of our Lord what was necessary to Salvation and to know his Divine Will in all things that they might do it and yet were never the nearer and got nothing That Speech of our Blessed Saviour will likewise prove false If you being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the good Spirit to them that ask him Joh. 11.13 For the good Spirit cannot be had without a good Religion I omit other things which to this purpose might be alledged But if it be Blasphemy to say that God's Promises are false we must needs confess that these Men received of our Lord the true Faith and Religion Wherefore since 't is manifestly apparent that they were of the Roman Catholick Religion and stedfastly adher'd to the Church of Rome and detested any other Faith and Religion contrary to it 't is not to be doubted but that the Roman Catholick Religion is the true Religion and inspired of God and all other false and invented by the Devil To conclude if their Religion were false and that of any of our Adversaries true we must necessarily grant that all those men aforesaid whom the World ever esteemed Saints were not only no Saints nor the Friends of God but also impious and Enemies of God and for that cause damn'd to eternal Torments For without the true Religion it is impossible to please God Heb 11. Neither can it be said that they were excusable for their Ignorance Because Ignorance excuseth not but only in some less principal things and which are less necessary being so only by reason of some positive Precept and not in Fundamentals and first Principles Otherwise every one might be saved without any knowledge of God or Christ which is contrary to Scripture But if these erred as our Adversaries would have it they erred in the chiefest Points 1st because they did not acknowledge a special Faith by which alone we are justified and made partakers of Christ's Redemption and Justice and Sins not imputed to us as the Authors of these new Religions teach Therefore they remain'd in their Sins were destitute of Christ's Justice and consequently the Children of Hell 2dly Because by their own Judgment and Confession they were not of the Church of Christ out of which by the consent of all there is no Salvation but adher'd to the Whore of Babylon for so they call the Church of Rome and were the Ministers and chief Instruments of Anti-Christ 3dly Because they were Idolaters worshipping the Creature namely Bread and Wine in the Eucharist instead of Christ honouring Saints and their Images c. There is no Ignorance which can excuse these things Therefore all these Men were wicked and condemned to Hell-Torments But how improbable and incredible is all this and even against the Common Sence of all Christians that have hitherto been Mean while in all other Religions it is sufficiently manifest that none have ever appear'd of such eminent Sanctity in their Life and Conversation as to breed Admiration in the World For none could ever be named Their first Authors were earthly minded and addicted to Worldly Pleasures nothing exceeding in their Lives above the Vulgar nay rather guilty of the greatest Crimes But of this more shall be said hereafter Nor does it signifie any thing to say that also amongst Catholicks there are many An Objection refuted which are so far from leading holy Lives that they defile their Souls and Bodies with fundry Vices For they do not this by the grant and leave of their Religion which prohibits them and uses all means possible by threats punishments and promises to prevent and deter them Therefore their evil Life is in no wise to be attributed to their Religion nor can it argue the same to be imperfect For since there are three things to divert Man from Evil and excite him to Good that is the fear of Punishment hope of Reward and the beauty of good Works these three things the Catholick Religion most excellently propoundeth and inculcates every where to her Professors Therefore it omits nothing to make them sly Sin and encourage them to Vertue and Holiness And if any don't aspire to it we must not impute it to their Religion but their Free Will which frustrates and contradicts all these motives and encouragements But indeed if Catholick Religion should take away the fear of Punishment and hope of Reward and declare all good Works to be polluted with the stain of Sin then the pravity of Men's Lives and neglect of good Works might worthily be ascrib'd to it For as he that takes away the buttresses and props of a house which keeps it from falling is the cause of the house's Ruine so he that subtracts the fear of God or future Punishment whereby Men are restrain'd and kept back from falling into the gulph of Sin is the cause of their ruine Likewise he that takes away all that which is wont to animate to the study and practice of good Works is the occasion of such neglect and contempt of good Works Hereby is manifest that the neglect of good Works and the evil Life which are discerned in some Catholicks are not to be referred to their Religion but only to the liberty of their Will But in Lutherans Presbyterians and other Professors of new Religions it is to be imputed properly to their Religion which takes away all those things that are a hindrance to Evil and encouragement to Good as plainly appears by their Principles in their Books afore mentioned not excluding also in them that Free Will by which they become guilty in chusing and adhering to such a false Religion The Fourth Consideration from the Miracles of its Professors THat Religion wherein most Miracles have been done in all Ages is to be preferred before others which are without Miracles For Miracles are a kind of Seals and certain divine Evidences whereby Religion is authoriz'd and approv'd For since many things in Religion are above Nature exceeding humane Capacity and cannot be prov'd by natural reason there is need of certain supernatural Arguments to convince Men. These are Miracles But the Catholick Religion only is famous for Miracles therefore the only true Religion and to be esteemed above all others as that only which hath God for its Witness Now that many Miracles have been done in Confirmation of the Catholick Religion throughout all Ages since Christ's and his Apostles time is evident to all Christians by divers Histories the Annals of Kingdoms and the Lives and Acts of Saints But our Adversaries say these Miracles are not true Calv. p. fac in Instit but partly feigned and partly diabolical The which is void of all probability For it is against the Judgment of the whole World and of so many Ages For all Nations so many hundreds of years have without any scruple accounted them true Miracles For whoever doubted the Miracles of St Gregory Thaumaturge St. Anthony the
of Faith no end of Dissentions and Contradictions and it must necessarily in a short time have been divided into a Thousand Sects as we see it happens by the Conventicles of Hereticks Hence it is that in the Catholick Church all points of Faith are certain and defined and no variation made of them and all Catholicks unanimously consent acquiesce and are satisfied in the belief of them Hereby it follows Thirdly If you depart from the Catholick Religion you have no certainty to depend on for the true way of Salvation For what Religion will you make choice of in so great a variety The Lutheran But why not the Presbyterian or any other Fanatick Why do you profess Luther's Religion before the rest For the Presbyterians and Fanaticks have Scripture for their Religion as well as the Lutherans Again if you will imbrace the Religion of Luther which sort would you have the mild or rigid That pure Religion which Luther the German Prophet recommended or that which Philip Melancton renewed But this also is of divers sorts for the Augustane Confession was often changed If you are for Calvin's Religion why not Luther's since he is the Parent of all and the first that brought into the World this new Light of the Gospel Again if you are for Calvin's Religion whether that of Puritans or Protestants For they are very different as the English well know I omit many differences wherein these Sects are divided There is no solid Reason can be given why you should profess one for the certainly of it rather than the other since they all stiffly alledge the Word of God to be of their side that they have the Spirit of god and that the sence of Scripture is clearly for their Doctrine and that all the rest are false and manifestly against Scripture nor can they otherwise prove it but by saying that 't is clear to every one that has the Spirit Therefore they all urge the same reason for their Doctrine and rely on the same foundation You must therefore be of all their Religions or of none But the Catholick Religion proves her Tenets far otherwise namely from Sacred Scripture according to the exposition of the Holy Fathers and Doctors of all Ages from the Sanctity Miracles and Prophetick Spirit of those that profess this Religion from the perpetuity and uniformity of Doctrine through all Ages from the purity of Life which this Doctrine induceth from the Conversion of Nations to this Doctrine and from all the other Considerations set down in the foregoing Chapters The Ninth Consideration proceeding from divers Reasons why these New Religions are to be suspected and avoided ALL other Religions besides the Catholick expresly and particularly that of Luther Calvin and the Fanatick which I chiefly speak of here ought worthily to be suspected and abandoned as Heretical Sects for many Reasons which I shall here briefly commemorate and referr to your serious Consideration The First Reason from the Novelty of it ALL Novelty or all New Cutts and Fashions as St. Gregory Nazianzen calls it in any Government and chiefly in the Affair of religion are to be shunn'd and avoided The Christian religion is an ancient solid and immutable thing intended to last to the end of the World For it is the Form Strength and as it were the Soul of Christ's Church for as by the Soul the Flesh is animated into a Living Man so by religion an Assembly of Men who otherwise of themselves are but carnal is formed into the Church of Christ which is a Spiritual Kingdom As therefore the Church and Kingdom of Christ is ancient and never to be rooted out as against which the Gates of Hell that is to say no Herefies or other wicked attempts shall ever prevail Mat. ult and with which Christ has promised to remain to the end of the World De August de utit caeden c. 17. Such also must the Religion be by which this Church and Kingdom of Christ do subsist Therefore Novelty is repugnant to the true Religion But that these are New Religions is manifest First Because we can shew the first Authors of them the place time and manner how they began who resisted them what great Commotions Troubles and Mobbs were raised by reason of them and finally by whom they were condemned Now what clearer signs can there be of Novelty In the same manner all Heresies introduced against Apostolick Doctrine are convinced of Novelty because we can shew how they crept into the Church at what time they began in what place by what Author who opposed and condemned them Secondly Before the year of our Lord 1517. Luther's religion was not in the World nor Calvin's nor the other Fanaticks which are but two branches of the Lutheran Religion For it appears by Historians of that time wherein Luther first shew'd Head that there was no religion in the World but the Catholick Religion and a very few Hereticks called Hussites except the Judaick Mahometan and Pagan Religion Thirdly If you should say that some of them were existent in the World namely the Lutheran Religion c. but lay hid I ask in what place it was in what Kingdom in what Town who were the Defenders or Maintainers of it Lastly How do you know it was in Being before since it could not be manifest but by Writers who report no such thing but the contrary Besides when there were in every place Inquisitors of Heresies how could this Religion lie hid so many hundred years and not be discovered and never any one of the Followers of it fall into their Hands and be corrected Never any Heretical Sect could so hide it self but be often taken and publickly called in question and examination Again if this religion was in the World before Luther why did not the Professors of it who have hitherto lay hid come forth and acknowledge him as a Doctor of their Faith and a Champion of their religion Why did they not appear in publick and join with him as their Partner and Patron who had set at liberty their religion before suppressed and persecuted But no such ever appeared that had been of this religion before him but all of them were of the Catholick Religion before they turned to Luther as Luther himself before he revolted was a Roman Catholick and a Friar L. de Missa augular l. 2 contr Swingl and said Mass seriously and devoutly fifteen years together as himself confesseth Whereby it is clearer than the Sun at noon day that Luther's Religion is altogether new and was unknown to the World before his time Not any Congregation of Men and perhaps no single person was ever in Being before him that professed the same Religion that is all the same points of Faith his whole Body of Doctrine For although he might hold some Opinions of ancient Hereticks yet the Relagion of Luther and the ancient Hereticks is not therefore the same but in part For Religion is a
of old were used to do when they proposed to the People the Divine Commandments in the Name of God But these New Prophets have not proceeded in this manner but by chance and as their matter required they fell from one Opinion to another as it happens in Disputes and Contentions when their Minds were more and more exasperated and as by experience they could learn how to accommodate themselves in their Affairs and incommode or undermine the Pope's Authority which condemned them For what ever they perceived would be most prejudicial to the See of Rome or advantageous to it they decreed points of Faith accordingly and varnished them over with the Word of God as I shall shew hereafter Sixthly In Humane Policy if any should pretend Authority to govern it is not sufficient to say that he was sent by the Prince of the Country who was far of and could not conveniently come himself but he must shew his Patent or Commission signed with the King's Seal which then is diligently examined least there should be any fraud in the case and if there should be the least sign of a shamm or cheat it is not to be admitted till a full and certain proof thereof be made The same we see in the Apostolical Legates who all shew their Patents authentick wherein their Mission and Commission is contained otherwise they are not credited nor have Authority What madness is it then to admit into the Church and Kingdom of Christ not only New Pastors but likewise Reformers of the whole Religion of the Church only upon their saying that Christ sent them and that they have the Spirit of God without shewing any Patent or Miracle to prove it Seventhly The account of time also is strongly against them for if the Church fell away about 600 years after Christ and became the Synagogue of Antichrist as they teach Why was the Mission of these Reformers delay'd to these times Why did God forsake his Church 900 years together and suffer it to continue in its ruines in Superstition and Idolatry as nothing belonging to him and after the accomplishment of so many Ages should send first to her these New Reformers or Chief Masters Is this the Love of Christ towards his Church which he hath cleansed with his Blood which he hath quickened with his Spirit and which he hath adopted or chosen for his Spouse He shew'd himself much kinder to his Handmaid the Synagogue by sending them many Prophets to reclaim them still prone to Idolatry and grand Impieties Therefore if these Men would have been thought Reformers they should have feigned the Church to have faln but a little before them and not for so many Ages to have lain putrified in its ruines Otherwise this long distance of time confutes their Mission and shews it to be very imprudently forged Eightly Hereunto may be added other most certain signs that Christ did not send them as their vicious Life Pride contempt of the Holy Fathers the Errors and Lies wherein they were taken besides their inconstancy of Doctrine which I shall declare in the following Reasons Ninthly and Lastly They teach that nothing is to be believed but what is in Scripture Let them therefore shew out of the Scriptures that they were sent by God to reform the Church In what place and by what Words of Scripture did our Lord give this Authority to Luther or Calvin Otherwise we cannot believe them being themselves Judges nor receive them as Reformers of the Church And here I cannot forbear to insert a ridiculous fancy of the Lutherans which yet made a great noise among them They endeavoured to establish the Mission of their Prophet by a certain Prophecy of St. Ambrose and St. Augustine contained forsooth in this verse Tibi Cherubin et Seraphin incessabili voce proclamant that is To thee Cherubins and Seraphins continually do cry For some years ago they erected an Effigies of Luther cut in Brass with this Inscription A divine and wonderful Prophecy of St. Ambrose and St. Augustine shewing the time and coming of Luther wherein he began to write against the Roman-Antichrist as it is contained in the Letters of this Versicle representing the date of the year which is a thing worthy the note and admiration of all Faithful Christians TIbI CherVbIn et SeraphIn InCessabILI VoCe proCLaMant The Numeral Letters of this Versicle are 1517. in which year of our Lord Luther began first to Preach But this was certainly a very poor shift For First By such Numeral Hitts nothing certain can be concluded by any Wise Man as hath appeared by many Examples in former ages from the success of things But Secondly Grant it a prophetical speech concerning Luther the exultation and gratulation of the Celestial Spirits for the Preaching of Luther need not to be signified thereby as the Lutherans would have it but rather the blindness of Luther and all that are of his Sect as in the 6th of Isaiah where the Seraphins in like manner cry Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory from which place these Versicles are put in the Hymn is designed the excecation or blindness of the Jews as by the sequel it is gathered For God is provoked at the view of his Holiness which abominates all Sin to execute revenge and just Judgment upon so great Wickedness and Impiety In like manner they shall cry for Vengeance at the end of the World Apoc. 4.8 To conclude if we write these Names according to the Hebrew manner by m and not by n that is Cherubim and Seraphim as they ought to be written so the Number will rise to 3157. which being ended the Cherubims and Seraphims will still cry Holy holy holy but this Clamour will not be for joy of the success of Luther's Gospel but an approbation of his just punishment whereby he and all his Associates shall be tormented to all Eternity The Fourth Reason from a want of Miracles Miracles necessary THese new Religions with the Authors of them are very much to be suspected because they were introduc'd without Miracles or Signs from God For these were chiefly necessary First That so they might shew themselves to be no Impostors but true Pastors sent by Almighty God and to convince the World they ought to be received For since it is manifest in Scripture that in the later days many false Prophets shall arise bragging to be sent from God therefore our Lord gave us a special warning of them not to give ear to them without infallible proofs of their Mission which cannot be but by Signs and Tokens from God as are Miracles Prediction of things to come Revelation of things hid c. for since these things are above the power of Creatures 't is plain demonstration they are of God And therefore they are like Patents signed with God's Great Seal in proof of their Mission from him Hence it is that as many as were ever
and this he confesses he did on purpose against Limbus Patrum Purgatory and Christ's descending into Hell which he calls foul Errors and marvelleth that most of the ancient Fathers were in that error namely of Christ's descent into Hell and delivering the old Fathers What need we more He opposeth himself both against plain Scriptures and ancient Fathers perverting the one and contemning the other to overthrow that truth which is an Article of our Creed whereby it is evidently false which some of them say for their defence That none of them did purposely translate falsly Calvin so expounds almost all the places of Scripture which the Holy Fathers alledge to prove the Trinity of Persous and Godhead of the Son and Holy Ghost as to make them invalid whereby as he followed the Jews Sabellians Arians and Macedonians so he made way for the Socinians who first came up from among his followers The whole 53 Chapter of Isaiah which manifestly speaks of Christ's Passion Death and Satisfaction he Metaphorically Expounds of the troubles of the Jews which they suffered for their sins What could be more violently wrested oe more absurdly explicated What can more resemble the Jews perfidiousness Christ says If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Matth. 19.17 Calvin will have this to be spoken ironically or in a Jeer. It is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews Christ was heard for his Reverence Calvin Expounds for his fear and doubt and says that it signifies Christ was strucken with so great fear and terror of Death that he despaired as it were of his Eternal Salvation Monsieur de Plessis a Calvinist in a certain Book of his touching the Lord's Supper has corrupted above a hundred Testimonies of the ancient Fathers and Doctors by adding or diminishing and several Objections which the said Fathers urged against the Truth and afterwards solv'd as 't is frequent with St. Thomas and other School Doctors he has produced as their proper Judgment and Opinion Of which matter he was publickly convicted by the Bishop of Eureux be fore the King of France These things are known over all France The same tricks use all their Writers when they allege any thing out of the Fathers in defence of their Heresies Besides they omit plain places where the Scriptures or the Fathers explicate their meaning on set purpose and clearly and fly to obscure places of Scripture and of the Fathers where they speak only by the by or of another thing and do but touch upon the point in dispute How many Arguments do they bring not only against the Real Presence of Christs Body in the Eucharist but also against other most evident Articles of Faith As against Free Will Inherent Justice Merit of Good Works Authority of General Councils c. for there is nothing in our Faith so clear which may not in appearance be contradicted by certain obscure places in Scripture or the Fathers Nor is there any thing so absurd which may not be defended For what can be more absurdly said than that Christ's Body is every where as his Divinity is And yet they endeavour to confirm this by many Testimonies of the Scriptures and Fathers What is more absurd than to say God is the Author of all Evil That Man has no Free-Will And yet they instance many obscure places out of the Scriptures and Fathers to ratifie these things If they seek the Truth why do they let pass the clear places of Scripture and run from the plain to the obscure and in the explication of them why do they not acquiesce to the Judgment of the Antient Fathers and Doctors who were before our time but will rely upon their own sence only When any obscure Sayings of the Fathers seem to favour them presently they cite them and endeavour to strengthen their Doctrine with the Authority of Fathers But when Catholicks quote out of the Fathers that which clearly overthrows their Doctrine They Answer That the Fathers were men subject to Errour but themselves depend upon the Word of God which cannot err They reject the Fathers If you tell them that the Fathers relied upon the Word of God They Answer That the Fathers followed not the mind or Spirit of the Divine Word and therefore they were deceived If you ask them how they came to know that the Fathers observed not the true sence of God's word but that themselves do observe it They will Answer It is evident by the Word of God But how is it evident when there are so many different Interpretations thereof and all the Fathers interprete otherwise than themselves and the Lutherans otherwise than the Calvinists or Anabaptists Then they reply 'T is evident to him that has the Spirit but to others it is not evident So the Patrons of each Sect will Answer and the final Judgment of their several and different Opinions they refer to the private Spirit They reduce all things to the private Spirit The Calvinists therefore say that all the Fathers and Doctors and all the General Councils wanted the Spirit to understand the Scriptures the same Holy Spirit they affirm the Lutherans and Anabaptists wanted but themselves only possess him that God has given him only to the Calvinists and therefore to themselves its manifest that whatsoever they teach is the pure word of God The Lutherans say the same thing of the Councils and Pathers and also of the Calvinïsts and Anabaptists that they all want the Spirit of God which is given only to themselves and so say they it is clear that what we teach is the plain pure word of God In fine the Anabaptists do the same challenging to themselves the said Holy Spirit and denying him to all others But how absurd are all these things and how distant from all reason How incredible is it that all the Catholick Doctors and Fathers should lack the Spirit of understanding the Scriptures and that this Spirit should be granted only to the Calvinists Lutherans or Anabaptists How vain and ridiculous is it for every Sect to claim this Spirit to their own followers and without any other proof than to say It is manifest and clear to him that has the Spirit but not manifest and clear to him that has not the Spirit Is not this to walk in a Circle and beg the Principle and resolve all Controversie into that which is chiefly obscure and can be manifest to none For how shall I know that you have the Spirit When ever did the Doctors of the Catholick Church in this manner prove their Tenets For every proof or provation ought to be drawn from that which is more manifest to the Adversary and easier granted by him But this probation upon which is founded all their Principles proceeds from what is more obscure and depends only upon the Testimony of a private Man who is a Party and Accuser in the Cause for you cannot prove to me that you have this Holy Spirit but by
de unitati Ecclesiae Ninthly They both deny Prayer for the Dead Fasts in Lent or at any other time c. This heretofore taught the Arrians Witness Epiphanius Heres 75. and St. Aul de Heres c. 33. Tenthly Both of them deny Veneration to Sacred Images of Christ and his Saints and to Holy Relicks and call it Idolatry The same of old did Vigilantius as St. Hierome witnesseth and so did the Iconomachists witness Zonoras Cedrinus Nicephorus Iconomachis Hereby is clearer than the Sun at Noon day that the Chief Tenets of Luther and Calvin's Religion are old Heresies long ago condemned by the Church and were always taken for Heresies in the Church The same might be easily proved of other Sects Hence it follows that these New Religions are nothing but the Filth and Scum of old Heresies formerly condemned Vid. Bel. de nov Eccl. c. 9. Coccium de sign Eccl. l. 8. c. 30. The Eleventh Reason from the want of a Rule of Faith THese New Religions have no certain Rule of Faith which you may follow Therefore they are not to be allowed For Points of Religion ought to be defined certain and immutable That they have no certain Rule of Faith whereby can be determined what is necessary to be believed and what not is manifest First Because they will not allow the Traditions of the Church nor the Authority of General Councils nor of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church who were before our Debates Luther rejects all Traditions in the First Chapter to the Galat. And Calvin l. 4. Instit And both of them teach That nothing is to be believed nor received which is not contained in Holy Seripture L. 4. c. 8. s 6 7 8. in Antidoto ad 4. Sess Coneil Triden General Councils which have had hitherto in the Church the highest Authority for they are as the Assemblies of Princes and Noblemen in Christ's Kingdom Luther so contemns that whatsoever they have defined he would have it all to be subject to the judgment of every private Person Nay he says 'T is a great madness that Councils should conclude what we are to believe In Art 115. c. Moreover what we ought to believe and what not is to be left to the judgment of every Spiritual Man The same Calvin insinuates saying ' The ' Church ought not to judge what Books are Canonical and what not but this belongs to the private Spirit L. 1. c. 7. s 1.24 Lastly as touching the Fathers Luther ' cares not for a thousand Augustines ' nor a thousand Cyprians Lâ— cont Reg. Augl Calvin also in many places contemns them and averrs that they erred Therefore none of these is a Rule of Faith to them Whether the Scripture is a sufficient Rule of Faith but they say The Scripture it self is their Rule of Faith for this cannot err But 't is easie to shew that this Rule is not sufficient First Because by this Rule we cannot judge of Scripture it self that it is Scripture So that this Rule is uncertain to us which ought to be the most certain of all things For it cannot appear out of Scripture that this or that Book is truly the Scripture that it is not supposititious or counterfeited by some Impostor that this or that Sentence is not perverted c. Lastly that there is nothing added or diminished pertaining to the substance of Doctrine All this cannot appear out of Scripture but is only proved by some humane and weak Conjectures if you exclude the Tradition of the Church and so the whole Foundation of our Faith will depend upon a few uncertain Conjectures Then again the force of Scripture consists not in the sound of Words but in the Sence which is the Life and Soul of Scripture But there may be a thousand Controversies of the Sence which cannot be decided out of Scripture if you exclude Tradition and Exposition of the Fathers as 't is manifest by experience For touching the sence of these Words This is my Body and of many others there is a great dispute between the Lutherans and Calvinists If you say with Calvin that the Judge of Scriptures Whether the judgment of Scripture belongs to the private Spirit and the Sence thereof belongs to the inward Spirit this is nothing else but to constitute the dictamen of the Interior Spirit that is the private judgment of every one to be the chief Rule of Faith For every one may say that he has the Spirit and by his inspiration judges this part to be Holy Scripture and not that this to be the right sence of Scripture and not that So a Lutheran according to his Spirit judges the Epistle of St. James to be straw and the Revelations of St. John to be of doubtful Authority But a Calvinist by his Spirit judges both to be the Word of God So Luther judges by his Spirit to abolish the false Opinion That there are Four Gospels In the Prologue of the New Testament for the Gospel of St. John is the only true beautiful and principal Gospel and to be preferred far before the other three Likewise the Epistles of Baul far excel Peter's The thee Gospels of St Matthew Mark and Luke he would willingly have renounced because they are clearly for Merits necessity of Good Works and Observation of the Commandments and commend Chastity and Poverty But since he durst not totally reject them he is willing to disparage their Authority and to insinuate that they were not written by the Spirit of God In like manner Calvin by his Spirit judges this to be right sence of these Words This is my Body That is This Bread is the Figure of my Body But Luther according to his Spirit judges otherwise and says these Words of Christ This is my Body are thus to be understood This Bread is truly my Body I omit many other sayings whereby it is manifest that according to them the private Spirit of every one makes a Rule of Faith or which is the same thing the Scripture is expounded according to every Ones private judgment Secondly That is not to be held a proper Rule of Faith which is equally accommodated or fitted to all contrary Opinions For all the Sects of this time although they are at Daggers-point about many principal Tenets adopt the Scriptures to be their Rule and fit it for their purpose For the Lutherans say they rely upon Scripture so do the Calvinists and likewise the Anabaptists nor is it any wonder because every one receives the Scripture not according to the common understanding of the Church or exposition of the Fathers as Catholicks do but according to the sentiment of every one's private Spirit So you may easily adapt the Scripture for all Heresies Whence it is plain that a Rule thus framed can be of no moment being referred to every one's private judgment Thirdly If there should be a Judge that should so give sentence in any
Controversie that one could not plainly tell whose Cause carried it but both Parties should shill contend for the decision of their Cause he would be accounted by all Men a very improper Judge since no Controversie can be determined by his sentence for after it there is as great debate for whom the Judge gave sentence as about the Difference they brought before him But such a Judge is the Holy Scripture if you set aside the Exposition of the Church and the Fathers for so it always gives sentence that it cannot plainly appear to either Party which side it favoureth but both stifly affirm that it stands clearly for him Hence it comes to pass that Controversies never have an end 'T is ridiculous therefore to make only the Scripture the Judge of Controversies For in all Controversies such a one ought to be made a Judge so as to give sentence that all and chiefly the Parties in dispute may clearly see which side the Judge is for or else there can be no end of Controversie Therefore they that make only the Scripture their Judge shew plainly that they will have no Judge to decide the Cause but their own private judgment For they do as if Titius and Caius having a Suit at Law would have no other Judge but the Book of Justinian with his Pandects secluding the Interpretation of the Doctors and Titius for his Right should produce some Law and say that it is clear for his Cause but Caius denies it Likewise Caius alledgeth another Law affirming that it clearly makes for him but Titius denies it and so both Parties depart without decision of their Cause would not this be a ridiculous thing and make all say that neither of them would have their Cause decided since both of them would be their own Judge It is plainly so with them that will have no other Judge but the Scripture For whosoever reserves the Interptetation thereof to his own Spirit shews plainly that he would not have his Cause lawfully decided but be his own Judge Fourthly Experience it self shews how insufficient this Rule of Faith is For we see that there is no end of Controversies amongst them even in their chief Points of Faith For the Lutherans Calvinists and Fanaticks in many things extreamly differ at this very time and condemn one another of Heresie The very Lutherans disagree amongst themselves in many things also from Luther their Parent and Apostle insomuch that at this very time there are counted Thirteen Principal Sects of Lutherans differing by certain Names and Opinions The Calvinists dissent amongst themselves chiefly in the Article of the Head of the Church for a great part of them ascribe this Power to the Secular Prince although she be a Woman these they call Protestants Others esteem this a great Sin and Blasphemy these they call Puritans The Fanaticks dissent amongst themselves in many things so that there is reckoned Fourteen several Sects of them distinguished by Names and Opinions Lastly It is come now to that pass that when any one thinks to follow this Rule and depend on it there are almost as many Heresies as Hereticks For many especially the ignorant sort say they care not what Luther or Calvin teacheth for that they stick to the Holy Scripture and Word of God wherein there can be no Errour and so they think themselves very secure for every one interpretes the Scripture according to his Capacity and Judgment Hence it is that when they think they have Scripture for their Rule of Faith instead of Scripture they have only their own Imagination For what they fancy the Words of Scripture signifie they take for the true sence of Scripture And thus there are as many different Rules of Faith as Imaginations of Men. But how comes it to pass that every ones imagination should seem to be the pure Truth and right sence of Scripture This proceeds partly from a great self-love and self-esteem for he that has a high conceit of himself is easily perswaded that all his own inventions and conceptions of Mind are extraordinary partly also from a Diabolical operation which inwardly perverts the fancy of Men that what they apprehend upon never so slight a reason presently they imagine it to be the clear Truth For where Men through a weariness of the Antient Religion have an aversion to the Truth and Itching Ears to Novelties they are suffered by the just Judgment of God to be deceived of the Devil Whilst therefore he operates interiourly in their Sences they think they are illuminated with the Divine Spirit and attribute to this Spirit their whole judgment touching points of Faith Hence it is that the apprehension or judgment of every Sect and almost of every private Man seems to be the pure Word of God nor do they regard any reasons to the contrary The Apostle signifies this 2 Thes 2.10 saying Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to believe a Lye He shall send not by commanding but by letting the Devil loose to deceive them and lead them into a thousand Errors for despising the Truth or Ancient Religion But many of them say especially the simple and ignorant God will not suffer those to be deceived who seek the Truth with an humble Heart ' For he has promised to ' give the Good Spirit to those that ask him Luk. 11.13 But I do so I beg of God to enlighten me and open unto me the true sence of Scripture and I daily search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 This is a great delusion of the Devil For how do they seek the Truth with an humble Heart who despise the judgment of the Doctors of the Church the judgment of the Holy Fathers and the judgment of General Councils Who will not use that way which our Lord hath shewed and ordained but require unnecessary Revelations For from them they may understand the Truth and be freed from all Error but they will not submit to them and think that by their own industry wit and private Spirit they can more certainly find the Truth out of the bare Scriptures As if the Holy Fathers Doctors and Prelates of the Church had not searched the Scriptures or were destitute of the Spirit of God and right Judgment that they could not rely upon them Now what greater Pride can be imagined than for a private Man and for the most part silly and ignorant of all Antiquity and the Liberal Arts to prefer himself before so great Wisdom so great Authority and Sanctity and such a multitude of Doctors Let them not therefore think so long as they are of this mind that they shall receive any thing of God because they wrongfully seek him and proudly ask him but rather that they are deceived by the Spirit of Pride and a Lye to which they are delivered by the just judgment of God for so great a Crime This is that Spirit which all
Luther and Calvin c. should be in the Number of those False Prophets which Christ warns you to beware of for these came forth clad with a fair pretence of the Word of God and purity of the Gospel as if God sent them to the Salvation of his Sheep but in the mean time they destroyed these Sheep with the venomous Food of their Doctrine You shall know them Christ by their Fruits Matth. 7.16 Now what were their Fruits Seditions Wars Plundering subversion of Churches and Monasteries destruction of Cities extirpation of the Antient Religion and a License to all Wickedness We know by information of the Apostles that many Heresies shall arise in the latter days many false Prophets and Seducers by the Midwifry of Satan shall appear in the World As oft therefore as any New Doctrine riseth against the Church we ought at least to suspect it and the Author of it Therefore I most humbly and earnestly beseech all those who live out of the Communion of the Catholick Church A Conclusion of the Work by the Goodness of God which created us and by the Blood of Jesus Christ which redeemed us by the Eternal Inheritance which we expect in Heaven and the Torrent of Divine Pleasure which they shall drink of that retain Truth and Justice to lay this business seriously to Heart that they would consider whether they rely upon a sure and firm Foundation that may make them secure of their Religion at the hour of death when they shall stand before the Tribunal of Christ and in that very moment shall receive an eternal and immutable Sentence Let them examine this our Consulâ—ation which we have written for that end Let them never rest or give over till they have rightly weighed and discussed all things and have obtâ—ined a full perswasion in a business of so great moment as the Salvation of their Souls Let them consider what great punishment they incur if the Religion which they profess is Heresie and they themselves Hereticks That it is a Heresie and a most notorious and pernicious one too all Catholick Doctors all Universities and the whole Christian World except those which are of it who are but few in number and slender in Learning to those that are against them undoubtedly and for certain affirm it So that finite Numbers have died and are ready to die for the Confession of it to be Heresie rather than venture the Eternal Damnation of their Souls by complying with it Heresie certainly is a most grievous sin How great a sin Heresie is First Because it makes a Man prefer his own judgment before the judgment of all the Fathers of all the Doctors of the Church of all Councils and Bishops of the whole World for he contemns them all as Men void of the Spirit of God and arrogates this Spirit to himself alone and his Companions Secondly The Spouse of Christ which is the Church it censures to be an Adulteress of Satan and Daughter of Perdition Thirdly It charges her with the crime of Idolatry and divers Superstitions Fourthly It belches forth many Blasphemies against the most Holy Eucharist and all the Saints Fifthly It abuses all Sacred Things most unworthily and scornfully Sixthly It calls the Vicar of Christ Antichrist and casts a thousand aspersions indignities and slanders on him without any shew or colour of Truth the same it does upon all Orders and Degrees of the Church Lastly Every Heretick wishes an overthrow of the whole Church and that the Catholick Religion were totally extinguished The Heresies therefore of our times swell with Pride many horrible Blasphemies many invectives and detractions many Sacrileges and most bitter hatred against the Church of Church of Christ for these things are as it were intrinsically in Heresie which habitually inclines to all these things and daily urges and excites to action All Catholick Doctors thus judge of Heresie and the matter is plain enough of it self Therefore Heresie with its issue and attendance is a greater Crime than innumerable sins of Catholicks Now I beseech them to consider How great a punishment the sin of Heresie deserves what will be the great punishment of this sin of Heresie For if for one Crime of Theft for one Act of Fornication without true repentance a Man shall suffer Eternal Fire as the Scripture plainly tells us Gal. 5. Col. 3. 1 Cor. 16. 1 Tim. 1. how great punishment shall he endure for the sin of Heresie which is more grievous than a thousand Thefts and a thousand Fornications If the pain which our earthly Fire Inflicts by the force of Nature may be increased a hundred-fold and so augmented till it be hundred times more grievous how horrible how insufferable how incomprehensible would that punishment be Let no Man flatter himself that Hell-Fire will be no pain but only I know not what Terrours of God's anger as Calvin dreameth The Scripture too plainly shews the contrary Dâ—part from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire Matth. 25.41 Their Worm never dieth and the Fire is never quenched Mark 944 God shall rain suares upon the Wicked Fire and Brimstone and a burning Tempest this shall be the Portion of their Cup. Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine anger Our Lord shall swallow them up in his Wrath and the Fire shall devour them Psal 11.6 The False Prophet was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Apoc. 20 10. The same is the Opinion of all the Antient Fathers and Doctors of the Church It is therefore most certain that Hell-fire is a true and real Fire greater and fiercer than all our Fires made never so furious by the Art of Man which are but as painted Fires in comparison of the heat of Hell-fire wherein all Hereticks shall burn and be tormented day night for all Eternity as long as Hell shall be Hell as long as Heaven shall be Heaven and as long as God shall remain God and the smoak of their Torments shall ascend before the Face of our Lord for ever and ever These are most faithful and true Words Then they will curse their Deceivers and Masters who brought them into this Misery They will curse the Devil which blinded them and with divers delusions bewitched them under the colour and shew of Piety They will curse themselves for being so facile to give ease to them and believe their new Doctrine so foolishly without any diligent inquiry that in a business of so great consequence they were so blind and sloathful Lest therefore they should rush headlong into this Sea of Misery let them with all care and diligence examine this whole business of Religion by prudent and pious Counsellors particularly let them but suspend their prejudice a little which uses to be a great hindrance to this serious deliberation Things requisite to inquire the Truth I mean a certain prepossessed Opinion which many have
of the Idolatry Superstition and Abuses of the Catholick Church As that they Worship a piece of Bread for God pray to dead Men Worship Crosses and Pictures trust in their own Merits believe a Man can forgive Sins and many such Fopperies and are possessed with what themselves have been taught that they are afraid to pray to God to have farther information least they should sin by seeming to doubt of the Faith they have been taught by their Parents and their Ministers to whom they have been recommended by them to harken unto as Orthodox Teachers And if they happen to read any Catholick Books and meet with some things they themselves cannot answer their aforesaid prejudice presently suggests to them that those Ministers can answer them and to discourse with some learned Catholick they upon the same ground are afraid because they suspect their integrity and so they remain in the Belief they have been educated in as well satisfied Now I say Let them lay aside for a while this prejudice and but suppose they may be deceived therein and that things are not so as they have been told For at least it seems somewhat incredible that so many most Holy and Learned Men which this Church has always abounded with should never see this Idolatry if there were any or seeing it should not renounce it but on the contrary diligently retain and love it This is an old Calumny of the Mahometans and Iconomachists or Image-Breakers And there was never any Sect of Hereticks which did not forsake the Church with envious and malicious Hearts and tax it with horrible Crimes for they are forced to make this pretence that they might seem justly to depart from the Church Secondly Let them daily beg of God to enlighten them that they may clearly know which is the true Religion and Church of Christ and shew themselves ready prepared to imbrace the same No Man can come to me says Christ unless my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 None can come to Christ by true Faith without illumination of the Heavenly Father Therefore let them humbly and daily pray to God that he would vouchsafe them a Beam of Light to see and profess the true Belief saying with the Prophet David Lighten mine Eyes lest I sleep the sleep of Death lest my Enemy say when I depart out of this Life I have prevailed against him Psal 13 3 4. Send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles Psal 43.3 Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul unto thee Deliver me from the Enemies of my Salvation O Lord I fly unto thee teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God and the like Thirdly Let them add to their Prayer Alms and Bounty to the Poor How prevalent these two things are to obtain of God a Light of the true Religion the Example of Cornelius the Centurion shews to whom the Angel said Cornelius thy Prayers and thy Alms are come up for a Memorial before God and now send Men to Joppa and call for one Simon whose Sirname is Peter he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do Act. 10.4 Let them imitate the Example of this Man that earnestly desired of God to be directed in finding out the true Religion Lastly Let them diligently with an ardent desire of knowing the Truth consider what is said in this Consultation and if they have any doubt or dissatisfaction let them address themselves to the Catholick Doctors or Priests who will easily resolve them in all points of Faith so that at length they shall obtain by the Grace of God a quiet Conscience and full satisfaction in the knowledge of the true Religion This is the Prayer and Supplication of all the Children of this Holy Mother in their behalf That thou O true and everlasting Light the Enlightner of Men and Angels wouldst enlighten their Minds and inspire them to do what is here advised them For although they are seduced by the deceit of the Devil and have departed from thee and thy Church yet they are thy Creatures made according to thy Image and Likeness redeemed with the price of thy Sacred Blood and called to the Inheritance and Society of thy Celestial and Eternal Kingdom Let no so Glorious a Work of thine perish which cost thee so dear which may render thee Eternal Praises by the Knowledge of the Truth and redound to thy Eternal Glory Dispel this black Cloud which obscures their understanding remove the Fascination of the Devil which blinds the Eyes of their Mind and perverts their Fancy and Judgment strike in them a horrour and fear of that Fire inextinguishable and those Eternal Flames prepared for all those that are destitute of the true Religion infuse into them an ardent Love and Desire of obtaining the knowledge of the Truth to the Salvation of their Souls Shew them the light of thy Mercies that they may know thy Sheep-fold and understand that That was none of thy Sheep-fold which they were in before but the Devils in which whosoever remains are reserved as Sheep not to Life but to Perdition that they may be Fuel for Hell fire and Food for death Death shall feed on them Psal 49.4 Bring them back again to thy Sheep-fold that being refreshed with the wholesome Food of thy Doctrine and of thy wonderful Sacraments they may be healed of their old Wounds made by Satan and grow in thy Spirit the Spirit of Humility and fear of our Lord the Spirit of Meekness and Charity and be quickned to Eternal Life that after this momentary Life they may be partakers of thy Eternal Glory and Happiness and praise bless and glorifie thy Name for ever and ever Amen Now Lastly I admonish all Catholicks An admonition to all Catholicks that they would seriously consider with themselves what a great benefit it is that God by his special favour before innumerable others has made them Professors of the true Religion in what a strict obligation of gratitude they are bound to the Divine Majesty for so great a Mercy How few have this Gift of Faith if you reflect on the infinite Number of those who go astray or doubt and therefore the more to be esteemed Let them consider that amongst all worldly Goods nothing is to be compared to it neither Pleasures nor Honours nor thousands of Gold and Silver nor Sceptres and Crowns The Jewel of true Religion is infinitely better and more precious than all these He that has it is truly rich although poor in Earthly goods as being a Citizen of the Saints a Child of God an Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven and Coheir with Christ if he lives according to the profession of his Faith He that is without the true Religion is thrice unhappy and miserable though he should abound with the Goods and Prosperity of this World 'T is most certain there is but