little the Model and Methode of it In the first place are set down the Occasions of that Honorable new Converts doubts concerning the Truth of the Protestant Religion such as are the Ministers Inconstancy in Doctrin Disciplin their great Dissensions and Divisions Their Tyrannizing over mens Consciences Their Contradicting their own Principles c. In which matters some late histories or passages are interlaced without expressing the names of persons therein concerned because that was not necessary since the things here touched are publique late fresh in all mens knowledge and Memories within the Countrey and the persons also well enough known Neither is it the digrace of any mens persons Hier. Apolog. 3. cont Ruffin c. 11. which S. Hierom calls the Machines of Heretiques but the correction of their Errors which is here intended After the occasion of the doubts is shewed in some few chapters then followeth the Triall of the last pretended Presbyterian Reformation in the principal points thereof as its condemning of Episcopacy the abolishing the hymne of Glory to the Father c. the denying the Apostolical authority of the Apostles Creed neglecting to say our Lords Prayer c. In all which points the Presbyterians are found to go against the word of God the Primitive Church the former doctrines practises of many among themselvs against their first Reformers and many learned Protestants So that this last pretended Reformation is shewed to be nothing but a reall Deformation destroying not only the Apostolique office government established by Christ in his Church but also the two chief Pillars or heads of the Christian Religion to witt our Lords Prayer and the Apostles Creed Then followeth the Trial of the first pretended Reformation which is also shewed to have destroyed in effect the other two chief Pillars of Christianity to witt the Divine Commandments and Holy Sacraments and to have brought in a most Erroneous doctrin of Iustification by Faith only expresly against the Scriptures holy Fathers So that these two pretended Reformations are shown to have made vp between them the hideous work of Desolation After this the whole Protestant Church by the vndenyable principle of the perpetuity of Christs Church is proved not to be the true Church of Christ And by the same vndenyable principle the Church in Communion with the Sea of Rome and she alone is demonstrated to be the true Catholique Church of Christ and to have in all ages still continued in the same doctrin which she received from Christ his Apostles notwithstanding the calumnies of Heretiques Then lastly the same truth is proved by the Marks whereby the true Church is clearly designed in the Scriptures as by her Vnity Sanctity Vniversality Apostolical Succession by which marks the holy Fathers also did prove the true Church in their times To which is subioyned a brief Examination of the Presbyterian Covenant or Confession of Faith which although it was much Idolatrized of late is shewed to be nothing but a Denyall and Abiuration of the holy Faith with many execrations and blasphemies against it This briefly Courteous Reader is the Scope and Methode of the ensuing Treatises which the Author thereof earnestly wishes may tend to thy profit That if thou be a new Converted Catholique thou mayst be coÌ„firmed thereby in thy holy Faith If one who after many tossings in Errors art seeking the Truth thou mayst be assisted to find it where only it can be found if lastly thou be one who not through malice but through negligence or ignorance adheres vnto Errors thou mayst be stirred vp to try them and to seek diligently the Truth which is a work most worthy of thy paines Neither is it so hard as some do imagin to find the Truth since God Almighty according to his infinit goodnesse wisdom has prepared the way to heaven so much the more certain easy to be known how much more Error and deceit in it brings greater losse with it and therefore he has promised so plain and direct a way vnto Eternal happinesse that fooles may not erre by it Esay 35.5 Whence it is evident if thou seekest this way with diligence and after the right manner thou mayst have great confidence by Gods grace to attayn vnto it But then thou wilt seek it in the right way according to the advice of the glorious Doctor S. Augustin to his friend Honoratus if thou dost vse fervent and frequent prayer Aug de vtilâ— credâ—s 15 16. strivest to have peace and tranquillity of mind if thou wilt hear that Church which God hath established on earth with so great authority and which is called Catholique both by her own by strangers For it is by Authority only whereby men can come vnto the knowledge of Divin Truth and there is no Authority equall vnto this wich began by Miracles and is most famous for Multltudes of peoples and Nations and therefore if thou proceedest orderly at this Authority thou oughtest to begin as the same holy Father affirmes But if thou contemnest so great Authority and only openest thy eares to the Enemies and Calumniators of so famous a Society which has been also calumniated by all the former heretiques as well as by these of this Age thou canst not be excused neither canst thou arrive vnto the possession of solid Truth Therefore if thou be wise follow the former advice of S. Augustin who was so wise so learned a Doctor and who had such great knowledge and experience in this affaire And if thou wouldest take a short and compendious way to come vnto the Truth Try only that one question of the Church according to the marks abovementioned whereby it is clearly designed in Scripture and thou wilt not only soone find that they cannot agree to thy New Inconstant Church but also thou wilt quickly see that they agree to the Catholique Church which has ever endured and against which Hels gates could never prevaile and so with the true Church thou wilt find aâ—l Truth because it is ever governed by the Spirit of Truth and is the Pillar and ground of Truth This is the right manner for thee to attayn vnto the Truth and to true Happâ—nesse To which that God Almighty may direct and bring thee shall be earnestly desired by thy welwisher F. W. S. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. I. THAT God by the Confusion of Error stirres vp many to seek the Truth p. 1. Ch. II. Of the Ministers Inconstancy and of the Alterations made by the late Presbyterian Reformation p. 8. Ch. III. Of the Ministers Dissensions Divisions p. 15. Ch. IV. Of the Presbyterians Rigour and Tyranny over Protestants p. 26. Ch. V. Of the Presbyterians contradicting their own Principles p. 34. Ch. VI. Of the Presbyterians Disobedience to the Civil Magistrate and of their pretext of Piety p. 46. Ch. VII Of Episcopacy condemned as Anti-Christian by the Presbyterians p. 53. Ch. VIII Of our Lords
counsel And againe Let vs believe saith he the Symbol of the Apostles which the Roman Church doth ever preserve and keep 's inviolate And if we will ascend higher S. Iren. lib. 1. c. 2. lib. 3. c. 4. S. Clement epist 1. ad frat Domini Basil de de Sp. S c. 27. S Ireneus Bishop of Lions and disciple of S. Polycarpus sheweth that diverse Nations believed without Scriptures by tradition which certainly was of the Apostles Creed S. Clement the disciple of S. Peter Coadiutor of S. Paul doth testify the same Diverse other Fathers may be seen cited in Cardinal Bellarmin tom 1. de verbo Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 4. S. Basil doth reckon the Apostles Creed as a principal Apostolique tradition And in a word I found that all Christian Nations and Ages have borne testimony of this truth Moreover I found that in the primitive times this Symbol was holden in so great reverence that in General Councels it vsed to be first recited Baron vbi su pra Aug. de Symb. and lay'd downe as the ground of the whole Ecclesiastique building as Baronius doth shew To this purpose S. Augustin calls it The foundation of the Catholique faith vpon which the edifice of the Church built by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles did rise ad Cat. lib. 3. c. 1. Leo ad Pul. Aug. ep 96. And S. Leo saith that this short and perfect Confession of the Catholique Symbol which is sealed by 12. sentences of the Apostles is so furnished with heavenly armour that by this sword alone all opinious of Heretiques may be cut of As I found such greet testimonies to prove the Apostolique authority of the creed so I did find that the holy Fathers did highly praise the excellency of it as of a worke worthy of such diuine Architects S. Augustin calls it Aug. ser 42. de trad Symb. The comprehension perfection of our faith It 's simple saith he short full That it's simplicity might serve the rudnesse it 's shortnesse the memory its fulnesse the instruction of the hearers Elswhere he calls it the Compend of the Scriptures lib. 1. ad Catech. Id. m ser in Vigil Pentecost And againe he saith This is a Symbol briefe in words but large in mysteries For whatsoever is prefigured in the Patriarchs whatsoever is declared in the Scriptures or foretold by the Prophets c. is contain'd and briefly confessed in it And in his Sermon above cited de Traditione Symboli speaking of the Creed he saith These are not humane words but heavenly mysteries of our Lord. But most notable and efficacious are the words of Rufinus to this purpose The Apostles Rufin in praef de expos Symb. saith he being to part from one an other to preach they lay'd downe this marke of their faith and agreement Not as the children of Noe being to part from each other rearing vp a tower of bricke and slime whose top should reach vnto the heauens but building the fortresses of faith of liuely stones and heavenly pearles which should stand stedfast against the face of the enemy which neither the winds should shake nor floodes subvert nor boysterous stormes or tempests move They therefore being to separate building the tower of Pride were deservedly punished with the Confusion of tongues that not one could vnderstand the speech of his neighbour but these who built the tower of Faith were endued with the skill and knowledge of all languages to the end that the one might be the marke of Sin and the other the monument of Faith Thus Ruffinus Lastly the same holy Fathers do shew the frequent laudable vse of the Apostles Creed in the primitive Church It was first taught and delivered vnto those who desired Baptisme and it was required to be publickly said by them immediatly before their baptisme This custome as Ruffinus sheweth was carefully observed in the Roman Church Ruffin ibid vt supra S. Augustin also doth witnesse how the God-fathers did say it in name of the Infants whom they presented to Baptisme and therefor he earnestly exhorts every Christian when he comes to the yeares of discretion to say frequently the Apostolique Creed which he professed by the mouths of those who presented him to Baptisme and call's it the Mirrour of a Christiā Render saith he your Symbol render it vnto the Lord Aug. homil 42. be not weary to rehearse it the repetition of it is good least forgetfulnesse creep on thee Do not say I said it yesternight I said it to day I say it every day I haue it well Remember thy faith behold thy self Let thy Creed be a Mirrour vnto thee there see thy self if thou believe all that thou confesses thy self to believe and reioyce dayly in thy faith Let it be thy riches the dayly Apparell of thy Soule Do you not cloath your self when you rise So by remembering thy Creed cloath thy Soule least peradventure forgetfulnesse make it naked S. Ambrose calls it the Seale of our heart which we ought dayly to review and the Watch-word of a Cristian Amb. lib. 3. de Virginib tom 4. which should be in readinesse in all dangers By all which irrefragable testimonies the sacred authority great excellency and frequent laudable vse both in publick and private of the Apostles Creed did appeare sufficiently vnto me So that I found for it the consent of peoples and Nations the testimonies of the holy Fathers the Martyrs Saints and Christians of all ages that is of the Vniuersal Church the piller ground of truth which are the greatest assurances that can be had vpon earth And therefore I rested fully satisfyed with them But I was much more confirmed in this resolution when I vnderstood by a serious conference with a friend that there was the same certainty for the Creed that there is for the Scriptures to witt the Tradition or testimony of the Church S. Augustin delivers clearly this truth concerning the Scriptures Aug. cont epist fund c. 5. I would not haue believed saith he the Euangel unlesse the authority of the Catholique Church had moved me c. and that authority being once weakned neither can I believe the Euangel This testimony authority of the Catholique Church was proved to me to be the most easy manifest and infallible ordinary way that can be had on earth to come vnto the certaine knowledge of what books are Scriptures yea it was clearly proved to be the only way so that if once this testimony be weakened there is nothing left but guessings wanderings after the manner of blind men as experience doth shew in the difference between the Lutheranists the Calvinists who agree in all their supposed wayes of knowing the Scripture and yet can never agree in the same Canon of the Scriptures But of this matter we shall haue occasion to speake more fitly hereafter in the question of the Church If then the
by the Christians of the preceeding age makes the doctrin of every following age the same with the doctrin of the preceeding age and so makes the doctrin of all after ages the same with the doctrin of the first age For suppose that the Church now in this age relies vpon that principle to believe nothing as Christs doctrin but what her predecessors of the 15. age taught her to be his doctrin it is evident that the doctrin of these two ages will be the same And the Church of the 15. age relying vpon the same principle must hold the same doctrin which the Church of the 14. age held and so vpward the doctrin of the third age will be the same with that of the second and the doctrin of the second will be the same with that of the first and so if this principle has been carefully observed in all ages the doctrin of all ages will be the same with the doctrin of the first age which is the doctrin of Christ and of his Apostles The Maior then is evident The Minor is proved thus The Church now in Communion with the Roman sea holds in this age that principle For she professeth to believe nothing contrary to the doctrin of her immediat Ancestors and presumes to add nothing as Christs doctrin vnto the doctrin of her Ancestors Therefore she professeth to believe nothing as Christs doctrin but what she received as such from her immediat Ancestors If the Church of the present age professeth so as it is evident she doth then the Church of the fifteenth age behoved to make the like profession or else the Church of this age could not make it For so many persons as are now in Communion with the Roman Church cannot concurre to make so notorious sensible a lye as to say they professe nothing but what was profes't and taught by their immediat Ancestors if these of the 15. age had not made truly such a profession of the same doctrines And for the same reason these of the 15. age could not make that profession and teach it vnto this age vnlesse the 14. age had done the same and so you may ascend vpward even vnto the first age Therefore the Church professing to observe this principle now in this age hath profes't it alwayes If she has profes't it alwayes she has also observ'd it alwayes for the same reason because so many Nations as are in Commmunion of the Roman Church cannnot make so notorious a lye as to say they believe nothing but what they received from their immediat Ancestors if they believed any thing else as Christs doctrin which they had not received Therefore seing they affirm in all ages even vnto the first that they received all their doctrin from their Ancestors it must be true that they did receive it all and it must be also true that with the other doctrine they received and observed this principle To believe nothing but what has been delivered by their immediat Ancestors For this is as it were the rule ground of all particular doctrines So that by proving that the present Church in Communion with the sea of Rome professeth to observe this principle it 's proved she profes't it alwayes and by proving that she profest it alwayes it is shown she has observ'd it alwayes and this principle been alwayes profes't and observed it has been ever delivered with the rest of the doctrin as the main ground whereon the Church hath relyed by which men may come vnto the sure knowledge possession of the true doctrin which was taught by Christ his Apostles So that if the whole Church hath not made a notorious sensible lye in one age to damn themselves and their whole posterity she hath ever received all her doctrin from her immediat Ancestors and so it will be true that the doctrin of all ages is the same with the doctrin of the first age which is the true doctrin of Christ his Apostles Now it rests to be shown that this Church alone observes the former principle which is easily done For if there had been any other society of Christians which had constantly kept that principle it had also kep't the same doctrin which the Roman Church keeps as is evident by what hath been said Secondly No other Churches and especially the Protestant can so much as pretend to keep this principle For they are so far from professing to receive all their doctrines from their immediat Ancestors that at their first rising they accuse their Ancestors and the Church in their time of Errors whereof they professe themselves to be Reformers and that not by doctrin which they had received immediatly from others but what they had received or pick't out from the Scriptures by their private collections which has been the ordinary custom of all heretiques And this is evident in Protestants who do acknowledge that they have their doctrin not by the testimony of the age immediatly preceeding Luther but from him who opposed the whole Church in his time and for many ages before him which he pretended to reform by the Scriptures The whole strength of this proof is grounded vpon this manifest truth that a full report from whole worlds of fathers to whole worlds of Sons of such things as they heard and saw is altogether infallible since sensible evidence in a world of eye witnesses vnanimously concurring is altogether infallible And such is the test mony of the whole Church in every age for her doctrin that it is the very same which was delivered by Christ and his Apostles and therefore it was truly delivered by them For neither can the Church be mistaken in this testimonie since whole Nations cannot be deceived in what is told them not once or twice but what is dayly beaten into their ears what they are bred with and what they see dayly with their eyes or else we may say the whole world erres in iudging white from black Neither can all the Christians in the world dispersed through so many Nations malitiously conspire to make so notorious a lie as to say they heard this taught and saw it practised if they had not seen and heard it For that were to testify a lie in a matter subiect to sense against their greatest interest to witt the Salvation of themselvs of their posterity If it be impossible that all the persons of a great Citie and much more of a whole Nation should think affirm that they saw and heard such things which truly they neither saw nor heard How much more is it impossible that all Christians Cities Nations should think and affirm they were instructed in such doctrines saw such practices if it were not really true that they had received these doctrines seen these practices Hence it remaines evident that this continued testimony of so many Christian in every generation is a most sure infallible way to attayn vnto the certain knowledge of what
by the power malice of the Devil Having then after a serious equitable and zealous search of the truth found it by Gods grace to be where the Ministers clamours and my education made me least suspect it was And therefore being to abandon that religion and particular new inconstant confus'd Church wherein I was bred and to incorporat my self into the vniuersal ancient perpetual and invariable Church protected alway's from heaven against the gates of Hell I thought fitting to to recollect the occasion and reasons of my happy change both for the contentment of my own mind that I may briefly see what I have long and diligently sought after and for the satisfaction of others who perhaps may imagine I had done rashly desiring earnestly God may be glorifyed in both The reasons which mov'd me to think strange of our religion were these following all which I saw with my eyes 1. The Ministers Inconstancy in Doctrine 2. Their Dissensions 3. Their contradicting their owne Principales 4. Their Cruelty over mens consciences 5. Disobedience to Civil Magistrats with a shew of Godlinesse without any effect or truth of it CHAP. II. Of the Ministers Inconstancy and of the Alterations made by the late Presbyterian Reformation THERE is hardly any thing that makes people to stumble more at religion then the often changing of it and nothing makes them more apprehensive of their Pastours falshood then their levity and inconstancy in their doctrines and practises For how can people think that religion true and solid which they see is never constant but is alway's changing like the Moone And how can they but suspect their Pastours to be false prophets whom they heare at diverse times teaching them contrary doctrines For it 's evident by the light of reason that such lighsnesse and inconstancy especially when it is accompayn'd with a proper condemnation of their own former doctrines and practises is a reall open confession of their former errours if not of formal deceit's And therefore it shewes them to be either deceitfull or at least blind Guides to neither of which can people either prudently or safely intrust their soules If such wandering and erring Guides after some experience had of them would not be followed nor trusted in earthly voyages How much lesse are these to be followed or trusted in our voyage to heaven which is of greater concernment As lightnesse and inconstancy are farre from the office of true Apostles so they are alwayes proper to false Teachers and Prophets S. Paul writing to the Corinthians freeth himself and other true pastours from such imputations 2. Cor. 1. ch v. 17. seq Did I vse saith he lightnesse or was my preaching It is and it is not for the son of God Iesus Christ who was preached by vs among you by me and Sylvanus and Timothee was not It is and it is not but. It is was in him But vpon the other part the same S. Paul writing to Timothee shewes that all false Teachers are light and incōstant Evil men 2. Thimoth 3. saith he and seducers prosper to the worse erring driving into errour This is the worst most deplorable kinde of inconstancy which proceeds from evil to worse which is too evident in the Presbyterians who haue abrogated condemned and deformed many things which their first Reformers had left vntouched allowed and practised as shall be presently seen For vnder vaine imagination of a new Reformation they haue gone further from the truth and vnder pretext of attayning greater purity they have plung'd themselves more deeply into the puddle of errour First then they changed the governement of the Church by Bishops which had continued a good time and was established both by Civil and Ecclesiastique lawes yea they did not only change and abrogate the governement of Bishops but they condemned also their very office as vnlawfull and Antichristian and forced others to swear and subscribe to their sentence And in place of Episcopacy they brought in a parity of Ministers and a forme of discipline which they call Presbytery Declaring that this was the only governement conforme to the word of God and which Christ had ordain'd for his Church to which sentence also all behoved to sweare And therefore to the two marks of the Church ordinarly assign'd by Protestants the Presbyterians ioyn'd their discipline as the third whereby they declared that all Protestant Churches which wanted this governement were not true or at least pure Churches of Christ So that they made their Presbyterian discipline a substantial point of doctrine the contrary whereof was taught believed and practised in the Bishops time in the Isle of Britaine and in all places where the Lutheran Protestants lives And what ever was the practise of the French Calvinists yet they did not definitiu'ly declare the office of Bishop to be Antichristian but kept society with these Protestant Churches where Episcopal governement was established and wrote most respectiv'ly vnto the Bishops themselves as may be seen in the Survey of the new discipline Secondly After the change and abolition of the old governement of the Church They proceeded next to abolish all sett prayers all the orders and directions which were ordain'd by I Knox the first Fundatour or Reformer of this Church for administration of the Sacraments and of Mariage yea all sett formes of prayer were disallowed and cancelled vpon pretext that they nourished tepidity and smoothered the fervour of the Spirit according to which all persons were ordain'd to pray albeit oftentymes it prov'd the Spirit of giddinesse as appear'd by their frequent Tautologies and bablings But it had not been so much matter for abrogating Mr Knox his prayers if they had not been too bold with the most excellent of all prayers made by our B. Saviour himself and recommended by him to all Christians For although the Ministers were accustomed before to end their imperfect prayers as they spoke in that most perfect forme of prayer made by Christ which was also the practise of their first Reformers Knox chron p. 288. as may be seen in Knox Chronicle at the conclusion of the prayer for a benediction to the Superintendent yet it was left off any more to be said by these new Presbyterian Reformers the rest of the brethren thought it most secure for their own own standing to follow their Leaders Albeit they cashiered all other sett prayers yet they might have excepted this both for the excellenty of it and the dignity of the Authour They indeed spoke nothing publickely and directly against it till one of their prime Apostles did not stick to call the frequent vse of it most irreverently a Papistical charme Thirdly they changed not only the prayers but also the manner of singing psalmes for they tooke away and abolished the hymne of Glory to the Father and to the Son c. with which the Psalme was ordinarly concluded according to the custome which was kept from the beginning of the
Church hath only continued since the revolt of Luther Therefore the Protestant Church is not the true Church There is nothing more certain then the Maior The Minor hath been proved because if there had been any Protestant Church before Luther it had been either visible or invisible But there was neither Not the first because there was no Church nor person before Luther that professed entirely any Protestant Confession for any little time much lesse for the whole time between the Apostles Luther Not the second because if there had been any invisible Protestant Church before Luther it had become visible when Luther appeared and the feare of persecution was taken away But no such invisible Church did then appeare And moreover it hath been shewed that although the Protestants had had an invisible Church before Luther yet it could not be the true Church which ought to be alwayes visible and that an invisible Church is against Scriptures Fathers reason Protestants own principles disparageth the Christian religion gives great advantage to Iewes and infidels and leads men into Apostasy and Atheism And so both the holes of Visibility and Invisibility by which these foxes were accustomed to escape are now lay'd or stop't The diverse essaies which many Protestants make to find their Church shew the difficulty of the question so that they see what they ought not to say but cannot see what to say that hath any probability of truth They have travailed much to find out their Church before Luther they have been above these 100. years in seeking it and we have followed the most famous Guides among them But both they we have laboured in vaine to find that which cannot be found Yet we make much profit of our labour if we have discovered that the Protestant Church before Luther cannot be found not because it was hid but because it was not as hath been proved and therefore leave off any further search of it following S. Augustins advice who writes thus to the Donatists about the like purpose Some thing saith he may be Aug cap. 16. de vnitate Eccles and yet not found out but that which hath no being cannot be found Let them therefore leave off to seek that which they could not find not because it was hid but because it was not To this purpose spake the Catholique who vpon my desire delivered me thereafter these things more fully in writing which after serious consideration of them gave me such satisfaction that I desired him to proceed to the proof of his own Church which he did in the manner following CHAP. XXX That the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone is the true Church HAVING already proved to your satisfaction said my Catholique friend to me your Church not to be the true Church and that by the vndenyable principle of the perpetuity of the Church I will now endeavour with the assistance of Gods grace to prove no lesse clearly by the same principle laying aside other proofs the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and her alone to be the true Church Which I briefly do after this manner That is the only true Church which has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles to this time But the Church in Communion with the ea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles to this time Therefore the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and no other is the true Church The Maior is clear For to have a continued succession to be perpetuall is the same thing Now as we have seen above that the true Church must be perpetual or must have continually endured from Christ his Apostles to this time so it is no lesse evident that that is only the true Church which has been perpetual or has still endured This the holy Fathers do testify this the light of reason doth evince S. Hierom saith Hieron Dial. cont Lucifer I will bring a short and clear declaration of my mind that we ought to remain in that Church which being founded by the Apostles endures even vnto this day And the reason is because we ought to remain in the true Church and that according to S. Hierom is the true Church which hath still endured from the Apostles Tertull. lib. 4. contr Marcion c. 5. To the like purpose Tertullian saith That is true which is first that is first which was from the beginning that is from the beginning which was from the Apostles And therefore that is the true Church which has continued from the Apostles This same truth is also cleared by the light of reason For the true Church was first founded by Christ his Apostles before any heresies or false Churches which carie the name of Christian were or could be raised by heretiques Because truth is alway's before falshood the body is before the shaddow and the good seed is sow'n in the field before the tares Therefore that is the true Church which was first and from the beginning and consequently that is the only true Church which hath been perpetual for that only could be first from the beginning Moreover this truth is confirmed For it is certain that de facto no heresies or false Churches have continued from the primitive times because these which arose of old have long ago evanished and these which remain to this day have but for a short time endured Therefore if it be most certain that the true Church must be perpetual then it is also certain that that only is the true Church which has been perpetual since one only Christian Church hath been perpetual Yea albeit any heresy had continued even from the ancient primitive times as never any of them by Gods special providence can see so many dayes yet it could not be perpetual because it could not be first and from the beginning which only the true Church can be as we have seen but it behoved to be raised thereafter by heretiques and therefore could not be so ancient as the true Church and consequently had not perpetually endured By all which the Maior of our argument is sufficiently cleared The Minor to witt that the Church now in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has still endured or has had a continued succession from Christ and his Apostles to this time is proved by all the evidences whereby such a proposition can be proved whereby the holy Fathers proved it in their times For all histories all Monuments records publique fame the Consent of people Nations and as S. Augustin speaks the Confession of mankind bear witness that this Church and she alone has had a continued succession For this was the Church which in the primitive times suffered and overcame all the cruel persecutions of the Iewes Pagans this is the Church which hath converted Kings Nation from infidelity to Christianity which
hath had her gates continually open day night in all generations to receive the strength of the Gentils and in a word which has made the world Christian This is the Church which alone in allâ—ges has opposed all the heresies which did arise in their diverse ages from the beginning of Christianity and albeit they all have shut out their hornes against this Church and both by slight might have endeavoured to destroy her yet she alone hath fought against them all and gloriously triumphed over them all This is the Church which has held all the General Councels which hath condemned all errors and heresies which has had Pastors and people professing the faith in all ages without interruption and in which all the Saints Martyrs and Doctors have lived These things might be shown by a particular Catalogue of this Churches chief Pastors Councils Nations converted and publique Professors in every age if it were not too longsome and besids it is so clear that it is not here necessary especially seing the Lutheran Centurists who have raked together all they can both for themselves and against the Roman Church yet can shew the succession and continuance of no other but only of this Church And the reason of this is clear because this Church and she alone hath so clearly this succession that no other Churches which carie the name of Christian can so much as pretend to have it in the least degree of probability For it is evidently certain that all other Churches which are separated from this Church were once of her faith Communion and went vndeniably out of her and therefore they cannot be so ancient as she and consequently they have not alwayes had a continued succession from the Apostles and if they pretended it they would be most ridiculous making an evident lie against sense Therefore the Protestants wisely pretend no such thing Yea their whole Reformation is grounded vpon a contrary pretext that the whole Church had fallen into desolation grosse Errors Heresy and Idolatry which is in-indeed to pretend that the succession of the Church had failed and that they were now sent to set her vp again By all which it is seen that the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles and that so clearly that no other Church can pretend to have it This same truth was testifyed by the holy Fathers in their time S. Hierom 〈◊〉 said above that he would bring a clear declaration of his mind that that is the true Church that hath still endured to witt the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which he esteem's so much to be the true Church that he affirmes those who have no Communion with her to belong not to Christ but to Anti-Christ For thus he writes to S. Damasus Bishop of Rome With the successor of the Fisher and with the disciple of the Crosse I speak I Hior epist ad Damas following none chief but Christ hold the fellowship of Communion with thy Holynesse that is with Peters chaire Vpon that rock I know the Church to be built Whosoever shall eate the lambe without that house is a prophane person c. He that gathereth not with thee scattereth that is saith he who is not Christs is Anti-Christs This old doctrin is far different from the Presbyterians new opinions S. Cyprian saith Cyp. tract de simplicitate Prâ—tator who leaves the Chaire of Peter vpon whom the Church was built does he think to be in the Church But let vs hear S. Augustin the most glorious Doctor of the Church shewing this same truth For after he had spoken much of the sincere wisdom great holynesse and fruits of piety of the Church and of the great authority which God hath conferr'd on her he subioyns these remarkable words to his friend Honoratus Aug. de vtilite crede c. 17. Seing therefore we see so great help and assistance from God shall we make any doubt or question at all of retiriing into the bosome of that Church which to the Confession of mankind from the sea Apostolique by the succession of Bishops hath obtain'd the Soveraignity principal authority Heretiques in vain barking round about it being condemned partly by the gravity of Councels partly also by the Maiesty splendour of Miracles vnto which not to grant the chief place is either indeed an extream impiety or a very rash and dangerous arrogancy Thus he Here we see what Church in the time of the holy Fathers had this continued succession and the same is no lesse evident to this day In the Scriptures we read the prophesies and Christs promises of his Church and in this Church alone we see no lesse clearly the performances What the Scripture had foretold Aug. de vnitate Eccl. c. 8. in ps 149. here with ioy as S. Augustin speaks we may see fulfilled The Church before was only read in books and now it is seen in Nations By all which authorities evidences both the Maior and the Minor of the argument proposed are sufficiently proved to be manifest truths to witt That that is only the true Church which has had a continued succession from the Apostles to this time And that the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession From which the Conclusion followes clearly Therefore the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome is the only true Church of Christ You see this reason is neither new nor obscure For it was vsed by the holy Fathers as a most clear short and convincing way whereby the true Church may be known If it was so easy strong then it is no lesse but rather more evident forcible now If the succession of the Church for 3. or 4. hundred years and of 30. or 40. Roman Bishops was esteem'd so strong by the Fathers to prove the true Church how much more forcible is the successioÌ„ of the Church for above 1600. yeares above 2. hundred Bishops of the sea Apostolique to prove the same truth Nothing could be said by the AncieÌ„t Fathers in confirmatioÌ„ of this truth which may not as iustly be said now and nothing can be pretended now by the present Enemies of the Roman Church against it which might not have been as iustly preteÌ„ded by her ancient enemies the old heretiques Neither is there any way to shun the force of this Demonstration but either by affirming that the true Church had perished which is detestable blasphemy or by saying she became invisible which we have shown above to be a grosse falshood and desperate folly This whole matter may be further illustrated and confirmed There is nothing more clear in the Scripture then that the Church of Christ must still endure or have a continued succession of people professing the same faith which was taught by the Apostles Now it is no lesse clear it
is granted by all Christians that the Church in Communion with Rome had once this succession and professed the true faith at least for some years after the Apostles Therefore either she holds still the same true faith and so has a continued succession from the Apostles or else if she hath fail'd some other Church hath succeeded and kept the true faith in all generations thereafter But no other Church can be assigned which hath still succeeded Therefore either the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which was once vndenyably the true Church is still the true Church and hath ever professed the same true faith or else the true Church of Christ which ought to be perpetual and visible hath perished out of the earth for many ages which no Christian can affirm Moreover as the true Church is clearly easily known by her continued succession so all false Churches are evidently discoverd by their new rising S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 3. The most ancient Father S. Irenaeus having reckon'd out the succession of the Roman Bishops by which he shewes the succession of the true Church from the Apostles saith Haec est plenissima ostensio c. This is a most full demonstration that the same lively faith taugth by the Apostles is still even vnto this day conserved in the Church and truly delivered And by this saith he Confundimus omnes c. We confound all Novelists who cannot shew such a succession S. Hierom saith that any new Church which hath not still endured from the Apostles is not the Church of Christ Hier. dial cont Lucifer vt sup Tertull. de praescrip c. 34. Idem li. advers Hermonem c. 1. but the Synagogue of Anti-Christ For by this same very thing that they are afterwards established they shew themselves to be those whom the Apostle foretold were to arise Tertullian affirmeth that Heretiques are discovered by their age alone Again To cut short all disputes with Heretiques we vse to prescribe them by their posteriority or after rising But it is worth the observation and much illustrates this matter to consider what two contrary things the Scripture foretells of the true Church and of heresies Of the Church it shewes that it hath no later beginning then Christ who founded it and can end no sooner then the consummation of the world Both these truths are contain'd in that one sentence of Christ to speak of no more Math. 16.19 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Of sects heresies it shewes iust the contrary 1. They are not so ancient as Christ but arise afterwards as S. Paul foretold the Ephesians saying I know Acts 20.29.30 that after my departure there will ravening Wolves enter in among you c. and of your selves shall arise men speaking perverse things 1. Iohn 2.19 S. Iohn saith They went out from vs. 2. As they rise lately so they quickly decay S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.9 They shall prosper no further The first two are verifyed clearly in the Catholique Church which being founded by Christ hath continued to this day without interruption and so shall continue vnto the end of the world For this being the work of God cannot be dissolved as Gamaliel wisely or rather divinly foretold The other two are no lesse verifyed of all false Churches For they began of late in several ages after the Apostles and albeit they seem'd sometimes firmly established yet being the works devices of men they were ever at length dissolved The first point to witt late rising is verifyd of the Protestant Churches which were not known before Luther their dissensions changes divisions and subdivisions which every day encrease and for which there is no remedie shew that they cannot endure for ever Is it not then truly admirable that the heresies which have risen against the Church being so many in number for two hundred Heresiarchs are reckoned to have been before Luther some of thē vpheld by great earthly power maintain'd by diverse svbtile and crafty wits covered with the mask of truth and promoved with furious zeal yet never one of them hath endured And vpon the other part the Catholique Church being all alone so ancient so much hated so much calumniated and persecuted by them all hath stood out against them all and endures vnto this day Is it not very considerable that all heretiques having intended by slight and might the destruction of the Catholique Church which some of them have most cruelly persecuted and the building of their own new respective Churches yet they could never get either of these two designs accomplished For the Catholique Church being founded by Christ vpon a rock cannot be shaken Whereas these new Churches albeit sometimes they seem to be brought neer vnto some setling perfection yet before they can get on the Capestone for which the Presbyterians did often in vain cry fall ever into ruin and confusion Who will consider these things may not see the finger of God in protection of his Church the clear performāce of all his promises vnto her And vpon the other part who may not see an evident curse fall vpon all heresies which like Babels can never be perfited being built vpon the sand cannot long stand or being like adulterous plants cannot take deep rootes But that you may discern the better how the true Church is so easily known by her continued succession all false Churches are so clearly discovered by their new rising I pray yow conceive in your mind these following representations which are grounded in the Scriptures holy Fathers 1. Represent vnto your self the true Church as a great River passing from one end of the earth to the other running continually from the time of Christ his Apostles through all generations And such is the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome having succession of Pastors people in all ages like a river ever running in which all the Saints as living waters have flowed vnto paradise But heretical Churches are like little brooks or rainfloods not alway's running but rising at several times after stormes tempests not compassing the earth but overflowing some petty corners of it making for a short space a great noise thereafter running more calmly and in end clean dried vp S. Augustin makes this comparison for on these words of the psalme Aug. in psal 57. They shall come to nothing as water running down he saith Let not my brethren some floods which are called Torrents affright you the water runs down for a time it makes a great noise it shall soon cease they cannot endure long Many heresies are now dead they have run in their streams as much as they could they have run out their waters are dried vp scarcely the memorie of them is to be found c. Thus he You know that the Covenant did not always run and
the principal article of their religion that man is iustifyed by faith only which is clearly against the word of God which saith in expresse tearmes Man is not iustifyed by faith only Iames 2.24 They beleeve that the Commandments are impossible to be kept Which is against the word of God which affirmeth that Gods Commandments are not grievous 1. Iohn 5.3 and that Zachary Elizabeth did keep them They beleeve that the Eucharist is not the body and blood of Iesus Christ Luke 1 6. which is directly against the Scripture which affirmeth It is his body and blood and that with such words as design the true body true blood Therefore it is evident that they cannot be perswaded of the truth of their religion by the Word of God seing the principal articles of their religion are so clearly against the word of God Yea before their religion can be true the most clear truth in all the Scriptures must be false to witt the perpetuity of the Church of Christ For their whole religion is founded vpon that supposition that the whole Church of Christ had become Anti-Christian and had perished for a long time before Luther Then which nothing can be more against the word of God as we have seen above Neither have the Covenanters any other refuge to shun these contradictions between their beleef and the Scriptures but to fly vnto tropes figures and pretend that these places of Scripture must be vnderstood figuratively which is the very fraude that was vsed by the auncient heretiques So soone Aug. lib 3. de doct Christian 6.10 saith S. Augustin as any Error doth prepossesse their mynds they esteem all to be figures which the Scripture saith to the contrary Yea they must bring senses iust contrary vnto the words of the Scriptures as for example the Scripture saith Man is not iustifyed by faith only which according to their beleef must be vnderstood as if the Scripture said Man is iustifyed by faith only which it nowhere saith Therefore if men can be perswaded by the Scripture to beleeve such things as are contrary to the expresse words of Scripture the Covenanters are perswaded by the Scripture of the truth of their religion otherwise they are not but rather perswaded to the contrary Secondly they come as small speed of their pretext of the Spirit of God For first they can bring no more ground for it then all sects do that is their own bare words and therefore they ought not to be beleeved more then others Secondly They cannot be perswaded by the Spirit of God who oppose the Catholique Church which according to Christs promise is ever directed by the Spirit of Truth S. Iohn who adviseth vs wisely not to beleeve every Spirit but to prove the Spirits if they be of God gives this Touch-stone by which they may be tryed He that knoweth God 1. Iohn c. 4. v. 6. saith he knoweth vs and he that is not of God knoweth vs not In this we know the Spirit of Truth and of Error This same Touch-stone has held in all succeding generations For these who would not beleeve the Catholique Church and the Pastors thereof succeeding vnto the Apostles although they bragged never so much of the Spirit of God were instantly seen to be misled by the Spirit of Error and were condemned as heretiques who with insolent folly would appropriat the Spirit of God vnto every one of their own giddie heads and yet deny it to the whole Catholique Church against the clear Scriptures The same holds against Calvin his descendents the Presbyterian Covenanters Thirdly They cannot have the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Vnity who have mingled among them the Spirit of giddinesse and Contrariety by which their Erroneous Spirit is discovered now even to the most simple among the people Lastly the Covenanters falsly pretend that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their religion For if they had full assurance of it they would not make so many changes in it and besides their Director is very vnconstant for what is more changeable then the privat Spirit Having seen now said the Catholique the Covenanters vain false pretence of the word and Spirit of God we will briefly run through the description of their religion and to spare paines of often repeating their names we will turn our speech to them First you say that your faith religion is the only true faith religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man If this were true the world for many ages had been in a pittifull condition For about the space of a thowsand or 12. hundred yeares your faith religion were not known and so all that time there had been no means of salvation By which device you not only controule the clear Scriptures but also show your selvs enemies to the Glory of Christ to the riches of his Grace and to the perpetuity of his Kingdome yea and to the very good of Man And lastly you oppose most famous Protestants who acknowledge Salvation was had in the Roman Church before Luther and may be had now after him in so much that King Iames in his speech to the Parlament 1605. sharply censures you for this cruel opinion We confes saith he that many Papists especially our Ancestors c. may be saved and often are saved detesting in this parte and iudging worthy of fire the cruelty of Puritans who yeeld Salvation to no Papist Secondly you describe your religion further saying that it is now reveald to the world by the preaching of the Evangel But that is rather a mark of the false then of the true religion For the true Christian faith was reveald of old by Christ his holy Apostles and from that time could never be hid But your Presbyterian faith has iust two contrary qualities to witt it is now reveal'd and has lyen long hid S. Vincentius Lyrinensis sheweth the nature of your faith by describing the doctrine of the auncient Heretiques What do they propose saith he Vincent Lyr. cont haeres c. 12. but new and vnheard doctrines For you shall heare some of them say Come ô you vnwise miserable men who are commonly called Catholiques learn the true faith which besides vs none knoweth which has lyen hidd many ages but now is lately revealed and manifested Neither doth it a white availe you that you call your faith the Gospel and the revealing of your faith the preaching of the Gospel For so all heretiques call their greatest Errors the Gospel of Christ S. Hierom saith wisely that the Gospel of God Hieron 1. ad Galat. by a false interpretation becames the Evangel of man or which is woâ—se the Evangel of the Devil So there still remaines a great question about the truth of your preaching which is nothing but your privat interpretation Thirdly to make your faith more commendable you pretend that it is both auncient Vniversal You
Aug. lib. 50. hom liar hom 49. and elswhere he saith It 's lawfull for the cause of fornication to put away an adulteresse wife but dure ng her life it is not lawfull to marie another c. These are Adulteries not Mariages Is Augustin contemned let Christ be feared Two Ancient Councels do also confirme the same doctrine Therefore Concil Elibert c. 9. Milerit c. 17. the Catholique Church in denying Mariage to the innocent partie divorced is not cruel as you calumniate but observes the iust Law of Christ the commandment of the Apostle and the practice of the holy ancient Church And if any think it hard they have a remedie prescribed by the Apostle to reconcile themselves to the guilty partie But indeed you are cruel who vnder pretext of mercy do allow men to Violate the iust Law of God and vnder the name of Mariages authorize people to commit Adulteries to the destruction of their soules So that it is truly verifyed of you that your mercies are cruel But let vs proceed now to your other abiurations SECTION VIII Of the Christian Sacrifice and of Priesthood AFTER you had robbed Christians of almost all the Sacraments and of our Saviours legacie to witt his precious body now you would rob the Church of the Christian Sacrifice and would spoyle God of the greatest external honour that can be rendred to him is due to him alone And with the Sacrifice you would also destroy the sacred Order of Priesthood by which it is offered For you renounce them in these most virulent tearmes of your Covenant We detest his Devilish Masse His blasphemous Priesthood His profane Sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick As never any Religion neither vnder the Law of Nature nor vnder the Law of Moyses wanted Sacrifice which is a Supâ—â—m worship due to God alone so the Chrisâ—â—â—n Religion which excells all Religions tha◠〈◊〉 have been is not destitute of that perfecâ—â—â—n but hath a most excellent Sacrifice far exceeding all the ancient Sacrifices The Prophets did foretell of it Christ did institute it the holy Apostles their Successors did offer it and the whole Christian world hath in all ages frequented it which points we shall briefly touch The Prophet David speaking of Christ saith The Lord has sworne Psal 109.4 Thou art a Priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech Which words have relation to these of Moyses Genes 14.18 Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine for he was Priest of the most high God The holy Fathers vnderstand that Prophesie of the Christian Sacrifice of Christs body blood vnder the formes of bread wine So S. Cyprian who is more Priest Cypr. epist 63. ad Cecil saith he of the most high God then our Lord Iesus-Christ who offered a Sacrifice to God his father and offered the same which Melchisedech had offered that is bread wine to witt his own body blood S. Augustin also to the same purpose saith Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 17. c. 17. No where now is the Priesthood Sacrifice according to the order of Aaron and every where vnder Christ the Priest is offered vp that which Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham And again speaking of Melchisedechs Sacrifice he saith There did first appeare the Sacrifice which is now offered vp to God by Christians in the whole world The second Prophesie is in Malachie where God saith to the Iewes Malachie ch 1. v. 10. I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept any offering at your hands For from the riseing of the Sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentils and there is offered Sacrificed to my name in every place a pure oblation The holy Fathers vnderstood this as a most clear Prophesie of the Christian Sacrifice So S. Ireneus Among the 12. Prophets saith he Malachie did so fâ—retell of it Ireneus lib. 4 c. 33. I have no pleasure in â—u c. most clearly signifying by these words that the first people should leave off to offer vnto God and in every place a Sacrifice and that pure shouâ—d be offered vnto him So also S. Augustin did vnderstand it Aug de 〈◊〉 it l. 18. c. 26. Malachie saith he prophesying of the Chvrch which we see now propagated saith most â—learly vnto the Iewes in the person of God I have no pleasure in you c. since then we see the sacrifice by the Priesthood of Christ according to the Order of Melchisedech offered vp in every place c and they cannot deny but the sacrifice of the Iewes is ceased why do they yet look for another Christ seing that which they read Prophesied and see fulfilled could not be accomplished but by him If this Prophesie be so strong against the Iewes it is no lesse forcible against the Covenanters As the Prophets foretould so Christ fulfilled by instituting this Sacrifice by offering it vp himself and by ordaining it to be offered vp vnto the end of the world This he performed when taking bread he blessed it saying This is my body which is given for you and after the same manner of the Chalice He ordaind the same oblation to be continued when he said to his Apostles Do this in remembrance of me So the holy Fathers expresly teach S. Ireneus who lived in the second age speaking of Christs words of Institution saith Christ taught the new oblation of the new Testament Iren. lib 4 c. 33. which the Church receiving from the Apostles offereth vp to God throughout the whole world S. Cyprian affirmeth clearly the same truth saying Our Lord God Iesus-Christ Cypr lib 2. epist 3. is the high Priest of God the Father He offered vp himself a Sacrifice to his Father and the same he commanded to be done in his remembrance To which two we shall only adioyn S. Augustin who saith Aug. in psal 33. serm 2. Christ did Institute the Sacrifice of his body blood according to the Order of Melchisedech And last of all may be added the practice of the whole Christian world which in all ages from the death of Christ did render vnto God supreme honour worship testifying his Soveraignity power of life death by this most excellent Sacrifice of Christs body blood which the holy Fathers called the Sacrifice of the Masse The Vertue also of which God has manifested by many Miracles one of which I will recount out of S. Augustin to our purpose Aug. lib. 22 de Civit. c. 8. Which is briefly thus The house of a certain Tribune in the Countrey near to Hippo the City of S. Augustins residence being vexed with evil Spirits to the great losse of his cattel and affliction of his Servants he came and desired that one of our Priests saith the holy Father I being then absent would goe and pray that the Devil
PRESBYTERIES TRIALL OR THE OCCASION AND MOtives of Conversion to the Catholique Faith of a Person of quality in Scotland TO WHICH IS SVBIOYNED A LITTLE TOVCH-STONE of the Presbyterian Covenant Beloved beleeve not every Spirit but prove the Spirits if they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1. Iohn 4.1 If thou seemest to thy self to have been already sufficiently tossed and wouldest make an end of these labours paines Follow the way of the Catholique Disciplin which hath proceeded from Christ himself by his holy Apostles even vnto vs and from hence shall descend and be conveyed to posterity Aug. lib. de Vtilitate credendi c. 8. Truly the Covenants and Leagues of Heretiques are Thornes clasping one another Hier. in cap. 1. Nehum Printed at Paris anno 1657 Permissu Superiorum THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN and well-disposed Reader COVRTEOVS READER Although all Christians doâ— acknowledge that of all the affaires in this world there is none of that importance vnto man as the saying of his soule and that Salvation cannot be obtaynd without the true Faith and Religion yet manifest experience dayly sheweth that many thowsands do carrie themselvs so slouthfully in that most important affaire of Religion as if it were a matter of the least or rather of no consequence For we see that in whatsoever Error or Heresy though never so monstrous men are bred for the most part they continew in the same or els according to the mutability of their Inconstant Leaders they passe after them from one falshood into another without making any further search for the Truth This is truly one of the greatest miseries and the most deplorable follie of man that he should be so slouthfull and almost insensible in these things which concern his eternal Salvation whereas he is so diligent carefull about his Temporall affaires which are incomparably of lesser moment Neither is this negligence follie proper only to the rude and ignorant but it is also very ordinarie to many who are neither fooles nor vitious but rather have good store of worldly wisdom and of Moral vertues This then being vndenyably the common Lethargie of almost all those who live in the false Religions and sects of perdition wherewith the world is now pestered it is no small favour which they receive who by the divin mercy are awakned out of that dead sleep and being made to open their eys do see their own danger and seeing it strive by all means to free themselvs of it by seeking earnestly with imploring the divin assistance the right way vnto eternal happinesse This favour God hath been pleased to vouchsafe lately vnto diverse Protestants in Scotland awakning them by the great Confusion and Division most sensible and Natural Marks of Falshood that had falne vpon their Religion and by the grievous Dissensions that have been rageing a long time amongst their inconstant Teachers And amongst others he was pleased to graunt this favour vnto a certain honorable personnage who had been a very zealous Protestant relying altogether vpon the Ministers words But so soon as he saw their horrible contradictions Dissensions and that they condemned accursed what themselvs had before taught practized yea and furiously enforced others to follow them and swear to all their Innovations replenishing in the mean time the whole Nation with vnspeakable miseries calamities he thought it was not fitting nor secure for him to trust any longer these Inconstant Guides in a iourney of such importance since he could not prudently trust Guides of such qualities in an earthly Voyage Wherefore being thus awakned and not a stranger from good letters he did set himself seriously to seek the Truth choosing the Divin Scriptures for his Rule and the Holy Fathers for Interpreters of the same by which means he conceived that he should attayn vnto the knowledge of the practice beleef of the Primitive Church which by all sides is acknowledged to have been the true Church And so beginning his search with the Trial of the Innovations which were lately introduced by the Presbyterians he did not only soone find them to be against the Scriptures holy Fathers but also he began to see a glimse of the Truth of the Catholique Religion which he had heard so often defamed by the Ministers For he clearly perceived by pervsing especially some peeces of S. Augustins works and the Protestants Apologie that the holy Fathers Primitive Church beleeved diverse points which are condemned by Protestants and are still beleeved by Catholiques whereat he was not a little astonished especially when he saw this acknowledged by the chief Divines of the late English Church which pretended above all others to be most conformable vnto the primi ive times whose Testimonies are diligently collected by M. Breirly in the forementioned Apologie Having then thus seen the great deformity of the Scottish Presbyteian Kirk which is so monstrously different from the Primitive and the great prevarication of the late English Church he remained for some time in great perplexity of mind not being able of himself to overcome some difficulties preiudices which had been a long time beaten into his eares against the Catholique Religion Till at length falling into the acquentance of a Roman Catholique whom he perceived to be somewhat versed in these questions he was pleased to vnfold his mind to him and after diverse conferences received not only full satisfaction of his doubts but also was instructed in the chief principles and immoveable grounds of the Catholique faith whereby he saw also the sandy grounds of the Protestant Religion Being therefore in end fully resolved to enter into the bosome of the holy Catholique Church he desired the said Catholique would be pleased first to draw vp in some few sheets the Occasion Motives of his Conversion to the end that having these papers by him he might be more able to give satisfaction to others who might enquire of him the reasons of his change Which was done accordingly with intention only that it might serve for his private vse But some other zealous Catholiques coming thereafter to the sight of these papers were of opinion that they might prove profitable to others if the same Methode being observed the matters there touched were a little more enlarged and then published And therefore they ioyntly desired the said Catholique would be pleased to vndertake that labour giving him good hopes that not only the new Converted Catholiques would be thereby confirmed but also others who were seeking the Truth might be helped and assisted besides some other goods which they thought might redound from it In obedience to whose Desires this labour was vndertaken by him now it is his earnest wish that it may answer their expectation albeit perhaps for that end some more time had been requisite Thus Courteous Reader thou hast heard the occasion of writing this book Now thou maist be pleased to see a
Superiours can never be obedient to their heavenly Soveraigne When the lawes of men are against the law of God then it 's better to obey God then man but when there is no such opposition then the law of God obligeth vs to obedience and subiection S. Paul doth earnestly exhort all Christians to this duty when he saith Rom. 13.1 seq Let every soule be subiect to higher Powers for there is no power but of God And those that are of God are ordained Therefore he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God And they that resist purchasse to themselves damnation S. Peter also maketh the like exhortation 1. Pet. 2.13 and 17. How the Presbyterians have caried themselves in the duty of Subiects to the Civil Magistrate and to their other Superiours is so generally knowen and so fresh in all mens memories that it needs not be described nor amplifyed The very naming of a Presbyterian is sufficient now to raise in mens minds the true notiō of one who will obstinatly deny obediēce to those to whom he oweth it and will rigorously exact obedience from those who owes him none Indeed if the Presbyterians owne words be taken they will be esteem'd not only Saints but also most loyall and obedient subiects for so often they have tearm'd themselves But their actions alwayes bewrayes their words Conf. Vvest ch 33. n. 4. They professe in their new Confession of faith that no difference of religion yea infidelity it self cannot take away the Civil Magistrats iust right nor his peoples obedience and duty to him And yet in their practise they would not admit the King till he swore and subscribed their Covenant and solemn League which many thought were very bitter potions that went much against his stomacke Many other instances may be brought of their inordinat cariage to their Superiours and others by which they rais'd both scandal and preiudice against their religion for people seeing them to be evil Subiects and worse Masters could not think them to be good Christians but I forbeare not being willing to rip vp too much their sores wishing rather that all their bypast miscariages may be forgot and buried by their calme cariage and dutifull obedience in time to come But apparantly some in present power have no great hopes of much voluntarie amendment in them vnlesse the rod of disciplin be still kept over their heads for an eminent English Officer in his printed letter above cited speaking of the Presbyterians Christ Mod. p. 74. saith If they be not closely look'd vnto they will set all on fire againe Then for their pretext of piety I observed great shew but no substance some floorishes but small fruits huge pretexts but no performances We had indeed much preaching praying fasting and such like exercises But what were their long preachings Nothing but continual praises of the Covenant the Solemn League and Presbytery which they cryed vp to the heavens and omitted as our Saviour observed of the Pharisees the weighty matters of Gods law Math. 23. v. 23. as Iudgement mercy and faith Yea their sermons were replenished with constant and most bitter railings against their Opposers and all those who did not favour their cause by which means they armed the people with fury to aduance the Covenant and Presbytery What were their fasts But humiliations as the Prophet Esay saith for strife debate Esay 58. v. 6. and to sinne with the fist of wikednesse God faith to the Iewes Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to vndo the heavie burden and to let the oppressed go free that ye break every yoke But the fasts which the Presbyterians have choosed were contrary for their fasts were to tie more firmely their Covenant which hath proved a band of wickednesse to lay heavier burdens vpon the peoples Consciences to oppresse these who were free and to augment their yokes by inventing many new oaths to the oppression of many soules It was much observed that shortly after their solemne fasts we were alwayes sure of some great claps The fast was ordinarly a preparation to some violence or evil worke that was intended This made many vnderstand what Queen Marie Stuart mean't by that famous saying That she was as much affrayed of a Fast of the Ministers as of an Armie of Souldiours for experience taught her that these fasts were sure prognostikcs of ensuing tempests Their long prayers also which were often seasoned with Tautologies and somtimes with no good sense did not prove them to be Saints more thē the like did sanctify the Pharisees They bragged much of the Spirit but shew no fruits of the Spirit if these be the fruits which S. Paul reckons out to the Gallatians Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit saith he is Love ioy peace long-suffering gentlnesse goodnesse faith meeknesse c. They rather shew and perform'd the works of the flesh which the same Apostle doth there recount The works of the flesh are manifest Ibid. v. 19.20 which are fornication c. hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies Envyings murders c. If they lived in the Spirit then they should have walked in the Spirit as the same Apostle exhort's and so they would have been better beleeved In a word if piety consists in many externall sighes and grones in long prayer and graces in wringing of hands making of strange faces in turning of the eyes and in dolefull houlings and cryes which were commonly called the Sough If piety I say consists in such things we had abondance of it but if it require some greater perfections and better fruits Then we were very scarce of it Indeed if we would heare and believe these Presbyterian Ministers we were the happiest people of the world for they said we only of all Nations had the honour to be Covenanters with God we had the truth of the Gospell in greater purity then Geneva it self We had such a clear and engyring light that the like had not shin'd to any other nation since the time of the Apostles Yea one who is esteem'd a principal Apostle among them did not sticke to affirme in the pulpit amidst the manyfold Confusions troubles and miseries which had fallen vpon this Church Nation That the Angels and Saints of heaven if they could leave the sight of God would be glad to come down and see the admirable order and beautie of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Neither is this to be much wonder'd at for it 's probable he spoke as he thought and as the proverbe is The Crow thinks ever her owne bird fairest And every foole esteem's much his owne Babel But many indifferent men thought that he was one of those of whom S. Paul speaks to the Philippians Philip. 3.18.19 Enemies of the Crosse of Christ and whose glory is in their Confusion These practises at least a great part of them were the
the same that the most ancient Fathers as S. Iustin Martyr Tertullian S. Cyprian many more did affirme that the law was possible to be kept This Confession of Calvin the Centurists did manifest sufficiently vnto me the antiquity of this Catholique doctrine that it was no late invention of the Popes as the Ministers were wont to pretend falsly of the whole Catholique religion Then for Scripture they cannot bring so much as one place which containeth expresly the article of their beliefe to witt That the Commandements are impossible to be kept even with all the grace that Goh gives in this life Calvin brings these words of our Saviour Cal lib. 2. Instit cap. 8. sect 8. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strenth c. Wherevpon he his followers do scance after this manner To love God with all our heart requires all the faculties of out Soule to be alwayes applyed vnto the love of God which none can do From which they inferre that we are so far from being able to keep all the Commandments that we cannot so much as keep the first In answer to which a Catholique shew me that he did acknowledge the words of Scripture but that Calvins private interpretation inference vpon them is no Scripture 2. he said that besids that Calvins glosses consequences were no Scripture they were not to be much regarded since they were against the holy Fathers who will be prefer'd to him in the iudgment of all wise men 3. They are lesse to be regarded or rather much to be detested seing they are expresly against the Scriptures themselves in other places For Calvin saith that none can love God with all his heart and David saith in the Scripture Psal 118.10 speaking to God I haue sought thee in my whole heart And God himself approves this testimony to be true when he gave order to the Prophet to say to Ieroboam 3. Kings 14.8 Thou hast not been as my servant David who kept my Commandements and followed me with his whole heart 4. Reg. 23.25 The Scripture saith also of Iosias That he turned vnto the Lord in all his heart in all his Soule and in all his might according to all the law of Moyses Therefore it 's false against Scriptures themselves what Calvin saith that it is impossible for any to love God with all his heart and consequently his interpretation of the love of God Shel p. 142. is also false M. Shelford a Protestant Minister saith we love God with all our heart when we preferre him above all the world and above our lives as the Martyrs did when we will not offend God not part from his love for the love or feare of no Creature This is the love of God with all our heart which is here commanded wherevnto we are obliged which by Gods grace may be by vs fulfilled as it was done by Abraham Zachary Elyzabeth For how could the Scripture say that they kept all the Commandements walked in them blamelesse if they had not kept the first greatest of all the Commandements The absolute highest perfection of loving God is neither commanded nor can be exercised in this life but can only be attayn'd to in the heavens where the fulfilling of it as S. Augustin speaks is not obedience but happinesse Thus spake the Catholique with more words whereby I received good satisfaction 2. The Presbyterians pretend it is impossible to keep this other Commandment Thou shall not covet Because they say that here is forbidden all motion of concupiscence although involuntary albeit we resist vnto it Whereof none in this life can be free Shel p. 143. To which I find the same M. Shelford answer saying that the consent of the will is only forbidden here the cherishing of the first motion to sin according to the Scripture every where Rom. 6.12 let not sin reigne in your mortel bodies and Go not after thy concupiscences to fulfill the lusts therof Rom. 14. Aug. ad Iulian. lib. 2. prope finem Touching which matter S. Augustin saith most clearly As for vs we would ever be without sin till this evil of concupiscence were healed if we did not consent vnto it to evil Therefore not to consent vnto concupiscence is no sin and by the grace of God we may not consent and therefore we may keep that Commandment Thou shalt not Covet 3. They bring these words of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 1.8 Prover 24.16 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves the truth is not in vs. Moreover Salomon saith the iust man falls 7. times a day From which they inferre that it is impossible to keep the Commendemens so much as one day I remember that a Catholique answered me obiecting these places to him against the possibility of the Commandments and said that there was this difference between the Catholiques the Protestants that the Protestants make the Scripture to contradict it self neither haue they any probable way nor care they much how to reconcile these contradictions but think it sufficient to lay hold on that which they imagine makes for them As here because S. Iohn saith if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves they conclude that it 's impossible to keep the Commandments whereas the Scripture shewes that Abraham Zachary Elizabeth kept the Commandments and therefore they make the Scripture say as much as if it said they kept the Commandments they kept not the Commandments which are flat contradictions But Catholiques clearly shew that one may keep the Commandments as Abraham others did yet not be free of sin because the Scripture affirmeth both These two truths are not contrary one to another as the Presbyterians do imagine For one doth keep the Commandments who doth nothing against charity or the love of God which is the end of the Commandments as S. Paul affirmes and that only is properly a breach of the Commandments which breaketh love friendship with God But that is only done by mortal or grievous sins not by light or venial faults such as an idle inoffensive word a little immoderate laughter Aug. de nat gra cap. 38. such like as S. Augustin reckons out in his booke of Nature and grace For such lights faults do not break friendship with God since they do it not reasonably with men Now by the grace of God men may be free of mortal sins although not of venial imperfections therefore they may keep the Commandments yet not be free of sin This truth is clearly delivered by S. Augustin Aug. serm 56. de temp As no man saith he ever hath been or ever shall be without small offences so we by Gods help aid may and ought to be without any manner of Capital crimes And again he shewes that albeit Zachary kept all the Commandments
that for this one testimony which saith that our sins are covered they should deny so many which shew that sins are taken away and will not rather confesse with the Scripture that they are both covered and taken away S. Augustin sheweth excellently on this place how God doth both For comparing him to a Surgeon or Physician Aug. â—narr in Ps 31. he saith that God doth so cover the wound with a plaister that he cureth it and taketh it away Calvin his followers make Christ to be a very imperfect Spiritual Physician who can neither heale the sick nor cure the wounded soules but only can cast a cover vpon them Such a Physician of the body who could do nothing but throw his cloake vpon the sick or wounded and neither be able to take away the sicknesse or wounds would be in small esteem and little employed The second grosse errour of Calvin which denyeth inherent iustice is sufficiently above refuted Where it was shewed out of the Scriptures Fathers that we are quickned by Christ and that iustice or grace proceeding from the iustice of Christ the meritorious cause of our iustice is the spiritual life of the Soule which quickens it and therefore must be internal and inherent within vs. For as one cannot live naturally vnlesse he have internal life within him so neither can one live Spiritually by any thing that is without him but he must necessarly have the life of grace or iustice within him This truth is so strong that Calvin did sometime acknowledge it for he saith Cal. lib. de refrom Eccl. p. 316. that we are never reconciled to God but we are also gifted with inherent iustice But at other times he frequently opposeth it affirming that the most holy and iust persons are nothing inwardly but filthy sinners and that all their iustice consists only in the external iustice of Christ which is imputed to them and with which their sins and filthynesse are covered Math. 23.27 So that Calvins iust men are not vnfitly by some compared to whited Sepulchres to which our Saviour compared the Pharisees that outwardly appeare vnto men beautifvll but within are full of dead mens bones all filthinesse So the Presbyterians would appeare beautifull outwardly by the iustice of Christ but inwardly they are full of filthinesse iniquity They are also like Wolves in sheeps clothing who haue an external shew of meeknesse iustice but inwardly are ravenous creatures But as sheeps clothing doth not make a wolfe to become a lamb so neither will the external iustice of Christ that innocent lamb with which a sinner would cloth himself outwardly and yet remaine still in his sins make him a Saint Iohn e ist 1 â—hap 3. v. 7. S. Iohn giveth a serious warning to this purpose Little children saith he let no man seduce you He that doth iustice is iust even as he also that is Christ is iust Therefore they are seduced who think to be iust and yet will do no iustice as Christ did The third errour to witt that faith alone doth iustify is also above refuted For 1. it hath been shewed not to be in Scripture And therefore the Presbytetians make it very vnreasonably against their own principles the principal article of their religion 2. It is not only not to be found in Scripture but it is expresly word by word against Scripture as hath been seen out of S. Iames. Therefore the Presbyterians brags of great advantage in this point are very false and groundlesse 3. It is also against the holy Fathers who condemned it as we haue seen in some ancient heretiques Yea S. Augustin doth affirm that because it had risen in the very time of the Apostles by misinterpreting the words of S. Paul the other Apostles as S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn did direct the intention of their epistles and wrote most earnestly to roote out that errour from the minds of men And S. Paul also did expresse himself sufficiently against this errour when he said that albeit he had all faith so that he could remove mountains if he had not charity 1. Cor. 13.13 which he calleth greater and more excellent then faith and hope he would be nothing and his faith would profite him nothing Whence S. Augustin saith that it is charity Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. cap. 27. Leo serm de collect Shel p. 108. 108. which makes all vertues profitable and that faith may be present but it cannot profite without charity and S. Leo saith that charity quickens faith it self by which the iust man lives Yea M. Shelford the Protestant Minister above cited saith expresly that Charity is the most precious grace of God and is the greatest mean instrument of our Iustification And that he meaning Calvin who preferreth faith before charity in our Iustification would elude S. Pauls demonstration But there is another part or branch of this third errour much more dangerous then the former For as they teach that faith alone doth iustify and yet they require with it charity other vertues which makes the difference to be more nominal then real so they teach that this iustifying faith is nothing else but a sure persuasion that every one ought to have of the forgivenesse of his sins for the merits of Christ and that he is iust in the sight of God This is the special faith which they say is only given to the elect and these who once have it can never fall from it and they are sure of their election predestination In this matter the Presbyterians differ substantially from the Catholiques who require also faith to Iustification but of a far different nature from this of Calvin which they esteem not to be faith but rather a phanatical fancy and high presumption Against which I found some solid reasons which I will briefly touch 1. No maÌ„ ought to believe any thing as an article of faith but that which God hath revealed But God hath not revealed that every maÌ„s sins are forgiven him Therefore he ought not to believe it much lesse although he believe it is he iustifyed by it 2. There is neither precept nor example in the whole Scripture of such a special iustifying faith Therefore it is not to be admitted 3. It is far different from the faith of Abraham the father of the faithfull by which he was iustifyed which faith the Apostle in the same epistle to the Romans doth highly extoll For he was iustifyed by believing the promise of God which was revealed to him to witt that he should be the Father of many nations and that his seed should be as the starres of the heauen and the sand of the sea This is the faith which the Christians of all ages ever required before Luther Calvin arose to believe what God had revealed to witt the articles of our Creed and the other matters contaynd in Scripture accorording to that of the Apostle If thou
how much lesse can they as they are now being in many places hard and obscure These Protestants who reiect all but Scripture would make Christ to have been the most imprudent Lawgiver that ever was in ths world to have left vs only a written law or a book in many things very obscure and expose it to every man to scance vpon without assigning an Interpreter who could give vs full assurance of the true sense of it That way would never bring men to the sure knowledge of Christs doctrine and the true sense of his law but would make all things vncertain and bring in a confusion more worthy of Babel then of the house of God But his divine wisdom hath otherwise provyded We haue seen then said the Catholique that the testimony of all Christians in every generation is the only sure infallible way Now we shall see that it is the most easy vniversal way to attayn vnto the certain knowledge of what Christ his Apostles taught For what is more easy then to hear a continued testimony of Pastors people who constantly depose that this is the doctrin which they have receiued from their Forefathers what can be more easy then to open our eys and see the practise of all Christians No man of sense will deny if the true doctrin can be surely known hereby but it is a much mor easy way then by the Scriptures which are so hard and obscure or by any written word although never so cleer And it is also evident that it is more vniversal for the Scriptures are only for those who can read and vnderstand them but this serues for all sortes of persons learned or vnlearned these who can read or cannot and even for the meanest capacities This was certainly the meaning of God when he promised vnder the Gospel a direct way so that fooles cannot erre by it Therefore this being so sure Esay 35.8 so easy so vniversal a way the wisdom goodnesse of God who disposeth all things wisely and sweetely has made vse of it This may be yet further illustrated and confirmed by the manner how the Christian religion was planted First the Apostles stayd long in one place that they might diligently inculcate the Christian doctrin as S. Paul said to the Ephesians Acts 20 27.31 I haue not spared to declare vnto you all the Counsell of God c. For three years night day I ceased not with teares to warn every one c. Secondly the Apostles earnestly exhorted their disciples to keep carefully what they had received 2. Timoth 2.2 Galat. 1.9 to entrust it vnto faithfull witnesses and not to admit any doctrin contrary to that which they had received not although an Angel from heauen should preach otherwise Thirdly The mysteries of the Christian religion were not only sensibly taught to the eare but they were rendred visible to the sight by the â—ractise devotion of the Christian people Fourthly The Christian religion was planted at once in many diverse nations Therefore it was easy for the primitive Christians to know what was the Apostles doctrin which they had heard so often beaten into their eares which they saw practised with their eys and which was profest through out the whole word and great reason had they not to receive any doctrin contrary to it It was also easy for them to discern hold out all new false doctrins For although some would pretend never so much the Scriptures against the publique doctrin of the Church yet the ancient Christians knowing certainly that the Scriptures are not contrary to the doctrin which the Apostles had clearly delivered by lively voice and publickly establish'd in the Church they vnderstood the Scriptures according to the clear rule of faith left by the Apostles They did not vpon pretext of contrariety between the doctrin of the Church the Scriptures abandon the Apostles clear lively doctrin vniversally establisht and follow a new glosse of their writings contrary to it which had been indeed grosse follie and directly against the Apostles command in the Scriptures as has been shown And as this was an easy way in the first ages to know the truth and to discern error so it has been in the succeeding ages For the rule of faith ought to be immoveable as the faith it self is God himself promiseth the continuance of this easy way when he said by Esay Esay 59.21 My Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed for ever And again Vpon thy walls ô Ierusalem Esay 62.6 I haue appointed watchmen all the day all the night c. The Scripture directs vs to this way Deuter. 32.7 Remember the dayes of old saith Moyses Consider euery Generation ask thy Father and he will show thee thy Elders they will tell thee God himself saith in Ieremy Ieremie 6.16 stand you in the ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall find Rest to your soules Because many leave this old good way we see they change many wayes and can find no rest and never will vntill they return again to the old good way which they foolishly abandoned Christ directs vs to this way Math. 18.17 when he saith Tell the Church and who heares you heares me c. The holy Fathers followed this way S. Augustin shewes that this is the way to put an end to all doubts to attayn vnto the truth to be at rest which he knew by his own experience Aug. de vtilitate cred cap. 8. If thou seeme to thy self saith he to have been already sufficiently tossed and would make an end of these labours paines Follow the way of the Catholique Disciplin which has proceeded from Christ by his Apostles even vnto vs and from hence shall descend and be conveighed vnto posterity Tertullian affirmes there is no other way to know the Apostles doctrin Tertull. de praescrip c. 21. What the Apostles taught saith he I will prescribe ought no otherwise to be proued then by these Churches which the Apostles founded And that we must begin with the testimony of the Church in the time wherein we live to ascend by every generation vnto the ancient Church and so to the very mouth of Christ his Apostles the same Tertullian shewes who makes this ladder of belief Tert. de praes c. 21. What I believe I receiued from the present Church the present Church from the Primitive the Primitive from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ c. According to this tradition the holy Fathers did vnderstand the Scriptures Vincent Lyr. cont heres c. 1. S. Vincentius Lyrinensis shewes the necessity of this rule to avoid the turnings and windings of diverse errors where he cites and commends the following words of
and others is confessed by the Centurists The approved sanctity of S. Francis Xaverius a Iesuite who in the last age converted sundry Nations of the east Indies is testifyed by Hacluite a Minister in his book of Navigations where he doth highly praise him Luther confesseth that in the Papacy is the very kernel of piety Breirly cites the words of diverse Protestants who acknowledge that there are many holy men women in the Roman Church that Protestants are not to be compared vnto them in the least degree and that the Catholique Church hath many excellent orders and holy institutions Apol. tract 2. c. 3. sect 9. subd 1. post F. for curbing of sin and advancing of piety whereof Protestants are destitute This must be a strong truth which extorts confession from Adversaries and this Confession is a most convincent proofe against themselves Moreover amongst many of the Catholique Church there is found not an ordinary but a sublime degree of holynesse For many persons in all ages of the greatest quality honour riches have renounced the world all its pleasures that they might serve and enioy God more freely so that they have not only by Gods grace kept but also gone beyond the commandments as S. Chrysostom speaks S. Augustin describing the manners of the Catholique Church in his time after an excellent apostraphe concerning the holynesse of her doctrin saith vnto her concerning holynesse of life Aug. lib. de morib Eccl Cat. c. 30. Deservedly with thee the divine Commandments are kept far and neer By good right with thee are many given to hospitality many dutifull many mercyfull many learned many chast many holy many so burning with the love of God that in highest abstinence from all worldly pleasures incredible contempt of the world they delight only in the desert And thereafter shewing the diverse degrees of holy persons in the Catholique Church as of the Anachorits who liv'd in the wildernesse of the Monks who liv'd a part by themselvs and of others who were gathered together into Communities of religious women who separating themselvs from the company of men served God chastly diligently and having described their diverse manner of living their divin contemplations fervent prayers frequent fastings and the rest of their holy exercises he saith of the Anachorits not without admiration Aug. ibid. cap. 31. What is it I beseech you that these men who cannot but love man do see and yet can be without the sight of man Truly whatever it be it must be more excellent then all humane things since for the contemplation of it a man can live without man And a little after To whom this excellent hight of holynesse doth not appear of it 's own accord worthy of admiration how can it appear to him by our words Then of them all he professeth himself vnable to praise sufficiently these holy manners these holy orders and institutions and if he would vndertake to do it he would be affrayed lest he seemed to detract from them as if they would not please men by the simple relation of theÌ„ In end as this were an vndeniable truth appealing to the heretiques own iudgment he saith These things O Mâ—nichaeans reprove if you can But if there had been any Presbyterians in his time he had found them not only reproving these most holy things but also renouncing abiuring and accursing them as may by known by their Covenant practice at the beginning of their Reformation In this indeed the Presbyterians go beyond the Manicheans S. Augustin proceeds to the praise of the holynesse of the Clergy the Bishops Priests Deacons whose vertue he saith is so much the more wonderfull how much it 's more hard to keep it in such a kind of troublesome life amongst so great a multitude of persons with whom for their spiritual goods they do converse And yet he saith that he knew many holy persons in all these vocations as also many of the laytie of all ranks qualities living holyly in the world as if they did not vse the world and who would willingly forsake all wordly things before they forsook the love and service of God This Description of the ancient Catholique Church which the Catholique shew vnto me did represent very clearly to my sight how fitly the present Catholique Church doth agree with it in all these holy orders and Institutions and it did no lesse evidently manifest vnto me how monstruously the present Protestant Church is different from it Lastly diverse histories as well of Enemies as of friends have recorded many famous miracles wrought in the Catholique Church for confirmation of her doctrin and for manifestation of the holynesse of some persons who have lived dyed in her Communion The Magdeburgian Centurists although Protestants have recorded many great miracles done by Catholiques in the 13. chapter of every Century for 1300. years together after Christ Therefore since holynesse of life doctrin testifyed by Miracles from heaven hath in all ages from Christ been found eminently in the Roman Catholique Church and in no other we may most iustly conclude That she and no other is the true Church and lawfull spouse of Christ Aug. epist 50. ad Bonifacium S. Augustin saith The Catholique Church alone is the body of Christ c. out of this body the Holy Ghost quickens no man And a little before For as a member if it be cutt off from the body of a living man cannot retain the Spirit of life so a man who is cut off from the body of Christ the Iust cannot retain the Spirit of Iustice CHAP. XXXIV The true Church demonstrated by her Vniversality for which she is called Catholique AS the true Church is designed in the Apostles Creed by her holynesse so is she also by her Vniversality I beleeve the holy Catholique Church She is clearly also described by the same vniversality Genes 12.17 in the Scripture God said to Abraham In thy seed all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed The Prophet Esay foretould the same when he said of the Church All Nations shall flow vnto it Esay 2.2 Psalm 2. God promised this to Christ I will give thee the Gentils for thine inheritance the vtmost bounds of the earth for thy possessions Christ himself declared it Luke 24.47 when he said that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name vnto all Nations beginning from Hierusalem S. Paul said to the Colossians Coloss 1.6 that the Gospel was in all the world fructifyed Therefore to forbear from citing more testimonies it 's evident by the Creed by the Law and the Prophets by the Psalmes and the holy Apostles and by Christ himself the most true describer of his own body that his Church must be Catholique or Vniversal for place having the Communion of all Nations She must be also Vniversal for time that is she must endure from the time of Christ
of them of some excellent privilege For they spoile God of his goodnesse by making him the Author of sin Christ of his merits by denying he dyed for all and the holy Trinity of Glory They spoile the Angels and the Saints of their felicity and of all respect and reverence from men They rob the Church of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost Man of his free-will the living of the prayers of the Saints and the faithfull departed of the suffrages of the living They rob the Sacraments of Grace and the Commandments of obedience Yea what have they left vntouched in the Church They have taken away many books of the Scriptures almost all the Sacraments all Traditions Priesthood Sacrifice Vowes set Fasts Festival Dayes Altars Reliques Holy Images all Monuments of Piety all the antient Ecclesiastical Lawes all Order and Disciplin all Comlinesse and beauty from the House of God They have abolished the Apostolique Government denyed the Apostles Creed subverted the Divine Commandments and abiured all the Evangelical Counsels and many more points have they destroyed as we shall see in the progresse of the Covenant so that never any heresy deserved more the title of Destroyer never any heretical Confession of Faith deserved so much the Title of the Negation of Faith as the Covenant For never any heresy or negative Confession denyed so many points of the Catholique faith and so overturn'd the Christian Religion both in doctrin disciplin in all the Monuments and helps of Piety As the matter of the Covenant is very large containing so many points of the Catholique Faith which it deny's so the manner how it doth renounce them which is as it were the life and forme of the Covenant is very considerable For it doth not only deny these articles but it detests and abiures them yea and blasphemes them adding a blasphemous Epithet almost to every point For thus it speaks We renounce and detest the Vsurped authority of the Roman Anti-Christ his wicked Hierarchie his Devilish Masse Blasphemous Priesthood Profane Sacrifice Bastard Sacraments Doubtsome Faith Desperat Repentance c. Behold said the Catholique to me what a Rapsodie of lies and calumnies against manifest sense and experience against the ancient faith and true religion was fathered vpon God the Author of truth and was called his Covenant Behold what a blasphemous Negation of the Faith was entitled the Confession of Faith Behold what a monstrous Idol of lies execrations blasphemies the Covenanters did so highly honour reverence as if it had been Gods vndoubted truth and not only did Idolatrize it themselv's but with furious zeal and rigour enforced others to adore it against their Consciences S. Cyptian affirmes that the Devil Cypr. de simâ—l Praelator Hieron in EsaiaÌ„ c. 21. in place of the old Pagan Idols has invented the deceits of Errors Heresies and S. Hierom saith that all Heretiques are Idolaters adoring their own fictions and imaginatio s as divin truths According to this doctrine if the Covenant containe heresies as we shall see it containes not a few the Covenanters have been great idolaters The old Pagans did indeed adore false Gods and the works of their own hands but never any carying the name o Chr stians did more Idolatrize the fancies of their own braines then the Covenanters have done The prosperity of the Covenant for a time did blind many but now the Visitation which God has sent vpon it has opened the ey 's of a great part so that the Covenant which was before the obiect of their greatest reverence respect is now become the subiect of their laughter sport The Prophet Ieremy foretells that these miseries should befalls to all Idols They are vain things Ieremy 10.15 Hieron â—u hunc loâ—um saith he and a work worthy to be laughed at in time of their Visitation they shall perish Which words S. Hierom applies excellently to Heresies Who would not laugh saith he when he considers the Idols of Heretiques c. Heresies prevaile only for a time that these who are chosen may be made manifest and be approved But when the Visitation of God comes and his eys do behold their fooleries then all are quyet and siâ—e it And so now is the Covenant silent and fallen asleep But enough for our intended brevity of the false Titles of the Covenant and of the grosse vntruths in it against sense We shall now run brieflâ— through the Spiritual vntruths of it against Faith SECTION III. Of the Covenantes vain pretext of the word and Spirit of God and of the marks by which they describe their Relâ—gion THAT this matter may proceed more clearly we shall set down in order the words of the Covenant and then subioyn the Observations we made vpon them The Preface then of it goes thus Covenant Wee all and every one of vs vnderwritten protest that after long due examination of our Consciences in matters of true false religion Wee are now throughly resolved of the truth by the word Spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God the whole world that this only is the true Christian faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which now is by tho mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks Realms but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Maiesty and the three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal Truth and only ground of our Salvation as more particularlâ— is confessed in the Confession of our faith established and publickly confirmed by Sundry Acts of Parliament and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Maiesty and whole body of this Realm both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion we willingly agree in our Consciences in all points as vnto Gods vndoubted Truth and Verity grounded only vpon his written word To passe by the first sensible vntruth about the long and due examination of their consciences which was lately touched they pretend next that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word and Spirit of God But this is no new song neither is it only peculiar to them All sects although never so monstrous which receiv'd the Scriptures have made and do make the same pretexts And this they must all do or else they would get few followers But that the Covenanters make this pretext as falsly as any other sects is very evident For first they falsly pretend to be perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word of God seing they beleeve diverse points as principal articles of their religion which are expresly against the word of God Which may be shown by many Instances but we shall be content with two or three The Covenanters beleeve as