end as the Scripture sayes it must and since there is no other but the See of Rome which can with the least shew of probability pretend to have a succession of Bishops uninterruptedly continued from the Apostles time to these our dayes the Romane See must be the Apostolick this being so as most assuredly it is change that simister opinion you misled men which you have had of the Church of Rome so long away with that contumelious language with which you vilifie and slander it lay aside passion and prejudice then let the Romane Religion be paralell'd with any one or all other Sects and after your second thoughts upon this subject you will assuredly frame a better conceipt of that so long continued and so well grounded faith Gather fourthly that the Church of Rome hath been alwayes visible which is proved by its continuall succession of chief Pastors Fifthly that since Christ must have a Visible Church upon earth and since no other but the Roman hath been visiblely conspicuous in all ages it must be Christs Church love it therefore honour it adhere to it Sixthly since there is no true religion without true Priesthood no true Priesthood without true consecration and that by Bishops Apostolically descended and since there are none of those among these later sects what hopes what comfort what security yea or probability of salvation amongst these O Chief Priest Christ O thou whom God hath anointed with the olye of gladnesse before thy fellows be thou ever blessed for sending them as thy Father sent thee be ever praised for giving that eternall Priest hood according to the order of Melchisedech to them which thy Father gave thee Silence we beseech thee all false and lying prophets that say the Lord saith and the Lord hath not sent them Send labourers into thy Vinyard and make the fruits of their labours many and great to thy glory Amen The Tenth Meditation Of Antiquity The first Point Consider first that antiquity is a mark of Christs Church this is most clear out of scripture all those places in which the indefectibility and infallibility of the Church is foretold promised or intimated prove also the Antiquity of it And I will make this my covenant saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from hence forth for ever A most ample promise of the Churches antiquity and never failing Vpon thy wals O Hierusalem have I set watchmen all the day and all the night for ever they shall not be silent These so significant words cannot be verified upon the City of Hierusalem since it hath been destroyed but of Christs Church Behold I am with you all the dayes even untill the consummation of the world most expresse words of our Saviour who also said That after the sower had sown good seed then came the enemy and sowed cockle upon it the good seed of Catholick doctrine was first sowen by Christ and afterwards the devill sowed the cockle of false doctrine and heresie upon it Confider secondly the antiquity of Christs Church gathered from other reason And first its very names import thus much it is called the Church of Christ because he founded it when in mortall flesh he conversed with men and therefore it would imply a contradiction to grant it to be Christs Church and yet deny it antiquity it is also called Catholick not onely because it imbraceth all places but all times also and it is called Apostolick because it begun in the Apostles retains their doctrine and keeps their succession 2. Reason dictates to all that truth is precedent in time to falshood which is nothing else but a denyall of truth and consequently posteriour in time to it for the Father of lyes brought falshood into the world when he tempted our first Parents after their creation in the state of Grace and Knowledge of Truth 3. The holy Fathers alwayes urged this mark of the antiquity of the Catholick Church against the Novellismes of the Hereticks and their comming after that the Church of Christ was begun so did Saint Austin urge this mark against the Manicheans and Saint Hierom in his Epistle to Pammachius Hence infer first that that Sect cannot possible be yea or conceived to be Christs true Church w ch begun in such or such a year after that Christs Church was instituted Why because this posteriority of times argues diversity which excludes identity Secondly that that sect cannot possibly be the true Church of Christ which though it began in Christs or his Apostles time yet hath not continued but is now annihilated and why because its antiquity which must not onely be derived from Christs time but the same must also be without interruption continued till the worlds end is come to an end Christs Church having still its being The second point Consider now the Antiquity of the Church of Rome by which Church is understood not onely that Congregation of the faithfull which in the City of Rome and the adjacent places adhere to that Supream Bishop but all others also dispersed over all the earth that are united to the Church of Rome by the same belief by communion in the same Sacraments and by obedience to the same Supream head under Christ the Antiquity therefore of this Church is first demonstrated out of the Scripture it self Saint Paul writ that famous Epistle of his to the Church of Rome in which he gives the members thereof many great Elogiums To all that be in Rome beloved of God called Saints and again your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world When Saint Paul was come near to Rome the faithful for even then there were Christians at Rome at Puteoli and thereabouts before Saint Pauls coming thither went out of Rome to meet him and his fellow prisoners as far as Appii forum He began presently upon his arrival to preach in sine he preached the faith of Christ in Rome without any disturbance for two whole years together Of the Church of Rome Saint Peter also makes mention in these words The Church which is in Babylon salutes you so that both the Antiquity and truth also of the Romane faith is demonstrated out of Scripture Consider secondly the Antiquity of the Romane Church continued conserved uninterrupted in all ages since its being founded in the Apostles time First at all times in every age there hath been apparent a visible body of Professours of the Roman faith this is evinced clearly by that brief Catalogue of Saints put down in the sixth Meditation as also by the never interrupted Apostolick Succession of chief Pastors treated in the preceding Meditation 2. The faith and Doctrine held now by the Church of Rome accords most perfectly with the faith and Doctrine of
fulfill both parts of Christian duty decline from evil and do good and prescribes the means the other gives occasion to sinne freely and puts a barre against vertue the one hath a pleasant taste at first and seemingly rellisheth well but in the operation proves rank poyson to the soul the other seems harsh and hath somewhat of the bitter in it but in effect it proves a true cordiall the teachers of the one are those of whom our Saviour bids us beware that come in the sheeps cloathing of soft indulgent and condescending Doctrine but the effects of it proves them to be interiourly ravenous wolves the others are like good shepherds who restrain yet feed their sheep and govern them well In fine the one doctrine leads to the narrow way and strait gate which leads to life the other points out the broad way and wide gate which leads to perdition Inferre secondly that since these tenents of Sectaries make many become Sensualists and Syren-like have a sweet sound pleasing to the ear yet destroy and kill those therefore that desire to escape all danger must imitate Ulisses whose companions being inveigled by the charms of Circe were metamorphosed into Hogs an excellent Hieroglyphick of some Sects and the effects they produce but Ulisses himself by stopping his ears miss'd the hearing of her bewitching voyce and by that means got safe away If you shun not the occasions of hearing bad language and dangerous Doctrine Saint James his words He that loves danger shall perish therein will be verified in you Where your eternal interest is concern'd seek the greatest security and adhere to that Doctrine which most favours fanctity which the more you shall love the more shall you resemble the holy of holies Christ himself The eighth Meditation Of the Conversion of Nations by the efficacy of Doctrine The first Point COnsider first how that the great Commander of the world in chief Christ Jesus resolving to reduce into that one Kingdome of his Church all those Nations which the rebellious Princes of darknes had kept enthral'd in the slavery of infidelity for the effecting of this great designe first made choice of twelve men which he called his Apostles who were to be seconded by new supplies from time to time till that great conquest were finished the arms because the war was a spirituall one in which souls were more looked after and esteemed a greater booty than bodies were to be such as that noble Champion Saint Paul gives us a list of to wit Verity for the sword belt or scarfe the breast plate justice the shield of faith the helmet of salvation and the sword was to be the word of God this he calls the Armour of God This word was the sword which was to doe the deed Of this the same Saint Paul said that the word of God was Efficacious and more penetrating than any two edged sword and of it our Saviour meant when he said I will give you a mouth and Wisdome against which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist And he expressed their Commission in these words Goe teach all Nations baptizing them Consider secondly what may be hence infer'd as undenyable First that efficacy of Doctrine and the conversion of souls thereby is a signe and mark of Christs true Church for at this aimed king David when he said that the Law of the Lord was not only immaculate but converting soules Secondly that that Church was and is the true Church of Christ which hath in all ages and doth still prosecute the same work of converting soules The second Point Consider now the efficacy of the Roman Catholick doctrine And first a priori as from the cause Mans intellective faculty aimes at truth and seeks to perfect it selfe in the knowledge thereof as being it 's naturall object and for the rationall appetite the will good is that which it hunts after Now certaine it is that the Church of Rome teacheth the most noble and sublime things that can be studyed or conceived Such are the nature of the Divine effence and its perfections the eternall beatitude of man and the most comfortable and efficacious means to obtaine it and how to remove the letts and impediments to the purchase of it Add to these the excellency of Christs Church and its holy Sacraments and Sacrifice together with the doctrine contained in the Second point of the former meditation And as for the verity of this Catholick doctrine it is grounded upon the greatest authority that can be exacted yea or wished for to wit the veracity of God and the testimony of that Church which undoubtedly deserves more credite than any single person or particular Sect in the world that is the Church of the Roman Catholicks dispersed over all the world Now these things so great and so beneficial to mans soul established also by so unquestionable authority how can they but move the will that is the rational appetite of man the sensitive indeed a thing not more excellent in man than in bruits finds the effects of Luther and Calvin's doctrine more agreeable to it but speaking of the soul as rational in loves that which is truly good Quid enim fortius desiderat anima quam veritatem As truly said Saint Austin Tract 26. in Joan. Consider secondly the efficacy of this doctrine à posteriori or from its effects the forcible attractivenesse of this converted all that have been converted after the successefull labours of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ other Apostolicall men put for ward the work and amongst the first was holy Pantenus who converted many Indians soon after which the Scythians Dacians Nemians and Morines of which Paulinus writeth were brought into the Church as also the Armenians and Hurmes as Saint Hierom recounteth In the fifth Age the Scots were converted by Saint Palladius a man born in Rome and sent from Rome by Pope Celestine into Scotland to preach the Faith of Christ to that Nation This is recorded by Prosper Bede and Baronius soon after Saint Remigius and Saint Vaus authorized both by the same power of the Bishop of Rome brought the French Nation to embrace the Catholick Faith at which time Clodoveus their King received the first tincture of Christianity by being baprized by Saint Remigius As for our own Nation England whose the conversions patently convince these late Sects of Novelty and falshood the first time of its being enlightned by Christs Gospel was in the Apostles time the second illustration of it was when Pope Eleutherius sent the men of God Fugatius and Damianas thither who baptized King Lucius and converted his Subjects And thirdly it was totally converted by whom By St. Austin and his companions Justus Mellitus Laurence and others Whence they From Rome By whose order Saint Gregories the Pope And here is matter for amazement when a man reflects how ungratfully our English off-spring like an unnatural brood defiles the Nest
against that decree which was made against them at the Dyet in Germany Luther was presently writ against and confuted by many learned men in all Catholick Countries his Doctrine and he were condemned first by Pope Leo the tenth and afterward by the Councel of Trent so that Luthers going out and the beginning of his new Sect are most certainly known and recounted by many Yea the falshood and novelty of Luthers doctrine as also his going out of the Roman Church and that the said Church of Rome is Christs true Church is plainly demonstrated further by this thing which is most worthy to be taken notice of At that time when Luther began his new sect there were not in the world any Religions but these the Roman Paganisme Judaisme Mahometisme the relicks of Nestorianisme in Greece and some Hussites in Germany some one of these was Christs true Church for he had a visible Church upon earth Therefore the Roman must be it for even the Lutherans deny that any of the other could be it Hence infer first that Luther could not but know that he went out and separated himself from Christs Church by forsaking all Churches one of which he knew must be it Secondly that he could not but know that the Roman Church was it thirdly that supposing the Church of Rome were it which must be supposed or else the denyers must say Christ had no true Church upon earth it could not be guilty of any Heresie or Idolatry nor give any just cause to Luther of going out of it and consequently by his revolt from the communion of it he incurred the sin of schisme by teaching doctrine contrary to it he fell into the sin of heresie Fourthly that all that entered into that schismaticall league with him and embraced his opinions were guilty of the same sins so far forth as ignorance did not make their acts involuntary Fifthly that that schisme unlawfully begun by Luther cannot be lawfully continued by others and therefore all that are not Roman Catholicks expose themselves to evident danger of their souls unless they return to the communion of the Roman Church The fourth Point Consider now what may be drawn out of all the precedent points first that antiquity is not onely a mark of the true Church but it is one by which even the most ignorant soules may easily finde out which is the true Church and which are late sects and consequently false for a smal enquiry will bring them to the knowledge of which Religion is of the longest standing and a far lesse will discover unto them which are of the latest for of Luther above mention is made Calvin begun at Geneva anno 1538. and Protestant Religion in England begun under Queen Elizabeth though some symptoms of falling into it were difcovered in her predecessor Edward the sixth his dayes as is evident out of John Stows Chronicle and other Protestant Writers as also out of the Stature book 2. That since according to Saint Austins rule which is that if there be any thing practised in the Church universally and no time of its being introduced can be assigned that thing is to be supposed to have its first origin from the Apostles times no known beginning of the Roman Catholick Religion since the daies of the Apostles can be specified it must be the true Religion On the contrary since both the going out from the Roman Church and also the first beginnings of all later Sects are easily demonstrable none of these can be true or a soul saving Religion 3. That all who are not Roman Catholicks for these know it have great reason yea are obliged to inform themselves about the requisitenesse of antiquity in point of Religion For by a neglect of this they expose themselves to the danger of making an imprudent choice to the great prejudice of their soules whereas a compliance with this obligation of searching after the antiquity of Religion will bring them easily to a perfect insight into the defectivenesse and falshood of all save only that Religion of the Roman Catholicks Inquire therefore of the old paths you who are out of that way which your Ancestors held for above eight hundred years together in England before Luther was born you who have left the true worship of God and sacrifice to the Idols of your own fancies learn that lesson well which Moses reads to you Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise remember the dayes of old consider the years of many generations ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee What The ancient being and truth of the Catholick Religion and the non-entity of these late ones of our miserable times The Eleventh Meditation Of Unity The first Point Consider first that the true Church of Christ is but one The Scriptures Councels Fathers History and Reason prove this truth imprint in thy minde the many divine Oracles with which the true God of Wisdome hath confirmed this One is my Dove my perfect one Cant. 6. One God one Faith one Baptisme one body one spirit sayes Saint Paul Ephes 4. who also recommends to all Christians most earnestly that they will stand fast in one spirit with one minde Phil. 1.27 and that they will be like minded having the same love being of one accord and one minde Phil. 2.2 in all which places and many more he exhorts to unity in Faith Judgment and opinion Our Saviour every where speaks of his Church in the singular number tell the Church upon this rock will I build my Church intimating thereby it is but one the General Councell of Nice and Constantinople received by Protestants define and professe in their Creed that the Catholick Church is but one the holy Fathers all unanimously fight for the unity of Christs Church against Hereticks and schismaticks and History delivers unto posterity the continued succession of Popes Bishops Priests Doctours Confessors Virgins and Martyrs for fifteen centuries of years together and more all whose lives deaths books and blood have published signed and sealed their attestations that there is but one Church the Roman Church which is the Catholick Church Consider secondly and that seriously what forces natural reason brings to establish this Unity verity it self is but one and that indivisible and propositions contradictory cannot possibly be both true how then can Sects or Religions contradicting one another in one and the self same points be more than one of them true Different Nations people of different callings and qualities may meet in conjunction together and make one and the same body in Faith and Religion as it happened in the Primitive Church But different Sects and People of a contrary beliefe about the self same material objects or points of Faith for example about the real presence of Christs body in the Eucharist about Justification about Purgatory about the infallible Authority of the Church and such like cannot
at this sequel denyes the former proposition pretends that the protestant Church was visible in every age But first neither he nor any other could ever yet prove any such visibility Secondly this argues that the protestants are here also as in other points at variance amongst themselves Lastly they confess and in confessing this alone they grant enough to undo themselves and establish the truth of the Roman Church that they went out from the Roman Catholicks The thing indeed in it self is most true and it hath been often proved by Catholicks that Waldo Wicliffe Hus Luther Calvin and the cheif of these new Reformado's were sirst Catholicks and members of the Roman Church before their change But the thing now to be considered is their own consession of this truth As for Luther he acknowledgeth in many places of his Works that he had been a Papist and went out from them And Caloin sayes in plain terms that he and his departed from the Church of Rome yea and from the whole world Discessionem à tot mundo facere coactisumus Mr. Jewel Fox Rainolds Mason and many more of them acknowledge their Church to have gone out of the Roman Church so that nothing remains now but to take notice of what sequels result out of this and their other ingenuous confessions The third Point Consider lastly Some inferences which may be drawn out of the two former points first by their granting that they went out of the Roman Church acknowledging also that those who dy in the same Church may besaved they evidently make themselves guilty of schisme 2. granting in this manner Salvation to Roman Catholicks whom they confesse also not to erre in fundamentals the latter of which is also inferred out of the former nor to want any of those things which are essntial requisites to salvation it followes that these other are not only guilty of Schisme but of heresie also if they hold any thing as they hold many contradictory to these confessedly foule saving tenents of Roman Catholicks 3. This grant of their going out from the Roman Catholicks which thing is evidently proved also in the third point of the meditation of antiquity this alone makes the protestant Religion guilty of novelty and by consequence of falshood for the true church of christ began in the time of the apostles theirs comming after that time could not be it by reason of its posteriority but some other false sect 4. The whole sum of what they have granted in behalf of the Roman catholicks and against themselves proves evidently that the Roman catholicks are the only true church of christ Since therfore in this great suite betwixt Sectaries especially Protestants and Roman catholicks about the true church of christ and whose it is by right we have not only proved that the marks of it and of that of the Roman catholicks are all one and consequently that these two are not in reallity two but one and the same church but our adversaries have moreover given us a judgement by confessing in substance that our claims are good and their own ill grounded what remaines but execution not that which the ministers of divine justice doe upon the wicked which God avert but that rather for such are my cordial wishes which the equity of this cause exacts to be done by convicted persons upon themselves by putting in execution that true conversion to the catholicke faith to which the evidence of these most credible testimonies the markes of the true church must needs incline an impartial reader Confident I am that the substance of these meditations cannot but convince that the markes of christs true church are to be found amongst the Roman Catholicks and only amongst them If passion prejudicate opinions obstinacy be laid aside if self-ends and temporal interests be not prevalent and disturb reason undoubtedly the testimonies of these markes will make it give sentence for the catholicke party Away with these fears of sequestration or temporal incumbrances heaven is a happy purchase though it cost you these yea life it selfe Such premisses as the praxis of your belief and life prepare such conclusions will death draw out in the end Nor can either belief or life be good in a Religion which is bad Choose therefore the best whatsoever it cost since thy salvation depends upon thy Election in point of Religion Mean while Let this be the last though not the least of the sequels which may be drawn out of the precedent Meditations to wit a cessasion of persecution Can reason yea can nature choose but cry out in seeing Catholicks persecuted where all Sects are tolerated and in beholding those mens blood shed or sought for even by those for the good of whose souls these others are so piously prodigall of their own blood England England which kill 's the Prophets and with the averse affections of thy hard heart ston's those that are sent to thee How often and how willingly would they have gathered thy children together as the Hen her Chickins under that shelter which he wished for who said Under the shade of thy wings protect me but thou wouldest not Behold thy house is left like a desert without Altar without Priest without Sacrifice stone upon stone and scarce that some where Alas The dayes will come in which thou must repent thy not taking notice of the visites which thy Saviour gave thee by his Servants England remember from whence thou hast fallen do pennance and do thy first works Return to thy self and consider how many thousands in the house of thy Father abound with bread the bread of Angels their daily bread whilest thou perishes with famine Rise goe and say Father I have finned against heaven and in thy sight now I am no more worthy to be called thy daughter since I have forsaken thy Spouse my mother And thou O God of hosts look down from heaven and behold and visite this vinyard and the Vineyard which thy right hand once planted let it by the same be again repaired to thy eternall glory Amen Soli Dei honor gloria ERRATA PAge 2. line 25 read proximus and marg Rom. 6.22 p. 3. l. 12 get p. 4. l. 11 dele all p. 8. l. 9 an oblation p. 14. marg dele Isa 7.9 p. 16. l. 27 dele ment p. 27. l. 13 what they are p. 28 marg Elogium's p. 40. l. 19 ingenuous mar del Jo. 5.24 p. 41. l. 10 machins p. 46. l. 20. Mar. 16.20 p. 54. l. 10 the enemy l. 13 eye witness reports p. 55. l. 7 a great blunder is l. 14 cambinding p. 47. marg 14.12 p. 57. l. 1 Ephpheta l 7 that way in p. 58. marg dele Lev. 15.16 p. 61. l. 26 believing p. 63. l. 18 least p. 65. l. 13 r. Patrick l. 15 Silverius p. 68. l. 21. Iohn Fox p. 85. marg 76.11 p. 86 l. 20 besanctified l. 25 need I p. 87. l. 6 I can p. 95. l. 3 Nervians p.