppose therfore that the protestant and Catholick Clergy are engaged not only in a dispute of Religion but in a suit of Law to wit whether the revenues of the Church of the three Kingdoms belong of right rather to the present possessors then to the ancient proprietors neither party say you ought to be Iudge in his own cause who then must decide the business The Layty Content let my Lord Chancellor of England notwithstanding his known Jnclination to favor and promote protesâ—â—â—cy be named head of a Committee for examining and deciding the question Let it be tryed in publik Court which
be 〈◊〉 with in other questions not diligently digested nor yet made firm 〈◊〉 authority of the Church there error is to be born with but 〈◊〉 not to go so farr that it should labour to shake the very 〈◊〉 of the Church The Bishop sayes this can not be 〈◊〉 of the definition of the Church though St. Austin 〈◊〉 expressly of the authority therof but of Scripture But 〈◊〉 afterwards the words might be vnderstood of the 〈◊〉 of the Church or general Councells to the end that 〈◊〉 might not imagin St. Austin thought such definitions were 〈◊〉 or vnquestionable he adds But plain Scripture with 〈◊〉 sense or a full demonstrative argument must have room 〈◊〉 a wrangling and erring disputer may not be allowed it And 〈◊〉 neither of these but may convince the definition of the 〈◊〉 if it be ill founded And to shew that this is no fancy of 〈◊〉 but the doctrin of St. Austin he quotes his words 〈◊〉 see them in the margent with an F. referring the word 〈◊〉 to Scripture So that if you believe the Bishop and rely 〈◊〉 his quotations St. Austin doubted not but that the 〈◊〉 of the Church in general Councells may be contrary to 〈◊〉 and confuted by full demonstrative arguments I confess that when I read this page and part of Bp. Laud's 〈◊〉 with Fisher I found my self much troubled vntill 〈◊〉 the matter and then I resolved never more to 〈◊〉 him or any Protestant writer however so Saint-like or 〈◊〉 by report or in appearance The truth is St. Austin 〈◊〉 place cited by the Bishop hath nothing at all either 〈◊〉 Scripture or evident sense or demonstrative arguâ—â—â—ts but addressing his speech to the Manicheans he writes 〈◊〉 Apud vos autem vbi nihil horum est quod me invitet ac 〈◊〉 sola personat veritatis pollicitatio and then follow the words 〈◊〉 by the Bishop quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur c. 〈◊〉 truth so bragd of and promised by the Manicheans to 〈◊〉 demonstrated in that epistle called Fundamentum saith St. Austin if it be demonstrated to be so cleer c. is to be preferred where you see St. Austin's quae referred not to Scripture but to that fictitious truth which the Manichees pretended to be in their doctrin Nay St. Austin is so far from doubting of the infallibility of the Church and general Councells in that very place quoted by the Bishop that he disputes ex professo against the possibility of its erring or of its definitions being contrary to Scripture and sayes that if the doctrin of the Catholick Church could be contrary to Scripture he should not be able to believe rationaly and infallibly either the one or the other not the Scriptures because he receives them only vpon the authority of the Church Not the Church whose authority is infringed by Scripture which is suposed to be brought against her Si ad Evangelium me tenes ego ad eos me teneam quibus praecipientibus Evangelio credidi his jubentibus tibi omnino non credam Quod si forte in Evangelio aliquid in apertissimum de Manichaei Apostolatu invenire potueris infirmabis mihi Catholicorum authoritatem qui jubent vt tibi non credam qua infirmata jam nec Evangelio credere poterâ— quia per eos illi credideram ita nihil apud me valebit quicquid inde protulâ—ris Quapropter si nihil manifestum de Manichaei Apostolatu in Evangelio reperitur Catholicis potius credam quam tibi si aâ—tem inde aliquid manifestum pro Manichaeo legeris nec illis nec tibi illis quiÌ„a de te mihi mentiti sunt Tibi autem qui eam scripturam mihi profers cui per illos credideram qui mihi mentiti sunt Aug. cont Epist. Fundament cap. 4. Wherfore St. Austin doth not suppose as the Bishop pretends that Scripture or reason can be contrary to the definitions of the Church he professedly teaches the contrary in the very place cited and vses the alledged words quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur c. only ex suppositione impossibili in the same manner as St. Paul speaketh Gal. 1. Jf an Angell from heaven teach otherwise then we have taught you let him be accursed St. Paul well knew it was impossible that an Angell from heaven should teach contrary to the Ghospel and so did St. Austin that the definitions of a general Councel should be contrary to Scripture or reason as appeareth by his own discours against the Manichees Vincentius Liâ—inensis abused by Mr. Laud to prove the fallibility of the Church pretending that learned Father supposed and sayd she might change into Lupanar errorum à strumpet or stewes of errors BUt A. C. tells us further saith Mr. Laud that if one may deny or doubtfully dispute against any determination of the Church then may he also against an other and so against all since all are made firm to us by one and the same divine revelation sufficiently applyed by one and the same full authority of the Church which being weakned in any one can not be firm in another First A. C. borrowed the former part of this out of Vincentius Lirinensis and as that learned Father vses it I subscribe to it but not as A. C. applyes it For Vincentius speaks there de Catholico Dogmate of Catholick Maxims c. which are properly fundamental but here the Bishop is mistaken for Vincentius speaks also of not fundamentals as of the celebrating of Easter according to St. Victor's decree the not rebaptizing of those who had bin baptized by hereticks c. now in this sense saith the Bishop give way to every cavilling disputer to deny or quarrel at the maxims of Christian Religion c. And why may he not then take liberty to do the like of any other till he have shaken all But this hinders not the Church her self nor any appointed by the Church to examin her own decrees and to see that she keep the principles of her faith vnblemished and vncorrupted for if she do not so but novitia veteribus new doctrins be added to the old the Church which is Sacrarium veritatis may be changed in Lupanar errorum I am loath to english it Hitherto the modest Bishop who quotes Vincent Lirin in his Margent for his lupanar errorum c. and for the whole discours Vincentius Lirinensis is so far from expressing any fear or suspition of danger that the Church should be changed into lupanar errorum a stews of errors by addition of novelties or falling from the primitive doctrin that as if he had foreseen this corruption of his meaning and cutting short his words practised by Mr. Laud he declares in that very place by him quoted that only hereticks and vngodly men can entertain any such thoughts of Christs spouse sed avertat hoc a suorum mentibus divina pietas sitque hoc potius impiorum furor
these are his words and concealed by the Bishop who also striks out of Vincentius Lirin other words wherby it did appear what a kind of keeper the Church is of the truths deposited with her and how litle danger there is of corrupting the old or admitting of new doctrin The Bishop pag. 38. sets down the sentence thus Ecclesia depositorum apud se dogmatum Custos c. Denique quid vnquam Conciliorum Decretis enisa est nisi vt quod antea simpliciter credebatur hoc idem postea diligentius crederetur c. But in Vincentius Lirinensis It is thus Christi vero Eoclesia sedula cauta depositorum apud se dogmatum Custos here first he skips over these two words sedula cauta diligent and wary because they spoiled his plot of persuading us that the Church might by negligence of its Pastors be insensibly changed and corrupted To the same intent he conceales with an c. the rest that followes which would have cleered all and left no room for the Bishops fraud for Vincentius Lirin his words are But the Church of Christ is a diligent Depositary or Keeper of the truths committed to her never changes any thing at all in them lessens nothing adds nothing nether cuts away things necessary nor adjoyns things superfluous neither looseth what is hers nor vsurpes what belongs to others Let any Christian or honest Pagan Iudge whether these words be not Diametrically contrary to what the Bishop pretends vnto in this passage viz. suspition and possibility of the Churches adding novitia veteribus novelties to the old doctrin of making a change of that faith she first received from Christ and his Apostles and of becoming Lupanar errorum which this good man and holy Martyr sayes he is loath to english and yet leaves out cuts and corrupts the Latin text of set purpose to fix vpon Christs Espouse the greatest infamy How Bp. Laud falsifies Occham to infringe St. Austins authority concerning the infallibility of the Church in succeeding ages as well as in that of the Apostles and is forced by his error to resolve his prelatick faith into the light of Scripture and the privat Spirit of Fanaticks which he palliates vnder the name of grace and therby warrants all rebellions against Church and state AN act of divine faith must be prudent that is men are not bound to believe any article therof v. g. that Scripture is the word of God vnless there evidently appear prudent and sufficient motives to exclude all moral possibility that any but God is the Author of the doctrin proposed to be believed These motives of credibility we call the signs of the Church and are the miracles of Christ and his Disciples sanctity and succession of his doctrin and Doctors Conversion of Kings and nations to christianity c. These signs or motives of credibility though they do not evidence demonstratively that our faith is true or that the Church or Congregation of men wherin they be found is the Catholick yet they demonstrat an obligation in us of believing it as we have proved elsewhere in so much that if no such signs or motives of credibility had bin none would be bound to believe any point of Christian Religion with certainty of faith and therfore St. Austin sayd he would not believe the Scripture had he not bin moved therunto by the authority of the Church because Scripture of it self hath no sufficient arguments and signs to ground a prudent and undoubted belief of its being the word of God but the signs and motives of credibility invest the Church with sufficient authority to declare both that and all other mysteries of faith and to make our Ecclesiastical Ministery and Mission more authentikly divin then any Regal Commissions or human Badges can set forth the truth and dignity of Ministers of state and officers of war Therfore as not to believe or to contemn men so qualified when they command in the Kings name is by the light of reason and consent of all nations judged obstinacy and rebellion not to be excused by pretending ignorance or want of greater evidence then those vsual signs of their employments afford so must it be obstinat heresy not to believe that what is proposed by the Church qualified with the aforesaid signs is revealed by God This supposed the main Controversy between Protestants and Catholicks is about the resolution of Christian faith for though both parties pretend that they believe because God revealed to the Prophets and Apostles the Mysteries of faith yet we say that Protestants can not shew how it may be prudently believed that Christ preached or revealed any such doctrin as is pretended vnless it be acknowledged that the Church of every succeeding age was and this present is as truly and realy though perhaps not so highly quoad modum infallible in delivering the Apostles doctrin as the Apostles were in delivering that of Christ. We do not say that Tradition or the Testimony of the Church confirmed by the foresaid signs is the prime motive and last resolution of faith but that the Tradition and Testimony of the present Church is infallible to the end it may infallibly apply the prime motive which is Gods veracity to vs and we prudently assent thervnto But the Bishop denying this is driven with Presbyterians and Fanaticks to an inbredâ—light of Scripture and to the privat Fanatick spirit with this only difference that where they say they are infallibly resolved that Scripture is the word of God by the Testimony of the Spirit within them his Lordship pag. 83.84 averrs he hath the same assurance by grace And because we object and admire that no Catholick could ever perceive this inward and inbred light of Scripture wherby all Protestants pretend they are assured it is the word of God he concurrs pag. 86 with Fanatitks in telling vs that blind eyes can not and pervers eyes will not see it It s strange his Lordship did not foresee the sad effects which this Protestant principle and presumption wrought against himself and his Prelatick Church within a very short time after he writ this doctrin and applyed the same against the Roman Catholicks He might be sure it would be retorted against the Church of England for why may not every Protestant Sectary pretend that the Prelatick Church of England is as blind and pervers in not seing the light of Scripture as Luther and Laud pretend the Roman Catholick is It is but every particular mans fancy and word no other proof is required by Protestants nor indeed can any better be produced to make good that so many honest and learned searchers of Scripture as have bin and are in the Roman Catholick Church can not or will not see the pretended light of Scripture so largely diffused among Protestants and distributed to every Fanatick Presbyterian and Prelatick whose faith can not be maintained without this rash judgment and most dangerous
who began and perfected the reformation were grosly mistaken and themselves misled in one of the most essential points of Christianity and in one without which there can be no Church Had the dispute between them and us bin about conveniency of disciplin or decency of Ceremonies a change in such things alterable according to the circumstances of time place and persons might be pious and prudent because it might take away occasion of cavills but to alter the essential forms of Priesthood and Episcopacy and to add therunto now after a Century of years words which hitherto wanting concludes the Nullity of their Church and Clergy must rather augment the doubt then avoyd the cavil If they were satisfied of the validity of that form wherby themselves since Ed. 6. vntill this present had bin ordained what needed any addition of Priesthood and Episcopacy which we argued and they denyed to be wanting did they imagin that such an addition would end the dispute I believe it hath for it is an acknowledgment that our exceptions were well grounded but why should they give vs this advantage J fancy they have hopes that some other Spalato will Apostatize and then by this new vndoubted form make them real Bishops Yet that will not serve their turn their want of spiritual Jurisdiction makes their caracter vseless and want of jurisdiction together with their errors in Doctrin doth un-vn-Church a Congregation as well as want of Orders As this want of ordination renders them incapable of the Benefices and Bishopricks which they enjoy so their corruptions of Scripture and Falsifications of Councells and Fathers make them vnworthy And he can not be a true Christian that will stick to their interest after that he is informed of the nullity of their calling and of the falshood of their doctrin Wherfore it will not be in the power of any prelatick polititian to make himself popular vpon the score of patronizing such a cause or Clergy against Liberty of conscience or Conferences and the Prelatick caracter and disciplin is to all other Protestant parties as odious as our late distempers have evidenced The only objection now remaining is that Presbyterians and other Sectaries will take the advantage of an Act for Liberty of Conscience or even for a change in Religion in case the Parliament should resolve vpon it for crying down of Monarchy But as we said t' is well known these Sectaries either desire Liberty of Conscience or their animosity is as great against Prelatick Protestancy as against Popery and if now they be kept in obedience and aw of the government the King and Parliament will be better able hereafter in case of any such liberty or change to keep them to their duty by the addition of the Church revenues then they are at present Besides it is very certain that among those Sectaries many are moral and conscientious persons and would conform to the truth of the Roman Catholick Religion had they bin rightly informed and the Tenets therof had not bin rendred odious and ridiculous by the impostures of Protestant preachers and the vulgar errors of a homly education all which obstacles will be easily removed if Catholicks have liberty to speak and reason for themselves So that considering the influence which Truth alwayes hath vpon honest dispositions such as our English are and the prejudice which all men retain against falshood when it is discovered and it is not their interest to promote it I see no danger of drawing the people into a Rebellion vpon the account of Liberty of Conscience or of opposing a change from Protestancy into the old Religion especialy seing the generality may hope thereby to see the Church Revenues lawfully and legaly applyed to their own ease and against all disturbers of the peace and Trade of these Nations Let us therfore have a fair Trial and conference in order to Liberty of Conscience and then judge of the truth and sincerity of both Clergys and of both Religions Notwithstanding the evident conveniency of this humble proposal I fear we do in vain flatter our selves with the hopes of a publick Conference We are inclined to believe what we wish for notwithstanding that former experience and our learned Adversaries knowledge of so cleer evidences on our side casts vs again into despair Did the busines depend of the vote of the whole multitude of the Protestant Clergy we might assure our selves of a conference because many of the ordinary Persons are honest and most so ignorant that they believe themselves to be in the right way of saluation for they take all that Bishop Jewell and Iohn Fox say for truth never examining it further But the Bishops and great Doctors are of another stamp I fear their guilt of conscience will busy them in opposing all Treaties and Trials of Truth and yet methinks not any one thing should render them more suspected of fraud and falshood then so vnreasonable an opposition 1. Because it argues diffidence of their cause 2. Because their Church being confessedly fallible and by consequence vncertain of the truth they ought not to refuse any means wherby men may be further informed therof Though we Papists believe the Roman Catholick Church infallible in matters of doctrin yet whensoever our Adversaries desire to conferr about Religion their Request is granted nay the Councell of Trent how ever inconsiderable Protestants make it invited all the learned Protestants of the world to propose therin all their doubts and difficulties offering all safety and civility to their persons And though the infallibility of our Church be not consistent with a submission of our faith to the judgment of a Third in point of doctrin yet that prerogative doth not debarr us from submitting ourselves in matter of fact and falsifications to a fair trial of indifferent persons As for the Pope and general Councells not submitting to a Third in controversies with Protestants it is no pride but a prerogative of all supreme Magistrats whether spiritual or temporal as our Adversaries confess and contest to be reasonable when their own Bishops deal with Non-conformists and all Lay Soveraigns must maintain the same when they treat with their revolted Subjects which Subjects are judged very vnreasonable if they refuse to treat with their King of grievances vnless he submits the controversy to the decision of a Third and much more intollerable if no competent Third were to be found as it is in our case vnless we think that Turks Iews or Pagans are fit men to judge of Christian Religion Wherefore if the Church of England thinks it unreasonable that her Sectaries should not conferr with prelatick Divines unless they have it under the seal and powers of Canterbury that the Arch-Bishops or the Convocation will submit to the judgment of a Third I understand not how Arch-Bishhop Laud could exact the like condition from the Pope or a general Council before Protestants would confer with Roman Catholicks The other reasons alledged
of St. Bernard let them see how he condemned all their opinions against the Roman Catholick faith as heresys in the Petrobusians Henricians and Apostolici and then I hope they will acknowledge their error in not tolerating Popery St. Bernard doth relate in the life of St. Malachias whose Successor Doctor Taylor is not either in caracter or Doctrin that he cured a lunatick child in confirming him with the sacred vnction A miracle saith Holinshead seen and confessed by many hundreds of people and therupon blown through the world St. Optatus l. 2. contra Donatistas reporteth how the heretick threw out of the window ampullam Chrismatis a viall of Chrisme holy oyl to the intent to break it the which being stayd by an Angels hand God preserved and did light safe among the stones A Miracle of the Sacrament of Extreme vnction OF the Sacrament of Exteeme vnction St. Austin giveth this testimony So often as any infirmity chanceth let him that is sick receive the body and blood of Christ and after that let him annoint his body that that which is written Iac. 5.14 may be accomplished in him Is any sick let him bring in the Priests and let them pray over him annointing him with oyl in the name of our Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sicke And our Lord shall lift him vp and if he be in sins they shall be remitted him I doubt Doctor Taylor and his prelatick Convocation will not allow in this controversy of Extreme Vnction the testimony of St. Malacly to be as pious as they did in the former of Confirmation And if you ask the cause they can give no other but that their Episcopacy is not so much concerned in maintaining extreme Vnction as Confirmation We shall notwithstanding relate St. Bernards words and St. Malachias work and desire Doctor Taylor to let us know why he thinks the testimony of one and the example of the other to be more credibles and imitable in the point of Episcopacy then in other articles of Christian doctrin A noble man saith St. Bernard in vita Malachiae dwelled neere the Monastery of Benchor whose wife being sick Malachias was requested to anoyl her which was deferred till morning afterwards a sudden outcry being made that she was dead Malachias came and when he certainly found that she was dead he was greatly troubled in mind imputing the falt to himselfe that she dyed defrauded of the grace of the Sacrament and lifting vp his hands to heaven sayd I beseech thee o Lord c. what more she that was dead opend her eyes c. and Malachias giving thanks praysed God and anointed her Knowing sins to be remitted in this Sacrament Miracles of the Sacrament of Confession IT is written Act. 19.18 that many of those primitive Christian that belived came confessing and declaring their deeds Therfore St. Austin sayth to some who thaught it not necessary to confess their sins to Priests Do ye penance such as is don in the Church that the Church may pray for you Let no man say within himself I do it in secret J do it before God alone God who pardoneth me knoweth that I do in my heart Was it therfore sayd in vain whatsoever you shall loos in earth shall be loosed in Heaven Were the keys given to the Church of God in vain Do we frustrat the Ghospel of God Do we frustrat the words of Christ Do we promise you that which he denyeth Do we deceive you And in an other place there are saith he that do think it sufficient for their salvation if they confess theire sins to God alone vnto whom nothing is hidden and every mans conscience lieth open For they will not or they are ashamed or they disdain to shew themselves vnto Priests Whom yet our Lord hath by Moyses ordained to discern between leper and leper But J wil not have thee deceived with this opinion and be ashamed therby to confess them vnto the Vice-gerent of our Lord either languishing with â—hamfastnes or stiffnecked with indignation For of reason in like manner must we admit him for our Judge which our Lord doth not disdain to be his Vicar St. Cyprian saith I beseech you my brethren every one to confess his sin whilst yet he that sinneth remaineth in this world whilst his confession may be admitted whilst every mans satisfaction and remission given by the Priests is acceptable vnto our Lord. St. Basil the great saith Jt is judged necessary that sins be confessed vnto those to whom is committed the dispensation of the mysteries of God for so the very penitents of ancient times are found to have confessed their sins vnto holy men Sundry miracles wrought by God to confirm our Catholick doctrin of the Sacrament of Confession every one may read in Joannes Climacus grad 4. in S. Petrus Damian in ep ad Desiderium In Petrus Cluniac lib. 1. de Mirac cap. 3.4.5 6. J will relate one or two out of S. Bede of whom Fox pag. 165. sayes As touching the holines and integrity of his life it is not to be doubted And saith of his learning ibid. so notable and famous was the learning of Bede that the Church of Rome both stood in need of his help and also required the same about the discussing of certain controversies apperaining to learning Moreover the whole Latin Church at that tyme gave him the mastery in Iudgment and knoweldge of the holy Scriptures And yet this holy Man who was such a Master in all learning and Scripture in his history of the Church of England recounts Miracles either seen by himself or so credibly reported that he being of so sound a Judgment as Fox confesseth beleived and writ them for authentik to confirm every point of our doctrin wherin we differ from Protestants Let us hear one of Confession In the time of Conrede saith St. Bede l. 5. c. 14. hist. who reigned after King Edilrede there was a certain Captain in great favor with the King for his valor but careless of his soul. Wherfore the King often admonished him to make humble confession of his sins and amend his life least by deaths sudain prevention he might loos time of repentance but he notwithstanding this gentle admonition of his Souveraign deferred his confession In the mean time being visited with sicknes the King came to his Chamber for he loued him tenderly and exhorted him that at the least now he would confess before he died No quoth he J will not be confessed now but when J am well recovered I will least if I should now do it my fellows would say that I did that for feare of death which I did not in health When the King came the next day to visit him and give him good councel he cryed out incontinent with a pitiful and lamentable voice saying Alas what mean you Sir why come you hither you are not able to do me any good The King
answered say not so see ye play the wise mans part Nay saith he J do not rave but J have here before mine eyes a wicked conscience all wounded and mangled And what is the matter sayd the King A litle before you came quoth he two beautifull yong men came in and sate down by me one at my head the other at my feet and one of them took a fine book out of his bosom but litle in quantity and gave it me to read Jn the which when I looked a litle while I found all the good deeds that ever I had don fair written and God knoweth they were few in number and little in effect when I had don they took the book of me again and sayd nothing Then sudenly came there about me a whole legion of wicked spirits and besieged the hous round about and sitting down replenished every corner within Then he that for his foul face and highest seat appeared to be greatest among them taking out a book terrible to all mens sight vnmeasurable for greatnes and for weight importable commanded one of his black guard to bring it to me to read When I read a litle I found all the enormous detestable sins that ever I had committed not only in word and deed but also in thought written there in great black letters and he said to the two faire yong men that sate by me why sit you here knowing most certainly that this fellow is ours They answered True it is take him and lead him away to the bottomless pit of damnation and with that they vanished away Immediatly two wicked spirits having fier-pronges in their hands rose vp and struck me one in the head and the other in the sole of my feet the which now with great torment and anguish creep vp into the bowels and other internal parts of my body and when they meet together J shal dy and be drawn hence by the Devils into Hell without redemption Thus spake that miserable man lying in extreme desperation and so dyed out of hand Jt is evident saith St. Bede hee had not these visions for his own sake whom they availed nothing at all but for other men who knowing his lamentable end might be afraid to differr and prolong the time of Repentance while they have opportunity and leasure In the next Chapter cap. 15. l. 5. St. Bede tells of an other damned for differring his confession thus I my self saith Bede Knew a Religious man whom would to God I had never known placed in a good and famous Monastery notwithstanding he himself was infamous for his lewd behavior and loos life I could tell his name also if it were worth the telling This man was earnestly rebuked of his brethren and Superiors of the Monastery for his enormities and exhorted to a better trade of life but all in vain c. But as men are wont to say He that will not come of his own accord within the Church-door shall run against his will to hell gates this man being now struck with a very faint diseas and brought to extremity called all the Convent about him and with much lamentation and deep sighs like a man already damned began to declare vnto them that he saw hell gates open and the devil drouned in a deep dungeon therof and Caiphas and the whole rablement that put Christ to death cast in flaming fier hard by him and next to them O miserable and wretched man that I am said he I see a place of eternall perdition prepared for me The brethren hearing these wofull words exhorted him earnestly to repent and be sorry for his sins while he was yet alive Then he brought to extreme despair answered no no There is no time for me to amend my former life especially seing I perceive my judgment is past and fully compleated already With these words he dyed without receiving the Sacrament His body was interred in the farmost part of all the Abby not one of all the whole Convent durst Say Mass for his soul nor sing Psalms nor once say one Pater noster for him This chanced of late in the Country of the Bernicianâ— Northumberland and was blazed all the Country over So that it stired vp many to make quick Confession of their sinfull acts and not to take days with God Which God grant it may work also in such as shall read this present story Hitherto St. Bede who lived above nine hundred yeares ago Thus much of ancient miracles in confirmation of Popery some whereof were seen others so vndoubtedly beleived by the greatest Saints and Doctors of Gods Church that they judged them worthy of being recorded in their writings to the end posterity might by giving them credit take for divin the doctrin which they confirmed We do not recurr to the primitiye Fathers and times for miracles out of any want of the like in our dayes every where now some are so visible that only foolish Atheism or obstinacy can deny their supernaturality we mention the ancient miracles and Fathers for two reasons 1. To prove that our doctrin is the same with theirs and confirmed by the like miracles 2. To convict our Adversaries of obstinacy by their denial or contempt of the testimony of the holy Doctors and Catholick Church in such things as their spirit doth not fancy and yet they do admit the same testimony as sufficient and Obligatory in such points of Christianity as themselves think necessary or convenient for their own reformations and interpretations of Scripture It is ridiculous to see how Calvin ex gr presseth and wresteth the authority of St. Austin for some parts of his doctrin and how he sleighteth the same when that holy Doctor speaks against it To draw St. Austin to countenance the error against freewill I will relate St. Austin saith Calvin in his own words and then quoteth his words thus Primam fuisse libertatem posse non peccare nostram multo majorem non posse peccare Wheras the St. Speakes in that plâ—ce of our happines in heaven where we shall not be able to sin and preferres it before the liberty Adam had in Paradise of being able not to sin his words are Prima libertus voluntatis erat posse peccare novissima erit multo major non posse peccare Prima immortalitas c. Here Calvin corrupts the words insteed of St. Austins Novissima he puts in nostra then leaves out erit with many other words which made clear St. Austins speech and meaning of the liberty we shall have in heaven but Calvin makes him speak of our liberty here vpon earth and is so inconsiderat as to reprehend grievously the Master of the Sentences for following St. Austins sence according to the text But when St. Austins authority is vrged against him in favor of the Mass praier for the dead and Purgatory and particularly how carefull he was to have Mass sayd for the soul of his Mother St. Monica that
desired him at her death to remember her in his Sacrifice of the Altar Calvin saith it was but an old wives request which her son never examined according to the Scriptures and after his own privat affection would have the same approved by others As Calvin Luther and all the first Protestant Reformers contemn the Catholick Churches authority in matters of doctrin when it is contrary to their new interpretations and extravagant fancies of Scripture so do they and their Successors in that of miracles Jf any Miracles be recounted that confirm the mysteries which Protestants reject though delivered by the same Author and in the same book they must needs be old wives tales not duly examined c. And yet the foolish and fals stories of such a frantick and crackt-braind fellow as Iohn Fox was known to be and his Acts and Monuments shew him to have bin are credited by persons that have no other ground to beleive his fables and follies but their education in Protestancy and aversion to Popery His lies and simple storyes must pass for a true Ecclesiastical History notwithstanding that they are contradicted by all the Histories of the world and that many of his Martyrs were found following their trades after that he had described their torments and deaths very particularly and patheticaly his miracles in confirmation of protestancy and indeed his whole book are so ridiculous that I admire some Protestant zealots if they would have the reformation be thought a Religion do not suppress or reform the work He tells for a stupendious miracle that a stone fell from a ruinous building vpon Luthers stool after he had bin eased or weary of sitting vpon it An other that a multitude of German Clowns debauched Clergy men and libertins embraced Luthers reformation it being so indulgent to liberty sensuality and vice and that the Bishop of Rome and other Catholick Prelates Censures did not stop the violent cours and Torrent of their pervers inclinations He makes dreams revelations Merchants Expounders of the Apocalyps and not to seem partial how himself was made a fool by revelation But in steed of suppressing or correcting Fox his foolish Acts and Monuments the Protestant Clergy have reprinted that book divers times since his death with new comments chronologies and great commendations of the work every Parish Church is to have one and few privat families will endure the want of so great a spiritual treasure And though the Bishops know it is not only a very absurd piece but also the chief thing that makes Puritanism and Presbytery spread and so popular in England yet becaus it persuades the simple and vulgar sort that Popery is idolatry they countenance a book so prejudicial to themselves Our Catholick miracles are of a different nature and not related by such lying foolish fellows as Fox but by the greatest Saints and wisest men of Gods Church men so much esteemed for their vertue learning and judgment that Protestants themselves are ashamed to vndervalue their testimony in matters of faith and a fortiori ought to beleive them in matters of fact if they intend to believe any thing at all that is not mentioned particularly in Scripture I say particularly because Christ our Saviour assured us in generall as our Adversaries confess that miracles should continue in the Church forever as signs of the true belief Marc. 16. 20. Ioan. 14.12 2. Cor. 12.12 The Conclusion I have sayd as much as I think necessary for the information and instruction of such Protestants as desire to know the truth and do not find my conscience guilty of any one falsification in this whole Treatise And truly it were a great absurdity in me to commit wittingly that crime which J so much cry down in others Such mistakes as have crept into the printed book will J hope he attributed to the Printer or Transcriber I am sure I have bin so diligent in examining the quotations and assertions pro and con the Catholick cause that want of care cannot be objected and if there be no want of sufficiency in the work that commendation is not due to me but to the goodnes and evidence of the cause I maintain For what acutenes of wit is requisit to defend a Religion that never was impugned but by persons so leud and vnreasonable that at the very first appearance of their opposition they were condemned as hereticks by the whole visible Church that then was What profundity of judgment can be thought necessary to demonstrat that the ancient primitive letter and sense of Scripture ought to be preferred before the Devils interpretation therof embraced by Luther or before any new Canon and fancies of the like debauched fryers and Priests What litle learning is not more then sufficient to discover so palpable frauds and falsifications as the Protestant Writers practise to make their Reformations seem agreable to Gods word What Erudition is so mean that doth not surpass the history of one age or of Protestancy a Religion so lately sprung vp and raysed from the pride ambition liberty and lewdnes of the first reformers and confined to the Northern parts of this least part of the world How can such a Religion be Catholick either in length of time extent of Territories or Conversion of Nations Jts true that for the space of 100. yeares England hath bin so blind as not to see such gross errors but this misfortune was occasioned by their fondnes of Q. Elizabeth to make good her title to the Crown they separated themselves from the communion of the Church and when her interest vanished with her death and for want of posterity few were living after her long reign that observed the motives of her reformation most Englishmen beleived the changes she made had no relation to her illegitimacy but proceeded from pure zeal of the Ghospell Her new Clergy both then and eversince have endeavored to confirm the people in that persuasion by falsifying Scripture Councells and Fathers but the discovery of the frauds and the principles of Protestancy practised against the late innocent King have opend the eyes of many to discern the flaws of the Reformation and the fallacies of their own education And now that it is as much the concern of the whole Nation to tolerat the Roman Catholick faith as it was Q. Elizabeths interest to change it into protestancy I doubt not but that every particular persons ease in the addition of a revenue to the publick will excite both conscience and curiosity to examin whether the prelatick Religion and Clergy of England have not more of human invention then of divin institution And if after perusing this Treatise and proposing the arguments and instances therof to their learned Ministery no satisfactory answer can be given to the particulars wherwith their doctrin and function is charged to what purpose should men continue in mistakes so damnable to the soul and dangerous to the state But if the Protestant Clergy
Fallaise in so much as she persuaded her husband to leave Geneva and go to Lansanâ—â— where she revealed the whole matter Mahomet t is true was a Cheat but a mere cunning cheat then Luther Calvin or Cranmer c. for by his Dove or fitts of the falling sickness he made people believe that the holy Ghost appeared and inspired to him the Alcoran but the Protestant Reformers had not so much to shew for their new doctrin Canon Translations and their new sense of Scripture Mahomet was constant to his principles the Protestant Parliament and Reformers were as changable as the times and humors of the giddy people and therfore may with more reason then the Turks give the Moon crescent for the Crest of their Religions as Catholicks do the Cross. Here in England they changed with Henry 8. the Roman faith for Articles of Religion devised by the Kings Majesty As soon as he dyed they changed that faith into Zuinglianism to comply with the Protector Somerset within two or three years after they changed Zuinglianism into Calvinianism at the suit of Calvin and reformed the Liturgy accordingly After K. Edward 6. death they returned with Q. Mary to the old faith With Q. Elizabeth they restored the new but with some alterations When K. James succeeded they changed their Translations of Scripture and other things In K. Charles 1. time prelatick Protestancy was pulled down by Presbytery this by Independency c. Prelatick Protestancy being restored again by K. Charles 2. the formes of Ordination wherupon depend the validity of the prelatick Ministery Church and Sacraments were not thought sufficient and therfore are now changed into more Catholick forms and therby all is left doubtfull and changeable for if the Church of England acknowledgeth to have erred in a thing of so great importance what assurance can it have of not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in this one Kingdom and in this one age have made moâ—â— changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued and in the greatest part of the world which they have conquered These things maturely considered makes Mahometism as probable a Religion as the best kind of Protestancy and therfore it would be no great wonder if they who believe the Protestant and Prelatick Clergy and take their word and fancies for true Scripture and Christianity should alter their belief vpon the change of that Clergys testimony acknowledging that hitherto they had bin mistaken which they may confess at any time becaus their Church is acknowledged fallible and that now they find the Turks have the true faith for that they reject all such books of Scripture as any Christians ever doubted of and that as lawfully as the pretended apocrypha are rejected by Protestants vpon the same ground and likewise believe all Protestant fundamental points necessary for salvation seing they believe of Christ as much as Arians Socinians and Chillingworth with his Sect of wits nay as much as the moderat and modern Prelatick writers who say that it is sufficient to believe Christ is the word and son of God which Mahomet never denyed If any Mahumetan Prince could pretend a title to this British Monarchy with probability of prevailing why may not we think he would find the Protestant Clergy as ready to comply with his Religion therby to secure their own and promote his interest as they were ready to change the Catholick and legal Religion which was professed in Q. Maries time for complying with Q. Elizabeth and fortifying her weak title against the legitimat and vndoubted Heirs All things weighed there is less difference between Mahumetism and prelatick Protestancy then between prelatick Protestancy and Popery for that Popery and Protestancy agree only in the name of Christianity in the motive and manner of faith they differ and in the ground therof as also in the Canon letter and Sense of Scripture but Mahumetism and Protestancy though they agree not in the letter of Scripture Protestants admitting into their Canon more books therof then the Turks yet they both agree in the rule of Religion though not in the application as also in the rule wherby their Canon and sense of Scripture is discerned which is every mans privat judgment in controverted matters in that point which is not controverted to wit one Deity the consent and concurrence of the generality of the world or evident reason is the foundation as well of Mahumetism as of protestancy as also in the point of the immortality of the soul. Therfore I see no impossibility or improbability said this great wit why Mahumetism may not in time be made the Religion of these Nations without violating the principles or altering the grounds of Protestancy and the prelatick Clergy be as much applauded and rewarded for the one change as for the other The greatest obstacle is that no Mahumetan Prince can pretend a title even such as Q. Elizabeths was to the Crown God almighty deliver us from so great evils and open the eyes of them that do not see the precipices wherunto their souls are led by such principles and grant the learned prelatick Clergy grace to prefer truth before falshood conscience before conveniency and eternity before the few days which they are to enjoy Benefices and Bishopricks But in case they do not for fear of loosing their credit and conveniences recant their errors J hope the Protestant Layty will have so much curiosity as to examin whether it be possible that so many Catholick Authors as have written books of Controversies should damn and discredit themselves by forging and feigning Protestant frauds and falsifications quoting the very places and pages where they are to be found affirming that without such practices protestancy cannot be maintained to examin I say whether we Catholicks can be so wicked and witless as to accuse men of such grievous crimes without hopes of any honor or profit to our selves but rather with a certainty of an immediat discovery of our impostures If this one thing be maturely considered the Protestant Layty and their vnlearned Clergy that rely so much vpon the sufficiency and sincerity of Cranmer Jewel Fox Morton Andrews Whitaker Fulk Perkins Vsher Laud Abbots Chillingworth Bramhall Cosins Hamond Taylor c. will believe us or at least examin and certainly find most palpable vnexcusable corruptions and contradictions in every one of their own Authors books composed against the Roman doctrin and conclude with us that Piety and Policy is mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery and that a good revenue may be conscientiously setled if legaly demanded vpon the Crown and vpon the poor soldiers and seamen that defend these nations against forreign invasions and rebellious insurrections Seing the Pope and his Roman Catholick Clergy in all likelihood will be content to resign their right and interest in the Church revenues to his Majesty as they did in the like occasion to Q. Mary who notwithstanding
the tendernes of her conscience was satisfied there could be no scruple of Sacriledge in applying with consent of the true owners ecclesiastical livings to pious and publick vses And now I hope I may conclude this Treatise with humbly desiring a Conference or examination of Protestant and Catholick books at least of one for each side let the quotations of Doctor Taylors Dissuasive be viewed and that book or any other writ against the Roman Religion stand for the Protestants sincerity t is like he writ nothing carelesly or rashly his declared drift being to make a whole Nation Protestants and professing himself to be only Amanuensis to a prelatick Convocation of reformed Bishops which in his Preface he compares with that Assembly of the Apostles wherin choyce was made of Iudas his Successor and sayes the lot of St. Mathias fell vpon himself and that some other like himself was Barnabas the just Jf this holy Convocation of Protestant Apostles should set forth a Book that hath more lyes then leaves I hope men may advise their friends to consider whether a Religion that cannot be maintained but by such men and means and a Clergy that practiseth such frauds and falsifications ought to be preferred before a Religion and Clergy that not only professeth as all others do to write truth but presseth to come to a publick trial therof in a â—egall way and rather then fail herein are content that the controversy be decided by them that are known to be most zealously devoted to Protestancy I do not instance Bp. Taylors Dissuasive from Popery for the Trial as if his falsifications to maintain Protestancy were more numerous or more enormous then those of other writers that have defended the same cause No. He is more waâ—y then many and more moderat then most of his predecessors or equalls But I instance his book to give my adversaries all the advantages that the learning of the Author and the Authority of a Convocation can afford Jf they have a better opinion of the sufficiency of Bishop Jevell then of Bp. Taylor they may fix rather vpon his Apology for the Church of England then vpon Doctor Taylors Dissuasive from Popery authorized by the Church of Ireland To Jevells Apology we oppose Harding Stapleton and Rastalls Answers To Taylors Dissuasive Worsley Lengar and Sergeants Annotations But if they refuse this offer as pointing but at two particular Doctors of their Church let them be pleased to have the truth of their Reformation and the sincerity of their whole Clergy examined by answering to the frauds and falsifications wherwith I charge their whole Church and calling in this book FINIS The Summe of this Treatise Containing the Substance of every Section THE FIRST PART Containing the Matter of Fact of the Beginning Progress Principles and effects of Protestancy SECTION I. HOw necessary a rational religion is for a peaceable government and wherin doth the reasonableness of Religion consist How dangerous for a temporal Soveraign to pretend a spiritual supremacy over his subjects Heathen Princes durst not assume it without a persuasion in their subjects that it was due by descent from some Deity or that the Gods signified their approbation therof by prodigies and miracles The great Turk notwithstanding his tyranny thinks it not policy to pretend a spiritual jurisdiction over his subjects though slaves The ground of policy piety and peace consists in establishing by law a Religion confirmed by miracles that such a Religion will make the Prince powerfull and popular the Prelats respected the people willing to obey and pay taxes It takes away all pretexts of rebellion vpon the score of a tenderness of conscience How necessary it is for the Government to have a devout Clergy and that Clergy at the Soveraigns devotion and Some of them emploied in State affairs Therby all disputes between the spirituall and temporall jurisdictions are prevented With how much reason Statesmen dread such disputes For the space of 1500. years the Catholick world believed that the Bishop of Rome had the supreme spiritual jurisdiction over souls as being Christ's Vicar vpon earth and that only such as were of his Communion and vnder his obedience were members of the Catholick Church and therfore the Greeks for exempting the Bishop of Constantinople and themselves from that obedience were declared Schismaticks others were condemned as Hereticks for teaching and professing doctrin contrary to the Roman Both the doctrin and authority of the Roman Bishops and Clergy hath been confirmed by vndeniable true miracles even here in England Jt was held to be the only Catholick doctrin in St. Gregory the great his time That faith which wee Roman Catholicks now profess is the same in every particular with that of St. Gregory and of all Orthodox Christians of his time and for confirmation wherof true miracles have been wrought SECT II. OF the Author and beginning of Protestancy The first Preacher therof was Martin Luther an Augustin Friar who from his youth had bin lianted by the Devil and presumed to have bin possessed He resolved to preach and write against the Mass praying to Saints and other Catholick Tenets after that the Devil had appeared to him and convinced him by Protestant arguments How weakly the Protestant writers endeavour to excuse Luthers disputation instruction and familiarity with the Devil Others acknowledge it and maintain that the Devils doctrin ought to be believed when it agrees with the Protestant interpretation of Scripture that is with every privat interpretation contrary to the sense of the whole visible Church How much it is against piety and policy to make the Protestant or any other privat interpretation of Scripture the Religion of the State or to preferr it before that of the Church and of the holy ancient Fathers quoted subsect 1. passim SECT III. OF the principles ad propagation of Protestancy How Luther begun his reformation by gaining Poets Players Painters and Printers to discredit by their Poems Pamphlets pictures and ballads the Roman Catholick Religion and its Clergy How he drew also many dissolute Friars and Priests to his side and married nine of them to so many Nuns in one day taking also one to himself How he made his reformation plausible to Libertins by teaching that only Faith was necessary for Salvation without troubling themselves with good works and popular by preaching that no Christian ought to be subject to an other and how therupon the Clowns and Tenants of Germany rebelled against their Princes and Landlords The three fundamental principles of Protestancy are 1. That for many ages the whole visible Church had bin in damnable errors and so continued vntill Luthers reformation 2. That there is no rule of faith but Scripture as Protestants are pleased to interpret it 3. That men are justified by only faith How from these principles have issued innumerable Protestant Religions contrary one to the other Luther did see his own reformation divided into 130. disagreing sects of
Protestants None could ever prove there was one true miracle wrought to confirm the Protestants doctrin or their pretended authority for reforming the Tenets of the Roman Catholick Church Protestants are forced to say that miracles are ceased and that ours are Diabolical or counterfeit Because no true Bishops were Protestants and by consequence they could have no Priests ordained and so their Priesthood must have perished after the death of the first Apostatas Luther and others the Protestant reformers and Churches taught that all Christians are Priests both men and women and this doctrin is supposed to be true by the Church of England in their 39. articles and in the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. SECT IV. OF the Protestant Prelatick Church of England The occasion of K. Henry the 8. divorce from Q. Catharin and of his revolt from the Church of Rome was his passion to An Bullen the words of S. Iohn Baptist to Herod concerning his brothers wife absurdly applyed to K. Henrys marriage with his Brothers widdow How zealously he had formerly maintained the Popes supremacy how cruelly he afterwards persecuted the professors therof and how impiously he judged S. Thomas of Canterbury robbed his shrine and burnt his Reliques The Catholick Princes rejected his embasies and solicitations for imitating his example in assuming the supremacy And how much the protestant Princes were troubled and ashamed that he made his lust the motive of his reformation How incredible a thing is the English supremacy K. Henry 8. at length resolved to renounce it and returne to the duty of a Christian King but stood upon such termes and differrd it so long that he died in Schism excommunicated and despairing of Gods mercy His last will and testament was broken before his body was buried The Erle of Hartford made himself Protector and brought into England the Sacramenrian or the Zuinglian heresy against K. Henrys last will and the lawes of the land then in force without a Parliament and contrary to the votes of the Erles of Arundell and Southampton and others of the 16. Trustees named Governors by K. HeÌ„ry 8. during the minority of Edw. 6. SVBSECT I. HOw Seamor was directed and destroyed by Dudley Duke of Northumberland The sayd Dudley notwithstanding he was a Catholick in his judgment as himself confessed at his death concurred to establish protestancy in England designing therby to vnsettle the state and make way for excluding the right heirs of the Crown and crown his own family which he effected by excluding Q. Mary for being a Catholick and by marrying his Son to the Lady Jane Grey who had no other right to the Kingdom but what her Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Clergy gave her What wicked men and great cheats were Cranmer and his Camerades that composed the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England and the common prayer book that of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies and how the common people were made believe the change was not of Religion but of language SECT V. OF the 39. Articles of the Church of England they contain only some general notions of Christianity and are applicable to all dissenting Sects of Protestancy as Presbytery Zuinglianism c. The design of the composers having bin rather to give men a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christian Religion then of tying them to any certain points therof or to any faith therfore they declare that the visible Church is fallible and determin no certain canonical Scripture of the new Testament They make the doctrin that Luther learnt of the Devil against the Mass Tradition and praying to Saincts c. part of their Creed as also the Tenet against spiritual Caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood art 25. rejecting imposition of hands as not instituted by Christ. In the 2. last Articles they endeavour in vain to suppress the errors of Anabaptists especialy that of appropriating to themselves other mens goods in vain I say because in their former articles they declare its lawful for Protestants to dispossess the Roman Catholick Clergy of their goods and dignitys by vertue of a privat interpretation of Scripture and the Anabaptists pretend no more but that its lawfull for themselves to deal after the same manner with Prelaticks and t is certain there can be no disparity given So that the two last articles of the 39. as also that of the authority of the Protestant Clergy are against an evident parity of reason in their own Protestant Principles SECT VI. A Particular account of the revolutions which these 39. articles caused in England and how they may work always the same effects if there be such politick and popular heads amongst us as Dudley Crumwell and many of the last long Parliament Q. Maries Reign how much endangered by Protestant designs and rebellions Duke Dudleys speech at his death The Roman Catholick Religion restored by Act of Parliament and the Protestant decreed to be Heresy and Schism as also the force and frauds of K. Henry 8. divorce discovered and his marriage with Q. Catharin of Spain declared valid The Roman Clergys resignation of the Church revenues to the Crown and present possessors Q. Elizabeths intrusion against the right of the Steward 's effected by the zeal of the Protestant faction for suppressing of Popery SECT VII NOtwithstanding that Q. Elizabeth was declared illegitimat by 3. Acts of several Parliaments never yet repealed she possessed herself of the Croun and excluded the Queen of Scots the lawfull and immediat heir to Q. Mary lately deceased By the advice of Cecil and others she revived Protestancy and the Supremacy therby to excuse her illegitimacy She instituted a new Kind of Clergy the Prelatick Protestant Bishops neither had nor have any other caracter of Episcopacy but what the great seal and her temporal laws give them Any Lay person may consecrat a Bishop of the Church of England if he hath the Kings commission to do it all other things being superfluous according to the Act. 8. Eliz. 1. and 25. article of the 39. How the Oath of supremacy divided Protestants and made the Catholicks more constant The simplicity of some Protestant writers pretending that the Pope offered to confirm the English liturgy if Q. Elizabeth would acknowledge his jurisdiction SECT VIII REasons why Q. Elizabeth in her long raign could not settle her Protestant Religion nor gain credit for the Prelatick Clergy Neither is it possible for her Successors to make the generality of her subjects to have any esteem for either SECT IX HOw injurious and prejudicial the Protestant Religion hath been to the Royal family of the Stevards and how zealous they have bin and still are in promoting the same It preferred not only Q. Elizabeth but also any natural child of hers before the line of the Stewards Wherof see the 8. sect â—in How dexterously K. James played his game and how they who murthered his mother were forced to invite him to the Crown
greater miracle then the propagation of Mahomets Religion SECT VIII OF the Protestant justifying faith how absurd and inconsistent with Christian virtues how dangerous to Princes and all civill government Cromwell was directed by it and it may raise many Cromwells It s as dangerous an opinion as Atheism and therfore cryed down by K. James in the Conference at Hampton Court yet can it not be disowned by the Church of England without disowning Protestancy and the Prelatick Religion How much the best Protestant Princes and their Ministers are forced to suffer by this justifying faith of their subjects what great errors in policy they much condescend vnto Proved by the settlement of Ireland The late Earle of Straffords project and policy to make Roman Catholicks considerable in Irland Protestant Monarchy is more supported by Jrish Popery then by Scotch or English presbitery How fallacious and dangerous a thing it is they call the English Protestant interest in Irland Jn all parts of the world where Protestancy is professed their own Authors confess that vice and villany must reign and there most where their justifying faith is purest The Roman Indulgences and Iubilees give no such liberty or indemnity as the justifying Protestant faith Wee Roman Catholicks ought to praise and thank our Soveraign and his Ministers for not feeling wors effects of this justifying faith and of Protestancy To vse us with Christian moderation they strive against the principles of their own Religion SECT IX THat the rule of the Protestant faith and judge of controversies which is Scripture as interpreted by every Protestant is not consistent with Christian Faith humility Charity peace either in Church or State All hereticks appeale to the letter of Scripture therfore Luther called it the book of hereticks Every particular person according to the fundamental principle of Protestancy must be a Supreme Iudge of Scripture Councells and Fathers and of the whole Church How ridiculous it is to see shallow wits and silly women explain Scripture condemn Councells Fathers and the whole Catholick Church which folly proceeds from want of judgment humility charity and Christian faith It occasioned our late troubles and rebellion which was grounded vpon the Principles of Protestancy A Protestant people cannot be otherwise governed then a people wherof every one by priviledge or birthright may appeale from the law interpreted by publick Courts of Judicature to the law interpreted by every privat person The Protestants imaginary general Councells and their appeales therunto discovered to be a cheat to divert and delay any determination of religious controversies Every Protestant is a Pope more absolute and dangerous then the Bishop of Rome K. James his saying that every Protestant in the house of Commons was a King by his Religion How little the oath of Supremacy contributes to the Kings Soveraignty or Security or to the subjects loyalty The Protestant rule of faith is but every ones fancy applyed to the words of Scripture And therfore they often change according to their weakness of judgment or strength of passion Auditius his expression of their monthly faith and Melanctons saying both Protestants that they knew whom to avoid but knew not whom to follow are ingenuous The Protestant confessions and articles of faith composed and professed by every national Church oblige not the members of those Churches because the Collectors and composers of such articles are not infallible and will be thought not to agree with Scripture at least as every particular person will explain it The 39. Articles of the Church of England are so ambiguous that they may be applyed to all dissenting Tenets of Protestants both at home and abroad and therfore are printed and pressed in England to satisfy disagreeing parties and yet no party is contented with that indifferent symbol though each party callenges them in some occasions as favoring their own opinions nor any thing more contrary to piety and policy then articles so applicable to contrary Tenets and interests An arbitrary Religion is more dangerous and prejudicial to a state then an arbitrary government How vnfit the 39. articles and the Oath of Supremacy are to be made the distinctive sign of trust and loyalty to the King A man is more engaged to stick to the King by a red scarf or a garniture of ribands of the Kings colours then by an oath of so incredible a thing as the Supremacy and so vnsignificant articles as those of the 39. that contradict the Roman Catholick doctrin That Religion that hath not a more certain or infallible rule of faith then the Protestant Prelatick of England hath is not fit to be made the distinctive sign of trust or loyalty or the Religion of the state SECT X. HOw fundamental principles of the Protestant reformations maturely examined and strictly followed have led the most learned Protestants of the world to Judaism Atheism Arianism Mahometism c. And the protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania to deny the mystery of the Trinity and our best modern English witts and writers to admit of no other rule of Religion but natural reason Instanced in Castalio Bucer David George Bernardin Ochin Neuserus Calvin Alemanus Socinus Chillingworth Stilling fleet Faukland c. How prelatick Protestancy is contemned by the best protestant wits and writers as being incoherent to the principles of protestancy and contradictory in its own Tenets How Presbiterians agree with the Anti-trinitarians in their way of reforming A Prelatick is a Presbiterian against Papists and a Papist against Presbyterians His own Religion includes both their Tenets though contradictory he hath but one Tenet wherunto he is constant and that is Episcopacy de Iure divino Calvinists are sayd by Lutherans to be baptised Jews and that Mahometism Arianism and Calvinism are 3. pair of hose of one cloath All protestant reformations are remnants of the same piece though with different trimmings according to the diversity of their reformers fancyes Why our English protestants deny not the Trinity as well as those of Hungary without violating the principles of protestancy they may doe it Articles of Christian Religion against conclusions cleerly deducible from the principles of protestancy are not valued by protestants It is the case of the Church of England SECT XI THe indifferency or rather inclination of Protestancy to all kind of infidelity is further demonstrated by the prelatick and Calvinian doctrin of fundamental and noâ— fundamental articles of faith The design of this new distinction manifested and frustrated The design is to make all Christians though declared hereticks that dissent from Roman Catholicks one Church and of the Protestant communion The Greeks and others reject Protestants as hereticks By their doctrin of fundamentalls Turks and Iews may be of one Church and communion with Christians Protestants proceed in matters of Religion as weak Statesmen do in state affairs For their separation from the Roman Catholick Church they cannot be excused from a damnable sin and schism Their writers
the examples of other Protestant Churches Whence followeth continual discontents and designs of the generality of these Protestant nations against their prelatick Clergy and the little esteeme and affection there is for the same Clergy among the reformed Churches abroad How vnsafe it is for the Prince and government to establish by law a Religion and Clergy so generaly hated and that acknowledgeth it self to be fallible in doctrin and therfore for all they know lead their flocks to eternal damnation Laws enacted to favor Religion ought to suppose not pretend to make the Religion reasonable Reason is the ground of human laws but human laws can not be the ground of Religion How dangerous it is to press too much the Act of vniformity against so great and zealous a multitude as the Sectaries are Their errors ought to be confuted with reason not rigor The prelatick Clergy whose spiritual Censures and authority ought to quash all dissentions doth cause the mischief and engageth the state in perpetual troubles for maintaining by force of law the improbability of their caracter and jurisdiction against the evidence of reason SVBSECT I. THe prelatick caracter and Religion is so incredible that few serious men in their judgments continue any long time Prelaticks By pretending a mean and moderation between Papists and Presbiterians the Prelaticks fall into manifest contradictions in defending their own caracter doctrin and disciplin How learned Protestants are forc't to confess that the Prince may force his subjects by laws to his Protestant persuasion and that every Protestant subject notwithstanding the Prince his prerogative hath a privat authority to judge of the Prince his Religion and is bound to stick to his own contrary judgment What great confusion this must occasion It is the nature of all Religions that give privat men liberty to judge of Religious controversies to cause such disorders How this inconvenience is prevented in the Roman Catholick One of the differences between it and the Protestant is that when Protestants rebell they do not violat the principles of Protestancy which makes every man Supreme in matters of faith and by consequence of state When Catholicks rebell they go against their principles that give no such supremacy or liberty Jn these last one hundred years there have bin more rebellions vpon the score of Protestancy then have bin since Christs time vpon the score of the Roman Catholick Religion In what sense the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion Whether it be policy to persecute a Religion that encreaseth against the rigor of the lawes and to promote a Religion that doth not encrease with all the helps of lawes and favors of the Prince The sanguinary and penal statuts are thought to be so vnjust even by Protestants that no honest and sober man thinks them fit to be put in execution Whether it be policy to continue such statuts All seditious persons begin their designs against the government with pressing the execution of the statuts and somtimes therby make the zealous and giddy multitude rebell Whether it were not piety and policy to repeal statuts that if put in execution make the nation and government infamous if not put in execution may occasion rebellion by reason of an indiscreet zeal in the giddy multitude Besides their being enacted to suppress the principles and destroy the persons of the Catholick party which maintained the Stevards right to the Crown ought to facilitat the repeal SVBSECT II. THe sanguinary and penall statuts of England against Catholicks can not be justified by the proceeding of the Inquisition or by laws and edicts of Christian Kings and Emperors against hereticks The first English Protestants acknowledged themselves to be hereticks when they petitioned to the Parliament 1. Ed. 6. for a repeal of all ancient statuts against hereticks not daring to preach and profess their reformed doctrin vntill the Parliament had condescended to their petition Queen Elizabeths reformation confirmed by Sanguinary statuts diametricaly opposit to primitive Christianity and therfore very strange that men so knowing as the English nobility and gentry should continue them or that persons so pious loyall and well bred should not either out of Christian charity to Catholicks or out of a dutifull civility to the Royal family that now reigns repeale laws enacted by Q. Elizabeth for ruin of the Stevards party and for excluding themselves from the Crown THE THIRD PART COntaining the conscience and conveniency of tolerating the Roman Catholick religion by Act of parliament proved by the little conscience of the Protestant clergy in maintaining Protestancy with frauds and falsifications and by the great inconveniencies this Monarchy suffers by pressing the prelatick and Protestant Religion vpon tender consciences SECT I. DEmonstrated that either the learned Protestant or the Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats Proved by the impossibility of concealing the truth of Christianity and of the true Church otherwise then by the frauds and falsifications of either Clergy So manifest are the signs of the Catholick Church and so particularly mentioned in Scripture And as one of the two Clergyes are Cheats so either the Catholick or Protestant layty are damnably careless in matters of salvation Reasons why the Catholick layty can not be thought carless the Protestant may How easily the truth may be known and how the Protestant layty may be considerably eased from extraordinary taxes by informing themselves of the truth of Religion The impudency and impiety wherwith Bp. Ievell and the first prelatick clergy imposed Protestancy vpon this nation to favor Q. Elizab pretensions and to raise themselves from Pedantry to Peerage Proved by Ievells Challenge and Sermon at Paules Cross and by his and the Prelatick clergyes Apology for their Church of England pretending that the Catholick Church for the first 600. years was Protestant How this imposture was confuted by the Catholick writers and the Protestant writers forced to acknowledge their own error How the same imposture was again maintained by succeeding prelaticks and how vnsuccesfully How Taylor revived now again the same shamfull imposture and with how great infamy to his person and discredit to his cause The Protestant layty can not without committing a damnable sin give any credit to their Clergy in matters of Religion after so many and so manifest Discoveries of the frauds and falsifications wherby alone they defend Protestancy How a conference and Triall about this matter can not be conscientiously denyed nor the denyall stand with good policy SECT II. THe same further demonstrated and that there can be no reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy SVBECT I. AND II. WHether it be charity to treat Cheats with ceremony when they are convicted of damning souls by frauds and wilfull falsifications And whether the first reformers of the English Church Cranmer and his Camerades ought not to be censured accordingly The frauds and wilful falsifications hypocrisy incontinency impiety and Atheism of the prelalatick Protestant Clergy in K. Edward
6. reign What a wicked man Arch. Cranmer was of Peter Martyr Echinus Bucer Latimer and Ridleys impieties SVBSECT III. OF Hooper Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale Hooper and Rogers combined against Crāmer and Ridley How Latimer joyned with them Their Project of Puritanism How Hooper inveighed against plurality of benefices when he had none and enjoyed two Bishopricks when his faction prevailed and left his friend Rogers in the lurch How Rogers and Coverdale conspired with Tyndall to falsify Scripture Bishop Poynets contest and Suit in law with a Butcher about the Butchers wife notwithstanding that Poynet had one of his own But Sentence was given for the Butcher against Poynet contrary to the Principles and liberty of Protestancy and to what the protestant Church had resolved before in the like case between Sir Ralph Sadler and one Barrow whose wife was decreed to be married to Sir Ralph during Barrows life Bishop Bales conversion to protestancy related by himself and attributed to his beloved Dol. What an impostor he was Bish Coverdales drunkenes and corruptions of Scripture How corrupt and vngodly a Scripture is the English translation of the Bible It was condemned by act of Parliament as fraudulent ād fals Notwithstanding which censure it was and is imposed vpon the Nation as the word of God sometimes it was called Mathews Bible othertimes the Bishops Bible or the Bible of the large volume with litle or no alteration Coverdales vanity in attempting to convert to protestancy the Vniversity of Oxford Laurence Sanders a Protestant Martyr and Priest his resolution to dy for legitimating his little bastard SVBSECT IV. ARch Cranmers conference with Doctor Martyn and other Catholicks How weakly he defended the Protestant cause How vainly Protestants pretend Scripture for their doctrin as all heretiks do How Cranmer was proved to be an heretick by the definition of Origen Tertullian c. SECT III. OF the Protestant Clergy in Q. Maries reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their frauds factions cheats and changes of the English Protestant religion during their exile in Germany Related by Dr. Heylin How the German Protestants called the English Protestants the devils Martyrs and would not entertain their banished Clergy and Confessors How therupon the English clergy changed and accommodated their Religion to that of the places wherin they lived and printed books at Frankford and Geneva containing contrary doctrines for humoring dissenting churches How often they changed their Liturgy at Frankford Of Grindall Horn Sandys Chambers Pakhurst Whithead Whittingham Williams Goodman Wood Sutton Fox their frauds factions divisions and books against Q. Mary c. How vnfit men to be Bishops and to found a Church and yet they were the chief pillars and Prelats of Q. Elizabeths reformation SECT IV. ABominable frauds and wilfull falcifications of the protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths reign to maintain their doctrin set forth vnder the name of an Apology and defence of the Church of England How Q. Elizabeth gained the Nobility and House of Commons to vote in Parliament for reviving Protestancy Of Bish. Iewells ridiculous challenge at Pauls Cross. How all the Protestant Clergy conspired with him in his impostures How they were confuted by Doctor Harding Stapleton and other Catholicks All the Protestant writers borrow from Jewells impostures their arguments and authoritys against the Roman Catholick Religion Acknowledged by Dr. Heylin in his history of the Church of England SVBSECT I. THe Protestant Clergys fraud and falshood against Communion vnder one kind It was a thing indifferent in the ancient Church Proved by several instances Jewells ridiculous evasions SVBSECT II. JEwell and the Protestant Clergy censure as hereticks the same ancient Fathers they appeal vnto in other controversies for condemning the mariage of Priests They corrupt the Ecclesiastical history for the same reason and bring an example of an imaginary Bishop to confirm their corruption and pretend that S. Gregory Nazianzen says that a Bishop may minister the better in the Church for having a wife in his house and that his own Father was instructed in Ecclesiastical functions by his wife SVBSECT III. IEwell and his Prelaticks charge Cardinal Hosius and all Catholicks with contemning the holy Scriptures contrary to his own knowledge and even after he had bin admonished of the imposture SUBSECT IV. FAlsifications and frauds against the Bishop of Rome his Supremacy scripture falsified to impugne the same SVBSECT V. PRotestants frauds and falsifications to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of Mass. Their pretence that the ancient Mass was the same thing with the English communion or Liturgy Iewells impudency SUBSECT VI. PRotestant falsifications and corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist and the succession of Bishops a mark of the beast Q. Elizabeths first Bishops were violently bent against Episcopal Succession because it was notorious that themselves wanted such a succession Want of Succession a mark of hereticks Proved by Fathers SVBSECT VII PRotestant falsifications to prove that Popes may and have decreed heresys SVBSECT VIII ITem to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings SVBSECT IX ITem to prove that S. Austin the Apostle of England was no Saint but an hypocrit as also to discredit Catholick Writers SVBSECT X. PRotestants frauds and falsifications of Scripture as likewise their altering of the 39. articles of Religion to make the laity believe that there are true Bishops and Priests in the Church of England Jtem their forgery of records The Evasions of Primat Bramhal and others concerning their Episcopal succession confuted SVBSECT XI XII AN advertisment to the Reader concerning Bishop Iewell of some learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Faith by discovering the falsifications and frauds of his books Mr. Hookers sincerity questioned for his immoderat praises of so great and notorious an impostor in his Eccles. Polit. A feigned Protestant story of the two Doctors Reynolds How Iewell excused his falsifications in presence of the Erle of Leicester by saying that Papists must be dealt with as Papists SECT V. FRauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts of monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries The litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such fals dealing All sober men that read the works of the Magdeburgian Centurists must conclude they composed them rather in drinking stoves then in retired studies so rash and foolish are their censures of the greatest Doctors and Saints of Gods Church Valētia the Iesuit aptly compared these centurists to malefactors that confess all the knowing and honest men of the country or citty witness that they are theeves and hereticks c. And then these malefactors refute all this by only saying that the sayd knowing and honest men so highly esteemed by all the world for their knowledge and integrity spoke incommodiously and ignorantly when they accused the theeves Iohn Fox his absurdity in making the true Church visible to Protestants and invisible to Catholicks What
a ridiculous Church of Protestants he fancies and deduceth only from the time of Pope Innocent 3. and composeth of a rablement of all sectaries divided among themselves and dissenting also from Protestants Proved in particular instances of VValdenses Albigenses Wickleff and others His three simple Miracles of Luthers and how Fox describes a revelation of his own and how he was made a fool by revelation The Prelatik clergy recommend Fox his works to all Godly people though the learned of them know it to be a collection of frauds follies and fables SUBSECT I. IOhn Fox his Calendar of Protestant Saints In all 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. and Cranmer the principal by him you may judge of the rest Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. Edward 6. Other men and women Martyrs 393 other men and women Confessors 57. The greatest disputers against the Catholick Bishops of these Martyrs were a Cook a Cowheard a Taylor a Blaksmith a millers wife a Cutlers wife and a married mayd So Fox calls her How madly these poor souls ran to the fire Fox his Martyrs were all fanaticks SUBSECT II. WIlfull falsifications committed by John Fox in his acts and monuments He falsifies St. Bede and an ancient english Synod to make them Quartodecimans and to favor the Protestant doctrin of divorces He falsifies also St. Antoninus to discredit Pope Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand and a Councell to favor the mariage of Priests The ancient Greeks and Latin Churches held the single life of Priests 120. lyes in three leaves of Fox his book and more in the whole then in Sleydans History though eleven thousand are gathered out of Sleydan by the German writers His censuring Acts of ancient English Parliaments for condemning Rebells and heretiks His falsifying Sr. John Oldcastles profession of faith to make us believe he was a Protestant in the point of Purgatory SUBSECT III. DOctor Charks egregious falsification of St. Austin and how falsly he excuseth Luthers doctrin of the lawfulness of Adultery and incest SUBSECT IV. ARch Cranmer and Peter Martyrs falsifications against transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. SECT VI. HOw some Protestant writers in Q. Elizabeths time seing their fellows proved falsifiers waved the testimonies of the ancient Fathers and Councells and yet the others continued their former cours of falsifying both Fathers and Councells Of Whitaker Arch. Whitgift and Fulk How they contemn the Fathers and Church when they relate ancient condemned heresies that Protestants now profess Doctor Willet a great Impostor how impudently he falsifies taking God to witness he will speak nothing but truth it is the general custom of Protestant writers SECT VII FAlsifications and frauds of the prelatick and Protestant Clergy ever since the beginning of K. James his reign for continuing and maintaining Protestancy SUBSECT I. THeir corruptions of Scripture notwithstanding that the King commanded the English Bibles to be corrected They corrected some few things that gave advantage to the Puritans against Episcopacy leaving other corruptions as formerly Insteed of correcting their fals Scripture they forged new Registers How they falsify Scripture in the first commandement Exod. 20.4 and yet object against vs Catholiks that wee take away the 2. commandement How absurd this their objection is See also how they corrupt Scripture to humour K. James in the supremacy divers others Arch. Abbots and the Bp. of Glocester altered the true translation of St. Peters epistle to impugn Purgatory accused of this impiety by Sir Henry Savill that translated it rightly How they corrupt Scripture against prayer to Saints That Saints in heaven do hear our prayers proved by reason and authority Whether it be not more then credible that Arch. Abbots who falsified Scripture would forge Registers How vnreasonably the prelatick Clergy in their Dedicatory to King Iames set before the new translation of Scripture desire his Majesty to protect the same against the objections of Puritans and Papists SUBSECT II. OF Dean Walsinghams scruples and Search into matters of Religion and how by discovering the frauds and falsifications of his own Protestant Clergy he became a Roman Catholick The occasion of his doubts His memorial to K. Iames as being head of the church for satisfaction His reading of the Defence of the Censure and his judgment therof How that book proves Scripture is more cleare for Catholick Tenets then for Protestant of Dean Walsinghams appearance before his Grace at Lambeth his conference with Doctor Covell This Doctors fraud and folly in diverting Walsingham from the truth Of Dean Walsinghams third and fourth appearance before my Lord of Canterbury How he was abused and threatned by his Grace for desiring to know the truth Of the Knight of the corner Perkins and his persuasions How the Archbishop to be rid of a man that pressed to know the truth remitted Dean Walsingham to the Commissary of St. Albans and to others who gave him no satisfaction Of Bells libells delivered by the Arch-bishop to satisfy Mr. Walsingham His last appearance before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and an assembly of Diuines How in their presence he produced the corruptions and falsifications of the Protestant books recommended vnto him by his Grace and yet neither he nor that assembly durst compare Mr. VValsinghams notes of frauds with the same books as Mr. VValsingham desired but dismissed him wishing he were far enough for discovering their cheat and the weakness of their Religion SUBSECT III. REflexions vpon Mr. VValsinghams Relation This like case and cheat doth happen as often as the Protestant Clergy observeth any conscientious person troubled in conscience through the vnreasonableness of their Religion A case of conscience concerning one millions of revennue proposed and desired it be decided by the Parliament and that some knowing person my Lord Chancellor be the Moderator of the conference for that purpose SUBSECT IV. A Relation of a Trial held in France about Religion How necessary the like is in England for the credit of Protestants and convenience of the state SECT VIII PRotestant falsifications to persuade that the Roman Catholick doctrin is inconsistent with the Soveraignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants How the Protestant writers having bin worsted at Scripture Councells Fathers c now endeavour to defend Protestancy by reasons of state and become vnfortunat Polititians Divers falsifications touching this subject published by Morton Bishop of Duresm How he answers some objections with new lyes others whith laying the blame vpon the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Stork c. To most objections he gives no answer The whole National Synod and Protestant Clergy concurr in an imposture concerning the sign of the Cross in Baptism against Roman Catholicks The Protestants falsifications of the Canon Law about deposing of Kings About cheating excommunicated persons About murthering and massacring Protestants Diuers falsifications to assert a spiritual Supremacy in Kings According to the
people are abused Many Protestant mistakes wherwith the common sort were fooled are now cleered and their own conveniency wil invite them to examin further the errors of doctrin incident to education from which errors the Protestant Church doth acknowledge it self not exempted If the Protestant faith be true such a trial as we desire will be of great satisfaction to the Professors therof and confirm them in their religion and convert Papists and Sectaries to the same if it be falfs besides the salvation of souls by a discovery and prosession of the Roman truth these kingdoms will be able not only to defend themselves but offend foreign Enemies after we are enabled thervnto by a conscientious addition of a million sterl per an to the publik revenue No danger of sacriledge in applying the Church revenues to pious and publick vses for the preservation of the people practised by the ancient Catholick Clergy Not one good reason why the Church of England ought not to admit of such a publick conference as we propose and desire Bishop Lauds reason to the contrary confuted The denying and differring it a sign that Protestants are guilty Catholicks grant conference to Protestants whensoever they demand it The Protestant layty have reason to question their Clergies Ordination and caracter as well as their doctrin The new change of their formes of ordination very suspicious That the Roman Religion is such a growing Religion proves it is the true Religion fit to be made the Religion of the state THE FOURTH PART THe Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant is confirmed by considerable Miracles recorded not in vain Legends or modern Authors but in the most authentick histories of the world and by the ancient Fathers and Doctors of Gods Church SECT J. SUch Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholik Church are true Miracles The doctrin confirmed by those Miracles cannot be rejected without doubting of Gods Veracity Every Protestant doth see though not observe true Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick faith What great scrutiny is made by the Roman Catholick Church into true Miracles and the lives of men that are to be canonized for Saints There can be no combination or cheat in such matters Some Miracles permanent that be seen by all men as that of S. Ianuarius in Naples An vndeniable Miracle of S. Francis Xavier wrought vpon Marcello Mastrilli most remarkable for many circumstances Miracles to confirm Popery related by the Magdeburgian Centurists but by them absurdly attributed to the Devil or said to be seigned True Miracles cannot be wrought to confirm falshood 't is against Gods veracity to permit the same Miracles oblige vs to believe the doctrin in confirmation wherof thy be wrought The difference between Antichrists and Catholicks Miracles or true and fals Miracles That all the Roman Catholicks adore the Sacrament and believe Transsubstantiation as also other points of Popery is an evident Miracle of God and can not proceed from the Devils power or art The Devil temps men to be hereticks by the means and ministery of their senses and by humoring the same not against the evidence and inclination of sense The general signs and marks of the Church are vndeniable Miracles No other Church besides the Roman Catholick can shew those signs SECT II. OF particular miracles that confirm the Roman Catholick Tenents and our sense of Scripture related by S. Chrysostome S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Austin S. Nilus S. Cyprian the Martyr S. Optatus S. Gregory the great and others in confirmation of adoring the B. Sacrament Transsubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion vnder one kind prayer for the dead and Purgatory Primat Vshers falsifications and fraud to discredit some of these Miracles discovered Of Miracles in England related by Waldensis and recorded by the Archbishops of Canterburyes Register How Protestants falsify the very statuts and law books Miracles wrought by S. Bernard to confirm every controverted point of the Roman Catholick doctrin against the Protestant Protestant writers confess S. Bernard was a Saint and yet say his Miracles were wrought by the Devil How absurd SECT III. MIracles to confirm the worship and vertu of the sign of the Cross recorded by St. Paulinus St. Cyril of Jerusalem St. Athanasius St. Hierom St. Gregory Tuâ—onensis Nicephorus and Theodoret. How by Tradition from the Apostles the primitive Christians were accustomed to sign themselves frequently with the sign of the Cross. The first and worst Heretiks were enemyes of that sign Christs Cross multiplyed by miracle in St. Paulinus his time Protestant miracles are but cheats Not one of them true Protestants agree with Pagans heretiks and Magitians in contemning miracles and the sign of the Cross. How the Devils dread the same SECT IV. MIracles in confirmation of the Catholick worship of Jmages related by the most eminent authors of the Ecclesiasticall History and by the 2. Councell of Nice an 787. wherin were 350. Bishops St. Peters shaddow was the Image of his body and by scripture Act. 5.15 it appears to have wrought Miracles The Protestant Imposture concerning Christs statue that Iulian the Apostata broke confuted S. Iohn Dâ—mascens hand that was cut off by the practises of Image-breakers restored by his praying at our Ladies Image The Protestant evasion of civil and religious worship confuted SECT V. MIracles related by S. Austin S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostom S. Hierom S. Optatus S. Bede S. Bernard S. Anselm and others in confirmation of prayer to Saints worshipping their Reliques of the vertue of holy water the Sacraments of Confirmaon Confession and extrem Vnction The doctrin of Indulgences confirmed by the same Miracles that confirm worship of Saints Pilgrimages c. The truth of all S. Thomas of Canterburyes Miracles evidenced by one that Fox recounts and picks out to discredit the test What litle reason Protestants have to suspect our Catholick Miracles of forgery How severe the Roman Church is in the scrutiny and punishment of such Impostures Reflections vpon Bishop Taylors Treatise of Confirmation Confession and extrem Vnction maintained to be Sacraments by ancient Fathers S. Bedes holiness and learning acknowledged by Protestants He relates Miracles wherby the errors of Protestancy are confuted How absurdly Protestants contemn the authority of the holy Fathers in Miracles admitting it in matters of faith How ridiculous John Fox his Miracles are how vnwisely the Prelatick Clergy countenance his Acts and Monuments that have so spread Puritanism in England A Paralell between Protestancy and Mahometism FINIS THE CONCLVSION To the right Honorable the Committee OF PARLIAMENT FOR RELIGION May it please your Honors VEnerable St. Bede in his History of the Church of England recounteth how St. Austin the Monk and our Apostle Sent by St. Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome to convert our Saxon Ancestors from Paganism to Christian Religion arriving at the Isle of Tanet in Kent gave notice vnto King Ethelbert then a
Pagan that he and his fellow-preachers were come from Rome and brought to him very good tydings to wit that such as would follow and obey their doctrin should enjoy an everlasting Kingdom in heaven with the true and living God The King moved with curiosity came into the Island of Tanet and notwithstanding his suspition that the Monks were Magitians returned this civil and prudent answer you give us very fair words and promises but yet for that they are strange and vnknown vnto me I can not rashly assent vnto them forsaking that antient Religion which thus long both I and my people have observed But for so much as you are come so far to the intent you might impart vnto us such knowledge as you take to be right true and good wâ—e will not seek your trouble but rather with all Courtesy we will receive you and minister vnto you all such things as are behovefull for your living Accordingly he allowed them lodging and other necessaries in the City of Canterbury and after hearing and examining their doctrin became a Christian. The very same tydings and Doctrin that St. Austin and his Companions delivered to King Ethelbert do I most humbly offer vnto your Honors in this book as your own Bishops and writers confess and is plain in St. Bedes History testifying that as they approched neer the Citty of Canterbury having the Cross and Image of our King and Saviour IESUS Christ carried as their manner was before them they sung Letanies they served God in continual prayer watching and fasting They resorted to an antient Church built in the honor of St. Martyn made while the Romans were yet dwelling in England and there did say Mass c. This their doctrin they proved to be true by working of many miracles and to be the very same which Joseph of Arimathea and the Apostles had preacht to the antient Britons whose Bishops St. Austin courted to Ioyn with him in converting of the Saxons a Curtesy he never would have desired or demanded had their Doctrin differed from his of certain ceremonies vsed by them in Baptism and of their Iewish way of celebrating Easter he did not approve and all Protestants grant he had good reason neither could the Britons themselves gainsay it when by common accord they prayed that God would vouchsafe by some heavenly sign to declare whether their particular traditions or rather St. Austins with whom saith Bede all the other Churches throughout the whole world agreed in Christ were most acceptable to his Divin Majesty and the Briton Priests having prayed in vain for the restitution of fight to a known blind man St. Austin compelled by just necessity fell on his knees prayed and forthwith the blind man saw Then the Britons confessed indeed that they vnderstood that to be the true way of righteousnes which Austin had preached and shewed vnto them This miracle God wrought by his servant to reduce the antient Britons to an vniformity in ceremonies Many other greater miracles did he work by the same St. Austin wherby our Modern Ministers are convinced of heresy for being obstinat in their errors against Transubstantiation worship of Images Purgatory Prayers to Saints Jndulgences the Sacrifice of the Mass c. for that with these Popish Doctrins both St. Austin and his Master St. Gregory are charged by your own Protestant writers and censured as converting the Saxons from Paganism to this Superstition I hope your Honors will not give vnto vs who desire only liberty of conscience wherof the worst consequence can be this that the ancient Religion of Christ may therby be restored a wors answer then King Ethelbert returned to S. Austin Though what wee affirm of the Catholick belief will seem strange to you that have hitherto supposed the same to be idolatry or superstition and perhaps suspect us to be as great Sorcerers as King Ethelbert did S. Austin and his Companions But without question so pious and prudent Persons as Your Honors will not be less charitable then a Pagan to men that besides an everlasting Kingdom in heaven come to offer you a million sterl per an vpon earth especialy seing we do not desire you should condemn your own Protestant Religion nor credit ours before you see what your Clergy can answer to our reasons and to corruptions and falsifications of Scripture and Fathers which we desire to object against them in a publick conference if it be your Honors pleasure to grant vs that favor for obtaining wherof they will be as earnest Suitors as wee if they believe their own doctrin But in case they decline or deferr so reasonable and seasonable a request as we humbly concieve ours to be I hope Your Honors will not think that men who dare not defend their Religion against provoking adversaries that offer to shew the falshood therof and the frauds wherby it is and only can be maintained deserve so great reverence and revenues or can be fit to direct others in the way of salvation As for their railing against St. Austin our Apostle notwithstanding that God approved of his Doctrin with many miracles it is no satisfactory way of reasoning neither as I persuade my self will they be able to rally so grave and sober a Comittee as your Lordships out of a million per an by quoting their own Translations and sense of Scripture or by wresting texts to their own advantage and to the great prejudice both spiritual and Temporal of these Nations againâ—â— the Commonâ—sense and consent of the visible Church for 16. ages They have had indeed hitherto better Success in this particular then they could expect from so wary and wise a people as the English but the improbability that a Clergy would be so impudent and impious as to falsify Scripture forge Registers and build faith vpon fancy hath gained them more credit then they deserved and made the Layty more credulous and carless then Christians ought to have bin in a matter of so great importance as the everlasting happines of their souls and in a subject so tempting and suspicious as the revenues of the Church Now that it hath bin the fate or fortune of this Monarchy to be involued in wars which have discovered the insufficiency of the Kings revenue to maintain the same and that we have no other security of a peace when concluded but the words of Dutch and Frenchâ— drawn vp into a formality of Articles which will be no longer observed then it will be their conveniency so to do and that the honor and safety of these three Nations can not be secured without greater and more Constant supplies and subsidies then perhaps after a little time will be safe to exact of the impoverished multitude seing I say this is the present condition of our State and will be also for the future whensoever it pleaseth our neighbors to be our enemies not only all lawfull ways of raising moneys must be sought after
Wittensbâ—rg he is so vehement against the wifes refusal of her husband's bed that he saith if the Magistrat omit it's duty in punishing her the husband must imagin that his wife is stole away by theeves and dead and consider how to marry an other for saith he yet further we cannot stop St. Paul's mouth c. his words are plain that a brother or sister are free from the law of wed lock if the one depart or do not consent to dwel with the other neither doth he say that this may be don once only but leaveth it free that so often as the case shall require he may either proceed or stay In which case as he signifieth to Wittemb fâ—l 112 a man may have ten or more wives fled from him and yet living Nay he doubteth not in case of adultery to give liberty even to the offending advlteror to fly into an other country and marry againe Luther loc cit fol. 123. Melancton consil Theol. part 1· pag 648. [o] Mr. Whitgift the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence pag. 472. saith The doctrin taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is much more perfect and sound then it commonly was in any age since the Apostles tims pa. 473. asuredly you are not able so recken in any age since the Apostles time any Company of Bishops that taught and held so perfect and sound doctrin in all points as the Bishops of England do at this time In the truth of doctrin our Bishops be not only comparable with the old Bishops but in many degrees to be preferred before them c [a] Hooker lib. 1. Polit. Eccles pag. 86. lib. 2. sect 5. pag. 192. It is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that we do wel to think it his word for if any book of Scripture did give testimony of all yet stil that Scripture which gives credit to the rest would require an other Scripture to give credit vnto it Neither could we come to any pause wher on to rest vnless besids Scripture there were some thing which might assure vs. c. Which he lib. 3. sect 8. pag. 146. lib. 2. sect 7. pag. 116. Acknowledged to be the authority of God's Church Whitaker against Stapleton lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 270. saith The testimony of the spirit being privat and secred is vnfit to teach and refell others and therfor we must recurr to Ecclesiastical Tradition an argument saith he ibid. cap. 4. pag. 300. Wherby may be argued and convinced what books be Canonical and what be not M. r Fulk in his answer to a counterfeit Catholick pag. 5. saith the Church of Christ hath judgment to discern true writings from counterfeit and the word of God from the writings of men and this judgment she hath of the holy Ghost M r Jewel in his defence of the Apology pag. 201. And afther the edition of 1571. pa. 242. saith the Church of God hath the spirit of wisdom wherby to discern true Scripture from false [*] See Pomeran in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 4. Vitus Theodorus in annot Test. pag. vl The Century writers of Magdeburg cent 1. lib. 2. cap. 4. cent 2. lib. 3. cap. 4. Hafferoferus in loc Theol. lib. 3. stat 3. loc 7. pag. 222. Adamus Fancisci in Margarita Theol. pag. 448. giveth this testimony of the Protestant Church wherof him-self was a member The Apocriphal books of the new Testament are the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of Iams the second and third of Iohn the second of Peter the Epistle of Iude and the Apocalyps And all the Authors heer mentioned give the like testimony in behalf of their Protestant Churches wherfor we can not but admire Doctor Cossins confidence in affirming a matter so notoriously contradicted and much more the carelesness of them who ground their faith and Canon of Scripture vpon it s not being ever questioned See Cozins in the 17 chap. per toâ— [a] Salvus Conductus datus Protestantibus sess 13. 14. Concil Trident. Vt Protestantes de iis rebus quae in ipsa Synodo tractari debent omni libertate conferre proponere tractare c. ac articulos quot illis videbitur tam scripto quam verbo afferre proponere cum Patribus c. conferre absque ullis convitiis concontumeliis disputare nec non quando illis placuerit recedere possint Placuit praeterea Sanctae Synodo vt si pro majori libertate ac securitate eorum certos tam pro commissis quam pro committendis per eos delictis Iudices eis de putari cupiant illos sibi benevolos nominent etiamsi delicta ipsa quantumcunque enormia ac hoeresim sapientia fuerint New definitions are not new articles of faith See this largly proued in 3. part of this Treatise pag. 101. seq (a) S. Hierom in lib. de 〈◊〉 illustr extremo in Praefat librorum quos latinâ—s â—ecit (b) Hierom. epist. 89. ad Aug. quaest 11. inter ep August S. Hierom. in his Preface before the new Testament dedicated to Pope Damasus Novum opus c. [c] Luther being admonished of his corruption would not correct his error but saith tom 5. Germ. fol. 141. 144. sic volo sic jubeo sit pro ratione voluntas c. Lutherus ita vult And concludeth Therfore the word alone ought to continue in my New Testament although all Papists run mad yet they shal not take it from thence It grieves me that I did not add those two other words Omnibus omnium The Church of England in Edward 6. time Translated some times This signifieth my Body other times this is my Body other times neither is nor signifieth but insteed therof a blanck as not yet resolved vpon which was true See Knot in his Protestancy condemned Edit 1654. pag. 87. Bible 1562 Bible 1562. Cor. 7. v. 1. Bible 1577. 1579. Chemnit in examin part 2. fol. 74. Saravia in defens tra diversis mini â—r gradibus pag 3. Jewel in his defence of the Apology 157. pa. 35. Tertullian in lib de praescr Qui estis vos vnde quaÌ„do venistis vbi tam diu latuistis S. Hilarius l. 6 de Trinit ante med Tarde mihi hos piissimos doctâ—res aetas nunc â—ujus â—â—culi protulit c. S. Hierom in epist ad Pamaâ—â— â—ce an 〈◊〉 pâ—st quadring 〈◊〉 now 1600 annos docere nos 〈◊〉 quâ—d anâ—â—a neseivimus Vsque in haÌ„c diem sine isra doctrina mundus christianus fuit Luther in â—p ad Irgentineneses auâ— 1525. Christiana nolaâ— primo vulga tun audemu gloriari [a] Georgius Milius in August Confes. explic art 7. de ecclesia pag. 137. [b] Dr. Feeld in his Treatise of the Church lib. 3 cap. 46 Mr. Abr Hartwell in his report of the Kingdom of Congo printed 1597. in his epistle to the reader Symon Lythus in respons altera ad alteram Gretseri Apol pag. 331