Cap. 7. sect 2. Petenda est haec per suasio ab arcano spiritus testimonto c sect 2. Non aliud loquor quà m quod apud se expetitur fideltum unusquisque c. sect 5. for our instruction I cannot deny there is great difficulty in believing that every thing which the Church proposeth as revealed is Gods revelation yet this pill must be swallowed if we resolve to believe God who cannot be believed if he speakes in his owne voice and tone because it is evidently inseparable from truth and we cannot believe what by force of cleare evidence we cannot deny Hence by the way it followeth that no Protestant or Puritan doth believe God if they ground their faith upon the evidence they pretend to have of Scriptures being Gods Word or upon that of their private spirit both which saith Calvin are discerned as clearly by himselfe and his brethren to be Divine evidences and not Diabolicall as white is discerned from black sweete from soure and light from darknesse It s very improbable that God deprived himselfe of his right and was contented not to be believed that Calvin and his Protestant crue might be eased of a duty which they exact and receive from every person that hath a good opinion of their honesty 3 Supposing it is as evident that there is a Church of God upon earth as it is reasonable he ought to be believed by men we must endeavour to finde it our The Church is an infallible Guide to lead us to God but who is the infallible Guide to had us to the Church Reason But reason in obscurity may be mistaken and what is more obscure then the way to the true Church environed with so many false Sects If our bel efe were limited to naturall verities reason might make some shift every man might pretend that his owne wit would be a sufficient guide for himselfe but seeing Christian Faith must stretch further then humane capacity there must be some supernaturall helpe In obscure matters saith Aristotle with all wise men reason must be contented with cleare signes and not expect evidence of the truth And because the Church or God doth propose supernaturall truths the signes must be also supernaturall And because there is so great difference betweene humane understandings God hath beene pleased to make his Church discernable by sensible and visible supernaturall signes that they who have least understanding may not have lesse faith then the most witty and learned if they will but open their eyes and reflect upon what they see This is the reason why so few can pretend ignorance of the true Church if they have any sense in them they may easily distinguish it from all hereticall Congregations The evident signes therefore whereby the true and Catholick Church is knowne consisteth not in exteriour formalities that may take their beginning from humane policy or from a naturall inclination to decency and good order The Protestant Church of England had as few signes of supernaturall grace as any other pretending Reformation yet in the eyes of some it lookt pretily and was more decent in the service then other Northerne Churches of Lutherans and some of their Nags-bead Ministers affected a certaine Ecclesiasticall gravity in their garb and habit notwithstanding in my opinion a secular dresse would better become their meere secularity and want of ordination The Ministers in Germany looke more Protestantlike in their short cloakes spade beards and blew starcht ruffs then our English Common-prayer Ministers doe in their long cloakes and surplises which they weare more for policy then Religion 4 Seeing Reason must be contented with cleare signes when the truth is not evident and that no evident or cleare supernaturall signes appeare in any Congregation of men but in the Roman Catholick it must be concluded that the true Church is that onely Congregation of men which professe the Roman Catholick Faith That no signes of grace doe appeare in any Church pretending Reformation is as cleare as it is that all the world is not blind for as yet neither themselves nor any other could see in any of their Sects one miracle or any other thing that lookt like supernaturall though they tell us of some Divine motions and impulses of the private spirit they are as incredible as it is impossible that God should oblige any man to take a Protestants bare word against the tradition and testimony of the Christian world informer ages confirmed with undeniable miracles and sanctity of life But some seeing the private spirit is ridiculous would faine perswade us that we may read their Reformation in Scripture so evidently declared that they wonder how we can have the least doubt against it We Catholicks have beene above a hundred yeares turning and tossing the Bible with as great care and study as the matter required and yet we could never hit upon one Protestant Tenet â—n Scripture though we have reason to thinke that we understand it as well as our neighbours which is very strange if their Doctrine be evidently contained in it But there is nothing more obscure the evidence wherein men equally learned and honest doe not agree Nothing can make them disagree in the interprettation and sense of Scripture but the obscurity thereof or obstinacy or ignorance if they be obstinate they are not honest if ignorant thâ—y are not as learned as their adversaries and its certain we doe Pro estants a favour in comparing or making them equall w th Catholick Doctors in either but when men dispute he that hath evident truth on his side may grace his adversary with any advantage as I doe at the present supposing not granting that Protestant Ministers were equall with Catholick Doctors in learning and vertue that thereby it may appeare how obscure the Scripture is wh re Protestants pretend it to be cleare and the sense most manifest 5 I will not make a long Litanies of the supernaturall and visible signes which app are in the Roman Catholick Church Miracles have beene in all ages and are now so frequent amongst us that there is not a Countrey or Province wherein the Roman Religion is professed which doth not produce testimonies so prudently credible of true and supernaturall miracles that to deny them were to destroy all human faith and reduce men to credit nothing that is affirmed by men however so well qualified with sound judgement great learning and knowne integrity Yet Protestants object its strange themselves never see any miracle being so desirous and miracles so frequent as we pretend Herod was also very desirous to see a miracle but his curiosity excluded him from that favour men who belive nothing but what they see deserve not to see miracles because they are obstinate Yet there are few Protestants who doe not see miracles what greater miracle then that all Catholicks turne not Protestants If tâ—e continuall victory over naturall and vehement inclinations doth require a miracle of supernaturall grace we are
a meane betweene both assertions and that was to be present by faith or by a pledge a poore one God knowes if it be onely a morsell of bread and a cup of wine It s better take Christ at his word then rely upon Calvins pledge Neither himselfe nor any of his Disciples could hitherto speake sense when they declared their sense and Doctrine in this particular and no mervaile seeing there can be no sense in a meane betweene two contradictions for either Christ is realy present in the Sacrament or he is not realy present whether the reality of his presence be after a spirituall or corporall manner is not the question a spirituall presence is as reall as a corporall To say that Christs body and bloud is not realy in the Sacrament by themselves but onely by our faith is as much as to say that they are not there though we believe they are which is not Catholick and true faith because we are mistaken However this nonsense served Calvins turne because it was a new Chimaera and much applauded by his first foure Disciples Anthony Duguius Philip Veronius Albert Babinot and Iohn Vernovius to whom he infused his spirit and sent them to preach his Doctrine in divers parts of France and distribute his fantasticall communion But when it came to his cares that some who denyed the reall presence were cruelly tormented and put to death in Paris he thought fit to retire to his old Master Rusus and partake with him of the Queene of Navars protection resolved not to suffer that Martyrdome to which he had so devoutly and earnestly exhorted others 3 After some time he parted with Rufus and repaired to Basile where he published his Institutions in French that at least the language might incline ignorant people to believe that the worke was his owne In the beginning of his booke he put a fiery sword with this Motto Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium I come not with peace but with the sword Never was the designe or effect of any booke better expressed there is not a Countrey where it was received that felt not the sad effects of warre fire and sword being as inconsistent with peace and obedience to the Prince or Magistrate Calvin in 5. Daniel as with Catholick Religion It teacheth Subjects not onely to rebell but also to spit in the faces of their Soveraignes in case they oppose Calvins Doctrine or discipline 4 In they care 1535. in the moneth of August the Citty of Geneva revolted from the Catholick Church their lawfull Prince and Bishop banishing him and his Clergy The Ringleader of all this mischiefe was one William Farellus a Frenchman by birth a Jew by descent and an Heretick by profession The instrument whereby he effected this worke was Amicus Perrinus a man of great power in Geneva and Captaine of the Militia so bitter an enemy to Priests and the Masse that he commanded the Altar stone of the Cathedrall Church to be carried out of Towne and laid in that infamous place where malefactors were accustomed to be executed that it might be stained with base bloud of theeves and murtherers but God permitted that Perrinus himselfe should be the first diabolicall sacrifice offered upon the Altar stone which he had prepared for others upon which he was beheaded at Calvins instance because he opposed his discipline and ambition though the pretext was a pretended conspiracy intended by Perrinus as Calvin said against all the French fugitives that retired to Geneva to enjoy the liberty of their errours and learne Calvins new Doctrine who had beene some time before called thither by some friends that lived in the Citty But being proud and forcing his discipline upon the people both he and Farellus were banished from Geneva in the yeare 1538. Calvin retired to Stratzburg where first he taught a Schoole and afterwards tooke upon him the care of a Church which the Magistrate granted to the French Hereticks Here he tooke to wife an Anabaptists widdowe and though I have nothing to say against his marriage because I doe not read that ever he received holy Orders notwithstanding that he had two benefices conferred upon him when he was yong yet much is writ by others of his dishonest life the Lord of Fallarie his wife was forced to goe live at Lausanna to be rid of Calvins importunity and adulterous attempts the Lady of Mong is was not so honest she left her husband at Lausanna and lived incontinently with Calvin at Geneva 5 During his banishment his friends were very earnest with the Magistrate for his returne which was not onely permitted but decreed and he invited solemnly by the Senate not doubting by his meanes and credit amongst new Sectaries to strengthen much their petty Commonwealth of Geneva Hooker in his Preface of Eccles Policy But Calvin knowing how much they imagined it was their interest to have him refused to come if both Magistrate and Pastors would not be solemnly sworne to observe that forme of discipline which he would establish The civill regiment of that Towme was popular and the spirituall government at that time was at the discretion of their Pastors it was not for his purpose to be at the mercy of either Layty or Clergy neither could his ambition and pride brooke any such subjection Wherefore after they had taken the oath which he exacted seeing it was impossible to make himselfe Bishop the very name being odious and the reality much more in Geneva having annexed to it an absolute dominion over that State he framed his discipline to the humour of the people in outward shew making it plausible by composing his Ecclesiasticall Court or Consistory of lay Elders double in number to the Ministers whereby all would be at his owne disposall because the Elders though more in number were changed every yeare and would not dare to oppose the Ministers that continued in office and these were all his owne Creatures so that all served for nothing in the Consistory but to countenance and put in execution Calvins decreer He sate in his Ecclesiasticall Court more absolute then any Pope having no rule to be guided by but his owne fancy and any text of Scripture which he pleased to accommodate to it the private spirit being sufficient ground for the most impertinent and absurd application 6 It is the opinion of many that Calvin was a more politike heretike then Luther and that he shewed it in his Religion and discipline It is certaine that Luther was more learned and more resolute then Calvin who if the truth were knowne did but steale from Luther even his private spirit to which Luther and all Protestants recurre when they are pressed with evidence contradicting their errours His doctrine of denying the reall presence and his making worship of Images idolatry he tooke from Zwinglius and his Camerades so that all considered we finde that Calvin had but very little or nothing of his owne in his
so rare a peece as the great machine of this world 6 Seeing therefore that something there is which seemes by these effects to be most powerfull most wise and most perfect we ought so to judge and believe and give it due honour and respect The right to such duties acquired by outward appearance and signes doth extend it selfe even to our inward and most secret thoughts which is the onely reason why a rash judgement is a sinne and why men may be as injurious in thinking ill of others as in backbiting If we must not judge otherwise of men then they seeme to be much lesse of God We must not be Christians in our words and Atheists in our thoughts Therefore the obligation of believing honouring and loving God is evident though the Deity it selfe were not as evident as it is even to the most vulgar understandings that are not stupified by vice and besotted with sensuall pleasures Now supposing it s demonstrated that there is a God or at least that we are convinced of our obligation to believe there is one we may proceed to inquire CHAP. III. Whether God ought to be served his owne way and in what manner 1 THere is not an absolute Prince that doth not pretend as his birthright or prerogative to be served his owe way that is as himselfe thinks fit and not according to his Subjects discretion If this be granted to Princes our fellow Creatures how can it be denyed to the Creator Princes may erre in the conduct of affaires God is infallible Princes may employ unfit instruments men not valued or hated by their people God by employing men doth enable them and supply their defects Princes may looke more upon their owne interest then upon the common good in their projects and designes God can have no designe upon his Creatures but their owne good his interest is their happinesse To be briefe Princes are men and though no Subjects yet subject to all humane frailties but God is as free from any frailty as from subjection Therefore if according the maxime of Politicians Princes must be served their owne way God must not be deprived of the like prerogative 2 Whether Princes ought to be served their owne Way is not for my present purpose to examine yet I must presume to tell them that it s no part of their prerogative to define or declare what way God hath appointed for his owne service the politick ends are not alwayes agreable or compatible with Gods ordinations and in such case we must serve Princes in Gods way not in their owne no humane Lawes or Kings pleasure ought to be preferred before Gods commandments It s as evident that God may choose his owne way of being worshipped as it is manifest that worship is due to so great a Majesty Some Rites and ceremonies of divine Worship may be left to mens choice and discretion but before they undertake it they must shew their commission for so great a power and eminent a charge Every one must not presume to be Master of ceremonies in Gods Church and Court If there were not a way setled for the worship of God before we came into the world perhaps every man might choose his owne but to intrude new Rites and Lawes into a Commonwealth contrary to the government long established hath beene alwayes judged in the State dangerous and in the Church damnable Master Hooker in his bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policy is much admired and cryed up by some Protestants because he proves by Catholick arguments that the Church of God may command the practise of Rites and ceremonies but he is farre from proving that the new fangled English Protestant Church is the Church of God and therefore could never conclude that Puritans or any others ought to sute themselves in the new fashion of the Church of Englands formalities because they must shew their authority before they intrude their formalities and take away realities 3 It s as unwarrantable to reject ancient Rites and ceremonies as to impose new ones without authentike testimonies and signes of divine authority If the Church that went before us and upon whose relation we must depend for the knowledge of times past doth testify that such ceremonies as seeme now to fooles ridiculous and to the ignorant superfluous were invented by God or by men to whom he committed the care of our instruction we must practise them persuade our selves that it is not in the power of any Nags-head Convocation The English Protestant Ministery descends from a few consecrated at the Nags-head in Cheapside invalidly for many reasons deduced in a late Booke of the Nature of Catholick Faith and Heresy to frame a new Religion or 39. Articles reject old ceremonies pare and shave of the matter and forme of Sacraments and degrade the Order of Priesthood of all Ecclesiasticall ornaments the cap surplise and black scarfe excepted Puritans proceed more consequently they retaine no Popish dregs nor rags of Rome as they call them and firmely believe that God cannot be served in spirit if the Minister of his Word appeareth not before him in cuerpo rid of all Aaronicall ornaments But with their good leave to serve and worship God in spirit is not to reject or reforme ancient Rites and ceremonies but rather by performing them the spirit is raised to God with reflexion upon the mysteries in them contained The ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Catholick Church S. Ambr. lib. 1. de Sacerd. c. 1. de iis quae initiantur mysteriis c. 1. practised even that which of all is most excepted against in the administration of Baptisme and is lesse undecent then the making a plaster of spitle and dust S. Greg. in Sacram. Tertull. lib. ad Scapulam S. Aug. tract 44. in Ioan. Euangel Alcum. lib. deliv Offic. de Sabbatho S. Paschae Beda in 0.7 Marc. Homil. 19. a signe that our Saviour would not Have us so nice and squeamish as Protestants are I am sure if we reflect upon the Israelits we shall finde the chiefe worship they gave unto God in their sacrifices accompanied with so noysome circumstances in their fleaing pulling out the bowels and frying the fat of beasts that they would make a nice Proteshint stomach rise although it be able to digest a dish of as course stuffe for a Fridays breakfast As for the dresse wherein our * S. Anacletus qui vixit temporibus Domitiani Ep. 1. de oppr Episc Steph. Papa Martyr vixit an 250 Ep. 1. ad Hilar Origen hom 11. c. 20. Levi. S. Hieron lib. 13. Comment in cap. 44 Ezech. Bishops and Priests celebrate their functions antiquity called it sacred though Novelists terme it profane or superfluous There is not one ceremony practised in the Roman Catholick Church which deriveth not its beginning from God or by his authority from primitive times all relate to divine Mysteries as you may read in Durantius De ritibus Ecclesiae Catholicae and
established their perfidious Reformation brought up King Iames in their errours the first Protestant King or Prince that by heresy stained the royall bloud and name of the Stewards There is not a family in the world that ought to hate heresy and love Catholick Religion more then his posterity none was so much persecuted by our pretended Reformers and in particular by the English Church as theirs and no Subjects were more faithfull to their Soveraigne then the Catholicks of Scotland were to their Queene Mary Steward But the education of few and tender yeares doth destroy the obligation of many ages and blot out of Princes mindes the memory of their most famous Ancestors CHAP. VI. That no Policy could heretofore or can for the future give any supernaturall appearance to the reformed Churches whereby any rationall persons may be mistaken in their way to heaven by confounding them with the true Catholick Church 1 WHat a great hand Policy had in destroying Religion and setting up Reformation hath beene demonstrated in the former Chapter and Sections I doubt not but the most vulgar apprehensions that did see the change might easily perceive the difference which was betweene the old and new Religion I am also confident all sober men of the last age did looke upon Luther Calvin Cranmer Knox and all their Reformados just as we doe upon Iames Naylor and his Quakers though now many silly soules doe reverence their memories because distance of time makes things looke as unlike themselves as distance of place A brute beast at a distance may be taken for a rationall creature and a beastly reformation may by the helpe of time and policy gaine the credit of a rationall Religion amongst misinformed and weake understandings but it can never looke like supernaturall Faith to any rationall person that will examine the grounds and fundation of it notwithstanding that wicked Clergy and Polititians have endeavoured to dabe it over with the private spirit and their owne interpretation of Scripture 2 There is the same proportion betweene Catholick Religion and Reformation as is betweene ancient Gentry and upstarts Kings out of policy or favour may bestowe titles of honour but all the policy upon earth cannot make a man an ancient Gentleman if he be not one by descent A Nobleman that derives his pedigree from Citizens cannot compare in quality with men whose Ancestors have beene time out of memory knowne Gentlemen It s just so in Religions Men may give to their Reformations very glorious titles as Mount Sion Assembly of Saints Beauteous discipline and what they please but all will not doe The ancient name of Catholick comes by descent and continuall succession not by policy to the Roman Church and not to any other pretending Reformation These new Religions may well become upstarts and new families raised by heresy but methinks the ancient Nobility and Gentry looke odly in this new fashioned faith and seeme to staine their bloud by renouncing and persecuting that Religion which their noble Progenitors for so many ages did constantly professe and gloriously maintaine both at home and abroad 3 Catholick Religion doth not onely sympathise with ancient Gentry in descent and succession but also in their Coates of armes The armes of the Catholick Religion are the supernaturall signes of the true Church visible to the world Put case that a Cheate or Mountebanck disguised like a Gentleman should intrude himselfe into the company of persons of quality in Whitehall and brag much of his Gentry but when he is desired to prove it he should ingenuously confesse that he hath no other evidence for his extraction but certaine interiour motions and impulses to heroike actions questionlesse this Mountebank would be laught at by the whole company This is the case of all reformed Churches that pretend to be the true one or part thereof without any further proofe or evidence for their Religion and interpretation of Scripture then their owne word for a private spirit as invisible in it selfe as in any effect that lookes like supernaturall It s true that many noble families whose Ancestors have beene lions as their Coates of armes testify even to this day have by degrees degenerated into lambes yet they prove by tradition and records that they descend from warlike lions Though the Roman Catholick Church had no miracles nor persons of eminent sanctity of life at the present to shew for their Religion that onely of their Ancestors in former ages would be proofe enough that they professe the right Faith because they have evidence of tradition and records that it is the same with the Faith of those who worked miracles and were Saints but reformed Churches want all such evidences and though records may be forged by Master Mason and others of the English Church neither they nor any private spirit can by all their politick devises counterfeit tradition which must goe further up into antiquity then they can reach by all humane industry But the Lord be praised for it the Roman Catholick Church hath now and had in every age evident miracles and eminent sanctity of life much resembling that of the Apostles and our primitive Fathers whereby our spirit and faith is confirmed to be truly Catholick These armes and signes of Gods Church cannot be counterfeited by Reformers because they are supernaturall and above the spheare of hypocrisy and policy A Puritan may shew the white of his eyes by lifting them up to the Lord and looke very demurely and devoutly a Nags-head Minister may walke in roba longa and weare his suplise black scarfe and square cap but none of them can attaine to an eminent degree of supernaturall sanctity or worke a miracle untill they forsake the Reformation and become Roman Catholicks 4 The pretended evidence of Scripture in favour of Reformation is not lesse ridiculous then the private spirit Let us track our Mountebank Gentleman and follow him to the Courts of Westminster after his being repulsed and laught at in Whitehall for proving his Nobility onely by interiour impulses Suppose he should in the open Court lay claime to some ancient Gentlemans inheritance descended from father to sonne for many ages and should produce no other evidence or proofe for this pretended right but his adversaries owne patent in vertue whereof the ancient Gentlemans Ancestors and himselfe possessed the estate but because some words in the patent may be interpreted by the Mountebanks ambition and coveteousnesse in a different sense then ever they were before that time understood by the learned Judges of the Land our Mountebank must needs be the right heire and dispossesse the Gentleman of his ancient inheritance by misinterpreting the words of the patent absurdly and contrary to their knowne sense and to sentences and practise of the Court since ever Law was of force in England This is the case of all Protestants who pretend that there are cleare texts of Scripture against Catholick Tenets and practises The sense of Scripture which
have evidence that his Law or Statute doth not contradict the Law of God his legislative power must be subordinate to Christian Religion Henry the VIII Edward the VI. and Queene Elizabeths penall Statutes are evidently against the Law of God and Christian Religion if we may credit antiquity and stick to the Faith and practise of the Church and Catholick Princes that went before them not onely in England but in all other Christian Kingdomes No persons living have any other evidence for the Law of God and Catholick Religion but the test mony of the immediatly precedent age confirmed with supernaturall signes all former ages speake to us by the mouth of the last with which we conversed we must cake their word for all the rest and for the sense as well as for the letter of Scripture The 14. age delivered to the 15. the Roman Catholick Faith which we now professe assuring that it was the true sense of Scripture which they had learned from the 13. age and so forth to the Apostles What evidence had Henry the VIII or his daughter Queen Elizabeth to oppose against the testimony of all former ages confirmed with so many miracles and to make Statutes against the knowne and practised Law of God and Christianity His luxury and his daughters bastardy are the onely evidence which Protestants can produce for the ground of penall Lawes against the Popes supremacy and other points of the Roman Catholick Religion an excellent foundation of Protestant Lawes Justice and Judicature 3 To pronounce sentence of death losse of goods or banishment against persons without any proose is rather tyranny then injustice The greatest crimes even that of treason require at least one lawfull witnesse let Protestant produce but one lawfull witnesse against the Religion of Catholicks and their sense of Scripture and we will not murmure against their penall Lawes and rigourous proceedings Antiquity affords them none because though in divers ages some odde men did testify sometimes one errour of theirs sometimes another they were in those very times contradicted by the whole Catholick Church and declared infamous Impostours and Hereticks In this present age no Protestants can be lawfull witnesses for their owne Religion or against ours because their testimony cannot be valid against so constant and universall a tradition as we Catholicks have for our Doctrine and sense of Scripture It s as ridiculous and unjust in a Judge to pronounce sentence against Roman Catholicks for their Religion upon the evidence and testimony of Protestancy as if he had in open Court condemned men to forfeit their estates and ancient inheritance upon the word of a mad fellow that produceth no other evidence to confirme his claime but interiour motions of the spirit of coveteousnesse and ambition or some obscure text of the Law appliable to all cases and subjects for all the Protestant evidence is reduced to the private spirit and the pretended clearnesse of Scripture If this be not to destroy the foundation of Justice and the forme of Judicature Protestants have a different way of proceeding from all other Nations and have altered the stile of naturall reason humane nature and the practice of all antiquity 4 They cannot excuse their persecution against Catholicks with the example of Christian Emperours and Kings that both for zeale of Religion and humane Policy to avoid the danger of rebellion made Lawes and Statutes against Hereticks and Innovatours of the ancient Faith and sense of Scripture which descended to them by tradition from the Apostles Protestants take the quite contrary way they make Lawes and Statutes against the ancient Religion and knowne sense of Gods Word and persecute Catholicks for professing it whereas their Predecessours Emperours and Kings punished new Religions and Novelists This last was lawfull in secular Princes but the practise of Protestants is unjust and wicked because it destroyes Justice and the true Religion confirmed by the publike testimony and practise of the Christian world since the Apostles time to this present If the Roman Catholick Religion were not the true Apostolicall Faith but as new as Protestants pretend how is it possible that in history there should be no mention made of any person that suffered as an Heretick for broaching or maintaining any one point which we now professe If any Doctrine of ours were judged an heresy or a novelty by antiquity without doubt we had not all escaped the rigour of penall Lawes made against Hereticks and Novelists I am sure Protestants cannot brag nor say so much for their owne Doctrine many if not all the points whereof have beene condemned as heresy by the Church in ancient times and punished as novelties by Christian Kings and Emperours which was the onely reason that moved the first English Protestants to cause the young child Edward the VI. when he knew not what he did to repeale all the Lawes and Statutes that any Christian King of England and the Kingdome had made against Hereticks being convinced that themselves and not Catholicks were comprehended in that number All who suffered persecution or death for any point of the Roman Religion were looked upon by the Catholick Church in all ages as glorious Confessours and renowned Martyrs Amongst the most pretious jewells of the Easterne Church were accompted such as were put to death for defending the worship of Images against the Iconuclasts Baron an 723. Conc. Nicaen 2. Act. 5. who were the first that persecuted Christians for that Doctrine at the instance of one Serantapicus a Magician and a Jew that promised to Gizedo Prince of the Saracens he should live 30. yeares if he would command all Images to be taken away and not worshipped in his Dominions by the Catholicks But Gizedo dying within a yeare and a halfe his sonne Vlidus condemned the Jew to death as a perfidious lmpostour and the Images were worshipt as formerly untill three yeares afterwards Leo Isaurus the heretick Emperour at the instance also of Jewes Concil Nicaen 2. Baron an 726. raised that most terrible persecution against the Catholick Church for practising so pious a custome which had continued amongst Christians without the least danger of idolatry since the time of the Apostles to that present and t will not be interrupted untill the day of judgement notâ—ithstanding the clamours endeavours and vaine pretended feares of Protestant zealots in behalfe of Serantapicus their Patriarch and his Hebrew tribe their loving brethren 5 Their persecution against Catholicks can be no more excused by the proceedings of the Spanish and Italian Inquisition Of the Inquisition then their penall Statutes have beene by the Lawes of ancient Kings and Emperours against Hereticks 1. Because the Inquisition proceeds according to the rules and forme of Justice none is declared an Heretick or guilty by a new Law or oath made onely to the end that by them men may be intrapped both in soule body and estate it was no crime in England to be a Catholick before