the Presbiterians gain-say Saint Paul Hee saith the office of a Bishop is a good worke and they say it is Tyrannicall and Anti-Christian wherin they show themselves prophane presumptious fellows in seeking to distroy the Doctrin of the Holy Ghost pronounced by the Mouth of the great Apostle two evills they doe in this They contradict the Oracle of God secondly they incurre the curses threatned by the Prophet Woe unto them who call evill good and Isay Cap. 1. good evill Let us for confounding those Presbiterians cite in this Matter some of the ancient Fathers Saint Augustin upon that place of Saint Paul who seeks a Bishops Office desireth a good thing saith th' Apostle would show what the Office of a Bishop is to witt A Name of Aug. lib. 19. deCivi Dei cap. 19. Labour and not of honour that hee may know himself not to be a Bishop who desires to preside and not to profitt Saint Hierom says That in the primative Church the calling of a Bishop was the next degree to Martyrdom wherfore saith hee the Office of a Bishop being soe Hier. Ap. Cornel. in hunc Loc. high and excellent soe hard and dangerous it was noe wonder th' Apostle required many excellent quallitys and vertues in a Bishop to exercise profitably his Office which Saint Paul calls a good worke Saint Ignat. Epist ad Tarscens Ignatius Bishop of Antioch Disciple of th' Apostles and a holy Martyr describes an excellent subordination of Pastors in the Church Priests saith hee be subject unto your Bishops Deacons unto Priests and you People unto Priests and Deacons who shall observe this comlyness of Order I would willingly change my Soule with theirs and our Lord be with them for ever 2. The second comly worke of the Presbiterians Reformation was to lay a side the Lords prayer and to put it out of use and creditt and all sett Prayers was not this a horrible Tentation of the Deuill What more sublime holy and devine then our Lords Prayer Christ made this Prayer the Scripture containes it our Saviour taught his Disciples to say it when you pray said Christ say Father hallowed Luke cap. 11. be thy Name Children learn this Prayer sucking theire Mothers Brest The Church of God hath ever esteem'd and practis'd it wherfore th'Abollishment of the Lords Prayer must come Tert. lib. de oratio from the Deuill there is noe way of excusing it This Prayer is short devine and substantiall according to that of Tertulian Our Lords Prayer is short in words but large in sense The Waldenses defended an error just Gualter Chron. Saecul cap. 11. de VVal. Errore conttary to this of the Presbiterians for they maintain'd noe other Prayer should be said noe other forme to be admitted but this of the Lords Prayer this had som collour of Piety and speciall respect done to that devine Prayer but to abollish it as the Presbi exâ—ans have done is a most execrable Impiety Could a Christian man beleeve there would be Christians found on Earth that would contemne this devine Prayer instituted by Christ Iesus and commaunded to be sayd commended by the holy Fathers and practised by the whole Church tyme out of memory and speak contumeliovsly against the use of it A great Rabbin and Preacher of the Covenant called publickly the use of saying often the Lords Prayer a Papisticall Charme and another Minister in Galloway did Glory that hee had bannished The impious words of a Minister out of his Parish two Idols to wit Our Father which c. And God of Glory and peace c. A short Grace that was said ordinarily after meat but a Lay-man answered the impudent Minister in these Words If you have bannished these two which you call Idols I feare you will bring in worss Idols in theire place O God! thy Patience is great with these prophane wicked men the seed of Canaan Qui claudunt ora Laudantium te And that forbid men to speak to your devine Majesty in a Prayer made by your Sonne Iesus and commaunded by him to be sayd by all 3. From Laying aside the Lords Prayer the Presbiterians goe a stepp farther in theire holy Reformation what think you doe they a wicked business They abollish that hymne of praysing God usually sayd in the end of each Psalme Glory to the Father the sonne and Holy Ghost c. even by the Protestants themselves singing the Psalmes which hymne doubtless had its begining out of holy Scripture as this passage of Saint Iohn may testifye And saith the Saint A voyce came out from Apocal. cap. 19. v. 19. the throne saying say prays to our God all ye his servants and you that feare him little and great The Presbiterians in theire hott zeal contradict Saint Iohn and hinder little and great to sing this mellodious hymne of prayse to the Holy Trinity can any thing bee more impious then men acknowledging the Mistery of the Blessed Trinity If Presbiterians doe acknowledg it to abollish this divine Hymne wherby the Trinity is glorifyed It happened after they had agreed upon this ungodly Reformation that the People in the Church singing the Psalms and knowing nothing of the determination they had made coming to the end of a Psalme sayd as they were wont to doe Glory to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost c. The Presbitertan Minister hearing them cry'd out in a fury noe less ridiculously then scandelously Noe more Glory to the Father noe more Glory to the Father c. Was ever the like heard among Christians The Arians who deny'd the Divinity of Christ and that hee was equall to his Father did mainly strive to change and pervert this Hymne for as they had changed the forme of Baptisme by saying I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost Baron Tom. 3. Anno 323. N. 174. Soe alsoe they corrupted this Hymne of Glorification by singing Glory to the Father by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost But the great Saint Basile shewes how Basil ad Amphilich dispute 5. the Hymne of Glorification was used from the tyme of th' Apostles for when the Sacrament of Baptisme was administred by the Priest when hee said I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost The faithfull present answered Glory bee to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost The Holy Counsell of Niâ—e was pleased to add to the said Hymne this Appendix As it was in the begining and now and ever shall be World without end Amen Which clause appears in my Iudgmentâ— like a Prophesy serving not only for the Confusion of th' Arians but alsoe of the Presbiterians 4. What more holy things did remaine in the Church to bee reformed by the Presbiterian congregation The Creed stood in theire way they would have it discredited and not to bee esteemed or caled
but one mouth Can this be said of the English Church Noe but all is truly verifyed of the Roman Catholick Church Saint Cyprian doth likewise confirme this Unity of beleefe in the Church Exordium Ecclesiae S. Cypr. de Vnitate Ecclesiae ab unitate profisiscitur primatus Petro datur ut una Christi Ecclaesia Cathedra una Monstretur That is The beginning of the Church proceedeth from Unity and concord primacy is given Peter that the Church of Christ may be proved to be one and the Chaire one Let Saint Pauls Words give undenyable weight and creditt to what is said One To the Ephesians cap. 4. Body saith th' Apostle and one Spiritt as you are called in hope of your Vocation One Lord one Faith one Baptisme One God and Father of all which is over all and by all and in all us The Devines of England would faine perswade us there is noe contention or difference in Fundamentall Points or Articles of Faith between Protestants as for example between Lutherans and Calvinists soe teacheth Docter Charke saying in his reply to the defence of the Censure that in Principall points of Faith the Lutherans and Calvinists agree and are bretheren And Doctor Whitaker signify's the same saying wee reverence Luther as a Father and the Lutherans and Zwinglians our very deare Bretheren in Christ See above page 83. This hee would not say if hee held they disagree'd in Principall points of beleefe But the matter is otherwise as will appeare to those will examine the great contentions between Lutherans and Zwinglians Luther holds the Zwinglians for Hereticks being Sacramentarians the same Iudgement hee gives of Calvinists saying of them Hereticos serio Censemus alienos ab Ecclesia Dei c. That is Wee doe seriously censure them for Luther contra Artic. Lovan Thes 27. Hereticks and aliens from the Church of God As alsoe hee affirmeth that theire first Author Zwinglius Latro mortuus est That hee dyed a theefe and in his Iudgment was damn'd Which Iudgment hee saith Christ doth commaund us to pronounce upon such as deny him in this life as Zwinglians did in denying the Real-Presence of whome hee says further that hee held him not in the number of Christians Quia totum Christum amiserat for that therby hee had lost Christ all together And furthermore hee said that hee held said Zwinglius his books and Doctrin for nothing else but for venenum tartarei daemonis That is The poyson of the Deuill of hell and that hee would never have more conversation either with him or with those of his sect how doth Chark tell us that Lutherans and Zwinglians are bretheren in Christ agreeing in fundamentall points of Doctrine seeing Luther holds all Zwinglians and Calvinists Hereticks for denying the Real-Presens and damned Soules and theire Doctrin for poyson of the Deuill Surely the Protestants of England if they hold Luther for a holy man and true Doctor and reverence him for a Father haue great cause to tremble and feare seeing hee holds them all for Hereticks in a fundamentall Article of Faith that of the Real-presence whose Faith in this point is that of Zwinglius censured as was now said for an Heresy There are other pâ—incipall points of Religion in which Lutherans differ from Calvinists Franciscus Stancarus a Stanca Lib. contra Calvin N. 4. famous Protestant Preacher in Polonia hath particularly written against Calvin Cave Christiane Lector c. That is Beware Christian Reader of the Books of Calvin especially in the Articles about the Blessed Trinity Incarnation of Christ and his Mediation about the Sacrament of Baptisme and Predestination Continent enim Doctrinam impiam blasphemias Arianas That is For that they containe impious Doctrine and Arian Blasphemyes Another famous Protestant writer of the Lutheran party called Conradus Conradus de Theol. Calrin Lib. 1. Art 18 Schlusselburgius writeth thus Albeit saith hee in the beginning the Controversy of the Sacramentaryes was only about one Article yet by theire naughty Disputations the Calvinistes are passed now soe farre as they have brought into doubt noe small number of cheefe Articles of Christian Faith for now is the Contention between us and them of the Omnipotency of God of the Vnion personall of two Natures in Christ de Comunicatione Idiomatum of the Comunication of Names in the Blessed Trinity of the glorious Body of Christ of his Assention into heaven of the differrence of Sacraments of the old and new Testament of the force and efficacy of Baptisme of the prerogative of Infants borne of Infidels of the supper of our Lord of Predestination c. Noe man will deny these to be great Controversyes and Articles of Religion in all which the Lutherans and Calvinists disagree and how then will Charke prove them to agree in fundamentall points of Religion as Bretheren in Christ The said Conradus hath written three whole Books principally to prove this point that Lutherans and Sacramentaryes but especially Calvinistes are Irreconsilable in the very chief Controversyes of Religion And in his second Book and thirteenth Article hee hath these Words Nos negamus inter nos Calvinistas in Doctrinae fundamento esse consensum That is Wee deny that there is betwixt us and Calvinistes any consent or agreement in fundamentall points of Doctrine And hee further in the very Title of his Book affirmeth his cheefe purpose to be to demonstrate to the eye as in a Table that the Calvinistes De nullo ferè Christianae sidei Articulo Rectè sentiunt have noe right Faith allmost in any one Article of Christian Religion Likewise one Samuell Huberinus writt Samuel Hube rinus in Antith a Book whose Title was Antithesis Lutheranae Calvinisticae Doctrinae in praecipuis fidei Articulis That is The Contradiction or contrariety between Lutheran and Calvinian Doctrin in the principall Articles of Faith Yet was this Huberinus a zealous Protestant I will conclud with the Iudgment of Doctor Aegidius Hunnius publick Reader of Divinity in the Lutheran University of Wittembergh of Calvins writing upon the Scriptures his Book was printed in the same place Anno Domini 1594. In the beginning of his Book hee hath this Assertion that hee will shew most clearly and evidently Quod Ioannes Calvinus Illustrissima Scripturae sacrae loca Testimonia de gloriosa Trinitate Deitate Christi Spiritus Sancti in primis autem vaticinia Prophetarum de adventu Messiae nativitate ejus Passione Resurrectione Ascensione in caelos sessione ad dexteram Dei detestandum in modum corrumpere non exhorruit That is That Iohn Calvin in his commentarys upon the bible was not afrayd to corrupt most detestably the most clearest places and testimonys of holy Scripture concerning the Glorious Trinity the God-head of Christ and of the Holy Ghost and Principally the forretellings of Prophets of the coming of the Messias his nativity passion Resurection Ascention into heaven and his sitting at the right
The dolefull Fall OF ANDREW SALL A JESUIT OF THE FOURTH VOW From the Roman Catholick Apostolick faith Lamented by his Constant Frind with an open rebuking of his Imbracing the Confession Contained in the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England Superiorum permissu 1674. THE RECANTATION OF ANDREW SALL A JESUIT OF THE FOURTH VOW Who had taught Divinity Eighteen years in Spain MADE IN S. JOHNS Church in Cashel in IRELAND Before the most reverend Father in GOD THO Lord Arch-Bishop of that Diocess MAY 17th 1674. Attested by the Secretary of the said Arch Bishop WHereas I Andrew Sall have been born and bred in the Communion of the Roman Catholick Church followed a Religious life and compleated my courses of Philosophy and Divinity in Colledges of the Order of Iesus in Spain and was employed in teaching the said Faculties many years I acknowledge that since by occasion of this Function I applyed my self to a stricter Inquiry and Examining of Matters And by frequent reading of the Holy Scripture Fathers Councils and Histories of the Church my Knowledge was furthered and my Judgment ripened I begun to doubt of the Truth of several Articles introduced by the use and authority of the Roman Church repugnant to Human Reason and not warranted by Divine Writ as Transubstantiation Indulgences Purgatory VVorship of Images c. yet smothered my Scruples partly fearing the severity of that Country against Opposers of their Tenets partly amused with a Supposition That the Church and Pope of Rome were infallible in their Decrees touching Faith and so might stand with security to their Declarations But having arrived in this Country Disputed often and closely of Religion with several Persons eminent in Learning and Integrity but principally with the Most Reverend Father in God and mine truly in Christ by the Gospel His Grace Tho Lord Arch-Bishop of Cashell present who mindful of the Duty of a good Pastour did procure to bring into his Fold this Sheep with unspeakable Constancy and indefatigable Charity suffering for Six years of continual battery my obstinate Resistance until at last by means of his solid Doctrine and of the Example of his pious and upright Life to the Glory of GOD be I permitted to say thus much here the LORD was pleased to give me a more clear sight of the Errours I was in yet a full Assent I delayed to give partly fearing that the weaknes I feeled may be of my Capacity rather than of the Cause I maintained partly frighted with the Confusion and Dangers I conceived might wait upon my deserting of the Romish Communion and so betook my self to a most diligent study of the Case leaving no stone unmoved for to quiet the trouble of my Conscience reading with indifferent Eyes the best VVriters on both sides and though I hartily wished to find the Cause I hitherto maintain'd justified for not to run into the terrible inconveniency which Human Considerations represented unto me in a Change yet assisted by Divine Grace and taking for Rule of my Actions the Service and VVill of God and the Interest of Eternity I resolved constantly to adhere unto the Party which with better ground would render me secure of this higher Emolument When being in these Considerations suddenly issued out our Soveraign Lord the King's Proclamation for Banishing the Roman Clergy wherewith I saw my self betwixt two extremities either to continue further in the Country with my Ambiguities in disobedience to my Soveraign's Command or to go into Spain and there be forced to Preach and practice Doctrines my Conscience did not approve of and so for a speedy Resolution after earnest Prayer to God for the assistance of his Divine light in so weighty a Matter I penned down for better Consideration the Reasons I did hear read and conceive against The RomishTenets Controverted I did also carefully peruse and seriously reflect upon the XXXIX Articles Canons and Liturgy of the Church of England and all considered well I did conclude the Way of the Church of England to be safer for my Salvation then that of the Roman Church Wherefore I resolved to declare as I do hereby seriously and in my heart without any Equivocation or mental Reservation in the presence of God and this Congregation Declare that I do give my full and free Assent to the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England for Holy and Wise and grounded upon the infallible Word of God acknowledging the Romish-Tenets against them to be false and superstitious especially that of Transubstantiation as forcing upon Christians a belief of monstrous Miracles repugnant to Human Reason and not grounded upon Divine testimony nor necessary either for verifying Christ's Words in the Institution of this blessed Sacrament or for the effects of it Not for verifying the Words whereas Christ saith in the like tenour that He is a true Vine without real alteration either in his Person or in the Vine nor for the Effects of the Holy Sacrament Christ being able to annex unto the Receiving of Bread and VVine what spiritual Graces he pleaseth without alteration of the Elements as he doth afford the spiritual Grace of Regeneration in the Waters of Baptisme without alteration in the substance of the VVater And least an Imagination of some temporal or sinistrous intention in this my Declaration upon the present Conjuncture may hinder the Spiritual benefit which Souls may reap by it I have grave Testimonies to shew and did already shew them to my renowned Lord the Arch-Bishop's Grace which assureth I did enjoy in Spain and may now enjoy with more advantage going thither upon the Account I was to go such degree of Honour and Commodity as possibly I may not expect elsewhere so as looking upon a Voyage thither continuing my former Profession nothing occurr'd to my mind but Honour Applause and Pleasure and turning my eyes upon my present Resolutions mountains of Crosses and Dangers did fright me But in this perplexity I haue chosen rather to suffer Crosses here with satisfaction of Conscience than to enjoy Honours that other way accompanied with the tortures of a checking Conscience and the unworthiness of a dissembling Life Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace that I may be admitted into the Communion of this Church and that I may be absolved for my so long continuance in Errour resisting the powerful Calling of God which granted I hope by the Grace of Almighty God assisting me that I shall never withdraw my self For further confirmation of all this I have hereunto subscribed my Name ANDREW SALL Copia vera Examinata eum Original per me Carolum Robinson THE AUTHOR TO THE READER A Hundred to one you 'l be inquiring who is the Author but what need you care for that can not you feed on a dish of partriges unless you know who kild them there were many profitable Books written by Anonimi let it satisfy you that I haue reason to conceal my name The substance of the worke is the
but after a long and due Examination of the substancâ— of them hee refuted them soe substantially as to this day noe man of the Church of England hath answer'd him I observe in this place that this Gentleman spent a great deale of tyme in deliberation about seaven years before Adjuring said XXXIX Articles which hee once believed as you doe now Sall as Articles of faith which belief and Doctrin hee suckt from his Cradle much more tyme I say hee had bestow'd and deliberation in quitting them then you have done in deserting the Catholick Religion and its holy Communion in which you were bred and your parents before you which can not be spoken but to your shame and infamy The light and grace God gave to Mr. White the Gentleman I speake of led him out of Babilon in to Ierusalem and you without great musing on the weightiest matter can ever concerne you the damnation or salvation of your soule are fled from Ierusalem to Babilon The Tytle of Mr. Whites Book Schismatis Anglicani redargutio Authore Alexandro VVhite ex eodem Schismate per Dei gratiam ad fidem Catholicam Converso Viro qui coripientem dura cervice contemnet repentinus ei superreniet interitus cam Sanitas non sequetur Proverb cap. 29. Lovani typis Jeronimi Nempaei 1661. This Book Sall if you have it not allready you will finde with som of the Priestes there Such is my opinion and of the Devines of my side of the sound substance of this Book and the Reasons and Arguments and Authoritys of Scripture Apostolicall Tradition Counsells and Fathers hee produceth that I presume without all vanity to give a Challenge on the behalfe of Verity and the Roman Catholick Church to you and to the Protestant Arch-Bishop of Cashell I say I give a Challeng to you both and all that Profess the XXXIX Articles in the three Kingdoms to make answer to this Book This is not a Thrasonical defiance such as Mr. Iewell Bell and others Protestant Divines made to all the Catholicks in the world of disputing with them about Religion but the place of disputing must have beene in England they being sure the state would not allow therof this Challenge is only for answering this Book wherin Mr. White hath distroy'd the Babell tower of your XXXIX Articles which you will neuer build up againe This mans Arck hath cast downe your Dagon hee hath impeached your new English Creed the XXXIX Articles af a treason against heaven and verity I pray you Sall if you have any memory as yet left of mee peruse seriously sedato animo this learned Book one of two effects it will have that either it will convert you or confound you Now if your Arch-Bishop and you and the rest of your Devines shall refuse this Challeng doe not vapour hereafter of the light Doctrin and Sanctity of your XXXIX Articles nor of your owne maistership in Devinity for 18. years in Spaine My Reader you have heard Sall tell why hee went out of the Catholick Church But S. Augustin gives another kinde of answer wherfore such men goe a way from us Habent says the Saint calumnias suas August Tom. 8. in Psal 118. Conseioâ— 26. 1 Haeretici habent Scismaâ—ici quos omnes superbia de membrorum Christi compage proecidit When men begin highly to prise their owne learning and to censure and contemne the Doctors of Holy Church generall Councells and even the high Priest himselfe the Pope in matters of Religion as Sall hath now done and to interpret Scriptures according to their owne braine and fancy then swelling with vanity they break out of the pales of the Church Nature is strong in such kinde of men and grace weak and soe they easily fall into sinn Quia quod Creatura peccare non possit habet ex bono gratiae non ex conditione nature Poore Sall this presumption hath pulled you out of the Temple yea periit ipse Angelus superbia tumidus propria potestatis delectatione corruptus this hath beene and is your disease Smoth the matter the best you can pride will be found one of the greatest motives of your departure from us III. CHAPTER VVHat Guid led Sall out of the Ad secundum House of God it was likly the privat Spiritt of Protestanisme a kinde of Serpent that with hissing whispers infects the brains of curious men this spirit hath much helpt to loose the man Doctor Whitaker esteemed agreat Devine in the English Church defines this private spiritt to be an inward In Contro 1. q. 5. C. 3. contrae Bellarum perswation of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret Closset of the believers hart Sall with this deceiving guid you made your fatall Transmigration from our side I would faigne know where in Scripture or the ancient Fathers did Whitaker finde a ground for such a definition of his privat Spirit hee found it noe where and therfore likly hee made it in a dream This Spiritt hath not been knowne to the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church for full fiftien ages they heard nothing of it nor doe any of us claime it it is only a priviledg of your Church a pleasant Imagination that makes your people madd Exempli Gratia A Protestant with whome I conferred about Religion som years past told mee in plaine termes hee needed noe light or assistance from Saint Augustin or Saint Paul himselfe for to understand Scripturs being certaine Iesus who redeemed his soule would have a care that hee should not err in expounding of Scripture or any thing that touched his salvation I demaunded from him could hee prove by Scripture hee had that infaliable spirit or sacred light hee answered hee could and cited that place of David Signatum Psal 4. est super nos Lumen vultis tui Domine The light of thy Countenance O Lord is signed upon us I told him that Lumen was commonly expounded to be ipsa ratio by which man is the image of God as hee might read in the Book of Genesis and that by this light man was in his nature distinguished from a brute and that a Turck and a Pagan alsoe had this light as well as hee and by a good consequence had an infalible privat spiritt of expounding Scripturs as well as hee I alsoe assured him that his owne Devines would tell him the light understood by David was noe other then reason which is the image of God whereto wee are created like which was fixed in our understanding that wee may see and know there is a God that ought to be served adored and loved and that hee will reward his servants Next said I t is absurdity to say that a Pagan which denys Scripturs should haue a spiritt to expound the Scripturs which follows from your opinion But this and all I could say could draw noe other answer from the man then that hee was sure hee had himselfe from
God an infalible spiritt of rightly understanding the Scripture In which hee walked Religiously according to Doctor Whitakâ—rs definition of the privat Spiritt Wee Catholicks that have nothing to doe with this privat Spiritt doe firmly believe God hath given a speciall Grace and infalible Spiritt of expounding the Scripture and defining Theorems of faith to generall Councells assembled together in the Holy Ghost Vbi duo vel tres congregati sunt in nomine meo ibi ero in medio illorum That likwise the Pope hath this infalible Spiritt quando loquitur ex Cathedra but privat men bee they ever soe great Saints or learned wee doe not allow this infalibility unto them though wee doubt not but the Doctors of the Church who submitts themselves in all to the Church are specially assisted by the Holy Ghost in interpreting the word of God The pride of this privat Spiritt makes Protestants to make noe account of the ancient Fathers and Doctors nor of generall Councells or any diffinition or determination of the Church Ex. G. the second Counsell of Nice defines the Doctrin of Tradition in this manner Si quu Traditionem Ecclesiae sive scripto sive consuetudine valentem non curaverit anathema sit The privat spiritt of Doctor Whitaker spurning at this Councell said Generall Councells may erre Behold one Doctor of the English Church doth blast with a breath all the authority and creditt of this generall Councell Tell mee Sall is not this a Spiritt of pride in Doctor Whitaker a little Pigme contesting with soe many tale Gyants of Sanctity and learning all the Biphops and great Doctors of that famous Councell If wee produce the Authority of Fathers and Saints excellently learned as Cyprian Gregory Ambross Ierom Augustin and others behold the Father of Protestanisme your prime Doctor Luther whom your Church terms a holy man and the Hely-as of Germany speaks resolutly Gods Word is aboue all the Devine Majesty makes for mee in soe much as I regard not if a thousaad Augustins and as many Cyprians stood against mee Was this man in his sences Luth. Tom. 2 contra Henricum Regem Angliae when hee vapered in this kinde but how did Luther prove the devine Majesty made for him by noe other means but by his privat infalible spiritt which hee supposed though by Scripture hee could not prove it hee himselfe had and those Saints had it not See now Sall if you are happy in hauing Luther a monster of sinne with his privat Spiritt on your side and Cyprian Augustin and the rest of holy Doctors against you whome you have forsaken to stick unto Luther By this privat Spiritt you Protestant Domineer over all sorts of men interpreting Scripture as you please and who interprets otherwise be they universitys Doctors Fathers Councells yea and the very high Bishop of old Rome himselfe all erre and why soe because they have not the privat Spiritt of Protestanisme what a rediculous thing this is even Common reason teacheth us By this privat Spiritt you Protestants admit for Canonicall Scriptures all you please and you declare Apocriphall what you please by this Spiritt you take what Traditions you please and by the same reject what you please by this Spiritt you disâ—anon the Books of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus and others those said Books have bine acknowledg S. Aug. in doct Christ l. 2 c. 8. Can. 47. for Canonicall by Saint Augustin and the third Councell of Africk You will doubtless tell mee that your chiefest Doctors Luther and Calvin had this infallible Spiritt in expounding the Scriptures and yet they give quite contrary interpretations of one and the same passage of Scripture as this Hoc est Corpus meum Luther understands Matt. cap. 26. that Text Secundum Litteram and says it is soe of faith to be understood and condemns for Hereticks the Sacramentariant Swinglians and Calvinistes who understand that place figuratively Luther hath this saying Englished I doe Luth. Ep. ad Har vagium Tom. 7. VVitt f 380. art 28. contra Lovanienses Tom. 2. VVitt. f. 503. protest before God and the world that I doe not agree with them the Sacramentarys nor ever will while the world standeth but will have my hands cleare from thee blood of those sheep which these Hereticks doe drive from Christ deceive and kill And againe in the same place Cursed be the Concord and Charity of Sacramentaryes for ever and ever to all Eternity Luther hee understands the above cited place litterally and possitively affirms that the body and blood of Christ is realy and substancially in the Sacrament of the Altar Hee likwise affirms but erroniously that bread is there with the body of Christ Calvin takes a quite Contrary way and affirms possitively the Body and blood of Christ is not realy and substantially in the Sacrament but figuratively see as hee expounds this Text Hoc est Corpus meum thus Hac est figura Corporis mei now what is more different then the Body of Christ to be realy in the Sacrament and the Body of Christ not to be realy in the Sacrament Sall reconcile the best you can these two great Doctors of your Church for plaine reason tells us if the Spiritt of one of them bee true the other must bee a lying Spiritt And those are the men these Monsters of incontinency and pride cover'd with all sort of vices are the Doctors and Masters you have now chosen Seeing then this privat lying Spiritt approves of expounding Scripture at will and pleasure allowing only such exposition of Gods Word as sorts well to the supporting of theire owne errors seeing it tramples all Authority of Councells Fathers and Doctors who expounded Gods Word differently from the Protestant Church seeing it ingenders contrariety in Doctrin even in the injoyers thereof as was now shewed in Luther and Calvin through each mans misconstruction of Scripture To conclude seeing the exorbitancy pride and petulancy of this Spiritt is such that it expects that all men should receive from it as from a second Moyses the Tables of our Evangelicall Law I pray sitt downe and saddly consider what you have done in following this pestiperous Spiritt and wandering with it have separated your selfe from your holy Mother the Church IV. CHAPTER BEfore resolving any thing upon this Ad tertum quere to wit of what Religion is Sall become having forsaken the Catholick Religion I must tell you hee hath been weakly armed against the evill temptation that overcame him hee hath not been a tale strong oak resisting the storme sathan rais'd against him but a wavering reed without strength or stay hee stood not stiffly upon the Rock of Peter but yielded without fighting Tempore tentationis recessit harken weake pusilanimus Sall to old Tertulian telling you Quod Hereses apud Tertul. prescrip cap. 2. eos multum valeant qui infide non valent That is that Heresies are strong against those who are not strong in theire
but not of Churches for hee allow'd no power or Jurisdiction to the Fmperour over or in the Church Sall you see how Ambrose by this undaunted generous answer denyed to yield to the Emperour one Basilica or Church for the Liturgy of the Arriaens the Empresse being of that Religion and you have joyned in Communion and Religion with those Protestant Bishops and Clergy-men that made and signed the XXXIX Articles and delivered up to Queen Elizabeth all the Churches in England and all Eeclesiasticall Iurisdiction and power over themselves and all the people in Spiritualibus which I am a shamed to write with those I say you have joyned denying to the Pope against all piety and reason over that Kingdome and People all Spirituall Superiority and therin you seperate to your great shame from Saint Ambrose The next conflict Ambross had was with Maximus who had kild the yong Prince Gracianus the holy Bishop goeing to seek the body of the dead Prince behaved himselfe like a noble and stout Prelate hee excomunicated the Tyrant for sheding Innocent blood and commaunded him to doe severe pennance for soe cruell a Murther After this Ambrose had a great encounter with the Emperour Theodosious which fell out in this manner Theodosius after defeating the Tyrant Eugenius who was killed in the fight which victory hee atributed to Saint Ambrosse's prayers and power with God being transported with an implacable anger against the Cittizens of Thessalonica for the death of one of his Courtiers slaine by that People in a tumult to revenge this mans death hee invited the People to the Spectacula or usuall pastymes in those days and gave order to the armed Souldery to inviron and Massacre the innocent multitud without Distinction of Age or sexe there were slaine by this blooddy Edict seaven thousand Soules This butchery being ended the Emperour took his way for Millan and thinking according to his ordinary custome to goe to the Church Saint Ambross with a Godly anger opposed himselfe and denyed him ingress giving him a severe reprehention in this kind Quid inquit tentas Caesar quid moliris tune Domini Templum post tam Crudelem innocentium hominum stragem intrare audes noli Caesar noli Priorem iniquitatem tuam haec te-meritate augâ—re exhorresco hoc tam immane facinus tuum gladium civium Innocentium tam iniqua morte cruentnm videre non possum Glamat Caesar de Terra ad Caelum contra te Sanguis innocentum That is What doe you atempt Caesar what are you about to doe doe yon dare to enter Gods Temâ—le after soe Cruell a Massacre of Innocent People Caesar doe not doe not augment the sinn you have committed with this new Temerity I abhorr thy cruell Act and I cannot indure to see your sword blooddy with the unjust death of soe many innocent Cittizens Caesar the blood of the Innocent Cryes to heauen against you What did the Emperour in this encounter receeving soe sharpe a rebuke hee revered the reprehention and the liberty of the holy Bishop and began to lament bitterly his great sinn and soe retyred to his Pallace not daring to enter the Church I may in this place say O Incomparabilem Pontisicis dignitatem O Imperatoris piâ—tatem insignem Soon after came on the feast of the Nativity when the Emperour much afflicted for his being kept out of the Church sent Rufinus prefect of the Pallace to have the Excomunication taken of this powerfull Courtier made account the Saint would instantly yield but the Bishop would not heare him wherfore the Emperour wholy compunct and penitent came in person to Ambrose humbly demaunding hee would give him Entrance into the Church on that holy Feast that heâ— might partake of the joy the poorest men in the Citty enjoyed but the Bishop said Quid agis Caesar quid poscis num tam immane scelere tuo dignam penitudinem ostendisti tuum est said Caesar remedia dare meum accipere imperâ— quid fieri velis non obsisto hoc solum ambio ut cum Deo meo in Gratiam redire possem That is What doe you Caesar what seek you from mee have you done condigne pennance for soe great a sinn It is said Caesar your part to commaund and praescribe a remedy and myno to receive the same Commaund what you will have done I shall not resist this only I seek that I may be reconciled to my God Then Ambrose seeing and admiring Caesars most Christian example in contrition and obedience received him into the Church with great joy of all the People Was ever under the heavens a more noble and pious contention then this between Tbeodosius and Ambrose I have enlarged my selfe a little longer though I hope not unprofitably upon this rare History and example of the zeale and fortitude of a good Bishopl and of the piety and obedience of a good Emperour Had wee in this age but a few Ambroses they would I dare say make the Church of God and the Monarchy of the world more Godly and happier then now they are And how to Saint Augustin Was there ever from the Creation of the world a more learned and humble man then this Saint What Heresiarch in his tyme lifted up his head that hee did not refute and knock downe doe not all learned men at this day draw from him as from a Spring and Fountaine all Wisdome and Learning Who among men was a greater defender of verity and the Church then hee What quantity of vollumes and books hath hee set forth to this effect noâ— Doctor profounder none more learned nor more penetrating hard questions and difficultyes in Scripture Fathers and Divinity then hee but in nothing more gloriovs then in his humble Books of Confessions Are not you Sall confounded in your soule for parting from this great Catholick and most holy and learned Doctor and adhering to those new unCatholick Bishops of England with theire XXXIX Articles for the most part of them condemned Heresies who have but the titulary name of Bishops and noe holy Order at all and consequently cannot conferre holy Orders on others wherfore as was well observed by a late Author the Church of England is noe Church because it wants Priest and Sacrifice What shall I say now of holy Hierome the great Oracle of the world for expounding Scriptures to him from all Places and Provinces Fathers and learned men did write for clearing and resolving deep difficultyes and obscure sences of the Scripture who a greater Enemy to his body then this Saint Who more mortify'd what an austere life did hee lead in the Wilderness of Syria where hee cry'd out in this Language O quoties ego ipse in eremo constitutus Epist 22. ad Eustochium in illa vasta solitudine quae exusta solis ardoribus horridum Monachis prestat habitaculum putabam me Roman is interesse deliciis Sedebam solus quia amaritudine repletus eram Horrebant sacco membra deformia
had of theire doing good or evill is not this to make God a God of iniquity as you would call a temporall Iudge a cruell Iudge when hee puts to death a prisoner without hearing any trespasse or crime aleadg'd against him and whether hee did or did not meritt death the Scripture all over tells us God is a holy God and therfore in heaven the Angells and the blessed soules sing Sauctus Sanctus Dominus Deus omnipotens qui erat qui est c. King David says Quoniam non Psal 5. Deus volens iniquitatem tu es Because thou art not a God that wilt iniquity And elsewhere it is said Non est iniquitas apud Deum And Royall David further tells us speaking to God Odisti omnes qui Psal 5. operantur iniquitatem Thou hatest all that work iniquity Doth not Saint Paul say Nonquid iniquus est Deus Is Ad Rom. Cap. 3. God unjust And Calvin contrary to holy David and Saint Paul makes God unjust and doing iniquity in condemning soules to eternall flames without careing what they have done good or evill were ever spoken by the mouth of man soe horrible and impious words as these insuing of Calvin Dicitur Satan excaecare infidelium mentes sed unde hoc nisi quod a Deo ipso manat efficacia erroris lib. 1. Instit cap. 18. Sect. 2. And againe hee saith lib. 3. cap. 24. Sect. 13. Vocem ad eos homines dirigit Deus sed ut magis obsurdescant Lumen accendit sed ut reddantur Caetiores Doctrinam profert sed qua magis obstupescant What Doctrin soe diabolicall as this of Calvin saying professedly that when the Devill blinds sinners that the very efficacy of the error proceedeth from God and that God speaks to sinners but will not that they should heare him that hee sheweth them light to the end they may be come blinder then before finally hee saith God makes an offer of Salvation to the reprobate but with noe intention of theire having it This Doctrin of Calvin affirming God to be Author of our sinn as it is impious in it selfe soe it displeased many Protestants in soe much as the Magistrats of Berne though otherwise Calvinists made it penal by theire Lawes for any of theire Teritoryes to preach Calvins Doctrine therof or for theire people to read any of his Books containing the same Vide litter as Senatus Bernensis annâ— 1555. Himselfe acknowledgeth such a decree and judgement of God to bee horrible Decretum quidem saith Caluin horribile fateor and yet hee will have it stand soe This Doctrine hee Lib. 3. Instit cap. 23. §. 2. 3. 4. And in his harmonie upon Math. cap. 13. Petr. 2. Epist cap. 3. hath in his Institutions and upon Mathew Calvin and other Hereticks interpret holy Scriptures which in some places are darke and the sence hard to be understood with great presumption and without invoking the ayd of the holy Ghost which makes them fall into errors and heresies Saint Peter himselfe doth attest this darkness in these words My dearest c. doe you account Salvation as alsoe our most deare brother Paul according to the wisdome given him hath written to you as alsoe in all Epistles speaking in them of these things in the which are certaine things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable deprave as alsoe the rest of the Scriptures to theire owne perdition It is certaine that by reason of the difficulties in Scriptures whether in the stile or in the depth of the matter the ignorant and unstable such as hereticks be doe pervert Saint Pauls writings as alsoe other Scriptures to theire owne damnation Wherfore it is a every dangerous thing for such as be ignorant or for wyld witted fellows to read the Scriptures for such conditioned men be they that become Hereticks and through ignorance pride and private fancy meeting with hard places of Saint Pauls Epistles or other Scrâ—tures breed Heresyes The great Saints and Doctors Aug. lib. 2. de doct Christ c. 6. Epist 119. Augustin Ambrose and Hierom tell us that not only the things treated of in the holy Scriptures but alsoe the manner of writing and inditing therof is high and hard and purposly Ambr. Epists 44. Iherom to Paulinus Epist 103. cap. 5. 6. 7. Psalm 128. Acts of Apost Cap. 8. by Gods providence appointed to be written in such sort For this reason the a bove named Saints and other Doctors in all ages by continuall study watching fasting and praying had much a doe to understand the Scriptures did not David pray to God thus give mee understanding and I will search thy Law Did not the eunuch in the Acts reading the Prophet Esay say to Philip How can I understand without an interpreter Truly if those holy Fathers and Doctors found the Scriptures hard after much study and praying to God for obtaining light and the true understanding of Scriptures I wonder how they were not hard to Luther Caluin Zwinglius and other impious men Saint Hierom saith expresly that the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans is wraped in soe great obscurities that to understand it wee need the help of the holy Ghost especially som passages in the ninth Chapter and among others this Iacob I loved and Esau I hated and God saith soe When they were not yet borne nor had done any good or evill The Apostle considered that men reading this passage would take accasion to murmour against God as partiall and acceptor of persons for loving Jacob and hating Esau that were both equall by nature and condition both infected with originall sinn and consequently both guilty of eternall damnation Saint Paul says what shall wee say then Is there iniquity with God But you will say what did God see in Jacob wherfore hee lou'd him and in Esau wherfore hee hated him before they were borne or had done any good or evill The Fathers and learned Interpreters of Scriptures answer thus In Jacob nihil invenit amandum nisi Misericordiae suae donum In Esau nihil odit nisi peccatum origenale That is That God found nothing in Iacob to be beloved but the gift of his owne mercy Nor in Esau to be hated but originall sin Now Calvin or another like him coms in and says Quid ergo what is hier to be said Nunquid dicetur Deus iniquus qui sine merito elegit Iacob Esau reprobavit That is Will not God be esteemed unjust that hath chosen Iacob without merit Saint Paul says absit God forbid and the Fathers that rightly understands Saint Paul doe justify what hee said and gives this unanswerable reason Quia Iacob pro misericordia elegit Esau pro justitia reprobavit cum facit Deus saith Saint Augustin upon this hard matter per misericordium facit cum autem non facit per judicium non facit Hee that will busy himselfe to know wherfore God gives mercy to one and not
place the greatest part of theire Religion in Contemplation and Meditation and they soe strive to stirr up strong and sencible fervour and heat of Spiritt that somtymes excites in them motion and trembling of all the body from this they have the name of Quakers and they take this trembling for a great marke of perfection and interiour Devotion I have given you the Theorems of this rediculous Quaking Sect because they are new and not soe well knowne to all Oh With what illusions doth Sathan deceive these poore Soules Theire Author was one Iames Naylor to whom all of the Sect gave the greatest titles of honnour and respected him as Iesus Christ himselfe Hee was notwithstanding condemned in Cromwells tyme in the month of December anno Domini 1654. to a perpetuall prison after being whipt publickly and his tongue bored with a burning Iron Sall you see the number of your miserable Companions is allmost infinit but this great multitude of them will bring you noe joy or comfort Multiplicata est gens eorum quibus te junxisti sed non est multiplicata laetitia When the Sonne of God shall come downe and condemne them all to burne in eternall flames Sall what will you doe to prevent such a neuer ending misery lament in tyme and repent and cry to God to have mercy on you XVII CHAPTER A Discussion of some parts of Salls Recantation A Little after the beginning hee speaks thus And by frequent reading of holy Scripturs Fathers Councells and Histories of the Church my knowledg was furthered and my Iudgment ripened I began to doubt of severall Articles introduced by the use and Authority of the Roman Church repugnant to human reason and not warranted by devine writt as Transubstantiation Indulgences Porgatory Worship of Images c. Yet smothering scrupels partly fearing the severity of the Country against opposers of theire Tenets partly amused with a supposition that the Church and Pope of Rome were infallible in theire decrees touching Faith and soe mought stand with security to theire Declaration Sall the reading of Scriptures well vnderstood and of Fathers Councells and Church-Histories could not give occasion or ground to you or any man to doubt of Articles of Faith professed in the Catholick Church but true it is that Scriptures understood and explained amiss by men presuming much of their owne witt and learning likely you are one of those leadeth to Heresie and Errors S. Augustin teacheth soe Neque enim saith hee natae S. Aug. Tom. 9. expos Evang. Ioan. Tract 18. sunt Hereses nisi dum Scripturae bonae non intelliguntur bene quod in eis non â—benè intelligitur etiam temere audacter asseritur That is Nor doe Heresies spring up but when good Scriptures are not well understood and that which in them is not well understood is rashly and boldly asserted Sall I feare much this presumption carryed you out of the Church But one thing I must tell you when you began to doubt of Transubstantiation and other Articles of Faith you began to want Faith Quia dubius in fide infidelis est That you began to stagger in Faith is manifest because you began to doubt of the Verity of Articles proposed by the Church to be of Faith as are those of Transubstantiation Purgatory and the like Nam certum est qui supponit Authoritatem Ecclesiae veritatem vel dogma docentis ac profitentis non esse certam infallibilem in fidelis est Hereticus est That is It is cleare and certaine who supposeth the Authority of the Church teaching or professing Transubstantiation or any other Article not to be certaine and infallible is an Heretick and an infidell Your owne words above cited conuince you of being in such feare and doubt whereas had you supposed the Churches Authority infallible and certaine as indeed it is you would not have any way doubted of the mentioned Articles to appertain to Faith this is evident Quia certitudinem habens alicujus propositionis non potest habere ejusdem dubitationem Saint Bernard pondering the difinition Saint Paul gives of Faith Fides est Epis ad Hebr. cap. 11. sperandarum substantia rerum argumentum non aparentium Says Audis substantiam non licet tibi in fide putare vel disputare pro libito non hac illacque vagari per incerta opinionum per devia errorum substantia nomine altquid tibi certum sixumquae prefigitur certis claudens finibus certis limitibus arctans That is When you heare the word Substance it is not lawfull for you to doubt or dispute in points of Faith according to your owne head and fancy with incertainty of Errors and Opinions by the word Substance something is apointed to be beleeved that is certaine and fixed The Saint said excellently well because it is the genious of Hereticks to chuse what they will beleeve according to theire owne Iudgment and not as the Church doth appoint Saint Thomas saith in Substance the same in these Words Hereticus intendit S. Thâ— quest 11. art 1. quidem Christo assentire in quo dissert ab Ethnico Iudaeo sed deficit in â—ligendo ea quibus Christo assentiat quia non eligit ea quae vere a Christo sunt tradita sed ea quae sibi propria mens suggerit That is An Heretick intends to assent to Christ his Authority in which hee differs from an Ethnick and Iew but hee is deficient in ellecting those things by which hee should assent to Christ because hee doth not chuse those things which are delivered by Christ but those which his owne minde doth suggest Sall this is what you have done which is a great Error where had you stood to that Supposition a very true one that the Church and Pope are infallible in theire decree's touching Faith all had gon well with you relying on such a Supposition you had not doubted nor feared nor wavered nor erred because the Church is the Pillar of Verity and because you did not stick to this Pillar the Churches Authority you have doubted in matters of Faith and soe I will and must leave you after teaching Divinity soe many years in Spain Hominem dubium fluctuantem Circa Articulos fidei Sall doe not tell those that read your Recantation that Transubstantiation Purgatory Indulgences and the like Theorems are intruded upon men for Articles of Faith by the Authority and use of the Catholick Church by introduceing them for such as you speake as if they had not been Articles of Faith before they had been declared and defined to be such which is a great Error they having been such I mean Articles of Faith before such Declaration Quia propositiones fidei sunt aeternae veritatis what is this day of Faith was ever soe and in like manner whatsoever is now an Heresie was allways soe in its owne Nature soe as the Authority of the Church doth not make any Proposition a Theorem of
thy sonne liveth And the woeman said to Elias now in this I have knowne that thou art a man of God and the word of our Lord in thy mouth is true Sall wilt thou beleeve that the Miracle made this woeman beleeve Mi ∣ racle 3 When the Prophet Elizeus raised to life the dead child of the Sunamite saying to her Take thy sonne Lib. 4. Regum Cap. 4. Shee came and fell at his feet and adored upon the ground and took her Sonne and went out c. Behold Sall the force of the Miracle Miracle 4 This is a pretious one the preservation of Sidrach Misach and Abdenago three of the Children of Israell in the midst of the flames of burning fyre where they walked in the midst of Dan. Cap. 3. the flame praysing God and blessing our Lord. And did not Nabuchodnozor moved with this Miracle breaking forth say Blessed be the God of Sidrach Misach and Abdenago who had sent his Angell and had delivered his Servants that beleeved in him And after said By mee therfore this decree is made that every people tribe and tongue whatsoever shall speak Blasphemy against the God of Sidrach Misach and Abdenago hee perrish and his house be wasted for there is none other God that can soe save This Miracle made Nabuchodonozor confesse There was noe God could save but the God of Israel In the Law of Grace you will finde that God gave the power of working Miracles to witt of casting out Devills Math. cap. 10. of curing all manner of Infirmityes Where our saviour says to his Diciples And going preach saying That the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Cure the sick raise the dead cleans the lepers cast out Divells gratis you have received gratis give ye Mark Mark cap. 16. 2. Cor. cap. 12. the Evangelist doth attest the same Saint Paul alsoe avouched Miracles for the signes of his Apostle-ship The Miracles of Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles are many and evident as is manifest by undenyable tradition All this being soe goe now Sall and tell thy Protestants Miracles wrought in the Catholick Church are Monstrous But if you will know the Miracles wrought by Hereticks Tertullian in a few words wil give you an account therof hee speaking of the Apostles said Apostoli de mortuis vivos saciebant Tert. de prescr That is The Apostles gives dead men life And then speaking of Marcion Valentinus Nigidius Hermogenes and other Hereticks said Isti de vivis mortuos faciunt These make living men dye soe is it speaking of mens Soules and somtymes of theire Bodyes as the Miracle of Calvin upon the Taylior Bruleus and of a certaine Arian that made aman seeing well quite blinde Another grave Father tells us of another kind of wonders Hereticks doe Invenerunt saith hee Matres quas de captivis monialibus fecerunt mulieres That is Of Nuns who were in theire power as it were captives they made woeman and Mothers Luther Beza Bucer Ochinus Peter Martyr and hundreds more wanton Monks Priests and Apostata's were excellent at working such Miracles Here Sall will tell mee hee makes noe question or doubt of Miracles attested in holy Scripture if soe hee must confess they are undenyable signes and proofs of a true Church and Religion and though they were says hee you cannot conclude other Miracles to be soe hee means Church Miracles and all such as are not found in Scripture these are they hee accounts for Monstrous Yet Luther himselfe confesseth these Words of Christ Hee that beleeveth in mee Iohn cap. 14. the works that I doe hee shall doe and greater Are understood of the power Christ left of working Miracles to the whole Body of the Church in whome this Vertue doth shine for ever and your English Bibles Edit 1576. in the marginall notes referrs this power to the whole Body of the Church A Deo discimus saith Luther accepimus aeternum verbum veritatem Luther Tom. 7. Lib. de Iudois c. fol. 220 Dei hactenus mille quingentis annis Miraculis signis consessam confirmatam That is Wee have learn'd and received from God the eternall Word and Verity of God hither to a thousand and five hundred years to have been confessed and confirmed by Miracles and Wonders But Protestants now a days contradict their holy Father Luther in this particular as all men must who maintaine errors and say when wee press them to relate some of theire Miracles that Miracles are now superfluous and therfore none wrought in the Church And some hold them ridiculous but Sall goes further saying they are Monstrous But I shall aleage some Miracles in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Doctrin and more especially of Transubstantiation that some Protestants themselves will acknowledg to bee Miracles of undoubted creditt XXII CHAPTER Six Miracles confirming the Doctrin of the Catholick Church touching Transubstantiation and the Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament SAint Nilus relateth how Saint Ghrysostome S. Nilus in Ep. ad Anastasium almost every day had visions of Angells assisting and adoring the blessed Sacrament untill the Sacrifice was finished In the Ecclesiasticall History is recorded this example which Euagrius Euagr. Orthodoxus lib. 4. cap. 35. anno D. 552. writt as a thing notorius and done in his owne Tyme In the Tyme of Patriarck Menas saith hee there happened a Miracle worthy to be remembred It was an ancient Custome in Constantinople A Miracle for the Communion under one Kinde when many Parcels of the pure and unspotted Body of Christ our God were remaining after Communion little Children were caled out of the Schools and were permitted to eat them It happened that a little boy whose Father was a Iew by Profession and a maker of glass by his Trade being among the rest did eat alsoe his share of the aforesaid Reversion of the blessed Sacrament but coming some what late home and his parents demaunding the cause the child told innocently what hee had done which the Iew his Father understanding was soe enraged that unawares to his wife hee cast his little sonne into the burning ouen wherin hee us'd to melt and frame his glass The Mother missing the child sought for him three days together but hearing noe news of him abroad shee returned home with an heavy hart and sitting downe at the work-house house doore shee began to bewail the loss of her Sonne caling him by his name the boy hearing and knowing his Mothers call did answer within the oven where at the woeman starting burst the work-house doore and rushing in espied her child standing amidst the coles without receiving any harme After coming out being demaunded how hee escaped burning soe long a woe man said hee came often Tymes unto mee and brought mee water to quench the force of the fyer wherwith I was invironed and withall gave mee meat as often as I was hungry This accident being told unto the emperoor