lawful if the succeeding Pope had approved of the same But now forsooth it shall be unlawful because the Pope that was made by this Council said not of himself and those like him that he was subject to the Council but on the contrary Lucifer-like maintained that he was above the Council Howbeit it is altogether credible that the Decree of the Council was approved of by Him before he was chosen for Pope Who here sees not a Circle of Absurdities However it be if the Authority of the Council be no more than the Popes it could not depose the Pope and therefore those ungodly Knaves Popes are to be reckoned among the Bishops that lawfully succeed by a continual Succession not interrupted by Reason of their Heresie Atheism Simony Force and Villanies or if there be granted an Interruption there will now forthwith be no Succession at all upon the same Account that Bellarmine denies that the Succession of the Greeks is to be accounted lawful He that seeth not that the Papists are wholly at a loss in all these Things as in an endless Labyrinth of Errours he truly seeing is blind For howsoever the Case stands touching Succession the Question concerning Truth will alwayes remain To what Purpose therefore do they enter into so intricate a Labyrinth and take so great Pains for to prove a Succession One of these must necessarily be concluded either that the Truth is sufficient to constitute a true Church or that it is not If the former be true To what End is Succession by these endless Windings to and fro proved If the latter What doth Truth avail if it do not constitute a true Church It is contrary to the Nature and Propertie of Truth not to constitute a true Church whether those who teach the Truth have it by Tradition from others or no or at least know not the List of their Names from whom they have it delivered to them Gold will be Gold although it have been hid and buried in the Earth a thousand Years But you will say it is requisite that there be some before I know Gold to teach me that that is Gold But say I shall the Church thorowly do this But then there is required some one besides by whom I may be sure that that this Church which doth affirm that this is Gold doth know it most exactly and cannot err therein Who shall that be Here the Papists make a Circle We assert that the Scripture is Truth which the Church of Rome granteth us But yet it is the Prerogative of the Church saith he to tell us that the Scripture is Truth But say I who shall tell me that the Church that affirms this saith true She hath not this Priviledge by Succession unless it clearly appear that she never defected from the Truth This cannot appear unless I know what is Truth If the Church herself assume this she then singeth to us the same Song and so the Church will be both Plantiff and Judge and that in her own proper Cause Here will be no End of contending And that is it which Tertullian meant in that most known Place and commonly in the mouth of all the Papists which they quote in all their Writings with a very perverse wresting of the Sense thereof in his Book of Proscript against Hereticks Chap. 32. Where he thus speaketh But if any Heresies dare insert themselves in the Times of the Apostles that so they may be thought to have been delivered by the Apostles because they were in the Apostles Dayes we may say that is we may in such Case demand of them the Succession of which they boast saying Let them produce the Originals of their Churches turn over the Order of their Bishops so running down by Succession from the Beginning as that first Bishop had some one of the Apostles or Apostolical men who yet continued with the Apostles for his Author and Predecessor c. And a little after Let the Hereticks feign any such Thing which is to be noted as serving our Purpose yet though they shall feign it they shall prevail nothing For their very Doctrine compared with that of the Apostles by its Diversity and Contrariety will aloud declare that it hath neither any Apostle nor Apostolical Man for its Authour For as the Apostles would not have taught Things differing among themselves so also the Apostolical Men would not have published Things contrary to the Apostles except it were those who revolted from the Apostles and taught otherwise According to this Form therefore or Manner note it well shall those Churches appeal which though they can produce none of the Apostles or Apostolick Men as their Authour as being long after and which lastly are daily instituted yet agreeing in the same Faith to wit with the Apostles or Apostolick Men they are not the less deemed Apostolical by Reason of the cousanguinity or nearness of kin of their Doctrine That is according to Tertullians style because they agree with the Apostles in Doctrine These words of Tertullian which the Papists so shamefully abuse and so violently wrest do not obscurely confirm what we have said For Tertullian says three Things First that those Churches which have the Truth agreeable with the Doctrine of the Apostles are no less Apostolical Churches then others although they cannot shew their Succession for that only Cause for that they have the Truth on their side Secondly that those Churches which glory of their Succession and Original derived from the Apostles and cannot demonstrate it are justly to be rejected as those who obtrude upon us that which is false And Thirdly that those Churches which demonstrate their Succession whether lawfully or unlawfully are not to be counted for true Churches unless it appear that their Doctrine is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Apostles What Churches agree therein the same are Apostolical although they be destitute of Succession This is more clear then the Noon-dayes Sun The same affirmeth Augustine in that Place which is also quoted as unfaithfully and contrary to the Meaning of Augustine by the Papists in his Book which he wrote against the fundamental Epistle of Manichee Chap. 4. For when he had said that he clave to the Catholick Church wherein from the See of Peter even to his Time the Succession of Bishops and Priests had been deduced he addes these words which are altogether agreeable with our Judgment With you he speaks of the Manichees where there is none of these to invite and detain me there is onely the noise of the Promise of Truth which indeed were it so manifestly shewed that it could not be questioned were to be preferred before all those Things by Reason whereof I am detained in the Catholick Church What could Augustine have spoken more clear to prove and shew that neither Antiquity nor Succession can avail so as that any one should be able to quit himself of the Labyrinth of Doubts touching the true Church but that the Truth
of which they cannot rid themselves For first they cannot tell nor intelligibly declare which is that Church which they believe cannot err Secondly it is impossible for them to bring any Demonstrative Argument whereby to perswade themselves or any other impartial man I do not say the Roman but that the Church cannot err I evince these two As to the first Member I thus query with a Papist When you say the Church or the Church of Rome cannot err what do you mean by the Church Do you mean all Christians in general who take Jesus Christ for their Saviour and submit to all his holy Commands so that not so much as one of them can err Doubtless he will deny it For every one of them considered singly apart yea and all conjunctly together may err For all are Members of one Body which ought to have a visible Head from whom they ought to receive Spiritual Life Senses and holy Affections Grant it be so what then Do you think that the Cardinals Archbishops Presbyters and Doctors are the Church He will deny it again Since all and every one singly may err for the same Reason which we have shewn already Do you therefore by the Church understand a general Council consisting of all the Cardinals Bishops and Doctors as representing the whole multitude of Christians whose Head this Council is He will affirm it But granting this although it be grounded on no Reason I will ask further Do you believe then that this Council as it is the Head of the Church cannot err howsoever assembled and whatsoever shall be decreed therein In no wise he will say it ought to be lawfully convocated By whom say I he will say by the Pope of Rome Grant this though it be void of Reason and without Ground yea and they determine or judge contrary to the Practice of the first General Councils Is this Council so convocated that Church which cannot err in its Decrees and Determinations Or is there that Head of the Church to which no Errour is incident Here he will stick or demur somewhat For I will go on to query thus Put the case that this Council decree any thing without the Consent yea contrary to the Judgment and Dignity of the Pope of Rome whether or no can it err therein Here he must of necessity be wholly at a Loss For it is known that not only diverse Ancient Councils both particular and General have past Decrees against his mind and which did diminish the Pope of Rome's Dignity as appears by many Councils in Africa and also in the fourth General Council of Chalcedon and many others But further also it is evident that the General Council of Constance held in the Year 1414. and called by the Pope of Rome John the 23. or as others the 24. At which were present more than a Thousand Fathers deputed or appointed by the Church of Rome and among these above three hundred Bishops decreed with unaminous Consent that the Council was above the Pope and therefore that it was in the power of the Council to expunge Popes out of the Register of the Church and to degrade them even as by the same Council were degraded three Popes who then exercised the Office of the Popedom and among these even Pope John himself who had called this Council and that for four and fiftie or according to others seventie one nefarious Crimes among which were these two First that he had openly denyed the Immortality of Souls supposing that Men dyed like Beasts to which he also added this Second That he affirmed that there was neither Paradise nor Hell as is manifest by the 11th Session Here the Papist must say one of these two Either that such a general Council is the Church that cannot err no not even then when it determineth any thing against the Pope and to the prejudice of his Highness as was done in this Council Or that such a Council is not the true Church and therefore is capable of Errour If he say the Former he will find himself entangled in a Gordian Knot and besides he will oppose the greatest Part of the Popish Doctors especially the Jesuits who not only affirm that the Pope is above a Council but also determine that that Council of Constance is in this respect to be blamed wherein they decreed that the Pope was inferiour to a Council as is clear out of Cardinal Bellarmin and others yea further he will be forc't expresly to confess that the Pope of Rome who hath suceeeded to Peters Right and Power is not the chief or supream Head of all Churches and by Consequence that the Pope of Rome may err in Faith and swerve from the Truth If he say the latter he falls into a new Labyrinth For then he doth not only contradict Councils but also many and diverse both Churches and Popish Doctors And namely the most ancient School of the Sorbon in France which by some is called the first Daughter of the Church which with the greatest part of the French Churches defends and approves of that decree of the Council of Constance Howbeit suppose that he find no difficulty in this matter yet there he will stick that even then he knoweth not and cannot tell or shew that Church which affirms that it cannot err For if a General Council be not the Church or if it may err and doth err when it determines any thing against the Pope or without his approbation I pray what is that which makes the Church not lyable to Errour Haply he will say the Council is the Church when it agrees with the Pope and is confirmed by Him Here again is a new Labyrinth for it may fall out and it very often hath that the greatest Part of the Council may not vote with the Pope Imagine therefore that the greatest Part of the Council do judge and decree something that the Pope disallows of Or that the Pope agree with the lesser Part Which Part in this Case makes the Church Not the greatest For that is contrary to the Pope Doth then the least Part make the Church What Reason What shew of Truth What only because the Pope favours it Then the Pope is the Church For if these few make the Church because the Pope is on their Side then if they were only two who should judge against a thousand others those two with the Pope would make the Church and what speak I of two Although there were only one yea none yet the matter would come to the same Issue the Pope alone at length would be the Fore-castle and Poop and the whole Church which cannot err Although he be even the veryest Knave in the World Yea further not only a Heretick but also an Atheist who denies the Immortality of the Soul Heaven and Hell As Pope John the 23 of whom we have lately spoken of did For which Cause he was degraded by the Council of Constance with so severe a Sentence
same time with him He that considers these Things without Prejudice ought to be induced to believe that those who endeavour to defend or shelter themselves under Antiquity and Succession do involve themselves in a Labyrinth in which one may easily be intangled but hardly nay nor indeed hardly be disintangled or loosed CHAP. X. That Truth is to be preferred before all Antiquity and Succession whatsoever BUt granting that any one could prove this Antiquity and Succession What will be evinced from thence as to the chief Point of the Matter Nothing at all For Antiquity and Succession of Persons being proved yet the Question concerning Truth will still remain If Antiquity and Succession be not joyned with Truth what I pray do they make for the proving of this Business Antiquity is not the Cause of Truth much less Succession And if Antiquity and Succession ought necessarily to be joyned with Truth then the Truth is first and chiefly to be known which whilest it is unknown so long a man hangs in Suspence Even as if a man should find Money which he certainly knows was coined many Ages before yet remains in doubt whether that Money be made of good Metal or no. Antiquity doth wholly differ from Goodness Nor doth a naughty Person cease to be naught because he is old Not every ancient Custom is good And this is the Cause Why the Fathers discoursing of true Antiquity and Succession would have us chiefly to Mind that Succession which is in Conjuction with the genuine Doctrine and Truth Especially when we have to do with those that reject the Scripture either in Part or in whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Gregory Nazianzen i. e. For the one is a being of the same Mind or Judgment and to sit on the same Throne The other is to be of a contrary Opinion or Judgment and to sit on a contrary Throne The one hath the Name the other the Truth of Succession And Ambrose saith Qui Petri Fidem-non habet is nihil à Petro haereditario Jure obtinet ac frustra gloriatur de Petri Successione That is He that hath not Peter's Faith he inheriteth nothing from Peter and boasteth in vain of his Succeeding of Peter This thing is so clear that even the most learned Jesuit Cardinal Bellarmine proveth the same acknowledging both these 1. That the Argument concerning Succession is not brought by his Party to prove that that Church wherein is the right of Succession is therefore to be accounted the true Church but onely to prove that that is not the Church where there is not Succession And 2. That Antiquity and continued Succession doth nothing at all avail the Grecian or at least the Constantinopolitan nay nor all your Patriarchal Churches to prove that they are a true Church because there have been sometimes amongst them Bishops that have been heretical whose Thread therefore of Succession hath been broken and cut off From hence it most clearly follows that though Succession be already proved yet the main Question concerning Truth doth remain still For if when Succession is proved it cannot infallibly be gathered and concluded that that Church is the true Church in whose Hands the Succession is And if farther it ought to appear for certain that no Heresies or heretical Bishops have broken off the Succession Reason it self dictates that Succession is proved in vain or at least to no great Profit unless we be thorowly informed concerning the Truth For whilest the Truth is unknown it is impossible to know whether any thing favour of Heresie or no. But who shall shew us the Truth Or who shall most fully assure us thereof Shall the true Church But where and which is it It cannot be For when Succession of Persons is proved it is not yet certain and undoubted that that Church wherein is Succession hath Truth on its side or hath been alwayes free from Heresie and by Consequence hath belonging to it the Right and Power to point out the true Church What Church therefore shall it be that shall infallibly shew us and say that this is true that that on the contrary is Heretical For the Church that wants Succession according to the Jesuits cannot do it nor the Church in which is Succession as is manifest from the precedent Grounds What then What End is there It is impossible for a Papist to untye this Knot To which I add this over and above Suppose that no heretical Bishops have interven'd or stept in among those that have succeeded but such who as we have said have by Force Faction and popular Tumult by Gifts and Bribes thrust themselves into the Apostolical Seat where I pray will be the Succession Must we indeed believe that holy and saving Truth may better consist with these nefarious Wickednesses than with Heresie and Errour Nay rather if farther it be found in Histories that at one Time and that indeed for fifty or eighty Years together there have been two or three Popes the one of which expunged the other out of the Catalogue of Christians call'd him in Reproach Heretick and Antichrist pronounced him an unlawful Pope cut off two of his Predecessors fingers drew up out of the Earth Bodies already buried and having shamefully abused their Ashes cast them into the Tyber all which three Popes sometimes together have been condemned and degraded and taken out of the Number of Christians by an universal Council as false and unlawful Popes as Hereticks and ungodly Villains by whom notwithstanding there were many Bishops and Clergie men ordained what End or Bounds of Succession will the Thread of Connection find For if it be said for Examples sake That that Pope which in the Times of the Council of Constance was by common Votes substituted in the room of those three Popes which were deposed by the said Council is to be accounted for the true Pope who succeeded in the Room of the last that deceased lawfull Pope the Apostolical Sea being in the Interim vacant and usurped by Force he will fall into a new Labyrinth for that many of the Popish Doctors and Bellarmine by Name and all the Jesuits do determine and urge that this Council is so far to be judged for not lawful in that it decreed that the Council was above the Pope because it was not approved of either by the Pope that is that most impious Knave and Villain John the twentie fourth or twentie third who had called that Council and was by the Sentence of the same degraded or by the Pope whom this Council constituted in his stead For if this Council in that Respect be not to be counted for lawful how then shall a lawful Succession be proved Had then this Council been in this Respect lawful if that Knave and Varlot had approved of the same This is shameful to be spoken and more shameful to affirm that therefore this Council was not lawful because it was nor approved of by him Or had it then been
and shall not be ungratefull will acknowledge to have exceeding well deserved of the whole Church of Christ Why dost thou take unjustly to thy self a power of condemning thy brother whom the Lord hath commanded thee to love Hear him Neither this man hath sinned nor his parents but these things are done that the works of God may be made manifest Hear him again Judge not that ye be not judged Hear the Apostle It is with me a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgment He that judgeth me is the Lord Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart And then shall every man have praise of God Art thou so assured of what shall happen to thy self as to know for certain that thou thy self shalt not be tormented with more bitter pain and dolour And yet 't was not his right eye that was amiss neither was it blindness but only a dimness and his arm was not dried up but swelled His tongue truly even to the last moment of his life readily discharged its office Thus things above things below things on the right hand things on the left things divine things humane wait together on these wretched Hierophants Expounders of divine mysteries to serve them when they will There were somes who playing on his name devised Vani orbis amicus i. e. A friend of the vain world as if impiety was not sometime bold to do the same on the sacred name of Christ Go your wayes for beetles the unprofitable things of the world What will ye not attempt to do on the servant who have not spared God himself and the Lord of life But I return to that which I made digression from He although tired with all these evils yet notwithstanding kept a stedfast courage and quiet mind He therefore never abated any thing of the pleasantness and comely gracefulness and accustomed cheerfulness of his countenance and candor of heart his most ardent prayers ascending to God for himself and the concord of the church How frequent how fervent in his sickness were his ejaculations to Jesus Christ What joyes did he promise himself With what perseverance of faith did he expect his last day in the world If the brethren did compose themselves to prayers and he himself was hindred by pain he now and then desired them to stay till he should come to himself that he might together with them perform this brotherly office These few forms of prayers among many more were noted OH great Shepheard of the sheep who by the blood of the everlasting covenant wast brought again from the dead Oh! Lord and Saviour Jesus be present with me thy weak and afflicted sheep Oh Lord Jesus the faithfull and mercifull High priest who wast willing to be tempted in all things like unto us but without sin that thou learning by experience it self how hard it is to obey God in sufferings mightest have compassion on us in our infirmities have pity on me and succour me thy servant who am sick an pressed with many afflictions Oh God of my salvation make my soul fit for thine heavenly kingdom my body for the resurrection Now when upon the increasing of his disease he was admonished by the physicians that by reason of the doubtfullness of his life he would set his house in order and that if any thing were to be given in charge by his last will and testament he would take care to do it he then composed himself for death with such great quietness of mind that friends standing by who had observed the whole manner of his life admired at his so great and so heroick moderation in the last act and they took from him the last example of dying blessedly of whom long before they had learned many things for the well ordering of their lives He then perceiving that the time of his dissolution was at hand and not being ignorant of the Devils stratagems took speciall care when he made his will to give a brief Account of his designs and of his life This because it contains the duty of a faithfull Teacher I shall recite for an Example and for a Testimony Out of his will or Testament BEfore all things I commend my soul when it shall depart out of its body into the hands of God its Creator and faithfull Saviour before whom I witness that I have with a good conscience singly and sincerely walked in my charge and calling taking heed with much solicitousness and carefulness not to propose or teach any thing which I had not found by a diligent search out of the holy Scriptures to agree exactly with the same Scriptures and that I have taught those things which might conduce to the propagation and amplification of the truth the Christian religion the true worship of God common piety and holy conversation among men Lastly to tranquility agreeing to the Christian profession and peace according to the word of God excluding from among these Papacy with which no verity of faith no bond of piety and Christian peace can be kept These things being thus finished some days were spent in the invocation of Christ and in thanksgiving and the meditation of a better life In which time Mr. Jo. Vtenbogardus and Mr. Hadrian Borrius did more frequently visit him then others did Both of them were his old and most faithfull friends But Mr. Borrius was even always present in the daily performance of prayer with his sick friend Now at length on the 19th of October about noon this faithfull servant of God being discharged of his warfare having finished his course fought the good fight kept the faith did render his soul now weary of cares now glutted with the miseries of this world now desiring deliverance now having a fore-tast of the joys of the Saints now seeing Christ his God and redeemer did I say with his eyes lifted up to heaven render quietly among the holy prayers of them that were present his soul to God the Father his creator to the Son his redeemer to the Holy Ghost his sanctifier all crying out Let me dye the death of the righteous Thus even this our Sun did set thus that just man dyed of whom this world was not worthy thus the father of so many prophets was taken away thus James Arminius by the charet of Israel and horsemen thereof was carryed from us into heavenand now is free and delivered from miseryes hath the crown sought for by so many labours by so great holiness and enjoys the heavenly Jerusalem in the great assembly of many thousands of Angels and the Church of the first-born that are written in heaven and he sees the Judge of all and the Spirit of just men made perfect and Jesus the mediator of the new Testament and the blood of sprinkling speaking better then that of Abel But he expecteth
will not recede so much as a fingers breadth from the Opinion they have undertaken to maintain is all one as by Arguments to perswade him the Sun shines who shuts his eyes against the Light thereof and refuseth to see its Light Indeed for their sakes who continually fasten on such kind of Questions as when they be fully discust do yet nevertheless not convince Consciences of the principal Truth to spend much pains and to weary ones self with continual disputing is nothing else but to draw water with a sieve which if one take up out of the water immediately it appeareth empty and void of that Humour or Moysture which it abundantly drew CHAP. II. Of that kind of Papists who will not be taught better Amongst the most of Christians especially the Papists or by which title they love to be called the Catholicks when any Dispute is had with them we ordinarily meet with these two sorts of Men. The first Sort is twofold Some fear not roundly and with full mouth to affirme that they will not be taught better but that they will tooth and nayl and obstinately stick to their own Opinion Insomuch that though they should see with their eyes that the Wall is white yet nevertheless they would believe their Church so believing and judging that it is black because being forced by necessity they find that they must so speak Whereupon although they find by all their Senses that is see smell taste feel hear that the bread in the Eucharist is nothing but bread yet notwithstanding they ought to be willing to believe that it is not bread but only the accident of Bread which cannot be tasted touch'd or smelt Not considering that themselves do by this means give very many cause to doubt of every thing and so to call in question the chief Foundation of the whole Christian Religion that is the Truth of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead which is built on this Foundation that the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ and amongst these Thomas otherwise not over-credulous perceived Jesus Christ with all their senses saw handled heard and veiwed him near to them judging that that very thing ought to be an irrefragable Argument to themselves and to the whole world for to believe that Christ rose from the dead not in shew and appearance but really in his proper body And they indeed call this very thing mens believing those things which they do not see who yet do quite contrary here whilest they do not believe that very thing which they see touch smell hear and taste He that seeth not that this is a great Efficacy of errour he seeth nothing at all and if Thomas had followed this Rule he might by the same Parity of Right have believed that it was not Christ himself whom he beheld before him into whose side he thrust his Hand and his Finger into the Prints of the Nails CHAP. III Of some Papists that cleave so stifly to their own Opinion that they will not give place to any Reason THere are others who seem not on set purpose to be willing or to dare roundly and openly to profess that they will not be taught better yea who protest to the contrary deeming that too gross and rustick a Saying and yet nevertheless they do not obscurely declare when they see their Forces reduced to Straits that they neither can nor ought to yield to a better Opinion much less receive any Information from those whom their Church counts Hereticks and although they perceive themselves in such sort wrapped in that they can give no reason of their Belief or Opinion neither from the Sacred Scriptures nor Councils nor Fathers and that their own Reasons are so solidly and strongly refuted that they may as it were feel with their hands that their Exceptions to the contrary are of no Weight or Force at all yet they defend or maintain their own so obstinately that they will rather perswade themselves that those Arguments though they seem solid and altogether Achillean are more brittle than Glass and do onely deceive under a shew of Reason which others more skilful than themselves would easily and with no trouble solve or answer and so being blinded with a prejudicate Opinion and also led with a Love and Reverence of their Mother the Church they count them meer Sophisms by this means indeed confessing on the one hand their own weakness and on the other hand shewing their singular Constancy or Obstinacy in the Faith of their Church contrary Arguments notwithstanding which press their minds and force them to doubt of their fore-going Belief yea to believe to the contrary We may easily observe that these two Sorts of Men do not seek the Truth with a pious and honest Mind but that they onely hunt after vain Glory and the Praise of Victory gotten by any means whatsoever deeming they have alwayes sufficient Causes of glorying whilest they dare affirm they are not satisfied That the case so stands daily Experience sheweth Nor is it to be wondred at The first and chiefest Article of the Papists is this That their Church cannot err consequently that of all other Churches that differ from their Church we are to conclude that they err and that as long as they persist in their Errour are liable to eternal destruction damnation With whom this foundation doth not remain wholly fixt and unshaken he cannot be a true Papist but if any hold it tooth and nail he openly professeth that he is not willing to be taught better although he shall be convinced of his Errour or if he make shew of some desire to learn yet doth he with his whole Strength and Might maintain his Opinion although the Truth be proposed to him as clearly and resplendently as the Sun-beams are wont to be when the weather is fair and clear This Foundation being laid it necessarily follows that to dispute with a true Papist is fruitless and endless and that it cannot be hoped that such an one should be taken off from his resolution or by Arguments be reduced into the right Way Furthermore a true Papist as he renders himself unmeet to embrace the Truth and to acknowledge his own Errour so doth he unadvisedly cast himself into a Labyrinth or Maze of inextricable absurdities out of which he is utterly unable to extricate or free himself as it frequently useth to befal them who receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved as Paul shews 2 Thes 2.10 And this appears more clear than the Noon-dayes Light when any Dispute is undertaken with them even concerning any Point whatsoever of the Christian Religion nor is it necessary in many words to prove it CHAP. IIII. That the Papists cannot show which is that true Church which cannot err THis chief and fundamental Point which they have alwayes in their mouth and on which they chiefly build That the Church of Rome cannot err is a Labyrinth out
off himself I think for want of breath and then the President gave celeberrimo Duo Gomaro very many thanks for that his learned grave and accurate speech The Exteri the forreign Divines wondered at it Martinus onely said that he was sorry he should be so rewarded for his long journey In another letter All I will say my Lord is this There are two men in the Synod Sibrandus but especially Gomarus who are able to set it on fire unless they be lookt to Thus far he I shall say nothing of the generality of the Provincial or Dutch Divines how they were at the devotion of those that were chief Actors in the Contra-remonstratical Tragedy We are come now to the Execution of the Synodical Sentence against the Remonstrants They being thus discharged other Pastors were put and substituted in their places how unwilling soever the Chuches were to receive them In some places these new Pastors were brought in by force of arms Now lest the ejected Remonstrants should teach privately therefore the States-General propose to them a certain ingagement to abstain in the future both directly and indirectly from all even private exercise of their Ministry To which when some could not in conscience subscribe they were condemned to perpetual banishment Alas who could expect such cruelly amongst Protestants that had condemned Papists for the like unchristian practices He that takes a view of our Episcopius and some others of the Remonstrants in their deportment when this dismal Cloud appeared will see cause to admire their faith and fortitude For so dear was the truth unto them and their zeal for it so great that a promise of the same wages or stipend which they formerly enjoyed could not induce them though some of them had but a very mean Estate to oblige and bind themselves unto silence which was commanded them Moreover these Generous spirits did with much boldness after the pronouncing of the of sentence of Banishment defend openly to the States-General their own and their associates Innocency appealing to God the avenger of them that are unjustly oppressed who would at the last day take cognisance of their Cause and judge without respect of person as well their Judges as them Hereupon these Stout Champions for truth were so hastily carryed away by the States Officers out of the limits of the Vnited Provinces that they after their detaining eight moneths at Dort whether they were called as they thought to a free Synod had not granted to them so much as one day in which to bid their families farewell and to set in order their domestick affairs notwithstanding they petitioned for it Episcopius therefore and the rest betook themselves to Brabant and inhabited at Antwerp during the peace between the King of Spain and the States This place these Exiles made choice of for their abode not to joyn with the enemies of their Country in a conspiracy against it nor to endeavour any thing detremental to the Reformed religion as some malevolent persons were bold enough to suggest slaunderously against them but because that place was near and from which they might more commodiously than from any place remote take care of their beloved Churches and Families How faithfully those imployed their talent received of God I shall here pass over in Silence being now to speak onely of Episcopius whose disputations with Peter Wadingus a Jesuit of Antwerp and his Antidote against the Canons of the Synod of Dort do abundanly testify his great care and diligence And also the Confession of faith which he with the other Remonstrant Pastors there did compose and publish that they might stop the mouths of them who calumniously gave forth that the Remonstrants cherisht in their breast monstrous and strange opinions which they durst not expose to publick view When the war was renewed between the King of Spain and the States our Episcopius see ng he could no longer with safety remain in Brabant departed thence into France and inhabited sometime at Rhoan sometime at Paris If thou inquire how in these parts his time was spent those Writings of his there compiled will give thee a worthy Account in case thou art able to peruse his Paraphrase and Observations on the 8 9 10 and 11 Chapters of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans also his Bodecherus ineptiens his Examen Thesium Jacobi Capelli his answer to to the Defence of Jo. Cameron his Treatise of Christian Magistracy and that of free will with other works of his laboured there He that with these considers his sollicitous Care for the Churches of his own Countrey which in this time of persecution being destitute of their ordinary Pastors he by diverse Writings and Epistles instructed comforted and incouraged to presevere in the Faith also the many conferences he had with learned men concerning Religion by which he endeavoured to bring them to a more accurate search and inquiry after the truth he I say that considers these things will be so far from thinking that he had many wast hours that he will greatly wonder where time was found for so many and great Atchievments Here Stephen Cureelleus got with him his first Acquaintance and professes that he heard him discourse of some hard points of religion and learned so many things of him that he always afterwards esteemed it a singular happpiness to him that he had acquaintance with so worthy a man Here also Episcopius contracted such a friendship with that most cordial man and eminent Mathematician Mr. Edmund Mercer which afterwards no distance of place or length of time could dissolve or weaken This was he that published this Book by which Camerons opinion of Grace and free-will is examined and intituled it Epistola viri docti and he that was so familiar a friend with Hugo Grotius that Grotius when he last left France committed to him the most precious Treasures he had his Elaborate Manuscripts that by him they might be communicated to others At length Episcopius being desirous to have a perfect Survay of France who as yet knew little more than the Northern part of it went from Paris to Lyons After that he visited Marseille Nismes Mompelier Tholouse Afterwards Burdeaux Rochella Poictiers Angiers Tours Orleance and other places And when he had finished his perambulation he returned to Paris and Rhoan where when he had remained a while and had heard that the fervour of the persecution raised in his own Countrey against the Remonstrants was some what alayed he purposed to return thither Leaving therefore France in the year of our Lord 1626 and in the eighth year of his banishment he came to Rotterdam that he might with other brethren lay out his abilities for the gathering of that very numerous Church which is there out of the dispersed Remonstrants And that afterwards he might take care for other Churches in the Vnited Provinces In the mean while by his Writings both in Latin and Dutch he strenuously defended the truth He published in Latin
An Apology of the Remonstrants confession An Answer to the Essay of the Leyden Professors with other Books In Dutch he wrote a Treatise of true Antiquity against the Papists Three Treatises against James Triglandius then Preacher at Amsterdam since Professor of Divinity at Leyden with other books In the second year after his return he entred into a Matrimonial state there being then hope of a more peaceable time marrying at Rotterdam that most choice and vertuous Gentlewoman Mrs. Mary Pesser the widow of Mr. Henry Niellius a Preacher of that City and the younger brother of Mr. Charles Niellius above-mentioned They lived together but without issue most piously peaceably and comfortably to the end of the years 1641 at which time she finished her course But before this in the year 1634 He went to Amsterdam to be President in the Remonstrants Scholastick Nursery or Colledge which was erected there to be as an University for the instructing of Youth in Divinity that were intended for Ministers of the Church How faithfully and diligently he exercised himself here we have an illustrious testimony from his copious learned and most usefull Theological Institutions and the Answer of 64 Questions proposed to him by his Disciples also from his learned and eloquent Sermons to the people also his true Remonstrant Divine and his Answer to the 10 Dilemma's of a certain Popish Doctor and other works of his Whilest he was thus labouring some occasions forced him to Rotterdam where Anno 1639 he fell dangerously sick and for some moneths kept his bed and so far was he gone that there was little hope of his recovery But at length God restored him to health and so strengthened him that he returned to his charge at Amsterdam and as diligently laboured among them as before After his return it seemed good to the Remonstrants to publish a plain Catechism for the instructing of the more ignorant sort Then Abraham Heydan at that time a Preacher at Leyden afterwards Professor of Divinity there published an Examination of this Catechism the defence of which our Episcopius undertook and finished in a considerable large Volume which came not forth till after his death For in the beginning of the year 1643 when he was well nigh 60 years old he fell mortally sick His disease is called Ischuria a dangerous suppression of the Vrine which was so pertinacious and obstinate that for eleven days he could not make one drop of water although some skilfull Physicians used the utmost of their art to master or at least somewhat to mitigate this his mercyless and stubborn enemy This Excrement of which he afterward avoided but little mixing it self with the blood of the whole body so corrupted the Crassis and temperature thereof that he could not possibly long subsist He lay sick two moneths and above and for some weeks before his death was deprived of sight Which loss whilest there was any hope of his recovery had been exceeding grievous unto him had not his deep and almost continual sleeping lessened the same For sometimes he complained of it to his friends that did frequently visit him saying that he should not be able any more to serve the Church of Christ At length on the 4th of April about the 8th hour in the morning at which time the moon was in the Eclipse he peaceably fell asleep in the Lord. And the 4th day after was carryed forth a great multitude of all sorts of persons following the herse unto the West-Church and was there interred by his wife His death many much lamented and many Epicedium's or funeral Verses of his praise and commendation were published both in Dutch and Latin Caspar Barlaeus the most renowned Poet of that time and who lived not full two years after him published a most excellent Latin Epicaedium in his commendation which is prefixed to the first Volume of Episcopius his works Thus we have taken a short view of Episcopius from his birth to his death His life was unblameable and illustrious for zeal to the glory of God and mans salvation His Love to the Churches peace and concord added much to his commendation He was indeed much conversant in Controversies not of choyce but through necessity He was often wont to complain of his constraint to this kind of exercise His patient bearing of jnjuries and readiness to forgive after the example of his Master Christ contributed not a little to his praise In alms-deeds he was to his power ready and cheerfull And such was his modesty and humble temper that his rare endowments and great Atchievments he esteemed as nothing On his sick-bed his Speeches were gracious full of piety towards God charity towards men and confidence in Christ His name now and memory is blessed with them especially that without prejudice peruse his works that in two considerable Volumes are now publick in the Latin tongue which I could wish that all men well understood were it but to read Episcopius I doubt not but there are many who have much improved themselves by his writings Our famous Hales is not doubtless without companions of whom this is reported by Mr. Anthony Farindon his familiar friend that he himself often told him that at the well pressing of Jo. 3 16. by Episcopius he bade Jo. Calvine Good-night It would be in vain for me here to inlarge who am speaking to those that through unacquaintance with Latin ◠are uncapable to see the great knowledge and eloquence of our Episcopius as for those who converse honestly with his Writings they need not me But I would not that any should think of me that I take all his sayings for gospel No I believe that his Writings as well as other mens must be read with judgment for I nothing doubt but that Errata's may be found in his works not only such that are justly imputable to the Transcriber and Printer but such also that are the Authors who was subject to erre though much more free from errors than many FINIS Books Printed for Francis Smith at the Elophant and Castle without Temple-bar BAptism before or after Faith and Repentance largely discussed not onely in publick Disputations Managed by many Ministers before Thousands of people but also Mr. Baxter Dr. Holmes Dr. Featly Mr. Marshall Mr. Blake Mr. Cook Mr. Cotton Their arguments for and against truly controverted being a subject very useful in these inquiring times for general satisfaction in this point so much controverted in folio 10 s. 6. d. Hooles Latin and English Grammer fitted not onely for the use of all Schools but very usefull for any person desirous to Learn the Latin tongue being a more plain and speedy help then any yet extant Sixth Edition 8o. price bound 2 s. A Caution to Christians against Mistakes in their Faith opening the nature and difference of effectual faith that will not and of the Dead faith that will at last deceive men in their hopes of Justification by it shewing also that holiness in men as well as the happiness of men is Gods aim in Contriving the tearms of their Salvation in 4o 2 s. 6 d. bound One thing needfull or a serious meditation on the 4 last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell unto which is now added Eball and Gerizzim or the Blessing and the Curse third Edition 12o. 6. d. bound The Young Scholars pocket Book containing the first Rudiments in Arithmetick with the Rule of 3. also the way to find the Content of Board Glass Land Timber Stone Globes third Edition 12o. 8. d. bound Youths Tragedy a Poem drawn up by way of Dialogue between Youth the Devil Wisdom the Nuncius Time Death the Soul for Caution and Direction of the younger sort third Edition 4o 4. d bound Symptomes of growth and decay to Godliness in 80 Signs of a living and dying Christian with the causes of decay and remedies for recoveries in Large 8o. third Edition at 1. s. 6. d. bound A new and usefull Concordance to the Holy Bible whereunto is added beyond any extant the chief acceptations and various significations of words contained in the Old and new Testament with marks to distinguish the Commands promises and Threatnings also a collection of those Scripture prophesies which relate to the Call of the Jews and the Glory that shall be in the Latter Days in 8º at 2. s. 6. d. bound in 120. at 2. s. bound where it is also to be had printed on a fine page and bound with the Bible in 80. or 12o. FINIS