THE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH OBLIG'D PETER MANBY DEAN Of LONDON-DERY TO EMBRACE THE Roman Catholic RELIGION Humbly Dedicated to His GRACE the Lord Primate of IRELAND PSALM XLII Judica me Deus discerne causam meam de Gente non sancta Emitte lucem tuam veritatem tuam Ipsa me deduxerunt adduxerunt in Montem Sanctum tuum in Tabernacula tua Dublin Castle the 11th of March 1686 / 7. This following Discourse is Allow'd to be Printed Tho. Sheridan Secr. LONDON Re-printed for NATH THOMPSON at the Entrance into the Old Spring Garden near Charing Cross 1687. TO THE READER VVHen a Protestant rehearses this Article of his Creed I believe one Holy Catholique and Apostolique Church I would fain understand what Church he means Whether the Church of England alone as establish'd by Law or the Church of England in Communion with other Churches If the former then his meaning is I believe one Holy Protestant Church as settled in England by Act of Parliament If the latter I desire to know with what other Church under the Heavens does the Church of England Communicate in Sacraments and Liturgy Whether with Lutherans Calvinists Waldenses or Greek Church If with none of all these why does he pretend to believe One Holy Catholique Church This Church Establish'd by Law being Catholique neither as to Time nor Place because not Visible any where for many Ages before Edward VI. Good Reader if we believe our selves Catholiques let us not fancy to our selves a Church divided from all the rest of the World. And therefore I crave leave to ask St. Paul 's Question What came the Word of God out from you the establish'd Church or came it unto you alone 1 Cor. 14.36 Hath the Divine Goodness left all the World in Darkness except our Island And Vs too for so many Ages until Henry VIII took a fancy to Ann Bolen Is the Catholique Church dwindled away to the Church of England Perhaps you will Answer me that by One Holy Catholique Church you understand all the variety of Protestants as Church of England-men Presbyterians Lutherans Independants Anabaptists Fifth-Monarchy-men Quakers c. But all these wanting that first and Essential Mark of the Catholique Church call'd Unity cannot be That one Holy Society intended by our Creed And moreover this makes Protestancy so wandring and uncertain a thing that I for my part do not well understand it Can you say that Lutherans and the Church of England-men are the same in all Material points the Lutherans holding a Corporal Presence in the Sacrament and the Church of England denying it Or that Calvinists and good Protestants are the same in all necessary matters the former having no Orders of Priests and Bishops consequently no true Sacraments nor Power of Binding and Absolving Sinners Besides the Catholique Church can never fail But as for those Sects of Protestants Who ever saw or heard of them for many Ages before Henry VIII Well but you will insist upon it that God hath his People amongst all sorts of Protestants which Answer I have sometimes heard out of the Mouths of Protestants And it calls to my mind those excellent words of the late King's second Paper viz. The Protestants are not of the Church of England as 't is the true Church from whence there can be no Appeal but because the Discipline of that Church is conformable at that present to their Fancies which as soon as it shall contradict or vary from they are ready to embrace or joyn with the next Congregation of People whose Discipline or Worship agrees with their own Opinion at that time c. And further it brings into my remembrance these words of a certain Person once of my Acquaintance he was a Presbyterian and gave his Son leave to go for New-England to seek his Fortune Why said a Friend of his they are all Independants there and your Son will be in danger of losing his Principles I care not what he be reply'd the other so he be not a Papist In a word dear Reader it concerns thee to understand aright that Article of thy Creed I believe one Holy Catholique and Apostolique Church Because the only way to be at rest in this World and happy in the World to come is to find out that Church upon whose Authority thou mayst relie Noah 's Dove found no rest for the sole of her Foot until she return'd into the Ark. No more wilt Thou but shalt be tossed too and fro upon the unstable Waters of Schism until thou return into the Ark of one Holy Catholique Church I pray recollect what St. Paul admonishes concerning Schism I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Schisms among you 1 Cor. 1.15 But that ye glorifie God with one Mind and one Mouth That is that ye serve God not only saying the same things but the same Words especially about your Sacraments and Liturgy For by one Spirit We meaning all Christians are Baptiz'd into one Body Therefore he exhorts them to take heed of such Teachers as have no Mission or Authority for what they say but only good Words and fair Speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple In the following Discourse I hope the Reader shall find it briefly and yet fully made out to him that the first Reformers had no Mission for what they did nor any pretence to justifie their Seperation and breach of Unity but only the Scripture as interpreted by themselves not only without but against the Authority of the present Catholique Church Out of which a man may have all things except Salvation said St. Augustin And further he shall find me pressing for an Answer to such Questions as these viz. What Priesthood or Holy Orders had the first Reformers but what they received from the Hands of Roman Catholick Bishops Whether a Presbyterian Minister having received Orders from a Protestant Bishop can by virtue of such Orders pronounce the Church of England a corrupt Church Whether Cranmer and his Associates could condemn the Church of Rome by pretence of the Mission they received from her Bishops Whether an Act of Parliament in France Spain or Germany be not as good an Authority for Popery there as in England for Protestancy And in case there be no Judge to determine who have the true sense of Scripture Roman Catholicks or Protestants Whether the Catholick sense be not as good as the Protestants Finally I intreat the Protestant Reader to peruse Dr. Heylin 's History of the Reformation a Book that speaks bitterly enough against Popery yet as to matter of Fact so Honestly written that notwithstanding all Dr. Burnet 's industry to diminish its credit it hath opened the Eyes of many good Protestants See Dr. Burnet 's character of it in his Preface to his first Volume where he censures it not for telling untruths in matter of History but rather for speaking too much
truth He doubts not but Dr. Heylin was a sincere Protestant but violently carried away by some particular conceits these are Burnet 's words and is not to be excus'd that he never vouched any Authority for what he writ 〈◊〉 This is the worst he could say and 't is an untruth that Heylin writ uâ—â—â— uncertain grounds as Dr. Burnet would insinuate For thus Heylin himself will satisfie the Reader in the Preface to his History viz. As foâ— my performance in this work in the first place I am to tell thee thaâ— towards the raising of this Fabrick I have not borrowed my Materials only out of vulgar Authors but searched into the Registers of thâ— Convocation consulted all such Acts of Parliament as concern'd 〈◊〉 purpose advis'd with many Foreign Writers of great Name and Credit exemplified some Records and Charters of no common Quality many rare Pieces in the Famous Cottonian Library and not 〈◊〉 few Debates and Orders of the Council Table And next I am to lâ—â— thee know that in the whole carriage of this Work I have assum'd unto my self the freedom of a just Historian delivering nothing for â— Truth without good Authority but so delivering the Truth as tâ— witness for me that I am neither byas'd by Love or Hatred If I seem sharp at any time as sometimes I may it is but in such case only and on such occasions in which there is no good to be done bâ—â— lenitives c. I have transcribed this passage least the Reader shoulâ— be impos'd on by Burnet 's Character of the Ingenious Heylin whoâ—â— History he would disparage to advance the Reputation of his own And pray the Reader to observe that Dr. Burnet does not instance one passage of any moment in all Heylin 's Works wherein that he dares say he is false which certainly he would have done had he found any such But he delivers many things in such a manner and so strangely that onâ— would think says Burnet he had been secretly set on by those 〈◊〉 the Church of Rome though I doubt not but he was a sincere Protestant c. But what sort of People they were who set on Dr. Burnetâ— write his History is very well known I will instance some passages out 〈◊〉 Heylin which I suppose did not please Dr. Burnet viz. All that waâ— done in order to a Reformation under Henry VIII seem'd to be accidental only and by the by rather design'd on private ends that out of any settled purpose to Reform the Church and therefore intermitted and re-assum'd again as those ends had variance But noâ— the work was carried on with a constant hand under Edward VI. the Prelates of the Church co-operating with the King and his Council c. And scarce had they brought it to this pass when King Edward died whose death I cannot reckon for an Infelicity to the Church of England saith the Doctor For being ill Principl'd iâ— himself and easily inclin'd to embrace such Councils as were offer'd to him it is not to be thought but that the rest of the Bishopricks before sufficiently impoverish'd must have followed the Fate of Durham and the poor Church left as destitute of Lands and Ornaments as when she came into the World in her natural nakedness Nor was it like to happen otherwise in the following Reign to wit of the Lady Jane Grey if it had lasted longer then nine days wonder For Dudly Duke of Northumberland who then rul'd the roast and had before dissolv'd and in hope devour'd the Wealthy Bishoprick of Durham might easily have possess'd himself of the Bishopricks of York and Carlisle c. Dudly's Son was Married to the said Lady Jane Proclaim'd Queen to maintain whose Interest and Title the poor remainder of the Churches Patrimony was in all probability says Heylin to have had been shar'd amongst those of that Party to make 'em sure but the Wisdom of this great Achitophel Dudley being turn'd to foolishness he fell into the hands of the publick Hangman c. Reader Behold the spirit of Reformation which governed those times They are Heylin 's own words But what is all this you will say to Cranmer and other Clergy-men whose intentions of Reformation were sincere and honest As for Cranmer then you may judge of his spirit by what I shall remark to you out of Doctor Burnet 's Records Only observe the Duke of Somerset 's History in short thus out of Heylinâ— Being condemn'd to die by his own Brethren of the Reformation he was so defective in his judgement as not to crave the benefit of his Clergy which might have saved his life Whether it were some secret judgement on him from above that he who had destroyed so many Churches invaded the Estate of many Cathedrals deprived many learned men of their means and livelihood for being Papists should want the benefit of his Clergy in his greatest extremity c. Observe the remarkable Fates of those grand Reformers Now as for Cranmer 's spirit take notice of it from his own words recorded by Dr. Burnet which the Reader may consult to save me the labour of transcribing one or two Passages I cannot omit Cranmer with the rest of the English Bishops being desir'd to return their Answers severally to this Question Whether in the New Testament be required any Consecration of a Bishop or Priest Cranmer Answers thus under his hand viz. In the New Iestament he that is appointed to be a Priest or Bishop needeth no Consecration by the Scripture for Election thereunto is sufficient In which assertion all the rest of the Bishops except one were against him And being consulted about another Question Whether Bishops and Priests only may Excommunicate by Gods Law To which he returns this Answer under his Hand viz. A Bishop or Priest by the Scripture is neither commanded nor forbidden to Excommunicate but where the Laws of any Country give them Authority to Excommunicate there they ought to use the same in such Crimes as the Laws have such Authority in And where the Laws of the Country forbid them there they have no Authority at all And they that be no Priests may also Excommunicate if the Law allow thereunto Here he had the spirit of Hobbs of Malmsbury And about another Question whether by Authority of Christ's words Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur illis Christians are bound to confess their secret sins to a Priest He answered in the Negative against all the rest of the Bishops except one Let the Reader consult Burnet and compare him with Heylin in both which it will appear that the Grand Reformers Somerset Dudley c. Made their Breakfast only of Abby Lands intending to Dine upon the Bishops Lands Burnet strains all his wit to palliate their Doings and paint them out to Advantage Heylin represents them honestly for the most part and in their own colours and in my poor opinion writes more Truth and better English He was full of a Generous
Schisms among you that ye may with one mind and one mouth Gloriâ—y God 1 Cor. 1.10 Rom. 15.6 In fine let the Reader compare that Devotion which Catholicks pay to the Sacrifice of the Mass with that which most Protestants shew to the Common-prayer and then see how much better we are by Reforming the Mass into English As for St. Paul's 14th Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians I humbly think it not well understood by Protestants If any man be ignorant saith he let him be ignorant Wherefore Brethren covet no Prophecy and forbid not to speak with tongues ver 39. God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace ver 33. Upon the whole matter I desire to be inform'd whether the Protestant Church had any other foundation setting aside an Act of Parliament than every mans own Reason or which is the same thing the Scripture interpreted by every man's Reason There are but two Bases whereupon to settle our selves the Scripture and Fathers expounded by my own Reason or the Scriptures and Fathers expounded by the voice of the present Visible Church This later is Popish and cannot support a Reform'd Fabrick I have sometimes wonder'd at this Assertion of Calvin Instit. lib. 4. cap. 1. so incoherent with his own Principles of Reformation Extra Ecclesiae gremium nulla speranda salus nec remissio peccatorum quia non est alius in vitam ingressus Which I think may be thus render'd into English He that will enter into Life let him mortifie the pride of his own Reason and humbly cast himself at the feet of the Catholick Church If this be the meaning of his words as it must be in case he believed any such thing as one Holy Catholick Church how he will justifie his Reformation at the day of Judgement I cannot imagine In this Paper therefore I presume not to assert my own Reason which I confess to be as weak as any body else can think it but the Authority of the Church against the Aâ—rogance of the first Reformers This difference I understand betwixt the spirit of Catholiques and of Heretiques the former make use of their Reason with Submission the later with Contradiction and Petulancy against the Church and against the express words of Christ He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Cranmer had no Mission from Heaven nor yet from the present Visible Church to authorize his doings but made himself Judge Witness and Accuser So did Luther so did Calvin Socinus Knipperdoling c. How they will Answer it at the last day I cannot understand A word or two more before I make an end I know divers Loyal Persons of the Church of England who are Protestants by the Tyranny of Prejudice or Interest but Catholiques by Inclination Of them I beg leave to ask a few Questions What Priesthood or Holy Orders have Protestants but what they Confess to have received from Roman Catholique Bishops Who gave them Authority to pronounce themselves Sound Members and the Church of Rome a Corrupt Arm of the Catholique Church Did not the Presbyterians anno 1641. pretend the very same warrant of Scripture for Reforming the Church of England And the Independants for supplanting the Presbyterians anno 1647. The Presbyterians said Hugh Peters are no other then Gibeonites who may help to hew Stones and square Timber for a more Glorious Reformation Now as for Roman Catholiques do they ever say Mass to any other Object but the Living God Father Son and Holy Ghost Read the Catechism of the Council of Trent and see whether they attribute any thing to Angels or Saints but as the Ministers and Favourites of the Living God receiving from him whatever understanding they may have of our Affairs upon earth The Angels must know our Affairs because They are ministring Spirits sent forth for the good of those who shall be Heirs of Salvation And because they rejoyce at the Conversion of Sinners And have glorified Saints no Communication or Intelligence with the Angels As for the Images of Christ's humane Nature see the 25th Session of the Council of Trent and enquire whether Roman Catholiques pay any more respects to Them than Protestants do to the Elements of Bread and Wine which say they are but a Figure or Image of Christs Body and Blood. Omnis Superstitio in imaginum usu sacro tollatur saith that Council Let all Superstition be taken away in the use of Images and then gives it in charge to all Bishops to look to it The Church of England Protestants are every jot as offensive to us say the Presbyterians kneeling before the Elements of Bread and Wine as the Pupists kneeling before the Images of Christ I humbly recommend to Protestants the perusal of a late Book Entituled Pax Vobis And of another styled Considerations upon the Council of Trent by R. H. I say no more only give thanks to Almighty God with all my heart that I am escap'd out of the unstable waters of Schism into the Ark of Christ's Church And I beseech him to inspire me with that Spirit of Devotion which I observ'd in the Mass and other Books of Catholicks As for the ill practises of some and the ill Opinions of other Roman Catholicks which Protestants are wont to charge upon the whole Church I pass it over as no Argument at all All Protestants are no more Saints than all Papists In the Council of Trent an unprejudic'd Reader shall find nothing but what is Judicious and Pious And let him view Popery not as Protestants but as Papists represent it who should best know their own Religion In the Church of Rome he shall find variety of Religious Orders but no Schism nor discord about their Sacraments or Liturgy In veste Ecclesiae varietas est scissura non est No confusion of Sects nor disobedience to Superiors but all things perform'd in excellent order and God Almighty served as he is the Creator and Emperor of the World with Reverence and distance O quam dilecta sunt Tabernacula tua Domine virtutum concupiscit deficit Anima mea in Atria Domini Beati qui habitant in domo tuâ in Saecula Saeculorum laudabunt te Amen Psal 84. P S IF any Protestant Reader instead of a material Answer to this Discourse shall think fit to revile the Author 't is but what I expect and what I intend to take no notice of But I intreat him to read the following Quaeries without his Spectacles of Prejudice and Interest Dubia quaedam super Reformatione Anglicanâ ECclesia Anglicana vel est tota Ecclesia Catholica vel membrum illius si membrum duntaxat ostende mihi sub sole Ecclesiam vel coetum cujus Sacramenta amplectitur nisi sit à reliquo corpore abscâ—ssum Num recipit Sacramenta Lutheranorum vel Calvinistarum Vnde Missas est Cranmerus primus ille Reformator Ecclesiae Anglicana quis misit illum ad praedicandum Evangelium