being a perpetual Excellence of a spotless Light and Irradiancy From this City of the Sun Decrees of pure Faith are daily call'd for a pure Fountain from whence to the universal world streams of heavenly Truths Doctrines and Sanctity daily flow This is the most triumphant Tribunal of Christ whence the real Conviction and Condemnation of Heresies Sects and Errours do proceed the Oracle of Christians by which and in which alone infallibly all arising doubts about true saving Faith are resolved It 's the sublime and invincible Seat of glorious Peter wherein to this day doth reign and invisibly as President resides Christ never forsaking the same This is the holy Land consecrated by the Sacred Blood of the Apostles in which 72 Popes are Saints so many our B. Saviour's Disciples were O glorious triumphant Hierarchy O Queen O invincible and ever-blessed Kingdom of Christ O flourishing potent and brave resplendent City O Army embattell'd in a heavenly martial order where Christians must stand always upon their guard with weapon in hand fighting here to be crowned in Heaven labouring here to rest there sowing of tears here to reap joys there in a storm here to be in a calm there and therefore our Roman Catholick Church is called Militant here but Triumphant there both which are correlatives I said it is a well-ordered Army set in Battel-array in which the King and Chief in Command is Christ his Under-Vicegerent Vicar-General Universal Pastor is the Pope his Colonels the Archbishops Bishops Prelates and Pastors his Captains and Engineers are all Under-Priests of all Estates his Trumpetters are the Evangelical Preachers his Souldiers all stout Christian Catholicks This heavenly Army is furnished with all the Sacraments Matrimony peopleth the Army with men Baptism presseth and enrolleth them Confirmation armeth and strengtheneth them the most Blessed Eucharist provideth the Camp with Ammunition-bread and heavenly Victuals O brave Church of Christ ever Glorious founded on a Rock and this was Christ who said Matth. 7.25 26. The Rain fell the Floods came the Wind blew and rushed upon the house and it fell not for it was founded on a Rock But the pretended Reformation established by Law on the 20 th of May 1549 And was it not quite abolished on the 26 th of November 1644 by the like failing Authority Assuredly it could expect but the fate of the Fool 's House It fell for being built upon the sandy foundations of humane Invention and black Arts. This sure happened by God's sweetly-chastising Mercy that by weighing their fatal dissolution and the causes of it they may retrieve their wanderings and at length recollect their scattered and distracted Members into the ever firmly united Body of the One Catholick Roman Church This made Mr. Hooker that prudent Protestant-writer affirm That the Protestant Church was not likely to continue more than fourscore years lib. 5. num 79. Nor could he judge otherwise seeing it bears evidently the Principles of corruption and mutability in its very constitution viz. the materia prima of a meer secular Basis the first Governours of it being none of those to whom Christ promised his continual assistance to the Worlds end Forsake then and leave Sirs that fleeting and unbodied shadow of Shism return and unite your selves to the Catholick Church be not wandring Brethren dry and sapless now seeing that as the Elements never rest contentedly but in their Centre so you 'll find no rest but in the bosom of the true Church which is the proper place of every Christian to which I invite the brave Nobles of England to begin to open their Eyes and consider that it 's very strange how that in a manner all the Nobility of England fell from their old Religion establish'd by unfeigned Miracles and readily embraced a pretended Reformation Sure it was not for Conscience sake some fell for liberty some for flattery some for ambition and some for sordid lucre of Church-Lands I ask whether Henry the Eighth or the Nobles that fell with him found any fault or exception against the Sacraments Divine Service or the other holy Rites of the Church Not at all then their woful fall must proceed from their perverse wills which they made their Law hinc lacrymae Sure this dismal change in King and Peers was the sad in-let of all the Wars Confusion and Calamities in Church and State that hapned ever since in this brave Kingdome this general defection from God against Conscience of the Nobility may plead in some measure a plausible excuse their being excited and provok'd thereunto by the example of their passionate King who hath strong influence on his Subjects according to the Poet Claudian Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis Mobile mutatur una cum principe vulgus Scilicet in vulgus manant exempla Regentum Sure we may perceive a just judgment inflicted on the Nobility of England after their revolt pray what 's become of all that manly Courage Prowess Gallantry and Valour that made them still renowned in all Countreys of the whole World All now degenerated into a shameful effeminacy debauch'd cowardice and inconstancy Sure a touch of blindness and madness possessed them and whetted their high Spirits on to such impious actings as to yield to Injustice Sacriledge Schism and Heresie how came they I say to be so stupified as to forget the great Zeal and courage of their Christian Ancestors Who for some small temporal Concern or Priviledge have often bid defiance to their Prince yet in King Henry the Eighth's time the Nobility prov'd Cowards their Spirits low and base in the Cause of God and his old Religion so as very few withstood the Innovation and Usurpation of Henry the Eighth's hinc illae lachrimae think you could the Nobility in whose hands and power it lay to impede the innovations and unparrellell'd Sacriledge of their King expect to escape the Vengeance of God who is a jealous God revenging the Crimes of Parents upon their Posterity even to the fourth Generation yet the floud-gate of of Gods mercy is still open to all Sinners who with a contrite heart shall lay hold on Jesus Christ by Conversion from Schism to his Faith found only in the Roman Catholick Church Fair warning take O brave Nobility sound a retreat fight not any longer against Heaven call to mind the dishonour you have done to glorious Jesus trampling on his precious blood by your Sacrilegious contempt of his Sacred Religion and Sacraments Know that non est concilium nec Sapientia contra Deum leave off to be embroil'd any longer in that most pernicious quarrel of Henry the Eighth's unjustly undertaken Vna manus vobis vulnus opemque feret Sure your will gave you the deadly wound of Schism and Heresie the same must sure heal you by perusing this small Treatise with Gods assistance it may convince your understanding and reduce your perverse will to obedience Begin therefore to reclaim its high time for you to
divers prudent and religious Counsellors And even Nature gives us a Hieroglyphick hereof in the Bees whose sweet Commonwealth is ordered by one King See Georg. lib. 4. Quemadmodum mirantur omnes circumstant fremitu denso stipantque frequentes They all follow and obey like little nimble Courtiers their little King c. All this considered will not a good Judgment see that to go about to oppose any of these two Powers is to do that which St. Austin said To suffer ones self to run into a folly which hasten'd into the height of Insolency and Madness and in the end find nothing but an Ocean of Disturbances and unavoidable Perdition and Ruin. God bless King IAMES our most gracious Pole-Star no sooner His Royal Brother King Charles the Second of ever glorious Memory died but he publickly went to hear Mass confiding in the mercy of ever blessed Jesus who for him doubtless will all Safety and Prosperity provide O Prodigie never to be duly pondered for which he is through all the World praised and admired Magna est Veritas praevalet We must not meddle with things Sacred but with due reverence we must not confound the true Churches Spiritual Authority with the Regal Civil and Temporal both being distinct in Office and severally given and appointed by the Almighty they are like the two Arms of his Divine Power employed by him and distributed to their several Uses the one exercising the meer Spiritual and Persuasive Power the other the Corporal and Coercive Power the one holding the Pastoral-directing and Soul-corrective Staff the other swaying the Royal and All-subjecting Scepter the one unsheathing the Spiritual Sword cutting off by Authority Disobedient Schismatical or Heretical Sinners from the communion of the faithful Flock and from eternal Life the other brandishing the Kingly Sword cutting off the Lives of the Offenders of established just Laws and even as God holds this World in his hands that the vast Sea and firm Land may not mix together but observe their just bounds lest they should come to another Chaos So he will not have those two sovereign distinct Dignities be blinded into one least Confusion and inevitable Ruine should follow Sure since King Henry the Eighth revolted from the Monarchical Spiritual Power of Christ's Church nothing to this day followed but confusion misery disasters in this brave Kingdom of England by degrees ascending to height of unheard-of Iniquity and Tyranny as to cut off the best of Kings Charles the First assuredly those miscreant Hell-hounds that murdered him would not stick to murder even Divinity This is the woful Catastrophe of disjoyning the Spiritual from Kingly and Monarchical Government Now I must say this much of the Roman Catholick Church that according to St. Paul Rom. 1. was and is yet and will continue in perpetuum famous for Faith Religion Sacrifice and Sacraments throughout the Universe for the sound of her Doctrine hath been heard every where and her Fame to the utmost Parts of the World so as it is the same to say Roman as Catholick or Vniversal whereas there where the Roman Eagles Wings did never spread the Roman Faith did reaching down to all Ages and spreading over all Kingdoms for who can view Christianity in its extent but must consider how all Kingdoms and Nations were by Roman Emissaries converted to the true ancient Faith of Iesus we need not make any further Enquiries but embrace and walk confidently in those plain Paths in which Fools cannot err following the foot-steps of the true Flock and the heavenly good Pastor where alone Sanctity Verity and all Virtues inerrability infallibility and perpetuity are found for when where or how she ever err'd or fail'd no Authentick Author have yet related no faithful candid Writer recorded nor have any of those watchful Luminaries and Sentinels whom God hath placed in his Church ever given the least alarm of Innovations gotten into the same only Schismaticks and Hereticks combining conspiring and reviling and in vain CHAP. II. Of the CHURCH THe Church of Christ is one Society or Company of Men link'd and combin'd together in one and the same profession of Christian Faith Religion Sacrifice and use of Sacraments under lawful Pastors and under one supreme visible Head Pastor or conservator of Peace Union and Verity This is a true notion or definition of the Church established by Christ and propagated by the blessed Apostles here the true nature essence and constitution of a Church is manifested and doth truly distinguish it from all Hereticks and Schismaticks vain Pretences whatsoever for they are apparently excluded from Christ's Church and she appears glorious without spot wrinkle or any such thing she is described in holy Writ by the Emblems of a City orderly govern'd by one chief supreme Governour or of an Army govern'd by that Military Discipline that requires subjection to one Generalissimo the King had placed over it of the Body each Member in due subjection to its visible Head on Earth and the Pope in point of Government rul'd by his invisible Head in the highest Heaven Hence it followeth by order of good consequence that Divine Faith and Belief wherein consisteth as well the ground and foundation of our eternal welfare as also the Fruit and entire Utility of Christ's coming into this World is to be had in the Church made plain by the Prophet Esay 45. he foreshewed the wonderful Providence of God in providing for Christians so manifest a way of Direction for their Faith and Religion as that the most simple and unlearned Man in the World should not be able but out of wilfulness to go astray therein his words directed to the Gentiles are these Take comfort and fear not behold your God shall come and save you then shall the Eyes of the Blind be opened and the Ears of the Deaf shall be restored and there shall be a Path and way and it shall be called The holy way and it shall be to you a direct way as Fools shall not be able to err therein Sure the plain and direct way mentioned by Esay wherein no simple or ignorant Men can err is the general Body of Christ's visible Church upon Earth planted by his Apostles throughout all Nations and Countries and continuing by Succession unto the World's end in which Church who remaineth and believeth all things taught therein cannot at all fall into any Error of Faith for that this Church is guided by Christ's Spirit and therefore in no ways subject or within the compass of Error For which cause St. Paul ultimo calls it The Pillar and Firmament of Truth And the same Church is so conspicuous and evidently manifest that it is more easie to find it out than it is to see the Sun or Moon when it shineth brightest at Noon or to behold the greatest Hill or Mountain in the World and for more declaration of this it 's to be noted That in the time from Christ's ascension until the 13
Sacraments Where that Children who cannot yet believe or answer for themselves are to be Baptized c. And so many other things of this nature which makes us sufficiently understand they ruine themselves by their own Hands and Weapon the Bible which they force and wrest to fit it to their depraved purposes Alas poor deluded Pretenders To whom do you trust your Souls for Salvation your Honours and Lives having blindly rejected the old Belief and Truths of your Fore-fathers upon a bare pretext of Scripture cast and moulded on the heads of changeable Men Let us therefore follow and embrace the Generality the Antiquity and common Consent let 's hold what is held every where and always and by all so it be authorised by the Divine Law and the Catholick Church's Tradition Let us now see what the Ministers of Protestantism oppose against so many infallible Proofs to cover their want of Antiquity Mission Succession Miracles Sanctity Judgment and Reason They cease not to buzz out every where a false pretext of Scripture 〈…〉 ich verily is the greatest illusion that can be imaginable for these pitiful ones seeing themselves batter'd on every side from the beginning of Reformation know well in their consciences that the Scripture is against them yet say they to mock at the faith of Mankind and lead Souls to Atheism We must avoid the decision of a Power lively and lawful we must only take colour from the holy Text we will make it say what we list we will maintain nothing is to be believed but what is written we will disguise it with glosses and consequences to catch these who seem to have reason and wit. Behold the only means to colour their pretences Who are endued with sufficient and solid Judgment cannot but consider and discover how deceitful weak and ruinous their Foundation is Now behold the powerful and invincible Reasons which made St. Austin resolve upon the Religion we profess Many great Reasons said he with much reason keep me in the obedience of the Catholick Church the consent of People and Nation 〈…〉 hold me the Authority of the same 〈…〉 which is risen up by Miracles m 〈…〉 ed with Hope augmented by Charity established by its Antiquity the succession of Bishops holds me therein which begins in the Seat and Authority of St. Peter to whom God recommended the Care of his Flock is maintained to this day Lastly the name Catholick holds me to it adding Contra Epist. Manichaei He would not believe the Gospel it self if he were not convinced by the Authority of the Church What can be more clear Yet tho' the Scripture doth so straitly recommend unto us in the practise of Humility the seat of Grace not to make our selves over-wise or able Rom. 12. Not to rest upon our own proper Judgment or Prudence Prov. 35. To hearken to our Fore-fathers to obey Pastors who have lawful Succession to work out our Salvation in fear and trembling What may a Man think of a Protestant Sect which authorizeth a peculiar Spirit which hath ever been the Seminary of all Schisms and Disorders in Church and State which without distinction puts the Scripture into all hands to judge of Points of Faith Verily from hence it is an admirable thing to behold how the petty Spirits of silly Artificers Mechanicks and even simple Women busie themselves with their Bible and to what degree of Pride they come when abused by some imaginary Text of Scripture they are puffed up with their own poor Ability flattering themselves deluded Souls by some Text not rightly understood with assurance of Salvation and Predestination in the greatest Exorbitancies and neglects of Life What Pride more irregular than this to see Men not content with the Religion practised in England's three Conversions doing all they can to deifie their own Opinions What Pharisee ever came near this height of Pride Yet the Bible they daily read and use Verily I plainly see they must hereafter live in Re-union it is the Spirit of God that commands it and will effect it in due time Whereas now a days Shism and Faction has evidently prevailed over Unity Pride over humble Submission to reveal'd Truth and ill stubborn Nature over real Truth CHAP. V. Plain Testamonies of holy Scripture both Old and New for the Church's Infallibility WE read that the Jewish Synagogue had a Supream Court of Judicature to end all arising difficult controversies from whence there was no Appeal because God promised that the Judge there should shew them the Sentence and threatned Death to those who should do presumptiously and not harken to the Priest or Judge Deut. 17.8 nay Christ himself commanded the people even in his time to do as they said who sate in Moses Chair but not to do as they did Matth. 23.3 So that till the spirit of God forsook the Synagogue it was to be obeyed and by consequence was secured from giving a false Sentence in necessaries to Salvation And can we imagine that God would leave his Spouse his Church without this so great a priviledge to whom a Covenant with better promises hath been given Heb. 8. The Prophesies that speak of the Churches the New Law tells us that there shall be in those daies a way of Holiness that the way-faring Men tho' Fools shall not Err therein Isa. 35.8 Furthermore the Prophesies tells that God had made a Covenant with his Church that his Spirit shall be upon her and his words which he had put into her mouth shall not depart out of her mouth nor out of the mouth of her Seed nor out of the mouth of her Seed's Seed for ever saith the Lord Isa. 59.20.21 Therefore no Errors Read besides the 60. Chapter of Isa. Say that all Nations that will not serve Her shall perish she will Suck the Breasts of Kings that her Sun shall not go down nor her Moon withdraw it self but the Lord shall be to her an everlasting light sure this is to secure her from teaching false Doctrine or falling into Idolatry the most abhorred of all Vices From the New-Testament Christ promises that he will Build his Church upon a Rock and that the Gates of Hell which the Fathers interpret Error and Heresie shall not prevail against it Matth. 16.18 That he will be with her Pastors and Preachers even to the end of the World Amen Matth. 28.20 That he will send them another Comforter the spirit of Truth to abide with them for ever Iohn 14.16 To teach them all things and to bring all that he has taught them to their remembrance ver 26. And that he shall guide them in all truth chap. 16. v. 15. Moreover he has laid an Injunction upon all persons to hear his Church under the severe Sentence of being look'd upon as Heathens and Publicans Matth. 18.17 Christ told his Disciples and their Successors that who heard them heard him Luke 10.16 he commanded to teach all Nations and told them that they who believed should be